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Archive photographs Staff football, 1975November 2001
Welcome!
What do YOU want?
The OW Club wants to find out from OWs what kind of contact they would like to have with the school and it is with this in mind that we are publishing a questionnaire, so that you can give us your thoughts. All ideas welcome!
Do you live in USA/Canada?
In recent weeks, Gary Wise who left the RGS in 1979 visited the RGS. He now lives in the USA and hopes to make contact with other OWs in the USA, possibly to meet up and have a dinner? If you live in Canada or the USA you may want to contact him. His e-mail address is in the section on "News of OWs"
Do you live elsewhere abroad?
If you are interested in contacting other OWs in the country where you live, let us know how to contact you. We could publish your details, and perhaps there could be an OW branch in that country.
Are you at University?
If you would like to be the point of contact for others at the same University, do let us know.
OWs have had dinners at Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham Universities this last year, and a number of teachers from the RGS have attended such dinners. Would you want an OW Dinner at your University?
Would you want to come to a reunion?
If you were, for example, a member of the Jazz Band in the early 1990s would you want to meet up again and perhaps even play your musical instruments together at some occasion. Do let us know.
Or are you a games player?
We have already had an OW cricket match v the RGS. Some have suggested more games, tennis, badminton, chess, hockey, cross-county etc, so that the day could be quite a big occasion and a reunion for lots of OWs. Would you want to take part? Let us know.
Would you want to come to the Annual Dinner of the OWs Club?
This is to be held on Saturday 27 April at the RGS when Malcolm Cook will be the Guest of Honour. Malcolm stood down recently as Secretary of the Club after magnificent service over 22 years.
He taught Geography for many years, and has run sports teams. He still teaches Maths part-time at the RGS. It would be great if a lot of OWs who know Malcolm could come to the Dinner. What are your memories of Malcolm? Do let us know.
There will be more details about the dinner later.
Are you reluctant to make contact with the RGS?
Perhaps you left the RGS over 20 years ago and feel a bit reluctant to make contact with the school again. Three OWs who were here in the 1970s visited the RGS last year for the first time since they left, and met a number of those who had taught them. They thoroughly enjoyed their time with us.
Did you know that 15 of those who taught in the 1970s are still here today?
They are: Roy Page – Senior Deputy Head AND still teaches Maths;
Roger Pantridge – Director of Studies and still teaching Geography;
Peter Gibson – now teaching Philosophy and IT;
John Roebuck – Head of History, no longer i/c Fencing after many years;
Ian Wilson – still teaches Classics and manages the Staff Football team;
Mike Earl – still teaching Physics and supporting Oxford FC;
Steve Gamester – Head of Boarding;
David Stone – still teaches Maths and involved in hockey and cricket;
David Keysell – now teaching Politics as well as History;
Derek White-Taylor – No longer teaches German but i/c the Tuck Shop;
Hilary Munday – Head of Modern Languages;
Ian Blyth – still teaches English but retired from rowing after many years;
Ray Dosser – Head of Science;
Malcolm Cook – now teaching Maths part time;
John Edwards – Head of Classics.
The last 4, Ian Blyth, Ray Dosser, Malcolm Cook and John Edwards make up the school quiz team, and enter monthly competitions. Could you raise a team that can beat them?
Did you collect your O level, A level or GCSE certificates?
We recently had a request from an OW who left 40 years ago for any information on his certificates – and he had never collected them. We were able to pass them on to him.
When you are in the area, you may want to pop in to collect your certificates, but please let the School Office know that you wish to do that.
If you would wish to have a tour of the school at the same time, please let us know so we can arrange a convenient time. There has been plenty of estate development in the last 15 years, Sports Hall, Library, new Boarding-House, all weather Hockey surface, Computing Rooms, Modern Language Block, new Biology Centre (and a cut down Science Block!) etc. The terrapins and "Bog Alley" have gone. You may want to come back to see the developments.
Why not join the OW Club?
If you are not a member of the OW Club already, we would encourage you to join and publish a membership form. You will receive an annual magazine in January giving news of OWs and extracts from the recent RGS magazine. You will have the opportunity to come to the Annual Dinner in the Spring, and any other group reunions that might be organised at the RGS, or have a tour round the RGS.
You will be able to put requests on this web-site to try to make contacts with old friends again. The cost of a life membership is £30.00 which we believe is very good value.
Directory
Have you got your copy of the Old Wycombiensians’ Directory.
It was published in 1997 and contains details of what over 1000 former RGS students have been doing.
If you would like a copy send a cheque for £10.00 to the Secretary.
Did you know Grahame Fletcher who left in 1982? He would like to make contact with Sean Reid, John Clark, John Lambert, Mark Butler, Jim Lidgely, Peter Cowdery and Peter Studer with a view to having a reunion. His email address is: graham.fletcher@waysidegroup.co.uk.
If you are of those named, do contact him. If you know where any of them might be, please pass the information on!
They were the staff football team of 1975. A good number are STILL teaching at the RGS today. Can you recognise them? Can you name them (actual name and/or nickname!) (Click Photo for larger photo)
If you are a member of the OW Club and have moved recently, do let me know.
John Mitchell who was Head of English for many years has been working on the School Archives and would like help. Can you help him by naming the players in two 1951 Cricket photographs? Are you one of the players? and do you recognise anyone? Please give any information you can. (Click Photo for larger photo)
Photo 1
Photo 2
John is hoping to put together a book of photographs about the school from the mid 19th Century to the present day. Have you got any photographs of buildings or people, that you could lend to him? The photos can be black and white or colour and can be of any generation. Sometimes it is the more modern ones we are missing.
Tylers Wood Boarders
Were you a boarder at Tylers Wood in the early 1950s? Iain Johnston would like to hear from you. He would like to organise a reunion at the OW Dinner. Please contact him - telephone 01189 783411, or e-mail Iain.Johnston1@tesco.net.
Recent news of OW
It is sad to report the death of George Rolfe who was here at the RGS in the 1920s.
A Personal Note – from Ian Clark, the Secretary of the OW Club
If you were here at the RGS between 1967-2001, I may have taught you Latin, PSHE or Maths, or got to know you well through a cricket, hockey or chess team or even in some other way!
I would like to hear from you, whether you answer the questionnaire or just write with your memories of the school, what was your funniest moment, best moment or worst. I shall assume that unless you say otherwise, we will put what you may write on this web-site. It would be great if you could send some photographs too.
If you are in touch with any OWs, please tell them about the web-site.
Recent correspondence from Old Wycombiensians
Peter Newman (1972 – 78) said he was living in Wimbledon, working in training and development. He is in touch with Ian Holliday who is now Dr Holliday and heads up the Department of Politics at the University of Hong Kong.