1999 July

OPA Newsletter July 1999

OLD PHAROSIANS’ ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

    New Series No. 76

July 1999

LIST OF CONTENTS

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION
* Officers and Committee Members
* The Annual Meeting, Football Match and Dinner 1999
* New Website Address
* Thames Valley Re-union
* Archivist’s Corner
* Memories of Jill Dando
* From the Committee Room
* Victory on the Cricket Field

NEWS OF THE SCHOOL
* Changing Status
* OfSTED Inspection
* Investor in People
* News of the School, gathered from the “First Thursday” Newsletters

NEWS OF OLD BOYS
* Obituaries
* Members still Living and Learning

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 1998-99

PRESIDENT: Tony Bradley
Morland House
Sheepstead
Marcham, Abingdon, Oxon

PAST PRESIDENT: Denis Weaver
Weeford House, Common Lane,
River, Dover CT17 OQZ
01304 823055

VICE PRESIDENT: Rev. John Philpott
The Vicarage
Bewsbury Cross Lane
Whitfield, Dover
CT16 3EZ
01304 820314

SECRETARY: Philip Harding
6 Chestnut Road, Elms Vale
Dover CT17 9PY
01304 205007
Fax: 01304 211272
e-mail pjharding@harveygs.kent.sch.uk

TREASURER: Ian Pascall
‘Karibu’ 45A Bewsbury Cross Lane
Whitfield, Dover CT16 3EZ
01304 821187

MEMBERSHIP David Murray
SECRETARY: Dover Grammar School for Boys
Dover, CT17 0DQ
01304 206117

NEWSLETTER Terry Sutton MBE
EDITORS: 17 Bewsbury Cross Lane,
Whitfield, Dover CT16 3HB
01304 820122
and
Graham Tutthill
21 Orchard Drive, River, Dover CT17 OND
01304 822121

ARCHIVIST: Peter Burville
Seagate, Goodwin Road
St. Margaret’s Bay, Dover CT15 6ED
01304 853267

COMMITTEE: Mike Palmer (to retire 2001)
Barry Crush (to retire 2001)
Roger Gabriel (to retire 2000)
Maurice Smith (to retire 2000)
Graham Tutthill (to retire 2000)
Reg Colman (to retire 1999)
Tom Beer (to retire 1999)

AUDITOR: Neil Beverton

HEADMASTER: Neil Slater
STAFF David Murray
REPRESENTATIVES: Malcolm Grant
Steve Bailey
Dr Alan Jackson

HEAD PREFECT: Michael Crebbin

INTERNET
ADDRESS: www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/dovergramboys/index.html

E-MAIL ADDRESS: pharos@dovergramboys.kent.sch.uk

THE ANNUAL MEETING, FOOTBALL MATCH AND DINNER

Notice is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Old Pharosians’ Association will be held on Saturday 25th September 1999, at the Dover Grammar School for Boys, commencing at 11 a.m.

AGENDA

To read the notice convening the meeting.
Apologies for absence.
Minutes of the previous AGM.
Matters arising
Treasurer’s Report
Election of Officers and Committee
President (Committee’s nomination: Rev. J.W. Philpott)
Vice-President
Secretary (currently P.J. Harding)
Assistant Secretary (vacant)
Treasurer (I.D. Pascall)
Membership Secretary (D. Murray)
Newsletter Editors (T.A. Sutton and G.L. Tutthill)
Archivist (P. Burville)
Auditor (N. Beverton)
Committee Members
Any Other Business

Philip Harding (Hon Secretary)

Coffee will be served from 10.30 a.m.

Annual Football Match

The annual football match between the Old Pharosians and the School’s 1st XI will take place at 2.30 p.m. Spectators welcome!

Annual Dinner

If you have never attended one of the Old Pharosians’ annual dinners you don’t know what you are missing!

It’s a good meal at a very reasonable price, and in addition you have the opportunity of meeting up with some old friends – both former pupils and staff – joining in good conversation, reminiscing, hearing the school organ being played and singing “Forty Years On”! Those who attend cover a wide range of years at the school, and if you are not sure whether anyone from your year will be present, why not contact some of your old chums and invite them to make up a group? Partners are also welcome.

So it’s not too late. Fill in the booking form enclosed with this newsletter, enclose a cheque for the appropriate amount, and send it off to Maurice Smith without delay. It would be good to see the Great Hall, in all its splendour, crammed with Old Pharosians having a very enjoyable evening.

NEW WEBSITE ADDRESS

As you may have noticed from the details at the start of this newsletter, the school now
has a new website address. It is: www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/dovergramboys/index.html

Even more useful for OLD PHAROSIANS is the new e-mail address:
pharos@dovergramboys.kent.sch.uk

THAMES VALLEY REUNION

In the January newsletter, our President, Tony Bradley, suggested the possibility of regional, informal reunions.

The first of these was held in June at the Swan Inn at Pangbourne where a small but select group of eight members and three wives came together for a meal and a chat. Eating in the Inn’s conservatory, overlooking the Thames and the weir, the three ladies sat together at a round table, allowing the eight of us to occupy the adjoining long table and to reminisce. Those attending were at the school spanning the period 1937 to 1956 and topics of discussion included the evacuation to Wales, the Memorial Garden seats at Ebbw Vale, old friendships and debts owed to masters at the school. Photographs were produced and many people slowly identified, with the frequent questions “Whatever happened to so-and-so?” being posed. Sometimes it was answered, other times not. Time passed quickly and Peter Hearn told us of his new-found interest in creative writing and in performing songs, verse reading and story-telling. Just recently the President’s wife had spend a morning at a local primary school and had sat in on a story session with two of the classes where the children were totally engrossed, even spellbound. Unbeknown to her, the story teller had been Peter – he was instantly recognised by her as he joined us at the Swan! The reunion broke up shortly after 10 p.m., allowing members to travel home safely to various parts of the Thames Valley before midnight, with the hope that such a reunion would become a regular event. Those attending were: Peter Prescott (1937-43), Brian Hedgecock (1941-47), Peter Hearn (1945-51), Tony Bradley (1945-52), Ken Lott (1945-53), Mike Marsh (1945-53), Lew (Gordon) Willcox (1946-52) and Graham Bayford (1953-56) together with Mrs Bradley, Mrs Lott and Mrs Marsh.
Ken Lott

ARCHIVIST’S CORNER

Greetings! Several members have asked for copies of the Richard Bolton (1948-55) cartoons of twelve of the staff who taught him. Rather than simply photocopy the cartoons Peter Chatfield, of the School, has scanned them into his computer system so that members now have various options if they want copies of the cartoons. Copies of each cartoon are offered both in the original form, complete with dart-holes and the such, and in a cleaned-up version. The first option is the complete set of twenty four images (2×12) on a CD (jpg format) at £15=; the second option is a set of twelve A4 sheets with the two versions for each teacher on a sheet, also for £15=; or finally a set of twenty four A4 sheets with each of the images on its own sheet, costing £20=. Orders, with cheques payable to The Old Pharosians’ Association, to be sent to me.

Over the years there have been several enquiries about obtaining copies of the School panoramic photographs. The only way of getting copies would have been to rephotograph the original and then make prints, a difficult and expensive process. Now there is the possibility of using the technique, that has been exploited to offer the Bolton cartoons, to put the photographs on CD. In addition it may then be feasible to identify those on the photographs for whom we have names. If anyone is interested in obtaining such school photographs on CD, will they please let me know and I will explore the possibilities.

Dennis Ivory (1951-54) kindly wrote offering a copy of the December 1931 Pharos, souvenir issue. Having re-established contact with the School, Dennis has decided to join the Association. Brian Moore (1945-51), who has taken up the offer of copies of the Bolton cartoons, has supplied information on Frank Davies’s (1934-41) distinguished musical career. Information about old boys is always welcome for putting into the archives.

On the social side I recently had James Atkins (1945-50), who emigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1950, and his charming wife to stay for a few days. He had many happy memories of the School and was able to identify some people on the 1950 School photograph – help with identifying people on photographs is always welcome. Following a trip up to Astor Avenue he expressed the view that not a lot had changed!

Best wishes for the millennium experience,

Peter Burville

MEMORIES OF JILL DANDO

The REV. DR. MICHAEL HINTON (1960-68) was particularly shocked at the tragic death of television presenter Jill Dando. He writes: “I first met Jill Dando in the 1980s when she entered the Sixth Form Centre at Broadoak School, Weston-Super-Mare, of which I was headmaster. Even then it was obvious she was a young lady of the greatest promise. She had intelligence, good looks and charm. She was popular both with other students and with the staff and became a leading member of the sixth form community. After she had become a reporter on the Weston Mercury, she interviewed me before my retirement, and the article she wrote remains in my memory as totally admirable in its accuracy and fairness. I had been in touch with Jill in recent years and was delighted with her continuing modesty and friendliness. She was an ornament to national media life and I was deeply saddened to hear of her tragic and untimely death.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ROOM

At the start of the June committee meeting, we stood for a few moments in silence to pay tribute to Alf Gunn, a former President and committee member of the association, who had died recently. (An obituary appears later in this newsletter).

After hearing that we have about £7,300 in our various accounts, we decided to spend up to £1,000 on the provision of a computer which will be situated in the library area and which will be used by the archivist’s team on their frequent visits to the school. The hard disk will be removable, but a copy of the archives will be available on the computer which can be used by boys (and any old boys visiting the school) who may wish to access the archives. A plaque will be fitted to indicate that it has been provided by the Old Pharosians. This, we hope, will promote interest in the association among the present pupils. It is intended that the computer will be officially handed over to the school at the annual dinner in September, when those attending will be able to see what it has to offer.

A full discussion took place on the suggestion in the last edition of the newsletter that the name of the association should be changed from “Old Pharosians” to “Pharosians”. The pros and cons of such a change were debated, and it was decided not to take any action at this time. If a change had been recommended, the matter would, of course, have been the subject of a recommendation to the annual meeting.

It was suggested that those who joined the school in 1960 be especially encouraged to attend the annual dinner in the year 2000 when they will be able to join in the singing of Forty Years On with particular feeling. Joint newsletter editor Graham Tutthill is one of those who joined that year, so will try to contact as many of his year as possible.

It was decided to make an appeal for new committee members, particularly among the “younger” Old Pharosians. If anyone would like to volunteer, please contact secretary Philip Harding (contact details at the beginning of the newsletter). If you need encouragement, there is a new feature to committee meetings now – we have coffee and biscuits at the start of the meetings!

The committee will meet again on Wednesday 10 November, 1999, at 7 p.m.
VICTORY ON THE CRICKET FIELD

A strong Old Pharosians’ team beat the school 1st XI in their annual cricket match on Wednesday 30th June.

Put in to bat first, the old boys were soon notching up the runs. The three OP wickets all went to catches. John Sheather hit 29, Ian Pascall reached 44 and John Castle added nine. When they declared on 248 for three, Daniel Bowley was on an outstanding 104 not out and Marc Goodacre was 14 not out. There were 53 extras.

In reply, a weakened school side only managed 97 all out.

Other members of the OP team, captained by Mike Palmer, were Clive Towe, Brendan Bowley, Paul Padfield, Alistair Gardiner and Malcolm Grant.

NEWS OF THE SCHOOL

CHANGING STATUS

The school’s legal category is to change again this autumn, following the government’s decision to do away with grant-maintained status.

DGSB will become a Foundation School on 1 September 1999. The governing body will be re-constituted, creating vacancies for two new categories of governors, Partnership Governors and Co-opted Governors. Partnership Governors must be from the community served by the school and committed to the good government and success of the school. The governing body is responsible for seeking nominations for and appointing Partnership Governors, who can not be a parent of a registered pupil at the school, anyone who is eligible to be either a staff governor or a teacher governors, or an elected member or employee of the LEA.

Co-opted Governors are appointed by the governing body to ensure sufficient representation of the local community, including the business community. Co-opted Governors can not be a registered pupil at the school, anyone who is eligible to be a staff governor or a teacher governor, or an elected member or an employee of the LEA.

If any old boys of the school – who live locally – would be interested in serving in either of these capacities, the school would be pleased to hear from you. Even if it is not possible to nominate you to join the governing body this September, the governors would like to be able to compile a list of those interested in serving if and when a vacancy occurs. Please contact the chairman of the governors, Robin Terry, at the school.

Like all grammar schools across the country, DGSB also faces the threat from the government’s decision to allow people to petition for a ballot on the future of grammar schools. Representatives from our school have been playing an active part in the Support Kent Schools organisation which has been set up to campaign for the survival of grammar schools. Indeed, a letter sent out to parents by our PFA was so highly regarded – and resulted in so many people joining SKS – that it was sent to all the other grammar schools in Kent as a “model” letter with a recommendation it should be copied by other parents’ associations.

Those opposed to grammar schools may start petitioning for a ballot in September, but until that happens it is difficult to plan any opposition campaign. Suffice it to say at the moment that if you are a parent of any child of school age, please think carefully before agreeing to sign a petition calling for a ballot, and if a ballot is held please make sure you vote against the abolition of grammar schools. We will keep you up to date with the situation in the next newsletter in January.

OFSTED INSPECTION

The school underwent its second OfSTED inspection in April, and the report has just been published. The inspectors praised the pupils’ high level of attainment – particularly at A level – and said improvements are needed to some of the buildings to provide better facilities. The report confirmed that standards of attainment in all national tests and examinations were well above national averages. The A level results were said to be very good and improving, and the pupils’ attendance, behaviour and attitudes to their learning were also good. Teachers’ subject knowledge and understanding were very good, there was good support from parents which helped the boys to achieve, and the financial control and school administration were also good.

While the inspectors believed the accommodation available was being used as effectively as possible, they said some of it was unsatisfactory and affected the quality of teaching and learning in too many subject areas. Since becoming grant maintained in 1994, the school has obtained grants totalling £579,960 and has spent £486,746 of its own money to improve the buildings. The governors will use the report’s findings to reinforce their continuing bids for further financial help.

Inspectors described the school as popular and over-subscribed. The school currently has more than 600 pupils and the number is growing each year. It has increased by 28 per cent since the last inspection in 1994. About half of the boys live in Dover and a third come from the Deal area.

The inspectors said pupils could do better at key stage four – particularly in design and technology – and in their GCSE exams, and attainment in science and physical education was also criticised. Information and communication technology was not being used effectively across the curriculum to support teaching and learning, said the report, and some health and safety procedures were “unsatisfactory”.

Governors’ chairman ROBIN TERRY (1964-1972) said the health and safety matters had been addressed immediately, and an action plan has been drawn up to tackle the other items raised by the inspectors.

INVESTOR IN PEOPLE

The school has achieved “Investor in People” status having met an exacting standard in the field of professional development for staff. The award was presented to head teacher Neil Slater at a ceremony at Leeds Castle near Maidstone which was also attended by senior teacher Giles Falconer. Recognition lasts for three years but steps have already been taken to move the school on by joining the “Investor in Success” scheme from this year onward.

NEWS GATHERED FROM THE “FIRST THURSDAY” NEWSLETTERS

The corridor area and adjacent rooms to the main Library have undergone redecoration and conversion to provide more facilities, including computers and access to the Internet.

Year 11 students took part in a history conference called “Hitler On trial” in Sevenoaks, Year 8 and 9 pupils enjoyed exchange visits with their friends at College St Pierre in Calais, there have been art trips to Folkestone and London (Royal Academy and the National Gallery), while the sixth form Sport Studies group travelled to London for an A level revision conference.

Six Year 12 students and five from the Girls’ Grammar School were involved in the European work experience that took place during March. For the first two weeks the French group from Brittany came to Dover working in companies based in Dover and Deal. Then the English group went to Brittany for two weeks, and the boys were congratulated on the quality of their French. Thanks have been expressed to the Old Pharosians’ Association for its sponsorship of this project.

The school put on an excellent production of “Wind In The Willows” in March, the Shakespearean Young People’s Theatre Group visited the school to present shortened versions of Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet, and two authors Rob Parkinson and Peter Corey brought their popular mobile bookshop in April.

The Lenten Appeal raised more than £2,000 which was divided between the Kent Air Ambulance appeal, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the St Laurence Hospice at Cernovoda in Romania.

The music department continues to be busy, with GCSE and A level musicians taking part in a music conference at the University Institute of Education in London, and individuals and a variety of ensembles performing in lunchtime concerts in February and May and the school Spring Concert in March. They also organised a sponsored practice over a half-term holiday to raise funds for the department. The next event is the summer concert on Wednesday 14 July at 7.30 p.m. in the School Hall. All are welcome.

The PFA continues to raise money through wine and wisdom evenings, the second-hand uniform shop and the 200 Club, and the association also held a successful barn dance in January.
Members of the Combined Cadet Force have attended various training events, exercises and camps in this country and in Germany.

There have been good reports of the rugby, football, basketball and table tennis seasons. On the soccer field, the under 13 team won through to the final of the Kent Messenger Cup at Crabble, but were beaten 2-1, conceding the winning goal in the last two minutes. The Year 8 rugby team were overall winners of a tournament at Canterbury, and the Year 9 boys won a district tournament and also reached the semi-finals of a county competition.
A junior team won medals for second and fourth places in events at the Kent Schools’ Swimming Association championships at Gillingham when more than 100 schools took part.

NEWS OF OLD BOYS

OBITUARIES

REVEREND RONALD BROWN

Ronald Henry Brown was born in 1919 and came to our school from Barton Road school. On leaving, he joined a firm of shipping agents in Dover in preparation for employment with the Customs and Excise where one of his duties was the escorting of bullion cargoes.
During the war he served in the Royal Artillery and later became a sergeant instructor in the Army Education Corps. It was during this time he became a local preacher and offered for the ministry. In his early teens he had been a member of Snargate Street Methodist Chapel.
On demob. in 1945 he became one of the first group of post-war students to train for the Methodist ministry and was ordained in 1949. Ron served in various circuits and in 1961 he was working in the Carlisle area where he played a major part in Christian unity. In 1967 he became superintendent of the circuit at Barrow-in-Furness where he remained for eight years, before moving on to Workington and then Penrith. He retired to Carlisle in 1987 where, following a serious attack of shingles, his sight deteriorated which forced Ron and his wife Doris to enter a sheltered home. He died in the Carlisle and Penrith Hospital.

MAURICE WALTER “MOGGY” FENN (1929-36)

Born on 8 February 1919, Maurice became known as Mog or Moggy at school, and the name stuck in later life. If you had asked anyone in Canterbury Telephone area for Maurice Fenn they wouldn’t have known who you were talking about! At school he was a Junior Prefect, was awarded the School Colours and as well as being captain of Buckland House he was also captain of the School 1st XI football, 1st XV rugby, 1st XI cricket teams and the Inter-School Athletic Team in 1936. A Lance Corporal in the Cadet Corps, he sang in the School Choir and served on the Pharos Committee. On leaving school he became an apprentice at Armstrong Siddeley in Coventry, returning to Kent in 1937. In August of that year he joined the Canterbury Telephone Area as a youth in training at Folkestone. Having been in the school army cadets, he joined the T.A. Royal Artillery 168 Battery and was called up in August 1939, serving on coastal defence at the Western Heights in Dover for the first few months of the war. In 1940 he transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals and joined the 1st Armoured Division with whom he went to the Middle East Eighth Army in 1941 and was in the rest of the campaign in North Africa, going on later to Italy and Australia. He returned to England in 1945 and was demobbed in February 1946, having completed six and a half years’ war service. He returned to a job in Folkestone with the Post Office Engineers as they were then called, and in 1963 went to the Oxford area where he became a Telecommunications Manager, retiring from BT in 1979. He died on 8 January 1999, he and his wife Eileen having been married for nearly 59 years. We send her our sympathy.

ALFRED H. GUNN (1918-1924)

Alf, one of our very oldest “old boys” died at the end of May, aged 91. After leaving Dover County School he was apprenticed as a silversmith and then joined his father’s jewellery business in Dover. He was a Fellow of the Gemmologists Association of Great Britain. Alf played an active part in the life of the Dover community. He was twice President of the Old Pharosians (1960-1962), a Past-President of Dover Rotary Club, a former President of Dover Chamber of Commerce (as his father was 27 years before him), the first post-war President of the school’s Parents’ Association and an active member of Dover Operatic and Dramatic Society. He served on the OP’s committee for many years.

Alf first joined the school at St. Hilda’s on Priory Hill, a house lent to the school by the governors of Dover College. While he was there, the premises in Frith Road came into being. Back in 1991, he wrote an article for this newsletter recalling life at the school in the 1920s and perhaps we may be able to reprint some of it in a future edition of this newsletter.

Our association was well represented at his funeral service at River where Maurice Smith read the Lesson. We send our condolences to his son DAVID (1947-1953) one of our members.

MAJOR DONALD HENDERSON GM (1934-38)

Don Henderson, who came to our school from Gillingham County School, died in March aged 77. He was awarded the George Medal in 1975 when serving as the Metropolitan Police’ top bomb disposal officer.
Ken Ruffell remembers Don at school as a promising pianist and maybe it was the dexterity of his fingers that saved his, and many other lives, while dealing with scores of unexploded bombs.
At school he was a Lance Corporal in the Cadet Corps band, played football, rugby and cricket for his house. He left school to work as a clerk for Richard Costain and joined up in 1939 with AA Command, served in India as a radar specialist before gaining a commission in the RAOC dealing with ammunition.
He served as an officer in Malaya, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Aden before returning to the UK as a major. By 1964 Don had become one of Britain’s foremost authorities on explosives and he retired from the army to set up a special police branch C7(2) to try to counter terrorist bomb attacks. At the height of the terror waged by the Balcombe Street Gang he managed to disconnect the timing device on a 25lb bomb on the window cill of a restaurant where 40 diners, including MPs, were enjoying themselves. The bomb had been timed to go off just four minutes after Don arrived on the scene. Among his many other exploits was defusing a bomb found on an aircraft bound for Barcelona, thought to have been placed by Basque separatists.
At Christmas 1974 he dealt with 72 incidents in eight days and, as an expert witness, gave evidence at many trials of terrorists.
He retired in 1981 and later wrote a history of the George Medal, Dragons Can Be Defeated, and a novel about his experiences, Bomb Two.
He said his biggest joy, after defusing a bomb, was the tremendous satisfaction of sticking two fingers up to the bombers!

REVEREND WILLIAM KEMP (1923-1930)

Bill Kemp, a former President of the Old Pharosians’ Association, died in February, aged 85. The funeral service was in the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral.
Bill, born in Limes Road, Dover in 1913, played for the school’s football and cricket 2nd XI and left school nearly 70 years ago to work for Hythe District Council before training for ordination in the Church of England.
He was ordained in 1940 at Lichfield Cathedral and served in Wolverhapton, Croydon, Stoke on Trent, and in the Fens of Lincolnshire.
He then returned to his East Kent roots to become Vicar of Denton, Wootton and Swingfield in 1964, serving there until retirement in 1979 since when he ministered in Canterbury Cathedral.
His son David tells the editor: ”He always looked back on his time at the school with pride and affection. He was deeply grateful for the grounding the school gave him in academic and people skills which served him, and allowed him to serve others, all his life.”

MEMBERS STILL LIVING AND LEARNING

CHARLES ABBOTT (1937-1942)

Charles e-mailed the school last year to ask if anyone remembered him, but somehow the message went astray and so did not appear in the last edition of the newsletter. Sorry about that. Charles lives in Western Australia and, co-incidentally, in the same town as a distant relative of joint newsletter editor Graham Tutthill who he was trying to contact. So Charles was able to put them in touch. Perhaps we can now return the favour by asking if any former school friends (or teachers) of Charles would like to contact him. He writes: “I was pleased to discover the details of the School and Old Pharosians on the Internet. I started the same year that Ken Ruffell was appointed and in fact he was our form master for Middle 2 in 1939 when he was married. Our form clubbed together and bought the newly weds a biscuit barrel for a present. I recently received a newspaper cutting from my sister who still lives in Douglas Rd, Dover and I was curious to note that the report stated that he had gone down to Ebbw Vale when we were evacuated in 1940.I may be wrong but if my memory is correct Ken had left prior to that to join the Armed Services. I spent from 1940 until 1942 in Ebbw Vale and after passing the School Certificate Exams with exemption from Matriculation, returned to Dover and found employment in a Building Firm for the Royal Navy located near the Eastern Arm. I worked there until April 1944 when I was called up
for service in the R.N. In 1945 I was transferred to Australia to join a Submarine Mother Ship as an Electrical Mechanic handling torpedoes for our sub flotilla. I married my wife Jean, an Australian of Scottish heritage, in March 1946 and returned for ‘demob’ in Britain at the end of 1946. I then worked for an American Oil Refinery Engineering Firm in London as a Piping Draughtsman for four years until we decided to return to Australia at the end of 1950. In 1960 we returned to Britain for seven months and then immigrated to Toronto, Canada for one year and then to San Francisco where we lived and worked until our return to Australia in 1963. I qualified as a Structural and Mechanical Engineer in West Australia and determined that I would do what I always wanted which was to become an Architect. So in 1966 I became a qualified Architect and following two years as the Architect in Charge for the U.S. Navy, started in my own Practice until two years ago when I was forced to retire because of health reasons. It has been a great life and my wife and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary in March 1996 – we visited Dover in July-September – and following a round the world trip returned to Perth, Western Australia, in late September 1996. We have three children – Paul our eldest son is a Doctor of Physics and lecturer at the University of W.A., David – our second son is a Geophysicist and our daughter Lesley is a High School Teacher. I occasionally see another old boy from the School, Bill (Dick) Bailey who was at one time a reporter on the Dover Express and who has now retired. There are so many names of students during my years at the school that I have forgotten but I can still remember people such as Bernie Harrison whose father ran the hotel at the bottom of Tower Hamlets, Bernard Harrison, ‘Flossie’ Forwood whose father was a policeman? Dick Culver, Charlie Sisley – but there my memory leaves me dead! Of course no-one could forget the Headmaster J.C.Booth, WEP, A.B. Constable, Miss Rookwood, Mr. Coulson and of course ‘Spud’ Slater and his two sons, the Rev. Langley and the inimitable ‘Billy’ Baxter. Best wishes to the School for the future.

Charles’ e-mail address is caha@physics.uwa.edu.au and his home address is 76a Homer Street, Dianella, Western Australia 6059.

MARTIN ATKINS and JOHN PEALL (1960-1968)

Dover District Council celebrated its 25th birthday in April and presentations were made to 38 members of staff who had served all that time. Martin was one of those receiving an award as was John Peall who has also served a quarter of a century with the authority. Both were in the same class at school, and now they both work in the council’s planning department.
A. JOHN BAKER (1952-57)

My first job, for a little over two years was with Pfizer at Richborough where I was employed as a cost clerk. Then for a year I took temporary work first as a bottle-washer at a dairy followed by work as a pastry-cook for a pork butcher. In the evenings by correspondence courses and night school I studied and acquired 3 A levels. One of my teachers was A. E. Coulson who developed my interest in Mathematics.
In 1961 I left the area to work as an actuarial trainee at the now defunct Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association. There were too many distractions for a young man on first leaving home and this brief career fizzled out in 1963. My next venture was as a computer programmer with ICT (Engineering) and NCR. This vocation didn’t suit me either. In those days programs were written in numerical machine code. This was particularly boring and to make matters worse I had to punch the instructions into cards or papertape – a far cry from today’s methods.
To keep the wolf from the door I decided to return to accounts work. I took an accounting job with The Sunday Times where, after a spell as a union official, I was promoted to firstly Production Cost Accountant and then to Editorial Cost Accountant. I part qualified during this period but the commitment to progress, in spite of the buzz of working for a great newspaper, was missing. I felt at 29 somewhat restless and launched out into selling Life Assurance.
I worked principally in the City of London and West End on an employed and self-employed basis for nearly 10 years for a number of companies. These years were some of the happiest of my working life. They were exhilarating years, too, but also I learnt about despair and just how tough selling can be. During this period I found time nevertheless to acquire another A level – Applied Mathematics – and to enrol on a degree course with The Open University. However, by 1979 I was getting restless again and the left side of my brain kept telling me to resume number work.
And so, much to my wife’s relief, I got off the roller-coaster and returned to accountancy work once more at Babcock International plc. I stayed at Babcock until 1987 when the firm was taken over and the head office staff were made redundant. However during that time I refreshed my accounting skills and after nine years study acquired a BA degree from The Open University mainly in numerical subjects. At the graduation service in Ely Cathedral I wore my Old Pharosians’ tie !
From Babcock I went to my present firm Smith & Nephew plc where I am employed as the Head Office Accountant. Smith & Nephew is a progressive world-class healthcare company. Among their initiatives has been the provision of language tuition for members of staff at the firm’s expense at Kings College in the Strand. I took advantage of the opportunity to study French for a year in the evenings. French was my favourite subject at Dover and returning to the classroom with its smell of chalk and the cramped seating arrangements evoked memories of those inimitable characters Slimey Salter, Dynamite Dixon, and Billy Baxter.
My time now is taken up with hard work and keeping up with the hectic pace of change. I enjoy walking up to 25 miles in a day as an antidote to life’s stresses and strains.

TED BAKER (1922-1925)

The suggestion that the Old Pharosians’ Association should drop the word “Old” has not gone down well with one of our former Presidents, Ted Baker who’s now 88 and enjoying life in Devon. “But the committee must do as they think fit and put its recommendation to the AGM,” says Ted.
In an interesting letter (his letters are always full of information),Ted suggests we run an article in the News Letter outlining the various names of the Houses at the school, over the years, before they were known as Buckland, Country, Maxton and Town. He says Maxton house was half the size of Country in the 1920-1930s. Ted has played his part in changing attitudes, in the association, to women! For many years he argued that “lady guests” should be allowed to attend the annual dinner. It was not until 1967, he recalls, when he was President that the first official lady guests were welcomed. They were Miss Rookwood and Ted’s wife.
In a move that others may wish to take up, Ted (69 years a member of the association, many as a life member) sends along a £25 cheque to help our funds along. Thanks Ted.

TED BISHOP (1927-1936)

There’s something to be said for wearing the old school tie, says Ted Bishop writing from 78 Bassett Green Road, Swaything, Southampton. Last October Ted had a nasty accident and had to go into hospital. After a spell in a rehabilitation hospital, he was being transported around by a pal. One day this friend said he had to call on his father-in-law. They drove there and father-in-law came out of the house. Wearing an Old Pharosians’ tie. He revealed himself to be Phil Ewer. Ted adds: “Phil was junior to me at school and I wouldn’t have remembered him, other than by name, but for the tie. It’s a small world.” When your editor spoke to Ted in February he was waiting to go into hospital again for an operation.

KEVIN BLACK (1975-82)

Kevin sends an e-mail message: “A quirk of brand names allows me to describe myself as a Cool, Genius Developer at a City Software House, following my career change. My main memory of the school is the view of it from my Elms Vale window when I opened the curtains each morning, especially after the renovation and dazzling repainting of the tower part-way through my school days. Recent references to Mr Bird reminded me of the 1980 Kent Cruise when he led our group. I managed to stray from the group in Egypt and was barred from re-boarding the ship until Mr Bird was interrupted from the first class dinner table to vouch for me. The experience failed to curb my adventurous spirit and whilst the group toured a castle in Rhodes I went exploring by donkey with Glyn Williams and Simon Holder. I wonder if they have ever managed to return to the island as we all pledged at the time. I haven’t but still intend to.

IAN CLARKE (1983-1990)

Ian, in March this year, took command of the minesweeper HMS Orwell to become, aged 26, the Royal Navy’s most junior captain. He’s having a most interesting naval career. He joined the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1991 as a Seaman Officer. He served on a variety of ships including a spell with the Fishery Protection Squadron in home waters and a frigate in the Gulf. In 1995 he was communications officer on the frigate HMS Coventry while the ship was deployed in the Adriatic in support of operations ashore in former Yugoslavia. During 1996-97 he was operations and navigating officer of the Hong Kong patrol ship HMS Peacock trying to counter the influx of illegal immigrants. In the run-up to handing over Hong Kong to the Chinese in June 1997 he was involved in the planning for the final naval departure of HMY Britannia and the ships of the Hong Kong squadron. After that he was with HMS Newcastle, as navigating officer, in the West Indies to counter drug operations and gave assistance to the island of Montserrat after the devastating volcano. He has bought a flat (24 Regency Court, King Charles Street, Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2RR) and would be delighted to hear from old friends. “I hope to attend the annual dinner this year,” says Ian.

DAVID CLOKE (1984-91)

David has passed the first two of his surgical exams, the first part towards his qualification as a Member of the Royal Society of Surgeons. He has also just become engaged to Dr Rachel Taylor, from Darlington, who he met at university. We wish them both well for the future.

THE EADE FAMILY

ROBERT EADE (1956-1963) has recently taken early retirement after a career in local government finance which started in the Treasurer’s Department of the old Dover Borough Council and eventually ended as Director of Finance with Shepway District Council. At school, Bob represented the school in all sports then available and today he is a keen golfer being Captain at Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club.

MATTHEW EADE (1988-1995) gained a BA (Hons) 2.1 degree at Lancaster University and has recently started a training contract with accountants Bright, Grahame, Murray in London.

MARK EADE (1990-1997) is in his second year at Leeds University reading Maths with Economics. He has recently made his second trip to New York where he again visited and trained with the founding father of Seido Karate.

ALLAN EDGINGTON (1941-1948)

Alan, now retired, spends much of his free time “marooned” out on the huge breakwater of Dover harbour. He’s the President of Dover Sea Angling Club, responsible for angling parties permitted to fish from the breakwater, and Alan supervises the groups who come from all over the south of England to catch Dover’s fish.

REX FLETCHER (1971-1979)

Rex was part of the 1970 intake along with Steve Talbot who presented the prizes at Guest Evening in 1997. “I was recently back in the UK and paid an unofficial visit to the school finding myself in Dover after 10 years away. You were preparing for a parents’ visit. There were displays in the physics lab and boys dressed in machine shop aprons were busy in the workshop. I could not resist taking another Helter Skelter trip down the school tower steps to take my place in that ‘1970s’ school dinner line courtesy of Mrs Parfitt. In my first few years older boys would act as table heads and serve the younger boys. I ventured up to the school hall next. It seemed back then that with two assemblies each day that I had become intimately acquainted with every waxed wooden floor tile in the place. Of course I had to take a look at the school Javelin Trophy (Cricket Ball really) to make sure my name was still there. Memories of banging wooden locker doors, the smell of leather briefcases and the din of even smaller 11-year-olds came flooding back. I have fond memories of David Murray, Mr Grant (and the Swiss skiing trip), Brian Quinn of the Monk, Fletcher and Hall, biology field trip to Dale Fort, Wales, Mr Haines who doggedly tried to teach me Latin – with more success than he thought – and, of course, Mr Bird. I was very upset to hear of his passing as I am sure were all boys who knew him. Presently I live and work in Pennsylvania USA. I gained a Degree in Industrial Applied Biology from North East London University in 1984 and became Plant Manager of a culture lab in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania.” Rex has two children, both American, aged six and one, and he is presently working for a French-based water purification company, with their subsidiary, in the US. “I would welcome e-mails or letters from anyone who knew me perhaps with a view to organising a reunion.” His e-mail address is bronte@delanet.com

ROBERT FRANKS (1972-1979)

Robert works as the wine buyer at Boozers on the outskirts of Calais. Born in Deal, Robert went to Deal Methodist School – where he first met the boy who was to become his boss, Ray Culver – and then came to the grammar school where both his father RAY FRANKS and uncle ALAN GARSIDE (1938-1945) had also been pupils. Robert studied design and technology at Brunel University and then spent 10 years running his father’s fishing tackle and gun shop business in Middle Street, Deal. “The shop had been operating since 1950 but after the Hungerford shootings in 1990, I could see the writing on the wall and I knew this country’s gun laws would eventually change, and we closed.” He had always enjoyed selling things, and had an interest in wine. So he invested in a training course with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, achieved diploma level – just below a Master of Wines qualification – and then ran Victoria Wines in Deal for three years. He moved to France – fell in love with the country – and re-launched The Grape Shop having been taken on by Hoverspeed as project manager for its reopening. By chance one day, he passed by Boozers, which was the only shop of its type he had not been into in the Calais area, walked up to the counter and there stood his old school friend Ray. Robert asked for a job and was taken on as the wine buyer. Wine producers from many parts of Europe – and other countries in the world – now beat a path to Boozers’ door to try to persuade Robert to stock their wines on the ever-increasing shelves. Robert lives in Boulogne old town.

SEBASTIAN GOUGH (1990-1997)

Sebastian is studying biology and natural sciences at Clare College, Cambridge, and has joined one of the RAF’s University Air Squadrons. He is ranked as an Officer Cadet and belongs to Cambridge University Air Squadron at Cambridge Airport. Such squadrons, introduced in 1925, have provided the RAF with high-qualified personnel to compete for entry into the force as pilots and now also offer many places to other aircrew, navigators and ground branches. “You get wonderful flying, excellent training and very good experience of life in the RAF as well as making what I expect will be life-long friendships,” said Sebastian.

CHRISTOPHER HASSELL (1979-1985)

After qualifying as a teacher and an accountant he is now working as a Commercial Accountant with East Midlands Electricity, currently having joint responsibility for the implemenation of SAP to a major part of the business. “I would be interested to swap notes with anyone having similar experiences, especially in the Utilities sector). Chris’s e-mail address is Christopher.Hassell@eme.co.uk

BRIAN HEDGECOCK (1941-1947)

Now retired, Brian has taken an interest in the Internet and discovered the school’s website. As a result he’s joined the Old Pharosians’ Association – “something I should have done 40 or 50 years ago,” he says. On leaving school he worked in the treasurer’s department with Dover Corporation and, after RAF National Service, started his groundwork for professional examinations. In 1954 he moved to the Borough of Epsom and Ewell and then, three years later, to Basingstoke. There he passed his finals for the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants and became a Chartered Municipal Treasurer. “I understand I was the first Dover-born person to attain this qualification,” he says. Local government reorganisation saw him working for the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane and he retired in 1988 as Assistant Director of Finance (Accountancy). Brian, who was at the Dover re-union of evacuees this summer, was for eight years treasurer for a Methodist Church and became interested in family history research. His lifelong interest in photography has continued and he has now moved into the realms of digital photography and has bought a new computer, film scanner and photo printer to “develop” this hobby. His e-mail address is: brian@hedge70.freeserve.co.uk on which he would like to hear from old friends.

GORDON KING, who taught at the school from 1934 to 1979, celebrated his 90th birthday on 29 June and we send him our best wishes.
DR BARTON MANNING (1930-1940)

Barton writes from Lumsden, Newfoundland, to Ken Ruffell recalling Ken’s arrival at the school in 1937 when “most of the staff were of World War I vintage.” Barton, junior champion in 1936, left the school from Ebbw Vale. He still has a photograph of the school rugby team of 1938-39 in which he was capped. He went on to Dental School in Edinburgh and entered the Royal Navy in 1955, retiring as a Surgeon Commander (D) in 1965 since when he has been living in rural Newfoundland. He writes the most valuable asset he received at school was, and remains, Latin and French. Dr Manning’s Internet address is: www.entnet.nf.ca/heritage and his E-mail address: audrey.manning@nf.sympatico.ca.

MICHAEL MARSH (1945-1953)

Michael writes from his new address, 15 Cambridge Road, Uxbridge UB8 1BQ to say he retired as Senior Deputy Headmaster at Dr Challenor’s Grammar School in Amersham in August 1997 after 30 years at the school. He is now working part-time at the school in an administrative capacity under the title of Registrar! “I am also working with the Chairman of Governors trying to raise money to build a sports hall at the school,” he writes. “My career has, to some extent, mirrored that of Ken Ruffell as I, too, taught geography having been inspired by Ken.” He also asked to be remembered particularly to Peter Burville “a contemporary of mine and a fellow inhabitant of St Margaret’s”.

MICHAEL NEWMAN (1974-1982)

Michael has been leading the campaign to save Summerhill School, the oldest democratic school in the world, which is currently under threat. Summerhill School in Suffolk has 61 pupils aged seven to 17 and is internationally known for its philosophy of giving freedom to the children. A third of the pupils are English, the rest come from many other countries. In May, Michael, who teaches science at the school, took a group of pupils to Westminster to meet Dover MP Gwyn Prosser, and to hold one of their regular democratic meetings at the House of Commons. The school’s policy is to allow children to develop their own goals and sense of achievement, to play as much as they like, to experience the full range of feelings free from the judgment and intervention of an adult, and to live in a community which supports them and for which they are responsible. Michael said: “Summerhill is a symbol of freedom and democracy, in fact it is more than a symbol, it is a reference point for all of us so that we can try and answer the questions: what if children could control their school, if children had responsibility and full participation in their communities, and how good are children at being citizens? Summerhill allows us to see the answers and not simply to resort to guesses by adult experts. Summerhill gives the children a voice. We should be listening to that voice, not closing it down.” Michael has sent e-mail messages to many of those he used to be at school with and has received several messages of support.

A graduate zoologist, he studied the history and philosophy of science and worked in state schools before teaching English to managers, professors, school students and primary school teachers in Italy.
He has worked at Summerhill since Easter 1995. He has also worked in the national Humanist organisations promoting thought about ethics and education, serving on their national executive committees (British Humanist Association, South Place Ethical Society) and education committee (British Humanist Association). He has published a small book about H.G. Wells and science education, given many presentations on science education and understanding, and created exhibitions on story telling and science. He is on the board of a cultural association in Italy, and the Education Committee of the Society for Storytelling. His most recent public presentation, apart from talks on Summerhill, was a workshop at the annual conference of the Society for Storytelling in March 1997.

There has been a whole family of Newmans at the Grammar School. His father WILLIAM NEWMAN (1938-1945) has just retired as chairman of Dover District Council, his uncle William (1973-80) was there, and so were his two brothers Mark (1974-1981) and Michael.

PIC OF KENNETH NEWING

From page 33 (top right pic, man with glasses)
of Elmore Abbey Record.

DOM KENNETH NEWING (1931-40)

Dom Kenneth, who serves at Elmore Abbey in Newbury, was among those who responded to the article in the last newsletter about ALBERT “SUNY” WILSON (1963-68) who is on death row in the Philippines. Kenneth lived in Buckland Avenue, just three doors along from Cherry Tree Avenue, when he was in Dover. He serves on the Formation Council at the Abbey. He wrote by air mail to Suny to assure him of our best wishes and prayers and sent him a copy of the Elmore Abbey Record, a newsletter about events at the Abbey and other items. Kenneth has also written to Suny’s daughter, Denise, in Dover. We sent a copy of the January edition of the Old Pharosians’ newsletter to Suny who was sentenced to death last October for allegedly raping his teenage step-daughter in 1996, even though all the evidence apparently points to his innocence. He is currently awaiting a recommendation by the country’s solicitor general to the Supreme Court who will finally decide whether he is found guilty of the offence or whether he should be acquitted. Denise says they are “quite confident” the solicitor general will recommend an acquittal. “It’s going to be a nerve-wracking few weeks,” said Denise. Suny has recently said goodbye to a Japanese prisoner who was on death row for 14 years and has just been acquitted and released.

CLIFF PARTRIDGE (1931-38), whose father was licensee of the Avenue Inn in Snargate Street, now lives in retirement at Sholden after many years’ service with the Ministry of Defence. At school he was a member of the House 2nd XV rugby team, gained the Royal Life Saving Society’s bronze medal, and in 1938 passed the London School Certificate. He became an apprentice at Short Brothers in Rochester. He volunteered for the aircrew in the war but was turned down. He was on inspection work before being called up into the army, undertaking his basic training with the Royal Scots Fusiliers and then recommended for Commission with the Royal Engineers. He saw service in the Middle East, Greece and Egypt, and came out as Assistant Adjutant in the 59th Field Company, Royal Signals. He moved to Yorkshire and was engaged with the Ministry of Supply working on army vehicles, fighting vehicles and Centurion and Chieftain tanks. He retired in 1980, and lives at Windy Nook, Hall Crescent, Sholden, Deal CT14 0AA.

IAN PASCALL (1967-1974)

Your association’s hard working honorary treasurer is this year’s President of Dover Rotary Club, following in the footsteps of many other OPs. Ian, a chartered accountant, is an Hereditary Freeman of Dover and is involved with a number of local voluntary groups including the Dover YMCA. Older OPs will remember Ian’s late father Jack who was at the school in the 40s. Several OPs are members of Dover Rotary Club, including secretary Frank Holland.

DR. STEPHEN PRATT (1957-63)

The last edition of the newsletter included an article about Steve’s career since leaving school. He is Director of Corporate Quality Assurance for a multi-national drug company for which he travels the globe.
We had a photograph which we could not include last time, so here it is, to help recall memories of those who were at school with him. His wife Jo teaches special needs across the road from their Danish home, Jamie has started his MA at Goldsmith’s College, London and Hannah is just completing her final year at Bradford University.

ROGER RAY (1964-1971) and his wife Susan are celebrating 11 years of running their own successful business. The company, RN Electronics based in Mountnessing, near Brentwood in Essex, designs and manufactures radio and other highly sophisticated electronic products and transmitters. Born in Dover, Roger took his A levels at the school and then went on to Marconi College, Chelmsford. Having always been interested in mobile radio, he has been a radio ham for 16 years. Last year, the company won a major contract for mobile phone company Orange to manufacture new technology which Roger designed.
They are also specialists in electromagnetic capability testing for companies requiring European CE marking. Roger concentrates on technical design and developing new products while his wife is managing director and deals with the business side. They employ nine highly-qualified and specialised technicians. Customers are spread all over the world, including New Zealand, Egypt and America. For more than two years, one of their major contracts has been with Symbol Technologies in the United States, requiring several visits to America. Last year they attended a symposium for wireless designers in Silicon Valley, San Francisco. RN Electronics is based at 1 Arnolds Court, Arnolds Farm Lane, Mountnessing, Essex CM13 1UT (01277 352219 or fax 01277 352968).

ERIC ROTHERHAM (1931-37)

Long write-up in the Medway News about the retirement of Eric (“Tich”) Rotherham after 50 years in the teaching profession. Eric was a Country House boy at school and a very good footballer and cricketer, playing for both under-14s eleven and the first team. He was also a keen trumpeter. He has been teaching at Howard School at Medway, the last 15 years as a supply teacher.
The newspaper report tells of his devoted service, how he introduced hundreds of children to music (especially brass) as well as his lessons on maths, English, French and science technology. He was apparently noted, in earlier years, for the use of the slipper to maintain discipline and he still defends the deterrent which he believes provided an essential and effective method of quelling the disruptive elements. “It was never done with malice. But the threat was there. Now it’s not. As a teacher these days you have few options available to you. You have detentions but that does not work if they don’t turn up,” Eric is reported as saying.
(Ed: It makes one wonder from whom at our school he inherited his ideas!)
Eric is now settling down to retirement and aims to finish a book on collecting that he started almost 20 years ago. The cutting from the Medway News was sent to the editor by DICK STANDEN (1932-1937) who remembers Eric well.

KEN RUFFELL

While collecting their son PAUL TUTTHILL (1991-98) at the end of his first year at Bradford University in June, Graham and Jill Tutthill stayed with Christine and Mervyn Flecknoe overnight in their home in Baildon, on the outskirts of Bradford. Christine is the daughter of Ken and Barbara Ruffell who also live in Baildon. Graham and Jill took an evening stroll to visit Ken and Barbara in their home and were sorry to discover that Barbara had recently fallen and broken her arm. We hope she will soon be fully recovered. As always the Ruffells were keen to catch up on news of what was happening in Dover and at the school. Ken and Barbara will be celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversary on 31 August, and we send them our best wishes for this occasion.

LAURENCE STEVENS
An interesting article in the Dover Express told how Laurence, now living in the USA, used e-mail to find out more details about Dover. He wanted to know if the caves in the cliffs behind Limekiln Street still existed. His father, a former major, used to grow mushrooms there immediately before the 1939-45 war and was awarded the prize for the best mushrooms grown in England and Wales. The family lived in Leyburne Road and Laurence attended Dover County School until his father got turfed out of the caves because they were wanted by the Admiralty. Laurence was conscripted in 1948, joining the RAOC, trained at Aldershot, and kept volunteering for overseas draft. Eventually he ended up in Nairobi for a year. He now lives at New Burn, North Carolina -”recovering from a hurricane” – and his e-mail address is 1stevens@coastalnet.com

TERRY SUTTON (1940-47)

Terry, your co-editor, has been elected vice-chairman of the local civic group, The Dover Society, of which he’s been media officer for several years. He’s also vice-chairman of Dover district’s tourism group, the White Cliffs Country Tourism Association, and a director of Dover Town Centre Management Company. This month (July), he is celebrating 50 years with the Dover Express.

JONATHAN TODHUNTER (1983-1990)

Jonathan e-mailed the school to say his mother had contacted him with the “joyous news” that the last edition of the OP newsletter had arrived! “When I last communicated with the school, I was about to begin a new job in Singapore. I have now been there for nearly two years and will begin a new job as Director of Music at Tanglin Trust School. This is a 1,500 pupil British school here in Singapore.” Jonathan has some joyous news of his own – he is to marry his Australian fiancee Jo in August, and we wish them well. “It is wonderful to see pictures of the school on my computer screen so many miles from home. Yesterday I met a girl from Holland who works for Wiggins Teape and I was telling her about how we went on a trip to the paper mill when doing ES in the Junior School. She wasn’t impressed that then we learfnt about all the pollution the mill was creating. She assures me that this is not the case any more. Glad to see the school is flourishing, and I look forward to visiting it again one day when I am back in the UK.” E-mail address wibbly@cyberway.com.ag (Old boys away from Dover who have not see local newspaper reports may be interested to know that it has been announced that Buckland Paper Mill will close next year. Production is to be switched to Aberdeen – Ed).

JAMES AND BEN TURNER (1980-87)

James graduated with Honours in Fine Arts at Sunderland University in 1992, and, after completing his PGCE studies at Christchurch College, Canterbury, went on to a teaching post at Brockhill School, Hythe, where he is currently teaching art.

Ben graduated with Honours in Modern Studies at Stafford Polytechnic in 1990, and, after completing his PGCE studies at Ripon College, York, went on to a teaching post in Birmingham. He married in December 1995 and he and his wife have just completed a two-year tour of duty in Pakistan working for VSO. During this time they have been responsible for training some 70 teachers and teacher/trainers and have been instrumental in opening 11 Mosque schools in the Punjab – against tremendous odds in some cases. In order to do this they have worked with a Muslim organisation and the British Council, as well as VSO. Ben has now returned to teaching in Birmingham, where he enjoys the multi-cultural nature of the work.

GRAHAM TUTTHILL (1960-65)

Graham, the other co-editor of this Newsletter, has been carrying out an effective campaign, as chief reporter on the Dover Mercury, to improve the running of Dover magistrates’ court on which several OPs serve as JPs. Graham has, over the months, highlighted the chaotic situation at the court when people have been wrongly arrested and others have made long journeys to the court only to find the hearing has been cancelled. He, with Terry Sutton, is helping former headmaster Father Michael Hinton with the Christians Together in Dover millennium celebrations. Michael makes an efficient chairman. Graham’s e-mail address is graham@tutthill.freeserve.co.uk

MARTYN WEBSTER (1960-1967)

Martyn, who joined us from a primary school at Mongeham, is now an Immigration Officer based at Gatwick airport but living in Brighton. He’s a keen member of the Kent Family History Society and because of that has undertaken research into gravestones in the Dover area. In June he led a group on a tour of three cemeteries in the Old Charlton Road area and pointed out some of the last resting-places of many of Dover’s leading citizens of the 19th century.

DAVID WELLARD (1952-1959)

After trying a few times unsuccessfully to send his new address to the school via e-mail, David eventually resorted to the normal post to let us know where he now lives in Florida. He has taken early retirement – at the age of 57, from Pfizer Inc in New York. “I am now working on my golf handicap, at the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill club, a tough championship course.” David completed 38 years with Pfizer travelling to many countries in the world and living in England, Hong Kong and USA. “I spent virtually my whole career with the international business, latterly as Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, never imagining that when I started in quality at Sandwich that one day I would lead that whole area of the business. It was a great career, much more than I could ever have envisaged, and I must give thanks to the education and teaching I received, especially at DGSB of which I am very proud.” Like so many others, David asks us to send his best regards to Ken Ruffell. “Does he have an e-mail address?” asks David. Not yet, I’m afraid! -Ed. David’s e-mail address is david.wellard@celebration.fl.us

DR NORMAN WOOLHOUSE (1946-52)

Norman, a keen cross country runner, is also a mountaineer and earlier this year he gave a talk to Dover Rotary Club about one of his heroes, Dover-born Albert Frederick Mummery, a Victorian, who many regard as the father of modern Alpine climbing. At the meeting Norman met some of his contemporaries at the school including Phil Janaway and Frank Holland, the club’s secretary, who was in Norman’s class. Norman, who once worked in the path. lab. at Buckland Hospital, obtained a Science doctorate and was a university lecturer in a number of overseas countries.