ISSUE 51 2023/24
Welcome to the OU magazine From the Editor It has been an incredible year for OU events – with a sell-out London Dinner in March, a fantastic School House reunion in May and the opportunity for OUs to dine in some exceptional venues, including Jesus College, Cambridge, and the spectacular Warwick Castle, as well as roof-top venues in Hong Kong and Dubai – guests have enjoyed an array of special occasions to meet up with friends, both around the country and overseas. With more than 1,000 OUs registering for event tickets over the year, a new record, it has been fantastic to see so many of you getting together.
OU is the annual magazine for former pupils of Uppingham School. We also send out an annual e-Newsletter in the Spring – please ensure your email address is up-todate by emailing ou@uppingham.co.uk. Uppingham School, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9QE Tel: +44 (0)1572 820 616 Email: ou@uppingham.co.uk www.olduppinghamian.co.uk If you are receiving multiple copies of the OU magazine to your household and would prefer only one copy, please let us know.
ISSUE 51 2023/24
The OU School for Life programme has also inspired a number of events, providing networking and careerbased support, particularly for the under 30s. There are lots more occasions planned for the coming year, so do follow us on social media for updates. The event photos (on pages 39 to 46) provide a wonderful picture of this year’s events. If you weren’t able to join us on any of the occasions featured, we look forward to welcoming you another time. So, on to the magazine! From plumbers to runners and Top of the Pops to wellbeing, our content is as varied as always. With news updates in Who What Where, fascinating obituaries in our In Memoriam section, an update on Uppingham’s international developments and a round-up of the many OU clubs and societies’ activities, we trust this year’s magazine has something for everyone to enjoy.
Our cover photo features Ros Canter (L 02) taking a lap of honour after winning the 2023 Badminton Horse Trials, arguably the most famous elite eventing competition in the world. Read more on page 12. Photo credit: Trevor Holt
As always, my thanks go to all who have contributed to the issue, we love hearing from the whole community and encourage everyone to keep in touch. Best wishes from all at Uppingham, Jo Franklin (OU Manager and Editor), on behalf of the OU team
18 For a longer read, scan the QR codes with your smartphone camera to view extra content on the OU website.
2
Welcome
34
48
Message from the Headmaster Uppingham has a great deal to be proud of – we feel confident our reputation is strong and our pupils enjoy a firstclass educational experience. Nevertheless, whilst we strive to offer the best for today’s generation, we need to consider what the future might hold in store for schools like ours. The economic and political climate remains challenging, and the prospects for the next decade are uncertain. Future-proofing the School is an absolute necessity. Because of this challenging climate, we have embarked on a number of initiatives which we hope will provide the security Uppingham needs to continue to flourish and succeed in the years ahead. Firstly, we are thrilled that our first international school will open in Cairo in just under a year. Backed by superb local partners – New Era Education – Uppingham Cairo is a hugely exciting project for three to 18-year-olds who will study in a genuinely impressive purpose-built school. We want this to be the first of a number of international schools that we open by the end of the decade, all of which will be funded by local partners who share our values and ambition. From this, we will generate a reliable and meaningful revenue stream for Uppingham’s philanthropic ambitions here in Rutland. Secondly, and possibly to the surprise of many who thought we already had one, we have begun the process of establishing a significant endowment for the School. The endowment will be managed by independent trustees and grown with funding from overseas schools, legacies, and other supporters. Ultimately, the endowment will provide bursary support, as well as affording a safety net for the School if we face challenging times in the future.
Finally, all OUs and parents will have received details of our Changemakers campaign. Despite fee levels exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, our aim is to ensure talented boys and girls from all backgrounds have the opportunity to attend Uppingham. Our Changemakers campaign seeks to generate a multitude of regular donors who give small amounts regularly to enable us to continue to offer bursaries every year when needed. Changemakers is a hugely important initiative and one we believe will have a huge impact on our school. Our warmest thanks to the many OUs who have already responded to Changemakers so generously, I hope your example will inspire others to add their support. The OU community is as loyal, if not more so than any other alumni body in the country, and I feel a deep responsibility to Uppingham on your behalf. With the ongoing trust and support of OUs around the world, we can have every confidence that Uppingham will continue to be the great school we cherish. Dr Richard Maloney To find out more about the Changemakers campaign and support the Headmaster’s vision, scan the QR code or visit uppinghamfoundation.co.uk/changemakers
02 Welcome
24 In Memoriam
39 Events
04 Who What Where
25 Obituaries
48 Nutrition and Wellness
17
Announcements
34 Top of the Pops
52 Chalkies’ Corner
18
A Lifelong Passion for Running
36 Making Waves in Business
56 Clubs and Societies
38 School for Life
62 Uppingham Cairo
22 Plumbing
From Marketing to
Welcome
3
Who What Where
1950s John Sutton (Hf 50) has been into motor racing since the 1950s. Over the years he’s had notable successes, winning the AutoSport championship in 1961 and the 500 km race at the Nürburgring in 1963. As an ex-racing driver, he developed skills in repairing and rebuilding cars and has set up a YouTube channel to share his racing experiences and car restorations that he’s worked on over the years. Find out more at youtube.com/ @johnsutton3279 or scan the QR code.
Clive Burton (WB 54) delved into his Uppingham album and is delighted to share a photo of the West Bank dormitory, taken in 1955, with his contemporaries and Polly (the only one not in striped pyjamas). 68 years on, Clive recalls names as follows (all WB 54 unless detailed otherwise): Back Row, L to R: Alan Thompson, Peter Bolam (52), Keith Edwards and Paul Tadman (55). Second row: Jeremy Davies (55) and John ‘Bill’ Armitage. Third Row: Peter Allen, Clive Burton, Robin Grove-White, David Jones. Front: Peter Hubert and Michael Pearson.
4
Who What Where
John Szemerey (Hf 54) worked as a journalist and was a general and political features writer, as well as one of the first British officials of the European Commission. Now retired, he writes children’s books, his latest being The Secret Island, published this summer by Austin Macauley Publishers. A gathering of Brooklands OUs who started at Uppingham in 1956 and 1957, took place on 24th May. It was a lovely occasion spent recounting school stories over dinner in The Falcon.
As an amateur musician, to be able to play a trumpet fanfare in a large cathedral might be a lifetime ambition or just a dream! At the end of last year, Hugh Illingworth (B 57) was delighted to be given the opportunity when he was invited by Geoff Thompson, the High Sheriff of Rutland, to play at the final service of his tenure in the impressive Peterborough Cathedral. An important occasion, mustering all the pomp and circumstance that Rutland could offer and attended by several High Sheriffs from neighbouring counties all attired in their ceremonial dress. Hugh enlisted help from Stewart Drummond, former Head of Brass at Uppingham and former Housemaster of Fairfield, to prepare him for the challenge. His full account is available to read on the OU website. Top: Hugh Illingworth and Stewart Drummond.
L to R: Tony Richards (B 56), Neil Harpham (B 57), Hugh Illingworth (B 57), Richard Boston (B 56), Alistair Hibbert (B 57), Malcolm McLelland (B 56), and Roger Porkess (B 56).
Many congratulations to John Suchet (Fgh 57), Classic FM host and ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society who was made an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to journalism and charity. Prior to joining Classic FM, John spent more than 30 years at ITN. Stephen Little (Hf 59) has written a book entitled From Bicycle to Bentley, describing his career as a racecourse bookmaker after leaving Uppingham at 16 with three S levels, cycling to all UK racecourses on a very tight budget, and eventually being described as the top racecourse bookie of the late 20th century. It has been published by Pen and Sword of Barnsley, and is available from all good bookshops.
1960s Peter Flower (L 60) has an article published on the Uppingham Local History Study Group website about a schoolboy’s life, based on the experience of his grandfather, Reginald Grove (R 1883), during the last few years of Thring’s headmastership. This follows on from Peter’s biography The Life and Times of a Victorian Country Doctor. The article can be found at uppinghamhistory.org.uk or via the QR code. On a cruise to the Antarctic in November 2022, David Sneath (Fgh 61) completed the last stage of Shackleton’s walk from Fortuna Bay to the old whaling station at Stromness, a climb of 7.5 km at over 1,000 ft in altitude, and descent to Shackleton’s waterfall. He laid a cornflower posy at the foot of Ernest Shackleton’s grave on behalf of Shackleton’s old school Dulwich College.
In November 2022, Andrew Burns (M 64) graduated with ‘High Distinction’ (equivalent to First Class Honours) from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in the History and Theory of Architecture and a Minor focus in Archaeology. He had wanted to be an architect since his pre-teen years, which couldn’t be further from his successful 51-year career as a Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant. Most remarkably, Andrew was awarded the President’s Medal, given in the name of the President of the University to the student with the highest overall average in the graduating class. The Burns family in England and Canada are very proud of him but would like him to stop basking in glory and get
on with a Master’s degree, as his supervising professor wrote that his undergraduate thesis on ‘Rethinking the history of English Baroque architecture’ opened significant potential pathways for future research.
Andrew is pictured on the left, receiving the President’s Medal from the University’s Chancellor and President at his commencement on 12th November, 2022.
Following last year’s feature on Myles Sewter (member of staff from 1966 to 2009) in Chalkies’ Corner, we were pleased to hear from Tim Lunt (Hf 63), who has happy memories of time spent in the Thring Centre under Dr Sewter’s direction. One project he was involved in was the Highfield dragster, not super powerful, but Tim remembers it gave pupils a lot of fun up at Harringworth aerodrome. The dragster was one of several projects featured in an article in the Times Educational Supplement, dated 13th October 1967, and it enthused over the work undertaken in the Thring Centre. The piece, kindly shared by Tim, is available to view on the OU website in our extended content.
Who What Where
5
Who What Where
John Duckers (M 64) edited the recently published 150th anniversary book celebrating the history of Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Red & Black is a 384-page hardback tracing glories and travails from the 1873 founding by a bunch of cricketers eager to partake of a ‘winter game’. Their pioneering zeal went on to produce a clutch of England internationals and, in the 1970s, a club that was among the top six in the land. Not quite at those heights today, nevertheless still playing at a good standard in National One, the third tier below the Premiership and Championship.
A smattering of Uppinghamians have turned out for Birmingham Moseley down the years, including Captain John Francis (M 1915), of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, killed by a sniper in the Ypres salient in Belgium in 1915. Red & Black was launched at the final home game of the season. It’s priced at £35 and is available from the club’s offices – see moseleyrugby.co.uk. A journalist and author, John has previously published three children’s books, plus a romantic novel, Time For The Polka Dot, under the pseudonym Alex O’Connor, available via Amazon. The latter features love across the generations and he commented: “I just need a Hollywood producer to stumble across it and turn it into a film!” adding: “The book world is incredibly competitive and it is hard to get noticed. I treat it as a hobby. That way, coupled with being mostly retired these days, I can maintain perspective.”
6
Who What Where
Lord Nigel Crisp’s (Hf 65) latest book, Turning the World Upside Down Again – Global health in a time of pandemics, climate change and political turmoil was published by CRC Press in 2022. In Turning the World Upside Down (2010) Nigel argued that the most affluent and powerful countries in the world can learn a great deal about health from lower income countries with their different insights and experiences and their ability to innovate free from vested interests and received wisdom. In this new title, he makes the case that nations need to go further and listen to and learn from disempowered communities in their own countries. He describes how combining the learning from different countries and communities can lead us to a new, ecologically-based vision for health and new and practical ways of improving health for ourselves, our communities and our planet.
Nigel is an independent crossbench member of the House of Lords where he co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health. Previously, he was Permanent Secretary of the UK Department of Health and Chief Executive of the NHS – the biggest health organisation in the world – where he led major reforms between 2000 and 2006. A Cambridge philosophy graduate, he worked in community development and industry before joining the NHS in 1986. He has worked in mental health as well as acute services and, from 1993 to 1997, he was the Chief Executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust, one of the UK’s leading academic medical centres. More information on Nigel’s work and other publications is available online at lordcrisp.com.
Wyn Fanshaw (WB 65) completed his second London Marathon in October 2022 in 6 hours 56 minutes, stopping only briefly for family photos along the route. He commented: “It was a long way but the crowd throughout were simply awesome, calling out my name, which was on my British Heart Foundation team shirt, and many insisting on high fives whenever I ran close to the railings, which was uplifting. Unlike 39 years ago, I did not hit the wall, however my knees started to feel the pressure halfway in so my pace dropped to a jog, but I kept on going even though younger participants were passing me at a faster walking pace!” Wyn smashed his fundraising target of £3,000.
Tim Taylor (WD 65) first travelled to Nepal and Southeast Asia in 2008, working as a volunteer on a varied program of conservation projects, with no set time limits. His journey took him to Nepal, then on to Malaysia and Indonesia, ending up in Australia and New Zealand in 2009 before returning to the UK. Tim describes these travels as ‘life-changing’ and he knew he wanted to return to Nepal again. The opportunity came in 2013, when he revisited the same town, Sauraha, where he had begun his journey years before and where he has now settled. He continues to work on a voluntary basis, providing help and advice to various Nepali friends and is focused on environmental conservation, building a seed nursery and growing trees and plants to replace those cut down by development. Tim has published a fully illustrated book, providing an account of his volunteering experiences, which details the kindness and warmth he encountered while living with families; the comradeship of working with other volunteers; new sights, customs, cultures and beliefs. It shows how his personal setbacks were overcome by giving his time and skills to others less fortunate and discovering his fundamental character and motivations.
Tim with his wife Kali Chaudhary, who he married in 2014, and daughter Angelina, born in 2016.
We are pleased to share details of two OUs who took part in the Coronation Service of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort on 6th May, photographed getting ready to leave The Great Hall, Westminster for the Abbey, Clarenceux King of Arms (Timothy Duke, L 66) at the College of Arms and Albany Herald Extraordinary (Sir Crispin Agnew, B 58) at the Court of the Lord Lyon.
Neil Rhodes (Hf 66) retired as Professor of English Literature and Cultural History at the University of St Andrews in 2023 after 44 years of service. He was also Visiting Professor at the University of Granada and Liverpool Hope University. He is now an Emeritus Professor and continues his literary work. He is a general editor of the MHRA Tudor and Stuart Translations and his most recent book, Common: The Development of Literary Culture in Sixteenth-Century England, was reissued in paperback by Oxford University Press in 2021. John Pike (LH 67) is a military historian with a deep knowledge of war and weaponry, as well as the technical, social and cultural aspects of war. His historical analysis is informed by his professional expertise in law, economics and finance. John’s book, published in January this year, aims to provide an accessible general history of the Thirty Years’ War, whilst advancing the interpretation that this was a global conflict forging modernity. The complex issues are set out clearly, and the colourful cast of characters are brought to life in pithy sketches and illuminating detail. John
credits the inspiration for this work to his teachers at Uppingham, notably Basil Morgan and David Shipton. Bill Rudgard (F 67) is a London-based composer and guitarist. He is currently CEO of Drone Combat Ltd, flightballgame.com, an esports and live event project. Much of Bill’s media career was involved in music projects – working as an assistant director on Give My Regards to Broad Street with Paul McCartney; producing some of The Clash music videos with director Don Letts, as well as being an assistant director on Chariots of Fire, Flash Gordon and Superman. Bill acquired the US television rights to Robot Wars Live USA and consequently helped bring Robot Wars to British screens and, in 2002, he formed Raw Cut TV going on to produce and direct over 350 hours of television including Road Wars and Police Interceptors. Last year, he also released his first music EPs called ‘Left Brain’ and ‘Right Brain’ available on music streaming services, with videos on YouTube via the QR code.
Who What Where
7
The Rev. Francis Hubbard (B 69) and his wife Elda, based in New Jersey, were delighted to connect with Deborah Kargbo (NH 17), former Captain of School, who was awarded the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2022. Francis attended Uppingham for one year as an English-Speaking Union International schoolboy and they enjoyed sharing their Uppingham experiences over dinner, as well as their thoughts on coming to a new country, adapting and thriving (Elda travelled to the US as a child with her family, as refugees from Cuba).
Huge thanks to Stephen Fry (F 70), President of MCC, and his sister, Jo Crocker, for the hospitality extended to Richard Boston (B 56) when he joined them in the President’s Suite at Lord’s for day two of the England versus Ireland Men’s LV= Insurance Test Match on 2nd June. It was an incredibly enjoyable occasion. Day three of the Test Match also proved memorable for Ed Lewis (LH 17) as he was presented with an MCC schools recognition award by Stephen.
The OU community is global and we are always delighted to help individuals to network and forge new connections. Please contact the OU team on schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk.
On the 4th of August, Paul Parsons (L 69), and a group of friends set off to Lviv, Ukraine, with five 4x4 pick-ups to deliver them, together with medical aid and essential support, to their Ukraine contacts. These include frontline medic and evacuation teams for moving the critically wounded, the 35th Marine Brigade, the 59th Military Intelligence/Reconnaissance Brigade, the 80th Aerial Reconnaissance Brigade and the 53rd Mechanized Brigade. The vehicles were packed to their roof linings with equipment including: generators, power packs, tourniquets, stretchers, sleeping bags, bandages, vented chest seals, Celoz Gauze, ration packs and many other emergency items.
Paul is standing third from the right, photographed with the other volunteers on the team.
8
Who What Where
Andrew Bowles, Paul Hewitt and Nick Napier (all M 73) celebrated their 50th anniversary since starting at Uppingham with a visit to their old House and a tour of the School on 9th September.
Photographed at the front of Meadhurst, from left to right: Paul, Nick and Andrew.
The pick-up vehicles were left with Ukrainian volunteer contacts to immediately drive them to the frontlines, particularly in the Bakhmut and Donetsk / Zaporizhzhia areas. In all, Paul and the team have raised over £200,000, enabling them to take out and leave in Ukraine 10 pick-ups and one ambulance (this for civilian use in Kherson), with each vehicle full of life-saving medical and humanitarian aid. The August trip was the third that Paul has made, and further trips are planned for November and January 2024. If anyone would be interested in assisting with future trips (and fundraising) please contact Paul on paul@southfieldshouse.co.uk.
Richard Mayson (F 75) was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Sheffield this summer. He stepped down as Pro-Chancellor of the University in 2021. Richard continues to write on wine and Twentieth Century British art. He is series editor of the Infinite Ideas Classic Wine Library and divides his time between the Peak District, London and Portugal.
1980s Brigadier Alex Potts (Hf 82) led the Army contingent in the procession from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace after the Coronation Service of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort on 6th May. In May, Kelsang Tonglam (formerly Warren Kwan, Hf 85) returned to Uppingham after 30 years and addressed pupils in morning Chapel. He shared the wisdom he has gained from his practice as a Buddhist monk on how to be happy, even when life gets tough. Everyone was spellbound! The Music Department was delighted to welcome Pianist, Concert Artist and Composer, Rupert Egerton-Smith (M 86) to Uppingham when he visited in April. Pupils benefited from a day of masterclasses and coaching which all culminated in an evening concert – music by Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Gershwin and Liszt was performed alongside our young pianists. Heralded by critics, Rupert appeared at the famed Salle Gaveau in Paris, where his performance was broadcast
on the national television network France 2. He would later sell out Berlin’s Philharmonie, before going on to perform at many other prestigious venues throughout Europe. The same careful and methodical approach guiding his performances is also evident in his work as a composer and has resulted in scores written for the BBC, Channel 4, films, documentaries, and trailers for major motion pictures. In December last year, Rupert was appointed as Artist in residence with the Orchestra of St John’s for a period of three years. The Artistic Director, John Lubbock, said: “Not only is Rupert a wonderful pianist and musician, he is a collaborative performer of the greatest sensitivity. I and the members of the orchestra are looking forward to many concerts of glorious concertos over the next few years.” Graeme Biggar (WD 87) was appointed as Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA), after 10 months of leading the agency on an interim basis. The NCA is Britain’s equivalent of the FBI, focused on cutting serious and organised crime.
Rollo Ross (LH 87) is proud to share news that he has won the award for Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the (US) National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards. The judges commented: “As the only arts and entertainment broadcast journalist in Hollywood for Reuters, Rollo Ross produces nearly 300 stories yearly, from awards shows to interviews with stars to premieres. Known as perhaps ‘the busiest journalist in Hollywood’, Ross produces the video edits from beginning to end and is acknowledged with this top broadcast award.” Rollo has been working in Los Angeles as a video journalist for Reuters, the world’s largest news agency, for nearly eight years, covering entertainment as well as general news. Huge congratulations from all at Uppingham and from Rollo’s former tutors, Casey O’Hanrahan and Michael Tolkien, who encouraged Rollo with his storytelling whilst he was at school.
Last November, Ned Hall (F 91) was back in Uppingham with a group of fellow OUs. Whilst in town, they ran into Richard Boston and Casey O’Hanrahan, as well as another group of OUs from the same year group, so they grabbed a quick drink, catch up and a photo outside the Exeter Arms!
L to R: Tom Eastwood (B 88), Polly Staveley (née Dallas, J 91), Will Payne (C 88), Greg Hall (L 88), Chris Nicholson (H 88), James Staveley (C 88), Chris Arrand (Hf 88), Nick Robinson (Hf 88), Davison Hall (Ned’s son), Toby Norris (M 88), Nnamdi Ezulike (Hf 90), Jon Chapman (L 88), Dave Edwards (WD 88), Ned Hall (F 91), Alex Jakubowski (C 88) and crouching John Black (H 88).
Who What Where
9
Blair Glencorse (WD 92) runs a global network of organisations called Accountability Lab that is fighting corruption and making governments more accountable to citizens everywhere from Mexico to Nigeria to Pakistan. Blair won the UN’s Anti-Corruption Excellence Award in 2018 and advises global organisations on these issues, including the World Bank, OECD and World Economic Forum. Find him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @blairglencorse and follow the Lab @accountlab. Blair would love to hear from any OUs working on these issues or who might be facing related challenges and need support.
Huge congratulations to Chris Watson (M 92) who won the Sovereign’s Prize, widely referred to as the King’s Prize, at this year’s Imperial Meeting held at The National Shooting Centre, Bisley, from 16th June to 22nd July. The King’s Prize is the most prestigious and competitive prize in the target shooting world. The competition consists of three knockout rounds with over 2000 competitors, with the winner traditionally being carried around the Bisley site in a chair followed by the RAF band. Chris won by two clear points and humbly confessed that he’d had a rather average week building up to it, but changed rifles and started improving right at the key time! He is the first Uppingham Veteran, and only the sixth person in history, to win all three of the major individual Imperial competitions – the Grand Aggregate in 2017, the St George’s Prize in 2019 and now the Sovereign’s Prize.
faced with terrible persecution, prejudice, disaster and illness. Aimed at empowering children who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, these stories are designed to help readers make positive choices in their own lives by embracing kindness as their superpower. Let’s fill this world with kindness: True tales of goodwill in action is available to purchase online. Caroline Browne (née Hughes, J 97) joined 180 competitors in the annual Thames Hare and Hounds alumni race on 16th September. The 5-mile cross country event on Wimbledon Common saw competing alumni from Ampleforth, Charterhouse, Eton, Oundle, Sedburgh, Sherborne, Shrewsbury and Wellington, to name a few. The first ever race was in 1953, which Uppingham won, and on this occasion, Caroline was the tenth female home. Runners interested in forming an OU team for next year (all ages welcome, minimum of 4 to enter) should contact Caroline on mcrhughes@gmail.com.
Alexandra Stewart’s (née Stephens, J 96) latest book was released in May and features a collection of over 25 real-life stories demonstrating how heroic acts of kindness can change our world for the better. In this uplifting collection, children are introduced to real-life heroes and heroines who have chosen to act in kindness, even when they have been
10 Who What Where
Billy Hanrahan (WB 97) got together with OU friends for the Singapore Grand Prix in September, whilst also celebrating his 40th birthday at Level 33 in Marina Bay.
The front row are all OUs, from L to R: Edward Chater, Rory Singleton, Jonathan Freshwater, Billy Hanrahan and Richard Ellis (all WB 97). Dan Hipkiss (Fgh 98), former England rugby player and Head of Learning and Development for the Matt Hampson Foundation, established to help sportsmen and women re-build their lives after life-changing injuries, has written a children’s book Brave Huxley. It tells the story of Matt Hampson OBE, who, as a 20-year-old professional rugby player, experienced a catastrophic injury whilst training with the England Under 21s team. The tale is told through a toy tiger called Huxley.
Caroline is pictured with her husband (on the left), running for Eton, and brother running for Ampleforth.
“Huxley is the biggest and strongest of all the toys. Everybody loves how helpful he is. But when something bad happens that changes his whole world, he no longer feels he has a place.”
2000s Like Huxley, Matt chose to get busy living and focus on what he could still do rather than lament what he’d lost. Huxley’s enthusiasm to help others is at the heart of everything the Matt Hampson Foundation does. All proceeds of the book sales go to the Matt Hampson Foundation. In April 2023, Fiona Colville (née Slominska, Fd 99) was appointed Principal 2nd Flute with the Orchestra of Opera North. She started in this new position in August after 18 years of freelancing.
Congratulations to Sam Featherstone (B 99) who was nominated for a Grammy Award in February for his work as music producer on the album “SIX: Live on Opening Night”, in the Best Musical Theatre Album category. He attended the ceremony in Los Angeles, inviting his OU friend Nick Nick and Sam at the Worpole (B 98) to join him – Grammy Awards. both were in bands together at school and for years after, and Sam commented that although the album didn’t win, losing out to Sondheim, it was nonetheless a great experience for them both.
Tom Harrington (F 01) left Uppingham to study Politics and International Relations at the University of Southampton. Today, he is based at the glorious Goodwood Estate, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Richmond for over 300 years. Tom is the Business Development Manager for not only the Estate but also the Duke’s exclusive sporting retreat, Hound Lodge, a magnificent 10-bedroom country house located in the heart of the 11,000-acre estate in rural West Sussex. Goodwood is recognised around the world for its flagship events, including the Festival of Speed, the Qatar Goodwood Festival and Goodwood Revival. Over one million people flock to the Estate every year to indulge their sporting passions; from flying, driving and golf to shooting, cricket and horseracing. Richard Wilkinson, former Housemaster of Highfield was delighted to welcome the 2006 leavers from the House for a mini reunion in Uppingham on 9th June. Back row L to R: William Wallace, James Cooke, Alasdair Humberston, Peter Hill. Front row: Fred Village, Jonathan Coates, Rik Campbell, Richard Wilkinson (Staff), Tom Warren and Ed Worley (all Hf 01).
Harry Judd (F 99), famous for being McFly’s drummer and former winner of Strictly Come Dancing, was one of the celebrities taking part in the BBC One series Celebrity Race Across The World, which was aired from the 20th September. In this six-part celebrity version of the much-loved series, Harry and his mum, Emma, joined three other celebrities and their racing partners, starting in Marrakesh, Morocco, and ending up in Tromsø, Norway, known as the Arctic capital — an epic journey spanning 24 countries and over 6,000 miles. Stripped of all mod cons and all luxuries, they had to rely on their skills, cunning, ingenuity, and hard work in order to succeed.
Charlie Simpson (M 99) played with his pop-punk band Busted during a whole weekend of music at Radio 2 in the Park held in Leicester on 16th and 17th September. The band joined a great line-up of artists, including Kylie Minogue, Soft Cell, Tears for Fears and The Pretenders, to name but a few, performing to an audience of over 35,000 fans. Busted announced their return for their 20-year anniversary, with plans for a major UK arena tour as well as a brand new album of re-worked classic hits. Charlie on the big screen, taken by Patrick Mulvihill, Uppingham’s International Development Director who was in the crowd.
Who What Where
11
Who What Where
Ros Canter (L 02), has had a spectacular 2023. She started off the season with a fabulous win at the Badminton Horse Trials, arguably the most famous trials event in the world. Michelle Saul’s Lordships Graffalo, aka Walter, took the runner-up spot in 2022, but this year led from pillar to post, posting the second fastest crosscountry round on what was a very influential, wet and muddy day. A clear showjumping round gave the pair a whopping 15 penalty winning margin, with Ros also finishing ninth on Pencos Crown Jewel. “Walter’s an out-and-out event horse and it’s a privilege to have him in my life,” said Ros after her win. “He has character in every pore and makes us laugh every day.” With this victory, Ros became the fifth rider in history – and the third British woman, following in the distinguished footsteps of Lucinda Green and Ginny Elliott – to win both Badminton and the World Championships, which she did in 2018. Not surprisingly, Ros and Walter – who is still only 11 – were called up to the British team for the European Championship in Haras du Pin, France. Anchor combination for Great Britain, Ros and Walter did a lovely dressage test to lie in second place, with the team well out in front. A fall by the overnight leaders opened the door for Ros. Like at Badminton, there had been plenty of rain but a near foot-perfect round brought the pair through the finish nine seconds inside the optimum time – the only combination to finish the day on their dressage score. “Walter is just unbelievable in his stamina and desire to travel through ground like that. He is, I think, the best horse in the world when it comes to those conditions. I’m just so lucky. Sometimes, going fourth for a team is a hard place to be but I stuck to my plan,” said Ros. Despite a showjump down, Ros and Walter still completed with a seven-point advantage, leading the team to gold almost 30 penalties ahead of its nearest rival. “It’s amazing. For me, the team has always come first. It’s what I do it for, it’s what I dream of doing, it always has been. I’ve got Walter to thank, he’s just a really wonderful horse. He’s what dreams are made of. There are no words to describe him,” says Ros. “Winning Badminton was a huge box ticked and I didn’t think he could get much better, so to win the Europeans as well was an absolute bonus. Years like this one don’t come round very often so I’m making the most of it.”
12
Who What Where
Photo credit: British Equestrian / Jon Stroud Media
Award-winning actor and comedian Max Norman (Fgh 02) performed his comedy show A Pirate’s Life For Me in London throughout this summer and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Max also performs stand-up and character comedy in London – if you want to see him in action, his show dates are available via @MrMaxNorman Emma Sharrock (Fd 02) has lived in Hong Kong since she left university and co-founded The Backyard Gang in 2018. It’s an all-year-round programme which encourages young children to get out and about and be free – having exciting adventures, building friendships and creating memories. Whether it is hiking in the trails, building a fire to cook S’mores or making a rope swing at the beach – The Backyard Gang is a place where kids can truly be kids. An interview with Emma on her memories of Uppingham and her entrepreneurial journey is available to read in our extended content on the OU website. thebackyardgang.com ‘PEBBLE’ is a new luxury jewellery brand that Lotte Sudlow (née Lugg, Fd 03), on right, has cofounded with a friend, Nics Watson. Their aim is to bridge the gap between fashion and fine jewellery – solid gold and sterling silver pieces designed to last a lifetime at accessible price points and produced in the UK. The brand’s namesake and signature piece is the Pebble necklace. Designed to sit elegantly on a belcher chain, the solid pebble-shaped pendants feature hand-engraved initials as well as the option of an added birthstone. Lenny Leopard and Ronnie Rhino make up the
start of the Jambo collection and 10% of each Ronnie charm sale is donated to Save The Rhino International. pebblejewellery.co.uk In October 2022, Basil Vincent (WB 05) ran the 2022 Royal Parks Half Marathon in aid of The National Brain Appeal which raises funds to advance treatment and research at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, which together are known as Queen Square.
Since leaving Uppingham Tessa Whitwell (J 08) has spent 10 years working as a snowboard instructor and then coach. She’s just opened a tiny boutique hotel in Morzine called The Fat Fox Lodge – created for people who love life in the mountains. Exciting and different, her mission is to provide guests with an alpine adventure holiday that leaves them rejuvenated. “With nutritious food, a vibrant space, inspiring people, and cosy beds, you’ll be ready to take on what the Alps have to offer. From the haberdashery, to the shared table, to yoga in the studio, here is something a little bit marvellous.” Tessa confirms the business is very much a family affair and her sister Tilly (L 09) has helped with interior design, and father Andrew (WB 73), has assisted with the electricity and plumbing. Find out more via the QR or visit fatfoxlodge.com.
Miranda Hickman (L 06) was thrilled to be invited to take part in the King Charles III’s Coronation Concert held on Sunday 7th May at Windsor Castle. As an Army Reservist, she was selected to support the regular Army and played her violin as part of the Military Symphony Orchestra, accompanying celebrity singers including Lionel Richie, Take That, Katy Perry, Paloma Faith, Rudimental and Nicole Scherzinger, amongst others. The concert was broadcast live on television by the BBC and watched by over 14 million viewers.
On 3rd June, Ed Gorst (Fgh 10) hosted the first Oxcombe Rural Conference at his home farm in the Lincolnshire Wolds, a day designed to bring together young people working in the wider rural economy, with lots of OUs in attendance. Many issues were discussed that are currently being faced by farmers – including those affecting their ability to run sustainable businesses and protect our precious countryside. Over the day, a diverse range of talks were given by young, aspirational farmers and others in the wider rural sector, sharing insights from their own business challenges and the solutions they’ve used to address them. Farming is an ageing industry, however, the conference helped to reinforce how many forward-thinking and determined young people there are working in it. Next June will mark the second year for the conference and Ed hopes to welcome many more young people working in the sector.
Former member of staff, Alexis Ffrench, also performed at the concert, playing alongside singer-songwriter Zak Abel.
For anyone wishing to hear more details, please contact Ed directly on edward.gorst@gmail.com.
Who What Where
13
Who What Where
Theodore Barclay (LH 13) has joined the London Scottish Regiment Pipes and Drums. Founded soon after the raising of the Regiment in 1859, the band is over 150 years old and considered to be one of the oldest pipe bands in the world. Members wear the full-dress uniform of the Regiment and their tartan, the ‘Hodden Grey’ is both distinctive and unusual as it has no pattern – chosen to blend in with the environment as an early form of camouflage.
On 16th December 2022, in subzero temperatures, Bertie Tweed (F 15) passed out of Sandhurst with a commission into the Grenadier Guards, with his family watching the proceedings, photographed below. For the historic Coronation Ceremony on 6th May, Bertie was posted at the main entrance of the Abbey armed with a large umbrella where he protected the Royal family from the rain.
Theodore started playing the bagpipes at age 12 and has since played at many prestigious occasions including the world famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (and its tour to Sydney in 2019), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration at Windsor Castle, as well as events at Edinburgh Castle, St Giles Cathedral and The Royal Scots Club. Savannah Ffrench (NH 14) has joined the cast of Edward Scissorhands, a live theatre production devised, directed, and choreographed by Matthew Bourne. It is scheduled to open on 20th November, at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, with a seven-week Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, before commencing a full UK tour in 2024. Adrian Ting (SH 15) competed at the Swim England National Summer Meet and was crowned English Champion in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly races. He came away with two gold medals which bodes well heading towards the Olympic Games to be held in Paris next year. Our congratulations to Adrian on his successes.
14
Who What Where
L to R: Sister Zara (J 14), Bertie’s grandfather, Willie Fulton (C 58), his mother Mary (J 88), Bertie (F 15), sister Kitty (Fd 22) and brother Archie (F 17). During a gap year after leaving Uppingham, Harry Alderson and Freddie Garfoot (both SH 17) spent four months just south of the Zambian city Ndola, working and managing a 1,500-hectare banana and citrus plantation. Each day, they were given teams of up to 50 farm workers, many of whom spoke little or no English, and they were responsible for both supervising and teaching them, as well as understanding their needs. They were initially daunted by the prospect of something so different from their lives at school, but it turned out to be an experience they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. Aidan Butler (SH 17) spent two months in Malawi during his gap year, volunteering with a charitable organisation called Fisherman’s Rest Lodge, set up to
improve the living standards, education, and economic opportunities for the local population. Over time, they have developed various community projects focused around rural Blantyre, including a reforestation project, an issue which has had a huge effect on the land causing flooding; a water project, involving the repair and maintenance of boreholes and testing the quality of water; as well as a project called BRAVE aimed at increasing the equality between girls and boys within education. Aidan commented: “I was able to experience all of these initiatives and see the impact they were having on the communities. My time was mainly focused on the tree and water projects, as well as teaching Science and English at a local secondary school, which the organisation has greatly supported for many years. My work with the tree project often involved heading out to the rural villages on a mountain bike, skidding down bumpy dirt tracks
to get there, then documenting the progress of the tree nurseries situated in different villages. The nurseries are small, enclosed patches of land, where villagers plant and nurture seedlings until they are ready to be moved and become part of growing forests. On my days off, I was privileged to explore more of Malawi, visiting the beautiful Lake Malawi, spotting cheetahs and many more animals at the Majete game reserve, and even climbing up the magnificent Mount Mulanje famous for its stunning views.” Harry ScottBurt (SH 18) was named the deserving winner of the 2022 School Recital Competition Final last October. After presenting Harry with the trophy, the guest adjudicator Mr James Randle, Director of Music at King’s College Prep School commented: “When parents ask me, where should my child go next, where will they thrive? – I will be able to say to them, ‘you need to go to Uppingham, you need to go and see Mr Kennedy (F 90)’ because music there is as good as it has ever been, it is absolutely fantastic, and it’s actually leaving other places in its wake.”
2020s This summer, Olly Rymer (WD 20) performed for the second year running with the National Youth Music Theatre at The Curve Theatre, Leicester, appearing in Kiss Me, Kate from 9th to 12th August. After a foundation year at Mountview, Olly started a three-year degree course at ArtsEd in September.
Victoria Schmied (NH 20) spent two terms at Uppingham during the Lower Fifth. After returning to Germany, she has now graduated with the German Abitur. During her last two school years, she co-founded a society that advocates for the awareness of mental health within the student body. Following graduation, she will complete an internship at a boarding school for children who have experienced trauma. Subsequently, Victoria is submitting an application to pursue higher education in the UK as she has developed a strong affinity towards England as a result of her experience at Uppingham.
ODE USE C
OU23
15% off voucher Philip Amps (Fgh 78) is delighted to share an OU offer on purchases via the Amps website and in stores, up to 23rd December 2023.
www.ampswinemerchants.co.uk Retail shops at Oundle Market Place: 01832 273502 Oundle Wharf: 01832 279164 Excludes gift vouchers, events, courses, mixed cases, products already on offer and delivery charges.
Who What Where
15
Who What Where
Can you help us to locate an OU? We are always happy to reconnect OUs whenever possible, if we have valid contact details to reach out to contemporaries. However, there are occasions when we have lost touch completely, so would like to share the below message: Mick Stevenson (Hf 62) and John Ellerton (Hf 59) would like to contact Peter Cartwright (Hf 58) to share some old photos of the house team and catch up. If anyone is in touch with or knows of Peter’s whereabouts, please contact us on ou@uppingham.co.uk and do let us know if you’d like our help to track down any of your old friends.
Visiting Uppingham We are pleased to welcome OUs visiting the School and are happy to arrange a tour of the campus when possible. Due to school regulations, we are required to request advance notice so that visitor badges can be provided and arrangements for the visit can be made. Please email ou@uppingham.co.uk before your visit, so that we can plan accordingly and welcome you on the day. Thank you.
Uppingham’s Arts Programme Uppingham’s calendar is full of musical concerts, performances, and opportunities to experience the high standard of music and theatre at the School today. With high-energy jazz evenings, outstanding Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra performances and, of course, choral recitals too, many of the School’s events are open for OUs to come and enjoy. View the calendar via the QR code or on the Uppingham website: uppingham.co.uk/ community/ arts-programme
16
Who What Where
The OU Charity Fund provides small donations to OUs who are raising money for good causes. If you are raising money for charity, the OU team would love to hear from you on ou@uppingham.co.uk with details of your activities. Please provide a Just Giving or Virgin Money Giving link (or similar charitable donation page) so that a donation can be made online. Here are some of the endeavours the fund has supported in the past 12 months… Nigel Blake (B 64) Raising funds for Elmbridge Mencap
Gus de Haan (B 07) Ran the London Marathon for the educational charity One Cause
Hugo Isaac (B 88) Pisa to Rome cycle ride for Myeloma UK
Will Doggett (Hf 09) Ran the London Marathon raising funds for the charity Hft
Rachel Snape (née Brasier, J 88) Fundraising for Parents of Kelly Hendry School of Irish Dancing
Sophia Alexander (L 10) Ran a mini marathon for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care
Ashley Grote (Hf 95) Ran his eighth London Marathon for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity James Mantle (WB 96) Walked the South Downs Trail for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity Duncan Darroch-Thompson (C 00) Raising funds for the Cyclone Freddy Emergency Appeal Basil Vincent (WB 05) Ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon for the National Brain Appeal
Phoebe Aldrich (Fd 13) Ran the London Marathon for Mencap Eliza (Sa 13) and Imogen (C 13) Ross-Smith Ran the London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK Jassica Enum (L 16) Fundraising for Medical Herstory Lara Scott (C 16) Ran the London Marathon for YoungMinds
OU COMMITTEE 2023-24
OU TRUSTEES
Chairman The Headmaster
Chair of Trustees Barbara Matthews (SH 73)
Secretary Richard Boston (B 56)
Vice Chair of Trustees Richard Tice (H 78)
Members Nicholas Burgess (B 68), Mike Higgs (Fgh 69), Andrew Bowles (M 73), David Gavins (LH 73), Richard Levell (H 74), Peter Doleman (C 76), Jim Reddy (Hf 89), Claire Neaves (J 91), Emma Way (J 91), Emma Cannings (L 93), Tom Higgs (C 00) and Becky Wilson (Fd 05).
Russell Price (WB 79), Edward Timpson (LH 87), Dominic Wallis (F 82), Lucy Womack (née Hilton, Fd 82). A full list of Uppingham’s Trustees is available on the School’s website. Should you wish to contact any of the above, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk.
OU AMBASSADORS We are hugely grateful to all of the overseas ambassadors for their assistance as points of contact for OUs visiting a country or requiring advice. A full list is available on the OU website.
Announcements Adam (SH 76) and Wendy Cooke (née Robinson, Fd 79) have become proud grandparents to Felix Cooke, born on St George’s Day, 23rd April 2023. Are they the first OU husband and wife grandparents within our community? Our congratulations to all of the family. Stafford Critchlow (H 79) married fellow architect Pei-Yao Wu at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield on 1st July 2023.
Pictured (L to R) at the reception in Haberdashers’ Hall cloister garden are long-time OU friends Sophie Pringle (née Wade, Fd 82), James Horsley (H 79), Pei-Yao and Stafford, Alex Hinton (Fd 82), Richard Jacob (H 80) and Toby Butterfield (F 79).
Alice Graham (J 11) married Chris Wood on 13th August 2022 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire.
After having to postpone their celebrations twice due to Covid, James Mantle (WB 96) finally married his Australian partner Tom in September 2022 at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. It was worth the wait and the couple enjoyed a fantastic celebration with lots of OUs in attendance. James’s brother Tim (M 99) was Best Man; his sister Charlotte (J 10) did a reading; Libby Burgess (J 99) and Fiona Colville (née Slominska, Fd 99) played wonderful music during the ceremony; and Jeremy Martin (LH 96) and Antony Willott (LH 97) were Ushers. Louise Hood (née Whitlock, Fd 99), Helen Huxtable (née Roberts, Fd 99), Alex Morrill (Fgh 96), Louise Hennis (Fd 99) and Ed Smith (WB 99) also attended as guests, along with James’s wonderful former Housemaster Steve Allen and his wife Lesley, so there was a distinct OU feeling to the festivities!
Richard Hartley (Fgh 96) married Jennet Lewis on the 2nd June 2023 at Christ Church Spitalfields.
Having met at Uppingham, James Shepherdson (LH 09) and Anna Symington (L 12) were married on 26th August 2023 in Terrington St Clement, Norfolk. In attendance were both fathers, Richard Shepherdson (L 76) and Jamie Symington (L 75) along with a further 24 OUs.
The best men were Jason Noy and Tom Kimbell (both Fgh 96) and there were lots of other OUs present, including George (SH 96) and Sophie Dickens (née Smith J 99), George Hartley (Fgh 98), James Hutt (WD 96), Oli Williams (Fgh 96), James Bloomer (Fgh 96), Will Lawson (Fgh 96), Nick Farmer (WB 96) and Nicholas Coupe (LH 99).
Announcements
17
A Lifelong
Passion
The Routh is a long-held Uppingham tradition, a firm favourite in the sporting calendar, and a phenomenal sight with the whole school involved. First run in 1895, some participants love it, others not so much, but it has been an inspiration for many, many Uppinghamians, instilling a lifelong passion for running. Andrew Coe (Hf 55) is one such OU, now in his 80s and training to compete in the European Masters Games in Finland…
18
Feature
for Running
Feature
19
Andrew Coe (Hf 55) torchbearer at The London 2012 Summer Olympics
20 Feature
By Andrew Coe (Hf 55) I “found” running at Uppingham. Annoyed not to be selected for the 1st XI cricket at 15, my thinking was that if I won races, they would have to select me! Giving up all thoughts of cricket, I won the 880 yards and mile and was Captain of Cross Country and remember being in the Highfield team that won The Routh. I still have a film of me winning the school mile by half a lap. Rules were strict. No running unless it was representing the School, but I learned that rules could be broken! My mother drove from Norwich to pick me up after lunch taking me to Norfolk to win the Norfolk Junior Mile, and got me back in time for the evening meal. No one at Uppingham ever knew. Dick Smith, the Uppingham milkman and “maybe poacher”, used to do the same on winter Saturdays and take me to run for Kettering Harriers. I hid in the back of his van and drank his recommended magic potion consisting of sherry, milk and an egg! With the long spikes and cinder tracks wrecking my Achilles and the need to earn a living, my running career did not last long, but my passion remained. I attended the magical Rome Olympic games in 1960 with an Uppingham
friend, John Margetson (WD 56), and running became an all-consuming passion for the rest of my life.
Masters in Finland. My target is to win races in my age group at 85 in three years’ time.
I have been at every Olympic track and field session since 1988, nine Olympics, apart from the last in Tokyo. In Barcelona ‘92 and Atlanta ’96, I was the official photographer to the British Olympic team.
The health benefits of the training are enormous. I find I can run 5km, play golf, drive an hour for business meetings and walk our dogs, all in a day.
I “found” running at Uppingham. Although my event competing was hampered due to work and family commitments, I always promised myself that one day, when I retired, I would run again (I still haven’t retired). Time passes quickly and it was not until four years ago I thought it’s now or never! At 78, I began to train for 800 metres for international races in my age group. To begin with, nothing more than a very slow jog for a few minutes was possible. At least half the time out with injuries. The competition is mind-blowing, some opponents having been doing nothing else for 25 years. At last, I think I may be fast enough to compete and begin in the European
I know that I am extremely fortunate and am very grateful and humbled to be able to do this, experiencing the exhilaration and thrill of running I first found at Uppingham.
There are many more inspirational runners throughout the OU community, and we were delighted to hear from some of this year’s London Marathon participants, including Wyn Fanshaw (WB 65), Ashley Grote (Hf 95), Lily Johnson (L 12), Eliza (Sa 13) and Imogen (C 13) Ross-Smith and Phoebe Aldrich (Fd 13). Read their stories in our extended content on the OU website via the QR code.
Highfield Routh Team, 1959 L to R Richard Rayworth (Hf 55), Richard ‘Andrew’ Coe (Hf 55), Edward Horsfall (Hf 54) and James Lodder (Hf 54).
OU Cross Country Run and Dinner 13th January 2024 Now a popular annual event, OUs are welcome to join in this interschool running competition which involves running two laps around The Middle (around three miles in total). Followed by a season-opening dinner, it’s always an enjoyable occasion and a great opportunity to get together with OU friends and Uppingham staff.
Torchbearer at the 2012 British Olympics
If you’d like to receive further details, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk. All are welcome.
Feature
21
Why I quit my well-paid job in Marketing to become a Plumber
“ When I became a father for the first time, I suddenly realised I wasn’t doing what I really needed to do. I felt like I was living someone else’s life and I knew I had to do something about it.” 22 Feature
Written under the pseudonym Nicholas James (LH ??) I have some very fond memories of my time at Uppingham in the 1980s. I particularly remember my housemasters, David Gaine and Michael Trenwith, History with Eric Boston and English with Mr Tolkien. After I left school, I studied Law at university before embarking on a successful career in marketing. But I really wanted to be a writer. After I finished my degree, I did a post-graduate diploma in publishing. My plan was to work for a book publisher. Then I was going to subtly slip my manuscript in using a pseudonym, so they didn’t know it was me. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. Ten years flew by, I met my wife and before I knew it, we were settling down. Then, when I became a father for the first time, I suddenly realised I wasn’t doing what I really needed to do. I felt like I was living someone else’s life and I knew I had to do something about it. I didn’t want my kids to grow up with an unhappy, frustrated father. So, after discussing it with my very understanding wife, I quit my well-paid job in marketing to pursue my writing ambitions and retrained as a plumber to earn some money on the side.
All my friends thought I was having a premature mid-life crisis. My parents thought I’d gone completely mad.
I’m not going to pretend that plumbing is a glamorous profession, because it isn’t. Sometimes it’s downright disgusting, but it did give me a unique insight into lots of people’s lives. It provided me with all the inspiration I needed to fulfil my writing ambitions. During lockdown I wrote a book about what it’s like to be a London plumber and PIPE DREAMS is the result. The publishers are calling it Tales of the Unexpected in overalls. The Times, The Independent, The Daily Mail and The Sun have all covered it and it might soon be turned into a TV series. If someone had told me when I left school that I was going to become a plumber, I would have laughed at them. It just goes to show that lots of our alumni go on to do a vast variety of different things, some of which are completely unexpected. I’ve written the book using a pseudonym, to protect my anonymity. That’s just about the only part of the original plan that didn’t change. So, you won’t recognise the name, but some people know who I am, because over the years I might have built them a bathroom. No-one ever expects an OU to be a plumber, so when I turned up, carrying my toolbox, they couldn’t believe it was me. Becoming a plumber is the best thing I have ever done. It propelled my life in a very different direction, and it helped me to fulfil my pipe dream of becoming a published author.
After all I was entirely rejecting the life that they had envisioned for me. I didn’t see it that way. I wanted to be involved in bringing up my kids, I didn’t want to be stuck in an office anymore and I wanted to write a book. Fortunately, I was already fairly handy – all those carpentry lessons with Joe Davison had stood me in good stead. Over the years I’ve worked for a complete cross section of society; judges and drug addicts; rock stars and railway workers; Oscar winners and obstetricians. I’ve employed astrophysicists and alcoholics. Some of the tradesmen I’ve worked with may have been terrorists; my carpenter was an ex-convict; my plasterer was also a prop maker for feature films; and my electrician used to be a theatrical agent. I’ve been told that I challenge social norms and that I cross the social divide. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I’ve always been interested in people and I really don’t care where they come from or what they do for a living.
Feature 23
In Memoriam We are sorry to announce news of OUs who have passed away. Our condolences to their family and friends. Roger Tanner* (M 36) August 2022
David Pearson (LH 48) July 2021
Sir Michael Rawlins* (F 54) January 2023
Bruce Arthur* (LH 40) May 2023
Keith Freeman (B 49) October 2022
Atholl Wilson* (L 54) April 2023
Richard Cahn (SH 40) January 2022
William Underwood (WB 49) March 2023
Hugh Pountney (SH 55) May 2023
Norman Nash* (M 42) September 2022
John Bowie (Fgh 50) November 2022
Mark Handley* (LH 56) January 2023
William ‘Dennis’ Bell (H 43) June 2023
William ‘Henry’ Fargus (B 50) September 2021
Peter Brice (M 57) July 2023
Sir Patrick Garland* (LH 43) August 2023
Mervyn Griffiths (SH 50) September 2023
David Renison (F 57) October 2022
Robert Waring (WD 43) April 2023
Nigel Lee (Fgh 50) May 2023
Peter Matthews* (C 58) September 2023
Michael Hargreaves (F 44) December 2022
John ‘Roy’ Wadsworth (WB 50) September 2023
Claude Monson (WB 58) November 2022
Basil Pickford (C 44) December 2022
James Purves (LH 51) December 2022
Oliver Hart* (WB 59) September 2022
John Scholes (LH 44) August 2023
Simon Brice (M 52) August 2023
Simon Lang* (B 59) September 2022
Michael Seward* (LH 44) October 2021
John ‘Anthony’ Darbyshire (F 52) October 2022
Michael Batty (L 62) May 2023
Robert Crispe (LH 45) March 2023
Robert Jackson (WD 52) November 2022
John Lloyd (WD 62) October 2022
Julian Goodbody (Hf 45) January 2023
Andrew Phillips* (WD 52) April 2023
John ‘David’ Grey (WD 63) November 2022
Tim Laycock* (SH 45) May 2022
John Williamson (M 52) October 2022
George Hughes (WB 67) September 2023
Sir John Ure* (Hf 45) September 2023
Tim Chater (SH 53) July 2022
Martin Walker (L 67) September 2023
David Nicholls* (C 46) November 2022
Anthony Hamilton (H 53) November 2022
Richard Walker* (M 67) August 2023
Richard Corner* (C 47) September 2022
Gavin Tait (LH 53) April 2023
Richard Aston (WB 68) April 2023
George Riddington* (WD 47) June 2023
Anthony ‘Tony’ Brody* (Hf 54) September 2019
Martin Hole* (M 69) July 2023
Peter Adam (Hf 48) April 2023
Chris Finney (SH 54) March 2021
James ‘Jim’ Parton* (LH 69) June 2023
Charles Aylwin (C 48) May 2023
Robert Johnson (Fgh 54) October 2022
Patrick White (LH 72) December 2021
Edward ‘John’ Billington (B 48) April 2023
Simon Marsh (M 54) September 2022
Robert Whitrow (L 77) January 2023
Clive Chater (SH 48) March 2023
Patrick Pease (Fgh 54) March 2023
Christopher Braddock (F 79) February 2023
* We are pleased to include obituaries supplied by family members or friends of the deceased. If you would like to submit a piece for a future OU magazine, please see the OU website/get-in-touch for details or contact a member of the OU team who will be pleased to help, ou@uppingham.co.uk.
24 In Memoriam
Obituaries Roger Tanner (M 36) By his nephew Frederic Tanner Roger was born in Harrogate in January 1922, the youngest of four children. He grew up in Greenfield, a village west of the Pennines, and went to boarding school in Harrogate and then on to Uppingham in 1936. Music was his passion and he was a gifted pianist, so much so that he was given a place in the Royal College of Music. His time there was cut short by the war when he was posted by the RAF to India, which was where he found the joy of travel. On his return to the UK, he joined the family textile business, eventually becoming Chairman. Among his many trips all over the world, he took part in the Paris to Peking Rally, which, at first, he wanted to compete in with his 1930s Bentley (vintage cars being another hobby) but decided that it was wiser in a Land Rover, accompanied by an old friend. During a trip to the Arctic Circle he found a museum in a small village and decided that if they can have a museum, there so could he. He bought a derelict building in 1962, renovated it with the help of many locals, and after two revamps and an extension (thanks to National Lottery money), the village of Uppermill now has an excellent museum: the Saddleworth Museum and Gallery. In 1979, Roger became a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester. He was a Founder Member, Chairman and finally President of the Saddleworth Festival of Arts, which took place every four years. This brought into the area well-known musicians, artists and experts in all fields for concerts, exhibitions and talks. He was involved in this for over 50 years and was awarded an MBE for Services to the Arts. Strengthening the strong family link to the local Greenfield Cricket Club, Roger was its President for 62 years,
as well as President of the District Cricket League. He was Chairman of the Friends of the Royal Northern College of Music and a member of the Executive of North West Arts. Whilst not actually in Rotary, he received their highest accolade to a non-Rotarian, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He was President and Patron of many other local clubs and societies, too many to mention. As can be seen, he lived an extremely full and varied life, reaching the magic age of 100 in January of last year. He passed away in August, having been a bachelor his entire life. Bruce Arthur (LH 40) By his son Jamie (B 67) Bruce was born in Madras, India, now Chennai, in November 1926 where his father, George, was a colonial medical officer at the time. The family returned to England where my grandfather commenced medical practice in Fakenham, Norfolk, in eastern England. Bruce was educated at Aldeburgh Lodge, a prep school in Suffolk now known as Orwell Park, and he subsequently went to Uppingham in 1940 to board in Lorne House under the watchful eye of the legendary housemaster, P.F. Saunders. Bruce described himself as a very average student who was intent on following his father by pursuing a career in medicine. His crowning achievement in sports was his inclusion in the 1st XI cricket team as a left arm leg-spinner, gaining his colours in 1944. Having finished his education at Uppingham in 1944, he was accepted at Cambridge University to study preclinical medicine but he, as with many of his peers, preferred to join the armed forces, in his case the Royal Navy. His naval training completed, he was given orders to join the battleship, HMS King George V (KGV), in Sydney, Australia, as a midshipman in charge
of one of the port-side multi-purpose 5.25 inch guns, which were part of the secondary armament. The KGV sailed from Sydney across the Pacific towards Japan and in April 1945 supported the US landings in Okinawa where they were subjected to kamikaze attacks. Bruce was on board the KGV in Tokyo Bay at the official Japanese surrender to the Allied forces. His previous acceptance at Cambridge as a medical student was deemed as sufficient experience to be ordered by his captain to lead a medical shore party into Tokyo itself to try to find, liberate and provide care for Allied prisoners of war. After his demobilization, he completed his medical studies at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and practised in Fakenham, Norfolk, before emigrating to Australia in 1968. Over the next 34 years, he practised general medicine in New South Wales, Queensland and Jakarta, Indonesia, before finally hanging up his stethoscope in 2002. He completed the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 1982 aboard his yacht, Mourning Swan, one of the very rough years when two-thirds of the fleet retired, and he also completed an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Australia in a total of five different yachts. His last 42 years were spent with his much-loved wife, Jane, and the worldwide adventures they had together were legion. His was indeed a well-lived life. He is survived by Jane, his four children, 10 grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. Bruce only ever had good things to say about his time at Uppingham and I was proud to follow him there in 1966. Thank you, Uppingham! Norman Nash (M 42) By his son Patrick My father Norman was born in 1928 in Stevenage. As a teenager in World War II, he was desperately keen to join the armed forces, but the war ended before he could. He was offered a place at Cambridge University, but this was delayed as the war ended
Obituaries 25
Obituaries
and returning officers were prioritised. As a result, Dad trained as an articled clerk in the City of London. He joined Rosslyn Park Rugby Club, playing scrum half for the main team which included England and county players, later becoming Club Treasurer. He also joined Hurlingham Club playing tennis, dancing and making lifelong friends. Dad met Mum in 1952 on a plane trip. They had a whirlwind year of parties before she went to work in Singapore for two years. Dad waited and shortly after her return she accepted his marriage proposal. They first lived in Putney, becoming committed congregation and choir members at St Margaret’s Church. Children followed: myself, Patrick, in 1957, Cressida was born in 1960 and Polly in 1963. They moved into a larger house in Wimbledon, that was a wreck, and then spent 18 months creating a beautiful home. Dad worked at his father’s firm and was an exceptional accountant. From 1955, he led the company, growing it from just 10 staff to 250. Favourite clients included Rules Restaurant, London’s oldest restaurant; the Post Office Engineering Union; and Pan’s People, the memorable Top of the Pops dancers. Dad was an entrepreneur, setting up many organisations, including The Directors’ Wine Club. His professional highlight was his creation of a network of accountancy firms in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Germany, France and more. Mum and Dad now travelled internationally, which they loved. Dad served on the Hurlingham Committee, was a Centre Court Steward for Wimbledon fortnight, Chair of Calibre Audio which provides free audiobooks, and a trustee of the Royal School of Church Music. He was an enthusiastic Grandpa to his seven grandchildren. They tell of his great enthusiasm at pouring drinks when ‘the sun is over the yardarm’. He wanted to hear about their interests,
26 Obituaries
work and passions and engaged in discussions on topics from Mahler to the climate crisis. After they moved to Burdrop, Mum and he took up gliding, bought a narrow boat and cruised around almost every canal in England. They were very involved in church and village life. The roof and other fabric of Sibford Church have a lot to do with Dad, as does the burial ground where he now lies. Dad left this life peacefully at home as he and Mum always wished. We have his carers and Sibford Surgery to thank for this. He will be greatly missed by the many who knew him. Sir Patrick Garland (LH 43) By his daughter Philippa Cottle Sir Patrick passed away in London on 6th August 2023, aged 94. He retired as a Judge of the High Court in 2002. Prior to being a judge, he served as a recorder, Queen’s Counsel and barrister of the Middle Temple. He was a loyal OU, a regular attendee at events and a proud Uppinghamian. He maintained lifelong friendships made at the School. Michael Seward
(L 44) By his niece, Dr Louise Hurrell
Michael was born one of six children in Stockport, Cheshire, the son of architect Henry Seward of Cruikshank & Seward, working in Manchester. As a young child, he survived thanks to his parents signing a disclaimer to the doctor for treatment of pneumonia with penicillin, the latest drug available. He could remember his lungs clearing, the pain easing and getting his breath back. Earlier, as a new schoolboy, he was invited to a birthday party by a classmate near his home. He took the one stop on the bus, aged five, alighted and ran straight
across the main road as instructed. He next recalled being held by someone handing him over to his distraught mother, completely limp, and hearing that he’d been run down by a car. A few weeks later he began to stutter, and as was common at the time, it was never discussed. The year in which he died, I suggested to him that a traumatic event could cause a stammer, and he told me, his niece, this story that he had never told anyone before. He never stumbled over his words again. Michael followed his older brother, John (L 42), to Uppingham, and his younger brother, Henry (L 54), later attended. Their father was encouraged to send the boys there through a relative who was a founder of the Royal Flying Corps and knew the school. Michael’s memories of Uppingham were mainly connected with cricket matches and hockey. He had two friends, one of whom died tragically young, and John ‘Stephen’ Knox (L 44), with whom he remained close all his life. Michael attended National Service, based near Leek, followed by Liverpool University, where he trained as a quantity surveyor, having a keen eye for figures and detail. His two qualifying years were spent working in London, playing hockey and cricket. He returned home to work for his father before marrying Sheila Cobb in 1958. Theirs was a famously happy marriage, settling in Glossop in the High Peak of the Pennines, in one half of a former mill owner’s house, and he lived there for 64 years. Michael set up his own practice as a quantity surveyor in Stockport. In retirement, he continued to work as a special witness in his field until his mid-seventies and, making use of Manchester Airport, regularly flew to Scotland and London. At home, Sheila and Michael’s neverending idyll was shared with many dogs, a handful of cats, and a golden pheasant, which adopted them. They had no children of their own, but were open-armed in their invitations to
the next generations of their families, and I lived with them for six years. He loved cars, and was given a Bentley by an early mentor, and loved France and good food and wine. Before the death of his father in 1980, Michael began to listen to his dying father’s stories about the Great War. He had suffered lifelong pain from the effects of lead shot and gassing, and they had not been close, but in his last year or two, the stories began to emerge. This story was embraced by Michael and he began to amass a full library, spending many years finding facts about relations for friends, visiting almost every war cemetery in Europe, and eventually producing the record of officer war losses during WW1 for Uppingham. He inspired his friend, Professor Harold Hankins, to publish a record of Manchester University’s losses during the Great War. Michael wanted his old school to benefit from a legacy gift, and to provide education in some small way for those in need would have given him much pleasure and delight. Tim Laycock (SH 45) By his daughter Louise On leaving Uppingham, Tim joined the Navy which took him on long stretches aboard ships and later submarines. It takes a particular type of person to live in crowded conditions for three months at a time. Mention any country in the world, and he would always have a story to tell. Whilst others drank gin in the officers’ mess, Tim would use any days of spare leave to go upcountry and explore. Tim was a brilliant sailor; he was selected to sail for the Navy in the first ever Whitbread Round The World Race, completing the leg across the Southern Ocean from Australia to Rio de Janeiro. This was a highly prestigious honour, the sailing equivalent of climbing Everest. Tim’s stoic
determination whilst racing in terrible weather is mentioned in the book, Heavy Weather Sailing by Adlard Coles. After the Navy, Tim ran a boat building yard in Buckie, Northeast Scotland, making huge wooden fishing boats. If you have ever been on a run ashore with Tim for a pub lunch, he would always order fish and ask where it came from, in a one-man campaign to keep the British fishing industry, and therefore boat building carpentry skills, alive. When our son Charlie was eight, he pointed out to Tim that his elbows shouldn’t be on the table, Tim replied, “when you are over 86, you are allowed to do what you want!”. He was very pleased and rather surprised to have made it to his 90th year. Tim passed away in May 2022. Sir John Ure (Hf 45) Adapted from obituary in The Telegraph John Burns Ure was born in July 1931. After Uppingham he went up to Magdalene College, Cambridge, and then on to Harvard Business School. During his National Service he served in Malaya as an officer with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). After which, having returned to England, John joined the publishers Ernest Benn and for three years maintained his Army connection as a lieutenant with the London Scottish (Gordon Highlanders) Territorial Army. He joined the Foreign (later Diplomatic) Service in 1956, and the following year was posted to Moscow as the Ambassador’s Private Secretary. During the decade from 1960, John began as Resident Clerk at the Foreign Office in London, and had two overseas postings, as Second Secretary in Leopoldville, in the Congo, and as First Secretary (Commercial) in Santiago. He was in the Congo during the violence that flared up as Belgium withdrew from Africa, and was wounded when the British Embassy was sacked. It was at the end of the 1960s, during his time in Santiago, that he embarked
on an expedition across the Andes, a journey on polo ponies, over one of the highest passes between Chile and Argentina. It was this that provided the impetus, and much of the material, for his first book, Cucumber Sandwiches in the Andes published in 1973, and also the blueprint for later works. In 1972 John was posted as Counsellor to Lisbon, where he acted intermittently as Chargé d’affaires, with the added responsibility of investigating alleged massacres in Mozambique, and to witness some of the most turbulent years in the history of Portugal. He returned to the Foreign Office, London, in 1977 as Head of the South American Department, and then two years later went as Ambassador to Cuba at a time of mounting tension between Fidel Castro’s regime and America. From 1981 to 1984, he was back in London as Assistant Under-Secretary of State and – before and during the Falklands crisis – Superintending Under-Secretary for all American departments, north and south. His book The Quest for Captain Morgan was published hours before the American invasion of Grenada. His next posting, from 1984 to 1987, was as Ambassador to Brazil. Although the Embassy there is Britain’s largest and busiest in South America, John found time to produce Trespassers on the Amazon in 1986. John’s final diplomatic posting, from 1987 to the end of 1991, was as Ambassador to Sweden, in succession to Sir Richard Parsons. In the early part of his retirement, he was UK Commissioner General for Expo ’92, overseeing the progress of the British Pavilion in Spain. He continued to write, including supplying lively travel pieces to the Daily and Sunday Telegraph and also organising, for many years, the Thomas Cook/Daily Telegraph Travel Book of the Year prize.
Obituaries 27
Obituaries
He produced the Central and South America sections in the Royal Geographical Society History of World Exploration in 1990, A Bird on the Wing: Bonnie Prince Charlie’s flight from Culloden Retraced was published in 1992 and His Diplomatic Bag followed in 1994. His last book was Beware the Rugged Russian Bear: British adventures exposing the Bolsheviks, published in 2015. John was appointed LVO in 1968, CMG in 1980 and KCMG in 1987. A diplomat and writer of colourful books on travel, history and adventure – he emerges from his writings as one who is never happier than when he finds himself coping with conditions most people would cheerfully avoid. Sir John died on 19th September 2023, aged 92. He is survived by his wife and travelling companion, Caroline, who he married in 1972, and their son and daughter. David Nicholls (C 46) By his son Jonathan (C 71) David was born in July 1932 in Greenwich, but he spent most of his early life in India where his family were in the tea industry. After attending Uppingham he went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge, in 1950 to read Agriculture. Graduating in 1953, he emigrated to East Africa for tea planting in Tanganyika, now Tanzania, then after National Service in the Kenya Regiment, living in Nairobi and tea broking in Kenya and Malawi. He returned to the UK in 1969, becoming a partner in the London tea broking firm of Geo. White & Co. Latterly, he was tea manufacturing and a marketing consultant with the Inchcape Group for their tea estates in North-East India. He retired in the early 1990s. He and Jill married in 1956 and had three children and five grandchildren. His interests were bell ringing, aviation (PPL holder), sailing and walking. He died on 15th November 2022, aged 90.
28 Obituaries
Richard Corner (C 47) By Roger Neill (B57) Richard Malcolm Corner died in Santa Barbara, California, in September 2022. He was 89. He and I were colleagues for several years when he was Executive Director of the International Advertising Association (IAA) at their headquarters in New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was an outstanding operator, managing a worldwide campaign for the IAA in defence of freedom of commercial speech at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Empire. I recall fondly an IAA board meeting in Budapest, where we both wore OU country ties! He was a delight to work with. At Uppingham he was a School Praepostor, was in the cricket XI, and was Captain of Fives as well as Captain of Games. His older brother was William James Corner (WD 45). Richard went on to Worcester College, Oxford, where he gained his blue as Captain of Eton Fives. For his National Service he was Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. His initial business career (from 1956) was for 12 years as an executive at a leading advertising agency in London, Mather and Crowther (now Ogilvy). In 1968 he was transferred to the Lausanne office, where he worked joyfully, building the business with the managing director, a ‘mad Irishman’, for another 12 years. It was in Lausanne that he met and married his life partner, Calla. Five years followed in the same city in issues management with Philip Morris, a job which involved much international travel, and Philip Morris was followed by a further five years in Brussels. He joined IAA in New York in 1989, retiring in 2003. He initially set up home with his family (wife Calla and daughter Lucy) in Scottsdale, Arizona, before settling in Santa Barbara, California.
George Riddington (WD 47) By his son Andrew (WD 78) George Riddington was born in Crowland, Lincolnshire, in January 1934, the second child of five. He attended The Knoll School from 1942 to 1947 before going to Uppingham until 1952. He played in all of the 1st teams and particularly excelled at hockey; he was in the 1st team for three years and captained the side in his last year. He was also Captain of House (West Deyne) and Captain of School in his last term. After Uppingham, he undertook two years of National Service in Aldershot where he reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and seemed to play hockey for every team that he could. In 1954 he went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, to read History. He won a hockey Blue and was a member of the Hawks’ Club. His hockey skills were noted by the National Selectors and he was invited to tour with England to South Africa, winning his first ‘national cap’ and playing several matches. He continued playing at a high level for many years, representing Peterborough, Lincolnshire and the East of England. By profession, George was a farmer and throughout his life he took a keen interest in all things agriculture and farming. He was a life member of the East of England Agricultural Society, where he was a Trustee for over 40 years. His sporting interests continued, including being a member of the local Olympic Fundraising Committee. A committed family man, he married Helen Hoyles in 1962, and they had three children: Peter (WD 76), Andrew (WD 78) and Caroline, all of whom survive him. He also had eight grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. On retiring, George and Helen moved to Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, where he had spent many
summers as a child. He was a member of Hunstanton Golf Club for over 75 years, playing golf for most of that time with a single figure handicap, and captaining the Club in 2003. He enjoyed all sport as well as bridge, gardening, reading and The Telegraph crossword, which he completed daily. He died peacefully in King’s Lynn hospital on 6th June 2023. Andrew Phillips (WD 52) Andrew Wyndham Phillips was a pioneering solicitor, a dedicated supporter of many charities and a much-loved legal expert and broadcaster, regularly appearing on Jimmy Young’s BBC Radio 2 show as the ‘Legal Eagle’ for nearly 30 years. He was born in Long Melford, Suffolk, in 1939, the second of three children of Alan, a solicitor in nearby Sudbury, and his wife Dorothy. Andrew’s first legal job was as ‘office boy auxiliary’, delivering letters around Sudbury for his father’s law firm, Bates Wells & Braithwaite. Following Uppingham, he read economics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before switching to law. He took articles with his father’s firm and worked for two London firms, Pritchard Englefield and Lawford & Co, before setting up his own practice in London, which he also called Bates Wells & Braithwaite (BWB). His ‘love of the creative anarchy’ in the voluntary sector started when he volunteered for a small charity that became the Samaritans. He got on well with the founder, Chad Varah, and ended up working one evening shift every fortnight for a period of five years. In 1968 he married Penelope Bennett; they had met at a wedding party having both arrived with different partners. BWB attracted a diverse portfolio of clients, including the Public Interest Research Centre, which was looking at centres of power, both private and public, and considering to what extent they served the public interest; the
Fairtrade Foundation; Charity Bank; and the Village Stores Association, all of whom benefited from his success in securing their charitable status and, before long, more than half his work was connected to charity law. In 1972 Andrew co-founded the Legal Action Group, promoting equal access to justice for people who are socially or economically disadvantaged; 50 years later he was still encouraging its supporters to fight for justice, which, he said, remained “under massive threat”. He also co-founded the Parlex Group, a European network of 30 legal firms, and Law Works, a charity providing pro bono legal advice to those who are not eligible for legal aid but cannot afford their legal costs. Andrew always had in mind to get into politics and, after several failed attempts of being elected in the 1970s, both as a Labour candidate and then representing the Liberals, his political ambitions were finally fulfilled in 1998, when he was created a life peer, pursuing interests in legal services, surveillance and personal liberty. Elevated to the House of Lords, he continued to champion charities. He sat as a Liberal Democrat, but described himself as “a bloodyminded, independent Whig”. By 2006, exhausted by the work, Andrew wanted to retire, but no mechanism existed at that time for life peers to quit: only hereditary peers could resign. The House of Lords Reform Act (2014) enabled him to depart for good in 2015, after which he insisted on being called Mr Phillips. Naturally gregarious, Andrew was a formidable networker and a persuasive advocate, whose energy, charged by a moral passion, was a force for change within the English legal profession. He died on 9th April 2023 aged 84 and is survived by his wife, Penelope, and their three children.
Anthony ‘Tony’ Brody (Hf 54) Provided by his wife Carol Tony was born in Sheffield in 1940, the oldest son of Dr Hyman Brody, an eminent consultant physician, and Gertrud Brody, an Austrian refugee who managed to escape from Vienna soon after Germany’s annexation of Austria in March 1938. He was a gifted child, excelling in all academic subjects and becoming an accomplished pianist at a young age. He was a skilful spin bowler and at Uppingham he played for a cup-winning cricket team and was a prominent member of a skiffle group. Between school and university he lived and worked in both Germany and Italy, and learned to speak both languages fluently. In 1960, he won a place to study Physics at Trinity College, Oxford; in 1963 he was awarded a first class degree and went straight on to do a doctorate at Oxford. He became one of the new generation of scientists, researching the nature of small particles. This led to post-doctoral research at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva and onto the Small Particle Research Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He was at the forefront of ground-breaking discoveries of previously unknown particles – the most basic units of energy and matter. Feeling that he had other, perhaps more personally rewarding talents, he later embarked on a change of career. He was offered a place to study nuclear medicine at Oxford but, after much soul-searching, decided in 1971, at age 31, to go instead to Sheffield University and take a full medical degree. By returning to his childhood city, and living near his parents, he was thus able to share his new intellectual journey with his physician father.
Obituaries 29
Obituaries
He subsequently moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1976 to complete an Internal Medicine Residency and a Fellowship in Cardiology. Six years later, he moved to Peoria and became a founding member of Central Illinois Cardiologists, which was renamed the Illinois Heart Institute, serving as their President from 1991 to 1993. Tony was a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, President of the Proctor Hospital Medical Staff, and President of the Proctor Health Care Foundation. He served as Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. He was a board member at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and he spent part of one summer as a medical volunteer in Haiti.After retirement, he volunteered at Caterpillar Inc. Wellness Clinic as instructor and mentor of medical students at the College of Medicine. Tony lived a life of humility and love for others. He had an extraordinary capacity for work, yet he maintained many other interests. He read widely and voraciously. He kept abreast of developments in both small particle physics and astronomy – and gave occasional talks, sharing his grasp of new theories about the origins of the universe and the complexities of formation and dissolution of stars. He was an avid skier, and an enthusiastic fly-fisherman. Tony passed away in Peoria, Illinois, on 18th September, 2019. Sir Michael Rawlins (F 54) Michael was born in Shrewsbury in March 1941, the first of two sons of the Rev. Jack Rawlins, grandson of Claud Douglas-Hamilton (Redgate, 1903) and his wife, Evelyn, who was a nurse. When Michael was five his father died, and 10 years later his mother married Hedley Boardman, a GP in Melbourne,
30 Obituaries
Derbyshire, who was extremely supportive of his stepson’s career. At Uppingham Michael enjoyed biology, and went on to read medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, where his mother had trained. As a student he spent much of his time conducting an orchestra and putting on operas – he also played the piano, violin and viola. He trained in clinical pharmacology and general medicine at the Hammersmith Hospital, while beginning a parallel career in research. In 1973 he was appointed as consultant clinical pharmacologist at the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Trust and the Ruth and Lionel Jacobson Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Newcastle University. He stayed for 33 years, setting up a unit to treat drug overdoses and conducting research, notably on the disabling neurological condition Huntington’s disease. In the late 1970s he joined a subcommittee of the Committee on the Safety of Medicines and in 1980 was appointed to the main committee, chairing it from 1993 to 1998. By the mid-1990s new and expensive medical treatments had brought about a ‘postcode lottery’, as some health authorities balked at the cost while others allowed the drugs to be prescribed. In response to wider alarm at variable standards in the NHS, in 1998 the recently elected Labour government announced a body that would give doctors the evidence they needed to provide effective care while controlling costs. Michael became the first chair and chief architect of what was then called the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). At this time, he also joined the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs as chair, remaining until 2008. Michael was a dedicated clinical pharmacologist and general physician, who had honed his chairing skills on the Committee on the Safety of Medicines, while keeping up his time on the wards. He kept the perspectives of doctors and patients in mind at all times, and his concern to ensure that all stakeholders
had a voice in the new body was a key to its success. The role of NICE was to carry out technical appraisals of new medicines and devices, to assess their cost effectiveness, and to write guidelines for doctors (in association with the specialist medical colleges) on best practice. Michael remained chair of NICE until 2013 and, during that time, saw it grow from a few dozen staff to almost 700. In 2005 its remit widened to include public health and, from 2012, social care for adults and children as well. Renamed the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, the body is a critical part of the NHS’s regulatory landscape, and has been admired and imitated by many other countries. After retiring from NICE he became president of the Royal Society of Medicine, and then went back into the regulatory field as chair of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency from 2014 to 2020. He also chaired the health data resource UK Biobank from 2012 until 2019. Among many honorary degrees and other honours, he was knighted in 1999 and promoted to GBE in 2017. Michael died on 1st January 2023 aged 81 and is survived by three daughters, Victoria, Lucy and Susannah, eight grandchildren, a great-grandchild and his younger brother Christopher (F 58). Atholl Wilson (L 54) By his brother Evan (L 57) Atholl was born in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, in 1941, the eldest of five children of a Leeds solicitor. After attending Bramcote prep school in Scarborough, where boys had cold baths every day, he was pleased that no such activity was enforced at Uppingham! Bryan Matthews (SH 30) was his housemaster at The Lodge, and we both remembered his eldest daughter
Barbara (SH 73) being born, now Uppingham’s Chair of Trustees. Atholl was in The Lodge and at that time the House had won The Ellis Swimming Cup 16 years in a row up to 1956.The rest of the School put this success down to The Lodge being the nearest House to the then swimming pool! My brother and I enjoyed sharing memories of our time at Uppingham and remember putting yellow stickers on our study windows staying: “RUTLAND FIGHTS FOR MINORITY RIGHTS”. The fight was lost and the county became part of Leicestershire, but it eventually regained its independence many years later in 1997. On qualification as a solicitor in 1964, Atholl joined Raworths in Harrogate, where he remained for nearly 40 years, as a partner for most of that time. Out of the office he was a Fellow of The Woodard Corporation. He enjoyed travel and golf, which was almost a compulsory activity as his wife Rosemary was twice Lady Captain of Bedale Golf Club. Atholl lived in various parts of Yorkshire, including in Cracoe, where the Village Hall is the location of the meetings of the Rylstone WI – of the Calendar Girls fame! He later lived in Harrogate and surrounding area, including an apartment at Norton Conyers, near Ripon, thought to be the inspiration for Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre. He passed away in April this year and was buried in the churchyard at Kirklington, with several OUs in attendance. Mark Handley (LH 56) By Patrick Grieve (SH 55) Mark died just two days before his 80th birthday and his funeral took place on the 22nd February 2023. His love of English literature began as he studied for A levels under Brian Stokes, and continued at Cambridge where he graduated in English. He became an architect employed by the County Council for many years, designing public buildings. However, his
heart and considerable talents were devoted to drawing and painting, and composing carefully conceived poetry, some poignant but mostly satyric and witty. It invariably both scanned and rhymed. His delicate pen drawings were original and amusing. He won a prize in a Punch cartoon competition, and had several drawings published in the Cambridge Evening News. He was influenced by his neighbour and friend Edward Bawden, who inspired him to concentrate on linocuts. He had several one-man exhibitions in and around Cambridge. These woodcuts, sometimes quite large, created a stir. That of Aldeburgh beach is still selling. He found a larger audience with the publication of a volume of his woodcuts and poems called Poets Cornered, published by the Lettering Arts Trust, mentioned in the Spectator and reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement. His profound knowledge and love of poets and writers is revealed in the vignettes and witty parodies of his subjects. His unfailing good humour and kindness made him many friends. He is much missed by his wife, children and grandchildren. Peter Matthews (C 58) Peter dedicated his life to athletics in various guises. He was a long-time editor of the ATFS International Athletics Annuals, as well as the Athletics International newsletter. Alongside his work as a television commentator, he was also an in-stadium announcer for many events over the years. Born in Hampshire in January 1945, Peter had a keen interest in the statistical side of sport from a young age and joined NUTS (the National Union of Track Statisticians) in 1966. Just a few years later in 1970, at the age of 25, he was the in-stadium announcer at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. More than three decades later, when the Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, he was once again the
stadium announcer; likewise, at the 2003 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham and the 2006 European Championships in Gothenburg. In between, he worked as a commentator for BBC radio and various TV channels and online platforms. His role as editor of the ATFS International Athletics Annuals began in 1984 and continued up until the latest edition. He also edited the British Athletics Annual from the early 1980s, as well as the Guinness Book of World Records in the early 1990s. Peter was also instrumental in the compilation of the merit rankings produced by Athletics International. In 2009 he was awarded the Ron Pickering Memorial Award for services to athletics, and in 2018 he was inducted into the England Athletics hall of fame. Over his lifetime, he became one of the most respected and authoritative voices in track and field. Peter died on 9th September, aged 78, and will be sorely missed by family, friends and colleagues. Oliver Hart (WB 59) By his brother Nicholas (WB 60) A member of the Running Eight at Uppingham, and a leading member of the all-conquering West Bank swimming team, his preferred sports were skiing and sailing. Following his years at Uppingham, much against his will, at the insistence of our father, Lemon Evelyn Hart (Fgh 27), he spent the next five years qualifying as a chartered accountant. Duty done, he left the city immediately and spent the next few years in an enviable way. During the summers he sailed, crewing tall ships (both in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean) including memorably on a tall ship that was part of the magnificent flotilla that paraded into Kiel harbour at the beginning of the 1972 Munich Olympics. During the winters he was
Obituaries
31
Obituaries
able to pursue his love of skiing by travelling around the Alps with the British Ladies ski team as its ‘roadie’. He also found time to go gold panning in the Andes, featuring in the book of that expedition.
John ‘David’ Grey (WD 63) By his brother Michael (WD 61) and his sons, James and Andrew
With marriage and responsibilities, he remained involved in skiing by working for Salomon, first of all by setting up its subsidiary in the UK followed by a few years in Annecy, France, and then returning to the UK as managing director.
Born in July 1949, David attended Newcastle Preparatory School before following his brother to Uppingham in 1963. He quickly established his credentials on the rugby field as a talented forward with a ‘sidestep’, gaining an early place on the school colts team and the above-mentioned nickname.
On retirement he used his qualifications (he had forgiven his father for this many years before) to act as a finance manager for a venture capital firm. Finally, he and his wife, Ginna, set up and ran a bunkhouse in Snowdonia for climbers and walkers so he could return to his love of the outdoors. Sadly afflicted by Alzheimer’s in recent years, he was wonderfully supported by his wife and children of whom he was very proud. Oliver passed away peacefully in hospital on 12th September 2022. Simon Lang (B 59) By his wife Susie Very sadly, my husband Simon died on 24th September 2022. He had cancer. We spent the last 12 years of his life living in his beloved France. In fact, there is a letter in Issue 39 of the OU magazine, page 29, from JS Finch who remembered Simon’s abilities in French – he always won best essay in the subject and it was a love that started in prep school – Eagle House. I understand that his French teacher at Uppingham wanted him to go to Oxford to study French, but on leaving the School in July 1964 he went on to study Psychology at Edinburgh instead. He had many happy memories of his years at Uppingham; in fact many years ago, when in the area, we visited the School and also Brooklands, his House, the furthest away from the School. They walked to and from classes in all weathers in just their blazers, never wearing raincoats!
32 Obituaries
He continued to shine and received his 1st XV colours at the tender age of 16, continuing for a total of three years and eventually as Captain of Rugby in his final term. Never having a great deal of confidence in his academic abilities, he nevertheless won university offers but instead went straight into articles and quickly qualified as a solicitor in South London whilst continuing his love of rugby with Streatham-Croydon, then a club to be reckoned with. After marriage, he established practices in West Sussex, where he was valued as a wise and commercially proactive solicitor. He also continued playing rugby (until the age of 60) with Hastings and the Sussex county side. By then he was much involved with the progress of two sons, also both talented rugby players at Eastbourne College. After a too short retirement (mainly spent in Spain) he died from a sudden heart attack on the 27th November 2022 and was flown back to a hugely attended and moving funeral in Eastbourne. He is survived by his wife Sonia, their sons, James and Andrew and two grandchildren, Daisy May and Annabelle.
Richard Walker (M 67) By David Banting (Old Boy of Cambridge University Hockey Club) Born in August 1953 in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, Richard followed his elder brother to Bilton Grange, near Rugby, and on to Uppingham where he excelled athletically. In 1971 he became only the twelfth boy in 75 years to captain both the school’s rugby 1st XV and hockey 1st XI. In 1972 he went on to Selwyn College, Cambridge, to read Geography, where hockey overtook and outshone his other sports. He gained three blues in 1973, 1974 and 1975. He had learned his hockey at Bilton Grange from the veteran England player of the 1920s, J K ‘Ken’ Waydelin, and the Cambridge team of 1974 contained three old boys from that same school. Those three were later to be well and truly blooded in the sport, but also rewarded, whilst playing as young students in the mighty London League of that era. Richard never lost his cheerful Yorkshire git or accent. The years at Cambridge also helped Richard to a personal and lasting Christian faith and confirmed his vocation to teaching. After a PGCE, he taught Geography (and coached hockey) at Cheltenham College; King’s College, Auckland, New Zealand, and Bedford School. He was so grateful to find love and, in May 1999, married Ursula, who brought her own family to the household. In his retirement in 2014, they moved to live between Reading and Henley, where Richard continued to be active in the local church and community and in Christian charities at home and in Africa until his untimely death in August. Richard was a man of steady perseverance through the ‘chances and changes of this mortal life’, and will be remembered for his simple enthusiasms, loyal friendships and engaging friendliness. He always seemed as determined to help others enjoy themselves as to enjoy himself, whatever the circumstances. We have lost a good companion and steadfast colleague.
Martin Hole (M 69) The OU team, Patrick, Jo and Richard in particular, were very sorry to hear news of Martin’s passing in July. A natural raconteur and entertainer, with a passion for life and a love for Uppingham, it was always a delight to welcome Martin to OU events. He was a regular attendee at London OU Dinners, and more recently at Over 60s Lunches, always coming armed with a wealth of entertaining stories and a witty take on life, despite the many health challenges he faced. A strong supporter of Uppingham, Martin has left the School a significant legacy which will support many pupils through the bursary programme. Martin will be greatly missed by all those that knew him. James ‘Jim’ Parton III (LH 69) Born in New York to James Parton II – founder and publisher of American Heritage magazine – and Jane Bourne Parton, the family relocated to Westport, Connecticut, where Jim spent his early years. He attended Uppingham for just a year and in communications with the OU team, confessed it was a bit of a shock for a Yank to arrive at an all-boys school in Rutland after years of co-education in the States! Following university, Jim practised law in California for 42 years. The first 20 years of his practice was in personal injury and product liability defence, including representation of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. In the last 22 years, his practice changed focus to counselling and defending small and large businesses in employment matters and securities litigation.
University of San Francisco School of Law. They settled in Mill Valley and wed in 1985. Together they explored the joys of hiking and mountain biking. They enjoyed travelling, journeying to Europe and New Zealand. They had two children, Jane and Nate. Jim retired fully in 2019 and vigorously pursued the things he loved best: travel, gardening, hiking, family history and genealogy, and photography. He was dedicated to outdoor recreation and the arts and was on the boards of many community service projects, including the Mill Valley Parks and Recreation Commission, Antenna Theatre and the West Point Inn atop Mount Tamalpais. In April 2020, Jim learned he had ocular melanoma with a genetic marker revealing it as terminal and without effective treatment. Despite participating in various new experimental drug trials, offered to him by the University of California and Stanford University Medical Center, they failed to halt the disease. Yet he remained active, upbeat and devoted to seeing friends almost to the end. Jim was widely admired by clients for his honesty, integrity and clear advice, always to the client’s benefit. Friends also relied on him for his intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, insight, kindness and warmth. He lived life fully with honesty and a sense of fun. He returned to Uppingham only once after he had left in 1970, but when he emailed in December 2022, he remembered his friends and acquaintances from Lorne House over 50 years ago and passed on his best wishes to them all. Jim passed away peacefully at his home on 4th June 2023. He was 71 years old.
Legacy gifts are an important part of our bursaries programme, providing the opportunity for talented children from less affluent backgrounds to access a worldclass Uppingham education. In the last year, Uppingham is grateful to have been notified of bequests from recently departed OUs including Richard Pitt (F 44), Michael Seward (L 44), David Nicholls (C 46), Michael Pix (L 53), David Renison (F 57) and Martin Hole (M 69). If you would like to learn more about how such legacies may be used, or would like to remember the School in your will, please visit the Legacy Giving page on the new Foundation website at www.uppinghamfoundation.co.uk, or contact our Legacy Manager, Sam Dewhurst on SGD@uppingham.co.uk for a confidential conversation.
In 1982, Jim met Maureen Ann Brown, a second-year law student at the
Obituaries 33
“ It immediately entered the charts in the mid-40s, climbed into the teens the next week, then reaching Number 1, where it stayed for four weeks.”
Jan Stoeckhart and Simon Park (SH 59) in the 1970s
34 Feature
Top of the Pops In the last 20 years, OUs have been responsible for 11 Number 1 hits in the pop charts thanks to the enormous success of Charlie Simpson (M 99) with Busted and Harry Judd (F 99) with McFly. However, this September marked the 50th anniversary of the first ever OU Number 1, courtesy of Simon Park (SH 59) and his orchestra with their undeniably catchy hit ‘Eye Level’. Following Simon’s attendance at a School House reunion in May, we asked him some questions about his period of fame back in the early 1970s. How did you come to record Eye Level? I was a jobbing young composer/ arranger and had begun working for London-based film music publishers De Wolfe, who had strong Dutch connections. I was invited to Hilversum to contribute to some recording sessions for their film/TV music library. Another of their regular composers, a Dutchman Jan Stoeckhart (pseudonym Jack Trombey), had discovered this old Dutch folk song and felt it had commercial potential in a big orchestral setting – but felt disinclined to do it himself! So I got the job; it became a part of the De Wolfe library, and when Thames TV came calling looking for title music for their new Dutch detective series ‘Van der Valk’, we suggested this. The rest is history, as they say. The record sold over a million copies in the UK, which is incredible. How did it become such a hit? When it first appeared on Van der Valk, it elicited a huge public reaction – like: “Where can we buy this music?” Thames TV suggested we contact a record company, and EMI agreed to release it. It immediately entered the charts in the mid-40s, climbed into the teens the next week, then reaching number one, where it stayed for four weeks. As for DJs playing it on Radio 1, one (I can’t remember which) refused to play it as ‘No 1’ on the weekly chart show, preferring instead to play the ‘number one POP record’ – which was the No 2 by The Sweet!
What was it like on Top of the Pops? Did you meet other pop stars? It was a bit of a blur – quite surreal in fact. The producer, Robin Nash, took me down into the studio to show me how and where everything worked, and by chance we bumped into the late, lovely Lynsey de Paul. A busy man, Robin quickly off-loaded me onto Lynsey, which was no hardship. Like everyone else, I fell instantly in love! I’d also timed my rise to stardom to coincide with a dispute between the BBC and the Musicians’ Union about the re-use of videos of their members’ performances, rather than regularly re-hiring the musos, week by week, which led to a nearly physical ‘stand-off’ with The Who’s Pete Townsend. Campaigning for the ‘hard-done-by’ musicians, he barged onto the set whilst we were rehearsing, yelling at the band – there to earn their living – whilst brandishing a bottle of some variety. A very large, uniformed BBC commissionaire quickly emerged from backstage, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and removed him. As I said, it was surreal. When you got to Number 1, how did you celebrate?
Was having such a distinctive hit hard to live up to? Did you stay in the music industry? Yes – it was virtually impossible. ‘Eye Level’ was a freak, one-off hit, and frankly impossible to follow up. We tried but two follow-up singles died a predictable death. As to subsequent opportunities, I think it had a mixed effect. I’ve continued to have a pretty successful career in the music business, but I think the ‘Eye Level’ effect had little influence on it. I simply moved on to other things. Do people still mention the song to you? Yes, all the time. It has become something of an albatross around my neck! We can’t undo the past, so we have to accept it, but there are worst pasts to have to live with! Many congratulations to Simon, a million-selling hit and four weeks at Number 1 is a remarkable achievement! Scan the QR code below to watch the live performance on Top of the Pops when it made Number 1 in 1973, introduced by a very young-looking Noel Edmonds.
As I remember, my publishers brought a bottle or several into my dressing room and invited ‘the great and the good’ to join us for a slurp (not including Townsend). Every other ligger in the building soon got the sniff, however, and a good time was had by far too many...
Simon Park (SH 59) with his house mates David Elworthy and Richard Stewart (both also SH 59), photographed at the School House reunion held on 13th May 2023.
Feature 35
Making Waves in Business Uppingham has produced an exceptional number of entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom have created exciting brands and businesses both large and small. Some learnt their trade by buying and selling in-demand goods (occasionally illicit!) within their boarding houses, others have it in their blood, some are inspired by personal experiences and others fall into it almost by
accident. Each of their journeys and outcomes are uniquely different, but what appears consistent is the entrepreneurial spirit amongst them all – innovating, pioneering, determined, self-motivating, tenacious and brave.
The Value of Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is important for many reasons – providing job opportunities; introducing innovative technologies; creating new businesses and markets; stimulating competition and propelling industries and sectors forward. Successful entrepreneurial ventures also inspire others to take the leap, to follow passions and explore ideas. With the aim of harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit amongst the OU community, a School for Life networking event was held in London in September, centred around a Q&A session with a panel of outstanding OU entrepreneurs. The evening was highly informative with subjects covered ranging from ‘how do I raise finance?’, to ‘when is the right time to go it alone?’ and ‘what do I do when I feel the responsibility for my business is overwhelming me?’. In true OU-style there was also plenty of time for guests to share their own stories, make new acquaintances and useful contacts.
Next Steps… After the buzz of the event, the OU team plan to set up an OU entrepreneur networking and support group. If you would like to be part of this initiative, please email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk.
36 Entrepreneurs
Thank you to our panel of OU entrepreneurs. Left to right: Dan Black (B 87), Ben Branson (B 96), Niki Clarke (Fd 98), Alex Lyles (J 96) and Fiona Watts (J 96)
Black+Blum black-blum.com Dan Black (B 87) co-founded Black+Blum in 1998 and what started as a consultancy quickly turned into a multiaward winning product design company. In a crowded marketplace their designs stood out for being unique, creative and ‘fun-ctional’. In 2018 the company took the conscious decision to focus solely on the reusable category, to make products that encouraged sustainable living. Today Black+Blum products are sold in over 60 countries and 1,000 stores. They supply leading retailers from Harrods to Selfridges, co-brand with companies including Rapha, Finisterre and Prada and supply hotels such as the Fife Arms, Carnegie Club and Soho House. Their mantra? Buy once, buy well.
Seedlip seedlipdrinks.com Ben Branson (B 96) is an inventor, entrepreneur and naturalist. In 2015 he founded Seedlip, the world’s first and no.1 distilled non-alcoholic spirits brand. An invention he successfully took from his kitchen to 35 countries and the world’s best bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers in less than four years, spearheading a category now worth $11bn and a global movement revolutionising the way we drink.
International Private Finance internationalprivatefinance.com Fiona Watts (J 96) started her company, International Private Finance, in 2008 with a vision to create a brave and dynamic international financial service company. The aim was to become the leading international mortgage broker within five years; the company achieved this in two, during the worst years of the credit crunch. Fiona is a huge advocate of challenging industry standards and has been instrumental in shaping the non-resident mortgage market to ensure it continues to evolve. She has also delivered a personal development strategy, benefiting university leavers looking for their first job to women coming back into the workplace following a break to have a family.
My Black Dog
Claret Showroom
myblackdog.co
claretshowroom.com/ splashparis.com
Niki Clarke (Fd 98) founded My Black Dog after struggling with her own mental health. She saw a huge gap in the support needed, from diagnosis to receiving professional help, and as a result set up a free, online peer-topeer support service. Through a network of volunteers, My Black Dog provides an empathetic, non-judgemental space to talk to others who understand what it feels like to experience mental health struggles.
Alex Lyles (J 96) founded Claret Showroom in 2006 with fellow OU, Claire Spencer Churchill (J 96), to provide the space, tools and professionals to work hand in hand with fashion brands to develop their distribution through wholesale channels in Europe, the Middle East and the USA. In addition, they launched Splash Paris in 2016, Europe’s premium resort wear tradeshow.
Entrepreneurs 37
Let’s talk about
Work Experience Antonia Bowdler, School for Life Coordinator, is often approached by OUs looking for advice around work experience and one of our main goals for 2024 is to increase the opportunities available through the OU community. We are extremely grateful to Philip Amps (Fgh 78), David Heron (C 91) and Simon Thomas (WD 78) who provided work
Philip Amps (Fgh 78), Owner of Amps Wine Merchants and Izzy Shenton (L 16) Izzy spent two months with the Amps team, based in Oundle, following an introduction from the School for Life team. She was immediately thrown in at the deep end assisting with a spring wine-tasting event for over 200 people! Izzy was given the opportunity to learn every aspect of the business, making deliveries, stock ordering, getting to grips with financial aspects and also learning about wine production, bottling, sustainability and marketing, allowing her to confidently assist customers. Amazingly, she also found time to achieve her WSET Level 1 Award in Wines and is now sure that the wine industry is the right route for her. “I am very grateful to Philip for the opportunity to work at Amps and would recommend it to anyone interested in wine and business!”
It has always been the case that employers value work experience when recruiting graduates, but the perennial problem is that work experience is so hard to find, particularly in specialist industries. Of course, work experience is not just of use to potential employers. By gaining valuable time doing the work they eventually hope to be paid for, graduates can evaluate their own skills, shortfalls, preferences and dislikes, and determine if the field of work is truly right for them. This is where the OU School for Life programme can help.
experience opportunities this year, which Izzy Shenton (L 16), James Chalk (LH 15) and Fenella Bruce (Sa 16) benefited from enormously. Feedback from both sides has been unanimously positive and Izzy, James and Fenella have paved the way for others to follow. Each set the bar high in terms of their work ethic and attitude – we would expect nothing less from Uppinghamians! We are delighted to share their experiences…
David Heron (C 91), CEO of Wilton & Bain and James Chalk (LH 15) James spent an intensive two weeks with the Wilton & Bain team in their London office, thanks to a conversation with David at the OU v St Edward’s rugby match in November 2022. James was immersed in the whole recruitment process, including sitting in on video interviews, research, mapping and CV assessment. The experience has helped him to identify his strengths and weaknesses, as well as appreciating the realities of the recruitment business, and he feels in a much better position to explore further options. “I would like to thank David for his generosity in offering this valuable experience.”
Simon Thomas (WD 78), Executive Chairman of the Hippodrome, and Fenella Bruce (Sa 16) Fenella spent three weeks at the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, with hands-on experience across all departments. From assisting the events and project planning teams, as well as in the marketing and customer experience departments – Fenella gained a full understanding of the inner workings of the operation and learnt important lessons on customer service, including that “the tone you use is the tone you get back”. She also learnt how to play blackjack and poker, not to mention picking up a few tips on playing roulette! Fenella had much to learn and absorb whilst at the Hippodrome and is grateful to everyone for their time. It has made her realise that she wants to work in a dynamic, exciting and high-energy environment. “Thank you, Simon, and the team at the Hippodrome Casino!”
If you would be interested in offering work experience opportunities within your company, please email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk to arrange a chat with Antonia, she would be delighted to hear from you. If, in addition, you would like to speak to an HR professional for guidance on offering work experience opportunities, we can connect you with someone who can help.
38 School for Life
Events It has been a record year of events both here and overseas, with occasions held at some really special venues. If you haven’t managed to join us, we hope to see you soon.
Joshua Wilkinson (SH 99), Mary Erskine (Fd 02), Sam Featherstone (B 99) and David Gavins (LH 73 and OU School for Life Ambassador).
Neil Page (Director of Music 1985 to 2001), Ralph Allwood (Director of Music 1978 to 1985), Tom Guthrie (LH 84), Alistair Howse (F 68) and Richard Boston (B 56).
Musicians’ Drinks
Held at The Market Tavern, Mayfair, in November 2022 bringing together OUs connected with music, whether they sung or played music at School or are working in the music industry now.
Miranda Hickman (L 06), Sophie Warshaw (née Wallis, Fd 81), Jeremy Martin (LH 96), James Mantle (WB 96), Tom Marshall and Charlotte Mantle (J 10).
Michael Denniss (C 01), Jo Vaizey and Stewart Drummond (Former Head of Wind, Brass and Percussion / Former Housemaster of Fairfield).
Hong Kong Drinks A long overdue get together for the Uppingham community in Hong Kong was held in November 2022, hosted by Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Chairman of the Friends of Uppingham School. Stephanie Chan (C 09), Kitty Chan (Fd 08), Nathan Louey (M 01) and Jason Lau. Brian Chan (M 12), Richard Liu (WB 12) and Barnabas To (M 12).
Joanna Lee, Holden Chow (SH 96), Mark Hardy (Hf 84) and Charmaine Li (J 87).
Henry Pau (Hf 84), Eddie Chou (WD 86) and Ivan Owyang (Fgh 86).
39
Veronica To (NH 17), Francesca To (NH 14), Kirill Taradayko (Fgh 14), Arran Morton (SH 17), Bogdan Mogylnytskyi (SH 17), Beenish Haleem (Fd 16), Max Cheng (M 16).
John Brading (LH 11), Hannah Watson (NH 11), Falah Al-Rashidi (M 11), Verity Bedford (NH 11), Henry Wood (SH 11).
Young OU Drinks A wonderful evening was held at the Market Tavern, Mayfair, in February, catching up with young OUs living, working and studying in London.
Eloise Wordie, Alice McInnes and Ella Davenport (all C 12).
The 1994 1st XV rugby team, reunited after 29 years. Front, L to R: Marcus Briggs (F 90), Andrew Hollebone (F 90), James Howard-Vyse (F 90) and Joe Hunter (WD 90). Middle row: Nnamdi Ezulike (Hf 90), Henry Debenham (F 90), Sam Threlfall (F 90), David Heron (C 91) and Simon Romer-Lee (H and WD 90). Back row: Jonjo Lyles (F 91), Rob Sutermeister (F 90), John Waters (WB 91) and Arthur Dawe (LH 90).
Front, L to R: Liza Wallace (née Cooke, Fd and L 93), Adele Walker (née Swift, J and L 93), Benny Fellowes (née Stenderup, J and L 93), Emma Curtis (née Kay, Fd and L 93), Amy Lazenby (née Holmes, J and L 93). Back: Hattie HammondChambers (née Egerton-Smith, J and L 93), Vicky Adey (née Aspell, Fd and L 93), Caroline Pyper (née Muirhead, J and L 93), Nicola Floyd (née Fallon, Fd and L 93), Lizzie Standeven (née Watt, J and L 93) and Jenny Barr (née Dodd, J and L 93).
London Dinner The Mandarin Ballroom was absolutely brimming with OUs at the event held in March – a phenomenal sight and sound!
Front: Henry Campbell, Rupert Worpole, Alec Renton, Richard Phillips (all B 04). Back: Freddie Lewis (B 04) and Andrew Huxter (Housemaster of Lorne House).
If you’d like to get your friends together at next year’s dinner, on Thursday 7th March, please email the OU team to reserve a table (seating 10-12 guests). Kat Dansie (L 10), Ed Budenberg (M 08) and Claire Dansie (L 12).
Front L to R: Emily Plane (C 08), Rowena Matterson (Sa 08), Ida Weatherall (C 08). Back: Welcome Charlie Newman (NH 08), Willa MacKenzie Smith (Sa 08) and Will Prior (WD 08).
Georgie Reeves (Fd 07), Rosie Pollard (NH 07), Lucy Hunter Jones (Sa 07), Iona Konsta (née Clark, NH 07) and Pippa Leadley (NH 07).
Middle East Dinner The Headmaster was pleased to welcome OUs and parents for a dinner at the ‘Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort’, in March. Our thanks to Adrian Parkes (WB 78) and Patrick Smith (Fgh 89) for their valuable help to organise the event. L to R: Patrick Smith (Fgh 89), Hector Parkes (WB 08), Charlotte O’Connor (née Keily, J 92), Miles Thornhill (F 91), Saska Macnab (J 11), Bella Parkes (Sa 10), Zoe Cairns (née Moore, J 94), Joe Harrison (LH 92) and Adrian Parkes (WB 78).
Kitty Chan (Fd 08), Nathan Louey (M 01), and Barnabas To (M 12). Front L to R: Henry Pau (Hf 84), Kelsang Tonglam (formerly known as Warren Kwan, Hf 85) and Charmaine Li (J 87). Middle: Eddie Chou (WD 86), Anthony Poon (Hf 86). Back: Ivan Owyang (Fgh 86), Joanna Lee, Chris Wong (C 85), Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Adrian Li (L 86).
Hong Kong Dinner A fabulous evening held in the Garden Lounge of The Hong Kong Club in March – the first time Uppingham staff have visited the country since 2019.
Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Dominic Wallis (F 82), The Headmaster Dr Richard Maloney, Sir David Li (H 54) and Anthony Hardy (Hf 52).
Tom Treble (WD 09), Lara Tentori (L 12) and Freddie Wilkinson (B 09).
Minna Erith (NH 13), Tilly Rowe (NH 13), Felix Deere (LH 13), Elly Maddock (C 13) and Honor Simcox (NH 13).
Young OU Drinks Now featuring regularly in the OU calendar, The Market Tavern in Mayfair provided another opportunity to meet up with friends in April. Keep your eye out for future occasions.
Hamish James (WD 13), Tilly Hunt (NH 13), Minnie Budenberg (C 13), Charlie Harris (WD 13), Gus Stephens (M 13).
Jess Womack (Fd 12), Amy Coleclough (Fd 12), Hannah Holmes (Fd 12), Johanna Lawson-Dick (Fd 14).
School House Reunion A celebration of Uppingham’s oldest House was held in May. Guests had the opportunity to view inside their old house; catch up with housemasters past and present; have tours of the main School and delve into the House archives with a fantastic display provided by Jerry Rudman, the School’s Archivist. It was a really memorable occasion. James Rhodes (SH 76), Chris Sperry (SH 89) and James Couse (SH 76).
Housemasters: Michael Gavins (1972 to 1987), Simon Tetlow (2010 to current), Peter de Voil (1987 to 1992) and Phil Gomm (1995 to 2010).
L to R: John Millard (SH 54), Guy Clayton (SH 50), David Sugden (SH 52) and Patrick Grieve (SH 52).
Cambridge Dinner
Jill Cunliffe-Lister, Alice Mills (Fd 11), Katie Mills (C 15) and Michael Cunliffe-Lister (Hf 63).
Held at Jesus College in May. Huge thanks to James Hutt (WD 96) for all his support with the event and to Charlie Anderson (LH 82) for providing the perfect postdinner venue for mingling and cocktails at La Raza.
Ed (WB 87) and Francesca Wells (Fd 90, née Anderson) with Simon (LH 52) and Charlie (LH 52) Anderson.
Champagne Reception in the Pump Court.
42 Welcome
Peter Bennett (WD 59) with David (Fgh 52) and Robin (Fgh 56) Veit.
Pip Borrett (Fd 84), Rachael Wong (Fd 84), Dominic Wong, Martin Borrett, Eve Smith (Fd 84) and Dave Smith.
Warwick Castle Dinner One of the most spectacular settings for an OU event ever (apart from Uppingham itself of course), the dinner held in June made for a truly memorable occasion, and the after-party at Ronnie’s Bar owned by Trev Baker (Fgh 77) topped it off. Heidi Erlandsen (J 13) and Natasha Stowe (L 16).
Trev (Fgh 77) and Sophia Baker with Harry Van Gorkum (Fgh 76). Harry (Fgh 98) and Lisa Lightfoot.
Malcolm (B 74) and Elizabeth Fourie with Rosa Roberts and Donald Fothergill (B 74).
Welcome 43
John Flower (L 56) chatting to Jim (L 52) and Jillian Bolland.
Speech Day Speech Day in June was a spectacular finale to Uppingham’s summer term. If you weren’t able to join us, a recording of the School Show is available to watch online via the School’s website at uppingham.co.uk/community/live-streaming or via the QR code – it’s well worth tuning in.
Simon Birdseye (Fgh 69) and Dominic Wallis (F 82).
Karli Choy (Sa 18), Anya Batty (Sa 16) and Fenella Bruce (Sa 17).
Kitty Porter (C 14).
Paddy Hunt (F 15) and Lila Walker (J 14).
Leavers’ Party Held in September at Tiger Tiger, the event was for those who left Uppingham in 2020 and 2021, as their end of year finales were disrupted due to Covid, with some of our 2019 and 2022 leavers also joining in the fun.
44 Welcome
Will Stothard (Hf 16), Georgie Forgrave (NH 16), Izzy Mulvihill (NH 19), Theo Arthur (WD 16), Sam Martin (WD 16) and Hattie Hodges (C 16).
L to R: Chris Sperry (SH 89), Charles Gillham (L 84), Robbie Robotham (WD 73), Adrian Mundin (WD 75), Matthew Barnes (M 78) and Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76).
Philip James (C 87), Kamil Bujel (Hf 16) and James Thomas (SH 00).
London Drinks Our annual garden party held at the Royal OverSeas League in September always attracts a fabulous crowd.
Front: Jack Staley (F 10) and George Burbidge (LH 10).Back: Henry Wood, Jamie Maxwell (B 10), Alexander Cavadias (F 10), Alice Bletsoe (C 10), Freddie Ridings (F 10), Will Pearson (WD 10) and Holly Martyn-Smith (Sa 10).
Front: Tom Fletcher, Phil Hunter and James Watts. Back: Simon Smith and Tom Holmes (all Fgh 93).
Front: Charlotte Mantle (J 02), Megan Blade (J 10), Sophia Alexander (L 10), Miranda Hickman (L 06) and Louise Hood (Fd 99). Back L to R: Fergus Chamberlain (WD 96), Matt Richardson (Fgh 96), James Mantle (WB 96), Jeremy Martin (LH 96).
Entrepreneur Connector Huge thanks to our panellists: Dan Black (B 87), Ben Branson (B 96), Niki Clarke (Fd 98), Alex Lyles (J 96) and Fiona Watts (J 96) (L to R in photo) for sharing their experiences at the School for Life event held in September. The evening provided a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for guests to take on board, as well as forging a great network of OU connections.
Welcome 45
Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Charmaine Li (J 87), Henry Pau (Hf 84), Ivan Owyang (Fgh 86) and Lawrence Lee (Hf 84).
Ben Cooper (Deputy Head Academic), Charlie Bostock (Registrar) and Patrick Mulvihill.
Hong Kong Drinks Another great Hong Kong reunion was held in September overlooking the city from Popinjays rooftop bar at the Murray Hotel. Wendy Lee (Fd 78) and Mark Hardy (Hf 84).
Nathan Louey (M 01), Ellie Poulton, Patrick Mulvihill.
The Over 60s Lunch
Colin Cork (WD 57), Peter Bennett (WD 59), David Scott (WD 58) Mike Ogden (WD 59) and Stephen Lloyd (WD 58).
Traditionally held on the last Thursday in September at the Cavalry and Guards Club. It’s always one of our favourite occasions and a great opportunity to hear the Headmaster update everyone on current Uppingham.
David Sneath (Fgh 61), Nicholas Lumley (Hf 68) and Neil Kennedy (Hf 59).
Anthony Myers (Fgh 47) with Michael Waller (M 52).
Many more photos from this year’s events can be viewed via our Facebook and Flickr pages. Search Old Uppinghamians online to view the albums.
: 46 Welcome
Adam Cooke (SH 76), Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) and James Couse (SH 76).
:
The OU team are keen to gauge interest for an informal LGBT+ drinks event for OUs of all ages to be held in London. If you would like to be kept in the loop with regard to a possible get together and/or future events, we’d be grateful if you would complete a short form via the QR code above (or email ou@uppingham.co.uk if preferred).
Events Calendar 2024 We hope you will be able to join us at the forthcoming events…
13th January
7th March
18th April
Cross Country Run and Dinner London OU Dinner
Property and Finance Event
Uppingham
The Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge
1 Lombard Street, London
Kick off the New Year by joining the annual OU run, followed by a season-opening dinner.
The most glamorous event in the OU calendar. Bookings now open via the OU website.
An evening of socialising and networking across both industries
10th May
22nd June
28th June
Norfolk Dinner
The Lodge Reunion
Speech Day
The Hoste, Burnham Market
Uppingham
Uppingham
Always a fun night, and often oversubscribed, reserve a table now if you’d like to attend.
Celebrating the long and varied history of the House.
A fantastic celebration bringing our whole community together.
We expect other events to be added to the calendar over the next few months, including an informal Theatre Dinner, planned for autumn 2024. More details to follow.
12th September
26th September
London Drinks
Over 60s Lunch
Venue TBC
The Cavalry and Guards Club
Always a well-attended occasion, it’s a great opportunity to meet up with your OU friends.
A warm, friendly occasion in the company of the Headmaster.
Visit the OU website for more information www.olduppinghamian.co.uk
We hold targeted, professional events for a range of industries, which offer perfect occasions to meet fellow OUs working in your sector or to access support from experienced contacts working in the same field. Please keep us updated with your professional and contact details so we can ensure you receive invitations to relevant events. Email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk or scan the QR code to submit your event preferences.
Welcome 47
& Focus on OUs in
Nutrition Wellness Traditional medicines and therapies often only serve to treat the symptoms of illness, ignoring the root causes, which can lead to patients being reliant on prescriptions in their quest for better health. We caught up with some OUs who, through personal and pivotal experiences, have embarked on careers that help clients improve their health through their passion for nutrition. Tim Rees (WB 90), Isabella Osmond (née Gullan, Sa 02), and Sarah Gullan-Whur (née Haryott, Fd 88) all work as nutritional therapists and are making their mark in this rapidly growing market, valued globally to reach $45.9 billion by 2032.
48 Feature
Isabella Osmond (née Gullan, Sa 02) isabellaosmond.com
Isabella is a registered nutritionist specialising in disordered eating and eating disorders. Her interest and passion for nutritional health grew quite naturally from having to cook for herself and recognising the impact the food she was eating had on her mood and her mental health. Isabella has been a qualified nutritionist since 2019 and now works as a private clinician after working for several years as part of a multidisciplinary team in a private out-patient clinic, which specialised in eating disorders.
Tim Rees (WB 90) tim-rees.com Tim is a registered nutritionist and has worked in the field since 2003. He consults with people online to help them manage chronic disease, including obesity and mental health. Through his own experiences, reversing autoimmunity, he gained an invaluable insight into the power of nutritional therapy. He started tinkering with his diet over 20 years ago and his so-called ‘incurable’ and debilitating ailments began to vanish.
Sarah Gullan-Whur (née Haryott, Fd 88) Sarah specialises in children’s nutrition. She has gained extensive experience working in many different roles including community nursing, health visiting, infant feeding and nutrition. After realising the impact of nutrition and lifestyle on health and wellbeing, Sarah trained in nutritional therapy at The Institute for Optimum Nutrition. She supports families to address imbalances, aiming to improve their health and wellbeing, using evidence-based research in a functional approach and she is passionate about improving outcomes.
Feature 49
Not only do they share a passion for nutrition, Tim, Isabella and Sarah all loved their time at Uppingham, citing the laughter and camaraderie as commonalities. They also worked through the challenges of setting up their own businesses, the need for ‘dogged resilience’, ‘flexibility’ and ‘organisation’, and all agree on the value of fitting their work around family life. Each have the capacity to change lives for the better through the advice and encouragement they offer their clients, and we were delighted to hear their thoughts on working in this ever-evolving field… What did you learn at Uppingham that has been invaluable to your success so far? Tim – Confidence will get you 90% of the way. Isabella – How to act! It might sound strange, but you’re not always going to know the answer to everything and the ability to stay calm and confident in moments of stress has proved to be unbelievably useful, especially with my client base, who often need me to be a pillar of strength and unwavering support for them. Sarah – I learnt that engaging and communication is key to everything you do – if you can communicate effectively and are happy to work hard then you will do well regardless of your results. What have been your greatest and toughest moments setting up your business? Tim – Greatest: Helping people manage away the symptoms of horrible chronic diseases is deeply satisfying. Toughest: Comparing myself to my contemporaries on the money metric. Isabella – Greatest: When clients ‘graduate’. I won’t say recover, as recovery can be ongoing for many years, however, when a client graduates it means they are able to live calmly around food and no longer allow their eating disorders to rule their lives. Toughest: When clients get worse, and their eating disorder is too strong. What is a typical day like in your clinic? Tim – I’ll usually have two clinical sessions per day which involves shaping a therapeutic diet to a client, or vice versa! I encourage them to follow a strict plan for at least two weeks before we start opening things up again. This window allows them to experience the amazing potential of dietary change and motivates them. Around these sessions I write nutrition science and historical articles for forward-thinking food companies, my own website and other platforms.
50 Feature
Isabella – Clichéd as it sounds, no two days are the same because no two clients are the same. Yes, the structure may be the same with 50-minute calls interspersed with admin, but no session is ever the same, no conversation and no recovery, which is why I love what I do. Sarah – I start by reviewing health information that clients send me before the consultation and look through emails or review results. I see my clients for consultations via virtual appointments, then work on individual health plans, looking up suitable supplements or testing options. I also have ongoing training to maintain my CPD and have weekly clinical supervision groups, where we discuss cases and go through results, which is really helpful and a great learning opportunity. What direction do you see the nutrition industry moving in, over the next 10 years? Tim – Hopefully, less ideological thinking and more top-quality meat from regenerative farming systems that restore soil health, biodiversity and act as carbon sinks whilst providing people with much needed nutrients without the use of excessive energy. Isabella – I would love to see the nutrition space become more regulated. Too many people are practising after doing basic courses and ‘influencers’ are also giving unsolicited nutritional advice. On numerous occasions, clients have said, ‘I saw on Instagram that x is bad for me’ or ‘someone told me not to eat y and z’. This can be extremely damaging for someone with an eating disorder. Sarah – It’s an exciting time to be working in the nutrition, health and wellbeing industry. There is a growing public awareness of the importance of food, in both its role in affecting our physical and mental health as well as dealing with the growing chronic health issues we are facing as a nation. There is so much ongoing research that is actively changing our understanding and making it a fascinating business to be in.
Wellness Commonly viewed as being the interconnection of five main aspects of health, wellness focuses on the emotional, physical, intellectual, financial and social aspects of our lives. It is a broad term that can encompass everything from eating a nutritionally balanced diet to getting enough sleep and managing stress; practitioners support their clients with a personalised and targeted approach. Georgina Pawley (L 95) has honed her skills in this area to create a successful business, joining an industry cited to be worth $5.3 trillion globally in 2023 (around £25 billion in the UK).
Georgina Pawley (L 95) lifebodyhealth.com After 18 years working in the corporate world as a headhunter, Georgina knew it was time to embark on a new journey, fulfilling her vision to support executive women seeking improved personal and professional wellbeing. During the pandemic she recognised that exercise alone was not enough for long-lasting health and from there her career as founder and CEO of Life Body Health emerged. Combining her enthusiasm for health and fitness with her certifications in nutrition and wellness, as well as her executive coaching skills, she’s able to help people live their best lives through a more holistic approach – looking at both personal and professional wellbeing and fulfilment.
Outside of her coaching services, she offers a luxury, bespoke, personal and professional wellness retreat where female leaders can meet, connect, reflect, and focus on their own 360-degree wellbeing, with input from industry leading specialists. Tucked away in the Andalusian mountains, 30 minutes from Malaga, the retreat takes place in a boutique five-bedroom villa set in 2.5 acres of private gardens in the Sierra de Mijas; a perfect place in which to escape, exercise, connect, unwind, refresh and learn new skills.
Our thanks to Tim, Isabella, Sarah and Georgina for their insights, do look them up via their websites if you’d like further details.
Tim
Isabella
Sarah
Georgina
Feature
51
Chalkies’ Corner In what has become a popular feature in the magazine, we are pleased to catch up with some more long-serving former teachers (once known as Chalkies), who were happy to share their memories of Uppingham and update us on where they are now. If you’d like to find out what became of one of your teachers, do contact the office and we’ll do our best to track them down.
Nigel Richardson Member of Staff 1971 to 1989 What brought me to Uppingham? Partly that I’d been a pupil at Highgate under Headmaster, Alfred Doulton (staff 1934 to 1954, and later trustee). I arrived straight from university as the junior historian, expecting to stay for three years. Eighteen years later, I finally departed, as Second Master. It was a more carefree and less performance-driven world than nowadays: no senior management teams; few compliance demands; photocopying a rarity, and no intrusive emails. Not many prospective parents would have thought to ask about exam results. The work was intensive, yet richly varied. So, what were my best term-time memories? ‘Macbeth’ to open the new theatre; staff plays; spectacular concerts; the Quatercentenary. In the holidays? Drama tours to the USA, and the annual summer school in Sweden. Worst times? Refereeing on The Middle, followed by postgames teaching in the East Block, on a wet day in January. Sunday evening chapel services coinciding with a James Bond film on TV: cue for pupil outrage. Best decision made by the School in my time? The first two girls’ houses (Fairfield in 1975 and Johnson’s in 1986). Since Uppingham? I became Head of the Dragon School, Oxford – a legendary prep school, but one undergoing a period of change. I spent two fascinating years in Cheshire, helping to open a girls’ division in a proudly traditional boys’ school. I was Head of the Perse School,
52 Chalkies’ Corner
Peter de Voil Modelling for a Sixth Former’s A level design project, an LP record sleeve, photo taken in the Thring Centre, 1972.
Member of Staff 1970 to 1992, Housemaster of School House 1987 to 1992 I arrived at Uppingham in 1970 to teach English after three years at Wrekin College. I became involved in screen printing in the Thring Centre, helping to attract outside performances at the Theatre and, briefly, was Master in Charge of pop concerts. It was a privilege to work with Christopher Richardson and help organise drama tours to schools in the USA and to join Basil Morgan on school trips to Russia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Greece. Not being keen on herd sports, I taught life-saving and took charge of the junior cross-country team, working with Michael Tolkien, who managed the senior team. I remember on one occasion cycling with the team along the Leicester Road as the runners gradually overtook me and finished their race before I was back at the pavilion, but they recorded the results on a blackboard and all was well!
Cambridge (1994-2008), succeeding Martin Stephen (Hf 62, staff 1971 to 1972), working in a rapidly expanding school and city. I was Chairman of HMC (the Heads’ Conference) in 2007, representing independent schools nationally. Since then I’ve been involved in strategic consultancy, multiple governing, and appraising. I still live near Cambridge, but Uppingham has been a far greater part of my life than I ever envisaged: father of Matthew (Fgh 96) and Tom (C 98); husband of Joy (Trustee 2000 to 2013), and – courtesy of Borth and Thring – PhD student and then biographer. My experiences at Uppingham have afforded me repeated, generous hospitality from those running houses and genial, receptive pupils (mostly). Superb mentors: early on, Basil Morgan in the history department and Peter Attenborough and Malcolm Tozer in The Lodge; later, Nick Bomford, who taught me what a Head ought to do and be; most recently Jerry Rudman, an everpatient archivist. I have also forged lifelong friendships – notably with Peter de Voil and Roy Collard. What impact did I have? It’s a long time ago and for others to say, but my biggest ‘get real’ moment came at a London Dinner. An OU kindly told me that my very brief General Studies course had steered him towards a career in the Law. Puffed up with self-importance, I then ran into another OU, to whom I’d taught history over his full five years. “What do you remember about it?” I asked, confidently. A hideously long silence, then: “The lesson you taught with your fly zip undone. Pathetic, how you failed to understand any of our coded messages.” In our line of work, you never know what impact you have (or don’t have)...!
Not attracted by the CCF, it was a privilege to join the alternative, Pioneering, run by Basil Morgan. This involved digging trenches and laying drainage pipes for an all-weather hockey pitch on The Middle. During the summer holidays the trenches tended to fill up and local intruders smashed most of the pipes, so each September the process started again. Basil soon moved on to higher things leaving me to transform Pioneering into Public Service, thence to Community Service, which developed in scope and popularity, taking pupils as far afield as Corby and Leicester. Soon the Action Group was formed, raising enough money from the sale of school sweatshirts, films in the Hall and the recycling of old newspapers, for example, to finance trips such as a week’s summer camp near Scarborough for 20 primary school children from Leicester, accompanied by 10 Upper Sixth formers during the first week of the summer holiday. These camps ran for several years, and I was ably assisted by David Shipton and Tony Jordan. I became Housemaster of School House in 1987, which coincided with my marriage to Anne. I continued to place students wanting a volunteer GAP year with Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, the Salvation Army in Singapore and Zimbabwe and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, and I am still a trustee for HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe, inaugurated at Uppingham in 1992 and founded by Vivian Anthony and Robin Schlich, among others. In 1993 I became Headmaster of Frensham Heights School in Surrey until 2004, then Headmaster of The English College in Prague until 2009. Anne and I are now living in King’s Cliffe, just 20 minutes from Uppingham by car.
Chalkies’ Corner 53
John Clinton Member of Staff 1974 to 1994 I worked at Uppingham for 20 years, from September 1974 until my retirement in 1994, and though my primary role was that of a full-time Maths teacher, my other activities ranged from running the Sailing Club and the RAF Section of the CCF (including the Glider Club) to the 2nd Colts Hockey team, internal school exams and, of course, being a tutor in WB House: fortunately I had a lot of energy in those days and enjoyed it all. During my time in charge of sailing, the club had six N12 dinghies; a popular boat with the team but not easy to handle for those with less experience, and the time and expertise required to maintain them meant they had to be replaced in due course. My philosophy was to make sailing available to all abilities, so I went for Wayfarers which could be used at all levels, from beginners to racers, and we completed the fleet with some Toppers, a Laser and a Firefly. Running the club was hard work but great fun and very rewarding; getting the sailors and their equipment to and from Rutland Water for an afternoon’s sailing, and returning to School in time
54 Chalkies’ Corner
for supper, made for a busy afternoon and this happened two or three times a week. The racing team produced some very good sailors who were successful in inter-school matches both home and away and we also ran a sailing tour of the USA; most of our sailors were very keen, though no doubt some simply wanted to get out of Uppingham and away from exam pressures on Rutland Water! In those days the RAF Section had a primitive flying machine called the Primary Glider, provided by the RAF as a training and teamwork device for the majority and for initial flying experience for the few. This contraption was housed in a shed on The Middle playing field and had to be carried to an open space and assembled before being anchored prior to launch. This process was carried out by means of a bungee catapult, hooked onto the front of the A-frame and powered by two teams of cadets in a V-shape. The pilot would give the order for those cadets to march forward, pulling the bungee, until sufficient tension was created; the cadets would then stop and retain their hold on the bungee, the pilot would release the anchor cable, and the glider would launch – often just sliding along the ground for 50 or so yards. It was called the ‘Flying Brick’ for a reason!
On one occasion, after several unsuccessful and frustrating attempts to get airborne, it was time to return the glider the 100 yards or so to the shed for dismantling, so I requested a running launch whereby instead of stopping and holding the bungee, the cadets would run on to create more tension and obtain a longer flight. This resulted in a much less predictable launch, but flight was achieved! Not having the height or speed to turn, I had to fly straight and level but quickly became aware that I was going to overshoot the field; with the fence rapidly approaching, I managed to touch down on the car park before sliding into the raised bank, demolishing the fence and stopping abruptly. The A-frame was designed to collapse under such circumstances and did so, leaving the wings and pilot undamaged: it was in fact a perfect flight and landing, but I had run out of airfield. Following my retirement, I went on a world tour with my wife. We have travelled widely on cruising and motorhome holidays. Locally, I enjoy golf, bridge, socialising and walking. I am very grateful to Uppingham for giving me and my family so much.
If you would like to contact any of the members of staff featured, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk or send a letter, addressed to them, c/o OU team, Uppingham School, Uppingham, LE15 9QE and we will be pleased to forward your message on.
Former ‘Chalkie’ Ian Smith returns to Uppingham
Peter Lloyd Member of Staff 1953 to 1988, Housemaster of Highfield 1962 to 1977
OUs who remember Ian from their School rugby days will be delighted with the news of his return this September as Senior Rugby Coach. Ian enjoyed a decorated career playing for Leicester Tigers, with 331 appearances from 1977 to 1991, where he won three John Player Cup Finals, was their Captain between 1983 and 1985 and also won the inaugural League Championship with the Club in 1987.
The OU team often receive enquiries about Peter Lloyd and would like to share that he is residing in a care home, near his daughter Minnie McBride (Fd 83), after becoming too frail to continue living independently in Uppingham. If anyone wishes to write to Peter, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk or send a letter, addressed to him, c/o the OU team, at the school address provided above.
Since his playing days, he’s become a well-established rugby coach and educator, and is held in the highest regard in his fields of expertise.
Tributes to Nancy Villette Matron of Lorne House from 1987 to 1996 We were very sorry to hear that Nancy passed away on 30th May 2023. Many OUs under her care will remember her fondly and we are pleased to share tributes received after circulating the news. “Nancy always had time for a chat and a moment to share with an abundance of real kindness and a generosity of spirit. She was a great source of comfort for many of us under her wing at school and she will be both fondly remembered and much missed.” Edward Timpson (LH 87) “Nancy played an important part in our lives in the five years we were at Lorne House – a calm, funny and caring presence that we all (consciously or not) appreciated enormously. We have fond memories of going to see her almost daily, the doses of Arnica cream for bruises from the games fields, or a friendly chat with someone we instinctively knew was on our side. She had our complete trust. Five years of school would not have been the same without her. Thank you, Nancy! She’s missed by us all, and our thoughts are with her family.” David Amos, Algy Batten, Matthew Buzzacott, Charlie Lewis, James Gardiner, Richard Staveley, Tony Todd, Ben Ward and Paul Woodd-Walker (all LH 88)
Chalkies’ Corner 55
Clubs and Societies OU Golfing Society By Alan Thomas (H 62), Club President 2023 has been another busy year for OUGS golf, with a notable first for our ladies, a good year for our scratch teams, further growth in our Eagles membership (for under-30s) and the opening of the School’s new indoor golf training studio, generously supported by OUGS members. As always, around the country, there was lots of competitive fun in our area meetings, matches against other schools’ alumni and Eagles events. Jeremy Cooke’s (WB 67) Captain’s Meeting, and the 2023 AGM of the society, returned to Trevose Golf Club over the weekend of 6th to 8th October this year. Due to publication deadlines for the magazine, the report can be found on the OUGS page of the OU website. Public School Alumni Tournaments Halford Hewitt: Our scratch team beat Brighton 3.5:1.5 in the first round and Watson’s 3:2 in the second, but lost to Tonbridge 2:3 in the third round. The 2023 winners were Loretto. Bernard Darwin: Back to earth after our spectacular 2022 successes! Our over-55 scratch team beat Marlborough 3:0 in round 1 and Westminster 2:1 in the second, but lost to Wellington 1:2 in the semi-final. The Eagles at The Princes weekend in February.
56 Clubs and Societies
Charterhouse won the event. Our over-65 players beat Eton in the first round but lost to Harrow in the second. Tonbridge beat Charterhouse in the final. Highgate won the Veterans (over-75s) scratch competition. Grafton Morrish: Regrettably, this year our team finished middle of the pack in our group and didn’t qualify for the finals in October. Silver Tassie: For the first time, Uppingham fielded a team of two pairs in this all-female competition at The Berkshire GC and did extremely well to finish in fourth place out of 26 schools represented, just 1 stableford point behind the winners, Wycombe Abbey. In the Northern Public Schools meeting at Woodhall Spa, Uppingham once again won the Birkdale Bucket (team prize). We were middle of the pack at the Luffenham Heath Public Schools meeting but did not sparkle at the Midland Public Schools meeting at Little Aston. Area Meetings and Matches Winners at OUGS area meetings were David Hopkins (WD 60) at Little Aston, Rick Taylor (M 59) at Ormskirk and Alan Thomas (H 62) at Piltdown. At their many matches around the country, OUGS teams registered 7 wins, 2 draws and 8 losses.
OU Rugby Very well done to the OU rugby team who scored three tries in their match against a strong Teddies side on 5th November 2022 at St Edward’s School, Oxford. It was the first OU game for some time and there is strong support for making rugby an annual fixture in the OU calendar. Uppingham Silver Tassie Team at The Berkshire GC L to R: Debbie Lewin (Fd 83), Clare Warman (LH 75), Alice Dickson (L 06) and Rebecca Haywood (Fd 81)
OUGS Eagles
This year, a match is scheduled for 25th November, with OUs v Stoneygate, here at the School. If you would be interested in joining the OU team, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk, so we can keep you in the loop with regard to future plans. All ages welcome.
The OUGS Eagles have now attracted over 60 male and female golfers under the age of 30. The Princes weekend in February was played under sunny blue skies, with the team of Tom Stevens (C 00) beating that of Peter Crocombe (B 03). The 3-cornered meeting at New Zealand GC was won by St Peters and the Royal Wimbledon meeting was won by Jethro Symington (M 11) with 33 points, who thus holds the Eagle Trophy until next year. In the younger members’ match against Old Cheltenhamians at Luffenham in September, Cheltenham won. The OUGS full report is available to read on the OU website via the QR code or at olduppinghamian/clubs/ou-golfing-society
OUGS members were deeply saddened to hear that Martin Walker (L 67), our Hon Secretary for 21 years and an absolute core member of the Society, died suddenly at home on 11th September. Just the previous week, he had played four rounds of golf on consecutive days with OUGS friends, culminating in the London Area Meeting at Piltdown, and had ostensibly been in excellent health. We will all miss him.
The OU Team at St Edward’s School. Back Row, L to R: Mungo Rioda (Fgh 13), Sam Sutcliffe (LH 08), Paddy Cantle (SH 13), George Perkins (Hf 15), Archie Hogan (Hf 15), Sam Wallis (F 13), Charlie Swallow (WD 13), Jack Theakston (B 13), Harry Brierley (LH 13), Charles Wood (SH 14) and David Heron (C 91). Front Row, L to R: Xavier Cranwell (B 15), Richard Hodson (F 91), Henry Shaw (WB 13), Henry Langford (SH 15), Chris Totty (F 15), Paddy Hunt (F 15) and Oliver Thompson (WD 15).
Cross Country An annual OU cross country run takes place every January, with a short, but hilly course around The Middle. In typical Uppingham fashion, it is followed by a celebratory and season-opening dinner in the Kendall Room. The event offers a great opportunity for OUs to catch up with each other and members of staff. The 2024 get together is scheduled for Saturday 13th January, please email the OU team on ou@uppingham.co.uk if you would like to receive further details.
OUGS membership OU golfers of any age, gender and golfing ability are welcome to join OUGS. Please see www. olduppinghamian.co.uk/clubs/ ou-golfing-society or scan the QR code for more details.
Clubs and Societies 57
OU Sailing Association By Lana Davies (Sa 15) It was with much eagerness and anticipation that the OU Sailing Team reconvened in the Solent on 20th September 2022 to compete in the prestigious Arrow Trophy competition. Both familiar and new faces made up the team for a weekend of racing against other school alumni teams in the Sunsail 41 Fleet. Following an enjoyable Friday evening at the Royal London Yacht Club getting to know the competition, the Uppingham crew awoke to enjoy a hearty breakfast, the team briefing and our positions onboard were assigned. John Tildesley (WB 72), acted as skipper, with the aid of Thea Crawshaw (L 05) as tactician; Jo Cave (Fd 89) and Steven Parker (Fgh 98) were up front, in charge of spinnaker and said spinnaker’s pole (a fairly relaxing job on Day 1 due to the use of spinnakers banned by the Race Committee because of high winds!); David Wells (H 80), Harriet Powell (L 06) and Simon Ward (F 75) were mainly on jib trim, with sisters Kala (Sa 17) and Lana Davies (Sa 15) trimming the main. David Gavins (LH 73) positioned himself in the galley below, providing the team with much needed fuel and encouragement whenever his head appeared out of the companionway. Day 1 brought winds of around 16 knots, with gusts up to 25 knots, so blustery race conditions, with much time spent on the rail in an effort to keep the extremely heeled boat flat. Thanks to some great tactical calls from Thea and John, using the tide to our advantage, we successfully overtook several boats, including King’s Canterbury and Cheltenham, finishing in sixth place. The second race, despite our manoeuvres being smoother and boat speed strong, was less successful, with two boats, including long-time rival Dulwich, overtaking us on the final upwind, we finished in tenth place. However, by races three and four, our starting and boat handling as a crew was much improved, leaving us in good positions off the line in both and not far from the leaders as we rounded the first mark. The spinnaker pole finally saw some action with us successfully poling out the jib on the downwinds under the instruction of Steven and Jo. However, on one of our final downwinds, a particularly hairy gybe during a gust led to a crucial breakage, with the force of the boom slamming across the boat causing a rivet attaching the vang to the
58 Clubs and Societies
boom to pop out. Luckily, we didn’t have to go upwind again that day – which would have been challenging as the vang is key for sail shape, particularly in stronger winds. Despite the breakage, we finished both races in respectable sixth positions. Day 2 saw polar opposite conditions, with a dying wind of around 6 knots and flatter waters. Luckily, our fleet was able to have one start, with the larger Fairview fleet unfortunately not managing to race that day. Despite the light winds, we were finally able to fly our spinnaker, leading to some more active and exciting downwinds. Our vang problem was not fixable overnight, so a bootleg rope system was rigged up and managed to perform the job of the missing rivet well. We ended up crossing the line in fourth position, our best result yet, finishing on a high despite further racing for the day being cancelled due to the lack of wind. We finished the weekend in sixth place overall and second in the Charterhouse Bowl Fleet, a result we were very happy with, especially with so many new faces on board. Norwich beat us by a respectable seven points to take the Charterhouse Bowl, with Bradfield once again sailing well over the whole weekend to take first place overall for the second year in a row. It was a fantastic weekend of sailing for the OU Team and thoroughly enjoyed by all. If there are any OU sailors – novice or expert – who would like to get involved in OUSA regattas, David Gavins (LH 73) would love to hear from you. Please contact david.gavins@btinternet.com for more details. The Arrow Trophy Competition 2023 took place on 7th and 8th October. Due to content deadlines for the magazine, we are unable to publish the results here, however a full report is available to read on the OU website.
OU Fives By Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) There is huge affection for this unique game amongst OUs across the generations. It is played by a wide age range and offers a great network of contacts. The annual Jesters versus the School match took place on Saturday 7th October this year, with Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76), James Dutta (WD 86) and James Birch (Housemaster of Farleigh) playing for the Jesters, along with Jesters from Charterhouse, City of London School, Highgate and Repton. Members also returned to Uppingham on Saturday 11th November for the annual match – where current pupils played against Clive Smith (M 68), Edward Timpson (LH 87), Ashley Friedlein (C 85), James Dutta and Adrian Lewthwaite – an occasion enjoyed by all. Huge thanks to Audrey FritschyHaramburu, for her invaluable assistance in arranging Fives matches and making OUs and guests feel welcome. Finally, many congratulations to Matthew Chinery (B 99) who has been elected as Chair of the Eton Fives Association. For further information on OU Fives and opportunities to play, both at the School and in London, please contact Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) on 07961 014890 or Adrian.Lewthwaite@btinternet.com.
OU Shoot The annual OU shoot took place at Nevill Holt on 14th November, thanks to David Ross (C 78), with a get together in the Nevill Arms the night before. Any OUs interested in hearing about future events should contact Julian Tolhurst (C 86) at julian.tolhurst@apatchy.co.uk.
OU Masonic Lodge By Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) The Annual Meeting and Dinner took place at Uppingham on the 9th September with a good crowd in attendance. A cheque for £2,500 was presented to the Headmaster in support of the School’s bursary programme. The Lodge also held a dinner at The Cavalry and Guards Club, Piccadilly, in January 2023, attended by OUs and guests from other Lodges and a further occasion is planned at the Club on 9th April 2024, to which all OUs are invited. The Speech Day Prize ‘The OU Lodge Prize for Community Services Initiatives’ was awarded to the Uppingham Rugby Sevens Team, whose chosen charity was ChildFund Rugby, which equips young people from vulnerable communities to overcome challenges, inspire positive social change, and take active leadership roles within their communities. Our congratulations to the team on the award and for also winning the International U18s Sevens Tournament Bowl. It has been another successful year in terms of new joiners to The Lodge and, although there is now a waiting list, membership can be fast-tracked. For more information on our activities and how to join, please visit oulodge4227.org or contact Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) on Adrian.Lewthwaite@btinternet.com / 07961 014890.
Clubs and Societies 59
Uppingham Veterans Rifle Club By Reg Curtis (F 76), Club Captain I must start this report by congratulating Chris Watson (M 92) on his incredible win of the first King’s Prize in 71 years. Winning the King’s Prize is probably the most sought-after accolade in Target Rifle competition the world over. It was inaugurated in Queen Victoria’s reign to encourage marksmanship in the volunteer movement and carried prize money of £250 (which has remained unchanged to this day) and in the 1860s was enough to buy a house in Mayfair! Chris is the second OU to win the Sovereign’s Prize, Ant Ringer (B 79) has won the Queen’s Prize on three occasions. There are three major competitions in Target Rifle Shooting at the Bisley Imperial Meeting, The King’s Prize (three stages), the St George’s vase (another three-stage shoot) and the Grand Aggregate and I am delighted to report that UVRC members won two of them this year. Ant Ringer won the St George’s at 900 yards. He was overlooked for England selection this year, despite featuring very strongly in the top 10 of most of the long-range competitions and aggregates, and went on to win the George’s final; a very impressive UVRC double by any standards. The Imperial Meeting at Bisley in July was marked by another year of unusual weather conditions. Last year, Bisley was ravaged by wildfires, borne of heatwaves and long dry periods, whilst 2023 was cool, windy and wet, with the Conan Doyle and Daily Telegraph cancelled on the first Saturday due to high winds gusting over 25 mph (which was blowing targets out of their frames and endangering the markers below). The weather was notably cold for July, with strong, gusty, fast-changing
Chris Watson (M 92) enjoying the Bisley tradition of being ‘chaired’ off the range, an honour afforded to winners of the Sovereign’s Prize.
winds and two days of rain. Again, like 2022, an unusual weather pattern for Bisley in July. The wind made shooting particularly challenging, especially over the hill on Stickledown for the long range shoots this year, which makes Ant Ringer’s results even more remarkable. In the Match Rifle competitions which precede the Target Rifle matches in the Imperial meeting, Mike Horrell (WD 07) and John Webster (C 70) had top 10 finishes, and both were selected for England in the Elcho match. Chris Watson shot for Wales in his first Elcho match (and indeed his first ever Match Rifle competition), also managing a top score for Wales – with hindsight, perhaps a sign of things to come later in the week. Aside from Chris Watson and Ant Ringer, other notable performances in the Target Rifle competitions include those by John Webster, Simon Osmond (WB 85), Reg Curtis (F 76), James Watson (L 88) and Simon Belither (L 71). Ant Ringer was the winner of our UVRC Championship for 2023; Chris Watson captained and main coached Wales in the National, and captained Wales in the Mackinnon; and James Watson was selected as reserve for England in the Mackinnon. Earlier in the year during May, members of the Club made the annual pilgrimage to Uppingham to shoot against the School team and hold an annual dinner. A club website is now available, where records and reports can be found, see uvrc.uk.
60 Clubs and Societies
The Rovers team at Burton Court.
The Uppingham Rovers Cricket Club By Hedley Stroud (L 68), Club President The Rovers were looking to have a good run in the Cricketer Cup this year but having had an excellent win over a strong Rugby side, the Rovers lost in the second round to Clifton. Against Rugby, a good all-round bowling and fielding performance restricted the home side to 154 with Will Marriage (WD 17) clean bowling Warwickshire player Jacob Bethell for 40, just as he looked set for a big score. With a heavy thunderstorm around, the Rovers set about the chase in good style with Harry Funnell (Fgh 13) batting superbly for 90, off just 59 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes – he was well supported by Will Rogers (LH 12) with 34 as the Rovers chased down the target in just 22.4 overs. Our captain Henry Hughes (M 06) had to drop out at the last minute for the second-round match, due to a back injury and, on a hot day, Clifton won the toss and proceeded to score a competitive 242 on The Middle. The Rovers looked to be well in control through most of the innings with Charles Sale (LH 08) scoring well with 78, combining with Will Rogers and taking the score to 197 for 5. Despite a good 28 from Chris Bennett Baggs (WB 02) the tail didn’t wag and we came up just 10 runs short with eight balls still left. The match against the School, held on 9th June, was keenly contested and a fine 51 from School’s Captain, Liam Tew, enabled the School team to post 217 in their 50 overs. The
Rovers were going well at 113 for 1 with Ed Lewis (LH 17) (60) and Freddie Tucker (B 10) (66) combining well but then no-one else got going, with Alexander Sizer (WD 18) taking 5 for 21 (in just 4.3 overs) to complete a victory for the School. In the other matches, the Rovers returned to Burton Court for the first time since 1979 when they narrowly lost in the Cricketer Cup final to Tonbridge and completed a fine 9-wicket victory over the Guards CC. On a glorious day the wickets were shared around and runs knocked off in quick time by Jamie Maxwell (B 10) (35) and Tom Kennedy (B 06) (47). Our thanks go to George Cazalet (M 02), the captain of The Guards and an Uppingham Rover, for organising the match, which we hope will be an annual event. A strong I Zingari touring side from Australia were at the end of their tour and in a 40-over match scored consistently against the Rovers who lost by 55 runs despite a good 72-run opening partnership from Harry Glatman (M 07) (41) and Ed Watson (M 88) (33) and a fine 68 from Archie Stroud (WD 07). A festival planned at Charterhouse in mid-July was unfortunately washed-out and no other matches were played. The full summary of match results is available on the OU website via the QR code.
Renovations to the iconic Cricket Pavilion are well under way, with the thatchers having been hard at work over the summer and the balcony and scoreboard now reinstated. Developments to the interior will follow. It’s a major undertaking for this grade II listed building but by the end of the year The Upper should be returned to its former glory. If you would like to make a donation to support this project, or to find out more, please visit the Uppingham Foundation website or contact one of the team.
President of the Rovers Hedley Stroud (L 68) visiting the Pavilion site in August.
On Friday 24th May 2024 the Rovers will play the School’s 1st XI and a special re-opening celebration for the Pavilion will be held. We look forward to welcoming OUs to the occasion.
Clubs and Societies
61
Uppingham
Cairo
Sports pitch
We are delighted to announce that Uppingham Cairo will open in September 2024, the first international campus for Uppingham School.
62 School News
Situated on an 11-acre site in New Giza, a development outside of central Cairo and with remarkable views of the pyramids, this new member of the Uppingham family will be a day school for three to 18-yearolds, with a capacity of circa 1,500. A purpose-built school with superb attention to detail, we have every confidence that Uppingham Cairo will be the best school of its kind in Egypt. We have excellent local partners in New Era, with whom we have a shared vision for the development of the School, and there is huge potential for more partner schools in the region. As well as creating a revenue stream to help fund Uppingham’s endowment, through which countless bursaries will be funded, Uppingham Cairo will offer fantastic opportunities for pupils, staff and OUs who wish to spend time in Egypt.
commitment to ensuring that every school that bears our name will reflect the values and philosophy of Uppingham in the UK. To this end we were closely involved in the appointment of the first headmistress in the Uppingham group of schools, Mrs Emma Webb, who will be leaving her current post in Jakarta to take up the post in Cairo in January. We are also delighted that Nick de Wet, known to many as the Housemaster of Brooklands and former Head of Biology at Uppingham, is to take on the role of Director of Admissions for our new school.
Uppingham does not invest capital in overseas schools, but we do have a
Patrick Mulvihill International Development Director
For more details of this project visit uppinghamcairo.com or to find out more about any of Uppingham’s international plans feel free to contact me at pdm@uppingham.co.uk.
Tony Puri (Adviser) , Dr Tamer Tammam of New Era and Nick de Wet
Overview
Signing of Contracts in December 2022. Barbara Matthews (SH 73, Chair of Trustees) and Dr Tamer Tammam
Patrick Mulvihill with Noha Saad and Dr Tamer Tammam of New Era, the Headmistress Emma Webb and Dr Richard Maloney
Uppingham Cairo 63
Uppingham for Life
