OU Magazine Issue 52 2024-2025

Welcome to the OU magazine

From the Editor

I am delighted to share our latest issue and wish to extend my enormous thanks to all those who have contributed to the wealth of news and stories featured, your input is greatly appreciated and valued.

This year’s magazine provides a wide range of articles, from Will Lawson’s (Fgh 96) incredible journey into wildlife filmmaking, to an insider’s view of MasterChef: The Professionals from Tristan Esse (WB 10). We also look at past OU Olympians, following this year’s Paris Olympics, and, as 2024 marks 125 years since the publication of The Amateur Cracksman, we delve into the life and works of EW Hornung (C 1880), an OU author lost to time. We trust there is something here for everyone to enjoy.

It has been yet another fantastic year for OU events, and we have loved seeing familiar faces and also welcoming those who have joined us for the first time. Whether you attended the immensely fun London Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental, one of many sporting activities, or events taking place in Uppingham or around the world, it has been a pleasure to welcome you.

With a diary full of events and opportunities to reconnect throughout next year, both at the School and beyond, both socially and professionally, we look forward to seeing you getting together with your OU friends and also making new connections across our broad community.

Lastly, please do keep in touch with us. We share regular news and event updates on OU social media pages and are always pleased to hear from you via ou@uppingham.co.uk

Best wishes from all at Uppingham, Jo Franklin (OU Manager and Editor) on behalf of the OU team

Visiting Uppingham

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-to-date by emailing ou@uppingham.co.uk

Uppingham School, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9QE

Tel: +44 (0)1572 820 616

Email: ou@uppingham.co.uk

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.

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 arrangements can be made and visitor badges provided. 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, drama performances, and opportunities to experience the high

Our cover photo captures the arrival of Uppingham Cairo’s first cohort of pupils, marking the School’s official opening on 8th September. Read more on page 4.

For a longer read, scan the QR codes with your smartphone camera to view extra content on the OU website.

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

Message from the Headmaster

The 2024 to 2025 academic year began with two significant additions to the Uppingham community.

The first took place when Li Kwok Po House, our new dedicated day house, opened the doors to its first cohort of pupils on the 31st of August. The House is named in honour of Dr The Honourable Sir David Li Kwok Po who was the first pupil from Hong Kong to attend Uppingham. Sir David joined The Hall in 1954 and has been a loyal friend and inspiration to our community ever since. Sir David’s pioneering spirit was mirrored by the 25 youngsters who joined the House this September. In time, the House will accommodate 120 pupils in the newly-converted heritage Thring Building. You can see pictures of the House, as well as the LKP pupils meeting Sir David when he visited Uppingham to attend the formal opening of Li Kwok Po House, on page 70.

Our second momentous event was the opening of Uppingham Cairo. The first pupils arrived on the 8th of September to see a first-rate campus, built to the highest standard by our partners New Era Education. Once full, Uppingham Cairo will accommodate 1,500 pupils aged three to 18. For now, the pioneering first cohort are enjoying the benefits of a Thringian holistic education, with day boarding and partnerships with elite sports coaches, all underpinned by a strong emphasis on academic excellence and the performing and creative arts. Uppingham Cairo has already bonded with Uppingham Rutland with last year’s School Captain, Tom Castle (LH 19) , working as a gap student there for a year, alongside several other young OUs, and a choir tour due to arrive in Cairo in December. If you visit Uppingham Cairo on Instagram you can get a sense of the new school and its fantastic campus.

Dr Richard Maloney with Dr The Honourable Sir David Li Kwok Po (H 54) on the official opening of Uppingham’s new day house.

Although we have much to be excited about, there is no doubt that the next 12 months will be challenging for the independent sector. Nevertheless, we will not pull back from our philanthropic intent and will continue to invest time and resources in promoting meaningful partnerships with state maintained schools. The independent sector is at its most impactful when schools like ours can demonstrate a genuine and positive contribution to the national educational ecosystem. Uppingham is working with eight academies in Leicester to bring about life-changing and transformative fully-funded places. We have ongoing educational partnerships and skills development programmes with state maintained schools – including Uppingham’s two primary schools, The Mead Academy Trust in Leicester, Beauchamp Sixth Form College, Lodge Park Academy, Red Kite Academy, Brightways, and, shortly, a STEM partnership with Uppingham Community College. Furthermore, we offer broader opportunities for local children to have enriching experiences at Uppingham – events which touch several hundred children each academic year.

Only through clarity of moral purpose can we encourage policymakers to think about the collective and positive power created by all schools working together. With the support of the OU Community, I have no doubt our school can continue to deliver on our charitable mission for young people nationally and, now, internationally.

Dr Richard Maloney

A Vision Realised

Uppingham Cairo is Open

It was a beautiful morning in New Giza on 8th September 2024, crystal clear skies, a warm 27 degrees, and the views across the land to the great pyramids of Giza were breathtaking. Against this historic backdrop, a hundred or so young children, aged four to 14, were making history of their own as they entered the doors of Uppingham Cairo for the first time.

Dick Howeson’s (Hf 64) company uTalk has offered its language learning app free to staff at Uppingham Cairo, as well as to visitors from the UK. The Egyptian Arabic app is perfect for beginners to help improve their vocabulary with everyday words and phrases. For more information on uTalk visit utalk.com.

By Patrick Mulvihill International Development Director

Two years after meeting our partners at New Era Education, led by the tireless and outstanding chairman Dr Tamer Tammam, Uppingham’s first international campus is open. And what a school it is. Set on an 11-acre site, 40 minutes from downtown Cairo, the school has been designed with exquisite detail. The facilities are comparable to any other international school in the world and, with a talented workforce of teachers, led by experienced headmistress Emma Webb, the education on offer is outstanding.

Uppingham Cairo is not a boarding school, though that may change in future years, but it does offer an innovative and unique after-school programme, working with global sporting brands such as Chelsea FC, the Rafa Nadal Tennis School, the NBA and more, to ensure that pupils can learn from the best and develop their skills and competitive instincts to the maximum. The ethos of the school is very much based on that which Revd Edward Thring laid down in the Victorian era, a genuine all-round education which encourages and enables every pupil to find and nurture their unique talents.

The Uppingham UK connection to Uppingham Cairo is strong and will remain so. Across the campus the buildings have a familiar ring – The Donald Campbell Sports Centre, the Barbara Matthews Theatre, the Thring Building, to name but a few, with others named after Sir Patrick Abercrombie (Hf 1893) and Archdeacon Robert Johnson, as well as 1584 and Rutland. There are four Houses for pupils, Brooklands, Farleigh, Fairfield and Johnson’s, and uniform and sports kit

With a talented workforce of teachers, led by experienced headmistress Emma Webb, the education on offer will be outstanding.

are inspired by the British school. In its first year there are OU Graduate and Gap-Year assistants working there who play a valuable role as ambassadors for an Uppingham education. The Director of Admissions is Nick De Wet, former housemaster of Brooklands in the UK who now does an amazing job of enlightening prospective parents on the benefits for pupils attending Uppingham Cairo. The connection between the two schools is real and will grow, with an Uppingham choir heading to Egypt soon and more departments planning to visit in the future.

Uppingham Cairo is a school of which Uppingham UK is very proud, and which OUs should take pride in, too. For more information do follow Uppingham Cairo on social media, or if you happen to be in Egypt, you will be assured of a warm welcome should you decide to visit. Now that Uppingham has opened its first international school, more will undoubtedly follow, the benefits of which will be felt by children around the world as well as by pupils at Uppingham UK. More details and plans will be featured here in future editions of the OU magazine.

OU Ambassadors

We are delighted that David Hammond (WD 16) , Seb de Wet (Hf 16) , Tom Castle (LH 19) , Izzy Mulvihill (NH 19) and Robyn Harrison (L 20) are currently working at Uppingham Cairo, helping across the school as sports and music assistants, in the marketing teams and in the school shop. Their energy and commitment is plain for all to see and we aim to continue with this ambassador programme in future years.

Front: Seb de Wet and David Hammond. Back: Tom Castle, Robyn Harrison and Izzy Mulvihill.

Who What Where

1930s

Copies of Eminent Uppinghamians, by the late Bryan Matthews (SH 30) are still available to purchase. The book depicts around 50 notable OUs from many different fields, including the army, education, industry and commerce, law, literature, music and medicine, to name but a few. Priced at £15.00 (incl. UK p&p), proceeds go to the Uppingham Foundation, email the OU team to order: ou@uppingham.co.uk

1940s

Paul Knocker (B 49) was pleased to share an account on his experience as a midshipman on the Royal Navy’s survey ship, HMS Owen, which, in the 1950s, completed detailed surveys of the Persian Gulf. With its sister ship, HMS Dalrymple – both distinctively painted white – they were tasked to produce a complete set of Admiralty standard navigation charts. Paul reported: “After the passage through the Med, calling at Malta, Port Said, Aden and Salalah, we finally moored at Khor Kalaya, Bahrain, in November 1954, the official base for the surveying programme, with our team of expert hydrographers and all the vital equipment needed, including the specially equipped survey boats. Our assignment in the Persian Gulf was for nine months, we were then relieved by HMS Dalrymple and set course for our passage to the UK.

In March, by royal invitation from His Majesty The King, Keith Taylor (F 46) and his partner Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle were honoured to attend a reception for veterans of the Korean War at Buckingham Palace. The event was held in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Princess Royal and The Duchess of Edinburgh and marked the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. In the photo Keith is wearing a field service cap, also known as a ‘side cap’, which he wore in Korea.

Keith recently donated a substantial collection of archive materials relating to his time at the School, including many photographs. The items were gratefully received by the Archivist, Jerry Rudman, who welcomes such donations. Please feel free to contact Jerry on jpr@uppingham.co.uk if you have any Uppingham-related ephemera which might be surplus to your requirements.

The maps produced by the Royal Navy’s hydrographers would play a vital role in finding oil and, with the development of the first super tankers, safe navigation in the Gulf and through the Gulf of Oman.

Paul’s full account on the evolution of the oil industry can be found on the OU website via the QR code.

1950s

Thomas Kendall (L 50), formerly known as ‘Thomas Potts’ whilst at the School, and John Barnett (L 51) enjoyed a visit to Uppingham with their wives in August. Thomas commented: “We were very impressed with the new buildings and how fine the School looked.”

L to R: Betty and John Barnett (L 51) with Thomas (L 50) and Libby Kendall

We are delighted to share excerpts from a poem submitted by Antony Le Fleming (Fgh 54), a period piece written about his memories of the School. Due to limited space within the magazine, the full poem is available to read on the OU website via the QR code.

UPPINGHAM SOJOURN

Uppingham in post-war days Was like living in another age.

“Uppingham Hurrah!” we used to sing Echoing the words of Edward Thring. There were rugby songs, fives songs, too And cricket songs to bolster you. We had little idea of where we were going But concerned with keeping traditions going.

Rocked by the impact of successive wars Over seven-hundred OUs gave their lives for the cause; We were members of a cautious generation; The ‘swinging sixties’ were still to come Technicolour bringing sunshine and fun. Meanwhile, we wore black jackets and ties Still genuflecting towards Queen Victoria’s demise.

Michael Harrison (WD 57) was elected President of the Royal Society of British Artists from June this year. This prestigious society was founded in 1823 and is one of the oldest exhibiting art societies in the UK. Past members include Walter Sickert, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Frank Brangwyn and LS Lowry.

David Thornley (LH 57) thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the School in August, his first trip back since he left in 1961. Following Uppingham, he emigrated to the United States, residing there throughout the sixties and early seventies, including serving in the US Army, and he

In the fifties, various things gave cause for doubt, The rations were nothing to write home about; If you were left a bit hungry or underfed You made up with peanut-butter or chocolate-spread.

We were taught in the ways of traditional learners Dates, and rivers, and Bunsen burners. Teachers were allowed full freedom of expression, Not bound to any trendy academic obsession. That their eccentricities came to the surface Was much to us pupils’ advantage.

Thanks to Paul David’s pioneering mission Uppingham harboured a strong music tradition. I was able to reap advantage in many ways From chamber-music to composing scores for plays.

The headmaster said in his leavers’ address That he was anxious to impress The need for forbearance and discretion; In anything unsavoury we might come by, ‘Be careful you’re not wearing your OU tie’

commented “it was a great time to be young in America”. On his return to the UK in 1975, he was trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and served his curacy at St Andrew’s Church, Burgess Hill, where he met and married Rosalind. After nine years in the rural ministry, he went on to a church in Bognor Regis until retirement in 2008. With five married children and 13 grandchildren, he confirmed life in retirement is never dull and he still takes services when asked.

Willie Fulton (C 58) and his wife Gail, founders of The Mango Tree Charity, were presented with a Times Sternberg Active Life Award at Downing Street in April. They received the award in recognition of their dedicated work supporting access to education for children and young people in East Africa who have lost one or both their parents due to HIV/AIDS. The Charity’s CEO Emily Wilder and another of its Founders

Bob Dowson (LH 87) were delighted to join them at the award ceremony.

Many congratulations to Willie and Gail on a lifetime of philanthropy in both Africa and the UK.

Willie and Gail Fulton, pictured with The Mango Tree CEO Emily Wilder (centre).

Images from the Uppingham Archives

Simon Greenly (F 58) has a keen interest in classic cars and would be delighted to connect with RAC Club and Goodwood Racing Club members. Please feel free to get in touch on simon@greenlys.co.uk

Stephen Maitland-Lewis’s (WD 58) latest novel, Legacy of Atonement, was released in June and is a page-turning thriller which reimagines the events from the Second World War and its immediate aftermath. “In the spring of 1959, a seemingly minor mistake in a wire transfer at a Swiss bank leads to the discovery of a plot by the CIA to launch a nuclear attack on the leaders of the USSR and China and to install Hitler, who is still alive and hiding in South America, as the leader of Western Europe.” Full of high drama and exciting twists that revel in the terrifying notion of what could have happened if WWII had ended in an alternative way.

Anthony Goddard (L 59) wrote to us regarding the School’s past rifle shooting successes, winning the prestigious Ashburton Shield at the annual Schools’ Meeting at Bisley on numerous occasions since its inauguration in 1861. Back in his day, Anthony fondly recalls shooting matches against Oakham School when the losing team was presented with a booby prize in the form of a white enamelled chamber pot with a blue handle and rim, on which the School crest was beautifully painted together with the faux Latin inscription ‘Iti Sapis Potandati None’. Shuffling the letters about, this translated into ‘It is a pis [sic] pot and a tin one’.

The trophy sadly isn’t held in the Uppingham School Archives nor is there any record of it. Does anyone else remember it? Do get in touch on ou@uppingham.co.uk to share your recollections.

Richard Stewart (SH 59) was awarded an MBE for his work as Chairman of Trustees of St John’s School and College in Brighton, a post he held for 20 years. The charity has educated children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities, mainly within the autistic spectrum, for many years. Richard was presented with the award by The Princess Royal at Windsor Castle in April.

Four old West Deyne boys, Robert Pope (WD 60), Ramsay Brierley (WD 59), Peter Bennett (WD 59) and Michael Anderton (WD 60), pictured left to right, meet up annually to play a round of golf, breaking the usual tradition this year by meeting at Formby Golf Club in Lancashire instead of Luffenham. Ramsay lives in South Africa and Michael travels from Australia and the group always enjoy getting together.

1960s

Sir Robert Francis (Hf 63) was appointed as interim chair of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority in May this year, following his Framework Review recommendations published in 2022. He said: “I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that the Authority supports and pays those due compensation under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme accurately, accessibly, securely and speedily.”

Tim Harris (WB 63) is a molecular biologist and biochemist. He started work in the biotech industry almost at its inception and now, more than 50 years on, he has completed a book on its history. In Pursuit of Unicorns, published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, takes the reader on a journey from the pioneering early days of gene cloning and monoclonal antibodies to current cutting-edge advancements in cell therapy, gene editing, and personalised medicine. He combines accounts of scientific successes and failures with a personal story of ambition, challenge, and discovery, to provide an honest insider’s view of biotech’s remarkable evolution and its profound impact on health care.

Nicholas Taylor (M 64) shared one of his memories of Uppingham: “… switching from the Army section of the CCF to the Air Force section. As befitted a more intellectual department, it was much more relaxed, and among the benefits were restricted manuals containing detailed descriptions of the effects of nuclear weapons, that I found fascinating. However, Uppingham, being surrounded by miles of bleak, empty country, was unlikely to have been on anyone’s hit list!”

Huge thanks to Professor Hagan Bayley (WB 67) who visited Uppingham this April to give a talk to the Science Society on engineered nanopores – from gene sequencing to organ repair.

Hagan is the Principal Investigator at the Bayley Group, whose laboratory uses the techniques of protein chemistry, molecular genetics, biophysics and cell biology. Much of their work is centred on membrane proteins, in particular channels and pores, investigating both

the fundamental properties of these proteins and their applications in biotechnology.

Pupils were captivated throughout the talk and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to hear about the Professor’s work.

Michael Lumsden’s (B 68) voice will be a familiar one to fans of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers where, since 1997, he has played the part of local vet, Alistair Lloyd. Throughout his career, he has appeared at theatres all over the country and will shortly be seen in a new two-part adaptation of The Forsyte Saga at Park Theatre, Finsbury Park. This year, Michael has also been filming The Crow Girl, a new psychological thriller series coming to Paramount Plus UK which has been adapted from the trilogy of novels by Erik Axl Sund and he will also appear in Series 4 of Professor T

Many OUs will have been taught by Michael’s late father, J M A Lumsden, member of staff from 1938 to 1962 and Housemaster of West Deyne from 1952 to 1962.

Jeremy Pemberton (SH 69) and John Liggins (Hf 67) sung together in the choir at Uppingham and on many occasions subsequently. Their paths crossed again in January when Jeremy was singing for an evensong with the lay clerks of Southwell Minster, which welcomed the choir of St Mary’s Warwick of which John is a member.

After seeing last year’s Who What Where piece on Paul Parsons’ (L 69) support mission to the Ukraine, Richard Hurwood (Hf 68) and Nick Hutchinson (L 68) felt inspired to volunteer for a further convoy, driving from the UK to Lviv in western Ukraine. With a pickup truck filled with humanitarian aid, purchased through donations they had secured, the pair joined a convoy of eight vehicles, organised by Paul Parsons, with Matthew Sample (SH 64) also volunteering for the trip.

Nick commented: “The vehicles and contents were left in Lviv, where we stayed for two days and discovered how civilian Ukrainians were coping with the war (with a

Whilst at Uppingham, Andrew David (C 69) became interested in the former Uppingham railway station, with encouragement from his art teacher, Warwick Metcalfe, and history teacher, Roy Ford, whose Friday evening local history bicycle trips around Rutland made a lasting impression.

To mark the 130th anniversary of its opening, Andrew is delighted to share a brief history on the Uppingham Station via the QR code. Through his research, he also discovered that a 1:76.2 scale model layout of Uppingham

Paul Parsons (L 69) is on the left and Matthew Sample (SH 64) on the right, gratefully accepting provisions from a local Ukrainian (centre).

brief taster of their experiences, retreating to our hotel basement on the second night when the air raid sirens sounded at 4am). Everyone we met was full of gratitude, not only for the physical aid but also simply for our presence, reminding them that they haven’t been forgotten in their deadly struggle. Two of many moving moments were the arrival of a tearful local lady bearing a tray of cake and sausage, to greet us on crossing the border from Poland, and the applause of several hundred members of the congregation of a Greek Catholic church (where we had driven our vehicles to be blessed by a priest prior to their despatch to the front lines), who had been told during the course of the service who we were and why we were there. Ukraine still desperately needs our help; please contact Paul Parsons on paul@southfieldshouse.co.uk if you would like to join a convoy in 2025 or can assist in any other way.”

Station was created in the 1970s by the late John Marriott of Leicester Model Railway Group. For many years it was in the care of Peter Simmerson, who exhibited it at various model railway exhibitions and, earlier this year, generously donated the model to the School, where it now resides in the Archives awaiting some TLC.

In October, Andrew hosted a lecture entitled ‘Uppingham (LNWR) –Rutland’s only passenger branch terminus: the first 130 years’ at The Model Railway Club (1910), London, the world’s oldest model railway club in existence.

In June Mark Laycock (H 72) completed the trans-Pyrenees hiking trail from coast to coast. He has visited the route over a period of seven years and in different seasons in order to avoid (mostly successfully) extremes of heat and snowed up passes.

Following the established 820km route, the GR11 winds through

As part of this year’s Nevill Holt Festival, broadcasting legend, Jonathan ‘Aggers’ Agnew (L 73) appeared in conversation with Phil Tufnell, providing visitors with an entertaining blend of sporting highlights, anecdotes and side-splitting humour as they recounted tales from their careers on the field and in the box.

Jonathan has been involved in professional cricket for nearly 50 years.

rolling Basque countryside towards the high peaks of Aragon and beyond. Mark also took in the three highest peaks which attracted the most snow and even glaciers. He said that his ability to get up early in the morning and maintain a level of fitness were entirely down to unwarranted ‘tish calls’.

Mark at the highest point of the GR11.

Before becoming a broadcaster, as a fast bowler he made 218 first-class appearances mainly for Leicestershire, but including three Tests for England. Since 1991, he served as the chief cricket correspondent at the BBC, only stepping down from the role at the end of this summer after 33 years in the post. He will continue to be a regular voice across BBC programmes having signed a new four-year contract to present Test Match Special. Jonathan was awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting in 2017.

After leaving Uppingham in 1979, Oussama Nasr (WB 75) read mathematics and philosophy at Cambridge before obtaining a Juris Doctor degree from Cornell University in the United States. He then practised law for four years in a large New York City law firm, after which he became an investment banker with Citigroup, also in NYC, before returning to his native Beirut where he set up a financial consultancy in 1998. Since then, he has concentrated on delivering training courses at regional and international financial institutions and advising borrowers and investors on their capital markets activities.

Oussama would be delighted to hear from anyone wishing to get in touch, please email onasr@dnatrainingconsulting.com

The School House Senior 4 x 100M relay team, consisting of Andrew Wright and Corry Taylor (both SH 75), Adam Cooke and James Couse (both SH 76), were reunited at this year’s Norfolk Dinner, 44 years on. In 1980 they were an invincible team, unbeaten in all their races in School and House competitions.

L to R: Andrew Wright, Corry Taylor, Adam Cooke and James Couse.

1980 School House Sprint Relay Winners, Uppingham Archives

L to R: Cooke, Couse, Wright and Taylor

Nicholas Mercer (SH 76), Rector of Bolton Abbey, travelled to Uzbekistan with his wife earlier this year and enjoyed the magnificent spectacle of the three madrasahs of the Registan in Samarkand. Whilst looking for postcards in the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, Nicholas stumbled across one, part in English and part in Uzbek, quoting two verses by James Elroy Flecker (M 1901) Despite his death in 1915, the line “We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand” was seemingly immortalised, if not in this country, but rather in central Asia.

At Uppingham, Nicholas was the Secretary of the Flecker Society and recalls many pleasant evenings reading plays, guided by the English master, Casey O’ Hanrahan.

Nicholas confesses he probably did not pay enough attention to James Elroy Flecker back then but acknowledges that he was part of his education and someone that came to enrich his own life many years later. Who would have thought that a School society, so little known then and possibly now, would enhance and embroider a holiday in Uzbekistan over 40 years later?

Read more about Flecker in Nicholas’s account via the QR code.

1980s

In June, Uppingham trustee Dominic Wallis (F 82) and his eldest son Sam (F 13) competed in the 2024 Norfolk Superhero (a quadrathlon comprising a one-mile swim, over four-mile kayak, 45-mile cycle, and an eight-mile run). Their team, ‘Norfolks Given’, trained hard through the gruelling winter months, aiming to complete the challenge in just five or six hours. They raised over £5,000 for the Burnham Overy Harbour Trust, to enable it to carry out vital restoration work to the creek and salt marshes that comprise this Site of Special Scientific Interest.

James Timpson (LH 85) was awarded a life peerage to the House of Lords, and appointed Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation under Sir Keir Starmer’s government, within days of Labour winning the general election in July. James runs the Timpson group of shoe repair and key-cutting shops and about 10% of his workforce are former prisoners. Having been vocal in his approach to rehabilitation, he is eager to address the huge challenges of overcrowding, high reoffending rates and failed reintegration the prison sector currently faces.

In January, Andrew Reeves (L 86) completed the Montane Winter Spine 2024, widely regarded as Britain’s most brutal endurance race. It’s a non-stop, 268-mile route along the most iconic and demanding national trail in Britain –the Pennine Way. Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 168 hours to reach the elusive village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, climbing over 10,000 metres as the route crosses beautiful but difficult terrain though the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots.

Andrew said: “I kissed the wall of The Border Hotel in under five days with just six hours of sleep, and battling bizarre hallucinations on the Cheviots. The time was adjusted by 20 minutes for helping a fellow competitor who succumbed temporarily to a wind chill of -20 degrees Celsius at 3.00am. A warmed-up and hydrated spaghetti carbonara in a heated ladies’ toilet did the trick!”

Award-winning concert pianist Rupert Egerton-Smith (M 86) performed as special guest artist with the Band of The Grenadier Guards and The Band and Bugles of The Rifles in a concert at Salisbury Cathedral in February. Attended by Her Majesty the Queen, the concert raised funds for and celebrated the work of local charities, including the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Community First – Youth Action Wiltshire, as well as regimental charities of the Grenadier Guards and the Rifles, of which she is Colonel-in-Chief.

Tom Young (M 86) is a British artist with strong emotional and cultural connections to Lebanon. He has lived there for 15 years and has a studio in Beirut, although he has had to return to the UK recently due to the conflict affecting the region.

In May, Tom held an exhibition at London’s Marie Jose Gallery, titled BE/Longing II, the second part of an exhibition which started in his gallery in Gemmayzeh, Beirut, from December 2023 to January 2024. His paintings explore belonging and memory through a sense of identification with place: how certain buildings, landscapes and quality of light give us our sense of self. Tom says: “if we can truly be, then we are not longing for anything because we are already complete.”

www.tomyoung.com

@tomyoungart

Photo credit: Karim Sakr

Dom Williams (F 87) and his wife Dorren are founders of The Phoenix Projects, a non-profit-making organisation founded in 2002 which is dedicated to providing education, daily food and employment opportunities for those who live in extreme poverty in Latin America. They currently have projects in Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru, having also worked in Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua.

As well as providing education opportunities, they help to implement sustainable businesses in the communities, providing income for families and schools.

Since its inception, over five thousand students have had the opportunity to receive an education either directly from their local teachers, through scholarships they provide or from the income generated by the projects.

Dom also works with companies looking to expand their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes as well as undertaking multi-day ‘Charity Challenges’ each year to raise funds for the projects, the next one being in Argentinian Patagonia in November, with Colombia and Ecuador pencilled in for 2025.

The Phoenix Projects strive to be carbon neutral by planting hundreds of trees a year to offset their carbon footprint from flights and transport needed to undertake their work and the Charity Challenges.

For more information please see www.thephoenixprojects.org and feel free to email Dom on dom@thephoenixprojects.org for any information about getting involved.

After completing the London Marathon in April, Tom Barton (WB 87) went on to compete in a 24-hour 100-mile challenge for the charity Lepra’s centenary, an endurance feat for both body and mind! He crossed the line, with 15 minutes to spare, to earn the coveted 100 Miler T-Shirt and, more importantly, hit his fundraising target of £2,400 for Lepra, whose vital work helps to combat the cruel disease of leprosy in some of the poorest communities in India and Bangladesh.

1990s

In May, David Heron (C 91) and Richard Hodson (F 91) were part of a group of six friends who embarked on a three-day 400km cycle ride from Dunsby, Lincolnshire to Sandbanks, Poole. The team were raising funds for the MS Society, arriving in time for their great friend Jerry Mumford’s 50th birthday, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2022. They donated over £32,000 to support research into finding a cure for MS

L to R: David Heron, Jerry Mumford and Richard Hodson

Ashley Grote (Hf 95) ran his ninth London Marathon in April, raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, where his daughter Emily continues to be treated for a brain tumour. This year’s total amounted to over £22,000, giving a grand total of more than £180,000 raised since 2015.

Alexandra Stewart (née Stephens, J 96), has had two more children’s picture books published this year: Cleopatra, The Woman Behind the Stories (Bloomsbury); and Countdown to Christmas: 24 Magical Stories (Hachette). They are available to buy online or in bookshops.

Sam Hatt (F 99) visited Uppingham’s languages department in March with a group of pupils from St Hilda’s College, Buenos Aires, where he is Head of Secondary School.

The trip provided a great experience for pupils from both schools to practise their language skills.

2000s

Emmanuel ‘Brooks’ Ticzon (LH 03) returned to the Philippines in December 2023 to see his family and explore career options in Asia and Europe after leading and managing the marketing and advertising for a real estate firm in New York for 10 years. In October 2023, he became an Auxiliary of the Sovereign Order of Malta, a lay religious Order founded in 1099. Almost a year later, Brooks’ nomination to the Order was approved and he started his Year of Formation as an Aspirant.

Presently, he is assisting the medical, feeding and spiritual formation missions of the Order in the Philippines through his skills in photography, marketing, communications and organisational development.

Brooks is on the right, photographed with the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Reverend Charles John Brown.

awardwinning colleagues.

Lucy Curtis (L 04) has been a key member of the production team behind the award-winning series Race Across the World since it first launched on the BBC in 2020, gaining plaudits from viewers and the industry and winning BAFTAs for both the original and celebrity versions of the series. The show, which airs on BBC One, is built around pairs of contestants who must get from a starting point on one side of the world to a specified destination on the other, crossing continents and country borders as they go without using air travel in any form, all for the cost of the airfare for the journey, with no mobile phones or much of the usual apparatus of modern travel.

Lucy helped develop and produce the first series and subsequent ones and is now Executive Producer. She says the aim of the programme is to help rediscover the love of travel at ground level, enabling contestants (and viewers) to ‘get under the skin of a country’, by interacting with locals, taking a variety of jobs en route to boost tight budgets, and riding or, in some cases, enduring local transport systems.

To date, participants (including McFly drummer Harry Judd (F 99) and his mum, Emma) have traversed across South America, North America, Asia and Europe. Lucy is currently working on a new series which will air in 2025.

Alice McIlroy (J 04) published her debut novel The Glass Woman in January, a twisty psychological thriller that has received great reviews. The story follows a pioneering scientist, Iris Henderson, who wakes up in a hospital bed with no memories. She is told that she had volunteered to be the first test-subject for an experimental therapy, placing a piece of AI technology into her brain. But, without her memory, Iris doesn’t know what the therapy is, why she would ever choose it or who to trust. As she scratches beneath the surface of her seemingly happy marriage and successful career, a catastrophic chain of events is set in motion, and secrets are revealed that have the capacity to destroy her whole life.

Alice’s writing has been longlisted for the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and the Grindstone International Novel Prize.

In July, Henry Ash (B 07) competed in the UK’s first mixed national Padel Invitational Tournament, sponsored by Champagne Pol Roger. The competition hosted players from a range of clubs, societies, and alumni associations around the UK and was held at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. Henry and his padel partner, Emma Henderson-Williams, got through to the finals evening, but lost after two games. He commented: “It was a great fun event, with lots of

Pol Roger Champagne, a brilliant atmosphere and some very good padel players. The British number 8 was there, so stiff competition.”

Lucy Curtis (dressed in yellow) with fellow

Olya Sergeeva (L 09) has been appointed as the new Global Chief Operating Officer of VNTR Capital, a syndicate and an investor membership club with operations in over 30 countries. With over a decade of experience in business management and strategic operations, Olya will be leading the firm’s growth and international expansion efforts. Her leadership and expertise in operational strategy, fintech and international business development will be key as VNTR continues to broaden its global presence. Please feel free to reach out to her at olya@vntr.vc

2010s

Charlotte Mantle (J 10) took a short career break at the end of 2023 to travel around Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Whilst in Queenstown, on the shores of New Zealand’s South Island’s Lake Wakatipu, she enjoyed a sky dive at 15,000 ft. In February she started a new role, as Associate Director with Strutt and Parker, specialising in prime sales in Chelsea.

After pulling out of the 2023 London Marathon due to an injury, Tilly Hunt (NH 13) couldn’t wait to compete in the 2024 event. She got in touch afterwards to say: “Having watched the Marathon for the last few years, I knew the atmosphere was going to be electric, but nothing can prepare you for the support you receive from everyone along the route, and my initial nerves totally disappeared. I had an incredible day; one I won’t forget for a while, and it was topped off with celebratory drinks with fellow runners Grace Bowman (Fd 13), Imo Hobart (L 16) and all our supporters.”

After working in the male prison estate for three years, in both education and operationally as a prison officer, Zara Tweed (J 14) has changed direction after she was awarded a Careers Commitment scholarship from BPP University to study LLM law conversion with her Solicitor Qualifying Examination (SQE) 1, starting in September.

In April, Jack Hughes (Fgh 14) made his debut in the Super League (the top-level of the British rugby league system) playing for the London Broncos in a match against Hull KR. The team have had a tough season this year so far but hope to make their way up the table by the end of the year. Jack’s position is prop and he has transitioned from rugby union after playing with Northampton Saints and Bedford Blues.

Zara reflected on her time as a prison officer as a mixture of highs and lows, but a hugely rewarding experience. Her work provided opportunities to support inmates across several areas, including teaching maths and English and promoting drug rehabilitation. She said she had the pleasure of working alongside some fantastic colleagues and learnt some incredibly valuable lessons whilst there, which will be helpful for her future legal career.

Grace Bowman and Tilly Hunt

Rosie Charlton (C 15) and her brother Sam (M 12) signed up for this year’s Copenhagen Marathon and subsequently discovered that nine OUs would be running the race on 5th May. Rosie commented: “It’s amazing how OUs find themselves bumping into each other.” The other competitors included Freddie Peel (F 13), Harry Haydon (Fgh 13), Sam Wallis (F 13), Alexander Clement (LH 13), Kit Hanson-Smith (B 13), Jesper Lawson Dick (SH 14) and Louis Sheffield (F 17) and the OU Charity Fund contributed to their various charity fundraising targets.

L to R: Freddie Peel, Jesper LawsonDick, Sam Wallis, Kit Hanson-Smith, Alexander ‘AJ’ Clement and Harry Haydon

Toby Coulson (F 16) ran the London Marathon this year for Age UK. He said: “The race was such an amazing and fulfilling experience, the crowds were so supportive and I’m glad to have done it in a good time of 4hr 25 mins.”

Huge thanks to Augustus To and Ted Hazelton (both M 16) who returned to Uppingham to talk to pupils aspiring to study in the USA. Augustus is currently at Cornell (ranked #13 globally according to QS World Rankings) and Ted spent a year at the University of Maine as part of his UEA degree. Their advice was invaluable and greatly appreciated.

Rebecca Lin (L 16) has been involved with a number of exciting projects over the past year. In January she embarked on a five-day trek through the jungles of Mae Hong Son, in a remote mountainous province in northern Thailand, raising £1,200 for the Karen Hilltribes Trust. Following this she spent time in Taiwan curating a joint exhibition ‘Formosan Futures’ with 15 Taiwanese artists. The exhibition featured poetry, essays, paintings, sculptures, textiles and photography, to capture the rich diversity and complexity of contemporary indigenous identities on the island. It presented a unique glimpse of the artists’ heritage, honouring the wisdom, values, and traditions passed down through generations.

Louis Sheffield with his mum

Sam and Rosie Charlton

William Marriage (WD 17) spent the summer working as a translator at the Bayreuther Festspiele, a world-renowned opera festival in northern Bavaria. He has recently translated Genius Loci – 150 Jahre Richard Wagner in Fantaisie by Frank Piontek from German into English. The book is now in its second edition at Verlag Breuer and Sohn publishers and, together with the translation (Genius Loci – Wagners First Summer in Bayreuth), will be available to purchase online via the website wagnerzimmer.de/shop/, and also on the Richard Wagner Museum website, by the end of the year.

It was great to welcome back Joseph Hall (SH 18) and Jobim Ffrench (SH 19) to Uppingham on 4th September when they performed a lunchtime concert with ‘The Other Guys’. The visit was off the back of being awarded ‘Best all male group in the UK’ at the International A Cappella Championships and before the group embarked on a mini tour.

As part of her third year at Birmingham University, Georgie Radford (NH 19) spent a year at Sciences Po in Aix-en-Provence, a prestigious French institution known for its rigorous focus on political science and international relations. The experience allowed her to explore the intricacies of global politics while fully engaging with French society.

Following this, Georgie was selected for an internship through the Caribbean Elective’s Politics in the Community Programme in Saint Lucia. During a month-long experience, she was able to gain valuable insights into Caribbean governance and met prominent figures, such as the former Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet; the British High Commissioner; the Taiwanese Ambassador; and Sir Michael Chastanet, owner of Massy Stores, amongst many others. Georgie’s work there also focused on strategies to enhance sustainable development and diversify the economy in Saint Lucia.

Announcements

Philip Johnson (C/WB 02) and Andrea ‘Andy’ Petersen (J 08) are delighted to announce their engagement. The couple were not at Uppingham together but met by chance after leaving and both now reside in Singapore. They will be married on 31st December.

Polly Rogers (NH 03) married Carlo Tamburrini in Atina, a town in central Italy, on 4th May 2024.

Tom Kennedy (B 06) and Annie Johnson (L 10) were married on 1st June in East Haddon, Northamptonshire. With Tom coming from an OU family – parents Duncan (B 79) and Katie Kennedy (née Hilton, Fd 83) and siblings Ben (B 09) and Annie Kennedy (Fd 11) – the guest list was very well populated with OUs, with over 40 in attendance. As well as immediate family, guests included best man, Robbie Barrow (Hf 06) and ‘bridesbabes’ Annie Kennedy, Phoebe Stothert (L 10), Benji Landman (Fgh 07), Natasha Martin (née Feaver, J 10), Georgie Nelson (née Greenway, C 07) in addition to OU ushers, MCs, choir friends and guests, who were all encouraged to sing ‘Uppingham style’ (aka loudly!). Could Tom be the first OU baby to marry another OU?

Joseph Hall is in the centre, with Jobim Ffrench next to him (second from the right)

Another OU couple, Charles LayzellPayne (Hf 06) and Paige Thompson (C 07) were married at Chelsea Town Hall on 23rd March in front of family and friends. There was a strong OU contingent present including four out of the six siblings in attendance, Louisa Bullard (L 10), Madison Thompson (C 08), Alexander Layzell-Payne (Hf 09) and Patrick Bullard (Fgh 09). The Groom, Charles’s father and Olivia Lankester (NH 06) all made speeches.

The bride’s family hosted a celebration and blessing on the beach in their home country of Bermuda later on in the year, with multiple OUs making the trip out to the island. Louis Worrall (Hf 06) and Olivia Hurley (NH 04) gave speeches, and members of Highfield 2006 donned the island’s traditional Bermuda shorts national dress in their role as ushers.

Sophie Illingworth (L 09) married Simon Skates at Chelsea Register Office on 28th June. Two weeks later, they exchanged their vows and rings at a second ceremony at La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, which was attended by members of their immediate family. They are settling down to life in their home in Mortlake, London, with their pets Figgy, Vespa and Louis (a dachshund and two cats).

Kiki Norman (NH 09) married Tom Dalrymple on the 22nd June at St John the Baptist in Stoke by Clare, Suffolk. Five of her bridesmaids were fellow New House girls.

L to R: Rosanna Pritchard-Gordon (NH 10), Avneet Kalsi (née Mattu, NH 09), Amy Holt, Poppy Lawrence (NH 09), Kiki, Tom, Issy Younger, Lucy Cundall (NH 09) and Charlotte Bewes (NH 09)

Freddie Wilkinson (B 09) married Hetty Taylor on 6th April in Bristol with a large crowd of OUs joining in with the celebrations.

Front row L to R: Will Doggett (Hf 09), Freddie Wilkinson (B 09), Lydia Stead (née Wilkinson) (Fd 06) and Anna Wilkinson (Highfield 2001 to 2016)

Middle row: Charlie Moffitt (SH 09), Tristan Esse (WB 08), Lara Tentori (L 12), Rachel Marsden (née Adcock) (L 12), Izzy Nicholl (née Wilkinson) (Sa 05), Charlotte Bewes (NH 09), Rosanna Pritchard-Gordon (Sa 09), Issy Esses (L 12), Richard Wilkinson (father of the groom, German Teacher, Senior Admissions Tutor and Former Housemaster of Highfield) and Thomas Bewes (Hf 07). Back row: Sophie Marsh (L 14), cousin Alfie, Ben Kennedy (B 09), James Cotton (B 09), Tom Treble (WD 09) and Rupert Innes (WD 09)

Edward Woolley (M 10) and Isabel Smith (Sa 10) were married on 6th July in Slawston, Leicestershire. The service was conducted by Revd James Saunders, the School Chaplain, with lots of OUs present to celebrate. As well as the father of the bride Anthony Smith (WB 81), and grandfather of the bride Michael Smith (WB 55), Uppingham was well represented in the wedding party with maid of honour Polly Smith (Sa 11), bridesmaids Sophie Smith (Sa 14), Alex Turner (Sa 10), Katie Aitchison (Sa 10), Hetty Melrose (Sa 10), Polly Bowman (Sa 09) and Chloe Hobart (L 13), with Charlie Banks (M 09) as an usher.

Jessica Richardson (L 10) married Neville Billimoria in the presence of their friends and family at two ceremonies. The couple were married in November 2023 at the Barbican Centre, London –where they first met eight years earlier – followed by celebrations in February that culminated with a final reception at Colaba Agiary, Mumbai. The two ceremonies celebrated the cultures of both families at locations with great significance to the couple.

Charles Luo (LH 11) married Cindy whilst studying for a Doctorate in Biostatistics from the University of California, San Diego, and in 2023 they welcomed their first child Olivia.

Thank you

Huge thanks to all of the OUs who supported Uppingham’s first-ever Giving Day which was held in June. After two days of challenges in the Houses and across the School, we are thrilled to announce that the Uppingham community raised over £121,000 in support of fee-assisted places. A huge achievement for all involved, providing life-changing opportunities for pupils.

For more information on the Uppingham Foundation, see uppinghamfoundation.co.uk or scan the QR code.

Will Grahame-Clarke (WB 98)

Ghostwriter

London

Memoirs and biographies for business or family www.willgrahameclarke.com

Quote ‘OU magazine’ for free consultation and 500-word sample

Stuart Jarvis

Stuart Jarvis is an art and photography teacher at Uppingham and professional artist. His preferred medium is charcoal, valued for its immediacy and expressiveness, and he draws inspiration from his formative years in his hometown of post-war Birmingham, marked by its concrete architecture and iconic structures like Spaghetti Junction.

His work also extends beyond Birmingham, and Stuart has produced some stunning charcoal renderings of Uppingham’s boarding houses which, for a limited time only (from Monday 18th November until Friday 13th December 2024) will be available to purchase in print form.

Follow the QR code below or for more details, contact stuart@stuartjarvis.co.uk

15% of the proceeds will be donated to support the School’s Changemaker Campaign, providing fee-assisted places for the next generation of Uppinghamians.

Brooklands

West Deyne Fircroft

Highfield

A Life Spent in Nature (So far...)

I’ve found time in nature – if nothing else – is a chance to walk or think. If you’re clever; do both.

By Will Lawson (Fgh 96)

Twenty-four years have passed, but I still remember sitting in the housemaster’s study leafing through the UCAS ‘bible’ trying to figure out what was next for me after Uppingham. “Well, that’s interesting…” Neil Gutteridge had said. “Based on your aptitude test, Will, it’s pointing toward courses in ‘waste disposal’ or ‘pest control’!” He’d chuckled, showing me the result. “So, it looks like it’s either ‘dustbin man’ or ‘rat catcher’ for you! Your folks will be pleased!” We both laughed – me slightly nervously…The truth was, at that time, the closest I’d come to a decision about my future was to join the army, but in reality, I didn’t have the foggiest idea what I wanted to do. A childhood of climbing trees, running up hills, sport and CCF, no doubt fed my desire for a life outdoors, but I certainly didn’t know how any of it could be applied to a career. In the end, Edinburgh Uni came next for me. Peter Green steered me to do Geography there: “Study something you enjoy, Will”, he’d advised, “if you can, study it in God’s country [Scotland!] and the rest will follow…!” It was the right choice, and four fantastic years ensued.

In my second year, it was a trip to the Masai Mara, organised by some new Kenyan friends from university, that would, without sounding too dramatic, change everything. It sparked my fascination with the natural world, and it made me wonder; could a Yorkshireman be a game ranger in Africa?

Supported by a bursary from the university, I spent two summers in South Africa learning what it was to be a game ranger: zoology, botany, tracking, geology, astronomy, dangerous animals, off-road driving, conservation, storytelling, ethics… the more I learnt, the more fascinated I was. I’d found a profession that fed my enjoyment of the outdoors and my interest in the natural world. What followed was seven years in Southern Africa, working (for five of them) as a ranger and head ranger at Sabi Sabi Game Reserve and for two years as a freelance ranger instructor (for EcoTraining – the company that trained me). Those were undoubtedly my formative years – full of adventure, continuously learning and meeting incredible people.

As head ranger, I would often guide the higher profile visitors and one particular guest was a well-known science writer from Montana called Janine Benyus, visiting Africa for the first time. Over the coming days, I introduced her to Africa’s natural history, and she introduced me to a concept called ‘biomimicry’ (the process of looking to nature to find healthier, greener, and more sustainable solutions to human challenges). It turned out that Janine was the world’s leading expert on the topic, and the knowledge she shared with me blew my mind. It was a chance meeting, but it became another important stepping stone, eventually leading to a group of us co-founding a grassroots organisation (now a flourishing consultancy), called BiomimicrySA. This progressive branch of science took my natural history knowledge in a new direction, and I found

Framing-up in Yellowstone National Park, during a live series for National Geographic, Will is on the left.

myself educating and working with designers, conservationists, engineers, universities, even government. It was an exciting time and it motivated me to explore other far-reaching ways to share stories and inspire others about the natural world; an exploration that led me along a path toward wildlife filmmaking.

After a period of wearing several hats in South Africa – instructing, biomimicry, and wildlife filmmaking – I was given an unexpected opportunity back home, in Bristol. It was only a three-month contract, but to work on the latter stages of the newest Attenborough series, Africa. I took the role and I remember being very conscious that I had to make it count. Early on, while delivering drives of footage to an edit suite, I walked in and saw someone I’d recently met in Mozambique, but on the screen. “How do you know Tonga Torcida?” I blurted out! I can still recall the producer, Kate Broom, looking up in surprise, and replying, “I think the more important question is, how do you know Tonga Torcida? !” I explained I’d taken part in a bioblitz with Tonga in Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) – where he was a ranger – the year before (a bioblitz focuses on identifying and recording as many species as possible in a specified area over a short period of time). Kate’s eyebrows had shot up at this news, “How interesting…it just so happens we’re editing a story about a bioblitz; in Gorongosa National Park!” It turned out that the BBC had been filming there whilst I was busy ID-ing plants for the botany team. This remarkable overlap resulted in Kate and I working more closely together, and subsequently her offering me a role on BBC Springwatch as a full-time researcher. Suddenly, I had my foot in the door at the BBC Natural History Unit.

Over the past 12 years in television, I’ve been given fantastic opportunities to share stories from the natural world. Since Africa and Springwatch, I’ve worked on incredible BBC projects such as Patagonia, Wild West, Planet Earth II, Dynasties, Frozen Planet II

Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Travelling to the poles comes with many challenges… it also comes with many rewards and unimaginable beauty.

Filming all creatures great and small. A slower moment in the Mojave Desert, for the BBC’s ‘Wild West’.

Never miss an opportunity for an emperor penguin-chick selfie – Antarctica, for BBC’s Dynasties series

and recently, producing the Cold episode for Mammals. They have taken me to the hottest and coldest parts of the planet, to places I never thought I’d see; to places (seemingly) as isolated and magical as the moon. This has also given me opportunities to work with, and learn from, incredibly talented and passionate people –none more noteworthy than Sir David Attenborough. But, coming (almost) full circle, I now find myself back in Africa’s warmth, reconnecting with its incredible wildlife, on an exciting new BBC series, coming soon…!

Looking back along the path I’ve taken (so far), one thing that leaves me with no regrets is the time I’ve spent in nature; any time spent in nature is time well-spent, I think. John Muir put it well:

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks…” and I’d agree. For many, nature is a balm, it can give perspective and a focus away from other demands of life – in fact, studies show that just 10 minutes spent in nature improves mood, reduces blood pressure and lowers the heart rate (although from personal experience, nature’s unpredictability can also elevate blood pressure especially when sent to film the next ‘never filmed before’ moment). Over the last 18 years or so, it’s also given me opportunities to witness and share some truly remarkable things. When thinking back on memorable experiences, I’m very fortunate to be able to say, “there have been quite a few…”. Seeing the aurora australis dance above an emperor penguin colony during Antarctic winter

was pure magic; quietly watching wolves and bison resting side-by-side – during a hunt that lasted hours –showed me a different side to nature; the incredible speed and ferocity of two female leopards fighting in the top of a tree left me in awe. Each one, amidst many, remains a vivid memory…

To conclude this reminiscence, I feel it’s important to say that a career spent in nature can also feel incredibly rewarding. Yes, it comes from hard work, but also (perhaps more importantly) it comes from a sense of achievement from being patient (as well as having courage in your convictions). One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that nature seems to reward patience, and when waiting that extra minute… day… or week… pays off, it can almost feel like an approving nod or pat on the back from nature itself. The ramblings of a naturalist perhaps… but what I can say is it certainly gives an incredible feeling of connection. The trick though, comes in learning to ‘patiently wait’… in the right place. So, if I was to give a piece of advice to myself, 24 years ago, sitting in the housemaster’s study, I think I’d say;

Pursue your passion wherever it takes you, nurture the connections you make along the way… but also, be patient!

In Memoriam

We are sorry to announce news of OUs who have passed away. Our condolences to their family and friends.

Andrew ‘Pat’ MacLellan (H 39) April 2024

Frederick Brown* (R / L 40) February 2024

Guy Gammell (M 40) September 2024

Maurice King (W 40) August 2024

John Shaw (M 42) October 2023

George Gornall (L 43) December 2023

Philip Hutchinson* (L 43) August 2024

Nicholas Walker* (WB 43) April 2023

John Bird (M 44) September 2024

David O’Neill (B 44) December 2023

John Selby (LH 44) June 2022

John Davison (L 45) July 2023

David Leather* (B 45) May 2024

John ‘David’ March (WB 45) October 2022

David Parry (WD 45) June 2024

Robin Schall* (C 45) February 2024

Geoffrey Boston (C 46) September 2024

David ‘Archie’ Dobson* (WB 46) April 2023

Donald Clegg* (H 47) February 2024

John Parry-Wingfield* (SH 47) April 2023

John Billington* (B 48) April 2023

Edmund ‘Ted’ Doleman (F 48) January 2024

Mike Robinson (WD 48) July 2024

Michael ‘David’ Heppenstall (Hf 49) March 2024

Michael Slater* (LH 49) June 2023

Mervyn Griffiths* (SH 50) September 2023

Daniel Harmer* (Fgh 50) July 2023

David Ashton (Hf 51) April 2024

Neil Greig (SH 51) November 2023

William ‘Richard’ Worrall* (WB 51) September 2023

Guy Sutcliffe (M 52) October 2024

William ‘Bill’ Grieve* (SH 53) September 2023

Henry ‘Will’ Hawkes (Fgh 53) September 2024

Peter Neilson (SH 53) June 2024

Timothy Nelson (LH 53) July 2023

Michael Waller (M 53) December 2023

Angus Bain (Fgh 54) January 2024

William Oram (Hf 54) June 2024

John Tulloch (Hf 54) January 2024

Geoffrey Alderson* (B 55) February 2024

Robert ‘Robin’ Carter (L 56) November 2023

Simon ‘James’ Bazin (SH 57) September 2023

Peter ‘Nigel’ Lindrea* (F 57) February 2024

Keith Nixon* (L 57) April 2023

Peter Toye (H 58) October 2023

Bruce Macmillan (H 59) October 2024

Rennie ‘Muir’ Morton* (B 59) December 2023

Michael ‘Mick’ Stevenson* (Hf 59) December 2023

William ‘Bill’ Mitford (WD 61) October 2023

John Nettleton (SH 61) October 2024

Simon Ashcroft (F 62) July 2024

David Taylor (F 63) September 2023

Bart Hellyer (Fgh 64) April 2024

David ‘Richard’ Morgan* (SH 65) April 2024

Michael ‘Mike’ Thomas (H 65) July 2024

Andrew Durham* (B 66) December 2023

Brian Setchell* (WD 66) November 2023

Richard Smith (LH 67) March 2023

Paul Webster (C 67) October 2024

John Apps (B 72) April 2024

David ‘Stan’ Hughes (WB 75) October 2023

Rio Puertollano* (WD 92) November 2023

Edward Napier (M 95) May 2024

Michael Stout (Hf 95) April 2024

Caroline March (C 06) March 2024

Emily Plane (C 08) November 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

Obituaries

Frederick Brown (Redgate & L 40)

By

his son Toby

Frederick Gordon

Caryle Brown was born in October 1926 and attended Uppingham whilst Britain was at war. Throughout his life, mentioning ‘Uppingham’ within a few sentences of being introduced to a perfect stranger was one of his wellknown traits – it really was amazing how he managed to slide his beloved school days into most conversations. Photos and caps of his swimming, gymnastics, athletics, house and rugby teams are still proudly displayed all over his study wall at home. He played in the 1st XV three years running and captained the side in 1944. Up until the very end of his life, he would retell stories of great games played there, point by point, tackles he made and tries he scored. Off the back of his successes on the rugby field, he was selected for the Northern Schools U18s in 1944.

He left Uppingham two terms early, just after he turned 18, to join the Royal Marines, playing rugby for the Royal Navy and Combined Services, with several games at Twickenham. He went on to play fly half for Harlequins and Richmond in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with many Internationals of the day.

In 1954, Dad’s spark was lit by an advertisement in The Telegraph for Pye Electronics, who were on the hunt to hire ‘30 brilliant young men with fire in their bellies’. He responded to the ad and became the only member of that group of 30 young recruits to still be at Pye in 1979, when he celebrated 25 years at the company at the Café Royal.

The mid-to-late 1970s was his golden era of sales. In a role which merged from Pye Sales Director to Chief Executive and Director of Ekco Heating, and then Divisional Director of Philips, Dad became a renowned businessman of the day. The ‘Hostess Trolley’ was the biggest love of his life, and it became the ‘must buy’ domestic appliance of its day. Off the back of the success of the

‘hostess way of life’, came the Annual Golden Hostess Award Ceremony which he and Philips hosted.

By 1985, Dad and his great team achieved a record turnover of fifty million pounds and a profit of four million in their department. He finally retired from Philips in 1988 and a longterm colleague said: “Sadly, I see no successor of comparable stature and personality in sight!”. Philips’ loss was my gain and of course my brother’s, too. I was only seven when he retired and throughout my school career at St Bede’s and Eastbourne College, he was an ever-present force to be reckoned with on the touchline and in the front row of the audience for school plays.

An armchair bench with a memorial engraving on it now overlooks Eastbourne College field: ‘FGC Brown 1926-2024: Our Most Proud 16th Man’, and it will hopefully inspire unbeaten seasons, like my 1st XV side, soon.

Philip Hutchinson (L 43)

By his son Nicholas (L 68)

Philip died on 20th August 2024, aged 94. Despatched to Uppingham in the middle of World War II, due largely to his prep school headmaster being an OU, he arrived in the early hours of the morning after travelling from Carlisle in the company of Edward Dunlop (L 41), to be greeted by the housemaster’s wife with cocoa and sandwiches.

He recalled that rationing was in full swing and luxuries such as jam were in short supply. Periodically each boy would be allocated a jar – most were plum with the occasional, highly prized, jars of marmalade or raspberry. Choice was based on seniority, however (in The Lodge at least) the pecking order was regularly reversed, giving the most junior the chance to acquire the rarer jars –though sadly this meant that everyone in the middle had to make do with a constant diet of plums!

After Uppingham, Philip went on to Harvard and Cambridge University, then joined the family publishing business travelling extensively in often exotic performance cars around Europe, as befitted the editor of a publication called Sporting Motorist. His other passion was renovating substantial properties, including a Tudor mansion in Kent and a Robert Adam-designed castle in the Scottish Borders. His sons, Nicholas (L 68) and Richard (L 71) followed in his footsteps to Uppingham – the former being alarmed, but also curiously comforted, to find that little had changed in the intervening decades with the fagging system and strict hierarchies still in place, though these were gradually eased during the enlightened headmastership of John Royds.

Nicholas Walker (WB 43) By his son Ian (C 72)

Nick was born in November 1929 and raised in Halifax. He attended Uppingham before entering National Service which he spent in Hong Kong.

He was a Director of Samuel Webster & Sons, the Halifax brewing company, for many years and in retirement he moved to Easingwold, near York.

After retiring to Easingwold, he ran the Young Enterprise scheme at St Margaret’s School, York, and was Chairman of Abbotts Ladies Homes in Halifax. He was a long-standing member of The Institute of Directors and for many years was Chairman of the Northern branch.

He passed away in April 2023.

David Leather (B 45) By his daughter

Sarah Clarke

David was born in Birmingham in April 1931. He was the oldest of five siblings, Diane, Michael (B 49), Jeremy (B 53) and Peter (B 57), three of

Obituaries

whom followed in his footsteps to Uppingham, along with his son, Simon (B 80)

He went to Malvern Prep School and then Uppingham, where he was head boy and Captain of the 1st XV rugby team. He was a natural communicator and leader from a young age.

David went on to study medicine at London Hospital, as his father had done before him, but, after three years, decided becoming a doctor was not for him. After passing out as the top cadet at Mons Officer Cadet School, he joined The King’s Dragoon Guards and, on completing his short service commission, he joined the British United Shoe Manufacturing Company (BU), based in Leicester, where he spent many successful years, eventually rising to be a senior director within the firm. During his time at the BU, David travelled the world to oversee global operations and, as a family, we had many wonderful holidays in connection with his business travel.

When David retired, he stayed fit by playing golf, regular ski trips and running with the Westerby Bassett hounds. Moving to Uppingham 12 years ago enabled him to attend functions at the School which he much enjoyed alongside other OUs.

The last years of David’s life were challenging for him with his mobility and sight failing him, the inevitable passing of old friends and the tragic loss of Simon in 2022, but he was a stoic and determined to carry on for as long as possible. He kept a healthy interest in politics and sport and never lost his dry sense of humour.

David passed away peacefully on 5th May 2024 at home in Uppingham with his wife, Angela, by his side, just over a week after he marked his 93rd birthday.

David lived an amazingly full life, he had so many good friends, was immensely loving and proud of his family and loved by everyone that knew him. He was one of life’s great characters, a definite individual, a true gentleman who knew how to have fun, he always brought any occasion to life and made it a little more memorable. He will be greatly missed.

Robin Schall (C 45)

By his son Richard

Robin was born in 1931, to William and Ilsa Schall. The family lived in Purley, Surrey, but were forced to evacuate with close friends and neighbours in 1941 due to the war, moving to Llandrindod Wells, Wales.

Robin’s early education was understandably disrupted during this time – he attended four different junior schools – so it was no surprise that he fully embraced the opportunities available to him at Uppingham and he loved his time there. One of the many tales he liked to recount involved a cycle ride, with 14 friends aged around 17, from Naples to Milan via Rome and Venice, camping along the way. He saw most of Italy on that ride of over 1,000 kilometres.

With such experiences up his sleeve, and finishing Uppingham as House Captain and a School Polly, he was well prepared for 18 months of National Service. After training, he was posted to the Suffolk Regiment to serve in Malaya but sustained a slight gunshot wound to the leg whilst on operations and was discharged from service. He returned home in 1952, aged 21.

Having been exposed to the warmer climate of Malaya, he didn’t last long back home in Purley before getting itchy feet. In 1953, Robin took a job in Calcutta as a tea broker for Carritt Moran & Co. The contract was for three years, he stayed for five, enjoying living in a shared a house with other likeminded British expats, playing lots of rugby, hockey and squash, and going out most nights.

Towards the end of 1958, at the age of 27, Robin left India for Australia, heading for Sydney. He had secured a job through an acquaintance he met in Calcutta to import tea. Then in early 1959, he met Jenny Meares, from Bogabigal in Forbes, and soon won her affection. They married in April 1961 and less than a year later, their first child

Mandy was born. At the same time, Robin was offered a job as General Manager of Cadbury Schweppes in Canberra, which he accepted.

Over the next 30 years, they raised a very happy family in Canberra; Sara was born in 1964 and Richard followed four years later, and they also built a diverse and strong circle of friends. Robin became heavily involved in the Canberra community, as a founding member and first chairman of a business sector lobby group called Canberra Association for Regional Development, still in existence today. He was also Vice President of the Royal Canberra Show Society and on the Council of the NSW Royal Agricultural Society.

Towards the end of the 1980s, having celebrated 25 years’ service at Cadbury Schweppes, with Robin now aged almost 60, the family moved to a farm in Bogabigal, to be closer to ageing relatives. There was always lots of work to do but Robin also enjoyed expanding his list of interests; joining the local art society to build on a childhood passion with watercolours, and becoming an active member of the NSW Farmers Federation. However, top of his to-do list was to travel again, which he and Jenny did.

After trips to all the main landmarks of Australia, they enjoyed many adventures further afield. One of his favourite destinations was a hotel overlooking Lake Brienz in Switzerland called the Giessbach Hotel, which he discovered had been managed by his great-great-grandfather for around 20 years after opening in 1860.

In his last three years, spent in Goodwin Retirement Village in Canberra, Robin made sure he was involved and enjoyed contributing to residents’ meetings. He always saw the positive side to things. Every time his life changed tack, he would embrace the change and get on with it.

He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on 22nd February 2024 and will be sorely missed.

David ‘Archie’ Dobson (WB 46)

By his friend Graham Taylor (WB

46)

Archie and I started our time at Uppingham together and became lifelong friends after sharing a study. He was a good rugby player, winning his First Colts colours, and was a treble soloist in the Chapel Choir. We stayed in each other’s homes during the holidays, sailing his dinghy on the river at Godmanchester and cycling the 50 miles from Huntingdon to our home near Spalding. That he did not achieve more senior things at Uppingham was simply because he left early to complete his education at Britannia Royal Naval College.

His naval career continued with training at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, and service as an engineer officer with the fleet. He then served in submarines, being retired from them and the Navy in the mid-1960s when he injured his back.

He married twice and had three sons and three stepchildren. I am glad to be godfather to two of his sons. His first wife and five of the children survive him.

Archie retrained as a schoolmaster and then taught maths and physics in a Plymouth secondary school. This entailed moving, with his second wife, Snoo, and the family, from Lee-onSolent to Newton Ferrers. I remember visiting a happy home high on the hill and teeming with children. His catamaran was moored on the river below. Sailing was a hobby all his life.

In the mid-1970s the family moved to a farm at Sampford Spiney on Dartmoor. Here they had a flock of sheep and he designed and built a yacht, which he then kept at a Plymouth marina. As at Newton Ferrers, I enjoyed many happy visits.

His youngest son converted a barn into a comfortable home where he and his wife could live close to his parents and support them as they aged, and Archie enjoyed accompanying him when he drove around the area on business.

Archie and Snoo were Christian believers and strong in their faith. They attended St Andrew’s Buckland Monachorum where, amongst other things, Archie served as churchwarden, acquired a nearby redundant chapel and converted it into a church hall, and helped run Alpha courses in Dartmoor prison.

Having celebrated his 90th birthday earlier in the year, Archie fell and broke his leg in spring 2023. This resulted in an operation, on 6th April, from which he did not awake. His full and valuable life was celebrated in late May.

I count myself fortunate that I went to the right house, in the right school, at the right time and met a truly wonderful friend as a result.

Donald Clegg (H 47)

By

his son John (H 75)

Born in Gee Cross, Hyde, in August 1933, Donald was educated locally then at The Downs School, near Malvern, Worcestershire. After leaving Uppingham in 1951, he joined the RAF as his National Service, which included a six-month posting to Canada – where he flew Harvards, clocking up over 200 hours.

On leaving the RAF, he joined the family business, Cleggs’ Fashions, a factory in a mill in Ancoats, Manchester, where he rose to be Finance Director. Cleggs was moderately successful, supplying quality coats, frocks and the like at affordable prices, both wholesale and retail, via a chain of shops through the North West and West Riding.

In 1965, he left to start a new business SM Ketteridge Ltd, supplying textiles to the health service and privatelyowned hospitals.

In 1988, he took semi-retirement and moved from Nether Alderley, Cheshire, to a smallholding in the hills above Denbigh. He ran a small business, finalising accounts for farmers locally, who had to sharpen up their finances in a changing world.

He was a prolific recounter of shaggydog stories, which would meander to an end if he was accorded the time. Luckily, many unwary shop staff or local council workers could foresee the likely peril, others weren’t so lucky!

Donald died on 15th February and leaves behind his widow Valerie, whom he married in 1957, daughter Rhona and sons, John (H 75) and Stephen (who went to Ellesmere College).

John Parry-Wingfield (SH 47)

By his brother Maurice (SH 53)

John was born in 1934 in Hong Kong, where his father (then called Jack Parry (SH 1920)) was working for Shell. The family moved to London in 1937 and settled in Chislehurst. His father was called up on the outbreak of World War II but spent most of it in Prisoner of War camps.

John’s education did not start well. He, his mother and younger brother, Maurice (SH 53) were evacuated three times from Chislehurst, which lay on the flightpath of German bombers to the London Docks. The first evacuation was to Dolgellau, in north Wales, where he was sent to the elementary school. At the end of his first day, he came out in tears. His mother asked whatever was wrong. He said he couldn’t understand a word that anyone spoke – Welsh was the only language heard there!

Undeterred, after four years at Twyford prep school, John went on to win a scholarship to Uppingham, where he joined School House in 1947. He specialised in Classics and fell under the teaching spell of AJF Doulton who, in John’s own words: “…not only opened up our minds to the glories of Ancient Greece and Rome, but also led us into all sorts of byways of art, history, philosophy and literature.” Having been inspired, he won the Captain of Classics and Greek prose prizes in his final year.

He ended up as a school prefect and Captain of the House. He was a member of School teams in various sports, as well as playing the clarinet in the School orchestra. He loved to tell people subsequently that he was a member of the School House fire brigade, too.

After two years’ National Service, where he became a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, he went up to New College, Oxford, and gained a 2.1 degree in law.

Having applied to join the Overseas Civil Service, he spent a fourth year at Oxford on a postgraduate course in colonial administration. Then, in July 1954, he set off by boat to become a District Officer in Tanganyika, now Tanzania. This involved a wide variety of responsibilities, one of which was to design a golf course. His posting ended in September 1961, three months before the colony received independence, at which point he returned home.

Back in the UK, he qualified for the Bar, passing second in his intake, but never practised. His main jobs were with the Rank Organisation as legal adviser and with the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall – where he found himself in charge of the restoration of its collection of oil paintings of retired generals inherited from the previous tenant, a military club.

John married Sue Gould in 1964, living initially in Wimbledon and then Leatherhead, finally moving to Empingham in Rutland, where his branch of the Wingfield family came from. There he involved himself in country pursuits and overseeing inherited farmland.

He suffered a stroke in 2016, which severely reduced his mobility, but it didn’t affect his good humour, his involvement in local life or his love of music. It was after enjoying a concert the evening before that he died on 23rd April 2023. Sue and their two sons survive him.

John Billington (B 48)

By his son Richard (B 83)

John was born in 1934 to Edward ‘Ted’ (B 1910) and Nesta in Heswall, on the Wirral Peninsula, where he remained for his entire life, living 75 years in the house his father had built.

He went to Uppingham at 13, following in the footsteps of his father, and subsequently where his sons Edward (B 79) and Richard (B 83) were educated also, as well as his grandson, Freddie (B 11) and his nephew, Henry Hamilton-Turner (F 92). On leaving Uppingham, he did his two years’ National Service with the Royal Navy, which went on to play a huge part in his life with continued service within the Royal Naval Reserve. He was bestowed the rare honorary title of Commander in 1990 and was awarded the Naval Reserve Decoration with bar.

John joined Edward Billington & Son Ltd in 1954, became a Director in 1960, then Chairman in 1970 following the retirement of his father. He served as Chairman until his retirement in 2000 and was instrumental in bringing the family together across the generations. Predominantly involved in the sugar business, John had a valuable and strong knowledge of the various businesses within the group. He made frequent visits to the offices and factories and was respected and admired for his personable nature. He was a skilled negotiator but always listened first. He also had a progressive foresight in bringing professional individuals into the business, such as Derek Bunting (B 45), which developed the business into the success it is today. After his retirement, he continued to take a keen interest and remained a loyal supporter to the Board.

John married Fenella in 1964, who supported him devotedly throughout his career. When he retired, he in turn supported her career as an Art Historian with as much pride and enthusiasm.

Away from the company, John was appointed High Sheriff of Merseyside in 1990 and made Deputy Lieutenant in 1992. He was on the Board of Liverpool University and then John Moores University, a Director of Liverpool Museums and Galleries, as well as being on the Board of the Royal Liverpool Hospital. He was awarded a CBE in 1996 for his services to industry in Liverpool.

As a keen sportsman, he enjoyed sailing a Hilbre racing yacht on the River Dee for nearly 60 years, he skied until he was 80 and played tennis until 84.

John dedicated his life to Liverpool, Billingtons, his friends and especially his family. He died peacefully, on 30th April 2023, aged 88, after a valiant three-year battle with motor neurone disease, and will be sorely missed.

Michael Slater (LH 49) By his daughter Virginia Stokes

Michael was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1934 and attended Ascham House Prep School before following in his father, Dr Francis Slater’s (LH 18) footsteps to Uppingham. Michael then went on to study at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester to pursue his passion for the countryside and rural traditions. He returned to work on the family farm in Northumberland on the North Tyne, before moving to Yorkshire to take up the role of group secretary to the National Farmers Union.

During his time in Yorkshire, Michael was a founding member and first President of Pocklington Rotary Club and, after taking early retirement, he and his wife Mary bought and ran a country hotel in Scotland. From Scotland they moved to Somerset, both became very active members of the local community and Michael chaired and contributed to various groups and committees.

In the last two years of Michael’s life his health declined, however, he still enjoyed sharing his knowledge of the countryside, rural traditions and folklore

of Northumberland with his family. He passed away peacefully on 29th June 2023 with his eldest daughter and her husband at his side.

Mervyn Griffiths (SH 50) By his sister Hilary Griffiths

Mervyn was born in May 1936 and came to Uppingham in the Spring Term of 1950 and left in the summer of 1954. He had been a chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and continued to excel in music, singing in the Chapel Choir and memorably playing a Mozart violin concerto with the School orchestra. He shone at many sports, particularly at rugger, where he was in the 1st XV, and gained entrance to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he read History.

He spent 18 months with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards doing his National Service, finally commanding a squadron of tanks on the Lüneberger Heide in Germany. After various jobs – teaching in a secondary modern school, editor of house magazine for Averys, gondolier to the Marquess of Hertford – he became managing director of Eurocard Ltd, then Chief General Manager of the Alliance Building Society and later Registrar of the London Medical Society. He was a Special Constable in London, a stalwart of the Territorial Army, on the board of various schools, and Deputy LordLieutenant of East Sussex. He moved to a beautiful country house in Isfield, Sussex in 1976, where his wife Barbara died in 2005.

Mervyn passed away at home on 19th September 2023 after a long illness, aged 87.

Daniel ‘Dan’ Harmer (Fgh 50)

By Marja Harmer

Dan was born in Rackheath, Norfolk, in October 1936 to Russell and Daphne Harmer. He attended school in England and studied engineering with EMI

Ltd, attending London University. Dan graduated with a BSc, and a Full Technological Certificate, later becoming a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.

In Canada, he worked as an electrical engineer for 10 years and then changed careers to become the Director of the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority’s Sir Frederick Fraser School. He led the change in direction for the education of the blind and visually impaired children across Atlantic Canada. He obtained his Masters of Education Degree in 1985 at Dalhousie University, Halifax.

Dan enjoyed sailing and volunteering with Scouts Canada and was also a member of nine choirs over a period of 40 years. In Vancouver he played recorder and piano, and enjoyed self-study in languages, computers and mathematics. In his final years, he most enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

He died on 10th July 2023 in North Vancouver, Canada, at the age of 86 and leaves behind two sons, Stephen (Marja), Colin (Rhonda), two grandchildren and nieces and nephews across Europe and the USA.

William ‘Richard’ Worrall (WB 51)

By his son Mark (F 86)

Born in Wolverhampton in 1938 to Billy and Bessie, Richard was a loving husband of 58 years to Lee and father to Deborah (Fd 83), Caroline (Fd 84), and Mark (F 86)

His early years were marked by his education at Birchfield School, where he learned the values of friendship and community. After Birchfield, he attended Uppingham, where his passion for sports and adventure flourished, and where he forged many close friendships, a testament to the enduring bonds he formed throughout his life.

After leaving school, he served as a commissioned officer in the army during his National Service and then

ventured into the business world, running his own haulage company.

Throughout his life, he always had a love for sports, socialising, and generally having a good time. Hockey was a passion that ran deep in his veins, playing in the School 1st XI. He also served as the captain of Wombourne Hockey Club, and would regularly umpire school matches, including the annual old boys’ fixture.

His connection with fellow OUs was always important to him, and he delighted in visiting the School to watch his children and grandchildren play sports and to meet and have a good time with old friends.

He became a dedicated member of the Round Table, demonstrating his commitment to community service. He also became a member of the Board of Governors at Birchfield School, leaving a lasting impact on the institution.

Richard lived a life that was full of love, friendship, adventure, and laughter. He was a father who led by example, a grandfather who cherished each moment with his grandchildren, and a husband who shared a lifetime of memories with Lee.

Richard passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on 11th September 2023. He is sorely missed by all.

William ‘Bill’ Grieve (SH 53)

By his brother Patrick (SH 55)

Bill was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in September 1939 where his father

Richard (SH 26), Captain DLI, was serving in the Western Desert. His father managed the family trading and insurance firm Grieve & Irwin until they returned to England after Suez. Bill and I both went to the Manor House prep school in Horsham, flying out to Egypt in the winter holidays, including travelling on the ill-fated Comet which crashed into the Red Sea having first deposited us at Cairo airport.

Obituaries

Bill arrived at School House in the Spring Term of 1953 and, two years later, I followed him there. He played rugger and hockey without any great distinction and was a School Praepostor. He was bright and was granted a place at Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, but opted instead for a place at Imperial College London where he had been offered a scholarship. His interest was mining engineering, and he worked in Canada, South Africa and Australia, before settling down in New Zealand. There he married Ann Nicholson and they had two sons.

Bill had a successful career; after leaving Rio Tinto he then became a management consultant with PA Consulting. After his family, his love was for his vintage Alvis, a 1934 Speed 20, which taught him mechanical engineering, and he took part annually in Alvis rallies all over New Zealand.

He died on 24th September 2023, a few days before his 84th birthday, and is much missed by family and friends.

Geoffrey Alderson (B 55)

By his son Anthony (F 84)

Geoffrey was born to Jan and Peter Alderson (B 27) in Edinburgh. He attended the Edinburgh Academy and joined Uppingham in 1955, where he was Captain of School in his final year. After leaving in 1960, he attended Clare College Cambridge.

On graduating with a degree in Metallurgy, Geoffrey started his first job at Stotts of Oldham before joining his family’s business, Scobie and McIntosh, at their office in Newcastle upon Tyne. When Geoffrey’s father Peter retired as Managing Director in 1978, he moved his family from Hexham to Edinburgh to take the helm. Geoffrey remained Chairman until 2012, handing the baton on to eldest son Andrew (B 81)

In 1965, Geoffrey met Patricia ‘Tish’ Scott in Newcastle and they later

married at St Mary’s Church, Broughty Ferry, in April 1967. Tish’s father Angus Scott (L 1928) also attended Uppingham. Geoffrey and Tish have five children, Andrew (B 81), Timothy (L 82), Anthony (F 84), Victoria (Fd 89) and Claire. They have 11 grandchildren, including Uppinghamians Angus (B 18), Finlay (F 18) and Olivia (J 21)

Geoffrey was a keen golfer, and a member of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers for 59 years, regularly playing with his Wednesday group, The Roger Bacon Society. He was a long-standing member of the Harum Scarum Golf Club, he ran his local shooting syndicate for many years and was regularly found fly fishing on several of Scotland’s salmon rivers. His regular beat was at Rutherford on the River Tweed.

In 2024, the family celebrates 100 years’ association with Uppingham School, Geoffrey’s uncle Charles joined Brooklands in 1924. Geoffrey was extremely proud of the family’s connection to Uppingham, and most recently the success of his grandchildren.

He also had a particular interest in Uppingham Cairo. His greatgrandfather George Alderson was one of three founders of Victoria College in Alexandria in 1902. His own father grew up in Egypt and commuted to Uppingham each term by train through Italy.

Geoffrey was always the life and soul of any occasion in the Alderson family. He died on 15th February 2024 and is greatly missed.

Peter ‘Nigel’ Lindrea (F 57)

By his brother Martyn Lindrea (F 54)

After an illustrious time at Uppingham, Nigel went up to Keble College, Oxford, to read law. His sporting prowess was undiminished and he represented his college at rugby, hockey and cricket. He achieved

his law degree, became a barrister but then decided not to pursue that profession and joined Thomas Miller, insurance brokers, in January 1967. This was to be his lifelong business career.

He progressed steadily up to manager of the syndicate which serviced UK Protection and Indemnity (P&I) club members in France, Greece and the Soviet Union – he visited the latter many times and recounted many strange experiences! He became a partner in 1978 and took on wider responsibilities, such as UK Hellenic War Risk Clubs, the P&I Division and Airline Mutual Insurance, managing the Isle of Man office for a short time.

Throughout his working life, he continued to enjoy hockey, playing for Mid Sussex. He visited Uppingham on many occasions as an old boy, the last time being a family visit for Jim Peschek’s memorial weekend of music which he greatly enjoyed. He passed away on 11th February and leaves his wife, Sally, daughter Lucy and wider family.

Keith Nixon (L 57) By his wife Alwyn

Keith was a very gentle, loyal man. He loved sport and was a member of a local golf club from the age of five, becoming Captain in 1984. He played field hockey for many years and also reported on sports events on local radio and for a local newspaper.

He enjoyed listening to jazz and classical music and his love of the outdoors meant many hours hiking, camping and caravanning with his family and friends. As a primary school teacher, he specialised in drama and sport, forwarding his passion for literature and teamsmanship.

He belonged to Yorkshire County Cricket Club for 50 years enjoying watching test, county and local cricket. He was proud to be a Yorkshire man. Keith died on 1st April 2023 and is greatly missed.

Rennie ‘Muir’ Morton (B 59)

By his friend David Vigar

David reported the news of Muir’s passing, adding that after attending Trinity College Dublin, he had a successful career as a Police Officer with Cumbria Constabulary, rising to the rank of Superintendent. After retiring from the Police Force, he spent 10 years at the House of Commons as Deputy Serjeant at Arms. He died on 30th December 2023, aged 78 years.

Michael ‘Mick’ Stevenson (Hf 59)

By Anthony ‘Martin’ Gossage (Hf 57)

Mick was a friend for life, following on from our time at Uppingham together and subsequently sharing a flat in London. Mick’s wife, Kate, also became godmother to my youngest daughter. A delightful and loving family man, father of three boys and a successful businessman until his health began to fail several years ago. He passed away on 30th December 2023.

David ‘Richard’ Morgan (SH 65)

By his daughter Ann Morgan

Richard came to Uppingham in 1965 from Feltonfleet. A strong-willed pupil, he was known to his friends as DJRM (said very quickly) because of an incident in which his initials found their way onto a Mouseman table, much to headmaster John Caress Royds’ displeasure.

From Uppingham, he went to study medicine at Bart’s, where he met his future wife and fellow doctor-to-be Pat. He spent the bulk of his career as a consultant physician at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, rising to being clinical director and founding the UK’s only adult Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida clinic.

Away from work, Richard maintained a keen interest in rugby, spending many years as a medical officer for Saracens RFC, and was heavily involved at St Mary’s Hendon, primarily as a bellringer

and churchwarden. He also kept in touch with Uppingham and enjoyed attending OU events. After Pat died in 2022, he spent more time in Cornwall and was planning to travel. He died suddenly but peacefully in his sleep on 7th April, and is survived by children Ann, David and George, and three grandchildren.

Andrew Durham

(B 66)

By his wife Linda

Andrew grew up in Yorkshire and won a scholarship to Uppingham. He loved his time in Brooklands making many lifelong friends.

After Uppingham, he was awarded an open scholarship to Emmanuel College Cambridge to read English Literature and History of Art. Whilst there, he met his wife, Linda. After Cambridge, Andrew gained a place at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London to study Art Conservation and, following this, he worked in Switzerland and then at Leicester Museum. In 1982, he joined the Tate Gallery London, working on important artworks as a painting conservator.

In 1985, Andrew accepted the offer to be Department Head of the Australian National Gallery Conservation Department in Canberra, travelling to many countries for exhibitions and work. He and his family subsequently returned to England in 1992, when he took up the role of Head of Collections for English Heritage.

In 1995 the family moved to West Kirby, Wirral. During Andrew’s tenure as Keeper of Conservation at National Museums Liverpool, the Conservation Centre was opened in 1996. Uniquely, it built a bridge between scientific work and public education. Under his direction, the centre was named the European Museum of the Year in 1998.

In 2005 the Durhams returned to Australia, with Andrew taking up the role of Director of Artlab. He was greatly admired by international and national

peers for his significant contribution to his field, including research in the working methods of British artist, Francis Bacon. Andrew was still working at Artlab to focus on multi-decade projects honouring First Nation artefacts. He will be greatly missed as a major contributor to Australia’s culture.

Andrew died in Adelaide on December 28th 2023 after a short illness, he was 71. His death is a great loss to his family, Linda, Kate, Tom, Alex and grandchildren.

Brian Setchell (WD 66)

By Gordon Wood (SH 66)

Brian was in West Deyne from 1966 to 1970. For two successive years he was in the hockey XI and cricket XI, the latter of which he captained in 1970.

He became a Chartered Surveyor, working for Hillier Parker, and spent his entire career in London, primarily dealing with commercial property, where he also worked for Kemsley Whiteley & Ferris, Hunters, and finally ING, the Dutch banking and fund manager group. His clients considered him to be absolutely 100% sincere and trustworthy, and he was regarded by them as being very kindly.

His love of cricket was well known and, for several years while at Kemsleys, he organised and ran the successful Kemsley Whiteley & Ferris six-a-side surveyors’ cricket tournament.

Another of his loves was golf, being a member of Maidenhead Golf Club, and he had the ability to just turn up and play to a very good standard without any practice, clearly benefitting from his talent at both cricket and hockey also. He was born in Malaya and married Gill, with whom he had a daughter Nicci and son David; he subsequently married Clare, becoming stepfather to her three children. Latterly, he suffered from Alzheimer’s, and passed away peacefully.

Obituaries

Rio Puertollano (WD 92)

By Will Hawkes (WD 88)

Rio came to Uppingham in 1992 to spend a year in the Upper Sixth, courtesy of an English-Speaking Union scholarship. He relished every second of his Uppingham experience. He took A levels in English, Art and Theatre Studies – getting A grades – and immersed himself in theatre, acting in a series of productions including West Side Story. He enjoyed his first experiences of rugby, where his stocky figure made him a natural for the front row; he also fenced for the School. He was amused and shocked in equal parts by life in West Deyne, content as an outsider to wryly observe the sometimes surreal ups-and-downs of boarding school life.

Rio’s parents were doctors from the Philippines and Rio was born in Manila before the family emigrated to the United States. He grew up on Long Island where he had attended the Stony Brook School, and later the family lived in Illinois.

After Uppingham, Rio studied Drama at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas and then Yale School of Drama. Back in New York, Rio worked as an actor, taking many roles in television and on the stage. He wrote plays and films, with his work winning awards and being screened internationally. He was also an accomplished photographer. His friends from Uppingham enjoyed keeping up with his successes through social media.

More recently he lived in Staten Island with his father and brother, where he died unexpectedly in November 2023. Rio is remembered as a warm and gentle person, always hopeful and optimistic for the future, with a generous ‘can do’ attitude, a broad smile and a kind heart.

Legacy gifts provide important funding for fee-assisted places at Uppingham, enabling talented children from less affluent backgrounds to access a world-class education at the School.

In the last year, Uppingham is grateful to have received bequests from recently departed OUs including Richard Pitt (F 44) and David Ashton (Hf 51) as well as Anne Holmes and Sally Gabbertas.

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 Foundation website at uppinghamfoundation.co.uk, or contact our Legacy Manager, Sam Dewhurst on SGD@uppingham.co.uk for a confidential conversation.

Michael Gavins

Michael Gavins dedicated more than two decades of his life to Uppingham, teaching Economics and Rugby from 1968 to 1994, and as Housemaster of School House from 1972 to 1987.

He inspired countless students with his passion for Economics and his unwavering commitment to their academic success. On the rugby pitch, he instilled in his players the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance, leaving a lasting impression on generations of athletes.

The impact Michael had throughout his Uppingham career will always be remembered. His kindness, compassion, and genuine interest in the well-being of others, endeared him to all who knew him. Whether offering guidance to pupils in need or lending a listening ear to colleagues, his presence brought comfort and support to those around him.

Michael died on 23rd February and a special memorial service was held in the School Chapel on 21st September, attended by family and staff, past and present, and OUs.

At the service, Barbara Matthews (SH 73) gave a fitting tribute to Michael, which we are pleased to share. It was very marked that when OUs were invited to share their memories of Mike,

Staff Remembered

the word they used most often was kind. As well as calm, caring and decent. And they remembered him with gratitude and affection equally for his teaching, rugby coaching and house mastering.

It is in that last role that I knew him –alongside his loyal partner, Hilary.

He had barely set foot in School House when it was put to him by my father that he might like to find a space for me. The Trustees had decided to broaden the School’s market by opening its first girls’ house in 1975, converting the old sanitorium for the purpose, but in the meantime a guinea pig was seen to be a good idea in 1973. My father considered deeply the person best fitted to oversee the experiment, to entrust his daughter to, and chose someone who would be even-handed, wise and undramatic. All of which Mike was.

I remember him as a smiling, fair man who ran the House without ego. He didn’t interfere unless it was necessary and was always a willing, listening ear.

Once he was convinced by the House Captain that nothing too awful could happen if he allocated me a study rather than a room on the top floor of the house, he treated me like any other of his charges. That might sound unremarkable today, but it was very welcome at a time when females were

seen as very different creatures –requiring a mixture of indulgence and patronisation.

He made me Electrics Polly on the grounds that I was the only Sixth Form physicist in the House and since I clearly couldn’t represent the House at cricket, he proposed I became the scorer instead.

The only time I saw him discomfited was when he decided to take a group of us to the cinema. A popular move which was eagerly anticipated. The film he chose was Blazing Saddles, which as you can imagine, we thoroughly enjoyed. But afterwards he apologised; the Yorkshire gentleman was embarrassed about exposing me to such offensive language.

Thank you, Mike, for giving me such a unique opportunity which I have never regretted and thank you for making it as easy as you could.

And thank you on behalf of the School. Your contribution over 26 years was felt and appreciated by many. Not just the rugger stars; pupils across a wide range of interests and abilities owed you much and are still very ready to say so. Not least me.

The impact Michael had throughout his Uppingham career will always be remembered. His kindness, compassion, and genuine interest in the well-being of others, endeared him to all who knew him.

By Sketch Carter, Chris Harris and Rob Riddle (all SH 79)

Reflecting on the impact Mr Gavins had on our lives, we find ourselves filled with immense gratitude and respect. He was one of our guiding lights, whose morality and wisdom were instructive in our formative years. We continue to carry his lessons with us today.

Beyond our own families, Mr Gavins was a beacon of integrity, passion and compassion. We will always remember his encouragement during tough times, and his unwavering belief in our potential, even at moments of disappointment. He showed us what it means to lead by example, be resilient in the face of challenges and pursue our goals with determination. His lessons extended far beyond the classroom. He taught us the importance of empathy, the value of perseverance and the power of taking responsibility. He inspired us to pursue the best versions of ourselves.

We thank him for setting us straight at a young age. He is no longer with us, but at the same time, he will always be with us in the memories we cherish.

Peter Lloyd

The Uppingham community said farewell to Peter Lloyd on 14th April, another much respected and admired member of staff who contributed so much to the School throughout his dedicated 35 years’ service, from 1953 to 1988 and as Housemaster of Highfield from 1962 to 1977.

In the Autumn 1988 School Magazine, published at the time of Peter’s departure from Uppingham’s teaching fraternity, Peter de Voil wrote: “It would be difficult to find a more talented schoolmaster than Peter. Academic, an outstanding sportsman, a talented actor and an accomplished musician… there are few areas in which he has not played a significant part during the past 35 years.”

Peter’s contribution to the Classics department, proved invaluable, introducing generations of pupils to Greek and Latin, with a thoroughness that revealed itself in the exam results. His sporting prowess also benefitted pupils hugely through his coaching across a number of sports including squash, tennis, hockey and cricket. He also ran the RAF section of the CCF for a time.

As reflected by the vast number of tributes received after his passing, Peter will perhaps be most fondly remembered by pupils who resided in Highfield under his care. As summed up by Abboudi Hoss (Hf 62): “Highfield was a happy house, thanks to the thought and care that Peter and Mary put into making it so. They were gentle and led by example. Boys kept to the rules because we had been shown that this was the correct behaviour, and not for fear of punishment. Peter’s clarity of intellect, coupled with his emotional wisdom, benefitted many boys. He shaped us, so that we might go on to lead decent and useful lives in society. We have everything to thank him for.”

When Peter’s time in Highfield came to an end in 1977, he took on various School responsibilities including the running of golf – another notable talent – and he later became House Tutor at The Lodge. From 1981 to 1988 he flourished in his role as Careers Master, bringing new ideas to the department, organising conferences and open days and ensuring pupils were well equipped for life beyond Uppingham.

After leaving the School in 1988, Peter and Mary went on to enjoy many adventures travelling together. They remained a familiar sight around the town, living on Stockerston Road, and were very much a part of Uppingham life, attending OU events and continuing to socialise with staff for many years later.

Peter will be remembered always for the incredible commitment he gave to the School, helping many generations of Uppinghamians in so many ways.

By Chris Rothery (Hf 60)

The Lloyds were a very welcome breath of fresh air and youthfulness. The House was pretty successful in those days, both with sport and the House Shout; we may not have always won, but the spirit of Highfield always shone through! Much to their credit as the quietly enthusiastic couple that they were. Peter was a wonderful man.

Michael and Peter both shared their personal memories of Uppingham in our very first Chalkies’ Corner feature, published in Issue 49, 2021/22. We are delighted to share their contributions via the QR code.

‘Kit’ Swinfen

Kit taught many generations of Uppinghamians Chemistry from 1966 to 1992.

Having come from a distinguished academic career, and teaching in the Royal Navy and at Rugby School, Kit was appointed Head of Science and Chemistry at Uppingham in April 1966. Throughout his 26 years at the School,

he did an enormous amount to promote the teaching of his subject and establish Uppingham’s name widely on the scientific map.

He approached teaching both thoughtfully and inventively, and was instrumental in setting up new initiatives, such as the ‘Science Society’ and, in his keenness to establish links between Uppingham and the outside world, he also set up various pupil exchanges with Rutland Sixth Form Colleges. He also established the Rutland British Association of Young Scientists and Stamford Science Teachers Group, providing platforms for science fairs and quizzes.

Beyond the classroom, Kit was known to be a keen singer and he enjoyed supporting many Concert Choir performances. As ‘staff plays’ were also a common feature of Uppingham life at the time, Kit made his appearance in several. He also contributed to the running of various sporting

By Ashley Dawe (Housemaster of West Bank 1983 to 1993)

Former Matron of West Bank, Renée passed away on 27th February.

Born in 1924, and orphaned by the age of eight, Renée, together with one of her three siblings, was brought up by an aunt in Grantham, the two others by an aunt in Stamford. After attending a local school, and another in Corby, she took a job as a dormitory maid at Highfield in September 1939, where Hugh Willoughby was Housemaster. She then became an under-nanny to the Willoughbys’ young son and was soon promoted to nanny.

In 1947, in Uppingham’s Parish Church, she married Ernie Dalby – who took over from his father as the Armourer at the School – and she moved into a cottage on Stockerston Road, conveniently, as it would turn out, only about 50 yards from the West Bank ‘boys’ door’. Very sadly, Ernie died in 1965, aged only 43, leaving Renée a widow for the remaining 59 years of her

life. Three weeks after Ernie died, she took on the full-time job as Matron of West Bank and, with her own two sons to look after, life was extremely busy. Renée worked with four Housemasters: Ted Kendall for one year, Howell Griffiths for two, Jeff Abbott for 15 years, and me for her final five, before retiring in 1988, after a distinguished and fulfilling 23 years as Matron. I often thought how fortunate my immediate predecessor was to have had Renée as Matron throughout his entire time as Housemaster. She was devoted to the boys in the house and several hundred will have benefitted enormously from the care and attention she gave to them. She lived to be 100, though unfortunately suffered from dementia in her final few years.

She will be fondly remembered, particularly by all those West Bank boys in whose lives she played such an important part.

activities but will probably be most well-known for his involvement with shooting, a sport he was introduced to from a young age by his father. Kit was responsible for selecting three victorious teams in the English Schools’ National Match at Bisley, also winning the Schools’ Staff Competition at Bisley in 1983.

In 1970, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and he was a member of many scientific bodies, including the Association for Science Education, and wrote many enrichment materials and publications over the years.

He retired from Uppingham in 1992, having contributed a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the School’s development of science. He and his wife Judy spent a happy retirement in Rutland, where he enjoyed being involved in his local church and village life. He passed away in May, aged 91.

Thomas

Renée Dalby

Chalkies’ Corner

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.

We are always happy to feature teachers who are no longer with us but are remembered fondly by OUs.

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.

Joe Wallace Member of Staff 1975 to 1982

Appointed Bandmaster to succeed Ray Courtnell in April 1975, I spent over seven wonderful years at Uppingham and still retain friendships with past pupils and colleagues alike.

My Uppingham teaching opportunity followed my first career in military service, as a musician and musical director with the Royal Air Force Music Services, for over 20 years. I joined the music department under Jim Peschek and alongside Paul Spicer, Jill Pickering, Michael Holman and Hilary Unna; and later to be joined by David Chapman, Tom Wilson and John Dobson and many other talented peripatetic teachers.

An incentive to take the post was the knowledge that I would have plenty of time to join in the great sporting tradition of Uppingham, bringing my qualifications as a tennis and cricket coach to bear, and running the Sunday football teams alongside John ‘Jimmy’ Finch, while playing squash and badminton with pupils and other staff members.

The musical aspect of Uppingham was of course my main focus and included extending music crossovers with Jazz, Big Band and Rock ensembles joining the more traditional concert band and orchestral settings. The two highlights of the year were Christmas Band Concerts and the House Shouts (now known as House Singing Competitions), including leading Meadhurst to victory on one occasion, singing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ with full organ accompaniment from Michael Holman. I also devised a tradition whereby the Housemaster of the winning House Shout had to perform with the School Band in concert.

I particularly remember the two featuring Jeff Abbott (WB) playing the wooden blocks wrapped in sandpaper for the musical composition of Leroy Anderson’s Sandpaper Ballet and David Gaine (LH) playing the flute for John Denver’s Annie’s Song

After leaving Uppingham I taught at Worth Abbey in Sussex and then commenced my ‘third career’ by joining the Civil Service, working in the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall as a Personal Secretary for various Directors, culminating in my appointment as Personal Secretary (PS) for the

Chalkies’ Corner

Uppingham Concert Band, 1978. Joe Wallace is seated front row centre, 7th from the left, next to David Chapman.

PF Saunders Member of Staff 1925 to 1968, Housemaster of Lorne House 1931 to 1958, Acting Headmaster 1941 to 1942 and 1962.

A member of staff who dedicated 43 years of his life to Uppingham, referred to by the majority of pupils and staff alike simply as ‘PF’, many OUs will recall him fondly and our Chalkies’ Corner feature felt a fitting opportunity to remember him, despite his passing in 1996.

Ministers of State for Defence, Michael Portillo (Conservative) and George Robertson (Labour), who later became Secretary General for NATO, and also as a relief PS to John Major.

Music continued to play a role, acting as a civilian instructor for the Royal Air Force. On retirement in 2000, my wife Jean and I joined the thousands seeking a ‘Place in the Sun’ by emigrating to a Spanish village south of Alicante and immersing ourselves in the music scene there, where I continued to perform extensively with community ensembles, choirs and orchestras.

Our Spanish sojourn lasted until 2016 when we returned to the UK to St Neots in Cambridgeshire. Again, I continue to perform with the local concert band and served on the Committee of the Royal Air Force Music Services Association until 2022 for whom, in 2019, I successfully led the application for the inclusion of music vets on the Remembrance Sunday parade and was honoured to be chosen to carry the wreath at the Cenotaph alongside the Royal Family and Prime Ministers past and present.

Never ones to stay still, even during the Covid lockdown, Jean and I served as Park Wardens allowing us to maintain the wonderful countryside around our home and also making sure we kept our 10,000 steps up, something I continue to this day for, as they say “Health is Everything”. In the meantime, Jean continues to use her skills as a Domestic Science teacher preparing refreshments for events around town, and as a demonstrator for the WI where I have also been a guest speaker on ‘My Life As A Musician’.

I see my two sons, Duncan (WB 75) and Stewart (WB 77) regularly and enjoy the company of seven grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren split across the UK and Australia. And, through it all, Uppingham remains close to my heart.

The late Bryan Matthews (SH 30) wrote in the School Magazine, September 1968: “As a teacher PF has style. Quietly-spoken, unruffled, pleasantly sardonic, he invited no liberties, his weapons being a raised eyebrow and the pungent remark. A scholar himself, he nevertheless found most pleasure in teaching the lowest forms of the School. He was a real Form Master in the old-fashioned sense, able to teach a variety of subjects, but one thinks especially of his concise, pithy geography notes, his beautiful blackboard maps, his perceptive teaching of poetry, and the great thoroughness with which he taught Latin and Greek, and which, indeed, he gave to all his teaching.”

PF Saunders took a temporary teaching job at Uppingham in 1925. He so loved the work that he decided to stay, and the Headmaster of the time, Revd Reginald Owen, made sure he did. Not long after this, he won the hand of Daphne Shea, whose father was Housemaster of The Hall throughout the 1920s. They were married in the Parish Church in July 1926.

In 1931, PF was appointed Housemaster of Lorne House and together he and Daphne earned the affection of many generations of boys and their parents during their 27 years there.

The post of Headmaster became temporarily vacant in 1941, when John Wolfenden was appointed to the Air Cadet Training Corps, and it was to PF that the Trustees turned. He ran the School for a full year in the midst of war-time problems (and again in 1962 when Martin Lloyd was in America for a term).

For many years, PF was in charge of the games of the School, and for 15 years, in charge of cricket, one of his greatest pleasures at Uppingham, loving summer months spent on The Upper, dressed in immaculate cricket attire and suede shoes. For 25 years, he also took the 1st Colts rugby team, and was also in demand as a fine referee; in the Easter terms he helped with the Fives and ran the game for some time. Other activities included bridge, at which he was an expert of tournament standard, he enjoyed golf and was a devoted member of the choir over many years.

After retiring from Lorne House, PF remained on the staff for a further 10 years, six of them beyond reaching official retirement age, and, after eventually giving up his school mastering, he went on to enjoy 18 happy years with Daphne, their children and grandchildren. Daphne sadly pre-deceased him, however in the last 10 years of his life, he found both temporal and spiritual fulfilment in his love of nature.

In the words of the late SD Pearce, known as ‘Tim’ (LH 35), who gave the eulogy at PF Saunders’ funeral: “PF was a magical man. I see his life as a quiet triumph, quiet not in the sense of diminishing his achievements, which were great by any standards, but quiet in the sense of describing the unassuming, modest and gracious manner of his ways. PF was a man who didn’t shout, but we all heard him.”

Alan Hancock

Member of Staff 1980 to 2006

I am an accidental Uppinghamian! Having arrived here by chance, a succession of totally unexpected opportunities presented themselves which led to a wonderfully varied and satisfying career. In 1979 I was very happy as head of Geography and housemaster at an excellent school in Lincolnshire when I was invited to apply to lead the Geography department at Uppingham. Quite unexpectedly I found myself in a school where I would be associated with five Headmasters, where opportunities for my own learning were as great as those for any pupil, and which continues to impact my life after nearly half a century since crossing the border into Rutland.

My main motivation for the move was to focus on the teaching of my rapidly changing subject in a larger department – and what a talented department that was. I was humbled by the team’s collective abilities, containing the most remarkable lateral thinkers, inspirational and enthusiastic teachers, and wonderful organisers. I marvelled at their ability to multi-task, whether running houses, having significant roles in other departments, directing plays, leading gruelling expeditions, commanding or participating in the CCF (I was later to enjoy wonderfully challenging Field Days and Camps as a civilian instructor) or meeting the demands of international sport, and combining all these with a real desire for their pupils to enjoy their subject and achieve in it. Over the years the personnel may have changed, but every new arrival brought with them a fresh perspective, and I cannot believe that any Head of Department could have been more privileged than myself to have worked with so many gifted and interesting colleagues.

Contacts outside the department were equally stimulating, both formally and informally. Being part of a House pastoral team, with the wonderful system of house dining, meant encountering an ever-changing stream of colleagues and pupils who one would not necessarily have known otherwise. More informally, we enjoyed such delights as

Alan proudly holding the Bourne RUFC ‘Services to the Club’ trophy which was presented to him recently for photographing matches for the Club.

staff performances in House Shouts and staff plays. Although I could only occasionally hit the right note, the tolerant camaraderie of Concert Choir (solving crosswords with colleagues on the back row during rehearsals) gave the opportunity to ‘sing’ in marvellous venues, and to hear true professionals at close quarters. And who could forget the enthusiasm of congregational practice!

Several members of staff supported football teams, often of limited ability, and thus was born USTROT (Uppingham School Teams Rarely On Telly), an informal group that made forays to watch matches at various lowly grounds and enjoyed memorable dinners. A highlight came when a minibus full of colleagues was allowed to miss Saturday school to celebrate my retirement in 2006 at a Hartlepool United v Port Vale match. However, not all memories of such friendships are associated with such happiness. The coming together of the School community to support our family when our daughter died tragically was also a quite remarkable and a different example of the spirit of comradeship within the School.

Opportunities for my own learning were as great as those for any pupil.

With so many opportunities for staff as well as pupils, matters outside the department soon encroached and, despite my original intentions, I was delighted to become (unfortunately the last) Housemaster of The Hall. I am sure that every Housemaster/Housemistress could write a book on their particular experiences. In my case the highs would be the wonderful House Concerts, successes in House Challenges and the vicarious satisfaction of seeing so many boys achieve their aims, whatever they might be. The lows would be the destructive fire (interesting to see that saving hi-fi systems took precedence over rescuing Geography notes), and of course the closure of the House, at a time of national decline in boarding. My subsequent time as a House Tutor in West Bank was equally rewarding in a totally different way.

By happy chance, the abrupt end to my chosen path as Housemaster presented unexpected but immensely rewarding opportunities. The position of Higher Education Adviser became vacant and as I had always been interested in progress beyond school, and indeed had stood in on occasion for my predecessor, it was an ideal role for me. Dealing with over 100 personal statements a year meant that I learned an enormous amount about pupils that I would otherwise not have known, and I was always impressed by the range of talents and interests displayed by applicants. Truly a reflection of the opportunities provided by Uppingham.

Over the years, I took on a number of additional responsibilities, including a Student Teacher Training role, I became a member of the Independent Schools Inspectorate teams, Chair of the Common Room Salaries Committee, a representative for

If you would like to contact featured staff, 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.

the teaching union with the largest membership within the School, and was even acting Librarian, all posts which provided fascinating opportunities to make a difference in one way or another.

Another such opportunity occurred when, in my second year, I was unexpectedly asked to help with the 2nd XV. Something I had never intended to become involved with and I was, in all honesty, quite out of my depth. I learned so much from a succession of inspirational and skilled coaches, the rugby was of a good standard, without being in the glare of publicity associated with the 1st XV, and the mixture of rejoicing with those who advanced to the top team and consoling those who had not quite made it at the higher level was extremely rewarding. There were so many memorable matches played both in Britain and abroad, in conditions ranging from the freezing mud of Spalding to the heat of the Prairies via the grandeur of the Toulouse club and the excitement of South America – and I count myself especially fortunate to have emerged relatively unscathed from the delights of the nightlife of Buenos Aires.

My involvement with the School did not end with my retirement. I was elected Common Room Trustee and, for the next eight years, I was privileged to be a member of that body responsible for the overall development of the School. It is impossible to do justice to the degree of commitment and thought displayed by the Trustees, and the level of discussion

A tribute to Marie Thring

On Sunday 13th October a special service was held in the School Chapel to unveil a plaque, designed and made by James Elliott, dedicated to Marie Thring for bringing music to Uppingham and her lasting legacy that ensued.

Dr Malcolm Tozer, member of staff 1966 to 1989 and Housemaster of The Lodge 1979 to 1989, gave a talk on Marie Thring and the emergence of music in the early years at Uppingham. He shared that Edward Thring was tone deaf, recognising just one tune, the National Anthem. Marie Thring, however, had been raised in Bonn – Beethoven’s hometown – and her circle of friends included Robert and Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Josef Joachim, as well as the visiting English composer, William Sterndale Bennett.

During Thring’s second year at Uppingham in 1955, two new masters were appointed, bringing the total to five. One, Herr Schäfer, arrived from Bonn to teach music and German for a

by those around me was impressively high. Whatever decisions were reached – right or wrong – they were certainly never arrived at lightly.

Coming from a family with a long tradition of teaching in very disadvantaged areas, I had long been interested in the relationships between the state and independent sectors and, although he cannot have known it, when one of my former pupils founded an education trust, the chance opportunity to become involved in the innovative school improvement programme offered by that organisation was the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. So many of the values of Uppingham are universal, but I was able to see first-hand how they could be applied in vastly different and challenging circumstances, primarily through my role as Chair of Governors at various schools within the Trust.

Since retirement I have been able to enjoy my interest in railways – real and model – and for several seasons I have photographed Bourne RUFC matches for the local paper. But memories of Uppingham still emerge unexpectedly. Our OU son finds himself teaching the children of one of my House Captains at another school; I learn that one of my former pupils has recently been appointed to significant political office, while I am currently sharing the grief of the mother of a former Hall boy who died after a long and distressing illness, throughout which he and I were in almost constant communication. For me Uppingham memories are still being made.

year. Marie hosted musical evenings in School House; she and her sister, Anna, played and sang; Schäfer performed and led a small choir.

Schäfer was succeeded by further short-term appointments, mostly from Germany, but in 1864 Thring decided that music’s standing demanded stronger commitment, and he commissioned Sterndale Bennett to find the right man. Thring declared 13th March 1865 a half-day-holiday to welcome Paul David to the School. He came from Mendelssohn’s Conservatory in Leipzig where, alongside Joachim, he had been taught by his father, the principal violinist.

Over the next 40 years – with advice from Joachim, a regular visitor – Paul David raised music at Uppingham to a high level of distinction and a broad level of participation. But it was Marie who had brought music to Uppingham and the School was delighted to recognise her significant contribution for future posterity.

Events

It has been another fantastic year for OU events, attracting a record number of attendees overall. If you haven’t managed to join us at an event yet, we hope to see you soon.

Guests are shown from left to right in each photo.

London Dinner

There was a brilliant atmosphere with so many Uppingham friends and staff reuniting and having fun at the Mandarin Oriental in March.

If you’d like to get your friends together at next year’s dinner, on Thursday 6th March 2025, please email the OU team to reserve a table (seating 10-12 guests).

Theatre Cast Reunion

The cast of the 1984 production of ‘Oh What a Lovely War’ were reunited at Uppingham in March after 40 years. With an opportunity to watch current pupils perform the show, it was a great evening, with lots of reminiscing and catching up to do.

Front: Sarah Forsyth and Christopher Richardson (former Director of the Theatre). Middle: Simon Whitaker (WB 71), former master David Cunliffe, Stephanie Ciappara (Fd 83) and Rana Sayeed (LH 80). Back: David Reid (LH 82), Hamish Forsyth (F 82), Vanessa Rudman, Richard Boston (B 56), Jerry Rudman (Archivist and former Housemaster of Meadhurst), Minnie McBride (née Lloyd, Fd 83) and Adam Walker (LH 80).

Florence Lewis (née Clark), Abi Benson (née Barber), Hannah Brooks (née Ashworth), Laura Wilder (née Christopherson), Alice Wall (née Poutney), Jo Makey (née Rolison), Laura Highton-Davidson (née Highton) and Lucy Billett (née Penn) (all Sa 04).

Front: Henry Fleet (Fgh 96), Tom Kimbell (Fgh 96), Charlie Thompson (C 96), Will Lawson (Fgh 96) and Byron Fitzpatrick (LH 96). Middle: Sophie Dickens (née Smith, J 99) and Helen Tuckey (née Fenwick, J 99). Back: Fergus Chamberlain (WD 96), Freddie James (B 99), Hatty Douthwaite (J 99), George Dickens (SH 96), Richard Hartley (Fgh 96), Jason Noy (Fgh 96) and Richard Culley (F 96).

Front row: Rupert Innes (WD 09), Charlie Tear (F 09) and Tom Treble (WD 09).Back: Jon Mason (WB 09), George Cox (F 09) and David Kirk (Head of History of Art and former Housemaster of Fircroft).

Front: Miranda Bowman (Fd 11), Nancy Smith (Fd 11), Lily Strange (Sa 11), Florence Dobell (Sa 11), Zoe Neal (Sa 11) and Georgia Cusworth (Sa 11). Back: Freddie Hall (B 11), Caolan Gander (WD 11), Freddie Gander (Fgh 11), George Burrell (LH 11), Bede Timpson (LH 11) and Chris Whitaker (Hf 12).

Front: Vincy Choi (L 19), Charlotte Lloyd-Townshend (L 19), Nadia Chu (J 19), Virginia Ruggeri (L 20) and Oravara Ratanakorn (L 19). Back: William Fairfax (B 20), Paul Antlitz (Hf 18), Paul Eichmann (M 19), Horatio Everett (B 17) and Hans Mehta (B 16).

Fred Wilson (SH 77), Ian Smith (B 77), Bruce Clayton (SH 77), Dawn Wilson (née Keene, Fd 80) and James Christopherson (LH 77).

Rana Sayeed (LH 80), Heather Sayeed and Hamish Forsyth (F 82).

Freddie Grounds (WB 81), Minnie McBride (née Lloyd, Fd 83) and Stephanie Ciappara (Fd 83).

Front: Sarah Forsyth and Christopher Richardson (former Director of the Theatre). Middle: Simon Whitaker (WB 71), former master David Cunliffe, Stephanie Ciappara (Fd 83) and Rana Sayeed (LH 80). Back: David Reid (LH 82), Hamish Forsyth (F 82), Vannessa Rudman, Richard Boston (B 56), Jerry Rudman (Archivist and former Housemaster of Meadhurst), Minnie McBride (née Lloyd, Fd 83) and Adam Walker (LH 80).

members

Hong Kong Drinks

The Headmaster, Dr Richard Maloney, was delighted to join OUs for a drinks reception held at Madame Fù’s, in vibrant Tai Kwun in April. Thanks to Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Chairman of the Friends of Uppingham (HK) for organising such a successful occasion.

Property and Finance Dinner

We had a full house for this successful School for Life networking event, held at 1 Lombard Street in April. Thank you to Mark Glatman (L 69) for his kind support.

Peter Rolston (C 70) with

of the Sharrock family, Chris (L 70), Jamie (M 99) and Emma (Fd 02).

Mark Hardy (Hf 84), Mia and Alex Williams (Fgh 92) and James Pearson (F 79).

Yuk-Fai Lau (WB 04), Owen Liu (LH 02), Annie Chau (NH 04) and David Tong.

Neera Cheung (L 21), John Hardy (Hf 18), Maverick Chow (Hf 18) and Dr Richard Maloney.

Freddie Tucker (B 10), Lara Mullins (Fd 14) and Angus Grafton (M 10).

Charlotte Mantle (J 10) and Dominic Wertheimer (LH 92).

Jack Staley (F 10) and Edward Sutcliffe (Fgh 09).

Bertie Arkwright (B 93), Tom Fletcher (Fgh 93), James Thomson (C 93) and Philip Hunter (Fgh 93).

Undergraduate Drinks

A fantastic crowd converged at The Library in Durham in May to hear about the OU School for Life programme and enjoy a drink together.

Norfolk Dinner

Held at The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market in May, the event is always a relaxed and fun occasion.

Diana and David Riddington (WD 49).

Nick ‘Sketch’ Carter (SH 79), David Chaplin (M 77) and Tom Hindmarch (SH 77).

Sarah Keene, Debbie Lewin, Debs Tucker, Alex Pearson and Katie Kennedy (all Fd 83).

Jane and David Lamyman (WD 79), Henry Bowman (WD 79), Andrew Asquith (WD 79) Amanda Phillipson (née Hearth, Fd 82), and Ginny Bowman (née Burrows, Fd 82).

Nick Benson (WB 79), Julian Williams (Hf 79) and Rob Riddle (SH 79).

The Lodge Reunion

A superb occasion held in June and attended by OUs spanning seven decades. It was brilliant to see everyone reminiscing over the superb archive exhibition provided by Jerry Rudman, chatting to current pupils during the House and School tours and the Memorial Hall was buzzing with conversations over lunch. Our thanks to everyone who joined us and made it such a special day.

Speech Day

Held on the last day of the summer term in June.

The Headmaster, Dr Richard Maloney, congratulating the 1st XI Girls’ Football squad who won the ISFA U18 Shield Final in April.

A warm welcome provided by the Uppingham School Pipe Band.

Front: Eloise Bland and Ella Cleary Back: Charlotte Booth, Madeleine Esses, Alice James, Sophie Marsh and Lucy Simcox (all L 14).

Jerry Rudman (Archivist and former Housemaster of Meadhurst), Robert Robotham (WD 73) and Barbara Matthews (SH 73).

Former Houseparents of The Lodge: Kyi and Stephan Muller (2022 to 2014), Steve and Lesley Allen (Temporary Houseparents of the Lodge 2023 to 2024), Katharine Gaine (1996 to 2011) and Malcolm and Elizabeth Tozer (1975 to 1989).

Robin Boyt (WD 56) and Casey O’Hanrahan (Former English Master).

‘House Singing Competition’ winners – School House – who gave a wonderful rendition of ‘Love Me Again’ by John Newman. 45 Events

London Drinks

Held at The Other House, South Kensington in September, with a great venue and a superb crowd, the event had all the elements for a relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Over 60s Lunch

Held in September at the Cavalry and Guards

Iona Blayney (Fd 11), Frances Lewthwaite (C 11), Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76), Peter Hill (Fgh 12) and Phoebe Aldrich (Fd 13).

Phoebe Hunt (L 16), Kamil Bujel (Hf 16) and Rebecca Lin (L 16)..

John Waters (WB 91) and Andrew Jenkins (B 91).

Ben Cook (Fgh 97), Tom Haley (Fgh 97) and James Arbuthnot (C 99).

Olya Sergeeva (L 09), David Sowerby (B 00) and Liubou Hilman (L 10).

Tiffany Kertesz (née Redman, L 02) and James Brown (SH 99).

Club.

Donald Fothergill (B 74), Malcolm Fourie (B 74) and Simon Greenly (F 58).

Nicholas Lumley (Hf 68), David Scott (WD 58) and Christopher Crook (Fgh 58).

Adrian Mundin (WD 75) and David Needham (Fgh 47).

Nick Taylor (WD 58), Hedley Stroud (L 68), Anthony Howeson (L 61) and Richard Bernhard (B 64).

School for Life Young OU Drinks

Held in February and June at the Market Tavern in Mayfair for young OUs living, working and studying in London. It was great to see everyone.

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.

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).

Clemmie Manning (Sa 16), Olivia Clarke (C 16), Freya Woolgrove (Fd 16) and Nyambura Kagwanja (NH 16).

William Greenhalgh (WB 17) and David Gavins (LH 73, OU School for Life Ambassador).

Acacia Bostock (J 13) and Tilly Hunt (NH 13).

Nicholas Kwok (LH 16) and James Holroyd (LH 15).

Phoebe Aldrich (Fd 13), Phoebe Hunt (L 16) and Eleanor Acworth (L 17).

Sarah Fung (Fd 15) and Sophie Gray (Sa 16).

Events Calendar 2025

We hope you will be able to join us at the forthcoming events…

11th January

Cross Country Run and Dinner

Uppingham

Kick off the New Year by joining the annual OU run, followed by a seasonopening dinner.

21st June

Brooklands Reunion

Uppingham

Celebrating the long history of the oldest of Uppingham’s ‘Hill Houses’.

6th March

London OU Dinner

The Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge

The most glamorous event in the OU calendar. Bookings now open via the OU website.

27th June

Speech Day

Uppingham

A fantastic celebration of all things Uppingham which brings our whole community together.

23rd March

OU Hockey Festival

Uppingham

OUs v the School – let the battle commence.

25th September

Over 60s Lunch

The Cavalry and Guards Club

A warm, friendly occasion in the company of the Headmaster.

November 2025

Leonardo Centre 30th Anniversary OU Exhibition

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Leonardo Centre being officially opened by Dr the Honourable Sir David Li Kwok Po (H 54), an exhibition is being planned to showcase work by OUs.

If you produce art, textiles, photography or design work, either commercially or as a hobby, the Leonardo staff would be delighted to hear from you.

Please scan the QR code and fill out the short questionnaire to confirm your interest in exhibiting your work and we will keep in touch as plans evolve.

We hold targeted networking events for a range of industries, which offer perfect occasions to meet fellow OU professionals working in your sector.

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.

We expect other events to be added to the calendar over the next few months, both in the UK and overseas. More details to follow. Visit the OU website for more information olduppinghamian.co.uk

EW Hornung, the OU author lost to time

2024 marks 125 years since the publication of The Amateur Cracksman, a collection of short stories by one of Uppingham’s most famous and successful literary alumni, Ernest William Hornung (C 1880).

EW Hornung, as he was widely known, was the brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle, a friend to Oscar Wilde and the creator of Raffles, the gentleman thief whom George Orwell described as one of the ‘best known characters in English fiction’. After Sherlock Holmes, Raffles was regarded as the second most popular fictional character at the turn of the 20th century and yet Hornung’s name has largely been forgotten in the intervening years. So, who was EW Hornung?

Born in Middlesbrough in 1866, Hornung was sent to Uppingham in 1880, joining Constables. He was wellliked at school and developed a lifelong love of cricket despite limited skills at the game, which were further worsened by bad eyesight, asthma and, according to his biographer, a permanent state of generally poor health. Hornung’s disposition led to him emigrating to Australia for several years before returning to the UK to start a career in journalism and, over the next decade, he became a prolific writer of short stories, poems and novels. He married Conan Doyle’s sister in 1893 and their only son was named Arthur Oscar Hornung in tribute to his close literary connections.

In 1898 Hornung developed the character of Arthur J Raffles, whose initials are said to be in recognition of his Constables’ housemaster A J Peck. Though remarkable in the current context, Raffles was regarded as a controversial character at the time as he was a hero on the wrong side of the law. Conan Doyle had warned Hornung against writing the Raffles’ stories and reflected in his memoirs that: “There are few finer examples of short-story writing in our language than these, though I confess I think they are rather dangerous in their suggestion. I told him so before he put pen to paper, and the result has, I fear, borne me out. You must not make the criminal the hero.” In 1899, eight of his Raffles’ stories were collectively published in The Amateur Cracksman and Hornung’s works were a hugely popular and financial success.

Known as ‘a man of large and generous nature, a delightful companion and conversationalist’, Hornung continued writing successfully until the outbreak of World War I. Sadly his son Arthur Oscar was killed at the second Battle of Ypres in 2015 and, though sickly and approaching 50, Hornung

volunteered for the army, distinguishing himself at the Siege of Arras.

Following the War, he wrote more poetry as well as memoirs reflecting his time in military service, but his already delicate health was further weakened by his experiences during the War. To aid his recovery, Hornung and his wife visited Saint-Jean-deLuz in the south of France in 1921 but he contracted influenza and died there on 22nd March 1921, aged 54.

Although much of Hornung’s work has fallen into obscurity, his Raffles’ stories remained popular for many years, both in the UK and around the world, and have been adapted for TV and film on many occasions. Esteemed actors from John Barrymore to Ronald Colman, David Niven to Nigel Havers, have all taken on the role of the dashing, cricket-loving thief and a new BBC adaptation is rumoured to be in the pipeline.

EW Hornung (C 1880), creator of the character that became the prototype of the antihero in modern crime fiction, and one of the most influential authors in Uppingham’s history.

Uppingham Classic Car Meet

Some superb vehicles were on display outside School House on the morning of Sunday 21st April, as OUs joined us for a Classic Car Meet, before heading off for a drive through the countryside and lunch stop at New Lodge Farm, near Bulwick. Uppingham was full of car enthusiasts participating in the ‘Stilton Cheese Run’, with a great atmosphere in the town. We are delighted to share background stories on two of the cars on display…

In the early 1960s, whilst waiting for the morning bus to get to work in Leicester, Robert frequently spotted the 1930 Austin ‘Heavy 12/4 Burnham Saloon’, in a rather shabby state, carrying numerous carefree students (crammed inside and on the running boards) to and from the university. He was working for an estate agent at the time, managing rented properties for clients, collecting rents and dealing with repairs. Then, in 1965, a tenant of one of the properties managed by the firm, named Victor Newcome (who Robert had become rather friendly with and, by chance, was the owner of the Austin), appeared in his office to give notice of his intention to vacate the Old Rectory. Having completed his studies, he planned to return to his native Yorkshire. After enquiring as to whether the car would

be relocated also, Victor explained the vehicle would be scrapped, as the engine had apparently blown up on the M1 whilst returning from a trip to Heathrow! However – perhaps jokingly –he offered Robert the car for just £10 to take it off his hands.

Robert has lovingly restored the Austin over many years, involving swapping the badly damaged engine and further extensive works required to pass increasingly stringent running requirements and testing regulations. He enjoys participating in local rallies and classic car meetings, and commented: “The GK 8187 seems to attract as much attention now as when I fell in love with it myself, over 60 years ago.”

Robert Kemp’s (LH 56) vintage Austin.

Richard Boston (B 56)

 Robert Kemp’s (LH 56) vintage Austin, bought for a tenner!

 Nick Longford’s (LH 65) Alvis

Nick’s Housemaster at Uppingham was Ian Bridges, who he remembers being, in many respects, an astonishingly tolerant and permissive Housemaster and who allowed pupils to keep cars whilst at school, provided they found safe garages to keep them in. Nick’s father always drove Alvis’s and he generously offered for Nick to take his ‘old one’ to school for the last few weeks. Nick recalls other pupils doing the same and a number of interesting vehicles being driven around the town: Craig Paull (LH 66) had an old Morris Minor, Stuart Roy (LH 66) drove a Ford Popular 100E, Steve Kemp (LH 65) had the family’s old Citroen Traction Avant, Andrew Willis (LH 66) had a ‘very swanky’ brand new Ford Zodiac MK IV Executive, and the year before, Nigel Griffiths (LH 65) had his mother’s Mini.

As my father’s Alvis was the oldest, and considered very much on a par with Bentley and Lagonda, everyone wanted to go out in it and it was often seen around Uppingham, as well as on journeys to pubs well away from the School! I’m sure contemporaries will remember it well and, in Nick’s words: “Unlike its owner, the car hasn’t really changed at all and is astonishingly trouble-free and reliable!”

Our thanks to everyone who came along to the April meet. If you couldn’t make it but would be interested in attending such occasions in the future, please email the OU team on ou@uppingham.co.uk and we will keep you in the loop.

Nick’s Alvis is being driven by a friend, Keith McDonough, while Nick himself drove to Uppingham in his 1974 Fiat 130 Pininfarina Coupé (pictured below).

Di and Simon Whitaker (WB 71)

Jim Jenkins with his son Andrew (B 91) Simon Greenly (F 58) and Jane Evans

By Tristan Esse (WB 10)

Inside the MasterChef Kitchen

Back in the cold November nights of 2023, some of you may have tuned in to watch a fellow OU attempt not to embarrass himself on national primetime TV. Competition heated, pressure on and high drama, it was more than possible!

Although, behind all the excitement was a very relaxed, tranquil and friendly atmosphere of the MasterChef ‘Spa’, as we used to call it. You would think this odd, but the experience backstage and behind all the television magic was a sea of fun, silliness and camaraderie. The most surprising part I found, as did many of my fellow competitors, was the amount of time it took to film one episode. You’d expect perhaps a few hours, maybe half a day maximum, but it actually took days to get just a few takes!

We would arrive early doors, around 6am and, I remember so clearly in the first round, I was sitting around doing nothing for a good six hours before I had an interview. No phones were allowed, we simply sat and talked to our competitors for days! As when anyone is left alone for long enough, you start to come up with very silly games and we ended up playing a weird variation of ‘Pringle tricks’ but with a coffee cup not a ball – it might easily have been the reason I didn’t make it beyond the quarter-final…! A part of me only really wanted to get further in the competition because of the people that were involved. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve come away with some great friends that I competed with, but the real stars are the casting crew who are there for you the whole time, bigging you up, shoulder to cry on and joining in with the ridiculous celebrations we would have.

There are so many little things that surprised me throughout the experience. Interestingly, when the critics taste your food in the quarterfinals, you have no idea what they think until the episode airs on TV, so you are stood there waiting for the judges to announce who is through and have absolutely nothing to go on, no inkling as to whether you have done well or not! Also, when you see the presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace announce who is heading home, they aren’t actually talking to the group at that point – a couple of the casting crew just stand in. Probably one of the most boring things of the whole process was the ‘waiting shots’. One of the camera crew would come in and say: “Right guys, waiting shots time” and a sea of disappointment would encompass the room. We would sit in the waiting room for what honestly felt like a lifetime, in complete silence, not allowed to talk – but, as you can imagine, laughter is the first thing that happens under those circumstances and so our shots seemed to take even longer, it felt like hours.

There are many insights into life behind a television camera, but during my extremely short-lived experience, I was so surprised at how relaxed the whole situation was. The heated competitive hour you see on TV actually involves days of mindless waiting, chilled out camera crews and a lot of napping in weird places. As

competitors, we were often confined to a room for hours together, left to amuse ourselves but, as I learnt at Uppingham, spending endless hours with others, makes even the most different of people great friends.

Huge credit to Tristan for entering MasterChef: The Professionals, aired on BBC One last November. He wowed the critics and judges with his dishes, getting through the quarter-finals and becoming one of the final 12 most talented chefs to go forward into the ‘Knockout Week’. He didn’t make it beyond this stage, but he did Uppingham proud and it’s clear to see he had a great experience throughout the competition.

Tristan runs his own business as a private chef. He specialises in quirky fine dining cuisine focused on produce. With years of experience in the industry, he has developed a unique style that combines interesting flavours and stunning presentation. Do get in touch with him via his website if you’re looking to elevate your dining experience at home. He is available in the UK and worldwide. cheftristanesse.com

Clubs and Societies

OU Rugby

By David Heron (C 91), Team Captain

After many years in ‘hibernation’, the OU rugby team came together on 25th November 2023 to play against Stoneygate RFC on Leicester 1. It was a wonderful occasion between two ‘clubs’ who have a long-standing relationship. With Stoneygate now based in Uppingham, it was a brilliant day for the local community. L1 touchline was packed with families who watched some super rugby, with the OUs running out eventual winners by 43 to 22.

Captained by David Heron (C 91) , the match squad saw ‘1st XV’ representation from each decade from the 1980s, including three sets of brothers, and five of the 1995 pack of forwards. It was fitting too, that today’s 1st XV coach, Ian Smith, presented the trophy to one of his former players, and also that his son-in-law, Luke Sturgess, captained the opposition.

OUs are proud of our rugby team, and we want representing the School to mean the same to today’s players as it does to us. Rugby has the ability to bring people together, to create lifetime friendships and, at the same time, coming together as Old Uppinghamians to represent our school, now that we have left, is important to us and something we are very proud of.

In 2024 we held a series of rugby events culminating in a ‘Celebration of Rugby’ dinner at the School on 16th November. The event brought the OU rugby community together, supported our great school and continued our journey to make Uppingham Rugby great.

OU Team Captain, David Heron (C 91) with Stoneygate Captain, Luke Sturgess

OU Golfing Society

By Alan Thomas (H 62), Club President

While planning for the OUGS centenary celebrations in 2025 has taken centre stage, 2024 has been a good warm-up, with lots of competitive fun in our area meetings, matches against other schools’ alumni and Eagles events.

We have welcomed more female players to the society and our Eagles (under-30) membership continues to expand (lots more of both, please). Our scratch teams did well in the Hewitt centenary year and qualified for the Grafton Morrish Finals, while Uppingham had a notable win in the Midlands Public Schools event at Little Aston.

Richard Bernhard’s (B 64) Captain’s Meeting and the 2024 AGM of the society was held at St Pierre GC in Chepstow over the weekend of 13th to 15th September 2024 – after the publication deadline for the magazine –and the report is therefore available on the OUGS page of the OU website via the QR code.

Public School Alumni Tournaments

Halford Hewitt: In the centenary year of this 64-school event our scratch team beat Blundells 3.5:1.5 in the first round, then (to much applause from all) 3-times winners Loretto 3:2 in the second, and Wellington 3.5:1.5 in the third, but lost to Tonbridge 2:3 in the quarter-final. The 2024 winners were Eton.

Bernard Darwin: Our over-55 scratch team were beaten 1:2 by Marlborough in the first round. Charterhouse won the event for the second year in succession. Our over-65 players got their own back by beating Marlborough 2.5:0.5 in round 1, but then lost to eventual winners Malvern 1:2 in the second. Charterhouse won the Veterans (over-75s) scratch competition.

Grafton Morrish: Our team qualified second of the East Midlands league with 89 points and went on to play King’s Wimbledon in the first round of the Finals at Hunstanton on 27th September. See the OU website for the results.

Queen Elizabeth Trophy: Scheduled to be played at Royal Burgess over the weekend of 20th to 22nd September.

Silver Tassie: Uppingham’s team of two pairs finished middle of the pack with 68 points in this Ladies’ competition at The Berkshire GC, which was won by Loretto. Sally Richards (Fd 04) had a two on the tough Blue course par 3 13th hole.

Our team won the M K Foster Challenge Cup (the main trophy) at the Midlands Public Schools meeting at Little Aston. At the Northern Public Schools meeting at Woodhall Spa, Uppingham came fourth in the Birkdale Bucket (team prize), which was won by Pocklington.

Area Meetings & Matches

Winners at OUGS area meetings were Henry Hughes (M 06) at Formby and John Hudson (WB 65) at Little Aston. The London area meeting at Piltdown was abandoned due to bad weather. Around the country, OUGS teams registered many wins, draws and losses, but always enjoyed congenial, competitive days of golf. Alasdair Coutts-Wood (WD 96) had a hole-in-one in his first ever OUGS outing against Old Paulines at Denham.

OUGS Eagles

The Princes meeting in February was another enjoyable weekend away. Duncan Wood (LH 98) played especially well, securing his place in the Hewitt team two months later. At New Zealand GC in March, a combined OU and Old London University team beat Old Peterites. At the Royal Wimbledon meeting the Eagle Trophy was won by Edmund Northcott (B 03). The match against Old Cheltenhamians at Luffenham was held in September.

OUGS membership

OU golfers of any age, gender and golfing ability are welcome to join OUGS. Please see olduppinghamian.co.uk/clubs/ ou-golfing-society or scan the QR code. The full 2024 report is also available to read here.

The winning OU team at Little Aston. L to R: John Hudson (WB 65), Brian Cooke (Hf 53), Nick Freeman (L 70), Nick Mitchell (WD 70), Eddie Allingham (H 81), David Downes (L 59), Mark Laycock (LH 72) and Jeremy Cooke (WB 67).

Captain Richard Bernhard (B 64) presenting Aviator Trophy to Alasdair Coutts-Wood (WD 96) at Denham.

OU Hockey

It was great to revive the OU Hockey Festival this year, when players came together on 17th March.

The two Uppingham teams provided OU hockey players with a serious challenge, showing impressive pace, skills and determined goal scoring. Ed Watson (M 88) commented: “I am sure they have increased the pitch size since we

played it just got bigger and bigger as the game went on! A great fun day… the weather was sublime and there was lots of good cheer and nostalgic feeling.”

We look forward to welcoming players to Uppingham for the 2025 tournament which will take place on Sunday 23rd March. Save the date!

OU Shoot

By Julian Tolhurst (C 86)

Thanks to David Ross (C 78), OUs assembled at the Nevill Holt Estate on 14th November for the 2023 shoot. The guns ranged from Neil Kennedy (Hf 59) to the first female to join, Louisa ‘Lulie’

Pumphrey (Fd 18). The young guns showed up the seniors with Lulie awarded ’shot of the day’ and Tom Sykes (M 18) ‘Shot like a god’!

Enormous thanks to the team at Nevill Holt for their hospitality, it was hugely appreciated by all and a great day. It must also be mentioned that two of the young guns were there due to the generosity and support of Alex Hoctor Duncan (H 85) and Myles Bray (C 86)

They kept up well with the older generation the evening before and shot better on the day; the future of the OU shoot is in good hands!

Due to the production deadline for the magazine, we are unable to include details of this year’s shoot but any OUs interested in hearing about future events should contact Julian Tolhurst (C 86) at julian.tolhurst@apatchy.co.uk

L to R: Tom Higgs (C 00), Neil Kennedy (Hf 59), Nick Burgess (B 68), David Tinney (WB 84), William Streeter (Hf 86), Julian Tolhurst (C 86), Charlie Tolhurst (WB 21), Henry Scott (M 18), Thomas Sykes (M 18) and Lulie Pumphrey (Fd 18).

Front: Scarlett Lee (Sa 11), Ellie Buttery (NH 16), Hector Trower (B 17), Josh Khan (WD 20), Jake Sheffield (F 13) and Tom Handy (B 13). Middle: Lotte Roberts (L 96). Back: Eloise Wordie (C 12), Milo Hoad-Reddick (F 22), Archie Case (B 17), Will Staveley (WB 16) and Archie Maxwell (B 13).

L to R: Billy Beaumont (WD 88), Ed Watson (M 88), Matthew Bird (WD 88), Charlie Lewis (LH 88), Ed Lewis (LH 17), Max Lewis (LH 15) and Mark Lewis (LH 90).

The Uppingham Rovers Cricket Club

By Hedley Stroud (L 68), Club President

The focus for the Club this year was on the reboot of an Uppingham weekend, with the traditional match v the School on Friday 24th May, an Inter-Club six-a-side competition the following day, as well as a match v Rugby Meteors on Sunday 26th May. All went well until heavy rain on the Sunday morning meant the keenly anticipated match v the Meteors was called off.

The match against the School was keenly contested and, in the end, a very fine partnership of 137 between youngsters Will Macdonald (Fircroft, Lower Sixth) and Ed Staveley (West Bank, Upper Sixth) righted the ship with the School on 37 for 3 and the three top batters in the hutch. A fabulous crowd of OUs, parents and friends watched the match, which involved tough, competitive cricket played in good spirit and with smiles on faces.

Following the School’s win, spectators gathered in front of the pavilion to hear the Headmaster confirm its official re-opening after a major refurbishment and re-naming in honour of the late Sir David Samworth CBE DL (F 48) Himself a Rover, Sir David was a passionate supporter of Uppingham throughout his life and it was wonderful that so many of his family were able to attend this special occasion.

On 9th June, the Cricketer Cup match away at Haileybury was perhaps dictated by several of our key players being injured, unavailable or having club commitments. The match was really lost because of a 168-run partnership for their 2nd wicket and, with wickets in hand, the Hermits progressed to a very challenging 270 run total. Although we were level with their 22 over score and a 51-run opening

partnership between Sam Turbeville Smith (B 15) 48, and Ed Lewis (LH 17) 17, we couldn’t accelerate against their talented spinners and, in trying, capitulated to 113 all out. Haileybury went on to lose in the semi-final to Tonbridge.

A bit of a run-fest at Burton Court v The Guards meant a first 2024 victory for the Rovers with Stu Peters (WB 00) and Ed Lewis both scoring 100s on a small ground and an excellent pitch. The wickets were shared around and a comfortable victory and a very sociable evening followed.

The T20 festival at Charterhouse was badly affected by the weather and unfortunately only one match was possible, which the Rovers managed to win with an over and plenty of wickets in hand against the Charterhouse Friars.

The full summary of match results is available on the OU website via the QR code.

Dr Richard Maloney, Headmaster, with Mark Samworth (F 83)

OU Fives

OU fives enthusiasts continue to meet at Uppingham in November for the annual match vs the School, as well as playing regularly in courts around the country. There is a great network of OU fives players, spanning a wide age range, so do get involved.

For more details on matches and events, please contact Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) on Adrian.Lewthwaite@btinternet.com

Uppingham Veterans Rifle Club

By Reg Curtis (F 76), Club Captain

This year’s full bore shooting started early for two of our OUs with James Watson (L 88) in the GB Palma Team and John Webster (C 70) in the GB Veterans Palma Team. They travelled to South Africa in March to compete in the World Long Range Championships at Bloemfontein, an event that comes round every four years, hosted in rotation by the competing countries and represents the pinnacle of longrange shooting for any target shooter the world over.

Australia won the Veterans match 16 points ahead of GB in some tricky wind conditions which turned out to be a massive contrast to the Palma (World Championships) event. That match was shot nearly a week later in highly unusual benign conditions and resulted in record scores being recorded almost shooter by shooter. In the closest ever match, GB were pipped into second place and the Silver Medal, just 4 points behind Australia, who dropped a mere 28 points out of 7,200 (from a total of 1440 shots).

Our annual match against the School was held in April with the pupils’ mini-range practice showing in their scores and enabling them to prevail as victors for another year.

The club had a reasonable showing at Bisley in the Schools Veterans’ Match mustering two full teams and coming sixth. In other competitions, the UVRC team managed second in the Belgian, third in The Rifle Clubs, fourth in The Bank of England, fourth in The Marlingham and fifth in the Steward. Chris (M 92)

L to R: Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76), Ashley Friedlein (C 85), James Woodcock (F 84), Edward Timpson (LH 87), Sam Timpson (LH 17), James Dutta (WD 86) and Clive Smith (M 68).

Cross Country

The annual OU cross country run will take place on 11th January, with a short but hilly course around The Middle. Followed by a celebratory dinner in the Kendall Room, it is always a relaxed occasion and an opportunity to get together with fellow OUs and staff.

All are welcome to attend, whatever your running ability. Please email the OU team on ou@uppingham.co.uk if you would like to receive further details.

and James Watson (L 88) picked up the Families trophy for their third occasion in 16 years.

In the Major competitions, four OUs made the final of The King’s Prize with Chris Watson finishing 21st, Simon Osmond (WB 85) 35th, James Watson 53rd and Ant Ringer (B 79) 78th.

Two OUs made the final of the St George’s, James Watson finishing 37th and Simon Belither (L 71) 54th. Five OUs made the top 100 of The Grand Aggregate, with James Watson coming 42nd, Chris Watson 51st, Reg Curtis (F 76) 55th, Simon Osmond 77th and Ant Ringer 78th.

In the British Open Target Rifle Championship, Chris Watson was 21st, James Watson was 29th and Ant Ringer was 44th. In the international matches, Ant Ringer shot for England in the winning Mackinnon team, Chris Watson captained and coached the Mackinnon and the National teams for Wales who finished fourth and second respectively. All in all, another solid year for the Club and Chris Watson is off to Canada in 2025 as vice-captain of the GB team.

The club has a website providing information about the club as well as all the historic records, you can visit it at uvrc.uk

OU Sailing Association

By Lana Davies (Sa 15)

At the beginning of October 2023, the OU Sailing Association once again competed in the annual Arrow trophy, which pits the team against fellow alumni. OUSA has sailed more times in the Arrow than any other school alumni.

The 2023 team was made up of some familiar faces, including Henry Arnold (F 01) , David Wells (H 80) , Simon Ward (F 75) , George East (F 14) , Steven Parker (Fgh 98) , Lara Johnston (J 03) , Kala Davies (Sa 17) and Lana Davies (Sa 15) as well as Emma Crudge (née Lort, J 03) and Gus Stephens (M 13) who joined for the first time.

Most of the team set off from Portsmouth on Friday afternoon and made it to Cowes in time for a hearty curry and to figure out who had actually sailed since the last event. In Cowes the team met up with Mike Tomkinson (F 55) who made the trip down from Liverpool to cheerlead for the team from onshore as well as sisters Kala and Lana Davies, who had actually done some sailing, and George East , who sailed over in his beautiful Swan yacht/home.

On Saturday, the crew were blessed with a warm and steady breeze. It quickly became apparent not enough of them had sailed over the past year and, after an OK start, a series of calamities culminated in the spinnaker draped under the keel. Amazingly it was still in one piece, but they were in last position.

After that they quickly pulled their act together with much better manoeuvring and, halfway through the second race, discovering some pace, they picked up a third and fourth. Sadly, unlike previous years, it was not possible to discard the 12th place awarded in the first race. But the team still had a chance of the top four and the coveted match racing.

They finally finished fifth, one point behind fourth and the team returned to Cowes, happy with how they had developed throughout the competition, but disappointed not to make the match racing.

The annual event dinner was held on Saturday evening, so there was some relief when Sunday’s sailing was delayed due to the weather. Racing was eventually cancelled altogether, so, instead, the team headed to Osborne Bay, moored up alongside some other teams for a refreshing swim and we finished off the supplies.

The team collected the Charterhouse Bowl, at the prize-giving held last November, for coming in fifth place.

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 2024 took place on 5th and 6th 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.

Simon Ward (F 75), Henry Arnold (F 01), Gus Stephens (M 13), Lana (Sa 15) and Kala (Sa 17) Davies, George East (F 14), Emma Crudge (née Lort, J 03), Steven Parker (Fgh 98) and David Wells (H 80).

OU Masonic Lodge

By Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76)

Our congratulations to the winners of ‘The OU Lodge Prize for Community Services Initiatives’ awarded on Speech Day. The £500 award was donated to two charities selected by the winners, Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Parkinson’s UK.

We held the Annual Meeting and Dinner at the School on the 14th of September; an invitation was extended to all OUs and their partners and the event was well-attended. A cheque for £2,500 was presented to the Headmaster and will be used to help with fee-assisted places.

The Lodge also held its annual drinks and dinner at The Cavalry & Guards Club in April 2024, a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

Finally, congratulations to member Nigel Heath (Fgh 64) who received the unique honour of a letter of commendation from the Metropolitan Grand Master for his work at the Lodge, other public school lodges and his work in the community. We were also delighted for Michael Harrison (WD 57) on being appointed President of the Royal Society of British Artists, founded in 1823, whose members have included many famous artists, including more recently Henry Moore.

For information about the Lodge’s activities and how to join, please see oulodge4227.org or contact Adrian Lewthwaite (M 76) on Adrian.Lewthwaite@btinternet.com.

Newest member, Nick Brown (B 61) – the Uppingham Lodge enjoys its reputation as the best fine wine lodge for good reason.

Members of the Uppingham Lodge meeting for the annual dinner at the School in September.

Cantering to Glory

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Ros Canter (L 02) and her teammates, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen, successfully defended Great Britain’s Olympic eventing team title from Tokyo, providing Team GB with its first gold medal of the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

Ros, the 2018 World Champion and reigning European Champion, was riding Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (aka Walter), on whom she also won the Badminton Horse Trials last year. The pair was the team anchor, last to go of the three riders.

It was a week of ups and downs, with Ros awarded 15 penalties for ‘missing a flag’ across country in what had looked to be a foot perfect round. Although contested, it put paid to any individual medal hopes.

After the medal ceremony Ros commented: “To get to an Olympic Games is absolutely surreal. I’m extremely proud of Walter. I know he’s won the Europeans and Badminton but he’s only 12 and it feels like we’re still scratching the surface with him. I’m excited he could produce that performance on the world stage. He loves to run, he loves to jump and he loves a crowd, so he’s been in his element.”

“The crowd was incredible, unbelievable. Across country they cheered you before you even got to the jump. I’ve never had that before! The show jumping was hard work and nerve-racking; the atmosphere was intense, like nothing I’ve ever ridden in, and the French crowd were extremely noisy – it was like a pressure pit, to be quite honest. I don’t think I breathed the whole way around – I was mightily relieved to jump the last fence and become an Olympian. I’m unbelievably proud of my horse and the people around me.”

With the addition of the 15 penalties Ros and Walter ultimately finished 21st in the individual competition but proudly won gold in the team event.

In September, Ros also became the new champion of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, achieving the

best finishing score and also winning the Avebury Trophy (awarded for the best ridden cross-country round). We send her congratulations on behalf of the OU community and all at Uppingham for her outstanding achievements.

BEF/Jon Stroud Media

Ros is one of a small, select group of elite OU athletes that have represented their country at Olympic Games through history.

Year (Location)

1906 (Athens) Percy La Fontaine (F 1901) (Intercalated Games) Represented Smyma (now Izmir, Turkey) Football

1908 (London) Harold Kitching (H 1899) Represented GB in the Rowing 8

1920 (Belgium) Ralph Shove (Fgh 1903) Represented GB as Captain of the Leander Rowing Crew

1924 (Paris) Sir Brian Horrocks (SH 1909) Represented GB, Modern Pentathlon

1936 (Berlin) Annesley Kingsford (C 1926) A Canadian but Rowing VIII for GB

1936 (Berlin) Desmond Kingsford (C 1928) GB Rowing VIII Berlin (and brother of above)

1936 (Berlin) William Welpy (LH 1925) Represented GB, Yachting

1948 (London) Francis Gosling (H 31) Represented Bermuda in the Diving

1952 (Helsinki) Francis Gosling (H 31) Represented Bermuda in the Diving

1960 (Rome) Richard Bennett (L 45) West Indies Flying Dutchman Sailing Event

1960 (Rome) Peter Reynolds (F 51) Represented GB in the Rowing VIII

1964 (Tokyo) David Veit (Fgh 52) GB Hockey Team

1972 (Munich) Richard Bennett (L 45) Trinidad and Tobago Sailing

2024 (Paris) Ros Canter (L 02) GB Equestrian Team Eventing

David Veit (Fgh 52) recalls his abiding memory of the Tokyo Olympics in 1964:

“We waited for hours under a hot sun before the opening ceremony and then marched through a dark tunnel into an excited and crowded stadium with balloons and doves flying everywhere. That was the most dramatic experience of my life!”

“Those games were well before the Munich Olympics which brought great change. It was a very relaxed atmosphere for us in the Olympic Village and we shared a dining facility with the American team. I can remember sitting next to Bob Hayes, then the fastest man in the world. You could walk out of the Village and hitch a ride with the Japanese who would take you in their car to whichever competitive venue you wanted to visit.

Thank you to Jerry Rudman, School Archivist, for researching these records. If you know of any additions to add to the archives, please contact Jerry on jpr@uppingham.co.uk who will be delighted to hear from you. I

The Uppingham Thoroughbred Racing Syndicate

As a boy at Uppingham, James Ferguson (Fgh 03) was fascinated with racing. This passion continued to grow and he has spent his entire working life dedicated to training and racing the very finest thoroughbreds in the world.

Since gaining his training licence at the British racing HQ, Newmarket in 2019, James has attracted attention as one of the leading young trainers in the country. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the table, having served his time under racing greats such as Sir Mark Prescott, Charlie Appleby and Jessica Harrington.

BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS

A share of any prize money won

• All horses will run in OU colours Raceday owner badges, subject to availability

• Racing yard and gallops visits

• Invitations to social events

• An annual dinner featuring a horse racing personality Members will be treated as owners.

THE EXPERIENCE

The syndicate goes live when there are 20 members. Membership fees will fund annual running costs for one leased horse, racing on the Flat If oversubcribed, a waiting list will be maintained for a second syndicate with an additional leased horse Syndicate membership is for a period of 12 months from the date the first horse enters training

• The syndicate manager and his team will take care of all racing administration

• Members will be kept informed about training progress, race entries, and jockeys. Importantly, they will be provided with post-race feedback

An entertaining way to be involved in racehorse ownership.

MEMBERSHIP COSTS

• Membership is for a 12-month period Membership costs are £2,450 per single share

• Members are welcome to purchase more than one share

• Attendance at some social events, such as dinners, will incur additional costs

THE TEAM

In a bid to share his passion and enthusiasm for thoroughbred racing with the Uppingham community, James is delighted to announce the creation of the Uppingham Thoroughbred Racing Syndicate. This will be a fantastic opportunity to join a racing syndicate and experience the thrill of the sport, as well as a chance to get together with fellow racing lovers at both social and networking events.

James Ferguson (Fgh 03) Trainer

A one-time amateur jockey, he gained his training licence in 2019, having learnt his trade with racing greats Sir Mark Prescott, Charlie Appleby and Jessica Harrington.

Based in Newmarket, he has had success at Group level and has a growing list of both important owners and horses.

As Trainer, he will lead his team who look after all aspects of keeping horses in training. He will partner with James O’Donnell to source the syndicate horses.

James O’Donnell Syndicate Manager

James has over 20 years’ experience in the international horse racing industry. He has worked with leading racing organisations, Shadwell and Juddmonte.

He helped found The Racehorse Lotto, which has raised more than £100,000 for charity.

As Syndicate Manager, he will foster the communication channel with all members, as well as running all syndicate administration.

Simon Greenly (F 58) Ambassador

Simon joined his first syndicate in 1998, having attended many races starting in Northumberland aged five.

A corporate troubleshooter by trade, he is currently advising a number of small cap UK companies. His role as Ambassador will include overseeing the governance of the syndicate. He is the first paid-up member of the Uppingham syndicate.

If you are interested in being part of this unique opportunity, visit our OU syndicate web page at olduppinghamian.co.uk/clubs/ uppingham-thoroughbred -racing-syndicate or via the QR code.

Further details on membership, including FAQs, privacy policy, contact information and the application process can be viewed there.

Making Waves in Business

Ben Branson (B 96) is an inventor, entrepreneur and naturalist. In 2015 he founded Seedlip, the world’s first 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 drinks category now worth $15bn and a global movement revolutionising the way we drink. We were fascinated to be able to delve into Ben’s incredible entrepreneurial journey so far and hear about the new projects he has in the pipeline…

When was the moment you decided to create Seedlip?

The idea for Seedlip came as a combination of wanting to continue my family’s 300-year-old legacy of working with the land, my love of old books and natural history and my disappointment at what was on offer in terms of non-alcoholic drinks.

Back in 2013, whilst researching interesting herbs I could grow at home, I came across a book written in 1651 called ‘The Art of Distillation’ that documented distilled herbal remedies – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Out of curiosity I bought a copper still and began experimenting in my kitchen with herbs from the garden.

Three months later, I was out for dinner at a nice restaurant in London, I was driving so not drinking alcohol and got offered this pink, fruity, sweet, childish mocktail. I felt like an idiot, it didn’t go with the food, and it wasn’t a great experience. Surely there must be a better way? The dots began to join and I spent the next two years perfecting the blend, the process and setting up the business and slowly beginning to believe that maybe delicious and adult non-alcoholic cocktails were possible!

How would you sum up your journey?

We launched in Selfridges and The Fat Duck in late 2015 and then took Seedlip to 35 countries and the world’s best bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers in 3.5 years. This started a movement and a category which is now $15bn in its top ten markets and there are over 1000 non-alcoholic brands on the market. So, I would say: life-changing, terrifying, surreal, still going!

What was your greatest challenge or biggest surprise?

There have been so many challenges, surprises and mistakes. I signed up for the wrong tax scheme when we launched, I’ve made bad hires, I’ve missed meetings, flights and even didn’t fully check the details of an event I was asked to bartend, which turned out to be a children’s birthday party! I remember flying to Shanghai to launch Seedlip there and was picked up by a taxi driver who asked me to sit in the front and then started taking his clothes off. It was awkward! But it turned out he was a bartender and loved Seedlip so much he had one of the Seedlip illustrations tattooed on his arm! That was definitely the biggest surprise.

At what point did you look back at your business and consider it a success?

It’s a success when I look at my three daughters as it’s because of Seedlip that I met my wife.

What would you change about your business journey if you could go back?

My brain is built for efficiency and optimisation. [I was diagnosed Autistic in 2022 and launched a charity this year called The Hidden 20% to change what we think about neurodivergence and different brains.] And so I can’t change what’s happened, it has all led here. What I do know is I have tried to take the learnings [good and bad] from Seedlip into my next business, Pollen Projects.

What makes you a good leader?

Clarity: I think a clear vision and direction means we all know what we are working towards.

Direct communication: Giving feedback, goal setting, improving performance, rallying the team, I think is all helped because I have learnt the art of direct communication.

Conviction: I take calculated risks and commit 100% to them.

What does the future hold?

I am trying to run four start-ups!

1. Seasn, our pair of cocktail bitters, launched six months ago, and already in The Fat Duck and Harvey Nichols; and we have launched in New York with Hong Kong and Singapore both starting later this year.

2. Sylva is our distillery and maturation lab where we are making experimental luxury dark non-alcoholic spirits. Sylva’s first release will be in October.

3. We have another new drinks brand we are commercialising that will launch next Summer which is exciting, but that’s all I can say on it at the moment.

4. The Hidden 20%, our charity and podcast, has just been nominated for Best New Podcast and Best Interview Podcast at The British Podcast Awards and we are now seeking partnerships, sponsorships and financial support for our social change campaign.

seedlipdrinks.com

Reia reia.store

Sophie Salisbury (L 04) is one of the co-founders of Reia – offering nourishing, refillable hand and body care without single-use plastic.

The business was founded in 2021 with the mission of removing single-use plastic from daily rituals, with products that nourish, revive and build connection with nature. All products are naturally derived, scented with beautiful essential oils and scientifically formulated to be as kind to skin as they are to the waterways.

How it works – customers begin with a starter kit, including their Reia bottle, inspired by sea glass and designed to sit proudly on bathroom shelves for the long term. New refills are delivered through their letterbox whenever it suits them. Uniquely, the refill pouches are pre-printed with a returns label, so they can be returned for free by popping them in the postbox (no stamp or envelope needed). They are 100% recycled and repurposed.

The brand has already made an impact, saving 10,000 plastic bottles from landfill. Journalist and author, India Knight, gave her seal of approval in her Sunday Times column, saying the ‘best body wash comes in a returnable pouch’.

Sophie says: “By empowering people to make the switch over to refillable solutions, we are building a movement to drive genuine change in the personal care industry. To find out more, head to our website www.reia. store. An angel investment round is on the horizon – I’d love to hear from anyone interested in our plans for growth.”

Contact sophie@reia.store

Harry Douglas Estate Agency harrydouglas.co.uk

Harry Douglas (M 00) has returned to his roots after 15 years in London to start his own independent estate agency focusing on the Tyne Valley and Northumberland. With 10 years of experience in residential sales, lettings and property management, Harry offers an exceptional level of service.

“I am passionate about providing clients with honest and well-informed advice. My aim is not to become the largest estate agent in the area, but to offer an exceptional service to homeowners in Northumberland.”

For Harry, this means being the single point of contact from start to finish. Clients can expect all components of marketing to be included as standard; in addition to high-quality photos and accompanied viewings. Harry also includes virtual tours, detailed floor plans, and multichannel advertising such as Rightmove

Sustainability is also at the centre of Harry’s estate agency. He achieves 100% carbon neutrality through a sustainable business model and planting trees via the More Trees platform.

To learn more about Harry and his business, visit harrydouglas.co.uk

Bramwell Prime Property Search bramwellpps.com

Jonathan Bramwell (SH 84) started his residential buying agency, Bramwell Prime Property Search, in May, specialising in searching and acquiring country houses, farms and estates to the west of London for retained clients.

After leaving Uppingham and obtaining a degree in Land Management, he joined Savills – firstly, as a selling agent in their London Country Department, before setting up their buying service, Prime Purchase, in 2002. In 2011, he joined The Buying Solution, the buying consultancy of Knight Frank, and became their managing partner. After over 30 years in the prime market, he has gained a reputation as one of the leading buying agents at the top end of the country market, where he is an expert in discreet and complex dealmaking. He commented:

“Uppingham definitely helped me on my career path as the skills, values and friendships created at school drew me to a people’s business, like property, and I enjoy working with OUs regularly.”

“Bramwell PPS offers a completely independent and expert service in which the buyers’ best interests always come first in one of their most important investments: their home. Please get in touch with me if you need help with your country search or want advice on pursuing a career in the residential property market.“

jonathan@bramwellpps.com

Jemma Khan Studio jemmakhan.com

Jemma Khan (née Bye, J 98) established her wedding and events floristry business amid the Covid pandemic. Her vision is to craft wild, natural, and elegant floral arrangements using sustainable practices, avoiding the use of floral foam. After studying at college and The Tallulah Rose Flower School in The Lake District, her company, initially named ‘Forage Floral Design’ blossomed due to her passion for nature and foraging.

As the business expanded, catering to events at prestigious venues like The Savoy, Chatsworth House, and private estates, it was rebranded as Jemma Khan Studio, maintaining its focus on natural designs and incorporating wild elements. Operating nationwide, Jemma specialises in transforming spaces with stunning floral creations aiming to bring the outside in at any opportunity.

VIDRATE vidrate.com

ViDrate has been created to help you drink more water. Global data confirms the world’s population struggles to drink the recommended daily water intake (2-3 litres). Co-founded in 2019 by Rob Bennett-Baggs (WB 99) and Nick Hird, ViDrate comes in a tasty range of flavours and contains added vitamins and electrolytes. The formula consists of zero sugar and is made with natural ingredients. OU investors include Nick Thorley (F 99) and Harry Judd (F 99)

Inside the range, customers can also enjoy a Night version (with added magnesium), and Boost (with added caffeine) as well as a Minis range designed to help little ones drink more.

ViDrate has over 8,500 monthly online subscribers and the sachets can be found in Boots and Whole Foods stores. The business has enjoyed three-digit growth for the past two consecutive years and Rob is looking to grow the brand across Europe and the Middle East.

Tom’s Trunks tomstrunks.com

Tom’s Trunks was born in 2014 when, aged 13, having not long started at Uppingham, Tom Holmes (M 14) brought back several pairs of Kikoy trousers from Kenya for his friends and family. He was encouraged by the hugely positive response they had for the product.

Tom was inspired by the vibrant colours of Kenyan kikoy material and realised its potential as comfortable beachwear clothing. He reimagined the design, which then became the Tom’s Trunks you see today.

Tom has been hugely successful in his venture so far and his aim is to grow the business further whilst promoting the core values of sustainability and ethical production. His passion for the company isn’t down to any material reasons but because it initially allowed him to expand and explore a different world outside of education, which he found particularly challenging as he has dyslexia.

Tom’s Trunks also has a strong charitable focus behind it; it is proud to donate 10% of profits to People + Planet and has supported the charity Tom’s Trust since 2014, which provides psychological support to children and their families who suffer from brain tumours. The charity was set up by the parents of a friend, also named Tom, who tragically died at the age of nine, so there is a strong personal connection.

Tom’s fundamental dream for Tom’s Trunks is to produce the most comfortable beach and bed wear, whilst looking after the environment and those that inhabit it.

Chances are that if you’ve spotted a great job opportunity, so have hundreds of others. So don’t rush to get your application in – take the time to think about what you’re sending and make sure it’s as informative and eloquent as it can be. And, if you get through to the next stage, we hope the checklist below will help you stand out from the crowd.

General

• If you’ve arranged to speak to someone, make sure you phone at the agreed time. It’s ok to email ahead of the appointment to change the day or time, or even to cancel, but forgetting or ignoring the call is not acceptable.

• Don’t make calls walking along the street or while travelling. Find somewhere quiet where you can prepare and concentrate.

After the success of the ‘Entrepreneur Connector’ event in September 2023, plans are underway to bring OU entrepreneurs together once again for a School for Life networking event in September 2025. More details to follow.

If you’d like to be kept in the loop regarding the occasion, please email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk.

• Your tone should be friendly but courteous. Never make the mistake of being overly familiar – it is better to be more formal than treat someone like a friend.

• On application forms, only provide what has been requested, for example, if they ask for hobbies relevant to the job, don’t just list random interests.

• Read questions carefully.

An Essential Guide for Job Seekers

LinkedIn

• Your profile should be complete but succinct. Make sure the dates add up.

• It’s fine to include your photo but look professional.

• Make sure you maximise the number of connections you have, including friends and family.

• Remember that LinkedIn is a business platform, not social media.

CVs

• Photographs are generally considered a distraction, and can lead to preconceptions, so best avoided.

• Work experience should be presented with the most recent at the top. Try to ensure there are no unexplained gaps.

• Keep it brief. Distil down the information to what’s important and relevant to the job you are applying for.

• You should take the time to tailor your CV for every application. Researching the company should give you key words that they may be looking for.

• Don’t be tempted to make things up. These days information is easy to check.

• Double-check spelling and grammar –getting someone else to proofread it is always a good idea.

Interviews

• Plan your journey so you know exactly where you’re going and how to get there.

• Make sure your hair and nails are clean and you dress appropriately. Shoes should also be clean and not trainers.

• Don’t be late. In fact, arrive slightly early so you have time to make yourself known to the reception team. And breathe.

• Take a clean copy of your CV as back up.

• Do plenty of research beforehand –about the company and who you’re meeting.

• Think about the questions you might be asked and how you will answer.

• When you meet the interviewer(s) shake their hand and look them in the eye.

• Don’t be afraid to pause before answering a question – better to reply in a composed manner than to gabble.

• Have questions prepared to ask your interviewer(s).

• After your interview send a brief email or handwritten note of thanks to the person who interviewed you.

There’s a lot to think about when preparing for job applications and interviews and the OU School for Life team is here to assist. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need help editing your CV, polishing your LinkedIn profile or fine-tuning your interview skills.

Additionally, through the extensive OU network, we can facilitate connections that offer support, advice, industry knowledge and a guide to best practice.

Make the most of that Uppingham connection. schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk

Uppingham’s 16th House

Dr the Honourable Sir David Li Kwok Po (H 54) paid a special visit to Uppingham on 5th September to visit the new Day House which has been named in his honour.

Li Kwok Po House opened its doors to pupils at the start of this academic year. Formerly known to many OUs as ‘The Thring Centre’, the building once housed the School’s original Design & Technology Department – the first independent school DT department in the country – though its use has diminished in recent years. The House itself has a rich and varied history; believed to have been built in the 1600s and added to in the 1800s, the building was privately owned until it was bought by the School in 1966.

With welcoming and thoughtfully designed spaces in which to unwind, refuel and check-in with fellow pupils and staff, the House is a place of friendship, care and encouragement, where pupils are supported to achieve their full potential. The only difference from Uppingham’s other boarding houses is that staff and pupils return to their homes in the evening.

Sir David was the first pupil from Hong Kong to attend Uppingham and exactly 70 years later he returned to enjoy meeting the pupils of Li Kwok Po House and to wish them every success. Over the decades David has been a huge supporter of and ambassador for Uppingham, and it was a special occasion for him to reconnect with the School in this way. He was delighted to be joined on his visit by former schoolfriends Clive Burton (WB 54) and Richard Murmann (H 55)

Dr the Hon Sir David Li Kwok Po arrived at Uppingham in 1954 on the recommendation of the then Chairman of Trustees, Sir Harold Hewitt. He went on to study Mathematics at Imperial College, London, before reading Economics and Law at Selwyn College, Cambridge. Subsequently earning a professional qualification as Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Dr Li joined the Bank of East Asia in 1969, rising to become Chairman and Managing Director. Active in public affairs, he served on Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and Executive Council, and played a crucial role in the development of Hong Kong’s banking infrastructure for over 30 years.

Dr Li has served on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of a number of leading international public companies, as well as well-known Hong Kong and mainland companies. He has been Pro-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong since 2001.

In 1982, Dr Li founded The Prince Philip Scholarship to support bright Hong Kong students to study for an undergraduate degree at Cambridge. To date, more than 250 students have benefited from the scheme, which covers up to the full cost of an undergraduate education.

In the course of his lifetime, Dr Li has been awarded many honours, including honorary doctorates by the University of Cambridge and Imperial College. He was made a Knight Batchelor in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2005 for services to British education;

received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon from the Japanese Emperor that same year; and was appointed Commandeur dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur by the French Government in 2012.

Dr Li has a 70-year-long connection with Uppingham, during which time he has known and offered support and counsel to seven headmasters.

An ever-generous OU, Dr Li founded the Friends of Uppingham School in Hong Kong in 2005 and served on the board for the next 14 years. He has supported numerous capital projects and bursary campaigns, countless pupils from Hong Kong have followed in his pioneering footsteps and attended Uppingham, and he was awarded a Fellowship of Uppingham in 2014.

His generosity and leadership have been of immense value to Uppingham over many decades and we are delighted to recognise his importance to the School with the naming of the new Day House in his honour.

L to R: Clive Burton (WB 54), Richard Murmann (H 55), Dr The Hon Sir David Li Kwok Po (H 54) and Richard Boston (B 56)

School for Life is the careers and networking programme of the OU Association, offering unlimited support and connections through the OU community, wherever you are in your career journey.

“The extensive OU network has opened endless doors of opportunity.”

“I have been able to discover potential career paths and tap into future work experience opportunities.”

“The common thread I have learned is that mentorship and contacts are key contributors to growing one’s career.”

For further information and to get in touch, please visit the Careers & Networking section of the OU website or email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk. The Importance of that Uppingham Connection