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OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION<br />
NEWSLETTER 2004<br />
“Last summer I was lucky enough to spend a couple of months travelling around India, Kashmir and Nepal.<br />
This shot was taken on the way back from Annapurna Base Camp in the Nepalese Himalaya. After a ten-day<br />
trek, we were forced to walk back from the mountains to the city of Pakhara because of a national strike,<br />
perpetrated by Maoist rebels. Along with a burnt-out Red Cross van and mines on the road, this umbrella<br />
caught my eye as we arrived at a Tibetan refugee camp for lunch.” David Watts (O85/00)
OBA NEWSLETTER 2003<br />
NOVELS & THE SECOND WORLD WAR<br />
By James Holland (O83/88)<br />
Turning to the Second World War for literary<br />
inspiration is hardly original; after all, it has been<br />
written about ever since the opening shots were<br />
fired. But sixty years on, it seems to be more popular than<br />
ever, and I have to say I am only too happy to join in with<br />
this resurgence. I tried writing contemporary novels –<br />
rather lame ‘romantic comedies’ about typical middleclass<br />
types in their twenties and thirties, who worried<br />
about their jobs, girlfriends/boyfriends, money, and<br />
whether they would ever be able to afford a property that<br />
had stairs, let alone a house in the country. They were not<br />
great successes, and nor did they deserve to be, banged<br />
out as they were in a flourish along with all the other<br />
Bridget Jones and Four Weddings wannabes. So instead, I<br />
turned to a period that I was interested in, a time when<br />
young people - ordinary men and women like myself and<br />
my friends - had been faced with devastating choices,<br />
handed more responsibility than most of us are ever<br />
likely to experience in a lifetime, and faced with the kind<br />
of dangers I hope I never have to confront. The plot could<br />
still remain essentially romantic, and still be full of young<br />
twentysomethings; but with a different backdrop. A<br />
backdrop where there was no shortage of drama, a<br />
backdrop not of skinny lattes but of ersatz coffee; a<br />
backdrop of Southern England, desert sandstorms, Cairo,<br />
London, Cambridge, rather than Clapham North and<br />
Fulham. Nor would there be an amusingly clapped-out<br />
VW camper van in sight. No, if machines were going to<br />
have a part to play they could only be one thing: Spitfires.<br />
I was also quite certain that I wanted to write about<br />
the Second rather than the First World War. Although we<br />
can see names of the dead from the 1914-18 war in many<br />
villages across the land, it did not affect every man,<br />
woman and child in quite the same way as the 1939-45<br />
conflict. All those who lived through the Second World<br />
War were touched by it: quite apart from the front lines<br />
of direct combat, there was civilian bombing, rationing,<br />
and wholesale changes to society – and that is just in<br />
Britain alone where there was no genocide. Even those<br />
who were doing the fighting were mostly civilians<br />
2 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
dressed up in khaki: ordinary, everyday people involved in<br />
something extraordinary, and beyond their control.<br />
Robert Ryan is the author of the bestselling Early One<br />
Morning, and another who has only recently joined the<br />
Word War II fray. He believes that the growing distance<br />
of time has played a part. After the war, those who<br />
survived wanted to forget about it and get on with their<br />
lives, while the next generation tired of hearing about the<br />
hardships endured. ‘Now,’ he says, ‘there is a new<br />
generation for whom this is fresh.’ For Alan Furst,<br />
American author of a series of highly-acclaimed wartime<br />
spy thrillers, motivation came from a listening to a piece<br />
of music. He was living in Paris when by chance he heard<br />
a recording made at Le Hot Club in 1937 and was struck by<br />
how a moment in time seemed to have been frozen. ‘You<br />
could hear the audience,’ he says, ‘it was so passionate, so<br />
romantic, but also so sophisticated.’ He realised that for<br />
those Parisians, the coming war represented not an end<br />
of the world, but the end of the world as they had known<br />
it, and this was something he wanted to write about.<br />
‘The war was so immense,’ says Furst, ‘and so heavy with<br />
stories that it was more like a thousand wars, all of them<br />
going on at once, with everyone either a hero, a villain, a<br />
fugitive, a victim, but something.’ In other words,<br />
extremely rich in human drama, and infinitely more<br />
interesting to write about than today’s generation with<br />
their obsessions about looks, weight and wearing the<br />
right kind of designer footwear.<br />
The futility of our current fascination with the trivial<br />
things in life was borne home to me during my research.<br />
Not only is the Second World War fabulously well<br />
documented, there are still a large number of survivors<br />
still alive. Someone I met was Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont, a<br />
highly successful fighter pilot who after the war had<br />
gone on to perform pioneering work with jet aircraft. He<br />
was such good company and had achieved so much that<br />
after talking to him, I wondered how I could be interested<br />
in celebrity culture ever again. He was also typically<br />
modest and down-to-earth, and began telling me a story<br />
about how, in 1941, he had forgotten to fix up any<br />
transport to a party for him and his girlfriend, and so had<br />
decided to take her in his Hurricane instead. This was<br />
highly illegal and unfortunately he was caught as he<br />
landed again (having been to the party and consumed a<br />
number of drinks). Court-martialled, he was given a good<br />
wrap over the knuckles and was soon after promoted to<br />
Squadron Leader. ‘It’s the way things happen in wartime,’<br />
he told me. ‘Nobody took life so seriously. After sixty years<br />
of peace, every possible thing that happens in this<br />
country is investigated, over-exaggerated, hyped up,<br />
people sued for everything. In those days it was an<br />
incredibly casual life.’ He did admit that he had initially<br />
been worried about being court-martialled, but then<br />
thought, ‘Well to hell with that. None of us has got any<br />
future in the air force. We’re not going to last more than a<br />
month or a year at the most. So it really didn’t matter.’<br />
For me, this was a crucial point. Writing about the<br />
war would not only give me opportunities to describe<br />
terrific action set-pieces, it would offer me a chance to<br />
create a world where people lived by different – and far<br />
OBA NEWSLETTER 2003<br />
more attractive – priorities than they do today. There was<br />
simply no point in getting worked up over the minutiae<br />
of life when you might be dead tomorrow. Elizabeth Jane<br />
Howard, author of the much-loved Cazalet Chronicles,was<br />
sixteen when the war began, and admits her novels are,<br />
to a degree, autobiographical. ‘We felt very drawn<br />
together as a nation,’ she says, ‘and that is something I<br />
think we miss.’ She cited an occasion during the Blitz<br />
when she found herself in a taxi during a raid. The driver<br />
suddenly stopped and she thought he was going turf her<br />
out because it was too dangerous to continue. But he had<br />
stopped only to offer her a cigarette.<br />
Like many back then, she was also a vociferous letterwriter,<br />
a fact that is very useful for novelists. This is now<br />
a dying form of communication. Email and txtg has not<br />
made us letter-writers once more; instead, as most of my<br />
(university-educated) friends have proved, it has reduced<br />
us to a state of near-illiteracy. Fortunately, however, I do<br />
now receive many hand-written letters, and can agree<br />
with Elizabeth Jane Howard that they provide much<br />
pleasure. Most veterans of the war, now in their eighties,<br />
still prefer to make contact this way, and so through my<br />
research for both this novel and other projects, I regularly<br />
receive pleasurable post in amongst the bills, unbeatable<br />
offers and enticements to rack up debt.<br />
Meeting people like Bee Beamont can also be very<br />
humbling. Just as in any walk of life, there are those one<br />
warms to more than others, but most have incredible<br />
stories to tell: stories of understated bravery and tenacity,<br />
of extreme hardship, and of suffering and loss. Yet they<br />
also talk of the extraordinary camaraderie, and of a time<br />
in their life when, despite the constant threat of death,<br />
they never felt more alive. ‘It was a very intense time,’<br />
says Elizabeth Jane Howard. Whenever she said goodbye<br />
to someone she really did wonder whether it would be<br />
for the last time, which was ‘quite hard to deal with.’<br />
As Robert Ryan also points out, there is a very real<br />
sense that time is running out. ‘Those who lived through<br />
the war are a dying generation. In another ten or fifteen<br />
years there will be very few left.’ It’s a sobering thought,<br />
especially as I have made new friends who fall into that<br />
category. No doubt their values will die with them too,<br />
which is very sad, because although no one in their right<br />
mind would want to live through such a period, people<br />
were often far better at living life than we are today.<br />
(This article first appeared in The Times newspaper.)<br />
James’s first history book, Fortress Malta: An Island<br />
Under Siege 1940-1943, has proved a critical and<br />
commercial success. He has more recently published his<br />
third novel, The Burning Blue (Heinemann, £14.99). This<br />
is about Joss Lambert, a fighter pilot in North Africa in<br />
the early part of the Second World War. We are allowed<br />
to follow Joss’s progress through school, Cambridge –<br />
where he learns to fly – basic training and,<br />
subsequently, the Battle of Britain. The book contains<br />
many thrilling moments as well as revealing a deep love<br />
of the English countryside for which these young men<br />
were offering their lives.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 3
OBA NEWSLETTER 2003<br />
THE GULF WAR<br />
- IRAQ THROUGH THE EYES OF A STAFF OFFICER<br />
The War started well with a British Airways Club Class<br />
flight out to Kuwait City arriving in a very rapidly<br />
developing theatre on 23rd Jan. 03. From there things took a<br />
turn for the worse. The contingency planning that started to<br />
take place was frenzied. 7th Armoured Brigade Headquarters<br />
Staff were luckier than either 16 Air Assault Brigade or 3<br />
Commando Brigade in as much as the old adage of ‘he who<br />
plans last plans once’ was definitely adhered to. However,<br />
there is only so much that one can escape and whilst we<br />
produced a ‘sensible’ amount of actual plans in the early<br />
days we had more than our fair share of special planning<br />
groups and Mission Analysis groups to decide where to go<br />
and how to do it.<br />
Our surroundings were far from palatial (our luck was to<br />
change having taken Basrah). We had no accommodation<br />
and therefore had to set about ‘acquiring’ a US tent. The first<br />
part of the 7th Armoured Brigade expeditionary force in<br />
Kuwait was the Commander, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of<br />
Staff and the Grade 3 Staff Officer Plans (yours truly). We<br />
were not expecting what we found in Camp Commando.<br />
There was a torrential rainstorm on the day of our arrival, so<br />
we were greeted by the sight of Divisional staff bailing out<br />
the tents they had borrowed from our US brethren. The<br />
scene was one from a lost era with people wearing woolly<br />
jumpers and carrying mugs of piping hot tea standing in<br />
small (and increasingly large) streams of water pretending<br />
that the fact that the water was entering the tops of one’s<br />
boots did not bother one in the slightest.<br />
An Armoured Brigade is not configured for setting up a<br />
small Forward Headquarters, it is used to setting up rows of<br />
armoured command vehicles and then booming out 50W of<br />
radio power into the ether, directing and receiving<br />
information from its Battlegroups. Whilst 16 Air Assault<br />
Brigade and 3 Commando Brigade had Tactical Satellite<br />
Communications and all sorts of weird and wonderful<br />
gadgets to enable them to speak to everyone, we had a<br />
pilfered telephone siphoned off the Divisional Headquarters<br />
without them knowing. Things were to change but the first<br />
days in Kuwait were an adventure. Slowly the volume of<br />
information entering the Brigade, from up, down and<br />
sideways sources, started to grow. I have never pored over so<br />
many maps and written so many contingency plans,<br />
directives, operational orders and fragmentary orders in my<br />
life. What was life like without computers? Easier? I’m not<br />
sure but I think we do make a rod for our own backs at times<br />
and we could all take a lesson from the tank commanders of<br />
old (and not so old!) who ably used the ubiquitous ‘back of a<br />
fag packet’ to convey the executive order to advance. One<br />
area that made life easier, for Battlegroups and Brigade<br />
Headquarters alike, was the superb advancement in the<br />
geographical products available. I was able to ‘fly’ through<br />
Southern Iraq without leaving the relative comfort of my<br />
tent; all the fighting troops could have a tailor made aerial<br />
photograph of any part of the enemy area of operations, and<br />
maps could be printed with boundaries and other<br />
information on them at the press of a button - an amazingly<br />
useful tool to have at your disposal.<br />
Time moved on and after a flurry of inloading troops,<br />
there were some Battlegroups who almost didn’t make the<br />
part in time, the mission rehearsal for the breaching of the<br />
Kuwait/Iraq border was upon us. It is a rare sight to see an<br />
Armoured Brigade on the move in the desert, but one<br />
definitely worth waiting for. The mission rehearsal went<br />
well; of course there were some teething problems and<br />
command and control problems but it was a good validation<br />
of how the thing would run on the day/night. No-one got<br />
badly lost, only a few broke down (my vehicle only moved<br />
20m under its own steam before having to be dragged<br />
unceremoniously around the route for some 40kms) and<br />
lessons were definitely learnt. The tension was starting to<br />
build up in the Headquarters (pencils were sharpened,<br />
computers charged!!!) the thought that this was actually<br />
going to happen was rapidly moving towards reality.<br />
The executive order, via signal, for ‘commitment to<br />
combat operations to remove the Iraqi regime in coalition<br />
with the US’ was received mid morning, with effect from<br />
191800Z Apr 03.<br />
There was no rushing about, no panic that staff work had<br />
to be completed - we were ready. The Battlegroups were<br />
ready, motivated, highly trained and ready for a fight.<br />
The Headquarters were moved north in 2 parts, MAIN and<br />
ALTERNATIVE. The first part of the Headquarters moved<br />
across the breach fairly early on in the order of march ready<br />
to be able to set up and assume command when the<br />
situation dictated. Eventually we all co-located at Shaibah<br />
airfield. This was to be the location from which we fought<br />
the main part of the war. The Battlegroups were out on the<br />
front line, being mortared, shot at and targeted by the<br />
militia and Fedayeen. They were also conducting raids,<br />
attacks, life operations, psychological operations, information<br />
operations and many more. We were backed up in the<br />
campaign by the air component who were on call night and<br />
day (hotel room service permitting). Every evening there<br />
would be a targeting meeting in which it was decided where<br />
to drop ordnance with truly devastating effect and accuracy.<br />
However, from the Headquarters perspective the tempo of<br />
the operation was starting to slow down; all we wanted to<br />
do was push into Basrah and get on with the war/peace but<br />
we were constrained by events/factors/politics to list but a<br />
few things.<br />
We could do it easily, couldn’t we? For a host of reasons<br />
we waited..... and waited. As the evenings drew in the enemy<br />
activity in Basrah started. The Headquarters started to get<br />
itself ready for another evening waiting for the situation<br />
reports to come in. Throughout the course of the evening<br />
and into the early morning the Gun Line of the artillery<br />
weapons would continue to pound specific parts of Basrah<br />
and the outlying areas. This focused one’s attention, due to<br />
the close proximity of 7th Armoured Brigade Headquarters<br />
and 3 Royal Horse Artillery (2 Batteries), which were<br />
approximately 1km away. There were some long days and<br />
even longer nights. How were we going to enter Basrah? The<br />
plan was clear and very simple. We were to advance into<br />
Basrah on 3 axis, gain lodgements and then exploit where<br />
appropriate with the 4th battlegroup.<br />
This is almost exactly how it happened in reality. The<br />
attack was born from a raid that went particularly well and<br />
then, under orders, continued to eventually take the centre of<br />
the city and dominate the heart of the Basrah. We were in,<br />
The Desert Rats had been successful again. There was a<br />
tangible sense of relief in the Headquarters. We could begin<br />
to get ourselves moving towards an endstate. We could start<br />
to see a light at the end of the tunnel and at some point we<br />
could now see ourselves going home.<br />
At the time of writing this article (May 03) I am sitting in<br />
Saddam’s Palace, the temperature is slowly rising, currently<br />
at about 40 degrees centigrade, I am gazing over the banks<br />
of the Shatt Al Arab and waiting for the next crisis. Our days<br />
are now filled with rebuilding the city and the surrounding<br />
province of Basrah. This will be no mean feat but it is<br />
achievable and the people here are remarkably resilient. The<br />
main effort now....it’s obvious.... getting home.<br />
Afternote: I returned home to my wife and family on the<br />
15th June 2003.<br />
This article was written by Major Mike Longman (O84/89)<br />
for his Regimental Magazine whilst serving as a Staff Officer<br />
with 7th Armoured Brigade (The Desert Rats)<br />
4 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT<br />
e-mail address: rhysjones@oldbrutonians.com .<br />
Dear <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s,<br />
Since my last letter, a number of events have occurred, as<br />
one would expect, but the one with the biggest impact is<br />
the news that the Headmaster and his wife, Richard and<br />
Nicole Smyth, are leaving us this Summer to take up the<br />
Headmastership of St. Peter’s, York. After twelve years at<br />
King’s we will all sadly miss them, but they will go with the<br />
very best wishes of the members of the OBA. Richard has<br />
been a great supporter at all times of the OBA and has<br />
given us generous hospitality, for which the <strong>Association</strong> is<br />
most grateful. David Hindley expands upon this in his<br />
letter, as he is in a much more qualified position to do.<br />
Unfortunately, nearing the end of the Headmaster’s<br />
time at Bruton, two tragic events have recently occurred to<br />
mar life at the School. First was the death of Alex Edwards<br />
in November last year, in an accident a few weeks after<br />
leaving the School. The second was Alex Buckler who died<br />
during the Easter Term this year. Our sympathies go, not<br />
only to the families of these two boys, but also to their<br />
many friends, fellow pupils and staff at the School. It is not<br />
easy to grasp fully the impact and shock a double tragedy<br />
such as this has on a tightly knit community.<br />
In my last letter I mentioned the meetings being held<br />
with the Upper Sixth Form by Jamie Reach, Kate Sedgman<br />
and David Hindley. These have continued in order to give<br />
future members of the OBA an insight into our activities. In<br />
addition, upon joining, new members now receive a<br />
‘Welcome’ pack, consisting of an introductory letter, the<br />
address list of the Committee members, a copy of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>’s Rules and a copy of the latest OBA Newsletter.<br />
I hope these efforts will encourage members to become<br />
involved in their <strong>Association</strong>. My thanks go to Jamie, Kate<br />
and David for all their work. I am sure we will see the<br />
benefit as time goes on.<br />
Last summer the committee lost David Barton and<br />
Roderick Wallace-Simpson, but they have been replaced by<br />
Francis Luard and Trevor Albery. I should like to thank the<br />
former for serving and for their efforts, and welcome the<br />
latter pair to the committee with the hope that their time<br />
will be fruitful and enjoyable.<br />
Last year, Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire (P 59/63)<br />
retired from the RAF as Chief of the Air Staff. To<br />
commemorate Peter’s achievement, the committee<br />
commissioned a portrait to be painted by Theo Platt and<br />
presented to the School by the OBA. It was felt that the<br />
portrait would be a fitting tribute to one of our most<br />
illustrious <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s and the occasion could not pass<br />
uncelebrated. It is planned to present the portrait to the<br />
School at the Dinner in June.<br />
OBA NEWSLETTER 2003<br />
Remaining on the theme of achievements, the OBA once<br />
again awarded two scholarships to pupils joining King’s,<br />
and our aim is to increase our support for the School in the<br />
future as funds allow.<br />
Elsewhere in this Newsletter there is a report concerning<br />
the very successful OB London Lunch held at the<br />
Ironmongers’ Hall in the City, and I would like to thank<br />
Richard and Alice Taylor together with Richard Sullivan for<br />
their hard work in making this the event that it has<br />
become. However, this brings me to the subject of the<br />
Bruton Dinner! There is absolutely no reason why the<br />
Dinner should not be just as successful, with a little more<br />
effort from our members. The Dinner is now held in the<br />
Memorial Hall (also impressive); it is a Black Tie event,<br />
making it more of an ‘occasion’; the food is every bit as<br />
good as that provided in London; the cost is less than half,<br />
and it is at the School! Last year there were 56 OBs, 19<br />
guests of OBs and 36 guests of the <strong>Association</strong>. I am sure<br />
you will agree that when the School and the Catering Staff<br />
put such a huge effort into this event for us, it is a pretty<br />
disappointing response from our side. Your committee<br />
would like to alter this and make the event as popular as<br />
the London Lunch - we need your support.<br />
Once again I must thank Harry Witherby for all his<br />
efforts in controlling the OBA website and much else, which<br />
only he knows! At present there are 1,539 OBs registered<br />
and this is steadily increasing. Anyone reading this who<br />
has not already registered can click onto<br />
www.oldbrutonians.comm where they will find the<br />
registration form on their screen.<br />
Finally, may I thank all members of the committee for<br />
their help and participation throughout the year and<br />
particularly David Hindley, Colin Hughes and Richard<br />
Sullivan without whom I would resign!<br />
I send all members of the OBA my best wishes for health,<br />
happiness and success in their various activities.<br />
Floreat Brutonia!<br />
Christopher Rhys-Jones<br />
President , <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong><br />
To update addresses or to inform us of news for publication<br />
in the annual newsletter please contact:<br />
The O.B.A. Office, King’s School , Bruton, Somerset BA10 0ED<br />
Telephone/fax: 01749 813253<br />
e-mail: oba@kingsbruton.somerset.sch.uk<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 5
OBA NEWSLETTER 2003<br />
LETTER FROM THE HON. SECRETARY<br />
Dear <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s,<br />
I should like to devote the main part of this letter to Richard Smyth, the Headmaster, who leaves us in the<br />
summer to take up his new post at St Peter’s, York. Richard is the fourth Headmaster whose departure from the<br />
School I have marked in one way or another, and I can’t say I greatly care for the experience. In each case, they<br />
have been friends and mentors, and it’s never pleasurable saying goodbye, or even au revoir, to your friends.<br />
Furthermore, as colleagues, they have been people that one has come to feel confident and at ease with.<br />
I have much to thank Richard for on a personal level: from the moment he arrived, he supported me in my<br />
work as a magistrate and viewed the whole venture with enthusiasm. He always had a heartening and<br />
positive answer when I found myself entertaining doubts about my role in the School, and when I decided to<br />
move to my present house, he gave enormous help – way beyond the call of a headmaster’s duty – to ensure<br />
that everything went smoothly. My two [sic] School retirement parties, over which Richard presided, were more<br />
generous than I expected or could have deserved.<br />
As an <strong>Association</strong>, we also owe a great debt to Richard. He has always been determined that <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s should have the warmest of welcomes on their return to the School. He instituted the now wellestablished<br />
and highly successful idea of inviting selected years back to the Commemoration celebrations. In<br />
league with Keith Loney, he established the practice of a free Bruton Dinner and accommodation for <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s who had entered the Senior School ten years (or a multiple of ten years) previously. When I<br />
suggested, shortly after becoming Hon. Secretary, that the <strong>Association</strong> really needed a proper base in the<br />
School for its office, he lost no time in providing a suitable room in Plox House, a move that has subsequently<br />
allowed us to develop our activities considerably and with greater efficiency. Furthermore, where the<br />
Governors’ co-operation has been necessary to an OBA project, he has vigorously represented our interests at<br />
their meetings.<br />
A properly comprehensive appreciation of all that Richard has done for the School (and, indeed, all that<br />
Nicole has done for the School) since he arrived in Bruton, in January 1993, will undoubtedly appear in The<br />
Dolphin later this year, and I hope that we may be able to publish that in the 2005 Newsletter. It will tell of the<br />
tremendous vision that Richard has shown in the development of the School as it looks towards its 500 th<br />
anniversary and of the unflagging energy that has enabled him to make that vision a reality. In the<br />
meantime, I would simply reiterate that we, as an <strong>Association</strong>, are all greatly in Richard’s debt, and I trust that<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s will come in their droves to this year’s Bruton Dinner in the Memorial Hall on Saturday, June<br />
26 th to demonstrate their gratitude and regard. The occasion deserves to be as spectacular as we can make it.<br />
Finally, I should like to mention another Honorary <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>, John Neal, my predecessor as<br />
housemaster of New House and as editor of the OBA Newsletter. For some time now, John has been unwell and<br />
confined to hospital. Although his illness is, thankfully, not life-threatening, he is, at the moment, more or less<br />
chair-bound, and I am sure he would welcome visits or letters from old friends and former pupils. For the<br />
foreseeable future, John will be in hospital, until he is fit enough for an operation on his knees that should give<br />
him more mobility. Please write to him at his home address (56 Westfield, Bruton, BA10 0BT), from where<br />
letters will be collected by John’s brother, Peter.<br />
My very best wishes to you all.<br />
David Hindley<br />
6 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
AGM AND BRUTON DINNER<br />
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2003<br />
The Annual General Meeting of the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> was<br />
held in the John Davie Room at King’s School, Bruton at 6 p.m. on<br />
Saturday, June 21 st , 2003. The President, Mr Christopher Rhys-Jones<br />
was in the chair and 22 members of the <strong>Association</strong> were present.<br />
Apologies were received from Trevor Albery (B82/88), David Barton<br />
(P71/74), John Beauchamp (O44/48), Nicholas Chubb (O46/51), Tim<br />
Corby (N58/62), Sinead Costello (W92/94), Nick Evelyn (L56/59), John<br />
Graves (P68/73), James Holland (O83/88), Dordie Ketley (nee Baker)<br />
(80/82), Richard Murison (N45/50), Stuart Musgrove (O47/51), William<br />
Newton (L73/75), Richard Perry (P72/77), Arnold Stevenson (O42/45),<br />
John Suffolk (P60/65), David Watson (N57/60), Harry Witherby<br />
(B63/67) and Mary Tyndall (Hon. Member).<br />
1. The Minutes<br />
The Minutes of the last AGM, held on Saturday, June 22 nd , 2002,<br />
having been circulated with the Newsletter for 2003, were agreed<br />
and signed as a true record.<br />
2. Matters Arising<br />
James Burrell (O41/46) enquired whether any progress had been<br />
made towards the publication of a new School Register to succeed<br />
that edited by John Tyndall and covering the years 1911 to 1979. The<br />
Hon. Secretary explained that there was little enthusiasm for such a<br />
project now that the Register was held on a database, which can be<br />
constantly updated. A published Register, compiled at inevitable<br />
expense, starts to become outmoded within days of its publication.<br />
Members of the <strong>Association</strong> were welcome to a copy of the current<br />
Register on zip disk, but even that would become quickly out of date.<br />
3. President’s Items<br />
The President thanked the Hon. Secretary for another excellent<br />
Newsletter. He wished also to thank Harry Witherby who had taken<br />
on responsibility for advertising in the publication. The income<br />
generated thereby had helped substantially with the expense of<br />
printing this year’s Newsletter.<br />
The President reported that the Committee had at last been<br />
successful in its search for a Sports Co-ordinator. John-Kai Fleming<br />
(B88/93) had agreed to take on the role, which at the moment was at<br />
the planning stage. The President urged any OB’s with ideas as to<br />
how we might develop the remit of the Sports Co-ordinator to<br />
contact the Hon. Secretary in the first instance.<br />
He announced that the OBA website (www.oldbrutonians.com) was<br />
developing apace in the experienced hands of Harry Witherby. 1,172<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s have registered on the e-mail address ‘book’, with, on<br />
average, four new registrations per week. The website has received<br />
2,600 visits by OB’s since it was set up, and about 250 OB’s visit the<br />
website each month.<br />
Contact between the Governors and the Committee continued,<br />
particularly concerning the work of the Foundation. The last<br />
Committee Meeting had been addressed by the Clerk to the<br />
Governors who had updated the Committee on the current health of<br />
the Foundation.<br />
4. Hon. Secretary’s Report<br />
The Hon. Secretary welcomed the introduction of some professional<br />
secretarial help in the OBA Office. Mrs Jan Juneman, formerly the<br />
Headmaster’s Secretary, now worked in the Office on a regular basis.<br />
As a result, the mass of incoming data was processed more<br />
efficiently and e-mails were answered more promptly.<br />
To meet the increasing demand generated by the rapid development<br />
of information technology, the secretariat has had to expand. In<br />
addition to Mrs Juneman, the Hon. Secretary has the invaluable<br />
assistance of Harry Witherby who edits the e-mail address book,<br />
THE BRUTON DINNER<br />
supervises the OBA website and acquires advertising for the<br />
Newsletter. The Hon. Secretary wished to express his gratitude for<br />
the support given by Harry and Jan.<br />
The problem of rogue information on the database remained, but the<br />
Office was working steadily to correct as many of the errors as<br />
possible. A vital weapon in this battle was the Digital Phone<br />
Directory, suggested to the Hon. Secretary by John Longman (P57/61).<br />
The Directory has been used over the past year, for the verification of<br />
suspect data, by Toby Martin of New House as part of the School’s<br />
social services scheme. This work will be undertaken next year by<br />
Rory Alexander of <strong>Old</strong> House.<br />
The Hon. Secretary reported that all the old-style Newsletters had<br />
now been bound in volumes for convenience of research and for<br />
their safer keeping.<br />
5. Hon. Treasurer’s Report<br />
Copies of the full accounts were distributed at the Meeting as only<br />
abbreviated accounts had appeared in the Newsletter. The Hon.<br />
Treasurer then took the Meeting through the Accounts of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> and of the Charitable Trust. Both sets of Accounts were<br />
duly proposed, seconded and adopted by the Meeting. The Hon.<br />
Treasurer took the opportunity to express his thanks to Keith Loney,<br />
who is now stepping down as the <strong>Association</strong>’s Hon. Auditor.<br />
6. The Charitable Trust: Vice-President's Report<br />
The Vice-President set out the aims of the Charitable Trust.<br />
He reported that happily there had been no requests this year for any<br />
relief of poverty. There were currently three recipients of OBA<br />
scholarships in the School, and two more (each of £750 p.a.) were to<br />
be awarded next academic year. All these awards were made for a<br />
period of five years. The intention for the future was to award a<br />
scholarship of £1500 p.a. or two scholarships of £750 p.a. each year.<br />
Two Graduate Prizes were to be presented this year. Geoffrey Ferrari<br />
(N91/96) graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a Double First in<br />
Philosophy and Modern Languages; he was also awarded the Gibbs<br />
Prize for Philosophy. He is currently studying for a B.Phil at Oxford<br />
and has been nominated by Oriel College as Graduate Scholar for<br />
2002/2003. Geoffrey Lee (L93/98) gained a Double First in<br />
Mathematics and Philosophy from New College, Oxford and is<br />
currently doing research for a Ph.D. in New York.<br />
At Speech Day on June 28 th , the OBA Prize for Excellence in GCSE<br />
would be awarded to Jenny Bromage (A) who gained nine ‘A’ grade<br />
passes, eight of them starred. The OBA Progress Prizes would go to<br />
Timothy Brocklehurst (B), Marcus Grazette (N) and Jenny Lewis (W).<br />
Discussions were in progress with the Headmaster about awards for<br />
excellence in sport, drama, music and the arts.<br />
The Vice-President expressed his disappointment that so few<br />
members of the <strong>Association</strong> made donations to the Charitable Trust.<br />
7. Officers and Committee<br />
The President thanked the two retiring members of the Committee<br />
for their hard work on behalf of the <strong>Association</strong>: David Barton<br />
(P71/74) and Roderick Wallace-Simpson (B64/68).<br />
The Meeting unanimously endorsed the Committee’s<br />
recommendation of two new members of the Committee: Trevor<br />
Albery (B83/88) and Francis Luard (P92/97).<br />
Both the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer agreed to serve for<br />
another year.<br />
On a proposal of the Committee, John M. Graves (P68/73) was<br />
unanimously elected the new Hon. Auditor.<br />
8. A.O.B.<br />
The meeting closed at 6.42 p.m.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 7
THE BRUTON DINNER<br />
THE BRUTON<br />
DINNER 2003<br />
Saturday, June 21st, 2003 was the<br />
perfect summer’s day: clear, blue<br />
skies, blazing sunshine – the way<br />
summers used to be! It was going to<br />
be a beautiful evening for the<br />
Dinner. However, as the AGM<br />
progressed, heavy, black storm<br />
clouds arrived from nowhere and<br />
settled ominously over Bruton.<br />
Undeterred by the apparent threat,<br />
just over a hundred Members of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> and their guests<br />
gathered in the Millennium Circle for<br />
drinks and the lively sound of the<br />
School Jazz Band. Alas, suddenly<br />
thick, wet drops of rain began to fall<br />
intermittently, then more<br />
persistently and finally in torrents.<br />
Everyone fled, either into the<br />
Memorial Hall or over to the<br />
Hobhouse Science Centre. Although<br />
the rain quickly cleared, we had<br />
sadly heard the last of the Band, as<br />
they were due elsewhere for their<br />
second ‘gig’ of the evening. We had<br />
had music before at the pre-Dinner<br />
drinks but not on this scale. It was a<br />
great pity that we were prevented<br />
hearing more of the Band’s excellent<br />
playing. Perhaps next year……<br />
Despite the weather and the fact<br />
that we had been cheated of our<br />
music, nobody’s spirits seemed in the<br />
least dampened, and there was<br />
clearly a great deal of good humour<br />
in the air. This was partly because<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s are of legendary<br />
geniality anyway, and partly because<br />
the sparkling wine flowed<br />
generously and the menu looked<br />
tempting. To start, we were offered<br />
either chicken liver parfait (“smooth<br />
chicken liver pate with herbs and a<br />
hint of garlic, garnished with<br />
redcurrants and a spicy cordial<br />
glaze”) or a Stilton, apple and walnut<br />
bavarois (“traditional Stilton mousse,<br />
blended with chopped apple and<br />
walnuts, with a light apple glaze,<br />
served with a salad garnish and<br />
melba toast”). Then there were beef<br />
stroganoff, Thai red chicken curry,<br />
white and saffron rice, Cornish<br />
minted new potatoes and an<br />
astonishingly wide selection of<br />
salads. The duo of Belgian chocolate<br />
with fresh raspberries and clotted<br />
cream is probably served to God on<br />
special occasions; while to follow<br />
there were cheese and biscuits and<br />
coffee. Delicious East Australian<br />
wines, followed by port and Madeira,<br />
washed it all down – or there was<br />
mineral water, if you preferred.<br />
After the Loyal Toast, the President<br />
proposed the toast to the School.<br />
Traditionally and inevitably, this<br />
involves saying thank you many<br />
times over – to those who help run<br />
the <strong>Association</strong> and to those who<br />
make the Bruton Dinner a<br />
possibility. Of the latter, attention<br />
naturally focused on Rose Vigers,<br />
who for a number of years now has<br />
produced, with her catering team,<br />
the kind of imaginative menu<br />
described above. Rose is stepping<br />
down as the School Caterer in order<br />
to become Housemistress of Arion.<br />
(The School’s loss is the School’s<br />
gain.) Chris Rhys-Jones presented<br />
Rose with a bouquet of flowers as a<br />
token of the <strong>Association</strong>’s gratitude<br />
for all her work on its behalf.<br />
Presentations were also made to<br />
two retiring masters: Andrew Leach<br />
and Terry Johnson. Andrew received<br />
a cheque for £370 to mark his thirtyseven<br />
years in the School as teacher,<br />
housemaster, Deputy Head and,<br />
most recently, Registrar. Terry, in his<br />
turn, received a cheque for £160. Also<br />
honoured was Geoffrey Lee (L93/98),<br />
one of this year’s Graduate Prize<br />
winners, who received an engraved<br />
decanter and a cheque.<br />
Unfortunately, the other prize<br />
winner, Geoffrey Ferrari, was unable<br />
to be present, but he too will receive<br />
a decanter and a cheque.<br />
In replying to the toast to the<br />
School, the Headmaster thanked the<br />
OBA for its generosity: there were<br />
several pupils in the School who<br />
would not be there but for the<br />
financial help given by the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>. He went on to say that<br />
he wished to concentrate on three<br />
P’s: People, Place and Progress. In<br />
speaking of People, he paid tribute to<br />
Rose Vigers, Terry Johnson (sixteen<br />
years at the School, nine years as<br />
housemaster of Lyon and with a<br />
particularly distinguished record as<br />
the Head of Design/Technology) and<br />
Andrew Leach. It is impossible here<br />
to summarize adequately the huge<br />
contribution that Andrew has made<br />
to the School. However, the<br />
Headmaster was able not only to<br />
express his own regard for Andrew<br />
but also to call on a message sent to<br />
the Dinner by Tony Beadles, Richard<br />
Smyth’s predecessor. As to Place, the<br />
Headmaster announced that the<br />
School had bought a considerable<br />
swathe of land between the<br />
Wincanton road and Hyde that<br />
offered exciting possibilities for<br />
development. Where Progress was<br />
concerned, he was able to report<br />
success on the games field, increased<br />
drama activity and the words of a<br />
parent apropos the Summer Concert:<br />
“a civilized moment in a mad world”.<br />
Finally, he announced the<br />
appointment for 2003/4 of the first<br />
girl Head of School, Helen Smyth.<br />
The official part of the evening<br />
ended with a cheery rendition of<br />
Carmen Brutoniense, the School<br />
Song, resurrected by popular<br />
demand and this year celebrating its<br />
one hundredth birthday, having first<br />
been sung formally at Speech Day on<br />
June 11th, 1903. For the record, a<br />
report in The Dolphin that summer<br />
ends: “ The proceedings [Speech Day]<br />
closed by the singing of the new<br />
Carmen Brutoniense, which has a<br />
capital swing, and is a fine example<br />
of a school song, and the National<br />
Anthem. Hearty cheers were given<br />
for the author (Mr J.H. Alderson) and<br />
composer (Mr Duncan Hume) of the<br />
song, the Headmaster and Mrs<br />
Norton, and the visitors.”<br />
MEMBERS ATTENDING<br />
Guests in italics<br />
1939<br />
Keith Lilly (O)<br />
James Nowell (O)<br />
1940<br />
David Hickley (O)<br />
Michael Robinson (N/P)<br />
Mrs Dru Robinson<br />
1941<br />
James Burrell (O)<br />
1943<br />
Edwin Bristow (O)<br />
Mike Hooper (P)<br />
Mrs Barbara Hooper<br />
Terence O’Hara (O)<br />
1945<br />
Chris Rhys-Jones (O) [President]<br />
Mrs Mary Rhys-Jones<br />
1947<br />
Michael Downing (N)<br />
1948<br />
Keith Loney (O) [Past President]<br />
Allen Whittaker (P)<br />
Mrs Shirley Whittaker<br />
1949<br />
Michael West (O)<br />
1951<br />
Peter Whitelaw (O)<br />
1954<br />
Roger Gallannaugh (O) [Past President]<br />
Mrs Judy Gallannaugh<br />
1956<br />
Colin Hughes (L) [Hon. Treasurer]<br />
Mrs Gill Hughes<br />
8 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
1957<br />
John Longman(P) [Committee]<br />
Mrs Penny Longman<br />
1958<br />
Richard Sullivan (N) [Vice-President]<br />
Mrs Jan Sullivan<br />
1960<br />
Robert Eshelby (B)<br />
Mrs Ruth Eshelby<br />
Marcus Hill (O)<br />
Mike Kyle (L)<br />
Mrs Chris Kyle, John Baker, Sue Baker<br />
1962<br />
Robert Snook (B)<br />
Tony Smyth (Staff)<br />
1964<br />
Addison Redley (B)<br />
Mrs Jennifer Redley<br />
Roderick Simpson (B) [Committee]<br />
Mrs Avrille Simpson<br />
1967<br />
The Revd. Martin Barber (Staff)<br />
1969<br />
Simon Thomas (P)<br />
1972<br />
David Fleming<br />
Mrs Hermina Fleming<br />
Mrs Sally Snook (nee Stonham)<br />
[Past President]<br />
1988<br />
Mark Lloyd Davies (L)<br />
1991<br />
Eoin Harris (L)<br />
Alice Corrigan<br />
Jamie Reach (L) [Committee]<br />
Emma Paradine<br />
1992<br />
Francis Luard (P) [Committee]<br />
John Thompson (P)<br />
1993<br />
Dan Britten (P)<br />
Richard Burden (B)<br />
Charlie Campbell (P)<br />
Douglas Douglas (N)<br />
Harvey Douglas (P)<br />
James Gay (P)<br />
Edward Molyneux (N)<br />
William Pitt (L)<br />
Tom Russell (N)<br />
Richard Stacey (B)<br />
Charles Trigg (B)<br />
Benjamin Watkins (B)<br />
1994<br />
James Barnes (L)<br />
Benjamin Johnson (P)<br />
Becky Johnson, Gareth Morgan<br />
Richard Plaice (O)<br />
1995<br />
Kate Sedgman (W) [Committee]<br />
Edward White (B)<br />
1996<br />
Hannah Carew-Gibbs (W)<br />
Jasmine Lamey (W)<br />
Alex Livingstone (W)<br />
1997<br />
Toby Johnson (P)<br />
Honorary Members<br />
David Hindley (Staff 1963/2000)<br />
[Hon. Secretary]<br />
GUESTS OF THE ASSOCIATION<br />
Richard and Nicole Smyth (Headmaster)<br />
Honorary <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong><br />
Richard and Katie Fenwick<br />
(Headmaster of Hazlegrove)<br />
Gareth and Gillian Evans<br />
(Deputy Headmaster)<br />
Andrew Leach (Registrar)<br />
Honorary <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong><br />
Colin and Pam Jones (Director of Studies)<br />
Dan and Mary Shorland Ball (Bursar)<br />
Terry and Pam Johnson<br />
(Housemaster, Lyon House)<br />
Nigel and Deborah Watts<br />
(Housemaster, <strong>Old</strong> House)<br />
Jim and Ros Roebuck<br />
(Housemaster, New House)<br />
Rob and Julie Lowry<br />
(Housemaster, Priory House)<br />
Charles and Camilla Oulton<br />
(Housemaster, Blackford House)<br />
Veronica Trenchard<br />
(Housemistress, Wellesley House)<br />
Ann and David Crowcombe<br />
(Housemistress, Arion House)<br />
Nigel and Zanna Wilson-Brown<br />
(Chaplain)<br />
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2004<br />
THE BRUTON DINNER<br />
The Annual General Meeting of the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> will be held in the<br />
John Davie Room at King’s School, Bruton on Saturday, 26th June 2004 at 6.00 pm<br />
for the following purposes:<br />
1. to receive the accounts and reports of the Committee and of the Honorary Auditor acting as<br />
an independent examiner for the year ended 31st December, 2003;<br />
2. to receive the accounts of the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust and the reports of<br />
the Trustees and of the independent examiner for the year ended 31st December 2003;<br />
3. to elect members of the Committee;<br />
4. to elect an Honorary Secretary for the ensuing year;<br />
5. to elect an Honorary Treasurer for the ensuing year;<br />
6. to appoint an Honorary Auditor to act as an auditor or independent examiner as<br />
appropriate for the ensuing year;<br />
7. Election of Honorary Members of the Assoociation<br />
That, upon a proposal by the Committee in accordance with Article 2(c) of the rules of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>, Mr Colin Jones, Director of Studies, and Mrs Jan Juneman, secretary to the OBA<br />
and formerly Headmaster's Secretary, be and hereby are elected Honorary Members.<br />
By order of the Committee David Hindley (Honorary Secretary)<br />
AGENDA FOR THE 2004 AGM<br />
Jan and Colin Juneman<br />
(Assistant Secretary to the OBA)<br />
Geoffrey Lee (L93/98)<br />
(Graduate Prize Winner)<br />
Glynn Jenkins (Director of Music)<br />
Coral Brett (Matron, New House)<br />
Lyn Rochester (Matron, Blackford House)<br />
Kathy Catto (Matron, <strong>Old</strong> House)<br />
Ruth Brannagan (Matron, Lyon House)<br />
Liz Carr (Matron, Priory House)<br />
Matthew Pentecost<br />
(Head of School, New House)<br />
James Lawson<br />
(Deputy Head of School, <strong>Old</strong> House)<br />
Sophie Parr<br />
(Deputy Head of School, Wellesley House)<br />
Toby Martin (Head of New House,<br />
Assistant to the Hon. Secretary)<br />
Apologies received:<br />
Martin and Judith Marriott<br />
(Senior Warden)<br />
Geoffrey Ferrari (N91/96)<br />
(Graduate Prize Winner)<br />
Frederick Trenchard<br />
1. Minutes of the last Meeting<br />
2. Matters Arising<br />
3. President’s Items<br />
4. Hon. Secretary’s Report<br />
5. Hon. Treasurer’s Report<br />
6. The Charitable Trust: The Vice-President’s Report<br />
7. Officers and Committee<br />
8. Election of Honorary Members<br />
9. A.O.B.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 9
THE BRUTON DINNER<br />
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WEEKEND OF THE ANNUAL DINNER<br />
Saturday 26th June, 2004<br />
6.00 p.m. Annual General Meeting of the <strong>Association</strong> in the John Davie Room. The Agenda, together with the Minutes<br />
of the meeting in 2003 and the abridged Accounts for 2003, are included in this Newsletter.<br />
7.00 p.m. Wine will be served in the Millennium Circle between the Hobhouse Science Building and the Memorial Hall.<br />
If the weather is wet, it will be served in the Hobhouse Science Building.<br />
7.45 p.m. Dinner in the Memorial Hall.<br />
Dress: Black Tie.<br />
Members may each invite one guest, who need not be a member. Any member wishing to invite more than one guest<br />
should refer to the Note below.<br />
Bed and Breakfast will be available in the School for members and their guests.<br />
Would members wishing to come to the Dinner please complete the form below and return it by 11th June to Colin<br />
Hughes at Honeysuckle House, Millford Road, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 8DP. On the form are listed the categories of those<br />
members of the OBA who, in 2004, are ‘privileged’ members and who may therefore attend the Dinner and stay for bed<br />
and breakfast, if required, free of charge.<br />
Sunday, 27th June, 2004<br />
9.10 a.m. Celebration of Holy Communion in the Parish Church by Revd. N. H. Wilson-Brown, the School Chaplain, after<br />
which breakfast will be available in the Dining Hall.<br />
!<br />
ANNUAL DINNER Saturday 26th June, 2004<br />
Would members wishing to attend please complete the form below and return it by 11th June at the latest.<br />
BLOCK CAPITALS PLEASE<br />
To: Colin Hughes, Honeysuckle House, Millford Road, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 8DP<br />
I apply for ....................... place(s) for the Bruton Dinner to be held on Saturday, 26th June 2004 and for bed and breakfast<br />
accommodation at the School for ............................. person(s).<br />
NAME................................................................................................................................ HOUSE & DATES AT SCHOOL ..............................................................................<br />
ADDRESS ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................<br />
E-MAIL .............................................................................................................. NAME(S) OF GUEST(S) .............................................................................................................<br />
I enclose a cheque payable to “<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong>” for<br />
.......................... Dinner place(s) at £20 each ....................................<br />
.......................... Dinner place free of charge (see below) NIL<br />
.......................... Bed and breakfast(s) at £6 each ....................................<br />
.......................... Bed and breakfast place free of charge (see below) NIL<br />
TOTAL £....................................<br />
I claim the privilege of dining (and bed and breakfast if required) free of charge on the following grounds (please tick as appropriate)<br />
1. Honorary Member<br />
2. Ordinary Member aged 75 and over<br />
3. Ordinary Member (other than a sixth-form entrant) who entered the Senior School in the academic year commencing<br />
September 1944, 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984 or 1994.<br />
4. Ordinary Member who entered the Senior School as a sixth-form entrant in the academic year commencing<br />
September 1947, 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987 or 1997.<br />
N.B. If you wish to invite more than one guest, please contact Colin Hughes (01395 578402) before you send this form in.<br />
Places will be allocated in order of receipt; early application is recommended.<br />
Tickets will not be issued but there will be an acknowledgement of your booking.<br />
If you find that you are unable to attend, please inform the Hon. Secretary as soon as possible.<br />
Signed ................................................................................................................................................................ Telephone No. ............................................................<br />
PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM, OR A COPY, TO COLIN HUGHES BY 11th JUNE 2004. LATER APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED.<br />
10 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
OLD BRUTONIAN INSIGNIA<br />
INSIGNIA & SOUVENIERS<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN TIES, SCARVES AND BROOCHES MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE SCHOOL SHOP,<br />
which is situated in the School Sanatorium at Sunnydene. Access is from Lower Backway and for those <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s wishing to visit in person, a telephone call beforehand to the Sanatorium Sister, Miss Rachel Barwis<br />
(01749 813104), would be appreciated. For those wishing to place an order by telephone, please call 01749 812557.<br />
The cost of <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> items is as follows:<br />
Crested ties in polyester £6.95<br />
Crested ties in pure silk £25.00<br />
Striped ties in polyester £4.95<br />
Striped ties in pure silk £17.95<br />
Striped bow-ties in pure silk £25.00<br />
Enamel brooches £2.35<br />
Scarves £19.65<br />
For those wishing to have any items sent by post, please add 75p for postage and packing; cheques should be made<br />
payable to ‘King’s School, Bruton’.<br />
SOUVENIRS OF THE SCHOOL<br />
ORDERS FOR THE ITEMS BELOW SHOULD BE SENT TO: ANDREW LEACH (Registrar),<br />
King’s School, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0ED. E-mail: abl@kingsbruton.somerset.sch.uk<br />
Items ordered may be collected from the School, or they can be sent.<br />
If you wish to have items sent, please add p&p as follows:<br />
KSB Remembered £3.50, Four Hundred Years A School £1, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants £1, Golf umbrella £5,<br />
Watercolour prints £4, Cards 50p. (Overseas p&p will be charged at cost.)<br />
Cheques should be made payable to ‘King’s School, Bruton’.<br />
The following items are available from the School:<br />
King’s School Bruton Remembered, ed. Basil Wright £10<br />
Contributors to this 390 page illustrated history of King’s, published in 1990, paint a vivid picture of the School,<br />
concentrating on the last 100 years.<br />
Four Hundred Years A School, by Geoffrey Sale £5<br />
Written by the then Headmaster in 1950, this gives intriguing detail about the establishment of the School and its<br />
uncertain progress through to the mid 1990s.<br />
All proceeds from the sale of the above two books go to the recently established Basil Wright Trust, which intends to<br />
provide the School with a much needed bursary fund.<br />
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, by Henry Hobhouse £4<br />
A concise résumé, by the recently retired Senior Warden, of the lives and work of 39 of the most influential scientists of<br />
the past 1000 years, commemorated in the Millennium Circle at King’s.<br />
Golf Umbrella £15<br />
Navy/sky blue panels, with white crest.<br />
Watercolour Print of <strong>Old</strong> House by W. S. Blackshaw £5<br />
This attractive 20 x 14 inches print of a watercolour painted in 1987 offers wonderful value.<br />
Cards 35p each, or 5 for £1.50<br />
Blank inside, so useful for any occasion. There are 5 different cover photographs –<br />
A) an aerial view of Bruton<br />
B) pupils on the River Brue stepping stones<br />
C) pupils on Abbey<br />
D) a pupil playing the piano in the John Davie Room<br />
E) two rugby players in front of Hyde Pavilion<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 11
ACCOUNTS<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION & CHARITABLE<br />
TRUST ABRIDGED REPORTS & ACCOUNTS<br />
The following are abridged reports and accounts of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> and its charitable trust for the year ended 31<br />
December 2003. The full reports and accounts, which have been<br />
examined by the Honorary Auditor acting as an Independent<br />
Examiner, were approved by the Committee and trustees on 6<br />
March 2004. Copies are available from The Honorary Secretary,<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong>, King’s School, Bruton, Somerset BA10<br />
0ED and will be available at the <strong>Association</strong>’s AGM on 26 June<br />
2004. Copies can also be accessed on the OBA website<br />
www.oldbrutonian.org.uk.<br />
ABRIDGED REPORT OF THE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2003<br />
Objects<br />
The general objects of the <strong>Association</strong> as contained in the<br />
Rules are to promote union amongst <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s and to<br />
further the interests of King’s School, Bruton. In particular the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> will arrange an Annual Dinner at the School,<br />
publish an Annual Newsletter and establish and maintain a<br />
Charitable Trust for charitable purposes connected to the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>’s objects.<br />
Committee<br />
At 31 December 2003 the Committee consisted of the<br />
Officers: Christopher Rhys-Jones (O 45/49) President until 2005,<br />
Richard Sullivan (N 58/62) Vice President until 2005, David<br />
Hindley (Staff 63/00) Honorary Secretary until 2004 and Colin<br />
Hughes (L 56/61) Honorary Treasurer until 2004, and eight<br />
ordinary members: William Newton (L 73/75) and Jamie Reach (L<br />
91/95) to serve until 2004, Sinead Costello (W 92/94) and John<br />
Longman (P 57/61) to serve until 2005, James Holland (O 83/88)<br />
and Kate Sedgman (W 95/97) to serve until 2006 and Trevor<br />
Albery (B 83/88) and Francis Luard (P 92/97) to serve until 2007.<br />
Under the current Rules two ordinary members of the<br />
Committee are elected each year for a term of four years.<br />
Ordinary members are not eligible for re-election until the year<br />
following that in which they retire. At the general meeting on 21<br />
June 2003 David Barton (P 71/74) and Roderick Wallace-Simpson<br />
(B 64/68), who had been members since 1999, retired by<br />
rotation and Trevor Albery and Francis Luard were elected as<br />
ordinary members.<br />
Keith Loney (O 48/53), Honorary Auditor since 1988, retired<br />
and was replaced by John M Graves (P 68/73).<br />
Membership<br />
93 members joined the <strong>Association</strong> during 2003. The<br />
<strong>Association</strong> was notified of the deaths of nine members during<br />
2003 and at the end of the year the total membership was 3,720.<br />
The active membership for whom current addresses are known<br />
is now 1,989.<br />
Activities<br />
(a) Promotion of union among <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s<br />
The annual general meeting and the Bruton dinner were held<br />
on 21 June 2003. 22 members attended the meeting. The dinner<br />
was held in the Memorial Hall and was attended by 56<br />
members, 19 guests of members and 36 guests of the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>. The annual reunion lunch in London was held in<br />
the Ironmongers’ Hall on 28 November 2003 and was attended<br />
by 155 members. The reunions in Bristol continued.<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> teams competed against the School at hockey,<br />
cricket, golf and tennis. An <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> cricket team<br />
participated in the Brewers Cup competition.<br />
The forty-fourth annual Newsletter was despatched to<br />
members for whom addresses were known in April 2003. The<br />
Newsletter was edited by David Hindley. Harry Witherby (B<br />
63/67) assisted with the procurement of advertising for the<br />
Newsletter and also took responsibility for the OBA web-site.<br />
(b) Furthering the interests of the School<br />
The <strong>Association</strong> donated its investment income under a deed<br />
of covenant to the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust.<br />
The abridged report and accounts of the Trust give further<br />
details.<br />
Michael Barnfield (N 68/74), James Burrell (O 41/46) and<br />
Nicholas Russell (N 68/70) represented <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s on the<br />
council of the Friends of King’s School, Bruton. Richard Sampson<br />
(P 51/55) is the current President of the Friends. Five members of<br />
the <strong>Association</strong> are currently serving on the Governing Body of<br />
the School.<br />
Finance<br />
In the year ended 31 December 2003 the <strong>Association</strong> had<br />
incoming resources of £26,975. Resources expended amounted<br />
to £9,855 and the value of investments appreciated by £6,115.<br />
Overall net assets rose to £94,880. Further details are given in<br />
the abridged accounts below.<br />
Appreciation<br />
The Committee is extremely grateful to those members of<br />
the <strong>Association</strong> who have served as past and present members<br />
of the Committee, the representatives of the <strong>Association</strong> on<br />
outside bodies, the Honorary Auditors, the editor of the<br />
Newsletter and the match secretaries, together with the<br />
organisers of the Bruton Dinner, the London Lunch and the<br />
regional reunions. Without the assistance of these members the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> would be unable to fulfil its objects.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION<br />
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2003<br />
2003 2002<br />
Incoming resources £ £<br />
Subscriptions 23,895 37,598<br />
Investment income 2,200 1,646<br />
Other 880 250<br />
Total incoming resources 26,975 39,494<br />
Resources expended<br />
Newsletter publication 5,472 5,180<br />
Donations 2,200 1,646<br />
Administration 1,332 601<br />
Other 851 692<br />
Total resources expended 9,855 8,1 1 9<br />
Net incoming resources 17,120 31,375<br />
Gain/(loss) on investments 6,115 (15,738)<br />
Net movement in funds 23,235 15,637<br />
Fund as at 1 January 71,645 56,008<br />
Fund as at 31 December 94,880 71,645<br />
12 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
Balance Sheet at 31 December 2003<br />
2003 2002<br />
Investments £ £<br />
Investments 51,907 35,296<br />
Deposits 33,693 29,599<br />
Total investments 85,600 64,895<br />
Current assets<br />
Debtors 10,971 7,805<br />
Cash at bank 803 1,038<br />
Total current assets 11,774 8,843<br />
Creditors 2,494 2,093<br />
Net current assets/(liabilities) 9,280 6,750<br />
Net assets 94,880 71,645<br />
Fund 94,880 71,645<br />
ABRIDGED REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES<br />
OF THE CHARITABLE TRUST FOR<br />
THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2003<br />
Trustees<br />
The current trustees are the Officers of the <strong>Association</strong>,<br />
namely Christopher Rhys-Jones, Richard Sullivan, David Hindley<br />
and Colin Hughes<br />
Objects<br />
The objects of the trust are set out in the trust deeds. In<br />
summary they include the relief of poverty amongst former<br />
pupils of King’s School, Bruton and their immediate dependents,<br />
the provision of scholarships to pupils at the School, prizes<br />
based on educational merit to pupils or former pupils and<br />
awards to pupils showing outstanding ability in art, drama,<br />
music, sport and leadership, and such other related charitable<br />
purposes as the trustees unanimously agree.<br />
Activities<br />
During the year the trustees made the following awards to<br />
further the objects of the trust:<br />
(a) two scholarships, each of £750 for five years from<br />
September 2003,<br />
(b) four educational prizes of £25 each to pupils at the<br />
School, and<br />
(c) two further education prizes of £100 each to former pupils,<br />
each of whom gained a double first class honours degree<br />
at Oxford University.<br />
(d) a leadership award of £200.<br />
A total of £2,750 was paid out in 2003 in respect of<br />
scholarships awarded.<br />
Donations<br />
The covenanted donation from the <strong>Association</strong> in respect of<br />
2003 amounted to £2,200. Other donations amounted to £4,107<br />
for the Unrestricted Fund and £1,538 for the Permanent<br />
Endowment Fund. These figures include the benefit of any tax<br />
relief under Gift Aid.<br />
The trustees gratefully acknowledge all these donations.<br />
Accounts<br />
Net incoming resources amounted to £5,838 for the year 2003<br />
compared with £3,404 in 2002. These amounts are after making<br />
ACCOUNTS<br />
charitable expenditure of £3,250 in 2003 and £1,425 in 2002<br />
respectively. At 31 December 2003 the net assets stood at £38,587,<br />
of which £31,854 belonged to the Unrestricted Fund and £6,733 to<br />
the Permanent Endowment Fund.<br />
Independent Examiner<br />
The trustees gratefully acknowledge the work carried out by<br />
John Graves as Independent Examiner of the trust’s accounts.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION<br />
CHARITABLE TRUST<br />
Registered Number: 284570<br />
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2003<br />
Unrestricted Endowment Total Total<br />
Fund Fund 2003 2002<br />
£ £ £ £<br />
Incoming resources<br />
Donations 6,307 1,538 7,845 3,712<br />
Investment income 1,243 0 1,243 1,117<br />
Total incoming resources 7,550 1,538 9,088 4,829<br />
Resources expended<br />
Charitable expenditure:<br />
Grants payable 3,250 0 3,250 1,425<br />
Total resources expended 3,250 0 3,250 1,425<br />
Net incoming resources 4,300 1,538 5,838 3,404<br />
Gain/(loss) on investments 1,500 769 2,269 (2,096)<br />
Net movement in funds 5,800 2,307 8,107 1,308<br />
Funds as at 1 January 26,054 4,426 30,480 29,172<br />
Funds as at 31 December 31,854 6,733 38,587 30,480<br />
Balance Sheet at 31 December 2003<br />
Unrestricted Endowment Total Total<br />
Fund Fund 2003 2002<br />
£ £ £ £<br />
Investments<br />
Equities<br />
investment fund 10,682 6,392 17,074 13,608<br />
Deposits 19,605 200 19,805 14,580<br />
Total investments 30,287 6,592 36,879 28,188<br />
Current assets<br />
Debtors 2,934 141 3,075 1,797<br />
Cash at bank 6 0 6 495<br />
Total current assets 2,940 141 3,081 2,292<br />
Creditors 1,373 0 1,373 0<br />
Net current<br />
assets/(liabilities) 1,567 141 1,708 2,292<br />
Net assets 31,854 6,733 38,587 30,480<br />
Funds 31,854 6,733 38,587 30,480<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 13
CHARITABLE TRUST<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION CHARITABLE TRUST<br />
One of the more difficult responsibilities of the Vice President is to try to persuade and encourage <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s to part with their money in the form of a Gift Aid Payment to our Charitable Trust.<br />
There are many financial demands on us and this may well be seen as just another begging letter,<br />
and indeed it is. However, I do ask you to at least consider whether you are prepared to donate the<br />
equivalent of £1 a week with an annual payment of £50 per year – or even £25 a year or a “one-off”<br />
donation however small. Most of this money is put towards scholarships. Your donation would help to<br />
make all the difference to whether or not a talented young boy or girl, whose parents would not<br />
otherwise be able to afford the full fees, can be educated at King’s School, Bruton.<br />
There are three pupils at the School who are supported by OBA Scholarships and as the President has<br />
reported elsewhere they really are making the most of the opportunity which we <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s have<br />
helped to give them. The plan is to award two further Scholarships at the start of the next academic<br />
year. We are also looking at awarding prizes for excellence in art, drama, music, sport and leadership.<br />
There are currently twenty or so <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s making donations in this way. It would be a major<br />
achievement if, as a result of this appeal to you, we were able, between us, to secure a Bruton education<br />
for a child who would not otherwise be able to go there.<br />
Richard Sullivan Vice President<br />
!<br />
THE OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION CHARITABLE TRUST<br />
To the Trustees of the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust<br />
*I wish to make a one-off donation of £ to the *Unrestricted Fund/*Permanent<br />
Endowment Fund and enclose a cheque made payable to the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust for that amount.<br />
*I wish to make regular donations of £ to the *Unrestricted Fund/*Permanent Endowment Fund every<br />
*month/quarter/year by standing order. (Please complete the standing order form below.)<br />
*I wish the above donations and any subsequent donations made by me to be treated as Gift Aid donations so that the charity can<br />
reclaim tax on them. (See Note below.)<br />
Signed ....................................................................................................................................................... Date .....................................................................................................<br />
Full Name .......................................................................................................................................... Address ..........................................................................................<br />
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode .........................................<br />
Note: If you give this declaration you must be paying income tax or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax we can reclaim on your donations. This is<br />
approximately 28p for every £1 you give. If you give this declaration now and subsequently you find that you no longer pay enough tax to cover the<br />
amount that we can reclaim you should notify us immediately to cancel the declaration. Please keep a copy of the completed form for your records.<br />
STANDING ORDER<br />
To: Bank.............................................. Sort Code: ...................................... Title of Account to be debited: ...................................................................................<br />
Branch address: ................................................................................................................................................................ Account number:..............................................<br />
Please make payments to HSBC Bank plc, 15 High Street, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0AD (Sort Code 40-47-28) for the credit of the <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust (Account Number 51326929) in the sum of (amount in figures) *£<br />
(amount in words) * pounds, commencing on (date of first payment)<br />
* / / and thereafter at *MONTHLY/QUARTERLY/ANNUAL intervals until cancelled by me in writing.<br />
This instruction cancels any previous standing order in favour of the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Charitable Trust.<br />
Signed ........................................................................................................................................................................ Date / /<br />
When completed and signed please send the whole of this form to: The Honorary Treasurer, <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong>, Honeysuckle<br />
House, Millford Road, Sidmouth EX10 8DP. Please do not send the Standing Order direct to your Bank. *Delete/complete as appropriate<br />
14 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
The Annual Lunch in London was<br />
held on 28th November at<br />
Ironmongers’ Hall. The Ironmongers<br />
are one of the Great Twelve Livery<br />
Companies and their Hall is one of the<br />
finest in the City.<br />
A record number of 155 <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s attended and 68 sent their<br />
apologies. The event was attended by<br />
13 young <strong>Old</strong> Girls, 9 more than last<br />
year. We hope they will encourage<br />
more of their friends from Wellesley to<br />
attend in 2004. The lunch was<br />
supported once again by all<br />
generations and it bodes well for the<br />
future that so many younger members<br />
were present.<br />
“Mr President, Senior Warden, <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s, Luncheon is now served in<br />
the dining hall if you please.” The<br />
booming voice of Mr Robert Young,<br />
formally Drum Major 1st Bn Scots<br />
Guards and Master of<br />
Ceremonies for the sixth<br />
year in succession, could<br />
probably have been heard at<br />
Horseguards as we made our<br />
way into the magnificent<br />
dining hall for what was<br />
probably the largest<br />
gathering ever of <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s in one place at<br />
one time.<br />
The Rev Richard Cloete<br />
(Priory 61 - 66) said Grace in<br />
Latin and appeared, even to<br />
those of us who had been<br />
denied a classical education, to thank<br />
the Lord not only for good food, wine<br />
and fellowship but also for victory in<br />
the Rugby World Cup against Australia<br />
the Saturday before.<br />
An unexpected interruption to the<br />
proceedings came when the Vice<br />
President, Richard Sullivan (New 57 -<br />
62) rose to express on behalf of all<br />
present congratulations to the<br />
President, Christopher Rhys-Jones (<strong>Old</strong><br />
45 - 49), on the birth of his<br />
granddaughter and the best wishes of<br />
all of us to HRH The Countess of<br />
Wessex for a speedy return to Bagshot<br />
Park with her baby daughter. He<br />
expressed the hope that her parents<br />
would not long delay putting her<br />
name down for entry to King’s School,<br />
Bruton for the term beginning<br />
September 2016. This was warmly<br />
received and we stood for the toast to<br />
“Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor”.<br />
The President spoke and welcomed<br />
our Principal Guest, Mr Martin Marriot.<br />
He is in his last year as Senior Warden<br />
(Chairman of the Governors) and a<br />
former Headmaster of Canford. He<br />
THE LONDON LUNCH<br />
will be succeeded in 2004 by Air Chief<br />
Marshal Sir Peter Squire. Christopher<br />
Rhys-Jones also welcomed Mr Gareth<br />
Evans, Deputy Headmaster,<br />
representing Richard Smyth, who sadly<br />
was not able to be with us on this<br />
occasion. As a good Welshman Mr<br />
Evans was seen to much appreciate<br />
the volume if not the quality of the<br />
singing later on in the programme.<br />
Also on the top table and a most<br />
welcome guest was Tony Beadles,<br />
former Headmaster. Mr Marriott<br />
replied most eloquently on behalf of<br />
the guests and Peter Squire (Priory 59 -<br />
63) proposed the Toast to the School.<br />
Some of us attended the School<br />
before girls were admitted. We found<br />
much companionship in those days<br />
with the girls of Sunny Hill School. It<br />
was therefore a nostalgic moment for<br />
the more senior generation when<br />
Joanna Brice (SHS 57 - 62), representing<br />
the girls in green, stood and in a warm,<br />
if brief, speech reassured us that we<br />
had not been forgotten!<br />
And then came one of those major<br />
moments for which the London Lunch<br />
has become renowned. Having<br />
already exercised the vocal chords<br />
with a most vigorous rendering of the<br />
National Anthem before the Loyal<br />
Toast, we were joined by Miss Maggie<br />
Cooper, soprano from the Guildhall<br />
School of Music. Accompanied by the<br />
Prometheus Quartet she invited us to<br />
join in the singing of the School Song<br />
‘Carmen Brutoniense’. It was good to<br />
hear afterwards from so many <strong>Old</strong><br />
Boys and Girls, who had attended the<br />
School after the song’s sad demise in<br />
the 1970’s, that they had been<br />
particularly moved and had joined in<br />
with great gusto.<br />
It may be of interest to some that<br />
there are signs back in Bruton that the<br />
School Song is to be revived. It is<br />
currently being rehearsed for a<br />
performance at the School later in the<br />
year. This must be partly due to the<br />
THE LONDON LUNCH<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s who have kept it alive<br />
at the London Lunch and introduced it,<br />
not only to the Headmaster, but also to<br />
the younger members, who in their<br />
turn have been much taken with the<br />
communal singing and the stirring<br />
tune - even if only the Rev. Richard<br />
Cloete understands the words, which<br />
are in Latin.<br />
No sooner had the final chorus died<br />
away than Miss Cooper and the strings<br />
led us into “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”.<br />
She was joined by 13 <strong>Old</strong> Girls and 142<br />
<strong>Old</strong> Boys, their arms round each<br />
others’ shoulders, singing and swaying<br />
in a noisy celebration of England’s<br />
victory in the Rugby World Cup in<br />
Australia the previous Saturday.<br />
It was by now late in the afternoon<br />
and Mr Young, the only man in the<br />
room whose voice could be heard<br />
above the increasingly loud and<br />
animated buzz of<br />
conversation, ordered us out.<br />
“Mr President, Senior Warden,<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s - Further<br />
refreshments are now being<br />
served in the Reception Room,<br />
please leave the Dining Hall<br />
without delay.” And no one<br />
dared disobey. As usual the<br />
hard core then stayed on to<br />
the bitter end and drank beer<br />
at the public house across the<br />
road. The regulars there were<br />
treated to a number of<br />
uncoordinated, increasingly<br />
less coherent and less musical<br />
stutterings of the School Song late into<br />
the night and then it was time to go<br />
home.<br />
Of course an event of this size and<br />
complexity does not happen without<br />
meticulous planning and preparation,<br />
attention to detail and effort on the<br />
day. The service and dedication of a<br />
few make the programme and<br />
procedures before, during and after<br />
lunch appear effortless and give so<br />
much enjoyment to all those who<br />
attend. They deserve much credit, and<br />
thanks go once again to Richard and<br />
Alice Taylor, Robert and Kate Young<br />
and Chris Stallworthy of Payne and<br />
Gunter (Caterers), his chefs and staff.<br />
Without them there would not be a<br />
London Lunch.<br />
To all of you who supported the<br />
2003 Lunch, thank you for coming.<br />
Please come to the 2004 Lunch,<br />
probably at the same venue. The date<br />
is Friday 26th November. Tell your<br />
friends, encourage more girls to join<br />
us and let's hope we can improve on<br />
the attendance once again.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 15
THE LONDON LUNCH<br />
The following Members of<br />
the <strong>Association</strong> attended:<br />
1939 Keith Lilly (O)<br />
1941 Michael Harvey (N/P)<br />
1942 Richard Coward (P/O)<br />
1943 Mike Hooper (P)<br />
Arnold Stevenson (O)<br />
Peter Stokoe (P)<br />
1944 John Beauchamp (O)<br />
Christopher Cruttwell (O)<br />
Edward Prance (P)<br />
Dick Thomas (N)<br />
Jim Vigar (O)<br />
1945 John Coleman (N)<br />
Derek Cromwell (P)<br />
Thomas Graves (N)<br />
Geoffrey Jarman (N)<br />
Robin Kent (O)<br />
Joe Palmer (N)<br />
Chris Rhys-Jones (O) [President]<br />
1946 David Chalke (P)<br />
Tim Harlow (N)<br />
George Warry (O)<br />
1947 Angus Young (N)<br />
1948 William Kidd (O)<br />
Keith Loney (O) [Past President]<br />
James Roe (P)<br />
John Webster (N)<br />
1949 David Beresford-Jones (O)<br />
Peter Nisbet (P)<br />
1950 Peter Bond (P)<br />
Colin Ryall (N)<br />
1951 Peter Whitelaw (O)<br />
1952 Michael Read (P/L)<br />
1953 Michael Pearce (N/L)<br />
1954 Roger Gallannaugh (O)<br />
[Past President]<br />
John Hughes (L)<br />
Colin Lloyd (P)<br />
Mark Pridie (O)<br />
Norman Robson (O)<br />
Jeremy Seddon (N)<br />
1956 Colin Hughes (L)<br />
[Hon. Treasurer]<br />
Stephen Jenkins (L)<br />
Chris Noel (O)<br />
Gavin Pearce (N)<br />
Jerry Pontin (N)<br />
Nick Swallow (O)<br />
John Wood (O)<br />
DON'T BE A VANDAL!<br />
1957 Bob Berry (P)<br />
Warwick Clarke (O/B)<br />
John Longman (P) [Committee]<br />
Richard Sullivan (N)<br />
[Vice-President]<br />
Richard Taylor (O)<br />
Peter Warren-Price (O)<br />
1958 Mark Fenwick (N)<br />
Charles Foot (N)<br />
John Griffith Williams (P)<br />
Geoff Hayward (N)<br />
Anton Schooley (O/B)<br />
Edward Waltham (N)<br />
Robert Willy (L)<br />
1959 James Brenan (O)<br />
John Champion (N)<br />
Peter Squire (P)<br />
Robin Williams (P)<br />
1960 Robert Eshelby (B)<br />
David Graham (O)<br />
Jeremy Hall (L)<br />
Marcus Hill (O)<br />
Perran Newton (L)<br />
Peter Phillips (L)<br />
Charles Pointon-Taylor (N)<br />
Michael Roberts (L)<br />
Keith Warren-Price (B)<br />
1961 Richard Cloete (P)<br />
Tony Daintry (B)<br />
Nigel McCrea (O)<br />
Aidan Mills-Thomas (P)<br />
Robert Snook (B)<br />
1964 James Wills (B)<br />
1965 Colin Williams (L)<br />
1967 Roland Drane (B)<br />
1968 John Graves (P)<br />
Robert Scott (O)<br />
1971 Sue Neale (Hall)<br />
1972 Sally Snook (Hall)<br />
1977 Charles Budgett (O)<br />
Tony Lindesay (O)<br />
Patrick Warwick-Smith (O)<br />
1980 Angus Frazer (L)<br />
Edward Lazenby (N)<br />
Paul Seddon (L)<br />
1981 Jonathan Cox (O)<br />
Henry Harris (N)<br />
Ben James (O)<br />
John Miles (N)<br />
1983 Robert Bradley (N)<br />
Charles Deards (N)<br />
At two points in this Newsletter you will find forms that you may wish to complete<br />
and return: the Bruton Dinner 2004 and the Charitable Trust. In order to avoid<br />
damaging your copy of the Newsletter, may we suggest that either you take a<br />
photocopy of the appropriate form or that you visit the OBA website<br />
(www.oldbrutonians.com) and download the forms you need.<br />
Dan Harden (N)<br />
Fergus Sligo-Young (N)<br />
1984 Daniel Graham (O)<br />
Robert Henderson (O)<br />
Andre Zlattinger (P)<br />
1986 James Lloyd (O)<br />
Thomas Phillips (O)<br />
James Strevens (N)<br />
1987 Christopher Gammon (P)<br />
Tresham Graham (O)<br />
Jolyon Jago (P)<br />
James McNeil (P)<br />
Tom Robson (O)<br />
James Waltham (O)<br />
Philip Williams (P)<br />
1988 Sophie Kirke (W)<br />
Karen Menzel (W)<br />
Amanda Nicholls (W)<br />
1989 Sam Banbury (N)<br />
Don Gibson (L)<br />
Daniel Nutburn (L)<br />
1990 Edward Beresford-Jones (O)<br />
Henry Burrows (O)<br />
Thomas Gough (O)<br />
Matthew Gresham (P)<br />
Chris Hyde (L)<br />
Tim McCallum (O)<br />
Simon Morris (L)<br />
Charles Noble (P)<br />
James Thomas (L)<br />
1991 Ian Clothier (N)<br />
Andrew Molyneux (N)<br />
Adam Nunn (B)<br />
1992 Humphrey Dorrell (B)<br />
Frank Luard (P) [Committee]<br />
1993 Neil Anderson (B)<br />
Lucy Hutchings (W)<br />
Edward Molyneux (N)<br />
Rory Nunn (B)<br />
1994 Michael Bond (B)<br />
Geoff Burt (O)<br />
Alastair Harris (N)<br />
Andrew Pritchard (N)<br />
Adrian Thompson (L)<br />
1995 Louisa Crang (W)<br />
Kate Sedgman (W)<br />
Sophie Stanford-Tuck (W)<br />
1996 Hannah Carew-Gibbs (W)<br />
Suzie Franklin (W)<br />
1997 Katy Bennett (W)<br />
James Spinney (L)<br />
Honorary Members<br />
Tony Beadles (Headmaster 1985-1992)<br />
Guests of the <strong>Association</strong>:<br />
Martin Marriott (Senior Warden)<br />
Gareth Evans (Deputy Headmaster)<br />
Apologies for absence were received from<br />
sixty-nine Members of the <strong>Association</strong>.<br />
16 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
ADVERTISEMENTS<br />
What are you doing on Saturday 26th June, 2004?<br />
The answer to that question should be<br />
“Going to the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong> AGM and Dinner in Bruton.”<br />
Following are a few reasons why you simply have to be there:<br />
After the success of the London Lunch in recent years we are going to<br />
repeat the triumph in Bruton. We shall again be singing the School Song<br />
at the end of the evening. It will be good to hear the strains of “Qui annis<br />
actis excesserunt…” once more resounding to the rafters of the Memorial<br />
Hall. Bruton boasts a rather good jazz band and we shall engage them to<br />
play for us during the pre-dinner drinks.<br />
Remember school food? Things have changed!<br />
You may come to the dinner for FREE if you entered the school<br />
in 1994, 1984, 1974, 1964, 1954, 1944, 1934 or 1924 (in which case you are<br />
now 108 years old).<br />
If you can think of just one person you were at School with whom it<br />
might be fun to meet again, this is your chance; get in touch and come to<br />
the dinner. How about making up a table of those from 1964 (40 years on)<br />
or 1954 (50 years!)?<br />
So! What do you have to do now? Well, not much, really; apart from put<br />
the date in your diary, get in touch with your friends and fill in the booking<br />
form in this newsletter. There is also a form on the web site at:<br />
www.<strong>Old</strong><strong>Brutonian</strong>s.com<br />
We have a recipe for a wonderful evening: good food, good wine, good<br />
friends and good fun. See you there!<br />
[Left] The School flag flies above the Ironmongers' Hall, November 28th, 2003<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 17
It pays to buy<br />
good<br />
tea.<br />
does just<br />
that!<br />
Imporient have offices in the United<br />
Kingdom and at origin in Mombasa<br />
Kenya where they are one of the<br />
largest bulk tea buyers in East Africa<br />
exporting over 36 million kilos of tea<br />
world-wide per annum.<br />
Every week in the tea auctions<br />
2500 +/- different teas are sold. At<br />
their offices in Kenya each of these teas<br />
are tasted and valued.<br />
Teas that are up to standard are<br />
then purchased during the auction.
Imporient launched its Premium Vending<br />
Blend with one objective in mind:“To supply<br />
a vending tea which will produce the<br />
strongest, brightest and best tasting tea<br />
currently available on the market”.<br />
Imporient Premium Blend produces a<br />
strong, bright golden tea full of flavour.<br />
Imporient also supplies high quality<br />
Catering tea bags and speciality teas.<br />
&<br />
Imporient & Brita are committed to producing the best tasting<br />
tea from vending machines.As professional tea tasters supplying the<br />
world with over 36 million kilos of tea per annum we know the water<br />
used in making tea is very important to the end taste and appearance.<br />
Imporient Premium Blend + Brita Filtered Water = better tea!<br />
Telephone (0)20 8699 0511<br />
Quality Guarantee<br />
• 100% pure main grade black leaf tea<br />
• No stalk • No powder • Brews quickly • Strong flavour • Great taste • Consistency of quality • ISO 9002 Accredited<br />
it’s clear from the taste<br />
The Tea<br />
Council<br />
David Graham, <strong>Old</strong> House 1960-1965 - Daniel Graham, <strong>Old</strong> House 1984-1989 - Tresham Graham, <strong>Old</strong> House 1987-1992
Members of the 3rd Form approach the Canadian memorial on Vimy Ridge during the annual History and English<br />
Departments visit to the WW1 battlefields. [Picture by Michael Middlehurst]<br />
LONDON LUNCH<br />
MAILING LIST<br />
Richard Taylor has a ‘core’ mailing list of well over<br />
150 <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s who have attended Lunches<br />
in the past or indicated that they wished to do so<br />
in the future. He sends out a notice to all on this<br />
list, with details of the lunch, a month or two in<br />
advance. In addition, Harry Witherby is<br />
maintaining the database containing over 1000<br />
email addresses of <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s and he will be<br />
reminding you all of the lunch in good time. To be<br />
included please contact:<br />
oba.database@witherby.net<br />
For <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s not on Richard Taylor’s list<br />
who may wish to attend the 2003 Lunch in the<br />
City, please contact him as soon as you can so<br />
that your name may be added.<br />
Richard Taylor,10 Bramfield Road, London SW11<br />
6RB.<br />
Tel: 020 7223 1299 Fax:020 7924 4288<br />
Email: tapador@globalnet.co.uk<br />
When did you last<br />
return to Bruton?<br />
Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast and Self-Catering<br />
holidays 10 minutes from Bruton. Quality B&B<br />
(ETC 4 Diamonds Silver Award/ AA 4 Diamonds)<br />
and Self-catering accommodation,<br />
(4 Stars grading), on our dairy farm.<br />
B&B From £27.50 per night; S/C From £200 per week;<br />
Credit cards accepted.<br />
www.clanvillemanor.co.uk<br />
Mrs Sally Snook,<br />
Clanville Manor, Castle Cary, BA7 7PJ<br />
Tel: 01963 350124 Fax 01963 350719<br />
Mobile 07966 512732 e-mail: info@clanvillemanor.co.uk<br />
5% of the cost of your stay will be donated to the OBA<br />
20 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS 2004<br />
1939<br />
John BURNETT (N39/43) writes “I started by<br />
being an articled pupil to an Architect in<br />
London. I then went to the School of<br />
Architecture at Liverpool University,<br />
qualifying in 1950. I captained both Tennis<br />
and Hockey teams whilst there.<br />
I then moved to Hertfordshire, met my wife<br />
and got married in 1953. (I got my<br />
Hertfordshire County Hockey Cap in 1952).<br />
We moved around the country to Bristol,<br />
Stevenage, St Albans and then out to Little<br />
Horkesley near Colchester, changing jobs and<br />
designing schools, houses and hospitals - all<br />
very interesting with different problems.<br />
A couple of years ago, my wife died and I<br />
moved into a maisonette in Nayland and<br />
would be very pleased to meet any <strong>Old</strong><br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s of any vintage”. John has 3<br />
children and 6 grandchildren.<br />
1953<br />
Noel BURFORD (P/L53/56) writes from<br />
Rutland that after leaving King’s he completed<br />
two years National Service with the RAF<br />
before moving into a career in sales and<br />
marketing in Toys and Leisure. He is now<br />
retired and keeps in touch with Jeremy<br />
HEWLETT (N51/55)<br />
Christopher LEDGER (N53/58) writes that he<br />
is now fully retired and living in South Devon<br />
where his interests include golf, gardening,<br />
model engineering and amateur radio (Call<br />
Sign G3UBL)<br />
1954<br />
Roger GALLANNAUGH (O54/57) has been<br />
appointed a Governor of King’s School.<br />
1956<br />
Bill BUNBURY (N56/58) writes from Perth,<br />
Western Australia where he is a Broadcaster<br />
with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation<br />
(ABC). Bill is an award-winning radio<br />
documentary-maker, producing and<br />
presenting for ABC Radio National’s<br />
‘Hindsight’. Among his awards are the 1986<br />
United Nations Australia Peace Prize for ‘The<br />
War Rages On: Australians in Vietnam’; the<br />
Gold Medal for History Documentary at the<br />
prestigious New York Radio Festival Awards in<br />
1996 for ‘Timber for Gold: The Kalgoorlie<br />
Woodlines’; and the inaugural NSW Premier’s<br />
History Awards Special Prize in 1997 for the<br />
radio commentary series ‘Unfinished<br />
Business’. His examinations of Australian<br />
history have also led to such books as Being<br />
Aboriginal (with Ros Bowden); Reading Labels<br />
on Jam Tins: Living Through Difficult Times;<br />
Rag,Sticks and Wire: Australians in the Air<br />
1919-90; Cyclone Tracy: Picking up the Pieces;<br />
Rabbits and Spaghetti: Italy, Australians and<br />
World War II; and Timber for Gold: The<br />
Kalgoorlie Woodlines.<br />
Bill is also a member of the Western<br />
Australia Council for Aboriginal<br />
Reconciliation, a board member of the<br />
Fremantle History Museum, and has been a<br />
frequent university guest lecturer. His father,<br />
who was Australian born, also attended KSB<br />
(N14/16) but died in 1970.<br />
Jeremy PONTIN (N56/60) has recently retired.<br />
On leaving school, he worked in property and<br />
qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1966,<br />
whilst in private practice in Devon, his home<br />
county. Later he worked in Surrey and<br />
Hampshire, where he became the County<br />
Estates Surveyor, responsible for a department<br />
of some hundred staff, providing valuations<br />
and estate management professional services<br />
for the whole county. 1993 saw his<br />
department reorganised, whereupon he was<br />
appointed Resident Land Steward for the<br />
Duchy of Cornwall, responsible for the Isles of<br />
Scilly district. In recognition of his work for<br />
the Duchy, Jeremy was appointed MVO in the<br />
Queen’s Birthday Honours. He is also a Fellow<br />
of the Royal Institution of Chartered<br />
Surveyors. Jeremy is married and has three<br />
children. Sport remains a passion, and he<br />
particularly enjoys the annual London to<br />
Brighton cycling event, where he is joined by<br />
his children, raising money for the Heart<br />
Foundation. Jeremy, who keeps in touch with<br />
quite a few of his contemporaries at School,<br />
says that he would be happy to see, or hear<br />
from, anyone of his vintage from School who<br />
is living in Cornwall or visiting. As a parting<br />
shot, he suggests that the School Shop might<br />
consider selling baseball caps with the<br />
School’s Dolphin and Crown emblem.<br />
1958<br />
Richard CANT (N58/62) writes that after<br />
practising as a private client solicitor for 39<br />
years he has thrown in the towel on law in<br />
favour of Sandbanks Beach.<br />
Tim CRONIN (N58/62) paid a visit to King’s in<br />
September 2003.<br />
Jonathan GOODERHAM (O&B58/62) is based<br />
in Auckland, New Zealand where he works as<br />
a Fine Art Dealer specialising in European and<br />
Antipodean paintings. Jonathan is married to<br />
Janet and has a daughter, Elizabeth.<br />
John WINSTONE (N58/62) writes that he is in<br />
contact with John WILLIAMS (O58/62) who is<br />
now a grandfather and living in California.<br />
1962<br />
George O’GRADY (N62/66) George becomes<br />
chief executive of the PGA European Tour at the<br />
end of 2004. His immediate predecessor and<br />
boss, Ken Scholfield has chosen retirement,<br />
saying that it would have been selfish of him to<br />
have remained in what he sees as “a highly<br />
privileged position” when there was a man of<br />
George’s abilities waiting in the wings. George’s<br />
appointment had the unanimous backing of<br />
everyone on the tournament committee and<br />
the board of directors. On leaving Bruton,<br />
George went to Reading University where he<br />
captained the rugby team. After working first<br />
for Esso and then as a stockbroker, he joined the<br />
European tour as a tournament director in 1974.<br />
Chief referee at the Royal Lytham and St Annes,<br />
he was staging manager for the 1981 match at<br />
Walton Heath. Having been appointed as<br />
Scholfield’s deputy in 1989, he played a key role<br />
in the growth and development of the Tour’s<br />
television company.<br />
1966<br />
Neil FORD, Q.C. (B66/71) is now Head of his<br />
Chambers - Albion Chambers, Bristol.<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
1969<br />
Kirsten COOKE (nee Hamilton-Fairlie) (Hall<br />
69/71) is an Associate of the Royal<br />
Photographic Society. Kirsten specialises in<br />
Wedding Photography and is based in Stokesub-Hamdon.<br />
1971<br />
David BARTON (P71/74) was awarded a<br />
Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service<br />
(QCVS) in the Operation TELIC honours and<br />
awards list following the war in Iraq. He<br />
writes “I had a staff team of about 75<br />
personnel and we ran all the administrative<br />
arrangements for the 46,000 strong British<br />
Force, spread across 10 countries. We started<br />
off in January in Kuwait and then moved into<br />
Iraq in April 2003. Particular areas of<br />
responsibility were all manpower<br />
arrangements, running a large database for<br />
the Force in the Middle East, welfare<br />
(telephones, Internet, radio, TV, mail, papers -<br />
over £50m budget!), the administration of<br />
casualties and compassionate cases, mortuary<br />
management and the administration of<br />
Prisoners of War. I can’t remember if I told<br />
you but I ended up as the Senior British<br />
Liaison Officer working with the Americans in<br />
the Prisoner of War camp outside UMM Qasr,<br />
Iraq. We had just under 7000 Iraqi prisoners<br />
in the camp. The operation was challenging<br />
and rewarding but not good fun because of<br />
the large number of people who lost their<br />
lives or were seriously injured. However, it<br />
was the adventure of a lifetime and all those<br />
excellent KSB values and qualities were<br />
remembered and put into practice throughout<br />
the 4 months deployment. Also, what great<br />
guys the American’s were to work with; and<br />
they were even better allies.”<br />
Nick BARTON (P71/77) Nick recently climbed<br />
Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya and raised over<br />
£10,000 in the process for children’s charity<br />
called Whizz Kids. He is a wealth investor,<br />
working for Bank Hoffman, and his portfolio is<br />
East Africa.<br />
1972<br />
Dominic WOOD (O72/76) writes that he is in<br />
his 26th year of work as a scientist at the<br />
Veterinary Laboratories Agency at NEW Haw,<br />
Weybridge (executive agency for DEFRA)<br />
researching into BSE and Scrapie.<br />
1973<br />
William NEWTON (L73/75)<br />
The following is an extract from The Daily<br />
Telegraph of June 7th, 2003:<br />
Memories of the Queen’s coronation Derby<br />
will be revived today when she presents the<br />
trophy for this year’s race at Epsom.<br />
The Queen’s Aureole finished second in the<br />
1953 Derby, days after she was crowned. The<br />
public’s disappointment at the horse’s defeat<br />
was tempered by the fact that the race was<br />
won by Pinza, giving the jockey Sir Gordon<br />
Richards his first Derby victory in 28 attempts.<br />
Sir Gordon had been knighted in the<br />
Coronation honours. His victory is<br />
commemorated in the trophy for today’s<br />
Vodafone Derby - a bronze sculpture of Pinza,<br />
with Sir Gordon in the saddle.<br />
The bronze, measuring 2ft 6ins in length,<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 21
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
was sculpted by Willie Newton, a former<br />
jockey who has created the last six Derby<br />
trophies. Newton, 44, said; “I wanted to<br />
commemorate the fact that it was the 50th<br />
anniversary of the coronation and that gave<br />
me an opportunity to also recognise a<br />
magnificent horse in Pinza and a genuine<br />
racing legend in Sir Gordon.”<br />
The trophy depicts Pinza with a stable lad.<br />
“Using the lad allowed me to identify the era<br />
through the clothes that he wore. It is also<br />
good to be able to recognise the enormous<br />
debt racing owes to stable staff.”<br />
Today’s Derby is the 224th running of the<br />
race at Epsom and the richest horse race in<br />
Europe, with a total prize fund of nearly £1.5<br />
million.<br />
1976<br />
David HOPCROFT (P76/78) has written from<br />
Sydney where he is now the Manager of the<br />
Shangri-La Hotel, The Rocks. His 2 children<br />
Zara (10) and Dylan (8) attend private schools<br />
in Sydney. David writes “if I can be of any<br />
assistance to any old boy while they are here<br />
in Sydney, I would be more than happy to<br />
catch up with them.”<br />
1977<br />
Charlie YATES (L77/82) On leaving school,<br />
Charlie went to college in Portsmouth to study<br />
Marine Biology. Finding no work in this<br />
sphere, he took and passed the Civil Service<br />
exam. Still thinking in marine terms, he<br />
applied to work for Customs and Excise and<br />
was sent to the VAT Department in<br />
Kennington! This proved a blessing in disguise<br />
and he is now in International Trade Strategy,<br />
giving lectures and seminars here and abroad.<br />
He has recently found working in the House<br />
of Commons, getting new legislation through<br />
Parliament, particularly interesting. In 1988 he<br />
married Petra Clarke and they have two sons:<br />
Jack, born in 1994, and Charlie James, born in<br />
1999.<br />
(Address: 66 Spenser Road, Bedford MK40 2BB)<br />
David YATES (P77/82) On leaving catering<br />
college in Portsmouth, David went to work for<br />
Balls Brothers, the wine importers. He ran a<br />
series of their City wine bars, some with<br />
restaurants attached. After 17 years with that<br />
firm, he is now their Commercial Manager,<br />
dealing with large wine contracts, training<br />
and wine tasting. David married Michelle<br />
Fullbrook in 1989 and they have two sons:<br />
Samuel, born in 1996, and Alexander, born in<br />
1998. (Address: 41 Knole Road, Dartford, Kent<br />
DA1 3JN)<br />
1978<br />
Jeremy GAINHER (L78/81) runs a restaurant<br />
in Perth, Western Australia.<br />
1979<br />
Jonathan BRUCE (N79/84) runs a restaurant<br />
in Rock, Cornwall after training with Rick<br />
Stein in Padstow.<br />
Robin GAINHER (L79/84) is a Housemaster at<br />
Cranleigh Preparatory School, Surrey<br />
Justin GAU (P79/84) A newspaper report<br />
reveals that Justin was prosecuting counsel in<br />
a trial in Bournemouth Crown Court last May.<br />
The case concerned a mother and son who<br />
pretended to be husband and wife in order to<br />
obtain a £120,000 remortgage. They then<br />
embarked on a five-week spending spree in<br />
France before handing themselves in to police,<br />
having squandered all but £525 of the money.<br />
Justin secured his prosecution.<br />
David MYRES (P79/84) was married 18<br />
months ago and made an Associate at<br />
Christopher Smallwoods earlier this year.<br />
1980<br />
Anthony DUGUID (N80/85) has written from<br />
his new address in Winchester (see Changes<br />
of Address list) that he is still working in<br />
London in property. Anthony ‘quite often<br />
bumps into Ian Stewart’; sees ‘John Miles from<br />
time to time through work’ and David<br />
McDonald (N81/83) who is still in touch with<br />
Digby Veevers Carter (N80/85) now living in<br />
Cape Cod.<br />
1981<br />
Roland LEDGER (N81/85) is a<br />
development/project engineer in research and<br />
development supporting the marine industry.<br />
His company is based in Chelmsford but his<br />
main residence is at Salcombe<br />
1982<br />
Jonathan SOMERVILLE (O82/87) is now a<br />
restaurateur in Hong Kong. He and his wife<br />
Petra have two sons, Samuel born in February<br />
2001 and Ethan born in February 2003.<br />
Richard STEVENSON (B82/84) has been<br />
appointed Headmaster of Kelly College Junior<br />
School.<br />
1983<br />
Richard DIXON (P83/88) felt prompted to<br />
send in his news after seeing David Hindley at<br />
the launch party of James Holland’s latest<br />
book ‘Fortress Malta’ on board HMS Belfast.<br />
After graduating from Reading University in<br />
1993 with a degree in Land Management and<br />
Economy he left for Hong Kong where he<br />
worked in Commercial Property. He is now a<br />
qualified Chartered Surveyor and lives in<br />
London with his wife Lucy, who is<br />
French/American; they have 2 sons - Hugo (4)<br />
and Tristan (18 months)<br />
On learning of Andrew Leach’s retirement<br />
from teaching Richard writes that “as my<br />
housemaster for 5 teenage years and as a<br />
parent now (and having done a little growing<br />
up since!), I realise of course the enormous<br />
impact Andrew had in steering my path.<br />
That path was not always clear, but having a<br />
man of such skills of leadership and<br />
compassion to guide the way, I have no doubt<br />
has been in some great part responsible for<br />
who I am today.”<br />
Mark LEDGER (B83/86) is working as a marine<br />
analyst in the City with the international law<br />
firm of Clyde and Company. He was married<br />
in September 2003 (see Marriages)<br />
1985<br />
Ben NEWMAN (P85/90) married Sarah Wood<br />
on November 29th, 2003 (see Marriages) with<br />
Duncan STEWART (O85/90) as his Best Man.<br />
As the wedding was the day after the OBA<br />
London Lunch he was unable to attend the<br />
lunch. After a wonderful honeymoon on safari<br />
in South Africa Ben and Sarah are living in<br />
Cobham, Surrey. Ben is currently working in<br />
Central London as Director of Asset<br />
Management for Curzon Global Partners, which<br />
entails managing private equity funds investing<br />
in commercial real estate in Europe (not UK).<br />
1986<br />
Alex OULTON (N86/91) has married his longterm<br />
girl-friend, Noriko, and they have had a<br />
daughter, Hannah. Alex still works for the<br />
bank, BNP Paribas; he and his family live in<br />
Surbiton.<br />
Toby SCOURSE (N86/91) reports that after<br />
graduating with a 2:1 in Hospitality<br />
Management he worked on the QE2 before<br />
joining UBEVCO Distributors Ltd where he has<br />
been working in sales for the last 6 years. He<br />
worked his way up through the sales teams<br />
and for the past 2 years has been a Senior<br />
Account Manager looking after various<br />
national large groups of bars, restaurants and<br />
night clubs stocking the UBEVCO products.<br />
Being especially fond of a particular brand,<br />
Tiger Beer, from early personal associations<br />
during his time in Malaysia, he is now Tiger<br />
Beer Brand Manager, developing it within the<br />
UK. In April 2003, while in Malaysia, Toby got<br />
engaged to Colette and they plan a London<br />
wedding in July 2004.<br />
1987<br />
Tim MIRFIN (N87/92) has joined Scottish<br />
Opera and has been singing the part of<br />
Zorastro in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.<br />
1988<br />
Charlie MAIDMENT (O88/91) has married<br />
Louise Evans (see Marriages list)<br />
Rupert OULTON (N88/93) has returned to<br />
Imperial College, London to work on a<br />
research programme funded by Mitsubishi,<br />
developing organic LED (light emitting diode)<br />
and LCD (light crystal display) technologies.<br />
He has published several papers and has been<br />
quoted as an authority on his subject in<br />
various places. He is trying for a Fellowship to<br />
further his research work next year.<br />
1989<br />
Christopher GRANTHAM (N89/94) will be<br />
marrying his partner, Holly, on June 5th, 2004.<br />
He and Holly have a baby son, Oscar.<br />
1990<br />
Julius JACOBSEN (P90/95) is studying for a<br />
Ph.D. at Cambridge<br />
Edward OULTON (N90/95) continues in Hong<br />
Kong with HSBC. He now works in Treasury<br />
and has assisted on several big financings this<br />
year, helping to put his department firmly on<br />
the map.<br />
He works very long hours and many<br />
weekends but enjoys the challenge. He has<br />
had several brief holidays in Vietnam,<br />
Cambodia and Yunan China.<br />
Robin PHILLIPS (O92/95) is currently living<br />
and working in Sydney where he is in contact<br />
with several other OBs.<br />
Rachael SKELTON (nee GOSLING W90/92)<br />
continues to work for the BBC and is now<br />
making news documentaries about Iraq and<br />
Afghanistan.<br />
22 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
1991<br />
William ASPINALL (O91/96) is currently<br />
working as an Assistant Producer on an 8-part<br />
series for BBC2 entitled Map Man. Each<br />
episode looks at a seminal map in British<br />
History by undergoing a journey in a<br />
particular part of the country. He has already<br />
shot two of the programmes: Harry Beck’s<br />
tube map, and Christopher Saxton’s County<br />
atlas of England and Wales; the third, William<br />
Smith’s geological maps, will be filmed in<br />
Dorset and Somerset in late April.<br />
He has spent the last three years in TV<br />
production, mainly in historical<br />
documentaries. However, he was also a<br />
runner and stand-in to Ray Winstone in<br />
Henry VIII, a TV drama which aired last year.<br />
During its filming he managed to pitch an<br />
idea to the producer, and has since been<br />
commissioned to write a feature film for<br />
Granada. “It’s important to have several irons<br />
in the fire, as, being a freelancer, the world can<br />
be a pretty cruel place”. He has experienced<br />
short periods of unemployment and, during<br />
that time, has embarked on thankfully brief<br />
careers in labouring, parcel delivery and<br />
chauffeuring.<br />
Nick HANDFORD (91/96) works as one of the<br />
music industry’s youngest production<br />
managers. The following article by Louise<br />
Strickland appeared in ‘Lighting&Sound’:<br />
“At 25 Nick Handford is one of the industry’s<br />
youngest production managers. He has that<br />
relaxed air of approachability and control<br />
common to all good production managers.<br />
You can imagine him as the ‘grown up’<br />
constantly sorting out the needs and wants of<br />
a demanding mix of people, whilst balancing<br />
a hundred other tasks simultaneously.<br />
Born and raised in Wiltshire, Handford won<br />
a music scholarship at 13 and went to study at<br />
King’s School in Bruton, Somerset. After A<br />
levels, he took a degree in Enterprise<br />
Management at the Liverpool Institute of<br />
Performing Arts (LIPA). The course covered the<br />
whole spectrum of management in the<br />
performing arts, with specific emphasis on<br />
the music business - Handford’s main area of<br />
interest. Music has always been in his blood.<br />
His father - who died when he was 9 - was a<br />
well-known conductor, his mother a classical<br />
violinist, and his younger brother and sister<br />
are also musically talented, “much more than I<br />
ever was,” he adds.<br />
LIPA was a ground-breaking experience for<br />
Handford. Not only did he study the theory<br />
and administration of managing people in the<br />
arts, he also made some important and<br />
enduring contacts. One of those was with Lee<br />
Forde, ex rock ‘n’ roll lighting designer, who<br />
now heads Liverpool’s Cultural Events<br />
department.<br />
He also realised that music management<br />
was not for him and his ambitions focused on<br />
being hands-open with live performance. His<br />
course at LIPA didn’t get technical, and his<br />
now considerable and broad-based technical<br />
knowledge has come from practical on-theroad<br />
experience. “LIPA gave me the<br />
confidence and opportunity to put on some<br />
great shows, to meet good people and to<br />
realise the importance of teamwork in<br />
making a production successful,” he says.<br />
The LIPA Lighting Project in 1999, part of<br />
Handford’s final year assessment , was the<br />
most memorable event on his three-year<br />
course. Handford project- managed and<br />
organized the sponsorship, promotion, press<br />
and marketing for an ambitious architectural<br />
.lighting scheme by fellow student Paul Nulty<br />
which saw them light the university<br />
buildings. They overcame all the odds -<br />
including initial scepticism from the<br />
university - to turn it into a successful creative<br />
and media event.<br />
Handford made the most of any ‘down’<br />
time he had at LIPA by crewing for the<br />
Salisbury Festival and also working for Eddie<br />
Izzard shows as assistant production manager<br />
after meeting tour manager Mick Perrin<br />
during his final year. Here he really got to<br />
grips with the technicals of lighting, sound,<br />
video and power.<br />
After graduation, he immediately found<br />
himself on tour with Eddie Izzard again,<br />
before returning to Liverpool later in the year<br />
to work on the city’s Millennial ‘River of Light’<br />
project. This experience, partly because it<br />
meant having to deal with an urban site<br />
which was never meant to stage any type of<br />
public event, is right up there in Handford’s<br />
“most challenging” moments to date. The<br />
sheer scale and diversity was also incredible -<br />
from building projections, to lasers and video<br />
onto water screens, lighting, architectural<br />
lighting, show sound and pyrotechnics - both<br />
logistically and technically, he dealt with a<br />
multi-layered performance.<br />
He’s worked on other large outdoor<br />
spectaculars since, but nothing compared to<br />
River of Light. Handford also did a brief spell<br />
as a lampie with Daff Cook on a series of ‘Who<br />
Wants to be a Millionaire’ at Elstree, working<br />
as third Vari*Lite tech, after completing the<br />
company’s one-day training course to bring<br />
himself up to speed with the fixtures.<br />
When the production management gig for<br />
one of the Stomp troops came up, he jumped<br />
at the chance and became their youngest<br />
production manager - which kept him<br />
occupied for the majority of the next two-anda-half<br />
years, during which time he travelled<br />
the length and breadth of the globe. His<br />
greatest Stomp show was in an amphitheatre<br />
at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, where,<br />
without the benefit of local crew, they raced<br />
against time to get in and get the show on.<br />
All the permanent crew pitched in and helped<br />
each other. “It’s not very often you see the<br />
sound boys unloading a set truck!” he<br />
comments.<br />
Handford had just returned from that<br />
Stomp tour, and is currently working on the<br />
Matthew Street Festival in Liverpool.<br />
1991<br />
Jamie REACH (L91/95) has been appointed<br />
Head of Mathematics at Clayesmore School.<br />
1992<br />
James ILLINGWORTH-KAY (O92/97) is<br />
teaching English in China.<br />
Andrew LOWE (L92/97) has applied for a PGCE<br />
course following graduation from York.<br />
Christopher LOWE (N92/97) is now working<br />
for Tallis at Templecombe.<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
Tim STYLES (B92/97) works for Thales at Wells<br />
following his graduation from Cambridge. He<br />
became engaged in March 2003 to Angela,<br />
whom he met at university, and plans to<br />
marry in September 2004.<br />
Alan WILLIAMS (B92/97) works as aNews<br />
Editor for the Somerset Standard and<br />
Guardian based in Bath. He has entered the<br />
2004 London Marathon. Alan is hoping to<br />
raise £10,000 for the research work of the<br />
Cystic Fibrosis Trust - if anyone is interested<br />
in sponsoring him, please see his website:<br />
www.alansmarathon.ukonline.co.uk<br />
… He still plays cricket for Bruton.<br />
1994<br />
Jamie CRANFIELD (O94/99) is now working<br />
with Renishaw following his graduation from<br />
Nottingham (see Graduates List)<br />
Guy CULLUM (P94/99) is teaching English in<br />
Northern China<br />
1995<br />
James HARRISON (L95/00) is hoping to join<br />
the Royal Marines following his graduation<br />
from Aberystwyth (see Graduates List).<br />
Oliver JENNINGS (P95/2000) is in his first<br />
year of study for a BA (Hons) in Tourism<br />
Management at Southampton Institute.<br />
Joe MBU (N95/00) The Sunday Telegraph<br />
Sports account on August 17th, 2003 of the<br />
Middlesex Sevens Rugby Tournament wrote<br />
that “Bath were virtually a one-man team<br />
thanks to the efforts of winger Joe Mbu who<br />
contributed three tries in a 31-24 victory. The<br />
Nigerian is also a Sevens specialist, having<br />
bailed out Newcastle in the final two years<br />
ago, when they were hit by injuries.”<br />
Martin TILLBROOK (P95/2000) is working on<br />
the IT staff at KSB Junior School, Hazlegrove<br />
House, from September 2003 for the industrial<br />
training 3rd year part of his 4 year B.Sc. Hons<br />
Sandwich course in Internet Technologies &<br />
Applications at Plymouth University.<br />
1996<br />
Max ALLISON-WRIGHT (L96/01) is studying<br />
Archaeology at Southampton University.<br />
Alexandra LIVINGSTONE (W96/98) Since her<br />
graduation from St Andrews Alex has been<br />
doing political consultancy under a Graduate<br />
Scheme for the Public Affairs Department of<br />
the PR firm Weber Shandwick. She enjoys<br />
learning about politics, having lunch in the<br />
House of Lords and jetting over to Brussels.<br />
1997<br />
Katie BENNETT (W97/99) appeared on a<br />
round of the BBC1 ‘Mastermind’ programme<br />
televised 15th September 2003. Katie came<br />
3rd, taking as her specialised subject the<br />
Manic Street Preachers.<br />
1998<br />
Emma EVELYN (W98/00) writes that she is<br />
still working for FPD Savills in Wandsworth<br />
which she loves. She keeps in touch with<br />
some OBs and has a new address.<br />
1999<br />
Sophie PARR (W99/03) is spending part of her<br />
GAP year teaching at a school in Chile,<br />
followed by travelling in South America.<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 23
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
BATMAN, O.B. –<br />
FURTHER NEWS<br />
Some of you may remember that<br />
the last issue of the Newsletter<br />
contained details of Stephen Batman,<br />
a distinguished translator and author<br />
who died in 1584. Like Shakespeare’s<br />
friend and executor, Thomas Russell,<br />
Batman grew up in Bruton and would<br />
certainly have attended King’s School.<br />
He went on to become a Doctor of<br />
Divinity and chaplain to the great<br />
Archbishop Parker. One of Batman’s<br />
roles was to help in gathering<br />
together Parker’s mighty library of<br />
over six thousand books, now housed<br />
in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.<br />
In a publication of 1581 entitled The<br />
Dooome Warning All Men to the<br />
Judgement, Batman writes of his<br />
native town and of a fellow <strong>Brutonian</strong><br />
called Goffe who owned a calf with<br />
two heads. I have modernised<br />
Batman’s original spelling:<br />
In Somersetshire near the town of<br />
Bruton was calved a calf with two<br />
heads, which bred a great grief to the<br />
owner of that strange sight, being an<br />
honest townsman, called Goffe.<br />
In the which town, for that I was<br />
born, I have thought good to recite the<br />
antiquity thereof. As authors affirm by<br />
ancient record, one of the Earls of<br />
Cornwall, and Oxenford, named<br />
Algarus, first founded the Abbey, after<br />
which foundation, the town increased<br />
in buildings and inhabitants, about the<br />
year of our Lord God, 1043. At such<br />
time when Edward the Son of Egelred<br />
was king of England three and twenty<br />
years before the Conquest, about five<br />
hundred one and forty years<br />
continuance. Bruton lyeth north and<br />
Carmen Brutoniense (with translation)<br />
Qui anis actis excesserunt The famous founders of our School<br />
Insignes nobis condiderunt Who built so strong and sure,<br />
Scholam quam felices colamus Deserve our thanks, all.<br />
Illos carminibus laudamus We praise them now in song.<br />
Semper dimisit eruditos Great pupils of culture from our School<br />
Alumnos mater et politos The fount of wisdom heed,<br />
Nos illis dignos eluctemur To match their learning let us strive,<br />
Praestare Fortunam sequemur. And follow Fortune’s lead.<br />
Chorus:<br />
Perstat per annos nomen Her fame stands firm from year to year<br />
Floreat Brutonia (Let Bruton flourish)<br />
Praesens dat delphin omen With the Dolphin as our guide<br />
Floreat Brutonia<br />
Divina sub tutela May heaven’s grace vouchsafe to us<br />
Floreat Brutonia<br />
Fausta tendamus vela To meet the flowing tide.<br />
Floreat Brutonia.<br />
Si quis pium suscepit munus Now every pupil whose duty’s done<br />
Hic et scholae sit opportunus Brings credit to the School<br />
Et mox feret viriles partis For soon they come to play the adult<br />
Seu quis Minervae sive Martis As arts or war may rule<br />
Rex olim favit vix creatis Edvardus At founding date an Edward reigned<br />
Edvardus renatis And then an Edward new<br />
Novus vetustam firmat legem Confirmed the charter of his sire<br />
Utrumque collaudamus regem At our refounding too.<br />
Perstat per annos nomen......<br />
Carmen Brutoniense was first sung at Speech Day, 1903, in the reign of<br />
Edward VII. Hence the second ‘Edvardus’ referred to in the School Song.<br />
south, with a fair street west, thereto<br />
joining other streets. It hath a fair<br />
market cross of stone with six pillars,<br />
within the which are seats of the said<br />
stone, which Crosse was builded by<br />
Ely, the last Abbot there.<br />
The parish church is beyond the<br />
river Brue of Brewham, from whence<br />
the river falleth west: the Abbey and<br />
the town standeth in Selwood, in the<br />
which Abbey were placed first monks,<br />
and after canons, divers of the Moynes<br />
[the De Mohun family who were<br />
granted Bruton by William the<br />
Conqueror some time after the<br />
Domesday Survey - Ed.] were buried<br />
there, a people which came in with<br />
William Conqueror and were of<br />
nobility: over the river are two bridges<br />
to pass with carriage between the<br />
parish church, the abbey that was, and<br />
the town, the one having three arches,<br />
the other a bow bridge of such art and<br />
making, as being once decayed will<br />
hardly be made again. The abbey was<br />
suppressed anno. 1538, then called<br />
Abbas Monastery Beate Mariae, the<br />
first of April.<br />
Authors Lanquet, Leyland, the<br />
Register of the Suppression Anno 20 of<br />
King Henry the Eighth. Since which<br />
time, there was a school house, where<br />
many times scholars profited in<br />
learning, to the honour of the place,<br />
and profit of youth, supposed now<br />
very much decayed, the more have the<br />
hinderers to answer before God.<br />
OBA SUBSCRIPTION RATES<br />
The Rules of the <strong>Association</strong> stipulate<br />
that the current OBA subscription rates<br />
should be published in the Newsletter.<br />
The following information is given to<br />
comply with this requirement.<br />
The life subscription rate for those<br />
joining the <strong>Association</strong> on leaving the<br />
School or within ten years thereafter is<br />
£252. The life subscription rate can be<br />
changed by the <strong>Association</strong> in general<br />
meeting. Arrangements have been put<br />
in place for subscriptions to be collected<br />
by instalments whilst a pupil is<br />
in the School.<br />
The life subscription rate for those<br />
joining more than ten years after<br />
leaving the School is related to the life<br />
subscription rate for leavers in the year<br />
of joining on a sliding scale laid down<br />
in the <strong>Association</strong>’s Rules.<br />
Associate membership is available to<br />
staff at the School on payment of an<br />
annual subscription rate equal to onetenth<br />
of the life subscription rate for<br />
leavers in the year of joining. After<br />
payment of ten annual subscriptions an<br />
associate member automatically<br />
becomes a life member.<br />
24 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
OB GOVERNORS<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s continue to give<br />
generously of their time on the<br />
Governing Body of the School, but<br />
summer 2003 was, and summer<br />
2004 is to be, a time of change.<br />
Sadly Nick Evelyn (L56/59) has<br />
stepped down as a Governor after<br />
twenty-six years’ devoted service.<br />
His successor as Junior Warden, Joe<br />
Palmer (N45/49), is retiring from<br />
that important post but happily<br />
remains on the Board; Joe was, for a<br />
number of years, Chairman of the<br />
F&GP, another key role. The present<br />
Chairman of the F&GP is Norman<br />
Robson (O54/59). The other current<br />
OB Governors are Richard Sampson<br />
(P51/55) and Peter Squire (P59/63),<br />
the latter taking over as Senior<br />
Warden, we are delighted to report,<br />
following his retirement as Chief of<br />
the Air Staff. Joining the Board are<br />
two other former members of the<br />
School: Roger Gallannaugh<br />
(O54/57), an architect by profession<br />
and now living in Bruton, and Peter<br />
Phillips (L60/65), whose expertise<br />
is in marketing. Both are past<br />
presidents of the OBA. The total<br />
number of Governors who are also<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s now stands at six.<br />
[For a full list of the Governing<br />
Body, please visit the School website:<br />
www.kingsbruton.com]<br />
Richard WELCH (O77/82) Ph.D. London<br />
University, 2003<br />
Robin CORDINA (B94/99) 2:1 Business<br />
& Marketing, Bournemouth, June 2003<br />
Jamie CRANFIELD (O94/99) 2:2<br />
Mechanical Engineering, Nottingham,<br />
June 2003<br />
Guy CULLUM (P94/99) International<br />
Disaster Engineering & Management,<br />
Coventry, June 2003<br />
Andrew HARRIS (P94/99) 2.2 Classics,<br />
St Andrews, June 2003<br />
Charles MINTY (B94/99) 2:1 French and<br />
English, Manchester, June 2003<br />
Philip STILES (B94/99) 2:1 English &<br />
Politics, Leicester, June 2003<br />
John WALTON (O 94/99) lst International<br />
Relations, St Andrews, June 2003<br />
Rudi ZEIDA (L94/99) 1st Business &<br />
German. Aston, June 2003<br />
BIRTHS<br />
PODGER to Jeremy (B78/82) and Jodie a<br />
daughter, Tabitha Auriel Barbara on<br />
12th July, 2003 sister for Theo and Ben.<br />
PETRIE, to James (O83/88) and Carol a<br />
son, Jude Benedict on Jan. 23rd, 2004<br />
FITZGERALD to Colin (O84/88) and<br />
Clare a daughter on Dec. 10th, 2003<br />
GAMMON to Nick (P86/91) and Fiona<br />
a daughter, Polly Constantine on Feb.<br />
4th, 2004<br />
BRUNTON to Jemma [nee Saye]<br />
(W92/94) and Daniel a son, Oliver, on<br />
Sept. 10th, 2003<br />
ENGAGEMENTS<br />
Toby SCORSE (N86/91) to Colette in<br />
April 2003 whilst in Malaysia<br />
Malcolm MELVILLE (N88/93) to<br />
Hannah MacInnes in January 2004<br />
Christopher GRANTHAM (N89/94) to<br />
Holly (wedding planned for 5.6.04)<br />
David LEMON (P91/96) to Camilla<br />
White in February 2004<br />
Jamie MCKENZIE (L91/96) to Joanna<br />
Ham in February 2004<br />
Timothy STYLES, (B92/97) to Angela in<br />
March 2003 (wedding planned for<br />
September 2004)<br />
MARRIAGES<br />
Jonathan BRUCE (N79/84) to Pernille<br />
Klauser on October 18th, 2003<br />
John HARRIS (P95/00) 2.2 Ancient<br />
History, Lampeter, June 2003<br />
James HARRISON (L95/00) 2.2<br />
International Politics, Aberystwyth,<br />
June 2003<br />
Susanna FRANKLIN, (W96/98) lst<br />
Osteopathy, The British School of<br />
Osteopathy, June 2003<br />
Alexandra LIVINGSTONE (W96/98)<br />
Pass English & Classics, St Andrews,<br />
June 2003<br />
Mark CHARANIA (O97/99) 2:1<br />
Physiotherapy, Nottingham, June 2003<br />
Sophie GLENDAY (W97/99) 2:1<br />
Education (Primary), Oxford Brookes,<br />
June 2003<br />
Rashid SAHARUDIN (B97/99) 2:1<br />
Chemical Engineering, Imperial College,<br />
London, June 2003<br />
Katherine SEALY (W97/99) 2:1<br />
Countryside Business & Development,<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
Adam HELLIKER (B72/75) to Lucy<br />
Naylor on September 27th, 2003<br />
Mark LEDGER (B83/86) to Sharon<br />
Drysdale on September 13th, 2003<br />
Charlie MAIDMENT (O88/91) to Louise<br />
Evans<br />
Ben NEWMAN (P85/90) to Sarah<br />
Wood on November 29th, 2003<br />
Nina POLSTER (W 93/95) has now<br />
become Frau Kuenzel<br />
DEATHS<br />
BOWRING, Benjamin (O10/11) recently<br />
in Perth, Western Australia aged 105<br />
BOWRING, John (O15/19) some years ago<br />
GALBRAITH, Colin Major, MBE., TD<br />
(N25/29) on October 30th, 2003<br />
BALL, Richard (O26/28), on August<br />
31st, 2003; father of Major R A Ball<br />
(O55/59) and grandfather of Georgina<br />
(Dordie) Ketley [nee Baker]<br />
(preWellesley 80/82)<br />
ROWBOTHAM, Geoffrey (N44/48)<br />
unknown date in South Africa<br />
LOVELL, Mark (O73/77) July 12th 2003<br />
whilst motor rallying in America<br />
COX, Alison (W88/90) in 1997<br />
RUDORF, Peter (L90/96) 21st July 2003<br />
whilst working in underwater mines<br />
and clearance work in the Gulf<br />
following Iraq war<br />
EDWARDS, Alexander (HH & O93/03)<br />
in a road accident Nov. 8th, 2003<br />
NEWS OF OB GRADUATES 2003<br />
(Doubtless there are other results that should be included here but these are the ones of which we have been informed.)<br />
Harper Adams, June 2003<br />
Anna OBOLENSKAYA (A98/2000) 2:1<br />
Mathematics, York, June 2003<br />
Gigi FOK (A99/01) 2:1 Business Studies,<br />
Durham, June 2003<br />
Shazli RANI (B96/98) Pass Aeronautical<br />
Engineering, Imperial College, London,<br />
June 2003<br />
REGULAR COMMISSIONS BOARD<br />
RESULTS 2003<br />
Douglas DOUGLAS (N93/98) Pass -<br />
subject to medical, Royal Regiment of<br />
Wales<br />
Adrian THOMPSON (L94/99) Pass<br />
Devon & Dorset<br />
Jamie EDWARDS (O96/01) Pass Devon &<br />
Dorset<br />
David DIEPPE (L98/03) Pass (Regiment<br />
to be decided)<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 25
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
OBITUARIES<br />
PETER RUDORF (L90/96)<br />
Report by Jill Harding that appeared in a local Salisbury<br />
newspaper<br />
A POPULAR SALISBURY RUGBY PLAYER HAS DIED IN A<br />
DEEP-SEA DIVING TRAGEDY OFF THE COAST OF IRAQ.<br />
Peter Rudorf (25) was working as a commercial diver in<br />
the south of the country when the incident happened on<br />
Monday morning. The well-loved former Cathedral<br />
School pupil had spent nine weeks in the Gulf clearing<br />
shipping routes into the war-torn country.<br />
“He was working for a company contracted by the US<br />
Government,” said Mr Rudorf’s devastated uncle, Mr Mike<br />
Smith. “In order to get aid in by sea, the water first needs<br />
to be dredged and cleared of debris. Pete was one of the<br />
divers who went ahead of the dredger to clear away bits<br />
of metal and other equipment dumped in the sea which<br />
got in the way. It was very dangerous - there were mines<br />
and they had been shot at by snipers. He found it very<br />
difficult work and was just looking forward to coming<br />
home in August for the bank holiday weekend.”<br />
Mr Rudorf who lived with his family in St Ann Street,<br />
Salisbury later attended King’s School, Bruton and went<br />
on to study at Oxford Brookes University. He completed<br />
his deep-sea diving training at the Royal Naval College,<br />
Portsmouth, four years ago and had been stationed in<br />
Scotland before being contracted to work in the Gulf. “It<br />
was a job he had always enjoyed,” said Mr Smith. “He had<br />
an adventurous spirit and loved going to different places<br />
around the world - but I know he found this contract in<br />
Iraq very hard. He had been in Kuwait first and was then<br />
moved to Iraq. I remember so clearly the day he left, 63<br />
days before he died - what makes it so hard is we all<br />
knew he was counting the days until he came home.”<br />
Mr Rudorf was an avid rugby fan and loved playing<br />
and watching the sport. He was a key member of<br />
Salisbury rugby club and in May helped them secure<br />
victory in the prestigious Lychett Minster seven-a-side<br />
tournament. “Pete was a very keen rugby player and<br />
played for the First XV at Bruton,” added Mr Smith. “He<br />
loved playing for Salisbury rugby club and was great<br />
friends with the other players. Pete was a first-class<br />
player and we know how much his team will miss him.”<br />
The popular sportsman was well-known throughout<br />
Salisbury, where he had many life-long friends. “He was a<br />
very sociable person,” said Mr Smith “He loved living in<br />
the city centre and he always had friends round and<br />
staying over. We used to joke that the house was like a<br />
youth hostel because there were so many people round<br />
all the time.”<br />
Mr Rudorf dreamed of joining the Royal Marines and<br />
had cut back on his rugby commitments so that he could<br />
focus on the gruelling selection process. “He was very<br />
determined,” said Mr Smith. “We are left numb by what<br />
happened. It is so sad, and I can imagine there are a lot of<br />
young people in Salisbury who were friends with Pete<br />
who are sharing our grief. We don’t know the details of<br />
what happened yet - all we can say is that it was a<br />
terrible tragedy.”<br />
Mr Rudorf leaves his parents, Lind and Simon, brother,<br />
Ian and sisters, Fiona and Helen. An investigation is<br />
under way to establish the circumstances surrounding<br />
his tragic death.<br />
ARTHUR CHARLES CROSFIELD ODDIE (O24/27)<br />
13th June 1909 - 30th August 2002<br />
Address given by his son-in-law, Mark Wightman, at<br />
Charles’s funeral on September 9th, 2002<br />
It is a great honour to have been asked to give this<br />
address to a man for whom I will always have huge<br />
respect. Where do I start? At the risk of being perverse - I<br />
am going to start at the end! Olivia - who has been a<br />
tower of strength in looking after Charles over recent<br />
years - kindly let me read the letters and cards of<br />
condolence that she has received and I would like to<br />
quote from some of them: “Gentle, positive, a lesson to us<br />
all and to humanity”; “A fine, sophisticated and very<br />
distinguished ‘gentle - man”; “Courteous”; “Delightful<br />
courtesy”; “A passion for so many interests”; “A very<br />
stimulating person with so many interests”.<br />
Remember these quotations as I recount a few<br />
stories that demonstrate just how accurate and<br />
perceptive they are.<br />
Charles was born in Clarendon Road, Redland, Bristol<br />
into a Quaker family whose ideals were important to him<br />
all his life. He was the youngest of four children, 2 boys<br />
and 2 girls. I knew them as Aunty Bimbi, Uncle Duncan<br />
and Aunty Mary. He was especially fond of Mary, the<br />
eldest.<br />
Later at King’s School, Bruton he became very keen<br />
on games. I quote from the <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> Newsletter,<br />
April 1995:<br />
Tom Blanning 1909 - 1995 Family legend records that<br />
when his father brought Tom to the <strong>Old</strong> House for the first<br />
time, he told the Headmaster, Charles Tremlett, “I don’t<br />
mind what Tom learns, as long as he plays games.” Mr<br />
Tremlett, who was to be found as often in the hunting field<br />
as in the classrooms, did little to deflect the path of this<br />
parental choice of education.<br />
Charles thoroughly approved of those sentiments,<br />
although he was clearly successful academically as well!<br />
He loved his time at Bruton and regularly attended <strong>Old</strong><br />
Boys Dinners until last year - not surprisingly he was the<br />
oldest old boy and had become quite a celebrity.<br />
His family moved from Bristol to Churchill and it was<br />
there he met Miss Cynthia Corefield who later became<br />
his wife. The family grew with five daughters by which<br />
time they had returned to live in Bristol at 27 Downs Park<br />
26 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
East, Westbury Park. Three daughters are here today<br />
which is wonderful. Rosamond, the youngest lives in<br />
Australia and is unable to be here. Our special thoughts<br />
are for her today.<br />
I remember Charles telling me, when complaining<br />
about the evils of inflation, that the new four bed house<br />
at Downs Park View and a new Morris car had cost under<br />
£1,000 in the late 1930’s! Charles retained his interest in<br />
sport throughout his life - he played hockey for Bristol<br />
and later was an umpire. After retiring from umpiring<br />
he used to watch Bristol rugby regularly - the right<br />
shaped ball as far as I am concerned! - and was not at all<br />
happy when the game became fully professional.<br />
He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Curtis<br />
Jenkins Cornwall in Bristol and eventually became a<br />
senior partner. Later the firm merged with what is now<br />
known as PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a huge worldwide<br />
business. An example of how unmaterialistic he was,<br />
was when, after the merger the firm moved to a brand<br />
new building - Nelson House - and as senior partner he<br />
was entitled to have a special suite of office furniture that<br />
matched all the other senior partners in all the other<br />
offices. Charles was highly amused by this - he much<br />
preferred his old desk - as he was with the partners-only<br />
loos! As a Chartered Accountant he was very highly<br />
respected. His firm acted for many major companies in<br />
Bristol: Wills, Purnells, Marden & Son, Robinsons to name<br />
but a few. I remember him telling me that on Budget<br />
Day he always made a point of walking up and down<br />
Whiteladies Road in the hope of being interviewed by the<br />
BBC - this was much more for fun than for his ego or to<br />
promote his firm!<br />
I first met Charles with my family on holiday at Hope<br />
Cove, South Devon. I would have been about 12 and<br />
Charles in his late 40’s - so I was fortunate to have known<br />
him for about half his life.<br />
Boats, particularly Merlin Rocket sailing dinghies, were<br />
an important part of his life, especially at Axbridge<br />
Sailing Club. He used to capsize quite often - even on the<br />
Annual Boxing Day race - much to the amusement of his<br />
daughters - and there were no wet suits in those days! I<br />
can visualise him now in his woolly hat, baggy shorts and<br />
pipe! Although he gave up his pipe years ago, I<br />
remember him explaining in one of his accountancy<br />
modes, that he would need to invest £2,000 when he<br />
retired to provide one ounce of tobacco per week!<br />
One of my earliest memories of Charles and the Oddies<br />
is of meeting them at the Grand Hotel for lunch on the<br />
way back to boarding school in North Devon. Charles<br />
would treat my family before we were put on the train at<br />
Temple Meads - yet another example of his generosity -<br />
although I didn’t appreciated it at the time as I was more<br />
interested in his daughters - well, actually, one of them in<br />
particular!<br />
A lovely example of his sense of fun and sporting<br />
instincts concerned the Chisholm family - great friends of<br />
the Oddies who lived in Northumbria Drive - close to<br />
Downs Park East. Whenever Charles visited he always<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
jumped over the garden gate - at least until it was<br />
replaced by a taller one - much to his disgust! His sense<br />
of fun extended to a large repertoire of schoolboy jokes -<br />
very funny but never smutty, e.g. a book called THE<br />
CANNIBAL BY HENRIETTER MAN.<br />
His loves and passions were many: Parish churches<br />
especially country ones like this one (his brother Duncan<br />
was vicar of a similar one in Dorset), Pensford village and<br />
particularly the walk to the lake; Gilbert and Sullivan,<br />
and most of Shakespeare.<br />
His children have fond memories of ginger beer and<br />
Perry and of walks with dogs in Blaize Castle Woods.<br />
The grandchildren - and his daughters and sons-in-law -<br />
also have very happy memories of holidays at Warpool<br />
Court Hotel, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, where all of us<br />
were invited at his expense to share his love and<br />
enthusiasm of cliff walks, wild birds and flowers, Ramsey<br />
Island and Whitesands Bay. I remember his 70th birthday<br />
there. More recently he held lunchtime parties, including<br />
his 90th at Hunstrete House Hotel to which we were all<br />
invited. Great occasions, great generosity, great fun.<br />
I have a little poem that Charles wrote himself which<br />
gives an insight to his compassion:<br />
PALM SUNDAY<br />
This Sunday as my heart dwells on the cross<br />
With such bleak horror, passion, pain and loss<br />
How is it that my heart has room to grieve<br />
For one small dog?<br />
That God who tends and cares and makest all<br />
And in his love lets not one sparrow fall<br />
Can use my present sorrow and the pain<br />
To bring me nearer to His Love again.<br />
27 March 1988<br />
Charles wrote the poem just after his little dog Ruggles<br />
had died, on 25 March, 1988<br />
He loved poetry and later two of his grandsons Jon<br />
and Rob will read two of his favourites. There is much<br />
more that could be said - not least Charles’ voluntary<br />
work for NSPCC, as Secretary to the Trustees of Clifton<br />
Suspension Bridge - and of his work for the Rotary Club,<br />
but in conclusion I would like to reiterate those words of<br />
condolence and add some of my own: “Gentle, positive, a<br />
lesson to us all and to humanity”; “A fine sophisticated<br />
and very distinguished ‘gentle - man’; “Courteous”;<br />
“Delightful courtesy”; “A passion for so many interests”;<br />
“A very stimulating person with so many interests”<br />
To which I would add: Noble, modest, cultured, honest,<br />
generous, totally unmaterialistic, full of integrity.<br />
I count myself very fortunate to have become part of<br />
Charles’ family and to have known him for so long.<br />
All Saints Church, Publow<br />
(This address should have appeared in the 2003<br />
Newsletter. The Editor apologises that it was<br />
omitted last year.)<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 27
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
MARK JONATHON LOVELL<br />
27th. March 1960 - 12th. July 2003<br />
Nothing can prepare us for tragedy.<br />
Mark was fatally injured whilst defending his U.S Rally<br />
title at the SCCA ProRally Championship in Oregon U.S.A.<br />
His works Subaru Impretza WRX left the road on the first<br />
stage of the rally and struck a tree at high speed. Mark<br />
and his co-driver Roger Freeman were pronounced dead<br />
at the scene. Their injuries suggest they did not suffer.<br />
All who shared his time at King’s will have a piece of<br />
Mark they will remember forever. They will know of his<br />
friendship, warm and somehow unique to each and<br />
everyone of us. They will know of his wry sense of<br />
humour. I’m sure he would want me to apologise for<br />
King’s Bruton becoming Sunny Hill and vice versa when<br />
the school signs were swapped at the end of his time at<br />
Bruton; the details of the logistics of how he achieved<br />
this, he probably took with him.<br />
They will know of his ability: whether it was at cricket,<br />
hockey, squash or whatever pursuit he chose, he excelled.<br />
Although he did not take school sport too seriously, he<br />
easily made the 1st. teams in Cricket and Hockey. I did not<br />
envy anybody facing his furious bowling pace, and he<br />
could throw the ball further than anyone else I have ever<br />
seen. I’m sure all his team mates will remember how<br />
much fun he made it all seem, but still doing his best to<br />
ensure a good result. He later played hockey for Weston<br />
super-Mare at the top level. I remember at one particular<br />
match he entered the D having left the defence leaden<br />
footed, to fire a shot at goal that broke the cross bar clean<br />
in half. Squash also was no problem: he would lazily<br />
ascend to the top of any ladder, and insist he had always<br />
“got lucky” and couldn’t understand how he had<br />
managed it! It didn’t really matter what Mark did, if he<br />
put his mind and ability together he was unstoppable.<br />
He had a gift, and even at an early age knew how he was<br />
going to use it.<br />
He bought his first Rally car shortly after leaving<br />
Bruton. Success came quickly and soon he became<br />
professional. Crowned UK champion in 1986, he provided<br />
the mythical Ford RS200 group B with one of its rare<br />
titles. Mark, for a long while linked to Ford, went into<br />
semi retirement before crossing the ocean towards<br />
Stateside in 2001 where, with his crown, he gave credit to<br />
the American series.<br />
Mark’s achievements in rallying are a testament to his<br />
courage and commitment, and he was a true statesman<br />
to the sport. All the while he never forgot his family and<br />
friends. He always had time to live his life, a keen wit,<br />
with a unique perspective on everything. Always modest<br />
and generous in everything he did, Mark was universally<br />
loved. However, because of his popularity, he did not<br />
always have the time he would have liked to spend with<br />
us. That did not matter: he was worth waiting for, if only<br />
for the moments he could spare.<br />
A list of his rally victories is not necessary; it is not a<br />
representation of his character or a measure of the man.<br />
His life was like a huge boat travelling at speed: you<br />
couldn’t miss it; it was impressive to see, and behind him<br />
followed a huge wake. I was in that wake, and the<br />
consequences of being there have been enormous. You<br />
cannot take friendships, love and shared time as being<br />
anything other than at the core of life itself. To Mark so<br />
much is owed by so many.<br />
He was a success in business too: his shipping<br />
company, based in Southampton, was fuelled by his<br />
determination, ability to see logic, and persistence.<br />
I know that many will read this with great sadness. He<br />
lived life in a vibrant way and to those around him he<br />
was an inspiration. All too often people use the future as<br />
an excuse not to live in the present; he had the courage to<br />
live his life in a way most only dream of. His wife, Julia,<br />
survives him along with his young children, Oliver, Tom<br />
and, by a previous marriage, Matthew. His sister Ros,<br />
parents Barney and Valerie will miss him greatly as will<br />
we all.<br />
To sum Mark up is an impossible task. There are too<br />
many parts to the man that cannot be described or<br />
quantified. Those of us who knew him were privileged.<br />
Standing outside at his funeral amongst many hundred<br />
other mourners, and inside St. Gregory’s church full to<br />
capacity, gives an indication of his popularity and<br />
importance.<br />
Christopher Luxon (O74/78)<br />
CAN YOU HELP?<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s are, of course, scattered the world<br />
over. Those of us who live in the U.K. are well catered<br />
for by the <strong>Association</strong>: there are the annual London<br />
Lunch and Bruton Dinner, the informal Bristol<br />
gatherings, regular sports matches and periodic<br />
invitations to the School Commemoration<br />
celebrations - frequent opportunities, in short, to meet<br />
again your friends and contemporaries from School<br />
and to enjoy the camaraderie so characteristic of<br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong>s. However, those of you who live further<br />
afield, in America or Africa or Australia, enjoy none of<br />
those benefits. The President is keen, therefore, to set<br />
up contact groups in the farther reaches of the<br />
<strong>Brutonian</strong> ‘empire’. Some funding could be made<br />
available from the <strong>Association</strong> towards postal and<br />
telephone costs, and a list of all <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong>s living<br />
in - say - Kenya or Hong Kong would be drawn up. It<br />
might then be possible to organise social gatherings<br />
of some kind to bring together those who remember<br />
their School with affection. The concept is necessarily<br />
vague at the moment and would probably develop<br />
uniquely in each designated region. The aim is to<br />
bring closer all <strong>Brutonian</strong>s everywhere. If you feel you<br />
might help in organising such a contact group, please<br />
write to: The Hon. Secretary, King’s School, Bruton,<br />
Somerset BA10 0ED.<br />
28 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
ALEX EDWARDS (O98/03) 1985-2003<br />
The following address was delivered by Alex's father,<br />
Andrew, at the funeral in Bruton Parish Church<br />
on Tuesday, November 18th, 2003.<br />
I am told that normally the only way for the School to<br />
fill the church is by a 3 line whip; how typical of Alex that<br />
he has filled this lovely building of his own accord.<br />
In a short tribute it is difficult to do Alex justice.<br />
However, I would like to share some precious memories<br />
with you. I want this service to be a celebration of a<br />
wonderful life: a brilliant cameo from a man who made<br />
an instant impression on everyone that he came into<br />
contact with. We have received so many letters and cards,<br />
and I would like to read a couple that encapsulate what<br />
people thought of Alex. Georgie Crispin wrote:<br />
"I keep thinking of Alex's smile, his zest for life, his<br />
sense of fun and adventure. It has been an honour to<br />
have been called a yummy mummy by him and the<br />
world will be a sadder place without him."<br />
Another said:<br />
"He and I didn't know each other that well, but he<br />
always greeted me with that famous grin, and I always<br />
felt better for the encounter."<br />
I would like to take this opportunity on Alex's behalf to<br />
thank all of you for coming this afternoon. Being the son<br />
of a soldier with the itinerant life we lead, Bruton was his<br />
second home; he loved this School and the people in it. I<br />
want to pay particular tribute to his friends for the<br />
support that they have given us; it speaks volumes for<br />
you and is a great credit to King's. Alex, I know, would be<br />
really chuffed by the way that you have all responded. I<br />
would also like to thank the host of taxi drivers, too<br />
numerous to mention, who played such an important<br />
part in his life.<br />
I will always remember his smile, which lit up<br />
anywhere he was, his sense of humour; he was one of the<br />
funniest men I have ever met. He was the life and soul of<br />
any party; King of the posers as his article in the 2003<br />
Year Book clearly illustrates:<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
"I look in the mirror every morning and ask:<br />
'Why am I single?' "<br />
He was bright, articulate, loved his sport and was<br />
immensely proud of his Irish ancestry. Debbie and I were<br />
fortunate enough to watch his last rugby match for<br />
Salisbury against Ivel Barbarians; he was secure under<br />
the high ball, made the tackles that he would sometimes<br />
miss at School, ran great lines and timed his passes to<br />
perfection. It was the best that I'd ever seen him play.<br />
After the match Alex offered to buy me a drink. Typically,<br />
when he opened his wallet a moth flew out and I ended<br />
up buying the round. During his memorial service, as the<br />
Chaplain was talking about Alex, a moth flew over the<br />
congregation; he always wants the last word.<br />
He was a man of character, generosity of spirit if not of<br />
cash, support and encouragement to his friends and<br />
juniors, comfortable in any company with a firm<br />
handshake and a steady eye. As a Company Commander<br />
and a Commanding Officer, I would have given my right<br />
arm to have had him as one of my subalterns. He exuded<br />
such an unforgettable warmth of character, and, as Jamie<br />
told Alex when he went to say goodbye to him on<br />
Thursday evening, using a fitting quote from Maximus,<br />
which applies to Alex so well:<br />
"What we do in life echoes in eternity."<br />
I have lost one of my four best friends: Alex I respect<br />
you both as a man and a friend; we, the remaining four,<br />
are so proud of you. You're a top man and I salute you.<br />
Jenny Stocks said it all: "He made my four years at<br />
King's some of the best of my life; he was a caring and<br />
considerate friend with a wicked sense of humour. I am<br />
just sorry that none of us will have the chance to know<br />
the great man that he would have been."<br />
I would like to finish my tribute to Alex with two short<br />
stories and a line or two from Blackadder. Lucy Hayes<br />
wrote us a wonderful letter about heaven, dark clouds,<br />
white light and a rainbow. After we had read it, Bridget<br />
Macklin came to our house and said that while she was<br />
feeding the donkeys at home on that Sunday morning,<br />
she saw a dark cloud over Tintinhull with white light<br />
surroundings and the strongest, brightest rainbow that<br />
she had ever seen. Jamie had a similar experience on his<br />
way back to Bristol the other day. He was listening to the<br />
Black Eyed Peas, which both he and Alex loved, and, as he<br />
came over the crest of the hill overlooking the city, a<br />
magnificent rainbow appeared ahead of him. Debbie and<br />
I draw immense strength from that.<br />
Alex is with us. He wants us to remember the good<br />
times and, when we are ready, to move on, and not to feel<br />
guilty if we enjoy ourselves because he will be with us<br />
always. I have this vision of him there at the Last<br />
Judgement, cadging a drink off St Peter so that he can<br />
say: " Oh, by the way, that's one of my friends coming in."<br />
As you know, he could quote Blackadder verbatim and<br />
two seem appropriate to end my tribute to Alex:<br />
"On his gravestone it says:<br />
'Here lies Alex Edwards and he's bloody annoyed.'"<br />
&<br />
If he'd kept a diary, the entry for Sunday 9 November<br />
2003 would simply have read: "Bugger!"<br />
[The collection at Alex's funeral raised £2050 for the Youth Sport Trust.]<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 29
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
NEW MEMBERS 2003<br />
Omar ABLAD (O01/03) 4 Rue Abou Faraje,<br />
Asfahani Quartier Racine, Casablanca,<br />
Morocco<br />
Franz AICHER (L01/03) Grossholz Strasse 4,<br />
83024 Rosenheim, Germany<br />
Emma ATKINSON (W01/03) 6a Bruelands,<br />
Bruton, Somerset, BA10 OHX<br />
Nicholas AYLWIN-FOSTER (B98/03) 34<br />
Corton, Warminster, Wilts, BA12 OSY<br />
Alexander BARNS-GRAHAM (L98/03) 3<br />
Throop Road, Templecombe, Somerset BA8<br />
OHR<br />
Henry BATES (N98/03) Treacle House,<br />
Chicklade, Nr Hindon, Wilts, SP3 5SW<br />
Jonathan BEDDOW (O98/03) Cheverell Mill,<br />
Little Cheverell, Devizes, Wilts, SN10 5UP<br />
Andrew BRANSON (O98/03) Storiths, 93<br />
Ilchester Road, Yeovil, Somerset,BA21 3BJ<br />
Matthew BRIGDEN (L97/03) The <strong>Old</strong><br />
Rectory, West Coker, Yeovil, Somerset BA22<br />
9BD<br />
Timothy BROCKLEHURST (B98/03)<br />
Longfield House, Church Close, Longburton,<br />
Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 5PG<br />
Archie BUSH (L98/03) Cockspur Thorns,<br />
Berwick St James, Nr Salisbury, Wilts, SP3<br />
4TS<br />
Matthew CHARLTON (L001/03) 5 Admiral’s<br />
Mead, Butleigh, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6<br />
8UE<br />
Arccararin CHAVANANAND (N Sept/Dec<br />
02) c/o Thai Government Students Office,<br />
28 Princes Gate, London, SW7 1QF<br />
Philip COLE (O98/03) Bridle Way,<br />
Brookhampton Corner, North Cadbury,<br />
Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 7OB<br />
Dominic COLLINS (N01/03) Mannamead,<br />
Hangersley, Ringwood, Hants, BH24 3JN<br />
Piers CROWDER (O98/03) 3 Bourton<br />
Cottages, Bourton, Bishops Canning,<br />
Devizes, Wilts, SN10 2LF<br />
Anne-Marie D’OLIER (A98/03)<br />
CHEPIRELEW LIMITED, P o Box 620,<br />
Naivasha 20117 Kenya<br />
David DIEPPE (L98/03) The <strong>Old</strong><br />
Wheelwrights, Birdbush, Donhead St Mary,<br />
Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 9NH<br />
Ivo DRUCKENMUELLER (L Sept/Dec 02)<br />
Kaiser-Wilhelm Ring 2-4, 50672 Koln,<br />
Germany<br />
Alexander EDWARDS (O98/03) Yew Tree<br />
House, 22 High Street, Templecombe,<br />
Somerset, BA8 OBJ<br />
Sarah FORTES (W01/03) 716 The West Mall,<br />
Apt. 210, Etobicoke, Ontario M9C 4X6,<br />
Canada<br />
Oliver FREESTONE (L98/03) 9 North<br />
Terrace, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 4JP<br />
David GILBEY (B98/03) 2 Abbey Cottages,<br />
Galhampton, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 4AQ<br />
David GREEN (P98/03) Sherford Farm,<br />
Moreden, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7ES<br />
Nicola HEWITT-STUBBS (A98/03) P O Box<br />
358 Naivasha Kenya<br />
Kate HILLIER (A99/03) Pillinge Farm,<br />
Hardway, Bruton, Somerset BA10 OLP<br />
Elaine HO (W01/03) c/o A-Win Ed Services,<br />
Flat B, 11/F, Toi Shan Ctr, 128 Johnston Road,<br />
Wanchai, Hong Kong<br />
Nicholas HOLDEN (B98/03) 9 Beaucroft<br />
Road, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2QW<br />
Gemma HUGHES (A95/03) 4 Irving Road,<br />
Keinton Mandeville, Somerton, Somerset<br />
TA11 6ET<br />
Anna INGENBLEEK (A02/03)<br />
Steinkuhlerweg 11, 44263 Dortmund,<br />
Germany<br />
Supisoul KANOKVALEEWONG (P01/03)<br />
16/51 Moo, 12 Soi 77, Phetkasem Rd,<br />
Nongkanplu, Nongkhem, Bangkok, 10160<br />
Katja KORTMANN (WSept/Dec 02) c/o<br />
White House Guardianships, 34 Talbot<br />
Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH9 2JF<br />
Bruce KOU (L01/03) c/o Coopers & Coopers<br />
(UK Ed) 2408 Wing On House, 71 Des Voeux<br />
Road Central, Hong Kong<br />
On Ni LAM (W01/03) Shop S47 Phase 1<br />
Shopping Arcade, Tsuen Wan Centre, Tsuen<br />
Wan, NT, Hong Kong<br />
Ben LAWRENCE (P98/03) P O Box 15097,<br />
Nairobi, Kenya<br />
James LAWSON (O98/03) c/o HQ British<br />
Forces Gibraltar, The Officer’s Mess, Rooke,<br />
BFPO 52<br />
Jennifer LEWIS (W01/03) Durran House,<br />
Beckhampton, Marlborough, Wilts, SN8 1QJ<br />
Meng LI (B01/03) Building 27, No 39<br />
Zhusigang Street Second, Dongshang<br />
District, Guangzhou, China<br />
Amy LI (W02/03) C/o Coopers & Coopers,<br />
Room 2408 Wing On House, 71 Des Voeux<br />
Road Central, Hong Kong<br />
Richard LUCKOCK (P98/03) Frog Hole Farm,<br />
Gore Common, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 OPZ<br />
Richard LUFFINGHAM (B98/03) Little<br />
Meadow, Hambledon Road, Denmead,<br />
Hants, PO7 6HD<br />
David MACKLIN (O98/03) Rugg Farm,<br />
Limington, Ilchester, Yeovil, Somerset BA22<br />
8EQ<br />
Thomas MARTIN (L98/03) Oakcroft, Heath<br />
Road, Soberton, Hants, SO32 3QH<br />
Toby MARTIN (N98/03) 1792 Upper Chelsea<br />
Beach, Virginia Beach, VA23454, USA<br />
Matthew MASTERS (O98/03) Fisherman’s<br />
Hut, Yarlington, Wincanton, Somerset BA9<br />
8DF<br />
Peter MATHEW (B98/03) 18 The Limes,<br />
Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 9QL<br />
Shohei MATSUDA (N99/03) c/o Gabbitas,<br />
Carrington House, 126-130 Regent Street,<br />
London, W1R 6EE<br />
Jonathan MCCONNELL (O01/03) Tannery<br />
House, 8 High Street, Downton, Wilts, SP5<br />
3PJ<br />
Ewan MCCULLOCH (B99/03) Rectory<br />
Farmhouse, Rectory Road, Streatley,<br />
Berks, RG8 9QH<br />
James MCNAUGHTAN (P98/03) 7 West<br />
Warwick Place, London, SW1V 2DL<br />
Anthony MEADEN (N98/03) 1 Lower Farm<br />
Cottages, Shepton Montague, Wincanton,<br />
Somerset BA9 8JQ<br />
Max MICHEL (B02/03) Thornweg 14, S3604<br />
Bad Honnef, Germany<br />
Helen MITCHELL (W00/03) North<br />
Buckham Farm, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8<br />
3SH<br />
Clare MORLEY (A01/03) Downside,<br />
Fosseway, Clandown, Bath, BA3 3DX<br />
Archie NYARANG’O (N01/03) P O Box 5062,<br />
Eldoret, Kenya<br />
Cherryl OJJERRO (W00/03) UNOHCI P O<br />
Box 5859, New York, NY10163/5869, USA<br />
Thomas PARKER (B98/03) Station House,<br />
West Cranmore, Shepton Mallet, Somerset,<br />
BA4 4QP<br />
Sophie PARR (W99/03) Madingley House, 8<br />
Connelly Drive, Wedmore, Somerset BS28<br />
4AZ<br />
Edward (Ned) PATTENDEN (O01/03) 2 The<br />
Street, Chilmark, Salisbury, Wilts, SP3 5AR<br />
Thomas PAULLEY (L00/03) 1 The Villas,<br />
West Coker Road, West Coker, Yeovil,<br />
Somerset, BA20 2LX<br />
Henry (Harry) PAY (LSept/Dec02) Brook<br />
Cottage, Rookery Lane, Broughton, Hants<br />
Laura PEARCE (A98/03) The Hawthorn,<br />
Spring Farm, West Camel, Yeovil, Somerset<br />
BA22 7QA<br />
Matthew PENTECOST (N98/03) Manor<br />
Barn, Stoney Stoke, Wincanton, Somerset<br />
BA9 8HY<br />
Danny ROBBINS (N97/03) 30 Uphills,<br />
Bruton, Somerset BA10 OES<br />
Flora ROBERTSON (A98/03) The Batch,<br />
Chesterblade, Shepton Mallet, Somerset,<br />
BA4 4QU<br />
Katy ROBINSON (A01/03) 11 Granville Way,<br />
Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4AS<br />
Alero RONE-ORUGBOH (A01/03) 46<br />
Ogundana Street, Off Allen Avenue, Lagos,<br />
Nigeria<br />
Alexander ROYLE (B98/03) Langley, Henley<br />
Road, Misterton, Somerset TA18 8LS<br />
John SANDEMAN (P98/03) Orchard View,<br />
Pulmans Lane, Hermitage Street,<br />
Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 8HA<br />
Graham SAUNDERS (L98/03) Gainsham<br />
Cottage, 4 Berhill, Ashcott, Somerset TA7<br />
9QN<br />
Nadine SCHMIDTKE (A01/03)<br />
Schlossstrasse 11, 25876 Schwabstedt,<br />
Germany<br />
David SCOTT (B98/03) Cole Manor, Cole,<br />
Bruton, Somerset BA10 OAJ<br />
Yoshimori SHIMIZU (B99/03) c/o Mrs J<br />
Shilcock, Gabbitas Ed. Consultants,<br />
Carrington House, 126-130 Regent Street,<br />
London, W1R 6EE<br />
Perapat SRISA-AN (N01/03) 72/4 Soi<br />
Senanikom 1, Phonyotin Road, Jatujak<br />
District, Bangkok, 10900 Thailand<br />
Jennifer STOCKS (W99/03) Seaway House,<br />
Seaway Lane, Torquay, Devon, PQ2 6PW<br />
Samuel THOMSON (N98/03) Larglea, Tarff,<br />
Nr Kircudbright, Dumfries & Galloway, DG6<br />
4NR<br />
Emily TO (A02/03) Flat 1626, Wan Lam<br />
House, Wan Tau Tong Estate, Tai Po, NT<br />
Hong Kong<br />
Harry TOLFREE (O98/03) The Manor House,<br />
St James, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8HQ<br />
Ellen TROTT (A94/03) Church Farm,<br />
Lovington, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7PY<br />
Timothy TSUSHIMI (L01/03) P O Box 30280<br />
Nairobi, Kenya<br />
Tristram TUCKER (P98/03) Merrifield,<br />
Slapton, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 2RB<br />
David TURNER (P00/03) Craigmohr,<br />
Tidworth Road, Allington, Salisbury, Wilts,<br />
SP4 OBN<br />
Denise VON ROGALL (W01/03)<br />
Friedbergerstr.18, 63691 Ranstadt, Germany<br />
Xiao WANG (W00/02) c/o Mr B Mosenthal,<br />
5 Plox Green, Bruton, Somerset BA10 OEY<br />
Jacob WARD (P00/03) 1 Partridge Close,<br />
Barton Stacey, Winchester, Hants SO21 3SE<br />
Douglas WOOD (O01/03) c/o Mr R Stratton,<br />
Haddenham Limited, 345 Lymington Road,<br />
Highcliffe, Dorset BH23 5EG<br />
30 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
CHANGES OF ADDRESS<br />
2004<br />
1932<br />
Philip GROVE (O32/36) 19 Islescourt, Isles<br />
Road, Ramsbury, Wilts, SN8 2QW<br />
1937<br />
David BARNES (N37/41) Hamley Bridge<br />
Memorial Hospital, Hamley Bridge, South<br />
Australia 5401<br />
1939<br />
Douglas BURNETT (N39/43) 7 The <strong>Old</strong><br />
Maltings, Stoke Road, Nayland, Colchester,<br />
Essex, CO6 4JB<br />
Geoffrey COLLINS (N39/42) 3 Thames<br />
Village, Hartington Road, Chiswick, London,<br />
W4 3UE<br />
1940<br />
Michael EDMONDS (O40/43) 4 Burdett<br />
Row, Montgomery, Powys, SY15 6PP<br />
1943<br />
Ian BROWN (N43/48) The Minks, Dalwoods,<br />
Westbury, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3ET<br />
Ian DUCKETT (N43/47) 4900 Cartier Street,<br />
Unit #67, Vancouver BC, V6M 4H2 Canada<br />
1945<br />
David HIGHMORE (N45/49) 1 Court<br />
Gardens, Court Road, Malvern, Worcs WR14<br />
3BF<br />
1946<br />
Nicholas CHUBB (O46/51) 12 Alness Drive,<br />
Acomb Park, York, YO24 2XZ<br />
Lionel HEMSLEY (P46/49) 3 Benjamin<br />
Court, 16 Madeira Road, Bournemouth, BH1<br />
1QG<br />
1947<br />
Roger BICKERTON (N47/49) Applewood,<br />
Brook Street, Fovant, Wilts, SP3 5JB<br />
1950<br />
Edward CAESLEY (P50/53) Trepheane<br />
House, 5 Tenderah Court, Church Hill,<br />
Helston, Cornwall, TR13 8NP<br />
1952<br />
Chris BUTLER (P52/57) 7 Geneva Court,<br />
Brockville, Ontario, Canada K6V 1M7<br />
Bryan STEEL (N52/57) Hawthorne Cottage,<br />
Asterley, Minsterley, Shropshire, SY5 OAR,<br />
1953<br />
Noel BURFORD (P/L53/56) Woodyard<br />
Cottage, 50 Main Street, Greetham, Rutland,<br />
LE15 7NL<br />
1954<br />
Ian JAMES (P54/57) 2 Churchwood Drive,<br />
Chestfield, Nr Whitstable, Kent, CT5 2PG<br />
1955<br />
Michael BOYT (L55/59) Lingamend,<br />
Craigievar, Alford, Aberdeenshire, AB33 8JN<br />
1956<br />
James MALLINSON (O56/61) 5 Lawn Road,<br />
London, NW3 2XS<br />
1957<br />
Nicholas GEORGE (L57/60) 2 Church Street,<br />
Winsham, Chard, Somerset TA20 4HU<br />
Charles MAITLAND (N57/61) Myrtle Lodge,<br />
Millford Road, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8DP<br />
1958<br />
Richard CANT (N58/62) 46 Elms Avenue,<br />
Lilliput, Poole, Dorset, BH14 8EF<br />
Jonathan GOODERHAM (O&B58/62) Box<br />
37-673, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand.<br />
John WILLIAMS (O58/61 28300 Philo-<br />
Greenwood Road, Elk, CA 95432 USA<br />
1959<br />
Ashley SLAY (59/64) 1 Highover Park,<br />
Amersham, Bucks, HP7 OBN<br />
1960<br />
Christopher HARLING (P60/61) Ch. Des<br />
Marionnettes 126, Ch. 1093 La Conversion,<br />
Switzerland.<br />
1961<br />
David COOPPER (O61/64) 39 Simmons<br />
View, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8HQ<br />
Don GARLAND (O69/71) Greenview, 69<br />
Barrington Place, Shepton Mallet, Somerset<br />
BA4 5GH<br />
1967<br />
Alan EASTMENT (L67/70) 40 Southgate<br />
Drive, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9ET<br />
1969<br />
Kirsten COOKE, ARPS (nee Hamilton-<br />
Fairlie) (Hall 69/71) Unit 6, North Street<br />
Workshops, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset<br />
TA14 6QR<br />
Don GARLAND (O69/71) Greenview, 69<br />
Barrington Place, Shepton Mallet, Somerset,<br />
BA4 5GH<br />
1972<br />
Dominic WOOD (O72/76) Flat One, Avenue<br />
House, East Bank Road, Brockenhurst, Hants<br />
SO42 7RW<br />
1973<br />
Martyn DOGGRELL (B73/78) 5 Ross Avenue,<br />
Belgravia, Harare, Zimbabwe<br />
1975<br />
Mark DAVIS (L75/78) The Teneriffe, 132<br />
Laurel Wood Avenue, Singapore 275835<br />
1977<br />
Philip CROSS (B77/81) 35 Victoria Avenue,<br />
Princess Avenue, Kingston-upon-Hull, HU5<br />
3DN<br />
1978<br />
Jeremy PODGER (B78/82) 43 Point Hill,<br />
Greenwich, London SE10 8QW<br />
1980<br />
Anthony DUGUID (N80/85) 3 Park View<br />
Shawford, Winchester, Hants SO21 2BS<br />
Mike READ (O80/84) 27 Burnaby Gardens,<br />
London, W4 3DR<br />
1981<br />
Simon MALFIN (B81/86) 6 West Eaton<br />
Place, London, SW1X 8LS<br />
Jeremy MILLS (O81/83) ‘Pas de Facon’ Tabor<br />
Lane, St Bredlade, Jersey C.I<br />
Peter MYRES (O81/85) 104 Stephendale<br />
Road, London, SW10<br />
Tom PARHAM (B81/84) Rectory Cottage,<br />
Moorlands Road, Merlot, Somerset<br />
1982<br />
Paul ALBERY (B82/86) 21 Tweed Close,<br />
Burton Latimer, Northants, NN15 5SU<br />
Mark FARRINGTON (N82/87) 4 Hyssop<br />
Close, Whiteley, Farham, Hants, PO15 7JS<br />
Charles MYRES (P82/87) 70 Laitwood Road,<br />
Balham, London, SW12 9QJ<br />
Jonathan SOMERVILLE (O82/87) ‘Burs Side’<br />
House 10, Lung Mei Village, Sai Kung, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
Richard STEVENSON (B82/84) Kelly College<br />
Junior School, Hazeldon, Parkwood Road,<br />
Tavistock, Devon, PL19 OJS<br />
1983<br />
James GERO (B83/86) 12 Woburn Court,<br />
Stanmore Road, Richmond Surrey TW9<br />
2DD<br />
David HIGGS (L83/88) Houndwell, Henley,<br />
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
Buckland Newton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2<br />
7BN<br />
1985<br />
Alasdair GARBUTT (B85/90) temp. c/o 23<br />
Baldwin Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex,<br />
BN21 1UJ<br />
Henry HOPE-FROST (N85/89) 4 Julian Hill,<br />
Weybridge, Surrey, DT13 ORA<br />
1986<br />
Toby SCOURSE (N86/91) 53 Frampton Road,<br />
Little Heath, Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 1JF<br />
1987<br />
Dan NEWMAN (P87/90) Flat 2, 26 Upper<br />
Tooting Park, London SW17 7SR<br />
Rupert PERRY (B87/92) 80 Gordon Street,<br />
Aberdeen, AB11 6EW<br />
Matthew WESTLAKE (B87/92) 4 Burton<br />
Place, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4HD<br />
1988<br />
Jane BAILEY (nee Anderson) (W88/90)<br />
Forge Cottage, Brightwell, Suffolk, IP10 OBB<br />
Dylan HIGGINS (B88/93) 11A Alpha Street,<br />
Peckham Rye, London SE15 4NX<br />
1989<br />
Christopher GRANTHAM (N89/94) Flat 1,<br />
92 Lewin Road, Streatham, London SW16<br />
6JU<br />
Alex YEUNG (B89/94) 19 Waterford House,<br />
Thorney Mill Road, West Drayton, Middx.<br />
UB7 7DL<br />
1990<br />
Richard HILLMAN (N90/95) 22 Greville<br />
Close, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts. AL9<br />
7ED<br />
Simon JENNER (L90/95) 48 Torridge Drive,<br />
Didcot, OX11 7RA<br />
Rachael SKELTON (nee GOSLING W90/92)<br />
Flat 9, Upper Tooting Mansions, Marius<br />
Road, Balham, London SW17 7QR<br />
1991<br />
Nicholas HANDFORD (B91/96) c/o The<br />
Beeches, Slab Lane, Downton, Salisbury,<br />
Wilts, SP5 3PS<br />
Ben KWAAN (N91/96) 12 Beacon House,<br />
Burrels Wharf Square, London, E14 3TJ<br />
1992<br />
John PACKER (L92/97) 69 Gestridge Road,<br />
Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12<br />
3HJ<br />
Julian WHARTON (O92/97) The <strong>Old</strong> Mill,<br />
Tolpuddle, Dorchester, Dorset<br />
1993<br />
Nina KUENZEL (nee POLSTER W93/95)<br />
Erlenbruch 5, 38110Braunschweig, Germany<br />
Edward MOLYNEUX (N93/98) 60 Bishops<br />
Mansions, Bishops Park Road, Fulham,<br />
London SW6 6DZ<br />
1995<br />
Oliver JENNINGS (P95/2000) Block C, Room<br />
204, Deanery Hall of Residence, Marsh<br />
Lane, Southampton, SO14 3NJ<br />
1997<br />
Philippa FERBER (W97/99) Schlossgarten 5,<br />
24103 Kiel, Germany<br />
1998<br />
Emma EVELYN (W98/00) 22 Acris Street,<br />
London, SW18 2QP<br />
James NUTT (P98/01) c/o Francis House,<br />
Vicarage Street, Tintinhull, Somerset BA22<br />
8PY<br />
Polina (W98/00) and Anna (A98/00)<br />
OBOLENSKAYA, 8 Iceland Wharf, Plough<br />
Way, London , SE16 7AB<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 31
NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS<br />
OB CRICKET 2003<br />
Well, having been asked to cobble together a brief<br />
report on the <strong>Old</strong> Boys (OBs) vs. School cricket fixture in<br />
2003, I find myself almost nine months down the line<br />
with nothing but some scores and figures hastily<br />
scribbled on the back of a beer mat (found in the<br />
bottom of the cricket bag in the loft) and some<br />
memories of a great day.<br />
If memory serves correctly it was the day after the<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> Annual Dinner, which supplied the OBs<br />
with a much-needed eleventh player in the form of a<br />
slightly dazed and bemused Mark Lloyd Davies. Having<br />
rolled up to sit back in the sun, relax and watch some<br />
cricket while recovering from the previous night, Lloyd<br />
Davies found himself opening the batting against some<br />
fairly quick and hostile bowling from the School. After<br />
some time at the crease seeing off the new ball, he was<br />
dismissed for 1 and returned to his bench, and the<br />
sunshine, for the remainder of the innings.<br />
The morning session belonged to the school, who<br />
bowled tightly on a wicket that should have yielded<br />
more runs than it did. As ever Aidi produced a great<br />
match wicket with a little bit in it for the bowlers but a<br />
good hard surface which allowed the ball to come<br />
through onto the bat if you set yourself.<br />
While nobody from the OBs ever really went on to get<br />
a big score, there were contributions from Weir (18), Nick<br />
Price (11), Green (17), Dunn (29), Cuthbert (27) and a<br />
cracking 19 not out from Ally Lund batting at number 11.<br />
Next year, my friend, you will be batting higher up the<br />
order! In the middle of these proceedings the usual<br />
excellent lunch was taken down at the school, with the<br />
OBs being encouraged to enjoy the wine.<br />
Personally I am totally in favour of this as the<br />
scorebook doesn’t lie and it will tell you that 84 of the<br />
148 runs scored off the bat came from the last four<br />
batsmen. (That, however, may have been the result of<br />
getting the batting order completely wrong!) From the<br />
school, Ball with 4 for 30 and Masters with 3 for 50 were<br />
the pick of the bowlers.<br />
In reply the School were always there or thereabouts,<br />
finally clinching victory off the penultimate ball with a<br />
few wickets in hand, making for a very exciting finale to<br />
the day. Price (2 for 22 off 13), Fleming (2 for 28 off 6.5),<br />
Lund (1 for 43 off 15) and Dunning (1 for 38 off 6) all<br />
bowled with some reward and Williams (19 runs from 5<br />
overs) and Willbur (18 runs from 4 overs) were<br />
particularly miserly. Without doubt the highlight in the<br />
field for the OBs was an absolute blinder of a catch<br />
made at gully by Dave Cuthbert, who promptly left the<br />
field – possibly in fear of a similar bullet-like chance<br />
coming his way.<br />
What was particularly good news for the OBs fixture<br />
this year was the number of “new” faces involved and<br />
the enthusiasm about the fixture that was generated<br />
throughout the day. Thank you to all involved on both<br />
sides for making it such an enjoyable day, as well as to<br />
the school for the usual excellent facilities and<br />
hospitality. Next year we will have our revenge!<br />
John Kai Fleming Sports Co-ordinator<br />
OB VETERANS HOCKEY 2004<br />
The Veterans Hockey fixture against the School 2nd XI<br />
this year was, as ever, a very interesting and tight affair,<br />
with a number of very slick and professional moments<br />
interspersed with the usual assortment of comedy<br />
moments. The goals came thick and fast at both ends of<br />
the field and in both halves. There were so many in fact<br />
that it is virtually impossible to remember who scored<br />
what, or even what the score was at half time. It looked<br />
like the Veterans were in for a serious pasting when they<br />
were 2 - 0 down after about 5 minutes, but after shaking<br />
the stiffness out of the legs they began to stand up and<br />
be counted, pulling back to 2 - 2 after about fifteen<br />
minutes. Thereafter the goals flowed and while the<br />
Kenyan contingent of Craig and Jason Rogers and Sam<br />
Jenkinson were netting 6 goals at the other end, John<br />
Fleming in his new and alarming role as “Keeps” was<br />
doing his best to keep the school in the game, letting in 8<br />
in all during the game. It would have been a lot more<br />
had it not been for Chris Upton and Colin Coutts in<br />
defence. The excuse heard after the game however was<br />
that the Veterans were playing an attacking game with<br />
only two men at the back, and four up front! The tactic<br />
succeeded marginally as the aim of the game really is to<br />
score more than your opponents, and the Vets did that<br />
with 10 in all. This was largely due to the industry from<br />
Al McEwan, Duncan Stewart, Rob Scott and Tom Taylor<br />
who scored 4 between them and ranged all over the<br />
pitch from defence to attack. David Harris was back for<br />
another year and fed Big Mac with some useful ball up<br />
the left. At the final whistle the rather amazing scoreline<br />
of 10 - 8 was in favour of the Veterans. Breaking from<br />
the tradition the Veterans had a very sociable lunch in<br />
the school dining hall along with all the supporters, this<br />
was a very nice development from previous years. Thank<br />
you once again to the school for extending such great<br />
hospitality and for making the game possible.<br />
OB HOCKEY 2004<br />
Sunday, March 2, 2004 - After an exciting and closely<br />
fought match, a younger OB team (mainly last year's 1st<br />
XI) just pipped the 1st XI by one goal. Final score 2-3.<br />
THE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION<br />
Presiden t<br />
Christopher Rhys-Jones (O45/49)<br />
Vice-Presiden t<br />
Richard Sullivan (N58/62)<br />
Honorary Secr e ta ry<br />
David Hindley (Staff 63/00)<br />
Honorary Treasur er<br />
Colin Hughes (L56/61)<br />
Trevor Albery (B83/88), Sinead Costello (W92/94),<br />
James Holland (O83/88), John Longman (P57/61)<br />
Francis Luard (P92/97), William Newton (L73/75)<br />
Jamie Reach (L91/95), Kate Sedgman (W95/97)<br />
By invitation:<br />
Harry Witherby (B63/67), John Kai Fleming (B88/93)<br />
32 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
HEADMASTER'S LETTER<br />
Very often during the year friends and supporters of the School<br />
ask me: “How is the school, Headmaster?” It is always a<br />
difficult question to answer because there are a variety of tests<br />
to apply. Do they mean how many pupils are there in the<br />
School; whether the 1st XV is winning; or the Art, Music and<br />
Drama are flourishing; or how good were the academic results<br />
in the Summer? I usually hesitate. The ultimate test in my<br />
view is whether a school nurtures each individual pupil and is<br />
able to release the talents and potential of that particular<br />
individual during their time at King’s. How do you measure<br />
that? How do you measure if he or she has developed selfesteem<br />
or integrity? How can you measure spiritual<br />
development, kindness and sensitivity? The hallmark of an<br />
excellent, all round education is to nurture young boys and<br />
girls from 13 to 18. That process is not a science. It is a creative<br />
experience which makes this Headmaster hesitate before<br />
answering such a well-wisher’s question.<br />
This year we have been able to deflect the question by offering the<br />
report that was produced after King’s was inspected by the<br />
Independent Schools Inspectorate in October. Every six or seven<br />
years, an independent HMC School will be inspected by ISI. Ten<br />
inspectors duly arrived at King’s on 20 October, six years to the<br />
day since the last inspection. All the King’s pupils were new to an<br />
inspection and so were 10 of the 19 Heads of Department, and<br />
over 50% of the staff. For four days the teaching and learning in<br />
each of the academic departments and a very broad range of<br />
school issues ranging from boarding to behaviour, ethos to extra<br />
curricular activities, came under the microscope. Present parents<br />
are canvassed in advance via a questionnaire for their opinions<br />
about the School, and the inspectors are sent a mountain of<br />
information before their arrival, ranging from set sizes, academic<br />
results and other number crunching data to policy statements,<br />
minutes of meetings, departmental schemes or work, and job<br />
descriptions. A lot of work by the Senior Management, Heads of<br />
Department and Housemasters and Housemistresses goes into<br />
preparing and updating that documentation. The teaching staff<br />
are vigorously inspected when teaching and fulfilling their<br />
pastoral and extra curricular duties. The pupils themselves are<br />
the centre of the inspection. They are interviewed singly and in<br />
groups. Their written work is carefully analysed and the progress<br />
of their learning observed in and out of lessons. It is an<br />
interesting experience for a Headmaster to see 10 inspectors -<br />
under significant time pressure to collect and evaluate evidence<br />
for their reports - invading the School.<br />
I should like to take the liberty to highlight from the report two of<br />
the strengths of King’s which the Inspectors outlined and would<br />
provide an answer to that question, “How is King’s, Headmaster?”<br />
They thought that our pastoral care at King’s was excellent. We<br />
have had much recent movement among the Houses. With the<br />
retirement of Terry Johnson, Rob Lowry has moved up to Lyon<br />
from Priory House after six successful years on the High Street.<br />
Ann Crowcombe has moved over from Arion to Priory on its<br />
conversion to a girls’ House. Rose Vigers has taken over as House<br />
Parent of Arion House for 6th Form boys. James Shone has come<br />
from Kenya to become Housemaster of New House after Jim<br />
Roebuck’s reign of six years. Housemasters, Housemistresses and<br />
tutors give of their time and care beyond the call of duty. They<br />
nurture their charges with sensitivity and consideration.<br />
Inspectors were very impressed with the way those in loco<br />
parentis were carrying out their responsibilities.<br />
In the view of the Inspectors, another major strength of King’s<br />
was the personal and social development that our pupils enjoy<br />
THE SCHOOL<br />
during their time at the School. Again, this is very satisfying to<br />
know that the opportunities beyond the classroom in terms of<br />
physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual development, are a<br />
particular strength. The Inspectors will have appreciated the<br />
making of this judgement with the explosion of music at King’s in<br />
the last three years. Over 170 pupils now take individual music<br />
lessons per week. There is a plethora of music making ranging<br />
from the orchestra and military band, to jazz band, show band,<br />
flute, string and brass combinations. The military band marches<br />
annually around Bruton on Remembrance Day, and it is going on<br />
a tour to Belgium in the Summer.<br />
Drama has grown in the number of productions we enjoy at<br />
King’s. Last year we had twelve to enjoy and a group of our pupils<br />
took one production to the Edinburgh Festival. Seven productions<br />
have been offered this Easter Term and the School’s aim is to<br />
encourage all pupils during their time at King’s to participate in a<br />
School drama production.<br />
Central to the School must be the academic work and we were<br />
again delighted with our A level results, with an excellent A/B<br />
pass rate of 53% and 42% A’s and A* at GCSE. Again, the<br />
Inspectors were very complimentary about our teaching and<br />
learning. Some outstanding teaching was observed, and the ICT<br />
provision, which contributed significantly to the standard of<br />
teaching and learning, was named as another strength. Further<br />
academic improvements are in the pipeline. We are delighted, for<br />
instance, that the whole floor above the Dining Hall will be<br />
developed by September into a library/learning centre. A new<br />
staircase from the entrance to the Dining Hall will bring access<br />
into the centre of the School, and the centre will retain the Norton<br />
Library name. It will be an important improvement in developing<br />
the facility for our pupils to undertake individual study and<br />
research so important in academic work.<br />
Such success has not been at the expense of our sport. The 1st XI<br />
cricket had its best season for some years and are enjoying the<br />
benefits of a newly laid square. The 1st XV won six and lost three,<br />
and beat Sherborne for the third time in five years and King’s,<br />
Taunton for the third time in four years. The girls’ hockey teams<br />
won more matches than they lost in the Christmas Term, and<br />
both boys and girls have won representative honours at hockey.<br />
King’s has been blessed with a core of long-serving and loyal staff<br />
in its recent history. They bring continuity and stability to a<br />
school. One of these is Colin Jones who came to King’s in 1975. We<br />
will be saying good-bye to Colin in June when he retires from<br />
King’s as Director of Studies. Mrs Emma Kent moves on after four<br />
years in the Music Department to become Director of Music at<br />
West Buckland School, a promotion richly deserved.<br />
The Headmaster is also moving after eleven years and two terms<br />
to become Headmaster of St Peter’s, York. He thought King’s was<br />
a special school when he came for interview, and he still believes<br />
that to be the case. King’s is a full boarding school, committed to<br />
the highest academic, cultural and sporting standards.<br />
Surrounded by beautiful countryside, it is an exceptional place in<br />
which adolescents can grow.<br />
King’s is also thriving in terms of numbers. For 13 out of the last<br />
20 terms King’s has been above 350 in number, a figure never<br />
previously breached in its history. The A level and GCSE results<br />
this summer were the best the School has ever celebrated. The<br />
extra curricula life of the school is varied. May King’s continue to<br />
flourish. King’s for the first time since the late 1970’s sung the<br />
School song at the beginning of February at the start of the House<br />
singing competition . May I end with my own wish for the School,<br />
taken from the last line of the song: “Floreat Brutonia”.<br />
Richard Smyth March 2004<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 33
THE SCHOOL<br />
CRICKET RESULTS 2003<br />
SHERBORNE D Sherborne 134-3<br />
K.S.B. 53-3<br />
KING'S, TAUNTON W K.S.B 10<br />
King's T'nton 106<br />
CLIFTON W K.S.B. 189-6<br />
Clifton 179-6<br />
MCC D M.C.C. 190<br />
K.S.B. 189-6<br />
BLUNDELL'S L Blundells 145-8<br />
K.S.B. 116-8<br />
CANFORD L Canford 257-7<br />
K.S.B. 132<br />
MONKTON COOMBE W KSB 163-8<br />
Monkton 133<br />
H.M's. XI D K.S.B. 208-6<br />
HM's XI 87-8<br />
MILLFIELD W K.S.B. 204-8<br />
Millfield 181<br />
DORSET RANGERS L Dorset 277-4<br />
K.S.B. 225<br />
DAUNTSEY'S L K.S.B. 140<br />
Dauntsey's 141-7<br />
OLD BRUTONIANS W O. <strong>Brutonian</strong>s 179<br />
K.S.B. 180-7<br />
WESTMINSTER L Westminster 148<br />
K.S.B. 111<br />
THE FESTIVAL<br />
FELSTED L K.S.B. 116-9<br />
Felsted 119-6<br />
CITY of LONDON W K.S.B 175-9<br />
FREEMEN'S C.L.F.S.. 175<br />
ST. JOHN'S, L K.S.B. 140-7<br />
LEATHERHEAD St John's 144-5<br />
Played 16, Won 6, Drawn 3, Lost 7<br />
SCHOOL CALENDAR<br />
Summer Term 2004: 19th April – 3rd July<br />
Commemoration: Saturday, 29th May<br />
Half Term 29th: May – 3rd June<br />
Christmas Term 2004: 5th September – 7th December<br />
Half Term:22nd October – 31st October<br />
Easter Term 2005: 4th January – 18th March<br />
Half Term: 11th February – 20th February<br />
Summer Term 2005: 12th April – 2nd July<br />
Commemoration: Saturday, 28th May<br />
Half Term: 28th May – 2nd June<br />
1ST XV RESULTS 2003<br />
Sat. Sept. 13th Canford (A) L 5 - 31<br />
Sat. Sept. 20th Dauntsey’s Cancelled<br />
Sat. Sept 27th Exeter (H) W 17 - 0<br />
Sat. Oct. 4th Wells Cathedral (H) W 37 - 0<br />
Sat. Oct. 11th Bishop Wordsworth’s (A) D 17 - 17<br />
Sat. Oct. 18th Taunton (A) L 5 - 50<br />
Thu. Oct. 22nd Monkton Combe (H) W 28 - 14<br />
Sat. Nov. 8th King Edward’s, Bath (H) L 9 - 10<br />
Sat. Nov. 15th Clayesmore Cancelled<br />
Thu. Nov. 20th Sherborne (H) W 20 - 16<br />
Sat. Nov. 29th St Brendan’s (A) W 23 - 10<br />
Sat. Dec. 7th King’s, Taunton (H) W 10 - 7<br />
COLIN JONES<br />
Colin Jones will be retiring from the School<br />
this summer, having come to Bruton first in<br />
1974. We hope that he and his wife, Pam, will<br />
be able to join us at the Bruton Dinner on June<br />
26th, when he will be presented with a cheque<br />
from the <strong>Association</strong> to mark his years at the<br />
School as formerly Head of Geography and<br />
more recently as Director of Studies.<br />
SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY TOUR 2004<br />
In late July and early August, a squad of 27 boys and<br />
five staff will be undertaking the first long-haul rugby<br />
tour since 1999. The tour will last approximately three<br />
weeks and will involve playing six games, taking in Cape<br />
Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. ‘Off-field’ experiences<br />
planned will include a tour of the Cape Peninsular and<br />
visits to the Table Mountain, Rourke’s Drift, Isandlwana<br />
(also the site of a battle) and a game reserve. The major<br />
cost of the tour will be met by the parents of the players,<br />
but over the coming weeks there will be various fundraising<br />
events, including an Auction of Promises, for<br />
which we are seeking sponsors prepared to donate goods<br />
and services for auction. If any <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> would like<br />
to contribute in any way, we should be most grateful.<br />
We should also welcome <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> support on the<br />
touch-line and can supply OB’s in South Africa with a<br />
tour schedule. When the fixtures are finalised, we will<br />
publish them on the OBA web-site. I can be contacted by<br />
telephone (01749 814239) fax (01749 813426) or<br />
e-mail (cab@kingsbruton.somerset.sch.uk).<br />
Craig Barrow, Master i/c Rugby<br />
1st XI HOCKEY 2004<br />
At the time of going to press, the 1st XI Hockey<br />
results were not available in their entirety. However,<br />
OBs may like to know that there were victories over<br />
Taunton and Clayesmore, while the U18 squad came<br />
fourth in the RAF Cup, beating Wellington School 2-1<br />
and Wells Cathedral School 2-0.<br />
1ST XV FIXTURES 2004<br />
Sat. Sept. 11th Canford (H)<br />
Sat. Sept 18th Dauntsey’s (TBC)<br />
Sat. Sept 25th Exeter School (A)<br />
Sat. Oct. 2nd Wells Cathedral (A)<br />
Sat. Oct. 9th Bishop Wordsworth’s (H)<br />
Sat. Oct 16th Taunton School (H)<br />
Sat. Nov. 6th King Edward’s, Bath (A)<br />
Sat. Nov. 13th Monkton Combe (A)<br />
Thurs. Nov. 18th Sherborne (A)<br />
Wed. Dec. 4th King’s, Taunton (A)<br />
All home games kick-off at 2.45pm before half-term.<br />
After half-term home games kick-off at 2.30pm<br />
34 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004
A cricket match on Hyde [Picture by Andrew Leach]<br />
The Military Band on Remembrance Sunday [Picture by Andrew Leach]<br />
THE SCHOOL<br />
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004 35
The above portrait of Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire G.C.B., D.F.C., A.F.C., A.D.C. hangs in the R.A.F. College,<br />
Cranwell and is reproduced here with permission. To mark Peter’s period as Chief of the Air Staff, The <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong><br />
<strong>Association</strong> has commissioned the artist, Theo Platt, to paint a version of this picture for presentation to the School at<br />
the London Lunch on Friday, November 26th, 2004. The Bruton portrait will bear the Fitzjames Dolphin and Crown in<br />
the top right-hand corner as one of several features that will distinguish it from the Cranwell original. The cost of the<br />
portrait will be in the region of £5000, and many of Peter’s friends and contemporaries will want to play some part in<br />
this gift to the School. Those wishing to be included may make donations in units of £10 each, up to a maximum of<br />
ten (£100) per donor, to The Hon. Treasurer, Colin Hughes, Honeysuckle House, Millford Road, Sidmouth, Devon EX10<br />
8DP. Cheques should be made payable to “The <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Brutonian</strong> <strong>Association</strong>”. Inclusion, where possible, of an e-mail<br />
address with the donation would make acknowledgement easier.<br />
EDITOR: DAVID HINDLEY. © DESIGN & ARTWORK: GRAPHIC EXAMPLES, SHERBORNE. OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004