Uppingham Society

The Uppingham Society is run by Basil Frost (M 45) and is a branch of the Uppingham Association. It is responsible for financial grants issued to OUs involved with charity work or raising money for good causes via sponsored activities. Below is a selection of causes which have been supported.

Society Recipients 2009

Nicola Hughes The Karen (Fd 03) Hilltribes Trust

Flora Huntley Crosslands (L 06) ‘Smile’ Gambia

Miranda Reilly GapGuru (Fd 03)

James Varley Amnesty Charity (LH 01) Kilimanjaro,Tanzania

Chris Palmer Himalaya Trust (F 95)

Mark Soden Access Sport (WD 97)

Matthew Moxon East Anglian (B 81) Children’s Hospice

Neil Aitken Cancer Research (L 81)

Matthew Moxon (B 81) Having a physically and mentally disabled child, and receiving such incredible help from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, I thought that it may be time to help them a little. My decision to take part in the Norfolk Super Hero Challenge (a 1 mile sea swim, a 4 mile sea kayak followed by a 40 mile cycle and an 8 mile run across sand and marsh) was taken late one night and was witnessed by too many people to allow me to get out of it. Thankfully, due to the generosity of many people, we managed to raise £7,000.

Flora Huntley (L 06) “In December 2008, I set off to The Gambia, a tiny country in West Africa, to be a volunteer teacher linked to a Gambian organisation called ‘GAMFES’. I returned to the UK in May 2009 and looking back on my time in the Gambia, I am in awe of what an amazing opportunity I have had. Living amongst the community for five months meant that I was able to get to know people well through both the school and the church.

I was teaching English and R.S in a large ‘comprehensive’ school. The illiteracy rate was very high, so teaching people to read was extremely rewarding (and necessary!) Teaching R.S was also great –in small classes we got to know the Christian students very well and hopefully helped them to understand their faith much more.

I was privileged to come across the large numbers of West African refugees that pour into the Gambia as a peaceful haven. Their contentedness and generosity with time, food and stories was a real challenge to me. I am so grateful to the OU Society for sponsoring me in this project which has hopefully made an impact on Greater Banjul and has certainly made an impact on me.”

Nicola Hughes (Fd 03) “I have just returned from Thailand and I have had the most amazing time! I worked with the Karen Hilltribes for the first 5 months and then travelled for a couple of months after that. I am so pleased I decided to work for them because I had such a fantastic time and they were so welcoming and hospitable.

We went out in October 2008 and had a couple of weeks getting to know the other volunteers. I stayed in a village called Mae La Luang with another volunteer called Alice. The teaching was such a good experience and by the end I really didn’t want to leave the kids. It was horrible saying goodbye to them all.

Before Alice and I went there, they were learning from satellite televisions and the younger ones were taught by a lady that spoke very little English. So we felt we not only improved the way they spoke but also increased their general interest in learning English. We taught the Pratom lessons (years 1-3) together, and I also taught pratom 4 alone (they were 8 years old). I also enjoyed teaching Matium although at times it was more of a challenge.

While we there, we had lots of interesting food including rat and snake for Christmas lunch! We also helped with the water system in a different village which was much pooer than Mae La Lueng. It was hard work but lots of fun. It took about 8 days to connect the pipes down from the source then about 3 days to build the holding tanks.

Peter Gwynn (SH 44), Mick Brackenbury (B 46) and Dereck Bunting (B 45) Nigel Jagger (SH 67) and Richard Haigh (SH 66)

OU London Dinner 4th February 2009

James Thomas (SH 00) and Tim Barber-Lomax (C 00)

The London OU Dinner was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, London under the Chairmanship of Nick Hinchliffe (Fgh 71) and in the presence of the Headmaster, Richard Harman, who, along with the Uppingham staff, had struggled through several feet of snow in Uppingham to attend. The dinner was a huge success and attracted a record 220 OUs who all enjoyed excellent food, drink and great company.

James Mantle (WB 96), Louise Whitlock (Fd 99), Charlotte Fitzgerald (Fd 99), Rebecca de Lucy (Fd 99), Francisca Wiggins (Fd 99) and Anthony Willott (LH 97)

Nick Leslie (L 61 and Anthony Walker (L 61)

Jerry Rudman, the Headmaster and Nicola Tyers braving the weather Nick Hinchliffe (Fgh 71)

OU Middle East Dinner 12th February 2009

There was a great turnout of OUs and their partners at the OU Middle East dinner which was at the Jebal Ali Resort in Dubai. Our thanks go to Rick Tatham (WB 77) who instigated and organised the event on our behalf and we hope to visit the Middle East for another dinner in 2011.

Mark Courtnell (L 75) and Rick Tatham (WB 77)

Cornwall Dinner 2nd April 2009

We were pleased to once again hold the Uppingham Cornwall dinner at Rick Stein’s (WD 60) St Petroc’s Bistro in Padstow at which OUs, their partners and current parents enjoyed the excellent food offered by the impressive venue.

Andrew Welch (H 62), Malcolm Tozer (ex-staff) and Karin Harman

Stuart McMurdo (M 94), Caroline Parker (nee Worrall) (Fd 84), Chris Parker,Adrian Parkes (WB 78) and George Fulton (C 91)

Peter Beresford (SH 54) and Chris (SH 54) and Prim Finney

Western Australia Dinner 9th April 2009

Sydney Dinner 16th April 2009

Robin Schall (C 45), Rick Wilkinson (F 72) and David Sloane (ex-Knox)

Charlie Peach (B 92), Richard Boston (B 56), John Bird (L 67), Lockie Baird (LH 40), Judy Coffey, Alex Yeadon (M 93), Guy Moore (F 93) and Roger Winwood (B 55)

Uppingham School Rugby Tour 9th August 2009

John Bird (L 67), Charlie Peach (B 92), Rodney Pepper (WD 49) and Paul Westgate (Uppingham’s new Director of Sport) on 9th August 2009 on the first stop of the Uppingham 1st and 2nd team Rugby Tour in Australia.

R-L Ed Watson (M 88) and Andrew Blamey (ex-Knox), David Joseph(H/Hf 90), Simon Roberts (ex-Knox) and Simon Walker (Fgh 87)

Sabah Reunion 9th May 2009

A reunion was held at The Garden House Hotel, Uppingham to mark the 25 year anniversary that a group of Uppingham adventurers set off on the Quatercentenery Expedition to Sabah (North Borneo).

Robert Rust (ex-staff), Richard Boston, William Rook (M 80), David Cunliffe (ex-staff) Anthony Long (L 80), Marcus Hill (C 79) and Jerry Rudman

Bill Carnaby (WD 56), Cris Winter (WD 57) and Rod and Gene Barlass (WD 56)

West Deyne 150th Anniversary 20th June 2009

On Saturday 20th June 2009, over 100 OUs and their families were welcomed by Tim & Jo Jefferis back to West Deyne to celebrate its 150th Anniversary. An enjoyable day was had by all, helped by good weather, wine and food. Everyone renewed or reformed friendships from their time at Uppingham whether recent or as far back as the 1930s.

William Riddington (WD 44) and Tony Keene (WD 47)

Tom Golding (WD 84), Stuart Piccaver (WD 84), Gurdev Mattu (WD 84),Anthony Robinson (WD 84) and Henry Davis (WD 84)

David Riddington (WD 49) and Michael Marchbank (WD 45)

East Anglia Dinner 11th June 2009

A wonderful evening was enjoyed by OUs and current parents from Norfolk thanks mainly to the excellent venue The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market where we were welcomed by Paul Whittome (F 68), his wife Jeanne and a team of great staff.The wine flowed, the food was superb and the sun shone for dinner alfresco.The Chairman for the evening was Nick Fryer (M 76).

Douglas Farmiloe (H 28) and Harry Nichols (H 66)

Diane and David Riddington (WD 49)

Geoffrey Fenton (WD 30)

Sally and John Edwards (WD 57)

Elizabeth Frowde, Richard Harman and Nick Fryer (M 76)

Karin Harman and Paul Whittome (F 68)

Champagne Reception and Musical Interlude at Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House 9th March 2009

Hosted by John Lockwood (M 67), High Sheriff of Lincolnshire.

Nick Carter, Anthony Couse, Jamie Greig, Chris Harris, Rob Riddle, Frank Toone and Michael Gavins

School House 1979 Reunion 6th June 2009

John Lockwood (M 67) and Richard Harman

Over 60s London Lunch 1st October 2009

The eleventh Over 60s London Lunch was once again held at The Cavalry & Guards Club, London where 62 OUs enjoyed excellent food and company.

Right: John Shaw (M 42) and Derek Bunting (B 45) Dimitri Dimitriou (WD 95) and James Vestbirk (C 98)

Mike Garrs (F 63) and Barnie Canter (L 60)

Hong Kong Reception 21st April 2009

Dr the Hon Sir David KP Li (H 54) kindly hosted a reception for OUs and parents in the impressive surrounds of the Bank of East Asia. More than forty guests from the Uppingham community in Hong Kong attend the occasion to welcome the Headmaster to the city.

Lincoln’s Inn Law Dinner 3rd March 2009

Two judges, five QCs and a host of barristers and solicitors attended another successful Uppingham Law Dinner for OUs and parents, held in the Old Hall, Lincoln’s Inn.

 Michael Birley (B 68) and Sonia Davies (Fd 80)

Jerry Rudman and Wendy Li (Fd 78) David Pittaway QC (B 69) and Richard Harman)

 Mark (Hf 84) and Eugenie Hardy

Jeremy Storey QC (C 66) and Nick Hutton (L 69)

 Peter Rolston (C 70) and Chris Sharrock (L 70)  Larry Lipsher. Brenda Davies and David Li (H 54)

Garth Lindrup (Parent) and Anthony Trace QC (WB 72)

Announcements

Engagements

Freddie (Nick) Grounds (WB 81) and Fiona Bettles (Fd 86) announced their engagement in September 2009.

Tim Clark (F 83) and Mandy Armstrong got engaged on 3rd July 2009 at Chateau de Codignat in France.

Alex Williams (Fgh 92) got engaged to Mia Pearson in September 2009.

Bertie Arkwright (B 93) and Jo Netscher (Fd 96) got engaged in February 2009.

Katharine Woddis (J 88) married Stuart Schofield in Hong Kong on 17th April 2009.

Gareth Morris (LH 89) and Katrina Greenslade were married on 12th September 2009. His best man was Edwin Stonestreet (WD 89) and both Chris Watson (M 91) and Freddie Grounds (WB 89) were in attendance. Malcolm Stonestreet (WD 54) conducted the service.

Nick Southern (SH 98) married Beverley Pope on 24th August 2009. He is pictured above with OUs that attended the wedding.

Thank you to all OUs for sending in photographs – please keep them coming!

Gareth Morris (LH 89) and his family

Marriages

Charles Dunstone (LH 78) married Celia Gordon Shute on Saturday 10th October 2009 in London.

Angus Kennedy (LH 86) married Michelle Coupar at Dundas Castle, Edinburgh on 21st June 2009.

Angus Kennedy (LH 86) and wife, Michelle

Philip James (C 87) married Andrea Williams. on 8th August 2009.

Hugo Isacc (B 88) married Natasha Price in Windsor on 12th September 2009.

From left to right: Judson Mathias (SH 98), Daniel Wright (SH 98), Ed Simpson (M 98) Nick Southern (SH 98), Beverley Pope, George Ross(Fgh 95), Amy Burton (L 98), Nick Fairclough (SH 96) and Chris Bond (C 95)

Judson Mathias (SH 98) moved to Mauritius during 2009 and got married in October 2009. Judson and his wife are also the proud parents of a baby girl.

Janie Stafford (L 94) married Jeremy Hamilton-James on Saturday 20th December 2008 in Bristol Cathedral.

Elizabeth Hope-Hawkins (L 94) married Ben Lawrenson in May 2007. Their first child Beatrice Harriet Hope Lawrenson was born on 24th November 2008. Elizabeth now runs ‘Edible Art’ an event catering company which also organises private cooking workshops in the Midlands.

Richard Howells (WD 97) married Millie Taylor (L 97) in March 2009.

Births

Harry Swan (F 89) married Nicky Tucker in July 2005 and they are now proud parents of Jonty born in July 2008. Harry is currently running the family business in the NE of England.

Antonia Watson (nee Williams) (J 90) and her husband Steve are the proud parents of Sebastian Richard who was born on 20th May 2008.

Becka Moakes (J 00) married Mark Woodward on 24th October 2008 at Ely Cathedral.

Andrew Burner (SH 90) and his wife Jen are the proud parents of their first child Orla Hannah Claire who was born on 5th December 2008.

Tom Moate (B 91) and his wife Sonia are the proud parents of son Louis Felix born on 21st November 2008.

Georgina Stephens (nee Tonkinson) (J 91) and her husband James are the proud parents of a girl, Agatha born on 12th December 2007, a little sister for brothers Felix and Charlie.

Viscountess Polly Ingestre (nee Blackie) (J 94) and her husband Viscount Ingestre had a baby girl The Hon. Matilda Elisabetha Deborah Chetwynd-Talbot born on 3rd November 2008.

Laura Cullen (nee Day) (Fd 94) married Old Oakhamian, Matthew in September 2007 and they are now the proud parents of son Jack who was born on 27th August 2008.

Obituaries

Major Leslie ‘John’ Stevens (Hf 25) a Lieutenant of The Victorian Order and Member of the British Empire, a successful theatre producer in London and life long equestrian organizer, died peacefully in his home in Hardington Mandeville, Somerset on Saturday, June 27th, 2009. He was 97. Born in August 1911 in Abbington Park in Northhamptonshire John and his sister Joan were brought up by their father Percy H. Stevens.

It was at Uppingham that John developed his love of music and flying, playing timpani in the School orchestra and obtaining his pilot’s licence as a 16 year old, before being apprenticed in the drawing office at British Thompson-Houston. He then joined the family engineering firm, but his true passion was the Theatre. Having learnt the engineering business for a couple of years he soon convinced his father to allow him to join a professional theatre touring company as a lead part in ‘Wind and the Rain’. After a year of touring England with the troupe, he ended up in London at the Windmill Theatre with Kenneth Moore, Lawrence Olivier and John Guilgud as a comic straight-man in a variety show.

During this time he recorded a weekly radio show on the BBC where he sang Fred Astaire reviews with Jack Hulbert and Ciceley Courtneidge to great acclaim. John's passion for music led him to conduct the Reggie Bristlow Orchestra and then form his own,The John Stevens and his Mini-Keyboard Band with whom he sang and played regularly at the Carlton Hotel, in London. He also found time to be a Special Constable as well as indulge his love of motorbikes, (he owned a Rudge Whitworth 500), by training despatch riders in the Northamptonshire Yeomanry as a member of the TA. In 1939 he joined the RASC in Northampton as a Captain and was involved in Dunkirk and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). He met his first wife, Peg Deuchar on a weekend trip to London at the Savoy Grill.They were married in 1942.

After World War II, John set up a successful theatre production company, Murray Macdonald and John Stevens Ltd, which produced many plays in the West End.Two of his notable successes came with ‘Roar Like a Dove’ by Dodie Smith and ‘The Amorous Prawn’ by Anthony Kimmins, which was later made into a film. He was also involved with Laurie Lister and Allied Theatre Productions.

A horseman at heart, John organized and ran the local Garth Pony Club based in Winkfield Windsor, which was attended by Princess Anne. In the mid-sixties he became involved with Eventing and took over the Crookham Horse Trials from Peggy Maxwell. He was the first organiser to arrange sponsorship from Martini, for a horse trial. He was also a BHS Steward and commentator up until his seventies. In 1968, he helped H.R.H. Prince Philip formulate new rules for the modern Horse Driving Trials. In 1986 he ran the World Driving Trials at Ascot Racecourse and was a well known judge and administrator on the four in hand driving circuit in England. In 1976 he was asked by Colonel Mike Ansell to take over as Director of the Horse of The Year Show in Wembley Arena and also The Royal International Horse Show. Both grew under his stewardship to be two of the most prestigious International Show jumping events on the world equestrian circuit. .....................................................................................................

Norman Knight (SH 27) died on May 30, 2009, aged 95, in Durban, South Africa. He was born in 1914 in Eltham, Kent, and went to St Andrews School in Eastbourne from which he gained a scholarship to Uppingham.

At Uppingham he was head of School House and a prefect. (The headmaster at the time was the Rev. Reginald Owen). He was in the School’s Fives team for three years and won the public schools championship in 1932.

At Wadham College Oxford he read philosophy, politics and economics. He played several sports at University, gaining a Blue for cricket and a half-Blue for Eton Fives. His father headed a family-owned ship repairing business with a drydock on the Thames, across the river from present-day Canary Wharf, but Norman was not interested in a nine to five job in London, and after graduating from Oxford he joined the Colonial Service.

He was stationed initially at the village of Mumbwa in the west of Northern Rhodesia, and later transferred to Mongu in Barotseland even further west near the Angolan border.

He was at Kalabo, another remote district between the Zambezi River and Angola, when war broke out in 1939.There were no roads at Kalabo and people moved about on canoes. He took three days to walk 50 miles to Mongu and then fly to Lusaka to join the Northern Rhodesia Regiment.

He saw action against the Italians at the Battle of Tug Argan in Somaliland. Later the regiment went to Ceylon where the Japanese were threatening invasion. He returned to Northern Rhodesia and in 1947 he was private secretary to the acting Governor Sir Harold Cartmell-Robinson and then the Governor Sir John Waddington. He was part of the team that organized the visit to Livingstone in 1947 of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the two princesses.

From 1949 to 1951 he returned to Mumbwa as District Commissioner, and subsequently held senior positions in the Northern Rhodesia Government, the Federal Government and the Central African Power Corporation, before retiring to Durban. His wife Babs Knight died in 2007 and he is survived by four stepchildren and their families. .....................................................................................................

Lord Henry (Oscar) Murton (WD 28) died on 5 July 2009 aged 95. He had the rare distinction of serving as a Deputy Speaker in both Houses of Parliament – for three years in the Commons, then for 19 in the Lords. Aged 50 when first elected, his active career at Westminster lasted until he gave up his duties in the Upper House at 90.

He was born in Hexham on 8th May 1914, the elder son of Henry Murton. He wanted to join the Army, but his father urged him to join the family firm. Nevertheless he was commissioned into the Territorials with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in 1934, and sent to Staff College four years later. Poor health prevented him being sent abroad, but he was appointed to the General Staff as a Lieutenant-Colonel, serving at HQ Salisbury Plain District and the War Office.

Demobilised with an OBE, and with two Commander-in-Chief's commendations, Murton returned briefly to the family firm before becoming deputy-secretary of the newly-created National Coal Board's northern division. After two years he returned to the firm as Managing Director until it was sold. He moved to Dorset in 1957 to paint, garden and sail.

Murton then became a director of property companies, a councillor from 1961 and chairman of the Conservative Association. When Poole's MP Sir Richard Pilkington stood down at the 1964 election because of ill-health, he won the seat comfortably. In the Commons.

When Edward Heath came to power in 1970, Murton became parliamentary private secretary to the minister for local government.The following November he was appointed a whip, and in November 1973 the House made him First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (Deputy Speaker) on the retirement of Betty Harvie Anderson.

He married Constance Connell in 1939, with whom he had a son and daughter. Two years after her death in 1977 he married Pauline Keenan, a lady clerk at Buckingham Palace in charge of dispatching the Queen’s 100th birthday cards. .....................................................................................................

Peter Nicholls (C 29) was born in 1915 in Assam, India and after school in England at Wells House and Uppingham he returned to Assam as a tea planter in 1933. On leave in England at the outbreak of war in September 1939, he volunteered for aircrew training with the RAF, but was told, as a resident of India, that he would have to enlist in that country. After OCTU in Dehra Dun, he was commissioned into the Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners and was posted to the N.W. Frontier where there was tribal unrest. Later, as a Major attached to the Royal Engineers, he commanded a Field Park (Engineering) company in the campaign through Burma and into IndoChina. Back in the UK on demobilisation leave in 1946 he learnt to fly and subsequently owned several aircraft in India.

As Managing Director of Williamson Magor & Co’s head office in Calcutta he was instrumental in introducing light aircraft to the tea industry in Assam, thereby greatly assisting communications between estates situated on either side of the Brahmaputra River, which was several miles wide and with only a single bridging point at the time. Kenya, he met his future wife, Margery, and they were married in Limuru in 1956, their son, Mark, being born in 1959. Returning to England in 1964, the family settled in West Mersea, Essex and Peter established an engineering firm in Colchester, specialising in pumping equipment. He retired to Hardwick, near Cambridge in 2000, and he died on 24th June 2009. He is survived by his son, his wife having predeceased him. .....................................................................................................

Rodney Parsons (Fgh 29) born 28th February 1916 in Harare, Southern Rhodesia. He first set foot in England in 1921 having made the epic journey of two weeks by train to Cape Town and then 3 weeks by ship. He went to St Andrews School in Eastbourne in 1924 which he remembered with great affection.

Rodney arrived at Uppingham in 1929 to join his two brothers Anthony (Fgh 23) and Nigel (Fgh 25). Here he was a school prefect, House Captain and a member of the Rugby XV. Playing rugby nearly cost him his life after contracting septicaemia through a cut on his head. One of his older brothers, Nigel sadly died from injuries sustained playing rugby at Uppingham.

In 1936 he went to Lincoln College, Oxford to read Chemistry. In 1938 he was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery and then joined the war effort, where he participated in the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. In 1944 he took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino as part of the liberation of Italy which he described as hell!

He married Rosemary Figgis in 1947. He then returned to Lincoln College, Oxford as an army officer, this time to read Physics.

His son, Michael Parsons (Fgh 62) and his two sisters Susan and Merula were born in 1950 and 1957.

In 1951 he was posted to Jordan where he served under Glub Pasha in the Arab Legion. This was followed by postings to Norway and Canada where he relished discovering new cultures and emulating the pioneering spirit of his Father before him. As a result his children were educated in these countries and were able to lead the richest of lives.

In 1960 he was thrilled to find himself returning to the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’ to command the Oxford Officers Training Corps. In fact he loved Oxford so much so that when he finally retired from the Army in 1963 he took up the position of Administrator for the Department of Engineering Science where he spent a further 20 very happy years before finally retiring in 1984. He then became a successful and enthusiastic silversmith.

He lived out his retirement peacefully in Brightwell cum Sotwell, South Oxfordshire close by to both his grandchildren and great grand children whom he adored. He was the epitome of a true gentleman. His wife died in 2002 and he continued living on his own until his death in June 2009. ........................................................................................

Geoffrey Fenton (WD 30), Businessman and great grandfather died peacefully in Jersey on 27th July 2009 in his 93rd year.

Throughout his long life Geoffrey was guided by a number of affections and loyalties. His marriage to Nancy which lasted for 70 years was the rock on which his life was based. Sadly, when she died in 2008 the light went out of his life.

Geoffrey had an Italian mother and an Irish father, and from both sides he inherited a strong attachment to his large and widespread family. His two daughters, Anne (who died sadly in 2000), and Valerie, who both returned regularly to spend their summer holidays with their families in Jersey were a source of enormous pride and pleasure to him.

Geoffrey was a member of the Jersey militia and was on the last boat to leave Jersey before the Germans invaded during the last war. On his return to Jersey after the war he set up a small insurance business which over the years, under his guidance, grew to become the biggest all round insurance firm in the Channel Isles.

Geoffrey was a great follower of sport, he knew the details of both British and Italian teams playing in most competitions and was always the man to ask for the latest test score in cricket.

of his time there helped form him. And he continued to follow and support developments at the School throughout his life.

Shortly before his death he returned to Uppingham for the 150th anniversary of West Deyne with his nephew, Michael Le Poidevin and his family including their daughter Olivia who will be starting at the School in September. Geoffrey was delighted by what he saw, and spoke about the visit to his family with real feeling. It proved to be a providential event as he died some three weeks later still in full possession of all his faculties.

By Sir Nigel Broomfield .....................................................................................................

Oliver Stonehouse (C 38), went on from Uppingham to Clare College, Cambridge, where he completed his degree in natural sciences in two years.

From 1944 to1948, he worked for the Admiralty at the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors before joining the family business, where he remained for the rest of his career, serving as both Managing Director and later Chairman until 1988. He was also an active member of the Territorial Army from 1948-1954.

He shared a love of the sea with his Great Grandfather Matthew Porritt Stonehouse and in 1978 he fulfilled a long-held ambition – crossing the Atlantic in a 31ft sailing boat named Miranda. They covered 4,505 miles in 44 days.The yacht and her crew arrived safely in time for Christmas despite encountering a lightening strike, whale sightings and a broken boom.

In 1963, family tradition was maintained and a unique record established when he was elected president of Wakefield Chamber of Commerce, celebrating its centenary during his presidency in 1965. He was the third generation of the family to be accorded this honour. His grandfather, Sir Edmund, was president in 1914-1915 and his father, Eric, held the office from 1928-1930.

Oliver was also chairman of the Friends of Wakefield Art Gallery and of the Wakefield Permanent Art Fund for 27 years, and on his retirement in 1979 he was thanked for having contributed greatly to the fine art collection of the Wakefield area.

In retirement Oliver indulged in his preferred ‘off the beaten track’ style of travel – driving over 100,000 miles across Europe in his camper van Bambi with his equally intrepid wife, Julien, and sailing in Poole harbour and the Virgin Islands where they had many friends.

A wonderfully full and generous life but unfortunately one punctuated by untimely losses – first his brother, Michael, aged 19, killed in action in 1941; and later both of his sons, Matthew (C 71) in 1979 aged 21, and John (C 73) in 2007 aged 47. .....................................................................................................

Keith Vartan (LH 45) had an outstanding record of achievement at Uppingham. He was Captain of the School, a major presence in the first teams for rugby, hockey and cricket and also blew a melodious trombone in the School orchestra. After National Service with The Sherwood Foresters in the UK and Germany, Keith secured a place at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

There he read law and achieved an MA, this setting him up for his subsequent career in commerce.

Sport remained his abiding passion, his achievements including a Hockey Blue at Cambridge and subsequently 20 hockey caps for Scotland over a five year period. At Cambridge he played cricket for the Crusaders and became a member of the Hawks Club. He also played regularly for the Uppingham Rovers. In later years Keith drew great satisfaction from watching his two sons and granddaughter excel in various sports. Keith died on 14th November 2008 and is survived by his wife Kay and his elder son Craig.

Frank Edward Harvey (LH 48) known by everyone as Ted. I can remember him as the most excellent scrum half. He should have been an International but somehow riding got in the way. He was very difficult to beat in a race and he told me that on one of his horses called Two Pins, he won 10 times and fell 10 times.

Ted never forgot to smile and when he came to the gallery six months before he died, he was surrounded by girls and smiling in his delightful way. I remember at the 400th year anniversary, Ted was there enjoying himself and smiling at everyone.

He bought a horse for his son to ride in the Grand Military.The horse was called Little Polveir and in 1989 it won the Grand National. He is as far as I know the only Uppinghamian to have won the Grand National.

In 1992 he was High Sheriff of Essex but he did not lose any of his friendly approach and was someone I was very proud to know. He was a great credit to the school and was much loved by his family and friends.

By Peter Johnson (Hf 50) .....................................................................................................

Dr John Stonehouse (C 73) BA (Hons) Oxon, BSc, MSc, PhD, agricultural entomologist and world authority on pest control in the developing world, died of cerebral malaria in Senegal on 26 September 2007, aged 47. He was born in 1960.

John’s brief career was remarkably varied and fulfilling. Leaving Uppingham in 1977, he then read History at Worcester College, Oxford, where he was also a keen amateur actor, performing locally and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He completed an MSc in Applied Entomology (1986) and a PhD in Environmental Technology (1990) from Imperial College London. Thereafter, he held the post of Research Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College, where he was a valued advisor in the field of agricultural pests in the developing world. John’s fieldwork took him to many far flung countries, including Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Pakistan, India and

Thailand. Together with colleague Professor John Mumford from Imperial College, he published a book on Science, Risk and Trade and over 40 papers on fruit fly control. He also helped to train dozens of young entomologists in Asia and Africa and conducted some of the largest field trials on fruit fly management in those continents. According to Professor Mumford, his success in these field projects was unprecedented. He described John as “particularly effective as a scientist working in international development because of his tremendous ability to work with everyone he met in their own circumstances, and his combination of critical judgement and good-humoured patience that built confidence in all who worked with him.”

At the time of his death, John was working on a European Commission project, planning the regional management of fruit flies across West Africa to improve opportunities for small-scale fruit growers. His Senegalese counterpart remarked that he had “died like a soldier facing the threat to the welfare of millions of people”, referring not only to the fruit flies that destroy their livelihoods but also the mosquitoes that brought about his untimely death. His unique ability to adapt easily to new conditions and people of all social, cultural and religious backgrounds, and his remarkable role in helping so many will be his lasting memorial.These qualities have already been recognised in letters from agricultural ministries around the world and from the EU, UK, US and UN aid and development agencies where he was so well-known and respected. He is also remembered in India through an improved local fly trap that has been named after him.

Running parallel to his entomological achievements was a love of painting, sailing and a burgeoning career as a politician. John had a pied-a-terre in Ladbroke Grove,West London, and in Poole, Dorset near his family’s beloved houseboat, but his main home was at Ugthorpe Windmill near Whitby in Yorkshire, where his family had lived for generations. At the 2005 general election, he acted as Liberal Democrat agent for the constituency of Scarborough and Whitby, and was a local council candidate for the Mulgrave ward of Whitby in May 2007. At the time of his death, he was one of the shortlisted London candidates for the European Parliament, and would have brought great value as a scientist with an understanding of history and a long personal experience of the developing world.

Together with these scientific and political achievements, John leaves the legacy of his fine sense of humour, loyalty and innate generosity in the memories of all who knew him. He is survived by his mother and two sisters, Linda and Susie. .....................................................................................................

Adrian Leigh Gothard (M 77) passed away after a valiant fight on 6th August 2009 in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, aged 45.The much loved son of Leigh Gothard (M 52) & Vere Gothard and brother of Julian Gothard (M 78). He will be sadly missed by both family and friends.

Adrian had the distinction of being one of the Uppingham’s first genuine ‘computer geeks’ at a time when computer’s were still the size of a Chieftain Main Battle Tank! Adrian was also an integral part of the School rifle shooting team, and shot with distinction at Bisley in the Ashburton Trophy. Donations in Adrian’s memory can be made to the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust http://www.justgiving.com/AdrianGothard/ .....................................................................................................

Online Memorial Book

The OU office are currently working with a company called ‘Friends and Relations.com’ which was set up by Jonathan Haward and Hugh Hastings, who both lost brothers early in their lives. Keen to share fond memories and photos of their brothers with a wide group of friends and relations, Hugh and Jonathan realised that other people might also welcome such a celebratory internet-based service.

The ‘OU Book of Remembrance’ will be available from the New Year and will be available to families and friends of OUs who have passed on enabling them to create a celebration page of their lives. In this way OUs can be remembered by those who knew them at different times during their lives.

A link to the ‘OU Book of Remembrance’ will be put on the OU website www.olduppinghamian.co.uk with full instructions of how pages can be created or modified.

As Secretary of the Uppingham Association may I commend the ‘ OU Book of Remembrance’ to the families and friends of those Old Uppinghamians who are now at rest.

Deaths

Notification has been received of the following deaths since the last issue of the OU Magazine was published. An * indicates than an obituary has been printed.

Name House Date Died Leslie 'John' Stevens (*) Hf 25 27/6/2009 John Walker M 26 15/8/2009 Nicholas Vere-Hodge R 26 2006 Ian Carrick C 27 27/2/2009 Norman Knight (*) SH 27 30/5/2009 Maurice Lucas WB 27 2003 Lord Henry Murton (*) WD 28 05/7/2009 Peter Nicholls (*) C 29 24/6/2009 Sir Ian Wallace F 29 19/5/2009 Rodney Parsons (*) Fgh 29 16/6/2009 John Lauder LH 29 01/7/2009 Geoffrey Fenton (*) WD 30 27/7/2009 James Woods-Humphery F 31 10/10/2008 Peter Owen R 31 21/8/2008 James Close F32 Feb 2009 Patrick Hancock F 32 13/6/2009 Norman Gilleney SH 36 30/9/2009 Benjamin Bazley F 37 07/12/2008 John Greg Fgh 37 21/3/2008 Hugh Whitwell Fgh 37 Apr 2009 Donald Parkinson H 37 07/3/2009 Robert Woodhead WD 37 09/11/2008 Oliver Stonehouse (*) C 38 Feb 2009 Laurence Smitheringale Fgh 39 2007 Brian Barker SH 39 12/6/2009 John Austin WD 39 15/1/2009 Bill Ellis WB 40 16/5/2009 Roger Mathers SH 41 Dec 2008 Roger Moore C 43 Sep 2008 John Michael Barker Fgh 43 29/1/2009 John Darby Hf 43 2008 Hugh Harding C 44 09/6/2009 Arthur Hair Fgh 44 2004/2005 John Weller WB 44 18/1/2008 John Warner WD 44 24/4/2009 Michael Hilton Fgh 45 30/4/2009 Keith Vartan LH 45 14/11/2008 Michael Horton-Ledger SH 45 Dec 2008 Anthony Marsh WB 45 07/5/2009 Michael Rose C 47 28/1/2009 Michael Roberts F 48 25/1/2009 Michael Davies F 48 27/8/2009 Frank Harvey (*) LH 48 04/2/2009 Malcolm Usher WB 49 Apr 2009 Alex Bowles LH 51 Jun 2009 Robert Watts H 54 03/5/2009 David Issard-Davies M 55 Nov 2002 Michael Grimshaw WD 56 08/3/2009 Aubrey Dulcken SH 66 2008 John Stonehouse (*) C 73 29/9/2009 Adrian Gothard (*) M 77 06/8/2009 Markham Derbyshire F 81 Oct 2009 .....................................................................................................