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Thame Remembers
Do visit the current WW1 exhibition at Thame Museum and the ' Thame Remembers' project. LWGS pupils feature in both. The Thame Remembers project formally opens on 3rd August with a commemoration at St Mary's and the laying of crosses on the graves of those who died in WW1, amongst whom are OTs. If anyone has any information about the fallen this may be sent to research@thameremembers.org
OT: William Cecil Hoadley (see story below)
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Old Tamensians's Website
A word on the web-site and the rest of our digital footprint. We now use a number of platforms including the web-page, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. They all serve a slightly different purpose and will have slightly different content. The web-page has OT news but is more focussed on longer articles and posts - as well acting as the archive for features such as the school's history, the OTA history and various other events. Facebook is where we post most of the shorter news about the OTA. Twitter is used for short tweets. Not everyone will visit every platform but which ever one you use we hope that generally you'll be well-informed.
The web site can be found at www.oldtamensians.info/
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Joy Bettles (nee Gaultney) recently married to Rob Bettles

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News from Bridget....Well... It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I have retired from full time teaching work. This happened on July 18th. I shall be returning to school for 2 months (September and October) for a 3 day week, to support the new SENCo. Additionally I intend to start up a constancy business, and will keep people informed ………………….. I went out with something of a ‘bang’ I am pleased to recount. Please look at:
http://www.aloksharma.co.uk/content/sharma-presents-equality-award-prospect-school
Bridget and OTA President Mark Trueman attended the wedding of OT Joy Gaultney on June 28th.
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Dear Bridget
Just to let you know that my husband Brian Wallis died very suddenly on 9th July 2014 with a heart attack.
He joined the school in September 1947.
He organised and was a regular attendee to the annual "Class of '49" reunions. He lived in Middle Barton.
Yours,
Ann Wallis
Alan Osbourn writes:
Brian joined Lord Williams in 16 September 1947 as part of the last intake under the Headmastership of Major A.C Dyer (1929-1948), and the first intake which included pupils who had passed the 11+ examination. Brian went into Engineering as an apprentice then moved onto Business Systems, becoming Business Systems Manager for a company in High Wycome. Redundant at 50, and eventually moved into Accounts, finally looking after the accounts of the telecomms dept at Oxford University.
Brian was married with two daughters and was a prime mover and source of information for the Class of '47 reunions
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Ray Hawes
There was a cricket match that was organised in memory of Ray Hawes on June 29th at Thame C.C. cricket ground in the afternoon.
A number of OTs and wives from Ray's era attended, commencing with a pub lunch at the Spread Eagle.
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Brian Ward
Once again I am delighted to get your Newsletter. Thank you. It stimulates my interest in what happened during my time at Lord Williams’s as well as what has happened since then to so many good friends.
Best wishes
Brian Ward
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The lives of some of three OTs killed during the Great War
William Cecil Hoadley: Nationality: Trinidad Rank: Midshipman Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Reserve Unit Text: H.M.S. "Bittern." Date of Death: 04/04/1918 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 29. Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, UK. Born 14 Nov 1898 at POS. Educated at Thame Grammar and Bishops Stortford, England, and also HMS "Conway". Joined as Midshipman RNR in May 1916. Served on HMS Otway and was submarined in 1917. Was on special service with HMS Bittern when she was sunk with all hands by a mine in the English Channel 4 Apr 1918. FYB1919 Trinidad Commemorated on Port of Spain Cenotaph.
Lieutenant Noel Alexander Target - Regiment: Durham Light Infantry Unit Text: 13th Bn. Date of Death: 04/08/1916 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 14 A and 15 C Cemetery: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL. Born 23 November 1895 at London, son of Felix Alexander Target MICE, Civil Engineer, Indian Public Works Department, of Donnington, Pinner, by his wife Nita, daughter of Harrison Chilton; educated at Lord Williams's Grammar School 1906-1909, and then Haileybury College. First commission as temp 2nd Lieutenant 13th (Service) Bn DLI 22 September 1914; temp Lieutenant 3 March 1915; commissioned regulars, 2nd Lieutenant DLI 4 April 1916 (3 May 1916). Served European War 1914-16, France and Belgium 20 November 1915 to 4 August 1916, with 13th Bn DLI, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, (awarded the MC for conspicuous bravery while leading a successful raid on the enemy's trenches, in company with a brother officer; by their pluck and dash in keeping their party so close under our own bombardment of the enemy trench, our shells were bursting over them while entering the Hun wire, and the Battalion was thanked by General Headquarters for the success it achieved.) MC (London Gazette 24 June 1916, citation London Gazette 27 July 1916) "For conspicuous gallantry. Lieuts Clark and Target led a successful raid on the enemy's trenches. At least twelve of the enemy were accounted for, and live deep occupied dug-outs were bombed. Owing to the skill and rapidity of action there were only three slight casualties in their party." Was originally intended for the Indian Police, for which he had just qualified when war was declared in August 1914. Killed in action on the Somme 4 August 1916, while defending a section of trench under heavy machine-gun fire. The Brigadier-General wrote "I always regarded him as a promising officer, and he proved his gallantry on many occasions; his loss will be felt very much in his regiment, where he was admired by all ranks. In all the strenuous fighting in which we were engaged, he, by his cool daring, shone amongst the many brave men associated with him. He was buried in the trench he gave his life to hold". Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Private Richard John Green joined the Royal Fusiliers as soon as he was 18. He saw service in Palestine, Egypt and France. He had returned from leave in England, on 16th October 1918 to rejoin his unit on the Western Front. having volunteered for service with the 4th Royal Sussex Regiment. On 2nd November he was at a dressing station attending to the wounded when he was killed by a German bomb dropped in an air-raid over the British lines, this just 9 days before the Armistice. Private Green is buried at the Harlebeke New British Cemetery, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium Plot: IV. BB. 5. At LWGS he was in the Cricket and Football XIs.
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At the time of his death, Mark 'Mickie' Wells parents were running the Greyhound in Thame. Although Mr Wells wasn't an OT, his descendants have put together an excellent web-page of his life that we think is worth a visit. Mr Wells died on the 27th August 1918 Great Uncle Mark "Mickie" Wells died in Fricourt aged just 26 years old. On that day his comrades were pushing on from Maricourt to Favier's Wood (Bois de Faviers) and on to Hardecourt and therefore we must assume that Mickie was wounded previously and died of those wounds in Fricourt. He is the only one of his Battalion to be buried at Montauban-de-Picardie.
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The Great War 1914 - 1918
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This coming year, we will be celebrating the Centenary of the Great War. During this time, we will feature stories about the OTs who died and those who fought in the War.
One starting point is to look at the work that's been done by the Buckinghamshire Remembers web-site. They've brought together an overview of all the OTs who died - with each of their stories linked from this page:
www.buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk/memorials/p401.htm
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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
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OTA Flickr Site
We now have well over 3700 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
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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:
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LinkedIn
Quite a few of the OTs, including several on the Committee, are members of this LinkedIn group and are 'chatting'.
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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
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OT Twitter (Tamensian)
Run by the OTA but now regularly updated. Please join us in the Twittersphere!
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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.
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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.
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OTA Flickr Site
Do we have the biggest on-line archive?
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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 3200 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 11,000.
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 out stats show that indeed the diversity of what is looked at is much more than one might expect.)
We have at least another 1000 or so images to upload. And we're always looking for more. So please post or e-mail anything you have. Scan if possible. If not take a photo and send it through. The archive is becoming a research source and hence has great interest beyond just OTs or people connected with Thame.
And please make comments; identify people if you can. The more the interaction, the better the archive.
We now have almost 4000 images to view in the OTA albums: a permanent and regularly updated repository of all things Lord Williams's School, OTA and bygone Thame - from the foundation of the School through to the present day. In October, the flickr site peaked at over 33,000 views.
Please leave comments and, if you can identify people, please also record their names in the comment box as well.
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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
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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@oldtamensians.info or update your details here
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