Eagle News Jan 2012 - Bedford Modern School

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contributions to the unending dialogue between generations. When I staged The Winter’s Tale recently with 60 ten-year-olds in Kilburn, North-West London, the girl in the hijab speaking Shakespeare’s lines about “great creating nature” was part of that dialogue. It would not have happened without Holbrook’s encouragement and example.’ MICHAEL GODFREY (1963-72) was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2011, for services to the automotive industry. Congratulations from the Club and the School! Mike writes: ‘I have fond memories of captaining the 3rd XV and playing for the 2nd X1 - also at that time introducing tennis, having played briefly at junior county level. I graduated from Brunel University with 1st Class honours in Mechanical Engineering, and was fortunate enough to be sponsored by Vauxhall Motors and then to be employed by Bedford Trucks, working on quality and reliability projects. I joined Honda in Swindon in 1985, where I have held various senior positions and am now currently responsible for site facilities, safety and environment (including a coordinating role for Honda's other seven factories in Europe) as well as national and local government liaison. I represent Honda on linked trade organisations and am vicechair of the Board of Governors of the Swindon Academy. Marian and I have been happily married for almost 35 years, and our two children have gone through university and are gainfully employed! I am in contact with MIKE SELBY (1966-72) who is now in America.’ mikebg@btinternet.com NIGEL ARMSTRONG (1964-72) lives on the Isle of Arran. ‘The scene at the Corrour Bothy that Easter, halfway on our tramp through the Cairngorms, has stayed with me. The large party straggled out along the strath. It included three distinguished, well at least distinguishable, figures One had a broken collar-bone courtesy of a teacher/pupil rugby game: they always seemed such a good idea in the planning Another wore wellington boots with some (albeit untested) panache: we hadn’t yet reached the boulders around the Pools of Dee. The 82 Memory Stir third was in unusually good humour, notwithstanding that his large canvas rucksack was supplemented by two equally large carrier bags that he swung by his sides, in rhythm with his gait. Those three were on the staff, Messrs FURNEAUX, WILSON and FRANKS respectively. The boys’ preparations seemed even less thorough, centred as they were on raids on their fathers’ ageing wartime kit and, perhaps worse, ageing wartime advice. Mothers no doubt gained comfort in the knowledge that the Headmaster, BRIAN KEMBALL-COOK, would be of the party, at least for a few days. It was rumoured that he had climbed the Matterhorn, although he never said. I liked that. I also valued bits of advice that he offered. Get to know something of the richness of Gaelic place names, whereupon he gave a short discourse on Clach nan Taillear near to the bothy where, with no little irony, a group of poorly-clad tailors had perished one winter. Think ourselves lucky: K-C’s visits to the hills had started BPB (before plastic bags), with dry kit dependent on being wrapped in oilskin. The next day dawned as in an Arctic Easter, indeed it was rumoured we’d almost walked there: hard frost and limitless blue sky. But various aches, pains and degrees of what I understand the alpinists call “glacier lassitude” meant the party began to break up. John Franks and I chose to kick steps up a steep snow bank (we wouldn’t have known how to put crampons on, never mind how to use them) and onto the Cairn Toul plateau. We were comforted in finding two other life forms up there: ptarmigan in their winter plumage, and a distant cross-country skier who seemed to be mocking our less graceful way of travelling. Forty years on, some might take a different view of our adventurous training (the subtlety of the shift from ‘arduous’ training was lost on me). Perhaps, like my many subsequent visits to the hills, it helped foster a spirit of independence in us; perhaps even iconoclasm. Those beginnings have meant that I’ve spent a disproportionate part of my life in remote places, in changeable weather, with wet feet. I’m grateful to BMS for many things, but oddly that’s by no means the least.’ naajap@hotmail.co.uk DAVE WINTER (1972-80) from Shrewsbury, and his son Ben completed a 100km cycle tour of Anglesey to raise vital funds for national charity Meningitis Research Foundation. Dave comments: ‘Shortly after his first birthday in December 2006, Ben was admitted to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in a poorly state, and was quickly diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia. Treatment took about a week over the Christmas
period, and he made a full recovery. We thought we’d do a bike ride together to try and raise funds to help others to come away unscathed from this devastating illness.’ Ben and Dave completed the course over four legs, each varying between 20 and 30 km, and found the experience very rewarding. ‘We were struck by the kindness and generosity of campsite owners, locals and tourists alike’ said Dave. If you would like to donate please go to www.justgiving.com/Ben-Winter. Meningitis Research Foundation, Midland Way, Thornbury, South Glos, BS35 2BS. Prof NICK GROOM (1974-84) who is Professor in English at Exeter University, kindly sent a copy of the new edition of his best-seller, Introducing Shakespeare, now subtitled A Graphic Guide (Icon Books, 2010). ‘This version has been translated into German. The original edition (2001) has been translated into Czech, Croat, Indonesian, Serbian, Chinese (mainland only), Albanian and Vietnamese. I've got two contracts with OUP at present, in addition to Thomson’s The Seasons, which should be out soon.’ N.Groom@exeter.ac.uk SIMON DIFFEY (1977-80) took part in the Goodwood Revival ‘where I was entered by the charming Count Glasius to drive a 1963 Lotus 23B sports car in the Madgewick Cup. We were chuffed to be the first “privateers” home, in 5th place, especially as the experienced endurance racer Paul Knapfield had crashed into the chicane right in front of me, which necessitated a restart. Olav Glasius is the Count of Bennebroek, a beautiful hamlet just outside Amsterdam. He took my wife Sarah and me on an enlightening tour during our last visit. He sent the car over a few months before the event, and my engineer Bo Hare and I restored the bodywork back to its original Ermine white. We managed to race-prepare the car just in time for a quick test session at Mallory Park prior to the big day. Also at Goodwood I met up with PHIL STAINTON (1972-82) who had driven his Edwardian Silver Ghost down to join in the Rolls Royce track Memory Stir Simon Diffey in the 1963 Lotus 23B, with (from left) Bo Hare, Count Glasius and Sarah Adams-Diffey parade and another race chum, ‘Big’ TONY WILLITT (1975-77), who took the photograph. I also have news of DAVID WOOD (1995-2001), who is leading project engineer with FPM Facility Service Ltd, a property company which looks after the buildings of Luton Airport.’ simon@merryprinters.co.uk ADRIAN LEE (1978-88) and his sister Helen have donated the Glenys Lee Memorial Prize for Creative Writing to be awarded annually, in memory of their mother. The first winner is ALEXANDRA HALL (Year 13). This year's competition, judged by Mrs MONICA HETHERINGTON (Staff 1977-2011) was for a short story entitled 'The Bedfordshire Leavers,' a modern take on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and involving a motley assortment of 'pilgrims' journeying to St Pancras, who are trapped overnight in a train at Bedford station. To while away the hours, each traveller tells a tale. Alexandra said: ‘My story explores the relationship between a young boy growing up Alexandra Hall and Mrs Monica Hetherington 83
Page 1 and 2: The Magazine of the Old Bedford Mod
Page 3 and 4: The London Lunch will be held in th
Page 5 and 6: The President’s Project Iam delig
Page 7 and 8: INTER-OBM RUGBY 7s FESTIVAL ‘AN O
Page 9 and 10: BOOK REVIEWS Bedford Then & Now in
Page 11 and 12: Returning to BMS after eleven years
Page 13 and 14: No Room For for Crooners in In the
Page 15 and 16: Philip Simms, John Comerford and Ba
Page 17: TERRY ROTHWELL (1954-61) and Evanne
Page 21 and 22: GOLF Ben Pile writes: ‘The OBM te
Page 23 and 24: S T A N L E Y W A L T E R WALKER (H
Page 25 and 26: down after a stroke a few years ago
Page 27 and 28: efore retiring fully to North Norfo
Page 29 and 30: Eagle News Directory Accountants Jo
Page 31 and 32: WWW.FISKENS.COM SUPPLIERS TO FISKEN

Eagle News Jan 2012 - Bedford Modern School

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