from the chairman

.
The newsletter of the Old Abingdonian Club
January 2010
.
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Welcome to our new look 'Griffen'. I hope you will enjoy reading about the
Club's activities, news of our members and about the School's current
progress. This metamorphosis would not have been possible without
the outstanding contribution of Rodney PiU (1961) who worked tirelessly
to ensure that the OA Office had a wealth of information from which this
issue is compiled. We owe him a great debt of gratitude. As always the
Griffen is only made possible by the flow of articles from its contributors
to whom we are infinitely grateful.
Some of the features in this edition are summaries of the original articles.
You will see that the full versions can be read on our website or, for those
without internet access, you may request copies from the OA Office.
CAREER MENTORING AND
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
With the OA Club's new focus on professional support we now aim to provide
a career in law, enjoyed drinks and dinner
networking opportunities and career advice for alumni and sixth formers.
whilst discussing their professional
This new initiative was launched at the end of September with a dinner for the legal
profession hosted at Middle Temple by the Honourable Sir Vivian Ramsey (1968),
currently the judge in charge of the Technology and Construction Court. Over thirty
members of the School community, either working in the legal profession, or seeking
achievements and aspirations To quote
one attendee: "I thought the evening was
excellent and a truly successful start to
the OA professional network."
The Club aims to host at least one
professional event each term. The next,
a reception and dinner for the medical
profession, will be held at Oriel College,
Oxford, on Thursday 25 March 2010.
~~~-~ABINGDON
INSIDE
Members' News 06
Social Events 24
OA Sport 26
Forthcoming Events 30
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Since the last edition of the Griffen,
profession, having studied chemistry
School community, including pupils,
I am delighted to say that your Club
and economics, and is a businessman
parents past and present, Common
has enjoyed a year of unprecedented
of some repute. As we expand and
Room, Governors and other friends.
activity and there are articles included
shape the Club more accurately to reflect
Please do get in touch with me, any
in the following pages which report on
the needs and preferences of you, our
member of the Committee or Jan Glover,
our progress. You will read, in the
members, we shall benefit greatly from
the Development Director, if you have
Headmaster's article, that the School
Gareth's business experience as funding
comments or suggestions in relation
has also had another very good year
is a critical aspect of our future,
to this idea.
with an excellent balance between
particularly in the next two years.
You will all have heard about the move of
academic, sporting and 'other half'
The Club's newest initiative is our
activities. I believe it is entirely
career mentoring service which has
appropriate that the OA Club should
been launched and is growing rapidly
continue to match the progress of the
alma mater, thus maintaining another
important balance within the Abingdon
School community.
as more OAs register their willingness
to act as a mentor for their fellow alumni
and for the boys in the sixth form. We
will be developing this further over the
Mark Turner to Shrewsbury in September
2010. Here I just wish to emphasise again
what a tremendous supporter of the
Club he is, and how much I shall value
his continued counsel and help as the
Club pushes forward with its activities.
I know that Mark's successor, Miss Felicity
The Club's progress can only be
coming year so do please register your
achieved through the efforts of OA
skills and experience online, within the
Lusk, will be a creative supporter of
volunteers, who are now coming forward
members' area of the OA website, if you
what we are doing. The close links and
in increasing numbers, and I would like
are interested in offering your help. It is a
imaginative events undertaken between
to pay tribute to them. In particular, we
wonderful way of keeping younger OAs, in
Oxford High School and their alumnae
must thank Richard Bampton (1961) for
particular, in touch with the Club in a useful
are examples of what we are trying to
organising such a successful Griffen
and meaningful way and allows us all the
achieve for our own involvement within
Rugby 7s Tournament; also David Allison
opportunity of professional networking.
the Abingdon Foundation.
(1993) for conceiving and running the
inaugural Gerald Smithson Twenty20
Cricket Tournament and for his efforts
in keeping the Abingdon Alligators
playing cricket through the summer.
The members of the OA Committee play
a huge part in keeping the activities of the
Club moving forward, and the energy and
enthusiasm of Jonathan Gold (1988), who
has served two years as the Club's
There will be a full programme of OA
I would also extend my thanks to
events over the coming months, as we
both Common Room and other staff
continue our stated aim to involve OAs in
at the School for their support and in
activities and services. These are not only
particular to Alison and Samantha in
interesting, useful and enjoyable but also
the Development Office who are so
encourage us all to keep in touch with
positively led by Jan Glover, the
both the School and our colleagues from
school days. Alumni associations cannot
mark time or become introspective.
Abingdon deserves to have one of the
President, have been greatly appreciated.
2
continued ...
most active and vibrant clubs within the
Our new President, who took office at the
independent sector and your Committee
AGM in November, is Gareth Morris
is considering how much wider we might
(1976). Gareth is an accountant by
cast our net to embrace other parts of the
January 2010
Development Director. Our team of
dedicated staff and willing volunteers
work extremely well as a team and I
know that they will continue to help
us move forward in a very positive
direction over this academic year.
John Bunce (1962)
FROM THE HEADMASTER
Richard has been succeeded by David
Lillycrop, who has been a Governor for
over ten years. As an ex-Abingdon parent,
barrister and successful businessman,
David is ideally placed to steer us through
the increasingly uncertain economic rapids
that lie ahead. Amongst other changes
to the Governing Body, John Bunce
(1962) comes in as representative of the
Old Abingdonian Club, a move which
will ensure that Old Abingdonians are
well represented in the top echelons of
the School.
The timing of the publication of the Griffen
this year provides me with the opportunity
to reflect on the slightly longer period than
usual but I will focus on the events of the
last academic year and, as ever, there
were many.
In September 2008, we got off to a good
start with record success at GCSE. Our
new Sports Centre was opened, with a
memorable opening address by Kate Hoey
Mp, on Saturday 4 October 2008 and,
during the term, almost all boys had the
opportunity to use the new facilities. Their
enthusiastic response was most satisfying
and with the Centre being used more and
more as the year went by I am pleased to
report that there has been no diminution of
that enthusiasm! It is also gratifying to see
the Centre being used by other local
schools and sporting groups making it a
very real focus for the local community.
In November 2008 the School paid tribute
to Nigel Hammond (1957) with a memorial
service held in the School Chapel. Nigel
was an Old Abingdonian of the direct grant
era and long-time member of Common
Room. He left almost his whole estate to
the School to support able boys from local
families, who would otherwise have been
unable to afford an Abingdon education.
To receive a sum of over £500,000 to
launch our fundraising for bursaries and
scholarships was a wonderful and
unexpected bonus. We are immensely
grateful to Nigel for his generous bequest.
The Spring Term saw a change in the
Chairman of Governors with Richard
Dick retiring as Chairman from 1 January.
I should like to record my personal thanks
to Richard for providing such stalwart
support to the School over the last six
years. I have thoroughly enjoyed working
with him and found his readiness to take
on big challenges most stimulating.
David Lillycrop, our new Chairman of
Governors, is keen to consider the
School's broader strategic direction
and to debate issues of both interest
and relevance. This has already started
at a conference held a few months ago.
My view, which seems to dovetail happily
with Abingdon's post-war history, is that
we should aspire to academic excellence
over a broad front - scientific, linguistic,
classical and in the humanities - but not
become fixated on league tables. We hope
that teaching will both prepare and inspire
intellectual curiosity in our boys to set them
on a path of life-long learning, even after
academic results have receded into relative
insignificance. At the same time we hope
to achieve skills in all areas to allow us to
compete on favourable terms with the very
best schools in the country, whatever the
sport or activity. I have always been a great
admirer of Abingdon's colloquial term 'the
other half', as it serves to emphasise at an
almost subconscious level that there is just
as much to life outside the classroom as
there is within it.
In this regard an orchestral tour to Beijing,
a debating team in a national final, a film
that gains national recognition, a rowing
crew that wins a medal at the National
Schools Regatta, a sports team that
achieves an undefeated season or a
major accolade, give equal pleasure and
represent the achievement of our aims just
as much as sparkly academic statistics.
I like to think that academic success
represents the height of our achievement,
that the other half represents breadth and
that the School should also nurture what
we might call 'depth'. To explain a little
further, it is important that the School
provides the opportunity through Chapel,
service opportunities, CCF, charitable
fundraising and debate/speaker meetings,
to allow boys to develop their own views
and beliefs in a way that encourages them
to make positive contributions to the
societies and the world within which they
will live and work.
The summer term concluded, as ever,
with prize-giving. It was wonderful to
welcome as our guest of honour
Lieutenant General Sir Freddie Viggers,
now known by his ceremonial title 'Black
Rod'. Saturday 27 June was the first
officially designated Armed Forces Day,
so it was very appropriate that we were
able to host one of the most distinguished
and senior officers in the land on that day.
Sir Freddie's presence created the
opportunity for me to speak to a theme
of 'leadership through change'. I stated
that if Abingdon is ever going to justify
its relatively privileged position it will be
by sending out young men of breadth
and vision with the energy and social
conscience to want to make a real
difference across the broader horizons
that will open up for them as they move
on from school. I also mentioned the
vital importance of the other half and the
numerous opportunities that exist around
the School for boys to demonstrate both
leadership and responsibility.
The summer term was also a memorable
one for me personally. As you may have
heard, on 18 June, I announced my
acceptance of an invitation from the
Governors of Shrewsbury School to be
their 27th Headmaster, from September
2010. Elizabeth and I are obviously
looking forward to fresh opportunities and
challenges, but I intend to savour every
moment of the current academic year as
the conclusion for what Elizabeth, our
family and me has been a wonderfully
happy Abingdon experience.
Last year, I wrote of finding talking with
OAs a fascinating experience and how I
was powerfully reminded of various eras
that mark the School's history. As I come
towards the last year of my own era at
Abingdon I hope I will have the opportunity
to see many OAs at events, lectures, to
give careers advice or just to visit. In
whatever capacity you choose to return
you will be assured of a warm welcome
and our grateful thanks for your support
and interest in the School.
Mark Turner
3
FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF
GOVERNORS
the appointment of Miss Felicity Lusk
I am delighted to have been elected to
as Head of Abingdon School from
the OA Club as President. As you will read
September 2010, a choice that attracted
in this issue, the School is in rude health
extensive coverage by the national Press.
and enjoying great success in all fields,
The Governors' selection was made
and our Club is also extremely active.
entirely on merit: we were looking for
an outstanding individual to provide
leadership and promote excellence in all
that Abingdon represents, and we have
no doubt that FelicitY' is that individual.
From our differing perspectives Felicity, as
new Head, and I, as a newish chairman,
will face a common challenge over the
As John Bunce has outlined, there are
various initiatives to continue the strong
relationship that we enjoy with the School.
I must commend to you the career
mentoring service that we have launched
and which John has talked about in his
introduction. In any period, the challenge
of 'what career' is daunting enough and
in today's tough economic times, it is even
I am pleased to have this opportunity to
next few years: how to continue to improve
more so. Remembering back to my own
introduce myself, and to give you an idea
a school (or indeed two schools, as we
time at school, and afterwards at university,
of what is currently occupying the time of
must never forget Abingdon Prep which,
it was difficult and not made any easier
Abingdon's Governors. The views of OAs
under Chris Davies, is thriving down the
by not properly understanding what the
are always of interest to us, and I am
road at Frilford) the performance of which,
opportunities were. How did you become
delighted that the Governing Body has
by almost any measure, is excellent.
a stockbroker and what was a chartered
been strengthened by the addition of your
Demand for an Abingdon education is
surveyor? Goodness knows what an
chairman, John Bunce, and, in December
high, results (inside the classroom and
actuary did!
2009, of Mr Justice Ramsey (1968).
out) are impressive and our leavers
Whilst the School's careers department is
My association with Abingdon goes back
continue to exhibit all those qualities for
working hard to address this, I know that
to 1990 when my then employer moved
which OAs are best known. While Felicity
we have an immense variety of careers
to the town. I became a Governor, at
will certainly bring a new perspective and
present in our alumni, some of which I am
Francis Maude's invitation, in 1998, and
fresh ideas, I know that she will be keen
sure current boys and very recent alumni
later chaired the Finance & General
not to lose the combination of elements
will have little knowledge or understanding;
Purposes committee for 5 years before
that gives Abingdon its rich and distinctive
and yet these may be careers that could be
succeeding Richard Dick as Chairman
character. Critically, she shares the
highly relevant to them. I am often asked
of Governors in January. While not an OA
Governors' clear commitment to single-
by some of my younger relatives 'how did
myself, I did entrust the education of my
sex education.
you get to do what you do', which most
two sons to Abingdon: Jonathan (2004)
is now working in IT for a bank in Canary
Wharf, and Chris (2006) is reading
Persian and Russian at Cambridge.
It is a privilege to chair the Governors,
and I will have to work hard to match
the high standards of my predecessor.
In a fascinating first year I have had the
weighty responsibility of leading the
search to find Mark Turner's successor.
Mark's will be another hard act to
follow - Shrewsbury is lucky to have
him - but Abingdon's reputation and
potential assured us of a strong field of
4
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
of the time they mean in a very polite way!
The Governors naturally take great
These are extremely difficult times for
comfort from the strength of Abingdon's
everyone and I know younger people are
people: the Head and SMT, Common
finding it particularly tough I believe we
Room, our many support staff, and a
owe them some help to get going. So
variety of supporting networks. I am only
please may I add my voice to that of the
now recognising the importance of the
Club's Chairman and ask that you seriously
last of these, and in particular of the
think about joining up as a potential mentor
OAs. Your values are a powerful influence
for our alumni. It will be very worthwhile
on what we do, and I congratulate not
and, I believe, potentially very rewarding.
only John Bunce, but also Jan, Alison
I plan to attend as many events as I can in
and Samantha, for doing so much to
the next year and to meet up with as many
channel the energy and goodwill of the
of you as possible; in so doing, I hope to
OA community.
renew friendships from 1969 to 1976 and,
candidates. After a rigorous process, I
David Lillycrop
was delighted to be able to announce
December 2009
January 2010
of course, to make some new ones.
Gareth Morris (1976)
THE OA CLUB
COMMITTEE
Profile of an Old Abingdonian
The Honourable Sir Vivian Ramsey (1968)
Nigeria before applying to the City
Chairman: John Bunce (1962)
University to read law in the new Diploma
President: Gareth Morris (1976)
of Law course which was just starting
Past President: Jonathan Gold (1988)
there. With leave of absence from Arups,
Treasurer: Richard Stone (1992)
a working wife and funds from working
abroad, he was able to finance the year
Headmaster: Mark Turner
of study. As he was about to return to
engineering an offer arrived from the
Inner London Education Authority to
Elected Members:
finance a further year of study for the Bar.
David Allison (1993)
David Brice (1961)
Noel Crosse (1972)
lan Fishpool(Common Room)
Simon Hills (1975)
Terence Libby (1961)
With the arrival of the first of four children
After leaving Abingdon School in
he embarked on a year of unpaid
December 1968 Vivian Ramsey spent
pupillage, first in general common law
nine months in Belize teaching maths
and then in specialist building chambers.
and science at St Michael's College.
Both were arranged through Middle
Belize City was just recovering from
Temple, with no personal contacts in the
hurricane Hattie and a new capital city
law At the end of pupillage, the prospects
was being built inland. From here he
of being offered a tenancy were small as
Mike Litchfield
travelled extensively in Central America
the chambers had no further space. By
(1994 and Common Room)
and developed an interest in Mayan
good fortune they took an annexe as he
Co-opted Members:
Jan Glover (Development Director)
Rodney Pitt (1961)
archaeology. He then read engineering
was just applying to change profession
science and economics at Oxford where
to become a solicitor. In 1981, with a
he rowed, produced plays and edited a
tenancy and the fortune to be the only
satirical magazine as well as meeting his
person in Chambers when a large
wife, Barbara. The closest he came to
international arbitration needed urgent
law was to read the books of someone
advice, he started his career in crime,
studying law which were more interesting
family, and landlord and tenant cases.
than applied thermodynamics. During
Ex-officio Members:
one vacation he worked on a kibbutz in
Israel close to the Lebanese border
Heads of School
where he experienced conflict first hand.
A busy practice rapidly developed
and he took silk in 1992. In addition
to appearing in cases worldwide he
also acted as arbitrator, mediator and
On graduation he joined Ove Arup
and Partners and quickly realised that
designing reinforced concrete structures
was a challenge for someone with a
general engineering degree. He worked
on site constructing the new university
in Tripoli, Libya, taking his new bride
who taught English as a foreign
language. It was soon after Colonel
Gadaffi's revolution and there were few
as a member of dispute review boards.
He also became editor of 'Keating' on
Construction Contracts and Head of
Keating Chambers, which specialises
in construction and technology disputes
worldwide. He was appointed to a
special professorship at Nottingham
University and a visiting professorship
at King's College, London.
visitors who shared the stunning Greek
In November 2005 he was appointed
and Roman sites and desert landscapes
a High Court judge in the Queen's
on the edge of the Mediterranean. With
Bench Division and received a
time to reflect on his future, thoughts of
knighthood, and in September 2007
law started to develop. On his return he
became judge in charge of the
designed communication towers in
Technology and Construction Court.
5
~MEM
www.ablngdon.org.uk/oal~
In April 2009 an exciting brand-new addition to
the OA Club website waalaunched - an exclu8l¥e
'members only' area where OM can YI8w the
Information held about them 1I1111e otfIcIaI OA ChIb
database and search for conIact details of other
OAs. The members' area has been an enormoua
succeaa. In Ita first few month8 over 1000 OAs
registered (with more regl8tratlon8 every day)
and a8 a result we now have up-tO-date .maU
addre8ae8 for around half of all known OAsI
• .....
•
••
*
The new CA members' area will allow you to update your contact
details and all the other information held about you in the OA
Club database onIine and at your own convenience. The new
members' area now allows a seamless flow of data between the
website and the database. making the process much more
efficient and minimising the potential for human error.
••
•
•• •
•
once
January 2010
Our onIine ~ Is groWing every daY. lbregiS.ter
for access to the new QA8ne members' area ~viIlt
W'NW.abingdon erg uWoa!members dnd fill out the~
form. (If you were ~.tered fOr use Of the old
members' area. you $IiII need to register - the newmetnbers'
area is a completely different antmaI and you win require a
new user name and~.) ff you have atrf~,
or would like more~, please contact the eA Offtce
on atumni@abiAgdOn.~.uk
•
In the members' area you can also choose to share your
contact details with other CAs and search for people who have
done the same. Under the Data Protection Act the OA Club
cannot release personal information from our database to third
parties. This means that if you want to get In touch with an old
school friend, we can send him a letter from you (containing
your own contact details) but we cannot give you his e-mail
address or telephone number without asking him first.
you have made your contact details 'visible' in the new onIine
members' area, other registered OAs will be able to search for
you in the online OA Directory and then get in touch with you
directly. You can choose exactly which pieces of personal
information you would like to make visible and which to keep
hidden. At no time will your personal information be available
to anyone who is not a registered member of the OA Club.
6
...
,
OLD ABINGDONIANS
1930 -1939
Hugh Lunghi (1939), a well-known
lecturer at Oxford, Cambridge and the LSE
and as an author on Eastern European
affairs, gave one of The Churchill Series
of Lectures in the remarkable and historic
setting of the Churchill Museum and
Cabinet War Rooms. The lectures, which
were presented between October 2008 to
May 2009, featured some of the world's
leading experts on Churchill. Hugh Lunghi
had an extremely interesting wartime
career acting as the Russian language
translator for the British Chiefs of Staff at
Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam, in addition to
working for Sir Winston Churchill and
Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten amongst
others. He also interpreted at meetings
with both Stalin and Kruschev.
1940 -1949
Richard Lesser (1944) is living with his
second wife Sylvia on Epsom Downs, in
a house overlooking the racecourse. He
spent the whole of his life in the electronics
industry, most of it with Philips. On leaving
Abingdon, he spent a year at Cambridge
before joining the Cossor Research
Laboratories where 'he swept the floor
and made the tea for some very eminent
scientists who had developed radar from
scratch during the war'!
He joined Philips as an electrical engineer
in the Radio and TV factory but soon
transferred to the central staff of Philips
UK Group. Over the years, he worked on
a wide variety of projects to do with quality,
efficiency, organisation and planning.
Later, in retirement, he won a seat for the
Local Residents' Association on Reigate
and Banstead Borough Council and was
Deputy Mayor in 2000-01. In the 1960s,
he was threatened with blindness and lost
the sight in his right eye after a series of
operations. However, by what he describes
as a 'lucky fluke', the problem with his left
eye was caught in time and his sight
saved. He met his present wife, who was
a nurse in the eye hospital, at that time.
Peter Verrall (1939) has lived in
Mandurah, about 75km south of Perth,
Australia, since 2000. He became an
associate of the Royal Institute of British
Architects in 1944 and for his thesis he
presented a design for a new cable
station at Portcurno, Cornwall. Of his time
at Abingdon he remembers Mr Grundy
very well and especially his sister Miss
Grundy who, he says "had me involved in
acting firstly as the dormouse in The Mad
Hatter's Tea Party and secondly as Milly
Molly Mandy". One of the interesting
things about Mandurah is the Abingdon
Miniature Village - named after Abingdon,
Oxfordshire, the country's oldest
continually inhabited town in the UK which opened in 2003. Buildings such as
Abingdon School, the Abingdon County
Hall, the Church of St Nicolas and the
Old Anchor Inn have been meticulously
reproduced in miniature. There are over
35 individual buildings from all over the UK
depicting the different architectural styles
from the 12th century onwards.
1950 - 1959
Murray Jones (1955) is a specialist travel
adviser for the Indian sub-continent and Sri
Lanka. He spent his working life in the
British Army seeing many sights in
numerous countries. He has visited 94
countries so far. In the 1980s he was
posted to Kathmandu, in Nepal, to work
with the British Gurkhas. "Living in such a
remote part of the world presents some
challenges but also opens up tremendous
opportunities for exploration, photography
and cultural experiences."
University and Wadham College, Oxford,
and a few years later was called to the bar
by Lincoln's Inn. His first academic post
was at Nottingham University where he
taught a number of law subjects. During
his time at Nottingham he wrote 'A Study
Guide to Criminal Law', co-authored a book
'Practical Forensic Medicine' and published
a number of articles. He was also assistant
editor of 'Medicine, Science and The Law'
and editor of 'Criminal Law Review'. In
1971 he was visiting lecturer at Auckland
University where he taught New Zealand
constitutional law and the law of evidence.
He also published articles in New Zealand
law journals. In 1975 he was appointed to
the Kenneth Bailey Chair of Law at the
University of Melbourne, where he wrote
'Taming Death by Law' and 'Cross-Border
Criminal Law' as well as co-authoring
works on administrative law, criminal fraud
and the general principles of criminal law.
He was a member of the Victorian Chief
Justice's Law Reform Committee, a
council member of the Australian Institute
of Judicial Administration and consultant
to the Australian Law Reform Commission
and to the Model Criminal Code Officers'
Committee. He was also Deputy Dean and
Associate Dean (undergraduate studies)
of the law faculty. Now retired, David
spends much of his time trying to play
saxophone, fiddle, guitar and ukulele. He
belongs to several music groups and has
been described by a prominent local
newspaper as a 'ukulele tragic'!
Michael Matthews (1952) visited
Abingdon, Virginia, in October 2008 for
the 320th celebration of the founding of
that town. There has been a connection
between Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and
Abingdon, Virginia, for many years on a
low key basis with occasional visits either
way by various people.
Professor David Lanham (1957)
is Emeritus Professor, University of
Melbourne, Australia, and Adjunct
Professor, La Trobe University, Victoria,
Australia. On leaving Abingdon, he joined
the civil service as an executive officer for a
couple of years before deciding to embark
on university studies. He read law at Leeds
7
MEMBERS' NEWS
More connections have built up in recent
years culminating in an invitation from
America for a party from Abingdon,
Oxfordshire, to go over to help celebrate
the anniversary.
Gerald Nicholls (1952) left Abingdon
School in something of a hurry and spent
the next three years successfully fighting
pulmonary tuberculosis. Qualifying as a
chartered certified accountant and a cost
and industrial accountant, he worked in
industry before joining the accounting
profession where he was a partner in
Grant Thornton, Managing Director of
its management consultancy subsidiary,
and Chairman of the European Consulting
Committee of Grant Thornton International.
On retirement, he and his wife (whom he
had met while an inpatient during her
training at the Oxford Radcliffe Infirmary)
ran what became one of the most highly
regarded private schools of food and
cookery in Europe, attracting students
from all over the world. He served on
various committees of The Institute
of Management Consultants, The
Management Consultancies Association,
The Magic Circle (the last two of which
he was also a member of Council), and
The International Food and Wine Society.
During his work he lived and travelled
widely in various parts of the world.
He now lives in Cornwall where, in
retirement, he has remained active in
public life, his local church, the pursuit
of fine bookbinding skills and, naturally,
the art and practice of magic!
Stephen Woodley (1957) regrets that
the 40th anniversary of the first Black
Paper 'Fight for Education' that warned
against wholesale comprehensivisation
of standards in education passed almost
without notice in March. Sir James
Cobban and the Rt Hon Francis Maude
(1971) were among the contributors;
Stephen's article 'Comprehensive
Inadequacies' appeared in the fifth,
and last, Black Paper in 1977. Stephen
subsequently edited the Bulletin of the
National Council for Educational
Standards for several years.
8
Richard Wooldridge (1959) has retired
from his position as President and Chief
Operating Officer of the International
Herald Tribune and was based in Paris
from 1998 until his retirement in 2007
During this time the IHT undertook a
massive expansion with worldwide sales
increasing from 192,000 to 245,000, the
number of print sites increasing from 12
to 31 and the formation of a dozen
innovative partnerships founded with
leading national newspapers in Europe,
the Middle East and Asia. Before moving
to France, Richard was Editorial Director
of Westminster Press, which operated 110
newspapers in the UK, having previously
been Editor of the Yorkshire Evening Press
and simultaneously Managing Director of
York and County Press. He was President
of the Yorkshire Guild of Editors and later
became President of the Yorkshire
Newspaper Society. While spearheading
the IHT's expansion in Asia, he became a
regular speaker at major conferences in
China, Japan and Korea. His retirement
now gives him time to indulge his
passions for classic car rallying, where he
drives an Austin Healey 3000 Mklll, built in
Abingdon in 1965 Richard drove in
dozens of national and international motor
rallies in the sixties and early seventies,
collecting many 'pots'. He was a founder
member of the International Rally Drivers
Club (based in the UK) and is currently a
member of the exclusive 'Ecurie Cod Fillet'
organisation. He now lives in Burgundy
and so is able to continue his study of
classic French wines!
1960 -1969
Peter Ablewhite (1968), having retired
from a full career with an American oil
company, decided to return to work and
is currently in the oil fields of Kazakhstan
employed as Lead Engineer of Well Test
Interpretation. He works one month on
and one month off and spends his spare
time flying between his homes in England
and France.
Richard Sampton (1961) retired, one
year early, as Director of Shuttleworth
College (JMC would have been highly
January 2010
amused to hear that). He and his wife
Angela have been granted New Zealand
Permanent Residency and arrived in the
'Land of The Long White Cloud' on Sunday
28 June 2009 They bought a house on
Friday 3 July, and any OAs who venture
to the Antipodes will be very welcome to
visit them. They live just north of Auckland.
Please contact them on angelarichard@
hotmail.com prior to visiting. Richard will
be in touch with Antipodean OAs with a
view to organising a dinner during the 2011
Rugby World Cup.
John Cook (1961) lives in Wantage
and works for the Amey Group on the
Oxford Science Park. He has enjoyed
full-time employment in various sectors:
military, local government, security and
administration He lists his interests as
travel, photography, crosswords and other
mind-exercising problems. He was married
in 1966 and has two sons and one
granddaughter.
David Gerring (1961) has been a doctor
for the past 40 years. At first, he was a rural
doctor in Northern Alberta, Canada - where
he says he went for an adventure - and
then on the west coast for 16 years. For the
past 24 years he has worked as a GP in
Vancouver. He has five children, including
5-year old twins by his third marriage.
Andrew Hall (1969) and his wife Debbie
celebrated 25 years as licensees of the
Rose and Crown public house in North
Parade, Oxford, in February 2009. At a time
when public houses across the country are
disappearing, it is reassuring that licensees
like Andrew can not only survive but also
prove to be so popular with their locals
David Hunt (1968) has spent much of his
working life as a marketing manager for
firms of solicitors in London. He is currently
marketing director for a national firm of
accountants.
Donald Hunter (1964) has retired from his
position as a partner (solicitor) and is now a
Consultant Trust and Estate Practitioner
with Messrs Harrison Beale & Owen,
chartered accountants of Leamington Spa.
John Mosdell (1968) worked for Mars
Confectionery Lld and then Beanstalk
Shelving for many years, as well as several
other firms, during a career in sales and
marketing. He retired in 2002 and lives in
Hove, West Sussex, with his wife Jacky.
He says he does very little as he enjoys his
freedom! He has kept in touch with other
OAs, including David Ventham, (1967) and
lately Richard Bradfield (1967), David Hunt
(1968), Peter Ablewhite (1968), Terry Parfitt
(1968), and Roger Matthews (1969), all of
whom attended the Abingdon Open Day
in May 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Terry Parfitt (1968) has retired from a
long and successful career with Friends
Provident. He lives in Four Marks,
Hampshire, and likes to spend his time
motorcycling, skiing or backpacking
around the Greek Islands.
David Ray (1967) retired in July 2009
after teaching at Rugby School for 31
years. Before that, David spent 8-years'
teaching at Pangbourne College. He
completed 39 years as the master in
charge of rugby football at the two schools
plus a further year spent at a prep school in
Kenya (1966-67). He was master in charge
of politics at Rugby and Commanding
Officer for 19 years of the Rugby School
CCF, finishing with the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel. He also spent a lot of time on the
playing fields with the hockey and cricket
teams during the 1980s. David is Secretary
of the local Rotary Club and, for the last 10
years, has been Chairman of a youth club
during term time, started by school staff
back in the 1920s. David says that he has
returned to Abingdon on a number of
occasions, including the Memorial Service
for Sir James Cobban and for a reunion for
OAs from the 1950s and 1960s. He has
now moved to Weston-Super-Mare.
Patrick Roe (1969) set up The Fine Book
Bindery in Wellingborough following the
sad demise of the former Fine Bindery in
March 2007. Working from new premises
and with new investment, The Fine Book
Bindery has built on this wealth of
experience and unrivalled national and
international reputation for bespoke
bookbinding, slipcases, solander boxes
and portfolios by retaining the services
of all the skilled bookbinders who have
been part of the same team for over 20
years and continues to offer specialist
hand bookbinding for private presses,
publishers and the printing trade. He lists
his interests as classic cars, including a
1962 TVR Grantura "Le Mans", a 1963 Alfa
Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce, a 1967 Land
Rover SWB Series 2a and a 1976 Alfa
Romeo GT Bertone Coupe; photography;
and travelling to Sweden. William says that
today he is one of a dwindling number of
members of the Oxford Guild of Printers.
Divorced, he has two sons - William who
works in computing in Brighton and Tim
who is reading classics at Jesus College,
Oxford. William says that he left in 1969
because his parents moved to Durham
and that his peers would have left in about
1975, when he went to the London College
of Printing.
Jeremy Sagar (1967) has lived in
Western Canada for about 35 years,
currently in Edmonton, Alberta, where
for many years he worked in educational
television. Since being made redundant
over 2 years ago, he has run a small
audio business from his home, catering
to the website needs of various educational
institutions. Jeremy continues to perform
and to compose music. He enjoys
winemaking and is currently writing a novel.
He has been married to Renske for 30
years and they have 2 children - Josie (28),
a graphic designer, and Peter (21), a
musician and student. They are planning
to move back to Vancouver Island soon.
David Tanner (1966) is GB Rowing's
Performance Director and was made a
Commander of the British Empire in the
2009 New Year's Honours, following a year
in which he was GB's Team Leader at the
Beijing Olympics. He is an historian and
enjoys theatre, music and good food and
wine in his spare time.
Peter Willis (1960) was a GP in Lisson
Grove Health Centre, Marylebone, before
retiring on health grounds (now happily
resolved). He filled his life busily and
contentedly for a few years with gardening,
cooking and travelling before deciding to
indulge his long-standing interest in
ceramics by trying his hand at making pots.
Sadly his partner died in 1990 but after 6
years of bachelorhood he met his new
Japanese partner and they became partners
at a ceremony at Islington Town Hall in 2006,
attended by his two brothers, James and
Andrew as witnesses. They have been on
holiday in Japan which has further inspired
both his pottery and gardening interests, and
he now opens his garden once a year under
the NGS scheme.
1970 - 1979
Donald Greig (1978) sings with The
Tallis Scholars. Through their recordings
and concert performances they have
established themselves as the leading
exponents of Renaissance sacred music
throughout the world. The Tallis Scholars
perform in both sacred and secular venues,
performing around 70 concerts each year
across the globe. The Scholars are named
after Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585), one of
England's leading composers of sacred
music in the 16th century, who was also
one of the earliest composers to set music
to English texts
Peter Hammond (1979) studied law at
Birmingham University before joining the
National Westminster Bank (now RBS) where
he has worked for 25 years and now is head
of a department specialising in anti-money
laundering. He works in London but lives
near Newbury, where he is married with 2
children. Peter is an RFU qualified referee
for the Berkshire Society.
Mike Holding (1976) is a Kenyan born
qualified zoologist with 25-years' experience
across the board as director, cinematographer,
scriptwriter and editor. He has worked for the
BBC Natural History Unit filming and facilitating
wildlife sequences for 'Wild Africa - Lakes
and Rivers' which forms part of the BBC's
6-hour series on Africa, and also worked on
production facilitation and sequence filming
for David Attenborough's 'Life of Mammals'.
Among his most recent work was as a
9
MEMBERS' NEWS
cameraman on the BBC's programme
'Earth's Greatest Events', where he filmed
the elephant programme which was shown
at the beginning of May 2009
Christopher Houston (1972) graduated
with a BSc (Hons) at the University of British
Columbia (1975), followed this with an MSc
Zoology UBC (1982) and was awarded the
MBA (gold medal) Ivey Business School,
London, Ontario (1987), He lives in Ontario
where he ran a successful management
consultancy until 1990 He lists his interests
as complex, messy organizational change
problems, growing leaders, companies
and gardens, shaping and creating great
conversations about ideas that matter,
making maple syrup, collecting wine,
listening to glorious sacred music - a taste
Abingdon cultivated - and giving thanks,
Christopher and his wife Jeannie live on
and welcome others to their farm retreat
(www.theretreat.ca) where many come for
conversation, silence and beauty,
Peter James (1979) is professor of
protein technology at Lund University,
Sweden,
(Corpus Christi College) in 1975 and a
DPhil Geology by Oxford (Wolfson College)
in 1980, He joined Shell as exploration
seismologist in 1980 and has had postings
to the Netherlands, Oman, and Nigeria,
He was head of global exploration from
2000-2003 and is currently Shell Country
Chairman in Oman, He lists his interests
as sailing and acting, He says that he is
hoping to return to England in 2009 after
a 30-year career overseas,
1980 -1989
Jonathan Crick (1989) completed the
lronman France Triathlon in Nice, watched
by his wife Liz and children Charlotte and
James, He works for RBS in the City of
London in their Global Banking and
Markets division and lives in Wimbledon,
He is hoping to catch up with more OAs
at the City dinners,
Ben Dennis (1983) is working as an
engineer in Birmingham,
Simon Dennis (1981) is working as a
lawyer in Manchester,
Gavin Hyde-Blake (1988) is working
Vivian Lacey-Johnson (1970) is based
in Welshpool, Shropshire, where he and
his wife Louise (nee Greenwood, St Helen's
1968) now run The Clever Baggers Limited,
a specialist company that supplies the
Glastonbury Festival, amongst others,
with bags, He met up with Nicholas Minns
(1970) in Brighton recently,
Charles Pfeil (1971) was for 13 years
in charge of the packing department in
Bristol of the Currys/Dixons Stores Group,
He was made redundant when the flagship
Technical SeNice Centre suddenly closed,
Charles is currently Chief Security Officer
in charge of the Gatehouse DHL Express
in Bristol.
Richard Taylor (1978) lives in Liltleton,
Colorado, USA, and has founded and
runs a successful commercial diving
company - Firing Line in Denver, Colorado,
He lists his interests as hiking, swimming
and shooting,
Andrew Wood (1971) was awarded an
MA in natural sciences at Cambridge
10
as a headhunter for Clive & Stokes
International in London, The company
specialises in the power, renewable oil
and gas sectors, He lives in Sulton with
his new wife, Ali Hickie (now Ali H-B)
and has a 12-year-old daughter from his
first marriage, Gavin and Ali were married
on 24 August 2008 at a lodge on the
edge of the Kruger National Park in South
Africa and honeymooned in Namibia and
South Africa,
Toby Jones (1985) won the London
Film Critics' Circle 'Best British Actor' for
his portrayal of Truman Capote, On 11
December 2008, Toby played alongside
his father, Freddie, with Dame Judi Dench,
Juliet Stevenson and Robert Powell in a
concert of words and music at Oxford's
Sheldonian Theatre in aid of the
Pendyffryn Children's Trust. This was set
up 16 years ago to provide holidays for
children who have suffered traumas, Toby
also stars in Ron Howard's film 'Frost!
Nixon' and in Oliver Stone's 'W', a tale of
George W Bush's time in power.
January 2010
Miles Kendall (1989) has left his position
as Deputy Editor of 'Yachting Monthly'
magazine in order to set up his own
media company,
As well as copywriting and design
projects, he writes for 'Sailing Today'
and his second book, 'The 100 Ultimate
Sailing Adventures' was published in
2009, He is married with 2 children and
now lives in Lymington, Hampshire,
Paul McLoughlin (1982) lives in London
and works in the banking sector for BNP
Paribas Securities Sector, He lists his
achievements as running the London
Marathon in 2007 and being a member of
The Securities Institute, His interests are
music, with a special interest in orchestral
music and string quartets, and playing golf,
Joe Oppenheimer (1989), who has
been working in film production since
the late 1990s, has been made an
executive producer for BBC Films,
Joe's recent productions with the BBC
include The Meerkats (2008), Tormented
(2009), Frequently Asked Questions
About Time Travel (2009) and Nativity!
James Owen (1989) lives in Central Hong
Kong to which he moved in September
2006 from the less exciting but rather
superior surroundings of The Peak, He
works as Fine Wine Manager for Berry Bros
& Rudd who seem to have timed their move
correctly to capture a slice of the Chinese
growing interest in wine, Hong Kong has
reduced its duty on wine progressively from
80% to zero in an effort to assert itself as
the wine hub of SE Asia, This means that
the company can now cellar its wines
locally rather than having to do it in the UK,
Tom Owen (1987) and his Korean wife
Suji now have 2 daughters, Ellora aged 4
and Hana aged 2, Tom has been based
at Cathay Pacific's HQ in Hong Kong for
the past 4 years after spells in Seoul,
Vancouver and Mumbai. He is now
General Manager Revenue Management.
The Revd Or James Robson (1983),
although arriving at Oxford University to
study classics, graduated in experimental
psychology. He worked with IBM in sales
and marketing, before ordination training at
Wycliffe Hall (1991-94). He served his title
post at Christ Church Cockfosters and
joined Oak Hill in 2000. His PhD, completed
while teaching at Oak Hill, has been
published as 'Word and Spirit in Ezekiel'
(T&T Clark International). James is married
to Bridget and they have 2 daughters, Anna
and Naomi. He particularly enjoys golf,
mountain-biking, fell-walking, brainteasers,
growing vegetables and armchair cricket.
Scott Shand (1989) is a producer at
Concrete Post Production in London.
The company has produced advertising
campaigns for a variety of Blue Chip
companies including the Volkswagen
Audi Group.
Craig Walker (1984) is a Partner with
Goodman Derrick LLp, an established
London law firm with a broadly based
commercial practice, representing both
UK and international clients.
Richard Wormell (1984) has a graphic
design business called Hub Publishing Lld
(www.hubmarketing.co.uk) producing
brochures, newsletters, direct mail (including
fulfillment), advertisements, exhibition
materials and web design/marketing.
1990 -1999
Hans Allnutt (1998) qualified as a
solicitor in 2002 and works currently at
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, specialising
in professional indemnity insurance and
general litigation. RPC is a London law
firm with around 400 lawyers. Previously
Hans spent four years at LeBoeuf Lamb
Green & MacRae (now Dewey & LeBoeuf).
Hans has now completed 10-years'
service in the Territorial Army and is
presently the Recruiting Officer of the
Honourable Artillery Company in London.
Richard Binning (1996) married Georgie
Edwards, from Shropshire, on 23 May
2009 at St Michael's Church in Steventon.
Several OAs were there: Alex Moss, David
Payne, James Beale, Mark Pajak, Paul
Dunphy, Daniel Chadwick, Oliver Cox and
Adam Twinn (all 1996). Richard and
Georgie live in East Hendred and Richard
works for Savills in Oxford and London in
the Farm and Estate sale department.
Matt Windsor (1989) recently met up with
Jonty Shepard, David Caswell, Mike
Chaddock, James Howard, plus 5 wives
and 11 children for a 20-year reunion. Matt
says: "It was great to catch up, look at old
photos, reminisce about our teachers, laugh
at our haircuts then, and lack of hair now,
discuss careers and compare how tired our
children make us."
Or Steve Fabes (1999) is currently working
as a speciality registrar in the intensive care
unit at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation
Trust in London. On 5th January 2010 he is
leaving from London on a solo journey to
cycle the length of all 6 inhabited continents.
Over almost 5 years he will travel through
around 50 countries and hopes to raise
£50,000 for the medical aid agency Merlin.
Read more online at
www.oaclub.org.uk
Oliver Greasby (1996) married Helen
Daniel Oearlove (1997) now runs a
comedy club - FYMFYG - in East London.
The club is described as an exciting 300
seat venue hosting comedy and live music.
On Saturday nights the comedy is followed
by a late bar and cheese on toast I
Matt performs a magic and pickpocketing
act - he can take someone's tie off and put
it on himself without their knowing and has
been the resident magician at Manchester
United since 2000.
supreme accolade for tour leaders. This year,
judges included such luminaries as Bill Bryson,
Graham Boynton (group travel editor of the
Telegraph newspaper) and photographer Mark
Carwardine. The Award Ceremony was held at
the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Oxfordshire born, but now Suffolk-based,
Dan's inspirational approach to his work was
praised by the judges. "Dan has clearly
touched and changed people's lives" said Bill
Bryson. His infectious enthusiasm even
prompted the judges to consider an art history
holiday for themselves.
Oan Evans (1997) is flying the flag for art
as he has become the sole Briton to be
officially recognised as one of the world's
top travel guides. Art History Abroad's Dan
Evans lifted 'Silver' at the Wanderlust Guide
Award on 2 October 2008 This particular
award has firmly established itself as the
Roberts, of Long Wittenham, on 23 May
2009 at St Agatha's Church in Brightwellcum-Sotwell. Many OAs were in attendance
including the best man, Luke Clements
(1996), ushers Tony Ashton (1996), Jack
Cousin (2003), Peter Hatt (1996), Tony
Edmonds (1996), Simon Morris (1996)
and Alex Jones (1997) Oliver now lives in
Buckingham and works in Milton Keynes but
hopes to relocate back to Oxfordshire in the
near future. Oliver qualified as a solicitor in
2006 and currently works for Kimbells LLP
advising companies on all aspects of
employment law.
Or Piers Hemsley (1998) has now left
Bristol University to continue post-doctoral
botanical research at Durham University.
11
MEMBERS' NEWS
Spencer Hickson (1991) is married with 2
children living in Oxford and still in touch with
many OAs. Running a marketing agency
and a chauffeur business (www.findlaycs.
com) is keeping him occupied as did
training and completing the Great North
Run and London Marathon! Spencer would
welcome entrants from any OA golfers
interested in joining the 6th unofficial OA
Open in September 2010 - please contact
on: [email protected]
Adrian Howkins (1997) graduated with
a doctorate in history in May 2008 from the
University of Texas, Austin, and currently
has a tenure track position in global
environmental history at Colorado State
University. His research focuses on the
history of Antarctica.
Christopher Jones (1991) celebrated
his wedding to Harriet recently, attended
by OAs Ben Miller (1991), Andy Ashley
(1991), Darran Chadwick (1991), Louis
Golding (1991), Douglas Williamson
(1991), William Howard (1988) and
Spencer Hickson (1991).
Edd Knowles (1998) married Katherine
Hardcastle on 20 September 2008 in
Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After
graduating from veterinary school in 2005,
Edd spent 18 months working as a small
animal vet at the PDSA in East London
and now works as an equine vet in Kent.
Gareth Mills (1998) taught for 3 years
before making the change to the legal
sector, having studied for his GDL in 2007
at the College of Law and completing his
LPC in August 2008. He then took a gap
year working as a business development
manager and has now started his training
contract in London.
David Mitchell (1992) won the BAFTA for
the Best Comedy Performance for his part
in Peep Show at the BAFTA Awards
Ceremony held on Sunday 26 April 2009.
David has played Or James Vine in the
BBC1 sitcom Jam and Jerusalem, and Tim
in the one-off Shakespeare-Told adaptation
of The Taming of the Shrew. He is also a
frequent participant on British panel shows,
including 01, Mock the Week and Have I
12
Got News for You, as well as Best of the
Worst and Would I Lie to You?, on each
of which he is a team captain, and The
Unbelievable Truth which he hosts.
just a cat called Moo!" He says he is
surfing as much as possible. Peter sends
greetings to alumni of Bill Potter's glorious
1990 3rd VIII.
Hugh Morris (1995) has been assistant
organist at Hexham Abbey since April
2001. He gained an Organ Scholarship to
Magdalene College, Cambridge, reading
music. Following a year as organ scholar
at Salisbury Cathedral, he moved to Bristol
to teach music at Colston's Collegiate
School, as well as being assistant organist
at St Stephen's, City of Bristol. Hugh
ensures he is always kept busy by
combining his various duties at the Abbey
with teaching music part-time at the King's
School, Tynemouth, and working as a
lecturer and tutor in harmony at Newcastle
University. As an organist he has given solo
recitals at many venues, including
cathedrals, churches and concert halls
across the UK. His latest CD 'Organ
Classics' was played at Hexham Abbey
and features 13 tracks by Karg-Elert, J S
Bach, Bridge and Elgar amongst others.
When not at work he enjoys escaping for
walks in the hills of Northumberland and
spending time with his family.
Tom Richards (1999) graduated from the
Royal Academy of Music in 2004 and has
formed the Tom Richards Orchestra with a
very mature sound. He released his first
CD entitled "Smoke and Mirrors" on 5 May
2008 Tom, a 26-year-old saxophonist plays
Charlie Pank (1996) and his wife
Helen have returned from a 20-month
circumnavigation of the globe.
James Peterson (1997) was selected
to be part of an elite group to play the
highest-ever game of cricket... more
specifically to attempt to break a world
record by playing a full game of Twenty20
cricket on a frozen lake on a rocky plateau
by Everest Base camp at 5165m! The aim
was to raise £250,000 for two charities the Lord's Taverners and the Himalayan
Trust UK. Pushing the physical and mental
boundaries of conventional sport, this
expedition officially set a world record for
the highest altitude for field sport.
Peter Powell (1991) is now the associate
creative director of Masius, an advertising
agency based in New York, USA. Clients
include National Geographic, BP and
Johnson & Johnson. He has lived with his
wife Nicole, an artist, in Manhattan for the
last 5 years, with, as he puts it "no kids,
January 2010
regularly with both Jamie Cullum and the
indie rock band Hard-Fi.
Luke St John-Mosse (1999) is working in
Bristol in the information technology sector.
He released earlier this year an EP 'Bal La
Poussier' through Blank Tapes with the
Bristol-based band, Zun Zun Egui. Further
EP and CD releases are planned for later
this year, together with European tours and
several international music festivals. Mixing
on the EP was by Oli Horton (1999).
Paul Vlitos (1997) has just published his
second novel 'Every Day is Like Sunday'.
His first, 'Welcome to the Working Week',
set in the workplace, was written entirely
in email format. His second publication
moves on to a minor public school, Buxton,
detailing a year in the life of Matt Bletch,
wannabe writer and reluctant teacher.
While he might have made Buxton rather a
horrible place to attend, Abingdon wasn't
like that. "I remember some really great
teachers getting on to your wavelength and
really understanding and enthusing you,"
he said. Paul wrote both of his books while
living in the north of Japan. He was there
for three years, teaching English language
and literature at a university in Sendai.
Rob Walker (1993) who normally
commentates on boxing, rugby, triathlon
and snooker, focused on sailing for the
2008 Olympics in Beijing.
2000 - 2009
Tom Astley (2005) was nominated
'Engineering Undergraduate of the Year'
at the 2009 TargetJobs National Graduate
Recruitment Awards. After winning the
award in May 2009, Tom spent that
summer on an internship with RollsRoyce, where he worked on whole
engine mechanical modelling.
between 1 and 15 years old. The
conditions they find themselves in are
extremely bleak yet they are all still
incredibly happy and fun individuals.
He has continued playing the bagpipes and
has now joined a Pipe Band. He has been
successful in the OTC, following on from his
career with the School CCF Philip took part
in Ironman 2008 to raise money for 'United
Through Sport'.
/~
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Tristram Bainbridge (2005) won the
bronze Hawksmoor Essay Medal in
2008 for his piece 'Water, Ice, Stone:
The Frostwork Stair of Chatsworth House'.
This is an annual award, sponsored by
the Society of Architectural Historians of
Great Britain. Tristram is a remarkable
medallist, having won the award not as
scholar at the beginning of his career but
while still a BA student' Tristram is studying
furniture conservation at the West Dean
College of Art and Design while pursuing
an alternative career as a pyrotechnician,
an interest which he first developed during
his time at Abingdon.
Nicholas Brodie (2004), who was
awarded his first degree in geography in
2004 and his MSc in drylands science and
management at St Catherine's College,
Oxford, was the winning cox in the Oxford
and Cambridge Boat Race in 2008 Two
days after the race he travelled to Tunisia
for a week's fieldwork in the Sahara Desert
as part of his Master's course. He says
that after six months of intense training,
preparation and dieting for the race, he
really wanted to stay around with the rest
of the crew and celebrate but that feeling
went immediately he arrived in the desert,
where he was studying the processes
controlling dust emission on a dry
lake bed.
Henry Callaghan (2005) worked as a
pastry chef at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir
Aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, and is
now working for Mark Warner in Tignes.
Tom Clee (2008) lived in Argentina for
three months during his gap year,
removing the cobwebs from his Spanish
while staying with a local family in
Posadas, northern Argentina and working
at a refuge for around 30 young children
The volunteers spend most of their time
taking them on trips and helping with
schoolwork. Tom is planning to take his
TEFL modules and in the meantime is
contributing a sports column on www.
osheasport.co. uk/toms-take. htm!. James
Rhodes (2008) met the editor in Paris,
and mentioned Tom's name, and he got in
touch asking if Tom would like to become
involved. There are now three people
covering all sorts of sports as well as a
weekly betting competition and a podcast
available on itunes. The site had 5000 hits
in February but until they can afford
advertising they have to rely on word of
mouth, and so ask all OAs to visit the site.
Through his efforts he raised in excess of
£1500 and this is to be used throughout
that organisation, focusing mainly on South
American schools, which pleased Philip as
he spent some time with World Challenge
in Peru in 2006. As part of the build-up to
this event, Philip completed the London
Marathon in 3 hours and 11 minutes coming
3rd in his age group. He also raced with
James Cracknell for the first 15 miles and
later completed the Half lronman in 5 hours
42 minutes, coming 9th in his age category.
Read more online at
www.oaclub.org.uk
Thomas Herford (2001), following
Max Gander (2008) coxed the GB
VIII, winning gold, in the Australian
Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney in
January 2009.
Thomas Gatten (2004), an undergraduate
at St Catherine's College, Oxford, has
won the Bob Hiorns Prize for his work in
human sciences and also the Burton
Prize for 'the best academic performance
during the year in an area covering
psychology, sociology, geography and
human sciences'.
William Glover (2005) has recently
graduated from Nottingham University
During his last year Will was President of
the Notts Wakeboard and Waterski Club,
and claimed a gold medal at the Uniwake
Student Nationals.
Philip Hatzis (2007) is in his second year
at Durham studying General Engineering
with the aim of specialising in civil
engineering in his third and fourth years.
graduation from Cambridge, studied at
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama
with Rudolf Piernay. Thomas has performed
Prunier in La Rondine (British Youth Opera
2008). Erwin in Erwin und Elmire (Lieder
Theatre London), First Armed Man and Tenor
Priest cover in Die Zauberflbte (GSMD),
Prince Ali cover in La Rencontre Imprevue
(GSMD) and selected scenes as Lysander
in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Essex in
Gloriana, Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore,
Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and Albert in
Albert Herring (all GSMD). Recent concert
appearances include Rossini's Petite Messe
Solennelle, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony, Bach's Magnificat, and his
Barbican debut with the London Symphony
Orchestra, singing the tenor roles in 'Two
Sisters, A Rose, A Flood and Snow' by
Alasdair Nicolson. His recital credits include
Vaughan Williams' On Wenlock Edge and
Schubert's Auf dem Strom at the Paxos
International Music Festival, a Schubert recital
at the City of London Festival, and a world
••
13
MEMBERS' NEWS
premiere in the Wigmore Hall. Thomas is
a 2008 Susan Chilcott Scholar, and he also
gratefully acknowledges the support of the
Musicians' Benevolent Trust and the E M
Behrens Charitable Trust. The Susan
Chilcott Scholarship, patron Placido
Domingo, was established in memory of
Susan Chilcott, one of the outstanding
singers of her generation, who died from
cancer in 2003 aged 40. The Award is open
to UK national singers over 21. Thomas said
that "the Summer 2008 season with the
British Youth Opera was quite magical for
me. Prunier in La Rondine was my first
proper role in a proper production and
BYO provided an incredibly warm and
safe environment in which to find my way
through what could have been (but wasn't)
a daunting experience".
Jonathan Lillycrop (2004) is working
Adam Hunter (2000) has recently released
in IT for a bank in Canary Wharf.
his debut studio recording - The Berry
Street EP - on iTunes, under the stage
name Adam Wilson Hunter. Adam studied
biological sciences at Pembroke College,
Oxford and trained as a teacher. He has
been working in an inner city secondary
school in South London for the last 3 years,
but it is music that is now at the forefront of
his ambitions.
Stewart Jackson (2004) led the 2009
Edinburgh Altitude Research Expedition
to Mount Kilimanjaro during his fourth
year as a medical student at Edinburgh
University.
"Myocardial infarction and altitude sickness
are the commonest reasons that account
for the 10 climbers who die every year whilst
attempting the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
This may be due to the costs involved.
A charge of 100 USD per person per day
is levied to remain in the park and, as a
consequence, climbers often attempt the
summit as quickly as possible.
The objectives of the high altitude
expedition were to:
1. Carry out publishable research regarding
the association between the eNOS gene
and the development of altitude sickness.
2. Carry out publishable medical and
physiological research into the effect of
altitude on optic nerve sheath diameter
and transcutaneous CO2 ,
14
3. Carry out publishable research into the
epidemiology of Acute Mountain Sickness.
60% of the 30,000 climbers each year are
successful in reaching Kilimanjaro's summit."
James Kingsley (2000) lives in London
and works as marketing manager for
Marwyn, a niche investment firm. After
graduating with a BA Hons from the
University of Manchester in English and
politics, James worked for two years in the
press office of PRUPIM. He ran the London
Marathon in 2009 on behalf of MIND, the
mental health charity, and lists his interests
as squash, surfing and travel writing.
Chris Lillycrop (2006) is reading Persian
and Russian at Cambridge.
Andrew Livingstone (2003) has qualified
as a doctor from Barts and the London
School of Medicine and Dentistry, and has
returned from Accra, Ghana, after doing a
medical elective there. He is now working in
the Oxford Deanery, which includes the John
Radcliffe Hospital.
Peter Lyons (2005) together with three
other OAs and one girlfriend set off on
18 July 2009 to take part in the Mongol
Rally. "The Mongol Rally isn't just about
adventure, it's also about raising huge
amounts of cash for some great charities.
In 2007 the Mongol Rally topped £200,000
and the aim is to smash that. Each team
going on the Rally has to raise a minimum
of £1000 for the Rally charities. A third of
the way around the earth, from Europe to
Mongolia via a plethora of countries most
people haven't heard of in a car that has an
engine no bigger than 1 litre. Starting from
England, Spain and Italy, the rally finished
in the Mongolian capital Ulaan Bator around
4 weeks and a whole heap of adventure
later. It's between about 8,000 and 10,000
miles depending on the route you choose
to throw your trusty steed at." The OA
teams were driving a 1967 Morris Minor and
a 1991 Volkswagen Polo but unlike many
contestants who either donated their
vehicles to the Mongolese (ambulances
etc) or auctioned them off to raise extra
funds, they planned a round trip.
January 2010
Peter Nikitin (2008) returned to Abingdon
School in June 2009 to visit the Older and
Bolder group where he used to help when
in the sixth form The group was delighted
to see him as he was a tremendously
popular volunteer. Peter is currently reading
Sociology at Bristol University.
Sebastian Perkins (2001) is a senior
sales representative (UK and Asia Pacific)
for a bespoke sportswear company called
Playmore - www.playmore-sports.com.
The company, based in Hong Kong,
specialises in rugby kit.
Matthew Rossiter (2008) competed at the
Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney
in January 2009 as part of the GB team and
took the gold in the coxless pair event.
William Sheppard (2004) has graduated
from Bristol Veterinary School and is pursuing
a career in farm animal veterinary work.
Tom Simpson (2008) is studying at the
University of Bristol and cites his interests
as tennis and badminton.
Chris Turner (2004) has graduated from
Bristol Veterinary School and is pursuing a
career in farm animal veterinary work.
Josh Wilkins (2008) is currently at Van
Mildert College, Durham University, reading
for a BSc in geography. He plays in the
inter-college football league, both 11 and
6-aside, representing the College's second
team. In October he took up the position as
Freshers' Rep.
Jonas Muir Wood (2005) is now President
of the Oxford University Dancesport Club.
OUDC is the university's largest sports club,
and is home to one of the country's most
successful university dancesport teams.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the
club has over 1000 members and provides
professionally-taught classes in ballroom,
Latin-American, salsa, Argentine tango and
hip-hop styles.
MEMBERS' NEWS / 2009 LEAVERS' DESTINATIONS
Loughborough
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••
15
MEMBERS' NEWS
OBITUARIES
Mervyn G Beadle 0 St J (1944)
On leaving Abingdon School, Mervyn
was co-opted into the Ministry of Food
and was called up for National Service
in 1945, spending most of his service
life in India. He then spent several years
working at Harwell before joining the
family business, Beadles in Ock Street,
Abingdon. Mervyn was heavily involved
at St Michael's Church in Abingdon,
being a Server, Church Warden, Secretary
and Treasurer. He was also very active
in St John Ambulance and the Scout
movement. Mervyn died early in July
2009 after a short illness.
Lewis M Beadle (1959)
Albert James Betterton (1947)
Jim Betterton, of Startforth, Barnard
Castle, sadly died on 7 April 2009. He
was a pupil of Abingdon School from
1941-47. A keen pupil, he was both
sporting and academically able and
enjoyed both rugby and athletics. He
gained a scholarship to read chemistry
at Balliol College, Oxford, and played
rugby for the College
Having married Patricia Grant, in 1950,
he worked at ICI Wilton until he took early
retirement. He then re-trained at Durham
and taught chemistry and physics at
Easingwold School near York for a further
5 years. Jim's particular interest was older
cars and he owned a 1937 Alvis for 40
years after rebuilding it from a box of
spare parts. He was an enthusiast for all
he did including sailing, skiing, gardening,
bridge and tennis - which he played until
he was 80. Father of Michael, Jaqueline
and Roger, he was a loving and proud
parent and grandparent. His death was a
sad loss to his family.
William (Bill) Gilbert Bradfield (1941)
Bill Bradfield, who died on 12 October
2008 at the age of 83, came to Abingdon
School in 1936. He excelled at many
subjects and also developed a great
passion for tennis, cricket and hockey,
16
all of which he played to a high standard
for many years after school, later
becoming a hockey referee. His first job
after leaving school was with Critchleys
in Abingdon, where he took his first
accountancy exams before being called
up into the Coldstream Guards. Bill saw
active service during the latter part of the
war in Belgium and Germany, and after
the war he was part of the peace-keeping
mission in Palestine. He went on to join
Turquand Youngs & Co as a newly
qualified accountant in 1951, where he
worked for many years as a manager
and later as a partner. All those who
worked with or for Bill consistently report
he was a man of outstanding integrity
and professional courage. He was an
inspiration to his younger partners and
won respect from his major clients. In the
late 1970s Bill took early retirement from
Turquand Youngs & Co but went on to
work as area accountant for the National
Trust - a job he enjoyed enough to stay
for a further 10 years! He also worked for
several other charitable organisations,
such as secretary and accountant for
Whitchurch Silk Mill and accountant for
the Council of National Parks. Bill was
also a founder member of the King Alfred
Probus Club and had been President
twice. After retirement, he was also able
to concentrate on his other interests rambling, steam engines, watching
cricket, family history and good foodl Bill
was preceded at Abingdon by his elder
brother Ronald Bradfield (1927). He is
survived by his wife Jean.
Richard Bradfield (1968)
Joan Burgess
Joan Burgess, widow of Revd F W
Burgess, (former Common Room, Chaplain
and organ teacher who died in 1991) died
on 23 September 2008, aged 75 years.
After her husband became Rector of Great
Oakley, they moved to Harwich in Essex.
Both are buried in Great Oakley cemetery.
Keith A Clark (1958)
Keith A Clark died suddenly on 20 October
2008 at the age of 68. The funeral service
took place at Oxford Crematorium. Keith
was at Abingdon School during the Sir
James Cobban years and, like most of
that generation, considered himself one of
the 'Roysse's Boys'. While at School, a
January 2010
relatively successful academic record was
somewhat overshadowed by his excellence
on the rugby field. He was an accomplished
scrum half and continued to display those
skills while playing over many seasons for
Abingdon Rugby Club. Keith pursued a
long and fruitful career in accountancy
and was, at the time of his death, still
working as a financial consultant for the
Institute of Animal Health at Compton. A
devoted family man, Keith will be greatly
missed by his wife Angela and children,
Alistair and Sally.
Paul Gardner (1958)
Michael Thomas Cook (1956)
Mick Cook was born in Perry Barr,
Birmingham, in 1939. He transferred to
Abingdon School from George Dixon's
Grammar School in 1955. On entering the
world of work, Michael realised he did not
like working indoors and, after a number of
different posts, he joined Cowley Concrete
(Abingdon) where he was involved in
pre-stressing the support beams for the
M4 flyover at Chiswick. He was also an
adviser to the Property Services Agency
when the large hangars at RAF Abingdon
were constructed for the Beverley aircraft.
These hangars were of unusual construction
as the roof was built first and then jacked
up at each corner to full height. The walls
and doors were then added under the roof.
When Cowley Concrete was taken over by
Amey Construction he joined their laboratory
team testing concrete and bitumen surfaces
- including RAF and other airfield runways in
the UK, North Africa and the Middle East.
From Amey he went to work on the Westgate
multi-storey car park for Oxford City Council.
He then moved on to the Oxford County
Council Highways Laboratory, which was
later amalgamated with the Berkshire
County Council Highways Laboratory,
where he remained until taking early
retirement. His hobbies and pastimes
were many and varied: ballroom dancing
to amateur competition standard, field
archery to national team standard and
bowls. Michael was also a member of
Mensa. He leaves his wife Janet.
John Cook (1961)
Or Michael Day (1963)
Or Michael Day passed away in July 2009.
Norman J Holmes (1938)
Norman J Holmes died in September
2008 He came to Abingdon in 1929
with his father Percy and his mother
Edith, when his parents set up their bakery
in Ock Street. An enthusiastic member of
the Old Abingdonian Club, he became
President in 1967 and served as a School
Governor from 1988 to 1995. After leaving
school, he joined the RAF, training as a
pilot at Pensacola, USA. Unfortunately he
was taken ill during this time, which meant
that although he got his wings, he was
unable to join a combat squadron. Not
dismayed, he served in the UK, training
other young men to become pilots - a
vital role, no doubt aided by his gift to
pass on knowledge with patience and his
typical thoroughness. After the war, he
returned to the family business, becoming
a master baker, and taking it over, he
consolidated it by opening two branches
in Abingdon at Parson's Mead and Bath
Street. Not only was he a successful
businessman, he became heavily involved
in the life of the town in many ways, giving
generously of his time to be a magistrate
for 33 years, being a member of the
Juvenile Court and Licensing Session.
For several years, he was Chairman of
the Bench. He was also a member of
both the Oxfordshire Magistrates' Courts
Committee and the Thames Valley Police
Authority. Norman was the longest serving
member of the Rotary Club and, while
never accepting office as President, he
was a very supportive, if sometimes
critical, but a most popular member. He
was a Freemason for many years in both
the Abbey Lodge and The John Roysse
Lodge, serving in many offices in both
the St Swithun's and Rose Croix Abbey
Chapter. He was also a Commissioner
for the Inland Revenue. In 1971, he was
appointed a Governor of Christ's Hospital,
being Master from 1988 to 1992 giving
33 unstinting years' service to the charity.
Upon his retirement, his fellow Governors
granted him the office of Governor
Emeritus, thereby preserving his
connection and interest in the work of
the charity. Above all, his passion for
golf, having been captain at Frilford Heath
Golf Club in 1975, rubbed off on other
members of his family. He also loved
opera, sometimes incorporating it with a
holiday. Norman was a great help to me.
Firstly in the magistracy, for I well
remember shortly after my appointment,
Norman came to see me and in quite a
fatherly way explained his view of the work
involved - a thoughtful act which greatly
assisted me in gaining an insight to the
hither to unknown world of the justice
system. He was a great mentor and his
calmness in court was a lesson in itself.
At Christ's Hospital, again, Norman was
that elder statesman who inspired not
only his fellow Governors but also the
staff and residents who appreciated his
interest and wise counsel.
understanding and compassion, with
a great sense of humour and a hearty
laugh to help her through difficult times.
Sometimes, even after many years, Ann
would mention her 'Waste Court boys'
by name and hoped that life was treating
them well. She used to remark that she
never had any trouble with the boys they were always courteous and obedient.
Maybe there are even now OAs who
remember Miss Hurst - Matron - with
affection and respect. It would be a lovely
tribute to Ann to be remembered!
Miss Shirley Hurst
David Barrett (1944)
Ann Elizabeth Helen Hurst
Ann Hurst was born in Bexhill-on-Sea on
8 May 1924 and spent her childhood
there, being educated in a private school
- St Ives School. In 1940 Ann moved with
her parents and younger brother and
sister to Berkshire where she did various
jobs as war work, including the Land Army
and working in an asbestos factory. In
1947 Ann returned to Bexhill and worked
as a Matron in a boarding school for very
young children whose parents were
overseas serving the Empire. She enjoyed
the work and loved the children but
dwindling numbers on the school roll
resulted in its closure. She then worked as
a Nanny with a family before returning to
Berkshire to take up the post as Matron at
Waste Court, Abingdon School - which
she always called 'Roysse's'! Ann was in
charge of the health and general wellbeing of the boys at Waste Court, under
the oversight of the Housemaster, Mr
Austen. Ann greatly enjoyed her years at
the School. As Matron at the time of Asian
flu she gloomily prophesied a frightful term
with all of the boys going down with the
illness. Sadly, she was proved rightmany of the boys caught this very nasty flu
and she had to patrol the dormitories by
day and by night, taking temperatures and
caring for the sick. In later years, Ann used
to remark how icy cold those dormitories
were, with no heating and bare boards as
floor covering! In 1959 Ann felt the time
had come to leave Abingdon School and
she emigrated to Canada, where she lived
and worked for over 20 years. She then
returned to Bexhill for her retirement and
stayed there until her death on 15
September 2008. Ann was a person of
Nicholas Jotcham (1967)
Nicholas Jotcham died suddenly and
prematurely in August 2008, leaving his
wife, Wendy, and their daughter Juliet.
After graduating, he taught at Haileybury
College and then in Lyon and Madrid.
He subsequently embarked upon a
distinguished career as an international
conference translator (later reviser) for
United Nations bodies. A colleague at
the International Law Commission
commented that "the Commission will
never again be the work of art that it is
now" on account of Nick's meticulousness
and dedication. However, his interest in
language was more than just a profession,
it was a passion. Witness not least his
collection of menu translations, which
included the Portugese 'Gaitito Brian'
that turned out to be Chateauxbriand l
His proudest linguistic aChievements,
however, were his editions of Merimee
and Maupassant short stories. He was
a traveller, interested in anything and
everything - he annotated maps with
places visited, reluctant to visit the same
place twice. This developed into a love
of the English countryside and especially
its churches. He was a connoisseur of
both popular and classical music, equally
at home recounting the genealogies of
70s pop groups as expatiating on the
Gurrelieder. He was particularly fond of
English music, with Peter Maxwell Davies
a favourite. Despite not being interested
in sport he amazed his friends by climbing
Mont Blanc in his mid-40s.
Chris Smith (1995)
Tim Moore (1947)
Tim Moore was born on 13 June 1929 and
adopted by Evelyn and John Moore who
17
MEMBERS' NEWS
OBITUARIES
lived in Abingdon. He thrived at Abingdon
School and won a scholarship to
Pembroke College, Oxford, to read
history. He could tell countless tales of
mad student behaviour including the
climbing of the college walls after hours
with the help of a policeman who fetched
him a ladder! Tim rowed in the Pembroke
VIII and enjoyed cross-country. After a
spell of tour-guiding in Europe, he was
called up into the army where he was a
lieutenant and was pleased to receive
the 'Egyptian Campaign' medal. On
joining BAT he was posted to the Congo
and then worked for the BBC in their
publications department. In his spare
time Tim enjoyed amateur dramatics,
ballroom dancing and cinema. He
passed away on 10 October 2009.
To have a humorous friend for 60 years
is a wonderful medicine.
Bob Pezaro (1947)
The Honourable Mr Justice Lionel
Patrick Mosdell (1931)
The Honourable Mr Justice Lionel Patrick
Mosdell died on 18 July 2008. Born in
1912, after leaving Abingdon he obtained
a place at St Edmund's Hall, Oxford,
reading law and classics. After graduation,
he was articled as a solicitor in Hove, West
Sussex and at the outbreak of war enlisted,
subsequently serving with the Special
Operations Group (later to become the
modern day SAS) and was dropped
behind enemy lines in Italy to sabotage
the German war effort. After the war, he
joined the Colonial Service and was
posted to Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia
(now Zambia) and took up the post of
Magistrate. He continued a successful
career in Africa, eventually moving to
Dar-es-Salaam in Tanganyika (now
Tanzania) to become a High Court Judge.
He was later elevated to become the
youngest High Court Judge on the East
African Court of Appeal, based in Nairobi,
Kenya. In 1963, he remained in Kenya to
complete his contract while his wife and
family returned to England. Much to his
wife Jean's horror, he renewed his contract
in Kenya for a further five years and so
Jean had to spend her time flying back
and forth between Africa and Sussex while
his children - Susan and John - were
educated in England, with John following
his father to Abingdon (1963-68). He was
18
then offered the post of Chief Justice in
another country served by The Colonial
Office (with the certain prospect of being
awarded a knighthood on completion of
his contract - as was the custom in those
days) but his wife gave him the ultimatum
that he had to choose between his family
(who were now happily settled in England)
or his career. Reluctantly, he retired from
overseas service and returned to England
in 1972, taking up a post working for the
Law Society in London. He continued to
work in various legal posts, some
voluntary, until reaching his mid-80s when
he finally retired completely. When his wife
Jean died in 2007, he moved to live with
his daughter Susan in Worthing. Aged
almost 96, his health began to deteriorate
in early 2008 and he died peacefully on 18
July 2008. He always had a great respect
and fondness for Abingdon School, and
right up to his final days, he would often
recall the people and events he had
experienced at school. He leaves his
daughter Susan and his son John.
John Mosdell (1968)
Or John Talbot (1962)
John Talbot lost a long battle against
cancer on 25 September 2009. The Talbot
family came to Abingdon in 1954 when Joe
Talbot took up the post of biology master,
and John joined the School at 11 years of
age. He had a fulfilling and very successful
school career as a science student and
prominent sportsman, winning a Pembroke
scholarship and captaining the school
athletics team as well as being a dynamic
winger for the first XV John was Head of
School in his final year before graduating in
medicine at Oxford and then qualifying as a
Gp, practising with great distinction at one
of the surgeries in Bicester until his
retirement in 2006.
John leaves his wife Lyn, sons Kyle (1989)
and Charlie, and daughters Tara and
Hannah. John was a regular participant in
OA events and was a founder member of
the OA 60s Club, now in its 45th year.
January 2010
John Bunce (1962)
Veronica Mary Walker
Former Common Room
When Veronica Walker, a local girl, was a
pupil at Our Lady's Convent School in the
1960s it would surely not have entered her
thoughts that she would send two sons to
Abingdon, and herself teach in the boys'
school nearby.
After reading for her degree in French
with German at Royal Holloway College,
she taught in Slough, and then she and
her husband spent some time living in
Germany, when he worked at Tubingen
University. She taught at a secondary
school in Kaiserslautern and then
lectured in Reutlingen.
Veronica joined Abingdon in 2001 to teach
French. She quickly became Head of French,
then Head of Modern Languages. This came
as no surprise since she had been Head of
Languages at St Bartholomew's, Newbury,
then Director of Studies at Douai School
before its closure. She joined Abingdon
from St Edward's, Cheltenham, where she
had also served on their senior management
team, leaving behind the burden of
commuting from Newbury to Cheltenham.
Astute in all her dealings and keenly
committed to pupil achievement, she
managed the largest department with
determination and skill. Colleagues recall
meetings which were fun, and in which
everyone worked together - though she
did once forget to turn up to her own
departmental meeting, and went to the
town centre instead! A generous host
of departmental parties, with her own
impressive cooking, and beautiful garden,
Veronica sought to get the best out of her
colleagues, for the benefit of the pupils.
She was always calm, considered in her
comments, and pragmatic in seeking to
resolve difficulties. For me, in my days as
Director of Studies, she was a considerable
help, always putting her side of an argument
robustly, but realising other factors might
have to win out. I valued her wise counsel.
She was very positive about the experience
of her own boys at Abingdon, and believed
the philosophy of breadth was important,
particularly for able pupils. She was always
very unassuming about the considerable
achievements of her OA sons, Alan and
Martin, and of her husband, recently
appointed OBE.
Sadly, she suffered ill-health in the last
two years, which she bore with amazing
fortitude. In the summer she spoke at the
Common Room leavers' lunch with such
dignity and hope living while being ill was
possible. Her health declined over the
summer, and she died at home on Friday
6 November.
A large contingent of current and former
Common Room members attended her
funeral at St Nicolas, Newbury, the church
where she had worshipped and sung in
the choir for twenty years. Her husband
of nearly forty years spoke of Veronica's
vivacity, intellect and generosity, and the
minister paid tribute to the faith, hope and
love which Veronica showed.
Her broad smile and her interest in others
had always been apparent in my visits to
her - I always left in a more positive frame
of mind than when I arrived, despite
seeing the tribulations she had endured.
Veronica was a remarkable colleague and
friend of Abingdon.
David Dawswell
Second Master
Philip Warr
Philip Warr, former tennis coach at
Abingdon School, passed away suddenly
on 6 September 2008 aged 56.
Christopher Wheeler (1982)
Chris Wheeler joined Abingdon School on
a direct grant scholarship. He was in a
select band, gaining one of 42 free places
on offer from an entrance of over 300
candidates, and joined Nigel Payne's form
1P in September 1975.
Ironically, given the immense amount of
time he devoted to kayaking, his sporting
prowess at school remained mostly hidden.
He joined a band of reluctant cross-country
runners, those unwilling or unable to play
rugby or hockey, on twice-weekly jaunts
around the local area, spending more time
trying to take short-cuts than completing
the assigned course. However, in the
regular timed trials throughout the term,
Chris spotted an opportunity for recognition
if not greatness. We had no chance of ever
appearing on the leader board but the 5
runners with the most improved times were
posted up along with those top runners.
The form was to run as slowly as possible
early in the term (which once earned us an
extra lap of Albert Park from a certain
unimpressed physics master) and then to
make the maximum effort next time round.
Routinely Chris's name would appear on
the noitceboard the following day with an
apparently astonishing 300 second
improvement on a 12 minute run.
Academically, Chris was studious and
successful in most subjects but it was
geography where he excelled. His very first
piece of homework at the start of the '0'
level geography course was a multi-page,
detailed and beautifully annotated analysis
of the entire term's syllabus. Geography
teacher Andrew Gasson had the delicate
task of suggesting he should wait until
topics such as oxbow lakes had been
studied first in class without suppressing
the natural talent and enthusiasm for the
subject he was already demonstrating.
Chris's town planning exercises were
legendary productions, taking bare,
mono-colour photocopies and turning them
into superbly worked out and presented
diagrams. In the sixth form he was rightly
awarded the school prize for geography.
Chris went on to study land management
at Reading University. He worked in London
for a while before travelling around the
world with a rucksack in 1991-92 Following
work in Reading and Henley he joined
C1uttons in Oxford in 1999
However, it was white water canoeing that
was to be the dominant focus of his life
after Abingdon. He paddled all over the
world, trips within the last few years
including India, Bolivia, Vietnam, Costa
Rica, Canada, USA and Norway. Chris
wrote about the sport for 10 years and he
edited and wrote much of the South East
section of the guidebook 'English White
Water'. Following a serious incident on the
water in the 1980s when he dislocated both
knees he was known forever after in the
paddling community as 'Magic Knees'.
Chris died on Saturday 21 November 2009
whilst canoeing on the River Dart. As a
keen white water kayaker since his teens,
he had participated in the sport at the
highest level for over 25 years. He was
known to be very safety aware and had
paddled the River Dart many times before
in similar conditions. The very rapidly rising
water levels thwarted what would usually
have been a routine paddlers' rescue for
the group he was paddling with.
Chris lived with Julia for the past 14 years
and had recently taken up sea kayaking,
an activity they could enjoy together. The
tributes paid to Chris on various paddling
forums are testament to the impact this
modest yet determined and likeable man
had on so many, from those who had only
read his well-informed articles, or whose
paths crossed briefly on the water round
the world to the deep friendships formed
in the paddling community; in short, a man
we can be proud to call friend.
In his last email to me, when swapping
news after an unintended hiatus, he told
me "I've lived in Reading with Julia since
1996 (it really is about time we got married);
no kids (didn't get round to it); and I go
white water kayaking all the time Life is
pretty good, I hope it lasts."
lain Higgs (1982)
Tobias William Sixsmith Wilson (1983)
Tobias Wilson died on 27 September 2008
aged 43 from complications following an
appendectomy. He joined his brothers at
Abingdon School in 1976 and transferred
to King Henry VIII, Coventry in 1981 for A
levels before going to BRNC, Dartmouth.
He left the Royal Navy in 1985 and began
teaching at Winchester House School,
Brackley, where he developed an abiding
interest in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan.
In 1987 he went to Exeter University to read
education but transferred to engineering
and graduated in 1991, SUbsequently
becoming a qualified accountant. While at
Exeter he married Shiona and they had
one daughter. The marriage was later
dissolved and for the past 8 years he lived
in Swindon with his partner. He will be
sadly missed by all his wide family and
many friends.
Judge Harold Wilson
••
19
MEMBERS' NEWS
COMMON ROOM
PAST AND
PRESENT
It may be a feature of the credit
crunch, or just chance, but this
summer we have said farewell to
fewer staff than the dozen or so
of recent years.
Arriving from Pocklington School in 1977,
lan MacDonald has been willing to
contribute in a number of areas: a boarding
house tutor, he was then head of School
House in the early 1990s, and latterly has
been a lower school tutor. An enthusiastic
proponent of badminton, his teams in
recent years were rarely defeated: news of
their success could always be relied upon
to raise spirits in the Headmaster's Monday
assemblies after a particularly harrowing
weekend for the other sports. lan's interest
and knowledge in motoring matters has
been to our benefit as he has managed an
ever-expanding fleet of minibuses. These
have been needed to support the
increasing number of other half activities.
lan's English teaching is covered by the
appointment of Kevin Carson, former head
of English at Cheltenham Kevin succeeds
Andrew Swarbrick as head of English.
Patrick Wilmore, who spent the whole of
his school teaching career here, joined the
biology department in 1978. In the last thirty
years he led the hockey club, served as
President of Common Room, and been
a day housemaster for the full 12-year
tenure. In recent years his eye for detail
has ensured that our ever increasing exams
department has been led efficiently. This
role is now performed by Rebecca Cottam.
Patrick has served on school inspection
teams. His teaching will be taken by Su
McRae, recently an army officer.
Anne Soper joined Abingdon in 1985 to
teach English from what was then Our
Lady's Convent, Abingdon. Retiring
from full-time teaching in 2006, she has
continued to assist in the supervision of the
Library. We are grateful (she has assured
us) that she will still cast an eagle eye over
The Abingdonian. In recent years she has
20
led the Third Year Services Scheme. Her
teaching will be taken by Sue Wigmore,
head of English as a foreign language.
During Andrew Swarbrick's sabbatical in
September and October she and lan
MacDonald covered his teaching.
Veronica Walker, head of languages until
2008, retired in summer 2009 Sadly, she
passed away in November 2009, and an
obituary is included in this edition of the
Griffen
Finola Donovan Picknett joined the drama
department when it expanded to two
full-time members in 2002. As well
as teaching drama throughout the School,
she has often directed the annual lower
school play, and in recent years has run the
work experience programme aimed at fifth
years. The scheme has been resurgent
during her tenure.
In the years that Jamie Older has been at
Abingdon, his first appointment after his
doctorate and teaching qualification, he has
been a feature of life at Abingdon on many
fronts: an accomplished hockey player, a
keen cricketer, and a live-in tutor in Waste
Court. His appointment as Housemaster,
after only 2 years of teaching, was indicative
of his ability, dynamism, rapport with the
boys, and colleagues were not surprised
that he was successful in his application to
be head of the sixth form at Trinity School,
Croydon, where he joins Simon Dickens.
Trish Henderson left after 5 years for
pastures new in Malaysia. Chairman of
Common Room for the last year, she has
been a great supporter of the Duke of
Edinburgh Award scheme, and been a
very successful head of Spanish: in last
summer's GCSEs, of the 55 candidates,
33 gained A* and 13 A grades. A level
Spanish was taken for the first time in
2008 with 6 A and 2 B grades from the 10
candidates. For a time she also served as
the school representative in the Oxfordshire
Independent State School Partnership,
fostering links between schools, and led
our World Challenge ventures.
Andrew Crook's tenure as head of general
studies was the shortest in living memory:
his desire to live near his wife's family means
that after three years at Abingdon, as
teacher of history, tutor in Webb's house,
founder of the Blues Society and organiser
of Alpha, he is on his way to lead the
history department at Cheadle Hulme
SchooL A high-flying civil servant from the
Treasury, in those few months of running
general studies he produced a detailed
blue-print for future collaboration with the
School of St Helen and St Katharine.
This summer saw the first awarding of the
King Trophy for Chess in honour of Or Tim
King, OA and former MCR member. Tom
Ayling, former Second Master, continues
to help out, covering a colleague's
timetable while he taught at Larkmead, as
part of his PGCE, and working closely with
the Registry on our links with Hong Kong.
He and your correspondent were out in
Hong Kong in September 2009 interviewing
applicants and meeting GAs and the
families of current and past pupils.
In June 2009, the Reverend Philip Butcher,
former Chaplain, married the Reverend
Heather Potts in Wymondham Abbey.
The summer term saw the announcement
that Mark and Elizabeth Turner would be
moving to Shrewsbury in Summer 2010.
David Dawswell
Second Master
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Sir Eric Anderson (Hon OA), Provost
of Eton College, has been awarded the
2008 CASE Europe Leadership Award,
honouring his exceptional leadership
and initiatives to promote and support
education.
On 23 October 2008 at King's College,
Club's 2010 professional development
"we spent four days learning about all
Cambridge, Professor Duncan Rice, Chair
awards. These are available for:
aspects of horse breeding, with embryo
of the CASE Europe Board, and Vice-
• post-tertiary education work experience
Chancellor and Principal of the University
• vocational/professional training
of Aberdeen, formally presented the award
• mid-degree course electives
to Sir Eric. In honouring Sir Eric, CASE
• postgraduate courses
recognised his passionate advocacy of
education over a long and effective career
first degrees generally and MBA or law
conversion courses are not typically
(including Lincoln College, Oxford;
financed The OA award sub-committee
Shrewsbury School; Gordonstoun Schools;
particularly encourages more eclectic
Abingdon School and Fettes College); his
applications and expects to allocate
move to improve Eton's relationship with
up to £1500 to two or three successful
its alumni; his achievements in support of
applicants.
fundraising; but particularly the remarkable
Please download the application form
efforts he has made to open up access to
from the OA website and return it to the
the College's special opportunities to a far
OA Office by 30 April 2010. The sub-
wider community.
committee's decisions will be made and
communicated by the end of June 2010.
of valuable information and it has helped
advance my knowledge and understanding
deal of the things I learnt into practice
already, and am looking forward to the
start of the next breeding season (January)
when I will be able to perform more embryo
transfers I want to thank the OA Club for
supporting me in this way."
Ralf M Bader (2001) was invited by
Professor Alien Wood to go to Stanford
as a visiting researcher for the academic
year 2007-08. Ralf said "this visit was partly
made possible by the generous support
received from the Old Abingdonian Club.
I have benefited greatly from my visit -
Michael St John Parker (Hon OA) was
at its Annual General Meeting in November
day. I brought home such a huge amount
enormously. I've been able to put a great
Please note that gap year projects,
at a succession of distinguished institutions
elected to the Council of The National Trust
transfer training taking place on the final
Recipients of the 2009 awards were:
Stanford has an excellent philosophy
• Tristram Bainbridge (2005) - £500
department and there are many faculty
2008. A total of 21 candidates stood for
towards woodworking tools for his
members and graduate students
election for the seven places available.
Graduate Diploma in Furniture
specialising in my fields of research.
Conservation
My stay at Stanford has been highly
Or Hubert Zawadzki (Hon OA), aka 'Or Z',
• Rory Hamilton (2002) - £200 towards
productive and valuable. It gave me
was a guest speaker in Rome on 1 October
his medical elective in a trauma unit in a
the opportunity to present my research
2009 at the launch of the Italian edition of
Durban hospital
work at departmental colloquia and to
his 'Concise History of Poland', originally
• Jonathan Thomas (2006) - £200
discuss my work with faculty members
published in English by Cambridge
towards a Christian youth training
and fellow students. In particular, I was
University Press, and co-authored by Or
scheme run by the Titus Trust
able to work on a paper entitled 'Kant
Jerzy Lukowski. The Italian title is: 'Polonia.
• Archie Wearne (2002) - £300 towards
11 paese che rinasce' (Casa Editrice Beit,
a Mandarin language training course
Trieste). Spanish and Japanese editions of
in Beijing
Reports from previous successful applicants
Jamie Anderson (2003) studied at
Oxford Brookes University and left with a
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
AWARDS
The OA Club Committee set up this annual
programme of awards in 1997. A modest
sum of money is set aside each year by
has now been accepted for publication
by the British Journal for the History of
Philosophy. During this time I also
the book already exist. French, Bulgarian
and Chinese editions are in the pipe-line.
and the Categories of Freedom', which
Cert HE in biology. He then went to Keble
completed a draft of my dissertation
and have made significant progress on
my book on Robert Nozick. Coming to
Stanford allowed me to interact with
College, Oxford, and graduated with a 2.1
some of the most prominent Kant scholars
in physiogical sciences, specialising in
on a regular basis and to receive valuable
equine reproductive physiology. He now
feedback on my work, I was able to attend
runs his own company offering mobile
a number of conferences, meet other
horse breeding services across the UK as
scholars working in the field and to get a
well as operating at several studs and AI
good idea of what kind of research is
centres in England. With the development
currently being done in the USA. In short,
award, Jamie went on a training course in
my time at Stanford has been very
the Club to provide support for the
Pomona, California, USA in February 2009
stimulating, enjoyable and productive
professional development of OAs at any
The course was led by one of the world's
and I greatly appreciate the support of
stage in their career and at any time of life.
leading experts in Equine Reproduction
the Old Abingdonian Club for helping to
Applications are now invited for the OA
- Jos Mottershead. According to Jamie,
make this stay possible."
.
.
21
MEMBERS' NEWS
Corn Exchange was always quite brilliant
MEMORIES OF
LARKHILL
too. And lastly, I can always remember
following the band down to Abingdon
In 1952 I arrived in Abingdon to take up
Station to wave the boys off to Paddington
at the end-of-term.
the post of matron at Larkhill House,
Happy Days!
which was one of two junior boarding
houses. My job consisted of caring for the
Mrs Elizabeth Preston (Nee Cross)
boys, ensuring their welfare and carrying
singing! It also displays the words which would have been helpful to several
people I've heard of recently who have
laboriously copied down the words from
the record. If only they got royalties from
YouTube .... ! The Weather Forecast was
out some domestic duties, including
put on first and has had over 64,000 hits
repairing clothes and darning mountains
and the Highway Code nearly 14,000.
We had three very happy years at
of socks! Making sure all the boys were
Abingdon, have kept up with the Murrays
clean and tidy - not always easy! I also
had to look after any sick boys and, if
necessary, take them to Or Fisher who
held surgeries at the "San". We were
usually welcomed at the San by Sister
Lockhart-Smith's black Labrador 'Kaffir'.
THE
MASTERSINGERS
Director of Music, organist at St Helen's,
new baby! What it was to be young!
Pratt, Barry Montague and Geoff Keating.
individual or group conspiring together.
Ouartercentenary celebrations, a record
On one occasion, a group of boys put a
was made of the Highway Code set to
'For Sale' sign up at the entrance in Park
different styles of music, which was taken
Road. The Headmaster was not amused!
up by Fritz Spiegel who gave it to the
But this may have been more down to
BBC to use on a lunchtime programme
the fact that no offers were made ...
on Radio 4, 'This Time of Day'. When the
Another favourite pastime of the boys was
last programme ended they played out
to publish obituaries for Masters in the
with 'their most requested piece', the
national newspapers! A matron also has
Highway Code by the Mastersingers
to try and cheer boys up who are feeling
(the first track on the record). This was
homesick for one reason or another. I
then picked up by George Martin (of
remember a particular new boy's arrival
Beatles fame) and recorded on a single.
at school very clearly. As he arrived in his
They actually got to 22nd position in the
parent's car, he quickly decided that he
pop charts (when it was the top 20) and
did not like the look of the place. His
were on stand-by for Top of the Pops!
parents pUlled up and got out of the
They subsequently did 'Help' arranged
car and when they looked back, they
as a hymn (by Geoff) with Peter Sellers
discovered their son had locked himself
reciting the verse words as a sermon!
They also backed Cliff Richard in some
carols, which led to Geoff arranging for
convince him we were OK - a little bribe
may also have helped ...
the Kings Singers - but that's another
story! Barry Montague left to go to
Australia, George had gone to Keele
Some other special events stick out in
University, Geoff to Cheadle Hulme
my memory. Walking down to St Helen's
School and John to Bearsden Academy
Church for the annual Founder's Day
in Glasgow They were joined by Mike
Service was always a sight when the straw
Warrington for 'The Weather Forecast',
boaters came out. The Combined Cadet
which they performed on Dutch TV, and
Force Inspection Day was also exciting -
were weekly performers on Granada TV
watching the marching and nervously
in Manchester, singing lots of different
wondering which boys were going to faint
things set to psalm chants! But the latest
in the heat. The end-of-term concert in the
news is that someone (I believe in
•
know how Geoff managed to be assistant
coach the 1st XV rugby and cope with a
In 1963, as part of the School's
hours until I used my negotiating skills to
every year) and George Pratt. I don't
organised by John Horrex, with George
I remember a few amusing events -
in the car and was refusing to come out.
(Sue is our son's Godmother), John
Horrex (who visits a mutual friend up here
The Mastersingers was the group
usually the work of some mischievous
And he didn't. He stayed in there for
22
Holland) has put both songs on YouTube
with appropriate pictures to fit the
January 2010
Helen Keating
RADIOHEAD
Radiohead - Colin Greenwood (1987),
Jonny Greenwood (1990), Ed O'Brien
(1986), Phil Selway (1985), Thom Yorke
(1987) - continued their highly successful
musical career by winning two awards on
9 February 2009 at the 51 st annual
GRAMMY Awards. Radiohead received
their awards for the Best Alternative Music
Album and for the Best Boxed or Special
Limited Edition Album, both for 'In
Rainbows'. They have previously won
GRAM MY awards for the Best Alternative
Music Album (Kid A) and for the Best
Alternative Music Performance
(OK· Computer).
THE
ZODIONS
The band The Zodiacs was formed
shortly after the School's Quatercentenary
celebrations in 1963 and comprised Paul
Williams (1965), Dave Clark (1964), Roger
Spencer (1965), Roger Limerick (1965)
and Martyn Holloway (1966). Paul, Martyn
and Roger Limerick had in fact known
each other since their primary school
days during the 1950s and had an early
interest in performing when they played
GUILD OF
MERCERS'
SCHOLARS
The Guild is open to former pupils of the
Mercers' Company cluster of schools,
having originally been formed by old
boys of the Mercers' School in Holborn,
London. However, with the closing of
that school in 1959, it was decided to
secure the long term future of the Guild
by opening up membership to other
schools in the Mercers' cluster including,
THE JOHN
ROYSSE LODGE
After many months of planning, the John
Roysse Lodge, No. 7957, was formally
consecrated on 18th April 1968, in the
Guildhall, Abingdon. Membership is
open to all past members of the School
and to all past and present members of
the staff. The Lodge started by meeting
four times a year, in Lacies Court. The
Headmaster was installed as the first
Master of the Lodge, and the Secretary
skiffle together. Martyn, the son of Keith
along with Abingdon School, Dauntsey's,
was J A D Cox, of 51 Northcourt Road,
Holloway (Common Room 1950-1967)
Collyer's and St Paul's and more recently
Abingdon. Founder Members were
lived in Lacies Court where they found
Thomas Telford and Walsall Academies.
Professor James Aubrey Douglas Cox
(1941), Charles Edward Cyril Coxeter
occasional practice rooms! Dave Clark
and Roger Spencer decided to form
The Zodiacs in September 1963 and
they performed in and around South
Oxfordshire throughout the 1960s. In
addition they played as the supporting
act to such well-known acts as Long John
Baldry, the Swinging Blue Jeans and The
New Vaudeville Band. Dave Clark, Roger
Spencer and Rob Fuller left the band but
the remaining duo linked up with Ken
Mein (1966) on guitar, Mike Dickin, a
vocalist from The Scorpions, and Peter
Sparrow (1967) on drums.
The aim of the Guild is to encourage
former pupils of the Mercers' cluster
schools to become Freemen of the City
of London and Liverymen; and to select,
if possible, a livery company appropriate
to their own trade or profession. The
Guild is run along the same lines as a
(1920), Wilfrid Bathurst Coxeter (1918),
Richard Edward Eason (1920), James
Alan Garner (1948), John Holden Hooke
(1924), Vernon John Relle (1924),
Rowland Wedgewood Snell (1923) and
Reginald Alexander Trotman (1927).
livery company. Simon Hills (1975) has
The past year (2008-09) has seen the
been the Master of the Guild for the past
deaths of three of our members - Norman
year. He is currently an Executive Director
Holmes (1938), Nigel Hammond (1957
of the British Bankers' Association and
and former Common Room) and, latterly,
says that he would be delighted to
Mick Cook (1956). All three gave much
discuss membership of the Guild, or his
to freemasonry, as well as to the wider
own livery company, The Worshipful
community, and will be much missed.
Professional careers took priority for some
Company of International Bankers, with
In recent years, we have returned to the
time but Mike Dickin's death inspired Paul,
any OA The Right Honourable Francis
School to dine, after holding our meetings
Ken and Martyn to get back together and
Maude MP (1971), shadow Chancellor
in the Guildhall, but in September 2008,
the band was reformed in time for Paul's
of the Duchy of Lancaster, was the guest
we held our first meeting for over 25 years
60th birthday in 2007 as The Zodions.
speaker at Simon's installation dinner,
held at Tallow Chandlers' Hall at which
The band has gone from strength to
strength, gigging at private functions,
Abingdon School's former headmaster,
Michael St John Parker, himself a former
and hotel and rugby club dances as a
Master of the Guild, and Andrew
60s cover band.
McMillan (1971) were also present.
James Hamand (2001) is also a member.
Simon Hills (1975)
in the School, taking over the Charles
Maude Room. Our installation meeting in
April was also held at the School and was
attended by the Provincial Grand Master,
Mike Hooton and his entourage. That we
were able to welcome Mike to the School
was an important milestone. A successful
evening was rounded off by a memorable
dinner, memorable not only for the quality
of the meal, but also by the ambienceI hesitate to mention the sagacity and
friendly atmosphere, but it is a feature of
the common bond of freemasonry and
the School.
Roger Chester (1964)
[email protected]
.-
23
SOCIAL EVENTS
LEAVERS FROM 2000
ONWARDS
60s REUNION
SEPTEMBER STEAM
Tuesday 17 March 2009 saw over 60 young alumni gathered
On 25 September 2008, 65 Old Abingdonians and their
at the East India Club in London for their first ever OA reunion.
partners took a return trip from Oxford to Abingdon on a
The Headmaster, together with current and former members of
Salters' river boat, with lunch enjoyed to the sounds of a
Common Room, also attended this hugely enjoyable event and
New Orleans' style jazz band.
were delighted to hear of the boys' progress since leaving
school. From bankers to golf journalists to civil servants, the
vast majority are gainfully employed and relishing the working
world. This was reassuring to the students present who are
justifiably concerned about their future job prospects in the
current economic climate. News of the OA Club's career
mentoring service was well received and offers of help were
flowing from the boys who attended.
The party was joined at Sandford Lock by Jan Glover
(Development Director) and Alison Lester (OA Administrator)
who had cycled from School to take the opportunity to
mingle with OAs from the 1960s. On our return to Oxford,
we adjourned to St John's College to enjoy the splendid
hospitality in the form of dinner provided through the auspices
of Professor John Kelly (1961). It was voted a most enjoyable
day and the boat trip provided a unique opportunity for much
longer discussions with more people than is the case with
simply a dinner. Thanks to everyone for their support.
LEAVERS UP TO AND
INCLUDING 1959
I appreciated the privilege of organising this annual reunion!
Rodney Pitt (1961)
On Saturday 14 March 2009, just under 100 alumni, who left
up to and including 1959, gathered at School. Tours of the
School were followed by lunch in the dining room and coffee
in the new sports centre. Some of those present had not been
LEGAL PROFESSION
DINNER
back to Abingdon School for many years and were amazed at
the changes on the site. There were even volunteers to try out
On Wednesday 30 September 2009 the very first OA Club
the new swimming pool although a lack of duty lifeguards
Professional Dinner was held in the glorious setting of Middle
prevented any from trying!
Temple for members of the legal profession. We are very
The Headmaster made a short speech outlining the School's
The evening began with a drinks reception in the Queen's Room,
development over the last 50 years and its plans for the future.
after which the party of around 30 lawyers, law students and
pleased to report that this inaugural event was a huge success!
The OA Club Chairman, John Bunce, also gave a short address
legally-minded sixth formers moved to dinner in the Parliament
and details of how the OA Club intends to move forward by
Chamber. All the major constituents of the Abingdon School
hosting many more similar events and, importantly, setting up
community were represented - the law professionals attending
a career mentoring service.
included OAs, Governors and both current and former parents.
The OAs in attendance represented the full spectrum of the legal
profession - from High Court Judges to newly qualified solicitors.
The feedback we have received from those who attended the
REUNION FOR
FORMER MEMBERS
OF STAFF
24
event has been unanimously positive. While any OA Club event
has the potential to be a great networking opportunity, the
specifically professional focus of the evening made for a brilliant
atmosphere in that respect.
Around 90 members of former teaching and non-teaching
We are enormously grateful to the Honourable Sir Vivian Ramsey,
staff came back to the School for a lunch on Saturday 22
who very kindly hosted the event, spoke most eloquently after
November 2008, shortly after the opening of the new sports
the meal and put a great deal of time and energy into making
centre. Tours of the School and lunch in the new dining hall
the whole evening a tremendous success. His continuing
were accompanied by many reminiscences about the good
support of the work of Abingdon School and the OA Club is
old days!
very much appreciated.
January 2010
60s EVENT 2009
There are many other Old Abingdonians and members of
Common Room who gave their lives in the service of their
On Thursday 8 October 2009 24 OAs and their guests joined
countries from the Battle of Flanders in 1706 to World War 11.
hosts Terence and Carolyn Libby at the Sunley Management
The late Nigel Hammond (1957 and former Common Room),
Centre in Northampton for dinner. Former Common Room
together with Sarah Wearne, did much research on these brave
members Geoff Helliwell and Bill Potter, with his wife, Angela,
men and full details of those involved can be found on the OA
also attended the dinner. John Bunce (1962) proposed the
Club website.
toast to ''Absent Friends" and those present took a moment to
remember one of the regular cohort, John Talbot, who had died
a few days previously. As has become common practice with
this 60s reunion, there was more to the day than just a dinner
A tour of the unique Leather Technology Centre took place
during the afternoon.
OA OPEN AFTERNOON
AND ANNUAL DINNER
Despite fierce weather conditions, we were pleased to welcome
OAs back to the School on Saturday 14 November 2009. At
the OA Club AGM in the morning the new OA Club President,
Gareth Morris, officially took up his new office. Gareth (1976)
now begins his two-year term as President, having joined the
OA Committee as President Elect in the summer.
Throughout the afternoon tour groups were guided around the
main school site and the sports centre, newly opened in 2008.
Various areas of the centre were open for use by OAs, including
the swimming pool. OAs were able to watch the 1st XV rugby
match against the Oratory on Waste Court field, and Abingdon's
Part of the University of Northampton, the Leather Technology
badminton team battled it out against Radley. The afternoon
Centre is an international centre of excellence in training and
culminated in a fantastic performance by the Abingdon School
research. OAs and their guests were able to see how different
Big Band. Lately returned from a tour of Tuscany, the boys are
animal skins are cured and processed into various types of
truly in top form and gave an outstanding recital of classic jazz
leather and then shaped or decorated as required for the
tunes. Many thanks to all of the musicians who contributed to
production of quality consumer goods.
the performance and also to Simon Currie, the Big Band leader!
The 2009 OA Annual Dinner took place in the Hospitality
Suite of the Sports Centre with 60 OAs, members of staff (both
ABINGDON AND
OLD ABINGDONIANS
AT WAR
current and former) and their partners dining in high style in the
School's newest entertainment venue. With good food, a great
atmosphere and a beautifully constructed bar providing drinks
after dinner, the evening was a roaring success.
An outstanding exhibition, prepared by the School's archivist,
Sarah Wearne, took place in the Amey Theatre Foyer during
November 2009. The exhibition paid tribute to the Old
Abingdonians who fought and died as soldiers, sailors and
airmen during World War 11. 51 OAs lost their lives in the
conflict and each one was buried or commemorated by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Remembrance
and the work of the Commission was also the subject of a
fascinating lecture by Julie Summers on the opening evening
of the Exhibition.
••
25
OA SPORT
Gerald Smithson Twenty20 Cricket Tournament
(1954) and Barrie Whiteford (1953). The Roysse Cup was
played for over 18 holes in the afternoon with Barrie Whiteford
Sunday 21 June 2009 saw the inaugural Gerald Smithson
(1953) coming out on top. The runner-up was Chris Davies,
Twenty20 Cricket Tournament take place at the School with
Headmaster of Abingdon Preparatory School, who was
teams of alumni, parents, boys and Common Room battling
welcomed as a guest on the day. Stuart Hammond (1976)
for honours. Gerald was the School's first professional cricket
finished third.
coach and his many years at the School are fondly
remembered by all those he taught.
A special prize (a picture of a golf scene) for the oldest OA
playing was donated by Bob Pezaro (1947) who was unable
The round robin format allowed each team to play against
to attend - the first meeting he has missed. This went to John
all the other teams and the current boys emerged victorious,
Edelsten (1952).
winning all three of their games. With Devon Malcolm, former
England cricketer and legendary fast bowler, entertaining
Next year's meeting will be held on Tuesday 11 May 2010
Jack Trenaman (1958)
everyone to amusing anecdotes over lunch and a barbecue
afterwards, it proved to be a hugely successful day which
was much enjoyed by participants and spectators alike.
Henley Royal Regatta, 2009
Next year's tournament will take place on Sunday 27
June 2010
The 160th Henley Royal Regatta will be remembered for its very
hot and humid weather conditions and thundery showers. Little
Abingdon Alligators
or no stream and favourable following winds provided fast
conditions during the early days of racing but by the weekend
David Allison (1993) took over the running of the Alligators
trickier cross to head winds prevailed which slowed overall times.
this year and made sterling efforts to get teams together for
four matches against other alumni teams.
This year seven Old Abingdonians representing six clubs took
Next year's Alligator season will start with a match against the
School first XI, and OA cricketers are urged to contact the OA
office to register their interest.
part in five events. R T Bucke (2007) and MET Rossiter (2008)
were selected to row in the GB Under 23 eight this year and
competed for The Ladies' Challenge Plate. This crew, a Leander
and Molesey composite, reached the final which they narrowly
OA Golf Day, Frilford Heath
Twenty-three OAs attended a very successful 25th meeting at
26
lost by 1f2 lengths to seeded Brown University USA A crew in the
fast time of 6.28 after a very close contest.
Frilford Heath on Tuesday 12 May 2009
F W A Raftery (2008) competed for The Visitors' Challenge
In the morning the Trenaman Trophy, played over 9 holes, was
Cup in an Oxford Brookes University crew but lost to the
won by John Edelsten (1952) who also won the Secret Partners
seeded Newcastle University and Dukla Praha, Czech
with Stuart Hammond (1976) on countback from Alan Pezaro
Republic, composite by 2 lengths.
Two OAs competed for The Thames Challenge Cup. In the first
Army Rowing Club and R T Richmond (1990) has been part of
round I P D Priest (1997) stroking the Combined Services lost to
the London Rowing Club's coaching team. Congratulations to
Vesta Rowing Club by 1V21engths while T R Betteridge (2000),
David Tanner (1966) on the award of a CBE for his efforts with
stroking Grosvenor Rowing Club, lost to a strong Molesey Boat
the GB team in the last Olympics. He remains as International
Club A, the eventual event winners, by 2% lengths.
Manager of the Amateur Rowing Association which, from
In The Temple Challenge Cup, N K Turnbull (2005), rowing in
September, will be known as British Rowing Limited.
the engine-room of the Manchester University eight, beat the
The full text is available online at
seeded Erasmus University, Holland, in a thrilling sprint along
www.oaclub.org.uk
the Enclosures by 1 length having been led for most of the
W G Potter (Common Room 1955-1992
course. On the following day Manchester went out to a heavier
and Rowing Coach 1955-1994)
Oxford Brookes crew by 1% lengths.
The Diamond Challenge Sculls contained a galaxy of 2008
Olympic talent so that it was extremely commendable that
International Participation
lightweight W P J Hoodless (1994) of Upper Thames Rowing
Club qualified once more for this prestigious and demanding
This year four recent OAs represented their countries at the
event. William, giving away 4 stones at 11 st 51b, was up against
Under 23 World Championships held in Racice, in the Czech
A W Campbell, an Olympic finalist and former Diamonds winner
Republic. Ryan Bucke (2007) and Maximilian Gander (2008)
It was pleasing to see William maintaining good form right up to
the finish eventually succumbing by 1% lengths.
were selected to row in the Great Britain coxed four, finishing
third in the B final. Meanwhile, Matthew Rossiter (2008) for
Great Britain and Nicolai Jurgens (2007) for Germany lined
Abingdon, weighing in at 12st 121bs, the same as last year,
up alongside each other in the final of the men's eight. Nicolai
were among the 8 seeded crews for The Princess Elizabeth
came home the victor in this domestic battle with a silver medal
Challenge Cup.
while Matthew brought home a bronze.
Abingdon dispatched St Georges College by 4% lengths then
Durham School by 5 lengths in 6.45. On Friday, Abingdon's race
against the seeded American Belmont Hill School was an epic.
Belmont, holding a length to beyond Fawley (3.11), were hauled
At the Junior World Championships Felix Wood and Rory
Copus (both 2009) raced for Great Britain in Brive-Ia-Gaillarde,
France, making the final in the coxed four and managing fifth
place. George Rossiter, who leaves Abingdon School next
year and is the brother of Matthew, stroked the eight to a
back by Abingdon who then drew away as they went through
silver medal, just missing out despite gaining significantly on
the enclosures, winning a splendid contest by % of a length in
Germany over the last 500 metres. (It should be noted that
the fast time of 6.34
George will still be eligible for the Junior System next year.)
Abingdon's semi-final against Brunswick School was confidently
On the subject of brothers, Jamie Cook, who is also eligible
executed with a verdict of 2% lengths by the finish in a time
for the Juniors next year, took two golds for Great Britain in the
of 7.08.
men's eight event at the Coupe de la Jeunesse held in Vichy,
France. Jamie's older brother, Oliver (2008), raced in the same
The final on the Sunday was perhaps entirely predictable as
Eton had the finest crew in their long and successful history;
Eton eventually winning by 5 lengths in a time of 6.42 So ended
a valiant effort by a well-coached Abingdon crew to hold a very
event last year
Jack Maynard, Timothy Clarke (both 2009) and Daniel
Boddington were also selected for national honours to
represent England in the Home Countries International
talented Eton boat. In the opinion of your correspondent the
Regatta; there they produced an outstanding row to take
Abingdon crew was technically one of the best produced by the
home gold medals.
ASBC in recent years and it is good to know that four members
of this combination will still be available next season.
This epitomises another excellent year individually for boys
in the Abingdon School Boat Club, and it is hoped that their
Over the regatta period a good number of OAs representing six
success will continue to inspire the up-and-coming rowers
decades were seen in the Stewards and Boat Tent areas. M D W
to emulate them.
Schofield (1987) continues to use his management skills with the
Mike Litchfield (1994 and Common Room)
27
OA SPORT
Griffen Rugby 7s Tournament
The OA Club hosted the second annual Griffen Rugby 7s
• The Cheltonian Association
Tournament on Sunday 15 March 2009. Three OA teams, and
• Old Cliftonian Society
a combined OA and Common Room team, competed against
• The Cokethorpe Society
6 other schools' alumni teams in a series of matches, lasting
• Old Dauntseians Association
14 minutes each, followed by finals
• Old Decanian Society
Much enthusiasm was shown by the OA teams. The OA side,
• Old Etonian Association
Dan James Owls, won the shield having been fit enough to
• Old Hamptonians Association
raise their game in the knockout stages. Scott Milne's VII
• The Marlburian Club
reached the semi-finals of the cup knockout where they were
• Old Waynfletes
overwhelmed by the Westcliff Kamikaze team. Westcliff went
• Old Merchant Taylors'
on to win the trophy defeating QEH Stallions in the final.
• Old Oratorian Association
• Old Oundelian Club
• Old Pangbournian Society
• Old Radleians
• Reading Old Blues Association
• Old Rendcombians
• Rugbeian Society
• Old Viking Society
• Old Salopian Club
• St Edward's School Society
• Old Paulines
• Old Silhillians' Association
• Old Stoic Society
• Old Warwickians
• The Old Wellingtonian Society
The next Griffen Rugby 7s Tournament will take place on
• The East India Club team
Sunday 14 March 2010 at Abingdon School.
If you would like to enter an OA team please down load the
Old boys from the following alumni associations have been
entry form from the OA website or contact Alison Lester in
invited to compete against teams of Old Abingdonians.
the OA Office - [email protected]
• Old Bedfordians Club
• Old Bloxhamists
• The Old Bradfieldian Society
• The Bromsgrovian Club
28
_lra'll
January 2010
I....-
~ - _ . -
SPORTING MEMORIES
With the opening of the new Abingdon School Sports
Centre, the facilities have improved immeasurably and it
seems an appropriate time to look back at one or two
sporting facts and memories from OAs.
ABINGDON ROAD
RELAY: THE ORIGINS
In the years after the Second World War county cricket teams
comprised amateurs (mainly ex public school) and professionals
John Lambourn (1947) may only have been at the School
for four terms but has strong memories of athletics. "My
involvement started on Lower Field when one of the young
masters noticed that I was quite fast on my feet and encouraged
(lowly paid!). The season was brought to a close with the annual
Gentlemen (amateurs) v Players (professionals) - a light-hearted,
but usually pretty even match.
me accordingly. I was then entered into one or two events and
This structure was being mimicked at Abingdon with an annual
won the Junior 220 handicap in 1939 and 1940. I remember that
Gentlemen v Runners relay race of eight or more laps of the Wall,
the replica cup, which I still treasure, was presented to me in
organised entirely by the boys. The Wall was the name given to
front of the small wooden pavilion on the main cricket field in
the non-grass circumnavigation of Upper Field and should not be
front of the School. Headmaster Bill Grundy commented on my
confused with the 'Stone Wall Run' which was a much longer run
performance saying that I was like a young chicken darting
past Shippon inflicted on whole teams when the pitches were unfit
along! I was, in fact, by far the smallest boy in the School and
known as 'the microbe'. I was once lifted up onto a clothes peg
for play!
in the cloakroom by a senior boy where I remained hanging until
another boy arrived!"
Rodney Pitt (1961) never enjoyed either rugby or athletics
while he was at Abingdon but did love cricket. If he wasn't
playing on a Wednesday afternoon, Rodney would catch the
bus into Oxford and watch the University playing either the
county sides or visiting touring sides in the University Parks.
The Runners were the best two athletes in the School, while the
Gentlemen comprised eight or more boarders who, of course,
attired themselves appropriately for the occasion.
For some time it was an unofficial fixture but in the early 1960s a
governor, Aubrey Smart - father of Nick (1970), a promising athlete
- offered to donate a cup for an inter-house competition. The Wall
was deemed unsuitable for the competition and agreement was
He was able to watch many of the great stars of the 1950s,
reached with Christ's Hospital to use Park Crescent with each runner
Peter May, Tom Graveney, Colin Cowdrey, Fred Trueman, Brian
doing several laps to make up the required distance.
Statham and many others. After he became friendly with the
owners of the bakery in Ock Street, Rodney was invited to watch
four athletic houses Bennett (yellow), Blacknall (blue), Reeves (red)
In those days, every boy in the School was a member of one of the
Test matches there in his lunch hour inevitably ending up with a
free sausage roll or doughnut! In his own words "those were
great days."
three or four teams and the Common Room usually managed two.
Stuart Cameron (1978) was the Abingdon School High Jump
A leading runner in the 80s, Julian Day (1989), had a close
and Tesdale (green). Each team was to comprise one junior, one
intermediate and two seniors. Houses were encouraged to field
Champion and feels that he probably still holds the record today
encounter with the school maintenance truck while taking part which
at 1.97 metres. Stuart was the first 13-year-old to jump 6 feet in
the UK and won the Scottish Championships two years running
resulted in the loss of a wing mirror. That wing mirror was mounted
at Under 15 level. Stuart's earliest memory of sport at the School
was when he won the first form race (97 entrants). That brought
him into contact with Nick Pritchard, a long time member of
Common Room, and resulted in a friendship that has lasted 35
years. Cross-country does not hold such good memories for
on a piece of oak, named the Jules Wing, and is now awarded to
the individual recording the fastest leg! The fastest team receives
the accolade of the Smart Cup.
In 2010 it will be the 42nd Road Relay and teams of four will
complete two 2.6km laps each taking in a route round Albert Park,
Stuart "It was far too much like hard work and high jumping was
along Park Road and back through the centre of the School.
less energetic! I did represent Abingdon at the North Berkshire
Teams are now usually made up of boys from the same tutor group,
Cross-Country championships at Lockinge in Wantage. Running
although it is a house competition and results are published for
round the point-to-point course was very boring - the only good
individual boys. Staff teams also take part and, in 2009, a team of
thing about it was that we didn't have to jump the fences."
OAs was welcomed back as guests. Gary Armstrong (1995), Francis
It is now taken for granted that rugby is the main winter sport at
Abingdon but it is not quite so well known that, until the early
Malone-Lee (1998), Pete Moloney (1995) and Rob Walker (1993)
outsprinted all the boys to finish first! (Right to left in photo above.)
1920s, the key sport was football. The change was made when
Francis actually holds the record for the fastest time for a boy at the
Mr J B E Alston (Common Room 1921-1963) joined the School
School (7 mins 58 secs) but the fastest time ever is still held by Nick
as master Vc games.
Pritchard, from his younger days, with a time of 7 mins 47 secs.
29
EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS 2010
Please see the calendar on the back
cater to those members of the Abingdon
Tournament in memory of Gerald
cover for details of the date and
School community with an interest in the
Smithson, former England cricketer
location of the following events.
field of medicine. Professor Mike Stevens
and Abingdon's first professional
(1968), CUC Professor of Paediatric
cricket coach and groundsman.
Oncology at the University of Bristol,
Players representing the entire breadth
will host a reception and dinner at Oriel
of the Abingdon School community are
OA Reunions for leavers: 1969-1972,
1979-1982 and 1989-1992
College, Oxford on Thursday 25 March
invited to take part, including OAs,
These events complete the current cycle
2010 and all OAs with a professional
current pupils, parents, Governors and
of OA year group reunions.
interest in medicine are welcome.
members of staff (both past and
present). Spectators are also warmly
invited to attend.
OA Reunion: Cambridge - TBC
An evening for OAs and current
Cambridge students and alumni.
Professional Dinners: Finance - July
2010; Engineering - September 2010
The third professional networking event
Reunion for leavers from 2000 onwards
Griffen Rugby 7s Tournament March 2010
Now in its third year, the annual Griffen
Rugby 7s Tournament is a very popular
event, especially with young alumni. The
tournament gives alumni 'scratch' teams
the chance to compete against sides
OA Golf Days
will be open to those members of the
The usual OA Golf Day is being
Abingdon School community with an
organised at Frilford Heath for Tuesday
interest in or connection to finance in
11 May 2010. Players should contact
all its forms The event will be held in
Jack Trenaman bye-mail:
London and we will be confirming the
[email protected]
venue and host nearer the time.
We hope to increase the number of golf
The fourth event in the series is planned
days on offer to OAs so golfers with an
for September 2010 and will be aimed
interest in participating should contact
at members of the Abingdon School
the OA Office.
community working in or interested in
representing other alumni associations.
the diverse field of engineering.
Prospective players should contact the
OA Office for an entry form. Spectators
OA Cricket: Abingdon Alligators
are also very welcome.
v 1st XI
A fixture from former years, this will be
Hockey: OAs v 1st XI - March 2010
Abingdon's 1st XI will pit their skills
Museum, Winchester - October 2010
reintroduced in 2010. Prospective players
This event in 2010 will be held at the
for this, or any other Abingdon Alligators
Gurkha Museum in Winchester.
match, should contact the Alligators'
against a team of OAs. Spectators are
very welcome.
OA 60s event: Visit to the Gurkha
Captain, David Allison, bye-mail:
[email protected]
Sir James Cobban Centenary
Wed 24 March 2010
Celebrations - November 2010
David Allison (1993)
2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the
30
Professional Dinner: Medicine -
Gerald Smithson Memorial Twenty20
March 2010
Tournament - June 2010
birth of Sir James Cobban, Headmaster
from 1947-1970, who stewarded the
The second in the new series of
In June 2009, the OA Club hosted the
School through its most concentrated
professional networking events will
first Abingdon School Twenty20 Cricket
period of growth from a grammar school
January 2010
of 250 boys to a direct-grant school of
national repute with 630 pupils.
To commemorate this, the OA Club will
be hosting a celebration at the School to
include a Chapel service, reception and
dinner. Sir James' four daughters plan to
join us on this very special occasion. The
event is open to OAs of every generation
but we hope especially to see those OAs
who are known as 'Cobban boys'.
Looking ahead to 2011
OA Antipodean Dinner
Richard Bampton (1961), who recently
stood down from the OA Club Committee
DOLGOED REMEMBERED
My wife and I recently holidayed in north Wales and, when we arrived, I noticed that
we were near Dolgellau, somewhere near Dolgoed which I visited twice in c. 1974
on emigrating to New Zealand, is
and c. 1976 with the School. I couldn't remember exactly where it was so bought an
organising an OA Antipodean dinner to
OS map and studied it intensively for a day or two and eventually found it. My wife
take place in Auckland during the 2011
says I've mentioned it many times during our 25 years together, so she was curious
Rugby World Cup. Wednesday 5 October
to see it as well. I remembered that it was at the end of a remote valley and that to
2011 is the proposed date (being the
get to it one had to drive/walk up a track which ran to the right of a stream that
week between the pool matches and the
flowed down the valley.
quarter-finals) .
Anyway, we parked the car and walked the last mile or so and found that it is
OAs will dine in the revolving restaurant
currently being lived in by a young couple called Tom and Lucy. Apparently it's
in Skytower - the tallest building in the
owned by Lucy's father's partner, in whose family it has always been. Lucy works
southern hemisphere with fantastic views
at CAT (the Centre for Alternative Technology) which she gets to by bus and Tom
across the harbour and Auckland. Ticket
prices will be in the region of £45-50
(NZ$ 125). Partners are also welcome
to attend.
It would be very helpful to have an
is a part-time geography teacher. It's exactly the same as it was in the 1970s,
although they've spent a bit of money on essential repairs and have some plans for
it, including building a composting WC. They've been there 6 months so far but had
to abandon it for a while due to flooding after the heavy rain in July. They were very
interested to hear my memories of what we got up to there in the 1970s - there's
indication of early interest fairly quickly to
some interesting graffiti on the tables! Apparently a local woman is writing a book
assist with planning. If you are interested
about the valley and would be very interested in any photos we have of our stays
in attending please contact Richard by
there in the 1970s.
e-mail: [email protected]
As you can see from the photos it was a beautiful day so we saw it at its best.
Further information on any of the
explained that my memories of it were rather bleaker because we went during the
above events can be obtained from
Easter holidays when it was much calder and wetter. Other memories include Nick
the OA office.
Pritchard suffering from food poisoning after one trip! He certainly did his time there.
Richard Steed (1978)
.
.
•••
31
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
LENT TERM 2010
..
LOCATION
Saturday 16 January
Abingdon School Open Morning
At School
Wednesday 24 February
OA Reunion: 1979 - 1982
At School
Friday 5 March
OA Reunion: 1969 -1972
At School
Friday 19 March
OA Reunion: 1989-1992
At School
Sunday 14 March
Griffen Rugby 7s Tournament
At School
Wednesday 24 March
Hockey: OAs v 1st XI
Tilsley Park
Thursday 25 March
Professional Dinner: Medicine
Oriel College, Oxford
March/April TBC
OA Reunion: Cambridge
Cambridge
Thursday 15 April
Golf: OA Golf Day
Lutterworth Golf Club
SUMMER TERM 2010
I •
LOCATION
Tuesday 11 May
Golf: OA Golf Day
Frilford Heath
MayTBC
Cricket: 1st XI v Alligators
At School
Sunday 27 June
Cricket: Gerald Smithson Memorial Twenty20 Tournament
At School
JulyTBC
Professional Dinner: Finance
London
MICHAELMAS TERM 2010
I •
LOCATION
September TBC
Professional Dinner: Engineering
TBC
September TBC
OA Reception: Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Friday 22 October
OA 60s: Gurkha Museum visit and Curry Night
Winchester
Saturday 27 November
Sir James Cobban Centenary Celebrations
At School
Abingdon School, Park Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1DE
Tel: 01235 849098
Email: [email protected]
www.oaclub.org.uk