Old Boy Pete Sears is trying to trace Leonard Guscott, born c.1925. He writes:
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.
The family of Peter Hull (1938-1945) is very interested in finding their father’s school friends, John F Collins and Geoffrey Turner. Sarah Hull, Peter’s daughter, writes: “Dad’s recently widowed and a bit lonely – would be great if these two ‘boys’ might still be around.” If you have any information on the whereabouts of these two Old Boys please let us know and we will pass it on to Sarah.
Grahm Jones draws this notice, from a Rotary newsletter, to my attention:
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”
Ray Hunt writes to tell us of the death of his brother, Howard ‘Mac’ Hunt (1940-1946). A memorial service is to be held at All Saints Church Branksome Park on 14th January 2010. Ray writes:
We both attended Annual Dinners until recently. Among his immediate contempories were, Chris Eales, John Demont, Gordon Prosser, John Ives, John Davis, Malcolm Gritt, and many others.
Sean Boyle (1994-2001) sends the following update:
Upon leaving school in 2001 I decided to have a year out. I worked for 6 months at Sky Sports in London before spending 5 months travelling around the world. This definitely gave me a broader perspective on things and held me adjust to the change of going to university. I then attended Somerville College, Oxford, graduating in 2005 with a 2:1. During my time at university I continued working at Sky Sports in my holidays and this turned into a full time job in 2005, a couple of weeks after leaving Oxford. At Sky I began initially as a runner working on a broad range of shows before finding a job in the Cricket department as an assistant producer. I have recently taken on the role of a producer on a show called Cricket AM which runs during the summer months on Sky.
Syed Nasser, a.k.a. Sheedy (1994 – 2001) sends this update:
Upon leaving school Sheedy went to read law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He then went on to King’s College, University of London in order to study for his Masters in Public International Law. Once completed he went on to the Inns of Court School of Law and was called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn in 2006. In 2007 Sheedy abandoned legal practice for a career in headhunting. He is now a Consultant with Abrahams Russell, a high end legal recruitment firm in the City. Sheedy still uses his legal skills for charity work in various tribunals across London as well as work for international human rights and development charities. Sheedy continues, in vain, to support the cause of his beloved Southampton FC.
Martin Crossley (1978-85) has sent this recent update:
I am married and living in Ealing with 3 children and am a Retail Partner at King Sturge Property Consultants in London. Still playing football for Old Lyonians in the Southern Amateur League (although currently out with a broken leg) as well as some cricket and golf. In regular contact with Rob May (1978-85).
Norman Martin (1942-47) has sent in this photo of his form group taken in 1946 and featuring the renowned J.J. ‘Jasper’ Dodds. Norman writes:
My only memento of my time at Bournemouth School is [this] photograph taken in 1946 showing the 5th form of that year presided over by J.J. himself and flanked by two of the veterans of that form, Messers Mudway and Hunt. Some of the members of that form had carried over from previous years and as the youngest member, aged 15, (5th from the left, back row) I recall thinking that I had joined a class of young men. Charles Gray was another member of that form but was apparently absent that day. (Charles Gray was to become a famous actor – perhaps best known as Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever?)
Jasper Dodds was indeed unlike any other member of staff at that time. He was a strict disciplinarian. He demanded (and got) everybody’s absolute attention, no one ever failed to hand in homework and his was the only class whose pupils always lined up outside the room whilst waiting for him to arrive for a lesson instead of sitting around larking about! And all this without ever having to raise his voice. Fifty years on, I have to say I count myself fortunate to have come under his wing and to have seen him in his prime.
At the time there were very few private cars on the road, Jasper drove to school in a pre-war Morris 8 registration number CEL 57. The fact that, even today, the number comes easily to mind speaks volumes. Everyone’s radar was tuned to this vehicle and it needed to be because to be spotted by J.J. walking along East Way from the bus stop in Charminster Road without wearing the school cap was practically a capital offence. The sight of CEL 57 appearing over the top of the hill as it approached the school was the signal for the bareheaded ones to make themselves scarce.
Of his own time since leaving the school, Norman says:
I left school to work for Preston & Redman the solicitors in Hinton Road. After National Service I joined the Trust Division of Lloyds Bank and managed branches in Guernsey, Ipswich and Nottingham before retiring as head of financial services in the North West region based in Liverpool.
John Douglas Jones (1939-46) has written from Clifton in Bristol. He remembers with affection the staff who provided him with a sound grounding for his career in the aircraft industry. He writes:
I moved to Bristol to start my apprenticeship with the Bristol Aeroplane Company and have lived in Bristol ever since. I retired in 1989 having specialised in the design of Composite structures for 35 years. Modern military and Civil aircraft are progresively using increasing volumes of these materials.
I have been a keen sailplane pilot for 60 years and still play an active role in the technical aspects of sailplane operation. I would very much like to hear from anyone who would remember me from the period at school.
Congratulations to Rob May (1978-85) and his wife Wendy on the birth of their first child, Morgan John.