St. George's School Windsor Castle Association CHRONICLE 2019
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St. George’s School Windsor Castle Association CHRONICLE 2019 Welcome to another edition of the Chronicle, one that is likely to be the last. In years gone by Old Pupils’ news used to be included in the Chronicle as part of the school’s summary of each term. At the end of the last century, this section migrated to the newly School Magazine but by the beginning of this century disappeared from view giving rise to the rebirth of The Chronicle. Proving that there is nothing new under the sun, from next year the two publications will be reunited as part of the drive under way to integrate alumni matters within the daily operation of the school. This is a very welcome development and one that comes early in our new Headmaster’s tenure. William and Catherine Goldsmith joined St George’s in January of this year and have right from the beginning been kind and interested hosts to the Association Committee. I hope that you get to meet them both in the near future and hear William’s hopes and plans for the school. It is perhaps an opportune moment to remind ourselves the objects of the Association as with the arrival of a new Headmaster I am sure we will all wish to ensure he receives our support and encouragement as he charts the path ahead: The objects shall be to encourage Members to keep in touch with each other and with the School. Members shall also be encouraged to give their support to the School, its Choral Traditions, and the Headmaster whenever they can do so. Signing off as Honorary Secretary after some seven years in post, I find myself reflecting on how like a broken record I must sound. However, given that this is a skill that many teachers share I shall end simply by reiterating that the Association is its members and for it to flourish their involvement is crucial. It is wonderful that this Reunion day will see more than twenty people returning to play cricket, fifty or more attending chapel and 90 our evening entertainment, many of them younger members. If one of our objects is to keep members in touch one with another, I hope that many of these attendees can be persuaded to provide their news for inclusion in future publications. Obituaries I have first to announce the obituaries and notifications that have been received. We have learned of the death of Dr Martin Cardew (1935-41). (Paul) Richard Halsey (1954-59) 4 April 1945 to 11 January 2019 Richard died on the 11th January 2019 having been diagnosed only six weeks before with a rare and particularly aggressive form of cancer. Richard was a chorister from 1954-1959 and loved his time at St George’s under the choral direction of Sir William Harris. Those years saw him sing at Garter installations for, and attended by, important dignitaries of the age, including Winston Churchill. His time at St George’s greatly influenced the rest of his life and in particular brought on his great interest in music allied to a deep Christian faith. However, his love of music extended beyond choral and classical genres, and it was the music of Chuck Berry which he played to us on his iPad on one his final family evenings together. At St George’s, he played cricket, football and rugby and was first introduced to archery. Archery became a big theme later in life and within a short period of taking it up again during his retirement he was shooting for Surrey County. He won competitions on visits both to New Zealand, France, Malta and Jersey. He was invited to become a member of the Royal Toxophilite Society and served as its Secretary, of which he was extremely proud. He went on to Haileybury College and had a career in insurance. He married Diana in 1970 and they had two sons. Richard enjoyed visits to New Zealand where his elder son is married and now lives. His younger son is married and has four children who brought Richard great joy. Early retirement saw Richard pursuing many of his interests including archery, taking up the trombone and playing in a band and with 2 jazz groups and even, at the end of last year, passing his grade 3 with distinction. One particularly unusual interest was to be found in the challenge of driving red double- decker buses for 6 years in the Croydon area! He attended many Reunions (often as a member of the cricket team) and was a former Honorary Treasurer of the Association. Latterly he enjoyed singing in the choir at Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield with his younger son and eldest grand-daughter. A Thanksgiving Service of Holy Communion was held there attended by a full church, the music provided by a wonderful choir in the tradition that Richard loved. Edward Jackson (a contemporary of Richard’s) attended the service. Captain Patrick Alan Colin Harland (1938–43) OBE, RN Ret’d. 21st March 1930 - 18th April 2019 It is with great sadness that Tim Harland (1967–72) writes to inform us of the death of his father on 18th April 2019 after a long and difficult illness. He loved his time at St. George’s and talked of it often, even giving talks relatively recently about it under the title, ‘Reminiscences of A Chorister’, to anyone who would invite him to speak. He would tell tales of the choir having to stop in the middle of a service when there was an air raid warning during WWII and solemnly process out and then run down the 100 Steps at speed. He would also relate how he sang at the funeral of Queen Victoria youngest son, the Duke of Connaught, in January 1942, and was thereafter proud to tell people that he “sang at the funeral of the great Duke of Wellington’s Godson”! He also recalled singing at Princess Elizabeth’s (now our Queen) confirmation in the private chapel and with three other choristers on another occasion to give a sight-reading demonstration to the two Princesses in Dr Harris’ drawing room. Patrick became Head Chorister in 1943 at 13 years old, but with three older brothers away at war in the army, navy and air force respectively, he was keen to do his bit and join up. He was desperate to join the Royal Navy and become an officer, but the entry age for joining the Royal Navy College Dartmouth was between the age of thirteen years and two months and thirteen years and six months. This was a problem for the Dean and Chapter because as a chorister you were obliged to stay until you were 14, or until your voice broke. It was said that the academic entry level for Dartmouth was higher than for public schools and the Headmaster said he was unlikely to get in on his academic prowess. He therefore told the Dean and Chapter that as it was most unlikely that he would get in, they may as well let him have a go! He did get in, and they did let him go, and he went on to have a distinguished career in the Royal Navy. Patrick remained a keen supporter of the Old Boys Club and was also a Life Friend of St. George’s Chapel. He always said that the discipline of being a chorister stood him in good stead for the rest of his life. He continued to sing in a number of choirs until late in his life, most notably the Wells Oratorio Society for 10 years of which he was chairman for three years. The saddest thing about the progressive illness from which he suffered was that for his last two years, he lost the ability to speak and worse still, in his mind, to sing – a cruel irony for someone who specialised in communication in the Navy and who thrived on singing. A photograph of the choir during his time standing on the steps of the West Door hung on the wall in his room at the nursing home. It’s fair to say therefore that St. George’s was very much with him and was a part of him up until the very end. His light-hearted nature, great kindness, generosity and good humour will I am sure be missed by all who knew him. Jessie Hicks (Matron 1977-95) died in December 2018. Her funeral service was held on Wednesday 12th December at West Suffolk Crematorium, Bury St Edmunds. Sue Hill BEM wife of former Head Master George Hill LVO (1983-92). Sue will be remembered by staff and boys alike as being the very epitome of the spirit of service. Having run Llandaff Cathedral Choir School so successfully, George and Sue came to St George’s in 1983 with the hardest of acts to follow upon the retirement of Richard Russell CVO (1971-1983). That their tenure here was so happy and productive was down to their being such a good team. Sue was hugely practical and energetic, fiercely proud of all her boys, and equally exacting in her expectations of all at St George’s: the editor remembers with affection having his pockets sewn up for making the mistake of talking to her with his hands shoved firmly in them for the umpteenth time! This care and warmth was perhaps most clearly epitomised in the family atmosphere they created and which saw generations of boys welcomed into the Head Master’s sitting room on Wednesday evenings to watch M*A*S*H and Saturdays and Sundays to escape into the worlds of Dempsey & Makepeace or The Professionals, or to play cards and board-games.