OWCA News Archive Pre 2013
ARCHIVE PICTURES
More rare archive pictures have become available. The one shown here is of Mr Carter in CCF uniform from the late 1950s. Have a look in the galleries section under ‘More from the School and Old Boys’ Archives’ section.’
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WINSTON FLETCHER CBE
An old boy who enjoyed a high profile career in advertising died on 4th September 2012 aged 75. Winston Fletcher entered WCS in the late 1940s’ and enjoyed a happy and successful time at Palace Street. He won a scholarship to St, John’s College Cambridge. Winston rose from humble beginnings to become a leader in the advertising industry, serving as president of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and later as chairman of the Advertising Association. He also wrote 14 informative and sometimes irreverent books on marketing and advertising, including a history of his profession. To view the full obituary which appeared in The Telegraph click on this link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9534191/Winston-Fletcher.html
OLD BOYS IN PERFORMANCE
Be it Comedy, Rock and Classical music, light entertainment, or acting for fun – four ‘old boys’ have recently been making their mark in the entertainment world, at both international and local levels, in their own unique ways….
The OWC with the current highest showbusiness profile is the multi award winning comedian and writer Andy Hamilton (at WCS 1965-71). He makes numerous TV and radio appearances on such shows as ‘QI’ ‘Have I Got news For You’ and ‘The News Quiz.’
Andy also has an hilarious stand up show which he tours regularly. Yet another honour came his way this year for the smash hit T.V. series ‘Outnumbered’ which he, along with co-writer Guy Jenkin, created. Andy recently added to a long list of awards and plaudits for this show by winning the National Television Comedy Award for 2012.
Phil Spalding (at WCS 1969-75) is a top bassist who has worked with numerous star names in rock and pop music. In February 2012 he joined the Simon Townshend band for the ‘Secret Weapon’ UK tour, promoting the band’s new album ‘Looking Out, Looking In’. At a concert on the South Coast, they were joined on stage by rock superstar Roger Daltrey of ‘The Who’ and we are delighted to have this picture taken at the show. Left to right Simon Townshend, Roger Daltrey and Phil Spalding.
The other ‘Who’ connection is that Simon is Pete Townshend’s brother. Phil also played at the premier of Tom Cruise’s new film ‘Rock of Ages’ at Leicester Square. Our picture shows Tom Cruise with Phil on the red carpet.
Musician Christopher Warren-Green (at WCS 1966-72) continues to enjoy a magnificent career, a high profile highlight of which was to conduct the London Chamber Orchestra for the Royal Wedding last year.
Christopher has recently received great recognition in America. Following on from his debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra last December (2011) and his acclaimed performances with the St Louis Symphony Orchestra earlier this year, he made his debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in May. Christopher conducted a programme of British repertoire, featuring Walton’s Crown Imperial , Vaughan-Williams’ Symphony No.5 and Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy with soloist Jennifer Frautschi. Christopher received great reviews in the media.
Chris Hare (at WCS 1961-67) who enjoyed a forty year career in theatre management and show production and is now an after dinner and club speaker, was honoured in the presence of many TV and theatre stars with a coveted lifetime achievement award at the annual Encore Theatre Awards in May 2012. Previous winners of this award have been such as Ken Dodd, Nicholas Parsons and legendary American Jazz star Buddy Greco. It is unusual to be won by someone who is not a household name, which reflects the standing that Chris is held in the light entertainment world. We have this picture which was taken at the awards lunch:- Left to right Chris, his wife Denise and Coronation Street star Andrew Lancel.
Away from his demanding role as a company director, Angus Litster (at WCS 1961-68) has been fulfilling a long held ambition to act. He recently played the Dad’s Army character Fraser in a local dramatic stage version of the show. Apparently his ‘We’re all doomed’ was one of the show’s highlights! However we picture him here in his pantomime debut earlier in the year as Abanazour. Looking at his co-stars, we can see the attraction the stage has for Angus.
2012 REUNION DINNER
The annual Reunion Dinner (the 104th) was held at the School on Friday 23rd March. Around 100 Old Boys, past and current teachers and guests enjoyed a marvellous evening. Attendees began arriving around 6pm for pre dinner drinks in the refurbished dining hall. The bar staff coped well with high levels of demand and provided a full bar range including a couple of excellent barrels of real ale. Along with liquid refreshment, copious amounts of nostalgia, football club reminiscences and school day anecdotes washed around the room. Around 7.30pm the gathering moved up to the main hall to enjoy an excellent four course meal.
Amongst the toasts, wine was taken with the oldest attendee R.J. Lamb, who joined WCS in 1934. Head David Maloney brought us up to date on the School’s progress, which brought a witty response from Angus Litster. Angus treated the diners to excerpts from his 1960’s school report. English Master Mike Hougham wrote that Angus should not rely on his social skills alone, but might like to also learn something before he left WCS. For the record Angus has enjoyed a hugely successful career in Marketing, Advertising and PR and is currently a director of Random 42, a market leader in Medical Animation. OWCA Chairman Bob Blanchett thanked his co-dinner organisers Chris Hare and Ian Milne, however huge thanks should go to Bob who negotiates first class deals with the caterers, table providers and so on. He also prints all the menus at his home and maintains comprehensive data bases to alert old boys by e-mail and promote the dinner. Your efforts on our behalf are really appreciated Bob.
A provisional date of Friday 22nd March 2013 has been set for next year. Please put the date in your diary/organiser in two coloured crayon! Let’s see if we can get the numbers up again next year for this so enjoyable occasion.
Photos are available to view in the Galleries section.
2012 Dinner Attendees with years at WCS where known were:-
Lal Abraham (1968-1975); Denise Abraham (Guest); Peter Allan (49-57); Arthur (Archie) Allen (39-45); Phil Anderson; Remy Aquilina; David Ballin (49-56); Philip Bannister (49-56); Bryan Baughan; Peter Beasley (66-73); Bill Benbow (65-70); Bob Blanchett (61-66); Colin Bowen (46-52); Leo Brookes (Guest); Rob Bryant (53-59); Norman Bunton (39-46); Frank Busby (48-53); Stephen Carville (70-77); Peter B. Clarke (47-51); Mark Clarke (66-73); Brian Coombs; Roger Cosson (63-70); Tim Crook (70-76); David Dalton (65-72); John Daulat (WCS Staff); Ralph DeBedic Perks (56-63); John Douglass (63-71); Derek Duchemin (47-52); John Evans (44-49); David Garwood (48-54); Mick Gee (54-61); Robert Goodlad (49-54); Brian Halfacre (Teacher 60-99); Chris Hare (61-67); Ron Harley (74-79); Tony Harrison (WCS Staff); William Heath (50-57); Jock Henderson (48-55); Colin Hill (61-66); Bill Hill (47-54); Jeremy Hudson (65-72); Stephen Humphrey (63-70); Julian Humphries (83-88); Bernie Jacobs (60-66); Jim Jelley (58-66); Charles Jobson (68-75); Wak Kani (63-71); Lewis Keeble; Brian Key (Teacher 64-91); Dick Lacey (65-72); Jim (T.J.) Laker (56-63); R.A. Lamb (34-44); John Lawrence (60-67); Steve Leach (64-71); Simon Leahy (82-89); Angus Litster (61-68); Stephen Lloyd (Teacher 70-2000); Don Lunn (47-53); Harry Magnani (49-56); David Maloney (Current Head); Ian Mayers (67-74); Will McKee (53-58); Ian Milne (55-63); Harris Mir (91-96); Chandra Mutucamarana (61-68); James O’Leary (WCS Staff); Jim Perrin (84-89); Lee Preston (83-88); Len Pullen (52-58); Rajiv Rao; Alan Reid (61-68); Steve Riley (84-89); Simon Robbins (67-73); David Robey (65-72); Phil Rogers (49-57); Derek Rogers (53-60); Harry Roumph (63-70); Peter Ruddy (52-59); Michael Sackett (61-68); Peter Saunders (Teacher 63-89); Richard Shannon; Smith (46-52); Gary Smith (65-72); Phil Spalding (69-75); Andy Spinks (78-85); Jim Stewart ( 70-77); Derek Van Tienan (61-68); Alek Vilcinskas (49-57); Andy Wallace (70-77); David White (Guest); Bryan Williams (74-79); James Wilson (WCS Deputy Head); Doug Wordingham (48-53).
John Hall (61-68) and Marc Maitland (76-83) booked places, but unfortunately last minute circumstances prevented them from making the dinner.
OWCA TRUST FUND
Set up in 1958, the Trust Fund continues to give excellent support to the school in the form of substantial grants. For further information please see the OWCA Trust Fund page on this site.
Recently the trust has helped the school purchase fitness equipment and also sponsored an adventurous trip to Iceland. The following is a brief report of the trip received from the school.
Eyjafjallajokull is a bit of a mouthful and so was the local delicacy of dried fish crisps and horse meatballs that thirty Year 9 pupils enjoyed on their highly successful visit to the spectacular island of Iceland over the Michaelmas half term break.
Some conquered their fear of heights when ascending the volcano that erupted in the Westman Islands in 1973 and others conquered their fear of tidying up their rooms everyday as we moved from hotel to hotel, five in total, to traverse the volcanic lava fields and their lunar-like landscapes. Ever-so-slightly terrifying was the fact that we stood on top of a volcano where the rock, a mere few centimetres under the surface, was smouldering hot. We learnt about the formation of the Earth’s crust and stood on the plate margin at Thingvelier where the North American and Eurasian continental plates diverge.
At Geysir, pupils took great pleasure in standing under boiling hot, sulphurous (smelly) gushing geysers and later that day they luxuriated in the Blue Lagoon whose warm, steamy, turquoise waters are heated by a nearby geothermal power station. We listened to glaciers creak, crack and groan as they slowly slipped downhill, and clambered behind and across spectacular waterfalls. The week was truly a once in a lifetime experience and pupils and staff alike are grateful to the Old Westminster Citizens Association for making this trip possible.
SCHOOL EXAM SUCCESS
WCS has enjoyed one of its most successful years in GSCE examinations. 60% of students have gained at least 5 GCSE grades A* – C including English & Maths.
2011 GCSE results
60% five A*-C including English & Maths
72% five A*-C and 74% two A*-C in Science
EASTER 1965
Easter 1965 saw a highly successful WCS football tour to Holland organised by Sports Master Brian Chubb. The tour was repeated in Easter 1966. Pictures of both trips have recently come to light. The one shown here is from 1965 taken on the boat trip over. Left to right:- Tom McCardle, John Hall, Steve Boyce, John Findlay, Pete Wells, Derek Tilby and Billy Mitchell. Other pictures of both tours are available to view in the galleries section under The School and Old Boys.
BRIAN DANCE
News has reached us that Brian Dance, who taught history at WCS in the early 1960s, died on July 2nd aged 81. A popular master, he left WCS in 1965 to become Head Teacher at the independent St. Dunstan’s College in Catford. He remained as Head at St. Dunstans for twenty years up to 1985, the longest span in the College’s history. Brian then served as Chair of Governors of Bromley High School up to 2005. He also worked as a regional organiser for HOST, a network of UK residents who welcomed international students into their homes to promote world wide friendship and learning. Picture shows Brian Dance in a WCS teacher’s line up from 1963. He is flanked by Phil Spink and Miss Hickmott.
2011 DINNER
The annual Reunion Dinner (the 103rd) was held at the School on Friday 1st April. A marvellous evening was again enjoyed by Old Boys, current past teachers (listed as staff) and guests. Amongst the many toasts, wine was taken with the oldest attendee R.J. Lamb, who joined WCS in 1934. Photos of the dinner are now posted in the galleries section of this site. At the last moment the School photographer was unable to attend, but fortunately Bob Blanchett had a small camera on him and captured the great atmosphere of the occasion. Once again old friendships were renewed amongst much nostalgic hilarity. Thanks go to Chairman Bob Blanchett and his fellow dinner organisers Chris Hare and Ian Milne. It should be recorded that Bob not only maintains a detailed database to keep old boys in touch but also prints all the menus, seating plans etc for the dinner. To keep ticket prices the same as last year, Bob negotiated an improved deal with a new caterer for this event, who provided an excellent four course meal and reasonably priced bar. Special thanks for all your efforts on our behalf Bob!
Dinner Attendees with years at School were:-
I. Adam (1963-70); J. Alcock ( Staff); P.J. Allan (49-57); A. Allen (39-45); D. Bailin (49-56); P. Bannister (49-57); R. Blanchett (61-66); L. Brooks (Guest); R. Bryant (53-59); N Bunton (39-46); S. Carville (70-77); P. Clarke (47-51); M. Cogni (76-83); E. Corry (76-83); T. Crook (70-76); P. Daffas (69-76); J. Daulat (Staff); T. Dawson (68-75); R. Debedic-Perks (56-63); A. Dembitz (60-66); J. Djalili (70-78); J. Douglass (63-70); E. Ellis (68-74); P Galloway (63-68); D. Garwood (48-54); M. Gee (58-65); C. Gittins (42-47); R. Goodlad (49-54); B. Halfacre (Staff)); C. Hare (61-67); W. Harris ((69-75); A. Harrison (Staff); M. Harwood (54-60); J. Henderson (48-55); S. Humphrey (63-70); J. Humphreys (81-88); B. Jacobs (60-67); J. Jelley (58-66); H. Jina (90-96); C. Jobson (68-75); B. Key (Staff); B. King (51-56); R. Lacey (65-72); T.J. Laker (56-63); R. Lamb (34-44); J. Lawrence (60-67); S. Leach (64-71); S. Leahy (82-89); A. Litster (61-68); S. Lloyd (Staff); D. Lunn (47-53); M. Maitland (76-83); D. Maloney (Current Head); W. McKee (53-60); I. Milne (55-63); H. Mir (90-96); C. Pain (70-77); G. Paul (58-65); B. Paul (59-66); J. Perrin (84-89); T. Perrin (81-83); D. Read (42-48); A. Reid (61-67); S. Riley (84-89); S. Robins (67-73); D. Rogers ((53-60); P. Rogers (49-57); P. Ruddy (52-59); M. Sackett (61-68); C. Saunders (61-65); P. Saunders (Staff.); C. Shepherd (54-60); D. Short (53-58); R. Short (Guest); C. Smith (46-52); P. Spalding (69-75); A. Spinks (78-85); J. Stewart (70-77); W. Taylor (69-76); D. van Tienan (61-68); A. Vilcinskas (49-57); C. Walker (43-47); A. Wallace (70-77); D. White (Guest); J. Wilson (Staff); D. Wordingham (48-53). It should also be noted that Bill Mahoney (50-57) made it for the pre dinner drinks before dashing off to a prior engagement!
OLD BOY CONDUCTS
Christopher Warren-Green (OWC 1966-1972) conducted the London Chamber Orchestra for the wedding ceremony of HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton in Westminster Abbey on Friday 29 April.
TONY BROOKS
We are sorry to hear that OWCFC icon Tony Brooks suffered a heart attack in early May. Fortunately, the doctors have ‘sorted out his plumbing’ and he is now convalescing back home in Hythe. Aside from his football prowess (Tony played for OWCFC from the late 1960s to the early 1980s,) his wonderful sense of humour and cartoon drawing skills kept all of that football playing generation wonderfully amused. We all wish him a speedy recovery.
40 YEARS AGO…
In May 1971, OWCFC sent a squad to play in a European Link football tournament in Anderlecht near Brussels. The players were housed in a School dormitory – pictured on the steps outside are: Standing Left to Right: Chandra Mutucumarana, Greg Graham, Mick McCabe, Mick Clayton. Middle Row: John Douglass, Mike Gee, Barry Mitchell, Jock Henderson, Ian Milne, Dave Tyler. Front: Chris Hare, Peter Ruddy, Howard Richards.
The trip was especially notable as Chris Hare reached the 21years of age milestone during the trip and the birthday celebrations in a Brussels bar went on most of the night. The OWC revellers finally returned to the School complex around 6am to meet the German team they were playing at 11am coming out to ‘warm up.’ OWCFC lost 2 – 0 which was a minor sporting miracle and, from memory, did quite well in the rest of the tournament despite the hangovers. Happy Days!
AND 50 YEARS AGO…
Rob Bryant has sent us this picture taken by Brian Smith at CCF Summer Camp 1959.
Pictured standing back row from nearest the camera are: Roger Frazer (who became a BBC producer), Geoff Fryatt (who joined the Army and now lives in Cyprus), ‘Taffy’ Thomas, Vivian de Montgomery. In front of them: ‘Polly’ Raphique (who became a solicitor) and Doug Tyler. Behind him is Mick Barham. Lying in front of the ground are Rob Bryant and Vic Spong (reading.) A further picture of the group is in the galleries section under The School and Old Boys
JIM ARBOS
Very sad news has been received from Lawrence Arbos, who attended WCS from 1976 – 82. His brother Jim (at WCS 1975-81) died on 19th April 2011 from heart failure aged just 48. Jim will be well remembered by OWCFC players from the 1980s and 90s. A popular guy, Jim played across a number of X1s and also refereed games. He also played cricket for OWC. Our condolences to Lawrence and the family.
SIR MARTIN BROUGHTON
Martin Broughton (at WCS 1958 – 1965), has been knighted in the New Years honours list for his services to business. Fulham born, Sir Martin joined British American Tobacco as an auditor in 1971 rising to be their Chief Executive and Chairman. No stranger to controversy, he famously admitted that he would not like his two children to smoke. Sir Martin left in 2004 to join British Airways as its chairman, and caused a further stir in October when he described US demands for airport security checks in response to terrorist threats as “completely redundant”. The knighthood follows a remarkable year for the former CBI president, with BA returning to half-year profits for the first time in two years despite the disruption caused by Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud.
A lifelong Chelsea supporter, he put his love of Stamford Bridge to one side earlier this year to oversee the sale of Liverpool football club to John W Henry, an American sports tycoon, for £300m.
Sir Martin is also credited with helping to safeguard the future of the horse racing industry during his stint as chairman of the British Horse racing Board (BHB) between 2004 and 2007.