Old Orwellian News - Orwell Park School

Tribute to Brian Belle
In the Spring 2007 edition of the Old Orwellian News, we were sad
to report the death of Brian Belle, joint Headmaster of Orwell Park
until 1969 and sole Headmaster until his retirement in 1979.
Until his death, Brian remained an integral part of the School and,
on these two pages, we pay homage, through what was said at his
funeral and memorial service, to him and his wife, Sylvia, after whom
the School’s Legacy Society, The Sylvia Belle Society, is named.
Pamela Thomas (1960-1964), Brian’s
elder daughter, said at his funeral that
she found it impossible to condense her
father’s life into a few paragraphs.
“However– husband, father, grandfather,
sportsman, teacher – he excelled at them
all.
As children, all his sporting achievements
washed over my sister and me, though
we can remember many long hours
spent beside a cricket pitch or sitting
outside the golf club, being regaled
with cricketing triumphs and golfing
successes and disasters. It wasn’t until
later that we truly understood what a
magnificent sportsman he had been.
It wasn’t just that he was a great
sportsman but he instilled a love of
games, especially cricket and football,
in the many hours he spent coaching
youngsters. And his work with the
National Playing Fields Association was
not only recognised by the Duke of
Edinburgh, but helped to ensure that
children throughout Suffolk would have
the same opportunities to play and
enjoy sport as he had done.
To generations of schoolboys, and
girls, he was known as “Dingers”, firm
but fair, and remembered with great
affection by many of his former pupils.
It was due to his love and care that the
cricket pitch, known to everyone as “The
Holy Ground”, was regarded as the best
school pitch in Suffolk. We remember
the look on his face at a Fathers’ Match
when a fashionable mother set off
across the hallowed turf in stiletto heels,
turning him quite pale!
When Mum and Dad retired to the Buck
House, the home where they had spent
most of their married life, Dad still took
a keen interest in the school and all its
doings, advising the groundsmen and
watching the matches. He also did some
private maths coaching with some older
pupils – “50 years of teaching maths,”
he said to me once, “and they still forget
where to put the decimal point!”
I can’t let his love of music go unmentioned.
He had a glorious voice and
dearly loved to sing, even in the last year
of his life. He also had a fund of ‘parlour
songs’, and ditties less respectable.
Many old boys will cherish his ‘Bahunkas’,
as his golfing friends will remember
his renditions of a certain rugby song!
Above all, Dad loved his family, he
was always supportive of all our plans,
whether he thought they were a
good idea or not! He delighted in his
grandchildren and they all spent many a
happy hour in his company.”
The oldest and the youngest Old Orwellians
attending the Old Orwellian Day: Lt Col William
F Nesbitt (1930–1936) and Philip J O Donald
(1997–2002), who is currently a gap year student at
Orwell Park.
Nigel Belle (1950–1955). Ian Angus (Former Headmaster 1979–1993).
Daughters Vicki Hunt (1961-1965), Pamela Thomas (1960-1964) and Chairman of Governors,
David C Wake-Walker (1956-1960) with the Sweet Chestnut tree (Castanea Sativa).
Nigel Belle (1950-1955), Brian’s nephew,
spoke at the memorial service.
“My first real memory of Brian is from
1950 when I was eight and started at
Orwell Park School as a nervous school
boy. I remember my first day, having left
my mother blubbing at Liverpool Street
station, and here I was playing French
cricket on the hallowed turf in front of
the Headmaster’s study.
Although over half a century ago, I
still get flashes of Orwell and Brian so
often but a very vivid memory was of
being caught smoking at the bottom of
the observatory tower by – yes, you’ve
guessed it, my Uncle Brian! Certainly no
preferential treatment for me – I was
dragged straight up to his room, shorts
down and given the dreaded slipper
– was it twice, four times, ten times?
– I don’t remember – I was bawling my
head off!
That taught me some very important
lessons, about right and wrong,
punishment and a new dimension to
Brian and authority – that of “respect”.
That day taught me a lot, not least of
which was to smoke in a safer place in
future!
Brian was a true gentleman, a proud
and wonderful family man – he did so
love his Sylvia, their children Pam and
Pen and their grandchildren. My wife,
Jane, and I have been so privileged to
have known him.”
Ian Angus, Headmaster from 1979 to
1993, had this to say at Brian’s memorial
service:
“Brian and Sylvia were born into
teaching: Sylvia through her father and
grandfather at Aldeburgh Lodge, while
Brian’s mother was a teacher in Essex.
The traditional Aldeburgh Lodge School
may have been their inheritance, but
the modern Orwell Park School is their
legacy.
When Brian came for an interview at
Aldeburgh Lodge School, he already had
a strong reputation as an outstanding
games player. A double Oxford Blue,
the previous summer Brian had been a
pivotal part of the Essex cricket team
that had inflicted a humiliating inning’s
defeat on the all-conquering Yorkshire
side.
He and Sylvia were married on 20
December 1950 in Nacton Church. This
was the same year that he won the first
of his two County squash titles.
Having played 35 first-class cricket
matches before the war, he then enjoyed
Leave A Will Month – October
Orwell Park School launched the Sylvia Belle Legacy Society two years ago.
To date we have received three firm pledges which is wonderful and we
thank those people very much.
I am sure that many of you may not have considered
leaving a gift to Orwell Park in your Will, but
October is officially “Leave A Will Month”. By
doing so, you will help future generations of
children to follow in your footsteps, and enjoy
such an influential time in their lives.
Children leave Orwell Park having made life-long
friends in wonderful surroundings equipped with
the necessary skills to succeed in senior school
and beyond.
You can download the leaflet from our website
www.orwellpark.co.uk. At the bottom of
the homepage click on Old Orwellians then
Downloads. Alternatively contact Lucy
Pembroke on 01473 653222, any enquiries will
be treated in the strictest confidence.
18 distinguished seasons of Suffolk
Minor County cricket and to this day
has records to his name, having scored
over 4,500 runs. He was captain of the
County between 1949 and 1953, during
which time the team won the Minor
County Championships, and he played
against seven international touring
sides. Later he became President of the
Suffolk County Cricket Association.
Brian did the same in golf as he had
done at cricket, playing for the County
on many occasions and he became
President of the Suffolk Golf Union in
1977.
Brian, slightly reserved and formal, even
aloof, would contemplate each problem
and apply his principles, while Sylvia,
with her preferred route of ever-polite
conciliation, was the smiling diffuser of
difficulties; giving of herself, reassuring
all concerned that a satisfactory solution
could be found.
Brian was nothing flamboyant, but
always dignified, the focused application
of prodigious talent to produce
consummate skill, followed by a humble
smile of satisfaction and a job well
done. Brian and Sylvia were a joy to
one another. They were the centre of
a close family unit. They were hugely
respected and admired. The memories
they leave behind live on in generations
of Orwellians and in the traditions of
the school they served so successfully, so
faithfully. In all senses it was the love of
a lifetime.”
Please do consider Orwell Park School.
Your gift really can make a difference.
Following the memorial service, a
tree (Castanea Sativa), appropriately
overlooking the cricket pitch and the
[9th] green, was dedicated to Brian
and Sylvia. At the ceremony, David
Wake-Walker (1956-1960), addressing
a group of current pupils in the school,
remembered above all Brian’s application
and personal standards:
“What did he teach us? And I am not
talking about the maths. He taught us
self-discipline and personal integrity and
both by example. We used to watch him
with his tube of golf balls hitting stroke
after stroke on summer evenings on the
other side of the ha-ha. It created a deep
impression that so talented a sportsman
should practise so long and hard.”
He read from the poem by Grantland
Rice :
“For when the One Great Scorer comes
to mark against your name,
He writes – not that you won or lost
– but how you played the Game.”
Brian Belle will have scored highly on
how he played the game. He taught
us that it mattered a lot who won or
lost but not at the expense of personal
integrity.”
Brian’s two daughters, Pamela Thomas
and Vicki Hunt (1961-1965) (aka
Penelope) were then invited to unveil
the plaque which will be placed in the
ground beside the tree dedicated to
their parents.
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