Robin French writes, asking if we can put him in contact with Paul Field, who left Bournemouth School in 1958 to head for Southampton University. If you know Paul – or if you are Paul – please get in touch. Southampton University are organising a reunion and would like to invite him.
Carol Goodliffe writes to inform us that her uncle, David Aldridge, passed away in December. David was a past pupil of Bournemouth School and an Old Bournemouthian. She writes:
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.
The Bournemouth Daily Echo reports that for the first time, Bournemouth School is admitting girls as pupils in the sixth form. Previously, BSG students had been able to study in the sixth form, but this arrangement was ended recently due to timetable clashes. The new girls will be full members of Bournemouth School. In a couple of years we will no longer be exclusively Old Boys. The full story is here.
David Hilliam arrived at Bournemouth School in the 1960’s as a teacher of English. He progressed through Head of Department to become Deputy Headmaster for many years, until his retirement.
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.
There are two planned golf days which are open to all golfers of all age ranges – beginners or experienced players.
If you would like to enter, please contact Alan Carver, the Old Boys’ Golf Secretary soon. Please let him have your email and home addresses as well as your phone number and your years period at the School. You can reach Alan on 01202 487011 or 07881 815184 or by email. Alan is trying build the golfing section of the OB’s so if you are a golfer please drop Alan an email.
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.
An appeal to former 35th Bournemouth Scouts from Jeremy Sullivan Asst Scout Leader:
I hope many ex-Scouts remember the enjoyment and badges they obtained whilst boating. For me this meant “Sea Tern”, a 27 ft Montague Whaler in Poole Harbour and on her retirement “Sea Scout” a Scoutcraft16 double-banked pulling boat. “Sea Scout” with a glass-fibre hull and wooden gunwale and thwarts at approximately 15 years old, is still going strong.
In the summer the Group currently meets at the Bournemouth Town Camp Site Perch Pool on the river Stour in Christchurch on Friday evenings but lacks sufficient boating seats to put all Scouts & Explorers on the water at one time. The task of locating a boatyards producing Scout-suitable gigs is next to impossible and I was therefore extremely pleased to hear about “The Future Gig Project”.
This project, lead by a team of Sea Scout Leaders and including Mark Edwards – Master Boat Builder – is redesigning certain aspects of the classic Home Counties Gig to ensure a saving in weight, reduced maintenance costs and a lighter sailing rig as well as obtaining funding to produce a new shaping mould. It is estimated that a pulling/sailing version including trailer of the Home Counties Gig (currently our boats are stored on land) would cost £18,000 making this the most expensive purchase the Group has ever made. However, as some Home Counties Gigs from the 1960’s are only now approaching retirement this does represent good value for money for our current Scouts and future generations.
Over the last two to three years we have raised £6,500 towards the purchase of a gig. In the long term we would like to purchase additional gigs both to increase the number of Scouts (boys & girls now from BSG) we can put on the water and so we can have pulling races.
If any ex-Scouts can help with a donation to the gig fund please send cheques payable to Bournemouth School Sea Scouts C/O Mr B Cudmore, Scout Leader, Bournemouth School, East Way, Bournemouth BH8 9PY.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Jeremy Sullivan
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)
Back row (L-R)
Can anyone fill in the gaps?
Eric Sidwick writes that Dr Michael Hirons has passed away. Mike was a Head Prefect at the school during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Later he became a GP in Winton. We do not have funeral information.
The first quarterly newsletter of the Association is now available to download, in PDF format, with thanks to Simon Hird.