ANo. 38l|dOctoebern20 10 hamiana Published by THE OLD ALDENHAMIAN SOCIETY Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3AJ, England Email: [email protected] www.oldaldenhamian.org Tel: 01923 858122 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Fowler for the School and an editing team of Roger Payne (CR71-2000) and John Edwards (B46-51) . We hope that I am delighted to take over the role of President of the OA many OAs will want to purchase a copy of the interesting and Society at a time when its affairs are in fine shape and our attractive colour A4 ‘coffee table’ volume. Further details can membership is buoyant. I am committed to ensuring the OA be found later in the magazine or from the OA and Society continues to prosper and ask for your help by Development Office. supporting the Society through attending its activities over the We are well advanced in planning a combined Aldenham coming year. School and OA Society trip to Ypres on Friday 6 May 2011 to commemorate the 163 OAs who fell in the Great War by My first task in this letter is thank our former President, Mike dedicating a plaque in St George’s Chapel. These events will Taylor CBE DL (SHE56-61) for his outstanding leadership of the Society over the past 7 years, such a long tenure testifies be followed by a reception where OAs will be guests of the to Mike’s true dedication to the Society. During that time many School, Sunset ceremony at the Menin Gate and a restaurant OA Society initiatives have been successfully developed and dinner. The next day, Saturday 7 May, there will have a guided delivered. Fortunately we will continue to have the benefit of tour of several of the most interesting sites led by Colonel Mike’s wise counsel as he has accepted the role of Vice Tony Hacon , an expert in this field. Further details and an President, subject to agreement of the 2010 AGM. application form can be found inside. It promises to be a very memorable trip which I know will be of interest to many OAs. The Society’s finances continue to be well managed by Finally, my thanks on behalf of the Society for the excellent Richard Peart (SHO55-60) and the Society has provided grants to several OA Society clubs, as well as sponsorship of support we receive from the Headmaster, James Fowler , and worthwhile adventure pursuits of Aldenham pupils. We are his academic and support staff, and to the OA and considering changes to the membership of the Society to Development Office, Molly Barton and Jackie Wilkie , without reflect the broadening of the Aldenham School pupil whose efforts much of what we do would be impossible. And population and will bring proposals to the next AGM in 2011. off course our dedicated OA Committee, who have helped to Our aim will be to retain membership flexibility for the future manage the Society’s affairs during another busy year. We are while securing a core of normally eligible pupils from the very keen to have representation from younger OAs on the senior school. Committee so if you would like to volunteer or hear more then please contact me via Molly Barton. Meanwhile, my thanks to Our main OA event of the year was on 27 May 2010 OA Day Aldenhamiana’s editor, Trevor Barton (K71-75) , for pulling which was very well attended and enjoyed by over 90 OAs. It together another excellent magazine. was a Beevor’s Gaudy this year and we were particularly pleased to see Beevor’s OAs and House teaching staff from Neil Sutherland OBE pre-war years right up to those who left only last year. The tried and tested format of a Chapel Service, drinks reception and a OA SOCIETY PRESIDENT RETIRES delicious lunch in the Dining Hall, under the watchful eye of Richard Platt. Afternoon entertainment was provided by Following the 2010 AGM England playing in the World Cup on widescreen TV in the Mike Taylor CBE DL (SH56-61) Beevor’s Lower, which was less successful than the excellent retired as President of the OA exhibition of Beevor’s memorabilia kindly prepared by the Society and handed over the Housemaster and his Deputy, Stuart Mainwaring and the Rev reins to Dan Bond, to whom grateful thanks are given. Neil Sutherland OBE (B66-70) . To mark the occasion Our OA sporting societies – Football and Golf – continue to the Headmaster presented attract good quality players and always welcome new OAs. Mike with a copy of the The OA Football Club has had a difficult year after its Quatercentenary Print of the withdrawal from the Arthurian League last season. However, School by Charlotte Halliday. the Club is now back in the Arthurian League for the 2010/11 season and is keen to engage new OA players so that it can field full First and Second XIs. For further details, please see HEADMASTER’S LETTER the OAFC advert on the back page of the magazine. I write to you at the beginning of another school year with Our next major event is the OA Dinner on 19 November all the hopes and expectations that the 413th year of the 2010. We have ‘refreshed’ the this year’s format to include School’s existence will be as distinctive as many that have what promises to be a most interesting pre-dinner talk in the preceded it. As I reflect on the last School year, I will of School Theatre by , who Major Russell Lewis MC (S86-91) course be drawn to think about the high points: a wonderful will recall his time in Afghanistan leading a company of paratroopers in some of the fiercest fighting the British Army CCF inspection carried out by Lord Vincent; a splendid has engaged in since Korea. After the talk we will adjourn Visitation Day conducted by the High Sheriff of direct to the Dining Hall for an excellent dinner where we will Hertfordshire, Gerald Corbett; the opportunity to hear the welcome our principal guest and speaker the Headmaster, new school harp in recital for the first time; and our James Fowler , who will update us on the many inaugural John Dewes Cricket match at which our most achievements of the School this year. Please make every distinguished OA cricketer was present to award the trophy. effort to support the event. Yet, I am as excited by the smaller things that go to make up pride in the School on a daily basis as any of this, such Another activity with OA involvement is the new Aldenham as when a prospective parent tells me that it is the School History which is being driven forward by James 2 distinctive warmth of the greeting that they received on Work on this volume is already well underway with their first visit to the School that means they will be John Edwards (B46-51) and Roger Payne (CR71-2000) choosing our school for their son. acting as our Editors. I hope that this book will offer the perspective on our shared past that many will value. These parents will recognise that what will shape their child’s future is far more than the simple academic Of course the writing of such a History will in no way stop programme that they will be following, although of course our planning for the future and therefore I am delighted to it is in the classroom that our students excel so often. I am tell you that the next year will see the completion of sure that you will be delighted by the very good results planning and the start of building of a wonderful new Sixth achieved by our students at A Level and at GCSE which Form Centre and enhanced Music School. At the time of are noted below. For any pupil to gain more than four our last major development of the Theatre your support in grade As at A Level is a considerable achievement and yet so many ways was invaluable and I look forward to giving three boys did so last year. We have little doubt that you more details of this project and our appeal for its parents now again recognise that bright children as well as successful completion later in the year. If this new building those of more average abilities flourish in the School. I is as highly valued and as well used as the new Theatre fully believe this is because of the confidence in the has been we will be able to look forward to another exciting approach of the School which our teachers exhibit, not enhancement of School life. I very much hope that we will least by their loyalty to the idea of a fully rounded have the chance to welcome you to the School over the education. And I am especially delighted that the next year. Governors of the School show a similar commitment to our ethos. Amongst our new governors over the last year we James Fowler have been able to welcome two more distinguished OAs, Alan Day (K69-74) and Trevor Barton (K71-75) , whose support is already proving invaluable. A LEVEL RESULTS This is clearly indicative of our wish that the School and the The results for the year group who completed their A Levels OA community should be able to work in tandem and I in 2010 are shown below, together with the results for the would particularly commend to you two events that will previous two years. As a result of these results the mark this association over the next twelve months.