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$.ummer2009 ODA Contacts

Chrirrnrn Dr Grreth W Grimths corwellor tr'fordd Penrhyrg€lrlol Trearddur Bry LL55 2YW Tel: 01/07 t60137

Secrebry (T€mp). Ellb M. Edw.rd! !, Cr. M.ir Berumrrlt LL5t tYN Tel:0124tt10340 E-m.tt:lnd$d€[email protected]

Tre..urer Tr.for E Grlmthr (Ieg or Tet) 5 Jorrthrn Rd Trenthu Stoke or TreDt ST,l tLP TeL0l7t264l592 E-mdli [email protected]

Wclrh ffi.Lr Jobn Bry.tr JoDer HeullryD 7 VtctorL Rd Old Cohryn LL29 9SN T€l: 0149251555t & frt DErllt bry.DJorqt@bdDtenetcoD

CoEmittac eeDbert Colh Ll ItLor 2 BelDotrt Drlvc Bangor LL' 2HS Tel:012t362032 E-m.ilhogDb.rgor@btirternetcom B.rry A WyDr 7, Ffordd klwyr Brngor LL57 IAR Tel:0124t353t51

Co-opt€d mcEber reapotraibl€for lT DoD PrrryJoDct 2l Lrurel Avanue Brngor on Ilcc Wrcthm LL13 oBQ Telr 0197t 7t0005 E-D.tt: don}'[email protected]

Co-opted m€mber! wlth re3ponilbllder for racruldng youDger members P.ul D SElth P.t ck R HeDphtlt 5 Ptrc Irerwer Sprlnghtl Th€ Greetr GeorgeLrDe Detrbtgh CleDsford LLI65TJ COl0 7SB Telf 01E2470t01? "Ielt 017E1282307 tr mrili [email protected] A messrgefrom the new Editor

TheNew Editor,is CliffordMichael Jones, (45-52), Manor Lodge,Aston Itrgham,Ross on Wye, HR9 7LS, Tel:.01989720 5'75 E-mail cliff [email protected]

Date lhe 286 April 2009: - Eastof Suez.Last seenheadhg into the dunes.

Climate Change Fellow ODs, this is by way of a lett€r explaining the tremors felt at th€ last AGM. These were of an ant synclinal nature as they affectedthe very depthsof the oryadsation to its foundations. "Change?"said Ifor Williams MA Oxon, as he fed the cat, " is ofa managementnature. I thbk you shouldhandle change .It would be good for your future prospectsJones minor," as he hurled a bag ofcoppers at me, the whole letrgth ofthe old Dining Hall. "Count these coppe$ for me and make surethere arc five shillings!" That was my early introductionto change.And some,so we are to believehave changeand grcatnessthrust upon them. Well the "tearn" and me havegreahess and chaogethrust upon us now. Boar with us as]ve arc spreadall over the known earth,Llanfairywllgwyngyll, Llanfairfechanand Eastof Suez.It just couldn't be more vridespread,yet v/ith the marvels of modem technologywe will en- deavourto loock "Th€ Dominican" into a climate of change. We were caughtslightly oif balanceby Alun's rapid handove!of the reins, but with your forbearanceand a tad of goodwill, we will overcomeall. Seriouslyif we areto make a goodjob of the task we will osed your help and support.We are all ageingnpidly and if there is nothing more certain than the fact that none of us is going to leave alive. Hencethe need for obituariesSad as it may be, with incrcasingfre- quency,until we attlact a youngerspecies. Can you help in this area?Any youngerco acts, preferablywithout a bus pass? Any ideason what you would like to seein the magazine?e.g. who was that sleekblonde at the fencenear Vardre last week? We needto cover all pointr of interest. You haveour contacts;please make the call eitherby phoneor email. We arc herc to implementthe climate ofchatrge and ensure"The Dominicau" continugsto thiive in what€vorform. On that thought the commorcial world is increasingly moving from print to ether,how would you regardan email copy of "The Dominican"?

Cliff Joues,Wanen Martin and Phil guardingthe rear.

Who is the trew tempoi&ry Secretary

El$n M. Edwardsis a Bangor lad, after Cae Top he movedto Fria$ in 1950 and studied (?) there until 1955. Affer leaving Friars, he was called to do extend€dNational Service in the RAF, servingmostly in Malaya and Singapore.On completion ofhis National Ser- vice he obtaineda place in Bargo! Nomral College,whero he studiedfrom 1960-62. His first post was teachingchildren with specialneeds in Liverpool, ftom 1962- 65 where he met and marriedLinda. In 1965he movedon to a secondaryschool in Lancashire In 1967he was appointedDeputy Head teacherof a Specialschool near Kendal then Liv- emool Udve$itv SchoolofEducation .n l97l he returned to Wales, being appointedH€ad Teacherof a school for children with Leaming difliculties in Newtown, Powys. During his time in Newtown he did a Postgraduate Mast€r of Education in SwanseaUnivenity in 1982. He retired fiour this post in 1993 and returnedto Bangor. Siace then he has undertakenseveral aud various paid and voluntary work at BangorUniversity, and was for a time couniesorgaoiser for the National Trust. El&n has tbree children and l0 gratrdchildren,all h New Z€alaDdwh€re he and Lynda spend three monthsofevery year, His hobbiesare Rugby (He played alongsideDewi Bebb for two years) and moutrtainening, with the occasionalcorvivial evenitrg with friends, (mostly other ODA members) and of coursewalking with the ODRC.

A Mess.gefrom th€ He.d

As lhe academicyear 2008 - 2009 draws to a clos€,\f,e can again look back on it with some satisfaction.Our numbersfor Septemberare up, which bucks the trerd in thc majority of local schools,but our budget will be very tight. In no small part as a rcsult of Welsh Assembly Governmentcuts, either direcdy on imposed on the LEA, we are €205,000down this year. Howeyer, this is small beer comparedwith someother schoolswhich are facitg cuts of over !400,000 over the next thr€eyeals or sumsequivalent to almost l0% oftheir budgetsthis year.

Many schools are looking to deliver coursesin partflership,either with each other, or with Coleg Menai. We offer one of the largestratrge of coursesat I 6 and I 8 in the area,including somevocational courses such as consfuction and hai and beautyat ColeSMenai and a motor vehicle coursein school.We arc, thereforc,one ofthe few schoolsto be able to meetthe e)(acting minimum standardsset by the Welsh Assembly Governmentfor the numberof courseson offer atrdto do so earlier than rcquired.

Despite our straitenedcircumstances, we have had a number of successes,including rcaching national finals of the UK mathschallenge (again) and th€ wiruing the best team idetrtity prize in the Formula I in schoolscompetition (involying racirg car design).We again won the regional rouod ofthe WalesDebate Champiotrship. We alsotook one ofthe largestgoups fo! sometime to the Urdd National Eisteddfodduring half term, with many pupils leaching the final on stageand we havebeen invited to display artwork at the Eisteddfodthis summer.Two pupils were choser to representWales in the National SchoolsGames in Glasgow in swim- mhg and the tiple jump. Work on the new Cae Top school has trnished.The school is moving from its existing site to the edge of Brewery Fields adjacert to the school and should b€gin operatingitr September. We now have additional car parking on the eastside ofthe school and therc will be somerc- modelling of the arca outiide the staff car park wall which $houldimprove the appearanceof the schoolas visitors drive up to it. Managingthe additionaltraffic in September,vr'hile parents adjustto the new system,could be interesting.

I wou.ldlike to wish all Dominicansa peacefuland enjoyablesultrmer wherc ever they may be. We arepromised a hot summerthis year so I hopeyou canmake the most of the odd day of su$hine betwee[ the thunderstorms.

Neil Foden Headmssten .The452nd Anniversary Reunion

The eventsthis year beganon Thursday23 April with a walk to Aber Falls. Details are in the Ruckack Clubsection.

On Friday 24 April there was a nostalgicvisit to Cae Top schoolwhich is due to close in June of this year. The school is moving to a brand new building next to Ysgol Friars after serving the UpperBangor community for 136years. The HeadTeacher, Mr. RhysHughes, kindly allowed a group of ODA Old Caetopiansto tow the old building and 24 membersarrd fiiends were Royally entertainedby the Deputy Head, Mrs. Brenda Kirwin, and the staff. We wcre providedwith light refieshmentson arrival,a tour ofthe buildingsand a brief'concert'by the seniorchoir in thehall andin thepresence of thewholejunior school. Everyone present greatly enjoyedthemselves and left with an enduringmemory of sweetsongs sung by the pupils choir in a CD kindly given to us by the headand the lingering aromaof schooldinners long past ftom the Dostwar canteen. #i ),t

Visiting group outside old Cae Top

Eln/n,Heryn, lohn and Alun visit the new cae Top. Dr. GarethGrifiths, our Co. Chairman, opened the An- nual Ceneral Meeting on Satwday 25 April 2009 at the Regoncy Hotel, Ban- gor. Therewere 42 Memben presentto witness a positive ad helpfut discussion. Mr. Alun Jonesreceived a pres- entaiion, from Waren Mar- tin, on behalf of the members of the Rucksack Club and very warm thankson his retirementas Seqetary. Mr Noman Robertsalso receivedwalm thanks on his retircmentfrom the committee.for his work over the years.

In the eveningthere was a healthy attendanceof Members,some accompanied by their partne$, at the excellent Dimer, held at the Victoria Hotel, Menai Bridge. Mr Cledwlm Jones,orrr Honorary Member was prcsent, and all enjoy€d a very interestingand amusingtalk by our Guest Speaker,Dr. Hayden Edwards,Principle & Chief Executive at Coleg Menai. Mr Roy Thomaspro- posoda vote ofthanks and a toast to The Old Dominicans& Ysgol Friars. Mr. Norman Robedswas the MC for the evemne.

Where Welsh orce dwcllcd By TomBemard (41-49)

The Angles, Saxonsand othersinvaded Great Britain, then a Celtic land in the 5th and 6th centuries.The generalview ofthe effect ofthese invasionsis that most ofthe Celtic tribes were overwhelmedand defeated,with thosewho were not killed or enslavedfleeing to secureareas of refuge, mainly Wales, Cum- bria, Cornwall, Brittany or Scotland.Thus the Germanic coDquerorshaving clearedout the Celts had "Angle laod" (England)all to themselves.Not quite sol In fact, shong onomastic evidencesuggests that many pockets of surviving Welsh managedto mahtain thet home areasin isolatedeoclaves - particularly in valleys and alongwooded waterways. It's unlikely that they were welcomed; more lik€ly it was a matter of them being tolonted as long as they causedno trouble and kept a low profile. In those far off days theseWelsh communities would, no doubt, havebeen small in terms ofpopulatioo, consistingmainly of homesteads,har ets,villages and at bestsmall towns. It's somewhatironic that even on thefu own native soil theseCeltic people were known to the Anglo- Saxonsas "foreigners"or "stnngers" - the term for them being "Waelisc" from which the words Wales and Welsh are derived. Thus it is that thesesurviving Welsh settlementscall be recognizedby the pr Here are somecxamples that hdicate the presenceof former Welsh communitiesrn En€land.In many insfancesthese n&mes ar€ rcpeated multiple times in different Eng- lish localities.

Walton - Village of the Welsh Walkington - Village of Welsh families Wallingon - Village of Welsh famili€s Wallasey- Island of the Welsh Walden- Valleyof theWelsh Walkden- Valley of the Welsh Walshaw- Wood of the Welsh Walkley - Meadowof the Welsh Walsall- Hill of theWelsh Walworth - Farm of the Welsh Walesby- Town of the Welsh Walcott - Cottagesof the Welsh Walford - The Welsh at the ford Wallingford - The Welsh families at the ford Walbum - The Welsh at the steam Walpole - The Welsh at the pool Walmer - The Welsh at the pool Walsham- Horneof the Welsh Walsingham- Homeof the Welshfamilies Wales- Wherethe Welsh live (in Yorkshire )

On€rrith a suffix ratherthan a prefix is Comwall - The Welsh ofthe peninsula. As well as the above, other examplesin Britain which are obvious and require no explanatiotrarc: Welshpool,Wolsh Bicknor aad Welsh Frankton. And so it is that wc can now look back in time to where the Welsh ofold have indeed left an indelible onomasticimprht on what bccameEnglish land, ThomasL. Bemar4 Presidea! Welsh Societyof WestemN€w England.

According to "Dickie Davies" there was an enclaveof welsh speakingresidents in Kent in Elizabethantimes and due to the Tudor inJluence,Welsh was still an oficial languageof rte coult. It was only whenJames arrived with his hairy Scotstha;ihings beganto go down hill. V.M.

The winds ofchange by JohnDexter Jones(?4-8 I ) The rosethted spectaclesofthe old-boy, it could be argued filter the rays ofhistory. Therearc no memoriesbetter than the onescarcfully polishedand set on a shelf at thc back of the mind, occasionallyto be takendown and discussedover ale aud wine. In their yearson that shelfthey gatherdust bul nevertarnish, they keepus connectedto our world and offer reassuranceand security,Would we ever allow a challengeto our universalorder? Might examsbe hardernow not easier?Might the challengesnow be greaterand more complcx, not a walk in the park comparedto our day?Might the moden footballerb€ possessedofgreater athleticismand skill than his forebears? Might sixeshit over the pavilion tavel fiuther ir the cold light ofdow than they did in the balmy, post-teaevenings ofyore? Of couse that whole notion is ridiculous. It is the privilege and absoluteright of the old-boy to filter history from its beginning (at the age of clcven) up until the point that it €ndsotr the last day ofschool. At this point the days and years that onward pass need to multiply cotrsiderablyin order to securethe afore-mentionedspectacles. No-one oftwenty can be heardsitting in a pub in Bangor or Sydneyor New York reflecting with longing, the qualities oftheir time in school. The metaphoricaleyesight needstime to diminish, time to develop thc comforting short-sighteduessthat prevents over-sharprccollec- hon or ana\rsis, My contsntion would be to say that it takes at least twenty five years before that old boy's appoinhnent with the optician... ln the 1970'son the Eithinog site (wherethe schoolhas now expandedinto its modem form) our first job very often was to mop classrcomflools. This is not to reflect badly on lori (surely the greatestcaretakcr io the history of Fri- als) but rather to exposethe shottcomingsof the authoritieswho bequeathed to us such a uselesspile of prefabricatedjuk. The rainwater puddlesir the ground floor classroomswe encounteredoo a Monday morning were com- monplaceand ifthe studentsoftoday were facadwith sucha situation,I don't doubt for a minute lhat thet parentswould be up in arms and the local gov- emmentofth€ day would be brought swiftly to accountin a flurry of 'Ofsted hand wring'ng'. The only wringing that went oD in l9?0's Friars was that of the cloths and towels that absorbedthe rain that hamrneredin ftom peruhos. There was no audible bell in Eithinog. There had been a fantastic electric systEmi|r the Lower School (the 'old' Frian site on Ffriddoedd Road) that could frighten a first former for at leasthis fust couDleofweeks. Insteadthere was a buzzerthat was so muted that studeotswould leave lessonsif a motor- bike went down Coed Mawr Hill. On being recalledto the lessonthey would swear blind that they,d heard the b]uzzer... The football field at Eithinog was wh€neall the wate! ftom the downstaiN classroomsmade its way on beiag baled out. There it joined with a lot of other water to renderthe pitch a quagnire. Having played on the pitch at the Lower Schoolit is true that occasionalcuts were sufferedon stonesthat made their way to the surfacebut at least therc was no risk of drownilg or tretrch foot. The rugby field, whose delights I studiously avoided, could doubtless have produced an Olympic rower had it been put to its best use. One might imagine that in this atnosphcre of danp inadequacy,we would havetended to neglectour academicstudies and be diminishedin our sportiog prowess.Not so. Reading tales of 'The Invincibles' of old, I am mindcd to reaordthat in the season1979/80 we lost no footballmatches and in 1980/81 we lost only one. That was the regional final of the Welsh Schools cup against Eirias High School at Nantporth. We lost l-0 and Tony Vickers qashed a shot agafu$tthe ba! in the dying secotrdsthat sadly was the differ- ence between history-makers and also-nns. In academic terms Friars re- mained consist€ndyshong as a direct result of motivatcd children and excellent teachil9. Long beforeteachers were ha!$trung by the demandsof 'lhe systemr,we enjoyed, in spite of ou.r crumbling surroundings,v€ry high standardsof guidanceand instluctio!. W€ must hayedone, for a sholt trawl ofmy own year oo the hternet-wotrdq that is 'FriendsReunitpd' reveals a fadastically divenc set of lifestyles, global locations and occupations. Recently I drove my sons tluough the cver-changingroad priorities that chalacterizeBargor aDd made my way past The old Frian building and beyond to the fonni&ble edifice that now standsbearing the name of our revered institulion. I was astonishcd at the sight of all those well- constructedbuildings and hoped that the studentsof today appreciatetheir surroundings.The seedsofthat developmetrtwere first sown as I studied for my A levels but the grcen shoots,as I clearly remember,were well aDd truly frostbitter oo a windy day in 1980 or 81... The gale that blcw on thar fateful day was a pafticularly nasty one and lhe order came fiom the offce to evacuatethe sixth-form block on safety grounds.(Can you imagine it?...h peacctime..?)Our late aftemoonEnglish classtook place in an upsiairs classroomin the main block that afforded a clear and unobshuctedview of the sportshall and its almost-completegx- tcnsion. The roarhg huricane outlid€ d€mandedattention and one quick glance was revi/aded with the sight of the new gFmasium roof lising aboveits walls and then oashing down, taking the walls with it. Ten min- utes later and the casualtylist would have been frighteniDg.One wall fell acrossthe patb tbat led to PeDrhosAvenue, which at four o clock would have its customarysteady flow of homeward-boundstudents. As it was, I recall that an unfoftunate constuction worker was hurt. Apparently one fifth former, leaving ttre changingrooms secondsafter the gym collapse4 popped his bead back inside and annourcedfrom within his parka-hood, that it was hail stoning.Deputy Head Arthur Sunderlanddid a sterlingjob of dirccting studontsaway from the swirling debris only to sustaincuts to the headhimself. It was of coursethe supremeirony. The one ncw building on the site had fallen down. I wonder if headsrolled? Of course firther building work followed and as we arc now aware, the face of the large- scalePortakabin that had beeo Friars Upper School,was changedforever. One day soon, I must dotr my 'spcctacles'and pay a visit. I still fcsl cor- nected.

Life .t thc brttle front WWtr By Gil Eastham(41 to 47).

BOSSAGAIN.-I havercad most of the magazineaccounts of Boss and his exploits. It hasbeen a greatpleasure to re-live thoseaccounts. I am sure ooe of the difficulties of being cditor, is to gather new material for cach issuc. This must be, at least in part, becauseeach talc told is re- lived by so many old boys, and hence,the material for articlcs is sharedby so many, that it limits the oppornuity for each one who enjoyed the ex- Derienceto write an accountofthe sam€event. AND THE REST.- I have a feeling there is a lot morc material available,and would like to be remind€dof tales of Ned Dark, Charlie Peace(come on David and Colin) JoeSoap (Thanks for the tale ofthe whistling cyclist) Spider,Mochin, Sharkyand the rest. ln attempting!o write this article, I am no longer certainthat I can properly recall the events,so a little licerce is perhapspemitt€d. If othersremember the inci- d€nts,perhaps they will correctme, or give me a prompt. Here goes.

PHYSICS.-There w&sthe day in thc lab wh€n Mr. Fielding was demonstrating the propertiesofa pendulum.All ofa sudden,h€ climbed onto his bench,holding the pendulumon high. It was then, for somercason best known to himself, that he aonounced- "I haveone leg slightly long€r than the other", demoostatingthis by leanilg first to the left ihen to the right. I didn't seethe connectionthe4 but am still working on it. I hastento add I did lcam a few other things from thosePhysics lessons. Thosewere the days when ifyou madea spelling mistakein your Physicshome- work it would be pointed out to you. The corect spelling enteredin red along side the offending word. What hashappened to educatior sincelhen?

ART IN PARTICULAR.- I seemto rcmemberwhen the staff startedto retum after lhe war, to t€achtheir primary subjecs, our first lessonwith Mr. Coulter as our aft mzuiter,wzui our very first experienceofthe art masteractually drawing a picture using pencil and paper. I was very impressedhow trees suddenly ap- pearedfrom nowhere,and arrived, as ifby magic, oD the paper.It hastaketr me a fi[ther 50 yearsbefore makitrg a real attemptto put itrto practicewhat we were shownthat day. You see;school is not all bad.

OUR VERY OWN MISTRESS.- For a while we had a very young alt mistress, that itr it self getrerateda whole new interestin ad. I rememberher quite well, but haveno idea of her name.(Please help) In the adjoiDinglield, in view of the art room, was a pony, a very healthy and probably a very frushated pony, that always appearedready to be on the go, if you seewhat I mean. I rememberthe art mistressspent a lot of time carefully studying 'Willy', I dor't know whethershe was looking at him witb a view to creatinga painting, whether it was curiosity or just sheer amazement.Perhaps you kxlow more than I do (Answerson a posrcardplease).

HORACE.- I really do rememberMr. Websteras the ad master,and in particular'Horace', that nasty 18 inch ruler that kept us in somesort of order. I speakon l0 this subject with considerableauthority. Some of you will rememberthe very large white cubes, cones, ppamids and spheresthat w€re arranged atrd rc- ananged for us to appreciatesome of the furer points of pe$pective, tight and shade.I trow try to put into effect the betrefitsof those arrangements,]vhen I at- tempt to scribble. ThanksSpider! They werc not a lot ofuse when we had 1odraw a dafTodilfor our schoolcert.

CHEMISTRY.- Chemistry was always a bit of a mystery, atrd still is, but I recall with pride the occasiouwhotr we were to croatecopper sulphatecrystals (blue at any rute). By somechance, and to the amazementofJoe Soap,mine were more in quantity and also the largest in the class. Don't know how, but what a winner.

FIGHT TIIE GOOD FIGHT.- Just aoother tale involying Boss. Reg, my brother, and I were in the middle of a geat fight in the quad goadedon by the usual qowd, when suddenlythe crowd parted, by you know who. His only re- mark 'Oh! It's a domostic" and he left us to it. I do not know who was the yictor. Reg or me; but I ratherthink it was Boss.

LATIN.- I was told I was to take Latin; from what I had gathered,I thought it was goi[g to be an opportunity to -amasssome ammo- but this was not to be the case,Latin with Daniel Davies was off to a poor stad. I missed the first three weeksofthe term, as I was enjoying the time in the C and A Infirmary having my appendixremoved. When I arrived for my first lesson,ihe class was already rn firll swing. I don't eventhink I had beenmissed, for it was assumedI shouldknow as much as th€ rcst. ($that a hope). Howev€r, Daniel Davis had a systemof ar- ranging the classround the room in a wide arc, and fired questionsround lhe arc, Ifyou got the answerright you would move up oDeposition to the left, if wrong one position to the right. The lesult was that the clever sparks were all left of centre,whereas the l€ssprofioient were otr the right. Therewas an occasionwhen I was playing on the right wing, when the head walked in. Now; he must have been familiar with D.D's system,seeing us all aranged round the room, but he must have been a bit conirsed about the rules for left and right, for to my great surpriseI got a lnowing nodand a'well done'.

THE ALTERNATT!'8. Needlessto say it was not too long before I took up mall€t and chisel, and enjoyedthe group when we were able to take-off double periods to walk ovsl Menai Bridge to collect more timber. We seemedto think we had the last laugh. My wife assurcsme that it has been morc beneficial in later life than Latin would ever havebecn.

SCHOOLDINNERS A TREAT TO BEHOLD.- Schooldinners in the dinins ll hall, where we sat on thoselong woodel benchesat the equally long and marvel- lous oak tables.We were obliged to eat all our meat and veg. "Our brave sailon are risking thei lives to bring the food to us". (FuDny! when you thiDk about it, for I suspectmost of our food was producedin the U.K.) Well, there was usually more fat than lean, atrdthat was not very popular.We dcvisedevil ways of trans- porting the unwaDt€dfat fiom our platesto lhe playing field via our pocket- hand- kerchief. Handkerchiefswere an essentialaid. Did you see'The GreatEscape'? (All Friars boys of course).

SPACETRAVEL.- All wert well with this scheme,utrtil the sad day when one lad had no time to dump his load. Sureenough it would be in a mathslesson when he had an urgent needto snc€ze.To smotherthe sneeze,he grabbedfor his hankie, and to his dismay the missile shot forward twenty paces,hitting the blackboard spot olr. The offending missile was quickly recovered unbehown to Ned Dark, who had been cleverly distracted.The merriEent ceased and Ned seemedquite pleasedttrat he had either said or done somethingto ke€p his pupils amused.- Or so the story goes- No spankingsthis time,

FOR THOSE IN PERIL.- W€ had firished our dinner, and stackedup the plates, leaving all the horrid fat on oDeplate ready to be clearedaway to the kitchen. This one plate was in front ofone unfortunatesoul. When askedwhose plate is that. He was not paying proper attention (not unusual for school boys) he replied, "'mine sir". "Well comeon boy eatup, you lnow ourbrave sailoE ...... ,..." What an unfortutratechap, we left him to it. He may still be there for all I how. Perhapsyou would careto look ifyou arepassing.

MORE PLEASE - I hope you Eanag€to g€t to the end of this drivel, especially the youngermembers. It all now seemssuch a long time ago, and I wonder what happured to all my classmates.It was great to meet so many of you at the 450 celebrutions.I look forward to readingmany more tales of yore.

SCHOOL REPORT.- Having four children atrd eight grand children I have noticed that Yeport- speak',the languageof the school report, has not changed very much over the years.One ofthe best form teachels rqrorts I have ever read appearsin onc of my wife's school reports. Take heed, for these reports werc

l2 surely meantto be great characterbuilding stuff. In my wife's caseit had a real inlluence for the rest of her life. Her P.E. mistresswrote 'Junemust practice her jumping'. You can readinto that lvhateveryou like. AND SO TO BED I don't lqrow what report you will give my drivel. It may be 'fair'; 'a good effort'; 'wel1done'; or it might even'show promise'. I can assureyou I 'did try hard' and I know I must 'work harde/. I leaveit to you to mark. FuDny!I can'tremember why I cameupstairs, but I do rememberFriars. April 2009

Is this the answer to Boss' assertion that'6Train Bovs" came from the outer darkness? I \II €.

Serversat Christ ChurchLlanfairfechan, circa 1949. On the fight frotu the backBernard WheldonRoberts: Frank Roberts:Huw Rich- ards; on the leftftom the back Geof Brown; W'orrenMqrtin, all train boys.

Or th€ following by a Llanfairfechan Train boy

t3 J Mervyn Williamsis the man who is qedited with founding the BBC Cardif Singer ofthe World competition.Here arc his medoies.

The idea carneduring a Euleka moment in the bath. Befor€ the plug was pulled, the basis of the competition was clear. The bost of young classical singing talent ftom acrossthe world competingfor honoursin a country passionateabout singing. Each would gain huge amountsof exposue throughout the globe, as the televisiou pro- gramrneswould be shownin €achcountry seDdinga singer.

Why do sucha thing? A stateofthe art concerthall was being buili - St David'sHall - and Geraht StanleyJones, BBC Wales' Head of Programmes,wanted to make the mostof it.

I was invited to presentmy proposalto the Headsof Music of over 20 broadcasting organisationsst the 1982 Prix Italia irl Venice, in the hope that many would send singeNto Cardiff. Otrly Finland and Belgium offered their supportat that stag€.BBC two tumed the idea down.

I was dejectedly sipping a coffee in St Mark's Squarewher I was approachedby Humphrey Burton, until rccently, Head of Music and Ans at tho BBC. "It's a good ide4" he sai4 "stick lvith it and I'll seewhat I can do," GarethPrice, AssistantHead of Progammes at BBC Wales atrdJohn Watkin, Head of Presentationweighed in to help get supportand in the meantimeButon worked his magic with BBC Two, The dark cloudswere lifting.

The first country to enter was Iceland. Seventeenother singe$ ftom as far afield as Hong Kong, New Zealandand Canadaadded thei namesand work beganin eamest.

14 A panel of intemationaljudges was €ngaged,as were the orchestras,con- ductors, arcompanistsatrd TV presenters.Hotels werc bookedand all the paraphemaliaof television put in place. The music library worked won- ders,and a schedulewas put in placethat malcheda British Rai[ timetable.

Guidi.ogevery move was my assistant,Ar:na Willians. She and her team ensued that the singersbecame a warm bondedgroup, and all theseyears later that spirit still pervadesthe competition,with Anna still weaving her spell.

But, therc were somethings even Anna couldn't arrange.The suomer of 1983was sweltering.Who would want to sit indoors list€ning to utrknown singers?Tickets were trot selling - though by the final they would be like gold dust. The local press weighed in with geat suppod - evetr rccom- mendhg the comfort of air conditioning in the hall.

Then, the mome of tuth, On that first night, the audienceheard the singer who would becomethe first winner of the competition. It seemed fitting that she came from the courty which had b€fl the first to support the event- FiDland.Her oamc- Karita Mattila.

The Bcat Chrktmsr Crke Ever By WarrenMaltitr

lDgredietrt3 I cup buttcr I or 2 Quartswhisky I cup sugar LemoIljuice 4 large eggs I tsp salt lcup dried fruit I tsp baking soda I tsp baking powder I cup brown sugar Nuts

Mcthod: Before you start samplethe whisky to check for quality. Good isn't it? Now go ahcad. Seleat a large mixing bowl, measuringcup etc. Check the whisky agaitras it must bc just right. To be sue the whisky is of highest quality, pour onc leycl cup into a glassand drilk it as fast as you can.Repest. With an electric mixer, beatone cup ofbutter in a large fluffbowl. Add on teaspoonofthe thugar alrd beat again.M€anwhile make surethe whisky is ofthe highestquality. Cry aDothertup, Openthe secondQuart ifnecessary. Add two arge leggs,two cups of ftied druit and beat 'till high. If druit gets stuck in beatels,just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Samplethe whisky again,checking for tonscisicity,

15 Next sift three sups of salt or atrything,it doesn'trealy matter. Samplethe whisky. Sift half a pint of lemonjuice. Fold ia choppedbutter aDdstrained nuts. Add one babblespoonof brown sugar, or whatgver colour you can find and mix well. Greasethe oven and tum caketin to 360 gredees. Now pour the whole messinto lhe coven and ake. Check the whisky again andbo to ged!!!!!!

Bossmighl haeebeen ight aboat "fisin boys'lrom Llanfaidechat arter aIL . (Ten- Ed.)

lVer time evecueec By WarrenMartin

I have a friend, older than myself, with whom I have sharedseveral adven- trues including eating Mustard sandwichesin Dublitr. The pub had run out of everythingelsel On a tip to Paris he could not undeNtandwhy we did not wear oxygenmasks as he had had to do irl his R.A.F. Servicein the late 1940's. The other day he rccount€dtales ofhow he was evacuatedftom Liverpool to Bangor in about 1940and had to attendFriars everymoming from Mon- day to Friday inclusive. Saturdaymoming he atteDdedthe Girls County School and penetratedthose hidden areasof growing up! He said he had considerableadvantage as out of a class of 40 he was one of two welsh speakers.Consequcntly he could follow up otr overheardbits of conversa- tion such as "Gwallt Gv.JmI chdi, na'I cymerudy cochyn", {you take the light hairedone I'll havethe ginger) !! The afternoonswere great releaseand led to spearthrowing near Maes- geirchen, or lvalking along the viaduct! However he said one had to be car€fuI as the drcadedBoss saw no dilferencebetween Evacuees and non- Evacuees! My own experienceof evacueesis all to do with individuals Billeted with my mother atrd major batdosi[ Valley rcad Llanfatfechan. Does anyone how more aboutevacuees at Friars?

h myfrst tenn in Fiar' TheLiverpool CollegiateSchool, had been evacvatedto Bangol, and we weresharing with them.They $ed the school in the momingsand we usedi, in the afremoon.As I recall, ,his did not last lorg becausea numbetoflheir pupils were retuming home.I seemto think that they eventuallyused the Annex,and unfortunatelywe retumed to full time education.At least one of the Liverpool Collegiateboys sayed on to becamea Fia6 Boy, I think his namewas Blia Smith. Their school colours weretaty blue andpale blue. .Therewete of courseq numberof itdividual evacree! in school,whose parents had beense t to work in the area or who had relartt'eswho they had beensent to stay y''ith. (Tem.Ed.) l6 The ODARucksack Club

Sirce our JanuaryNewslettei the follolving wallG havetaken place:

Friday 27 February 2009. The stalwartsmet in the car park in Penmaennawr, atrdset out to climb Foel L0s the 1091ft mouotain,towering abovePennaeomawr and DwygJ4lchi.

Cotrtnry to the weatherforccast v/hich Fomised rai4 the "A" team, optimisticaly set out to enjoy a plcasantuphill journey, whilst the "B" team drove up to the Jubi- lee Walk.

Once up on the hill both kams were able io enjoy the fine views over the Menai Straits and the Great Orme however the morc extetrsiveviews were deniedthem by a little hazeand low cloud

PetmaenmawrQuarry with the Menai St/aitsard Sir F6n bevondfrom Foel Lfrs

17 Friday 27 March 2009. We went further south and met in a lay by adjacentto the Afon Conwy just outsideBetws y Coed.The weatherwas uncertainto stai with, but remaitredfine. Elfun, led by his new dog, took the party up through the Fairy Glen a.ndabove the magnificent Conwy Falls then on to the Old Woolen Mill to view the "Roman Bridge". Following forest roadswe descendedto the Afon Machno and followed the road back to our startiflgpoint.

By the Afon Contty 27 March 2009

The Reunionwalk to Aber Falls, Thursday 23 April 2009, athacted20 membersand friends who enjoyed fine lvalking conditions on a pleasantSpdng day. After a long lunch overlooking the falls, the majority (the "A" Team) retumed to Aber via the North WalesPath whilst the "B" Teamwalked back alonethe outwardDath.

Thereunion walkers 23 April 2009 at Abelgwyngreg) l8 Eightofus metin Llanrwston Friday 29", May 2009The weather was glo- rious and Ken Banesintroduced us to our first test.It was twenty yardsof mud and pools of water. We could have detouredalong he road but confi- dencewas strongand we set about the obstaclenot rcalising that oncehaving tumedthe comerthe challengedcontinued for a goodfour hundredyardsl We continuedup steeppaths through the forestand came togethor on a tracknear a clearedarea. Here we were rewardedwith a truly remarkableexperience, a Buzzardswooped down into the clearing and arcsewith a snakein its talons, thendescended onto a felledhunk still holdingthe snakein its talons.Viper? Slowworm?Grass snake? Much discussionensued whilst we continuedup- hill. Suddenlywe cirme the wall of Llaffhychwyn Church. Il was reputedly built by Llewelyn Fawr so that his wife, Joan, need not walk down to Llanrwst.We enleredthe old building,delighted to find it open,and savoured its tranquillity.Then lunchbefore making for Llyr Geirionyddand hearing theCuckoo. Thena restperiod with a longdiscussion on politicalcomrption. We werenot allowedto getaway with anykind offiddle! No definitelynot! Followinga sharpdecent into Trefriw andafter viewing the cascade we made the long pull to the riv€r and the swing bridge. We pausedto admire both adultsand yourgste$ enjoyingthe cooling watersbefore the final leg to Llanrwst.Estimates varied between five andten miles,but it wasa goodday.

Outs ide Llanr hyc hwn Chutc h

t9 On the subject of the Cuckoo. I frrst heard one this yeer ot Gwern Enga , above Sychrlant Pass, Dwyglfylchi, on the 4 June, quite late I thought. It seems that the Cuckoo is either becoming more rare or moving its habitat. Come hext spling we will have q competition to see who cqrr report the first Cuckoo and where. Enties to the Editor, prize to be ahnouhced, possibly a lollipop. Tenp. Ed.

Friday 26 Jutre 2009 and nine mernbersmade it to the Nant-y-Betrglog but due to various interpretationsof thc "Milestone" car park, it took a little time for us to get togeth€r. There was much chat, which led Ken Baines to urge us to get started;othcrwise lunch under the Milestone was becoming a distinct possibility! Thcn Alun (and others) neededa photo- graph. We bccamc organized!John Pilling led a strong party to skirt the Milestone, accessHeather Terrace as far as Bwlch Tryfan and descendvia Llyn Bochlwyd back ro the A5. Quite a pull by any standad. Waren took the '\reaker brethren" alongthe old @oman)road ftom Wen Gofto Capel Curig and back, at a steadypaca. Both panies rcnd€zvousedwithin twenty mhutes of each other to hold an impromptu committee meeting by the lakeside.We were lucky, hardly any rain althoughit was threatened.There was Thunderand lightning over in tbe Conwy Valley with tonential dowu- pours. It was a good day. Why notjoin us it is alwaysenjoyable?

Following discussionsat the impromptu committeemeeting by the lakeside, it was d€cidedthat as fiom July 2009, therc would be two walks per moDth.The fust will be on the secondFriday of eachmonth and will be devoted to the more demanding "A" walks, subject as always to the weather. The fourth Friday will be devoted entirely to "8" walks of an easrernaflrre.

The prograrDmeup to November2009 will be as follows: - l0 July Pea yr Ole Weo atrd CameddDarydd via Fffnnon Lloer. Leader Ken Banes.Meet at Llyn Ogwcn at the car park on the lake side ofthe .A.5 GR 659603at 10.00. 31 July "B" Walk Cetr Du/Ceunant/Bryn Bras Castle circular (easy l0 ks) m€et at 1030hrs at the LakesideHotevcwel y Llyn on 44086 Grid SH 568 611 Parking ftee, room for 8/9 ca$, Short climb tbrough woods then open hill walk with long views down the Lleyn etc, Excelentwalk on a lovely day. Elryn will load. 14 August Moel Siabod via Llyn y Foel and Daiar Ddu. Leader Etfon. Meetat PontCyryng GR 571735at 1030.

20 28 AuSutt "8" Walk to beafftounced.

11 September (Slight change)"B" Walk Capel carmon aod the Neolithrc tomb, meet at 1030hrs take the junction of A5 and A4?0 beyondthe Waterloo Bridge, Betws y Coed. Tum right after the Ty Gwyn hotel, (4470 to Dol_ wyddelen), park on left. (lunch at the White Holse Irur Capel Garmon) then visit the superblypreserved neolithic tomb. Retum over bjll hacks and woods, with ElSn.

25 September "A" Snowdonvia llG tack. Leader Elryn. Meet at pen y pass car park at 0930.Parking Fe€ NB This walk will be an opportutrityfor all ODA memben to meet in the new Hafod Eryri, The plan is that membersmeet in the Summit Caf6 at 1300 hrs. Thosewho do not rrish to walk can use the SnowdonRailway. preferably pre_ book on the 1200 hs. train advirg at the Summit at 1300 hrs. fO min. on the top unlessyou wish to walk down.Costs arer Adult retum !23.00, Singleup f16.00,OAP rotumf,20.00 Single up !13.00. Thereis a f,3.50bookine fie for telephonebookings oD 0871 720 0033. For more informatiotrclick on:- www.snowdoffailwav.co.uvtimesDrices.html 9 October Elidir Fawr via Cwm Dudodyn, Mpydd perfedd Foel Goch, y Gam, Llyn y Cwn. Retum along thc Fp to Gwasiadoant.L€ader Elryn. Meet at NantPeris Car Pa* cR 608581at 0930.

23 Octoberto be announced

13 Noyember CameddLlewellln via Cwm Llafar, yr Elen and Foel Ganol. LeaderElryn. Meet at large Car Park in Bethesdaon left of main rcad from Batr_ gor at 0930. ApproachingfiomBango! it is signpostedon the lefi in the centreof thevillage immediately before the Spar Shop.

27 November to be announced

Rucksrck Club Christmrs Lunch will be held at The Victoria Hotel in Menai Bddge,on Friday4 December2009. at 1200for 1230and will costin thereeion of €18 per headexcluding wines Lunch will be followedby a shorttalk in a subject of gen€ralinterest. All ODA m€mbersand friends are. of course. cor- dially invited. Pleaselet Phil W-J know asapif you are interested,but no later than l0_September2009, we haveto provide approximatenumbe$ in early September.

21 @bttusries We regret having to report the deaths ofthe following Old Dominicatrs. Our sincere condolencesgo to their families.

STANLEYFOWKS (3s-40) By his daughterPauline Desch -nql

Stan with his daushter Pauline

Stan Foulkes died suddenly at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny,on Sunday, l2' April 2009 aged 84. A native of Penmaenmawr, Stan, travelled daily to Friars by train from 1935 until he left in 1940. He joined the Nary and served tbroughout the latter yea$ of the war. Immediately after being demobbedin 1945 he married Joan Owen, also from Penmaeomawr.and in December 2008 they celebrated their 64s wedding anniversary. Stan graduated fiom the University of Wales, Bangor after the war and was subsequentlyappointed to teach German at Foyle College, Londonderry.

22 In 1959 he took up his secondteaching post in Brecon, and it was in Brecon that he remaineduntil his death. Apart from his work and his family, the great love of Stan's life was acting, and it was in this sphere, perhaps alnost more than in teaching, that Stan shode in and around Brecon. He will long be remembered,a fact bom out by the great number of people who attendedhis funeral.

THOMAS LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS (34-40)

Thomas Llewelyu Williams, lcrown to family and friends as Llew, atrd former colleaguesas TL. Was bom 85 years ago into a humble but honourable Welsh lamily in Ambros€ Street,Hirael, where he sharedhis parents' housewith grandpar- ents and an uncle, his older brother having died in infancy. Life was had for all who iived in Hirael at that time; the main sowces of income were slate quarrying and the sea. Despite the hardships,Llew had a happy childhood, spent entertaimng himself as an only child at home, playing with his friends on P€n Doman, on the nudllals of Hrael Bay or tumed out in Sunday best for Welsh chapel services in 'C3pel \\'esla ' in the steet where he was bom. He loved his family and childhood ;ar s. and his memories of the charact€rsin Hirael seamenwith tales of distant l::d:. men retumed from World War I - remainedwith him throughouthis life. Ir \ as only when Llew started attending school, fust in Hirael and tlen Garth that he leamed to speak English. He obtained a scholarshipto go to Friars' School, *here he developedan interestin the arts, especiallyliterature, both Welsh and Eng- hsh. and where he was proud to have played for the fint XI cricket team whilst only in the third form. He later played for Bangor Cricket Club and for Caemarvonshire. He left school in the sixth folm to start work in the General Post Oflice sortins office in Bangoruntil he wascalled up for active servicein WWII. He was placedin the Royal Corpsof Sigrals,where he trainedas a Morse Code Operator. In the Air FormationSignal Regiment he saw service in North Afiica (includingat Tebessanear the KasserinePass in Tunisia), Sicily and ltaly, Corsica, southem France,Belgium, Germany and Norway, aftached to a numberof regimentsbecause of his morse codeskills After beingdemobbed he rctumedto his formerjob with the Post Office where he workedalongside Nora whom he hadmet towards theend ofthe war. Unableto settleinto his old job, he soonspread his wings to join the civil service in the security deparhnentof the Atomic Energy Authority in Risley In 1950Llew andNora were married in St Mary's ChurchBangor and in 1954their fust child Pam- elawas bom. .In 1957 Llew applied for and obtaineda position in the Ministry of Agricul- ture in Bryn Adda, Bangor so that he and Nora could live closeto their parents aqd retum to the mountainsof home. They bought their houseat 83 Farmr Road and turned it into a home that witnessedall their family events:the arrival of thei! secondchild David, all the love, laughter arrd tea$ of ruising a family, with the children's grandparentspresent at Christnas arld Sunday lunch, visits fiom distatrtAustralian relatives and Nora's siste!Cletrys popping in daily. In the 1960s,a few years after the Natue Conservancyin PenrhosRoad was fomred, Llew hansfcFed to an Executive Officer position there. It was there that he foutd job satisfactionlvorkitrg for a causein which he believed,help- ing to conservethe natual cnvironmentof Wales for future generations. At weekendshe would go hill walkhg in Snowdoniawith the family or a friend and was the perfcct companion. He could name all th€ morDtainsand would recount Welsh legendsalong the way. He saw shapesin clouds and lichens, discovered statrding stones that had gone umoticed and could ideotiry the birds from their song. He charmeledthese powers of obscrvationinto photog- raphy, oil pahting and most importantofall poetry writing. He won a Civil Sewica poehy competition in the 1970s,had his poem readon BBC radio, atrother"We havc do treed to dream" was feahued at the visitor centre in Betws Y Coed and many others were included in anthologiesof mountaio atrd Anglo-Welsh poetry. It was during this period that he struck a friendshipwith ladscape photographerPhilip Howell Evaos;each inspired the other to write poetry or take photogaphs that would be combinedinto audio- visual shows. TL and Philip went on to prcsent these shows as far afield as New England in America. HRH Prince of Wales in Bangor City Library opercd oDeexhibition of still photographyaod poetry. TL becamethe AdministsativeOfficer for Wales aDd servedas Secretaryof the Countyside Committeefor Walcs, cbair€dby HRH PrinceCharles. It was a proud family cvent, when Llew and family werc invited for aftemoontea at BuckinghamPalace in recognitionof his work on the Countyside Cornmittee. But big city life did not appealto T! atld he Deve!regretted his choiceto stay in Bangor close to his family and the countrysidethat he lovcd, rather than seekpromotion ilt London. When Nora was diagnosedin 1980 as baviog breast cancer,Llew fitted in wo* utrtil retirementia 1983with caring for her. He then took on a part-time job as a Coud Usher basedin Bangor's MagistrateCout, still caring for her at home with a devotiotr and tendernessthat $,ill neyer be foryotten, thrcugh many difficult months until she passcda\f,ay in 1987. He was devastatedby her loss but showedsteDgth of characterto build an independentlife, where he looked after himself and the homeunaided. In 1991,he retired again,this time ftom the Court. He filled his time with interests. He worked for several years as Gwynedd County Secretary of the the British Legiotr, sold poppies for RemembranceDay in the High Streetor was heardin Bangor Cathedralreading the exhortalionin Welsh and English. His childhood memories of tales of Htael's youog moo killed in

.A WWI inspired him to tsavelto Northem Franceand Belgium hacing their gaves - which he often did at the request of their remaining families in Bangor or though the GwyneddFamily History Society. His own farnily history was very important to him. He startedto researchhis mothei's ancesty in North East Wales having already documentedhis father's ancestry to the 18- Century and provided his cousin Dr. Lesley Williams in Queenslandwith information on her Welsh ancesto$for inclusion in a book trac- ing her Australiatrfamily's Welsh origins. Retirementallowed him to filally go ro Austalia vi/herehe met relativeswho had aheady visited Wales and others who had not yet, but dllaffer hearing Llcw's poetry readingsand talks about their Welsh ancestors. With his family, he also travelledto America, Belgium, Portugal,Malta and Spain aod madea memorable trip to Italy with his pal Raymondto meet again the ltalian family that had pro- sided him with shelterduring World War II - a trip in which, at age 81, he walked to fie top of Mount VesuviusreAacing steps that he had trodden 60 yearsearlier arouodthe time of the 19,14eruption whetr the allied forces were responsiblefor drsasterrcsponse. Oo his travels he forged new friends and addedthem to his impressiveChristmas ca.d list of over 100,including the 5 remainingBritish soldierswho had served with him in the l" Air FormatioaSignals, 35 Wing h 1943whom he had not seen sincethen but matragedto trace in 2006. He joined a gym whenhe was in his eightiesand was probably one of its oldest members,and enjoyedsocial gatheringsat Bangor Cricket Club, the ProbusClub, the Old DominicansAssociatioo and the 49 Club for retircd civil servatrts. However Llew's main hterest was poetry. In 2008 he publisheda book ofpo- ems"Un o Eirat' (a Hiael lad, in English) after over a year of preparationand which recalls childhood memoriesof family and community, his experiencesof war, his love of the Welsh countyside and extracts from earlier audio visual shows. Llew was deeplyrooted in his own community and the surroundingnatural envl- ronm€nt of North Wales. He was a true Welshman- at one with himself, his sunoundingsand his heritageand tsuly contentedwith thc life given to him. But he will be rememberedmost as a kind family man, a devotedhusband and father, a good neighbourand friend in need, a courteous,y{ell dressedcitizen to whom neighboursor friends often tumed to for help with dealing with the au- thorities. His opinionswere valued,well balancedand tolerant.Caring for othcrs was not a burden to him and he always had time for othen- Llew's ability to cheerup anyonewith comforting words, the wisdorn ofhis years,or his sparkling humour enhancedthe lives of those he met. His positive outlook on life, and determinationto overcomeevery illness that camehis way werc such that when he becamean octogemdanatrd his owrr health begaoto decline, few would be- lieve it. He had convincedhimself that he would reach his 100' birthday and morgoverhad othersbelieving that he would. He was an inspiration on how to live happily and with dignity into old age: he remain€dintellectually souddto the very end had been traveling abroad only a few months ago, driving until last month and planning a trip to Tenerife with his son David which would have startedtoday. 25 Sadly, despitehis best efforts, he was unableto overcomethe pneumoniathat causedhim to be admitted urgently to hospital on 9 April 2009, where he passedaway very peacefirlly, with David and Pamelaby his side early in the moming of 17 April. Ll€w believedthat whateverhappened to him would work out for the best.We feel his absencebut we shouldtake heart that he is young again,reunited with Nora and only breathlessnow becausehe has so very much to tell her since they last met.

By Warren D. Martin. I fust met T.LL. When I joined The Nature CoNervancy in l966.He was the Station Secrctaryat the Wales H.Q. and R€searchStation and as suchthe right hand man to the Director Dr El$n Hughes. We had a aricket team which played in an informal league of UCI{W Deparhnentsand Normal College where"Timber" Lloyd was an activepadicipant. T.LL. lvas one ofour battling shengthsand was still capableof the quick single! He was one ofa very rare breed;A civil servantwho believed in Serviceand an Administralor who believed he was thore to support and assistthose who carried out the fimctions of the body, He frequently took short cuts to make sure that people had the equipmentthey needed,He was adeptat standingup to Audito$. It was a privilege to work with him and a pleasurgto have known him.

WILLIAM GARETH WILLIAMS (47-54)

by David B LL George

Gareth (known in school as Willias) died suddenly on January7th 2009 at ManchesterRoyal Inlirmary having undergone,two days previously,a cardiac bypassoperation. Garethwas a Glanaddaboy who was a pupil at GlanaddaSchool before attending Friars. I didn't meet Garcthuntil 1951when the family movedto Bangorand it wasD'tlong beforc we becamefirm fiiends. Gareth was one of the easiestpeople to get along with. There was an hdefnable quality about his personality,which was most appealing. My mother took to him immediatelyand it may be that the adjec- tive "aonwyl", with whioh she desclibed him, is as accurateas any. I never told Gareththat my motherthought him "aunwyl" as,to a 15 or 16 year old boy, it may not havebeen con- strued as a compliment. However, his charm (and good looks) were a nuisatrceto thoseofus who ac- compaaied himto town "looking for talent". If Ga- reth was in the group there was only one personthe girls were interestedin and it wasn't any of the rest 26 of us. On leavingFriars in 1954Gareth was obliged to do his two-yearstint ofNational Ser- vice, which he servedin the RAF. It is fair to say that he neverhad the stampof a mili- tary man alrd his stories of being in the forces were interesting aod oftfi hilarious. Brian Langford, later to becomean accomplishedcounty cricketer with Somerset,becamea good friend and anotherwith whom he served,and indeedshared a room, was Ryan Davies, later of Ryan and Ronnie fame. The stories Garcth told of serving with Ryan could themselveshave been tumed into a TV series. Gareth left the forces and b€gan a teaching courseat the Normal College and it was there that he met his future wife, Gwerryl. After completing her course she went to Liverpool to teachand Garethfollowed when he qualified. Th€y were married in 1959 and after their son,Dylan, was bom they decidedto move back to wales. Thus itr 1970 Garethbegan teaching in Craig y Don, Llandudno. He then moved as headmasterto Ysgol y Wyddid, again in Llandudno, before taking the headshipof a larger school, Ysgol Pencae,PeDmaenmawr. He remainedat Ysgol P€ncaeuntil he retired in 1998. Gareth'smain interestin life was his family, Dylan, who is head ofa chemistrydepart- ment at a North Wales comprehensive,Manon, who teachesin the samedepartrnent as her brother,and Sioned,who is a doctorin the Midlands. Outsidethe family Gareth enjoyedcaravaruring and he was extemely loyal to his chapel,Bethania, Craig y Don, where his funeral took place on 20th January. The chapelwas absolutelyfull and the servicewas relayedto the vestry which also containeda large numberofmoumers, Garethleaves his widow, Gwer$l, his brotherand sister,Clilfford and Ena,his three children and six grandchildren.He will be sorcly missedby them all and by thoseof us *ho had the pleasureofknowing him.

THE VENERABLE ELWYN ROBERTS (41-48) by Robert Arwyn Owen (41-47)

Elwynwas bom in PentirVicarage on Septl3th 1931,where he spentthe fmt l8 yrs of his life. His father the Rev. John Roberts had been appointedto the Incumbencyof Pentirin l930.Hisbrother Basil was bom in 1935.The Vicarage at Pentir afforded an ideal childhood envirorment, with outbuildings, pad- docks and an extensivegalden, wonderful as play areas,and for housing a mlriad of livestock--rabbits,hens, pigeons etc., and also prcviding importantsustenancg during wartime food rationing. As a young boy Elwlm attendedGlasintyn School,and it was ftom there that he passedthe Entrance Scholalship examinationinto Friars, attaining 3rd place of all entrants, This was to presagehis high scholasticachievemeDts aDd academic record whilst at Fria6, maintaining his pre- eminencein almostall subjectsespecially in Languagesaod the Classics,culmi- dating in reading Latin and Greek for the Higher School Certificate. Whilst in the sixth form he was on the Edito- rial Committeeof the Domidcad, he was also at this time a memberofthe SeniorAthletics Teamwhich took part in theCaemarfonshire School Championships. In 1949 he was acceptedat the University College North Wales, to read History, Welsh, Greek, and Latin. In 1952 27 he gaduated with I st ClassHonours in Latin. He had at an earli€r date decidedon his chosencareer-J'of going into the Church". Two poignantevents influenced his decisioD.The first was being askedby the Headmasterto representFliars Schoolat the entbronementof Bishop J. C. Jonesat Bangor Cathedralin Jatruary1949. This ceremony with its attedant digdfied pageantry,left a lasting spiritual impressionon Elwyn, The secondevent was the premah[e death ofhis father at the age of 53 in 1951. He wished thereforeto continue and coEplete his father's ministry which had so sadly been curtailed. It was these eveDtsthat pointed him itr the direction of Ordiuation. Aftcr graduationin 1952,he was considereda linle too youag for Ordina- tion and was advisedto apply to Kcblc College Oxforid"to read Theology. His application was successfid,and i|l dus course in 1954 he graduated from there with a 2nd. ClassHonours degree in Theology and concurrently was awardedthe "Wills TheologicalPrize". Following completion ofhis degrceat Oxford, he moved to St. Michaels' Theological College Llandali Carditr, studying the Old and New Testa- ment, Church History, Litugy, Ethics and aspectsof Pastoralia.Having completedhis studies,he returnedhome to North Wales,and was ordained deaconat St. Mary's Chuch Llanfair-is-gaer on Trinity Sundayin 1955, This was followed by his appointtnentas Curate to the Parishof Glanadda Bangor,where he spenttwo happy aDdfruitful years, In 1957he was invite4 by the then Wardonof St. Michaels'College Llan- daff, The Rev JohnCharles, to join the TeachingStaffofthe College. Itritialty be was hesitaot of rctumirg into Academia,but was advised to acceptthe invitation by Bishop G. O. Williams. He spetrt9 years as Lecturer in Cardiff, and saw numerouschanges and adyatrcesat the College. These included tbe establishmelrtof a liDk with the "University ofwales SchoolofTheology", whencethe teachingstaf at St. Michaels' becameaccredited teachers therein. Elwyn was the Librarian during this time and also taughtthe Old T€stament. His calling horveverwas to pastonl ministry, which is why, in 1966 he relinquishedhis academicposition, and was appointedVicar of the Parish of Glanadd4 Bangor, wherc he was also Chaplain at St. David's Hospital and Minffordd Hospital. A duty assiSncdto him while he was in Glanadda was Director of Post OrdiDation Training aod Notr-stipendiaryministry. This involved the ordination of older men who would also continue in their secularwork. In the spring of l97l he was appointedRector of the Rectorial Parish of Llandudno Itr Octob€rof the sameyear at Holy Trinity Churchhe manied Eiflyn, the elder daughter of the Rcv Jobtr Roberts, the late Vicar of Conwy. In 1976 and 1982 iheir two daughterswere bom--Llinos Gwawr and Siorcd Eleri. During his ministry in LlandudnoElwyn becameChan- cellor of BangorCathedral and Chairmanof the Doctrinal Comrnission. In 1983 the family moved ftom Llandudno otr Elwyn's appointui€ntas Archdeaconof Meirioneth, and Rector of Cricceth with Treflys. It was at this time at the age of 52, that he was diagnosedas suffering fiom Parkin-

28 so['s' Disease.The initial reaction rvas shock and disbelief, but he and Eiflyn decidedon a positive approachaDd to take one day at a time. In 1986Elwyn accepteda postas full time Archdeaconof Bangor,necessitaling frequentvisitations to Cardiff, to serveon the Provincial Chuches Committee,the RepresetrtativeBody and nurnerousother corrunittees.Despite his illness he carried out his dutiesdiligently and evenwhen his healthwas seriouslydeferioBting, he nevercomplained. H€ d€cidedto retirein 1999. He was then persuadedby his daughtersto write his autobiography(English and Welsh versions)which were published in November 2003. From the sale of the books !900 was donatedto the Eryri Parkinson's'Disease Fund, atrd there was recently a relrrint ofthe English version. Elwyn was a polymath , a man of letters. He was a consummateChristian, re- no*led for his solicitude,high standardsaDd integrity. t uring the latter yearsof his Fotracted and debilitati-ngillness, he was nused at home with outstanding dedicationlove and devotionby his wife Eiflyn and family, and by many care$. Elwyn died on Feb 10 2009, His firneral was held at Bangor Cathe&al on Feb 16 to a packedcongegation. He leaveshis wife Eiflyn, daughtersLlinos and Sioned, mother Mrs Ellen Roberts,brother Basil, grandsonsDylan and Osian,son-in-law, and Dr lorweth Roberts(uncle).

DEWI EDWAIID ROBERTS(1937. 1942)

Dewi diedon 22nd.December 2008 Dewi was bom and glew up in Llanfairfechanand attendedYsgol Pant RhedF before startingat Friars in 1937- On leaving schoolhe went to work in Llandudoo with the then evacuat€dInland Revenue.Whilst working there he met Marion, they married in 1947.Dewi and Marion had two childrcn, Rhiannonwho lives m Llanfairfechanand Dewi Wyn who lives in Llangefni. At the age of eighteenDewi was called up to the R.A.F. and postedto Calvey Island, Maiotaining air searescue launches and seaplanes.Demobbed in 1948he resumedhis careerin the Civil Serviceat Conwy County Court, Promotionin 196l tookhim to Llangefirias ChiefClerk at the CountyCout. The family setdedin to life at Llangefoi and Dewi, now a lay minister, spe many Sundaysprcaching at local MethodistChapels Furtherpromotion saw him move to PontonLancelyn on the Winal working fiom the Liverpool Court Office as an Insp€ctorofAuditoN. Later he was promotedto Chief L$pector of Auditors' working ftom the CbesrerOffice and tavelliDg to courtsas far apartas Carlisle and Gloucester. Following ill health and heartby-pass surgery Dewi optedfor early retircm€ntand in 1985. Marion and Dewi movedback to Angleseysetding in LlanfaLpwllgt ytrgyll. RetircmeDtgave Deu.i time to devote to his favourite hobby, amateurradio, his call sign GW0ABL. Having an excellent knowledge of radio and television, his "shack"became a busyplace. Whetr Marion died in 1998,Dewi divided his time betweenhousekeeping, gardeniDgand his hobby. On the formation of Dragon Radio Club, Dewi became the club's Chairman, teaching and examining over a hundredmembers, enabling them to obtain the[

29 Amateur Radio OpeBtors Licence. Al1 active member of the Marconi Society, Dewi was one of a small group who succeed€din replicating the fi$t mdio trans- mission bctweenBritain and Australia. Using the derelict radio station and aerial array at Waenfawrthe group madecontact with Narcoma, Austalia. The openingofthe Arfon TelevisionRepeater allowed amateulenthusiasts to tsans- mit and rcceive amongstthemselves and the "shack"took on a new dimgnsionwith an array ofcamerasand screens. As secretaryof the Menai branch of the British Heart Foundationhe personally raised a considerableamouDt of money. Failhg health forced Dewi to retrm to Llanfairfechanto live with Rhiamon and her husbandKen. He remainedin her careuntil his deathlast Decemberaged 8 I .

DEWr PRTTCITARD(1936 - 1941?)

Dewi Pritchad died suddenlyand unexpectedlyftom a head attack at his hoEe in West Cross.Swaosea on 4th March 2009, aged 84. He w8s bom and raisedin Bangor, Gwynedd, where he attendedFriars Gram- mar School; he was a mernber of the choir at St James'church, where he developeda lifelong passion for choral music. Affer leaving schoolhe becamean articled engineeringstudent with a local firm, lead- ing to his becoming a CharteredCivil and Water Engineer.He later receiveda post-giaduatedegee in Public Health Engircering ftom Irnperial College, Lotrdon. He met his wife Vera, a Londoner,in Bangor where shewas a wartime evacuee.They marriedin London, after the war, h 1946. Sixty y€ars later, he was thrilled to receive a telegram from the Queen, to ma* their diamond anniversary.Dewi's Fofession was deemedcritical during the war, so he was exemptedfrom nilitary-service; he was drafted to London 10 wolk for the Metlopolitan Water Board. In 1952he left for Uganda to take up employmentwith the Public Works Depan- ment in Entebbe.He was accompaniedby V€ra and two sons (his third son was bom ir Uganda).He enjoyedthe East African etrvironmetrtatrd tbrived personally and professionally,rising to the position of Engineer,&lanagerof the Kampala & District Water Board and retumingto the uK in 1962. After a short period working for the Crown Agents in London, he happily accepted the Deputy General Manager'sjob with the Cardigarshire Water Board at their Aberaeronheadquaters, enabling him to live and work in his beloved Wales. He rctired 22 yearslater and movedto Swansea,after a brief civil engineeringcotrsult- ing assigDmentin Aqaba,Jordan.

30 Derd was a devotedhusband and was commiftedto his three sons;taking well deserved pride and happinessin their successes.He particularly enjoyed the company of his daughte$-inlaw and he and Vera regularly visited them in their far-flrmg locations.He was delightedwith the arrival ofhis grandchildrenand tenderly supportedand encour- agedtheh developmentinto adulthood. He always expouodedand lived up to thg highest gthical standardsand overall was a conservativefdditionalist. Modem improyementsand innovationswere regardedwith a combinationof dislike andmishust. Dewi will be rememberedand missed,most of all though, for his generosityof spirit atrdseme ofhumour. He was bilingual, having beenfluent in Welsh sinceinfancy. One ofhis great pleasures was watchlrg Welsh rugby on TV, while nwsing a fine singl€ malt whisky. He had a fine commatrdofthe English languageand a sharpmind, which servedhim well in his regularbouts with the Daily Telegraph'scryptic crossword. Earlier in life he had been a keen squashplayer and golfe! and always loved music, particularly opeEtic and choral works v/hich he would oftetr accompanyin his frne teDorvoice. He is survivedby his wife Vera, his sonsDavid, Robed and Trevor and grandchildren Claire, Martin, Jenny and Keith as well as numerousother rclatives in Wales, England, Scotlandand Canada.

GW}'I,FA REES JONES. (42-47) By JackRenshaw

It was extremely sad to hear of his passingthe other day. We befriendedeach other on my fust joumey to Bangor'en route' to Friars, as Llanfairfechan train- boys, when I transferredftom Oldhamin 1945. Gwylfa lived all his life in Llanfairfechanapaf ftom National Service in the RAF where he servedabroad and a spell in lodgings whilst working in Rhos$len, Wrexham. His work careerwas with MANWEB in finance ad- ministation. He never married and looked after and lived with his motheruntil shedied at geat age. Wh€n much younger he enjoyed walking the local hills alrd in school had been a member of the Ruck- sack Club. Gardeningwas a prime activity aod he had an allotmentin Llarfairfechan for many years. His maitl interest was mruiic. He played piano and tlumpet and also the organ. As a youth he had organ tuition from the late Dr Leslie Paul of Bangor and latterly had carried out organistduties in Bethesdaand Llanfairfechan churchesand chapels.

JI m-emb11of membersplease let the secretaryor any lVould" of an old ."-i.tt"e i

Bangor recognizessome old Dominicans of aurmber of ReceDtrytheBansor ct,, c"y-:11::::'*$H"iil'F;*,""".1:'es famoussons ofBangor. amotrgsttnese v

'News from the School theFilst World*1-O:1:Tt* t 2008,60 pupilsfiom YsgolFriars visited In Aoril Cotrsciousof thewT t andBetgium with tle rustoryufiartmeut l:T:l"tt France to visit the gravesof eitberformer the schoolhall, we bavcalways ofYlggl FdT -*"-L-"fon pupilsor teachers ,--..d placesof JohnDetrith cooil note here that puptlsloct* tbe resting pian" You will *. '"iT,,--.::;-^,,-.t."^,-Whter (Bouzltrcoun Kl^oge (Tvnecotcemetery' Ypres)-{""' ano I tromasBatren ""-.- i" lito onthe rvue cot Memo- ld;:"J#ff;Jfu wiui-o "ot-"to'ut"d rial to the Missirg DMsion in ood M€morial to the 38th (welsh) The group also visiied the MaEetz wr wt^ere wewill be visitingthe Normandv te.agl: 1e |9T-t"i"1 "T * iltTffit andMajor George Edgar uresry tn .il#" ffitil ofhcerPeter Emest RushtoD Bayeux cemetery/memorial' David Rees W'illiams, Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.

t fi

John Denith Cooil, Tyne Cot cemetery,Ypres

33 Thomas Barren llinter, Bouzincourt Ridge cemetery, Somme

ODA Prize 2009 The ODA prize this year was awardedto Daniel Robertswho was nominatedby the Head Teacheras being the most improvedstudent from GCSE to Advanced Subsidiary level. Daniel received book tokens to the value of f,200 at a presentationat the school on Wednesday4 February by our joint Chairman Norman Roberts. Daniel's leaningsare towards the sciencesubjects and he hopesto readmedicine at university.

New Members

William Arthur Synes, 25 BigstoneGrove, Tutshill, ChepstowNP 16 7EN; 42-45; 077 7 9 204685;Ffionheli, Port Dinorwic

34 And finallY.'.'.... ffyou haveenjoyed reading what we have producedin this Newsletter pleasesend along your own contribution! No later than the end of October, pleasefor the December edition About 600to 800words. Or let us haveyour suggestionsas to what changes you would like to see. We will print all interesting articles. Good or bad. The Newsletterwill only be a goodas your contributions! Short news items particularly welcome.

Dontt forget to let us know ifyou change your address,telephone number or e-mail address.

Checkout The Old DominicansWeb Pageat http ://oldda.synthasite.com It is very good

Fron Philip Villians-Jores (40-47) the temPorary,acting unpaid elitor, and WarrenMartin (47 -53) Emporqry acting unpaidsub-editor.

"We trtst that , ,e have mo\Lged to emul\te Alun with this Newslettel. Ve promise that this will be our one and only efort, on otrr ort/n,but we will do our bestto suppolt Clif Jonesthe new Editot when he retums to civili' zation"-