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T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 7 8 the School has produced. It was indeed rare that a ball eluded his vigilant eyes. His batting displayed a confidence lacking in earlier seasons, and he became the School's leading scorer."He went on to become the School Cricket Captain, and in his closing years at the School he was selected to play in the Middlesex Grammar Schools XI during their summer tour. After leaving the School, Ernie went on to play for the Old Stationers' Cricket Club for many years. Indeed, even though he had moved away during the mid 60's, he would return on Sundays to play at the home ground at Barnet. Mike Mote recalls that he used to pick Ernie up at Elstree station and drop him off there after the game. Apparently the drop-off was timed to perfection (perhaps to give more time for post-match liquid refreshment). Ernie's frequent driver, Mike Mote, remembers Ernie sprinting over the bridge at Elstree Station to catch the last train home. Ernie's other non-academic passion was the School's Combined Cadet Force (CCF).The company was always an impressive sight, drilling on the School terraces, black toe caps polished to mirror perfection, topped by Blanco'ed gaiters, uniforms brushed and pressed, and berets set at a smart angle. Ernie became a corporal, and participated in a shooting event at the Middlewick open ranges where he was awarded a badge of Second ClassShot. Ernie was later promoted to the rank of Sergeant, becoming a key member of the company. A, perhaps apocryphal, story has circulated which describes Ernie helping Major("Razz") Hall to start his car. Major Hall was turning over the engine by swinging the starting handle at the front of the car, while Ernie was at the wheel. The engine sprang into life, and the car jolted forward knocking Major Hall to the ground, though not seriously injured. Before any wag dares to suggest that Ernie was involved in a conspiracy to replace a History master, it must be pointed out that the car was rather old, and it was not unknown for cars of that generation to slip their gears. Besides, Charlie Hall had a great liking and respect for Ernie. Ernie also turned his hand to writing for the School magazine. As well as reports on the performance of the various cricket teams, he tried his pen at what can only be called "very- short- story writing." It is a ten-line piece recounting the taking of a penalty at the end of a football match. It finishes with a surprise, and can be read in 1st XI cricket team 1955 Back row: Fuller J (scorer), Thompson C H R, Howell K, Croughton R, Wilkins E, Harris D. Front row: Merchant K, Wilkins D, Lynes D G, Dye M D, Legg G, Humphreys B J. full in the December 1953 issue of the School magazine, available on the OSAwebsite if a "library ticket" has been obtained from Mike Pinfield. Ernie completed his academic career at the School by being awarded The Chairman's Prize and came third in the C FClay Memorial Prize for Elocution. He subsequently went on to read Chemistry at Leeds University and achieved a Ph.D. Many years after School I discovered that both Ernie and I were working in Scotland. He at the prestigious Daniel Stewart and Melville's College on the east side of Edinburgh, and I, near the west coast, at The Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive. We used to exchange Christmas cards keeping one another up to date in the progress of ourselves, and our respective families. The highlight of my year as President of the Old Stationers' Association was when Ernie consented to be my guest speaker at the Annual Dinner at Stationers' Hall. He gave a most remarkable rendition, part spoken part sung, on a cricketing theme in the style of Tom Lehrer. It was an absolute tour de force that all those present are unlikely to forget. Ernie's impact on life at the Stationers' Company's School, can be measured by the fact that he is mentioned no less than twenty two times in The Stationers' Magazine. The School can be proud of his many achievements, and he is sorely missed by his many friends. Nigel Wade 1951 to 1958 Dear Geraint TERRY BAiLEY Rycroft, Fen Lane South Somercotes, LOUTH Lincolnshire, LN11 7BP ianbailey@gs.com Thank you for your e-mail and kind condolences. My Father was taken unwell at the end of August and was admitted to hospital to undergo surgery on his bowel. He recovered from this quite well initially but contracted a chest infection resulting in respiratory problems. Due to other difficulties he passed away with pneumonia on the 11th October, 2013. The service was well attended and was led by a family friend, Pat Newbold, who knew Terry well. Her husband, Roger Newbold, and my Father had become close friends over the years and a moving tribute was given by him as well as my brother Ian. My Father took great pleasure from being a member of the Association and would have loved to have attended the meetings and the dinners that were held. Unfortunately due to his mobility problems the opportunity never arose for him. I am glad that you are writing an obituary for him and know he would have wanted this. Thank you Stephen Bailey Terry Bailey attended Stationers' from 1947 to 1952. There is a report on Terry Bailey's life in magazine Number 77 in Far as You Roam, page 22. 50
T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 7 8 RoBiN JAMES uPHiLL AuGuST 1944 – SEPTEMBER 2013 Robin died on September 9th from liver cancer at his home in Colombia. He left Stationers to join Mac Fisheries in Wood Green as a trainee manager after being asked by the careers officer the standard “Have you considered banking or insurance?” Having progressed to top management via situations including Wilmslow, Oldham, Leeds and Harrogate, and not wishing to progress to head office, he joined Courage Breweries and managed many public houses and restaurants. Some Old Boys came across him I know in a few of these in the City. A later enterprise was a sandwich business. Retiring from this, Robin moved to Colombia where I visited him only last year. His partner William and the inhabitants of Palmaseta, the village to which they retired, will miss this colourful character but no more than his family and old friends in England. John Ivey BESSiE SHoPLAND MARTiN 1916-2013 The funeral service of Bessie Shopland Martin - 6th August 1916 to 21st September 2013 - took place at Slough Crematorium on Friday, 18th October, 2013. The service was taken by the Reverend Sally Lynch, who also gave the address. The hymns sang were 'The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll not want; He makes me down to lie In pastures green; he leadeth me The quiet waters by', 'Love divine, all Terry Bailey with Stephen's daughter Thia in 2007 Bessie Shopland Martin loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down' to the tune Blaenwern and 'Guide me, O thou great Redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land' to the tune Cwm Rhondda. The opening music was 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' followed by sentences frrom Scripture and Welcome and Prayer. A Poem 'The Dash' was read by Dylan Grimes, followed by the Eulogy by Gill and then a further poem 'Death is Nothing At All' read by Pauline Gardiner. After the last hymn, there was the commendation committal and final prayer and blessing, with the closing music, 'In the Mood' by Glen Miller. Refreshments were served at the Norfolk House Hotel in Maidenhead. Eulogy by Gill My Mother was born in the middle of the First World War, in a small village called Hinxworth on the north edge of Hertfordshire. Her Mother's father had been the village baker, and supplied many local hamlets in his pony and trap. However, he died relatively young and left a few debts. So his new son-in-law Robert Kelland became a tenant farmer and lived there for nearly a decade to clear these debts. He was the one who insisted on her name, Bessie Shopland Kelland, which was pure Devonshire. She was always known as Bess, being named after her father's mother, who had died in an accident when he was only eleven. His family had lived at Middlecott Farm in Morchard Bishop, which is on high ground halfway between Exmoor and Dartmoor. My grandparents had actually met at Kintbury Fair. Her mother, Ettie Eugenie Sale had beeen a monitor teacher at Hinxworth Village School, where Bess started school at five. When she was seven, the family moved to Bowes Park in North London, where her father returned to his original trade, and ran his own butcher's shop; must have been a bit of a cultural shock! But Bess thrived in the competitive atmosphere of the large Tottenhall Primary School, and this is where she met her friend Doris, who was later her bridesmaid and my godmother. Bess, herself, loved sport, a sprinter, took up gymnastics, played tennis, table tennis and hockey. Her secondary school was Minchenden Grammar in Southgate. English was Mum's forte at school, and she could churn out poems with a comic twist. She quickly picked up Pitman's shorthand when she left Minchenden at sixteen and wrote all her diaries in shorthand so a mystery to me when I was turning out her house a few years ago. She had a few different jobs, but when she married my father, Jack Martin (1910- 2008) in 1937, as a woman, she automatically had to resign from her post at the electricity board, which she had really enjoyed. Jack and my mother had met at a large multi-family picnic and I think she had impressed Jack with her technique of getting over a five barred gate. Jack was equally energetic and eccentric so they were probably ideally suited from the start. A genuine people person who would help to cheer up anyone when they were a bit down. Her sense of humour was legendary and she loved a good rolling laugh, and I would add 'a cup of tea'. She was a strong character, and a positive support to Dad and me. Those piercing blue eyes were pretty good at making a sharp assessment of people and situations. 51
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