This year’s boat trip on 13th August is CANCELLED. The Great British Summer has intervened again. The weather forecast is awful, the temperatures – low! I have only had a few notifications so in fairness to us all I have called it off. My thanks to Terry Hardick for his patience and understanding.
Roger Wood
I attended CBBS from 1931 to 1937, first at the Guildhall then Beechen Cliff. From Feb 1940 to Apr 1946 I was a radar mechanic in the RAF. From Spe 1940 to Nov 1944 I was in the Middle East, Palestine, Crete (1941) Egypt Cyprus, Libya, Tunisia and finally a year as instructor in Algiers. Married in 1945 we left for Canada 1947 where I joined the Federal Department of Trade and Commerce as an Inspector of Electricity and Gas. Mathematics were involved in complex polyphase (vectors) electric measurement. Very complicated formulae are used in gas orifice metering including export pipelines. I became a District Inspector in B.C. in 1954 and retired in December 1978. My wife and I travelled extensively until she died in December 2006.
I appreciated Mr. Brodie’s instruction at CBBS
Our current stock has almost gone and new supplies are needed. Rich has found a UK supplier who can do a very nice silk number with our traditional colour striping but with the addition of alternate Griffins in a gold thread matching the shield outline. A full colour version can be seen on the web-site. Again, are there any thoughts? We hope to it sell for about £10.
April 2008
Dear Old Sulian,
The long process of reviewing school provision in Bath has reached its final stages. You will be aware that there is a proposal to create a singe Church of England Comprehensive School in the North of Bath and that St Marks and Oldfield would be closed. This announcement is not quite what was anticipated, although it is positive to see that the Anglican presence in Bath would not be lost under the new proposals. Give the significant level of Church of England primary provision in Bath and its environs this could well be seen as a sensible proposal.
As for Beechen Cliff, we are very pleased to see that single sex boys’ provision will remain and that we can look forward to many years of providing a high quality teaching, learning and extra-curricular rich environment for the boys of Bath. I must take the opportunity to thank members of the Old Sulians for their support during the process and the fact that so many were prepared to ‘come to the aid’ of the school in what could have been a time of need.
As always it has been a busy time for sport. A number of our boys have recently achieved great success in individual competitions. Anders Rees in Year 7 has already proved to be the best gymnast in his class within the South West. Harry Godwin, as well as being a useful rugby player, is officially the British Judo Champion in his age group, having achieved a Gold medal in the recent National Championships at Cardiff. Our Under 15 rugby team succeeded in progressing to the quarter final of the National Daily Mail Cup, losing in a very tight final against a Grammar school in Kent – one of the last two State schools in the competition. We anticipate winning the Somerset Cup in the Under 13, Under 14 and Under 16 competitions – the 1st XV having achieved this at the end of March. Would you expect less? Our tennis teams are also developing well, achieving success against Bristol Grammar and King Edward’s in recent matches.
The extra-curricular work of the school has advanced and the CCF, Tir-y-Cwm, Ten Tors and Duke of Edinburgh experiences have seen many of our boys and students taking an active involvement in school activities – John Young, Richard Stewart, Robert Ferry, Robert Holmyard, Mike Randall, to name but a few, have worked exceptionally hard to ensure that boys are given access to some wonderful opportunities. You will remember how much experiences of this sort provide lasting memories which one takes into adult life. I should also note that our students were highly commended in the recent Model United Nations Competition at Kingswood School. I believe this is the third occasion in three years.
Our Music Block Fundraising is moving ahead well. We hope to secure funding of about £1.5m to £2m to ensure that the facilities our pupils and the wider community deserve can be located on the site. Although much funding will be required from central sources such as the Local Authority, it is very much the case that a sizeable sum needs to be raised from our own resources. The support of many parents, through donations to the music fund, have helped to boost the current fund. We are delighted that the PTA has already raised more than £5,000 towards the fund (since November) and their long term commitment should see a further boost to the resources available.
On a final theme, a number of the Sixth Form boys are ‘resurrecting’ the Centurion Walk. This will take place during the weekend 27th June – 29th June. If any of the Old Sulians were involved in this experience in the past we would be grateful to have a written account – it could be added to the information we provide to the press and those excellent young people who clearly value tradition and the virtues of hard work.
Andrew Davies
“Showing You’re Working”
Old Sulians – I need your help!
Can you answer the question;
Do you use mathematics in your professional role/everyday life?
with a resounding yes?
…….then please contact me!
My name is Edward Gill and I have been working as a Maths teacher at Beechen Cliff since last September. I am currently working as part of a project that will hopefully help Maths teachers to answer the ubiquitous question ‘When will I ever need to use this in life?’.
If you think you might answer yes to the question above, then you might be able to help in one of two ways;
A)You could be willing to give details of how you use mathematics in the workplace. This would consist of a quick questionnaire which I could email to you.
B)You might be willing to give up some of your time to come to school at a convenient time, and we could set up an informal talk with students who would deeply appreciate your time.
In either case, I would love to hear from you. Please use my e-mail address below;
Many thanks to those members who have already contributed to the project’.
Ed Gill.
edwardgill@beechencliff.org.uk
News
AGM. Enough present, Terry Lee elected, others re-elected, rules passed, tie discussed, agreed to incorporate Griffin, Terry Hardick elected to committee because of new rule that all those attending and called Terry must! Also agreed that Terry Light will co-ordinate the compilation of a list of notable (or notorious?) Sulians in liaison with the School. We could both benefit by adding the list to our web-sites. If you wish to add, contribute or volunteer, let Terry know through terry@oldsulians.org.uk
Ladies Night. An excellent evening with great entertainment provided by Just in Time II and fine food from Nikki and the staff at Bath Golf Club. Next year we are thinking of making it a little later. A season starter instead of a finisher! So March, before the clocks go back and the golfers are still chipping and putting, perhaps. Any thoughts?
New Tie. Somewhere on the page, you will find a leaked black and white image of the proposed design for the new tie. Our current stock has almost gone and new supplies are needed. Rich has found a UK supplier who can do a very nice silk number with our traditional colour striping but with the addition of alternate Griffins in a gold thread matching the shield outline. A full colour version can be seen on the web-site. Again, are there any thoughts? We hope to it sell for about £10.
Obituaries.
Very sadly I have to report that Jim Sagar, much respected former Master and long time Sulian supporter, died in February. Always cheerful and mentally astute Jim had suffered ill-health for a number of years. I received many messages from members after sending out an e-mail and we wrote to his son Paul. Other Masters Brian McConnell, latterly Head of Maths, and Tony Pembroke have also passed on. Ron Cox (1932) one of our elder statesmen also died in February aged 90. On leaving School he was apprenticed at the Pitman Press and went on to spend a life in printing in Africa and then back home. He served in the Somerset Light Infantry and landed on D-Day at Arromanches. He was the Speaker at the Annual Dinner in 1968. A full eulogy is on the web-site. Finally Vernon Whitchurch (1937) was another February departure. Our condolences go to all the families.
New Members.
Harry Millican (’57), Pete MacKenzie (’55) and Nigel Miller (‘57) have all assisted in our ‘50’s revival!
Memories
After my request in the last newsletter I was inundated with a letter from Derek Blake, who resides in Spain. The full text can be found on the web-site but a few tasters include: “I am writing this with my smart Old Su’s tie just removed after a session of Adult English Language classes. As I rarely wear a tie, my students wondered why I was wearing a Barcelona FC tie?” He recalls many of the Masters including Alan (Basher) Bennett, Roger Corrick, Ken Gelling, Tony Lawdham and Phil Turk.
After studying Spanish in Southampton he began teaching. A trip to the World Cup in Spain in ‘82 found work and a Senorita, not necessarily in that order. As a final snippit, “I arrived at CBBS with ex-St Mark’s School friends Mike Jenkins and John Glenn. Mike was one of three staff sons in one class. A record? The others were Robin Barrett and Peter Radford.
I also received an e-mail from another former student turned Teacher, Andrew Nunn. He says: “I was fascinated to read your website when exploring news about CBBS for the first time in almost 40 years.. My vintage is 1962-1969 and the photographs on your site prompted some vivid memories!” Now we just need his cheque!
Old Sulians RFC
Regular readers will recall last years promotion to Somerset Premier Division. Well this season has been one of consolidation, holding there own at mid-table against much stronger opposition. The season’s full history can be found at their web-site: www.oldsulians.com/
I know that several of the Committee have been encouraged to visit Lansdown more than in recent years and have been rewarded by entertaining rugby. Make a note for next season as this young side seek to improve further. And note the Dinner date overleaf.
And finally
I am very grateful to the Headmaster for a comprehensive update in his newsletter. Those of you away from Bath are sheltered from the almost continuous attention directed at the number of Schools in Bath, frequently seeming to target Beechen Cliff. And on the reverse I have added a plea for some practical help from Ed Gill, one of the merry maths band at School.
Don’t forget that if you have an e-mail address you can save us a fortune in postage by letting us know! Contact us at:
committee@oldsulians.org.uk You may also send news, memories, photos or requests. (sounds like Family Favourites!)
Diary for 2008
7th May (Wednesday) 6.15 pm on the Bath Recreation Ground – Old Sulians RFC play Stotherts in the Combination Plate Final
29th May (Thursday)
Newport High School Old Boys Golf Match. The chosen ones will get the call from Mick Moore. Lunch for players and caddies is 12 noon at Sham Castle. We need to make amends for last year!
30th May (Friday)
Old Sulians Rugby Club Annual Dinner at the Bath Rugby Club on the Rec. Contact Terry Haines for a ticket. (01225 465107) or check the website www.oldsulians.com/
20th June (Friday)
Association Golf Day at Bath Golf Club, Sham Castle. Organiser Mike Wood is on 01225 335250 or mike@systemagic.co.uk. Start times are 9.15-10.30 and 2.30-3.45 for the usual cocktail of medal, stableford and ’Old Tossers’ Tankard’. Morning coffee is available from 8.15 (the kitchen will be open for a “full English” or bacon roll if needed) and lunch will be from about 12.45. Dinner will be about 8.00 followed by the presentation of the prizes. For the first time this year, the re-named Tony Bowrey Cup will be awarded in recognition of his contribution to Sulian Golf over many years. Please contact Mike if you think you might be there! Newcomers are always welcome so feel free to forward this to any golfing Sulian you know asking them to phone or drop him an email.
2nd July (Tuesday)
Association Approach Golf at Victoria Park. 6 pm onwards. The Midgely Cup gets another outing. I can’t recall last year’s winner but Pebble will make sure he doesn’t do it again. All welcome, why not make up a foursome. Find Peter Beach from 6p.m. at the Clubhouse to register your attendance.
24h July (Thursday)
Walking Treasure Hunt (or Trude’s Trundle). One of our most popular outings. Come and see bits of Bath that only Sue has found! We finish at Bath Cricket Club around 8 p.m, we start at the Abbey Church Yard opposite the Pump Room from 6 p.m. Where we go in between depends on your reading of the runes! It would help with the copying of the clues if you would let me know if you are coming on 01225 832207 and how many, ( teams with a maximum of 4 please)
13th August (Wednesday)
River Boat Picnic. By kind permission of Terry Hardick, (Officer Commanding Bathwick Fleet) (Actually it’s his daughter now but don’t tell anyone!) Once again we attempt to embark for a leisurely cruise to Bathampton Weir. Anchors away (or is that A-weigh?) at 7.15 (19.15) from the harbour behind Pulteney Bridge. Bring a picnic and a bottle of tizer and look out for the Kingfisher and Heron. Last year’s floods threatened the bilges and scuppered us; this year we hope to avoid the monsoons and spring tides. Again, an indication of your party would help with the number of oars to order! 01225 832207
18th October (Saturday)
Annual Association Dinner, at The Bath Cricket Club, North Parade, Bath. Black Tie or lounge suit. Full details will follow but please note the date now. We had a record number last year, at least since the halcyon days of Fortts, so if you have any old school friends you want to bring, the chit will be with you in early September.
March 2009 (!) (Saturday)
Ladies Night at Bath Golf Club, Sham Castle. Dates and details in September but a move to a spring evening is being mooted. This avoids the pre-Christmas rush and the post-Christmas weather. And gives you all a chance to replenish your wallets!
NOW PUT THE DATES IN YOUR DIARY, PLEASE!
And please spare a thought for dear old Len Dyer who is in the wars at the moment and unable to assist with the social arrangements. Here’s hoping you get back to full throttle soon Len.
Ronald Edwin Cox
1918-2008
Ronald was born in Bath in July 1918 to Oliver and Catherine Cox. When he was six years old his younger brother Lesley was born. Ronald did well at Primary school and won a place at the City of Bath Boy’s Grammar School where he was very happy, particularly enjoying playing sports and he was in the Hockey, Cricket and Football teams. Ronald spoke of the great fun he had as a boy in the Boy Scouts and later in the Rovers, especially when they would go to camp in the valley above the sea at Branscombe in Devon.
When he left school he started a seven year Printer’s apprenticeship with the famous Pitman Press in Bath. At the age of eighteen he met an attractive seventeen year old girl called Kathleen who was sitting on a wall with her friend watching his cricket match – and so began a special 70 year long friendship and Ronald and Kathleen’s 67 years of married life together. They shared the enjoyment of long walks in the countryside around Bath and attended church there together.
Like most of his generation, the pattern of his life was abruptly altered at the onset of the Second World War when Ronald and many of his school friends joined the Somerset Light Infantry. He was sent to various places including Northern Ireland, Essex and the Kent coast and he told amusing stories of being kept busy amongst other things, keeping the Germans guessing with mock coastal defences and fires lit about the countryside to convince German bombers they had hit their targets.
During the German retaliatory Baedeker raids on the City of Bath in 1942, Ronald lost both his parents who were still quite young, when they were killed together one night during a bad bombing raid, though miraculously his younger brother was saved.
On June 6th 1944 Ronald and his school mates boarded the landing craft which were to transport them across the 60 miles of Channel to Normandy and the D Day battles on the invasion beaches and beyond. The D Day landing on Arromanche beach robbed him one by one of his school friends until only he and one friend in his Infantry remained alive. They continued towards Caen until they reached Hill 112 overlooking Caen and after days and nights of dreadful battle his friend died beside him and then Ronald was severely injured. A long period of recovery ensued but he eventually returned home from the Army to civilian life again with Kathleen and his little son Michael in Bath in March 1946, but unsurprisingly he found it impossible to settle back to life at Pitman’s in Bath again. Throughout his life he never talked of the dreadful experience of losing his parents or the battles in Normandy and he preferred not to look back at all – but he quietly revisited Hill112 and the graves of his friends nearby quite recently with his family.
In 1947 Ronald and Kathleen and their small son Michael set out to start a new life in Africa, leaving family and friends behind. He was working for His Majesty’s Civil Service at the Government Printer’s Department in Lusaka, then the small capital town of Northern Rhodesia.
Ronald and Kathleen were to remain in Lusaka for 21 happy years, making their home in several houses but in each, they created beautiful gardens which were a blaze of tropical colour and a playground for Jasper their son Michael’s much loved Golden Cocker Spaniel. They enjoyed a pleasant social life with a group of special friends, some of whom are here to remember Ronald with her today. Ronald continued to play football and he became an active member of the Masonic Lodge of Lusaka. He was known for his sense of humour and cheerful disposition.
They lived in Northern Rhodesia until it became Zambia and for the last few years there Ronald became the boss and was Government Printer for Zambia, a job which enabled him to meet many interesting people including some notable pioneering characters who shaped Northern Rhodesia. His department which was at the hub of all the government departments in that era, was the communication centre and so he acquired a wide ranging knowledge of the country, its people and its government over the years he worked there – although because of his very down to earth, unassuming character, few would be aware of this. His level headedness and wicked sense of humour were an asset to him on more than one occasion and especially when dealing diplomatically with sensitive situations involving African Heads of State.
On one such occasion having met the legendary Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa in the 1960’s, he was given a guided tour of the new state of the art printing works there and was astonished to witness visiting Ministers of State stuffing newly printed stamps into their pockets as they came off the press!
Christmas and Easter holidays spent at the spectacular Victoria Falls were treasured memories for him, as were the eagerly anticipated and carefully planned holidays in England at three yearly intervals during the years in Africa. These were made more exciting by the sea voyages up the west and eastern coasts of Africa en route for home and were always clearly amongst his happiest memories.
In 1968 Ronald and Kathleen returned to England to live in Bournemouth, but he put off early retirement and worked at Link House Publishing in Poole for a number of years. He continued to play an active role in the Masonic Lodge in Bournemouth and was a member of Bournemouth Football Club where he was a regular supporter. He spent many happy hours landscaping the garden wearing his customary shorts and looking tanned and fit and he and Kathleen walked for miles along the coast with Jasper 2 their Cocker Spaniel. They were regular members of St Alban’s Church in Charminster and had some good neighbours who became friends. He and Kathleen ventured all over Europe on holidays, sometimes with close friends.
In 1983 they found a house in Romsey and moved here to be nearer Michael and Catherine and their two grandchildren Emma and Matthew. Ronald retired and completely landscaped the garden and carried out improvements to the house. He still travelled to Bournemouth regularly to attend Lodge functions, joined the Romsey Branch of the U3A and he became a regular Volunteer hospital driver for Romsey Good Neighbours for a good number of years.
He and Kathleen continued to enjoy short breaks in France and Devon until last year despite some significant health set backs for them both.
They were thrilled by the arrival of their two great grandchildren James and Ruby and got great pleasure from sharing in the lives of all their family who are here today with Kathleen, to celebrate Ronald’s life.
I recently received an e-mail from Andy Nunn. Reproduced here:
Gentlemen
I was fascinated to read your website when exploring news about CBBS for the first time in almost 40 years.. My vintage is 1962-1969 and the photographs on your site prompted some vivid memories! First was the series of images entitled Steve Wall reunion. I remember him as a young member of staff quite new to the school when I was in my ‘O’ level year. Indeed, in the summer of 1967, I was one of about nine pupils and adults who Steve led via a VW j4 van on a tour of several weeks through Europe. It was a fantastic, hectic and ‘character building trip’ and sparked my love of travel I am sure. Some of the memories are probably best not shared in an introductory message! I think that he took along an uncle and a friend of his. The names of the lads who went are not so easy to recall, although the name Duncan Waterman rings a bell.
The photo of the 1969 1st XV brings back memories too. I recognise David Hawkins – Head Boy in 1968/9. Chris Edgeley and Len Kedge are there too – the latter the younger of two brothers who shared the same nickname. All the other faces are obviously familiar but names escape me. A particular mate who played 1st team rugby was Richard Leonard. I did not spot him in that particular picture. My lot was with the 2nd XV with occasional promotions. We have long since lost touch. I was his Best Man in 1978. It would be interesting to know if any of the members have news.
I also recognise Mike Baker – did he teach Maths?- from the Steve Wall pictures. The name Pat Colbourne comes to me as a member of staff new to the PE Dept when I was part way through school. In his time, the school bought/rented a cottage in Ysradgynlais in South Wales. I occasionally went at weekends with Richard Leonard and Pat to work on renovations.
In my last year I was House Captain of Bennett’s House (White in colour). This was Allan Bennett the Head of Music for many years. I am sure I have a picture somewhere in the family archive of the school
orchestra in Bergen, Norway during one of its biennial tours. I played ‘cello. Other staff names include Vickery who taught French, Kirkpatrick, Maths and, of course, Leslie Scott the Headmaster who
retired at about the time I left school. He was a vehement opponent of comprehensive education – or perhaps, rather the alteration of CBBS as we all knew it in those days.
No more now; I just thought I would fire off a message whilst the mood was upon me! I teach in Kent and am currently on half-term. I shall send a cheque to join if I may.
I’ve really enjoyed this reflection on the past.
Sincerely
Andrew Nunn