Old Stoic Society Committee President: Sir Richard Branson (Cobham/Lyttelton 68) Vice President: THE MAGAZINE FOR OLD STOICS Dr Anthony Wallersteiner (Headmaster) Chairman: Simon Shneerson (Temple 72) Issue 4 Vice Chairman: Patrick Cooper (Chatham 86) Director: Anna Semler (Nugent 05) Members: John Arkwright (Cobham 69) Peter Comber (Grenville 70) The Art of Giving Colin Dudgeon (Hon. Member) Gordon Darling (Grafton 39) is one Hannah Durden (Nugent 01) of Australia’s most significant living John Fingleton (Chatham 66) philanthropists and was instrumental Ivo Forde (Walpole 67) Jerome Starkey (Chandos 99) talks to in establishing the National Portrait Jonathon Hall (Bruce 79) our new President, Sir Richard Branson Gallery of Australia. Tim Hart (Chandos 92) (Cobham/Lyttelton 68). Katie Lamb (Lyttelton 06) Stowe: A Place Nigel Milne (Chandos 68) Ben Scholfield (Temple 99) of Influence Jules Walker (Lyttelton 82) James Furse-Roberts (Grafton 95) discovers the effect Stowe had on the work of two of our most acclaimed Old Stoic architects. Old Stoic Society Stowe School Stowe Buckingham MK18 5EH United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1280 818349 Email: [email protected] www.oldstoic.co.uk www.facebook.com/OldStoicSociety ISSN 2052-5508 (Online) Design and production: MCC Design, mccdesign.com Tuesday 10 June 2014 7.00pm – 12.30am All Old Stoics and their guests are invited to join us for this informal evening. Welcome reception in the Spanish Gardens, live bands, barbeque and drinks until 10pm TICKETS £40 BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT CALL 01280 818349 or E-MAIL [email protected] Contact the Old Stoic Office if you would like to e-mail your year group personally to ensure as many of your friends are there as possible. Cash bar from 10pm to 12.30am Kensington Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA 2 THE MAGAZINE FOR OLD STOICS Issue 4 FEATURES 6 BRitain’S Best Loved 16 THE ART OF GIVING ENTREPRENEUR Gordon Darling (Grafton 39) is one Jerome Starkey (Chandos 99) talks of Australia’s most significant living to our new President, Sir Richard philanthropists and was instrumental Branson (Cobham/Lyttelton 68). in establishing the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. 12 OLYMPIC FLOWER TURF AT THE 18 STOWE: A PLACE OF INFLUENCE OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY James Furse-Roberts (Grafton 95) David Hewetson-Brown (Chatham 56) explains the history behind his farm discovers the effect Stowe had on the and how he diversified to produce work of two of our most acclaimed wild flower turf for the Olympics. Old Stoic architects. 20 STOWE ENGINE The history behind the Stowe steam Page 6 engine is revealed, as a major restoration project gets underway. REGULARS 2 EDITORIAL 31 MARRIAGES 4 FROM THE HEADMASTER 32 BIRTHS 22 NEWS 33 OBITUARIES 60 STOWE’S RICH HISTORY INSIDE Page 16 2 WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF OSS 54 SUPPORTING A CHARITY 3 NEWS FROM STOWE THE TEACHING STAFF FROM 1923 10 ROGER HODGSON PERFORMS AT STOWE 55 OLLIE’S ODYSSEY 14 FISHING FOR MEMORIES 56 STOWE BEAGLES 15 OLD STOICS WED AT STOWE 57 RING OF BRIGHT WATER 37 2090 MILES AND 12 COUNTRIES DUBAI DRINKS RECEPTION 38 MUSIC AT STOWE IN THE 1970s 58 STOWE AT WAR 39 NOSTALGIC AT NINETY 59 WOUNDED WARRIOR 40 A BRIEF HISTORY OF A SPECIAL 60 ELEPHANT BIRD EGG RELATIONSHIP 61 OLD STOIC CORKSCREW SOCIETY FINDING YOUR CALLING ANOTHER OS BAND 41 AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF STOWE 62 OS SPORT 2014 Page 18 OS MEMBERS AREA STOWE TEMPLARS 42 CELEBRATING ONE YEAR IN THE FIVES JEWELLERY BUSINESS SQUASH 43 BUTCHER, BAKER OR CANDLESTICK 63 OS CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING MAKER? OS CROSS-COUNTRY 44 THE NATURE OF CYCLIC TIME GOLFING SOCIETY 46 STOWE GHOSTS OS TENNIS 48 OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE... 64 OS FOOTBALL TEAM 50 AND THE NEXT ROOM IS... 2014 GIFT COLLECTION 52 A PRE-WAR CULTURE TOUR INSIDE BACK COVER JF’S POETRY CLASS 2014 EVENTS 53 BOOK REVIEW: A ROGUES GALLERY THE ROXBURGH SOCIETY Page 20 JF ROXBURGH – POEM EDITOR’S LETTER WELCOME FROM... Welcome to the THE CHAIRMAN OF OSS fourth edition of The Old Stoic Society has had another very busy The Corinthian year and it has been a great pleasure to see so many OSs taking part in our various events and – the magazine activities. In particular, we have seen and heard for Old Stoics. from a large number of Old Stoics who have not previously been willing or able to get involved. With the celebrations of Stowe’s 90th This has been hugely gratifying, because a major Anniversary year now drawn to a close, the part of our strategy has been to broaden the reach of the Society and to engage with as many people as possible. Ideas are always pages of this magazine chronicle the events welcome, and we’ve responded to several suggestions by giving which took place to mark the occasion. money and resources to help members make things happen. Enclosed with your copy of the magazine, you will find a souvenir programme from the OS Highlights of 2013 included the fabulous Nostalgic at Ninety party Society’s celebration, Nostalgic at Ninety. I hope which Nigel Milne (Chandos 68) and his events sub-committee th that those of you who were unable to join us on organised to mark Stowe’s 90 birthday. Andrew Chance (Chandos 71) did a wonderful job of orchestrating the evening and a great time the night will be able to capture the flavour of was had by all. In May, Stowe hosted a very special concert by Roger the evening from the programme. Photographs Hodgson (Grenville 68) and the following day saw a Speech Day with and a film of the evening are available at delightfully brief and un-boring speeches, with a record number of www.oldstoic.co.uk entries for the OS classic car display, with unusually sunny weather, Along with commemorating last year’s flagship and with a flypast by the RAF’s Lancaster, a Spitfire and a Hurricane. occasions, this magazine brings news from Around the world, too, we have been busy, with parties in Old Stoics from around the globe, with word of Australia, Hong Kong, the USA and Dubai. We have additional their achievements, details of gatherings which sports groups and a number of new special interest groups including have taken place and a diverse and eclectic an OS art group, an OS property group and an OS military group. mix of articles on topics I hope will be of interest OS Corkscrew, our wine society, has held two excellent events, to you. with more to follow when they sober up. Our online presence has grown too, and we now have 819 members on LinkedIn. Thank you to all those who have sent in their news, as well as to those who have written This is only the second year of our ambitious development strategy, articles for the magazine this year. If you would so now we are actively recruiting local ‘champions’ to co-ordinate like to submit an article for next year, I would support, events and activities all around the UK and in the many countries where we do not currently have an active group. Budgets be delighted to hear from you. Thank you to the have been assigned to facilitate and subsidise local events, so you advertisers who have supported the magazine no longer have to live near London or Buckingham to get the best this year. Also, a huge vote of thanks to out of the Society. Please get in touch if you can help run things in Caroline Whitlock, who has spent countless your own locality. hours collating your news, as well as proofing submissions for this year’s magazine. We are also developing our careers support and, at long last, it looks like we can achieve an integrated service that will give Lastly, an important reminder: please make advice, encouragement, work experience and networking support sure we have your correct contact details, that starts with Stoic leavers and continues until retirement. in particular, your email address. The majority Stowe is nothing if not an incubator for entrepreneurs, and we of our communications are electronic, so have a number of notably successful OS business leaders. As part if we don’t have your email address, we of the wider career support, in 2014 we will be piloting specific can’t let you know about all the exciting programmes to offer insights, training and support for those wishing developments we are making and unmissable to start their own businesses. I’m delighted that our new President, events that are coming up. If in doubt, Sir Richard Branson (Cobham/Lyttelton 68), will be helping us in email [email protected] this – as you can read, in his interview in this magazine. Finally, let me repeat that it’s YOUR Society, so DO let us know if you like what we are doing and DO volunteer to help. Enjoy The Corinthian and I hope we will see you at an OS event Anna Semler (Nugent 05) or two this year. Old Stoic Society Director Best wishes DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Old Stoic Society and/or Stowe School. The publication of advertisements in this magazine does not constitute endorsement by the Old Stoic Society and/or Stowe School. Simon Shneerson (Temple 72) 2 Old Stoic Society Chairman Part of my role at Stowe is to compile the School magazine, The Stoic, but I am also responsible for putting together our regular e-newsletter, Stowemail, which is emailed out to parents, staff, Stoics and some Old Stoics every couple of weeks and features the highlights from School life.