1995 January

OPA Newsletter January 1995

OLD PHAROSIANS’ ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

    New Series No. 67

Jan 1995

L I S T O F C O N T E N T S

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION
* Officers and Committee
* President’s Letter
* Annual General Meeting
* Cricket Match
* Soccer Match
* Annual Reunion Dinner
* Committee Meeting 17th November

EDITORIAL
* Rev.Dr. Michael Hinton Reflects and Remembers
* Seventy Years On, E.H. Baker
* Strange Happenings
* Appointment of Professor of Geography

NEWS OF THE SCHOOL
* End of Term Assembly 26th July
* School Report
* News Gathered from “First Thursday Newsletters”
* Junior Prizegiving
* Guest Evening
* List of Boys who Have Obtained University Places
* The General Inspection
* Retirement of Mr. Kelvin Carter

NEWS OF OLD BOYS
* Obituaries
* Members Still Living and Learning
* Pharos Lodge
* “Gone Away or Not Known”

LATE EXTRA
* The Carol Service

“FIAT LUX”

Thou whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard.
And took their flight;
Hear us, we humbly pray
And where the Gospel-day
Sheds not its glorious ray
Let there be light!

Thou who didst come to bring
On thy redeeming wing
Healing and sight.
Health to the sick in mind
Sight to the inly blind
Ah! Now to all mankind
Let there be light!

Spirit of truth and love
Life-giving, holy dove
Speed forth thy flight:
Move on the water’s face
Bearing the lamp of grace
And in earth’s darkest place
Let there be light!

Blessed and holy Three
Glorious Trinity
Wisdom, love, might!
Boundless as ocean tide
Rolling in fullest pride
Through the world far and wide
Let there be light!

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 1994-95

President: G.L. Tutthill
21 Orchard Drive, River, Dover, CT17 OND
01304 822121

Vice-President: J.R. Booth
641C Loose Road, Maidstone, ME15 6UT
01622 846271

Past President: B.D. Crush
39 Eythorne Road, Shepherdswell, Dover, CT15 7PG
01304 830528

Secretary: P.J. Harding
6 Chestnut Road, Elms Vale, Dover, CT17 9PY
01304 205007

Assistant Secretary: C.J. Henry
40 Crabble Road, River, Dover, CT17 OQE
01304 823764

Treasurer: I.D. Pascall
‘Karibu’, 45A Bewsbury Cross Lane, Whitfield,
Dover, CT16 3EZ
01304 821187

Membership R. Gabriel
Secretary: 229 St.Richards Road, Deal, CT14 9LF
01304 366110

Newsletter Editor: K.H. Ruffell
193 The Gateway, Dover, CT16 1LL
01304 202172

Archivist: S.J. Wenborn
88 Minnis Lane, River, Dover, CT17 OPT
01304 823943

Committee: M.J. Palmer (to retire 1995)
12 Hazeldown Close, River, Dover, CT17 ONJ
01304 825472

P.J. Burville (to retire 1995)
Seagate, Goodwin Road, St.Margarets Bay,
Dover, CT15 6ED
01304 853267

M.H. Smith (to retire 1997)
68 Minnis Lane, River, Dover, CT17 OPT
01304 822429

T. Sutton (to retire 1996)
17 Bewsbury Cross Lane, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 3HB

J.D.B. Borrett (to retire 1997)
115 Dover Road, Walmer, Deal, CT14 7JH
01304 375572

R.C. Colman (to retire 1996)
Ivy House, Great Mongeham, Deal
01304 375137

Auditor: Vacant

Headmaster: N. Slater

Staff D. Murray
Representatives: S. Callagher
M.R. Grant

Head Prefect: Kenan Deniz

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

First of all, thank you for electing me as President of the Old Pharosians for this year. I feel very honoured and I am looking forward to a very interesting year of office. The school means a great deal to me, as I know it does to many of you.

I was pleased to see so many of you at the annual dinner in September, covering virtually every decade from the 1920s onwards. I hope that even more of you will be able to join us next year.

As I mentioned at the dinner, next year the school will be celebrating its 90th anniversary and I hope we can all work together to make it a very special year. Appeals may well have been made in the past to Old Pharosians to encourage other old boys of the school to join the association, and I make no apology for making a similar appeal.

The school has gone through a very difficult time in the past few years. Now it has become Grant Maintained and we are looking to the future with greater confidence. More than ever before, the school needs the support of a strong and active old boys’ association, and I hope that you will all play your part in this.

If you live near enough to Dover or happen to be visiting the area, perhaps you could come and support some of the events at the school. There will be a series of musical events during the year, as well as sporting fixtures and very enjoyable Wine and Wisdom evenings organised by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association.

But wherever you live, near or far, if you are in contact with other old boys of the school who do not yet belong to the association, then please make this the year that you encourage them to join. Former pupils have gained so much from this school and now, perhaps, they can offer something back.

I am conscious that many Old Pharosians have already done much, and the school is grateful to them. But there are hundreds more old boys who could follow their example. Simply by joining the association they will be supporting the school, and in return for their subscription they will receive these excellent newsletters with details of all that is going on.

There are many areas in the school where extra equipment or facilities are required, particularly following the period of uncertainty when cut backs were made.

Perhaps some old boys could help with work experience. There are often difficulties in finding sufficient places for pupils to undertake their work experience each year, with so many schools looking for placements at the same time. So if you – or another old boy that you know – can offer a place, perhaps this could be your contribution to the life of the school. If you can help – please contact the school.
There are many ways in which we can support the school, and as we head towards the 90th anniversary, please take the time to ensure that this is a very valuable and memorable year for the school.

Graham Tutthill

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

at the school at 11.00am on Saturday 17th September 1994

MEMBERS PRESENT included Terry Sutton, Graham Tutthill, Fred Rhodes, John le Provost, Georgy Curry, Denis Gibb, Sid Wenborn, John Borrett, Dick Standen, Lionel Bish, Arthur Tolputt, David Murray, S.J. Callacher, William Fittall, Neil Slater, Roger Gabriel, Ken Ruffell, Mick Palmer, Maurice Smith, Barry Crush, Ian Pascall and Peter Burville.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Ted Baker, Philip Ewer, Malcolm Grant, Philip Harding, Mrs. Turnpenny, William Kemp, Ken Lott, Tom Beer, Chris Gill, David Tapley, Keith Tolputt, A.S. Grove and Denis Weaver.
Everyone was sorry to learn thast Vic Alcock is extremely ill but hopeful of successful treatment. We all send our best wishes.

MINUTES of the previous AGM were received and approved. The efficiency of Philip Harding was appreciated. Ken Ruffell reported that a letter of thanks had been received from the school’s Director of Music for our gift of £300 to buy castors that would ease movement of the school’s grand piano.

TREASURER presented his Income and Expenditure Account which is printed elsewhere in this Newsletter. The number of covenants has risen to 74 and further help of this kind would be welcome. We had received 93 generous donations. By transfer of our main capital to the Charities Investment Fund we receive interest instead of paying bank charges. Newsletter postage costs were increasing: but we had a surplus for the year of £93. We had committed ourselves to a gift of £200 to purchase weight lifting equipment for the school gym. Treasurer was thanked for his expertise: and Mick Palmer, it was noted, had stepped into the job of auditor.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS proceeded with transfer of Presidency from Barry Crush to Graham Tutthill. Barry was thanked for his years in office and Graham looked forward to the coming year in which he is also Chairman of Governors.

The full list of officers and committee members for 1994-95 is printed at the start of this Newsletter.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS produced news that the video entitled “The School on the Hill” made by the late Bernard Harrison and Bernard Denham in 1965, the 60th anniversay of the school’s foundation, was now available for purchase and would be shown before the evening dinner.

A London Reunion had frequently been arranged by Denis Gibb. He was now unable to do so but hoped someone else would pick up the idea.

Membership secretary reported that total membership now stood at 707. He produced several copies of names and addresses which he maintains by exercise of his computer expertise.

Headmaster Neil Slater spoke about the school’s achievement of Grant Maintained Status and recent developments and achievements. Inevitably he spoke in a similar vein after the evening Dinner and a summary of these matters will be found elsewhere in this Newsletter.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to headmaster, staff and governors for all they had done during a difficult year.

K.H.R.

CRICKET MATCH

OLD PHAROSIANS v. SCHOOL
6th July 1994 at 2.00pm

OLD PHAROSIANS
P. Michael c wicket keeper, b Jaenicke 67
A. Wellard c Broome, b Durrant 66
S. Watson run out 28
J. Shepherd c and b Durrant 0
T. Padfield c Parker, b Robinson 12
J. Corless c Durrant, b Jaenicke 2
P. Castle not out 20
D. Hall c Parker, b Robinson 2
M. Palmer not out 0
A. Gardiner and M. Grant did not bat
Extras 15
____
TOTAL 212 for 7 wickets
____

Bowling: Robinson 2 for 45: Jaenicke 2 for 26

SCHOOL
B. Brothwell run out 34
S. Parker lbw b Gardiner 31
D. Johnson lbw b Corless 8
R. Wratten c Corless, b Gardiner 3
J. Muir c Castle, b Corless 11
D. Berwick c Corless, b Castle 1
M. Robinson not out 5
M. Jaenicke not out 1
Goodacre, Broom and Durrant did not bat
Extras (inc. 6 wides) 16
___
TOTAL 110 for 6 wickets
___

Bowling: six analyses indecipherable

Match drawn

SCHOOL v. OLD BOYS SOCCER MATCH
17th September 1994

The School XI won the Andrew Kremer Memorial Cup outright for the first time since 1987. They scored a convincing victory in the annual fixture.

Playing in a fluent, attacking style the School scored four times without reply in the first half and although the Old Boys team fought back in the second half to twice reduce the arrears, two late goals for the School made the final score 7-2.

The Old Boys were represented by:-

Matthew Robinson, Chris King, Simon Jones, Mike Andrews, Raul San Emeterio, Simon Gretton, Neil Beverton, Jeff Vane, Dave Palmer, Marc Goodacre,
Matthew Jaenicke, Stefan Peto and Paul Henwood

THE ANNUAL DINNER

Saturday, 17th September 1994

To the credit and delight of Maurice Smith who annually undertakes arrangements for our annual dinner, numbers of members and their ladies attending this year rose to 90. Many had travelled from as far as USA and Canada. Before dinner there was a buzz of conversation and greeting. The meal was good and well served. Then the head prefect proposed the loyal toast.

The speech-making went on rather long but was not without humour. Because Barry Crush, the immediate past President, had to miss last year’s dinner, he was introduced by Graham Tutthill, the incoming president: and Barry made cheerful recall to his time at school by producing his school cap which, with reference to the bike shed, made sport of times past. He also recalled his early reports written on his attempts to learn Latin, which varied from an exam mark of 19% to such comments as “This boy could do better” and “This boy is doing his best”. Thus discouraged from the Classics he turned to a career in Civil Engineering which took him to various parts of the world before he returned to his present work for Dover Council.

Graham Tutthill said much in a relatively short time with a pleasing blend of information and wit. He drew attention to 1995 when the school will be Ninety Years On. He spoke of the school’s achievement of Grant Maintained Status, in which, as Chairman of Governors, he has played an important role. He spoke of individual achievements by old boys, ranging from Keith Parfitt’s local archaeological work to David Elleray’s refereeing of the Cup Final. Graham told of the Parents Association whose members raised funds: and sent home on the first Thursday of each month a newsletter of school events and matters of interest. Parents now helped in so many ways for the betterment of THEIR school.

Headmaster Neil Slater spoke of the death of Mr. Frank Kendall who had taught in the school from 1931 to 1965. He mentioned various legacies that had reached the school from Old Boys: and of the return of the school library to the room designed for that purpose: of GM status and a recent visit by inspectors: of achievements in examinations and much else recounted elsewhere in this Newsletter.

Very few people seemed in a hurry to go home: and I do not know at what hour the caretaker appeared with his lamp and the company took his hint that it was time to go. As your editor left the building he did so at the same time as young men, prefects and recent school leavers, all cheerful, well dressed and well behaved, good examples of the type of young man the school these days sends out into the world.

COMMITTEE MEETING

17th November 1994

Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. A school photo had been taken and archivists were anxious to have names to every boy for identification in future years. Bernard Harrison’s school film can be purchased for £7.50.

Treasurer reported that the Association had £2203 in Lloyds Bank and £5600 in the Charities Investment Fund. He proposed to transfer £1000 from the former to the latter.

The Annual Dinner showed a profit of £240 and Maurice Smith was congratulated on this pleasing outcome of a pleasing evening. We were ready to give £200 to the school P.E. department for weight training equipment as well as money for a football and a cricket ball for School v Old Boys matches. Treasurer reported that among a membership of 710, some 70 had taken out Deeds of Covenant.

The next OLD BOYS DAY with AGM and DINNER will be on 16th September 1995 when the school will be NINETY YEARS ON.

Two letters were received from former boys, recently left school, seeking financial help. One boy was selected for a Raleigh International expedition to Belize: and the other was training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The Association funds are to help the school and we, by our Articles of Association, can not help individuals. If any individual reader wishes to support either boy he should write to the editor.

Newsletter editor reported good progress with the issue being prepared for next January. The secretarial help by Mrs Jean Luckhurst was appreciated. Schoolmaster representatives asked for every teacher to have a copy. Every teacher is an honorary member of the Association: this would require printer to produce 800 copies.

Headmaster Mr. Neil Slater spoke of school finances under GM status and the appointment of new staff as numbers of boys increased. The entry of 90 1st year boys had raised the school total to 484. Exam success rates would soon be published in the press and this next Newsletter. Much work on school premises would require one third of a million pounds. The report of the OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) made reference to the strong Old Boys Association.

K.H.R.
EDITORIAL

The Rev.Dr. Michael Hinton,
Headmaster here from 1960-1968

REFLECTS AND REMEMBERS

The two happiest periods of my adult life have been spent in the Dover area. Since 1985 I have had the care of a local country parish; from 1960 to 1968 I was headmaster of Dover Grammar School for Boys. The rewards of ministry are fresh in my mind, for I practise it still; but the rewards of that headship remain remarkably vivid despite the thirty years and the three jobs that intervene.

It would be easy to write this article by repeating the substance of what I wrote in a Newsletter article of July 1969, and in my contribution to Fifty Years On. Easy, and not improper, for I doubt if my readers retain any recollection of either. But it would feel like cheating, so I will claim the indulgence afforded to advancing years and reminisce without any great attempt at generalisation.

I begin with my three most embarrassing moments. The first occurred when I had been head for only a few weeks. I was told that two RAF officers had called to see me, and I went out from my study to meet them. They snapped to attention and favoured me with smart salutes. The reflexes of a lifetime prompted my response, and I returned – the Scout salute.

The second moment came early one morning when a boy let off the fire alarm (entirely accidentally, he later assured me). I took the opportunity to practise our evacuation procedures and grew steadily more infuriated as streams of boys leaving the school collided with streams coming in the other direction. I took some time to discover that Tom Archer, the deputy head, had decided that a false alarm should be ignored, and was directing everyone to their classrooms.

On the third occasion I was standing at my study window deciding that the din in the quadrangle was so great as to surpass even the tolerant limits normally permitted. I remembered that I had been told that Mr. Booth, in like circumstances, had rapped on the window with the window stay. I did the same, and the window broke, showering glass below, and silencing the noise in a manner far from my intentions.

Another incident embarrassed the editor of this Newsletter more than it did me. My first production at the school, of Trial by Jury, was preceded by a staff play The Monkey’s Paw. The plot of this highly dramatic piece demanded that the character played by the editor should fall in a dead faint just before a speedy final curtain. The editor fainted in splendid style; but the boy working the curtain pulled too enthusiastically on the rope controlling it. The curtain jammed on the overhead lights, and stuck; and the dust and debris of decades descended from above upon the editor’s exposed and recumbent form.

The biggest breakdown in discipline I remember occurred on the last day of term – always a tense time. For some reason the head prefect had drawn a cordon of prefects across the steps from the quadrangle to the hall. When the bell for the end of the lunch break sounded there was a concerted charge which brushed the cordon aside and left several prefects prostrate. An hour later I had administered one stroke of the cane to at least forty boys, and sent them off on their holidays with less than my best wishes. But we learned our lesson. Thereafter the prefects mingled with the boys in the quad on the last day of term, and talked down over-excitement.

Those were unsophisticated days, and when the Parents Association decided to raise some money, we were able to pack the school hall by putting on a junior choir and showing the film The Wooden Horse. We raised, I recall, the vast and satisfying sum of £30.

We packed the hall too for school productions. I was of the generation of producers who confined action to the area behind the proscenium arch, so there were plenty of seats to fill. We filled them without much difficulty, sometimes for five performances; and therein lies a contrast with the present. I attended a school play recently, and saw a production of the highest quality; in my judgement a cut above anything I ever managed. Yet the audience was exiguous to a degree; I suppose everyone was at home watching TV.

I have vowed to eschew generalisations, but I allow myself three. I now regret that I made no greater efforts to help that substantial minority of boys who left each year with few or no qualifications. They were, after all, among the most intelligent of their age group; it was because of the system rather than because of their own failings that they were branded as failures.

I also regret that talks about reorganisation failed, as they have done ever since. It is of course better not to reorganise than to reorganise badly with insufficient resources; and it may be that in that sense it is as well that Kent remains almost the only major education authority which retains a substantial number of grammar schools. But that the comprehensive and coeducational principles are the right ones I have no doubt at all; and it is a sadness to me that no way has ever been found of applying them locally.

Thirdly, and this is why a kind of sunlight suffuses all my recollections of the 1960s, teaching then was FUN. Staff knew what was expected of them, and for the most part lived up to those expectations. They felt entirely secure, in a job which was theirs until they decided to retire from it. They were treated like gentlemen, without undue supervision, and behaved accordingly. Their classroom responsibilities, which changed little and slowly, left them with the energy and motivation to engage in out of school activities on the large scale; and the fact that those activities were entirely voluntary was never a reason for refusing to perform them.

What was true of staff was also true of heads. They were expected to run their own show, without much interference from the education authority, from the governors or from parents. They had little to do with finance, and were expected to spend their time in direct dealings with staff and pupils. They were in competition with other schools in only the most limited sense, and saw other heads as colleagues not rivals. In my own case, raw and ignorant as I was, I met nothing but kindness and helpfulness from those within the school and outside it with whom I had to deal. I was lucky; but I do not think I was exceptionally lucky.

In 1995 Jean and I will retire to The Gateway, and begin a third and final phase of life in Dover. One of the features of that phase will be that I shall have time to see more of the school which gave me such happiness in the 1960s. That will be a pleasure which I eagerly anticipate.

SEVENTY YEARS ON

In the 1920s the Junior School was housed at Ladywell (8-11 year olds) and the Senior School (12-18 years) at Frith Road. Fee paying pupils were admitted at 8 and the Free Place pupils at 11. One Free Place was awarded for every two fee payers admitted in the previous year. There were approximately 450 boys and 23 masters and one mistress. Ladywell was a very dreary and antiquated building, but Frith Road was a new school built in 1916 though the access to the toilets was across an open quadrangle. The curriculum for the ‘A’ forms for the first four years comprised, English, French, Art, Latin (not first year), Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry), Geography, History, Physics, Chemistry, with one period each of Music and P.E. taken in the School Hall. In the fifth form either Latin and Art or Physics and Chemistry were dropped. It was necessary to pass school certificate in five subjects, English being compulsory. Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were devoted to Football or Cricket. Lessons occupied six mornings a week and four afternoons. On the sports afternoons 1st and 2nd School XI matches were played and form games or house matches. The entire School assembled in the Hall for Prayers from 9 – 9.15. Periods were 45 minutes each until 12.30 with a break from 10.45 – 11.00. Lunch was from 12.30 to 2.00, followed by lessons until 4.15. Evening Prayers in the Hall for ten minutes ended the school day. Homework was set in two or three subjects to take approximately 2 to 3 hours. The School playing fields were at Longhill, a ground with a pronounced slope. Out of School activities were Football, Cricket, Cadet Corps, Dramatic Society, Choir, Swimming and Hockey. Rugby was not played until the 1930s. There was a fives court at Frith Road. Deal and Shepherdswell boys came by train, other Country boys by cycle. There were 4 Houses (Country, Buckland, Town, Maxton), members being allocated by their home addresses. Maxton were about half the size of Country who were usually Cock House. The Sixth Forms were either Arts or Science, with VI Commerce appearing in the late 1930s. Pupils passing the Oxford and Cambridge Joint Board Higher Certificate were so few each year that their names were put on the Honours Board. The Sixth comprised those wishing to go to College and in the later 1920s those unable to obtain employment due to the depression. School Sports Day was held at Crabble with a military band in attendance. Prize Day was in November at the Town Hall, when all boys attended in a dark suit with stiff white collar and tie. Only VI Form boys were allowed to wear other than black tie. Ex-pupils returning for a prize were expected to comply with suitable dress. All staff were on the platform in dinner jacket, gown and hood, together with the Mayor, Governors, and representatives of Parents and Old Boys Associations.

School dinners were served on four days a week (not Wednesday or Saturday). Weekly menu offered no choice – Monday, Roast Beef; Tuesday, Shepherds Pie; Thursday, Stew; Friday, Roast Lamb. Pork sausages appeared once a month. Sweet was Rice Pudding, Jam Tart or Plum Duff. Boys bringing sandwiches sat in the corridor.

The School Library was in a cubby hole under the stairs.

Prayers which included a hymn were usually lengthened on Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, Empire Day, Trafalgar Day, and on a day in March when Captain Oates was presumed to have taken his last walk in the Antarctic. A special Service was held at 11am on 11th November when a trumpeter from the local garrison attended. There was also a special service in November 1925 when Queen Alexandra’s funeral was taking place.

————————

Contributed by E.H. Baker who was a boy in the School from 1922 to 1930. He then acquired office skills and was Secretary to Mr. Whitehouse and Mr. Booth from 1930 – 1938. In the late 1930s he was secretary, linesman and sole supporter of the Old Pharosians Football team until moving to K.E.C. Head Office at Maidstone in 1939. He saw war service in Ireland and India. In 1967 he was President of the Association and Editor of the O.P. Newsletter 1968 – 1979 until the present Editor retired from the school staff and picked up the editorial pen and is still a frequent correspondent with E.H.B. who now lives in Devon and whose interest in the School and Association is as keen as ever – of memory long.
STRANGE HAPPENINGS

At midday on 21st December in 1976 a thunderstorm passed over Dover Boys Grammar School when, in celebration of the Christmas last day of term, the prefects were playing their annual football match against the teachers. There was a flash of lightning and a terrifying clap of thunder. Play stopped because the hair of three of the players, two prefects and a teacher, was standing up.

Even more alarmingly, their heads were bathed in a glowing, almost religious light. Yet none of them felt anything and they were left unhurt. No damage was reported in the area.

This bizarre sight had all the hallmarks of a phenomenon called St. Elmo’s Fire, a discharge of static electricity before or during thunderstorms, usually from pointed objects standing up from the ground, and first recognised on the masts of sailing ships.

The above was taken from an article in the Guardian newspaper during September 1994 and kindly supplied to the editor by Mr. Don Page, retired teacher of Chemistry.

The editor was in school at the time but had ceased to be a member of the staff team. He can recall his last appearance in the team, relegated to play as a goalkeeper. On coming out to fall on the ball, an opposing forward kicked the goalkeeper on the head and stars illuminated the mid-day scene.

David Elleray was the referee and he showed concern: but the kicker, who was a geographer on his way to Oxford, had no reason to bear ill-will and accidents may happen in the friendliest of circumstances.

K.H.R.

APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR OF GEOGRAPHY

David THOMAS (1970-77)
came to our school from River School. Some of us had met him already as his father, Mr. Fred Thomas, was one of the teachers involved in the Dover Schools Cricket Association and young David had been brought along to keep a very tidy scorebook.

His tidiness continued to be a characteristic of his progress through the school. He became head prefect in 1977. His father was a teacher of geography from 1948-83 at Archer’s Court School and David in his sixth form years made geography his main interest.

In 1973 David Elleray had gone to Hertford College, Oxford and been awarded a scholarship for geography. In 1975 Philip Harding, then head prefect and now secretary to the Old Pharosians Association when not teaching geography at Harvey Grammar School, also went to Hertford where there was a very respected tutor named Goudie. Philip also distinguished himself with a 1st class Tripos in 1976. In that year David Thomas was head prefect until he in turn followed to Hertford College.

When he graduated David came close to getting a first class degree; and Professor Goudie arranged for him to carry out research in the Kalahari desert of Botswana and Zimbabwe. With a truck and a guard this project was successfully accomplished and earned a Ph.D. Since that time David has become an authority on the world’s arid areas. On the teaching staff of the large geography department at Sheffield University, his work has been recognised and rewarded with promotion. The Vice-Chancellor recently made available a quarter of a million pounds to establish the Sheffield Centre for International Drylands Research, of which David is Director.

He was recently offered a professorial chair at another university but Sheffield matched and bettered the offer so Professor David Thomas can continue to live with his wife on the Pennine slopes above the Derwent Valley and carry on with his present commitments.

It will be of interest of Old Pharosians that at Sheffield University Dr. Clyde Binfield, OBE, FSA is head of the history department: and Professor Emeritus B.A. Bilby, FRS has retired after long service in scientific departments.

K.H.R.
1937-40 and 1946-79
NEWS OF THE SCHOOL

FINAL ASSEMBLY

on 26th July at the end of the school year

This eagerly anticipated day was the continuation of a very hot spell of weather. The boys all sat in white shirts with a school tie but no blazer. This was eminently sensible and I saw them going home thus attired. The recent days of tropical heat must have been hard going for teacher and taught.

The senior Advanced Level boys had all departed some weeks earlier; so the hall could easily accommodate the rest of the school. Chatter was allowed until the organ was played when, without any command, silence prevailed and all stood as headmaster came in.

There were lengthy reports on cricket and athletics. A small boy reported that a Year 7 cricket team played 7 matches, winning 3: a year 8 boy spoke of a disappointing season, played 3 games and won only once: year 9 played 5 and lost 3. Boys of senior vintage who love their cricket play regularly for local clubs. One boy, Mark Robinson, is in a Kent Under 17 XI. You will read elsewhere of a match between school and old boys, played on a Wednesday afternoon. On the day before end of term a Masters’ cricket XI had played a Prefects’ XI. The boy making report of this occasion said that the cover drives by the new young PE master were such as had not been seen on the ground for many years.

Mr. Neil Slater is genial through the distribution of awards with a handshake and a word for each recipient. There was a long procession of winners of events in the athletic sports. The most notable news was that each of three brothers won the same 1500 metres race in three consecutive years.

There were awards for achievement of grades for instrumental music. The traditional summer concert had been very much enjoyed. The Grand Midsummer Ball on the previous Saturday night had been a splendid success.

Headmaster told the school that two long serving members of staff were retiring.

Mrs. Middleton will be known to many of our readers. She may have cared for them when they entered the most junior forms: and she taught biology very successfully to senior boys. She has enjoyed singing in the school choir.

Major Hoeren, sometime formerly of the USA Air Force, came twenty one years ago to teach history with an American flavour and political opinion that was all his own. He willingly gave time to school games beloved on either side of the Atlantic. He admitted that he still loved baseball just a little more than cricket. For his farewell speech from the platform he wore a pink blazer over a multi-coloured Hawaiian shirt tucked into white flannel trousers. He will long be remembered as a colourful and kindly character.
SCHOOL REPORT

Published in the national press in November by the Secretary of State for Education on this summer’s exams at GCSE and at A levels.

Extract from some Kent schools
Schools are ranked according to percentage of 15 year old scholars who gain 5 or more passes at Grades A to C, roughly equal to the old “O level”.

Rank Order GCSE Percentage Passes Advanced Level Average Points Scored
1. Rochester Girls Grammar 100 16.2
2. King’s School Canterbury 99 25.4
16. Dover Grammar Girls 96 15.2
17. Dover Grammar Boys 96 15.4

152 Kent schools are ranked, including independent schools like Dover College, grammar schools, high schools like Astor, and church schools like St.Edmund’s RC school.

Government and opposition now speak in favour of league tables: but agree that more recognition should be given to improvements on previous performances.

Mr. Slater has said that both our GCSE and Advanced level results are better than in previous years. This improvement is what matters.

Three Advanced level boys got grade A in all their three subjects. Among them was last year’s head prefect, Matthew Wilkinson, who is now at King’s College, Cambridge.
NEWS OF THE SCHOOL
gathered from “First Thursday” Newsletters
prepared by Graham Tutthill, our President
who is also Chairman of Governors

A summary of school news is taken home by every boy on the first Thursday of each month.

JUNE
A choral concert in Charlton Church given by the school choir and guest soloists was indeed very impressive.

A geography field trip had good weather for their studies in the Ingleton area on top of the Pennines.

Eight CCF cadets had flying experience at Manston.

There was plenty of news of cricket, athletics, swimming and table tennis.

JULY
Whinless Down, which you will remember as the school cross-country course, has become the Elms Vale Ecological Park for conservation and study. The school has been busy in development of the area.

There was Music for a Summer’s Evening on 14th July: and on the 23rd there was a Grand Ball, tickets £18.50 with seven hours of non-stop dancing, a five course meal and champagne breakfast. A repeat is planned for next year.

The Sports Studies group visited Wembley stadium and the Grand Prix athletics meeting at the Crystal Palace.

SEPTEMBER
Welcome to 90 boys who have joined Year 7 in the school. Two new members of staff are Dr. Reeta Sweetman for science, biology and chemistry: and Mr. George Harby for religious education.

There was good news of exam results by senior boys and by old boys who had graduated.

The school had experienced a full week of general inspection by 13 inspectors.

OCTOBER
The Parents Association had record attendance at their annual meeting: and a Wine and Wisdom evening raised over £300.

Peter Chatfield, the school’s very helpful caretaker, had enjoyed taking round the school some ladies who had been in our buildings as WRENS fifty years ago. One lady and her husband recalled that they became engaged while on the school grounds.
The school 1st XI soccer team has won all its matches so far and five boys have been in trials for the Kent Under 19 team.

Three boys, under coaching by Mr. Steve Bailey, who also looks after the 1st XI soccer, are representing the school at South-East England Schools Golf Championships.

The CCF has had its Biennial Inspection.

NOVEMBER
A review of the Inspection and subsequent report emphasized that “It is a good report” and described the schoolboys as “orderly and caring, polite, considerate and showing respect”.

The 1st XI soccer have so far won all their 11 games. Five of the team are in the Kent squad and Christian Allen captains the Kent Under 16 team.

The CCF took part in Dover’s Remembrance Day parade and laid a wreath.

Mr. Dale took a group of A level computing students to a London Computing Show at Olympia.

DECEMBER
There was a report on Guest Evening and invitation to the Carol Service.

A Wine and Wisdom evening had raised £400.

The 1st XI soccer continued its winning ways but had lost to Simon Langton, 2-1.

Next summer’s splendid BALL is to be on 15th July. Contact Dr. Alan French at the school.

Several boys have their poems included in an anthology of work by Young Writers in Kent.

Term end is on 20th December and a new term begins on 4th January. Everybody is wished a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year.

THE JUNIOR PRIZEGIVING

Wednesday 5th October 1994 at 2.15pm

Boys in the first three years of their time in the school sit on one side of the hall while their parents occupy the other side. All is done with due decorum and everyone stands when the headmaster’s party enters and is seated. The guest of honour was Mr. Johannsen, the Project Officer for the White Cliffs Countryside Project.

Headmaster reported that the new GM status allowed us to direct our increased resources to best effect. The school was increasing in numbers as 63 had entered in 1991, 73 in 1992, 78 in 1993 and 90, the present permitted limit, in 1994. Nationwide assessments in English, Maths and Science had yielded favourable results.

Boys from Year 8 controlled the smooth running of the afternoon programme which included reports on Environmental Studies, Music and the CCF. Intermissions in the programme gave us musical items and creative writings, either poetry or prose, read by the young authors.

The merit certificates awarded were for academic excellence; service to music; accuracy in craft, design and technology; improvement in sport; artistic excellence; consistent industry; commendable progress; and outstanding captaincy in cricket and football. Contemporaries of fathers well known and remembered will not be surprised that Jamie Towe was an outstanding cricket captain; and Paul Tutthill was commended for academic excellence and achivement in CDT.

There were prizes for each year’s leading achiever in Years 7, 8 and 9: for geography, environmental studies, music, good fellowship and special physical endeavour; as well as for each arm of the Junior Cadets in the CCF.

There were printed selections of poems written by members of the lower school. One with a gentle sting, observed that on Sports Day boys were told

“Wherever you come –
First, second or third in your bouts
It’s not the winning
But the taking part that counts”

But at the end of the day
When the presentations come
There’s no medal
For taking part.

Most of us will know how that young man felt.

GUEST EVENING
Friday 25th November 1994 at 7.30pm

The arrangements were, as ever, excellent and we do appreciate the staff work of Mr. Kelvin Carter, whose last administration and sure hand could be admired.

There were intervals of Spoken Word and varied musical items. Mr. Richard Davies is a splendid organist: Mr. Lodder is a skilled and sensitive accompanist: Daniel Wilkinson played on piano his own outstanding composition of Jazz Variations: and Paul Hearn played a clarinet concerto by Saint-Saëns with love for the instrument and the music.

The above are welcome intermissions between presentations and speeches.

Headmaster spoke of the statistical league tables recently published by the Ministry: and he was pleased to say that two thirds of the sixth form boys expect to go to university. Eighty per cent of the school budget goes to teachers, all of whom have a full teaching programme. He referred to the departure of Mr. Kelvin Carter who will be replaced by three newcomers: then to the value of Mr. Graham Tutthill in many capacities: to an architect who had outlined necessary repairs, mainly to the lower parts of the building: to the recent Inspection and report with 183 paragraphs: and to the new prize for physics endowed in memory of the late Hubert Hopkins, OBE, who had been tutored from 1924 to 1931 by Mr. W.E. Pearce.

The printed programme set out in detail the achievements of all boys who had gained GCSE grades A to C: and also boys who had succeeded at Advanced level, where Steven Riley and Matthew Wilkinson both achieved three subjects at A level grades, the latter boy gaining the Headmaster’s prize, the Mayor’s prize for good fellowship and a place at King’s College, Cambridge. It is hoped to print in this Newsletter the names of all boys who have gained places at universities.

The high point of the evening was the address by David Elleray, Guest Speaker and Old Pharosian. He spoke of his place in education as a House master teaching geography at Harrow School: and also as the Cup Final referee1994. With a light touch he spoke of his examination for Oxford entry, in part a matter of geographical knowledge but memorable for an essay he wrote on his ambition to become a first class soccer referee. He had begun refereeing at the age of thirteen to acquire pocket money.

He described this year’s cup final as “the most exciting one and a half hours of my life” as he realised that in addition to a filled Wembley stadium there would be 150 million watching on TV. He described the preparations and preliminaries: the decisions he made during the match: and the subsequent reactions, some of appreciation and more of abuse. The hate mail and telephoning had not yet ceased and will not be described further in this polite and civilized journal.

He described soccer refereeing as a fantastic experience with its flow of adrenalin, the many friends made, the excitement of travel to great occasions. David ended with advice to the young. If you have a special interest, make sure you stick to it, for it will bring you fulfilment, and you know not where it will lead you.

Your editor who has written the above summary, would like to add that he can recall David’s parents coming to see him about David’s intention to go into the sixth form and make geography his main subject of study while continuing with his refereeing. Advice given was that we give support to the young for their interests, not knowing whither these may lead them, to what end none of us can see with any certainty. On this Guest Evening we saw the way he had travelled, but not yet its end. We wish David every success and happiness in his career at Harrow School and beyond.

THE FOLLOWING BOYS HAVE THIS YEAR GAINED PLACES AT UNIVERSITY

Simon Aldrich Westminster Psychology (social)
Stuart Allison Westminster Business/Management Studies
with Modern Language
Ian Armbruster Brunel Business/Management Studies
with French
Simon Aslett Lancaster Business/Management Studies
Brendan Bowley De Montford HND Mathematical and Information
Sciences
Christopher Broom Christ Church, Canterbury Geography and History
Michael Burkimsher Sheffield Civil Engineering
Steve Charles London Biochemistry
Jamie Douglas Leeds Business/Management Studies
and Chinese
James Ebden Greenwich Accountancy
Terry Ellender Nene College Business/Management Studies
with French
David Ferri Sheffield Law
Stuard Folwell Kingston Geography
James Freebury S.Martin’s College of Geography with Business/
Higher Ed. Lancaster Management Studies
Peter Futcher Royal Holloway, London Music
Michael Glover Coventry Engineering (general)
Marc Goodacre East Anglia Law
Andrew Gray Southampton Law
Desmond Hak Manchester Chemistry
Lee Hatfield Middlesex French
David Hearn Reading Psychology
Andrew Hilson Huddersfield HND Bus/Management Studies
Edward Hinder Leeds History with Music
Alastair Hughes Sheffield Pharmacology
Paul Irwin Anglia History
Matthew Jaenicke Kingston Environmental/Physical Science
Oliver Jevons Southampton Chemistry
Matthew Knight Portsmouth Mathematics
Gavin Laidlaw Oxford Geography
Alistair Lennie S.Martin’s College of English with Philosophy
Higher Ed, Lancaster
David Lewis Bristol Environmental/Physical Science
Phillip Lewis Lancashire Combined/General Courses
Timothy Marchand Anglia Music
Andrew Marsh Reading Computer Studies
Andrew Marshall Warwick Civil Engineering
Barry May Luton Business/Management Studies
Robert Maynard Loughborough Mechanical Engineering
Daniel McCann Imperial College, London Chemistry
Stephen Moat Middlesex Business/Management Studies
Daniel Odon Leicester Engineering (General)
Matthew Oiller Leeds Economics
Gareth Peel Surrey Engineering (General)
Anthony Perkins Greenwich Computer Studies
Stefan Peto Birmingham Law
Paul Phasey Portsmouth Architecture
James Rawcliffe Christ Church, Canterbury Geography and Pysical Education
Simon Redfern Warwick Mathematics and Philosophy
Graham Saunders Portsmouth HND Mechanical Engineering
and Production Engineering
Mark Scales Swansea Mathematics and Statistics
Peter Sewell King Alfred’s College Combined/General Studies
of Higher Ed, Winchester
Perrin Shanks Middlesex Accountancy
Matthew Sims London Business/Management Studies
and Italian
Colin Smith Nottingham Trent Law
Anthony Spicer Imperial College, London Mathematics
David Spink Aston Mathematics and Computer Studies
Marc Sutton Nottingham Trent HND Biology
Mark Tillyard City Aeronautical Engineering
Mark Tredgett Leeds Chemical Engineering
Benjamin Tuson Greenwich Environmental/Physical Science
Neil Waugh Greenwich Psychology (Social)
Stephen Whitcombe Bradford Business/Management Studies
Matthew Wilkinson Cambridge Combined/General Science
Paul Williams Warwick Electronic Engineering
THE GENERAL INSPECTION

The school authorities can scarcely have got over the pleasure of achieving grant maintained status in April, followed by the GCSE and A level exams in June-July, when they were told that at the very start of the September term, with 90 new boys to be joining the school, there would be a General Inspection with 13 inspectors arriving from the Office for Standards in Education, usually abbreviated to OFSTED.

On Monday 12th September the inspection began and on that evening the inspectors attended a meeting with interested parents. The inspectors did their work and when it was over their chief, the registered inspector, addressed the governors with these words: “It is a good report, and it is important to remember that. It is easy simply to concentrate on the criticisms”.

The report recognises that the school has just experienced many changes and not surprisingly, inspectors found that the overall management needed to be developed.

The school was regarded as an orderly and active community with good standards of behaviour. As in most schools the requirements for religious education were not being met.

The teaching of English, chemistry, maths and technology was praised: while A level achievements in at least three subjects fell below expected standards.

A summary of the report has been sent to all parents; and the governors must produce an “action plan” to deal with matters raised in the report. This plan also goes to parents.

There was a pleasing end to the week. When the leader of the inspecting team said farewell to the headmaster he added “I should be glad to send my boy to this school”.

RETIREMENT OF MR. KELVIN CARTER (1960-94)

Kelvin says he is taking early retirement at age fifty-nine.

At Reading University he obtained 1st class honours B.A. in Fine Art; and then spent a year obtaining the Postgraduate Certificate in Education. He came here to take over the Art department from Charles Rowland and over the years has widened its scope. In 1979-80 he took a year’s secondment to obtain an M.Ed and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

In 1989 he assumed duties as Senior Master and added later the responsibility for Upper School, holding both posts until retirement. In all these capacities he has served the school outstandingly well, perhaps most notably in his much admired administration of such occasions as Guest Evening. In these and other ways he has presented an excellent relationship of school to town.

Four sons have passed through this school. Simon is now teaching, Ian a Lt.Cdr. RN, Andrew a priest in the Church of England, and Jeremy another teacher.

Kelvin and his wife have plans for their retirement in River, plans that should bring them health and happiness. Kelvin is by virtue of long service a member of the Old Pharosians Association and we hope this will be a continuing link with the school he has served so well.

K.H.R.
NEWS OF OLD BOYS

OBITUARIES

Vic ALCOCK (1933-38)
died on 8th November, aged 72, after a long illness. An operation had revealed cancer and Vic knew for many months that his days were numbered.

From St. Martin’s school in the Elms Vale district, three Alcock brothers went through our school, Vic being the eldest. In his last year at school Vic was captain of the 1st soccer XI and he was also in the 1st XI cricket. We all remember him as a most likeable boy and man.

On leaving school he worked for the London District Auditors at County Hall, Westminster. During the war years he served in the army, afterwards moving to audit work for government in the Department of Health.

In retirement he and his wife May enjoyed life in Deal and were remarkably keen on visiting Dover where they swam from the beach at its eastern end. When work on a seawall was proceeding, Vic made sure from the authorities that there would still be a shingle beach at that end. He had developed interests that included local history and music.

As an Old Pharosian Vic frequently attended the AGM and Dinner. A year ago Vic undertook to audit for the Association but was not well enough to perform that service. He had often joined in the work of the archivists to whom his computing skills were useful.

He was cremated at Barham on the afternoon of 16th November, your editor, John Borrett and Sydney Wenborn representing the Association and Mr. Dale representing the school. Vic and his wife had decided that there should be no flowers but donations to Cancer Research would be appreciated. His wife had supported him through his illness; and to her and other members of the family we offer sympathy in the loss of a very good man who had shown such courage and dignity in the past year.

John A. FORWOOD (1937-44)
died on 3rd July. He was 68 years old and had suffered severe breathing difficulties for some time. The hot weather of the recent summer proved to be the final straw. He had spent his life in Municipal Engineering, starting in the Borough Engineer’s office at Dover and proceeding via Maidenhead and Hereford to Malvern, where he retired four years ago.

He was interested in church music and played the organ in his parish church until two weeks before his death. He remembered his school days in war time at Ebbw Vale and returned there with the group of Old Pharosians gathered by Bill Collard in 1952.
Kenneth DONALD (1920 – 1930)
His death was recorded in the Daily Telegraph on 26th October. He was aged 82 and had been a Professor of Medicine, Edinburgh University 1959-76. For the last ten years of his service he was Physician to the Queen in Scotland. In the 1939-45 war he served with the Royal Navy and won the DSC medal. He continued as a Scientific Consultant to the Royal Navy in Scotland and was Chairman of the Underwater Physiology sub-committee of the Medical Research Council. From 1975 he advised the Secretary of State for Scotland on the safety of divers in the North Sea oil rigs. He was a specialist in heart and lung disease.

When at school he was in Maxton house as were his two brothers. They lived in Folkestone Road and their father actively supported the Parents Association.

Jack RAVENSDALE (1931-37)
died on Sunday 25th September. We are indebted to Louis Watt, who visited him, as his friend Jack suffered from Parkinson’s disease over recent years, being in a nursing home near Cambridge. Jack had lived at Landbeach on the edge of the Fens and wrote books that were a combination of geography and history. Some of his books he gave to the school library.

Louis would read to the patient, not knowing how much was received. He had a deep faith and received Holy Communion which helped to sustain him. The nursing staff felt that Jack did not suffer pain but could understand though unable to respond. May he now be at peace.

Frank OCKENDEN
taught woodwork and other crafts in the years before the war. He and Charles Rowland, your editor and occasionally Mr. J.C. Booth played cricket for the Old Pharosians against local clubs. We have been sending Newsletters to his home at Wenhaston, Suffolk: and once recently we persuaded an Old Pharosian in that area to see if Frank were still alive. He was reported to be well and glad to receive news of the school: but we now know that he died on 8th December 1994, aged 89 years, beloved husband of Kathleen, private cremation, service of thanksgiving later.

We have also heard of the deaths of G.E. Cheeseman of Deal: V.F. West of Bracknell: K. Burton of Walmer.

NEWS OF THOSE STILL LIVING AND LEARNING

Major Dr. J.P. ALLINGHAM (1974-82)
wrote in response to Mr. Grant’s request for names of previous winners of the Powell Cup. John won the race in 1980 and 1981 and says he continues to run and play soccer for fun and fitness. He is Medical Officer in Catterick to one of the newly amalgamated infantry battalions. Within a year he expects to transfer to a civilian practice in Suffolk. He signs himself as John Allingham the younger. There was one September when the Old Pharosian soccer team included two J.P. Allinghams, father and son.

Dr. Clyde BINFIELD, OBE, FSA (1951-58)
has been for the past three years Chairman of the National Council of YMCA which operates in 130 countries. This is a very special anniversary year which involved Clyde in much travel, a Westminster Abbey service with the Duke of Edinburgh present followed by a garden party in Lambeth Palace.

Mrs. Anne BOOTH
wrote a letter of appreciation following the article on Mr. J.C. Booth in the July Newsletter. She, and others, have commented on the improved clarity of printing.

A. BROOKS (1959-66)
wrote from his home at 91 Fielding Road London W4 1DA and joined the Association.

K.W. JARVIS (1953-60)
is remembered at school particularly because on a General Inspection Day for the CCF he circled above the school field in solo flight from Manston.

After serving in the RAF he worked for British Aerospace in Saudi Arabia: and has now retired with many interests that include gardening, restoring old cars and water-colour painting.

In the Volunteer Reserve of the RAF he flies as an instructor to cadets and recently asked the cadet behind him where he came from and received the answer “Dover Grammar School, sir!”. The Flight Sergeant, James Glover, could have been himself, now almost “Forty Years On”.

Philip EWER
wrote from Southampton regretting that an accidental fall prevented him and his wife from coming to the dinner.

He is a great supporter of the school’s achievement of GM status and is sure that the splendid teaching in his time at the school had great influence on his own life and that of his contemporaries.

Tim MELLOR
wrote to applaud the school’s academic achievements and noted, as no-one else seems to have done, that the truancy rate was at nil per cent. When at the school he had gained 7 “O” level passes but had no success at A level, though, not discouraged he went to the local college of technology and passed in Chemistry and Maths with Statistics.

A.J. MUNDY (1947-53)
wrote to tell us that he had moved to 118 Winchester Road, Alton, Hants and, 41 years on from leaving school and 40½ years in banking, he felt entitled to retire. We offer our best wishes.

Mr. Reg PAYNE
sent an indication of goodwill toward the Newsletters and the Association. He had met John and Dick Booth at Maidstone cricket.

Barry PHILPOTT
was another who responded to Mr. Grant’s request for previous winners of the Powell Cup to contact him. In 1983 he tied with Mike Hicks and in 1984 he won outright.

After taking A levels he left in 1985 and joined the TSBank: after working through the grades he is now Branch Manager at the Whitstable office.

Frank SEELY (1939-44)
will be remembered by some of his contemporaries as Szekely, back in Ebbw Vale. He is delighted by the school’s GM status. Living at Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire he has experience of 6 years as County councillor and 11 years as Borough councillor, Mayor in one year. He wrote a florid paragraph saying that to see …………. councillors making decisions on schooling was enough to raise blood pressure to a dangerous level.

He retired from business three years ago and he and his wife travel widely recording their experiences on film and video.

Keith TOLPUTT
is a Civil Servant in London and expresses an equation in which less people and more work = HM Treasury definition of efficiency savings. However he enjoys his work in the Foreign Office but has cricket and bell-ringing as relaxations. There will be family rejoicing in January.

David CLOKE
is reading medicine at Newcastle University and has just obtained a 2i Batchelor of Medical Science degree. He has at least two more years of study ahead.

PHAROS LODGE

The Lodge is open to any Old Boy of the School, or past or present members of the Staff.

The Master, Andrew Lewis (1958-64) hopes to Instal his successor, Frank Fisher (1945-51), shortly. The Wardens will be Donald Whall and Geoffrey Terry.

The secretary, Peter Champion, may be contacted, by phone on Dover 825747.

“GONE AWAY” OR “NOT KNOWN”

T.V. Burley K. Gill
A.D. Cripps R.S. Harman
A.D. Fisher J.F. Relf
D.J. Russell

If you have information please inform Membership Secretary, 229 St.Richards Road, Deal, CT14 9LF, or Editor.

LATE EXTRA

A SERVICE OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS
by Candlelight in Charlton Church
on 15th December at 8.00pm

Every year more people come and now they overflow into the side aisles; and rightly so, for all is beautifully done in the best traditions of Christmas, the festival that brings light to our mid-winter darkness.

Richard Davies has a choir given strength by teachers and Old Boys, in front of whom are some of the youngest boys in the school with their treble voices.

The nine lessons begin with man blaming woman – not for the last time – for his fall from grace. There follows the promise of forgiveness and the coming of a Saviour, the Christmas story wherein the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. All the Bible readings were from the authorised version.

The carols too were mainly those we know and love. I always come away with the melody of Harold Darke’s “In the bleak mid-winter”.

The resident vicar, the Rev. N. De Keyser, spoke the closing prayers with a blessing, wishing us all God’s heavenly peace. Can anyone ask for more?

I feel pride that the school can present such a Christmas service involving teachers and taught, parents and governors, Old Boys and young boys, all to the credit of the Director of Music, Richard Davies.

KHR

CENTREFOLD

The 1994 Intake

(photo of boys)

Did your mother buy you a suit you would grow into?

—————-

(photo of Mr. K. Carter)

Mr. Kelvin Carter, B.A., M.Ed., F.R.S.A. who has served the school so well from 1960 to 1994 as Head of Art Department, Senior Master and Head of Upper School and now retires with all our best wishes.

—————

(pen and ink drawing)

Pen and ink drawing by Matthew McArdle, Year 11, aged 15
in Mr. Carter’s Art Department

————–

(photo of helicopter)

A helicopter drops in for the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.
Between the field and the changing rooms you see the surrounding walls of the swimming pool.