Old Olavian CONTENTS

Editor’s Notes 155

Chairman’s Report Chris Harris 156 Annual General Meeting Chris Harris 157 One Hundred Bill Hawkes 159 Reunion Lunch Memories Various OOs 159 How would Dr Carrington have fared in the Roger Brown 161 modern world of education? StOGS in Wartime Torquay Walter Wilkinson 162 One Boy’s Blitz George Grant 163

Clubs and Societies Old Olavians’ Lodge No 5758 Peter Hudson 168 Former Choristers Graham Milne 168 Club Tour –2019 Lance Giles 168

Old Boys’ Notes 1969 -1976 Colin Woodward 173 1986 -1993 Brian Tookey 173 In Memoriam 174

154 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 Editor’s Notes Last year Iasked my readers –Iwonder howmanyOlavians actually take the trouble to read what Iwrite –tosend So another year has passed us by,ayear whichIhope contributions, especially if theywereable to write about willhavebrought allOlavians, whatevertheir age, their experience of moving with the School from Tooley morehappiness and fulfilment than disappointment or Street to Orpingtonjust fiftyyears ago. SadlyIreceived frustration. nothing on that memorable (?) event. But happilyIhave received contributions from severalmembers, and Iwould Thehighlight of my year came through my oft-mentioned recommend them all. GeorgeGrant’s memories of his years cricket scoring.Iwas able to scoretwo WorldCup matches, living near LondonBridgeStation during the wartime blitz oneatTrent Bridge, the second at OldTrafford, and it was should be compulsoryreading.Itwould be areal eye-opener wonderful to havebeen partofthe tournament which forthe younger ones among us, and areminder howlucky saw England victorious after so manyyears of trying.In the majorityofusare to havebeen bornafter therewas any additionmycounty, Derbyshire, managed to reachthe t20 chance of our lives being affected by the bombing and the Finals Dayfor the first time.Toscorefor my countyata fear that this must havebrought to residents in Londonand Final was an honour forwhichIhad been longing forafull other major cities. twentyyears, and the long wait made it seem even more special. It was with very mixed feelings that Iheardthat Jane Wells was moving on to the proverbial pastures new. Iwas, of Even though the daywas adisappointment from the result course,delighted that she was able to move to anew role, point-of-view, it was stillgood to havebeen associated with onewhichwillbring her newand welcome experiences, but, the young men who hadworked so hardand playedsowell from aselfish point of view, Iamverysorrythat she has left. that theyhad earned themselvestheir ownspecial dayin Shecould not havebeen morehelpful and efficient in all frontofafullhouse at Edgbastononahot sun-filled day that she did on our behalf,both as my editorial guide and in September. as general respondent to allsorts of queries from members. Iamsurethat we allwish her well.Weare very pleased to knowthat she is nowanOld Olavian herself.

ChrisHarris Editor, Old Olavian

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –155 OldOlavians Chairman’s Report evidence to me that the School is back on the right track, 2019 and it is great to see.

Last year,asIwrote my report, Iwas looking forwardtothe TheGarden Partyatthe ‘Headmaster’s House’this year, launchofthe newwebsite.Well,itisupand running (www. at the end of the summer term, was blessed with good oldolavians.net) and Iknowmanyofyou haveenjoyed weather again. Everyone therewas in great spirits and exploring its delights, like the Photo Board, the News and looking forwardtoawell-earned summer break. the Reunions/Events. Thereissomuch moreand Ihope youwillcontinue to provide feedback to improveyourand Theyear was rounded off with not onebut twoReunion others’ experience. lunches. The first at middayinSouth Melbourne.Ithink this was also the first Reunionlunchoverseas. My thanks to TheServiceofRemembrance and laying of wreaths, in the TomParkinson(1959), who offered to organise this event. year marking 100 years since the end of WorldWar One On the daythree OldOlavians hadlunchinahotel and gavethose present the opportunitytoremember not just swapped memories. At least sevenhad expressed an interest OldOlavians, but allwho gavetheir lives or lived on with and next year Ifully expect theretobemoreattendees. physical and mental injuries, in allconflicts. Thewreaths were laid at the School WarMemorial by OldOlavian, TheReunions were about three weeks later than usual Graham Milne (1963) and School , Shrishti (meaning Iamfortunate even to be able to include it in my Rentala.This annual service is oneofthe school assemblies reportasthe editorial deadline is usually about the end of when OldOlavians areverywelcome to attend. September).

In the busy run-up to Christmas, Iwas lucky to be able TheReunionatthe School proved to be oneofthe best yet to take my seat at the School Christmas Concert, where during my termasChairman, with 120 diners. the musical talent of St Olave’sstudents is showcased. Of course,therewerecarols to sing,and the particular OurhonoraryPresident and Headteacher,Andy Rees, highlights formewerethe Sixth Form Band’s wonderful brought us up to date with the School’s academic renditionofBohemian Rhapsody,and the brilliant St achievements, the OFSTED inspection’s confirmationof Olave’sJazz Band. the School’s status as ‘Outstanding’and the manyextra- curricular activities that youwillhavereadabout earlier in At the Society’sAGM in March we donated another £9,000 this magazine.Hethen proposed the toast to the Society. to the School. Those in attendance were also apprised of the planned development of the newFivescourts at the In response,our guest, OldOlavian Squadron Leader school (see the minutes). HowardWiseman (1987) has Mike Ling MBE RAeSRAF (Ret’d), who leftthe school since passed on the fantastic news that work is due to in 1997, entertained us with some memories of school, and startonthe SouthwayFives project, whichthe Societyhas film and pictures to accompanythe relating of his career already donated over £43,000 towards. Iunderstand from highlights. Notleast of whichduring his wonderful career Howardthat virtually allofthe £250,000+ raised so far with the RAFhebecame the longest-serving Red Arrows has come from OldOlavians and the Society. These new team member.Mike was supported by alargenumber of courts willallow the School and OldOlaviansFives to host his Peer Year,whichhad to be spreadacross twotables. competitions and willprovide afacilityfor EtonFives for the communities in South London, with the fullsupportof 1997 were not the only year group not to fitonone table. the EtonFives Association. Peer Year 1989 hadtwelvemembers present. ‘Father of the TheCommemorationServiceinMayatSouthwark House’was SirRoger Sims who leftthe School in 1948, Cathedral was well attended and Iwas introduced to the seventy-two years beforethe Senior Prefects who joined us School Prayer.Ido not recall having aSchool Prayer in my that afternoonwillleave! days at the School although Imay havesimplyforgotten. I tooknote of it and hereitis: If youhaven’t been to aReunionand arethinking of getting atable together,dolet me knowasImay be able to put you Eternal God, help us through our dutytoyou to love our in contact with others from your year group. neighbour,tocarefor others, to do our best forand in school, to work forthe commongoodofour community, And finally,please remember that allthe school events are and to care forourselvesasweserve youAmen. usually publicised in the Headmaster’s newsletters, which canbeaccessed via the ‘News’ on our ownwebsite.Please ThePrayerand ‘What is an Olavian’(just Google it) are let me knowifyou wish to attend anyofthem and Iwill

156 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 arrangetickets. •Update on SouthwayFives Project from Howard Wiseman. Howardreported that about £270k Ihope to see as manyofyou as possible at the AGM, has been raised and the school has morethan this Commemoration, or our next Reunion. Thedates forthese available in total (about £330k). Thecosts of the work willbegiven in futureFacebookposts and Newsletters. in tenders received were unfortunatelymuchhigher, but Howardhas found alocal builder who could build Chris Harris (1970-77) the fivescourts within the budget available. Thework [email protected] could begin at Easter and take four months. This howeverneeds further approval from anew Board of Governors. Adiscussiontookplace about the VATand procurement position, checks by structural engineers whichHowardadvised were included in the costs and insurance coverfor any faultyworkmanship. Howardwould be having further discussions with the newGovernors. Howardleftthe meeting.

Minutes of Last Meeting: These were agreed.

Matters Arising: Thenew website is up and running. Potentialityare the hosts, and it is relativelysimple to administer,howeverthe Chairman has yettofind avolunteer tohelp and would welcome anyfeedback that willimprove its attractiontoyounger members.

Reunion in Melbourne -L-R Tom Parkinson, Chairman’s Report: Gillen Kirkwood &Rory Manchee Membership: 2711 names on database.Weremovedthose MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL wherewehad neither email nor postal address. However, MEETING OF THE OLDOLAVIANS we willkeep the complete recordofnames outside of the SOCIETY website forchecking futurerequests to join only.2369 with 20 March 2019 an email address. Whilst this is another smallreductionon the number given last year,moreemail addresses havebeen Attending: Committee Members: Chris Harris (1977), removedastheywerenolongervalid and were bouncing Chairman, Paul Ouseley(1977), BillProuse (1977), Rajiv back undelivered. 350 (365) paid £20 or moreentitling Purwar (1977), Graham Milne (1963) them to the magazine,and afurther 237 (253) paid something,giving atotal of 587 (628) –£10,537 (£10,960) Others: GeorgeSnelgrove(1964), Ian Giles (1966), Jane Wells(Staff), HowardWiseman (1987) Theabove includes 13 (14) paying sponsorship members, paying £1,415, afallinsubscriptions of £423. Apologies: John Brown(1955), Chris Tarry(1971), Tim Franklin (1980), Alvan Sherman (1948), Ian Richards Recent leavers havenot been asked to sign up to a (1975), TimLeonard(1965), RichardNorman(1962), subscription. We haveinthe last 3weeks sent out emails RayFranklin (1965), GeorgeGrant (1951), Mike Roberts (97) to 2014 leavers that were not already Subscription (1965), Alasdair Clyne(1974), Teddy McAleer (2015) members. 15 from that year were already.One replyhas been received so far.Itwas suggested the School could do •Current positionofOOs Funds with School presented moretoencouragerecent leavers to sign up and it would by Jane Wells haveafinancial benefittothe school.

• TheSchool has £3371 leftfromdonations from the Also consider moreevents attractiveto, or particularly for, OO. This is in additiontofunds provided by the young OOs, possibly(recent) year reunions.TheChairman benevolent fund in the last four years and the school willtalk to the Headmaster about this. has substantial funds available forhardship support (see also belowunder Benevolent Fund finance report). SocietyAdmin: This continues to be managed entirelyby Jane leftthe meeting. the school’s OO Administrator (Jane Wells). Oursincerest thanks go to Jane.Audit ismanaged by the committee pro

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –157 tem, withthanks to Paul (Frank) Askham our honorary TheChairman proposed transferring the funds, and any auditor. requests formoney to be made available aredealt with by the committee. This was also agreed. Magazine: Thanks again to John Brown, our editor,who continues to giveorder to our memories of school life, TheCommittee discussed better use of cash funds and the staff,events etc. Contributions canbeemailed to him or Chairman willlookinto this. emailed/posted to Jane Wells.Thenumber of contributions 2017 2018 last year was again mainlythe result of direct requests to Income £1,986 £1,942 attendees following events and John’s notes and, of course, Expenditure £0 £0 the Cricket Tour report. Excess of Income/(Expenditure) £1,986 £1,942 Balance Sheet £54,393 £56,335 Facebook: Managed by the Chairman who would also welcome anyfeedback,sothat we canmake this more Thetrustees havedonated £10,000 over the last four years useful, and attractivetoour members. Followers 783. (nil last twoyears) forthe headmaster to be used in cases of hardship.to be used in cases of hardship. Theprevious Website: TheCommittee think it looks good; however Headmaster hadpreviouslyconfirmed that the funds have we havenofeedback so this is welcomed. People are made it possible forstudents to take partinactivities and registering,and we believe it is simple.Itwould be useful to trips that would otherwise be out of their grasp financially. flag to young OOs. However, Jane Wellsadvised last year that significant amounts arestillunused. Jane has nowbrokenthis down, LinkedIn Group: This nowhas 402 members and remains and when added to funds remaining from the nowdefunct aLinkedIn private group whichisimpossible to see unless Marshalls Fund, the school stillhas over £55,000 at its youare amember. TheChairman willtry to arrangealink disposal. Accordingly, the Chairman proposed to the other on the website whichisonlyvisible to members who log in, trustees that no further funds aremadeavailable at this so that we caninvite people to join. time.

Finance Report: Obviously, we willconsider anydirect applications. This was agreed. SocietyAccounts 2017 2018 We havehad adirect request this year and paid £250 to an Income£16,259 £16,791 OldOlavian who is in hospital most of the time.Thank you Expenditure£18,128 £18,366 to Graham fordealing with the assessment and visiting the Excess of Income/(Expenditure) £(1,869) £(1,575) OO.Theaccounts were approved. Balance Sheet £35,663 £34,088 Functions Report: Total Subscriptions aredown£423 and investment income is up £84. Actual values of the investments continue to rise, Dinner at the RAFwas enjoyedbyall.Chris Sims (1977) up almost another £2,000 on last year. was an entertaining speaker.See the Olavian forthe memories of that evening.Wewillbelunching at the Thelunchwas subsidised from subs to the tune of about School on Saturday5th October,and the guest speaker will £1,000. As the objectives of the Societyare the bringing be Red 10 -Squadron Leader Mike Ling MBE (1990- together of OldOlavians forthe furtherance of personal 97) –ex-member of Red Arrows, who was unable to fulfil friendships this seems justified.That amount is roughlythe the engagement last year following his recall to the Red cost of the six senior prefects, the headmaster,guest speaker Arrows. and twomembers of staff,who we do not charge, and the subsidy to younger OOs. Therewas no Forties Reunionthis year.

Although not shown in the accounts, we stillhaveat12 Thereisanannual SavoyChoir reuniononthe second pairs of cufflinks and 48 OO ties in stock. SundayinJuly. This has been added to Facebookand the website.Maybe an attendee willsharetheir experience via TheChairman recommended making £9,000 available the Olavian next year. to the school including the sponsorship money, in accordance with the current policytomaintain aminimum Affiliated Club Reports: Accumulated Fund of £25,000. This was agreed. Cricket –Ian Giles.Thereisafullreportinthe Olavian but

158 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 asuccessful summer tour to Devonasusual and six recent Paul DIMOND,CMG (1955-62) wrote: After school leavers playedwith the team in dailygames. thirty years in foreign service overseas, returning to the opportunityofattending an OldOlavian event has Rugby–stilldormant felt like ahomecoming,asatthe excellent reunionwith contemporaries in Orpingtonon5th October.While the Fives–HowardWiseman has already updated us on the bricks and mortar at Orpingtondiffer from TooleyStreet, four newcourts at the school (known as the “Southway parts of the old school’s fabric and, most importantly, much FivesProject”).TheFives club havehad averygood season, of its long traditionofexcellence and styleremain and and theyrecentlywon the Barber Cup forthe sixteenth year in arow.

Lodgeand Chapter No.5758 –Graham Milne. Thelodge is growing and promoting itself but joiners aremainlyfrom outside the school. TheChapter could benefitfromnew members and particularly from the school. TheChairman agreed to put alink on the website.

Election of Officers: No-one wished to stand down and the entirecommittee was re-elected unanimously.

Other Business: £500 forthe Cricket Club was agreed.

In contacting younger members, the Chairman was in contact with Teddy McAleer,ex-headboy and nowa indeed havebeen well developed forthe benefitofthe new governor of the school. When discussing making the generation. Andy Rees gaveajustifiablyupbeat reviewof shopfront(website,Facebookand LinkedIn) more the academic results and sporting successes and our guest attractive, he suggested we needed to decide what we are Mike Ling gaveusarareglimpse of oneofthe challenging selling.Asasite forcontact, we areoutdone by Facebook, professions mastered by an OldOlavian. Instagram etc. So what areweactually offering youngsters? Aparticular privilegewas to meet an outstanding group of Commemorationservice this year is Thursday2nd May. current senior students, whose diversity, talent, optimism, focus and hospitalitywerestronglyinevidence during the Remembrance service is on Weds 6th November,8.15 at school tours and at the lunch. Whocould not walk away the School. from the event without quiet pride in the continuing spirit of Olaf ’s Song? OneHundred Not Out At the ReunionlunchinOctober our chairman announced This time we hadtosay forusasad bonvoyagetoJane to awarmround of applause that BillHawkes, who left Wellsather farewellevent with us, after so much care and the school in 1937, would be 100 on 19th November.By attentionshe has given the OldOlavians over the years. the time this editionofour magazine comes out he will We wish her well in her newactivityand areconfident that already havepassed that milestone.His headmaster was we cankeep in touchwith her. HenryAbel, Dr Carrington’s predecessor.Hewent straight into the employment of SouthernRailwayand was always John RHASSALL(1954-60) wrote: It was great to see in the Property Department whichfor years was called the old school friends and to hear Mike Ling telling of his life Estate & Rating Dept. He worked in various office with and after the Red Arrows. He was so passionate about locations including Victoria, Waterloo and Kings Cross. flying and is very lucky to havedonewhat he obviously John King (1963) persuaded Billtocometoacouple of lovesdoing as acareer.Myfather used to sayhehad never OldOlavians’ dinners in the 1970s/80s, but he has not been so busy in retirement whichisprobablythe same for been since. most Olavians, but it is in retirement formanyofusthat we candowhat we enjoydoing.Ienvy Mike to havehad a Reunion Lunch Memories professionheloveswhile manyofusdon’t. Ourchairman, Chris Harris, persuaded severalOlavians, young and old, who hadattended the reunionlunchto Ian NAYLOR (1982-89) wrote: Thanks foragreat Olavian write their impressions of this special annual occasion. event last Saturday. Muchhad changed and much was still the same thirty years on since Ilast entered our School.

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –159 Thespeeches were certainlyahighlight of this year’s reunion.TheHeadmaster’s was notable forbeing frequently interrupted by warmapplause as he announced not just the usual roll-callofacademic achievement,but also paid tribute to (among others) the fivesplayers, the communityservice givers, and the magnificent and probablyirreplaceable Jane Wells, who has so ablyand forsolongacted as the face of the school to OOs, and vice versa. Theapplause confirmed that the school has movedonfrom the recent, well-

TheGreat Halland the Quad were just as Iremembered them as were manyofthe classrooms in the main block. Muchhad been done to improvethe school –anew Sixth form blockand asports halltoreplace the swimming pool –unfortunatelytoo late forus.

Obviouslythe School has been through some difficult documented, blip in its otherwise distinguished historyas challenges in recent years, but it was great to hear from the aschool of the heartaswellasthe head. relativelynew headastothe massiveprogress that has been achievedinthe last twoyears.Thespeaker was inspirational TheGuest of Honour,Squadron Leader Mike Ling MBE –shame we didn’t haveaFlying squadron-leader from our FRAeSRAF (Ret’d),who leftthe school in 1997 to join the year! Royal Air Forcetobecome a fighter pilot, flying instructor and the longest-serving Red Arrowspilot to date,delivered I’mgladIcame back –itwas great to meet with acolourful presentationofthe manyangles from which contemporaries after so long and Iwillattend again soon. onecan viewPlanet Earth, in an inspiring reviewofhis distinguished career. Stephen RSPENCER(1976-80) wrote: This much- anticipated event was on this occasioninits alternate Theusual singing of “Olaf to Right the Wrong” was this location, at the school, wherethose attending were spoilt year transformed by the organ accompaniment of Dr Noël forchoice forpre-prandial entertainment: having the TredinnickFRSCM, whose economy with the school song options to watchEngland’s RugbyWorld Cup match contrasted with his exuberant renditions of “Gather Us In” versus Argentina (potentially at the Buff Orpingtonpublic and “Jerusalem.” house -other public houses were available); to cheer on various school rugbyteams in actionlive; or to support Looking back on this year’s event, whichSimon and Ihave England from the comfortofone’s hotel room,followedby aswiftsharpener in the companyofOrpington’s Brexiteer communityinthe “Harvest Moon” on the High Street.

Naturally choosing the last option, SimonWest and I- stalwarts at, and cheerleaders for, the reunion, and the very concept of the reunion-wereable to inspect the current conditionofthe former (and, the Almightywilling,) future ThirdOrpingtonScout hut, on our waytothe Great Hall. We were pleased to hear the Headmaster,MrRees, later confirm in his speechthat efforts areongoing to restore “Thirdsden”toits former glory.

160 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 attended with almost no exceptions foroverthirty years, theyhad been on. so manyother memories spring to mind: the estimable personages of “our”Headmaster,Des Coulson, and his Howwould Dr Carrington have fared in successor Tony Jarvis; discussing what makes St Olave’s the modern worldofeducation?? unique,with the great historyteacher,Alan Evans;exploring Knowing of my long involvement with education, oneor the perils of adapting Jane Austen, with the unforgettable twoOOs haveasked me howDrCarringtonwould have James Loader;the quiet, continued presence of oneofthe fared in today’sworldofleague tables, academies and fierce funniest and most ribald former Guests of Honour Ihave competitionbetween schools. heard, SirRoger Sims; as well meeting,for the first time since leaving the school, John “Macbeth”Pead(with me, It is agood question.This shortpiece attempts to answer it. oneofonlythree Olavian oboe players of our generation), and Ian Meek, whose enviable,off-grid lifestyleappears Beforedoing so,itmay be as well to brieflydescribe my to mean that the only wayyou willevermeet him is by experience.Oncoming down from universityIworked attending afuturereunion! forsix-and-a-half years forthe (long since abolished) Inner LondonEducationAuthority,then the largest local Allinallthis year’s event was ashining example of just educationauthorityinthe countryand successor to the howenjoyable it canbetospend afew hours wallowing in LondonCountyCouncil’s EducationDepartment. Ihad nostalgia, eating excellent food, drinking afew toasts, and manyopportunities to see state educationatclosehand, reflecting on howyoung or old youlookcompared to your but perhaps the most relevant herewas the time Ispent peer group,but it doesn’t matter because we areall Olavians in 1975-76 as Secretaryofthe William Tyndale Schools under the skin, and that is on the whole averygoodthing. Inquiry. Seeyou next year! TheInquirywas set up by ILEA to resolve abitter dispute LilyKEMP, current Vice-Captain of School, wrote: between teachers, governors and parents over the running TheOld Olavian lunchgavemeafascinating insight of the junior school in Islington(the adjacent infants into the rich historyofour school. Sitting on atable with school was also included). Theinquiry’sreportbyRobin OldOlavians who hadleftbetween 1948 and 1992 was Auld QC (nowLordJustice Auld) was very critical of trulyawe-inspiring.StOlave’sclearlyhas suchanimpact the lack of clear lines of accountabilitydisplayedinthe on people’s lives and people’s mindsets. Thedinner made evidence to the inquiry. Thereportwas amajor influence on me realise howproud Iamtobeapartofthe Olavian Prime Minister Callaghan’s 1976 speechatRuskin College community. Thehighlight formewas sitting next to Sir whichled indirectlytothe mid-80s educational reforms Roger Sims, MP forChislehurst from the 1970s to the of the Thatcher Government –aNational Curriculum and 1990s. His contributiontogreater society, as well as his national tests and standards, leading inexorablytoleague engaging anecdotes, opened my eyes to howStOlave’shas tables –that we havehad ever since. helped shape greater British society, as well as the lives of individuals. Finally,tobring the storyupto date,the last fewyears of my time as aDTI civil servant were spent promoting TheOld Olavian SocietyChair and organisers presented a business-higher educationlinks before, between 1990 and trulyfantastic afternoon. 2013, having various jobs in higher education, including nearly ten years as Principal/Vice Chancellor of what Joel KOVOOR,current Vice-Captain of School, wrote: is nowSolent University. During this period Ibecame Personally,Ifound the OldOlavian lunchexperience truly reacquainted with the compulsorysector through being enjoyable.Fromgiving tours of the school to alumni, to Chair of the SouthamptonEducationTrust, Chair of listening to Mr Mike Ling’s insightful speech, as well as BartonPeverilSixth Form College, Eastleigh and aregular sharing entertaining conversations with OldOlavians contributor to the Times Educational Supplement. atthe table,Itrulyunderstood howstrongand rich the Olavian cultureis. One example was when the guest Nowtocometothe question. speaker showedusapictureofthe wing of aSpitfire, which he was flying,overthe school.Thespeaker remarked that it It is notoriouslydifficult to make proper comparisons was onethe proudest moments of his life, and Irealised at between different eras: thereare just too manyvariables and that point howdeeplyhecherished his time at St Olave’s. too much else willhavechanged. This came home to me Over lunchIshared fascinating conversations with the when Ivisited the School some years agoatthe invitation fellow members of my table covering themes suchasmusic of the then Head. Ispent the lunchperiod with some of the and sport. It was also entertaining and insightful to hear sixth form in aroomcontaining anumber of Alan Sorrell’s some of their experiences as Olavians, suchasvarious trips watercolours of the old building.One showedanumber

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –161 of pupils lined up outside the Head’sstudy.Asked what subject to allsorts of gaming and manipulation, manyof theyweredoing there, Irepliedwithout thinking that they them hardtodetect and certainlyhardfor non-experts like were probablywaiting to be caned! Irealised that it was parents and governors to appreciate.Last but not least, like explaining Dotheboys Hall. Theeducational worldhas heads and other senior staff arehaving to spend time on indeed changed, whether forbetter or worse is hardtosay. activities like marketing and fund-raising forwhichthey arenot qualified and whichdivertthem from their central So if he were to returnnow,and with these caveats, what educational role (this is again seen in higher education). would Dr Carrington find that was different? Overall, therecan be little doubt that these reforms First, thereismuchgreater external control (external havebeen beneficial. Therewas too little accountability to the school, that is) over what is taught in schools. or attentiontoperformance in the ‘old’state education Unfortunately, this has led to amuchnarrowercurriculum system. But –like manyother of the reformsbegun by the than we enjoyedatSTOGS.Noafter-Assemblyconcerts Thatcher Government and carried on by their successors by the LondonSingers, no tying up the school foraterm –theyhavesimplybeen taken too far,tothe point where while everyone is involved in some waywith the school play, the unfairnesses, distortions and inefficiencies aremore no elocutionlessons with Miss GilbertRobinson. This has noticeable than the benefits. Thereisinfactagreat of course led –together with spending cuts that havebeen opportunityfor an incoming administrationtorow back particularly harsh on sixth forms–tothe downgrading of on these policies whilst consolidating on the achievements. ‘non-core’ subjects like not only music, drama and artbut even historyand geography. So to returntothe questionofhow Dr Carringtonwould havecoped in today’seducational world: he wouldn’t! Therehas also been adecline in state school sport, so that our national sports teams areincreasinglydrawn from the Roger JBROWN (1966-72) private schools (as areour Oscar winners). Fortunately, STOGSappears to haveescaped the worst of this. StOGS in Wartime Torquay Walter GWILKINSON (1940-45) was inspired to write Second, as aconsequence of these curriculum changes after he hadreadthe article by TedGodleyinthe last and the associated adoptionofnational standards, thereis editionofthe magazine: At the weekend Iwas drinking much greater pressureonthe teaching force.This has taken cocktails in the Headmaster’s room and toasting him who anumber of forms, well ventilated in the educational press. hadgiven me afair old caning there,namelyDrCarrington. One aspect of this is that much greater effortnow goes into This latest visit occurred because Ihad decided just prior to teacher preparationand training so that teachers in state my ninetieth birthdaytogotothe TooleyStreet building schools nowrequireaqualificationinteaching. to spend acouple of days in what is nowthe splendid Lalit Hotel. In principle,this is desirable –itisevenbeing attempted in higher education–but it would haveruled out some It was agreat experience.Not only was Iwearing my Old of the most inspiring and effectiveteachers in our time Olavian tie but in my luggagewas concealed my school at STOGS, individuals we allremember and cherish well cap, pre-1945, with its metal badgeonlyslightlydamaged into our seventies in my case. Therehas been an associated by schoolboyhorseplay. This capIshyly fished out, to the decline in extramural activities: no Saturdaymornings on delight of the hotel staff who gigglinglyhopped forwardto HampsteadHeath tracing the origins of oneofLondon’s be photographed in it! Theadapted building,while almost ‘lost’rivers or visiting the Horniman Museum. Third, unaltered externally,isbeautifully transformed within, yet thereisnow much greater accountability. Increasingly retaining school features suchasthe hallwith its choir schools and teachers arejudged on their performance as galleryand the above-mentioned fearful study. measured in the league tables. Again this is in principle not undesirable.But thereare anumber of problems. Iwas taken back in time to walking everyschool daydown Educationisnot only about identifiable attainments: as TooleyStreet from LondonBridgestation. Actually it was awise American colleague said, educationisaprocess moreoften running,because Iwas not agood timekeeper, masquerading as an outcome. Themeasures used in the and so Ihad to grin when reading the Head’scomment league tables arefundamentally flawed in various ways,not on oneofmyreports, “I much appreciate his help with the least in making little or no allowance forthe qualityofthe bell”as the first ring of the daywas often done by oneofmy ‘inputs’: schools with disproportionate numbers of pupils loyal classmates. This was mostlyinTorquay, since only my from disadvantaged backgrounds almost invariablyfare last couple of terms were servedinLondon. worse than others. Nonetheless thereistoo much ‘teaching to the test’. (As the School well knows) the measures are Reading in TheOlavian 2018 the fascinating article about

162 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 wartime Torquaywas areminder of times spent crouched in One dayinSeptember 1939 countless thousands of British the corridors of our host,TorquayGrammar School, during parents did something that would be unthinkable today: air-raid alerts, amoresqualid versionofthe aerial dogfights theyagreed to send their children off at shortnotice, described by my old schoolmate TedGodley, but then I to an unknown destination, to unknown people,for an remember he was afan of the fictional air aceBiggles, and undetermined period of time.Fearing that the Nazis would tryinvain to convert me to this WE Johns creation would launchabombing campaign on British cities, the as we humped our fullsatchels from Chelstontoschool. government put into actionPied Piper,aplan forthe mass evacuationofcivilians, mostlychildren from the cities, into TheTorquay-Londoncontrast was vivid: slipping back the relativesafetyofthe countryside.Inthree days over home to Woolwichtowards the end of the war confronted 1.5 millionchildren were removedfromtheir homes and onewith agreyscene of broken or plastered-overwindows sent to foster-homes throughout the country. Iwas four and great gaps in familiar streets. At the Pavilion Theatre years old and, along with my older sister,anunwitting on the Torquayseafrontwesang during aspeechday participant in that exodus. That parents were willing to performance the words: do so at the time speaks of acertain levelofconfidence in the government and the leveloffear stalking the land. “Now Londontown’safine town and Londonsights are However, as time wore on and nothing much seemed to rare happen by January1940 some 60% of evacuees, myself among them, hadreturned home. This was to provetobe AndLondongirls are fine girls, and brisk’s the Londonair. spectacularly badtiming,asinSeptember 1940 the Nazis launched the massivebombing campaign known as the But busilygoesthe worldthere, and crafty growsthe mind Blitz, against Londonand other British cities. Farfrom being snug and safeinWales, Iwas in Londontowitness AndLondontownofall towns, I’dgladlyleavebehind.” and experience this phenomenon. It was to provetobean experience like no other,and remains to this daymymost Even given the miserable state of the capital at that stage vivid memoryofthe six years of the Second WorldWar. youmay think this was an insensitivechoice forachoir of young lads separated from their homes and parents, One of the first casualties of the Blitz was my attendance but no-one was going to argue with Miss Hordern, a at Snowfields school, especially during the early days,when magnificent opera-trained lady ‘borrowed’ from Maida interruptions due to daylight raids were frequent, and Vale High School forGirls evacuated to the girls’Grammar teachers were often absent or late arriving due to transport just up the road.Withher powerful personalityshe hadus system disruptions. One went to school neverknowing singing this and, equally forher Devonaudience,‘Drake’s quite what would happen; sometimes the school opened Drum’without awhimper of protest from us. Shenever late,sometimes it ended early;interruptions of varying hadany discipline problems with us, and formylater love durationwerefrequent and sometimes the school was just of singing Iamforever grateful to Miss Hordern. closed foradayortwo.When the siren sounded, we were herded together into alargeroomthat rapidly became Having subsequentlyspent most of my working life extremelyhot, stuffyand claustrophobic. Theonlyrelief in the teaching professionIhaveoften thought back to being provided was by the largest boypresent who valiantly the performances of various teachers during my pupil attempted to create afeeble draught in the stifling room by years at St Olave’s, and Reg Shackel, our physics teacher, swinging the classroomdoor to and froasfast as possible. rates prettyhighlywith his avuncular style, given our circumstances then. He it was who tookituponhimself If the resulting largeclasses and the loss of school time was to post on to us our final exam results, with agooddeal of aworrytothe authorities and parents, it was of no concern supportivecomment added. But at the ReunionIattended to me and most of my classmates.We tookthe unscheduled last year Ihad the honour to be seated among current staff interruptions moreasanot unwelcome respite from our and senior pupils and was so thrilled to be able to converse academic labours and ashortened or missed daysimply across aseventy-year gap with ease.Plus ça change…….. meant additional hours of freedomspent salvaging shrapnel, Ileftthat evening with the feeling that StOGS, having scrambling over bomb sites, or playing about in the street. turned acorner,was the place forastudent of today, male Somehow, however, despite allthe exigencies of wartime, or female,tobe. the teachers, unsung heroes, manyhauled out of retirement to fill the gaps leftbyyounger staff members serving in the OneBoy’s Blitz armed forces, stillmanaged to teach us the rudiments of Thetide of human events often sweeps us along reading,writing and arithmetic. Soon,however, the Blitz uncomprehendinglybeforeit, and that was certainlytrue tookonamorethreatening and destructiveaspect. of my experience of the Blitz in the Second WorldWar.

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –163 At the time we lived in a flat on top of the old London the deep shelter,whichIremember only as adimly-lit, cold BridgeRailwayApproach, then the highest point around and clammy refuge, deep enough underground that the but nowdwarfedbyits soaring neighbour the Shard. I sound of the onslaught above was muffled, but wherethe doubt whether therewas amoretempting target in the earth stillshuddered if alargebombstruckcloseby. kingdomthan that whichthe Approach presented at that time.Directlyacross from us sat LondonBridgestation, Howeverwesoonabandoned the deep shelter forthe the busiest commuter railwaystationinLondon, amajor underground stationtospend nights sleeping on its hard, bus terminus, the Pool of Londonand its rows of towering stuffyand crowded platforms. No morecomfortable than cranes and, stretching down riverfromTower Bridge, the the deep shelter,ithad the advantagethat it remained Londondocks into which floweddailythe lifeblood of the open throughout the night, so it was possible to come countryoncountless ships.On the northernend of London and go throughout the night depending on araid's Bridgestretched the City, the financial heartofthe country, development. To avoid the disruptionand discomfort into which flooded dailythe hundreds of thousands of city of unnecessarynights spent in either shelter we often workers who kept this financial and commercial engine waited until the siren sounded throughout the night sky, turning.Also,within twohundred metres, layBillingsgate and the droneofthe advancing squadronscould be heard, fish market, the distributionpoint for fish to the greater or even until araid was under waybeforeadecisionwas Londonarea, and the Borough fruit and vegetable market made whether to seek shelter or not. Sometimes we would whichsupplied most of these commodities to the capital. flee to the underground, and the raid would pass us by or This was clearly not atarget that the Luftwaffeplanners peter out; on other occasions we would stayathomeand would overlook. the night would erupt into the volcanic furyofamajor raid. However, as the raids wore on,we, like manyothers Like most kids, Isoonlearned that the sirens’ ascending intolerant of the disturbance of the dailyroutine and and descending wailing alarmmeant ‘Take cover’,and my increasinglyindifferent to our safety, frequentlychose to younger brother,almost beforehecould walk, uponhearing wait out the raids at home,sometimes climbing onto the the siren would crawl under the kitchen table wherehe roof,orstanding in the shelter of the frontdoor’s portico to would sit contentedly until the AllClear sounded. watcharaid’s progress as it playedout overhead.

Thesight of the Junkers, Dorniers and Focker Wulf On the occasions that we tookshelter Iwould often be bombers that menaced the city, and the distinctivedrone woken up from adeep sleep,get dressed and stumble of their twin engines soonbecame partofthe familiar downstairs to the frontdoor whereIwould wait with mum sights and sounds of dailylife. At the beginning the raids and dadasthe waves of bombers approached. Between occurred mostlyduring the daybut,as the Luftwaffe's successivewaves of bombers therewas always abrief gap, losses began to mount, seeking the coverofdarkness they when asuitable gap appeared someone would say, “Run” changed to night-time raids. Once the raids commenced and, with asmallmetal torch in my hand, Iwould run theycontinued dayafter day, night after night formonths down the Approach as fast as Icould to the underground’s and rapidly became routine as did our response to them. entrance. Thedash tookperhaps thirty seconds, through Initially we,like most people,largelyactedasinstructed and ablackness rent by arelentless explosionoflight and tookshelter.Atrip to ashelter meant arun through the sound. Searchlight beams sweeping the sky,hunting total blackout then in forceinLondon. No street lights, between the clouds and smoke forthe bombers, rolling vehicle headlights reduced to mereslits and lights in like the tide across the night sky.Theack-ack guns barking, residences blacked out by heavy curtains. At night-time accompanied by the dullcrump of exploding bombs, and adarkness descended on Londonnot seen since medieval the bomb blasts shuddering the earth. As Iran, around me times, an inky blackness reigned, broken only during raids the pinging of hot shrapnel against the pavement like the by the flash of the ack-ack guns and the dullred glowof playing of acelestial xylophone and, above it all, the dull fires. droneofathousand advancing engines throbbing in unison in the darkness. We hadtwo possible shelters close by,LondonBridge underground stationatthe end of the Approach,ora Once in the tube,Irandownthe spiral staircase to the deep shelter under a field hidden from viewbehind the platformlevel, the ringing of my Blakey-shod shoes on the Approach,both about onehundred yards from our front steel stair-treads echoing in my ears. Once at the bottom, door.Space in the deep shelter was limited,and often queues Iwaited until the other familymembers arrived. Of the forentrance formed early in the evening,necessitating an nights spent on the platformIremember little; Isuspect early commitment forthe complete night beforethe raids that Icurled up whereIcould, and was soonasleep again. began. Arrivelate and yourisked being turned away. In the When the long AllClear sounded, often in the very early early days of the Blitz we initially spent severalnights in hours of the morning,wewould climb the spiral staircase

164 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 and emergefromthe tube,tomake our wayhome, up afternoon. an Approach often strewnwith broken glass and debris. Although the Approach was fortunate in that it avoided We stood on the roof and watched the spectacle, forhow anydirect hits, LondonBridgestationfacing us was hit long Ica’tremember,perhaps ten, twentyorthirty minutes by incendiaries destroying the upper level. Howeverthe or simplylongenough to decide that the bombers would rest of the stationwas saved and continued to transport not cross the river, and that the Approach was safethat day. dailyits tens of thousands of workers in and out of the city throughout the war. Soon,borne on the breeze,the nose captured the scent of the distant destruction. ‘Thesmells of London’s Imperial Theair-raids were numerous and monotonouslysimilar, trade’ as a fireman recalled them. “Pepper firesloading but onedaylight and onenight-time raid remain vivid in the air with stinging particles, rum fires, torrents of blazing my memory. The first was amassiveSeptember daylight liquid pouring from warehouse doors and barrels exploding raid aimed at the Surrey docks, the other perhaps the like bombs themselves, cascading white hot flame of paint heaviest of the Blitz, anight-time raid that set agooddeal fires, and rubber firesraising thickblack clouds of toxic of Bermondseyablaze. Thesirens sounded on aclear day, smoke.” At the time Ihad no understanding of the tragedy and soonthe throb of the first waveofadvancing bombers unfolding beforeme, it was to me like apier kaleidoscope could be heardswelling in the distance.Theattack appeared show. Somehowthe fact that it was occurring in daylight to be close by,but not directlyoverus. We climbed the attic made it less threatening than the night-raids clothed in ladder up onto the roof,fromwherelooking east we hada darkness that soonbecame our nightlycompanions. good viewoverthe East End and much of Bermondsey. Iwonder now, whywewould decide to do suchathing Thesecond raid that remains distinct in my memorywas rather than take shelter? Perhaps the sheer excitement was onewhen we came close to being bombed out ourselves, overwhelming,and we were mesmerized; rather like deer and almost changed from observers to victims: soonafter trapped in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle,wecould the siren sounded and the first bombs began to fall, it was only stand and watch. From the roof youcould see in the clear that it was going to be an exceptionally heavy raid, but distance the advancing waves of bombers sprinkling atoxic forsomeinexplicable reasonweremained at home.After dust of incendiaries and high explosives uponthe city. The the raid hadbeen under wayfor awhile,dad who was a target appeared to be the Londondocks and the East End fire-watcher decided to climb up onto the roof to viewits .onthe other side of the river. progress, and Ifollowedhim. As he didn’t send me back Istayed, standing with him on the flat area behind the It was astrangescene: oneortwo barrageballoons hung parapet surrounding the roof. Theattack was concentrated forlornlyinthe clear sky as the bombers loosed destruction on the other side of the riveronthe usual targets, the docks, uponthe helpless East End below. Soon therefollowedthe bridges, railwayand the East End, but at the time didn’t rumbling impact and the sloweruptionofdarkclouds seem to directlythreaten us on the Approach. of smoke rising over dockland and the East End. In the sunshine above the burning docks and rising smoke,the Theattack was hitting the East End and the surrounding fighters of the German escortand the RAFpursued one areas hard. Thenight sky glowedadullred as, fanned by another, flitting between the wispyclouds in aerial combat, astiff breeze,the East End and the docks burned. The their struggles choreographed by an ever- changing webof centuries-old leather tanneries of Bermondseywerenow white vapour trails in the autumn sky.Which was friend also aflame. Thestenchwas indescribable as the various and whichwas foewas impossible to know, with only a chemicals employedinthe treatment of the hides were silverglint, reflected by the sun occasionally,revealing their released into the night, intermingling with the others of presence as theyhunted oneanother between the covering the conflagration. It was apungent stenchlike none other, clouds. and onewhichwillnever quite fade from memory. So Istood with dadwatching the scene unfolding beforeus Across the riverthat Caesar’s troops hadonce forded, the across the river. onslaught continued. It was so close yetseemed so remote; in the distance aspeckslowlydescended earthwards As the night ragedon, we could see from the roof-top the bringing afortunateGerman or RAFpilot back to earth. firesslowlyadvancing through Bermondsey, along Crucifix It was as unreal to me as the violence of toda’s video games Lane,across MazePond, up St Thomas Street towards the must seem to today’schildren. Iwas too young to know Approach,drivenonrelentlesslybythe wind. What a that the writhing trails masked the desperate struggles of night it was! The fire brigade was doing its best, .but water young airmen, manyofwhomwould not livetosee the sun was in shortsupply, and as the wind showednosign of set over Londononthat day. Iwas too fresh to lifetohave slackening,afire-warden advised that we should pack what anyawe or comprehensionofdeath on that September we could and getready to leave. Across the forecourtofthe

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –165 stationhoses snaked in alldirections as the firemen tried to entrances through the archwaykilling sixty-eight and prevent the advancing firesfromjumping across London injuring 175. .A fewdayslater,when Ipassed on my way BridgeStreet onto the Approach.Itishardtoimagine, from school, rescuers were stillsearching doggedly through nowthat street lights havealmost banished night, the total the rubble under agaping hole in the archwayroof. darkness of the blackout. Such illuminationastherewas came from the flickering firesastheydevoured building As the nightlyonslaught of the Blitz petered out, the after building,while hereand thereinthe darkness amoving frequencyand the severity of the raids in the later partof point of light revealed ahuman presence.What aboiling the war diminished to moreofasporadic nuisance,rather cauldron of sight, sound and stenchitwas. Thedancing than the direthreat theyhad once posed. Days might flames, the white light of hovering flares, explosions, gun pass without the wail of the sirens disturbing the peace, flashes, the sudden glimpse of asilverplane in the and often when the alarmsounded the intruders proved to cone of yellow searchlight beams as theyswept the night be fewinnumber,oralone reconnaissance plane scurrying sky. Thetinkle of hot shrapnel falling on the darkened across the sky. TheNazis were in retreat on allfronts,and citymingled with the steady drumbeat of the guns, and the threat from the air seemed to haveebbed away, and I the dullrumble of the falling bombs swelling and fading suppose we hadbecome complacent. Until oneday in as succeeding waves of bombers released their cargoupon June 1944, the first doodlebug made its appearance over BermondseyInthe night sky clouds of black smoke rose, London. When Isaw the first doodlebug or buzz-bomb partially obscuring the dullglowofthe burning city. as theywerealso called, Ican’t remember,but it was an astonishing sight. Iwas walking home up the Borough The flames continued their advance, finally leaping across High Street when suddenlyadistant hum was in the air,and the street, and the last flat on the Approach began to burn. people began to stop and peer at what appeared to be alone Then, just as we were on the vergeofevacuating,the wind aircraftapproaching in the distance.Asitdrewcloser,it miraculouslydropped. The fire at the end of the Approach became apparent that this was something different: instead was doused and we were reprieved. Thereare no words of the nowfamiliar engine droneofaJunkers or Heinkel it that Ican put on paper that canrecapturethe totalityof emitted astrange‘putt-putt’sound, quite unlike anyenemy the smells, sounds and sights of that night, but to watch aircraftthat Iwas familiar with. Then, as it neared, you it unfold as ayoung boywas totally mesmerizing.For could see clearly that this was no ordinaryplane,but what some days after the raid, as Imademyway along Maze appeared to be alargemetal cylinder above whichwas Pond to Snowfields school, allthat remained of that attached asmaller diameter cylinder,fromwhichsquirted a partofBermondseywerethe skeletal outlines of the still trail of flame.Shortlyafter it hadpassed overheadthe odd smouldering buildings ‘putt-putt’sound suddenlystopped, and everyone watched as the strangeobject flew silentlyonnorthwards over the Oursecond brush with home evacuationwas the result of a Thames falling slowlyearthwards. Aminute or twolater, raid of no particular severity. TheAll Clear hadsounded a the rumble of aheavy explosionfollowedand smoke began shorttime beforeand we were about to getonwith the day’s to climb into the summer sky. business, when an air-raid warden came and told us to pack and leaveimmediately. Thereseemed to be no immediate Later,Iwould find out, that what Iwitnessed that daywas threat, no wailing sirens, no droneofapproaching planes. the arrival of aV1, the first of Hitler’s Vergeltungswaffen In response to our perplexed looks, he said simply, “It’sa (Vengeance weapons). TheV1, doodlebug or flying land-mine,lookout of your top window.” There, on an bomb as theywerevariouslycalled was in essence the first outstretched signal armonthe train-tracktoCharing operational cruise missile.Overthe coming months I Cross, alargeland-mine was hanging by its parachute. The would see manymoreoverLondon, and theyweresoon shipping in the Pool of Londonwas probablyits intended absorbed into wartime dailylife. It was atense time when target but it haddrifted off-course and thereitnow hung oneapproached with its flaming tail and steady putt- like amalevolent plum pudding above the train-tracks. putting engine,but we soonlearned that, only when the Thewarden said, “Ifitblows, this partofthe Approach engine died and the doodlebug began its silent glide,did willgo.”Sowepackedand left, and spent the time until it it become an immediate threat. Once it was overhead was declared safetoreturnsomehours later in the Lyon’s with the flame from its rocket engine stillburning,you tea house in the Borough High Street. So once again we could relax, and watchitfade into the distance awaiting were spared. its inevitable decent and explosion. Thedoodlebug carrying almost aton of high explosiveand travelling at Those sheltering in nearby Stainer’s Street arch on February almost 400mphprovedchallenging to counter.Barrage 17th 1941 were not so lucky. Thearchway, whereshortly balloons and anti-aircraftguns proved to be ineffective, beforeIhad attended akids’ Christmas party,received a and most of the available fighter aircraftweretoo slowto direct hit, blowing the protectivesteel doors fitted at the intercept them, whichinitself was quite hazardous as they

166 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 often exploded immediatelyuponbeing hit. Thepreferred of coats turned anystreet into afootballstadium foran technique became forpilots to flyalongside,and use their hour or two; cars were fewinnumber,and lorrydrivers wing-tips to flip the doodlebugs off-course.Inthe four seemed not to mind stopping while we cleared the goal- months following June some 9.000 doodlebugs were posts, replacing them once the lorryhad passed, so that launched killing 4,000 and injuring 18,000.people,and the game could resume. Therewas also the pleasureof continued to strike Londonuntil the Allies overran their chasing slow-moving horse and cartsthat youcould hang launching sites in France in October 1944. onto the back of and getafree ride until the driver drove youoffwith violent curses, and the granite curbmadea Later,the records sayitwas January221945, Iwas to cross convenient seat foragame of marbles in the gutter or just paths with Hitler’s other Vergeltungswaffe, the V2. Once aplace to sit and watchthe worldpass by.Early on in the again, on adrabLondonwinter’s dayIwas walking up the war much of Bermondseyand Southwarkhad been turned Borough High Street on my wayhomefromschool. I into amoonscape,pitted with bombsites, manyofwhich stopped forafewminutes at Hielkin’s,the baker’s,tostudy remained untouched foryears, even after the war.Some the cream cones and bread-pudding slices in their window were larger than football fields, with exposed basements, beforecontinuing on my wayhome. Ihad just passed the broken walls, and mountains of rubble that could be run hardwarestoreclose to UnionSt, when therewas aviolent around, climbed over,and endlesslyinvestigated. Where explosion. Even at adistance of some three hundred yards camps could be built, stones could be thrown, fireslit, and or moreIfelt the blast. Looking back down the Borough whereweplayedfor hourswithout an adult in sight. In High Street Icould see,atthe junctionofthe Borough and retrospect we enjoyedawonderful adventureplayground Marshalsea Road, acolumn of black smoke beginning to in acitywith probablymoreopen space than hadexisted rise in the air.Puzzled passers-bystared at the ascending since the great fire of 1666, and with adegree of freedom column of smoke; no alarmhad sounded, and the sky was unimaginable to today’s five year old. clear with not aplane in sight. Someone said it seemed to be Moser’s factoryonthe corner across from St George’s Another beneficiarywas Mother Nature, who was quick church.Moser’s was an engineering company, so perhaps to seizethe opportunitytotake back the land. According it was an explosioninthe factory, whichseemed to be a to the naturalist RSPFitter,among the first colonists logical explanation. Moser’s hadnot, however, suffered an to settle were the commonweeds, fireweed and yellow internal explosion, but it hadbeen hit by aV2. It struckat ragwort, whichinturnattracted the elephant hawk moth 5.15pm, just as the workers were leaving work. Thirty-five and other insects. Soon birds, some not previouslyseen in people lost their lives that day, manyofthem young girls London, black redstarts and wheatears were nesting among who worked at the factory. Therocketdestroyedmost of the rubble.Inafew years, Mother Naturehad turned the factory, leaving behind abombsite that Ilater passed bombsites into wild gardens whereweeds, reeds, fruit dailyonmy waytoschool. bushes and wild flowers flourished, and cabbagewhites and redadmirals flitted among the plantain and dandelions. TheV2was the world’s first long-rangeballistic missile and Thehouse sparrow was everywhere, flocks of starling the first man-made object to enter space.Forty-six feet roosted on buildings nearby,black-headed gulls wheeled tall, firedfromamobile launcher,and propelled by aliquid squawking overhead, and legions of portlypigeons strutted fuel rocket it carried awarheadofalmost aton of high across the stationforecourt. Thesparrowsand starlings explosives at 3500km/hr.Its speed and short flight-time aremostlygone, and even the once ubiquitous pigeonis made anyeffectivedefence impossible.Morethan 1300 much reduced in numbers as their post-war habitat has of these missiles were launched against Londonkilling disappeared over the years. 2700 people and injuring 7000 more. Iamlefttowonder what Iwas doing in the vicinityofMoser’s at 5.15pmwhen Allthese years later,Iam lefttoponder whydid Inever feel school finished at 4pm. WasIkept behind at school for personally threatened, nor was Ifearful that my brief life some reason, or just dawdling and playing about on my way might be abruptlysnuffed out? LargelyIsuspect, because home? Afew minutes later,and Iperhaps would not be the adults around showednosigns of panic or fear.Ifthey writing this account, but suchare the fortunes of war,a were frightened, and theywould havebeen insane not to fewmillimetres or seconds oneway or another maybethe havebeen, theynever letmesee it. They always appeared difference between lifeand extinction. to knowwhat was to be done,and Isimplydid what Iwas told, sublimelyconfident that allwould be well.Ignorance However, like most things in life, forsomeeventhe Blitz is trulysometimes bliss. hadits silverlinings. It was agolden time forkids playing in the streets whichmeant not playing at the end of a Whydid I, living next to prime targets in Bermondsey, driveway,but wandering the neighbourhood unsupervised the most heavilybombed locationinBritain, survive forhours, returning often only at mealtimes. Acouple the Blitz unscathed while others, apparentlysafeinthe

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –167 depths of the countryside,fellvictims to bombs randomly Former Choristers jettisoned by aNazi bomber scurrying home? Whocan Graham Milne has sent this photographofagroup of old answer suchimponderables? At five years old, with so Olavian choristers: he reports that Sunday14th July2019 little experience of life, the Blitz was to me simplyanew was Former Choristers’Sundayand the penultimate service experience,anatural occurring phenomenoninlife, akin to forthe Chaplain, who retired at the end of July. His last the dailyrisingand setting of the sun, the like of whichI service hada‘Packed House’with him just sitting,listening hadnever experienced beforeand neverhavesince.Itwas to others doing the work and giving agood resumé of his atotally engulfing experience,arching across the night sky, lifeinthe Church. This was followedbychampagne on bombarding simultaneouslyall five senses, an immense, the lawn (whereitwas averyhot day!). exciting cosmic game to whichIwas but adiminutiveand astonished onlooker. Sunday6th October was the first service forthe new Chaplain, Rev. Canon Thomas Woodhouse.Itwas avery GeorgeGrant (1945-51) good service with afew smallchanges to what we areused to,but only to be expected. After the service we were able to greet his wifeand three of his daughters. Clubs and Societies It would be good to see moreofyou former choristers at Old Olavians’Masonic Lodge No.5758 next year’s service on Sunday, 12th July2020. Ourold school masonic lodgecontinues to flourish. Brian Nicholas, who attended our school whilst it was based in TooleyStreet,has just completed another year as our Master.In2020, Bob Nott, another of TooleyStreet’s former pupils, willcelebrate sixtyyears as amember (and a very distinguished member) since he joined the Lodgein March 1960.

Nowadays,ofcourse,weare an ‘open’Lodge.‘Open’is atermthat really reflects something very important to Freemasonry. We areopen to men of allfaiths, from all parts of the worldand from allwalks of life. Even so, thereisalwaysafeeling of special pleasureinOOLodge when someone associated in some waywith our old school joins us. (A note forour senior girls -Yes, thereare ladies’ masonic lodges too!)

Ourmain vital purpose continues to be fund-raising for others. Ourorganisationactivelysupports ahugerange of charities and good causes. Examples include funds forhospices, medical research,youth organisations and, of course,every appeal that is set up following disasters world-wide.Inthe past we havepurchased or helped to fund lifeboats, the second LondonAir Ambulance helicopter and special equipment needed by hospitals. We Back row -SqLdr Thomas Leyland (Steward), havejust completed raising the funds to buy those urgently Calab Lee, Christian DeCrue, Tom Dixon ,The needed vehicles with long-reach ladders forLondon’s Fire Rev. Canon Prof Peter Galloway Service –tobeused in rescuing people should firesbreak Middle row -Graham Milne and former out in high-rise flats. Headmaster, Desmond Coulson. Front row -Robert Walker, David Everett (over If anyreaders of this article feel theywould like to learn from Canada) and Ian Clifford. moreabout Freemasonryor, indeed, theywant to join us then my contact details are: OldOlavians’South DevonCricket Tour 2019 Peter GHudson OBE, Hon. SecOld Olavians’ Lodge, Well,wedid end up picking just about the wettest week 9Downs View Close,Pratts Bottom, Orpington, Kent, of the summer to tour in, but we only lost twogames out BR6 7SU or E-mail me at [email protected] of six to rain and it could havebeen worse.Wewelcomed

168 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 four newtourists who gotastack of runs and everybody and seemed on the vergeofsettling down just beforehe hadagood time,soonthe whole 2019 was another great gotout; Andy Underhill, another guest from Kenn, gota tour forthe OOs. bit of ashooter to be bowled early,and local OO-friend SimonBurrellgot his padinthe wayofastraight one. After atypically rainydrive down to Devononthe Sunday Ourcheerful Liverpudlian, Gilly,hit afew nice shots to morning we gottoPaigntonwith the sun breaking through showwhat he could do and then missed onethat rattled his the clouds. Adecent meal and hello to our fellow-tourists timbers fornineteen. Pete White hit acouple of fine shots in the largeoak-beamed Spinning Wheel pub preceded the beforedeparting too,whichprecipitated abit of aslide. game,for whichwewereone playershort. GWoodcock Lance and DaveColloff found themselvesatthe crease from Paigntonhad very kindly volunteered to playonour with the scoreon69 foreight from 24 overs. To the ever- side (mostlybecause he wanted to gethis brother out, philosophical Colloff,however, this was water off aduck’s apparently), and he turned out to be averyuseful addition. back,and he happened to find himself in good touch. He We were in the field and he tookthe first over and whipped proceeded to smash three lovely fours and, if he’d had it down brisklyonagood length and gotawicket with his Jack Leachatthe other end, would no doubt havewon second ball. Skipper Lance Giles was pressed into opening us the game.UnfortunatelyLeach was busy elsewhere, at the other end, since the OO tour fast bowling cupboard and Lance missed with aswing and gotbowled by the last was as bareasanun’s drinks cabinet as per usual at the start ballthat was bowled beforethe rain started to pour down. of the week, and generated abit of new-ballswing and got Allthe players tookshelter from the cloudburst in the awicket too.After eight overs the scorewas 38 fortwo pavilionand most thought that that was it forthe game. and it was time to startshuffling our fairly scarce bowling However, the home skipper was fairly keen to go out there resources. Andy BradleyfromKenn, who hadguested for and complete the job,and the OOsthought it would be a us on acouple of games the year before, was back formore, bit churlish not to let them do so,considering howsoundly and came on with the batsmen looking to playall the shots theyhad been winning.After forty-five minutes or so the in the book. He struckwith his first ball, abeautifully- sun hadcomebackand we agreed to hurryout forone last pitched leg-spinner that beat the forwarddefensiveprod thrash. Colloff crashed acouple moreboundaries and was of the batsman to take off-stump,and he struckagain then out for27whichpushed the OOs’ scoreupto119. with his fourth ball, when our Woodcockfulfilled his wish At least we hadmadetriple figures and shown we were and caught out his brother Woodcockatdeep squareleg. men of magnanimous character,and hopefully we willbe Andy bowled another batsman in his second over to leave able to make abetter showing next year. Paigntonreeling at 49 for five off twelve overs. It was lovely and sunnyatSidmouth the next day, and we That was the zenith of our bowling fortunes, however. found the ground sporting some newtwenty-foot netting After twogloriously-flighted and tricksy overs, Andy on posts along the bottomwallguarding the road and seemed to panic alittle at howwellitwas coming out and beach beyond. Apparentlythe netting hadalready stopped lost his length and gothit out of the attack.Ian Giles and severalballs from exiting the ground, but we were rather DaveColloff revved up their engines and hadapop,but dubious that it would havebeen high enough to stop Sage’s the ballwasn’t swinging much and we didn’t getanother six and ensuing holiday-maker-bonce-collisionfromthe until the twenty-fifthover, by whichtime the score previous year whichhad precipitated its purchase. hadreached 153. Newtourist and normally wicket- keeper,James Gillin, hadaburst from the bottomend, but Home skipper Chapman claimed theywereanunusually was stillstraightening himself out from the ride down in young team and we mayaswellbat first in aforty-over Colloff ’s teensy carand felt abit stiff.Hebowled some game,and theywould trytochase down anything we excellent balls and afew looser ones and gotadeserved posted. His opposite number LGiles tried to convince wicket beforesummarilytaking himself off.LGiles and him that atimed game would offer more flexibilityvia a Bradleyreturned to moderate success and our Woodcock declarationincase oneside was proving amite superior, came back in time to take the wicket of another relationof but Chapman was having none of it. So be it. The his (S Woodcock) beforethe home team were allout for Olavian ranks hadbeen bolstered overnight by the arrival 233 in 36.4 of the possible fortyovers. of five warriors from ODCUACO–Jamie Batten and Chris Webster hadbrought along three buddies –and Thetea was brilliant, just like last year.We’djust about we fancied our chances against anyteam Sidmouth could managed arespectable bowling performance,but 233 was conjureup. Young buckHenryHamiltonopened with on the fringes of what was within our grasp and Gillin and looked immaculate while facing the tight we’d need everyone to be at the top of their form to come and cageylines of Graham Mundayinhis last seasonat close to it. Sadly, things didn’t go our way. James Hubbard Sidmouth beforeretiring,and it was ashockwhen he was hadnot playedsince he was last on tour afew years ago suddenlyout for23. Hubbard(18) hit some nice

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –169 runs while not quite settling into his stride,and after 18.2 to remind the air nearby of the appeal he hadhad turned overs the tourists were arespectable 96 forthree.Chris down against Henryhimself earlier in the day), and James Webster was joined by newbie Mike Parr and theyquickly Hubbardcame on to take the last wicket (caught Kirby) set about changing the complexionofthe game.Over with his left-armspin and Sidmouth were allout for119 the next nine overs theyblazed merryhelltoput on 125 in 38.5 overs. runs beforeWebster retired on 110. Nick Kirby,another newtourist from Petts Wood, who hadbeen on the verge It was agreat shame it hadnot been moreofacontest of touring forabout ten years, was the next man in and an because practically everyone in the touring side could excellent bat, and we stillhad plentyofbatting in reserve laylegitimate claims to being an all-rounder,sowehad and things were not looking too rosy forSidmouth’s young basically fielded twenty-two players. Thebright side team. As Parr continued to smite sixes with gusto,Lance was that the early finish leftmoretime forsocialising ranabout the place trying to getwordtoChapman that we afterwards,and we hadagoodchat with the Sidmouth boys needed to declareeventhough it was aforty-overgame,but and eventually leftthem with everybody looking forward Chapman hadhad to leavethe field to take abusiness call. to acloser game next year.DaveColloff was the last to By the time he had finished talking shop the OOswereon leaveand, after making surehis passengers were allsafely 248 off 29 overs. “Ah”,hesaid slowly, “That’s gonesouth aboard, he gotbehind the wheel of his chariot and tried to rather quickly, hasn’t it? Let’sjust carryonwhile they put his safetybelt on.Tug.Tug tug! No use,itwas not getthe tea laid out and then we’llthink about it.”Word budging.“Whyare youtrying to put on my safetybelt?” was passed to Parr to slowitdownabit, but Mike was came apolitelydrawled inquiryfrombehind him. Our gripped with bloodlust and in the zone.Hecouldn’t help stalwartumpireSteve Parsons hadbeen reviving himself hitting another six and afour and, as the tea ladies flustered from his long duties and the tensionofthe daywith several around with baskets of sandwiches, Giles tookanexecutive convivial beers and hadmanaged to buckle himself in using decisionand waved the batsmen in. Thescorewas 271 the driver’s seatbelt. for five from 31.2 overs and Parr hadmadeaboisterous 83* and seemed alittle miffed he hadnot been allowedto Theforecast hadbeen prettygloomy forthe middle of continue the carnageuntil he hadreached three figures. the week, and therewas a fine drizzle in the air as we had He is acheerful chap,though, and acouple of strawberry breakfast on Tuesdaymorning.Devon seems to be a scones soonput it out of his mind. patchworkofmicroclimates,however, and it’s quite possible that oneplace canbeflooded out while somewherejust up Since our spearheadJamie Bneeds the scent of napalm the road doesn’t feel adropall day. SadlySandfordwas in his nostrils to getgeared up foranopening salvo,OO oneofthe wetplaces that day, and we gotthe call early warheadnumber two, DaveColloff,tookthe first over of on that the game was off due to too much rain overnight. the second innings. He was partnered at the other end Cricket was not to be entirelydeterred, however, and the by Nick K, and both of them put in tidy stints and got OD lads instigated acut-throat game of beach cricket, awicket apiece,both from fine catches in the slips by followedbygolf at Starcross. We decided to bring the Webster.Kirby in particular with onewicket fortwelve tour quiz forwardand haveitthat night so that therecould runs from sevenovers quicklydoused anyhope theremay be afocal event in the dayfor everyone to take partin. havebeen of achallenging run-chase.EdNott came on TerrySmith ranitwith agripofironand quizzed us on once the shine was off the balland bowled some furiously allsorts of amazing facts from life’svaried tapestry. Sadly energetic leg-spin that bounced and spat from the rough. no huffs, walkouts or fisticuffsoccurred, but the rest of the He gotawicket in his first over (a good catchbyBatten) quiz was perfect. and looked areal handful throughout his spell. Lance put in afairly uneventful twirlatthe other end until with his Wednesdaymorning was not much better than Tuesday, last ballhebowled Chapman for39toleaveSidmouth on but the sun was meant to muscle its waythrough later on 84 for five from twenty-five overs. Oh,itwas uneventful in the day, so after aspot of lawn bowls (whereJGillin apartfromahumorous incident when Parr demanded he demonstrated his bowls stylewas very similar to his go in at second slip and then proceeded to drop onethat “whack it”batting style) we headed down to Torquay’s hit him in the chest, whereuponhewas promptlyremoved ground in reasonable hopes of getting agame in, even if to midwicket. His place in the cordonwas taken by Nott we hadtoreduce the overs alittle. Their friendly skipper, who almost immediatelytookacatchoffBatten, who had DWhittington, was in fullagreement, and we settled on come on to tryhis hand at some off-spin. Webster followed twenty-five overs-a-side and aslightlydelayedstart. that with twomorecracking catches in the slips off Batten and Hamilton. HH hadalso begun to plyhis spinning Even though Nott hadhad achance to bat at Sidmouth (he trade. He joined the party with an LBW(the victim was hadfaced oneballbeforethe declaration) we allowedhim Mundayfor nought, who felt obliged rather indignantly to open the innings. Sadlyhefound himself facing afew

170 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 thunderbolts throwndownbylocal club pro, Tolley,and was nice of home club member JontyTupmantoplayfor gotcaught in the slips without troubling the scorer.White usagain, after helping us out last year at Kenn. He was (13) and Hamilton(27) tookthe scoreonsteadily. Gillin joined by fellow South Devonian,HenryBurningham,who gotarush of blood alittle early and was stumped to leave apparentlyhadn’tplayedfor afew years, and James Tyler, the OOson46 forfour from ten overs. Mike Parr carried who was ayoung cricketer from Exeter who hadanswered on his fine form from Sidmouth and was playing very well, the call. Thetourists batted first in aforty-overgame. but he kept losing partners at the other end. LGiles hit Tupman, opening the batting,couldn’t repeat the fiftyhe oneinthe air,and Webster and skipper Sanjay(who’d just made foruslast year as he was bowled fortwo.Hubbard arrived from London) found ways to getthemselvesout and IGiles found the going tough on atypically difficult without scoring at all. DColloff proved to be of more wicket. LGiles (20) stuckaround forabit. Pete White use and stuckaround while Parr strucksomemoreruns. hit alovelyfour beforebeing bowled, and Colloff crept to DWhittingtonbrought himself on and Mike tookan six beforehewas out lbw. TheOOs were now69for six immediate liking to his medium-pace.Hecrashed the first off twenty-two overs, and even by South Devonstandards four balls forsix and should probablyhavestopped there, things were looking abit bleak. Luckilythe remaining but couldn’t resist going forafullset and gotcaught on the batsmen stepped up to the plate.James Tplayed fluently boundaryfor arollicking 59 from thirty-one balls. Evans fortwenty-one very useful runs; Sanjaysmote nineteen, and Giles Iwereboth bowled and the OOs finished on 138 HenryBstrucksixteen not out and James Gillin biffed from 24.3 overs, whichwethought was probablyabout 20 fifteen (Chris Evans was sadlyrun out fornought to at shortofParr.Imean “par”! least earnhimself alittle rubber duckduring the awards that evening) to raise the tourists’ total to 145 from 37.3 Webster and IGiles opened the bowling tightly, Ian overs. Would that be enough this year? One unusual bowling DWesternwith his first ballonhis wayto point to note was that the home skipper hadenforced a excellent figures of onewicket forten runs from his five maximum of four overs per bowler on his unit, so that all overs. As the batsmen seemed to be getting the hang of ten players apartfromthe keeper hadgot abowl. It had Chris the skipper brought Nottyonfor awhirl. He did worked out prettywellfor them! well initially too,sending the ball fizzing down and taking awicket in his second over.Number five batsman M JamesTyler tookthe first over and the wayhesent the ball Cromptonsettled down quicklythough, and began to look down at adecent pace on agood length was awelcome quite comfortable.Chris Evans began with atop-quality sight. Chris Evans tookhis annual slot as second bowler wicket maiden beforebeing hit forafew,and LGiles had and put in another top stint of accurate spin. Along with similar results. In suchashortgame if anybatsman really arun out, theygot us off to awonderful start–Tyler one gets in it makes allthe difference,and although the tourists foreight from six overs and Evans onefor twenty-two from hadhad some early success theycould not find away to eight. Could the rest of the bowlers keep it up? Sticking sustain pressureonthe batsmen. Cromptonretired for with spin (thereweren’t manyother options anyway) the aquality51but the next batsman in knewhow to hold a skipper brought on Sanjayand newteam-mate Henry bat too.After twentyovers the OOshad been 123 and B. Sanjay’s first over went forsix, and Henry’swent for Torquaywere106, but, whereas during the final five overs nine,and with suchalow total to defend therewereafew the tourists hadscored fifteen, the home side were only five nervous looks around. Both bowlers settled down quickly down (plus oneretiree) and were able to accelerate though. Leg-spin is a fiendish thing to attempt if you to reachtheir target with almost twoovers remaining. havenot playedfor awhile,and Henrydid agreat job of Still, it hadbeen afun game playedinthe right spirit. landing it while stillretaining enough actiononthe ball Whittingtonhad staggered his first team stars sensibly to beat the bat on occasion. They both gotawicket, but with his weaker batsmen, and everyone gotachance to do number five bat, Salinda, hadgot his eyeinby nowand the something.Torquay’sPresident (and long-time OO tour scorekept creeping up.Sanjaygot asecond wicket with supporter), Ken Jeffery, hadkindly invited us alltobepart the last ballofhis spelltoleaveSouth Devonon93for six of acelebrationevening theywerehaving that night at the off twenty-sevenovers. Onlyfour runs an over required, club to markhis presidential year,and after listening to the but six wickets down. It looked likelythat things maybe speeches while sipping acouple of refreshing drinks in the decided on whether Salinda gotout or not. Gileses Iand sunset we headed off out fordinner under the bright lights Lwereentrusted with the last batchofovers. Afew more of the town. overs and runs ticked by –onlythirty-three runs needed from eight overs now–beforeLancemanaged aquicker Thelast twoyears had seen the OOswin at South Devon shooter-ish deliverythat hit Salinda on the pads in frontof with scores of 136 and 139, so we were expecting another the stumps. Up went umpireParsons’ finger and Salinda tight affair this year. Thetourists were struggling alittle was gonefor 45. Ian followedthat up with awicket, lbw, with availabilityfor the last twogames of the week and it in the next over,and twomorewickets in consecutiveovers

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –171 finished off the innings. South Devonwereall out for 120 from thirty-six overs and the tourists hadwon another nail-biter.Ifithad not been forour three guests we would havenever comeclose, and it was really good of them to turnout forusand to put in suchaneffort, despite Jonty and James both injuring their legs forthe cause while they fielded.

With Brian Cantle sadlyunable to make tour this year,Ray Michael tookonDinner Supremo duties that night and tookusthrough the cricketing feats of the week, dispensing awards forcricketers and tour supporters alike in the style of the Oscars. DaveColloff then gaveout acouple of prizes fornon-cricketing activities in an enchanting bedtime-storyfashion.

Theforecast forFridaywas diabolical, and the actual weather matched it perfectly. Thegame against Kenn was called off early on,bringing the week’s fun to amildly disappointing end, but we stillhad achance to drop in on Teignmouth on the waybackhomeand haveanice stroll around in raincoats and take lunchinthe Ship Inn.

It hadbeen another thoroughlyentertaining tour,inno smallpartdue to the cricketing prowess and unfailing good humour of allfour of our newtourists (well, five including Nick Kirby,and it would be great if he could come formore Craig,with Masonand Freddie on their first tours too). than onegame!). They hadsettled in so quicklyitwas as though theyhad been coming foryears, and we hope to see If anyone is reading this and thinks theymay like to be them back next year. therewhen it allhappens again in 2020, just drop me aline or see the OldOlavian CC facebookpage: https://www. Manythanks to our ever-dependable umpire, Stephen facebook.com/oldolavianscricketclub/ Parsons, forhis hours on the field, and to everyone who scored during the week, especially RayMichael who did Lance Giles (1988-95) most of it. Morethanks aredue to DaveColloff for handling the unpopular task of asking people formoney Results wheneveritwas required forsubs. A final thank youto SundayvPaignton (40 overs): everyone else who came down on tour with us and who helped to make it suchajolly week –Linda Michael, the Paigntonwon by 114 runs. whole Hubbardclan (Malcolm, Carole,Clare, Rebeccaand William), Ed and RosemaryDavey,Derek Birmingham Paignton233 allout in 36.4 overs (A Bradley3-47, LGiles (hope the leg’s better next year), Becky Sarjeant, Kathy 2-32, GWoodcock2-47) Staff,Pennie Giles and the Bayliss-Giles quartet (Andy, OldOlavians 119 allout in 35.1 overs (D Colloff 27, J Gillin 19)

MondayvSidmouth:

OldOlavianswon by 152 runs.

OldOlavians271 for5dec (C Webster 110 *retired out, MParr 83)

Sidmouth 119 allout (H Hamilton2-9, JBatten 2-12)

172 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 TuesdayvSandford: would haveincluded aphoto of the twoofthem, but that, as it was obscured, that would havebeen abit contrived! Rained off Herefollowthree of the photographs whichIan distributed: WednesdayvTorquay(25 overs): BrianTOOKEY(1986-93) hassent thefollowing thoughts Torquaywon by 4wickets. on his later days at StOGS: “I was School Captain formy year.Itwas the first time the positionwas elected by the OldOlavians 138 allout (M Parr 59, HHamilton27) student body rather than appointed by the Head(Idon’t actually knowifthis is stillthe case; it was an innovation Torquay142 for6(IGiles 1-10) pioneered by Dr Moxon and agreed by Headmaster Mr Coulson). Aslightlyunusual voting system with asingle ThuvSouth Devon(40 overs): transferable vote,denied Matt O’Donohue the position, and Iwas installed instead. At the end of the final term, I OldOlavians wonby25runs. was asked to giveanaddress to our year and their parents at adinner in the Great Hall. Imadeapoor job of the OldOlavians145 allout (J Tyler 21, LGiles 20, S speechand remember thinking that Matt would havedone Ranasinghe 19) it better.Looking back,Iwish Ihad said something like this: “Ninetyofussit here,onthe vergeofleaving the school South Devon120 allout (I Giles 2-8, LGiles 2-11, S after sevenyears and none of us knowwhat will happen when Ranasinghe 2-33) we enter the real world. On our credit side,we’ve achieved the best-everA-levelresults, national semis forthe rugbyteam, FridayvKenn: produced an inspired production of West Side Story, launched a couple of bands and raised arecordamount forRag week. On Rained off the debit side,we’re institutionalized and consumed by petty rivalries, we’reprettyclueless around women and historyis OldBoys’ Notes unlikely to treat our fashion of long greasyhair kindly.

Colin CWOODWARD(1969-76) has written to tellof “Inthe years to come,asthe science,Latin and grammar fades, an extraordinarycoincidence when he met afellowOld Ibet we’llstill be able to reciteBaldwin, Boswell, Boundy, Olavian in the PitcairnIslands: Of the 10 passengers on a Craddock, Cryer, Draper... or Bachelor,Booker, Bradburn, boat trip from FrenchPolynesia to the PitcairnIslands to Burrows, Chatrath, Chowdhury, Dixey…orBerlin, Besford, see the solar eclipse on Oeno early in July2019 and stay Bradshaw, Butcher,Coole,Cunningham…. Andwe’ll on PitcairnI,now retired, hardlyexpected to come across remember the everyday events that went on as we grew from another OO -but therewas one, nowadual NewZealand boys to men. Andsomyhopefor us is this: we keep up our national, Ian Griffin(OO 1977-84 and currentlyDirector friendships and,onthe occasions when we bump intoanother of the OtagoMuseum in Dunedin). member of our year,wetake the chance to go foradrink and retell the stories of howwesurvivedand mostly thrived at St Theeclipse was in fullcloudcover but staying with the Olave’s.” descendants of the Bountymutineers was fascinating and made up in partfor the disappointment.

As aconsolationfor missing the eclipse Ian then went on a trip on NASA’s SOFIA -here’shis informal feedback.Ian wrote the following to friends: Hi, Everyone,Just gotback from an overnight flight on NASA’s SOFIA Observatory. Ihope the attached files make youall suitablyjealous! Therewas an astonishing displayofthe auroraduring our flight this evening! Hope youare allwell. Iwilldump images from the eclipse trip to ashared drivewhen Iget some sleep!

Mā te wā

Hadthe eclipse not been clouded out Colin tells us that he

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –173 In Memoriam the most of his years in France and Italywherehebecame fluent in the local languages. My wifeand Ialwaysgreatly Charles COLE (1940-47) died on 30 December 2018 at enjoyedstaying with him in the various parts of France the ageof89. Fellow-Olavian, Leslie Watmore(1940- and Italywherehehappened to be living.Myregret is 47), has sent the following tribute: This year began forme that, living so far away, Idid not see moreofhim in later with the very sadnewsthat my life-long friend Charles years although he neverforgot his beginnings as he showed Cole haddied in December.Ireceived this news from his when he celebrated his eightieth birthdayatalunchwith wifeAnnette with whomhehadlived forsomeyears in his extended familyplus my wifeand me in arestaurant the South of France.Hejoined the school in Torquayin close to TowerBridgenear the old school building. 1940, as Idid, and very quicklyestablished areputationas anatural linguist and agifted artist. In fact the only school John HOLLAND (1941- ) died in hospital on 28th June subject at whichhenever excelled was maths whicheluded 2019 –his wife, Pamela, wrote to tellusthe sadnews. him allhis life. Ronald ROBINSON (1941-47) died in July2018. His We stayedevacuated in Torquaythroughout the War, wifephoned with this sadnewssix months later in January by whichtime we hadreached the classical Sixth under 2019. Mr.Rodgers who was our guide and mentor.Our other close friend was Ian Walker,the athlete who became an Charles STUART (1939-41 and 44-46) international long jumper.Healso was aclassicist and Trains, planes and marathons

We only hearddetails of Charles’sdeath twenty-six years agorecently, but thought that his extraordinarylifeshould be recorded forOlavian posterity. His daughter,Shay Knowles, has written the following tribute:

Charles Stuartwas borninLondontoScottish parents in 1928. After his death in 1993 he was described in an obituarynotice published in TheTimesas“askilled and ardent upholder of British air transportthroughout the past 25 years” who “madeimportant contributions to the management and efficiencyofawide rangeofBritish air services” and in the DailyTelegraphas“adriving forcein the competitiveworld of Britain’s regional airlines” with during our sixth-formyears we hadthe privilege, through “charismatic leadership”. Ian’s sister’s business connection, to havefrequent use of a boxinthe AlbertHalltolisten to great orchestral music. He was evacuated to Torquaywith St Olave’sand remained Allthree of us gained entrytoOxbridgewhichwas fond of Torquayall his life. Thefamilyspent acouple of something of ararityfor three Bermondseyboys, so much years in Harrogate,but he was delighted to returntoSt so that the Borough council recorded this achievement at Olave’sSixth Form near TowerBridgeatthe end of the oneofits meetings and notified the local press. Charles war.Hewas aChelsea fan and lovedplaying football. obtained aspecial mentionfor tworeasons, namelyhewas borninBarham buildings whichhad averypoor reputation After militaryservice he attended the LondonSchool of at the time (theyare in aturning off TooleyStreet);and, in Economics, then astimulating left-wing establishment, spite of that humble beginning,hewon amajor scholarship gaining aBSc in Economics. He represented the LSE at in classics to ClareCollege, Cambridge. football, and edited the LSE newspaper.Hesubstituted forafemale delegate on an NUS trip to Exeter University, Allthree of us leftschool in 1947 and were conscripted and when he arrived at the women’s hall, the warden called into the army.Charles was posted to what was Italian to anearby student, “What arewetodowith this young Somaliland and by the time of his demob he hadreached man?” Thestudent in questionwas Anne; theymarried in the rank of captain. Afterwards at Cambridgeheobtained 1951 and hadthree children. aFirstinthe first tripos and then changed to psychology wherethe maths partofthe syllabus did not suit him. He was with British Rail from 1951 to 1969, starting as a Thereafter,Charles largelylived abroad. He married three trafficapprentice,ending in the central planning unit for times and produced five children. He neverseemed to the British Rail Board. As research assistant at the British generate much enthusiasm forhis career,but insteadmade TransportStaff CollegeatWoking he met airline staff and

174 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019 this led to his next career. At the time of his death –aged64-hewas fullofplans to introduce anew airline,Air Bristol. He enjoyedreading, Charles began at asubsidiaryofBritish European Airways. and occasionally wrote bookreviews forthe Western BEA and BOAC merged in 1972 forming British Morning News. He died in bed with aMorse book Airways,whereheeventually became HeadofPlanning (finished, we think) at his bedside. and Pricing with aseat on the Board. He contributed to setting up the Shuttle service (turnupand take off ), reorganising BA,planning forsetbacks(oil crises, wing cracks in Tridents) and reshaping IATA (International Air TransportAssociation). Lifewas unpredictable.Hewas on the boardofCyprusAirways and was on the last plane out of Cyprus when the Turkish army invaded in 1974. In 1975 aBAflight from Manchester to Heathrow was hijacked. Thepassengers were allowedoffat Heathrow as the hijacker believedthe plane would flytoParis. It landed at Stansted, whereCharles and severalothers waited with aransom. Unable to use it, theysearched in their pockets forchangetobuy snacks. He and other directors attended the funerals of people who died in the Zagreb air crash in 1976. On impulse he bought aticket forthe first Laker Skytrain in 1977 just beforeittookoff,sohewas closeted with the press forthe entire flight.

At British Airways,hegot the chance to attend aJohn Ridgwayoutwardbound course. The first morning he hadtochoose awalk or runbeforebreakfast. He chose the run. At first he couldn’t runahundred yards, but eventually ranone marathonamonth forayear around the world, completing allbut oneofthem (he gotblisters in Bermuda). When the LondonMarathonwas initiated by Chris Brasher in 1981, Charles competed, and he was instrumental in providing flight tickets forelite athletes, thus raising the profile of the race.

In 1983, he bought afarminDevon,and retired. However he was soonindemand, becoming chairman and chief executiveofBrymonAirways in Plymouth. He reorganised and refinanced the companyand rebuilt the airport. He was involved in setting up LondonCityAirport(Brymon hadthe shorttake-off and landing -STOL-planes the locationdemanded). He was awarded the Freedomofthe CityofLondonin1988 in recognitionofthis. In 1989 he delivered the Brancker Memorial lectureatthe Chartered Institute of Transport. In 1990, Brymon won the award forthe world’sbest regional airline from the American- based magazine ‘International Air TransportWorld’.

In 1990 he leftBrymonand was appointed HeadofSouth West Regional Health Authorityfor twoyears. He was prepared to tackle difficult issues; he felt that, if airline bookings could be flexible and suited to customers, so could hospital appointments. He was involved in other local services; he was Chairman of Plymouth CityAirport, Director of South-West Water,Governor of Plymouth Universityand Governor of East DevonCollege.

Olavian 2019 –Old Olavian –175 THEOLD OLAVIANS HONORARYOFFICERS 2019

PRESIDENT Andrew Rees, Headmaster TheHeadmaster’s House,StOlave’sGrammar School, GoddingtonLane,Orpington, Kent BR6 9SH Tel: 01689 820101

CHAIRMAN ChrisHarris, [email protected]

COMMITTEEMEMBERS Graham Milne Paul Ouseley BillProuse Rajiv Purwar

EDITOR OF THE OLDOLAVIAN John MBrown, 60 TheLawns, Rolleston-on-Dove,Staffordshire, DE139DB Tel: 01283 813976 e-mail: [email protected]

SECRETARIESOFAFFILIATEDCLUBS AND SOCIETIES

CRICKET CLUB Lance Giles, c/o 44 Harwood Avenue, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3DU Tel: 07891 725488 e-mail: [email protected]

FIVESCLUB HowardWiseman, 7Genoa Road, Anerley, SE20 8ES Tel: 020 8778 0752

OLDOLAVIANS’LODGE (No. 5758) Peter GHudson OBE 9Downs View Close,Pratts Bottom Orpington,Kent, BR6 7SU

Tel: 01689 858583 e-mail: [email protected]

RUGBY CLUB Phil Grayson, 57, ByrneRoad, Balham,LondonSW127JB Tel: 07971 878750

HOLYOAKROOM St Olave’sSchool, GoddingtonLane,Orpington, Kent, BR6 9SH

OLDOLAVIANS ADMINISTRATOR Jane Wells [email protected]

176 –Old Olavian –Olavian 2019