2001 July

OPA Newsletter July 2001

OLD PHAROSIANS’ ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

    New Series No. 80

July 2001

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Officers and Committee Members
The Annual Meeting, Football Match and Dinner 2001
This Year’s Leavers
Website
Old Pharosians’ Ties
From The Committee Room
Diplomatic Question
Gift Aid
Archivist’s Corner
Memories of Ebbw Vale
The 1946 School Photo

NEWS OF THE SCHOOL
Mr. Robert Murphy
News gathered from the “First Thursday” Newsletters

NEWS OF OLD BOYS
Obituaries
Members still Living and Learning

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 2000-2001

PRESIDENT: Phil Janaway
73 Lewisham Road
River, Dover
CT17 0QG
01304 822740

VICE-PRESIDENT Denis Doble
4 Paveley Drive
Morgan’s Walk,
Battersea,
London SW11 3TP

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

SECRETARY: Philip Harding
6 Chestnut Road, Elms Vale
Dover CT17 9PY
01304 205007
e-mail: phil@ksfa.freeserve.co.uk

ASSISTANT SECRETARY: Graham Tutthill

TREASURER: Ian Pascall
“Karibu” 45A Bewsbury Cross Lane
Whitfield, Dover CT16 3EZ
01304 821187
e-mail: pascallian@aol.com

MEMBERSHIP Jean Luckhurst
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
e-mail: terry.sutton@route56.co.uk
and
Graham Tutthill
21 Orchard Drive, River, Dover
CT17 OND
01304 822121
e-mail: graham@tutthill.freeserve.co.uk

ARCHIVIST: Peter Burville
Seagate, Goodwin Road
St. Margaret’s Bay, Dover CT15 6ED
01304 853267
e-mail: pjburville@btinternet.com

COMMITTEE: Mike Palmer (to retire 2001)
Barry Crush (to retire 2001)
Reg Colman (to retire 2002)
Tom Beer (to retire 2002)
Roger Gabriel (to retire 2003)
Maurice Smith (to retire 2003)

AUDITOR: Neil Beverton

HEADMASTER: Neil Slater

STAFF Malcolm Grant, Dr. Alan Jackson,
REPRESENTATIVES: Francoise Lloyd

HEAD PREFECT: Ritchie Hulks

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 in hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Association will be held at the School on Saturday 29th September 2001, commencing at 11 a.m.

AGENDA

1. To read the notice convening the meeting.
2. Apologies for absence.
3. Minutes of the previous AGM.
4. Matters arising
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. Election of Officers and Committee
n President (Mr. D. Doble)
n Vice-President
n Secretary (currently P.J. Harding)
n Assistant Secretary (currently G.L. Tutthill)
n Treasurer (currently I.D. Pascall)
n Membership Secretary (currently Mrs. J Luckhurst)
n Newsletter Editor (currently T.A. Sutton)
n Archivist (currently P. Burville)
n Auditor (currently N. Beverton)
n Committee Members
7. Any Other Business

P.J. Harding

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

We will gather from 6.45 p.m. in the Great Hall of the school to chat and enjoy a glass of sherry before the dinner which is due to start at 7.30 p.m.

Once again, you are assured of a good meal at the very reasonable price of £13.50 (which includes a glass of sherry before dinner). 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? If you joined or left the school in 1961 the year 2001 marks your “Forty Years On” so that’s another good reason to make sure Saturday 29 September is marked in your diary as the day you return to the school and recall your days here. Partners are also welcome, of course.

Enclosed is a booking form which should be returned to Maurice Smith as soon as possible, and by 31 August at the latest, together with a cheque for the appropriate amount. Come and join us for a very enjoyable evening.

THIS YEAR’S LEAVERS

Hopefully, a copy of this newsletter will have been given to each of this year’s sixth formers before they officially left the school, so this paragraph is especially for them. The last thing on your mind at the moment may be joining the Old Pharosians’ Association – but we would urge you to do so now. Many old boys contact us a few years after leaving the school to say they wish they had joined earlier. In the intervening years they have lost contact with their former school friends, and sometimes it is difficult to find them again.

Joining the association is a good way of keeping in contact. We offer a special membership subscription to leavers, £1 a year for the first five years instead of the usual £5 a year. With this copy of the newsletter you should have been given a membership application form with a standing order for that amount – just to make it easy for you. All you have to do is return them to the school – NOW – and we will do the rest.

You will receive two newsletters a year with details of what is happening at the school. So we look forward to welcoming you as members of the association. Just one final plea, don’t forget to tell us if you change your address!!

WEBSITE

We regularly receive messages via e-mail now, and Graham Tutthill sends occasional news items to those who have notified us of their e-mail addresses. We have often been asked if we could make more use of the Internet.

At our committee meeting in June, we decided to buy our own domain name and have our own Old Pharosians website. We are currently having discussions as to what exactly we will put on the site. We will certainly want to host previous copies of the newsletter, along with details of committee meeting agendas and minutes, the annual meeting, football match and dinner, sporting events, membership information and, of course, contact details.

A bulletin board may well prove useful for both Old Pharosians and current students at the school. For example, sixth formers or others thinking about which universities to apply to could ask OPs for their opinions, and the same applies to possible careers. So there could be many uses. It would, of course, have a link to the school site and to any others which are connected with the association.

Is there an Old Pharosian with computer and Internet expertise who would be interested in building the website? Much of the information to go on it is already on computer, so there shouldn’t be much text to input. And then perhaps either the same person, or someone else, might be prepared to act as Webmaster and run the site for us, checking incoming messages, preferably on a daily basis, and either posting them on the site or passing them on to the appropriate person. Whoever does this does not have to live in the Dover area, of course – they could be anywhere in the world.

Incidentally, another new website, called Friends Reunited, came to our attention earlier this year. It’s designed to enable old school friends who have lost contact with each other to get in touch again. Every school in the UK is supposed to be listed, and after we sent an e-mail to old boys we could contact via the Internet, more than 50 have put their names in our school’s section. It is free to register and add your name, (don’t forget to add your name to your primary/infant school, too), and it currently costs £5 a year if you want to send someone a message or access other parts of the site. The web address is www.friendsreunited.co.uk

OLD PHAROSIANS’ TIES

The school now has a stock of Old Pharosians’ ties – either blue or red (burgundy) – which can be purchased for £8, including postage and packing. If you would like to order one, please write to our membership secretary, Mrs. Jean Luckhurst, at the school and enclose a cheque made payable to Dover Grammar School for Boys (not the Old Pharosians’ Association). Thanks have been expressed to Stephen Lock (of George Lock’s in Dover) for all his support to the association over the years. Stephen has now retired, and the shop has changed hands.

FROM THE COMMITTEE ROOM

Membership is always a topic of discussion at our committee meetings, especially ways of increasing it! One way of generating more interest – and hopefully more members – is for boys who were in a particular year to organise a re-union, perhaps to mark a special anniversary. Why not celebrate 30, 40 or 50 years from the time when you joined the school? How about contacting your former classmates and arranging to attend this year’s annual dinner together (Maurice Smith will be pleased to set aside a table or two for you), or you could organise a special re-union of your own at some other time. Perhaps a number of you live in a particular area of the country, or even in another country, and you would like to have a regional re-union, not just of your year but for pupils from other years who may live nearby. We will be pleased to publish appeals or details of such events in this newsletter – make sure you give us plenty of notice so that members have time to receive their copies and respond.

We agreed to donate £25 from our funds towards the cost of each boy taking part in a work experience scheme in Brittany. Unfortunately, the trip was cancelled because of the foot and mouth crisis.

The President sent a bouquet from the Association to our oldest Old Pharosian, Mrs. Lily Turnpenny, to mark her 108th birthday in February. He also sent flowers with the association’s best wishes to Mrs. Ann Booth (widow of former head teacher Mr. J.C. Booth) after she was admitted to hospital at the end of May.

The committee meets next on 20 November at 7 p.m.

DIPLOMATIC QUESTION

Our Vice-President, Denis Doble, would be pleased to hear from any other Old Pharosians who were (or are) in the Diplomatic Service. He knows of some, but believes there may be more. Please contact Denis at the address on page three.

GIFT AID

Just a reminder that the Old Pharosians Association can benefit if you “Gift Aid” your annual subscription, or any donation you make to the association. A full article about how to use this scheme appeared in the last edition of the newsletter (January 2001). If you haven’t got a copy and would like more information please contact our treasurer, Ian Pascall (phone 01304 821187 or fax 01304 208497 or e-mail pascallian@aol.com) or joint newsletter editor Graham Tutthill (graham@tutthill.freeserve.co.uk)

ARCHIVIST’S CORNER

Greetings! There have been several more donations to the archives since the last newsletter, only some of which I am able to record here at the moment.

Mrs. Turnpenny (1905-1912) has given us two books and two articles sent to her by one of her teachers at the School, G. W. Coopland Esq., who left the School to become a professor at Liverpool University.

Brian Hedgecock (1941-1947) sent in an interesting bundle of material, including photographs. He named the drum-major as L. E. Culver (1937-1944) in the 1941 cadet band photograph taken in Ebbw Vale. Perhaps others might be able to identify some more faces. The photograph had been sent to Brian by Brian Bacon (1940-1948) who lives in Australia. Another photograph featured a 1950, or thereabouts, O.P. blazer badge. It is virtually identical to an actual badge that we have in the archives from the 1930s, which implies a degree of stability over that period despite the war. Whilst searching in the School safe the Headmaster came across an interesting Lucas-Tooth medal awarded, for Army Cadet Efficiency, to Cadet Lyons. It had bars for the years 1929, ‘30, ‘31 and ‘32 on the ribbon. Arthur Tolputt (1934-1940), one of the archive team, was able to identify the cadet as A. W. (Trunky) Lyons (1929-33) whose obituary is recorded elsewhere in this newsletter. The Pharos magazines, of that period, are witness to a very active 1st. Cadet Company C.P. (F.) R.E. at the School.

At a Church Parade at St Mary’s Church, on Sunday 10th March 1929, Canon Elnor is recorded as saying “There are some people who have suggested the abolition of Cadet Corps for fear they produce war lust.” It was not a view to which he subscribed and, after the service, the Corps went to the Town Hall to be presented with the Lucas-Tooth Shield and medals for 1928. Similar events are recorded for following years. A 1932 entry, in the Pharos, states the (then) D.C.S. Cadet Company had won the Lucas-Tooth Competition for the fifth time. After Trunky had left the School, the Cadet Company, having reverted to its old title, continued to win the competition. What that involved, apart from an inspection, is not known to me.

In an attempt to find out something about the Lucas-Tooth competition I tried a Google search on the World Wide Web. Interestingly quite a few items of information were offered, including the statement that at 21 years and 29 days a Lucas-Tooth, in 1929, was the youngest MP. Obviously not our man but maybe the family! It was also stated that eventually Government recognition of Cadet Corps was withdrawn, before World War II, so clearly there was some sympathy with the views aired and opposed by Canon Elnor. Any further information on the Lucas-Tooth awards would be most welcome.

John Borrett (1927-35), who was a member of your archive team for some years, has sent me a newspaper cutting, of about 1965, regarding the four Donald boys who attended the School. It states that Professor Kenneth W. (1920-30) was appointed Physician to the Queen, Colonel David (1920-25) was in the Royal Artillery, Professor Colin (1920-26) was at Adelaide University and Lieutenant Colonel Gordon (1927-37) was in the army. The same newspaper cutting also stated that OP Rev. J. A. M. Clayson (1917-1920) had been appointed Chaplain to the Queen. Quite a Royal showing for the School! In discussing the Lucas-Tooth competition with John, he raised the subject of the inscribed bugle that used to feature in Cadet Corps competitions. Does anyone have information about the bugle?

Where are they now?

In response to Tony Bradley’s (1945-52) question about the location of Malcolm Julian Edwards (1945-1951), Mrs Moya Large kindly sent in his USA address.

Hoping you are enjoying what passes as a summer.

Peter Burville

MEMORIES OF EBBW VALE

We are grateful to Aneurin Watkins, from Radyr, Cardiff, for kindly keeping us up to date with events in Ebbw Vale, where our boys were evacuated during the Second World War. Now in his 80th year, he writes: Ebbw Vale takes its name from the River Ebbw which runs down the bottom of the valley. It was a town of some 35,000 inhabitants and situated in the north end of the Monmouthshire Valley. I captained the rugby team in 1938-39. In the floor of the valley was built in 1937 the largest steelworks in Europe, employing 10,000 personnel. The town had a theatre which boasted the largest stage in Wales, three cinemas, and a Workman’s Hall which was paid for by the local miners.

For the intellectuals there was the Literary and Scientific Institute which housed an enormous library with a very high ceiling. Silence was kept under the watchful eye of Mr. Cook the Librarian and his able assistant Miss Morgan. Adjacent to the Institute was the Technical School whose students wore red caps and were Engineers Mechanical and Electrical in the making for the steel industry.

At the north end of the town, and approaching towards the village of Beaufort, was the Ebbw Vale Grammar School, founded in 1897. I passed the entrance examination and entered the school in 1931 and remained there for five years, leaving to join the Post Office Engineering Department.

War was declared in 1939 and the evacuation of children from the south coast took place. On the first Monday in June 1940, a very tired Headmaster Mr. Booth and his staff arrived with pupils from the Dover Grammar School for Boys. They were billeted around the area and it was arranged for a shift system to be adopted with the Ebbw Vale Grammar School. One week the Dover school worked mornings and Ebbw Vale afternoons and vice versa the following the week with Saturdays included. Morning shift started at 8 a.m. and afternoon shift finished at 5.45 p.m. An excellent relationship existed between the schools and the Silver Trophy Cup at Dover and the Annual Prize Book at Ebbw Vale serve to perpetuate the story.

Now, I am sorry to say, they are demolishing the Ebbw Vale Grammar School and the words of Mr. J.C. Booth, when they all returned after the war, will not now be fulfilled. He said: “Floreat Schola Ebuvicae Vellis” – “Long live Ebbw Vale Grammar School”. A modern “Comp” has now been built at Waen-y-Pound Road, an area which old boys of Dover remember very well. Another sad blow to Ebbw Vale is the Dutch firm of Corus, which now owns the steelworks, is closing it. This has devastated the town. Over the years the steelworks has been reduced in size and now only has about 3,000 employed there. Steelmaking was finished there many years ago. A commemorative magazine has been produced for the Ebbw Vale Grammar School including two snippets written by Dover boys, Dick Garside and Arthur Barnacle. If they read this, perhaps they could contact me. A copy of the magazine has been sent to the school.

I was in the Royal Navy during the war, but when on leave I would meet Bernard Andrews (1937-43), a Dover boy who was billeted with Mr. and Mrs. Page who were my mother’s neighbours at 28 Wilputte Terrace, Ebbw Vale. I wonder if he is about. I moved from Ebbw Vale in 1963 and became a BT lecturer at the Telecom Training College. I still have a warm affinity for the area and relatives still living there. Mr Watkins’ address is 5 Ael-y-Bryn, Radyr, Cardiff CF15 8AZ.

We are grateful to Keith McInnes (1941-47) who has a series of photos from Ebbw Vale. The pictures Keith sent show Canning St, Cwm, and the snooker tables they played on 60 years ago in a rebuilt Miners ‘Stute as it was called.

“The seat (pictured above) is one of those we gave to commemorate our stay,” says Keith. “It is in Garden Festival Wales.” Another one was given by Ebbw Vale School. The pictures also show the original steps that used to lead to the Tin Tabernacle. After seeing John Tolputt (1942-47) mentioned in the last newsletter, (in the article about Bod Bowles (1941-47), another classmate) as now living in Bristol, Keith went through the phone book, found he lives on the other side of Bristol, and made contact with him. “I also swap pics with Rashers Bacon (1940-48), another classmate, who lives out in Aussie, and we chat about those times of sixty years ago.” Keith’s e-mail is s.m.mci@lineone.net
THE 1946 SCHOOL PHOTO

Brian “Rashers” Bacon sends this e-mail from Australia.

G’day from Downunder,

Following the promulgation of my email address in OP Newsletter No 78 Brian Hedgecock very kindly contacted me to suggest I visit his website where he’d installed the one metre long 1946 DCS panoramic photo. I managed to download it and stuck the four A4 pages together. Since then I’ve been trying to put names to as many of them as I can remember. They are all so familiar and I wish I knew more of their names. Just thought it might be an idea for those of us who have a copy of the photo to place tracing paper over it and circle all the faces giving each a number and refer that number to an index of names! We might then exchange who we might know. I note that Bill Collard had a copy of it and has identified about 20% of the faces. That’s a good start.

Tony (Met) Simmons was recently in touch. I told him about Brian’s website which I believe he has visited and has downloaded the big picture! As a matter of interest a few months ago Ivor Weeks (1944-48) and wife Barbara was here in Brisbane visiting their daughter. We met and had lunch together at the Queensland Cricketers Club at the Gabba and reminisced of the time spent at school together so long ago. Can anyone else help with names for this photo? Brian’s e-mail address is: rashers@ozemail.com.au

NEWS OF THE SCHOOL

MR ROBERT MURPHY

Bob, who taught at our school virtually all his working life and was Head of English for many years, died in Buckland Hospital in March this year, aged 85.

Born in North Shields he trained for the teaching profession at Newcastle University and taught at Dover Grammar School for Boys for 30 years, from September 1946 to 1976. During the 1939-45 war he served in the Royal Artillery and reached the rank of Sergeant Major. He and his wife Joan were married three days before D-Day and a few days later he was off with the invasion forces to France. When Bob was about 70 the first signs of Parkinson’s Disease became apparent and his wife Joan nursed him through the final stages. We offer our condolences to Joan and the children David (an old boy of our school) and to Elizabeth, who was educated at Dover Grammar School for Girls.

Following news of Mr. Murphy’s death, we received a number of tributes from some of his former pupils, which we are pleased to include here:

From Ken Goodwin: We all knew Bob Murphy as Pug, though no one would ever have said that in front of him. He was to us in his form 4M, as tough as old boots, and one of the few teachers who could command absolute silence with just a look. He believed in the economy of words, as anyone who saw “Ask” scrawled in red pen alongside a mistake in an essay will testify. He could be merciless to those who abused the English language, and withering in his critique of sloppy, florid or – even worse – sentimental writing. Yet I will risk his wrath – from beyond – by revealing a softer side few pupils saw. These days schools are more geared up for dealing with pupils who have “problems” at home. But back in the 70s, your family life was not something that was looked at too deeply. Unless you had a form teacher like Bob Murphy. Yes, I couldn’t believe it either. This was the man who could reduce you to a trembling wreck with just a couple of well-chosen words. They spat from his mouth like red-hot tracer bullets, and they never missed. His targets – the lazy, the shoddy (me among them), the apathetic – winced at the accuracy of his verbal demolition. But now, in the privacy of his damp-smelling book store room, he listened. With just the piles of musty Shakespeare, Waugh and Wordsworth text books for company, I told him things I hadn’t even mentioned to my best friends. I can’t say that he solved my problems but he had the decency to listen, and the sensitivity not to fob me off with platitudes. His advice was succinct and worldly and after that I looked up to him not only as an inspirational English teacher, but also as a decent adult. I was sad when he suffered the heart attack that eventually led to his retirement. A group of us got a collection together, and bought him, rather unimaginatively, a pen. We took it to his house and his wife Joan treated us to some of her home made toffee. When we gave him the gift it was one of those awkward mumbling schoolboy moments when we wanted to say things but somehow couldn’t. But we didn’t need to. He was visibly touched by the gesture; because as a man who spent his life teaching the appropriate use of words, he knew the power of those that remain unspoken.

From Tony Bradley: I remember Bob Murphy when he came to the school from the army, and in his first few years he played the piano for SF Willis’s school orchestra for which I played the violin. Memorably, he produced Saint Joan in December 1948, which I mentioned in my presidential address along with other notable events of 1948.

From David Wellard: He must have been a good age – he seemed quite old when I was at school in the 50’s but probably at my age then anybody over 30 was old! Not that my English is perfect but many fundamentals he taught me have stuck to this day! In fact, often in my years in Pfizer, especially in the USA, many people asked me about construction of sentences etc. “Pug” would have been very surprised. Even my essays that garnered high marks always appeared to have more red than blue ink! He was certainly another great teacher we had, who made an important impression on my life even though I was always a little afraid of him but that was never a bad thing. Please give my condolences to his family and tell them what a great teacher he was. david.wellard@celebration.fl.us

From John Newman: I remember Mr Murphy well and the pleasure that I gained from doing AL English with him. I always got the impression that he was thoroughly enjoying himself too – a total professional, whom it was a pleasure to know. My best wishes at this sad time to his son, with whom I was at both St Martin’s and DGSB.

From Peter Wilberforce: I telephoned Bob Murphy some two years ago after discovering that he still lived in Dover. He claimed to remember me! His cartoon by Dicky Boulton is on the CD that came to me, along with several other teachers of his period; perhaps that might be appropriate to put with his obituary (see previous page).

From Bill Parsons: I liked Pug Murphy – even his sharp tongue, and I have often thought about him over the years. Though I never expected to see him after my school days were finished, I feel a touch of sadness even if he is transcending to better things.

NEWS GATHERED FROM THE
“FIRST THURSDAY” NEWSLETTERS

The school was one of those selected to take part in the BBC Newsround “Youth Vote”, to find out how the country’s young people would vote in a General Election. James Evans won the election for the Liberal Democrats with 166 votes, Peter Elms (Communist) was second with 138, Jack Napier (Labour) received 125 and Alistair McPherson (Conservative) was fourth with 64. Unlike the real election, there was a good turnout of voters, 85 per cent.

Euro-MP Mark Watts and Liberal Democrat candidate Antony Hook (see later entry) visited the school and spoke to sixth formers.

Boys have attended conferences in London, visited Cologne, Paris, Calais, Berlin, Canterbury, Cambridge, two A level art students went to the Royal Academy of Arts in London to interview artist Brendan Neiland RA, other pupils also visited the Royal Academy and Tate Britain, and a French exchange took place to Lille

The school has been given government NGfL funds to buy more PCs for student use.

All boys have now been issued with new personalised Library Cards which, with a newly-installed Library Management System and laser scanner (thanks to the PFA), should make for a more effective and efficient school library service.

The Spring Concert was held in March and included items by the Big Band, Brass Ensemble, Training Band and other groups and solo instrumentalists.

The school has sponsored one of the flagstones in the Heritage Path which has been laid around the new Pencester Pavilion in Pencester Gardens, Dover. Each stone recalls an historic event from Dover’s past. The school’s stone marks the Dissolution of Dover Priory in 1535.

The Combined Cadet Force RAF section went to RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire for Air Experience Flying in a brand new training aircraft. Cadets also visited HMS Illustrious during its visit to Dover, but some of the other activities had to be cancelled because of the foot and mouth outbreak.

The Senior Chess Squad won through to the quarterfinals of the Kent Cup.
The Lenten Appeal raised £2,299, split between three charities.

Neil Brinicombe won a Bronze Medal in a Kent art competition, and our boys took all three prizes in a Dover district art competition, with Sam Marriner as overall winner.

On the football field, the 1st XI started well, then went through a bad patch and then revived to finish the season on a winning streak. The 2nd XI also started well, but then experienced a series of defeats. The Year 7 boys scored 58 goals in their first five league matches of the season and only had three scored against them, and went on to do well in the County Cup competition beating Sandwich 9-2 and then Maplesden Noakes 4-3 in the Quarter Final. The Year 8s won the Dover District seven-a-side tournament, and also won the District League without dropping a point, scoring 53 goals and conceding only three. The Year 9 boys retained their seven-a-side trophy without conceding a single goal.

The Staff v Prefects match ended in a victory for the staff after penalties.

At rugby, the Year 11s started strongly in the 12-a-side tournament, the Year 7s beat Sandwich Community School 40-0

The boys have also enjoyed mixed fortunes at basketball, and have been doing well as table tennis and swimming.

NEWS OF OLD BOYS

OBITUARIES

DAVID CORNELIUS MBE (1947-53)

David, who lived at Walmer, died from kidney cancer last August, aged 64, after spending nearly all his working life in Africa. He first went to Africa for the Crown Agents and then worked with the Overseas Development Agency in Malawi on forestry projects. It was for his forestry work that he was awarded the MBE. When he retired in 1989 he worked for two years for the Norwegian government on a project involving fuel wood. While in Malawi he was involved in voluntary work, especially with conservation, and he enjoyed climbing the African mountains and walking in them. When he was taken ill David and his wife Iris returned to Kent, where they had always planned to return one day, and shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with cancer. He died a few months later.

David leaves a widow and two grown up children to whom we offer our condolences.
WALTER GOODWIN (1934-40)

On leaving school Walter joined the National Provincial Bank but soon joined the RAF and became a Sergeant-Navigator. On de-mob he returned to the bank and became manager of the Southampton branch of the National Westminster Bank. He lived in Romsey in Hampshire where he died on May 1.

ALEXANDER LYONS (1925-33)

Alex, known as Trunky, died in January this year. When he left school he became an engineering draughtsman at Dover Engineering Works until 1939 when he joined up and served in the Royal Engineers in France and Germany. He was commissioned in 1943. He went into the teaching profession in 1947 and taught at Aylesham and then for 22 years he taught at Melbourne Primary School where he became deputy head.

He was a past-President of the Aylesham branch of the National Union of Teachers, a former Dover Rugby Club player and an active member of Dover Operatic and Dramatic Society for more than 20 years. He stood for election to Dover Town Council as a Conservative at River.

FRANK MARTIN (1930-1938)

Frank, banker, soldier and voluntary worker, was born in Dover in 1920, baptised at River Church and died in the same parish, at Applecroft Nursing Home, on February 13 this year at the age of 80 after a short but painful illness.

At our school he showed talent as an actor in the drama group, playing the role of Miranda in The Tempest to John Le Prevost’s Prospero. When he left school he started work with The Westminster Bank in Folkestone but, following a school trip to the Rhineland, he could see what was coming and joined the Territorial Army. Frank was called up on September 9 in 1939 and sent to France as a Gunner with one rifle shared between two men!

After the Dunkirk evacuation his unit travelled by train round the back of the Maginot Line and, with a few comrades (believed by the editor to be old boys from the school) escaped in a small boat from St. Valery while the rest of the Highland Division were captured by the Germans. Back home he was commissioned in the 138 Field Regiment, City of London, and served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Austria. He was seriously wounded, rescued by the Americans and hospitalised in Naples-where he acquired a taste for the opera !
In April 1946 he was sent to Prague as a liaison officer attached to the British Embassy, organising a leave scheme for troops stationed in Austria. That was a lucky stroke for it was there that he met his future wife Asa “over a cup of tea.”

During his four months in Prague, the lively capital held its first Prague Spring music festival during which he enjoyed his status as the only British officer on the streets of that city. Demobbed in 1946 he returned to the bank at Folkestone where Asa joined him a year later to work as a student nurse. They married in 1948.

Frank worked with the bank in Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe branches, remaining in the TA in which he reached the rank of Major. He then worked at other branches, returning to Hythe in 1968 when he took over the management of the Hythe branch and became treasurer of the Hythe Venetian fete. With the merger of the Westminster and NP banks he remained head of the merged branch with 21 staff working under him.

During his spare time he became treasurer of a whole swathe of Hythe voluntary organisations, including the Folkestone International Folklore Festival. Frank and Asa’s involvement with this festival led to Hythe offering a welcome to Czechoslovak folk groups and choirs, resulting over the years in well over 2,000 Czechs and Slovaks staying at Hythe homes. In 1971 he joined the Rotary Club of Hythe and was elected its President in 1979 and initiated more international links. He retired from the bank in 1980 but continued creating Anglo-Czech friendship groups.

We offer our condolence to Asa – from whom we obtained this information – and her children.

TERENCE VARDON (1959-67)

Terence’s funeral took place at Temple Ewell on Tuesday 30 January after he died following a heart attack in Germany on 19 January aged 52. Born in 1948, he lived at Temple Ewell as a boy and was organist at St Mary’s Church in Dover. After studying at our school, he went to Lincoln College, Oxford, and King’s College, London. He undertook a career in teaching and became head teacher at three different schools, the last one being King Henry VIII School in Coventry. He lectured in medieval, renaissance and baroque art, literature, architecture and music for the University of Warwick. In his spare time he worked on the history of St Radigund’s Abbey. He studied organ music in the Netherlands and Germany and frequently gave recitals. In May 1996 he returned to Dover to give a recital at Dover College Chapel organised by the Dover Society. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he emigrated to Germany in 1999 with his wife and lived near Dresden where he lectured in business studies at the Dresden University of Technology.

JOHN WRIGHT (1944-49)

John, who joined the school when it returned from Wales, died from a heart attack in November 2000. When he was at the school he lived with his parents at 103 Elms Vale Road. He retired to Eythorne in 1993. John played rugby and cricket for the school and earnt the nickname “Stumps” Wright. His widow Jean says his love of cricket never waned as his collection of Wisdens from 1945-2000 testifies.

His National Service was spent in the Royal Artillery in Germany and Holland during the flood disaster. He represented his regiment for rugby and cricket and managed to break his Adjutant’s ankle during a game of hockey! He lived and worked in the London area for 40 years, firstly in the Metropolitan Police and secondly as the area security manager for St. Thomas’ Hospital, before retiring to Eythorne.

Jean writes that John and she enjoyed the centenary dinner and with meeting up with Miss Kay again. John leaves not only his widow Jean but a son and two grandchildren to whom we offer our condolences.

STILL LIVING AND LEARNING

CHARLES ABBOTT (1937-42)

Charles sends an e-mail (from his home in Australia) to say he has been fortunate over the last year of renewing contact with Peter Prescott and Les Vale who were in his years at school and spent time down in Ebbw Vale. “I would hope to hear from any other 1937-1942 scholars who have the time to write,” he says. ” Best regards and pleasant memories of the Old School.” Charles can be contacted at 76A Homer Street, Dianella, WA 6062 Australia – email: caha@physics.uwa.edu.au
SIMON BANNISTER (1970-73)

Simon has been elected vice chairman of Dover District Council’s Labour-controlled cabinet which recommends policy for the local authority with a catchment of more than 100,000 people.

PAUL BECQUE (1976-81)

A professional entertainer since the age of 14, Paul has worked on cruise ships, been appointed Cruise Director and studied and appeared in theatre productions in America, including working with Universal Studios. Returning to the cruising industry he worked in the Mediterranean and then met his wife, Romanian-born Mihaela, who is a navigational bridge officer. Together they worked on cruise ships and visited Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Greece. Their son, Solomon Joseph was born in July 1998, and the new family lived in Romania. A year later, they returned to the sea, and Paul was able to fulfil a life-long ambition, cruising the Amazon! Now they are back in England, and Paul continues to work on a personal movie-project and hopes to return to work on the London stage and British television. But a visit to Paul’s grandmother in Dover in February resulted in another drama. Mihaela, pregnant with their second child, went into labour and they quickly went to Buckland Hospital. Selene was born just four hours later, her name taken from the Greek Goddess of the Moon. They now live at Hawkinge. Paul’s e-mail address is Paul@ukweazel.com and full details of his career can be found on his website at www.ukweazel.com

BYRON CHATBURN (1974-81)

Byron e-mails to say he was interested in the item in the last newsletter about the annual football match for the Andrew Kremer memorial cup as he was lucky enough to have been in Andy’s form for a few years and that he kept in touch with Andy while at university. “Others at the school may remember me for my involvement with the drama society (during Bryan Owen’s production era) and from when I helped run an illegal tuck shop in the sixth form. That resulted in yet another invitation to visit headmaster Reg Colman,” he recalls. Byron is now living in Leicestershire where he’s managing director of a small company. He visits Dover fairly regularly, his brother Dean (also at the school) lives at River while a third brother, Fraser, works for Bass in Burton on Trent. Byron, now running a scout troop in Leicestershire, says he would be delighted to hear from old classmates. His e-mail address is byron@chatburn.org.uk

PHILLIP CLAPHAM (1967-74)

Phil is one of those who has suddenly realised – having not received his copies of the newsletter – that he had failed to give us his change of address. He moved from Virginia back to Cape Cod in late 1997 and now directs the Large Whale Biology Program at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

“My wife and I live in a lovely old (200 years, old for here) house with nice land and a little bit of woods, with three cats, a large not very bright dog and a ghost named Abigail (well, that’s what we call her; I have no idea what her real name is). We have a daughter named Eugenia (Genia for short) who was adopted from Russia in 1997. She’s almost eight and a wonderful kid.” Phil’s e-mail address is pclapham@whsun1.wh.whoi.edu

STEVE CLEVERLEY (1985-92)

Having received the Old Pharosians newsletter for several years, and hearing what everyone else was up to, Steve decided it was time to bring us up to date with his news.

“After leaving the school in 1992, I studied Biochemistry at St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, spending some of my time in Leiden, Holland, and obtaining a First in 1996. After this, I worked at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, looking at the cell signalling within the body’s immune system. This work formed the basis of my PhD and led to the publication of several research papers within key scientific journals.

“In September 1999 I married Catherine in St. John-of-Hampstead Parish Church attended by several of my old school friends. Catherine and I had met several years previously during our time at Oxford.

“I am currently working as a Field Research Scientist for the US Biotechnology Company, Ciphergen Biosystems. My work involves travel throughout Europe and the US. We are currently living in Surrey.” Steve says he and his wife hope to make it to the next Old Pharosians’ dinner in September.

His e-mail address is Scleverley@ciphergen.com

RAY FINLAYSON (1968-75)

Ray sent an e-mail after noticing a reference to Nick Taylor (1968-75) on the website from the July 2000 edition of the newsletter.

“I also attended the school from 1968-75 and knew Nick as we both came from South Deal Primary and spent seven years doing the bus journey from Deal twice a day. It would be good to hear what he’s been up to. For some reason (probably subconscious) I have never been back to the school since I left and I’m not sure why I have never thought of looking for the school website before today. Now I’ve found it I will re-visit occasionally.

“When I was at DGSB Reg Coleman was the head and I remember Harry Seed and Jack Bird as the masters who kept the various years in control at assembly. I also remember my geography teacher Ken Ruffell from a couple of memorable field trips with the girls’ school to the Cotswolds and Exmoor. Great time.

“I’m now based in Yorkshire and rarely go anywhere near Dover (perhaps I should make use of the Chunnel one day) but you never know. My memory for names is appalling but a few pupils from that era that come to mind are: Andy Sladden, Peter Bennett, Nick Clary, Stephen Whalley, Ian Morgan, John Lorimer, Simon Hunnisett, Anthony Kendrick, Adrian Greenwood, Brian Ainger, Paul Hughes, Paul Heafey, Piers Garner. As for teachers I think Mr Elliot was the PE torturer, Harry Seed took us for French, Brian Quinn for Biology, Mr Parrott and Ken Ruffell for Geography. I’m afraid the other subjects merge into the mist of time.” Ray’s e-mail address is: ray.finlayson@btinternet.com and his postal address is 11 Westgate, Guiseley, West Yorkshire LS20 8HN.

ASHLEY FRATER (1987-94)

Ashley wrote to say he was pleased to see that all the staff representatives on the Old Pharosians Committee had not changed since he left the school six years ago (there’s been a recent addition since then – ed). “Although I was never particularly academic I have at last found my passion for work. I manage the Porsche Driving Experience which is operated by a global event management company that I have worked with for three years. Amazingly enough my job requires long hours, dedication and planning (the teachers may remember that these were never my key qualities). I have been fortunate enough to realise my dream and am aware that this is in part due to all at DGSB. Please pass my regards on to those staff who remember me – and my special thanks to Mr Blake whose perseverance during my A Level Maths has ensured that I continue to make good profit margins.”

DAVID HANNENT (1957-1964)

David, a chartered surveyor, has teamed up with a former Dover College boy to open Dover’s first sex shop.

JOHN HENDY (1963-65)

John e-mails us to say he found the January newsletter interesting. He recalls in a previous newsletter we mentioned seeing one of the old-style Old Pharosians ties (red, green and light blue on a dark blue background) on stage during a Dover Operatic and Dramatic Society show. John writes: “This was a splendid version of the tie, in pure silk too. I remember many years ago teaching in Chatham and recognising an OP, by his tie, at a parents’ meeting. Imagine my horror when several years ago I went into Locks in Dover to purchase a replacement tie to find a rather shoddy mark II version in a man-made version and a transfer on the blade. Bring back the silk version with the four house colours!”

What do other OPs think? Some will remember the blazers in the same garish colours seen 50 years and more ago on the cricket field. Terry Sutton thinks his (inherited from his father) was lost at a fancy dress party way back in the Sixties!

ANTONY HOOK (1991-98)

Antony was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Dover and Deal Constituency in the General Election, and, if elected, would have become the youngest MP in the country. He celebrated his 21st birthday in April. Although he succeeded in increasing the number of votes received by the Lib Dems (he polled 5,131) he was still more than 16,000 short of a seat at Westminster. There was only a 65.39 per cent turnout. Antony has worked for Pfizer and a major engineering firm and has just finished a degree at University College, London. He is qualified to teach English as a foreign language and was recently offered a place to study as a barrister. He is a Trustee of the British Youth Council. He has been a member of Dover Fencing Club and played rugby for Dover’s youth side.

DAVID MARRIOTT (1953-56)

David’s wife Julie secretly e-mailed us from Melbourne, Australia, to ask if we could help provide a copy of the words of the school song “Forty Years On”. “My husband was a student at Dover Grammar school in the 1950’s and he remembers only part of his school song,” she wrote, quoting the first two lines. We were, indeed, able to help and provided the words for the two verses which are sung each year at the Old Pharosians Dinner.

We then received a message of thanks from David.

“I see that you and my wife Julie have been conspiring for some time to bring me that small but delicious pleasure. I occasionally find myself humming the song and could get as far as the second verse with just one or two la-la’s to compensate for my memory. I still like the words and sentiments evoked. I note that the song is intended for the male sex and wonder whether the school has gone co-ed. Surely not! I lived in Deal prior to emigrating. It hasn’t changed much forty years on.

“I used to catch the school bus from Deal each morning. On some mornings I rode my bike the eight miles. My family migrated to Oz in 1956 and I entered another world as far as schooling went. Straight out of Blackboard Jungle, but that’s another story. I have in my bookshelf a King James Bible whose frontispiece awards me The Lower School Special Endeavour prize on 25 November 1955 and is signed by JC Booth. I have no feelings of pride about it, but I do refer to it occasionally for various reasons, none of which are religious. The Australian Grand Prix track is just 150 yards away from our balcony. I wonder if the records of teachers and students from 1956 are available. Were the records computerised?

“At the moment I am writing a novel. Last week I was completing a sketch. Variously, I have worked in offices, studios and classrooms. I started with IBM in 1962 and finished with Data General in 1991 with many diversions in between. I guess I could call myself semi-retired at the moment.

“Every few years Julie and I seem to end up in England on our bikes. In 1991 we cycled almost every county in a twelve-week honeymoon. In 1998 we rode from Canterbury to Cornwall and back. Great fun, B & B and never turning back. I guess we’re sort of well-off gypsies, though Julie has an executive contract job with Telstra (our BT).

“We spent over a year in Canterbury during 1998/99 and made a quick visit on our bikes to the school, but horror of horrors, all the boys were wearing mufti. I was perplexed and disdainful. I made a series of 12 sketches of Canterbury which I turned into calendars, postcards and prints and which are still selling in the Canterbury Tales tourist shop. A pleasant enough series, but I’m not a professional artist.”

MICHAEL MILLER (1961-67)

We came across a website on which Michael had written to say he was still searching for some elusive Dover Grammar School peers / St. Margaret’s Bay cronies including: Philip Hume, John Willis, Richard Swain, Ian (whose surname escaped him – but lived in St. Margaret’s) Any info gratefully received. Michael’s e-mail address is mmiller@cix.compulink.co.uk

WILLIAM NEWMAN (1938-1945)

Bill, a Labour member of Kent County Council for many years, has been appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent.

A former Dover Mayor, Bill taught at Astor and Archers Court schools in Dover. His father was secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers at Tilmanstone from 1917 to 1950, and Bill became interested in politics as a youngster. At the London School of Economics, during the Clement Attlee era, he was a member of the local Labour Party. A former vice-chairman of the Dover constituency party, he became a member of Dover District Council, representing Buckland ward, in 1987, and he was involved in the project to provide a community centre for Buckland Estate. During that time he was Mayor or Deputy Mayor of Dover for four years. He was chairman of Dover District Council for two years, retiring in May 1999, and he has served on Kent County Council representing Dover Central. He and his wife, Jean, live at River.

THE PELHAM FAMILY

In the course of his editorship of the London Road Methodist Church newsletter, Graham Tutthill received an enquiry from John Pelham, in Scotland, about the Pelham family who had connections with the church. Research shows that some of the boys in the family attended the school. So, can anyone help John with any other information about the following?

CHARLES WILLIAM PELHAM (1914-20) was the son of a mill foreman, and his cousins were Wilfred John and Eric Claude. When Charles left school he went to be a student teacher.

ERIC CLAUDE PELHAM (1929-37) was the son of Arthur J Pelham. Eric was very active at the school, being a Senior Prefect, was awarded School Colours, Buckland House Captain, and played for the School 1st XI Cricket and Football and 1st XV Rugby teams.

He also won the Victor Ludorum trophy. He went to Wye Agricultural College and became a Senior Lecturer at Essex Agricultural Institute at Chelmsford.

REGINALD ARTHUR PELHAM (1915-21) was Eric’s brother and a cousin of Ronald Thake Pelham. Reginald won the Geography Prize in 1921 and went to University College Wales, Aberystwyth.

In 1924 he became a Doctor of Philosophy in Birmingham, in 1927 he gained an Honours Degree in Geography, in 1928 he gained his Bachelor of Education Certificate in Education and he became a Lecturer in Geography at Birmingham University.

In 1929 he toured south, central and east Africa with travel grant from the British Association. He gained his Master of Arts in Wales in 1930. In 1934 he toured the USSR with Sir John Russell. In 1942 he was seconded to the War Office to lecture to the Forces.

From 1945 to 1946 he was Deputy Warden at South Hill Residential College for Forces, Southampton and from 1946-54 he was Warden at South Stoneham House, University of Southampton, and lecturer in Geography, becoming a senior lecturer in 1959.

RONALD THAKE PELHAM (1925-30) played 2nd XI Football for Buckland House and on leaving school became clerk in a shipping office, Messrs Nunzi and Co. It is then thought he moved to Mumbles at Swansea in Wales, possibly running the Post Office.

WILFRED JOHN PELHAM (1933-39) was the son of FC Pelham who was a foreman at a Paper Mill. Wilfred was killed in action.

If anyone has any information about any of these, please contact john.pelham@argonet.co.uk, or, if you don’t have e-mail, send them to Graham Tutthill and he will forward them to John.

GEOFFREY PERRY (1971-78)
In response to Rex Fletcher’s request in the No 79 newsletter, Geoff wrote to say he remembered Rex although he was in a different house, Geoff was in Priory.
“Although I have not actually looked in my loft I should have a school photograph, or at least a year one, some football teams (may only be Priory although I played for the school a couple of times), and cross-country running. When I find them I will be in contact. I have always been a hoarder – do you want copies of all my exercise books!!!!!????”
Geoff has also kept in contact with a couple of other boys from his time at DGSB, Mark Smith (who changed his name to Wentworth) and Stephen Lawrenson. “I know that Steve was keen to contact Rex.”

Geoff’s e-mail address is GeoffreyPerry@aol.com

DANNY PORTE (1986-93)

Danny was among the winning team in the British University Sports Association rugby final at Twickenham. Playing as a prop for Exeter University, he helped the team to victory against champions Northumbria on a try difference of 3-2 after the game ended 24-24. Danny played for the 1st XV while he was at the school, and has also played for Waterloo and Glasgow, being awarded representative honours for Glasgow District and South of England Colts. He has toured in New Zealand, Cornwall and France. He started at Exeter University in September on a scholarship studying Sports Sciences. As well as Exeter University, Danny plays for Exeter Chiefs where he has contributed to the club’s success, including their 48-22 win over Coventry on Easter Saturday.

KEVIN REDSULL (1966-73)

Kevin’s sports-writing career turned a 22-year circle in May when he took over his old post as sports editor of the East Kent Mercury, and with it the Dover Mercury. Kevin first joined the Mercury as a trainee reporter in 1973 after leaving the school and went on to succeed Peter Frater as sports editor before joining the Luton Herald in 1979. He then spent two years with the Evening Post-Echo at Hemel Hempstead before joining the Press Association national news agency in 1982. Kevin was with PA for 12 years during which time he covered a variety of international events including the 1988 European Soccer Championships and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. “I was asked to cover swimming for PA soon after I joined them and, although it didn’t seem much of an opening at the time, it meant that I was sent to cover several major championships for them including Barcelona. Sydney is now regarded as the great-ever Games but
Barcelona was special too. After the swimming had finished I covered hockey, boxing and for the first, and last, time in my career, show-jumping which probably indicates what sort of job I made of that!” Kevin also covered football full time for PA for three years and one of his jobs was to follow the Republic of Ireland, including the 1988 European Championship finals in Germany. Kevin was also a member of the PA reporting team at the 1992 and 1993 Open Golf Championships. After leaving PA in 1994, Kevin, who lived in St Albans for 15 years, freelanced for various national newspapers and then worked for ITV Teletext full time for a year before moving back to Deal to live last year and resuming his freelance career. Kevin’s e-mail address is Kevin.Redsull@btinternet.com

RICHARD SOPPITT (1977-84)

Richard said he had been inspired to write partly by hearing that Keith Tolputt had his trombone gathering dust in the attic. “My trombone has recently been dusted off and I have taken it up in our local church’s worship group as well as playing on the streets – no need for amplification. I was very pleased to attend another OP’s wedding, that of David Lawrence (same time frame) to Rebecca, and was it a tribute to our shared musical heritage under Adrian Boynton? David is one of Britain’s fastest rising stars in conducting and his choir, Chorus Amici, of which he is a member, won the Sainsbury Choir of the Year Award 2000. They have settled near Stratford. I, meanwhile, have been a consultant child psychiatrist for more than two years and spend much of my time liaising with schools of all shapes and sizes. I am married to my childhood sweetheart, Karen – we met on the Kent Cruise – and we have three children.” Richard’s e-mail address is ksoppitt@totalise.co.uk
TIM SPENCE (1986-93)

Tim says he’s not sure how many of the staff from his time are still at the school, but Steve Callacher was his form tutor for his final two years. “I see some familiar names as staff representatives on the OP Committee including Jojo (never did work out why we called Malcolm Grant that) who might remember me from the rugby field.

“From school I went straight to Wadham College, Oxford, after getting through the entrance exams (abolished soon after) where I managed a 2:1 in Maths. I also met my future wife, Fabienne, in my first term – we married in May 1998. In between times I managed a bit of college rowing and the odd night in the college bar …

“From university I was fortunate enough to get a training contract with Deloitte & Touche in London to be a chartered accountant and I qualified in October 1999. I am still with Deloittes and live in south London, which has recently seen an addition to the Spence family – number one son Finlay was born in mid February 2001.

“I am still in regular contact with some close friends from school. Adam O’Brien is a teacher in north London, Steve Burns is a lawyer in London and Andy Champion works at B&Q head office in Southampton, but I have lost touch with people from my year and would be pleased to hear from anyone who remembers me, especially if they live in London.”

Tim’s e-mail address is tim@timandfabs.freeserve.co.uk

ANDY STEELE (1976-83)

Andy has recently been appointed as a Press Officer with Dover District Council. On leaving school he went to Westfield College at the University of London to study English Literature, graduating with a BA Honours degree.

He worked as a journalist for the Dover Express and Folkestone Herald before freelancing for a while. He has since worked with local authorities, starting with Kent County Council and then Shepway District Council before joining Dover. His e-mail address is kazandyben@beantin.freeserve.co.uk

HUGH STYLES (1985-92)

Following their experiences in the Olympics, Hugh and his crew Adam May took part in the Tornado World 2001 Catamaran Race at Richards Bay, South Africa, and finished third. He kept the school updated with reports via e-mail.

TERRY SUTTON (1940-1947)

Terry, still working as a journalist, has been elected chairman of The Dover Society, the town’s civic group with more than 400 members. He is also involved with the town centre management and St Martin’s Emmaus, an organisation providing accommodation and jobs for the otherwise homeless and unemployed. He’s a member of Dover Rotary Club, along with a number of other Old Pharosians of which John Graeme (1958-1963) is secretary.

STEVE THOMPSON (1974-79)

Steve, who was in Park House, sends his regards to everyone connected with the school. “I took O levels and then ventured off to earn some money at Laser Transport who were based over the back hill in Poulton Close. It was a temporary position until I was supposed to join the RAF the following springtime. The temporary job turned into a life-long career and some 22 years on I am a distribution manager in Lenham, Kent. My contact with the school was resurrected when my eldest son was given the opportunity to learn at the school. When we received the letter telling me he had been placed at DGSB it felt like a real achievement on his and my part. I was so proud of him, much as my father was way back in 1974 when I was selected. He has achieved well and does try really hard at his work, despite some of the grades his teachers give him. He does love the school and is becoming a very proud member of the School Choir taking part in the Christmas service which I enjoyed with great pleasure. It was there that I bumped into Mr Colman for the first time in 22 years, a great moment for me.

“My typing is just like my handwriting was during my days in the English lessons. I pass my best regards to everybody at the school now and to all the people who were there during my time. I remember with great memories the school cruise in October 1978 and I still look at the photographs I have from that time with fond memories.” Steve’s e-mail address is Stevetommo38@aol.com

DAVID WELHAM (1970-77)

David is Executive Manager of Husk UK, based at the top of Lydden Hill on the outskirts of Dover, where he and his staff of 35 are kept very busy. Part of the Star Cargo family, Husk maintain vehicles for other companies in the group, and provide a breakdown recovery service as well as fuel facilities both in this country and abroad.

Born in Wales, David has lived in this area since he was two years old and went to Aylesham Primary before coming to the grammar school. He completed a five-year apprenticeship with the London Fancy Box Company and then went into sales with TNT as a trainee sales executive. He was Sales Manager with United Carriers and General Manager with Parceline before spending 10 years with the National Freight Corporation as area operations manager. He is married with two children, aged eight and six.

PETER WILBERFORCE (1947-54)

Peter writes with his new address, having moved all of a quarter of a mile to Heads Nook near Brampton in Cumbria. “This area is lovely and peaceful, but sadly in the middle of the Cumbrian foot and mouth infection. All the fields are lush green, but empty of animals; although in the last few days some cattle have started to appear, but no sheep. Very kind regards.” Peter’s e-mail address is pete@blackcrofts.demon.co.uk

DARREN WILMSHURST (1973-83)

Darren tells us he always looks forward to receiving his copy of the newsletter – “it is good to see so many of the newer OPs keeping in touch via the newsletter – I only wish more of my era did the same,” he says. “For myself, after 16 years with Lloyds Bank (aka Lloyds TSB) I decided to leave. I was involved in the merger of Lloyds and Scottish Widows which was a very exciting project and was achieved in six months. However, after the merger, I found that my office had been split between Chatham and Edinburgh. I spent on average three days a week in Chatham and two days in Edinburgh. It gave a whole new meaning to commuting – leaving at 4.30 a.m. and getting back home at 10.30 p.m. With a young family and another on the way, living and working locally became an increasing priority. Therefore I have returned home and I am now working for P&O Stena Line in Dover as their Business Systems Manager responsible for the development of IT applications on board the ships. Somewhat different to being a Bank Manager although the last couple of years at Lloyds I was working on IT integration first with TSB and then Scottish Widows. I also recently saw a copy of the School Prospectus and there are still half a dozen staff that have survived since I left. In particular Istill have very fond memories of Latin O-Level with Brian Haines.

RICHARD WRATTEN (1988-95)

Richard thought he would drop his “Old Skool” a quick line to inform us of his progress over the years. When he left in 1995 he headed north to Lancaster Uni where he achieved a 2-2 in Economics and Maths. “I then moved to the Isle of Man for a year to experience a farmer’s way of living first hand … it was one experience I will never forget (what they say about farmers and sheep is TRUE!) Upon returning to the mainland in 1997, I began work at Whipsnade Safari Park and now run the merchandising division, which includes souvenir shops and eateries. “I remember my time at Dover very fondly.”