Old Lawrentian News 2010/11
Old Lawrentian News 2010/11
Old Lawrentian News 2010/11
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St Lawrence College<br />
Ramsgate, Kent<br />
Co-educational, Day & Boarding School<br />
Ages 3 - 18<br />
www.slcuk.com<br />
Children and grandchildren of <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Lawrentian</strong>s<br />
are entitled to a 10% boarding discount.<br />
Enquire now and they could soon be using our<br />
state-of-the-art Sports Centre.<br />
For a chance to send your child to your old school, please call<br />
Alison Hall for more information<br />
on 01843 572931 or email: ah@slcuk.com<br />
St Lawrence College exists to provide education for children. Charity No 307921<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Lawrentian</strong><br />
<strong>News</strong> <strong>2010</strong>/<strong>11</strong>
26th March OL Day and OL<br />
AGM - 12.00pm-6pm<br />
• 12.00pm-12.30pm: Pre-lunch<br />
drinks in the new Sports Centre.<br />
• 12.30pm-1.30pm: Lunch in the<br />
Dining Hall.<br />
• 2pm:Tours of the College.<br />
• 2.30pm: OL Shooting; OL Boys’<br />
Hockey on the Astro; OL Girls’<br />
Netball on the Quad; OL<br />
Badminton in the Taylor Hall.<br />
To offer your services to the<br />
teams please email Nick Jones:<br />
nosj@slcuk.com.<br />
• 4.30pm: Post-match drinks and<br />
sandwiches.<br />
• 5.15pm: OL AGM in the library,<br />
followed by drinks.<br />
To allow us to cater efficiently,<br />
please let us know who you and<br />
your guests are (before the 25th<br />
March) by booking in with<br />
kerry@olsociety.co.uk.<br />
25th June - OL Day - 2.30pm-<br />
6pm<br />
• 12pm: Drinks Reception.<br />
• 12.30pm-1.30pm: Lunch in the<br />
Dining Hall.<br />
• 1.30pm: OL Boys’ Cricket on<br />
Newlands.<br />
For more details contact Nick<br />
Jones: nosj@slcuk.com.<br />
• 2.30pm: OL Boys’ Tennis.<br />
Contact Rodney Wilkening:<br />
rbw@slcuk.com for more details.<br />
• 4.45pm: Post-match tea and<br />
JOIN US IN 20<strong>11</strong><br />
Pimms on the Headmaster’s lawn.<br />
To allow us to cater efficiently,<br />
please let us know who you and<br />
your guests are (before the 24th<br />
June) by booking in with<br />
kerry@olsociety.co.uk.<br />
25th June - Wine Extravaganza<br />
Evening<br />
• 6.30pm onwards.A light-hearted,<br />
fun and informative evening to<br />
include a blind taste challenge,<br />
New World vs <strong>Old</strong>. Experts’<br />
opinions, buffet.<br />
This is a ticketed event. More<br />
details will follow by email.<br />
17th September - OL Day -<br />
2.30pm-6.30pm<br />
• 12.30pm-1.30pm: Lunch in the<br />
Dining Hall.<br />
• 2.30pm: OL Girls’ Hockey on<br />
the Astro.<br />
For more details contact Clair<br />
Marchant: clairemilybrown@<br />
googlemail.com.<br />
Saturday 29th October - OL<br />
Dinner - 7pm<br />
• Champagne Reception. Dinner in<br />
the Dining Hall.<br />
For more details contact Kerry<br />
Brown: kerry@olsociety.co.uk.<br />
College Remembrance Service<br />
Sunday, 13th November.<br />
College Carol Service<br />
To be arranged.<br />
<br />
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE<br />
This is now my seventh<br />
year as OL President and<br />
I feel that now is the right<br />
time to give notice that I will be<br />
stepping down at the AGM in<br />
2012.<br />
For some time the Committee<br />
has been aware this was my<br />
intention but finding a suitable<br />
figurehead has proved difficult.<br />
For anybody taking on the role it<br />
is a wonderful experience and it<br />
means meeting many charming<br />
and interesting OLs, as I did -<br />
my wife!<br />
With a very young family and<br />
increasing work commitments<br />
the time is right for someone<br />
else to take over.<br />
I will of course continue to<br />
work hard behind the scenes on<br />
the OL Committee and as a<br />
Governor at the College.<br />
The Society is on a sure<br />
footing in that we now have a<br />
paid OL Secretary at the<br />
School, increased funding from<br />
the College, vibrant dinners and<br />
a new website.<br />
Hopefully my successor will be<br />
<br />
found soon. Ideally we need a<br />
person of stature who will give<br />
‘gravitas’ to the role and elevate<br />
the ‘status’ of the Society to a<br />
wider audience.<br />
The OL secretary, Kerry<br />
Brown, is doing a splendid job<br />
getting all the back room jobs<br />
done and maintaining the<br />
database, and along with<br />
Andrew Brown (ex-staff and<br />
archivist) she is working hard to<br />
organise all the old photos and<br />
archive material which has<br />
been hidden away in the<br />
basement of the College for<br />
donkeys’ years.<br />
This will be posted on the OL<br />
website in the near future.<br />
During <strong>2010</strong> the OL Golfers<br />
and Rifle Club continued to<br />
perform well in matches, but as<br />
always they would welcome<br />
new members so please do get<br />
in touch with the respective<br />
secretaries if you would like to<br />
get involved.<br />
One of the highlights of the<br />
year for me was in March when<br />
a group of us from Tower House<br />
Alumni Secretary Kerry Brown’s contact details are:<br />
Address: St Lawrence College, Ramsgate Kent, CT<strong>11</strong> 7AE<br />
Email: kerry@olsociety.co.uk<br />
Mobile: 07890 220758;Telephone: 01304 221300<br />
<br />
2<br />
3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE<br />
• Top, we all enjoyed our Tower Reunion at<br />
the Grand Hotel reminiscing with our former<br />
Tower housemaster<br />
• Right, Christopher Throndsen and Peter<br />
Webley (Tower 1982)<br />
got together at the Grand Hotel<br />
in Eastbourne to honour our old<br />
housemaster and friend<br />
Christopher Throndsen.<br />
We had a wonderful candlelit<br />
dinner in a private dining room<br />
and a big thank you must go to<br />
the General Manager, Jonathan<br />
Webley (Tower 1977), for<br />
organising such a splendid<br />
evening.<br />
If there are any other year<br />
groups who would like to<br />
organise a special dinner, or a<br />
reunion, then Jonathan would<br />
be more than happy to sort this<br />
out for you at The Grand.<br />
The OL tennis and cricket<br />
matches against the School<br />
ended in good wins for the<br />
College, but sadly the OL girls’<br />
hockey and netball matches<br />
had to be cancelled.<br />
We really do need to get more<br />
OL girls involved in the OL<br />
Society and it would be<br />
wonderful to have more<br />
females on the Committee to<br />
encourage their peers to come<br />
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE<br />
back and participate. OL events<br />
are more fun than you think!<br />
The new Sports Centre was<br />
opened in September by the<br />
England rugby coach, Martin<br />
Johnson (see Headmaster’s<br />
Update, page 6) and along with<br />
Kirby House there is no doubt<br />
that the College can boast<br />
some first-class facilities.<br />
Please note that there is a<br />
10% boarding fee discount<br />
available to any OL or OL<br />
grandparent, and with the fast<br />
train link from London/Euston,<br />
Ramsgate is only just over an<br />
hour away.<br />
We had yet another splendid<br />
OL Dinner at the College in<br />
November.<br />
This year we were lucky to<br />
secure the services of<br />
Humphrey Hawksley (Grange<br />
1972), the BBC overseas<br />
correspondent, who gave a<br />
wonderfully amusing speech.<br />
Highlights on page 12.<br />
It was very sad that we lost<br />
Christopher Stunt (Lodge 1958)<br />
two years ago now, but I do not<br />
think it should go unnoticed that<br />
he left an incredibly generous<br />
legacy of £100,000 to St<br />
Lawrence College.<br />
There were three Stunt<br />
brothers at the College; the<br />
others being Philip and Timothy,<br />
and I was delighted that Philip<br />
was able to join us as a guest at<br />
this year’s OL dinner.<br />
It was encouraging to see the<br />
first OL reunion in Hong Kong<br />
take place in December.<br />
The database shows there are<br />
123 OLs based in HK so<br />
hopefully this will become an<br />
annual event along the same<br />
lines as the very successful<br />
Australian reunions.<br />
Thanks must go to Henry<br />
Chan (Manor 1973-78) for<br />
organising this.<br />
If there are any other OLs who<br />
would like to organise a<br />
regional reunion then please<br />
get in touch with the OL<br />
Secretary, Kerry Brown, who<br />
will help you.<br />
Finally, I would draw your<br />
attention to the fact that OLs<br />
can now advertise their<br />
businesses in the OL <strong>News</strong>.<br />
This annual magazine is sent<br />
to more than 3,000 OLs<br />
throughout the world, so please<br />
get in touch with Kerry Brown,<br />
kerry@olsociety.co.uk, who will<br />
give you more details.<br />
Nick Marchant,<br />
OL President<br />
4<br />
5
HEADMASTER’S UPDATE<br />
Last year I wrote saying that<br />
the Sports Centre was taking<br />
shape. This year I can say it<br />
has been officially opened.<br />
We were very lucky to secure the<br />
services of Martin Johnson. He<br />
was very generous with his time.<br />
He officially opened the Centre,<br />
then toured it and chatted to the<br />
pupils. He was very impressed by<br />
the facility and he has seen a<br />
good number of such centres.<br />
He then addressed the whole<br />
school and spoke with passion<br />
about the importance of sport, not<br />
just at the elite level but as a way<br />
of staying fit for everyone and for<br />
the making of lasting friendships. I<br />
was very impressed by his ability<br />
to talk so fluently without a script.<br />
He then spent a long time signing<br />
autographs and chatting to staff<br />
and pupils.<br />
You might be interested to know<br />
that he made no charge for his<br />
visit but we did make a donation to<br />
one of his favourite charities which<br />
is the Adam Cole Foundation.<br />
You might like to consider<br />
supporting it yourself when we<br />
come to celebrate winning the<br />
next Rugby World Cup.<br />
The College has always had a<br />
fine reputation for its drama and<br />
that is certainly being maintained<br />
at present.<br />
Last term saw a top class<br />
production of The Crucible. This is<br />
not an easy play, even though it<br />
has much to say to the modern<br />
world, about the susceptibility of<br />
the public for various types of<br />
witch-hunt and the dangers<br />
caused when a group mentality<br />
takes over from sensible<br />
individuality of thought.<br />
The cast coped well with having<br />
to delay their performance for a<br />
week as a result of thick snow!<br />
There were several individual<br />
performances revealing what I<br />
would describe as an ‘inner<br />
power’ beyond their years.<br />
HEADMASTER’S UPDATE<br />
We have a crop of young actors<br />
coming through the school who<br />
have real talent. It is exciting.<br />
Do not forget we are always<br />
interested in talent and ability.<br />
If you know of any potential<br />
students who would enrich the life<br />
of our community, I am always<br />
willing to discuss bursaries and<br />
scholarships with their parents.<br />
Nick Marchant highlighted in his<br />
President’s Message the 10%<br />
boarding discount for OLs’ children<br />
and grandchildren, so please feel<br />
free to make a discrete enquiry to<br />
me, via my PA, Mrs Mills on 01843<br />
572900 or vm@slcuk.com.<br />
Another great excitement last<br />
term was watching our Under 15<br />
XV win their final game of the<br />
season against Chatham House<br />
and so complete an unbeaten<br />
season.<br />
It is a long while since we have<br />
had such a triumph and the boys<br />
have done very well. I, as an<br />
experienced rugby coach, was<br />
impressed by their commitment,<br />
their style and their willingness to<br />
try and make things happen during<br />
their games. There is room for<br />
technical improvement which<br />
coupled with good physical growth,<br />
could make them a very good side<br />
in two or three years’ time.<br />
Having the Sports Centre has<br />
made a great difference already,<br />
especially when the weather was<br />
unseasonably bad earlier towards<br />
the end of last term.<br />
I am sure the quality of many of<br />
our teams will improve even further<br />
as will the general levels of fitness<br />
across the school.<br />
I am also delighted to see the<br />
building being used just for the<br />
sheer pleasure of playing games,<br />
dancing or keeping fit.<br />
The climbing wall has also proved<br />
to be very popular and many,<br />
including a good number of my<br />
staff, have tested their nerves and<br />
courage scaling up it this term.<br />
The annual House Singing<br />
competition was also an occasion<br />
for nerves of steel especially if you<br />
were a judge.<br />
The quality of the acts was<br />
outstanding. It is a student-led<br />
event which makes it all the more<br />
impressive.<br />
Both sections were won by<br />
Lodge. However, the competition<br />
was so hot that the debate over<br />
who should have won raged on for<br />
days. It was much more exciting<br />
than Strictly or the X Factor.<br />
The final highlight of last term<br />
were two lovely Carol Services.<br />
The Christian life of the school<br />
6<br />
7
HEADMASTER’S UPDATE<br />
remains strong and we had a<br />
good Confirmation in the<br />
summer term. Making the most<br />
of pupils’ intellectual ability is a<br />
very important part of what we<br />
seek to do in College but<br />
developing the spiritual life of<br />
the pupils still remains very high<br />
on the agenda of us all.<br />
When I wrote last year we<br />
were close to finishing a<br />
promotional DVD about the<br />
College. It is now available to<br />
watch on the College and OL<br />
websites. It will give you a good<br />
idea of the current life of the<br />
College.<br />
Many things may have<br />
changed since your day but I<br />
hope you will see that the basic<br />
traditions and atmosphere of<br />
the College remain the same.<br />
Watching the DVD will give<br />
you a good view of the College<br />
but nowhere near as good as<br />
coming back to visit.<br />
We are always happy to show<br />
you around; again the best way<br />
to make contact is through my<br />
PA.<br />
These are exciting days for the<br />
School and the OL society. I reiterate<br />
that I would be happy to<br />
come and talk to a group of OLs<br />
or to arrange an event for you<br />
here, if you have a particular<br />
year group that would like to get<br />
back together.<br />
As is so often the case the<br />
organising of a voluntary group<br />
like the OL Society falls on a<br />
very few, committed people.<br />
I would like to pay tribute to<br />
Nick Marchant for all his hard<br />
work with OLs over the last few<br />
years.<br />
Others on the committee have<br />
also given him vital support.<br />
Can I make a plea for some<br />
more help in running the<br />
Society<br />
There are not a great number<br />
of meetings and some of those<br />
could take place in London, if<br />
that helped, now that we have<br />
the fast train.<br />
Please contact Nick by email if<br />
you think you could help<br />
support the work of the OLs.<br />
My sense is that the College is<br />
in the best state it has been for<br />
many years and, if you have not<br />
been back, then please make<br />
contact with us.<br />
Come and visit. I think you will<br />
be pleasantly surprised by all<br />
that has been achieved in<br />
recent years.<br />
Reverend Mark Aitken,<br />
Headmaster<br />
8
OL DINNER - NOVEMBER 6, <strong>2010</strong><br />
OL DINNER - NOVEMBER 6, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Yet another great evening<br />
in the school dining hall<br />
and undoubtedly the<br />
highlight of the year.<br />
We were lucky to secure the<br />
services of a superb guest<br />
speaker in Humphrey Hawksley<br />
(Grange 1972), the BBC’s<br />
foreign correspondent and<br />
commentator on world affairs.<br />
This was his first visit back to<br />
the College in 38 years and he<br />
clearly thoroughly enjoyed<br />
returning to the old school.<br />
Attendance was excellent with<br />
<strong>11</strong>6 OLs and guests attending,<br />
including 23 OLs from 1980<br />
who were celebrating their 30-<br />
year reunion. See page 15.<br />
In fact, many OLs made a<br />
huge effort to attend, travelling<br />
in from Australia, Jordan and<br />
Zambia. What a celebration it<br />
turned out to be with festivities<br />
finishing in the early hours!<br />
The evening started with a<br />
nostalgic tour of the school at<br />
6pm, taking in the impressive<br />
new Sports Centre, followed by<br />
a Champagne reception in the<br />
front hall / new Costa café area.<br />
Dinner was held in the Dining<br />
Hall and, after grace by the<br />
Reverend Robin Garden, we<br />
sat down to an excellent meal,<br />
washed down with some fine<br />
wine and the usual barrel of<br />
Fullers London pride!<br />
As President, I welcomed<br />
distinguished guests Bob Gray<br />
(Lodge 1967), John Isaac<br />
(Tower 1955), Chris Throndsen<br />
(Tower 1953), John Vernon<br />
(Lodge 1976), Ellis Gill (Grange<br />
1971) and Philip Stunt (Lodge<br />
1953).<br />
I gave particular thanks to the<br />
new OL secretary, Kerry Brown,<br />
for her contribution to the<br />
evening’s organisation, and to<br />
Lawrence Page (Newlands<br />
1955) for organising the wine.<br />
Marie Winter (nee Blair,<br />
Bellerby 1980) received special<br />
thanks for organising the 1980<br />
year-group reunion.<br />
It was good to see a table full<br />
of Courtenay boys from the 50s<br />
and 60s. In fact, the oldest ‘old<br />
boy’ was Peter Mantle who left<br />
an incredible 59 years ago!<br />
It is hoped to have another<br />
large contingency of Courtenay<br />
boys at 20<strong>11</strong>’s OL Dinner as<br />
Dave Masters and Tony Singer<br />
(1961) are hoping to reunite as<br />
many Courtenay leavers from<br />
the first half of of the 1960s as<br />
possible - for an ‘approximate<br />
50-year celebration’.<br />
The evening finished with a<br />
rousing rendition of the school<br />
song led by the OL resident<br />
opera singer, Joe Cornwell.<br />
Nick Marchant,<br />
President<br />
10<br />
<strong>11</strong>
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY’S MEMORIES<br />
Humphrey Hawksley gave<br />
a wonderfully appropriate<br />
and amusing speech at<br />
November’s OL Dinner, sharing<br />
his memories of St Lawrence.<br />
A full version of his speech can<br />
be found on the OL website<br />
www.olsociety.co.uk. Here is<br />
a taster to whet your appetite!<br />
Talking about the senior school<br />
houses - Courtenay, Grange,<br />
Lodge, Manor, Tower, and for<br />
day boys, Newlands, he said:<br />
“Now, many of you may argue<br />
with my take on it, and I will<br />
brace myself. But here goes.<br />
At the top was Tower. It was a<br />
magnet for the rich, the<br />
privileged, the aristocracy of St<br />
Lawrence.<br />
After Tower, there was Lodge.<br />
I suppose you could say if<br />
Tower was the aristocracy, then<br />
Lodge was the nouveau-riche.<br />
Next came Manor, wedged<br />
uneasily between the more<br />
gentile houses and those yet to<br />
come. Manor sat up there in the<br />
Balcony of this dining hall and it<br />
carried with it an air of<br />
cosmopolitan exoticism.<br />
Newlands, the day house, was<br />
partly a conglomeration of all of<br />
us - but mostly not. They were<br />
the local boys, the sons of<br />
Kent’s business and commerce.<br />
Grange - my house. Suffice to<br />
say that Grange had the finest<br />
and most intelligent pupils,<br />
brilliant on both the playing<br />
fields and in the classroom.<br />
We were generous, caring,<br />
adventurous. Thoroughly good<br />
people. Our housemaster was<br />
the incredibly tall, yet serene,<br />
Harold Clifford, an exceptionally<br />
wise man and even now I miss<br />
his guiding hand.<br />
Courtenay was rough.<br />
Courtenay were the button men<br />
of St Lawrence. With Courtenay<br />
you kept your head down or<br />
lived on your wits. Courtenay,<br />
for the most part, was a no-go<br />
area and only a fool would walk<br />
through the corridors of<br />
Courtenay at night and expect<br />
to emerge unscathed.”<br />
12
HONG KONG REUNION<br />
Our first reunion!<br />
A small but very<br />
successful ‘firstof-many<br />
reunions’ for<br />
OLs based in and near<br />
Hong Kong.<br />
The evening on<br />
December 17, <strong>2010</strong><br />
was kindly organised<br />
by Henry Chan (Manor<br />
’78) and was held in<br />
‘Jimmy’s Kitchen’.<br />
With lots of laughter • From left, Vinod Mahtani, Sunil Mohinani,<br />
Hemmon Tseng, Ricky Yue, Sunil Daswani and<br />
and reminiscing, the<br />
Henry Chan. Jeffery Chan also attended<br />
group shared a strong later in the evening.<br />
common bond of<br />
having attended SLC which brings good friendship, even between<br />
those who weren’t there at the same time.<br />
It appears that the world is very small indeed – Hemmon Tseng<br />
was Sunil’s landlord for three years - though they had never met<br />
earlier (Sunil was relieved to have paid his rent on time)!<br />
Another surprise that evening was that for the past 20 years<br />
Sunil and Vinod have been good friends - yet neither knew they<br />
were at the College at the same time. Vinod had been in the Junior<br />
School when Sunil was in Cameron - so their paths never crossed.<br />
If you would like to know of (or help Henry organise) future Hong<br />
Kong reunions, in the first instance, please contact Kerry Brown, OL<br />
Secretary, at kerry@olsociety.co.uk to ensure she has your current<br />
contact details (especially email).<br />
Currently our database shows we have 123 OLs in Hong Kong - but we<br />
only have 23 email addresses. In the South East Asia region, we have<br />
more than 300 OLs listed – but again, hardly any current email<br />
addresses. If we don’t have your email, please get in touch as many of<br />
our communications now go out as emails rather than via post.<br />
Thank you.<br />
<br />
<br />
We left in the summer of<br />
1980 in our Minis, Alfa<br />
Suds, parents’ cars<br />
and British Rail amidst the<br />
soundtracks of Madonna,<br />
Genesis and Michael Jackson.<br />
Adorned in our preppy fashion<br />
and flowing Laura Ashley<br />
dresses, (and that was the<br />
boys!) we ventured forward into<br />
university and employment, to<br />
begin the next phase of our<br />
lives.<br />
We returned, in the wet and<br />
windy autumn of <strong>2010</strong> - 30<br />
years had passed in the blink of<br />
an eye.<br />
The reason for the true making<br />
of our 1980’s reunion was twofold.<br />
The first, was Marie Winter<br />
1980’s REUNION<br />
(nee Blair), and the second<br />
technology. Marie set about<br />
tracing people on Facebook,<br />
emails flew back and forth,<br />
people were tempted by the<br />
promise of a reunion.<br />
My wife Heather and I met up<br />
for pre-dinner drinks with other<br />
1980’s OLs in the Pegwell Bay<br />
Hotel, where we were staying.<br />
Paul Price (Head Boy 1980),<br />
David Ryan, John Rayner and<br />
my dear friend Basim Said, who<br />
had flown in from Jordan, were<br />
the first to toast the ‘80s.<br />
After an hour of reminiscing in<br />
strolled Johnny Marchant. More<br />
warm hugs, smiles, laughter<br />
and ale aloft.<br />
Paul Price, organised as ever,<br />
14<br />
15
1980’S REUNION<br />
THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES<br />
arranged taxis to ferry us to a<br />
pre OL Dinner drinking venue,<br />
the one and only Honeysuckle<br />
Inn. On entering we were<br />
reunited with Marie and Andy<br />
Winter, Alison Pailing (nee<br />
Hope), Stuart Jepps, Sarah<br />
George (nee Thomas), Amanda<br />
Hills, Bridget Greenhalgh and<br />
John Egan-Wyer.<br />
And so to Saint Lawrence, the<br />
taxi dropped us at the Green<br />
Door. Where else<br />
Inside the reunions continued<br />
with Stephen Billings, Tim<br />
Dodd, Nick Marchant, Pro<br />
Jones, Paul Bailey, Claire Hills,<br />
Pete Gayne, Nick Kenton<br />
Jeremy Blackhurst and Ian<br />
Wagland joining and adding to<br />
the laughter and smiles.<br />
Cameras flashed as we rolled<br />
back the years, spoke of what<br />
had come to pass, our partners,<br />
many present, families, careers<br />
and cares.<br />
We had a wonderful meal in<br />
the school dining hall. All the old<br />
boards had been relocated and<br />
replaced by portraits of those<br />
that had gone before us.<br />
All too soon we were saying<br />
good night, and what a good<br />
night it had been, the rest of the<br />
evening blurred as fatigue set<br />
in, some retiring as late as 0530<br />
the next morning.<br />
As we said goodbye with<br />
promises of a reunion in Jordan<br />
in 2012 (Basim what have you<br />
let yourself in for), the year<br />
London hosts the Olympics and<br />
we all turn 50, the last line of the<br />
school song rang in my ears<br />
from the thundering rendition<br />
the previous night - ‘Gratias<br />
Agamus’, let us give thanks.<br />
Chris Taylor, Manor<br />
Chris Taylor’s full round-up is on the OL website - www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
<br />
Reunion<br />
The College looks the same<br />
now<br />
As I climb down from the car,<br />
And follow all the others<br />
To an obviously makeshift bar.<br />
So here I am all tarted up<br />
In posh frock and high heels,<br />
And I’m just beginning to<br />
remember<br />
How being sixteen feels.<br />
I scan across the crowded room,<br />
A nervous smile in place,<br />
Searching, hoping, praying<br />
To see a familiar face.<br />
The captain of the rugby team<br />
Now he would be a sight.<br />
Or the cute one from English<br />
Would really make my night.<br />
That tall dark good-looking one,<br />
Who played for the first eleven,<br />
The way he kissed as I recall<br />
Was something close to heaven.<br />
But what I see before me<br />
In their bow ties and DJs<br />
Is just a bunch of middle-aged<br />
men<br />
To show me how much I’ve<br />
aged.<br />
Alison (Hope) Pailing,<br />
Bellerby 1978-80<br />
“That was one of the most<br />
memorable nights of my life.”<br />
Johnny Marchant<br />
“What an evening, we rolled<br />
back the years, the careers,<br />
the commitments and the<br />
crumbling health to enjoy<br />
love and laughter with friends<br />
of old.”<br />
Chris Taylor<br />
“Not a bad looking bunch after<br />
30 years.”<br />
Paul Price<br />
“It was just great to see<br />
everyone on such sparkling<br />
form and looking well ... just<br />
as gorgeous as ever.”<br />
Amanda Hills<br />
“Special thanks go to Marie, but<br />
a heartfelt thanks to everyone<br />
for making it such a wonderful<br />
event. I really loved seeing my<br />
old (but young at heart) friends.”<br />
Basim Said<br />
“There was much fun,<br />
laughter and - after a few too<br />
many ... hugs and promises<br />
not to leave it another 30<br />
years.”<br />
Marie (Blair) Winter<br />
“The weekend was all I hoped<br />
it would be and then some!!”<br />
Stuart Jepps<br />
16<br />
17
NEW SOUTH WALES OL REUNION<br />
W<br />
e<br />
gathered at Finola’s<br />
restaurant at Balmain<br />
Bowling Club (grass<br />
not ten pin). Finola is a<br />
delightful Irish chef who has<br />
built a deserved reputation for<br />
the quality of her table.<br />
The house specialty is the<br />
beef and Guinness pie which,<br />
judging by the orders, was the<br />
day’s favourite selection! Drinks<br />
were ordered from the bar in the<br />
adjoining gaming room that<br />
caters for poker, horses and<br />
one armed bandits. The venue<br />
proved a great success as we<br />
had the place to ourselves.<br />
We had a great turnout of OLs<br />
and welcomed Iain Mars who<br />
travelled down from Brisbane<br />
for the day - a gesture much<br />
appreciated by everyone. Iain<br />
continues to play an important<br />
role in the Australian meat<br />
industry.<br />
John and Valerie Barrow jetted<br />
in from a sojourn in France to<br />
join us and had much to recount<br />
about their Gallic adventures.<br />
Noel and Elizabeth Symonds,<br />
who travelled from the Southern<br />
Highlands, were in good form.<br />
Ann Brockbank had recently<br />
returned from a trip to Africa.<br />
She stayed with OL Pro Jones<br />
at the River Club - a fabulous<br />
lodge he owns and runs on the<br />
banks of the Zambeezi.<br />
She also reported on her visit<br />
to St Lawrence College that<br />
included experiencing the<br />
caffeine extravagances on<br />
offer; a far cry from the tuck<br />
shop we all remember!<br />
Geoffrey Sexton provided us<br />
with his annual summary of our<br />
past reunions and reports that<br />
he is again challenging the<br />
fairways. Unfortunately, Margot<br />
Sexton was unable to attend<br />
this year but we look forward to<br />
seeing her in 20<strong>11</strong>.<br />
Belinda Piper was a popular<br />
return having spent time in San<br />
Diego over the past two years.<br />
Belinda told us that she will<br />
soon be married and the group<br />
was pleased to wish her well.<br />
John Denton travelled from the<br />
mid-coast and we welcomed his<br />
companion Cynthia Burgess.<br />
Frank and Sherrie Armstrong<br />
provided their usual enthusiasm<br />
and good cheer and following<br />
an absence, it was good to see<br />
Tony Gilbert with us again.<br />
Paul and Margot Priday keep<br />
on keeping on but the stars of<br />
the show were undoubtedly the<br />
Dixon family. It was great to<br />
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6<br />
• From left to right, standing: Lesley Reynolds, Noel and Elizabeth Symonds,<br />
John Denton,Anthony Bowesman, Geoff Sexton, Simon Dixon,Ann Brockbank,<br />
Paul and Margot Priday, Tony Gilbert, Sherrie Armstrong, John Barrow, Gail<br />
Dixon, Iain Mars. Sitting:Val Barrow, Frank Armstrong, Connie Dixon, Belinda<br />
Piper, Paul Dixon, Cynthia Burgess.<br />
have Paul and Connie with us.<br />
They were joined by Paul’s son<br />
Simon, his companion Gail and<br />
Connie’s daughter, Lesley<br />
Burgess.<br />
We introduced an aboriginal<br />
custom to proceedings in <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
If a person seeks to address<br />
the throng, they need to wear a<br />
particular symbol of authority to<br />
be recognised. In our case it<br />
was a Junior School cricket<br />
colours cap that can be seen<br />
being worn by Paul Dixon in the<br />
group photograph.<br />
Perched ridiculously on the<br />
head of the authorised speaker<br />
it seemed to work. All those<br />
years of school authority and<br />
discipline appear to have had a<br />
lasting effect.<br />
When matters got a bit ragged,<br />
Paul Dixon, donned the cap and<br />
brought us back into line.<br />
In conclusion, our reunion was<br />
a success. Friendships and<br />
acquaintances were renewed<br />
and a good time was had by all.<br />
• Anybody and everybody is<br />
welcome at our 20<strong>11</strong> reunion,<br />
which will be held in October or<br />
November. Information can be<br />
obtained from Ann Brockbank<br />
at annbrockbank@gmail.com<br />
closer to the event.<br />
Ann Brockbank<br />
18<br />
19
PRAYER FELLOWSHIP<br />
The OL Prayer Fellowship<br />
has been led and<br />
supported by Anthony<br />
Desch for many years and it is<br />
with some trepidation that I take<br />
over the role. Our thanks must<br />
go to Anthony for his hard work<br />
and we wish him well.<br />
I came across a letter in the<br />
Prayer Fellowship archives<br />
written by Dick Page in 1958 in<br />
which he talks about the<br />
struggle of making worship<br />
relevant to the modern pupil.<br />
He said then that “it is a<br />
problem that needs prayer” and<br />
“that it is important that a boy<br />
should learn that worship is<br />
“giving of oneself to God”.<br />
The language might have<br />
changed a little, the pupils a lot<br />
and the style of worship even<br />
more but the need for prayer<br />
remains, I suspect, unchanged.<br />
We plan in the OL <strong>News</strong> to<br />
give a snapshot of Christian life<br />
at the School for all readers and<br />
to have a longer version of the<br />
newsletter on the website for<br />
download for interested parties.<br />
As well as giving news from<br />
the school that may help<br />
members pray for the current<br />
• Nick Lyons was at St Lawrence from<br />
1975 to 1982 in Cameron and Lodge<br />
pupils, we hope to include news<br />
of what OLs are getting up to<br />
(and I have discovered what a<br />
rich variety of Christian work is<br />
taking place across the world!)<br />
We plan also to have a brief<br />
emailed newsletter, sent to<br />
those who would like to receive<br />
particular prayer requests from<br />
the school and from members.<br />
If you have some news, or a<br />
request for prayer, please email<br />
me at ntlyons@btinternet.com.<br />
Nick Lyons, Lodge 1982,<br />
Editor of the Prayer<br />
Fellowship <strong>News</strong>letter<br />
To read more about Nick, go to the OL website - www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
CHAPLAIN’S MESSAGE<br />
Over the past 12 months<br />
we have had a lot to give<br />
thanks to God for. The<br />
three Christian Unions continue<br />
to flourish in our College and<br />
your continued prayers for them<br />
are greatly appreciated.<br />
In the Junior School, the<br />
Lighthouse group have a keen<br />
following, particularly from the<br />
new intake in Year 3. The Trinity<br />
Team in the Middle School have<br />
a good number of boys among<br />
their number and the CU in the<br />
Senior School is now under the<br />
leadership of Mervyn Watling.<br />
Last year <strong>11</strong> students from the<br />
middle and senior schools were<br />
confirmed by the Bishops of<br />
Dover and Canterbury.<br />
These young people have<br />
formed a loyal group and meet<br />
• Reverend Peter Russell and the Junior<br />
School’s Lighthouse group put on a<br />
‘change’ assembly<br />
in term time to celebrate Holy<br />
Communion. I have received<br />
eight more applications for<br />
confirmation later in the year.<br />
Again, your prayers for the<br />
spiritual growth of these pupils<br />
would be greatly appreciated.<br />
This academic year has seen<br />
the reintroduction of community<br />
service. A group of students<br />
from the Senior School visit two<br />
residential homes in the area<br />
and, on occasion, we give the<br />
residents short acts of worship.<br />
This venture gives first-hand<br />
experience at true Christian<br />
ministry and I pray that this<br />
activity develops further.<br />
The overall pastoral care of the<br />
College is always a concern of<br />
mine. Teaching staff maintain a<br />
high standard of professional<br />
and pastoral commitment in an<br />
age that demands rigorous<br />
administrative standards.<br />
Fatigue is a natural human<br />
response to work pressures.<br />
Please support them in your<br />
prayers. The overall spiritual<br />
health of SLC is very good and<br />
I am indebted to the students<br />
for their support in Chapel and<br />
support for each other.<br />
Yours in Christ,<br />
Reverend Peter Russell<br />
20<br />
21
FROM RAMSGATE TO COURTEENHALL<br />
T<br />
he<br />
60th anniversary of the<br />
evacuation of our troops from<br />
Dunkirk in June 1940 has<br />
brought back memories of<br />
Ramsgate during that time.<br />
During the early days of the war I<br />
can remember the Junior School<br />
assembling in the tunnel, linking up<br />
with the other side of the school,<br />
and during an air raid warning one<br />
of the masters read us Winnie the<br />
Pooh to keep us quiet and in order.<br />
As the College was evacuated to<br />
Seaford for the summer term of<br />
1940, I was anxious to visit my<br />
parents in Ramsgate for the halfterm<br />
break.<br />
As the train was several hours late<br />
in arriving at Ramsgate, due to the<br />
need for transporting the troops<br />
away from the coastal towns, my<br />
parents had given up waiting for me<br />
and had returned home. I had very<br />
little money (pocket money was<br />
about six pence a week) and so had<br />
to walk about two miles with my<br />
small suitcase.<br />
It was quite shattering seeing all<br />
those troops in various conditions<br />
filling the station and being fed with<br />
sandwiches and tea by the WVS.<br />
I went down to the front in the<br />
evening to see the armada of small<br />
boats being towed by larger ones<br />
into Ramsgate harbour from<br />
Dunkirk. There was a constant<br />
stream of buses, lorries leading up<br />
to the station loaded with soldiers in<br />
different conditions.<br />
The wounded were laid out on<br />
stretchers on the ground around<br />
where Merry England, the<br />
amusement arcade is located,<br />
waiting for transport to hospital.<br />
It was not all doom and gloom as<br />
there was a certain amount of<br />
banter going on.<br />
I can remember one of the soldiers<br />
leaning out of a carriage carrying a<br />
white goose under his arm. They<br />
were not allowed to bring back their<br />
equipment but he was not coming<br />
back empty-handed!<br />
I said goodbye to my parents who<br />
were returning to West Africa, my<br />
brother went to America to train as<br />
a pilot and I returned to Seaford.<br />
I was surprised to see my father<br />
rather moved when saying goodbye<br />
but I am sure this was due to his<br />
experience of fighting in France<br />
during the Great War.<br />
At the end of the 1940 summer<br />
term we went to the station to take<br />
the train to London. I was going to<br />
stay with an Aunt in Bromley, Kent.<br />
As we were getting into the<br />
carriage Mr. Waymouth the<br />
Headmaster of the Junior School,<br />
said: “Collins you had better get into<br />
DURING THE WAR YEARS<br />
my carriage.” As we were<br />
approaching Victoria Station he<br />
said that the school had collapsed<br />
and he would be in touch.<br />
During the holidays in Bromley, I<br />
saw the Battle of Britain being<br />
fought in the skies above us.<br />
Throughout the bombing of London<br />
eight of us slept in an Anderson<br />
shelter, measuring 6’6”x4’6”.<br />
We were very fortunate that a few<br />
school governors met in London at<br />
that time and decided St Lawrence<br />
College should continue. They sent<br />
Mr Waymouth scouring the country<br />
for suitable accommodation for<br />
what was left of the school.<br />
It is amazing how fortunate it was<br />
that he found Courteenhall, when<br />
he had the opportunity of meeting<br />
Major General Sir Hereward Wake.<br />
The Major General told Mr<br />
Waymouth the Army was due to<br />
commandeer his home in two<br />
weeks’ time but because he<br />
thought that schoolboys would do<br />
less damage to his home he offered<br />
it to St Lawrence College. It is<br />
fortunate that he had influence<br />
regarding this arrangement.<br />
The College is most grateful to the<br />
then Headmaster, Canon Perfect,<br />
for his wisdom and determination to<br />
restart SLC, and because of this<br />
decision the school is flourishing<br />
today, helping to produce students<br />
who make a good contribution to<br />
society worldwide.<br />
During the war, some of the senior<br />
boys studying for their A-Levels<br />
also helped to teach the younger<br />
ones until suitable staff could be<br />
recruited at Courteenhall.<br />
It is for this reason we are<br />
indebted to the Wake family for<br />
being so supportive of the school<br />
during those difficult days.<br />
Courteenhall, in my view, was in a<br />
wonderful location in beautiful<br />
countryside and with my parents<br />
being abroad it felt like my home<br />
during that time.<br />
It was a great shock to the School<br />
to hear that G.T. Coffin, the Head<br />
Boy, had been killed in action in<br />
North Africa soon after he had left<br />
the School; also one of the masters<br />
who had left to join Bomber<br />
Command was shot down.<br />
A number of boys stayed at the<br />
school over Christmas in 1940<br />
because they had no home to go<br />
back to.<br />
That was life in those days.<br />
Some of the senior boys were<br />
boarded out to the local farms<br />
leaving the School captain behind<br />
to look after the younger boys.<br />
In those days we all had bicycles<br />
on which we used to cycle into<br />
22<br />
23
MEMORIES OF COURTEENHALL<br />
Northampton six miles away.<br />
On reflection we had the<br />
opportunity of experiencing<br />
country life when the School<br />
was asked to help with the<br />
harvest of potatoes and also to<br />
help load the bales of straw on<br />
to the wagons, which was very<br />
strenuous. I am sure many of us<br />
have a greater appreciation of<br />
the countryside because of our<br />
experience of living in the<br />
country.<br />
I did not achieve high academic<br />
standards at the College but<br />
learned a lot of good Christian<br />
values, which have stood me in<br />
good stead all my life.<br />
• Right, Sir<br />
Hereward<br />
sent this<br />
letter to John<br />
Collins after<br />
reading John’s<br />
wartime<br />
memories of<br />
Courteehall.<br />
• Far Right,<br />
Sir Hereward<br />
Wake and<br />
John Collins<br />
Careerwise, for a short time I<br />
was Chief Technical Cost<br />
Negotiator for Rolls Royce<br />
Bristol; Deputy Price Controller<br />
for Concorde and for 20 years<br />
member of the Business School<br />
at the University of the West of<br />
England.<br />
When OLs visit the school,<br />
which is flourishing under a<br />
good headmaster, Reverend<br />
Mark Aitken, can they imagine<br />
that if it were not for those<br />
governors, for Canon Perfect,<br />
Mr Waymouth and the Wake<br />
family, there may not be a St<br />
Lawrence College today<br />
John Collins (1936-44)<br />
Read John Collins’ full report on the OL website - www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
ORDER OF ST FRIDESWIDE<br />
Retirement for Grange’s<br />
(1951-55) Chris Burley<br />
has been anything but<br />
restful.<br />
It was whilst a partner at<br />
accountants Price Waterhouse<br />
that Chris started helping out<br />
the Church of England’s Oxford<br />
Diocese.<br />
His role, before and after<br />
retirement, involved helping the<br />
Church to chart its way through<br />
a wide range of complex<br />
financial issues.<br />
Following his retirement in<br />
1992, he threw himself into his<br />
voluntary work helping the<br />
Oxford Diocese to plot a new<br />
financial course following the<br />
chaos created by the Church<br />
Commissioners’ reported mismanagement<br />
of funds.<br />
For his 17 years’ distinguished<br />
service to the Oxford Diocese,<br />
Chris was rewarded for his<br />
efforts by being admitted to the<br />
Order of St Frideswide.<br />
Only 10 people have received<br />
the honour, since its inception<br />
in 2004. The award recognises<br />
outstanding contributions from<br />
lay people in the Diocese of<br />
Oxford.<br />
Chris said: “I was absolutely<br />
bowled over when I got the<br />
• The Bishop of Oxford, Reverend John<br />
Pritchard, with Chris Burley<br />
letter from the Bishop of<br />
Oxford. It was only when I<br />
attended the annual dinner for<br />
the Order of St Frideswide that<br />
I realised what a select group I<br />
was in. This award to the laity is<br />
similar to clergy being made<br />
honorary canons of the<br />
cathedral. I was delighted to be<br />
awarded this honour and was<br />
‘installed’ at a service in Christ<br />
Church Cathedral, Oxford in<br />
January 2009.”<br />
Chris’ numerical skills and<br />
judgement also come in handy<br />
in Bridge. His results there are<br />
also first class. He has been<br />
invited for trials for the English<br />
Seniors team and became a<br />
Grand Master in 2008.<br />
24 25
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
GOLDEN<br />
WEDDING<br />
Peter and Wendy Jordan<br />
celebrated their Golden<br />
Wedding anniversary with<br />
family and friends on July 28th,<br />
<strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Married in 1960, they have<br />
lived in the same house in<br />
Crick, Northants for the past 50<br />
years.<br />
Gordon Peter Jordan was in<br />
Courtenay and left SLC in 1952.<br />
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
WEDDINGS<br />
Congratulations to Kathryn<br />
Cotton (Laing 1998) who<br />
married Alan Martin at<br />
Holy Trinity Church, Cliftonville,<br />
Kent, on November 13, <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Joanna Lucy Coberth (Laing<br />
1998) married Thomas<br />
David Hardman McKerrell<br />
on June 12th, <strong>2010</strong> at St Mary’s<br />
Church, Bishopsbourne, near<br />
Canterbury, Kent.<br />
The couple, who both grew up<br />
in Kent, met down under.<br />
Joanna said: “We met in 2005<br />
• From left, Deborah Rooms (Bellerby<br />
1998), Kate McKerrell, Joanna McKerrell<br />
and Erin Coberth (Laing 1996)<br />
in Perth, Western Australia,<br />
although Tom also grew up in<br />
Kent. He went to Cranbrook<br />
School and also graduated in<br />
1998 so our year would have<br />
played each other at rugby/<br />
hockey/netball/cricket, but we<br />
had to go to the other side of<br />
the world to meet each other!”<br />
26<br />
27
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
Say hello to Sophie<br />
Francesca Guignabaudet<br />
who was born on October<br />
4th, <strong>2010</strong> at University College<br />
Hospital, London, to proud<br />
parents Matt Rawbone (Manor-<br />
Grange 1993 -1998) and Kim<br />
Guignabaudet.<br />
Weighing in at 8lb 6oz, Matt<br />
says Sophie is the spitting<br />
image of her mum and that’s<br />
why she’s named after her<br />
Kim and Matt met at Durham<br />
University via the overseas<br />
French island of Guadeloupe in<br />
2002 and married in 2008.<br />
BIRTHS<br />
Anna Shearer (Laing<br />
1998) married Richard<br />
da Costa on July 17th,<br />
<strong>2010</strong> in her Dad’s stunning<br />
Cliftonville garden.<br />
They first met in 2002 via<br />
mutual friends and became a<br />
couple a year later on New<br />
Year’s Eve.<br />
Together they run a film<br />
production company in<br />
Bristol: Anna is a producer<br />
and Richard a director.<br />
Anna and Richard are<br />
expecting their first child in<br />
April.<br />
Lisa Lowe (nee Downes-<br />
Powell) and her husband,<br />
Duncan, are pleased to<br />
announce the birth of their son<br />
Connor James Lowe.<br />
He was born on July 27th,<br />
<strong>2010</strong> weighing 7lb 2oz.<br />
28<br />
29
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
Clementine<br />
Mary<br />
Marchant was<br />
born on April 4th,<br />
<strong>2010</strong> at the QEQM,<br />
Margate, weighing 7lb<br />
1oz.<br />
Clementine is seven<br />
months in this photo.<br />
She is pictured with her<br />
proud parents Nick and<br />
Clair Marchant.<br />
Clair and Nick are<br />
expecting their second<br />
child in April.<br />
If you would like to feature in the Family Announcement section please<br />
email your obituary, wedding details or birth announcements,<br />
plus any photographs, to kerry@olsociety.co.uk.<br />
Alternatively you can write to Kerry Brown,Alumni Secretary,<br />
St Lawrence College, Ramsgate, Kent, CT<strong>11</strong> 7AE.<br />
We will do our best to use as much of the material as possible.<br />
<br />
Meet<br />
Reuben<br />
George Mellor,<br />
pictured at 20<br />
weeks old.<br />
He is the firstborn of<br />
Joanna Mellor, nee<br />
Baker, (Laing 1998)<br />
and Dale Mellor.<br />
Reuben was born on<br />
September 9th, <strong>2010</strong><br />
weighing 7lb 2oz.<br />
<br />
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
Hannah Blatchford (nee<br />
Leadbeater) 1975-<strong>2010</strong><br />
(Laing 1986-1991).<br />
Hannah leaves behind a<br />
husband, Matthew, and<br />
three-year-old son, Samuel<br />
Richard Hands, 1943-<strong>2010</strong><br />
(Courtenay 1954-1961)<br />
Anthony Housden, 1935-<strong>2010</strong><br />
(Lodge 1948-1952)<br />
A J Langston, 1950-2005<br />
(Grange 1964-1968)<br />
Albert Moth died on October<br />
30th, 2009.<br />
(Grange 1952-1957).<br />
John Scrutton, 1919-2009<br />
OBITUARIES<br />
Richard James Hands,<br />
04.01.1943 - 24.12.<strong>2010</strong><br />
(Courtenay: 1954-1961)<br />
Richard James Hands was<br />
born in South-East<br />
London in January 1943<br />
and it was a remarkable stroke<br />
of good fortune that brought him<br />
to St Lawrence College at the<br />
age of 12, to enrol in the since<br />
disbanded Courtenay house,<br />
DEATH NOTICES<br />
(Tower 1930-1937).<br />
Stuart Smith (former teacher<br />
English and Drama 2001-<br />
2007) passed away on June<br />
13th, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Peter Spicer passed away on<br />
July 30th, <strong>2010</strong><br />
(Manor 1945-1947)<br />
Dr J.L.G. Thomson died in<br />
<strong>2010</strong><br />
(Grange 1935-1940)<br />
Laurence White, passed away<br />
on April 3rd, <strong>2010</strong><br />
(Tower1996-2000)<br />
30<br />
31
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
under the watchful eye of<br />
Samuel ‘Sozzle’ Speakman.<br />
Over the next six years<br />
Richard had little difficulty in<br />
making friends, with many<br />
enduring throughout his life,<br />
with all of us remembering his<br />
wonderful sense of humour and<br />
above all else, his infectious<br />
laughter.<br />
In his time in Courtenay, he<br />
was a member of the junior and<br />
senior house teams in Rugby,<br />
Hockey and Cricket, whilst<br />
enjoying equal success in the<br />
CCF, eventually becoming a<br />
Sergeant, which came as no<br />
surprise to his fellow Corps<br />
members.<br />
His escapades in the field of<br />
dormitory poker where a sight<br />
to behold especially the art of<br />
fooling Sozzle!<br />
On leaving SLC, he won a<br />
place to Kings College, Durham<br />
to read Economics.<br />
Having successfully gained his<br />
degree, he joined Arthur Young<br />
and duly qualified as a<br />
Chartered Accountant.<br />
In 1970, Richard married his<br />
university sweetheart.<br />
With his feet firmly on the<br />
commercial ladder, he joined<br />
Price Waterhouse in<br />
Dusseldorf, where helped by<br />
his wife’s fluency in German, he<br />
was able to become no mean<br />
linguist himself.<br />
In 1972, he moved to Vienna<br />
where they lived for the next<br />
seven years joining Associated<br />
Engineering, working eventually<br />
in Stuttgart, as well as England<br />
for a brief spell.<br />
With the arrival of daughter<br />
Catherine, he joined ZF a large<br />
German multinational industrial<br />
company in Stuttgart, with the<br />
family eventually moving to<br />
England where he become<br />
Managing Director of ZF (GB),<br />
in Nottingham, transforming a<br />
loss making concern into a<br />
highly profitable organisation.<br />
The advent of Multiple<br />
Sclerosis shortened his highly<br />
successful business career and<br />
in 1993, he retired prematurely<br />
due to ill health.<br />
His indomitable courage and<br />
fortitude over the next 17 years,<br />
as he become increasingly<br />
disabled, earned him enormous<br />
respect and admiration.<br />
He was able to enjoy his 40th<br />
wedding anniversary in July<br />
<strong>2010</strong>, in the company of his<br />
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
family and close friends.<br />
He died on Christmas Eve<br />
<strong>2010</strong> surrounded by wife Usha,<br />
daughter Catherine, son- in-law<br />
Matthew and his two young<br />
grandchildren, Tristan and<br />
Emma.<br />
David Masters,<br />
Courtenay 1961<br />
Anthony Ross Housden<br />
1935 - <strong>2010</strong><br />
(Lodge 1948-1952)<br />
A<br />
nthony<br />
Ross Housden<br />
died peacefully on<br />
January 6th, <strong>2010</strong> in a<br />
nursing home, having suffered<br />
from Parkinson’s Disease for<br />
some time.<br />
After leaving SLC he did his<br />
National Service in the Royal<br />
Signals and after basic and<br />
trade training was posted to<br />
Cyprus where he was an<br />
‘Operator Special’ which<br />
involved interrupting morse<br />
code messages.<br />
On retiring to ‘civi’ street, for<br />
some years he shot with the OL<br />
small bore team at Bisley.<br />
His working life started with a<br />
job as a salesman in the hat<br />
manufacturing industry, which<br />
in those days was big business<br />
for both ladies and men.<br />
He later moved to selling<br />
surgical instruments to<br />
hospitals and continued to do<br />
so until his retirement.<br />
Living with his mother until she<br />
died, he later met a widow who<br />
had the same passion for<br />
walking holidays and it was not<br />
long before they were married.<br />
Many wonderful holidays were<br />
taken together all over the world<br />
for 20 years.<br />
Ruth pre-deceased him on<br />
October 1st, 2009 having lost a<br />
fight with cancer.<br />
Anthony’s father Clive Wilfred<br />
Housden was also educated at<br />
St Lawrence (Dark Blue House)<br />
and left in 1919.<br />
Peter Jordan,<br />
Courtenay 1952<br />
32<br />
33
JOHNSON BEHARRY VISIT<br />
On 24th February 1957,<br />
Cecil William Buckley<br />
became the first<br />
recipient of the Victoria Cross,<br />
which was awarded for his<br />
gallantry in the Crimean War in<br />
1855.<br />
He retired to Madeira and died<br />
there in December 1872 and<br />
was buried at the English<br />
Church.<br />
Johnson Beharry was<br />
awarded the Victoria Cross for<br />
his astonishing bravery whilst<br />
serving in Iraq.<br />
In February 2007 he was<br />
invited to Madeira to unveil a<br />
plaque at the English Church on<br />
the Island to commemorate the<br />
150th anniversary of the<br />
Victoria Cross and to honour<br />
Cecil William Buckley.<br />
Whilst on the island he spent<br />
an hour with David Vallat at his<br />
home and gave him a signed<br />
copy of his autobiography.<br />
Since leaving the College in<br />
1968, David has been an active<br />
<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Lawrentian</strong> and sent his<br />
children Alexander and<br />
Georgina to the College.<br />
Sadly, David developed<br />
cancer in 2005 and in 2007 it<br />
left him in a wheelchair, so the<br />
• Johnson Beharry and David Vallat<br />
visit from the Victoria Cross<br />
holder was a delightful moraleboosting<br />
experience.<br />
Fortunately, the cancer has<br />
since stopped attacking him.<br />
Although he still needs to use a<br />
wheelchair, he is now in much<br />
better health than he was in<br />
2007.<br />
Bob Gray<br />
JACK DIXON’S DOWDING & CHURCHILL<br />
Last year was the 40th<br />
anniversary of the death of<br />
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh<br />
Dowding (later Lord Dowding)<br />
who master-minded the RAF’s<br />
victory in the battle of Britain.<br />
Jack Dixon’s (Newlands 1939)<br />
fascinating book assesses the<br />
achievements and treatment of<br />
one of the greatest Britons of<br />
the 20th century, revealing a<br />
conspiracy by fellow officers,<br />
clashes of personalities and<br />
Dowding’s fight to develop<br />
Fighter Command in the way<br />
that he wanted. Even Churchill<br />
comes in for criticism as he<br />
appears to have been taken in<br />
by Dowding’s detractors.<br />
Born in Broadstairs, Jack<br />
Dixon was sent to St Edward’s,<br />
prep school. It closed in 1935<br />
and he transferred to Newlands<br />
House, St Lawrence College.<br />
Jack describes the College as<br />
“a staunchly Low Church C of E<br />
school whose headmasters<br />
were ordained ministers”.<br />
He said: “In 1935 the head<br />
was one Brackenbury, whose<br />
nickname was Creeping Jesus.<br />
At the time it was the school’s<br />
• Author Jack Dixon<br />
Christian duty to indulge in the<br />
caning of boys (by both masters<br />
and prefects) for trivial offences<br />
such as shooting at another<br />
boy’s pigeon or exploring the<br />
foundations of a new building.<br />
It is a better school today,<br />
although perhaps getting too<br />
democratic.”<br />
Jack remained at the College<br />
until 1939, leaving just before<br />
his 16th birthday.<br />
Dowding and Churchill, The<br />
Dark Side of the Battle of Britain<br />
is available to buy on Amazon.<br />
Tom Moulton<br />
You can find Tom Moulton’s full review at www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
34<br />
35
BARON RICHARD<br />
DANNATT<br />
R<br />
ichard<br />
Dannatt (Tower<br />
1969) is no longer a ‘Sir’.<br />
In January 20<strong>11</strong>, he<br />
received a new title following<br />
his appointment to the House<br />
of Lords as a cross-bench peer.<br />
He will now be known as<br />
Baron Dannatt of Keswick, in<br />
the county of Norfolk. This is<br />
Baron Dannatt’s second highprofile<br />
appointment since<br />
leaving his job as the Army’s<br />
Chief of General Staff in 2009.<br />
That year he was appointed<br />
the Constable of the Tower of<br />
London, a ceremonial position.<br />
Having attended SLC from<br />
1985 – 1990 (Lodge), I<br />
decided on a career with<br />
Kent Police Force.<br />
I left my last posting, as a<br />
sergeant, in Dover in 2001.<br />
I loved my time in the police<br />
and learnt many skills such as<br />
pursuit driving, interrogation,<br />
firearms handling and explosive<br />
recognition.<br />
These skills were, perhaps not<br />
the most transferable into the<br />
OL UPDATES<br />
CHRISTIAN<br />
LEADBEATER<br />
private sector, so I ended up<br />
working for Wilkinson stores as<br />
a regional loss prevention<br />
manager responsible for the<br />
stores in southern England.<br />
In 2000, I met my Canadian<br />
wife, Taryn. When we decided<br />
to marry and start a family, we<br />
opted to move to Vancouver.<br />
We moved here in 2004 and I<br />
became a Canadian citizen last<br />
year. We are having the best<br />
time imaginable and now have<br />
two beautiful daughters (Maya,<br />
four and Claudia, two).<br />
My first job in Canada was as<br />
a Director of loss prevention<br />
position with a ski and golf<br />
resort firm. I had to travel to a<br />
dozen ski and golf resorts from<br />
British Columbia to Quebec and<br />
from Florida to Vermont via<br />
Colorado. What a job! My boss<br />
worked from home in Ontario. I<br />
was expected to travel every<br />
other week and entertain the<br />
teams in the resorts. I had to<br />
leave after two years as my liver<br />
couldn’t take any more!<br />
So, in 2006 I joined Best Buy<br />
and have had a blast. I have an<br />
excellent team reporting to me<br />
in five business areas and<br />
although sometimes stressful, it<br />
is a rewarding job.<br />
My role, at last, is away from<br />
security and loss prevention<br />
and is a business position with<br />
much fiscal responsibility.<br />
In my down time, I manage to<br />
get a few runs in and work on<br />
our house.<br />
OL UPDATES<br />
• Taryn and Christopher Leadbeater<br />
and their daughters Maya, four, and<br />
Claudia, two<br />
By the way, don’t mention that<br />
you coach or play field hockey<br />
in Canada as everyone will ask<br />
if you wear a skirt as only girls<br />
play it here. I found out the hard<br />
way when I played street<br />
hockey and mentioned that I<br />
loved to play field hockey<br />
growing up. After a few minutes<br />
the laughing players got up<br />
from rolling around on the<br />
ground and play resumed!<br />
• Anyone wishing to contact<br />
Chris can do so by email at:<br />
Christian.leadbeater@yahoo.ca<br />
There are further contact details<br />
on his OL Website profile.<br />
For Christian’s full update go to the website - www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
36<br />
37
Peter ‘PRO’ Jones (Grange<br />
1974-1979) left St Lawrence<br />
College to join the Army and<br />
was commissioned into the Royal<br />
Engineers in April 1981. He saw<br />
active service in the Falklands<br />
Campaign landing at San Carlos.<br />
He then did two tours in Cyprus<br />
working firstly with the United<br />
Nations north of Nicosia and then<br />
the RAF at Akrotiri. Following two<br />
years as a training Instructor, he<br />
volunteered to train troops for the<br />
new Ugandan Army, being formed<br />
following the end of the civil war.<br />
After a jungle warfare course in<br />
Brunei, and then two years in Berlin<br />
as second-in-command of the<br />
Independent Engineer Squadron,<br />
he left the Army for a short time to<br />
take a trip through Africa before<br />
rejoining the Army with the Black<br />
Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)<br />
for a tour in Northern Ireland.<br />
• Pro on a rafting expedition<br />
OL UPDATES<br />
PETER ‘PRO’ JONES<br />
In 1990 he left the Army and<br />
returned to the Victoria Falls area<br />
of Africa where he set up three<br />
rafting companies (one in Zambia<br />
and two in Zimbabwe and over a<br />
five-year period saw the tourism<br />
industry grow exponentially.<br />
In 1997 he built a lodge, The River<br />
Club (www.theriverclubafrica.com),<br />
on the Zambian side of the<br />
Zambezi River above the Victoria<br />
Falls. It is now part of the highly<br />
successful Wilderness-Safaris<br />
collection of camps, although it<br />
retains its independent ownership.<br />
The lodge has won many awards<br />
over the years, more notably its<br />
Top 10 in the world ratings from<br />
Fodors in 2004.<br />
Peter has also put a huge amount<br />
of effort into assisting the local<br />
village, alongside his running of<br />
The River Club.<br />
The lodge has built a police<br />
station, community hall, clinic,<br />
school library and kindergarten<br />
classroom; put 50 children through<br />
high schools in nearby Livingstone<br />
and three teachers through<br />
university-level courses.<br />
It now raises funds to ensure that<br />
50,000 litres of clean drinking<br />
• The Lodge supports local villagers<br />
water are pumped to the<br />
community on a daily basis.<br />
Peter has also invested in reviving<br />
the 100-year-old Livingstone golf<br />
course returning it to an 18-hole<br />
international course, and<br />
renovating the 80-year-old Capitol<br />
Theatre in the town, a wonderful Art<br />
Deco building which once hosted<br />
visits from Alfred Hitchcock and<br />
Danny Kaye!<br />
More recently, on four occasions,<br />
he has set up and run the Zambezi<br />
International Regatta where alumni<br />
from Oxford and Cambridge<br />
Universities compete against top<br />
teams from South Africa. The event<br />
is a revival of the rowing events on<br />
this river which, in 1910, saw the<br />
World Professional Sculling<br />
Championships held there.<br />
OL UPDATES<br />
Passionate about the local history<br />
of the area, Peter is researching<br />
the incredible Jewish history in the<br />
early years of Northern Rhodesia,<br />
and the campaigns of the First<br />
World War in Africa.<br />
In his spare time he still finds time<br />
to raft in the gorges, host members<br />
of the Royal family, chase<br />
elephants out of island camps, help<br />
deliver babies in the middle of the<br />
bush, catch crocodiles in people’s<br />
swimming pools, raise money for<br />
the Victoria Cross and George<br />
Cross Association and act as MC at<br />
Andy Mama’s (also Grange 1974-<br />
1979) 50th birthday in Harare.<br />
By coincidence<br />
Andy and Peter<br />
set up two firms<br />
with the same<br />
name, Amanzi,<br />
but in different<br />
countries!<br />
Peter still likes<br />
to keep fit and<br />
has plans to<br />
raise money for<br />
Help for Heroes<br />
soon with a<br />
mammoth walk<br />
around the UK<br />
in 2012.<br />
To read Pro’s full update go to the website - www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
• Peter with his<br />
partner Jacki<br />
38<br />
39
OL ARCHIVIST ANDREW BROWN<br />
My roots lie deep in the<br />
beautiful countryside of<br />
Somerset (born in<br />
Taunton, educated in Bath),<br />
hence the (rather passive)<br />
ardent support for Somerset<br />
cricket (not an attachment to<br />
being second best)!<br />
Having completed my formal<br />
education at Oxford (Oriel<br />
College), where I worked hard<br />
and played plenty of sport, I<br />
secured a post at Cranbrook.<br />
While there I first encountered<br />
St Lawrence: a long trek by<br />
coach culminated in crossing<br />
the cabbage-filled wastelands<br />
of Thanet and a severe<br />
crushing for my previously<br />
undefeated U16 hockey team at<br />
the hands of Messrs Coleman<br />
and Haigh. They appeared to<br />
know something about hockey!<br />
Having been virtually<br />
ambushed with the post of<br />
Head of History at SLC I<br />
acquainted myself with my new<br />
empire of C14: rummaging<br />
through the resources made me<br />
realise I could not hope to<br />
emulate the achievements and<br />
ambition of my predecessor,<br />
Patrick MacFarlan, with the<br />
amazing breadth of his<br />
activities and especially his<br />
• Andrew Brown<br />
“son et lumiere” presentations.<br />
This sense of inadequacy in<br />
taking responsibility for a<br />
formidable tradition was<br />
intensified when I took charge<br />
of the hockey from 1978.<br />
I had the honour of knowing<br />
the retired Martin Martin-Harvey<br />
as a part-time member of staff;<br />
to have had a living legend<br />
observing the efforts of my<br />
team and exhorting them to<br />
play “like billyho!” was sobering.<br />
He was of course full of<br />
encouragement. Schools’<br />
hockey is fiercely competitive,<br />
and I have some wonderful<br />
memories - winning the Kent<br />
Cup in 1986 and the Frank<br />
Mason Tournament in 2001<br />
were the obvious highlights.<br />
SHARES HIS COLLEGE MEMORIES<br />
Running the Tennis from 1977<br />
to 2005 involved less pressure,<br />
produced a higher overall<br />
success rate but was very timeconsuming.<br />
On my arrival in 1976 I took up<br />
residence as House Tutor in<br />
John Bush’s Manor and<br />
remained associated with<br />
Manor through various guises<br />
and five other Housemasters<br />
until I was eventually subsumed<br />
with it into Newlands.<br />
My endeavours to broaden<br />
their educational experience<br />
subjected those wanting their<br />
pocket money to a blast of<br />
classical music.<br />
I moved out, in favour of<br />
married bliss, when, in 1983, I<br />
succumbed to the charms of a<br />
German teacher, Reini.<br />
The numbers of pupils opting<br />
for History over the years have<br />
fluctuated, yet results continue<br />
to improve. I have encountered<br />
some considerable intellects<br />
and remarkable young people<br />
in the process. They have<br />
largely striven to meet the<br />
heavy demands placed upon<br />
them, waded through lengthy<br />
written comments on their<br />
endeavours and tolerated my<br />
habitual failure to encourage<br />
enough: outrageously some<br />
subscribed to the view that I<br />
was a miserly marker!<br />
Now retired, I fill my time with<br />
many activities - including the<br />
occasional foray into the school<br />
archives. So far this has<br />
consisted largely of looking at<br />
photographs from the last 40<br />
years and trying to place them<br />
correctly and to identify<br />
individuals.<br />
It has helped stimulate some<br />
wonderful memories and also<br />
forced me to admit I have<br />
forgotten far too much. Looking<br />
at older material makes me<br />
realise I know far too little about<br />
SLC’s early years, which, in<br />
due course, I intend to remedy.<br />
With Kerry Brown’s invaluable<br />
help, I hope to help realise Nick<br />
Marchant’s aim of making much<br />
more of the material accessible<br />
to <strong>Lawrentian</strong>s old and new.<br />
If any OL has any enquiries I<br />
shall do what I can to help and,<br />
of course, I would welcome any<br />
materials with any significant<br />
bearing upon the College’s<br />
past.<br />
Share more of Andrew Brown’s memories at www.olsociety.co.uk<br />
40<br />
41
The Summer OL Day, on<br />
June 25th <strong>2010</strong>, was<br />
blessed with wonderful<br />
weather and good turn outs for<br />
both Tennis and Cricket.<br />
Commencing with a drinks<br />
reception in the ‘Peel Room’,<br />
there was a chance to catch up<br />
and to browse through some<br />
old sporting photographs taken<br />
many moons ago.<br />
After lunch in the Dining Hall, it<br />
SUMMER’S OL DAY<br />
OL TENNIS<br />
was off to the courts for the OL<br />
tennis players and a stroll up to<br />
Newlands for the cricketers to<br />
‘conquer’ the school teams!<br />
As you’ll see from both<br />
reports, this was not to be the<br />
case. However, good fun was<br />
had by all and a well-deserved<br />
match tea followed by Pimms<br />
on the Headmaster’s lawn was<br />
the perfect end to a fun-filled<br />
day.<br />
On a blisteringly hot afternoon <strong>Old</strong> boys Adrian Gates,<br />
Jonathan Cannan, Harry Dickens, Rodney Wilkening,<br />
James Elliott, Mark Single and Cem Baltacioglu (pictured<br />
from left) gathered on the all weather astro in front of the Chapel<br />
to take on the College 1st and 2nd teams.<br />
After a fine first two rounds of sets the scores stood at 3 - 3 with<br />
all to play for in the final round.<br />
The youth and energy of the boys, however, meant that they won<br />
the final three sets to take the match 6 - 3.<br />
Rod Wilkening (Newlands Deacon, 1984)<br />
The OL cricketers spent a very<br />
pleasant afternoon playing<br />
against SLC’s 1st XI. The<br />
weather was most favourable and a<br />
good crowd enjoyed entertaining<br />
cricket.<br />
The OLs won the toss and elected<br />
to bat. The loss of KB Asiedu in the<br />
first over was a severe blow, but<br />
following the loss of Gareth Birchley<br />
for 1, Charlie Collins and Nick<br />
Muncey steadied the ship in a<br />
partnership of 58 for the third<br />
wicket.<br />
Unfortunately, once Collins had<br />
gone for 24, the remaining OL<br />
batsmen subsided, thanks to some<br />
tight bowling and two run outs.<br />
95 was not a huge target but the<br />
College batsmen were made to<br />
work for their runs as KB Asiedu<br />
OL CRICKET<br />
Toss: OLs - Result: College 1st XI won by 8 wickets<br />
and Aaron Conn hit a good line and<br />
length.<br />
The early wicket of Jones<br />
encouraged the OL bowlers but<br />
Robbie Newbery and Alex Underhill<br />
dug in for the College to put on 47<br />
for the second wicket.<br />
Nick Muncey bowled well to<br />
dismiss Underhill for 23, but the<br />
calm and assured batting of Tim<br />
Collins helped Newbery deal with a<br />
tricky spell from Geoff Philpott to<br />
see the College home by 8 wickets<br />
with 3 overs to spare.<br />
The OL team were: Charlie<br />
Collins, KB Asiedu, Gareth Birchley,<br />
Nick Muncey, Nick Marchant, Jonty<br />
Wakefield, Geoff Philpott, John<br />
Young, Kit Bowra, Ricky Frame-<br />
Smith and Aaron Conn.<br />
Tom Moulton<br />
42<br />
43
We were pleased to<br />
welcome Richard Bird<br />
as a new member this<br />
year. Having not shot for many<br />
years he immediately managed<br />
to score 47 (out of 50) at 300<br />
yards! We hope to see more of<br />
him next year.<br />
We also introduced a system<br />
of Social Membership and were<br />
glad to welcome Tony Harris,<br />
Vernon Moffet, Aidan Stowe,<br />
Mike Wisdom and David<br />
Dagley. Their contributions to<br />
our coffers were gratefully<br />
received!<br />
• OL Rifle Club President Robert<br />
Fromow (in his school blazer!) receives<br />
the CS Gale Cup following the OLs’<br />
victory over the College<br />
OL RIFLE CLUB<br />
The first match of the season<br />
was the .22 shoot against the<br />
College, held in the range at the<br />
back of the laboratories - yes,<br />
the range is still there!<br />
It was good to be able to hold<br />
the match again, after the<br />
previous year's last minute<br />
cancellation.<br />
We are pleased to report that<br />
we decisively beat the College<br />
by 448 to their 408, and so<br />
retained the CS Gale Cup.<br />
Among those taking part were<br />
Peter Thompson, who had been<br />
part of the victorious 1959<br />
Ashburton team, and Vernon<br />
Moffet who had made a special<br />
journey from Dorset.<br />
At Bisley, in April, we beat the<br />
<strong>Old</strong> Albanians and, in a<br />
concurrent competition, Andi<br />
Parker-Smith won the<br />
President’s Shield.<br />
The next fixture was the Q<br />
Match - this is shot at 500 and<br />
600 yards. There were 10<br />
teams including the veritable<br />
marksmen of the <strong>Old</strong><br />
Bedfordians club who had<br />
managed to get themselves<br />
invited for the first and last time!<br />
Against this stiff competition<br />
we nevertheless managed to<br />
come 3rd.<br />
• Above, from left Peter Thompson,<br />
Robert Fromow, Richard Bird,<br />
Christopher Laing & Chris Weeden at<br />
Bisley. Right Mike Davidson at the<br />
Bisley range<br />
Congratulations go to Chris<br />
Weeden in our team who<br />
scored a ‘possible’ (highest<br />
possible score) at both ranges,<br />
i.e. scoring 100 out of 100.<br />
Then in early May at the Long<br />
Range match, on a rather wet<br />
and cold day, all 12 members of<br />
the OLRC turned up - 100%<br />
attendance - this has got to be<br />
OL RIFLE CLUB<br />
a record!<br />
We were therefore able to field<br />
two teams; our ‘A’ team came<br />
3rd and the ‘B’ team 7th (out of<br />
10).<br />
In June the All-Day match took<br />
place, with firing at 300, 600,<br />
44<br />
45
900 and 1000 yards. Again we<br />
came 3rd (this seems to be a<br />
popular placing) out of nine<br />
teams. The morning shoot was<br />
somewhat chaotic as the NRA<br />
had failed to provide target<br />
markers for us, so we had to do<br />
it ourselves.<br />
The OLs’ highest scorer was<br />
Peter Thompson with 189 (out<br />
of 200), and Mike Davison got a<br />
‘possible’ at 300 yards (the first<br />
for 40 years, he reckons!)<br />
Then in July at the Imperial<br />
Meeting, in blustery conditions<br />
on the packed Century Range,<br />
we shot in the Public Schools<br />
Veterans competition and came<br />
37th.<br />
A special mention should be<br />
made of Chris Weeden and<br />
Peter Thompson who shot as<br />
the ‘<strong>Old</strong> <strong>Lawrentian</strong> pair’ in the<br />
Fulton Pairs and came 13th.<br />
And suddenly it was the end of<br />
September and time for the<br />
Championship and dinner.<br />
Once again this proved a very<br />
pleasant way to finish the<br />
season. The trophies were<br />
kindly presented by Frances<br />
Gale. We heard that Peter<br />
Thompson hired a<br />
pantechnicon to carry away the<br />
cups he’d won (not really!), and<br />
OL RIFLE CLUB<br />
Keith Alltoft, having presented<br />
the accounts, made a swift exit<br />
when he heard that curry might<br />
be on the dinner menu!<br />
We are always on the lookout<br />
for new members, so if you’re<br />
interested please do not<br />
hesitate to contact either Robert<br />
Fromow or Mike Davison (see<br />
below).<br />
Other members are Keith<br />
Alltoft (Treasurer), Richard Bird,<br />
Ian Collins, Brian Gale, Noah<br />
Gamp, Richard Horwood,<br />
Christopher Laing, Andi Parker-<br />
Smith (the Member for Wales!),<br />
Jeremy Robinson, Peter R<br />
Thompson and Chris Weeden.<br />
Next year we shall be<br />
changing our base at Bisley,<br />
leaving the North London in<br />
favour of the London and<br />
Middlesex Rifle Association to<br />
which we shall return after a<br />
gap of some 15 years.<br />
The two buildings are almost<br />
next door so you’ll still be able<br />
to find us!<br />
Robert Fromow (President)<br />
020 7233 2213<br />
rwfromow@talktalk.net<br />
Mike Davison (Hon Sec)<br />
01483 7724<strong>11</strong><br />
mikej.davison@btinternet.<br />
com<br />
It was another significant year<br />
for the OL Golf society in<br />
<strong>2010</strong> with the 50th<br />
anniversary of the triangular<br />
match held between SLC,<br />
Kings, and Dover.<br />
We had a competitive match<br />
with Dover emerging as the<br />
victors.<br />
The high point of the day was<br />
the anniversary lunch attended<br />
by 35 members of the the<br />
school societies, of whom<br />
seven played in the first fixture<br />
50 years ago.<br />
In recognition of their<br />
contribution over the years to<br />
the ongoing success of our<br />
golfing societies they were<br />
OL GOLF<br />
• From left: Andy Franklin, Patrick Robinson, Stephen Molloy, Robin Daniels, Nick<br />
Andy Franklin, wrapped up for their round of golf on Captain’s Day<br />
presented with engraved crystal<br />
tankards.<br />
A new fixture was added in<br />
<strong>2010</strong> to fill the gap between the<br />
Autumn Meeting and Captain’s<br />
Day in March; it was decided to<br />
hold an informal member and<br />
guest day at Royal St Georges<br />
in January.<br />
Sixteen brave souls turned<br />
out, including former European<br />
Tour player Fredrik Lindgren,<br />
who showed us how to master<br />
Royal St Georges with a<br />
fantastic display of putting.<br />
Playing with Stephen Billings<br />
we heard that by the 13th hole<br />
Fredrik had only had <strong>11</strong> putts, in<br />
his glory days as a tournament<br />
46<br />
47
professional this would have<br />
earned him much gold,<br />
however his winnings from the<br />
swindle only partially subsidised<br />
his round of drinks in the bar<br />
afterwards!<br />
Captain’s Day at Princes Golf<br />
Club - we had 15 players<br />
turning out on a chilly and wet<br />
March afternoon which is a<br />
great turn out for the time of<br />
year, many of our members<br />
prefer to wait until our Spring<br />
Meeting in May to come out of<br />
golfing hibernation!<br />
The winners by a single point<br />
with a score of 44 points were<br />
Ian Steed and Nick Marchant,<br />
runners up were Neil Cossey<br />
our Captain and again Nick<br />
Marchant.<br />
The longest drive was won by<br />
Beau Hart and nearest the pin<br />
was Timothy Dodd.<br />
OL GOLF<br />
Princes Golf Club looked after<br />
us very well and the food was<br />
excellent, our President<br />
Stephen Samuels and John<br />
Dixon joined us for lunch and<br />
the prize giving.<br />
The Spring Meeting was held<br />
this year at Walton Heath due to<br />
a fixture clash at our usual<br />
venue of Littlestone (we return<br />
to Littlestone in 20<strong>11</strong>).<br />
I would like to take the<br />
opportunity to thank Bob Gray<br />
for arranging at such short<br />
notice Walton Heath as a<br />
venue.<br />
David Bailey won the singles<br />
in the morning with Andy<br />
Franklin and Bob Couldrey<br />
coming second and third<br />
respectively. In the afternoon<br />
foursomes Andy Franklin and<br />
Pat Robinson were victorious<br />
with the two Bobs - Gray and<br />
• The Golfers enjoy the hospitality of Princes Golf Club on Captain’s Day<br />
Couldrey - runners-up.<br />
The member and guest day at<br />
North Foreland in June was<br />
once again very well attended<br />
and enjoyed by all 32<br />
participants.<br />
The guest singles was won by<br />
Nick Swain and the OLGS<br />
singles by Stephen Billings, with<br />
Andy Cossey as runner up and<br />
Bob Gray third.<br />
Following another fantastic<br />
carvery put on by the club we all<br />
staggered out to the most<br />
enjoyable par three course to<br />
walk off the effects. While not<br />
always taken as seriously as<br />
the morning round with plenty of<br />
‘unnecessary’ advice from<br />
fellow competitors the team of<br />
Bob Gray, Paul Bailey and Mark<br />
Pierce won by a point from<br />
several other teams.<br />
The summer highlight for me is<br />
always the match against the<br />
<strong>Old</strong> Paulines at Walton Heath<br />
and so long as I am happy to<br />
cook on the barbecue I get<br />
selected regardless of ability!<br />
It once again was a great day<br />
with Bob and Harriet wonderful<br />
hosts as ever.<br />
The playing year ended with<br />
the Autumn Meeting at Knole<br />
Park and blessed with fine<br />
OL GOLF<br />
• The Golfers at <strong>Old</strong> Paulines<br />
weather we beat the sunset and<br />
got all 36 holes in this year. In<br />
the morning singles Charles<br />
Crawford won and the winner of<br />
the George Randall Salver for<br />
the best Spring and Autumn<br />
scores was David Bailey. The<br />
afternoon foursomes was won<br />
by Tim Dodd and Bob Gray.<br />
Grafton Morrish qualification<br />
did not go as well as 2009 and<br />
we narrowly missed out on the<br />
finals.<br />
The Founders’ Trophies were<br />
then awarded for the best<br />
performance in qualifying and<br />
were presented to Tim Dodd<br />
and Paul Bailey.<br />
• If anybody would like to join<br />
the Golf Society, please do not<br />
hesitate to contact me on 07775<br />
0761424 or email tmhdodd<br />
@me.com for details.<br />
Tim Dodd, OLGS Secretary<br />
48<br />
49
50<br />
OL HOCKEY<br />
James Barden’s XI vs the<br />
College 1st XI. Score <strong>11</strong>-0<br />
On a cold January afternoon<br />
James Barden’s XI played<br />
extremely well.<br />
The score line slightly flatters<br />
Barden’s team who made the<br />
most of every opportunity<br />
James Barden (Grange-<br />
Courtenay) opened the score with<br />
a brace and Jim Laslett (Grange)<br />
finished the scoring with a hattrick<br />
in the dying seconds.<br />
The movement and one twos<br />
around the pitch helped the less<br />
fit Barden team carve the St<br />
Lawrence team to shreds.<br />
Their experience, and the fact<br />
there were two ex-internationals,<br />
and one current (Jim Laslett over<br />
50s) playing, did tell.<br />
SLC did not give up. Ryan Jones<br />
ran all day D to D without the<br />
support his work deserved.<br />
Overall, Barden’s team were too<br />
canny for the SLC team – in all<br />
areas of the pitch; they actually<br />
scored six out six short corners.<br />
OLs Pete Laslett (Grange-<br />
Courtenay) and Harry Jeffery<br />
(Newlands) played with aplomb<br />
and the latter kept a clean sheet!<br />
James Barden<br />
INTRODUCING YOUR<br />
Nick Marchant<br />
President<br />
70 Winsham Grove,<br />
London, SW<strong>11</strong> 6NE.<br />
ngmarchant@aol.<br />
com<br />
07803 610075<br />
Chris Throndsen<br />
Vice-President<br />
74 Park Avenue,<br />
Broadstairs,<br />
Kent,<br />
CT10 2EZ.<br />
John Isaac<br />
Treasurer<br />
bjwisaac@<br />
btinernet.com<br />
Kerry Brown<br />
Membership and<br />
Alumni Secretary<br />
kerry@olsociety.<br />
co.uk<br />
01304 221300<br />
07890 220758<br />
OLD LAWRENTIAN SOCIETY COMMITTEE<br />
Jude Single<br />
singlej@dover<br />
college.org.uk<br />
Mark Single<br />
mts@slcuk.com<br />
Clair Marchant<br />
Honorary<br />
Secretary<br />
clairemilybrown@<br />
googlemail.com<br />
James Barden<br />
james@rextrek<br />
group.co.uk<br />
Dr Ellis Gill<br />
ebg@slcuk.com<br />
Andrew Brown<br />
Archivist<br />
aandr@another.<br />
com<br />
Joff Manning<br />
joffmanning<br />
@hotmail.com<br />
Tom Moulton<br />
tm@slcuk.com<br />
Jonathan Webley<br />
jwebley@<br />
btinternet.com<br />
Nick Jones<br />
nosj@slcuk.com<br />
Andrew Winter<br />
1976, 1977, 1978<br />
coordinator<br />
andrew.winter@<br />
tropus-spicer.co.uk<br />
51