Old Leysian News
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OLD L EYSIAN AUTUMNA U T U M N 20182 0 1 8 NEWSLETTERN E W S L E T T E R 404 0 IN THIS EDITION OL NEWS 2 VISITS TO THE LEYS 5 OBITUARIES 6 EVENTS 8 NEW-LOOK OL SUMMER TERM REPORT 10 SPOTLIGHT ON......... 12 BIRTHDAY CARDS! GOLF 13 MADDIE, FEN 2014-PRESENT, who is one of the Senior THE GREAT WAR 15 EVENTS CALENDAR 16 Prefects for 2018-19, designed the new card in Spring 2018 for our OLs’ significant birthdays as one of her A-level Graphic LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON Design projects. TWITTER @OldLeysian OLD LEYSIAN NEWS conquer my fears! Including public speaking George Johnson, Fen 1963-68. The 2018 OL NEWS OLswhen I had to give a talk to the Princes Trust Great Grand Master World Cup Hockey about my experience as a Mentor for them. Championship took place in Barcelona in June Patrick Armstrong, School 1954-59. Patrick With determination and self-belief.....any- for youngsters aged 65 to 70. Gold medal was recently awarded a D Litt degree from the thing is possible and this is what I try to instil world champions were England, including University of Western Australia, whereat he has in my young Mentees!” been working since 1974, and where he holds an Adjunct Professorship. The Higher Doctorate was given for research and publications in the fields of Geography, Ecology and History of Ideas over a period of 50 years. One of the foci of Patrick’s research has been the life, work and influence of Charles Darwin - an interest that was partly triggered by his regularly seeing Gwen Raverat - Darwin’s granddaughter - in George Johnson, pictured back row, third an invalid chair to which an easel was at- from right. George commented that “after los- tached. She used to paint watercolours along ing to Australia in the last two World Cup the ‘Backs’ of the colleges, on Laundress Green Championships it was particularly pleasing and near the Millpond in Newnham, when Richard Chapman, North B 1963-68. (See for England to win Gold again, and for Wales Patrick was about eight or nine years old. A re- George Johnson right.) to achieve their first win against Holland on cent glance at some of his termly reports from their way to a semi - final against England!”. the Leys in the 1950s indicated that the staff Ed Hart, North A 1980-84. “After careers in Wales were bronze medallists, captained by of the School emphatically did not expect corporate finance, my fiancée, Carole Phillips, Richard Chapman, pictured back row, third Patrick to pursue an academic career! To in- and I took the decision to get a better clude many extracts from these documents work/life balance, so we bought The Oasis, a would be inappropriate: suffice it to say that guest house in Llandudno, in June 2016. We on one occasion the Headmaster’s summary have spent our first 18 months here refur- commenced with the words ‘Oh Dear...’ bishing all the guest rooms and public areas, including painting the front of the Grade II Vic- torian property and redesigning the front garden. Just two years on, and The Oasis now has four AA stars, we were awarded second place in the AA’s 2018 UK’s Friendliest B&B from right. Richard said “England are regular of the Year Award, and we won the 2018 Con- winners at this level of hockey but for Wales, wy Tourism Business Of The Year. Our Tri- it was our first time on the podium at this age pAdvisor ranking has improved from 42nd out group so we were all delighted”. George and of 60 to 14th. Carole’s cooked breakfast is reg- Richard played together in The Leys’ 1st XI in ularly commented on as one of the best! There 1967. “It must be very unusual for two play- is life outside the 9-5!” ers in the same school team to be still play- ing Hockey at international level after 50 years!” speculated George. Congratulations to George and Richard and their squads. Victoria Beever, Granta 1986-88. Victoria is flying high. She says “I fulfilled a dream I had at 20 to fly and finally it’s been realised! I qual- ified as a Private Pilot 2 weeks ago and now I’m thinking I might go the whole way to Com- mercial....watch this space! You can do any- thing you put your mind to and it’s helped me 2 Iain Ledingham, School 1968-73. Iain Led- ingham, Professor at The Royal Academy of Music and Founder of the Amersham Festi- You also had an article about Dr Chan Gunn. James van Oosterom, School 1970-75. In val is delighted to include in this year’s Fes- Although he was in a different house and stud- 1975 James became the 15th Captain of the tival Programme a concert focusing on the ied science while I was a modern linguist, I Ley School Boat Club since it began in 1961. Work of Rutter and Naylor (Ken Naylor, Di- think we met up in Jesse Mellor’s geography One of the purposes of having a Boat Club was rector of Music at The Leys 1953-80.) Iain class. I seem to remember he was the own- to instil a love of rowing which could be car- was one of Naylor’s stellar organ and music er of a Parker 51 pen which was the envy of ried on after leaving school, and James was pupils. The programme includes many Nay- the other pupils. At that time, many of us had a prime example of this. He not only rowed for lor brass arrangements; Iain will be support- less expensive fountain pens and we also had his college, Pembroke, Cambridge, throughout ed by 10 outstanding brass pupils from The inkpots on each desk so you could also use dip his 3 years there, 1976-79, rowing No. 2 in Royal Academy. pens. Ball points were not allowed neither was their 1979 1st VIII, but he was also a much pencil. The only other contemporary I seem to valued Pembroke coach for many years, and remember that also had a Parker 51 was none would return to coach their May Bumps other than the famous author, J G Ballard! crews until quite recently. Above is a picture taken by John Ingham, also Sadly he died of Leukaemia in August 2016, a West House contemporary of several of us when he was just short of 60. in a classical music appreciation session.” Rupert J C Scott BSc, Dip Arch, ARB, RIBA, Fen/West 1989-94. On 15th May Rupert’s firm Open Practice Architecture received an RIBA London Award for Excellence in Architecture. This was in recognition of his conversion of an old building on a constricted site in Whitechapel, east London, a former gin dis- tillery later used as a warehouse, to have new On 6th May 2018 a new Empacher Eight for life as a private home. “It was an honour for Pembroke was named in his honour, and was th The concert takes place on Saturday 17 the practice to be recognised by the RIBA. I will launched at a champagne reception at their November at 19:30 at Royal Masonic forever be indebted to one of the school’s most boathouse. School Chapel, Rickmansworth, WD3 4HF. charismatic teachers, John Dillistone, Head of —Richard Armstrong, Common Room Tickets for the concert can be purchased via Art 1971-99, who not only taught me to how 1959-90. the Amersham Festival website www.amer- to draw but to look more carefully at the world shamfestival.org around us.” To see more of Rupert’s work vis- ENGAGEMENTS AND WEDDINGS it his firm’s website – www.openprac- ticearchitecture.com. Ben Elliott, West 2008-12. Ben became en- gaged to Victoria Humphreys on 5th May in Ed- Christopher Lewis, West 1946–50, Memo- inburgh. They plan to marry during the sum- ries of 1946-50. “I very much appreciate and mer in 2019. enjoy receiving the Old Leysian newsletter in my home just north of San Francisco. It brings back happy memories and of course some sad- ness when I learn of the passing of old friends. Three more of my contemporaries in West House are no longer with us: Donald Butter whom I did not know very well although he is next door to me on the Summer 1946 house photo, Alec Macfie and Thorp Marsden who was a great games player and we were both together in the cricket team. 3 Tom Farquhar, Moulton/School 2002-09 and Will Few, North A 2001-04, was the best Oliver Slot, Moulton/School 2002-09. Oli Hattie Boultbee, Dale 2004-07 are happy to man, Olivia Milward, Dale 04-09, was a married Pippa Allen in Somerset on Saturday announce their engagement. They got engaged bridesmaid and Daniel Lee, School/North B 26th May. The groom was ably assisted by OLs whilst on holiday in the south of France. 2001-06, was also in attendance. Henry and Peter Slot, Moulton/School 2000-07, Best Aoife both teach at Campion School in Athens Man; Francesca Slot, Moulton/Fen 1998-05, where they live with their son, Connor. gave a reading during the service; Sam As- ante, Moulton/West 2002-09; Will Brereton, School 2004-09; Tom Farquhar, Moul- ton/School 2002-09; Ed Hiscocks, Moul- ton/School 2002-09; Felix Klugman, West 2004-09; Dale Rogers, Moulton/School 2002-09; Dan Sellers, Moulton/School 2002-09; Hattie Boultbee, Dale 2004-07 and Fiona Slot, Hon OL and mother! Following their marriage Mr and Mrs Slot enjoyed a hon- eymoon in Grenada.