AbingdonNews Summer 2003

No 2The Newsletter of Abingdon School

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The great debate is over; Saturdayschool will be abolished for 1st and 2ndyears and retained throughout the restof the School.

The results of the questionnaire to parentslast year showed that they were almostequally divided on the matter – 42% infavour, 44% against. However, 57% ofsixth form parents favoured its retention,which suggests that the longer a boyremains at the School the greater theappreciation of Saturday school.

Other decisions taken by the Governors attheir meeting on 18 March included: theintroduction of five extra exeats, one ofwhich might include a Monday; andinvestigations into identifying further waysof increasing collaboration betweenAbingdon and the School of St.Helen andSt. Katharine.

Saturday School – The Verdict

Judging from the emails we havereceived, many of you enjoyedreading the first edition ofAbingdon News – thank you.Despite my best efforts it isimpossible to squeeze ineverything that deserves amention but you can read all thedetails of every event on theschool website –www.abingdon.org.uk.Although it is barely two monthssince you received your firstcopy, Abingdon News will onlycome out three times a year, atthe beginning of every term.I hope you enjoy issue No.2.

Sarah WearneEditor Abingdon News

It wasn’t only scenes of Abingdon thatwere on display at the Secret ArtExhibition last March but evidence of theartistic talent that exists within the schoolcommunity. The exhibition provokedmuch discussion about ‘art’ where thework of a sixth former was mistaken forthat of a distinguished RA and theHeadmaster’s entry, so he claimed, wasmistaken for that of his four-year-old son!£5,000 was raised for the Arts CentreAppeal and more is still coming in.

For the virtual exhibition of Secret Art goto http://study.abingdon.org.uk/secretart

Evening Light, James Nairne

Secret Art

Drama with St. Helen’s

The new exeat weekends should allowmore time for expeditions like this2nd Year trip to Bath in February.

TASS News p.8

Josca’s News p.9

OA Club News p.11

The Right Revd. Richard Harries, bishopof Oxford, gave the annual Founders’Day Sermon at St.Helen’s Church on28th March. He urged members of theSchool to remember their benefactors,not only those whose names wereknown but also those who had nomemorial but who by their compassionhad influenced the world around them.He said that a good school should dowhat it could to help its pupils discoverwhat they could give to their generation,especially with regard to the problemscaused by AIDS, poverty and by thespiritual poverty of the West.

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Founders’ Day

New Arts CentreSir Colin Lucas, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, unveiled the FoundationStone of the new Arts Centre on 28 February. The building of the Arts Centreremains on target for its opening this Autumn.

‘Brick buy Brick’

Head boy Nick Herbert contributeshis brick to the ‘Brick buy Brick’appeal. Buy a brick for £50 and thename of the person you would liketo commemorate will be includedon a plaque in the new Arts Centre.£5,000 has been raised so far inthis way.

www.abingdon.org.uk/bricks.

A Hundred Terms Ago

There was a timewhen Nick Pritchard’sname came last in theorder of seniority byappointment to theSchool but that was ahundred terms ago –in September 1969.These photographsshow that the thirtythree years havehardly left their mark!

Secret Art - it’s no secret anymore!It’s not too late to buy pictures from the Secret Art Exhibition. A virtual exhibition canbe found at – http://study.abingdon.org.uk/secretart - all the entries, all the identitiesand whether or not the pictures are still for sale. Fixed price £25. Among thoseillustrated are the two prize winning entries.

Clockwise from left: Townscape Adam Burniston, Cave Palimpsest Rosamund Chorley Winner of theMark Turner Prize, Silence Alex Powis Winner Winsor and Newton Prize, Snow in the Park Judith Payne,Abagram James Dibble, Garden V James Nairne, Doorway Susan Wright, Wittenham Clumps Wendy Hughes.

Arts Centre April 2003

Sir Colin Lucas

The Right Revd. Richard Harriesoutside St. Helen’s Church

Last summer more than half AbingdonSchool parents responded to thequestionnaire circulated by the Schools’Marketing Partnership. We have seen onpage 1 their response to the subject ofSaturday school. Overall, a gratifying98% of parents indicated apreparedness to recommendthe School to a friend, 96%were in general satisfied withtheir son’s overall development,94% with the quality ofteaching whilst 91% indicatedthat the School representedvalue for money. A thirdexpressed dissatisfaction withthe quality of catering, howeverthe staff, who eat the samefood, gave it a pretty highsatisfaction rating. A sixth ofparents commented adverselyon pupils’ appearance but theforthcoming uniform changes

should improve this. One in sevencriticised the school bus services.Furthermore, although in 1999 theinspectors were very impressed with ourpastoral care, only 70% of parents weresatisfied with it – what are the problems?

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School Tops League Table

No.4 School Ialoveni, Moldova, isnow the best school in its local areathanks to its connection withAbingdon School through thecharity Breadline. Over the last threeyears Abingdon has raised over£6,000 which has gone towardsequipment, books, internet accessand repairs to the heating system.During the holidays a group of sixthformers visited Moldova to see forthemselves where help can be given.

Abingdon and the League TablesLast year Abingdon came 15th, 36th, 59th, 91st and 123rd in the A levelLeague Tables – same boys, same exam results, what’s going on?

We were 123rd in The Times who order their table by an average of theUCAS point per subject. The Telegraph, where we came 91st, calculatesthe proportion of A level entries graded A and B. The Independent, wherethey operate a similar points system to The Times but use an averagepoints score per candidate rather than average per subject, placed us59th. We came 36th in The Financial Times, their table is a hybrid; itgives equal weight to the average UCAS points per candidate and theaverage points per subject. In The Guardian, where we came 15th, theyuse the same calculation as The Independent but they exclude schoolswith fewer than fifty candidates. So, how does Abingdon School do in theLeague Tables – it all depends on the newspaper you read!

Diana Princess of WalesMemorial AwardSix Abingdon School sixth formers, Jamie Anderson,Jonathan Fisher, James Buchan, William Horwitz, AlecPeychers and Alex Eeles have been awarded the Diana,Princess of Wales Memorial Award for Young People. Intheir five years at the School they have organised aregular programme of visiting and entertaining theelderly residents of Abingdon. This work has not onlymade a difference to the lives of the elderly in Abingdonbut has also raised the profile of community servicewithin the School.

Parental Questionnaire 2002

Thumbs up to school meals?

This term Drummond Hay’s House raisedmoney for No.4 School by collecting moneyfor the Road Relay.

Community teaparty at theSchool in March

Despite being surrounded by a buildingsite the Amey Hall was still able toprovide the venue for Abingdon Operatic

Society’s production of ‘The Hired Man’,the largest event in the Abingdon ArtsFestival. During its six-night run the

show, written by MelvynBragg, was seen by 2,500people, including the show’scomposer and lyricist,Howard Goodall. For theOperatic Society’s nextperformance, ‘Pickwick’, 27October – 1 November2003, both cast andaudience should be able toenjoy the greatly improvedfacilities of the new ArtsCentre.

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Carmina BuranaPupils and parents from Abingdon and St Helen’s together with an orchestra ofpupils from the two schools gave a tremendous performance of Carl Orff’sCarmina Burana and Benjamin Britten’s Ballad of Heroes to a packed Amey Hallon 8 March. The evening was a tribute to the high standard of music makingnow being achieved at both schools.

And the winner is -• The pianist, LukeBerryman has won theReading SymphonyOrchestra Young MusicianCompetition. This is thethird time in ten years thatan Abingdon boy has wonthe competition.

• Ivan Collin, Matthew Gardnerand John Herford have won a placein the finals of the NationalChamber Music Competition whichwill be held at St.John’s SmithSquare. This is the fourth AbingdonEnsemble to have gained such aplace in the last three years.

• Abingdon School defeatedMagdalen College School to win thefinal of the Oxfordshire Schools’Blackwell Challenge Chess Shield.

Headmaster Caught Reading...in the LibraryCoffee and books – we’re used to the combination in Blackwell’s andBorder’s but in the school library? Nevertheless, on World Book Day, 6March, the librarian Mrs Cooper laid on coffee and biscuits in order toencourage the staff to “get caught reading”. In addition Mrs Cooperorganised a sale of second-hand books which raised £100 for Book AidInternational.

CCF Escape andEvasion ExerciseThere was no escaping the weatherduring the CCF’s weekend escapeand evasion exercise in Wiltshireduring March. In the wind and rainthe escapees were hunted down –the hunters possessing the distinctadvantage of a Gazelle helicopter.

The set was designed byart master Chris Biggs whoalso played Seth Tallentire

Abingdon Operatic Society at the Amey Hall

Just four months into the year andparties from Abingdon have alreadyvisited places as far a field as Moscow,Madrid and Moldova. Economics andBusiness Studies students went to Spainwhere they combined visits to someimpressive Spanish businesses with someequally impressive football: Real Madridv. Borussia Dortmund, Athletico Madridv. Real Mallorca. A combined group ofstudents from St. Helen’s and Abingdonwent to Bielefeld, Germany. Under aperfect blue sky and in sub-zerotemperatures they visited Cologne,Munster and Hamlin. George Cowie,the Bielefeld scholar, will spend half nextMichaelmas term at the Ratsgymnasiumthere. During the Easter holidays a

group from Abingdon and OxfordHigh have visited Moscow, therehas been a visit to Prades in South-

Western France and to Moldova. Closerto home the 1st Years went on a teambuilding exercise in the Isle of Wight,which included abseiling, archery andquad-biking. The 2nd Years took thingsjust that bit further and their Eastertrip included canoeing andgorge walking in Snowdonia.

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Party in the Car ParkIt will be quite a party when fifty visitors from the USA and the UK arrive to stayat the School on 5 July to construct the new Abingdon School boathouse. Therewill be a marquee in the Lower Field car park where the visitors will put togetherthe massive timber frames of the new boathouse. Once the frames have beenassembled they will be transported to the riverside site and lifted into place withthe help of a twenty-ton crane. This is expected to happen on 12/13 July.Visitors will be welcome to join in the fun; ten more volunteer DIY carpenterswould be very welcome. But, if you’re not going to be offering your skills youmight consider sponsoring a piece of timber, which can be carved with yourrower son’s name. Alternately you could donate some money, the Boat clubneed to raise £50,000 as a demonstration of their commitment to the project.

Further details of project -www.abingdon.org.uk To volunteer - nguiver@btinternet.com To sponsor or donate - clanbro@aol.com

Home and Away

First XI Hockey Results,Lent 2003Abingdon School versus -

King Edward’sSouthampton won 4 : 3

St Edwards lost 1 : 2Pangbourne won 7 : 1Shiplake won 5 : 1Dean Close lost 3 : 5Stowe won 4 : 3Eton lost 0 : 2Bloxham lost 3 : 7Warwick lost 1 : 7MCS lost 0 : 2Radley lost 2 : 5Merchant Taylors won 4 : 1

In the RAF Cup - Abingdon beatRadley 3 : 2 in the semi-finals. Theylost the final 0 : 1 to St. Edward’s inextra time.

Full details of all results can befound on www.abingdon.org.uk

First XI against Warwick

GB Team Selectionfor Matthew WatkinsA very successful winter has culminated in 3rd YearMatthew Watkins’ selection for Great Britain U14 squadtraining for the Tennis World Cup this summer.Matthew, shown here at Wimbledon where he recentlyplayed, represented Great Britain at an internationalevent in Iteuil over the Easter holidays.

Raising a timberframed building

The new boathouse willincorporate showers,toilets, changing andtraining rooms, avideo/debriefing roomand a workshop.

George Cowie with the Pied Piper

Outside Cologne Cathedral

Football watching in Spain

SW France

1st year trip to Isle of Wight 2002

On Trinity Sunday, 7 June 1903, the newchapel at Abingdon School wasdedicated to the Holy and UndividedTrinity, the dedication reflecting JohnRoysse’s wish, three hundred and fortyyears earlier that the school he helpedre-found should be known as The FreeSchool of the Holy Trinity – it never was.He also decreed that the boys were topray three times a day and were toconclude their prayers with the words‘Upon our founder John Roysse and allChristian people the Blessed Trinityhave mercy’ – there is no evidence theyever did.

The old school had never needed itsown chapel; for centuries it had usedthe adjacent church of St.Nicholas inthe centre of town. For centuries alsoeither the headmaster or the usherusually held the curacy of St.Nicholas.All this came to an end in 1870 whenthe School moved to its new site inAlbert Park. The link withSt.Nicholas wasmaintained for manyyears through the annualLeavers’ Service, whichused to be held thereuntil the number ofleavers and their parentsoutgrew the space.

There is no record ofwhere the Schoolworshipped after the1870 move but, when

the first extension was built in 1880 oneof the new rooms, the Bennett Room,now a modern language room, was usedas the chapel. Judging by remarks madeby the editor of The Abingdonian in1897 that, “no kind benefactor has leftus a fortune for a chapel” the lack of areal chapel was keenly felt. Then, in1899, the Governors approved a schemefor adding new classrooms, a science

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Centenary of the Dedication ofthe School Chapel 1903 - 2003

THE EAGLE LECTERN datesfrom the 17th Century, 1694 havingbeen found carved on its base duringthe restoration work which wascarried out in 1904. The lectern,which is made of wood and standsnearly seven foot tall, was given tothe School in 1743 by BrasenoseCollege. Their records show thatthey acquired it in 1708 for £30. Itwas part of the furniture in the oldGrammar School. It was transferredto Big School in 1870, then to thechapel in the Bennett Room beforefinally coming to rest in the newChapel. During James Cobban’s erait was lent to Dry Sandford church.Michael St.John Parker ensured thatit was returned to what he felt surewas its rightful home.

THE ROOF CORBELS were decorated with the heraldic devices of those associated with the building of the Chapel:The Coat of Arms of Archdeacon Hayward (1), representing the Old Boys; those of Lord Benyon (2), Lord Lieutenant ofBerkshire and Lord Wantage (6) who was the largest donor having given £1,000 to the appeal. The arms of ThomasLayng (4) the headmaster; of J T Morland (5) OA and Mayor of Abingdon in 1901 when he laid the Foundation Stone of theNew Building and the monogram of Bishop Mitchinson (3) who dedicated the Chapel.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Building the Chapel, 1902

The School before the Chapel wing was built

lecture theatre, physical and chemicallaboratories, an art room, a gymnasiumand –‘a new and handsome Chapel’. Itwas estimated that this would cost£5,000, an appeal was launched andJ.G.T.West OA, the town architect, wascommissioned to draw up plans.

The Chapel was dedicated by the Rt.Revd. John Mitchinson, Master ofPembroke, Chairman of AbingdonSchool’s Governing Body and formerlyBishop of Barbados, who stressed thecentral role a chapel played in publicschool life, especially in binding boystogether and forming character.

The Chapel is built in the latePerpendicular style and is fifty-two feetlong by thirty feet wide. The interiorwas originally red brick but this waspainted over in the 1960s. It was verysparsely furnished; the vicar andchurchwardens of St.Helen’s Churchdonated the altar but beyond that therewas little money remaining – even forchairs.

Memorials mark the passing of the years;the dead of the World Wars arecommemorated on two brass plaques -seventy-three Old Abindonians werekilled in the First and forty-nine in theSecond. There are individual memorialsto a number of long serving masters;hymn boards, which commemorateRupert Sladden who was drowned in1958 while swimming in the Thames

and the altar silver, intended to mark theSilver Wedding of James and LornaCobban but which became insteadLorna’s memorial.

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There will be a service to commemorate the centenary of the Chapel on Saturday 7 June at 3 o’ clock to which all arewelcome. The service will be followed by refreshments. Please let the OA office know if you would like to attend. Contact:The Old Abingdonian Club, Abingdon School, Abingdon OX14 1DE Tel: 01235 529517 Email: administrator@oaclub.org.uk

The stained glasswindow in the Chapel isa copy of part of one ofthe twenty lights in thewindows of the Choir atDunblane Cathedral.They were designed in1913 by Louis Davis OAand were based aroundthe words of TheBenedicite. Davis, whowas an exponent of theSchool of Arts andCrafts, was described byThe Times in its obituaryas “a genuine Pre-Raphaelite”. Thewindow depicts theNorth Wind carrying‘the golden boat ofdauntless adventure’.The Pole Star appears inthe background withthe Latin motto ‘SpiritusDei Fecit me’, the spiritof God made me.Davis, who was born in1860, was the son of anAbingdon coalmerchant. The windowwas given to the Schoolby Davis’ widow in1952, following hisdeath in 1941.

The Bennett Room used a chapel between 1880 and 1903

The Chapel before itsrefurbishment in the 1960s

Design for Dunblane Window

THE NORTH WIND

Silver Cross, part of the altar silver designedby Atholl Hill in memory of Lorna Cobban.

Fund Raising

TASS raises money from the Griffen Ball,the Burns Night Supper and other eventsto support Other Half activities. Eachyear, clubs and societies can apply forcash raised at TASS events. The moneymust be spent on activities that wouldnot be paid for by the School as a matterof course, such as sports tours, theatreruns at the Edinburgh Festival andequipment. Abingdon has an excellenttradition of expecting all boys toparticipate in sporting and culturalactivity. TASS helps clubs and societiesachieve the best.

In recent years, TASS has given awards tothe Theatre Group, Tennis Club, Duke ofEdinburgh Awards Club, Fencing Club,Canoe Club, Rifle Club, Classics Society,and the Amey Hall Technical Crew Club.

Second-hand Uniform Shop

SUS is a uniform and sports kitexchange. From a complete uniform fora starter whose growing taller by the dayto the fourth pair of replacement rugbysocks, SUS provides.

Events

TASS provides refreshments at schoolevents. It runs the lunch tent on OpenDay and provides tea, coffee, wine andsandwiches at many more school andhouse events, as well as suppers atparents’ evenings.

TASS Travel AwardsEach year, TASS and Tappins Coachesjoin to give awards to Upper Sixth boyswho intend travelling to interestingplaces before they start university. Manyof the awards are made to boys joiningformal gap year projects and others arefor plans created independently.

Links to other parentsupported bodiesTASS maintains links to other parent-supported bodies including the MusicSociety and Rowing Club.

If you are an Abingdon parent andwould like to take part in TASS’ work,contact us by

• e-mail to tass@abingdon.org.uk• telephoning the Chairman on

01235 850951• writing to TASS at Abingdon School

Griffen BallThis year’s Griffen Ball will be a cracker.Starting with a Champagne Reception,the Ball gets under way with a wonderfulmeal in the big marquee set up in frontof the school. Then there’s dancing to alive band in the tent and a disco in theCharles Maude Room (aimed more atthe younger revellers). Of course, there’sa bar. And fireworks. But this year we’rehaving dodgems and a casino, too.

Why not make up a table and comealong with friends. Or just come as acouple and join others in the fun.

The Griffen Ball will take place onSaturday 28th June. Tickets are £49 eachand can be bought from Prit Buttar on01235 205257 or e-mailgriffen.ball@ntlworld.com.

Quiz Night There’s going to be an unusual QuizNight in the Michaelmas Term with AnneDiamond as Quizmaster-in-Chief. Hereare the rules:

• Teams of eight;• Each team buys table space and gets a

table and eight chairs (so far, soSpartan);

• Once you’ve named your team (theMagnificent Seven plus Doreen; theQuick-witted Brown Foxes; Masters ofall Wisdom or whatever) you decorateyour table accordingly;

• You bring along a picnic meal of yourchoice paid for by you (no primusstoves, please);

• You can buy wine, beer and otherdrinks from the organisers;

• You answer questions posed by theQuizmaster General;

• The winners take all the glory.

Come along on Saturday 11th October.

More news soon. If you can’t wait toknow how to start training your team,contact Mike Hallett on:mike.hallett@oracle.com.

Travel AwardsIt’s pretty well too late to apply for aTASS/Tappins Travel Grant. But possiblynot quite if you’re very quick.

The Abingdon School Society - TASSA

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The Abingdon School Society is the parent body that supports the School’s aim of educating boys in as full a sense aspossible. All parents are automatically members of TASS and the committee includes parents, staff and a governor.

Look us up under the Welcome tab on the Abingdon School web site www.abingdon.org.uk

The Emerald CrownThe Emerald Crown, the Year 4, 5 and 6play, was about saving the rain forests.The lead was taken by Jeremy Talbot asToucan, Eddie Yeatman was the narratorand Ben Wescott sang a solo, forestanimals were played by Year 4 and thetourists and workmen by Years 5 and 6.Sue Glaisher’s hard work at rehearsalswas rewarded by the audience’s demandfor two encores. A collection was takenat the end for the WWF.

Sporting Heroes

Josca’s term ended in a blaze of sportingsuccess. The U.9 rugby squad added aone hundred percent winning record totheir similar success in soccer last term.The U.11A and U.13A soccer sides werealso unbeaten over the entire season.Highlights included victories against St,Hugh’s, draws against powerful and wellorganised Dragon first teams, and for theU.13s, a 4 - 0 victory over Abingdon.

Comings and Goings

John Baker along with both Gwen andClive Organ will be retiring as of July2003. The trio have served Josca’s incombination for a total of eighty years.They will be greatly missed but theirtime away from being ‘ruled by the bell’is clearly well deserved.

Congratulations to Laura and JamieChamberlayne on the birth of Barnaby inMarch - all three are doing well –“Barnaby is very greedy!”

Rush to get here

The new teaching facilities which wereopened in November (see last edition)have attracted record applicants forYear 7. Josca’s has been able to takefifteen of the candidates who aim to goon to Abingdon in September 2005. Itappears that in September 2003 Josca’snumbers may exceed 200 for the firsttime.

Abingdon Awards

Joseph Delo, Year 8, has been awarded aMusic Exhibition to Abingdon School forSeptember 2003. Ben Cooke, who leftJosca’s for Abingdon in 2002, has wonan additional award at the School.Congratulations to them both.

Bridge is not too far…

After five years campaigning, planningpermission has been granted for a bridgeacross the A415. Although otherpermissions are still needed theHeadmaster hopes that this muchneeded bridge will soon become areality.

Cross-Country

Josca’s Second Annual Cross Countryraces were staged on March 5 in wetand overcast conditions. A splendid U9’srace was won by Alexander Hatzis fromJamie Goldthorpe and George Bull.Eddie Grant, in fourth place, was the firstYear 3 finisher; true grit anddetermination were shown by all therunners. In the U11 race the first threehome, Ben Read, Ed Yeatman andRobbie Winearts all beat last year’sinaugural track record. Josh Bull was thefirst Year 5 home. Mallam Granttriumphed over Alex Fisher in the seniorrace, reversing last year’s result. DaichiTonomura’s brave run gave him thirdplace. The event was well supported bythe School and looks set to become apermanent and popular event in theschool calendar.

Paris TripBaguettes, cheese, pâté and other Frenchdelicacies were the order of the eveningat a party at the end of March for allthose involved in the French trip.Thirty-seven boys, from various grades,went to Paris over the Easter holidayswhere the itinerary included an eveningcruise on theSeine andvisits toVersailles,Notre Dame,Disneylandand theEifel Tower.Our thanksgo to LynneHough of theFrenchDepartmentwhoorganised thistrip.

Abingdon Junior School - Josca’s

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The U13As were unbeaten

The victorious Under 9 Rugby team in action

Joseph Delo

Cross Country Supporters

Waste Court1928-2003, 75 Years“…Waste Court, lately erected on a pieceof ground where before stood adunghill.” Dated 1779 this is the firstknown reference to the house and theonly clue to its peculiar name. WasteCourt was bought by the School in 1928as a memorial to the Old Boys killed inthe First World War. The house wasrefurbished and when the first twelveboarders moved in conditions weredescribed as ‘little short of luxurious’.

Little had changed whenKeith and Audrey Hasniptook over thirty years laterbut what had appearedluxurious in 1928 waspositively archaic in 1967.

As Keith remembers, “Thecentral heating and hotwater were powered by twomagnificent old stoveswhich each consumed thirtyshovels of coke every day.”Plans to introduce oil were

hurried up after a prefect accidentally setfire to the whole coke stack. The Hasnipsrelaxed the rigidly timetabled routines ofprayers, prep and washbasin rotas andremoved the two canes which hung overthe dining room door.

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450th Anniversary ofChrist’s Hospital of AbingdonFor four hundred and fifty years, ever since it was charged with making fundsavailable for the sustaining of a Grammar School in its charter of incorporation,Christ’s Hospital have been faithful friends of the School. Over the centuries theyhave augmented the salary of the headmaster, supported the education of poor boysthrough the Bennett Scholarships, provided the School with land and generouslysupported various building appeals. This is in addition to the charitable work theycarry out in the town on behalf of the poor, the sick and the elderly. There will be aservice in St.Helen’s Church on Sunday 18th May to mark this anniversary at whichthe headmaster, Mark Turner, will preach the sermon.

Centenary of the School ofSt. Helen and St. Katherine

There were eleven girls at St.Helen’swhen it opened a hundred yearsago in a building on the corner ofFaringdon and Wootton Road. Thefollowing year Queen Victoria’sdaughter, Princess Christian, laid theFoundation Stone for the newbuilding. Thirty years later, in 1938,St Helen’s merged with StKatharine’s, Wantage and thepresent School was created. Thenumber of Golden and evenDiamond Wedding Anniversariesthat are shared by past pupils ofboth schools is evidence thatunofficial fraternisation longpreceded the official social andacademic collaboration that nowcharacterises relations between thetwo schools.

A History of the School of St Helen and StKatharine by Gerald Howat will bepublished in May. Price £10.

Fifty years on - some of the original pupilsin 1953

There are very few photographs of Waste Court in the archives, if you have anythat you would like to give to the School, or would let us copy, please contact thearchivist either via the School or sarah.wearne@abingdon.org.uk

Long Alley Almshouse built in 1446 for eightelderly people and still maintained byChrist’s Hospital

The new housemaster and his wife,William and Kimberly Phelps areholding an open afternoon andreunion on Saturday 21st Junebetween 1.00 and 5.00 pm to whicheveryone associated with WasteCourt over the years is welcome.

Old Abingdonian Club News

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www.oaclub.org.uk

525 OAs have registered on the websitesince it was launched in January! Already,we are receiving emails from Old Boyssaying how great it is being able tocontact old friends so quickly and easily.

City Lunch

Balls Brothers in St. James was thelocation for the City Lunch on March7th. The twelve who attended were:W J Courage (1958), N M R Crosse(1972), J W B Dunthorne (1965),K N Haarhoff (1960), R A Joy (1978),M J Neilan (1960), J D Peterson (1997),P W J Rutland (1996), M R Smith (1996),R J E Steed (1978), C E Utley (1969),J W F C Wearne (1998). The next CityLunch will be held in November.

OARFC Day OutEngland vs Italy: Twickenham,9th March

Over 40 OAs got together to watchEngland beat Italy 40-5! The OARFCCommittee hosted a drinks andluncheon party in the Cardinal Vaughancar park before and after the game tothank all who have supported theOARFC on and off the pitch.

Abingdon Town Rugby UnionFootball Club (ARUFC)

Tim Davies, Honorary Secretary of theARUFC, has asked the OA Club to conveyhis thanks to all OAs who attended areunion of the Club on 8th February atthe Clubhouse in Lambrick Way. Theevent was such a success that the ARUFCplans a follow-up, details of which will beposted on the OA Club website as soonas we receive the information. Amongthe OAs who attended were: R Allison(1961), W C Broad (1957), D J Creese(1964), G Dimond (1958), G Fenton(1979), D J Heavens (1951), S J North(1995), D C Pollard (1962), R C Spring(1955), K G W Sykes (1972), R J Tilley(1988), D H Willis (1965).

Griffen

This will accompany the Septemberedition of Abingdon News. Please wouldmembers send news for it toHT Randolph, 30 Park Road,Abingdon OX14 1DS by early July.

The Abingdonian

This is now published each November.The five-year subscription has beenraised to £40. Members wishing tosubscribe should send cheques made outto Abingdon School to Hugh Randolphat the Club’s office.

Deaths

We have been informed of the followingsince Abingdon News No 1 went topress: S P Austin (1929); J T Buckland(1957); P J Ford (1960); T B Moore(1965); P A S Scott (1943).

Lost Members

If readers know where the following are,please would they ask them to send ustheir new addresses:N M Chisnall (1981)M C Geary (1969)I R Hewes (1966)J W H Howe (2000)J H A Jaques (1986)B P A Jaques (1989)B D Johnson (1980)I A L Kilbey (1960)C J Lockwood (1988)M R Patey (1993)J G A Thomas (1990)M L Thomas (1983)J D Towe (1997)C J Wyatt (1978)

OA Day: Saturday 11 October 2003

Annual General Meeting 11.00 amOARFC vs Abingdon Town 11.30 amBuffet lunch 1.00 pm

Important Dates for 2003:

May24 May President’s DinnerJune7 June Chapel Centenary Service

Chapel 3:00pm.21 June LXXV Celebration of

Waste CourtSeptember13 Sept Recent Leavers ReceptionOctober11 Oct OA Day:

11:00 am Annual GeneralMeeting11.30 am OARFC vsAbingdon Town

November City Lunch

Thank you to all OAs who have given us so many positive comments on the very first edition of Abingdon News. This feedback isvery important to us as we plan future features. Marilena Kaye, OA Club Administrator

If you have any news, or wouldsimply like to make contact, the OAOffice details are:

The Old Abingdonian ClubAbingdon School

ABINGDONOX14 1DE

Direct Line +44 (0)1235 529517Email administrator@oaclub.org.uk

B&B Friendship andFootball Beyond Frontiersby Adrian Stores (1983)tells the truestory of Adrian’sfriendship with aprofessionalTurkish footballerand with theTurkish womanwho was tobecome his wife. Separated byculture and religion - united by alove of football. Published byAcrobat £6.99.

OA Reunion in VancouverJohn Harper (1966) reporting

Six OAs of the 1960s held a reunionin Vancouver over the weekend of22nd March. It was hosted byJulian Kenney and included a roadtrip to the ski resort of Whistler, asea plane flight around Vancouverand its environs, plus a train journeyon Amtrak which made British raillook good!

Left to Right: Ross Coomber (1966), JohnHarper (1966), Bob Jessett (1966), CavellPortman (1964), Julian Kenney (1966).David Clare (1966) was holding the camera.

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Good SamaritansRadiohead have donated a live track and video to the Samaritans in supportof a new counselling service which enables people to contact the Samaritansby email rather than telephone. Phil Selway (OA 1985), who has been avolunteer for years, believes that the Samaritans play an important role insociety where the World Health Organization predicts that by 2020 thebiggest cause of death, amongst young men, will be depression.

The band, who support a number of Green causes and have campaigned forAmnesty International and Drop the Debt, will release their 6th album, ‘Hail tothe Thief’, on 9th June. This follows the release of their new single, ‘ThereThere’, on 26 May. They start a sell-out tour of the UK and Europe on 17 Mayand will headline Glastonbury on Saturday 28th June.

Radiohead – Thom Yorke (OA 1987), Ed O’Brien (OA 1986), Colin Greenwood (OA 1987), Jonathan Greenwood (OA 1990), Phil Selway (OA 1985)

Abingdon’s ‘Old Boy Network’According to the forty per cent who replied to the questionnaire circulated to OAsin 2001, of those who are working – as opposed to retired or in tertiary education -seven per cent are in accountancy and banking, six per cent in medicine, five percent are in teaching and another five per cent are in law. There are four per centin IT, three per cent in engineering and a further three per cent in equities,financial services and merchant banking. Two per cent are self-employed and 1.5per cent are in media and advertising. There are fourteen farmers, eight airlinepilots, seven musicians and six actors. Two OAs are involved in motor racing, oneis an estate agent, one a magician and one a clown.

The MagicianSimon Evans (OA 2002) plans todisappear for a few months – on hisgap year - but will reappear in ‘TheNew Magic Show – The Return ofthe Magician’ at The Old FireStation, Oxford between the 2ndand the 7th of September 2003.

Abingdon News is the newsletter of Abingdon School, Park Road Abingdon, Oxford OX14 1DE Tel. 01235 521563 www.abingdon.org.ukEdited by Sarah Wearne Tel. 01235 537151 Email abingdon.news@abingdon.org.uk

Design by Deepfusion www.deepfusion.co.uk Tel. 01865 407610

Zippo the ClownMartin Burton (OA 1972) created Zippo’sCircus in 1985. The circus, which visitedOxford in March, works with the InternationalLeague for the Protection of Horses. It wasrepresented on the Governmentall-party working group, which helped set newstandards in animal welfare. In 2001 thecircus won a special award for outstandinganimal husbandry.

Oxford Boat Race VictoryRobin Bourne-Taylor (OA 1999)- second from left on rostrum -rowed in the victorious blueboat for the second year insuccession. Robin, readingengineering at Christ Church,plans to defer his final year if hewins Olympic Selection. Photos courtesy of Matchtight

Zippo (centre)