1 ABOVE - 1957 Entry Reunion Adrienne McCormick (Chalkley), Jacquie Enk (West), Gillian Baines (Winter), Pamela Hu- lett (Sims), Dave Durston (late Gay Perkins` husband), Julie Jenkinson (Terrill), Nick Ho- ten, Sue Crane (Symes), Carolyn Morton (Belsey), Graham Morton, Dave Scott, John Gibson, Sandra Gibson (Ross), Roger Vernon. Also present but not in the picture was Pat Dibben (Heard). Old Uxonians’ Association – Newsletter No. 111 – Spring 2016 NEWS FROM BISHOPSHALT The December stage production of "Cabaret" was an outstanding success. The challenging subject was covered extremely well, and the acting and dancing were of a very high standard. Everyone involved deserves congratulations. Tony Austin of NODA’s Show Report began: “After twenty years of attending the BODS pre-Christmas musicals at Bishopshalt and admiring the very special expertise put into each production by Staff and Pupils, there came something even more special on the Friday evening which I attended as your Reviewer together with the Head of NODA London keen to see what I have been raving about in my reports ……” JACQUELINE KIRKPATRICK (1991-1998), who joined the staff as an RE teacher in 2003, left in December to take up a post at Holmer Green Senior School in Bucks. In March a local resident came to the School reception desk with a copy of the 1932 long photograph. He had seen it in a used furniture store in Cowley, and bought it for the school. He has been recompensed for his generous gesture. KRP Young Chef 2016 In January, two students competed in the prestigious annual “Hillingdon Young Chef of the Year” competition at the Harefield Academy. Second place overall was awarded to a Year Nine Student. Adoptabot Competition - Brunel University Since October, students have been taking part in the International Adoptabot Competition. The final took place in March at the University. They were up against seven other school teams from Romania, Nigeria, Surrey, Ascot and local rivals Uxbridge High. Congratulations to the students, they were awarded ‘Overall Winners’. In January, four high ability students from Year 7 were chosen to take part in an enterprise event at Brunel University. The event involved 15 teams from secondary schools across Hillingdon; the aim was to create a unique business idea and construct mini-vans to sell. At the end of the day each team had to develop a presentation of their business idea and share how much profit they had made overall. The Bishopshalt team aptly named 'Fidelis' came up with the concept of a mobile gym and named their business 'Gymtastic!' Youth Travel Ambassador Project A group of students from Years Seven, Eight and Nine have been taking part in a joint initiative with Transport for London and the London Borough of Hillingdon to come up with ideas to promote safer travel amongst pupils. In March they attended the Civic Centre to pitch their ideas, Dragon’s Den style, to a panel of judges from Transport for London, London Borough of Hillingdon and the Metropolitan Police Service. They successfully won Page 1 Old Uxonians’ Association – Newsletter No. 111 – Spring 2016 their bid for £3,250 to organise a walking challenge, bike activities day and primary school workshops and assemblies for Year Six pupils joining Bishopshalt in September 2016. Girls’ Rugby League is flourishing at Bishopshalt. The Year Seven team won their regional finals and now progress to the National Finals in May. RAF Platinum Partner The school were delighted to receive an award from the Royal Air Force in recognition of the number of former students who have gone on to university and subsequently joined the RAF. NEWS OF FORMER MEMBERS OF STAFF Miss M. L. Hosking has been very unwell of late, and has now entered a care home near her nephew in Grange-over-Sands. Mr. R. Denial, deputy head from 2003 to 2014, has been appointed head of the Chalfonts Community College. MEET THE COMMITTEE Those of you who have attended AGMs and reunions will have met us but for those who haven't, and indeed those who have but wish to know more about us, this is intended to enlighten you... JANICE PLUMMER (CHAIRMAN) I left Bishopshalt in 1975 and spent a year at Uxbridge Technical College. I worked as a PA for various companies until leaving to have my son. After maternity leave, I joined the office staff of a local primary school and have been there ever since. My husband and I live in Enfield, North London with our two dogs. Our leisure time is very much dominated by Southgate Hockey Club, where our son plays, my husband umpires and I manage one of the ladies’ teams. I have been on the Committee for over thirty years and Chair for seventeen years. SAM JEPHCOTE (SECRETARY) After leaving Bishopshalt in 1991 I went to University and achieved a BA (Hons) in Art & Design, became a professional film extra and stroked a seven month old tiger cub called Indigo. Having emerged unscathed I now work as a Project Coordinator for TMEIC Europe Limited, paint and live happily with my two cats. KEN PEARCE (ARCHIVIST) I was at Bishopshalt from 1942-1949. After university, and National Service in the RAF, I taught Mathematics for four years at Spring Grove GS in Isleworth. In 1959 I was the only applicant for a Maths teacher at Bishopshalt, and later took over the Page 2 Old Uxonians’ Association – Newsletter No. 111 – Spring 2016 RE department. I retired in 1991, but have retained my links with the school. (I still have a pigeonhole in the staff room.) I have been chairman of the Uxbridge Local History Society since 1970, and have compiled seven books of old photographs of the district since retirement. In 1992 I was awarded an honorary Master's degree by Brunel University for services to local history. I am also a church organist, but with no permanent position, and an occasional lay preacher. I am married to the former PE teacher, Pamela East, and we celebrated our golden wedding last year. Our three daughters Judith, Gillian and Rebecca are all former Bishopshalt pupils. PETER BUCKLAND (TREASURER) I was at Bishopshalt from 1960-1967. My working life - after trying forecourt attendant, court clerk's assistant, and town planning trainee was mainly 22 years in branch banking. In the bank I covered various roles from cashier to lending, marketing and debt recovery (not my loans, I hope), and worked in many different types of branches including Windsor, Cranford, Shepperton and West Drayton. I took redundancy in my early 40s.This was followed by about 15 years bookkeeping in a local employment agency. Now I do a little piano teaching, as well as this and another Treasurer position in the Local History Group. I have been Honorary Treasurer since 1999. I have not moved very far from Hillingdon and now live in Cowley with Juliet, the newsletter editor. JULIET HUMPHREYS (NEWSLETTER EDITOR) I grew up not that far from Hillingdon but until I met Peter Buckland I had never heard of Bishopshalt (brace yourselves: there are people for whom this is true). After an extended summer job in banking, I studied for a degree with the Open University, followed by a PGCE at Oxford. After training as a secondary English teacher I now work with special needs. In my spare time I write and I have recently started learning the violin. PETE UNDERWOOD (DEPUTY CHAIRMAN) I joined Bishopshalt from Whitehall School in 1948 and travelled to school by bike and sometimes by trolleybus. I ended up in the Science Sixth – Physics, Chemistry, Pure and Applied Maths. I was very much involved in Cranmer and the school teams at all levels in football, cricket, athletics and swimming and sometimes cricket for Old Uxonians too. After Bishopshalt I studied Mechanical Engineering at Bristol University. In 1958 I took a Graduate Apprenticeship at Metrovicks in Manchester. After the first of 3 years in Manchester, Sally Hill and I were married at Hillingdon Church. I spent a year designing ship steam turbines before moving back to Hillingdon for a job in London with an Oil Refinery and Chemical Plant Contractor. Back home I played for the Old Uxonians cricket and football clubs. I captained one of the six teams and helped to run the clubhouse. In my job I was an Engineering Manager. I was office-based but did get to many parts of the world for short visits. Page 3 Old Uxonians’ Association – Newsletter No. 111 – Spring 2016 Since retirement I have been a Governor of Bishopshalt for 16 years and am involved with the local University of the Third Age (U3A). I enjoy visits to places around London as well as National Trust and English Heritage properties. BETTY SMITH Betty lives in Chalfont St. Giles. Her two children, Mac (Malcolm) and Liz, both attended Bishopshalt. As you can see there aren't many of us and any offers of help, however small, would be much appreciated! CENTENARIAN Congratulations to BASIL PLAYLE, who celebrated his 100th birthday on 6th December. When Basil became a pupil, our School was in the Greenway and was called Uxbridge County School. By the time he left in 1933, it was Bishopshalt School in Hillingdon village. DIAMOND WEDDINGS 11th February DAVID KEEN & BETTY COCHRANE 30th March PHILIP SHERWOOD & MAUREEN HEANEY OLD UXONIANS IN PRINT A new book has appeared entitled ‘A Man for All Seasons’written by BRIAN OWEN (1955-1960). It is subtitled ‘A Six Decade Football Odyssey’ and is published by Apex Publishing. Brian left school to join Watford FC, and remained at Vicarage Road from 1961 to 1970, firstly in the youth side, and then the first team.