Download OP News April 2012 - The Perse School

David: “We got intotable tennis at The Perseand I’m still better thanWarren.”Warren: “He’s the best;I’m the second best.”David: “We’ve a pooltable too. It’s great forgetting people together,talking.”Warren: “The bar helpsas well…”Asked about the present financial woesfacing Britain, Warren said: “2008 wasa scary time in the November wheneverything crashed. Our revenue was downwith everyone else’s. It was the first timewe’d not beaten the previous month. We’dbeen growing at 20 per cent per month…“It forced us to look very carefully at whatwe were spending money on; at what reallymattered to our customers. Thankfully, itbounced straight back in December/Januaryand then we went on to record months.”The harder financial climate persuadedpeople to curb spending while they waitedto see what would happen. They thenbegan spending again but wanted the sameoutlay to work that much harder, whichchimes very well with the enduring qualityof bespoke tailoring.David and Warren have replaced the cigarsmoke and leather chair image of tailoringwith something altogether friendlier andfunkier. With moves into women’s tailoring,organising a competition for youngdesigners and allying themselves to coolbrands and charities they are staying at thecutting edge …Their Bermondsey HQ, housed in the postindustrialchic of an old Peak Freans’ biscuitwarehouse, regularly sees staff bonding overgames of ping pong.The list of satisfied customers includesSultan Kosen, at 8’ 1” the world’s tallestman – “measured entirely online and a firsttime fit!” – Will Greenwood and RickEdwards! So who is the dream customer?Warren: “I would love to tailor for DanielCraig.” Because of his physique? “Becausehe’s James Bond.”William Reeve (1990)In 1985, aged 13, I switched schools toThe Perse. I came from a school in Oxfordwhich was ostensibly similar. But givenmy passions, The Perse was a far better fitfor me.I had been a computer fanatic for a fewyears, and The Perse in the 1980s wasan amazing place to love computers. Thecomputer club, using the school’s dozenBBC Micros, was actively patronised by theSpence-Jones brothers (alumni, in the early1970s), whose company gave me my firstpaid employment over the summer of 1988.The club set its sights high and several of uswrote software that was technically superiorto anything on the commercial market atthat time.During this time, aged 15, I co-wrote a gamecalled Pipeline. The game was commerciallypublished with a top games publisher. Ithad been set on a North Sea oil rig but thePiper Alpha tragedy necessitated a re-design,which unfortunately (for my academicrecord, at least!) coincided with my GCSEs.Despite the inevitable clashes with schoolpriorities, the Head, Dr Martin Stephen, wasvery supportive, for which I remain extremelygrateful.Much as I loved A Levels, particularlyEconomics taught by Charles Proud, I foundFurther Maths so hard that I decided Ineeded a year off before Oxford University.Building a business hadn’t occurred to meby then. My Perse background helped secureme a pre-university year at IBM in Londonand, after my degree, a job in themanagement consultancy McKinsey & Co.But after two years there I left the world ofemployment and started my first company,Fletcher Research.They say your first successful company isluck, but the second demonstrates skill.My first certainly benefited from luck, but infact my second company, LOVEFiLM.com,became far better known than the first.Now I’ve moved on, and am now workingon finding a third business to build.John Simms (1955)After decades working in the spheres ofoptical instrument design and colourmonitoring, OP John Simms (1955) writes:I can say many things about this life asan entrepreneur, all of which are particularto my experience, but a few might bemore broadly relevant:• Understand and work with yourstrengths, associate with others whocomplement you.• Spend time with successful entrepreneurs– they love to share their experience, andmaybe cash, with you.• Resign yourself to 60-hour weeks,periods of being broke, no vacationsand major stresses at home.• Be flexible, keep trying differentproducts, markets, approaches, untilsomething works.• Make sure that the eventual valueof your enterprise is worth the manysacrifices.• Luck is essential, look for it, recognize it,and grasp it.I’m very glad I took this path. I was nota leader at school, college, or until Ifound my comfort zone in the secondcompany. Others who were leaders atschool and college often ended up inlarge organisations, Leadership is notentrepreneurship. To be an entrepreneur,you need self-confidence and a willingnessto gamble everything on your ownjudgment, which is why being anentrepreneur can sometimes be verylonely, but can also be very exciting andrewarding to those with the intestinalfortitude to give it a serious try.Read John’s article in fullhere: www.perse.co.uk/old-perseansPage 6

“Personally, I got married this past June tomy wonderful wife Lindsay, who is a teacherat a private school in Brooklyn.”Old Perseans inAFGHANISTANAmong the military personnel serving inAfghanistan in the countdown to handingsecurity over to the Afghan army and policeforce are several Old Perseans.Capt Peter Smith (2003) is serving with32nd Regiment Royal Artillery, whichspecialises in the use of unmanned aircraftsystems for surveillance. On tour his job is asthe ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, TargetAcquisition and Reconnaissance) officer withthe Royal Anglian Battle Group in Nad-e Ali.“This primarily involves planning,coordinating and bidding for the variousassets available in theatre in order tosupport the Battle Group operations. Thisis my second tour of Afghanistan,” he said.On the same tour is Capt George Harper(2002) of the Royal Engineers, who isworking as a mentor to the Afghan NationalPolice.Lieut Daniel von Barloewen (2003) deployedto Helmand Province at the start of April,where he will be serving as BattlegroupPlans Officer with the King’s Royal HussarsBattlegroup until mid-October.“I will be based out of Lashkar Gah buttravelling around the area, working closelywith the Afghan national Security Forces,FCO and the Provincial ReconstructionTeam.”Daniel is a member of the Territorial Army.In civilian life he is a surveyor and works asan Associate Director for Savills, managingthe international residential and resortconsultancy team.“So there’s a good synergy between someof what I’ll be doing on tour and my civilianjob – bridging the military and civilian gap.”Capt Ben Simmons (2003) will be travellingback and forth to Afghanistan this timePage 9Lieut Daniel Von Barloewen inthe friendlier heat of battle ofthe polo field and (below) CaptBen Simmons.round. A member of the 1st Royal TankRegiment, he will be in Helmand as partof Operation Herrick 16, helping train theAfghan National Security Forces.FromManchesterto the NYPDThe school corridors now being patrolledby OP Will Fletcher are a world away fromthose of The Perse. Since leaving with theClass of 2001, Will has gained a degree incriminology from Manchester University andis now putting it to use with the NYPD inthe challenging environment of a notoriousNew York precinct.“Currently I work in the School Unit ofthe 73rd precinct, which basically involvespicking up and returning truants to school,responding to all emergency calls in the37 schools that fall within the confinesof my precinct and assisting detectivesinvestigating crimes occurring in the schoolsand involving juveniles.The 73rd precinct is one of the highestcrime areas in New York City, so we staypretty busy, but it’s also very rewarding.I’ve also recently passed the promotionalexam, so I should be promoted to the rankof Sergeant sometime this year.”Will and Lindsay are in the process of buyingtheir first house, a condo in the Clinton Hillsection of the borough.OP Danielback in BRITAINOP Daniel Thompson wishes his friends toknow he’s back in Britain: I left The Perse in2002, and after finishing my A levels I wentto read Geography at PortsmouthUniversity. I graduated with a 2:1 and thenspent two years travelling and workingaround China and South east Asia. I havenow returned to these sunny shores forgood, and I live with my fiancée Ning inBirmingham. I currently work as anadministrator for a limousine firm, usuallyfinding enough time to go kiteboarding withNing on weekends. I’d be very keen to getin touch with any fellow OPs in the area.Dannythompson123@gmail.comGolfer WANTEDIs there an Old Persean golfer/captain/organiser out there willing to co-ordinatea six-man team for the Grafton Morrish – themajor trophy of the Public Schools Old BoysGolf Association?The East Midlands qualifying round will beplayed at Leicester Golf Club, Evington Lane,Leicester LE5 6DJ on Sunday, 13 May. It isshort notice but well worth exploring. Nextyear’s event, by the way, is due to take placeat Gog Magog GC, Cambridge.The entrance fee is £210 per team – £20green fee and £15 lunch per player. LeicesterGC can be contacted on 0116 273 8825.The secretary is Angela Baxter and theprofessional is Darren Jones. PSOB RegionalConvenor for the East Midlands is BrianMarlow, who can be reached atbrian.marlow@tiscali.co.uk

RECENT OP EventsFOUNDER’S DAYLunch and LectureGuests at the Founder’s Day Lecture 2012saw two likenesses of Perse HeadmasterWilliam Wilkins (1804–06): the first of ayoung man lounging in “shades” as hisItalian draughtsman captured a classicaltemple and the second a brooding marblebust of an eminent architect at the heightof his powers.Wilkins held the headship of The Perse asa sinecure while a Junior Fellow of CaiusCollege and lecturer Dr Frank Salmonsuggested his mind remained on his firstlove – classical architecture – throughoutthe two year interlude. It allowed him timeto write The Antiquities of Magna Graecia,his scholarly assessment of the architecturalprinciples of the Greek temples of Sicily,which he had studied on his Mediterraneantour of 1801–1803.Wilkins had travelled to Europe on acollege scholarship, a condition of whichwas monthly letters back in Latin describinghis progress. He was a fine mathematician,too, and scrupulous in his measurementsof classical remains, which he recordedto thousandths of an inch. He went onto design many important Greek revivalistbuildings in Cambridge and London,including Downing College and the NationalGallery.Twenty OPs and their partners enjoyed thefascinating lecture by Dr Salmon, Headof Cambridge University’s History of ArtDepartment. Prior to the talk a buffet lunchwas held and afterwards prefects were onhand to give guided tours of the School.The Perse is very grateful for the presentationof four books on the day. John Hicks OP,President of the Downing CollegeAssociation, presented The Age of Wilkinsand Committed to Classicism, The Buildingof Downing College Cambridge to SeniorTutor Bruce Kinsey, a fellow Downing man.Page 11Paul Cornwell OP presented the Schoollibrary with two of his own publications,Creative Playmaking in the Primary Schooland Only by Failure, a biography of theatricalproducer and Taoist philosopher TerenceGray. The latter contains a number of Persereferences.ANNUALJosef BehrmannLectureHistorian Professor Miri Rubin broughtthe Middle Ages vividly to life when shedelivered the second annual Josef BehrmannLecture. The lecture series honours thelate Josef Behrmann, an Old Persean, whosurvived the Nazi death camps and wenton to give evidence for the prosecution atNuremberg.Taking as her topic William of Norwich andthe Rise of Anti-Semitism in England in the12th Century, Prof Rubin demonstrated thatthe vilification of the Jewish community andthe power of anti-Semitic propaganda seenin the first half of the 20th century hadsimilarly been played out 800 years earlier.Professor of Medieval and Early ModernHistory at Queen Mary, University ofLondon, Prof Rubin is also the mother ofan Old Persean. She held an audience madeup of parents, Old Perseans and currentstudents and staff enthralled. A livelyquestion and answer session followed thelecture. Senior Tutor Bruce Kinsey introducedthe speaker, an old friend, and gave a voteof thanks afterwards.Drinks and kosher canapés were served byPerse prefects before the lecture, which tookplace in the Rouse Library. There was a greatdeal of interest in a display about the lifeof Josef Behrmann. Put together by Schoolarchivist David Jones, the display featuresmany fascinating photographs anddocuments. It remained in the library foyerfor the rest of the term.CALLING ALLOP musiciansCalling OP musicians who performed underthe baton of the Cambridge HeidelbergMontpellier Youth Orchestra: The orchestrais 50 years old this year and invites allformer members to join the celebrationsin Heidelberg on 5 August 2012.Please contact Elizabeth Arndt for furtherdetails: e.arndt@ntlworld.comor 01223 570884.

SCOTLAND’SOld PerseansEdinburgh’s grand Scotsman Hotel proved anexcellent venue for a gathering of Old Perseansliving in Scotland. The School’s first reunion for OPsnorth of the border was attended by more than 30guests, whose schooldays ranged from the 1940s tothe 21st century.OPs Lang Tran and Donald Macpherson search for theiryounger selves in a 1970s school photo.Listening to Dr Richard MarshAnd far from just listening to their lovedones relive their salad days, many of thewives and partners attending also foundlinks with one another, thanks to theclose-knit Scottish community.Award-winning engineer Dr Richard MarshOP gave a very entertaining talk chartinga life’s journey not so much through Trains,Planes and Automobiles as Concorde,Rockets and Unmanned Submarines.PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITIONPoPPsPoPPs – Parents of Past Perseans – continuesto attract parents of the current era, as arecent coffee morning demonstrated, butnumbers of those with sons and daughtersolder than their mid-20s are sadly low.Mothers and fathers whose sons were atThe Perse in the 1980s and earlier would bevery welcome at PoPPs events. Former PersePrep School teacher Maggie James hopesreaders of the OP News will spread theword to their parents, who can contact herat jamesgang@ntlworld.com to find outabout future get-togethers.There were almost as many favouritesas there were entries in our inauguralOld Persean photographiccompetition – and the response wasexcellent. We invited the School’s artdepartment to choose a winner fromamong your varied representations ofThe Natural World.Clare Wood, Director of Art, and herteam finally chose Alistair Corden’s(1964) photo of Arcadia National Park,Maine. It was a hard decision though asthe standard was said to be “superb”.Page 12

OP EVENTS CALENDARWe hope to see as many Old Perseans as possible at the numerous eventswe are holding around the UK and worldwide this year. Don’t wait for aninvitation – if you’d like to attend any of the events below, please contactLindy at: alumni@perse.co.uk / +44 (0)1223 403 808.APRIL21st12:30pm–3pmNorth West LunchThe rich culinary heritage of the North West of England is celebrated in theaward-winning food of the 39 Steps Restaurant in Styal, Cheshire, venue forthis regional OP get-together. Families welcome.MAY5th11am–3pmAbbey HouseGarden TourAll 60 places have now gone for this special lunch and tour of the world famousAbbey House Gardens, hosted by “the naked gardener” OP, Ian Pollard.17th7pm–9pmPerse in London Evening– Tower BridgeTickets are going fast for our 2012 London drinks reception,this year offeringthe breath-taking views of the capital from the walkways at the top of TowerBridge! Don’t miss out – book online today at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/2040431st7pm–9pmPerse in Hong KongEveningWe are indebted to OP, Sir David Tang, KBE, for his generous hospitality inoffering the prestigious China Club for the first official Old Persean drinksreception in Hong Kong.JUNE27th2:30pm–7pmOP Day of SportOffering Cricket, Tennis, Croquet and Bridge, OPs are welcome to take partin, or simply spectate at, our OP Day of Sport. Cream teas and BBQ will beprovided to keep up energy levels! (Please note, no parking will be availableat the school).JULY14th7pm–9:30pmPerse in SingaporeDinnerHeadmaster Edward Elliott invites all OPs in Singapore to join him at theMandarin Oriental Hotel for dinner on the evening of Saturday 14th July.Partners and Spouses are welcome.20th7:15pm–10pmPerse in AustraliaDinnerOur first official Oz event will be held in the Cambridge Room of the SydneyShangri-la Hotel. OPs and their partners are warmly invited to join theHeadmaster for drinks and dinner with views over the beautiful Sydney Harbour.SEPTEMBERDate TBCTBCOP Golf TournamentPlenty of OPs have declared their interest in playing a round of golf againstPerse staff and pupils. Please contact Lindy Clegg at the details above to registeryour interest in taking part during one weekend in September.OCTOBER20th7pm–10pmAnnual Old PerseanDinner – Jesus College,CambridgeLet us help you organise a table for your year group at our Annual CambridgeOP Dinner, which this year will be held in the stunning surroundings of JesusCollege. All are welcome, and we would especially like to bring together theleavers of 2002, 1992, ‘82, ‘72, ’62 and ‘52! If you can help rally support fromyour peers, please get in touch!NOVEMBER16thTBCPerse in Los AngelesDinnerOP Brian Hunt is kindly organising a dinner for OPs in the LA area, which willalso be attended by Perse Headmaster, Edward Elliott, and DevelopmentDirector, Eddie Copeland. Partners welcome.17thTBCPerse in San FranciscoDinnerSave the date! We look forward to welcoming OPs in the Bay area for drinksand dinner this November. Look out for further details in the next magazine.21stTBCHouse of CommonsDinnerSave the date! We are grateful to OP, Julian Huppert, MP for Cambridge,who will be hosting a dinner in the magnificent Churchill Room at the Houseof Commons. More details to follow in the next magazine.Page 13

Prof Mark Dougherty(1983)I moved to Sweden in 1996 and neverlooked back. I work as a professor incomputer science in a smallish regionaluniversity and am director of a researchschool in Next Generation Learning. Priorto this I served as chair of the universityeducation and research board; bureaucracyis inescapable in any country…Skiing is a major part of my family’s lifestyle.We live just half an hour from the nearestdownhill skiing centre and during the winterI ski at least five days a week. My wife andI are coaches in the local alpine ski racingclub and our children are active competitors.Sometimes I race myself; there have beensuggestions made that I’m getting too oldfor that kind of craziness, but I’m not readyto retire just yet!Graham McMaster(1961)Alan Harmer (1962)Switzerland is a small country, fiercelyindependent. The Swiss are hard-working,well organised, tight-knit into localcommunities. I emigrated here due to itsstrong xenophobia.At Oxford, finishing my D.Phil., I encounteredin my favourite Chinese restaurant anEnglish economist working at the BattelleLaboratories in Geneva. Stimulated by hisstories, I applied to the company but therewere no jobs. So I started work at G.E.C.in Chelmsford. Three years later a letterarrived, spontaneously, offering meemployment in Geneva…Geneva is not typically Swiss; an internationalcosmopolitan centre with the United Nations,CERN, foreign banks and renowned watchcompanies. Everyone I meet is a foreigner.Adjacent to stunning mountain and lakescenery, it offers exhilarating outdooractivities, and rich multi-cultural excursionsinto France, Italy and Germany, only a stone’sthrow away. But I miss English humourand ‘putting-the-world-to-rights’ late-nightdiscussions…OLD PERSEANSIN EUROPEFollowing our special features on OldPerseans living in North America andDown Under, in this edition we come abit closer to home with reports from OPsliving across the length and breadthof Europe…(Please note that we have had toabridge some entries heavily to fit inthe space available – you can readthe full length articles on line atwww.perse.co.uk/old-perseans)When Max MacFarlane enthused over theDalmatian coastline, I had only a theoreticalidea of where that was. In 1967, facing afinancial and existential impasse, I acceptedan invitation to be shipped off to Zagreband within a few months, for two years, itwas my regular playground. 1991 saw mearriving in Zagreb again just as the Yugoslavwars were about to break out. MIGs weresoon giving low swipes in the gulley justbelow our house, and we had an AAAemplacement in the field next door. But I’dplaced my bets and didn’t want to leave thetable. That was twenty years ago. Muchof what I liked before, a hearty, expansive,hail-comrade-well-met feeling has gone.The free-for-some of the transition, thehugger-mugger under cover of war, the bestlacking all conviction while the worst... Thatphysical geography, though, endures. Theforested mountain I live on a few minutes’drive from the amenities of a capital. Theclear, sharp, decisiveness of the weather. Athree-hour drive to the Mediterranean. Thehammock under the deep green shade ofthree walnuts where I can have deep greenthoughts. Marvellous.Graham McMaster, whose career as ateacher with the British Council took him tothe universities in Lublin, Tehran and Sendai.Since taking early retirement he has workedas a freelance translator.Charles King (1972)Charles King is also flying the Perse flagin Switzerland. He wrote: Born of a Swissmother and an Englishman, having becomea dual national in 1987 and lived inSwitzerland since 1990, my perspective isas such. My first impression pertained todemocracy. Shortly after crossing the border,the first referendum I had the privilege toparticipate in asked whether we wanted toabolish the army. I decided without an armythe country would be open to invasion andwe couldn’t have that! We have 6 to 8referendums a year. They arrive by post, wefill ‘em out and send them back. An efficientvoting system and very satisfactory.Something the UK government shouldimplement on a similar scale but seemunwilling to do.Otherwise we spend our time hiking, skiingand climbing in the wonderful Alps as wellas pursuing my newest passion, ski touring.Summers are spent sailing on the beautifullakes with the children. In winter we indulgein something at which I have aspired tobecome a purported expert, the preparationand consumption of cheese fondue!Page 14

Peter Calvert (1992)I’ve been in France for the last eight years,putting into practice daily all that grammarwe learned with Hugh Vodden, TonyBillinghurst and other sports teachers whotaught French in their spare time. Apartfrom family camping holidays, my first tasteof ‘real’ France was the hormone-heavyexperience of the Perse exchangeprogramme with Saint-Céré, a sleepyvillage of la France profonde. I guess thatif I had imagined at that time coming backto France to live, it would have been asBritish ambassador or something like that(I was a very pompous teenager). My currentrole as a church pastor in Saint-Etienne(a medium-sized post-industrial city nearLyons) is considerably less glamorous, but(I like to think) no less useful. France’s longtradition of atheistic philosophy has left aspiritual vacuum which neither traditionalrural superstition nor contemporaryconsumerism can satisfactorily fill. I believethat the age-old Christian message of divineforgiveness and eternal hope is still vitallyrelevant to 21st century France. That’s why(apart from the delights of French cheese!)my wife Rachel and I love our life serving theProtestant Evangelical church inSaint-Etienne: www.lumieredanslaville.fr.Rupert Finch (1979)Rupert Finch, who left The Prep in 1979tells us: I have been working for BMW inMunich since August 2000. I am married& have two sons aged 7 & 11 who wereborn here. We live in Freising, in theshadow of the WeihenstephanerBrewery, the oldest brewery in the world,and the Freisinger Dom where thecurrent Pope was ordained and becameArchbishop…We are a couple of hours from the Alps &the Austrian border to the south and theCzech border to the east…Of course I would have loved my boysto have enjoyed the benefits of goingto school in the UK but they have otheradvantages here such as growing upwith three languages, German, English& Dutch (my wife’s mother tongue).Page 15James Stevens (1977)For James Stevens, Greece has beenhome since 1982 and its charms areundiminished:My love affair with Greece began with apassion for the (not quite dead) language:in the early seventies, years before MrsThatcher’s rationalisation of education,it was still possible – at The Perse – to dropChemistry in the Third Form in order tospecialise in Ancient Greek; for me, thislanguage adventure serendipitouslycoincided with my father joining OlympicAirways as air crew, based in Athens (I hadalready been boarding at The Perse sincethe tender age of eight, as our familyresidence throughout the sixties had beenthe Lebanon). Thus, only months into myfirst attempts at grasping the script andbasic grammar of Ancient Greek, I foundmyself in Athens for school holidays, witha home address I still remember: ‘opisthenkoinotetos’= ‘behind the community centre’.Fast-forward eight years and now agraduate of Bristol University with a degreein Ancient and Modern Greek, togetherwith a PGCE in Classics and ClassicalCivilisation. I knew I wanted to teach, butwhat and where? Should I stay in the UKand attempt to enthuse 14-year-old Britsover Livy and Tacitus, or should I follow myheart and head for the sun. I chosethe latter…A year later I met the love of my life,Despina, a native of Thessaloniki. We weremarried within two years. A further twoyears and our daughter, Grace, was born…Mark Judson PerseHead of Art 1994–2005Ian Stylan (1986)Ian Styan moved to Italy in 1995, andhas lived in Milan, Florence and nowArezzo, Tuscany.Over the past 17 years I have travelledtip-to-toe in Italy and it is an amazingcountry, I was so impressed I thoughtothers should share its beauty and thusset up Essential Italy, a holiday companybased in Cambridge (www.essentialitaly.co.uk). Now working on Social NetworkMarketing company (www.tripin.it).Best things of living in Italy are the foodand the amazing variety of countryside,from skiing to the best beaches inEurope. Things I miss about living in theUK are evenings in the pub with friendsand the witty banter that goes with thisand of course the beauty of Cambridge.However with so many flights toStansted this is just a couple of hoursaway. Also strange to say but I missEnglish cooking and the wide selectionof food available. All told living in Italyoffers much and is a constant font ofinspiration and discovery and I wouldurge Old Perseans to hop on a flightand spend some time here. Anyonewanting some tips drop me a line.In February 2005 we finalised the purchaseof our property in France, Chenevaux, asecluded farmhouse with several barns andoutbuildings that we intended to convertinto a self-catering holiday cottage and anart studio, and seven acres of land. Ourmove was scheduled for August 1st, as Iwished to leave my role as Head of Art atThe Perse at the end of the academic year.I was also Master in Charge of Cricket andthere was an unmissable tour to Barbadosplanned for three weeks in July! The firstcouple of years were really hard work.Renovating, rebuilding, rescuing, the lot,and with a place like ours even now there’salways something that needs fixing, or mywife has an idea that can’t wait! My artstudio has been set up in a two storey barn,with the ceramics area downstairs and alovely light painting area upstairs...If you would like to find out more aboutour life in France, holidays at Chenevaux ormy art work please visit www.chenevaux.blogspot.com or www.judsonsinfrance.com

Duncan Paige (1957)Cycling tours to Francein the ‘50s with fellowPerseans Tommy Kingand Joe Moore fosteredan interest in the countryfor Duncan Paige: Isuppose the good intentions of ourfounder, that we should be profitablemembers of Church and Commonwealthhave always been in my mind. I spent mycareer in state secondary schools, andI have been a Reader in the Church ofEngland since 1972. Whether any of thatcounts as “profitable” is not for me to say.We came to France on retirement in 1996.For fourteen years Mary and I ran our housein Auvergne as a place where Christianworkers could come for peace and spiritualrefreshment. It was demanding, but weenjoyed it hugely and met people ofmany ages, roles, denominations andnationalities. By 2006 we decided to retireagain and to move to a part of France witha kinder climate. Our restored farmhousewas sold and we built the new bungalowin Charente where we now live. I havebeen surprised to meet more people withconnexions to Cambridge in Poitou-Charentesthan I have ever met since leaving in 1957.Roger Loukes (1959)I live on the Costa del Sol,near to Malaga, writesRoger Loukes.We moved here when Iwas 60 years old and welive in a five-bedroomed,three-bathroomed bungalow with a pool.This to me is bliss. We have sun most of thetime and rain only in the winter. So... Whatdo I miss?I miss the chaotic traffic on the A14, the M11and the M25. I miss the dull skies, rain andcold winter days with fog and ice.We have UK television so I do not miss thatand there is an English shop in the next villagewhere we can buy most English food,newspapers and the like. I do miss being ableto meet with friends from the past and thepub atmosphere – although we do haveEnglish pubs here it is not the same. I misspaying exorbitant prices for a beer or a bottleof wine.Roseanne misses the good stores suchas M&S and John Lewis.In a recent survey over 75% of people whomoved to Spain say they are happier herethan in the UK – we are pleased to countourselves amongst that percentage.John Little (1969)I left the UK in 1970 as a19 year old £10 touristheading Down Under, andhave been a professionalexpat ever since. I’ve beenliving on Mallorca since thelate ‘70s and working first in yachting andthen golf tourism.What do I miss most about the UK– nothing, absolutely nothing.What should I miss?• the weather?• the `little England’ mentality?• the National Health Service – reformedor not?• speed cameras?• alcohol measured in fractions of a millilitre?• the grey sea?• traffic cones?• playing golf in the snow?• undrinkable coffee?What do I enjoy about living in Spain?• the food• the wine• the weather• the women• the latin love of life• playing golf in the sun• the azure sea and living on an island thatattracts an amazing diversity of peoplefrom countries all around the world. It maybe a small pond but it has some strangeand wonderful fish swimming in it.John Little, Mallorca Golf Connectionwww.mallorcagolfholidays.comPeter Smith (1952)Living inCyprus byPeter Smith.Seven yearsago mywife and Imoved tolive in Cyprus, as our daughter was alreadyliving here with her husband, who is anEnglish Cypriot.When we first moved here the currencywas the Cypriot pound, but when webecame a member of the EU our currencychanged to the Euro. This change put upthe cost of living considerably as businessessaw it as an opportunity to increase theirprofit margins. In spite of this the costof living is cheaper than England, but theexchange rate from the Sterling to Eurois not good.Nick Toozs-Hobson(1976)It’s amusing being in thecountry of La familleBertillon, as I often workjust a stone’s throw from Sceaux and OrlyAirport. However, living in France is notquite all it seems on TV shows; if you reallywant to join in here you really have to speakFrench. Many “rosbifs” don’t know this andleave within 2 years of arriving. So, life ismuch simpler if, like me, you have a strongbase in the language.The Perse gave me an excellent start (thanksMr.Billinghurst!) and I went on to major inFrench and studied at the Sorbonne. Thishelped with the language, the literature andthe irascible French art of “argumentation”.French lifestyle is really geared around a fewsimple things; you work to live and not viceversa, lunch is the most important meal ofthe day, “le droit de l’individu” is sacredand all the administration is there for a verygood reason – to protect you, the individual!I have lived in Languedoc Roussillon, theland of Rugby and wine, since 2008, havingpreviously lived in Paris. Do I miss anythingabout the UK? Just 3 things; bacon,Marmite and English breakfast tea!One of the big attractions of living in Cyprusis the climate, lots of sunshine all the yearround, with January and February the onlyunsettled months.The pace of life is much slower and calmerthan in England; nobody hurries andtomorrow will always do.We live in the village of Kiti, which is tenminutes from the sea and has all thenecessary amenities close at hand. Thenearest town is Larnaca and the capital,Nicosia is a 20 minute drive away, whereour daughter and two grandsons live.There are many places of interest in Cyprus,both architecturally and country-wise,including the Troodos Mountains, whichhave snow on in winter.Cyprus is a wonderful place to retire to afterhaving a busy life in England.Page 16