Page 95 - OO_2018

the local community in Portnablagh and Dunfanaghy, and will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Michael and his wife have known Frank and his wife, Erica, for many years. Although they were a few years apart at
Your correspondent has bumped into a number of OOs in the past 12 months, starting back in September 2017 with a 20-year reunion of the 1997 leavers. This was held in a bar in the West End of London and was organised by Livi Colling (W 97). There were too many names to mention, but there was a fantastic turnout of 40 OOs from that year group. I also enjoyed annual events with OOs, such as the Round Norfolk Relay with Andrew Coulthurst (St A 97), Jonathan Cope (B 97),
Chris Godfrey (N 97), Sarah Swaney (D 97) and Guy Simmonds (St A 95). European golfing exploits with Thurstan Guthrie-Brown (St A 98), Matthew Thornton (St A 97) and Jonathan Cope proved entertaining as usual. Ed Glass (St A 03) once again brought together the great and the good of OOs from the property world, and it was great to catch up with over 50 OOs in the industry for a night out in London. Anyone who would like to get in touch should contact the OO office. The fine weather this summer meant cricket played a major part in the calendar and your correspondent took to the field with Guy Simmonds, Andrew Coulthurst, Jonathan Cope and David Varley (St A 95), who scored a flawless century in a hard- fought win. Finally, just before going to press, both Guy and I completed Ironman Norway.
Guy is based in London and organised another fantastic OO Vets XV rugby tour to the North-East, playing Tynedale RFC – Will Nicholson’s (G 94) home club. Guy reports that he had an excellent afternoon catching up with old team- mates, in particular those who toured South Africa in 1993, as well as many others at the annual OO Sports Lunch.
Oundle, they became better acquainted when their sons were at Portora Royal School at the same time. Michael reports that they spent many hours on various river banks supporting their sons in their many
London
By Matthew Simmonds (St A 97)
It was great to have the CEO of the ECB, Tom Harrison (G 89), amongst others on the Q&A panel.
Adrian Rushton (N 55) was the first person to contact me this year to say that after leaving Oundle in 1955, he completed National Service before going to Cambridge, where he studied Natural Sciences and obtained a PhD in Geology. He joined the British Geological Survey and spent his whole career with that organisation, retiring in 1997. Since then Adrian has continued to be very active in the field of geology, studying fossils, in the course of which he has contributed to over 80 scientific papers and books. In 2016 this culminated in the fantastic achievement of being awarded the first ever Palaeontographical Society Medal and, a few months later, the Palaeontological Association honoured him with the Lapworth Medal (awarded to a palaeontologist who has made a
successes and they visited Frank and Erica often when staying in their cottage in Donegal. In Michael’s words about Frank, “a life well lived, we mourn his passing and the loss of a dear friend”.
significant contribution to the science by means of a substantial body of research). At Oundle, Adrian learned to appreciate music, in particular making music with friends. He continues to play the French horn a little and especially enjoys occasional opportunities to play alongside his oldest friend, Adam Brand (N 59).
William Heywood (C 12) writes that his training contract at Allen & Overy is continuing well and after sitting in the real estate finance, project finance and public mergers & acquisitions departments, he will be going on secondment to Allen & Overy’s Tokyo office for six months from September.
Alex Smith (N 91), Charlie Froud (St A 91) and Matt Parker (Sc 91) saw The Wedding Present play in Camden Town in 2017, as did a lot of other middle- aged blokes. They look forward to bumping into any other OOs who happen to find themselves in the mosh pit at the Cud gig in Islington in November 2018.
Jessica Drake (K 00) is still happily married and moved back from Ibiza to the very icy English spring this year. She has acclimatised quickly to the temperature and loves being back in the UK. She never wants to hear mañana again! Jess is now practising psychotherapy in London and Hertfordshire, and teaches yoga workshops to corporates and other groups. Perhaps she could teach a group of OOs sometime, just for fun! Jess still sees some of the Oundle gang and is in touch with a few from long ago who now live in the Hertfordshire area. She had the pleasure of meeting up with her old House Prefect, Olivia Roe (K 96), for a curry in Ibiza a short while ago and loves the old school network.
NEWS FROM HOME
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2017 –2018
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