News

STAFF NE WS

As the new term began in September 2013 there were three new OUs joining the Common Room bringing the total to eight and possibly the most ever. From left to right, Jim Reddy (Hf 89) Housemaster of Fircroft, Fiona Bettles (Fd 86) Marketing Manager, Seb Foster (WD 05) Classics Assistant, Richard Boston (B 56) OU Association Secretary, Jamie Sharrock (M 99) Graduate Sports Assistant, Harry Spry-Leverton (Fgh 67) School Librarian and Andrew Webster (SH 80) Head of Wind, Brass and Percussion. Also (but not present) Tom Williams (B 91) who is a singing teacher in the music department.

The OU Office is delighted to announce the marriage of Lisa Menzies-Gow (Uppingham’s Development Manager) to Marcus Gilman on 6th July at St Mary’s Church, Ashwell, Rutland. Though this was a marriage between an Old Oakhamian and an Old Oundelian, there were OUs present in Victoria Lloyd-Roberts (née Netscher) (Fd 93) and Dan Black (B 87), Richard Boston (B 56) as well as the OU team.

Since the last edition of the magazine we have a new face in the office in the form of Jo Franklin, who took over from Nicola Tyers as Events and Membership Coordinator in January 2013. Jo’s face is already becoming familiar at OU events and we are delighted to have her in the team. If you have any news for the magazine or enquiries about events, do please drop her a line.

Uppingham said goodbye to a selection of long serving staff in the summer, some of whom have retired, others who moved on to new challenges. Retiring staff include Stewart Drummond, Neil Waddell, Paul Stocker and Anne Nicholls who between them have given 75 years of service. Martin Fries and Nicola Hunter have also moved on after a ‘mere’ 30 years between them. We wish them well on behalf of the OU community.

Ex-Staff Deaths John R Hall, Uppingham Staff 1952-1985, died October 2012. Obituary submitted by Malcolm Tozer (ex Uppingham Member of Staff)

Geoff Dyson, then the national coach for British athletics, visited Uppingham in 1960 as part of the team of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspector liked what he saw: ‘credit must be given to the ex-service instructor in charge of the gymnasium and swimming bath, who organises his work well, establishes high standards all round, and is keenly aware of the type of contribution he must make.’ The report also commended John’s ‘versatility and interest’, ‘his conscientiousness and devoted services’ and the remedial and rehabilitation gymnastics conducted in liaison with the school doctor. Dyson’s report recommended that ‘when the time comes for a change’ John should gain assistance from a specialist PE teacher who would also be a member of Common Room. John did not have this status for he was classed as an instructor; he had to stand outside the Common Room each morning break in case he was needed. The change had to wait until 1966 and the arrival of John Royds as Headmaster. The new broom swept away this discrimination, all instructors became teachers, and John relished working alongside his wet-behindthe-ears purple-clad Loughboroughgraduate colleague. Royds soon commissioned a sports centre (opened in 1971) to replace the 1904 gymnasium and 1883 pool and John planned and oversaw much of the work. In 1972 John accepted the invitation to manage the centre, a role he maintained until his retirement in 1985. He was pleased when, on the day of the opening of the new sports centre in 2011, the Headmaster gave a lunch party to celebrate his 90th birthday. John Hall died peacefully just short of his 92nd birthday.

Our condolences to the families of John Oscar Moreton (member of staff 1946-48) and Philip Toogood (staff member from 1960-1966) who also passed away this year.