OSAmag78

T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 7 8
the left on the front row. I am a little
confused as neither JOHN
MONNINGTON or ERIC
WAREHAM are in the photo although
they are listed in your note. They were
both in Wisbech in Dec.39 at the start.
Maybe it was taken in the home school as
I do not remember Ray coming to
Wisbech
Moving on I noted the presence of JOHN
MONNINGTON at the Annual Dinner,
he with his two younger brothers DICK
and TOM preceded me at my billet in
Victoria Road with the Bell family. The
couple were elderly by our standards but
with a 17 year old daughter. I think they
found three healthy enthusiastic boys too
much of a handful in their limited space
and the billeting allowance a strain on
their resources. They were Victorian in
their outlook and I got the impression
that they were concerned in the interest of
their daughter.
I also noted the presence of GEORGE
COPUS, HAROLD PERRY and
HARRY SPINKS of my era but missed
seeing PETER HODGSON, PETER
BULLEN and 'TICH' HEWITT on the
list all of whom I met when I came to a
luncheon when I visited in 2005? PETE
HODGSON shared a desk with me in
Form 1A and we went through to Form 5
together. He and STAN WHINES left to
return to London in 1942 and were
indentured as trainee accountants with
BRIAN COX another OS.
The correspondence section was
fascinating with your recollections of
Muswell Hill and John Robinson's and
John Bathurst's responses. Coincidentally
one of the senior staff in our retirement
village was raised in Muswell Hill and her
father served in the police force in Fortis
Green and Hornsey Police Station where
he worked with my wife's uncle.
Also the letters re 'The Guest' were very
interesting as I was stage manager for
both performances assisted by Peter
Jackson and Stan Whines in the Wisbech
production, and her letter. I do not know
which Wisbech paper she quotes from as
it is different from that published by the
Wisbech Advertiser, a copy of which I
attach.
Your contribution in 'Far As You Roam'
was really gripping in that you visited so
many places and folks that I knew. The
familiar names include ROBERT DIBB,
HUGH NEWTON, HUGH
STOCKWELL, TONY BUDD, brother
of DEREK and BRIAN both OS, and
DICK RUNDLE. Having lived in
Yorkshire before coming to New Zealand
in 1961 and having travelled around the
UK during our many visits since, your
journey and pics jogged many happy
memories. This reference leads me to tell
you that I shall be in the UK from the
11th September until the 3rd October,
unfortunately this time without my wife
who passed away last Christmas Eve, and
I'll give you a call. Having toured Morocco
in 1998 that article stirred me too.
The obituary for Gerald Bonner was so
appropriate. Before Wisbech I spent many
an afternoon at his home in Mountview
Road and was certainly similarly impressed
by the care and support that he and Nigel
gave to their mother who was such a
lovely person.
Lastly the list on the back cover was most
interesting as I had experience with 30 of
them at one time or another. That's
enough wittering from me, look forward
to catching up with you soon.
Kind regards
Ron Horne
SA 205 – 30 Ruakura Road
Hamilton East, Hamilton 3216
NEW ZEALAND
Phone +64-7-855-6468
We were very sorry to hear of the death of
your wife last Christmas which will have
brought back many memories at this
Christmas, Ron.
A CuT ABoVE
22nd August 2013
from the Surrey Mirror
Many congratulations to MARTIN
BURR of Merstham Football Club, on his
fine achievement at this year's
Groundsman of the Year Awards.
Martin was nominated in two categories.
Firstly by the Football Association in the
top six national awards, for steps 1 to 4,
Conference South to Isthmian League,
for which he received a highly
recommended award, and secondly, by the
Ryman sponsored Isthmian League,
covering all three leagues in that group,
for which he was awarded the runner-up
trophy.
Judging was carried out by FA inspectors,
who looked at each club's standards,
resources and equipment, and took into
consideration whether each applicant was
employed on a paid or voluntary basis.
The presentation was held at St. George's
Park, the home of the National Football
Centre, near Burton on Trent on
Wednesday August 7th.
Martin was unable to attend, due to prior
holiday arrangements, but Club Secretary,
Richard Baxter was in attendance to
receive the awards, on his behalf.
Delighted to hear of your success, Martin. Ed.
28th August 2013
jmarybonner@btinternet.com
Balvenie, Ditch Hill Lane, Shirenewton,
CHEPSTOW NP16 6RG
Dear Geraint
I moved here eight years ago after Nigel
died, 11 years ago, to be near my daughter
to help look after our grandchildren. I live
five minutes walk from them and it has
worked very well. The only Stationer I am
still in touch with is LAURENCE
LANGDON who has just sold his house
and is living in Lymington. Timothy
Taylor died some time ago. I know Gerald
kept in touch with JOHN ROBINSON
and I am sure that Gerald's wife Jane will
continue to do so.
Now to Oliver who is the son of our son
Martin. In 1958 I took Martin to South
Georgia to join Nigel who had left a
month earlier. Martin was four months
old when we left the UK. We had two and
a half years there as a family. Nigel started
research there in 1953. He spent three
winters and nine summers there leaving in
1962. In 1974 Nigel joined British
Antarctic Survey as Head of Life Sciences
and retired 1988 as Deputy Director.
Oliver was born in 1988 and went to the
Perse School in Cambridge. Leaving
school he did a year with Cambridge
Consultants on a scheme called 'A Year in
Industry', and then to Southampton
University where he read Electronic
Engineering and Computing and got an
Msc(Eng) after four years. British
Antarctic Survey appointed him on a
short term contract , as an electronics
technician looking after the atmospheric
radar equipment. He joined in July 2011
working at the Cambridge HQ. In
December he went to Halley Base, the
most southerly British Base. In April 14
winterers were left to keep the base going
and continue the science. In Feb 2013 he
flew from Halley to Cape Town and
home. He was in the UK a week when he
left to join the South Georgia Habitat
Restoration Project, as a volunteer. He
flew to Falkland and then by boat to
South Georgia . He thoroughly enjoyed
that and saw a lot of the island on foot and
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