School News

The Lorne House Diehards

There was a sad reminder for those Lorne House OUs of my generation who watched the march past at the Cenotaph in November 2010. David Dimbleby mentioned that the Korean War veterans were being especially honoured and that veterans of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Middlesex Regiments, the first British troops in Korea were represented.

Boys of Lorne House may not give more than a cursory glance at the honours board hanging in the hall. Dismissed no doubt as just history, as we dismissed without much thought, a visit of a number of old boys from the Boer War.

We played, laughed and fagged with Jeff Bucknall (LH 42) and Mike Cawthorne (LH 44) two of those names on the board. These two were both sent to Korea, to face not only thousands of enemy soldiers but the bitter cold. Jeff as Intelligence Officer with the Middlesex and Mike as regular officer with the Argylls and Southerland Highlanders. I picture Mike Cawthorn, a really nice guy, son of a Major General, resplendent in a kilt. Both killed and buried far away in the Pusan cemetery in South Korea unacknowledged by the War Graves Commission. I owe my time in Lorne House to another mentioned on the board. Edward ‘Peter’ Dillon (LH 35) who was killed in 1943 in Italy, commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment, but serving with the Royal Artillery. He was the son of the Middlesex cricketer Ted Dillon. My father knew Ted, so it was Uppingham for me and later my brother.

For me, a Lorne House new boy in 1943, from a home that had been flattened by the Luftwaffe, the world was very much at war and Great Britain continued on a military basis until the end of National Service, making the first half of the last century a period of things military. All of us were members of the school corps, except those in the Air Training Corps. We wore the Leicester’s Cap badge but it was the Middlesex Regiment that counted for me, my brother Richard ‘Murray’ Fox (LH 45)

and my father. The 57th of Foot, later to become the Middlesex Regiment, fought at Albuhera, in the Peninsular War, and thereafter were known as the ‘Diehards’; the CO, Colonel Inglis having exhorted his men to die hard.

In my first year I discovered other Diehard links. Murray Judd (LH 43) had a half brother Perks who had served with the regiment. My father was with the 9th Bn. Middlesex Regiment in WW1 and then as a Territorial. At the outbreak of WW2, the Bn. became the 60th Searchlight. By 1943 the 60th changed role to become 595 LAA. In the spring of 1944 who should come to Uppingham – but 595 with their camouflaged Ack-Ack guns. They set up Bn. HQ in the abandoned Redgate. I remember a tea in the Officers Mess. Extra food was an event of some significance. Sadly they only stayed a few days.

Now to 1944 and D Day. At the time I do not think I realised, partly I suspect because of secrecy, that Jeff Bucknall’s father, a Lieutenant General, was in command of one of the two British Army Corps that landed on D Day, XXX Corps. He had been chosen by Field Marshall Montgomery for the task. Although highly regarded by Monty for his time in Italy he did not last long in Normandy. Sir General Brian Horrocks (SH 1909) was his replacement and had been one of Monty’s Corps commanders in North Africa, and been wounded there by shrapnel, and had recently recovered. He was a charismatic leader and highly respected by his troops. He was brilliant at remembering names. Edward Fox’s portrayal of him in ‘A Bridge Too Far’ was, I thought, true to the man.

My brother, two years younger than I, served with the Middx. in Hong Kong after they had been withdrawn from Korea. My brother and I were lucky to have been spared the horrors of Korea. All and every one of those killed in Korea died hard.

Geoffrey Fox (LH 43 Kathleen Grimwood has celebrated becoming a super-centenarian by reaching the age of 110 in August 2011 and is the 16th oldest person in Britain. Kathleen was Matron of West Deyne in the 1940 under P B King and still keeps in touch with some of her ‘boys’ and states her time at Uppingham as some of her best days. Roy Ford, ex-staff 1951 – 1954 and again from 1966 – 1971 died in April 2011 following a long illness. He left Uppingham to become Headmaster of Southwell Minster Collegiate Grammar School followed by Kings School Rochester.

Warwick Metcalfe, Head of Art from 1958 – 1988 passed away in May 2011. Born in 1928, John Philip ‘Warwick’ Metcalfe took up the post of Art Master at Uppingham in 1958 and spent the rest of his career working for the School. Warwick joined as Head of a oneman department with an empty art school, no formal sixth form teaching and a single 45 minute period per week for the Junior classes. Recalling his arrival, Geoff Frowde wrote: “The Art School became a buzz of activity. He inherited an annual budget of £120 and proceeded to fund his department by charging an ‘Extra Art’ fee of £2 per term. He soon had 200 ‘Extra Artists’ and a departmental income of £1200 p.a ”

The Department, by now Art and Design, really took off with the arrival of John Royds as Headmaster in 1965 who gave it his full support. Warwick was involved in major school projects using his architectural skills on the enlargement of the Chapel, the conversion of the gym to a theatre, the creation of the second storey in the Hall, the Headmaster’s House, and the Lecture Theatre below the Hall. Warwick remained immensely proud of the achievements of all his protégés and was especially delighted that the modern embodiment of the department he worked so hard to establish is now in The Leonardo Centre, designed by Piers Gough (WB 59) and run by no less than thirteen members of staff. Piers Gough writes: ‘Warwick was a wonderful mentor. He had the gift of teaching all abilities to produce something to be proud of. For a little, rather shy boy not temperamentally suited to the public school ethos of the time, he ran a creative home from home. A refuge across the graveyard that was rich with the possibilities of painting, drawing, sculpture and ceramics. Later, he encouraged a more public engagement with

the whole School through doing posters for the Colonnade and the School’s Christmas Cards culminating in designing as well as constructing and painting sets for the school plays. In this way he demonstrated a great trust and faith in his pupils. Through Warwick’s transformative ideas for the Thring Centre, his designs for the Chapel extension and the new Headmaster’s House as well as the idiosyncratic sign for the White Hart and his prodigious drawings for Radio Times, he was inspirational, setting many of us on course to become artists and architects. For half a century, Warwick and Jean dedicated themselves to the cultured development of Uppingham. He is much missed.”

Warwick retired in 1988 and the Headmaster at the time, Nick Bomford, concluded his comments about him saying “He is unique and we shall not see his like again”.

Our thanks to Jean and Alistair Metcalfe for allowing us to use extracts from the Eulogy given at Warwick’s funeral in May 2011. The full version of this document is available on the OU website.

Herbert Colton, RSM to the CCF from 1962 – 1985 died in March 2011. The CCF formed a guard of honour at his funeral.

Pauline Giddings, Head Cook 1991 - 2006 died in September 2011. Rev. Alan Megahey, Chaplain of Uppingham School 1993 – 2001 died in August 2011.

Dr. Stephen Winkley, former Headmaster writes: I knew Alan Megahey for almost forty years, and was with him on the day he died. He exemplified the Christian life, in his service to others, his radiant faith, and his acceptance of God’s plan. But he had wonderful personal gifts as well. He and I were colleagues at Cranleigh in the 1970s: he ran an immensely civilized house, and inspired generations of Cranleighans to love history and to be generous and kind. He was an extraordinary preacher: the faith was simple, the message was strong, and there was light and joyfulness in his communication. You felt he was talking to you. Alan was for ten years Headmaster David Kirk

of Peterhouse, one of the great schools of Africa, returning in 1993 to be Chaplain at Uppingham. The legendary hospitality provided by him and by Elizabeth drew in all sorts and conditions of pupils and teachers: he was accessible and a good listener, but never afraid to tell the truth. His wide learning never stopped him communicating with a huge range of people, as I saw when I visited him in his Lincolnshire parishes for the last ten years of his life. His steady and persistent cheerfulness comforted and inspired, even in his final illness. He was simply the best person I’ve ever met. Chris Stevens was Housemaster of Brooklands from 2002 untill 2011 and also the Prep Schools Liaison. Combining those roles with the highest of standards and attention to detail as an academic, a sportsman and teacher of several subjects including Art, History, French, Italian and English gives you a sense of vision he bought to the role. He leaves to become Second Master at Marlborough and everyone at Uppingham wishes Chris, Helen and their girls every success. Chris’s successor in Brooklands is Nick de Wet

West Deyne saw a change this summer too as Tim Jefferis moved to a Deputy Head post in charge of the Academic side of life at Oswestry School. Tim has been a true man of action in his work at Uppingham both in the Geography department and as a Housemaster for the last five years. The boys and parents of those taught by him or accompanied by him on numerous expeditions, will be very sorry to see Tim go and all good wishes go to Tim, Jo and the children. Will Chuter, who started his tutoring in West Deyne, has taken over.

Ashley Dawe, who has most recently taught part-time in the Maths Department but who has served Uppingham loyally for 39 years, including a stint as Housemaster of West Bank has retired due to ill-health. Ashley is a true gentleman, scholar and all-round schoolmaster in the very best tradition. David Kirk is retiring from Fircroft having served a full fifteen years as Housemaster and will remain as Head of History of Art. In this age of compliance and email overload, David maintained his highly individual, deeply civilised and light touch approach. Jim Reddy (Hf 89) has succeeded David as Fircroft Housemaster.

Katharine Gaine came to the end of her time in The Lodge this year and, as a Sixth Form Housemistress. With David by her side as consort she has an incomparable wellspring of experience and wisdom to call upon and girls and parents have always rated her highly. Katharine will be taking on the job of Head of Classics and also assisting in the onerous task of university applications. Kyi and Stephan Muller have now taken over the Lodge.

David & Katharine Gaine

Uppingham Fellowship This year’s Speech Day had a special significance, as the first ever Uppingham Fellowships were conferred on some of the School’s most loyal and generous supporters, without whose contributions the School could not have embarked on such ambitious development plans for the Western Quad. Their support has been transformational for Uppingham and the Fellowships are well deserved.

As a mark of recognition, the new Fellows are Sir David Samworth (F 49), John Samworth (F 46), Colin Williams (L 55), Mark Glatman (L 69), Sir David K P Li (H 54) & Alasdair Locke (LH 66) each being presented with hand painted facsimiles of the original Uppingham School Elizabethan Charter from 1584. The facsimiles – each one unique – were produced by Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, who undertook careful research to find out which colours would have been used on the original Charter and this has been faithfully reproduced including the use of gold leaf.

Alasdair Locke receiving his Fellowship from Richard Harman