Two very sad pieces of news for those Members who had not already heard. Tuesday 19 December, I had that morning posted the remainder of the December Newsletters to 560 Members. I was therefore devastated to receive a phone call that afternoon from John Fielding with the news that Nan had died at 1.00 pm. Too late to recall and reprint the Newsletter. E-mail to all OB's on the Web and notice on the usergroup plus notices in The Times, Daily Telegraph and Westmorland Gazette did bring the sad news to many.
However 8 inches of snow overnight blocked all but the major roads here about on Thursday 28th and only some 80 people including approx. 20 OB's were able to get to the funeral service. A number of OB's expressing their sorrow suggested that a Memorial Service for Nan be held during Reunion weekend. This has been arranged with Nan's family to give us an opportunity to celebrate her overwhelming influence on nearly 3,000 boys at HGS 1940-78, and particularly her pastoral care for Boarders for all but a few of her 37 years at Heversham. You will agree that Nan had in some way moulded all our personalities and in many cases our careers.
The other great loss to the School and local community was the death of Brig. C E Tryon-Wilson of Dallam Tower on 18 April, especially as he was an active Governor attending meetings up to last December at the age of 91. For over 40 years he had continued the Wilson Family tradition and generously supported both HGS and Milnthorpe School, and also Dallam since their amalgamation. By coincidence the Brigadier's Memorial Service has been arranged for 12.30 pm at Beetham Parish Church also on 14 July.
Although our 2000 Reunion was a resounding success, 220 Members and friends, criticism of the buffet and preparation and dismantling of sports hall facilities falling on only a few willing helpers has precluded a similar event being arranged this year (perhaps keep it in mind for 2013 - HGS 400th anniversary). The Committee decided to revert to the Cross Keys but two days prior to our March meeting the Managers who had given excellent service for over six years informed us that they were giving up the tenancy. Other alternatives were considered and the Blue Bell at Heversham was able to cater for 95 on 14 July and has been booked. Owing to this limit of 95 (previous limit at Milnthorpe 90 had never been reached) it will be a case of first come first served. Some OB's wives spoken to have implied that a separate function in the upstairs dining room for ladies would be acceptable, as in earlier years. Late applications unable to be placed will be informed. It is hoped that Old Boys not attending the dinner will in the course of the weekend avail themselves of the other activities arranged. Especially the memorabilia display in Big School, prepared by Alan Mottershead and Staff.
NB: Year 1951 intake are holding their own 50th anniversary reunion at Heaves Hotel on Friday 13th. Thanks to much diligent research by F Keith Wilson and Robert E Lemon, a good turn-out is expected.
PROGRAMME:
| Sat 14th July | 12.00 noon | Memorial Service for Brig. C E Tryon-Wilson, Beetham Parish Church |
|
1.30 pm |
Informal reception tea/coffee and biscuits Boarders' Dining Room Memorabilia display, Big School. Walk about to view external building improvements. | |
| 3.00 pm | Memorial Service for Mrs Nan Chinn, Heversham Parish Church | |
| 4.15 pm | Planting of "Nan Chinn" Memorial Tree by the Head Teacher's lawn | |
| 5.00 pm | AGM in Big School | |
| 7.00 for 7.30 pm | Reunion Dinner, Blue Bell Hotel, Heversham £15 per head | |
| Sun 15th July | 10.00 am | Family Service Heversham Parish Church |
| 11.30 am | Sherry reception HT's lawn. Memorabilia display Big School | |
| 2.30 pm | (Foot & Mouth permitting) Cricket and/or hockey if sufficient support. BYO Picnic Tea! |
Agenda Item for AGM:
Successor to Nan as Vice President. The Committee propose that our Constitution be amended to allow two Vice Presidents. Nominations, if this is approved, Dr John B Dawson (44/52) and John Handley (44/52)
Welcome to new Life Members
| John Holliday (50/58) Great Strickland | Peter Stansfield (44/51) Warrandyte, Melbourne |
| Dr Robin Stanley (66/71) West Pymble, NSW | John Atkinson (45/51) Te Awamutu NZ |
| John Marshall (40/48) Retired from Christ College Brecon to Southampton | |
| Martin Long (68/74) Rothbury Northumberland | Derek Tugman ( 38/43) Warton |
Sad news of the following deaths:
| John Pickthall (40/48) Farmer Hincaster 27/12/00 | Colin C Dalzell (45/49) Preston Patrick 31/12/00 |
| Geoff D Hudson (42/45) Humberside January 2001 | Robert W Clark (40/46) K Shoes. Storth 10/4/01 |
| Roy Geoff Dolman (39/48) Bank Manager (former HGS OB's Soc Treasurer) 13/3/01 | Brian G Robinson (51/54) Lloyds, J Fisher Found'n, Kingston upon Thames ?1999 |
| Joseph Wright (16/20) Farmer Helsington 18/4/01 | Alan Clegg (38/42) Vet Preston area ?Lindale 4/5/01 |
Joseph Wright although not a Member of the Society was, so far as I was aware, the current Oldest HGS OB. Any nominations for his successor? Please let me know.
It is our practice to report the deaths of all OB's, Members or not, brought to our attention. Similarly with items of news sent in or noted, it is the Heversham Grammar Story we are writing not just the Old Boys' Society.
A list has been prepared of all HGS Headmasters for display on a plaque in Big School. This is being verified by Roger Bingham (54/61), local historian. Congratulations Roger on your installation as Chairman of South Lakeland District Council. A list of all members of staff by name since 1900 has been obtained from records. I hope to have their dates and subjects added for display at the Reunion. Helping to jog your memories. Two more brittle nitrate 8 mm films "HGS 69/70" and "A School Play"have been found in the drama store and are presently being transferred onto video. The 350th Commem Weekend film - video still awaits commentry Relatives of the late W P (Spot) Atkinson (18/24) have very kindly donated some items of HGS memorabilia, prize book, photograph and autograph albums for our archives.
Pleased to report a very pleasant Antipodean trip for Anne and myself (no expenses claimed) Jan-March this year 21 Old Boys contacted. Singapore 1, W Australia 2, Adelaide 2, Melbourne 4, Sydney 2, N I NZ 6, Hong Kong 1.Thanks to all for their hospitality and assistance with travel arrangements. It was nice meeting face to face with Laurie Gilbert, Bill Hall, Neil Tyson, Andrew Smith, Mike Pointer*, Peter Stansfield*, John Atkinson* and Mike Winarick. *These three OB's I had not seen since the 1950s.
With reference to the Head's letter, you may recall the anxiety expressed by members at our 1997 AGM about the delapidated state of the buildings at Heversham. As Alan says we hope you will be pleased with the extensive refurbishments of these 1878 Boarding House and Big School premises.
You will note on the "Reply Form" that you are invited to make donations in memory of Nan. Assistance with and support for the internal refurbishment of the Boarding House gives us a chance to mark our recognition of the 38 years of service she gave in the Boarding Establishment. We hope you will support the Dallam Trustees in their aim to bring the Boarding House into the 21st Century. As this letter is going to only 560 members, please feel free to photocopy and send to any OB's not members' list who wish to share in the celebration of her life.
Apologies for delay, looking forward to hearing from you.
JOHN HANDLEY (Hon Sec.) (44/520)
On April 8 pupils of the former Milnthorpe Secondary School, the school which was absorbed along with Heversham into the new Dallam School in 1984, held a reunion and exhibition of memorabilia.
This weekend Heversham Grammar School Old Boys' Society celebrates 100 years since its foundation and in September, former pupils of the new Dallam School; get their chance to reminisce over -their school days.
On Saturday night a reunion dinner of Heversham Old Boys will be held in the sports hall at Dallam School's Heversham site and there will be memorabilia displays. On Sunday, after a service at St. Peter's, there will be a sherry reception on head teacher Alan Mottershead's lawn - with croquet. In the afternoon, there will be a cricket match with current Dallam staff.
Heversham School was founded in 1618 by Edward Wilson, of Nether Levens, "to increase, maintain and continue religion, good learning and discipline in the parish".
"I love that last bit," said secretary of the Old Boys John Handley, who with the strategy of appointing "year reps" to contact schoolmates from their own year, nationwide publicity and an e-mail usergroup on the Internet, has recruited 40 new members on top of the existing 880.
The first school building - the remains of which can still be seen was at Heversham Head. In 1678 it had six boys, who boarded in village houses.
In 1698, after a period of decline, the school flourished under Thomas Wilson and produced Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, master of Cambridge's Trinity College Dr William Whewell and Ephraim Chambers, who compiled Chambers English Dictionary.
In 1849 cockfighting in the school's cockpit was made illegal and students were no longer able to pay their "cock penny" to go over the stile and take part.
In 1878, at a cost of £8,000, the present school at Heversham was built and the old one sold for £205 to be used as a cowshed.
The next landmark came in 1968 when the first girls were admitted to the sixth form - Marilyn Barnes (nee Gould) and Margaret Wilson.
"We had the choice of going to Kendal High School," said Mrs Barnes, whose father and husband attended Heversham and whose eldest son has just gone. "But we bet between ourselves that it would be easier to deal with boys than the cattiness of girls!
Despite the lack of facilities for girls, she went on to have a career in magazine journalism in London and is the first female Old Boy.
In 1984, the grammar school was absorbed, along with Milnthorpe Secondary School, into the new Dallam School.
Chairman of the governors Brian Walker, a former director of Oxfam, has accepted an invitation to the reunion, as has Ruth Moser, the widow of John Drury, who was head in 1966, and Guy Willatt, head from 1954-66.
A scion of the founding Wilson family is Brigadier C E Tryon-Wilson, 92, of Dallam Tower, Milnthorpe, who will attend the reunion. Other alumni include Kim Fletcher, former editor of The Independent on Sunday, and The Sunday Times political cartoonist Peter Brookes.
"All that I like doing is bringing people together," said Mr Handley, who has been secretary for 37 years.
One former teacher, Martin Nicholson, now living in Addis Ababa, wrote to Mr Handley that he had attended a Shakespearean evening and found the man playing Falstaff, winking at him. "He was Kevin Massey who `played the trumpet in my Heversham orchestra! The last time I had seen him was in 1967."
And Nora MacDonnell Barraford, of Massachusetts, USA, who was born in the Vale of Lune, wrote to say her brother, Theodore R MacDonnell, had attended Heversham, and become one of Americas much decorated famous soldiers.
"We may have lost our school but we are very involved in Dallam School - we raised £12,500 for the language college - and the society is thriving," said Mr Handley.
For further information about Heversham Grammar Old Boys' Society, please contact:
Email: 
johnhandley@bigfoot.com
|
A REUNION of Heversham Grammar School Old Boys exceeded all
expectations when more than 200 former pupils, covering all
generations from 1925 to 1984, arrived in the village.
Tom Tyson and Thomas Barraford came from the USA to attend a semi-formal dinner in the Heversham sports hall, which finished well after midnight. Many who could not attend the dinner turned up over the weekend to view an extensive collection of Memorabilia prepared by Alan Mottershead, head teacher at Dallam School. An enthusiastic Old Boys Xl made 58 runs at a cricket match on Sunday before being finally beaten by Dallam School teachers by two wickets. (Derived from the Westmorland Gazette)
© Copyright:
Newsquest/Westmorland Gazette |