ST BENEDICT’S 54 EATON RISE The Old Priorian EALING LONDON W5 2ES TEL 020 8862 2249 Association FAX 020 8862 2199 [email protected] NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2011 www.theopa.org School, with its array of new buildings I hope you enjoy our 2011 From The and facilities for today’s co-educated St Autumn/Winter Newsletter; as ever, I President, OPA Benedict’s pupils. encourage you to send in your news, stories and photographs for our Dear Members, Our thanks to Christian Dupuis (OP 1954) who both wrote his own account Spring/Summer 2012 edition. arlier this year, the Association and of the day and provided us with the Meanwhile, as the days grow shorter and Ethe School co-hosted our inaugural photograph for this Newsletter. the nights draw in as we approach the “School View”, welcoming back many of end of 2011, I leave you to enjoy this our Members who had not returned to Other successful events over the past issue. I hope that I will have the chance the School since finishing their few months have been another “cohorts” to meet many of you in person at our education. Having reminisced about reunion lunch for Old Priorians of 1955- ever-growing number of Association their schooldays with other Old 65 vintage, the Priorian Golf Day at events over the coming months. Priorians and staff – past and present – Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club and our first and after an informal lunch in “The Old Priorian Netball 7s tournament, Godspeed. Cloisters” (winner of both Royal which was organized to coincide with the Institute of British Architects (RIBA) annual rugby 7s tournament at the Paul Fagan (OP 1991) and British Council for School Playing Fields in Perivale – all of which President, The Old Priorian Association Environments (BSCE) awards), Old you can read about in more detail in this Priorians were given a guided tour of the edition. School View and Lunch May 2011 ne morning of April 1954, my Royal Mail! able to walk again from Sutherland Road father took me to London by air. It to the school, as I had done so many O When the announcement of the OPA was my first flight ever across the times half a century ago, a pilgrimage of lunch on May 8th came, after checking Channel. We met Dom Bernard sorts but we arrived too late at Ealing with John to find out if he was free that Orchard at the then Ealing Priory Broadway underground station and went day, I thought it was a good opportunity School. He welcomed me; he was straight on. to show St Benedict’s to Marie- impressive and kind. And I was left at Christine, my wife, the Eurostar making After 57 years, the houses were still the house of Miss Sheilagh O’Hara in the trip so easy now. I had hoped to be looking the same along the streets. On Sutherland Road, W13. My knowledge of English was limited: a few words from the ASSIMIL “my tailor is rich”, “ my tailor is not rich”. One morning some two months afterwards, thanks to Mr Hanley, the brilliant French teacher and Miss O’Hara who spoke perfect French, having studied philosophy at Louvain University in Belgium, I discovered, to my own surprise, that I understood English. To further my knowledge, I came back for one month in 1955. Somehow, having taken life membership to the OPA, I was kept informed of its activities all through the following years and I had also kept in touch with John Wall (1955). It was the time when letters (back left to right): Marie-Christine Dupuis and Paula Wall were still written on paper and sent by (front left to right): Christian Dupuis and John Wall The Old Priorian Newsletter always welcomes contributions from Old Boys and Girls about their experiences at the School, life after school and details of reunions. Please contact the Editor, Mary Keal c/o The Old Priorian Association, St Benedict’s School, 54 Eaton Rise, Ealing, London W5 2ES THE OLD PRIORIAN ASSOCIATION 1 the way, I did not quite recognize the car; but nothing much remains in the father had done, send our daughter buildings, apart from the Abbey Church memory about the buildings. Being Alix, who is now 11 years old, to St where I met a Benedictine monk, as tall there again, even if I did not recognize Benedict’s. Marie-Christine, who got to as Father Bernard was, who told me that much, meeting again John Wall and like the school during our guided tour Miss O’Hara had passed away. Paula after so many decades, I felt I agreed with me. Trying to live again one’s past is curious belonged and was simply, very plainly, There would however be a difference to as memories are blurred, a few names, deeply happy about it, conscious that me, I had studied in Ealing Priory Father Brown, Mr Hanley obviously, my the knowledge of English I acquired at School. She would study in an Abbey house – Pickering, names of 6th formers St Benedict’s had been the cornerstone School... – Vandaele (1954), from France, on which the professional life of these Christian Dupuis (1954) Wisniewski (1955), Styburski (1955), 2 last 57 years of mine had been built. other Polish students, (there were 4 of In the afternoon, while the participants Editor’s Note: For the sake of History we them I remember) and we went once were shown the new buildings I dreamt have added OP years to Christian’s article. together to Brighton in a very, very old that in a few years time, I could, as my A Memorable Lunch at Shampers “Like as the waves make towards the Bernard Stutt (1955) and Richard Baker After a drink at the bar, we all proceeded pebbled shore, (1959). I had been in contact recently downstairs to the dining room to eat. with Bernard, who had made great Being seven in number, it was possible to So do our minutes hasten to their end; efforts to trace me and sent me a long talk to everyone and there was great deal Each changing place with that which letter to the Cayman Islands. We have of, “Do you remember so and so, and do goes before.” been corresponding by email and it was a you remember that time when…?“ very great pleasure to see him again after Names of former colleagues came up The opening lines of the only one of so many years. frequently and “Zolo” (Zoltowski) was Shakespeare’s sonnets which I can now mentioned more than once. The meal remember. Next to arrive in quick succession were was perfect and both the wine and the Well, a considerable number of minutes Tony Japes (1957), Brian Taylor (1960) conversation flowed smoothly. I had have changed places with the ones and David Randell (1957). I brought a couple of albums of photos which went before since I left St remembered Tony very well, but not taken over the years which I passed Benedict’s in the summer of 1957. The Brian nor David. To be quite honest, I around with some slight embarrassment, only former old boy I have kept in touch think that all of us would have passed since they were mostly all about me! But with over the years has been Kevin each other in the street without the hint they seemed to generate some interest. I Hannigan (1957). We were friends at of recognition after the passing of so suppose that my life in the Army in school, although in different years, but many years. “Time doth transfix the Northern Ireland and Africa and my what really kept us in touch was that flourish set on youth, and delves the Colonial Police Service, again in Africa Kevin was married to my younger sister, parallels in beauty’s brow” – Shakespeare and later here in the Cayman Islands can Monica, who sadly died in March 2006, again! be said to be a little out of the ordinary. after suffering a stroke. Apologies were received from Brian Before we knew it, the restaurant staff I was aware that a number of old boys got Clancy (1959), who had family were indicating that it was time to go. together for a lunch in London twice a commitments, and I am sure that Dennis Upstairs, there was time for one last year. Kevin told me that my name came O’Keeffe (1957) would have been there photograph, kindly taken by Simon, the up from time to time and when I told but for his tragic accident. It is good to owner of Shampers, and then we were him that I would be crossing the pond hear that he is making progress, although out in the street and heading off for our from the Cayman Islands, where I have he has a long road ahead by all accounts. respective journeys home. As we walked lived for the last thirty-seven years, to I wish him all the very best for a full along Regents Street, ablaze with Union attend my daughter Caroline’s wedding recovery, as I know we all do. in Barcelona, he asked if I would like him to try and arrange a special lunch so that I could meet some of my former colleagues from school. Naturally, I said that I would be delighted if it could be arranged. And so the plans went ahead. Kevin came with me to Barcelona to the wedding, which was a lovely occasion, and we then returned to the UK so I could visit some relatives.