NEWSLETTER MAR 2011

An Adobe PDF version of this newsletter is available here.

Items in this newsletter:

Group Reunions  |   LETTERS & EMAILS  |   OW magazine  |   Photos of Queen's Visit, 1962  |   PL Jones  |   SPORTING LIFE EXHIBITION  |   Staff Leavers  |   WYCOMBIENSIAN

EMAILS

If you are on the email-list, you should have received an email recently produced by me, but sent out by Steffi Trott. If you did receive an email, the first few items are a repetition of what appeared there.

If you did not receive one and would like one sent to you about once a quarter with news of OW events and the RGS, please let Steffi know, together with the dates you were at the RGS: sat@rgshw.com .

OW MAGAZINE

This has recently been published in a new format. It looks really good and contains lots of information. If you want to read the magazine now, click here or here for the catalogue of the archive.

8th April Old Boys' Rugby Match

FRORGS (Friends of Rugby at RGS) is looking forward to welcoming all OWs at the 2nd annual Old Boys' Rugby match. Players will be going to the Beaconsfield Rugby Club after the match, making it a perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends.

To register your interest, please email Stephanie Trott, Development Officer, on sat@rgshw.com.

7th May OW Garden Party at the School

An occasion for Old Boys to show their friends and family where they went to school, play cricket on the pitches, take a tour of the grounds or just relax in the company of fellow OWs, the Family Garden Party is open to everyone including children of all ages.

13th July Duncan Moore Memorial Match OW v the RGS

18th July The 1985 Under 15 Team National finalists v an OWs Over 40 Team

17th Sept Old Boys' Annual Dinner

The Dinner is open to all OW members and their guest(s). If you would like to organise a reunion for your year or for any special group, such as a decennial anniversary reunion, please get in touch with Stephanie Trott, the Development Officer, who can help you with addresses, contacting contemporaries and providing a venue for special additional meetings if you wish.

GROUP REUNIONS

The Garden Party and Annual Dinner are wonderful opportunities for you to organize your Group Reunion.

Roger File writes as follows:

Acting on Richard Ludlam's suggestion, I am trying to contact those who played for the RGS 1st XV in the seasons 1951/2 and 1952/3, hoping to meet together on Sat Sept 17th and to attend the OW Dinner that evening. Please get in touch with me if you are one of the following and would like to attend:

• T. R. Bulpert
• B. K. Johnson
• R. G. Clapton
• A. Kenyon
• B. C. Stevens
• R. C. Jones
• I. T. Johnson
• T. E. Uphill
• K. C. Jones
• G. W. Snapes
• R. C. Ashby
• A. J. Gordon
• R. A. Mann
• A. F. Regan
• A. F. Abercrombie
• G. J. Bristow
• T. W. Abdullah

I live at Eyot House, Bassetsbury Manor, HW11 1QX. Email address: rcandmjfile@hotmail.com Tel: 01494 525589 Many thanks! Roger File.

Nasir Ahmed and Phil Doyle would like to "celebrate turning 40" at the OW Dinner with others who left in 1988. So if you left in 1988, and would like to join them, do put the date in your diary!

James Smith is organizing a table(s) for the Dinner for the 1996 Leavers. If you left the RGS in 1996, do come to join him at the Dinner on 17th Sept. If you would like to meet your contemporaries at either the Garden Party or Dinner, and Steffi is unable to find the contact details of a number of OWs, please let me know and I will put a similar notice in a future newsletter on the website or newsemail.

THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE

Academic and Support Staff at RGS are planning to tackle the Three Peaks Challenge in June 2011 in support of the Child Bereavement Charity (CBC) after suffering the double loss of Mrs Judy DeGelas and Mr J-P Stevens, two much loved members of staff in 2010. To learn more of the challenge ahead and find out how you can support the cause please visit the School's website: http://www.rgshw.com/default.aspx?id=555.

WYCOMBIENSIAN

The 2010 School magazine, or Wycombiensian, as you will remember it, can now be seen on the RGS website. In this edition, you can read tributes to those members of staff, who left after many years of dedicated service. Extracts from those tributes are published below:

GRACE DODDS

Grace joined the staff in 1985 in the role of School Matron. She always displayed a wonderful and selfless approach to the boys in her care and the whole school. She will have had nearly 5000 boys in her care, let alone all the teachers and parents with whom she had dealings.

With the opening of the new Boarding House, Grace became closely attached to the boarders' welfare and care. The Parents' Association also has also been a recipient of Grace's time and energy over the years. She was happiest getting involved in the nitty-gritty of setting up various School events, whether this be the famous School Show Days of many years ago events or the Balls and Social events. Grace is certainly a doer and she certainly gets things done. Her tireless energy and drive have ensured the success of many School events, and in particular the drama productions, where she worked so closely and successfully with Peter Cowburn.

The RGS has lost a long-serving and loyal colleague, a lady who always had the best interests of the boys at the centre of her school life.

LYNN MARTIN

Since 1989 when she was appointed, Lynn was a hard-working and dedicated member of the History Department, enthusing students with her overwhelming love of the subject. Her commitment not only manifested itself in lessons but also in a valued contribution to the department and school. There were many changes in recent years especially at A level where Lynn taught a number of new courses. Lynn was also a Form Tutor, and also took part in a number of School trips, ranging from the traditional French-History trip to more recent ones to Russia, Portsmouth Dockyard, St Paul's Cathedral.

Without doubt she was viewed as a no-nonsense teacher. However those who knew her well got a regular glimpse of her softer side and every year without fail there was always a select Mrs Martin fan club among each new Year group of Year 13 students.

Lynn was a great servant of the RGS and the History department

ANGELA TAPLIN

Angela, who joined the RGS in 1990, has always been a very caring person, unfailingly seeing the positive side in everyone she meets. Angela is an exceptionally talented linguist and a dedicated classroom teacher. Her classes gained exceptional results year in year out in public examinations and many students are indebted to her, as they went on to read Modern Languages at University. As a form tutor, she took great care to get to know her tutees individually, and was firm, (even scary at times), but unwaveringly fair. Her composed and reassuring presence, together with her sense of humour, meant she was always excellent company, and her participation in recent trips to Italy, Sicily and Greece was much appreciated by colleagues and pupils alike.

JILL MACDAVITT

After a career in industry, she trained to be a teacher, and joined the Chemistry Department in 1992. She made use of her industrial experience by contributing to the Careers Department of the school and her organisational skills were also put to good use with her excellent contributions to the Med Soc.

As the years have passed, the use of computers has become a greater necessity, and Jill admirably embraced the new technology. Her ICT skills are legendary and lessons are always well-planned, making full use of all resources available.

Being a keen sportswoman she ran tennis at the RGS for many years. Indeed her contribution to the RGS was considerable, and much appreciated.

Ed. We wish all these RGS stalwarts much, much happiness in the years that lie ahead. If you have any special memories of them, please send them in.

In the Wycombiensian there is much of interest to OWs, as it paints a very good picture of what the RGS is like today. There are articles and photos about the School trips to Classical sites, French History trips to the battlefields, to the Lake District, Iceland or Toulouse, or the World Challenge trips to Mongolia, Morocco or Croatia, as well as articles about other aspects of School life, Sport, CCF, and examples of work in Art or Technology. If you wish to look at the Wycombiensian, please click here.

SPORTING LIFE EXHIBITION AT WYCOMBE MUSEUM

As part of the 2012 Olympics, Wycombe Museum is hosting a series of exhibitions on sport entitled: 'Our Sporting Life'. If you have any memories and memorabilia for the exhibition about your or other OWs' sporting achievements, please contact Stephanie Trott on sat@rgshw.com at the RGS.

SAD NEWS

We have heard recently of the deaths of the following OWs:

David Owen Brown (1952-1958). His sister, Naomi Eaton, who was married to Mike Eaton, OW and Head of Art at the RGS for many years, wrote as follows:

I think he was one of the first boys to study Russian with John Perfect. He played hockey for High Wycombe and Beaconsfield. He died at his home in Portugal where he had retired with his wife, Barbara.

F.H. Collins (1932-1937) His son, Patrick writes as follows:

The School meant much to him, as he was a boarder, as were his brothers. My brothers and I also attended as day boys, as did one of his grandchildren. He left 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild.

Brian Fair (1956-63) Steve Bond (1958-63) writes as follows:

This is to inform you that my great friend and Old Wycombiensian sadly passed away on 9 March after a short illness.

Victor Gee (1924-1929) His son Christopher (1952 - 1959) has written to advise us of Victor Gee's death on 26 February.

Victor was followed at the school in 1936 by his brother Bernard, who tragically died of leukaemia shortly afterwards, and also cousin, Maurice Gee who went on to play County Cricket. Maurice died in 2010.

Victor in common with several other contemporaries and their sons, was taught by two of the same masters - P L Jones and G A Grant.

On leaving school, Victor joined the Prudential Assurance Co.'s High Wycombe office and retired from its Head Office in Holborn, (where he often came across J K Prior), in 1974.

Following retirement, he fully immersed himself in local community affairs and travelled widely.

The following is an extract of the obituary published in the Bucks Free Press:

Victor George GEE (Vic) lived in Hazlemere from 1939, until 2007 and served the area together with his wife Rene in so many ways over the years, including the then Hazlemere Residents' Association, Community Centre, Parish Councillor, District Councillor in both the WDC and the former WRDC, first chairman of the newly formed Hazlemere Parish Council and School Governor. He was also a founder member of the High Wycombe & District Beekeepers' Association.

Paul Stevens (1929-1933) His son writes about him below in the Emails to the Editor section.

Michael E Durham (1945-49) Ron Wynands and Eric Eatwell have written about Michael:

Born in London, Michael moved to Hazlemere in 1945 to join Class 3 Upper Science. Michael would have been 16 when he took School Certificate. At some stage the family moved to Amersham.

Mike was called-up for National Service, and joined the Royal Army Medical Corp, serving in the Far East during the Malayan Emergency. Eric says that they were both in Malaya together and met up in the Cameron Highlands. Back in civvy street, he rose to become the Manager of the main Barclays Slough Bank. Retiring in 1987, and being a keen sportsman, he was able to give more time to his activities of badminton, tennis and golf. For many years Mike was Hon Treasurer of his local Golf Club. Mike died on 16th November 2010 aged 78. His wife is called Eve and he had 4 children. They lived in the Beaconsfield area for many years and moved to Weston Turville, near Aylesbury, 20 or more years ago.

A happy and cheerful character he will be much missed by all those who knew him.

Ed: We extend our deep sympathy to the families and close friends of these OWs.

LETTERS & EMAILS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Stephanie & Ian

The remembrances of Mervyn Davies caused me to dig up a photo of Uplyme's inmates in 1951:

My recollection of the names is (L to R)

Back: Richard Jones, Oliver (??), Roy Humphries, Peter Agar, Geoffrey Baker, Peter Reader, David Warner, Alan Sallows, Me, Peter Thatcher.

Middle: Tucket (??) Anthony Harcourt, Nessie McIntyre, Mervyn D, Iris D, Ian (Froggy) Waters, Eric (Nobby) Hall, Ian McCreery.

Bottom: John (Pudding) Freeth, David Smethurst, Brian Whiting, David Godley, Bill North.

Thank you for trying to keep us in touch.

Happy Hew Year from Texas! Bob Mitchell

Ed. If you were a boarder, have you got any photos of Uplyme, Tylers Wood or School House in your time?

Dear Ian

John Brooks sent me a copy of the recent newsletter you circulated to old boys principally because of the request from Roger File to contact those who played in the 1st XV rugby team in the years 1951 to 1953. I have sent an e-mail to Roger.

I was at the school from 1947 to 1954. Prompted by your newsletter, I looked at the website to view the article about the 1954 CCF camp at Pirbright. I was the Sgt i/c the signals section at the time and attended the camp. My recollections of the night- manoeuvres are a little different as I spent the time in a tent monitoring activities with the master, Geoffrey Morgan (a Lieutenant I think) and enjoying a box of strawberries! I am also in the photographs on the range.

Regards, Gordon Regan

Hello Ian

For your information you can add Peter Moores to your honours list of internationals.

He played in a couple of representative tennis matches in the sixties. He is the only home grown tennis player to go on the list. All the others came to the school as part of a LTA initiative where they were schooled locally, whilst they trained at Bisham Abbey.

Regards, Dave Orchard

Ed. Does anybody want to nominate anyone else as representing their country in a full International, so that their name can be put on the planned Honours Board?

Hello Ian

Geoff Sherlock jogged my memory. I was on that trip to Finland via Korsor in 1952. I could not believe it when my parents agreed I could go. I had a wonderful time. My hostess, a widow and her mother and my exchange buddy Pertti Seppälä, made me very welcome and ensured that I had the "Finnish" experience of lakes, forests, sauna, and travel by ferry and train. We were looked after in a generous fashion considering the parlous state of the Finnish economy, after the country made war reparations to Russia. One train trip close to the Russian border meant we had to keep the curtains closed over the windows for a large part of the journey. We enjoyed the Olympics and I recall how the crowd cheered Zatopek, a real favourite with the Finnish public because he was a Czech. His wife won Gold in the javelin at the same games. I kept in touch with Pertti and his wife, and in 2004 my wife and I made a trip from New Zealand to Finland and spent 10 days reliving the experiences of the 1952 trip.

When we were there in Helsinki, Pertti proudly showed me a photograph, taken when he stayed with my family in 1951, in which he wore the RGS blazer he was apparently able to buy.

Is there anyone else who has recollections of that great trip? I agree that thanks are indeed due to Aubrey Rees. It would have been a mammoth task co-ordinating a party of pupils that size.

Kind regards, Ken Bowell

Hello Stephanie

Thank you for my first newsletter.

In the cricket team photo I can confirm that the person back row extreme right is indeed Ron Huggins, who was a contemporary of my brother Richard Bruce ("Dick") Stevens.

I also have memories of MMD, and, like John Lance 2E in 1965, can still recite the whole class list of my entry form, 2E 1959.

I owe a great deal to MMD. Following my parents' advice, I chose to specialise in Physics and Chemistry when I moved from 2E to 3X in 1960. It soon became apparent, however, that I was not a science man, so my parents arranged for MMD to coach me in German through the Christmas holidays, after which I switched to German, and never looked back. I did languages at university and moved to Germany in 1970; it has been my home ever since.

There is some sad personal news I would like to pass on. My father Paul Garston Stevens died in March this year at the age of 92. I'm not sure when he joined the RGS, but he left in 1933, after just one term in the sixth form. He had to leave, as the family, in the midst of the Great Depression, were in dire financial straits and couldn't afford the fees for both Paul and his younger brother (John Garston Stevens). Dad was thus unable to go on to further education, for which he was undoubtedly equipped having achieved 8 credits in School Certificate, as GCSE was then called. It gave him satisfaction to see both his sons eventually pass successfully through St. John's College, Cambridge. Dad spent his working life in the Customs & Excise, playing rugger on Saturdays for the Old Wycombiensians till well into the 1950s. At school he had also been a marksman, winning the shooting cup with the OTC.

Best wishes, John Stevens

Ed. We extend our deep sympathy to John

Hello Ian

Congratulations to all involved in this latest edition of the RGS Newsletter. I was particularly interested in the many tributes to Mervyn Davies. He was my Form Master(Form 2C) and French teacher, when I first attended the school way back in September 1947. He was indeed a very pleasant and charming man.

Rennie Vickers(1947-52)

Ian

I only dealt personally with Rowland Brown as a result of him happening to walk through the upstairs Chapel Doors that Antony Sendall Esq. & I had just 'mined' with indoor fireworks. I thought we would be caned on the spot, but instead he calmly told us to report to His Office where, whilst obviously not happy, he seemed more interested in from where we had obtained these things and how they worked.

I must say that this style of policing, like yours, was far more effective than just throwing a wobbler and board dusters!

On another note in the small-world arena, a Swedish friend told me about his good friend's father who was in a midget sub attack and awarded the VC. Turns out he is the son of the recently-deceased Ian Fraser, the OW! Does the school still have Houses? I first met mutual friend & photographer, Ulf Wallin, in Los Angeles in 2002!

Any news on the whereabouts of Stephen Everson?

Regards, Gary Wise 1971 -1979

Ed. The house system ended about 30 years ago. One of the six houses was named after Ian Fraser.

Dear Ian

I joined the RGS the term after Mr. Brown retired and unfortunately did not know him. Despite that, my early years at the RGS and the values that I then learnt were always framed by his name, principles and standards. To me, and many hundreds of RGS boys who started after he left, Mr. Brown represented and required the highest standards of behaviour, achievement and civility. For any headmaster to inspire such aims in his pupils is remarkable; for a headmaster to do so after his tenure is incredible. Mr Brown is for so many a benchmark for everything that the RGS strives for.

Yours, OW

Hi Ian,

I have found this photo of my first year at the RGS. The form was called 2A and it would have been 1964/5 i think. (In those days the first year was form 2 instead of 1. It was changed shortly after this, and we all kept our 'year' for two years). The form master was 'Noddy' Coldham, and I believe it was his first year as well.

The names are as follows (starting at the back row, left to right three question marks indicates I don't know) :

Dave Berry, ??? Barlow, Alan Carver, ??? Simonds, ??? ???, ??? Barker

Second row: Roger Friend, Andy Simpson, Bernard Wise, Martin Runnacles, Brian Barney, your own DAVE STONE, Bryn Gosney

Third row: Robin Stibbon, Christopher Cannell, James 'Jimmy' Wallace, NODDY COLDHAM, Brian Glenister, Martin Thomas, ??? Ashton.

Fourth row: ??? Seymour, ???Jones (incredibly brainy!!),??? Wood, Nigel Culverhouse, Anthony Bassett, Lionel Hobbs, ??? Morant.

All the best! Robin Stibbon

Ed: Can anyone fill in the gaps?

Hi Ian,

Here are a couple of memories, as you requested in the last newsletter.

I think it was the winter of 57-58 when the prefects were under siege in their room off the gym and all of their windows were smashed by snowballs. Tucker extorted sixpence from Juniors, and a shilling from Seniors, whom he also caned.

And then there was contributing to the swimming pool construction fund for seven years and never getting wet.

Regards, Andy Wilson. (1956-63)

Hi Ian,

I'm Renny Oliver from 1980-86 and enjoyed looking at the photo of 3DK. (I wasn't in that set but knew most of them). I was trying to find out what Steve Goldthorpe is doing these days. He was an inspiring teacher.

I'm living in China and working in the car industry. I'm a chartered engineer working for the people who bought Rover and MG as a vehicle dynamics engineer, which means I'm currently spending most of my time hooning around on test tracks in China and Japan. I'm up near Russia at the moment for two weeks carrying out winter tyre tests. A balmy -20C outside now. I'll attach a few pictures of where I am.

Great website - please feel free to put my details on it.

Cheers, Renny

Ed. Steve Goldthorpe has retired and is now living with his wife in France.

If you are interested in finding what an old teacher is doing now, or putting you in touch with him, do email me.

Hi Ian,

Just stumbled upon this old photo - the infamous 3X, taken in 1974. Seems only right that I should share it!

One glance, and the memories come flooding back, including a surprisingly high proportion of the names (or at least the surnames). Sincere apologies to those I've got wrong, or forgotten altogether….

Back row, left to right: Craig Pouncey; Gareth Ward; Tim Griffiths; Me; Gary Wise; Graeme Roberts; Alistair Diack (I think); Kevin Titcombe; Brent Westbrook; (this is amazing - where I'm managing to dredge these up from, heaven only knows!)

Middle row, left to right: Gary Hobbs; Mark Foster; Michael Thornton; Donald Mackay; Bob Cole; Sorry I've Forgotten (Ed: Stephen Everson) Adam (?) Curtis; Adrian Paull; Andrew Bradmore; David Ballance (I can even do the accent); Colin Finlayson;

Front row, left to right: ?? McDermott; Paul Maynard; Martin White; Dave Poskett; Daniel Martin; Neil Forrester(?); Russell Ball; Mark Seville; Neil Featonby; David Carless.

Best wishes, Mike Ward

Dear Ian,

Sad to read of Rowland P Brown's passing. Some memories for the newsletter.

Chemistry for would-be terrorists. Mr Gelsthorpe was an outstanding teacher but he must have come close to killing some of us one chemistry lesson. I have a recollection of a "thermite bomb" which was a coffee tin packed with various bits of powdered grey stuff. In the top he had made a little hole, filled it with powdered magnesium mixed with something, and put a bit of magnesium ribbon in the top. He pulled out a lighter, set fire the ribbon, and put it very quickly in a fume cupboard and slammed the front glass down. A second later, there there was the most massive white flash, and the fume cupboard was filled with dense white smoke, and the front glass had been heated so violently that it had cracked. It was brilliant! Best chemistry lesson ever. A moment later, having opened the cupboard and filled the lab with smoke, sending us into fits of theatrical wheezing, coughing, and throat-clutching, 'Gasfitter' Gelsthorpe announced that the thermite bomb had not worked as intended. Sadly, only the detonator had gone off. If it had gone according to plan, some of us might not have survived.

Acts of mischief Some of my associates in School House were prone to bouts of misbehaviour. At one point, someone proudly produced an air rifle. From the top floor of the old School House building he managed to hit the bell which hangs on the back of the clock tower. The intention was to keep causing the clock to chime at odd moments, until Mr White-Taylor (aka 'Horse') came to investigate. This might have been hysterically funny to a fifteen-year old, but it didn't happen. I don't think he was a good enough shot to get the bell to chime on demand, and frankly, the little 'ting' of pellet on brass was pretty inaudible.

Kind regards, Andy Pillidge

Ed. Did you experience any unintended explosions in a Chemistry Lab? Did you get up to any mischief in the Boarding-House? Do write and tell us all about it!

Dear Ian

Re the photo of the Cricket Team published last time, the boy on the extreme right of the back row is Ron Huggins, who was my exact contemporary. He would have been at the RGS 1961-68. I might recognise some of the others in time.

Best wishes Graham Smith

Ian,

Sorry to hear of the passing of Rowland Brown.

My lasting memory of Mr Brown are of the first Red Nose day (1985 or 1986 I would guess) and more specifically of a maths lesson with Mr Stone, in which I made the bold wager with my classmates that I could have our rather serious headmaster tour the school in Comic Relief boxer shorts on the big day. Spurred on with their lack of belief, I set about collecting sponsors who would donate to Comic Relief, if Mr Brown would do the deed. I was joined in this by some other mischievous old boys including Kelvin Sampson, Ian Hamilton, and Toby Adams. It was Mr Brown's reputation for being rather conservative that allowed us to collect some rather brave sponsors who took the 'he will never do it...if he does, I will donate x approach'. As the big day approached, we continued to secretly collect sponsors and try and keep it from the teachers.

On the day, with slight trepidation, I knocked on Mr Brown's door. He asked me in, carrying in one hand a pair of spotty red and white boxers and in the other, numerous sheets of signed sponsorship papers and my camera. I delivered my pre-prepared speech whilst he stared at me coldly (He must have been an excellent card player). During those five minutes, the temperature in his office seemed to drop ten degrees and I was bracing myself for the biggest blasting of my already colourful disciplinary record at the school. We looked at each other in silence for what seemed like minutes, then he gave a small grin and said, "well, we better do it then". To his eternal credit, he donned the shorts and toured the whole school. I took quite a few pictures before being sent off to my lessons, including one that appeared in the Wycombiensian. He seemed to genuinely enjoy it.

By the next day, the sound bites and quotes in the paper and around the school seemed to suggest that the whole event had been pre-planned and organised, and perhaps this will be the first time that the real story of that day has been published anywhere and the original conspirators revealed.

Hamish Morjaria

Ed. Well done, Hamish!

EMAILS FROM NON-OWS

About once a month we receive emails from non-OWs asking for information about a distant relative as they worked on the Family Tree or after a sad death of an OW. Once there were enquiries about an OW who was at the RGS in the 1860s! We could not help. Just recently we received an enquiry from Jennifer, the great, great niece of PL Jones. Tony Hare and John Saunders were able to give her a lot of information about Pilgey, as OWs of that vintage would know him. As a result of information from Jennifer, Tony was able to put together a new article about him. You can see it here. In it were Sam Morgan's words on his final retirement. For the benefit of those of you who remember Pilgey, here they are:

GOODBYE, P.L.J. (1916-64)

We were all a little saddened last term when it became known that at last P.L.J. had decided to retire completely: for the last three years he has been helping the Maths department during the mornings.

What can one really say about someone who, for the best part of fifty years, has been a friend to all of us-boys, masters, parents, Old Boys-that is not already known or has not been said before? To be connected with a school such as ours for half a century, to make countless friends, to be counsellor and critic to generations of schoolboys, to preserve a warm place in the hearts of his colleagues, is to ensure a memorial-not in bricks and mortar but in the inmost heart. We all know his qualities. His completely unrelenting thoroughness in the classroom made him a most successful pedagogue: he was sometimes successful even in teaching those who didn't want to learn, the supreme accolade in his profession! More than that, he brought to his relationships with younger people a warmth and friendliness which encouraged them to develop as personalities and people, to their lasting benefit in later years. To further this interest, he kept up his contacts with Old Boys all over the country, and in the world without, by acting as secretary to the Old Wycombiensians, following their fortunes with a keen and human interest. One of the first questions a returning Old Boy inevitably asks is, "Old P.L.J. still here?" It must be one of his everlasting rewards that so many people bear him so much goodwill. To us, in the Common Room, he was always a fountain of wisdom. We could always feel that his replies-sometimes scandalous, sometimes facetious-to our queries, contained the essential germ of truth we were seeking.

P.L.J., we couldn't let you go without assuring you once again that all you were to the R.G.S. will abide in our memories through the years to come. We wish you and Mrs. Jones many years of health and happiness.

Ed: What a lovely tribute! Has any other teacher taught at the RGS for 48 years?

JOHN SAUNDERS (1963-1970)

John Saunders runs his own website that will be of interest to those who left the RGS in the sixties. (www.rgs.saund.co.uk/)

He writes as follows: "As well as looking at the main photos, it is well worth clicking on 'Other Items' (www.rgs.saund.co.uk/otherinfo.html) which provides a good deal of reference material (Grey Book and Speech Day programme scans provide quite a lot of info on OWs, which universities they went to, etc). Any more information you can provide on identities, or scans of team photos that you may have tucked away somewhere, are all very welcome.

Tony Hare does much the same as me for a slightly older generation of OWs and he's also added some more material at www.rgs.tonyhare.co.uk/. As mentioned he has produced a new item on "Pilgey". Nearly everyone who went to the RGS between 1916 and 1964 must have a PLJ story to tell. If you have, please let me or Tony know about it and we will add it to the list."

OWS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Editor writes: Doug Andrew, who left the RGS in 1994, contacted me recently to say that he was now working in the International School in Cairo. When I asked him about recent events, he replied, "It was very interesting here with armed vigilantes running up and down our street to the soundtrack of gunshots. All OK though, as it turned out they were the local branch of the neighbourhood watch.

Much better now, but fingers firmly crossed for the September elections."

Mike Beardall, who left the RGS in 1982, is serving in the RN in the Northern Gulf.

Ed: Are there any other OWs in that region?

QUEEN'S VISIT PHOTOS

Here are some photos of the Queen's visit in 1962 sent in by Steve Williams.

Another photo sent in by John Saunders:

Ed: Do you recognize the teachers?

Many thanks to Steve, John and all other contributors, for the photographs letters, emails and memories. Please keep sending them in. The more, the better!

SCHOOL WEBSITE

Recently on the School website appeared the following article:

IO SATURNALIA

On Thursday 16th December the RGS's first ever Saturnalia festival was celebrated in Room 5. The Saturnalia was a highlight of the Roman calendar, when masters and slaves swapped roles, gifts were exchanged, and the god Saturn was worshipped.

We had a sensational turnout of people, who enjoyed food, an oracle, a raffle and more.

We would like to thank Miss Evans and the rest of the Classics department for organising the party, and hope to celebrate again next year. Io!

Ed: Did you celebrate the Saturnalia as part of your Latin lessons, when you were at the RGS. If you want to read other articles of interest on the School website, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

THANKS!

Many thanks to Martin Berry for his management of the OW website and for his wonderful help in preparing the newsletters and the emails and to Stephanie Trott for all her general OW admin work.

PHOTOS AND MEMORIES

If you have any photos or memories of the RGS, please send them to me, so that they can be published.

NEXT NEWSLETTER ON THE WEBSITE

Hopefully the next newsletter will appear in June, after the Garden Party in May.

Ian Clark, ianrclarkuk@yahoo.co.uk