Esilhill 2000
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ESILHILL IAN 2000 President's Letter 2 Dinners & Luncheons 35 "THE SILHILLIAN" President-Elect 4 Lodge & Chapter 43 the magazine of the The Old Silhillians' Association Limited Editorial 6 Astro Pitch 44 (The Former Pupils of Solihull School) Memorial Clubhouse and Ground Main Committee 8 Decking 46 Warwick Road School Report 10 Sword of Honour 48 Copt Heath Solihull The Trust 17 Obituaries 50 West Midlands B93 9LW Old Silhillians' News 19 Sports Sections 63 Telephone: 01564 777680 Facsimile: 01564 775151 Emma Hubble 32 Acknowledgments 76 Email: [email protected] Website: www.silhillians.net ISSUE 59 NOVEMBER 2008 Jerroms Specialists in Accounting, Tax and Business Planning "WORKING WITH YOU FOR YOU' If you haven't worked with us before, you should ask yourself why? As Accountants and Business Advisers, we have assisted many businesses to become the success story they are today. Whether you are a start-up company. a PLC or just have an innovative idea, sound financial advice is something you simply cannot afford to be without. The Exchange. Haslucks Green Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 2EL k, Tel: 0121 693 5000 Fax: 0121 745 5156 Email: [email protected] Web: www.jerroms.co.uk President 2008 John Platt Dear Fellow Old Silhillian cess of it and being eternally grateful to those who have helped to make it possible! As I write I have three months remaining of my year as your I now move onto some current topics to bring you up to date. Firstly, membership. We now have 1593 members and this reflects a lot of hard 9 n President and I am enjoying the experience immensely. I have work by the Membership Secretary, Rupert Young ably assisted by his :4 wife, Sarah. At the EGM in June we sought to increase our subscriptions i e met a great cross-section of 191 former pupils at the various for- from £13 to £20 for annual payments and from £200 to £250 for life es mal functions I have attended membership. This is entirely due to the increased cost of running the and can honestly say they have Association. It is less than some comparable schools' former pupil's or- 0J . Pr all made me most welcome! It is ganisations. This was approved at the EGM. W 4 he a great honour to be your Presi- Moving onto the Astroturf project I can confirm that the total cost will be dent and I hope I have contin- t about £500k. Current pledges are around £140k and the funding shortfall ued the good work of my pred- 9 m is forming the basis of application for lottery funding. This project is mov- John and Trish Platt 1d o ecessors. My main objectives ing ahead but by its very nature only slowly. Some sections within the have been to maintain the links with the School and to promote the use fr Association are concerned that the funding of this project could cause di- of our facilities at Copt Heath. visions between the constituent parts but I can assure you that the Main I 9. r - We, at the Association, are lucky to have Phil Griffiths as Headmaster of Committee will critically review this project and its funding at the time i that it can show the funds are available. The business plan for the project - the School. He has ensured that our relationship is a strong one and he is mindful of the Association's goals. He has attended every Committee shows that it will bring in much needed revenue from external sources Ma meeting giving us updates on all aspects of School life despite his busy and could contribute significantly to our future at Copt Heath. schedule. He has proved an excellent sounding-board for some of our On the sporting front I can report that the Rugby Club has made an ideas regarding our approach to leavers and parents alike! I am confident encouraging start to the new season and the Hockey Club is celebrating that our further progress in developing this mutually beneficial relation- a successful Festival. Pride of place must go to the Golfing Society who ship will prosper under his influence. have just returned from Norfolk after winning the Grafton Morrish trophy The President is supported by the Main Committee during the year and for the second time in their history. It really is quite an achievement and I feel this year we have an exceptional team with a good blend of youth a detailed report can be found later in this magazine. and experience! Joe Bates has taken over as Treasurer and has sorted During my remaining tenure I have some important events to attend out some tricky problems on the financial front. The accounts of the which will give me great pride and pleasure. I am very proud to be an Association and those of the Trust are now separated giving us greater Old Silhillian and on my recent visits to School I have really felt a sense clarity on the financial position of both. The confusion over the allocation of belonging. Some things have changed completely but some seem al- of income meant that last year's accounts for the Association were not most unaltered. Soon I shall be attending Speech Day and later laying presented at the AGM. This situation has been resolved and the accounts a wreath on your behalf at the Remembrance Service. On a lighter note were approved at an EGM in June. This year's accounts should be avail- November brings both the London Dinner and the President's Dinner! I'd able for the AGM in the normal way. better start making some notes for my speeches! The Association accounts basically cover the income and costs of running I hope you enjoy reading the magazine. Yet again Malcolm Lawrie has the clubhouse and grounds. Last year's substantial losses due to falling produced an excellent publication which reflects the time, effort and com- income and unavoidable repairs have been stemmed but trading remains mitment he has brought to the task. Many thanks again Malcolm! difficult. We will again make a loss this year but at a much lower level. We In closing I should like to give my thanks to all members of both the Main cannot continue to make losses on trading as it is eroding our reserves of and Management Committees for their help, guidance and commitment cash and the Management Committee is working hard with our Manager, to the Association. Keith Waterhouse, to market our facilities and build turnover. In today's An Association such as ours cannot prosper without strong relationships world we have to run the facilities as a business and be aware of any and support from its roots. We are in an ongoing symbiotic relationship income generating opportunities. and my thanks also go to all the staff at the Memorial Clubhouse and to Turning to the Trust I can confirm that we have about £120k on deposit Phil Griffiths, Headmaster of the School, Graham Hughes, Chairman of and that we are paying some scholarships. In particular I should like to the Governors together with Paul Asinder, Chairman of the Parents' As- single out Emma Hubble who has received some assistance to enable sociation. They have all shown strong support to the Association. her to take up her place at drama school. Without this help she would Finally I should like to wish my successor, Rupert Young, good luck for not have been able to accept this offer. I can report that we have just his forthcoming year as your President and pass on my best wishes to received her letter (see page 32) giving us an update on her progress you all. 3 2 and it makes good reading! What a refreshing change it is to hear of a Thank you young person who is really enjoying what they are doing, making a suc- John A Platt Born in 1965, I attended Blossomfield get my degree and subsequently achieve my professional qualification. Infant School before going on to St. From 1986 to early 1995 I worked in London at Hillier Parker May & Rowden. There James C of E Junior School in Shirley. I met Sarah, the love of my life, and we married in October 1994. In 1995 I moved After a couple of years there my Father, back to Solihull and opened a Birmingham office for Hillier Parker. In 1997 our 1_ Forbes Young, decided that I was guilty son, Angus, was born. I was delighted when he started at Solihull School in J3T in -41 of "too much talking and not enough do- m September 2006. ing". He therefore decided I should go gn to Solihull School, which he had attend- Back in the Midlands, I returned to Silhillians RUFC having played rugby continu- I t: ed in the late 1940s. His best friends ously whilst in London. After a few (very few) appearances in the 1st XV alongside had been Jim 'Tubby' Brown and David some team mates with whom I had played in the '82/83 Colts side, I settled into the ap Cox (OSA President in 1983). 2nd XV. Eventually I captained the 2nd XV for a couple of years and finally hung up .„ my boots in 2007. During this time I sat on the Rugby Club committee. I maintain arTiraMP I vividly remember the day of the en- an active interest in the sport and currently coach the Silhillians Under 12 side on Rupert and Sarah Young trance exam.