The Hardyeans' Club
TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS                                                          

Hardye's School, Dorchester, Dorset
President: Gordon CROCKER
Chairman: A. R. (Bob) RENCH
Hon Secretary: Colin LUCAS (tel. 01305 265446)
Hon Membership Secretary: Peter POWELL, 3 Durngate St., Dorchester, Dorset. DT1 1J P (tel. 01305 264420)
Hon. Treasurer: Lt. Cdr. Ken PEARCE (RN retd.)  
Hon Press Officer: Michel HOOPER-IMMINS

Newsletter

Autumn 2001 : Issue 85      *Published January, May and September
*copy deadline for Issue 86: 15th. December 2001                                 

Editor: Peter FOSTER.
Editorial Address: Holmecroft, 12, South Court Ave., Dorchester, Dorset. DT1 2BX (tel 01305 262121)
Design, Typing and Preparation: Heather FOSTER.

*Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor

     
   EVENTS DIARY
     
   REMINDER THAT WIVES & PARTNERS ARE MOST WELCOME AT SOCIAL EVENTS!

MONTHLY LUNCHEONS: Last Thursday of the month, except December, 12.30pm for 1pm at the Conservative Club, South Walks, Dorchester. It helps if you let Peter LEWENDON know if you intend to come; he can be contacted at Higher Folly Farm Cottage, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 8PN (Tel 01460 73927) NB April and October luncheons feature a Gourmet Menu at �15 per head. ALWAYS EXCELLENT VALUE !!

   
 

LONDON DINNER at University College, Tuesday 6th November 2001, 7.00pm for 7.30pm, contact Hugh GRIFFITHS see Booking Form at end of this issue.

   
  REMINDER ARMISTICE SERVICE at School Gates, 10.30am, Friday 9th November 2001.
   

GRAMMARIANS GATHERING There will be-a reunion of the contemporaries of Major Ronald CLARK who were at the school from 1943-49. The venue is the Dorchester Rugby Club on Thursday 11th October at 7.30pm . Major CLARK is visiting Dorchester in October.

   
  CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON Thursday 20th December 2001, 12.30pm. Bookings to Peter LEWENDEN.
   
 

2002 ANNUAL DINNER and AGMs for both Club and Charitable Association: Saturday 16th March 2002. The Speaker will be Barry C. BUCKLAND (1959-66), Vice President of Bioprocess Research & Development, Merck Research Laboratories, who has confirmed his attendance [His email address is : barry.buckland@merck.com and he would like to get in touch with Simon WINCHESTER (Simon.Winchester@btinternet.com) if possible ?]

   

ADVANCE NOTICE! There will be a concert at St Mary's Church, Edward Rd, Dorchester on 21st September 2002 in aid of the Hardyeans Club Charitable Association.

   
  CHANGE OF ADDRESS
   
 

Robert HATCHER (1936-41) from Shipton Gorge, to 12, Hive Close, Burton Bradstock, Bridport DT6 4RQ

     
  OBITUARY 
   
 

On behalf of the Club we extend sincere condolences to the families and friends of the following:

JOHN LOVERIDGE - School-Govenor. A thanksgiving service was held at St Georges Church, the church being full to capacity for this tribute from his many friends. The school chapel choir sang Ave Verum. John will be sadly missed.

     
 

FROM THE SECRETARY - COLIN LUCAS

      
 

After the fine publicity from Michel HOOPER-IMMINS there has been an enthusiastic response and membership has increased by approximately 20. Michel has now been officially appointed as the Club's Press Officer. Terry STONE continues his work as Webmaster and that department continues to flourish. We have a Gallery on the website please supply photographs

     
   NEWS fromThe Hardyeans Club Charitable Association
From Major General John STEPHENSON, CB, OBE, Chairman
   
  

Thanks to a truly wonderful response by Club members, the initial target of �20,000, set when the Appeal was launched in September 2000 was achieved by July 2001. This capital sum will give an income of about �1000 per annum in future years to promote the education of selected students from the School who are particularly deserving of financial assistance towards the cost of their higher education at university or similar educational institution. In July 2001, the Trustees made their first award of �500 to a very talented young lady leaving the school for a higher education course in Art. Provided her progress is satisfactory she has been promised a further �500 for each year of her course. We hope to update you on her progress in a future edition of the Newsletter. This initial award has amply demonstrated the very real need for the Charitable Association, formed a year ago. There are so many really good students that need and deserve financial help from the Club. The decision of the Trustees to make only one Award this year was certainly a very difficult one. With �500 already committed to the talented young art student for the academic year 2002-3, at present we only have sufficient income to make one further award of �500 in July 2002. We urgently need another. �10,000 to provide the income to make a second award of �500. I am therefore writing to seek your active support in raising the capital of the Charitable Association from �20,000 to �30,000 as soon as possible. There are few causes more deserving than helping our very talented and deserving young people who are leaving the School today; the same School that has done so much for us all in the days of our youth. I know you will respond to this urgent need with your customary, generosity. With my most grateful thanks in anticipation.

Yours sincerely,
John Stephenson, Chairman.

 
  YOU WRITE
 

David EVANS (1949-56) writes from 8. Sevemmeade, Portishead, North Somerset BS20 8DZ e-mail: david@dandj6.freeserve.co.uk

Under the heading Legion of the Lost Member comes in from the Cold, David writes that he has just discovered the Club website via friends and rejoined the club. He has been wallowing in reminiscences of my days at Hardye's. As one of the 2nd group to enter Heathcote I was saddened to read of the demise of "JO" and "Ma JO'; whom I remember with great fondness (and we are still using the wedding present he gave us when I got married in 1961). I was a day boy (Weymouth Train) from 1949 to 51 and then entered Heathcote in September '51 as one of the second wave. Joining I think Ernie GOSS, Nick ADAMS, Mike BETTS, Mike TURNER, ?DEAN - and a couple more. Whilst there I acquired the reputation of being the untidiest boy "Ma JO" had ever come across. I rose to the dizzy heights of Head of House and School Prefect, captained the 2nd XV and also played for the 1st several times. Last saw Peter LEWENDON at the Quater Centenary Ball at Herringston House. I also represented both School and County at athletics. A J McTAVISH's memories of JO remind me that I was probably the only Head of House he had to "slipper" - members of the cast of "Journey's End" will doubtless recall the circumstances!! I think JO was more embarrassed about it than those of us involved. On leaving the School in December 1956 l Joined the RAF on a short service commission, and eventually stayed 10 years, during which time I got married and started a family, ending up with 3 sons. I left the RAF and went into my wife's father's business in Bristol for 18 years until being made redundant after a takeover. Does J. UNCLES remember Eddie Roberts, Lord Mayor of Bristol 1972/3 (My father in law) ? My wife was one of his Mayoress's and we must have met several times after that at ex-Lord Mayors' Dinners. After another redundancy (very careless) I took up my present job as Accountant to a firm of Builders' Merchants in Bristol where I hope to stay till I retire. My sons, by the time you read this, will all be married and we have 3 grandchildren, one son is in the RAF, one is a teacher and the youngest is in computing. I now have no family ties in Weymouth, although my youngest son is married to a Portland girt, so over the years have lost touch with the School and my contemporaries, so it was with great pleasure that I re-discovered the "Old Hardyeans" as it was and read all the latest news, I am still in touch with Mike BETTS who retired from the army as a Brigadier and is now Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, and from him I gather that Mike TURNER (for Dorchester folk he married Heather Napper), another retired Brigadier holds a similar position in the South of England, also Tony WILLIAMS (Willy) left in '61, is a hotelier in Lulworth. Whilst in the RAF I came across Chris STERLINGTON, who was in the army and we collaborated in some Amateur Dramatics, he is, I think, teaching in the Torquay area. I was saddened to read of the loss of J. DUTOT, I was in several School productions with him, albeit in a very minor capacity, and this prompted me to get out my old programmes and photos, some of which I will hopefully (when I get my computer-wise son to visit) get on- the website. Finally - Bob RENCH - I seem to recall a cheeky youngster of that name at Heathcote at the end of my time there, was that our Chairman ?? [Editor: Thank you David for-your letter of which. this is just an extract. Regarding your query on the existence of newsletters prior to issue 75 , we do have specimens going back quite a way, into the 1980s at least, so get in touch again. I don't know of any plans to put any more on the website at present.]

Michael FREEMAN, (47-49) writes from "Chemmers", 7, Nothe Parade. Weymouth: DT4 8TX (Tel: 01305-760099)

Having read the Dorset Echo article by `The Wanderer' he decided, at 71, that the time had come to join the Club ...... "I was one of the wartime Weymouth lads, leaving in 1947 to join the family business, which was the old `Beehive Stores' opposite the 'Golden Lion Hotel' ...... a contemporary of, but one year older than, Tony BILES. ...........an extract of letter written to Secretary, Colin LUCAS.

Received via Tony DAY at the Dorchester Thomas Hardye School, was a request from Neville John CHIPPING (1943-46) of The Sheiling, Main Street. Denton, Nr Grantham, Lincs, NG32 1JW (tel: 01476 - 870484) he would like to find out any information on Gustav SANDER(S), a German Jewish refugee who was at Hardye's pre 1944, probably about 17 in 1943. He entered the Pioneer Corps, was dropped at Arnhem in '44, and killed in Korea in 1950 (?). He lodged in All Saints Road, Dorchester during the early 1940's. (Editor. There is an 'In Memoriam' notice at the back of The Durnovarian 1951 issue which states: Lieut. Gustav SANDERS. Middlesex Recjt., Killed in Korea, 1951).

Brigadier John A TURNER of Dimmocks. 38, The Green, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3SD (1943-48)

I wonder how many Old Grammarians watched the episode of the BBC2 TV documentary programme "Middle Classes" on Friday 9th March 2001? About half an hour into the programme (the context was the Rab Butler educational reforms of the late 1940's), those who watched may have spotted a short sequence; circa 1947, showing "Ticker' COLE tutoring, I believe, John MAINWARING and "Puss" CRABB at the Chemistry Laboratory bench, at Dorchester Grammar School. I suspect that the experiment being undertaken was concerned with "the action of water on hot and cold potash". I say this because every Lower V (Science) class, from - time immemorial, was warned by "Ticker" that if they did NOT learn this particular School Certificate Chemistry Exam question "banker"; they would end up selling matches on the Victoria Embankment! This question DID turn up, with monotonous regularity, thank goodness, with the result that few Dorchester Old Grammarians were forced to earn a living by selling Swan Vestas. I speak of course only for the "Sci's ; the "Mud's" must equally have had their own equivalent "banker" questions spelled out by Messrs LIDBURY, CRUSE & STEEMSON, for I am not aware of many " Mods" forced to peddle combustibles under Cleopatra's Needle, or elsewhere!. Finally I never thought the time would come when I would see moving pictures of "Ticker'; - and remark how young he looked! What a wonderful man he was. It was a privilege to be called a 'scientific numbskull' by him; he was held in such deep respect by all of us. It was fitting, that this clip of film, showing "Ticker" at work, should be used - after all these years - to epitomise all that was best in the old Grammar School tradition of teaching.

OTHER NEWS OF MEMBERS We are indebted to Bernard KIRBY for advice of the recent publication of Simon WINCHESTER's latest literary work "The Map That Changed The World"; also available on tape read by Simon, published by Penguin. It is the story of William Smith who in 1815 produced the world's first geological map. Other works by Simon include "Surgeon of Crowthome" (due to be filmed), "The River at the Centre of the World"; "Outposts" and "Pacific Nightmare". Congratulations, Simon, and we look forward to hearing of any other publications by Hardyeans.

   
  CRICKET MATCH - HARDYEANS CLUB V THE SCHOOL, 4/7/01
   
 

As reported in the Dorset Evening Echo of Monday 16th July 2001 -by Michel HOOPER-IMMINS, our Club Press Officer. OLD BOYS SHOW STUDENTS THE WAY - Old Boys from Hardye's School won their cricket match against the School's current students by 30 runs after setting them a target of 165-8 in their 30 overs. Simon JOSLIN rattled up a solid half-century for the Club, and on an excellent batting wicket he received good support from BASSINDALE (41) and HODGE (23). Set an attainable 5.5 runs an over, the School started badly and were soon in trouble at 40-5 with the Hardyeans' Club showing their characteristic sharpness in the field: C. BENNETT rescued the School's innings with .a graceful 60 not out, running out of partners in the 26th over with the score on. 135. It. was an interesting fixture with many Old Boys turning up to watch: Hardeans' Club Secretary Colin LUCAS and School sports master Geraint HUGHES were the umpires.

      
  VIA THE WEB
   
 

The Secretary Colin LUCAS has also received e-mails from several members either directly or forwarded to him, as follows -

Steven YATES steven.yates@oropesa.freeserve.co.uk
John HARRIS jsharris@clara.net
Dan SILVEY dan.silvey@yahoo.co.uk
William BARNES william.bames2@which.net
Tony FIRSHMAN tony@firshman.demon.co.uk
Richard WILD richard@wild.freeserve.co.uk
Mark ABBOTT abbott_mark@hotmail.com

The above all got together via hardyeansclub@yahoogroups.com They mention several contemporaries, including Jonathan EASTERBROOKE, Jan FELL, Tony "Antonio" CROCKER, Paul THOMAS, Tony SPENCE, Mike MILLER, Tim CARTER, Giles GOULDSTONE, Keir LEWIS, Ian WHITFIELD, Simon CHILDS, Daud RASHID, Stephen COTTERILL Most of the above are or were approaching their 40th birthday and there were thoughts from some of a reunion to celebrate. Years at School approx 1971-1980. John HARRIS suggests getting together at the Christmas Lunch ??

    
  FROM THE HEADTEACHER
   
  

The school began on 6'" September with over 1750 students on roll.

Such is the popularity of the school and the development of Dorchester that we continue to expand in terms of students and buildings with Phase 3 of the site about to commence in October. Further ICT facilities, sixth form seminar rooms, new laboratories and technology facilities will be provided - we are rather cosy this year!

This popularity has been further enhanced by our quite exceptional examination results, which were once again the best in Dorset. They were also our best ever results.

Those of you who read the national newspapers will be aware that the school was placed very highly in both the GCSE and Advanced Level GCE examination tables. As a non-selective school we were in the top fifty nationally for GCSE results and the top eighty for A Level results.

It is a great tribute to the quality of our students and teachers that at Advanced Level in particular we achieved better results than many selective and independent schools. I fully expect the final tables (which will be published in November), to show the school figuring very highly and successfully, so far I know of no non-selective school in the southwest that has achieved better results.

The final results were:

GCSE 5A*-6:100%

5A*-C: 73%

Two students gained 11 A* and over 20% of all results were at A*/A grade.

A Level 97% Pass rate (7% above national average)

A-C 72%

24% of all grades were A. One student gained 6 A grades!

You may be aware that the school received publicity in the Times Educational Supplement earlier in the year as the most successful non-selective school for Oxbridge entry in the country. All ten of our students gained their places at the two Universities and many more entered other prestigious institutions - 203 students undertook the A Levels.

This year we have 22 students applying for Oxbridge and we are reasonably confident of further success.

Finally, I am singularly grateful to the trustees of the Hardyeans Club Charitable Association for their efforts in selecting the first candidate for an Award from the Trust. Their interest and that of all Hardyeans is greatly valued, not least by the successful and very appreciative candidate.

Dr I E Melvin

   
  THE LOST LEGION AND MEMBERSHIP DETAILS
 
 

Please check out the Lost Legion of bouncing E-mail addresses so we can track down these Lost Legionnaires!

Check your Membership details by entering your name in the box below and clicking on submit

   
   LONDON DINNER - TUESDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2001
   
 

Hugh GRIFFITHS has made arrangements for the London Dinner on 6th November 2001 to be held at:

University College London
Gower Street
London
WC1 E 6BT

Time :                             7.OOpm for 7.30pm
Dress :                            Lounge Suits
Tickets :                          �30.00 per head, including wine

Transport from Dorchester can be arranged. Please contact Colin LUCAS in good time. Telephone : (Home) 01305 265446. If writing to Colin, the address is 4, Fir Tree Close, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2PY

Hugh organises an excellent event and we hope it will grow, PLEASE REMEMBER that ladies are MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND.

LONDON DINNER BOOKING FORM

To:       Prof. H. Griffiths
            5a Fellows Road
            Hampstead
            London
            NW3 3LR
            Telephone: (Home)      020 7483 0667
                             (Office)      020 7679 7310

Please send ������ticket(s) for the Hardyeans' London Dinner on 6th November 2001, for which I enclose � ���.. by cheque, payable to H. D. Griffiths (�30.00 per head)

Please help Hugh by sending a stamped, addressed envelope.