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Spring News Letter 2008

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Spring News Letter 2008 NEWSLETTER SPRING 2008 PRESIDENT: DAVID B STEVENS Welcome to the spring newsletter of The Old Warwickian Association. With an exciting programme of forthcoming events and reunions, and the appointment of Warwick School's new Alumni Relations Officer, 2008 looks set to be a very promising year. We hope you enjoy reading this new style newsletter and would welcome your feedback. Warwick School painted by Grahame Ward President-Elect John Cavanagh QC John Cavanagh QC was elected 2009 President of the Old Warwickian Association at the December AGM. John was at Warwick School from 1968 to 1978 and has very happy memories of his school days. His sporting record at school was mixed and while he News from Alumni Relations still talks of his second place in the three-legged and I am delighted to be Warwick School's first wheelbarrow races during Upper Alumni Relations Officer and look forward to Two, his proudest sporting helping you keep in touch with the school and achievement was that, during your fellow Old Warwickians. eight years as a rugby forward, he never completed a single I graduated from Nottingham University and began tackle. John Cavanagh QC - President-Elect my working life in a boys' prep school. There I taught French, served as a part time matron and John was on firmer ground in returning to England and spent Sunday nights cutting the toenails of 100 debating and acting. He teaching at New College, boarders. I spent the next five years in the enjoyed acting in a number of Oxford. hospitality industry and completed an Anne Douglas school plays but, tragically, was MSc in Tourism, Food and Hospitality the only boy to fail the singing John was called to the Bar in Management. Since then I have IN THIS EDITION audition of the school London in 1985 and has worked in marketing management, production of The Gondoliers. practised in London ever since. first promoting Kent Tourism and then 2008 Events The job suits his sense of Shakespeare Country. I am married to The latest news on recent theatre and penchant for Gordon and, with two young sons, we He thrived on the academic and forthcoming OW events. side of school life. There were dressing up. He became a QC enjoy weekends on the touchline. in 2001 and was appointed a Sixties Reunion some inspirational teachers at As Alumni Relations Officer I hope to Crown Court Recorder in 2004. A chance to meet up with old Warwick at the time, including develop our programme of Old friends from the 1960s. Robert Hudson, David Stooke In 2006-7 he was Chair of the Warwickian events and reunions. and the late Robert Heaton and Employment Law Bar Whether you'd enjoy a decade Summer Dinner Stephen Woodward. Association. reunion to meet up with old friends, a Book your tickets now. networking event for those in similar After a gap year spent as a John has been married to Suzie professions, or if you simply need to Tell us your story residential social worker, John since 1989, and they live in find and keep in touch with some of Were you at school during read a law degree at Oxford Harpenden with their four your contemporaries, I will try and the Strover years? University and then a school-age children. When he help. With events and reunions, these School News has time over from his practice postgraduate degree at newsletters and exciting plans for the From rugby victories to Cambridge. He spent a year and family, John likes to spend Old Warwickian website (watch this academic success... teaching at the University of time devising reasons why he space!), I hope to keep you in touch Illinois Law School, before shouldn't do any gardening. with each other and the school. www.warwickschool.org/old-warwickians EVENTS AND REUNIONS St Mary's is one of the finest SUMMER mediaeval guildhalls in England. It served as the centre of King Henry VI's court during the Wars SIXTIES DINNER AT of the Roses and as a prison to Mary, Queen of Scots. Its kitchens have prepared banquets ST MARY'S for visiting monarchs and have REUNION fed starving weavers! Our mouth- watering menu will comprise GUILDHALL roulade of salmon and crab Assembly, 1966 We're delighted to confirm followed by leg cushion of lamb Former pupils of Warwick School will be flying in from that the President's Summer with Dutch chunky apple flan as around the world for a Sixties Reunion on 3 May 2008. The Dinner will take place on dessert. Reunion is open to everyone who left the school during the 1960s - and the masters who taught them. Saturday 5 July 2008. Sir John Egan, our guest speaker, was born in Coventry, Organiser Nigel Robinson, Activities on the day will range The evening will start with a the son of the owner of a small Chairman of the OWA, said old from tours of the school and a guided tour of Coventry garage. He read petroleum boys would be attending from Chapel Service with Brian Cathedral, followed by a engineering at Imperial College as far a field as Japan, South Newman as organist, to drinks reception and dinner and his outstanding contribution Africa and Hong Kong, as well opportunities for swimming and in St Mary's Guildhall, to British business includes six as from Malta and mainland rifle shooting, plus a chance to Coventry. We are especially years at Massey Ferguson, ten Europe. watch school cricket and tennis pleased to announce that Sir years as Chief Executive of “It should be an incredible day,” matches. A film show of 1960s John Egan, one of the most Jaguar Cars, nine years as Chief said Nigel. “Many of them won't cine, taken at the school during influential industrialists and Executive of British Airports have seen one another for 40 that decade, will bring back a businessmen of his Authority and two years as years or more! The last time we few memories. generation, has agreed to be President of the CBI. He is did this was ten years ago, with Anyone wishing to attend the our guest speaker. currently the Chairman of a reunion for those of us who reunion should E-mail Nigel on were turning 50 years of age.” [email protected] Alumni Warwicensis at The Athenaeum On 31 October 2007 an eclectic 'melange' of old boys met in the comfortable surroundings of The Whistler Room at The Athenaeum Club, an imposingly classical building on the corner of Pall Mall and Waterloo Place. St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry OWs enjoyed good wine and canapés Our evening will begin, at 18.15, Severn Trent Water, Chancellor of About 40 Old Warwickians completed. In recognition of with the guided tour of Coventry Coventry University and non- gathered under the watchful eye Ralph Thornton's immense Cathedral, a dynamic centre of Executive Chairman of Inchcape of the surrounding portraits to contribution to the school, it will worship and mission, a place of plc (motor distributors). hear the Head Master report on be known as the Thornton pilgrimage and a focus for an unprecedented year of school Tickets for the Summer Dinner Building. international reconciliation. success. In total some 19 are priced at £50 per person. “To walk from the ruins of the old national awards or titles were Mark Wilkins, the campaign To book your tickets please Cathedral into the splendour of won, one of the highlights being manager for the school Science send a cheque, made payable the new is to walk from Good the school's victory at under 18 Project, thanked the OWs for to “OWA”, to Geoff Thorpe, Friday to Easter, from the ravages level in the National Daily Mail the support they have given to Highcroft, Butt Lane, Harbury, of human self-destruction to the Cup Rugby Competition. the fundraising activities. He Leamington Spa, CV33 9JL. glorious hope of resurrection. revealed that, through their Tel: 01926 613801, E-mail: The Head Master confirmed that Your heart is lifted, your spirit is generosity and that of others, [email protected] the new Science Building was up renewed and you feel that there and running and emphasized the some £380,000 had been is hope for the world”. Please include a SAE. Details of strong link that was developing raised since January 2007. He John Irvine, hotels, car parking and the between the school and Warwick hoped the OWs would continue Dean of Coventry Cathedral. possibility of organised transport University, allowing boys to to support the campaign and are also available from Geoff on undertake proper scientific reach the target of £500,000. From the Cathedral we will be request. research at postgraduate level. escorted to St Mary's Guildhall We look forward to meeting again Dress: Dinner Jacket. Partners He also expected that in June for a drinks reception at 19.00 on 6 November 2008. Venue and guests are most welcome. 2008 a new teaching block, and sit down dinner at 19.30. confirmation and details will Booking deadline: 16 June. mainly for Mathematics, would be appear in the next newsletter. www.warwickschool.org/old-warwickians DIARY OF EVENTS The Sixties Reunion on 3 May and Summer Dinner on 5 July SCHOOL are some of many forthcoming events. LEAVERS' OW Weekends RECEPTION OW Weekend, 4-6 July 2008 Friday 4 July On 14 September 2007 we DVD footage of the 2007 Annual Dinner 14.00 OW Cricket - OWs play Wellesbourne CC (away). invited the 2007 leavers back OLD WARWICKIAN DVD 18.00 Open Evening at Warwick School.
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