Royal Grammar School Newcastle Old Novocastrians Association Magazine

Also in this issue: From Old Stars to New | From the Archive | RGS Bursaries Issue 87 | Spring 2013

A Year AbroadJames Penn (99-09) on an excitingglobe trotting ‘Gap Yah’!

ONA Magazine is the magazine for the Old Novocastrians’ Association

Editor: Jane Medcalf

All correspondence should be addressed to: The Development Office Royal Grammar School Eskdale Terrace Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX

Telephone Development Office: 0191 212 8909 email:[email protected]

The Editor reserves the right to edit, alter or omit all submissions to the magazine.Copy may be carried over to the nextedition. The Editor’s decision is final.

Contribute!

We are always looking for articles andnews from Old Novos to include in themagazine, so send your contributions,via email (if possible) to:[email protected] to the Development Office at the school.

Please include relevant pictures if possible. They will be returned as soon as the magazine has been printed.

The deadline for acceptance of copy for the Summer 2013 issue is Monday 11 March 2013.Copymay be carried over to a future issue.

The ONA Magazine is now available online

Please note that the magazine is nowcirculated both in hard copy and by email to many members of the Association. Each edition is added to the ONA websiteshortly after circulation. By submitting anarticle or news for inclusion the contributoris accepting that it will be available throughboth formats and will also be accessiblebeyond the Association membership throughinternet search engines or any member of the public viewing the ONA website.

Designwww.infinitedesign.com

1 President’s Welcome2 News and Events4 ONA Now and Then6 From Old Stars to New7 RGS Bursaries8 Less ‘Gap Yah’, more ‘Year Abroad’10 A History of the RGS in Ten People12 A Medical Elective in New Zealand14 Obituaries

ContentsONA Magazine Issue 87Spring 2013

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7 12

1

Welcome I was truly honoured to become President of the Associationin October of 2012, which also marked the 10 yearanniversary of my graduation from the RGS. To give someperspective as to how long ago that was, in my final year I witnessed one of the biggest changes the school has everseen when 20 girls joined in the Lower Sixth Form. It’s truethat the school that has stood for centuries has changed a lotsince 2001, but its principles have remained unchanged andso too have those of the Association.

I’d like to thank Adam Goldwater (87-97), the outgoingPresident, for his fantastic leadership over the past twoyears. Adam has been responsible for a variety of initiativesthat continue to strengthen the relationship between theschool and the Association. This will remain one of ourobjectives and I am pleased to say we are very lucky to havehim stay on as a venerated committee member.

Special thanks go to Tove Elander who left the RGS, andconsequently her post as Alumni Manager, after this year’sONA Dinner. Organisation of the dinner in October washer last act for the Association and it is testament to her thatit was as successful as ever. Tove’s tireless hard work overthe last 12 years has driven vast improvements, mostnotably with the magazine, and she will be sorely missed.We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

As we issue a fond farewell to Tove, I am delighted towelcome Jane Medcalf into the fold and whilst Tove leavesbehind some large shoes to fill, Jane joins with a wealth ofexperience from her role as Bursary Campaign Manager, aposition she will continue to hold in conjunction with hernew ONA responsibilities.

Another change for the Association is the appointment oftwo Vice Presidents in Chris Rutter (95-02) and ChrisWilson (97-02). All three of us joined the committee in 2008and it feels like only yesterday that the then President, Mike Barlow (53-64), welcomed us as “the young OldNovos”; a label that we have reluctantly had to relinquish!

I am thoroughly looking forward to working with the twonew Vice Presidents and together with the rest of thecommittee. I am confident that the next two years will proveto be an exciting time for the Association.

David Westwood (95-02)ONA President

2

Newsand Events

Congratulations to Guy Munden(03-07) and Rosie Kenny (07-09) whowere recently engaged.

Previous Headmaster, James Millerwrites: one of the things that Ruth and Imuch enjoy in our retirement is going tothe (excellent) Malvern Theatre, wherewe are members. In recent months, wehave seen two Old Novos on stage. Will Featherstone (94-04) went on toLAMDA after Cambridge; he has sincebeen very busy, particularly at The Globe.He was excellent in a superb new play,

Anne Boleyn, which will tour to eightvenues this spring following its Globerun last summer. Faye Castelow(02-04) went to the Oxford School ofDrama. She too has been very busy andwas outstanding in the lead role in NeilSimon’s Barefoot in the Park, co-directed by, and co-starring, MaureenLipman. Both performed in one of thereal dramatic highlights of my 14 yearsat the RGS, Jeremy Thomas’ 2004production of Hay Fever.

Congratulations to Fraser Forster (96-06) who is currently Celtic goalkeeperand has been called up into theEngland football squad for the first time.

Ashley J G Winter OBE (64-74) wasappointed High Sherriff of Tyne andWear for 2011-2012.

Congratulations to Fraser Balmain(05-10) who made his first Premiershipstart for Leicester Tigers in Novemberagainst Wasps. He has been givenrave reviews for his performance andhas been named the next Julian White(ex-England International) by thenational press which is quite anaccolade and full of promise for hisfuture career.

Neil Aitkenhead (45-55) writes: from1955 until 1959 I attended King’sCollege, Newcastle, then part of theUniversity of Durham, where I obtainedan Upper 2nd Class Honours degreein Geology. I then obtained a post asGeologist with the British AntarcticSurvey and spent two and a half yearsin the Antarctic making a geologicalsurvey of the northern part of theAntarctic Peninsula based at theBritish station at Hope Bay. Afterreturning to the UK in 1962 I wrote up the results of my survey at theUniversity of Birmingham andobtained my PhD in 1964. Isubsequently was awarded a PolarMedal for my work. I then joined theBritish Geological Survey and spentmost of my subsequent career makinggeological maps of the Peak Districtand North Lancashire – all in all a verysatisfying career. Incidentally, I had twoelder brothers, Paul Aitkenhead(34-43) and Douglas Aitkenhead(35-40, 41-44), both now deceased,who preceded me at RGS.

The London ONAAnnual DinnerComedy Writer, Daniel Maier (76-86) will speak at the Dinner sharinginsights into writing for ITV1’s BaftaAward-winning Harry Hill’s TV Burpand his collaborative writing withCharlie Brooker and others.

Friday 8th March 2013 at the RAFClub. Please see details on theONA website athttp://ona.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/news-and-events.aspx or telephonethe Development Office on 0191 2128909 for further details.

Deadline for reservations isFriday, 15th February 2013. Price£49/£37 (£37 if aged under 30 oryounger, or 80 or over).

Aidan Robertson QC (73-80) My wifeBeverley gave birth to twins on 1 August 2012, James John Maxwelland Elspeth Kathleen Clare, a brotherand sister for Alice born on 17 November 2010. I continue to be infull-time practice at the Bar, specialisingin EU and competition law. I alsocontinue to be a visiting lecturer in theLaw Faculty of the University of Oxford,teaching the postgraduate competitionlaw course.

Anindo Banerjee (81-86) I started asa Consultant Physician in Respiratoryand General Medicine at SouthamptonGeneral Hospital in March 2006 andnow lead the lung cancer,bronchoscopy and pulmonaryphysiology services. This year I havecompleted my PhD from UniversityCollege London on the relationshipbetween early cigarette smoke inducedlung abnormalities and thedevelopment of lung cancers. On thehome front I married Shikha in Marchlast year and we now live in Hampshire.We have just taken up ballroomdancing! I coach my oldest in cricket atCompton and Chandler’s Ford CricketClub (going up to U13s this year). Mybrother, Anjan Banerjee (84-89)emigrated to New Zealand to a post inorthopaedics three years ago. He ismarried with two boys, and enjoying theantipodean life. Anjan has founded andruns the local fencing club, and hiseldest is learning to fence.

Nadeem Ali (84-94) As a follow up tothe four ophthalmologists featured inIssue 86 who are Old Novos, they maybe interested to know of three more(younger) ones: myself, now aConsultant Ophthalmologist atMoorfields Eye Hospital, London;Omar Mahroo (86-96) who is nearingthe end of his ophthalmology trainingand is an Academic Clinical Lecturer inOphthalmology at St Thomas hospital;and Alistair Porteous (95-02) who isin training in ophthalmology. It is notuncommon currently for me to bumpinto both of these on a weekly basis!

Congratulations to ex-Governor, John J Fenwick, Deputy Chairman, FenwickLimited who was awarded a CBE in theNew Years Honours List for services tothe Retail Business.

3 ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Spring 2013

50 years on...2013 will mark the 50th anniversary of the class of56-63 leaving RGS for the wider world. So a groupof us (who have met in varying numbers from three to12 every year since then) thought we might mark theoccasion with a wider gathering on Tyneside on theweekend of 18, 19, 20 October 2013. The weekendcoincides with the Friday ON dinner at school (open,of course, to all years) but we thought that, in additionto attending that, we would ask the School/ONA toalert all those who consider themselves of the ‘56

to ‘63 vintage with a view to a Saturday nightevent at a Newcastle venue, tbc.

So the purpose of this Magazine noteis to ask anyone interested in theSaturday event to put 19 October

2013 in the diary and to let JaneMedcalf, Development Manager, know

by emailing [email protected] ofyour interest by the end of March. When we have abetter idea of possible numbers we will firm up thearrangements.

For the 12 of us this means a weekend trip to theNorth East (with one of our number travelling fromSouth Africa), so we hope we can encourage asmany of our contemporaries as possible to meet upfor a bite to eat, a beer or two, an update on ourwrinkles and a refresh of those 50/60s memories.

Brian Briscoe (56-63) and Colin Ions (56 -63)

Prestigious award for NorthumberlandCounty cricketerNorthumberland CCC cricketer, Daniel Young (99-09) hasbeen presented with The Wilfred Rhodes Trophy at aluncheon held in the Pavilion at Lords Cricket Ground inLondon on December 12th. The award is presented by theMinor Counties Cricket Association to the batsman with thehighest average throughout the country in the three dayMCCA Championship competition. Daniel’s statistics forthe 2012 season were 403 runs with an average of 67.33,which included two centuries against Bedfordshire andHertfordshire.

The trophy was presented by the MCC Head of Cricket,John Stevenson. Daniel is only the third Northumberlandplayer to receive this prestigious award since its inception in1956 following in the footsteps of R.W. (Bobby) Smithsonin 1960 and Gary Scott in 2009.

Daniel, who was school cricket captain in 2009 and vice-captain in 2008, made his full Northumberland debut in2011 after having played for their various age group teamssince he was 11 years old. Daniel started his club careerwith Alnwick CC and Eglingham CC before moving toTynemouth CC for three seasons. He currently plays forBenwell Hill in the North East Premier League and is in hisfinal year at Leeds Metropolitan University where he is amember of the Leeds /Bradford MCCU universities squad.

By David Young

Y E A R S1 9 5 6 – 1 9 6 3

C L A S S O F

Join us on Facebook and LinkedInThere are plenty of Old Novos social media groupsaround, but we have our own groups. Join us bybecoming a fan of the Old NovocastriansAssociation pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.

ONA Membership – Standing OrdersIf you still have a standing order set up to pay the ONAsubscription fee, please cancel it as soon as possible. ONAmembership is FREE to all Old Novos and former membersof staff.

Royal Grammar School Masonic Lodge

The RGS Lodge was founded in 1956 and itsfirst members included the Headmaster, somestaff and Old Novos. It is one of over 170 SchoolLodges around the UK. Meetings have beenheld continuously in the School since, andnowadays each month from October to March(except January). Recently, there has been anincrease in membership with several youngerOld Novos joining. Anyone interested in theLodge’s activities should contact theDevelopment Office. They will put you in touchwith a Lodge member who will be pleased toadvise and inform you.

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ONA Now and Then

Writing this in January, I’m veryconscious of the way in which theONA magazine looks, Janus-like, in twoor even three directions. Certainly itlooks back: ONs remember their timeat the school with pleasure – notunalloyed pleasure, for sure, for noschool’s perfect and they had to gothrough the pains of adolescence too –and it’s wonderful that you are so readyto share your happy memories in thepages of this magazine. Sadly butinevitably, when we turn to older ONs,there are memorials and obituaries:among them you’ll find a particularlyfine tribute to one of the many ONswho have achieved distinction in theLaw, Sir Humphrey Potts (44-50),written by Louis Taylor (75-85),himself the son of one of our mosteminent ON lawyers (and I guess weinclude Lord Eldon (1751-1838) orBaron Stowell (1745-1836) in thatlist!). It paints a portrait of a great man,someone I was privileged to meet atLouis’ house just a couple of years ago.

Since Christmas the school has lostanother great friend, though not an ON,in Dr Alan Reece, that formidable andmaverick academic-turned-entrepreneur who left academia in hislate 50s and started makingremarkable specialised vehicles suchas an underwater trench-digger andnumerous innovative machines for themilitary. He gave £30 million of his ownmoney to The Reece Foundation, setup in 2007, and was personallygenerous to the school’s RGSBursaries campaign, giving £350,000in total to fund bursaries to helpstudents to join the RGS in the SixthForm to follow science A levels,particularly with a view to studyingengineering later on. A great man, andone whom the North East will miss.

We look to the present: plenty ofevents happening for ONs this year,first the London Dinner on Friday 8 March and then a date already set

for the Dinner in school on 18 October,this year combined with the 50thAnniversary, organised by ONs of the1963 vintage who are extending theDinner into a weekend of celebrations.And don’t forget RGS Day onSaturday 29 June when the school isopen and on show. Amid all theprizegivings that we run on that day, weare very pleased to include a number ofprizes given by the ONA: what’s sogood is that they are not the usual kindof school prize for good work andprogress over the year (important asthose are), but rather specific awardsdesigned to stimulate personal studythrough essay competitions. That givesimportant support to intellectualenquiry which, even at the RGS, needsencouragement when too much of thesprawling exam system is concernedwith satisfying examiners’ requirementsand, in a sense at least, ticking theirboxes rather than demanding originalityof thought. So we are grateful.

And we look forward, as a schoolalways must. We value and cherish our former students, just as you cherish your memories of the school.But I know that no ON really wants toset their old school in aspic andprevent it from developing, for developand move forward it always must.Education is about the future, and wemap out futures not only for ourstudents but for the school itself. 2013 will be no exception in thatprocess: indeed, I think there will bemany plans and developments that wewill be able to share with all the RGSfamily over the coming year. But notquite yet! So watch this space, and Ihope I can share more of our excitingvision for the future of the school inforthcoming editions.

Thank you, as always, for your supportand affection for your old school.

Bernard TraffordHeadmaster

We value andcherish our formerstudents, just as you cherish yourmemories of theschool. But I knowthat no ON reallywants to set their old school in aspicand prevent it from developing, for develop andmove forward italways must.

“

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5

ONA Nowand Then

I read with interest and sadnessMelvyn Wallhead’s (56-66) obituaryof the late Derek Wanless (59-66)(Issue 86). In the Sixth Form there werefive of us who would play cards: DerekWanless (59-66), Melvyn Wallhead (56-66), Bruce Morrison (56-66) andAndrew Du Plessis (59-66), usually inJoe Liddell’s room. Derek used to keepthe running total of points from playingsolo and Black Maria, with tens ofthousands of points recorded in arunning total. He usually managed toedge the game, with Wallhead closebehind. Moving away to Leeds to startmy degree I never managed to keep upwith any of the group, or indeed of theform I started in (2-3? with Mr Macro)almost all of whom were boys startingat the secondary school rather thanmigrating up from the primary. It is along time ago, but many of thememories are still vivid. And the roll callof names for that form aren’t far away;Brown, Burgess, Coulson… ending upwith Wallhead, Wanless, Wright A &Wright Q.

Although you won’t find me on any listsof achievement at the school eitherliterary or sporting, I realise the value in

From theArchive2012 was a year of much rain and aroyal jubilee. The accompanyingextract from Novo records a damproyal visit by King Edward and QueenAlexandra on July 11 1906 which leftour reporter slightly underwhelmed.

The King had come to Newcastle toformally open the Royal Victoria Infirmaryand Armstrong College. The latter hadbeen established in 1871 to offerinstruction in mathematics and thesciences and had been renamed afterWilliam George Armstrong in 1904. Itlater became part of the Newcastledivision of Durham University. The ‘MrLogan’ referred to in the piece wasHeadmaster of the Royal GrammarSchool between 1883 and 1912. Threemonths after the royal visit a much moresignificant event in the history of theSchool took place: the relocation fromRye Hill to the current Jesmond site.

Oliver Edwards School Archivist

ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Spring 2013

my working life I gained from going tothe RGS compared to the other optionwhich would have been MorpethGrammar (especially so, having readSid Waddell’s account of his life there,whose brother I knew well at primaryschool). My Dad had pushed for ascholarship for me, though the hour anda half travel each way every day was abind, especially when the bus was lateand I ended up in late detention (whydidn’t they put the driver in detention,not me?) I was encouraged to join theschool orchestra on Saturdays, whichwould have been another three hourson the bus, at which point I packed upplaying the ‘cello. A pity I never took upUncle Jasper Doull’s offer to be taughtthe guitar in three easy lessons!

The one thing the school nevermanaged was to teach me how to writeneatly, despite three attempts includingby Larry Watson in English (who stillowes me 6d for some minor challengehe had during the lesson) and somebright young thing on teaching practicewhose name I can’t remember. Evenclients complained they could not readmy writing on flipcharts, so I think that isa family trait.

Now, after 20 years in the best Britishengineering firms British Aerospace,Eurotherm, Marconi and ITT, followedby 20 years as a consultant in KPMG, Ihave swapped all that for becoming afull time family historian, photographer,and scuba diver, and combinations of allthree, interspersed with seeing mylovely family. Having benefited from aCounty scholarship to the school whenit was a Direct Grant school, I supportthe Bursary scheme as a way of givingsomething back for what the school hasgiven me.

From the 50s & 60s by Ian Gotts (59-66)

6

“I’ve been teaching at the RGS (mainly physics, and nowalso A-level philosophy) since 2006, and one of the greatestthings about the school is undoubtedly how willing studentsare to talk about things above and beyond the syllabus. MyPhD was in the history and philosophy of science, tracingthe development of astronomy, and stories about some ofthe eccentric characters involved often make it into mylessons. (I’m a big fan of Tycho Brahe, the larger-than-lifeastronomer with a golden nose, who died from drinking toomuch at a banquet.)

Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent some holiday timeturning these anecdotes into a collection of short stories, a cross between popular science and historical fiction. A small publisher in Cardiff (Candy Jar Books) is bringingthe book out in June or July this year, and New Stars for Oldis now available for pre-order in hardback on amazon.co.uk.Matt Ridley (author of The Rational Optimist) has describedit as “delightful and erudite … fascinating.” Former studentsare welcome to drop by to get their copies signed, althoughyou might have to look for me in HHHB’s old room ratherthan the physics labs!

From Old Starsto NewBy Marc Read, RGS Physics and Philosophy Teacher

I’m a big fan of Tycho Brahe, thelarger-than-life astronomer witha golden nose, who died fromdrinking too much at a banquet.

”

Coming soon from Candy Jar


I was one of the many boys whobenefited from the state AssistedPlaces Scheme that is very sadly nowdefunct. The son of a Maths Teacherand a Vicar we were never hugely well-off, and when my father died his wish tosend me and my brothers to RGSseemed unlikely at best. However, theAssisted Places Scheme stepped inwith full bursaries and we were all luckyenough to be educated in the way myfather would have wished (well, mybrothers both went to Dame Allan’s –nothing’s perfect!).

Now a fairly vintage Army Officer I havehad numerous reasons to be grateful to RGS and the education that hasquite literally saved my life onnumerous occasions. I was not (amnot) a massively academic sort, as M R Barlow (53-64) and others cantestify from bitter experience. But RGS was and is much more than rawexam results. It provided me with: apractical education in intelligent andanalytical argument; my best mateMark Korolkiewicz (78-88); andreinforced my enthusiasm for publicservice in the Armed Forces throughthe CCF. Incidentally, I can still hear Lt Col Griffiths crying “bash on” atdifficult moments.

Most importantly, Sue Rogers gave methe finest instruction in land navigationknown to man through NRGSOrienteering and O-level Geography.In my 25 years of varied military life Ihave never been completely lost (yes –really!) and literally hundreds of soldiersin Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kenya,Canada and Afghanistan owe theirlives to Sue’s exhortations to “look intothe map” in the rain in Chopwell Wood.

I have already mentioned the demise of the excellent Assisted PlacesScheme, which in my view is a tragedyfor the principles of social mobility andprogression on merit championed byour school for the last 500 years. But I am not the Education Secretary, anduntil we have an Old Novo in the postthe best we can do is to fund our ownscheme. In the best traditions of ourschool it is up to us Old Novos to ‘tread where our fathers trod’ and makeour country a better place. I cannotthink of a finer cause for Old Novos’charitable cash – the education offuture generations of intelligent, fit,compassionate and conscientious‘movers and shakers’ to make our fine country a great place to live. And, who knows, maybe the odd ArmyOfficer or two!

Why I support RGS Bursaries Having read Alastair Leithead’s (80-90) and NigelPaton’s (66-76) articles in support of the RGSBursary scheme, I find myself compelled to offermy own thoughts on the value of the scheme that I too enthusiastically support.

By Major Stephen H E Richardson (81-88)

I cannot think of afiner cause for OldNovos’ charitablecash – the educationof future generationsof intelligent, fit,compassionate and conscientious‘movers and shakers’to make our finecountry a great place to live.

“

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8

Doing a working year abroad is subtlydistinct from doing a typical ‘GapYah.’ Going to a new continent withnothing but the address of yourwork place for the next six months

makes you infinitely more resourceful and self-reliant. The deep immersion in a society, essentialfor language acquisition, is only possible throughan extended stay in a country and very differentfrom the fleeting snapshot that one gets from puretravel. I divided my year abroad into three parts:two months at the Chief Executive Board of theUnited Nations in Geneva, followed by six monthsin a law firm in Santiago, Chile, then five monthsteaching for the British Council in Ushuaia,Argentina. Building a life from scratch in eachplace took time but, once you have a work routine,a weekly football team to play in and exciting plansfor the weekend, then ‘home’ can be anywhere inthe world!

Switzerland: Mountains, Lakes and PalacesThis UN headquarters is housed in the Art-Deco‘Palais des Nations’ on the shore of Lake Genevaand is where the Human Rights Council (amongothers) is held. During my two months there, anEmergency Session was called to discuss thedeveloping situation in Syria. However, forget theviolence of the multitude of wars that are ragingaround the world; the most brutal conflicts are theinternal ones for funding and recognition within theorganisation itself.

Less ‘Gap Yah’, more ‘Year Abroad’by James Penn (99-09)

As a French, Spanish andInternational Relations student at theUniversity of St Andrews, James Penn(99-09) spent 13 months of 2011-2012 in Switzerland and SouthAmerica. Here he shares some of thethings that not even an RGSeducation can teach you!

Iguazu Falls, Argentina


Geneva can be ludicrously expensive, but with a littleimagination it can be very hospitable. The lake, forinstance, can double as a free swimming pool sincegym membership costs nearly as much as the entireUN budget. Also, if you seek it out, there is a networkof kindly UN translators who are willing to rent outrooms at half the going rate. Fluency in threelanguages is very much the expected norm andbeing part of the intern community is a fantastic wayto meet people from all over the world. There arerotating Wednesday lunches at each organisation(UNEP has the best food, though steak and fritesoverlooking the lake on the veranda of the Palaiscomes a close second).

Chile: Desert, Pisco Sours and SurfingChile is a country on the up. A country that stretchesthe equivalent of Edinburgh to Baghdad, but is onlyas wide as the UK, is now the most stable and theleast corrupt country in South America. Optimismpervades the country. With a burgeoning financialand legal sector, many European graduates arefleeing their debt-laden home economies and aremaking the capital, Santiago, their home. Withsurfing on the Pacific coast to the west and skiing in the Andes to the east, people play as hard as theywork. Six months prior to my arrival, I said ‘yes!’ to anextra whisky at a bonfire on the beach in St Andrewsand it landed me two months free accommodation,complete with swimming pool and staff, in a houseoverlooking Santiago; not to mention friends for life.

Chilean taxi drivers are just as football-mad as theirGeordie counterparts and will be able to reel offevery single Chilean footballer currently playing inthe premiership and their game/goal ratios. ‘LasUrracas’ (‘The Magpies’) have a huge fan base. Atthe law firm, I also learnt that it feels great to win aninternational commerce arbitration case even if thesubject matter was a dodgy shipment of avocados.

Chile is probably the most geographically diversecountry in the world: ranging from the AtacamaDesert in the north, the immensely fertile middlesection of the country which produces the wine thatis exported around the world, to Norwegian-esquefjords in the south.

Argentina: Steak, Red Wine and SkiiingArgentina is a fascinating country. It suffered aGreek-style financial meltdown 10 years ago and isstill suffering the aftershocks. Buenos Aires feels likea warmer, shabbier and more bohemian version ofParis. Argentineans do the important things in lifevery well: in terms of steak, red wine and companythe country is unparalleled. Despite PresidentKirchner’s recent efforts, Argentinians themselvesare incredibly hospitable, extrovert and passionate.They are family orientated and have a distrust of theirpoliticians that would rival any British cynic. I wasposted to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego by the BritishCouncil. Although this is the southernmost city in theworld, it is exactly the same latitude south asNewcastle is north. Skiing during the day onmountains overlooking the Beagle Channel (namedafter Darwin’s boat) followed by teaching English inthe evenings to Argentineans from a whole range ofeconomic backgrounds as well as educationalstandards is a work/life balance that I shall aspire tofor the rest of my life.

My year abroad has been a hugely valuableexperience. It took over a year in the planning, withcountless bureaucratic hoops to jump through, butwith a little luck along the way it has meant that I nowstart many sentences with ‘When I was on my yearabroad…’ Still, that’s probably preferable to ‘When Iwas on my Gap Yah…’

James can be contacted at:[email protected]

Photographs by James Penn

Beagle Channel, Argentina

Palais des Nations, Geneva

moved from a licentiateship to Fellow at the Royal College of Physicians. A modest, reserved man, he wasambitious and eventually became sole lecturer at Guy’s, his brilliantreputation attracting large numbers of students. Sadly, he suffered fromacute depression, then referred to as melancholia and retired in 1860. His suicide soon after was blamed on overwork. He rests in LanercostChurchyard and was commemoratedat Guy’s by ‘an admirable bust’. In 1975, George Pallister, under whosequiet but dedicated biology instruction many RGS boys of the1940s and 50s moved onwards tomedicine, published a short monogramon Addison.

In the 1950s, the bijou GraingerCinema used to retain popular films forvery, very many weeks. ‘The Robe -retained for 44th Week!’ was a typicalsmall ad in the Evening Chronicle. OurHistory of the RGS won’t run for 44issues, but is a fertile subject and hasproduced some fascinating follow-upcorrespondence, which itself couldprovide future interesting reading.Hawk-eyed Bryan Stevens (44-49)spotted an error in Issue 86: EdwardMoises was Hugh Moises’ nephew,not his son. Narrowing our lengtheninglist of notable RGS personages downto 10 will be a challenge, but one whichwe will probably focus on this June atRGS Day.

We begin with Thomas Addison(1793-1860), born in Longbentonwhere his father was a grocer and flourdealer. He graduated in Medicine in1815 from Edinburgh University. Hemoved to London where, as a housesurgeon at the Lock Hospital, hebecame engrossed in diseases of theskin, his speciality leading him todescribe the changes in pigmentationnow known as Addison’s disease. As apupil at Guy’s Hospital from 1817,within a few years, he had swiftly

10

AHISTORY OF THE

RGS IN TEN PEOPLE

The search by David Goldwater (51-62) for 10 people who have been most influential

in the history of the school continues.

John Elders(I am greatly indebted to JohnArmstrong for extensive notes fromwhich I prepared this section.)

William Webb-Ellis might spring tomind as the father of the game firstamongst most Rugby aficionados. Inthe case of RGS, however, between1957 and 1982 and beyond, it is toJohn Elders that the school owes ahuge debt of gratitude. Serving underHeadmasters Mitchell, Haden, Cox andMiller, he was appointed ‘to give sport avoice in this academic school’. Hetaught Maths, organised Prize-giving,panoramic photographs, Founder’sDay and Carol Services, served asHousemaster of Collingwood, Tutorand arranged school camps. AsDirector of Sport, John wanted everyboy to find a sport he could enjoy andcontinue beyond school. He also took1st Year Cricket; seeing John taking 1stYear Cricket into the nets, DonaldMeakin told him ‘they were reserved forthe 1st Xl’. The retort was immediateand characteristic: ‘If the first yearsdon’t get into the nets, there’ll be no 1stXl in six years’ time’.

John played for LoughboroughColleges, captained Leicester andtrialed for England. At school, his clubswere Northern and later Old Novos,playing for Northumberland, North EastCounties and the Barbarians. Early inthe 1970s, he became England Coachand his most remarkable successeswere on short tours with England toSouth Africa in 1972 (unbeaten there)and New Zealand in 1973 winning bothTest Matches. John’s next role wascoaching England Schools, whom hetook on an unbeaten tour of Australia.

John Elders by Nick Posner (75-85)


In 1977, John set up the RGS Rugby Centenary Season with variouscelebrations, producing a CommemorativeHistory.

Alister Cox wrote in the foreword: ‘We allowe several debts to John Elders. By hisown achievements as player and nationalcoach he has brought reflected glory uponthe RGS, and his experience of widerhorizons has helped to keep the schoolgame in proper perspective. I have alwaysdetected a pleasing lack of fanaticismabout the RGS approach – somemagnanimity in victory, a philosophicalattitude to defeat, and a preference forenjoying the game.’

(John Armstrong comments: ‘I mightqualify Alister’s words: sportsmanshipcertainly, but in his rugby John was nothingif not competitive.’)

In the same club history Tim Duff (51-59)wrote: ‘Top people take the Times, ran thejingle in early 1957. Top schoolboys readan advertisement for a Master to takecharge of Rugby Football at the NewcastleRoyal Grammar School. We wonderedwhat we would get and in the early days ofSeptember in training sessions beforeterm we met John Elders, hair then justtinged with grey, and were very quicklytaken with his friendly, direct and positiveapproach… Looking back as captain…one was conscious of a great deal ofconstructive support from the touch lineduring matches and always ofencouragement. Doubtless this historyand all the other Centenary activities wouldnot have occurred without his drive andenthusiasm… our greatest thanks are forthe way he has kept us in touch throughhim with the RGS… he is still the sameman and friend we knew at school.’

John was ultimately approached to take upa teaching post at Downlands College inQueensland, where of course he coachedrugby and he and Margaret enjoyed the 10years there. He brought Downlands overon tour to the UK, which of courseincluded a visit to play the RGS. Afterreturning from Australia to UK in 1992 atthe age of 60, John returned part-time tothe RGS for five years, retiring in 1997.Countless Old Novos and former staff willwish to send him and Margaret theirfondest regards through the pages of ourmagazine.

Peter Murray Taylor (38-49) is one ofthe most distinguished alumni in RGS’snear five centuries. At school,he captained the 1st XV from 1946-49,as well as the Newts Swimming Team.He proved to be an accomplishedpianist both at school and throughouthis life, playing to concert standard.From making his mark on the life of theschool, Peter Taylor went on to re-definethe role of England’s most senior full-time judge and changed fundamentallythe public’s perception of the judiciary.He was evacuated to Penrith withschool, where he met a fellow evacuee,later to be his wife, Irene.

After reading History at Cambridge, hewas called to the Bar in 1954, takingSilk at the age of 36. Leading the NorthEastern Circuit and chairing the BarCouncil, one of his most notable caseswas the prosecution and jailing of thecorrupt property developer JohnPoulson in 1974. During that trial, PeterTaylor was known to slip away duringthe lunch recess to play the piano. Atparties and at the Garrick Club hewould enjoy accompanying his ownstring trio. His love of the instrumentlinked him for many years to the LeedsInternational Piano Competition and heperformed in public together with itschairman, Dame Fanny Waterman.

A High Court Judge from 1980, hewas promoted to the Court of Appealeight years later and was appointedshortly after to chair the enquiry into theHillsborough Football disaster. It was agood choice as he was not only anaccomplished sportsman, but also along standing supporter of

Newcastle’s football and rugby teams.His report led to the introduction of all-seater stadiums and it was not untilvery recently that its tone, blaming thepolice and ground owners, rather thanthe fans, was reflected in theconclusions of the HillsboroughIndependent Panel which was able toexamine documents not available toPeter Taylor.

In 1992 he succeeded Lord Lane asLord Chief Justice and became LordTaylor of Gosforth. It was a time of crisisin the criminal justice system. By 1996,when he retired, the miscarriages ofjustice which had forfeited publicconfidence were no longer in evidence.He was undoubtedly a moderniser,influencing government policy. Even hisvery last appearance in the Lords wasthe controversial initiation of a debateattacking Government policy regardingprison sentences. Struck downprematurely by illness, his greatestsadness had been the prior death of hiswife and then, in turn, his inability to playthe piano. At his Memorial Service in StPaul’s Cathedral in July 1997, theHebrew Kaddish Prayer was read byhis son Louis Taylor (75-85) andbrother Arthur Taylor (33-41),something without precedent. PeterTaylor was fearless and passionate andwhat his further contribution to the Lawmight have been is incalculable.

For the next and final part of this History,I’d very much appreciate any personalreminiscences of Ma (Miss) Steven andJack Wolstenholme. Please write to oremail the Development Office (seeContents page for details).

Peter Taylor (38-49) and his brother, Arthur Taylor (33-41) on the balcony overlooking the portrait of LordTaylor in the School Hall (June 1994).

12

A Medical Elective in NewZealand – Kia Ora! Homeaway from home

Twenty-four hours of flying brought me to thegeographical antithesis of England, New Zealand.Yet interestingly, British colonisation renders thecountry possibly even more familiar than someplaces only a few hours away in Europe. I evenfound a Newcastle University graduate on thepaediatrics team I joined.

By Holly Blair (06-08)

Hawke’s Bay is not themost obvious locationin New Zealand toundertake a medicalelective, which people

were quick to point out. It is notfrequented by backpackers and rightly so, but it is a fantastic place tolive and a hidden gem. Hawke’s Baywas for me New Zealand at its best. It is a perfect encapsulation of thefusion between colonial British traditionand Maori tribal culture that does notoccur in the backpacking hotspots ofSouth Island.

I was based in Hastings Hospital, themain hospital serving an area almostthree times the size of Northumberlandbut with almost half the population size.Nevertheless this seems to be a hugeundertaking. There is another hospitalhelping out, a small one run by a GP

approximately three hours drive northof Hastings in a place called Wairoawith a negative reputation but famousfor its pies. Wairoa Hospital has 11acute beds with an additional threebeds in a maternity unit. In my secondweek at Hawke’s Bay Hospital I wasfortunate enough to take a four personairplane along the coastline to thishospital in Wairoa for a paediatric clinic.

Emergency referrals from Wairoa aremainly flown to Hawke’s Bay byhelicopter. During my first week wesaw a young girl flown in twice for acomplication of high blood sugars as aresult of poorly controlled diabetes,and it was not the first time. It waspresumed she was not taking herinsulin and perhaps she was tooharshly judged for the repeatedexpensive helicopter journeys, thoughtto be preventable. Later down the line it

I would like to thank theONA for their generoussupport which has notonly contributed to myeducational progression,but also helped me takeadvantage of theopportunity of a lifetime.

“

”


materialised that perhaps she hadn’trealised the insulin needle needed topenetrate her skin. A harsh way to learnthat insulin stinks.

There used to be another hospital inHawke’s Bay, 15 kilometres fromHastings, in Napier. The hospital wasappropriately situated on Hospital Hill,a fantastic vantage point. Howevermuch to the dismay of Napier residentsit was closed 13 years ago and theynow have to ‘commute’ to Hastings. Toadd insult to injury, Hastings is deemedto be less reputable than Napier.

Hastings Hospital is not dissimilar tothose in England; however it waspertinent that they do not observe thestrict ‘bare below the elbows policy’that is so rigidly enforced in England,although some doctors did observethis practice. Importantly their medicalcare is up to scratch. Ignoring theoccasion when one of the consultantslooked at the wrong chest x-ray andhad to get a five year-old boy with acollapsed lung off an airplane prettyrapidly. What is dissimilar is that thefinal year medical students in NewZealand get paid: England take note!

North Island and in particular Hawke’sBay have large Maori influences andHawke’s Bay has a larger Maoripopulation than is average for NewZealand. Throughout the children’sward are Maori translations such as ananimal alphabet. Unfortunately, many ofthe Maori population in Hawke’s Baylive in the most deprived areas. As aresult the children’s ward is oftengreeted by many illnesses that onewould expect from a developing country,not New Zealand. Selfishly this did offereducational benefit and on my first day Iwas introduced to an eight year-old boywith rheumatic fever. He spent five ofhis six weeks in hospital jumping on thebed until it broke, despite doctors tryingto reduce his heart rate.

Hawke’s Bay has much to offer and isquite unique. In 1931 Napier andHastings were destroyed by anearthquake measuring 7.9 on theRichter Scale and rebuilt in Art Decostyle, giving Napier town centre acertain understated charm.

Furthermore, Hawke’s Bay countrysideis inundated with wineries, it has beenestimated there are as many as 90 inthe area. It is New Zealand’s oldestwine region and 80 per cent of thecountry’s plantings of Merlot, Cabernet,Sauvignon and Syrah grapes aregrown here. It was a shame they allclosed before 5pm and it meant visitingthem required a prompt departure fromthe wards on occasion. In addition,Hawke’s Bay is blessed with beautifulcountryside, with some fantastic walksand viewpoints. Golfing in Hawke’sBay was also on the cards with CapeKidnappers on the coast being one ofthe top ten courses in the world. Thelaidback atmosphere in the hospitalmeant there was time for an occasionalspot of afternoon golf: I think they call itnetworking!

I had hired a car for my time in NewZealand and was thankful to be drivingon the left hand side of the road, giventhat it took me about two weeks to stopputting the windscreen wipers onbefore the indicators. My weekendswere spent travelling North Island, withHawke’s Bay proving to be an idealdistance from most places. During myeight weeks I managed to ski on anactive volcano, do bone carving, marvelat the many geothermal areas, relax inhot springs, skydive, zorb (rolling downa hill in a bubble) and do a seven-metre drop white water rafting. I hadone week for a whistle stop tour ofSouth Island. I saw Christchurch indevastation but the beginnings oftheir ‘re-start’ programme. I hikedon Fox Glacier, went jet-boating inQueenstown, horse-riding inGlenorchy, heliskiing in Wanaka and I cruised throughDoubtful Sounds in FiordlandNational Park.

The roads throughout NewZealand, even on the mainhighways, are mainly singlecarriageways. There are farfewer cars on the roads than inEngland and, once you hitSouth Island, every other car isa campervan. The highwayswind on forever and seem totake the most random, butscenic, routes in total isolation

from civilisation. Someone did tell me the reason the roads were so windy was that it used to be free tobuild through Maori Land but notthrough British land...who knows? For sure it is difficult to get away fromdriving in New Zealand, but it mostcertainly is not a chore.

After eight weeks in New Zealand Ireally got a feeling for the uncertaintythat lies before it, a country at themercy of Mother Nature. Four daysafter I left, Mount Tongariro (or ‘MountDoom’ for Lord of the Rings fans) wasshowing some volcanic activity and aweek and a half after I left Rotorua thenearby White Island had a smalleruption. Furthermore during my firstweek in Hawke’s Bay there was a smallearthquake. Not to forget it is only justover a year ago when the oldeststanding town in New Zealand,Christchurch, was devastated byconsecutive earthquakes from a faultline they did not know existed. However,with the possibility for natural disastercomes a unique environment in whichvast and exuberant beauty has beenable to flourish.

14

Sir (Francis) Humphrey Potts (44-50)Born 1931, died 2 December 2012, aged 81.

Obituaries

The passing of Humphrey Potts robs us of a delightful man.He never imposed his considerable erudition, and his greatcharm never ingratiated. He was inherently fair-minded,interested in people and the world about him, and he hadgood judgment in abundance. I should declare an interest – I knew Humphrey all my life, and he was best friends with mywhole family.

Humphrey grew up in Penshaw, where his father farmed onthe Lambton Estate. He was evacuated to Penrith with theRGS during the war, a period he recalled less fondly thanmany, although he generally enjoyed his schooldays. He readLaw at St Catherine’s, Oxford, and was a Scholar at Lincoln’sInn, where he was called to the Bar in 1955.

He joined Newcastle chambers at 51 Westgate Road whenthe Bar had a plentiful flow of criminal and civil work, the lattermainly involving industrial injury claims. The Newcastle Barwas of small size, but high quality, with a disproportionatenumber eventually achieving high judicial office (includingGeorge Waller, Roddy Smith (37-44), my father andHumphrey). The nature and flow of work allowed these

“Lions of the North” (as they became known) to developferociously effective cross-examination skills. Combiningthem with meeting regularly clients of every background inprison, and running a prosecution one week and a defencethe next, Humphrey built up ideal experience to be a HighCourt Judge. Such experience belies the common caricatureof judges being “out-of-touch”.

Humphrey’s personal presence in Court was commanding.He would fully press home a cross-examination, and punish

evidential inconsistencies. He was obviously intelligent andwell-prepared. But he achieved results with juries as muchthrough his patent decency, and lack of pretension.

By 40, Humphrey was a successful barrister, who wasexcellent company and lived a bachelor life well in elegantsurroundings in Brandling Park. Just as my parents thoughthe may not marry, Humphrey met Pippy, and their wonderfullyhappy marriage began. The house became a warm familyhome, with all the detritus of children mixing with thepreviously immaculate Georgian furnishings.

Humphrey also took Silk in 1971, and (as then required) tookchambers in London, at 11 King’s Bench Walk. He becamea Recorder, and was appointed to the High Court Bench in1986, with a reputation as a very fair judge, conducting trialswith firmness and purpose. He presided over three highprofile cases.

The first was a libel trial in which journalist Jani Allan failed to refute an alleged affair with neo-Nazi leader, EugeneTerreblanche. Humphrey particularly enjoyed the linguistic economy in a newspaper report of one witnesssighting through a keyhole “the oscillating buttocks of theoverweight extremist.”

Second, the trial under the War Crimes Act (1991) of Nazicollaborator Anthony Sawoniuk for crimes committed inBelarus in 1942 – the only trial under that Act.

And third, the trial of Jeffrey Archer for perjury. Althoughconduct of the trial was widely considered sensible andsound, Archer appealed his conviction and sentence,including on the grounds that Humphrey was prejudiced(based on an alleged dinner conversation with a third partyseveral years previously which Humphrey denied). The Courtof Appeal took less than two minutes to dismiss the appeal.

In need of advice, my father would ultimately listen to threepeople: my mother, his brother, and Humphrey. Humphreywas a similar touchstone for many. He will be greatly missed,by all who knew, valued and loved him, and particularly byPippy, two sons, two stepsons and two grandchildren whosurvive him.

Louis Taylor (75-85)


John Adams, who grew up in rural County Durham, went on from the RGS to become a distinguished scholar and teacher of law, a professor at several universities, and the author of numerous books and articles on diverselegal topics.

At school, John was a rather quiet and unobtrusive memberof a year group which contained an unusual number offlamboyant characters, and his energies were perhapslimited by the effects of a chronic illness which was notsuccessfully treated until after he had left the RGS. But heworked hard, and absorbed some of the best qualities of theschool. These included its encouragement of wide interestsand critical thinking, its seriousness about teaching andlearning, and its concern for individuals, which all becamecharacteristic of his own work as a devoted and well-likedteacher. John also had a remarkable capacity for making andkeeping friends. Among these were several from school withwhom he kept in touch for the rest of his life, and met regularly.

John studied law at King’s College, Newcastle, at that timepart of the University of Durham, and then, after qualifying asa solicitor, practised in Gateshead. In 1971 he made the life-changing decision to become a lecturer in law at SheffieldUniversity. This gave him the time to undertake research, andthe opportunity to teach, activities in which he delighted forthe rest of his life. It was also at Sheffield that he was joinedby his life-long partner, Dr David Grey, a mathematician who

shared his love of music and enjoyment of hill-walking. John’s subsequent academic career included posts atuniversities in France and the USA, and professorships atSheffield and at the University of Kent. He also qualified as abarrister in 1984, and practised in London. At the time of hisdeath he was still teaching at the London campus of NotreDame University, Indiana. After completing the lastscheduled lecture of the course, which drew spontaneousapplause, John, as usual, entertained his students at hisLondon club in characteristic good spirits. He died in hissleep of a heart attack at his home in Sheffield.

The obituaries written about John by his legal colleaguesnoted that he had left his mark on many aspects of the law,and would be much missed in numerous professionalcircles. He was highly valued for his legal insight, hiswillingness to collaborate, his skill at fostering desirabledevelopments, and for the cheerfulness, affability and quirkyhumour which helped to make him a good leader indepartments and committees. His many publications weredescribed as authoritative, widely read, and influential.

John’s friends are conscious of a large gap left in our lives byhis death. We miss his zest for life, his un-cynical goodhumour and wit, his kindness, and his steadfast friendshipover many years.

Paddy Page (H M Page, 51-59)

John N. Adams (49-57)Born 1939, died 14 April 2012, aged 72.

16

Obituaries (continued)

Peter was evacuated to Penrith for a brief period, returning toJesmond in the autumn of 1944, the year I joined the RGSand the start of our 68-year friendship.

Never a keen sportsman, Peter turned his talents to otherfields and became a master builder of model gliders withwingspans from 18” to 5/6ft. Much of my fitness was downto chasing the things over miles of beaches and fields. Heshowed endless patience bringing them back to flyingcondition after numerous crashes.

Along with two other friends we became avid campersspending three, four or five weeks every Summer Holiday at sites around the North East. Our first attempt was almost afailure: without a watch or a clock between us we called atthe local farm for milk to be told that it was only 4am!Experience did not always produce improvements. Havingcycled miles we almost always had to pitch our tent indarkness, once on an ant’s nest and then on the flight path of RAF Leeming where we soon found out that they werepractising night flying circuits and bumps! Out walking oneday we saw a bull charging towards us with the farmerfrantically waving. Three of us jumped over the hedge whilePeter dived into the river! When the farmer arrived he asked if we had not seen him waving for us to open the gate to letthe heifer through! Well, we were young townies. Later, tofinish off one of the holidays we burnt the cooking tent down!Another camp marked with distinction is when two GermanPOWs joined us for coffee every morning.

At the age of 14 we decided to become photographers. Peterwent to Turners in Pink Lane and reappeared laden withdishes, chemicals, papers and comprehensive instructionsand a bill which cleaned us out of our pocket money. All we

needed was a camera! We joined Gateshead Camera Clubas its youngest members where Peter won several clubcompetitions and later became a highly respected regionaljudge and was an active member until his death.

I used to join Peter and his parents on holiday every year.Peter impressed his father and me by diving off the 30mboard at St Annes. We also learnt to sail dinghies atFairhaven. At Beadnell Hall after the hotel dance I took my dance partner for a walk around the harbour. Quietlycreeping into our room at 2.30am the world fell on my head:tennis rackets, shoes, balls and boots. The light was turnedon to reveal a grinning Cheshire cat very proud of his boobytrap! That summed up Peter: apparently quiet and shy, butwith a wonderful wicked sense of humour. A great friend.

After the RGS and his training in Dentistry, qualifying with an MDS and PhD, Peter served in the RAF and was onChristmas Island when the atom bomb exploded (see Issue 84).

Peter was not particularly religious so his family arranged a non-religious family service, playing some of Peter’sfavourite Jazz music. Sadly, I was abroad but my family say it was the finest funeral they have ever attended and awonderful send-off to a thoroughly good and nice gentle man.

Although I will miss Peter, many very happy memories remain and are some compensation for my loss of a true and loyal friend.

Doug Sutherland (44–51)

Alister Hurford (32-42)Born 1924, died 13 October 2012, aged 88.

Alister followed in the footsteps of his father who had a dental practice at Jesmond Vale Terrace. He went up toUniversity after spending three very enjoyable years with theschool at Penrith.

A keen sportsman: at Newcastle University he was given his Cap for his rugby achievements. He was subsequentlyopening bat for Devonport Services Cricket Team and playedsquash into his sixties, twice winning the NorthamptonshireSquash Trophy Cup.

Married in 1950 to June, a W.R.N.S. officer at Devonport, hewas the proud father of a daughter and six sons, andgrandfather of 16 boys and girls.

by June Hurford

Peter Campton Foreman (43-50)Born 1932, died 10 November 2012, aged 80.

Carl Hjul (30-32) born1920, died 29 January 2012,aged 91.

Alan Davison (38-47) born 1929, died June 2012,aged 82.

Dennis Martin (44-52)born 1933, died 11September 2012, aged 79.

Robert Vivian Stephenson(46-49) born 1931, died 29 July 2012, aged 81.

Geoffrey Fairless Todd(53-60) born 1941, died 26 November 2012, aged 70.

John Burton Hall (36-40)born 1927, died 4 October2012, aged 84.

Gordon Victor Smales(34-40) born 1922, died 3 October 2012, aged 90.He captained the 1st XV in1939-40.

William Alan Croft (38-40)born 1927, died 12November 2012, aged 84.

Patrick (Paddy) MartinBennett (63-69), died 12November 2011, aged 59.

Leonard M (Sammy)Franks (32-38) born 1921,died 11 November, 2011,aged 90.

Walter Turnbull (41-45)born 1927, died 8 October2012, aged 85. Walter wasa pupil during the school’sevacuation to Penrith and leftwith best friend, the lateGeorge Holloway (36-44)to enlist in the services tobecome a marinecommando. By Mrs Maureen Turnbull


Frank Oliver Tulloh (34-41)Born 1925, died 5 November 2012, aged 87.

Frank was evacuated to Penrith between 39-41, along withhis brothers Clifford Tulloh (35-41), Harold Tulloh (35-41)and Marchant Tulloh (39-41), (44-47). It was there that hedeveloped his lifelong passion for rugby and swimming.

The family returned to Newcastle in 1941, where Frankcompleted his schooling. After a foray into medical studies,he was conscripted into the army, where he sustainedserious injuries and was eventually invalided out.

On his recovery, he followed his father’s footsteps intoLloyds Bank, and took up a position in London, and latermarried and had one daughter. He spent the remainder ofhis working life in the bank, until his retirement in 1985.

He was a keen supporter of rugby at all levels, taking aspecial interest in junior rugby and the development ofyoung players. He travelled widely in the UK, following manyof his favourite clubs, and took great pleasure in discussingthe finer points of rugby with anyone who would listen!

In 2002, he moved to Brighton to live with his daughter andfamily, where he continued to take an active interest in sportand real ale.

For many years he continued to attend the Penrith andLondon Old Novo re-unions and was briefly involved asLondon ONA Vice President.

He never tired of hearing about the North East and Scotlandand would often reminisce about happy times at Penrith andthe RGS.

He is survived by his daughter, Frances, and grand-daughter, Nancy.

By Frances Tully

ONAMerchandise

ONA merchandise is now for sale

To order any of the items, please send a cheque (payable to ONA) to:

Development OfficeRoyal Grammar SchoolEskdale TerraceNewcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX

Remember to include your name,address, phone number and/or email,and to indicate which item you areordering.

Please include phone number and/oremail so we can contact you ifdelivery is likely to be delayed.

The ONA accepts no responsibilityfor non-delivery via standard post. Ifyou would like your order to be sentby special delivery, please contact theDevelopment office for a price list.

All goods are sold subject toavailability.

Cufflinks £10 Enamelled cufflinks (presentation box included)

Wall Plaque £20Previously £25

Tie £10Polyester tie, striped with crest.

Documents

Royal Grammar School Newcastle Old Novocastrians Association Magazine