When I last saw my Uncle a week before he died he said he was a life long member of what we understood to be the Old Bournemouthians. I can’t find any more information other than him receiving communications in the 1950′s. He was anxious that we understood this membership as he wanted you to be informed of his death.

David was born and brought up in Bournemouth. When he was in the army he worked with radar. He recalled to his friends rides on packed trains when he served in India.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he trained to be an Architect. After settling in London, he became a noted member of the Westminster Chapel where he met many of his long standing friends. One special friend was Gwen Whitmore who always had a special place in his heart.

He had a passion for transport especially paddle steamers and would travel to various parts of the country to ride on the Kingswear Castle, Balmoral and Waverley. He also gave the impression that he could at one time tell you which trains to catch to travel almost anywhere from anywhere.

He enjoyed walking and when he was more able could often be seen around Tunbridge Wells. He was not particularly interested in Television but when you visited him he almost always had Radio 3 or sometimes Radio 4 on in his room.

His nephews and nieces recall his visits when they were small children. Happily joining in their rough and tumble games which often led to pulling of his moustache. When one of them recalled his antics the response was that ‘it sounds as if he made a good climbing frame and trampoline’! A great nephew remembers ‘a real gent who he went with collecting teasels’.

Those who knew him well can recall the glint in his eye and the half smile rather like a cheeky school boy. The unhurried getting ready that resulted in the mad dash to get him to the station in time to catch his train home. His thriftiness – he once told his sister, in a letter during the miners’ strikes and power cuts, that you can make candles from the wax coating on Edam cheese and string! Nothing that could have a possible alternative use was thrown away.

Although he was very humble he gave in many ways. Most of us didn’t realise that when he lived in London he often helped to give soup to the homeless on Christmas day. Although many of us found him frustrating sometimes he was also dearly loved and a dear friend to many more.

Outside of school he and his wife were the mainstays of the campaign to save the Winter Gardens. He was also a prolific author. In this respect his subjects were varied, but included several books of a historical nature, the origins of the names of many stations on the London Underground, along with books of local history and the derivation of English words.

In 2001 he was the editor of the excellent Centenary Book for Bournemouth School, copies of which are still available and more recently he produced Tig’s Boys, edited letters between Headmaster Dr Fenwick and Old Boys of the school sent from the trenches during World War I. At the time of his death he was working on a book concerning Bournemouth School and World War I, intended to be released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War.

David died on April 30th 2012 while attending a church meeting in Salisbury. His wife, Mary, had died in February 2011.

Our sincere condolences go to his family, particularly daughters Sandra and Alison and son Paul.

Following up on his photo of 1944′s under-14 cricketers, Len James, who was at Bournemouth School between 1942 and 1947, has sent in this photograph of the under-14 footballers from the same year. Says Len:

[I] Have just unearthed another old photo which I am sure is the Under 13’s soccer team from 1944. Recalling the names of these is a bit more difficult. The three in the centre of the front row are Doug Sherwood, Peter Close and Jim Ridout. I am second from the left in the back row (Goalkeeper). I do hope some of these fellows are still on the right side of the fairway.

Do get in touch if you can fill in any of the gaps, or know the location of any of these Old Boys.

The picture above was sent in by Len James, who was at Bournemouth School between 1942 and 1947. Len moved to Australia in 1952. He emailed us, saying that he had recently discovered the Old Boys website and was fascinated with the memories of past teachers and fellow scholars.

Len played cricket in the Under 14’s in 1944 and has kept this photo ever since. While he says “the old memory is not so bright these days, and at 81 I am struggling to name all those in the photo” he has still made a sterling effort, below:

Front row (L-R)

• Len James
• Peter Close (?)
• Dougie Sherwood
• David Tomlinson
• Gordon Bartlett

Back row (L-R)

• ?
• ?
• ?
• Alan Melly
• Jim Rideout
• Stuart Chalk

Can anyone fill in the gaps?

I am trying to contact Terry Burwell who would be about 60 years old. Until very recently he was working for the English Rugby Football Union. Terry was a team mate of mine in the 1971 rugby team at Loughborough Colleges. I am trying to organise a reunion of that team and I would very much like to include Terry. If anyone can help with an email address, telephone number or postal address I would be very grateful.

If you have any information, please contact us and I will pass it on.

Update: Now found, thanks!

I write on behalf of a friend of mine who was a pupil at your school 1939 to 1946. His name is John Douglas Jones who at the age of 80+ is still very active and living in Clifton, Bristol. Doug has only recently had to give up flying his sailplane at the Bristol & Gloucestershire Gliding Club. In the course of a conversation yesterday about schools we attended, Doug said he can remember the names of all his teachers during his time at your school except the name of the English Literature master.

Doug would be interested if anyone might be able to remember this teacher’s name.

Len and I were great friends until WW2 separated us. He served most of the war with the R.N. in the West Indies. We lost touch after he emigrated to Canada about 1946. I would be interested to know if anyone remembers him, and to learn about his career in Canada. Naturally, I am wondering if he is still with us!

If you have any information, please let us know.

Rotarian Harold Owen Windebank died on 15 October, aged 93 and had been a loyal member of our Club for 36 years. He was born in Bournemouth, educated at Bournemouth School, living in the Town Centre – Christchurch Rd, then Kinson, then Canford Cliffs and spent his last years in the Isle of Wight with his daughter & family at Brading. His brother Colin died at 24 in the Normandy D-Day landings and Harold served in the RN Reserves mostly in Cardiff dealing with Minesweepers.

He was a great sportsman to the end of his life a member of Parkstone Golf Club – with a record 3 holes in one, a member of the Constitutional Club since 1959, a onetime rugby hooker, a referee, sailor and a member of many other local associations and clubs. Harold set up his successful Bournemouth Insurance Brokers starting on a bicycle, and he was known for his integrity and kindnesses as a true gentleman. His Service of Thanksgiving was conducted by Revd Dr. Ian Terry, directed by Head & Wheble, and eulogy given by his children Carol, Bob & Richard, and grand-children gave various readings. Our thoughts go to the family especially his widow Barbara. The Service concluded with the Voluntary- “We’ll meet again”