LOREM IPSUM DOLOR O. Old Lancastrian Club NEWSLETTER

LOREM IPSUM DOLOR O Old Lancastrian Club NEWSLET TER 2015 L OLD LANCASTRIAN CLUB 2015 - CONTENTS O L From the OL President 2 School News 33...
136 downloads 2 Views 5MB Size
LOREM IPSUM DOLOR O

Old Lancastrian Club NEWSLET TER

2015

L

OLD LANCASTRIAN CLUB 2015 - CONTENTS

O

L

From the OL President

2

School News

33

From the Honorary Secretary

4

Pupil Achievements 2013 – 2014

35

From the Headmaster

5

OL Travel Grants

39

OL Club Accounts from the Honorary Treasurer

6

Victoria Scholarship

40

8

The Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust

42

Founders’ Weekend 2014 Minutes of AGM 2014

11

Obituaries

47

Founders’ Weekend 2015

12

Your News

53

AGM Agenda and Dinner Menu

13

Your Correspondence and Articles

60

From the Alumni Officer

14

From the Archives

63

OL Branch Dinners

15

Identification Parade 2013 and 2014

64

Class of 2009 - Five Year Reunion

22

Identification Parade 2015

65

12 Pubs of Christmas

27

Old Lancastrians in 1914

68

OL Calendar 2015 – 2016

28

A History of Rugby at LRGS

70

School Development

28 32

OL Committee and Branch Secretaries’ Contact Details

72

LRGS Legacy Scheme

1

O

L

From the OL PRESIDENT now uploaded to the website) - 78 of whom were killed - today’s generation became ‘men on the spot’. In company we walked the ground to understand better the toll among Old Lancastrians whose losses were twice the UK and Commonwealth average.

The President and the Head at Cambridge.

Writing this in April has a slightly surreal quality. Five OL gatherings yet lie ahead: the East Lancs, Durham, Oxford and Cotswolds branch dinners, along with the Founders’ Day weekend. Events to date convince me, however, that some convivial reunions still await. It is a great honour to serve as OL President, the year being rich in rewarding experiences. During the past nine months I have gained fresh insights as to the strength and vitality of the LRGS “brand”. Like others before, I am powerfully struck by the deep affection for the school among OLs whom life and career-choices have scattered the length and breadth of Britain (and beyond). It was a great frustration that I could not start in time-honoured fashion at the London Branch dinner in the splendour of the RAF Club, on 6 November. The date unfortunately conflicted with the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance in West Wales. That event was one from which, as President of the Aberystwyth RBL, I could not absent myself. Happily, our OL Vice-President Lincoln Allison kindly “stepped in” and gave the afterdinner speech in London at a stronglysupported evening. The autumn of 2014 did see me accompany a coach party of 45 LRGS fifth formers and four staff (Craig Atkinson, Ian Ledward, Hugh Castle, Nicholas Thorn) on a centennial visit to the 1914-18 Western Front. Using John Fidler’s research into the OLs who served in the First World War (detail

2

Beneath warm sunshine, we re-trod the footsteps of the “Tommies”. Today’s lads fell silent time and again, gazing over the once bullet-swept slopes at Serre, Beaumont-Hamel, beside the Albert-Pozières road, and at Arras and Ypres – exposed fields of fire that even now possess little of the vital cover infantrymen need to shelter and manoeuvre. Beneath the great memorial arch of Thiepval to the 73,000 Somme dead with no known graves - and at Passchendaele in the Tyne Cot cemetery – the pupils laid poppy wreaths bearing our LRGS crest and its achingly poignant motto: “Leadership through Service” (Praesis ut Prosis). November brought Speech Day at the Ashton Hall, where we enjoyed a lively, often amusing address from Bob Shennan (OL), Controller of BBC Radio’s 6Music, who challenged today’s leavers to be ambitious, to reach high, to dare. A strong contingent of staff from the 1960s,

including Messrs Cameron, Lea, Fidler, Sampson, Smith, sat close by; “it’s like a time-warp”, whispered the 2013-14 OL President, Paul Fitton. And surely John L. Spencer was, somewhere in spirit, checking that all our top buttons were fastened and ties straight? I caught myself, just in case, nervously checking my own... Speech Day let me re-connect with an old friend and contemporary, Stephen Clarke. This supplied an opportunity to discuss ways in which OLs can provide support through prizes, donations, sponsorship, work placements, and access to the networks we’ve built in our working lives. In these respects the OL community can help today’s and tomorrow’s LRGS pupils realise their own exciting plans. My access to the school this year has opened my eyes to the radically greater “band width” of the creative, artistic, musical, sporting, technical and adventurous training opportunities open to this generation - and shown me the vibrant combinations now available in the academic curriculum. Late November took us to Leeds, at which I experimented with an OL “pub quiz” instead of an after-dinner speech. The main prize, the memoirs of former Test Match umpire David Shepherd,

OL President Martin Alexander pictured with a group of OLs at the Leeds Dinner.

From the OL PRESIDENT

O

L

in the enduring qualities of LRGS, our fun and our fine friendships. In closing, I must thank Jake Haddow for his dependable support and his prescient Six Nations rugby forecasts. I am grateful for wise guidance from the OL Club Hon. Secretary, the indefatigable Peter Dyer, and I thank all branch secretaries for organising their respective events. My appreciation goes to Jenny Cornell and her Development Office colleagues - and I extend it from the whole OL Club to Headmaster Chris Pyle. He is evidently now getting to grips with the basic field work of a Geography PhD! Most of all, may I thank all OLs who have attended and, thus ‘made’, our events. Please support Lincoln Allison in 201516, so that his year will be as fulfilling as mine. In the words of the former Test Match Special broadcaster, Brian Johnston: “It’s Been a Lot of Fun”.

Martin on the LRGS trip to the Western Front.

was won by the Alumni Relations Officer, Jake Haddow, who committed the near-blasphemy of stating there and then, inside the HeadingleyCarnegie pavilion of all places, that he “does not even like cricket”. In January 2015 we returned to Lancaster for a spirited rugby match on the Memorial Field (OL U-25s against OL “Veterans”). Mercifully spared the Nightingale Farm stench of “The Good Old, Bad Old Days”, players then repaired with spectators for a hot pot lunch at The Lancaster Brewery. With over 80 attendees, this is now established as a popular entry on the OL calendar. During March branch dinners in quick succession (Cambridge, Manchester and Cornwall) kept the miles clicking onto the car and risked the inches creeping onto the waistline. These events possess, each one, their distinctiveness - whilst varying greatly in the numbers attending and the degree of formality. Cornwall was a very long journey, but an absolutely outstanding weekend with the warmest of welcomes in a beautiful place. It is something I recommend other OLs put in their diaries.

Recently the Club Committee emailed an online survey about opening more events to wives, partners or non-OL guests - something I strongly support. Ensuring that our occasions have variety may prove, at least in part, to be the key to growing the attendances and building greater inclusivity for our family members. Several have said in conversation that they would welcome more of a chance to share

Martin S. Alexander (68-73) OL President 2014-15

The President enjoying the hospitality of Ted & Barbara Barlow.

3

O

L

From the HONORARY SECRETARY the individuals change. It is hoped that the catalogued items will be a useful source of information for current and past pupils.

One of our local Old Lancastrians, Clive Holden (45-54), has quietly and methodically acted as the archivist for the school. He is responsible for the many photographs in the Newsletter which he has painstakingly identified over the years. The task however is considerable, and the committee was therefore delighted to receive a request for support from one of the sixth form students interested in establishing a group to develop an IT database of the archives. The Club agreed to not only help with the funding of this project, but to identify a committee member who will act as a link to the group so that it continues as

Founders’ Dinner 2014.

4

OLs will be familiar with the blue plaques attached to the buildings in London indicating an association with an important figure. In February we were honoured to be the recipients of a plaque to celebrate the time spent at LRGS by Sir Richard Owen, anatomist, surgeon, palaeontologist and founder of the Natural History Museum. He famously coined the term “dinosaur”. Dr David Williams, a researcher at the museum, unveiled the inscription in a ceremony at the school on behalf of the Society of Biology. The Club continues to support the students at school. This year a number of travel grants have been awarded including a British Exploring Society Expedition to the Indian Himalayas, a cultural trip to Rome to explore some of the important sites, a visit to Revolutionary Paris, work experience with the Atlantic Whale Foundation in Tenerife, and a study of palliative care medicine in Switzerland. In addition, the Rowing Club has been invigorated recently and the Club was delighted to contribute towards the cost of a new boat.

The strength of the Club lies with the branches and the work carried out by the secretaries in organising the annual dinners. May I thank you all for the time and energy which you commit to the Club in your local areas. It is also always a pleasure to report when a new Branch is developing and this year OLs met in Newcastle and Hong Kong for two very successful evenings. Many of you reading this Newsletter will have completed the surveys which the committee has commissioned to understand what you would like from the Club. They have covered the Founders’ Day dinner, branch activities and the format of the Newsletter. Thank you for taking part in these important questionnaires which will help us to take the Club forward in a way which the membership wants. For those members still on the £5 or £10 subscription please could I encourage you to increase that to £15? Jake Haddow has been a tremendous support to the OL Club as the Alumni Officer this year and I would like to thank him and Jenny Cornell in the Development Office for their continued work. Peter V Dyer (68-75)

From the HEADMASTER many years: proving that background is no barrier, and that pupils from this very special school can take on the world and win.

Some of his contemporaries may have regarded Sir Richard Owen (OL 180919) as “a most deceitful and odious man”, to quote Wikipedia – but he was also an outstanding scientist and one of Lancaster’s greatest sons! His school career was undistinguished, and his merchant father died while Richard was young. However, he went on to become the foremost anatomist of his day; colleague and rival of Darwin; tutor to Queen Victoria’s children; founder of the Natural History Museum; inventor of the word “dinosaur”; and we now commemorate him in a blue plaque at the entrance to the New Building. Richard Owen is a great example of the function that our school has fulfilled for

Sir Richard Owen.

O

L

Old Lancastrians and others in the extended LRGS family of supporters. We have no shortage of future ambition as we seek to provide worldclass facilities and opportunities for our students – to ensure the best possible start for the Richard Owens of tomorrow.

As a marginal constituency in the general election, the doorsteps of Lancaster and Fleetwood are currently enjoying the attention of senior politicians from all parties. All credit to Nicholas Phillips (the current Head of School) for chairing an excellent hustings with local candidates in the assembly hall on the last day of the Lent Term. Our Sixth Formers asked some testing questions, in true LRGS spirit, and debate was General Election Candidates on their visit to School. lively! Michael Gove’s energetic tenure as Education Secretary has brought a time of rapid change in all schools, and we are preparing to teach new GCSE and A-level courses in many subjects from September. Even more important is school funding, which looks certain to face further pressure whatever the outcome of the election. The school’s sure aim is to ensure that all students continue to receive the most exceptional opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom, however the winds may change.

I hope that you enjoy reading news from the Old Lancastrian Club. Please come and visit us if you have not seen the school for some time – you would be very welcome indeed! It is a pleasure to meet Lancastrians old and young at OL events both in Lancaster and around the country. There are always some at those occasions who are visiting the school and meeting old friends for the first time in some years. With very best wishes,

Dr Chris Pyle It has been a delight over the past two years to see Old School House continuing to come back to life with further renovations, a new Sixth Form café, and the opening of new classrooms in former top floor dorms, which have in turn allowed us to create a permanent classroom for our InspirUS primary school outreach work. Those developments have been possible thanks to successful capital bids and investment from our catering providers, as The newly renovated 6th Form Cafe. well as the generosity of

5

L OL CLUB ACCOUNTS

O

From the HONORARY TREASURER

FIVE MONTHS TO 31ST AUGUST 2014

OLD LANCASTRIAN CLUB INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT Period to 31 August 2014 Period

Year to 31 March

2014

2014

17,816 12 40

18,414 27 591 30

17,868

19,062

4,878 161 1,915 565 761 230 -

3,847 420 2,181 8 884 620 95 300 536 5,000 860 200 208 4

300 -

2,000 200

8,810

17,363

9,058

1,699

290

642

GENERAL FUND INCOME Annual subscriptions Bank interest Centenary lunch Donations EXPENDITURE Newsletter Ties, cufflinks (net of sales) Subsidies branch dinners etc Printing and stationery Deficit on Annual Dinner Room hire for AGM Founders day golf subsidy Old Lancastrian five year reunion Leavers lunch Administrative support Contribution to mailing to OL members Subsidy to President for travel Sundry Corporation tax Grants to Pupils and School - National Youth Choir Course - Cricket Tour - Maths Department

Surplus for the year OL TRAVEL FUND Donations

6

Grants made

(800)

-

Surplus for the year

(510)

642

OL CLUB ACCOUNTS From the HONORARY TREASURER O

L

BALANCE SHEET As at 31 August 2014 2014

31 March 2014

CURRENT ASSETS Yorkshire Bank investment account Yorkshire Bank current account Payments in advance Sundry creditors

9,321 15,028 343 (823)

9,309 6,755 343 (1,086)

23,869

15,321

Brought forward Surplus for the year

11,344 9,058

9,645 1,699

Carried forward

20,402

11,344

ACCUMULATED FUNDS GENERAL FUND

OL TRAVEL FUND Brought forward Surplus for the year

3,977 (510)

3,335 642

Carried forward

3,467

3,977

23,869

15,321

TOTAL FUNDS

Traditionally the income and expenditure account for the Club has been drawn up for the year to 31st March. The Committee decided that this year the accounting reference date would be changed to 31st August each year to bring it in line the accounting period adopted for the school. Some income and expenditure is therefore not included in the accounts now presented due to the timing of when those items occur. Whilst showing a healthy surplus of £9,058, this does not take into account the £5,000 contribution that we make to the running of the Development Office, or of any significant grants to pupils or school which will be made in the period post 31st August 2014. The number of new members continues to increase generating increased subscription income. However there are a still significant number of members who are still paying

at the old rates of £5 and £10. Could I ask those to update their standing orders to the current rate of £15? The branch dinners have continued to be well supported. The Club subsidises the cost of students attending the branch dinners and the overall subsidy for the period is £1,915 reflecting the continuing support from our student members. The Development Office has continued to provide excellent support throughout the year and is enabling the Club to go from strength to strength in terms of activities and numbers of members. Tony Whiteway (66–74) Honorary Treasurer

7

L FOUNDERS’ WEEKEND 2014

O

The weekend of celebrations this year was typical of many Founders’ weekends, with a fantastic variety enjoying all that was on offer. Fine weather and great company provided the catalyst for an exceptional weekend enjoyed by all. The weekend teed off as tradition dictates with the Old Lancastrian golf tournament. In stark contrast to the previous year’s paradisiacal weather, heavy rain and strong winds greeted this year’s field on arrival at Lancaster Golf Club; not quite the postcard picture! Eleven hardy souls braced themselves and set off, whilst a few preferred the warm and comfortable sanctuary of the Club House for the afternoon… a very wise idea! Battling the conditions, Michael North picked up the school boy trophy with a score of 33 points. Unusually, a youthful field meant there was nobody to compete for the Chris Riley Senior Trophy. Outgoing Alumni Officer Jack Turton snatched victory from Adam Stone on the 18th, in what could only be described as a fairytale finish, claiming the Terry Beatson Trophy with a score of 37 points.

Founders’ Dinner.

returning 4 wickets, and his quick fire, unconventional 27 almost guiding his team to victory. He was only denied a Founders’ Day hat-trick when the President, Paul Fitton (61–67), failed to cling on to a steep chance cruelly coming out of the sun. Thankfully Paul kept his head up, making a few quick runs before dashing off to the AGM. All that had to be cleared from the mind, however, as a number of OLs headed to the traditional OL vs LRGS Staff Quiz. With Mr Hitching’s ‘perfect format’ in place, it was time for the OLs to salvage some pride!

Stripes and Roses.

Thankfully Friday’s dismal weather gave way, and throughout Saturday, LRGS was bathed in Founders’ Day sunshine. Following a thought-provoking service, around 100 attendees made their way to a fine buffet lunch before departing on tours of the School or taking in the cricket. Earlier in the morning, esteemed sporting OLs gathered in the New Building alongside the Headmaster and Head of Rugby, Evan Stewart, for the opening of the rugby display and the presentation of a pennant from Larry Lamb (34–41). The South Africa vs Wales pennant was collected by Larry during his days as one of the world’s premier rugby union referees. The theme of sporting prestige was continued on the Douthwaite Field, which hosted the second competition of the weekend. The sunshine and the matchless quality of the cricket were enjoyed by a similarly good turn out during the afternoon. Performance of the day undoubtedly went to Matthew Teasdale (02–09), his Brit-abroad appearance proving deceptive, with his hostile spell of seam bowling

8

An impressive mix of old and new was seen at the Dinner, with thanks to David Dunderdale (65 – 73) for again providing food fitting for such a great occasion. As people arrived, many from across the square at The Borough, they were greeted with delightful canapés and sparkling wine. Outgoing OL President, Paul Fitton, recounted his year in office and spoke of how he was honoured to have this role, before handing on to Prof Martin Alexander (68 – 73) as the new President for the forthcoming year. The Headmaster, Dr Chris Pyle, spoke of John Gardyner, whose wishes for the School provided the basis for LRGS to continue to excel in all its endeavours. It was great to see so many OLs turn up to the various events over the weekend. With a range of leavers from 1941 to 2013 in attendance, the future looks bright for the OL Club.

Lancaster Golf Club.

FOUNDERS’ WEEKEND 2014 O The following OLs, Honorary OLs, staff and former staff attended the 2014 Founders’ Day events: Martin Alexander (68-73), John Altham (40-49), Brian Ashton (57-62), Trevor Bargh (69-77), Andrew Bargh (10-12), John Batty (67-75), Stan Blacktop (51-58), David Bowker (83-85), Paul Bradburn (58-65), Bill Bradley (42-50), Roy Braithwaite (45-53), Richard Brigg (85-92), Peter Brindley (44-54), Phil Brooks (03-10), Richard Brown (72-79), Stuart Brown (02-09), Matt Buckland (Staff), Douglas Cameron (Staff), Freddie Catlow (04-11), Susie Charles), Sam Clay (04-11), Harry Cole (06-13), Jenny Cornell (Development Director), Tom Deakin (06-13), Peter Dickinson (59-66), Peter Dyer (68-75), John Fidler (Staff), Keith Fisher (52-58), Paul Fitton (61-67), Geoff Foster (51-59), Richard Furlong-Brown (Staff), Don Gardner (46-51), Walter Grattidge (34-41), Jake Haddow (03-10), Stephan Harker (58-64), Bill Harris (65-72), Simon Harrison (02-09), Tim Hendry (07-14), Jonty Higgin (02-09), Simon Hilton (77-84), Richard Hitchings (Staff), David Hodgson (53-59), Clive Holden (45-54), John Holland, Rory Hudson (03-10), Jamie Hume (03-10), Conrad Jarman (03-10), Matthew Jones (03-10), Giles Jones (06-13), Tony Joyce (72-83), Edward Kell (02-09), Chris Kneale (00-07), Peter Kneale (07-09), Chris Knowles (53-60), Calum Kyle (07-14), John Lea (Former Staff), Mark Leach (72-77), Ian Ledward (Staff), Philippe Lequeux (09-11), John Lowther (47-52), Ena Lund, Barry Lupton (55-62), Josh Maguire (03-10), Gill Manklow, Conor McGurk (02-09), Hugh McKinney (41-51), James McSporran (04-11), Melvin Meju (03-10), Dave Metcalfe (57-63), Miles Mollinga (03-10), Andrew Muir (05-07), Athol Murray (42-49), Sameer Nardeosingh (04-11), Emmanuel Obale (07-14), Robert Petrie (66-69), Callum Petrie (04-11), Stuart Petrie (96-01), Harry Porter (08-14), Nick Preston (69-73), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), William Riley (01-08), James Roberts (05-12), Howard Roberts), Andy Robertshaw (86-93), Jay RudlandThomas (04-11), Joe Shepherd (39-47), Jonathan Shepherd (04-10), Eric Smith (53-85), Paul Swarbrick (69-76), Matt Teasdale (02-09), Ray Thomas (Staff), Duncan Thomason (04-11), Peter Thompson (46-53), Isaac Thompson (0310), Jack Turton (02-09), Roger White (60-67), Ian Whitehouse (Staff), Tom Whitehouse (06-13), Tony Whiteway (66-74), Brian Whittle (46-53), Andrew Whitton (74-76), Andrew Wilson (45-51), Tom Wilson (41-49).

L

A glorious day for cricket.

Duncan Thomason, Phil Lequeux, Jay Rudland-Thomas, Gus McSporran, Sam Clay, Freddie Catlow and Ian Whitehouse.

Nick Preston presenting his shirt to the school.

Irene Ashley and Dave Metcalfe.

The presentation of Larry Lamb’s international pennant with rugby giants past and present.

Teacher Ian Ledward joined the 2010 leavers for the Founders’ Day Dinner.

Young OLs enjoying Founders’ Day.

The Head’s lunch guests.

9

L FOUNDERS’ WEEKEND 2014

O

THE OL V LRGS STAFF QUIZ My last year’s plea for more quizzers bore considerable fruit and we were able this time to achieve the optimum competition: four teams of four comprising three OL sides and one staff team. Peter Sloman once more supplied high quality questions from the Oxford University InterCollegiate Quiz competition; John Fidler and John Lea asked the questions; Harry Langhorn, Gabriel Jotischky-Hull and Anamay Shetty kindly scored. I turned over the suddenly ticklish task of selecting the three OL teams to Messrs Loxham and Sloman. In the end, 11 OLs were able to be present; the shortfall was made good by the late inclusion of a ringer - one Philip Hitchings (OE!). After mature deliberation, Matt and Peter arrived at the following combinations: OL1: Jack Bennett, Chris Hitchings, Phil Hitchings; Christopher Jotischky-Hull. OL2: John Flesher, John Gedge; Andy Robertshaw; Ben Sloman. OL3: John Dant, Matt Loxham, Peter Sloman, Darren Smith. These combinations of youth and extreme youth looked very handy. The staff team of Mike Ryan, Stuart Langhorn, Ray Thomas and RSH boasted a slightly less promising mix of age and extreme age. Three pairs of games - each pair played concurrently ensued. The staff team met OL1 in its first outing and, in a nail-bitingly close game which went down to the final starter, the OLs triumphed by 390 to 370, thus depriving the staff of their three-year unbeaten record. This was a damaging setback for the staff, from which they never really recovered. The other match saw OL3 defeat OL2 by the comfortable margin of 470 to 220. In the second quiz, the staff rallied against the OL2 team, securing a conclusive victory by 570 to 170. I felt the OLs were a bit unlucky here, with nothing much going right for them, but the staff were grateful for the win after their first round trauma. The OL3

The teams enjoy some refreshments after the Quiz.

juggernaut rumbled ominously on with a big win (520 to 280) against OL1. So, could the staff salvage its pride (and even a tabletopping finish) against the so far impressively unbeaten OL3 team? Er, no. A defeat of humiliating dimensions followed (640 to 190), with the OLs displaying brilliance, speed and precision, and the staff descending into catastrophic meltdown. Our shambolic collapse was not helped by the unheralded and distracting appearance of the Lancaster Community Music School, whose determination to claim for themselves a room they had not booked did not assist our concentration or blood pressure. In the other match, OL1 narrowly defeated OL2 by 400 to 380. So, well done to OL3 - clearly the best team on show. And well done to everyone for contributing to make this, once again, such a delightful and enjoyable event. The question masters, Messrs Fidler and Lea, coped admirably well with some fiendishly difficult and tongue-twisting questions, and the scorers carried out their duties efficiently and with good humour. Thanks to my colleagues for their willingness to expose themselves to the ultimate ‘no-win’ situation. Thanks too to the (small number of) spectators. We just need to make sure that we keep the musicos at bay next year. Many of the company adjourned to the White Cross for a further couple of hours of happy quizzing, courtesy of Mr Fidler’s altruistic willingness to read yet more questions. Another great day, and one which I hope will be repeated in 2015. I can be contacted on [email protected] if you would like to be involved or would just like to be in touch. Mr R S Hitchings

Old Lancastrians Vs LRGS Staff Quiz Teams.

10

MINUTES OF THE AGM O

L

HELD ON SATURDAY 5TH JULY 2014 IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, LANCASTER TOWN HALL Meeting opened at 6.40pm

Attendance List: MS Alexander, J Altham, P Bradburn, P Brindley, DH Cameron, PV Dyer (Hon Secretary), PW Fitton (President), R FurlongBrown, DGR Gardner, W Grattidge, S Harker, NHM McKinney, A Murray, JT Shepherd, PA Whiteway (Hon Treasurer), TG Wilson Apologies for absence: G Aspden, S Aspden, M Barker, R Beale, RJS Brigg, M Brown, RAD Burgess (Hon Chair), K Cliff, A Collinson, P Colonna, P Davies-Colley, SJ Gardner, E Hall, WJ Harris, N Holland, R Jackson, JA Leake, R Leake, L Le Saint-Grant, J McCartney, S Newton, T Newton, W Onek, M Robinson, PW Sampson, R Satchwell, DR Stackhouse, A Stevens, N Tame Minutes of the AGM 2013: These were printed in the Old Lancastrian Club Newsletter (2014). They were accepted as a true record of the meeting (proposed by MS Alexander and seconded by JT Shepherd). Matters arising: None Treasurer’s report: The accounts were printed in the Old Lancastrian Club Newsletter (2014). PA Whiteway noted that those members who were paying £5 had stopped receiving the Newsletter. MS Alexander was concerned that this might affect the membership total but this has not appeared to have happened. Discussion took place about whether the One Guinea category of membership was still active. PA Whiteway reported that this did not exist now. The accounts were approved by the AGM (proposed by A Murray and seconded by JT Shepherd). Secretary’s report: The report was printed in the Old Lancastrian Club Newsletter (2014). The report was approved by the AGM (proposed by NHM McKinney and seconded by JT Shepherd). Election of Committee Members and Officers: RA Furlong-Brown, DGR Gardner, NHM McKinney and D Stackhouse were elected to continue as committee members. SJ Gardner had informed the committee that he wished to demit office. He was thanked for all his work for the OL Club. Mark Robinson was appointed as a member of the committee (proposed by RAD Burgess and seconded by J Cornell). RAD Burgess and PA Whiteway were re-elected to the honorary posts of chairman and treasurer respectively. PV Dyer informed the committee of his intention to demit office but that he would continue until the September 2014 meeting. The Chair thanked PV Dyer for his contribution to the OL Club. Election of Vice-President: Lincoln Allison was unanimously approved as the next Vice-President (proposed by J Cornell and seconded by PW Fitton). Investment and acceptance of President: MS Alexander was installed as President for the coming year. Committee members’ matters: There were no matters Any other business: PWF was appointed unanimously as Endowment Trustee and OL Governor (proposed by DH Cameron and seconded by NHM McKinney). Date of next meeting: Saturday 4th July 2015, Lancaster Town Hall.

11

L FOUNDERS’ WEEKEND 3-5 JULY 2015

O

With so much going on over the weekend, there will be something for everyone to enjoy: take part in the golf, cricket, reunite with old friends or make new ones.

FRIDAY 3 JULY 2.00pm

OL GOLF TOURNAMENT Lancaster Golf Club.

TBC

OL GOLF DINNER Lancaster Golf Club.

7.00pm

Classics’ Dinner To celebrate 27 remarkable years of Classics’ lessons taught by Mr Hitchings as well as Mr Nicholson & Mr Tracey.

10:30am

FOUNDERS’ DAY SERVICE, THE PRIORY CHURCH This year’s address will be given by OL Rev Robert Whitaker (58-65).

12.00 noon

OL REUNION LUNCHEON SCHOOL DINING HALL PARTNERS WELCOME. A sparkling reception followed by a hot and cold buffet lunch. A pay bar will be available. To make sure of your place, please book in advance although tickets will be sold on the door.

1.00pm

SCHOOL SPORTS DAY An opportunity to encourage current pupils in their sporting endeavours on the Memo Playing Fields. Prize giving will be at approximately 4 pm.

1.30pm

TOURS OF THE SCHOOL will be arranged for any OLs who wish to return to their old stomping ground or have a look at what has changed over the years. Tours will include an exhibition from the school’s archives, kindly arranged by Clive Holden (45-54).

3.00pm

OL t20 CRICKET MATCH, DOUTHWAITE FIELD Feel free to come and enjoy some fine cricket up on the Douthwaite Field.

5.00pm

OL vs. Staff Quiz Assembly Hall, University Challenge style and standard.

6.30pm

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Council Chamber, Lancaster Town Hall.

7.00pm

OL FOUNDERS’ DINNER (Dress code: lounge suit) The Banqueting Suite, Lancaster Town Hall. Sparkling reception with a selection of canapés followed by a hot buffet at 8pm. A pay bar will be available.

11.00am

OL Regatta - River Lune The Boat Club is organising a regatta followed by a BBQ on the River Lune. If there are any rowers who would like to get involved please contact Jake Haddow at [email protected]

SATURDAY 4 JULY

SUNDAY 5 JULY

To book any of the events throughout the weekend, please get in touch with Jake Haddow by email [email protected] or phone 01524 580612. The booking form is also available on the Alumni section of the school website www.lrgs.org.uk/alumni.

12

OL AGM AGENDA 2015 O

L

Agenda for the OL AGM at 6.30pm on Saturday 4th July 2015 in the Council Chamber, Lancaster Town Hall 1.

Attendance list

2.

Apologies for absence

3.

Minutes of the AGM 2014

4.

Matters arising

5.

Treasurer’s report

6.

Secretary’s report

7.

Election of Committee Members and Officers

8.

Election of Vice President

9.

Investment and acceptance of President

10.

Committee members’ matters

11.

Any other business

12.

Date of next meeting: Saturday 2nd July 2016

DINNER MENU Sparkling wine and canapés on arrival at 7pm

k STARTER Glasson Dock Smoked Salmon Roulade Spinach and Mushroom Roulade (v)

k

HOT BUFFET Steak, Kidney and Lancaster Brewery Ale Pie Chicken, Mushrooms, Pancetta, White Wine and Cream Casserole Pork and Chorizo Ragout Courgette and Red Pepper Stroganoff (v) Served with a selection of potatoes, rice and vegetables

k

DESSERT

Raspberry Crème Brûlée with shortcake Selection of Regional cheeses with oatcakes, celery, grapes and chutney Cafetiere of coffee with chocolate mints

k Cash bar: wine selection available Tickets: £38 (£19 if in full-time education) Dress: Lounge Suit

13

O

L

From the ALUMNI OFFICER hard work ensured that the weekend ran like clockwork, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank him for standing me in such good stead for my year as Alumni Officer; his wise words have served me well!

It is incredible to find myself sat here in my final months at LRGS already reflecting on a year spent as Alumni Officer… and what a year it’s been! Returning to LRGS as a member of staff has been every bit as rewarding as I had anticipated. Travelling the country with the Old Lancastrian Dinners, and meeting some of the more colourful OLs, to taking tours of the school and working behind the scenes of LRGS are all amongst the things that have made for such a fantastic year. The tradition of Friday night football is something I have also relished, although my season of 3 goals may suggest I have some way to go yet… As with all of those who have been before me, my arrival in the Development Office was something of a baptism of fire, as Founders’ Weekend quickly made the task in hand very apparent. However Jack’s

Returning from Newcastle University after 4 years away from Lancaster, it was pleasing to see the principles of LRGS, with which we are all familiar, remain unchanged. As a pupil I was fortunate enough to enjoy an amazing trip to Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, an opportunity that was assisted by the OL Club’s continued support of LRGS sport. However, during my time as Alumni Officer, I have learnt a lot more about the generosity of the OL Club, and its commitment to supplementing the lives of all associated with LRGS; I thought it was just a suited and booted boys’ night out! Financial assistance, career advice and the wealth of knowledge accessible via the OL Club is something we can all be very grateful for. Gladly, our alumni society appears to be going from strength to strength, as membership grows and new branches emerge – namely Newcastle and Hong Kong – as well as the continued success of our more established branches. There really is something for everybody, and it is for that reason that I would encourage others to join. It has been an excellent year and an incredibly enjoyable experience that has given me the opportunity to catch up with old friends whilst dining in stellar company at some truly memorable venues, not least of whom have been

14

Headmaster, Dr Chris Pyle, and this year’s OL President, Martin Alexander, whose post-dinner speeches have not failed to entertain. The grandeur of the RAF Club, Piccadilly, and the

charm of St John’s, Cambridge have been amongst my personal favourites, although none have disappointed! I would like to thank all who I have

worked with this year, particularly the branch secretaries for volunteering their time to help the dinners happen. Finally, I would like to say thank you to Jenny and Rose of the Development Office; your support and advice has been invaluable throughout, and has made for an experience that I will look back on with great fondness.

OL BRANCH DINNERS O

L

OXFORD - 8 MAY 2014 This year the Oxford Dinner returned to the Chapel at Mansfield College. The glorious college setting was only eclipsed by the quality of the food and company of 26 OLs. This year the menu was chosen by our President, Paul Fitton, and it was a real treat. Salmon, Fillet of Beef and a Lemon Tart was arguable placed on top of the culinary table for this year’s Dinners. After the food, Paul made a memorable speech… Memorable perhaps isn’t the best word to use, as the President, very unusually, was momentarily stuck for words. Calmly he asked me for direction, an unwise decision at the best of times, before he sipped his wine, and sipped it again. Realising I was not much use, he sipped his wine for a third time and there it was, inspiration! Paul finished to rapturous applause, before Joel Holmes introduced the Headmaster. Joel once again acted as MC for the evening, and did an admirable job, a good thing considering his outlandish choice of jacket!

Hugh McKinney and Philip Turner.

With the formalities over, the majority of the group carried on the evening at a local pub, and then nightclub. Accompanied by our President, who happens to be a dab hand at sinking tequila, the more enthusiastic OLs visited Bridge, an enjoyable experience. Upon closing time we went our separate ways, mostly back to bed, although in the case of Rob Beale (00-07), to Queens College to practice his rugby tackling on the quad lawn. The 2016 Oxford Branch Dinner will be held on Thursday 6 May. The following attended the Oxford Branch Dinner: John Armitage (05-12), Robert Beale (00-07), Tim Bevan (05-12), Matthew Bush (02-09), Jono Chetwynd-Diggle (04-11), Paul Colonna (69-76), John Matthew Bush, Rob Beale and Chris KnealeDant (94-01), James Elliott (05-12), Paul Fitton (61-67), Michael Hill (10-12), Jones. Richard Hitchings (Staff), Joel Holmes (99-06), Scott Houghton (04-11), Christopher Jotischky-Hull (06-13), Tony Joyce (72-83), Peter Kirby (68-70), Chris Kneale (00-07), Charles Manklow (04-11), Hugh McKinney (41-51), Tomas Partington (02-09), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Alan Sagar (61-69), Tim Taylor (94-01), Philip Turner (63-70), Jack Turton (02-09), William White (05-12).

COTSWOLDS - 13 JUNE 2014 Again a select cohort of Old Lancastrians enjoyed a fine evening at the Royal Agricultural College, in Cirencester. 12, including this year’s President, Paul Fitton, enjoyed another evening of fine food and wine, considerately chosen by Branch Secretary, Tony Heaford. Speeches were received from the President, as well as Dr Chris Pyle, current Headmaster travelling down from Lancaster. Our Cotswolds Branch Dinner was an excellent evening enjoyed by all in attendance. The 2016 Cotswolds Branch Dinner will be held on Friday 12 June. The following attended the Oxford Branch Dinner: Jeff Beatty (58-61), David Bishop (55-62), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Alec Davidson (50-53), Graham Davies (60-67), Paul Fitton (61-67), Tony Heaford (46-53), Chris Knowles (53-60), Richard Long (50-56), Jonathan Musgrave (53-59), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Michael Till (5057), David Vanner (49-56), Michael Wrigley (52-59).

OLs gathering at the Cotswolds Dinner.

15

L OL BRANCH DINNERS

O

LONDON - 6 NOVEMBER 2014 As tradition dictates, on the first Thursday in November, Old Lancastrians came from far and wide, as the RAF Club opened its doors to a strong and equally varied contingent of OLs. A particular note must be made of the efforts made by a committed group of students travelling from Cambridge for the evening, as they joined London locals and others in the 70-strong crowd for a most enjoyable evening. After taking the opportunity to enjoy the downstairs bar, guests made their way upstairs to the Ballroom to enjoy the customary, popular, and generous three course traditional meal of pea and mint soup, followed by steak, kidney and mushroom pie, finished with sherry trifle. Current President, Prof Martin Alexander, was unfortunately otherwise engaged on the evening, and we are very grateful to Vice President, Lincoln Allison, who stepped in in Martin’s absence. Celebration of the LRGS ethos, and the will to encourage the ambition of pupils were a central theme to the speeches led by Lincoln and Headmaster, Dr Chris Pyle, as the post-dinner proceedings got underway.

An impressive setting.

If the wine offered at the table wasn’t enough, the customary raffle was to follow, as attendees fought to get their hands on the (mainly alcoholic) prizes on offer, raising over £500 for the school, another testament to the strength and generosity of the London OL’s. Thanks are extended to OL Air Vice-Marshal Larry Lamb for again securing such a great and fitting setting for the OL London Branch Dinner, as well as Richard Salmon for his work as Branch Secretary, and Geoff Ellis who effortlessly oversees the affair and keeps us in order; all three consistently making the London Dinner an evening enjoyed by all.

OLs enjoying their meal.

The 2015 London Branch Dinner will be held on Thursday 5 May. The following attended the London Branch Dinner: Lincoln Allison (57-64), John Altham (40-49), Adrian Atkinson (80-87), Trevor Bargh (69-77), Alex Bargh (02-09), Phil Brooks (03-10), Rod Burgess (6672), Tony Cartmell (69-76), Peter Charlton (49-54), Philip Compton (07-13), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Mark Coulthwaite (71-77), Chris Critchlow (62-69), Sam Crossley (84-91), Pete Davies-Colley (65-72), Tom Deakin (06-13), Michael Duerden (44-52), Geoff Ellis (72-79), John Fidler (Staff), Richard FurlongBrown (Staff), John Gleasure (81-88), David Gleasure (75-82), Jake Haddow (03-10), Ron Halstead (38-45), Stephan Harker (58-64), Craig Harris (93-00), Sam Heywood (37-44), Jonty Higgin (02-09), Nick Holland (56-63), David Hoyle (06-13), Rory Hudson (03-10), Tony Joyce (52-58), Edward Kell (0209), Chris Kneale (00-07), Peter Kneale (07-09), Larry Lamb (34-41), Guy Lawrenson (95-02), Toby Livesey (06-13), Frank Lyness (55-62), Robert MacKenzie (58-65), Leszek Marcinowicz (61-67), Daniel Marechal (03-10), Andrew Mason (54-61), Hugh McKinney (41-51), Sam Moorby (05-12), Sameer Nardeosingh (04-11), Shun Pang (04-11), Ian Park (49-53), Guy Parker (74-81), Rohin Patel (05-12), Preemal Patel (04-11), Michael Pearson (41-51), Ed Phillips (04-11), David Philp (59-66), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Christopher Quick (0007), James Roberts (05-12), Barrie Roberts (49-56), Jay Rudland-Thomas (04-11), Richard Salmon (82-89), Thomas Schofield (01-08), Will Slack (0310), Isaac Thompson (03-10), Matthew Thoume (95-02), Matthew Thoume (02-05), Philip Turner (63-70), Neville Upson (47-53), Ben Vallely (99-06), Matthew Walker (00-07), Rob Ward (72-79).

Richard Furlong-Brown, John Gleasure, Adrian Atkinson, David Gleasure, Guy Parker.

16

Top Table Lincoln Allison, Geoff Ellis and Chris Pyle

On the older side.

On the young side.

Younger OLs enjoying The RAF Club.

OL BRANCH DINNERS O

L

HONG KONG - 21 NOVEMBER 2014 The inaugural meeting of the Old Lancastrian’s Hong Kong Branch was a great success, with Old Boys attending from Hong Kong and as far afield as Shanghai. Hosted in the vibrant and historical setting of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, we enjoyed an entertaining evening, starting with pre-dinner drinks amongst the hubbub of the suitably buoyant Main Bar, and finishing with whiskies and jazz in the Basement Club. Particular moments that have stuck in the mind are that all of us had benefitted from Mr Higgins’ theatrical advice that “many hands make light work” and that Hong Kong table tennis players definitely have an unfair advantage! As noted by the Headmaster ahead of our dinner, journeys that start at Hong Kong OLs dining for the first time. LRGS can take our students all around the world as the world becomes smaller and more interconnected. We’re hoping that the Hong Kong dinner can develop into a successful annual event, and something of a home-fromhome for any OLs passing through or living in the Far East. We would love to welcome any fellow OLs based in Hong Kong or the wider-Asia region to our dinner next year. The date is set for Friday 11th September 2015 so that recent school-leavers can also hopefully join us before their return to university. If you are at all interested, please get in touch with Patrick or me via the Alumni Officer so we can be sure to be in touch closer to the time with the details! The 2015 Hong Kong Branch Dinner will be held on Friday 11 September. The following attended the London Branch Dinner: David Bradford (01-03), David Chan (00-04), James Cook (88-95), Patrick Dransfield (75-80), Rich Fryatt (97-04), Shaun Hartley (87-94), Edward Ma (95-99), Chris Percy (96-03).

LEEDS - 28 NOVEMBER 2014 The 2014 Leeds Dinner returned to the Taverners Club at Headingley Stadium, where it has been held for a number of years now. It was good to see an increase on last year’s numbers which really helped provide a sense of occasion. There was a good mix of younger OLs through to a few senior members of the Club. After the meal, brief speeches and the toasts ensued. Phil Garnett, the Branch Secretary, welcomed all to the dinner and specifically thanked Jake Haddow and Jenny Cornell for all their efforts behind the scenes. Jenny Cornell gave a full update on the vast and impressive achievements made by boys currently at school. The President, Prof Martin Alexander, then provided a very interesting and fitting summary of OLs who served during the First World War, highlighting the higher than average toll paid by boys from the school, a sobering thought. This was followed by a quiz which really challenged some, certainly after a few pints of Tetley’s!

Leeds-based OLs in Headingley Stadium.

The 2015 Leeds Branch Dinner will be held on Friday 27 November. The following attended the Leeds Branch Dinner: Martin Alexander (68-73), Andrew Bargh (10-12), Iain Bolton (97-04), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Philip Cottrill (03-10), Jonathan Davison (03-10), Mike Dixon (52-60), James Dunlop (03-10), Paul Fitton (61-67), Phil Garnett (98-00), Jake Haddow (03-10), Gareth Hiron (96-03), Ben Morgan (97-04), Beau Smith (05-12), Joe Sykes (10-12), Steven Worthington (96-03), Maurice Yeh (03-10).

Phil Garnett, Ben Morgan, Gareth Hiron, Steve Worthington and Iain Bolton at the Leeds Dinner.

17

L OL BRANCH DINNERS

O

OL RUGBY AND LANCASTER HOT POT LUNCH 4 JANUARY 2015 Fortune favoured the brave this year as the frost quickly passed allowing the annual Old Lancastrian rugby fixture to go ahead for the second year running. As the two sides took to the field it quickly became apparent that the o25s had not forgotten the score line from the previous year, as they came out of the blocks with a very early score, skilfully converted by Rob Ferguson (9502). The play was very even throughout the remainder of the game. The flair of the U25s backline was met by stern defence from the O25s, which in turn led to expansive counterattacking from the O25s. Sportsmanship at the final whistle.

Unlike the previous year, the game really did go down to the wire, with the o25s producing two fine post-to-post scores to snatch victory away from the u25s at the last whistle. A well balanced game, ending with the o25s 21-28 victors, was reflective of the competition on the day, and a wonderful end to a long rugby career for OL, Ian Austin (76-83), who ended his playing days where they began. Special thanks go to Peter Harrison for again coming down to referee the game. Following the display at the Memos, a 90-strong crowd of OLs, families and friends moved to Lancaster Brewery to thaw out and carry on the festivities. Those that made it down to the Brewery were treated to a menu of Lancaster Hot Pot provided by OL David Dunderdale (65-73), all washed down with a fine selection of ales; exactly what the doctor ordered on what was a very cold January afternoon.

OL Ian Austin who hung up his boots, after playing his last game where it all started.

The popularity of the OL Lancaster Hot Pot has been apparent since its inception two years ago as it has quickly become a welcome addition to the OL Calendar. Many thanks to all those who came along to both the rugby and the Hot Pot lunch. We look forward to seeing you again next year, if not before. The 2016 OL Rugby and Lancaster Hot Pot will be held on Sunday 3 January. The following attended the Hot Pot Lunch: Martin Alexander (68-73), Ian Austin (76-83), Brian Bannister (47-53), Trevor Bargh (69-77), Andrew Bargh (10-12), Daniel Bolton (92-99), Richard Brigg (85-92), Stuart Brown (02-09), Rod Burgess (66-72), Matthew Bush (02-09), Ray Carr (51-57), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Pete Davies-Colley (65-72), Richard Dewar (97-99), Peter Dyer (68-75), Rob Ferguson (95-02), Richard FurlongBrown (Staff), Don Gardner (46-51), James Gregson (04-11), Jake Haddow (03-10), Jake Harrison (01-08), Jonty Higgin (02-09), Bertie Hodgson (04-11), Geoff Huck (47-55), Andy Irvine (83-90), Robin Jackson (65-72), Edward Kell (02-09), Joshua Lancaster (02-09), Sam Lavelle (02-09), Conor McGurk (0209), James McSporran (04-11), Dave Metcalfe (57-63), Robert Mudd (98-05), Craig Owen (97-04), Ken Parker (95-02), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Michael Quinn (97-04), James Ralston (04-11), Mark Robinson (68-73), Ray Salisbury (44-50), David Smith (97-04), Stephen Smith (02-09), Isaac Thompson (0310), Jack Turton (02-09), Frank Turton (38-42), Tom Vaughan-Jones (05-12), James Williams (02-09), Simon Wilson (04-11), Ian Wormleighton (95-02).

18

U25 Centre James Williams makes a break.

Lancaster Brewery for the hotpot.

OL BRANCH DINNERS O

L

NEWCASTLE - 28 FEBRUARY 2015 This was the first Newcastle-based meeting for the OL Club; one which Jake Haddow and I thought was long overdue, considering the number of OLs attending Newcastle or Northumbria University. The evening was more of a test run to gauge interest, and it was a resounding success! We met at No28, a smart but friendly bar in Newcastle City centre, and the evening proved more of a success than we anticipated. There was a particularly strong showing from the 2012 and 2013 leavers, but particular thanks must go to the handful that travelled from as far away as Nottingham to be there for the evening!

Students across different age groups enjoying drinks.

Drinks lasted throughout the night, with different groups preparing to head off into the streets of Newcastle to indulge in the bar and club scene that the city is renowned for. Based on the success of this first event we look forward to future events in the area, both formal and informal! Ruaidhri Johnston (06-13) The 2016 Newcastle Reunion will be held on Thursday 25 February. The following attended the Newcastle Reunion: Jonny Askham (05-12), Andrew Burch (06-13), Rik Ghosh (07-14), Jake Haddow (03-10), Alex Hall (10-12), Jake Hodgkinson (06-13), Ruaidhri Johnston (06-13), Lex Le Saint-Grant (03-10), Vincent MacDonald (07-14), Sam Martin (10-12), Daniel Miller (06-13), Ben Pinder (05-12), Tom Rhodes (05-12), Andrei Rhodes (06-13), Sean Robinson (06-13), Harpal Sembi (0911), Alex Simmill (06-13), Krishan Tanna (06-13), Isaac Thompson (03-10), Shaun Thornton (03-09), Tom Vaughan-Jones (05-12), Tom Whitehouse (06-13), James Worlock (06-13).

Sembi Harpal Singh, James Worlock, Tom WhiteHouse.

2010 leavers met up at the Newcastle Drinks evening.

CORNWALL - 20 MARCH 2015 Once again the weather was fantastic, clear blue skies and glorious sunshine to enjoy the wonderful north coast of Cornwall where Poldark was filmed, some of the cast staying at Treglos for the filming. This was our 29th Dinner and 21 sat down to enjoy a sumptuous meal complemented by a continuous flow of Pinot Grigio & Merlot! Branch Secretary, Ted Barlow, welcomed President, Martin Alexander, and Rosalie and proposed the first two toasts. Martin giving the toast to the OL Club and an interesting talk on his year in office. Guests at the Cornwall Dinner.

Most stayed on for a few days to enjoy the weather. Joe Shepherd, who has attended every meeting until now, was sadly missed but we hope he will be back again next year for our 30th anniversary. The 2016 Cornwall Branch Dinner will be held either be Friday 11 March or 1 April. The following attended the Cornwall Branch Dinner: Martin (68-73) & Rosalie Alexander, Ted (37-46) & Barbara Barlow, Brian(42-50) & Gwyneth Clarkson, Derek & Rosemary Colwill, Don (46-51) & Alma Gardner, Dennis (41-44) & Beryl Glen, Chris Gregson (69-77), Tony (Former Staff) & Kate Joyce, Peter (Former Staff) & Gill Mawby, Alan (49-52) & Joan Westall, Tom (41-49) & Barbara Wilson.

19

L OL BRANCH DINNERS

O

CAMBRIDGE - 6 MARCH 2015 Friday 6 March saw 33 diners, including 11 students and a good handful of octogenarians, assemble in the Wordsworth Room in St John’s College for the annual Cambridge Old Lancastrians’ Dinner. We welcomed the President, Prof Martin Alexander, after his cross-countries journey, and a goodly number from Lancaster including the Headmaster, Chris Pyle, Jenny Cornell and Jake Haddow, Alumni Officer. In addition it was splendid to greet several others who had made lengthy journeys to Cambridge. Sadly absent was John Moss, hitherto one of our regular diners, who had died recently; we spent a minute in silence in his memory.

Andrew Macmahon, Srijan Parmeshwar, John Ockendon and Beau Marshall.

The food and wines were greatly enjoyed; some of us were intrigued by the hint of viognier in the shiraz, some by the novelty of Kendal Mint Cake Mousse. All agreed that the catering staff, seen and unseen, deserved our most sincere thanks. Following the Loyal Toast, which he proposed, the Branch Secretary, John Leake thanked Jenny Cornell and Jake Haddow for all the work at LRGS that is essential to many aspects of our Dinner. In leading up to the toast to the school, Peter Dornan reflected on how his own history strongly supports the case for grammar schools. He also extolled the value of combining academic and sporting excellence. In his reply Chris Pyle told us about the unveiling of the blue plaque commemorating Sir Richard Owen, a distinguished nineteenth century scientist and OL, to say nothing of recent evidence for a boarder in 1288, almost two centuries before John Gardyner’s refoundation of the school. After noting the centenary of the Set Run he went on to bring us up-to-date on the achievements of current pupils and on progress with the redevelopment of Old School House. After thanking the Club for the much appreciated subsidy of student dinners in the current era of high university fees, James Flesher proposed the health of the Club to which Martin Alexander replied. For the sharp-eyed who had noticed that he was at LRGS for only five years as against the more usual seven, he explained that, as his father worked for ICI, the family had to move around from time to time. He spoke affectionately of the lifelong friendships one makes at school and offered firm advice to those still in education: seize educational - and other - opportunities, choose a target and go for it.

Current Cambridge students.

OLs in St John’s College.

When the time came to extinguish the candles the Secretary had to gently persuade animated groups of OLs to continue their discussions elsewhere! The 2016 Cambridge Branch Dinner will be held on Friday 4 March. The following attended the Cambridge Branch Dinner: Martin Alexander (68-73), John Altham (40-49), Harvey Binnie (51-58), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Peter Dornan (51-58), Graham Dransfield (67-73), Michael Duerden (44-52), James Flesher (04-11), Jake Haddow (03-10), Stephan Harker (58-64), David Harrison (68-74), Simon Hilton (77-84), Paul Hodgson (03-10), David Hoyle (06-13), Rory Hudson (03-10), Tony Joyce (72-83), John Kelsall (54-61), John Leake (50-57), Toby Livesey (06-13), Beau Marshall (05-12), Hugh McKinney (41-51), Andrew McMahon (06-13), Peter Mooney (06-13), John Ockenden (05-12), Alec Osmond (44-46), Srijan Parmeshwar (06-13), Richard Phillips (06-13), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Jamie Ranson (04-11), Bob Satchwell (59-66), Joe Shepherd (39-47), Simon Sherratt (71-76), Phillip Sycamore (62-67).

Simon Sherratt, Simon Hilton, Tony Joyce and Graham Dransfield.

Srihan Parmeshwar and David Harrison.

20

OL BRANCH DINNERS O

L

MANCHESTER - 13 MARCH 2015 The Manchester dinner once again took place in what we thought was the appropriately named Lancaster Suite in the old pavilion at Old Trafford, only to find it had been renamed in honour of a new sponsor, a well know local purveyor of German cars! In the spirit of German efficiency, 38 of guests took their seats on time to enjoy the fine fayre, the usual respectful appraisal of both the Headmasters’ and OL Presidents’ speech and the appropriate heckling of the Branch Secretary.

Jack Hardy, Shaan Shaunak and Andy Stevens.

Branch Secretary Steve Aughton this year focused on this year’s hot topic in Manchester, Devo-Manc and the parallels with the school. Ultimately we concluded that there was little danger of the Manchester Branch voting for independence or for greater powers, and no offer of a referendum was made. In the end we all agreed that one of the lasting legacies offered by the school is instilling a great sense of leadership and the independence of the boys it educates. Thanks go out particularly to the Headmaster and the OL President Martin Alexander for their fine speeches, to Jake Haddow for his fine organisation and to Jenny Cornell who also had to step in as this year’s mini-bus driver!

Jack Turton, Jonty Higgin, Matt Jones, Isaac Thompson and Luke Richmond.

Due to unfortunate circumstances some of our key stalwarts were unable to attend this year, so we were slightly down on numbers but we look forward to next years’ dinner where we’re likely to have both a change of venue and date so watch this space! The next Manchester Branch Dinner will be held on on Friday 2 October 2015 at Barca, Castlefield. The following attended the Manchester Branch Dinner: Martin Alexander (68-73), Dave Aughton (87-94), Steve Aughton (8390), Chris Balmer (83-88), Robert Benson (65-72), Paul Bradburn (5865), Stuart Brown (02-09), Stephen Clarke (66-73), Jenny Cornell (Staff), Pete Davies-Colley (65-72), Jeremy Duerden (68-75), John Fidler (Former Staff), Paul Fitton (61-67), Jake Haddow (03-10), Tom Hall (06-12), Jack Hardy (09-11), Bill Harris (65-72), Simon Harrison (02-09), Jonty Higgin (02-09), Matthew Jones (03-10), Mark Leach (72-77), Darren Marchment (83-88), Gordon Parker (66-72), Chris Pyle (Headmaster), Luke Richmond (03-10), David Rowe (Staff), Jon Sharkey (83-88), Shaan Shaunak (04-11), Andrew Stevens (04-11), Matt Teasdale (02-09), Isaac Thompson (03-10), Jack Turton (02-09), James Williams (02-09), Andrew Wilson (66-72).

John Sharkey, Chris Balmer and Dave Aughton.

OLs at Old Trafford.

21

L CLASS OF 2009 - FIVE YEAR REUNION

O

11 OCTOBER 2014 The Class of 2009 Five Year Reunion followed a slightly different order than years gone by. It was hosted on a Saturday, the timeless school dinner was swapped for a great new buffet, and the venue migrated down the hill to the newly-opened Sixth Form Cafe. Five years on suggested the perfect time for old friends, classmates and teachers to come back to school to enjoy the festivities and a catch up, and just fewer than 50 OLs made the trip to LRGS on Saturday 11th October to enjoy the nostalgia, joined by twelve current and former staff. The new format proved popular with the OLs, as they enjoyed the food and drink on offer whilst sharing stories of the yonder years. The evening was concluded by a short address from Headmaster, Dr Chris Pyle, before everyone headed into town to continue the evening.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW? Will Alexander Since leaving LRGS, I have graduated from Harper Adams University with a BSc Hons in Agriculture. I am now a livestock auctioneer at North West Auctions studying part time to become fully qualified with the livestock auctioneers association. Ben Barrow After leaving school I went to Australia to play cricket and coach. I completed a degree at Leeds Metropolitan and currently work for Cumbria Cricket Ltd, coaching and managing County cricket sides. Currently, I am recovering from surgery on a detached retina. Maxwell Bibby Since leaving LRGS I started an apprenticeship in housing. I was a housing officer for the past 3 and a half years and now I manage the Leasehold service and take serious antisocial behaviour cases to court.

Robert Cox After college I graduated from Liverpool University with a First in Psychology. Worked teaching wine tasting during my degree. Now, I’ve been travelling Australia for the past ten months by motorbike and working in various jobs, at the moment in a banana farm. After more travelling my career will be research in cognitive neuroscience. Christian Czech I went back to my old school in Germany after the year abroad and finished my abitur. That’s basically like your A level. Afterwards I did my national selective service (I’m not quite sure whether you guys got that in England too. In Germany the guys had to join the military for 9 months or do some social work). I’ve stayed there for a year, had a 3 month break during the summer and then I started my B.Sc. Geography at the Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen, Germany. Right now I’m writing my Bachelor thesis and I’m planning to begin the B.Sc. Geoscince transitionally. I want to do my MSc. next year, probably in Germany as well. It might be going into the direction of conflicts concerning resources or something like disaster management. Basil Davies Graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in English Literature in June, and now living in Edinburgh, pursuing a career in advertising. Michael Eccles I’m currently living in Manchester and working towards finishing my nursing degree at UoM. Jack Etches After leaving LRGS, I spent 3 unhappy years at Cambridge. Having watched this institution eat all of my closest friends alive, I fled to South London, where I’ve lived ever since. I’m currently gainfully unemployed and struggling through an MA in philosophy and critical theory at Kingston University. My time is split equally between self involved moping, absent-minded dilettantism and political activism. When I grow up I want to be a bank robber.

Matthew Bush Since leaving the fine institution of LRGS I have had a ‘year of life’ (avoiding the gap year stigma) and completed an undergraduate degree at Oxford Brookes University. At Brookes I read Politics and International Relations, pursued adventure and leadership with Oxford University Officer Training Corps, and endured a great deal of time in a rowing boat. I am currently pursuing a regular military career and I have recently joined up as a reservist for 381 Medical Supply RLC Lancaster. Thomas Chambers I’m now living and working as a software engineer in North London after 4 years at Oxford doing Maths.

22

2009 Leavers enjoying their food.

CLASS OF 2009 - FIVE YEAR REUNION O

L

John Flesher I graduated from Cambridge in 2012 and have been living in London since then, working as a researcher and adviser in Parliament and very much missing the North. Benjamin Foley I’m in my 5th and final year at Nottingham University studying veterinary medicine and science. Liam Gannicliffe I’m studying towards a degree in film at the moment in the evenings at Birkbeck and working for Primark although I’ll hopefully have a new job in a couple of weeks, haha. Not much else really, I’ve come a long way... Nick Hamer After leaving LRGS I went on to Study Business Management and Finance at Keele University, however quickly realised I didn’t want to spend the next 3 years in Stoke. Since then I have been working as a Quantity Surveyor for Vinci Construction UK in the North West. Michael Harper Undergrad at Oxford. Postgrad at Oxford. Tutored at Oxford. Basically just Oxford. Simon Harrison Went to Uni, graduated, and qualified as a pharmacist, now working at Salford Royal Hospital. Living the life with Mr Teasdale in Manchester. Avid attendee at OL dinners and events. Hope to see more familiar faces at future events. Tim Heap After graduating with a degree in Journalism in 2013, I worked for MoneySavingExpert, and am now a travel and men’s writer for a magazine publishing company in Surrey, and I live near Brighton with my boyfriend.

2009 Leavers reuniting with Former Teachers Peter Jago and Sheila Wolfendale.

Arts & Theology. I then toured nationally with a theatre company for a year before getting married in Austria to my wife, Natalie. I am currently working for a project, teaching singing in primary schools and am the artistic director of a Christian theatre company: 4Front Theatre. Tim Hornby Went to Newcastle University for a 4 year masters degree in civil engineering. Whilst I was there, I became a scout leader for a local scout troop and off the back of that I became a member of the district executive for the city of Newcastle scouting district. After working several summer jobs across the 4 years including working for Costain (on the M6 to Heysham link road), I finally got my degree and landed a job in Cambridge as a transport planner, currently building a model for the whole of Ware in Hertfordshire. Chaeho Hwang I left LRGS to read medicine at Trinity College, Uni of Cambridge and now I’m in my final year of study.

Jonty Higgin Since leaving LRGS I graduated from the University of Bath where I studied Business Administration and had the opportunity to complete internships for Mercedes AMG F1 team, Sky TV and L’Oreal. After succeeding in not picking up a posh accent in Bath, my fledgling career has consisted of birds, footy and beers. I firstly decided to follow my passion for make-up, moisturiser & shampoo and joined the L’Oreal grad scheme. On completing the scheme I came to the conclusion I wasn’t worth it (get it?!) and left for another internship in the commercial department at Manchester United in their London office, assisting them to their worst season in the Premier League years. In fear of further damaging my beloved team and the fact it didn’t lead to anything permanent, I left to start my current job as an account manager in London for AB Inbev who are the brewers for Stella Artois, Becks, Corona & Budweiser where I conduct a lot of market research.

Stephen Jarvis Graduated from London School of Economics in 2012 with a First Class Honours BSc in Economics and Economic History. I have since been working in Glasgow as an Economist for Ofgem (the energy regulator) for the last 2 years.

Robert Holman Since leaving LRGS I studied for a degree in Performing

Richard Kerr Infantry reserve platoon commander with the 4th Battalion

Chris Kennedy Since leaving I’ve been at the Royal Veterinary College, now in my final year, also have a degree from Leeds University in zoology, was homeless on the streets of New York, visited Niagara Falls and worked a summer camp in America. Ed Kell Since leaving LRGS I’ve spent an exotic gap year in Newcastle, built a special needs school in East London and am currently in the final year of an MEng in Civil Engineering in Bath. Hoping to find a job that’s overpaid and underworked.

23

L CLASS OF 2009 - FIVE YEAR REUNION

O

In the next five years I aim to continue to build my brand and own at least two exclusively ‘results-based’ facilities in the local area. Andy Lindsay I graduated with a degree in medicine and surgery awarded by The University of Liverpool in July 2014 and I am now working as a doctor at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in various medical specialties.

Sam Benson, Nick Hamer, Ed Kell, Simon Harrison, Conor McGurk, George Alaimo and James Williams.

the Yorkshire Regiment, just got back from 2nd training mission to Uganda. About to start final year geography Bsc at uni of Sheffield. Peter Kneale Graduated with 1st Class Honours BSc Business Administration; University of Bath. Analyst at JP Morgan, Canary Wharf, London. Continued belief in the ‘Half your age + 7’ rule. Josh Lancaster I left LRGS and didn’t ‘have the balls’ to leave home. I was far from the model pupil – very easily distracted and therefore I thought it would be a waste to even attempt to study something for a 3 year degree that I wasn’t wholeheartedly passionate about. 3 years later I graduated from the University of Cumbria (all the way across the road), with my degree in Coaching and Sports Development. I am recognised as a top local tennis player for Slyne Tennis Club and also I have been club captain for the last 4 years of Lancaster Rovers (a successful North Lancashire football club). I gained numerous vocational qualifications whilst at University; football, rugby, tennis, dodgeball and fitness coaching qualifications to name a few. I soon realised that my passion was for fitness - strength and nutrition coaching in particular. This was following manipulating many variables personally, to successfully elicit my own body transformation, on more than one occasion (if you can’t remember what a fatty I was, I will happily show you pictures). For the last 3 years I have been coaching people. I started off as a gym instructor at a small fitness suite at Lancaster and Morecambe College. Then from May 2013-April 2014 I was a Personal Trainer at 3-1-5 Health Club in Lancaster (old Total Fitness site). I soon realised that working under somebody else’s coaching philosophy was holding me back. In April 2015 I made the bold decision to begin my own business – ‘Lean Body Systems’ of which I operate predominantly out of 3-1-5 Health Club. I have relished the challenge of growing my business week by week. It has been a steep, yet rewarding learning curve.

24

Chenhui Liu Graduated from University with massive debts, looking forward to paying it all back. Kieren McCallum I’m living and working in Norwich. Norwich has a great arts scene and I’ve been involved in all sorts of events and projects. Current projects include organising the Magdalen Street Celebration, a big festival to celebrate the area’s diversity and talent. I’m also writing when I can. The next thing is do some travelling and teach English abroad. Conor McGurk After leaving LRGS I went on to attend Newcastle University to study Chemical Engineering. At the end of my four years, I attained a 1st Class Master of Engineering qualification in Chemical Engineering and a place on the Mondelez International Engineering Graduate Scheme. Since working at Mondelez I have carried out placements in Capital Project Management at the Bournville Cadburys site and worked as a Shift Manager at the Kenco site in Banbury. I still continue to play rugby for Bournville RFC, but it doesn’t measure up to the standard seen week in week out at the Memorial Fields! Sanjay Mistry Since leaving LRGS I graduated from the University of Bradford with a Masters in Pharmacy and I’m now completing my pre-registration year with GlaxoSmithKline. I’ve made the move down south and I’m based between

Stuart Brown, Harry Warr, Jordan Grimshaw and Josh Lancaster.

CLASS OF 2009 - FIVE YEAR REUNION O

L

Hertfordshire and London. Unfortunately I’ve fallen out of touch with a lot of you - so if you find yourself down south please don’t hesitate to give me a shout! Kris Moeckell In between failed alpine trips, infamous nightlife and a few tedious exams, I graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Surveying and Mapping sciences. From there I was offered the opportunity to “chase the dream” working in Oil and Gas in Perth, Australia. 15 months later having had enough sun, sand and adventure throughout SE Asia and Indonesia, I returned home. Now I am based out of an Aberdeen office working mainly in W Africa and doing my best to take advantage of the 6 months off a year trying to see as much of the world as possible. Stewart Morley Graduated in Medicine from Cardiff University in July 2014, now working as a junior doctor in Wrexham and loving it. Done lots of travelling through Europe, to Kenya and New Zealand. Eventually I hope to specialise in paediatrics but still a long way to go yet... Siddarth Nardeosingh Since leaving LRGS, I have been studying Medicine at Manchester Uni, been arranged-married twice and won three cows in a well-known Asian game show. I have no doubt whatsoever that my experiences at LRGS led to this success! In all seriousness though, only after leaving LRGS did I really appreciate how lucky I was; great working atmosphere, phenomenal opportunities whilst being surrounded by some interesting characters and a great bunch of lads. I hope you are all well and enjoying whatever you are doing. Ross Newton Was at Uni in Loughborough for 4 years and am now working at a small pharma company in Lancaster. Greog Noakes Graduated from Sheffield Hallam, now Lettings Manager for a student accommodation company. Conor O’Halloran After leaving LRGS I took up a place studying Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool and will graduate as a Veterinary Surgeon in July 2015. In 2013/14 I swapped my vet school allegiance and jumped the border to study for an MSc in One Health at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh. My dissertation focused on viral diseases capable of crossing species barriers and it will (hopefully!) be accepted for publication in the near future. Away from studying I have found myself running marathons, much to my own surprise as well as everyone else’s! Will Owen I studied Biological Sciences at Edinburgh, graduated 2013, took a gap year in the USA and travelled South America,

Headmaster Chris Pyle with Sam Carr and Joe Winstanley.

and I’m now in Glasgow doing a Master of Research degree in Brain imaging. I’m looking at either joining the forces or doing a PhD. Daniel Palmer I completed my History degree at St Andrews, which I loved. I spent lots of time on theatre tech and running events, which led to being elected as a sabbatical officer at the Students’ Association to oversee the entertainment lineup from Freshers’ Week to Graduation Ball. That was a fun detour, but I’m back on my main plan and training to be a History teacher in County Durham. Martin Palmer I’ve spent the years since LRGS at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, getting a BA in English and Creative Writing and finishing an MA in Creative Writing on its own (pass/fail still pending). I’ve been published in the university magazine ‘Question Mark’ (submission guaranteed publication they didn’t have many entries), other than that just on my blog, Blogtastic, and my friend’s beer blog, HashtagBeer. Job-wise, I’ve been a shop assistant at an up-market wine shop and a cheaper version of Bargain Booze. Probably not polite to name the shop after saying that... Have also had the immense pleasure of volunteering at the three Morecambe CAMRA beer festivals. Now seeking any kind of employment that doesn’t destroy my mind or my soul... Now I’ve a bit of time on my hands, I’m trying to get to the bottom of whether Paul McCartney is really dead, or whether it was all a hoax. Still writing, still reading, still an Elvis fan, still love a laugh and I’m still quite odd. Nothing much changes in five years really... Anthony Physick After having left LRGS at the start of L6, due unfortunately to illness, I resumed my A Levels at Cardinal Newman, Preston. After having done so, I continued to Sheffield Hallam, and began a degree in Architecture and Environmental Design. Again, however, problems with illness meant I left during second year. Thankfully I have recovered, and I have started a new course at Lancaster University. I’m about

25

L CLASS OF 2009 - FIVE YEAR REUNION

O

to enter my third year of study for an MEng in Nuclear Engineering. Ed Quinn After leaving LRGS I moved to London to study French and Spanish at King’s College London. During those four years I spent time studying abroad at SciencesPo, Paris and UPF in Barcelona. After graduating I went travelling around Latin America, and now I am trying to get back to reality and apply for some graduate jobs. Irving Shark Having graduated from Oxford in Mathematics and Statistics, I gained a place on the New Entrepreneurs Foundation, a one year programme for aspiring entrepreneurs. Now moved to Hong Kong to work with a data visualisation start up, while working on my own businesses on the side. Ben Sloman After leaving LRGS I spent four years studying Maths and held the record for the longest time without scoring in the history of football at Oxford University (over 4500 minutes). Following a year of teacher training I’m now undertaking a DPhil in Maths. Stephen Smith Since leaving LRGS I have completed my Business and Management degree and moved on to getting the required qualifications to be an accountant. This is while working in the North West. Dominic Taylor Graduated from Cambridge, became a naval officer, and have just come back from six months at sea with the French. Living the dream. Tom Thornton Having left LRGS, I went on to study Chemical Engineering with Management at Loughborough University. As part of

the course I completed an industrial placement working in the processing R&D team with Unilever. I recently graduated with a first-class honours degree (MEng) and went on to gain a place on the graduate program for ABB’s consultancy division, where I am currently working. Michael Twigge After leaving Lancaster I went on to study for a BEng in Motorsport Engineering at the University of Huddersfield gaining a 2:1 in this subject, during my time at Huddersfield I also completed a year in industry working as a placement engineer at Longwood Engineering. After graduating from Huddersfield I went to Oxford Brookes University where I gained an MSc in Motorsport Engineering. During my time at University I also competed in the Formula Student competition where students from all around the world design and build a race car to compete at circuits including Silverstone, Hockenheim and the Czech Ring. I was the only person to be part of the top UK team in both years I competed, first of all in 2013 with Huddersfield coming 16th overall, and then in 2014 with Oxford Brookes where we achieved 5th overall, both results were the best ever achieved by the respective universities. I have recently been offered a position at Ford as a product development engineer which I will be taking up in a few weeks Michael Wellings Unsurprisingly I’m still doing what Kelsey tells me to... I graduated with a Master’s degree in pharmacy and I’m now working as a clinical pharmacist at Furness General Hospital in Barrow. Cricket remains a large part of my life and in the next few months I will again nervously await my call up for the Douglas Cameron select xi. Arran Whaite Post LRGS I completed a Business degree, and am now working as an Accounts Assistant whilst studying CIMA, with the aim of becoming a fully qualified Accountant. Ben Whittingham University of Edinburgh, MA Hons French and Spanish (First Class). Currently teaching in Blackpool. Standing for parliament as a Labour candidate for Wyre and Preston North. Used to be a SPC. Living back in Lancaster. James Williams Still studying Dentistry at Manchester. Passed out as a Royal Marine in January. Drillin’, Fillin’ and Killin’... Joe Winstanley Leaving school, I headed north to Edinburgh and have just started my sixth and final year of a medical degree. Along the way I have tried to make the most of the Scottish surroundings - mountain biking, walking and skiing wherever possible. Hopefully a career in surgery beckons. I might even stay up here now I won’t need a new passport.

Michael Wellings and Ben Barrow at the 5 Year Reunion.

26

12 PUBS OF CHRISTMAS O

L

22 DECEMBER 2014 Crackers, carols, mince pies, presents, time spent with family and catching up with old friends are all synonymous with Christmas. For the former pupils of LRGS however, the Old Lancastrian 12 Pubs of Christmas has been introduced as a deserved staple to the festive calendar, and for many, the only way to get your festive break underway. The 2014 instalment of this fine tradition was held on Monday 22nd December. The day was started with a well-fought Old Lancastrian football tournament appropriately hosted by the amphitheatre of the LRGS Sports Hall, which proved the perfect prelude to the evening’s endeavours. Although a few had clearly been making the most of the Christmas festivities, everyone survived the OL Football, and began to prepare themselves for the evening’s instalments.

OLs of all ages, each one proudly sporting a Christmas jumper, slowly began to gather in Bottom Whethers for the starting line of this year’s 12 Pubs of Christmas. We were joined by locals full of festive cheer – and brandy – some of whom were very intrigued by

some of the best, and certainly worst, Christmas accessories on the market. A couple of pubs down, voices were tuned, and the carols were ready. The honour of leading the first carol was given to Alex Briggs (12-14), who gave Lancaster’s Pop Idol, Paul Akister, a run for his money as he made the most of his time in the limelight. Fibber McGee’s was then treated to an impressive rendition of Once in Royal David’s City as all grabbed their hymn books and joined in, and before moving on. The bench mark set, and seasonal joy well and truly coursing through the veins of the OLs in attendance, it was time for the 100+ crowd to briefly pay our respects to Sir Richard Owen before heading to the Collegian for some Karaoke. Old met new as the younger vintage was introduced to Keith, who is something of an honorary OL for the evening of the 12 Pubs (I’m not sure he’s missed one!), as we were once again treated to his interpretation of Afroman’s genius. The duo was not complete without a return to the helm of the North West’s answer to Elvis, but thankfully Tony West was there to show us how it’s done. The roots of the 12 Pubs of Christmas were reestablished in the new home of LRGS vocals as OLs of all ages queued up

to showcase their talent on stage. Singing, dancing – Sam Moorby (05-12) – and cheer aplenty was rounded off with the die-hards leading ‘The Penny Arcade’ in homage to Tony West. As is to be expected with such a large volume of Christmas-fuelled lads, the schedule lagged, meaning just a pit stop into Bentley’s before heading to Hustle to see out the night. As is now expected of an OL 12 Pubs of Christmas, the night was a roaring success, and it was great to see so many lads of so many ages come down and get so involved, particularly the younger lads as they hopefully carry on the tradition. This account of the evening hopefully does justice to what is a spectacular testament to all that is LRGS, and is an incentive to those who missed it to come along next year ... you won’t regret it! Jake Haddow (03-10)

27

L PROPOSED OL CALENDAR 2015-16

O

Cotswolds Dinner:

Friday 12 June 2015

Founders’ Weekend:

Friday/Saturday 3/4 July 2015

Hong Kong Dinner:

Friday 18 September 2015

Manchester Dinner:

Friday 2 October 2015

Class of 2010, 5 Year Reunion:

Saturday 10 October 2015

London Dinner:

Thursday 5 November 2015

Speech Day:

Saturday 14 November 2015

Leeds Dinner:

Friday 27 November 2015

School Carol Service:

Saturday 12 December 2015

Lancaster Hot Pot Lunch & Rugby:

Sunday 3 January 2016

Newcastle Reunion:

Thursday 25 February 2016

Cambridge Dinner:

Friday 4 March 2016

Cornwall Weekend:

Friday 11 March 2016 or 1 April 2016 (tbc)

East Lancs Dinner:

Friday 29 April 2016

Durham Dinner:

to be confirmed

Oxford Dinner:

Thursday 5 May 2016

Cotswolds Dinner:

Friday 10th June 2016

Founders’ Weekend:

Friday/Saturday 1/2 July 2016

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT John Gardyner’s endowment in 1472 stated that the school was “to educate boys in grammar, freely”. His intentions still resonate today. Education at LRGS remains free. Our excellent InspirUS outreach programme and Lune Scholarship Bursary Fund are just two ways in which we remain true to John Gardyner’s aim and help us to educate boys irrespective of background or income. Both schemes are funded entirely through the generosity of others – by donations from former pupils, parents, staff and friends of the school.

Whilst government funding provides the school with the resources for day to day school activities, it does not go very far towards helping to cover the costs of maintaining or improving our facilities. We strive to deliver the highest teaching standards and provide top quality facilities. In order to continue to achieve this goal we rely on the generosity of our community. Over the year considerable progress has been made on a number of projects which help us to enrich the lives and the educational experience of current as well as future generations of pupils. Our InspirUS programme has a new permanent home providing a stimulating environment for the primary school children who attend the sessions. We have been able to renovate the upper dormitories in Old School House and convert them into much needed 6th form teaching and study space.

28

A new gym and fitness centre has been created on the balcony of the Sports Hall providing boys with an attractive and welcoming facility in which to train.

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT O being relayed about Lancaster Royal Grammar School past and present.

Several families are able to take advantage of the help that the Lune Scholarship provides giving them financial assistance to allow boys to access all that the school has to offer. These are just examples of what we have been able to do, due to the generosity of very many people.

NEW YORK CLASSROOM OPENING We were delighted to welcome OLs, governors and other illustrious guests to school in October to celebrate the opening of the new InspirUS classroom in the International Building. Thanks to the generous donations by a group of alumni, the InspirUS programme is no longer housed in a portakabin but in a permanent building within the heart of the school. Kevin Roberts OL, co-founder of InspirUS, attended the ceremony, along with Cath Greenbank, sister of Stan Hilling. He and Kevin jointly set up our pioneering primary outreach programme five years ago.

The new InspirUS home has been named the New York Classroom as the donors, all former pupils of the school, committed their support at an Old Lancastrian reunion in New York a year ago, hosted by Kevin Roberts. They promised £20,000 there and then, as well as pledging money to help fund the renovation of Old School House. As a result, three new Business and Economics classrooms have opened for Sixth Form pupils. Brian Ashton OL, one of the New York group of donors, also attended

L

the opening. In addition to his rugby coaching duties at the Vale of Lune, Brian is offering his unique brand of team building and coaching to the aspiring eight and nine year olds on the InspirUS programme.

After completing the final call of our two week campaign, an impressive £200,000 had been pledged. We are immensely grateful to all those OLs who received a call and donated through setting up regular gifts or by making single gifts. The pledges and donations provided much needed funds towards our four development projects: Old School House Renovation, the InspirUS programme, Lune Scholarship and New Gym and Fitness Centre.

Speaking at the event, the Headmaster thanked all the donors who have supported InspirUS over the past five years, praising the programme for its aim: ‘To ensure that every child in every street in Lancaster, Morecambe and the surrounding area has the opportunity to fully reach their potential.’ Chris Pyle and Kevin Roberts also congratulated First Year pupil Barney Watson who came first in a Technology competition to design

a plaque in recognition of the New York Classroom donors. His design will be made in acrylic and wood and displayed permanently outside the new classroom.

Apart from the financial contribution, every donation widens our support base, thereby encouraging others to get involved: not only OLs, but also trusts and major corporations. By getting a large number of individuals to give a donation with which they feel comfortable, we can and do achieve a huge amount. And we must not forget to thank our fifteen callers who did an amazing job and were great ambassadors for the school. We have received many very positive comments about their professionalism, politeness and competence. “He was a credit to LRGS”; “highly professional”; “I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.

SUMMER 2014 TELEPHONE CAMPAIGN The 2014 Telephone Campaign was one of our most successful ever. Our team of fifteen student callers spoke to 750 OLs and everyone seemed to have a great time, with many stories

29

L SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT

O

It brought back pleasant memories of a time now 50 years ago”. Well done lads.

OLD SCHOOL HOUSE RENOVATION We are delighted that the renovation of Old School House is progressing well converting the old dormitories into attractive classrooms. For several months, scaffolding could be seen around Old School House as the building was made watertight with a new roof and windows. During the 2013 summer holiday the first phase of the Old School House redevelopment was completed. The old sanatorium was completely renovated to provide new facilities for the PE Department and a sparkling new Drama studio and classroom emerged from the obsolete staff room downstairs. A further bid was submitted for government funding allowing us to proceed further with our plans for

Old School House. Further sources of funding were sought as well as approaches to parents and former pupils to support the project. We were particularly grateful to Old Lancastrian, Christopher Wright, who generously made a gift to fund a classroom dedicated to his parents. A legacy from another Old Lancastrian, William Sexton, allowed us to create further teaching areas in the old building. Our plan is to continue to phase the work over a period of time allowing us to provide much needed teaching space, to extend and enhance the library facilities and study space for pupils, and to develop a state-of-theart Sixth Form Centre.

LUNE SCHOLARSHIP The Lune Scholarship is funded solely by donations and fundraising activities and offers help to families who may be struggling financially. Over the past year, a huge number of boys have received help towards uniform and sports gear costs, travel costs and other expenses for extra-curricular activities whilst representing the school or supporting their education. The scheme allows boys to take full advantage of all that the school has to offer and hopefully provides them with opportunities that perhaps they had thought not possible.

We are indebted to Martin Higginson for his vision and continued generosity in establishing and funding the scheme. Sincere thanks also to the many Old Lancastrians who are contributing towards the initiative.

Thank you so much to everyone who is supporting the school by donating to the various projects in our Development Programme. We are amazed by the level of support that we receive.

OUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Our current development programme includes specific projects which help us to enrich the lives and the educational experience of our current as well as future generations of pupils – Old School House renovation, refurbishment of the Assembly Hall, improved sports facilities, and Digital Technology improvements. The Programme requires a significant investment in building, infrastructure and facilities. We need the support of both our school community - boys, staff, parents and former pupils - as well as the wider community to create a school for the future. We simply cannot achieve this on our own and we are asking you to help.

30

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT O 1. Old School House We have a long-term plan to preserve and enhance Old School House, a splendid but decaying Grade II listed building, to provide an attractive and stimulating learning environment for our boys. £20,000 will fund the renovation and furnishings of one room for Teaching and Learning.

schools already have. An all weather pitch would give us all year round use for games, sports, athletics and for training which will help us to maintain our outstanding sporting reputation. An all-weather pitch will cost in the region of £150,000. Other smaller sports projects include landscaping and resurfacing the perimeter of the Memorial rugby pitches to allow easier access, particularly during the muddy winter months. £12,000 will fund landscaping and resurfacing costs.

2. Assembly Hall Another area that is in urgent need of an overhaul is the Assembly Hall. It is looking worn and shabby and suffers with damp. At the centre of the school, the hall plays a vital part in the daily lives of our boys—from assemblies to performances; from exam hall to concert venue, from hosting parents’ evenings to lecture theatre. It is badly in need of extensive renovation and redecoration. A fully functional auditorium requires a significant amount of capital but we can make a start with £10,000 for new seating.

3. Sports Facilities Whilst we are delighted to be able to make small improvements in our sporting facilities, our greatest ambition is to build an all-weather pitch providing a facility which the majority of other

L

4. Digital Technology for Learning Research has shown that schools with sufficient digital resources achieve better results than those that are not well equipped. We are in danger of being left behind if we don’t continually keep our IT provision up to date. £5,000 will set up an IT enabled teaching room.

ROWING 2014 was another good year for the LRGS Boat Club. At the Royal Chester Long Distance Sculls, LRGS J15 doubles

crews came first and second and Lower Sixth pupils won their J17 double sculls event at Chester. Fourth year rowers came first at Runcorn Autumn Head and at Northwich Autumn Head, there were victories for the J15 coxed quads and the Novice Coxed Four. Another achievement was the resurrection of ROCAP, the parents committee supporting all LRGS rowers. Not only have they been enthusiastically encouraging the boys from the river banks but they have taken to the water learning to drive the safety boats. However, their top priority is to raise £10,000 to buy a new quad boat to enable more of the boys to compete successfully at regional and national events. We’ve got the rowers, we know they can win and win regularly, we’ve got the support setup in place—we just need another good, modern racing boat. We’re very pleased that, following a successful presentation by Lewis MacPherson and William Burrow (from the 4th year) to the 20 strong Old Lancastrian committee, they voted to donate £2,000 towards our fundraising target. Many thanks to the OL Club for getting the fundraising off to a flying start. Since then, the ROCAP committee and the rowers have done amazingly well in their fund raising endeavours. The total now raised is well over the half way mark, at £6,800. A fabulous achievement from a standing start. Many thanks to all those who have contributed. We have a tough challenge ahead for the start of 2015 season. Ideally we would love to see a new boat, sporting LRGS colours,

31

L SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT

O

racing at the National Schools Championships in May. If you would like to help us by contributing to our Development plans please contact: Jenny Cornell, Development Office, LRGS, East Road, Lancaster LA1 3EF Tel: 01524 580608 Email:[email protected]

LRGS LEGACY SCHEME AND JOHN GARDYNER SOCIETY One of the easiest and most effective ways of helping the school in the future is by leaving a legacy in your Will.

certain grammar school within the town of Lancaster to be supported freely at my own proper charges ...”.

Once you are happy that you have provided for your family and friends, you may like to leave a legacy to Lancaster Royal Grammar School. It would be a tremendous gesture to help ensure the school’s future for many generations to come.

Gardyner’s endowment has been followed by a series of subsequent bequests which have enabled Lancaster Royal Grammar School to develop and grow to its present size and status as one of the UK’s leading state schools. The Trustees of the Charity own all of the school’s land and buildings. All donations and bequests go into the LRGS Charity (number 526602) are carefully administered by the Trustees.

Lancaster Royal Grammar School partly owes its existence to a bequest. In 1469, local merchant John Gardyner recorded his intention to establish a school ‘to instruct and inform the boys in grammar, freely.’ Prior to this the school had been solely fee paying. This original endowment heralded the beginning of free education for boys from Lancaster which continues today. In 1472, John Gardyner’s Will made provision for “a

The John Gardyner Society has been established to recognise those who have signified their intention to leave a gift to Lancaster Royal Grammar School in their Wills. The Society, named after the school’s founder, provides the opportunity to offer our thanks to the membership, recognise their generosity and to keep them informed of the school’s progress and plans. Membership is open to anyone who has made a bequest to the school. Recognising that such a decision is often private and personal, the list of members is not published. However, benefits include an invitation to special events and a benefactor’s OL tie.

HOW YOU CAN HELP A growing number of Old Lancastrians and friends of LRGS are choosing to support the School in this way. Many are finding that legacies allow them to support the School more generously than their present circumstances permit. Furthermore, legacies to charities are free of Inheritance Tax, so they can reduce the total liability on your estate.

Old School by the Castle.

32

We are currently taking part in a free will pilot scheme working with solicitors in the north of England. If you are interested in finding out more please contact Jenny Cornell, Development Director on 01524 580608 or email [email protected].

SCHOOL NEWS 2014-15 O

L

It has been another successful year for pupils and staff at Lancaster Royal Grammar School.

EXAM SUCCESS FOR PUPILS The boys achieved some of the School’s best ever results at A-level. Well over half of all subject entries were awarded A or A* grades, and over 78% of all exams received grade B or above – a result that has only been bettered once in any previous year. 23.5% of all subject entries received the top A* grade, which is the School’s best ever result on that measure. Dr Pyle said: “These superb results reflect our students’ hard work and determination. They are amongst the very best results ever achieved by our students. It is particularly impressive that close to a quarter of all their exams were graded at A*.” At GCSE 144 students sat a total of 1573 examinations. 59% of all GCSEs were graded A or A*, and an excellent 30.1% received A* grades.

SCHOOL RANKS HIGHLY These results ensured that LRGS maintained its position in school league tables. The School was ranked third best performing state school in the North of England and the 10th highest achieving boys’ state school nationally by The Times. LRGS was the second highest achieving state boarding school in the North of England, and the fourth highest nationally, following Reading Boys, RGS High Wycombe and Adams Grammar.

LRGS Leavers celebrating their A Level Results.

Power ranking, which is based on 2014 A-level and GCSE results at A*-B.

TEACHING AWARDS The Good Schools Guide, a leading independent reviewer of schools in the UK, awarded LRGS three subject awards for teaching excellence at AS and A-level. The Pre-U in Business and Management, along with A-level and AS level Classical Greek and A-level Latin were all given an Award for Excellence, based on exam results attained in 2013. The GSG says that these awards are given to the school which has ‘outranked all other English schools in its category for the subject and exam concerned: teaching is likely to be very good.’

SPORTING PROWESS

LRGS again featured in a list of the UK’s top 100 state schools published by the Sunday Times. The School moved up 30 places since the previous year’s Sunday Times Parent

The 1st XI cricket team were joint winners of the Royal Grammar Schools Cricket Festival 2014, the first time that LRGS have won this trophy. The U13 cricket team won the

Business and Economics Teachers Russell Wearing and Sara Coldwell.

LRGS Cricket Festival Team 2014.

33

L SCHOOL NEWS 2014-15

O

U13 Lancashire Cup Winners 2015.

Respects paid by CCF.

Lancashire Cup for the third time in four years, beating Kirkham Grammar School by 6 wickets.

REMEMBERING FALLEN OLs

The U13 rugby team won the Lancashire Cup beating Audenshaw School 20 – 5; the U16 rugby team beat Wirral Grammar School in the final of the UCLAN Floodlit Cup and the 1st XV were only narrowly defeated by Stonyhurst 12 - 10 in their U18 Lancashire Cup Final. LRGS rowers continued to go from strength to strength with impressive performances right across the age groups. There were wins at Trafford Head, Warrington Head, Northwich Head and the Royal Chester Long Distance Sculls.

Pupils in the Combined Cadet Force remembered old boys of the School who were killed in the First World War at a moving ceremony. Accompanied by the band of the King’s Division, there was a roll of honour listing all 76 Old Lancastrians who lost their lives in the Great War, many of them barely after leaving school. Cadets placed crosses in a poppy garden for each OL, as the last post was played. The event was held to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the CCF, for which John Fidler, former CCF Contingent Commander, has written an updated history of the OTC/ CCF.

CHARITY DONATIONS LRGS pupils raised an amazing £18000 for Lenten Charities. Dr Pyle said: ‘Support for charities both in our local area and around the world is an important part of school life at LRGS. I am delighted to see our pupils taking the initiative in choosing suitable causes and raising thousands of pounds in so many creative ways!’ The recipients were: St John’s Hospice, Lancaster; Friends of Chernobyl’s Children, Lancaster; Stroke Association; The Christie, Manchester; Sunshine Orphanage, Egypt; PhysioNET and MeDiCT.

LRGS Pupils presenting the chosen charities with cheques for morney raised during Lentern Charities.

34

PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS 2013-14 O

L

ACADEMIC A-level results 2014 78.4% of subject entries were awarded A*, A or B 57.8% of subject entries were awarded A* or A 23.5% of subject entries were awarded A* 23 students gained three or more A* grades GCSE results 2014 95.9% of subject entries were awarded A*-C 59.8% of subject entries were awarded A* or A 31% of subject entries were awarded A* Three students gained 11 A* grades and three students gained 10 A* grades

OXBRIDGE PLACES Oxford Sam Bannon Andre Dallas Chris Ellison Tom Grunshaw Edward Hall Joshua Hillis Liam Howarth Simon Kelly George Potter George Rettig

Biochemistry, Queen’s Economics & Management, St Edmund Hall French & German, Lady Margaret Hall Chemistry, Exeter Engineering, Oriel History, Christ Church Physics, Oriel Maths, Balliol French, Keble Engineering, Balliol

Cambridge Akos Fenemore Isaac Haq Adam Harrison Marek Hilton Safwaan Patel Krishnan Ram-Prasad

Engineering, Peterhouse Medicine, St John’s Medicine, Clare Engineering, Queens’ Medicine, Girton Linguistics, Trinity

George Haworth received an offer from Clare College, Cambridge to study engineering but decided to take up an offer from Imperial College, London.

ATHLETICS Jonathan Evans and Calum Owen broke the School 100m records; Ben Winterburn and Michael Sallis represented LRGS at the British Schools Modern Biathlon Championships; Jacob Steele represented England at fell running.

BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD Gold: Silver: Highly Commended: Commended

Adam Harrison Samuel Bannon, Dominic Gardner, Isaac Haq, Safwaan Patel Samuel Taylor-Smith, Josh Teasdale Amruth Karthik, Reuben Pullan, Luke Wilson

BIOLOGY CHALLENGE Gold:

Judd Bennett, Dominic Brown, Owain Burrell, Aditya Chakravarty, Riordan de Vries, Joseph Fenna, Zachary Harper, Abhishek Kamath, Joshua Kingcox, Adam Long, Eugene Magee, Robert Mason, Sean Milligan, Ben Nuttall, Jacob Roberts, Callum Robinson-Brooks, Sulaiman Siddiqui, Thomas Squire, James Sykes Macleod, Jake Taylor, Prakash Thanikachalam, Robin Watkins-New.

35

L PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS 2013-14

O

Silver:

Ali Abbasi, Nathan Beamer, Harry Best, James Crabtree, Thomas Fyfe, Zachariah Gilbert, Ewan Gilliat, Alasdair Grunshaw, Liam Hamilton, Oliver Helme, Aravind Kumar, Brian Kwok, Jack McClements, Scott McGowan, Alex McKay, Harry Page, Cole Parkin, Joseph Pritchard, Harry Rowlands, Morgan Screen, Sam Stott, Jack Taylor, Christian Tetlow, Thomas Turner, Michael Walsh, Joe Wilkinson.

Bronze: Benjamin Adams, Tom Atherton, Samuel Atkinson, Matthew Bargh, Willem Barton, Alexander Beeching, Laurence Cheetham, Daniel Clemson, Samuel Farey, Jacob Gavaghan, Eliot Greenwood, Ismaeel Haq, Daniel Harrison, Luke Harwood, Thom Haslam, Hussain Hassan, Riccardo Macari, Hamish Mackie, Ryan McHugh, Henry Potter, James Rayson, Adam Robson, Callum Rowley, Joseph Schofield, Adam Seth, Nathan Slack, Callum Southgate, Frank Stone, Jacob Thomas, Adam Thompson, Dominic Thompson, Jack Walker, Henry Young, Jimmy Yu. Highly commended:

Laurence Atkinson, Gabriel Bowles, Jack Bradfield, Luke Calvey, James Canty, Jed Capstick-Newell, Jonson Chan, Joseph Chapman, James Cressey, Andrew Crooks, William Ellison, William Fraser-Gray, Mason Hood, George Ibbetson, Tom Lane, Ben Lymer, Guy Maloney, William McLean, Luke Milner, Umayr Mir, Dylan Morgan, Bilal Nakhuda, Matthew Nutter, Connor Parkinson, Daniel Rillie, Michael Sallis, Felix Scholl, William Sewell, Jacob Steele, Aadil Vadva, Thomas Woodcock.

Commended: Joshua Banks, Jack Boynton, George Fishwick, Jack Hampsey-Cook, Christian Harris, Andrew Hughes, Benjamin Hynes, Jed Mawson, Surya Nardeosingh, Calum Owen, Joe Pearson, Gregory Place, Isaac Thornton, Kyle Weston, Jia Hao Yang.

BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT Ben Cannon, Luke Gannon, Jake Guria-Garnett, Jo Marriott and Matt Varley won the Ernst & Young Arcade National Enterprise Competition. Andrew Lee achieved the highest mark nationally in the Cambridge Pre-U exam in 2014.

CHARITY FUNDRAISING Pupils raised £18,000 for the following charities, chosen by form representatives at the Seward Committee: St John’s Hospice, Lancaster; Friends of Chernobyl’s Children, Lancaster; The Stroke Association; The Christie, Manchester; Sunshine Orphanage, Egypt; PhysioNET and MeDiCT.

CHEMISTRY Daniel Gibson, Matthew Jackson, Samuel McLoughlin and Will Smith represented LRGS at the Salters’ Festival of Chemistry at the University of Manchester and were commended for their efforts.

CRICKET LRGS were joint winners of Royal Grammar Schools Cricket Festival; the U16s reached the final on the tour to Barbados; the U13s won the Lancashire Cup; the U13Bs won District Cup; Tom Williamson was selected to represent the MCC against the England U17 team at Lord’s.

CCF The CCF orienteering team won the Senior Boys and Overall Cadet Orienteering Championships in Catterick. Colour Sergeant Edward Hall won the individual competition.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD Gold:

Sam Bannon, Philip Compton, Edward Dunkley, George Elley, Isaac Haq, George Haworth, Joshua Hillis, Liam Howarth, Ben Kingcox, Max Midwinter, James Moorby, Adam Richardson, Sam Schofield, Colin Shirras, Axel Steinert, Tom Triviais, Tom Welshman.

Silver:

James Anderton, James Ayathamattam, Daniel Barnett, Toby Broadbent, Alexander Browne, Stuart Burch, James Carroll, Harish Chari, Charles Clarke, Elliot Davies Taylor, Naveen Goddard, Vipin Kammath, Matthew Khan, Thomas Manklow, George Mason, Philip McKean, Joseph Morphet, Hirak Mukherjee, Rayhan Munavvar, Nicholas Phillips, Edward Pickthall, James Riach, Sion Roberts, Jonathan Seddon, Matthew Shackleton, Robert Shaw, Thomas Underwood, Jack Vaughan-Jones, Thomas Weald, Thomas Williamson, Joshua Wilson, Larry Wong.

36

PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS 2013-14 O

L

Bronze: Zach Barrow, David Bennett, Oliver Blackett-Ord, Adam Buckland, Patrick Collins-Price, Jay Darlington, Joe Greenwood, Declan Hammond, Ronan Harris, James Huber, Daniel Kingcox, George Manklow, Max Marroni, Zach Mason, Matthew Pettit, Abhishek Roy, Gregoire Saul, Anamay Shetty, Adhvik Shetty, Adhitya Srinivasan, Sam Thompson, Joseph Unwin, Matthew Walton, Craig Welsh.

ENGINEERING Chris Gaskell and James Carroll were awarded Arkwright Engineering Scholarships by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

FOOTBALL The 1st XI reached the final of the District Cup.

JUNIOR MASTER CHEF Overall Main Course Winner: Pranav Tiwari; Highly Recommended Main Course: Joe Conefrey; Overall Dessert Winner: Thomas Bowe; Highly Recommended Dessert: Rebin Reji; Congratulations to all the finalists: Zahin Absar, Harry Bower, Angus Clifford, David Eastham, James Eckersly, Sam Gelder, Will Minchom, Jack Murfitt , Adam Riley, Vedant Rungta, Dominic Salzedo, Joseph Twigg.

HOCKEY Joshua Dawson represented England Hockey in goal at the Sainsbury’s Schools International Games.

MFL Chris Ellison won the University of London Institute in Paris essay-writing competition.

LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD Gold: George Manklow; Temiloluwa Onilogbo Silver: Elliot Davies-Taylor, Robin Parkinson, George Potter Bronze: Will Croft, Patrick Collins-Price, John Gellerson, Adam Harrison, Edward Pickthall, Krishnan Ram-Prasad, Anamay Shetty, Owen Smith, Ronan Smith, Rowan Stennet, Alex Thompson.

MATHS UKMT Team Challenge: Robert Ackroyd, Saul Manasse, Isaac Mort and James Weir came second in the regional finals of the UK Maths Team Challenge. UK MT Challenge – Individual results First Year: Saul Manasse was Best in School, Best in Year and gained Distinction in the Junior Olympiad. Isaac Mort qualified for the Olympiad. Gold:

Robert Ackroyd, Nathaniel Archer, Elias Chandisingh, Oliver Davies, Will Duffy, Gregory Fyfe, Aashray Gangalam, James Harvey, Andreas Ho, Jake Knowles, Danny Lusardi, Saul Manasse, Caolan McCafferty, Isaac Mort, Anubhav Roy, James Weir, Samuel Wood, Xiyue Zhuang.

Silver:

Abdalmalek Al-Rifai, Thomas Atherton, Riley Banks, Tommy Branch, Liam Burns, Ben Cadman, Joseph Gornall, Mohammad Haq, Patrick Harvey, Tom Little.

Bronze:

Dominik Aspin, Callam Dooley, Danny He, Ronan Kaighin, Craig Marett, Samarpit Oli, Angus Taylor, Patrick Thomas.

Second Year:

Adam Hill, John Glass and Harrison Price-Booth were joint Best in Year.

37

L PUPIL ACHIEVEMENTS 2013-14

O Gold:

Jamal Ahmed, Ethan Auty, Dylan Bohm, Charles Bosson, Adam Burkhart, Jack Collingwood, Nathaniel Cooke, Edward Creamer, Amos Daw, Edward Eastham, Nathan Farrer, Paul Gellersen, Daniel Gibson, John Glass, Henry Higginson, Adam Hill, Matthew Jackson, Ethan Kidd, Daniel Leighton, Ben Mattinson, Samuel McLoughlin, Matthew Mitchell, George Neave, Joshua Pollick, Harrison Price-Booth, Samuel Proctor, Jaidan Reeder, William Smith.

Silver:

Suleman Adam, Oliver Burrow, Yuhwan Choi, Robert Cotton, Daniel Curwen, Nathan Devany, Jared Dutton, Will Eagles, Benjamin Eaton, Jack Elvey, Bryce Ferguson, Matthew Field, Seth Fowler, Patrick Francey, Lewis Gillin, Aryan Goel, Matthew Hanratty, James Helm, George Hollinrake, George Horsfield, William Howard, James Hyde, Henry Jackson, Joseph Kelly-Bird, Callum Kershaw, Joseph Klein, George Marshall, Mark McCafferty, Richard Mead, Joshua Melling, James Morgan, Benjamin Norris, Rohan Parekh, Thomas Pyle, Nathan Rillie, Jack Robinson, Oscar Ross, Lachlan Rurlander, Jackson Taylor-Smith, Harry Vause, Christopher White, Peter Wild, Patrick Wilkinson, Joseph Wills.

Bronze:

Guy Atherton, Harry Beadell, Callum Bell, Francis Branford, Evan Butcher, Jack Chetham, Charles Crozier, Abdurrahmaan Desai, Joshua Fowler, Elias Giles, Joseph Green, Daniel Hacking, John Hallam, Muhammad Khan, Aaron Leigh, Joseph Lloyd, Gregory McCaragher, Ronan McGrath, Jaeden Page, Adam Palmer, Pruthivi Parameshwaran, Raees Patel, Benjamin Peacock, Pinidu Peries, Isaac Peters, Robert Reeder, Matthew Ruscillo, Joseph Scotucci, Cameron Weatherburn, Benjamin Whitford-Bartle, Oliver Wilson, Benjamin Winterburn.

MUSIC Ben Taylor passed his Grade 8 Keyboard Music exam.

ORIENTEERING The First Year and L6 Teams came second and the Fourth Year Team came third in the British Schools Orienteering Championship.

POETRY COMPETITION WINNERS James Huber, Danny Lusardi and Dominic Rastelli-Lewis.

READING Patrick Thomas was named Reader of the Year in the new Accelerated Reader Scheme.

ROWING The J14s reached the semi-finals of the National Schools Regatta.

RUGBY Lancashire Champions: U15; Giggleswick Sevens Champions: U15; Finalists of Warwick Sevens: U15; Finalists of Stonyhurst Sevens: U13; Finalists of Bradford Sevens: U12.

SHORT STORY COMPETITION WINNERS Yaseen Ahmad, Ed Lees and Sam McLoughlin.

SWIMMING Josh Thompson broke the championship record for 100m breaststroke by over a second at the English Schools Swimming Championships.

WATER POLO Matty Alderson was selected for the Great Britain Talent Trials for water polo and for the North West Region Under 14s.

38

OL TRAVEL GRANTS O

L

The view from the lads’ campsite.

ROB SHAW (L6DEY) Last Summer Matthew Shackleton (L6JPJ), James Riach (L6AY) and I undertook a three week biking extravaganza! We were awarded a very generous travel bursary from the OL Club, which we put towards funding a three week cycling tour of Ireland. The trip was a great success – throughout our seventeen days in Northern and the Republic of Ireland we covered approximately a thousand miles and over half of the island’s beautiful coastline. To get the true Irish experience we decided to wild-camp rather than overnight in hostels or B&Bs and some of the locations we stayed in were truly spectacular. Over the course of the tour we camped in ruined castles, on sandy beaches, cliff-top headlands and even park benches! Along the way we visited many sites such as the Giants Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren National Park, as well as experiencing varied Irish culture in cities including Belfast, Sligo, Galway and Dublin.

The Giants Causeway.

After cycling to Liverpool we took the ferry to Belfast and from there headed north following the coastline, eventually crossing the border at Greencastle. From here we continued south along the spectacular coastal roads through the Republic of Ireland whereupon reaching the Cliffs of Moher, we turned east and made our way back to the return ferry in Dublin. The ferry dropped us in Holyhead and the plan was to make our way through Wales over the next two days, finishing in Chester. However, when Matthew’s Mum called and offered to pick us up early from Conway the temptation proved too great and we caved in! We greatly appreciate the support given to us by the OLs which allowed us to make the most of a fantastic opportunity to discover a great part of the world none of us had experienced before. We all thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would encourage all lower sixth boys to take advantage of the bursary scheme on offer and make the most of your summer holidays!

Enjoying the Fresh Air.

39

L OL TRAVEL GRANTS

O

TOM UNDERWOOD (U6DEY) I flew over to Geneva then took the train to Montreux and stayed there for a few days with my friend’s Aunt and Uncle and helped look after their three children (who I’d met before) which entailed taking them out of the house swimming etc. I then stayed with their neighbours (who didn’t speak a word of English!) for a week and looked after their two children whilst they were at work. I don’t really know many younger children; I found this pretty difficult, but enjoyed it nonetheless and it was great for my French as trying to communicate with children is surprisingly much more demanding than with an adult! After this I made my way to France by various buses and trains (as the main train had broken down) and stayed with a French penpal of mine, who I’d met on an exchange, for a week. The main aim was to improve my French and it really did; I had an Oxford interview in complete French a couple of months after and this trip helped me massively with that. I’m going back to work in a ski resort nearby this summer and hope to say hello to everyone I stayed with whilst I’m there. The money I received from the OLs completely enabled the whole trip; most of the cost was in travelling but I had absolutely no way of funding the trip otherwise so I’m extremely grateful! Chantagry, Villieu-Loyes-Mollon, France.

VICTORIA SCHOLARSHIP KRISHNAN RAM-PRASAD (07-14) I was one of three Upper Sixth Formers at LRGS fortunate enough to

be awarded the Victoria Scholarship upon leaving the School. The money I received contributed to the fees for two music courses I attended in the summer of 2014.

SING FOR PLEASURE: CONDUCTOR TRAINING Sing for Pleasure is a national charity that aims to encourage the enjoyment of better singing in class and choir’ (Sing for Pleasure (SfP) website). The charity run various courses and workshops throughout the year, aimed at singers and conductors working at different standards. It was SfP’s main event, the Summer School at Keele University, which I attended this year. Specifically, I spent a week on the ‘Advanced’ conductor training course,

40

SfP’s most technically demanding and prestigious course. Having started conductor training at the age of 15, I had previously completed three SfP courses, working my way up through the ‘Foundation’ and ‘Intermediate’ levels. During this excellent week, I worked with a variety of ensembles: at one end, I worked with an advanced consort of 12 highly proficient singers; at the other, I was conducting a community choir of over 150, plus a scratch semiprofessional orchestra. I would argue that the SfP conducting courses are unique in providing a solid grounding in grass-roots musical leadership, working with children and amateur choral enthusiasts, while at the same time allowing its students to work with

VICTORIA SCHOLARSHIP O people of as high (or a higher) level of musicianship than them. As I had expected, this course was very challenging and really stretched my ability as a conductor. It has equipped me with a varied, highquality skill set that I can use to lead any ensemble I have the opportunity to conduct.

NATIONAL YOUTH CHOIR Immediately following the Sing for Pleasure course was the summer residential for the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. This is an elite choir of 80 of the best singers aged 18-22 in the country, directed by Ben Parry. It is the principal of the eight choirs that make up the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB). I had previously been a member of NYCGB’s Training Choir North, and I successfully auditioned for the main choir in 2013. A National Youth Choir course comprises ten days of rehearsal, culminating in a concert at the end of the course. This year, the residential was hosted at Durham University, and we performed an extremely well received concert at The Sage, Gateshead on August 30th. We also recorded a CD in The Sage’s recording room, forthcoming 2015, giving us an opportunity to work with choral-recording giant, Adrian Peacock. The repertoire we covered spanned 400 years of choral heritage, including works by composers ranging from Tomás Luis de Victoria to Arnold Schönberg. Like my conducting course, this was also a very challenging week. The repertoire itself was technically challenging, and we worked at a very high standard. There was also a brief conducting workshop, in which I had the opportunity to direct fully half of the National Youth Choir, a thrilling experience. Working with the National Youth Choir gave me the opportunity to work at the highest standard possible for school age, amateur singers, providing an excellent gateway into the semiprofessional and even professional choral world.

L

WHAT NEXT? These courses have evinced the competence and confidence to continue my musical career. I am currently a choral scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, where I am reading Linguistics. The college choir is internationally renowned, ranked 5th best in the world in National Youth Choir Concert - Sage, Gateshead - Aug 2014. 2011 by Gramophone the Cambridge University Conducting magazine (c.f. King’s College Choir, Scholar. I also hope to continue as 12th place!). I am also a member of one of the conductors at Morland Cambridge’s premier mixed a cappella Choristers’ Camp in the summer. group, Cadenza and Trinity’s own King Henry’s VIII. I believe my time in the The above is not merely a selfNational Youth Choir greatly prepared celebratory list of my achievements, me for the demands of working with but a demonstration that LRGS boys, such an incredible group of musicians. with the right training and exposure, Moreover, at the end of the summer can truly succeed in music. The course I was asked to join the National classical musical tradition is often Youth Chamber Choir, a professional criticised for being the preserve of group of current and ex-NYCGB the privileged, and rightly so; the members that tours internationally. overwhelming majority of people I I also sing for London-based have met along the way have been chamber choir, Sérafine, formed from privately educated. Nevertheless, I am professional and semi-professional not the only Old Lancastrian to have conductors who have trained with been in the National Youth Choir, nor Sing for Pleasure. the only trained conductor, nor the only Cambridge choral scholar. The In November 2014, I conducted a challenge is simply to encourage boys workshop with a scratch choir at to get involved with music: instil in Morland village, Cumbria, culminating them the idea, as the school does so in a service of celebration for the successfully with sport, that money is Morland Choristers’ Camp’s founder, no object. I hope my being awarded Gervase Markham. In 2015, I will the Victoria Leavers’ Scholarship might be co-directing the Trinity College exemplify the support the school will Chamber Orchestra, conducting a endeavour to provide for those who Bach cantata in Trinity’s Lent Cantata are dedicated to music. series, and hopefully competing to be

Krishnan - Choir and Orchestra at Sing for Pleasure Summer School, Keele Uni - Aug 2014.

41

L THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST

O

The Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust is intended to help Old Lancastrians in further education. Here are a number of OLs who have taken this fantastic opportunity to develop themselves and their careers in a variety of ways.

JAKE AIREY (08-10) Masters in Advanced Chemical Engineering at University of Birmingham This year I received a bursary from the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust at LRGS to help me fund my postgraduate studies at the University of Birmingham. The course I began this year is an MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering, which enabled me to convert from my undergraduate MChem degree in Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. Undertaking this course this year has brought me one step closer to realising my career goals. Whilst taking my chemistry degree, I knew that although I enjoyed certain aspects of the subject, I could not envisage myself as a chemist even after conducting a research project in a synthetic organic chemistry area (despite all of the inspiration I had from Mrs Cherry and Mr Matthews back in the day!). During the summer of 2013, I managed to secure a place on a summer internship with Centrica Energy working at the natural gas processing plant in Barrow-in-Furness. The work I undertook at Centrica involved me working as a Field Production Assistant Chemist, in which my main responsibilities were conducting routine sampling around the facility to ensure all of the processes were running effectively and efficiently. I was also tasked with deducing contamination issues in a few waste sumps around the purification plant. It was this enlightening internship that allowed me to see another way to utilise what I had already learnt and apply it in a different direction, and it finally showed me a career that I would relish the chance to be a part of. Having experienced the industrial applications of my subject, I realised the best course of action would be to learn how to scale up what I had learnt on the molecular level and be able to understand the mechanical processes that are vital in many industries, and even manage to break me out of the confines of laboratory! This course so far has been intellectually stimulating and has really opened my eyes to the many possibilities in which this subject area can be applied. In the summer I am even undertaking a research project looking into the catalytic upgrading heavy oil into useable fuels. As many people will know, funding for postgraduate ventures can be very difficult to acquire but the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust has really helped me with my tuition fees, accommodation and general living costs and for that, I am eternally grateful to have the support from LRGS.

TRISTAN BURD (09-11) MA in Political and Legal Theory In October of last year I was awarded the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust to help fund my MA in Political and Legal Theory at the University of York. After finishing my undergraduate degree in PPE at York I was very keen to continue my study at the University, especially in the politics department where I had enjoyed taking a number of undergraduate modules. The MA course has a particular emphasis on issues surrounding toleration and is run in collaboration with the Law school. This provides the interesting contrast of exploring both issues and debates within the history of political thought alongside more contemporary issues such as freedom of speech. Modules taught within the law school have provided an insight into these questions from a different angle and have also provided crash courses in jurisprudence and constitutional law. At the time of writing I have just finished submitting my final set of assessed essays and am preparing to start work on my dissertation in which I plan to explore issues surrounding discretionary power and the rule of law. Alongside my studies I have continued to be heavily involved with university rugby and have been President of the club this year alongside playing for the 1st XV. We are currently in the midst of preparations for our annual match against Lancaster

42

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST O

L

University where we hope to continue our 6-year winning streak. I have also recently secured a graduate job in Leeds and look forward to starting work in July. The money has made a fantastic difference and was used towards my tuition fees. I have hugely enjoyed my studying for my MA, and am extremely grateful for the support of the Trust and LRGS.

ADAM HARRISON (07-14) Travelling to Nepal to on Medical Elective I am currently a first year medical student at the University of Cambridge, having left LRGS in 2014. For three weeks this summer I will be volunteering on a social development project in rural Nepal, providing healthcare to the local region. The project is run by the international development charity, Moving Mountains Trust, an independent non-profit organisation that works with locals on long-term, sustainable development projects in Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania and Borneo. I will be working within a group of around fifteen medical students from the UK alongside a small number of qualified doctors, dentists and nurses from Kathmandu. The project involves setting up and assisting at medical camps in two villages in the foothills of the Himalayas, consisting of running a recently opened clinic and setting up a temporary medical camp in separate villages. During our time on the project, we will be assisting in consultations, in the pharmacy and in the general running of the clinics, helping to manage the hundreds of patients seen daily in the clinics. In addition, we will also be producing a medical report to highlight the prevalent health issues of the local people. This is then used to guide strategies to improve the general health of the region, with the integration of the many other projects run by Moving Mountains in the surrounding area. There are currently no permanent doctors in the region and so people often have to walk for many days to access the nearest hospital; the only other option is to take the expensive trip to Kathmandu. The medical camps we will be setting up provide free consultation, treatment and advice closer to home. That said, the camps have become so popular in recent years that some people often walk for many hours, even days, to attend. I was aware of the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust largely through reading the reports of previous students who had been supported by the Trust on various trips. The grant I received from the Trust has contributed enormously to the cost of the trip, including flights and accommodation both in Kathmandu and with the locals in the villages in which we will be working. The opportunity to travel to such a secluded region, in a community desperately in need of accessible healthcare, is sure to be both rewarding and an unforgettable adventure. Not only in enhancing my medical knowledge but also in providing me with an extraordinary cultural experience. Volunteering in such remote regions of the world, while vital to the development of these areas, can be expensive; I am hugely grateful for the grant I have received from the Trust.

ED KELL (02-09) MEng in Civil Engineering, University of Bath I was honoured to receive a Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust scholarship at the start of this academic year, which has helped fund my MEng in Civil Engineering at the University of Bath. As I am due to receive my masters in the next two months, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Trustees. Having left LRGS in 2009, I immediately started a pre-university EDT Year in Industry placement in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with Arup before moving on to complete the 3-year BEng programme at the University of Bath, which included an industrial placement in London with Bouygues UK, a French multi-national specialising in construction management. Although having the option of graduating in 2014 with a BEng, I chose to continue my studies with an MEng, to increase my knowledge of the subject area, to help inform me of the area within which I hope to work in the future and also to take a further step towards becoming a chartered member of relevant institutes in my field.

43

L THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST

O

Academically, the additional year involved advanced modules in fields already introduced during the BEng programme, combined with integrated design projects with architects, helping to simulate real-world applications of engineering and professional working relationships. The Basil Spence Project is the university department’s flagship project, involving collaborative work with architecture students working towards their Part 1 qualification. This year the brief was to design a film institute and public space to be situated on a flood plain in Bath’s historic city centre. Our proposed solution included three auditoriums, educational spaces, various units for external commercial enterprises and an innovative automated flood defence. The second semester project was an infrastructure-based project, requiring engineering students to draw on the teaching to date and to design a prototype tidal lagoon for deployment in the Severn Estuary. Attaining this Masters degree from the University of Bath has not only further developed my enthusiasm for a career within the built environment but ensures that I will not require further formal university education before proceeding to chartership (most likely as a chartered civil engineer). This is an internationally identifiable status and one that carries the kudos of professional recognition. Having already completed the initial stages of accreditation through numerous placements throughout my time at university, this is something which I aim to achieve within the next four years. Following my graduation this summer, I am looking forward to going back to where it all started in 2009 as a graduate civil engineer with Arup in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

SIDDARTH NARDEOSINGH (02-09) Medical Elective: America and New Zealand During my final year at Medical School I had the opportunity to undertake an elective, which would allow me to gain experience in a speciality of my choice anywhere that I wanted. This left me with a lot of options. After emailing several people located throughout the world I received two offers which matched my interests: one in North Carolina, USA and the other in Hamilton, New Zealand. Both placements were in ophthalmology, a speciality that I find particularly interesting. Initially, I was going back and forth trying to decide which placement would be the best for me. However, thanks to the grant that I received from the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, I was swayed towards visiting both places. The funding really helped with the expenses of this trip, and thus allowed me to make the most of the time that I had during my elective. I split the 2 months up by spending one month in USA and the other in New Zealand. My placements involved me observing consultants, rotating through the many subspecialties in ophthalmology as well as developing my clinical skills. More importantly, I feel that during my placements, I learnt a lot about the career that I want to pursue and what I want to achieve in the future. Having spent seven years at LRGS, I know the importance of work-life balance and whilst I was away, I made the most of my free time by exploring the country that I was in. In summary, the grant really helped me to have an amazing medical elective. I believe that the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust is a fantastic Trust that can really help to maximise opportunities. I implore everyone interested to look into it. Finally, I would like to thank everyone involved in making this possible and, in particular, would like to extend my gratitude to Mr Cameron.

44

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST O

L

TOM PARTINGTON (02-09) Medical Elective in the Philippines I applied to the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust for funding towards my overseas medical elective, which forms the final part of my studies before I start work. I’m currently three weeks into an incredible trip around the Philippines, which has consisted of swimming with sea turtles, taking in stunning scenery, and experiencing a healthcare system worlds away from the NHS. I will be spending a further six weeks in Australia and New Zealand before heading home to enter the real world. The money I received from the Countess Peel Trust has gone a very long way towards making my ideal elective trip possible, and with such a straightforward application process I would encourage anyone planning postgraduate travel or study to apply and take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.

HARRY TOMLINSON (09-11) Studying Masters in Broadcast Journalism, University of Salford I applied for the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust scholarship last summer in order to ease the financial burden of postgraduate study following the completion of my undergraduate degree. Having taken A-levels at LRGS in Business Studies, History and Geography, I followed my nose when selecting my degree and plumped for Football Business and Finance at UCFB, based at Turf Moor, home of Burnley Football Club. This was a new course, but the contacts it opened me up to were impressive. Brian Barwick, Neil Doncaster, Paul Fletcher MBE and Alistair Campbell head a list of people I was fortunate enough to have worked with during my time at UCFB as I attempted to get a footing in the sports industry. I took on work experience and placements at a number of companies and sporting institutions which were enjoyable, but I sensed that my passion lay elsewhere in the sports world. The visit of Guardian Journalist, David Conn, and Four Four Two contributor, Andy Mitten, confirmed my desire to become a sports journalist. Halfway through a finance degree, I could not quit, so instead took an introductory course into journalism and media relations and other relevant placements to gain experience. Upon graduation, I knew I needed a more solid grounding in the finer points of sport reporting and plumped for the Masters in Sports Journalism at the University of Salford, conveniently located in the heart of MediaCityUK. Anyone who has taken or researched postgraduate study will be aware that the cost of it can be prohibitive to someone without a heap of disposable income. It was then that I contacted the School to apply for the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust. Fortunately, after going through the application process, I was awarded the scholarship which went towards tuition fees and was a huge swaying factor in my decision to enrol on the course. Since starting in September 2014, I have been hard at work developing contacts and meeting people. I have enjoyed placements at the Sale and Altrincham Messenger and the Manchester Evening News where I had a number of bylines and even a back-page lead. I also had a short placement at Manchester United where I was able to interview Antonio Valencia and attend Louis van Gaal’s press conference. I took over the part-time role of correspondent for the Stockport Express covering Stockport County matches recently which is a regular back page

45

L THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST

O

lead involving manager and player interviews on a weekly basis. All this is perfect preparation for when I complete my Masters around September 2015 and enter the job market in a competitive industry. Without the scholarship, it is very possible that I would have been put off by the financial implications of postgraduate study which would have forced me to wait at least 2/3 years until I could enrol. I have a great deal of gratitude to both LRGS and the Eleanor Peel Trustees for the opportunity to achieve my ambitions.

Are you considering postgraduate study? Then you may be interested to learn that as an Old Lancastrian you can apply for financial assistance from the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust.

The Fund’s Trustees have made available a sum of money to assist the further education of LRGS alumni which is to be used for any of the following: 1.

Postgraduate research or the extension of a University course for any proper purpose approved by the University or by the Governors.

2.

Postgraduate courses at Universities outside Great Britain.

3.

Graduates who wish to enter Articles as Solicitors or Chartered Accountants, or to read for the Bar.

4.

Travel Scholarships.

5.

Art or Music Scholarships.

The Governors of the School will consider applications from former pupils for grants up to the value of £600 a year, subject to the following conditions: 1.

No award will be made if it would result in a reduction in grants from other sources.

2.

Applicants must be over the age of eighteen at the beginning of the period covered by the grant.

3.

Applications should be accompanied by a recommendation from a University Head of Department, College Tutor, or other qualified person, or by the names of referees.

4.

Applicants should give precise information of the length and purpose of any proposed course of study, which should normally be of not less than one year, or more than two years, in duration. In special conditions a grant may be extended for a third year, but the renewal of all grants after the first year will be subject to a satisfactory report from the person responsible for directing studies. In the case of Travel Scholarships, these may be granted for a long vacation during university residence, when it can be shown that the grant awarded directly benefits the applicant’s course of study.

If you would like to apply for financial assistance from the Trust you should send your application and all supporting documents to: The Headmaster Lancaster Royal Grammar School East Road Lancaster LA1 3EF

46

OBITUARIES O

L

Every year it is with great sadness that we have to report the deaths of Old Lancastrians and, in Newsletter tradition, a simple list is produced in which all are equal. If a tribute has been written, it is included here. Each person, in their own way, contributed to the enrichment of the School in their later lives and careers. To the families and friends we extend our condolences.

Nigel Armstrong (61-67), Nick Astley (64-70), Wilton Atkinson (29-35), Barry Ayre (45-53), Christopher Bell (03-05), Malcolm Brownsord (53-60), Richard Dobson (38-43), Ian Forbes (85-92), John Fulton (36-42), Ian Grayston (47-54), Douglas Hayhurst (33-39), Ian Howie (48-56), Robert Ingram (40-44), Michael Jacks (81 -88), Timothy Jameson (87-92), Jack Jolly (41-44), Jack Lamb (44-52), David Lambert (56-63), Robert Loxam (43-48), Tim Mace (67-74), Ian McMullan (40-49), Craig Midgley (86-92), John Moss (57-66), Steven Muranyi (68-75), Alan Petford (97-01), Douglas Renner (71-75), John Sayer (37-46), Colin Sheard (46-51).

“INVICTUS MANEO” – A TRIBUTE TO NIGEL ARMSTRONG (61-67) Just like LRGS, the Armstrong family has a Latin motto that sets high expectations for anyone who is lucky enough to be part of it. Our motto is “Invictus Maneo”, which for those who didn’t listen closely enough in Latin class means “I remain unvanquished”. When you live for 65 years and face the challenges that someone like my Dad, Nigel Armstrong did along the way, it is a tall order to follow. However, I can honestly say that my Dad epitomised this motto more than anyone else I have ever met. Unfortunately, despite his fighting spirit, on November 6 last year, he finally decided enough was enough and closed his eyes for the last time. Through sheer mental strength and the inability to give up he defied medical opinion time and time again for longer than ten years. In doing so he inspired everyone who knew him in a way that only could be achieved through the challenges he faced. Like most parents, he was a great believer in providing his kids the best education possible, which is why he was adamant I attended LRGS. As expected I learnt a lot at the school, but I have no doubt that the most important life lessons came from the way he approached life, both in his ups and his downs. Probably the greatest of those was the importance of family. We will all go through good times and not so good times in our lives and it is our family who will be there to celebrate or support

us along the way. Dad’s support for his family and friends never wavered. Whether it was catching balls for me on the 1st XV pitch on a cold rainy evening or supporting one of us when life had dealt us an expected card, we always knew Dad would be there when we needed him. It was truly astounding how much support a man can give, despite his own circumstances, when he loves his family as much as my Dad did. Another lesson Dad taught us, often through the actual act of it around the house, was that delegation is the key to success. It’s not a skill developed at school, but anyone who has been in a management role will know that in order to be successful you must master the art of delegation. Dad was an expert at this, which lead him to become the youngest Chairman of a public company at age 28 and grow the family laundry business into a full-scale commercial laundry and linen hire company on Lansil Industrial Estate. It was truly a pleasure to meet some of his past employees at his funeral and hear how kind a boss he was whilst running Texicare. I expected nothing less.

motto of “Invictus Maneo”. Dad always taught us that both in life and business there are always times when we will want to throw in the towel and walk away. However, to be successful and, ultimately to be happy, you must remain steadfast and never allow yourself to give up. He didn’t just tell us to do this; he showed us over and over again, first in building a successful business and later by refusing to accept that his body was giving up as his health deteriorated. At Dad’s funeral the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling was read, as it was one of Dad’s favourites. Perhaps it was where he found his strength: “If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them “Hold on!”

Dad, you remain unvanquished. Adam Armstrong (99-06)

This love of the laundry business also lead him to believe in another motto, “cleanliness is next to godliness”, which, as you will imagine, when partnered with the delegation skill, was always going to be a sticking point whilst raising three kids. Nevertheless, it stood him in good stead throughout his life. The final life lesson I want to mention brings me back to the Armstrong

47

L OBITUARIES

O

setter, Oscar, was a regular fixture at mines and quarries throughout the UK where his quiet manner, mining experience and keen sense of business paid dividends. The company, although small and operating without the encumbrances of modern management systems, flourished and expanded to included worldwide sales.

NICHOLAS STONEHOUSE ASTLEY (64-71)

and was a much valued member of the mine football team.

Nick Astley passed away after a long battle with cancer in July 2014. He spent his early years in Nigeria where his father was a civil engineer but returned to the UK and enrolled at LRGS. Nick, a keen sportsman, represented the school in the rugby 1st VX and following A levels, graduated from the Imperial College of Mining during which he spent much time working at the Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall, where he made many friends

South Africa beckoned where he worked as a shift engineer at the Western Deep Levels mine gaining valuable experience and travelling the length and breadth of a country which he found most fascinating. On return to the UK he settled in Warrington, and with a number of mining associates, formed a company specialising in blasting equipment. Nick, accompanied by his trusty red

Nick is survived by his partner Maureen with whom he spent many happy years.

RICHARD WILTON ATKINSON (29-35)

Sunderland Point where the Cunliffe family rented a summer cottage. After his war service Wilton married Chris in 1947 and they lived in Lancaster. Their son David was born in 1948.

played the organ there for 24 years.

Wilton was born in 1918 in Bolton, near Appleby in Westmoreland in 1918. His father died when he was 7 and at a young age he moved to Sunderland Point near Lancaster. However, apart from holidays he lived with an aunt and uncle in Lancaster in order that he could go to school at Dallas Road Primary and Junior School and then at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. After leaving school he worked for the Post Office mainly on the telephone side. This was a life long job except for his service in the Second World War. He served in the 8th Army for 6.5 years and spent 4.5 years in North Africa and Italy. He met his future wife Christabel Cunliffe at a very young age at

Wilton, who was also known as Dick, worked at the Post Office until retirement at the age of 60. In 1983 Wilton and Chris moved to Sunderland Point where they lived until 2013 when they moved to Chirnside House in Lancaster. Wilton was a committed Christian and attended High Street Congregational Church which later became Trinity United Reformed Church nearly all his life. He was a member of the choir and the Men’s Fellowship, served as a deacon and helped with financial and property matters. When Wilton and Chris lived at Sunderland Point they also attended the Mission Church and Wilton

Nigel Moore (64-71)

Wilton was a keen gardener and spent a lot of time in his very large garden at Sunderland Point. He was also very interested in stamp collecting and built up a particularly large collection of Italian stamps. Another interest was reading and he had several books on the 8th Army and his war years, the Lancaster area and its history, and Lancaster Royal Grammar School. He was a member of the Old Lancastrians. Wilton’s main love was his wife Chris, his son David and his family. He was also interested in and concerned for other people. Wilton was a very fair man, a man of integrity, a good conversationalist; he had a great knowledge, a very great memory and a sincere Christian faith. David Atkinson (60-67)

CHRIS BELL (03-05) Chris enjoyed his stay at LRGS from 2003-2005 as a weekly boarder before going to Durham University. He was killed in an accident whilst climbing near Stavanger in Norway last July. He was 27. Roger Bell

48

OBITUARIES O MALCOLM BROWNSORD (53-60)

Dad would have celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary in March.

May 6 1943 – February 23 2015

Dad began training as a Chartered Surveyor two weeks after leaving LRGS with Maurice Birbeck of Proctor and Birbeck based in Market Square, Lancaster. He was certainly fast tracked and he quickly established himself in the professional community. Hugh Batty joined as a partner and furthered Dad’s training enormously. Dad opted to train as a Charted Surveyor via correspondence course. This meant working 5.5 days a week and spending evenings studying plus playing rugby for Vale of Lune and enjoying motorbikes!

Malcolm was brought up in High Bentham as the eldest child to William and Alice, with his younger sister Judith. He enjoyed the country life, swimming in the River Wenning and helping on a local farm during the holidays. His days at LRGS (1953-1960) were days that he remembered with great fondness. In fact Dad felt that he was very fortunate to be there. His place was awarded as a result of his primary school headteacher appealing after he had failed his 11+. She was obviously confident that he would do ok and he paid her faith back by entering the first year in the bottom class but being transferred into 2 Alpha at the end of the first term. Dad cheerfully admitted that he was not an academic and life in the ‘upper forms’, not the alpha forms, suited him best and that was his track through school after the first year. He was introduced to rugby at LRGS which was to be a passion for him for the rest of his life. Chris Barringer taught Dad Geography and O level Surveying and Levelling and was his 6th form tutor. Dad felt that Chris was undoubtedly one of a few special people who helped him on his way to a career as a Chartered Surveyor that he said was “undoubtedly almost too enjoyable to be true!” Indeed, he felt that his encouragement and guidance lead him into the job that he had 18 months before he left school. Already having a job before he left LRGS was probably the reason, he felt, that he did not work as hard as he should and as a result did not achieve the A level grades expected of him! He was the last Yorkshire day boy to leave LRGS of which he was proud and grateful. It was then that he met Sheila who he married in 1966. They went on to have Martin and Andrea. They lived firstly in Caton, then Lancaster, and from 1970 in Burton in Kendal. Mum and

After qualifying he became a partner. They were doing well when Hugh died suddenly and overnight Dad became the owner of a business that had been established in 1841. Life was difficult for the next year. He had significant bank borrowings, as he had to buy his partner’s share, had full responsibility for a business with ten staff and he had a wife and two children to look after! Dad survived, took on two partners and added offices in Fleetwood, Blackpool, Knott End and Morecambe. In 1984 he agreed to merge the firm with a much larger outfit in Preston and they sold out in 1986 to Lloyds Bank (Black Horse Agencies). He became the North Regional Director of Professional Services having overall responsibility for all professional staff from the Scottish Borders to the Midlands and mid Wales. This was a job that he did not enjoy and in late 1989 he resigned. Dad saw his future back in private practice and he joined Peill and Co as a partner and re-established himself “in dear old Lancaster.” His office in Lancaster was the Old Dispensary on Castle Hill directly opposite the castle gates. As well as his busy working life Dad was very busy in his leisure time and was certainly not someone who would sit idly. He was a trustee of St John’s Hospice, chairman of Burton bowling club, heavily involved with Kirkby Lonsdale rugby club, arena steward

L

at the Cumbria Steam Gathering for many years, the list goes on! He loved walking the family dog, of which there always was one, cooking and travel. His five grandchildren were his pride and joy and he was a fabulous grandad. He loved them and they loved him. He knew something about everything that was important, the countryside, history, classic cars etc! Dad retired at the end of July 2008 to the surprise of many who thought that he would go on forever. He did not regret retiring and had no regrets about persuing the career that he did. In a letter written two years ago to his former teacher, Chris Barringer, that we found shortly after his death, Dad signed off “For your part in my life I give you my thanks and trust that you consider your life to have been as fulfilling as mine.” This gives us comfort at this desperately sad time. Andrea Read (Malcolm’s daughter, on behalf of the family)

49

L OBITUARIES

O

at Lancaster and Preston Technical Colleges (as they were then called).

RICHARD DOBSON (38-43) It is with sadness I report the death of my husband, Richard, who died in February at the age of 86, after 55 years of marriage. You will see he was a pupil at LRGS during the war as a day student, and he used to recall that during fire watching duties at the School, they would tread on cockroaches as they did their rounds at night! He was in the Sea Scouts, but his only memory of this was being asked by the Scout Master to cycle off to Windermere at the weekends to bail out the Master’s boat. He enjoyed cross country, running and became a keen walker in the Lake District at an early age. During the last two years at School, he attended the organised School camps during the summer holidays, working on farms around Hornby and sleeping in tents borrowed from the Army. After leaving LRGS at the age of 16, his father, an architect in Morecambe, suggested Richard should be articled to the Borough Engineer in Morecambe, starting his career in civil engineering. He studied in the evenings and on day release

After work experience in Morecambe, Rugby and Birmingham, and on gaining membership to the I.C.E., he progressed to specialising in water engineering at Leeds, designing a large filtration works and later coordinating the design of a large abstraction scheme from the River Ouse north of York which forms part of the key components for the Leeds water supply. He presented a technical paper about this work to members of the Institution of Water Engineers and Scientists at York University. Richard was President of the O.L.C. (N.E. Branch) in 1951. He retired at the age of 56 and eventually moved to live in Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire. He has two children and three grandchildren, and spent a very happy thirty years in retirement, with many interests. Mrs Margaret Dobson

DAVID LAMBERT (56-63) David enjoyed his entire secondary education at LRGS, and took advantage of all that was on offer; he participated in swimming, water polo, and the rugby teams throughout. Whilst at School, David also enjoyed time as a prefect, his gown ending up as more repairs than original! Upon leaving school, David went to work in Lloyds Bank, serving in Morecambe, Lancaster, Glossop, North Wales, Stockport and several Manchester branches before retiring as regional manager based in Manchester. He and his wife, Jacqueline, had three children. June L Lambert

JOHN FULTON (36-42) My father, John Fulton, who has died aged 87, was an artist, educator, school inspector, and holder of world records for powerlifting. He was a free-spirited person who believed that the human imagination and intellect develop through physical interactions with the world; he maintained a strengthtraining discipline despite a struggle with cancer in his 70s. Born in Edinburgh to a Presbyterian father, William, and his wife Jane-

50

Helen (nee Ettershank), he grew up in Lancaster, where his father taught at the technical college. He later described his youth in a letter to a friend: “The landscape offered much scope for adventure, becks for damming and fishing, the Lune for river swimming, the estuary for camping, for rafting; woods and fields for young gang wars, farms for learning to plough and milk and handle cattle, pigs, sheep and horses. We did go to school but there were also opportunities for all kinds of interesting war work. Hands-on involvement was

what appealed to me.” His mother died when he was 15, and he left Lancaster Royal Grammar School for Lancaster School of Art at the Storey Institute, where he met my mother, Margaret. Life drawing, boxing and weightlifting contributed to a growing interest in physical culture that continued through army training in Scotland and assignments in Egypt and Greece with the Royal Engineers. He became a captain at the age of 20. He and Margaret married in 1950, and he started professional life teaching at

OBITUARIES O the Art School in Barrow-in-Furness and then training teachers at Matlock College of Education. Meanwhile, through weightlifting, he developed a lifelong friendship with Britain’s eventual Olympic medallist, Louis Martin, whom he helped coach to a world title in 1959. As head of the new art department at Northumberland College in 1962, he entered a particularly creative period, exhibiting abstract relief paintings with the Newcastle Group and in solo shows at the Calouste Gulbenkian Gallery and Hexham Moothall and Gallery. He also worked in course design and development for the Council for National Academic Awards and the Department of Education and Science. After a sabbatical to earn a master’s degree in 1977, he was invited to join

TIM MACE (67-74) Timothy Kristian Charles Mace was born on November 20th 1955. His parents were Major Charles Mace of the 10th Royal Hussars and his wife Kriss. The family was based at Catterick Camp in North Yorkshire. In his very early years, Tim caused quite a few “incidents” by crawling under the fence and playing hide and seek in the tanks. He was a very curious child; he always wanted in-depth explanations of everything and tried to work out how things worked. This led to his nickname “Buster” which his father gave to him as most things he was “curious” about usually ended up broken. In 1967, at the age of 11, he joined LRGS as a boarder. He excelled in many areas at school, orienteering, fencing, canoeing; he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force; he had a penchant for languages, art, physics and drama but, most of all, he was fascinated with flight in every sense of the word. He always wanted to fly; he used to throw sheets out of his bedroom window to make parachutes. His mother wasn’t too thrilled with that and, when he told

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Schools in England, where his job was to observe teaching and learning, mainly of art, in a wide variety of educational institutions. After retiring in 1986 he continued as a course leader, adviser, and examiner in art education. The Design Council published his book Materials in Design and Technology in 1992.

L

hands-on to the end. He is survived by Margaret, their five children, and seven grandchildren. Taken from the Guardian 16 September 2014

John rekindled his passion for weightlifting when he was approaching 70, and continued to train seriously, compete, and break world records, setting the current powerlifting world record, ratified by the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation, for bench-press in the 80- to 84-yearold age band. He remained active in his popular garage-gym and the garden wilderness he loved,

her he wanted to skydive at 16, she said he should wait a little while. So he convinced her that flying a fixed-wing aircraft would be safer and, at 18, he had his first pilot’s licence. In 1974 Tim left LRGS and began a 3-year aeronautical engineering BSc course at the Royal Military College of Science. It was during that time he started flying. He went to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps in 1977. He completed his Army Pilot Course in December 1979 and was posted to West Germany. Tim started skydiving in 1977. By the end of 2012 he had over 8,500 jumps to his name. He was a member of several British skydiving teams. Between 1980 and 1997, he represented the UK at 9 parachuting World Championships and World Cups and 11 European Championships and gained 7 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. He competed in more than 150 competitions, also representing South Africa. Tim was awarded the FAI Gold Parachuting Medal in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding achievement of representing his country in all the

Parachuting Disciplines at First Category Events over a period of 27 years. He was also heavily involved in BASE jumping (parachuting from a fixed structure or cliff) and would often come hurtling into his sister’s London flat with a stream of other skydivers in tow trying to hide from the local police who were chasing them for jumping from some random British monument or other building! In 1986 he passed the training course to become a military flying instructor and served as an instructor for the next 2 years. In 1989 Tim saw an ad in a London newspaper “ASTRONAUT WANTED - NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY”. Of course, he applied. He was selected from 13,000 applicants to be one of 2 people - the other was Helen Sharman - training to be astronauts on the UK/ Russia Juno space programme on the MIR space station. As a UK military officer he then studied at the Yuri Gagarin Space Academy, Moscow. He was assigned to back-up crew for the mission and served as capsule communicator and experiment controller at Mission Control. He was

51

L OBITUARIES

O

and the Army Air Corps Ward Booth Gazelle Trophy. He returned to regimental duty as an instructor at the School of Army Aviation. He applied for training as an Empire Test Pilot. He graduated in 1997 and was based at Farnborough.

recognized for his work in the UK/ Russia space programme through the Russian Order of Lenin and, in the UK, the Royal Aero Club Silver Medal

JOHN MOSS (57-66) John Moss was born in Bradford and moved with his parents to Skerton where his father was a grocer. He sat the 11+ exam just after his tenth birthday and, having successfully passed the test, was called in by Mr Timberlake for a second interview as he was going to be the youngest boy in the school. John thrived at LRGS with his thirst for knowledge gaining excellent examination results despite a long period of absence due to ill health. He was an enthusiastic member of various societies including Philatelic, Natural History and Astronomical: interests that continued through to his adult life.

In 1997 Major Tim Mace left the British army and moved to South Africa where he started a new life as an experimental test pilot for Denel Aviation. He stayed with them until his last flight in August 2014.He had a total of over 6,500 hours in his flying career and flew 107 different types of aircraft. He spent a summer in the

John gained an Open Exhibition to study Classics at Downing College, Cambridge where he graduated in 1971 with a BA followed two years later by an MA. He stayed at the university working as a proof reader for the Cambridge University Press until ill health forced him to stop work.

Tim died from cancer in Germany on the 14th September 2014. At his funeral in South Africa there were skydivers spelling his name in the sky and flypasts by helicopters and a Springbok jet. He was married to the daughter of a former Soviet cosmonaut and had two children. Bill Harris (65-72)

John will be missed by many Old Lancastrians, particularly those who were fortunate enough to share his company at table, discovering his encyclopaedic knowledge, dry sense of humour and lively grasp of current affairs. Jenny Cornell

Living in Cambridge for the rest of his life, John pursued a wide range of interests, including ornithology and his favourite whist. He was very fond of his old school and kept in touch over the years and frequently attended school and OL functions and dinners around the country. Distance was never a disadvantage to him and he managed to travel by public transport to London and Lancaster as well as attend the Old Lancastrian Dinner closer to his home at Cambridge.

ALAN PETFORD (STAFF 97-01) Alan was the outstanding applicant when the post was advertised, with a degree in history from Oxford, a diploma in education from Cambridge and an MA in local history from Leicester. He was then Head of History at Hipperholme GS in Yorkshire, and we counted ourselves lucky to have him join us. He was an inspirational teacher, and though the department had recently achieved an outstanding Ofsted inspection report, he was able to add to it a series of lunchtime lectures, and he

52

1970s in North Africa defusing Second World War landmines. He was also Nelson Mandela’s helicopter pilot for some time.

had a great regard for the welfare of his pupils. After four years in the post, he was head-hunted by Leeds University for an extra-mural lecturership in local history studies. He combined this with work for the Workers’ Educational Association in the Saddleworth area, an opportunity which he welcomed and for which he was very well-regarded. LRGS was represented at his funeral at St Chad’s Church, Saddleworth on 2nd March. John Fidler

Your NEWS OL HONOURED AT HOCKEY AWARDS OL Chris Glover (95-02) received the award for the England Hockey Coach Club of the Year at a ceremony held by England Hockey in May 2014 at Bisham Abbey, on the banks of the Thames. 17 awards were up for grabs. Chris was recognised for his work in the sport across the Midlands. He is a qualified level 3 coach at Beeston Hockey Club, working with the Ladies 2nd XI whom he has lead to two League titles and the National Cup final, the

O

L

girls’ U18 squad who won both National Indoor and Outdoor titles, whilst he also plays for one of the Men’s teams. His dedication to Beeston Hockey is particularly commendable, as Chris fits his extracurricular work around his teaching job as Head of Maths at De Lisle College, Loughborough... where he is of course a hockey coach too! Chris hopes to use the London 2012 – and British success – to create a legacy for hockey, using the success at elite level to promote the sport to the masses.

THE ABRAHAMS TACKLE THE ALPS AND ANNAPURNA

up on his skiing, cycling Lands End to John o’Groats before setting sail to Nepal.

Two of three Abraham brothers to pass through LRGS have this summer joined together to travel the world in their university summer holiday. OLs Andrew (03-10) and recent leaver Scott (07-14) are currently enjoying the Nepalese part of their journey, as they attempt to circumnavigate Annapurna.

Younger brother Scott, who awaits a place at Leeds University to study Product Design, has joined Andrew on his adrenaline-fuelled year, as they travel on an independent adventure in Nepal for 6 weeks this spring.

Having successfully completely a Geography Bachelors at Cambridge University (with no less than a first), and featuring in two varsity matches at Twickenham, worked for the UN and the Scottish Association for Marine Science, Andrew decided that a break was more than deserved. And what better way to relax than travelling to the Alps to brush

GLOBAL MARKETING LEADER TO RECEIVE HONORARY PROFESSORSHIP OL Kevin Roberts (61-66) is to be the first person to receive an honorary professorship in the history of the Peter B Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria. Kevin Roberts is the Executive Chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, one of the World’s leading creative organisation. Having been global CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi for 17 years, he was also the longest standing global CEO of any creative agency. His unique relationship with Gustavson Business School was created through

Typically, the schedule is packed! The lads have taken on the task of circumnavigating Annapurna, a Himilayan massif, an area comprising of over 30 peaks, some of which breach 23,000ft in central Nepal. They then plan to mountain bike back to Kathmandu to go white water rafting... why not! Good luck to the Abraham brothers on the remainder of their travels!

an old friend, Robin Dyke, who is a professor at the university. In March 2015, Roberts presented to a seminar of 40 current MBA students before receiving his honorary professorship for his commitment to the institution. ‘Winning in a High Speed World’ was the topic of Roberts’ presentation, and was channelled to test the cohort’s readiness to face the world. How differently do they see the world they are about to graduate into? What are they missing about what it takes to lead, win and thrive in the age of now? His passion for leadership and innovation is also evident at LRGS. Roberts regularly visits the school to deliver speeches and training to both staff and pupils. He also pioneered our

© Kate Ayrton

www.saatchikevin.com

InspirUs programme, which benefits children in the wider Lancaster area.

53

O

L

Your NEWS OL GOLF DOWN UNDER Despite having gone to school at the same time, and growing up just a couple of years apart, OLs Geoff Foster (51-59) and Mike Barker (53 – 60) hadn’t seen each other since 1959… until they bumped into one another at the OL Golf at Lancaster Golf Club three years ago. Last year they rendezvoused at Meon Valley Golf Club, Southampton, which is Mike’s home turf for the first leg

of what has developed into a three part series! The second was played Down Under at Peregian Springs, Queensland, in February of this year. The scores remain a closely-guarded secret, but it may be that we have set ourselves up for quite the finale in this year’s Founders’ Day Golf! Geoff invites any Old Lancastrian headed to Australia that fancies a game to get in contact. Please enquire at the Development Office.

ENGLAND COUNTIES VS SCOTLAND When I received the email saying that I had been selected for the England Counties 23 man squad to play against Scotland I could not believe it. And what made it better was that I was going joined by three other Fylde first team players one of which was Evan (Mr Stewart). I owe Evan a huge amount and I have the utmost respect for him as he has played a massive role in getting me to where I am today. We started training the Tuesday before the Friday night game, and immediately I felt engulfed by the whole professionalism of the set up. Although training was hard work I enjoyed every second of it... except the ice baths at the end of each session! When it came to the Friday night, stood in front of my home crowd at Fylde, singing the national anthem, it hit me. I was playing for England. As I started on the bench I was watching the game with excitement and was getting more and more anxious to get onto the field. 70 minutes had passed and I began to think that I was not going to be going on, then the coach called my name and said to get ready. I don’t think I could have stripped off my warm up gear any faster, and I ran on to the pitch with 7 minutes left, feeling

Jordan Dorrington (OL) and Evan Stewart.

both nervous and excited. I threw everything I had into those seven minutes and with only a couple of minutes left I scored a try. I don’t think the fact I scored a try had its true impact until after the game when it hit. I have scored a try for England. I was just so happy to be a part of the team and to score a try was really just a bonus. The whole experience is one that I will never forget and is one I hope to be a part of again in the future. Jordan Dorrington (10-12)

OL APP LAUNCH After working for both the Conservative Party and later for Parliament, George Askew (95-02) recently launched a very successful iPhone App for his 5 year old business TheSantaVideo.com. The App was an immediate success with thousands of downloads within just the first few days of its launch. George, who was runner-up at the Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards 2013 for Deal of the Year, also runs the website Splitterhq.com which boasts bluechip clients such as Carlsberg, CNN, UNICEF and Canon amongst others. He’s just completed a Digital Marketing Diploma and is beginning work on raising capital for his next big idea “SoIGotYouThis.com” - to be launched later in 2015!

54

Your NEWS A WALK TO REMEMBER... When she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in ‘Still Alice’, Julianne Moore brought dementia and Alzheimer’s disease into the limelight. It strikes a particular chord with our alumnus Mark Houghton... My dad died just over ten years ago, so this year, for Fathers’ Day, I thought I should visit his grave at Scotforth cemetery in Lancaster and pay my respects. I’m going to walk there from my house as I enjoy a good walk - a breath of fresh air always does us good, doesn’t it? In my case the ‘good walk’ will be around 400 miles because I live in the Pas de Calais of northern France. You see, my dad died when he was only 66 years old and Alzheimer’s disease was the cause, and that’s just not fair. So I’ve had this urge to do something about it - none of this will bring him back of course, or wipe out the memory of seeing him slowly become the shell of the best dad I could have had. So, perhaps as a way of trying to do something positive from something so very negative, I’m doing this walk to try to raise £5000 for The Alzheimer’s Society. With my daughter, Hannah, I have already raised £700 for the society by running the Chichester half marathon, but for me it’s just not enough. You could say this is something I perhaps need to get out my system - exorcise my soul if you like. OL Mark Houghton at his home in France.

My walk begins on May 30th when I walk the first short leg to Calais before taking the ferry to Dover. My route initially takes me via the North Downs Way before I strike out for London. From here I shall follow the canal network to Birmingham. I took at BA in History there and the university have kindly offered me accommodation. From there my route takes me via Ellesmere Port and then Merseyside, Preston and home. My reason for taking this route? Well, it will certainly be longer than following the road network but much more peaceful and interesting. The walking surface should be good and it will also be a good opportunity to talk to people as I make my way north. I have tried to divide the route into 20 mile stages as this seems a reasonable daily target. I am already very fit and play badminton as well as run regularly so 20 miles doesn’t seem too much, but how it will feel day after day? That is quite another matter! As for accommodation, I am trying to find people who can put me up for the night on my way. This means I should get a good sleep every night and also means I don’t have to carry heavy camping kit.

O

L

and Alzheimer’s are things that more and more families are having to deal with. I’m just doing something to try to make a small difference. It really should be A Walk to Remember. I have a blog where I talk about the preparations for the walk and this will be updated every day of the walk so please follow my journey at https:// awalktoremember2015.wordpress. com. I also have a JustGiving page for donations: https://www.justgiving.com/remember/ 160636/Barrie-Houghton Any support appreciated!

would

be

greatly

Mark Houghton (75-82)

The start of A Walk to Remember.

The final section of the walk is from Galgate and I hope to be accompanied by my mum, my two daughters and my grand-daughter - four generations walking together in memory of a very special man. Sadly, with an ageing population, the problems of dementia Chichester Half Marathon.

A Walk to Remember.

55

O

L

Your NEWS JOHN RICHARDSON WARMS UP THE WINTER GARDENS LRGS’ funniest son returned to his hometown to showcase a charity gig at Morecambe’s Winter Gardens last September. Alumni Officer Jake Haddow went along for what was a great afternoon to show support for the cause. It seemed he had forgotten all about the Northern weather as he turned up

LRGS DOES QUESTION TIME LRGS hosted its own Question Timestyle debate recently, with four of the six Lancaster and Fleetwood candidates for the forthcoming General Election attending, including OL Matt Atkins of UKIP. The students organised all aspects of the event, from contacting the candidates to securing local press

on a blustery, wet day wearing a shirt and jeans, joking that this was the first gig he had done in which you could see your own breath indoors! He was joined by Angela Barnes, Matt Forde, Peter Firman and Lucy Beaumont for an afternoon of laughter, with proceeds going to John’s Hospice, and the renovation of the Winter Gardens. The same again next year!

coverage, filming and chairing the debate and the end result was very polished and professional, with the whole Sixth Form in attendance. There were times of provocation, friction, but also intrigue as the candidates answered questions from the floor on topics of social mobility, grammar schools, property ladder and climate change. Matt Atkins thoroughly enjoyed his return to school; despite

OL RECOGNISED FOR A PROUD CAREER IN AUCTIONEERING OL Michael Mashiter (56-62) has been appointed President of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. At the young age of 11, it was decided that Michael would become an auctioneer, coming from a farming background on both sides. In that time he has had plenty of time to see the industry change: in his 53 years as an auctioneer, farm land value has rocketed from £150 per acre to over

the grilling he received from the 6th Form!

£10,000 on average! John Hughes (65-72) also works at the top with Michael in their joint company, North West Auctions, as they merged their companies, having worked against each other for many years previously Having received the Presidency of the CAAV, Michael said, ‘this is a tremendous honour for me… it is always rewarding to receive recognition from within your own profession’.

OL DIARY PUBLISHED ‘Life and Death In Changi’ is the title of the published diary of OL Tom Kitching (1903-1910). Kitching was a chief surveyor of Singapore pre-war, and religiously maintained a diary throughout his life. He was subsequently interned by the Japanese, and presents a unique picture of the lives of those in Changi Gaol.

56

Having died in 1944 aged 54, his diary remained concealed in Changi Prison until his family received it thereafter. His son requested it be published, and in 2002, Landmark Books produced the book for sale. ‘Life and Death in Changi’ is described as a “tragic story of a family torn asunder by the war”, and is available for purchase online.

Your NEWS DURHAM CHIEF CONSTABLE HONOURED BY THE QUEEN OL Mike Barton (68-75), who was described at school as a ‘no nonsense boy’, was honoured by the Queen in her Birthday Honours for his service to the community. After leaving LRGS, Mike went on to study Law at Newcastle University, and subsequently served with Lancashire Police for 28 years, before moving to be part of the Durham Constabulary in 2008. For his long and distinguishing policing career – lasting over 30 years - he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal last year.

PRESTIGIOUS CHEMISTRY PRIZE FOR OL OL Paul Hodgson (03-10) was awarded the prestigious – and LRGS’ first – Salters’ Chemistry Prize at Salters’ Institute in London.

O

L

When speaking of his award, Mike said, ‘I’m immensely proud to have served the communities of Lancashire and County Durham and Darlington for over 34 years now. Police officers don’t join the service for public accolades – they are motivated because they want to make a difference. Of course, I take tremendous personal pride in being recognised by our Queen, but I am humbled because it wouldn’t have happened without the fantastic support I’ve had from my family and colleagues.’ Mike is still very much active with LRGS and the OL Club, returning in 2013 as Guest Speaker at Speech Day in November, and a regular attendee at our Durham Branch Dinner.

The Salters’ Institute invites universities to nominate one final year undergraduate in either chemistry or chemical engineering, and Paul was nominated as Cambridge University’s candidate. Selectors of the Salters’ Chemistry Prize look for candidates who would ultimately be able to occupy leading positions in the UK chemical and allied industries. Paul’s long history of academic prestige – including a First Class Honours from Cambridge – made him an ideal candidate, and he moved forward to be interviewed by representatives from the industry and relevant academic fields. Paul received the award along with

just 9 other candidates from Lord Sainsbury, who has for many years supported funding to scientists in schools and universities. We believe that Paul is the first OL to win the award. His achievements at school included Chemistry Olympiad (Gold), Physics Olympiad (silver), Intermediate British Olympiad, Senior Maths Challenge (Silver) and Cambridge Senior Physics Challenge. Earlier this year Paul joined us for our Cambridge branch dinner as he remains at Trinity College, Cambridge to do a PhD in Chemical Engineering, which requires research in bio fuels and a renewable energy related project.

OL CHARITY OLs Peter (46-53) and Christopher Thompson (50-57) have established a charity to aid disabled children overseas. Physionet was established 9 years ago, and works to make good use of unwanted physiotherapy equipment for those in need. The charity initially began its good work supplying the equipment to Bosnia, but its reach has spread much further afield, to touch the lives of those as far away as Bhutan. Physionet restores discarded mobility equipment in UKbased prisoner rehabilitation programmes, as the brothers explained during their visit to school to thank the boys for their support in the Lenten Charities.

The Thompson Brothers would now like to establish a subdepot in Lancashire to help them with the distribution of their equipment.

57

O

L

Your NEWS

AN OLD LANCASTRIAN ABROAD I’d been interested in visiting North Korea (“a world apart”) for many years - mainly to try and understand what the country and its people are really like, and to see how much of what we read in the west is our own version of propaganda, misinformation, rumour and gossip. Although I knew foreigners are accompanied at all times (we had

THE ‘DINOSAUR MAN’ CELEBRATED Perhaps our most distinguished and controversial Old Lancastrian, Sir Richard Owen, was this year recognised with a Blue Plaque for his contribution to the world of science. An early 19th Century School Master at the then Lancaster Grammar School described Owen as ‘impudent’, a description that would ultimately apply to his entire career. Despite this, his life’s achievements remain unrivalled. Renowned for coining the word ‘dinosaur’ - Greek for ‘terrible lizard’-

OL’S FANTASY NOVEL HITS THE SHELVES I started at LRGS in 1967 - that’s almost half a century ago, which I find a truly scary thought. I was 11 years old and I remember it very well. I remember physics teachers who charged pupils with thousands of volts of static electricity before getting

58

two guides, one driver and one “video man” with us for the entire trip, and were not free to move anywhere without them) I thought that seeing things with my own eyes would be a step forward.

wanted to be pictured in front of the former summer palace of the Great Leader (now Eternal President) Kim Il-Sung and so I decided to join them – possibly one of the more unusual places an OL tie has appeared?

I finally went in 2014. One of the places we were invited to visit was the Kumsusan Memorial Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of the two previous leaders of the DPRK lie in state. “Please dress smartly” the instructions said, and what is smarter than an Old Lancastrian tie? After emptying our pockets, leaving our bags and going through the metal detector, our shoes were scrubbed and any dust blown off our clothes before we could enter the mausoleum where the embalmed bodies of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il lie in separate marble-lined rooms.

This was but one of the many, many fascinating aspects of the visit, where we travelled around quite a bit and saw quite a lot of countryside. Despite this, and the fact that I took the train back from the capital Pyongyang to Beijing (24 hours – the only one of our group to do so) and saw plenty more of the countryside, I still have a tiny suspicion that just maybe everything was simply a display for me. Was it really like The Truman Story? But of course, that way madness lies. I’m going to try and find out more later in 2015 when a small group of us goes back to visit some of the more remote areas – so watch this space!

Thousands of clearly emotional local visitors made for a memorable few hours – but afterwards everyone

R A D Burgess (66-72)

Sir Richard Owen also helped create the world’s first life-sized dinosaurs in Crystal Palace, London. Most famous, however, was Owen’s position as the first superintendent of the Natural History Museum in 1881. The Natural History Museum’s own Dr David Williams recently visited LRGS to celebrate the inspirational work of Sir Richard Owen, remarking, ‘Over many years and study of many specimens, Owen refined the science of comparative anatomy, enabling all those scientists who followed him to make meaningful comparisons between organisms, to

demonstrate how they are indeed all related; Owen actually, even if a little inadvertently, paved the way for a general understanding of evolution. If anything, Owen’s shoulders were those upon which Darwin stood, for no other bearer was possible’.

them to light gas flames with their fingers. I remember chemistry teachers who delighted in creating explosions. And I remember the biology lab and helping to monitor the school’s moth trap, each morning dutifully identifying what had been caught before filling in the research forms to send off.

ever since. LRGS had (and I presume still has) a magnificent collection of stuffed birds, a huge selection of pallid specimens preserved in alcohol and formaldehyde, and drawers and cabinets filled with shining metallic beetles, exotic moths, butterflies, scorpions, and other invertebrates.

Science in general and biology in particular, captivated me at school and

In an age before the internet and much in the way of TV natural history series,

Your NEWS it was a revelation, and I spent hours with the collections. One highlight was that, after school, we were sometimes allowed to play with trays of bones and skulls and assemble bizarre creatures. Ostensibly this was to show how everything connected together to form a skeleton, but it was much more fun to create strange and exotic creatures. More than once I tried to create a small dinosaur with the leg bones and ribcage of a chicken, the fore leg bones of a cat, and a tail made from vertebrae of decreasing sizes. This fascination for creating fantastic creatures, with an understanding of their anatomy, has always stayed with me. The other main love I developed at LRGS was reading. In English lessons we were encouraged to read and review novels of all genres and to find out what we liked. I found myself drawn to science fiction and devoured whatever I could get my hands on, classic tales by H.G. Welles, Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov, and not so classic (but still fun) stories by Edmund Cooper and Larry Maddox, plus lots of pulp magazines. I avoided most fantasy, however, as, no matter how well written; I could never ignore how much they ignored science and reality. To be truly engrossing I needed the events, world, animals and people in the story to feel ‘real’. I always wanted to read a fantasy that used all the standard fantasy tropes, but which was thought through so that it felt totally logical and self consistent, a fantasy world that, even if not fully explained to the reader, had

a plausible reason for its existence and for everything and every creature in it. After LRGS I went on to study zoology at Liverpool University, and after numerous jobs (including a spell as a keeper at London Zoo) I ended up working in the fledgling computer game industry on the Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64 machines. That was the start of over 30 years’ work in computer games and it’s been fun. The first machines I worked on had 48k of memory - nowadays a single icon will take up more than that, so things have changed beyond recognition. Throughout that time I never read a fantasy that pleased me completely or satisfied my need for credibility. So I started writing my own. I’d write on the train to work, or in the evenings when I worked away from home. I was in no hurry, and just enjoyed the writing process. Despite working in a creative industry such as game development, it was rare ever to get total control over your work. Writing, however, allowed me to do whatever I wanted and I found it a great way to unwind. It took several years to complete my first story and it ended up with over half a million words, so I split it into three volumes to make it less unwieldy. The overall series I’ve Jangada saga, ‘Jangada’ name the inhabitants give The first volume is ‘Lady Diary’.

called the being the their world. Catherine’s

The story follows an aged ruler, dying of an incurable disease, who, after

O

L

the murder of his consort, sets out in search of a missing child. It’s a journey that takes him via airship across the floating islands that make up Jangada, encountering betrayal, assassination and the mysterious ‘Guild’ at every turn. As Oran’s condition deteriorates he finds himself in a desperate race against time with his murdered wife’s cryptic diary holding the clues that will ultimately reveal secrets about the origins of Jangada and her murderer. Jangada is a world full of floating islands, airships and fantastic beasts, all familiar fantasy tropes, but all handled (I hope) logically. How successful will it be? I’ve no idea, that’s something that can’t be predicted. All I know is that those who have read it and reviewed it have enjoyed it, so slowly I’m building up a readership. If you’re interested you can find the Jangada series on Amazon, either as separate volumes, or one large omnibus edition. You can get it in paperback or as a Kindle eBook.

Jangada Series.

If you enjoy it, there’ll be a sequel eventually. I’m aiming for the end of the year or perhaps early 2016. I’d love to hear if you’ve enjoyed it (or even if you didn’t). And if any readers were at LRGS between 1967 and 1974 and remember me, please get in touch via my website at www.terrygreer.com. Terry Greer (67-74)

59

O

L

Your NEWS UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE OL John Armitage (05-12) has graduated from Mr Hitchings’ Junior Quiz League to make his television debut on University Challenge with Oxford University, joining a handful of Old Lancastrians to appear on the show. The team enjoyed unrivalled success in the preliminary rounds, as they confidently brushed aside competition in the preliminary rounds to face Magdalen College in the broadcasted rounds. Unfortunately for John, and St Peter’s, Oxford, it was one round too far as they bowed out gracefully, losing 235 to 120, although it does seem he’s learnt a thing or two along the way!

THE SOCIAL NETWORK! Over the summer of 2015 I worked in California for Facebook; this was my first time visiting the US and I didn’t really know what to expect there. I worked for three months with Facebook’s Security Infrastructure group, improving the encryption between Facebook’s mobile apps and their servers. I was also able to tackle any problem I liked - if I saw something that I thought needed improving or fixing I was at will to tackle that task myself.

Will Shackleton and Mark Zuckerberg.

I’ve come away from the experience with a returning offer for this summer in London, and about eight Facebook t-shirts! Will Shackleton (06-13)

Your CORRESPONDENCE AND ARTICLES MY CHANDELIER During the 1940s, those entering the Sixth Form had three options: Classical, Modern and Science. Sixth Classical met in their room in Gardyner House, a small room with eight or nine desks and an octagonal table. Two sash windows opened on to a garden of sorts and an elegant fire place; tiled, with a wood surround, a fire provided warmth from a coal fire. When, as regularly happened, three -groups had a lesson together; seniority held sway and the third year Sixth sat round the table near the fire. A brass chandelier with three or four lamps, suspended above the table, lit the room in the dark winter days. One afternoon before first lesson, I twiddled a small knob under the chandelier to make it all spin, a spectacular illumination on a dark December day.

60

The spectacle was short-lived as old wiring gave way and the chandelier crashed on to the table. A minute later, in walked our Classics master, who, without noticing the debris or the gloom as he passed, opened his text of Vergil or Cicero and called on his first victim to construe. Then he looked up, saw the mess and sent the culprit, me, to report to the Headmaster. In the austerity of wartime, Joss’ recent edict was that breakages were to be paid for – a small window 6d, a large window one shilling and higher fines for greater breakages. I wondered how many months’ pocket money I had just squandered, not to mention the strong possibility of the cane. I met Mr Timberlake at the entrance to the Old Building and made my quaking confession. To my utter relief, he simply said, “All right, Shepherd, go

back to your class. That wiring was due for renewal anyway.” I could not believe my good fortune as I returned to Gardyner House, with my pocket money and my buttocks unscathed. Thereafter lighting in the room was a single hanging naked light bulb. Some twenty years later, I was officiating at a West Midlands schools’ cross-country event and after the races I was chatting with two or three of the competitors, one of whom asked my name. When I replied Mr Shepherd, he said, “Oh, are you the one who broke the chandelier?” Before I could ask further, results were being announced, the conversation ended and how the boy knew about my chandelier remained a mystery. Move on a further twenty years, and I returned to LRGS to teach Classics. Of course I found myself in the same room

Your CORRESPONDENCE AND ARTICLES in Gardyner House, where the lighting was still a single naked light bulb. Only when the Classics Department moved and the room became the Careers Room, was the lighting improved and a new modern chandelier fitted. The old Classical Sixth form room

has since seen other modifications as Gardyner House became the Sixth Form Centre and later still a boarding house. After Founder’s Day lunch one year, my wife and I went across the road to inspect the new accommodation. Amid all the changes I had difficulty recognising the site of

HISTORY LESSON Do you ever remember vividly some part of your teaching which seemed quite irrelevant to the subject being taught? In the early wartime forties, when the top stream was called ‘2 Special’ rather than ‘2 Alpha’, I recall a bristly-moustached algebra teacher referring to a detective “on the trail of the blood-stained putty knife” which seemed to have little relevance to the quadratic or simultaneous equations we were trying to grasp. Thursday afternoons were popular because of our history teacher, a fairly young friendly teacher who would soon be conscripted. As a ten or eleven year-old, I was somewhat puzzled when he remarked during our lesson that “every Thursday afternoon he would wind up the grandfather clock and perform his other marital duties.” At the time I didn’t know the word anachronism, but I did not see how

50TH ANNUAL REUNION OF OUR POLICE ASSOCIATION: MY TIME IN THE NORTHERN RHODESIA POLICE After leaving school at LRGS in 1959 I worked for a short time for the Angus Fire Armour company, a subsidiary of the Dunlop group in my home village at Bentham. I then applied to join the Northern Rhodesia Police in Central Africa, and after passing various medical tests and going through the selection process at the Colonial Office in London, I was recruited and flew out to Lusaka in late 1961. At that time Northern Rhodesia was a British Protectorate and part of the Central African Federation governed and administered by Britain - the other countries which made up the Federation were Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland now known as Zimbabwe and Malawi.

O

L

my old classroom but one vestige of my chandelier identified the spot – a circular plaster ceiling decoration from which my chandelier had once been suspended. Joe Shepherd (39-47)

a grandfather clock was relevant to our text books entitled “From Flints to Printing” and “From Ur to Rome”. As for the “marital duties”, they remained a mystery for some time. Some forty years later my wife inherited a grandmother clock which required winding each week. At last I understood the significance of my anachronistic history lesson. These days, every Thursday I wind up the grandmother clock and... Some weeks ago, I was half listening to Radio Four and a talk on The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne. I wasn’t paying too much attention but I think Tristram was being urged by his wife to wind up the grandfather clock. Is there anyone who has read the book and can enlighten me? Joe Shepherd (39-47)

The origins of the Northern Rhodesia Police were initially a British Army regiment which had been based in the country during the First World War, and many of the senior officers had military backgrounds. In hindsight I am convinced that having been educated at the Lancaster Royal Grammar School, and in addition having served in the school‘s CCF, would have favoured me in the selection process.

my appointment, I was sent to the Police Training School along with a group of about 20 other new recruits, when we then underwent a 6 months intensive training course in Law, Police Duties and considerable riot drill and weapons training. There was lots of parade ground Army style discipline as a number of our instructors were former Guards Officers, and we underwent a lot of general military style physical fitness and unarmed combat training. On completion of our course we passed out at the Inspector level and were then individually posted to different district locations throughout the country.

There was also a significant representation of officers who had served in the Palestine Police following the Second World War and the period when Britain governed Palestine under a UN mandate prior to the formation of the new state of Israel.

Very often we found ourselves in charge of a group of men at small remote outposts and responsible for anything that went on in areas which were sometimes the size of Wales and dealing with all cases from cycle thefts all the way up to sudden deaths and murders. Although the country is landlocked and very close

When I arrived in Lusaka to take up

61

O

L

Your CORRESPONDENCE AND ARTICLES forbidden, and it was considered good for harmony and close bonding of officers and other ranks. Obviously it gave the African Constabulary the opportunity to kick their supervisors where it hurt, but it certainly seemed to be good for morale and team spirit. At that time I was also a reasonably accomplished soccer player and had the honour of playing for the Force Soccer team in their annual match against the BSAP in Salisbury Southern Rhodesia.

to the equator, the climate was quite temperate as much of country is on a plateau well above sea level an outdoor lifestyle and sporting opportunities were freely available. In particular my rugby experience from school came in handy when playing Karamoja - a game developed by the armed services throughout Africa which was essentially based on Rugby and probably the “Eton” wall game, as it was played with a rugby ball but with no rules when it came to physical contact. The idea being that the hard knocks inflicted were good for self discipline as retaliation was strictly

During my tour of duty I also spent time in C.I.D as well as Riot Squad duties in key locations during civil unrest. By and large Northern Rhodesia compared to other African countries at that time had a relatively easy and smooth transition to Independence which took place in late 1965 when the country became known as Zambia as it is today. Its peoples are generally very happy, a peace loving nation and the country is blessed with many natural resources and rich agricultural land they deserve much better than their political leaders have given them over the past 50 yrs, but hopefully they will

A VERY LANCASHIRE PUB CRAWL

each day took us over the River Hodder into Yorkshire then back over the Ribble into Lancashire again. During the bitter winter of 1947/48 school was out of the question for a full 3 weeks.

I wasn’t born in the county but I believe my credentials for membership of the Association of Lancastrians are more than adequate. Returning from British East Africa as an infant in 1937, my very first childhood memories are of the Wagon and Horses in Pimlico Road, Clitheroe which my father had taken over as a tenant for Dutton’s Blackburn Brewery. He then tried his hand at farming and we moved to Barracks Farm in Chaigley, a delightful spot at the foot of Longridge Fell and directly opposite the Craven Heifer, which became my father’s home from home for the next 4 years as WW11 drew to an end. The Craven Heifer is a pub no more, but at the time it was also used for concerts, childrens’ film shows and other events. Our 5 mile drive to school in Clitheroe

62

My family then went up in the world – literally – to the Wellsprings Inn, nearly 1000 feet up on Pendle Hill. Together with a wealthy Clitheroe mill owner my father had bought the property, which at the time was nothing more than an isolated farm with a licence to sell beer to travellers making their way over the hill to Sabden. It was very quickly transformed into a very fashionable and busy venue for drinks and meals and on one Sunday lunchtime I remember counting more than 100 cars parked outside – this was in 1949! The sunsets looking across the Ribble Valley

reap greater economic benefits in the near future. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and the experience has stood me in good stead for the remainder of my career. It is highly likely that there may be other LRGS Old Boys who may have had similar experiences with one or other of the various Colonial Police Forces and served in other parts of the world; I wonder who they might be. John Devitt (53-58)

to the Fylde and Blackpool Tower were truly spectacular, but getting my brother, sister and I down to the grammar schools in Clitheroe caused some problems in winter. The Wellsprings has now changed out of all recognition and is popular with users of the adjacent dry ski facilities. Our next move took us across the county to the Kings Arms in Garstang, on the A6 between Preston and

Your CORRESPONDENCE AND ARTICLES Lancaster. For my sister and I this involved changing schools but my elder brother stayed on at Clitheroe RGS to complete his sixth form studies. He then did his National Service as a second lieutenant with The Kings Liverpool Regiment and served with them in the Korean War. My sixth form studies were completed at Lancaster RGS with revision in my bedroom in the Kings Arms, where twice a week an elderly lady would arrive at 8 o’clock to thump out “Nellie Dean” and “Bye Bye Blackbird” on the piano in the room below. My own National Service started with 10 weeks basic training with The Devonshire Regiment and I returned home on leave from Exeter to find, to my surprise, that my parents had moved yet again, this time to The Patten Arms in Winmarleigh, a historic Duchy of Lancaster inn 3 or 4 miles from Garstang, where they stayed for the next 10 years.

O

L

Having attended both of the county’s Royal Grammar Schools and lived in 4 of its historic hostelries, I think it can safely be said that my credentials for membership of the Association are impeccable. Mike Gardener (51-54)

I now live in Rottingdean, near Brighton, and attend St Wulfran’s Church in nearby Ovingdean, which is funnily enough the church where William Harrison Ainsworth, the author of “The Lancashire Witches” worshipped when he moved from the Manchester area to Brighton in 1854.

From the ARCHIVES During the summer holiday of 2014, the contents of the lower archive room were moved to another room in the 1851 building. This has led to slight difficulties in locating certain items, but it is more than compensated for by having to negotiate only twenty two steps instead of the forty two as previously. The upper archive room still contains archive material, but most of it duplicates what is in the lower room,

so that visits to the dizzy heights are not often required. Thanks are due to those pupils who are helping to put things in order. Donations continue to be received, notable items being an O.L.’s blazer (late 1930s) in splendid condition, and the equally splendid uniform of E. M. Lloyd-Evans (died of wounds 1915) by courtesy of Eric Wilkinson. My thanks

THE FIVES COURT Ah well, there are none so blind as those who cannot see for looking. In the last two issues we tried to trace the history of the Fives court. A closer look at Blue Books and ‘The Lancastrian’ would have told us most of what we needed to know. Anyway, here goes. In the January 1958, ‘Lancastrian’ G.P. Maguire reported the establishment of the Fives Club as an official School Society, with a nucleus of about ten boys, mainly of Shell and Fifth forms. It was hoped that a grant would enable equipment to be bought and strip lighting installed in the court (shouldn’t think that was ever achieved). Mr. Kemp was thanked for his support. Maguire also (in the July issue) stated that the fives court was in constant use, and players were improving their skills. Doubles play was

as usual go to Jenny, Rose and Jake in the Development Office for all their help. Occasionally we receive requests for Blue Books and other artefacts. Unfortunately we cannot provide originals, but facsimiles can be available for a suitable donation. Clive Holden (45-54)

introduced and was proving to be successful, and the Club was indebted to the Headmaster for the use of his fives equipment. The major drawback was that the court became unplayable after heavy rain. Later the same year, under Mr. MacFarlane’s guidance, broken windows were replaced and a locker fitted inside the court. Hopes were high, and fixtures against other schools were anticipated. By 1960 the court was in poor condition, though the leaky roof had at last been mended. An appeal was made to pupils not to drop their litter there. A junior section had been started and continued to flourish. In 1963 the roof was leaking again, and the appeal to keep the court clear of litter had to be reiterated. Membership cards were issued for the first time (does anybody have one?). The January 1964 ‘Lancastrian’ reported an increase in

63

O

L

From the ARCHIVES It may have been the same ‘fivesophobe’ (if such a word exists) who stole the hooks which had been placed in the court for players to hang their jackets on. More play led to increased wear and tear of equipment, and the £5 grant (from the Seward Committee?) was found to be insufficient. The condition of the court was deteriorating rather rapidly. The January 1965 ‘Lancastrian’ reported that enthusiasm seemed to be waning, partly because of Sixth Form duties, and it was intended to devote two dinner hours to juniors. By now members had to pay a weekly subscription to keep the Club going. Later in 1965 there was a thriving Junior Fives Club (they were not asked to pay a weekly subscription), but kit was in short supply. Nevertheless, membership peaked at a maximum of twenty. The court was repaired and repainted, but the £5 grant was still insufficient.

membership because the court was available during midday breaks, but the court was still in poor condition and the roof still kept on leaking. Equipment was proving expensive, especially fives balls which lasted only about a month. A singles league had been started, and there were hopes of starting a doubles league, which was the more popular form. A campaign to recruit new members was thwarted by some villain who tore the notice from the notice board.

IDENTIFICATION PARADE 2013 Identification Parade 2012. 1st XV 1964/65. Roger Dawes has identified himself on the extreme left of the front row. Thanks also to Dick Wilkinson (57-62) for indentifying A. F. Birtwistle (59-66) (standing, third from left) and J. M. Curry (57-65) (seated, fourth from left).

U12 Winners of Vale of Lune’s ‘World Cup’ 2004 Current Alumni Officer, Jake Haddow, recognised the faces in this picture... although he apparently didn’t make the cut for the photo itself! Rear: James Hyman, Isaac Thompson, Sam Delacruz, Melvin Meju, Rory Hudson, Luke Richmond, Josh Maguire, Ben Nuttall, Andrew Abraham, Matt Collingwood. Front: Harry Northridge, Sam Littlewood, Alex Newton.

64

Whether it was because of lack of funds or the condition of the court, the Fives Club seems to have become defunct in 1966 or 1967. No further reports appeared in ‘The Lancastrian’, but F. Walmsley was listed in the 1966/67 Blue Book as the secretary. His predecessors had included Maguire, A. Walker, A.D. Rigden, F.B. Mather and (possibly) G.S. Robinson. Clive Holden (45-54)

IDENTIFICATION PARADE 2014 O

L

Apologies for the lack of information. There should be more information than appears here, but because of a computer crash and recent temporary indisposition (and any other excuse I can think of!) records are incomplete. Apologies to anyone who sent in answers which are not acknowledged or do not appear here. However, here is what little I have. This Happy Breed Oscar Van Nooijen is identified as being third from the left.

The Swimming Team of 1965

CCF (RAF Section)

Standing: Mr. G. Holborn, D.W. Atkinson, A.J.S. McNeil, J.C. Player. Seated: M.J. Harrison, D. J. Christie, J. M. Curry, J. D. Parkinson, K.J. McLaughlin.

Thanks to Richard Kingsbury who identified Dowd (to the left of John Fidler), and suggests the photo is from 1984 or 1985.

The trophy was the Inter School Swimming Association Cup for winning the Senior Men’s Squadron, 7th July 1965 at Blackpool.

IDENTIFICATION PARADE 2015 The unbeaten 1st xv of 1994/95 I’m sure someone will step forward with their claim to fame!

More overleaf....

65

L IDENTIFICATION PARADE 2015

O

1S Form Photo, 1993 Undoubtedly, the lads in the photo will look somewhat different now, but name them if you can.

Mystery Teacher #1

The Middle Sixth Biology Class of 1972 Lots of faces clearly visible – how many can you name?

Mystery Teacher #2 Found in a teacher’s diary from the late 1970s/early 80s – is anyone familiar with either teacher?

The cast of the joint production of ‘the Grand Duchess’, 1971 Kindly donated by Gordon Parker. Do you recognise anybody?

66

IDENTIFICATION PARADE 2015 O

L

Performance of ‘Hamlet: The Play within the Play’ Who are they, and when did the performance take place?

LRGS School Photo 1994 A small snippet from the whole school photo of 1994. There are some recognisable faces in there – can you name any more?

LRGS Combined Cadet Force 1961 Do you recognise any of these CCF lads from 1961?

67

L OLD LANCASTRIANS IN 1914

O

but not officer rank), EM Bateman and J Bateman, the latter being a Lieutenant Commander by 1918. A fifth was Sub Lieutenant E Langstreth, who saw action ashore at Gallipoli with the Royal Naval Division and was killed on the Western Front in 1916.

When war began in 1914, Britain had incomparably the strongest navy in the world : her policy of “splendid isolation”, avoiding the entanglements of European alliances had been based on the “Two Power standard”, of having a fleet at least as strong as those of the next two powers combined. When the policy had been formulated, the powers concerned had been France and Russia, but the settlement of differences by the Ententes had allayed fears in that direction. The two emergent navies were those of the USA, which was not regarded as a threat, and of Imperial Germany, which certainly was. There were few OLs serving in the Royal Navy in 1914, and I have found little about them. The most senior was an Engineer Lieutenant Commander, JB Pulliblank, who eventually reached the rank of Rear Admiral. Others were Assistant Paymaster GN Baildon (Paymasters then had officer status,

There were 106 OLs known to be serving with the armed forces by December 1914, as listed in “The Lancastrian” of that date. It seems probable that the new Headmaster, Shackleton Bailey, had sent out a letter to all members of the newly-formed OL Club, to produce such a list. Further names were discovered later, taking the total to 141. 48 of these, by their ranks, (Majors, Captains, Sergeants or Corporals) must have been regulars or members of the Territorial Force. About half were with the local regiment, the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. This, like all other Infantry Regiments, had two regular battalions, the first, at the regimental depot, and the second, serving abroad. The third and fourth battalions were TA units, based in Ulverston and Lancaster respectively. Six of these already held the rank of Major, the most senior being OC Borrett (KORLR) who had left LRGS in 1892 : by 1918 he was a Brigadier General, with the DSO and Bar, the CB, CMG and the Croix de Guerre. He had reached the rank of Lieutenant General by 1935, and was Colonel of the Regiment from 1926 to 1944. Major CE Lord, of the Staffordshire Regiment was killed in action in France in 1915, but Major CM Bateman of 5 West Ridings though twice wounded, survived the war, as a Lieutenant Colonel with the DSO and Bar. Captain W Wright (5 KORLR) ended the war as the Brigade Major, also being awarded the DSO. Ten more were Captains in various units, of whom BEA Manson (1893) was the first casualty, being killed in action in German East Africa in October 1914, serving with the 61st Pioneers. Captain W Wright (5 KORLR) ended the war as Brigade Major, and was awarded the DSO. Other casualties were Lt W Balshaw (staff) of the 2nd Manchester Regiment, killed in France in October

Old School House.

68

1914, Cpl (later Lt) W Brash (1917), Sgt FW Canby (missing, presumed killed in 1915), Lt TW Carson (5 West Ridings, December 1915), Lt H Coupland (1915), and Sgt (later CSM, then Lieutenant) R Irving (1916). Sgt GW Jackson (4 Coldstream Guards) had been awarded the DCM in 1915, before he was killed in action the following year and Lt Lloyd Evans (1915) and Sgt (later 2/Lt) R Threlfall (1915) were also early casualties, Brothers E Mortimer (Lt 6 Northumberland Fusiliers) and WB Mortimer (2 Durham Light Infantry were killed in action within weeks of each other in 1915, bringing the number of deaths among the 48 already serving to 15. Britain had a small professional army of 160,000 compared with the millions of conscripts of the major European nations. These had a period of military training and service, followed by years in the reserves. Earl Kitchener, Minister for War, was contemptuous of the “weekend soldiers” of the TF, preferring to look for volunteers for his “New Army”. About half a million responded to his call in August 1914, a number doubled by the end of the year. Of the OLs, many had left school six or eight years previously. They would therefore be in their twenties, probably settled in a career, possibly married with young children. This highlights the dedication of these volunteers, who were doing what they perceived to be their duty. Three had only left school in July 1914, two of whom had been killed on the Western Front by May 1915. Of these SK Bates had been commissioned into 5 KORLR in the Autumn of 1914, when it was thought that he was the youngest officer in the British army : he was killed some weeks before his eighteenth birthday. Privates, F Eltoft, who had left school in 1911 to begin an apprenticeship, and J Dixon, a former regular soldier who had been the School Porter were also killed in early 1915. The third 1914 leaver was EH Keir, who was commissioned into the King’s Own, but later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He was shot down in action in 1917, and after the war his parents gave a prize in his memory,

OLD LANCASTRIANS IN 1914 O

still awarded each Speech Day. The only survivor of these 1914 leavers was AF Metcalfe, who ended the war as a Captain with the MC and Bar.

Major. We also now have the fulldress uniform of Lt EM Lloyd-Evans (KORLR), generously donated by OL Eric Wilkinson 57 – 63. Lt Lloyd-Evans was killed in action in March 1915, as a Captain. Lt H Bell (KORLR) won the MC in 1918, when he had been seconded to the Machine Gun Corps, while RWP Hall (1911), commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, and was awarded the MC as a Captain in 1917. L/Cpl WE Knowles (1905) of the Cumberland & Westmorland Yeomanry, was awarded the MM in1917.

Others were working abroad at the outbreak of war – we have names of those who were serving with Australian and Canadian forces as well as those of the Indian Army, the Federated Malay States and Ceylon. N Lowden who had left LRGS in 1901 and had graduated in Civil Engineering at London University, had been working on the railway system in Nigeria, but had gone to Canada in 1911. Volunteering for the Canadian army, he was transferred to the Royal Engineers on reaching England, and won the MC as a Lieutenant in 1918. His daughter gave his MC to the school some years ago.

Of the 1914 volunteers, ten more lost their lives. They were, in 1915 TB Canby (Rifleman, Queen Victoria Rifles) and AG Ripper (L/Cpl KORLR) and in 1917, GRP Howson (Lt KORLR), GEJ Marriott (Captain, King’s Royal Rifles),D Mather (King’s Liverpool Regiment) and W Pinch (Lt KORLR). In 1918 Lt JS Corless (1909) who had transferred from the King’s Own to the Sherwood Foresters was also killed in action. Posted as missing in action, presumed killed, were JE Prickett (Durham Light Infantry, 1915), R Whitehead (KORLR 1916) and GC Webster (L/Cpl Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1918).

The war medals of H Gooch (1902) of the Royal Engineers were also given to the school by his sister, together with the MC which he won as a Captain in 1917, and the DSO awarded to him in 1918, when he had reached the rank of

Among those who saw through the entire war was Dr W George, who volunteered for the Royal Army Medical Corps, and served initially as Medical Office to 5 KORLR. He then was transferred to the West Lancashire Field Ambulance unit as a Captain and won the MC in 1918. After the war he served for many years as a governor of LRGS, ultimately as Chairman, and endowed the William George Form Prizes, awarded to boys in the third forms. Another was WRW Deed, a member of the teaching staff. He had belonged to 5 KORLR as a TA officer since 1912, had been the first Contingent Commander of the school OTC when it was established in early 1914, and saw active service at Ypres, the Somme and Cambrai before being posted to a training role in 1918. After the war he resumed his teaching duties, and was Housemaster of a dayboy house - Black House - which was later renamed for him.

Lt Lloyd-Evans’ Tunic (above) and MC (top).

L

Another who became a schoolmaster was FC Happold. He had gone to Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1912 to read History, and had taken Part 1 of his Tripos in 1914. He volunteered for the King’s Own, but was commissioned into the North Lancashire Regiment – the Loyals. When serving with them on the Somme in 1916, he was awarded the DSO, a most unusual distinction for a junior officer. (The MC had been instituted in 1914 specifically for junior officers – all the other DSOs won by OLs went to Majors or Colonels). After the war he returned to Peterhouse, completed his degree and taught History at the Perse School in Cambridge for five years before being appointed to the headmastership of the Bishop Wordsworth School at Salisbury, where he remained until his retirement in 1960. Also decorated for gallantry among this group were Lt C Roscoe (KORLR - MC 1917) and Sgt (later 2/Lt) CH Smith (Machine Gun Corps - DCM 1916). In all, over 400 OLs served in World War 1, of whom 78 gave their lives. Their names are to be found on the OL website, while 75 of those who lost their lives are commemorated on the plaque in the Memorial Library. John Fidler

OLs lost in the Great War (above) and the OTC Rifle Range (top).

69

L HISTORY OF RUGBY AT LRGS

O

The 1914 1st XV with E H Keir as Captain.

Rugby Football has been played at LRGS since the 1860s, and the inaugural match of Preston Grasshoppers in 1869 was against the school. Regular fixtures took place with Sedbergh, Giggleswick, Liverpool College and Heversham GS, but with a depressing lack of success, relieved only by wins against Heversham. By 1903 the Sedbergh and Heversham fixtures had been discontinued, but Giggleswick continued to inflict embarrassingly large defeats. From 1913 a recovery began, with several new fixtures and a fair measure of success. A very good XV in 1927-8 registered ten wins, losing only to Bradford GS and St Bees, and the late thirties also saw some good seasons - ten games won out of 12 in 1937-8 with unbeaten seasons in 19389 and again in 1942-3 and 1943-4.

School, Stonyhurst, Bradford GS, Leeds GS, King Edward VII Lytham, King George V Southport, Wallasey GS, St Bees, Barrow GS and Rossall. The XV of 1962 suffered only one defeat and its captain, K O Beeston, played in the final England trial as did his successor, M H Berryman. C W Aspden (1966) gained an England Schools cap. Aspden went on to play for the Vale, Cambridge University (no blue) and for many years in a strong Orrell side, as well as Lancashire. The 1968/69 side won ten and drew one of its twelve fixtures. Its finest performance was a 14-3 win over Sedbergh, the first time the XV beat Sedbergh at 1st XV level. The following year the 1st XV were unbeaten, winning twelve and drawing one (Glenalmond) of its fixtures.

In 1970/71 the 1st XV won ten of its eleven games, a record that included a 31-0 victory over Sedbergh. The XV in each of these three seasons were coached by Laurie Rimmer, a former England international who played against the 1961 Springboks. Trevor Glover, who went on to become a double blue at Oxford, was captain of the XV for these three highly successful years. The 1974 1st XV In the 50s and 60s results continued was captained by Nick Preston who to be good. By then the regular went on to represent England at full fixture list included Merchant Taylors’, international level with Bill Beaumont’s Crosby, Manchester GS, Arnold Grand Slam team of 1980. The 1st XV of 1976-77 was as strong as any, including Paul Tillotson, Mark Nelson (an 18 Group International), Mike Derbyshire, Steven Gill and Doug Walker. All played in strong Vale of Lune sides with Gill and Nelson going on to play in arguably the strongest ever Vale side that won the National Division 3. In the last match of the 1977 OLs Brian Ashton, Nick Preston, Bob Reeves and Mark season, the 1st XV beat Nelson presenting Larry Lamb’s pennant to LRGS, which the all-conquering Cowley he received following a career at the top of international team who had won all their refereeing.

70

previous 25 matches. In the 80s, results continued to improve with only one or two defeats in each season, with the 1981 XV losing only one match - to Cowley School who could field seven England 18 Group Internationals. In the inaugural All England 15-a-side competition, LRGS had by far the best record in the first four years. Getting to the quarterfinal, two semi-finals and losing in the 1982 final to the first score of extra time. This competition included two victories over the full Japan High Schools side, a guest entry. Paul Hamer played for England at 16 Group and 18 Group scoring three tries against Wales at Cambridge, playing wing outside Will Carling. Tom Connor and Ian McFarlane played for England 18 Group sides and Sean Hockey played at 16 Group. Following the Oxford Blues of the 70s, Trevor Glover and John Taylor, Doug Walker, Steve Gill and Richard Bailey all played for Cambridge in the early 80s. The 90s saw LRGS begin the tradition of overseas tours, starting with a highly successful tour of Canada in 1994, followed by an unbeaten tour of Australia in 1997. The standard of play in the nineties continued on an upward path with many fine XVs, including the unbeaten 1st XV in 1994, captained by Neil Bennetts. England 18 Group caps

Magnus Lund England v Cook Islands Rugby Sevens Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006.

HISTORY OF RUGBY AT LRGS O competition for 1st XVs, LRGS were to show real dominance winning the cup for four seasons in a row between 2003 and 2007 and again in 2009. England 18 Group caps were won by Dan Birchall, James Williams, Sean Cox and Selorm Kuadey. In the Daily Mail Cup, LRGS regularly reached the quarterfinal stages and a semi final in 2004. Junior sides won Lancashire Cups on a regular basis and the decade ended with a highly successful tour of South America. In 2006 Mark Nelson coached Sale to the Premiership title, beating Leicester in the final whilst in 2007 the 2011/12 OL President, Brian Ashton, coached England to a World Cup final against The Springboks in France.

James Williams OL England U16.

were earned by Matthew Dobson, Andrew Miller, George Donoghue and Phil Christophers, who went onto play at full international level. Lancashire Cup competitions started at this time and LRGS won the first three on offer at U13, U14 and U15 level, leading to confirmation as Lancashire County RUFC “School of the Year.” In the 2000s, there were 18 Group International caps for James Keany, Robin Boot, Oliver Viney and Magnus Lund, who went onto play at full international level. In 2003, with the inception of a Lancashire Cup

A history of Lancaster Royal Grammar School asserts “Rugby Football now is probably as strong as it ever has been at LRGS”. The coaches over most of the last forty years were Shaun Higgins, who coached Lancashire Schools to an unbeaten record on tour against New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and ACT in 1986 and the North of England 18 Group to consecutive unbeaten divisional championships in 1988-89. Shaun was the inspiration behind a long period of development in LRGS rugby and his influence on its success cannot be underestimated. Doug Walker took on the challenge in 1990 for 12 years and also coached England 18 Group for three years including their successful tour of Canada, Australia and New

L

2013 Leavers, Matt Beaty, James Worlock and Tom Deacon who all played for Lancashire U18s together.

Zealand where Magnus Lund and Robin Boot were in the squad that defeated Australia. More recently, Mick Curran’s record stands in comparison with anybody. As Head of Games, Brian Bonney’s influence, especially in organising major tours, has been very significant. Under Director of Sport Andrew Rice and Fylde RFC Captain and 1st XV Coach Evan Stewart Sevens Rugby has expanded in the Lent Term with the 2011/12 XV captained by Sam Moody, winning the Stonyhurst Sevens defeating King’s Macclesfield by a record margin (44-5) in the final. The VII went on to reach the quarter-final of the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens and notably accounted for Millfield 31-7 at the Sedbergh Tens in a strong finish to their season. In December 2012, OLs Andrew Abraham and Stuart Brown played for Cambridge in the Varsity match, in Stuart Brown’s case his third appearance. The strength of LRGS rugby has continued, as Jordan Dorrington proudly represented England Counties in a game against Scotland, alongside current 1st XV Coach, Evan Stewart. Notable results have continued, and include victory against Kirkham Grammar School (16-13), Myerscough Rugby Academy (19-12) and Manchester Grammar School (24-19). In the summer of 2016, LRGS are to tour South Africa, captained by current Head of School, Nick Phillips.

1st XV - South Africa Tour 2012.

71

L OL COMMITTEE AND BRANCH SECRETARIES’ CONTACT DETAILS

O

OFFICERS: Chairman: Rod Burgess, Cantsfield House, Cantsfield, Carnforth LA6 2QT. 015242 72463 email: [email protected] President: Prof Martin S Alexander, Dol-Fach, Llanilar, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 4NZ. 01974 241007 email: [email protected] Vice President: Lincoln R Allison, 5 Beauchamp Hill, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5NH. 01926 424610 email: [email protected] Headmaster: Dr Chris J Pyle, LRGS, East Road, Lancaster LA1 3EF. 01524 580600 email: [email protected] Hon Secretary: Peter V Dyer, Knoll Cottage, 23 Lindeth Road, Silverdale, Carnforth LA5 0TT. 01524 702319 email: [email protected] Hon Treasurer: P Tony Whiteway, Senior Partner, CLB Coopers, Fleet House, New Road, Lancaster LA1 1EZ. 01524 541200 email: [email protected]

COMMITTEE: Chris Balmer, 38 Wentworth Drive, Lancaster, LA1 3RJ email: [email protected] Richard J S Brigg, Conder Bank, Ellel, Lancaster LA2 0QG. 01524 751402 email: [email protected] Michael Burrow, 11 Coronation Way, Lancaster, LA1 2TQ email: [email protected] Douglas H Cameron, 11 Brantwood Drive, Lancaster LA1 4NX. 01524 64574 email: [email protected] Bill J Harris, The Borrans, Whinfell Drive, Lancaster LA1 4NY. 01524 383735 email: [email protected] Richard A Furlong-Brown, The Common Room, LRGS, East Road, Lancaster LA1 3EF. 01524 32436 email: [email protected] Don G R Gardner, 8 St Paul’s Drive, Lancaster LA1 4SR. 01524 63896 email: [email protected] Dr N Hugh M McKinney, 17 Heysham Avenue, Morecambe LA3 2DH. 01524 852293 email: [email protected]

Duncan Stackhouse, 1 Langthwaite Terrace, Littlefell Lane, Lancaster, LA2 0RF email: [email protected]

EX-OFFICIO: Jenny Cornell, Development Office, LRGS, East Road, Lancaster LA1 3EF. 01524 580608 email: [email protected] Jake Haddow, Alumni Officer, Development Office, LRGS, East Road, Lancaster LA1 3EF. 01524 580612 email: [email protected]

BRANCH SECRETARIES: Australia: Richard C Batterley, 10 Yeramba, Berowra, New South Wales 2081, Australia. +61 2 9456 5767 email: [email protected] Cambridge: Dr John A Leake, St John’s College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP. 01223 338600 email: [email protected] Cotswolds: J Tony Heaford, Bellevue, Publow Lane, Publow, Nr Pensford, Bristol, BS39 4HP. email: [email protected] East Lancashire: Andrew R Clark, Stag House, Red Lane, Colne, Lancashire, BB8 7JW. email: [email protected] Leeds: Phil Garnett, 21 Beringa, Gotts Road, Leeds, LS12 1DE emails: [email protected] London: Richard A Salmon, 3 Park Lodge, Wapping Lane, London E1W 2RN. 07786703982 email: [email protected] Manchester: S J Aughton, Business Support Manager, Electricity Alliance North, Sir William Siemens House, Princess Road, Manchester, M20 2UR. 07808823149 email: [email protected] New Zealand: Keith T Aldren, 52 Scotia Street, Nelson, New Zealand. 0064 547 0123 email: [email protected] North America: David C Lamb, 817 E. Southampton Ave, Wyndmoor, PA 19038. +001 267 246 1423 email: [email protected] North East: Mark Booth, Associate Director, Wolfson Research Institute, University of Durham, Queen’s Campus, TS17 6BH email: [email protected] Oxford: Vacancy. email [email protected]

Grant A Nickson, Sawrey House, Cockerham Road, Bay Horse, Lancaster, LA2 0HE. 01524 792786 email: [email protected]

South West: Ted H Barlow, Conifers, Constantine Bay, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8JJ. 01841 520155 email: [email protected]

Mark Robinson, 26 Scotforth Road, Lancaster, LA1 4SB email: [email protected]

Hong Kong: Patrick Dransfield, patrick.dransfield@ inhousecommunity.com and Chris Percy, chrispercy20@ hotmail.com

Kevin Sanderson, 8 Redshank Drive, Heysham, Morecambe, LA3 2WF email: [email protected]

72

School Development Office: 01524 580608. email: [email protected]

O

L

ENDOWED 1472

Lancaster Royal Grammar School East Road, Lancaster, LA1 3EF Tel: 01524 580 608 Email: [email protected] www.lrgs.org.uk

Suggest Documents