A resounding success!

The atmosphere in the room for our 2021 Association Dinner was excellent and the meal good value and well served. The speeches from the Chairman David Trenchard, Headmaster Dorian Lewis, Head Boy Bay Hill and Guest Speaker David Sidwick were all interesting and entertaining.

The Old Bournemouthians cup was awarded to Dean Croukamp-Stewart, who travelled all the way from York to accept the prize.

The Dinner Secretary’s arrangements and table plans were very good and there was a healthy mix of younger and older Old Bournemouthians, together with the current prefects. We also had a sell out with the raffle.

There was a huge appetite for a repeat dinner next year.

Kelly Thorne, the current Head of Darwin House, has got in touch seeking memories and anecdotes of her predecessor, Martin Pritchard (Geography). She writes:

The current Darwin prefects are very keen to put together a “memory book” as a tribute to what he achieved. I would be very grateful if you could please contact your members and ask for a short written account of their memories with Mr Pritchard, which we could include. This doesn’t need to be lengthy, but I know he would really appreciate hearing from former students (or colleagues of course) and reminiscing about past House activities.

Contributions should be made by Monday 29th November, either in the Comments section below or direct to Kelly: kthorne@bournemouth-school.org

On 21st January, Bloomsbury Continuum will publish Dostoevsky in Love by alumnus Alex Christofi, a highly original telling of the life of the author of Crime and Punishment. By weaving carefully chosen excepts of the writer’s work, the historical context and his own perceptive insights, Alex immerses the reader in the grand vista of Dostoevsky’s world, from his mock execution to his Siberian exile, and his three love affairs that were overshadowed by epilepsy and gambling.  

Alex was guest speaker at the 2019 Association Dinner.

Author David Miller has got in touch in the hope of finding any memories of Anthony John Angel (later Anthony John Allen), who is believed to be an Old Boy of circa 1946-1951, as part of his research for a book. He writes:

The name [Angel] will probably ring a bell with you as he was eventually found guilty of murder and died in 2015 while serving a life sentence.

The reason for contacting you is that I am now fairly familiar with his long list of crimes and misdemeanours, but am completely baffled by the reasons or causes. He came from a respectable middle-class family, had a good education, and served with distinction in the Army. But he then seems to have gone completely off the rails. He committed theft, fraud, bigamy and treated the women in his life very badly, which included abandoning his first wife and her two children and murdering his second wife and her two children.

So, what I am hoping to find is any background information on his early years, which might help me to understand him better or would give me a lead for further research. I would be particularly grateful for any photographs.

A brief outline might help…

Father, John William Angel. Born in London 1895. Served in the Army in WWI. Got married and settled in Bournemouth in 1927, employed as some sort of commerical traveller. Served in WWII. Died in 1954 in Bournemouth, cause unknown.

Mother, Katie Stokes. Born 1904. Came to Bournemouth as her father joined the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Married John in 1927. Lost four babies until one survived, Anthony John Angel, born 1934. Known addresses were Markham Road in 1930 and 26, The Avenue from the 1930s until 1984.

Anthony John Angel. Born 1934. Attended a nursery, presumably local. Attended a Wimborne prep school. Passed the 11+ and attended ‘the local grammar school’ (though this is not named, it is presumabed to be Bournemouth School). Apparently was good at tennis and cricket. Articled to a local architect for a short time after school, but soon enlisted in the Royal Engineers… changed his identity to Anthony John ALLEN in the 1970s…

Responses can either be left below or directed to David via email, petard249@btinternet.com