24

Marston’s Brewery Tour — 2pm on 18 May 2018

Marston’s has kindly agreed to arrange a special tour of the Shobnall road brewery on the

day of our AGM, for Old Boys and their guests. Thanks are due to Graham Marshment for

setting this up.

We will go round the Victorian

Brewery (lots of stairs) and see

the new DE14 “nano-brewery”,

before drinking samples of their

delicious products.

The price is £8.50 each, and you

can book on the form enclosed

with this newsletter.

Details at:

www.marstonsbrewery.co.uk/tours/tour-info/

Percy ‘Butch’ Barratt ‘s 2A in 1957-8

Back Row: Blackburn, Bloss, Tudor, Newey, Huckerby, Hill, Clark, Mart, B09, Flather

Middle Row: Newman, Jordan, Bell, Pyatt, Waller, Bodger, Cartwright, Anderson

Front Row: Booth, F02, Jackson, F04, Percy ‘Butch’ Barratt (Form master), Rees, Clark,

Duncan, Taft

From www.burtongrammar.co.uk/category/life-and-times/staff Can anyone identify

F02 and F04 on the front row and B09 on the back row?

DE14 nano-brewery

Published: March 2018

by the committee of the BGS Old Boys’ Association

Burton Grammar School

Old Boys’ Association

Founded 1921

Newsletter Number 45

2

Letter from the President Elect: …..

I was pleasantly surprised to be elected Vice President of the BGSOBA

at the AGM in May 2017 as I had not been an active member of the

committee prior to this appointment. My main commitment over the last

twenty plus years has been as a trustee, and for the last ten years as the

Chairman of the Beyne School Foundation Charity. The charity was

founded to support pupils from the Grammar School and the Girls High

School. This is now distributed between the four Secondary Schools

within the old Burton borough. This support is ongoing due to income

from the charities investments and rental from four properties.

This experience has enabled me to interact with the successors of the

old Burton Grammar School.

I have enjoyed my year as Vice President and look forward to serving the Association as

your President in 2018/2019.

Remembrance Day Service – Friday 10th November 2017

President John Ash was one of twelve Old Boys who attended the Remembrance

service. As usual, it was very professionally and sensitively delivered by the head

teacher, Annabel Stoddart, seen here with representatives of the Association.

Old Boys in attendance were: David Leese; Malcolm Watson; Graham Marshment;

Robert Andrews; Peter Appleby; John Ash (President); Deryck Barker;

John Taylor (VP); Richard Bell; Richard Wain. To the right of Annabel Stoddart are

Peter Evanson and Andrew Gentles.

23

The AGM & Dinner to be held on the 18th May 2018

BRANSTON GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – PAVILION

The schedule will be: 18:30 - 19:00 hrs – Guests arrive.

19:00 hrs – AGM 19:45 hrs – Guests called to Dinner

20:00 hrs – Grace, followed by Dinner

Menu

Starter:

Smoked salmon and crayfish timbale, cucumber galette

and beetroot salad

Main:

Herb roasted chicken supreme ,roasted root vegetables, herb gratin potato

with a rich mushroom gravy

Or: Covent Garden Charlotte (medley of mixed, ribboned vegetables) (V)

Dessert:

Apple and Blackberry Crumble, cinnamon custard

Coffee or Tea and Dinner mints

21:30 hrs – Toast to the OBA

with response from the President, John Taylor

Please book for the Dinner using the form sent with this Newsletter. (Bookings requested by Friday 27th April, please).

22

From the Editor:

I should like to thank all who have contributed material to this newsletter, including

all the Committee members and others who have provided updates and photographs.

Those who come to the annual dinner know what a delightful event that is, with

excellent food as well as the opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen for

years. So please try to persuade your friends to join you at the dinner and/or at the

tour of Marston’s in the afternoon. I’ll be happy to email this package to anyone you

nominate; they will be welcome guests. It will also give me a chance to encourage

them to join the Association.

The membership database is now in my hands, so please send any updates to me at

bgs@cicsplex.co.uk If you don’t wish the Association to retain your personal data,

please notify me and I will remove your entry. But bear in mind that the database is

the only way we can send you newsletters and invitations to our events. Data

protection laws mean that we cannot supply details, but I am happy to forward emails

on request, providing the person you want to reach has an email address on record.

There are two anniversaries coming up: 2020 is 500 years after the school was spun

off from Burton Abbey by Abbot Beyne; is also the 100th year of our Association,

which was established in 1921. I hope these events can be used to recruit new

members to assure the future of the Association. If not, at least we’ll go out on a high!

We decided not to have an after-dinner speaker this year, and hope that this will allow

members to move around and talk to people on other tables.

Seeing a Lancashire boiler during a visit to

the Kennet and Avon Canal reminded me of

the three boilers that used to power Everard’s

Trent Brewery on Anglesey road.

Although the pumping was done by

electricity by my father’s time there, this

steam engine was preserved as a memento of

earlier days. It led to an embarrassing

incident when Dad had assured a Factory

inspector that it was never used, only to walk

in and find Steve Calderbank’s father

demonstrating it to a friend.

Eric Bodger (1956-62)

e-mail: bgs@cicsplex.co.uk

The heritage engine

3

Sad news of the President: John Ash ….

We are sorry to report that John died on 25 March.

At the time this newsletter went to press, we knew only that he was severely ill, and

had entered St Giles hospice, passing his OBA duties on to John Taylor. His funeral is

at St Peter’s, Stapenhill, at 1:15pm on 12 April.

The editor would welcome information and stories about John’s life for an obituary in

the 2019 newsletter. His support of the OBA deserves better recognition than is

possible in this brief update.

John began his working life as an apprentice at FNF in Burton, which closed around

1965. He then started a successful 30-year career in the Merchant Navy, and has been

involved in local rowing clubs for many years.

Officers of the Burton Grammar School Old Boys’ Association 2016-17

President. Mr John Ash 1950-56

Vice President Mr John Taylor 1950-55

Hon Secretary Mr Andrew Gentles 1972-79

Archivist Mr RF Andrews 1952-58

Hon Treasurer Mr S Wilcox 1963-68

Hon Sports (Golf) Secretary Mr S Wilcox 1963-68

Newsletter Editor and BGS Database email: bgs@cicsplex.co.uk

Mr Eric Bodger 1956-62

Other Records : email: graham@gmarshment.f9.co.uk

Hon Membership Officer Mr KB Large 1967-72

Executive Committee President, Past Presidents, Vice President, Secretary.

Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Membership Officer.

Newsletter Committee Executive Committee and volunteers

Web site: www.burtongrammar.co.uk Kevin Gallagher

Association’s AGM & Dinner Friday 18h May 2018 - at the Pavilion, Branston.

Marston’s Brewery Tour: Friday 18th May 2018 at 2pm

Guests are welcome at the Brewery Tour and at the Dinner

4

The condolence and sympathy of the Association is expressed to the relatives

and families of recently deceased Grammar School Old Boys & Staff.

John Mayger (1943-51) Died 21 July 2017

John’s tragic death, following a fall that prevented his attending last year’s reunion,

marks the end of an era. He was the last of five Mayger boys who had attended Burton

Grammar School, and it was with sorrow that none of the committee was able to

attend his funeral in Buckinghamshire.

The eulogy at his funeral gives some

measure of the man:

John was a very hardworking, kind and

generous man. He was born and grew up

in Burton on Trent, the second youngest

of five brothers. This also where he

started his career working in the

breweries as a clerk. He was soon to be

promoted and quickly started a path of

progression which lead to his becoming a

Business Systems Analyst.

Burton also provided the backdrop for the

start of his family. John was a fanatical

sportsman and it was whilst attending the

Thursday night swimming club meetings

that he met Eileen. The two were married

at St Chad's in Burton in 1959 and went on to have their two children Paula and Richard.

Their dynasty now runs to three grandchildren as well as ten nieces and nephews.

As John's career began to advance the family moved from Burton to Sussex as John started

a job at Grand Metropolitan in Brighton. Then in 1976 John was headhunted by a firm in

Brussels, the family moved to live in Belgium for five years. Headhunting was very

unusual in those days and pays testament to John's dedication to his work. The family

returned to the UK in 1981 and settled in Beaconsfield. John's final employment was at

Unilever in High Wycombe and it was from there that he finally retired from work at 67.

John had a wide circle of friends. From school days at Burton Grammar school, through to

all the many sports clubs he joined and always played an active part. From swimming and

water polo to rugby and finally the hockey club where he continued to umpire from 1984

right through to 2011.

We extend our condolences to his widow Eileen, and children Paula and Richard.

21

6. Beyne Foundation Report, was presented by John Taylor, who gave a brief insight

into the history of the Foundation – founded in the 1920’s with the beneficiaries

originally being the Boys Grammar School and Girls High School. Changes in the

constitution allowed distribution of funds to four local secondary schools including

the Abbot Beyne who must receive no less than 25% of distributed funds. In the past

12 months this amounted to circa £3000 per term. Income is generated from rental

revenue from the four properties it owns.

7. The outgoing President extended his personal thanks to his Committee for their

support during his term of office along with the co-opted members, Eric Bodger for

publishing the newsletter and Kevin Gallagher for maintaining the website.

As is typical for Steve, he delivered a most humorous review of his year as President,

packed with amusing anecdotes.

He reminded the members that the Committee recommended to the membership that

the Association works towards the schools 500th Anniversary in 2020, which

coincides with the centenary of the decision to form the Old Boys Association.

As with many of his predecessors Steve noted that his participation at the Abbot

Beyne assembly of Remembrance was a memorable occasion and was impressed by

the respect shown by the pupils in attendance.

He wished John Ash every success in his role as the incoming President of The

Association.

8. Incoming President John Ash extended his thanks to Steve for the work he had done

during the year in office, and thanked the membership for the opportunity to be their

president for the coming year.

9. Election of Officers: the following were elected en bloc:

Vice President John Taylor

Secretary Andrew Gentles

Treasurer Steve Wilcox

Co-opted Members Keith Large; Graham Marshment, and Eric Bodger

10. There being no further business,

the President closed the meeting

and the members convened for

Dinner where they were

entertained by their guest

speaker, Sir Trevor Soar

KCB,OBE who had commanded

various submarines and ships,

including the aircraft carrier

HMS Invincible, before

becoming Commander-in-chief

Fleet in the Royal Navy.

11. Date of next meeting 18th May

2018.

20

Minutes of the AGM 19th May 2017

held at the Branston Golf & Country Club

1. President Steve Wilcox welcomed Old Boys.

2. The President then asked the Secretary to read the apologies, including Peter Appleby,

David Atkin, Andrew Bauer, Roy Biddulph, Andrew Bodger, Michael Bond, Duncan

Bradley, Ian Carrington-Porter, Alan Cloves, John Clubb, Lionel Cooper, Steve Cort,

Roger Deacon, Tony Fisher, Brian Gee, Raymond Gilbert, Ian Gilchrist, Mike Green,

Tony Hardwick, John Hodgson, Bob James, Bernard Johnson, Michael Keen, Roger

Kerry, Graham Marchment, Roy Marsh, Colin Marsland, Steve Mason, John Mayger,

David Mortlock, Jonathan Murphy, Alan Neal, Gordon Neale, Roger Newman, Colin

Norris, Peter Orton, Michael Prevett, Prof Roy Pryce, Howard Rees, Clifford Rose,

Keith Rushton, Graham Staley, Mike E Smith, Ken Stanyon, Charlie Statham, Brig

Bill Strong, Keith Stuart-Smith, Alan Thompson, Mike Threse, Bob Throssell, John

Toplis, Richard Tudor, Johnny van der Merwe, George Wigley, Howard Wilson,

Mike Wilson, Alan Winfield, Gerry Woodburn, David Woodcock, and the Head of

Abbot Beyne, Annabel Stoddart.

The President commented on the number of apologies for the A.G.M & Dinner,

which demonstrates members’ engagement with the Association, despite their being

unable to attend this year.

3. A minute’s silence was

observed after a roll-call of old

boys who had sadly passed

away during the past twelve

months. These were: S. Burke;

B.C. Copestake; K.F. Crocker;

D. Ewers; R. Graham; Rev G

Goodall; D P. Huckerby;

D. Oakdean; J. Rabbets;

E. Say; S.Taylor; C. Twigg.

4. The President asked for

approval of the minutes of the AGM held 19th May 2016. Proposed by Martin

Cooper, and seconded Rob Andrews, and passed unanimously.

5. The Treasurer, Steve Wilcox, circulated the Annual Income & Expenditure Statement

for the year to 31st December 2016. The Association remains in a strong financial

position, with many members unable to attend the AGM & Dinner opting to make a

donation in lieu He asked that the accounts be adopted: Proposed by John Taylor,

Seconded: Andrew Gentles, and carried unanimously.

Handover from

Steve Wilcox to

John Ash

5

Brian Turner wrote from Colorado:

“I was at school with all of his brothers and his brother William was the best man at my

wedding. William, John and I were on the team that represented Burton in the All

England Schoolboys Water Polo championship, losing in the final to a team from

Middlesbrough.

We shared a table at the 2006 annual dinner, which was the last time I saw him.”

Chris Palme wrote:

I knew John for more than 25 years and we must have umpired hundreds of matches

together. Plenty of time to talk before matches, at half-time and afterwards in the bar.

The first thing you noticed was his lovely voice followed by his good manners. I

remember him coming over to my house for lunch and meeting Rachel. He offered his

hand with the simple greeting "John Mayger ". There was something of the 1950s about

him and I thought the choice of Doris Day and Frankie Laine,at the service was spot on.

In terms of hockey I remember his view that there were only two rules: 1) The umpire

is always right 2). In the event of any other eventuality refer to rule 1! I remember a

match which I was umpiring and where he was a spectator. There was some

controversy about the way in which the opposition was taking short corners. John took

it upon himself to relocate to a position just behind the short corner taker in order to

coach/harass them as they took their corners. The opposition objected – quite rightly –

so I walked over and said, “John, could I ask you to move back to the half way line

please”. The politeness of my request resulted in a positive response, but in addition to

a twinkle of the eye there was a broad grin from ear to ear! Even when behaving badly

John was always impeccable!

I shall miss John, a man I held in great esteem and, of whom I was very fond.

Stephen Calderbank (1968-73) Died 13 May 2017

Noel Butler writes:

I was at BGS with Steve for 7 years and sat next to him

throughout the first 3 years. I remember Steve as having

muscles in the 1st year when most us only had spots. He was a

good swimmer and keen cyclist in his youth and we once went

youth hostelling on our bikes for a long weekend along with

another friend Carl Laxton. The trip was organised by Steve,

who in his quiet way made sure everything ran smoothly and

put the least able cyclist (me) first when I began to struggle. In

a way that was very typical of Steve, he rather kept his light

under a bushel in many ways including his dry sense of

humour.

I lost touch with Steve after school though I was kept up to

speed with his career in Brewing through mutual friends.

God bless you Steve, I'm glad I knew you.

6

Peter Farmer (1945-53) Died December 2017

Peter Farmer passed away in Derby Hospital on Sunday

10th December 2017 at the age of 82.

Peter took over from his father as dispensing chemist in

Tutbury before he eventually sold the practice to Dean

&.Smedley about 30 years ago. In Peter and his father's

time, the shop was open every day of the year including

Christmas Day.

Peter lived next door to the shop in High Street, Tutbury

until he built a bungalow on The Balk in Tutbury where he

and his wife Jean enjoyed retirement, and

Peter would spend time in his extensive garden.

Peter was a very keen golfer and had been both Captain

and President of Ashbourne Golf CIub, the oldest Club in

Derbyshire. He was very much involved in the extension of

the 9-hole course to 18 holes which was officially opened

in 1999. He also enjoyed his golf away days with the

Burton Club.

In the past Peter played badminton at the Tutbury Friday

Night Badminton Club where he was a regular member.

Peter will be remembered with great affection. Mike Hamilton

Rev George Goodall (1935-40) Died 28 November 2016

Eric Bodger writes:

“George Goodall was a neighbour of my family in Brizlincote Lane, and was always

very kind and friendly. He helped conduct my father’s funeral, and offered sympathy

and practical help to my mother.”

Colin Copestake (1950-58) Died 22 October 2016

Colin was married to High School alumna Jennifer (née Yeomans) for 54 years, having

met in a combined schools choir in their mid-teens, when they also played in the local

schools orchestra. Colin’s interest in music was profound; he sang in the BGS choir,

and at Stapenhill Parish church, and gave solo performances around the area. That did

not get in the way of playing Rugby and Cricket for the school.

Encouraged by one of the music masters (P V Appleton?), he gained a Choral →

19

Burton Grammar School Old Boys’ Association Annual

General Meeting to be held on 18th May 2018

AGENDA

Introduction and Apologies

Names of Old Boys who have passed away during the last twelve months.

Silence to be observed for one minute.

Minutes of the last AGM held 19h May 2017

Treasurer’s report

Welcome to new members

John Taylor to be inducted as President

Incoming President’s remarks

Election of Vice-president and Officers. Nominees are:

Secretary, Graham Marshment ; Treasurer, Steve Wilcox; Database and

Newsletter Editor, Eric Bodger. For co-option: Keith Large, Andrew Gentles

Report from OBA representative on the Beyne Foundation

Dates of 2019 AGM and of School Remembrance Service (9 Nov 2018)

AOB

Income and Expenditure Statement for Year Ended 31 December 2017

Income 2016 2017 Expenditure 2016 2017

Dining receipts/donations £1968 £1743 Newsletter/postages £407 £401

Golf entry £0 £0 Dining costs £1534 £1534

Engraving £47 £22

Miscellaneous £200 £67

Charity £0 £50

Total £1968 £1743 £2188 £2074

Excess income over expenditure for year ending 31 December (£220) (£331)

Balance at bank as at 31 December £2301 £1970

Cash in hand £98 £98

Total reserves at 31 December £2399 £2068

18

1921-22 AH Yeomans 1922-23 F.Evershed 1923-24 W.Shelley 1924-25 A.Slator 1925-26 R. Samble 1926-27 W.P.Lowe 1927-28 H.Leigh-Newton 1928-29 J.H.Moir 1929-30 C.F.Gothard 1930-31 F.J.Manners 1931-32 F.Newton-Husbands 1932-33 J.H.Birch 1933-34 W.E.Briggs 1934-35 J.D.Robertson 1935-36 B.F.Sadle 1936-37 F.J.Hodges 1937-38 Col.D.H.Mason 1938-39 R.T.Robinson 1939-40 B.C.Newbold 1940-41 R.C.Sims 1941-42 J.B.Smith 1942-43 F.T.Shelley 1943-44 T.W.Parkin 1944-45 P.J.Williams 1945-46 E.J.Dallard 1946-47 H.J.Wain 1947-48 G.W.Britton 1948-49 F.E.James 1949-50 B.L.Hubbard 1950-51 L.A.Haywood 1951-52 R.P.Stevenson 1952-53 G.H.Cooper 1953-54 L.E.Churchill 1954-55 J.D.Rowland 1955-56 D.P.Haywood 1956-57 J.F.Rose 1957-58 W.R.Souster 1958-59 F.C.Jenks 1959-60 H.H.Pitchford 1960-61 D.J.Grimsley 1961-62 A.E.G.Hardwick 1962-63 A.C.Bowden 1963-64 R.H.Eggington 1964-65 K.A.Stanyon 1965-66 D.M.Davies 1966-67 H.E.C.Weston 1967-68 W.F.Howarth

1968-69 W.T.Burman 1969-70 F.W.Fawkes 1970-71 W.H.Gillian 1971-72 R.L.Knight 1972-73 B.E.Warren 1973-74 J.H.Mander 1974-75 N.A.Binns 1975-76 D.G.Hardwick 1976-77 R.A.Clark 1977-78 A.Fallon 1978-79 G.M.Hamilton 1979-80 A.T.Cole 1980-81 P.Minns 1981-82 J.A.Woolley 1982-83 R.Outhwaite 1983-89 G.T.Milnes 1989-90 H.E.Smith 1990-91 E.A.Bailey 1991-92 D.A.Sharatt 1992-93 B.Clements 1993-94 G.Starbuck 1994-95 N.A.Tomkins 1995-96 T.A.Trigg 1996-97 J.M.Illingworth 1997-98 J.P.Hartley 1998-99 R.Deacon 1999-00 L.S.Dunkerly 2000-01 P.G.Booth 2001-02 G.K.Rushton 2002-03 S.A.Neal 2003-04 J.S.Pickering 2004-05 R.J.Wain 2005-06 F.Toon 2006-07 Rev. R.Gilbert 2007-08 M. E. Watson 2008-09 G. P. Evans. 2009-10 R.F.Andrews 2010-11 D.J.Grimsley 2011-12 K.B. Large 2012-13 R.F. Kerry 2013-14 M. Brown 2014-15 G.S. Marshment 2015-16 A. Gentles 2016-17 S Wilcox 2017-18 J. Ash 2018-19 J. A. Taylor

BGS OBA Past Presidents

7

Scholarship at Gonville and Caaius College, Cambridge, where he

read Spanish and French. As well as singing each day in the college

chapel, he took advantage of the vibrant musical life of the city,

singing with many eminent conductors and musicians.

After graduating in 1961, he took a PGCE at Nottingham, becoming

languages master at (Haberdashers’) Monmouth School, remaining in

the town for the rest of his life. His next appointment was as

headmaster of The Grange (prep school to Monmouth), which he

combined with teaching French and Spanish at the main school. After

seven years in The Grange, he became housemaster at School House,

where Jennifer was Matron; jobs they combined with bringing up

three children.

He was granted Freedom of the City of London and of the

Haberdashers’ Company, in recognition of his service to the School

and to education.

Terry Bentley adds: Colin “Bert” Copestake and I were in the Sixth Form

together. We were taught by K.T.Harris (Spanish), H.C.Wood (French)

and Cyril Edlin (Eng Lit).

Bert was an excellent singer and obtained a Choral Scholarship to Cambridge. My best

memory of him: he was no great soccer player but was persuaded to play in goal in he

annual Staff v Prefects match. He was the hero of the hour when he tipped a goal bound

shot over the bar. This was no mean feat as we were using rugby posts!

Philip Andrew James Hutchinson (26 Jan 1951 - 3 Jan 2018)

Passed away suddenly at Queen's Hospital on 3rd January 2018, following a stroke,

aged 66 years. Much loved brother to Brigid, Phil was a very popular man within the

local community and the Labour constituency, who will be sadly missed by many

friends and colleagues.

He was a well-liked member of CAMRA, and there

was a "memorial crawl" between two of his favourite

pubs (The Roebuck Inn and the Burton Bridge Inn) on

3 February to celebrate his life. Paul Walker, chairman

of the Burton Labour Party, said: "Phil was a dedicated

socialist, he fought against injustice and would always

fight for the common man. His passion was the NHS

and he played a prominent role in the bed push through

Burton in protest against the Burton hospital merger

with Derby. He wanted the NHS to remain the NHS.

He was a really good activist.”

Colin in 1957

8

L Don Ewers (1935-41) died 14 Nov 2016

Don’s colleague Roger writes: “Those of us who had the good fortune to work for the Bass

group met many wonderful people; Don Ewers was amongst the very best. A life of 90

years which began in the age of steam and finished in the digital age. He was a local boy

born in Rolleston on the 16th May 1926. Don left the Grammar School at the age of 15,

partly because his father did not believe in further education and partly because Don hated

both Latin and the Latin Master.

He started work with Bass before doing National Service in the

Navy, having been in the Sea Cadets. He was trained as a radio

mechanic and then posted to Alexandria and then on to Malta,

where he spent two sunny and happy years. Whilst there he was

promoted to Petty Officer. He was demobbed in 1947 and arrived

back in Britain during the terrible winter of that year. He spent his

demob money on a correspondence course to become a Chartered

Secretary. He sat and passed the final exams at Birmingham

University only to be told by his boss “It won`t do you any good

here lad” Consequently, he left to work for The British Tabulating

Machine Company, but was later invited back to Bass as Assistant

Secretary. Promotions followed and he became Company Secretary

at Bass Worthington and James Eadie Ltd. At one stage, he was Insurance Manager at

Mitchell’s and Butlers at Cape Hill in Birmingham. He also qualified to become a member

of the Institute of Personnel Managers.

In 1970, he was appointed Personnel Manager of Bass Worthington (Midlands) Ltd., as

well as honorary Personnel Manager for Augustus Barnett (wine merchants of London).

Unlike other personnel managers who would just give me advice on what I should do,

when I sought his advice he would always say “leave it to me.”

Don married Jean in 1950. They had two boys: Andrew, who sadly died 7 years ago and

David. Don and Jean were happily married for 66 years. Don loved his garden and his

allotment. He once told me how quiet and peaceful the allotment was but I suspect that was

because the nearest neighbour was the Cemetery! Don enjoyed reading, mostly novels and

dinghy sailing at Chasewater. Jean steadfastly refused to jump aboard.

He kept bees, inherited from his father and his grandfather. Much of his honey he gave

away or sold it for a nominal amount. Unbelievably, one day a “jobsworth” from the Town

Hall knocked on his door with a complaint about the bees. A lady had complained, not

because she had been stung but because she said that his bees had been drinking water

from her miniature pond. Typically, Don being so easy going, moved the hives to another

location. Don was a great DIY man, kitchens, bathrooms, you name it! Towards the end,

Don suffered several years of severe rheumatoid arthritis. A damaged immune system left

him prone to recurrent infections leading to many trips to the Hospital. His final admission

was to Derby Hospital for possible surgery. A further infection progressed to pneumonia

and Don died on the 14th of November 2016. Don who passed away peacefully and

uncomplaining to the end. Thus passed away a true English Gentleman."

17

Marston’s Brewery Tour — 2pm on 18 May 2018

There will be no Lowe Golf Tournament this year, so Graham Marshment has kindly

arranged a special tour of the Shobnall road brewery on the day of our AGM, for Old

Boys and their guests.

Marston’s description of the tour is given below, but we should add a warning that

there are lots of stairs. We are also promised a tour of the new DE14 “nano-brewery” .

There’s no secret to how they brew some of the finest ales in the land! If any BGS

Old Boy would like to come along and see how they make their ales, why not join us

on our exclusive a tour of the brewery?

Cost £8.50 (Includes 3 free halves in the bar afterwards)

Tour starts at 14:00 hrs (2.0 pm in old money!)

More details at www.marstonsbrewery.co.uk/tours/tour-info/

16

Duncan Bradley (1960-68) writes...

I am still enjoying retirement from teaching, although I still do

some examining for GCSE Music. If nothing else, it keeps my

hand in and allows me to continue a pastime of "collecting

howlers!" Having said that, I am reducing a lot of my music

activities, playing now for the occasional service at St Mary's

Church, Southampton and giving the occasional recital. Other

than that, I am kept very busy working as a Licensed Lay Minister

in Southampton City Centre Parish which means migrating

between the two Anglican Churches in the City Centre, St Mary's

which is the oldest site of Christian worship in the City, the birthplace of Southampton

Football Club in 1885, and which houses one of the finest Willis organs in the South of

England; the other church is St Michael the Archangel, the oldest building in the city.

I am also involved with 424 Squadron (Southampton) Air Cadets.

BURTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The school was founded about the year 1520 by Abbott William Beyne of Burton

Abbey.

He re-established the school, already flourishing within the Abbey walls, as a separate

entity, and endowed it with lands in 1529. His action ensured that the School did not

perish when the Abbey was dissolved in 1541.

It is known that boys from the School were sent up to Cambridge, and probably to

Oxford, before 1530.

During the centuries, further endowments were added, and in 1869, all the revenues

were amalgamated and the Burton Endowed Schools came into being. In 1877, it

moved from Friars Walk to the premises in Bond Street that some of us remember. In

1957, the school moved to a new building in Winshill, where it remained until 1975,

when it was absorbed into the Abbot Beyne comprehensive.

The most famous of the School's known Old Boys was John Jervis, Admiral Lord St.

Vincent, under whom Nelson served.

Welcome to New Members

At the reunion dinner in May 2017, the Association was pleased to welcome:

Tim Hill (1956-63)

David (1956-62) and Robert Somekh.

Many members will remember their father, Ezra, who enriched the teaching of

Physics for many years. His book on Practical Physics is available on the free

archive site at https://archive.org/details/SomekhE.M.PracticalPhysics1965

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Dr Roy Bentley (1938-44) Died November 2017

Bert Young (1940-45) writes:

Roy was a friend of mine for 78 years; we attended the Grammar School together

and since leaving – apart from the 10 years I was in Bermuda – saw each other with

our families frequently. He had a short illness and died in his sleep. He was 90

years old and lived in Wales (Cardigan) since he retired from ICI.

After school he went to Sheffield University, where he obtained his PhD; he joined

ICI immediately afterwards, initially with the ICI's Explosive Division in Scotland.

He subsequently moved with them to Cheshire where he became one of the key

scientists working on aircraft lubricants. After his early retirement he bought a farm

near Cardigan which he tended with his son Simon. He sold this to enjoy a quiet

retired life surrounded by his family.

I first met Roy in 1939. He was 2 years ahead of me at school and for his last year

became a Prefect. During our school years we lived very close together in Stanton,

travelling on the bus to Burton with Oscar DeVille and Tibby Warren.

Of course I have many (extremely private!) stories of my long friendship with Roy

– we often chased the same girls! Basically Roy was on the shy side and liked

others to take the lead; nevertheless his formidable mind gave him a quiet strength

and independence. He missed doing National Service because his science studies

put him in a “reserved status”; had he chosen, he would have gone into the RAF

because at school he was a keen member of the ATC.

“Nick” Nicholson – the Chemistry master, was largely influential in the direction of

Roy's career; the two of them were good matches in the jokes they told. I recall the

first time we smoked pipes together and had no idea what tobacco to buy; the chap

at the local shop took one look at us and decided to teach us a lesson. He advised us

to buy something called “Shag”; it was a hard block of black tobacco that had to be

carved up and rubbed before stuffing into a pipe. We followed his instructions, lit

up and then smoked our pipes while cycling our way to Burton (we were to meet

my mother and help her back with her shopping); on arrival we were both white in

the face and horribly sick!. It was the only time we bought Shag. Roy was a keen

“Brexiteer” who had little time or sympathy with the EU; restoring our

independence he believed was the keynote of our future success.

Ken F Crocker (1951-57)

Terry Bentley writes: Ken was a good all-round sportsman. A scrum half, he

played for Staffordshire schools. I played with him on many occasions, including at

BRFC. Bob Knight, Denis Minns and Vic Roebuck were in the same team.

Regrettably none of the aforementioned are still with us.

10

Sheila Jones, widow of Norman, former Head of Chemistry

Passed away in January 2017, aged 86. Their son Graham is an old boy of the school,

entering the first year in 1971.

Graham Shaw (1974-81) Died May 2016

Graham was in the last BGS intake of September 1974 and later became Head Boy of

the Abbot Beyne School.

On leaving school he went up to Queens’ College Cambridge to read Veterinary

Science. He subsequently became a partner in the Springfield veterinary practice in

Burton before changing his career direction completely by taking a further degree in

Art and becoming a lecturer in History of Art at Nottingham University.

Although he specialised in the sciences in the Sixth Form, he showed considerable

talent in all areas of the curriculum, being a gifted musician and having an aptitude for

languages. He was also a member of the school hockey XI and a very keen follower of

cricket.

His sudden death at the age of 53 came as a huge shock to his many friends and

acquaintances. His funeral was attended by many of his former fellow-pupils and

teachers.

Other Condolences

The Association also extends its sympathy to the relations and friends of the following,

about whom we do not have material for obituaries:

Peter Huckerby, who died on 8 Dec 2015

Alan (Toff) Neal (1950-57)

David Oakden (1937-44) Sadly missed as a father, grandfather and great-grandfather

Edwin Say (1941-46)

John Waters, (1931-36) whose death was reported in June 2016

Howard Wilson (1935-40)

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expense and had a thoroughly rewarding career. My wife Linda spent many years

looking after her mother, who suffered from Motor Neurone Disease. After her

mother’s death, she trained as a school teacher specialising in Primary School Art

teaching. We both retired in 2013 and since then have been so busy we have no idea

how we ever had the time to work.

I should credit Geoff (Gaff) Henton and Ron Illingworth with kindling my interest in

geography and ultimately in geology. Without that stimulus who knows what my

career would have been or where I would have gone. I have no regrets. BGS set my

life in the right direction and I’ve always been grateful.

Michael Cooke (1949-56) writes...

It is just over fifty years now since I left my first job in Harlow and moved with my wife

Valerie and elder son to Scotland, switching from manufacturing industry to the NHS. I joined

what was then the Regional Physics Department of the Western Regional Hospital Board in

Glasgow. Since then, there have been tremendous changes in both the scope of Clinical Physics

and in the City of Glasgow.

The development of microelectronics has resulted in sophisticated equipment compact enough to be

placed in operating theatres, at the patient's bedside and outpatient clinics ,while new imaging

modalities have transformed diagnosis. These developments generated the need for physics staff

and their technical teams to be based in the hospitals, rather than working from a central

laboratory. I spent the final twenty years of my Glasgow career as Physicist at the Victoria

Infirmary in Glasgow, developing the Nuclear Medicine service and the Electro­medical Equipment

Maintenance and Management service with two technical teams before retiring in 2001

Meantime, Glasgow had transformed itself from a smoky city based on heavy industry into a

modern clean city of diverse businesses and with a strong cultural heritage.

We have lived in Bishopbriggs, northeast of Glasgow, since moving to Scotland ,and our second son

was born here. Bishopbriggs lies between the City boundary and the Forth and Clyde canal, beyond

which lies open country to the Campsie Hills .

I was offered the opportunity of a secondment in the USA to work on a project at a

Veterans Administration Hospital, and in 1970 we moved to Chicago for two and a half years .

A colleague advised camping as the best way to see the National and State Parks. We

bought a tent and travelled extensively from the Appalachians to the Rockies eventually

returning home to the UK via Canada with all our camping gear.

Shortly after our return we moved to our second Bishopbriggs home where we remained until last

year when we decided it was time to downsize and moved to a local new build retirement flat. We

are well settled in and it is a very friendly community. I am currently Chairman of the

Homeowners' Association. I have been an Elder in our local Church of Scotland for the past 43

years and belong to the Caledonian Philatelic Society, an interest originally fostered in the

Stamp Club which was active in the School in the early 1950's.

14

April 17 to March 2018: MEMORIES FROM BGS OLD BOYS

Nigel Radford (1959-66) writes...

Since 1981 my family and I have lived in Australia, and since 1984, in Perth, WA

I was intrigued by the photo of a BGS rugby cap from 1931-32 on the front cover of

the recent newsletter and the fascinating story about how it came into the Association’s

possession. I enclose a photo of a rugby cap in my possession from the 1922-23

season. It belonged to my Father, Trevor Radford, who attended BGS from

approximately 1917 to 1923. He played hooker for the first team in those days. He had

an identical twin bother, Stanley, and between them they were known at school as

Radford 7 and Radford 8, there being several older brothers and cousins at school in

those days — Radfords 1 to 6.

I was struck to wonder when

the tradition of giving real

caps to sportsmen in school

actually began. In my day

those “capped” for sport got

to wear braiding round their

jackets, similar to the

prefects, except the sports

braiding did not cover the

top of the breast pocket. We

all wore caps outside school

and woe betide anyone

caught not wearing their cap

in the street. I wonder if any

Old Boys have caps going back further in time, and if anyone knows when the

tradition came in.

Trevor and Stanley were very mischievous youngsters. Trevor was the rugby player,

and Stan was a good swimmer. They decided that it would be “nice” if Trevor could

win a sports award for swimming, and if Stan could play rugby for the school. So they

swapped identities. It was easy because the were absolutely identical. Even I often

mistook them at a distance in latter life. So Trevor called himself Stan and played

rugby, whilst Stan, calling himself Trevor, took part in the swimming carnival. Their

ruse succeeded and they both won awards. Later they told their Mother about their

successes. She was horrified and promptly frog-marched them to school where they

had to admit their prank to the Headmaster and had to hand their awards back. Granny

took no prisoners!!

As for me, I’ve been lucky enough to work as a geologist in the mining industry all my

working life. I’ve travelled to many interesting parts of the world at my employers’

11

News from Abbot Beyne School

It has been another successful year at Abbot Beyne. Ofsted visited us in May and

confirmed what we all knew – we are a good school in every respect. This was further

underlined by excellent examination results at both GCSE and A Level. Progress

measures at GCSE made us top of the town – an honour that we are truly proud of.

Students remember many aspects of their school life, and this is evidenced when the

Old Boys join us for our Remembrance Service and talk at length about past Masters

and lessons they loved. Lessons are key to the success of our youngsters, as are the

many other opportunities that enrich life at Abbot Beyne.

In September we celebrated our first successful Duke of Edinburgh cohort. Students

who completed all four aspects of the Award: Expedition, Volunteering, Fitness &

Skill were awarded their Bronze. Several have now progressed to Silver and we have a

new cohort beginning Bronze.

A range of trips helped broaden the horizons of our young people

BBC News Day including a visit to the BBC studio

Ski visit to Andorra

The Big Bang STEM visit

Jaguar Land Rover

Birmingham Symphony Hall

Success has also been experienced in Sport. Our Year 11 Boys made it to the Futsal

final. For those of you who don’t know what Futsal is, it’s a 5-aside football game

usually played indoors. Our boys have played many matches and were triumphant

against De Ferrers. They then represented Burton Albion at The Midlands Regional

Futsal Cup in Birmingham.

Our House system continued to be led by our Sixth Form Sport and House Captains. In

regular Assemblies they instil House Pride and seek to inspire success in House events.

In addition, each House has an identified Charity that they raise money for. The

Annual Easter Fayre raised over £2000 this year.

Finally our annual Productions are always a joy.

Annabel Stoddart

Headteacher

March 2018

12

Are any of these people familiar to you?

John Newton (1947-53) kindly donated a collection of photographs to the Association.

In the one below, he identified Capt H E Smith in the back row, and Ted Ufton at the left

of the second row, and would like help with filling in a few more names.

If you can help, either with names, or details of the event where this picture was taken,

please let the editor know at BGS@cicsplex.co.uk.

13

More of John Newton’s photographs from 1952

Both these shots

outside Bond

Street school are

marked March

1952

From around the

same time,

below is Drake

House