Binghi 152 - The Armidale School

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16 Binghi 152 Term 1, 2011 GRANDPARENTS DAY photo courtesy of Tim Barnsley More than 300 grandparents from across the state were given a glimpse of modern education at The Armidale School’s biennial Grandparents Day. Boys from Years 6 to 12 shared many facets of the school with their special family members in an event that was a prelude to NSW Seniors Week. From a visit to home classrooms, a tour of the indoor swimming and sports centre and Hoskins Theatre and a trip to the school’s new trade training facility, the guests learnt how much in education has changed, and yet how much has stayed the same. Among the numerous boys at TAS who showed special family members around the school were: (above) Liam Donaldson and his grandfather; Tom and Alex Wright (below left) with their grandmother, Mrs Conway from Brisbane; and (right) Jonathan Paul with Mrs Gilmore. All the photographs taken on grandparents day are available on the school website: www.as.edu.au photo courtesy of Tim Barnsley photo courtesy of Tim Barnsley
Here and There With thanks to Barry Blair, journalist for this story reproduced from The Northern Daily Leader of Saturday 5 March. I Remember when… Early days of aviation in Australia “Get away ‘Tubby’, get away!” Dodo Chapman’s mother screamed. Dodo’s fiancé, Charles Douglas ‘Tubby’ Sheardown (30-32), was barnstorming the family home when learning to fly a Gypsy Moth at the remote northern end of MacMasters Beach in the mid-1930s. ‘Tubby’ and his wife Dodo of some 51 years were reminiscing about the old days at their Brisbane suburban home in 1991. Following three years as a student at The Armidale School 1930-32, ‘Tubby’ was offered the management of an unviable family farm near Empire Bay on the Central Coast. The exploits of pioneer aviator Charles Kingsford Smith inspired him immensely, and a supportive uncle financed his flying lessons at Mascot, but only after dairy cows had been moved off the grass runway. At the outbreak of World War II, 'Tubby' enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Following service with the RAAF and the Central Flying School, 'Tubby' was decorated with the Air Force Cross, and the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. Following the sale of the farm, the Sheardown family moved to a lakeside cottage at MacMasters Beach. Taking what spasmodic farm-work he could find, ‘Tubby’ soon realised the sky was calling him. During 1946, ‘Tubby’ joined the fledgling Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) as a first officer. He later flew as captain of DC3s and DC4s. Because of small fuel tanks and limited load capacity, the DC3s ran numerous ‘rabbit trap runs’ such as Sydney-Melbourne via Canberra and Corowa. ‘Tubby’s’ 15-year flying career with TAA was not without incident. On one occasion, soon after takeoff, on a flight from Canberra to Sydney, weather conditions only allowed for take-off. Gaining altitude, ‘Tubby’ realised oil was low in one engine. With a constant eye on the oil pressure gauge the engine was shut down at 4000 ft altitude (1219m). Without further incident, the aircraft made a successful landing at Sydney airport on one engine. Dear Editor, I happened to come across your archives on the website and noted that in Binghi Edition 136 there was a query as to the whereabouts of your former master, Jim Duff (36-46). As a former student of his 40 years ago, and a friend of his for the next 35 years, I can inform you, if no-one else has done so, that he died in Adelaide in 2006, just short of his 96th birthday. After leaving TAS, Jim taught in Kenya and at Harrow in England, before taking the post of Senior Mathematics Master at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide in 1951. He taught there until his retirement in 1976, and subsequently enjoyed 30 years of active retirement. He remained in his own home with his wife of 60 years until his death. Beatrice died the following year also aged 95. He had many interests Old Boys' Jottings but probably greatest of them all was gardening. He was highly regarded and respected, and a wonderful friend to me. I had the great honour of giving the eulogy at his funeral. I hope this might be of interest to you and a few surviving students of his era. Yours sincerely, Alastair Hunter (Many thanks indeed Alastair for letting us know about Jim Duff. It is very much appreciated - Ed.) (Thank you to those who contacted me re Branko and Meadowfield re Binghi 151 - Ed. ) Ian Kiernan (52-58) thinks the photos were taken in 1957. He writes, "Somewhere I have photos of the canoes on the Gara River later on the same day. I remember Branko Milanovic who looked after the ag plots, the tractor, rotary hoe and Rosie the draught horse. He was a friendly and jovial bloke and I think a Jugoslav migrant. He lived in the cottage that Jim Graham later occupied at Backfield and was clearly delighted with his new life in Oz. Not sure if this is suitable for print but he had a substantial fist fight with the school sergeant, who was also popular with us, but we were thrilled by this gladiatorial event. Branko won. I didn’t live at Meadowfield but dear mellow Pappy Whitfield was the housemaster there. Previously I reported on the boat building activities that he established at Meadowfield. The images of the vehicles are Pappy's Humber, another teacher's Holden and Jim Graham’s VW. I think Pappy's wife is beside his car as it was a strictly male adventure. All three cars are loaded up with the first three canoes that we had built and we were going to launch them on the Gara River for their first adventure. It seems like yesterday! Fabulous to hear from Graham Sturt (47–56). He writes: Henry Belfield, the TAS Bursar for many years (40-45, 48-61), reckoned I was the third longest boarder at TAS I started when I was seven years and three months old. I was a monitor at Meadowfield in its first year of operation in 1956. My brother Warwick Sturt (47-54) was Captain of TAS in 1954. Binghi 151 mentioned Branko and you recorded the dates as 1962 – 1975. I left in 1956 and Branko had been at TAS for many years then. He was, amongst many other duties, the “keeper” of the Clydesdale, the Dray the agriculture plots and the chicken sheds. I enclose a photo showing a group of us “working” in the paddock between the Gym and Binghi 152 Term 1, 2011 3 17
Page 1 and 2: The Armidale School Term 1, 2011 No
Page 3 and 4: A SUMMER OF CRICKET SUCCESS Photo c
Page 5 and 6: GPS MATCHES BOOST RUGBY After an ab
Page 7 and 8: FATHER AND SON WEEKEND A weekend th
Page 9 and 10: TAS RUGBY CARNIVAL TAS playing Paci
Page 11 and 12: GO "GREASED LIGHTNING" Wow!! This w
Page 13 and 14: TAS TO TEZ David Wu, Nicholas Bohls
Page 15: INSIGHT INTO RURAL SCIENCE CAREERS
Page 19 and 20: News from Guy Fitzroy (92-97) who i

Binghi 152 - The Armidale School

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