In this issue, you can read about the School’s glowing Inspection Report. The full Inspection Report is available on the School’s website. As a past pupil or member of staff at Alleyn’s, you may be heartened to read that the Inspectors recognised that Alleyn’s ‘is very successful in meeting its aim of producing well-rounded young men and women who have an awareness of the spiritual and moral dimensions to human life, who are aware of their responsibilities as members of society and tolerant of cultural differences.’ And, impressively, the report states that pupils ‘are keen to please their teachers and do not want to let them down’. Certainly, from the tales of school life I hear from former pupils and staff, this mutual respect between teacher and pupil has been a long-standing characteristic at Alleyn’s. So, read on to find out more about what your fellow well-rounded alumni are up to…. Susie Schofield Alumni Officer P.S. If you were in the classes of either 1971-78 or 1981-88, don’t forget your reunion at the School on Saturday 14 June. Please reply by Thursday 5 June.

Friends reunite fifty years on

Robert Chenery (Cribb’s, 1953-57,pictured on right) has managed to get in touch with his old school friend, Edward (Ted) Rowley (Tulley’s 1949-56,pictured on left) thanks to the Club’s website.

Robert listed his email address on the EAC website and much to his delight, he received an email from Ted who had been at Alleyn’s at the same time as him during the 1950s. Ted had joined via Dulwich College Preparatory School and Robert had moved from north London when he was 13. Ted took Robert under his wing and encouraged Robert to join the church choir at St Barnabas and its youth club where he met his wife. Robert and Ted lost touch after school as Ted joined the merchant navy and eventually moved to Australia. Having planned a trip to Australia this year, Robert and his wife were able to spend a delightful day with Ted and his family in Perth reminiscing about their time at
Alleyn’s and the youth club. Robert writes that this is ‘a wonderful example of the Club bringing old friends together – the emails continue to flow.’

Abseiling for Kidney Research


Robert Rixon (Roper’s, 1960-65), who confesses to being ‘almost 59 years old, have diabetes and a pacemaker and hate heights’, has recently taken up the challenge of abseiling for a charitable cause. In December 2007, he was dared to abseil 80 feet down the side of the Woolworth’s in Peterborough, where he lives, and raised over £400 for Kidney Research UK. Immediately afterwards he was asked if he would like to do it again, only on a larger scale. So on Saturday, 17 May, Robert repeated his abseiling skills for Kidney Research, only this time 450 feet down the Guy's Hospital Tower in London. ‘Not bad for an old timer, who loves his feet firmly on the ground!’




Robert has set up a Justgiving page where donations can be made online to this very worthy charity, and it will be open for a considerable time after the event itself.

A flexible business

Tim Latham (Cribb’s, 1970-77) has started a new business for people professionally qualified in accountancy, law, marketing, human resources, management consultancy and corporate finance, and who want to work flexibly (maybe in parallel with childcare responsibilities) with employers who need such professional skills on a less than full- time basis. The business is called PQFlex.com and he would be delighted to hear from alumni in the professions who are interested in working on such a basis.

Colin Robbins (Roper’s 1975-82)  

Colin has been appointed Chief Technology Officer at Nexor, a company specialising in providing IT security solutions to the military and government. Colin moved from Beckenham in 1990 to Nottingham where he still lives with his wife and three children.

Top illustrator


Alexis Deacon (Brading's, left 1996) has been named one of the country's top ten best illustrators. Booktrust launched The Big Picture campaign, and a panel of judges selected the ten best new illustrators published in the UK since 2000, naming Alexis as one of them.

                            Alexis graduated from the University of Brighton, where he studied Illustration, with a first class honours degree. Alexis's books include While You Are Sleeping, Beegu and Slow Loris.


 

Veterinary honours for past School Captain and former Governor


Madeleine Campbell (Dutton’s, 1979-86) and her husband, Douglas, had a son, Spruce, in October 2004. In 2007 Madeleine was recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a Specialist in Equine Reproduction. She has recently been appointed Junior Vice President of the British Equine Veterinary Association, meaning that Madeleine will be the President in 2010.
 

20 & 30-year reunion

For all those who were at Alleyn’s in the classes of either 1971-78 or 1981-88, don’t forget your reunion on Saturday 14 June at the School. Staff who taught at Alleyn’s during these years are very welcome to attend. The programme for the day will be based on the successful format devised in recent years, with opportunities to mingle with fellow conspirators, tours of the School and an informal buffet lunch.

One aspect of the programme that has proved popular is looking at memorabilia so if you have any photos, programmes or year books from the 1970s and 1980s, please (label them and) bring them along. If you’re intrigued to see who’s coming, a list of guests who hope to attend is posted on the website. Remember to RSVP by 5 June.

Can you spare a half hour at the Pimm’s Pump on Founder’s Day?

Founder’s Day is on Saturday 28 June and the Club will once again be hosting the Pimm’s Tent from 2-5.30pm. Serving behind the bar is great fun and a good way to meet up with people. If you can help out, please contact me: the more hands to the pump the merrier!

And don’t forget on Founder’s Day:

• The Pensioners’ Party

• 1968 (and thereabouts) Reunion

Both taking place in the Pimm’s Tent from 2pm. If you joined Alleyn’s in 1954 or left around 1968, come and seek out your classmates: tables will be waiting for you.

The Ewens' star turns at St John’s Smith Square Concert

The last of a hugely gifted family trio is about to leave Alleyn’s! Hannah Ewens (Tyson’s, 2001-08) performed the Planel Trumpet concerto as a soloist at this year’s St John's Smith Square Concert. She follows in the footsteps of her two trumpet-playing brothers, Joshua (1999-2006) and Sam (1997-2004), who gave memorable performances of the Aratunian and de Fasch concertos in 2006 and 2004 respectively. Remarkably, at one time they comprised the trumpet sections not only of Alleyn's Symphony Orchestra but also the London School's Symphony Orchestra, and all have been winners of the Malcolm Smith Brass Prize here at Alleyn's. We wish Hannah and her brothers all the best for the future!
 

The new look Alleyn’s website



The School is about to launch a new website. It combines both the Senior and Junior Schools and a link to the Edward Alleyn Club website. The main hub page leads into the specific school sites and the EAC. With an easy to use navigation, it is quick and easy to find what you are looking for. There is information about the School and its policies as well as information on each subject department and what they teach. You can also find information about what Alleyn’s offers outside of school hours as well as community facilities and information.

It will be going live after half term.

Club Magazine

The May issue of the Club magazine has been sent out. If you didn’t receive your copy, let me know and I’ll happily send you one. You can also download it from the Club’s website. The copy deadline for the next issue is Monday 1 September.

Births



 

Sarah Watson (Roper’s, 1979-86) and Graham Titchener are delighted to announce the safe arrival of Lucy Elizabeth on 18 February, 2008. Sarah is now living and working as a GP in York.



Steven Fyfe (Brown's 1980-87) and Dawn Coulter announce the birth of their daughter, Jessica, on 26 January 2008.

 

Jenni Pattison (now Tuohy) (Tyson’s, 1988-95) gave birth to a healthy baby boy on 8 March, 2008. Owen Ambrose Tuohy weighed 7lbs 2oz and is the first child for Jenni and her husband of two years, Brian Tuohy. The Tuohy family lives in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA, where Jenni is the editor of the Sun Valley Guide magazine and a volunteer firefighter. She would love to hear from old schoolmates, jenni2e@gmail.com

Talented Alleyn’s trio to represent England and Great Britain



(L to R) Dulcie Davies, Jacob Brubert and Martha Day

Three pupils from Alleyn’s are forging a formidable sporting name for themselves, competing for England and Great Britain in hockey, football and wind surfing.

School Vice-Captain, Jacob Brubert, 18, has worked his way through the junior national ranks from a very early age and is now part of the Great Britain sailing team, competing as a wind surfer, in the Youth Worlds 2008 competition in Denmark in the summer. Two weeks after this competition he will be competing in the European Championships. A medal in either of them will be his passport to a place in the Olympic Development Squad.

Martha Day has been playing football for England for a year and despite still being 14 years old, she is holding down the position of centre back for the England U-15s and U-17s. A formidable talent, she has already played against Germany four times, and also against Finland, Norway, Sweden, Wales and Denmark. In October, she will be playing for England U-17s in the World Cup in New Zealand.

Dulcie Davies, 15, has one of the toughest positions on the hockey field as goalkeeper. She was selected for the England U-16 squad in February, but is already a veteran of the team having played against Ireland three times and against Germany, Holland and Spain.

Alumni to appear in Liverpool's City of Culture celebrations

Gem Theatre, a company made up of recent Alleyn's leavers as well as current students, will be performing Measure for Measure in Liverpool this July as part of the Shakespeare Youth Festival and City of Culture celebrations. The company is currently working to raise funds for accommodation at the festival, and if anyone would be interested in sponsoring Gem they would be extremely grateful. Please contact Chloe Courtney (Dutton's, 2000-07) if you can help.
 

An Oval reunion

John Williams (Roper’s, 1943-49) and Micky Stewart (Tulley’s, 1944-51) have decided it is high time – before it is too late – that the older members, i.e. those who left Alleyn’s before the late 1950s, had a get together at the Oval. The provisional plan is for a lunch during a county match at the Oval in August or September. Suggestions, ideas and thoughts on the event would be welcome since nothing is set in stone.

All those interested in this social gathering should contact John Williams c/o Alumni Office.

Spink exhibition of VCs

The Victoria Cross medal awarded to Alleyn’s Old Boy, Lieutenant Colonel Howard Kirby, VC, CBE, DCM (1882-84), was on display recently in London at the Spink Exhibition of Victoria Crosses from the Ashcroft VC Trust Collection. Lt Col Kirby enlisted into the Corps of the Royal Engineers in 1892 and was awarded the VC on 2 June 1900 for gallantry in the face of the enemy during the Boer War. Past members of the CCF may recall the statue of Corporal Kirby on his horse with the man he rescued on display in the CCF mess.

Edward Alleyn Club Fives

The 2007-08 Fives season proved to be a very successful one at both School and Club levels. Inspired by coaching from master in charge, Ian Fuller, Alleyn’s Fives has seen a resurgence, and the squad achieved impressive domination at the recent National Schools Championships, knocking St Paul’s off its perch as the pre-eminent school in the country at Fives.

 The Alleyn’s squad claimed five of the eight national titles and Alleyn’s players were involved in all eight finals. The squad won Singles trophies at Senior (Inigo Ackland), U16 (Peter Hanton), and U13 (Sam Redmayne) levels, and Doubles at Senior (Inigo Ackland/Jacob Brubert), and U13 (Sam Redmayne/Zach Brubert).
 

David Stretton’s retirement party

The Club held a retirement lunch party for long-serving Senior Teacher, David Stretton, in recognition of a staggering record of 35 years' service for the School. Former pupils and colleagues joined David to reminisce about the past three decades of school life at Alleyn's. David regaled guests with a speech contrasting school life of the 1970s to that of today. Club President, David Hankin, presented David with a folder of messages from alumni who couldn't make the party.

Talent from the school has also provided a welcome injection of new blood at Club level, with Inigo Ackland, Daniel Ackland and Ed Carr, combining with relative old-timers Hamish Buchanan (Tyson’s, 1975-82) and Bruce Hanton (Roper’s, 1973-80) to win the National Club Championship (Owers Trophy). This was the Club’s third win in the last five years.

Hamish added icing on the cake for a great season by winning the National Open Singles in December last year, and teamed up with Robin Perry to win the National Doubles in March at Alleyn’s, this their fifth successive title.

Club night is Tuesday evening at Alleyn’s (contact Club captain Hamish Buchanan on 07973 413786)

Michael Llewellyn Smith

After serving as the Presiding Member of the South Australian Development Assessment Commission for seven years, Michael Llewellyn Smith (Brading’s, 1956-62, School Captain 1961-62) is retiring at the end of June. He is now a full-time student at the University of Adelaide, reading for a PhD in the School of Architecture.

Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart (Tulley’s, 1964-69) is the finance director for an award-winning architectural practice based in London. Gardner Stewart Architects has won two national awards recently, Regeneration Consultant of the Year 2007-08 and Regeneration Architect of the Year in 2006-07 in response to its portfolio of housing and mixed-use projects located throughout the UK.

Ian has been an active member of the AOB Football Club since leaving school, having served as captain of the First Eleven, and also Chairman of the club having ably assisted in engendering healthy profits for the bar! He is proud to be Vice-President of the club.

A farming life for former School Vice-Captain?

Sarah Keith-Roach (Tulley’s, 1982-89) has been working for several years as a private tutor. In November, she plans to marry her partner, Alan. When he inherited his parents’ farm on the North Downs, Alan decided to take a career change and return to his roots, the farm. Sarah will be living at the farm with him, a place she loves for all its ‘space, quiet and green peacefulness’.

A front line soldier of global capitalism

This is how Jukka Väänänen (Brading’s, 1987-89) describes himself, ‘in other words a private banker’. He lives in Luxembourg, a country which, along with Switzerland, is one of the world's main centres of private banking (private banking is the pursuit, Jukka says, of ‘making wealthy people a little bit more wealthy.’)

Jukka is Finnish and he works for Nordea Bank, one of the biggest banks in the Nordic-Baltic region (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the Baltics). The bank takes care of the investment needs of Nordic people living outside the Nordic region or individuals who have some connection with the Nordic region and would like ‘to have us nice Viking bankers take care of their investments.’ He does quite a bit of business with the UK so he gets to come over every now and then.

Iwan Davies

Former Brading's Housemaster, Iwan Davies, has written in to relate how life is treating him post-Alleyn's. His wife, Jill (who was for many years an official honorary member of the Common Room and well known to the staff), and Iwan retired back to Bude in March 1997: they had moved from there when he came to Alleyn's in 1970. They are both involved in many local activities and societies, particularly the local branch of the U3A. Iwan is a keen supporter of the prestigious Bude Jazz Festival which runs for a week each year from august Bank Holiday. Jill and Iwan have both suffered various health setbacks but continue to enjoy life to the full nevertheless. He writes 'we would be delighted to hear from - or indeed see - any ex-pupils or colleagues'.
 

A policeman’s lot

John Powell (Brown’s, 1970-77) has led an eventful three decades since leaving Alleyn's. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1981. He was PC for 11 years, and then was posted as a Sergeant to Dulwich and Peckham. He fondly recalls frightening the life out of Paul Sherlock when he stopped him on the way home from work in Lordship Lane. John has now been promoted to the rank of Superintendent and, having spent four years as deputy Borough Commander in Bexley, now works in Central London. His current work revolves around Criminal Justice issues for 2012, and a youth sports diversion scheme called 'Met-Track'. John has also progressed as a sprints coach to lead British and English International teams, and has been all over the world to major championships, including the Olympic Games, with athletes he has coached. Despite suffering from cancer in 1991, which necessitated a then pioneering bone marrow transplant, he continues to lead a very full life (including running a fund designed to repay those who saved his life at Guy’s Hospital all those years ago). He is now divorced, with one 19-year-old daughter, and lives in Petts Wood, Kent. For further information, see www.trackspeed1.co.uk

Highways and byways

After leaving Alleyn’s in 1978, Mark Stevens (Brading’s, 1971-78) obtained a Bachelors and two Masters Degrees and became a Chartered Civil Engineer. He started his career at Southwark Council (1981-94), where he designed and supervised two major highway improvement schemes on the Old Kent Road (at Albany Road and St James’s Road). At Luton Council (1994-2001), Mark designed the town centre pedestrian area (Market Hill) and helped progress the Luton Airport Parkway Railway Station. Mark then helped Peterborough (2001-2007) become one of just three ‘Sustainable Travel Demonstration Towns’ and progressed yet more major highway improvement and bridge maintenance schemes. Now at Leicestershire County Council, he manages around 420 members of staff delivering at least £40m worth of highway maintenance and improvement schemes annually, co-ordinates joint working in the East Midlands on road schemes up to £8m in value and helped the Council become ‘Most Innovative Highway Authority of the Year’ for 2007.
 

Marine Biological Association



Jonny Parr (Spurgeon’s, 1979-1986) is the Deputy Director of the Marine Biological Association (MBA). Based in Plymouth the MBA is a charity to promote the investigation and dissemination of knowledge of the seas and marine life. The MBA is a learned society and always keen for new members to join.

After Alleyn’s, Jonny studied Geography at Birmingham and then did an MSc in Marine Resource Management at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh and the Orkney Islands. He moved on to a job with the Marine Estates of the Crown Estate managing seabed on the west coast. In 1999 he joined the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN), a website initiative of the MBA, supplying marine life information for environmental protection and management. MarLIN has an active programme of research and dissemination through the website as well as a public outreach programme which includes schools. It asks the public to record marine life on the shore or under the sea. Jonny’s current post requires ‘a huge amount of juggling different interests but there is never a dull moment!’

Gp Captn Colin Smith

Former Head of Design, David W Midgley (1964-93), reports on the military career of Gp Captn Colin Smith (Roper’s, 1974-81). Colin joined the Royal Air Force in 1981 and undertook Initial Officer Training at RAF Cranwell. He continues to have a successful career during which he has been well-regarded in numerous appointments carrying increasing responsibility. Several of his postings have been overseas as well as in the UK and during his service he has been sent on a number of operational deployments in hostile areas as well as land and sea-based exercises.

He is married to Sarah who, as a former RAF Provost Officer, understands the demands of his career and has been of considerable support throughout. Colin and Sarah have two children: Eleanor aged 11 and David aged 8.

Colin was promoted Group Captain in 2005 when he took post at the Joint Forces Command Headquarters in the Netherlands. The family returned to the UK this year and Gp Capt Smith is to take post shortly as Officer Commanding a group of three RAF Stations, these being RAF Brampton, RAF Henlow and RAF Wyton.
 

David Pacifico

David Pacifico (Cribb’s, 1988-95) is living in Sydney, Rushcutters Bay, where he says he’s ‘loving life and partying hard!’ He’s been working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Advisory for the last four years as a senior manager.

Musical memories from the 1940s

Following Roy Croft’s plea in the last alumni ebulletin for memories of WJ Smith and John Lanchbery, Peter Rodway (Cribb’s, 1942-50) writes: ‘Not only do I remember WJ Smith and John Lanchbery, I even remember Roy Croft! As part of the cultural activity preceding Michael Croft I have many happy memories of that side of the School although, for some unaccountable reason, WJ (Puff) always overlooked me for solo parts. It was only when Frank Kennard replaced him in 1948 that my true potential was finally revealed to pupils, staff and parents! (Sergeant of Police in the 1949 Pirates of Penzance and Trinculo with an Irish accent in The Tempest the following term.) The norm in those days was Gilbert & Sullivan in December and Shakespeare or Shaw in the spring plus a full orchestral and choral concert each term, the summer one always on the evening of Founder’s Day.’

Peter doesn’t have a copy of John Lanchbery’s Requiem Aeternam but, to add to Roy’s memory, remembers that ‘this was first sung in the College Chapel at a Memorial Service for old boys who fell in the 1939-45 war on Saturday 29 March, 1947 (see June 1947 magazine, p333). There is in the school archives a copy of the synopsis of the text of The Hour of Darkness (the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ) by Stephen Jenkins with the music of Jack Lanchbery performed at St Thomas’s, Regent Street, on Good Friday 1946 and repeated there on 2 June (June 1946 magazine, p246). I sang in it and so, I imagine, did Roy.’
 

Three score years and ten

This year Kenneth Cox (Brown’s, 1950-55) celebrates his 70^th birthday. Inevitably, he says, ‘one’s mind starts to ponder on the past, in some detail. So, Alleyn’s… what memories does that hold for me?

‘People – so many people – class mates, friends, teachers. Names still remembered after nearly 60 years. The strict discipline, the pressured learning, the mind opening in response and the fun. We worked hard but we played hard as well.

‘Looking back, Alleyn’s was my whole life. With school, sports and CCF activities taking up six days a week, it didn’t leave much time for anything else. Add in detentions, after school clubs and the musical and theatre productions, and I can safely repeat that school was my whole life, for about five years.

‘I can look back and compare my time at Alleyn’s with what is on offer in education in general today, realise how different it all is, and can safely say “didn’t we do well?”. The mechanics of learning have changed so much. With computers doing away with all the menial, boring and tedious tasks, they leave one free to concentrate on the nitty-gritty of acquiring knowledge and broadening the mind. As for me, I am more than happy with the way my life has panned out, albeit in an entirely different direction from that which I had hoped for and aspired to.

‘It would be interesting to contact a few more old members of my years at school. You will find my contact details on the Edward Alleyn Club members’ site. For starters, we could meet annually for an AOB55SL. Puzzled? Then try this, ‘Alleyn’s Old Boys left 1955 Survivors’ Lunch’! Interested?
 

The next issue will be due in the Advent Term. Please send in short items (no longer than 100 words)
and photos (jpgs) by Monday 3 November to me

© Alleyn’s School, Townley Road, London SE22 8SU