OPA Newsletter February 1974
New Series No. 25
February 1974
THE OLD PHAROSIANS’
NEWS LETTER
President: D. Gibb. Esq.
Secretary :
B. A. Harrison, Esq., 87 Lewisham Road, Dover (Kearsney 3066) .
Treasurer:
Rev. W. F. Kemp, The Rectory, Denton, Canterbury
Editor:
E. H. Baker, Esq., 24 Downs Road, Maidstone ME14 21N
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Since the first Newsletter of this series was issued in June, 1961 the name of H. R. Slater has appeared on each number as Secretary of the Old Pharosians. You may have noticed. that this Newsletter bears a new name. Bob Slater held this somewhat thankless post for 18 years and it is not surprising he has been making noises indicating that he would would like a change if a successor could be found. The Committee is grateful to Bernard Harrison for agreeing to act as Secretary.
Those of you who know Bernard will be aware of his enthusiasm and organising ability, and I hope he will have your active support in his endeavours to create a more lively association.
There must be many Old Boys who no longer have any family ties with Dover and who will not have visited it for many years. There must be many wives of Old Boys who have never seen the ancient borough. Why not give yourselves and them a treat by attending the May Ball on 17th Mayor the Annual Reunion on 28th Septemberor preferably both.? You will find many interesting changes in both the town and the School.
The Committee is at present considering whether the formal dinner should be replaced by some other form of reunion, but whatever function is arranged I hope to see many fresh faces this year.
Denis Gibb.
GLEANINGS
Please note that the Hon. Secretary is now Bernard A Harrison. 87 Lewisham Road. Dover (Kearsney 3066).
It was most pleasing to meet at the Dinner Ron Spear (Canada). Bill Dewar (Edinburgh). Don Dewar (Beaminster), Gordon Allen (Fordingbridge), Ernest Legg (St. Albans) and former members of the Staff Messrs. Coulson and Coveney.
Incorrect subscriptions have been received from many Old Pharosians as the Bank Standing Order has not been amended to 50p. With increased costs in printing and postage it is essential that subscriptions are paid in full.
We thank those members who have notified change of address, but we have now lost touch with W. P. R. Browne (1946-51). Still no news of A. W. Levenden. A. Malais. C. Marsh. J. D. Patrick., A. W. S. Webber.. Can anyone help please?
Thanks to assistance from Norman Sutton. Andrew Hayden, Dan Grinsted and John White we have traced:
J. E. C. Bushell, 25 Deanwood Road, River.
A. A. Norman, 101 Bradenham Beeches, Naphill, High Wycombe, Bucks.
P. J. McVey, Shortlan, Maori Road, Guildford.
P. W. McVey, 361 Cannon Hill Lane, London. SW20.
A. W. Salmon, c/o Apartado 349, Correos, Ibiza. Baleares.
M. E. Hearn, 830½ South Tennessee Avenue, Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A 33801.
The attendance of Old Boys and Staff at the Dinner was disappointing. You do not know what you are missing. Make a date to come this year on Saturday, 28th September, 1974.
We send congratulations to the Rt. Rev. Eric A J. Mercer (1929-36) on his appointment as Bishop of Exeter on the 1st October, 1973.
A profit of £49 on the May Ball was divided between the School, Parents’ Association and O.P.’s.
The formal opening of the School Pool on 14th July, 1973 by the Chairman of the School Governors must have given much pleasure to Miss Rookwood.
Derek Aslett (a 15 year old) is to be congratulated on his success in being chosen to play for the England Schools’ Cricket XI.
Guest Evening on the 16th November, 1973 again maintained the high standard the School has achieved in Choral and Orchestral Music and in the reading of English literature.
Many Old Boys who received pre-driver training from Mr. George Hackford will wish him well on his retirement to Torquay.
VICE-PRESIDENTS NOTES
After every September Reunion of Old Boys a new exciting spirit is engendered. Old Boys ask can’t we meet more oftencan we have another “get-together” soon? Yes, you can! Just as our Association is open to all Old Boys of the School, so too is our Masonic Lodge. We meet on the 3rd Saturdays in October, November, January, February, March and April. We welcome any enquiries to join Pharos Lodge, No. 6967. The Secretary is Mr. B. Howard, 5 River Drive, Dover (Kearsney 2413Code 03047). This year’s Master is Anthony Rhodes, and the Wardens are David Gunn and Bill Ratcliffe.
This year’s Old Pharosians’ A.G.M. and Reunion is on 28th September and most probably will be at the Merritime Hall, Snargate Street. Dover.
Bob Winter.
CRICKET, 14th JULY, 1973
Due to the calls of more lucrative employment only five regular School 1st XI players were available, so some experienced Old Boys’ batting collected 180 for 5 wickets with ease. After tea the School were able to survive some Old Boys’ bowling of veteran class. The most pleasing memory of the afternoon was the bowling of the last over by William Kemp in the 50th year since he joined the School, and the spontaneous reception he received as both teams lined the way for him to walk into the pavilion out of the sunshine. Old Boys’ XI: W. Kemp, J. Kremer, M. Pickering, J. Morgan. M. Palmer, J. Sherrell, R. Hastie, G. Alvey, T. Wellard, D. Hagell, A Baillie. Umpires: Ken Ruffell and David Elleray.
K.H.R.
OLD BOYS’ DAY, 1973
The afternoon was very pleasant for the most interesting soccer match with the School for many years. The Old Boys won 3-1 mainly due to experience and the ability to accept their chances in front of goal. The two linesmen were efficient, although the “elderly” gentlemen was subjected to good-hearted touchline banter. David Elleray was as always, a first-class referee, and we hope he will control this match for many years to come. Old Boys’ XI: Pearce, Palmer, R. Durrant, M. Durrant, Pullan, Hastie, Taylor, Redsull, Pratt, Flood, Freeman.
The A.G.M. was attended by 28 members and produced little discussion. The Balance Sheet presented by William Kemp was most favourably received and showed credit balances of Current a/c £136 Deposit £172 and Register £76. The record number of new members was noted and thanks expressed to Ken Ruffell for his efforts. Denis Gibb was elected President and Robert Winter Vice-President. Bob Slater resigned after 18 years as Honorary Secretary, was suitably thanked, and elected to the Committee with Mick Palmer and Sid Wenborn. Bernard Harrison was appointed Hon. Secretary. All other retiring members were re-elected. Bill Jacques was elected an Honorary Life Member after completing 27 years on the Staff.
At the Dinner we were joined by the Ladies and Mr. and Mrs. Philip Haffenden. The meal was excellent, the speeches followed the usual conventional formula. Afterwards some danced, but many preferred to reminisce over school days now all of Forty Years On”.
E.H.B.
DIAMOND JUBILEE TRUST FUND
Meetings were held on 30th June and 17th November. 1973 of the TrusteesJ. C. Booth. M. Sayers. W. Ratcliffe (Sec./Treas.) together with the Headmaster and K. Ruffelland R Winter who accepted an invitation to become a Trustee. At the 31st March, 1973 there was a credit balance of £1,195. with an annual income from Convenants and Interest of about £200.
Due to the efforts to raise funds for other school projects there has been little recent activity to increase the fund. but it is hoped that 1975 will be a year for special review, more particularly because the original seven year covenants will have run their time and some Savings Bonds will mature.
The Trustees have allocated £100 to assist the School in resuming publication of the Pharos.
W. J. Ratcliffe.
MAY BALL, 1974
This year’s May Ball will be held at the School on Friday, 17th May from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Martin Brown Band will again be providing the music and, as usual. dress is optional. Tickets are usually £1 each, inclusive of buffet supper, but costs may well have increased by May. Ring me (Kearsney 3066) a little nearer the date and I’ll confirm the price. Drinks are on American Supper lines, which means you bring your own.
To prevent overcrowding, tickets will be strictly limited to 200 and sold on a first come first served basis. Reservations accompanied by cash or cheque, should be made at the School to Ken Ruffell from 24th April and early application is advised. Despite minor problems, last year’s ball was an outstanding success, so bang your reservations in early and enjoy a jolly evening.
Bernard Harrison.
NEWS OF OLD BOYS
R. E. Smith (1921-29). Penhope, Marden. Hereford, has retired after 11 years as Principal of Hackney Technical College. Whilst with the ILEA he met several Old Boys including H. R. Mainwood who is a chief librarian.
A. W. (Sam) Salmon, Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) (1925-30), before retiring to Ibiza. worked for Handy Angle in Tokyo. Hong Kong. Singapore, Melbourne. Kuala Lumpur, Lagos and Nairobi. He has a bungalow at Kingsdown but cannot say when he will be in residence. He recalls his happy school days and would like to hear from his contemporaries who included Dave Gibb, Hugh Newman, Bill Kemp, Eric Sharpe, Frank West-Oram, Jim Paterson, Emie Ewell, Neech who had a powerful Norton and Bingbam who went birds-nesting.
B. Jarvie (1958-66) called at the School recently. He is Assistant Housemaster and teaches Biology at King’s School. Peterborough.
Rev. J. Dilnot (1947-55) has been appointed to the parishes of Leeds and Broomfield, near Maidstone.
J. Hall (1953-58) is with Unilever and has moved on promotion to East Grinstead. He is in his final year of study for a London M.Sc.
L Jarvie (1949-55) obtained a Ph.D. (Anthropology) at L.S.E. and then lectured for five years at Hong Kong University. Now Professor of Philosophy at York University. Toronto. he has had several books published in America. He has a wife and two children.
A. (Tony) Norman (1944-51) has spent 22 years in the R.A.F. He is a Squadron Leader at H.Q. Strike Command of the A.O.C. He is married with three daughters and one son. and expects to resume his travels in 1974.
A. J. Hayden (1932-40) served in, the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards during the War in Italy. Greece. Palestine and the Middle East. He is in the Treasurer’s Dept. of the G.L.C. His main interests are genealogy and music. He is organist at Stonegate Parish Church.
M. J. Durrant (1962-70) has been awarded his second class honours degree in, Modem History at St. Edmund’s. Oxford. He is to do an Education year.
M. Northcutt (1949-57). 38 The Stirrups. Cashes Green, Stroud. Glos., sends best wishes to his contemporaries. He is Chief Product Engineer with Aero-Bearings Ltd. He has been elected to the Inst. of Mech. Engineers. On leaving School he spent 13 years with Rolls Royce Aero-Engine Division and in 1962-63 was on loan to SEATO. Bangkok.
G. Tuthill (1959-65) has left the Dover Express to join the editorial staff of the Deal Mercury. He is closely associated with the Dover London Road Methodist ChurchYouth Club Leader, Sunday School Secretary, Organist, Editor of the Church News Letter. He is administrator of the Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service. A member of our Committee, we offer our best wishes on his recent engagement.
R. Efemy (1939-46) as Vicar of Dudley Parish Church is deeply involved in both the civil and ecclesiastical reorganisation in the tremendous expansion of the West Midlands. He contributes an occasional leading article to the Church Times and recently returned from leading a party to Israel. He is a Rotarian.
K. Middleton (1962-69) is taking a B.Sc. (Hons.) Course at Hatfield Polytechnic. Last summer he worked for a civil engineering firm at Dartford.
Mrs. Lily V. Turnpenny (1905-12). It is most pleasing to hear from our oldest Old Boy, but it was sad to learn that her husband can no longer attend the Pharos Lodge due to near blindness.
K. Wood (1963-70) called at the School after taking a second class honours degree in Social Studies at Nottingham. He is now training for management with Marks and Spencers.
Dougles E. Sharp (1928-36). We regret to record his death on 5th June, 1973 at the age of 55 years, near Adelaide, Australia.
G. L. Watt (1928-39), M.A. (Cantab.), M.I.Biol., is Headmaster of Tollington Park School, London, N4.
D. Hazeldine (1965-70). Joined the Army’s Welbeck College, Worksop, and proceeded to Sandhurst where he has recently been commissioned in the R.A.O.C.
J. Binfield (1962-69) has obtained his Bachelor of Education Degree, Durham.
P. Knott (1965-72) has been recommended for a prize (£30) at University College, London, where he is taking a B.Sc. degree course. He was the only student given a first class in the end of year examinations.
P. Wheeler (1963-71) has been elected President of the Students’ Union at Durham University.
Tony Williams (1959-67) has taken a higher degree in Micro-Biology and works at Leatherhead.
G. Mack (1959-67) after teaching for four years at St. Martin’s School has transferred to St. Mary’s, Dover. He is married and lives in Deal where he helps to run Youth Concerts.
S. E. Teasdale (1923-30), 37 Delamere Road, Hayes, Middlesex, has spent most of his life in the Electricity Supply Industry.
A. Rainsley (1962-69) has gained a Bachelor of Education (Honours) Degree at Cambridge and is teaching at Ampthill, Beds.
N. F. Hadfield (1919-28), 23 Chartridge Lane, Chesham, Bucks., recently celebrated his ruby wedding.
A. Vardon (1968-70) is training to become a teacher. He recently assisted at the Isle of Man holiday camp for children from the worst areas of Belfast.
R. Bowles (1926-35) is Australian Consul, Bahrain. Arabian Gulf.
S. Gale (1930-34) lives at Felpham and teaches Science at Bognor Comprehensive.
W. A. Goldfinch (1923-29), 64 Newbold Terrace East. Leamington. On leaving School he joined an electrical engineering firm at Rugby. In 1937 he was appointed H.M. Inspector of Factories and has been employed at various towns in Britain.
M. Ellis (1965-72) is studying music at Birmingham and at the end of his first year was awarded a Scholarship. He is a most proficient violinist and participated in the Musicale Finale at the 1973 River Methodist Flower Festival.
P. G. Hearn (1945-51) obtained a degree at Hull and then joined the R.A.F. to become an expert free-fall parachutist. He has seen much of the world from the air and may become a schoolmaster when he retires from the R.A.F.
P. Woolhoose (1950-55) has been a sales manager with a Nottingham polythene packaging company and was recently made a director.
D. Coleman (1961-69) was made a Deacon on the 29th June, 1973 by the Lord Bishop of Stepney at St. Mary’s, Stoke Newington. He is serving in the parish of Christ and St. John with St. Luke, the Isle of Dogs.
V. A. J. Ravensdale (1925-32) has returned from Kampala to become Vicar of Stilton with Denton and Caldecote. Peterborough.
M. Huntley (1956-63) B.A. (Hons.), Sussex, M.A. Benares Hindu University, Ph.D. University of Minneapolis, is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wisconsin. U.S.A.
L. Huntley (1958-63) has been awarded a Post Office Telecommunications Scholarship at Warwick University to gain a M.Sc. in Business Studies.
P. Fry (1959-64). Fellow of the Great Britain GemmologicaI Association, has been appointed jewellery manager of a Canterbury firm. He is one of Dover’s leading anglers.
J. Redman (1961-69) has obtained his Bachelor of Education Degree at Durham.
G. Fagg (1962-70) was awarded a B.Sc. (Hons.) Degree in Pharmacology at Liverpool. He is studying to become a Ph.D. at University College, London.
S. Winter (1963-70) gained his honours degree in Psychology at Southampton and is continuing his studies at Coventry.
W. Wilkie (1957-64) won the Harriott Prize for the highest marks in Commercial Law in his final chartered surveyor’s examination.
A. Brooks (1959-66) went to the London School of Economics as a geographer and is now training to be a Town Planner in the City of London.
R. Sommers (1959-63), 7 The Lane, Blackheath Park, London, SE3, has completed seven years in Central Finance with Ford of Europe. He took A levels on the Science side and regrets early specialisation at School.
J. Rainbow (1970-72) wrote to the School recently while serving with his R.A. Unit in Londonderry. He is evidently under much more active service conditions than those who served in the Emerald Isle in the Hitler War.
K. Shinfield (1955-60) has been appointed manager of Esso Petroleum bulk plant, Dover.
C. Biofield (1951-58) lectures in Modem History at Sheffield University and has written a book George Williams and the Y.M.C.A.
B. Wilson (1950-57), B.Sc. (Econ), is an administrator under the Commissioner for Social Affairs with the E.E.C. in Brussels.
David M. Gunn (1947-53), former C.O. of the Dover Air Training Corps, has been awarded the Cadet Forces Medal.
Gordon Hickman (1942-45), a Lt.-Col. with the Royal Signals Regiment at Rheindahlen, Germany, was awarded the O.B.E. in the New Year Honours List.
Raymond R. Sutton. Members of the O.P. Cricket and Football XI’s of the 30’s will regret to learn of his death on the 22nd August, 1973.
R. Craddock emigrated to New Zealand in 1953 and recently returned to Dover for a short visit. He has a building business in Auckland and is married with four children.
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CRICKET. Any Old Boy wishing to play against the School on 13th July, 1974, should contact Ken Ruffell.
28th SEPTEMBER, 1974, is your day. If you have any ideas as to the entertainment and refreshments you would like and be prepared to support after the A.G.M. write to the Hon. Sec. NOW.
See you at Crabble17th to 20th August. Kent v. Gloucestershire.