THE Alumni Magazine of Exeter School
Changing vistas Assembly Hall 50 years on www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni
Issue 4 Autumn 2015
Contents Feature: Back to School Alumni in focus School news Feature: 50 years of Assembly Hall News of Exonians
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Alumni in focus
The OE Club Noticeboard
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Photo credits and captions:
Crossing the Atlantic
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Front cover: Dining Hall and Butterfield Buildings 2015, photography by Karen Dart. Contents: Top: Lion cubs in Kenya, www.ewasolions.org. Middle: Tom Rainey (2009) and Lawrence Waters celebrate at Salcombe, www.oceanvalour.co.uk. Bottom: Team 55 at Ten Tors, 2015.
01392 458941 alumnisec@exeterschool.org.uk Exeter School Alumni Office Victoria Park Road Exeter EX2 4NS
The tale of Team 55
www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni
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Twitter: @ExeterSchoolUK LinkedIn: Exeter School Alumni (Old Exonians) Facebook: Exeter School Alumni TM
This publication is produced by Exeter School and printed by Maslands Ltd. We welcome stories for consideration. Contributions may be edited for content and length.
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Welcome
John Allchurch (1939-1942) and his wife Elspeth enjoying a tour with John Davidson.
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e hope you will enjoy reading the fourth issue of The 1633. During 2015, we have launched our alumni careers network, celebrated 50 years of the assembly hall, run a variety of social events and welcomed back those who attended the School in the 1940s and 1950s to their reunion in September.
benefitted from guest lectures and presentations by Exonians. Do get in touch if you would like to arrange a tour of the School or offer a talk.
Do come and join us for an event in 2016. The programme is regularly updated on the website and details are sent out by email. Please keep us It is always a pleasure to show past pupils around up to date with your contact details. the School during term time when you can see the School in action. It is lovely to hear your memories Best wishes, and show you how the buildings and teaching have changed. Our classrooms and societies have also John Davidson, Director of Alumni Relations
Welcome from the Headmaster
I Headmaster Bob Griffin with Junior School Headmistress Sue Marks.
n September, we welcomed over 100 Old Exonians from the 1930s to recent leavers. It was particularly rewarding to meet alumni from the 1940s and 1950s, many accompanied by partners, some of whom had travelled from across the world and many of whom had not been back for 50 years or more. Though some did not recognise the new buildings and facilities, there was a strong sense that the core values of the School and its ethos were similar to what they remembered, albeit now in a co-educational atmosphere. We love hearing about the activities of our former pupils. It is reassuring to see Exonians making their way so purposefully, and often altruistically, in all walks of life, sharing their expertise and advice with our pupils in careers, networking and informal reunions. With best wishes, Bob Griffin
We are sending this issue of The 1633 by post to all Exonians whose addresses we have except those who have specifically requested to receive copies of publications electronically. If you would like to receive future issues electronically, then please visit the ‘update your details’ page on the alumni pages of the School website, tick the drop box and ensure your email details are correct. Alternatively, telephone Karen Dart, the Alumni Secretary, on 01392 458941. This magazine and two other school publications, the annual Exonian and bi-annual Exeter School Life can be read on the alumni news section of the School website. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 3
Careers
Inspiring the next generation The Alumni Office is developing the Exeter School Alumni Careers Network to provide help and advice to current and former pupils
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hether you are just starting on your own career path or wish to share your career experience, the Exeter School Alumni Careers Network provides ways to engage with Exonians at all levels and to offer support to current pupils.
Past pupils studying and working in a variety of fields and professions continue to offer their assistance to the current generation of pupils and recent leavers, sharing their professional expertise and offering guidance.
This autumn we have launched a new programme of The Alumni Office works closely with the Careers professional careers networking events, to benefit both Department and the Sixth Form team to welcome alumni already established in a career and those about alumni back to School for the benefit of the pupils. to embark on their career journey.
Careers talks
Greg Orrell (1991-1998) talked to fifty pupils from the Engineering Society and Crossing Club about his role as a Petroleum Engineer, drawing on his experience in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. He showed how much variety there was in his work and the ways in which different A Levels and university degrees could lead into a career in the oil industry. The School was very pleased to host a visit from Dair Farrar Hockley, MC (19601965), who returned to Exeter to give two Greg Orrell with Manoj Chitnavis, Chemistry teacher presentations to current pupils. Dair served and Higher Education Advisor, and Sixth Form scientists. in the Army for thirty years and became the Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is currently a senior fellow at The Institute for Statecraft. Dair gave a presentation to Upper Fifth and Sixth Form pupils from the CCF Army Section on his experiences on the front line, emphasising the importance of leadership, teamwork, and experience. He then shared ideas with Sixth Form NCOs on the opportunities and challenges of a career in the Armed Forces, in a round table seminar. After school, he addressed a large audience of pupils, parents and staff on 'Whither Freedom? a glimpse at the geopolitical pressures facing today’s generation of Sixth Formers'. Dair is pictured left with Army Scholars Alex Newman and Amanda Herring who gave him a tour of the School. 4 | The 1633 - Autumn 2015
London professionals networking event Exonians from the 1950s to recent leavers representing a variety of careers went to the first professionals networking event for Exonians in London. Head of Sixth Form, Alison Marsh, and Director of Alumni Relations John Davidson hosted the evening at the Counting House, Cornhill, in the heart of the City, in November. Undergraduates at various London Colleges enjoyed meeting and exchanging career ideas with those working in the capital and everyone was able to catch up with School news. The evening included a short presentation on different ways to maximise career prospects by Governor and past pupil Gillian Hodgetts (1984-1986), Deputy Director of Communications and Marketing, South Central Ambulance Service. The School was grateful for the several offers of careers support for current pupils that were received.
David Hough (1952-1956), Gillian Hodgetts (19841986) and David Leon (1954-1961) at the London professionals networking event.
Sixth Form interview scheme Every pupil in the Upper Sixth took part in the annual interview scheme held in October, during which they experienced two searching interviews and received invaluable feedback. The interviews took place in the offices of Gilbert Stephens LLP in Southernhay and the Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) building in the Medical Centre at the RD and E. Amongst the forty volunteers in the team of interviewers were alumni GP Rob Tim Downer with Headmaster Bob Griffin and Careers Green, Environment Agency Flood & Coastal Risk Advisor Ruth Cheesman Management Officer Tim Lee, Ashfords Solicitor Tim Heal, freelance PR Consultant Lucy Sainsbury, Land and property networking evening Finance Director at InteractCC Steve Perring and Laura McFadyen, Solicitor at Stephens Scown. On Tuesday 22 September, Exeter School ran its first careers networking evening for Exonians in the South West working in careers related to land, property and development. Nearly fifty OEs representing careers from surveying, estate management, property development and planning to law, marketing and investment enjoyed a convivial buffet and drinks reception and the opportunity to meet with recent leavers studying related subjects at university and current Sixth Form pupils. The evening included a keynote talk by Richard Short, Exeter’s Assistant Director City Development, entitled ‘Future Rob Green (1994-2001) and Tim Lee (1994-2005), flagship developments in Exeter’ which provided an second and third from left, with Upper Sixth interviewees. overview of the various schemes planned or already underway in the city. In erratum: We apologise for stating incorrectly in issue 3 that Barrister Sarah Hornblower (née Butler, The Champagne prize for the Business Card draw, 1998-2000) is a QC, and for any inconvenience that kindly provided by The Royal Institute of Chartered this may have caused. Surveyors (RICS), was presented by Regional Director, Lynn Robinson, to Jonathan Oram-Evennett (1987If you can help in any way with careers advice, 1994). The evening was supported by Westerly BMW please contact Alumnisec@exeterschool.org. thanks to Tim Downer (1974-1981). uk or 01392 458941. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 5
Feature
Rowing the Atlantic Exonian Tom Rainey (2007-2009) experienced 93 days of adventure and endurance across the Atlantic
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n May 2015, two Devon rowers set off from New York to row the Atlantic from West to East in a small ocean rowing boat. Tom Rainey, (20072009) and his friend, Lawrence Waters, formed Team Ocean Valour in a bid to beat the 119-year-old record for the fastest row from New York to the Scilly Isles of 55 days. They aimed to raise £250,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity, inspired by the untimely death of Tom’s father Luke from that disease in 2012. Although 60 crews have attempted this challenging row, by the start of 2015, only 23 had been successful. In preparation for the voyage, Tom interspersed his shift work on an oil drilling ship with designing their boat Yves and, once the full cost was realised, running
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a major campaign to raise over £50,000 to get the project off the ground. Fortunately, after nearly exhausting his modest sources of funding, he was lucky to secure major sponsorship from Thrifty Car and Van Rentals and several other companies which provided much needed kit as well as logistical support. Tom then embarked on a serious campaign to raise his fitness, supported by the PE instructors at 40 Commando, Royal Marines at Taunton. They initially doubted his ability to row across Lyme Bay but eventually helped him prepare fully for the worst of the Atlantic, both physically and more importantly, mentally.
By April 2015, Tom was in New York making final preparations when he received news of a major setback. His training partner and fellow rower Sam Coombs had injured his back and could not row. After an anxious phone call to France, Tom persuaded Lawrence, who was ski-ing in the Alps, to pack his bag and fly to New York. Team Ocean Valour sailed on time, although with wind and tide against them, it took all their strength to clear the Hudson River and leave the Manhattan skyline behind. At first all went well and they made excellent progress, but then became caught in a huge eddy of water in the Mid Atlantic that carried them way off course. For several days no progress was made, until they finally broke out of the current and resumed their true course. This delay was to prove costly. They were caught in a very deep low pressure system with hurricane force winds and had to literally batten down the hatches and stay undercover for two days. Rowing was impossible, and just when they thought it could not get worse, they suffered a capsize. Fortunately, the boat was self-righting, although the cabin was left in chaos.
When the storm abated, Tom and Lawrence reestablished their rhythm and at the end of May rowed 112.5 nautical miles (129 miles) breaking the existing Guinness World Record for the furthest distance rowed in a day by nearly 10 nautical miles. June became July and they realised they were not going to make the crossing in 55 days and that they faced another problem. Their food supplies were running low and, as the row was unsupported, they could not ask for assistance. With great perseverance and despite increasing fatigue they rowed on and entered the English Channel. This was when Tom really appreciated the training from the Marines which helped him to keep focussed mentally. On the afternoon of Tuesday 4 August, they were met by a huge flotilla of small ships off Salcombe and escorted into harbour where hundreds of well-wishers joined their families to greet them. They became the youngest team to have completed this voyage unsupported from west to east. Tom has raised just short of ÂŁ100,000 for the charity which will go to help the early detection of brain tumours to enable those with the disease to have the best treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.
Tom Rainey (20072009) visited Exeter School in September when he gave an exciting account of his adventures at sea, inspiring many budding sailors to consider voyages of their own.
Any OEs who wish to contribute to Tom’s charity fundraising can go to www.just-giving/ OceanValour. Tom now plans to provide help and training advice to others who are planning challenging ocean rowing projects.
www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 7
Alumni in focus
Scaredy cats Alayne Oriol Cotterill (1987-1989) has been studying lion behaviour for 22 years.
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t is not hard to understand why a person would be scared of a lion; a male lion can weigh over two hundred kilograms, most of which is muscle. On top of their obvious physical prowess, they possess an almost psychopathic lack of empathy for the suffering of their prey, and a large appetite. What Alayne Oriol Cotterill (1987-1989) has always found fascinating is why a lion would be scared of us. Alayne started studying lion behaviour when she was 22 years old. She had been looking for a field project for her MSc. and overheard the Director of a Zimbabwean wildlife area at a party saying that he had a problem with lions. With that mix of arrogance and ignorance that comes with youth, and no doubt helped by the beers she had drunk before, she blurted out “I can sort that out for you”. If she had stopped to think she might have realised that this was a dubious claim given her lack of experience but at Exeter School she was given the opportunity to push herself to physical and mental limits: Ten Tors, (you do know it’s not a race right?), Lympstone endurance course, flying planes... maths. She started out her working life believing that there was nothing that she couldn’t succeed at if she tried hard enough. Her conviction resulted in a fully funded research project looking at lion foraging behaviour. The rugged terrain in her new study area soon made it apparent that in order to study lions she had to follow them on foot. Wild lions are not friendly creatures, they didn’t welcome Alayne into the bosom of their
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pride. In fact, they frequently reminded her that she was an unwelcome guest by charging at her growling; a noise that is hard to describe in words. In short, they terrorised her on a daily basis. Thankfully, she was blessed at birth with a reaction to danger similar to that of a rabbit - she freezes. While not so great for a rabbit in the path of a car this, as it turns out, is exactly the right thing to do when charged by a lion. Prey that runs away elicits a chase response. Drag a piece of string past a house cat and see the same response. Something that doesn’t run looks formidable, and makes a lion doubt. She had never been described as formidable, stubborn maybe, but certainly not formidable in a lion scaring sort of way. The fact she made angry lions think twice before killing her was interesting. It went even further, she discovered that if she ran confidently at a pride of lions, she could make them run away, even abandon a kill. Twenty-two years later, Alayne is still fascinated by how fear of humans shapes the behavioural ecology and conservation of the world’s top predators. Her research has shown that lion survival is not only affected by humans directly - people kill lions in defence of life and livelihood and, sometimes, for fun - but humans also affect lions by scaring them, thus causing them to make behavioural adjustments in order to avoid being killed. Fear is an important survival tool for all intelligent animals, even the king of beasts. The key, maybe, is knowing when to run and when to stand your ground. www.ewasolions.org
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obyn Lockyer (2005-2012) has had a strong interest in natural hazards and disaster geography since studying volcanoes and earthquakes at School. As part of her Geography degree at Cambridge University, she took the opportunity to do her dissertation in the field of disaster recovery. She was particularly interested in the socio-political factors and governance of disaster management and on building ‘resilience’ to natural disasters and the ability to ‘bounceback’ quickly following a disruption. Her research focussed on resilient recovery after Hurricane Sandy hit New York in October 2012. Hurricane Sandy had a devastating effect. The effects of the storm surge, floods and resultant fires caused $19 billion in damage and 43 fatalities. The low lying Rockaway Peninsula, close to sea level, was one of the worst affected areas. It was also the location of some of the poorest neighbourhoods in the City. Data was collected over five weeks in 2014 through interviews with different stakeholders including local residents, community-based organisations, local service providers and government representatives. Robyn attended a number of community meetings and workshops which discussed various local recovery initiatives.
After the Storm
She discovered, through her research, that the recovery from Sandy within the Rockaways had been a very slow and prolonged process: resources from both the city and external organisations have taken much longer than expected to reach the areas where they are Robyn Lockyer (2005-2012) went to New York to research the impact needed most. of Hurricane Sandy. Many residents felt that the Peninsula community had been particularly forgotten by the city government and, as a result, responsibility had been placed on community-based groups to direct the recovery efforts, with limited resources. The area’s ability to ‘bounce-back’ quickly following Sandy had been very limited. Robyn was very grateful to the Old Exonian Club for supporting her research visit and the grant went
specifically towards the costs of travelling across New York to reach different field sites and interview locations. She graduated in June 2015 and has enjoyed a summer internship with the Met Office in Exeter. She hopes to start a career within the sustainability sector following a postgraduate course next year and would be really interested in hearing from OEs who are currently working within this field. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 9
School news Seven times lucky for Crossing
Record-breaking results
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rossing House won the annual House competition for the seventh time in Mike Wilcock’s xeter School pupils, parents and staff are eighteenth year as Head of House (pictured here celebrating a record year for A Level results with with House Captain Hannah Francis and Deputy Head an overall pass rate of 100% for the twelfth year of House Emily Whittall). Mike stepped down from in a row. 27% of all grades were A*, a record 70% of his Head of House role in 2015 but continues to teach grades were either A* or A and a record 92% of all languages. grades were A*, A or B. 54 pupils - over half of Exeter st School’s Upper Sixth - achieved three A*/A grades or more this summer. For the first time in Exeter School’s history, a pupil has succeeded in achieving an A*in five A Level subjects. Upper Sixth Former Seb Wright goes on to read Physics and Philosophy at Brasenose College, Oxford. A record 84.3% of GCSE results were A* or A grades with 80 pupils attaining eight or more A* or A grades and 50 pupils scoring 10 A*/A grades or more.
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Rob Baxter puts 1 XV through their paces
New Chaplain
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ew chaplain, Reverend Tom Carson, was licensed officially in Chapel by The Bishop of Crediton, The Right Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, on Saturday 19 September. Reverend Tom, as he is called by pupils, is Exeter School’s first full-time he 1st XV had a masterclass with none other chaplain in many years. Previously Head of Religious than Exeter Chiefs’ Head Coach, Rob Baxter, Studies at Wallington High School for Girls, Tom joins in September. Supported by Westerly Exeter Exeter School from Mortlake and East Sheen in South BMW, thanks to Exonian Tim Downer (1974– West London where he was parish curate. 1981), Rob spent the afternoon with the lucky rugby players. He said Exeter School was a fantastic environment to work in with first-class facilities.
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Medical offers
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en Exeter School pupils received offers for medically related courses at top universities across the country. Seven 2015 leavers received medical offers this year and three 2014 leavers were offered places.
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Charity day raises over £2,000
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xeter School’s Sixth Form Charity Committee has helped raise valuable funds for local charity, Hospiscare, as well as the Karen Hill Tribes Trust run by alumnus Will Harnden (19982005). The charitable event was held in the school playing fields, where teams battled each other playing bubble football alongside welly throwing, face painting and a multitude of fairground games, raising over £2,000.
Community service and adventure
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rom the dramatic rice terraces of the North and the unique karsts of Ha Long Bay to the bustle of the Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, 36 pupils and staff experienced the diversity of Vietnam on a fourweek expedition. The intrepid team combined trekking in remote areas with renovating a primary school from a run-down building in desperate need of attention, to a place fit for education for many years to come.
Back to school for Carnegie Award winner
New Headmistress for Juniors
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xeter School is pleased to welcome Sue Marks as Headmistress of Exeter Junior School. Sue is a very experienced and compassionate primary sector leader whose career began as a medical scientist working in Pathology and Clinical Biochemistry. She later moved into education, qualified as a teacher in Essex and has been involved in primary teaching now for over twenty years. In 2012, she received The Astra Zeneca Primary Science Teacher Award and was invited to become a Fellow of the PSTT College (Primary Science Teaching Trust), which promotes the provision of excellent primary science throughout the country.
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xeter School was delighted to welcome back alumnus Kevin Brooks (1970-1977) to speak to pupils from both his former school and four local secondary schools. The Carnegie Award winner spoke to over 200 excited pupils about his childhood and how much he had enjoyed reading, English lessons, composing music and immersing himself in the adventures of story characters. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 11
Feature
50 years of the 12 | The 1633 - Autumn 2015
assembly hall
Enhanced facilities for Exeter School‌ www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 13
Feature Overleaf: Exonians from the 1940s and 1950s with their partners on OE Day 2015. Below: Assembly Hall (Paul Building) under construction in 1965.
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n 1961, government inspectors carried out a full inspection of Exeter School where they noted the “improvement in every direction since the last inspection and generally satisfactory condition of the School”.
Pupils lead presentation on the Vietnam expedition in Monday assembly, October 2015.
However, following that inspection, the governors noted the need for visionary plans for the future development of the School, to include the provision of new buildings. The top priority was for an assembly hall incorporating a new dining hall for which some money had already been raised by the OEs. At that time, facilities for both pupils and staff were inadequate for the developing school. All pupils ate their meals in the Butterfield Hall while room 1 was the staff common room. The only space for the whole School to gather together was either outside on the Quad, or squashed into the Chapel. With no school hall, plays, musicals and concerts were staged in St Luke’s theatre, in local churches, at the university, in the cathedral or occasionally in the Gymnasium (now the Drama Studio). The Headmaster at the time, F.K. Paul, embarked on designing the new building to be built on fields and gardens alongside the Junior School and began the major task of raising sufficient funds through a Development Appeal. Construction took place from 1964 to 1965 but, sadly, F.K. Paul died on 11 May 1965 without seeing the completed building. The new Assembly Hall was formally opened on 12 November 1965 and appropriately named the Paul Building. An official music concert was staged a week later followed by the Old Exonian Dinner attended by 136 OEs.
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Play rehearsal in the recently completed Assembly Hall, Autumn 1965.
Since 1965, the Assembly Hall has been used for senior school assemblies, formal events and, of course, concerts, plays and musicals, while the Dining Hall has undergone a number of modifications over the years and, most recently, an extension to provide more capacity in 2012. The upstairs of the Paul Building originally provided a new staff common room and offices for the Headmaster and his secretary, but has housed the Economics and Politics classrooms since the opening of the Tower extension in 2006.
The other Hut Several OEs have provided further information on the ‘other Hut’ that occupied the present piazza area. This hut was erected in the 1940s, probably acquired from previous use elsewhere. Once Music moved to the ‘Old San’ in 1955, Mike Runnells (1955-1962) reports that History was taught there by Eric Halliday and George Ayres. Peter Nowell (1966-1973) adds that French was also taught in this Hut by Mr Wood and English by Robin Pickering. It was also, for a time, the Late Room, where you had to report if you arrived after 9am, and was often full of pupils from the Teignmouth train. Tony Orchard (1935-1940) remembers Music Lessons being taught by Mr G Bradford in another wooden hut located between the Andrews Hall and the Art Room which contained a piano and other instruments. We have been unable to locate any photos of this hut; possibly it was the foreman’s hut erected during the building of the ‘new wing’(Andrews Building) in the 1930s and put to a different use. We welcome any further information.
Work in progress 1964.
Mystery Object School dinners in the Butterfield Hall in 1960s, before new Dining Hall was built.
Front of Dining Hall in 2011 before construction of the 2012 extension.
The mystery object from the June issue has been identified as a swagger stick and is of similar design to those of the Devonshire Regiment. Swagger sticks were carried by certain commissioned officers and Senior NCOs in World War I as part of their ‘walking out’ uniform and were put to practical use testing the strength of the ground for the movement of guns and tanks and, occasionally, for self-defence. In the 1930s and 1940s, they were carried by Cadet Sergeants in the Officer Training Corps and Junior Training Corps (which later became the CCF). This one has been donated to the School by the family of A.W. Hurst. He taught at Exeter School in the 1940s and was the Officer Commanding the School OTC who produced the design for painting on the Corps Drum. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 15
Memory lane
Return to the Moor The story of Team 55
Nine OEs set out to complete the 55-mile Ten Tor expedition at age 55 on its 55th anniversary. Bill Foster (1975) survived to tell the tale… (just!)
The beginnings 21 October 2014: “Apologies for the impersonal cold call. This is not a scam.” So began the email from Steve Hodder (1969-1976). Little did I realise how this email would change my life and those of other past pupils unseen for over 40 years, over the next seven months.
Achilles tendon, and unpredictable working hours, but I’d added I knew something of Dartmoor legends and was salivating like a phantom hound.
Before the event
Steve had persuaded the Army to allow some Old Exonians who had completed the Tors Tors Challenge in the 1970s to mark its 55th anniversary by doing it again in 2015. The aim was to walk the 55-mile route, which had eluded us at School. As we were all around 55 years of age or a bit older, we would be Team 55, to walk 55 miles in the 55th year of Ten Tors.
7 December 2014: We meet for a gentle stroll at Belstone. Returning to the pub, jobs are allocated: Army liaison, kit, Facebook, Just Giving and PR. A key element was the training regime and our next excursion was a 13-mile hike in the West Mendips. Then it got harder, to toughen us up. Miserable slippery climbs on the East Devon coast path in driving rain followed by spectacular snowy walks around Fernworthy and a rush across a bog in a blizzard in the dark to the Warren House Inn.
My email response probably sat in Steve’s ‘whinge bag’ folder with its references to the bad knee, recurring
As training progressed, it got harder still and we became two teams, based on speed. We honed route-
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as the miles build up. Then the final push and we are clapped in by Army honour guard, a crowd of supporters and two of our Mums aged 90. We think never again but clutch our medals and head for the bath. Team 55 included nine OEs, Steve Hodder (1976), Bob Barnes (1976), Mike Shere (1974), Geoff (1973) Keith (1974) and Andy Briggs (1976), with wife Bunny (ex St Margaret’s); Stu Eyles (1975), Rich Sharman (1978), Bill Foster (1975) and four honorary OEs Keith Down, John Farbrother, Peter Rider and Andrew Mason, plus team manager Jo Mason.
After the event October 2015: Team 55 has raised over £10,000 for its chosen four charities: Dartmoor Rescue, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, ABF - The Soldiers Charity and Prostate Cancer UK. Six members of Team 55 met up again to do the 2015 The Abbots’ Way Walk and there is talk of tackling the famous Nijmegen Marches. Photo credit: Keith Briggs
finding, packing, carrying, blister dressing, nut eating and wild camping skills. We got a lot fitter!
May 2015 – the event itself 9 May 2015: Reveille to rap: a huge breakfast from our support slaves. Helicopters whir overhead. Guns fire and over 2,000 youngsters rush out onto the moor. Team 55 plod off and the moor swallows us up. We begin to think; 30lb rucksacks - why? Walking 26 hours in two days - why? Through tussocks to the featureless Rough Tor once again with compass bearings in swirling mist. We pitch camp at 2209 hours Saturday night and some Top: Team 55B pause on their final leg home. get less than three hours’ sleep. Bottom: Team 55A after crossing the finishing line. On Sunday we walk on, conscious of the pain and aches www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 17
Alumni events
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10 1. Tim Ridgway (2008-2013), Rob Burrows (1995-2006) and Eleanor Sharman (2003-2014) at the Land and Property networking evening, September 2015. 2. Courtenay Ponting (1949-1954), David Hough (1952-1956), Eleni Ponting, Geoffrey Bird (19471956), John Jago (1949-1956), Alice Brookes (2002-2011) and Paul Šljivic (Deputy Head) at the 1940s and 1950s reunion, September 2015. 3. Graham Tillyer (1950-1958), Jonny Davidson (2004-2011), John Davidson, Jamie Hignett (20042011) and Samara Lawrence (2003-2011) enjoy the London Sunday Brunch at the Blue Anchor in Hammersmith, June 2015. 4. Peter Wilkinson 1953-1963, Roger Lavis (1950-1955) and David Harrison (1949-1955) at the OE Dinner in September 2015. 5. Stuart Eyles (1968-1975), Michael Parrott (1964-1971), and Claire Wilcox (1978-1980) at the Bristol Exonians Buffet Reception, Goldbrick House, October 2015. 6. Head of Sixth Form Ali Marsh, Tim Heal (1976-1987), Ian Williams (1984-1986), Isobel Tilley (2003-2010) and Ben Boyland (1988-1993) at the Land and Property networking evening. 7. Dair Farrar Hockley, MC (1960-1965) chatting to Sixth Form pupils after his ‘Whither Freedom’ talk in October. 8. Former Head of German Ian Davis (1991-2002) with Lucy Rutledge (2001-2008) Exchange Coordinator Sam Wilson, John Davidson, U6 pupil Hannah Francis and Katie Symons (20022009) at 50 years of the Hildesheim Exchange celebration in the Music School in November. 9. Lawson Iley (1991-1996), Ikenna Iroche (1993-1995), Gillian Hodgetts (1984-1986), Nick Padget (1987-1992), Marcus Vass (1980-1985), John Davidson and Camilla Windham (20002005) at the London Professionals Networking event in November. 10. Leavers from 2014 and 2015 enjoying the Buffet Reception at the School Pavilion in September. Photos are also on the School website and Facebook page. Forthcoming events are on the back page. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 19
News of Exonians
Kate (Alice) Aggett (1998-2005) is now in her fourth year of teaching, having gained a PGCE from Oxford Brookes University. She has spent the last two years as Head of Middle School and Assistant House Parent at St Andrew's School in Kenya, a British International Boarding School in the Rift Valley. Kate has also begun a project which delivers inset training and mentorship to local Maasai teachers working in remote tribal communities. In her spare time she can be found backpacking around other African countries or trying to encourage her ancient 4x4 around game parks. She returns to Devon annually to catch up with friends and get her fix of seaside living. Dan Armstrong (2007-2014) was joint winner of the JC Holt Magna Carta Undergraduate Essay Prize and received an award from Melvyn Bragg in London at the Magna Carta society’s conference during his first year at Cambridge University where he is reading Medieval History. Dan gave a very entertaining talk to Exeter School’s Third Form on the history of the Magna Carta and its relevance to today’s societies in June. He answered numerous questions from excited pupils which included why he enjoyed studying History, what his favourite topics were and who represented Devon at Runnymede in 1215.
Julian Piper (1958-1964) has spent a lifetime spent playing blues music, including appearing at 2009 New Orleans Jazz Festival. Currently he writes for several music magazines and is awaiting publication of his book tentatively called Beer, Blues and Boudin by the LSU Press in Louisiana. He also regularly appears with his band Junkyard Angels. The photo is of Julian with B.B. King in 1999. www.julianpiper.com 20 | The 1633 - Autumn 2015
Brian Lavender (1946-51) and his wife Caroline spent five weeks house sitting for Peter Harrison (1946-1950) in Spring 2015 while Peter and his Dutch wife Erny went to New Zealand to visit his son on Waiheke Island. Brian and Caroline celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year and Brian’s 80th birthday in April. They keep very busy in Axminster where Brian is President of both the Kilmington Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Axe Yacht Club (at which David Mettam (1948-1955) is still a very active sailor and Trustee) and also attends a number of RAF reunions, particularly for the squadrons 6 and 29 that he commanded.
Emily Thomas (2009-2014) made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro on the morning of Thursday 10 September. She raised just over £3,000 and trekked for the Meningitis Research Foundation after walking up to 20K a day.
Joseph Alexander (1991-1998) moved to London to complete his A Levels. He is now a director and screenwriter in London involved in the production of music videos, films and commercials.
After leaving Exeter School, Lizzie Richards (née Cloke) (1998-2005) studied Modern Languages at University College, Durham with a year abroad, split between working for a wonderful family-run champagne house in Bouzy near Reims and studying and volunteering in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After graduating, Lizzie worked for the wine company Berry Bros. & Rudd in London, liaising between French producers and English customers. In 2012, she returned to Devon in 2012 to join the ‘family teaching trade’ by completing a Primary PGCE, with a specialism in French, at Exeter University. Lizzie is currently Deputy Head at the New School in Exminster, whose Headteacher is Michelle Taylor, formerly Junior School Headmistress at Exeter School (2001-2005). Lizzie teaches Year 2 pupils, many of whom transfer to Exeter Junior School in Year 3. She loves teaching and also enjoys singing in Exeter Chamber Choir with Andrew Daldorph. In August 2014, with many OEs present, Lizzie married RAF helicopter pilot Mike Richards, and settled in Lympstone. Tom Sharpe (2001-2008) has had another successful season of marathon kayaking, having started the sport while at Exeter School. The season started with the famous Devizes to Westminster 125-mile race held over the Easter weekend. Tom raced in the senior K1 (single kayak) race and won in a time of 16 hours 3 minutes, just one minute ahead of second place. Following this race, Tom entered the domestic races used for selection of the GB team. He was selected to race at the Marathon World Cup in Germany, where he was sixth and the Marathon World Championships in Hungary, where he was 16th in the senior K2 (double kayak). Tom now balances training sessions on the Thames with a job at KPMG in London.
Photo credit: www.olypics.co.uk
www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 21
Polly Whitfield (née Agg-Manning) (1997-1999) studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama after an amazing time studying A level drama with Stephanie Chrupek. After graduating, she worked in London and then returned to the South West where she took up a post at the Northcott theatre directing, producing and heading up outreach projects. From Exeter she went to the Hall for Cornwall as Head of Education. Having recently returned to Exeter, Polly is now freelancing for various theatres and companies in the arts world, and is happily married and mother to Otis and Clemmie. Polly is pictured (far left) with her sisters Emily Arbuthnott (née Agg-Manning) (19941996) and Harriet. Giles Coram (1992-2001) went to Cardiff to read Theatre Studies with Popular Music and Jazz and then attended The Arts Educational Schools London (ArtsEd) to continue his actor training and gain a Master’s degree. Since graduating in 2009, Giles has performed in several filming projects and plays, including appearing in The Mousetrap in London's West End, and has more recently performed alongside Patricia Routledge and Edward Fox in Oscar Wilde's, An Ideal Husband at Chichester Festival Theatre. Last year Giles moved to Bristol with his wife and two children and is currently touring the South West with Hands Up For Jonny Wilkinson’s Right Boot, an Arts Council-funded theatre piece that ties in with this year's Rugby World Cup.
Derek Jenkin (1940-1947) came over to study at Exeter School from Toronto and was a boarder in School House. He is now a retired paediatric oncologist and professor of paediatrics and radiation oncology at the University of Toronto. His four sons also travelled across the Atlantic to spend between one and three terms in School House. Michael (1976) is now Professor of Information Technology and Engineering at York University Toronto (robotics), Andrew (1979-1980) is an accountant at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas, Derek (1991-1992) is President of DJ Consultants (cyber defence services) and Paul (1984-1985) is a managing director at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Toronto. (Left to right Michael Jenkin, Andrew Jenkin, Derek Jenkin, Derek Jenkin (senior) and Paul Jenkin) Mike Bennett (1958-1965) spent six years in Raleigh House and his final year in School House before leaving Exeter School to train as a PE teacher. He then spent thirty-five years teaching PE and being Head of Year in Liverpool before retiring. After a three-year term as a Police Community Support Officer with Merseyside Police, he moved with his wife to the Shetland Isles where he enjoys the remote and wild beautiful islands and involvement in a very active local community as a community councillor.
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James Collett (2003-2010) completed his Royal Marines training course at CTCRM Lympstone in June and was chosen as one of five 'Diamonds' within his troop. At his passing out parade in June, he was awarded a Diamond Certificate, the Physical Training Medal, the Charnock Trophy and Best All Round Shot and also the much coveted King's Badge - four of the six awards available for recruits!
Emma Faraday (1994-1996) spent some time travelling abroad and working before studying for a Business Management degree through Exeter University. She then secured a graduate position as a trainee surveyor in Exeter, gained a Diploma in Surveying through the College of Estate Management at Reading University and, after further study and moving firms, became a Chartered Surveyor in 2004. An exciting and varied career has followed, working in both the public and private sectors on a number of different projects, focusing more latterly on larger regeneration schemes. In 2015, she set up, with a colleague, her own development advisory business called Hertford Investors Ltd. They currently advise on a large development project in Plymouth with which they have been involved for some years. Emma juggles a busy career with having a family and lives with her partner Andy and her two daughters on Dartmoor.
Courteney Ponting (1949-1954) joined the RAF for national service at the young age of 17, having been in both Drake and later School House. After the RAF, he worked in the men and women’s fashion industry, and took a commission with the RAFVR (T) to work with the Air Training Corps in the Bournemouth area. In 1963 he joined Pringle of Scotland as the area representative for the South of England and went to Canada in 1969 as Managing Director of Pringle Canada. In 1974 he married a Montreal girl and started his own fashion agency covering all of Canada, representing several high end British fashion houses including Burberry and Johnstons of Elgin. Courteney retired in 1998 and moved from Toronto to the Northumberland Hills just north of Cobourg. He and his wife enjoy travel, golf, musical theatre and choral singing and avoid the cold Canadian winters in their condo in Florida.
Graham Davis (1999-2006) went straight into a Masters Engineering degree at the University of Bath after leaving school where he joined the rowing club and became very keen on the sport. In his last year he was part of a team that designed and built a single seat formula style race car for the Formula Student competition. It was a genuine mini-motorsport team: they had a budget, found sponsors and learnt about design and manufacturing of high performance engineering. They raced it at Silverstone and took it to Austria to race in competitions with hundreds of teams from across the world. After graduation Graham carried on with his passions, working at the university and leading the rowing club. He undertook marketing and sustainability roles at different companies before being offered the chance to study for a PhD at Imperial College London working on sports biomechanics. As part of this he has spent a month in China which was very exciting. He enjoys living in London and plans to start his own business after his PhD. Please send us your news and photos. See the School website and Facebook page for more stories and galleries. www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 23
OE Club
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Profile of Giles Ashman, Games Captain
iles Ashman (GELA) (1982-1987) is the Old Exonian Games Secretary and an active member of the OE committee. He was appointed to the staff of the Junior School, then called the Preparatory School, by Headmaster Jeremy Lawford in 1997 to teach Form One and Games. Giles is now an Upper Two Form Tutor, teaches History and English, and is Head of Cricket and Football in the Junior School. His timetable also includes Third Form History and Lower Fifth and Sixth Form Games and he runs Sixth Form football, the U14 cricket, and the 2nd XI cricket. As OE Club Games Secretary, Giles co-ordinates OE v School sport programme with up to eight fixtures a year and the annual competition for the Joe Mullins Cup for School v OE sport. Everyone taught by Giles knows of his passion for football and Exeter City; he organises the School v OE football match each December. and helps run the OE v School cricket and tennis day in June. Intrigued by the November 2014 article in The 1633 on School ties, Giles suggested that a new Exonians tie should be produced featuring the Crossing Crest and using the School colours. Giles developed the design for the tie with the Alumni Secretary, Karen Dart, which can be purchased through the School shop on the website alongside new stocks of the traditional tie.
OE Dinner 2015 Over seventy Old Exonians joined the Headmaster, Bursar, staff and current senior prefects in the Dining Hall for the annual OE club dinner in September. Diners included retired teachers Trevor Huxtable, Keith Badman, Norman Shiel and John Jago (19491956). The Headmaster’s speech highlighted some of the recent achievements of the School and Giles Ashman summarised the sporting events of the year. The evening concluded with the presentation of the Joe Mullins cup for OE v School sports, won this year by the School.
Old Exonian merchandise now for sale A range of merchandise of interest to past pupils is available for sale. Items include new stocks of the traditional Old Exonians tie and the new Exonians tie. You can also buy the OE Cufflinks set, a silver compact mirror with the School crest, a glass paperweight, a whisky tumbler and the new School tea-towel featuring a view of the Butterfield Buildings. Shop items can be purchased from the Bursary at School and from the on-line shop on the website.
24 | The 1633 - Autumn 2015
Old Exonians v School Cricket Match
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fter the worries caused by unseasonal heavy overnight rain, the OE v School Cricket on Sunday 28 June started slightly later than planned and shortened to a T20 format. The OEs were keen to build on their 2014 success and considered that the shorter game would suit their skills and abilities. The School batted first and despite the vigorous bowling of Gillam Crouch who took 4 for 8, they reached 138 for 8. Matt Marsh (56) was ably supported by Ben Abrahams (29) in setting this spirited total for the OEs to chase. The OEs replied strongly with Anthony Dibble (38) and Ed Foreman (30) putting on 72 for the first wicket,
Francis Kinnier Paul Memoir
which laid a very solid foundation. However, apart from an energetic 21 from Henry Thompson (21), the OEs struggled down the order, with no one getting double figures! Consequently, the OEs fell just short of a win by 6 runs. Special mention should be made of Anthony Rugg who returned to Devon specially to run the score board, as he did so many times when he was a pupil. The T20 was judged a success and the 2016 game is planned to follow this on a Friday evening with a barbecue for players and spectators afterwards.
A review of the year 2014-2015
The illustrated memoir of Headmaster F.K. Paul, written by his son Marcus, was published in September 2015. It includes historic pictures from the 1950s and 1960s, sourced by the School Archivist, Kevin White. If you would like to receive a copy, please contact Karen Dart at alumnisec@exeterschool.org.uk and we will arrange for one to be posted to you, free of charge.
The annual Exeter School Speech Day was held in the School Hall in September. The guest speaker was Monty Halls, writer, explorer and TV presenter. A summary
of the Headmaster’s review of the year and a copy of the Speech Day programme can be sent on request to Old Exonians. Please contact alumnisec@ exeterschool.org.uk
www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni | 25
OE Day 2015 The day dawned fine for the annual Old Exonian Day on Saturday 12 September and the school looked wonderful in the warm September sunshine. Over 120 OEs, many with their partners, enjoyed the lunch, a talk from the Headmaster and tours of the School. A highlight of the afternoon was a concert for the OEs given by current pupils which included violin, French horn, Saxophone and 'cello solos and songs from shows including Anything Goes and Les Miserables.
The programme for the afternoon concluded with a cream tea outside the Exonian Centre and an opportunity to see the extensive photo display from the school archives, assembled by the archivist Kevin White, in both the Exonian Centre and the Butterfield Hall. In the evening, over 70 OEs joined the Headmaster, Bursar, staff and current senior prefects in the Dining Hall for the annual OE Club Dinner.
OE Committee 2015 - 2016 President Robin Thomas (1964-1971) Chairman James Brown (1994-1999) Secretary Peter German (1964-1972) Treasurer Chris Bush (1963-1974) Sports Secretary Giles Ashman (1982-1987) Archivist Kevin White (1953-1961) Other committee members are: Mary Davis (1990-1992), David Leon (1954-1961), Tom Petrilli, (1996-2001), Richard Sharman (19701978), Tony Smith (1952-1957) and John Davidson (staff). The Old Exonian Club AGM took place on 12 September 2015 and minutes of the 2014 and 2015 AGM are available on request. The Old Exonian Committee is currently looking for some additional members, and if you would like to join, please contact the secretary, Peter German, at peter@green-dale.co.uk Please visit the alumni pages of the School website for more photos and news www. exeterschool.org.uk/alumni 26 | The 1633 - Autumn 2015
OE v School Tennis The OE v School tennis match was played during the Tennis Family Day on Sunday 28 June. Luke Stitson (2006-2013) and Tom Blackshaw (2004-2015) represented the OEs but, in a closely fought contest, they narrowly lost to the School team.
1940s and 1950s OE reunion
O
n Friday 11 September, the School hosted a reunion event for pupils from the 1940s and 1950s organised by John Jago (1949-1956), Joe Mullins (1947-1955) and Kevin White (1953-1961), with the support of the Alumni Office. Nearly sixty past pupils returned to share memories and reminiscences, accompanied in many cases by their wives and partners. They enjoyed a buffet reception in the new Music School Hall where the School Jazz Quartet provided lively background music and there was an opportunity to view a selection of enlarged photos from 50-70 years ago. Many travelled long distances to come to
the reunion and their number included representatives from overseas including France, Australia and Canada. Several OEs had not been back to the School since the day they left and they were amazed by the changes, particularly the variety of modern buildings which had appeared in the intervening time and the attractive state of flower beds and grounds which surround them. There was some surprise that the pool was now heated and no longer contained the variety of wildlife that inhabited it in the 1950s. The majority of the OEs returned to School for the OE Day programme on the Saturday.
In memoriam It is with deep regret that we note the passing of William year of leaving Exeter School. John Richardson-White (1956) and Russell Fairhead Please visit www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni/obituaries (1945) since the last issue in June. The date shown is the for more in-depth tributes to former pupils and staff.
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Alumni noticeboard Exeter School in 100 objects
Mystery Object
The Alumni Office has received many suggestions of objects, buildings and memories that have helped define Exeter School over the years. Five objects which several OEs have mentioned are the Chapel Bell, the School Cap, the Tuck Shop, the Organ Pump Handle and the painting of Hugh Crossing from the Butterfield Hall. We hope to publish a photo gallery showing many of these objects, but we still need more ideas! If you have iconic memories from your time, do let us know by email or letter!
Andrew Lines (2010) correctly identified our mystery plaque from the June issue as the inscription on the brickwork in the entrance to the Chapel. This mystery object was found when some storage areas were cleared out in 2015. Do contact us if you can name it, identify which teacher used it in their lesson and for what purpose.
Vinyl request Many thanks to OEs who sent us vinyl recordings of Ivan Cole’s productions. We hope to make digital versions of these available in 2016. We would welcome the loan of others, particularly of the operas.
Forthcoming events A selection of alumni events is shown below. The full list of alumni events is updated regularly and can be found on the School website or via the Alumni Secretary, Karen Dart. Tickets are available from the School Box Office: www.exeterschool.org.uk/box-office Friday 4 - Friday 11 December Alumni Art Exhibition, Exeter School Art Gallery. Tuesday 8 December
National Trust Christmas Concert, Exeter Cathedral
Tuesday 15 December
School Christmas Concert, School Hall
Tuesday 15 December
Old Exonians v School Girls' Hockey Match, Old Exonians v School Football Match Exonians Dinner at Jesus College, Cambridge Exonians Dinner at Christ Church, Oxford Southampton Exonians Buffet and Drinks Reception, Highfield House Hotel London Social Event
Friday 26 February Saturday 27 February Tuesday 8 March March (date to be confirmed) Thursday 17 March Monday 21 March May (date to be confirmed)
Choral Society Concert, Exeter Cathedral Old Exonians v School Netball Match, Old Exonians v School Boys' Hockey Match Old Exonians Golf Day
May (date to be confirmed) Friday 1 July
Exonians London Dinner OE v School Cricket followed by BBQ
THE
We would like to keep in touch with past pupils and staff. You can update your details on the School website by visiting the alumni pages and completing the on-line form under ‘Contact Us’ or via the Alumni Secretary.
Alumni Magazine of Exeter School
01392 458941 alumnisec@exeterschool.org.uk Exeter School Alumni Office Victoria Park Road Exeter EX2 4NS www.exeterschool.org.uk/alumni Twitter: @ExeterSchoolUK Facebook: Exeter School Alumni LinkedIn: Exeter School Alumni (Old Exonians)