Versa: Issue Three

4 5
OA Events
LEFT TO RIGHT – RICK MOORE, BARRY MACKENZIE,
STEWART OWEN, DAVE CHAPMAN, MIKE HODGE,
DAVE MERRIOTT, PETE SMITH AND BILL NEALE OAS 1965
THE DIGBY
TAP
Sherborne expedition
On 8th June 2018, some intrepid OA travellers made their
annual pilgrimage to the Digby Tap in Sherborne.
Meeting there because four OAs are (loosely) based in the
West Country, three in the Home Counties region and Dave
Chapman (OA 1965) coming in from Belgium. It was the
Landlord’s idea to put them behind the bar so they could
then serve themselves! Many stories were recounted and Rick
Moore produced some excellent monochrome photos from
holidays and also the mock “O” level result markings (March
1963) for the boys in the year.
OA DINNER
A big thank you goes to all of the OAs who joined us for the
OA Dinner on Friday 21st September.
The evening started with School tours, a drinks reception
and culminated with a two-course, ῾Beer and Curry’ dinner.
With around 85 OAs in attendance, tables were organised
chronologically by year group and we were able to reunite
many OAs with old friends. It was a walk through time and a
great chance to not only reminisce with contemporaries, but
also to meet OAs from other years and see how the School
has changed over time. The Class of 1975, in particular, had
the highest turnout this year with 13 OAs in attendance
celebrating 50 years since starting at the School together.
We hope that next year’s OA Dinner will be equally successful
and you should expect to hear from us some time in 2019
with news of the next themed dinner!
OA
PRESIDENT’S
lunch
The OA President’s Summer Party was held at
Woollams on Sunday 10th June. This annual event
is a very sociable affair and the purpose of it is to
thank all the helpers within the OA organisation who
do so much to nurture the relationship with the School
and to thank those who run the many and varied Sports
Clubs. Readers of Versa will know that we have Rugby,
Football, Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Shooting and Fishing
sections – all of them alive and well. The Rugby and
Cricket sections provide the opportunity for youngsters
from the St Albans area to learn new skills. There are
some 800 minis, juniors and Colts on the Rugby “books”
and 300 young cricketers. These activities require a huge
amount of organisation. The individuals certainly earn
their lunch! We have, as well, a number of “older” OAs at
the lunch who are no longer involved in the running of
their Clubs. We have a lot to thank them for.
One of the lesser known parts of the OA Club are the
“Woollams Wombles”. David Buxton, John Knighton,
Richard Milnes, Bill Ractliffe, Paul Barnes, Nick Barnes,
Steve Burgess and Peter Lipscomb are a weekly force
who are hard at work tidying up the areas around and
inside Woollams. The President’s Lunch is aimed directly
at The Wombles.
There were no speeches and so a very good time was
had by all!
FOUNDERS’
Day
The Very Reverend John R Hall Ba HonDTh HonDLitt
FSA FRSA FCT, Dean of Westminster – to whom we
are very grateful – was the guest preacher at this year’s
Founders’ Day Service on Saturday 7th July in the Abbey.
The Service was followed by a drinks reception and
delicious three-course lunch in the Refectory. This
year’s Gaudy Reunion was for OAs who left the School
between 2007 and 2017 and we were very pleased some
of you (and former staff) could join us!
DIAMOND
GEEZERS’
reunion
The summer of reunions continued with the Class
of 1965’s ‘Diamond Geezers’ event; celebrating 60
years since they started at School, to the day, on 18th
September 2018.
45 guests joined the festivities, which consisted of coffee with
the Headmaster, School tours and lunch at Woollams. The
reunion then concluded with dinner and drinks in the Hare
and Hounds, St Albans, where the group said their goodbyes.
Until next time?
LEAVERS’ GRADUATION
This summer marked 50 years since the Class of 1968
started, and the Class of 1975 left the School. In
celebration, we held a Golden Jubilee Reunion for
these two year groups, bringing together just under 50 OAs,
some of whom have not seen each other since their School
days! Sadly, the uptake for the Class of 1975 was much lower,
but a great number of the Class made it to the OA Dinner in
September and caught up.
The group enjoyed a tour of the School site and an update
from the Second Master on where we are today, including
future plans. It was then up to Woollams to enjoy lunch and
a drink in the School Pavilion. Thank you to all who attended
and we hope to see you again soon.
1968 & 1975
Golden Jubilee reunion
Parents, staff and our Upper Sixth leavers enjoyed
our Leavers’ Graduation ceremony on a warm and
sunny evening on Thursday 28th July. With exams
finished, our Upper Sixth leavers enjoyed speeches from the
Headmaster, the out-going Head of School, Stephen Heaney,
and one of the first girls in the Sixth Form, Anna Philpott
(OA 1993). Anna kindly stood in for the OA President, Mike
Hodge (OA 1965), and gave a very entertaining and inspiring
speech to our class of 2018 as they embarked on the new and
exciting phase in their lives. We wish them all the very best
and look forward to welcoming them back to School again in
the near future.
CLASSES OF 68 & 75