120 Years
The Bishop Otter College Guild 1899-2019
Bishop Otter College Guild Newsletter 2019
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 3 120 Years The Bishop Otter College Guild 1899-2019
2 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Bishop Otter College Guild
President Professor Jane Longmore
Vice-Presidents Dr Colin Greaves Professor Philip E D Robinson
Honorary Secretary Mr Marten Lougee 11 Meadow Close Cononley, Keighley West Yorkshire BD20 8LZ 01535 636487 (mob) 07813 393381 [email protected]
Honorary Treasurer Mr John Fletcher 6 Colley Rise Lyddington Oakham Rutland LE15 9LL 01572 821213
Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor Mrs Rose Savage 14 Crouch Cross Lane Boxgrove Chichester PO18 OEH 01243 773336 [email protected]
Auditor Mrs Hilary Chapman 60 Connaught Road Cromer Norfolk NR27 OBZ 01263 513711
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 3 From the Editor
Welcome to the Newsletter for the 120th anniversary of the foundation of the Bishop Otter College Guild. The Guild was initiated in January 1899 by the then Principal, the Revd Edwin Hammonds, who invited current student leavers and former students to embrace the Bishop Otter College Guild. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a really big reunion this year to celebrate!
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in 1944 there is an article, written by Janet Carter, on the use of the college buildings by the military for the planning and carrying out of this momentous event.
The biggest celebration this year is the 180th anniversary of the founding of the college (1839). See the Vice- Chancellor’s letter and also Marten’s letter for further information. It would be wonderful if a number of our members were able to come to this event, which is being held in May.
Also, various years will be celebrating anniversaries of starting or leaving college. As you can see – a very celebratory year for everyone!
Contributions for the Newsletter 2020 should be with me by Monday 20th January, please.
Committee Meeting
All Year Representatives able to get to the Reunion are invited to the Committee Business Meeting at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday 30th August 2018.
Year Representatives 1944-46 Mrs Cynthia Aird, 1 Rosevine Road, West Wimbledon, London SW20 8RB 1947-49 Mrs Sue Pickering, 5 Berehurst, Borovere Lane, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1PA 1948-50 Mrs Pat Life, 78 Elmstead Gardens, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 7BE 1949-51 Mrs Josephine Sztyber, 8 Crofton, Lion Lane, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1JE 1950-52 Miss June Blitz, 19 Marjoram Crescent, Cowplain, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO8 9BD 1951-53 Revd Barbara Watson Hammond, 28 Church Path, Emsworth, Hampshire PO10 7DP 1952-54 Mrs Trixie Barnden, 48 Folders Lane, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0DX 1953-55 Mrs Pamela Cahill, 50 Ridgeway, Hayes, Bromley, Kent BR2 7DE 1954-56 Miss Rosslyn Stenning, 7 Hurst Gardens, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6 9ST 1955-57 Mrs Valerie Gabriel, Flat 1, 6 Dittons Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1DN 1956-58 Mrs Lorna Edwards, 26 Queen’s Drive, Nuttall, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 1EG 1957-59 Mrs Pauline Moss, 3 Lathallan Drive, Polmont, Falkirk, Stirlingshire FK2 0PD 1958-60 Mrs Muriel Warburton, 37a Oaklands Avenue, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9SS 1959-61 Mrs Anne Walters, 1 Wayte Court, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire NG11 6NL 1960-63 Mrs Maureen Evershed-Martin, Mile End Cottage, Cherlton Fitzpaine, Crediton, Devon EX17 4JU 1961-64 Mr Terry Turner, Copper Beeches, 6A Wood End, Bluntisham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 3LE 1962-65 Mr Marten Lougee, 11 Meadow Close, Cononley, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 8LZ 1963-66 Mr Roy Salmon, 36 Lombard Street, Lidlington, Bedfordshire MK43 0RP 1964-67 Mr Bob Norris, Exotter, 7 Ethelbert Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3EU 1965-68 Mrs Jo Bird, Swansong, 70 Glade Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1DH 1966-69 Mr and Mrs Peter and Rose Scott, 23 Beamish Way, Maple Farm, Winslow, Buckinghamshire MK18 3EU 1970+ Mrs H Chapman, 60 Connaught Road, Cromer Norfolk NR27 0BZ 1980+ Mrs P Cahill, 50 Ridgeway, Hayes, Bromley, Kent BR2 7DE
Mrs Rose Savage has now taken over as Membership Secretary, so it is helpful if you could let her know of changes of address or any deaths, so as to keep records up to date. If you have lost touch with former friends, drop Rose an e-mail or a note and hopefully she will be able to put you in touch again.
4 | Guild Newsletter 2019 FINANCIAL REPORT 2018 From John Fletcher, Treasurer
BISHOP OTTER COLLEGE GUILD Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ending 31st December 2018
INCOME EXPENDITURE
Balances at 1/1/18
Cash 0.00 Year Rep's Expenses 0.00 Current Account 4928.51 Secretaries' Expenses 127.92 Deposit Accounts Membership Sec. Exp. 0.00 Treasurer's Expenses 75.00 4928.51 202.92 SUBS & DONATIONS 345.75 Newsletters 0.00 Miller, Memorial Tree 0.00
REUNION July 2018 REUNION July 2018
Receipts 249.00 BOC Shield 0.00 Sale of badges BOC Chapel 190.00 Chapel Offering 380.00 Chosen Charities 190.00 629.00 Service sheets 0.00 BOC Shield Don 0.00 380.00
BANK INTEREST Balances at 31/12/18
Deposit Accounts Cash 0.00 Current Account 5320.34 0.00 Deposit Accounts 0.00
5320.34
TOTALS 5903.26 5903.26
Checked & found correct
H Chapman 09/01/2019
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 5 From the Guild Secretary
Dear Fellow Otters
Welcome to the Guild Newsletter 2019, and thanks again to Rose, with the support, in the university, of members of the Marketing Team, the Print Unit, the Alumni Team and the Conference Team.
I am presenting things in a different way this year. Firstly I welcome, on your behalf, Professor Jane Longmore, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chichester, who is now our new President. Rose and I first met Jane on 3rd May 2018. She explained, most carefully, about the problems many Universities were having and that the University is now unable to pay for the printing and the postage of our Guild Newsletter from now on. This is something that has happened in relatively recent years. Your Committee discussed this and agreed that for about the next three years the Guild could continue in its present form, but that there will have to be changes and this will be properly discussed this year at our main meeting on 31st August 2019 at 11.45 a.m. Various thoughts have been mentioned at the 2018 AGM. We do not really want to disappear in 2021!
Since we met in 2018 the Otter Gallery, as you knew it, is no more. I know that many of you are upset and that some of you did object to its closure.
Janet Carter, the Special Collections Manager, will be doing a tour of the paintings around the Bishop Otter Campus for us at our reunion weekend. She has arranged, also, for Julie Peachey (her ex-library colleague and ex-RAF re-enactment WAAF) to talk about what happened in room E124 (the D-Day room – the old Science lab) – this room was vitally important to the war effort.
May 2019 is a special year for us – its significance is mentioned in Professor Longmore’s letter. I do hope that some of you can make this special occasion including the commemorative service in the chapel at the Bishop Otter Campus.
The Data Protection Act (GDPR) is now in force – if you have any objections to receiving the Guild Newsletter you must let us know. We have assumed that as you have paid for it you would like to receive it.
The reunion this year is the weekend of 30th and 31st August and 1st September. The programme is as follows:
1. The Friday evening meal has been a great success and it will be repeated this year on Friday 30th August at 7.00 p.m. You will need to book this with College on your booking form. There will, however, be a minimum number of 20 people required for this to take place but that number has been easily reached since it started in 2013. You will be informed by the middle of August if it is not taking place so you can make alternative arrangements. After dinner some people will meet in college around 8.30 p.m. in the old music room for a drink. Don’t forget your own drink and something to drink it out of if possible!!
2. On Saturday 31st August the timetable will be: 9.30 a.m. Business meeting, especially for year reps and interested members 10.30 a.m. Guild Service 11.15 a.m. Coffee break 11.45 a.m. General meeting and news 1.15 p.m. Lunch After lunch there will be a talk, at 2.30 p.m., by Julie Peachey – see Guild Secretary’s letter.
3. Sunday 1st September 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion taken by Revd Dr Alison Green.
Marten Lougee
STOP PRESS: Oklahoma is on at Chichester Festival Theatre until 7th September
6 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Notes for the Reunion Weekend 30th August to 1st September
Please note that the booking form only covers accommodation for the Bishop Otter Guild Reunion weekend dates. Any additional nights are subject to availability and can be booked directly on 01243 812120 or email [email protected]
Please complete the booking form which is enclosed separately with the Newsletter.
The Accommodation Office is open between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. during the Reunion weekend.
Notes on the weekend Please be aware that there will be some building works taking place around campus over the weekend of the reunion and certain areas may be cordoned off. The conference reception is open over the weekend from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please telephone 01243 793477 if you are going to be delayed.
1. Residential Room Allocation and Check-In: Room keys can be collected from the Accommodation Office, located in Amberley Hall. Check-in is between 3 and 10 p.m. on the day of your arrival. If you are likely to arrive after 10 p.m. please let the University know on 01243 793477 and they will make the necessary arrangements. Please note on the booking form if there is anybody that you would like to be allocated near and the University will endeavour to do this where possible.
2. Meal Tickets: Vouchers for your meals will be sent out with the confirmation of reservation and receipt for payment. Please ensure that you bring these with you as they cannot be replaced.
3. Check-Out: Rooms will need to be vacated and keys returned by 10 a.m. on your departure day. Please speak to the Accommodation office if you require your luggage to be stored.
4. Car Parking Restrictions: Parking space is limited on campus and cannot be guaranteed. Parking permits will be required for those staying overnight and for Friday. Parking is free during the day on Saturday and Sunday. Please put the permit clearly on display in your car on arrival.
5. Times of Meals (All served in Otters Restaurant): Breakfast will be served between 7.30 and 9.00 a.m. (Included in the Bed and Breakfast Rate) Friday – Welcome Dinner will be at 7 p.m. – To be booked in advance Saturday – Morning Coffee and Biscuits – Cash service Saturday – Reunion Luncheon at 1.15 p.m. – To be booked in advance Saturday – Afternoon Tea and Biscuits – Cash service If any day visitors would like to join residents for a full-breakfast you can book in advance at the rate of £9.50 (including VAT). Please call the conference office on 01243 812120. There will be tea and coffee making facilities in all en-suite bedrooms for those staying overnight.
6. Bed and Breakfast Prices: Single en-suite rooms are £38.70 per person per night. Price includes tea and coffee making facilities, wi-fi, parking permit and breakfast.
7. Telephone number for emergencies: The Accommodation number 01243 793477 is a 24hr number which is diverted to Security outside office hours.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 7 Bishop Otter Guild Minutes of the Business Meeting of the Guild Committee held on Saturday 1st September 2018 at 9.30 a.m. in the Cloisters
1. Welcome: Marten Lougee (deputising for Dr C Greaves, Vice President of the Guild) welcomed the seven year representatives present. The years represented were Jo Sztyber (1949-1951), Rev Barbara Watson Hammond (1951-1953), Trixie Barnden (1952-1954), Pam Cahill (1953-1955), Marten Lougee (1962-1965), Roy Salmon (1963-1966) and Jo Bird (1965-1968). Also present were John Fletcher (Treasurer), Rose Savage (Magazine Editor) and Joan Fletcher.
2. Apologies: were received from Dr C Greaves, Hilary Chapman, Terry Turner (1961-1964) and Bob Norris (1964-1967).
3. Minutes of the Last Meeting: The minutes of the last meeting, held on Saturday 8th July 2017 were circulated, accepted and signed. They had been previously circulated.
4. Matters Arising: There were no matters arising.
5. Treasurer’s Report: John Fletcher, Guild Treasurer, presented the accounts which appeared in the Guild Newsletter in March 2018. He thanked the university for collecting the money and Hilary Chapman for auditing the accounts. John was thanked for doing such a good job. Roy Salmon proposed that they should be accepted, seconded by Barbara Watson-Hammond. They were approved.
6. Chapel Collection: The Chapel collection was discussed. Half always goes to the chapel funds, the other to a local charity. Rose Savage suggested the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity which supports under 5s with cerebral palsy and other motor learning impairments – they have helped more than 500 families across the South East.
7. Future of the Guild: The Honorary Secretary said that he would stay on for a while but not for good! More pressing matters were discussed about the Guild Newsletter (see the Honorary Secretary’s report and the minutes of the General Meeting).
8. Date of the Next Reunion: The next reunion will be on 30th and 31st August and 1st September 2019 (the date for 2020 has yet to be decided).
9. Any Other Business: Rose Savage was thanked for all her hard work for the Guild producing the Newsletter, and also Pat Burton and Marten Lougee who helped to stuff nearly 600 envelopes in just over two hours.
Minutes of the General Meeting of the Guild held on Saturday 1st September at 11.45 a.m. in the College Chapel
Attendance: 1949-1951 (3); 1951-1953 (1); 1952-1954 (1); 1953-1955 (8); 1954-1956 (7); 1955-1957 (3); 1956-1958 (9); 1959-1961 (2); 1961-1964 (6); 1962-1965 (12); 1963-1964 (1); 1963-1966 (2); 1964-1968 (1); 1965-1968 (21) 1965-1969 (1). Guests 7. In total 85 people attended the meeting.
1. Marten Lougee (deputising for Dr C Greaves, Vice President of the Guild) welcomed everyone, including the years marking special anniversaries.
2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Catherine Harper, gave an interesting presentation to the Guild. Catherine has been good enough to write a piece summing up her talk – this may be found at the end of these minutes.
3. Apologies: Dr Colin Greaves, Janet Carter (University Archivist), Professor Jane Longmore (Vice-Chancellor), Hilary Chapman (Auditor), Terry Turner (Year rep. 1961-1964), Bob Norris (Year rep. 1964-1967), Billie Llewellyn, Beryl and Keith Sharp, Meg and John Franklyn (1953-1955)
8 | Guild Newsletter 2019 4. Minutes of the last Guild Meeting: These were printed in the Guild Newsletter 2017. They were approved by a show of hands.
5. Matters Arising: There were no matters arising.
6. Treasurer's Report: The Treasurer’s and the Guild Secretary’s reports can be read in the Business meeting minutes, as are the dates of the 2019 meeting and the Chapel collection.
7. Future of the Guild: (This has been mentioned in the Honorary Secretary’s report). Many ideas were suggested as to how to keep the magazine alive. The cost for printing is between 60p and 70p per copy, plus the postage which exceeds the cost of the printing by a long way. Could it be smaller, fewer pages, members pay something every year, website only, etc etc. This will be fully discussed at our 31st August meeting – please come with positive ideas!
8. Any Other Business: The Honorary Secretary mentioned the closure of the Otter Gallery – that was a final decision. 2019 will be 75 years since D-Day and a plaque commemorating this is at the back of room E124. Janet Carter has arranged a special presentation by Julie Peachey. Marten also thanked the Revd Alison Green for taking the service and her kind offer to have Communion at 9.30 a.m. the next day. Sandra Stansfield thanked the Committee for all their hard work. As he was about to leave the University on the Wednesday, Marten was handed a letter, posted a week earlier, from Hilary Chapman (Robinson (1953-1955)), saying what a large part the Guild had played in her life. It is 45 years since she took on being the Treasurer in 1973, more than half her life. She had the records going back to 1896!! [These records have now been passed on to Janet Carter who has catalogued and stored them in the archives.]
Dates of next meetings: 30th and 31st August and 1st September 2019.
Marten Lougee thanked everybody for attending. He wished them well and hoped they would enjoy the rest of the day.
Summary of the talk given by Professor Catherine Harper In September I was pleased to share the University’s new Strategic Plan (2018-2025) with the Bishop Otter Guild, and I invited members to see themselves as stake-holders in our express mission to provide outstanding education, advance knowledge and make a difference to the world. Led by Professor Jane Longmore, the senior team is determined to gain broader national and international recognition of the excellence of our teaching, research and innovation, and to be seen to be an outstanding university with a strong externally-facing focus and a powerful heritage in teacher education. As the only university in West Sussex, we are an ‘anchor’ for the region, contributing to the development of a strong economic ecosystem through imaginative business partnerships, enterprise education and support for graduate start-ups, and the provision of attractive and environmentally sustainable campuses. We see ourselves as custodians of a distinctive ‘Chichester student experience’ that is high-quality, personalised, accessible and aspirational, and that is attractive to an increasingly diverse student community. I was sure that Guild members could recognise the spirit of excellence from their own study here, and the lively lunch conversations confirmed this was the case: indeed, it is apparent from the meeting that the continuum of academic endeavour, educational achievement and personally-fulfilling experience that stretches from Bishop Otter College to University of Chichester is very much intact!
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 9 From the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane Longmore
Dear Guild Members, First, I want to thank members of the Guild for inviting me to be your President; I was honoured to accept. I know how important it is for Guild members to retain their links with the University and how many happy memories are bound up with this institution. I also recognise the vital need to hold together all of our communities of former students who have remained loyal to us over many decades. I wish that I could follow this note of thanks with an unashamedly ‘good news’ letter but you will be aware that universities are somewhat besieged at present; it would be a disservice to you if I failed to explain our current circumstances. The year ahead will test all of us as higher education faces yet another funding review and competition for students continues to intensify. These pressures are very immediate for the smaller institution like Chichester; we have already had to lose 10% of our staff through voluntary severance this year in order to align our costs and our income. This is a day to day reality which I am sure my predecessors faced on occasion; they also had to battle through armed with the conviction that higher education, like society, needs genuine diversity in the types of institution on offer to students. We also need the courage to make changes in continuing to serve the communities around us. My predecessor had acknowledged the pressing need for us to tackle the shortage of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as well as addressing skills gaps in the disadvantaged West Sussex coastal strip. It surprises many to learn that higher education participation in these areas runs at less than 10% of the age cohort of 18- to 30-year olds whereas only a few miles up the road the rate can be as much as six times better. This is not a simple issue but we have to try – as you know from your own long careers, a good education is key to an individual’s life chances. The decision to open the new Engineering and Digital Technology Park has proved prescient on a number of fronts: with a heavy decline in the number of students applying for humanities subjects and a national problem with recruitment for teacher training, the diversification of our subject mix has been exactly the right response. It has been a great joy to welcome our new Engineering students this year, particularly as half of them are studying with us as Degree apprentices working for firms as varied as South Western Railway, Airbus and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Another joy was to welcome the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their first visit to the county on 3rd October. Their Royal Highnesses toured the Technology Park, spoke to delighted students and staff and formally unveiled the commemorative opening plaque (slight nail biting on this one as it only arrived a few days prior to their visit). Without wanting to sound trite, they were a charming couple and we look forward to welcoming them back to the Bishop Otter Campus on a future visit. We have been able to quantify the amount of interest in the event courtesy of data analytics: our website had over 2 billion ‘hits’ during the royal visit and over the following month, probably exceeding our media exposure during our entire 180-year history and reaching every corner of the globe. This is a thought-provoking indication of the huge international interest generated by this young couple and a sobering reminder of the pressures under which they live. The photograph right shows Dr Nader Anani, Head of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University, explaining a tensile strength experiment (courtesy of Kensington Palace@Kensington). Having started our 180th Anniversary celebrations in regal style, we are busy planning the other events. We will be hosting a conference for all the key members of the local business community in late February with possible attendance by a government minister (as I write, I am uncertain which minister, or even which government!). This will be a joint event with the Local Enterprise Partnership, Coast to Capital, which supports economic development across our region. The community dimension of our celebrations will be at the heart of our two-day finale on 29th and 30th May. I am aware that members of the Guild might wish to join these events which will be open to current staff and students, alumni from every past decade and members of the local communities. We are conscious that many people would like to tour the new Technology Park so, on Wednesday 29th May there will be a giant picnic at the Bognor Regis Campus. If you would like to attend, please contact *Caroline White, our Events Manager [by phone, letter or e-mail – contact details at the end of this letter], nearer the date so that we can plan the tours.
10 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Please bring your own picnic and folding chairs. We will provide the entertainment – and if the weather is unkind, in fine British tradition we will have to picnic indoors. The picnic should be great fun but the key event of the finale is on Thursday 30th May, the Feast of the Ascension. In recognition of the importance of the role of Bishop Otter in founding the College in 1839, we have invited the current Bishop of Chichester to preside at a commemorative service in the Chapel at Bishop Otter Campus. This will be held at 6 p.m. and will be followed by light refreshments in the courtyard – we would obviously like a warm summer evening but this might be too much to ask, even of a full Bishop. Once again, members of the Guild are welcome; please contact Caroline nearer the date if you would like to attend. So, 2019 is likely to be a year of great contrasts with all the challenges swirling around the University (and I haven’t even mentioned Brexit) while we mark 180 years of successful higher education. As an historian I need no persuading of the merits of taking the long view but I would welcome your support as we face the considerable challenges ahead.
With warmest wishes, Professor Jane Longmore, Vice-Chancellor, University of Chichester
* Caroline White, Events and External Relations Manager, University of Chichester, College Lane, Chichester PO19 6PE: Tel: 01243 812155: e-mail [email protected]
From the University of Chichester Archives. Marking 75 years since D-Day.
How Bishop Otter College played its part?
Janet Carter, Special Collections Manager The history of Bishop Otter Campus covers many interesting times, perhaps none more so than during the Second World War period, when the Air Ministry requisitioned Bishop Otter College and the RAF moved in, whilst the students moved to Bromley, Kent. Perhaps, to our current students, this evidence can still be seen in a commemorative plaque on the wall of room E124, which was formerly part of what Bishop Otter students referred to as the ‘Great Hall’. On the wall by the window a commemorative inscription may be read, marking that the College was occupied by the Royal Air Force between August 1942 and May 1945. The plaque goes on to give a brief explanation on the significant operations undertaken during the D-Day operations, the role of the room and the significance of the College during that period. So, what do we know happened? On 6th August 1940 the RAF fighter station at Tangmere was badly bombed. Immediately following this the members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), who had been employed to operate the Tangmere Sector Operations Room, needed to be relocated. Initially, and for a very brief period, some of the WAAFs were housed in fields around Fontwell Racecourse where personal reminiscences suggest that their accommodation was very basic. A former WAAF, Janet Pieters Hind, in a BBC series entitled ‘World War 2 - Peoples War’ gave her experience of these times. She explained that she: “… joined the WAAF in September/October 1941 … and were posted to Tangmere, a fighter station outside Chichester with a satellite called Westhampnett. Our first few nights were spent under the spectators’ seats at a racing course called Fontwell. Things were a bit confused. At Tangmere, at that time, it had been recently bombed, people killed and the WAAFs had been moved off not only as a safety precaution but their accommodation had also been destroyed. We were then moved to the 'new' accommodation, four huts in a field, one for each Watch. There was a fifth hut which contained Elsan toilets!!! From this field, there was a gap in the hedge, cross a lane another field, and we reached the Administration area where there was a dining hall, ablutions (I love that word) which consisted of three or four showers, ditto baths Above: E. Blacker’s painting showing WAAFs, manning the in a very draughty area with a concrete floor. (Pieters telephones during the Second World War. Hind, 2004) With a need to re-establish the Tangmere sector operations room in a hall one was found in the then St James’ Infant School, Chichester, today the home of Portfield Primary Academy.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 11 This site was small; Janet Pieters Hind recalls that: “The plotting room had, of course, been at Tangmere so the present one was in what had been a children’s school. It was quite an attractive single storey building; there was a short passage, which led to the centre, which was a cloister with a large green lawn in the middle, presumably where the children played. The hall had been turned into the ops room and former classrooms were given over to other things, an RT room and also a very large room with beds, night duty was 8 hours and if it was a quiet night we took it in turn to have a nap”. (Pieters Hind, 2003). Janet goes on to explain the plotting process in her reminiscences, which would have been the process both at St James’ School and then later when she was working at Bishop Otter College: “a … huge table covered the south east of England, the Channel and some of France and there we were with our little bone arrows in three different colours, there was a clock on the wall and each 15 minutes was also divided into three different colours. You would use a coloured arrow, which matched the colour of the clock at that time. Leave them for 5 minutes and then removed them so the Controller — who sat on a dais the length of the room, could see at a glance what was happening, what was showing up in France, crossing the channel and which direction the aircraft then took. Our information came from the RDF stations and Uxbridge where the main ops room was which covered not only our area of Group 11 but also the area on either side. We quickly got quite proficient at throwing the arrows down and pushing them in place with a long wooden pole with a flat piece of wood on the end. Sometime later, much later, the bone arrows were changed to metal ones and the poles had a metal end with a magnet in it so the arrows could be picked up and placed instead of being pushed around. Also on that wall, there was a row of numbers showing which squadrons were at Tangmere and Westhampnett, with strings running down the wall with balls on them, which were moved up and down to show what state the squadrons were, flying, standing by etc. Above A painting of a typical Operations There were Spitfires and Hurricanes, sometimes Typhoons came down Room by E Blacker c.1943 if there was going to be a big sweep over France escorting bombers. Sometimes there was a Lysander which went over to drop or pick up resistance people. There was also a tannoy in the room on which we could hear the conversations of the pilots — some months later this was turned off. 'They' had decided it was a distraction and also upsetting when someone called out “he’s down” (Pieters Hind, 2003). The room in the school was small and with the increase in air-operations, a larger hall space needed to be found. During this same period, life at Bishop Otter College carried on, although the College was being shared with students from Portsmouth Teacher Training College. In her annual report of 1942-3 the then Principal, Dr Meads reported that: “The requisitioning of the Chichester premises, rumoured during the Easter vacation of 1942 did not become a fact until July, but after that the events moved rapidly and by mid-August the Air Ministry had actually taken possession. By August 31 their occupation was complete. Not until September 21, however, were we allowed to enter the Old Palace at Bromley. This building, with the later additions, was the home of Stockwell College until the latter’s voluntary evacuation to Torquay in the autumn of 1940” (Meads, 1942). At this point 500 WAAFs took up residence. Many of them were housed in ‘New Hall’. This was luxury accommodation especially for those women that had been based at Fontwell. The newly built ‘gymnasium’, today ‘South House’ was fitted out as the ‘mess room’. As one of the WAAFs that moved from St James’ School, Janet Pieters Hind reminisced: “the whole thing was transferred to Bishop Otter College. We all had rooms to sleep in, two to a room. Sheer heaven after the huts. The Gym or Hall, I don’t remember which had been turned into the Ops room and all five minutes’ walk from Chichester”. (Peiters Hind, 2003) The room itself would take a while to prepare. RAF Operations Rooms had balconies so that ranked officials could observe air manoeuvres being played out in the skies. In addition, much wiring needed to be carried out in order to link the Operations Room directly to the airfields and to other command stations. In a webpage entitled ‘Operational control of Air Support for D-day’, Tangmere Aviation Museum notes that the Bishop Above: Doreen Preston and friend as Otter College operations room, WAAFs, growing vegetables in front of “.. opened on 15 February 1944 and remained as a Sector Operations New Hall c.1943
12 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Room until the end of 1944. The Hall was used extensively during the preparatory phase before the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 to control aircraft carrying out offensive operations against tactical targets such as the enemy’s transport and lines of communications, aerodromes and the new threat – flying bomb ‘noball’ sites. The room was manned 24 hours of the day, the staff being divided into four watches of about 30 personnel; each day watch lasted four hours and a night watch was for eight hours. During and in the days following the landings, Tangmere’s Operation Room controlled 56 squadrons from 18 airfields between Friston in the east to Lee-on-Solent in the west and northwards as far as Northolt in Middlesex”. (Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, 2009) Leading up to D-Day, preparations along the South coast were building. The Navy and the Army were preparing ships, building mulberry harbours and practicing ground force manoeuvres and at the same time building up the number of troops ready for the move across the Channel. The RAF was also giving air cover and putting down extra runways, locally these included an airfield off Chalcroft Lane at Bognor Regis. To oversee these operations the top commanders were visiting the area. On 19th April, General Eisenhower stayed at the Ship Hotel in North Street, Chichester, and was said to be inspecting Tangmere and other local airfields (James, 2014). Several weeks later, it is reported that Winston Churchill, General Eisenhower and General Montgomery were also watching the D-Day rehearsals at Selsey. At some point, one or more of these chief commanders would have viewed the operations room at Bishop Otter, although there is no current recorded evidence of any visit. During D-Day itself, life working the Operations Room would have been very busy, with the WAAFs having to stay long hours. In the skies, aircraft from all over the south were giving air cover to the boats and the landing craft heading for France and these were all being plotted out in the Operations Room. After a busy and successful landing, manoeuvres would have calmed down slightly, but Operations continued to be monitored at Bishop Otter College until the end of the War. It took time for the staff and students of Bishop Otter College to return and for life to get back to normal. The College Principal, Dr Meads, in her last annual report of 1946 writes: “The College buildings were derequisitioned late in May last year, but it was long after that before Air Ministry equipment could be entirely removed, and it will be some two years more before all traces of the occupation are removed. Not until the end of October could Second Year students assemble here and First Years could not be received until November 16. It was the beginning of this term before our second dining room and servery were ready for use, and the transformed Hall available for lectures, plays and social functions. Two of the several galleries which the Air Ministry built in the Hall have been retained to remind us always of the part which the College buildings played in the war.” “In spite of the dust and dirt, the inconvenience of duplicating all meals, the shattering noise of the bulldozer at work on the blast walls, the hopelessly overgrown state of the gardens and fields, the year has been a very happy one. The eleven strange huts we found on the East side of New Hall garden have been absorbed into our general economy and provide much needed extra space for craft and other purposes; air-raid shelters are rapidly becoming garages and cycle sheds, and one already shelters music practice cells and the dramatic wardrobe”. (Meads, 1946) For Dr Meads, the War, moving to Stockwell College, and then the return to the upheaval at Chichester took its toll. She became ill and retired in 1947, only to pass away several weeks later. For students life was also tough although they tried to take advantage of the situation they found themselves in when back at Chichester. They utilised every space to their advantage, Senior Student, H J Scothern writes in the Student Magazine, “during the year there have been many changes and improvements made to the College. Nissen huts, relics of the R.A.F Station here, are now craft rooms, and the surface shelter on the field now houses the games equipment. When we assembled after the Easter vacation we were amazed at the reformation that had taken place in three weeks. The Great Hall was ready for use and one of the plotting balconies had become an Art Room, in spite of the notice ‘Keep Out. For N.C.O’s and Officers Only’!” (Scothern, 1946). Today, 75 years on, the plaque in room E124 and a commemorative stone plinth just to the right of the entrance into the University from the Cloisters lawn, along with a specially planted rose named ‘Remembrance’, now stand as a reminder of the fascinating insight into our secret history our buildings provided during the Second World War.
References: James, Ben. (2014). D-Day 70 years on: Sussex was a vital launch pad for the D-Day landings in The Evening Argus. 6th June 2014. Available at https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11261615.d-day-70-years-on-sussex-was-a-vital-launch-pad- for-the-d-day-landings/ (Accessed: 14 January 2019). Meads, Dr. (1942). ‘From the Principal’. Bishop Otter College Magazine. June, 1942. University of Chichester Archives : BO LI006/002 Meads, Dr. (1946). ‘From the Principal’. Bishop Otter College Magazine. June, 1946. University of Chichester Archives : BO LI0060/006 Pieters Hind, Janet. (2003). My WAAF Years. Contributed to the ‘BBC WW2 Peoples War: an archive of World War Two memories, written by the public and gathered by the BBC’. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/70/a2049770.shtml. (Accessed: 14 January 2019).
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 13 Scothern, H. J. (1946). ‘From the Senior Student’. Bishop Otter College Magazine. June, 1946. University of Chichester Archives: BO LI006/006 Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. (2009). ‘Operational Control of Air Support for D-Day’. Available: https://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/artefact-month/operational-control-of-air-support-for-d-day (Accessed: 14 January 2019). Photographs from the University of Chichester Archives: BO PHR 403 Doreen Preston and friend as WAAFs growing vegetables BO PHR 408 E Blacker's painting showing WAAFs manning telephones BO PHR 411 Enlargement of E Blacker's painting showing side of hall
[email protected]. Janet Carter, Special Collections Manager, University of Chichester. Tel. 01243 816000.
A Request for Help Dr Andrew Smith is a Lecturer in history with the University and has been working with Tangmere Museum and linking projects with the students at Chichester. He is interested in having some activities to mark D-Day and he has written several articles about RAF Tangmere and links with Bishop Otter College. Andrew would be very pleased if any of the members of the Guild who were at College between 1940 and 1948, would be willing to speak with him about any memories they have of the war years while at college, the evacuation to Bromley and also how the college was used during that period. If you are willing to pass on any memories, however brief, please contact him either by letter: Dr Andrew Smith, Department of Humanities, University of Chichester, Bishop Otter Campus, College Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6PE, or by telephone 01243 816499. If you live within easy reach of Chichester, he would be very happy to visit you personally.
Reminiscences
Sue Pickering (Stockford) (1947 – 1949) There has been little news in the last Guild newsletters from those years because there are so few of us left. In 1947 there was a great shortage of teachers because of the war fatalities, so there were emergency training colleges (Bognor Regis was one such and it was a six-month crash course) and the entry age was lowered to 17+. There were five of us who were under 18 and I think only two of us are left – Eileen (Truran) and me. So, I thought it might be interesting for those of you who have followed on so much later to know a little of what it was like then. In 1947, food and clothes were still rationed and we had to bring our ration books with us to be registered with the local authorities. We five who were under 18 came up with blue ration books which showed we were still children. Because of this, everyone in college benefited – and this was apparent when a load of bananas arrived in the country and college received enough bananas for everyone to have one. They were a great treat. Anything other than basic food was in short supply or on ‘points’ (16 a week) and we welcomed parcels from home containing jam and sometimes cake which we always shared with each other. This, we knew, meant those at home were going short, though by 1947 the ‘black market’ was available here and there and one’s families got to know where here and there was!! Because we were an ‘institution’ rationing was relatively generous so though we were always hungry, there was always plenty of bread and potatoes. Even we recognised that accommodation in college was primitive. It was particularly so for our 1947 intake because we were a large group of 120 students, the previous year having been only 80 students. All the horse boxes were full, the San took six of us and some students were in The Pallant where the college chaplain, Mr Jellicoe, lived. New Hall was reserved for second-year students and we first years certainly looked forward to, what was then, very sophisticated quarters. Bathing and washing were somewhat difficult then and queuing in the ‘ablutions area’ was a necessity. Nothing was very private!! I also seem to remember we had no more than a space – hardly a kitchen – where we could boil a kettle and, sometimes, burn our toast! In the evenings when we had done any ‘homework and studying’ we used to meet in someone’s room and have a hot drink and perhaps a treat that someone had received. One of the things I really remember was condensed sweet milk in tins. Pam (Bush)’s mother was a volunteer for the Red Cross and some other organisation and she was able to send Pam a tin now and again. This made all the difference to a cup of indifferent cocoa – NOT hot chocolate – made with boiling water and just milk. I remember as second-years, when we were in New Hall, we still often met together for our entertainment. There was no TV of course but we gathered round someone’s radio and listened to programmes. Two of the Nation’s favourite programmes were ‘Take It From Here’ written by Frank Muir and Dennis Norden [starring Jimmy Edwards and June Whitfield] and ‘ITMA’ with Tommy Handley. Tommy Handley was so popular that he received a
14 | Guild Newsletter 2019 State Funeral and over 10,000 people attended. (You can see a video of it on the computer.) ITMA stood for ‘It’s That Man Again’ and was full of catch phrases which everyone used. Clothes were still rationed, too, in 1947 and one had 26 points for a whole year. An overcoat required 26 – it was a nightmare. Fortunately, clothing banks abounded, started to provide clothes for people who lost everything in the blitz. After the bombing stopped the clothes places (village halls, schools etc) stayed available and we all were dressed in someone’s cast offs!! We were not fashion plates at all!! The highlight of every day was the arrival of the mail. It was generally mid-morning when there was a break for all between lectures, and we crowded round the ‘pips’ (bottom of the stairs which used to go up to the library and some of the horse boxes) and Mr Bell – the bursar(?) would be putting out our letters from home or boyfriends. I can’t remember where it was physically but we also had a post office ‘public telephone’ which ate our money and there was generally a bit of a queue! The year that was to follow on from us was to be 300 students. We wondered where they would all go but decided it was not our problem. I also remember how we debated whether to join the Guild when we left. The lifetime subscription seemed enormous – it was £5. I have always been pleased that I scraped up the funds to join! So though things were difficult and there was sometimes sadness, my main memory is of laughter together and much enjoyment. My first job was in a grammar school which is why my period of probation was waived. The certificates were very poor quality but there was a shortage of paper as well as everything else – however, they have stood the test of time! [Sue did send copies of these letters but, unfortunately, it was not possible to read them when they had been scanned and reduced.]
Norway – a land of waterfalls, fjords and trolls, August 2018
Christine Rhodes (1958-1960) I don’t recall learning much about Norway when I was at school so, when the opportunity to cruise through fjordland came, I decided to go, combining the trip with a visit to England to see friends and family. Flying from Oslo to Tromso I could see ice capped mountains and glaciers even though Norway had had a hotter than usual summer. In spite of taking ‘layers’ I was wondering if I had enough warm clothes for my visit. Norway has had a very mixed history, being once part of Denmark and then part of Sweden, until finally the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905. Today Norway gets about 20% of its income from oil and gas and has a huge sovereign wealth fund. Their taxation rate is high but provides a good welfare system, free schooling and university education, and health care. I was told by a local in Tromso that if one lost one’s job the government would pay 62% of one’s last salary for up to two years. Unemployed youth who still live at home receive nothing from the government. Could that be to encourage them to get a job? There are several things that are noticeable about Norway. I saw no graffiti, the Norwegians are very proud of their culture and heritage, many of them speak very good English and the countryside is very neat and clean. Our 14-day cruise took us from Tromso, a university city with around 75,000 residents, to Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. Our small ship, carrying 114 passengers, was able to access fiords where larger ships cannot go and around each corner we saw waterfalls, some with free falls of 100 metres and mountain sides which fell straight down into water over 500 metres deep. Small settlements take advantage of every piece of flat land. Perhaps the most impressive place we visited was the Briksdal glacier in Nordfjorden. Nordfjord is 105 kilometres long and in places 565 metres deep. Although the glacier is retreating its size is still awe-inspiring. Its ice is blue and the melt water fills a lake at its base. The lake empties into a gushing river complete with waterfall. We took advantage of the ‘trollbussen’ which carry tourists to within 500 metres of the lake but the trip took us through the spray from the waterfall and we were soaked.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 15 Our local tour guides were very proud to tell us about their homeland, culture and history. Their stories are intertwined with tales of trolls who are depicted as ugly, dangerous and, at times, stupid. There is also a huldra, a female who lives in forests and seduces unsuspecting men. At the Lofotr Viking museum in Borg a Viking long house has been built to show handicrafts, food and living conditions. Our guide insisted that in general the Vikings were not a warlike people. They were looking for flat land on which to settle as Norway has very little. The Vikings were certainly adventurous, travelling as far as north America and the Mediterranean. Their long ships, one of which is beautifully preserved in the ship museum in Oslo, were capable of ocean travel. The complete ship was discovered by a farmer in 1903 along with two skeletons and a treasure trove of grave goods. One very quickly notices the brightly coloured wooden houses in both towns and countryside. We were told that years ago the colour of one’s house indicated one’s social status. The poorer people, usually fishermen, painted their houses with a mixture of iron oxide and cod liver oil because they were cheap. Middle class people painted their houses with ochre and cod liver oil which was a little more expensive but the rich could afford to import paint and their houses were painted white. (The houses in the photograph on the right are red.) Today there are still houses painted those colours interspersed with blues and greens. These houses in the Lofoton Islands were fishermen’s cottages and have been preserved to illustrate how fishermen lived. Our local guide in Trondheim told us that it was considered bad manners to paint one’s house the same colour as one’s neighbour and most of the houses we saw looked as if they were newly painted. We visited three different living museums featuring preserved buildings. In Sunnfjord there is a settlement with 25 farm buildings from the 1880s brought here from the district. One shows how crofters lived in a perfectly preserved wooden house. Oslo’s Norsk open air museum has 155 traditional houses from all parts of Norway. It includes a stave church from the year 1200. Stave churches are so called because of the huge supporting staves or posts which featured in their construction and the churches are thought to be the most important examples of medieval architecture in Europe. The third is made up of town houses which were once part of Trondheim, and a rural section with farm buildings from the Trondelag region. Norway is proud of its famous sons. Edward Grieg’s house in Bergen is open to visitors and we were lucky enough to attend a recital of his piano music in the small concert hall in the grounds of his home. Oslo’s Vigeland sculpture park is home to more than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures are in bronze, granite and wrought iron, many of them much larger than life. Edward Munch, whose painting The Scream, is probably his most famous work, was also a Norwegian. Norway is indeed a beautiful country, not yet swamped by tourists, and my memories of its majestic beauty will stay with me for a long time.
B.O.C. Golden Weekend 2018 for the 1965-1968 Group
Jo Bird (1965-1968) The beautiful summer of 2018 didn’t let us down. The sun shone brightly throughout our special weekend and we saw the University of Chichester, Bishop Otter College, in its best light. My first encounter with the past, was to meet Jean Rush (Turnock) in the Chapel where she was putting the finishing touches to her magnificent memorabilia display. It filled both sides of the Chapel and charted her 1964 – 1968 years in detail. Along with the long group photos, there was a chance to pick out many faces and events from our years too. My rather paltry effort was later enlarged by photos provided by some of our group when they arrived. I acknowledged the greetings sent by the friends who were unable to attend in person and I made a list of those with whom I have lost contact since our last major reunion in 2008. On Friday evening a golden 50th balloon flew proudly over our table of 11 (plus three husbands) in Otters Restaurant, more commonly known to us as the Dining Room. No dais at the far end (comfy chairs and portals for computers instead) no bowing in and limited waitress service. However, it was a lovely three-course dinner accompanied by wine and lively conversation.
16 | Guild Newsletter 2019 After the meal we made use of the old Music Room above the Foyer, accessed by a lift if required, and continued with our memories. Most people stayed the night on campus with some being allocated en-suite rooms in the (new) tower block built on the site where my First Year Orchard House room was situated! Here, there are four single rooms on each floor with a shared kitchen/eating space, but there was no sign of any Vesta meals! On Saturday morning, I attended the Guild Business Meeting where, amongst other things, we were assured that next year’s reunion date (30th August – 1st September) could NOT be changed as it has been booked as a Conference Weekend. The University has to make money, of course, and this is one of its lucrative sidelines. The Chapel Service, taken by the University Chaplain, was well attended. The Tapestry, that had to be removed to avoid damage from a leaking roof, had returned and looked as magnificent as of old. A collection was taken for the Dame Vera Lynn Charity which supports pre-school children with learning difficulties. During the coffee break, more of our “day trippers” arrived and assembled in the Courtyard outside the Chapel. This area has been greatly enhanced by flower tubs, hanging baskets and plenty of seating and, like all the others on site, the 50+ year old tree in the centre now gives plenty of shade. At the Guild General Meeting, the University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor gave us a good insight into the current aspects of University life, and she paid respect to the inherited BOC culture of valuing all students and staff. As the only university in West Sussex, she described it as a “twinkling gem to be shown off”. She was proud that the UK’s first black professor is on the staff and that our heritage of excellent teacher training continues. The University will have to continue to grow in size to sustain itself and one fact that amazed me was that there will be 350 music students on campus this term! Reference was made to the, necessary in the University’s opinion, closure of the Otter Gallery. She said that the extensive collection of works of art would not be sold, but distributed throughout the Bishop Otter and Bognor sites, displayed for all to see, as they were in our day. The proviso for this plan was one word – insurance! By now, our group had grown to the magnificent total of 22, so we occupied two designated tables in the Dining Room. The two-course lunch was delicious and it was lovely seeing animated faces and hearing snippets of conversation. After lunch, most people made it into the statutory group photo where we sat on the steps near the Chapel. There were a few creaking moments when we tried to stand up afterwards! Then came a gradual dispersal with some having a conducted tour of South House, visiting the Otter Gallery, going into town or, sadly, departing for home. According to all the responses I’ve received, a good time was had by all. Will we return with others next year? Time will tell, but, if Simon and I do not, we will keep in contact and perhaps see you in Marlow one day. Thank you for all your kind messages and for making the organisation of the event worthwhile. I think most of us would agree that we had the Golden Age of Bishop Otter! Those who were present for some or all of the weekend were: Jill Armitage(Hurst/Norris), Jo Bird (Chalk/ Stuart), Jennifer (Green) and Peter Cornish, John Crockford-Hawley, Jennifer Davies (Butterfield/Bulled), Stella (Taylor) and John Hendy, Jennifer Ince (Leadbetter), Sue Jeffreys (Eichkoff), Trudy (Morgan) and Peter Jones, Martin Kail, Jackie (Holliman) and Roy Kennedy, Terry Payne (Herlihy), Linda Pitt (Japes), Sue Plackett (Ellis), Cherry (Williams) and Geoff Taylor, Mike Woolley and Elspeth Yates (McFarlane).
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 17 Nkokoto, Tanzania
Rod Harris (1964-1967) Since retirement, I have been working as a volunteer on behalf of a charity called the Minchinhampton Nkokoto Link. Minchinhampton is a town in the Cotswolds near Stroud and Nkokoto is a village in north west Tanzania not far from Lake Tanganyika in the west and 600 miles from Dar es Salaam. The Link raises money in Minchinhampton to support the children in Nkokoto Primary School by buying teaching materials, equipment and educational supplies and sponsors the village pupils who have achieved a place at the local secondary school in Vumilia and the Folk Development College (FDC) in Urambo, the nearest town, by giving them school uniform, shoes, writing equipment, books and a bicycle so that they don’t have the long walk to and from school (and for extra security for the girls). The Link pays for the students’ tuition costs and accommodation at the FDC. The first picture shows a group of very happy pupils at Nkokoto School who came to see me and welcome me, their Msungu, typically happy Tanzanians. The Link has also covered the cost of two boreholes and pumps in the village so that there is a supply of safe, clean, healthy water available for the villagers rather than using the dirty and polluted wells. The photograph on the right is the village shop, a stall in the main road under a mango tree for shade, selling items such as tomatoes, cabbage, beans, dried fish, etc, all grown locally in the shambas (small farms) in the district. Other projects have included
building rain water harvesting tanks for the school, building two teachers’ houses, constructing new latrines for the school children and setting up a microfinance scheme. The children in the photos in the classrooms are 10/11 year olds, (called Standard 5 – it goes from Standards 1 (7/8 years old) to Standard 7 (12/13 years old) in separate classes for each year, about 50/60 in each class, taught mainly by rote but the children regard going to school for an education as a privilege! The photo on the left is a class of children (how many?!) sitting in front of the only map of the world that the school possesses - on the outside wall of a classroom
and the one on the right is taken inside a classroom at Nkokoto Primary School with the children sitting at their Victorian style desks and with the maths teaching aids on the walls around them. Nkokoto is a typical Tanzanian rural community where most of the villagers are small scale farmers, growing crops for their own consumption plus a little more, if possible, to sell for cash. The houses are mud brick with thatched roof, usually with one or two rooms only. They might keep a few hens, perhaps a goat; a few have a cow but this is unusual. Roads are unsurfaced in the Nkokoto area although the main road from Dar es Salaam and Urambo to Kigoma on the east bank of Lake Tanganyika is at present being surfaced with tarmac, which will improve journey times across the country considerably. My first visit to Nkokoto involved a 24-hour bus journey from Dar to Urambo!
18 | Guild Newsletter 2019 The Nkokoto people are poor, very poor, living at subsistence level. They work hard, cope with fluctuating rains in the two rainy seasons and have very little, but support each other in times of crisis, illness or death, and always give an exceptionally warm welcome to mzungu (“white man” in Swahili) when I visit. I’ve lost count of the number of chickens and ducks (valuable domestic items to them) that I have been given as presents!! My visits are always to assess the projects for which the Link has paid, check the work that has been done and to discuss the future projects that are regarded as most needy for the village. There is much to do and the Link has achieved a great deal in Nkokoto, yet Tanzania faces huge problems of poverty, economic development and population. Forty-eight percent of the population is under 18, the majority of the people earn less than $1 a day, communication and mobility are difficult (although the mobile phone has completely changed many aspects of life in Tanzania), schools struggle with too few teachers, massive classes and poor equipment, and too many rural communities do not have adequate access to clinics, maternity units or hospitals. Despite having limited finance, the National and local governments work hard to make improvements to the infrastructure of the country, to educate farmers in improved methods of farming and to introduce new crops, and support and encourage local businesses, shops and industries. And, whenever I go there, I receive smiles and the warmest welcome you could ever expect!
The Sawdust Society
Jeff Lowe In 2010 the woodwork group of 60-63 celebrated their 50 years with a two-day gathering at Kingham, Oxfordshire, organised by John Christophers. This delightful occasion has since become an annual event and for 2018 we met in Norfolk, staying at the Lynford Hall Hotel, near Thetford. We arrived in good time for dinner on 24th September at which there was the usual catch-up conversation, toasts to absent friends and a surprise presentation to John Christophers of a lovely plate made by Russell Collins to commemorate John Christophers’ 80th birthday in July, and appreciation of his initiative in establishing the reunion. The following morning we travelled by minibus to Norwich, firstly for a lovely lunch at the Unthank Arms after which we went to the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia. This was a very impressive visit which offered so much for everyone to enjoy. An incredible collection of beautifully displayed paintings, ceramics, sculptures, jewellery from many cultures, as well as a special exhibition of stained-glass panels and work by Hans Coper and Lucie Rie which was of particular interest to the potters in the group. We returned in good time for dinner at which we had had to prepare a limerick. These created some hilarious moments but all thoroughly enjoyable. To conclude the evening, Martin Hill showed slides of some of our goings on! All very entertaining. There were also photographs of our final pieces of work, together with Mollie Hillam’s special study which was beautifully written and illustrated. Our final morning we gathered for photographs and the farewells until next year’s get together – the dates are 30th September and 1st October 2019 when we will be returning to the Chichester area to revisit old haunts.
News of ex-Otters (see also the Obituaries)
1947-1949 Margaret Hayden (Barker) sounds full of beans and, while totally dependent upon her walker and friends and helpers for transport, seems to have a very active social life. She celebrated her 90th birthday with a large party of 100 people drawn from friends from her church and various clubs. She is not lacking in energy and vitality. Sue Pickering (Stockford) says “My life has changed little since last year – still swimming (alternating with Jane Fonda when the pool is shut), book club and visiting all the pubs for lunch. I haven’t broken any bones this year either and have no wish to travel abroad – so life is busy with the ‘day of small things’. I discovered too that my house is not user friendly when it comes to the great granddaughter visiting but I expect we have all realised that. I have opted that my brain goes to Dementia Research when I die. This means I am monitored each year and one of the questions they always ask is “Are you happy?” I have queried this as a sensible question for anyone nearing 90 and suggested it should be “Are you content?” to which I could then answer, “Yes, I am”.” Betty Kimbell (Christopher) is settled in her residential home but can see hardly anything at all now so it is somewhat confining. She recently had a good talk with Eileen (Truran) who lives in Wales with her daughter and other carers but she did manage a trip to Cornwall to scatter her husband’s ashes. Celia Mason has written and is happy that she is still moving – more slowly but unaided. She still swims and plays bowls but has stopped playing golf to prevent back problems. She is in touch with Joan Jones, Brenda Heath and Diana Savage. She comments that nearly all of that intake will be 90 +. (Only 5 people were under 18 and I think that there are only two of that group left and they will be 89).
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 19 1949-1951 Jo Sztyber (Bicknell) said “there aren’t so many of us left now, I’m afraid, but those who are left still keep going”! Margaret Streete (Emsley) and Eric had a busy time downsizing, then had a holiday “rest” in Cornwall where Margaret fell and broke her wrist. This hampered the packing process. They moved into the new flat on 13th November and their family rallied round and gave them great help. Margaret’s eyesight has deteriorated and she cannot now read or write, but they are happily expecting their first great grandchild in the spring. Daphne Salmon (Blake) Her husband died last February. Jean Ward (Porteous) is now great grandma to six-month old Reuben. Doris Short (Milligan) sadly lost her husband in January 2018. Barbara Woodcock (Poile) is well and is still driving at over 90 years old. Anna Parsonage (Lane) Her son is Financial Director at the Chichester Festival Theatre so she visits Chichester regularly. She keeps in touch with Sheila Charles (Hemnell) and Doris Short (Milligan). Jean Lewes (Simpson) broke her right shoulder last April. She has now had a Stannah lift installed which is a great help. She has four great grandchildren – the eldest is at school, the youngest one year old. Audrey Reeves (Rogers) has difficulty in getting about as she has arthritis badly. Her son died suddenly last March so this has been a very sad time for her.
1951-1953 Jo Slack (Abbott) wrote to thank Barbara for being the year rep and for keeping everyone up to date with “how it would be when I first heard that it was going to become a university and hoped it wouldn’t lose the teacher training respect which it had. However, as I said, things look very good. As regards myself, of course I have been retired for a long time now but like many old Otteranians! I am very involved with various activities. I am still in touch with the school where I was Head Teacher, and go to some of the activities they hold. It is a great pleasure to meet some of the ex-pupils who now have children at the same school. With Derek, I go to my local church, St Andrew’s, Furnace Green [Crawley], and belong to a home group. I am a member of our local U3A and through them go to French, and also run a Storytelling group. I am still in touch with Mollie Richards (Ames) but in March Mollie and her husband moved to Bath so we won’t see so much of them as we did when they lived in Horsham. I am sure though that we will keep in touch. As I said, at the beginning of this letter, the magazine is very important for information not only about the past but the present and the future. My sister Wendy [Abbott] was at the college 1961-1964. I also email and phone Karen Thompson (Ellis) 1971-1973, who lives and teaches on Vancouver Island. I hear all about education in British Columbia.” Janet Bradfield (Dixon) has recently found a more comfortable way to meet with her friends for Bible Study – in her own home – without having to go out herself. She enjoys monthly visits from her daughter and son-in-law who ‘keep an eye on her’. Anna Bridger (Johnson) reports that her husband, Harold, who will be 90 this year, has decided ‘no more holidays’ for him, so with the help of carers for Harold, Anna will be travelling to Spain alone for short trips. She went on the River Danube last summer to celebrate 75 years of Trefoil’s existence. They welcomed another great grandchild into their family last year, and this year they look forward to celebrating their Diamond Wedding in March. Congratulations, Anna and Harold. Jill Potts (Davis) is slowly learning to live on her own, and enjoys trips to visit and stay with her family. She enjoyed a cruise last summer with Sheila Trussler (Burgess) along the rivers Rhine and Moselle. Ella Hutt suffered a fall last spring, and broke the same hip as before, so it was bed-rest for two and a half months. She is still living at home with the help of ‘brilliant’ carers, but sadly missed a school reunion at Storrington where she spent her first four years of teaching. She wrote, ‘Recently I was given “Eye can Write”, written by 12-year-old Jonathan Bryan, and his mother, Chantal (ISBN-9781911600787). Jonathan, severely disabled, is living a miraculous life, and has set up a charity, TeachUsToo.org.uk. He pleads for the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication. He has learned to ‘speak’, and wants teachers and others to believe in the potential abilities of other children like him.’ Joy Ash wrote as positively as usual, that she continues with her choir, singing in care homes, and the activities of the Wendover U3A – in between her many travels with friends. Her last trip, in September, was with a wonderful coach tour to Scotland and on to the Orkney and Shetland islands, enhanced by continual sunshine. In Wendover, Joy decided to apply for a Mature Drivers Assessment, and was pleased to get a good report. She recommends them to others. Barbara Watson Hammond (Thrush) has spent much time reorganising her home this last year. One daughter-in- law was heard to say, ‘I have never been in Brian’s study, because I couldn’t get in; I had to stand in the doorway to speak to him’, and certainly it has been a long job, even with lots of help. The room is now a welcoming spare bedroom which is often in use. She was very proud to say that she had driven her car all the way up north and back, covering over 1,000 miles in two weeks, and visiting many friends and family members. Yes, she was very tired on her return! Christmas Greetings have come to you all from Jen Jury (Bristol), Paule Andrews (Johnston) and Thelma Cleaver (Brown).
20 | Guild Newsletter 2019 1952-1954 Trixie Barnden (Hibbert) is still enjoying life and keeping fit walking and bowling. Holidays this year were in England and Wales as aeroplanes do not like her! She is trying a cruise this year around the Canary Isles with door to door transport. Very civilised! How nice it is to be growing old. As we age we all face new challenges and try to keep our usual activities alive and so things change little from year to year. However, the following news comes from our year Jenny Holdstock (Davis), Kathleen Smith (Sevier), Eileen Canterbury (Allen), Shirley Glaysher (Ellis), Margaret Harris (Hogsden) and Mary Williams (Burrell) all send their greetings. Angela Bellinaso (Chard) writes from Italy that she and husband still plod along. Her husband is wheelchair bound so getting around is rather difficult. They have a part time carer. They are renovating the house to make things easier and hoped to be finished by Christmas 2018. Enid Whiteman (Gulland) met up with Margaret Heathcote (Birch) and Frank in September. They managed to find a hotel midway between as none of them want to drive far these days. It was a happy reunion. Enid and Neil keep fit and well exercised by their little Westie. Margaret Heathcote (Birch) looks back on the happy days at Bishop Otter and keeps in touch with Enid (Gulland). She is trying to find something smaller to live in as the house and garden are becoming rather difficult. They see a lot of the family and Penny’s small dog is never sure which house she lives in! Elaine Du Lieu is relatively active with the U3A. She helps to organize a ‘Strollers’ group’. They walk for about an hour with some added interest, e.g. a visit to a rare breeds farm. She also belongs to the music group, goes to most of the lectures and talks and participates in the organised visits. They recently went to see the Richard III exhibition in Leicester – excellent. Lorna Hooper (Garton) enjoys visiting many places around the country – Bournemouth, Sidmouth, Borde Hill, Wisley and Chichester (flower festival and theatre) but the main holiday was the River Danube cruise with Wood’s Travel from Nuremberg to Budapest. There were 16 in the group and had the same escort as last year. She enjoyed it very much and hopes to go again in 2019. Lorna was invited to become an honorary member of the old Pricean’s Society because her Father taught at Prices. She went to the AGM and had an enjoyable luncheon at the Farnham College. A little puzzle for you all The photograph on the right was sent in by the daughter of Patricia Griffiths (Arnold). It is of ladies from the 1952-1954-year group at afternoon tea at Bishop Otter College. Apparently, Patricia was always telling her daughter how much food they had while they were there. The puzzle is – how many of the people pictured here can you recognise, and are you in the picture? Do let me know and I will include it next year with all the names (RS).
1953-1955 We were sorry that four of our regulars – Keith, Beryl, Meg and John – were not at the reunion, but there was a bonus – Doreen was not on the canal boat in France! She stated that she was a train traveller “par excellence” having travelled from Weybridge to Spain by train. Margaret Harris (Rayner) was celebrating 40 years of choir membership at her local church. Pat Wilkins (Bertie) enthused about Utrecht where her granddaughter was at university. Joan Rippengal (Reedman) had been busy writing memoirs of various stages of her life. Kathleen Alcorn (Young) was still able to keep up twice-yearly visits to Greece and USA to see her two daughters and families. Daphne Crockford (Leech) enjoyed her WI involvement and also weekends away. Dot Barden (Emptage) came armed with her latest book – aimed at teenage boys. Pam Cahill (Thorpe) spoke of an idyllic day out at Woodbridge, Suffolk, where she had sat in the tide mill watching yachts sail out on an ebbing tide. Carol Dapp (Foxster) is a dog walker, homework helper and keen mah-jong player. Margaret Hawker (Passmore), after two hip operations, is still able to play golf twice a week. Joyce West (Fry) is teaching the sitting keep fit to large classes. Barbara Malony (Staples) takes every opportunity to visit old friends and have new experiences. Shirley Hall (Chapman) had a life or death operation on her spine to release a trapped nerve. Janet Camus (Stewart) enjoys painting and other activities in her retirement complex. Billie Llewellyn (Le Huray) is not really at all well and still not able to sell her house.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 21 1954-1956 Marion Field writes: “I have always loved writing and, while I was teaching, I wrote several books but unfortunately they were all rejected. However, I had a number of articles accepted and, after I took early retirement, my writing career ‘took off’. This was no doubt helped by the fact that I won an award for my self- published autobiography. This was later published by a commercial publisher who then accepted my second book. Since 2014 I have been writing local history books for Amberley Publishing. The first one was Woking Through Time. Woking in 50 Buildings was the second book. This was not an easy assignment. Apart from five 12th century buildings, Woking developed in the 19th century and during the 20th century it was frequently being redeveloped. Currently, it is undergoing yet another major overhaul! By the time the book was published, several new buildings had appeared. In October 2016 I launched Secret Bracknell in Ranelagh School where I had taught for several years. In April 2017 Woking held its first Literary Festival. I was delighted to be part of it when my 19th book, Secret Woking, was launched. Secret Guildford was published in May 2018. I had a most enjoyable launch at The Royal Oak in Guildford. A number of ‘regulars’ appeared, bought books and sampled the ‘free’ food! I still travel whenever I can. In September 2015 I attended a Writing Conference in Singapore and in January 2016 I spent a wonderful three weeks in Australia visiting all the tourist spots. In 2017 I stayed in Europe visiting Tuscany in June and enjoying a Rhine cruise in October. In September 2018 I am spending a week on the Greek island of Samos. I was tempted by the fact that the hotel has a tennis court so I hope to enjoy a game while there. I have certainly had an exciting second career since I left teaching!”
1955-1957 Ann Hawke (Booth), Jill Fudge (Bryant), Chris Tweed (Hague) and Liz Care (Aston) were at the 2018 reunion. Sadly, Liz’s husband died in 2018. Liz is keeping busy and it is good that her eldest son lives with her and her daughter is not far away. Ann and Jill are in frequent contact with each other. Shirley Born (Waites), K Harcourt (Horsley) and Viv Mitchell still meet in London once or twice a year. Viv and her sister, Pam, had a lovely time chatting on Eastbourne Pier with Val Gabriel (Duckett) in May and hope to meet again this year in the same place. Val Gabriel (Duckett) keeps in touch with Val Edmands (Field) by phone. Val E sees Eileen Parsons frequently. Val G also keeps in touch, by phone, with Shirley, Sylvia Davis-Munro (Kelway-Pope), Chris (Tweed) and Mary Wardrop (Wheeler). Sylvia sees Marjorie Nutland (Valencia) regularly. Val hears from Margaret Child (Wilks) and Pauline Green (Boakes) at Christmas.
1956-1958 Yvonne Kellaway (Wilkins) has had another hectic year. Her grandson from Australia has been staying with Yvonne and Tony but has now gone back to Hart University. Yvonne and Tony will be visiting Sarah and family in Australia for two months in the spring. Despite two heart operations, Tony is back playing tennis and golf and regularly walking, although not so far. Their granddaughter, Eva, is at boarding school in Dorset and Yvonne and Tony regularly go to watch her playing hockey. Audrey Falla (Martin) and husband, Ken, are still enjoying their holidays. Last winter they had a superb cruise across the Pacific then, after a busy summer at home in Guernsey, they spent 10 days in Cyprus doing nothing! Anita Whale (Fay) managed to attend our get-together at the summer reunion despite it clashing with a very hectic weekend for her. Her granddaughter was about to start her veterinary training at Nottingham University in September. Sylvia Dadd (Claydon) and Peter remain reasonably well although this year Sylvia gave up the chairmanship of the Cathedral Group for Social Concerns which she had started 20 years ago. As she says “It’s always difficult giving things up” – a sentiment which many of us can understand. She is filling her time with lots of reading and gardening. Barbara Dougherty (Jones) has recovered well from her hip operation after various problems and is still singing in the choir and enjoying the words club at the local Guildhouse classes. Grandchildren Jamie and Joanna are now in London, Matt (14) is in the South Wales tennis squad. Caroline Mercer (Boon) will be joining the (not too select) group of joint replacement members when she has a hip replacement in January 2019. She was not looking forward to being unable to drive for six weeks, but friends and family are all standing by. Sadly, she has not been able to visit her son, Simon, and family this year in Norwich but enjoyed their visits to her and seeing her grandchildren. She has been busy helping with church money raising events but says her garden has been rather neglected because of her hip problem. She and Mike were spending a quiet Christmas at home. Mary Rose was able to attend our reunion, looking well despite various health problems – cataract operation, arthritis etc. She is very independent and had been up a ladder painting a kitchen wall and also does lots of gardening. She sent me one of her beautiful water-colour Christmas cards which I have added to my collection. Bridget Bodewin (Durman) and Karl still remain very active despite both turning 80 in 2018. They walk on the beach or in the woods most days near their home on Vancouver Island. They also cycle and still enjoy their
22 | Guild Newsletter 2019 boat and motorhome. They are hoping to visit Alaska in 2019, taking the ferry up and driving back. Kate (18), their granddaughter, is at university in Ontario whilst Claire (15) is looking forward to a three-month French exchange to Dijon in the spring. Ruth Cook (Green) and Ivor celebrated their Golden Wedding this year in a National Trust lighthouse in North Devon. Part of their family joined them for the first half of the week and the others came for the second half of what was a fabulous holiday. Ruth and Ivor have volunteered for many years at Dunster Castle with the National Trust. Muriel Green (Telford) joined up at our reunion for the first time in the 60 years since we left college. We both stayed in college on Friday night so we had plenty of time to catch up with news of families and life at 80. She has four children, Susan is in Paris, Gareth in Belgium, Douglas and Rachel in London. She is very active on the local Council – Vice Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, on the Planning Committee and Licencing and also on various scrutiny committees. She said she is definitely going to have more holidays next year. She may also ‘downsize’ to a bungalow but that is still ‘in the air’. Apart from arthritis and a difficult cataract procedure she is reasonably fit. She must be to do all her activities! Elaine Stobo (Taylor) wrote to tell me the news of the death of Edna Norman (Beales) (see Obituaries). She, along with Elaine, was one of the Pallantites who have continued a good friendship with Moyra Smith (Gibson), Bridget Bodewin (Durman) and Mary Green (Lock) through all the 60 years since leaving college. Elaine set herself the task of tracing another of their group, Lila Horn, whom she found had died some years earlier (see Obituaries). Elaine took early retirement at 57 as her husband, Ian, had already retired. Sadly, Ian died of a stroke in 2010. Elaine still plays bowls and bridge and is always interested in the activities of her seven grandsons. Evelyn Farquhar (Davison) is making a good recovery from her hip replacement operation after a delay in her physio. As she says, physio is essential to rebuild the muscles which have been little used over the past few years. Being pain-free from that area is wonderful, but she still needs further surgery on other joints – the other hip and both knees! Her daughter and family were travelling to York from Kent to spend Christmas with Evelyn and Gordon. Granddaughter, Eleanor, is now in her final year at Birmingham University. Lorna Edwards (Ogley) is now getting back to normal after having a shoulder replacement in September (put off until after the reunion). Despite the surgeon telling her that it would be a ‘very long recovery’ she thought that she would be different. Although she was the ‘star’ patient she wasn’t and he was right! However, she is now driving again and doing most household chores. Physio is still ongoing and hopefully she will soon be back at Scottish dancing and able to do the garden when spring arrives. She spent Christmas in Saudi Arabia with her son and family, travelling with her grandson, Laurie, a 5th-year medic, so she was in good hands. She tried swimming for the first time since her operation and was quite disheartened on the first day when she only managed to do three strokes. However, by the end of her stay she did two lengths of the pool so she was delighted. They had a wonderful holiday and even had a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, brussels sprouts (which her grandson took out in his rucksack!) and Christmas pudding. It was sad to hear of the deaths of two of her year. She is sure that most of her year will remember Lila Horne. She was very ‘arty’ in the way in which she dressed and was the first person in college to wear a ‘sack dress’. Does anyone remember, or even know, what that was? Lorna remembers Edna (after leaving college she was known as Elizabeth) Norman (Beales) as always having a wide smile and red cheeks. A really cheerful person. They are both truly missed by family and friends. The Reunion 2018. Nine of us attended our 60th reunion in the summer. We missed ‘Doddie’ Pickering but instead welcomed Muriel Telford to join the ‘faithful few’ on her first visit since leaving college. Despite the change in date the weather was the same and college was beautiful as it basked in the warm sun. Muriel and Lorna stayed on Friday night and were in the same block. Muriel was very impressed with the spacious rooms and en-suite facilities, a far cry from the ‘horse boxes’ where we had spent our first happy year at BOC. Unlike many of the others who were there overnight, after a lovely dinner Muriel and I had an early night. After all we had travelled from Tyne & Wear and Nottingham respectively! We met up with the rest of our group on Saturday in the chapel and, as ever, time slipped away as we caught up with news and reminisced about the ‘old days’. We looked round our old haunts – some very difficult to recognise – and were devastated to hear that the Art Gallery would be closing. Art was very much a big part of our lives and for many of us it was the first time we had seen ‘modern art’. Certainly, Patrick Heron’s work was a real revelation to me. Despite all the changes and new buildings, the ‘magic’ of BOC was still there and our friendships just as strong. Long may it be so.
1958-1960 Muriel Warburton (Badham) “I would like to say how much I have enjoyed talking to members past and present whose phone numbers I have. May I ask all of you to keep me up to date with phone numbers and emails? Brian and I have had a quiet year at home. I have arthritis in my left hip and both of us walk with sticks. I now have a disabled badge which has made shopping much easier. The brightest event that has taken place was our granddaughter's acceptance at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham. She boards and has settled in
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 23 well. She really enjoys her life there. Brian and I are finding it quite difficult and tiring to put all the contributions to the Newsletter on to the computer. Muriel has to rely on Brian to do this. If anyone would like to take over, we would be happy to pass on details to them. We would like to thank everybody for their contributions over the past few years.” Christine Rhodes (Smith) Christine wrote “Old age makes us nostalgic. It would be great to hear from any of our year group at BOC.” She still has the college photo from 1959 and can put names to lots of people. For those of you who have the photo, Chris is the tall one near the middle of the back row. Christine moved to Australia in 1972. All but four years of her career was spent teaching English as a Second Language in Hobart. During the last nine years she managed a programme for fee-paying international students in a state High School. She is still in touch with some of her students in Asia. Christine remembers visiting Cynthia when her ex-husband's navy ship was in Plymouth. She took her children to visit and another BOC girl, who lived in Looe, was there too, but she can't remember her name. She has two children and four grown up grandchildren: two boys in Gisborne and two boys in Hobart. She writes, “We don’t have squirrels but, we do have possums who visit our gardens and eat bulbs etc. A possum can be about the size of a big cat and they love to get into roof spaces to live. They usually wander round at night; judging by the noise they make, they sound as if they are wearing football boots! It is quite unnerving to be woken up with a start and then realise it is just possums. We are coming into spring and my garden is full of colour ... and weeds ... and snails! When I was in Europe for five weeks, the weeds must have partied ... I seem to be spending at least part of every day in the garden but I am winning! When it is a lovely sunny morning, it inspires me to get to work.” Whilst in England in July, she visited the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Wisley. Her only regret was that she couldn’t take plants home. A lot of Australia is in drought and with a Government that doesn’t believe that there are such things as climate change or global warming and believes that coal fired power stations are good, as opposed to renewable energy, the future doesn’t look too bright. Christine has had a hip replacement and goes to a local pool for exercise classes. She has had cataracts removed and now just needs reading glasses. She enjoys DIY activities and is president of her local garden club. Cynthia Keener Cynthia is finding writing much more difficult due to arthritis in her hands. She is still able to drive and every morning goes for a short walk along a nearby promenade with the aid of a stick, where she meets up with dog walking friends at the cafe for a chat. This year she has been caught up with trying to sell her house and could not meet up with Jenny Hill (Pote) and Anne Stidwell (Limbert) for the usual weekend get-together at Andover. She was hoping to move into her new retirement flat before Christmas, but time has moved on and she has decided to move in the New Year. Yvonne Pitt (Harris) is continuing as a reader in her local church. She is kept quite busy with helping at The George Eliot Hospital where she visits the A & E wards on a Tuesday afternoon when the chaplain takes a service. She is in touch with Joy Wallwin. Patricia Holmes (Appleyard) When I spoke to Paddy at the beginning of December she told me that she and Thelma Bristow (Lewis) were planning to take Felicity Sylvester (Stent) out to lunch to celebrate Felicity's 80th birthday. Paddy said both she and Thelma were well and that she is in touch with several other friends including Avril Keenan (Wensley) who lives in Cheshire. Paddy continues to go out to Italy four times a year. She is probably pretty fluent in Italian by now! Joy Wallwin says “I don’t have much news this year, as life goes on normally. The high point was a visit to the parish by Justin Welby, now Archbishop of Canterbury, and a former much-loved rector of our parish church.” Susan Machell (Green) Muriel spoke to Susan and her husband. Susan wears two deaf aids as her hearing is very impaired. Her husband has made eighteen visits to Guy's Hospital during this year due to problems arising from years ago. They have two daughters living close by. Susan was delighted to have been given her first artificial Christmas tree by one of them. This mitigated the need to struggle with collecting a real tree. As we spoke, her granddaughter arrived to put up Christmas decorations. Heather Howell (Shaw) She and her husband are reasonably well and, like the rest of us, slowing down. Heather had a couple of appointments with a cardiologist, but he has said that he doesn't need to see her again. Her doctor has taken her off tablets but will keep regular checks on her. She feels much better without the medication! She fills in gaps when called upon by the church, but no longer takes services regularly. Her husband is still involved with housing charities. Jean del Re (Stattin) Jean rang Muriel from Italy with her news. She went on a cruise with a friend around the Scottish Isles in perfect weather. They visited the Orkneys and the Queen Mother's home, Castle May. She found the summer unbearably hot at home in Italy. She spent June, July and August mostly indoors, with the windows shut and the blinds drawn, as did Brian and I here. Her son, Robert, and his wife are in the pre- adoption stage of a little Nigerian girl who will be nine in January. Jean is looking forward to an exciting Christmas with her. She and a friend often go to the cinema or a concert. Recently, she saw the Royal Ballet production of the Nutcracker Suite, broadcast live directly from Covent Garden. She says many people affected by last year's earthquakes [in Italy] have lost everything and, in some places, there are still small tremors. Marian Harris (Cairns) writes: “It was a special treat this year to meet up with Thelma Bristow (Lewis) and Paddy Holmes (Appleyard) at Thelma's home in Dartford. I hope to see Valerie Moore in January when we
24 | Guild Newsletter 2019 are in East Anglia. Our 2018 highlight was when Doug, accompanied by our three sons, walked the 80 miles of the Dales' Way to celebrate his 80th birthday. I walked the first half day from Ilkley with them and with other family members, who had all joined for various distances. They walked the last stage to a country house hotel in Bowness. Here we enjoyed a family party to celebrate both Doug's birthday and the 50th birthday of our twin sons.” Anne Rumsey (Harrop) I had a short chat with Anne and her husband. They still live in Southampton. They are in touch with Pat Griffith who was, I believe, in the year following ours. Anne Stidwell (Limbert) It seems incredible that it is Christmas time again. Where has this year gone? I do not know! As it turned out, only Jenny and I have managed to spend a weekend together this year. Retirement keeps us all busy. She also reports that Robena Dore (Brown) is in much better health and has begun to enjoy life once more in the sunshine at her home in Spain. Jenny and I are both involved with our families and activities in our local areas. We are lucky that we are able to take holidays with friends and families. Jenny, Cynthia, Robena and I continue to keep in close touch with each other by telephone and other means of modern technology, but find it increasingly difficult to meet together at the same time. Next year, however, we all plan to be better organised. Thank you for keeping in touch. It is always good to hear news of everyone. I continue to go to my calligraphy and gentle exercise classes. I help in the Thrift Shop run by the Methodist Church in Bramhill. I still drive locally and enjoy travelling by train when visiting friends and relations. Jennifer Capstick (Biles) tells Muriel that she is still in touch with Janet English and Mary Virden (Marshall). She remembers Christine Rhodes (Smith) and, hopefully, will get in touch with her by email. Valerie Baxter This year Valerie has been to Chichester three times. In September she sang with her church choir at Evensong in the cathedral. At Chichester Theatre she saw ‘Me and My Girl’. Her great niece was playing in the orchestra. At a second visit to the theatre she saw ‘Flowers for Mrs Harris.’ Both times she was accompanied by a friend. They took the opportunity to look round the university, where she recognised parts of it from our time. For the first time she's been on a cruise with her Trefoil Guild on the River Danube. She said they sailed at night and during the day they stopped off and went on organised tours. At the beginning of the year she visited her nephew in Australia. He is coming over for Christmas and will cook Christmas lunch for Valerie, her ninety-year old sister, and her niece who will probably be there, but only on Christmas Day as she has musical commitments. Valerie’s sister lives only round the corner from her. Valerie says she has lived in Thames Ditton all her life. Careth Paternoster (Osborne) In October Careth and Michael stayed in Mid Wales where they attended a baroque festival and where they learnt a lot from talks about the music. She says they have had a good year for music. She and Michael are well apart from the aches and pains of getting older! Nadine Tacchi (White) Nadine was expecting to spend Christmas Day with her daughter, when Muriel spoke to her. She still potters around in her garden and at the moment is continuing to swim, although she has given up going to the gym. She tells Muriel that her local Leisure Centre is about to be pulled down and rebuilt with an upper storey to house the gym, library and Community Centre - thus these facilities are due to close in about three weeks. She will not be able to swim until they are rebuilt. She still drives locally but doesn't go far. There is an infrequent bus service to the next town. Often, on a Sunday, she goes out for a walk to the Floral Hall where there is a cafe run by community volunteers. This makes a profit. She tells Muriel that the local council wanted to demolish it for a car park but the local community held out to keep it. On the day Muriel spoke to her, she was off to a party at a local hall with a group of people who lace-make and do beading. She enjoys the company. At the party they were planning to make stars for Christmas. Fiona Babbings (Van der Kiste) is living with one of her daughters in Devizes, Wiltshire, but they are house hunting in Shropshire. Fiona still follows the hounds either on foot or by car. Dinah Hoskin (Stanton) says she is fine but her husband is in less good health. She still keeps in touch with Nadine Tacchi (White). Jacqueline Weddell (Lovell) Like many of us, she has health problems, but still sounded cheerful over the phone. Her youngest granddaughter is now eighteen. Her son Mark is still teaching. She said that she thought that, perhaps, the recent poisoning problems in Salisbury had been exaggerated somewhat by the press as most people carried on as usual. Mary Virden (Marshall) Mary and her husband are still in Northumbria. She is in touch with Jenny Capstick (Biles). Mary went to a reunion with a friend many years ago. She is a keen gardener as is her husband who grows the vegetables. She also enjoys bird watching. Mary Haynes Many of you will know that Mary was a talented art student under Sheila McCririck. Mary made a sculpture entitled ‘My People’, which was accepted into the permanent art collection of the College. She is one of three people who gave interviews about her memories, as an art student and on her appreciation for all that Miss Murray and Sheila McCririck did in building up the art collection. The interviews were filmed for a documentary based on the permanent art collection, which focused on the two people who inspired art at Bishop Otter College. A recording was shown at the exhibition entitled ‘Women Artists: Power and Presence at the Otter Gallery’. (ref. Newsletter 2017, page 10). Mary wishes to express her opinion that it is folly to close the
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 25 gallery for exhibitions and disperse the collection, where it won't be easily available for all to see. Mary’s other interests include singing in a choir, reading and participating in activities organised by the U3A. She still drives but only locally. Thelma Bristow (Lewis) Thelma writes that she went to the U3A Summer School at Chichester University where, unexpectedly, she met Jenny Lawler (Barham). Much reminiscing took place. Jean Hunt (Stratta) Jean and her husband still live in Hampshire. She has a son and daughter. Like Muriel, she is not a great enthusiast for modern technology and relies on her husband for IT too. She is in touch with Julia Crichton (Bennett) who lives in Erith. Jean says Julia and her husband are both fine.
1959-1961 Jenny Buckland (Barnes) Charles, her son, emailed just before Christmas to say that she had had a stroke and was not mobile. She was being cared for at home. If she is on your correspondence list, please drop her a line and please do update us on her current state of health. All our good wishes for 2019, Jenny. Sue Horsnell (Corfmat) writes “2018 was a very busy year for us. Bob and I were married on June 30th! It was a wonderful day with many friends and family. Bob had recently taken up bell ringing and, as our parish team is short on numbers, a good team of ringers was drafted in. We do not have a permanent choir in our Benefice so friends from our North Cotswold Choir became our wedding choir. We consider ourselves very blessed since we first met at The Shakespeare Hospice coffee mornings for widows/ers four years ago! Like most of our contemporaries, our pace of life is much slower now, with too many medical appointments! But we have enjoyed some good holidays this year, particularly our first visit to the Scillies. All wonderful with a lovely atmosphere, apart from the outward sea journey, described as "lumpy". I managed one row of knitting …! We are both still enjoying our major hobbies – Bob gliding and model railways, and myself singing and painting, both part of our North Cotswold U3A. Hope I can get to the Reunion this year. Brenda (Long/Jenkinson) and I are hoping to come together. Will see who else we can rope in!” Joan Connelly (Stephen) writes “My last newsletter to the magazine was very sad as I’d just lost my husband, Colin (he died in May 2016), and I was feeling bereft and exhausted from caring for him over many years of increasing ill health. My children were brilliant and one was even contemplating building a granny annex on to her house so that I could be looked after in my dotage. However, I was by no means ready for that. A friend and colleague of mine at St Joseph’s School and College (Caroline) had died the previous year. It had always been our custom to host a New Year lunch party for some of my retired colleagues and their husbands, so after Caroline died we continued to invite John and, to cut a long story short, in the late Autumn of 2017, he asked me if I would like some company when I took my dog, Pippin, for walks! Romance blossomed and we were married in April 2018. We had a wonderful sunny day with both of our families and our mutual friends all celebrating with us. My son, Daniel, gave me away; John’s son-in-law, Gavin, was his best man and my youngest granddaughter, Kitty, was my bridesmaid. The brilliant speeches acknowledged Caroline and Colin and our previous long and happy marriages. We had our honeymoon touring in Iceland (fantastic waterfalls, hot springs, glaciers, and icebergs) then later we toured Scotland in my motorhome and visited John’s daughter, Helen and her husband who live in Dingwall near Inverness (more waterfalls, lochs and ospreys but too hot for midges, thank goodness). We went for a reunion weekend at John’s old college, Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and John took me punting on the backs where he proudly demonstrated that he still had all the necessary skills – and, of course, we’ve continued walking with Pippin! Now that they’ve got used to the idea, both our families are delighted and more than relieved that the pressure is off them.” Christine Cundy (Chappell) is currently still living in Ashbourne. Her husband died two years ago and she is looking to move. If anyone is passing through Derbyshire, she would be delighted to meet up. Anne Fuller (Cockram) has had a quieter year in 2018 after her husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2017, and all that that entailed, and her youngest son and family had their home in Houston destroyed by hurricane Harvey. They have now been able to resume their travels and the visits to Houston are replaced by trips to Dubai. They still campervan and love spending time in their house in France. The four granddaughters continue to delight and all in all for the moment, fingers crossed, they are all okay. She sends best wishes to all BOC friends. Pat Garford (Terry) writes “The highlight of 2018 was a trip to Southern Africa in September. A friend and I joined 13 other New Zealanders, plus our escort, and flew to Singapore for a stopover on the way to Victoria Falls. Two nights at Victoria Falls Hotel was luxury. We walked through the rainforest on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls with wonderful views of them. The next day some of us took a helicopter ride over the Falls. It was my first time in a helicopter and the views were spectacular. A relaxing sundowner cruise on the Zambezi ended with a brilliant African sunset. We then joined 52 international travellers on the Shongololo Express, an old colonial train, for the impressive panoramic 11-night journey between Victoria Falls and Pretoria with stops at carefully selected locations in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. In between four game drives we went into Matapos National Park where Cecil Rhodes is buried and to The Great Zimbabwe Ruins in Swaziland where a cultural show was performed for us. To Maputo in Mozambique for a city tour driving
26 | Guild Newsletter 2019 alongside the Indian Ocean, and to the Blyde River Canyon. The first three game drives were in private parks and in them I saw three of the “Big Five” – lion, elephant and white rhino, also other animals and some colourful birds. The animals blend into their surroundings and are not easy to see a lot of the time. On our fourth and last game drive at Kruger National Park I saw the other two – the cape buffalo and the very elusive leopard, so was very fortunate. The train usually travelled in the evening and at night. We had a quick tour of Soweto before flying to Cape Town for four nights. Table Mountain was closed the first two days by high winds but we were able to get up on the cable car on our last day for wonderful panoramic views. On the way to the Cape of Good Hope we visited the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and our last day was spent in the Winelands region. Magnificent scenery surrounds Cape Town. It was a very different trip. I have helped coach Android smartphones at Senior Net throughout the year, have kept the garden under control, kept mobile at the gym and enjoyed some interesting speakers at Rebus and U3A meetings. Hopefully more overseas travel will be achievable in 2019. Pat Large (Ludlam) has five grandchildren. Caitlin is now nineteen and enjoying life at Durham University reading PPE. James is a pupil at the Royal Ballet School in London and his twin brother, Sam, also a talented dancer, branched out three years ago into acrobatic gymnastics. He excels at this and has represented GB twice in the World Championships, winning Gold on both occasions. Two younger grandchildren live in Hadlow close to Pat and she enjoys being a part of their lives. Sadly, in April, Colin, her husband passed away and she is currently rebuilding her life. Brenda Jenkinson (Long) writes “we were invited to Sue Corfmat's wedding in Warwickshire in June. It was a lovely hot day and the church was full. A choir, including Sue's daughter, led the singing. It was a very happy occasion and we were treated to a special wedding breakfast after the service. Maureen Noble and her husband visited us in September for a very enjoyable weekend. We continue to play a lot of bridge and have been on several bridge holidays. All our family enjoy playing cards and the seven-year old granddaughter and grandson of nine join us in whist and solo. Our elder son has one daughter who is 18 and in her final year at school. She is busy preparing for A levels; she works hard and deserves to do well. It seems incredible that we will celebrate 60 years of knowing each other next year! I hope to be in Chichester for the re-union”. Betty Jones (Prince) really sums up many of us these days. ”Still soldiering on”. It takes all of us much longer to do everything and we have to plan and budget our time! She and John are still actively involved with their many grandchildren and Betty manages trips to the gym to keep things moving but cannot walk as far as she would like. John was on course to complete over 12,000 miles on his bike in 2018, a distance he never achieved in his younger days. A levels and GCSEs curtailed family holidays but they were able to enjoy a holiday at a Spa Hotel in Rhodes during September. Jenny Kirkaldy (Shepherd) has been to her usual round of Christian Conferences this year and is finding life without Tony challenging. To keep busy she has resumed her keyboard playing and has joined a small MU choir and the Saffron Building Society Community choir. She was very disappointed to find no-one else from our year in Chichester for the BOC reunion in September. Hopefully we can remedy that in 2019 and all meet up to celebrate 60 years since we first met. Rosemary House (Pruett) celebrated 50 years of marriage to Jack in July 2018 and they took tea at the Ritz Hotel in London together. In the context of an “At Home” they welcomed over 100 family and friends and received donations of £1500 which they divided amongst five favourite charities. Finally, they enjoyed a holiday cruise to St Petersburg and the Baltic cities. Rosemary has been diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s and is becoming increasingly forgetful, but is still enjoying life. Val Pinkerton (Diston) has three grandchildren living in New Zealand. After 13 consecutive annual trips, they have now called a halt and will visit less often. Val and Harry meet up regularly with June Hopkins and her husband Bob. They are all still in touch, too, with Anne Lowton who is living in British Columbia. Maureen Sutherland (Blake) has completed her year as Bailiff of the Court Leet in Warwick and is now catching up with all the things that have been neglected during 2018. She thoroughly enjoyed her time of responsibility but it was a heavy commitment. One of the highlights was taking a group to visit the war graves and battlefields in Belgium where she had the privilege of laying a wreath during the service at the Menin Gate. As they only had time for short breaks in Amsterdam and Bath a holiday is booked for a trip to Peru and on to Patagonia. We look forward to her news this time next year. Hazel Tomlinson (Torode) has had several visits to their house in France during the year, plus a trip down the River Rhone and what sounds like an intriguing trip to Albania, Macedonia and Greece where they saw the treasures of Philip the second. Quite spectacular! Sounds like something for Pat Terry to think about! Jean Handsaker (Tune) keeps busy and, like us all, is plodding on and finding the pace slower. She is in touch with Anne Clibbon who is now a full-time carer for her husband, hampered lately by her falling in the garden, breaking ribs and puncturing a lung. Hope to see you at the reunion, Jean! Anne Walters (Sansom) Thank you once again to all those who keep in touch by email or Christmas card/letter. It is great to have your news and be able to share it. 2019 is the 120th anniversary of the foundation of the Guild. It was first started in January 1899! and we are celebrating 60 Years of starting College. The time of our first meetings! It is really hard to believe and it would be marvellous if we could have a good attendance
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 27 at the BOC reunion this year. More details will be available when the Guild newsletter is published. Please put the dates in your diaries. Many of you have indicated that you will be attending and single rooms will be available in College. I will definitely be there but most likely from Friday until just after the reunion lunch on the Saturday and staying with Allan locally. Apologies to Jenny Shepherd that she was alone in 2018. Hope we can change that this year! If you have thoughts on the 2019 Reunion for us as a group please send your ideas and I will try to organise something special. Please also keep me informed of your intentions and I will report back to everyone who is still in touch and don’t forget to let me know of any changes to your address or email etc. Contact me at [email protected] or 01159841551. There is an answer machine if I am not available!!
1961-1964 Firstly, I would like to remind everyone in the 1961-1964 year that this is our 55th anniversary of starting college. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a really big turnout at the reunion, especially as it is also the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Guild and the 180th anniversary of the founding of BOC (RS). Terry Turner our year rep, asked members to send in memories of their time at Bishop Otter College. These are memories from some of them: Terry’s memory is this: “On 13 January 1963, on a cold, dismal day I ventured into the out students’ common room. A first-year student, who I had seen and admired only from a distance, was alone and in tears. I approached with some trepidation to learn that she had just received a telegram from her father informing her that her very special grannie had just died. The student was Rory Whittle. Little did I know that I would fall madly, passionately in love with her and that we would spend almost 50 years of our lives together. That, for me, was the most memorable moment of my life and I will always be grateful that Rory and I chose BOC as a place in which to learn our teaching skills.” Sue Thompson (Chadwick) sent a couple of memories of her time at BOC. “As far as memories of our years at BOC are concerned, I think that the most important thing was meeting people who became life-long friends. I know people here in France who say that they have no friends in Britain any more. They should have gone to BOC!! Apart from learning how to teach we also had the opportunity to experience so many different skills – my friends will chuckle if I mention ringing the chapel bell. For me, too, being in Chichester for the opening of the Festival Theatre was a real bonus.” In the frozen winter of 1963 Sue Thompson (Chadwick) and Sue Tomlinson (Gillies) battled for two miles from their digs, slipping and sliding up College Lane, only to arrive a little late for their Dance lecture looking like arctic explorers. The dance group howled with laughter at the sight of two Sues covered from head to toe in snow. The lecturer (who will not be named!) did not see the funny side, but her lack of sympathy and understanding did not go unnoticed. Rose Savage added “In our third year we were in Hammond One which, in those days, had a staff flat beneath the student quarters. Mr and Mrs Curaton was the family. Luckily my room was not over their quarters, but Val Thomson (Taylor) was. The family used to complain bitterly that they could even hear her pen scratching the paper when she was writing late at night! Does anyone remember our Third Year Review, when one of the Art students painted a replica of one of the valuable paintings in the Hall, the replica replacing the original which, of course, was stored somewhere safe. This replica was taken down during the performance and systematically chopped up to gasps of horror from the audience. I remember this because I was the one asked to make the frame for the replica! Rob and Judith Fletcher (Ely) wrote “Like many of you we met our future partners at College. On our second day at BOC in Oct 1961 I (Rob) was wandering about getting the feel of the place when I came across what I later learned was “Pips”. On the wall was a list of groups for the Introductory Course, in front of that was a group of young women (South House on mass), noisily and excitedly discussing their different groups. One young woman stood at the back, looking calm and serene. I loudly made some facile comment about the situation and much to my embarrassment they all stopped their noise and turned to look at me – I hoped the floor would swallow me up. The young lady at the back gave me the warmest and most encouraging smile (she says I was imagining things and that she was just being polite!!). Little did I know that she would be in the same group as me for the Introductory Course. Happily, and thankfully, three sons, seven grandchildren and nearly 58 years later we are still together.” Michael Crompton says “So many … special Memories. The annual hike up Trundle; the opening of the Festival Theatre; the enriching environment of original works of art; the "Otterly Sisters"; the Chelsea Buns at the mid-morning break; the unwrapping of the Jean Lurcat tapestry; a partner for life ... 55 years on and still going strong. Thanks to the entire "Otter" family, all staff, fellow students and to everyone who helped us at the start of a pathway which continues today and leads us further.” Ken Tutt writes “I am not one to dwell on the past but the path which led me to Bishop Otter College was one which is still a mystery to me. I had no idea that Chichester would become a home for three years. After gaining the required entrance examinations, largely self-taught over two years, l found myself going for an interview at a College which was not my first choice. I had no idea about teacher training establishments so the walk up College Lane from the railway station was full of anxiety. As soon as l saw the buildings from the tree lined road
28 | Guild Newsletter 2019 l felt l had been there in the past. It was a strange feeling. As far as l can recall l had an interview with a lecturer, a written test and a final interview with Miss Murray. The last one was daunting and my parting gift was falling over one of the chairs facing the desk. You can imagine the feeling going around my head of complete failure for the two years of hard graft and holding down an accountancy job at the same time. The letter of acceptance was hard to explain. It was there in my hand and l was to start a new way of life in September. There was now a purpose. Naturally the first year was difficult as there was a feeling of inadequacy. Even in the lectures, words said were not understood and so they were written down phonetically and translated during many hours in the library. It was tough. Mistakes were made during my time at College when trying to find about ‘who I was’ but much was learned from fellow students and for that l have heartfelt memories. I have not written about the above events before and still feel that the lasting experience guided me in my teaching years that everyone is valued and everyone can succeed.” Dane Oliver remembers “I made contact with Beth (Sturmey) after I just happened to be passing the bank of public phones at College one day. One of the public phones was ringing but there was nobody there to answer. So, I picked up the receiver and asked who it was. It turned out to be Beth's mother who was ringing to tell Beth that her fiancé had died. Her mother had no other means of making contact so could only ring the students’ phone in the hope that someone would answer. That someone just happened to be me! I reassured her mother that I would find Beth and break the news as carefully as I could. This I did, and 56 years later we are still together.” Gill Wilson (MacDonald) says “It is amazing to think back over a period of nearly 60 years about the memories that are stored in one’s mind. I vividly remember seeing Dave Manuel doing the triple jump. It was the first time that I had seen anyone perform first a hop, then a step and finally a jump. How incredible! Maybe that’s how he apprehended miscreants during his time as a young police officer prior to embarking on his teaching career? Then there was Mike Paige coming in from a cross country run looking absolutely exhausted but with his trademark handlebar moustache perfectly in place! Neither of these activities were taught at my girls’ grammar school. What else might I have missed out on? It was fun to be one of the extras in a production at the Royal Festival Theatre. What a treat! The problem is, I can't remember the play, (is this par for the course)? Nonetheless, I am sure it was a hit, as was BOC!” Mike Paige e-mailed Terry with a number of memories: “As new arrivals, we had to put on some form of entertainment, in the Hall, for the senior years. We had quite a lot of talented people. During rehearsals, the guitarist, whose name I can't remember, broke a string. He persuaded Bunny Bennett to cycle down town to the music shop and ask for a G-string!! She DID get it! The same Bunny, on returning from an athletics meet at White City, was delighted when we stopped the Dormobile at an eatery. Someone ordered lobster balls - Bunny's response, ‘Oh, I didn't know they had them’." “You may recall that we all had to be properly dressed for the evening meal in the dining hall and any late comers had to approach the high table and wait for Miss Murray's approval before sitting down. Early in our first Teaching practice, some of our number came back late due to the distance they had to travel. They had not had the time to change. She demanded that they leave at once and return properly dressed. Barry Capper was extremely angry at what he saw as an ‘injustice’. The following evening, some ten minutes or so after the start, Barry arrived in full ceremonial Scottish dress (including a kilt, of course) and stood in front of Miss Murray. She had no choice but to nod and wave him to a table. I'm pretty sure that we applauded!” “You may remember that we did a couple of G&S operas. Peter West was the Drama Lecturer. I was the Mikado and, according to Peter, had to have a very long hanging moustache, attached to mine by copious amounts of theatrical glue. Midway through the Mikado's opening song, the audience started to laugh. The glue on one side had come loose and half the "mo" ended on the stage floor. Francis Standish laughed so much that he was literally rolling in the aisle.” “Roger Iredale regaled the occupants of Johnson 4 with the details of his vacation trip to Greece, claiming that he had to run from a group of Greek girls in Athens as he was convinced that they intended to rape him!!” “Do you recall Miss Murray's bicycle being underneath the sculpture above the chapel entrance?” John Rolls said that “strange God-incidences occurred for me at our reunion last year. He sat beside Carolyn Keyser (Morgan) whose husband, Roger, suffers from leg ulcers. She kindly shared my problems of needing to have my leg raised during both Guild service and the general meeting. Christine Boot came to my rescue when my trouser leg refused to fall down (excuse the pun). Later on, after lunch, I had hobbled off towards the cloisters and found a seat outside the old chapel. I sat beneath a banana tree whose frond-like foliage formed a parasol – a perfect resting place above the front lawn famous for the valedictory dances at the end of our college experiences. Whiffs of mint and rosemary created a balm of solitude; the passion flower entwined its notorious blooms and fruit simultaneously in an exhibition of glory. Briefly poetic thoughts came a-winging … Under the spreading Turkey oak Sheltering from summer’s torrid heat bespoke: Lush grass awaiting a tidy mow, With tiny yellow-headed weeds that had come to grow!”
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 29 Rose Savage (Parks) In March 2018, along with her daughter (they usually have a week away together in March) went, with her friend and friend’s mother (with whom she holidays each year at Pett Level, near Rye) to the Manor House and Ashbury Hotels in Okehampton, Devon. It is an amazing place where one can indulge in an incredible number of crafts and sports. However, the so-named “beast from the east” caught up with them on the Thursday, when they were due to go home on the Friday, and Oh! such a hardship, had to stay two extra nights! More activities, three hot meals a day and thick, thick snow! The photo on the right shows the drifting snow over a farm gate outside the door of their hotel (you can just see the top of one of the gateposts). They finally got home on the Sunday, and the roads were totally clear all the way through. Due to being marooned in Devon, the crochet class Rose should have been teaching at the Weald and Downland Living Museum, in Singleton, on the Saturday had to be postponed – until September! In 2019 she is going back to the Manor House at the beginning of March for a week, but just her friend will be going with her as her friend’s mum is now nearly 92 and feels that it is a bit too much for her. Rose’s daughter decided that she wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday, in January, somewhere exotic. At the time of writing they are in Jaipur, India, and will be moving on to Agra, Varanasi, Mumbai and Goa before returning on 27th January. Rose will be going to their house in East Sussex on 18th January to take over the cat sitting of three cats until Christine and Tony get home. Rose’s teaching skills are still very much to the fore as she is teaching another crochet course on 2nd March (for beginners) and also a tatting course (a form of lace making using a shuttle) on 24th February. Always plenty to keep her active and busy. Rose celebrated her 76th birthday weekend in October at her daughter’s in East Sussex, and was taken to the de la Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea for afternoon tea – such a treat in a beautiful building!
1962-1965 Marten Lougee thanks everybody for their information. Our year has been so supportive since 2005, to me and to Bishop Otter College – thank you – even 12 of you in 2018. Janet Bayley (Doreen Cliff) and her husband, David, felt that 2018 had been a good year, thankfully. They were able to visit the relations in Australia again. It turned out to be a real blessing as David’s 91-year old brother had been very ill. They were able to tour along the top and down the centre of this amazing country – 7,000 miles, and Janet loves driving there. She is still a part time minister in the two local Anglican churches and villages. She sees it as a huge privilege to share people’s joys and sorrows, hopes and fears and hopefully bring some comfort. Retirement is still some way away whilst David plays golf regularly – last year he won a huge turkey which came in handy for Christmas. Their granddaughter and her boyfriend are at Coventry University studying the same subject. Janet remembers with great affection the years together at BOC and sends warm regards to all, especially those who have recently lost a loved one. Graham Brooks and his wife, Anna, went to Ghana in April, her home country – both the water and electricity flowed freely! – hurray! The Ghanaian people are the friendliest people in the world. At home they go to Zumba and two exercise classes each week, weather permitting, and also church and the weekly meetings – just needed as much. Their son, Chris, lives in London and works for Save The Children. They have a son, Isaiah. Andy has three children and lives in Brighouse. He is a rapper and beat box performer. He has written various musical items and a very successful play “Black Men Walking” which has toured to 13 theatres in England (it came to Leeds – ML). Graham sends, like many others, their best wishes to you all. Jim Buxton and Carol are now both well and truly retired, enjoying living in Indre and having to please nobody but themselves. It has been a quiet year, no trips to the UK, and strangely no visitors. Jim has had rather a challenging year healthwise. He was signed off from the cancer unit at Poitier last Christmas (2017) but in the new year became increasingly unwell with a urine infection which took a long time to diagnose and even longer to cure it being, in the Buxton fashion, one of the rarest. It was, thank goodness just a rare bug. Since January (2018) neither Jim nor Carol have had any alcohol – Jim because of the antibiotics and Carol because she wasn’t going to drink on her own. They have had a good vegetable crop and flowers, but then, just as things warmed up Jim was in agony with acute pains in his hand – it was confirmed as rheumatoid arthritis. He is now on cortisone. When UK got rain, they did not. It was November before there was any significant rain but even now it is not particularly wet underfoot (December 2018), and farmers are feeding their stock in the fields. In September they had the misfortune to be involved in an accident (not their fault) and the car was a write-off so the old BMW is now an Opel Corsa which suits them and the Jack Russell fine. Sue Carey is very sorry that she was not able to attend the 2018 reunion – the change of dates meant a clash with her church’s annual Community Flower and Produce Show, which she co-ordinates. The church has been in an interregnum and Sue is responsible for the music at the traditional services. The recently-priested curate and the newly-appointed Worship Pastor have sought advice for joint services. She still uses her educational
30 | Guild Newsletter 2019 skills with the Cathedral Education Department but without any hassle. It was good to get away from Salisbury after the nerve agent incidents with all the media attention, police cordons etc. She attended Friends of Cathedral Music gatherings in Cambridge, Coventry and Bangor (North Wales). Relaxing holidays on the Isles of Scilly and Bosham were needed. Her good health prevails so she hopes to be at the 2019 reunion. Russ (1960-1963) and Jan (1962-1965) Collins (Wallace) enjoyed a good reunion for what is now called the “Sawdust Society” in Norfolk in September – that is the 1960-1963 woodwork group with Jeff Lowe. At the end of November he had two cataract operations so he can now send e-mails. They are both very busy, well, and making pots. Claire Edwards (Henderson) has had another full year with family visits from Scotland, Southampton, St Athan and Cardiff – good to catch up with nine grandchildren. She walked in Catalonia and, for 10 days in June, walked with a small group from Settle, in North Yorkshire, to Housesteads on Hadrian’s Wall – they followed Wainwright’s “A Pennine Journey”. There were many birds, flowers and great visibility over very remote areas. In 2019 they will do the walk in reverse. Claire still leads walks when she has time as the allotments (chief organiser and allocator) and church are also high on her “to do” list. Her church, Christ Church, continues to attract many of all age groups and their bid to build a much-needed new church community hall is an ongoing project. We seem (at the time of writing) to live with some uncertainty regarding leaving the EU. One thing is certain says Claire, that she will continue to grow a little older but hopefully keep active, interested and enjoy time with family and friends in 2019 (and so say ALL of us – ML). Vivien Evans has her pace maker checked every six months and in September the battery still had 12 years of life left in it which is reassuring! However, arthritis has made it to the knees and she may require surgery. Viv, with Martin and Wendy, came to the reunion and other Sussex exploits. Knit and natter continues, furry teddies are her speciality as the yarn is easier to manage – the last competition raised £81 for church funds whilst her sister (Wendy) made lots of pairs of gloves, hats, mittens and scarves for various charities. Vivien has taken three services at Dacre Top in 2018. She is still getting to grips with a new-fangled central heating boiler – so much for technology and progress! Gillian Feest (Endersby) and Peter continue their travels. They had eight weeks in Malaysia, December 2018 to January 2019 and then in late January they flew on to Kenya where they stayed, as usual, in Pete’s house on the northern slopes of Mount Kenya (see Guild Newsletter 2018). They arrived home last March from Kenya and an extra month in India. They saw the Dalai Lama three times and they enjoyed being with him in Dharamsala with the Tibetans. For Peter it was his first time. They have visited friends in Europe. They have marched against, complained, worried and written endless letters about Brexit and they still hope that there will be a proper debate and vote on exactly what we are or were voting for. They are both well and enjoying life together. Gillian has six grandchildren, Anna is studying Russian and German at Cambridge and Joseph is planning to go to Cambridge to study engineering. Gillian and Peter send their love and best wishes to you all (Gill has sent me some of her diary extracts – they are so well written and informative – ML). Sue Finigan (Bull) sadly will not be at the reunion as she will be abroad at that time. She would be delighted to show off Dorset to any old BOC acquaintances – just get in touch by e-mail. Harry Glidden and Terri (1968-1971) are both well and still playing golf regularly though Terri is better at it then Harry. They will be taking their usual winter break which this year will take them cruising in the Caribbean for some sunshine. Cornwall gets a bit damp and grey after Christmas. They bumped into Ceri Goodfellow (Marston) recently and she is well (she is on Facebook – ML). Barrie and Meg Hayles (Harper-Tarr) have got away this year in their van for two breaks on the south coast. They love the coast line at Hampshire and have watched sand martins building their nests in the cliffs – weather was wonderful. Brexit is proving to be a difficult time for the family. Their eldest daughter has lived in Luxembourg for 25 years and she has decided to become a citizen of that country. Their grandchildren were all born there. Barrie and Meg understand that ex-pats have got very angry over the whole thing. It is interesting to hear how Brexit is being thought about over there. Meg hears regularly from Marjorie “Midge” Ely who lives in Scotland with her husband and retired greyhound. Martin (1961-1964) and Wendy Imeson (Evans) were pleased when the long, long miserable winter of 2017- 2018 finally ended. Even Pateley Bridge had a lovely summer – days out have been limited, though they manage to get to Ripon on Thursdays (market day). Well done to Martin who managed the whole of August without a hospital appointment. Sadly Wendy is in pain every day, just some days are better than others. September saw them and Vivien at the reunion. They had a great day catching up with old friends and looking around the campus. They stayed at Goffsland Farm, near Horsham. They also visited the Lavender Line, named after the local coal merchant based at Isfield station near Lewes, Bodiam Castle, Standen House, Wakehurst (which is Kew’s wild botanic garden), Nyman’s Gardens and Amberley. In September 2019 the World Cycling Championships will be based in Harrogate. Two races will come through Pateley Bridge – they can’t wait for the chaos! Pateley Bridge was placed top in its category in the Sunday Times best places to visit list. The best address was in the centre with a view of the hills (wonder who lives there – ML).
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 31 Tim Lord writes that, as most of us are past the three score years and ten (he having just reached 80) it will be inevitable that there will be some “falling from the perch”. He was sad, like many, to hear about Brian Foster and Geoff Clifford, who were both great artists. Geoff and Tim both started at the same primary school in Havant and remembers Geoff as a good friend. Tim now reads obituaries when looking at the daily papers. Some of them he keeps, mainly cricketers, musicians and a few educationalists. Whilst checking recently he came across one for Mike Duane, the headteacher who abolished the cane at Rising Hill in North London. He gave a lecture at BOC (who remembers them? – ML). He was sacked but given a full head’s salary by LCC so that he could never teach again. It was 1993 before corporal punishment was abolished in state schools. Tim might make the reunion and is grateful to me for keeping much of our year together. Marten Lougee felt it seemed a strange year. He chose to celebrate his 75th birthday on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Pullman Dining Train where the meals are excellent and the service way above that of many restaurants. Theatre, ballet, visits, including the U3A ballet group, Rotary, Tour de Yorkshire, Coniston Spa Hotel and short holidays in Amble, the Algarve (storms so beaches were shut), Poland, Gran Canaria, Whitstable (to stay with an ex British Transport Police officer who escorted me in London) and, of course, Chichester (three times). I must thank Jill Holliman (Martin) and Rose Savage (Parks) who put me up during the year. He is still trying to have sensible talks with Northern Rail – you get the meetings but little action. Sadly, Pam’s father died in June, aged 100, at home and her mother fell and broke her hip just after we returned from Gran Canaria at the end of November. She was back at home after five weeks but sadly she died after a very short time. Pam deserves a medal for all she has done for them over the years. Nicolette, my older daughter, has a very successful shoe business whilst Emma goes from strength to strength at Guy’s Hospital. Roger Morris was going across a railway crossing last year in his car when he was hit by a train. Fortunately, he survived and was taken by helicopter to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge. Three weeks later he staggered out, somewhat shaken but alive and with no permanent damage. In May the excitement continued with another emergency blue light visit, leaving him the proud owner of a pace maker. Jeff Lowe went to see Roger and Katrina in Bury St Edmunds for a few days and he was in excellent form as usual. (He was likewise at the reunion in September – ML). Roger and Katrina visited Los Angeles at Christmas to see their son, Tom, and family which includes three grandchildren. Weather and swimming in the pool was wonderful but the TV was rubbish. Pam O’Hara (Bennett) is still enjoying pretty good health and plays short tennis twice a week. It’s called a Health and Fun Club and it lives up to its name. They enjoy many social activities and she recently played in the REACT games competition in November. She managed to win two out of four matches in the over 65 age group. She had a great summer, spending more time than ever at her precious beach hut in Dorset and she swam many times, something that she has not done for a couple of years. Her husband continues to fare well in the nursing home he has been in for nearly four years. It’s not the retirement that they had planned. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary – a quiet affair, lunch out with their best man and his wife. Pam visits him during the week and he has day trips home at the weekend. Her daughter moved to live in France in 2017, to a lovely home in the Dordogne area – Pam is now waiting for the swimming pool to be built in 2019. Her son has a landscape business but his two daughters keep him poor as they love ponies. They are talented and the 12-year old came second in the World Championships, beaten by just one point. Lynn Oxlad (Edwards) has not had the best of years. They postponed their overseas travel as a scan she had in April showed a small medullary tumour on the side of the left lung. It was suggested that she went on an 11- month international drug trial which would potentially destroy the cancer cells and prevent them recurring. She waited six months to go on the trial but, unfortunately, after 10 days she had to stop as the side effects were so severe that they made her very ill. More scans in 2019 will show how much the cancer has spread and, if necessary, there is a possibility of surgery and there is no alternative at this stage. They have spent more time with their grandchildren and Lynn and Lindsay have taken up lawn bowls which is a very popular sport for their age group in Australia. They hope to make it to the UK as Lynn has discovered some second cousins through Ancestry.com. Gill Page (Wiseman) decided, after a very exciting holiday on a hotel boat in Brazil in 2017, that she was not going to do a big holiday for a while. However, she was persuaded to join the Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays in Namibia – wonderful with beautiful birds and excellent leaders. She has also been to Portugal, Morecombe (RSPB), and Lithuania on a short singing tour with the barbershop chorus. Since September she has been co- leading the Women’s group at her local church, St John’s. It is a very lively and supportive group for all ages – fun and interesting discussions. Gill started a drawing class at the Blackheath Conservatoire; she is happy with what she has achieved. Friday mornings are now just so enjoyable and peaceful. Alan Palmer started 2018 very sadly, with the death of his dear wife, Maggie, from cancer. From diagnosis in June, 2017, and through weeks of chemotherapy, Maggie fought hard but lost her life in the hospice which she had worked so hard to found in her days as Director of Nursing. Alan’s family has been superb in their care and support. He has returned (December 2018) from a month with his son and family in Perth (Australia) and he frequently sees his daughter and family in Saffron Walden. He had an excellent break in Cornwall with Derek Olver (1962-1965) and his wife, and with the family in late August at Center Park Sandvoort. When in Western
32 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Australia he met up with a former student, who was in Alan’s form in years 10 and 11 in the 1970s – he and his wife run the Back Packers. Alan has been very touched by the support and consideration which he has received from a large number of former students. 2019 will see him onwards and upwards but not at our reunion as that is when his daughter takes the family break and he goes with them. George Redgrave continues to “potter about” and takes at least three photos a day, and always one of himself. The photos are an adjunct to his written diary, they are on Flickr and sometimes Facebook. He went on a tour of churches in Leicestershire, a U3A summer school in Cirencester on Art in the 1920s and 1930s and two bible courses at Ashburnham, near Battle in Sussex. He visited 26 exhibitions in London, 70 cinema visits and even preached at various local churches on 18 Sundays. His life is one long playtime …! David and Jan Richardson (Stamp) decided to downsize a year ago and have moved 15 km to live in Blenheim. As a country girl at heart Jan is pleased that they are on the edge of the town next to a farm park in which there are walking and cycling tracks. It has been a mixed year for David as he has had several spells in hospital. At least he has been able to play bridge and is still involved with rugby refereeing as a mentor. They have redesigned the garden. Jan hopes to organise a few more tramping and cycling trips this year and she plans to visit the UK to visit her brother who lives in Devon – she might make the 2019 reunion!! Their two oldest grandsons, Jacob and Callum, are getting married and they are looking forward to the family being together. Both weddings will be in Tauranga, which is south east of Auckland. Another grandson has won a volleyball scholarship to study at a university in the USA and he is enjoying his time there. Young people have so many opportunities nowadays. Lynda Oxlad (Edwards) keeps in touch. There are a few of us from the 1962-1965 intake living in the southern hemisphere. Mike Riggs’ wife, Mary, died on 6th October from CBD (cortico basal degeneration). It has been a long battle since 2011 when she started to lose the use of her fingers and had to stop playing the piano or teaching it. Though cognitively her faculties remained intact Mary progressively lost movement, speech and finally the ability to swallow, so her final two weeks were starvation to death under palliative care. Mike feels that he lost the real Mary two years before. He organised a Celebration of her life in November in West Hendred. As far as the Otters were concerned, he was grateful to have the support of Tim Lord and Francis Standish. So back in Frome Mike is coming to terms with being a widower and looking forward to 2019 optimistically as a new chapter starts. Recent experience of caring for a terminally ill person who wanted to die at the time of choosing, but was denied assisted suicide because of the present law, has given Mike much to think about. Mary had a cruel and undignified end – often in pain, no quality of life, she wished to die three years earlier. The High Court does not understand these things. How many Law Lords have real experience of seeing their loved ones dying in pain and distress. Mike says that he met Geoff Clifford when Mike was the NATFHE Oxford Liaison Committee Secretary. He also continued, “Dignity in Dying – I beg you all. We treat our animals with more compassion than our fellow humans. The law must change”. Robert (Bob) Self is not being outdone by his wife June’s (Westmorland) (1963-1966) yoga and line dancing exploits so he has taken up tai chi and acupuncture along with the walks he leads for the Emsworth Walk for Health group and the Friends of the South Downs. In May they sailed on the Queen Elizabeth from Southampton to the Mediterranean. It is too handy being so close to a port. They enjoyed Athens, Santorini and Heraklion, plenty of historic and archaeological sites. A snow-bound weekend in March, the Beast from the East, saw them in London seeing the “Lion King” and they had the Tower of London and St Paul’s to themselves. Georgina Wilcox (1963-1966) organised a super September day for the West Country “Otters” at the RNLI college in Poole, including lunch, tour of the college, an exercise in a lifeboat simulator and a trip around the harbour – Bob and June really enjoyed it (and I know other “Otters” did as well – ML). A bathroom refit meant an outdoor hosepipe in the garden to act as a shower, well after dark. As June has already fallen off the ladder once, cutting the hedge, somebody might be employed in the future. Eira Stannard (Jones) remains fairly fit and she flew out to Bali to spend Christmas with her elder son, David, daughter-in-law, Laura, and granddaughter, Asmare, who will be one in March. They left the UK in May and Eira has missed them dreadfully – this will be Eira’s first flight beyond Europe. Rick (1963-1966) and Juliet Strappini (Affleck) say that their eight grandchildren are all thriving and keeping them on their toes. As all the families live on Guernsey they are useful baby sitters and school taxi service. There were 16 at Christmas lunch but not at Juliet’s. They had a leak in the shower room which led to major building work as the house is very old but all is now sorted. Rick is busy being chauffeur and doing his crosswords. Juliet is still playing tennis and sewing. February 2019 will see them in Australia for a whole month. Jennifer Till (Byrne) and her husband, Howard, with Sue Finnigan (Bull) stayed a few nights at the end of January at the former Ship Hotel, now the luxuriously updated Chichester Harbour Hotel. They walked the city walls, wandered in the little old back streets, the cathedral, majestic and unchanged, and marvelled at the first signs of spring in the sunny gardens of the Bishop’s Palace gardens. Claire Teal and her Jazz Band were at the amazing Festival Theatre, full of happy memories – Albert Finney and Maggie Smith in their prime in “Miss Julie”, the outstanding of Peter Schaffer’s “Royal Hunt of the Sun”. Do any of you remember being dressed up as an extra for the filming of “The Battle of Villa Fiorita”? Saturday morning at the university – immensely
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 33 changed, practically unrecognisable. The almost deserted campus, most hostel curtains drawn on sleeping students. Jenni and Sue sought out their own special places with personal, cherished memories, with some disappointment but also joy. It is an unforgettable place, our Bishop Otter College, as it was – ancient and modern, cultured and innovative, giving us an excellent academic education as well as a superb preparation with our teaching careers. Jenni sends many good wishes for 2019 to all who were lucky enough to experience it. Aubrey and Mandy Watson (Adkin) have been in Newick for 13 years and 15 years back from Botswana. They will be very proud great grandparents this year. South Africa remains very dear to their hearts. In August they had a family holiday in Madeira, with which they have fallen in love, having only just discovered it. They were awed by the mountains and the number of very steep hills to climb. They will have to get lots of visits in quickly to walk the levadas while they are still fit enough. Aubrey is still leaping about on the Downs playing golf at least three times a week – guess all that walking up the Trundle in their youth helped. Mandy has decided to work one more year for the Diocese as they have a new director – it is such an interesting time in education. Mandy still feels about 45 so it continuously shocks her to realise that her daughters and granddaughters see her rather differently!! They have been to many plays at the Theatre in Chichester and each time wander about the town before a performance and they think back to BOC days. So much has changed and yet memories bring those days back vividly with all the characters who made us such a special year group. Our fortunes change but in our memories we are all those 18 – 21 year olds, full of hope and excitement in the future.
1963-1966 Roy Salmon writes “In November 2017 I was relieved of a lot of pain when they removed my 14-year old worn out artificial hip and replaced it with the latest version. The recovery time was long and at times more painful than the old one but throughout the winter I was forced (reluctantly mostly) to visit local supermarkets to walk up and down every aisle as my daily walking routine whilst the weather was not so good. The Physio was impressed by my dedication and it is amazing how much then filled the freezer! As the weather improved, I took once again to my gardening but that now requires some changes as neither hip bends as it used to. We often bump into Rob and Judith Fletcher in our local Waitrose and Rob and I compare notes on the relative advantage of replacement knees or hips! But in the summer, I was able to sidestep the Grim Reaper when initially I was short of breath after a week in Cromer with wife’s teenage grandson and friend. I thought it was a hay-fever issue but a return to Cromer 10 days later (so we could do our own thing) proved my problems were greater, as the walking up the Overstrand Road gave me chest pains. The two stents were fitted back home in Bedford and there was no blue light ambulance trip. Thankfully I was fit enough to drive to the August BOC reunion but must apologise for not circulating info to our year. Thus, I was the third member of our year to be there John (Sid) Fletcher and Joan were, of course, there). Lyn Maylem (Virrels) sent me an apology as family commitments took over. Phil Carter tells me a good session at the RNLI headquarters arranged by Gina in September was a success but by then I was in the air to visit my grandchildren (and son and wife) in Sidney for 16 days. I continue to get short messages from the two Johns, Smith and Bryant, as we exchange Christmas Cards and Phil Carter rings me from time to time with messages from his contacts. If you feel moved to contact me please do so and if you can then be there at the next reunion, or possibly at the May celebration of 180 years of BOC (how ironic that the Christmas card from The Alumni Department of Chichester University had an advert for the May celebration at BOC with a picture of Bognor College in the Snow!). Lastly but perhaps most importantly last year’s lack of letter from me meant that I failed to inform you of the sad death of Viv Crompton (Allen) in 2017 (see Obituaries).” Beth Juniper (Salmon) asks “do you find, as I do, that time seems to go faster as the years progress? I’m interested to know how you have fared this year, and look forward to reading your story. Here’s mine: As usual, it’s been varied, rather like the curate’s egg. I’ve been lucky enough to continue meeting up with friends, or enjoying trips with them. I’ve also enjoyed regular meetings and outings with the Stroke Group; and of course, have continued to be quite involved with the local church, though it irks me to need transport there. And of course, it’s always a pleasure when the boys visit, whether or not they bring their families. One highlight was a most enjoyable week away at the beginning of May with one of my friends. Another was a week in the Lake District with Andrew and family. I was much reminded of a camping trip with a few college friends in 1966, especially the time we walked the circumference of Derwentwater – I’m afraid I wouldn’t have got very far now, even with my trusty walking poles! Refreshed by the holiday, I was enthusiastically attending to the washing when my left foot slipped off the path while I was turning to the right … breaking my left ankle and injuring my right wrist … resulting in a two-week stay in hospital. “Oh, silly me!” More haste, less speed resulted in a considerable waste of time for all concerned! Oh well, another challenge, and thankfully recovery is on course, even if it’s taking longer than I would like! Frustratingly, life has had to proceed at a slower pace than I would prefer, since the summer. Oh, the joys of the passing years!! Here’s hoping 2019 is a good year for you.”
34 | Guild Newsletter 2019 1964-1967 Bob Norris wrote that “it was with considerable regret that I had to send my apologies to the Guild Committee for non-attendance at the 2018 committee meeting. I do love to stay in college so I can meet up with my friends from my year at BOC and to attend the meetings on behalf of those who can't make it. However, like many others in my year who have grown used to the reunion always being held on the second weekend in July, the change of date by the University meant it was inevitable that lots of people who would otherwise have made the journey would now not be able to attend - myself included. Expecting it to be at the usual time, we had planned ahead accordingly. No surprise then that the 2018 Newsletter admits "numbers were down on last year." Where holidays are concerned people very often have to book up one or even two years in advance, especially if they're booking up for a cruise or long holiday abroad, and once your deposit has been paid, you are going to take that holiday or lose it. In my case, we had a long weekend away in the Midlands to attend a wedding, leaving on the Thursday and returning on the following Tuesday. It was the wedding of Angela's niece, who was getting married in the charming little town of Leek, near Stoke-on-Trent and, as it's quite a long journey up the motorways, we'd decided to book for longer so that we could take in some of the local sites of interest (National Trust etc) as well as enjoy the wedding and reception. So, we were very sorry not to be able to attend the BOC reunion but we do hope it went well for those who were able to go. I only know of one in my year who was able to make it and that was Jean Rush (Turnock). However, I have received several Christmas cards from people in my year and at the time of writing three of them have made comments like: - ‘... as long as they don't mess about with the dates again ...’ and ‘Let's hope they don't change the dates again as we are away in August ...’ etc, etc. Of course, we are all so very grateful that the University goes to so much trouble to host our reunion every year so I suppose we can't grumble too much if on one occasion they needed the weekend for their own purposes! We are all delighted to be able to attend, staying in our old accommodation and catching up with our friends and long may that situation continue. I would finally like to send my very best wishes to all Guild members and to hope that 2019 will be a healthy and peaceful one for you all.” Rod Harris still lives in the Cotswolds (why move – it’s a delightful part of our country!) and is as busy as ever in retirement. Aren’t we all? He volunteers as a Bishops’ Visitor in 12 church primary schools where his task is to offer advice, support and friendship to the schools on schools’ Christian distinctiveness, ethos, RE and worship. He still enjoys working as a signalman on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, drives coaches for a local company on a part-time basis when required, enjoys walking the dog in the countryside near and far, is involved in a charity supporting schools and children in a village in north west Tanzania (requiring visits there on a regular basis) and volunteers for the YHA as a Volunteer Hostel Manager a couple of times a year. Rod says (jokingly of course) that he is looking forward to retiring from his retirement! Rod would welcome any ex-Otters who are passing North Woodchester near Stroud to call in – there is always cake in the tin! Just ask at the village shop if not sure of the address.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 35 Obituaries ex-students
1947-1949 Valerie Tipple (Collins) died in March 2018. She had been in residential care for approximately ten years, suffering from dementia. Her son said that she often talked of Bishop Otter and her time at the college until her memory failed. He found her college blazer when they cleared out her house. Barbara Browns (Haynes) No further details known.
1949-1951 June Stone (Broadbridge), whose death was reported last year, and her husband, for many years supported an African family in The Gambia. In commemoration of her support this monument was erected in the village. June’s husband, John, says “It’s a ‘Bantaba’ (a meeting place) at the family compound. Family and neighbours sit in there to chat and have meals. It should stand there for many years as a memorial to my darling June”.
1952-1954 Patricia Griffiths (Arnold) died in May 2015. Patricia’s first job after leaving College was at St Augustine’s School in London (where she was from). She met her husband, also a teacher, whilst she was there and they both moved to Basingstoke in 1965. Patricia then taught at Cranbourne Secondary School, where she taught English and Sociology until she retired in 1989.
1956-1958 Edna (Elizabeth) Norman (Beales) died on 20th July 2018 only two months after being diagnosed with gall bladder cancer. Edna was one of the Pallentites who maintained friendships over the years with several others who lived in Pallant hostel. While she was at college she met her first husband, and her daughter said ‘she wouldn’t have been here if it hadn’t been for Bishop Otter College’. Edna often talked very fondly of her time at the college. Evelyn Farquhar (Davison) said that she and Edna met at Grammar School in north London in September 1949, aged 11. They were friends all through school years and were in the same netball teams. Neither of them realised that the other had applied for Bishop Otter College so it was a big surprise. They have kept in contact throughout the years. Edna leaves her second husband, Peter, and two daughters, Catherine and Anna. Edna is remembered by Lorna Edwards (Ogley) (their year rep) as always having a wide smile and red cheeks. A really cheerful person. Mary Green (Lock) said ‘she was a wonderful person, so supportive, organised and helpful to everyone’. Lila Horne (Horn) Elaine Stobo (Taylor) also set herself the challenge of trying to find Lila (another Pallentite) through the internet. Two days later she received a phone call from Brian Horne with the sad news that his wife Lila had died suddenly of a heart attack in November 2010, aged 72. They had been married for 44 years but had no children. Lila had continued teaching, specialising in teaching children with dyslexia and eventually running the dyslexia department for the local authority. She always maintained her love for artistic work and their house was full of her creations on the walls. They visited Chichester several times and invariably went to the art exhibitions at Pallant House. Both Edna and Lila are truly missed by family and friends. Gill Thompson died in hospital on 18th January 2019 after many years of illness. She was one of the “faithful few” who attended all our special reunions until the last two. She had suffered from chronic arthritis throughout her teaching career and was latterly registered blind. Despite this she was a member of the local Drama Group and appeared in a number of plays moving, as her condition deteriorated, to working behind the scenes. She was always cheerful and never complained and was determined to remain in her own home. Fortunately, with the help of carers and friends, she was able to do this. Her greatest friend and “rock” was “Doddie” Westerman (Pickering) who, despite the distance between them, was always there for Gill. She always spent Christmas with the family and went on bell-ringing holidays with Doddie for many years. Their family was her family and she always said how much she appreciated them. “Doddie” Westerman (Pickering) wrote: “Gillian died on 18th January 2019 after a lifetime struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. Her first year accommodation was in Pallant with Canon and Mrs Eperson. To get to College Lane we all had bicycles and Gill learnt to ride a bike with much help from fellow students, especially Barbara Mawby (Horn). Some lectures required determination, if they were practical ones. Gym lessons proved particularly testing when Miss Hogben told her she could do a forward roll. Gill loved her life in Wootton Bassett – teaching a short while in Swindon and then in Broad Town until her retirement. When I married my husband he met many BOC friends, including Gill; an interest in trains
36 | Guild Newsletter 2019 connected the families as did the interest in church activities. Gill became godmother to my second son and maintained an interest in him until her death; she had no siblings. Her funeral was on 11th February 2019 when the church was filled with loving friends. May she rest I peace.
1959-1961 Susan Clark (Curtis) passed away suddenly on Sunday February 3rd. She suffered heart failure during the evening and despite all the efforts of the A&E department at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, died at approximately 11 p.m. Her husband, Roger, was with her at the end. He said that she suffered no pain and is now with her Lord and Saviour. Her funeral is to be held on the 28th Feb. Cremation 11 am and thanksgiving service at the Chichester Baptist Church at 2 pm.
1960-1963 Brian Foster As reported in the 2018 Newsletter, Brian died on 18th January 2018. Robert Fletcher (1961- 1964) wrote “A celebration of his life was held in his local church; it was packed. Many people from his school, college and rugby spoke of the effect he had on their lives, and the lives of the children he had taught. The local Morris men danced (he was the Fool for many years) and he would have loved it! His wife, Sue, his daughters Alice, Nell and Laura, and his grandchildren will miss him. Brian burst into my life on the 2nd October 1961, my first day at college and his 20th birthday. I say burst into my life because that is what Brian did – he burst into people’s lives and once that had happened you never forgot him. His infectious enthusiasm and confidence captured you. He was without doubt the most talented all-round man that I ever met. He was a brilliant sportsman, and I don’t just mean good, he could easily have been an international athlete if he had so desired. He spoke French, he could play musical instruments, his painting and sculpture were unique, one of which still adorns our house 54 years later. For me I loved his stubbornness, his irreverence, he spoke his mind and did not suffer fools. He had no time for pretensions or insincerity. I became close friends with Brian, we talked through many a night putting the world to rights, we never quite managed it. I had no hesitation in asking him to become my best man. But the attributes that stick in my mind are the bravery and courage he showed after his accident in Norway when he nearly lost both his arms, and his patience and fortitude with nearly two years in hospital in Norway. He did not know the meaning of “Cannot”. Later when he became the headteacher at Bawdsey, Judith and I commented to each other how lucky the children in that school were. It was not long after that a series of articles appeared in the Times Educational Supplement about a village schoolmaster, praising him and the school. Even though neither he or the school were named both Judith and I knew it was about Brian. We used to point it out to our friends and colleagues with great pride ‘that’s our best man’.”
1962-1965 Geoff Clifford (1944-2018) became pals with John (Red) Patten in 1963 and exchanged visits between Oxford and Bethnal Green whilst at BOC. Geoff, Tim Lord and John lived in a flat in Bedhampton as they taught in Havant. In 1967 Geoff moved to Crawley and married Wendy Smith (1965-1968). They moved to Charlbury, a fine Cotswold village near Chipping Norton, in 1973 and spent the rest of his life there in three different homes. For a couple of years he was deputy head in Chipping Norton and then his first headship in Shipton Under Wychwood, his second in Chipping Norton and his third near Brize Norton. He retired in 1997. He met with a gang of Otter Rugby men every year at the Middlesex 7s from 1965 to 1999. He went to three OU summer schools in pursuit of a degree and later got his MA at Oxford Brooks. He regularly held exhibitions of his paintings and Wendy joined him with her pottery. Whilst in college Geoff was a member of the brass band as he was keen on Jazz and frequently, with Tim, visited Fishbourne Jazz Club to listen to the likes of Tubby Hays. [This information from John Patten and Tim Lord.]
1963-1966 Viv Crompton (Allen) died in 2017. Roy Salmon said “I was sad but glad to be able to attend her funeral (with Ian and Mary Freestone and Rose and Andy) on your behalf”.
1964-1967 John Nigel Holland died peacefully at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, on 16th April 2018.
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 37 38 | Guild Newsletter 2019 Your community, your University
The University’s mission is to be a community that inspires and enables individuals to exceed their expectations despite their backgrounds and personal finances.
Our Alumni and Friends play a vital role in supporting our present and future students, and enhancing their University experiences. With your help we will continue to provide the same exceptional and inspirational education you received during your time at Bishop Otter College.
There are many ways you can show your support
2 Stay in touch with the Alumni Community Team and share your news. You are always welcome back on MIN campus – let us know you are coming and we will treat you to tea in Otters
10 Make a donation to one of our campaigns on alumni.chi.ac.uk MIN
15 Support a student crowdfunding project on lovechichester.chi.ac.uk MIN
15 Join one of our regular giving or Friends schemes MIN
30 Ask us about legacies – let’s have a chat about how you can make a lasting impact MIN
1 Become a mentor and support one of our final year students in finding work after University HOUR
Website: www.alumni.chi.ac.uk Crowdfunding: www.lovechichester.chi.ac.uk Email: [email protected] Phone: 01243 812171
Guild Newsletter 2019 | 39 120 Years The Bishop Otter College Guild 1899-2019
2 | Guild Newsletter 2019