News of Old Woodbridgians

The OW Dinner 2008 will take place on Saturday September 20th and will have a military theme to celebrate the centenary of the CCF/OTC.  We hope to see many OWs who took up a military career as well as those who didn't. Please book early.

FOR FULL 2008 OW DINNER DETAILS AND BOOKING FORM CLICK HERE

Stop Press News: We're trialling a new photo album system. Click on the 'Photo Gallery' link on the left of this page and take a look.

Here are five lists of OWs, who have been in touch, over the last 5 years. Each year is roughly in leaving year order.  The first from Spring 2008 and below that Spring 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004.

SPRING 2008

FAR and WIDE

Yes, the search goes on for OWs and former staff across the globe and we have raided the pages of Facebook and scoured the streets of Woodbridge to bring you this rare collection.

As you may recall we usually start with former staff and here they are in no particular order. Mark Mitchels …… I just had to start with him ……… still runs Cultural Studies at the School so is hardly former at all. He gave a February Lecture in the Library on Elizabeth Garrett-Anderson and I have to say it was a marvellous evening. He is a touring lecturer on a variety of subjects and I beg you to keep an eye open for his next performance. He even has his own website, listing lectures available. At that meeting Pauline Moore was in the audience and later she called in to the Reading Room to check up on the Moore family. We went back to a Seckford Governor of the late 19thC and vast numbers of uncles of the Moore lads were pupils between 1900 and 1940. Maybe we will do a feature on that next time. Tony Waller was also at the lecture; he seems as busy as ever and is a man about town. Incidentally, MAM spotted Adrian Twiner in Bury, but got no info to report. Jim Bidwell has been elevated to the ranks of Deputy Chairman of the District Council and there seems no ceiling upon his rise to eminence. William and Pauline Bryant came to the former staff lunch before Christmas. William has had a few knees I understand but was coaching maths up to a few years ago. They have 8 grandchildren.

Ken Charrot has a souped-up scooter - seen already in this journal and he tears about Woodbridge on it, terrifying domestic pets and incurring the wrath of our new Community Police Officers. (This is exaggeration. Ed.) OK, but he does get up quite a speed along Burkitt Road. Recent leaver Andrew Garfath-Cox attended the lunch, none the worse for retirement. Graham Sagar has remarried and we wish him well. Cynthia Pendal, now Mrs. Robinson, plays a lot of golf in Portugal and places, and is also seen on the course at St. Audreys. However, she is nervous to challenge the Registrar obviously, as she hasn’t. I met Kim Baker at Budgens and she is studying for a doctorate - anthropologyish. Anyway it was an ology. Mike Lubbock is on the Committee so we cannot get away from him, not that we want to. Jill Lubbock is also around the place and we do commend her for her marvellous speech in September. James Harper has been seen and Dorothy Hull too. David Haynes is down in London for some of the week, advising Ros Kamaryc, now Head of Queensgate School. It seems that Mrs. Kamaryc held a prestigious Speech Day for her Junior Department and a HUGELY eminent historian fell out at the last minute. (Lady A…. F…..). The Registrar was called in to present prizes. All you ask for in this life is 15 minutes of fame. Thanks Mrs. K. and a grand school it was too. Graeme Hall and Joan Hall attended the former staff lunch and did not seem to have lost their spark. It must be the Hacheston air. (Is that some kind of musical pun? Ed.) No Sir. G. is on the Parish Council and is a churchwarden but has ceased wandering the world examining. Alan Nicholls keeps in touch with MAM and the family were thriving according to their Christmas card. (Christopher Nicholls, 1982, is Head of Curriculum Studies at the British School In Tokyo. Andrea Nicholls 1984 is Head of Marketing at Pearsons. Simon Nicholls 1986 is Chief Editor of Hansard. Clare Nicholls is still involved with cardiac care. And there are grandchildren. Talented lot eh?) Tim Nightingale, still top English man in Millfield and Doug Hurdley, man of leisure in Morecambe, telephone occasionally and wish to be remembered. DNH has just about come down from cloud 9 after Barnsley’s victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup. Was it really late in 1982 that Dr. Tim Dilks left us for the wild and woolly ways of Churchers College down in Hants? Anyway he stayed there for 28 years and would you believe it - he is now their alumni officer. He threatens to come to the September Dinner. We hope to see him there. Tony Harvey, also an OW has been discovered down in Exton, Exeter. Here’s a nice letter from Edwin Still. He lives In Hailsham, East Sussex. He is a proud grandfather, has a leaky valve or so, and is ‘revising Hebrew’ at the moment. Also plays the flute still, gardens and sings a bit! If ever a surname was totally wrong it’s Edwin’s, and it was great to hear from him. Janet Dewhurst has been in town this year. She’s a senior figure at St. Helen’s School. Northwood, London. Alex Berry, now Mrs. Davies has produced her fourth son since leaving us. Husb. Matt Davies is a formidable teacher of philosophy at the school. Paul Kesterton emails as follows. ‘As you may know I am leaving Fettes College shortly once I have tidied up one or two bits and piece and begin working later in the summer at The Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy as Curriculum Head in their Sport Fitness faculty lecturing in HNC, HND and Degree. I remain as Assistant Manager to Scotland Under 18s.’ He took them to Wales recently but the Welsh prevailed, I fear. He did get to meet Terry Cobner afterwards tho’. Dee Piper, former Head of the Sixth Form now concentrates on her business interests, importing Indian goods for the retail market.

That’s one of the fullest former staff sections I have ever achieved. Right, I am now going to move to the recent leavers and start with that great event, the Christmas knees-up at The Kings’ Head, Woodbridge just before Christmas. Each year more and more turn up and this year we passed through the 100 mark. The bar tab ran out very quickly and we do thank those sophisticated OWs who ordered cocktails from the bemused staff early on, so depleting funds at a more rapid rate! Next year - more money in the kitty and a limit on the range of drinks! Each imbiber was given a form to fill with detail of what they are doing and so on. Oh, before I start - special thanks to Supremo of Sixth Form, Mr. Ben Edwards, for turning up. Perhaps we should make a greater effort to get tutors along. What do you think?

So here they are, battle-hardened students, exhausted by essay-writing, scientific experimenting and months of tee-totalism. Leavers from 2004 to last July, in no particular order. Karmia Goldring, one of last year’s cover girls, is studying fashion journalism down in Epsom. She talked of her gap year with Jess Allan and Bridie Sheldon, facing ‘wild hostile dogs, Vietnamese mafia and angry villagers.’ We need more detail but Kay’s implication was that anything that went wrong could all be safely blamed on Bridie. Jenny Sudell is at Bath Spa Uni, studying contemporary dance. She plays hockey for City of Bath III and Uni I. Richie Barnett is also at Bath Spa, reading Geography and Education and has suffered the joys of teaching. He’s a footballer and singer. Rhodri Jones is preparing for Exeter Uni and was off to France to earn some money. Natalia Olafsson enjoys life in Southampton, where she has met lots of lovely people, is a RAG Committee member, windsurfer and cheerleader. There’s just a little time for Biomedical Sciences apparently. Harry Wolff-Evans, who left in 2006, and so is an OW, has now returned and is in our Sixth Form. He finds it ‘simply wonderful.’ Freddy Chenevix Trench is in a gap year and seems to be searching for employment. He talked about going to Hong Kong. I can’t quite read what Alex Sangster wrote on his form. Perhaps he was the one who had the cocktails. Henry Fisher is at Sheffield Hallam doing Forensic Biosciences. He prefers the latter. Mentions scuba diving and Cerys Catton. Cerys is also at Sheffield Hallam and studying Forensic whatnots. She’s on a placement next year and mentions scuba diving and Henry Fisher.

Matthew Cade is in the farthest North - University of York - where he studies Accounting and Business Finance. He finds it cold up there but keeps warm playing hockey and even becoming fixtures secretary. Angus Bloomfield is an economist of Reading Uni, working his way to the first hockey XI through the thirds and seconds. He’s in hall of res., likes that and is not overawed by the course at all. ‘Easier than I thought.’ Louise Smith has left Hallam and hopes to study Occupational Therapy at UEA.

Hannah Mayhew wins the OW Prize for the fullest form. Many thanks to you HM. Anyway, she is at Edinburgh, in the 2nd year of Physical geography and Geology. The numerous practicals and field trips make for good bonding and departmental atmosphere. She’s in the OTC and is Vice-Captain of the Edinburgh Women’s 5’s. I wished I had asked what that was now. In the OTC she is part of the local TA, meeting a further range of students and raising a little cash. Hannah is in a flat with Laura Bloomfield. She’s all Politics and Social Anthropology and is planning an interesting year studying in Ontario, Canada.

Matthew Studley is in his final year at Manchester Uni., reading Economics and Finance. He enjoyed a great semester in Munster, Germany on a study abroad programme. Rachel Wright is at Glasgow School of Art - which made me very envious, studying painting and print-making. She loves it and went on a term exchange to the Emily Carr Institute in Vancouver. She’s in touch with a crowd of OWs. Felicity Sylvester is an American and Latin American Studies student of Nottingham. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese, which I would have deemed as rather confusing, but seems to love it all and is in touch with a lot of school chums. Rebecca Murland is a business woman, dealing in Japanese kitchen knives. Sounds dangerous but she seemed very relaxed about it all. She is Godmother to the twin daughters of Brittany Hughes. Emily Purser of Brasenose, Oxford, reads Philosophy and Psychology and is appearing on stage, even as we write this.

Nick Tiley-Nunn is teaching Year 4 darlings at The Abbey School. Hannah Golding is at Birmingham and Cornell, studying International Commerce and particularly enjoyed New York! Babette Wolff-Evans has left Drama to go into the Law. Wow. I suppose there are connections. Anyway, she is enjoying the challenge and does all this at City Uni.

Harris Finn is an accountant of Liverpool Uni and plays a bit of footie on the side. Charlie Ilett is also at Liverpool studying physiology. She enjoys the course and has been robbed twice! She does some bar-work to help out the muggers and has established a whole new range of chums. Nick Boxall is a medicine-man of Manchester, literally learning what makes people tick, he says, and is active in hockey, choirs and debating. He is in contact with Durham man Ian Ackerley, maths and phys, climber, caver and sailor! It’s one way of getting out of the Durham ’bubble’ he says. Tom Fitzgerald is poised for University this September and was too shy to say what he is doing in his gap year. Katie Longbottom has been to Thailand and is saving for the next adventure, working at HMV somewhere. She is thinking of a university course! Rory Cottam has his own band and this enables him to see GB. Christian Daniels makes the same claim! Rosie Yates is a philosopher of Edinburgh Uni and is in the Wine Society (surely not!) and plays netball. James Ramsden, Mathematician of Durham Uni sings a bit and leads his college hockey XI. Henry Herbert is at Collingwood, Durham reading Physics and does a bit of hill-walking. Rose Janes is at the same college, reads English and Philosophy and was in the freshers’ play. Skis a bit too. She says she’s going on an expedition to the Philippines this summer, conserving and education but has not applied for an OWs travel grant, strangely. Tom Gorst studies medicine at Corpus Christi, Oxenford and is a fencer. Rachel Morris, at UEA studies any subject beginning with A - Archaeology, Art and Anthropology which is both alliterative and interesting. She designs T-Shirts too. Anthony Beynon is a nursing student of Swansea Uni. Bet it’s nice down there. Dominic Walsh, at Nottingham Trent is a sports scientist and even plays a bit of rugby league. Alan Cowie says he presents traffic and travel news on local radio.

Graeme Warden is an International Relationist of Exeter and finds it fascinating. He plays some soccer. He dropped in on the new Seckford Reading Room. Emily Skinner reads History at Gonville and Caius, Cambridge, sings and plays netball, tho’ not at the same time. She seems to be really enjoying the whole experience. Keith Rowbory is an economist and philosopher of UEA and gives the faculty top marks for quality of teaching. He’s a chum of Jonny Harries who is an environmental scientist who enjoys the friendly atmos, playing football and climbing. John Carrington of Hull University is a Historian with History of Art and helps out with the university art collection. He nearly made it onto University Challenge and had he done so would have met up with old Woodbridge School quiz men, Ian Lyons and Charles Markland who wowed the nation with their respective colleges. Charles is in the final as we go to press! Gosh the TV cameras loved him! Another boffin is David Armitage, Royal Holloway’s Politics and International Relations student supreme. He loves the college, sings in the chamber choir and had a trip to UN in NY. He talks of moving to Montreal and a job in the Royal Navy. Michael Bull of Harper Adams reads Ag. Eng with Marketing and Management. He enjoys the practical elements of the course and plays hockey and squash. Louise Gordon-Jones studies Eng. Lit at Manchester, loves it, loves the city and surfs …… where ….. in Manchester? Weird. Tatiana Goodchild reads philosophy at Edinburgh and mentioned euthanasia but I cannot recall in what context. Emily Verrill is another medic - this time at Leeds. She’s into the uni riding team, of course, and plays netball and should be getting her ‘body’ as we go to press. It was an honour to see Greg Slade turning up and making his way shyly towards the bar. Not a pub-goer by nature he patently felt uneasy in the midst of so many drinkers but paused long enough to tell me about Foundation Architecture at London Southbank and hockey and rugby. Emily McKeown learns Graphic Design at the new campus in Ipswich; it’s hard work but fun apparently.

Elodie Ashworth is a psychologist of Nottingham Uni, and is involved in the Charity Society and the Conservation Society. Her call is to ‘get involved in the local community.’ James Pugh studies property at the Royal Agricultural College. He’s out and about with his measuring devices and has time for hockey and a tiny bit of socialising. Philippa Thomas reads Biochemistry at Warwick but I feel she misses a little of the real subject - History! She plays in the orchestra, on the squash courts and does a bit of Latin too …. that’s dancing .. along with ballroom. B D G Grave, Ben to some, is reportedly relishing reading at Reading - English; hockey too and says he’s a library assistant, helping real readers in Reading with their reading. (Absolutely NO more of this word play. Ed.) Andrew Catt is a trainee wine merchant with Seckford Wines. He loves it and is not haunted by university loans. Jo Hatcher is a student of Chemical Engineering at Newcastle. It’s getting a bit tough but she is surviving and anyway, has plenty of hockey activity. Sis, Bonnie Hatcher, is in Puffa jackets - work placement for a year, as part of her Hull Uni course. Naturally she plays hockey too - for Ipswich. Sophie Chick studies Physics at Bologna University. Nice. No, Bologna. (I warned you. Ed.) This is part of a year abroad from Bristol. and she is part of an organised Erasmus Programme that takes in sight-seeing and skiing. She’s in touch with Laura Head, who could not be present but who is still at Oxford Brookes studying History and Publishing and big in the OTC. Alex Darby is in her second year at Oxford Brookes doing a degree in History of Art. She was not at the lunch but I met her in the Strawberry Caff next door. Um, talking Strawberry Café, it is now run by Suzy Betts, 1992, or Mrs. Rob Sledmere, 1995, to the rest of us. Drop in for a drink and say I sent you. Ellis O’Neil is a Natural Sciences man of Corpus Christi, Cambridge and on a number of committees whose titles I can’t even understand. Sam Parker of Warwick Uni loves the maths there and is into all kinds of music not surprisingly. He even gets time to climb mountains, play squash and t.tennis. Sam is chummy with engineer Jonathan Morris at the same college. Jonny is into archery and aikido Freddy Weller praises the delights of Facebook, keeping him in touch with old friends. He’s at Oxford Brookes doing Technology Management and enjoys the thrill of legally knocking people out in Taekwando. Ah well. Ollie Lion is a marine engineer in Southampton Solent and inevitably enjoys a bit of sailing. Hugo Martineau-Needham, resident of Melton Park, see later, and student in King’s London, reads European studies with French. There is a heavy preponderance of young ladies on the course and this he seems to cope with quite well. He goes to LSE a few hours a week and hopes to challenge the domination of the Conservative Students there with an active Labour group. Scott Anderson is at Aberystwyth doing business . He plays several sports and has joined the OTC there. Facebook helps him keep in touch with the gang. Amy Lightfoot is another at Oxford Brookes and is training for the wonderful world of Primary Education. Amy Stockdale of KCL reads Law which is ‘interesting and challenging‘. She does a bit of ballet. Jess Allan, see photo, is at Manchester Uni, on a Management and Marketing of Textiles Course. Best place in the World I would have thought for textile study. She plays netball for her hall and does some kind of oriental boxing which sounds dangerous. Just about last in this catalogue of young talent and burgeoning skills and education are the Lucy sisters, Lucy Hallett and Lucy Havard. Talk about finishing on a high. The former is at Oxford reading French and Italian, loving it, meeting new people, making friends, playing hockey, netball and croquet. The latter is a medic of University College, London, loving London life, playing all the games, doing Rag etc., and keeping in touch with the usual gang.

Zac Potter is at distant Otley mastering animal management. He plays a bit of rugby. Chris Gomm is going to Leeds later this year to study Automotive Engineering but meanwhile he is restoring an old Land Rover, which is helpful.

Several non recent leavers appeared at the lunch which is good. Ed Leith, left 2001, is a mechanical Engineer but that’s all I know. Oliver Mummery, 2002, graduated from Oxford Brookes in Environmental Biology and is now loving life as an Estate Agent. Iona Barclay, 2002, is a graduate in International Equine and Business Land Management, and now works for an insurance company. She has recovered from that ghastly car accident in the Balkans and we are so glad to see her back in the mainstream. Chris Woodard, 1976, said hello. He values commercial property for a small German bank and enjoys it. He’s a sailor still and just to prove it has moved to Felixstowe ferry, after 27 years in London. His son is starting school and there is a 3 year old daughter too, to enjoy the Suffolk air. Welcome home, Chris.

So that is the fall-out from the Christmas gathering, apart from unreadable forms and those who did not fill out forms. Again, I am sorry that I did not get round to talk to you all.

Vets in Practice. Lee Hibbert left us in 1997 but is now back in town, and also working in the Felixstowe surgery. Joe Steventon is 1992 vintage. He is settling in here in town, lives in Melton with wife and daughter, Harper. Ben Ryder-Davies, 1990, makes up the trilogy of local vets. A finer group of professionals you would not meet however far you search and this is evinced by the recovery of Daisy Weaver, also pictured, who lived in School until 2004 and sort of qualifies therefore as an OW. Hey, lets have a meeting of OW vets - Charlotte Searle, 1998, is a vet of Potters Bar.

You will see that the musical Halls attended the Xmas Dinner. What of their talented children? Barty Hall teaches at Lansdowne College in London - computers and philosophy. Drosten Hall conducts the Camerata Orchestra in Chicago, is married with three children and runs a music school. Ambrose Hall is a jazz pianist and has been spotted by JB and me in the Thoroughfare. Sebastian Hall, Abbey only, is something to do with organic food. So there are the Halls.

We have located an early OW - David Rowland, 1938, living in Truro. The Rowland family members were almost a dynasty of pupils here from the 1880s onwards. We’ll get in touch and see if he can send a few memories.

This is Christopher Green, 1947 - 1957. My family had 3 generations at Woodbridge, including my father Ernest Edward Green, my uncle George Green ( who lived in Bromswell and was known as the "cricket bat" man because he dealt in willow trees and made the clefts for the blades of the bats). When I went to school, the prep classes were held at the main school because the Abbey was just in the process of being purchased. I and my 2 brothers, Nicholas and Timothy Green, had to run from Cumberland St. up the hill and down the other side (Angel Lane) to get to morning assembly on time . All us prep boys were put upstairs in the gallery and only much later on were we allowed to sit on the floor, right at the front. We couldn't see a thing even by straining our necks upwards. When I arrived, it was Eric Ayres first time as Head. Anyway, here I am in the USA, for the past 12 years. I have lived and worked in Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and spent some time before that in London. When I left school I got into the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, graduated after 3years, and the spent some 2 years in Aden and Bahrain plus other periods in the U.K. You do have a lot of info on OWs but little on my generation. What of Alan Palmer, Brian Cox, Robin Ormes, Nigel Lewis, Jackman, junior to me, but I met him in the little town of Warri in the Niger Delta. He had just come off a 3 day trip living in a canoe taking soundings for oil amongst the mangrove swamps. I walked into a French oil drilling company in Warri and some guy with his back to me was speaking perfect French into his radio, turned round and it was Reg Hay, another OW! Still enough of this trivia, you can read all about it in my new book, "Its time to leave, the ramblings of a 20th Century Englishman".

Thanks Christopher. We’ll get the book ASAP; Review it too. Alan Palmer follows soon.

It was good to see Nicholas Moore, 1962, and his wife at School and they kindly donated a large number of excellent volumes to the School Library from their bookshop on the Welsh borders. We remember, of course, that it was Nicholas who effectively wrote the tri-centenary booklet on the History of the School, 1662 - 1962.

Alan Palmer, 1969, lives in Louth, Lincs, has a Rectory there which is open for B & B. Alan, a graduate of the Sorbonne, used to teach in Louth. Simon Sorrell, 1972, is a helicopter pilot, working for Bristows in Scotland, servicing the oil platforms.

Richard Beevers 1979 writes after the September Dinner:

Caught up with several folk whom I hadn’t seen since the 70s including fellow dormitory dwellers O’Dell and Simpson. O’Dell still the cheeky chappy. Rugby was fun even though OWs sport is clearly not what it was. Remember when every child had to watch every OW fixture? 1st and 2nd formers wearing caps I vaguely recall. Adam did a sterling job, even providing beer and buns afterwards. Stayed in Swansea last night, educating the savages in how do to business. Are you a man of Swansea? If so, do you know Craig-Y-Nos of Dame Adelina Patti fame? I helped with getting the place back on track a few years back.

Yes, praise to the aforementioned Sean O’Dell, historian supreme and John Simpson, photographer, for their support over the years and for Nicky.

Simon Howe, 1976 now writes:

I rejoice in the appellation of Simon Howe. What have I been up to since departed those hallowed and ivy covered walls of School House? I'm glad you asked! When I finally left with the grand total of *ahem!* "O"-levels and *cough* "A"-levels, I grabbed a job on farm not far from Bentwaters Airbase, you may've heard of the owners, a certain family called Kemball? Then an old friend of the family called up and asked if I would like to head on out to the North Sea to help drill deep holes in the ground. I shipped out 3 days later. The introduction to a semi-submersible oil-rig was traumatic to say the least. All this noise, the damn thing bouncing up and down like cork, and everyone, except me, seemed to know what they were doing. Confused? Oh yes! After about 6 months, though, I'd got the hang of life aboard for the two weeks we were out there, and had made the dizzy height of Roustabout. Not quite as low as you can go, but almost. Another 6 months later and I was working the floor as part of a crew. This crew stayed together for the best part of 20 months, we got to know each others habits, good and bad. Mind you, we did have a lot of fun together, some of it a bit rough and ready. (There followed some unsuitable stories. Ed.) . But all good things come to an end, as they say. After I had my 6" drill bit nicked off me by the Geography Department (is it still there, I wonder?), and the bottom falling out of the oil business, I was handed my P45. After a stint work the Chunnel, working at Willesden Euro Terminal stuffing freight trains through I was once again made redundant. So it was back out on the road again. Where I still am. Since moving out to the West Coast, I've been and done some wonderful things. I've been to a lot of race circuits with Jacqui …. (and here follows a lot of stuff about VERY fast cars driven by Jacqui - not suitable as I drive a Ford Fiesta. Ed.) Well, that's a (very!) brief resume of what I've been up to these past few decades. If I get up to any more high jinks, I'll try to keep you informed.

Thanks for that Simon. I have the whole email if anyone wants it. It is packed with a lot of rather rich detail and forms the basis of an adventure novella.

Peter Clark, 1976, departed from the Beeb and is now living in France, planning to open a gite, we hear. Richard ‘Tigger’ Moore, 1984, has now returned from Hong Kong, and lives in Marlborough School, where his wife Claire is Head of Special Needs. He is poised to do some teaching himself. Bro, Gerard Moore is in Australia and has a family there. Julia Pearson, 1977, teaches English at a Lycee in Auxerre, Burgundy and has four children nearly grown up. James Rea, 1982, is off to Australia to take up a post with the Australian air force.

Jon Thompson now writes: I was at Woodbridge joining the Abbey in 1970 and moving up to the main school in 1973 leaving in 1979. My year included Kev Revell , John Poll and the like. I joined Gloucestershire Constabulary in 1979 as a Police Cadet and joining the Police properly in 1980 . I have been a Detective since 1985 based at Cheltenham, Stow on the Wold and now Cirencester and can retire with 30 years service in 2010! I was married but now single, I regularly visit Portman Road so if any other OWs fancy a pre match drink I usually can be found in North Stand .

Gillian Beeton-Wakenhut, 1975 to 1982. Writes from the heart of Europe. I am now working as freelance conference interpreter (Council of Europe, European Patent Office...), thanks no doubt to excellent French and German teachers at school - Mrs Bidwell, Mr Still, Mrs Mitchels, I love my job and am based in Strasbourg, but living in Rosheim on Alsatian wine route. Married, 2 children.

This is Jeremy Marchant-Forde, 1984. After working at Cambridge and Lincoln Universities, I'm currently a Research Animal Scientist working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture on farm animal welfare issues - my expertise being in pig behaviour! I'm based at Purdue University in Indiana, which has around 35,000 students and its own airport! It also has cricket and rugby teams, thankfully! I can also buy Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen at the 'liquor store' and watch the Premier League on TV. We moved over here in 2001 and my wife, Ruth, has just started her veterinary training here, so we'll be here for a further 4 years at least. Thereafter, who knows... We have a 7-year old daughter, Millie, and a 3-year old son, Harry and not enough spare time!Weird. Kim Baker, mentioned earlier is doing PhD in pig behaviour. Let’s hope this Magazine helps these scholars to get in touch!

Ben Ryder Davies, mentioned earlier, gave me valuable info. Sister Jo Ryder-Davies is a teacher at Halesworth Middle School. She married in 2007. Dan Hayward is an osteopath now living in Exeter. Ben met David Goddard in the kitchenware aisle of Tescos locally. Deeply sad really, what can happen to formerly hardened 1st XV players. David is married to Sally Youngs, eminent historian. Byron Sindell is teaching ….yes … but where? Tina Waring runs the Rendlesham Day Nursery with her husband. Tim Waring is married and ‘big in the city’ David Waring lives on the farm and has children. All this info was given over the counter of the surgery and sue Ben and not me if it is libellous or inaccurate.

William Robinson, 1990, lives in London SW4 and says, I'm working for a marine liability insurer as an underwriter, married 4 years ago and now have a demanding 5 month old son who is of course both a genius and extremely handsome as well as being a baby. Ok a proud dad, nothing wrong with that. Alex Hampton, 1991, attended Simon Abley’s wedding and sent me a photo of OWs attending for the archives.

Sports journalist Huw Turbervill, 1991, now works for The Daily Telegraph, and still runs Carpediems Cricket Club together with fellow OWs Nick Pagan, who works for TV company 12Yard, and Morgan Davies, who works for AnswerBack, who produce the audience-participation show, Cash Inn. Simon Houchell, who works for international real estate, infrastructure and construction consultancy firm EC Harris, also plays. They play in Dulwich and are touring Woodbridge for a third straight year this summer, with games at the school on July 25 and 27 (and Southwold CC on July 26). If you are interested, email him on huw.turbervill@telegraph.co.uk

B.J.Weaver, vintage of Huw and Co., now lives in Chiswick, London, and creates programmes for Endemol, including the new concept ‘Upstaged’ down in Bristol. At the dinner she met up with Rachel Bickerton and her extremely charming husband. Would you believe it - they live in the next road and can now meet up regularly. Rachel is extremely big in the music industry, SonyBMG, running one of the record labels (Legacy). Emma Birchley has produced a daughter and Sarah Craggs a son even as I type this. They both live locally. Congratulations, mums. Polly Stephenson is a mum of Hacheston or thereabouts. I think she might be back into legal work too. Jessica Watson, Oyelowo is also a mum again. Faye Stephenson works in Ipswich. Sarah Parker is an educational psychologist of Nottingham. Vicki Steele lives in San Francisco and has a baby boy. Claire Laight still works with the alumni of St. John’s College, Cambridge. Natasha Hayward lives in Washington and is a mother. Johnny Keer now has a degree in ecology from UEA. Olly Johnson pinched one of our best teachers, Catherine Shepherd, went and married her and now they have a daughter, Amelia. Sorry to miss out your married names, ladies. I’ll just put the other Weaver OW in here. Robin Weaver, 1986, has entered the world of advertising more enthusiastically and may be heard in many a voice-over as well as saucily seen on the Tiscali Broadband advert! A number of TV progs too. She lives in Teddington and recently met up with Lisa Dummett who has suffered from ME for many years but who has still managed some wide-ranging world trips.

The very talented Edgar family are as busy as ever. Alistair Edgar, 1993, is in Baghdad, working with CBS news. He has a base in the slightly quieter Hereford. Alexandra Edgar, 1994, emigrated to Aussie two years ago and worked for the Prison Service as a criminal psychologist. She lives in Sydney. Alice Edgar, 1996, lives in Brighton, runs marathons, and teaches little ones at Brighton College. Anna Edgar, 1997, has returned from many travels, working for Thomson’s and now works for Savills the Estate Agents in Edinburgh. Mum Gill who made us all so happy with Scotch Shop coffee in the Thorofare quite a few years ago also lives in bonny Edinburgh.

I met Ian Felton, 1993, in town recently and asked him to email me his career info. He writes: After leaving university I spent 3 years working in recruitment for Suffolk Police at Martlesham Heath. It was an interesting and varied experience, but towards the end I was looking for a change. So, in 2001 I decided to embark on a career change and completed a PGCE at UEA to teach History. Between 2002 and July 2007 I taught at Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham. Initially this was just teaching History, although towards the end of my time there I was also teaching Economics and Religious Studies too! I thoroughly enjoyed my five years at Thomas Mills and I was sorry to leave. I was appointed Head of History at Langley School during 2007 and I started in this post in September. The school is about 11 miles south of Norwich and represents a culture change from the 1200 pupils at Thomas Mills to around 500. In many ways it is very similar to Woodbridge School as it also has a strong boarding community. I am a Sixth form tutor and I have also recently become a member of the boarding staff. As well as teaching History at Langley I also teach year 7 and 8 boys P.E. and I do Hockey and Badminton activities after school. As you can see I am keeping active!

James Fisher, 1994, is currently teaching Chemistry at Highgate School where he is also a Housemaster but he is moving to Tonbridge as Head of Chemistry in September. Bro Alistair Fisher, 1996, ran the Barcelona Marathon in March. He is teaching English in that sunny land. Anna Kirk, 1994, carries the title Vice President & Counsel Legal Department Citigroup Global Markets Limited which is impressive and I have asked for more details.

I could run a whole section on people met in the Thoroughfare. Ambrose Hall and Ian Felton have already had a mention. Then there was famous Holby City actor Luke Roberts, 1995 and sister Joanna Roberts, 1990. Luke is bound for South Africa, filming, and Jo lives locally and is a mum. Claire Laight said hello and there at Tescos was John Double, 1971, who has his own driving school. Then there was Clare Fairley, 1980, now Hawes. Last year we had been on stage together in a reading of Under Milk Wood and she had sung so sweetly too. She is a mum and does some acting.

Kim Digby, 1997, called in to the Seckford Reading Room and before you knew it, we were lunching at The Galley. She’s a Human Resources Administrator for Ransomes Jacobsen, recruitment, training and inductions and even the odd grievance and disciplinary. She claimed not to know about anyone else but a glass of wine later and here was the news. Sis, Jane Digby, is a youth worker in Bristol, following Lancaster Uni. Connected to Bristol Uni but I did not understand how. Rachel Utting lives in Falmouth and is looking for work in museums, following a masters in Museum Studs from UEA. Clare Wright has a degree, two boys and is an educational psychologist locally, possibly Wickham Market. (Get back to Digbies, please. Ed.) Robert Digby is a chartered accountant of Rendlesham. Kate Digby works in London, ‘something to do with shipping.’ James Digby is a Chartered Surveyor of Bristol, married with two lads. Helen Simpson, now Gould, married last July at Woodbridge School Chapel. Nice. She’s a dietician of Ipswich Hospital. Suzanne Parsons, now da Silva, married in Angola - that’s quite different from WS Chapel and we do want more info. She’s a speech therapist living in Chiswick, London. I must get her in touch with the Chiswick OW mafia. Oliver Meister is still in Romania, a solicitor, married with a boy, Harry. Sis Rachel Meister is married and is a PA. Emma Gray of Melton has a baby girl and works for Pinfold. Claire O’Malley is married. Thanks for all this, Kim. Remembering History lesson days we would like to find such scholars as Vivienne Button, Amy Ward and Amy Parker. Please.

Here’s Ruth Westbrooke, 2002. Just thought I’d pass on some news; got engaged last week. Getting married on Aug 16th and therefore I have a couple of step children into the bargain! Love them to bits tho’ so its all good. Am now teaching in a nicer school - all Boys, 65% A-C instead of the 35% of my last place.

Ruth finishes by commenting on the more tiring aspects of teaching and confesses that Friday night is more sleeping night than partying night! Congrats on the engagement, Ruth. Sarah Piper, 2002, is getting married to an old friend of ours, David Fishering. The venue? Well you know the Pipers don’t do things by half measures. So it’s the Venus Garden, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. Best wishes, you two, from us all, and send some photies please.

Victoria Burton 2003 finished English at Sussex and is now on law conversion with the BPP School in London. Sister, Rebecca Burton, 2006, is in her second year at Oxford and has been promoted to a scholar, which allows her to wear a bigger gown and read grace in Latin, according to dad. She continued rowing for Uni Women's 2nd VIII's, taking part in Summer Eights this year and won blades!!!

Here’s a section on travellers. Some of you include me on your list of recipients of e-mails sent from internet cafes in places so remote that one marvels that they have electricity. This year’s winners are Jessie Layzell, 2000, seeing amazing things in Thailand etc. and Helen Jones, 2006, walking across Spain. Add Hannah Green, 2006, to this list as she sent a fulsome letter to President Bailey from Cambodia where she is working with orphan children.

Aisha Al-Kharusi, 1991, that famous citizen of beautiful Oman, met up with three school pupils doing an educational, exchange with The Sultan’s School there. She remembers her school days with affection and the small party, which included teacher, Stuart Richardson, was thrilled that she could show them some of the sites and sights. Our sincere thanks to you Aisha. Now it’s time you came over here for a visit.

We acknowledge the role played in the modern school by our European students and certainly the Germans have provided some fine examples. Here’s Lisa Muller, 1998.

Hello, Mr. Weaver, I hope so much, you’ll remember me. I was in your history class ages ago, as one of the Germans. I found the OWs website and tried to find any pictures of Old Woodbridgians as they are very lazy to keep in touch…..I wanna pester you to put some pictures of the old pupils and maybe the staff too. I would be so happy to get to know how you all are.. Many greetings from Saarland.

Fiona Billings, 2004, writes after a meeting on Market Hill:

Well as you saw from my lovely green hoodie, I'm still working on the student newspaper in between finishing my degree in British and American history. I'm spending my last year specialising in American race relations, from slavery to the civil rights movement. As far as the newspaper goes, this year I've been made the editor of the entertainment magazine, The Event. It's 24 pages every 2 weeks, so takes up a lot of my time!

Nice to meet up with you, Fiona and keep up with the journalistic work. This Magazine is looking for a new editor! Michael Sutton-Croft, 2004, left Cardiff Uni in academic glory and is seeking new study and employment pastures in London….. MSc at Imperial College to be precise. Ben Head, 2002, is to be thanked for the book on OW Harold Rosher, vital to our research on the CCF. As we write Ben is travelling the World, starting in Singapore and we hope to ask him to look up some OW warriors for the book.

Here are some messages I elicited from The FaceBook crowd. No particular order. Suzanne Coy 1992. I am working for Access Accounting in Stratford St Mary. My brother Stuart is back at Uni studying to be a Quantity Surveyor. Rachel Ward 1999. At the moment I am a school sports co-ordinator in Bedford. Its a wicked job. Family is all good Sophie is a high flying sales woman for a medical company. Maria Wyard Hi Mr Weaver, Thanks for your message. I hope you're well and that the OW magazine is shaping up! I think you might know that I'm going to Mexico in just over two weeks to volunteer with Tearfund for four months. I wrote to Ken Bailey who met with the other trustees and they have very generously given me £300 towards my costs. Oh, and in October I'm going to Corpus Christi, Oxford to read Classics if you wanted to know my future plans! I would love to make a visit to Woodbridge again some time - perhaps in September. Hannah Hardy 2006. Since I got back from Fiji and Australia, about two weeks ago, I haven’t done much. Having said that I have been learning to drive and passed first time today!!! whoo!!! Now that’s out of the way I am hopefully going to get a job in London to stash some cash so that I can go travelling again before October when I go to Durham. I did bring you some Cava back from Fiji, their traditional drink that tastes of mud!! Cat Growder, Aussie gappie supreme. I'm well and am still living and working in London. Been here for 3 years now and I am loving teaching Year 5. I'm also Director of Sport and ICT so that keeps me busy. I got engaged last year to my long term South African Boyfriend, Jacques. We are planning to marry in December this year in Sydney. I'm still in contact with a few folks from ‘Wooders’ and remember my days with you all very fondly!

Emma Norton 2000. I am still teaching English in the YOI at Hollesley prison; I've been there nearly three years. I've just started teaching GCSE literature at Carlford - which is the teenage lifers unit. The results are usually in the EADT in August so if you keep an eye out you'll see how I'm doing! PS Will tell the OWs I still see to let you know what they're up to, although I don't really see many people from school. Cathers, Catherine Norton 1998. is in Brighton working for an accountant and enjoying the Brighton experience! Sarah Lewis 2000. What am I up to? ... Well I’m a final year trainee solicitor working at Birketts in Ipswich and I will qualify as a solicitor this year in September. Absolutely love it! And my brother James Lewis, 1996. who was four years ahead of me at school, became a qualified actuary at the end of last year and he is working for Buck Consultants in Ipswich. We must definitely have a game of golf, although I may need a bit of practice first. Saying that I think I’ve agreed to play for work over the summer in a competition so I should probably start hitting the golf course. Sarah Watson, 2003. Intends to graduate this July with a good degree in Criminology and Social Policy, do another year of travelling and then maybe even go down the teacher training lane. There is talk of an Easter meeting with Helen Gilmour and Hollie Slade and some gang members. Remember the flying ducks? Graeme Warden 2007. Things are going well here, really starting to get into the meat of the course now. Lots of fun recently doing collective security etc. Looking forward to another visit in Easter to monitor your progress! Laura Doggett 2004 Sadly not in Kent any more; now back on the doorstep and desperately trying to be all grown up by working full time! Graduated in the summer with a 2:1 in Comparative Literary Studies and Classical and Archaerologic Studies! Now I'm working at University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich. Hopefully will be venturing back to school in a month or so to come to one of the things at the Theatre - really just want to see all the new work finished!

Good old Facebook. My intelligence tells me that Facebook, Bebo and so on have reached their peak and numbers are slowly in decline. (It’s March 8 2008 as I write.) It seems that the early thrill of contact actually wears off in time. Look, you read it here first. Feel free to tell me I was absolutely wrong - in a few years. Sarah Watson is so right when she describes it as, ‘the biggest procrastination tool for us students.’ Maybe that will actually keep it going. Any of you youngsters played Geosense? See you on-line.

Neighbours is another theme I could adopt. How many of you, in my teaching days softly suggested I would end up at St. Audreys? Quite a lot as I remember. Well you were right. The inmates have been removed and they have opened up the estate to the middle classes. Hugo Martineau-Needham, recent leaver, passes my dwelling regularly but Matthew Bettell 1990 actually lives opposite. He has been a Suffolk Police Officer for the past ten years and lives with Clare, that’s Mrs. B., and the twins, Anna and James. He tells me that his brother Charlie Bettell, 1991, lives and works in southern France and is currently Captain of a privately-owned ‘Super’ yacht. Then to my pleasure and surprise Georgina Cook, now Dickins, Head Girl, who left in 1997 moved in next door to Matt. Blimey, I was her Sixth Form tutor and here she is - our neighbour. She works in the city and so pops off early in the morning and has never bothered us for a cup of sugar or anything. Every now again the lads turn up - Oliver Cook 2001, and Tim Cook. 1998, for a family visit. Cuppla charmers.

Next is Daniel Yelland 2002, scholar of UEA, Creative Writing. Some Routledge sisters lived around the corner but I have not seen them for some time. Sorry to those whom I have forgotten in this neighbourly trawl. Oooo - James Gibbins is one of those; he’s got a sleek black sports car! The rest of the houses are filled with current pupils and their parents. You know it is strange to relate, but in the days of Dr. David Younger, the School gave very serious consideration to moving up here. Lots of schools have moved from high value town centres to institutional sites in the suburbs. (Ipswich HS for gels.) How the history of Woodbridge School and the town of Woodbridge would have changed ….. it is impossible to tell.

Malcolm Lloyd wrote: I am an Old Woodbridgian, now Headmaster at Brymore School, a state boarding school in Somerset. I was at Woodbridge from 62-72 and was in Queens House. You can see where I am now at www.brymoreschool.co.uk

It was good to see Malcolm back for the September Dinner.

Now this is Jonathan H. Barber 1964. By 1966/7 I was fortunate enough to be a broker in LLOYDS of LONDON insurance market where to my surprise I ran into a contemporary 5th year and house and under 15 colt rugby player Toby Twyford. My father saved some rather nice memorabilia of those days including –the proud winners of a rugby cup outside SCHOOL HOUSE circa unknown but I look ABOUT 14/15 yrs. He also saved Speech Day programmes as well as old Woodbridgian mags of the period 1961-1963. They are a good memory tool for those distant days. Being a border at School House the name LUBBOCK is quite familiar as matron and certainly for sports. Alistair Westbrook is also familiar and probably in my rugby photo. Anyway I have also a programme named ‘ BOARDERS ENTERTAINMENT –Christmas 1962 – and Westbrook is shown as being responsible for the lighting. Basher was also very familiar as both a French teacher and latterly Housemaster of School House.

All this reminds me to remind you, wherever you are, to look out your old memorabilia and send it along to M.A.Weaver at School where it will be stored and catalogued and ready to be used by researchers - many of whom are still unborn! Simon Paterson kindly writes:

Since I left in July 1988, doesn’t the time go quickly? I spent 12 and a half years at Customs & Excise in Felixstowe. I Left there in 2002 to become a security officer at Sizewell A. I now live in “sunny” Scotland in a wee town 5 miles outside Kilmarnock having moved here in August 02 to live with my fiancé and 2 stepdaughters. After completing an HNC in Social Sciences I’ve gone back to the civil service; once you’re in there’s no escape, and I’m now a debt enforcement officer for the CSA. I’m starting my degree in Social Sciences through the OU in January. It’s great to keep up with things through your brilliant website and magazine. I manage to get down to sunny Suffolk twice a year but with a young(ish) family and 2 dogs in tow the weeks are busy. Finally, I’d just like to congratulate Mr Weaver and Mr Mitchels on their retirement. I’ve many happy memories of history and English lit with them.

Thanks Simon. MAM and MAW are most grateful for any praise! Look, here’s another in the same mode. It’s from Chris Lambert, 1971, Director of Resources, Universities UK.

You probably don't remember me but I was one of those A level History students of yours 1969 - 1971, along with James Skinner, Mike Allison, Russell Patient et al who frankly had less time for the pleasure of English History - and much more time for in depth discussion on the merits (and it was always merits - relative or absolute) of the previous episode of Monty Pythons Flying Circus as a prelude to the lesson. Whilst I am sure you really wanted to start the lesson you never failed to give MPFC the just time it deserved; for which many thanks. The intervening years have seen much flux and fission, but through the OW magazine a glimpse on the quite outstanding achievements of the school have been relayed including of course the introduction of girls! (not even on the horizon in 1971). May I also ask that you pass on regards and best wishes to Mark Mitchels who joined Woodbridge at the same time as you did. I recall a very young man, joining the English Dept working alongside the master himself - PR; a daunting introduction but a role he quickly made his own.

Thanks you, Chris and yes, we do remember you as we remember all fans of Monty P!

Nick Petch is here. Since leaving in 79, I joined Lloyds bank & have been with them ever since. We moved up to Norfolk 11 years ago & I have recently switched roles having been a local director of the bank overseeing 13 branches in Norfolk. Married for 25 years in Sept; we have a daughter aged 23 & a son 19.

Thanks Nick and we look forward to seeing you at a Dinner. You represent that group of very successful OWs who moved straight into banking in the good old days! Now here is David Adamson.

Well it is a very long time since I crossed the playing fields from Queen's House to leave via the "Top Gate", with my suitcase in-hand, heading for the railway station. I can remember having very mixed emotions about leaving the place and people that had been such a huge part of my life.

There follows an amazing and rather interesting list of academic achievements, hovercraft, merchant navy, carpentry, pilot’s licence, commercial flying worldwide deep sea communication cables, and a lot more ….before we come to ….

I live in Devon with my lovely Wife Natasha (BA long haul Airhostess out of LHR), and my two gorgeous Boys Austin (5) and Flynn (3). Elder Brother Paul Adamson. is still in Brussels working for Eurocontrol.

Ed Bowden 1992, is … living in Dulwich now and teaching at Dulwich College Prep. Its a great place with a young staff. Hooooge contrast to Ampleforth and a completely different lifestyle! Still see Jonny Percival 1992 regularly and he's coming down this weekend. Did you know that Rachael Bowden 1990 was married last August and that Charlotte Bowden 1995 is due to be married in July.

Catherine Norton writes: Claire Laughlin 1998 is starting a placement at Ipswich Hospital in the summer. Ollie Dutton is in music PR and now working for himself, which I believe he finds preferable. Oli Cottam is running a pub in Norwich and managing his brother's band. Oh, yes, Collette Smith and Laura Hoppitt are both getting married in Woodbridge this summer. Rory Cottam's band Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds are doing very well.

This is Lisa Maree. I'm generally well and happy and living near Highbury, North London.. I've also recently bagged myself a shiny new job working in Conferences and Events at The Economist Group and start there in a week or so. I'll be looking after the production and logistics of conferences and events in Paris, Brussels and London. At Toby Jenkin 's recent birthday bash in Islington I was fortunate enough to run into a recently hitched Lewis Clarke and his lovely wife Becky as well as Tom Hayhow, William Jennings and Richard Hardcastle who were all in high spirits and appeared to be happy enough and doing very well for themselves by all accounts. Despite at least one too many over-priced cocktails that night I seem to remember that Toby works for the Bank of New York Mellon, Lewis is a Cartographer, Tom works for GlaxoSmithKline and Jeggs is an Architect.

This is a collection put together by Reading Room guru, Alex Gordon-Jones. Some leaving dates omitted, sorry.

Michelle Clarke, 2001, works in Leamington Spa as a volunteer Development Worker. Mary Jane Clubb, 1998, married Andy Whally in August 2007. Helen Deakin 2001, is working for Goldman Sachs. Lottie Green, 2001, did a BA German with Spanish at Keele and is now a translator/editor in Frankfurt. Katie Tzanoudakis, 2001, is now Mrs. Katie McFarland. Ellie Mason works for Suffolk Sport as a Hockey Development Officer. Ticia Pinto is back in the US of A having studied music business management. She lives in Tennessee, Charlotte Potter is engaged and has finished studying Biology at Edinburgh. Sadie Rhodes, 2000, works as a plant biologist/ Research assistant in Berkshire, studying tropical diseases. Vanessa Smith, 2000, is a junior doctor of Sheffield.

Victoria Markland, 1999, was discovered on Facebook!

A quick update on meeeee - I currently work for the Department for Work and Pensions in PR and Marketing, on the employment and benefits agenda (no ifs, no buts benefit fraud is a crime; let's rip up sick note Britain etc!!). I am being transferred to the Ministry of Defence in March though, to do similar work for them, specializing in TV documentaries and will probably get the chance to travel a bit with the troops at that stage which is exciting. I got married in Framlingham Church in August last year to an American (Sean) who I met at university. We had a second ceremony in Hawaii on New Year's Eve which is where his family hails from. We live in Maida Vale, London with our 2 cats, Hono and Lulu

Rachel ‘Sparky’ Sparkes, 2007 has written from Bristol.

I'm loving university and being in Bristol. My course is pretty hard, it's strange handing in my work when I've only been able to do half of it but that's normal for everyone here. I get six pieces of work a week and have 12 lectures, three problems classes and two tutorials a week, so that's quite busy compared to most people. I am enjoying it and it is definitely challenging. I still don't know
what job I want when I graduate so I guess anything in my course could be useful.

My most exciting news is that I am going to be a Hall Christian Union leader next year. I actually take over in two weeks time. It means I’m living in my hall again next year, which is a bit of an ask as it’s a 35 minute walk away from university and I’ll be surrounded by freshers but I’ll be here to help them. I have to lead Bible studies and put events on like making and delivering free toasties in hall from 11pm until 3am every so often. I play my violin and saxophone two Sundays a month. I’m also in the university’s jazz orchestra but taking it a lot slower on the music front than I did at Woodbridge.

These are late messages which did not make the Spring Magazine 2008.

Steve Hudson is now a Queen's Gurkha Engineer. As a result he has been in Nepal since September learning Nepali. He's just finished his course and is about to start earning his money as he flies to Afghanistan next week. The QGE are currently helping to rebuild Musa Qalah (Helmand) following its liberation by coalition forces last month. Gavin Hudson is still serving with 1 R Anglian. He got back from Helmand at the beginning of the summer and since then hasbeen training recruits at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick. He likes to think of it as TopGun for recruits!!

Zoe Porter has re-established contact with a fabulously detailed message. I am keeping well really enjoy being a mother and not working in a stressful environment however I think this new role is more demanding! As you know when I left Woodbridge I took a gap year and became a Cordon Bleu Chef which I am so glad I did it was brilliant and cooking/food is now my real passion in life. Also it gave me a lot of confidence as I won most of the awards for the year!!!

After that I went to Canterbury College and did a Geography and business Studies degree, it was the perfect place for me, not too big so that I was not lost and I had a great time, however I did work hard and I even had my own seat in the library which everyone knew was mine. You will be pleased to hear that the reason I was there was that I could see everyone come out of lectures there and ended up going to the Student Union when people came out and saw me there!!! But I did end up with a 2:1 so not that bad! After that I did a Management Training program with Thistle hotels at their flagship hotel in London (Whites, 5 star country house property at the side of Hyde Park), that was for a year and then I became their Front Office Manager. However I left and got a job with PricewaterhouseCoopers and stayed there for 18 months.

With 3 hours travelling everyday and the fact that the role was so boring that I was reading 2 of my own books a week while there I decided that I really needed to push myself abit more so I went back into the hospitality industry. I became a Conference co-ordinator with the now De Vere Venues at Horsley one of their venues near Guildford and mainly became a Wedding co-ordinator; God I loved that role.

I have been in Guildford now for about 10-12 years. Now I don't seem to do that much, keep the house up, decorating, the gardening (learning this one as I go, not that good at the moment!!) look after Isabel and we have a little side business as well, I won't tell you about it but just let you have a look!! (staginabag.co.uk) but now I am at home I am cooking alot more which I love so I am happy and days seem to fly by. Husband, Karsten works in IT up in London for a company called TaTa which is the biggest company in India.

Ali Warnock sent a welcome e-mail. I have been a fireman in London for ten years now, a job which seems to get evermore challenging with the ongoing terrorist threat. I live in Melton. I am married to Ali…. Yes Ally & Ali…. My son Ben is now 17 and doing his A levels at Farlingaye and I have a step daughter Jaz 16, step son Paddy 14 (both too at Farlingaye) and can’t possibly forget to mention our lab/border collie Barney. Peter Warnock lives in Stroud but has just returned from another few months working in India and has a lovely son Josh 4. Richard Warnock works for a landscaping company and lives locally in a fantastic setting on the edge of an ancient wood, with deer literally looking in at him through his windows. Tony Warnock, ex staff is fine and now lives out at Knodishall, accompanied by Mrs Jan Warnock and their three dogs and enjoying retirement.

Sophie Eastaugh writes: Busy up in Leeds, really enjoying it, the course is good (French and Spanish), but mainly excited about hitchiking to Morocco this Easter holidays in aid of Link Community Development! It promises to be an interesting adventure.

Zoe Last (now Davies) - 1978-85 - is the most recent re-arrival, having returned to Rushmere last year after living in the Cayman Islands for 10 years. The oldest of her four children has started at the school and maintaining the tradition by featuring in the school sports teams. Zoe had been working as a doctor in Cayman, but is currently happy spending her time at home with her family. She has kept in regular contact with Ali Lanyon.  

Mike Last - 1974-81 - has returned to Ipswich after spending much of the last three years working and travelling in Turkey. He now runs his own marketing consultancy. He has a 5-year old daughter and a baby is on the way (due around the time of the OWs dinner!). He is still in touch with Phil Cox and Rob Irving, and bumped into Katherine Andrews at a Burns Night supper last year.  

Fraser Last - 1976-83 - has been living and working in the area for a number of years. In his spare time, he has continued his involvement in sport, coaching/managing a boys football team and running the London marathon. His latest project is to complete the Coast-to-coast cycle ride with his elder son.

SPRING 2007

Some OWs do not need to contact us, as we spot them on our televisions.  Elisa McNally appeared over the horizon, literally, in Ship-wrecked one of those reality shows set on a desert island.  Quite frankly, her Woodbridge School education was manifestly obvious but, as we go to press, we do not know if she was on the winning team. We will press for an interview for the Spring 2008 Mag.  Luke Roberts has made his mark in Holby City and there’s a photo of him further opposite.  He is the glamour element in the hospital, no doubt about that, but that does not detract from his acting ability and Shakespearean roles still lie ahead.  Nick Boxall appeared on The Weakest Link and was the last to make the walk of shame, just missing out on the final head-to-head.  Robin Weaver appeared in one of the most dangerous places on earth - Midsomer!  However, disappointingly, she was neither victim nor murderer in the end although a nasty piece of work!   Let me know if you spot an OW on the telly.

Right - we usually start with former staff and so let us mention a few.   Jim Bidwell, as you may read elsewhere, is this year’s Mayor of Woodbridge, following a distinguished company of men and women associated with the School.  He is also District Councillor for Trimley but all that is up for grabs in the May elections.   Dorothy Hull, matron of Queens for many years, was made Freeman of the Town of Woodbridge in an Autumn ceremony. This recognised her role in a variety of town activities.  Look, while we are on council business let’s mention three OWs - Roy Burgon and Ben Redsell, who both serve on that august body and who are a credit to the School,  tho’ on opposite poles politically.  Ben is also the County Councillor for the town and there can be NO doubt that he will turn up in the House of Commons before 2015.  You read it here first.  Hannah Fieldman returned from Koh Phi Phi School in Thailand to take on the more exotic job as front of house person at the council offices on Market Hill. A number of other councillors are parents of OWs, including the Editor!  (That really is enough local government.  Get back to former staff, please. Ed.)

Ken Charrot was 91 in March and may be seen nipping into town on a souped up buggy.   Peter Lanyon appears in the papers fighting noble causes.   Tim Nightingale, as we have mentioned, was a welcome visitor to School in September.  Mike Illman is recovering after a spot of illness.   Edwin Still now lives in East Sussex.  Tony Warnock has moved even further into the depths of the Sandlings.  Chris Tyndale-Biscoe has got most of his family teaching at Woodbridge School.  Whatever do they talk about at family get-togethers?  Nick de Wet is head of biology and hockey at Uppingham and enjoying it. Kay Pluke comes into school to help on the drama front, leaving Chris to do the washing up.  Paul Kesterton has become a dad again.  Miss Cynthia Pendal, as we all remember her, (now Mrs. Robinson) enjoys the delights of golf at St. Audreys and Ipswich, as well as courses across the World.  The Registrar played a delightful game with the Robinsons, instead of working on this magazine.  A few of these former staff turn up for a Christmas lunch each year and in 2007 we will have a new bunch of imbibers for that occasion.   Are you a former member of staff?   Let us know where you are.  The ones I’ve just mentioned are the usual lot of villains and I am sure our readers would like to hear of others.

Mike Lubbock has won so many awards this year that his mantelpiece is buckling.  On the title page you spotted him receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to sport, from the Duchess of Wessex.  Then the local authority made him a similar award and he moves on to regional finals. There seems to be no stopping his progress.  With wife Jill celebrating 42 years as a matron here and Adam taking over at School House, this has been the Year of the Lubbock and we do on the editorial side congratulate them all.  Here’s one strange thought.  How many lifetime achievers could have taken their mums to the ceremony?  Mike could have but didn’t.  His mum is 103!!!  Pleasing for Mike too is that Sarah Lubbock, now Rafferty, is Head of Games at Amberfield.

I’ve gone a little more thematic this year and we now move to examine that incredibly strange but happy breed of men and women - OWs who come back to School - NO, not to retake those O-Levels they failed, but to teach or work here.  The number seems to increase year by year and it is a tribute to the School that these, quite intelligent and sensitive persons would wish to return, sometimes even facing their old teachers.

Let’s start with the Tyndale-Biscoes, dad having already been mentioned.  Alison Hillman remains as Head of Chemistry and has been joined by sis Isobel, another scientist.  (You have a lot to answer for Tindy!)  The latter of these two distinguished teachers has just returned from many years in America, bringing the family back to civilisation, I suppose.  She has taken her place in the Science Department and the family tradition goes on. I claim that a school cannot have enough Tyndale-Biscoes and Farlingaye has only got one.  Hillman, you are aware because Alison married fellow OW James of the same name.  It’s all rather confusing.  Move on to Jonathan Percival, son of former Chaplain, Martin, who now teaches economics etc. from the safety of Rooms 7 and 8. Wendy McNally, now Smith, is still here and with a growing family to feed skilfully moves between home and school.   Jo Middleditch seems well-settled and is always a cheerful presence.  Adam Lubbock has a page to himself.  Rowena Doble has turned up and has settled in to our strange ways very well.  She is also married with two children.

Here’s a section on writers!  I have before me Paul Aranha’s biographical work, The Island Airman and on the cover he and Prince Philip seem to be sharing a joke with a fellow pilot.  The volume is a magnificent account of a career more in the air than on land, full of fascinating stories and gems.  However, we OWs are just a little more parochial and would turn to Chapter 8, 1949 -1954, Woodbridge School.  Paul arrived here when rationing was in full swing, after the war and when Marryott House had just reopened as a boarding house, under the leadership of Desmond Proctor-Robinson, the famous PR.  The detail included in this chapter is remarkable.  We take food for granted these days but not then and Paul remembers the various items sent from the Bahamas that impacted upon the taste buds of his fellow pupils - a case of ripe pineapples, a coconut or a box of packets of bubble-gum, that eventually became very saleable items.  Paul relates experiences from the classroom and all our old favourites get a mention, Tony Goodden, Basher Lewis, Norman Stevens and PR, of course.  Read about the CCF, cadet exams and there’s even the story of the wing-tip fuel tank that fell from a plane over the school - with photo.  Paul was one of the first cadets to undertake glider training and the description of his first solo flight is very moving.  He applied for an RAF scholarship and was successful.  The rest is history as Paul takes to the air.  The Island Airman is published by Media Enterprises Ltd., Nassau.

Thanks to Sean O’Dell, 1977, for a delightful local history monograph, The Essex and Suffolk Stour. It traces the rise and fall of the Stour Navigation over a period of nearly 400 years and the book stands as an impressive model for anyone writing on a specific feature of industrial archaeology.  It is a well illustrated volume and OW John Simpson turns up as a key provider of visuals.   Local History can lead one down the path of anecdote and unrelated stories and Sean has skilfully avoided this pit-fall to create a steady and developing narrative.  Look, this is Suffolk and it only seems fair that the first constructors failed to provide a proper tow-path which led to many interesting ad hoc methods of propulsion.  John Constable captured many such moments in his paintings, including the lighter man poling a barge across the river with his horse alongside, taking a ride.  So there are nice moments of humour and irony, as poor old Suffolk strove to enter the era of the Industrial Revolution.  The great depression ended the Stour Navigation Trust but the post-war fascination in our industrial past started the movement to restore the waterway in the face of formidable obstacles.  All this is skilfully related by Sean in what is a carefully researched volume.  The author runs his own business and is reading for a masters degree in local and regional history at the University of Cambridge.  How Mrs. Nicky O’Dell copes we are unaware but in congratulating Sean on his publication we are also happy to offer Nicky honorary membership of the Old Woodbridgians thanking her for supporting our annual dinners so enthusiastically.

David Buisseret has just finished working on the Oxford Companion to World Exploration, a reference volume which will certainly be around for a long time and kindly sent a copy for the school library.

Arthur Smith, 1935, has seen the publication of his wartime memoirs in a local magazine. They make fascinating reading and are the sort of thing we are looking for to publish in our CCF memories.  Arthur bailed out of a blazing Wellington over Germany and served his time as a POW, in Stalag Luft III, the infamous ’Great Escape’ camp. Marvellous material for our book.  ‘Gus’ Lockhart is a faithful OW who regularly keeps in touch with a phone call.  Look forward to seeing you at the dinner, Gus.  Colin Stannard who left here in 1942 recently returned for a visit accompanied by his wife.  He had never been back!  What a thrill to take him into the School Hall and see his name on the list of exhibitioners.  A great moment. Colin is now Venerable follwing a long and distinguished career in the Church.

I met Martin Watson, 1963 at the Seal pub in Woodbridge and he now lives in Beccles.   Roger Jubb, 1969, spent a lifetime in the RAF and is penning memories for us, some of which, pleasingly, are unprintable!  They are often the best.  Chris Buisseret has sent a pile of useful memories of CCF Camps, flying and helicopters.  Don’t miss our great publication next year!

Richard Mendes is still involved in the Olympic movement but will he be helping to sort out London? Michael Maddison, 1971, is now one of that distinguished group - Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools.  He visits a range of institutions across the North of England, leads inspections of primary and secondary schools and undertakes subject visits in History, provision of IT in University Departments of Education and more.  Best news of all is that he thoroughly enjoys the experience and remembers with affection, Tom Dewar of the Abbey who sparked off that interest in History.  Of the same era, well a bit later,  you will find Adrian Mew who lives and works in Aldeburgh, Simon Cowlin, ‘a sailor at Aldeburgh’, Adam Salt, who teaches English and French in Derbyshire, and Jackie Cotton, now Scovell, an artist of Earl Soham.  Much of this latter info was given by Tessa Young, now Batholemew, who paid a visit to the school and had lunch with us and chatted over the old days of the first girls at school and the impact they had!  Tessa is in touch with Rowena Doble, who teaches here now. Mark Hazell, 1973, moved to Durham in 1982 to join a medical practice.  He has since left that but may be found in Durham still.   Another welcome visitor to Suffolk shores was TV Exec Producer Sam Organ who was overlooking a film shoot on the old Bentwaters airbase. Look out for ’Avoiding Armageddon’ on Channel 4.  It’s a tale of the Cold War. Sarah Kemball, now Brown, runs the base with the Kemball clan.  I presented myself as a potential extra but was never called!!  Sam has worked on the Tribe programmes you may have seen, where Bruce Parry lives with various indigenous folk, and is also involved in ‘a raft of projects’.   He has taken up golf and threatens to bring his sophisticated media chums on a golfing tour of Suffolk.  We are ready for them all.  Incidentally, Sarah is now on the Committee and her influence is already showing.  While in Kemballand, Kate Kemball is married to William Leith who buys and sells plant and machinery.  Kate works on events and they have three events of their own.   A few weeks later I was back in Kembalville to witness the opening of the Cold War Museum - well worth a visit.  Some nice photos from this occasion will be on this site soon.

Ian Pask, 1974, was discovered wandering through the School by the Reg.  He is the area manager for Marriott Hotels and has been something of a world traveller.  He was showing the family his old haunts and remembered a story of a pea-shooter and Ken Charrot very vividly.  You, OWs, if you want a visit and a proper guided tour, do contact me at school.  You are always very welcome.  Nice to meet up again, Ian.

Nick Pond, 1976, has been in touch and sent some valuable archives for our collection.  Thanks NP.  He has confessed to spending part of his honeymoon in The Bull Hotel and also visiting the Hulls for a reminisce.   He trained as an accountant and IT man, did an MBA, went into house-building, lived in North Wales, was the Financial Controller for a care home company and has recently been appointed Head of Service Delivery for HR and Payroll business at LogicaCMG.  Nick has two teenage daughters, ran the Dublin Marathon and over 20 half marathons and is the Hon Sec of the local Teetotal Association.  (Is that true?  Ed.)  No.  He does tell a nice tale about his last day here, being collected by his parents and popping into the Wagon and Horses for the ‘first’ time to be let down by the landlord who started pouring a pint of Norwich, asking, ‘…… and what will your parents have, Nick?’  Nick Pond now lives in Worcester and I am delighted to report, reading between the lines of a fascinating e-mail, that he has not changed a jot and remains a fine example of what Queens House and Woodbridge School could produce!

Here are the Illmen.  Mark Illman teaches English in Dubai at the women’s college.   Communication is by e-mail for some of the time even when the student is in the same room.  Julian Illman is an Aim Higher Manager for Suffolk, bringing more people into higher education, especially under-represented groups and families with no history of university attendance.  The new university campus in Ipswich is an important centre for him.

Here’s that well-travelled OW Ollie Hicks, 1979.  He has moved from the Falklands to Borneo but where specifically I am unsure and is hoping to be back for a visit in July.  His School is rented from the army whose barracks is next door and the odd bullet comes whizzing by occasionally or a helicopter mistakenly lands on the sports ground.  David Bellamy made a visit recently as the School aims to be environmentally friendly.  It’s all happening there!  Anyway Ollie, many thanks for marking MAW’s retirement so liberally!

Gavin Foster, 1984, married with two young ones, runs a small IT consultancy in the City, looking after individual clients and at least one big US bank.

Look, here’s another OW marriage - Lisa Gibson is wed to James Little; they have 2 children, live near Ipswich and run the caravan park business. Vanessa Cartwright, 1985, may still be found in Vancouver.  In fact Alex Brooks found her there in 2006!  She’s MD of RMG Connect, Canada and hops between Vancouver and Toronto a lot.  I met Anna Staines, now Sheepshanks, at the Hasketon Farm Shop and she promised to e-mail but never did.  She has two youngsters and 7 dogs and runs an organic food business with her husband.  Mary-Anne Bartlett, 1987, has a career in art with quite exciting dimensions.  She has been taking painting trips to Malawi and Kenya on artistic safaris.  She has a ggg.father, Sir John Kirk, who travelled on David Livingstone’s expedition in the 1850s and so Africa is in the blood as well as painting, which was also Sir John’s interest. In Malawi she is working to build a state-of -the-art (no pun there) orphanage for youngsters and with Urban Fox Press has produced an Art Safari Sketchbook, proceeds to go to the good cause.  HIV Aids has decimated families in her area and serious help is needed.  Mary-Anne is such a Malawi expert now that she has been asked to work on the Bradt’s Malawi Travel Guide.  Email info@urbanfoxpress.com for your copy of the safari sketchbook at £12.75, knowing you are helping a great cause.  Our congratulations to Mary-Anne Bartlett, who still has a base in Woodbridge, incidentally.

Jules Vandegrift, 1987, got in touch.  She’s with BT full-time, in business management and studying for a masters at Brighton.  Brother Toby Vandegrift is a Sales Account Manager for an IT Company in Wiltshire, married with nearly three children.

Adam Clarke, 1990, has emailed. He’s a major in the British army and now living and working in Kuwait, married and with two children. Adam actually joined the Royal Regiment of Wales (well done, my lad).  He completed a course in Arabic and is now a bit of an expert in military history. Brother Andrew Clarke lives in Pimlico and works as a producer for Bloomberg TV in London. 

I’ve just heard that Emma Birchley is marrying.  Emma is a TV journalist, often seen on the box.  There’s a hen party in Poitiers, I understand so Anglo-French relations may be strained for a while! (Later, I turned up for the occasion but it was raining so hard I could not get my camera out.  Congrats.  Emma B.)  Bryony Weaver still produces programmes for Endemol and lives in Whitstable.  Find Conrad Meehan in King’s Lynn, losing sleep on a nightly basis as Finlay, now a year old, finds his lungs.  Giles Meehan is the co-owner of Felixstowe TV, a TV style website that features all the news and events for people of that lovely seaside town.

Daniel Webster sorted out my holidays this year!  He left us in 1993 and worked for a decade on timber barns with his dad.  He has meanwhile purchased a few properties, including a windmill on the River Yare in Norfolk and that’s where Mrs. W and I went for our summer hols.  Daniel turned up with a bottle of wine and then left us to the cows, the amazing bird-life and the quiet.  You’ll find him under ‘Listed Escape’ on Google.  He’s also got a flat in Val d’Isere.   I’m not onto 5% commission here but that windmill is a really great escape.

Josie Norris, 1994, who appears in the Letters page has moved back to UK and is now Josie Usher.  Congratulations.

Jennifer Humphreys, 1995, former Head of School, is now a solicitor advising the seriously wealthy how to avoid tax!!!  - legally you understand.  She’s training to be a notary public too.  She is a great musician as you know, playing viola with the Birmingham Philharmonic and coming home to sing with the Woodbridge Choral Society. She’s in touch with Fran Hammond who works in ’publishing’ and Laura Kasasian, a barrister also of Birmingham.  Jennifer promises to make up a year party for the September dinner.  It would be good if you could JH.

Congratulations to any OW who marries a member of staff and that’s what Ollie Johnson did!  He’s wed to Catherine Shepherd, as was.  You just thought that the School provided you with a first class education.  No.  There is more.  Lots of OWs attended the wedding, conducted by former chaplain, Martin Percival.  Andrew Nowosad is just about married as we go to press - to Charlotte Purssord, who worked at Queens last year.  Elizabeth Nowosad is working in Marseilles, France.  Names at the wedding include,  Caroline Sale, Becky Barr, James Holland, Jon and Tim Percival, Daniel Davies, Ed Johnson, Rob Sledmere and Suzy Betts, now Sledmere - keep up you people - and Polly Stephenson, now Noades.  Incidentally Polly is mum to Alfie and the Reg has played a visit to the rural retreat wherein the family lives and can report on a very handsome child.  Claire Laight was there and is still at St. Johns, Cambridge. These people are mid 1990s leavers and the real danger here is marriage, for Catherine reports that some of the above are close to it.  Helen Stephenson was married this year.  Vicky Bunn has been there for ages and has twins.  They live in NZ.  Paul Gosden has been seen in Ipswich.  Tim Percival, incidentally, works for NPower in Worcester, looking after their sports sponsorship.  Sadly it is not an easy job as he has to spend time at test cricket grounds, drink Chablis and schmooze the glamorous NPower girls.

Thanks to Mr Ian Saunders who came up with a portfolio of OWs and here they are.  Tom Saunders is now a happily married man living in Halesowen, Birmingham.  He works for Antilis (?) and plays No 10 for Harbourne Rugby Club. I just do not understand that, quite frankly - suddenly to join the pampered three-quarters but there you are; it’s true. (See also Ben Head!)  Bro Ben Saunders is engaged to be married, lives in Nottingham and is about to start work with Price Waterhouse Cooper, along with many others in these pages.  He plays hockey locally as does Michael Vipond.  The last of the clan is Ruth Saunders, a physiotherapist at Lewisham Hospital who shares a house in Kennington with Anna Bracewell.  Leila Ward teaches music at Sidcup Grammar in Kent.   Sarah Crowley is a doctor (second year) in Kingston, paediatrics her speciality.  She lives in Putney.  Holly Hastings-Payne works for ClicSergeant.  To me I see a whole table at the September Dinner here.

Ed Bowden teaches French at the Prep School of Dulwich College.  Ed, have you met up with James Fisher now a house master at the main school.  We should be told!  Anna Noble bumped into me in the Queens House car park and this spurred thoughts of the ‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes‘. Look, we don’t explain everything here.  Anyway it appears I have to stay on a few more years in order to teach young Abi. Teresa Pearce, 1994, now Williams, is a Chemist and Environmental Scientist of Bristol Uni, first class, decommissioned the furnaces at Llanwern -a big part of British industrial history there - and now works in Cardiff protecting the environment from polluters.  She is a water-skier, walker, dog owner and taking a qualifying course in Women’s F1 motor racing.  Incidentally, another good capture for Wales.

Ed Groenhart, 1995, lives in Nottingham and has his own Chiropractice.  He’s in touch with James Cleland-Smith who lives in Madrid and flies planes for EasyJet.  Sister Sarah Cleland-Smith lives in West London and teaches Pilates courses for the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates institute. Karen Dorward is another physiotherapist and at the moment is heading for New Zealand via Moscow and Beijing.  Caroline Dorward is a lawyer in London but maybe looking to extend her experience in Europe.  Brother Chris Dorward lives near Chamonix and when not skiing he earns a living on computers.  And news from Hong Kong - Tony Luk has qualified as a doctor and intends to concentrate on family medicine.  Anne Li has graduated with a masters degree and is working in the UK.  OK we’ll try to be more specific next time.  And that concludes Mr. Saunders’ reporting!

Brilliant to see Charlie Leighton, 1998, and Tim Cook in the Autumn, visiting the Reg up at Melton Park.  Many thanks you two.  Tim works for Reuters, lives with Olly Grundy and Nick Davis in Kensal Green.  Jamie Cullum, not OW, lives next door, so it’s a smart area.  They meet up regularly with Dave Henderson, Jonny Manning, Alex Boxall, Cain Berry, Tim Ripman, Barney Read. It’s at moments like this you just hope the Met aren’t getting copies of this Mag.   Charlie is sorting out family affairs after the sad loss of her dad and we wish her well.

Another correspondent is Becky Alexander.  Becky herself is still at Harrods and works for the Luxury Accessories buying office.  Handbags in Becky’s department average about £700 each!   She lives in Greenwich, sharing with Mary Cook. Mary has set up her own business which she runs from Brick Lane.  ‘Us Creates’ designs innovative interventions and facilitates consultations for campaigns that tackle social issue.  (Quite unclear.  Please investigate.  Ed.)  Mary is doing a PhD on social issues and regeneration.  Amie Rey lives in Cornwall and doing a bit of work on the Eden Project before exploring Australia.  Lori Firth works for the ‘Roundhouse’ in Camden.  It’s an arts venue involved in events of that nature.  She’s living in Notting Hill.  Charli Hall works on photo shoots for ‘Elle’ magazine.  Camille Devaux is another OW qualified physiotherapist and lives in London, but where? She’s in a string quartet with Saskia Blake, a barrister and picture frame restorer.  Lizzie Bailey works in recruitment in the big city. Susannah Wellesley-Wesley is in her third year at Edinburgh, reading politics. Katie Wellesley-Wesley gained a first at Edinburgh, History of Art, and is working in an art gallery - in Fulham, I believe. Olivia Neal is a primary school teacher in Holbrook.  Thanks Becks for those sightings.

Aurelia Ditton thanks us for making her the Most Adventurous OW of the Year, last year.  She is now writing a fictionalised biography, ‘Too Young to be Nostalgic,’ about her first ocean voyage and was just about to look up old chum Katherine Norton when she e-mailed.  Katherine is in publishing and lives locally.  Incidentally, this Year’s OW of the Year Award goes to Iona Barclay.  Iona was seriously injured in a car crash down in the Balkans and held on for dear life in hospitals for ages.  She has returned to Britain and is rebuilding her life with recent chunks still missing from her memory.  It was quite humbling to meet her and to see such positivity and cheerfulness in the face of adversity.  We wish her well in the future.

Jodie Brown emailed with info.  Jodie went off to Reading Uni and is still in the town (city?) where she worked for Reading Borough Council for a while,  Now she’s at the Foreign Office ’doing their server/support projects.’  What I love about you OWs is that I still don’t know what you are doing even when you’ve told me! Jodie is the proud owner of two cats.  She reports on Clare Laughlin (now Astbury) who is studying to be a doctor in Warwick.  Er, get in touch Clare please - want to see you and the gang at the September dinner.  I may need a doctor there, anyway.  Isobel Kneebone is married and last heard of in New York.  Charlotte Barnard has been spotted around Woodbridge.  Amanda Leggett, mathematician, is an accountant of Norwich, which sounds bad superficially but she’s still a great fan of the Manic Street Porters - ah yes, the old jokes from Archive days.  Thanks Jodie.  Jamie Allan is one of the most high-profile clergymen in the land, following his own TV series.  This year he’s persuading more young couples to marry in Church.  Gavin Hudson, 1998, is a captain with the Royal Anglians and may be in Afghanistan even as we write. Younger brother, Stephen Hudson is a green beret, a Royal Engineer who completed the Lympstone Commando Course successfully.  Jo Whitear is married to a doctor in Nottingham and among other things runs a small group caring for university students.

Lewis Clarke is marrying.  He’s into oceanic charts and lives in Bristol.  Sister Emily Clarke works at Suffolk County Council using her degree in human resources.

Miles Muttitt takes top spot in The Registrar’s favourite OWs as he sent an e-mail full of detail of OWs known unto himself.  Here they are.  Oliver Weir is completing his 5th and last year of Medicine at Manchester.  John Tolliday completes his 4th, same subject, at Bristol.  Joe Simpson is currently travelling around Europe in a sort of camper van.  Edward Harkness, with his degree in Commercial Property development from Oxford Brookes, is doing that very thing in Chelmsford and maybe will move on to London soon.  Dale Hastings-Payne completed a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering at Brunel and is praying that the British car industry holds on long enough for him to be able to save it.  Guy Gibbins moved from Chemistry at Bristol to Pharmaceuticals.  Oliver Youngman is a chemist of UEA and temping prior to a world trip.  Michael Archer is another Mechanical Engineer, at Southampton.  He’s enjoying it tho’ it’s not easy!  Phil Nicholls, mathematician of Warwick, is training to be a teacher.  (We’ll have him back here any time!).  Look, thanks Miles, but I seem to have lost what YOU are doing!

What a thrill to meet the Yates sisters at the December ‘do’ and a photo taken outside the KH, recording their own special OW reunion may be found elsewhere in the site.  Go on - search.

Amanda Yates, now Deacon, is a full-time mum.  Baby Isobel has already been signed up for Queens and Amanda has agreed to join the OW Committee.  Basically, every committee member has been signed up at the KH!!!  Don’t worry Amanda; it only leads to becoming president.    Sarah Yates has recently returned from a two year stint in Brisbane and now works for PwC in London.  Emily Yates is soon to qualify as an accountant at PwC, Jersey but her heart lies on the snowy slopes and she may do a ski season or two!  Lydia Yates is hoping to go to Med School next Autumn and is meanwhile working at the Wild Strawberry café on the Market Hill.    So there they are, the Yates sisters and what a pleasure to meet them all again. And talking of sisters, the Registrar attended a Christmas party chez Gemma Wall now Parker and met up with sisters Lucy, Zoe and Olivia Neal and there you will find them on our colourful cover. Lucy Simpson lives in Weaverham, Cheshire and is a freelance translator, a pilates instructress and a sport massage therapist. Zoe le Cornu lives in Jersey and is a mother of two.  Gemma Parker is mum to Tabitha and Guy and handles marketing for the Royal Harwich Yacht Club.  Olivia Neal is a teacher locally.  I may have said that somewhere else.

Finally, in siblingsland, thanks to the Fetto people for luring Mrs W and I into the depths of the country for Sunday drinks.  Niazi Fetto is making his way up the ladder of litigious success, ably partnered by Doctor Helena whom it is always a pleasure to meet.  Yazan Fetto writes scripts and appears in comedy roles and his masterpiece Freak Out has been released in UK and USA.  Helen Fetto, a graduate of Exeter Uni, is a singer of note with a number of concerts to her name.  (I honestly think you have overdone the siblings ‘theme’.  Ed.)   There was news of other OWs at this party.  Catherine Bacon is an MA Durham chemist now into horticulture at Writtle and doing practical work in Scotland.   John Bridson works on the legal side for Box TV and is married to Rebecca Sledmere.  Dominique Devaux is a designer for Libertys. Michael Hutchinson got married and invited the usual crowd of Niazi, Barnaby Harper, Phil Bowles. Jet Bielecki is a journalist in Lincoln. Hannah Signy is in Africa, along with Catherine Merrett. Amber Bielecki did very well at Leeds and an MA in war Studies and works now in political lobbying.  Polly Bielecki is a gallery assistant with the Fleming Art Collection.   Most of this information was jotted down after several glasses of champagne and if it is inaccurate, I can only apologise.

Jessie Layzell, now Gjergji, toyed with teaching for a while but settled for a job in a theatrical agency, locally.  Her husband has just been granted British citizenship and now they plan to travel the world.  Great to see the whole family at our recent Slavery lecture.  Brother Charles Layzell has just finished his time as full time president of the Student Union at Suffolk College.

Peter Hailes is finishing his Masters in Business Studies at Edinburgh Uni and got a placement on the graduate training scheme at Bidwells.

Ollie Dutton sent an e-mail and I did not understand a single word.  Here it is.  ‘I’m now the national radio-plugger at Rocket PR, which basically means I spend my days charging round BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6 and haranguing producers until they play the records I want them to, which is great fun.  I also run regular nights for the Delta 9 Collective.’  See what I mean?  Sister Amy Dutton is Head of Marketing for the Northern Ballet, which is quite an important post in the higher echelons of the arts.

Laura Hoppitt, or Dr. H, as I should call her, lives Mildenhallish way and has been researching Anxiety for the Medical Research Council in Cambridge.  Ed Hoppitt is a technical designer for the BT web hosting service.

Tom Ardill, art historian of Birmingham and MA of the Courtauld Institute, was discovered at the National Portrait Gallery getting valuable job experience.  He may be found in Finchley.  Emily Hough is a paediatric nurse at the Chelsea and Westminster.  Sara Molan is a recruitment consultant in California and Harriet Pawsey works in social services.

Now the next group are the  people are the bold and the brave who turn up just before Christmas for free drinks and nibbles at The King’s Head on Market Hill.  You will find some of them on the cover of this journal.  They are recent leavers and not in any order of age or good looks - just random.