Summer 2011 2 ODA Contacts

Chairman Warren D. Martin ‘Kwetu Bach’ 4 Gorwel Llanfairfechan LL33 0DS Tel: 01248 680398 E-mail: [email protected]

Secretary Elfin M. Edwards 3, Cae Mair Beaumaris LL58 8YN Tel: 01248 810340 E-mail: [email protected]

Treasurer Gareth V Williams Llwynysgolaig Ffordd Gwyllt Llanfairfechan LL33 0ED Tel: 01248 680770 E-mail: [email protected]

Welsh Affairs John Bryan Jones Heulfryn 7 Victoria Rd Old Colwyn LL29 9SN Tel: 01492 515558 & fax E-mail: [email protected]

Committee members Barry A Wynn 7, Ffordd Islwyn Bangor LL57 1AR Tel:01248 353851

Co-opted member responsible for IT Don Parry-Jones 21 Laurel Avenue Bangor on Dee Wrexham LL13 0BQ Tel: 01978 780005 E-mail: [email protected]

Co-opted members with responsibilities for recruiting younger members Paul D Smith Patrick R Hemphill 5 Parc Derwen Springhill The Green George Lane Denbigh Glemsford LL16 5TJ CO10 7SB Tel: 01824 708017 Tel: 01787 282307 E-mail; [email protected]

The Archivist The Newsletter Editorial Team (See end paper for contact details

3 Message from the Chairman - Warren Martin

I should have remembered the old service adage, “never volunteer!” But several months ago it slipped out that in order to ensure that our venerable institution would continue within a legal framework of our constitution I would be prepared to take the chair. Cometh our general meeting I am walking up towards the Regency with my mind full of all the faces that I am likely to see and hoping that I will remember the name of anyone who is not a train boy. Nearing the venue I remembered that I had promised Phil that I would distribute copies of the News Letter. The Chair seemed very far away. Anyway, there would be proposals and discussion and only in the dire situation of nobody coming forward would I need to raise my hand. “OH! Man of innocence”. Aproaching the top table and looking at the smiling faces of Gareth Griffith and Elfyn Edwards I realised I had walked into a well constructed ambush. The main items of the Agenda stared up at me from a piece of paper on the table. However it seemed to go well and members were constructive and helpful. Tim Akrill was pleased that it was run according to the Constitution and Pete Hughes suggested that I end it to much approval from the members.. That evening the Garreg Môn Hotel was humming as the throng relaxed. Some relief that we were not met by protesters and delighted that the staff were able to tell us that the whole incident had been over reported. (For those of you who do not read the Local papers, it was all about a Monoglot chef). The staff seemed anxious .The food was ready but nobody seemed to want to move. Thinking that I could work my way through the group’s deep in chat and gently ask them to move towards the dining room it soon became obvious that it would be impossible! Not one gap could be seen so I brought the meeting to order and led the procession to the dining tables. To those of you and especially to your wives and partners who do not like a parade ground voice I truly apologise but there seemed to be no other way. The meal went well and all appeared happy and at last comes the much needed comfort break! I hope you all noted that the Chair was still wearing

4 the Old Dom`s tie and as appropriate was still jacketed. Whilst permission had been granted many wondered around in various states of disarray! As my wife circulated, renewing old acquaintances and taking photos I sat and admired the technique of our 90 year old President deep in conversation with our young lady guest .Time for our guest speaker, Tony Gray to let us in on some of the secrets of Welsh Rugby, as he sat down the realisation that it was getting late! There would be no need for funny stories or to make Peter Hughes an Honorary Grand Master of the Illustrious Order of Hafod Eryri. This was done later by recorded delivery. The dinner came to an end but groups of guests seemed reluctant to leave and as Mair drove me home I felt quite pleased! However there is no one like a daughter for bringing one down to earth. On the morrow she was reading the news letter, that part of it dealing with the Rucksack club when she blurted out “who is that silly little man in the blue hat”. I would like to thank all of our past Officers and Committee Members for all the effort they have put into the formation and the running of the Association and to the Members for all your support and your contributions to the News Letter. Long may this continue. I also wish to assure you all that I and the present committee will do their utmost to continue with the traditions already established and in the immediate term carry out your wishes as expressed at the A.G.M. Warren

Secretariy’s Report June 2011

Recently, I stood and admired the ancient mosaics and frescos in Herculaneum and Pompeii, my mind unable to comprehend that some of these intricate works of man were created in the seventh century BC and so well preserved as to document as if in a snapshot, an instant in time when the whole of these two cities were engulfed by ash and lava flows from Vesuvius. When we read our past Dominican magazines (now so usefully preserved on the ODA website) does this also feel like a moment in our lives preserved for us and the next generations? I hasten to add that we are no ancient monuments, yet, but the point is made. We can go back to a time when we were there or had friends in the school team photos or the dramatic society productions. Even the atmosphere of the articles takes us to a point in time when we remember fondly or otherwise our Friars days.

5 Hopefully, these newsletters also jog our collective memories of long friendships and perhaps with rose tinted spectacles look fondly at the education given to us by what was regarded in its day as a first class team of tutors. During what proved to be a most successful Members Dinner in April, I had the pleasure of speaking at some length with the present Head Boy and Head Girl. Both were courteous and pleasant young people who expressed the same confidence in their present day head teacher and staff. Furthermore, they showed a keen interest in the activities of the ODA and both urged us to link up with the Friars school sixth form in particular. A sobering thought is that the same sixth form is actually larger in pupil numbers than was the entire Friars School of my day (Early 1950s). Our Guest Speaker, Tony Gray, gave us an excellent insight into the Welsh International Rugby of the 70s, 80s and 90s. A Friars pupil who has achieved huge success at all levels in his chosen sport and still plays an active role in the game. Roy Thomas spoke for all of us present when he expressed his pleasure at hearing Tony, in his own modest manner, recalling, often amusing, experiences on and off the field. We now have an elected president in Mr Cledwyn Jones, long time teacher of music at Friars school and outstanding conductor of the choir for many years. ”Cled” as he is fondly known, is the only Friars teacher left in the ODA and has always been a loyal supporter. He was once a member of the famous “Triawd y Coleg” while in the UCNW Bangor and we are pleased he has accepted our invitation to be Hon. President. Our thanks were made to Gareth Griffiths, retiring chairman and to Colin Dixon, retiring Treasurer both of whom were founder members of the present ODA. Warren Martin and Gareth Williams, both of Llanfairfechan were persuaded to take up the reins and we are so grateful to them for doing so. An interesting and challenging suggestion was made at the General meeting regarding having “Friends of the ODA” A number of friends and family members came to our Rucksack Club Lunches and walks and some expressed the need to give some support to the association in a tangible way, such as a donation and thereby receiving a card as a “friend of the ODA”. I would be interested in knowing your views on this so that your committee can follow up this idea or perhaps reject it as unworkable. Please also use the ODA Website www.theolddominicans.org. It is your ODA and I look forward to hearing from you. My thanks also to all who gave me words of encouragement following the Members weekend. Diolch am eich cymorth gefais ar ol y Cinio. Edrychaf ymlaen am glywed ganddo chi. Elfyn

6 A MESSAGE FROM THE NEW TREASURER

First I want to thank all the many members who have already paid their subs for 2011.Prompt payment helps me to balance the books and helps our finances. May I now appeal to the rest of you who for whatever reason have still to pay up, please do so as soon as possible.

You can pay by cheque or Bank standing order or by internet transfer for those with internet banking. Our bank details are:-

HSBC Bank plc., 274, High Street, Bangor, LL57 1RU. Sort Code:- 40 09 03, Account No. :- 71565907

Gareth Vaughan Williams

Archivist’s Corner.

I hope by now you have been able to access the items that have been posted up onto our web page. If you are able to name any of the faces on the photos please make a note of the reference number that usually appears at the bottom left of the picture and let me know so that we will have a record for posterity with an indication from left to right beginning with front row. I have recently paid a visit to Friars School to return the various items we had borrowed to copy and add to our collection. I was given

7 a warm welcome by the staff. The visit made me realise how much the present school and modern education had moved on since my time there in the 1950‘s when the total number of pupils was in the region of 300 in all. There are now over 1,300 pupils at the school of which 300 of these are in the 6 th form. I’ve also visited the County Archives at Caernarfon where there is a wider range of items donated by the school from the time the old building at Ffriddoedd Road was finally vacated and moved to the then new location at Eithinog. The County Archives are interested in some of the items in our collection. The committee has agreed that once our own collection is secured we will hand over our material to the County Archives in order to give them a more detailed record for future generations to research, As we still have gaps in the ODA collection of the Dominican, could you please contact me if you have any issue in your own collection because for all we know your copy might be the only one in existence. In addition if you have any photographs of your time at school we would love to borrow them to copy, I assure you that all items will be returned to you if you so wish. My contact details appear at the back of this issue.

“Froedre Fraterno” Hefin Williams

This year you will experience 4 unusual dates. 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11. Now go figure this out. Take the last 2 digits of the year in which you were born plus the age you will be this year and it will equal 111.that's freaky. Now someone tell me how this works???!!!!

8 Editor’s message

The scene was one of organised disarray and jovial mayhem as the guests began to take their leave. The evening had been one of long lost friendships being revitalised with bonhomie and joviality. Promises of undying friendship had been exchanged in a flurry of hastily quaffed last drinks, before the road home beckoned. The company had, for some hours been entertained by tales of “Do you remember?” and younger spectators at this feast had listened to the tales of the ancients with some disbelief. Had these oldies been young once? Was it possible? Was nothing new in school life? Pranks were timeless and there was always at least one who thought he was the best at pulling the wool over eyes. This scene was not one of a group of old warriors on the road to civvy street but school friends of various generations celebrating the Biennial ODA dinner. What an unqualified success the evening had been. Friendships had been re-ignited as if the previous farewells had been just yesterday. Geoffrey Glynn must have been quietly ruminating on what a good job he had done in establishing his seat of learning at Friars. The generations of pupils who had crossed the threshold of the various buildings had been a credit to his vision, perspicacity and philanthropy. In the aftermath of the rise of the Tudors to power London in the fifteenth century Welshmen (and women) had flooded into the capital on a tide of Celtic fervour. Old favours were not forgotten and thus began the establishment of a London Welsh society at all levels. Even the previous inhabitants of Plas Penmynydd, including old Owain Tudor must have had their earlier education from the local monks at the Dominican Friary in Bangor. The need to be literate and numerate was just as important then to the rising yeoman farmers and local gentry as it appears to be today. Without doubt the Glynn brothers (all of them) must have had early instruction at Bangor. And here we are in the year 2011 still celebrating Geoffrey’s undoubted success. But more importantly how do we ensure that these traditions continue well beyond our mortal time span? As you will read in the various reports from meetings that all aspects of communication are being explored. Everything hangs on the ingenuity and effort of all of us to ensure success. If there is anything that comes to mind that has not been explored, then please bring it to the committee’s attention. It would be more than pleasant to think that this generation of ODA members left something of equal import to future generations of Friars pupils.

Foedere fraterno! Clifford Jones

9 A Collection of Images from the Bi-annual Dinner At Carreg Môn Hotel 2011

10 Letters from America,

Alys Brown is the young lady that we sponsored to enable her to continue her studies with the United Nations in New York.

An Open Letter from New York to the ODA.

New York is an extraordinary place to be living – a multicultural city with so much energy, so many things to do, see and experience. I’m living at International House, a dorm that houses graduate students and interns from all over the world. There is a wonderful sense of community here and I have made interesting friends from Australia, France, India, Bulgaria and Japan amongst others!. If someone asks us where we are from we normally have to list at least half a dozen countries! So many people had not heard of until they met me. Working at the United Nations is also very international. Between the staff and interns there and my friends at international house I spend little time with Americans! I am working at UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) which provides education, health care and financial support to the 4.7 million registered Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Their headquarters is in Jordan but there is a small office in the UN headquarters in New York, which is where I am working. I am the only intern in our office so I get to do more than most interns. The main component of my job is attending and making notes on meetings to be sent to UNRWA headquarters in Jordan. This includes the Security Council to which I have been three times so far. I was even in the Security Council when the news broke that Mubarak had been ousted! I also do research in a number of areas, including US politics (another interest of mine) to help the new UNRWA office that is being set up in Washington DC and maintain the contacts database which involves liaising with all the individual states’ missions to the UN. I’m meeting a lot of people who I hope will be able to provide advice and support in starting my career. I’m busy but still finding time to explore the city, whether it is crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, admiring the view from the top of the Rockefeller Centre, going for drinks with other interns or attending film screenings and discussions after work at the UN. Thank you so much for helping provide the funding for this once in a lifetime experience. From a very grateful intern and former pupil of Ysgol Friars,

Alys Brown.

11 We have had the following email from one of our Colonial members.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. This is probably my fourth attempt to do so. I generally come to my "justice" e-mail (which I used to use more for work- related emails before I retired) After I'm through with all my personal emails at another address. When I do, I start to reminisce about home. This dawdling usually results in either my ISP or Find Law [the e-mail provider] kicking me off-line, with the resulting loss of everything I'd written. So this will be short & sweet.

Yes, please. I would like to be listed. I believe I joined in 2010.

I was once (15-20 years ago?) in touch with John Meirion [or was it Merfyn?] Jones, a classmate and UCNW grad., I think he was then living in Surrey. Perhaps I once sent him some money and perhaps that got my name into your books. But my "membership" was certainly not ongoing. One of your recent issues mentioned Julian Williams, the elder brother of my coeval, Nigel. If he and others [e.g., John Gwyn Jones?] still survive, and are members, they might want to know - or curse the fact - that I'm still waddling on the planet. Are you-all aware that there's some sort of "Friars" thread at the (commercial) Penmaenmawr web-site? I stumbled across it recently, but didn't have time to explore.(Friars School was evacuated to Penmaenmawr due to a typhoid epidemic in Bangor for some months in1882 Ed.)

Many thanks again, best wishes, and vis tecum sit, ["May the Force be with you"]

Philip S. Hughes 54 – 59

Philip is from Penmaenmawr originally. You can reach him on Email

[email protected] or:- Phillip S. Hughes 340 West 28th. Street, Apt. 17-E NYC. NY. 10001-4765 USA

12 Where do you read yours?

13 Noson Lawen

In the early 50's, when I was in the lower forms in Friars. My father liked to enter competitions in "Noson Lawen" He would sing (tenor) solo, duets etc. He also entered competitions whereby 3 or 4 Welsh speaking contestants would be asked to go out of the hall for 10 minutes. Each one was given a different letter of the alphabet and had to make up a sentence with all the words starting with their given letter. My father had earlier "nobbled" the judge/adjudicator and asked for the letter "D". After 10 minutes or so they returned to the hall and read out their sentences - mostly of only 5 or 6 words! My father's contribution was as follows:- "Dydd Diolchgarwch diwethaf daeth Diana Daniels - dynes dal, denau, drwsiadus - dros draeth Dulas dan dynnu delyn. Daliodd Dick Dafydd, dew, dalentog, di-Dduw - dechreuodd ddamio dyn, dilorni - Duw. Daeth dychryn dros Diana Daniels. Dywedodd dan deimlad dwys, "Daw dydd dial Duw, Dick Dafydd. Daw diawliaid diorffwys, dirwasgant, diyngant, dienaid" Dychrynodd Dick Dafydd. Dywedodd "Duw da, dyro drugaredd - dyro drugaredd Duw da" Duw da drigorhodd. Dilynodd Dick Dafydd ddydd Diolchgarwch dragwyddol" Hogia Cymraeg - Triwch chi rwan. Apologies to the non Welsh speakers - but you try it in English - not easy.

Norman W Roberts (47 - 55)

AMAZING FRIARS COINCIDENCES by Tom Bernard.

I have no doubt that there are other ODA members who could narrate fascinating examples of unexpected occurrences that have surprised and astonished them. In all modesty, however, I doubt that they can match my experiences in the context of Friars pupils. My count at present stands at ten - and I can offer no explanations for these phenomena except to say that I seem to have a built-in predilection for such unusual events. I'm unable to recall the specific year but it was sometime in the early '50s when I was on my way to the Channel Islands by ship from Weymouth. I decided to have lunch in a cafe near the docks and on entering saw a couple sitting at a nearby table. They turned out to be Ken Lewis (Ken Loo) and his wife. Ken and I had been contemporaries at Friars and had been members of that historic 1946 -47 football Xl that was unbeaten and from which five (including Ken) had gone on to become professionals. Ken and I had also trained with and played for Bangor City, he on the first team and me in the Reserves. He was playing for a team in the south of England (I've forgotten which one) at that time. In the autumn of 1981 I went to Hong Kong to teach. As I was about to leave, a cousin of mine, from Harlech, when wishing me Bon Voyage told me that we had a relative there (whom I'd never met) and gave me his contact information.

14 When I was settled in Hong Kong I phoned David Griffiths and we arranged to meet. It turned out that he was an Inspector with the Hong Kong Police, and to my complete surprise, had been a pupil at Friars (after I'd left). We got together a number of times and became good friends.

1996, I'd been working in Bangkok, Thailand, and was about to move on to my next assignment in Seoul, South Korea. The plane was cleared for take-off but at the last minute had mechanical problems, and so the flight was cancelled. I therefore went back to Bangkok for a day, before returning to the airport to fly to Seoul. As I was walking across the concourse to the departure gate I heard a voice saying, "Tom, is that you?" Turning around who do I see but my old Friars buddy Dennis Harbird and his wife Olwen (from Penmaenmawr). I'd been an usher at their wedding. I'd had no idea that they'd been planning an Asian tour, and they had no idea that I'd be in that part of the world either. How's that for a coincidental meeting? If my flight had left as scheduled the previous day I would never have met them. Dennis wasn't just any Friars boy - which would have been quite a happy coincidence in itself- but we'd been reunited in the autumn of 1950 when we both enrolled as new students at Bangor Normal College! We left the BNC to teach in Birmingham and to share digs there for a number of years. At that time we had sweethearts back in North Wales and so used to travel back there together when we could. It's been more than half a century since our Friars days, but the Foedere Fraterno imprint is still there and we're now both ardent members of the ODA! On April 11th 2000, in Springfield, Massachusetts, I attended an evening event entitled, "Writers From Wales", at which two distinguished Welsh authors, read their poetry and selections from their writings In both Welsh and English. At the reception afterwards I got into conversation with author Iwan Llwyd. After some social pleasantries I mentioned to him that I'd been brought up in Wales and our rather surprising exchange went something like this:-

Iwan: Which part of Wales did you come from? Tom: North Wales, and you? Iwan: Also North Wales, what town? Tom: Bangor, and you? Iwan: Also Bangor! Tom: I went to Friars School, you must know that. Iwan: I certainly do, that's where I went to school. Tom: What part of the town did you live in? Iwan: The Eithinog area, and you? Tom; Believe it or not, me too.

15 We knew some Bangor people in common but not many because of the disparity in our ages - me being of a different (and much older!) generation. However, our encounter illustrates once again that truth can be stranger than fiction! Incidentally, Iwan Llwyd's "Dan Ddylanwad " (Under the Influence) book of poetry won the 1997 Welsh Arts Council Book of the Year Award. In April of 2005 I attended a concert in Springfield, Massachusetts, at which the featured performer was Robin Huw Bowen, an expert on the Welsh triple harp. He had recently been honoured by being invited to Buckingham Palace where he met Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. I got talking to Robin and discovered that his roots are in Penmynydd, and furthermore that his dad had attended Friars - at the same time that I was there . Not only that but his dad, Evan Wyn Bowen (46 - 48), being an ODA member was listed in the Directory, his name being only one space removed from my own. Talk about a small world! In July of 2006 I was "on duty" manning our Ddraig Goch adorned Welsh Society booth at a large Celtic festival in Northampton, Massachusetts,. This is an event that attracts thousands each year . Members of the Roddick family came over to introduce themselves, stating that they were visiting from North Wales. Naturally they were surprised when I told them that was where I was from too . I got into conversation with their teenage son Andrew - and as you might have guessed already, it turned out that he was a pupil at Ysgol Friars . Naturally we had a lot to talk about. It was a great pleasure to attend the ODA Reunion in April of 2007. Of course I had no idea at that time that my being there would result in four more surprising Friars coincidences. I have already written about my meeting with Robin Hugh Bowen in 2005; now at our Reunion I unexpectedly had the pleasure of running into his father. Evan Wyn Bowen who'd been a contemporary of mine at Friars. Initially I didn't know who he was, and he didn't know who I was either. After our mutual introductions, however, we found that we had a number of common experiences to chat about such as our time at Friars, National Service in the Royal Artillery, our studies at the Bangor Normal College and our first teaching posts in England in 1952 (he in Liverpool and me in Birmingham). I was very saddened only a year later to read in our Newsletter that Evan had passed on. At one of the Reunion lunches in 2007 I found myself sitting at the same table as John Bryan Jones, one of our ODA Board members .He was entering Friars at about the time I was leaving so I doubt that we'd ever really met .It turned out that my good friend and neighbour Dr. Berwyn Jones, a nationally prominent Welsh-American is his uncle! Berwyn and his wife Martha Davies were my neighbours (next door but one from me, on the same side of the street) in the village of South Hadley where I live. Berwyn and Martha (also a nationally prominent Welsh-American) are also members of the local Welsh Society of which I am president. In fact, Bryan's Aunt Martha and I were co-founders of our

16 Welsh Society. I have known Berwyn and Martha for many years and was an invited guest at their wedding. These last two coincidences revolve around a good friend of mine from my Bangor Normal College days - John Owen Pritchard, with who I'm still in regular e-mail contact. John wasn't a Friars boy but as you'll read, some Friars boys certainly knew him! John was well-known in the early '50s in the Bangor football world as captain of the BNC team, on which I played, as a member of the Peritus combined colleges team, as did my Friars pal John Cowell and as a member of Bangor City Reserves on which both John and I played. Anyway, sitting down with other Reunion attendees at the Regency Hotel for lunch we made our introductions and got talking about where we were from, what we did, etc. Across from me was Clive Williams from Vancouver. I mentioned that "the only person I know in Canada is from Vancouver, a fellow called John Owen Pritchard”. Looking surprised Clive stated that he knew him well, especially as his wife and John's wife were good friends. How about that! John Deulyn Williams was a good friend of mine at Friars; it was with considerable sorrow that I noted his obituary in the Newsletter of December 2008. We'd been on the Friars first XI football team together and active with Quellyn House activities. Until I read about his life story I hadn't realized that he had emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, to pursue a teaching career and become a headmaster. It occurred to me that he might have come across my buddy John Pritchard and so I asked John if they'd known each other. It turned out that not only did they know each other but were the best of friends, members of the Vancouver Welsh Society and regular golfing buddies! In fact, John had delivered a eulogy at JD's funeral service. So much for my experiences! I'm sure that many of you have similar tales to tell, so in concluding let me extend an invitation to my fellow ODA members to share their unusual Friars stories with our readership. We'd love to hear from you! Foedere fraterno! Tom Bernard (41-49).

A walk on the wild side in Easter 1951

I feel he would rather have been acting as a Scout Master, but during the Easter holidays of 1951, just 60 years ago, Fit. Lt. [Ned] Darke. Commanding Officer of the Friars School Air Training Corps, led a small group of boys on a four day walk in . That there would be training in map reading probably justified it as a squadron exercise.

We met in Bangor to catch the bus for Capel Curig. I do not remember that any of us had any mountain walking equipment, but fortunately the weather stayed dry for almost the whole time. The walk over the shoulder of Moel Siabod to Dolwyddelen, where we were to stay at the Youth Hostel Association’s Lledr Hall hostel, was an

17 easy introduction. It was my first experience of Youth Hostelling, and also, I think, for the other boys, although I only knew Mike Gordon at all well. In those days the YHA was still run on the principle of providing cheap accommodation, cooking equipment, or meals, for members who arrived on foot or by bicycle, and requiring each to take a part in the running of the hostel. My 'job' on the first morning was sweeping out a dormitory. As well as meals, the hostel provided 'packed lunches'. We were away in good time, the next morning, for the longest day's walk of the trip. Passing through Dolwyddelen village we took the medieval track to Nant Gwynant, but still had a few miles further to walk down Blaen Nanmor valley to Cae Dafydd Youth hostel, a large, rather bleak house on a site associated with the 15th century poet Dafydd Nanmor. Again that evening Ned had the O.S. map out to brief us on the next day's journey, and perhaps it was then that we heard his stories of night reconnaissance in France during the First World War.

Next morning we passed through Beddgelert and the holiday 'crowds' to head for our first peak, Yr Aran. On this route something of a race developed with a group of boys from the London area. The honours went to Friars, as I remember it.

That evening in the Ranger Hostel we discussed the plan to climb Snowdon. In the morning, we set off. After a while, for the first time, we were into mist, but reached a good height, I now think around 3,000 feet, where we reached the snowline. For this party there was no question of going higher; the leader ordered retreat till we could take the lower track to Llanberis and the bus back to Bangor.

Since those days Lledr, Cae Dafydd and other hostels have closed. It was a good introduction to the hills, which I still walk, but it would be difficult to organise a similar walk today.

John Pilling Easter 2011.

This walk must have been close to 50 miles, equivalent to today’s Gold Expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, for which the participants train for months. These Friars boys did no training, as such, neither did they have any modern equipment, they stayed in Youth Hostels which meant that they did not carry camping equipment or food, but it was a terrific effort, especially for Ned Dark who at this time was no chicken. Do any of our members have memories of similar expeditions? Ed.

Mock Elections at Friars 1945 and 1950 I don't know if mock elections are still arranged, although' I suspect that these days it would be considered too controversial! But I experienced two mocks, in 1945 and 1950, and both elections certainly raised a lot of interest amongst the boys.

18 The 1945 national election held in July 1945, after the European War was over, was won easily by the Labour party. Bangor was in the old Caernarvon Boroughs seat, held for over half a century by the great David Lloyd George. He had died early in 1945, but a bye-election was called after his death in April as he had taken a peerage in January 1945. The great commoner became the Earl of Dwyfor, a move which shocked many of his supporters. That bye election was won by a Liverpool academic, David Seabourne Davies, for the Liberal party. It was was a two horse race, contested only by Dr Jack Daniel for Plaid, as the other parties in the coalition had made a pact while the war was still on to nominate candidates only of the previous sitting members party. But Plaid was not included in this cosy arrangement. Seabourne Davies held the seat for only a few weeks, and when the general election came in July, he lost it. He lost his seat to a Conservative, David Price-White. Price-White was a solicitor, and the son of a Mayor of Bangor, and an old Dominican. He had the distinction of being the only Conservative gain in the 1945-1950 Parliament - some distinction indeed to capture Lloyd George's seat. Locally, the loss of this Liberal seat was put down to the large number of English people, civil servants in LLandudno, BBC people in Bangor, who, it was alleged, swelled the Tory vote. Boss was delighted of course, and invited the new MP to address the school. He made a speech, which ended with the request that the Headmaster would give the boys an extra half holiday. I do not recall if we ever got it! The mock election in 1945 was won on the Liberal ticket by Gruff Evans. Gruff was then a boarder, coming from a Liverpool Welsh family. He spoke Welsh, and was an effective, but at that time a nervous speaker. The 1950 election was closely fought at the national level, and by then the Liberal party was in serious decline. Gywnfor Oswald Jones, a fellow sixth form friend of mine, nevertheless won comfortably on the Liberal ticket. His speech was outstandingly good: history master A R Davies thought it as "good as that of many professional politicians". He became a teacher after graduation at UCNW, Bangor. The Labour candidate was Frank Walker. The Conservative was Geraint (Lob) Walford, and Goronwy Price Owen, who, as the youngest candidate, spoke remarkably fluently on behalf of Plaid Cymru. The 1955 mock election produced a host of candidates. Roy Thomas won for Labour. He later became a most distinguished and esteemed economist at Cardiff University. Gerald Jones, the Liberal, later became a solicitor in Thetford, and the other candidates were David George, and Merfyn Williams, (Pinna), a LLanfairfechan boy, who had a very successful career with the BBC, and was accorded a fine obituary in the Guardian. Hywel Bebb fought the election on behalf of Plaid Cymru. Later he came back to Friars as Welsh master. The local Liberal connection weakened over the years, and by 1959 the Liberal candidate locally was my brother John, yet another solicitor, who lost his deposit. His agent at that election was James Fielding, a long standing master at Friars,

19 and an eloquent preacher at English Nonconformist chapels. He had for years remained a strong Liberal. Boss said of him " He burns with a steady yellow flame". But by 1959, the Liberal party had just about reached its nadir. Gruff Evans -1928-1992- the winner of the 1945 mock election, studied Law at Liverpool University, and afterwards practised as a solicitor in the city. He became an influential member of the Liberal party, active in local Birkenhead politics, but failed to unseat Ernest Marples, a popular government Transport minister, in 1964 and in 1966, and failing also to win Wallasey in 1970. He was active in local Wirral and Merseyside politics, and was an early advocate of community politics. He was president of the national party in 1977/8, and had to confront the controversy around the Jeremy Thorpe crisis. He was highly influential within the party, especially in the formation of the Liberal/Social Democrat alliance. He was made a Life Peer in 1978, and introduced a Leasehold Reform bill, for which he received strong support in Wales, but failed to win support in the Lords. A keen sportsman- I last met him when I played hockey against him at Oxton Hockey club in the early 60's. He also played rugby, cricket and golf. He was a large man with thick rimmed glasses, and a fine speaking voice. He remained true to his political principles, even in sport, resigning from his presidency of a Welsh rugby club when it accepted an invitation to tour apartheid South Africa Gruff died suddenly, leaving his wife, and four children in March 1992. I am grateful for the assistance of Tom Jones in writing this account. The details of Gruff's life are detailed fully in Welsh Biography Online, for which I am indebted for many details. David Bellis 1943-1950

Tim Akrill, Gerald Jones and Roy Thomas on entering Oxford in 1956

20 Recolections of Three Old Dominicans together in Oxford in the 1950’s By Roy Thomas

Tim Akrill, Gerald Jones and I were not the only old Friars boys in Oxford in the late 1950s. Two years after we entered Jesus College, we were joined by Keith Jones and Meirion Edwards. Keith was a physicist who, after graduating, went in to the church. Meirion has had a very distinguished career in broadcasting and was head of both Radio Wales and Radio Cymru. Another old Friars boy, Wil Rees, was a student at Hertford College. He also initially went in to broadcasting before opening a hotel in Carmarthenshire. The last I heard of him, he was living in France. I used to meet up with Wil and Meirion quite regularly as we were all members of the University Welsh society, Cymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym. One other old Friars boy who was a student in Oxford at the time was Ivor Davies. I used to arrange to meet Ivor for coffee from time to time on Saturday mornings in Elliston and Cavell, Oxford’s leading department store. He was the son of AR (Dicky) Davies who was an outstanding History master at Friars before he took up the headship of Rhyl Grammar School in 1954. One of the things I used to find quite amusing at school was that Dicky Davies, when talking to Ivor in the class room, would always address him as ’Davies’! Apart from students, there were a number of other old Friars boys in Oxford. One, whom I used to bump into quite regularly, was Tom Cowell. I can remember, even before I started in Friars, playing football with Tom on the ‘first pitch’(!) on Bangor mountain. He subsequently returned to Bangor to manage the local branch of the Alliance Building Society, and became involved, among other things, with running Bangor City Football Club. He now lives in semi-retirement in Felinheli.

Another Old Dominican whom I used to see whenever I went into the Carfax Branch of Lloyds Branch to withdraw a couple of pounds in cash was ‘Mr Outram’ – the only time incidentally that I have been able to conduct my banking affairs through the medium of Welsh! We always had a long chat, much to the annoyance, and no doubt bemusement, of those standing behind me in the queue. Harry Outram, who died in 1992, was the uncle of Michael Outram, who conducted the service in Bangor Cathedral to mark the 450th anniversary of the founding of the school in 2007.

The most prominent ex-Friars boy in Oxford at around this time was the Archdeacon of Oxford, Carl Witton-Davies. Shortly after we arrived at Jesus College, Tim, Gerald and I were invited one Sunday afternoon to tea in the Archdeacon’s lodgings in Christ Church. Some readers of the Newsletter will no doubt recall that it was Witton-Davies who conducted the School’s 4th Centenary Service in Bangor Cathedral in 1957.

21 There is an amusing reference to Carl Witton-Davies in J Gwynn Williams’ History of the University College of North Wales. In 1901, the College Senate voted to expel two students who had been seen hand in hand in the village of Llansadwrn, and a large crowd assembled on Bangor station to bid them farewell. Several years later the expelled woman returned to Bangor, became the wife of the widowed Witton Davies, Professor of Semitics, and in time the mother of a future Archdeacon of Oxford. It was, in Gwynn Williams’ words “the best riposte of all”. There was one other connection between Friars School and the incident on Bangor station in 1901. At the very moment when the students were bidding farewell to their expelled colleagues, John Morris-Jones, the Professor of Welsh, had the misfortune to arrive from Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll and was “decisively hooted”, the only occasion in his life, according to Gwynn Williams, for him to incur the odium of students. Sir John Morris-Jones (he was knighted in 1918) is unquestionably one of Friars’ most distinguished ex-pupils. To this day, he is generally acknowledged as one of the foremost authorities on the language and literature of Wales. He was also a prominent adjudicator and poet. One of his best known lyrics is ‘Rhiengerdd’ where the poet, in describing his loved one, creates a picture of peerless beauty: ‘Dau lygaid disglair fel dwy em Sydd im hanwylyd i------‘ words that doubtless still resonate even among those old Friars boys who otherwise found little to enthuse about in their lessons with ‘Sparks’ and ‘Pric Bach’! John Morris-Jones entered Friars in 1876 but left after just three years in 1879. The somewhat bizarre circumstances of his premature departure are elegantly described by Allan James (‘John Morris-Jones’, University of Wales Press, 1987): “The headmaster of Friars from 1873 to 1878 was the Revd D Lewis Lloyd, a graduate of Jesus College, Oxford, who was eventually appointed to the bishopric of Bangor – its first Welsh–speaking bishop in two hundred years.- - - - In 1879 Lloyd was to leave Friars in order to take up a new appointment as headmaster of Christ College, Brecon. Yet however strange his new surroundings were to appear he had already assured himself against any possible traumas of adjustment in a most novel and enterprising manner. Prior to his departure, arrangements had already been made for some seventy to eighty students and at least two members of staff to join him on his journey south.” Among those who accompanied the headmaster to Christ College, Brecon was John-Morris Jones. From there he proceeded to Jesus College, Oxford to read Mathematics, and, in 1886, was one of the founder members of Cymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym.

Lewis Lloyd was succeeded as Head of Friars by W Glynn Williams. Those who have read Tom Glyn Jones’ account of Friars Heads may recall that it was around this time that the North Wales Scholarship scheme was initiated. According to W J Gruffydd (‘Hen Atgofion’, Gwasg Gomer,1936), there were not many of these scholarships, and any boy winning one of these prizes was regarded as a genius.

22 One of the first scholars was ‘Tommy Hudson’ from Caernarfon. The very same, Thomas Hudson-Williams, spent the last few years of his life in Oxford, and I remember Bedwyr Lewis Jones telling me that he and a couple of other members of the ‘Dafydd’ had been along to visit him at his home.

In 1950, Hudson-Williams had published ‘Atgofion am Gaernarfon’ and an English version, ‘Reminiscences of Caernarvon’ appeared two years later. In it he speaks very highly of Glynn Williams, the Headmaster of Friars School: ‘He used to read extensive passages from his favourite authors in a deep, melodious voice, stopping from time to time to show why the thing was so beautiful until we learned to love literature and longed for more’. However, he was somewhat less approving of the assistant masters ‘who required us to learn the Anglo-Saxon derivatives of difficult words, thereby turning glorious poetry and prose into a dry and tasteless crust’.

Hudson-Williams left Friars in 1889 and proceeded to UCNW. After a period of post-graduate study in Germany, he returned to Bangor where he was appointed Professor of Greek in 1904, a chair he held until his retirement in 1940. Although he made major contributions to Greek scholarship, what is unusual and indeed quite remarkable about Hudson-Williams was the breadth of his contributions in other fields, and his extraordinary grasp of languages. According to W J Gruffydd, by the time he left Friars, he had already mastered all the languages of the school, Latin, French, Greek and German. He subsequently became proficient in Spanish and Italian, all the Celtic languages, and later on, Eastern European languages, Polish, Russian and Turkish. He published a German translation of an Irish text, a grammar of old Persian and a history of Polish literature. Apart from original works in Welsh, he produced Welsh translations of the works of Pushkin and Turgenev, and around fourteen Russian plays. After his retirement he began translating from Polish and Turkish, and in 1950 he wrote to various Welsh language newspapers offering to make his translations available to anyone who was willing to pay the costs of postage!

‘Un o gewri llenyddiaeth gyfoes’ (one of the giants of contemporary literature) was how Saunders Lewis described Hudson-Williams in 1951. Had I known when I was at Oxford that he was an Old Dominican, I would almost certainly have made an effort to visit him. He died in March 1961 just three months before I left the university.

Roy Thomas 1948-56

All three of them are now retired. Tim is a physicist who ended up as Head of Physics at Clifton College in Bristol, Gerald is a solicitor who practised in East Anglia and Roy is an economist who ended up as Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Business School.

23 The three at a Reunion in 1979

And again n 2006

The photographs are, I think, unusual and readers of the Newsletter might find them interesting and amusing!

24 The Old Dominican Rucksack Club News.

ODRC Walks Programme for the reminder of 2011.

August 12. Meet at 10.30hrs in the Roadside Car Park on the Left at SH611493 just before Llyn Dinas walk to Hafod Owen over Lake Path and minor road then return via open hill path 3-4mls easy. Elfyn

August 26 Meet Ken at 1030 hrs at Dolwyddelan Station Car Park walk up Sarn Helen through Cwm Penamnen and up through forest trails to the ridge and back to Dolwyddelan

September 9 Meet at small car park SH652413 by Llyn Mair at 1030 hrs on the B4410 North of Plas Tan y Bwllch. Walk via Hafod y Llyn through easy woodland trails, 4/5 mls. with Elfyn

September 23 North Anglesey Meet at Cemaes Bay Car Park at 1030 hrs - Llanbadrig – Llanlleiana – Dinas Gwynfor – Cemaes – Pleasant circular coast walk Hefin & Elfyn

October 14 Meet at the Beddgelert Forest Camp Site/Car Park SH579491 for a circular walk in the forest including lunch break at Llyn Llywelyn picnic area and a look at Glyndwr's Cave. Easy/moderate walk on forest tracks and short hill climb. 5/6mls with Elfyn

October 28 Meet at Tyn Llwyn Forestry Car Park and lookout SH765583 (Go left up hill at the Ugly House for about 1.5K ) for a woodland walk including lunch stop at Swallow Falls. Easy 4/5mls. Superb in Autumn colours. With Elfyn.

December 9 Christmas Lunch to be announced.

25 WALK REPORTS

25 March 2011 Beddgelert Forest.

A mixed group of ten members and mascot Jim set out towards Bryn yr Eglwys from Beddgelert village car park crossing the newly built station of the Welsh Highland railway. The railway, recently completed as far as Porthmadog from Caernarfon is a triumph of energetic determination by a small group of enthusiasts to fulfil a dream of reopening the old track after closure in the 1930s. As it climbs towards Rhyd Ddu the track loops back on itself to gain the necessary gradient and we saw one steam locomotive chugging its way down towards the Glaslyn estuary perhaps startling the nesting pair of ospreys at the RSPB Osprey Centre further down the valley. The party rounded Moel Hebog with views towards Moel yr Ogof, said to be the location of Owain Glyndwrs' last refuge in a cave high on the mountain. We entered Beddgelert Forest and passed above Meillionen Farm which is reputed to have an interesting history. It is said that two bachelor farmers lived there in the mid 1800's and on one occasion a stranger came to the door to ask whether they had an ancient building on their land without any windows in it? He had dreamt that a pot of gold was to be found under the floor of such a barn. They both shook their heads "Nagoes gyfaill, ond mae 'na un debyg yn Cwm Pennant tu draw i'r mynydd acw." (No friend, but here is a similar one in Cwm Pennant beyond that hill over there) The stranger thanked them profusely and headed towards Cwm Pennant. As he disappeared over the hill the two old farmers grabbed their spades and rushed out to the old barn, now a sad ruin, and eventually found a hoard of old gold coins buried under the floor. Our aim was to stop for lunch at the delectable lake known as Llyn Llywelyn surely a gem of mountain and lake perfection. We did linger longer than usual at this spot for it is too lovely a place to hurry on. Snowdon looked magnificent over the valley as we retraced our steps back to Beddgelert and met up with Bryan and Heulwen Jones who had missed the walk due to car problems. We commiserated with them on their misfortune . More facts about the Welsh Highland Railway:- It runs from Caernarfon to Porthmadog (25 miles) going through Waunfawr and crossing

26 the flank of Snowdon to Rhyd Ddu then on towards Beddgelert via dramatic scenery. It then goes down the Aberglaslyn Gorge via a tunnel to Nantmor. The line then goes along the pastoral Glaslyn valley and the osprey centre to the sea where it joins the Ffestiniog railway at Porthmadog. It may be possible to complete a round trip to Llandudno Junction then on to Bangor on the main line but I have not tried this feat of time tabling. Elfyn

15 April 2011. Llanberis & Llyn Padarn Country Park

Llyn Padarn and Llanberis was the venue of our Members Weekend walk this year. Twelve members and friends from far flung corners of our islands met on a bright and pleasant morning at the lakeside car park. A complete circuit of the famous lake was our aim. Famous for its connections with the slate industry which loom over the valley here and famous also in its proximity to Snowdon itself which lies at the head of Nant Peris, the ramparts of prominent in the morning sunshine. We travelled anti clockwise skirting the village and Warren pointed out the ruin of Dolbadarn Castle, a truly Welsh castle built by Llywelyn Fawr and then on to the Quarry Hospital with spectacular views of the "tren bach" making its way up the flank of Snowdon in a great cloud of steam. Kens' young grandson Thomas was intrigued by the herd of feral goats we saw here. The Billy sported a massive set of horns. Not the sort we wished to tangle with particularly as our mascot Jim was beginning to show an unhealthy interest in them.. Our picnic lunch was had overlooking the lake in true ODRC style perched precariously on convenient rocks. Passing through the village of Gallt y Foel, the route took us to the lake head and famous views of the lake and mountains The highlight of the walk was undoubtedly the visit to the Caban cafe in Brynrefail where John Aneurin Jones and Peter (spud) Hughes entertained us with tales of daring on Snowdon (Spud showed the original photo of himself on the summit as a very young baby in his fathers' arms) (Page 8 of the Spring 2011 Newsletter) After Tea and scones we ambled back along the old road to Craig yr Undeb, scene of the first Union meeting of the slate workers in 1879, Warren explained that this was the only piece of land not owned by the Quarry Owners (Duffs) and therefore they were free to speak out. A final leg along the old rail line from Caernarfon and we completed the circuit. Elfyn

27 The Llanberis lakeside railway now runs from from Llanberis across the flatlands between the lakes, Llyn Perris and Llyn Padarn ,below the ridges of Snowdon and then skirts Llyn Padarn all the way to the end of the lake. Photo by Patrick Hemphill.

29 April 2011. Conwy Mountain

Nine of us did the circular walk of Conwy Mountain today in glorious weather. Superb views all round but not too distant due to the haze. We had our lunch at the Iron Age hill fort, on the summit ridge of Conwy Mountain. With glorious, panoramic views of sea and mountain.

After a leisurely lunch, John Pilling left us to walk back to Llanfairfechan over the hills, whilst we made our way down to the Liverpool Arms on Conwy Quay for a drink.

The idea of meeting at a pub or similar at the end of a walk is a good one we should do that after future walks.

Ken

28 The view from the Liverpool Arms in Conwy after the walk.

3 May 2011 Llan Ffestiniog the Three gorge walk.

Well, two and half gorges actually, we met on a somewhat windy and damp morning near the old Pengwern Hotel in Llan Ffestiniog. Incidentally, the hotel has been bought recently by the villagers of "Llan" and will be the latest in a number of Community Pubs in North Wales. John Reynolds and Phil Williams-Jones arranged to meet us at Tanygrisiau and we set off past Avis and Johns' house down to Cwm Teigl, crossing the main road at Rhyd y Sarn and on to the Goedol Gorge where we stepped gingerly onto the old footbridge to obtain better views of the torrent above and below us. The Goedol woods are now owned by the Woodland Trust and are composed mainly of sessile oak, a unique feature of our west Wales landscape

29 with its temperate rainforest climate in its full glory; ie dripping trees, vast arrays of fern and mosses and on this particular day, carpets of bluebells to delight us. Passing an old woollen mill at Cymerau Isaf, we lunched watching the Cymerau Falls cascading above and below, then, with the river for company we climbed up the valley to Dolwen and the old Hydroelectricity Station which was our (Lin and Elfyn’s) home for many years. Built in 1899 by the Yale Electric Company it was decommissioned in 1965 only to have anew scheme built alongside it in 1998. A return route to the Teigl gorge and we passed the old YHA at Llan and back to the Cynfal at our starting point. Much to our surprise, Phil and John were already on their second helpings by the time we met at the Lakeside Cafe in Tanygrisiau where a view of yet another hydro powered plant, the Ffestiniog Power Station, gave a reminder of the long history of water power in these hills. For any reader inspired to walk this area my advice would be:- go in May when the bluebells are at their most glorious!

Elfyn

27th. May 2011 Britannia and Menai Suspension Bridges Walk

We started from the Antelope Inn passing the site of old Menai Bridge Railway Station and then on to the Treborth Botanic Garden Woodland Walk which has now become part of the coastal walks of the main land.. Immediately we were greeted by the sighting of the Red Squirrel and seconds later a weasel was spotted crossing near by carrying its young in its mouth. We walked on through the woods towards the majestic sight of the Britannia Bridge with the stone lions still guarding the track. It’s a great shame that they cannot be viewed from the road bridge. We were surprised by the sight of Ken Banes who made the effort to complete part of the walk still recovering from a nasty fall. The Chairman & Treasurer tree hugging As Ken had been involved with the

30 reconstruction after the fire during his time as a Railway Engineer the walk was made even more interesting by his knowledge of some of the problems that had occurred during that period. We returned through the Treborth Gardens and on to The Menai Suspension Bridge once again when passing over and underneath the structure makes you admire the skill of the men and engineers who built these wonderful structures. Lunch was enjoyed on the Belgium Promenade we then continued along the Anglesey coastal path to once again pass underneath the Britannia Bridge on the Anglesey side and finally call in at the Carreg Mon Hotel to enjoy some refreshment.

Hefyn Rest and be thankful on the Anglesey Shore

That down to earth Photographer turned up again in Treborth

31 10th of June 2011. Cwm Caseg and Yr Elen Walk.

I had chosen June for this walk in the hope of a long leisurely day on the hills enjoying the sunshine. On the day, as we headed for Cwm Caseg and stopped to don waterproofs, a curtain of rain hid the mountains ahead .Soon the rain moved away to reveal slopes of covered with a dusting of fresh snow. A little over an hour later however the snow had gone and we stopped for lunch by the side of Ffynnon Gaseg, basking in warm sun. A mountain pony with a very young foal re-enforced the tradition that this was a place that mares choose to give birth. The old Dominicans had visited Cwm Caseg before, to spread the ashes of Peter Evans, who liked to camp in this quiet and beautiful place. Then, we had returned by the way we came. Now we headed uphill to join the rocky East Ridge that leads to the summit of Yr Elen. Looking back we discussed the traces of mining and the remains of the small house, set into the hillside of the Cwm. From Yr Elen we descended to the floor of Cwm Llafar, below the crags of Ysgolion Duon; their features clearly picked out in the late afternoon sunshine. During a pause here we looked across at the natural rock shelter named Ogo Rhys, said to have been the hiding place of the fifteenth century bard Rhys Goch Eryri. From there the easy track took us down to the road head at Gerlan and our transport. After the unpromising start it had been a day when we went slowly, with time for discussion, remembrances and stories, mostly in sunshine, much as I had hoped John Pilling.

We paused and had one last look at where we had been

32 4 June 2011, Brynrefail and Summer lunch.

Ten of us arrived at Brynrefail at the appointed time and set off in good weather on our walk. Through pleasant by-roads and woodland tracks, first to Clwt y Bont, then up through the woods and through some old quarry workings. There were occasionally good views of the Llanberis lakes with Snowdon in the background. Finally it was all downhill to the end of Llyn Padarn with the famous view up the lake to the . A short walk brought us back to the Caban at Brynrefail. In the restaurant we found Mair and Phil waiting for us and moaning that we were late. A very good lunch followed with the usual lively conversation. Another very enjoyable day out.

Elfyn

The famous view of the lake and mountains from the end of Llyn Padarn

33 RC Summer Lunch in the Caban Brynrefail 24 June 2011.

ODRC Booklet - Walks 2001 to 2006. Phil has produced a booklet which he has had printed. The cover page is shown on Page 35. This small edition incorporates details and pictures of the first eighteen walks undertaken by the ODRC. It also contains some items of historical interest of the early days and the formation of the Dominican Rucksack Club in early 1947. To cover printing costs it is on sale at £3.00 per copy from Phil. Postage extra if necessary.

34 35 We regret having to report the death of the

Following Old Dominican

Our sincere condolences go to his family.

John Owen Lazarus 1940-47.

Arnold Lewis = John and I were in a select primary class group at Llanfairfechan Elementary School who were allowed to sit the Friars scholarship exam a year early in 1939 aged ten. A great guy he was a childhood friend until his family moved to Menai Bridge. We entered Llanfairfechan elementary school when we were about 8 years old and living nearby, we played together. We were in the class below the headmaster's scholarship class and our teacher, Mr Jones, wanted to make a name for himself, I guess, by entering two boys and four girls in his class who just qualified by age, to sit the scholarship exam. We all passed in 1939 and I went to Friars aged 10 and 3 months. John, who was a little older than me, moved to Menai Bridge and came to Friars a year later and joined me in Form 2. He was a keen sportsman and played for the 1st XI in both Cricket and Football in 1945/46. We were always the youngest in our class and so when we passed the HSC in 1946 Boss

36 said although we qualified to go to UCNW at age 17 years and 3 months we should stay a third year at school to improve on our results. As there were no real facilities for teaching third year Sixth we did improve but not spectacularly! We went up to UCNW in 1947 but John who was reading Chemistry failed at the end of the first year. He then did National Service in the RAF, I think, and then went to Southampton to qualify as a Quantity Surveyor. I finished my degree and entered the Royal Navy on a three year short service commission in 1950 just as John must have finished his National Service. After that, a blank really, until the first ODA meeting and then a visit to his home to meet his wife before the Cathedral Service on the 450th. Anniversary.

David Williams = I was in the same form as John through school.We lost touch afterwards. I know that John was concerned with planning. He was town planning officer of Nairobi which is where I met him once. When next I heard he carried out the same duties in Dolgellau, I came across him purely by chance as I was driving with my family on the way to Bangor. He took us to his house and introduced me - and Joan – to his family again - boy and girl, who had grown somewhat in the interval - and a baby boy.

After qualifying in Town Planning, John took a job as Town Planning Officer with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Nairobi, Kenya. On his return to the UK he eventually became the County Planning Officer for Merionith, based in Dolgellau. On the reorganisation of Local Authorities he moved to Caernarfon as Chief County Planning Officer for and the Snowdonia National Park Authority. After his retirement he spent most of his spare time on voluntary work for Bangor Cathedral. John Owen Lazarus passed away peacefully at his home in the presence of his family on 29 March 2011 aged 82 years. There was a well attended Public Service at Bangor Cathedral on Friday 8 April at 11.00 am followed by Committal Service at Bangor Crematorium. John leaves his wife Eirwen, children Karen, David & Peter, Grandchildren Siôn, Harry, Jack, Hannah, Owen, Ruben & Ellen.

PWJ

37 New Members

Richard Alan Sansom (1967-72)

7 Springdale Rd, Bieldside, Aberdeen AB15 9SA [email protected]

Phillip S. Hughes (54 – 59)

340 West 28th. Street, Apt. 17-E NYC. NY. 10001-4765 USA [email protected]

38 If you have enjoyed reading what we have produced in this Newsletter please send along your own contribution!

No later than the end of October 2011 for the Winter Edition.

Recollections of your National Service, Interesting experiences in your lives, “A year to remember”, Short news items particularly welcome. And please include any interesting photographs such as “Where do you read your Newsletter?”.

Don’t forget to let us know if you change your address.

Editor Clifford Michael Jones, Manor Lodge, Aston Ingham, Ross on Wye, HR9 7LS. Tel: 01989 720 575 E-mail [email protected]

Assistant Editors Phil Williams-Jones E-mail [email protected]

Warren Martin E-mail [email protected]

Archivist Hefin Williams E-mail [email protected] Telephone 01248 714471

Check out The Old Dominicans Web Page at http://oldda.synthasite.com Also the School Web page at http://www.friars.gwynedd.sch.uk

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