In Touch fourth edition - St Hughs

In Touch with St Hugh’s
Carswell Manor, Faringdon, Oxon, SN7 8PT
Email: pastpupils@st-hughs.co.uk
Tel: 01367 870700 Fax: 01367 870707
www.st-hughs.oxon.sch.uk
Issue 4
Autumn 2006
1906 Centenary year 2006
Our Centenary Journey
Oh what a year this has been! Our jour‐
ney has taken us from 1906 Chislehurst to
the Carswell of today. We have journeyed
physically by train and bicycle, emotion‐
ally as we have remembered times past,
and intellectually as we have researched
both the history of the school and life
beyond it throughout those 100 years. We
have had lots of company along the way:
pupils, staff, parents and governors of
today, former pupils and their families
and former staff from across the years.
Reports follow on an exciting year.
A last word from Derek Cannon
as he and Verena retire.
In almost two years since I wrote in the first
edition of In Touch, St Hughʹs has been a
hive of activity and achievement. The tra‐
ditionally active life of the school has gath‐
ered further pace with the wonderful cen‐
tenary celebrations, highlighted elsewhere.
It has been a joy to see the involvement of
so many of the wider St Hughʹs family and
we can all reflect on a marvellous year.
Achievements have been legion. 2005 saw
20 awards to senior schools, with a further
15 added this year. Among team trophies
won have been the following: the national
SATIPS Poetry Cup, the Marlborough de‐
bate, the Magdalen College School Prep
Schoolsʹ Challenge for general knowledge,
the county Under 11 hockey championship
and a large number of sports tournaments.
Other notable performances were given by
our boysʹ cross country runners and girlsʹ
netball team, each only narrowly pipped into
second place in IAPS national championships.
Tennis successes have continued spectacu‐
larly, with 3 IAPS national titles (out of a pos‐
sible 8) in 2005 followed by 2 in 2006.
Other individual achievements include med‐
als in national cross country, athletics and
judo, strong performances in national swim‐
ming, prizes in national poetry, history and
general knowledge competitions and selection
for the national tennis academy, national
childrenʹs orchestra and the Eisteddfod. This
by no means exhaustive list gives a hint of the
breadth of the school, the talents of pupils and
the skills of staff.
I have referred above to involvement of the
wider school family. This is underlined by the
continuing demand from former pupils to
return for work experience or as gap students
and by the astonishing response to events
such as the fireworks concert. It was a particu‐
lar delight this year to welcome back Profes‐
sor Colin Normand as guest speaker on
Speech Day, when we also enjoyed the com‐
pany of Derek Newton. It has been splendid
to see them and so many of you during the
year.
Finally, a personal note. Verena and I have
been overwhelmed by your generosity and
kindness as we leave St Hughʹs after twenty
two and a half years. We wish the school and
all of you every future happiness and success
and hope that the ties strengthened by the
centenary will long be preserved.
And we welcome new headmaster,
Andrew Nott, his wife Sarah and children:
Elizabeth, William, Henry,
George and James.
During our initial visit to St Hugh’s before the
first round of interviews, Sarah and I were
really struck by the happy, busy atmosphere
of the school and especially by the cheerful,
friendly and well‐mannered children. We felt
immediately ‘at home’ and several weeks
later, once the recruitment process had been
completed, it was with real pleasure and en‐
thusiasm that I accepted the position as Head‐
master.
Derek and Verena have left a fine legacy and
a school in excellent form. St Hugh’s has a
strong reputation not just in the local area but
much further afield, too. I feel very privileged
to be leading the school now and it is my job
to build on the success of previous genera‐
tions and to lead St Hugh’s into the beginning
of its second century.
Reading the memories of those who have
contributed to this edition, it is quite evident
that the school is held in deep affection by so
many. Before our arrival here, we were fortu‐
nate to have been invited to some of the cele‐
brations of the centenary year and it was mar‐
vellous to be able to speak to some former
pupils about their experiences and recollec‐
tions. Time spent at St Hugh’s is remembered
with real fondness and as Derek said in his
piece, this fondness felt by previous genera‐
tions continues into the present with many
former pupils being keen to return in their
GAP years.
We are so grateful for the warm welcome we
have received from the whole St Hugh’s com‐
munity and we and our five children have
settled in very well. I am now much enjoying
the challenge of leading the school and hope
to continue the excellent work of my prede‐
cessors. We have celebrated a memorable
past and we look forward to an exciting fu‐
ture.
Andrew Nott

St Hugh’s says goodbye to
Derek & Verena
We said
a special
goodbye
to Derek
a n d
Verena at
the end
of the
summer
term,
prior to their retirement at the end of Au‐
gust. They were showered with gifts and
good wishes which they are doing their best
to fit into their Cumbrian cottage! Their
farewell party was attended by over 300
parents, former pupils and families with
some of the sixth year pupils handing out
delicious parent‐made canapés arranged
through FOSH. A collection among the
extended St Hugh’s family had raised funds
for a very special gift: a stunning portrait of
their daughter Sarah (a former pupil her‐
self), painted by well‐known artist and for‐
mer parent, Clare Shenstone.
Memories were recalled and tributes paid by
Roger Snow, Derek’s deputy head for so
many years, former parent Mike Jack, for‐
mer pupil Nicola Hickman, former teacher
and friend Charles Wilkinson and by Sarah
herself. James Guillum Scott, Chairman of
Governors, read out a tribute from Derek
Newton who was Chairman when Derek
was appointed.
Derek’s own words in his final letter to par‐
ents in the summer newsletter describe his
and Verena’s response. ‘The party arranged
for us was a great delight and we are lost for
words to express the joy given to us by that
gathering and by the extraordinary present
of a portrait of our daughter, Sarah. Sarah,
who overcame extreme prematurity not
simply to survive but to be such a wonder‐
ful daughter, holds centre stage in our
hearts and nothing could have given us
greater pleasure than that portrait, painted
with such skill and feeling by Clare Shen‐
stone.’
We wish Derek and Verena a long and
happy retirement.
Some of the other events we
have enjoyed this year . . .
St Hugh’s Day
A special
service
in St
Mary’s
Church,
Buck‐
land was
followed
by a French market and French themed
lunch in school, complete with chocolate foun‐
tain! The afternoon was filled with It’s a
Knock Out inter‐house competitions on the
field and a good time was had by all.
Centenary Golf Event
It was great to welcome back former pupils,
parents and staff: Jeremy & Philip Bickerton,
James Gervers, Chris Goldingham, Roger
Harrison, David Jackson, James Lake and
Iona Smith to take part, alongside the head‐
master, current parents and staff in our special
golf event at Carswell Golf Club. Husbands
and wives
joined us in
the evening
for a jolly
dinner and
prize‐giving
in school. It
was all great
fun with
David Jack‐
son’s winning team ‘The Grumpy Old Men’
taking the much coveted trophy. There may
well be a next time so if you feel like a chal‐
lenge, watch this space …
Grand Centenary Ball
What a night it was! We have run out of su‐
perlatives to describe it but to quote one parent
‘we had a brilliant evening’. It was wonderful
to see so many of our former pupils and par‐
ents at the event. The champagne flowed in
the beautifully decorated reception tent and
was but a small taste of what was to come.
The enormous dining marquee was a vision of
pink and red feathers with wonderful banners
bearing photos of the school through its 100
years lining the ‘walls’. (Banners which would
be used throughout the coming weeks as the
celebrations and events stepped up.) We had
an excellent meal with great magic by former
pupil Charles Wyn‐Davies, we danced, then
gambled away our St Hugh’s fun money
(bearing the headmaster’ head) on the casino
and vied for a go on the scalextric. It really
was a ‘grand’ evening. The organisers, Fi
Viney, Hailey Stoneham and Ruth Richards
(all current parents) had done an amazing job.
To quote from parent Miranda Collins’ article
in the school newsletter ‘Everything was
thought of in order to give us a wonderfully
happy evening.’
Junior Ball for 5th/6th Years
and leavers of 2004 & 2005
The following are excerpts from an ac‐
count of the evening written by Catherine
Yarrow, who left the school in 2005.
‘It was a fantastic chance for the older
years of the school to get ready to say
goodbye, as they move on to their next
school, and for previous students to be
reunited.
The biggest success of the evening, no
competition, was the ice cream van!
Whilst hard core metal was being played
in the marquee, the sound of an ice cream
van tinkling away was heard by the mesh
of hard core rockers busting their moves
on the dance floor and we instantly ran
out . . . sweetly screaming and laughing
like angelic five year olds! Other great
successes were our two acts: the first,
Charles Wyn‐Davies performing some
astounding magic tricks and the second,
our very own band, The Fracture, putting
the childish chimes of the ice‐cream van
to shame with their rock and roll!
It was a great success and I am very
thankful to the school and organisers for
planning such a great evening.’
Picnic & Fireworks Concert
What a fitting way to end
this exciting year! The
concert was opened by Isabel
Oon (former pupil) on
the bagpipes after which,
under the direction of John
Ridgway, Sally Ewins and
Joanna Havelock, the school
orchestra and choir, together
with a specially formed centenary orchestra
and choir of former pupils, current and former
parents and staff, as well as many of the peripatetic
music teachers, parent Heather Clubb
(soprano) and a professional guitarist, Liz
Larner, as well as former pupil Laurie Havelock’s
Jazz/Swing Band, performed a varied
programme of classical and popular music in
the school grounds. The quality of music was
exceptional and the climax was a magnificent
fireworks display by former parent Chris
Gurney, accompanied by Handel’s Music for
the Royal Fireworks. The marquee, house and
grounds were beautifully illuminated by
Oliver Helm (former pupil) and we all enjoyed
picnics and chilled wine as we relaxed and
enjoyed a balmy evening and excellent entertainment.
After the concert there was dancing
to the Tomcats (featuring former parent, Jim
Stagg) and we all went home (very late!)
feeling glad to be
part of a very
large and very
special family—
St Hugh’s!

The wrinklies’ reunion
(Pre‐1960)
50 years on, and how the memories leap back
into one’s mind. Carswell Manor was looking
so familiar, I half expected Mr Tootell and
Tom Young to welcome me at the entrance.
But there were some half‐remembered faces
amongst the 18 of us (some with wives) who
gathered in the marquee on the front lawn;
perhaps slightly self‐conscious to be looking
so much older than the masters we recalled
from those seemingly distant days. It was
amazing to see all the memorabilia on display
‐ great fun to chat about our schoolboy antics
and escapades, and to be shown around the
old house; the classrooms and dormitories we
remembered, suddenly, with such clarity.
But we were reminiscing about a small prep
school of some 70 boys, running on the most
austere post‐war budget, and teaching on a
shoestring ‐ seventy guineas a term, I hear the
present parents gasp!! Now, as we turned the
corner, there was the revelation of the modern
St Hughʹs. An educational cornucopia of won‐
derful classrooms, equipped with a plethora
of the latest equipment. What an amazing
change has taken place and how lucky to be a
pupil here today. And it was the children
themselves who delighted us the most. So
bright, so polite, and obviously enjoying
themselves so much.
Thank you Headmaster, teachers, staff and
pupils for a lovely day, a splendid lunch, and
a vivid reminder of what all of us have taken
away from St Hughʹs over the years ‐ happi‐
ness.
Lunch in the marquee
Tony Stafford (1957)
and the not quite so
wrinklies (1960s & 70s)
Ah, St Hugh’s
My first full visit since leaving way back in
1973. The visions and emotions come flood‐
ing back as that grand old building wel‐
comes our return. One feels at home in‐
stantly, it is as if the school has never forgot‐
ten you, just as you never really forget the
school. As I walk through the huge front
door, the first question springs to mind;
“Exactly how long has that hall table been
there”?!
In a moment I am 12 again, my brother
(Garrity 2 or Grotty as he later became
known!) feels the same ‐ so much has
changed and yet so much hasn’t.
Adrian & Robin Garrity with Neil Harvey
The library, (as was) is where we congregate
prior to a guided tour and a later lunch.
Hundreds of pieces of paraphernalia lie
about on tables and pinned to notice boards
which we hungrily browse, eager
to find some document or photo
that relates to the time we were
there. As more ex‐pupils enter the
room, old friendships are instantly
revived and I found it quite ex‐
traordinary that every pupil whom
I knew at St Hugh’s, and who are
now adults, was easily recognised.
However, the true highlight for
me had to be the entrance of Derek
Cannon with Roger (Snoddy)
Snow and Marle, It was delightful
to see them both again and we
inevitably spent a little time
‘chewing the cud’ and reminiscing.
Eventually, it was time for the escorted
tour, we soon discovered that decades in
absentia had not completely erased our
memories; we quickly recognised our route
and began to freely exchange tales of yore.
One example being the maze of corridors in
the basement where we older chaps fright‐
ened the youngsters into believing there was
a resident ghost!
I was particularly pleased to observe the
new complex dedicated to Tilly Young, as
we affectionately called him, and that the
school had honoured him in such a way;
little did we understand at the time what a
huge influence he had on our lives, he was
a firm, fair man and like a father to us
during what seemed like an age between
leave Sundays. Undoubtedly the same
feelings will go through the minds of this
generation as St Hugh’s wishes Derek
Cannon a long and happy retirement.
Of course, the welcoming atmosphere is
not only due to the building and the
memories it conveys. A school is nothing
without its good masters and support staff
which in turn is reflected in the conduct
and deportment of its pupils and this day
was no exception.
Suzy Robinson is worthy of special men‐
tion for organising the Centenary celebra‐
tions, as are the gallant pupils who es‐
corted us throughout the tour, you put up
with the plethora of old ‘war stories’
(please, don’t go out onto the rooftops at
midnight via that top floor loo window
will you? ‐ At least don’t get caught!), and
a total disruption to your schedule. Some‐
how we made it back in time for lunch
where Derek gave a hearty welcoming
speech and Kim Craven replied on behalf
of the visitors. Afterwards we took the
opportunity to walk around the grounds,
(I can’t explain how guilty I felt entering
the woods at the far end of the playing
fields, still out of bounds I take it?), and we
were shown the magnificent new cricket
pavilion. A little later, we gave our fond
farewells and drove away into the warm
afternoon sun.
The not‐quite‐so‐wrinklies
A final mention should, of course go to
Derek. We owe you a debt of gratitude for
allowing us into those hallowed walls
again and for providing a terrific festive
board at lunchtime. I’m sure I speak for
everyone present in wishing you the very
best for your retirement.
Adrian Garrity (1973)

Former Pupil News
The photograph below was sent to us by John
Twallin, former pupil, whose father was joint
headmaster of St Hugh’s, with Alfred John‐
son, during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
This was an important and impressive period
of the school’s history as, under this partner‐
ship, it flourished in all areas of the curricu‐
lum and on the sports field.
Mr Twallin discovered the cross and candle‐
sticks in Bromley parish church with a card
explaining that they had been presented to
the church by St Hugh’s, ‘on temporary loan’,
when the
Bickley
building
w a s
bombed
in 1941.
(It also
d e ‐
scribed
t h e
school as being ‘now closed’ ‐ a mistake we
have asked them to correct!.) Some of you
may remember the cross and candlesticks
from the school chapel?
Photo Gallery
Do you recognise anyone in these photos?
Denys Pringle (1965) came back for our 60s &
70s reunion in May and, having looked
through our archive photos, went home and
kindly retrieved
some of his own.
Mr Dewey, whose
son, Tony, was
with us for our
Pre‐60s reunion.
This photo was
taken in 1960.
A coach operator demonstrating his new 52‐seater
to Tom Young, Mr Sempil and boys (1962‐65).
This allowed virtually the entire school to go to
church in one coach (prefects in TLY’s car).
Mr Sempil starts the
sack race on sports
day (1962‐5).
Denys
Pringle with
his rabbit
(Blackie) at
Pet’s corner
(1963).
Down Memory Lane . . .
I think that it was in January 1941, when I
was living in Nottingham, that I was asked to
join up with Adlington (II?) to return to
school in Malvern. I was then 11 years old.
We travelled from Nottingham to Derby and
then on to Birmingham with no trouble, BUT
when we arrived at New Street we saw a
notice saying that, due to the overnight raids
and bomb damage on the rails, there were no
trains going south.
I was apparently in charge of our small
party(!!) so we reported to the station man‐
ager at about lunchtime, who informed us
that there would be no trains going south
until the evening, so please come back at 7
o’clock. Whoopee, we had 7 hours of free‐
dom to do what we wanted. Of what we did
I have no memory but we enjoyed ourselves
and spent most of our term’s pocket money!
Our parents had, by this time, heard of the
heavy overnight bombing of Birmingham
and were distraught to know what had hap‐
pened to their sons. After a rather boring
wait at the station for another two hours we
finally got underway. Progress was very
slow and we eventually arrived at Worcester
station at 0100, when we were told that the
train was going no further.
With our fun nearly over and no taxis
around, we rang ‘Toots’, with what remained
of our pocket money and he, much relieved
to find his lost boys (whose mothers were
apparently going berserk) came and fetched
us. That was wartime for us . . .
David Eckersley‐Maslin (1937‐1943)
Jeremy Arnold attended St Hugh’s from 1953
to 1956 and wrote after receiving In Touch.
He has many memories of the school, the
following being but a few.
If you have memories of your time at St Hugh’s, please send them
to Suzy Robinson by post or by email: pastpupils@st-hughs.co.uk
Dinky Camps were areas in the wood
where we used to play with Dinky toys.
You had to be invited, or ask to join an
established camp, though I suppose you
could have started your own , provided
that you did not encroach on anyone else’s
territory. We used to ‘quarry’ something.
I still don’t know what it was, from a part
of the woods that was ‘Out of Bounds’
next to the main road. When spread on
the ground in strips it used to harden to
form roads ideal for Dinky toys. Luckily,
none of the masters ever thought to ask
where this came from—that could have
been a little embarrassing!
Tony Stafford reminds me that, with my
war heroes in mind, I was involved in a
tunnelling project. The entrance was well
disguised in one of the gardens, a wooden
manhole, the cover being a tray with
plants growing in it. I remember that the
tunnel I was involved with went partly
under a track that used to run through the
grounds, past the ha ha. I think we were
lucky that we didn’t get killed if it had
caved in! As I remember it, the spoil was
dumped amongst some laurel bushes: we
didn’t go so far with our re‐enactment as
to shuffle about whilst dropping it down
our trouser legs!
Jeremy
Arnold in his
school garden.
There was a tag game with military conno‐
tations that we used to play, we used to
call it ‘Go to Coventry’. There were two
teams, pursuers and their quarry. A pur‐
suer had to find and touch one of the
quarry, saying ‘Go to Coventry’, he then
had to go to a pre‐arranged spot and wait,
hopefully to be rescued. One of the still
free ‘quarry’ team could rescue his impris‐
oned colleagues by reaching the prison
and touching them. When all the ‘quarry’
were caught, that was the end of the game.
Hours of endless fun, and quite a bit of
cunning on occasions, crawling through
the long grass on one’s stomach and so on!
In the winter months this could even carry
on after dark, as we did not have to go in
until someone came out and rang a bell.
Wonderful carefree times, how it was to be
young at St Hugh’s!
Jeremy Arnold (1953‐1956)