Newsletter May 2005

New Boys.

Welcome to David Coles (1944), Raymond Moon (1945), John Glenn (1966), and to His Worship the Mayor of Bath, Roger Symonds (1957), who was painlessly separated from a Life Sub by your diligent Hon Sec at the School Concert!

News.

And talking of the Concert, this was, once again, an excellent evening. Held over 2 nights in March, the Su's were present in force on the Wednesday. Paul Calvert and his staff presented precision musical chairs with around 100 musicians and drummers. They formed a wide range of ensembles and played a variety of music with great enthusiasm.

But I jump ahead of myself. The AGM took place on the 18th Feb, immediately after a Committee meeting postponed from the previous week when the Hon Sec mislaid the Clubhouse key! We were quorate and Alan Blake was elected President, Roy Ludlow appointed a Vice-President and the new Rule on quora was agreed as a) 8,8,4. Gerry Gibson was elected to the Committee and your scribe agreed to relieve Tony Bowrey of the Social Sec. bit for a while. 'Big Bad Tone' has had a spot of surgery but is now progressing well. We (me particularly!) wish him a speedy return to the greens.

Good news from the Rugby Club who return to Somerset 1 next season having won their league and all bar one league matches. The President attended an excellent sponsor's lunch at Lansdown, but the scheduled game was cancelled!

Now for 3 different items.

M. Pierre Lataillard did a years teaching practice at CBBS during 1956/7. He enquires whether any of his protégées remember him as he would like to renew contact. I have enclosed a letter to all those that I believe left School around 1957/58. If you haven't got one but recall him, please contact me.
A plea from the Headmaster. "I wonder if any Old Sulians would be willing to give up the odd Saturday during the summer in order to take a cricket team, either on a regular basis or now and then. In practice it normally extends from 11.30 to 4 or from 2 o'clock to 6.30 pm. It doesn't involve more than about 6 Saturdays because there are several matches during the week which presents less of a problem. If anybody could help I would be enormously grateful." Please contact the Head for details if you would like to help. Evidently volunteers for Rugby and Hockey are plentiful but cricket a bit sparse.
Does anyone recall a John Hopkins. An e-mail via our website brought a request as follows: "At a car boot sale in Sussex I bought a collection of papers relating to a John Hopkins whose father (Thomas) worked as Parks Superintendent at Bath for some 24 years. He worked in Bath, Kew, Swansea, Ilfracombe and in Uganda. The papers cover the period 1945 to 1963 and a newspaper cutting from the mid fifties says he is an Old Sulian." The Sender would very much like to ensure that this collection goes to a member of the family and wonders if anyone has any information. He would have been born around 1926. We have no record of him but contact me if you can help.

Over leaf you will find the diary for the year. Please note the dates now and do your best to support the events. As promised I also include photos from Ladies night of past and present Presidents. One did several years in 'The Service' and one managed a day and a half at a Biggin Hill selection board. I will leave you to work out which is which.

The final Headmaster's Letter is enclosed. The smoke has gone up and Roy has booked his tickets for cricket in September. We wish him well and look forward to working with his successor. Next news in September. If there's anything to tell please let me know. Finally, and sadly, I report the passing of Jack Norris, a 'senior' member.

Diary for 2005

5th May (Thursday)

Golf Match, away, against Newport High School Old Boys. Mick Moore is in charge, you will have received the summons by now if you're selected!

13th May (Friday)

Old Sulians Rugby Club Annual Dinner at the Clubhouse, Lansdown. Contact Terry Haines for a ticket. (01225 465107) or check the website www.oldsulians.com/

3rd June (Friday)

Association Golf Day at Bath Golf Club, Sham Castle. Contact Mike Wood on 01225 335250 or mike@systemagic.co.uk. to put yourself on the list. Arrangements are as normal: 8.30 for Coffee prior to Morning Medal; the Old Tossers' 7 during the morning; light lunch from 12.30; then afternoon Stableford followed by evening meal. Book early to avoid disappointment!

5th July (Tuesday)

Association Approach Golf at Victoria Park. 6 pm onwards. After two years of deluge and flood we've changed the day and with it, we hope, the luck! Don't tell the weather man! A few more participants would not go amiss. As usual, 'Pebble' Beach will calculate the handicaps using his own unique application of the black art! But please don't let that put you off.

21st July (Thursday)

Walking Treasure Hunt (or Trude's Trundle) organised once again by Sue Trude. A different Start point this year, from outside the entrance to the Botanical Gardens in Royal Victoria Park, which is the Park Lane end. Leave your cars nearby because the finish will be in the same vicinity! Return to the Bath Cricket Club for verdict and prizes. Teams of around 4 to set off between 6 and 7 pm. Modest fee. Please let Roger Wood know you are coming. (01225 832207)

17th Aug (Wednesday)

River Boat Picnic. Leave from the Weir about 1900 hours (or 7pm) courtesy of Captain Hardick Bring your own marmite sandwiches and crisps, and your choice of beverage; Tizer, Dandelion and burdock or similar. I myself will try a rather robust Cotes du Rhone with garlic hula-hoops! Again there is a modest charge. Flypasts from the Heron and Kingfisher have been requested.

28th October (Friday)

Annual Association Dinner, Once again at the Lansdown Grove Hotel. Black Tie. Tickets from Roger Wood, Speaker to be announced. Full details in September but please note the date now.

28th January 2006 (!) (Saturday) Ladies Night

A bit later due to a Presidential World Tour. So look forward to a bright spot during winter gloom. You never know, you might find that perfect little black number in the Christmas sales. We hope to arrange the customary entertainment to be confirmed in the September news. BUT no costumes or Wood Bros this time around. Promise!

The Committee is always prepared to consider anything new that members would find of interest. If you have any requests or suggestions we would love to hear from you.

And a reminder if you have an e-mail address and have not yet told us! We can send you this newsletter as an Acrobat file, which looks just like this, or in a variety of other formats, and save a stamp. Just send a message with your e-mail details to newsletter@oldsulians.org.uk Tell us whether you would like Acrobat, Word or Mac format and the webmaster will do the rest.

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