The Arch Spring 2015

THE ARCH

Nº 326

Spring 2015

OLD REPTONIAN NEWSLETTER

Inside this issue

Snippets - Page 5

Drinks in the City - Page 11

Real Tennis - Page 16

Officers of The Old Reptonian Society 2015 President: John F Hings (Priory 1955) Vice President: Sarah A B Tennant (Acting Head)

Welcome to The Arch President of The Society 2015 John Hings (P’55)

Chairman: Nick R S Smith (Brook 1969) Treasurer: John S Wallis (Latham 1971) Governors’ Representative: Robert M Kirkland (Orchard 1959) Old Reptonian Secretary: Nigel Kew (Staff) Old Reptonian Society Officer: Jan Cobb (Staff) Elected Committee Members Louise P Trayhurn (Garden 1996) - Appointed 2007 Sarah R E Taylor (Field 1998) - Appointed 2008 J M Guy Levesley (Hall 1975 & Staff) - Appointed 2009 Sarah E Fearns (Field 2001) - Appointed 2013 Edward T Sloane (Priory 1997) - Appointed 2013 Lloyd A Evans (Orchard 2002) - Appointed 2014 Martin L Jones (Cross 1997 & Staff) - Appointed 2014 Tom Poynton (School 2006) - Appointed 2014 John F M Walker (Hall 1946 & Ex Staff) - Life member Ex Officio Members Simon D Armstrong (Cross 1963) - Lancs & Cheshire Sanjiv Basu (Orchard 1989) - Fives Anthony E Bishop (Priory 1972) - Golf Society James W Blackwell (Priory 2000) - Pilgrims Benjamin D E Dewhirst (New 1996) - Yorkshire Mike Keep (Orchard 1969 & Staff) - Hockey Club Nicholas P Le Poidevin (Cross 1964) - Law Society Jamie R Muirhead (Cross 2009) - Tennis Club Mark R Norton (Mitre 1986) - Masonic Lodge Thomas R Pepper (Hall 1949) - Midlands Nicky Samra (New 2002) - Football Club Cathy Twigg (Staff) - Marketing & Development Director

The Old Reptonian Society The Hall, Repton School Repton, Derbyshire DE65 6FH Tel. 01283 559320 Email: jcobb@repton.org.uk / or@repton.org.uk School website: www.repton.org.uk Editorial Team: Nigel Kew & Jan Cobb

DEADLINE for articles for the next edition (Autumn 2015) is August 31st 2015 Front Cover: New Mathematics Block, Spring 2015 Back Cover: Art Weekend, January 2015

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I am delighted to be asked and proud to accept the invitation to be your President for 2015. My fondness for Repton is derived from the foundation it gave me for much of what I’ve done in my life and for providing some enduring friendships.

2015 is a special year for me as it marks 60 years on my entering the School and Foremarke’s 75th Anniversary.

I really enjoyed my time at Repton. It developed in me a competitiveness and ambition and taught me that you cannot make it on your own and you need others to help you on your way. I remember the fun times and uncontrollable laughter. I will recall some of those moments at the Dinner in November.

I have tried to keep in touch with the changes that have taken place and I was pleased to be a contributor from the outset of the Upper Sixth Form Careers Conferences held in the Michaelmas term which were developed by the marvellous Gerry Pellow, and ably continued by his successors. This gave me the opportunity of experiencing first hand the integration of girls and the interaction of behaviour of sixth formers in a business workshop environment.

This aspect of Repton and the School’s prowess in sport across the board are very impressive and make me proud to be an OR. In 1977 I participated in an unique exchange of an Army Officer and Industrial Manager designed to examine the application of Service Management in Industry and Industrial Management in the Forces. What I learnt during this time brought home to me the lessons I learnt from Repton: the importance and effectiveness of team work. The difference between the soldier and the guy on the shop floor is one of not wishing to let his mates and the side down, something that is imbued in the Repton culture. This was echoed so eloquently by the address in Chapel on Remembrance Sunday last year by Sgt Michael Hill of the 7th Para Royal Horse Artillery. I cannot remember being so moved by a sermon in the School’s Chapel. It was a very special time and a brilliant choice of speaker to mark the Centenary of the Great War, complementing so well Paul Stevens’ outstanding exhibition in Pears School.

Apart from making it my aim to meet as many ORs as possible and attend Society events when I can, I have a personal objective of resurrecting the OR Squash Society which I ran in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I mentioned this at the wellattended ‘Drinks in the City’ event on 3rd February and I am pleased that there are some keen ORs playing squash in London who might follow Jamie Muirhead’s (C’09) example of reviving OR Tennis, by taking on the role of Secretary. However we need to know of those interested in playing for the ORs in the Londonderry Cup competition, one of the largest and oldest tournaments in the squash world, having its inaugural year in 1934.

As it happens Real Tennis is alive and well, with the ORs entering for the first time the Cattermull Cup, a handicap doubles competition which was played in January. We did not get the trophy but Robert Wesley (C’56) and Nick Davidson (H’64) did well in the group stage losing only to Harrow and Taunton, the eventual finalists, with Harrow coming through to win. Surely if we can compete at Real Tennis, we must be able to do so at Squash.

At our ‘Drinks in the City’ event, I said that the OR Society was so sorry that Robert Holroyd resigned as Headmaster in December through ill health. Now is not the time for the Society to pay tribute to the tremendous contribution Robert has made to the School. There will be an occasion for this to take place later.

I know already the hard work and help given by our Secretary Nigel Kew and Chairman Nick Smith and that of the OR Office. Without such support our Society would not thrive in the way it most clearly does. And I acknowledge this, knowing that I am going to rely on them in my year ahead.

School Calendar of Events Chairman of The Society Nick Smith (B’69) CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Many of you will know that, towards the end of last year, Robert Holroyd stood down as Headmaster due to ill health. This came as a shock to everyone and I speak for all ORs in wishing him a full recovery and in sending best wishes to the family. Robert was extremely supportive of the Society and attended the great majority of our functions. When it is appropriate we intend to publish a full appreciation and thanks for his contribution.

MAY 2015 2 Boys’ 1st XI v Nottingham High School 11.30 am Girls 1st v Trent 1.30 pm 5

Boys’ 1st XI v MCC, 11.30 am Girls’ 1st VI v Rugby School

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Repton Strings Day with The Carducci Quartet Music School, 9.30 am – 5.00 pm Informal Concert, Music School, 9.05 pm Boys’ tennis 1st v Shrewsbury (a)

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Boys’ 1st XI v Shrewsbury, 11.30 am Girls’ 1st VI v Oakham 2.15 pm

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Subscription Concert: David Briggs: Silent Film Organ Improvisation, The Phantom of the Opera, Chapel, 7.45 pm

16 Boys’ 1st XI v Uppingham 11.30 am. 150th Anniversary Fixture.

Girls’ 1st VI, v Uppingham (a), dep. 12.15 pm

In the meantime Repton continues to thrive under the leadership of acting Head Sarah Tennant who, at the recent Drinks in the City, gave us an excellent update on school matters. She described Reptonians, both current and past, as possessing 'understated confidence' and that does seem to capture one of the essential characteristics of many. Whilst we await the appointment of a new Head the school is clearly in capable hands.

17 Prep Schools’ Tennis Tournament Repton Pilgrims v Uppingham Rovers, 150th Anniversary Game, 11.30 am.

I am very pleased that, in succession to John Ballinger (P’59), our President this year is John Hings. John has been a successful businessman and is already approaching the post with great enthusiasm. A fine squash player, he is particularly keen to resurrect the OR squash club and I would urge anyone who wants to become involved to make contact.

31 Boarders return 8.00 pm

As the years pass it is all too easy to lose contact with the school, which is a great pity as the standards on display are remarkably high. The drama, music, art and sport are top class and ORs are always most welcome to attend school events and see the quality for themselves. There are several ways of finding out what is happening: through the school website, by following various twitter feeds or by simply ringing up. One new way of showcasing the school and its community is the recently published online magazine BeyondtheBubble. Here you will find a wide range of articles, written by pupils, staff, ORs and others. It's a great read and well worth looking at.

Every year at this time there is much to look forward to and 2015 is no different. The Society and its branches will be running all the usual events and I hope many of you will attend these. However, I particularly want to draw attention to this year's 150th anniversary of the first school cricket match between ourselves and Uppingham. This year's 1st XI match will be played at Repton on Saturday 16th May and it is hoped that many ORs and their families will attend this important day. Further details can be found in this edition of The Arch. Please do contact friends and former team mates so that we can make this a memorable celebration and provide suitable support to our current cricketers . As the Pilgrims have organised a one-off game with Uppingham Rovers on Sunday 17th May, it is perhaps an opportunity to make a weekend of it and I look forward to seeing lots of you at this and other OR functions.

I hope you enjoy this edition of The Arch and my best wishes to you all.

21 Informal Concert, Opera / Musical Theatre Music School, 9.05 pm 22 Half Term begins, 4.30 pm

JUNE 2015 3 The Donald Carr Trophy: Prep Schools Cricket Tournament 6

OR Society Gaudy: 1956 to 1960, 1983 to 1993 and Sixth Formers 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1994, 1995 and 1996 Boys’ 1st XI v Worksop, 11.30 am Girls’ 1st, 2nd, U15A, U14A v Worksop 2.30 pm

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Coffee Concert, Beldam Hall, 11.15 am

10 Subscription Concert: Peter Moore, Trombone, Music School, 7.45 pm 11 Informal Concert, Music School, 9.05 pm 13 Boys’ 1st XI v Nottingham High School (a) 17 Boys’ 1st XI v KES Birmingham (a) 18 Boys 1st VI Tennis v Trent, 1.30 pm 20 Boys’ 1st XI v Trent College, 11.30 am 21 Old Reptonian Hockey Day 22 Junior School Play, 400 Hall, 7.30 pm 1st XI v Derbyshire U17, 11.30 am (2 day game) 23 Junior School Play, 400 Hall, 7.30 pm 1st XI v Derbyshire U17, 11.30 am (2 day game) 24 Staff v Leavers Cricket, start 6.00 pm 25 Scholars’ Concert, Beldam Hall, 6.30 pm 26 Speech Day Speeches, 10.15 am Speech Day Concert, Pears School, 11.30 am Boys’ 1st XI v Repton Pilgrims, 11.00 am Leavers’ Ball, The Paddock, 6.45 pm All dates correct at time of going to print

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Forthcoming Events REPTON vs UPPINGHAM CRICKET 150th anniversary cricket match celebrations, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May 2015 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the first cricket match played between Repton and Uppingham. It is one of the oldest of all school cricket rivalries and has been keenly contested ever since. The boys who play in this year's match will be following in the footsteps of international and first-class cricketers, as well as hundreds of others, who have represented both schools. To date we have produced 11 Test and 151 first-class cricketers and Uppingham 8 and 140. For many years this was a two-innings match played over two days, more recently, and as it will be this year, it has become a 50 over a side game. Whilst the format may have changed there is no doubt that it will be as fiercely contested as ever and mean as much to both teams as it always has done.

As luck would have it this year's 1st XI match is at Repton and will be played on Saturday 16th May. All ORs and their families are cordially invited to attend and, whether you were a cricket teamer, a player in one of the junior teams, or simply an enthusiast, we hope you will come along and enjoy a good day out. The Old Uppinghamians will also be encouraging their members so we hope for a decent crowd.

Play is due to start at 11.30. There will be drinks served to spectators from a marquee on the Paddock from 1pm with tea and cakes from 3.30. The interval will be between innings, at around 2.30, when there will be an exchange of plaques, short speeches and photographs. We are suggesting that spectators bring their own picnics (though please no barbecues!). During the day there will be a display of memorabilia from previous encounters, which will surely provoke plenty of anecdotes and memories amongst ORs and our counterparts from Uppingham.

In order to further recognise this anniversary the Pilgrims will be playing a one-off match against the Uppingham Rovers on the following day, Sunday 17th May. This will be an all day game starting at 11am with lunch taken at 1pm. We hope that as many of you as possible will stay on and enjoy a weekend watching cricket and socialising with friends, at one of the finest cricket grounds in the country!

Please put this weekend in your diaries and spread the word.

AGM AND ANNUAL DINNER The Annual Dinner and AGM will be held on Saturday November 14th 2015 in Pears School. Please see enclosed Booking Form.

2015 GAUDY June 6th 2015 is the date for this year’s Gaudy. We are looking forward to welcoming all ORs and their guests who joined the school in the years 1956-1960, 1983-1993, and 6th formers who joined in 1961,1962,1963,1994,1995 and 1996. You should by now have received your invitations either by email if we have a current address or by royal mail. Numbers are restricted to 220 in Pears School, so early booking is advisable.

LORD’S TAVERNERS vs RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES CRICKET EVENT ORs may be interested to know that on June 30th the Lord’s Taverners are playing the Ronald McDonald House Charities team in a 30 Overs match on the Paddock. Guests will enjoy fine dining, afternoon tea, wine tasting, baking tips, live music and dancing into the evening. Please email: kenhair28@aol.com, for further details.

REUNION IN GERMANY This year's OR reunion in Germany will be held on October 10th in the heart of Munich at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof (The Bavarian Courtyard). This will be the 4th German OR event. Having started in 2011 the plan is to have regular reunions every two years due to the great success of the previous ones. For further information please feel free to contact Constantin Bauer (constantinbauer@hotmail.de) or Nils Cooper (nils.cooper@gmx.de). We look forward to seeing you soon.

BIRMINGHAM DRINKS You are warmly invited to the inaugural Old Reptonian Society Drinks in Birmingham on Thursday October 15th, 2015

Nick Smith (B’69)

EAST ANGLIA LUNCH Wednesday July 8th 2015 Some 25 responses have been received expressing interest in the lunch (likely cost £26.50 per head for the three courses) being arranged at The Wentworth Hotel in Aldeburgh on Wednesday 8th July 2015. This is primarily a social occasion for those of us living in East Anglia, but if we are oversubscribed preference will be given to those living within postcodes CB, CO, CM, IP and NR. If anyone is interested please make contact by email to jgr.lfr@btopenworld.com or by phone on 01728 452135 as soon as possible and anyway before 30th April 2015. More details will be available nearer the time. In the meantime, please get the word around.

Following the great success of Drinks in the City, it has been decided to hold a similar event in Birmingham for all ORs based in this part of the country who might like to renew acquaintances, make new contacts, or just enjoy a convivial evening reminiscing.

To this end a function room has been booked at the centrallylocated Hotel Du Vin for the evening of Thursday October 15th.

For a price of just £20, or £15 if you left Repton within the last 10 years, you will be able to enjoy canapés, some drinks, and, one hopes, some very fine company.

We very much hope a good number of you will be keen to come.

If so, please complete and return the booking form included with this copy of The Arch to the OR office by September 27th at the latest. It should be pointed out that the venue has a capacity of around 100, so do book early to avoid disappointment!

John Richardson (H’47) The Society very much looks forward to seeing you at this new event in the OR Calendar. Please see enclosed Booking Form.

If you would like a group of your contemporaries to join you at any of these events and you need any help with contact details, please do not hesitate to call the OR office on 01283 559320 or email jcobb@repton.org.uk.

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75th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Foremarke Hall, Repton Preparatory School Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th September 2015 Headmaster, Richard Merriman, invites Old Foremarkians, past Headmasters and staff to celebrate and remember their “salad days” at Foremarke.

SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER from 9.30am to 4.00pm

Foremarke Revisited and from 7.00pm

Diamond Celebration Ball SUNDAY 27th SEPTEMBER 11.00am

Commemorative Service at St Saviour’s Church, Foremark led by the Bishop of Derby To reserve places for The Day, The Ball (£85 per Ball ticket) and The Service please contact: Mrs Deborah Inman, Foremarke Hall, Milton, Derbyshire DE65 6EJ T: 01283 707100

E: office@foremarke.org.uk

Please do pass these details onto any contacts you may have.

OR News: Snippets Ben Cavey (P’92) has launched Cave Bear Productions under the umbrella of Tiger Aspect where he was Head of Comedy and Comedy Entertainment.

Alex Elphinston (M’68) has been made Chairman of STEP England and Wales. STEP is the worldwide professional association for practitioners dealing with family inheritance and succession planning.

Edward Every (N'88) is cycling nearly 1,500 km from London to Barcelona in May to raise money for the European Centre of Excellence in Liver Studies at King’s College Hospital in London. This challenge will include nearly 15,000m of ascent as he includes the Pyrenees in the 11 days of cycling - nearly twice the height of Mt Everest! Edward says "after 20 years of being more of an armchair sports enthusiast, this is a truly daunting challenge". If you would like to sponsor Edward, a donation through JustGiving is simple and can be done by clicking on www.justgiving.com/Edward-Every.

Nicholas Frayling (P’57) has been given the honour of the Freedom of the City of Chichester upon his retirement as Dean.

Peter Gill (H'61) has been elected President of Staffordshire County Cricket Club for a 5 year term.

Jonathan Halliwell (B’90) (right) and Jeremy Buckland (H’74) sang tenor in the choir for a Royal British Legion Service of Remembrance held in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris on November 11th 2014. The school hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ (Repton) featured in the service.

Ed Hollinshead (M’90) attended the D Day celebrations with his father Robert Hollinshead (M’31). The photograph is of them both standing at the exact landing spot on Gold Beach where Robert came ashore on the morning of D Day at 07.20 hrs and at the time was the adjutant of the regiment. Robert also laid the regimental wreath at the memorial of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards.

Tom Gray (B’89) is CEO of The International Centre, Telford.

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OR News: Snippets Frederick J M Hunt (H’71) has been awarded an Imperial Service Medal for his work of over 25 years in the Civil Service.

Roger King’s (N’66) OR badge on his 1938 Citroen.

Edward Oakden (L’73) has been appointed Ambassador to Jordan from April 2015.

Robert Oakley (L’67) and Nicholas Kier (B’74) were both appointed as Deputy Lieutenants of Bedfordshire at the same time by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis. In the 2013 in the New Years Honours list Robert was also awarded an OBE for services to Medicine, Charity and Sport in Bedford.

Christopher ‘Kit’ Haddon (S’99) has left the Marines and is now working as an armed guard, guarding against pirates in international waters.

Pat McConvey (N'02) has just been called to the Bar on the Cayman Islands. Appropriately, the ceremony took place on St Patrick's Day, conducted by an Irishman Justice Charles Quin!

Having completed a BSc and a Masters at Durham, Pat decided to change to Law and was accepted on the 2-year Conversion Course at Nottingham. For this he secured sponsorship and a job with the prestigious firm of Walkers on the island, where he has now been working for nearly 18 months. Having worked across the departments, he is to concentrate on Insolvency and Resolution.

Duncan Mills (B’86) at the recent christening of his son Hugo.

Also in the picture wife Linnea and daughter Freya.

Michael Pownall (B’63) was awarded the KCB on his retirement as Clerk of the Parliaments and Head of the Administration, House of Lords.

Alexander Rowles (P’03) has been made a Vice President at Investment Bank, Société Générale and trades in Foreign Exchange Derivatives. At the age of 25 he is currently the youngest VP at an investment bank.

Cameron Shaw (S ’07) is in his second year at the University of California in Berkeley and has been named GolfChannel.com Player of the Week after winning his first collegiate event.

During his third and final round of the competition, at Palouse Ridge Golf Club. Cameron shot a remarkable albatross on the 10th hole when his blind 2 iron from 258 yards away dropped into the hole.

Damian Thantrey (C’84), award-winning baritone singer joined the Sinfonia Viva Orchestra in Derby on New Year’s Eve. Julian Turner (C’91) has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University – Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. Julian has also been appointed Non-Executive Director of Creative Example. The company is an integrated marketing, design and digital solution provider.

Rebecca Wilson (F’11) has won her hockey Blue in the 115th Varsity hockey match.

Martin Needler (N’56) has received a British Empire Medal from the Queen for voluntary services to Children.

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Mike Stones (former OR Secretary) was invited to sing in the Carnegie Hall, New York. He and his wife Clare were invited to sing in an international choir whose members were from Ulm, St. Petersburg, Ottowa, Cape Town, California and all over Europe. At the end of ‘The Peacemakers’ they got a standing ovation and met the composer, Karl Jenkins. Mike reminded him of how Repton Mus. Soc. sang the 2nd ever public performance of ‘The Armed Man’ – and he was there and remembered it.

Births Steven Greenall (C'87) and Kate Greenall (née Rogers) (G'96) are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter, Camilla Seren, on October 14th 2014. A sister for Isabel and Ralph.

Joanna Baker (G'96) and Diarmid MacLennan are delighted to announce the arrival of Diarmid Iain Alexander, born 17th July 2014, a brother for Francesca and Léonie.

Daniel Major (P’98) and Louise are delighted to announce the birth of Georgiana Rose on May 12th 2014 at St Thomas’ Hospital, London.

Kate Nash (née Allan) (G’92) a son, Felix William Adam on December 6th 2012.

Henry Thorpe (S’96) and Angela are delighted to announce the birth of Beatrice Rose on September 22nd exactly two years to the day after their wedding held at Chilworth Manor, Southampton.

Julian Turner (C’91) and Nicola are delighted to announce the birth of Isobelle Rose on November 25th 2013.

Engagements Melissa Christodoulou (F’01) to James McBrearty on December 20th 2014.

Matthew Hillier (S’99) to Katherine Potts. Their wedding will take place in the summer of 2016 in Edinburgh, where Matthew is a Housemaster at Merchiston Castle School.

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Weddings

Ollie Badger (O’99) married Jessica Smith on August 2nd 2014 at the Tree Cathedral in Milton Keynes. The Reverend Bob Short, ex Repton School Chaplain, conducted the service.

Old Foremarkians and ORs in attendance are: Liam Mulvey (Foremarke), David Eldred-Evans (O’99), Ed Auden (O’01), Jake Jordan (O’02), Emma Roberts (A’99), Katie Badger (G’96), Bill Auden (O’72), Tom Auden (O’05), Bob & Claire Short.

Anneka Bain (F’00) married Arthur Dalton on June 28th 2014 at St Oswald's Church in Hauxwell, North Yorkshire.

The reception was held at the groom's parents' home in Hauxwell. Among the guests who attended were ORs Henry Bain (S’00) (Anneka's brother and an usher), Elisabeth Jopson (F’01), Daniel Organ (O’96) and Camilla Shires (F’00).

Baroness Louisa Sophie von Hoyningen-Huene (G’02) married H.H. Prince Andrey Obolensky on August 30th 2014 in Tutzing, Germany. ORs attending were Dr. Sophie Weber (neé Bauer) (F’02) and Yves Meyer-Bülow (C’89).

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Death Notifications BROOK

NEW

Harold Dennis Pownall (B’34) on September 4th 2014.

Ian Cameron Robinson (N’32) on March 20th 2015.

Michael David Russ Graystone (B’47) on November 1st 2013.

Brian (Brin) Hinchliffe Field (N’36) in October 2014.

William Oswald Ling (B’55) in October 2014.

Stephen Robert Maitland (N’35) on January 10th 2015.

Geoffrey Newman (Tom) Parker (B’63) on November 22nd 2013.

Paul Crofton Mindelsohn (N’42) on August 26th 2014.

Andrew Hibbs (B’77) on January 8th 2015. An obituary in the American Institute of Physics written by Igor Fridman http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/magazine/physicstoday/news/10.1 063/pt.5.6135 details Andy’s professional life.

ORCHARD Nicholas Ian Holmes (O’73) on March 5th 2015.

PRIORY HALL

Vivian Byron John Edwards (P’34) on January 7th 2015.

John Richard Lye Williams (H’42) on August 29th 2014.

Edward H Garside (P’43) on November 13th 2014.

Andrew Robert Elkington (H’49) on September 11th 2014.

Christopher Michael Stavely (P’43) on August 29th 2014.

LATHAM

Former Staff

Malcolm David Spring (L’39) on November 5th 2014.

Bernard Drew (former School Marshall 1984-1996) on March 29th 2015.

MITRE Samuel Rowland Nicholls (M’29) on July 19th 2014.

Wilfred Brian Copley (M’49) on December 2nd 2014.

Obituaries Robert B Sullivan-Tailyour (N’44) 28.12.30 – 14.02.15.

Robert entered Repton, New House, in September 1944 and left in July 1948. The son of an Army Colonel who had the OBE and MC, Robert joined the army. He went to Eaton Hall OCS and then on to Sandhurst. He was commissioned in to The Sherwood Foresters in 1950 and served with his Regiment in Germany and Egypt. Later he was seconded to The Kings African Rifles in Nyasaland, serving there and in Zambia.

This was followed with postings to MONS OCS as an instructor, Malaya, and Northern Ireland, before attending the German Staff College in Hamburg. After that he was posted to Germany and thereafter back home mainly in the Salisbury Plain Area. He used to describe his postings as going to places where the ‘troubles’ had not yet started or where the ‘troubles’ were over!

In 1970 he was appointed second in command of the amalgamated regiment the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, and after that was posted to Warminster.

At Warminster he immediately became involved in the saddle club and later took over the complete running of it, whilst remaining on the staff at The School of Infantry. He and his family settled in Sutton Veny. He improved everything in the club and managed to get the members actively involved in the day-to-day workings of the club. With Robert you were never just a member but an active participant of the club. Robert was crafty in the way he got things

done, but he got them done to his satisfaction, and it was a very high standard that he set. This meant that it went from strength to strength, and as the Infantry Saddle Club it ended up becoming an approved BHS Riding Establishment. He was so successful in running the club that several other military saddles clubs sent officers to find out how Robert did it.

Robert became increasingly involved with the BHS in most aspects of the sport, and became Regional Chairman. Before he retired from running the Club, owing to poor health, he was awarded the first-ever title of Chairman Emeritus given by the BHS, which was a considerable honour. The Regional Development Officer said “Robert’s passion and enthusiasm for horses and the BHS was exceptional and the society thrived because of it. He led by example and had the respect of everyone who knew him – a truly remarkable man and volunteer”.

Sadly in 2010 he developed cancer in his head which later spread into his brain. His quality of life was reduced but he still loved his garden and the countryside.

Robert is survived by his wife Sylvia, son James, and daughter Sarah.

F J Cann (O’49)

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Obituaries Alexander Scott Wilson (C/L’46) Alex died in his sleep shortly before his 82nd birthday last November. After leaving Repton he went to Sheffield University and qualified as a doctor and then, like a number of doctors, fulfilled his National Service obligation in the Royal Australian Navy.

After a number of appointments as Registrar in London hospitals he went to Cleveland, Ohio, to work with Dr Spock who was then the pre-eminent authority on bringing up children.

Largely as a result of his experience in the US he then went to join a group practice in Winnipeg, first as a locum and subsequently as

a partner. He spent the rest of his life in Winnipeg, although he made almost annual visits to the UK. He was a talented and very knowledgeable musician playing, at various times of his life, the cello, piano, flute, French horn, saxophone and guitar. After retirement from practice he ran a radio programme in Manitoba called “Off the Beaten Track” in which he introduced listeners to less well known classical music.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Nicholas Wilson L’49

Andrew Robert Elkington (H’49) Born December 12th 1935, died September 11th 2014.

Professor Andrew Elkington, who has died aged 78, was a distinguished eye surgeon who played a central role in the foundation of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists; his name is well known to GPs owing to his authorship (with Peng Khaw) of ‘The ABC of Eyes’, the leading work on treating eye conditions used in general practice. Andrew was the founding secretary and then president of The Royal Charter creating the College. He recognised that ophthalmology needed and merited a college of its own, distinct from the Royal College of Surgeons, to provide qualifications and other services to ophthalmologists all over the world.

His name is also well known to most optometrists owing to his authorship (with Helena Frank) of ‘Clinical Optics’, a leading work for optometrists.

After leaving Repton, he read Medicine at Clare College, Cambridge, and St Thomas’ Hospital Medical School.

Having qualified in 1960, he took a variety of jobs, including in obstetrics and general practice. In 1964 he married Patricia Wright, a Nightingale nurse, and subsequently they went to Canada, where he was a medical officer for the International Grenfell Association, an organisation providing health care, education and religious services to fishermen in Labrador and Newfoundland.

It was there that he met Peter Watson, an ophthalmologist studying a rare eye disease common in the region, and was inspired to become his family’s first ophthalmologist.

He worked his way up the ophthalmic ladder with junior jobs at Southampton, Westminster and Moorfields, before his appointment in 1974 as a consultant at Southampton Eye Hospital and senior lecturer (later professor) in Ophthalmology at Southampton University.

He contributed to more than 70 publications on a variety of subjects. His other books include Ophthalmology for Nurses and Aids to Ophthalmology.

An unflappable, tolerant man, he eschewed the riches that a lucrative private practice would have brought, instead concentrating on his NHS work, his family and his students.

He founded the charity Gift of Sight, which raises funds for the Eye Unit in Southampton General Hospital. In his retirement he was chairman of the British Council for Prevention of Blindness, a lay member on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal Tribunal and president of the ophthalmic section of the Royal Society of Medicine. He was also a sidesman of Winchester Cathedral.

He was appointed CBE in 1996. He is survived by his wife and by their four sons, two of whom are medical consultants.

Extracted from Daily Telegraph.

Russell Hardy Sprake (M’50) Russell passed away suddenly in August, 2014. Entering Repton from Town Close Prep School, Norwich, to join his elder brother, Austin Sprake (M’44), Russell immediately found a slot for himself by becoming the youngest member of the School Shooting VIII, a sport for which he became passionate under the tutelage of CSM Paul and one which he would pursue all his life with many showings at Bisley. Russell somehow managed to avoid National Service, taking up, on leaving Repton, an apprenticeship in Engineering which he enjoyed, but it was as an Estate Agent and Auctioneer with firm grounding in dealing with antiques, the latter encouraged by his mother, that became his career.

Retiring early. he was able to refine his interest in British, and in particular, East Anglican artists alongside his passionate love for Lowestoft china, 1760-1799, for which he became one of the leading experts in the country. Establishing bi-annual sales for Lowestoft China with his wife Zoe, he was intensely proud to achieve a World Record price in 2012 for a Lowestoft piece.

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Russell hated modernity, if he could make use of anything with any real age he would do so, be it a battered old car, bicycle or even hat and so became quite a local character beloved by all who had the privilege to know him. If one saw a rusty old bicycle, circa 1940, or earlier, bearing down on one with a tatty wicker basket attached containing a client’s precious and valuable piece of porcelain one instinctively knew it would be Russell on his way home.

Russell would be the first to do anything for anybody, be it friends or for those less fortunate than himself within his community at any time, always putting others first. He loved Repton and socializing with fellow ORs at functions at the school or at gatherings in Suffolk, Aldeburgh.

He will be sorely missed by all those he befriended.

Nick Steward (B’49)

OR Events Drinks In The City The 2015 Drinks in the City event took place on Tuesday, February 3rd, for the fourth time in the opulent surroundings of the East India Club in St James’ Square. Thanks to a typically Reptonian last-minute surge, the evening saw around 150 ORs and guests make their way to the elegant function room, a virtually identical number to last year. As well as catching up with one another, ORs were also able to reminisce with the nine staff who were able to secure an exit visa for the evening, Sarah Tennant (Acting Head), who gave an excellent round up of school news, Tim Owen (Deputy Head, Academic), Russell Embery (Head of Classics), Jon Hill (English), Kim McCallum (Modern Languages), Jeremy Bournon (Director of Art), Melissa Blain (Modern Languages and Careers), and Nigel Kew (Modern Languages and OR Secretary), as well as a couple of former members of staff. In addition to Sarah Tennant, the President of the Society, John Hings, and the Vice Chairman of the Governing Body, Nigel Churton (H’63) also spoke. As ever, the occasion was masterminded with wonderful efficiency by Jan Cobb (OR Assistant Secretary) and Cathy Twigg (Marketing and Development Director). There was a lovely atmosphere throughout the evening, as everyone really seemed to be enjoying the opportunities the occasion presented, once again underlining the importance of the event in the Old Reptonian calendar.

For more pictures of any of our events please go to www.repton.org./orsociety/ 11

OR Events Sports Evening On Thursday October 16th last year Adrian Pepper (H’83) put his club membership on the line by facilitating the use of The Presidents Room at Queens Club in West London in which was held the inaugural Old Reptonian Sports Night. The idea for the event had been bubbling along in my mind for a while and I was stirred into action by the extraordinary achievement of 6 OR girls playing in the hockey international between England and Germany in November 2013. Four of the girls were special guests of honour for the evening - Georgie Twigg (F’03), Susie Gilbert (F’02), Jo Leigh (G’09) and Ellie Watton (M’05).

OR President John Ballinger (P’59) opened the evening with words of welcome and his reflections upon the pleasure that everyone in the room had enjoyed in both playing and watching OR sport. He observed that ORs had a passion for sport, a rich heritage of achievement and importantly a lifetime of happy memories. John introduced Nick Walford and the theme of hockey by referring to Nick's uncle who was a schoolteacher at Sherborne, an outstanding amateur sportsman and a holder of a Great Britain Olympic Silver medal by being a losing finalist in hockey at the 1948 Olympics in London.

Nick thanked the Headmaster, Nick Smith (B’69), Nigel Kew, Jan Cobb, Cathy Twigg and all the captains of the OR sports clubs in helping to make the event happen. Some audience participation shed light on the fact that there was a roomful of OR sporting elite across eight decades - Blues from Oxford and Cambridge, Arthur Dunn winners, Cricketer Cup Winners, D'Abernon Cup Winners (the most recent OR winners!) county cricketers, international hockey players and indeed the last surviving member of the 1948 Great Britain Hockey Team, John Peake (B’38), who had travelled all the way down from Peterborough to be part of the evening.

Nick spoke of the current strength of OR sport and the importance of the OR sports clubs to be well organised so that they were able to attract the talent coming from the school to play for the ORs. He also wanted to pass on the important message to the school and the masters in charge of the major sports to encourage current pupils to play for the ORs. OR sport is a great way for younger ORs to network with older ORs to get careers advice as well of course the social benefits of when ORs get together!

Next came the highlight of the evening and our special guests Georgie, Susie, Jo and Ellie were grateful for their media training when confronted with the probing questions from ex BBC and Sky Presenter Matt Gooderick. The girls shared their experiences of playing international sport and the initial inspiration which was sparked and nurtured at Repton. The captivated audience then added their questions from the floor and showed their appreciation with warm, loud and long applause.

And for those who avoided the Jaeger Bombs and therefore have some memory of the evening, the general sense was that the evening had been a success. So watch out for information about OR Sports Night 2 in October 2016 and do come and join us!

For more pictures of any of our events please go to www.repton.org./orsociety/

Nick Walford (B’69) Footnote: Dear Editor I thought it might be of interest to OR’s with a sporting bent that there was a person present that evening who had played international sport, albeit not for England!In 1978, I lived in Uruguay while working for Lloyds Bank International, and while there was selected to play and captain the Uruguayan squash side against Argentina. A year later, and while living in Argentina, I played for Argentina against Uruguay. The latter were not best pleased given that I had helped them beat the Argentines the year before for the first time in history, an achievement that was well documented in the Montevideo sporting press the following day. (There is precious little love lost between Uruguay and their bigger neighbours....).

Chris Stokes (H’74) 12

OR Reunions OR Artists Painting Weekend On a particularly mild and sunny weekend in late January, twelve OR artists returned to school to help me tick off two items from my retirement bucket list. It was a pleasure to welcome artists and exstaff from all corners of the globe and from all periods of my 30 years as Head of Art as they flew in from Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Edinburgh and Marchington. Even though pleading rustiness and never having picked up a paintbrush since their time at school, they were all prepared to really give it a go and to relive the Repton School art experience. Some, of course, had never seen our 20002006 refurbishment and were coming to visit our wonderful department for the first time.

Second on my bucket list, and our entertainment for Friday night, was to ‘Bring the best of London Jazz to Repton for the night’. Art Themen, someone whose career I have followed since the 60s and Dave O’Higgins, genuinely one of my favourite saxophonists, brought with them from London a phenomenally talented trio to give a packed Beldam Hall an unforgettable night of music. My closing comment of ‘needing my smile surgically removed’, said it all. What a great start to a truly memorable weekend!

9.30am Saturday morning was our serious art start time, with a walk around school looking at the new buildings and recording them photographically as our subject matter. The new Science Priory, additions to the 400 Hall Theatre, New Court Gallery and the new PE and Mathematics block make up Robert Holroyd’s astonishing legacy in bricks and mortar, and these became the focus of our tour and of our canvas paintings to follow. I know one of the special moments on the tour was taking in the spectacle of the surrounding countryside from the Kan Library’s observation balcony in the Science Priory, from where we had an almost uninterrupted view to the Peak District.

It was then back to the Art School to start to compose our photographic material into large montage paintings of the school buildings. Perhaps the most gratifying moment of the weekend for an aging Art master was to return to the Art School after an unavoidable midday parents’ meeting to find the artists studiously working behind their easels, as if no time had elapsed since school days. Mind you, the copious amounts of wine consumed during the afternoon following our working lunch is a method of painting not knowingly employed in current or past times, which in no way inhibited the creative juices of our small but happy band!

An early evening meal at our much-frequented Jaipur Indian restaurant was followed by a night in the Red Lion. For one night only both my two bands of the past few years were performing and it was a blast to have Mark Sanderson and Alex Hodgkinson return for a reunion of the Safety Sisters and invite others to play along with my current outfit Boss & Co. We finished in the early hours of the morning and our pianist and ex Head of Academic Music, Hodge - as he is affectionately known - back in his familiar position behind the pub piano, played on until gone 3 am, much to the joy of his gang of old friends and locals.

For those who could make it, Sunday started with the school’s morning service in Chapel at 10.15 a.m. I think all were surprised and heartened by the size of the choir, how lustily the pupils now sing and participate in the service; a far cry from the religious apathy that tarnished the chapel experience for so many years.

Afterwards, while most of us joined other visitors for coffee in the foyer of the theatre, Vincent went off in search of the Brook House honours boards which he found and photographed in the bowels of School House.

The weekend concluded with lunch in the Dragon pub in Willington where we raised our glasses to absent friends and to the health of Art at Repton School. I am truly grateful to Vincent and Christian for recording the event for posterity in film and photographs and for all who made the journey to share our very special weekend.

JHB Attendees in the photographs here are: Nick Jones (N’95), Vincent Leung (B’86), Tom Hume (L’06), Richard Duggleby (L’05), Joe Gardner (O’95), Rupert Major (P’95), Jim Matthews (Artist in Residence 19992007), Colette Woods (Artist in Residence (1999-2001), Jennie Temple (Artist in Residence 2001-2003), Julian Harris (H’84) and Christian Birmingham (Exhibitor in New Court Gallery, September 2012).

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Branches of the Society OR Football Old Reptonian Football Club Season Review: This season the ORs set themselves the target of reaching the Arthur Dunn Cup Semi Finals and finishing in the top 4 in the league, looking to still be in contention for promotion by Christmas.

After a shaky start in the league the ORs found themselves on 3 points from 4 games, including a dreadful 7-1 loss to Aldenham.

Despite having had an influx of quality players, such as Josh Golding (P’06) and Patrick Tuffy (P’08), the team were taking time to gel and find their feet; particularly in defence. After a few weeks getting a fairly consistent team out the boys got into a rhythm and quickly began to climb up the table. Fans got their money worth with an average of just under 6 goals per game! Old Chigwellians and Old Marlburians took the top two spots above the ORs in third. Having had consistency in the squad for the second half of the season has made a real difference and hopefully this (mostly) youthful squad will continue for years to come. This season the squad showed they definitely have the ability to get promoted next year if they can tighten up at the back; conceding over 2.5 goals per game simply wouldn’t cut it in the top tier. The aim for next season has got to be promotion back into the Premier League.

The Arthur Dunn Cup draw was kind to the ORs who received a bye in the first round before facing Old Marlburians at home.

Despite finishing below their visitors in the league and missing a few key players through suspension (the result of an eventful encounter the last time these two sides met), the ORs put on a very professional performance and won the match 2-0. The quarter-finals saw the ORs drawn at home against another Division 1 side. This time it was Old Westminsters who made the trip up to Repton, a side that made life difficult for the ORs with their physical presence but lacked any real threat. The ORs won 2-1 and booked their place in the semi-finals, in which they were drawn away against Lancing, the side that knocked them out of the competition in 2014. Despite a brilliant opening half an hour and going 1-0 up the ORs couldn’t deal with the height and directness of Lancing who won the game 4-1, a score line they openly admitted was flattering. The boys gave everything but didn’t take their first half chances that could have all but sealed the game before half time.

Vets The OR vets certainly have a younger feel to them now that Neal Rushton (P’94) has become only the second Captain of The OR vets with Nick Walford (B’69) stepping down from the role after 21 years to focus on his role as Club Chairman! For the moment there has not yet been a change in the results achieved in the Derrick Moore Veterans Cup, as we went down heavily to Lancing Vets in December last year. After a strong showing in the first half a couple of key injuries and the lack of a “proper” goalkeeper took its toll .

However, in February the ORFC Vets joined the ORFC 1st XI “on tour” to help celebrate Malvern’s 150th Anniversary with a resounding win against the Old Malvernians Vets 4-2. This included cameo appearances from the current President, Martyn Beckett (B’64) (aged 63) and Chairman, Nick Walford (B’69) (aged 58).

The recent qualification of Matt Gooderick (C’92), Richard Brownlee (P’95), Mike Cockcroft (C’87) and Alex Kington (N’91) along with the new captain auger well for the future. Rich Basnett (O’86) has re- emerged and will form a fearsome strike force with Matt Gooderick. And, yes, Mark Stretton (H’75) is still playing in his 50s and opta stats have shown that the last time he gave the ball away was in 1999.

So any ORs who are aged 35 or over on October 1st 2015 who fancy joining the squad please email either or both Nealrushton@hotmail.com and walfordn@yahoo.co.uk.

Our last game was on Sunday April 12th against Old Harrovians in the Derrick Moore Vets Plate. We won 3 - 1 (Rich Basnett 2, Mike Cockcroft 1).

Overall it was a successful and enjoyable season despite not winning any silverware. The club is going from strength to strength on and off the field and we hope this continues. The ‘End of Season’ bash will take place on the 30th May in London and you are all welcome. Please email captain@oldreptonianfc.com to book your ticket.

Any former pupils that are moving down to London are all encouraged to get involved. We are always looking to add new players to the squad – we had 36 Old Reptonians feature this season!

Nicky Samra (N’02) & Nick Walford (B’69)

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OR Golfing Society Arnell Bowl: 2014 Singles Knockout 2014 was another good year for this popular competition.

39 competitors entered and enjoyed playing golf in one of the best British summers we have seen for some time.

During the course of the competition we came across a problem, which will unfortunately occur from time to time in this type of national event. A combination of geography and traffic resulted in one competitor travelling for a lot longer than it took him to play his round of golf. This is unacceptable. Therefore for 2015 we are introducing a new rule: If a competitor has to travel more than 75 miles to play a match, that competitor has the right to request the match be played on a mutually acceptable course, located somewhere between the two competitors’ home address. The semi final and final were played at Sunningdale, on a pleasant day with no adverse weather conditions. The knockout could not have been better contrived; Two Malvernians, Alan Holland & Nick Stockbridge, vs two Reptonians, Richard Pinder (H’81) & Richard Blackwell (C’68).

Richard Pinder beat Alan Holland in the first semi final and Richard Blackwell beat Nick Stockbridge in the second semi final.

After a particularly good Sunningdale lunch, Richard Blackwell beat Richard Pinder by some margin to take the title for 2014.

(Richard Blackwell has spent his working life in the beer and wine trade, which may be why he was on such good form after lunch!!)

The Halford Hewitt The Halford Hewitt is the oldest, biggest, amateur golf tournament in the world; and arguably the toughest. 64 public schools enter teams of ten players to play in this scratch foursomes knockout, which is held at Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports Golf Clubs, over four days.

The current Captain of the Repton team, Philip Carr (H’72), often used to see Ted Dexter CBE, who captained both the Sussex and England cricket teams in the 1960s. Ted was also a very fine golfer with a handicap of 2. However, he stopped playing in the Halford Hewitt at the age of 52, even though he was still very capable of playing to the required standard. He told Philip Carr he couldn't stand the pressure of the Hewitt: That, coming from a man who had marched out to the wicket in many a test match, gives you a sense of the occasion.

Repton had a promising draw this year, and a promising team, with the re-appearance of two splendid young men, Myles Pearson (P’99) and James Wilson (L’99). Sadly, luck was not on our side, and we lost in the first round to Westminster.

The team did redeem their honour to a certain extent by getting through to the semi final of the Prince’s Plate, losing eventually to our old nemesis, Epsom. Keith Andrews (O’66) and Tony Bishop (P’72) narrowly missed out on the Peter Kenyon bowl with a very good score of 40 points that was beaten into second place on a count back.

A fine band of supporters attended the pre-match dinner at Royal St George’s and no doubt Repton will re-group for next year.

Reports by Tony Bishop (P’72)

Many thanks to Richard Thompson for organising a perfect final and hosting us at Sunningdale.

We look forward to seeing more of you in 2016.

Pictured above: Alan Holland, Richard Pinder (H’81), Richard Blackwell (C’68) and Nick Stockbridge.

Pictured above L-R: John Fletcher (L’66), Tony Bishop (P’72, Myles Pearson (P’99), James Wilson (L’99), John Wood (L’78), Mark Anselm (C’86), Richard Holdsworth (C’92), Philip Carr (H’72), Peter Forster (N’87), Keith Andrews (O’66), Richard Hodgkinson (M’81), Stan Cutts (C’55), Philip Scott (N’55), John Hings (P’55), Martin Priestley (C’81) and Richard Fry (C’89).

OR Lodge In January, members of the Old Reptonian Lodge, and guests, met at Freemasons’ Hall in London, for the third meeting of our Centenary year. 30% of the Lodge members are now under 40 years old, and thanks to Charles Platts (P’89) who became our newest member, this figure continues to rise.

If you wish to find out more about the OR Lodge, please visit www.orl.org.uk John Pagella (L’57)

The meeting was followed by dinner opposite the London Eye, at The Farmers’ Club in Whitehall Court. Good food, good wine, and more importantly good company.

The Farmer’ Club has become a favourite dining venue of the Lodge in recent years.

Why do people become Freemasons and, if they do, why do ORs join the OR Lodge?

The first of these questions will prompt many answers. Friends or family members may have had a previous association with Freemasonry or one of the charities that it supports. From an OR perspective it offers the opportunity of catching up with old school friends, within an organisation that encourages members to help those in need and show support for others, whatever their circumstances in life; a principle that we all remember from our school days at Repton.

Despite only three meetings a year – two in London and one at the School -members of the Lodge find that it’s a great way to keep in touch with each other as well as developments at the School.

Image source: www.thefarmersclub.com 15

Branches of the Society OR Real Tennis Old ORs represent Repton at Real Tennis Nick Davidson (H’64) and Robert Wesley (C’56), who played together for many years in the soccer Arthurian League, competed in January in the Real Tennis Old Boys’ Cattermull Cup at the recently constructed Burroughs Court at Middlesex University.

We are members at Lords - we only had one practice session which was against the MCC Treasurer and his partner (which we won) – and then we competed at The Burroughs. We were knocked out in the group stage, losing only to the eventual finalists, Harrow I and Taunton. It was an enjoyable event and well organised – and we plan to be there next year.

There is no restriction on entries per school so, if any other pair wishes to play in 2016, then do let us know – or apply directly to the organisers.

One must assume that Real Tennis has been played by many Reptonians in the 450 years since the foundation of the School in 1557 (30 years after the building of the court by Cardinal Wolsey at Hampton Court Palace) and with a Priory it is possible, since Real Tennis was mainly played by members of religious orders, that Repton had its own court at one time.

Real Tennis (probably related to Eton Fives) was actively played from about the 12th century in many parts of Northern Europe and

in England & Scotland – pre-dating such famous Repton sports as Cricket (first reference to ‘creckett’ in 1598, we believe), Hockey (first club Blackheath formed in 1862) and Lawn Tennis (founded in Leamington Spa around 1874) – but probably coming after football which some can date to China in times BC. Many kings, including Henry V and Henry VIII, were keen players in their day. Indeed it is believed that Ann Boleyn was watching tennis when she was arrested prior to her execution – though that would not have been apparent from the recent production of ‘Wolf Hall’!

Is there any record of Real Tennis at Repton? And when was the school last represented prior to Nick and Robert’s challenge at The Burroughs this year? We would welcome any thoughts on this?

Robert Wesley (C’56)

OR Tennis Society As the OR tennis society continues to flourish, we have a number of very exciting events planned for the near future.

As this issue of The Arch goes to the publishers, we are looking forward to holding our first tennis and social event in London in just a few weeks’ time.

Promising to be very well attended, this bodes well for the future, getting ORs involved from across the country. The following week heralds a timely return to the hallowed turf at Repton school, as the battled hardened ORs, returning fresh from their D’Abernon Cup victory over the summer, come together with the rest of the society to enjoy the second tennis and social event in as many weeks. This will be followed by the obligatory visit to the pub to enjoy some well-earned food and drink.

OR Squash Club Many members of the society are also looking forward to the Public Schools Old Boys Lawn Tennis Association Dinner (PUBS) to be held at the iconic All England Lawn Tennis Club on April 29th.

With Will Greenwood, of Leicester Tigers and Harlequins fame, confirmed as the guest speaker and with the formal presentation of the D’Abernon Cup to the Old Reptonian team set to take pride of place at the event, it promises to be an evening to remember. Guests at this event are encouraged, so if anyone would like to come along to experience this wonderful event and support the society at the same time, please email me for more details.

At the OR Drinks in the City in February, the President of the OR Society announced his intention to rekindle the OR Squash Society. Having kindly been volunteered by Vanessa Rhodes (A'99) at the same event, I have agreed to be the OR Squash Secretary. We now need some players!

As ever, we would love to hear from you if you are interested in the society, whether you are a seasoned veteran or still a rookie, if you love to have a tennis racket in your hand, we will have something that you can enjoy so please do get in contact with me at: muirheadjamie@gmail.com

If you are a squash player and / or would be keen on sitting at a squash table at the OR Dinner, we would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch at edwardrurhodes@yahoo.co.uk.

Jamie Muirhead (C’09)

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robertwesley@east-sheen.demon.co.uk

In the first instance we are looking to have a match against the school in the Autumn and to have a squash table at the OR Dinner. We are also planning to enter a team into the Londonderry Cup, the interschool squash competition for public school old boys, into which Repton have not entered a side since 1995, when John Wood (O’69) was Secretary.

Ed Rhodes (N'95)

What’s your line?

Careers It is always great to catch up with Old Reptonians at Drinks in the City, and the staff who attend are thrilled to meet with old faces, swap stories and to network. As Head of Careers at Repton School, I was particularly delighted this year to be approached at the East India Club by John Hings (P’55) who was keen to get me to identify in this edition the areas of help where ORs can offer their expertise to our current O Block and Sixth Form.

In this highly competitive job market, it is becoming increasingly important for our pupils to be well equipped and prepared for the world of work. The Careers Department at Repton offers a variety of events and career presentations throughout the year to encourage pupils to become better informed.

Our Old Reptonian body over the years has been wonderfully supportive of these efforts and by helping at the annual Lower Sixth Careers Forum in June; an evening where professionals talk to small group of pupils about their field of work, answer questions and offer advice.

Others contribute by delivering lectures about their real-life experiences; over the course of the year several ORs from a wide variety of professions will come to give presentations. We aim to arrange at least three talks a term across a wide spectrum of career areas so are constantly looking out for interesting offers from willing contributors.

We encourage all O Block and Sixth formers to carry out work experience, both

Name

to help them in their decision making as well as to give them a taste of a working environment and learn something of the world of work. The aim is for them to organise two different placements to help them get a feel for the variety of professions they may go into and a flavour of how different organisations operate.

During the process of going out to the work place it is to be hoped that they not only learn something about others, but also a lot about themselves, as well as acquiring some useful transferable skills to call upon at a later date.

Our primary need is to expand the OR professional database so that pupils would be able to access directly information and contacts in specific career areas. Key to this is the offer of work experience and career advice. The pressure has never been greater for pupils to find suitable placements since both universities and employers will regularly expect to see evidence in the personal statement or curriculum vitae. Barely a day goes by at School without a request from a pupil seeking a placement and I feel sure that our OR body could add huge value. Pupils are certainly keen to take up offers. During the Easter break, for example, a Hong Kong Chinese pupil delayed his flight home to take up a week’s placement with Andrew Churchill (P’82) at his engineering company in Market Bosworth, while another will shadow Clare Major at her cookery school at Catton Hall.

Following his GCSEs, a third will be joining Tom Soar (C’93) to experience the world of high performance engine design at Ricardo, Shoreham-by-Sea.

Particular help is required in these areas: • Careers in the City – professional services, accountancy, banking • Legal profession • Medicine and medical research • Engineering and the automotive industry • The Arts and Media – journalism, advertising • Marketing and business • Retailing • Hospitality- sporting & events management, tourism With the implementation of the new A-level system, the School is considering introducing Global Perspectives as an academic study. To that end, ORs’ contribution could also be extremely valuable in offering their experience.

Please do make contact with me if you are in anyway able to give careers support.

My direct email address is mjb@repton.org.uk or contact jcobb@repton.org.uk MJB, Head of Careers A form for you to complete to send into us is below (scan and email to us) or can be found on www.repton. org.uk/orsociety/orlinks/careers

Willing to speak at the Careers Forum

House/Years at school Occupation Willing to offer work experience

Organisation Willing to offer advice

Work address Any other detail

Telephone (mobile or work) E-mail 17

Who? What? Where? When?

B’s Bohol Earthquake Project - Simon Baily-Gibson (H’65) I wrote about our extraordinary earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda experience in the Spring 2014 Arch. Eight months after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake brought the island of Bohol to its knees, reconstruction work continues in earnest and Bohol is back in business!

brought in further contributions from our Dubai days in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Old school friends from the United Kingdom, a sponsored swim in Sussex, England, a work place collection in Melbourne, Australia and a ladies’ mahjong lunch club in the United Arab Emirates all chipped in. And not to forget my energetic 90year old mother who tirelessly canvassed her friends and villagers in North West Wales for over P300,000 (about £4,630).

Although bridges have been rebuilt and roads repaired, much still needs to be done. With no small amount of trumpet, envoys from Manila handed over P2.4 billion of disaster assistance funding to our governor with the assurance that Bohol was never forgotten. That may be so, but some local folk, struggling to repair their broken homes, might need convincing that they have been remembered. That said, help is finally here, and some families have received donations of plywood, roofing tin and other building materials in our neighbourhood. But, it does not seem to have been well coordinated, and there are insufficient resources for a much-needed home-by-home assessment.

All this has enabled us to donate building materials to 93 local families. The average donation for each home has been around P10,000 (about £155) although some bad cases have received much more. For those in the West this may not seem like much but it’s surprising what a difference such a contribution can make.

For a small and simple dwelling, that’s quite a lot of stuff to be getting on with. Most of the recipients have no means of saving that amount of money from their pitiful earnings and are already heavily in debt.

Continuing Assistance: Much Needed. We continue to be amazed by the response to B’s Bohol Earthquake Charity, the simple little fund Flor and I set up immediately after the earthquake. We have received an astonishing P1.6 million (about £24,630) from 135 wonderful donors in 16 countries from as far as Peru in the west and New Zealand in the east.

The families the fund has helped are very thankful. The photo shows one happy face from the village. Many of the donations were handed out within weeks of the disaster and certainly before any other help was forthcoming. The main problem now is a shortage of skilled labour and sufficient funds for families to pay wages.

Social media proved highly effective with friends of friends on Facebook and Linkedin circulating our appeal. An article published in Gulf News

The photos show before and after shots of houses that were totally destroyed and, with the funding provided, have risen anew on the same site day by day.

A happy Boholana in a home rebuilt using funds from B’s Bohol Earthquake Charity.

Aftershocks, Moving On. As if we need to be reminded about the horrors of last year, we still feel aftershocks, and shattered nerves are quickly shaken once again.

Although much less frequent, some are still severe enough to give a broken house a significant jolt. But we feel we’ve waited long enough and the rebuilding of our own home will commence in July; hopefully we’ll finish most of it by year end, so can move in.

Above and below: Homes destroyed by the earthquake.

Above and below: The families’ new homes, built with funding from Simon and Flor’s project, on the same plots; earthquake damage still evident.

To contribute to the continuing charitable work and needs, email Simon at bailygibson@gmail.com

ORs in the Arts - Let us know your news We are hoping to focus on a feature in a future issue of The Arch highlighting ORs working in any aspect of the Arts, and would welcome information of interest to other Old Reptonians from those working professionally in Theatre, Film, TV, Music, and Art. We'd be delighted to hear from you and promote your work. Please do let us know if you do not want us to use information already in the public domain.

Guy Levesley (H’75)

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From the Archive In my Christian journey lately I have read two books with strong Repton links. I was a day visitor to a monastery, and browsing in their library I came across Repton School sermons, containing those preached by the Headmaster, William Temple, in Chapel from September 1910 to July 1912. Searching the net when I got home I found a firm in Kentucky (Bibliobazaar) who would print the old text on a bespoke basis and produce a paperback.

Through these sermons one can trace Temple’s scholarship, his humanity, his humility and his dependence on God. Such qualities make him an outstanding Archbishop of York (1929-1942) and briefly of Canterbury until his untimely death in 1944.

I was at Repton, perhaps because what they did was so counter cultural by Repton standards at that time or indeed since. In the book there are many stories of their faith developing to the point when they knew they were to serve God in China and of amazing send offs as thousands turned up to valedictory meetings up and down the country. Montagu Beauchamp inherited a baronetcy from an elder bother in 1945, having earlier received a summons home to manage the family estates in Norfolk. This he declined to do as his heart was in China, a passion shared by his son who followed him as a missionary there. Sir Montagu Beauchamp Bt died in 1939 while visiting his son’s mission station.

The other book is entirely different, a slim paperback ‘The Cambridge Seven’ by John Pollock recounting the story of how seven Cambridge graduates are called to give up their considerable worldly wealth to serve God as missionaries in Inland China even wearing Chinese dress and shaving their heads. Among these seven earnest, muscular Christians were three Reptonians, William Cassells (Clucas 1873), Montagu Beauchamp (L’1874) and Stanley Smith (Fowler 1876), none of whom I had heard of while

Richard Grew (O’46) paid his tribute to these 3 Christians in ‘Repton to the End’ and quotes that there were then (in 2007) around 50 million Christians in China. The continuing growth of the Chinese Church results from the firm foundation laid by the likes of Cassells, Beauchamp and Smith.

John Bragg (P’53)

Ian Johnson (P’49) kindly sent in this photograph of the CCF members. Does this evoke any memories?

OR Publications Kenn d’Oudney (B’59) has had two books published: The new 2015 updated edition of legal-medical textbook, “Cannabis: The Facts, Human Rights and the Law, The Report,” is available from Amazon and bookshops. Readers of The Arch should be informed that The Report has a Foreword by a Nobel laureate former adviser to U.S. government, and is endorsed by academics, doctors (of jurisprudence, medicine, physiology, psychiatry, philosophy), former government advisers, and judges (U.S. & U.K.).

The second is “Democracy Defined in Celebration of the 800th Anniversary of Magna Carta”, available from the 15th of May on Amazon, one month before the anniversary this coming June 15th.

Kate Nash (neé Allan) (G’92) has had several publications The Smuggler Returns by Kate Allan (2010) - ebook (paperback out of print) Krakow Waltz by Kate Allan (2010) - £7.99 Paperback ISBN 9781601548054 Secrets at City Hospital by Kate Allan (2011) - ebook (paperback out of print) Snowbound on the Island by Kate Allan (2012) - ebook only Mary Bennet by Kate Allan £7.99 (2013) - Paperback ISBN 9781495245091 and ebook 19

Repton Memories Life at Repton, 1948-1953 I loved my time at Repton and still attend reunions whenever possible and cherish my school friendships. I went to Repton because my brother had been there although the original choice had been Haileybury which played rugby and was where my grandfather was a pupil. However, letters from Canada during the war from my mother to the school never arrived due to enemy action. My brother left Repton to do National Service a year before I arrived in 1948 and consequently many of the older boys had known him and it appears he was universally popular. He concentrated on modern languages and became fluent in French and German under ‘Marks’ Bain but I think it was his proficiency at ice hockey that marked him out during that very cold winter of 1947. He seemed to have had no enemies.

In addition my cousin John Richardson (H’47) was also at the school one year senior to me as was his father my uncle Jack (M’1907) and his younger brother uncle Sam (M’1912). John inherited his father’s ability for organisation and this accompanied by a considerable confidence made him a formidable personality. In later life we have become firm friends and he told me recently that during his last year in the Hall, when the Headmaster, Lynam Thomas, was involved in national Headmaster Conference affairs, he and Nicholas Barrington (H’47) (future ambassador in Pakistan) ran the school. The question arises why did Uncle Jack and his brother go to Repton? I have discovered that a Gurney relation of ours, John Henry Gurney (H’1862), whose father was vicar in a Parish in Marylebone, attended the school in the 1860s and virtually never left it. Records show he was very interested in science, especially the popular variety, and furthermore excelled at athletics, particularly field events. He represented Cambridge University against Oxford in the early 1870s and became captain of the CUAC. Subsequently he returned to Repton in 1873 to teach science and lived with his family in St Wystan’s House that is now occupied by The Priory. When he died in 1919, he bequeathed his house to the school and The Priory boys who were then crammed into the medieval Old Priory, moved in. He was known as the “Pelican” because of his tall, stooping figure and he can be seen in the staff photograph of 1877 with a full, long beard. His real interest was making science popular and he used to demonstrate to the boys how you could get electricity out of the earth and generate bolts of lightning. These sessions became very popular and were perpetuated through the Gurney Science Club for sixth formers in which evening talks tried to replicate these often bizarre and dramatic aspects of science’s natural events. He died in 1919, a well-loved rather eccentric figure who had spent sixty years at Repton. He was a relative of Samuel Gurney Sheppard, the Victorian philanthropist and my great grandfather.

When I went to The Priory in May 1948 Len Catley was the housemaster who was the son of Rev. Arthur Catley, generally known as the “Cossack.” He was housemaster of the Mitre between the wars and taught classics. He was universally feared and was supposed to have a piece of iron piping in his form with which he threatened the boys if they misbehaved or didn’t know their work. Len was a much more benign, charming and wise man who was to retire at the end of my five years at the school. On one occasion my father wrote to Len as he was concerned that I wasn’t working enough and playing too much football. Len took me into his study and read me my father’s rather pompous letter and then said “Everybody can do a little more extra work but also make sure that your father knows you are working harder.” I thought this was wise advice that did not interrupt my football activities too much. One boy in the house developed an association with a 20

village girl. In retrospect, this event could have multiplied into a serious and embarrassing situation for all concerned but Len handled it with tact and dignity and when the boy left school he married Elvey and they lived happily ever after.

Day-to-day life in The Priory was structured and probably quite well organised. There were about fifty of us organised into “studies” where eight to ten boys would have their positions (known as “cracks”). The head of the study was a prefect who usually had a desk with drawers and shelving whereas the three or four junior boys had an area on a table the size of a place setting which belonged to them. As you grew up you were promoted from one small “crack” to a bigger one. The ten or so residents of the study consisted of three kinds of person. The most junior were “fags.”

You were a fag for your first two years and your duties were threefold. You had to look after the head of the study e.g. polish his shoes, clean his corps uniform and run errands for him. You were also on a rota for sweeping the common parts of the house, including the changing rooms and the long dusty corridors. This took place in the evenings before supper and was organised by the TF (Top Fag). The third duty of the fag was to respond to any prefects’ call, planned or spontaneous, who wanted a particular job done or any errand undertaken. The prefect would open his study door and shout “FAG!” at the top of his voice and the last fag to arrive was the one who had to do the work. Of course there were variations on this scheme in different houses but this is how it worked in The Priory in 1948. Nowadays fagging no longer exists which is probably a good thing, although the school administration must have to spend much more money on cleaners. Was the system abused by the prefects?? Probably but not ostentatiously.

There is certainly no truth in the rumour that prefects ordered their fag to sit on a loo seat in order to warm it up during cold winter mornings.

After two years as a fag you graduated (at the age of fifteen) to be a “Second.” Your privileges included a bigger “crack” in the study but you were assuming more general responsibility both in the house and in the larger school. As can be imagined in a group of fifty or so 13 to 18 year olds living together the camaraderie and friendships that developed became very important. The House featured in all sporting competitions and in the dining room at The Priory the trophy cups were displayed. Furthermore the name of any house member who represented the school at cricket, football or hockey was put up on a notice board for all to admire. In the early fifties, much to the chagrin of many of the masters, it was generally acknowledged that sports took precedence over academic activity and earned universal adulation and privileges. In the autumn term of 1952 I became the school goalkeeper following my cousin John Richardson who was in the same position the year before. I developed the reputation for being “fearless” and my speciality was diving for the ball at the feet of the opposing forwards. Unfortunately I was very poor at kicking the goal kicks and could hardly get the ball out of the penalty area.

In those days the balls were made of sewn leather and were not the light, bouncy balls that you see nowadays. They absorbed water and became extremely heavy after rain and combined with a muddy goal mouth, kicking the ball required an almighty effort.

At Repton there was a wide interest in music, both the formal, ecclesiastical variety led by the head of music Mervyn Williams, but also military music under the direction of Henry Hole. Through the friendship and encouragement of Jack Allison (P’48), who was my contemporary in The Priory and who should have got a music

scholarship to Cambridge, I took up playing the euphonium and in fact played it in the military band. When the King died in 1952, the military band was called upon both by the school and the village to lead various outdoor events and we really came into our own. I especially liked playing the counter subject in “Colonel Bogie” which I can remember to this day. In the evenings after supper we had house prayers which involved a school master attending and us singing a hymn. Our house tutor was a master called Mr Weadon. He had a rather unfortunate way of talking which was the opposite of enthusiastic. Consequently his nickname was “Weary” and whenever he attended house prayers we always sang the hymn “Lead Us Heavenly Father, Lead Us,” in which the line “Lone and dreary, faint and weary,” occurs. We emphasised the “weary” in this phrase for “Weary” Weedon’s benefit.

I soon discovered that I was good at swimming and I was in the school team for at least three years. My stroke was breaststroke for which I held the school record over one hundred yards. Fortunately the distances are now fully metric and my record still stands. The master in charge of swimming was “HONC” Mawer and he and I became good friends both in this capacity and also in the classroom. He was a middle-aged man; very much of the boffin stamp and despite looking very un-athletic was good at coaching us in swimming. The school team consisted of about six boys and we travelled to other venues in the corps bus. That was a pre-war contraption that had seen service in North Africa with the Dessert Rats during World War II. On Saturday nights, there were often films shown or a recital in Pears School. This was a time when the whole school was together (in my day about 400 of us), in which general announcements could be made followed by a film that was usually a comedy or something to stir the military soul. My favourites were those in which Joan Greenwood starred, for example; Whisky Galore! and Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Every house had a ‘yard’ which was an enclosed area surrounded by wire netting where games of various kinds could be played. The yard surface was tarmac and the favourite game was football played with a tennis ball. This activity was very popular and usually spontaneous in that because the entrance to the house was through the yard, there was much ‘to-ing and fro-ing’ during which people took ten minutes off or so to join in the game. The wear on shoe leather was horrific as was the occasional fall when grazes and worse occurred. The Priory yard also had a fives court in the corner which was rarely used although rumoured to be convenient for the house smokers.

When I went to Repton from Brackeley the 1944 Education Act was being implemented. This involved the establishment of both school and higher certificates (O and A Levels). O Levels could not be taken before the age of sixteen but during the introductory period, you could sit for it at a younger age. I and several others were pushed into the exam in the autumn of 1948 when I was aged thirteen and I passed it with a few ‘credits’. This meant that my education thereafter could be geared towards my interests which by and large were science rather than arts subjects.

However, I had a big problem about Latin. In order to get entrance to Cambridge I was required to have a credit at O Level in Latin.

This anachronism was the result of the university ecclesiastical foundation and has since been withdrawn. Despite the master teaching Latin also being in charge of football (Dick Sale), I created a school record by getting my credit in Latin on the seventh attempt.

As the years at school went by, firm friendships were established.

Apart from Jack Allison, Tom Devas (P’49), whose parents lived near Weybridge, and John Chick (P’48) were close companions.

John joined the Foreign Service and became a diplomat so that through my father we had much in common. Tom emigrated to

Australia where he met his wife Nan but they come back to Britain at regular intervals I am glad to say. Brian Smith (C’47) is another friend who was in The Cross who I discovered was also planning to do medicine. During the summer term of 1953 (my last) we went “midnight” swimming in the school pool in the early hours of the morning on several occasions. Subsequently I lived with Brian when I was at Guys Hospital in London.

The moral fibre of the school was built on the public school Christian tradition. The school chapel was central to this activity and there I became confirmed when I was sixteen. The friends and family who attended Chapel were put in ‘the birdcage’ which was in the north transept. On Sundays we had to go to Chapel twice.

Evensong at 6.30pm was obligatory and the whole school attended as well as most of the staff wearing their gowns and mortars. The main event was the sermon which was directed to the boys and was sometimes quite inspiring. The school prefects (consisting of the heads of all eight houses) had to enter chapel after everyone else.

On Sunday mornings we had a choice of getting up early and going to Holy Communion at 8.30am or going to the 10.30 matins service. Many of us opted for Holy Communion not out of godliness but more so that we could spend the whole day playing football.

How about character building? In my last year I became very friendly with a master called Mr Bryant (who I think was known as ‘Loppy’) through my being delegated by him to organise some junior house sporting activities. In effect I had to do all the hard work and make contact with the various representatives in the different houses and he told me that I had “Done a good job.”

Consequently we became good friends and in the course of one conversation he told me I had a tendency to be “pusillanimous.”

Research into the Shorter Oxford Dictionary revealed that this meant “chicken-hearted” which I have never forgotten and this event taught me quite a lot about myself. Subsequently I have only ever heard this word on stage in John Osborne’s play Look Back in Anger from the Sixties. However, my main memories consist of the camaraderie and perpetuating the public school traditions and many cast-iron friendships.

I left Repton in the summer of 1953 and went up to St John’s College Cambridge to do medicine. I quickly associated with four other Reptonians whom I had known slightly at school. We went around together, especially in the first few terms, and developed long lasting friendships. In fact we are still friendly and try to meet up at least once a year. Sadly Graham Jenkins (C’48) died of leukemia in 2007 but otherwise we are all in reasonable health.

Graham was a great athlete. He was reminiscent of Harold Abrahams (M’14) and C.B. Fry (1885) rolled into one. The sprint races and the long jump were his forte although he did not emulate C.B. Fry’s achievement of breaking the world long jump record at Repton while smoking a cigarette.

David Wright (L’48) became one of the most important ENT surgeons in Britain. He had senior positions in the College and was editor of the National Journal. Wattie Fletcher (B’48) became a radiologist at Thomas’. He pioneered Interventional Radiology and even founded an International Society to promote this speciality.

Colleagues of his have told me that he was extremely accurate putting the needle in the right place. John Rickett (H’52), who was at Jesus College with David, also became a surgeon and was a colo-rectal consultant in Torquay where he promoted “earlier diagnosis” of bowel cancer. He was also an athlete in cross country running and represented not only the school, but the university while we were there.

Peter Trott (P’48)

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School News

Mrs S A B Tennant, Acting Head It was through acquaintance with ORs that I first made my way to DE65 and it has been my great privilege and pleasure over the last twenty-odd years to get to know Repton, Reptonians and Old Reptonians – in the Classics classroom, seven very happy years with the girls of Field House – and numerous boys too! –, at The Hall in recent years and, of course, at OR events. But I did not expect to be writing to you as Acting Head.

We were all deeply saddened to hear in December that Robert Holroyd had decided to step down as Headmaster of Repton.

Under his leadership the last decade has been a pivotal period in the School’s history and a time of transformation: pupil numbers have increased, academic standards improved, magnificent buildings risen up and international links been forged, and, above all, it has been a time when as a community we have grown in confidence and ambition. Robert successfully combined a powerful strategic vision for the School and dynamic management, while remaining readily accessible to parents and pupils, past and present - a familiar sight at the pitches (where he was known, of course, for his extensive range of headwear), mingling with the boys and girls at birthday gatherings at The Hall, and unfailingly and sincerely interested in their lives and supportive of their aspirations. In talking to the School at Christmas, I referred them to the memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral to its great architect Sir Christopher Wren, on which is inscribed: LECTOR SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS CIRCUMSPICE; “Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you”. Looking around the School in 2015, the same injunction could, perhaps, be equally well applied to Robert Holroyd’s headmastership: a full school with a roll of 650; a remarkable programme of refurbishment and improvement, culminating in the development of the 400 Hall facilities and the creation of the Science Priory; a vibrant and confident community busier than ever. He leaves an

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impressive legacy and a school in excellent heart, fine fettle and with plenty of exciting plans for the future. I am sure that you will want to join me in sending him, Penny and the girls our very warmest wishes at this time and we shall hope to have opportunities in the months to come to pay a fitting tribute to his outstanding leadership of the School.

The Governors have wasted no time in initiating their search for Robert Holroyd’s successor and I am delighted to be able to tell you – hot off the press! - that Mr Alastair Land has been appointed as Repton’s 35th Headmaster. Alastair was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a First in Natural Sciences, and he is currently the Deputy Head Master at Harrow School, having previously taught at Eton College and Winchester College. He is married to Madeleine, who is currently Head of Maths at North London Collegiate School, and they have a three-year-old son, Maurice. Mr Land will take up his appointment in Easter 2016.

In the meantime I shall keep the Good Ship Repton steaming full ahead and we have plenty of momentum and much to celebrate. In the pages that follow you will see that – even by Repton’s standards – we are enjoying a period of remarkable success in sport across the board, particularly the unprecedented achievement of all six of our squads - boys and girls, U14, U16 and U18 – in reaching the National Hockey Finals. Academically standards remain high and, while the A-level landscape is set to change significantly from September, it has been very encouraging this year to see no fewer than 13 of our Upper Sixth Formers gain offers from Oxford and Cambridge, including four for Medicine. Culturally we are flourishing too. Over Easter six of our most talented musicians were invited to perform at the Royal Festival Hall with an elite orchestra comprised of the finest players in the independent sector. And we are beginning to explore just what is possible in the stunning drama facility of

the 400 Hall complex: this year’s School Play, Faustus, made the most of the facilities with evocative lighting, speciallydesigned magic effects and an auditorium made intimate by the effective use of the thrust; but smaller-scale productions in the other spaces, notably the Charlesworth Studio Theatre, are enabling a wider range of pupils to cut their teeth on the Repton stage.

You would expect nothing less than that we continue to move ahead strongly, confidently and imaginatively. But rest assured that in essentials Repton is very much as it has always been: a place of energy and individual drive but balanced always by a deep-seated compassion and concern for others – the very qualities which made such an impression on me when I met my first ORs all those years ago. ‘Floruit, floret, florebit schola nostra …. Floreas sempiternum!’

Art Spark 5

Romola

The fifth annual Art Department exhibition was a great success, showcasing a variety of art works made by staff and friends. It included paintings, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and much more.

Margaret Orrell exhibited a beautiful series of Rose Bowl paintings, while John Wheeldon displayed his skilfully-made pottery. Christian Birmingham’s Derbyshire Series looked like photographs from a distance, but, up close, you see the incredible detail of the oil pastels. Emily Stiles’ jewellery is so beautiful and detailed; she has a real talent.

Margaret Orrell, painter in residence at Repton, created a solo exhibition based on the novel Romola by George Eliot. What was amazing about the work is that it was from Margaret’s imagination- no references were used. When you walked around the room, it was like the story was being narrated to you through image. The paintings were so detailed and the many sketch books showed her dedication to the exhibition. Repton unfortunately loses a gifted painter in residence this year, but she is replaced by our current Head of Art, Mr Bournon, who is to retire from full-time teaching at the end of the year.

Chamber Choir Rubbing Shoulders with Royalty On the final day of the Michaelmas Term, the Chamber Choir travelled to the National Memorial Arboretum, having had the honour to be invited to sing ‘Silent Night’ and the National Anthem at the unveiling of the Christmas Truce Memorial, commemorating the 100 years since the temporary truce and extraordinary football game between the Germans and allied soldiers in No Man’s land between the trenches. Ten-year-old Spencer Turner, from Farne Primary School, produced the design for the memorial. HRH Prince William, the patron of the F.A. which sponsored the project, was the guest of honour and officially congratulated Spencer on his creation to mark this significant event in

history. Following the ceremony, and to the pleasure of many Reptonians, we managed to arrange a selfie surrounding HRH himself, a wonderful memory of the trip. This prestigious event was televised by the BBC and numerous other stations, and attended by numerous dignitaries, especially from the world of football. This allowed the Chamber Choir to mingle with figures such as F.A. Chairman Greg Dyke and even current England manager Roy Hodgson, with whom, it transpired to our amazement, our own Mr Kew is friends. It was an immensely memorable day for all and a great privilege to be part of such an important occasion.

Charlotte White (A)

Football It has been another season of success on the football field. With almost an entirely new side it took us a little time to find our feet. It was during this time that we had another terrible first-round draw in the Boodles ISFA Cup as we met one of the favourites in Ardingly. We had a fabulous game and created most of the clear-cut chances but, unfortunately, went down 1-0 to the side who would go on to lift the trophy in March. That’s five out of the last six years that we’ve been beaten by the eventual winner! It was a credit to the side that we didn’t let this define our season.

Alex Urwin (L) moved inside to marshal the defence brilliantly from centre back whilst new players Tommy Speed (P) and Ed Jackson (P) began to dominate the opposition midfield players. Our progress in the ESFA Cup was very strong as we negotiated the rounds to reach the last 16 in the country for the first time in our history before losing away to perennial challengers Thomas Telford.

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School News Football continued In the ISFA Northern League, which we have won for the last two years, we continued our excellent form. Victories over Wolverhampton GS, St. Bede’s College, Oldham Hulme GS and, perhaps most satisfying, a 3-0 away win at Shrewsbury in November were enough for us to make the Final. This is to be played at Macclesfield Town FC in April as we look to lift another piece of silverware.

By the time the Lent Term arrived we had a strong, settled side and so we went to the ISFA Northern Eights in confident mood.

Those who have played in this will tell you that it is a tough day as you need to top the group in order to progress to the semifinals. We were certainly in the ‘group of death’ with the likes of King’s Chester, St. Bede’s College, Cheadle Hulme and Leeds GS. However, we settled into the tournament quickly and finished top of the group to meet The Grange in the semifinal. A 1-1 draw followed which saw us go to sudden-death penalties. We confidently smashed four of ours home before Wim Van der Schoot (S) saved brilliantly to take us to the final. The final saw us against Bolton, who had been unbeaten all day, and we saved our best performance until last as we won 2-0 with goals from Laurence Wyke (C) and Josh Riley (P). This was our second victory in three years and helps to cement our place as the premier football school in the north.

The County tournaments have also been a success. We had a great run to the Staffordshire County Final, which was played at Stafford Town FC. We had a wonderful game against the current holders, Codsall, and dominated a game that we ended up losing 1-0. Despite this disappointment we bounced back to beat Ecclesbourne only two days later to make the Derbyshire County Final for the second consecutive year. We will look to defend our trophy in the Summer Term.

On an individual level it has been a momentous season. Laurence Wyke (C), Wim Van der Schoot (S) and Ed Jackson (P) have all represented the England ISFA U18 team this season. However, more significant is the fact that Laurence has also broken the 36-year-old 1st XI goalscoring record held by J G W Wood (L’78). He currently stands on 43 goals with two more Finals to play next term. His record included 5 hat tricks and one match where he scored 7 goals. We must also mention Callum Brodrick (C) who has bagged 27 goals this season too: in any normal year this would be more than enough to take 24

the top-scorer crown, in a team that has scored 148 goals in 32 games overall. The theme of records has played a big part in our season as Wim Van der Schoot (S) and his miserly defence have let in only 25 goals all season and kept a record-breaking 15 clean sheets.

Further down the age groups the U15A team had another strong year in reaching the ISFA Cup Quarter Final and ending the season as runners-up in the Staffordshire County Cup. Over the course of the season they beat Shrewsbury, Millfield, King’s Chester and Bolton and I would expect one or two of the players to be pushing hard for a first team place next year.

The House football has been incredibly competitive, as ever, this year. The Senior House Match Final saw Cross finally lift the old trophy for the first time in a good few years with a hard-fought victory over Priory.

The Junior House Match Final went to penalties as New House emerged victorious, again over the luckless Priory.

School House won the Reserve House Match whilst Orchard and Priory won Senior and Junior League respectively.

It is also nice to report on the growing popularity of the Girls’ game at Repton.

There is now an increasingly strong ISFA circuit and we have, for the first time, been able to field two sides in the Lent Term. We won the Midlands League for the first time whilst Mary Hunter (G), Izzy Emmett (M) and Morgause Lomas (F) represented the victorious Midlands team in the ISFA Regional Tournament. All three have been called into the ISFA U18 training squad.

The prospects for next season look really strong. The basis of the team remains intact as it was a side with plenty of Lower Sixth players this season. We have lost a couple of really influential individuals, but there are lots of quality O Blockers who will be ready to push on, whilst I would also expect one or two of our better A Block boys to challenge for places in the 1st XI squad. We have set an incredibly high standard over the last few years and it will up to these boys to maintain it next season.

MMC

Girls’ Football Three Repton girls were selected to represent The Midlands in the ISFA Regional Championships after trials in the Michaelmas term. Morgause Lomas (5F) was selected as goalkeeper with Isobel Emmett (5M) and Mary Hunter (L6G) selected outfield. They were joined by girls from Oakham, Uppingham, Stamford, Welbeck, Loughborough High School and

Derby High School for the tournament at Harrow School. After several years of going agonisingly close to winning the title, the Midlands finally managed to win for the first time in the competitions five year history.

They comprehensively beat the North 4-0 in the opening game and then followed this

up with a superb 2-0 victory over the holders from the South East. A crucial 0-0 draw against the Home Counties and a final 1-0 victory over the South-West secured the title. Morgause Lomas was superb throughout the tournament and did not concede a goal. Mary Hunter provided the steel in midfield with Isobel Emmett offering creativity up front.

MRHW

Hockey The achievements of the Repton squads this year, who have qualified for all six National Outdoor Finals for the first time, have given us chance to reminisce. Not since 1997, when Adam Ross (C’93) was the 1st XI Captain, have all three boys squads made the National Hockey Finals and the only time the girls achieved this feat was in 2003 when one of the current Great Britain players, Susie Gilbert (F’02), was then in the U14 squad. We think that this will be the only occasion that a school has managed to have all six squads qualifying in the same year; an achievement made particularly special for the pupils with the Finals being played in the Olympic Park for the first time.

The hockey season ended for the girls with the Finals in February.

Our U16 girls comfortably beat St George's College in the National U16 Final (4-1) thanks to a starring role from Esme Burge (G), also an England U16 squad member. This completed an Indoor and Outdoor double for the squad and now, since our first National victory was achieved in 1995, Repton have won a total of 23 National Titles matching the overall tally achieved by St George's College. With all three boys teams playing in London at the end of April we hope we might surpass them and become the most successful school in the history of the Competitions which began in 1980.

Despite dominating possession in all matches of both the Indoor and Outdoor Finals, the Girls' 1st XI finished the Indoor event as runners up and earned a 3rd place finish in the outdoor version.

They were unlucky not to win both titles and, based on results during the course of the season, are one of the best Repton 1st XIs that there has been. Erica Sanders (G) and Olivia Hopkisson (A) have been involved with England U18s for a second season this year whilst Flora Peel (F) and Lilie Lamacraft (G) have been invited to train with England U21. The U14 girls were also just one win away from playing in a National Final and eventually finished in fifth place showing great promise for future seasons.

The U18 Boys National Competition is in its second year since reverting back to a knock-out event. Captained by Ben Clague (P), notable wins against Oakham (3-0), Trent (5-1) and Kingston Grammar (7-6 aps) have set up a National U18 Semi Final against Perse on Wednesday 22nd April in London before a possible final against Hurstpierpoint or Exeter the next day. This will follow the U14 Finals on Tuesday 21st April and be alongside the U16 Finals which are played over two days with eight teams taking part on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd April. Given that the boys qualified for all events in impressive style we are hopeful for a good showing and go to the Finals fearing no one! I am sure that the pupils would love some OR support so if you are able to make it, please do come along. Details will be on the England Hockey website and schedules and results will be regularly updated on the Repton Hockey Twitter @reptonhockey.

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School News Hockey continued Away from Repton, Ben Clague has recently represented Wales in an U21 European Indoor event and Andrew Oxburgh (O), Elliot Hibell (O) and Ollie Rogerson (C) have all been training with England U18s this year. In addition to those mentioned earlier, Mimi Tarrant (M) and Hannah Davey (G) are in the England U16 squad and Charlie Collins (P) is training with Wales U16s.

Sam Gardner (N’93) was a member of Repton's first ever titlewinning side in 1995 and is looking to organise a dinner for that team this year, the twentieth Anniversary. If you were in that 1995 team and haven't done so already please do contact him. If you do not have his details but would like to make contact please feel free to send your details to me and I will pass them on to Sam. OR Hockey has grown in recent years, with more than forty ORs joining thirty-something pupils last year, and we will again use the Summer Sunday date of June 21st. Hockey will start at 2pm and we can cater for all ages and abilities and even provide kit if you no longer have a stick! We would like to keep growing this event so please come along if you can make it. Please e-mail me if you are at all interested and I will contact you nearer the time to confirm arrangements.

MLJ, Director of Hockey mlj@repton.org.uk @reptonhockey

Below: Six National Final Squads

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School News Netball 1st VII Report The 1st VII Netball squad have had a fantastic season with all the thrills of making it through to National Finals and experiencing the lows of some tough losses. As a new member of staff this year, to coach such an experienced group of Netballers has been a delight.

The girls were captained brilliantly by Camilla Chantler (G) with her calming influence and consistent link between the defence and attack as our primary centre court player. We will miss her and the other six upper-sixth players who will be leaving Repton at the end of the summer term. I hope they will all continue to enjoy playing Netball and proudly fly the flag as Old Reptonians.

The statistics for the 1st VII and, indeed, across the Netball teams representing Repton are mightily impressive this year. We have had three teams enjoy an undefeated season and collected vast amounts of silverware as we claimed the County Champions title in the U14, U15 and U18 age groups, with the U16 team finishing runners up at county level. It was a real treat to see so many girls participating and enjoying Netball! The Garden were victorious in the Senior House competition and The Mitre took the top spot for the Junior House event.

For me, the highlight of the season was the wet, cold and windy Regional Netball Finals at Leicester Grammar School in March.

There were three age group competitions, of which Repton, were the only school to have a team in each category, U14, U16 & U18.

If this wasn’t praise enough, all three teams made the semi-finals

For me, the highlight of the season was the wet, cold and windy Regional Netball Finals at Leicester Grammar School in March.

There were three age group competitions, of which Repton was the only school to have a team in each category, U14, U16 & U18.

If this wasn’t praise enough, all three teams made the semi-finals by finishing in the top two of their groups. Each team had very determined opposition with only the winners of the semi-finals making it through to the National Finals at the end of March.

Whilst the U14 and U16 teams very narrowly missed the victory, the U18s semi-final against arch rivals Trent College was their best performance to date - what a time to pull this one together! The girls played flawless Netball, from defence to attack. They combined every different coaching aspect from training and just outpaced the opposition. The tense, narrow victory felt like winning the Nationals and I couldn’t have been more proud of the entire squad.

The Netball programme is already taking shape for 2016, with the county tournaments pencilled in for the end of this year, but with the fine performances across all the Netball teams, from the U14 upwards, I shall look back on a phenomenal season with absolute pleasure and relish the chance to reminisce at every opportunity with the superb Netball coaching team at Repton.

LW Head of Netball

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Netball 1997. 1998. 1999. 2000. 2001. 2002.

2003. 2004. 2005. 2006. 2007. 2008.

2009. 2010. 2011. 2012. 2013. 2014.

These are years in which the Repton 2nd VII did not win all of their games.

2015.

This is a year in which they did.

Quite a rare feat. But, then again, it is rare indeed that one is blessed at this level with a squad of 11 ineffably accomplished players, many of whom could have played 1st VII in another year, each of them comfortably the strongest player in her position on circuit, and – a fact not to be sniffed at, this - every single one of them a genuine contender for the title of The Greatest Living Englishwoman.

To describe this season is to chronicle greatness. In most years, a 2nd VII getting the better of any two of Rugby, Oakham, Uppingham and Oundle would make the 10 O’Clock News. This, however, is no ordinary 2nd VII. This is a team with the collective character of a man, who, after leaning into an ice-storm on the Black Cuillin Ridge on a 12-hour crossing, lifts his face into the white-out, and demands of the gods, “Is that really all you’ve got?”. This year, playing with all the darkly menacing swagger of an early Sisters of Mercy EP, the 2nds put these venerable foes to the sword by an aggregate goal-difference of +55.

What is all the more remarkable about this season is that the victories were achieved playing with some of the most hypnotically shimmering, mesmeric, and eviscerating movement seen from a 2nd VII in many a long year, with most sides put to bed within the first half of the match. On two occasions, indeed, they saw off other schools’ 1st VIIs. The greatest attack the 2nds have had in living memory was led by the Mighty, Mighty Alicia Turner at Goal Attack, a woman who can bend time and space to her will – a useful little party trick to have in the modern game. Fed with coruscating accuracy and timing by Wing Attack Georgie Langford, an angel of destruction, her every move an essay in unalloyed awesomeness, and Emily Mitchell, just about as good a Centre as it’s possible to be without actually being selected to play for one’s country, Alicia dominated the D in such a way as to induce mental disintegration among a succession of opposition defences. She and her hunting partners, the talismanic Hebe Hunt, Sarah Pope – the Platonic Form of what the 2nds are all about - and Steph Fearn, routinely found enough time and space in the D to lie back on a chaise-longue and write a ground-breaking doctoral thesis on Ren Girard’s later work on victim-sacrifice theory.

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Generally, however, this remarkable quartet had the good sense to shoot and score, something they did with all the wry nonchalance one normally reserves for an amusingly pretentious little ’78 Chassagne Montrachet. Steph, a great servant of the 2nds, deserves particular praise for this, her last season in the celestial bib – here is a woman with so much poise, elegance and quality that when she mentions the USA, she refers to it as “the New World”.

In truth, this team at times took a bit of time to get into its zone; partly, one suspects, to keep the paying public interested, they tended to start games rather slowly. Not the least of their extraordinary qualities, however, was the ability, when the moment demanded it, to raise their game to a level of swirling, towering majesty, and visit upon their foes two quarters of a long night of terrible consequence. This was a group of players whom their coach could, quite simply, trust to execute their game exactly as the moment demanded: there is no offposition on the genius-switch. At times, the attacking Netball the 2nds played was characterised by a clinicism and ruthlessness of an almost paralysing, suffocating beauty. Teams crumpled before them like a paper invitation to a Betamax retrospective at Roxy’s in Keighley.

It goes without saying, of course, that every great season is built on a strong defence, and there can have been few such fiercely staunch bastions since Buenaventura Durruti led his Column to relieve Zaragoza from Mola’s Falangist

forces in July, 1936. Screened at Wing Defence by Lucy Brierley – a player not unnerved by the spectre of greatness - the quasi-messianic Charlotte Penrose, Emily Gerard-Pearse, Jess Gough, a Stakhanovite triumvirate if ever there was one, and Nat Mansfield, were the rock on which the 2nds’ success was founded. In Nat the 2nds had a woman with more class than one of the Mitford sisters pontificating on the correct pronunciation of “exquisite” in full tweed on a grouse moor in Sutherland.

It is well documented that 71.11% of the world’s surface is covered by water, but, during Lent 2015 this only held true because the rules of Netball restricted these inexpressibly gifted players to certain parts of the Court. Mean, moody, magnificent.

A season such as to rob one of words.

We shall not gaze upon their like again.

CDD

House Harmonies

Though I am far from being an outstanding singer myself, listening to Repton’s House Harmony Competition has been my guilty pleasure and one musical event that I have religiously attended since B-Block. In my last year, I thought I would be guaranteed a good seat if I arrived at least 40 minutes in advance. However, at 6.50pm I found Pears School already a third full of people, which showed that I was not the only one in eager anticipation. Paul Phoenix, a former King’s Singer, was this year’s adjudicator,

and his feedback was invaluable to the competitors, though of course the allegations of robbery were unavoidable at the end of the night.

The competition was off to a good start with Field House’s performance of ‘Bring Him Home’ from Les Misérables. Beautifully arranged by Head of House Katie Guest, their performance was a true winner for me (although I cannot help but be subjective). The first boys’ house on stage

was The Orchard, who gave a rendition of ‘I See Fire’ by Ed Sheeran. Their arrangement allowed for a strong solo, for which Andrew Oxburgh (also Head of House!) was later commended by the adjudicator. This was followed by The Mitre’s energetic performance of ‘Ugly Heart’ by G.R.L., which became an ‘easy choice’ for Mr Phoenix when he came to announce the Highly Commended Girls’ House.

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School News House Harmonies continued New House became another one of my personal favourites this year with ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ by Gotye, as the group particularly impressed the audience with their effective combination of both young and mature voices. The Garden certainly put on a show with the popular song choice of ‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor, not to mention the fact that they finally ‘brought the booty back’ to Repton. I did not know what to expect from School House, after Will Abell insinuated that his performance involved “something he never thought he would do in Pears School”. However, their comical approach combined with assured singing of ‘I Wan’na Be Like You’ from The Jungle Book instantly won the audience over. I am sure that Will’s jumping on the judge’s table dressed as a gorilla and bribing Mr

Phoenix with a banana wasn’t the only reason they won the Boy’s Highly Commended prize.

Next on stage was The Cross, whose song choice of the Timberlake classic, ‘Cry Me A River’ appealed to the majority of the audience, as did their emotional singing.

The Abbey sang ‘Animal’ by Neon Trees and they mastered the high notes and performed with confidence. However, and not for the first time, it was Latham who once again won the Competition, this time singing ‘Ignition’ by R. Kelly. The adjudicator praised their ability to engage with the audience and show off every talented soloist, and I would agree, as it was one of the most memorable performances I have seen. The evening

finished on a high… or rather a low note, as the bearer of Repton’s deepest bass voice, Matthew Storer took to the stage for The Priory’s performance of ‘No Diggity’ by Ed Sheeran and Passenger. Though Matthew’s bass notes were impressive, it is still questionable as to whether they were enough to make up for his lack of a wig, but overall, the whole audience, and I’m assuming in particular Mrs Tennant, enjoyed the Priory’s crisp, anglicised version of ‘No Diggity’.

Without a doubt, this year’s performances have once again met my expectations, set so high by the brilliance of the competitions over my past five years at Repton.

Anna Andreeva (F)

House Unisons There are not many competitions in the school calendar that involve every member of the student body, and it is precisely this factor that makes the House Unison so spectacular. You win together, you lose together; hidden talents are discovered; social norms are destroyed; and the more competitive among us tell those who sound more like Barry Chuckle than Barry White to perform in the style of Britney Spears in concert: an energetic mime. It is a night that promises unpredictability with just one guarantee: you will be wholeheartedly entertained.

Then came the entertainment. School House’s parody of ‘My Favourite Things’ impersonated everything that makes Repton ‘special’: male teachers in tutus, singing in chapel and Mr Pollock’s MJP programme. It didn’t matter that the boys sounded more Von Crapp than Von Trapp - they had the room in fits of laughter as they mercilessly tore into each and every house. Led by their very own Julie Andrews, in the form of Will Abell, School House left us with the performance that everyone would remember.

The Mitre opened proceedings with a colourful (traditional pink and blue) performance of ‘Wonder’ by Olympic show-stealer Emeli Sandé. Superbly conducted by the energetic Olivia Omilana, the girls delivered a tuneful and rhythmic performance. The adjudicator, Simon Toyne, declared it to be infectious and indeed, as is the Mitre way, they really brought the word ‘unison’ to life.

The Priory, renowned for their singing prowess, sent their B Block down the road to the local barber yet, for the first time in recent years, their singing was more stylish than their hair. Matt Storer conducted ‘On Top of the World’ (an ambitious title to live up to) and the performance was described by the adjudicator as ‘solid, serious and well organised’. There was clapping, parts split into octaves and an excellent dynamic range; perhaps The Priory will soon be challenging the vocal elite!

Indeed, unison is a word that I would use to describe Abbey’s performance as they shocked the audience with their dramatic interpretation of Maroon 5’s ‘This Love’. The song focuses on the devastating effects that love can have on a person and there was no cause for subtlety in the performance. I don’t know how many of them were singing from personal experience but I certainly felt that it was a dangerous place to be if you were male! That said, I loved it – Jess Birch produced a remarkable arrangement and the tuning and togetherness of the group was commendable. The standard had been raised.

The Cross also chose an ambitious title in the ‘World’s Greatest’ and they too failed to live up to the name! A song featuring not one, but two, key changes was conducted by the suave James Nijjar, and the boys performed admirably. The performance was so striking that it actually left the audience stunned for a good six seconds (there is video evidence!) before they clapped – surely that must be a good thing! Either way, it was an entertaining interpretation but not to be this year.

To assume, as one U6th girl from Garden did, that the song ‘The Dog Days are Over’ is about a collection of Dalmations, Labradors and Spaniels would undermine the lyrical message that Florence Welch was trying to convey. This is a cracking song and extremely challenging to sing; Garden, led by Caitlin Furniss, pulled it off. In my view Garden were unlucky to miss out on silverware as this was a highly professional performance.

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Dressed in immaculate black tie, New House serenaded the room with the Take That classic, ‘Shine’. Oakley Elsom conducted with poise and authority and, at times, this choir produced a rich and wholesome sound. This was disciplined and together – there was no Robbie character, letting the rest of the band down in his own selfish quest for fame – and on another night may have claimed a piece of silverware.

House Unisons continued

After the smoothness of New House came the cheekiness of The Orchard who flirted their way into the audience’s hearts with a series of winks, kisses and plenty of dance moves to boot.

Singing ‘Classic’, which this is unlikely to become, they attempted the first ‘whole-house rap’, which was very challenging indeed.

What they lacked in tuning, they made up for in volume and they should be praised for being the only house to experiment with a guitar rather than the traditional piano. Songs from musicals will always stand a good chance of success as it automatically allows for performance. Seeing Jamie Clarke dressed as Elsa from Frozen is an image that has been burned onto my retinas. Thank goodness the performance was better viewing. ‘Let it go’ is exactly what Latham did as they gave a rousing rendition of the song of the moment, and they swooped in at the last to claim the highly coveted Boys’ Commended prize whilst Mitre claimed the girls’ award.

When you consider the history of musical talent in Field House, and you add that to the many number of years that Mr Griffiths has led the house, it seems impossible to think that they have never won a House Unison competition. This was about to change. Taking a stylish song, featured in The Great Gatsby, the girls stunned the audience with an incredible performance featuring many special effects. The echo on the word ‘drop’, the whispering section - this was an arrangement of sheer creativity and, in my opinion, the song of the night. Lydia Fitzsimons, on her 18th birthday, collected the trophy to the ear-deafening screams of support from the house (it’s always kinder to your health when a boys’ house wins) and the long drought was over.

What a fantastic evening of music – certainly the best I’ve seen.

NC

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Pigeon Post Dear Editor Thank you for organising such a splendid Drinks in the City, extra special for our gang of four who entered Priory in 1953 and were all present. I had not seen Metcalfe since the day I left Repton in 1957! Talking of 1957 please see The Priory house photograph for that year. I think the line up is: Back Row – Shepherd, Day, Tayanganon, Hings (now President of the OR Society ), Rhodes, Edmonds, Mackay N, Green, Smith, Stanley (Retiring as a Conservative MP), Dodds, Sharp, Graham-Brown, Davidson J, Hamilton, Broome Second Row – Wright S, Sulley, Allen, Hynes, Seyd, Greenwood, Booth C, Staples, Metcalfe, Owen (now a Governor), Holliday, Robertson, Garratt, Fletcher, Wright J, Smalley, Moore, Bragg.

Next Row - Heygate, Bill, Duggy Argyle, Batten, Hird, Jeremy ?, Sale, Rowell, Dick Sale, Therese Sale, Charles Sale (babe in arms – now Sports Editor of the Daily Mail), Smith, Mike Charleswoth, Marden, Matron (? June Fell), Boucher, Thompstone.

Front Row – Wheatcroft, Basnett, Abell, Boon, Foggo, Taylor, Both A, Shandy Sale, Turner, Bullock, Mckay P, Furse, McMaster, Cox, Davidson A. Wormell and an impressive array of cups .

My apologies if I have mixed any of you up.

John Bragg (P’53)

Dear Editor To follow up on Peter Holden's (H’59) comments on Repton in the early 1960s : Not all Houses were run exclusively on the football-fagging formula. Richard Townsend of The Mitre (where JFMW was second in command) had his own highly personal approach and he most certainly welcomed the arrival of John Thorn. I can well remember his telling us that the Governors had excelled themselves in their recent appointment.

The Headmaster along with Stuart Andrews provided teaching to the History sixth form of a quality that few schools in the land could match. Their professionalism, not least in the face of my scrambled essays, deserves our gratitude - little wonder that they ended up as heads of Winchester and Clifton.

Yours, Roger Buckley (M’58) 32

Dear Sir I was surprised and amused by Peter Holden’s (H’59) comment in your last issue about “the misgivings which so many of us had about the school’s management under John Thorn’s predecessor as Headmaster, Lynam Thomas”. His description of fagging, corporal punishment and compulsory games was accurate enough, but the aspects of his headship which I remember best were that in my five years at Repton (‘49-’54) he never spoke to me once, and he never visited my house, The Priory. Apparently he was more friendly to the boys in the Hall. I wonder when the misgivings started, and whether I and The Priory were alone in being ignored.

Yours sincerely Anthony Chapman (P’49)

Dear Editor I read with interest the letter of Peter Holden (H’59) re the Headmastership of both Lynam Thomas and his successor John Thorn. Now I left in the summer of ’61, the same time as Lynam Thomas retired (I do hope the one didn’t trigger the other!) so I cannot comment on the stewardship of Mr Thorn, but I cannot let pass the apparently slighting reference to that of his predecessor.

First, you need to understand that, apart from the story I set out below, my dealings with Lynam Thomas were non-existent, he was neither my housemaster nor did he ever teach me. Second, he was a man of his time. Born in 1900, he would have lived through the Great War; he might even have served, though I suspect he might have been too young. Unlike Mr Thorn, Lynam Thomas never wanted Repton to be a “Scholarship School,” a forcing house for academic talent. He always said he wanted Repton to be open to as wide an intake as the necessity of charging fees permitted. It is said that, with the help of George Brown, M.P. for Belper, he attempted to get Derbyshire County Council to sponsor boys from local schools who could pass the Common Entrance exam. Labour controlled Derbyshire C.C. vetoed the idea.

Lynam Thomas wanted to produce “Wellrounded Christian Gentlemen who understand the meaning of Service.” This phrase tends to raise only sniggers these days. He was in the tradition of Arnold of Rugby who stressed the idea of “Mens Sana in Corpore Sano,” of “Muscular Christianity” and the “Disciplined Life” – hence the emphasis on Games and the C.C.F. I do not find these aims unworthy.

As for academic achievements, it never struck me that the Repton of my day was in any way deficient. We generated a steady stream of Oxbridge entrants, and a useful number of University and State Scholarships, myself included among the latter. The Science Department struck me as being particularly strong with an impressive array of A Levels year after year.

Mr Bullock’s biology Dept. had an especially spectacular record.

As for Lynam Thomas personally, as I say I only ever had occasion to speak to him on a personal level once and it could have been a very uncomfortable interview indeed. Let me explain. Imagine, it is about

2 p.m. on a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon in mid March 1961, about two weeks before the end of the spring term.

Yours truly was sitting in his study at Latham, putting the finishing touches to an assignment, when a junior put his nose round the door and tells me that there are a couple of young ladies looking for me, “Absolute Stunners!” he adds. And indeed they are! Liz, the daughter of my father’s professional partner was a ravenhaired beauty, and Margaret, her best friend, was a blonde of Monroesque appearance and figure.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked.

Well, they thought it would be “a bit of a giggle” to get an exeat from school at Ockbrook and catch the bus to see John HH at Repton.

What should I do? Mr Bernard Thomas, my Housemaster, was not around, nor was my head of House. I couldn’t, remembering the fact that Liz was the daughter of my father’s professional partner, simply throw them out, so I gave them the standard “Repton Tour”; the Chapel, the then brand new Chemistry Block and ditto 400 Hall, the Kindersley Gate, the Parish Church and Crypt, Furneaux’s tomb and the story of the diver at Winchester cathedral, and so on to the Old Priory and the museum in the Undercroft, the Cloister Garth and War Memorial plaques. From there it was across the Paddock to the Biology Dept. and Mr Bullock’s axolots and salamanders, ending up with tea and buns at the Grubber before putting them, with a considerable sigh of relief on my part, on the bus back to Ockbrook.

Back at Latham I was greeted by the message that Mr Thomas, the Housemaster, wanted to see me like half an hour ago. “Explain yourself!” was the summary of what he had to say. So I did, pointing out first that I had no prior intimation of their arrival before they turned up on the doorstep and, yes, I had tried to find him, and could I really simply have simply sent them off with a flea in their respective ears given who Liz was?

He pondered a moment and said “well, the Headmaster wants to see you at the earliest opportunity” “Oh my God !” I said, believing myself to be well and truly “for it.” “Look,” said Birdy Tom “you just tell him what you’ve told me, and you should be O.K. I’ll ring him, tell him you’re

on your way and I’ll tell him what you’ve told me.”

Even so it was with some trepidation that I knocked on the door of the formidable “Presence” “Come.” “What the hell was that all about? I’ve had members of staff ringing me up all afternoon saying you’ve had a couple of girls around the School.

Explain yourself!” So I did. I told him exactly what I had told my housemaster a few minutes earlier. After a few minutes he could keep his stern face no longer and he cracked into a huge smile. He put an arm around my shoulder and said he understood the extreme awkwardness of the position in which I had found myself.

He then admonished me that on no circumstances would a repeat of such an occurrence be countenanced “Not conducive to good order and military discipline!” he growled, with a twinkle.

Whenever our paths crossed thereafter he returned my “tick” with a roguish twinkle in his eye. It is on account of this instance of understanding and humanity, as much as anything else, that calls me to defend his record.

Yours sincerely, John Hay-Heddle (L’56)

Dear Editor I heartily concur with Peter Holden’s (H’59) letter, in the last edition, in wishing our former headmaster, John Thorn, all the best on his 90th birthday in April.

Yes, John Thorn truly was a force for good at Repton – conscientious and deeply reflective on major issues and not afraid to challenge the consensus when he thought it the right thing to do. He could also be a very stimulating teacher. He awakened in me an enthusiasm for W.B Yeats which lasts to this day.

Many happy returns to John Thorn!

Yours sincerely Charles Patmore (M’63)

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Pigeon Post Dear Editor, I feel quite certain that the timely reminder provided by Peter Holden’s (H’59) letter (The Arch: Autumn 2014) that that most gifted of Repton headmasters J L Thorn celebrates his 90th birthday in April 2015 will generate a wealth of reminiscence – all of it highly positive and affectionate amongst those of us fortunate enough to have been at the school during his tenure.

Hopefully, some of these memories will find their way into the Spring issue. My own is hardly the most appropriate of those vying for publication, but I’m submitting it in the hope that the recollections you receive will be duly forwarded on to him.

By the time John Thorn took over the reins from Lynam Thomas (‘TLT’ as he was known to us boys), I was already in rebellion against that hitherto rather daunting regime in the guise of a serial rule breaker - notably making illicit trips to the cinemas of both Derby and Burton; regularly patronising a number of local hostelries willing to serve an obviously underage drinker (as if the herringbone tweed wasn’t a sufficient giveaway); and developing a smoking habit that I only managed to finally break a couple of years ago.

Inevitably, such bad behaviour brought me to the attention of the school authorities from time to time - over a two-year period I was demoted from the post of study holder twice – and culminated in my being spotted leaving The Red Lion along with two accomplices. As a resident of The Cross gaining ingress to that particular pub was pretty much the ultimate challenge, and which one “Field Day” in the summer term of 1963 proved impossible to resist.

The landlady in those days was one Dora

Bird, who, whilst not directly aiding and abetting, clearly had a sufficiently mischievous spirit to serve us with a pint each, allowed us to sign a visitors’ book (does that still exist I wonder?), and then obligingly checked to ensure the coast was clear for us to make our exit; sadly, not thoroughly enough as we walked out of the front door and straight into the unblinking gaze of the wife of the Mitre’s housemaster.

As first offenders, my two fellow bar-flies got off relatively lightly; albeit stripped of office as head and deputy head of house respectively. For our long-suffering housemaster, however, one D C Wheadon –whose nickname of ‘Weary’ was arguably well-coined in respect of having had to endure my misdeeds – my part in the escapade was the final straw, and I was despatched immediately to the San; expelled from the house as a bad influence preparatory - as I’m sure he strongly urged - to expulsion from the school itself.

Thanks to John Thorn’s judgement, compassion and above all willingness to go the extra distance in extending second chances, that ultimate sanction was withheld. I remained up at the San, but was allowed out when necessary to sit my A Levels – which to everyone’s surprise, not least my own, I passed although not spectacularly – and thereafter to slip quietly away from Repton a couple of weeks before the end of what would have been my final term in any case, and as a fullyfledged OR. Imagine such an outcome under the aegis of TLT; it could never have happened.

What should have been a disaster in fact marked the beginning of a halting but eventually established process of redemption. Whilst I haven’t achieved

anything sufficiently notable to justify a snippet in the OR News, I certainly can’t complain that the opportunities to do so were denied me – and indeed, the fifty years on from that ill-advised pint knocked back in the Red Lion have most definitely had their high spots. Did I ever properly thank John Thorn for the helping hand he so generously extended to me? Probably not – but it’s my belief that it was something he did very many times in respect of countless other temporarily troubled schoolboys on a regular basis throughout his career. Anyway, and although it’s long overdue, I thank him now. I’m glad our paths crossed when they did, not least as in those days expulsion was widely considered to inflict an indelible stain on one’s future life With my very best wishes to him – and to other readers of The Arch of the same vintage Des King (C’58) PS. ‘TLT’ might have been a figure to inspire some fear, but he was not without a sense of humour either. He once had occasion to wield the cane across my posterior: eight of ‘the best’ for being caught chewing gum in the chapel during a performance of St Matthew’s Passion. Shortly after I’d left his study, the school marshal (is there still such a functionary?) once again interrupted the same double maths period on my account to deliver an envelope containing a few loose coins that had dropped out of my pocket whilst the punishment was being duly delivered. Accompanying them was a note written in that inimitable black ink. It said: ‘I am returning a little something which I believe you may have left behind during your recent visit. Don’t spend it on more chewing gum!’

Dear Editor Glancing at the numbers of ORs killed during WW1 (Issue 325) one is horrified to learn that the numbers killed are almost the equivalent of the total numbers of pupils at any given time. I was interested to read what Peter Holden (H’59) wrote about Lynam Thomas. He was a man of integrity that we all looked up to, but with hindsight we can see that he was a member of the old guard and thus did not see why he should not perpetuate what was known at the time as the public school system. What I wanted to ask was: did everything (except lessons of course) cease to be compulsory under Mr Thorn? If it did, it must have meant quite a shake up. No wonder the staff felt uneasy.

Best regards Stephen Etches (H’55)

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Dear Editor Peter Holden (H’59), in last autumn’s issue, paid a welcome tribute to John Thorn’s headmastership from 1961-1968.

From Thorn’s autobiography ‘Road to Winchester’, Holden highlights “the misgivings many of us had about the school’s management under his predecessor Lynam Thomas” and lack of support from the staff. Thorn tried valiantly to initiate reforms, in common with some other schools, whose oldfashioned traditions were becoming conspicuously damaging to the reputation of the institution as a whole.

One of the forces Thorn was up against was an informal and corrupt power structure, which thrived because of this complacency and lack of firm authority from above. A sub-culture developed under the regime of fagging (Repton notoriously persisted with two years of it instead of one or none), which was followed by another two years at least as a “second”, a period of freedom without responsibility. This is when illegal activities such as smoking, drinking and going AWOL became properly organised.

Secrecy, timing, hideaways and intimidation of witnesses, were the keys to success. But it was hard to imagine that these activities went unnoticed by those in authority, from study holders to prefects to housemasters.

One had to conclude that up to a certain level such behaviour was tolerated providing it did not infect vulnerable groups such as new boys and other juniors.

As well as organised crime, the fagging and Seconds hierarchy was also the breeding ground of an endemic of bullying and other forms of personal abuse.

Amazingly, this also seemed to escape the attention of authority, unless a particular victim’s parents made a formal complaint.

But such was the fear of exposure that this was a very rare occurrence.

When I took my stepson to Rugby in 1979, I was struck by the complete absence of the atmosphere of oppression that had pervaded my time at Repton. Finding myself at the scene of Tom Brown’s Schooldays and the reforming Dr Arnold more than a century earlier, I could not help drawing a comparison. The Headmaster, Mr James Woodhouse, assured me: “Don’t worry, those days are definitely over”.

John Tupholme (C’58)

Whether or not John Thorn was, as Peter Holden suggests, “too intellectual”, I’m sure he could see that this whole edifice of subservience, control and fear was a corrosive distraction from the objective of education and fulfilling personal development, on top of the heavy emphasis on compulsory games and the cadet force. Dismantling it was never going to be easy, but at least he started the process.

Dear Editor Regarding the article on page 35 (The Arch 325), from Roger Gillard (P’50) two points that are pertinent to the article - firstly I nearly ran Peter Hatch out from cover and could not understand how he had made it in, this led to me watching whilst Brian Betts (B’51) and J R Fletcher (N’51), were bowling; if memory serves me correctly they both bowled (or were bowling at that time) left arm round the wicket, thus preventing them from seeing PH backing up!

That is how I came to be bowling! Secondly, at the time of the "Deed", I clearly remember looking to see where PH was and before reaching the bowling crease he was a yard out!

The pupils were about evenly split and besides being ostracised by half the school it remained a good talking point for about 48 hours!

My last game was played in Brazil in 1980; I have not been called on since. Totally different: whilst in Brazil, KES Birmingham faxed to ask if they could get a game or two of Hockey on the way down to Argentina. It took a little organising no goals, pitch, nets, etc., but by the time they appeared there were 4 teams playing in Sao Paulo, Germans, mainly Bavarian, Portuguese, ex Macao, Chinese, and a mixture of English speakers including the South African Consul who insisted on playing with left hand below the right! He of course played Cricket batting left handed!!

My regards to Roger; I am still alive (in spite of all the rumours), hockey umpiring regularly and golfing occasionally.

Yours John R H Sale (C’50)

35

Pigeon Post Dear Sir, As an avid fan of Jeremy Clarkson's (P’73) Sunday Times articles I have seldom, if ever, taken offence at his irreverence and plain speaking. Then, one day recently, he wrote "...no one has ever emigrated to Australia because of the success they've made of their lives elsewhere" and, as someone who has chosen to make Australia their home, it made me consider whether Mr Clarkson had finally landed one where it hurts.

I remember the epiphany that gripped me one wintry morning over 4 years ago as I stood on Maidenhead station's platform 2 waiting for the delayed 0801 to London. I looked around at the bored faces, no one was smiling and any murmur of conversation was confined to a few youngsters for whom the novelty of the commute had not yet worn off. Despite having two delightful boys, a wonderful wife, a secure job, a house in which we'd invested inordinate amounts of time and money and a fairly active social life, I suddenly realised that I had begun to will away my life until the next holiday. The routine of standing under somebody's armpit for up to two hours a day was beginning to take the gloss off my life.

That, on the back of two dreadful summers and three miserable winters, made me reevaluate whether I was best chucking my hand in and seeking a re deal.

I freely admit that I had reached the door marked Mid Life Crisis and that particular day caused me to open it and peer in.

Rather than buy a new sports car, Rolex watch or a Thai wife, I decided I wanted adventure. Thankfully my wife, whom I'd met in Sydney some 13 years previously, was up for it and planning a new life on a new continent was a welcome distraction to the frustrations of First Great Western's lamentable, yet wildly expensive, train services.

3 years in, I can't say it's been plain sailing however, we have established a great circle of friends and have embraced the lifestyle, which revolves around having fun. Summer is peppered with barbecues, playing sport, kayaking, surfing and generally living a charmed existence. We miss Waitrose and John Lewis of course and the Australian version of English mustard falls well short of what Colman's produce. Australian chocolate is like eating sweetened wax and the television is so abominable that you simply avoid watching it. That's no bad thing though.

The question I am often asked is whether I'd go back to the UK. I would if I didn't have to go to Birmingham and there was a perpetual late Spring and guaranteed Summer but, at any other time, it is a resounding no. I am now so accustomed to the beautiful weather and open spaces that living back in England permanently would simply be intolerable. Whilst we have some of the most poisonous creatures on the planet, the fact that I can ride on dedicated cycle lanes instead of competing with white van man for every sliver of tarmac means living here is a much safer proposition too.

Train journeys in Australia are an altogether more pleasant experience: you don't need a mortgage to pay for the ticket and people sit next to the window rather than the peculiarly English habit of taking the aisle seat. It means you don't have to ask if the vacant seat next to them is taken and you never have to suffer the aisle huggers' tuts and heaving sighs as they gather up their newspaper and coffee to allow you to sit down. One particular joy is never again, in nearing a final destination, having to put up with the conductor's announcement that the train is about to be terminated.

Every Monday through Friday for years I willed him to say “service”, just once.

In coming back to Mr Clarkson's contention that, by moving here, I clearly haven't made a success of my life I honestly can't say whether I have or not. Let's say, for sake of argument, that I haven't, I do know that I am happier here in Perth and, as a family, we are able to lead a more active lifestyle that doesn't leave us feeling cheated on a Sunday evening. I can also rest assured that, unlike those that remain in Blighty, there is not even a remote chance that Harriet Harman could be our Premier (and given the Prime Minister we have got is an oaf I don't say that lightly).

Australia is a fine place and I'd encourage all Reptonians, past and present, successful or not, to live here because ultimately it's more fun and that is way more important than success.

Yours faithfully, Adam Maxwell (M’80)

Lost Contacts We have a long list of ORs with whom we have lost contact. Below is the list from Latham. The full list is available on the OR website http://www.repton.org.uk/keep-in-touch. If you are in contact with anyone on the list, perhaps you would like to ask them if they would like to receive copies of The Arch and correspondence from us. They can email, post, or fill in the form on the web page with their current details.

First Name / Surname John Renshaw Beckitt Truman

Year 1928

LATHAM First Name / Surname John Gresham Bennett

Year 1937

First Name / Surname John Patrick Coles

Year 1948

Annesley Wallace Mike Dickie

1930

Brian Stanley Gradwell

1938

John Lindley Christie

1949

Robert Streeton Smith

1930

Karl Ernest Harff

1938

Christopher Carl Alexander

Adrian Arthur Correa Hunt

1931

Rolf Felix Baxter

1939

Stansfield

Ronald Geoffrey Marks

1931

William Bryan Ringrose

1939

John Andrew Clowes McWilliam 1950

James Wasteys Hall Mudford

1933

Charles Michael Thorman Coles 1941

James Colin Densem

1951

George Carruthers Marshall

1935

William Peter Warburton

1942

Keith Abbott

1952

John Peter Nolloth

1936

Anthony John Bartholomew

1947

Paul Richard Jarvis

1952

Gunter Harff

1936

Geoffrey Lines Tickner

1947

Michael Robert Peacock

1953

36

1950

First Name / Surname Michael Neil Jacob

Year 1953

LATHAM continued First Name / Surname Fergus Timothy Drage

Year 1969

First Name / Surname Aneas Devonport

Year 1987

Jeremy Nicholas Owen

1953

Nicholas David Keen

1969

Vikram Malhi

1987

John Edward Clouting

1955

Andrew Hudson Cowell

1970

Jasper R E Stephens

1988

David Ian McGowan

1955

Scott Gideon Thompson

Toby O E Stephens

1988

David Julian Marshall

1957

Dunderdale

Russell P Furnival

1988

Geoffrey Edward Rippon

1957

John Michael Champion

Alfred P N Lee

1988

Nicholas John Stuart Causton

1958

Wedderburn

1970

Charles Sweeney

1989

Philip Stanley Bradley

1958

Nicholas Simon Whiteley

1970

Hashem H Shawa

1989

Peter Richard Francis Frazer

1958

Julian William Donne Mason

1970

James Smith

1989

John Howard Furniss

1959

Martin John Douglas Gahan

1971

Simon Oliver Richard Sinclair

1989

Charles Humphrey Weightman

1960

Robert Emery

1972

James A Phillips

1990

John Clifford Dubberley

1961

John Edmund Cotman

1972

Andrew W Latham

1990

John Richard Stanley Silverman

1961

John Frederick Haig Stimpfig

1973

Duncan Hunter Cunningham

1991

Duncan John MacKie

1961

Martin Graham Charles Helliwell 1973

Simon Gareth John Hawkins

1991

Richard James Clegg

1962

Nicholas Meakin Bartholomew

Jason H Patrick

1991

Stuart Edward Reeves

1962

Michael Anthony Bartholomew 1974

Gabriel P Platica

1991

John Michael Sharman

1962

Michael Brewis

1974

Benjamin E Novak

1992

Roger Wayne Maltby

1962

S C Atkins

1975

Andrew James Fletcher

1993

Paul Frederick Whalley

1962

Andrew J Bartholomew

1975

Nicholas John Short

1993

Michael Phillip Des Barres

1964

M D Fletcher

1975

Ambrose On Bong Li

1994

Peter John Horton

1975

Lang Yuan So

1994

David Charles Manoel Douglas

1970

1973

Sullivan

1964

Guy A Waddingham

1976

George M Camm

1997

Michael Julian Whalley

1964

William H Canaway

1976

Karan V R Bakshi

1997

Richard Sinclair

1964

David J Smith

1977

Stuart Timothy Brown

1997

Richard Charles Davis

1964

S R Allan

1977

Nishant N Trivedi

1998

David Hugh Meredydd Ffoulkes 1964

P W Baker

1977

James O Silverman

1998

Peter Robert Schocken Kary

R Granger

1977

Johannes Simsch

1998

Arthur Haydn Bruce Cooper Smith1965

1964

Mark C Seddon

1977

Christoph Mangelmans

1999

Edward Colin Sharples

1965

R Johnson

1978

Justin Lee Porter

1999

Angus Donovan Shaw

1965

S J G Vincke

1979

David Gar Kin Tong

1999

Edward Joseph Brian Porter

1965

Brodie Derek Bibby

1979

Shahabeddin Ahari

1999

Mirza Yusuf Agha

1966

Kenneth Ashleigh Wainwright

1981

Karl G E Baily-Gibson

2000

Arthur C T Kong

1966

Graham Albert Britt

1981

Yuzo Soda

2000

Nicholas William Van Gemeren

1966

John G Meehan

1981

Thomas Joshua Higham

2001

Edwin Blois Barrett

1967

Jason Rice

1982

Evgeny Urtsev

2001

Philip William Austin

1967

William Gordon Dunn Alderson 1982

Tariq Ahmed Abdulrahman

2001

Nicholas Paul Carter

1967

Anthony Mark B Harford

1982

William James Strong

2001

Michael Lawrence Ingham

1967

Jason Grew

1983

Rupert Bruce Braxton Smith

2001

Richard Miles Whiteley

1967

Robert G Ninis

1983

Guillam J G Dancey

2002

George Graham Blyth

1967

Graham Collins

1984

Darren Brett Graham Turner

2002

Nigel John Frederick Santhouse 1968

David S Lupton

1984

Yevgeniy Yurtsev

2002

John Graham Lloyd Skinner

1968

Adam Grew

1985

Ji-Hun Cha

2003

Anthony John Tubbs

1969

Dominic R Hand

1985

Jun-Ju Ye

2003

Michael John Graham

1969

Jonathan E Holden

1985

Kishan P Thanki

2003

Rodney George Bowes

1969

Michael Cowell

1986

Owen Harry Winter

2005

Andrew Christie Fletcher

1969

A David Goodwin

1986

Oliver S C Dancey

2005

Simon Anthony Edward Brewis

1969

Lee K Dawson

1986

David Finley William

1969

Mark R Littlewood

1986 37

Overseas Links

Below is a full list of those ORs who have volunteered to be ‘Overseas Links’. We are very grateful to those who have volunteered, but there are many gaps in the list of countries. If you would be willing to act as an Overseas Link in a country not already covered, please contact Nigel Kew/Jan Cobb at: or@repton.org.uk or jcobb@repton.org.uk

Country

Overseas Link

House/Year Email

Telephone

AUSTRIA AUSTRALIA New South Wales Queensland Perth Sydney Victoria (Melbourne) Victoria BELGIUM CAMBODIA CANADA Alberta British Columbia Eastern Ontario & Quebec Toronto Western CHILE CHINA CYPRUS DENMARK EAST AFRICA (Uganda) EAST AFRICA (Kenya) EIRE ESTONIA FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY (East/South) GERMANY (North/West)

Doug Fletcher

New '01

contact@chaletexperiences.com

+43 650 9686865

Lloyd Berger David Miller Frank Smith Natalie Wynne Simon Q Crabtree Vanessa Twigg Hadrian Coulton Philip Dews

Priory ' 1 Hall '59 Orchard '53 Abbey '95 Orchard '90 Abbey '76 Mitre '82 Brook '45

berger.lloyd@gmail.com David.Miller@airgroup.asn.au frank@happygardener.com.au nataliewynne@hotmail.com simon@afps.net.au vanessatwigg@optusnet.com.au notharyy@gmail.com aseandirectory@hotmail.com

0409 544100 0617 33953715 +61 892 997 7363

Rev Martin Hattersley Ed Monro Tony Houghton Kamil Alam David Laing Nicolas Ibanez Scott Jipeng Li Richard Sale Mathilde Juul Mark Dudley Philip Hechle Dr. Huw Rolfe Kadi Lilis Saar Roger Smith Rev James Barnett James R Chapman Beate Erdmann Severin J B Zilg Eddie Niem David Poon Tom Goodall John Syed Julie Daniels Natsuko Sato Toby Fricker Tim Wilkinson Oliver Hayes Martin Robinshaw Richard Hedley Ibrahim Dikko David Llewelyn Paul Bleckly Alistair Fairclough Steve Targett Lizzie Tebbs (nee Waller) Tracey Washer Richard Coventry

Orchard '46 Cross 1956 Latham '51 Mitre '88 Latham '70 Latham '70 Field '97 Hall '61 Abbey '91 Priory '91 Hall '50 Hall '52 Garden '09 Priory '66 Hall '57 Hall '83 Abbey '99 Mitre '01 Latham '66 Hall ' 85 New ' 93 Brook '83 Abbey '89 Abbey '96 Priory '88 Cross '75 Brook '91 Latham '78 Hall '66 New '83 Orchard '63 Cross '67 Orchard '46 Cross '76 Abbey '92 Abbey '88 Brook '73

Ryan Brews Peter Hall

HONG KONG INDIA INDONESIA ITALY JAPAN JORDAN KUWAIT PAKISTAN MOROCCO NEW ZEALAND NIGERIA NORWAY PHILIPPINES PORTUGAL QATAR QATAR SAUDI ARABIA SINGAPORE SOUTH AFRICA Cape Town Natal SPAIN South & Gibraltar Madrid Madrid Mallorca SOUTH KOREA SWEDEN (STOCKHOLM) SWITZERLAND TANZANIA THAILAND THAILAND TRINIDAD TURKEY UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNITED ARAB EMIRATES USA All All Arizona California Chicago Florida Los Angeles Massachusetts New York New York North Carolina Ohio Texas Washington WEST INDIES All Cayman Islands Jamaica YEMEN ZAMBIA

38

+1 780 483 5442 + 61 394 121 206 +44 758 044 6038 855 163 780 39 +1 780 483 5442

hilnedmonro@yahoo.ca dtbears@kingston.net kamilalam@gmail.com dlaing@endeavourfinancial.com richard@edacen.com miss@matty.dk mark.dudley3@gmail.com philipandroshechle@gmail.com drhuwrolfe@gmail.com kadiliissaar@gmail.com noelsmit@.jyu.fi james.barnett@wanadoo.fr jim@chapmans.de beate_erdmann@hotmail.com niemeyf@netvigator.com dgkpoon@gmail.com

+1 613 547 6551 (647) 861 4254 + 56 221 688 18181820 07855 237 559 + 357 254 341 65 + 45 355 564 90 +25 678 380 5022 +00 280 4415 + 358 142 601 224 + 33 546 949 925 +49 175 565 8903 + 0049 620 115 807 + 852 287 381 18 +852 968 803 15 + 91 226 676 1676

jj9749@gmail.com + 39 058 323 675 info@juliedaniels.com + 81 803 002 7170 violino7@hotmail.com +962 (0) 796 536 340 tobyfricker@hotmail,com tcmwilkinson@hotmail.com 0092 3028560151 oehayes@googlemail.com or-overseas-linkmorocco@outlook.com ++212 (0)6 50 39 14 76 + 0064 927 765 77 r-s.hedley@xtra.co.nz +234 809 944 4545 iydikko@hotmail.com + 47 515 71930 davidlle@online.no +63 917 540 4057 paulbleckly@yahoo.co.uk juliastevet@gmail.com lizzietebbs@hotmail.co.uk traceywasher@me.com richard.coventry@rcc.com.sg

00351 289 398 694/ 01892 523 033 +974 553 040 64 +974 662 725 E4442 00966 543843671 +65 96393097

Mitre '00 Latham '57

ryanbrews@gmail.com peter@cookingbear.co.za

+27 766 170 098 +27 022 492 2009

Mark Smith Luke Allen John Wilcox Jonny Greenall Ga Jeun Lee Peter Stones Andrew Neville Charles Adeogun-Phillips Jom Salakshana Charles Ostick Omar Hadeed Huseyin Yardimci Charles Neil Sandy Farquharson

Orchard '78 Orchard '87 Mitre '82 Orchard '89 Abbey '92 Latham '05 Hall '69 Orchard '83 Mitre ' 6 Orchard '75 Priory '99 Hall '83 Priory '65 New '97

mshsmith@btinternet.com luke@atg.com jdw@fidentiis.com infor2@sloanemallorca.com gajeun.lee@gmail.com pete.stones@gmail.com aaneville@outlook.com charles@cjaresantanylaw.com jom.salakshana@trs.co.th ostickc@gmail.com omarhadeed@hotmail.com huseyin@yardimci.gen.tr charlesjohn.neil@gmail.com sandyfarquharson@hotmail,com

+34 662 143 442 Mob +34 654 328 577 + 00 349 141 534 15 00 34 639 702 411 +82 01053601046

Jane Roy Mark Wilhelm Verheyen Mike Jolley Edward Huson Robert Perks Andy Hilton Ash Johsi Andreas Graham Anthony Edgar James Kirtland Russell Elliott Douglas Balchan Shaheen Ladhani Christopher Huson

Abbey ' 86 Cross '77 Orchard '47 Hall '70 New '71 Brook ' 68 Latham '82 Mitre'83 Orchard '90 Orchard '88 Mitre '93 Orchard '71 Cross '89 Hall '72

jroy@uab.edu mverheyen@comcast.net MnJJOLLEY@aol.com eahuson@gmail.com robert_perks@baxter.com andyh@totallybrilliant.com ash@caprity.com andreas.graham@verizon.net ajedgar@me.com james.kirtland@gmail.com russelliott@gmail.com djbalchan@aol.com shaheenladhani@gmail.com mrhuson@mindspring.com

+ 1 205 934 1757 +415 203 9225 + 1 520 529 9562 +415-203-9225 +0 847 270 4354 +1 863 858 4000 818 501 9898

Edward James Hutson Elliot Charles Reid Gordon Sharp Huw Thomas Samuel Chibale

Mitre '68 Hall '64 Priory '54 Latham '73 Mitre '95

james@ellcorentals.com bracmed@candw.ky gsharp@cwjamaica.com hadthomas@aol.com chibale_s@yahoo.com

+ 246 256 4637 & +246 434 7395

+41 79 607 42 60 + 255 272 565 329 + 66 233 190 53 & +661 819 2717 +99 818 169 E61825 001 868 632 2140 +90 532 426 3504 + 971 506 550 92

+1 917 475 -1059 +1 917 558 1079 704 526 7846 + 001 937 322 2040 +1 281 850 4292 + 1 206 328 6112

+ 1 876 986 2870 +967 711 437 124 0978 214 362 (zain network) add international dialling codes

Your Contact Details In the OR Office we are keen to ensure that we keep our records updated for all ORs. To this end we would be grateful if you could contact us if any of your details change, such as address, email, telephone numbers etc.

We are also delighted to hear your ‘good news’ such as engagements, marriages, births, qualifications gained, new jobs etc. We will only publish such information in The Arch with your agreement.

Please email the office: jcobb@repton.org.uk or or@repton.org.uk Or telephone: 01283 559320 Or write to us at: The Old Reptonian Society The Hall, Repton School Repton, Derbyshire DE65 6FH

Would you prefer to read The Arch on line and not receive a paper copy?

Please advise us if this is the case.

Old Reptonians can now keep in contact with the OR office and fellow ORs via Facebook – go to www.facebook.com/ORSociety and click ‘Like’.

We would like to send invitations to our events out electronically. If you do not currently receive emails from us, please email jcobb@repton.org.uk

Repton School Shop - Memorabilia OR Ties: Silk Smooth Silk Non Crease Bow Tie

House Scarves: The Priory School House New House Latham House OR House/Sports Ties: The Orchard Brook House The Mitre (Girls) The Hall Cross The Priory The Abbey School House (Polyester) Field House New House The Garden Latham House The Orchard Banded white sweaters (long sleeved and The Mitre sleeveless) The Cross OR Football OR Hockey OR Golf (striped) Cambridge Pilgrims Tie

Umbrellas: Large golf umbrella

Miscellaneous: Pint Glass Crested Tankard Half Pint Glass Crested Tankard Large Glass Crested Goblet Crested Red Wine Glass Glass Crested Paper Weight Crested Cuff Links Crested Key Rings Brass Buttons Repton cards Repton Postcards Large Teddy Bear Repton Cricket Caps Leisure Socks Mug Repton China Coin Tray 450th Anniversary Book Repton To The End Repton Register 2007 Book Repton Register 2007 CD

New silk ties for Old Reptonians for all of the Houses are now available.

All items are available from the Repton School Shop, The Paddock, Repton, which can be contacted for price details and to place your order on: Tel. 01283 559323, or by email: shop@repton.org.uk

39

Art Weekend, January 2015

The Old Reptonian Society The Hall, Repton School Repton, Derbyshire DE65 6FH

Tel. 01283 559320 Email: jcobb@repton.org.uk / or@repton.org.uk

Website: www.repton.org.uk