The Notes - Winter 2021 by St Dunstan's College

Winter 2021

The Notes The official journal of The Dunstonian Association

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

The

NOTES

CONTENTS Page 3

Committee 2021-22:

Welcome from the Chair

Richard Fagg (Chairman) ‘85 dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk

Dunstonian News & Scrapbook

Peter L Brown ‘61

Re-building the Fives Courts

Tom P Coling ‘01

Sport Round up

Malachi A Connolly ‘11

Anthony Seldon's interview

Spot the Difference

Stephen Chaplin Paintings

Spotlight on

Old Dunstonian Lodge

Service of Remembrance

Announcements

Alex Brewer SDC Head of Sixth Form

Then & Now

Ben Ford SDC Head of Careers

From The Headmaster

St Dunstan's College News

Fundraising

Calendar of Events

SDC Enterprise

Jemima M Davenport ‘14 Fred J Platford ‘88 Iain Macdowall '81 Dunstonian Officer Sara Hopkins Treasurer Isabelle Blake-James SDC Director of Marketing, Admissions and Development 020 85167308 dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk

Gareth Stewart SDC staff member Rebecca Watkins SDC Director of Sports

Dunstonian office & Archives: dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk

Front cover artwork: Stephen Chaplin - see article on page 15

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Welcome from the Chair live in Beckenham with my wife and I am delighted to have been elected as Association Chair and look forward to a bright future.

A very warm welcome to this Winter Notes edition from your new Chair. May I firstly thank David for his excellent stewardship over the past three years and to his team who have made significant improvements in helping us all to connect or re-connnect within our broader community of past pupils, staff and families as well as the wider support in terms of bursaries and financial donations. By way of introduction I attended the College 1979-1985, part of Ross House and more recently our boys, Tom and Nick also attended the College and I played for many years at the ODRFC including the Vets until the age of 40. I have fond memories of CCF Camps, Sixth From geography fieldtrip to the Lake District and the 1985 Canadian Rugby Tour as well as less fond memories of the cold showers after rugby, ink flicking, blackboard chalk rubbers on your blazer, and the infamous blue gold fish in the changing room toilets. I still

As I reflect on the past 18-24 months particularly, it has been family and friends that have provided the helpful crutch of support, laughter and a willing ear that I have found so precious in coping with the stresses and strains of COVID et al. Being of a certain age and mindset, I am typically useless staying in touch. I sadly rely on those fantastic others who always seem to be the ones who help connect and organize. How many times have we all attended an event and said or felt “we must do this again”? Whilst we do all use Facebook, Insta and Whatsapp, through SDC Connect and the Association, we are also here to help stay connected or re-connect through social events or our network. Following Rick Schembri’s (’86) fantastic effort to re-convene the ’85 and ’86 cohort Canadian Rugby tour party for a reunion in 2020, Nick Warren and others are similarly doing a fantastic job for the ’91 Canadian Tour for 17 March 2022. That’s what I find so precious about The Dunstonian Association. It helps us preserve, nurture or re-connect past friendships BUT we can do so much more. The College has changed immeasurably and is an ever-changing place. I feel that the Association equally needs to adapt and change too, reflecting new challenges, needs and wishes of its membership. I attended Dunstonian Day in July 2021, hoping to see both old, familiar faces and younger, less familiar ones. The former were very well represented…..the latter less so, which

posed the question: Are we sufficiently relevant and inclusive to appeal to our younger members? I have reviewed the responses of the recent March 2021 Member’s survey and, as a priority for the New Year, I want to further understand from you, what you want from the Association, expanding upon the thoughts and feedback provided already to create real change and new initiatives perhaps. In addition to the connectivity and social and sports aspects, what else can we do in support of our broad community? You’ve mentioned professional career insight and advice, mentoring, networking. Young women have attended the College since 1995 and yet what do we offer? Most importantly, what you do specifically want from the Association? Without your involvement, we miss insight. Post university and travelling, I found instant friendships, fun, frolics and community through the ODRFC. And yet I recognize that we don’t all love and play sport and the Association is here to support you all. So please let our Committee know through the website, email or visits to site, what you want. Get involved, help shape our future. We are here to listen. Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2022 and look forward to helping shape the Association into the future with your help.

Richard Fagg (’85) Chair of The Dunstonian Association

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

NEWS DUNSTONIAN

& Scrapbook

St Dunstan's VINTAGE UNIFORM!

ur appeal for items of vintage school uniform to dress a mannequin in the new uniform shop was responded to by many Dunstonians and we would like to thank the following for their kind offers of donations: David Peddy, Simon Thorogood, John Simpson, Graham Seward, Edna Lister, the Allardyce family, Gerry Pickett, David Palmer and Michael Randall. Apologies if we have missed anyone!

David Palmer ('53) Donates his 1954 school blazer

On the subject of uniform, we also received the following email from John Witcombe ('47) “I was going through my mother’s old things, and a memory of the war. cricket and a never forgotten period of my life - a cap with the school crest on it. A lifetime since, a life of working around the world, ending in a tiny country town in the West Australian Wheatbelt. The school, although I was only a short time there, influenced me and my career. The prompt to send them was due to a friend telling me he had found a website of the school and as I would go on about the place when we talked about the values of education, said I might look it up. I was most impressed with what came up on the screen and, well, sent the message. The silly thing is that throughout my life I have always thought back on my sub-junior days at the school, and the lessons I failed to learn and the ones I did learn”.

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Memories from 1947

John Simpson (‘56)

Peter Greenaway (’66)

“How things have changed. Looking at the photographs in the latest newsletter, I remember those balances that were in a separate weighing room located between the chemistry lab/lecture room used by 3rd, 4th and 5th forms, and the lab used by 6th form A level students. I was taught all my chemistry by a very good teacher, "Flash" Reed. I saw him in the CCF Officers photograph. He was like many others a Captain, all of whom had been commissioned during the war.

“I was delighted to see the untitled photo of the stairway at the top of your recent newsletter. I believe it is the east stairway near the new dining hall/refectory going down to the basement corridor which in my time was used at some lunchtimes for shooting practice with .22 rifles.

picture of vintage scientific equipment included in a recent update to members prompted some memories for John Simpson (’56):

In 1947 when I came to St Dunstan's, the school had just been repainted following occupation by the army during the war. The lower half of classroom walls were painted a dark green and the top half up to the ceiling was cream. We also had new desks that incorporated a lift up lid with a locker below. The old desks with a cast iron frame and solid oak seat and desk were discarded, but J C Maslin, the craft Master manage to keep a lot of the oak wood which we lovingly turned into tables and trays and all sorts of other things that went on display on Speech Day. Incidentally, the biology department which was run by Mrs Hecker, the Headmaster's wife, was down in the basement alongside the shooting range used by the CCF. Mrs Hecker retired in 1955 and was replaced by a Mr Judge, a don from Cambridge if I remember correctly. We also had a model railway club in those days which was located right up in the attic above the front door. Mrs Davies when she was Headmistress told me that they no longer used that room as it was too dangerous! However, I am still involved with Model railways and was Chairman of my local group for a couple of years when it started. Best wishes to all at St Dunstan's now, in the past and, of course, the future Dunstonians”.

picture of the east staircase included in a recent update to members prompted some memories for Peter Greenaway (’66):

I had the pleasure of a reunion tour in September 2018, and just had to visit that corridor wherein I earned my Marksman First Class (by British army standards - 5 shots at 25 yards covered by a sixpence), only to find it is now used as a long locker room. The heavy bars in the photo were (I think) part of the caging to prevent pupils accessing the corridor while shooting was in progress. I noted during my tour that the vertical bars and the lockable barred door between the stair flights had been removed. I bring all this up because during my tour, the very friendly student who accompanied us was absolutely astonished to discover we used to shoot real rifles in that corridor. Perhaps this tidbit of very local history could be added to whatever school history that you currently present to pupils, and in particular why we were being trained during the early 60s to shoot straight so relatively soon after the Second World War”.

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Denis Cruse ('70)

ur June update prompted Denis Cruse (‘70) to contact us:

“The Latest Update of 21 June brought back many memories.

I took maths, physics and chemistry A Levels in summer 1969, staying on for 7th term Cambridge exams at Christmas 1969, so the buildings that were recently demolished/ re-purposed, were where I spent a great deal of time –and although I realise they have been much re-modelled inside over the years I suspect the influences of those who taught me in them – Philip Carter, Keith Ellis, Tom Downing, Alan Hall, John Reynolds – remain in places. I know Tom Downing died some time ago, as did Philip Carter - so sadly early - but don’t know about the others – if they are still alive do send my best wishes and thanks to them, and especially Keith, as he and Philip instilled chemistry into me, which after NatSci and a PhD at Cambridge I, like them, spent a career teaching secondary level chemistry. The trove of old instruments you mention probably contains some that we used then – and I do hope that a selection can be shown in the STEM centre as they show great skill and ingenuity and have aesthetic as well as scientific merit and value. The beam balances pictured I would certainly have used, and I recall being taken on a

visit to Oetlings/Averys in St Mary Cray to see, amongst other devices, the then fairly new top pan balances, which were a great time-saver. [I wonder if there is any report of such a visit in the Dunstonians of the time – 1967-8?]. While we studied static electricity I don’t recall the machine in the second picture, and although by then it would have been half a century out of date for the medical applications it mentions it would have made a good demonstration of static generation and properties. I should be interested to know what is to be discarded. The mention of Fives Courts also reminded me that, though not a player, I could sit outside and watch the world without and the play within. The DT rooms are, I believe, previously the old woodwork room, where Lynn Ashman tested joints and insisted on high standards; “Call this a tenon, boy [SNAP] do it again”. I still have a couple of pieces I made – when I had managed an acceptable joint - and the skills finally learnt (I certainly wouldn’t say mastered) have proved useful ever since. I hope the re-developments all proceed without too many hitches – there will always be some – and leave the school in a strong position, though a very different institution to that of 50 years ago (which doesn’t sound too much until one changes the units and gives it as half a century)”.

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Rebuilding the Fives Courts Isabelle Blake-James, Director of Development at the College, and Clair Wilkins, Bursar, met with David Parlby (Chair of the Rugby Fives Association), Hamish Buchanan and Julie McIntyre in September 2021 to discuss the College’s future plans regarding Fives.

s you are probably aware, the 1934 Fives courts were recently demolished (along with the 1970s Prep, Music and Physics blocks) as part of the development of the new plaza. The College is acutely aware of the important role of Fives in the school's sporting heritage, however, and we are pleased to report that it has launched a project to build four new Fives courts very close to the footprint of the original ones. The plan is for these to be "state of the art" courts (with glass back walls), with a view to SDC once again being a beacon of excellence for the sport by hosting regular competitions and extending use of the courts to the local community. The College is liaising closely with the Rugby Fives Association (RFA), who are very supportive of the project and have agreed to support the initiative financially. While the bulk of the funding for the courts will be provided by the College and the RFA, there remains a shortfall in the budget which we believe we can bridge through fundraising.

We will be launching our Rugby Fives Appeal early 2022. Please contact Isabelle Blake-James, Director of Development, if you would like to be part of the campaign at: development@stdunstans.org.uk.

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THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Sport

ROUND UP GOLF Dunstonian

Captains report Spring meeting Hever GC 5 May 2021 A bright start in terms of weather awaited the start of the season in Kent for the ODGS. This outlook was matched in the pre-game build up thanks to the visit of ODs John Grundy and Stuart Robertson who joined us for coffee and bacon rolls. It was wonderful to see both of them after these long dark months and we wish John all the best with his recuperation from injury. It wasn’t long until confusion and chaos reigned - and I’m only referring in part to Cossy’s driving range tantrums. The recent change in handicap systems soon put the group into disarray with group murmurings continuing to the tee - which by the way I could still hear in my backswing! Well that’s my excuse at least for leaking it onto the adjacent 9th fairway! The season had truly begun in earnest. The sunny outlook managed to last until the last group reached the 18th green much to everyone’s relief. My understanding is that decent golf was played by all with the odd smatterings of sensational, sublime to the ridiculous golf thrown in. This was highlighted at the Kent ‘Amen’ corner as groups concertina to watch each other’s travails. There were screams of anguish as water was found at the short par 3 12th of the group behind us- whilst special mention must go to my playing partner and winner of the day, Mr Hennessy. He confidently stood on the 13th with driver in hand with a somewhat ‘risky’ game plan of taking some of the early water in the hole out of play. He managed this fantastically with chip in birdie for 4 points. His playing partners adopted a less ‘dechambeau-like’ plan and were not so successful. It just leaves me to introduce and welcome Darren Townsend who joined us for his first ODGS event. I hope that we’ll see much more of him and others in the upcoming games.

Golf Society

Captains report Summer meeting East Sussex GC 21 June 2021 In stark contrast to the Spring meeting- we began the 'Summer' meeting after a lovely coffee and mixed bacon and sausage roll - in torrential rain. However, the mood wasn't dampened by the weather with multiple quips on the 1st tee as to whether it was planned that I had laid my first tee shot well over 150 yards before the water -knowing full well that I'd taken half the tee box ground with the ball! Despite the initial rain, by midway through the front 9 we were able to sheath the umbrellas and enjoy the rest of the round. The course held out fairly-well from the weather but I'm not too sure about how well it withstood the battering from the ODGS! Despite saying this, some very competitive scores in the 29-32 stableford points range were claimed at the end of the day and everyone enjoyed the course which played fair from the yellow tees. Stories were exchanged in the bar before taking a limited supper in the 'Woods/Nicklaus' dining room with somewhat farcical social distancing expected by the club. In total we had 12 players and it was left to David Foster to win the Balding Cup with 32 points. Closely followed by Mark Slade and Jonny Aucump on 31 points. Closest to the pin in 2 on the short par 4 6th was won by myself despite the best efforts of Sladey and his ball deflecting my approach shot offline. The closest to the pin sounded like a competition for the ages. As part of the 1st group out -we needed a tape measure to separate us all, which was followed by roars from the group

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behind as Cossy nearly found the cup with his second after originally laying 90 yards up on the 100-yard par 3. Stories continued to flow as we reclined at the bar with the final group of David Foster and his guests looking somewhat excited when joining us. They suggested that Scotty would be extremely upset as they'd managed to put 'not only one but 2 balls inside him'! It transcended that Jeremy had put his approach extremely close but was then beaten by not only one but a 2nd guest in his group! It fell to me to inform them that it was rather poor form for guests to top trump the members as the prizes were awarded.

Captains report Autumn Meeting West Hill GC 14 September 2021 With 10 members making their way around a waterlogged M25 - the mood on arrival was somewhat reticent for play being able to take place. Seeing the amount of purple heather across the course vista from the clubhouse heightened some apprehensions. But all was to change after the ‘bronzed’ Jonny arrived bringing with him an amazingly sunny late summer’s afternoon with no requirement for waterproofs. Sandwiches and a few beers were taken, and the world seemed a better place and the excitement for what was ahead heightened. Once on the course, the amount of heather seemed fair although was re-christened ‘purple grass’ in an attempt to reduce its negative associations and the true delights of one the best 100 in the land came to the fore. There was some good golf played by all with competitive scores in the 30’s by nearly all players in what would have been a close encounter but for the aforementioned Jonny who steamed into the 40+ point category with multiple recurring ‘Brucie’ bonus scores throughout. This included multiple looks at birdie including winning nearest to the pin in 2 at the fantastic short 12th ‘risk/reward’ hole. It should be noted that this all came about without a full complement of clubs for most of the round after Jonny left his 7-iron in the heather at the 5th. However, it was successfully retrieved in fading light at the end of the day.

The overarching feeling of the group was that this was a great course but missed a standout signature hole. For me, the standout was the collection of beautiful and testing par 3s for which we had several nearest the pin competitions (arranged in most part through my poor admin). Both Clive and Rob managed to win one of these with some great efforts. It was fitting that we shared a drink at sunset with plenty of light left in the day following a hugely enjoyable visit to the Surrey Our attention turns to a semi-competitive outing to the West Country to celebrate Bods’ captaincy year at Marlborough. If anyone fancies this on the 11th October with option for a game the Sunday afternoon before then please get in touch in the next week so we can make the arrangements. Our next meeting is the annual Xmas Fayre at Knole (Tuesday 14th December). I hope to see many of us at these events.

Ian Pressney ('96) Honorary Golf Captain

Future events 4 May 2022- Spring Meeting Rye GC

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THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

CRICKET OD CUACO Cricket Report 2021

fter the challenges that the 2020 lockdown and pandemic posed to the club, we looked forward to a full season of league and friendly cricket and to build on our successes of previous seasons. But with restrictions on travel, events and holidays easing, and a large group of school leavers starting university, player availability, in general was poor and we struggled to keep the momentum that had been built over the last few years. The availability problems were particularly prevalent in the first team, who, preseason would have felt they had a chance of promotion, an unusual number of washedout games, plus falling away at the end of the season, the 1s finished fourth in KCL div2. Although promotion was missed, it should be acknowledged that this was the club’s highest ever finish in the KCL structure.

The 2s were the standout success for the club. Following successive titles in 2018 & 2019 they finished second to secure promotion again and will now play in Div1 (2nd X1), the highest level the 2s have played at since the merger. Congratulations and thanks to Dan Webster for these great achievements, he is now stepping down as 2nd team captain.

The 3s and 4s felt the brunt of the availability crisis, but both finished mid table, representing consolidation after a number of recent promotions. Sunday and friendly cricket continued to fulfil a varied fixture list including the September village tour. The development Team will hope to bounce back after a disappointing relegation. We have an excellent group of young players evidenced by the U17s winning their league. Congratulations to all those players and to Steve Wright and Paul Davison for their marvellous work coaching and running the side. We also entered two ladies’ teams into a softball tournament and next year hope to run a tournament ourselves. Social events were run on a more impromptu basis this year, but support for the club as always was excellent. The upgraded facilities including the bar flooring, newly decorated hall and the patio refurb/extension helped make the experiences more enjoyable. Various Cricket club projects came to fruition in the early summer, the new heavy roller was purchased, and the nets were eventually repaired, in fact having a

full refurb. Many thanks to all those that helped by contributing to our fundraising. Next year sees new challenges, but also much optimism and much to look forward to. The sale of the Warren, our ground for the 3s and 4s games is a great loss. New grounds are being lined up and new permanent long-term plans are formulating. We look forward to the Centenary of what was Old Dunstonian Cricket Club before the merger, and to help celebrate this we will once again run a mini festival in August. Despite all the covid challenges the club remains in decent shape, financially and both on and off the field. The cricket being played is of as high a level as has been played since the merger with causes for future optimism. All our success and continued optimism are largely due to the raft of volunteers that continually help at our wonderful club. This is particularly true of those who give their time with coaching and running of the juniors.

AW 'Andy' Rouse ('83)

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RUGBY ODRFC Rugby Report 2021

ith a season to forget (as in there wasn’t one) behind the club, there was a fully packed preseason with players eager to get back onto the field to play. The club welcomed back Paul Moyse (‘84) into the fold as Head Forwards Coach, who joins Phil Ubee (‘71), Head Coach, and Anthony Smith (‘81), Team Manager. He brings with him a raft of experience from his playing days, coaching at a National 1 side and within the Kent Juniors set up. With pre-season out of the way the season began in the best possible manner with a win away from home. Unfortunately, injuries paid their toll early on, maybe due to the season long hiatus, and resulted in defeats, some that were agonisingly close with only a point or two between the sides. December started well with a good win and leaves the 1st XV at 8th in the London 3 South East league table. The A XV have struggled to obtain regular fixtures with many clubs in the Kent Metropolitan Leagues struggling to raise second or third side due to pandemic restrictions, isolations, and injuries. Within the Junior section of the club, run by Graham Condon (‘03), there has been a great set of results from the U17, with them being unbeaten so far this season. Long may this continue and hopefully soon we will be seeing these exciting players taking the field within the senior sides. A fantastically well attended lunch was held in October. All attendees were full of good cheer even though there was no rugby on display as the opposition did not show up. A very rare occasion for a 1st XV fixture. Other social events have

taken place and have all gone down with great satisfaction with people pleased to be in the same room as their friends and teammates. Around the clubhouse, the bar and hall areas have been given a spruce up and work is currently underway on the toilet and changing areas to give them a much needed refresh. As we look forward to the rest of the season, our annual Easter tour of the Duchy cannot be overlooked. With the last two tours being cancelled due to the pandemic there is great anticipation to be visiting our kind hosts Penryn, Falmouth and Truro, with extra celebration thrown in as Penryn will be celebrating their 150th anniversary.

Anthony Proctor ('99)

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Anthony Seldon Interview

Sir Anthony Seldon, Deputy Head at SDC during the 1990s, was keynote speaker at the College's Youth Mental Health Summit on 8 October 2021

What recollections do you have of your time at St Dunstan’s as a teacher and as a deputy head? I remember I loved teaching, I taught history and taught politics and it was extremely stimulating. The students were very responsive, and I loved that I could take students on trips – such as the trenches in France and Belgium. I took the teaching very seriously; it was a lifeline and was the first time I ever taught girls because St Dunstan’s had transitioned into co-ed in 1994.

What drove you to set up the original St Dunstan’s festival back in the 1990s? I started the original St Dunstan's Festival with a superb teacher and charismatic figure called David Norris. We invited Alan Bennett, who I always thought David Norris was trying to be like. He sent back a card, a small white card saying ‘what an intriguing, counterintuitive idea - an arts festival in Catford! But I'm so sorry I've made a rule - I don't speak in private schools, but all the best’, that was very nice. So, David was the very much the animateur of it, David was so multi-talented and so learned and understood dance and theatre and literature. I mean, he was a phenomenal mind, brain and cultural figure.

You have just toured our facilities with the Headmaster – what do you think

of our latest addition in terms of building? It is a revelation to come back to see the buildings. No building of architectural merit has been pulled down and the front of the school with that Iconic 19th century frontage remains the same. The Saddleback building remains the same, looking a little bit more mature than it did when I was here. So, it feels recognizably the same. Though obviously it feels spacious. The space has doubled in size, and so much more imaginative. It feels as if the whole institution is breathing much more. When I was here, there was very little space for the students and staff to be in.

If you were to go back in time, is there anything you would change in your life? Such an interesting question. I would have been kinder. I mean, I do think we were changing things quite quickly. We didn't have money, there was no money for the development of the school. We tried to raise the money, but we were not successful, but we made groundbreaking changes! We took the school Co-ed. We tried to make it more academic, more cultured, more open, inclusive, better connected to local schools and the environment. Looking back at it, it was an unbelievably happy

period in my life. I met so many people who I admire greatly, so many talented staff and students. You know I think I worried quite a lot, I remember on at least three occasions waking up in the middle of the night in our house in Bromley, worrying that I had left the bar heater on in my room. I'd drive 20 minutes to come back in at three in the morning, come in, unlock the front door, unlock my own room to then discover of course that the heater hadn't been on, but it just highlights in a way that I would often be worrying about things that I had done, or things I hadn't done. It was an incredibly happy time, but it was also quite a difficult time in transition where it felt that we were struggling and facing the loss of government assisted places which was so important to the school.

This is Mental Health Week and you have kindly agreed to speak at our very first summit here at St Dunstan’s; how important are friends and family in your mind for a well-balanced life? So, I was talking at the extraordinary conference that was hosted at St Dunstan’s about kindness, and compassion, about love and the importance about of being compassionate to ourselves. I made a point on emphasizing to students that they should avoid wherever possible being unkind or

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MEMORIES OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD cruel to other people and how cruel people are unhappy people. Bullies are unhappy and the opposite of bullies are much happier people. So how big a part does it play? Well, it depends. It varies from school to school and from person to person. How big apart should it play? Well, I believe it should be at the very heart of the school.

What one piece of advice to our sixth form students before they step into the adult world after St Dunstan’s? Be yourself, which is very much the philosophy of the headmaster. He has a remarkably clear vision about what it means to be a young person in the third decade of the 21st century. He’s pioneering, which is very unusual as a head. So, I think it's to be yourself and spend time with yourself, think through what one wants in life and how one would make that happen. But being kind to yourself too and recognizing that we never really get to achieve all of what we set out to achieve. So do what you love! Choose whether to go to university or not - if one does decide to go to study choose a subject one loves. Try and choose a career doing something one loves. If one feels very mathematical, then you should be an accountant or work in finance, but if one is very compassionate, be a nurse, be a doctor, be a social worker, be a therapist.

Kim Stephenson (’77) Following the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, we asked for your memories of the D of E award at SDC. Kim Stephenson (’77) replied as follows: “I’ve got some memories of the DofE award at SDC, not because I did it, but because I was in the Signals section, and we provided back-up. I can remember being dropped off with a colleague (happened a couple of times on different camps, and I can’t remember any of my colleagues!) by Land Rover (I think by Ian Burgess, the ex-Harwell metallurgist who was also a physics master and head of Signals) with a portable 88 radio set and I think the bigger (for vehicle mounting) 62? We’d trek up a hill and set up the station, one time having to pitch a tent as well as we were staying overnight. The idea was that the groups doing their expeditions would carry an 88 set, and there were a few posts around with the 62 to link together, so wherever they roamed, they’d be able to contact a nearby station for help if they got into trouble, and we’d be able to use the bigger network to call for support (the range of the 88 wouldn’t be sufficient). Basically, it was a good laugh, we’d smuggle some beers in and I don’t think we ever had a problem with anybody being in trouble, so we were undisturbed and could read, chat and chill out. I recall there was a case where somebody on the D of E broke an ankle or something similar, and they actually managed to get a signal out that was relayed to base, and the cavalry came flying over the hill in a Land Rover to pick up the injured. I also recall one time, I think, in Yorkshire, where we woke up in the tent, looked outside and it had snowed. Being a city boy, I’d never seen anything so quiet and unspoiled – everything was blanketed by snow so there were no echoes and just some animal tracks (fox, we assumed) breaking the white field of snow for miles around. I wish I’d had a modern phone then, or at least had taken a camera!

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

1974 Michaelmas term Chronicle (left) 1975 Lent term Chronicle (above)

Spot the Difference

erhaps I am particularly unobservant, but it was only when I saw these “now and then” images of the school’s façade side by side that it occurred to me to wonder what happened to the chimneys that used to sit austerely above the school. A quick bit of research shows that they still took pride of place on the cover of the 1974 Michaelmas term Chronicle, but roll forward just a few months to the 1975 Lent term Chronicle and there is an indication that major works were underway at the College. These works included the removal of the chimneys

which, having served no practical purpose for many years, had become prohibitively expensive to maintain. The development was noted thus in the OD Scrapbook of the time: "At the School itself a number of recent changes should be of interest to Old Boys. The buildings, for example, have completely disappeared —temporarily for the most part behind a spider's web of tubular scaffolding, but to some extent permanently, and we 'must grieve when even the shade of that which once was great is passed away'. How you spell 'great' depends upon your

tolerance of the lowest form of wit, but the fact remains that it is less costly to demolish than to 'make good' the brickwork of chimneys no longer in use and that in this post-Kimbers-and-coal-scuttles age the School has been constrained to follow fashion and to acquire, with due apologies, we hope, to Messrs. Clifton and Brass of 1888, a new 'profile'." A member of Form 2B was even moved to memorialise the chimneys’ removal in a poem (below), which also references the removal of the ivy that had previously covered much of the College’s facade.

AN EFFORT Sweating, Panting. They toss the red bricks. Heaving, Wheezing. They trundle it up The ramp. Jerking, Roaring. The load rattles up The metal throat.

At the top. Planks sway with The wind. Fresh air howls Down decapitated chimneys. The wheelbarrow, Unloaded, burdenless, Hurtles down. Screeching, Swaying. An instantaneous halt.

Stark, Stripped. The russet walls, Denuded of Their olive-green shawl. Shiver Miserably in the chill air. Prisoners. They are encaged, Trapped by The cold steel framework.

www.stdunstans.org.uk/dunstonian-association

Stephen Chaplin Paintings

unstonian Stephen Chaplin ('51) studied at the Slade Art School and subsequently taught History of Art and Art Practice at Leeds University. In 2014 Stephen created a marvellous series of paintings that depicted the route followed by his father Ivor (also a Dunstonian) from his home in Lewisham to the College between 1909 and 1914. Stephen has kindly donated this series of paintings, which were exhibited at Lewisham Hospital, to the College, and we have included a number of them here. We also include Stephen's 1950 depiction of a certain long-serving SDC art teacher, who will be immediately recognisable to many of you, and a painting from the same era of some pupils taking it easy outside the Fives courts and covered playground.

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Simon Thorogood (’65) Johnson House

Spotlight on... What was the transition from “student” to “master” like? Did any of the masters who had previously taught you give you a hard time? In the January of 1968 one of the masters at SDC wrote to me and said there was a job vacancy and was I interested. I’d always wanted to be a teacher so I wrote in and the result was a spell of over 40 years back where it all started 14 years earlier. I actually began in the Summer Term as someone was needed to fill a gap for the last 6 weeks. I have often been asked how I was received by those who had taught me. It was the smoothest of transitions and I was given an amazing amount of help when it was needed but it was socially that I was integrated as well, with dining clubs and parties. If a new teacher was taken to their first class these days and told ‘good luck’ without being given very much information on what to teach they would soon be complaining but back then it seemed just right as I got immediate independence. I learnt very quickly that one of the most important aspects of teaching was the interaction with a class and it was something that I always enjoyed. Huge amounts of laughter along with lots of hard work make a great combination.

Simon Thorogood attended SDC as a student in the 1950s and 60s, and then went on to have a 45 year teaching career here.

You were a student at St Dunstan’s before joining the teaching staff. What are your earliest memories of that time? I first set foot in St Dunstan’s in 1954. I have one memory of my interview as I was asked what was on the back page of the Eagle comic. I’m not certain I got the answer right but they took pity on me and in September that year I put my shorts, blazer and cap on – I still have the photo – and joined Prep 2. I can only remember having a great time at school, travelling by train, by myself, to Catford Bridge. After three years in the Preps (the Prep started in Year 4) I took the 11+ and gained a free place. Years of sport and some academic effort went flying by and within no time I was pushed towards Durham University where I spent another three years very much like those at school.

You were involved in a lot of sports at SDC. What are your favourite sporting memories, as a student or master? Whilst I loved classroom teaching my connections to school sport gave me just as much pleasure, maybe even more. Rugby coaching came first and I spent 30 years on the games fields. Many of the best memories where of my partnership with John Gaskell and the Under 13s. We lived and breathed that team every season. We took them on tour to Somerset for many years and ran a seven-a-side tournament which was a firm fixture in the diaries of the best Under 13 teams in the area. I also remember the rugby tours with the First XV. My first venture was organising a trip to Romania when the regime there was still run by Ceausescu We were watched closely by the authorities but still had the best of times with those looking after us. How pleased they will have been when the regime fell a few years later. Later, going to South Africa and Australia with Rick Bodenham’s teams brought new experiences that it’s impossible to forget.

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

There are Cornish memories too, as each summer I organised camping trips to St Agnes for those 1st Formers lucky enough to get a place. We were a regular feature on Chapel Porth beach. When the summer terms came my cricketing skill meant there was no team coaching for me so I took on the task of developing the Junior swimming teams. Fixtures with the best schools in the area were always close-run affairs and I took along Under 10 to Under 13 teams to most of them.

According to our records, you were a student at St Dunstan’s from 1954 to 1965, and a teacher there from 1968 to 2013. There were huge changes in society over this period – what were the most significant changes you saw at St Dunstan’s over this time? I started teaching in 1968 and finished in 2013. In all that time I was privileged to work with some of the very best colleagues. The Common Room I started in was a gentleman’s club and the one I finished in was very different and the better for it. Teaching methods and curriculum had changed and so had interaction with pupils. How many of those at school now would relish taking lessons on a Saturday morning before going off to watch school teams in the afternoon? Clearly, the change to co-education made a vast difference. I don’t think many found it all that easy, I certainly didn’t, but it was the correct decision to make and the College is now all the stronger for it. From being a champion of all boys’ education, I soon changed and saw the greater benefits of a mixed school. From an all-male Common Room through to the times when the ladies were welcomed I have worked with a group of talented, generous and diligent colleagues and I’m privileged to still meet with some of them. My last four years of teaching were part time after a spell as Deputy Head. It was so good to get back to just classroom teaching and the interaction with pupils. By this time the age gap with a class was a lot larger but I still loved every minute, especially the Mathematics and Geography and even a bit of History. When the time came to finally stop, I hoped that I’d left St Dunstan’s still with its unique atmosphere of friendliness and caring for others. It is with great pleasure that I now see the College going from strength to strength. There are few there now who would remember me but I can never forget that I loved going to school for over half a century.

How have you been filling your time since retiring from teaching? I now reside in a village near to Eastbourne, the sea and on the South Downs by the Seven Sisters. All that sport at school took its toll and two new knees and a hip later I do lots of walking and a few gym classes. A bit of Parish Council work takes up time as well. As for spare time, there doesn’t seem to be any, which makes me wonder how I ever fitted in so much before!

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Wui Jin Lee (’18) Forder House

What are the most memorable moments from your time at St Dunstan’s? Those close to me know my memory is temperamental so answering this question has proven to be difficult. There were a million memories made in my seven years at the school and every time I see another friend, a million more memories pop into my head (and are subsequently forgotten). The notably common pattern in these conversations are that we’ve all remembered the little things; remember when someone smashed the glass door in the maths corridor, when locusts were set free round the school, when we set the clamp on fire in chemistry… Simply put, there’s no one defining memory of my time at school. My most memorable moments are muddled in the highs and lows I experienced with the people around me.

What were the most important lessons that you took away from your education and experience at St Dunstan’s? One assembly, Mrs Davies (I believe? Please refer to my temperamental memory) told us to ‘be kind to ourselves’. I think this was just before we were due to commit ourselves to many tedious hours of self-study prior to our GCSEs. It was such a strikingly simple comment but is something I have continuously reminded myself of when work has felt overwhelming (a very common occurrence). Not long ago, I spoke to a second-year university student asking for advice on their studies and career decisions. Understandably, as an attempt to grasp some practical recommendations, they asked, ‘What did you do to keep on top of work and job applications?’. I stopped for a moment trying to scan my brain for anything tangibly actionable and said, ‘just try to be kind to yourself’. Beyond all the academic lessons I took away from

my time at St Dunstan’s the most useful lesson that has improved my life are those few simple words and the very unsurprising fact that all this time I just had to be kinder to myself.

Who were your most inspiring teachers, and why? In a job interview last year, I was asked why I chose to study Economics at university. Without hesitation, I smiled and answered that Economics was so fascinating to me as it existed everywhere. It exists in the minute details of decision making to the large-scale implications of central bank decisions and government policy. My undying infatuation with the subject is all credited to Mrs Baptiste, my A-Level Economics teacher who brought empathy and fun to every lesson. Even after studying Economics at university, I still believe some of the most inspiring and memorable lessons I had were in those old year 7 classrooms as Mrs Baptiste tried to cram the extensive A-Level syllabus into a limited number of classes. Nonetheless, to credit one teacher as my sole inspiration would be inaccurate. I have an immense amount of respect and awe for all my teachers, from those who taught me my A-Levels, to my saxophone teacher and teachers that ran co-curricular activities I engaged in. Without their collective support, I would not have made it thus far.

What have you been doing since you left St Dunstan's in 2018, and what are your plans for the future? Since leaving in 2018, I have graduated from the London School of Economics with First Class Honours in BSc Economics. I experience three years of intense education coupled with constant questioning from ‘but how do you

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

OD LODGE 5662 Consecrated 24 September 1937

warm welcome from the Old Dunstonian Lodge No 5662. After over 18 months of lockdown we had our first meeting in September 2021 at Freemasons Hall in Great Queen Street. Many of the elder members of the Lodge stayed away as travelling by public transport still causes an unnecessary risk to them, but they were there with us in spirit.

even find the orthogonal of a matrix that large?’ to pure existential ‘what is the meaning of life?’ (a literal question I had to debate in a philosophy essay). Upon the realisation that I had to find something to do with myself post university, I (rather panicked) applied to numerous jobs in a range of industries. At this point, I had no clue what I wanted to do and was too indecisive to commit to applying for one type of job. My indecisiveness eventually led me to consulting at McKinsey and Company where I have the luxury of picking which industry I work in every few weeks. Alongside university and careers, I have helped found an Asian activism Instagram page (@dearasianyouthlondon) with the aim to empower British Asian youth and communities. In this role, I am fortunately able to couple my enthusiasm for volunteering and my love of graphic design (both of which I developed at St Dunstan’s) in my role of Head of Design, where I lead a team of talent young British Asian designers in creating educational infographics on all issues related to being British and Asian.

What advice would you give to our current Year 13 students? Three pieces of advice (as all good things come in threes): 1. Everyday advice: Be kind to yourself 2. Advice for the near future: It’s okay to not know what you want to do nor where you want to end up (keep this in mind for the inevitable post university dread) 3. Advice from my philosophy lecture for life: Do what you love and make sure what you love contributes positively to the world. (A very simplified version of Susan Wolf’s theory on how to live a meaningful life. A somewhat peaceful answer to everyone’s early morning existentialism.)

The Old Dunstonian Lodge would welcome new members into our fold, we still extend our invitation to those who are interested and would like to find out more about the craft, we are happy to have telephone calls, video chats or even socially distanced meetings with prospective members. The friendship and Brotherhood of Freemasonry has helped many people through this tough time, and will continue to do so We were very pleased to welcome a joining member who contacted us recently, he is an Old Dunstonian but belongs to another Lodge, wanted to have a closer association with the School, so he got in touch, attended our November meeting and will be joining shortly. Membership of the Lodge is not restricted to OD’s, it is open to all who wish to join Freemasonry, we welcome everyone from all walks of life, indeed the variety of our members makes our meetings so much more enjoyable, and the diversity of our members enriches our lives and broadens our understanding of society. Freemasonry now has female Lodges, in every respect identical to our male Lodges, again if any female readers are interested in or considering joining, please do not hesitate to contact me and I can put you in touch with the appropriate individuals who will be more than pleased to discuss it with you. Covid is still with us, and probably will be for a long time, so when we meet, we do adhere to all the government guidelines and practices. If you are interested in obtaining more information, please contact Russell Mady (Secretary) on either: Mobile: 07803006919 or email rjmady@ntlworld.com Keep Well, Stay Safe

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Kim Stephenson (’77) Wilson House

Can you tell us about your life since you left St Dunstan's in 1977? At the time (I think it’s different now), careers advice wasn’t something that SDC “got”. As I remember, there were about 800 pupils and 45 Masters, no women teachers. All the masters had university degrees (around half, I think, Oxbridge). Consequently, if you wanted to go to a “good” university, particularly an Oxbridge college, you could seek advice from people who’d been there. If you wanted to go to work it appeared there wasn’t much help, because everybody had been to school, university, maybe teacher training, then back to school as a master and hadn’t got a clue about the world of work.

What were the highs and lows of your time at St Dunstan's? One great thing that happened I was unaware of at the time. I always felt separate from my classmates (even ones I was pally with). That is my personality, influenced by the fact that my mother died when I was 9, and I was a bit scared of what life held, so I was a bit standoffish. I was keen to go to SDC, because my dad had been there (although he’d been to four other schools as well, because of being evacuated in the war), but nobody from my primary school was going there – including my best mate who went with several of our other friends to Colfe’s. I felt very much alone and several of my new classmates had been at the prep school and knew one another, which was intimidating, and made me feel I didn’t belong. I was in 1B and went on, with most of the group, to 2B and was part of the team that won the year rugby and cricket competition; not that I contributed much! I began to feel more part of a group and was running a table tennis club with my particular mate Stuart; who was later expelled! I was finding my feet when my dad died suddenly. I don’t really remember much about the year after that (except that I came fifth out of 31 at the end of term and Ken Douie, wrote in my report that “he must have great courage”). I only discovered several years later that my form master, Ian Stainton-James had got the class together and told them about my father, and that my mother was already dead, and he wanted them to look after me. The fact that he did that I only found out by accident years later, which meant 30 other kids always resisted the temptation to tease me or pick on me, and the fact that I did end up feeling part of a group is a really nice memory.

Most of my friends were heading to university; many to do things they’d wanted to do from their early years, often because they were a parent’s careers. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I dabbled with psychology, but was told repeatedly that I just wanted to understand myself and that was likely to make me genuinely paranoid as distinct from just weird, and philosophy, because it sounded like you got to set the world to rights and I specialised in having drunken conversations at 2am about that subject. I discovered that what you did in a philosophy degree was study what other people said and analyse their ideas, not express your own. That didn’t appeal since I felt I knew better than Wittgenstein, Kant etc. how the world should be. I decided to go out to work. I had done maths at A Level, not well, but I had a reasonable facility for basic maths and liked playing cards (I was in the bridge team) so I was good at probability and statistics. I got a job that was advertised for “A Level maths”, and there I was, in insurance. I did that for three years and moved across to financial planning. That used the analysis skills I’d got, and for a while it was great. I liked helping clients, asking questions, knowing things other people didn’t and putting the two together to solve money problems. Trouble was, learning about people and puzzle solving weren’t what you got paid for. You got paid to sell things. I wanted to be an “expert” or a “consultant”, and have people come to me for a solution and they’d pay me for the solution. I didn’t want to sell them a product or have to persuade them of something, feeling that it was too much like selling double glazing. I became a feebased advisor (no commission, a time-based fee.) I did well, was quoted in the Financial Times and Sunday Times, worked with some very wealthy people, made money; and I realised when I was 34 that I hated it. I finally sought some professional careers advice. By coincidence, I went to a firm of Occupational Psychologists, which meant nothing to me, they just had a good reputation.

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

They interviewed me, put me through some aptitude and ability tests, and said – “you’re an intellectual snob, you want to be recognised as a professional. You’re interested in the people, knowing stuff most people don’t and imparting knowledge; you’re not motivated by money, or persuading people to do things”. One thing they suggested was psychology. I responded, “I can’t see me growing a dodgy beard, developing a dodgy ‘mittel-European’ accent and getting people to lie on the couch and ‘tell me about your muzzer’” – which was my impression of psychology. But I looked it up and found out that it wasn’t all about mad people and therapy, there was an area that focussed on people at work, how to train them, select them, motivate them, get the best out of them, how to develop their skills and get groups to collaborate. It’s called Occupational Psychology. That sounded interesting. To qualify professionally, you need a doctorate, or get a degree, a masters and have professional supervision for a few years in practice, to show you can apply the theory to real people and situations. A part time degree would take me until I was over 40 to finish the academic side alone. I went to university full-time as a mature student, then did a master’s full time for a year. Unlike A-levels, I cared about what I was learning so it wasn’t that difficult; I was used to working a 40-50 hour week, commuting 90 minutes a day, and studying things I didn’t care about in my limited spare time. Now I had time and a whole organisation helping me study something interesting. At A-level and in finance I studied because I had to and did the least work required to pass exams or do the job. In the degree and masters, I did all the optional reading and found other things I wanted to learn that weren’t even on the syllabus besides all the core material. I scraped through the A Levels (C and two E’s!), at master’s level I got a distinction and had my dissertation published in a peer reviewed Journal. I had to pay for it all (the days of free universities being well in the past by then) and I calculated that giving up the salary I was on, pay fees etc. and then start work on maybe half of what I’d made four years earlier cost me about £80,000 (which 20 + years ago, was serious money). But I never regretted it. I love what I do, I’ve done some career coaching myself (it’s one of the areas you learn as part of the basic syllabus) and helping people; whether it’s kids out of school, mid-career execs wanting a change or returners to work; is great fun. And because I liked it, I got involved with the Division of Occupational Psychology (which is part of the British Psychological Society, the governing body) by being secretary and serving on various committees. That compares to being an assembly monitor at SDC for about two weeks, until they realised that I was normally so late that I didn’t get to assembly! The committee work involved me in Division finance; and since psychologists don’t really “get” money, I kept getting asked about finance by the Division and the members. Most people thought I was an accountant because that’s what they associate with money advice. I explained I couldn’t do trial balance and arcane accountancy things, and that I had done personal finance, like pensions, investments, insurance etc. Because personal finance was a closed book to them, they’d immediately ask me “what do I invest in”, “how do I reduce my taxes” and “should I set up a pension”. I was asked so much that I put together some presentations and information resources. I discovered that most people (including psychologists) worry about money and not happiness – whereas happiness is important

and money’s just a tool to create it. To paraphrase JFK, “ask not what you can do for money, ask what your money can do for you.” If you know the life you want to create, you’ve got a motivation to understand and use the money, and other tools, to create it. If you do it the other way round, you focus on money and ignore what you really want – which, in psychology jargon, is crazy! I found that my psychology skills were useful, added to what I knew about questioning people on finance, so I can help work out what people want from life and hence their money. They can consider the options they’ve got and the trade-offs they need to make (between, say, having money to spend now and saving it for later). Then they’ve got a motivation to develop the best financial plan for them, personally, and to focus on what changes in habits and behaviour they need to make so they can have the life they want, using their money as a tool. I find it fun, I’ve had a couple of books published on the subject (one for high school and university students in the US) and the great thing is that the psychology research is ongoing, we constantly have more tools to help people work out their goals and then control their behaviour to get to their goals, and the world situation is always changing (as with the pandemic) so there’s always something new to learn. It never gets boring or simplistic.

What advice would you give to our current Year 13 students? Don’t do what I did! Get decent advice on jobs, university, gap year etc. If you’ve got a vocation or a love for a career, great, do it. If it requires a degree, fine. The point is, if you do love it, you will deal with the inevitable problems like having no money, initially, the conflict between studying and having a life, the tough choices, the disappointments. If you eventually decide it’s not for you, you’ll have acquired all sorts of skills and knowledge (and maybe some qualifications), that will always be useful. If you don’t know what you want to become, or do with your life, that’s OK. I’d start with what you really enjoy; not necessarily what you’re good at. There are loads of questionnaires, sites etc. where you can look at what your strengths are, I won’t advertise but there are a couple of free university sites that offer great resources if you agree to let them use your data (anonymised) for research purposes. Maybe there’s a ready-made job in there, a vocational degree followed by something you think you’d love. Great. If not, I’d focus on either; trying out things that you think might appeal, that have a good element of your interests and some things you don’t currently know about, or studying things that interest you. Don’t worry whether you (or your family and friends) can see a clear route through. My experience (and a lot of research evidence) indicates that if you pursue your interests, you’ll create something for yourself if there’s nothing readymade. And the point is that if you are interested you can learn fast even when it’s not something that you knew anything about before. Motivation is a lot more powerful than ability – basically, if you really, really want to do something, you’ll probably be able to learn to do it, even if you start off being told that you have no aptitude or ability for it. On the other hand, you could do something that you’re good at, that you’re told you are talented in but that doesn’t really interest you (like me with maths), and you can end up regretting it. Or you can bite the bullet, like I did, and switch somewhere down the road, but it’s a lot easier to get some professional advice now, work out what really floats your boat, and go into something you can put your heart into from day one.

THE NOTES IWINTER 2021

Service of Remembrance

t Dunstan’s College’s annual Service of Remembrance took place on Thursday 11 November.

This year, the Headmaster, Bursar, Chaplain, Head of School and the Chapel Choir were joined in the Great Hall by Years 10 -13, whilst the rest of the College watched live from their classrooms. The service was opened by a reflective performance of Edward Elgar's ‘Nimrod’ by the St Dunstan's Concert Band. Reverend Colin Boswell then delivered the opening prayer, reflecting on the loss of life during the First World War and other conflicts. He said: 'We stand here to remember lives sacrificed in the service of our country and especially those who were members of our school community, those traumatised and those injured in conflict. 'May we have such a devotion to justice and freedom, that the heroism of all who fought and still fight may continue to be remembered in a nation of service and in a world that longs for peace.' Dunstonian Sam Hibbs (’01) then read Ecclesiasticus Chapter 44, Verses 1-15, which was followed by a stunning rendition of David Blackwell's ‘Steal Away’ by the Chapel Choir. Head of School, Xin, then read ‘MCMXIV’ by Philip Larkin, which was followed by the Headmaster’s reading of Laurence Binyon’s ‘For the Fallen’. The Headmaster, Bursar, Chaplain, Head of School and prefects then made their way out onto the front crescent for the two-minute silence and laying of the wreaths. The ‘Last Post’ was performed by Nona on the bugle before the

two-minute silence. During the First World War, more than 877 Dunstonians served in the forces, and St Dunstan’s suffered one of the highest percentage losses of any school in the country. Tragically 277 students and teachers lost their lives during the war. St Dunstan’s Rivers of Poppies display was once again installed at the front of the College featuring more than 750 poppies. The display is made up of two rivers of poppies hanging down the side of the front building and a giant three metre by three metre poppy, which was placed on the grass. The front crescent also included a large cross, where the wreaths were laid by senior and junior pupils, and a display of more than 100 smaller crosses to mark 100 years since the nation’s collective Remembrance traditions were first brought together. St Dunstan’s Headmaster, Mr Nicholas Hewlett, had earlier spoken to students about the importance of Remembrance. He said: 'I know I do not need to remind you that as the nights draw in we again find ourselves in the season of Remembrance. An occasion, every year, where we stop, reflect and consider those who have died in war. 'We recall those extraordinary numbers suffered by St Dunstan’s, now emblazoned on the walls behind me and on the balcony. Our remembrance is of those Dunstonians and all others, in the Great Wars and in the many other theatres of conflict that have characterised our history.’

Reigate Connection

e have been contacted by the Headmaster of Reigate Grammar School who would like to rekindle the friendship between our two schools. Some Dunstonians will remember of course that the school was evacuated to Reigate during the Second World war before moving further afield to Wales. One Dunstonian, John Burbridge (‘40), recalls: “I shall be delighted to pass on to you any relevant memories of the year I spent at Reigate . I was in fact only there for one year, 1939/ 40. My widowed mother was a schoolteacher on the Isle of Dogs. She was evacuated to Wells on Somerset, and I joined her there in July 1940. I started in Wells Cathedral School in September, so you see I only had one scholastic year in Reigate. I do however remember mornings at Reigate Grammar School. We only had classroom tuition in the mornings. Later our school seem to buy properties in Reigate where we had our classes morning and afternoon”.

We are hoping to reinstate our links with Reigate school through an annual sport fixture starting in 2022 – watch this space!

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

Announcements Weddings

Obituaries Luke Hunter (‘03)

Luke Hunter (‘03) married Gemma Gold (left) on the 24th July 2021. The Association sends Luke and Gemma their congratulations!

Andrew Popplestone (‘01) & Zara Harradine ('03) On 20th November 2021, Andrew Popplestone ('01) and Zara Harradine ('03) (below) tied the knot at Borthwick Castle in Edinburgh. Andrew was ably supported on the day by his two best men Matthew Cole ('01) and Andrew Beveridge ('01). Also in attendance were William Beynon ('99), Sophie Beveridge (nee New) ('01) and Tom Coling ('01). Whilst for many people planning a wedding is a big enough undertaking in itself, Zara recently started at AvroKO as a Senior Designer and Andrew, in his role as Creative Director at Territory Studio LTD, was credited for his work on the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die. The Dunstonian Association would like to wish the new Mr and Mrs Popplestone all the very best for the future.

1940s Charles Rothwell (’41)

Charles Rothwell (’41) sadly passed away on 16 September, 2021, aged 98. Charles left St Dunstan’s in 1939 at the age of 16 (at the point at which the school was evacuated to Reigate). After leaving school he joined the General Accident, Fire & Life Assurance Corp (now Aviva), temporarily leaving them to join the RAF in 1941 and serving in the Far East for 5 years. He rejoined General Accident after the war and worked there till 1989. Charles’ wife, Heather, recalls that he had fond memories of St Dunstan’s and was an excellent athlete, specialising in the 1,500m and at one time training with Jack Lovelock, the Olympic gold medallist. Charles and Heather, who were married for 56 years, spent the majority of their retirement in the Vendée, France and had one son and two grandsons.

David Walker (’48)

We were notified by George Dawson (’56) that David Walker passed away in December 2021. No further details were given at the time of going to print.

1950s Alan Victor Bell (’59)

Alan Bell (’59) passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 23 January, 2021. Alan moved to Canada in

25 1967 and became a Canadian Citizen but never forgot his home country of England. His wife, Janice Veniot, recalls that, “Alan valued his years at St Dunstan’s greatly and he was very proud of having attended your School of Learning. He made three lifelong friends there and we returned to England each year to meet with them. Their names were Alan Button, John Bowers and Stuart Billington. They were fast friends for over 60 years”. Alan was born in Farnham in 1940 and, after leaving St Dunstan’s, had a career in engineering which took him around the globe. He was highly respected in his profession and sought after to mitigate many mining problems. Alan’s favourite motto was ‘Mitigate, Mitigate, Mitigate’. As a professional engineer with his Masters in Engineering and specializing in civil and environmental Engineering, he was well equipped to deal with any environmental issues. He dedicated his life to solving these issues and making the world a better place.

1960s James Edward Beeson (’61) died 5 April 2021 aged 77

James Beeson was born on 10 August 1943 in Woking. At St Dunstan’s he was a keen member of the school CCF and Thomas House. Following the Arts side he became a “History Boy” leaving to go, following a gap year of work, up to Cambridge in 1962. He had a passion for music and was a mainstay, and sometime leader of, the school orchestra over several years. He read History at Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1965 and an MA in 1969. He added Rock Climbing to his interests while there, visiting edges in the Peak District and Snowdonia. He pursued a career in Industry, with employers including GEC, Mirrlees Blackstone and Ferranti in Stockport and Manchester. Outside work he continued violin playing in orchestras and bands for several amateur dramatic societies, where he met his future wife. He was a member of the Long Distance Walking Association and CAMRA, and combined interests by securing bookings for his string quartet at local pubs. He married Susan Magrieta Cloete in 1996 and gained three stepchildren, Helen, Hazel and Richard, and six grandchildren.

1980s Andrew Bunt (’83)

Colin Bunt has informed us of that his son Andrew Bunt (’83) sadly passed away on 6th June 2021.

Shortly after leaving the College in 1983 Andrew was involved in a motor accident and suffered a severe head injury, which had a lasting impact throughout his life. Music was his passion and helped to mitigate the effects of his accident. For the last 26 years he lived in Clifton, Bristol. David Edwards, former Chair of The Dunstonian Association, was a contemporary of Andrew and remembers him thus: “The year of 1983 was saddened to hear of Andrew’s untimely passing. As we all grow older we have many fading memories of our time at school, but the memory of Andrew’s smiling face is not one of them. It is particularly sad that an accident after he left school had such longlasting consequences. Without it Andrew surely would have made a success of anything he set his mind to. On hearing the news, one of the 1983 cohort said “I remember Andrew had a considered style all his own.” How right that description is. Quiet, unassuming and cheerful, his relaxed exterior belied a serious intellect. Those who came up against Andrew in the inter-house chess competitions may have been disarmed by his cheeky smile but were defeated by his steely logic. His death reminds us of how fragile life can be and how every day should be lived to its maximum”.

LEGACY Douglas William Mason

We were recently notified by solicitors’ firm Charles Clarke & Co that Douglas passed away and left a generous legacy of £26,000 to the College. We are very grateful for his donation which will go towards enhancing our bursary programme.

How to make a legacy 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 use the Pledge Form included in The Notes should you wish to make a legacy. Please contact Isabelle Blake-James, Director of Development: development@stdunstans.org. uk, if you have any questions.

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

SDC

Then & Now...

Circa 1900

Circa 1880s

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

Circa 1900

2000s

2022

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

SDC NEWS From the Headmaster A

lthough the blight of Coronavirus lingers on, this term has certainly felt far more normal than those of the previous two years. It has been a great delight to see students return to curricular and co-curricular routines and the College does now feel alive once more. It has been particularly heartwarming to see the resumption of many larger events, not least as it has enabled us to bring Dunstonians back into the life of our community. Remembrance Day was once again held in the Great Hall and then with the whole College standing in silent reflection around the front D. Always a particularly moving occasion, Sam Hibbs (’01) laid a wreath on behalf of the Dunstonian Community. Later in November we were treated to an exquisite concert at St Martin in the Fields before sadly having to cancel further Christmas festivities. You will be pleased to hear that demand for places at the College remains at a record high. Parents in south-east London seem drawn to a school that remains true to its founding motto – albam exorna – an education that allows young people to find their own way and be comfortable with who they are, in part as a consequence of a liberal, renaissance curriculum that places the holistic and ambitious education of the child at the

centre of all we do. I hope you have enjoyed the new College film which in my view captures this ethos so cleverly. Our New Buildings were formally opened at the beginning of this term, and I was grateful to Dunstonians Sir Martin Evans (’60) for unveiling the plaque and to Nigel Higgins (’78) for delivering a lecture in the Great Hall later on in the term. Our building works continue. The Performing Arts Centre is really starting to take shape. It was a delight to host such a number of Dunstonians for the opening of the Martin Preston Drama Studio. The new Theatre (in the footprint of the old technology rooms) is nearly finished. We are expecting it to be handed over across next term. We now turn our attention to the Sport and Leisure Centre which needs modernising and expanding to cater for the increased number of pupils and for our broader community engagement. It is our hope to share plans with you next year and, in particular, to seek your support for the relocation of the Fives Courts (demolished to make way for the Plaza) but with exciting plans for their new home. We very much hope to be able to undertake this work next summer (2022) in advance of the main sport and leisure centre refurbishment, currently scheduled for summer 2023. I am delighted that Richard Fagg has been elected new Chair of the Dunstonian Association. He will be building on the exceptional work and transformation achieved under David Edward’s tenure (thank you so much, David) and such is the growing ambition of our Dunstonian Office, that he will have much to facilitate! Our programme of events is

ever more impressive and whether it be events in London, at the College or at Park Langley, I do very much hope you will seek to get involved. Alongside its work with our alumni, in the New Year the Development Office will be launching our new ‘Widening Access’ programme, which we very much hope the whole Dunstonian community will get behind. The programme is designed to enable even more young people from our local community to come to St Dunstan’s, children who could not think of accessing an independent education without such support. More to follow. Whilst it has been a pleasure to meet many hundreds of Dunstonians across recent months, I am very aware that there are still a number who have not reconnected. Do please spread the word! The Dunstonian community is increasingly an exciting and vibrant place to rekindle memories and reconnect with peers, Dunstonians and the College. The easiest way to do this is through SDConnect which now has over 1000 members and sign-up is easy through the website. I want to thank the whole Dunstonian community for the considerable support shown for what we are seeking to do at the College and for your ongoing interest and engagement. Do have a lovely Christmas when it comes and I look forward to seeing you at one of our many upcoming events in 2022.

Nicholas Hewlett Headmaster

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

STEM Block Opening

he College was delighted to officially open its new Junior School, STEM Block and Sixth Form Centre on Friday 17 September. The new facilities, which were built over the last 18 months, were opened by special guests Nobel Prize winner Sir Martin Evans (left), and Chairman of Barclays, Nigel Higgins – both former pupils of the school.

Speaking about the opening ceremony, St Dunstan’s Headmaster, Mr Nicholas Hewlett said: ‘It was a delight to host the formal opening of our new buildings; the culmination of years of planning. It represents the most fundamental redevelopment of our College site since 1888, and to have achieved this within the context of the pandemic is testament to the creative zeal and tenacity of so many, not least our Bursar, Mrs Clair Wilkins. ‘I am most grateful to Sir Martin Evans OD, and Nobel Prize winner, for unveiling the plaque, and to Nigel Higgins OD, Chairman of Barclays, for his reflections on the school and its exciting trajectory. At such a milestone event, I am mindful of our foundation and the wish of the governors at the time that the school be ‘ahead of the current time’. A forward-thinking approach to education is in the DNA of St Dunstan’s, and these buildings do nothing but further promote our school in that regard.’ The College’s Bursar Mrs Clair Wilkins added: ‘It was a real pleasure to reunite with our main contractors on Friday and enjoy the official opening of our gorgeous Junior, STEM and Sixth Form buildings, together with staff, students, parents and local partners. ‘Whilst these buildings were a sight to behold, and Sir Martin Evans a true inspiration, it was the student jazz band that stole the show for me! They performed like professional musicians and were a joy to watch and listen to. I look forward to seeing our remarkable students continue to impress us in these new facilities and the many exciting, vibrant events we have planned for the future.’

Following the plaque unveiling, guests were treated to a tour of the new £25million facilities with pupil demonstrations in the STEM classrooms and musical entertainment from the Big Band. For many guests, including the College’s parents and carers, this was the first time exploring the new facilities due to the pandemic. Alongside state-of-the-art classrooms, the new building also includes a Junior School library, Sixth Form Café and College shop. Developments across the College continue with a new outdoor space, named The Plaza, nearing completion, and a large theatre due to open in December 2021.

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

The Martin Preston Studio Opening

n Friday 12 November 2021, on what would have been Martin's 90th Birthday, the Dunstonian community, friends, staff and pupils of Martin gathered at the College in order to celebrate his life and open the Martin Preston Studio in the new Performing Arts Centre. Director of Drama, Gareth Stewart, put on the most amazing play called the Laramie Project - the story of a young gay man who was brutally murdered in the USA in the late 1990s. The show was a very thought provoking play, exactly what Martin would have liked to see. Students from various year groups got together to put on a modern and daring play where a jazz band took centre stage in unison with the voice of students challenging the way society and the police managed the aftermath of the murder. David Hall ('81) gave a heartfelt tribute for Martin at the end of the show, after complimenting the students on their performance.

Careers Event

n 8 November 2021, we welcomed students from Years 10 to 13 and 38 professionals to our annual Careers and Higher Education Convention in The Great Hall. The evening commenced with a welcome from the Headmaster, Nick Hewlett, and the Director of Futures, Ben Ford, followed by an inspiring talk from Xin Shackleton, Head of School. The room quickly became a buzzing hub of lively, happy discussion as students engaged with professionals from industries including Law, Performing Arts, Medicine, Engineering and many more. Describing the Convention as ‘exciting’ and ‘epic’, students were fascinated by delegates’ passion and industry knowledge, as well as the array of booklets and complimentary products on offer. We are extremely grateful for all the professionals who gave their time so generously on the night and particularly to the following Dunstonians: Mr Anthony Proctor (’99), Dr Anisah Hosein (’09), Mr Javan Pyne (’07), Mr Oliver Kay (’08), Mr Peter Jackson (’68), Mr Yannis Calogeras ('88), Andy Bennett (’01) and Tom Coling ('00). We look forward to next year’s Convention where we aim to deliver an even wider array of industry representation and expertise.

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

The Summit, which was kindly supported by KFH and Finalsite, was organised by Deputy Head Pastoral, Jade McLellan and the Communications Department. Speaking about the event, Mrs McLellan said: ‘As society grapples with the legacy of the pandemic and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the world’s children, St Dunstan’s College was excited to bring together young people from schools across London to hear from a range of experts and specialists on wellbeing and to plan together our vision for promoting positive mental health in schools. ‘We believe real change can be effected by putting young people at the heart of the decision-making process and by listening to their ideas on how we can best support them and prepare them for a flourishing post-pandemic life.’

Mental Health

t Dunstan’s College was delighted to host its inaugural Youth Mental Health Summit on Friday 8 October, 2021. The summit, which was hosted in the College’s Great Hall, was attended by more than 100 students from schools across the country. Headmaster Nicholas Hewlett opened the summit, acknowledging the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health. He explained: ‘The world has been through one of the biggest shocks in the last 6o or 70 years, and with any great shock comes a fundamental change in society’s perceptions and values – and that’s what we’re in the middle of right now. We understand that the world we live in today, for all of us, but in particular young people, is a challenging one. A very, very challenging one.’ Sir Anthony Seldon, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham and previous Deputy Head of St Dunstan’s, opened the summit with the keynote ‘Enough talk: how does one improve student mental health in practice?’ St Dunstan’s Deputy Head Jade McLellan also led a keynote talk ‘Child and adolescent brain development,’ and Tom Telford, Head of Adventurous Activities, spoke about ‘Thriving in a stressful environment.’ Following the keynote talks, students then took part in a carousel of workshops. This included ‘Adaptability in a changing digital world’ hosted by Finalsite’s Lori Foster and Jak Blacwood; ‘Managing your stress container’ led by St Dunstan’s Head of Psychology, Lois Haddington; ‘Understanding thought processes’ with the schools counsellors Julia Gray and Fugen Hassan; and ‘Thriving in a stressful environment’ with Tom Telford.

New College website and film

he College has launched a new website together with a new whole College Film celebrating the College’s motto, Albam Exorna. We have included a dedicated area for the Dunstonian office which comprises the Dunstonian association page as well as a Fundraising and Development page. Why not have a look at: www.stdunstans.org.uk

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

HELP US SHAPE YOUNG LIVES TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION At St Dunstan’s, we believe in the power of diverse communities to shape a broadminded and humane future. Schools like ours can, and must, play a fundamental role in forging that future: it will be more important than ever as we move into a post-pandemic Britain. Expanding the funds we have to support bursaries will help to ensure that ability to pay does not impede a bright child’s ability to benefit from an education at St Dunstan’s. We will also ensure that our student community is as dynamic and diverse as the world around it, giving them the confidence and tools to become the next generation’s great creators, leaders and innovators.

When added to others, your gift will make an enormous difference to the life of a promising student, and by giving regularly, you will be helping us plan for future academic years with confidence.

leadership and teamwork skills.

BUILDING A SCHOOL CAMPUS FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Upgrading sports at St Dunstan’s enables us to expand significantly what we offer for community use, and provide a hub for partnerships with clubs and sports bodies at both local and national level.

In recent years, within our own resources, we have fundamentally redeveloped our campus to help provide the infrastructure through which we can deliver a first-class education. Most recently, in 2021, we built a new Junior School, Sixth Form Centre, and STEM block, all of which have transformed the teaching and learning spaces within the Stanstead Road site.

CAN YOU HELP GIVE A TALENTED CHILD THE CHANCE OF A ST DUNSTAN’S EDUCATION Our next areas of focus are the We currently support over 50 bursary students throughout the College but every year we have to turn away at least 10 students. If we raise £3m over the next five years, we will have been able to double the number of children from our local area to benefit from education that would otherwise have been entirely inaccessible to them. It takes £20,000 to support a full bursary student in the senior school for a year. In this context, large gifts will be transformational but a collective effort can be just as meaningful. For example:

facilities for Sports and Leisure and the Performing Arts.

SPORTS & LEISURE In the next two years, we plan to deliver a significant expansion in our existing Sport and Leisure Centre by doubling its size. This will allow us to introduce vastly improved changing facilities and classrooms for specialised teaching and training. This initiative reflects the value we place on sports for the physical health and wellbeing of our students as well as for enhancing

Also included will be four brand new Rugby Fives Courts close to their original 1888 footprint.

PERFORMING ARTS St Dunstan’s has an impressive track record in staging inspiring and memorable live performances over its long history. The St Dunstan’s Festival, our annual celebration of arts and culture, is now firmly established as a fixture in our local area, bringing people across the community together through inspiring shared experiences. Our new Performing Arts Centre includes a theatre space to match the talent of our students, with surrounding studios and practice rooms. As well as hosting school performances, this new 200-seat flexible space will be a resource for professional, amateur and community groups, and a hub for workshops, live streaming and inspiring live shows.

If you would like to donate towards one of the above 270 £25 £101,250 £506,250 5 bursary students projects, just fill out a donation form as per the enclosed, or 270 £50 £202,500 £1,012,500 10 bursary students email Isabelle Blake-James at: 270 £100 £388,800 £1,944,000 20 bursary students development@stdunstans.org.uk

Number of donors

Monthly gift

1 year + gift aid

5 years + gift aid

Outcome

All gifts are precious

The official journal of the Dunstonian Association

THANK YOU!

heartfelt thank you to all our recent donors who have kindly donated to our Fundraising efforts during 2021 whether it be by sponsoring a seat in our new Theatre or funding the Martin Preston Studio, our Bursary Fund, the Plaza or the Sport and Leisure Centre. Thank you also to all Dunstonians who have given their time for career mentoring or giving lectures, to name but a few initiatives in the past months.

We are extremely grateful to the following Dunstonians: Kenneth Woodrow Jean Wyld Denis Rust Antony Whyler Reginald Caygill John Sangster John Down Sam Baker Roy Payton David Edwards Robin Shephard Gonzales Kenneth Woodrow Richard Croft Jill Glynne Michael Fugeman Geoffrey Chambers David Edwards Navdeep Sheera Nigel Higgins John Grundy John Nall Marshall Coombs Andrew Sesemann Desmond Thompson Iain Macdowall Richard Fletcher Mark Hewett Clive Astall Martin Rudwick David Dales Steve Sheppard Edmund Henderson Timothy Pratt John Ball Oliver Gilbert Sam Hibbs Desmond Thompson

2 December 2021

Lecture by Dunstonian Nigel Higgins

College

Christmas drinks with 2010s-2021s leavers

College

THE NOTES I WINTER 2021

15 December 2021 The

Dunstonian

16 December 2021 Association

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Cathedral CALENDAR OF EVENTSSouthwark 2022

26 January 2022

Dinner for Dunstonians connected with the Armed Forces

Oriental Club

1 February 2022

Lecture by Dunstonian Sir Geoffrey Nice QC

College

9 February 2022

Dinner for Dunstonians connected with the Legal Profession

Oriental Club

22 February 2022

Development Launch

College

12 March 2022

Black Tie Dinner for all Dunstonians

College

29 March 2022

Rediscover St Dunstan’s tour

College

30 March 2022

Official opening of our new theatre

College

4 May 2022

Dinner for Dunstonians connected with the Marketing and Advertising Profession

Athenaeum Club

May-June 2022

Rediscover St Dunstan’s tours

College

27 May 2022

Commemoration Day

Southwark Cathedral (Reception in Glaziers Hall)

6 July 2022

Outdoor Festival Concert

Jubilee Grounds

(Part of the St Dunstan’s Festival) * We will do our best to re-schedule the Christmas Drinks for recent leavers (2010-2021), cancelled in December due to Covid.

Editorial & Design Team:

Cause for celebration!

Isabelle Blake-James

We have now passed the pleasing landmark of our 1000th registered Dunstonian onto our alumni software. Orlaith Rogers (’16) received a bottle of prosecco as a thank you just in time for Christmas.

Iain Macdowall Jo Langthorne Thank you to all Dunstonians who have generously contributed to the Winter 2021 edition.If you would like to contribute to the Summer edition of The Notes 2022, please send your story or announcement to: dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk by 1 April 2022. 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 official journal of the Dunstonian Association

SDCONNECT

SDCONNECT Congratulations YOU ARE NOW A MEMBER OF OUR THRIVING WORLDWIDE DUNSTONIAN COMMUNITY!

www.dunstonians.org.uk.

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

LOOKING FOR A VENUE FOR A PARTY? Our Jubilee Grounds boasts wonderful facilities as well as a bar for hire. Dunstonians get a 20% discount on all bookings. Do contact our Director of Enterprise, Gavin Halil, at enterprise@stdunstans.org.uk.

The

NOTES dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk SDConnect www.dunstonians.org.uk