Newsletter Autumn2017 1Follow us on Facebook: OldQueenians hope everyone enjoys this edition benefitsofsuchavast,diverseand of the OQs newsletter. To those growingnetworkisthattherewill Iwho left Queen’s College in 2017, I alwaysbesomeonewillingtolend would like to offer a warm welcome to helporgiveadviceonaprofessionalor the Old Queenians Association. Only personallevel,whetheryouarelooking those who were in Year 13 are pictured foritnow,orintheyearstocome. above but all pupils of a younger age who left last summer also became OQs. SpeechDaywasalsoanopportunityto shakehandswithandgivegiftstoall InJune,Iwasverypleasedtobe oftheUpperSixthandwelcomethem invitedtotalkatSpeechDay.Itwasan totheOQAinfrontofthewholeschool opportunitytoremindthestudentsthat community.Thegivingof‘leavers’gifts’ whilsttherearemanyOldQueenians atSpeechDayissomethingtheOQA whohavegoneontoachieve Committeehavebeencampaigning extraordinarythings,onthewhole, foragoodfewyearsnow,andIthank thevastmajorityofourmembers DrEarpsandtherestoftheschoolfor areactuallyveryordinarypeoplewith allowingustheopportunitythisyear. theirownuniqueprofessionalskills IwasalsoinvitedtotheLeavers’Ball andexperiences,whoarescattered thatsameevening,whereIhijacked allaroundtheglobe.Oneofthegreat agameofheadsandtailsandraised 2 over£300fortheQueen’sCollege, Pleaseseepage21andtheback Taunton,Foundation. coverfordetails. 2017marksaspecialanniversaryfor Iwouldliketothankthecommittee Queen’sCollege.Itis40yearssince membersfortheirworkandinput theschoolbecamecoeducational, overthepastyear.Myparticular welcominggirlsaspupilsforthevery thankstoMartinBreamwhostepped firsttime.Assuch,overthecourse downasHon.Secretaryoverthe ofthisschoolyear,theschooland summer,asheandhiswifemove theOQAwillbehostinganumberof toScotlandtobeclosertotheir eventstocelebratethismilestone.As daughtersandgrandchildren. ever,we’resuremanyofyouwilljoin NominationsforthepostofSecretary inandsupport.Itisanopportunityfor shouldbesubmittedtome. OQstore-engagewitheachotherand theschooliftheyhavelosttouchover Ihopetoseemanyofyouin thelast40years. November,orataChristmas gatheringinTauntoninDecember. Plansarewellunderwayforthe Bestwishesfortherestoftheyear. AnnualDinnerinNovemberand Mark Davenport (1997 – 2005) theOQAAnnualGeneralMeeting. President 3 Development he Sibly Society was started memberswilleverbeabletoattend in 2011. Membership is open thisevent.ThreeliveintheUSAand, Tto anyone who is prepared to evenforsomeintheUK,ageorillness pledge a legacy gift to the school or makeitdifficultforthemtotravel,and who donates a minimum of £1,000 to otherswillbeonholidayorhaveother Queen’s College, Taunton, Foundation. commitmentsontheday.Whateverthe This term, as every year, contact is numberpresent,thelunchisalways made with OQs for whom we have apleasureandthosewhoregularly an address who will celebrate their attendrelishthechanceitaffords 60th birthday during the academic tomeetfellowmembersandtosee year, inviting them to join The Sibly theschoolinoperation.Itisalsoan Society. However, in addition to OQs, opportunitytoheartheHeadtalkabout membership includes teachers, parents theschool. and friends of Queen’s. Thephilanthropyofallmembersis Atpresent,thesocietyhas30members. greatlyappreciatedbytheFoundation InJune,thesixthannuallunchwas whoseprimaryresponsibilityisto heldattheschool.Itisunlikelythatall raisefundssufficienttosupport 4 deservingchildrenwithbursaries theentrancetotheschool.Indeed, sotheymayaccessaneducationat anyonewhogives£10,000ormoreto Queen’swhichtheywouldotherwise theschoolwillberecognisedinthis bedenied.Somemembershavebeen wayunlesstheyaskforanonymity.If extraordinarilygenerous:forexample, youwouldliketoknowmoreabout thelateGeorgeHardwicklefthis TheSiblySociety,pleasecontactthe entireestatetotheFoundation.For DevelopmentOfficeorusetheschool thisreason,hisnameappearson websiteforinformation. theFoundationPatronsboardat Geoff Bisson Heforgedanincrediblysuccessful careerasaclinicalpractitioner andasapartnerfortheCentrefor ComplementaryandIntegrated MedicineinbothSouthamptonand Londonbetween1980and2010. Duringthistimehealsobecame aProfessorofHealthResearchat SouthamptonUniversity,leading theIntegratedMedicineGroup;a visitingprofessorattheUniversityof WestminsterCentreforResilience, George Lewith (1959 – 1968) left andheworkedverycloselywiththe Queen’sCollegeforTrinityCollege, UniversityofBeijing.Hepublishedover Cambridge,graduatingin1971witha 350peer-reviewedpapersandsecured degreeinmedicineandbiochemistry. over£15millioninresearchfunding. Hecompletedhistrainingasadoctor atWestminsterMedicalSchoolin Georgelovedtotravelandcontinuedto 1974.Hestartedhismedicalcareerin supporttheWelshrugbyteamthrough London,becomingaMemberofthe thehighsandlows.Hepassedawayon RoyalCollegeofPhysiciansin1977and 17March2017andisgreatlymissed thenaMemberoftheRoyalCollegeof byhiswifeNicola,threechildren,and GeneralPractitionersin1980.Later, threegrandchildren. in1999,hewaselectedaFellowofthe Henry Lewith RoyalCollegeofPhysicians. 5 Book Signing ‘Whycricket?’Iaskedhim. ‘Iusedtogoalongand tephen Hill watchSomersetwhenever (1967 - 1974) Icould,’heexplained.‘I Sreturned to thoughthowfrustrating Taunton recently to itwasthattherewasn’t sign copies of his new anaccuraterecordofthe book, SOMERSET livesofalltheplayers,soI CRICKETERS setaboutpiecingtogether 1919 – 1939. This theirstories,trackingdown is the second in a photosandevenautographs series outlining andattemptingtothreadit the lives of each intoacompellingstory.’The Somerset cricket player in firstintheseries,SOMERSET chronological order. It’s an engaging CRICKETERS1882–1914,was read that delves into social history favourablyreceived.Stephenwasvoted as well as the cricketing exploits of CricketHistorianoftheYear,theaward the players. beingannouncedbyformerEngland captain,M.J.K.Smith.Thebookwasalso Itooktheopportunitytoaskhimafew adjudgedelsewhereasthebestcricket questionsabouthistimeatQueen’s. publicationof2016. ‘Mythreefavouritesubjectswere English,HistoryandMaths,’hetold Thethirdintheseriesisnearing me,‘butIdon’tthinkitmatterswhat completion,whichwillmeanthathe’s youstudy.Ifyou’reschooledinthe coverednearly500players.Askedifhe basicsandencouragedtobecurious hasafavourite,heremarked,‘I’dhave andcreative,you’rewellsetforlife.’ toexcludeTomDickinson,because hewasmyMathsteacheratQueen’s Hespent28yearsattheheadoffice andhelpedmeinsomanyways,but ofBootstheChemistsinanumberof fromtherestI’dperhapschooseTom seniormanagementrolesbutthenhe Woodwho,coincidentally,taughtMusic lefttosetup,andlatersold,hisown atQueen’sinthe1890s.Hewasa toiletrybusiness.‘AfterthatIwasable charismaticmanwhocollapsedand to‘retire’andwrite’,heinformedme, diedattheageof71immediatelyafter ‘buttobehonest,Idon’tthinkI’ve runningaquicksingle.Asgoodawayas everworkedharder.’ anytogo.’ Geoff Bisson 6 Robert (Bob) Lintott was Notlongafter,Bobtookearlyretirement borninTootingon14th fromEsso,butthenbeganthenext January1932.Helived chapterinhiscareer.Hehadahandin thereuntilthewaryears manyorganisations:Coverdale,BSI, whenthefamilyrelocated FoundationforManagementEducation toCambridgewherehisfatherwasashop andtheESU,tonamebutafew.Bob keeper.Heattendedthelocalgrammar andMaryretiredtoSomersetandtook schoolandbeforelongwentuptoTrinity tocountrylifewell.ItwasherethatBob CollegeCambridgeonafullscholarship. becameinvolvedinQueen’sCollegeand Thiswasamassivestepforsomeonefrom theMethodistSchoolsorganisation. hisveryordinarybackgroundbutitgave Heappliedallhisbusinessskillstohis himtheconfidencetorealisehisambitions ChairmanshipoftheBoardofGovernors andaspirations.HeleftTrinityin1955 (1994-2007)andthisshowedthrough withaFirstinPhysics,andshortlyafter, inthewaytheschoolprogressedduring beganhislongcareerwithEsso,starting histimeinoffice.Queen’sbecamehis asajuniormanageratFawleyRefinery. secondhomeformanyyearsand,in ThiswaswherehemethiswifeMary,with trueBobfashion,itwasonlywhenhis whomhehadthreesons,Mark,Johnand grandson,Jake,startedattheschool Ben.AfteramovetoMilfordHaven,where thathechosetostepdownfromthe BobwasRefineryManager,andfollowing post.Hedid,however,continueto ashortspellworkingatHeadOfficein visitandsupporttheschoolatevery London,BobwastransferredtoNewYork opportunity,primarilyonthecricketfield in1975,wherehewasmadeassistantto watchingJakeplayandintheQueen’s theChairmanofExxon,CliffGarvin,onthe HallwatchingOllieperform,butalso 56thflooroftheRockerfellerCentre.This manyotherschoolactivities. wasthetimewhenBob’shardworkand dedicationstartedtopaydividends.Bob Bobwasaloyal,supportivemanwho becamewidelyrespectedintheoilindustry putallhisknowledgegainedthroughout andwhenhereturnedtotheUKfour hislifetogooduse,withoutanyfanfare yearslaterhebecameManagingDirector andwithoutlookingforpraise.Hewillbe ofEssoUKataverydifficulttimefor rememberedfondlyforallheachievedin theoilindustry.Helednegotiationswith businessandvoluntaryworkalike,and Thatcher’sgovernmenttobuyouttheir forhispragmaticapproachtoproblem- shareinEsso,andconcludedground- solving.Hepassedawayon23rdMay breakingdealswiththelikesofBritishRail 2017afterashortillness. andVirginAirways. Ben Lintott 7 shop,fiveswall,chapel,GreatHallor payphone.Butwhatimprovements therehavebeen!Art,Drama,Music andSportsallboastamazingfacilities thataretobeenvied,andtheQueen’s HallisafairsubstitutefortheGreat Hall.Theafternoonendedwithteaand cakeswhenitwasgreattocatchup Reunion of 1977 withChrisWiddows(formerHeadof Leavers History)andBrianRobinson(former HeadofChemistry)who,withhiswife ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst Jenny,ranthesixthformhousewith of times, it was the age of wisdom, it