Old Lawrentian News 2010/11
Old Lawrentian News 2010/11 Old Lawrentian News 2010/11
FROM RAMSGATE TO COURTEENHALL T he 60th anniversary of the evacuation of our troops from Dunkirk in June 1940 has brought back memories of Ramsgate during that time. During the early days of the war I can remember the Junior School assembling in the tunnel, linking up with the other side of the school, and during an air raid warning one of the masters read us Winnie the Pooh to keep us quiet and in order. As the College was evacuated to Seaford for the summer term of 1940, I was anxious to visit my parents in Ramsgate for the halfterm break. As the train was several hours late in arriving at Ramsgate, due to the need for transporting the troops away from the coastal towns, my parents had given up waiting for me and had returned home. I had very little money (pocket money was about six pence a week) and so had to walk about two miles with my small suitcase. It was quite shattering seeing all those troops in various conditions filling the station and being fed with sandwiches and tea by the WVS. I went down to the front in the evening to see the armada of small boats being towed by larger ones into Ramsgate harbour from Dunkirk. There was a constant stream of buses, lorries leading up to the station loaded with soldiers in different conditions. The wounded were laid out on stretchers on the ground around where Merry England, the amusement arcade is located, waiting for transport to hospital. It was not all doom and gloom as there was a certain amount of banter going on. I can remember one of the soldiers leaning out of a carriage carrying a white goose under his arm. They were not allowed to bring back their equipment but he was not coming back empty-handed! I said goodbye to my parents who were returning to West Africa, my brother went to America to train as a pilot and I returned to Seaford. I was surprised to see my father rather moved when saying goodbye but I am sure this was due to his experience of fighting in France during the Great War. At the end of the 1940 summer term we went to the station to take the train to London. I was going to stay with an Aunt in Bromley, Kent. As we were getting into the carriage Mr. Waymouth the Headmaster of the Junior School, said: “Collins you had better get into DURING THE WAR YEARS my carriage.” As we were approaching Victoria Station he said that the school had collapsed and he would be in touch. During the holidays in Bromley, I saw the Battle of Britain being fought in the skies above us. Throughout the bombing of London eight of us slept in an Anderson shelter, measuring 6’6”x4’6”. We were very fortunate that a few school governors met in London at that time and decided St Lawrence College should continue. They sent Mr Waymouth scouring the country for suitable accommodation for what was left of the school. It is amazing how fortunate it was that he found Courteenhall, when he had the opportunity of meeting Major General Sir Hereward Wake. The Major General told Mr Waymouth the Army was due to commandeer his home in two weeks’ time but because he thought that schoolboys would do less damage to his home he offered it to St Lawrence College. It is fortunate that he had influence regarding this arrangement. The College is most grateful to the then Headmaster, Canon Perfect, for his wisdom and determination to restart SLC, and because of this decision the school is flourishing today, helping to produce students who make a good contribution to society worldwide. During the war, some of the senior boys studying for their A-Levels also helped to teach the younger ones until suitable staff could be recruited at Courteenhall. It is for this reason we are indebted to the Wake family for being so supportive of the school during those difficult days. Courteenhall, in my view, was in a wonderful location in beautiful countryside and with my parents being abroad it felt like my home during that time. It was a great shock to the School to hear that G.T. Coffin, the Head Boy, had been killed in action in North Africa soon after he had left the School; also one of the masters who had left to join Bomber Command was shot down. A number of boys stayed at the school over Christmas in 1940 because they had no home to go back to. That was life in those days. Some of the senior boys were boarded out to the local farms leaving the School captain behind to look after the younger boys. In those days we all had bicycles on which we used to cycle into 22 23
MEMORIES OF COURTEENHALL Northampton six miles away. On reflection we had the opportunity of experiencing country life when the School was asked to help with the harvest of potatoes and also to help load the bales of straw on to the wagons, which was very strenuous. I am sure many of us have a greater appreciation of the countryside because of our experience of living in the country. I did not achieve high academic standards at the College but learned a lot of good Christian values, which have stood me in good stead all my life. • Right, Sir Hereward sent this letter to John Collins after reading John’s wartime memories of Courteehall. • Far Right, Sir Hereward Wake and John Collins Careerwise, for a short time I was Chief Technical Cost Negotiator for Rolls Royce Bristol; Deputy Price Controller for Concorde and for 20 years member of the Business School at the University of the West of England. When OLs visit the school, which is flourishing under a good headmaster, Reverend Mark Aitken, can they imagine that if it were not for those governors, for Canon Perfect, Mr Waymouth and the Wake family, there may not be a St Lawrence College today John Collins (1936-44) Read John Collins’ full report on the OL website - www.olsociety.co.uk ORDER OF ST FRIDESWIDE Retirement for Grange’s (1951-55) Chris Burley has been anything but restful. It was whilst a partner at accountants Price Waterhouse that Chris started helping out the Church of England’s Oxford Diocese. His role, before and after retirement, involved helping the Church to chart its way through a wide range of complex financial issues. Following his retirement in 1992, he threw himself into his voluntary work helping the Oxford Diocese to plot a new financial course following the chaos created by the Church Commissioners’ reported mismanagement of funds. For his 17 years’ distinguished service to the Oxford Diocese, Chris was rewarded for his efforts by being admitted to the Order of St Frideswide. Only 10 people have received the honour, since its inception in 2004. The award recognises outstanding contributions from lay people in the Diocese of Oxford. Chris said: “I was absolutely bowled over when I got the • The Bishop of Oxford, Reverend John Pritchard, with Chris Burley letter from the Bishop of Oxford. It was only when I attended the annual dinner for the Order of St Frideswide that I realised what a select group I was in. This award to the laity is similar to clergy being made honorary canons of the cathedral. I was delighted to be awarded this honour and was ‘installed’ at a service in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford in January 2009.” Chris’ numerical skills and judgement also come in handy in Bridge. His results there are also first class. He has been invited for trials for the English Seniors team and became a Grand Master in 2008. 24 25
- Page 1 and 2: St Lawrence College Ramsgate, Kent
- Page 3 and 4: PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE • Top, we a
- Page 5 and 6: HEADMASTER’S UPDATE remains stron
- Page 7 and 8: HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY’S MEMORIES Hump
- Page 9 and 10: 1980’S REUNION THANK YOU FOR THE
- Page 11: PRAYER FELLOWSHIP The OL Prayer Fel
- Page 15 and 16: FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS FAMILY ANNOUNC
- Page 17 and 18: FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS under the watc
- Page 19 and 20: BARON RICHARD DANNATT R ichard Dann
- Page 21 and 22: OL ARCHIVIST ANDREW BROWN My roots
- Page 23 and 24: We were pleased to welcome Richard
- Page 25 and 26: professional this would have earned
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
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