Going the Distance Sarah McDonald (06-11) on life and inspiration from her time at RGS Also in this issue: The Facts of Fiction | Arthur Milner | ONA Now and Then
Issue 98 | Autumn 2016
ONA Magazine Issue 98 Autumn 2016
Contents
ONA Magazine is the magazine for the Old Novocastrians’ Association Editor: Jane Medcalf All correspondence should be addressed to: The Development Office, Royal Grammar School, Eskdale Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX Telephone Development Office: 0191 212 8909 email: ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk The Editor reserves the right to edit, alter or omit all submissions to the magazine. Copy may be carried over to the next edition. The Editor’s decision is final.
Contribute!
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We are always looking for articles and news from Old Novos to include in the magazine, so send your contributions, via email (if possible) to: ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk or to the Development Office at the school. Please include relevant pictures if possible. They will be returned as soon as the magazine has been printed.
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The deadline for acceptance of copy for the Winter 2016 issue is 12 December 2016. Copy may be carried over to a future issue. Special thanks to David Goldwater (5162) for his research and contributions to the ONA Magazine, particularly on his search for A History of the RGS in Its People.
The ONA Magazine is available online Please note that the magazine is circulated in hard copy and on the ONA website shortly after circulation. By submitting an article or news for inclusion the contributor is accepting that it will be available through both formats and will also be accessible beyond the Association membership through internet search engines or any member of the public viewing the ONA website. www.ona.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk Please note that the ONA Magazine content does not necessarily reflect the views of the school or the ONA and is based on personal experiences, recollections and memories of its contributors. Design www.infinitedesign.com
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President’s Welcome News and Congratulations ONA Now and Then The Facts of Fiction Going the Distance A History of the RGS in Its People Obituaries
Welcome
Welcome to the autumn edition of the magazine. I write after our 91st Annual Dinner held at the school. It was largely dominated by reunions from the Classes of ’76 and ’91, who enjoyed an evening amongst old friends. The evening started with a dramatic rendition of Bach’s Toccata played on the school organ by U6th student Joseph Lord, followed by the head of performing arts, Zlatan Fazlić providing some piano jazz. Lord Beecham (53-62) was our Guest Speaker who enlightened us on life in the House of Lords, before the evening reached its merry conclusion. As always, it was a great night to catch up with some familiar faces, whilst others attended for the first time. Over the past two years these dinners have been the highlight of the ONA calendar for me and I would like to thank all my guest speakers, and especially Paul Gustard (84-94) who arranged for the England rugby team to sign some shirts, raising close to £1,500 in raffle sales for the Bursary Campaign. In July we were present at RGS Day, meeting current students and reminding the leavers about who we are and what we can offer. August saw yet another fantastic set of exam results: on behalf of the ONA, I would like to congratulate the Headmaster and his staff on their hard work that makes the school so special a place. We have our AGM on 16 November: everyone is welcome to attend. Having rekindled our relations with Novos RFC last year, we are proud to announce the fixture to honour John Elders (57-82 and 92-96) on 27 December at Sutherland Park: it would be fantastic to see many of you over the festive period. I prematurely wish a happy retirement for Headmaster, Bernard Trafford who is stepping down at the end of the academic year. This brings to a conclusion my time as President, but of course I couldn’t have done it alone and have many people to thank, notably Jane Medcalf, past Presidents David Goldwater (51-62) and David Westwood (95-02), and also my Vice-Presidents, Chris Wilson (97-02) and Joel Dickinson (91-01). I have been honoured to preside over the Association for the last two years and look forward to some of the things now in the pipeline coming to fruition! Fortiter Defendit Triumphans!
Chris Rutter (92-02) ONA President
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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
News and Congratulations We are delighted to have heard recently from…
From L-R: David McKinley, Tony Book, David Brown and David Franks
Eleni Papadopoulos
Roisin Inglesby
David McKinley (56-64), David Franks (54-65), David Brown (57-65) and Tony Book (54-64) from ‘The 1964 Biology 6th’ who recently revisited school for a tour with Jane Medcalf and Senior Prefects Phoebe Gittins and Matthew Clark.
Eleni Papadopoulos (08-10), former ParalympicsGB swimmer, cyclist and tri-athlete who returned to school for a tour and took great delight in seeing the new swimming pool. It was also good to see her attending the ONA Dinner.
Roisin Inglesby (03-05), former curator of architectural drawings at Historic Royal Palaces who revisited the school to give a Lower Sixth Enrichment Lecture entitled, What is Material Culture, (and why should you care)?
Nigel Ward (74-81) who returned to the RGS from Brussels to hold a one-day choir workshop and perform a concert – Nigel Ward & Friends – the same evening. The concert was in aid of Wardie’s Way, a charity raising funds for research into children’s cancers. Over £40,000 has been raised in total so far. Andrew Thompson (97-08) writes: I left the RGS in 2008 to read Chemistry at Manchester University. During my penultimate year of study I was given the opportunity by a government scheme to undertake a teaching placement over the summer. Over a three-week period, the school allowed me to return and observe teaching staff during lessons, attend a Year 7 camp, lead rugby training sessions and eventually take a Chemistry lesson of my own. Prior to my placement, my sole motivation was to avoid another summer of bar work, however, thanks to my experience over the three weeks, I now intend to pursue a teaching role, once I have followed a career in which I am using my chemistry commercially.
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RGS Day 2016 The ONA was pleased to see Vic Crew (58-64) and Chris Purdon (69-80) (Team GB 50-54 age group half marathon runner) return to school for RGS Day on 2 July. Chris had travelled overnight from Wales and was wearing his 1976 cross-country Colours Blazer. 2016 leavers and newest Old Novos, Matthew Reay (09-16) and Michael Gill (09-16) shared a moment with Chris for the
camera, proudly wearing their respective Colours Blazers. Committee members Chris Rutter (92-02), President of the ONA, Joel Dickinson (91-01), Vice-President of the ONA, Peter Coates (56-67), David Goldwater (51-62), Burland Jacob (44-49), Alan Ng (03-12) and Kenneth Hodcroft (05-12) were there promoting the ONA and its merchandise.
Chris Purdon (centre) with Michael Gill (L) and Matthew Reay (R) at RGS Day sporting their Colours Blazers
Summer Leavers, Alice (09-16) (L) and Heather (09-16) (R) with their brother Kenneth Hodcroft
Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn There are plenty of Old Novos social media groups around, but we have our own groups. Join us by becoming a fan of the Old Novocastrians Association pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.
ONA Membership – Standing Orders If you still have a standing order set up to pay the ONA subscription fee, please cancel it as soon as possible. ONA membership is FREE to all Old Novos and former members of staff.
Our congratulations go to…
Alex Kirtley with his English Channel team
Mohit Basudev (centre) on his wedding day
Michael White outside the RST in Stratford
Alex Kirtley (04-14) who writes: I was recently part of a relay team that swam the English Channel both ways. The team, which comprised of six University of Nottingham swimmers, became the first-ever university team to complete a two-way Channel swim on 28 June 2016 at 3.22pm (total time of 24 hours, nine minutes). We did this swim to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust (our JustGiving page can be found here: https://www.justgiving .com/fundraising/Notts2waychannels wim). To date we have raised £3,798, still short of our target of £6,000.
Mohit Basudev (01-08) who writes: Just to let you know that on 3 September 2016, I married an amazing woman and friend, Isobel Basudev (née Howe, Headington School, Oxford). It was attended by other ONs Kate Appleby (06-08), Alexandra Wynne (06-08) (née Bickerton), Daniel Robinson (01-08) and Jonathan Brumby (01-08).
Christine Egan-Fowler, artist and art teacher on her exhibition, Playing the Waiting Game at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead. The exhibition was described as ‘an exploration of the connections between remembering and the senses, performance and painting, live and the archived’ and was the culmination of The Artworks Fellowship – The Organisational Perspective.
Michael White (90-00) As part of the celebrations marking 400 years since Shakespeare’s death, the Royal Shakspeare Company (RSC) has been touring A Midsummer Night’s Wim Stevenson (95-05), amateur Dream, using local amateur actors rower, ‘The Singing Skipper’, who took to play the parts of the mechanicals. part this summer in one of the toughest Amateur theatre companies were rowing races, Rough and Ready – GB invited to audition and the People’s Ocean Row Challenge 2016. Wim Theatre in Heaton, along with The joined three other amateur rowers, Castle Players from Barnard Castle, spending 41 days out at sea and were successful for the North East raising over £82,000, principally for performances at Northern Stage in The Natalie Kate Moss Trust. March. Michael played the part of Flute and, after being rehearsed by RSC Jonathan Bloxham (99-04), directors over several months, gave conductor and cellist who has six performances. In June he then been appointed City of Birmingham travelled to Stratford to give two Symphony Orchestra’s assistant performances at the Royal conductor. Shakespeare Theatre (RST). Tom Heardman (07-11), Newcastle United FC forward on his loan to Hartlepool FC.
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Fred Burdon (01-08), centre rugby player, who has signed a permanent contract with Falcons RFC. He will play alongside his old school captain and Falcons captain, Will Welch (98-08).
ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
Dr Celia Bone, Head of Psychology, who was awarded her Doctorate in July. Dr Celia Bone, Head of Psychology
ONA Now and Then 2001 was an important year for another reason: it was the year, that very term indeed, when girls first joined the RGS Sixth Form. I always maintain that fully to embrace co-education was the most important and positive decision the school’s governing body has ever taken. It’s a bold claim: but I believe it to be right.
It seems this issue is all about anniversaries! It’s 15 years since ON Lord Beecham (53-62) (then Sir Jeremy) last spoke at the ONA Dinner and, when you read this, he will have just honoured us by speaking again at the 2016 (91st) Annual Dinner in the school Dining Hall. In 2001, both my predecessors James Miller (94-08), and his, Alister Cox (72-94), were present. This year, although I shall have been the only RGS Headmaster past or present attending the Dinner, I am already ‘yesterday’s man’: this time next year I too will be a former RGS Headmaster.
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If you’re seeking another significant number, one of our early (not the first) female students, Sarah McDonald (06-11), joined us precisely 10 years ago and is featured on the front of this magazine. Her article talks about her determination (she describes herself as “bonkers”, which I like!): not only is she still pursuing her medical course at Birmingham University, but she is also an outstanding international athlete, currently European 1,500m champion. In what has been a great year for British athletics, it’s wonderful to have a European champion (and British champion in several other disciplines) among the ranks of ONs, and we send her our heartiest congratulations. I’m not done with anniversaries yet! World-renowned saxophonist John Harle (65-74) celebrated his 60th birthday this year and is about to embark on an anniversary tour, performing a range of new music composed for him by some of the leading British composers including Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Michael Nyman. I’m delighted to report that one port of call on this tour will be his old school: he is booked to perform in the Main Hall here at the RGS on Wednesday 22 March 2017. It will be a privilege and a great joy to welcome John back to his old school: many here still remember the landmark recital he gave here in 2001 in support of the (then) newly-launched Bursary Campaign, when he brought the late Sir Richard Rodney Bennett as his accompanist! John will provide a fantastic evening of music and (spoiler alert!) there will be one piece of music with a strong RGS connection.
My concluding plea to ONs has nothing to do with an anniversary! Older ONs will remember that they belonged to Houses which simply bore the names of colours: but since 1930 they have been named after four significant characters in the school’s history, Horsley, Collingwood, Eldon and Stowell. I am always delighted that the house spirit remains so strong in the school, something quite rare in day schools: to encourage that still further, we want to create house flags. So we need designs! We know that Horsley is appropriately represented by the horse from the City of Newcastle’s coat of arms, and by tradition Eldon has a castle borrowed from the same source. But do ONs know of any other links or symbols that we should include? It’s with some trepidation that we are setting out to have flags made, and we do want to get our facts right! Any ideas of appropriate symbolism and historical accuracy will be gratefully received. As always, you can pass those comments through Jane Medcalf who maintains such a good link between school and the ONA. There’s plenty more in the magazine, which I hope you will enjoy in much the same spirit as I am loving every minute of what is now to be my final year as Headmaster of the RGS. Bernard Trafford Headmaster
ONA Now and Then FROM THE ARCHIVE ONA Magazine, Issue 62, Spring 2002
76th Annual Dinner An extremely good turn out reinforced a warm atmosphere at the 76th Annual Dinner on Friday October 19th 2001. A notable guest at the top table was Alister Cox, previous Headmaster, who commented that his Grace was probably the shortest address ever heard from him at the School – all present concurred! The President welcomed particularly those who had travelled from afar, including Simon LeGassicke (68-78) from the Solomon Islands, and Mr Cox from France. Regular correspondent Henry Spall (49-58) from the USA, and David Selley (52-57) from Canada, had also made lengthy journeys. Also present was former School Medical Officer, HG (Bingie) Barnes (32-39), defying his own gloomy prognostication at the last Dinner about not being around for this one.
Top: Mr Miller and Mr Cox Bottom: The President and Sir Jeremy Beecham
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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
After taking wine with various groups of ONA’s and their guests, the President, proposing the Toast to the School, recalled his entry into the Junior School in 1951, fifty years ago. He looked forward to the time when pupils at the School today, in their not quite dotage, would sit, in 2045, with their male and female colleagues, at the 120th Annual Dinner of the Association, and celebrate 600 years of a great School of the North, an institution of which ON’s and all the people of this region could justly be proud.
The Headmaster replied with an account on the School’s progress. He had given several of the guests a whirlwind tour before dining and the visible and tangible changes were there for all to see; but even more important were the academic and sporting achievements of the year. The smooth integration of 22 girls into the Sixth Form in recent weeks was an indication of the School’s progressiveness and Mr Miller was particularly proud of the cooperation between the RGS and local schools in the Newcastle Science Enrichment Programme. The reply to the Headmaster’s Toast to the Old Novocastrians Association, was given by Sir Jeremy Beecham (53-62), former leader of Newcastle Council and President of the Local Government Association. In a most entertaining address, he gave diners a wide ranging review of his most eventful career, with illustrations of the frequent amusing differences between national and local government. He paid tribute to the significant role played by the RGS as the leading School in the Region and stressed its vital contribution to the life of the North East. Please note: the original extract above states the school would be celebrating 600 years in 2045. It would in fact be celebrating 500 years.
ONs IN PRINT
David Friswell, Year 8, introducing Leo Hunt to his year group in April at the school’s author event
The Facts of Fiction By Leo Hunt (02-07) I wrote some of my first short stories as a student at RGS. I have a clear memory of the hardback English exercise books I wrote them in, by hand, and an equally clear memory of my thrill at being asked to read one out at the front of our class; the tale of a fearsome cat-like alien that had crash-landed on Earth and proceeded to menace the foolish people who gathered around the impact crater. Even then, I knew I wanted to become an author.
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ore than a decade later, I make my living writing fiction for Young Adults, a demographic we describe as covering the ages of 11 and up, since a surprising proportion of readers are fully-fledged adults. I began work on my first published novel, Thirteen Days of Midnight in 2010, my first year of university. I was 19 years old, and didn’t feel like I understood adult life well enough to write a novel about it, but I did remember very clearly what I had enjoyed when I was 15 or so (monsters, magic, adventure) and I thought I had a reasonable shot at writing a story my younger self would have enjoyed.
What I ended up with was the story of Luke Manchett, a 16-year old Northumbrian schoolboy who lives in the town of Dunbarrow (a thinly veiled amalgamation of Rothbury and Morpeth, where I spent a lot of time growing up). Luke’s estranged father dies and leaves him a curious inheritance – a collection of ornate rings, a leather-bound book with seemingly blank pages, and eight captive ghosts. The spirits acted as his father’s servants, but they’re not keen on their servitude lasting any longer, and with Hallowe’en, the time of their greatest power fast approaching, Luke has to find some way to get rid of the rebellious ghosts. The story was intended to be fast-paced, with humour mixed into the darkness. Although I knew the first draft was rough, it felt like the start of something. I was lucky enough to meet my literary agent while still at university, and by 2012 she had agreed to represent me based on a revised draft of Thirteen Days of Midnight. We worked together on the manuscript for several years after this, as I was deeply inexperienced when it came to writing at a professional level, but by the summer of 2014 we felt the book was ready to be considered by publishers. To my delight we secured publishing deals in several countries, and the novel was released by Orchard Books in the United Kingdom in July 2015. Since then Luke’s story has sold more than ten thousand copies worldwide, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2016, and won me Newcomer of the Year at the Journal Culture Awards 2016. Two sequels have been commissioned, and the second instalment of Luke’s adventures, Eight Rivers of Shadow, was released this summer. To say I was overjoyed with the reception my story has had would be an understatement. However, alongside the positive reviews and being shortlisted for awards, an unexpected benefit of my career as a writer is the ability to talk to young people directly, both in live events and writing workshops. A large part of being a Young Adult writer in the modern era is making appearances at schools, and I have to confess I wasn’t overjoyed when my publisher explained this to me. My chosen career is firmly built around sitting at my laptop for long periods of time, occasionally leaving my house when I run out of tea bags. I never dreamed I would be expected to perform for people, or give readings of my work. At my first-ever school event, I forgot how to speak for what felt like a solid five minutes, and then burned through what was supposed to be 40 minutes of material in 15. In despair I opened the floor to questions, expecting stony silence.
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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
Thirteen Days of Midnight and Eight Rivers of Shadow book covers
Instead the students bombarded me with questions, showing more interest in every aspect of my job than I had thought possible. In April I was fortunate enough to be asked to run an author event at RGS, the first time I had returned in over nine years. It felt exciting and surreal to return to the same building where I read my short story aloud in English class, even to see that same classroom, but this time to walk through the front door as a professional author. The Year 8 students were a fantastic and engaging audience, and I reflected again how lucky I am to have a job writing fiction for such an inspiring demographic. I was even introduced before my talk by one of the students who was already a fan, something I could never have dared to do at that age. And as an added bonus, I finally discovered what the staff common room looks like on the inside. I couldn’t have enjoyed my author event at RGS more. Book signing at the RGS
Going the Distance By Sarah McDonald (06-11) Some people may remember me for winning the prestigious Miller Cup, or wearing the bright yellow polo shirt of Collingwood on school Sports Day, while others may remember me for always getting told off and sent to the Head of Years for wearing nail varnish or the absence of my blazer. Sarah winning the Vitality Westminster Mile, 2015 Sarah after winning the Birmingham Diamond League
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vividly remember on my first day at RGS in September 2006, walking into Mr Bailey’s form classroom, in the brand new Performing Arts Centre. More importantly to my ‘sporting story’, I still recall what I was doing after school that day – I negotiated my way on the Metro to the Whitley Bay ice rink, as I was an aspiring figure skater, albeit seeking to battle through an injury to my hip. In those early days I have a memory of being press-ganged into cross-country due to the severe lack of the ‘XY chromosome breed’ in my year group at the time and I guess at this point the running bug was ignited inside me. This assisted in softening the blow, when at the age of 16, I underwent operations on both hips, leaving me on crutches for prolonged periods (and let me tell you, it is a seriously long hobble on crutches from the language department to the chemistry labs!) I was realistically told that ice-skating was no longer an option for me. My skating leotards were confined to the bottom of my wardrobe, where they remain to this day, and my focus turned to running. Throughout Sixth Form I juggled between training at Jarrow’s Monkton Stadium and my homework as I sought entry into a Medical School, and in 2011 I left the North East for Birmingham, where the next chapter began. I had a place to study Medicine and met my current coach, Bud Baldaro. Bud lies at the heart of middle distance running in the UK, especially women’s and Bud gradually set me ever increasing goals and targets which at that point I believed were unobtainable. He told me he had never met anyone quite so determined or “bonkers” as me: ‘he may say that to all the girls’, but it sure worked with me. Five years on, I can’t quite believe that in the past six months I have had the honour of representing Great Britain at the European Championships, achieving a place in the final, represented England twice, become British Road Mile Champion, English 800m Champion, bizarrely ranked at 16th in UK All Time Rankings over 1,000m and, perhaps best of all, claimed my first Diamond League victory. It has been ever-soslightly bittersweet with being 0.18 seconds off Olympic selection but I’ve taken this in my stride and I’m using it to push for future success, particularly with the World Championships in London next year. I was asked to write a little about how I manage to balance studying for Medicine alongside training to such a high level. I must be frank and honest and say it hasn’t been without mishap or difficulty, but I’ve done it. The University of Birmingham and its Medical School have been brilliant in accommodating me for this year,
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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
Sarah in the 1,500m Birmingham Diamond League, June 2016 © Adrian Royle
particularly with it being an Olympic year. I was allowed to do a portion of my work at 1,700m altitude in Font Romeu, in the middle of the Pyrenees. We have worked together to make the remainder of my degree to be as ‘track and field friendly’ as possible to give me the best chances of making the team for the upcoming World Championships and Commonwealth Games. I train twice and sometimes even three times a day, yet I still love it. It’s only in the winter at 6am, weather sleeting and freezing, that I get half-way down the road and start to question my life choices, having lost all feeling in my fingers! However, it’s a lifestyle, not a chore. I guess I almost know no different. I train, I go to placement/lectures, I go home and I train again. Eating and sleeping are included too. There have been times where people have pointed out my Nike compression socks under my tights in hospital and I’ve had to shrug my shoulders and laugh it off, knowing I would never get through my next run without them. I use the medicine and the track side-by-side to perhaps reduce the pressure and strain of the other. For example, in exam time, running breaks up my work and reduces the monotony and vice versa. This skill, I believe, I developed at school. Despite RGS being a highly academic school striving for the best grades in the region, it also provides a huge number of extra-curricular activities, and mastering the art of time management in the early days has really paid dividends. So I hope to encourage and urge the current students of today to engage in CCF, rugby/hockey, rock-climbing or dragon-boat racing or even athletics, although perhaps not all at the same time; and when they are in the queue for lunch, to look at what sporting talent the school has nurtured on the Wall of Fame and strive towards joining them. It really is true when people say that your memories of school stay forever.
A HISTORY OF THE RGS IN ITS PEOPLE by David Goldwater (51-62) As with the piece on former Headmaster, Samuel Logan (1883-1912) (see Issue 97), this article arose out of another example of serendipity, in this instance, a lunchtime organ recital in July at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle. The recital was by ON Katy Silverman (nĂŠe McDermott) (06-08), now a professional organist and conductor and currently the 2016-17 Guildford Cathedral organ scholar. One of her pieces was Galliard for a Festive Occasion by Arthur Milner (26-48).
Arthur Milner at a concert, City Hall, Newcastle
Arthur Frederick Milner Head of RGS Music Arthur Milner was brought to the school in 1926 by the then Headmaster, ER Thomas (22-48). Though born in Manchester, he came with his parents to Tyneside as a small boy, was educated at Dame Allan’s and never left the North East. He had lectured in Music at Armstrong College, Newcastle (then part of Durham University) and taught at Lemington Adult School. In his 22 years as Head of Music, he transformed the subject at RGS from almost nothing to the nationally recognised excellence we now take for granted. One upright piano and the Sutherland war memorial organ were the only instruments the school possessed, singing in the Junior School and the first senior year being the only musical activity. He developed the potential of music well ahead of other schools, so much so that the Board of Education chose the RGS to demonstrate to overseas visitors what was being achieved in music at an English school. A course in Musical Appreciation was soon initiated for the Sixth Form and outside the curriculum, the Senior Treble Choir became one of the first voluntary activities in the school. The House Music Competition followed and a Second and Third Orchestra in the mid-30s reflected the enthusiasm Arthur Milner was bringing to boys, many aspiring to membership of the Second or even the First Orchestra. Visiting teachers were recruited to meet the growing demand as a large stock of instruments was gradually purchased with the support of the Governors, including a Bechstein grand piano
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and a gramophone. School staff were encouraged to participate; the Headmaster himself taking up the cello and playing in the school orchestra. From 1932, Mr Milner was conductor of the Northumberland Orchestral Society, established in 1877, reviving the orchestra after the war and ultimately handing on the baton to his successor at RGS. By the outbreak of war in 1939, his huge achievement was plain to see and the Christmas Concert, amongst many others performances, demonstrated how the First Orchestra could perform together with items from chamber music and songs by the Senior Treble Choir. The school’s evacuation to Penrith on 1 September 1939 lasted until July 1944. Here, ‘difficulties were turned into opportunities’, and although numbers decreased, school music thrived. Concerts were given around the area for wartime fundraising and many older boys and staff were invited to the homes of Penrith musicians to practise. Arthur Milner, an accomplished pianist and organist, would play his beloved Mozart. He initiated a series of Workers Educational Association (WEA) Musical Appreciation classes in the town which evolved into a music club after the school’s return to Newcastle. Sadly, he and his wife Elizabeth lost their only son, Brian, whilst at Penrith in 1944. Despite depleted numbers with many staff enlisted, the strong ethos of RGS music, combined with the need, in these difficult surroundings for social cohesion, continued to flourish. When, at last, the school returned to Eskdale Terrace at the end of summer 1944, there was enough impetus for a further burgeoning of school music and when Arthur Milner’s retirement took place, together with that of ER Thomas in 1948, the tradition which endures to this day had been firmly established. He was succeeded by Jack Wolstenholme (48-75) (see Issue 88), who continued Milner’s work with no less energy and enthusiasm. Arthur Milner at a concert, City Hall, Newcastle
Arthur Milner, The Novocastrian, April 1940. Photo courtesy of F Kenyon, Esq. of Penrith
My cousin, Stephen Goldwater, a pupil of Milner, recalls that for some time the next pupil waiting at his house in Balmoral Terrace, Gosforth, was Peter Taylor (38-49) whose musical talents were regularly noted in NOVOS of the 40s and 50s. In the late 50s and early 60s Milner had around 20 organ pieces published, mainly by Novello and Ashdown. One of them was the Galliard for a Festive Occasion played by Katy Silverman. Charles Avison is unquestionably the single most
important figure in Newcastle’s musical history. Little was known about Avison until a biography was written by Arthur Milner and published in The Musical Times in 1954, after spending five years researching into the composer’s background and early life. In ‘retirement’, Arthur Milner continued his musical career at the Newcastle Journal as its music correspondent and critic and taught piano, organ and music theory. He was an FTCL (Fellowship of Trinity College London) (piano), ARCM (Associate of the Royal College of Music) (piano) and ARCO (Associate of the Royal College of Organists). He held a Durham DMus by examination. Recollections of a great RGS teacher and musician
Joseph W Pegg wrote in his Newcastle’s Musical Heritage, 2003: ‘I well remember a Sunday concert by the Northumberland Orchestral Society in March 1946, conducted by Arthur Milner, one-time professor at the Newcastle Conservatoire, that opened with the Overture The Hebrides by Mendelssohn played without trombones. Apparently they couldn’t find any trombonists free that afternoon!’
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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Autumn 2016
All Right on the Night – Glasgow Herald 9 December 1935: ‘Some of the trials of the conductor of a School Orchestra were indicated by Mr Arthur Milner, of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, at a meeting of school music teachers, in Edinburgh on Saturday. Two may be mentioned. On the evening of a concert the principal violinist broke his thumb in a boxing match. And when writing a part for the horn, Mr Milner had to confine himself to those notes which the player would really guarantee he could play’. One merely has to flick through the pages of NOVO during Arthur Milner’s long career to observe the huge contribution he made to RGS music. In 1927: ‘the school echoed in the lunch hour with noises, sounds and sweet airs.’ 1932: December saw a remarkable production of Aeschylus’ Agamemnon in the Main Hall, translated by AA Le M Simpson (29-45) (who founded the XXl Club), with music by Arthur Milner. 1943 sees Mr Milner involved in the Junior Players, as well as holding a discussion on, ‘the controversy over jazz and classical music’ with some common ground apparently established with the help of the late Bill Weeks (35-44) who would recall Arthur Milner’s tacit support for those boys who were jazz fans during the evacuation. The July 1944 NOVO noted, ‘hosts and hostesses enjoyed another of Mr Milner’s pianoforte recitals in the Wordsworth Hall…the last of the performances to be given in Penrith’. Back in Newcastle, school music gradually improved to attain its pre-war standard. In 1945, as the school reached its Four-hundredth Anniversary, he had established ‘two musical appreciation classes, attended by both ‘artists’ and ‘scientists’, as well as the re-establishment of the Gramophone Club. I shall close with an item which would point the way to the future successes of RGS Music. The First Orchestra and Senior Choir broadcast from the New Bridge Street BBC Studio in 1948 on the Children’s Hour. The performance included The Caliph of Baghdad by François Adrien Boieldieu and Purcell’s Nymphs and Shepherds. The BBC issued a recording which was heard a week later by the performers. In the December NOVO it was noted, after journeying to the studios and rehearsing for over an hour, ‘the Choir journeyed to Fenwick or Woolworths in search of ice cream or lemonade’ and ‘The brass section relieved the monotony of the orchestra’s tuning up by playing bits of ragtime.’
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NOVO December 1948: ‘And what of the man himself? To the School at large a familiar figure up at the organ, well-nigh infallible, equal to all sudden demands for the School Song or ‘[God save] The King’. To all sincere musicians a friend, an authority and a guide.’ ‘…few can have escaped that mild reproof, ‘You child of Beelzebub!’’ ‘Rehearsal under his baton has always meant a good deal of fun and a lot of hard work.’ Arthur Milner’s work has written a memorable page in the history of the school. Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, Main Hall, December 1932
My Recollections of Arthur Milner by Katy Silverman (06-08) I was first introduced to the music of Arthur Milner soon after I started playing the organ at the age of 13, by my teacher and then director of music at St George’s Cullercoats, Paul Ritchie (himself a published composer of choral and organ works). However, it wasn’t until I was researching the background to my recital in July that I learnt what a longstanding connection Milner had with the RGS and it is wonderful to read more about his work here in David’s article. We resurrected Milner’s House Music Competition in 2007, and I have great memories of two years worth of competitions – probably the most unforgettable being a rousing performance of Yellow Submarine from Collingwood house of which I was a very proud member! I was also a Music Prefect in Upper Sixth and there was a lovely group of six of us all taking A Level Music together. As I went on to study Music at university, I have much to thank the RGS music department for and am very glad to be able to continue to represent music from the North East in my performances.
Obituaries Bryan Peter Stephenson (56-66) Born 20 September 1948, died 14 May 2016, aged 67
Bryan also played Junior Wimbledon in 1965, when he reached the third round, but he did better when he played there again in 1966.
Bryan was born and brought up in Low Fell, Gateshead, where he lived with his mother, elder brother, aunt and grandmother. In 1956, after attending Musgrave School in Low Fell, Bryan went to the Newcastle Royal Grammar Junior School, where he was the youngest and smallest in his class. He did well academically and excelled at tennis. In his early teens, Bryan was asked to join the National Junior Tennis squad, but this would have meant leaving school, so he declined the offer. In 1965, the RGS was invited to take part in the inaugural North of England Schools Tennis Trophy. Bryan was in the team of two that won the Trophy. In 1966 Bryan played for RGS in the competition again when they were runners up. In 1966 Bryan also played for the RGS in the England Public Schools Tournament, which was held at Wimbledon. They reached the semifinal before losing to the eventual winners. As a result Bryan was chosen to play first couple for the English Public School’s team against the All England Club. The match was played on Wimbledon’s grass courts on the same day that England won the World Cup. He described it as a perfect day.
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Bryan was not just doing well at tennis, but also passing all his exams, so he gained a place at Christchurch College, Oxford, which he took up in 1967. In his first year at Oxford, Bryan became the first Freshman to be chosen for the combined Oxford and Cambridge tennis team to play in the bi-annual match against Harvard and Yale for the Prentice Cup. The match was won by Oxford and Cambridge in the USA, and, two years later, Bryan was in the winning team again when the match was played on courts two, three and four at Wimbledon.
great success in advertising, and began winning awards for his work. In 1984 Bryan moved to Melbourne and then in 1988 to Sydney, where he decided to make his home. During his time in Sydney he not only continued to enjoy professional success, but also succeeded in overcoming his problems with alcohol. With the help of Alcoholics Anonymous he became, and remained, sober for the rest of his life. In 1997 Bryan accepted an assignment in Bangkok that was to last for four years, during which time he became increasingly disillusioned with the advertising business.
In 1971 Bryan graduated and joined the Marketing Department of Beechams in London. Beechams had one of the best marketing training programmes in the country, so Bryan soon had a very sound foundation to his career.
When Bryan returned to Sydney, he enrolled to study at the Australian School of Applied Psychology. After that he became a health education officer at the Herbert Street Clinic Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Service in the Royal North Shore Hospital. Bryan was pleased that his ability, and personal experience, made it possible for him to help others.
By 1973 Bryan had decided that he would rather be in an agency than be a customer of one, so he left Beechams.
Bryan had an enjoyable life in Sydney. He had challenging work and tennis, together with plenty of leisure activities.
He was learning fast and falling in love with advertising.
Early in 2012 Bryan became ill and was eventually diagnosed with cancer. He was treated by a very good team and had great support from his circle of close friends in Sydney, but, early in 2016, his condition declined rapidly and he died peacefully with good friends at his side.
Bryan said that the London social scene of the 70s was the perfect place for an openly gay man to be in his 20s, and enjoyed it to the full.
Bryan worked for four agencies in London before moving to New Zealand By Mike Stephenson (53-62) in 1982, where he continued to enjoy
Obituaries Rodney Martin Turner (36-46) Born 22 May 1928, died 11 April 2016, aged 87
In the autumn of 1946 he started his training at the Medical School of King’s College in Newcastle. During his final year as a houseman at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) he spotted an attractive student nurse on the children’s ward. How he wooed and won his Eileen he told in a memorable and fluent speech at their golden wedding celebrations in Bamburgh in 2005. National Service saw him in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a qualified doctor. Not for Rodney a Rodney entered the school in commonplace posting. Bermuda and September 1936, a clever boy in a Hong Kong were his stations and he year of more than a few clever boys. thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of No nickname for him, he was always Turner and later on Rodney. Three years foreign travel. On his return he decided against specialisation. ‘I wanted a wife, in the Junior School where he was always top or near of his class. He was a home and a job’, he wrote. So he married in June 1955 and moved to a brought up with his sister in a fairly new life joining a practice in Alnwick. conventional family in West Jesmond. There, in a place often stated to be one 1 September 1939 brought evacuation of the best places to live in the UK, they brought up their three children. to Penrith and the Senior School. He was fortunate that for the five However, Rodney knew that general years the RGS was evacuated he practice was developing and in 1970 was in the same billet in Croft Avenue he moved to a new community health looked after by a widow and two unmarried daughters. He revelled in his centre in the ‘concrete jungle’ of the newly-built Thamesmead. It was a new independence and with a new bicycle concept with the ‘whole person’ enjoyed the country and The Lakes. He was a star of the Junior Players and catered for. Nurses, social workers, marriage guidance among other made a memorable Mrs Malaprop in specialities, including research and The Rivals. School Certificate was taken in Penrith in the summer of 1944. a link to Guy’s Hospital, where Rodney Although he got far better results in arts taught. He wrote a textbook and co-authored research papers. subjects than the sciences he had decided to become a doctor. On retirement, Eileen and he bought a flat in Richmond, Surrey, and a house So, on return from evacuation in in Morpeth, so as to be near their now 1944 he joined the Medical Sixth, but Rodney was something of a polymath. grown up children; winters in the south, He was active in the Debating Society, summers in the north. Rodney was active in medical consultancy work a Plender Librarian, sergeant in the in the Middle East, tracing the ancestry JTC and a Senior Prefect. of his mother’s family, which involved lunch with a duchess and the discovery
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that a forebear won a Victoria Cross in New Zealand, and above all else, time for travel. Not for them the tourist hotspots. They went to Ethiopia, Nepal, Pakistan, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands and other unconventional destinations. Rodney was chairman of the London branch of the ONA, and was angry when the then secretary refused the late dinner application of the most eminent ON of his time Lord Chief Justice Peter Taylor (3849). He was also chairman of the Northumbria Club. He published a book of cases from his 40 years as a GP, well written, and showing what a kind and caring doctor he was. They decided to settle in Morpeth, and Rodney tended a splendid garden which ran down to the Wansbeck. In 2008 they were flooded out and were rescued by the RSPCA. They were out of their home for many months and they had one or two alarms in future years. The council built a wall in the back garden, as part of the town’s flood defences which rather spoilt the garden and ironically the water had entered by the front door, not the back. One example of Rodney’s kindness and compassion: one of our classmates who lived in Newcastle developed mobility problems and Rodney would drive him to a place of his choosing. The recipient of Rodney’s time said, “He gave me back my county”. Dogged by increasing deafness and mobility problems he nevertheless enjoyed his later years; reading his beloved Trollope. We will miss him. He leaves a widow, three children and eight grandchildren. By JC Emmerson (36-47)
Derrick Andrew Frenz (54-57) Born 16 August 1938, died 21 May 2016, aged 77
that evening. It’s chilling to see one’s name come up on the screen asking that you go to the manager’s office immediately. Derrick was in hospital for several weeks. He had suffered internal injuries and his left arm had been shattered. Thankfully he recovered, albeit his left arm was never quite the same. The family moved to New Zealand: his original job had been filled. Things just didn’t work out and they returned to the UK in 1973. Derrick worked as an insurance advisor for a firm of solicitors in Cheshire. Di returned to teaching Music in a local senior school.
Derrick (seated front row, to the right of master, Colin Dales) in the Tennis Team photo of 1957
Derrick arrived at the RGS in 1955. His father and family had moved from Glasgow where Derrick had attended Hutchesons’ Grammar School. Derrick was an accomplished sportsman, already a junior Scottish tennis champion, he joined the school’s tennis team then run by Colin Dales (50-86). He played fullback for the 1st XV as well as for Novos. He was also a member of the boxing team under Donald ‘Spitty’ Meaken (24-65). His academic career flourished: he was a natural linguist and studied both German and Russian under Anatole Theakstone (25-61). His German was fine-tuned by frequent visits to the home of his good friend and fellow tennis team member, Elkhart Ritz where German was spoken to help the boys become proficient. On leaving school, Derrick took a degree in Economics at Newcastle University. He continued to play tennis at county level, as well as rugby for Novos.
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His working life began with the Royal Insurance Company in Newcastle. He married in 1962: our families have been friends since. Derrick and Di moved to York in 1964 with the Royal Insurance, he kept playing tennis and was a Yorkshire county singles finalist for three consecutive years. In 1966 he was asked to go with the Royal to their Manchester office. Derrick and Di set up their new home in Poynton, Cheshire, and it was there that their two daughters were born. He continued to play tennis and to keep up his linguistic prowess in both German and Russian. In 1972 the family decided to move to New Zealand where Derrick had been offered a senior insurance position. Prepations were completed and the flights were booked. The Frenz family were staying with us in Gosforth while saying adieu to family and friends in the area. Tragically Derrick was involved in a serious motoring accident on the Military Road. We were at the cinema
In 1974 Derrick accepted the position of insurance manager for the North West division of British Gas. He remained with British Gas until its privatisation. He retired in 1995. Tennis had given way to golf, he kept up his German and Russian. On our visits to Cheshire we played golf regularly at his home club of Mottram Hall. On their visits to Northumberland we would play at Foxton Hall in Alnmouth – happy days! By WA Simpson (47-56) Derrick’s last few years were blighted by the onset of vascular dementia. He died in May of this year. I shall miss him, we have been friends since school days. I’m sure that those who remember him at school will miss him too. By Bryan Stevens (44-49)
Obituaries Harry Davis (39-49) Born 6 February 1931, died 6 December 2015, aged 84 Harry joined the Junior School in 1939, just as the evacuation to Penrith was taking place; in recent years he often attended the Penrith reunions. My friendship with him dates from 1942 when I joined him in what was then Form II.1; our careers were to run a surprisingly parallel course for the next half-century. We had our grounding in French from the legendary ‘Dickie’ Akhurst (19-57). I well remember the queue of quaking small boys outside his classroom breathlessly asking those emerging at lesson changeover: “What’s he like? What’s he like?”. That thorough grounding was to serve us well: we both went on to specialise in modern languages, taught by Anatole Theakstone (25-61), both going up to Cambridge on State Scholarships to read Modern and Mediaeval Languages, Harry to Pembroke and myself to Caius: our respective colleges sent us both on the same long vacation course at Heidelberg. Before university, however, there had been National Service, when we were both trained for the RAEC (Education Corps); Harry had the good luck to get a posting to Germany, whereas I never left these shores.
revered by pupils and colleagues alike for his kindliness, wisdom and gentle sense of humour. In 1956 he married Janet, whom he had met at an ambassador’s reception during his time in France; they had two daughters and one son. Whilst at the RGS, Harry had not been involved in practical music; but I well remember his pride and joy in the radiogram he was given in his late teens, and the pleasure that he took in listening to music. This was to blossom into actual music-making in later years: he learnt to play the clarinet, and also the much rarer bass clarinet; and until recently was taking piano lessons. He also sang in several choirs. Janet has a fine soprano voice, and I have vivid memories of her singing Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock at their home, with Harry playing the clarinet part and myself on the piano. They were key members of their church choir, and very much involved in church affairs in other ways as well.
Harry and Janet were great travellers, as witness the range of places they visited: China, trekking in Nepal, Mexico, Peru, Iceland, and all over After graduation in 1954, Harry went Europe including Scandinavia. on to spend a period as an English In recent times Harry’s health began assistant at the Lycee Comeille in to falter; amongst other things, he lost Rouen, as well as taking the PGCE sensation in his fingers, which meant (teaching certificate). His first teaching that he could no longer play his post was at Sir William Turner’s School beloved instruments. After quite a in Redcar, where he was also an officer short period of more general illness, in the school’s CCF, an activity which he passed away on 6 December 2015. he continued for the rest of his career. The impressively large congregation He stayed five years at Redcar before at his funeral service is testimony to the moving to Bradford Grammar School affection and respect in which he was in 1961, where he became Head of held. He is survived by Janet, their three Modern Languages in 1968, and children, and five grandchildren. remained there until his retirement, inspiring generations of young linguists By Keith Moodie (42 - 50) with his love of French literature, and
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Kenneth Lofthouse Lupton (34-42) Born 14 December 1922, died 24 April 2016, aged 93 It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death in April of my husband, Kenneth Lofthouse Lupton, aged 93.
before his death. A particular teacher – Michael Roberts (25-31 and 3441) – gave him a love of poetry which remained with him throughout his life.
His memories of his time at the RGS remained vivid and he spoke of them fondly. He was evacuated to Penrith with the school during the war. He enjoyed the Penrith years. He felt more part of school, as previously he had only been in Newcastle, Monday to Friday. He enjoyed the extra-curricular opportunities in Penrith.
He was appointed Head Boy for his last two terms before joining the army in May 1942. He became an officer in the course of his army training and served in India until 1946 when he was demobbed and returned to England to study Law at Newcastle University.
He spoke highly of the education he received and of his teachers. He loved music and continued to play the piano very competently until a few months
Russell S Alexander (32-38) born 1921, died 11 April 2016, aged 94. Rory Benet Allan(03-10) born 1991, died 21 September 2016, aged 24. Eric J Birbeck (37-43) born 1927, died 8 July 2016, aged 88. John Cawood (54-61) former ONA President, 94-96. Born 1942, died 15 August 2016, aged 73. Robert AS Cowper (38-45) born 1928, died 28 September 2016, aged 88. Cecil Glenn (35-40) born 1926, died 6 April 2016, aged 89.
John K Kilner (47-56) former ONA President, 90-92. Born 1938, died 7 July 2016, aged 78. Peter Moffat Knox (44-50) born 1933, died 16 May 2016, aged 83. D ‘Brian’ Lodge (43-50) born 1932, died 20 June 2016, aged 83. Michael R Moat (45-54) born 1937, died 20 May 2016, aged 79. Gordon Proud (34-39) born 1922, died 25 April 2016, aged 94. William Robson (56-64) born 1948, died 8 May 2016, aged 68. Nicholas Wright (42-50) born 1932, died 30 September 2016, aged 84.
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We were married in 1956 and had three children. In April we celebrated our Diamond Wedding. By Ruth Lupton
Correction (Issue 97) Page 10. We incorrectly named the wife of Richard ‘Rich’ J Logan as Jane. Her correct name is Linda. Page 11. We incorrectly referred to Albert Logan as Richard Logan’s great-grandfather when in fact, he was his grandfather.
ONA Diary dates Northern Counties Club Luncheon Last Friday of every month, Northern Counties Club, 11 Hood Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6LH ONs regularly meet once a month at the Northern Counties Club, Hood Street on the last Friday of every month. If you are interested in going, please email PeterMagnay@ thomasmagnay.co.uk for further information.
RGS Senior School Carol Service ONA Annual General Meeting Thursday 8 December, 7pm, St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne All students, staff, parents, ONs and friends are warmly invited to this candle-lit Carol Service, accompanied by our Senior Choirs and the Symphony Orchestra.
Wednesday 16 November, 5.30pm, RGS, Newcastle upon Tyne
John Elders Memorial Match Novos v ONA, Tuesday 27 December, kick off 2pm, bar open from 12.30pm, Novos RFC, Sutherland Park
Tickets not required
ONA Merchandise To order from our range of merchandise, please send a cheque payable to ONA, confirming your delivery address and contact details. For further details please email: ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk.
Limited Edition Prints
Scarf
480x330mm unframed £60 or 2 for £100
100% double thickness wool £35
Cufflinks
Socks
T Bar, enamel gilt plated, school crest £29
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Bow Tie 100% pure silk, self-tie and ready made options available £29
Tie 100% pure silk, slip-stitched, fully lined £29 Polyester ties are also available.