Highlights from Uppingham School

Peter Lawrence (WD 42) was first elected to Buckinghamshire County Council on his retirement from industry in 1989 and was re-elected in the following three elections before retiring in 2005. In May 2010 the Council appointed Peter to be Honorary Alderman of Buckinghamshire County Council for his distinguished service.

Sir David Samworth pictured with Patrick Mulvihill, Member of Council at Leicester University

Leo Rutherford (Hf 49)

has published his 6th book “Spirituality versus Religion” which is available to purchase on Amazon and via his website – www.eagleswing.co.uk He attended Uppingham from 1926-30 when Major “Bubbly” Hale was Housemaster of LH. After leaving Uppingham he entered a three year apprenticeship with the Central Argentine Railway and in 1936 he played rugby for Central Provinces against the British Lions on their tour of Argentina. In 1938 Harry married Mary whose father, Fred Boardman (LH 1887), was also an OU.

In 1942 Harry joined the Royal Engineers and from 1944-46 served as Staff Captain at GHQ in Delhi. After the war he went back to Argentina with his wife and two children until 1956 when they moved to the UK. He retired to southern Spain in 1972 and has lived there to this day.

Harry has very fond memories of his time at Uppingham and marvels at the continued development of the School. He has provided articles for the OU Magazine on two occasions; with reference to his headmaster R.H. Owen and “Customs and Habits of Uppingham Pupils in 1926”. Harry has four grandchildren, two of which are OUs: Simon (Fgh 83) and Rupert (LH 87) Gibbs (both pictured with him on his 100th birthday). We wonder if Harry is the oldest living OU?

1944

At the age of 82, and after convalescing from heart bypass surgery, John Godrich (WB 44) has succeeded in publishing his father’s diary of a cavalryman in WWI. His father was enlisted in the T.A. of the Worcestershire Yeomanry in 1908 and was mobilised two days after the declaration of war in August 1914. He kept a diary of his life in the Regiment, and went to Gallipoli as a machine gunner. After getting typhoid and being treated in an English hospital he returned to his regiment in time for the battles for Gaza, Beersheba, Jerusalem and up the Jordan Valley, finishing in Damascus. The book is published by John Godrich. Please contact John at godrich.email@btinternet.com or by post Dr J.E.Godrich, 4 Court Green, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 5TS. The book is priced at £20 plus P&P (£5 in UK).

Sir David Samworth CBE (F 48) was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by Leicester University in July 2012. In presenting this honour, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Sir Robert Burgess, said: “David is a very successful businessman who has developed Samworth Brothers from small beginnings and now employs over 5,000 people locally. He also has a great interest in education, setting up three academies, including the Samworth Academy in Leicester. He works tirelessly to support the local economy and to provide young people with the best opportunities which we applaud.”

Anthony Thornely (C 48), a member of the Conservative Africa Business Group, was responsible for inviting Dr Daniel Othol, South Sudan’s Head of Mission for the UK to attend a special lunch at the House of Commons. The lunch supported South Sudan’s introduction to the international community following the creation of this State in 2011, the first new African country since the Treaty of Berlin in 1885.

1951

Major Henry Sawrey-Cookson

(Hf 51) was elected as District Councillor for Eden District in Cumbria for the fourth time in May 2011.

1952

Playwright and director Robin Hawdon’s (Oldroyd) (B 52) first Broadway production opened in April 2012 with his adaptation of Marc Camoletti's ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’ which ran in London's West End for six years in the nineties. During 2011, Robin had plays running in Paris, Warsaw, Bonn, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Italy, Russia, South Africa and the USA. His comedy, ‘Perfect Wedding’ is due to be made into a Hollywood film. Visit www.robinhawdon.com for more details.