Versa: Issue Eleven

VERSA
OA NEWS
AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
A YEAR OF CELEBRATION AND MOURNING
REGAL ST ALBANS
SUCCESS THROUGH THE AGE GROUPS
MAKING A
NOISE ON
THE MUSIC
SCENE
JJ Wallace (2020)
AUTUMN 2022

1
Inside
this issue
Editorial Team
Louise Barnes
Alumni Relations & Development Manager
Sarah Osborne
Alumni Relations & Development Officer
Upcoming Events 2
OA President’s Notes 3
OA News 4
OA Connect 7
Featured OA: JJ Wallace 8
OA Events 10
OA Focus 12
Ask the Archivist 16
Announcements 18
OA Lodge 19
OA Sports 20
@oldalbanianassociation
@oaassociation
www.oaconnect.co.uk
@oaassociation
Old Albanian
Networking:
St Albans School
St Albans School Foundation | CHARITY NO. 1092932

2 3
Contacts & Dates
UPCOMING EVENTS
OA PRESIDENT’S NOTES
OAA AGM
Wednesday 11 January 2023
OA Pavilion, Woollams Playing Fields
The Secretary announces the 130th Annual General
Meeting of the Old Albanian Association will be held
on the 11 January 2023, reviewing 2022. Members are
welcome to attend the meeting which will be held at 8pm
in the ‘948’ room at the OA Pavilion at the Woollams
Playing Fields.
REGIONAL DRINKS:
DURHAM & NOTTINGHAM
Nottingham: Thursday 9 February 2023, from 6.30pm,
The Fat Cat
Durham: Thursday 2 March 2023, from 6.30pm,
The Three Bridges
Our regional events programme continues with informal
drinks in both Durham and Nottingham. We warmly
invite all OAs in the area to come along for drinks –
whether you’re a student, recently graduated or an
established resident!
OA SOCIAL
Thursday 27 April 2023
The Hub, Verulam Road, St Albans
A great chance to catch up with friends and network with
St Albans OAs at this fantastic (and OA-owned) local
venue. Please come along for a drink on us!
IF YOU WISH TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL’S DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ABOUT ANYTHING IN VERSA,
PLEASE USE THE BELOW CONTACT DETAILS.
SCHOOL
development@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Development Director
Rebecca van der Westhuizen
01727 515177
rdvanderwesthuizen@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Alumni Relations & Development Manager
Louise Barnes
01727 515184
lcbarnes@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Alumni Relations & Development Officer
Sarah Osborne
01727 224540
slosborne@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Archivist
Sue Gregory
01727 515178
sgregory@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
OA ASSOCIATION
President
Mike Hodge
Secretary
David Buxton
Treasurer
David Hughes
Membership Secretary
Roger Cook
Hon. Auditor
Peter Dew
OA RUGBY
www.oarugby.com
President
Richard Milnes
Chairman
Rory Davis
MILESTONE REUNIONS
Saturday 20 May 2023
St Albans School
We are delighted to invite everyone celebrating a decade
reunion in 2023 back to St Albans School for a celebratory
lunch with their classmates. Details will follow on OA
Connect, but please save the date if you are from the
Classes of 2013, 2003, 1993, 1983, 1973, 1963 or 1953. We
will also be inviting back the Class of 2018 as they celebrate
their five-year reunion after leaving St Albans School.
BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH:
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF
GIRLS AT ST ALBANS SCHOOL
Saturday 10 June 2023
St Albans School
This summer marks 30 years since the first cohort of
female pupils left St Albans School. To celebrate this, we
would like to invite back all female OAs and teaching
staff from the past 30 years for a special reunion brunch.
Details to follow, but please save the date!
Hon. Treasurer
Rick Powdrell
Hon. Secretary
Peter Lipscomb
Joint Mini Chairmen
James Hathaway
Scott Bachmann
Junior Chairman
Ian Tomlins
OA Saints Chairperson
Steph Plunkett
OA FOOTBALL
President
Nick Jackson
OA CRICKET
Chairman
David Goodier
For details about all events and to
book your place, please visit:
https://oaconnect.co.uk/events
President
Richard Morgan
Director of Cricket
Simon Bates
Treasurer
Richard Ransley
Secretary
Alison Finley
OA TENNIS
www.oatennis.com
Chairman
Geoff Lamb
Head Coach
Margie Edge
Hon. Secretary
Justin Azzopardo
OA RIFLE
www.oashooting.com
President
Owen Simmons
Captain
Andrew Wilkie
Treasurer
Andrew Moore
OA GOLF
Captain
Peter Dredge
Hon. Secretary
Mike Crowston
OA LODGE
Assistant Secretary
John Williams
These notes begin back in April when I attended a
Thanksgiving Service for the life and works of David
Pepper, whose obituary was published in the Spring
edition of Versa. David was not an OA (but one of his sons,
Michael (OA 1984), was Head of School in 1984) but he
was a School Governor for the best part of 20 years from
1990 – 2009. It was David who identified that Cheapside
Farm was for sale and he led the very challenging and
prolonged negotiations resulting in the wonderful Woollams
Playing Fields. His input and drive for the purchase of this
site cannot be over-estimated and we are so grateful for
all he did.
In May, there was a very well-attended school reunion for
some of the years of those leaving in the 1970s. There followed
the School’s Sports Dinner in the School Pavilion where I had
great pleasure in awarding the “Victor ludorum” OA prizes to
Islay and Alex for their contribution to school sport. At the
end of May, Chris Harbour moved on to The Purcell School
for Young Musicians. The OAs have also said goodbye to
Kate Gray who has been the cornerstone of the Development
Department for 10 years. A very warm welcome to Rebecca
van der Westhuizen and Louise Barnes, who will be taking
alumni relations to new heights.
Further heartfelt thanks go to Anna Philpott (OA 1993 and
Vice-Chair of the School Governors) who stood in for me
at the Graduation evening in June. I was away (as usual) in
Salcombe but I like to think my time was not wasted. As the
photograph shows, your President was invited by the RNLI
Salcombe lifeboat to do a four-hour charity busking session.
The OA blazer was, of course, worn and the event collected
£750 for the Salcombe Lifeboat funds.
Also in June, I hosted my last OA President’s Summer Lunch.
There were some 90 attendees with the common denominator
being the time all these people have devoted to making the
OA Sports facility the success it is today. The President’s
Cup was awarded to Jane Knighton and Lin Johnson who
are entirely responsible for the organisation of the OARFC
Saturday pre-match lunches.
Then, in July, I was off to my annual 1964 reunion at the Digby
Tap in Sherborne, where we were honoured to be joined
by Mike Nurton (former staff) and Bob Sharpe (OA 1953)
who was Chairman of the School Governors in the time that
Cheapside was being acquired by David Pepper.
In August, I played in the OA Golf Society event at
Harpenden Common Golf Club. We had a good turnout and
were blessed with lovely weather. The Golf Society and all the
Mike Hodge (OA 1965), OA President
MIKE IN HIS OA BLAZER, BUSKING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE RNLI
other Sports sections are in very good heart and are in funds.
Saracens remain with us at Woollams for some more months
and the whole facility is buzzing.
In September, the Headmaster kindly hosted the annual OA
Dinner in the School Refectory. This year’s fare was some
excellent fish and chips. I presented the Headmaster with
one peppercorn for the OAs nominal rent of our “part” of
Woollams – seems exceptional value to me!
I cannot close my notes without a mention of our wonderful
Queen Elizabeth II. She has been with me as my rock for my
whole life. I did see her Coronation in June 1953 when I was a
boy of six – on a neighbour’s TV as my family did not possess
one. The Queen was the best boss I ever had – I worked for
her from 1965 until 1985. She has been at the background
to my life and her departure does leave an enormous void.
Many public figures have come and gone over my 75 years
but Queen Elizabeth has remained there, ever present and
ever constant. I shall miss her enchanting smile. I wish King
Charles III all success and health – God Save The King!
These are my last Presidential Notes as my term as President
comes to an end at the January 2023 OAA AGM and my
successor is to be Paul Richardson (OA 1979). Paul was 1st
XV Rugby, 1st Cricket and Captain of Hockey – he has all the
sporting credentials! He has played 1st XV Rugby at the OAs
over four decades. Paul also had a son and daughter at the
School – he has the OA colours running through him. I am
sure all of you wish him well and every success in his tenure.
I have very much enjoyed my time as OA President and I
close by thanking all the many people who have supported me
along the road. Thank you.

4 5
OA News
OA WINS NCTJ
AWARD
for Excellence
Tomás Hill López-Menchero (OA 2016) was the
winner of the Student Sports Journalism category
at the 2021 NCTJ Awards for Excellence, which
were awarded in March 2022.
Currently working at ESPN as a sports journalist,
having joined from The Times in July 2022, Tomás
studied for his NCTJ (National Council for the Training
of Journalists) qualification at News Associates after
completing his undergraduate degree in Modern
Languages and Cultures at Durham University.
Tomás said: “I was very pleased and surprised to have
won the NCTJ Student Sports Journalist of the Year
Award! I couldn’t have done it without the support and
advice of my far more talented colleagues and editors at
The Times’ Sports section and News Associates.”
The judges looked at three pieces by Tomás – two articles
from The Times titled ‘How the famous Panini sticker
books remain iconic in a digital age᾽ and ‘Raducanumania
takes hold in streets where she grew up᾽, as well
as one for Mail Online called ‘The remarkable story of
Huracan FC London.᾽
The annual NCTJ awards, which highlight the
achievements of promising journalists at the start of their
careers, look at a range of categories, including news,
sports and podcast journalism. The 2021 awards received
a record number of entries – a shortlist of 66 nominees
was whittled down from 481 entries across 17 categories.
OACC LEGENDS
TRIUMPH
AGAINST
Lord’s Taverners
There is a little-known event in the OA cricketing
calendar, an annual fixture between the ‘OACC
Legends’ and the Hertfordshire Lord’s Taverners.
This is used as a fundraising event for the Taverners, whilst
simultaneously being a thoroughly enjoyable social occasion,
to which both teams look forward to each year.
The OAs have a good track record in this fixture but suffered
defeat in 2021.
I am therefore pleased to report that the OAs turned the
tables in 2022, mainly owing to their batting strength led
by Tim Smith and Graham Dill who each recorded fifties,
enabling the OAs to reach a total beyond the reach of the
Lord’s Taverners.
As ever with the Lord’s Taverners, there is a strong social
element to the day, as both teams and their supporters gather
for a three-course roast lunch before the game.
The photo shows four of the OAs who participated this
year – Tom Preest (OA 1988), Graham Dill (OA 1989),
Tony Dalwood (OA 1989) and Ben le Fleming (OA 1990) –
reunited with Nigel Woodsmith, who no doubt has stood as
their umpire on countless occasions.
The date for next year is yet to be confirmed, but we hope it
will be Sunday 25 June 2023.
Now is the time I must confess that I am also
on the Committee of the Hertfordshire Lord’s
Taverners, for whom I have to write a very
different report!
Alan Philpott
IMPERIAL COLLEGE
STUDENT’S DIVE INTO
DEEP TECHNOLOGY
Aryan Shah (OA 2021), a second year Earth
and Planetary Science undergraduate
at Imperial College London (ICL), has
achieved a number of great feats in the last few
months.
Aryan has recently created his own start-up
InXploratus Technologies (InX Tech), in which
they are building long range autonomous
underwater vehicles to survey the ocean floor and
the seas for a variety of uses such as conservation,
pipeline inspection and helping oil and gas
companies drill sustainably.
Aryan has also been promoted to Partnerships
Lead for the Business Division of the Karman
Space Programme, a student team at ICL
attempting to be the first student team to launch
a reusable rocket into space and back. In July, the
team successfully launched a rocket to 5km in
Scotland and are sponsored by some of the largest
Keagan Witts (OA 2015) has recently received two awards for
his work as a volunteer with St John Ambulance (SJA).
A current medical student, Keagan was put forward to
receive the Sovereign’s Award earlier this year. This extremely
prestigious award is only given to ten individuals internationally
each year and recognises members between 16 and 25 for
outstanding achievement in personal development, the benefit
to the community and the benefit to St John.
Keagan said: “I am extremely honoured to be nominated and
awarded a Sovereign’s Award recognising the impact of my
volunteering on my communities, St John Ambulance, and
personal development. I feel very privileged to have received
one of the final awards sanctioned by the late HM The Queen
and it’s particularly special to receive this award in a year
celebrating both her Jubilee and her life as Queen. I’ve been
afforded a lot of opportunity through volunteering, allowing
me to grow immeasurably, and I look forward to what the
future brings.”
companies in the aerospace industry, including
Northrup Grumman, Microsoft and Google.
Recently, Aryan and his friend also entered a
competition from the UK Space Agency, the
SateLife 2022 Competition, to design a business
idea using satellite data to benefit people on
Earth. They came up with an idea for a deep
learning algorithm that takes satellite and
autonomous underwater vehicle data, combines
them and runs them through the algorithm
to come up with an accurate prediction of
earthquakes around the world. As one of the
competition winners, they were awarded £4,500
and were given the opportunity to pitch their idea
to the European Space Agency and the UK Space
Agency in a Dragons’ Den event.
Congratulations on your hard work Aryan!
To read more, please visit the News section of the
OA Connect website.
OA RECEIVES TWO AWARDS
for volunteer efforts
Alongside this, Keagan also received a Commissioner’s
Commendation for Exceptional Service. This is an internal
recognition for exceptional service, and Keagan was
nominated by a peer for the work he has done in St John
relating to disability support, including chairing and growing
the new Disability & Accessibility
Network from conception last year.
After leaving St Albans School, Keagan
studied Biomedical Sciences at Queen
Mary University of London, before
beginning his medical degree in 2019.
As well as volunteering as ambulance
crew, Keagan is also the National
Student Volunteering Manager
overseeing SJA’s offer for
volunteering whilst at
university, where he first
got involved with SJA.

6 OA News
BEST CCF SHOOTERS
recognised
OA PUBLISHES
MEAL-PLANNING BOOK
for head and neck cancer patients
7
In 2015, Andrew Gaylor (OA 1973) had major surgery and radiotherapy for
a malignant tumour in his neck which paralysed the left side of his face.
This had a major impact on his ability to eat and drink and initially he
survived on liquid nutrition drinks – but even those had a bitter metallic taste
due to his radiotherapy.
When Lt-Col Robert Gregory (OA 1956) was
a pupil at the School, Commanding Officer
Major LG Walker presented silver spoons
for excellence in shooting to those in the Combined
Cadet Forces (CCF). In memory of this, Robert and
his brother Michael have given their own spoons to
be awarded whenever Major Forbes-Whitehead feels a
cadet deserves it.
During the presentation ceremony, Robert spoke about
Major LG Walker, who was posted to Burma as an officer
in the Essex Regiment during the Second World War,
saying: “The most shocking thing to me was that those
who served in Burma were ordered not to talk about what
happened there on their return. LG obeyed this order and
never said a word about Burma. He was keen on shooting
and took us to shoot .303 at the 300-yard range in the
wood near Sandridge, as did the RSM Sam Kilpatrick
(Scots Guards). Both were always cool, calm and collected,
a rare quality, and both were truly great men.”
For this academic year, the spoon for best shooter
was awarded to L6 pupil William following the CCF
parade on Friday 14 October 2022. The spoon has been
mounted and will be stored in the museum, ahead of the
presentation to the best shot on camp each year.
OC CCF Major David Forbes-Whitehead said: “It was
a pleasure to welcome Robert back to the corps and to
revive a little bit of its history. The presentation of silver
spoons for excellence in shooting was introduced by
former contingent commander Major LG Walker. As a
serving soldier in Burma in the Second World War, he
knew the value of good shooting and we are delighted
to continue that recognition with this presentation to
William as the Contingent’s best shot on our Summer
Camp in Scotland.”
COME IN AND
SPEAK!
Huge thanks to all the OAs who have returned and supported pupils
this term, through giving a lecture, providing work experience or
presenting at a careers event, including Mitchell Zhangahza (OA
2013 – pictured) who shared his experiences of the West End stage
at the start of Black History Month. We really appreciate all of your
help! If you are interested in speaking to pupils as part of our ‘what’s
it like to study…’ or ‘what’s it like to work in…’ series, which are
running from January 2023, please do let us know!
Over the following years his ability to eat slowly improved, though he still had to
plan his meals carefully. Although he was given advice from dietitians on what
to eat, working out meals was a real worry and getting enough calories, fibre
and nutrition was a challenge. During his recovery he kept a record of what he
could eat, thinking that it might be useful in the future. He also devised several
of his own recipes and started to put together weekly meal plans. These gradually
developed into a meal-planning book specifically to help head and neck cancer
patients – and indeed anyone who finds eating solid food difficult.
His book has now been published as an e-book by The Swallows, a national
charity for head and neck cancer patients. It covers a range of eating difficulties
– from those who have lost their teeth, and even their tongue, to those who
just find swallowing food very difficult. There’s also a section with suggestions
for eating out, as many pub and restaurant meals can be difficult to manage.
You can read Andrew’s book here:
https://www.theswallows.org.uk/library/
LOCAL HISTORY
REMEMBERED
Blue heritage plaques have been going up all
over St Albans and the OA community is well
represented. So far those recognised include
OA Percival Blow, a local architect who designed
School House, the 1928
building and the War
memorial at the turn of
the 20th Century. Also
represented is former
teacher John Ball, who
was one of the leaders
of the Peasants’ Revolt
in 1381.
JOIN OA CONNECT
TODAY!
It is now easier than ever to keep in contact with your
friends after leaving St Albans School. Join up to OA
Connect for free to:
• Message and network with friends and the wider OA
community
• Book onto events, including reunions, professional
networking, and School functions
• Access a range of news stories about OAs and the
School today
• View our photo galleries
• Enjoy past editions of Versa
• Peruse our fantastic range of merchandise, including
hoodies, cufflinks and gin!
It only takes a few minutes to register and you can log
on today by visiting: https://oaconnect.co.uk/register

8
Featured OA
9
MUSIC FOR THE SOUL
Despite only leaving recently, JJ Wallace (OA 2020) has packed in a huge
amount since leaving St Albans School – including touring around Europe and
performing in front of thousands at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
We recently saw you on stage at Glastonbury supporting
Celeste – how did this collaboration come about?
Back in January I was performing with one of my good friends
DoomCannon at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho and Celeste was in
the audience at the time. A few months later we got in contact
while I was still at university, and I was made aware of all the
shows and festivals we were going to be doing throughout the
year which was exciting.
You’ve also been on tour around Europe – who were you
supporting and where did you visit?
My most recent European tour has been amazing. This
run was also with Celeste which was great because all the
band already knew each other which made travelling very
comfortable. We performed all over Europe with some
highlights including Primavera Sound in Barcelona, NOS
Alive Festival in Lisbon, Stuttgart Jazz Open and Nice Jazz
Festival just to name a few. One of the great things about the
tour was the ability to not only play in front of a variety of
different crowds but to also explore vibrant cities.
Do you ever feel daunted before going on stage, particularly
when playing in front of such large crowds?
Surprisingly I didn’t feel nervous before any of the shows
regardless of crowd size. I was apprehensive before the tour
began as to whether I would get nervous before going on
stage, however as soon as I get on to the drum kit I feel at
home, almost as though I’m in my own little cabin. This helps
because at that point the crowd doesn’t become a daunting
prospect at all. In fact, seeing large crowds eagerly waiting
for you to perform makes the show even more exciting,
especially since, as the drummer, you get to see thousands of
people dancing to the beat that you are playing. Glastonbury,
however, was a bit different as it was aired on national
television and knowing that all your friends and family are
watching at home was a little bit daunting at first. However,
like I mentioned, once I get on the drum kit, I don’t think
about any of that, and all nerves disappear.
You play quite a range of music, including pop, jazz and
gospel. Do you have a favourite genre?
It’s hard for me to categorically name a preferred genre of
music because it seems to be constantly changing. Gospel has
been in my life since the beginning, so I’m in my comfort zone
when I am playing that, but recently, I have been playing a lot
more jazz and hip-hop fusion music. There is an incredibly
exciting London jazz scene that is continually growing and
some of the music emerging is a fusion of traditional jazz with
hip-hop influences. I would say this is currently my favourite
because there is a lot of scope to experiment and express new
ideas and creativity within the music and my playing.
How old were you when you started playing the drums? Has
music always been an important part of your life?
I first started playing when I was around 18 months old.
However, I didn’t start with conventional lessons. Coming
“Seeing large crowds
eagerly waiting for you to
perform makes the show
even more exciting.”
from a very musical family, being able to feel and understand
different rhythms almost felt like second nature from an early
age. Music has always been a major part of my life, my mother
is a singer, and much of my extended family are involved
in music in some shape or form. When you grow up in that
environment you begin to pick up musical technical skills
and maturity almost without knowing it at the time. Music
continued to be a major part of my life from junior school up
to high school as I started to gain experience performing and
being a part of orchestras and other ensembles.
How did your time at school support your musical
ambitions and how did you balance schoolwork with
music?
My time at the School was great for my development. From
the day I joined in First Form, the Music Department were
very supportive, from allowing me space to individually
practice drums at break times and after school, to guiding
me with musical software skills to help me produce new
ideas. I especially spent a lot of time with Mr Craig who
really helped to expand my musical brain and improve
my technical skills, like reading music. In all honesty, I
became accustomed to balancing a lot of work as I was
constantly having to juggle sports, music and academic
work in school. This has turned out to be a blessing as I now
feel comfortable balancing a heavy workload at university
alongside my music career.
You won the title of UK Young Drummer of the Year in
2018 whilst still a pupil – how did you prepare for the
competition and what did it mean to win?
I had entered the competition the previous year and made
it through to the top ten. I think that this experience was
beneficial for me as it gave me the experience of playing
under pressure and in front of a relatively large crowd. When
I won the competition, I was in the Fifth Form, so it was
quite a busy year also preparing for my GCSE exams. My
preparation for the competition did not change any of my
daily routines, it just meant that in my practising sessions
at school before the final, I was constantly polishing up my
solo and my interpretation of the backing track we were
required to perform. I never saw drums, or music in general,
as a competition so the feeling of winning was different to
that of winning a competitive sporting match; however,
it felt wonderful proving to myself that I could play at a
high standard and to have industry-recognised legends
acknowledge my playing and speak highly of it.
What advice do you have for budding musicians?
I’d say that it is important to keep constantly working on your
technical ability as well as opening yourself up to a wide variety
of genres. One would also gain a great deal from playing with
other musicians whether that is just random jams or even
starting up small bands. This helps to enhance your musicality
because you learn how to bounce off other people’s ideas in
a musical setting and you can develop the ability to not only
know what to play, but when to play it. As with all walks of life,
it is not only your playing ability that matters it is also who you
connect with, and I found that putting out content of playing
on social media platforms can allow you to network with
musicians and artists from around the world.
What are your plans and ambitions for the future?
As I am currently in my final year of undergraduate studies my
immediate focus is on my university degree; however, beyond
that I am looking to continue with live performing. I have
thoroughly enjoyed my summer of touring and performing in
front of massive crowds and would love to continue travelling
the world whilst playing at this stage in my life. Beyond that I
have interests in music management and even aviation, which
I would potentially look to pursue. Without looking too far
into the future I am currently incredibly content with how my
musical career has started and I want to continue capitalising
on opportunities as they come.
JJ PERFORMING IN PARIS

10
OA Events
11
OA NETBALL AND
AFTERNOON TEA
After a week of heavy rain, the sun came out in time
for the annual OA netball match against this year’s
first VII team on Saturday 10 September, at the
Woollams Playing Fields.
After a minute’s silence in memory of the late Queen, play
began. The first VII quickly pulled into the lead. Despite
being a relatively new team, they demonstrated strong
cohesion and communication and were leading until the
end of the third quarter. However, the OAs fought back and
in a tight last quarter scored three goals in quick succession,
leading to a 20-18 win for the OA team. After the match, OAs
caught up over afternoon tea, sharing stories and experiences
of their time at St Albans with the current pupils.
OA Captain, Louisa Kumar (OA 2019), said: "After three years
of not being able to play alumni matches due to COVID, it
felt great to be back at Woollams. For the other alumni players
and I, catching up with our teachers and each other was a
delight, hearing about everyone’s progress and achievements.
The match itself was very close, with the alumni girls only just
taking the win in the final quarter. The current girls played
admirably and I’m sure Ms Sandell is excited for the promise
that the team has for the upcoming season."
Vicky Sandell, Head of Girls’ Games said: “It was fantastic
to have this event back up and running after the disruption
COVID caused. The OA team consisted of the strongest
group of players I have had at the School to date, previous
winners of the District League and an overall talented group
of sportswomen. It was a pleasure to see them play together
again, and with the cohesion and skill they always possessed
which made them such a success. The new St Albans side
demonstrated their ability, which proved to be promising for
the season ahead. It always amazes me how quickly a new
side begins to gel and start working as a team.”
OAs from 1956 through to 2019 were treated to ‘Fish
& Chips’ at this year’s OA Dinner. Held on Friday 23
September 2022, the evening began with Sixth Form
pupils touring OAs around the School, taking in newer sites
like the Corfield Building, as well as the familiar buildings on
Middle Yard. Guests then enjoyed a drinks reception in the
library, with a welcome from Headmaster Jonathan Gillespie,
before leaving for the refectory.
Seated in year groups, there was a wonderful and buzzing
OA DINNER
atmosphere over the fish and chips meal, which was followed
by the perennial school favourite of sticky toffee pudding.
Towards the end of the evening OA President Mike Hodge
(OA 1965) gave his speech and handed the Headmaster a
peppercorn, paying the OAs’ annual rent for the use
of Woollams. In legal terms, a peppercorn can represent
small cash payments, which is used to satisfy the
requirements for a legal contract – so the action is more
than simply a gesture!
LEAVERS’ BBQ
FOUNDERS’
DAY
It was wonderful to return to a full, in-person
Founders’ Day on Saturday 2 July, celebrated
in St Albans Cathedral.
Following the service, OAs, former staff members,
and former and current parents decamped to
Woollams Playing Fields to enjoy the Old Albanian
Summer Social. Over 40 OAs attended, enjoying a
BBQ and watching the various sports being played
by current pupils.
LONDON
DRINKS
Many thanks to all who attended the annual
OA London Drinks Party on Wednesday 25
May at The Caledonian Club.
Around 70 OAs of varying ages and working across many
different sectors joined us for canapés and drinks. The
bustling Morrison Room was a great opportunity to catch
up with friends, former teachers and network with other
OAs working within their industry.
As always, it was a pleasure to see OAs from so many year
groups; we encourage all OAs to stay connected and up to
date on news and events via the OA Connect website.
After having their Christmas reunion drinks cancelled due to COVID, it
was fantastic to see so many OAs from the Class of 2021 return for their
Leavers’ BBQ in August – catching up with fellow classmates and teachers
from their time at School.

12
OA Focus
13
A YEAR OF
CELEBRATION
and mourning
2022 was a year in which the UK fully demonstrated its pageantry and sense of history, through the Queen’s
Platinum Jubilee celebrations and then Her Majesty’s state funeral only three months later. Nowhere was this
more evident than in the military demonstrations that were a key part of both events. Louise Barnes spoke
to Major Andy Pilsworth (OA 2003) and Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Gilham (OA 2000) about their roles,
highlighting the long history that St Albans School has with the CCF and the military.
St Albans School has one of the oldest Combined Cadet
Forces (CCF) in the UK and, for many, undertaking CCF
training and duties is a fond memory of their time at
school. For some though, these activities form the basis of a
longer-term relationship with the military, as was the case for
OAs Maj Andy Pilsworth and Lt Col Anthony Gilham. Both
OAs were privileged to take part in the Queen’s Platinum
Jubilee Pageant, as part of the weekend of celebrations in June,
with Anthony then having a key role in Operation LONDON
BRIDGE upon the death of the Queen.
Both OAs were part of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which
was estimated to be viewed by 13.4 million people on the
BBC alone. Andy – who is part of the Royal Tank Regiment
– was then the Officer Commanding CYCLOPS Squadron,
which was aligned to Op BRIDGE, the operational name for
the death of a Royal, and therefore had ceremonial duties.
“As context, Her Majesty was the Colonel-In-Chief of the
Royal Tank Regiment, which was why the Regiment was
involved at Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. My role was to
prepare and deploy a Marching Contingent of two Officers
and 24 Soldiers from within CYCLOPS Squadron and then
lead them on the Pageant phase of the Platinum Jubilee.”
The preparations were slightly different for Anthony, who is
part of the Household Cavalry and so is dual trained in both
operational and ceremonial duties. “My career that led me to
command of the Household Cavalry Regiment [HCR] was a
bit less traditional, and so I had never taken part in any State
Ceremonial occasions until this year, which meant that Op
PLATINUM and Op LONDON BRIDGE both had steep
learning curves. Whilst Op PLATINUM, the name given by
the MoD to the military part in the Jubilee celebrations, had
been planned for some time in London, it only became a
focus at the regiment in March or April, and was made more
challenging by a good number of us having been deployed
to Poland at short notice as the war in Ukraine began. In
mid-May we had our marching detachments fitted for their
ceremonial uniforms and the plan came together.”
“I was immensely honoured
to parade for Her Majesty
and to be a representative for
my Regiment.”
It is striking hearing how both OAs prepared for the
Jubilee and it’s clear that there’s a reason for the phrase
‘military precision’ – nothing here was left to chance and
both experiences involved many early-morning rehearsals.
“Preparations began three weeks before the Pageant back at
the Regiment in Tidworth, with the Marching Contingent
conducting drill practice and preparing their kit (polishing
boots etc.),” said Andy. “This culminated with a Drill
LT COL ANTHONY GILHAM ON HORSEBACK AND PREPARING
FOR THE PLATINUM JUBILEE PAGEANT
Inspection, where I selected the final 24 Soldiers. We then
all deployed to Pirbright Camp, where all those marching
on the Pageant congregated for an intensive 10-day period
to conduct rehearsals and further prepare our kit. This
concluded with a full rehearsal in London, which began at
0400hrs in the morning.”
Anthony had similarly nocturnal rehearsals. “As with all
military parades in London there was then an Early Morning
Rehearsal (EMR) on the empty streets. The dismounted
detachments were moved into Wellington Barracks around
midnight on the Tuesday before the Jubilee weekend, ready
to form up on parade at about 0300,” said Anthony. “It was
slightly surreal to be riding through the closed off streets in
the dark to start, but all went well and as always it proved
a great opportunity to shake out any last details and refine
timings – everything has to run like clockwork.”
This planning meant that the whole Pageant did indeed run
like clockwork – and was a moment of intense pride for

14 Featured OA
15
LT COL ANTHONY GILHAM PREPARES FOR THE QUEEN’S VIGIL
both OAs. “I was immensely honoured to parade for Her
Majesty and to be a representative for my Regiment. I was
also extremely proud of the Soldiers and my Second In
Command that marched with me from the Royal Tank
Regiment. They did a brilliant job and showcased the
Regiment to the highest standard. This was a historic
event, that will probably never happen again, so we were
all delighted to be taking part,” said Andy.
“Her Majesty was far more
than just a distant figurehead,
she was genuinely loved by
those in Defence.”
“Riding out for the parade that afternoon was an
incredible experience – gone were the quiet streets of the
EMR, and the route from Knightsbridge to Wellington
Barracks was already packed, with the procession route
even busier, and the sheer wall of noise as we rode past
was immense,” said Anthony. “The Mall itself was an
experience that I will never forget – a whole raft of
emotions were flowing through me: sheer pride to be part
of a once in a lifetime parade that was being televised
globally, the concentration of keeping my horse Isengard
at the right speed and in the right position relevant to the
others, nerves, as well as an overwhelming thirst (because
adrenaline will dry the mouth, and because those about to
sit on a horse for three or four hours dehydrate ourselves
for obvious reasons).
“All these thoughts and feelings whirring through me
on The Mall were put out of my mind as we approached
the Queen Victoria Memorial (known as ‘the birthday
cake’) outside Buckingham Palace. We turned right
and simultaneously moved into a close order, needing
everyone to ride well, before then providing a ‘Royal
Salute, Eyes Right’ to the dais, with the salute being taken
by the then Prince of Wales on behalf of his mother. The
single moment that sticks in my mind from the whole
Jubilee period was this instant; as I was looking up and to
my right while saluting, seeing His Majesty returning the
salute and looking down on us all, with just a split second
of eye contact as he reviewed the troops. It was a huge
privilege to have been there, marking 70 years of Her late
Majesty’s most extraordinary and exemplary reign.”
It was therefore a shock for Anthony, having been
celebrating Her Majesty’s reign only a few months
beforehand, to then be part of Op LONDON BRIDGE.
“As soon as the tragic news of Her late Majesty’s passing
was broken the plan for Op LONDON BRIDGE was
implemented. Being a Household Division commanding
officer, I knew that I would be heavily involved, so I
packed a multitude of uniforms, bade farewell to my
family and moved into the Officers’ Mess at Hyde Park
Barracks for a fortnight.”
“This planning meant that
the whole Pageant did indeed
run like clockwork and was a
moment of intense pride.”
Due to a change in role, Andy wasn’t part of the funeral,
but his reaction will resonate with many. “Like the rest of
the nation, I was deeply saddened and in a bit of shock, Her
Majesty was such a pillar in my life. My wife and I spent the
whole evening watching the coverage on the TV the day
that Her Majesty passed, just not really too sure what to do
with ourselves.”
Anthony’s role in the funeral began with a crucial role in
the Vigil. “The Household Cavalry provides the first Vigil
for the late Sovereign on the catafalque in Westminster
Hall, and I had the genuinely enormous honour of not
only being in the 18 officers that provided the first Vigil,
but was in fact one of the four to mount the first watch –
marching down the north steps of Westminster Hall and
taking up position on the catafalque as His Majesty, the
Royal Family, the Lords, and the Commons looked on. I
think this was probably the proudest moment of my 19-
year career to date.”
With the greatest change to the monarchy in 70 years,
the UK is now in a moment of change both psychological
and literal, changing the National Anthem, currency
and – for Andy and Anthony – badges, buttons and flags
to incorporate the cypher of His Majesty King Charles
III. Andy said: “The Royal Tank Regiment cap badge has
the Queen’s Crown on it, and I wear a Queen’s Crown to
denote my rank, so there will be lots of change to move
over to a King’s Crown.”
There is also an emotional change to go through. During
the period of national mourning, many members of the
Armed Forces commented that the Queen was more
than a figurehead, something Anthony agrees with. “Her
Majesty was far more than just a distant figurehead, she
was genuinely loved by those in Defence and when people
said they did their job ‘for Queen and Country’ it was
more than just an expression, it was how we all feel.”
But as we look forward, there will be plenty of time to
recalibrate, particularly with the upcoming Coronation
in May 2023. Andy said, “I think the Coronation will be
a fantastic opportunity to truly make that transition. As
[the Queen was] our longest serving Monarch, it is only
natural for us all to feel a bit unfamiliar. However, God
Save The King!”
MAJ ANDY PILSWORTH, ALONG WITH A FELLOW OFFICER AND 24 SOLDIERS,
MARCHES PAST THE CENOTAPH DURING THE PLATINUM JUBILEE PAGEANT

16 17
ASK THE ARCHIVIST
REGAL ST ALBANS
St Albans has had a long connection with the Royal
family, especially the late Queen Mother who was made
an honorary Freeman of St Albans in 1961. Members of
the Royal family have visited Hertfordshire frequently since
Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne and in 1957 she spent
some time at St Albans School.
The occasion was the Royal Maundy, on Thursday 18 April
1957. William Marsh, the then-Headmaster, wrote in the
May 1957 edition of The Albanian: “When the Dean told me
that the Queen was coming to the Abbey for this year’s Royal
Maundy, I realised that the School would have a vital part in
the general plan. It was the first time for over three centuries,
I understand, that the Sovereign has distributed the Royal
Maundy outside London; since our good neighbour and
Visitor, the Bishop, is the Lord High Almoner, the decision of
Her Majesty to come to St Albans was clearly appropriate and
a source of pride and delight to the Diocese and to the City
– particularly to all who, like ourselves, are close neighbours
and friends of the Abbey.”
The Royal Maundy itself is a religious service held on Maundy
Thursday, the day before Good Friday. The first English
monarch to distribute alms as part of the Maundy Thursday
service was King John in 1210 and it has remained a tradition
through plague and war. During the Royal Maundy, it is
traditional for the monarch to distribute small silver coins
which were known as Maundy money, as symbolic alms to
elderly recipients. Technically, these coins are legal tender, but
do not circulate due to their silver content.
When the Queen visited St Albans, the day itself fell during
the holidays in 1957, which, as the Headmaster went on to
remark, was “perhaps fortunate” as even though there were
few Masters and boys to attend the Service, otherwise the
School would have to make that day a holiday, “since the
whole of our more accessible accommodation was needed for
those taking part in the Service”.
“The decision of Her Majesty
to come to St Albans was clearly
appropriate and a source of pride
and delight.”
It was a busy day that began at half-past eight with police and
stewards arriving, and from the outset the School was used
to help with preparations. Marsh said: “Soon followed the
Gentlemen and Children of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal – to
robe in School House and thence to practise with the Abbey
Choir in the Art Room. The arrival of the Yeomen of the Guard
under their V.C. Colonel in full uniform brought the glory and
colour of mediaeval pageantry into a perfect setting.”
Once everyone – including visiting Mayors, the City Council
and Town Clerks were all appropriately robed, the fleet of
royal cars arrived in the School House Drive, ready for the
Queen to walk to the Cathedral through the Gateway.
Behind the scenes, prefects and staff were also busy helping
with preparations in the Cathedral. Starting the afternoon
before, six prefects had spent some time inserting duplicated
sheets into three thousand Orders of Service. Those prefects
then had another role to play on the day, acting – in the words
of Marsh – as “guides, philosophers and friends to all and
sundry”. Their duties continued following the service.
As the Headmaster commented: “As they returned from the
Abbey, the Prefects undertook their most important duty –
surely one which was entirely in keeping with the spirit of
the Service – for they escorted and helped the Beneficiaries,
all aged and some infirm, on their way from the Abbey to
the School House Quadrangle where their friends joined
them and thence on to lunch in the School Dining Hall.
This done, the Prefects joined the Yeomen of the Guard
and the Wandsmen of the Almonry who were lunching in
School House. It is pleasant to record that their services were
AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE CHARLES I FIREPLACE
rewarded by a Maundy Fee which the Head of the School
received – a set of four Maundy Coins – four penny, three
penny, two penny, penny pieces of silver.”
Marsh concluded his account of the day by saying: “Despite
this rather matter of fact account of what happened in
the School on Thursday 18 April 1957 – a page from my
diary as it were, if I kept one – I would not like it to be
thought that I forget the dignity, the simple beauty, the
spiritual significance of the Service itself. I had been
fortunate enough to be present at last year’s Royal Maundy
in Westminster Abbey and my confident expectation that
our own Abbey could be more than equal to the great
responsibilities of such a Service and such a Royal occasion
was fully realised this year.
“My personal duties on the day itself were not confined to the
School, but when at the end of the Service I had the honour of
being presented to Her Majesty by the Dean I was singularly
pleased to hear him say simply ‘the Headmaster of St Albans
School’ – for I felt proud and delighted to represent a School
which had contributed so much to the undoubted success of a
memorable day.”
CHARLES I’S
FIREPLACE
You may remember that in H1 in the Gateway building there is a large
stone fireplace. This features the coat of arms of Charles I and is a
commemoration of his visit to the School in 1626.
The coat of arms is bears the Latin inscription ‘Di ev et’ or ‘God is My
Right’. The imagery is also highly emotive and representative of the
English realm as it was then. The Royal Shield is in quarters, depicting
the three passant lions for England, the fleur-de-lys of France, the
rampant lion of Scotland and the harp of Ireland. Either side of the
Shield is a lion and unicorn, know as a Dexter. These two beasts are
common in royal symbolism, with the lion representing England and
the unicorn, Scotland. The eagle-eyed will noticed that the unicorn is
chained around its neck. In heraldic terms, the unicorn was a mythical
beast who could not be tamed. As such, an untethered unicorn is a
dangerous beast and so it is chained to harness its power to the Crown.

18 19
Announcements
Deryck Perkins
(OA 1945)
1927 – 2022
Written by his daughter
Alison Madge
Deryck lived his early years
in Mill Hill, then in the late
1930s his family moved to a
flat in Hendon and so whilst
neighbouring children were
evacuated, he spent the war
years travelling by train to St Albans School. Despite bombs
on the railway line, he didn’t remember any occasions on
which he was unable to get to school! In his later years he told
many tales of his inspiring teachers and of various pranks
enacted by his school mates. He credited a school trip to
Rothamsted with igniting his interest in a career in science.
On leaving school in 1945, Deryck went to Imperial College,
gaining a degree in chemistry. Over the next 20 years he also
received PhD and Doctor of Science awards. After a brief
stint at the Medical Research Council in Mill Hill, he joined
St George’s Hospital Medical School, where over his career his
work covered both biochemical research and the teaching of
medical students. He married his wife Jean and they lived in
Mill Hill. They had a son and a daughter.
Shortly after retiring, Deryck and Jean decided to move and
settled on a house in St Albans. Deryck enjoyed his various
visits to the School, including to the Carol Service and the
Community Link Christmas parties. He was delighted when
his two grandsons followed in their grandfather’s footsteps
and joined the School. He felt that St Albans School had given
him a good education and he was proud to be an alumnus.
Stephen Muir (OA 1953)
1936 – 2021
Written by his son Graham Muir
(OA 1981)
Stephen (also known as Steve or
Sam) left the School in 1953 and
started his National Service in
the RAF in December that year
(having previously been awarded
a Flying Scholarship by the CCF RAF section), intent on
pursuing his ambition to become a pilot. He left the RAF
at the end of his mandatory two years as a Flying Officer
and fully-fledged pilot.
Stephen joined BOAC in May 1956, having been funded by
his father, Archibald Muir (OA 1919), to obtain his civil pilot
licence, and remained there (and with its successor British
Airways) until he retired in 1991, having become a Captain
in 1971. He flew jumbos (Boeing 747s) from 1975 until his
retirement as the most senior captain in the jumbo fleet.
OBITUARIES
Stephen’s principal hobby was motorsport, participating as a
driver in and (in later years) an organiser of club motorsport
from 1958 until a few years before his death. In particular, he
was a member of Herts County Auto & Aero Club from 1964
until his death, serving in various committee roles from 1970
until 2016 (including as Chairman from 1988 – 1998).
He was always a keen supporter of the School and was
inordinately proud when his son Graham (OA 1981) and then
his grandson Jonathan (OA 2014) also attended, being
respectively the 10th and 11th members of his family to do so.
Chris Wilkinson, OBE, RA
(OA 1963)
1945 – 2021
Written by Rod Argent (OA 1963)
Chris was a lovely person; kind, helpful and, of course, a
wonderfully talented architect. In spite of extraordinary and
groundbreaking worldwide success, he remained exactly the
same quiet, helpful, considerate and generous person in later
life that I first knew as a close friend so many years ago...
He had a passion for art and architecture from an early
age, and after fruitful apprenticeships developing his
talents with Norman Foster and Richard Rogers and
forming his own company with Jim Eyre, he soon took the
world of architecture by storm with his stunning designs.
WilkinsonEyre’s goal was always to fuse the openly technocentric
with beauty of form and structure, and they soon won
the prestigious Stirling Prize two years in succession (Magna
Science Centre, 2001 and the Millennium Bridge, 2002). Chris
Wilkinson and Jim Eyre continued this approach unabated,
right up to Chris’s death, both in the UK and internationally
with enormous and constantly growing success. Goethe
described music as liquid architecture, and architecture as
frozen music. I believe Chris’s sense of design is described
beautifully in this way. As a man passionate about good
music of all kinds, he brought his wonderfully fluent sense
of line and motion, both essential ingredients in the inherent
structure of music, to all his projects.
Chris lived a successful, full and fulfilled life. He was a fine
abstract painter, who was elected to the Royal Academy
in 2006. He enjoyed a close and very happy family life and
is survived by his wife Diana (née Edmunds) and his two
children Zoe, a creative consultant, and Dominic, an architect.
Father Edmund
(Ed) Worthy (OA
1964)
1947 – 2022
Written by Barry
Mackenzie (OA
1965)
Ed Worthy was at St Albans School between September 1958
and July 1964. He lived most of his life in Harpenden and spent
many years as an Accounts Manager for Prudential. In 1997, he
was ordained as a Catholic priest and spent his first few years
after ordination at St Joseph’s in Luton.
He spent his final years of active ministry at Our Lady of the
Sacred Heart in Wellingborough, but he was forced to retire in
2015 through disability following leg disease and amputation.
Ed made numerous friends for life and was especially kind and
supportive to his sister-in-law Ann and her family following the
death of his younger brother Henry a few years ago.
Adrian Tominey
(OA Rugby President
2007 – 2010)
1948 – 2022
Written by Rory Davis, Old
Albanian RFC Chairman
The Old Albanian Rugby Club is
greatly saddened to announce the
passing of Adrian Tominey, who
held the position of Club President
with honour and great ability.
He will be very much missed by all at the OAs who knew him
and by many more of the rugby fraternity nationwide who
met him during his committee years.
He was an Old Boy of Finchley Grammar School. A local
St Albans lad, he was a dentist of some standing within the
community and in recent years with the onset of retirement
he and wife Lynette set up a happy home in Yorkshire at
OA LODGE
Charity begins at the Lodge
John Williams, Assistant Secretary
At the beginning of the year, the Masonic Charitable
Foundation (MCF) launched a fundraising appeal
on behalf of Freemasonry to tackle the growing
humanitarian and refugee situation in Ukraine. The MCF
reacted within days of the invasion with a grant of £50,000 to
the British Red Cross. The MCF and the United Grand Lodge
of England (UGLE) then launched an appeal which now
stands at more than £1.1 million.
The MCF can help with a range of financial, family, health
and care needs. Since its foundation six years ago, the MCF
has awarded grants on behalf of Freemasonry amounting to
more than £110 million, comprising more than 18,000 grants
to individuals in need and more than 3,700 grants to charities.
This is only possible thanks to the generosity of Freemasons,
their families and friends.
A ‘meridian’ Lodge meeting was held on Saturday 10
September. The meeting commenced with the brethren
which many of his erstwhile colleagues and comrades were
made more than welcome when opportunity arose.
He will be remembered for a fine intelligence, a stunning
command of the language, a fierce loyalty to those close to
him and a sense of humour which had to be experienced
to be appreciated. He was known to light up the darkest
of occasions with hilarity bordering on the Pythonesque,
including impossible non sequiturs and an all-pervading grasp
of the ludicrous. When his thoughts seemed to be heading in a
particular direction, they might suddenly lurch off at a tangent
which only served to increase the comedy for all concerned.
He is survived by Lynette, and their daughter Eve and son
Joel, to whom our sad best wishes are offered.
Aamer Nawid
(OA 1995)
1977 – 2022
Written by James Mote
(OA 1995)
It is with great sadness that
we announce the tragic
passing of Aamer Nawid,
who attended the School
from 1988 to 1995. Aamer
was much loved, with
friendships spanning across many year groups. He was a keen
sportsman who represented the school at both football and
rugby. His sudden passing on 6 May was a shock to all and he
will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family and all
who knew him. RIP.
standing in silence in memory of
the late Queen. Since the previous
Lodge meeting, one of the Lodge’s
honorary members had died at the
age of 88. Bro Eric Preece had been
the Lodge caterer and chef. After
a short eulogy by W Bro Dickie
Davison, the brethren stood for a
short time in fond memory of Eric.
DICK KNIFTON – DEPUTY
PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER
AND OA LODGE CHARITY
STEWARD
The Master of the Lodge, W Bro John Sanderson, then passed
Bro Joshua Varghese to the Second Degree, Bro Joshua having
been initiated into the Lodge on Saturday 8 January 2022.
There followed the presentation of a Grand Lodge Certificate
to Bro Adam Blackie by the Lodge Secretary, and reports
from both the Almoner and the Charity Steward. The next
Lodge meeting will be held at Ashwell House on Saturday 14
January 2023.

20 OA Sports
OAFC TO CHASE
UNPRECEDENTED ‘3PEAT’ AFTER
clinching back-to-back promotions
The OA Football Club (OAFC) continue to make strides
as one of the up-and-coming clubs of The Arthurian
League. OAFC have established themselves in the last
few years as a footballing force to be reckoned with despite
being one of the youngest, and smallest, clubs in the ladder
alongside historic forces like Old Etonians, Old Harrovians
and Old Haberdashers.
After achieving the double in the 2020/2021 season by winning
the DW cup and getting promoted from Division 5 to Division
4, ambitions were set high to get promoted again in the
2021/2022 season. The team started strong with six consecutive
wins, but competition was stiff with two other title contenders –
the Old Ardinians and Old Shirburnians in the mix.
Although we suffered two disappointing cup exits, last season
ended in success once more, as we were ultimately promoted
alongside Ardinians and Shirburnians after the league
awarded an extra promotion spot to our division. This was in
recognition of the strength of the division and the potential to
compete higher up the ladder. We have been side-by-side with
Ardinians for a few years now, who have also distinguished
themselves as a team who could compete in the higher
divisions. This has made for a fierce rivalry, the matches even
now dubbed on socials as ‘The OA derby’.
We have started the 2022/2023 season strongly in Division
3, sealing consecutive 4-2 wins against Old Carthusians II
and Old Brentwoods II, putting us in an early second place
Alex Addison (OA 2005),
OA Football Captain
alongside our old rival Ardinians. The team has really grown
together over the years and we have adopted an exciting,
dynamic counter-attacking style of football that focuses on
not allowing any room for the opposition to settle in our half
and unleashing our fast, skilful wide players on the break.
We also happen to be one of the tallest teams in the divisions,
making us a constant threat from set pieces and throw-ins.
OAs who graduated from as early as 2005 now enjoy regular
football with 2014 graduates, linking up on the pitch just like
we used to at Woollams. I can speak on behalf of everyone who
got involved and stayed around – it’s been an amazing journey
that has just got better and better each season we have worked
to establish the club. In particular, Club Chairman Nick Jackson
(OA 2005), Club Captain Alex Addison (OA 2005) and James
Martin (OA 2005) have worked tirelessly on and off the pitch
to get the club off the ground and keep it going. The club has
ambitions to have a second team and regular training sessions
(like many other league members have), to further increase our
pool of players and quality of the team.
The focus for the club this year is to go all-out for an
unprecedented ‘3peat’ (three consecutive promotions), and
with confidence riding high from our two early wins, we have
a great opportunity to achieve that.
Want to play 11-a-side football in a historic, competitive
league, in a fun atmosphere and with a winning team? Get in
touch via our Facebook group or the Development office.
SWINGING
FOR SUCCESS
Mike Crowston (OA 1966),
OA Golf Club Secretary
The OA’s golfing year began with a visit to South
Beds Golf Club, a course which brought back many
memories for older members. Whilst the number
who played was small, an enjoyable three-man team fun
competition was won by Tony Clarke (OA 1961), Graham
Tate (1960) and the secretary.
At the end of April, we played the annual match against Mid-
Herts GC. A diplomatic result saw the OAs lose 3-1, a reverse
of the result for the previous three years.
The next fixture was the OA Cup at Welwyn Garden City, the
home course of David Hughes (OA 1994). For most of those
attending the course proved quite difficult. However, the top
three all returned respectable scores playing to or better than
their handicaps. Graham Tate proved triumphant, winning the
trophy for the first time, followed by multiple winner John Cox
(OA 1974) and Kevin O’Donoghue (OA 1959).
In July we returned to Leighton Buzzard for the Briggs
Goblets pairs competition. The winners were Tony Walters
(Antelope) and Rob Allsopp (OA 1969) with a combined
The Summer Holiday Tennis Camps were a huge
success. Head Coach Margie Edge and Coach James
Eggleton ran children’s sessions on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday mornings for the six weeks of the holidays.
Margie mainly coached the 6 – 10 year-age group and James
the 10 – 15 year-age group. They started with fun cardio
style warm-ups, followed by some technical focus, such as
on forehands, backhands, volleys, serves and returns. They
then moved onto point-play games as well as match play and
finishing with large group games that acted as warm downs.
As it was a wonderfully warm summer, there were lots of
drinks and snack breaks. The Autumn Term-time tennis has
started up and the coaches are busy every day after school,
and there were also daily morning sessions for children
during the half term week.
score of 62 points, beating Kevin O’Donoghue and Ian
MacKenzie (OA 1980) by one point. All four were to be
commended for their efforts in the extremely hot weather.
will be continued throughout winter as all four Astro-grass
courts are flood lit.
21
August saw us at Harpenden Common for the Society’s
Captain’s Day. The twenty members who played were made up
into four-man teams. A close competition resulted with only
four points separating the top three teams, the winners being
the Captain Peter Dredge (OA 1960), Tony Clarke, Graham
Tate and Kevin O’Donoghue.
At the time of writing our one remaining fixture is the annual
three-day trip to Lakeside Lodge, chosen as much for its
cuisine and accommodation as for the golf. A report will
follow in the next edition of Versa. The Society is open to all
OAs, and anyone interested should contact the Secretary via
development@st-albans.herts.sch.uk.
HOLIDAY CLUBS SUCCESS
Justin Azzopardi, OA Tennis Honorary Secretary
The OAs Tennis Club continued to foster good relations with St
Albans School letting them use the courts during the Summer
Term for their school and competitive season every Wednesday.
The Club now has two teams for the first time in the Mixed
Autumn Datchworth League. The First team is in the top
division, Division One and the Second team are doing well in
Division Seven.
The Winter Tennis season started recently, with a Ladies’ team
in the Hertfordshire Vets Over 40s Team and a Mixed Team
in the East Herts Winter League, so lots of competition for all
levels of players.
For the Club’s adult members, Social Club sessions have run
on Tuesday and Friday evenings and Sunday mornings. This
Players of all ages and abilities are welcome to join the Tennis
Club and all enquiries can be made via www.oatennis.com

22 23
OA Sports
THERE MAY BE
TROUBLE AHEAD…
Andrew Wilkie, OA Rifles Honorary Captain
SUCCESS THROUGH
the age groups
The OA Rugby Club is in rude health with over 2,000
members and more joining as the season progresses.
Our Mini and Youth section is one of the largest in the
Southeast with over 900 registered players ranging from our
U5s (Rugby Rats) to our U18s (Colts).
Our Junior Saints (U12s to U18s), under the guidance of
Craig Ihlenfeldt and his team, go from strength to strength
with over 90 girls signed up this season. Our U12s girls
play in festival tournaments around Hertfordshire and
Buckinghamshire with our U14s and U16s playing in the
Bucks and Herts Leagues, with both teams winning their
opening games against their counterparts from local rivals,
Harpenden, 69-5 and 44-0 respectively.
In their first game of this season, our U18s girls, playing in the
new Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire (HOB) League,
beat Gosford All Blacks 39-36. Nine of our U18s girls have
been selected for the Saracens Centre of Excellence Academy
and 14 for the Hertfordshire County Squad.
Our Mini section comprises children from U5s through to
U12s, who play various forms of touch rugby in numerous
festivals around the county and beyond.
Our Junior section for boys comprises teams from U13s
through and including our U18s (Colts). Our U13s A and B
Teams commenced their season, with full contact rugby, on 2
October playing some great flowing rugby in their first League
game for the club, winning both of their matches. One of our
U15s, George, has been selected to play for Wales U16s and
had his first international game in October.
Our Colts, where the U17s and U18s age groups combine,
have commenced their season with a couple of cracking wins,
one being in the first round of the RFU’s National Colts’
Cup winning 27-5 against Chess Valley. Our Colts had an
extremely successful 2021-2022 season winning 14 of the 17
Richard Milnes, OA Rugby President
games played, culminating with being crowned Hertfordshire
County Colt Champions by overcoming their fierce local
rivals, Bishop’s Stortford, in the final.
Our women’s section, Saints, has grown over recent seasons
and for the first time in over 10 years was able to put out
two extremely competitive teams last season culminating
with our Saints 1st XV ending as Runners-Up in the RFU’s
Women’s Championship South 1, the third tier of English
Women’s rugby. Not to be outshone, our Saints 2nd XV won
every single game of their season ending up Champions of
the RFU’s Women’s NC2 Midlands (South) League, finding
themselves promoted to the RFU’s Women’s National
Conference 1 for this current season. Some great news is that
one of our own, Sarah McKenna, has been selected for the
England Squad for the Women’s World Cup, taking place in
New Zealand.
Our Senior Male section, under the guidance of DOR James
Osborn (OA 2002), Head Coach, Dan George, Coaches Gareth
Hatherley-Hurford, Mike Smith (former 1st XV OA player),
Eddie Panting and Justin Coleman, is also in an excellent
place, with our Club regularly putting out four senior male
teams, 1st XV, Romans (2nds), Gladiators (3rds) and Grizzlies
(4ths). Currently our 1st XV is sitting comfortably in 2nd place
in National League 2 East (4th tier of English rugby) having
won four out of their five outings this term. Our Romans,
having won last season’s Herts/ Middlesex Merit Table League
1, have been promoted to the Shepherd Neame Essex Merit
League – Premier Division. Our Gladiators were promoted
to the Herts/ Middlesex Merit Table League 1 (to replace our
Romans) and our Grizzlies, having been promoted to Herts/
Middlesex Merit Table League 3 North, have also won both of
their opening matches.
The Club is looking forward to another thrilling and
entertaining season with the expectation of many trophies,
competitions, leagues, and festivals to be won.
The Coles Trophy match, on Wednesday 29 June, was the
first time that the OA team has shot on the new Lucas
range in the Corfield Building and what a different place
it is from the cold, draughty wooden huts of the sixties!
I am certain that in their time, the original huts were
considered luxury compared to open air shooting. But,
acoustically treated, ventilated and well-lit, describe a facility
even Olympic competitors would not be familiar with. So
much so, that the senior OAs were taken by complete surprise
and couldn’t hit a thing. The OA win over the school team has
to be largely attributed to the recent leavers who have become
accustomed to the new range and now joined the OA team.
Hopefully, we seniors will have got over our shock by next
year and will give a better account of ourselves.
The glaring fact is that there is a changing of the guard so
far as scores are concerned, with older OAs beginning to
show their age and slipping down the averages. Rightly so,
of course, but it is a very frustrating situation for established
shooters. Mind you we still have a few tricks up our sleeves…
As ever, Bisley has seen mixed full-bore results. We started and
finished the season with wins. First, over the Old Lawrentians
(467.38 to 446.17) and then to close the Old Alleynians (377.22
to 340.16). Our win against the Old Alleynians (Dulwich
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
It was a tough year for the Senior Old Albanians Cricket
Club as the first team suffered relegation from Division
One of the Saracens Cricket League. The team struggled
to score runs regularly but had made a bright start to the
season with Tim Davies (OA 2021) opening the season with
scores of 100 and 80 in the first few games. The batting line
up never recovered from the loss of Tim to travelling in June
and struggled to post scores in excess of 150 for the rest of the
year. There were first team debuts for a number of talented
young cricketers, and this was highlighted by 14-year-old
bowler Josh who got into the side and stayed there on merit
for the remainder of the season.
The second and third teams were able to compete strongly in
their divisions. The developmental fourth team worked hard
all year but struggled to put regular wins together. The side
David Goodier, OA Cricket Chairman
College) for the Arnold Cup made it 34 wins to 33 in our favour
since the trophy was first presented in 1936. Congratulations to
Andy Moore (OA 1970) for our highest score of the day. Our
novice for the day was Leo Shaw (OA 2020) on his first Bisley
outing, which by all accounts he thoroughly enjoyed. We look
forward to seeing him again at Bisley next summer. Our thanks
to the Old Alleynians for organising the event this year. Because
of the lower number of teams entering, our Herts Summer
25-yard Rifle League was reduced from ten to nine rounds.
Nonetheless, we rose to first place in Round Two and managed
to win seven of the remaining rounds to win Division Two.
We are back in Division One for the winter season but again
limited to nine rounds.
Trouble Ahead? As many of you will know lead is the base
material for all ammunition from airgun pellets, through .22
and shotgun cartridges to full-bore and beyond. There is a
consultation document currently circulating regarding the
impact of lead on the environment. Compared with other
environmental pollutants the impact of shooting lead would
appear to be small but there is a real concern that lead will
be banned and there is no currently available substitute. We
have no idea what the future of target shooting may be, and
overnight of shooting equipment could become worthless
scrap! Happy Days!
managed to give debuts to over 10 junior members this year
as the club continues to develop players for the senior sides.
On a more positive note, the junior section had a successful
year with a number of sides making it to the knockout stages
of their leagues. The U11 made it to the final this year but
unfortunately did not bring home the trophy on the day.
The young women’s section of the club continues to grow with
support from Hertfordshire Cricket and we were delighted
to hold our first all-girls tournament at Woollams this year,
featuring teams from Radlett, Harpenden and Redbourn.
The club continues to look for new members for its senior
league teams and would welcome volunteers who would like
to join the committee to help with the running of the club.