pre-crcpp11-19

Paignton was once again well organised by Graham Cobbett
and attended, along with some of their families and loved ones, by
just about enough able-bodied players to ensure a winning record
was maintained (5W, 1D, 1L).
To mark the 50th Anniversary, there were some additional
events. In February, three matches were played against Trinity School,
with the 1st XI losing to the School but the 2s and 3s enjoying wins.
There was a “Club 50th” day which saw David Jackman’s
OMW President’s XI play Roger Hammond’s Surrey President’s XI,
with the latter leading 2-1 when the match was abandoned due to
hail. This was followed by a round robin tournament in front of the
clubhouse with teams from the Mixed Section, the Colts and two
Club teams playing each other. This provided a welcome opportunity
for the re-appearance of several former players and friends in what
turned out to be a very sociable and enjoyable afternoon, which may
well become a regular feature.
The 50th celebrations culminated with a Jubilee Ball at the
Selsdon Park Hotel in June, which was enjoyed by everybody present.
With music from Two in a Bar, no speeches and good food and drink,
we all felt that the season had come to a fitting end.
Perhaps it’s appropriate to reflect not just on this season, but
on the health of our Club following its first half century and on what
has changed since those first few games played by our President and
his school friends 50 years ago.
We have five men’s teams, a mixed team, an indoor side and
a colts section. That’s probably over 100 regular hockey players.
We play our sport either outside our clubhouse door, or on a brand
new artificial pitch five minutes away, or at Trinity School, which
continues its commitment to be a strong hockey-playing School.
We host tournaments, dinners and special events which draw good
numbers.
There seem to be ever-more competing distractions and it
may be reasonable to suppose that hockey might eventually lose out
– that it might have had its time. And yet a trip to see the numbers
attending Colts training on a Sunday morning or the Junior Formers
playing in the Gym on a Tuesday night shows an entirely different
reality, with the game apparently ever more popular with ever
younger players.
The lesson we have surely learnt in 50 years is that we can
survive and indeed continue to grow. What we must have is fear. We
must be continually concerned that we might soon fold, or go broke
or have to merge or that any of the bad things that might befall us
almost certainly will.
Wood. Doug won awards for swimming, rifle shooting and played
for the 1st XV.
Not long into a career with Carshalton Council, WWII had
broken out and Doug rose to the rank of Major in the RASC. He spoke
little about his part in the War, nor of his MBE, which he was awarded,
as he put it, “for being a good boy”. However, his family recently found
the citation which records that it was “in recognition of gallant and
distinguished service in NW Europe”. His family knows that Doug
landed in Normandy a few days after the initial carnage and then
worked his way through Belgium and on to Arnhem. He made many
friends during that campaign, and was still exchanging letters with the
daughter of one Belgian couple right up to the present. She described
him as the perfect gentleman and their “liberator friend”.
In 1946 while he was preparing for civvy street, Doug
received a personal note of “thanks and farewell” from Field Marshal
Montgomery when he left 21 Army Group BOAR. For his war service
Doug was awarded four campaign medals, one of them the Defence
Medal for brave conduct.
His first post-war job was in Edinburgh though nobody can
remember why or how he took a job up there. Later Doug resumed
playing rugby for the Old Mids in the second row and involved himself
in the administration of the Club in many ways and over many years.
At different times he was Team Secretary, Press Secretary, Bar Manager
and in 1956 was made a Vice-President of the Rugby Club.
By now back in the South, he worked for the old GLC where
he became in 1956 an HM Senior Inspector of Taxes. A little known
fact about this much-unloved profession is that to avoid collusion
with local rogues (as if!) an HMSIT has to move every four years
to a different branch. Thus through the 50s, 60s and 70s the Rea
family moved from Sanderstead to Cambridgeshire, then Herts and
Lincolnshire. While living in the latter area, he took an active part in
the Old Stortfordians RFC.
In 1941 Doug married Brenda, and they had two children,
Sheila and Tony. Sadly, Brenda died in 1969. Doug met and married
Betty in 1977 and 10 years later they moved back down south to
Great Dunmow in Essex, his final posting! Doug still busied himself
working for the local Conservative Club and the local Civil Service
Retirement Fellowship. Unfortunately, after a nasty car accident a
couple of years ago and an unsuccessful cancer operation last year,
he never fully recovered, and died in March.
Our sympathies go to his widow, Betty and to his children,
Sheila and Tony.
Source: Tony Rea
30 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 11

Joan Armfield
All Saints, Sanderstead, was packed
to the rafters on 1st April as friends
and family gathered to say goodbye
to Joan Armfield. Joan had been
connected to the Old Mids through
family and then marriage for over
50 years, and also collected friends
wherever she went.
Joan trained as a dancer and
performed on the West End stage
and around the country in the 1950s.
Through her brothers she met and
made friends with many OMWs,
and in 1958 she married one of them, John Armfield.
Joan was among that ‘happy band’ of young wives who
used to make our teas, superintended by Ray and Maureen Fenner.
However, she came into her own when the Mitre Players were re-born.
She was a natural choice to be the choreographer, and cajoled many of
her less-gifted friends into the chorus line for the early pantomimes
and revues. Later on in life, she started a keep fit and tap-dancing class
which ran for years and years, with many of the original participants
still performing. They were ‘persuaded’ by Joan into an annual show
which they pretended not to like – but you try to stop them! Joan was
an enthusiast at everything she touched – every show or film she
saw was ‘marvellous’ – and she encouraged her class to raise loads
of money for charities, both local and national.
Joan and John were looking forward to celebrating their
Golden Wedding this year when, in a tragic post-theatre drama, John
suffered a second heart attack, from which he has happily made a very
good recovery, and Joan broke her leg. She went into Mayday, but
complications set in, including a stroke, and Joan finally succumbed
to cardiac arrest on Easter Sunday.
Our sympathies go to John and their family, Andrew, Laura,
Doug and Gregory.
Roger Hill (1956)
We heard from Bob Brewer (1956) that Roger, who used to be a regular
correspondent to the magazine, had died. Bob gave us these notes:
“Thank you for your e-mail. I had not realised that Roger’s membership
had lapsed. When I saw him last June we briefly discussed OMWA
and he did not mention it. I know he played rugby for the Old Boys
after he left school, and I think he was Secretary of the OMWA Prayer
HOCKEY REPORT
Chairman’s Report
In this, our 50th Season, we have experienced most if not all of the
trials and tribulations, the highs and low which have doubtless been
encountered across many of the preceding 49 years.
This was a year which, in August, looked headed for disaster.
The 1st XI was once again weakened by the departure of several key
players, including their Captain, Roy Wood and his brother Matthew,
who has emigrated to Canada. Our two remaining brothers, Chris and
Alex Clark, volunteered to step in at short notice but were immediately
hampered by the departure of their Coach, Terry Weedman, before
the first league match.
The loss of strength in the 1st XI looked likely to threaten not
only their league position, but also that of the lower teams. However,
rolling forward to the end of the season, we found that the worst of
our fears were avoided. The 1st XI, with 3 wins from their final 4
games, avoided relegation from Surrey Div 1. The 2nd XI finished
as runners-up in South Open Regional League and won promotion
to the Premier League.
The 3rd XI played held their own in Surrey Open League
2 which included victories against local 1st XI teams, Kenley and
Sanderstead. The 4th XI threatened promotion from Surrey Open
League 6 but eventually came off worst of the post-Christmas poor
availability. The 5th XI finished mid-table in Division 8 but their main
achievement was in the blooding of several new young players from
Trinity and the Colts.
The Indoor side failed to maintain their National League status
but performed well against some top teams without any ringers in
the side.
The Mixed team, under the leadership of Katie Ann James,
played a full season of friendly matches and tournaments including
our own, played at the Club at Christmas.
The Colts section had its most successful season with the
Under 11, 9 and 8 teams playing a series of mini hockey tournaments
and winning nearly all of their matches, but alas, not the indoor
match against Trinity School. The Under 14s played a full season
in the Mercian development league, winning all their games after
Christmas including a 6-4 win over Surbiton having trailed 0-4!
Most importantly, for the first year, several of the older Colts
played their first games for the senior teams, giving a much-needed
reduction in the average age of our players.
12 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 29

SPORTS EDITORIAL
“It was the last over before breakfast that did me.” The sentiment
revealed that this was no ordinary cricket match, but the revival of the
Insomniacs, an all-day match between two club teams, which started
at 04.40 hrs on the longest day of the year, and finished many hours
later. And perhaps that match epitomises the sort of spirit which has
kept our clubs going through good times and bad!
With the Cricket Club celebrating its centenary and the
Hockey Club its 50th Jubilee, it would be nice to be able to record
great successes on the pitches. Alas! that is far from the case, and yet
curiously enough, club spirit seems to be high all round. All clubs
seem to be optimistic that better times are just around the corner, and
I am sure they are right.
The financial adverts always stress that ‘past results do not
necessarily reflect the future’, and let’s hope that in our cases, the old
adage is correct! For what has happened? The Hockey 1st XI were
relegated last season and, to be frank, frightened their supporters
throughout 2007-08. It is true that the difference between victory and
defeat is a narrow one, and we were all thankful when with one bound
(or three in fact) we were free – free to stay in Surrey Div 1 that is.
The Rugby Club had a similar season, but were not as lucky
as hockey in the final few weeks, and have dropped a league again.
And the Cricket Club, 100 years after formation? Relegated at the
end of summer 2007, they too lost key players for a variety of reasons,
and had to wait until the end of June to register their first victory.
The good news is that there are positive signs for the future.
Both Rugby and Hockey are working with the school sports staff to
discuss ways in which we can help each other. The Rugby Club is
anticipating the return of several former stars next season, and the
Hockey Club is similarly hopeful. The Cricket Club are hoping that
their new overseas player, A. K. M. Ahasanullah (Hasan for short),
will work the same trick that Babu worked in previous years – he
scored a 50 and took a five-for in his first two matches, which is
promising. Perhaps the most promising news is that all three major
sports sections have very strong colts squads. The hockey club were
able to ‘blood’ half a dozen such youngsters last season, all of whom
were well worth their place, and some of whom could well be 1st XI
players of the future. That might not win promotion next season, but
is should mean that they field full teams throughout the year.
So maybe that optimism is not misplaced after all.
Geoff Wilsher
Fellowship (or similar) for some years. He was also an enthusiastic
cricketer but I don’t think he played for OMWA. After he left school
he did National Service as an ammunitions examiner in the RAOC.
He then went to Southampton University where he read economics
and after graduation joined the accounting firm Deloitte, Plender,
Griffiths for two years. He then moved to Gartmore Investmens where
he spent the next 38 years. A bachelor, he was a sincere Anglican and
a stalwart of Croydon Parish Church where he ran Crusade camps
for many years and was a Crusader class leader until his death.
However, he was never pompous in his religious outlook, and with
his cheerful good humour was always prepared to see some amusing
aspect of religious belief and practice. His other great interest was
table tennis and for many years he played for and then coached at a
club in the local league, becoming Treasurer of Surrey County Table
Tennis Association in his retirement. Among his other interests were
travel and steam heritage railways”.
Chris Dyos (1954) rejoined the Association only a year or so ago,
and sadly we have heard from his wife, Jenifer, that he has died.
After National Service, Chris went up to Oxford to read ‘French,
Spanish, Rubbish and Gibberish’. He was obviously a polymath,
since in his first job he taught English in the morning and Science in
the afternoon! Later he taught French, Science and Music and he also
lived on a narrow boat. In 1963 he got married and moved to Addis
Ababa, again as a teacher. On his return in 1966 he joined the Downs
School in Dartford. Seventeen years later he was getting bored with
languages and so took an OU degree in Physics; this enabled him to
join Bexley & Erith Technical High School where he taught Physics.
In 1990 he changed career and joined Welcome as a chemical analyst
before taking early retirement in 1993. All that would have exhausted
most OMWs but after retirement Chris threw himself into music,
gardening, making scientific instruments and building clocks.
COLOURS
Contact the Colours Secretary, Mary Holton, on
020 8657 4066, to order your new Association Ties.
For Sports Colours, contact the relevant Club Secretary.
Association Ties £8.00
City Tie £10.00
Blazer Badges £6.00
Silver Cufflinks £55.00
Glass Paper Weights £7.00
28 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 13

MITRE PLAYERS REPORT
We were deeply saddened to hear of the death at Easter of Joan
Armfield. Joan was a very active Mitre Player, her first show being
Cinderella Charleston! back in 1974 which she choreographed – a
natural choice being a professional dancer. Of course then we couldn’t
let her go and heaven knows why but that didn’t put Joan off and
she continued to be the main Mitre’s choreographer for the next 20
years. Personally I have very fond memories of Joan as my first real
Mitre contact. She organised Sunday morning tap dancing lessons
during the summer of 1978 to bring a class of us budding Bonnie
Langfords up to speed for Idol Days in January 1979. She was always
very kind, patient and fun as well as being very encouraging. In fact
I would say that it is primarily down to Joan that I am still a Mitre
Player 30 years later! There will be a tree planted in Joan’s memory
at Lime Meadow Avenue.
On a happier note this summer the Mitres are performing the
World Premiere of Gulliver’s Travels, a new musical written by our very
own Chris Chambers and Andy Rapps. Julia Ascott is directing a cast
of thousands each playing on average 6 parts! The music is fantastic
and the amazingly stunning sets and costumes are being created by
Jill ‘Wigs’ Wilson and Paul ‘Can you see what it is yet?’ Bowles. This
is all happening at the same TIME as the demure Helen Harman is
in charge of co-ordinating movement and dancing of hundreds of
chorus scenes in quick succession. Hope that has whet your appetite
enough to pop along!
Gulliver’s Travels will be performed in Mitre Theatre, Trinity
School, from Thursday July 17th to Saturday 19th July with a matinee
on the Saturday. If you are real Mitre trouper we would be delighted
to see you and your Pimms in the glorious sunshine at the al fresco
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall, from Monday 18th August
until Friday 22nd August. Tickets for the Minack are available via
the Minack website www.minacktheatre.com and tickets for the
Croydon performances are available as usual from the Mitre Box
Office number, 0845 2255799. We are really pleased that we have
pupils Sam Naish and Joss Brasier amongst our ranks and welcome
David Elder, Saskia Jiggins and Michael Hall to the fold. Special
mention in despatches of Paul ‘Smithy’ Smith who is taking part
despite living in Devon. Now that’s dedication!
In anticipation of relaxing on the sun drenched Cornish
beaches, hiding Mary Holton’s mini somewhere and eating Lands
SIA is a long-established software company, specialising in mapping,
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and routing solutions, offering
off-the-shelf software, product customisation and bespoke solutions.
They provide a total service, from software delivery, installation and
training, to ongoing support and account management, developing their
own products and solutions in-house.
SIA is a flexible, service-led organisation, capable of responding
quickly to specific business requirements, through a focus on client
needs, backed by strong technical expertise and excellent customer
support. SIA believe in establishing long-term business relationships
with clients, to support future needs as they evolve.
It is SIA’s policy to collaborate with third-parties to add value
to their products and provide clients with a total solution. SIA form
commercial partnerships with software vendors, data providers, data
capture specialists and systems integrators.
The following are examples of SIA’s products: -
Ø dataMAP GIS – a powerful business tool for geographically
visualising, managing and analysing information, over a backdrop
of digital mapping, which can combine user information with a vast
range of spatial data.
Ø GIS Web Browser – provides map-based access to a wide range of
an organisation’s information via the internet or intranet.
Ø dataMAP Mobile – a mapping and GIS system for visualising and
capturing geographic data on handheld devices. dataMAP Mobile
can also be used in routing applications and real-time tracking via
GPS.
Ø dataMAP Housing GIS – provides an effective way of geographically
viewing, managing and analysing property-based data, such as
rent arrears, sold property, housing facilities, housing conditions
and repairs. It can link to the client’s in-house Asset Management
System.
Ø Hometrack dataMAP – can identify the optimal locations for
development and evaluate sites. It provides the evidence base for
planning negotiations, demand for new housing, and investment
strategies.
Nasser Elaheebocus, 6th Floor, The Chambers, Chelsea Harbour,
London SW10 0XF. Telephone: 0845 013 2368
E-mail: nelaheebocus@sialtd.com Web: www.sialtd.com
Sponsors of the OMW Cricket Club & Hockey Club Colts Sections
14 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 27

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Event Date & Venue Contact
Gulliver’s Travels 18th-22nd Aug Minack Box Office
(Mitre Players) Minack Theatre,
Cornwall
Mitres Barbecue 12th September Anna Warnock
Club 020 8657 0972
Cricket vs Cross Arrows Lords Nursery Nick Trend
Ground 020 8916 0747
Cricket Dinner 26th September Nick Trend
Club 020 8916 0747
Cricket Club AGM 16th October Nick Trend
Club 020 8916 0747
Founder’s Day Supper 27th March 2009 Alan Garth
School 020 8777 1362
Hockey Club Supper 24th April 2009 Phil Mander
Club 020 8654 9014
Hockey Club AGM 24th April 2009 Phil Mander
Club 020 8654 9014
The copy date for the next magazine is 1st October 2008. Articles,
letters, pictures etc., should be sent to the Editor, Geoff Wilsher, at
the address in the back of the magazine. They can be submitted
by e-mail to gwilsh@aol.com.
The 400 Club raises £5000 each year, all of which goes into
maintaining the ground and clubhouse. Everybody except
Trevor Stotten can join, for the small cost of £20 per ticket. You
can buy multiple tickets, thus enhancing your chances of winning
a cash prize in the monthly draws. At the end of each year a
special £500 prize is drawn, and then we start again.
Please join in to help support your Association in this way.
End out of pasties and clotted cream, we are basking in the glow of
yet another 5-star review from our most recent production, A Chorus of
Disapproval. Di Jones was director and Alan Collins and Matt Beal were
ably and calmly in charge of all things backstage. Di is a most welcome
director as she doesn’t shout. Dave Price, according to the Advertiser was
‘superb’ as Dafydd ap Llewellyn, the obsessed director of the local light
operatic society and Neil O’Gorman was rated as ‘first class’ as he has
affairs with at least two of the society’s wives moving up the ranks from
chorus to lead role. The show was tremendous fun and a very happy
production. We welcomed Samantha Ring to our ranks for the first time
and hopefully not the last. Sam did try to abscond by hiding in Mayday
for a week with appendicitis but we found her and dragged her back in
time, reminding her that the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the
crowd is far more important than recovering from an operation!
Even before that we had another super Christmas production,
Sleeping Beauty, an original pantomime by Chenery ‘n’ Warnock. This
time fairytale ran alongside reality TV and Aurora met her prince via
a spoof of ‘How do you solve a problem like Aurora?’ Our ‘Graham
Norton’ was Joss Brasier with a magnificent leprechaun costume and
very convincing Irish accent.
We welcomed Cat Coe as
Aurora and although it was
a splendid production – how
could it not be with Colin
Warnock as Dame (?) – our
audience numbers were lower
than usual.
2008 is unbelievably
our 35th year and, to celebrate,
Anna Warnock organised a
wonderful dinner and dance
at which 90 plus Mitres and
Julia Gibbs, Neil O’Gorman and David
Price appearing in Chorus of Disapproval
partners attended. Colin Warnock was in fine witty form as compere.
We were delighted to see some ‘old’ faces including Mark Fitzgerald
and Colin Robinson. Apparently Warwick Jones can’t remember a
thing about it, which in his book is a good sign of a top night out!
Other activities in the pipeline are a BBQ at the clubhouse in
Why can’t Trevor Stotten join? Because he’s the promoter, and
he is waiting for your cheque now, payable to the OMWA 400
Club 2008. His address is:
116 Littleheath Road, Selsdon, CR2 7SE
September, a quiz in October and a production in early December with
a Christmas theme. To keep up to date with all our goings on and to
join us please either visit our website, ring me or our Membership
Secretary, Julia Ascott on 020 239 1010.
Julia Gibbs
26 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 15

NEWS OF MEMBERS
Marathon runners
Congratulations to all those members who took part in this year’s
London Marathon. Those who have declared their times include
Alan Garth (M65 – 5 hrs 33 mins), Hilary Richardson (M45 – 4:46),
Neil Molony (M40 – 3:51), Tom Bentley (M25 – 4:38), Joe O’Keefe
(M25 – 4:55). I am sure there were many others, but they are too shy
to own up.
George Chuter
hooked for England in the Rugby World Cup, and
throughout the Six Nations Championship but was not selected for the
New Zealand touring party – some people get all the luck! Instead he
played for the England Saxons (the 2nd XV) to victory in the Churchill
Cup, held in Canada. George skippered the team in at least one match,
and they won the final, beating Scotland A 36-19. Following this he was
selected by Martin Johnson for the 30-man England squad.
Like George Chuter, Peter Wood (1936)
used to hook for the OMWRFC. In January
this year, Peter celebrated his 90th birthday
with a surprise party at Shirley Bowls Club,
which was attended by family, friends and
a host of his friends from the Old Mids.
Peter, is a vice president of the Association,
and also of the Cricket Club and the Rugby
Club. He was also Ground Secretary for
many years and a member of Council, and
is a regular at the Thursday Lunch Club.
Kamal Khan(1979) contacted us to rejoin the Association – welcome
back – and was persuaded to release a few biographical details.
“Since 1979, I went to London University, graduated in Business
Studies, then Management Science and a Masters from LSE. I then
joined a bank in the City, then moved to Reading, Berkshire, worked
for a while with a Japanese and then a Dutch Investment Bank. I then
moved to Saudi Arabia where we have now been for nearly a year,
as I am working for an oil company. I am married to Aisha and we
have two children, Adil (14) and Maha (10)”.
Nithaar Zain (1986) was spotted by an alert Dave Lawson while flying
with Singapore Airlines. Nithaar, who has been with the airline for
Stewart Sales scored the first-ever century before breakfast, a terrific,
bludgeoning effort. Jesse’s team breakfasted the happier, at 217-2. The
very hearty fried breakfast sparked a batting collapse – a phenomenon
so far under-analysed by Simon Hughes. Richard Piggin then matched
Stewart in scoring a magnificent century.
Just before lunch, after six hours of cricket (longer than a
normal match), the two teams were level, with all second and third
innings wickets in hand. We had played ourselves to a stalemate. We
would do so again at 6 p.m.
It was a day for slow bowlers, especially Nick Cook, Matt
Sullivan and Andrew Smith, the find of the day with 4 for 64 overall.
Jamie Butler, Rob Warne, the Brugnolis and Kunal Patel were among
those playing valuable innings.
We played until we were heavy of eyelid and our muscles were
seizing up. We had found a money-saving device: trainee physiotherapists
no longer needed to take a course. They simply had to walk round Nick
Trend the day after this game and then were ready to take their diploma.
None of us had trouble sleeping that night. Our insomnia was cured.
Many thanks to Nick Trend for organising the day, the
numerous club members who turned up to umpire and score
(including Derek Warne from the start), and to James Howgate for
immense quantities of excellent food. We had bucks fizz at 4 a.m.
(why?), breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, tea and an evening barbecue,
as we added gluttony to injury.
Scores: Jesse James’ team 262-6 dec (S Sales 118, Butler 47, R Warne 3-
38) and 174-5 dec (Kunal Patel 40, Trend 30) and 107 (M Sullivan 36,
T Brugnoli 3-13, Smith 3-16).
Rob Warne’s team 282-8 dec (R Piggin 113, R Warne 52*, M Brugnoli 34,
Cook 4-78) and 156-5 dec (T Brugnoli 39, D McSherry 38*, M Sullivan
3-16) and 106-5 (M Brugnoli 42, Cook 3-47).
Nigel Campbell
(This was almost the last thing Nigel wrote before becoming Director
of Policy Analysis for Transport for London. We wish him, and Boris,
the best of luck!)
WHITGIFT LODGE
Are you aware that the Whitgift Lodge of Freemasons was founded for
the Old Boys and Masters of the two Whitgift Schools? It will celebrate
its centenary in 2012. Interested in learning more with a view to
becoming a member of this world-wide fraternity? Whitgift Chapter
is attached to the Lodge should any Freemason wish to progress.
Contact Derek Morgan (020 8657 4708)
16 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 25

Hockey Club 50th Jubilee Celebrations
The OMW Hockey Club was formed in 1957 and had its first season
in 1958. It was decided to nominate 2007-8 as the 50th season, and
several events have marked it. There were three hockey matches
against school teams early in 2008, in which the school won the
1st XI and the Old Boys won the others. At the end of the season a
match between the Surrey President’s XI and the Club President’s
XI ended in a narrow victory for Surrey, but a substantial victory for
the weather which launched hail, thunder and lightning on a day
which had started in bright sunshine. This match was followed by
a round-robin tournament at Sanderstead featuring players from all
teams, including a mixed team and a team of colts and their parents.
The ages on the field ranged from 13 to 70, and
everybody agreed that, despite the weather, it
was an event that should be repeated.
The club dinner attracted several
former members and the season finished with a
Jubilee Ball, held at the Selsdon Park Hotel. The
star guest was Roger Reed (1957), the founder
of the club, who upstaged all our black ties by
arriving in his colours blazer! The facts that he
could (a) find it and (b) fit into it astounded
us all. The ball attracted former players from
far and wide, who danced with enthusiasm to
Two In A Bar, and showed more energy on the
dance floor than they do on the hockey pitch.
several years, was the captain of the flight. He invited Dave on to
the flight deck, revealed that he loved the job (what a surprise!) and
told him that he was hoping to move on to the giant Airbus A380
soon. A full account appeared in the school magazine, complete with
portrait.
I e-mailed Nithaar to get an update, and received this
response:
“I hope all is well with you! Nice to hear from you! Yes things have
worked well for me in Singapore after all the hard work! I managed
to fly Dave from Singapore to London, hence the interview!
Age is catching up with me… in December I fully tore my
Achilles tendon playing badminton, had surgery, and was in a cast
for 5 weeks over Xmas and the New Year!! I am out of the cast now,
and doing physio and strength building, and hope to be flying again
soon.
How’s everything going at the club? Still as vibrant as ever?!!!
Are you still wielding a hockey stick?? Seems I am going to restrict
myself to low impact sports for the foreseeable future… naturally
my flying medical is far more important to me, so I cannot afford to
pick up another one of these injuries in the near future again.
I plan to keep flying in Singapore for the foreseeable future,
I would be crazy to move somewhere else! I hope to move onto the
new Airbus A380 in a year, if I play my cards right! Please pass
my regards to those who know me, and tell anyone who is passing
through Singapore to drop me an email in advance”.
Nithaar Zain
Chris Maiden (1991) is another old boy now living abroad, having
OMWCC Insomniacs Match – 23rd June 2008
deserted the cricket club for a few years. He writes:
“…was just looking on the association website and hadn’t realised
If you were walking your dog at 5 o’clock on the morning of 23rd
June, you would (a) be mad as a house and (b) have seen a number
of foolish Old Mids cricketers on the bottom square embarking on an
“Insomniacs Match” – a game that stretches the meaning of “all-day
game” to its limits. We started at 4.41 a.m. and finished at 9.23 p.m.,
when Richard Piggin smote Matt Winter in the gathering gloom to
seal a 5-wicket win for Robert Warne’s team.
There’s something enchanting about the sun rising over a
pitch and the moment where a low sun bursts onto the outfield.
Enchanting, but bloody cold. The biting wind didn’t help. The slips
prayed for no edges.
Two records were broken that morning. Nick Trend was the
person dismissed earliest ever in an OMW match (5.04 a.m.). And
that there was a new mag out! Needless to say, I haven’t received one
since I moved out here.
Anyway, all is good here in Melbourne. We are currently
building a house on the outskirts (due for completion at the end of
the year – so that means sometime next year!) and I am working for
Australia’s first bank – Westpac – running a team of project managers
down here. The kids are loving it and can’t wait until we move to the
new house.
I’ve completed my first cricket season down here
– and bizarrely enough, am playing for a team called Old Trinity
Grammarians!!! They just happen to be one of my local clubs and are
a good bunch of lads, who get to play on one of the best pitches in
the state. We play in the MCC club league which is a 40-over tourney
24 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 17

– which is about right when the temps hit 40 degs regularly – and
got through to the semis (where we were roundly thrashed by the
eventual winners) but looking forward to playing next season.
Anyway, good luck to the club for the rest of the season – am
waiting for the order form for the centenary blazers!!!
Casper (aka Chris Maiden)
Gerry Wood (1953) wrote during convalescence – what commitment!
– about the name of the Association. He makes the suggestion that
an easy remedy is for the school to revert to “Whitgift Middle
School” or even “Middle Whitgift”. He remembers Oliver
Berthoud announcing the change: “…hopping from foot to foot
in incandescent fury he explained that deliveries for our school
were being delivered to Whitgift, who then phoned him to ask
him to arrange collection!” Gerry goes on: “The historical name of
‘Middle’ was first asserted in 1881 by the Queen in Council, and
arose to reflect the middle fees charged between the ‘poor Croydon
schools’ and those of Whitgift Grammar. I do not know how fees
now differ. I believe ours were dropped and we became entrance
by examination. I assume Whitgift still charge – it certainly always
enjoys the higher academic ground. …
I suspect I may have said enough to raise a few hackles
already…the Foundation was raised by Whitgift for the benefit of
the inhabitants of Croydon, and since I believe the OMW has opened
its doors to locals with no school connection, then by maintaining
the Whitgift name we honour his wishes…Our relevance to the
school is tenuous, players join us because we are the only good local
club…Finally, if my other arguments fail, ‘Mids’ falls manfully off
the tongue when buried in the 2nd row and a heave is required…
’Trins would be unlikely to instill fear into the opposition…Leave
it alone!”
Three quick notes from the Editor:
1 Fees have certainly not been dropped – quite the opposite!
2 The connection between the School and the Old Boys is far from
tenuous, as you will see in other parts of this magazine.
3 The clubs don’t have to repeat the Association’s name, although
they mostly do. For example, the clubs might choose something
like “Trinity Mids Hockey Club”, and so players and spectators
could still use Mids when exhorting their teams (and possibly
getting the extra bonus of confusing their opposition!)
consequently it was decided that Whitgift Middle should move up the
hill to North End. This was a great improvement and the school now
had an excellent playing field on site with a first class cricket pitch
and pavilion, a gymnasium in which Mr. Mapp taught gymnastics
with the proper apparatus. There were also several fives courts and,
all in all, it was a great improvement over Pump Pail.
There was an excellent assembly hall where morning assembly
was taken. Assembly was quite an important function and the whole
school assembled and waited for the masters and Headmaster to
process on to the stage. There was a magnificent balcony which was
able to take some of the senior scholars and also held some sort of an
organ, on which it was occasionally my privilege to play. On Armistice
Day there was a service in the hall and I played the Last Post and
Reveille from high up on the balcony.
Games were played either on grounds attached to the school
or at playing fields owned by the school in Addiscombe, mostly
used by the juniors. The main field at North End was used for major
school games. The cadets still continued and once a year they held
a pageant where they held displays during which the band paraded
up and down.
After school I studied Physics and Geography at Southampton,
and then, after studying at Bede College, Durham, I commenced
teaching at the Royal Masonic School, Bushey, near Watford. There
were eight houses in the Junior school where I was appointed as
Assistant Housemaster, my senior being called up shortly afterwards
to serve in the forces because the Second World War had just broken
out. I was left in charge of the house. Within a year, in June 1940,
I myself was called to serve in the army. I was sent to the Army
Physical Training College at Colchester and spent several years as a
PT instructor, teaching them to swim in the river near Bedford. Later
I decided to opt for a transfer to the REME and was one of the first to
qualify as a RADAR engineer. During my periods of leave I used to
visit Whitgift Middle School and was pleasantly received by Dr. Shutt
who always, whatever he was doing, would produce a cup of tea for
me. Boys waiting to be taught by him were sometimes left waiting
to go into the Chemistry lab for a few minutes during the period he
saw me.
Towards the end of the war, Mr. Clayton made an attempt
to obtain my services in teaching Physical Education as Mr. Mapp
was called up. His application to the War Office was unfortunately
turned down, which was quite a pity as I should have loved to have
gone back to teach there as I thoroughly enjoyed my school days at
Whitgift Middle.
18 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 23

Hugh Curtis (1934) – Memoirs 1928-34
Hugh Curtis is the oldest OMW still to be in contact with us, and
despite his advanced years he is an avid e-mailer – an example to all
those of you who still prefer pen and ink! He has kindly recorded his
memories of his early years at school, which have been shortened to
suit the format of the magazine.
He writes: “Early in 1928 I was sent for an entrance exam in
the older of the two Whitgift schools, Whitgift Middle School. A few
weeks later my parents received a nice letter from the headmaster, Mr.
Clayton, asking them to bring me for interview, as a result of which
I was accepted for entrance in September 1928.
Whitgift Middle was then situated in a part of old Croydon
called Pump Pail [there is still a road bearing this name]. I was placed
in a form with about 30 other boys, the form master being a Mr.
Whitmore, a very kindly man who realised that my French was a
bit below par and he insisted upon giving me extra instruction to
catch up.
Games were of course rugby in winter and cricket in summer
and I did quite well in the athletics and when I was 13 I won the 100
yards sprint. At rugby I played wing three quarter on the left.
On Wednesday mornings the cadet corps paraded.
Apparently everybody had to join the cadet corps unless there was
some special reason for not doing so and, having been a chorister
at a local church, it was suggested by the drum major Mr. Etches
that I learned the flute to play in the cadet corps band. Accordingly
on Wednesday mornings the cadets paraded outside the school in
the road and the band played and led the cadets up to Duppas
Hill, a nearby recreation ground, where the cadets who were not in
the band carried out certain exercises and manoeuvres. The band,
however, had a chance to relax and waited to play them back.
On Founder’s Day the band played as the whole school
walked to Croydon Parish Church where we met with the band
from Whitgift, and the boys attended a Founder’s Day Service.
In the winter assembly was held in the corridor of the
school, but in the summer the whole school paraded in forms in the
playground where the assembly was held, there being no suitable
hall. On Wednesday we had one period of so-called physical exercises,
usually taken in the playground in ordinary kit or even cadet corps
trousers. This was taken by a drill sergeant who walked up and down
with a large stick.
During this period a new Whitgift School was being built in
South Croydon to replace the building in North End, Croydon, and
CENTENARY SOUVENIRS
(perfect Christmas presents!)
This handsome glass paperweight
(diameter 9 cm) has been designed
and procured by Martin Garnett
(020 8650 7882).
They are available for the modest
price of £7, plus £1.50 p&p.
DID YOU KNOW… ?
Silver cufflinks, bearing
the Trinity badge, can be
ordered from Mary Holton,
our Colours Secretary (020
8657 4066).
They cost £55 per pair; local
delivery is free of charge,
otherwise £5.
… that the Clubhouse (Hall and Bar) and Ground
are avail a ble for hire at competitive prices? The
Club is ideal for Dances, Dinners, Receptions, Parties,
Barbecues, Meet ings, Lunches, Crick et Matches,
Sports Days and many other functions. Our Caterer
(James Howgate) is ready to meet your ca ter ing
needs and the Bar is always available.
For details, please contact the
Sanderstead General Manager
NICK TREND (020-8916-0747)
22 THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN THE OLD MID-WHITGIFTIAN 19