The Old Suttonian 2017

The Old Suttonian 2017 The Old Suttonian is the magazine of former pupils of Sutton Valence School, a co-educational day and boarding Senior School for pupils from 11-18 years, in Kent. It is produced by the School, in collaboration with the Old Suttonians’ Association.

The School

Headmaster Development Manager Alumni Relations and Development Officer

Mr B C W Grindlay (HM 2009-) Mrs H Knott (Staff 2002-) Mr W Radford (Staff 2015-)

The Old Suttonian Editorial Team

Design and Editor Mr W Radford Sub Editors Mrs H Knott

Mr D Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015) Regular Contributors Mr J McCormick (Staff 1964-2005) Mr R Harvey (1963 C) Cover Image 1958 Blue-book donated by David Hunt (1961 M) Mr D Clarke (Staff 1985-) Photography Mr J Lockwood Printed and Bound Stagg Creative

Editorial Note

Yet again, it has been a pleasure to collate and publish this year’s edition of The Old Suttonian. The positive feedback from last year, which represented such a significant step-change from the previous newsletter style to a more magazine formatted yearly publication, was encouraging and I hope this year continues to build on the foundations laid down with that publication.

In the intervening period, I have also taken on the editorial duties for The Suttonian and The Young Suttonian to create a suite of yearly publications which serve the various sub-sections of the School community. This has invariably resulted in some overlap between the magazines, which is reflected in an enlarged school section in The Old Suttonian this year.

Hopefully this will make for a more rounded publication, encompassing the School of today as well as the School of yesterday. Please be re-assured though, this has not been done at the expense of purely OS content, the addition has just meant the magazine is slightly larger.

As ever, I am indebted to my sub-editors, Helen and David, who have both contributed significantly towards this publication. David’s production of articles is the driving-force behind the magazine, and his range of content makes for such a varied read. I hope you enjoy the magazine, and continue to welcome your feedback.

CONTENTS

Introduction 2

Old Suttonian Features 3

Old Suttonian Sport 25

News from the School

33

OS Sporting Greats 51

Welcome - Leavers 2017

61

Old Suttonian Updates 69

INTRODUCTION

Honorary Secretary’s Welcome David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

O

lder Old Suttonians amongst us will recognise the cover of this year’s magazine as being that of an old blue-book. Our apologies to those who are younger and might not fully appreciate the nostalgia this engenders. I suspect the blue-books were of greater use to staff but the evidence of those books in the archive shows there was much use of them by pupils as well. In a pre-computer age, a blue-book was an invaluable source of information. Our thanks go to David Hunt (1961 M) whose donation of his collection of such books inspired this year’s cover.

This year’s leavers may well be mystified by the notion of a blue-book but they do not need one to introduce themselves to you. Not only do we profile them for existing OS but, in an enlarged section concerning news of the School, we have articles written by some of them and more detailed information concerning their activities. As more-established Old Suttonians read all of this, I am sure that they will agree their numbers are being augmented by a pretty good bunch.

I am delighted that the plea made in last year’s magazine, asking for you to contribute articles and to let us know more about you in our annual ‘update’ has generated some feedback. John McCormick (Staff 1964-2005) writes on a sporting theme; his article is a great addition to a magazine which has other sports memories and news. The articles by James Barnes Phillips (1966 M) and John Melvin (1953 W) could not be more dissimilar, and Michael Beaman (1952 W, Staff 1963-1992) adds a history lesson. Careful reading of the ‘News of OS’ will inform the reader that there is a great diversity in the OS body. We contribute to society in very many different ways (many of which remain unknown because of modesty or shyness or in the case of several of you, because of ‘the official secrets act’).

It is always a pleasure for me to learn about your various gatherings, many of which have become annual events. I hope that by publishing pictures and notes about them we/you are inspiring others to do likewise. The OS and the School join forces to arrange reunions, and you can read about the trip to Westminster Abbey, for example, later in the magazine. It was a really well attended event, with great food and conversation – neither was everyone an older person. It is great to see the younger ones coming along and making a contribution.

If you are thinking of having such a meeting, and are a little daunted by the prospect, we can help by putting you in touch with other OS living in your area. For example, there seems to be quite a number of you in Dubai at the moment.

Sadly, an annual review such as this will include a section on those who have died during the year. Michael Haywood’s (HM 1980-1994) obituary notice came too late to be included in last year’s magazine, so it will be old news to some. Other notable OS have also passed away, specifically Douglas Milmine (1939 W) who was featured in a newsletter recently and David Bunker (1954 M), a doughty and most respected champion of all things Sutton Valence.

So there we are. I commend this edition of the Old Suttonian to you. Will Radford and Helen Knott have worked very hard to put things together. I am always struck by their massive enthusiasm for all things OS and by their professionalism throughout the year. I am sure that, like me, their motivation is stimulated by the interesting news you tell us of, and the information we glean from a study of School records.

The School’s history is fascinating in many respects and always enlivened by personal accounts.

David Pickard Honorary Secretary, OSA

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“

The merit of a school alumni association is undoubtedly the breadth of interests, professions and geography of its constituent members.This is apparent in the range of articles volunteered by the OS community. As David mentions in his introduction, last year’s call for content has most certainly been answered, and the result is an eclectic mix of reminiscence, personal interest stories and biographies that showcase not only the strength of the relationships between Old Suttonians, but the continued affinity of Old Suttonians to the School.

As ever, the School is grateful for the variety of ways that OS support our community, benefiting current pupils, recent leavers and The 1576 Fund.

”

Helen Knott Development Manager, Sutton Valence School

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ARCHITECTURAL REFLECTIONS John Melvin (1953 W)

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L

ast year’s splendid edition of The Old Suttonian, with its evocative photos of the Upper School, has prompted this excuse to reflect on my school days over a chasm of 70 years and to look back on those moments, personalities and values that undoubtedly coloured and helped to shape my life.

In 1946, when I first arrived as a ten year old into Lambe’s House, I well remember writing my first letter to my parents to say what a beautiful place Sutton Valence was: both the village and the School.

The decidedly institutional appearance of Lambe’s House, then serving as the Junior house, with the green painted corridors and bare boards was, however, a harsh awakening to the fact that I had left home.

The experience of the Main School and its magisterial setting overlooking the Weald set the tone for the whole of my time at the School. Its beauty conveyed a sense of privilege, which I believe we all felt and enjoyed: so much so that many years later, I remember discussing this with Nicholas Sampson (HM 19942000). He wondered whether this sweetness did not have the slight negative virtue of inducing the absence of that astringency that can be so powerful in awakening young minds.

The School seventy years ago was a different place then, and so was society. The rather puritan values inculcated in us were perhaps no bad thing. Despite the prevailing philistine mores of an English Public School just after the War, an inherent innocence allowed us to discover for ourselves our own inner worlds and ideals.

This tabula rosa permitted us to play elaborate games with authority. I well remember pasting a picture of Oscar Wilde up in the dormitory as a small symbol of defiance, only almost immediately to be asked by the Housemaster, Norman Bentley (Staff 1921-1964), if this was a picture of my girlfriend. On my explaining that it was the great Oscar Wilde, his reply was that he needed a haircut, and I was to remove the offending image. The Arts were somewhat suspect, and in the case of Oscar Wilde, not without a little reason in the then all-boys school. Today, of course, the Arts are big business and one of our main export earners, but they should remain somewhat subversive.

One abiding memory I have was of a visit to the school by the musician and broadcaster, Anthony Hopkins, and his opera company: consisting of him, his wife and an accompanist. He talked about opera, from Mozart to Menotti and had us spellbound. As a consequence, opera has become an abiding interest for my wife and me.

I left Sutton Valence to go to the College of Estate Management, then part of The University of London. I soon realised that surveying was not for me. My father, as a surveyor, had in his younger days worked with architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, and I grew up with stories about the great man’s eccentricities and rather risqué jokes. It then became clear that I should take up architecture and I won a place at the Architectural Association’s School of Architecture in Bedford Square. This was followed by a postgraduate diploma in Town Planning under Sir William Holford at University College London. The combination of these two disciplines was a fashionable profession during those heady years of the 1960s. In 1970 I set up my own practice in London as an architect planner.

Almost from the start, as an architect I realised the debt I owed to the School. Buildings I used to pass and use every day had etched themselves into my subconscious. As a boy, I knew little of the ideas behind these architectural forms, ideas which gave them veracity and significance. The commission to re-conceive Sutton Valence on a bigger scale was given to the architectural firm Adams, Holden and Pearson and Charles Holden was clearly the dominating influence. Holden designed in a mixture of Arts Craft Tudor and mannerist modern, which owed not a little to Michelangelo: for example, the magnificent chimney over my Housemaster’s house at Westminster; or the spare geometric detailing of the finials to the staircase newels in St Margaret’s.

These are certainly upsides with anything that Frank Lloyd Wright was doing in Chicago at that date, c. 1911. The same repertoire of forms can be seen in the lead-covered clock tower over the Main School. For me, it was those giant red brick arches, or lunettes, over what was then the School Hall, together with the two smaller arches that connected the back of the school with the front: these have haunted me ever since. I seem to have had difficulty in escaping their thraldom, and vestiges have occurred in practically every building I have designed since. Therefore not only I, but also my clients, have shared this debt to Holden and to Sutton Valence.

Incidentally, I was delighted to see in the last edition of The Old Suttonian that the Chancel to the Chapel has been restored to something like its original. The architect and historian of the period, H.S. Goodhart Rendell, in his English Architecture since the Regency, observed that the Chapel, added in 1928, was a model of sensitive asceticism. It is good to see these qualities returning to the old school.

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SUTTON VALENCE GASWORKS Michael Beaman (1952 W, Staff 1963-1992)

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John Melvin (1953 W) in the old Science laboratories located in Centre Block in c.1952. The room is now part of the Drama department. The other Old Suttonians pictured are John Evans (1953 W) and Thomas Hills (1953 M) and, we believe, Gerald Clapp (1953 M) and John Thyne (1954 M).

W

e take electric lighting so much for granted these days that it may come as a surprise to learn that, when they were built in 1910, Centre Block, Westminster and St Margaret’s house were lit by gas: mains electricity didn’t reach Sutton Valence until the 1930s.

waterways and the rapidly developing rail network enabled the large quantities of coal – the basic raw material - to be transported.

(The Beckton gasworks built in the 1860s beside the Thames a few miles downstream from London consumed a thousand tons of coal every day.)

The Chapel, built in 1929, had electric lighting from the word go, its power source being a generator powered by a gas engine in the workshop of Joseph ‘Chips’ Richards (Staff 1926-1952) - I don’t suppose there are too many readers who remember that. Before the science block was built in the 1950s, the space it occupies was previously occupied by a long wooden building, in the centre of which were the CCF armoury and stores and at the far end of which was the workshop in which ‘Chips’ Richards taught junior boys the elements of woodworking.

The Sutton Valence gasworks were also built in the 1860s, but I expect that their daily requirement of coal was no more than a ton or two as it would have had to have been brought by horse and cart from Headcorn station some three miles away. Production must therefore have been on a fairly small scale, but there was enough gas to enable the installation of street lighting in the core area of the village and also for households and shops to do away with oil lamps and candles if they so wished.

By the time Centre Block was built, Sutton Valence’s gas came from the gasworks by the River Medway in Maidstone but gas had been available to the residents of the village for over 40 years and until 1907 it had been generated locally in a gasworks on the west side of the main road to Headcorn near the bottom of the hill. Although it ceased making gas in 1907, the gasometers were still used to store gas for several decades and it wasn’t until the 1950s that the site was sold and the evidence of its former use was soon gone.

The £2,000 capital needed to start the SuttonValence Gas Company was raised by the sale of 400 shares of £5 each. The scheme was enthusiastically supported by local residents and amongst those purchasing shares were Mr Kingdon - the headmaster of the grammar school (as Sutton Valence School was then called), the doctor, the vicar, the congregational minister, the blacksmith, the wheelwright, the miller, innkeepers, shopkeepers and farmers.

Although many premises installed electric lighting as soon as it became available, the street lights in the core area of the village were still lit by gas until 1960.

Gas lighting was developed in the early 19th century and gasworks soon became a feature of towns and cities where the navigable

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E

arlier this year, we had the pleasure of welcoming back Old Suttonian Jan Hamáček (1996 W) who had not returned to Sutton Valence since he left 21 years ago.

Since leaving the School, Jan has carved out a successful political career in his native Czech Republic where he currently serves as Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies and Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party. He was accompanied on his visit by the Czech Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Libor Sečka.

Jan Hamáček Visit Will Radford (Staff 2015-)

Jan spoke at Headmaster’s Assembly, recounting memories from his own time at the School, before embarking on a tour around the site with two of last year’s Heads of School - Molly Alexander (2016 S) and Sam Gray (2016 H). As he visited his former haunts, including his room in Westminster, he remarked that it still felt like home all these years later. For a student who only spent a year at the School, it was good to hear that he had so many fond memories.

The day concluded with a lunch reception at the Headmaster’s House, where he had the chance to catch up with some familiar faces from his time at the School. Amongst those returning for the event were David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015), Chris Parkinson (Staff 1978-2005) who served as Jan’s former Housemaster in Westminster, Dr Ray Sabine (Staff 1980-1996) and Anne Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016).

They were joined by existing members of the Common Room including John Harcourt (Staff 1977-), who was Jan’s former German teacher and Phil Horley (Staff 1990-), his former House Tutor. We were also pleased to welcome back Vendula Hoppeova (2016 S), a past HMC Scholar, and Czech alumna.

The reception provided an excellent opportunity for Jan to talk to some of our Sixth Form, including our current HMC Scholars, about their studies, their time at the School and their career plans.

We are hugely grateful to both Jan and Mr Sečka for taking time out of their schedules to visit the School.The event provided an invaluable opportunity and insight for our students, and equally we hope the day provided a welcome trip down memory lane for Mr Hamáček. The School continues to look at ways to engage with its international alumni and we hope that this visit will open doors for further collaboration in the future.

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Bill Ellis (1956 M) Richard Harvey (1963 C)

I

t’s probably only the oldest of Old Suttonians who can remember when computers were the size of large American refrigerators, housed in air-conditioned rooms, whirring and clicking as they laboriously processed information. “They’ll never catch on”, was the verdict of many observers (almost certainly the same people who said that television was just a passing fad). But those memories are very fresh for OS Willy Ellis, who was in at the dawn of computing when he left the school in 1956.

Willy had been at Sutton Valence School for nine years, progressing from Lambe’s - which in post-war days acted as a prep school to St Margaret’s, where he ultimately became Head of House, a School Prefect, won his colours at Cricket and Rugby, and achieved eight O levels and two A levels (no mean feat in those days when the School had a less-than-illustrious academic record).

For a young man who had lost his father at the age of two, and his mother ten years later, Sutton Valence literally became a second home. “I was a pretty lonely child”, he recalls, “and school provided me with the companionship that I lacked. I very much enjoyed my time at Sutton Valence - it gave me so much.”

Before starting his career,Willy underwent the mandatory National Service, enlisting with the Royal Artillery, and then volunteering for its Airborne Regiment where he undertook operational training, including over 30 parachute jumps, before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the14 Field Regiment RA.

Thanks to an introduction from his stepfather John Monckton (1932 M), a member of the distinguished Maidstone family, Willy got his first job with the British Tabulating Machine Company in Park Lane, London, manufacturers and suppliers of punch card machines to many large organisations in the UK. They were the forerunners of the first generation of calculators and computers, born out of American expertise and the famous Bletchley Park decoding apparatus, with its valves and water-cooling system.

Not many people had the foresight to realise that automation and computing would revolutionise the world over the next half century, but for those who did - like Willy - it proved the proverbial golden opportunity.

Willy’s talent lay in customer relations and sales rather than technology, and he steadily acquired more and more senior positions in companies including ICL, Software Sciences, Thorn EMI, Data Sciences and IBM. With the computer industry evolving at bewildering speed, and sales running into billions of pounds, Willy inevitably found himself involved in company mergers, acquisitions and buyouts. His skill at being able to talk, and sell, to clients was an asset to every company he worked for, and one that he credits, at least in part, to honing his social confidence at Sutton Valence. “The key element was building trust and long-term relationships”, he explains.

He was responsible for bringing in massive contracts with clients in the defence and avionics industries, such as air traffic control systems and military communication systems.

Outside of his company duties he became a key member of the Council (and later President) of the Computing Services and Software Association, a major UK trade body. In that role, he was involved in lobbying Margaret Thatcher’s government for fair treatment for the UK computing industry, battling increasing competition from French and German suppliers.

In recent years,Willy has taken life a little easier, and after a holiday in South Africa with his wife Diana to see the 2002 World Cup cricket tournament, they bought a holiday house near Cape Town.

He became a member of Western Province Cricket Club and the Kelvin Grove Country Club, while back home he is also a member of MCC, the famous Leander rowing club, Henley Hawks rugby club, and is a Freeman of the City of London.

It’s not been roses all the way, though. As an underwriting ‘Name’ at Lloyds of London, Willy managed to come through the crash of the mid-90s which wiped out many members’ finances. But it was on the racecourse that he suffered his most bizarre ‘What If’ moment.

Born into a racing family and a keen racegoer, Willy co-owned a National Hunt horse called Little Polveir, which had several successes, including winning the Scottish Grand National. However, although the horse ran three times in the Aintree Grand National,

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the nation’s favourite race, it always fell or came well down the field. That was until 1989, when the horse finally won the National - just six weeks after Willy and his co-owners had sold it to a new owner!

Pragmatic to a fault, Willy recounts this story with a wry smile. For he is always aware there are many more significant misfortunes in life, which is why he became a governor of Prior’s Court in Berkshire.

Founded by Dame Stephanie Shirley, the school specialises in teaching children with severe autism, learning difficulties and complex needs, and Willy helped it to carry out major changes to its teaching structure and care methods.

Willy is a family man, with a son Stephen, daughter Mandy and seven grandchildren, but he still finds time to pay occasional visits to Sutton Valence, and meets up occasionally with lunches at the RAC Club in London (see page 22) with contemporaries including Rodney Stubblefield (1955 M), Clyde Britton (1954 W), James Croft (1955 M), Mark Grundy (1955 W) and Michael Vant (1954 M).

Michaelmas Lunch and OSA AGM 18th November, 12pm

OSA EVENTS

Sutton Valence School OS are invited to return to the School to enjoy a two-course lunch, followed by the chance to watch the 1st XV Rugby or 2nd XI Girls’ Hockey. At 4pm, you are invited to either attend the match tea, or the OSA AGM. Please save the date; invitations and booking instructions will be sent in September.

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Ali Bongo (1945 D) David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

I

n his last years, just before he died, Ali Bongo was regarded as the magicians’ elder statesman. He was the father figure to whom they all looked to learn how to be a good magician.

William Wallace (1945 D), as he was known at School, had earned this reputation over a very long career, starting even before he was a schoolboy. So strong was his reputation that he was employed by the likes of David Nixon and Paul Daniels to make their stunts even more spectacular. I remember a London Theatre production of Dr Faustus in which people were able to disappear into small suitcases situated on a table and even run straight through walls – he was the technical director. There is no doubt that during the 1980s, he was regarded as being in the top ten of the world’s men of mystery.

Wallace’s father was the SSI of the School CCF (called the OTC at that time) between 1939 and 1945. He had been a serving RSM in the Royal West Kent Regiment in India, and it was there, in Junior School that the junior Wallace’s love of magic was founded. As his father arrived so did young William on a scholarship. Wallace was no slouch academically, but he decided that university was not for him, it was going to be too expensive for his parents. At School, he had helped to establish a thriving magic club and he spread his wings even further by setting up a club in the Medway towns. Frequently Wallace was to be seen on his bicycle going up and down Bluebell Hill on his way to and from Rochester and Gillingham.

Wallace adopted his stage name from a character he played in the village hall, an oriental cook! He performed with his purple turban, which towards the end of the performance would sprout a flag which would then hoist itself on a short mast. Despite highly successful performances in a vast number of venues throughout the world, and the playing of character parts in a series of plays in London and Stratford-upon-Avon where his magic helped enthral the audience, it was the invention of tricks and illusions, and the cataloguing of them in books for which he was best known. He was a ‘magician’s magician’. David Renwick wrote the part of detective magician Jonathan Creek, assistant to illusionist Adam Klaus after meeting Bongo on the set of the sitcom One Foot in the Grave, which Renwick wrote and where the magician had been overseeing the filming of a guillotine trick.

Bongo advised on the Jonathan Creek show, and seemed to have enjoyed teaching actors.

In 2008, he was elected president of the Magic Circle, and was, within that organisation, an enthusiastic helpmate to younger ones passing on the tricks of his trade to the next generation. He was, indeed, obsessed with magic. His flat became so crowded with props that he bought the flat below in order to have a place to sleep!

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Lambe, a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

A View of Life in the 16th Century David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

D

ame Hilary Mantel gave the Reith Lectures this year, the year that ‘fake news’ entered people’s consciousness much more than before. She discussed the problems faced by an historian and a novelist in trying to write authoritatively about the past (as an historian), and in trying to make the story make sense and filling any gaps in the story with narrative that is sympathetic to an accurate account of what transpired (as a novelist). Hilary Mantel has herself been accused of being rather eccentric in her interpretations of events. I must admit my preWolf Hall understanding of Thomas Moore was of a saintly figure, standing solidly for ‘right’ in the face of the King. Mantel paints him without any halo and in much darker colours as his rivalry with Thomas Cromwell twists and turns through the passageways in the court of Whitehall. I wonder what might have been made of the life of our founder, William Lambe, if the researcher was a novelist rather than an academic historian.

It is certain that he found favour in the Court of Henry VIII, becoming a child, then a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, the choir that sang masses for Henry and followed him on his travels throughout the UK and on the continent. Lambe was present at ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold’ meeting between Henry and Francis I of France which ran from 4th to 24th June 1520. Records exist of his being rewarded for his service with properties in London that had become available as a result of the purge of ecclesiastical buildings that took place in Henry’s reign. Lambe is described as being pious and very generous. There exists correspondence asking him to house fewer poor people in some of his properties. This could be a reaction to his over-enthusiasm for finding homes for the poorest, but it might also be interpreted that he was a slum landlord preying on the poor and that authorities were anxious that he was packing them in rather too densely.

Incidentally, Lambe is described by contemporaries as coming from mean stock. His father is described as a yeoman farmer, and while he had sufficient money to provide a mausoleum for himself in East Sutton Church, there is no account of how he had sufficient influence to promote his son into such elevated circles as the court of Henry VIII. If there is a dark side to William Lambe’s behaviour then perhaps it is something he inherited from his father. On the other hand, it is known that the Earl of Pembroke had land in Sutton Valence, so it remains just as likely that Lambe found influence quite legitimately.

Lambe married three times, and acquired much grazing land as a result. The wool trade was a massive earner for England at that time and huge fortunes were made by those clever enough to benefit from involvement therein. He had land in Essex, some was bequeathed to underwrite his legacies in the city of London. But he did not become a Clothworker until 1568, and he was made Master of the company in 1569. Questions arise concerning how he made money in the wool trade when many legitimate markets were denied to him by not being a member of the guild, and also how he managed to achieve such a surprising promotion to Master of a long

and very traditional institution only one year after his acceptance.

Sufficeth to say, he had interests in Southwark, which, at the time of Henry and later Elizabeth I, was not regarded as a wholly lawful and righteous place.

There is no doubting Lambe’s great magnanimity. He spent £1500, a massive amount in those days, building a waterway (Lambe’s Conduit) from a site close to King’s Cross station to the Thames close to the Strand in order to deliver fresh water to a heavily polluted, potentially plague ridden area. Not only that, he provided buckets at the river end to be used by widows to deliver water to private houses and businesses, the better to help the ladies make a decent living for themselves in a land without any welfare at all. Of course we remember him for founding our School.

His legacy was to provide a sum to fund building of the School and the annual visitation by the Clothworkers Company to ensure the School was being run properly according to his wishes, and certain sums to pay for a headmaster. It is not Lambe’s fault that inflation rather rapidly made it less and less viable for the Clothworkers to make an annual visit. It was not his fault that some headmasters were less than scrupulous in carrying out their duties, once they realised that supervision was not a regular occurrence, nor was it Lambe’s fault that a school building located on the scarp slope of a sandstone ridge might need frequent costly repair.

Could Lambe have foreseen that parents would revolt against a school that insisted in teaching the local youngsters of Sutton Valence Latin and Greek when what was clearly needed for these boys was commercial subjects more fitted to their future lives?

Or, being the intelligent self-made man that he was, did he realise the difficulty of starting a school on a small budget and con the Clothworkers into doing the job for him?

After one hundred years of disorganised advancement, it is much to the Clothworkers credit that they rebuilt the School more than once and enlarged it. The Clothworkers made the decision to bring the standards of the School up to those of Public Schools in the first half of the 19th century and, by the succession of superb headmasters in Milligan, Kingdon and Bennett, paved the way for the transfer of the School to a much more qualified and professional outfit, The United Westminster Schools, to oversee continued development. It seems likely to me that if the Clothworkers had felt they had been misled by Lambe they would not have been so magnificent in their efforts with the School.

Lambe was a good man. The unfilled gaps in his history are unfortunate for a historian wanting to make a case for his undoubted Christianity and a real opportunity to allow the novelist room to find an alternative narrative as a schemer and a successful doubledealer searching for an easy path into heaven, kidding himself that God would overlook the methods chosen to acquire the money to do his good works.

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Christopher Frere-Smith (1945 D) Will Radford (Staff 2015-)

“We enjoy coming to Europe for holidays. But we are a maritime nation, depending for its livelihood on trading with the world, with connections throughout the world and in the Commonwealth developed over centuries.”

A

year on since the Brexit referendum, the country remains fiercely divided on the decision to withdraw from the European Union. The successful ‘out’ campaign echoed the messages and sentiments of the campaign’s fore-runner, the ‘no’ campaign of 1975, which was in no small-part influenced by the School’s own renowned Eurosceptic, Christopher Frere-Smith (1945 D). His Get Britain Out (of the Common Market) campaign was the prognostic forefather of the UK Independence party, and similarly Frere-Smith was seen as the Nigel Farage of his generation, combining uncompromising views with an irrefutable flair for publicity.

After leaving Sutton Valence in 1945, Frere-Smith completed National Service in the Rifle Brigade and then went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he studied law, before spending a short amount of time at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

He qualified as a solicitor in 1955 and worked in Sutton before setting up his own firm in the West End in 1957. Aside from his legal career, Frere-Smith sought to carve out a name for himself in politics. Having served as the secretary of the Cambridge University Liberal Club, he stood as a candidate in Hampstead for the local council and the county council. He was, by conviction, a free-trading Liberal, but he resigned from the party at the end of the 1950s over its attitude to the Common Market, and became a Labour voter.

The issue of the Common Market would go on to shape his direction in politics, and by the end of 1960, he had founded the Keep Britain Out campaign when Edward Heath began the negotiations that led to Britain joining the EEC in 1973. From the start, he insisted that the EEC’s intention was to introduce a single currency across Western Europe, but at the time no-one believed him. In the General Election of 1966 he stood against Quintin Hogg (who would later go on to become Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone) as the only independent anti-market candidate in the country. The issue, he said, was “Who rules Britain, Brussels or Westminster?” A mainstay of the language that circulated during the recent Brexit vote, back then Frere-Smith’s opinion was deemed scaremongering at best, and he polled a mere 445 votes.

Having founded the movement, he went on to become the chairman of Keep Britain Out in 1967, and went to Paris to present a letter to President De Gaulle asserting that a majority of people in Britain did not want to join the Common Market.

Frere-Smith and the Conservative MP Richard Body told the six Common Market countries that if Britain were to join, attempts to

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make it accept harmonisation measures (national budgetary, social, industrial and technological policies) against the wishes of the majority would wreck the EEC. It would not be in their interest, he said, to have a reluctant member.

By 1971, Frere-Smith said that negotiations with the EEC had become a charade, because the British were ultimately prepared to capitulate to any demands to get into ‘the club’. Meanwhile, he organised ten constituency referenda, polling every tenth person on the electoral roll. The results, he said, showed that fewer than 17 per cent wanted to join. A year later, he was arrested in Brussels as the treaty of accession was finalised, before Britain finally become a member on 1st January 1973.

After entry, he spent two years campaigning for a referendum which was eventually held in 1975. Organising the ‘no’ camp, he campaigned alongside the likes of Enoch Powell and Tony Benn, contesting that the “aim of the Common Market has always been the creation of one state; that is to say that Britain would just be a small part of a huge super-state.” The referendum was unprecedented in British history, and its rules and significance, as well as its eventual outcome, were fiercely contested.

Frere-Smith fought a dogged battle, not just against Edward Heath, but against the press, mostly notably the BBC, who he perceived to be fervently pro-European and providing disproportionate air time to the ‘yes’ vote. He went as far as to compare those who supported Britain’s continued membership to those who had advocated appeasement of Germany during the 1930s. “Only last week the French Prime Minister said the new Europe would be an oasis of public and private liberty, but look at it, this afternoon we have had a taste of what French democracy is all about.”

All of his efforts were in vain as the electorate voted resoundingly in favour of remaining in the EEC. Such an overwhelming loss saw Frere-Smith depart the political scene, though he maintained the belief that other EEC members would “proceed full steam ahead toward political union; and therefore the issue will emerge again within a short time”. The Brexit vote of 2016 may not have been in the timescales he imagined, but his prophecy eventually proved accurate. So much was made of the voting pattern of the generation who had already been a part of the 1975 referendum, and their propensity to vote differently a second time around, that one wonders in some small part, the vindication Frere-Smith would have felt.

Christopher Frere-Smith died on October 26 2000, aged 72. He was survived by his third wife, Norma, whom he married in 1968, and by their daughter and two sons.

Additional source material from the KM Group and The Daily Telegraph.

OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

THEN

We received the above photograph from Colin Frostick (1963 L), courtesy of the Kent Messenger’s archives, showing the CCF General Inspection on 8 June 1960.

The picture shows the inspecting officer with Christopher Evers (HM 1953-1967) and Jim Sergison (Staff 1951-1974). Amongst the cadets on parade are Peter Hunt (1962 C) [third from the right], Andrew Halsey (1961 M) [fifth from the right], Dr David Murrells (1962 L) [seventh from the right], and Colin himself [eighth from right]. If anyone is able to identify the others, we would welcome your responses.

The Combined Cadet Force remains an important part of School life, complementing the academic, leadership and enrichment aims of the School in preparing pupils for adult life and good citizenship. This year saw the CCF’s Biennial Inspection, conducted

by Wing Commander Martin Larwood-Hughes, He is accompanied on the inspection by the Headmaster, Bruce Grindlay (HM 2009-), Contingent Commander Glen Millbery (Staff 2001-) and the then Head of CCF, Edward Simmonds (2016 M). Also pictured are Old Suttonians Sabin Gurung (2016 M), Adam Carroll (2016 H), Jessica Grindlay (2016 F) and Matthew Corpe (2016 F).

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

BEYOND THE SCHOOL As a new feature, we invite OS to offer their musings on subjects outside of their normal reflections on the School and fellow OS. In the first of the series, particularly pertinent ahead of the upcoming 2018 SVS Car Show, James Barnes-Phillips (1966 M) answers the question of whether a famous owner adds value to a humble classic?

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hat an interesting question. It would appear that cars once owned by Steve McQueen command about a 50 per cent premium over the equivalent model, while Winston Churchill’s Mk 1 Land Rover made nearly £120,000 in 2012 against a book value for a similar one in A1 condition of about £30,000. So what is my experience of this?

My wife and I bought a 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow in 1994 for £7,500. Among the paperwork was a letter from the dealer who had originally sold the car (Grassicks of Perth) showing that it had been sold to a George Best and went to the Manchester area. Well, with the Manchester link and the year of 1972, it was not too difficult to assume that the aforementioned George Best was the famous football player. Nothing had been made of this at the time of purchase.

Move on 22 years and we still had the self-same Silver Shadow – in good usable condition, but definitely not concourse. It was becoming more and more expensive to keep on the road, having had more spent on it in 18 months than it was probably worth – a phenomenon with which many classic car owners will concur! Sorry I never brought it to one of the SVS Car Shows, but a 500 mile round trip at 14 MPG would have been rather expensive!

In June 2016, I started to look for a replacement. My initial choice was a late 1990s Silver Seraph, but the limited production of that model meant that prices

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remained quite high. However, the Bentley equivalent, Arnage model was more affordable. Not only was the Arnage prior 2003 built by Rolls Royce at Derby, it still had the classic 7¾ litre V8 engine that had been used for over four decades, although with somewhat more power now than the one in our Silver Shadow.

After much searching, I eventually located an Arnage that fitted my requirements, albeit near Ipswich, some 250 miles away from my home in Devon. After some initial internet and telephone negotiations, a part-exchange price of £7,000 was agreed against the year 2000 Bentley at £22,000. This offer was lowered when I told the dealer that the air-conditioning was not working (about £1,500 to rectify), but we still had a reasonable deal on the table.

Eventually the day came in July for the part exchange to take place, so try to imagine the conversation when I had to explain that, after just 200 miles, my Silver Shadow had “failed to proceed”. Call it foresight but, I had arranged a breakdown recovery policy to start that morning, so I was able to get the Rolls Royce recovered and taken to Ipswich ready for the following morning’s exchange. I was slightly surprised but, at the same time, pleased that the dealer was still prepared to proceed so, later that day, I drove the Arnage to Exmouth.

That should be the end of the tale had it not been that a friend of my brother-in-law had seen an article on the web headed “George Best’s Rolls Royce”. It transpired that the dealer to whom I sold the Silver Shadow had

OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

aspirations of using the star connection to make a killing by selling it at a Classic Car Auction at Duxford in October. Further investigation showed that the auction estimate was to be £10,000-£15,000. Having remained on friendly terms with the new owner, I contacted him under the pretext of finding out what had been wrong with the car that had caused it to breakdown. He was quite open about the auction and explained that the auctioneers needed certain photographs to link George Best with the car and the royalty charge for the use of these photos ran into a few thousand pounds. Even so, he was confident of at least breaking even and maybe making a modest return, despite the car still being immobile and needing other work to get it into a presentable state.

make a reasonable profit on the deal. At the time of the auction I was on holiday in Slovenia but was able to discover that the highest bid on the day was around £11,000 but a later negotiation ended up with a sale at a mid-estimate figure of just over £12,500.

Friends and family suspected that I had made a big mistake by not trying to sell it myself at auction as they were expecting it to fly away at £20,000 to £30,000 due to the George Best connection. However I was actually quite satisfied with the outcome. So to return to my original question “Does a famous owner add value to your humble classic?” I guess it all depends on who that famous owner is – perhaps George Best is not in the same league as Steve McQueen!

Assuming the accuracy of his statement, by the time he had covered all the auction fees etc. plus the necessary repairs, he needed to be in the higher estimate field to

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

From the Archive - Honouring a Rugby Coach John McCormick (Staff 1964-2005) Remembering the 1993 dinner held to celebrate Robert Chance (Staff 1961-1993).

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n autumn 1993, Shaun Schofield (1975 W), who had recently returned to the School to teach Biology, had the delightful idea of honouring Bob Chance, his former 1st XV Rugby Master.

Shaun had himself recently taken over as Master in Charge of the 1st XV, and through his network of OS contacts, sought to surprise Bob with a reunion of Captains of Rugby and other 1st XV players from the RDC era.

This would best and most appropriately take place, Shaun felt, on the evening of the School’s home match against local rivals Cranbrook School. He had asked Bob to present the Bob Chance Trophy (awarded to the victorious side in the annual match between the schools) that afternoon after the game, and Bob duly obliged.

After the match, Shaun invited Bob to join him for a quiet drink and chat in the Queen’s Head, which was nothing out of the ordinary.

When they got there, it was little surprise that John McCormick (Staff 1964-2005), who had been Bob’s No.2 in coaching the 1st XV for 14 years, was also there. No more than coincidence perhaps that Donald Vear, a long-time touchline rival when Master in Charge of Rugby at Cranbrook, should also be in the pub with David Firminger, another Cranbrook touchline and umpiring friend of many years.

Full realisation of what was happening only struck gradually as faceafter-face from many past years of SVS Rugby appeared, to Bob’s increasing amazement and delight.

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The former Captains present were Adrian Barralet (1967 W) who had been Captain in 1966, Robert Watson (1969 L) - Captain in 1968, Andrew Scott (1971 F) - Captain in 1970, Dr Neil Townshend (1973 F) - Captain in 1972 and Dr Geoffrey Sharp (1976 F) Captain in 1975. Other former 1st XV players present were Nigel Swaffer (1971 F), Stephen Bottomley (1972 W), David Paul (1973 L), Mark Scott (1976 F) and Ian Licence (1977 C).

The 1st XV Captain and Vice-captain of that season, Gregoire Hambourg (1994 W) and Alex Winter (1994 M) and the Head of School, David Harvey (1994 F), who had all played that day, were also present, and it was obvious how fascinating and involving they found the occasion. In addition, Ian Martin (Staff 1972-1978) who had a significant role in coaching younger sides during his time at the School, David Pickard (Staff 1977-2011, 2009-2015) and Desmond High (1973 F) also took part in this well-planned, wellexecuted surprise.

A short speech in affectionate and witty appreciation of Bob’s years involved in Sutton Valence School Rugby was given by Andrew Scott (Sutton Valence’s most successful player of the era - Kent Schools, London Schools, South-East Schools and England Schools versus French Schools 1971; and then later Loughborough Colleges and Wasps). Bob responded in relaxed and humorous terms!

This report of a greatly enjoyed, yet nostalgic, occasion should not omit the fact that Dr Geoffrey Sharp had himself played a game that afternoon!

OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

Earle, Matthews and General Rugby Confusion David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

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his summer, we received the exciting news that Old Suttonian, Nathan Earle (2011 G), pictured below, had been called up to England Rugby’s 31-man squad to face Argentina, a series they went on to win 2-0.

Rather than this being an article exclusively on Earle (the magazine is already brimming full of stories of sporting heroics), his call-up got me thinking about the School’s past international representation, an accurate and complete account of which is far less readily accessible than that of Earle. As with my earlier piece on William Lambe as a pastiche of ‘fake news’, much of the School’s sporting archives are similarly riddled with supposition and reporting inaccuracies. Celebrating Old Suttonian successes to the wider OS community is a great thing to do, but it is entirely dependent on collecting that news in the first place. In the past that has not always been straight-forward.

While John McCormick writes vividly of his recollection of the Bob Chance Rugby Dinner of 1993, this article perhaps serves up more questions than answers. For example, how did Alan Pow (1961 L) become an international rugby player for Brazil in a game against Uruguay? Was this the only match he played? Was it indeed even him, or in fact his brother Brian (1959 L)?

I do know that a member of staff,Victor Le Fanu, played frequently for Ireland at the latter end of the 1800s. He must have been influential in passing on his knowledge because several pupils who came under his tutelage went on to represent major UK clubs.

the tourists had on the whole tour since the Springboks were a perennial contender for best team in the world along with New Zealand.

Matthews, captain of the London Counties team certainly deserved the award. He had scored the only try in the match – and had only played in the second-row five times previously. He was 32 when all this took place; a late-comer to the international scene, which might explain why he played so few matches - only ten in total since making his debut against France in 1949. During the season of the Springbok tour, he played five times for England, losing against South Africa and Wales but winning the others.

He was a true amateur, a dental surgeon by profession with a successful practice in Wimpole Street. But there are major gaps in my knowledge of him. I am unable to put more meat on the skeletal frame that I have so far uncovered. Was he really related to ‘Clive of India’ as has been suggested?

While this article was in no way intended to illustrate our record-keeping deficiencies, it presents a number of unanswered questions. With Rugby at the School on an upward trajectory, surely more internationals will follow in the footstep of Nathan Earle, John Matthews and the like. Perhaps therefore it would be a good time to solve some of the riddles of our international past and celebrate their successes in a way akin to their track and field contemporaries featured later in this publication.

Indeed, Jack Rowlands (1891) did well enough after representing Kent whilst still a schoolboy here to go on and earn a trial with Wales. We believe he was a reserve in one or more of their matches. As a young man, however, he chose to seek his fame and fortune in South Africa – working in the gold mines. He went to fight in the Boer War, where he was killed.

I have read with interest that in 1975 David Hole (1963 C) played rugby for Bahrain at loose-head prop against Dubai. On the opposing team that day, playing at centre, was Michael Hudson (1964 C). The latter had played for Kent after leaving the School, before moving to the Middle-East where he remained for the rest of his life. After leaving Sutton Valence, Hole had gone to study at Westminster Hotel School before moving to Bahrain to work for Holiday Inn International. What a post-match reunion these lads must have had; they must have known each other from their times in Cornwallis!

Perhaps the least frustration I have is in tracing the early career of John Matthews (1936 W). Until the emergence of Earle, Matthews was the School’s only full England international. One of my predecessors as ‘keeper of the records’ believed that Matthews was selected in 1950 for a Lions tour, but upon investigation, it seems likely he had confused our man with Jack Matthews, who was a Welsh international centre.

Our Matthews’ greatest moment took place in 1951 when he was presented with a stuffed Springbok head that the touring party customarily awarded to the captain of the first side to beat them.

The win was against all predictions. In fact, this was the only loss

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

Regional Reunion 2017

WESTMINSTER ABBEY Helen Knott (Staff 2002-)

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hrough the United Westminster Schools Foundation, the School has strong links to Westminster Abbey; that work of architectural genius and place of daily worship that is the burial place of kings, statesmen, poets, scientists, warriors and musicians and has long been involved in the life of British people. In 2010, it was where the whole School, parents, staff and Old Suttonians were privileged to gather to celebrate the foundation’s centenary.

Following in those footsteps, 50 Old Suttonians and their guests, accompanied by Will Radford (Staff 2015-), Helen Knott (Staff 2002-) and David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015) assembled at the West Gate for this year’s Regional Reunion. As we waited

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for our guides, the OS were delighted to be greeted on the steps of the porch by The Reverend Canon David Stanton who is Canon Treasurer and Almoner, with oversight responsibility for all financial affairs at the abbey and all matters relating to its fabric. David has recently joined the School’s Governing Body and wanted to offer his own welcome to the party.

Split into three groups, we were treated to tours of the wonderful 700-year-old building – ‘a living pageant of British history’. Despite the crowds on a busy Saturday in June, we saw the main areas of interest, including the Cloisters, Quire, Lady Chapel, the Coronation Chair and Poets’ Corner, all accompanied by informed and interesting commentary from our guides.

OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

At the end of our visit, we all congregated in The Cellarium for an excellent lunch and a chance to catch up with old friends. All-inall, it was a very successful day, with Old Suttonians who left from 1948 to 1993 enjoying each other’s company and swapping School memories, whilst reflecting on the awe-inspiring monumental sculptures they had seen and the historical significance of the abbey.

Old Suttonians who attended were The Rev’d Kenneth Bell (1948 W), Richard Filmer (1956 M), Neville Harrison (1956 L), David Leiper (1960 L), Alan Noah (1960 W), Iain Wyness (1960 L), Keith Clement (1961 W), Robin Doran (1961 W), Charles Edbrooke (1961 M), Dr Roger Kojecký (1961 L), Douglas Horner DL (1962 M), Toby Oliver (1962 L), Richard Macklin (1963 W), Richard Ross-

Langley (1963 M), Richard West (1964 L), John Bury (1966 W), Iain Crump (1967 C), Ali Sanei (1972 C), Paul Latham (1973 C), Alan Whitewright (1974 W), Stephen Hasson (1974 F), Kaushal Patel (1989 C), Kathryn Hannah (1993 V) and Fiona MacDonald (1993 V).

We are grateful to everyone who attended, and look forward to next year’s Regional Reunion, which we hope to hold around the same time of year. As ever, we would be delighted to receive suggestions as to possible venues for the event. After recent successes at Blenheim Palace, the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, and two visits to the Haynes International Motor Museum, an historical theme has proved popular and we would welcome your ideas accordingly.

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

OS REUNIONS

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s well as the Westminster Abbey Regional Reunion, this year has seen a variety of independently organised reunions across the country, bringing together OS of varying age and association. In addition, the year has also seen a number of OSA organised events including the first annual May Dinner and the Michaelmas Lunch and AGM. In December last year, Old Suttonian leavers from the mid-Fifties held their traditional Christmas reunion at the RAC Club. Their expanded group included ten alumni, all of whom left the School between 1954 and 1956. The corresponding photo (opposite page middle) shows, on the back row, Mark Grundy (1955 W), Bill Ellis (1956 M), David Bunker (1954 M), Michael Vant (1954 M), Rodney Stubblefield (1955 M), Clyde Britton (1954 W) and James Croft (1955 M). In the front row are John Andrews (1956 W), Michael Bartlett (1954 W) and Anthony Perkins (1955 L).

While that group were at the RAC Club, a group of the lateSeventies leavers group was meeting for its traditional Christmas meal at Langan’s Brasserie. In the photo from the reunion below are Grahame Chilton (1977 L), Michael Darling (1979 L), Neville

Miles (1979 C), Richard Nichols (1978 L), David Rothman (1977 C), Mark Hart (1976 C), Paul Burton (1977 C), Richard Fetherston (1978 W), Rupert Humphrey (1978 L), Guy Hart (1975 C) and Christopher Wait (1976 L).

In May, the OSA hosted their first May Dinner at The Plough at Langley. The reunion was a replacement for the previously publicised May Ball, which unfortunately did not prove viable. A number of those who had signed up for the ball were able to make it to the Dinner though, and in the photo above are John Allen (1957 M), Gillian Allen, David Tarling (1985 C), Margaret Tarling, Henry Edwards (1960 M), Mick Dodd (Staff 1989-1999), Annie Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016), David Pickard (Staff 19772001, 2009-2015), Nicholas Bills (1992 W), Charlotte Bills, (1992 S) Charles Wooldridge (1989 C), Christine Pickard, Felicity Edwards, Douglas Horner DL (1962 M), Bradley Downer (1986 M), Jill Gidman, Pam Harverson and David Harverson (1956 M).

Finally, in July, the group of early-Sixties leavers met in Cheltenham to attend a garden lunch kindly arranged for them by David Manook (1961 M). This group meets up at least twice a year and has done so since the inaugural meeting in 1994, arranged to coincide with a return visit to the UK by Dr Clive Cawthorne (1962 M).

The group was delighted to find that this year’s summer reunion also coincided with a visit to the UK by Clive. In the garden at Cheltenham (opposite page bottom) are Clive Cawthorne (1962 M), Richard Mant (1961 M), Peter Hunt (1962 M), David Manook (1961 M), James Grafton (1961 M) and Douglas Horner (1962 M).

Members of the same group also met up on the Isle of Wight last September when they were joined by Bruce Macdonald (1961 W), who was visiting the UK from his home in South Africa. They followed that up with a reunion at The Old Bell in Oxted, Kent in November, when they were joined by Miles Shepherd (1962 C) and Richard Memmott (1963 L).

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

SQUASH REUNION v2 John McCormick (Staff 1964-2005)

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fter the report and pictures of the November 2015 Reunion of the 1978 Squash team appeared in the last issue, I received an indignant mail from a disgruntled Michael Darling (1979 L), who had often been a ‘back-up man’ for those teams.

“Why wasn’t I invited to that?” He asked. “Well Mike, you do live in New York!” I responded. “Well,” he said, ‘‘next time I’m over in UK there has to be a re-run!’

So, when it was established that he would be in London in early December, emails flew back and forth and on 8th December, Michael, Nicholas Shaw(1979 L), Richard Bedford (1980 M) and myself enjoyed a fine lunch at the Four Seasons in Park Lane, We were joined by my wife, Vivien, as well as Old Suttonians Richard Nichols (1978 L) - who was also over from America, Richard Prophet (1979 L), and Richard Fetherston (1978 W) also an accomplished man on the squash court himself, though he preferred Fives and Cricket. The party was completed by Graham Able (Staff 1969-1983) whom Mike had met in New York a week or so before and invited - after all Graham had encountered all the first four named on the squash court on various occasions.

No mentions were made of results!

We had high hopes that Shahid Adamjee (1978 L) would also be in UK then, but unfortunately this didn’t happen, and Alastair Shaw (1982 L) was also unable to make it.

The final member of the team - Alan Reeve (1978 M) who has returned to the School for the first time for the original Squash reunion, was back in the Philippines!

All-in-all, it was a wonderfully enjoyable reunion of old friends, crammed with gossip and reminiscence, which stretched out, for some, until almost early evening.

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OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES

Freddie Parker (2016 H)

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aving left the School, most Old Suttonians take some time to achieve their fame and eminence; occasionally there are those who don’t. Last summer, as we compiled the 2016 edition of The Old Suttonian, much excitement was enjoyed around the School as rumours emerged of Freddy Parker (2016 H) starring on the popular ITV programme, The X Factor.

At that point, with the show yet to air, we were unable to spread the news. His audition had been recorded earlier in the summer, shortly after he had left the School, and when it finally aired in early September, the excitement grew as he eased through the early rounds of the competition.

Rumours of his continued progression were abounding, though the nature of the show meant that little was known beyond his success at ‘Boot Camp’. When the episode finally aired, we were thrilled to see Freddy progress through to the live shows, picked by his judge, Nicole Scherzinger, to represent the Boys category.

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Although voted off relatively early in the competition, the opportunity of appearing provided him with the necessary springboard to showcase his talent, and he has since continued to pursue his music career with gigs in Manchester and London.

OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

“

When I left the School in 1990, the Exam Hall doubled up as our Sports Hall. As a member of the sports council, we often dreamed of the facilities the School now has! I’d encourage you all to go back and take a look, or better still, join us for some OS sport. We now have established teams in Cricket, Golf, Hockey and Shooting, and this year we were delighted to contribute to the setup of the first OS Football team, playing in the Arthurian League. If none of those options take your fancy and you want to ease into OSA sport, please come and join us at the Pétanque Championship, a great way to catch up over a drink and some light sport!

”

Richard Young (1990 W) Sports Liaison, OSA

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OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

OS vs School

HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Georgia Ridge (2017 F) reports on the Indoor Hockey Tournament hosted at the School in January this year. Having taken a break in 2016, the fixture returned with a full programme of boys and girls’ matches.

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fter a year’s hiatus, the traditional Old Suttonian versus School Hockey tournament returned on Sunday 8th January. This year saw a slightly alternative format with the matches played indoors, rather than out on the AstroTurf. With the tournament featuring both a boys and girls competition, it was a busy morning, which saw some really competitive play.

As is traditional, the boys’ match was contested for the Alex Hatch (2001 F) Trophy, named in honour of an Old Suttonian who had previously competed in the annual match a day before he sadly passed away.The boys’ trophy was supplemented this year with the introduction of the new Susannah Townsend (2007 G) Trophy for the girls’ competition, which was awarded to celebrate Susannah’s

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representation at the Rio 2016 Olympics and her subsequent MBE award (see page 59).

The girls’ team opened the morning’s play with a warm-up match, designed to allow the Old Suttonians to get used to the boards and the indoor variations to the rules. After a three-week Christmas break, the School team was slow to get going, and the quick conditions of the indoor format meant that players struggled to maintain any kind of continuity.They may also have underestimated their Old Suttonian rivals, and as a result, the OS team came out victorious with a hard-fought 2-0 win.

The School team was out for revenge in the actual Trophy match, with quick balls being fired up the boards to the forwards by Olivia

OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

Richards (2017 H), and some fierce tackling from Alexandra Sacker.

Nevertheless, the Old Suttonian team, which featured the likes of the Baxter girls - Lucy (2012 F), Amy (2013 F) and Emma (2015 F), as well as Natasha Lindsay (1990 F), Lauren Neve (2006 L), Hannah Davies (2015 H) and Katie Latter (2016 F) remained resolute in their defence, with the School’s attack failing to get past the excellent Elena Sagrott (2013 F) in goal. As the OS team got more comfortable, their quick one-two play overcame the School side and they deservedly lifted the inaugural Susannah Townsend Trophy.

In the boys’ competition, the School team faced a well-represented OS side. The number of Old Suttonians competing allowed their team to take advantage of unlimited substitutions, giving them regular injections of energy as they brought on a number of last

year’s 1st XI players including Guy Backhouse (2016 F), Patrick Backhouse (2016 F), Joseph Deveson (2016 C) and Tom Lennard (2016 H). Of the three matches played, the Old Suttonians won two, lifting the Alex Hatch Trophy in the process.

The morning was finished off with a mixed match before both teams and the various spectators on the day headed down to The Queen’s Head for lunch and a chance for the Old Suttonians to reminisce over a pint.All-in-all an enjoyable morning of hockey filled with some excellent play. As well as the OS who came to compete, the Sydney Wooderson Sports Centre was full of spectators, and we are grateful to everyone who came along.

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OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

OS

FOOTBALL Charlie Jones (2007 L)

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fter much planning, the wheels were finally put in motion last Summer for the creation of the first recognised Old Suttonian Football team, which would compete in the Arthurian League - the association Football league for teams of public schools’ alumni. With Football not being a main sport at Sutton Valence, we were delighted that the OSA committee was keen to support the venture, and give us the green light to proceed with our application.

The Arthurian League was founded in 1961 and includes a host of prestigious schools from in, and around, Greater London. The entry process proved to be quite a formal affair but after our “trial match” in which the Head of the League and the Head Referee observed, we were granted automatic entry into Division Four, effectively skipping the lowest tier (Division Five North/South).

The League follows a similar structure to that of the FA, whereby the top division is referred to as the Premier League, the second highest is Division One, the third is Division Two and so on.

Accordingly, our entry meant we were starting out on the fifth rung of their footballing ladder.

Our entry level was primarily based on our playing ability and good conduct before, during and after the game. The league has a big focus on ensuring, as the home team, you provide a high level of hospitality to both your opposition and the referee, which makes for a great social start to the weekend!

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For our inaugural season, Division Four was made up of eight teams - Old Merchant Taylors (Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood), Old Tonbridgians II (Tonbridge School), Old Haberdashers (Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School), Old Bancroftians AFC (Bancroft’s School, Woodford Green), Old Stoics (Stowe School), Old Wykehamists II (Winchester College), Old Cholmeleians II (Highgate School) and ourselves. We play each team twice (home and away), with all of our ‘home’ matches played at the King’s House Sports Ground in Barnes, London, on a lovely 4G pitch.

We had some mixed results over the course of the season, however for our first year in existence, we exceeded all expectations. Along the way, we suffered some disappointing losses, including a narrow 4-3 away defeat at Tonbridge, and a 7-5 home drubbing against Old Haberdashers. Equally though, we notched up some fantastic wins, including a 6-2 away win against Old Wykehamists followed up with a 6-3 away win against Old Cholmeleians.

Overall, we won five, drew four and lost five matches. This culminated in a fifth place finish in the league, 11 points off the eventual winners - Old Merchant Taylors. With the support of some great Old Suttonians, the club is growing from strength-tostrength and we look forward to an exciting season in 2017/2018, where we will be pushing for promotion. If any Old Suttonians are interested in playing, please email jonescharlie25@yahoo.co.uk.

OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

OS GOLF TOURNAMENT David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

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e had the third of our, now traditional, Old Suttonian Golf Days in April this year. It was a great day with strong sunshine throughout, and a fair amount of good golf was played by OS of all standards of handicap between 28 and scratch. Numbers were slightly down compared to the previous year, but the enthusiasm of those who played, and those who would have if they could have, should see the numbers begin to rise again next year.

Richard Raye (2002 F) won the singles competition with 38 Stableford points. He had won in the first year of the event, only to be beaten on ‘countback’ last year by Christopher Newport (1979 F). He deservedly regained his crown. However, Richard, partnered by David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015), also won the pairs competition for the third consecutive year, each time with a different partner!

The competition is usually held in early April at the Dale Hill Golf Club in Wadhurst, East Sussex, a course designed by Ian Woosnam, and one that we have found to be (a) testing and (b) a course not familiar to the majority of players.

As well as being a fun day for the ‘lesser mortals’, those better players who are seeking to be selected for the annual Grafton Morrish Competition are encouraged to join in, if for no other reason than we need to wrest the trophy from Richard Raye! We

also need more recent leavers to become involved to spice up the competition for places at the Grafton Morrish, the finals of which we have qualified for consistently. The competitions are amateur scratch foursomes for three pairs of former pupils of the School.

There is a qualifying round in May/June, followed by knock-out finals in September/October each year at the Hunstanton Golf Club in Hunstanton and the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club in Brancaster. I would encourage OS golfers to look out for the announcement for next year’s competition and please make a strong effort to come along. You will enjoy yourselves and it is not expensive. You might even win one of the several prizes.

Those pictured above on the Dale Hill clubhouse terrace are (left to right) Richard Raye (2002 F), Iain Crump (1967 C), Alexander Newport (2014 W), Andrew Hutchinson (Staff 1995-2011, Governor 2013-) Andrew Mee (1973 L), Christopher Newport (1979 F), David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015), Robert Carr (Staff 1997-), Job Myatt, Frank Oliver (Staff 1996-2006), Paul Latham (1973 C), Matthew Latham (2012 C, Staff 2017-).

In addition to the OS Golf Day, Old Suttonians were also invited to play in the Headmaster’s Golf Day, held last September at the Chart Hills Golf Club. On that occasion, eight Old Suttonians with leaving years ranging from 1967 to 2008 competed against teams of parents, staff and governors.

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OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

T

here was something of a return to normal service in 2016. Still not enough games, but the diligent new organising squad led by Mathew Wooderson (1998 W) are engaged on rebuilding the fixture list. It will doubtless disappoint stalwart OS cricketers who have fond memories of the nine games in the “Week” plus a Brewers Cup match and the occasional away match, but the harsh reality is that raising midweek sides is increasingly difficult, not just for the OS but also long-standing opponents.

Saturdays are even harder because those who are playing Cricket regularly are playing for their clubs and the days of the occasional player turning out and playing from memory also seem to have gone.

We have been offered a fixture at Rochester by the Old Roffensians so we can make it home and away against them, but couldn’t agree diaries for 2017, but it looks likely the future will see a greater number of Sunday matches throughout the season. One most welcome “new” fixture this year is the renewal of our rivalry with the Cranbrook Lynxes. It is their 70th anniversary and although we haven’t played them since 2003, we were their very first opponents in 1947, inspiring them to start their own week.

OS Cricket

I have been digging into our archives and sending them photos and cuttings which they are putting into a publication format. They have their own full records too, and it has been interesting to read some of the match reports from their perspective. In the latter years the cricket did become rather attritional with neither side keen to concede to the old enemy. But, quite rightly, the most important thing is that there are a number of enduring friendships, forged, it must be said, by some lengthy evenings in the pubs of Cranbrook and Sutton Valence discussing the finer points of the game.

The match itself took place on Sunday 9 July this year, with the Old Suttonian team coming out victorious (report in next year’s magazine). I hope it will be become an annual fixture once again.

This year is my last report on OS Cricket as it is time to pass that responsibility to Mathew Wooderson & Co. I first reported in 1992, having relieved David Bunker (1954 M) of that duty after a mere 14 years. Many things have changed in that time, but some haven’t. For example, Neil Richards (1967 F) is still playing, and is now old enough to be grandfather to our newer recruits. I suspect some will be having DNA tests just to put their minds at ease.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR Desmond High (1973 F)

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OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

Furthermore with the advent of social media it is now possible to find lengthy match reports on the OS Cricket Facebook page, and Chris Vernon (2010 H) and Richard Bradstock (2000 L) must be applauded for their erudition in bringing the matches to life in print.

It is of course customary to thank all those who help make OS cricket possible. Philip Higgins (1970 F) umpired when he could, but is in demand with League and other commitments, so we were fortunate to find a replacement for the Dragons match in the form of Tony Hermes, my daughter’s father-in-law. Catering was in the hands of the High household – me front of house and taking credit - Kathy doing the hard work. Ian Avery and his team continue to produce excellent wickets on one of the finest grounds in Kent, and finally thanks as ever to the Headmaster for allowing the OS use of the ground.

As a side-note, in addition to this summer’s fixtures, we are also hoping to arrange a gathering of cricketing OS at Lord’s on the Friday of the West Indies Tests (8 September). It will probably be in the new Warner Stand at 3pm but as building work is not yet complete, the bar layout is not clear. Look out for more information nearer the time on the OS Cricket Facebook page or via OSA Connect.

Results 19th June 2016 vs. SVS 1st XI OS 226 (declared), School 160 Match won by 66 runs 7th August 2016 vs.The Dragons OS 268 (Bradstock 77), Dragons 214-7 (Stileman 4-89) Match drawn 11th August 2016 vs.The Mote OS 309-6, The Mote 188-6 (40 over match) Match won by 121 runs 12th August 2016 vs. Wooderson XI Wooderson XI 300 (Richards 4-96), OS 301-6 (Bradstock 121, Bailey 77) Match won by 4 wickets 14th August 2016 vs. Old Roffensians OS 229 (Vernon 120), OR 167 Match won by 62 runs

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OLD SUTTONIAN SPORT

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n a blistering summer’s day, a very youthful looking Old Suttonian XI took on a young 1st XI team. In the height of the examination period, it was inevitable that the School would lose some of its older and better players, and such was the case this year. Accordingly, Under 15A players Arthur Genders, Jack Stanton-Gleaves and Max Savage made their 1st XI débuts along with Fifth Former Barnaby Loxton-Barnard. After the sad passing of David Bunker (1954 M) a couple of weeks before the fixture, a new trophy was presented at the end of the game in memory of David, with the annual school fixture now competing for the ‘The Bunker Cup’.

The Bunker Cup 2017 David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015) and Vince Wells (Staff 2011-)

The OS won the toss and batted first on a good-looking wicket. Despite a few early wickets against a very strong batting side, the 1st XI suffered from a number of dropped catches as the OS batted their way into form. Benjamin Leale-Green (2011 M) scored an impressive 100*, supported by ex-Australian gap student Alastair Burge who scored a fine 80*. The declaration came 40 minutes after lunch with the OS closing on 273-4.

The depleted 1st XI faced a daunting total to chase against a formidable bowling attack that included leg spinner Hayden Walsh (2009 H), who plays first class cricket in the West Indies. Despite losing some early wickets, the 1st XI kept battling away with a fine 57 from Tom Lazarides being the highlight for the boys. A close finish left the 1st XI needing to bat out the final nine balls to avoid defeat. Showing maturity beyond their years, the last pair held out for a well-earned draw, with the 1st XI finishing on 159-9.

As always, it was a wonderful day, played in a tremendous spirit. David Bunker was a ‘legend’ in OSA cricket circles and it is rightly fitting that this fixture should have a trophy bearing his name. For a more in-depth account of David’s involvement with OSA cricket, please refer to his obituary on page 84.

We are greatly indebted to Mrs Janet Bunker, David’s widow, herself a stalwart of OSA cricket teas, for presenting the shared trophy at the end of the game. Given David’s involvement and continued interest in both the School and the OSA, it was entirely befitting that the inaugural presentation of the trophy saw both teams share the spoils.

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

NEWS FROM

THE SCHOOL “

With one foot firmly in the future and the other planted in the School’s prestigious past, this year has seen many strides forward across all aspects of our educational provision. I am delighted that so many Old Suttonians have joined us this year at concerts, sports events, Speech Day, the Carol Service and other celebrations. As part of the Sutton Valence community, your contribution and support is always greatly valued and I hope you enjoy reading about the School’s highlights of the year.

”

Bruce Grindlay Headmaster, Sutton Valence School

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR An abridged version of the Speech Day address by Bruce Grindlay (HM 2009-)

M

adam Chairman, Mayor, honoured guests, Governors, ladies, gentlemen and pupils, I would like to begin my speech with an announcement. As of September, Sutton Valence is changing to become a 2000 strong, single sex, sausage factory.

The Oxford Dictionary website chose “post-truth” as its 2016 word of the year, in large part due to Donald Trump’s success in the presidential election and of course the Brexit referendum. It defined post-truth as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

We also know “Post Truth” in its more colloquial and tweeted form: “fake news”. More and more people are turning away from mainstream media to the more immediate world of social media, which seems to be a hotbed of fake news. And we are all too aware how much media attention has been given to tweets of late?

Dare I mention “covfefe”?

It is hard to live on this planet today and not be aware of the President of the United States’s passion for the late night tweet.

Some thought that Trump meant to say “Despite the constant negative press coverage” but accidentally hit publish without completing his sentence, correcting the misspelling and, obviously, checking his work – definitely an “i-Sammable” offence in our books! Within hours, the questionably-crafted tweet had over 60,000 re-tweets, 75,000 likes on Twitter and a quickly produced “I heart Covfefe” T-shirt.

Trump’s invention of a new word led to the inevitable twitter storm with memes and other misspelled, late night hilarious tweets surfacing including: • •

“The seizure salad from McDonald’s is so good” “How do you know if you are lack toast and tolerant or not?”

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It also led to a plethora of funny tweets being aired: • •

“Yo girl, are you a zero APR loan? Because I don’t really understand your terms and you keep saying you have no interest.”

“Does it have apple in it? No? Perfect. Does it contain Pine?

No? Great, we’ll call it a pineapple!”

Fake news, in its purest form as the spreading of misinformation for sensationalist purposes has always been there (perhaps ever since the serpent told Eve that eating the apple would be a really great idea), but today it is getting far harder to wade through the sheer quantity of information being spewed out at us, to find the things that really do matter and show what is really going on.

Perhaps the reason why we benchmark our success and that of the pupils by Durham University’s value added score rather than merely by the percentage A*-A grades our pupils achieve is to avoid “fake” or misleading news. It was the erstwhile-Headmaster of Eton, Tony Little who wisely stated: “your intake defines your output”, so, if we buy in talented A* pupils we should get A*s or we are not doing our job properly. However, we are a true community and that means we have a variety of individuals with their own particular shape and personal strengths and weaknesses. We are not a small, narrowly defined strata of society and we recognise that each individual brings something unique and, therefore, hugely important to our community. But we are a teaching and learning community and, if education is defined by improving outcomes, then showing how far each of our pupils travel in their academic journey, we can avoid pedalling “fake news”.

This year I am delighted to report we achieved, at A Level, such a significant value added score, in other words the journey our pupils went on in their academic progress, that we ended up in the top 2% of all of the Durham schools, about 600 schools, for improving the outcomes of our pupils. This translates as, there are only 12 schools in this group who can match or beat this educational

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

triumph and all of the known independent schools use this system.

This does not mean that all will receive A*-A grades or go to Oxford or Cambridge, but it does mean, I hope, that all improve their academic standing and, therefore, are given more options for future university and career choices; surely one of our main aims as secondary school educators?

I am very proud of how we prepare our students for the next chapter of their lives as they move on from Sutton Valence. I am truly delighted that this preparation and guidance has been recognised this week by the Onslow Trust, which has accredited us with its gold standard of careers advice, called “Education to Employment” and I congratulate Christine Carter (Staff 1997-) for being recognised in this way. Many Old Suttonians took part in Christine’s Careers Convention in March, which proved an overwhelming success (page 44).

At GCSE we have found it, historically, harder to add as much value to our pupils as we do at A Level and that is why we have been working hard over the last couple of years to address this and to find out why and then improve on it. One of the reasons has to be that pupils are required to do such a broad selection of subjects that require a breadth of ability and talent across very different subjects. This can be difficult to sustain for many pupils who have particular strengths and maybe some rather obvious blind spots.

However, A levels do play to the particular strengths of pupils as they can specialise and choose subjects that they are good at and that interest them.

It may also be that we were not offering as much flexibility as we could with our GCSE combination of subjects so, from this year in the Fourth Form, we have devised a more bespoke curriculum that hopefully plays to the strengths and unique shape of the pupils.

I am convinced that part of our success at A Level is down to the ownership the pupils feel in selecting their subjects and this is what we have tried to apply to our new GCSE curriculum. We sincerely hope to see this pay dividends next summer with the current Fourth Form’s GCSE results.

Blurred lines of fiction, fake news, hyperbole and Wikipedia all make it difficult at times for us to sift through the information bombarding us in pursuit of the truth. The good news is that facts are not yet completely dead and apparently, according to a recent Guardian article, it’s all thanks to sports.

GCSE Results - August 2016

Here are some undeniable facts - the 1st XI girls Hockey team beat St Lawrence and Eastbourne Colleges; The 1st XV clocked an impressive 60% win ratio this season and the 1st Netball squad recorded an incredible unbeaten season; only the third time this has happened since 1987.

Sport is one of the few areas left in society where the truth is not subject to negotiation: the ball is in or out (unless you’re McEnroe of course); you have won or you have lost. Fortunately, this year our teams have done much winning and our sport is verifiably on the up.

During the Michaelmas Term, our girls shone through once again with an overall Hockey win percentage of 60%. The Under 16s and Under 14As both reached the final of their county tournaments and special mention must go to the Under 13B side who recorded the best win percentage of all teams by winning 90% of all matches played.

The Rugby programme took another step forward this year with all teams playing the SVS style of free-flowing, entertaining Rugby.

Players are now combining their excellent skill sets with athletic conditioning that has seen many of them getting noticed by Kent squads and also Premiership Academies. Thirteen players in total have played for Kent across all age groups and we have three Saracens Academy players in the ranks.

During the Lent Term, the Boys Hockey teams recorded a 57% win ratio and highlights of the term saw the 1st XI reach the county cup semi-finals. A strong Under 16 side also enjoyed county cup success, as did the Under 15As who finished second in the county and a win percentage of 76%. The Under 13As were a force to be reckoned with this season, winning two of the three tournaments they entered and coming third in the other.

A Level Results August 2016

In Netball, we fielded 20 teams across the term, which is an incredible achievement for any school. Overall, the teams secured an impressive win percentage of 64%. The Under 15A team lost only 2 out of 10 fixtures and, lower down the School, the Under 12A team won 91% of their matches, highlighting the considerable talent we have coming through.

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

This term the 1st XI cricketers have performed well with wins against The Forty Club, Worth, Sevenoaks, Tenterden, St Lawrence College, The Judd and Cranbrook School, as well as a hard-fought draw against a strong OS side (page 32).

All the other age groups are progressing nicely with the Under 14B team and 2nd XI winning their respective leagues. A number of pupils again attended the county trials during the winter and we also have a number of boys and girls who are representing their district teams.

This summer has seen a major push with girls’ Cricket and they are now playing more fixtures and practising regularly in their games lessons. This has seen the emergence of some excellent talent in the female ranks and with the programme set to grow still further next year, the future looks bright for girls’ Cricket.

The Girls 1st Tennis squad has had its best season for a very long time with only two losses and strong wins against The King’s School, Canterbury and St John’s, Leatherhead. The 2nds have also only lost two fixtures

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and the Under 13s, 14s and 15s have shown glimpses of real potential. Boys’ Tennis has grown this year but endured a challenging fixture list, but the highlight was the 1st team reaching the semi-final of the county cup.

As well as our major sports, our minor sports have had equally impressive years.

There has been a real drive this year to prepare our top athletes for the annual United Westminster Foundation Athletics meet and the hard work paid off as the girls came third and the boys’ team won the overall competition for the first time in thirteen years, winning the Godfrey Trophy.

The Swimming squad has had another very successful season as has the Golf team winning the regional plate final beating The King’s School, Canterbury in a closely fought affair and also proudly boasting five county golfers in the team.

The Equestrian Team have been very busy. All nine members of the team have competed in numerous events across a number of disciplines and both their

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

team and individual successes have been commendable. The team rounded off an excellent year by hosting a successful charity showjumping event at Duckhurst Farm in Staplehurst which saw 88 competitors from a range of local schools compete in support of ‘Riding for the Disabled’.

And finally, the newly reformed Sutton Valence Ski team finished an excellent third in the Kent Ski Championships earlier this term and there have even been fixtures in Cross Country, Badminton and Basketball.

In a year where leadership has been an almost continual theme in the news and we witness things we couldn’t have invented, where fake news pales into insignificance next to the real facts and events, I am pleased that so many of our pupils can experience leadership away from the world of politics.

In the CCF we have a new contingent commander in Major Glen Millbery (Staff 2001-) and much has been accomplished this year.

The shooting teams enjoyed success at Bisley, winning five trophies including the much sought after Oratory School Cup and at CADSAAM they were awarded best overall CCF team and best overall cadet team, with Jacob Baldwin winning Under 16 Champion Shot.

For the first time ever, we entered the National Sailing Regatta with the team coming ninth in the country. Many cadets have also gained climbing, kayaking and canoeing qualifications by attending adventure training courses in Wales and Lancashire and, of course, the highlight of the CCF calendar was the amazing opportunity for 30 of our cadets to go to Brunei and Malaysia last summer to survive in the jungle, undertake some community charity work and to be the first CCF to walk part of the Sandakan Death March (see page 42).

Turning to the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, in its sixtieth year, we had three pupils from the Fourth Form complete the Diamond Challenge with its added dimension of doing extra in order to help raise funds for the charity.

The current status is that we have 39 taking their the Gold award, 24 Silver and 55 younger years finishing their Bronze award. The year also saw three recent Old Suttonians receive their gold awards at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

This year we also introduced a new leadership qualification into the Third Form with most pupils gaining their Certificate of Personal Effectiveness. CoPE (as it is known) is a Level Two accredited qualification that enables pupils to develop a range of personal and key soft skills that broaden leadership and team working qualities. It is equivalent to a B Grade at GCSE. The Third Form follow a curriculum which facilitates the successful completion of the qualification during their normal lessons and it is assessed via a portfolio of evidence. 79 pupils who started the course in September have successfully completed the qualification, which equates to a 93% pass rate.

Sport, leadership and service are vital parts of our Total Curriculum, the enrichment journey that so many pupils learn so much from, gaining confidence and self-esteem as they do so. But also, vital to this journey, of course, are our co-curricular creatives: Music and Drama.

The Twittersphere hums with musical tweets – ranging from clever puns: “what if The Who let the dogs out” to an Abba reworkings of “You are the viral queen, young and tween, only tweeting memes”, to comments on the loosening of society’s mores “1963: I want to hold your hand, 1984: I want to know what love is, 2014: Big, big booty, what you got a big booty.” But our musical offerings were more treats than tweets.

Asbin Ghale (2015 M) receiving his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award from Johanna Konta - May 2017

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After two evocative and atmospheric carol services, the Chapel Choir took their repertoire on tour to Amsterdam where they performed three wonderful concerts to herald in the New Year.

They also joined the many other Senior School ensembles in a fantastically successful Combined Concert with the Prep School.

But the highlight of the year was, undoubtedly, the Foundation concert earlier this term at St John’s, Smith’s Square where the Senior Strings showed everyone present just how accomplished and professional they are. From Shostakovich’s achingly beautiful Second Piano Concerto to the haunting and mesmeric Barber Adagio, our musicians, quite frankly, stole the show (see page 40).

Drama has staged two highly successful productions this year with Hamlet for the seniors and Mulan for the younger years, which finished on Wednesday. These were both extremely ambitious choices for a School Drama department and were a triumph in every sense. What is perhaps more pleasing still is that, together, these performances involved over 200 members of our students both on and off stage.

The department has also laid on three workshops with Punchdrunk Theatre company, the world leaders in immersive theatre, and six theatre visits, including The Old Vic, The Young Vic, The National Theatre, The Royal Court and Fortune Theatre.

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In attending these performances, I never cease to be impressed by the community that we are privileged to be members of here at SVS and how we all muck in, support and encourage each other.

Nowhere was this more evident this year than in the School’s response to our Nepal appeal and I am sure you have read and followed the extraordinary trip Dr Grindlay (Staff 2009-) and I had in visiting Gumdi in February to officially open the school (page 46).

I am pleased that the Sutton Valence community is beginning to spread its wings and its global reach and our partnership with HIK in China is now coming to fruition. Claire Corkran (HM SVPS), three governors and I flew out to China earlier this summer to be part of the state opening ceremony (page 50). I truly hope that over time this relationship will provide some inspiring educational benefits and also a burgeoning endowment fund to allow deserving pupils to benefit from a Sutton Valence education.

There are several staff leaving us this year and we will miss them all.

Heather Blackhall (Staff 2016-2017) and Brian O’Donovan (Staff 2016-2017) have both been with the Modern Foreign Languages department for just this year, but have decided to move on and we wish them both well in their future careers.

Dan Keep (Staff 1998-2017) has given us 17 years sterling service as Head of Design Technology where his knowledge and experience have helped many students as has his commitment to several of

Sam Gray (2017 H) as Hamlet - December 2016

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

be leaving the community as she returns, following her maternity leave, to be the Head of Mathematics and school timetabler at the Prep School.

There are, also, some internal moves from September. Sophie de Castro (Staff 2012-) becomes Housemistress of Sutton House and Matthew Jones (Staff 2016-) replaces the irreplaceable Andy Bee (Staff 2002-) as Housemaster of Clothworkers’. And I am delighted to announce that Sally Rose (Staff 2008-) is promoted to Assistant Head from September, in an enhanced role as Designated Safeguarding Lead,

Foundation Concert - May 2017

our co-curricular activities. Dan is moving to Highworth Grammar School and his skill, character and fine resonant bass voice will be sorely missed.

David (Staff 2009-2017) and Angela Mathews (Staff 2011-2017) are moving on to become the houseparents of a boarding house at Gordon’s School. David has been Head of Hockey and Golf for the past eight years and Angela has taught dance and been Housemistress of Sutton. They have given so much to our community and I thank them for the expertise they have demonstrated in all that they do and their insatiable drive for improvement and excellence that they have brought to all they have done here.

Similarly, having now completed his NQT qualification with us, Jamie Ings (Staff 2015-2017) has decided to return to his beloved West Country to take up a Geography teaching post at his old alma mater, Canford School.

Though we are losing the talents of Lindsay Mitchell-Nanson (Staff 2010-) as Head of Mathematics at the Senior School, she will not

We also say farewell today to a much-loved and respected governor and dear friends: David Taylor and his wife, Pam. David has given 13 years of his experience and support to us and his assistance with our academic work in particular has been invaluable. I hope that they both continue to visit and remain contributors to and consumers of all our concerts, plays and talks.

Sometimes it is incredibly difficult to sift truth from fiction, which is why, I’m told, many people turn to Yahoo answers: Question: If evolution is true, then why can’t pigs fly yet?” Answer: “because evolution doesn’t give you wings, Red Bull does!”

Question: “Is an egg a fruit or a vegetable?” Answer: “It is a fruit that grows from a plant called ‘Eggnoramus Logicalus’!” Question: “What is the phobia of chainsaws called?” Answer: “common sense.”

However, it is fairly easy to see the truth with regard to how well Sutton Valence has done this year and that the future looks bright.

“There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.” Is this a quote about today’s social-media-driven confusion over fake news?

Actually, no, this is from George Orwell’s 1949 dystopian classic, 1984. Frighteningly relevant some say, but I hope that the truth today is clear to see: thanks to your support, the tireless efforts of the staff and pupils, our children are improving themselves and their futures – the definition of an SVS education, in my book.

Mulan - June 2017

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Old Suttonians joined parents and staff at the United Westminster Schools Foundation Concert at St John’s Smith Square in May this year.

c i s Mu A

t the start of May, the United Westminster Schools and Grey Coat Hospital Foundation Concert was held in the historic St John’s Smith Square, famous for its stunning English baroque architecture and musical significance.

The Grade I listed building has come to be regarded as one of London’s major concert halls. Its acoustic is suitable for nearly all forms of music and during the concert it played host to a wide range of musical choices from the theme of Game of Thrones to Emanuel School’s impressive rendition of six movements from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The audience, made up of parents, staff, governors and Old Suttonians were appreciative of the variety of offerings from the different schools.

Sutton Valence opened the concert with Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 2:II Andante, with Jessica Grindlay (2017 F) playing the piano solo accompanied by the Senior Strings. This was met with resounding applause and set the bar high for the rest of the evening.

The Senior Strings continued with an outstanding performance of perhaps Barber’s best-known piece, Adagio for Strings. Sutton Valence was one of only two schools to feature a couple of its musical groups.

The Chamber Choir took to the stage to sing I’m Beginning to See the Light, The Rhythm of Life and Bring Him Home from Les Misérables, with William Grabowski (2017 L) reprising his role as Jean Valjean from last January’s memorable School production.

The Foundation contains a variety of schools; independent, state, coeducational and single sex. The concert is one of the few occasions when we can all come together to forge links between our schools and celebrate our collective breadth of talent in a prestigious venue.

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Old Suttonians featured in the photos include Jessica Grindlay (2017 F), William Grabowski (2017 L), Sam Gray (2017 H), Favour Daka (2017 W) and Nejla Eco (2017 S). Also performing were Annabelle Blake (2017 C), Emilia Browning (2017 F), Matthew Corpe (2017 F) , Charles Court (2017 C), Sebastian Shaddick (2017 F) and Elliot Stirling (2017 F).

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

BRUNEI 2016 Jessica Grindlay (2017 F)

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I

t was with some trepidation that 27 cadets, sporting 540 kilograms of luggage including 54 CCF boots, 162 blister plasters, and 756 malaria tablets departed England for a month-long CCF expedition to Brunei and Malaysia. After the minor blip of trying to light the candles on my birthday cake in a moving vehicle, we arrived at Heathrow, and caught our flight to Brunei. After seven hours, having enjoyed our midnight McDonald’s in Dubai, we were back on the plane for the eight-hour flight to Brunei. Eventually we reached our destination, where we were all immediately struck by the humidity and heat, and travelled to the jungle warfare regiment of the army barracks, where we were to spend the next two weeks.

We spent the first week acclimatising. Many of us were struck by jet lag, although our lack of sleep may have perhaps been more to do with the metal beds in the barracks than the time difference.

We explored the area of Seria in Brunei, visiting the local beaches, villages, museums, and bowling alley (just so Major Prem could show off). We also spent the week getting to know Madan and Sham, the two Ghurkhas who would be accompanying us into the jungle. They taught us how to survive in the jungle, showed us the kit that we would need to take into the jungle, and showed us different weapon systems. We also spent a day on the range, firing a variety of weapons, a day trekking through the jungle to a waterfall and many hours listening to all the various diseases we were likely to contract in the jungle (I think we were all glad our Mums weren’t there for that bit).

Fully kitted out with Deet, weapons, ration packs, webbing, hammocks and the obligatory hidden stash of Pringles, we entered the jungle on our four-day exercise. From the onset it was incredibly challenging, the 40 degree heat being almost unbearable in our CCF kit.We climbed uphill carrying our bergens (many of which weighed more than us) to our camp, where we set up our hammocks ready for the night ahead. We then had lessons in survival skills, which included Jack’s ultimate birthday experience; killing a chicken. We settled down in our hammocks for the night, although not for long, as we were disturbed by the torrential rain at 1.00am, that flooded hammocks, but was perhaps worst for James Smith, who had just forgotten his hammock entirely.

Over the next two days we completed jungle navigation (extremely difficult, considering everywhere is just trees), section attacks, ambushes and on the last day a huge full-scale camp attack.

We settled down for our third night in the jungle in the joyous knowledge that we would soon be reunited with the clinical metal beds, cold showers and intermittent Wi-Fi of the camp, after we’d cleaned our weapons, of course.

Having thrown our CCF kit in the bin in ecstasy, we departed Brunei, and flew across to Malaysia for the second part of our trip.

We were met by our tour guide, who promised us the bright lights of KFC, not warning us that in Malaysia, there are no chips, but rice instead.The next day we began our trek. Our trek consisted of four days walking, following the route of one of the Prisoner of War Marches. This incredible part of history, often glossed over, saw Japanese soldiers hold British and Australian men hostage. They were forced to walk colossal distances carrying loads of rice, until they died of exhaustion and starvation, resulting in 2345 deaths.

We were all harrowed by the pain they must have been in, considering how difficult we all found it in the humidity and heat, and how popular Major Millbery’s evening blister clinics were!

On the fifth day we held a service at Kundasang War Memorial, in honour of the fallen British men. We are the first school CCF to have ever completed this memorial trek, and we were all immensely proud, harrowed, and honoured.

We then travelled to Padas Farmstay, i.e. three cells containing yet more metal beds, where we would stay across our volunteering.

We completed voluntary work in the village of Kalibatang Lama, where we repainted their church and taught in their local school.

We spent the afternoons teaching the local children card games and playing volleyball and football with the local teenagers. On the last day, we had an incredible ceremony to thank us for our work, with brilliant food and the debut performance of the Sutton Valence School CCF choir, where we gave our renditions of The Cup Song, We Will Rock You and the Macarena. It was a hugely enjoyable and enlightening week.

We spent our last few days relaxing in a resort, where we spent the days swimming in the sea and in the pool, and reconnecting with much missed Wi-Fi in our rooms! Twenty-eight days after our departure, and a fair few kilograms of luggage lighter, we returned back to England, where we were met by our parents and lessermissed siblings.

The CCF summer expedition was a truly unforgettable trip for us all. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and has strengthened each of us in a multitude of ways. On behalf of all the cadets, I would just like to say a massive thank you to Major Millbery and Flight-Lieutenant Kitchen for their tireless efforts in looking after the 28 of us (the 27 cadets and Major Prem)!

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

SVS CAREERS CONVENTION Christine Carter (Staff 1997-Present)

O

ld Suttonians returned to the School earlier this year as part of the biennial Careers Convention. The 2017 event offered current students the chance to talk to 50 different employers, universities, colleges and training providers in an informal environment. The convention offer sstudents an insight into a broad range of careers and opportunities, by giving them the opportunity to talk face-to-face with those working across the different fields.

Of the Old Suttonians to participate, Charles Slater (1955 M) offered his expertise on civil engineering, Jeremy Pilgrim (1972 W) and Robert Sinclair (1967 M) discussed surveying and Oliver Taylor (2016 F) returned with his father, Nicholas, to talk about environmental consultancy.

In addition, Paul Wiggins (1967 M) proved popular with his insight into financial services and Dr Will Selway (2004 G) and Peter Bannister (2013 H) both returned to talk about their careers in healthcare. We are indebted to them all for giving up their Saturday morning to take part.

I firmly believe that events such as this provide students with the valuable opportunity of talking to members of the School’s wider community with whom they can readily identify. Old Suttonians have a common educational experience but demonstrate that there is an enormous range of career openings available, with each giving a very different experience of working life. Young people have to start thinking about their careers early and the chance to discuss their options with industry experts provides a useful sounding-board. The more advice students seek and receive the more informed and confident their vocational choices will be.

Looking ahead, in 2018 we are focused on the second annual ‘Next Steps’ event, and I would welcome any recent leavers to come back and talk to the Sixth Form about their experiences post-SVS, whether they be at university, on an apprenticeship or having gone directly into work.

If you are interested in taking part, please contact me at carterc@svs.org.uk.

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

Nepal FUNDRAISING Dr Lilla Grindlay (Staff 2009-) reports on the trip to Nepal to open the Tamang Kharka School following fundraising efforts by the School and the Old Suttonian community.

D

uring the February Half Term break, the Headmaster and I visited Nepal for the official opening of the Tamang Kharka School in the Himalayas. Our experience there is very difficult to put into words. It was a whirlwind trip, truly exhausting and truly exhilarating, which left us humbled and uplifted in equal measures.

The amazing Sutton Valence community set about the task of raising the £60,000 needed to rebuild this village school, raising sufficient funds in a breathtaking 10 months. The money was given to the Pahar Trust, a charity which builds schools in Nepal, and the new building, a single-storey facility with six classrooms was completed and fully functioning in time for our visit.

Here is a brief recap of the background to our trip. The devastating Nepal earthquake of April 2015 razed to the ground the tiny village of Gumdi in the Himalayas, which had been the home of Sutton Valence parent and Gurkha Major Bishnu Ghale. Bishnu is the father of OS Asbin Ghale (2015 M). Gumdi’s village school, attended by 600 children from the village and surrounding areas, was also completely destroyed by the disaster.

Our trip to the village of Gumdi brought home just how remote this village is. We had hired a jeep and driver, but it soon became clear that the off-road experience was like nothing we had ever experienced, taking us on steep and often treacherous mountain tracks. After a particularly tricky moment attempting to cross a river, the jeep’s alternator cut out, and for the rest of the trip it was necessary to push start the vehicle whenever it stopped.

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

This became particularly high-stress as we negotiated through vertiginous terrain where the dirt tracks had the consistency of dry, heavy sand. In the end, we abandoned the jeep and trekked the steeper parts of the route as it became increasingly clear that with the weight of its passengers, the vehicle would not make it. As well as reducing our nerves to shreds on many an occasion, the journey left us awe-struck that the school had actually been built at all, so poor is the infrastructure of roads that leads to the village.

Villager after villager greeted us in the traditional Nepalese way, wrapping kharda (scarves) or garlands of flowers around our necks, with the traditional greeting of ‘namaste’. It was a word, I subsequently discovered, that has a wealth of meanings, going far deeper than the traditional ‘hello’ or ‘good afternoon’. Instead, it is delivered with a respectful half bow, a truly heartfelt greeting that seems to wish one health and happiness, and incorporates a real joy and appreciation that you are here.

We finally arrived at Gumdi, dusty, exhausted and three hours late, to be met by the welcome of a lifetime. The whole community had come out to meet us, and our progress to our seats at the opening ceremony was slow and celebratory. A traditional band, a Naumati baza played throughout to herald our arrival.

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NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

Working with the Red Arrows Hongrui Zhang (2017 M)

H

aving heard that the Red Arrows were coming to my hometown of Zhuhai, in southern China, during Michaelmas Half Term, I successfully applied to be part of their support team. The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team was making history by performing nine public displays in China for the first time in 52 years. During their stay, the team carried out a practice display and many ground engagement activities, including visits to universities, schools and businesses, before the full display in front of thousands of people on the opening day of Airshow China, with over a billion estimated to be watching on television.

I was assigned to assist the pilots and ground crew, and to help with transport and logistics as they toured Guangdong Province. My experience in the RAF section of the School’s CCF was a great help as I knew about protocols and the organisation, so was able to help things run smoothly for them.

With the crew stationed at a local airport, I acted as an interpreter, liaising between the Mandarin-speaking ground crew and the RAF service personnel. Although much of the translation was fairly straightforward – relaying weather reports and organising transport to and from hotels; it often involved more complex translation as well, particularly when it came to the technicality of the aircraft and the necessity of ordering parts.

In the build up to the show, I was on hand in Air Traffic Control to assist Wg Cdr Higgins and Flt Lt Youle (Flight Operation Officer) during the press day, and was also involved with British Embassy and Consulate personnel who were promoting the STEM program, education and British industries, including aviation brands such as Rolls Royce and Airbus.

When it came to the show itself, although I had been given a draft script, I was required to translate live during the show for Red 10 (Squadron Leader Ling) and Red 11 (Wing Commander Higgins, Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team) as they commentated on the display; the first official Red Arrows commentary in Chinese.

It was a real pleasure to work with the Red Arrows crew, and on completion of the Airshow, they invited me up to visit their home base at RAF Scampton. In discussing this with Sqn Ldr Cope (Staff 2013-), Commanding Officer of SVS RAF, we were able to organise a trip for fifteen SVS cadets to visit the facility in March this year.

The whole experience has been truly memorable, I’ve followed the aerobatics team for some time and it was a privilege to be able to help them during this significant visit to my country. Being able to engage with some of the best in the RAF is a truly astonishing experience as a pupil and an air cadet, and to top that off with the chance to bring my fellow cadets to visit them at their home base, was a real honour.

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In the two top photos, Hongrui appears with Flt Lt Stew Campbell, Flt Lt Mike Bowden, Sqn Ldr David Montenegro (Red 1 Team Leader), Wg Cdr Higgins (OC RAFAT), Sqn Ldr Mike Ling (Red 10, supervisor), Flt Lt Tom Bould, Flt Lt Steve Morris, Flt Lt Matt Masters, Flt Lt Si Taylor and Flt Lt Emmet Cox. In the bottom photo, he appears alongside the Red Arrows crew and other Royal Air Force personnel, as well as representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, colleagues from the Department for International Trade and airshow volunteers.

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HIK SVS

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL

A

s mentioned in the Headmaster’s Review of the Year, this summer has seen the opening of the new HIK SVS International School in Tianjin, China. The school, set in the heart of the city, is an English-speaking, domestic and international primary school for children aged 7-12.

The venture represents a unique collaboration between Hopeland International Kindergarten and Sutton Valence School, a partnership that has been developed over the last two years, with HIK’s input led by Old Suttonian Zhong-Yi Yin (2006 W). He thoroughly enjoyed his time with us and understands the School and our educational philosophy.

The brand of the new HIK SVS Primary School is very much driven by an ‘Excellence in Education’ ethos. The Hopeland Group was founded in 2001 by Karl’s mother in Tianjin and has been focused on providing exceptional quality private kindergarten services for the last 15 years. It is now a premier brand in the sector, rated by industry research institutions, based on its facility standards, revenue and campus size. Hopeland International adheres to the philosophy of “Holistic Education, Happy Growth”, and continues to improve, research and evolve – working with SVS and SVPS is part of this exciting growth and search for excellence in academic, co-curricular, leadership and community provision.

The HIK Group currently operates three kindergartens with an associated educational farm. The Shuishang Campus, established in 2002, is a unique all-villa kindergarten located in the “Chelsea” of Tianjin. The Haiyi Campus, established in 2010, is located in Meijiang Bay, right next to the Jin River. The Meijiang Campus,

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opened last year, is located in the villa area, south of Meijiang and on the east side of the Weijin River, enjoying a beautiful waterscape and a tranquil environment.

The advantages to Sutton Valence are numerous. Of course this will enhance our standing as a leading English independent school; it will develop an international reputation and offer a global level of prestige of which William Lambe, our founder, could never have dreamed. It will make possible staff and student exchange visits, sporting and cultural tours or virtual curriculum connections and the sharing of best practice from two powerful educational cultures.

Most importantly, we will receive a generous annual licensing and service fee, which the School will invest in a trust fund. The income will support The 1576 Fund and provide bursaries for able and deserving children, particularly those in the immediate locality to the School. Over time this will make possible more fully or part funded places in our wonderful community for a wider range of high quality and committed young people.

Apart from the benefits to the School, this project is also, and in particular, a venture in which two foundations, two traditions, and two educational philosophies are being developed as one in a single school. The synergy and energy created by such a project make it very exciting – we have the opportunity to be an international leader in bringing these traditions together through a first-class curriculum and a set of educational principles carried through into practice.

OS SPORTING GREATS

OS SPORTING GREATS “

Sutton Valence has such a rich history of Olympic participation, in total six Old Suttonians have competed in the modern Olympics in either the Summer or Winter Games. The first, Edgar Mountain competed in the 1920 Antwerp Games, and last year Ashley Jackson (pictured above) and Susannah Townsend both competed in Rio, with the latter securing the School’s first ever Gold medal. Along the way, we have been represented in a range of disciplines and received a number of medals and honours. Although a brief history of our Olympians was presented a few years ago, we felt that given our successes last year, a more definitive record of OS achievements would make a suitable focus for the magazine.

”

David Pickard Honorary Secretary, OSA

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SYDNEY WOODERSON OBE (1933 W) In January this year, we were approached by Bob Hadgraft, a biographer who was in the midst of researching and writing the first full-length biography of Sydney Wooderson MBE. With many of Wooderson’s medals and trophies now on display in the School’s Wooderson Sports Centre, Bob was keen to come to the School as part of his research. When we discussed the possibility of including something about Sydney In The Old Suttonian, he was more than happy to oblige.

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S

ydney Wooderson attended Sutton Valence between 1926 and 1933, during which time his astonishing ability as a runner blossomed, ultimately leading to world records and fame across the globe. He died in 2006 at the age of 92 – his place in sporting history assured, yet he is largely a forgotten hero in modern times.

I am hoping my book will be on sale by the end of 2017, but in the meantime wanted to reach out to any Old Suttonians who might have memories or anecdotes about Sydney that I could perhaps include in my story.

He attended Sutton Valence with his brothers Alfred (1930 D) and Stanley (1933 W), and his running talent was carefully nurtured by Dr Studley Russell, the music master who also coached athletics.

Sydney went on to become an unlikely-looking sporting hero – he ran wearing heavy-framed spectacles and his small, skinny frame was accentuated by the baggy shorts of his era. His appearance, allied to a quiet, unassuming nature, caught the imagination of British sports fans who loved his spirit and courage when he did battle with the glamorous and muscular foreigners!

Opponents such as the legendary Emil Zatopek was just one who couldn’t believe this shy little chap was a serious athlete – until the mile or half-mile race started and they saw Sydney’s trademark explosive finish.

Sydney became the first schoolboy in history to run a mile under 4 minutes 30 secs when he won the Public Schools Championship in 1933, and soon afterwards added to this the senior Kent county and English national titles, as well as victory at the Empire Games.

In the summer of 1937 he stunned the sporting world by smashing the world mile record in London, running 4 minutes 6.4 secs.

He became unbeatable at the mile in this country for years, and experts are convinced had the 1939-45 War not intervened he would have been the first man under four minutes – a feat subsequently achieved by Sir Roger Bannister CBE, a man who always insists his inspiration in sport had been Sydney Wooderson.

Sydney was deemed unfit for active war service abroad due to his bad eyesight, and a further setback saw him hospitalized for months

by severe rheumatic fever. Doctors said he’d never run again but he defied them, ran a British mile record of 4:04 and then became European 5000 metres champion in 1946. Even more remarkably, he ploughed through 10 miles of Sheffield mud to become English National Cross-country champion in 1948.

Despite his shy, retiring nature, Sydney was a much-loved sportsman and very much the people’s choice to be the ceremonial torchbearer at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. However, at the last minute he found himself cruelly rejected for this role, the authorities deciding a more handsome, athletic figure was needed, choosing a young sprinter from Cambridge University instead.

Even the Queen Mother expressed regret that “poor little Sydney” wasn’t doing the job.

Representing Blackheath Harriers for more than 50 years, Sydney was an articled legal clerk in London after leaving Sutton Valence, going on to qualify as a solicitor. He married work colleague Pamela and started a family at the age of 35, at which point he quit the limelight and gave up running for good.

Part of my research for the book involved visiting old venues where Sydney raced.To mark the arrival of my 60th birthday in late 2015, I set myself the challenge to visit and run at 60 of these venues over the following year! I took with me a camera and notebook and the whole exercise helped me get a feel for Sydney’s sporting history.

I blogged about my adventures on this ‘tour’ and those posts can still be seen at the web page ‘Diary of a Clapped-out Runner’ (the ‘clapped-out’ phrase refers to me, by the way, not Sydney!).

I am delighted to be adding Sydney Wooderson’s story to the collection of books I have already had published about running legends of the past. Of all those I have written about, Sydney has proved to be the runner remembered with most affection by colleagues, opponents and historians alike.

I will keep the School informed about the book’s publication date, in case any Old Suttonians are interested in obtaining a copy. But, for now, if any readers of this article have any stories or memories about Sydney, however small or inconsequential, I would love to hear from you; my e-mail address is r.hadgraft@btinternet.com or please refer to my website - www.robhadgraft.com.

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Ashley Jackson (2005 M) Richard Harvey (1963 C)

Y

ou might think that being one of the best players in the world, becoming England’s all-time leading scorer, and harvesting medals galore would be a dream come true for every young sportsman or woman. Well, Ashley Jackson (2005 M) has achieved all that, and more, in a 15-year career as Great Britain and England’s most celebrated hockey player.

But he readily acknowledges the enormous pressures that come with reaching the pinnacle of his sport, and that with the good times came the grind of continuous training, a strict dietary and exercise regime, and the demands of coaching some of the nation’s most promising young talent, as well as pulling on his international shirt and doing what he did best - scoring goals.

A glimpse through the Jackson file reveals some astonishing facts. He was named World Young Player of the Year in 2009 and twice ranked in the World All Stars team by his peers; represented Team GB at three Olympic games; won 251 international caps; and scored 164 top-flight goals.

He achieved stardom (although he smiles ruefully when reminded he was once called “the David Beckham of hockey”), was interviewed by the media wherever he played, and attracted more than 30,000 followers on his Facebook feed.

Above all he is a winner. He freely admits he is not interested in taking a lower rank on the podium, and although he has a shoal of silver and bronze medals, it is the gold he won at the 2009 European hockey championships he prizes most of all.

For followers of a certain other sport, it’s doubly pleasing to note that he scored twice in England’s spectacular 5-3 final victory - against Germany!

“Even growing up, I always played to win”, he says “and I credit my father for that.You know the phrase I dislike most of all? ‘Playing for Pride’ - you should always play for pride and with pride, but winning is all that counts”.

When he arrived at SVS, he was given licence and time to develop his prodigious talent, not just in Hockey, but also rugby and cricket, and he was encouraged all the way by James Peverley (Staff 2002-2008), at that time in charge of boys’ sport, and Bill Buck (Staff 1997-2011), who supervised Rugby and Cricket - Ashley also represented Kent at under18s Cricket.

“I was probably a bit difficult to manage”, he says. “I just wanted to play sport all the time - and win - and the School enabled me to do that, in matches, after school and at weekends.

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“Everyone wanted to play different games, and that was fine by me, because I think you can learn different techniques and skills which are valuable when you start to specialise in one sport.”

After leaving the School, Ashley played top league Hockey for East Grinstead and Holcombe, and HGC in Holland, which brought him to the attention of the international selectors.

From 2009 onwards, Ashley was an ever-present for England and Team GB, scoring goal-after-goal in the World Cup, World League, European championships, the Commonwealth Games and, in 2008, his first Olympics in Beijing.

Ashley describes his career up to 2012 as his most enjoyable time in international sport, even though he continued to win caps, including for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics. He admits he began to struggle with the pressures of seven years at the very pinnacle of his sport. However by this time, he was becoming increasingly close to Ella Sims (2008 L), a fellow Old Suttonian, who kept him going during the difficult times.

Ashley turned 30 in August, and is beginning a new chapter in his life. He has moved into a new home with Ella, they have adopted a Labrador puppy, and he is doing some hockey coaching at Whitgift School, Croydon.

He is also launching a new business with his brother Wesley (2007 H) who was a first team sportsman for the School, Captain of Cricket and Hockey, and scrum-half for the 1st XV. They are launching a programme of kids’ camps, initially at Lingfield College where Wesley is Head of Hockey, Cricket and PE, but with the vision of nationwide coverage.

The Jacksons will start with hockey coaching, and then include other sports such as Rugby and Soccer. Not surprisingly, Ashley will show young sportsmen and women the techniques of Hockey - and also how to adopt a winning mental approach.For more information about the Jacksons training camps, visit www.jackson7coaching.com.

While Ashley has indicated he is retiring from club Hockey (although he won’t rule out a return at some stage), right now he is enjoying turning out for Basingstoke Bisons, a Tier 2 Ice Hockey team.

Still banging in the goals, still determined to win.

OS SPORTING GREATS

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Paul Anderson OBE (1952 W) Richard Harvey (1963 C)

F

or many people, being honoured in a national scheme designed to celebrate the achievements of the over65s might represent the pinnacle of their careers. For Paul Anderson (1952 W) it was rather more a muchappreciated additional accolade in a career which has seen him succeed in business and sport, charity and the military.

Paul, pictured below alongside Robin Hearn (1945 W), was in distinguished company when he was presented with his Churchill Award by Dame Esther Rantzen at a ceremony in London in March.

Other recipients included Julian Lloyd Webber, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Sir Fraser Stoddart, Angela Rippon, Petula Clark and Dame Barbara Windsor.

At the age of 83, you might expect Paul to spend his days relaxing at his beautiful 14th century home in Winchelsea, tending the garden with his wife Mo, and reminiscing on a life full of stirring memories. Far from it; he still plays golf regularly, attends meetings in London of the causes dearest to his heart, and enjoys keeping his wine cellar more-than-adequately stocked.

He is certainly one of Sutton Valence School’s most distinguished alumni. His list of achievements is exceptional, including winning a bronze medal for sailing at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and

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acting as crew skipper on ‘Sovereign’, the British yacht chosen to contest the 1964 Americas Cup, sailing’s foremost challenge. Other achievements include being invited by Sargent Shriver, a scion of the Kennedy family, to develop programmes for the Special Olympics, for athletes with learning disabilities, He also played first team Rugby for Harlequins, as well as founding and chairing the club’s Old Players’ Association for 17 years. Finally, on the list of achievements, he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2011 Birthday Honours list, and enjoyed a 35-year career in the coal, petroleum and chemical industries.

Paul credits his time at Sutton Valence with setting him on the road to sporting excellence. “I absolutely loved my time at the School”, he recalls. “In those days, it was quite small, with fewer than 200 pupils, and my Housemaster in Westminster was the celebrated Norman ‘Publius’ Bentley (Staff 1921-1964).”

“I won’t pretend I was a great academic, but I was encouraged to play sport, and I did that with great enthusiasm!” In fact, Paul represented the School in Rugby, Cricket, Fives and Athletics, always at first team level. Rugby was his particular passion, and after leaving the school he went on to play for Harlequins 1st XV, after being spotted playing for a public schools team by England

OS SPORTING GREATS

international John Matthews (1936 W), a fellow OS, who himself features in the magazine in David Pickard’s article about Rugby internationals.

After undertaking National Service in the Royal Marines and commissioned at Eaton Hall officer cadet school, Paul found himself seconded to the Royal West Africa Frontier Force as the intelligence officer for the Nigeria Regiment. He loved the country and its people, even learning to speak the Hausa language.

After his National Service, Paul returned to his career working in the coal and petroleum industry, while at the same time living life to the full, and turning out for ‘Quins at weekends - at least, when he was not learning to become an international standard yachtsman.

He was invited by the renowned sailor and naturalist Sir Peter Scott to become his chief crew member on the British yacht to compete in the Americas Cup, the world’s toughest yacht race. He worked side-by-side with Scott, sharing a room together at the crew’s Newport, Rhode Island headquarters.Together they plotted how ‘Sovereign’ might bring the cup home to Britain, despite the American yacht having vastly superior technology. They were not to succeed - like every subsequent British challenger - but Paul describes it as “an unbelievable experience”.

He went on to become European champion in 5.5 metre yacht racing, coming second in the world championships, and this led to him being selected for the British team to compete in the Mexico Olympics, alongside Adrian Jardine and Robin Aisher, an Old Harrovian whose brother Owen Aisher (1939 W) also went to Sutton Valence. Despite racing in howling gales and high seas, at which the ultimate winners, Sweden, were particularly skilled, Paul and his crewmates beat the Australian crew to the bronze medal on the very last day.

Meanwhile, Paul’s career was taking him all over the world, and in 1979 he was one of the founders of the International Petroleum Exchange, described by The Sunday Times as “the most important new financial market in London for more than a decade”.

All of his experiences, both sporting and business, made him an ideal candidate for the role of Director General to expand and develop Special Olympics International in Europe and Eurasia, a role awarded him by Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps and an office holder in both the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson administrations. They went on to become great friends.

When Paul took over the organisation in 1990, only England, France and Ireland had Special Olympics teams. Today, 53 countries send athletes with learning disabilities to take part, and they are now qualified to participate in the Paralympics. He has been involved with the Special Olympics movement for more than 20 years. He says: “It really hit me that I’d had a fantastic life in sport, but there were plenty of people who had never had a chance to take part, many with Downs Syndrome or cerebral palsy.”

“Sport immeasurably improves the quality of their lives, and those of their families. It is amazing what can be achieved”. Which could act as a metaphor for his own life. From a House Prefect in ‘Ponts’ to the Olympic podium; playing rugby alongside top internationals and golf with Dennis Thatcher; travelling the world and helping realise the dreams of some of the most disadvantaged athletes.

As he says: “I can’t stand being inactive.” There doesn’t seem to be any chance of that!

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EDGAR MOUNTAIN (1919 W)

E

arlier in this section, you will have read about the new book being proposed on the life of Sydney Wooderson OBE (1933 W), who, according to the author of that book is the ‘greatest’ of all Old Suttonian sportsmen. This may or may not be the case; the application of different criteria in such a search may lead to different conclusions.

One ‘great’ sporting OS may be suggested as one alternative to Sydney, Edgar Donald Mountain, who, when he died in April 1985 just after his 84th birthday, was Emeritus Professor of Geology at Rhodes University in South Africa.

In the same way that Sydney is said to have been an inspiration for Sir Roger Bannister in his quest to overcome the four-minute barrier for the mile, Mountain‘s efforts would be something that Sydney would have wanted to emulate. Mountain’s time at the School coincided with the First World War and immediately thereafter. He had little opportunity to shine in schoolboy competition but those chances he did have he took. He was a brilliant junior and finished fourth in the 800 metres in the Antwerp Olympics of 1920 (achieving a new UK junior record of 1:54.40) and he also took part in the Paris Olympics four years later but failed to reach the final.

The two men had a lot in common, both being diminutive and lightweight, Sydney 5’6” and weighing 123 lbs, Mountain 5’5” and weighing 130lbs. They were both from families that needed to work hard to make a way in life, and full of steely determination. Both were born in Camberwell, Mountain in 1901, the son of the registrar at Doulton’s headquarters on the south bank in Lambeth, and Sydney in 1914.

Mountain was a bright boy and was the beneficiary of Headmaster Holgate’s strong support of introducing science into the School. He won a place at Cambridge where, in the ‘Varsity events of both 1921 and 1922 he excelled, coming second in the 880 yards in the first year and winning the following year.

Mountain’s athletic career peaked in 1921 when he set a new world’s best for the 500 metres, two full seconds better than the record previously held by Mel Sheppard.

The following day he beat his own personal best time for the 800 metres. He was no less versatile than Sydney, sharing national 4x440 yards relay records and 4x1mile relay records.

After the disappointment, of 1924 he retired from Athletics and made a new life for himself in South Africa, where, as a specialist in South African geological formations, he discovered several new minerals and even had one of them named in his honour – Mountainite.

I do not want anyone to believe that this article sets out to understate the efforts of Sydney Wooderson. They were considerable. He is certainly a most renowned figure in the history of British Athletics. Nor do I want to overstate the prowess of Mountain. I do want everyone to know that both should be lauded for their efforts.

David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

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SUSANNAH TOWNSEND MBE (2007 G)

A

s the triumphant Team GB exceeded all expectations at the Rio Olympics in the summer of 2016, making history with their medal haul, the Games also saw history made for the School, as the first Old Suttonian received a gold medal.

Paul Anderson OBE’s 48-year tenure as the only OS Olympic medal winner had come to an end as Susannah, the first female OS to compete at an Olympic games, reached new heights in OS Olympic history.

The tightly-contested Women’s Hockey final saw Team GB battle past the Netherlands, on penalties, to record an amazing victory. At the centre of it all was our own Susannah Townsend (2007 G) who guaranteed her place as the highest-decorated Old Suttonian Olympian of all time.

Having missed out on selection for the London Olympics, Susannah was heartbroken, but worked hard to regain her position as an integral part of the England and Great Britain squads. Extraordinarily quick, she has the ability to break through the opposition lines when in possession, something she demonstrated when playing 1st XI hockey for the School. In 2014, after a super year when the England team won Commonwealth gold, Susannah was named the Hockey Writers’ Club Women’s Player of the Year.

With over 100 international caps to her name, we wish Susannah continued success in her Hockey career as she attempts to emulate the successes at Rio with victories at the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup in 2018, as well as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

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OS SPORTING GREATS

The SVS Olympic Legacy Will Radford (Staff 2015-)

W

ith the preceding articles celebrating the successes of the likes of Edgar Mountain, Sydney Wooderson and Susannah Townsend, they are not the only past pupils of the School to have been involved in the Olympics. While they have all excelled at the Summer Games, the School has also been represented by a number of stand-out performances in the Winter Games. Equally, the School’s influence extends beyond the competition side of the games, with Old Suttonians serving as team managers, Chef d’équipes and leading figures in the management of the BOA and Special Olympics.

Returning initially to the Summer Olympics, it is worth noting that the five athletes we profiled were not the only OS to have competed at the Summer Games. Last summer while Ashley Jackson and Susannah Townsend were drawing the headlines for their performances for Team GB, they were actually not the only OS to have taken to the Rio Hockey pitches. Stefane Vehrle-Smith (2005 G) also competed as part of the Brazilian men’s team which faced Great Britain during the opening group stage of the competition. Ashley Jackson actually scored against the Brazilian side as they suffered a heavy 9-1 loss. Despite their home team support, the team’s Olympic involvement amounted to five consecutive losses, one goal scored and 46 conceded.

Our seventh, and final Summer Olympian featured back in 1948. Peter Marchant (1938 M), who was a great all-rounder at Sutton Valence, competed in the first post-war games, held in London. As part of the GB Shooting team, he competed in the 50m pistol event, hosted at Bisley. Having left the School a year prior to the outbreak of war, a perforated eardrum meant Peter was unfit for active service so he became a Bomb Disposal Officer instead. After the war he returned to the family business of farming, but also gave up a lot of his time to return to Sutton Valence to help the Shooting team, both in rifle and pistol competitions. During the period of his help, the School won the Gale and Polden Pistol Trophy several times. Sadly, his successes with the SVS team were not matched by his Olympic result, where he finished 43rd overall. The result was deemed something of a disappointment for someone who was a record holder in the sport and who continued to compete for GB for several years thereafter.

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With Peter competing at the first post-war games, it is also worth noting the SVS involvement in the final pre-war games, held in Berlin in 1936. Although not an Olympian himself, Jack Gannon CBE MVO (1901) served as the Chef d’équipe of the GB Polo team and manager of the GB Equestrian Team. As a young man, he was a famous Polo player himself, obtaining a handicap of 7 in that sport. (two thirds of players have a handicap of 2 or less on a scale of -2 to 10, and today those with a handicap of 5 or more are deemed professional). Sadly he was never afforded the opportunity to compete himself, but served as an efficient administrator, something he continued after the war as he worked with Lord Cowdray to re-establish the popularity of Polo.

Dr Neil Townshend (1973 F) also forged a successful career in sports administration, however unlike Gannon, he did so having competed at the Games himself. Neil is our first Winter Olympian, competing in the Luge event at Lake Placid, USA in 1980. He went to the Olympics as British and North American Champion. In trials on the Olympic track in December 1979 he clocked times better than many of the European favourites and it was felt he had a good chance for a medal. Another great all-rounder for the School, Neil had only become interested in the Luge after hearing a radio interview about it whilst on the way home from an unsuccessful Under 19 Southern Counties Rugby trial.

Finishing 16th overall at the Olympics, Neil’s involvement at Lake Placid opened doors to the world of sports administration and sports medicine administration and he was lucky enough to have a great career in the voluntary sports administration world. He worked his way up to becoming the Vice Chair of the British Olympic Association (BOA), the Chief Medical Officer for the International Luge Federation and the Chair of the UK National Sports Medicine Institute. He has been selected to become a specialist member of the National Anti-Doping Panel, which was set up by UK Sport to adjudicate on complex UK doping cases and appeals in order to keep such cases out of the courts thus saving athletes and sports governing bodies time and money as well as ensuring consistent approach to decision making.

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

WELCOME

LEAVERS 2017

“

When I left in 1992, I never would have imagined that 25 years later, I would be writing this as Chairman of the Old Suttonians’ Association on how my time at Sutton Valence would shape my life. When my friends and I left school, social media didn’t exist and mobile phones were in their infancy, but we managed to keep in contact. Today it is easier than ever to stay in touch. Over the last five years, I have attended a large number of OS functions, and you can never tell how much time has passed since old friends last met, because the tales, stories and shared memories all come flooding back. The common thread that binds us all together is that we are all Old Suttonians.

”

Charlotte Bills (1992 S) Chairman, OSA

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WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

Elliot Aiken

Molly Alexander

Joshua Aucamp

Matthew Avery

Jack Baker

Patrick Beech

James Bevan-Thomas

Annabelle Blake

Emilia Browning

Harry Brunt

Abbie Butfoy

Ella Capaldi

Edward Cardoza

Adam Carroll

James Collins

Matthew Corpe

Charles Court

James Croke

Favour Daka

Phoebe Dawson

Ruby Deighton-Smythe

George Deptford

Jamie Drewe

Sophia Dunne

Nejla Eco

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WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

Elliot Aiken (2017 C) Academic and Sport Scholarships; English Copy Prize (Second Form); 1st XI Cricket - Half Colours and County Representative, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours

(Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), LAMDA – Bronze; Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Flute Group, Jazz Band, Grade 5 Singing, Grade 6 Flute; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh

Molly Alexander (2017 S) Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, Boarding House Prefect, Prefect, Model United Nations; Hamlet (Voltimand); Chamber Orchestra, Grade 5 Flute; 2nd XI Hockey - Captain and Half Colours, 3rd VII Netball, 2nd Team Tennis

Harry Brunt (2017 F) Effort Award (Third Form); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Head of House – Founder’s; We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew); Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band; CCF - Leading Rate (LH); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XI Hockey

Joshua Aucamp (2017 C) Sport Scholarship; Macbeth (Son of Macduff), Bugsy Malone (Shady), Romeo and Juliet (Friar John); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket - Full Colours, 1st XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby - Full Colours Matthew Avery (2017 L) Head of House – Lambe’s; Romeo and Juliet (Set Manager) Jack Baker (2017 F) Debating Team, Head of Charity (Founder’s), CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours Patrick Beech (2017 M) Head of House – St Margaret’s; 1st XI Football; 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours James Bevan-Thomas (2017 W) Sport Scholarship; Edward Craven Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Prefect; 1st XI Cricket – Captain and Full Colours, 1st XI Football, 1st Team Golf – Captain, Full Colours and Regional Representative, 1st XI Hockey – Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Full Colours Annabelle Blake (2017 C) Music and Drama Scholarships; All Round Contribution Award (First Form), Achievement Award (Second Form), Effort Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Theatre Studies Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Religious Studies Prize (Upper Sixth); Theatre Studies Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Caithness), Bugsy Malone (Blousey Brown), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Prince of Verona), Les Misérables (Eponine), Hamlet (Queen Gertrude), LAMDA - Gold (Distinction); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir Emelia Browning (2017 F) Academic and Music Scholarships; Achievement Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations,Yearbook Committee; Macbeth (Gentlewoman/Servant), Bugsy Malone

Abbie Georgia Butfoy (2017 H) Effort Award (Third Form, Lower Sixth), Joyce Drayson Art Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form) Ella Capaldi (2017 C) Academic, Art and Design Technology Scholarships; Achievement Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of House - Clothworkers’; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 3rd VII Netball - Captain Edward Cardoza (2017 C) Art Scholarship; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 2nd XI Cricket, 3rd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Adam Carroll (2017 H) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form); Bugsy Malone, We Will Rock You, Romeo and Juliet, Grease, Les Misérables, Hamlet, Mulan (Technical Crew - Sound); CCF - Head of RAF, Flight Sergeant (F/ Sgt), Instructor Cadet; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh James Collins (2017 F) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Chemistry Prize (Lower Sixth), Winstanley Prize for Chemistry (Upper Sixth); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); House Prefect, Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); 1st Team Shooting – Vice Captain and Full Colours Matthew Corpe (2017 F) Music Scholarship; Music Prize (Upper Sixth); Music Copy Prize (Lower Sixth); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Orchestra; CCF Corporal (Cpl) Charles Court (2017 C) Music Scholarship; Achievement Award (Third Form), The Coles Prize (Fifth Form), OSA Prize (Lower Sixth), Headmaster’s Special Achievement Prize (Upper Sixth); Music Copy Prize (Lower Sixth); Prefect; Bugsy Malone (Knuckles),We Will Rock You

(Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet, Les Misérables (Javert), Hamlet (Laertes); Chapel Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Orchestra; Sergeant (Sgt); 2nd XI Cricket, 2nd Team Golf, 2nd XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 3rd XV Rugby James Croke (2017 F) All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby – Captain and Full Colours Favour Daka (2017 W) Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; CCF Able Rate (AB); 3rd Team Tennis, 1st Team Badminton Phoebe Dawson (2017 S) Boarding House Prefect; 2nd VII Netball Ruby Deighton-Smythe (2017 F) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form), Effort Award (Fifth Form), Media Studies Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Media Studies Copy Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Head of House – Founder’s; We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Romeo and Juliet (Apothecary), Hamlet (Guildenstern), LAMDA – Merit; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh George Deptford (2017 W) The Marjorie Popay Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Boarding House Prefect, Boarding Deputy Head of House; 2nd XI Football, 1st XI Hockey – Half Colours, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Jamie Drewe (2017 F) Sport Scholarship, All Round Contribution Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Religious Studies Prize (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Head of Juniors, Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket – Full Colours, 1st XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Full Colours Sophia Dunne (2017 H) Design Tehnology Scholarship; Achievement Award (First Form), Effort Award (Second Form), All Round Contribution Award (Third Form), Design Technology Prize (Upper Sixth) Nejla Eco (2017 S) Academic Scholarship; Physics Prize (Lower Sixth), Prize for Mathematics (Upper Sixth); Boarding Deputy Head of House, Prefect; Chapel Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Senior Strings; 1st Team Tennis – Captain and Half Colours

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WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

William Edwards (2017 W) History Copy Prize (Third Form); Head of House - Westminster, Boarding House Prefect, Model United Nations; 1st XI Cricket – Full Colours and County Representative, 1st XI Football, 1st Team Golf, 3rd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Ashley Evans (2017 F) Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Eline Foulger (2017 H) Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), English Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), Psychology Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), Religious Studies Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); House Prefect Rory Fry (2017 H) Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Annie Gledhill (2017 L) Biology Prize (Lower Sixth), Kitchener Prize for Mathematics (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Debating Team; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 3rd VII Netball William Grabowski (2017 L) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Third Form), Effort Award (Fourth Form), All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form, Lower Sixth), Richard Horn Prize (Upper Sixth); Mathematics Copy Prize (Third Form); Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating Team; Macbeth (Donaldbain), Bugsy Malone (Bugsy Malone), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt), Les Misérables (Jean Valjean), Hamlet (Old Hamlet); Chapel Choir; Chamber Choir; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Swimming Sam Gray (2017 H) Academic and Drama Scholarships; Effort Award (Fourth Form), Achievement Award (Fifth Form), English Prize (Lower Sixth), Spanish Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth) Bloxam Prize for English (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (Second Form, Upper Sixth), Spanish Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, House Prefect, Prefect, Suttonian Committee, Model United Nations, Debating Team, Public Speaking; Macbeth (Wounded Captain), Bugsy Malone (Fat Sam), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Les Misérables (Feuilly), Hamlet (Hamlet), LAMDA – Gold; Head of Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; 3rd XV Rugby – Captain, 1st Team Swimming

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Jessica Grindlay (2017 F) Academic and Music Scholarships; Academic Excellence Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Music Prize (Lower Sixth), Further Mathematics Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Wood Prize for Physics (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (First Form, Second Form, Upper Sixth), Mathematics Copy Prize (First Form, Third Form), Religious Studies Copy Prize (First Form), Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), Geography Copy Prize (Third Form), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Old Woman/Messenger), Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie); Head of Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Leader of Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Leader of Senior Strings, Grade 8 Piano with Distinction, Grade 7 Violin with Merit; CCF - Head of Juniors, CSM (WO11); Silver Duke of Edinburgh Sangharsha Gurung (2017 W) Academic Scholarship; Effort Award (First Form), Achievment Award (Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Photography Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); French Copy Prize (Second Form), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Bugsy Malone (Dancer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie) Sabin Gurung (2017 M) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Geography Prize (Lower Sixth), Biology Prize (Upper Sixth); French Copy Prize (Second Form); Boarding House Prefect, Prefect; CCF - Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); 2nd XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours Kevin Ho (2017 C) Effort Award (First Form, Second Form); French Copy Prize (Second Form); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball Bertie Hobson (2017 M) 2nd XI Cricket, 1st XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby Jinyin Hong (2017 S) Boarding House Prefect Lixin Huang (2017 S) Iyobosa Idubor-Williams (2017 W) Boarding House Prefect; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st XV Rugby

Matthew Jones (2017 C) All Round Contribution Award (First Form, Second Form, Fifth Form), Ricketts Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Bugsy Malone (Leroy), Romeo and Juliet (Technical Crew), Les Misérables (Technical Crew); CCF - CSM (WO11); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Amelia Kent (2017 S) Academic and Music Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form), Effort Award (Lower Sixth), Wheeler Prize for French (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect, Prefect, Model United Nations; Hamlet (Rosencrantz) Cameron Knight (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; Clothworkers’ Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of House – St Margaret’s, Prefect; CCF - Head of Army, RSM (WO1); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Cricket – Captain and Half Colours, 1st XI Football – Vice-Captain, 1st XI Hockey – Vice Captain and Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Vice-Captain and Full Colours Hugo Loxton-Barnard (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Third Form); Boarding House Prefect; 3rd Team Basketball, 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football, 1st XV Rugby Ryan Mansfield (2017 L) 3rd XV Rugby Angus McVarish (2017 L) Effort Award (Second Form), Art Prize (Lower Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st XI Hockey - Vice-Captain, 3rd XV Rugby, 1st Team Tennis Harry Mercer (2017 L) Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st Team Tennis Benjamin Murray (2017 C) All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form); Captain of Shooting; CCF - CSM (WO11); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XV Rugby, 1st Team Shooting – Captain and Full Colours Jasmine Neale (2017 S) Psychology Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth) Bethany Nicholls (2017 S) Bossom Prize for Public Speaking (Upper Sixth); Head of House - Sutton, Boarding House Prefect, Prefect

WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

William Edwards

Ashley Evans

Eline Foulger

Rory Fry

Annie Gledhill

William Grabowski

Sam Gray

Jessica Grindlay

Sabin Gurung

Sangharsha Gurung

Kevin Ho

Bertie Hobson

Jinyin Hong

Lixin Huang

Iyobosa Idubor-Williams

Matthew Jones

Amelia Kent

Cameron Knight

Hugo Loxton-Bernard

Ryan Mansfield

Angus McVarish

Harry Mercer

Benjamin Murray

Jasmine Neale

Bethany Nicholls

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WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

Nicholas Payne

Charlie Pratten

William Presland

Olivia Richards

Georgia Ridge

Owen Rixon

Max Rossiter

Chiara Schurr Serrano

Sebastian Shaddick

Edward Simmonds

Emma Simpson

Oliver Smither

Henry Stacey

Elliot Stirling

Benjamin Stuart

William Sturges

Henrietta Taylor

Michael Tilley

Harvey Truman

Jacob Wilkinson

Harrison Woods

Yilin Xu

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Hongrui Zhang

2017

WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

Nicholas Payne (2017 C) Design Technology Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form), Achievement Award (Fifth Form), Design Technology Prize (Lower Sixth), The Froud Innovation Prize (Upper Sixth); CCF Head of Stores; Gold Duke of Edinburgh Charlie Pratten (2017 C) Music Scholarship; ICT Prize (Lower Sixth), Fry Prize for ICT (Upper Sixth); 1st XI Football, 1st Team Badminton William Presland (2017 M) Boarding House Prefect, Debating Team; Hamlet (Soldier/Waiter/Assistant Director); CCF - Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); 2nd XI Football Olivia Richards (2017 H) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form), The Spirit of the House Competition Cup (Upper Sixth); Prefect; We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Clown); CCF - Head of Navy, Leading Rate (LH); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey - Vice-Captain and Full Colours, 1st VII Netball - Half Colours, 1st Team Rounders - Captain and Half Colours Georgia Ridge (2017 F) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form), Academic PE Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Geography Prize (Upper Sixth), Amy Lovegrove Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), Portfolio Work Copy Prize (Third Form); Prefect, Model United Nations; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 1st VII Netball – Captain and Full Colours, 1st Team Tennis – Full Colours

Team, Student Council; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Seyton/ Murderer), Bugsy Malone (Paper Boy), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Les Misérables (Enjolras), Hamlet (Claudius); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; CCF Head of Navy, Petty Officer (PO); Gold Duke of Edinburgh

Misérables (Thenardier), Hamlet (Polonius); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir

Edward Simmonds (2017 M) House Prefect, Boarding House Prefect; Head of CCF, Cadet Warrant Officer (CWO), Full CCF Colours; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Football, 3rd XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby

William Sturges (2017 F) History Prize (Lower Sixth); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby

Emma Simpson (2017 C) Drama Scholarship; Effort Award (Fifth Form); Head of House – Clothworkers’, Ball Committee; Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), LAMDA – Silver; Equestrian Team - Captain Oliver Smither (2017 C) Sport Scholarship; French Prize (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Able Rate (AB); 1st XI Cricket - Half Colours, 1st XI Football, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Henry Stacey (2017 W) Geography Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Cricket, 1st XI Football – Captain, 2nd XV Rugby Elliot Stirling (2017 F) Achievement Award (First Form), Effort Award (Third Form); Information Technology Copy Prize (Third Fom); Ball Committee; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Doctor), Bugsy Malone (Louis), Romeo and Juliet, Les

Benjamin Stuart (2017 H) CCF Sword of Honour (Upper Sixth); Head of House; CCF - Petty Officer (PO); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; Archery (Team Captain for first UK NASP Team)

Henrietta Taylor (2017 F) Economics Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations; 1st XI Hockey – Full Colours, 2nd XI Netball – Full Colours, 1st Team Tennis – Full Colours Michael Tilley (2017 W) Ball Committee Harvey Truman (2017 W) 1st XI Football, 3rd XV Rugby Jacob Wilkinson (2017 C) Head of House – Clothworkers’; Macbeth (Murderer/Messenger); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Harrison Woods (2017 W) Boarding Deputy Head of House; Able Rate (AB); 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football – Captain, 2nd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Yilin Xu (2017 S) Hongrui Zhang (2017 W) All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XV Rugby

Owen Rixon (2017 F) CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Max Rossiter (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Lower Sixth), Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, Prefect; 2nd XI Cricket - Half Colours, 2nd XI Football, 1st XV Rugby – Captain and Full Colours Chiara Schurr (2017 S) The WBP Aspinall Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Prefect Sebastian Shaddick (2017 F) Music and Drama Scholarships; Grizelle Prize for History (Upper Sixth); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating

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WELCOME - LEAVERS 2017

Once a Suttonian, Always a Suttonian Making the most of the Old Suttonians’ Association

T

ogether, the Development Office and the Old Suttonians’ Association endeavour to provide opportunities for Old Suttonians to remain within our community and to benefit from social and business networking, which now encompasses over 40 countries worldwide.

Many Old Suttonians have taken advantage of the advice and hospitality offered to them whilst travelling the world during their gap year or for business purposes. For the most recent cohort of Old Suttonians listed overleaf, we would encourage you to take advantage of the network of fellow alumni who were once in your shoes, contemplating life after SVS. In the past couple of years, we have made our community more accessible through the introduction of a new social networking website specifically for Old Suttonians - OSA Connect. For those of you yet to sign up, please do so, and join over 800 existing OS on the site. In addition to that, the Old Suttonians’ Association also has an active presence on Facebook and LinkedIn, meaning that alumni are able to stay in touch with their peers, the Association and the School, wherever they may go after they leave Sutton Valence.

One of the key aspects to OSA Connect is the regularly updated events section, documenting the various OSA and School organised activities for Old Suttonians and their guests. Using the last couple of years as an example, events have included Regional Reunions in Portsmouth and Westminster Abbey (see page 20), the popular biennial Car Show, the OSA Annual Dinner, the Michaelmas Lunch and AGM and the invitation to return to School for Carol Concerts, drama productions and Speech Days.

OSA EVENTS

Drinks and Pétanque Night 13th September, 6pm Balls Brothers, Hay’s Galleria An entirely informal evening, with the option to play pétanque, have a drink, a meal, or all three!

All Old Suttonians are welcome.

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Another great opportunity to stay in touch with friends is through the various sporting fixtures organised throughout the year. In his foreword to the OS Sport section, Richard Young (1990 W) mentions the variety of sports available. The mainstays of the sporting programme - Hockey, Cricket and Shooting provide annual fixtures in the calendar, and these have attracted participation from a range of OS across many age groups. The newly formed OS Football team plays regularly in the Arthurian league, and we are hoping to establish a Netball competition in 2018 as well.There are additional events such as the OS Golf Day (see page 29) and the OS Petanque night at Hay’s Galleria (see below).

If sport’s not your thing, we would welcome your involvement in developing the Old Suttonian careers network. OSA Connect provides an invaluable resource for OS looking for work experience, mentoring, or simply advice on their vocational options.

Over 600 fellow Old Suttonians, established in their respective industries, have offered their help and we would encourage you to take advantage. Equally, if you feel as though you would like to give something back, Christine Carter mentions in her Careers Convention review (page 44) about the 2018 ‘Next Steps’ careers event, and we would welcome any recent leavers back to discuss their experiences at university or taking their first steps into work.

All-in-all, the Old Suttonian network not only provides a wealth of resources, but a thriving community that continues to benefit Sutton Valence leavers long after they have left the School. For more information on any of the above, please contact either the OSA Honorary Secretary - David Pickard (pickardd@svs.org.uk) or the School’s Development Office (development@svs.org.uk).

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATES

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATES

“

I have seen so many of you progress through the School over the past 33 years, and know many more through my time with OS Cricket. While advances in social media mean that access to updates are more readily available than ever, I still find it fascinating to read your news and hear about your successes. For OS, there is no Friday morning assembly to celebrate your achievements, or hear about your life journeys, so this is very much the opportunity to provide that. As an alumni association, the OSA’s commitment is to you, and the ability to share your news and updates is a key part of bringing Old Suttonians together.

”

Anne Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016) OSA Committee

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OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATES

Old Suttonian News BURTON, John (1949 D)

DOVETON-GERTY, Christopher (1955 L)

John reports that having left Kenya in 1967, he returned to the UK and began working for the Brewer Society based out of Portman Square. He was then offered a job with Sierra Leone Selection Trust in West Africa, working at the smaller of two mines, at Tongo Field as the Fire and Security Officer. It was at this time that he met up with George Harvey (1952 W), who was working with the prospecting department, and they would see one another regularly at the mine clubs. They have kept in contact ever since.

Chris’ second book In the World’s Shadows penned under his nom de plume, Christopher Hamilton, was published on 30th June 2017.The book is focused on a life lived in the shadow of great historical events, firstly as a child in colonial India, then in South Africa during World War II, and then in bleak post-war England.

It tells of the individual tragedies (and comedies) of a family split by war, and facing the dilemmas of life in South Africa during the Apartheid years.

In 1978, John moved on again, as Sierra Leone was showing signs of falling apart under the new APC one-party state. The decision was taken to move to Canada, a country he knew well as his wife, Sue, is Canadian. He has lived there ever since, currently residing in Ontario.

As well as writing, Chris continues to serve as a Steward and Guide at Bath Abbey.

WILLIAMSON, Frank Richard (1950 M) Twenty years ago, Dick retired as a solicitor practising in Oxford and acting for the university and its colleges. He also acted for JRR Tolkien, playing a part in drafting the sale documents for the film rights in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and administering Tolkien’s estate after his death.

He has lived in Ramsden, on the fringe of the Cotswolds, for over fifty years and, in 2012, was responsible for the publication of The Ramsden Village Story, recording the village’s 2000 year heritage. The book was 12 years in the making with Dick serving as editor, researcher, author of a number of chapters and, in the end, publisher.

CHEETHAM, Michael (1954 W)

HOLLINGSWORTH MBE, E Michael (1955 M) Retired from his career as a solicitor, Michael lives in Chislehurst, Kent with his wife, Marjorie. His family is spread far and wide with a daughter in Scotland (together with three grandsons) and a son in Bath (with a further two grandsons).

BOOTH, Jeffrey (1956 M) Having retired, Jeffrey is still publishing the Collect GB First Day Covers stamp catalogue, with the 2017 edition running to a colossal 524 pages! He has also just finished writing a book on the 1911 UK Aerial Post - the first occasion that mail was officially carried by aeroplane anywhere in the world. The book is entitled Letters in the Air and is a fascinating study of the event.

Although based in Arundel in West Sussex, Jeffrey also spends a lot of time in the South of France. He adds that “although it has been a while since my last visit to Sutton Valence, I am always pleased to hear from Old Suttonians.”

Michael is currently living in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex. Having been a painter for many years, he has recently taken up stonecarving. He is keen to hear from any OS of his generation, and would be delighted to get together to catch up.

WALL, Jeremy (1954 M) Jeremy (aka Jerry) and his wife, Nanci, moved back to England from Cyprus in June last year and are renting a cottage on the Edgcote Estate just over the border from Oxfordshire into Northamptonshire, about six miles north-east of Banbury, pending the sale of one or all of their properties in Cyprus and the Philippines.

They are both loving the glorious English countryside, but are concerned at the state of the country following the Brexit referendum and the general election. They also love being close enough to his favourite city in the world and the seat of his other alma mater, Oxford. They would welcome visits from OS in the area.

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Christopher DovetonGerty (1955 L) and John MacNaughton (1962 L)

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATES

last September, is currently setting up offices in Israel for his city based company.

MACFARLANE, Ian (1962 M) In 2005, Ian’s book Victoria and Australia’s First War, written together with Lt-Col Neil Smith was published by Mostly Unsung Military Publications. It dealt with the part played by the Colonial Australian mariners of HMCSS Victoria during the First Taranaki War against the New Zealand Maori in 1860-61. In addition to visiting the battlefields of the war on foot, Ian overflew them to get air perspectives.

Eric Miller (1964 L) and Martyn King (1964 L)

MACDONALD, Henry (1958 W) After a career in international sales and marketing, mainly with Dunlop Ltd, which included postings to various countries in Africa, South America and Europe, Henry has retired to Robertsbridge, East Sussex. He and his wife Maria find living in rural tranquillity a welcome change after many years of city life. During a lengthy period in Madrid, Henry co-founded a social multinational rugby club, Madrid Lions RFC, which is going strong and now in its twenty-first year. Over the years he has kept in touch with Sutton Valence, mainly via OS cricket activities.

SARONY QC, Neville (1958 M) Neville has recently completed his second novel, Devlin’s Chakra, which serves as the highly-anticipated sequel to his 2012 bestseller, The Dharma Expedient. The book, launched in Hong Kong and Kathmandu recently, follows the exploits of the protagonist, Max Devlin.The story has action in India, Sikkim, Bhutan and Hong Kong. By one of those remarkable coincidences, it anticipated the current conflict between India and China on the Bhutan border, life emulating fiction.

Available on Amazon both in book and kindle format, it can also be purchased from the Gurkha Museum shop. 60% of the retail price is donated to the Gurkha Welfare Fund, and orders can be placed with shop@thegurkhamuseum.co.uk.

In 2012, his book The Kelly Gang Unmasked published by Oxford University Press, upended the myths about Ned Kelly, Australia’s most notorious bush ranger. The book was heavily criticised by pro-Kelly factions.

Outside of publishing, Ian retired from Victoria’s Country Fire Authority in 2006 as a Lieutenant at the Parwan Fire Brigade near Bacchus Marsh, and as Deputy Group Officer of the Bacchus Marsh Group of fire brigades.

FAY, Paul Julian (1963 F) Julian has lived in Mombasa, Kenya for the majority of the last 35 years. His daughter is at university in London and his son starts at university in Amsterdam in September.

He retired from full time employment last year (retiring for the fifth time), but remains on the board of a few companies and serves as a committee member on the British Chamber of Commerce in Kenya (Coast Branch). He has lost touch with all of his contemporaries at Sutton Valence and would be keen to hear from anyone who remembers him, particularly if they are also living out in Kenya.

MEMMOTT, Richard (1963 L) Richard and his wife, Nina, decided a couple of years ago to relocate to Rutland, where his sister lives. They have visited her over a number of years and he explains that they “have always found Rutland to be a most agreeable part of the country with

On a recent visit to the UK, Neville attended a lunch with Brian Bone (1956 M), Richard Edmonds (1956 M) and Oliver Holmes (1957 M). The meal, hosted by Richard, saw Neville meet up with Brian for the first time since they had left the School over 60 years ago. He would be keen to meet up with any OS visiting Hong Kong, so if you are planning on visiting, please email him at saronyqc@gmail.com.

PARKINSON MBE, Malcolm (1961 L) Malcolm reports that he has finally retired (after 56 years of work), having helped to sell the last company he was involved in to Accenture. He is now based in the south of France for most of the year, sailing, making wine and shooting the odd wild boar!

His daughter is about to give birth to his second grandchild, and his son, who got married at Malcolm’s home in southern France

Jeffrey Booth (1956 M)

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BAKER, Paul (1965 F) Having left Sutton Valence in 1965, Paul went on to Lancaster University, one of the wave of new universities established only a year previously, to study History and Politics. He then did a PGCE at the University of Sussex and subsequently taught History at a new comprehensive school in Wembley and then at the last grammar school in Central London.

Richard Memmott (9163 L), Nina Memmott and friends

fewer people and vehicles and a slower pace of life which, as retirees, has a lot to attract those, like us, who have lived in the South East for many years. The pubs are especially worth visiting and there is a lot happening around Rutland Water (the largest man-made lake in Europe).”

In 1976, he changed career and became a criminal defence lawyer.

For over 30 years, he worked for James Saunders, one of the leading firms involved in criminal defence. It was work he really enjoyed and was involved in some high profile cases, such as the Brinks Mat bullion robbery. Reluctantly, he retired two years ago and is enjoying retired life at home in Ealing with his wife Julia and 23 year-old son. His daughter, now 40, lives nearby, in Fulham.

Richard and Nina made the move a month ago and have been settling into their new house since. Despite his geographical move, he remains keen to hear from anyone who remembers him from his time in Lambe’s.

His main every day interests are cooking and enjoying red wines.

He reads a lot of modern history including the remarkable work of Robert Fisk (1964 W) who, he explains, is the only contemporary from Sutton Valence he has heard of since leaving. “Robert was also at Lancaster, although for whatever reason he doesn’t often mention it. His work The Great War for Civilisation: the Conquest of the Middle East is a fascinating history and also the record of a quite exceptional life. He’s a fine writer and sometimes I feel I can hear the ghost of Bob Hanworth (Staff 1954-1965) speaking!”

MILLER, Eric (1964 L)

BETTE-BENNETT, James (1965 M)

Eric reports that he remains happily retired. He and his wife sold their wineries in New York state and Pennsylvania, and now enjoy a small garden and pied-à-terre in West Chester, Pennsylvania for several months of the year. Although no longer producing his own wines, he continues to write about the industry and has had a number of published articles, including one in the next issue of the American Wine Society Journal on British Bubbles!

Jim is still living in Brittany, France with his wife, Jane. Much of their life is focused on fundraising for a charity (Hospice Africa) by running a charity shop and putting on theatrical events. In the past twelve months, he has taken to the stage in a variety of roles including King Lear and Chaucer’s drunken miller.

When not in West Chester, he spends his time visiting friends and family, including his children who live in London, Napa (California) and Bend (Oregon). With another son living closer to home, he is frequently employed as childcare for his three and six year old grandchildren.

Eric also reported that he had visited his old fag master, Martyn King (1964 L), in Barbados - see the photo above taken at the site of an old sugar mill. The visit led Martyn to impart his knowledge of how to make a proper rum punch!

SEWELL, Jonathan (1964 L)

When not fundraising, Jim visits Uganda as a board member of the operating branch of the charity out there. He has already spent seven weeks there this year, and continues to strive to promote the charity.

SMITH, The Revd John (1965 W) John writes to inform us that he and his wife Lorraine have now moved back to the UK, having previously lived in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is living in East Preston,West Sussex and is expected to be appointed deacon at St Nicholas Church, Arundel as soon as his permission to officiate under the overseas clergy measure comes through.

Jonathan, his wife, Poppy, and their daughter Megan (15), have been in Cape Town, South Africa since November 2013.They bought and renovated a house in Constantia and have a recruitment company.

Last September, his son Timothy got married and is training pilots in Hillsboro, near Portland, USA. On the way back from the wedding, Jonathan spent a few nights with Charles Bazzard (1964 L) and his wife, Sally, in their beautiful house overlooking the sea in British Columbia (see photo).

Since then, he has been in touch with David Harber (1965 C) in Kenya, and Robert Lynden-Bell (1965 L) in Sydney, whom he plans to visit next year on his way back to the UK. Longer term, Jonathan is planning on returning to the UK next June, probably staying around the Bristol area.

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Jonathan Sewell (1964 L), Sally Bazzard, Poppy Sewell and Charles Bazzard (1964 L)

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SPEAR, Kelvin (1965 C) Kelvin moved to Barcelona with his wife and four boys in 2001 to open a branch of his self storage business www.multi-store. com. In 2003, he bought a 13th century Catalan Masia (like a small medieval fortified village) 20 miles south of Barcelona.

The building needed a lot of work and money, but having renovated it, the masia served as his family home until the boys left for university. Since then, his wife, Jane, has started a business, using the property for large groups of up to 40 people coming from all over the world for weddings and such like.

More recently, he has bought 100 acres of vineyards around the masia, which, he explains, is like going back to his farming roots in Kent where his family grew strawberries and ran a dairy farm.

His plan is to use the land to construct tennis courts, cricket nets and a cricket practice pitch, which he hopes will attract English clubs to practice pre-season. For more information see www. casa-felix.es.

When he is back in the UK, Kelvin still plays Eton Fives with the Brigands Club. The club play every Wednesday evening at 7pm at Charterhouse School in Godalming and he would encourage other OS to try it out. As a further update, Kelvin reports that his brother, Roger Spear (1965 C), is working as a Professor at the Open University and Copenhagen University.

James Bette-Bennett (1965 M)

MCKENZIE, Michael (1966 W) After a reorganisation of his affairs in 2015, Michael now spends his summer months in Gascony and the winter in Andalusia. He sold his business in 1995 and says that he has been fortunate to be able to lead a life of leisure since then. He explains “I play around with my horses and carriages in the Summer and enjoy the odd little adventure now and then during the Winter.”

NELSON, David (1966 C) David now lives in Naples, Florida, having moved to the States four years ago. He currently works at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida as the Education Assistant.

His role is to deliver Holocaust Education to schoolchildren in Collier and Lee Counties.

Paul Baker (1965 F)

His wife, Kathy, works at Artis-Naples, home of the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and Baker Museum. He says that “between the two of us, we have the museum scene covered in southwest Florida!” He is hoping to visit the UK next year.

VIBERT, Brian (Staff 1961-1967) Brian explains an upcoming Golden Wedding to a fellow former staff member seems an opportune moment to send an update, particularly as this summer also represents the 50th anniversary of both his and his wife’s departure from Sutton Valence.

His wife, Hazel Stanleigh (Staff 1965-1967), as she was then, served as Matron in Westminster, and Brian was a House Tutor in Cornwallis. Together, they left the School in April 1967 prior to their August wedding and return to Jersey. Since then, they have had a son and two daughters, who in turn have produced four grandsons. Collectively, they all live in Jersey, so they enjoy close family ties.

Brian Vibert (Staff 19611967 and Hazel Vibert (Staff 1965-1967)

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Brian spent 24 years at Victoria College, Jersey, 19 of which as Vice-Principal and then latterly as Headmaster, He eventually retired in 1991 to work full time as Lay Pastor in his home Parish Church of St Ouen. He retired officially in 2002 but continues as a Lay Minister with a busy schedule, especially officiating at funeral services.

Brian and Hazel are still in touch with a few retired Sutton Valence staff and a few Old Suttonians, some of whom they have met up with in Jersey over the years.

He adds “I have fond memories of the place where Hazel and I met and, as I write this in the study, there is a photograph on the wall of the School. As we celebrate our anniversary in August we shall certainly be thinking of SVS and the many there who enriched our lives in so many different ways.”

Peter Hylands (1968 F)

HIGGS, Richard (1968 L)

HYLANDS, Peter (1968 F)

Richard reports that he is still working a five-day-week as a Senior Underwriter in the Lloyd’s Insurance community with Syndicate DTW1991. Working in a team of four focusing on accident and health underwriting, Richard works alongside another Old Suttonian, Ryan Husbands (2008 W).

Peter continues to work as a European publisher, film producer, writer and conservationist. Together with his wife, Andrea, he is a co-founder of Creative Cowboy films. For more than 25 years he was a senior executive with the British media company Pearson Plc, working in England and then internationally for Pearson companies leaving the United Kingdom in 1974. Peter travels the world and his blogs and writing are featured on the Creative Cowboy films website - www.creativecowboyfilms.com.

Currently, he is on the island of Hokkaido, Japan before returning to Arnhem Land, Australia for a major film project.

HUDSON, Peter (1968 C) Peter is still living in Paris, but returns to England regularly to visit his elderly mother. He is still acting and most recently played the Head of the FBI on an American movie, Three Seconds, directed by Andrea di Stefano and shot in part in Pinewood Studios - his first time there.

Peter’s first grandson - Abel, the son of his daughter Perrine, will soon be four, and his second daughter, Zoé, has recently had a son, Romeo. Lucas is off to Los Angeles with his hard-earned visa to direct, and Tom just finished shooting on Thomas Vinterberg’s new film Kursk, about the Soviet submarine.

Peter remains in touch with OS including Ian Grimshaw (1968 C), Nicholas Pothecary (1968 C) and Roger Balchin (1968 C). He also regularly hears from John McCormick (Staff 1964-2005), who he says keeps him “up-to-date with his encyclopedic knowledge of OS activity!”

KOOL, Ivo (1970 L) Ivo has now moved to Bentonville, Arkansas, where he is working as the Senior Brands Product Development Manager for Sam’s Club, a membership-only retail warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart.

STONE, Geoffrey (1970 C) Geoff reports that having left Sutton Valence, he played hockey with fellow Old Suttonians at Salford University for a few years.

Since then, he has had relatively little contact with many Old Suttonians except for Ian Wilcockson (1951 M), who sadly died back in 2009. Since the late 1990s, Geoff was living in America, and has now moved to Asia. He is planning to return to Europe in the coming years.

VOELKER, John Adam (1970 C) Thomas Voelker (see separate update below) has updated us that his brother, Adam Voelker, is the co-author of one of the Pevsner Architectural Guides (Gwynedd) and has also written two other books on architecture. Adam’s daughter, Becca, is currently studying for her Ph.D. at Harvard. Adam continues to play the clarinet and is in touch with Roger Molyneux (1969 C).

VOELKER, Thomas (1970 C)

Thomas (1970 C) and Adam Voelker (1970 C)

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Last year,Thomas retired after 32 years as Principal Piccolo Player in the orchestra of the Zurich Opera House. During those years, he played under many well-known conductors including Valery Gergiev, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, John Eliot Gardiner, Christopher Hogwood, Riccardo Chailly, Bernard Haitink, Zubin Mehta, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Franz Welser-Möst, William Christie,

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and Georges Pretre. He also performed alongside many wellknown singers including Lucia Popp, Placido Domingo, Hermann Prey and Bryn Terfel.

As part of the orchestra, he was able to travel to perform in places including London, Paris, Vienna, Frankfurt, Cologne, Linz, Lucerne, Geneva, Verona, Dresden, Athens, Tokyo, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. His most memorable performance in those 32 years was a performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, on Christmas Eve 2009.

Since retiring, he no longer performs but continues to enjoy playing the flute for himself. He also enjoys walking and swimming (in Lake Zurich - weather permitting) and is learning French again.

His two sons have left school and both begin apprenticeships next month, Julius as a Laboratory Assistant and Nikolai in Mediamatics.

Thomas remains in contact with John McCormick (Staff 19642005), and in the last year has corresponded with John E Marsh (Staff 1962-1965) and Michael Anderson (Staff 1968-1971). He was also very pleased that Jonathan Jones (1971 C) looked him up a few years ago. and they have been able to meet up regularly since.

WORKMAN, David (1970 W) David retired in September 2016 having spent his entire career working in manufacturing, mainly in the glass and paper industries.

Latterly he was the Director General of the Confederation of Paper Industries, which involved a great deal of lobbying at the heart of government both in London and Brussels. Post Brexit, he felt that it was the right time to step down.

In October he was given a special Outstanding Contribution Award by the UK’s Packaging Industry at its annual dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel in Park Lane. Having retired, he is now looking forward to spending more time with his son and grandchildren in Melbourne.

CLEAVE, David (1974 F) After the politically enforced closure of the International Science and Technology Centre office in Moscow in July 2015, David moved to Astana, Kazakhstan to open the new ISTC regional head office. He currently manages projects for the EU, US and Japanese governments, as well as partners predominantly in Central Asia, and new projects in areas such as Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and South Africa. As such, he finds himself travelling even more than before, which provides a welcome break to the harsh Kazakhstan winters.

Peter Hudson (1968 C)

At this stage, he does not envisage a permanent return to the UK for a few years, but still tries to keep in touch with some Old Suttonians during brief sorties back to the UK.

VINE, Adrien (1974 F) Adrien now lives in Winchester and has recently celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary. He has a daughter and son, as well as two grandchildren. He continues to run his own local financial services business having formed the firm in 1983.

As a day boy living some way south of the School, he explains that he was unable to develop relationships with his peers as much as he would have liked, but would be interested to hear from anyone who remembers him.

BETTS, Dr Andrew (1977 F) Andrew recently published a French Grammar book called Understanding Core French Grammar. In the foreword, he acknowledges the late Brian Day (Staff 1971-1991) who taught him at the School in the late Seventies. The book is available via Vernon Press. Andrew continues in his role as Registrar at Lancing College, and he has recently been appointed Advisory Editor at Vernon Press.

LANE, William (1978 W) Bill now lives back in Chobham, Surrey with his wife Caroline and their 5 year-old son James. He also has two daughters, Georgina and Jemima, from his first marriage.

Having been in the IT and the telecoms industry for over 30 years, he worked for major high-tech companies including GEC Telecoms, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems. More recently though, he has set up his own company, Security Horizon, which specialises in mobile phone linked CCTV, Alarms and WiFi. For more information, see securityhorizon.co.uk, He hasn’t been able to get back to Sutton Valence for a while, but is keen to hear from anyone from his time at the School.

ROCHANAPRUK, Thevarak (1979 L)

David Workman (1970 W)

Adrien Vine (1974 F)

Recently, Thevarak has been appointed to the board of directors of United Power of Asia PLC, Bangkok, and was very fortunate to find out that the Chairman of the board is Tirawat Sucharitakul (1974 W). Mr Suchritakul is also the current adviser to the Crown Princess HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand.

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In addition, Thevarak also recently bumped into Somtiak Twiltermsup (1981 C) on a flight to Italy. He had not seen him for over 38 years, and the two are now regular golf partners in Bangkok. He would love to touch base with any Old Suttonians who are in Thailand, and hopes to visit the School the next time he is in the UK.

FORKNALL, James (1984 B) In 1987, after leaving Sutton Valence School, James started working with his father, Peter Forknall (1959 F), on his farm in Chart Sutton.Two years later, he started his own agricultural contracting business which is still going strong today, providing whole farm contracting and lots of different fields of agricultural contracting.

In addition to that business, James also runs his own 900 acre arable farm growing wheat, oil seed rape, field beans, linseed and maize, the latter being predominantly grown for his father’s 190 dairy cows.

Thevarak Rochanapruk (1979 L) and Thirawat Sucharitakul (1974 W)

Robert Kelly Brumbelow (1990 W)

JOHNSON, Oladipupo (1986 M)

James got married to his wife, Michelle, in 1999 and in 2001 they had their first child, Imogen, who is about to start her Lower Sixth year at Sutton Valence. In 2003, James and Michelle welcomed their second child, Joshua, who is also at the School and about to start in the Third Form. He’s a very keen rugby player, playing for both the School and Cranbrook Rugby Club. Finally, in 2005, their third child, Isaac, was born. He is about to start in the Second Form and, like Joshua, is keen on Rugby, as well as Cricket.

Ladipo is still in Lagos, Nigeria practicing as a barrister and solicitor (the profession is fused under the Nigerian legal system).

He was recently elected (for a 2 year term) as President of the African Institute of Enterprise Development and Management. He explains that his investiture “will come up by God’s special grace, on Saturday 26th August 2017.”

As well as the farm and the contracting business, James has also been Chairman of Maidstone NFU (National Farmers’ Union) and has twice been chairman of the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match Association. He is also a Director of Ramsak, an agricultural based co-operative, and a Director and Vice Chairman of the Kent County Agricultural Society, which amongst other things is responsible for the Kent County Show every year. In 2019, he will become chairman of the Society.

On 17 June 2017, John married Catherine Marie O’Leary, in Tunbridge Wells. John and Catherine, a New Zealand lawyer who came to the UK 12 years ago, have two children Zoe (aged 3), and William (aged 20 months).

EDWARDS, John (1988 F)

BRUMBELOW, Robert Kelly (1990 W)

CHANCE, Veronique (1986 V)

Kelly continues to live in the extended Atlanta, Georgia regional Metroplex and is an active Biophysics/Physical Chemistry researcher in the area of Liposomal Transport at Augusta University. He was recently published as a co-author in the Journal of Psychology, Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Brain Stimulation (JPBD-17-SC-103). He is in the process of changing institutions and will send a further update once that offer is formally offered and accepted.

Veronique continues to work as a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art and Printmaking at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her job means that she gets to travel to various parts of the country assessing and marking the work of potential graduates. Previously, she worked as an Associate Lecturer at the University of the Arts, London, and she passed her PhD in Art at Goldsmiths College, London in October 2012.

If any Chemistry or Biology students are interested in possible summer research opportunities at a Class II facility, particularly with an eye to medicinal research please contact him (through the School’s Development Office) and he will do what he can to put them in contact with student research coordinators. Kelly also fills in as part of pulpit supply for his local Presbytery and independent religious organizations when the need arises.

Her own work has been shown across the United Kingdom and abroad including China, Canada, Korea, Italy, Spain, Belgium and France. In 2009 she took part in ‘Liminal Screen’ a Co-Production Residency at the Banff New Media Institute in Canada, where she researched the potentials of live image streaming and transmission in the remote winter landscape; in 2011 she undertook a research residency on Orford Ness, a former military base just off the coast of Suffolk, with support from the National Trust; more recently she received a CCW Graduate School Staff Research Fund Award from the University of the Arts, London to support the development of ‘The Great Orbital Ultra Run’ project.

CHANCE, Dr Patrick (1990 F)

Outside of farming, he is a rugby coach at Cranbrook Rugby Club, looking after the Under 14 team, and also helps out with coaching at both SVS and SVPS.

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Patrick remains a Consultant in Geriatric Psychiatry at St Cadocs in Newport. His younger daughter, Laura, finished 8th / 64 in Year 5 Girls’ section of the Triathlon at the IAPS championships held in June at Dulwich College Junior School, Cranbook.

STRONG, Warwick (1992 W) Warwick now lives in Washington DC with his American wife, He works in international development and focuses on social performance solutions for mining companies. On 19 June this

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year, he welcomed his first baby, named Winston. He explains that “hopefully this name will have an influence in bringing American former glory back!”

WORTHINGTON, Ross (1993 F) Ross is based up in North Wales with his wife and daughter, but travels throughout the UK and overseas designing, delivering and leading mountain challenge events and expeditions. He is more than happy to offer any advice to those wishing to head off for an adventure or looking for a personal or team challenge for charity.

CHANCE, Robert (Staff 1961-1993) Bob writes that “I am sure that many of the more senior Old Suttonian cricketers will be saddened to hear that Clive Smith (Head of French at King’s Rochester) passed away in the middle of May this year, following an increasingly painful illness.

He played a considerable part in establishing matches between The Old Suttonians and the Old Roffensians in the Cricket Week, and on a personal note gave me invaluable support. I felt very humble when I was asked to read a lesson at his funeral in June. I will miss his kindness, his humour and his very genuine friendship.”

In terms of his own news, Bob continues to live in Headcorn.

Amongst other activities, he runs the Parish Church Choir and reads to a group in the Library. Bob’s wife, Anne, who in the past assisted Michael Ricketts (HM 1967-1980) with French lessons and served as Matron of St Margaret’s for a term, also helps regularly in the Parish Church on Sundays.

TITCOMBE-ROGERS, Michelle (1995 V) On 30th July 2016 Michelle married Ryan Rogers of the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment at Brick Kiln Barn in Suffolk.

She describes it as a somewhat untraditional wedding - “it had a festival theme, an air show; a parachute display by the Red Arrows,

many bands, a silent disco and I even did some dive bombs in a field in my wedding dress! It was a truly magical day.”

The couple currently reside in Colchester with their two dogs (Annie and Jess) and their cat Ernie. Michelle is currently on gardening leave from her role as a Director in the Asset Based Lending and Syndications team for Wells Fargo Capital Finance and is due to join HSBC’s Global Trade Team in late September 2017.

She continues with her extra-curricular passions that were developed at Sutton Valence; she served in Iraq with the Territorial Army in 2006 and continues to play Hockey at a good level with Ipswich Sevens Hockey Club playing in the East Hockey League.

She has recently started flying lessons to gain her private pilots licence.

DAY, Philip (1997 F) Phil is still living and working in the Middle East. He is currently seconded to Abu Dhabi Airport Company, working as a Project Manager Consultant for the new airport terminal.

His wife, Akos, gave birth to their second daughter, Leah, in March this year, so a lot of time is spent with her and his 5 year-old daughter, Nyah. Although he has not managed to attend any OS reunions yet, he remains hopeful that upon returning to the UK, he will get a chance to visit the School again.

HARMAN, Nicholas (1998 W) Nick has now been at Illman Young Landscape Design Ltd for over 5 years and says that his career as a Chartered Landscape Architect continues to challenge him on a daily basis. This was most notably the case when, last year, he fulfilled a long time ambition to appear as an expert witness at a planning inquiry. He has since been involved in a number of other planning appeals and continues to mentor candidates for their Landscape Institute Chartership Exams

Michelle Titcombe and Ryan Rogers Wedding - 30 July 2016

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HUNT, Peter (2004 W) Three years ago, Peter started Fernfield Homes, a property development company based in Kent - www.fernfieldhomes.co.uk.

As part of this venture, he works closely with Niiashie Adjaye (2002 W) who runs a law firm specialising in property law, and Benjamin Eames (2000 F) who runs Kent Design Studios and provides Fernfield Homes with architectural services.

SELWAY, Dr William (2004 G)

Nell Bennett (2008 S)

This February saw the arrival of his identical twin boys, Lucas and Alec, and despite arriving 7 weeks earlier than expected, both are making great progress. He says that although golf and sleep might have taken a back seat, the boys have more than made up for it, bringing a great deal of happiness and amusement to his home in Cheltenham, where he lives with his wife, Amy.

Will has spent the last 3 years at Southend Hospital, where he is currently working as a registrar in general and vascular surgery. In October, he will be relocating to The Ipswich Hospital to continue his higher surgical training. He has also recently passed postgraduate exams and has become a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, England. He is aiming to specialise in colorectal surgery, especially laparoscopic bowel resections.

TOWNSEND, Michael (2007 M) Having completed a music degree at the University of Liverpool in 2012, Mike has been working with various music production companies, initially in Liverpool and now in London. In addition to his production career, he also writes for online music publications as a freelance journalist.

WATSON, Stuart (1998 L)

BENNETT, Nell (2008 S)

Back in September 2016, Stuart and his wife Becky, née Rebecca Pragnell (1998 H), celebrated the arrival of their second son, Finlay. They are currently living in West Berkshire where Stuart is working as an Environmental Chemist for the agrochemical company Syngenta, and Becky is head of Speech and Drama at Downe House School.

In January, Nell, the co-founder and design director of doppel, was named as one of three finalists for the Start-up Founder of the Year Award organised by Everywoman, sponsored by Barclays.The award is presented to the most inspirational female founder of a start-up business.

DAVEY, Dr Colette (2001 S) Colette now lives in Woolwich and is attached to The Vikings (1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment) as their Regimental Medical Officer (GP). In the last year, she has been deployed in Kenya, Bosnia and Sierra Leone and more recently, has been based in the UK having just completed a major exercise on Salisbury Plain with the Battalion.

Together with her boyfriend, Dan, who works as an anaesthetics consultant at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, Colette has bought a house in Woolwich and hopes to spend some time there getting to know the area. She is happy to hear from anyone wanting advice on a military or medical career route, and hopes to get the opportunity to visit Sutton Valence in the next year, depending on work obligations.

HESTER, Thomas (2004 W) Tom is now doing a lot of work within the healthcare sector in the UK and would be very interested to connect with any other Old Suttonians who work in primary or secondary care, as well as the private sector.

He has been working at Lockton Companies for 10 years, and has had the pleasure of working with a number of Old Suttonians, and even helped one get into the insurance industry. He is keen to continue working with others from the OS community.

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Her company, doppel, manufacturers wearable technology that is designed to make wearers feel calmer by creating a rythmic pulse that can be felt on the inside of the wrist in a heartbeat type vibration.

TOWNSEND, Victoria (2009 G) Vicky has completed a Masters in Dramatherapy and for the past year has been working at a specialist school for children up to the age of 18, in Ashford. She will shortly be moving to Winchester and has a new job at a primary school for disabled children.

TOWNSEND, Harry (2011 G) Harry graduated from the University of Sheffield two years ago with a degree in History and Philosophy and is now living in London working for a Lloyd’s underwriting firm in the City. He is also working towards becoming an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

ANDERSON, James (2012 F) James graduated with a First Class degree in Acting from the University of Central Lancashire in Summer 2016. He then spent six months touring in pantomime for schools around the country.

Since April, he has been working at Eltham College in London as a Drama teacher and is about to undertake his PGCE year.

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MCGANNAN, Sophie (2013 S)

TOWNSEND, Billy (2014 M)

Having left Sutton Valence in 2013, Sophie has been living in Northern France. As part of her degree in Economics, Politics and Law at Lille University she is required to complete a 6 week internship and has been lucky enough to find one for this summer at the Health and Europe Centre based in Maidstone hospital.The Centre deals with the management of European social and health projects, so her French is being put to good use.

This summer, Billy completed a degree in Media and Communications at Canterbury Christ Church University, and is living back at home in Canterbury. He is actively job hunting and hopes to live and work in London.

Sophie will go back to France in September to complete her final year and she’s hoping that her internship will open some doors to employment opportunities in the same line of work. In France, she has been working part-time as an assistant English teacher, which she says has taught her “a lot about the joys (and struggles) that my former French teachers at Sutton Valence, Mme Heurtevent (Staff 2007-) and Mrs De Castro (Staff 2012-), must experience!”

WEBB, Bethany (2015 F) Since leaving Sutton Valence, Beth has been studying Psychology at the University of Bath, and is currently on a placement year at Kantar Media in London as a Research Assistant. She looks forward to completing her studies and continuing her academic career in the next few years.

Old Suttonian Births DAY on 16 March 2017, to Philip (1997 F) and Akos

WATSON on 28 September 2016, to Stuart

Day, a girl, Leah Adwoa Durnford.

(1998 L) and Rebecca Watson, a boy, Finlay Anthony.

HARMAN on 01 February 2017, to Nicholas (1998

WITHERS GREEN on 02 July 2017, to Toby (2006

W) and Amy Harman, twin boys, Lucas Edward and Alec George.

W) and Louise Withers Green, twin girls, Matilda Charlotte and Phoebe Isobel.

Nyah and Leah Day

Finlay Watson

Lucas and Alec Harman

Matilda and Phoebe Withers Green

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Old Suttonian Deaths ASHLEY-SMITH, Peter (1959 F) Died 05 June 2017

P

eter’s family moved to SuttonValence in 1954 when his father was appointed Kent County Architect. His achievements at School were generally academic rather than sporting, however, when one of the less responsible members of the Fifth Form looked at an atlas and suggested cycling to Land’s End, Peter complied, and this trip became the first of several cycling holidays in France, Belgium and Germany.

When the General Election was held in 1955, the School held its own mock-election and Peter’s creation of the Normalcy Party showed both his interest in government and his innate conservatism. This he retained, despite being a regular reader of Private Eye and working at Liberal Party HQ after leaving School.

Peter read English at the University of St Andrews and during his summer vacations he worked at a Kibbutz in Israel and also helped lead youth camps on the island of Iona. The life and ideals of the Iona Community had a big influence on his life and he was a life-long supporter of his parish church.

On leaving St Andrews in 1963, he joined the Education Department of the then London County Council, which led to him gaining a teaching qualification in 1966 at the University of Bristol. He continued in education administration in London, but now with the support of a former Bristol student who became his wife. Peter and Gill were married in Norwich in 1967 and their daughter Clare was born in 1971.

In that year, the family moved to Kineton when Peter accepted a post with the Warwickshire County Council.There, Peter and Gill became leading members of the local History Society, and after

Peter Blaxland (1960 W) Died 11 February 2017

John Colgrove (1944 M) Died 29 April 2016

taking early retirement in 1991, Peter did a lot of research and contributed many articles in support of local history activities.

With Stratford nearby, Peter and Gill were great supporters of the theatre and also travelled widely.

Our thanks to the Reverend Canon Philip Norwood (1959 F) for the obituary.

BLAXLAND, Peter John (1960 W) Died 11 February 2017

P

eter attended the School for four years between 1956 and 1960, following in the footsteps of his father Walter Blaxland (1925 L). Having left, he went into banking, working in several places, before ending up as the manager of three branches - St. Albans, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City.

When he left the bank, he worked for a Korean firm for four years before retiring in 2000.

His wife, Valerie, describes him as a very practical man. In his retirement, he enjoyed working at The Questors Theatre, manning the Box Office and the bar (for which he also served as Treasurer). Together with his wife, he enjoyed foreign travel and regularly frequented theatres in Eastbourne. They enjoyed swimming, walking and enjoying National Trust properties. He was Secretary of the Royal Bank of Pensioners.

BRISTOW, Rupert Clark (1964 F) Died 09 October 2016

R Peter Ashley-Smith (1959 F) Died 05 June 2017

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upert was involved in Education for virtually all his working life. After voluntary work in Africa as a young man, he became a ‘Mr Fixit’ in Student services. Baroness Perry of Southwark promoted him to be Head of Student Services at South Bank University “because there was no one else I felt could bring together the Chaplaincy, the counsellors, the accommodation unit, the medical unit and the student financial support in one powerful service for the students… he achieved that beyond my hopes, a model copied by many other Universities.”

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In 1995 he was appointed as Canterbury Diocese’s Director of Education and his commuting days were over. He threw all his formidable energies into this new role. In their memories of him, many head teachers speak of his kindness and wisdom and massive support in a time of significant upheaval when many rural schools faced closure. He was exceptionally principled, and their memories are also full of references to his strengths as a governor of School, and also Canterbury Christ Church University.

He was always a massive supporter of the Church of England, and after training as a lay Reader in Folkestone he gave much service to the Trinity Benefice in that place. He wrote thoughtful books, and always hoped that his latest, ‘Abiding Grace – Prayers for Later in Life’ would be published before his death. He was able to see this happen and, indeed, a second print is under way.

COLGROVE, John Challoner (1944 M) Died 29 April 2016

A

fter leaving the School, John (pictured opposite in the early 1980s), joined the army, serving in the Essex Regiment for three years. On leaving the army, he was forced to work in his uncle’s bristle factory, a job he loathed. He was able to take out his frustration by continuing to play Rugby, as he had done at the School, playing for Woodford Rugby Club alongside Alan Bedford (1944 W), who remained a lifelong friend.

The Chinese revolution was his saviour from the bristle factory, as supplies dried up, and he was able to leave and pursue his first choice career of farming. He started as a cowman on a couple of farms, and was married in 1952 while working in South Northamptonshire.

The following year, he moved to Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire to manage a farm there. Unfortunately, the owner died a couple of years later, forcing John to find a new job. At that point, he was told of a possible tenancy on part of the Duke of Grafton’s estate near Towcester, which he was lucky enough to get, taking it over in 1956.

John Cooper (1944 M) Died 25 October 2016

He remained at Paddocks Farm for the rest of his life, playing an active role in its management through to his mid-80s. Although wear and tear finally caught up with his body, he remained mentally with it until the end – continuing to enjoy his first love of watching Rugby, as well as National Hunt racing and Point to Pointing.

COOPER, John Groves (1972 M) Died 25 October 2016

U

pon leaving Sutton Valence, John went on to read Geology and Mining Engineering at the University of Leeds. After university, he spent a couple of years in rural Somerset, there forming an attachment to the area that he never lost. He spent nearly ten years working for Schlumberger, a job which took him all over the world, before returning to Somerset where he bought a small farmstead near Wedmore.

There, he built a good life with his wife, Joanna, and three children William, Laurie and Katherine. John and Joanna are pictured above on a holiday in Turkey in 2012. He was very much a family man, kind and gentle with keen intellect and giving nature.

Unfortunately, in January 2016 he was diagnosed with an incurable glioblastoma. He accepted his fate bravely and with dignity, and died peacefully ten months later, aged 62. The Cooper family welcome anyone who might wish to get in touch, and they may do so via the School’s Development Office.

DAVIES, John Mudie (1946 W) Died 06 July 2017

H

aving left Sutton Valence, John worked as a pig farmer at Stoke Dabenham near Cobham. He then changed farms and became a dairy farmer at his Crabbett Wood farm in Limpsfield, where he had a herd of Ayrshire cattle.

Rupert Bristow (1964 F) Died 09 October 2016

He was very active for the Limpsfield branch of the British Legion and was a major collector for the annual Poppy Appeal in that area. He and his wife Angie were renowned for holding an annual bridge party in aid of the British Legion. As well as the British Legion, John also raised a significant amount of money for

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Limpsfield Cricket club of which he was a player and, in later life, a strong supporter.

In addition to Limpsfield, John also played cricket for the Old Suttonians during the 1960s and 1970s. He was a very calm and cheerful participant and a useful all rounder. He leaves a wife, four children, ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

FERMOR, Dudley Beversham (1952 F) Died 21 August 2016

D

udley was born in 1936 to Laurence and Adeline Fermor, Laurence being a farmer at Eastwood Farm in Ulcombe.

In 1947, Dudley obtained a Lambe’s scholarship to Sutton Valence School, which he attended for five years. A talented cricketer, Dudley played for the 1st XI and was awarded full colours.

Between 1954 and 1956 he served his National service, but once completed, he returned to the family’s farming business. Initially he helped his father at Eastwood Farm, and later moved on to become a horticultural representative for Boots Farm Sales, and then later worked at Murphy’s, the chemical company. His final job before retiring was as a Sales Representative for Suttons (packaging producers) in Marden.

Dudley was married twice, Simon and Sarah were born during his first marriage, before he married again, to Ida, a water-colourist.

He and Ida settled down to life in Marden. Not one for a quiet retirement, Dudley and Ida formed Ida Fermor Design to market her water colour paintings, Dudley looking after the business side, while Ida produced the paintings.

JAMES, Peter (1966 C) Died 15 December 2016

P

eter spent six years at Sutton Valence in the early Sixties, enjoying a variety of the co-curricular activities on offer; he loved Hockey, learned how to perform magic, played the accordion and helped start up a new Judo club. He was also very proud to be awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Peter James (1966 C) Died 15 December 2016

Dudley Fermor (1952 F) Died 21 August 2016

He left Sutton Valence to begin a long career in Commercial Property, including a seven year stint in Paris. In 2002, he moved into regeneration, becoming CEO of the New Swindon Company.

He enjoyed participating in many sports – hockey, squash, golf, tennis, sailing, skiing, and diving and loved spending time with friends playing Mah Jong and Bridge. A love of travel inspired him to visit many countries and he and his wife took a nine month gap year after retiring.

Peter approached the diagnosis of his cancer with typical pragmatism and bravery. He was a great family man and leaves two daughters, three stepsons and four grandchildren.

JONES, Glyn Llewelyn (1948 M) Died 18 November 2016

G

lyn was born in 1932 in Beckenham, attending Sutton Valence from 1942 until 1948. A School Prefect, he also received full colours in Football and Swimming, and represented the School at Rugby and Cricket. He emigrated to Vancouver in 1957 and for over 30 years worked at Canadian Forest Products as the Director of Training and Development, finally retiring in 1995.

He remained passionately involved in Rugby, and met his wife of 56 years, Jean, while playing for the West Vancouver Barbarians.

He later became a referee and was involved with the Capilano Rugby Club. He finished his Rugby career as the President of the BC Rugby Union.

He and Jean spent much of their married lives being intrepid travellers of the world and were on their latest cruise three weeks prior to his death. They had a cabin in the Cariboo which he had lovingly finished and maintained. He leaves behind Jean, his two children – Christopher and Susan, and his four grandchildren – Taylor, Matthew, Ryan and Emilie.

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MILMINE CBE, Douglas (1939 W) Died 28 February 2017

D

ouglas led a very adventurous life, culminating in his role as Bishop of Paraguay. His journey to that position included service in the RAF during WW2. He was a natural pilot and taught others, before being posted to Bomber Command at the tender age of 22. After several hair-raising missions, his luck ran out when he was shot down. He evaded capture for six days, surviving on apples and milk, but was caught close to Amsterdam and sent to Stalag Luft III – the camp of ‘The Great Escape’.

After the war he resumed his training for the ministry and, after spells in parishes in this country, he applied for missionary work in South America. He went first to Chile, where his parish was so big he often had to ride 25 miles there and back to visit villagers.

The authorities then gave him a bigger patch when he was made Archdeacon of Northern Chile, Bolivia and Peru!

After this, he served in Paraguay, a role he found increasingly challenging due to the suspicion and criticism levelled at him by the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship. No longer did he have his (un)trusty bike to help him get around – he now had a horse! In 1973 he was consecrated as Bishop of Paraguay and he was made CBE ten years later in recognition of his excellent work there.

Speaking as part of an interview for the 2014 edition of the OS Newsletter, Douglas said “If you could survive an English boarding school, you could survive a prison camp and the other privations met.” Sutton Valence certainly prepared him for his adventurous

Douglas Milmine CBE (1939 W) Died 28 February 2017

life. He was ‘requested’ to help dig the hole for the old swimming pool, and just before he left he was also involved in digging the slit trenches anticipating bombs and flying shrapnel. He was certainly fit to do this being captain of swimming and a stalwart in the 1st XV, CSM of the OTC (fore-runner of the CCF). As in his later life, he played a full and generous part in all the things he attempted.

Other Old Suttonian Deaths CHENERY, Derek (1946 W)

LORNS, Dudley (1943 M)

Died 30 August 2016

Died February 2017

COLLINS, Stephen (1997 L)

MOISE, John (1951 M)

Died 07 October 2016

Died 23 July 2016

DE PINNA, Peter (1956 W)

MORGAN, Timothy (1959 W)

Died 17 July 2016

Died 10 July 2017

DE’ATH, Ian (1955 W)

PELL OBE, Peter (1942 D)

Died 04 November 2016

Died 13 December 2016

HOUGH, John (1950 W)

SCOTT, David (1942 M)

JONES (NÉE MADDOX), Jo (2001 V)

WILCOCKSON, James (1955 M)

LIGHT, Robert (1954 M)

YATES, Martin (1966 F)

Died 23 May 2017

Died 19 August 2016

Died 07 December 2016

Died 07 March 2017

Died 09 July 2016

Died 22 June 2017

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Edward David Gilbert Bunker (1954 M) David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015) and Desmond High (1973 F)

T

he sudden death of David Bunker at the end of May this year was most distressing to those in the OSA who knew of and appreciated the extra-ordinary massive effort he made to the continued success of our organisation.

From his arrival at the School in 1947 until his death he played a significant role in our society. His contribution as a schoolboy was not noted for its academic excellence, but his participation in all the sporting and extra-curricular events (legal and not so legal) endeared him to his contemporaries and in his active participation in OS affairs from shortly after he left he earned the respect of younger generations.

the centre of a lively group. He could always be relied on to sing the School song (more accurately and tunefully than most others). As an older member and one who had served for so long his experience was of enormous value to those striving to find new ways to energise the Association. We found that just about all of our new and modern ideas had been discussed before, but to David’s eternal credit previous rejections of those ideas or their failure when attempted never proved to be a barrier to his enthusiastic encouragement of youth. He would point out the pitfalls, certainly, but he was totally supportive. As he was to the Archivist. Evidence of his detailed research will soon be visible throughout the School.

Younger OS will not be as familiar with his exploits as the middle-aged ones since for the last twenty years or so David’s role was very much as a ‘back-room’ boy, assisting in assembling and cataloguing the OSA history, and working as the School’s Archivist’s right-hand man in the compilation of a variety of media to bring to the present population an awareness of the School’s long and fascinating history, and to bring to life for them some of the characters that have graced our precincts.

His interest was not confined to the OSA. He was an avid sports’ fan, visiting New Zealand to watch rugby and cricket, and just about every 1st division cricket ground saw his presence as he followed Yorkshire CCC as a member of the ‘Southern Group’. He supported the British Legion, selling poppies whatever the weather.

He had a massive love of history, collecting political biographies and retaining a strong interest in all things Conservative - and singing with the Sutton Valence Choral Society.

David was born in Hull, where his father was a teacher. His mother died when he was only 18 months old and he went to live with his aunt, but by the age of four had been sent to live in America with his uncle so as to avoid war bombing. After the war he returned to his aunty but they were now living in High Halden and David’s association with SVS began. On leaving school, after a year in the USA working in uncle Jack’s insurance business, and then National Serviced in ‘The Buffs’ David took a little time to establish himself in ‘The City’ but once secure there his influence in this neck of the woods grew. He met and married Janet and a most marvellous partnership was begun.

The David Bunker we knew and respected would be appalled and embarrassed to read the words above, for he was such a modest and gentle man. On your behalf, for those who do know of his work as well as those of you who had no idea of his contribution, we wanted to record and pay tribute to a truly great Old Suttonian.

His final School report, so prescient, ‘We have lost a man with much good and much originality in him, a man who brought much fun, much warmth, much humour and much love into all our lives’ May he rest in peace.

Regarding the OSA, the OS cricket week was his main sphere of action. In his younger days the week consisted of about 15-18 regulars who played most days and who stayed at the School in the sanatorium (the building that became Founders House and is now the older part of Sutton House). He took over the organisation of the nine days extravaganza and it morphed gradually into a week in which as many as 40 OS would contribute at some time or another. During this time we entered the ‘Brewer’s Cup’ and getting teams outside the week for this prestigious event was never easy. Nevertheless, until it ended as a competition Sutton Valence was one of the strongest and most feared competitors in the event, winning it twice and being runners up several times. It was difficult to find reasons not to play when David was demanding players’ attendance.

It is a fitting tribute to his work that from this year the annual match between the School and the OSA was played for ‘The Bunker Cup’.

David’s involvement was not confined to cricket. He was an active committee member serving as Chairman for a while and in the early part of this century he was the President of our Association.

He was an ever present member of our social functions, always

David’s memorial service, held at St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Headcorn on Wednesday 21st June was attended by Old Suttonians Michael Beaman (1952 W, Staff 1963-1992), Charlotte Bills (1992 S), Peter Boorman (1969 F), Clyde Britton (1954 W), William De Lucy (1966 F), David Dodd (1951 M), Brigadier Mark Dodson MBE (1978 M), Andrew Edwards (1976 F), Thomas Edwards (2010 L), (David Eltringham (1956 W), David Fenton (1957 W), Edward Fenton (1987 W), Richard Fenton (1990 W), Richard Fetherston (1978 W), David Foster (1977 C), Neville Harrison (1956 L), Robin Hearn OBE (1945 W), Philip Higgins (1970 F), Desmond High (1973 F), Thomas Hills (1953 M), Rupert Humphrey (1978 L), Stephen Jeffery (1957 F), Kenneth Jenner (1952 M), Ian Kay (1941 M), Robert King (1978 F), Paul Latham (1973 C), Henry Macdonald (1958 W), John Randolph (1975 F), Neil Richards (1967 F), Mark Russell-Vick (1982 C), Andrew Scott (1971 F), Patrick Stileman (2002 M), James Townley (1975 F), James Vincent (1997 L), Jeremy Wall (1954 M), John Waters (1946 W), Peter Wiggins (1953 W), Mathew Wooderson (1998 W) and John Worsfold (1952 M).

Also attending were former and current members of staff Bob Chance (Staff 1961-1993), Helen Knott (Staff 2003-), Chris Parkinson (Staff 1978-2005), David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001,20092015) also representing Douglas Horner DL (1962 M), Will Radford (Staff 2015-) and Anne Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016) as well as Bruce Grindlay (HM 2009-).

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Guy Leonard Hart (1975 C) Abridged from a eulogy by Grahame Chilton (1977 L)

P

icture two boys on their first day at Sutton Valence. One large and round, one skinny and profoundly deaf, sporting the largest Bakelite hearing aid strapped to his chest, with a large loudspeaker on the front and plaited wires leading to a full-on set of headphones.

The two boys sat down next to each other. A nervous smile and a handshake ensued. We were both then 13 or 14 and would remain friends from that point forward for both our personal and business lives.

We were in different boarding houses, Guy was in Cornwallis and I was in Lambe’s, but we regularly met in classes and also, more importantly to us, on various sports fields. At our first summer term PE lesson, there we are on the Upper sports ground and lined up in front of us were shot putts, discuses and javelins; all very exciting stuff to a schoolboy! David Richards (Staff 19701973) gave us a strong warning that you should never throw these instruments of war if anyone was in front of you.

Both Guy and I were excited by the prospect of throwing these so Guy grabbed a discus and I a javelin. Mr Richards retreated about 50 yards in front of us, deliberately baiting us, to ensure that we had got the message. ‘Right, throw now, boys’ rang out. Only two boys moved. My javelin flew through the air and at the same time, Guy spun round and round before launching his discus into the air and promptly falling over. Both fell well short of Mr Richards, but we were still reprimanded.

Guy was a confident, enthusiastic and great-fun-to-be-with character, who excelled at getting into trouble and sport! Academia

Guy (1975 C), Blair (1982 C) and Mark Hart (1976 C)

was clearly not for either of us, so we spent more time in the remedial stream than anywhere else, laughing our way through school.

A lasting memory for me was Guy flying down the wing on the Hockey pitch. You always knew it was him as his shirt would never be tucked in and his shirt-tails would fly in the wind; there would typically be one sock up and one sock down. He was a great player; his stick moved so quickly he would always get away with whipping the ball across the D without the need to reverse stick.

I think Guy really enjoyed the camaraderie of boarding school life.

There would be regular high jinks and wind ups and on one of these occasions, Guy, fully suited and booted in his School uniform, was tied up in his judo kit and unceremoniously dumped in a cold bath. As he was wriggling free, his housemaster, Roger Bates (Staff 1960-1992), entered the room. Guy, with quick thinking, grabbed the carbolic soap and started lathering his clothes. When asked why he was fully clothed in the bath, he said, ‘I thought they needed a bit of a wash, Sir.’ This didn’t go down well with Mr Bates, who proceeded to flog all involved.

After a short sojourn at Geelong Grammar, a cultural exchange of sorts, Guy started in the family tradition of the insurance market at the Lloyd’s broker Alwyn Hough Johnson (AHJ). One would have thought that with Guy’s hearing and speech issues, that it would be an office-bound job for him, but no. He quickly became a Lloyd’s broker and was brilliant; a real market character, with a sound knowledge base, humour, guile and ample daring-do, he quickly established a loyal customer base.

Guy had a fantastic business career at AHJ, admired and liked by his co-workers. After Guy was again single, it was at one of his AHJ friend’s birthday drinks that he met Janette, who was to become his long-term partner. She has bravely not only had to put up with Guy for so many years, not an easy feat I’m sure, but now more recently has dug deep in caring for Guy who had fought for so long, hard and bravely against his cruel disease.

Throughout his life, Guy met regularly with all of his former Sutton Valence chums, a sort of band of brothers (some with the inevitable nicknames!) Buzz (Richard Nicol), Fairy (Richard Fetherston), Toffee,Waity (Chris Wait), Slap Head (Michael Darling), Scaly (David Rothman), Crisp (Paul Burton), Milk Bottle (Neville Miles), Rupert Humphrey and, on occasions, Graham Sagar would meet for lunch in London, but on a few occasions in New York. For probably the past 15 years, we would meet at Langan’s for a Christmas lunch hooley; it won’t ever really be the same again without our chum, Gussy.

The last lunch was held down near Whitstable, in The Sportsman, where both Mark and Blair (Guy’s brothers) joined us back in the Spring. Michael Darling came all the way over from New York and it was one of Guy’s good days. I think we all realised that it was our last ‘chums’ meal and Guy, well, what else would you expect?

He was splendid.

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Adrian Wyles (Staff 2008-2015) Kay Andersen (Staff 1988-2016)

A

drian Wyles joined Sutton Valence nine years ago to be our Head of Sixth Form. He quickly established the role and brought order to Cornwallis. By the time he left the Sixth Form to take up his well-deserved role as Academic Deputy Head, the Sixth Form’s A Level results were the best in history, improving year-on-year under his kind and balanced stewardship. His greatest strengths lay in his relationship with the pupils and the care he gave to the Sixth Form, especially with their UCAS applications. His door was always open.

Once he was promoted to Academic Deputy Head he introduced the Sutton Valence Blue, with the ultimate accolade of pupils being awarded the Blue Gown.

This is a reflection of his philosophy: to always celebrate the success and achievement of each individual, and balance that with the high expectations.

This was no more firmly evident than in his first passion as a Geography teacher, a role that he always prioritised despite the many other demands on his time. Adrian Wyles brought an infectious optimism to the Geography Department and the knowledge of a fine all-round Geographer. His results spoke volumes for his quality as a front-line teacher for all abilities, including aiding a number of our pupils to achieve success through Oxbridge.

Adrian had a strong interest in all aspects of School life. He could regularly be found on the touch line on a Saturday afternoon and he always supported the School Drama productions and Music. He initiated the very successful and talented Barber Shop as well as ensuring an annual presence at the Oxbridge debating competition. He regularly took Chapel Services during his time, and these were always characterised by a strong pupil involvement and a warm and hopeful Christian message.

With all this success in his professional life Adrian also found time to be a strong family man. Before he left Sutton Valence, I remember he went hill walking in the Lake District with his then eighteen-year-old son Chris, and was delighted to have kept up! Perhaps that was due to all the jogging he used to do in training for the half marathons he completed; raising significant amounts of money for research into multiple sclerosis.

It was a delight to work with Adrian, a sentiment I know all of the staff who worked alongside him for those seven years would share.

He left us in July 2015 to take up the role of Headmaster at The Oratory School. It was devastating to hear of his passing in May this year, he was a first-class teacher, colleague and friend and he will be sorely missed.

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Michael Haywood (HM 1980-1994) David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015)

M

ichael Haywood’s contribution to the development of this School as a well-respected academic institution was immense. It was during his tenure in the office of Headmaster that we became a coeducational school; academic standards increased at a pace not seen before; the roles of Music and the Arts were enhanced with the opening and nurturing of the Music School – all achieved without any reduction in the School’s excellent reputation for sporting prowess. Before he came, the School had pride in its staffpupil relationships based on mutual respect and a strong willingness by all to be involved in many things beyond the classroom, but during the 14 years he was here, subtle changes, encouraged by his leadership and building on the strong pastoral ethos, made us less surprised by our growing reputation in the region and more self-confident. We deserved the recognition and we became more determined to maintain our high standards.

Michael Haywood was raised and educated in Edinburgh, and after graduating, he trained to be a schoolmaster at Trinity Hall. His first post was at Dulwich College. Like all enthusiastic masters at that time he fully immersed himself in non-academic activities, especially in stage management of their theatre productions, singing in the choir, and in the CCF. After only two years at Dulwich, and keen to be more involved in pastoral care, when opportunity at that place was not available, he went to Dollar Academy, in Scotland, as Head of History and within 18 months

he also became Boarding Housemaster. He was keen to innovate and set up a Sixth Form Centre against traditionalist opposition.

He continued to be involved in the Arts at the school and also developed strong links with the local church and community. In 1975, after nine years at Dollar, he was appointed Depute Rector, not without some opposition from a traditional Common Room wary of his ‘Englishness’. Nevertheless, his success enabled him to apply, confidently, for headships and in 1980 he came to Sutton Valence.

In 1994 he realised a long-held ambition to be involved in education overseas. He went to Thailand, where his brief was to establish an English independent school there. This was achieved by 1996, in Phuket, but the strain of encouraging Thai businessmen, with a very different culture to that of the enthusiastic and efficient Haywood, proved calamitous for Michael’s health. The hot climate did not help either and in 1997 he had to have a heart by-pass operation in Bangkok and return to the UK, where, ever keen for a role in education, Michael obtained a diploma in Dyslexia and began part-time work at George Watson’s College in the Special Educational Needs department.

Even after retiring from George Watson’s, he was not content to take things easily. He, and Stella, his wife, worked as supply teachers in Plockton, close to their home overlooking Skye. He also became very heavily involved in the local affairs of Glenelg including the community trust and the re-formed ferry company.

His heart, which had never been strong since his time in Thailand, finally failed and he died peacefully earlier this year.

In all the phases of his career, Michael Haywood insisted on the highest standards. At Sutton Valence he was very rarely, if ever, unable to name any pupil on sight; he could astound pupils whom he rarely encountered with some anecdote about their recent adventures. He was an elegant and very witty speaker; Speech Day, that most daunting of days for a Headmaster was mostly made entertaining by his report. He was, as he would have put it ‘the first among equals’.

His leadership was not without its problems, but they were overcome. Falling numbers of pupils (a national phenomenon) caused him to make some redundancies and our strong morale suffered a hiccough. He had to work very hard to encourage a conservative common room to adopt some of the modern working practices that were being dictated by a government more keen on measurement than education.

His biggest achievement must have been the introduction of girls into the School in such a way that they were never an ‘add-on’ to the boy numbers. Indeed, together with his wife, who became the Housemistress of Valence, he encouraged their active contribution into all things competitive and rewarded their enthusiasms with leadership roles in the School.

Today, this School is much stronger because of the full integration of boys and girls and for the legacy he has left us.

Page 88 - The OLD Suttonian 2017

Sutton Valence School North Street Sutton Valence Maidstone Kent ME17 3HL