Old Wrekinian Record
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THE OLD WREKINIAN RECORD OCTOBER 2015 NO. 98 WHAT’S INSIDE Dates for your diary 2015-16 n P3 Letter from the Headmaster SUNDAY, 8TH NOVEMBER 2015 n P5 New bosses Remembrance Sunday Service – School Chapel n P6 News of members 10.30am n P8 Sport n P16 OWA news THURSDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 n P18 Annual dinners London Branch Dinner – The East India Club, St James’ Square n P24 From the archives n P26 Computing at Wrekin College WEDNESDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2016 n P30 Births, deaths and marriages Manchester Branch Dinner – Francs Restaurant, n P35 Coming back to Wrekin Altrincham n P36 Wrekin College Foundation SATURDAY, 7TH MAY 2016 n P40 Fallen but not forgotten Old Windsorians Dinner – Willington Hall, n P42 Coming Back to Wrekin Tarporley n P44 Wrekin College Foundation SATURDAY, 14TH MAY 2016 n P52 Ellie’s School Blazer Reunion Day for the Leavers of 1991 to 2005 n P54 Available for Sale n P56 Contacts THURSDAY, 9TH JUNE 2016 London Branch Tavern Trot The front cover shows reunion dinner guests – Tim Naik (Y.83-88), Jenny Stringer (nee Gillison) (C.86-88), James Parsons (W.84-88), Alastair Houston (W.83-88), Middle: Kate Thomas (C.86-88), Back: Tim Bulley (T.84-88), Emma Paskett (C.86-88), Justin Mallinson The Old Wrekinian Lodge is always looking (W.83-88), Birgit Roelink-Assink for new young members. If you are interested, (nee Assink) (C.86-88), Melinda Wotton (nee Brown) (C.86-88). please contact the Lodge Secretary. For further details, contact the appropriate secretary (see contacts on back cover). Editor: Serena Kyle T. 01952 265609 DEADLINES Would all contributors please keep to the following deadlines: Produced by Emerge Design Limited Telephone: 01952 632750 January 1st for the Spring publication. www.emergedesign.co.uk August 1st for the Autumn publication. Letter from the Headmaster Another Wrekin year is underway and we are already rocketing towards Christmas. October 2015 We started the year with 113 new pupils, very friendly, welcoming, warm community over a quarter of the school, and they have we have today. settled in very well. On the first Sunday of The examination results this summer were very term, as always, we had our traditional good with all but 5 upper sixth students gaining their chosen place at university and those very start of year service followed by the quickly found suitable courses. Pride of place ascent of the Wrekin. The Chapel choir went to Matthew Boyce who gained 4 A* grades was resplendent in its new blue robes and in mathematics, further mathematics, physics and chemistry at A level plus A grades in biology and the magnificence of its appearance was computing at AS level. He has secured a matched by the standard of its singing. place at Selwyn College, Cambridge to read What made the service more special than computer science. ever was the unveiling, in Chapel mounted Georgie Hockenhull who won two bronze on the gallery, of bosses representing medals for Wales in gymnastics at the Clarkson, Roslyn and Lancaster Houses Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 had to complete her A level examinations in Baku in as we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Azerbaijan where she was competing for Great admitting girls into Wrekin College. Britain in the European Games. She reached the final of the beam competition and also gained 2 A Geoffrey Hadden championed the arts, music levels – superb performances. and drama but his major piece in the jigsaw of There were excellent performances at both AS modernising Wrekin College and its thinking, was and GCSE level. Nothing pleases the teachers more the introduction of girls. I can’t comment upon than pupils, of all abilities, doing their best and whether they did have a direct impact on the rugby being successful. as many complained at the time, but they did soften Wrekin initially at the edges and gradually This term has started very positively. The new that influence spread to the very heart of the pupils quickly realised that lusty singing in Chapel school. They broke down the boundaries between was a priority. On the first weekend of term, the the Houses and the year groups as more socialising girls’ netball team won a tournament at King’s took place and the school has evolved into the School, Worcester and the 1st XV opened its 3 Letter from the Headmaster account with a victories over KES Birmingham and Michael de Weymarn, the OWA’s new honorary Shrewsbury. secretary, ex-Housemaster of Bayley and teacher of history, hits 70 not out this year. As many recent This year, the Foundation, to which many OWs have old boys know, his great passion at Wrekin was donated, supports even more talented pupils who cricket, having run the 1st XI for a period of about otherwise would not be able to attend the school. 20 years. At his birthday bash, held fittingly in the They will add greatly to the Wrekin community and cricket pavilion, I realised that there are lists of its success academically and in areas such as music the 1st XIs over the years, but it struck me that, and games. In return, Wrekin will change their fittingly, we also should recognise those masters who spent hours of their time dedicated to the teams. Hamish Kerr, Clive Gower and Michael are three who I know spent many years in charge of the eleven. I have presented Mervyn Joyner, OWA archivist, with the task of delving back through the annals to produce a comprehensive list, with dates, which we can commemorate in the pavilion. I am sure Mervyn would appreciate any help you can give him ensuring he gets the details spot on and, indeed, any tales of when you starred in the team. On a personal note, you will probably have heard that this season will be my last as Headmaster of lives. Wrekin, as always, is forward-thinking and this wonderful school. It has been a great honour has unveiled its plans for a new Business School, to have the opportunity to lead Wrekin for the last for completion in early 2017, and is looking beyond couple of years of my long, but most enjoyable, that to developing facilities which will enable it to association with the place and around 40 years increase its ever-growing reputation for excellence seems to be the right number to retire on. When in music and the performing arts. We wish to I arrived in 1976, for what I thought would be a strengthen links with businesses which may be couple of years, I never dreamt I would still be able to provide speakers for our lecture series or here! I am sure that during the year there will be work experience placements. The Foundation will numerous opportunities for me to thank everyone support the school with these projects and would for their support and encouragement and, no doubt, be pleased to hear from any OWs who are able my going will be commented upon ‘at my last Carol to contribute financially, with expertise or with Service’, ‘my last concert’, etc. My spies tell me that materials. We are particularly seeking support from even the House Singing may be themed around an companies which might donate to the building of aspect of my life: ‘Songs from Dr G’s youth, 1950- the Business School over a two year period and 1968.’ No doubt the losing Houses will blame me then continue to sponsor pupils through the school. for being born in the wrong musical genre. Best wishes Dr Haydn Griffiths, Headmaster 4 NEW BOSSES On Sunday, 13th September during the Whole School Service, we celebrated not only the 40th anniversary of girls being admitted into the school in 1975, but also the unveiling of the three new House bosses. The pictures show Claire Campion (R.99-04) unveiling the Roslyn Boss, Serena Kyle (nee Howard) (C.75-77) the Clarkson Boss and Neil Griffiths (Y.93-00) unveiling the Lancaster Boss. Neil was one of the first boys in Lancaster House when it opened in 1993. This photo was taken on Sunday, 13th September by Simon Platford, the Director of Music, showing the School Choir in its new gowns which were paid for in the main by the OWA and also by donations from the Headmaster and parents. 5 News of members 1960s Richard Jones (S.61-66) was in Sales and Marketing of Inorganic Chemicals at Bayer UK from 1940s 1970-03, this included a two year secondment to Julian Jeffs (S.44-49) writes that at the age of 83 Company HQ in Germany. He spent his final few he has just published a sixth edition of his book years before retirement at Kerridge/ADP Dealer ‘Sherry’. It comes from a small specialist publisher Services from 2004-08 as Occupational Safety Infinite Ideas in Oxford. The first edition was Adviser. He was Head of House as was his brother published by Faber and Faber in 1961. Michael Jones (S.57-61). Richard has regular contact with Richard Bush (T.61-66) with whom Gordon Woolley (S.42-46) has sent in an article he was also at prep school, The Leas, Hoylake – from the Lancashire Telegraph which tells of his now no longer there. Both attended the OWA part in developing the aerosol that we know today. London Branch Golf Day at Windlesham Golf Club In 1948 Gordon and his father Ewart, Chairman of on 17th March ‘an excellent day out’. the Secto Company of Blackburn, were responsible for marketing the first aerosol in Britain – Secto Don McLachlan (N.56-60) writes: I value the OWA Fly Aerosol.