OTA Newsletter - April 2014

Issue 33
April 2014

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Dear <<Salutation>>,

We want to increase the amount of OT news in our e-newsletter. We know that OTs always enjoy reading about other OTs - whether it be a snippet or a longer piece. In this newsletter we have both. So please send us your news for inclusion.

There is a flower festival on ‘Memories’ in St Mary’s, Thame this year flower arrangements will be on the theme of Word War 1. Saturday May 18th there will be a Songs of Praise service.

Regards,

Bridget Trueman (Chairperson OT 2011-14)

CALENDAR OF OTA EVENTS

What's on and when ...

10.05.2014 1100 OTA Committee Meeting followed by lunch at The Six Bells
13.09.2014 1000 OTA Committee Meeting
07.11.2014 1730 Sixth Form Awards Evening
08.11.2014 0845 Founder's Day
09.11.2014 1030 Remembrance Parade, Thame High Street

NEWS ... NEWS ... NEWS... NEWS ... NEWS ...NEWS ... NEWS

The new website is up and running with much of the content of the old site transferred and once again available. The new site can be found at www.oldtamensians.info/

Hopefully, you'll find it informative; interesting and a significant improvement. Please let us have your feedback, comments and observations!

... Uni News ...

This is just a snap-shot of some of the courses which LWS alumni are taking: Catherine Coe is studying physchology at West of England; Charlie Evans is also there studying Quantity Surveying; Millie Evans is studying Clinical Pyschology at Reading; Robin Hobbs English Literature at UAE, and Tom Scraton, Economics with German at Nottingham University.

Henry Wiles is reading Chemical Engineering at Cambridge; Adam Smith Mechanical Engineering at Hull; Rachel Rice is studying Medicine at Newcastle, and Katie Hall is studying Biomedical Science at Manchester.

Letter from William Boddington

My grandfather Henry Percival Boddington was a pupil at Lord Williams’s in the 1880s. I have the Headmaster’s Cup for Football which he won in that season, I also have ‘Cassell’s Book of Sport’ dated July 30th 1885 for Scripture and Mathematics, this is signed G. Plummer M.A. Headmaster.

He was born in 23 Sept 1870 and died 8th March 1925 and he farmed at Roundhill Farm Haddenham, which is on the road from Thame to Aylesbury just before the Cuddington turn. He married Emma May Keinch on 17th Nov 1902 and they had 6 children, Leslie, Henry, Cecily, Stan, Alan and Gerald. Their mother died in Jan 1931, my Aunt Cecily married her fiance Bob Potter later that year and took over responsibility for her 5 brothers.

My father Gerald Keinch Boddington born 2nd August 1920 on the farm. He died 7th Sept 1977 and attended LWGS 1930 to 1936. He was awarded a Royal Humane Society parchment for saving a boy from drowning on 31st August 1936. On leaving school he did a six year apprenticeship as a toolmaker at Stroud in Gloucester. He then worked at Auto Dairies in Thame where I believe they made parts for milking machines but when the War started they went over to making parts for prototype planes and tools for making planes. Whilst here he met and married my mother (Helen Joan Eeles from Tetsworth) who also worked at Auto Dairies. I was born in 1944 and in 1946 we emigrated to New Zealand but only stayed for a year. When we came back we lived in Headington and Dad worked as a toolmaker at the Pressed Steel in Cowley. In 1950 they bought a grocery shop in Princes Risborough and after a shaky start ran it very successfully. When I left school in 1962 my Dad wanted to open a supermarket, which he had read about, but I wasn't interested so they sold up and he went to work for Negretti and Zambra in Aylesbury where he stayed until he died.

When I started at LWGS I was a day boy for 2 terms so my Dad used to bring me to school every morning from Princes Risborough. I was on the list to become a boarder so the original plan was for me to stay for tea which was at 5.20 and then for Prep and be picked up at 7.00. I remember crying all through prep because I didn't know what was happening. The arrangements were soon changed and I was collected after school from then on. I presume you know in those days we had classes on Saturday mornings and one Saturday he didn't turn up so I started walking, Mr Birch the PE teacher stopped to pick me up just as Dad came by.

After 2 terms I became a boarder (I think the fees were £150 per year) and had a very happy time at the school. I do remember we had 2 Out-Sundays a term where you could be picked up after Church about 12.00 and had to be back for tea. As boarders we were allowed out of school from when classes finished until 5.20, then not allowed out at all. This was right up to age 18.

William Boddington

Boddingtons Beers

There is also a family connection with Boddington Beers as Henry Percival was a nephew of another Henry: Henry Boddington - the one who became one of the UK's major brewers.

This Henry Boddington was born in a mill cottage at Thame where his father, John Boddington, was the miller. He also acted as parish overseer, surveyor of the roads and master of the workhouse where the family lived from 1826. This young Henry was, however, educated at a dame school in the town rather than LWGS. Henry’s older brother John went north to find his fortune, becoming a clerk at the Strangeways brewery of Hole, Potter and Harrison in Manchester in 1831 and the rest of the family followed in the hope of better prospects.

Henry became a commercial traveler for the brewery, progressed in the business and in 1847 became a partner on the departure of Hole. By 1852 he had become sole proprietor, his success assisted by his marriage to Martha Slater, daughter of a Salford dyer and banker. In the next two decades Strangeways output made it a major northern brewery with an empire later extending as far as Birmingham and Burton-on-Trent.

His marriage to Martha produced eight children and his second wife, Eliza Nanson, bore him four more. He retired to Silverdale near Carnforth where he died in 1886. His sons carried on the business, all prosperous and influential public figures in Manchester life. Henry Slater Boddington (1849ñ1925), for instance, was a director of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Boddingtons remained a family company until 1989 when it was sold to Whitbread and is now part of the Anheuser-Busch Inbev conglomerate, the leading global brewer.

LWGS Football Team 1914

Andrew Dodwell discovered this photo of his father, Bernard Henry Dodwell, with fellow players.

He could only identify the sportsmaster, Ron West, in the centre, but the others remained a mystery.

Andrew, who lives in Thame with wife Rosalind, said: "My father fought in both world wars and survived. I’d like to know what happened to his team members and whether they or their relatives are in the area still."

Bernard, who grew up in Long Crendon, married Angelina Messer from another local family during the Second World War.

Andrew said: “My father was very athletic. I remember him telling me that his teacher had said if he was half as good academically as he was on the sports field, he’d be very successful!”

If you think one of your relatives is in the photo, Andrew would love to hear from you on 01844 212060 or by email on andy.dodwell@btinternet.com.

John Hampden War Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Memorial

The Memorial - the centerpiece was the 1920 presentation of the War Memorial Tablet by GE Shrimpton, Secretary of the OTA to Mr Wykenham, the Chairman of the Governors.

It was inscribed with the Arms of the School and the names of the Fallen, whilst a War Memorial Prize was given to the School, to be awarded to the Boy who exercised the best influence in or out of School. The Memorial was unveiled by General Sir Hew Fanshawe, educated at Winchester, a local notable who had been sacked as a Commander of V Corps by General Haig during the first days of the Battle of the Somme, though seemingly not because of military incompetence. The son of a Vicar of Chilworth, he was replaced by his own Brother, also a General. There was another Brother, also a General, in reserve, if required.

After some years of discussion, the John Hampden Leaving Scholarship was established in 1931. Its purpose was to provide financial assistance to encourage Pupils to attend University. A Past President of the OTs, RE Crawford, was the driving force behind the project.

World War II created further challenges; at an Extraordinary General Meeting in 1947 it was decided to amalgamate the First War Memorial Fund, seemingly in the gift of the Governors, with the newly launched War Memorial Scholarship Fund, which also absorbed the 1931 Fund. , a 1948The initial assets took in £255 9s 7d 0n deposit with the Post Office Savings Bank, and £33 at Lloyds Bank, but the response to the Appeal was sufficiently positive to allow the Trustees to think in terms of a Fund approaching £1,000. According to Wikipedia, a 1948 £ is equivalent to £45 of our own money.

It was decided that the capital and income of the Fund should be applied primarily to the provision of Scholarships and Exhibitions for the benefit of past and present pupils, and the first Scholarship, of £25 per annum, was awarded in 1948, on the advice of Mr Dyer, to Peter Clarke, training as a Vet in Liverpool. Perhaps as the result of an oversight, the Articles did not provide for the provision of a Memorial, and this was funded by the sale of residual assets in the 1914/18 Fund. The new Tablet was designed, and made, by Maile & Co, of Euston Road, who had produced the First World War Memorial.

There were other elements of continuity. RE Crawford , of whom we have already heard, emerged as the first Chairman of the Fund, and the meeting held at the Spread Eagle in January 1948 was attended by GE Shrimpton, (ditto), as well as Messrs Dyer, Castle, Purser and Syson.

The same meeting also discussed the proposed unveiling ceremony, due to take place on the 26th June after the OTs Cricket Match. Presumably the meeting had been rather convivial, and a decision was taken to invite Mr Churchill to carry out the ceremony. Failing which, Lord Greene, the Master of the Rolls, might oblige. Failing him, perhaps Viscount Hampden, AP Herbert or Quinton Hogg.

It was reported at the May meeting, which was shorter, and no doubt less cheerful, that all those actually approached had proved unable to accept the invitation extended, leaving the Trustees with the option of Quinton Hogg. It was decided to approach Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Barratt, Inspector General of the RAF, and, perhaps more realistically, Col GM Harper, an Old Boy.

There is no mention of Sir Hew, alive until 1957, when he died at the remarkable age of 96.

William Eason
Secretary
John Hampden War Memorial Scholarship Fund

St Mary's Flower Festival
"Memories"

There is a flower festival on “Memories” in St Mary’s, Thame this year flower arrangements will be on the theme of Word War 1. This is from Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May, culminating in a ‘Songs of Praise’ with hymns mainly from Charles Wesley.

We usually provide an arrangement in memory of the fallen students, in the old LWS colours.

OTA Digital Footprint

Lord Williams's School web-site
This not only has all the most up to date information about the School but also features the monthly School newsletter “Take Me Home”.

Also there are two static pages for the OTA and the John Hampden War Memorial Fund:

OTA Page on the Lord Williams's School site

JHWMSF Page on the Lord Williams's School site

OTA Flickr Site
We now have well over 4000 photos to view: a permanent and regularly updated repository of all things Lord Williams's School, OTA and `Thame - from the foundation of the School through to the present day. Maintained by the OTA

Please leave comments and, if you can identify people, please also record their names in the comment box as well.

ALSO IF YOU HAVE MATERIAL THAT WE CAN ADD

PLEASE SEND IT TO US AND WE WILL UPLOAD

OTA web-site
Our brand new web site is now on-line. We have a new format, however a lot of the content has been transferred over as we know people found it useful.

You can find the site at:

www.oldtamensians.info/

LinkedIn
Quite a few of the OTs, including several on the Committee, are members of this LinkedIn group and are 'chatting'.

Facebook
We now have a new Old Tamensians's Page that is run by the OTA but is an informal group and can be updated directly by OTs who have 'liked.'

The new URL is: www.facebook.com/OldTamensians

OT Twitter (Tamensian)
Run by the OTA but now regularly updated. Please join us in the Twittersphere!

YouTube
There is no dedicated channel although there are a couple of OT videos on YouTube including the ATV documentary Star from the late 1970s and Matron, a home video from the mid 60s. They can be easily searched.

OTA Rugby
David Ratcliffe set up set up an Old Tamensians rugby page on pitchero.com Here is a link directly to the OTs page.

OTA Flickr Site

Do we have the biggest on-line archive?

The OTA archive is certainly one of the biggest for a private body. Certainly the biggest for a school in the UK.

We now have over 4000 images online that cover, the School, the OTA and, since acquiring Norman Lilley's own archive, an expanded section on Thame.

And as we've grown, so have the number of visitors. The biggest number of views on a single day thus far is over 33,000.

The subject matter is diverse as you might expect: the earliest image is from the 14th century - a petition written to the King. We have plans to upload Lord Williams's will. (It's not a straightforward task.) And then we have images of people, events, artefacts, letters, albums, educational material, anything and everything that might be of interest. (And our stats show that indeed the diversity of what is looked at is much more than one might expect.)

Please leave comments and, if you can identify people, please also record their names in the comment box as well.

ALSO IF YOU HAVE MATERIAL THAT WE CAN ADD
PLEASE SENTO US AND WE WILL UPLOAD
Email us at: secretary@oldtamensians.info

www.flickr.com/photos/oldtamensians/

Lord Williams’s School Prayer Group

We warmly welcome you to join us to pray for the life of the School and into some of the issues that affect us and our young people, as we journey together through these challenging years!

We'll be meeting once a term, on Wednesdays in Meeting Room 1 at Upper School, from 6.45-7.45pm.

If you'd like to be kept informed of when the meetings will take place or have any particular prayer requests, or comments please contact us at: jo@simonwhitfield.plus.com

Old Tamensians' Association - Keeping you in touch with Lord Williams's School

Have you some news to tell us?
The email Bridget at: ota@waitrose.com

Would you like to update your details?
Then send these to: members@tamensians.info or update your details here

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