Newsletter – September 2009
September 3, 2009 – 4:02 pmNEWS!
The Book
Terry Light reports that the Team are still hoping to launch our literary venture ‘Basements to Beechen Cliff’ at the Annual Dinner. Hopefully you will find enclosed, a ‘flyer’ for the book with all the relevant details.
NHSOB Golf June 2, 2009
Mike Wood reports:
We brought home the trophy from Newport with a 3-2 win! The Team consisted of: John (Tom) Dowding, John Larcombe, Alan Blake, Dave Larcombe, Mick Moore (Captain), Tony Comer, Steve Ford, Roy Aust, Mike Wood and Robert Hill.
Su’s Golf Day – Fri June 19th 2009
Mike Wood again reports:
I wasn’t there (and I’ve not been allowed to forget it by Mick Moore!!) and Tony Comer handled things on the day helped by Steve Ford. The weather was good if not a little windy. The winners were:
Medal (cup) – Ollie Dicks
Old Tossers Tankard – Steve Ford
Stableford (Rosebowl) – Barry Marsh
Tony Bowrey Trophy – Roy Aust
Nearest the pin – Barry Marsh
Longest drive – Ollie Dicks ( Ed’s Note: Ollie is young!)
There was lengthy debate over dinner about how best to organise the day in future. Falling numbers, age (infirmity!) considerations, cost, travelling distance and other factors were considered and there was a general consensus that maybe we should go for just one round of golf and dinner.
So, all trophies will be preserved but fought for over one round – best Medal (Cup), best Stableford (Rosebowl), best first 7 holes for those over 65 (OTT) and the Tony Bowrey Memorial Trophy will go to the best GROSS score on the par 3’s and par 5’s. A nightmare for the poor bloke who checks the cards, but hey, we’re the Sulians! If Robbie and Bert could organise and keep track of the competitors returns over umpteen car rallies, then administering one round of golf should be a doddle!!! At least I won’t need to be up there from 8 in the morning!
Whilst awarding all the Trophies will be preserved we may need to move to having only one series of prizes. As more often than not, the best medal cards will also be the best Stableford cards and when we consider the tradition that no-one can win more than one prize, then the top prizewinner of the Stableford is likely to be the bloke who comes 2nd in the medal and sorting out the other best medal/best Stableford places will be a bit of a joke! So I think we’ll go for a prize to go alongside the Cup, Rosebowl and OTT, then have 2 further prizes for the next 2 best Stableford scores. Prizes for nearest the pin and longest drive will also be preserved. It’ll be something like that although I’ll give it some more thought and have a chat with Mick Moore before finally deciding.
Next year then, 3rd Friday in June (which I’m pretty sure is the 18th) it will be “all inclusive” – coffee and bacon rolls from 1pm, golf start at 2.30pm, dinner at 8pm and we’ll try to do it for about £30 (depending on what might happen to policy/costs at Bath Golf Club between now and then.
We’ll give it a go and see what happens. I can’t see that anyone will not come because of the change, it will help those who feel they can’t manage more than 18 holes and it may just serve to attract a few more. Let’s hope so!
Approach Golf – Victoria Park
The President reports:
Despite Pebble Beach’s Handicap system, Ian Weeks retained the cup for a second year. (Bet it doesn’t happen again!)
In reverse order the scores were:
Alex Wood: 69, Rich Wood: 68, Alan Blake: 65, Pebble Beach: 63, Barry Marsh: 56 and Ian Weeks: 50
Medieval Meander
The problem with Grandchildren is that, by and large, they are an unhealthy lot! The most recent Mrs Wood contracted the dreaded ‘swine-flu’ from one of ours the day before the ‘Hunt’, rendering us ‘hazardous’!. However I am reliably informed by Pete Powell that a goodly crowd turned up; there was a minimum of violence but a maximum of confusion, particularly with Sue Trude’s 400 year old map! Not a member of the AA, obviously! Anyway, despite this the Austs and the Hills wound their merry way to triumph. The Powell/Hardick team stopped for a sumptuous burger meal and then got lost. Our thanks to Sue for organising another successful evening and Bath Cricket Club, for the use of their bar.
Membership
Very sadly I have to report that Len Dyer lost his fight with the Big C on Tuesday, 12th May. I know he was hoping desperately to hang on for the ‘49 ‘ers re-union, but it was not to be. Len’s funeral was held at Haycombe on the 21st May. Many Sulians were present along with his family and many, many friends. Len was a big man with a big heart; a tireless worker for the Association, long time Committee member and former President. His family were great supporters of Sulian events and he sponsored the wine at the Annual Dinner. He will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences go to Beryl and all his family.
Headmaster’s Letter
Thanks to the Headmaster for his contribution which you should find enclosed, delivered at the end of last term just before the men in white coats took him away to recover from the visit of the 49’ers, more of which overleaf. Early reports show another good tally of exam results.
49ers 60th Reunion
Alan Blake reports:
On Friday 17th July 2009, 21 elderly gentlemen met at Beechen Cliff School to recognise the fact that it was 60 years since they had completed their secondary education. by taking The University of London General School Examination, or School Cert. Many of those present had attended a similar event 10 years before, and it was because of the success of that event that yours truly decided to repeat the exercise for the 60th. Fortunately I still had the details of those who had attended, so a ‘round robin’ had elicited the agreement that it was a worthwhile venture. Unfortunately several of the original former pupils had passed away. Further there were a few who could not be contacted for whatever reason. Of the remainder, a few contacted me to express regret that they could not attend, Colin Winsor was one whose granddaughter had decided to get married that day, and despite his entreaties, she would not change the date. Another, Bob Roost, regretted that due to ill health he could not contemplate the journey, and Alan Dudeney who unfortunately was otherwise engaged on the day. Peter Dyer was another who had to call off at the last moment due to his wife’s ill health. Finally Kingsley Spencer had to decline as he and his wife both, are rather poorly All of course sent their best wishes.
On the day, 12 noon was the witching hour, but there were 1 or 2 who couldn’t wait and were at school soon after 11 am. Obviously thoughts such as ‘ bet that’s a first’ abounded. Soon all 21 were present and correct and assembled in the school hall, where Tony Lawdham [ex teacher] had collected a load of memorabilia and displayed it around the hall, including registers, pictures, old copies of The Sulian, and of course the Sulian Magazines from 1944 to 1949, which had been collected by former schoolmate Peter Coombes, and bound into a hard backed book.
A great deal of chatter was to be heard which went on for a good hour, then food appeared. The school now has a chef, Tim Fletcher by name, and he prepared a superb buffet lunch, accompanied by red and white wine, which was soon devoured by these hungry former pupils. This lunch was provided gratis by the Headmaster, Andrew Davies, who has been in charge for something like 4 years, and a very good friend to the Association he is. After lunch Andrew spoke a few words about the school, its ethos, hopes for the future etc. and then invited us to accompany some year 9 pupils who took us on a conducted tour of the school facilities. During this tour we were able to appreciate Andrew’s comments about the state of some of the buildings.
Part 2 of the day was a dinner at The Boatman Restaurant Bathwick, owned of course by that redoubtable 48er, Terry Hardick. There were 18 for dinner, although several had to decline due to long journeys
Those who did attend were;- [David Francis Atworth attended the evening only]
Brian Baker Bath Bill Gunning Dorking John Russ Claygate
Ray Beazer France Cecil Hallett Tewkesbury Gordon Sellick Bath
Alan Blake High Littleton Mike Hucker Frome Derek Swift Sydney Australia
Cyril Bush Bath Terry Light Bath Peter Swift Ruthin
Peter Bush Oxted Mick Moore Norton St Phillip Brian Thomas North Curry
John Cashnella Studely Pete Powell Bathampton Jim Turner Luton
Mick Chaloner Ramsgate Lionel Roberts Tunbridge Wells Brian Wetten France
Editors Note: This article has been posted on our website and will soon have some photos included.
THE GRYPHON
The inaugural edition of the School’s yearbook has now been published.. You can order your copy at £10.00 plus postage (£2.50 in UK, £5.00 overseas) (Cheques payable to Beechen Cliff School) through the School Office at Beechen Cliff School, Alexandra Park, Bath BA2 4RE. The Gryphon has articles about developments at the school, creative work by students, trips and activities, sports and miscellaneous news about the school, and a mention for the Association. In future years they hope it might also be another way of keeping in touch with news of past pupils. They hope this will be an annual event. Any further enquiries please email the Editor, John Cruickshank, at the school.
johncruickshank@beechencliff.org.uk
You can find the Headmasters regular newsletters and other news about The School at: www.beechencliff.org.uk/index.html
And finally this edition of the newsletter is being assembled early (!) as I am about to have my eyeballs re-lined back to standard and am having great difficulty reading the computer screen, let alone seeing the keyboard! I am grateful to my team of correspondents for their input which has made life much easier. All contributions, both of news, photos or memories, are always gratefully received.
Despatch will be at the usual time, early September, and any updates will be inserted as chittys by my expert team of ‘stuffers’ (usual fee is a free lunch but you need to join the queue) as per ‘The Book’. So check your envelope carefully please. A reminder that if you have an e-mail address that we do not yet know about, it will save us a lot of stamps if you elect to get the e-mailed version sent to you. Contact committee@oldsulians.org.uk and remember that the website www.oldsulians.org.uk is regularly updated with news and photos and you are able to add your own comments.
Old Sulians RFC start a new season hoping for a better time. They had an excellent Annual Dinner in May and always welcome your support at Lansdown. Fixture details can be found at: www.oldsuliansrfc.co.uk