Issue 19, 2018 The Gossip Bowl The Alumni Magazine PRIOR PARK ALUMNI ‘And sometimes lurk I in a gossip’s bowl’ * A Community for Life Boer War President’s Letter William Harold-Barry (Class of 1887) From The Headmaster World War I IN THIS ISSUE: Solidarity and difference Thomas Golding (Class of 1897) Ralph Goulstone Gale (Class of 1901) 2 President’s Letter I recently came across a survey that purported to show that James Brennan (Class of 1902) as many as half of 18 – 20 year olds believe themselves to Allan Bush (Class of 1905) Falling be extraordinary. The survey noted that such exceptionalism Francis Patrick Branigan (Class of 1905) 3 From The Headmaster can lead to great unhappiness, if for no other reason than William Coffey (Class of 1907) that one’s elevated sense of self is not shared by one’s peers. Ralph Goulstone Gale 4 - 6 School News The same survey noted that among 68 – 70 year olds, the age group to which I am soon to belong, the proportion who 6 - 7 Prior Park Alumni Update believe themselves to be extraordinary drops to 5%. There is, Leaves TERRY ILOTT apparently, a corresponding and very significant increase in well-being. In the older age group, your peers see you much Last summer, my son Joseph (PPA 2014) This will be especially poignant as so many 8 - 10 Development Focus Class of 1968 as you see yourself. and I spent some father and son time of our current students go on to a life of together visiting the battlefields of service; our fallen paid the ultimate sacrifice I was reminded of this in June, when I participated in the 50th anniversary reunion of Northern France. It is a journey that I have in their service of God and country. 11 Headmaster’s Academic Society the class of 1968. It was a great weekend, much enjoyed by all (see report on page 23). undertaken on numerous occasions over Perhaps most poignantly, some of the But, in the avalanche of emails that were exchanged in the days that followed, one the last 30 years. leaves will not be inscribed, as we have 12 - 13 Weddings At Prior comment appeared more than any other: how pleasing it is to find oneself the best of World War II This was the first time we had visited not yet discovered all the lost fallen of the friends even with those one hadn’t been close to at school. Our differences, it seems, melt Herbert Samual Dutton (Class of 1890) together and, as fellow history graduates, College. Indeed, earlier this year we came away, while our similarities and shared experiences come to the fore. William Anthony Shiel (Class of 1898) 14 - 15 Staff Farewells we indulged in long debates about the across William Harold-Barry (PPA 1887), Cecil James Gordon-Canning (Class of 1904) The process by which we stop trying to be different doesn’t diminish us, it just accepts nature of battle plans and strategies and the who perished in the Boer War (1899 - 1902). John Bertie Minch (Class of 1908) that our uniqueness is yet another thing we have in common. impact of, and justification for, the use of 16 - 19 People George Richard Todd (Class of 1925) certain weapons and tactics. All of which is to recognise that in the relationships between alumni – in our year groups, Thomas Francis Todd (Class of 1925) at reunions, in our engagement with the school – we must navigate a path between Bernard Thomas Ryan (Class of 1926) On our final day we added to what had 20 - 22 Alumni Sports the encouragement of solidarity and the acknowledgement of difference. Some years Peter William Fox (Class of 1926) already been an emotional trip – we had manage this better than others, and it gets easier, it seems, as we get older. Having John Joseph Patrick O’Brien (Class of 1927) visited the impressive monuments and 23 - 24 Reunions witnessed the finesse with which Carole and the team handle the diversity of visitors, Robert Dennis Sullivan (Class of 1932) graveyards but also walked in the footsteps reunions and alumni correspondents of all ages, I would say that, overall, the PPA manages Robert William Sloan (Class of 1932) of the young men of the 1914 - 1918 conflict – this delicate task extremely well. Geoffery Peter Pike (Class of 1932) by making a pilgrimage to the grave of Ralph 25 Gap Year Reports On a different note, there has been much comment among PPAs about last September’s Ralph Paul Joseph Osborne (Class of 1933) Goulstone Gale (PPA 1901), pictured above, sale of Cricklade. Two points are worth noting: Cricklade, now known as Cricklade who fell at The Battle of Arras in 1918. 26 - 34 All The Gossip Manor Prep, is still sending a flow of candidates to College for secondary education; and, As previously outlined in The Gossip Bowl, with the opening of PPS Gibraltar, the number of students under the care of the Prior Ralph had been “re-discovered” through 35 - 38 Obituaries Park schools is now higher than it was before Cricklade was sold. research and his name can be added to My four-year term as president of the PPA comes to an end in the list of Prior Park students who did not September, when I hand the chain of office to Simon Morgan return from active service in the World Wars. 38 - 39 PPA Notice Board (PPA 1974). It has been a great experience. Ralph’s grave is in a small cemetery which forms part of a village graveyard in one of the coal-mining regions north of Lens. 39 Calendar 2018/2019 Terry Ilott World War II Over the past four years we have been trying We envisage that these rediscovered names Prior Park Alumni President Wilfrid A A De Freitas (Class of 1933) to find others who fall into this category will be added to the remaining leaves in the Lance Franklin Edwards (Class of 1933) and Carole Laverick (PPA Liaison Rep) has years ahead. Edmund Gerard Forde (Class of 1935) achieved great things. We hope that many of you in the PPA will Lawrence Beresford O’Reilly (Class of 1935) In our Remembrance Mass to commemorate be able to attend the Memorial Mass on James Douglas Williams (Class of 1935) Weddings Alumni All The the centenary of the Armistice of November Sunday 11 November this year to offer Alfred A J Mahony (Class of 1936) 1918 we will be dedicating a side chapel in gratitude to these young men who were At Prior Sports Gossip Maurice William Lee (Class of 1936) Our Lady of the Snows to all fallen PPA deprived of a full life. Bernard Harry Ward (Class of 1937) Pages 12 - 13 Pages 20 - 22 Pages 26 - 34 students. Cecil Percy King (Class of 1938) Peter Cecil Rose (Class of 1939) This will take the form of an installation of Cover image: Detail of the roll of honour board William Edward Lundon (Class of 1940) crafted, ceramic leaves inscribed with the James Murphy-O’Connor commemorating alumni who died in World War II. A new memorial is to be installed in the chapel later Peter Vivian Dias (Class of 1941) names of alumni killed in action, and they Prior Park College Headmaster this year. (See, From the Headmaster, page 3.) J Groves (Unknown) will be arranged as if falling from a tree. 2 www.priorparkalumni.com The Gossip Bowl 3 In the last year: the Snows Chapel Appeal. Pete, a Prior School News parent, also conducted a masterclass in “en plein air” painting with students (see 591 feature page 10). students enrolled at Upper Sixth finished their final day before College heading off on study leave with the COLLEGE Lent Term traditional “Bubbles on the Bridge”, hosted A Year in the Life… by heads of Sixth Form, Ms Young and Mrs The Department of Education published Colquhoun. 456 new league tables. These now place special A packed chapel enjoyed an evening of day pupils Opening of emphasis on the relative progress pupils Brownlow House make whilst at school. Prior Park was graded music-making culminating in a majestic among the top 5% of schools in England. performance, led by the College Choral Society, of Mozart’s Requiem. Taking 135 Under 16 boys became county hockey the vocal solos were Emily Bradley (PPA boarders champions and went on to become West of 2006), Alice Usher (PPA 2005), Edmund England finalists. Hastings (PPA 2004) and Connor Baiano Family, friends, former headmasters of the (PPA 2013). 13 College, staff, students, parents and alumni Clifford House won the annual Sports Day. came together in Our Lady of the Snows to countries represented commemorate the life of Cardinal Cormac College enjoyed an evening of Test Match among the boarders Murphy-O’Connor (PPA 1950), who died Special memories with Henry Blofeld, GIBRALTAR in September 2017. Cardinal Cormac was sports journalist and broadcaster (see the uncle of current headmaster, Mr James page 9). 89% Murphy-O’Connor, and a longstanding Other mid-summer events included the president of the Prior Park Educational Trust. Creative Design Summer Exhibition, A* - B, EPQs Already setting (See obituary on page 35.) the inter-house Maths Competition, an Outdoor Mass and the Summer Concert. benchmarks The inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence 81.1% programme was launched, with successful The Grand Leavers’ Concert and Leavers’ PPSG was subject to an external inspection local businessman and Prior parent, Anthony Dinner was followed by Speech Day, A* - B, GCSEs (a first for any school in Gibraltar) from Dutton.