Issue 17April 2010

Summer Ball on New FieldIn celebration of three anniversaries – page 2

Revival of Vikings RugbyOld link with Gogledd Cymru renewed –pages 4 & 5

Girls’ Sport ThrivesFour short reports –pages 6 & 7

news

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Calendar ~ 2010Anniversary Celebrations

Saturday 22 MayInformal Gathering with Coffee

10.00 am Ferguson CentreHeritage Trail Experience Tour10.15 am from Ferguson Centre

Cricket, Dolphins v 1st X111.00 am New Field

Anniversary Summer Ball7.30 pm New Field

(Contact Richards Room 01492 539736)

Thanksgiving Service for PN McLarenSunday 23 May, 11.00 am Memorial Hall

Family Fun DaySunday 23 May, 2.00-5.00 pm New Field

Preparatory School Speech DayFriday 28 May, 2.00 pm New Field

Chief Guests PF Watkinson & NW Thorne

(Contact Headmaster’s PA 01492 530381)

Anniversary Golf MatchFriday 28 May, 4.45 pm

For former pupils, current pupils, staff and parents

(Contact Guy Watson 01492 539736)

Senior School Speech DaySaturday 29 May, 10.00 am New Field

Chief Guest Duncan Kenworthy OBE (OR)(Contact Headmaster’s PA 01492 530155)

Founder’s WeekendSaturday 18 September, 1.00 pm,

at School(Contact Richards Room 01492 539736)

Chester DinnerFriday 1 October, 7.00 for 7.30 pm

Delamere Forest GC(Contact Ian Morris 01244 328301)

North Wales Dinner and RP Society AGM

Friday 19 November, AGM 6.30 pm, Dinner 7.30 pm

Royal Oak Hotel, Betws-y-Coed(Contact Alison Hughes 01690 710363)

Dolphins’ Cricket WeekMon 28 June to Fri 2 July

(Contact Rhys Williams 01492 860787)

R P Society GolfSilcock Salver

Thur 15 & Fri 16 April, Maesdu &Conwy

Grafton MorrishSat 8 May, Olton Golf Club, Solihull

Marsden TrophyTues 11 May, Brocton Hall GC Stafford

Pochin CupFri 1 October, Delamere Forest GC

Welsh Public Schools GolfFri 8 October, Castle Combe near Bath

(Golf contact Guy Watson 01492 532230)

It is a considerable honour to be Presidentof the Rydal Penrhos Society. This year, wemark the ten-year anniversary of RydalPenrhos School and the Rydal PenrhosSociety. It is also the 125th anniversary ofthe founding of Rydal School and the130th anniversary of Penrhos College’sfoundation. We have much to celebrateand many events have been planned. Wewill try to keep you all up to date throughthis newsletter and the School’s website(www.rydal-penrhos.com and click the RPSociety tab).

Following last year’s President, MikeSilcock, will be a difficult task as Mike’sefforts and hard work have raised thePresidential ‘bar’ to a considerable height.I must take this opportunity of thankingMike for his hard work and continuedsupport of the Society. However, with thehelp, knowledge and skills of our recentlyappointed Society secretaries, Heidi Yorkand Guy Watson, I shall endeavour to do

my best for the Society this year.The Society is in fine fettle and has an

impressive membership, but the success ofany society rests on the ability of thesociety to communicate with its members.With this in mind, Heidi and Guy areupdating the contact details for all ourmembers. Please can I ask you all tocontact Heidi or Guy with any up-to-dateaddress and contact information for anyfriends whom you know might have lostcontact with us.

The RP Society deserves and needs thesupport of its members more than ever inthis celebration year. I look forward tomeeting as many of you as I can at thisyear’s events as well as renewing oldfriendships along the way.

My thanks to everyone involved withthe Society for their hard work andenthusiasm.

Neil Richards

Letter from the President

Letter from the Joint SecretariesOn 11 September 2009, 38 peopleattended the Chester Dinner at Delamere,following the playing of the Pochin golfcup. It was a most enjoyable occasion andfine speeches were heard by theHeadmaster, Patrick Lee-Browne, thePresident, Mike Silcock, and JohnMillington. In mid-November over 50attended the North Wales Dinner at theRoyal Oak Hotel in Betws-y-Coed. Afterthe meal, speeches were given by PatrickLee-Browne, the Head Boy, Head Girland Philip Reid, and Raymond Pyeenchanted us with some wonderfulsinging. It was a memorable occasion.

This year marks three notableanniversaries: ten years since theformation of Rydal Penrhos School and125 and 130 years respectively since thefoundation of Rydal School and PenrhosCollege. Last September, during theFounder’s Day weekend, the Society helda successful party at the St. George’sHotel, Llandudno. Following this, themain event celebrating the anniversarieswill be a Summer Ball to be held on NewField on Saturday 22 May, jointly hostedby the School and the Society. We hopethat as many members as possible will beable to attend the celebrations and inparticular, support our President NeilRichards on this special occasion.

We are currently updating theSociety’s data base of former pupils. Thisis proving to be time-consuming but weare in no doubt the end result will beworthwhile.

On the School website (www.rydal-penrhos.com), we now have moreinformation and photographs relating tothe Society, including a calendar.

The revival of the Rydal Vikings andthe strengthening of its link with GogleddCymru (formerly North Wales RugbyClub) has been an excellent developmentand received strong support from theSchool and Society. The Society is mostgrateful for the donations, large and small,which it has received from past andpresent Vikings towards the cost of newVikings shirts and the Bleddyn WilliamsCup.

We look forward to meeting you atfuture events. If you are in the area, pleasefeel free to call us or just pop in. We arealways delighted to see you.

We are very grateful to all whocontribute to this newsletter; do pleasekeep sending us your news. In order tohelp us avoid errors please give us dates atschool. Details are especially importantfor births, deaths and marriages.

Heidi York and Guy Watson

Births

To Holly Soens (RS 1988–93) andpartner, Stuart Forder, a son IsaacAlan Forder, born 18/06/09.

Contact details for Heidi York and Guy Watson:

Rydal Penrhos Society, Rydal Penrhos School, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7BT

telephone: 01492 539736

email: gwatson@rydal-penrhos.comhyork@rydal-penrhos.com

Headmaster’s Report

In my role as Head of Rydal PenrhosSchool, I find myself looking backwardsas well as forwards, with a responsibility tomaintain the School’s human and physicalheritage and use it to attract the nextgenerations of pupils to the School. It’s acliché, but the best kind of heritage is notpreserved like a fly in amber, but is anevolving one, passed on (in a school) fromone generation to the next, and kept vitalwith regular injections of contemporarypractice and modern methods.

We are celebrating this year the 130thanniversary of the founding of Penrhos in1880 and the 125th anniversary of thefounding of Rydal in 1885, a salutaryreminder of the presence of the schools inthe town, the development of which tookoff from the mid-1870s onwards. TheRydal site occupies much of the area andmany of the significant buildings of thePwllycrochan Estate, the sale of whichkick-started the town’s growth. TheSchool therefore has a significant linkwith the prosperity and the fortunes ofColwyn Bay, and I am confident that itwill continue to be a significant memberof the community, while remainingabreast of the need to be a modern andforward looking school that can attractpupils locally, regionally, nationally andinternationally through the quality of itsfacilities, buildings and resources, and theambience of the campus.

The International Baccalaureatecontinues to attract strong interest fromoverseas, as well as from UK parents andpupils. We currently have pupils from 20nationalities, including 13 differentEuropean countries, throughout theschool, and they constitute around 30%of the overall population of the seniorschool. We maintain an internationaldimension through our involvement inthe Methodist World Aims Ugandaproject, the Comenius Project (for whichwe have been given European funding), aregular language exchange with a schoolin Bonn, cultural trips to France and

Spain as well as field trips and sportstours. We continue to offer A levels intandem with the IB, in order to offer thewidest choice of curriculum for the Sixthform, with broadly equal take-up for eachprogramme.

Closer to home, we have entered intoa partnership with the North Wales rugbyteam (now known as RGC 1404) toprovide accommodation and anadministrative base for their senior teamin The Grange, on Oak Drive, and theSchool is an education partner of the newU18 Academy that will start in September2010 – a number of Academy and RGCU18 players will be joining the Sixth formin this exciting development. We will behosting the Laser Pico National SailingChampionships in June, which will be thefirst time that this event has taken placeaway from the south coast. It may not bethe Olympics, but North Wales (andRydal Penrhos School) will be hosting anational sailing event this summer,hopefully not for the last time.

At Christmas, the governors took thedecision to re-name Lyndon PreparatorySchool, to emphasise the fact that RydalPenrhos is one school and to allow us tocommunicate that message to existing andprospective parents as clearly as possible.The Prep School is therefore now RydalPenrhos Preparatory School, but the nameof Lyndon will be preserved by namingthe school library in its memory, and weaim to commission a stained glassmemorial for the Lyndon Library. PaulBendall is retiring at the end of this year,after 39 year’s service to Rydal School,Rydal Penrhos, Rydal Penrhos PreparatorySchool and Lyndon Preparatory School.He might legitimately be seen as the stillpoint in a turning world in that respect!

We will mark the end of his careerfittingly at the end of the year, and I hopethat many former pupils and members ofstaff will be able to show theirappreciation for his contribution over theyears. He will be succeeded at the Prep

School by Roger McDuff, currently Headof Hazelwood School in Oxted, Surrey,who will be a worthy successor to Paul.

As the culmination of the 130/125thanniversary celebrations, there will be aSummer Ball and other events in the weekleading up to Speech Day on 29 May, atwhich Duncan Kenworthy will be theguest speaker. I hope that as many ORPsas possible will be able to come andsupport some, many or all of the events,and that I have the opportunity to meetyou then or at some other point in thenear future. Former members of theSchool are always very welcome to comeand visit at any time.

Patrick Lee-Browne

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VIKINGS v GOGLEDD CYMRUMATCHES RESUMEAn historic link with North Wales rugbywas revived this season with two successfulfriendly matches between a newly rebornRydal Vikings and Gogledd Cymru 1404(formerly North Wales Rugby Club).Both games were well supported by pastand present members of the School andthe local rugby-playing community.

The first match took place at NewField on Sunday 20 September 2009.Both teams contained a good number ofyoung players who entertained the largecrowd with some exciting running rugby.The final score was Vikings 33 GogleddCymru 22. Gogledd scored first after theVikings’ defence took Rhys Williams’ pre-match instruction not to kick anything toheart. Instead of a routine clearance, theboys admirably opted for somethingmuch more imaginative from their own22. Unfortunately, a loopy pass from DaveDudley found the ground rather thanOwain Miller and the Vikings foundthemselves 10-0 down; the Vikingsresponded by running the ball. TimDowning made break after break in a Manof the Match performance and was ablysupported by Jack Powell, Tom Blackwell,Dudley and Matt Carter. The back row ofChristian Widdowson, Aled Zachary andMark Sorrentino provided excellent

support in attack. Craig Chester and AlexFowler also put in some admirablephysical work. Although Gogledd Cymrupressed hard for the last ten minutes, theVikings, who had scored five times, heldout to win the match.

In the second match, on 27 December2009 at Colwyn Bay Rugby Club theteams played for the Bleddyn WilliamsCup presented by the Rydal PenrhosSociety in memory of the legendaryplayer. Gogledd won this second match29-5, after a hard-fought game in wet and

cold conditions in front of a crowd of over300. The score was 5-3 after an hour andit was looking as if the Vikings might win.However, Gogledd were then rejuvenatedby their first try from Tom Jones andquickly scored three more tries anddeservedly won the match. BleddynWilliams’ daughter, Lynne Gamblin,presented the Cup and Mike Silcock,immediate Past President of the Society,gave a thank you address in which heexpressed the hope that the match wouldbecome an annual fixture.

The Rydal Vikings team at Colwyn Bay Rugby Club, 27 December 2009

Top row, from left: Rhys Williams, David Dudley, Nathan Jones, Alex Jones, guest, Alex Fowler, guest, guest,Gareth Holgate, Lewis Maxwell.Front row, from left: guest, Jonathan Davies, guest, Joshua Leach, Matthew Bennett, guest, Tim Downing,Lawrence Beagley, Gareth Wynn, Chris Booth.

Lynne Gamblin awards the Bleddyn Williams Cup to the GogleddCymru captain, Will Bowne

Gogledd Cymru v Rydal Vikings, 27 Dec, 09 at Colwyn Bay Rugby Club

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School collaborateswith GogleddThis year has seen a strengthening of theSchool’s old link with North Wales rugby.As from January 2010 a presently unusedschool house, The Grange in Oak Drive,will be leased to Gogledd Cymru for fiveyears. It will become the headquarters forGogledd, providing space for meetings,offices and some living accommodationfor a small number of players. Gogledd’snew home pitch is Parc Eirias where newfacilities are being developed for the team.In the meantime Gogledd will be able touse School’s gym, sport’s hall and astropitch. Gogledd will be playing againstfeeder teams for Guinness Championshipsides such as Worcester Warriors A teamand the Sale Jets. Gareth Holgate, JoshLeach, Jonny Roberts, Gareth Miller andLewis Maxwell are some of the ORs whohave recently played for Gogledd. Wehope there will be many more in thefuture.

Vikings’ historyThe Rydal Vikings Club was officiallyformed in 1946. Between 1946 and 1970the Club’s record was played 29, won 21,lost 5, drawn 3. Teams consisted of amixture of Old Rydalians, staff, members

Marsden Trophy 2008The Marsden Trophy had to be re-arranged in 2008 because of bad weatherand was eventually played on 3November at Sandiway. We were blessedwith a warm, dry autumnal day. ThirteenORs competed for the Trophy. JohnMillington played very steadily over hisown course and won by one stroke fromSteve Garge. John will have his name onthe trophy for the third time, the lastoccasion being in 1971. The leadingreturns were: John Millington 77-10 =67, Steve Garge 88-20 = 68, Guy Watson79-7 = 72, Nick Gray 90-18 =72, MikeSilcock, President elect, presented theTrophy to John after the meal in theClubhouse.

Pochin Trophy 2009The Pochin Cup was played at DelamereForest Golf Club on the afternoon ofFriday 11 September 2009. It was abeautiful warm sunny day and we had agood entry of 22 players. The leadingreturns were: 1 Guy Watson 36 pts, 2 =

RP Society Golf John Hollinshead, 33 pts, 2= RichardWood 33 pts, 2= John Millington 33 pts,2= Mike Wood 33 pts. The trophy waspresented to the winner by the President,Mike Silcock, at the Chester Dinner heldat the Clubhouse in the evening.

Edward Harris Cup 2009We played in the Welsh Public Schoolstournament at the Rolls of MonmouthGolf Club on Friday 2 October, hosted byMonmouth. The three pairs countingtowards our team score were: JohnMillington and Bob Bruynooghe 41 pts,Richard Watson and Guy Watson 39 pts,David Weller and Dale Bulmer 36 pts.We finished third out of seven schools.The leading schools were: 1 Monmouth,2 Dean Close, 3 Rydal Penrhos.

Marsden Trophy 2009This year, the Marsden was moved fromits home at Conwy to Sandiway inCheshire in a bid to attract more players.However, only six ORs played on a warmcalm day on 7 October 2009. The leadingreturns were: 1 Guy Watson 76-7 = 69, 2David Abraham 83-7 = 76, 3 RichardWatson 83-7 = 76.

Rydal Penrhos has been given thehonour of hosting the 2010 Laser PicoNationals on 2nd, 3rd and 4th of July.The Bay of Colwyn Sailing Club willalso be offering their support along withour dedicated parents. This is a fantasticopportunity for the School, its sailorsand the town. Colwyn Bay has nothosted a national sailing event since1982. We are hoping to have at least 70boats on the water over the weekendcompeting for the national title, whichwill be a great sight. Sailing is animportant sport at the School,continuing the Rydal and Penrhostraditions. If anyone is interested in helping withthe event, please contact Miss RosieHearn at School, RHearn@rydal-penrhos.com or Mr Peter Weekes,spw202@talktalk.net.

Rydal Penrhosto host 2010

Pico Nationals

The Rydal Vikings in 1945, featuring in the middle row, fourth from the left, Edgar Bibby DSO (Cheshire,Royal Navy and England), in the middle row, first from left, Jim Parsons (Cambridge University, Leicester, andEngland) and middle row, furthest right Bleddyn Williams (Royal Air Force, Cardiff, Wales and British Lions).We would be most grateful to hear from anyone who is able to identify all the players in the photo.

of the School XV and occasional guestplayers. The most memorable match wasin 1951 when, thanks to BleddynWilliam, a Cardiff XV played on NewField and beat the Vikings 13-17. Morerecently, the Vikings have played aWaterloo XV, Old Ellesmerians, the AntiAssassins and a Colwyn Bay XV.

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GIRLS’ SPORT THRIVESContrary to national statistics RydalPenrhos girls have consistently provedthat sport is as much for girls as it isfor boys. Both genders make good useof the sporting opportunities availableto them at both the Prep School andthe Senior School, with manyindividuals showing impressive levelsof commitment and achievement.

HockeyIn the past six years Rydal Penrhosgirls’ hockey teams have won theWelsh National Championships atU14, U16 and U18 levels. In 2009,the U18s lost in the final of theNational Championship againstGorseinon; it was a close game withthe result decided by penalty strokes.This was the fourth time in five yearsthat the U18 team had reached thefinal of the Welsh National SchoolChampionships.

Lydia Parry has already beenselected for the 2010 U18 NorthWales Hockey Squad and iscompeting in the trials for the Walessquad, for which she won a place in2009 at U16 level. Lydia was ConwyCounty Captain in 2009, and Captainof Rydal Penrhos U14 team who wereWelsh National Champions.

TennisGirls’ tennis continues to develop instrength and depth. The senior teamperformed well in last year’s AberdareCup, beating Queen’s School, Chester,in the first round and drawing againstThe Grange, Hartford, in the second.In the local league, the U13 and theU15 teams won both the Conwy andthe Eryri competitions and went onto the North East Wales draw.In the North Wales Schools’Championships, Nadine Furtner andCaroline Froesher came second in theU18 event and Emily Harrison andCharlie Holmes, Emily Carr and

Zoe Sorrentino

Ellie Scarf

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Natalia Holgate, Sarah Wright andJodhi Meade came in the top fourplacings in the U14s.

In March 2010, Ellie Scarf wasinvited to train with the Lawn TennisAssociation. Ellie is currently rankedNo 1 in North Wales and No 12 inWales at U12 level. Ellie, who is akeen swimmer, hockey and netballplayer, performs in ballet and tap aswell. She is in her last year at the PrepSchool and has just won a SportsScholarship to the Senior School.

NetballLast season, the first team lost onlytwo out of eight games played, withshooters Fiona Moss, Nyree Watersand Tara Waters scoring a total ofthree hundred and eight goals. Nyreeand Tara Waters were selected torepresent Eryri in the Welsh intercounty competition. The U13 andU15 teams had successful seasons andboth finished third in their age groupin the Conwy Tournament.

SkiingThe girls’ ski team has enjoyed recentsuccess. In the North Wales schoolraces held in September, the girls wontheir team title, with Sophie Elliottwinning a gold medal, Fiona Jamisona silver and Catherine Davies abronze. Fiona Jamison went on to wina gold medal at the Welsh SchoolsChampionship and the girl’s title atthe North Wales races. In the BritishSchools Championships inEdinburgh, Fiona finished 24 out of103 girls.

Ella and Olivia Ward, daughters ofSara Evans Ward (OP), won thirdplace and fifth place respectively at theBritish Inter-Schools SkiingChampionships in Les HouchesFrance in March 2010. Their successwas a key contribution to a fantastic8th place (out of 140 schools) for theRydal Penrhos Team.

Olivia Ward

Anna Stevenson and Catherine Davies

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Drama at Rydal Penrhos continues tothrive. Apart from the extra-curricularopportunities that are available to pupils,the subject is taught throughout theSchool and especially at GCSE, AS and ALevel. A number of students pursuefurther training in Drama and Theatre,especially at university level.

The Drama Department has the use ofthe Rick Maple Drama Studio, the formerGym, which is now a fully equippeddrama space with a lighting rig, soundsystem and control room. It was convertedinto its new use by the late Rick Maple,during his holidays - one of the last majorprojects he undertook, before his untimelypassing. In appreciation of his dedicatedwork in support of the plays and hiscontribution to the conversion of thespace, the studio is fittingly named afterhim as a lasting tribute.

The Rick Maple Drama Studioprovides a large space for Drama lessons,rehearsals and workshop performances. Itcan be configured for promenade, end-on,traverse and in-the-round presentations.With the advent of GCSE and A LevelDrama, students have to explore andpresent devised work and scriptedperformances as part of their finalassessments. It is here that the Rick MapleDrama Studio has a unique place in thelife of the School, providing an ideal spacefor GCSE and A Level Drama students toshowcase their work.

For many years, the House DramaCompetition was a way of encouragingpupils to get involved in theatre in avariety of capacities – acting, directing,

backstage, not to mention prompting, animportant job in a house play! With thereorganisation of the School into four dayhouses, the competition waned, but thisyear it has been successfully reintroduced,based on the boarding houses. TheAdjudicator was Mossie Smith, aprofessional actress who, prior to thecompetition in November, was touringwith Max Stafford-Clark’s, Out of Jointtheatre group. Mossie has maintainedclose links with the School over manyyears; she is the sister of the late Directorof Music, Robert Smith. The Price Cupfor the winning house was awarded toHathaway’s version of the ‘Don’t tell him,Pike’ episode from Dad’s Army; HarrisAjmal of Beecholme won the Gauge Cupfor the Outstanding TheatricalAchievement in Alan Ayckbourn’s Ernie’sIncredible Illucinations and RosalindHunter of Ashcroft won a new award, the

Adjudicator’s Cup, for her energetic andpivotal performance as Marian in MaidMarian and Her Merry Men.

The Drama Department continues topresent an eclectic mix of plays, such asJohn Godber’s Bouncers, Ionesco’s TheLesson, Martin McDonagh’s TheLieutenant of Inishmore and a double billof Max Frisch’s The Fire Raisers and PeterShaffer’s Black Comedy. In conjunctionwith the Music Department, musicalscontinue to be popular with audiencesand casts alike. Currently, we arerehearsing Lionel Bart’s Oliver! but with a‘twist’. Instead of the top hats and longdresses of the film and the traditionalWest End show, Oliver! has been updatedto the outbreak of the Second World War,where spivs and evacuees rub shoulderswith the criminal underworld.

Denis Lavin

Will Lunt as Bill Sykes

DRAMA

Helen Farquharson as the Artful Dodger Lani Harker as Nancy

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MUSICLife is busy for both pupils and staff in theMusic Department. In the Spring of 2009the Senior Choir gave a fine performanceof John Rutter’s Requiem at St John’sChurch, expertly assisted by EnsembleCymru and Amici del Canto. Later on inJune, a wide variety of musicalperformances combined to provide a livelyand entertaining summer concert to markthe end of the school year. It wasparticularly pleasing that performers inthis concert were from all age groups inthe school community.

In October 2009, during Half Term,the Jazz Band journeyed to Dublin for anenergetic four days of playing andshopping. It was all in the rain of coursebut a great time was enjoyed by everyone.The Autumn term ended with its usualpacked series of concerts, whichcomprised a record of six separateperformances from pupils and stafftowards the end of term. Starting with alunchtime concert on 4 December, thelikes of Emily Harrison, Elliott DorricottJuniper, Georgina Kenward and theSenior Ensemble performed with style andpanache to pupils and staff. The MusicConcert on 9 December featured theusual suspects, with the Orchestra, GospelChoir, Steel Band, Rock Band, SeniorChoir, Senior Ensemble, Close HarmonyGroup and Jazz Band all playing well, andin a variety of styles to keep a largeaudience very well entertained. Specialmentions should go to the Harp Duet by

Miss Hearn and Jenny Southern, theimpressive performance by the PrepSchool choir, conducted by Mr Williams,and the Gospel Choir’s rendition of YouRaise Me Up. Other high points includedthe Rydal Penrhos Ukelele Orchestra(since renamed Anarchy in the Ukelelewith a more or less chaotic (butentertaining) performance of I’m aBeliever by Mr Ratcliffe.

On the following Saturday a specialconcert was given by Rydal Penrhospupils in St Mary’s Church, Trefriw, tohelp with fundraising for the new churchorgan. The Jazz Band and Senior Choirhelped to raise an impressive £280 on thenight, and my thanks to all who tookpart, especially Mr Pailthorpe, who sangan excellent Blues.

The fourth concert of the term wasthe following Monday in Trinity Church,Llandudno, where the Senior Choircontributed three carols in the CRUSEbereavement charity concert. The fifthand sixth performances of the term werethe carol services where the Senior Choirsang five carols, one of which, A Babe isBorn, had been composed specially for theoccasion. All this has been in addition toregular commitments such as the ChapelBand who play the hymns, and the weeklyperformances from pupils duringmorning services. My thanks for all yourhard work!

Chris Ward

Sion ElliottJack Bowley

Amy Lord

Jamie Chan Price and Elizabeth Richards

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OBITUARIES

Mark Andrews Keith Knowles MBE

Dr Albert Stamp MA, PhD, FRSA, FSAdied October 2009 in Llandudno Hospitalfollowing a brief illness. A memorial service,conducted by the Reverend David Jacks washeld at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos Parish Churchon 11 November 2009. The service wasattended by his many friends, neighboursand former pupils.

Albert was a man of the highest integrity,an inspirational teacher, historian andauthor of many books including thedefinitive history of Penrhyn Bay. Eulogieswere given by lifelong friends Mrs H Hassanand Mrs K Johansson who spoke withaffection of his many qualities and how hehad enriched the lives of all those who hadhad the privilege of knowing him. Theyspoke of his kindness, generosity, sense ofhumour, his kindness and loyalty and hiswillingness at all times to encourage hispupils to succeed in their endeavours. Albertwas highly respected and held in high regardby all who knew him.

Albert Stamp

After Rydal, Keith went to Cambridge,where he read medicine at St. John’s College,where his father had also had been, and thenqualified at the Middlesex. Typically, hedecided to sit and pass two sets of medicalexaminations so that he would be able topractise in Canada.

He then did a short commission with theRAF where he took part in flying missionswith the USAF during the Cold War toidentity frequency of Russian radaremissions. His role was to measure the effectof stress on the pilots. He also worked on theearly Meteors’ ejector seats.

In 1955, after leaving the RAF with therank of Squadron Leader he became ageneral practitioner in Norwich. Later, hestarted a solo practice in Larkman LaneNorwich and became the University of EastAnglia’s medical officer at Snetterton in thedays when you could walk about thepaddock and pits and mingle with the likesof Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and JochenRindt.

As the university expanded, he joinedGeoff Clayton and Sheila Jackson who lateropened a new surgery at Bowthorpe, in1977, to serve both staff and students. In his31 year career as a GP, he was also Remploy’sfactory doctor and a great supporter of effortsto employ disabled people. It was for hiswork here, with the deaf, which resulted infather being awarded the MBE.

His life-long passion for archaeology hasleft a valuable collection in the CastleMuseum, Norwich, which has providedremarkable insight into the Roman era. Hespent 25 years excavating the Roman town ofBrampton; the entire site has since beenscheduled and given protection. His earlyfindings were published in Brittania in the1970s. He was a former president of theNorfolk Archaeological Research Group andthe Norwich Med Chi Society and a Fellowof the Royal Society of Antiquarians.

Steve Knowles (son)

Dave Allmark

Mark Andrews became Headmaster of RydalPreparatory School in September 1994 andduring the following five years was at thehelm as the School went through the mostdramatic changes in its history. He had onlya short time to take up his position and settleinto Erskine Lodge with Diana when theGovernors started discussions that wouldlead in September 1995 to the joining ofRydal School with Penrhos College to createRydal Penrhos School.

For Mark, this meant managing themerger of Rydal Prep with Penrhos CollegeJunior School in Pwllycrochan together withthe installation of a pre-prep department andthe implementation of the change in the ageof transfer from prep to senior schools at 11instead of 13.

So the school Mark had come tosuddenly merged with another, lost its toptwo years and gained a pre-prep department.The pupils would transfer at 11 to either theCo-educational or the Girls’ Division andMark could not be seen to favour one or theother for the girls. He rose magnificently tothe challenges all this presented, carrying outthe huge quantity of work involved withsensitivity, skill and integrity. Through all theturmoil of new contracts, fee structures andtimetables he never lost his sense of humour.

In order to have as many as possible, we needto restrict the length of our obituaries, whichare generally edited versions of much longertributes given at funeral services. Memberswho wish to read the full version of aparticular obituary should contact HeidiYork, preferably by email.

Rydal Penrhos was very grateful to him andto Diana who helped him through it all,especially with the new school uniform.

We remember Mark’s dedication to theinterests of all the children and the charismahe brought to the position. He was a giftedteacher who loved language and drama andwho orchestrated many Prep Schoolproductions with great skill, often writingsome of the scripts himself. The productionof Jaberwocky was perhaps the mostoutstanding.

When the Governors appointed aPrincipal for Rydal Penrhos, Mark becameone of the Deputy Principals. At that time,Diana had to return to London because offamily illness and Mark, after a period ofcommuting at weekends, followed in July1999. We greatly missed his steady handduring a time of so much change but remaingrateful for all he achieved at Rydal Penrhos.

At the time of his death, Mark was livingin Rustington, West Sussex, where he hadmoved with Diana, Kate and Charlie, in2007.

Jim Barry

As a consequence of a short and unexpectedillness at the beginning of 2009, Dave passedaway peacefully at home in May 2009.

In the Autumn and Spring termsthroughout his time at Rydal, Dave enjoyed

his rugby: he was a redoubtable prop. In theSummer terms he showed prowess in boththe athletics and sailing teams.

After Rydal, Dave joined Woodleys, thefamily butchers’ business, before workingsuccessfully in the furniture industry. Helived in Pontypridd, Glamorgan. Dave was amost generous, likeable and honestRydalian. He is survived by his wife Kim,daughter Emelye, son Matthew andgrandson Dylan.

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Notification has been received of the following deaths since Issue 16 of Rydal Penrhos SocietyNews and up to 20 February 2010. Hon = Honorary Member of Rydal Penrhos Society. ** = detail unknown at time ofpublication. CR = Member of Common Room.

DEATHS

Name School School dates Death date(Fox) Ward, Audrey PC 1926-30 **/**/04(Fletcher) Hill, Dilys PC 1926-30 **/07/09(Fox) Wilson, Kathleen PC 1928-32 11/11/09(Brewster) Storey, Hulda PC 1934-** 11/11/09(Hammond) Tudor, Esmee PC 1934-** 05/09/09(Rogers) Wilkinson, Cynthia PC 1935-** 30/04/09Stamp, Dr Albert Horace RS 1935-40 22/10/09Knowles, Dr Alan Keith RS 1935-44 04/02/10(Hitchings) Hine, Tess Milton PC 1940-45 29/12/09(Toft-Smith) Louwerse, Faye PC 1941-** 19/01/10(Goodyear) Shaddick, Rena M PC 1942-47 13/11/09Bottomley, Dr Walter RS 1944-48 **/**/02Winkley, Michael Stuart RS 1954-58 27/01/10McLaren, Peter Nigel (Hon ) (CR) RS 1955-89 11/09/09Smith, Brian Alan RS 1959-61 13/08/09Allmark, David Woodley RS 1965-70 **/05/09Andrews, Mark John Francis (Hon) (CR) RS 1994-99 13/06/09

Peter McLaren

Peter McLaren arrived via the Royal Navy,Cambridge and a brief dyspeptic sojourn atOswestry School. Old Rydalians luckyenough to be at Rydal during his era willretain lasting and many rich memories ofhim as a pithy teacher of history, as adedicated team manager, as an unflappable,rigorous senior master, and as a housemasterof penetrating vision and humanity. In short,he knew everything about everybody.

But I knew him in other less familiarcontexts. In the wild north eastern corner ofYorkshire I once played solo with his parentsand watched him tend his obedient broodyhens. Many years later he moved toHarrogate and retired there. He was everthoroughly undomesticated. Quite the worstcook I have known, he was fortunately one ofthe best hosts with an intimate knowledge ofthe tastiest local eating houses.

I holidayed with him in Europe duringthe currency restrictions of the Wilsongovernment. Like the true Yorkshireman hewas, he insisted on buying one of those huge,cheap, inedible Italian watermelons andmade it last to the bitter end. I have aphotograph of him in straw hat and khakishorts buying (decent) postcards in Florence.

He came down to Worcestershire to staywith me several times and especially for theCheltenham New Year race meeting. He wasas keen and knowledgeable about horsefleshas I am an innocent. He couldn’t quite acceptthat he lost as much money as I did. On hislast visit he could not resist the opportunityto go to the Millennium Stadium to see hisbeloved Middlesbrough beat – was it? –Blackburn in the Carling Cup Final. It was aswell they did – a defeat would have been

BRANCHNEWS

Bristol & South West We had an enjoyable meeting atStourhead, Wiltshire in May 2009. Ournext meeting will be held at KingstonLacy near Wimborne Dorset at noon, onThursday 6 May 2010 or arrive earlier ifyou would like to go round the housefirst. Please let us know at least a week inadvance by telephoning Christine(Gething) Brown on 01202 422848 orour new Secretary Muriel (Crowther)Hackett on 01453 883612.

Yorkshire We held our annual lunch at The BridgeInn Hotel, Walshford, near Wetherby, onFriday 20 November. The venue is easilyaccessible from the A1M so members as faraway as Peterborough, Middlesbrough andOldham joined us and enjoyed a pleasantmeal and amusing reminiscences. Thoseattending were: Sylvia (Morphy) Bennett,Lyn (Middlemas) Smith, Rosemary(Thomas) Cysarz, Nancy (Braddock)Slater, Judy (Scargill) Raby, Diana(Brocklehurst) Wetherill, Rosemary(Hinton) Mann, Angela (Wield) HudsonPeacock, Isabel (Driver) Hughes, Mary(Prytherch) Collard and Helen (Moreland)Faulkner.

worse than the Black Wednesday Disaster.He was nothing if not forthright in his

opinions. He had little time for Tories,political correctness, and any non-Yorkshirecricketers. He loved the theatre, horses, golf,any ‘proper’ sports. Surprisingly not much ofa reader, he had an astute practical awarenessof matters social and political. He was a loyal,traditional Anglican.

Mac was to me over many years atreasured friend.

John Darlington

Old PenrhosianProvident Fund

Message from Anne Whitby re OPPF1 June 1009. We have received allfrozen funds from the FSCS. Newaccounts opened earlier this year in theanticipation of being paid, are with theCharities Aid Foundation Bank.

12

A DAY AT CHATSWORTHWITH THE BBC

Seventy years disappeared in a flash as wethree OPs stood in the Painted Hallremembering our days in the Sixth Form assixteen year olds, when Penrhos wasevacuated to Chatsworth in September1939. Along with Connie (Llewellyn)Crook and Jean (Brett) Reddaway, I hadbeen invited to take part in a short filmabout our war-time school life in thisbeautiful house. We had each been visited athome by the producer and her assistant toconfirm that we were ‘fit and able’, and tolend them any photographs we had, manyof which they were able to use in theprogramme, and here we were, manymonths later, about to start shooting thefilm for the BBC’s ‘The One Show’.

The night before filming we stayed at alocal pub courtesy of the BBC, and dinedwith John Sargent, who was the presenterand director. Filming on the day was funand exciting but also nerve-racking to startwith!

As so often happens when one re-visitschildhood haunts, the Main Hall ofChatsworth seemed smaller than weremembered. We recalled daily assembly inthe Hall with the tightly packed rows ofchairs, the choir always sitting on the stairs,the yearly recital of Messiah, and Speech Daywith the Duchess of Devonshire as guest ofhonour.

Our next venue for filming was theLibrary where we looked at photographs ofschool activities taken by Mr Hovey – goingin a crocodile to church at Edensor on

Sundays, skating on the lake andtobogganing down the Stable Hill in thecold winter. We recalled how freezing cold itwas in the dormitories, and of the weeklyrota for hair washing and baths, when onlya few inches of water was allowed because ofwartime regulations; also of the prefectsbeing asked to help with fire-watchingduties on the roof, and of going down to thecellars when air raid warnings sounded.

The next subject to be filmed was thelovely painting by EI Halliday showingConnie and Jean with two other girls in oneof the State Rooms which had beenconverted into a dormitory. The picture isnow on permanent display at Chatsworth.It is an interesting record of theaccommodation that had to be made for theschool. We became used to lying in bedsurrounded by priceless paintings and nowrealise how lucky we were to be surroundedby such beauty, although I don’t think wefully appreciated it at the time.

After an excellent lunch in the StableRestaurant with the staff and camera crew,we walked in the gardens and were filmed bythe lake. The Emperor Fountain made astunning picture in the sunshine.

Having said goodbye to John, ‘The OneShow’ staff, and the camera crew, we visitedthe shop where we bought mementos andwere each given a small gift from ‘The OneShow’ as a reminder of our TV appearance.

Jose (Mellon) Jones (PC)

(1934–1941)

Left to right: Jose Jones, Jean Reddaway and Connie Crook

THE FOXTROT ISCOMING!

Rydal Penrhos will host a new Welsh FellRace called The Foxtrot on Saturday 7August 2010. The run will start andfinish at the New Field Pavilion onWalshaw Avenue, and take in thePwllycrochan Woods, the Nant-y-GlynValley, and a viewpoint at Llysfaen. Therun will be about seven miles with about1,000 feet of ascent. 95% is off-road,predominantly on woodland tracks,public footpaths and bridleways and is areally good course. Refreshments will beavailable at the finish followed bypresentation of awards. Entry will be £5on the day, with any profit going to acharitable cause supported by theSchool. The run is being organised byRichard Watson (OR) through theWelsh Fell Running Association anddetails will soon appear on their website(www.wfra.me.uk). Anyone interestedplease contact Richard Watson on:richard.watson@james-fisher.co.uk.

ARCHIVES UPDATERydal Penrhos has deposited much of itsfilm material with the National Screenand Sound Archive of Wales inAberystwyth. The material will berestored; copies will be given to RydalPenrhos and the general public will haveaccess to it in Aberystwyth. Most of thewhole school photographs of bothschools are now on display in School anda Rydal Penrhos Archives website isbeing developed. The School hasgratefully received some accessionsduring the last two years; however, thereare still gaps in our archives. Here aresome items that are missing: most recentPenrhos uniform; Penrhos Rangersuniform; Rydal OTC and Scoutuniforms; the following issues of schoolmagazines: all Penrhos magazines before1904, 1920 July and December, 1921March and July, 1922 March andDecember, 1925 July, 1926 March,1927 July and December, 1928 March,1930 July and December, 1941-1946,1950, 1968, 1970, 1975-1980. If youhave any of these items (or anything elserelating to the school’s history includingjunior schools) and are happy to donatethem to us, we would love to hear fromyou. Very many thanks to all who havealready donated items. Robert Tickner