oa bulletin - autumn 2005 edition

Old Albanian Club

October2005

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DIARY DATES

School Remembrance Day Service – 10.25am, Friday 11th November 2005London Drinks Party – Thursday 17th November 2005

School Carol Service – 2.30pm, Tuesday 13th December 2005Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 13th December 2005

Recent Leavers’ Reunion – Thursday 15th December 2005

Old Tallinn in Estonia, destination for the OA Lodge Easter outing in 2006

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OA BULLETIN OCTOBER 2005

Nick Chappin – EditorAndy Chappin – Design & ProductionRoger Cook – MembershipMike Highstead – Gazette

Printing - Herts & Beds Printing01923 234959

Address for correspondence:Nick Chappin18 The Pleasance, Harpenden,Herts AL5 3NATelephone: 01582 461674 (home)07980 565645 (mobile)e-mail: [email protected]

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OA CLUB www.oldalbanianclub.com

President Andrew Barnes01582 712650

[email protected] David Buxton

01727 [email protected]

Treasurer Brian Sullman01582 460317

Membership Secretary Roger Cook01727 836877

[email protected]

OA SPORTS www.oasport.com

RUGBYPresident Ali Mills

[email protected] Richard Milnes

[email protected] Director Simon Heath

[email protected] Director Chris Walker

[email protected] Director Peter Lipscomb

[email protected] Secretary Darren Ead

[email protected] of Coaching Bruce Millar

[email protected] of Rugby Steve Bedford

[email protected] & Junior Rugby Chairman Rory Davis

01727 843538

FOOTBALL www.oasoccer.co.ukManager Simon Bates

01727 852418 / 0772 0383 600

CRICKET www.oacc.org.ukPresident John Josling

01296 632227Chairman Andrew McCree

01727 [email protected]

1st XI Captain Robert Bee2nd XI Captain Colin BashfordTreasurer Denis King

[email protected] Secretary Julian baines

[email protected]

OTHERSRifle & Pistol Andrew Wilkie

01727 856857Angling Geoff Cannon

01582 792512Golf Royce Bryant

01727 863130

OA LODGEJohn Williams 01438 715679

SCHOOL WEB SITEwww.st-albans.herts.sch.uk

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CT Editorial

Writer’s blockWhen Evelyn Waugh said that ‘wordsshould be an intense pleasure just asleather should be to a shoemaker’ hewas talking cobblers in more waysthan one. I’m faced with theproverbial blank sheet of paper onlytwice a year, yet finding somethingnew and interesting to say in theseeditorial pieces is an acutely painfulexperience.

Name-dropping certainly helps.Casually tossing in an obscure quotefrom a well-known author at theoutset does wonders for the ego, inthe naïve belief that the reader willbe impressed with theastonishing breadth ofone’s literary knowledge.The reality, of course, israther different. As aLiverpudlian friend fromuniversity used to saywhen you used a wordthat in his opinion hadmore syllables than wasstrictly necessary:‘What’s wrong with you,pal? Swallowed a f***kin’dictionary, have yer?’ Inthis case, it was actuallythe International Thesaurus ofQuotations, but you get the point.Another apposite quote (and one thatI do actually recognise from myEnglish A Level course) is fromAlexander Pope’s Essay on Criticism:‘True ease in writing comes from art,not chance, / As those move easiestwho have learned to dance.’ If that’sthe case, then I’ve got two left feet.

Pressing on, this edition of the

Bulletin contains reports from all ourregular contributors. In response toseveral requests, the Presidentendeavours to disentangle theGordian knot that is the club’sorganisational structure, andapplauds the growing success ofOAConnect, the Club’s online rival toFriends Reunited. The School is onceagain reporting record-breakingacademic results and all-roundsporting, musical and artisticsuccess. No change there. And as awelcome oasis of calm in these daysof natural catastrophes and globalpolitical upheaval, isn’t it comfortingto know that the Membership

Secretary is stillknocking out OA Clubties at £12.50 for a silk tieand £15.00 for a bow tie?

Having momentarilypaused to consider why abow tie should be 20%more expensive than anecktie, I am delightedto report that Woollamsis further cementing itsposition as the area’spremier sporting andsocial facility, and itstwo main residents – the

Cricket and Rugby clubs – continueto flourish. Having becomereacquainted with some of my oldrugby haunts over the last couple ofyears as my son and nephew bothenjoy the hugely successful OA MiniRugby section, the stark contrast inquality compared to the averagerugby club is only too apparent. Thisis perhaps best summed up by mynephew, who asked his mother at the

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The President

disentangles the

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OA BULLETIN OCTOBER 2005 OA BULLETIN OCTOBER 2005

weekend: “Mummy, why do otherrugby clubs have sheds and only sellcrisps?”

On a slightly less positive note,this edition has not attracted theusual crop of correspondence andthe postman’s bag was pitifullylight. My thanks, as always, to ourmore senior members for theircontinued support, and I issue myusual plea to members of all ages towrite in with their experiences andreminiscences.

Finally, one or two important datesfor the diary: the Old Albanian ClubAnnual General Meeting will takeplace at Woollams on Tuesday 13thDecember 2005, and the LondonDrinks Party on Thursday 17thNovember 2005 at The East IndiaClub in St James’s Square, London.As for me, I shall be scanning thetext-books to find a suitably obscureliterary quote for the next edition…

Nick ChappinEditor

President’s Notes

Making Connectionsn OA Club President Andrew Barnesexplains the structure of the Old AlbanianClub and applauds the successful launch ofOAConnect

I have been asked to explain the variousbodies that now constitute the structure ofthe Old Albanian Club, including those thatmust act independently.

Appointed OA Club members serve astrustees of the Old Albanian SportsAssociation Ltd, a registered charity whichowns the Club’s material asset at Woollams.At the moment, the trustees are allmembers of the elected Old Albanian ClubCommittee. The day-to-day running of theWoollams headquarters is delegated fromthe trustees to an appointed OperationsBoard under the Club President, chaired byAndrew Mills-Baker. The Woollamsclubhouse is run by a professional GeneralManager, Neil Dekker. Brian Sullmancontinues in the role of Club Treasurer,with almost daily attendance at Woollams.Andrew Mills-Baker’s continuinginvolvement is also vital, as the commercialactivities move towards break-even.

The sports clubs, grouped together underthe styling ‘OA Sport’, are run by electedcommittees of Old Albanians as well assome non-OAs. Each of the clubs is an opencommunity sports club. The sports clubshave free use of the clubhouse andcontribute to the maintenance of theplaying surfaces and grounds. There are nocontractual rights of occupation. The Healthand Fitness club (see page XX) is acommercial operation for which Neil Dekkerhas responsibility.

The 948 Sports Foundation is a registeredcharity, endowed by the Old Albanian Club,

with an independent board of trustees, mostof whom are Old Albanians. Its purpose isto support youth sport in the St Albansarea. It has given grants to St AlbansSchool including providing a sports bursary,and to youth cricket and rugby at Woollamsas well as to many external teams andindividuals.

I hope that is a satisfactory explanation.“Clear as mud,” I hear you say!

OAConnectOAConnect is now functioning well. Greatefforts have been made to contact all OldAlbanians around the world to tell themthat they are life members. Recently,everyone should have received a compositeedition of ‘St Albans School Highlights’. Thishas been circulated to the last knownaddress of all Old Albanians we believed wecould contact to encourage members to logon to OAConnect. Inevitably, a largenumber of these have been returned markedaddress unknown. The MembershipSecretary’s list of waifs and strays is longerthan usual as a result of this. Please find afew moments to scan this list, pick out thename of anyone for whom you have contactinformation. Roger Cook will be delighted tohear from you and will make contact onbehalf of the club. I can report that themailing of the School’s ten-year Highlightshas been very well received and thathundreds of Old Albanians have followedthe step-by-step instructions and registeredwith OAConnect. If you haven’t got round toit yet, please register via the Club website.Once registered you can search the Clubrecords whenever you choose to. If, by othermeans through your efforts or by accidentyou re-establish contact with a friend fromSchool, please pass those contact details onto the Membership Secretary.

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WHO TO CONTACTPlease address your correspondence to the following people – you’ll find their contact detailson page 2.OA Bulletin Nick Chappin, EditorComments, letters, photos Subscription/membership enquiries Roger Cook, Membership SecretaryChange of address, notification of deaths OA Gazette Mike Highstead, ArchivistMember news, obituaries, School archive and museum

The OARFCVicePresidents’Lunch onSaturday24thSeptemberatWoollams…

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The harmonious working relationshipbetween the School and the Old Albanianshas never been closer. At Woollams, the OAclubhouse and grounds and the School’splaying fields stand side by side. TheSchool’s ground maintenance staff arecontracted for the maintenance of theClub’s sports pitches and courts and thesurrounding land. Almost all of the chargesfor this work are recovered from the sportsclubs. The cost of this work is negotiatedannually with the Bursar. It is fair to saythat Woollams looks a picture and isadmired by all who visit. The School’soutstanding academic results, sportingachievements, music, drama and an everwidening range of charitable andcommunity involvement is admirablycovered in the Headmaster’s report (seepage 8).

On 21st September it was a great pleasureto be present in the Abbey for the annualprize-giving. I am full of admiration for theexcellence displayed. St Albans is a modernmulti-faceted school of which we can bevery proud. For the record, this Septemberthe School has never been ‘more fuller ofpupils’ and is fortunate to have exceptionalstaff, both academic and administrative. Ian

Jennings (62) chairs the Board of Governors,there being three other Old Albaniansserving on the governing body.

The Presidents’ Garden PartyOn Sunday 19th June we were blessed witha warm sunny afternoon. A triumvirate, thePresident of the Old Albanian Cricket Cub,the President of the Rugby Club, and thePresident of the Old Albanian Clubentertained their guests. These guests wereinvited as a mark of recognition and thanksfor the exceptional effort within the OldAlbanian Club and the sports clubs underthe umbrella of OA Sport. For a second yearthis has been the single occasion on whichrepresentatives of every sector of OAactivity from the OA Lodge, OA Golf andfisherfolk to the leading lights in the OASaints Rugby Club enjoyed a social occasiontogether. We were delighted to welcome theHeadmaster and Mrs Grant, the Bursar andhis wife and other members of the Schoolstaff as guests of the whole club.

The Old Albanian DinnerThis year the School provided the venue at

their Woollams pavilion. On the eve ofFounders’ Day, some 85 people thoroughlyenjoyed the dinner and speeches. StephenEames resumed his accustomed role asmaster of ceremonies following a period ofexile in Chicago. He and our guest speaker,Mark Elliott, Chairman of Herts RugbySelectors, performed a most entertainingdouble-act. Warm letters of appreciationwere received from a number of guests. Theclub is most grateful for the efforts of thisyear’s dinner organiser, Judy Bee.

This is the fourth occasion on which Ihave cobbled the President’s notes together.In December, two years will have beencompleted in this role. I believe it is time tothank the OA committee and in particularthe officers that take responsibility for allClub’s affairs and activities and theproduction of this Bulletin. Those hard-working members are listed on page 2.

SuccessionThe Annual General Meeting of the OldAlbanian club will be held on Tuesday 13thDecember at Woollams. Some preparationsmust be made before that date. This is theyear when things must start to change. Iwould like to ensure that the interests andviews of the Club members in theirtwenties, thirties, forties and fifties arerepresented in the OA Club structure andWoollams management. If you fall withinone of these groups and live within strikingdistance of St Albans how about talking tome to discuss what might be achieved byyour involvement?

We need web masters. Ideally the Clubneeds to find a representative from eachyear group. This is an ideal opportunity forOld Albanians living in faraway places, butwith internet access, to make an importantcontribution on behalf of friends and year

group acquaintances. This is not just a wayof keeping in touch but to become the hubfor sharing news within the whole group.Please contact me if you will take this roleon for a six-month trial period.

Young Albanians GroupOn 15th December the Club will hold anearly evening reunion at Woollams for allthose Albanians that left school thissummer. This will be the first opportunityfor the Club to welcome its newestmembers, to show off our clubhouse andprovide an opportunity for the group tospend some time catching up with friendsthey haven’t been in contact with for somemonths.

An Old Albanian Club notice-board isbeing prepared for installation in the 6thForm Common Room at School… someprogress!

The ‘97 leavers group held a reunion,drinks, canapés and discotheque atWoollams on 2nd July. It was great to see anumber of long-serving members of theSchool’s staff in evidence. Around 70 peopleattended. It was great fun. I was there!

London Drinks Party, East India Club,Thursday 17th November 2005This jolly gathering has a completelydifferent feel from any other OA Clubfunction. A fascinating cross-section fromvery recent school leavers up tooctogenarian members find their way to StJames’s and enjoy the warm friendlyambience, meeting friends and other OldAlbanians for the first time. Please makeevery effort to join us this year.

Nick Barnes is co-ordinating numbers.Please respond him on the enclosed slip.

Andrew Barnes President

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High Rollersn As the School’s roll hits a new high,Headmaster Andrew Grant reports on somespectacular academic results which set newbenchmarks in achievement

The new term began on theback of a succession ofrecords, not least for theSchool roll, which at 780 is atan historic high.

For the first time ever, all age groupstaking public examinations improved onanything previously achieved atSt Albans to set someimpressive new benchmarks.

The Upper Sixth, having setthe best-ever GCSE Mathsresults when they were in theFourth Form but flattered todeceive in the intervening threeyears, finally returned to formwhen it mattered with A or Bgrades in 82% of their A levels,nudging the previous best up byaround a percentage point. 39students, also a record,achieved three A grades ormore.

Not to be outdone, the Lower Sixth, alltaking four subjects, improved by around5% on the previous best at AS level, with75% of all results at the top two grades and33 students scoring four A grades each.

At GCSE, two thirds of all entries werepassed at A* or A grade – a 5% rise on theprevious best, while the proportion of thetop A* grades rose by a similar proportionto 31% (nationally, the proportion is 4%.)Six pupils achieved A* in every subject,which, needless to say, is also a record,while 26 scored nothing lower than grade A

in any of their GCSEs. This, just to keepyou alert, was not a record as it happens;the best to date remains 29, set in 2002.

It was the Fourth form, however, all ofwhom take Mathematics a year before theirother GCSEs, who produced something of asensation with 45% of their results gradedA* and 87% graded A* or A. This is a full10% up on anything previously recorded.

These results are all a long way above theaverage for the independent sector as awhole and the rate of improvement is wellahead of the upward drift that we continueto observe nationally. All, teachers and

students alike, deserve warmcongratulations. The latterhave now blown their coverand can have no excuse forsetting their sights on anythingless than the highestachievements.

Those of you who pay anoccasional visit to our websitewill have noted that it is keptright up to date with newsfrom the term and the holiday.A few things deservehighlighting. Staying with theacademic theme, in May, we

were pleased to learn that The Good SchoolsGuide had judged us best independent boys’school for AS General Studies and bestschool of any kind for AS Ancient Historyin the 2004 exams. Given that AncientHistory AS was taught only by HilarySwain, it surely follows that she is the bestteacher of AS Ancient History in the entirecountry. However much weight one wishesto attach to these awards, we were visitedshortly afterwards by a reporter/inspectorfrom the Guide. She wrote us a veryfavourable report which is currently ontheir website (www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk)

These results are

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and will appear in print in the 2006 edition.There is no truth in the rumour that I wrotesubstantial parts of it myself.

Of course, the successes have not all beenacademic. The cricket season ended with a60% win rate for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd XIsand the U15 side won the District Cup. TheU14s surpassed this, winning 14 of their 15matches, retaining the District Cup and theCounty Cup and returning from theirDorset Tour undefeated in five matches. Itis perhaps not insignificant that two U14s,Jack Reynolds and Aron Jayawardena,played for the First XI throughout theseason and also for Middlesexand Hertfordshire, respectively.Victor Stairmand (U14) andAlex Addison and SimonGregory (U19) were alsoselected for the county. Theseason closed with a series ofvictories against touring sides,including Gordonstoun, whomthis year the First XI saw offconvincingly, after last year’sextraordinary tie, andAustralian visitors KnoxGrammar School and SydneyGrammar School, in defeatingwhom we made our own small contributionto this summer’s undermining of southernhemisphere cricketing supremacy.

Our senior athletes retained the DistrictChampionship for the seventh season in arow, with Mark Stichbury, Matt Grant andJames Newman going on later in the seasonto take 1, 2, 3 in the County 1500m and LoisHaruna winning the girls’ County shot putt,while Robert Sparrow took bronze in theSenior 800m. At the same CountyChampionship meeting, Jonny Mills tookthird in the Intermediate boys Steeplechase,Jonathan Miller third in the Inter boys

Javelin and Nick Ridler third in the Juniorboys 400m.

In the District Championships forIntermediates and Juniors, our First andThird Formers won their respective relaysand Harley Stairmand, Joe Richards, TomCorderey and Zak Buttle all won individualDistrict titles.

The summer holiday was as busy as ever,not least for the Bursar’s department, whohave been undertaking some majorrefurbishment. The most visible public sideof this is the resurfacing of the Upper Yard– and not before time - so if you’ve had a

favourite pothole to whichyou’ve become emotionallyattached over the past fiftyyears, I’m sorry, but you won’tbe able to find it.

The Lower School had a jointLanguages/Geographyresidential trip to Normandy,staying in a chateau andvisiting, among other places ofinterest, the Bayeux Tapestry;Mont Saint Michel and thePegasus Bridge, famous fromthe D-Day landings.

The CCF has been busy atthe usual camps at Longmoor, where theArmy Section was judged best all-roundcontingent of the three-week camp, and atRAF Cosford, where the activities includedflying Grob trainers and gliding inVigilants. For the second year running thecontingent went off to Evje in Norway foran Adventurous Training Exercise, where,as the DVD proves, the emphasis really wason “adventurous”, with white water rafting;abseiling down fjord cliffs, survivaltechniques and the like.

Participants in the Duke of EdinburghScheme were equally intrepid with a Silver

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Headmaster’s Notes

The season closed

with a series of

victories against

touring sides,

including

Gordonstoun

Cakes and Ale n Lodge Secretary John Williamsreports on a busy few months for theOA Lodge, and looks back at theorigins of organised Freemasonry inthe ale houses of 18th century London

The Lodge year commenced at theinstallation meeting in early Maywhen the new Master, GeoffreyGoodman, was installed in the Chairby the outgoing Master, Peter Wade-Wright, in a consummate manner,followed by the appointment of theLodge Officers for the year. As usualthe meeting was well attended, thisyear by some 70 members and guests,many in dinner jackets, which is thetradition.

The Provincial Grand Master ofHertfordshire, Colin Harris, attendingas a member of the Lodge ratherthan in his official capacity,presented the Hall-Stone Jewel andCollarette to the newly installedMaster. During his year, this formspart of the regalia wornby the Master. The Hall-Stone Jewel, conferredon the Lodge by theGrand Master in the1930s, symbolises thegift made by Englishmembers of the Craft ofthe new Freemasons’Hall in London, built inmemory of those whogave their lives in theGreat War.

During the meetingthe Brethren voted totransfer a further £5,000

for the 2009 ‘Festival’ Appeal insupport of the Grand Charity and ourCharity Steward Dick Knifton hadgreat pleasure in presenting thecheque to the Provincial GrandMaster.

The brethren have been saddenedover recent months by the deaths oftwo members, John Turner (45) inApril aged 77, and in June, DrPatrick ‘Paddy’ Coker (57) at theyoung age of 66. Both were active inthe Lodge and will be greatly missed.Paddy was initiated into the Lodge in1998 and was related to R A Coker(WM 45) who was Secretary for over12 years in the 1950s and 60s. Johnwas initiated in 1953 and in additionto his professional career; he servedon St Albans District Council for 20years, becoming an Alderman. Forsome 20 years he also served as aGovernor of the School. A memorialservice was held in the Lady Chapelin May, followed by a reception atthe School.

The Goose and Gridiron Societywas formed in 1995 forresearch into Masonictaverns. The aim is tomeet in pubs withMasonic connections,enjoy a few beers andrecord details of thebuilding for posterity.The society is namedafter the ale house atwhich Grand Lodgefirst met in 1717, andthe present Chairman isGeoffrey Goodman,Master of the Lodge. On15th June an historic

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qualifying expedition in the Brecon Beaconsand a Gold expedition in the Picosmountains in which students of both sexesencountered and surmounted somedemanding terrain.

Meanwhile, for three weeks, the SeniorRugby squad contributed further to thesporting misery inflicted on the southernhemisphere by the northern this summer ina superbly successful tour of New Zealandand Fiji from which they returned with sixwins and a draw - some of the wins by verysubstantial margins – a working knowledgeof how to perform the Haka; an appreciationof just how big fully-grown All Blacks mustbe and an insight into the principles ofSouthern Hemisphere refereeing

In each case, I am delighted to say, thestudents have conducted themselves in animpeccable manner as ambassadors for theSchool and it has been a pleasure to receivecomplimentary messages from their hosts.

Pre-season rugby training was well underway by the end of the holiday and theannual cross-country training camp at PenArthur inflicted the usual cruelties ofdestructive-testing-by-dune-running underthe steely eye of coach George Harrison,

whom it is good to see back in harness afterhis serious illness.

Recent OAs will be sorry to learn that EdBeavington has left the staff to take up anappointment in Tanzania, while WendyDavies has retired from teaching.

Both have given exceptional service tothe School and will be missed, though I ampleased that Wendy Davies will continue asour Learning Support Co-ordinator and will,indeed, be able to devote more time to thatrole.

Daniel Grimwood has been elected Headof School and Patrick Clark and ToniOsibodu are Deputy Heads of School.

All OAs are, as always, very welcome atthe Carol Service on Tuesday 13 Decemberat 2.30 pm in the Abbey, as is anyone whowould like to attend the Remembrance Dayservice on Friday 11 November at 10.25 am.Failing that, I am sure I shall see many ofyou on the touchline, or at the LondonDrinks Party.

With best wishes for the autumn term,a.k.a. rugby season!

Andrew GrantHeadmaster The original Goose and

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Lodges used to meet, mainly ale andcoffee houses. It is much appreciated.I am very pleased to unveil thisplaque marking the birth of theMasonic Lodges as we know them.”

The Worshipful Master isorganising a Lodge outing to anotherhistoric city next Easter, to spend afew days in Tallinn, Estonia viaEasyJet. Whilst there on one eveningwe plan to visit Hermes Lodge No 5.The cost of the flight will be about£50 return and hotels about £35-50 pernight for a double room. Old Tallinnis one of the best preserved Europeanmedieval towns and is listed as aWorld Heritage Site. If anyone isfamiliar with the Russian film ofHamlet, this is where it was filmed.Prices in Estonia are about half thosehere, but rising! Well worth a visit,the Tallinn website address is:http://www.tourism.tallinn.ee/

The Lodge meets only five times a

year on the second Saturdays inJanuary, March, May and Septemberand the first Saturday in November.All those connected with the School,including fathers of past or presentpupils are welcome to apply formembership, for which purpose thefirst approach should be to anyLodge member, the Secretary asbelow, or Nigel WoodSmith or AlanSmith at the School. Members ofother Lodges, be they OAs, parentsof past or present pupils, staff orGovernors are encouraged to visitthe Lodge whenever they wish, andthe Secretary will be delighted tohear from them. The Lodge websiteaddress is: http://www.oa-lodge.co.uk/

John WilliamsLodge Secretary

Masonic event took place in theshadow of St Paul’s when the LordMayor of London, Michael Savory,together with representatives of theUnited Grand Lodge of England,unveiled a blue plaque tocommemorate the site of the world’sfirst Grand Lodge of Freemasons.Peter Lowndes, Deputy GrandMaster, said:

“I am delighted to welcome you alland to thank the Lord Mayor for hiskindness in agreeing to unveil thiscommemorative blue plaque. Thissite is of major importance not justto English Freemasonry but toFreemasons throughout the world.On this site until 1898 stood thewonderfully named ‘Goose andGridiron Ale House’ where, on 24June, 1717 four London lodges ofFreemasons came together, formedthemselves into a Grand Lodge andelected Anthony Sayer, gentleman,as their first Grand Master. Fromthat date, organised Freemasonry, aswe understand it, is said to havestarted. England, as the first, isrecognised throughout the world asthe ‘Mother’ GrandLodge, and this site isregarded as a place ofpilgrimage by regularFreemasons throughoutthe world. From thatsmall beginning in 1717,the Grand Lodge ofEngland has grown toan association of over275,000 members in overeight and a halfthousand Lodgesthroughout England

and Wales and in Commonwealthcountries overseas”.

The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor,Alderman Michael Savory, said at theunveiling:

“Now 1717 was quite a year: on 4thJanuary the Netherlands, Britainand France signed the TripleAlliance. Over Christmas adisastrous storm hit the North Seacoast between the Netherlands andDenmark with thousands dying orlosing their homes. Jeffrey Amherst,conqueror of Quebec, was born inJanuary and Horace Walpole inSeptember. Voltaire was sentencedto a year in the Bastille for hissatirical writings and Montevideo, inUruguay, was founded by thePortuguese. And on St John’s Day,24th June 1717, the first MasonicGrand Lodge was founded very closeto this site. Four London Lodgeswhich met at various ale-houses –the Goose & Gridiron in St Paul’sChurchyard, the Crown, ParkersLane, the Apple Tree, Covent Gardenand the Rummer & Grapes, ChannelRow, grouped together under the

first Grand Master, ‘agentlemen’, oneAnthony Sayer, withjurisdiction over thecities of London andWestminster. Manythanks are due to theGoose and GridironSociety for organisingthis important plaque,and for all your work inresearching anddocumentingestablishments where

The beautifully preserved medieval town ofTallinn in Estonia, a World Heritage Site anddestination of next Easter’s Lodge outing

The Hall-Stone Jewel

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Membership Secretary’s Notes

Go Onlinen OA Club Membership SecretaryRoger Cook rounds up all the latestmembership news – including areminder to register for OAConnect

OAConnectAnyone who has not received theOAConnect brochure please ask mefor one. It has been sent to everyoneon our lists, including many whohave moved since we last contactedthem. As a result the ‘waifs andstrays’ has grown significantly.Please make a special effort to lookat the list for anyone you know. Infuture, I propose publishing only aselection of the total list.

Nearly 600 OAs have nowregistered with OAConnect. If youhave not registered yet go to the OAweb site and do it now! I have 3,500on my database, so there are stillmany more whom, with your help,we hope to contact.

I remind those who have registeredlChange your personal data onlinerather than sending me theinformationlWe occasionally post information:include your postal address (youmay ‘hide’ this from other OAs ifyou wish)lOther people’s information isconfidential and must not bepassed outside the Club

BulletinThis Bulletin is available in printedform and is also available on the OAwebsite. Earlier issues will alsoremain until the permitted capacity

of the site is exceeded. The passwordfor this issue is 7315: OAConnectregistrants will find the passwordslisted on the OAConnect system.

I remind you that the cost ofreceiving the Bulletin by post is setat £18 for three years’ issues. Theyear your Bulletin subscriptionexpires is shown before your nameon the address label. We request thatlife members of the Club who requirea postal copy make a donation of anequivalent amount towards the costsof postage.

OA websiteThe website receives several hundredvisits each week. The site needs yourhelp in providing pictures and newsitems that might interest other OAs.If you cannot find the time for aletter or full article for the Bulletinsend me a snappy item of newsand/or a photograph for display.

As usual, I have a stock of OA ties(£12.50 silk tie - £15 bow tie).

Roger CookMembership Secretary

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Waifs and straysWe have lost contact with thefollowing OAs – can anyone help?

Year Name Last knownlocation

Chris HALLIDAY Gabon 1931 H M PINNOCK St Albans1932 J BROOKES Harpenden 1932 E J EVANS St Albans1933 J E BES Sussex 1934 K GREEN Wimborne 1936 K F BREHAUT Cuckfield1938 K M BUCKINGHAM1939 A D WILKINSON Harpenden 1941 J A WRIGHT St Albans1942 G H POWELL St Albans1942 Peter SMITH Beaminster 1943 C M BRACEWELL Leicester1944 P H F HUDSON Cranbrook 1947 M F AULT Harpenden 1948 N S J COOK Horam 1952 R A WORTLEY London 1954 N C DILLEY High Wycombe 1955 B J COOMBE Brookmans Park 1955 J V KNIGHT Blackboys 1956 P INGRAM Glasgow 1957 S C BISHOP Shefford 1958 P J O SULLIVAN Harpenden 1959 K J MILLS Stoke-on-Trent 1960 D M ROBERTSON Herts 1962 J CLARKE Knebworth 1963 Stephen C BASS Danbury1963 J R H GOTT St Albans1964 R J DUNN Ayot St Lawrence 1964 J Charles LEE Harpenden 1964 A T J MASLEN Newcastle Under Lyme1965 Peter A DEW Wheathampstead 1965 D KIRK Walthamstow1966 R N THOMAS Edgware 1967 Paul M ANSELL Luton 1967 P A COCKBAIN Redhill 1967 A MARSH Borehamwood 1968 R M CRAIGHEAD Potters Bar 1968 R R GINGELL Farnham All Saints 1970 Tim J BROOKER Wolverhampton 1970 Rob CALLOW 1970 Chris DUFFIELD 1970 Nigel HARTRIDGE 1970 I G MARTIN Birmingham 1970 M R TOWERSEY Hitchin 1971 MARK BARKER Sandbach 1971 M J DUXBURY Hitchin 1971 G EARL Newbury 1971 D J D LAWRENCE St Albans1971 D P L WILLIAMS Harpenden

1972 A R J BAYLEY Chesterfield1972 R J MATTINGLY Baldock 1972 S C PARKER Harpenden 1973 D K THOM Stevenage 1974 D R KINGHAM East Grinstead 1974 J T J MARSHALL St Albans1975 A P CAUNT Edinburgh 1975 I A FORBES Bristol 1975 J B FRENCH St Albans 1975 Stephen C FUNNELL Barnet1976 M J BELSHAW St Albans1976 J M BULSING Welwyn Garden City1976 D C CROSS Southsea 1976 C N LAVIN Attleborough1976 C A ORANGE London 1976 S E TURNER Faversham 1976 Kevin WAYGOOD-WEST Hatfield 1977 David K W BATEY Prestbury 1977 T A BAYOUMI Welwyn Garden City 1977 P A CLITHEROW Harpenden 1977 Andrew GRANGER Kentish Town 1977 A P R JONES Keithley 1977 A P LEE Abergynolwyn 1977 N J MARSHALL St Albans1977 C J STANSBURY St Albans1977 David J WELSH St Albans1978 Graham BARTLETT New York 1978 R G BUNTING Leighton Buzzard 1978 N G EVANS Hemel Hempstead 1978 P E PARKER Harpenden1978 M G SAMUEL St Albans1978 Keith WELSH Eccles-Aylesford 1979 C D ALBURY St Albans1979 Stephen ARMITAGE Leyton 1979 R C COOPER Luton 1979 C DIXON Harpenden 1979 K FORD Tring 1979 M HALL Croxley Green1979 A J HAYSOM Harpenden1979 John R LESTER Crewkerne 1979 B MENZIE Wheathampstead 1979 J RIDDLE Wakefield 1979 P ROLLINGS Harpenden1979 Mark SEDDON Great Stukeley 1979 P TYNAN Cockermouth 1979 C W WEIR Balham 1980 J R EDWARDS Luton 1980 A W G EVANS Bristol 1980 A J GEORGE Flamstead 1980 P L HAYES St Albans1980 A HAYWARD St Albans1980 Phil LAWRENCE Ilkley 1980 Mark QUINLAN Billingborough 1980 JC RABUSZO St Albans1980 M E SEABROOK Chislehurst1980 G D STAPLEHURST Brussels 1980 S SWINSON Markyate 1980 T WADDINGTON St Albans1980 J C G WOODROW Wheathampstead

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l Claire Seaman (02) was awardedFirst Class Honours in History atLeeds University.

l Richard Foster (02) took the topFirst in History at Balliol College,Oxford. He is now doing research atthe Courtauld Institute.

l James Browne (02) was awardedFirst Class Honours in Economics atCorpus Christi College, Oxford and isnow working at the Institute ofFiscal Studies in London.

l John Bateman (01) gained a FirstClass Honours in Geography atNottingham University.

l Tom Butler (01) awarded FirstClass Honours in Music at EdinburghUniversity.

l Nick Greenwood (01) gained FirstClass Honours in Maths at Gonvilleand Caius College, Cambridge.

l Alex Evangelidis (99) is in thesecond year of his PhD at ImperialCollege, London.

l Anna Evangelidis (94) married inOctober 2004.

l Justin Pollard (86) had his book‘The Seven Ages of Britain’ publishedin 2003 by Hodder and Stoughton.

l Simon Turner is Deputy Head ofQueen Elizabeth’s Grammar School,Blackburn.

l Ted Flint (78) has been promoted

Brigadier having been firstly withthe Royal Corps of Signals andlatterly in various staff posts.

l Robin Ollington (47) has gainedapproval from the Dean of St Albansfor his proposal that the Woollams’grave in the Abbey Churchyardshould be refurbished. Robert Sharpe(53) is co-ordinating this. Therefurbishment marks the greatcontributions to the School by theWoollams. The plaque will read:“This memorial was restored in 2005by the past and present pupils of StAlbans School in appreciation of thecontinuing benefaction of Charlesand Mary Woollam.”

Robin has also had a smallexhibition at the V & A to do with“SAVE Britain’s Heritage” tocelebrate thirty years ofcampaigning.

l Arthur Lewis (36) has made a giftto the archives of a book which waspublished in 1795 by the rector ofShenley, the Rev Peter Newcome,and is entitled ‘A History of theAncient and Royal Foundation calledthe Abbey of St Alban in the Countyof Hertfordshire from the Foundingthereof in 1793 to its dissolution in1539 exhibiting the Life of eachAbbot’ and is accompanied by a mapprepared in 1794 for Newcomeshowing the County of Hertfordshire.The book is of great interest as it ismore recent history. Arthur’s is anold St Albans family. He found thebook in his late father’s library. Hewas ‘Jack’ Lewis, a well-known namein St Albans. The name John Lewis

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E De fortunis Albanorum

1981 Peter CLEGG Windlesham1981 R J W HODGE Peterborough 1981 A JACKSON Harpenden1981 Andrew E PALMER Bracknell 1981 M G SPURGEON St Albans1982 S GUNN St Albans1982 Stephen THORNDIKE Farnham Royal1982 Nicholas WASTELL Twyford 1983 R G T NORRIS St Albans1983 Tim J PRYCE London 1983 Adam STEPHENS Devizes 1983 Dave W H WILSON Kirriemuir 1984 Neal R JACKSON Lindal-in-Furness 1984 Robert LAWTON Harpenden1984 Jon WARBURTON New York 1985 David ANDREWS High Wycombe 1985 Laurence FINLAY Hadley Wood 1985 A M GRESSWELL Digswell 1985 Bruce J W POTTS Sydney, NSW 1985 Adrian SMART Brighton 1985 D J SOMERVILLE Hemel Hempstead1985 Andrew TURNER Swindon 1985 Simon WELSH Potters Bar 1985 J M WENT Cadiz 1985 G WILLIAMS St Albans1986 Thomas BENDING Cambridge 1986 John BLADEN Luton 1986 Adrian COOK London 1986 M C DAVIS Tewin Water 1986 Martin DEWHIRST Brookmans Park 1986 Richard M HEAP St Albans1986 Francis H HUNT St Martin de Valgalves,

France 1986 P L NEWMAN St Albans1987 Richard BROWN St Albans1987 Christopher BROWNE Luton 1987 Mark W MEESON St Albans1987 Nicholas PAYNE St Albans1988 Graham WITHERS St Albans 1989 James AUFENFAST Wheathampstead 1989 Damian HOLLINGSWORTH Bristol 1989 Justin HOSKINS Borehamwood1989 Christopher JONES St Albans 1989 Mark LAWRENCE Enfield 1990 Huw CATLING Harpenden1992 Nicholas R BURRAGE St Albans 1992 Richard EW CARDEN Southampton 1992 Alexander T GREEN New Barnet 1992 Daniel S HARRIS Radlett 1992 Matthew B HAYES London 1992 Jonathan JAMES Wheathampstead 1992 Jonathan B LAWRENCE Radlett 1992 Neil A LUPIN Manchester 1992 Stephen R H MITCHELL Radlett 1992 Jonathan W MOSS Barnet 1992 Radley L MOSS Radlett 1992 Michael PHILIPPIDES Totteridge 1992 Dominic C SENDER Redbourn1992 Jonathan E SIMMONS Totteridge Common

1992 Daniel J STEVENS Harpenden1992 Kieran WALSH Harpenden 1993 Piers J BISSON Banbury 1993 Andrew J BRIAN St Albans 1993 Benjamin J M CAMPBELL Sedburgh 1993 Elliot C CHALMERS Radlett 1993 Richard P CLARKE St Albans 1993 Matieu J CULVERHOUSE Redbourn 1993 Benjamin FREDRIKSEN Hatfield 1993 Daniel B GODFREY Harpenden 1993 Bradley A HART Potters Bar 1993 Simon D IVES St Albans1993 Caroline M KING Bushey 1993 Seth A WHEELER Utica, USA 1994 Thomas CLAYTON St Albans 1994 George HAMILTON New Milton 1994 Thomas LAND Radlett 1994 Rory LUMSDEN St Albans1994 Miles LESTER Hadley Wood1994 Matthew SIMMONS Flamstead 1995 Adam BUCK St Albans1995 Jamie O CHALMERS Radlett 1995 Geoffrey COATES Redbourn 1995 Marc TOPPERY Stanmore 1996 Ken C CHAN Welwyn Garden City 1996 Matthew BARCLAY St Albans 1996 Pascal CULVERHOUSE Redbourn 1997 Dean C MORGAN Garston 1997 Paul R SUMMERS Harpenden 1998 Thomas E BOWMAN Leverstock Green 1998 Andrew CHANDRARAJ Harpenden1998 Alison F FORRESTER St Albans 1998 Daniel C GIBBONS Park Street 1999 Mark E BENTLEY Harpenden 1999 Richard B P MYERS Barnet 2000 Michael J CASTON Redbourn 2000 Simon P CASTON Redbourn 2000 Adrian C FORD London 2000 Christopher HUDSON Brookmans Park 2001 Thomas K BUTLER St Albans 2002 Daniel W EVANS Wheathampstead 2005 Tom BARNES

If anyone can help with thepresent address of any of the above,please contact me.

Roger CookMembership Secretary1 Pondwicks

Close

St Albans AL1

1DG

Telephone:

01727 836877

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appears on the plaque on the oldCorn Exchange – he was mayorseveral times. The book was in adreadful state and Arthur had itrestored in London – it then went toAustralia via Zambia and Andorraand is now finally back home.

Our thanks to Arthur, and weinclude a letter from him on page 20.

His address is: 3/19 Phillipa Court,Viewbank, Victoria, 3084, Australia.

l Tony Wadley writes mentioningsome of his old acquaintances andfriends. Will any of them see this? KF Brehaut, Richard Williams(Williams 3), Andrew Howard, Dill,Tapster, Derek Bucheridge, ‘Bert’Stovey.

Address: 10 Westfield Close,Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2HQ.

l Len Moody is trying to contact hisbest man (married 1945). We have norecent address at school. Can anyonehelp to locate Ken Curtis once of

Epsom Downs?

Deaths

It is with regret that the followingdeaths are announced:

l Maurice Wiggs died in April 2005aged 92. He had regularly attendedFounders’ Day and Carol Services.

l Rev Peter Evan died in April 2005.

l John Turner died in April 2005following a heart operation. He hadbeen transferred from NorwichHospital to Papworth.

l Dr Paddy Croker died in July 2005.Whilst in hospital after suffering aslight stroke he became worse andhad a fatal heart attack.

l Ralph Hines died in April 2005from a very painful infectionresulting from a knee operation done

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seven months before.

l A E ‘Charlie’ Allistone died inAugust 2005.

l R Farqhharson (56) died inSeptember 2005. He had been HeadBoy before going on to Queen’sCollege, Cambridge. He did hisNational Service with the GreenHowards and later joined the TA

with the Parachute Regiment. Hetook part in the 50th anniversarycelebrations of Arnhem and droppedby parachute on that occasion. Hespent all his working life with B.P.and was ultimately Head of theTanker Fleet. He retired early andcontinued his interest in scubadiving by diving amongst the wrecksat Bikini Atoll.

Mike Highstead

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Obituaryfrom TheDailyTelegraphfor pigeonfancierPeterTitmuss

A photographic contribution to the Archivesfrom Ralph Smith (43) who writes:“I enclose a photograph of persons whoattended a JTC course at the London DistrictSchool of Physical and Recreational Trainingin April 1942. This venue is now the HendonPolice College. I have identified a few of thefellow OAs but there must have been others.I cannot recall the circumstancessurrounding our attendance though I believe

it lasted a week.”Ralph names the following pupils:Top row, seventh from left, M. Carr; secondrow down, first on right, R.E. Smith; third rowdown, second from right, J.G. Widdecombe;fourth row down, sixth from left, G.R. Carr;eleventh from left, R.H. Hickman; sixth rowdown, seventh from left, B.E. Moody; thirdrow up from bottom, second from left, H.Sherwin

Please send all

items for

inclusion in the

Gazette to:

Mike Highstead,

33, Cornwall

Road,

Harpenden,

Herts

AL5 4TQ

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But, all good things can come to anend and eventually we felt it wouldbe wise to move on again, and henceAndorra, a good place to be withblocked funds. Since our threechildren had all ended up inAustralia, my wife and I decided itwould be sensible to try to join them,and after two attempts to be acceptedthere, we eventually arrived andchose to settle in Melbourne, said byexperts to be among the ten bestplaces in the world to live, an opinionwhich I would endorse.

So here I am, reminiscing aboutmy long life, and reconnecting backto my happy schooldays, back to BobTanner and Charlie Argent, back toall those excellent masters we had.How pleasant it is to reconnect. Longlive reconnection! Yes, I am pleasedand proud to be reconnected to OA.

Monty’s boyn One of the last Montague-Jonesboys, Raymond Hughes (31) looksback fondly on his time at School andsubsequent career in the Fire Service

I am in my 92nd year and I was inMontague-Jones’ last 6th form; beforeWTM with whom I had a couple ofterms. I had been a Cathedralchorister and top Decani boy, butwhen my voice broke, I continuedwith my lessons and became anOrgan Scholar on the 4 manual WillisOrgan which had recently beeninstalled. I played Evensong daily.

I was one of apparently two boyswho could play a keyboard (Urreywas the other – he died recently!). I

was thus required to play for the newmorning assembly under WTM but Ileft school in 1931 to go to the City inan insurance office until I qualifiedas a Fire Surveyor with theappropriate qualifications as well asan ACII which took four years toaccomplish.

I was part of the (noisy) salute bythe OTC with Lee Enfield rifles in1928 when the new building wasdedicated with Masonic honours.

When the war came I was in aReserved Occupation and although Itried to join the RAF (I was aSergeant in Monty’s OTC with a Cert‘A’) they turned me down until in1941 when my age group came upand stuck me in the new NationalFire Service.

Raids were common and hazardousthen and I was lucky to avoid realtrouble, except for broken bones. Ihad promotions and was finally aDivisional Officer as Senior StaffOfficer to No. 4 Regional Chief FireOfficer in Cambridge until 1948 whenthe service reverted to local control. Iwas appointed to a post with HertsCounty Council and reached theoffice of deputy to the Chief Officerfor Herts Fire and AmbulanceBrigade, until 1974 when I retired. Iwas honoured to receive an MBEfrom the Queen in 1966.

I suppose I am one of the last ofMonty’s boys!

Let’s hear it for WTMn Mike Walker (39) sends in a photoof the School First XV of 1939 andwrites in praise of WTM

Getting connectedn Mark Freeman (92) responds to theletter from OA Club President AndyBarnes and gives news of some of hisfellow pupils

Many thanks for your letteraddressed to Old Albanians, which Ihave recently received. It encloses alist of old boys of the school withwhom the Club has lost contact.Regarding my own year (1992), themajority of the names lookunfamiliar, and I wonder whetheryou have the right year for theseOAs. Of those who are listed, anumber can be found offriendsreunited, viz. Radley Moss,Jonathan E Simmons, Richard E WCarden and Jamie Robert Short.

Under 1991, you have listed JarosAlexander Caithness. Jaros was inmy year at School: he died in 1991,and should be removed from the list.

I have recently registered withOAConnect, and after some teethingproblems I have managed to accessthe Bulletin, which I have enjoyedreading. If you would like to add meto the next Bulletin, I am happy to beincluded using the following words:

“Mark Freeman (1992) studiedhistory at Merton College, Oxford,and the University of Glasgow, andwas awarded a PhD in Economic andSocial History in 1999. He has workedat the Institute of Historical Research(London) and the Universities ofYork and Glasgow. He lives inGlasgow, and is a research associatein the Department of History at theUniversity of Hull.”

I am happy for you to continueusing my St Albans address (93Sherwood Avenue) to contact me;this is also the address at which youcan contact my father, Alec Freeman,who left School in 1956.

Long livereconnectionn Arthur Lewis (36) writes of alifetime abroad and the joys ofreconnecting with the OA Club

Ah, reconnection! What it is toreconnect. I am reconnecting fromthe land of the ‘fair go’ and ‘mateship’and sorrowful losers of the Ashes –down under. We have been here nowfor 22 years, so are still new Poms,having arrived from the Principalityof Andorra, to which we fled fromZambia. “What were you doing inthose faraway places?” I hear youask? Well, it’s a long story, starting asmany such stories did, followingWW2. After a year at Oxford readingEnglish, and later Architecture at theAA in London, I found myself in theRoyal Engineer Territorials, caughtup in the Hitler war for five years andtwo years of Army of Occupation.Afterwards it was a question ofsurvival as an architect in a bankrupthomeland. Being offered a job in thethen Northern Rhodesia, we decidedto make a new life there, andeventually stayed there for 27 magicalyears, involved in interestingarchitectural projects and asimulating social environment,culminating in an award of the MBE.

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limits on book publishing, so SpeedyHewitt encouraged us in LowerRemove to set up a form library bybringing in books we could share, towhich I seem to remembercontributing ‘Peter the Whaler’ and‘The Last Mohicans’. The art roomwas certainly not my natural habitat,but using it sometimes as athoroughfare familiarised me with asmall reproduction – wasn’t it on theright hand wall as you entered fromthe landing? – of ‘The Adoration ofthe Mystic Lamb’, by Jan van Eyck,which probably first caught myattention for its religioussignificance, but certainly left alasting impression on me. Then PipStanhope’s enthusiasm for El Grecoand Peter Gray’s for the First WorldWar paintings by Paul Nash, at alater stage helped make me morevisually aware. There must havebeen some seriously good art-workgoing on, inspired by Bob Tanner, asevidenced by the professional workdisplayed many years later, out onthe landing, by Robin Ollington andAlbany Wiseman, andcontemporaries of mine willremember the mural painted on theold dining hall wall by GeraldRobinson, now a noted architect anduniversity teacher in Toronto.

Then there were meetings of theGramophone Club in the big lectureroom at lunch times, trying out whatwas offered on the 78 rpm discs bythe Columbia History of Music. Ithink it was there that I firstencountered Cesar Franck, forinstance the chief musical influenceson me till then had been English

church music as a chorister, andBach’s organ works, the pages ofwhich I used to turn for an older boyin our parish church choir who was atalented organist. It was Franck’sSymphonic Variations I took to,which were literally something else –probably in the school’s collectiondue to the rather unlikelyballetomane tendencies of W TMarsh. Another altogether newmusical experience came our waywhen one of the school’s war-timedrama productions was ‘OutwardBound’, by Sutton Vane, andsomeone had the inspired idea ofplaying Ravel’s haunting ‘Pavane ona dead Infanta’ as the atmosphericintroductory music.

The war over, headmaster Marshno longer had to make time to put onhis uniform as a commander RNVRand go up to his work at theadmiralty, so was left with energy forother ventures, one of which was tolaunch a series of evening musicrecitals. As a train boy I wasn’taround in St Albans of an evening,though somehow I managed to hearjust the beginning of the programmegiven on one occasion by the FleetStreet Choir, and so memorablyheard Stanford’s ‘Blue Bird’ for thefirst time. A wider range of recordswas becoming available, andsuggestions for new acquisitions forthe gramophone library were invitedon a notice put up by theheadmaster. I had been overwhelmedby Bach’s ‘B Minor Mass’, to whichI’d been taken at the Albert Hall, so Isuggested the thrilling ‘Et Resurrexit’from that work. In my ignorance I

OA BULLETIN MAY 2005

Another splendid Bulletin –nevertheless, a comment.

WTM comes in for a bit of a roughride I felt in places. I know he couldbe a hard bastard. He changed theshape of my ego on many occasionsbut looking back I owe him many agreat deal which I didn’t realise atthe time. So fair dos; let’s hear it forthe old bastard. The School’s cross-country running was due to WTM’senthusiasm (which he took great careto hide). He got a blue for the three-mile race when he was at Cambridge(Queens) although I think he wouldhave preferred the cross-countrywhich went to some Oxford rotter, Iunderstand. It was surely he whopicked Tommy Hampson out as ayoung master; and Hampson’s gold inthe 880 yards in 1932 Olympics didn’tdo the School any harm. Even betterwere his connections (together withTH) with proper hard-nosed training;Achilles Club etc. John Hartley –

extreme right in the middle row ofthe rugger team on page 9 willconfirm that.

Widening horizonsn Anthony J Lane (48) provides somemore reminiscences of the wartimeyears at School

Life for those of us who were atSchool during the Second World Warwas inevitably pretty basic, beinglimited to not much more than justwork, corps and games. Our lifeexperience was increased a little bysomething that otherwise wouldn’thave come our way – i.e. potatopicking some afternoons in theseason, and by Farm Camp in thesummer holidays. That was about it.

Mind you there were countries ofthe mind to explore, which nophysical limitations could deny us.Paper shortages meant there were

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The School1st XV 1939

decorum. I had to accompany BarryPhilips, as head of the school, winnerof the Powell Davies Service Prize, totake Sunday afternoon tea with thedonor of the prize, in Barnet if Iremember rightly. Then for astrawberry tea, given in the gardenof School House, between MillenaryPageant performances, a number ofus were recruited to danceattendance on the girls ofQueenswood School who were takingpart in the pageant, all of us beingstill in our period costumes of course.The Rugby Dances, in my day atleast, were quite decorous affairs.

With petrol being more readilyavailable it was possible for coachesto spirit us away from the schoolpremises to places at a distance. Oneof these was the Elstree Film Studios

where, courtesy of somebody’s father,who was a producer I believe, we sawSonia Dresdel on set in what lookedlike being a rather melodramaticfilm, called ‘Cornish Rhapsody’, or atleast that was the title of the thememusic in similar vein to that of the‘Warsaw Concerto’. For anotheroccasion we gave our corps uniformsa little extra spit and polish for avisit to Sandhurst, which no doubtcrystallised the career ambitions ofone or two lads. We had to dress upagain for another outing. That was toAlexandra Palace to appear incostume and make-up, on earlytelevision, in a magazine programmethat included an item on theMillenary Pageant, and wasintroduced by Lionel Gamelin, thebig cheese interviewer of those days.

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spelt the work with an extra ‘s’which the classical scholarHeadmaster spotted and corrected! Itwas all quite anonymous, no oneknowing whose spelling mistake itwas; but I can still remember justhow mortified I felt at the time.

Another project into which theindefatigable W T Marsh threw hisenergies was producing a one actcomic operetta, entitled ‘ThePoliceman’s Serenade’, for foursoloists. The tenor part fell to me,and the highlight from a musicalpoint of view was a trio. To perfectthis Mr Meredith Davies was broughtin to rehearse us, aged only 26, hehad taken over as organist at theabbey, as well as being in charge ofthe school choir. It was a privilege tohave dealings with so gifted amusician. He soon went on to becomeorganist of Hereford Cathedral,through the Three Choirs Festivalgetting into orchestral conducting,which he then studied in Italy. Heshared with Benjamin Britten theconducting of the first performanceof the latter’s ‘War Requiem’, laterconducting at the AldeburghFestival, and presiding over operasby Britten and other moderncomposers at Covent Garden andSaddler’s Wells, as well asconducting at the proms, and makingsome well-received recordings. Heeventually became principal of theTrinity College of Music, dying onlylast year in fact.

His immediate predecessor asdirector of music at the school hadbeen the OA Sidney Barlow, he whowon the competition for setting to

music the school song. Heencouraged me to try for a choralscholarship at King’s College,Cambridge, something which wouldprobably have seemed a bit tofrivolous to bother with in the waryears. I was only just turned 17 andpitted against men with maturevoices, who had not long beenreleased from the services. Havingbeen eliminated in the first round Ifound myself in the organ loft ofKings College Chapel, turning thepages for the organ scholar as heaccompanied other aspirants singingtheir solo pieces. He turned out to benone other than David Willcocks,who later that same year was tobecome organist of SalisburyCathedral, eventually to return forhis distinguished incumbency asDirector of Music at Kings. For me a‘moment musical’ if you like.

It must have been after the warended that the school orchestra wasgot together, one of its outstandingplayers being the cellist Alan Dalziel.He was chosen as principal cellist ofthe National Youth Orchestra, thanas a professional held that position inthe BBC Symphony Orchestra. (Doesanyone know what became of Alan? Ican’t find any more recent trace ofhim.)

In those rather more relaxed daysthere were one or two opportunitiesto develop and polish up the socialniceties. The aforementioned SidneyBarlow took a quartet of singers toprovide musical entertainment forthe guests at a tea party held in theMayor’s Parlour. I hope we allnibbled our sandwiches with due

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Inspired byBob Tanner:work byRobinOllingtonand AlbanyWiseman

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Two boys in the small sixth artsupper had the use of family cars,enabling us to set up an expedition toStratford, to see the production ofMarlowe’s ‘Dr. Faustus’ a set workfor higher certificate that year, andsomething I’ve never had anysubsequent opportunity to see. I’mglad to be able to put on record myeverlasting gratitude to SidneyBarlow for persuading me to join hisparty going up to London for aperformance of Puccini’s ‘Turandot’,the title role in which was sung byEva Turner, a stunning performanceand something I can guarantee willnever have been forgotten by anyonewho heard it.

Then we had to go no further thanthe Abbey for a truly mind-broadening experience, at onemorning assembly. This was in 1948when the world came to our country,so to speak, not only when Wembleyprovided the arena for the OlympicGames but for the LambethConference of that year. A littleIndian, Nirod Biswas, a Doctor whohad been made Bishop of Assam afteronly two years as a priest, had beendetailed off to visit St Albans, andwas bought in to preach to us. Thoseof us who had camped out overnightto watch the victory procession musthave seen Indians before, but he wascertainly a novelty in St Albans. Ican’t remember a word he said: butthe sight of that tiny figure, nearlylost in Lord Grimthorpe’s vast greatnave pulpit (since replaced, I regretto say) was truly unforgettable. Wewere seeing a man on fire for God. Infact he seemed to have burnt himself

out, firstly by exploiting to the fullthe chance the Lambeth Conferencegave him to take his message to thepeople of this luke-warm Christiancountry, and then in his work backat home. Apparently it was not longafter this that he died, aged only 43.

In those immediate post-war yearsby sticking it out over the last mileof the five-mile route march, over thelast lap of the middle distance race,or over the last ten minutes of theclosely-contested rugger match, welearnt endurance that was going tostand us in good stead for the rest ofour lives. But the danger was that wecould have finished up as just“flannelled fools at the wicket”, or“muddled oafs of the goal”, (to quoteKipling), or even “strutting cocks ofthe parade ground” (to coin a ratherless felicitous phrase). I like to think,though, that at our school webenefited from some influences thatsent us out into the world a littlemore cultured than we wouldotherwise have been, withpersonalities that were much morerounded and complete.

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Pushing theboundariesn David Rourke looks back on ahighly successful season throughoutthe club – and applauds a flourishingjunior section

Old Albanian Cricket Club enjoyedan interesting and successful seasonin 2005. While the 1st XI struggledthroughout the Herts League season,only guaranteeing avoidance ofrelegation on the final day of theseason, they celebrated the club’s75th anniversary with promotion inthe Chess Valley League, and withthe first cup final victory in theclub’s history. At all other levels, theclub continues to grow and makewonderful progress, withmembership and revenues continuingto reach new record highs. Besidesthe silverware, the 75th birthday wascelebrated by a dinner in April, andby a celebrity/charity fixture atWoollams in August.

Pride of place in the 2005 seasongoes, by a short head, to the 3rd XI,who secured their second HertsLeague promotion in three seasons.Antony Goodin, in his first campaignas captain, steered the team torunners-up position in DivisionTwelve, a mere four points behindchampions Metropolitan PoliceBushey (30 points are awarded for avictory in Herts League games). Themost consistent performers includeda pair of newer players who wereboth promoted to the 2nd XI duringthe season, all-rounder Stewart

Dunklin (128 against Wormley) andbowler Najib Khan, and a pair ofreturning OAs, batsman Chris Thraleand pace bowler Paul Goodier. Withimportant contributions from DavidGoodier, Tony Perkins, Matt Newbyand Simon Bates, plus someencouraging late-seasonperformances from various colts, the3rd XI won 9 and lost only once in 15league fixtures. The side has becomevery well established since its rebirthin 2003, and will prove to be avaluable stepping-stone into OAcricket for colts and new members.

In the 2nd XI, a final position of9th (out of 20 teams) in Herts LeagueDivision Six did not flatter agenerally mature side, whichchallenged for a promotion placethroughout the season. Ill fortunewith the weather and collective lossof batting form cost Colin Bashford’sside in the latter stages of thecampaign, as they drew three (twicedue to weather intervention) and lostthree of the final six matches. Theleading performers were headed bySteve Cresswell, who beat his own,year-old Herts League aggregaterecord for the 2nd XI with 556 runs,averaging 40, and he equalled DavidRourke’s club record of three 2nd XIcenturies with 102 not out against StMargaretsbury. Steve’s 28 wicketswere second only to Tony ‘Lofty’Buchanan’s total of 35, at a cost ofjust 11 apiece, as the metronomicOARFC legend again proved to be ahuge asset, especially in the victoryagainst Hexton where he took 7-37.John Sherwood assumed Lofty’sposition as the regular number 11,


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and took 18 wickets at 20 apiece withhis medium pace swing bowling,including a match-winning 5-24against Old Finchleians. TariqHassan, with 373 runs at 61 and 14wickets at 13 with his leg-spin, was atremendous addition to the club, andhe ended the season as a key memberof the 1st XI. Finally, mention has tobe made of the side’s two Herts over-50s players, Dave Cresswell (411 runsat 26) and Brian Crook (19 dismissalsin 18 matches as wicket-keeper), whoproved that if you’re good enough,you’re young enough! In all, the 2ndXI enjoyed a good season,encouraging the hope that they willsoon narrow the gap betweenthemselves and the 1st XI in theleague structure.

At the start of the season, a finalposition of 13th in Herts LeagueDivision Two, runners-up in (andpromotion from) ChessLeague Division Four,and achieving the club’sfirst-ever cup finaltriumph in its 75th yearby winning the BeckerPlate competition,would have beendeemed satisfactory forthe 1st XI. However,notwithstanding thesuccesses, and a seasonfilled with battingrecords and bowlingmilestones, the teamendured another seasonof trial and tribulation,battling againstrelegation until the finalday of the Herts League

season, before winning three decisivematches in different competitionswithin eight September days.

Despite having the strongest andmost settled side since the finalseason at Beech Bottom, the 1st XIdidn’t win a Herts League game untilmid-August, against rock-bottomHertford, as they endured a run ofresults where they either came offsecond best in close contests, or drewmatches having been the superiorside. It is to skipper Robert Bee’simmense credit that, in selection andtactics, he held his nerve andremained true to his squad and hispreferred strategy of batting first,despite OA’s descent into therelegation places by midsummer anddespite all luck seeming to go withthe opposition. The policy wasvindicated by OAs obtainingsufficient bonus points during the

winless run to stay intouch with a clutch ofother struggling sides,and then winning theirfinal three matches – allaway from home – toretain their DivisionTwo status. After thethrashing of Hertford,brilliant pace bowlingand outfielding sawBishops Stortfordbeaten by just 5 runs –the hosts, at the time insecond place in thetable, collapsed from170-2 to 190 all out – andthen, in a final fixturewhere the losers facedcertain relegation,

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Eversholt were hammered by 146runs as OAs collectively rose to thebig occasion.

Meanwhile, the Sunday 1st XIperformed admirably throughout theseason. Promotion from DivisionFour of the Chess Valley League wasgained at the first attempt, followingrelegation in 2004, as OAs finished asrunners-up by winning six and losingtwo matches. Notable victories cameagainst Cockfosters, who collapsed

from 175-6 to 176 all out chasing 179,and in the Woollams wallopingshanded out to Southgate Adelaide(110 runs) and Winchmore Hill (152runs). The two defeats occurred whenChess games clashed with BeckerPlate cup ties, and OAs opted to fieldthe strongest possible side in the cupcompetition. This policy was justifiedby OAs making progress to the Platefinal, where they achieved thehistoric 158-run victory overSandridge at Shenley, 24 hours afterthe convincing victory at Eversholtwhich preserved their Herts LeagueDivision Two status. Close ties in thePlate, against Northwood andHatfield Hyde, were followed by aconvincing and notable 7-wicket win

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Alf Rehman in action

The Becker Plate Final OA 1st XIBack row (left to right): Arun Parkash, TariqHassan, Andrew McLean, Alex Addison, NickNguyen, Tom PreestFront row (l-r): David Rourke, Robert Bee, AlfRehman (captain), Andrew McCree, Perry Hall

at Harpenden in the semi-final,before the emphatic triumph in theFinal.

The 1st XI benefited greatly fromthe arrival of Andrew McLean as theoverseas player, and from AlfRehman’s first full season with theclub. The tall McLean, a club mate ofthe legendary Matthew Bruce (1999overseas player) at Northern Districtsin Sydney and recommended to OAsby Brucey, lived up to the advancebilling by returning one of the finestall-round seasons in OA history. Hispace bowling took 77 wickets at 17,the highest aggregate since AndrewMcCree’s 82 wickets in 1996, andMcLean’s 48 Herts League wicketsequalled the aggregates of Bruce(1999) and McCree (1996); only MikeThomas (55) has taken more in aseason. The highlights included afrighteningly-quick spell of 4-7 ontour against Eastbourne, and thedestruction of Bishops Stortford’slower order in a match-winning spellof 5-4 (including a hat-trick) to securea critical League win.

Such pace bowling came from aplayer who is predominantly abatsman, one good enough to surpassPaul Knight’s OA seasonal aggregaterecord of 1,553 runs, and one whoseclean hitting when ‘in’ was aconsistently marvellous sight. Therewere many highlights amongstMcLean’s 1,607 runs at 69, including amasterful, undefeated 155 from 100balls in the Becker Plate Finalagainst Sandridge, and an incredibleundefeated 181 from 88 balls(including 18 sixes) on tour at EastPreston, during which he combined

with David Hughes to add 127 andbreak the 29-year old 1st XI sixthwicket partnership record. The mostvaluable innings were, firstly, anunbeaten 67, on a damp wicket, tosecure the priceless first Leaguevictory at Hertford, followed by adogged 70 the following week atBishops Stortford which was followedup with a match-winning bowlingspell. In all, Andrew McLean enjoyeda magnificent season, and was anexcellent player and clubman inevery respect.

Rehman was also an excellentclubman and batsman. As well asscoring 769 runs at 26, and formingone half of a successful openingpartnership, he was an enthusiasticand popular coach for the Under 13s,and an energetic and successfulSunday captain who led his side topromotion and the Plate finaltriumph. A record of 10 victories in11 matches as captain, including aperfect 8 out of 8 in competitivematches, is quite an achievement:moreover, Alf consistently managedto blend a good Sunday XI, drawnfrom colts, potential players for 2006,and senior players from all levels ofthe club. Alf’s dynamism was a quiterefreshing and enjoyable feature forthose who care about OACC, it israre to see someone so young makesuch an all-round impression, and hiswill to win suggests that there isplenty more to come.

Rehman’s regular opening battingpartner (three century openingstands in the Herts League), andfellow gym / bowling machine addict,was David Rourke, who at the age of

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36 enjoyed his best season, scoring1,144 runs at 42. Rourke battedconsistently well, and contributedsome his best and most importantinnings in 19 years at the club – 79 atBerkhamsted, 80 at Ampthill, acritical 83 in the relegation decider atEversholt, and a chanceless,undefeated century in bowler-friendlyconditions in the Plate semi-final atHarpenden. Seam bowler Perry Hall,of similar vintage to Rourke, wonback his 1st XI place after beingdropped in mid-season, and hiscareer-best 7-51 against Ampthill notonly took him past 300 1st XIwickets, but also formed the best partof his 50 wickets at 17 apiece. TomPreest and Andrew McCree were asconsistent and dedicated as ever:they combined to break the 1st XI

eighth wicket partnership recordwhen adding 101 against KingsLangley. Preest passed 200 1st XIwickets and 3,000 1st XI runs duringthe season, and McCree passed thephenomenal landmark of 1,000 1st XIwickets during his match-clinching 5-27 in the relegation decider atEversholt: only Mike Thomas, GeorgeGiffen and Maurice Wiggs hadpreviously reached four figures withthe ball for OA s.

As mentioned above, Robert Beeendured a season of captaincy where,

Winning OA 1st XI, with Becker Plate:Back row (left to right): Arun Parkash, NickNguyen, Tariq Hassan, Andrew McCree, PerryHall, Andrew McLeanFront row (l-r): Tom Preest, Alex Addison, AlfRehman (captain), Robert Bee, David Rourke

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made a most welcome return afterthree seasons at Totteridge, andnewcomers Phil Reid, James Kachel,Tariq Hassan and school leaver AlexAddison all made instant goodimpressions.

As ever, the club will be on thelookout over the winter for newplayers to strengthen the squad for2006: progress was definitely madeduring 2005, and there is everyreason to expect all three XI s tochallenge for promotion next year.Meanwhile, the return of the Sunday2nd XI and the organising of aprogramme of 4th XI fixtures – tobuild on the series of ad hoc gamesplayed during 2005 – will furtherstrengthen the club and assist in theintegration of younger players intosenior cricket.

Thanks to the management andorganisational efforts of a number ofparents and coaches, the Coltssection continued to flourish during2005, as the advent of a Kwik Cricketsection for Under 8s and 9s led toColt membership exceeding threefigures for the first time. Theyoungest players thoroughly enjoyedtheir season, which culminated in aseries of ‘kwik’ games at Shenley inwhich all OA players participated.Nigel Woodsmith was a dedicatedorganiser of the Under 11s, whogenerously kitted out the entiresquad with OA caps. The Under 13side, which featured a majority ofUnder 12 players, finished mid tablein the North West Herts CountyLeague, and achieved the notable featof bowling St Albans out for just 38.They are also an outstanding fielding

side – senior sides (who againsuffered from too many droppedcatches) take note! At Under 15 level,a mid table position was attained bya side which contributed numerousplayers to the senior teams duringthe season, and who as a groupappear to thoroughly enjoy theircricket.

Overall, it is fantastic to see somany younger players representingOA s, and for OACC to finallyestablish a junior section, followingin the footsteps of OARFC whosejunior section has been so prominentfor a number of years. The efforts ofTom Preest and Alf Rehman tointegrate the Colts into the senior OAsides have been as notable as theefforts of the dedicated parents whohave helped in coaching, organisingand transporting the players around– among others, they are PaulRichardson, Terry James, John andLinda Matheson, Alison Finley,Nigel Woodsmith and BenWainwright. The club’s Child WelfareOfficer, Colin Bashford, ensured byhis efforts that OACC’s Colts set-upis highly regarded by the countyassociation.

The highlight of the Colts seasonwas the Under 15 fixture againstRedbourn, which preceded the Lord’sTaverners against Lashings game onAugust 7th at Woollams. Playerswith 598 Test match appearancesbetween them represented the twosides, and treated the spectators toan exciting game, which the Lord’sTaverners won by 5 wickets off thefinal ball of the match. AndrewMcLean and Robert Bee represented

the Taverners, with McLean havingthe ‘honour’ of being hit aroundWoollams by Herschelle Gibbs ofSouth Africa! Richie Richardson andRob Bailey captained the sides, withgreats such as Gordon Greenidge,Saqlain Mushtaq, Alvin Kallicharranand David Capel also playing.

Off the field, chairman AndrewMcCree somehow found time tooversee OACC activities, whilstplaying 1st XI cricket, honouringfootball refereeing commitments, andlooking after baby son Matthew.Tom Preest worked tirelessly as clubcaptain, ensuring that the teamswere organised week in, week outand setting out various strategydocuments. Denis King was, as ever,a scrupulous treasurer and scorer,while John Josling finally enjoyedsuccess when his President’s XIdefeated the 1st XI by 3 runs. NigelCartwright enjoyed phenomenal andmuch-appreciated returns, as histireless work to attract sponsors toOACC yielded notable rewards. AlanPhilpott combined umpiring dutieswith marshalling the VicePresidents, and Caroline Low’scontribution as scorer was rewardedwith selection for the Becker PlateFinal.

Finally, thanks as always go toNeil Dekker, Ian Smith, Jenny Vieand their staff for the excellentservice and tolerance throughout theseason. Amidst the ups and downs,we enjoyed 2005, and are lookingforward to 2006.

Tom PreestClub Captain

All-roundtalent: 1st XIoverseasplayerAndrewMcLean

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to Harlow. We also bade farewell toChris Eke, who has retired throughinjury and frankly he will be a hardact to follow. However, what betterman to replace Steve Pope as captainthan his fellow Barbarian from lastyear, Greg Botterman. With anumber of exciting new backs joiningthe Club, we took on pre-seasonfriendlies against Chinnor, thendown to Southend for a weekendtournament which we won,culminating in a thrilling 15-25 winover London Welsh 2nds.

Unfortunately, we paid a ratherheavy price in injuries andunavailabilities for the first leaguegame against London Scottish whenwe held them well with a weak side

but went down 29-3. The week after,we beat Welwyn in the IntermediateCup and then came our first win overTabard for many a year 36-23 in theLeague, and there followed muchcelebration in the camp. The Leaguecampaign this year promises to beeven more competitive than lastseason and we will be playing againstsuch legends as Jason Leonard(Barnes), Kenny Logan (Scottish),Chris Sheasby and Nick Greenstock(Staines), Bobby Skinstadt, hisbrother and Mark Mapletoft(Richmond). However, I feel confidentthat I will be reporting on greatperformances from the team in thenext issue.

Strong opposition is not just meatfor the 1st XV as, this season, undernew coach Andy Adams, the 2nd XVtake on the Canterbury League andalready, the twos are finding life hardbut I am sure they will turn it round.

Hitting the big timen Jason Leonard, Kenny Logan, ChrisSheasby, Nick Greenstock, MarkMapletoft and Bobby Skinstadt – justsome of the famous names the OAswill be facing over the coming months.Club President Ali Mills looks forwardto another successful season

At the time of reporting to you, ourfourth season at Woollams is wellunder way and just for the record, wefinished last season in a verycreditable fifth position in LondonLeague One. We were just behindRichmond and London Scottish butneither of theses illustrious nameswon promotion to the NationalLeagues. Instead, it was Cambridgewho pipped Worthing to the top spot.

The traditional end of season tourby the senior club took us to Holland,the land of dykes (man-made, not theother type) and clogs. Our host wasformer OA player and coach, GaryJeffries, and it was good to see himand to hear he is coaching a topDutch side. However, most of theparty were more interested in hisgirlfriend. We beat the local Utrechtside quite easily and then out-sungour hosts for the rest of the weekend.We held the Sunday Lunch in awonderful restaurant which,thankfully for the general public, wehad all to ourselves. The food wasdelicious and the wine flowed and wefinished up with some interestingcake.

At Woollams, having held a mostsuccessful County Mini Festival theseason before, this time it was the

Junior County Tens, and it turnedout to be another most successfulday for the Junior Section. The girlsfinished their season unbeaten againand it was promotion for them totheir National League. Happily, theColts ended their season on a highnote, making up for the bad runearly on.

During the summer break, theRugby Club Summer Ball was heldon a delightful warm July evening,and once more, the event wasenjoyed by nearly four hundredmembers and guests. As usual, yourPresident remembers conducting theraffle but not a lot after that.

Refreshed from our summer jollies,your rugby club Board and thecoaches and players set aboutpreparing for the new season.Unfortunately, Steve Pope, last year’sCaptain, was lured away toBlackheath and Lee Harron returned

Former internationals Jason Leonard (left)and Kenny Logan (above), plus prolificformer Premiership flyhalf Mark Mapletoftare set to face the OA first XV this season

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OA FITNESSOA Fitness boasts a state of the art fitness area,dance studio and therapy rooms. Our studiooffers a full timetable of exercise classes tomusic for all fitness levels, ages and abilities.Classes include spinning, Pilates, BodyPump andyogalates. Our friendly, qualified staff work tohelp you achieve your goals and keep youmotivated.

There is no joining fee and no fixed contract -you just pay your monthly subscription bystanding order each month. There is a choice ofpackages and studio classes are included withmembership.

Please contact us on 01727 737646 or by e-mail on [email protected] and arrange for afree trial and see why it’s worth becoming part ofour club. Go for it!

Indeed, all our sides are playing ‘up anotch’ and our fifth team havealready had to play another club’sthird team.

It seems that we are the club thateveryone wants to beat and weshould take that as a complimentand respond accordingly. It may bethat our results board may not looktoo impressive this season, but allplayers, I hope, will want to playhard fixtures and improve theirgames.

Five senior sides, Colts and strongWomen’s and Junior sections are stillthe order of the day for the OAs andI am pleased to report thatrecruitment is going well in allsections. As usual, we have a full andvaried social programme planned forthe season and have already enjoyedan early season Hawaiian themeevening and a Mini/Junior social. Wehave a Race Night planned for the22nd October followed by the GrandFireworks display on the 5thNovember, would you believe!

Whilst writing, my sincere thanksto Lexus Cars for their mostgenerous sponsorship for the

invitation Junior tournament held atthe Club just two weeks ago.Congratulations to our Juniors whohad a team in the finals for every agegroup from U12s to U17s. We arealso running the Saracens 2nd Teamhome games on Monday nights as wedid last season and it is a mostenjoyable evening, watching topplayers under our competition floodlights. You can mix with the firstteam stars who come down tosupport.

Let me remind you all that youcan keep up to date with news andevents at the Club by visiting ourweb site www.oarugby.com and thereyou will find the contact details forall Officers of the Club. New playersare always welcome at whateverlevel you wish to play. Please notethat for younger players away atuniversity, Coach Bruce Millar, willbe organising Development games forthe vacs.

I look forward during the season tomeeting old and new members of OARugby at Woollams.

Alastair MillsPresident OARFC

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Wye, Broads, Piddlen OA Fishing Society Secretary GeoffCannon looks back on an enjoyableand varied year of fishing expeditionsaround the UK and beyond

Once again it is time to report on theactivities of the OA Angling Societyover the past year. A Fishwives’Supper in November atPotten End wasthoroughly enjoyed bythose present, andanother wine andmoules outing to Calaiswas arranged inFebruary.

Coarse fishing outingswere held at variouslocations from theNorfolk Broads to theHerefordshire Wye.David Morgan and GeoffCannon visited the

Florida Keys and the Everglades.Several large fish were caught: Davidhad a tarpon of 150lbs and Geoff lostone even larger. In the photographDavid is pictured standing beside a160lb tarpon.

Trout fishing outings took place atregular intervals to the DorsetPiddle, Derbyshire Wye,Ravensthorpe (9lb 10oz rainbow),

Ballena and LoughMelvin in Ireland. Along weekend was spentsalmon fishing the Nithin Scotland.

Brian Ward andDavid are going big-game fishing in CostaRica in October. Morelater. Any OAs who arekeen on angling andwould like to join theOA Angling Societyshould contactSecretary Geoff Cannon.

OA Fishing

14-16 Church

End, Redbourn,

AL3 7DU

Tel: 01727

861622

(daytime)

01582 792512

(evening)

Fax: 01727

861623

E-mail:

cannonmorgan@

btconnect.com

oa bulletin - autumn 2005 edition

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