The Merchistonian 2014 Club Magazine
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THE MERCHISTONIAN 2014 CLUB MAGAZINE CHAMPIONS Golf Club leads us to fourth Halford Hewitt victory Profiles 9 Merchistonian elected to the Royal Company Welcome of Archers Welcome to the 2014 Club Magazine. Thank you to everyone 28 Church, sex and poverty who has contributed, both to the magazine and the continued 50 Terning towards success of the Club. The following pages provide just a snapshot Scotland for television of the year’s activity. With constant goings-on, to keep up-to-date 52 Decent exposure it’s best to sign up to our weekly e-newsletter (if you don’t 76 London calling receive it, just send your updated contact address to 78 Goodness gracious [email protected]). Gilson Gray! We have a few changes in the Merchistonian office, with Amy doing a great job covering Jo Tennant’s maternity leave - for Features those interested, Jo had a little girl and both are doing well. Over 6 Getting into gear for the summer Carol, with whom I know many of you are familiar, charity has moved on and – just to create confusion – Jo Khan has 10 10 leadership 'lessons' stepped into her shoes! 14 Clouds open in Cape There have been many exciting and interesting events Town throughout 2014, and with the 150th anniversary of the Club in 17 Merchistonian of 2015, it is set to be a good year. Keep an eye out for new the Year developments at the School, too. 2015 promises to mark a new 3 18 A brief history of The chapter in Merchiston’s history. Merchistonian Club | Content 31 Sailing the Salish Sea David Rider 34 Steely determination Development Director and an iron will 40 Champions through The Merchistonian Club the ages t. 0131 312 2262/2237 42 Halford Hewitt history [email protected] 58 Horsing around www.merchistonians.co.uk Down Under 60 A lot on his palate /merchistonians 61 A moment in time on /merchistonian the subcontinent in/merchistonianclub 62 Lights, camera, action! 90 Merchistonian events and reunions Notices 24 Headmaster’s Headlines 46 Stories, Snapshots and Snippets 64 Births 65 Graduations 66 Obituaries 82 Sports Reports The Merchistonian Office - Jo Khan, Amy McGoldrick, David Rider 88 Club Officials Design and Production platinumgraphics.co.uk Dates for Secretary’s Note your diary Dear Merchistonians This year has been a veritable smörgåsbord of events and 2015 sports; I thank you for so warmly inviting me into the Club January and letting me find my feet so easily. From 6 Nations events • 30 January: Edinburgh Business to the revived Merchistonians vs. Academicals FP match Breakfast, Tigerlily at Raeburn Place; Business Breakfasts; the Halford Hewitt; reunions; tours; dinners and functions, it has been a whirlwind February of excitement. The Merchistonian Club is a participative and • 15 February: 6 Nations – Scotland vs. close-knit community which is only getting stronger. Wales • 27 February: Edinburgh Business Over the course of the year, I’ve had the privilege of Breakfast; Alistair Macleod (53-57), seeing 85 upstanding young men leave their Merchiston Indigo Yard home for the last time and move on to universities, gap years • 28 February: 6 Nations – Scotland vs. Italy and, for some, straight into the world of work. March I’ve marvelled at the passion Merchistonians have for their sport, their School and their friendships. The Club allows • 3 March: The Merchistonian Club AGM • 13 March: Pre-Calcutta Cup London former pupils to be connected across the globe and for you Dinner to draw upon it as a resource. I’m grateful to have worked 4 • 14 March: 6 Nations – England vs. Scotland with the Club, providing introductions, job opportunities, | Note • 21 March: 6 Nations – Scotland vs. Ireland networking events and career mentoring, as well as a social • 27 March: Edinburgh Business Breakfast, calendar of annual dinners, class reunions and informal Waldorf Caledonian drinks gatherings in so many different countries. • 28 March: MRFC vs. Accies Match with It’s been a real pleasure to write the weekly e-newsletters pre-match lunch and to read your replies on a Monday morning. Your memories, stories, anecdotes and photographs have never April failed to make me smile. It is always lovely to hear from you • Golf Club Spring Meeting (see website for all, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone, drop the office dates nearer the event) a line or come up to us in person! If you only receive this • 24 April: Edinburgh Business Breakfast magazine, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – May or just send an email to [email protected] and we’ll • 29 May: Edinburgh Business Breakfast get you up to speed. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed putting June • 26 June: Edinburgh Business Breakfast it all together. Merchistonians have left the Castle gates and achieved success and happiness through so many different Undoubtedly, you can expect more avenues; from discovering the gorillas of Uganda, producing Merchistonian events throughout the year a movie in the United States to even sailing around the and around the world; please check the Area Reps’ notes at the back of the magazine world, I hope you feel proud when you read these stories. for further information. To make sure you are kept updated, informed and invited Amy McGoldrick to the above events, please ensure that Club Secretary the Club has your most up-to-date email address by sending Amy an email to [email protected] with your name and years in the subject. President’s Report Fellow Merchistonians The Golf Club will do well to surpass their tremendous achievements of 2014. I am, of This has been another very busy and successful course, not just referring to the President year for The Merchistonian Club and I am, again, winning the Silver Medal at the Spring Meeting, indebted to the energy, hard work and dedication but rather the team’s fantastic win at Deal, of the Development Team, comprising of David bringing back the Halford Hewitt Cup for the Rider, Amy McGoldrick and Joanna Khan for fourth time in our history. This has been a their support throughout the year and for considerable achievement by a Scottish school producing another excellent Merchistonian and has certainly helped to raise the profile of Club Magazine. the School south of the border. Look out for a The Club’s Committee, Sports Secretaries call to arms to sign up for a fundraising golf and Area Representatives have continued to meeting early next season to help support the strive to provide you with a number of varied team’s preparations for their defence of the trophy. 5 opportunities to participate in Club activities, Of this year’s many highlights, a couple have | Report ranging from sports events to Annual Dinners stood out for me. As President at the Annual and Business Network meetings. All of these Dinner in Edinburgh, I had the privilege to gatherings involve a great deal of planning and congratulate Sandy Corstorphine as Merchistonian co-ordination, so I extend a huge thank you to of the Year – a most deserving recipient. all those who get involved and who help in their Also in November, I was delighted to be organisation. accompanied at the annual Remembrance It is important to remember that your Service by my father (AW 41-46, brother of HS participative support for these activities and 36-41, son of W 09-14), laying the wreath on events allow the Club to grow and to extend behalf of all Merchistonians at the foot of the what can be offered and scheduled from year- WWI plaque that bears the name of my Great to-year. The success of the Annual Dinner in Uncle (HS 13-17). Edinburgh, the London and Edinburgh Business I look forward to the forthcoming year and Network meetings and the pre-Calcutta Cup again hope to be able to report on what I hope London Dinner have allowed us to plan, with will have been an eventful anniversary for the Club. some confidence, more events for our forthcoming 150th Anniversary in 2015. Please Ready Ay Ready look out for further details on the website and within your Secretary’s weekly e-mails. In March, we have another MRFC vs. Edinburgh Academicals FP match to look forward to. The previous match at Raeburn Place was very well supported and was followed by a gala dinner in the President’s Suites at W Andrew McDonald Murrayfield Stadium. President Getting into gear for charity Join Ying Jin (10-14) and Cameron Scott (12-14) on their 2,400km journey for cancer research over 24 days. Putting words down on a page will never truly Over the next couple of days, we travelled capture the spirit of an undertaking such as across the Brittany region of France and soon this, but I hope that the following will help give got to grips with French roads (not to mention you a flavour of what our trip was all about. the crazy driving style). We met up with fellow The idea for it all came about some time ago, Merchistonian Antoine Magré (10-14) and he on a rather cold, dark winter evening during our took us out of the harbour on his sailing boat second last term at Merchiston. Yet it was not for the day. It was such an incredible experience! until all our bags had been packed, our bikes The whole region of Brittany boasts some truly prepped and we were sitting on the train to spectacular views, which included Cap Fréhel.