Vol. 1182015

Vol. 1182015

Olavian Editor: David CraigOld Olavian Editor: John Brown

Assistant Editor: Anik Roy

Contents

ContentsHeadmaster’s IntroductionEditorial

School Notes

Staff 2015Students’ WorkPrize DaySixth Form News2015 Leavers’ Destinations

Clubs and Extra-curricular

Maths & ICTScienceEnglish & DramaThe LibraryChaplaincyMusicModern Foreign LanguagesHumanitiesSportsArt, Design & Technology

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In an ever increasing international arena we played host to 20 students from our partner school, La Martinière, Kolkata and look forward to a return visit during this academic year. We also hosted 60 students from Beijing and hope to establish some firmer links with schools in China this year.

The 2015 Public Examinations showed sparkling academic accomplishments for our students. At Advanced level 94% of grades were at A* to B with the proportion of top grades A* or A increasing to a record 78%. The AS examinations resulted in 88% A/B grades with 44 students gaining at least 5 A grades. At GCSE 86% of our students’ grades were at A* or A and they have been joined by a stunning cohort from other schools so that the new Year 12 now has 70 students with at least 9 A* grades. In another record, 54 of our leavers have now taken up places at Cambridge, Oxford or Medical College, along with others who have commenced courses at top universities such as Imperial, Bristol, UCL, Durham, etc.

I invite you to enjoy reading about the extraordinary array of activities and successes in which our students have been involved, whether cultural, sporting, scholarly, international or personal, and my thanks go, once again, to our Latin Master, Mr Craig, and to Anik Roy, for skilfully editing this fine magazine.

Aydin Önaç Headmaster

From the Headmaster

2014-15 proved to be another superb year for the school. The highlight, reflecting the quality of our

students, came right at the end of the year when, from the eight Olavian Sixth Formers shortlisted for the Awards Ceremony, St. Olave’s swept the board in the prestigious new Student of the Year 2015 competition. The judges - business leaders, government ministers, entrepreneurs and educationalists - were unanimous in awarding the star prize and overall title to Jeevan Ravindran, noting how he epitomises academic excellence alongside many co-curricular pursuits, including his work leading the school’s Amnesty International group. Four students were subject winners - Katie Anderson for English, Edward Parker Humphreys for Business and Society, Jeevan Ravindran for Modern Languages and David Van Egghen for Science. Akhil Sonthi was also Highly Commended for ICT and Computing.

Olavian 2014 – 5Olavian 2015 – 5

Editorial

Editor - The Olavian

David Craig, Esq.

St. Olave’s & St. Saviour’s Grammar School,

Goddington Lane,

Orpington,

Kent BR6 9SH

dcraig@saintolaves.net

Editor - The Old Olavian

John M Brown, Esq.

60 The Lawns,

Rolleston-on-Dove,

Burton-on-Trent,

Staffordshire DE13 9DB

johnmbrown60@gmail.com

I hope you enjoy reading and viewing the material presented in this magazine once again this year. When

a school consistently shines and excels in all areas it becomes a delight to bring it to the attention of both Olavians and indeed a wider audience. At no stage has any department been overlooked but if there are any omissions they are not by intention. Under the aegis of the Headmaster and the SLT the school prospers greatly and the achievements of the pupils guided by the academic and pastoral teams of the common room proclaim themselves from the Goddington Lane rostrum. In this year’s production I have been assisted by the brilliant Anik Roy whose quiet persistence and stoic understanding have soothed the editor’s nerves when matters of IT have become just a little too sisyphean.

David Craig Editor; Head of Classics

6 – Olavian 2015

SCHOOL NOTES 2015 Public examination results

In another excellent year of public examination results, 94% of St Olave’s A level grades were at A*/B. It

was particularly pleasing to see the top grades of A*/A increase to 77% from last year’s 73%. Almost all of the 55 students who had offers from Oxbridge or Medicine met the conditions to take up their places. Top performers with at least

4 A* grades include Olivia Argent, Kush Banga, Susannah Da Silva, Rebecca Daramola, Chandan Dodeja, Nigel D’Souza, Alastair Haig, Danielle Hasoon, Abhishek Patel, Weronica Raszewska, Elena Rastorgueva and Janushanth Sritharan. At AS level results were in line with last year’s with 88% of top grades A/B. 44 students gained at least 5 grade As with top performers Quingwei Zhang and Jianlun Zheng each gaining 6. At GCSE 84% of students’ grades were at A*/A, with 52% at the top grade of A*. Top performer was Richard Decker with 11 A*s. Joshua Davidson, Tomas Gallagher, Chukwunen Nwuba, Jacob Loveridge and Richard Moulange all gained at least 10 A*s. I am particularly pleased that 95% of our boys gained the English Baccalaureate or EBacc. Almost 70 students joining Year 12 gained at least 9 A* grades. For the first time over 100 girls joined Year 12.

Student Achievements

The academic year climaxed with a number of other exceptional achievements.

Tom Wang achieved the highest award (top 0.7%), the Roentgenium, in the formidable Cambridge Chemistry Challenge. He has been invited to a residential Chemistry camp at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. Ian Chiang, Anna Fatunla, Peter Gibbs, Daniel Jenkins and Kenneth Liu also won Gold Awards.

In the 47th International Chemistry Olympiad 2015, UK Round 1, Students gained 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze Awards.

In the National Biology Challenge Niko Kristic, Ishaan Lal, Daniel Maghsoudi, Henry Miller, Hari Patel, Kameron Swanson and Jeron Thaiparampil were awarded Gold medals (top 5%); others gained 21 Silver and 31 Bronze.

In the Junior Mathematical Challenge, our Year 7/8s gained a record 99 Gold, 87 Silver and 45 Bronze. Of the 11 who qualified for the Junior Mathematical Olympiad

Charles Anderton and Linus Luu were awarded Gold medals; George Guest and Matthew Perry gained Silver. Also, an incredible 52 students will sit the new Junior Kangaroo paper.

80 students qualified for the follow-on rounds to this year’s Intermediate Mathematics Challenge. Of the 12 qualifiers for the Olympiad, Richard Moulange, Alec Hong, Oliver Bennett and Shachin Pratheepan achieved Certificates of Distinction (top 25%). In the Kangaroo competition 20 students achieved a Certificate of Merit.

Swastik Gupta, Thomas Halton, Hari Patel and Tannay Vankayalapati won a £500 prize in the ICSE WinAtSchools final.

Celeste Cardew, Leo Henderson, John Power and Conor Watson won the Churchill Public Speaking competition.

Jack Petchey awards for outstanding achievement: Isaac Adebekun (role model), Caelan Raju (Athletics), Adrian Ize-Iyamu (working with children with learning difficulties), Tomas Gallagher (Fives), Rishil Patel (environmental awareness and mock elections), and Abhishek Patel (Natural Sciences Society, Vice Captain of School and outstanding student).

Jordan Butt’s digital collage ‘Camelot’ was chosen from 2000 entries for the RA’s A-level Summer Exhibition Online. He, Matilda Boyer and Luke O’Donovan won the award for Best Original Artwork and Photography for their journal, ‘ARTicle’ at the Shine Media Awards.

Year 8 student Matthew Perry has been invited to be part of the Amplify project, promoted by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to advise the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield OBE, on projects and policies.

Daniel Shergold received his Chief Scout Gold Award from the Deputy Mayor of Greenwich.

Jeevan Ravindran was nominated by the Universal Peace Federation for a Youth Achievement Award ‘Celebrating Future Leaders’ for his work with human rights. The Awards Ceremony took place at the House of Commons.

Edward Parker Humphreys (Business and Society), Akhil Sonthi (Computing), Jeevan Ravindran (Modern Languages), Maggie Kan (Mathematics), Daniel Jenkins (Leadership), Theo Haslam (Sport), David van Egghen (Science and Engineering) and Katie Anderson

Olavian 2015 – 7

(English) have been shortlisted for the 2015 Student of the Year Awards.

Jack Cornish’s essay was highly commended from over 2000 entries in the Royal Economics Society Competition.

Benjamin Fleet took 2 Bronze medals at the Taekwon Do Federation World Championships.

Having reached the finals of The National Theatre playwriting competition, Jack Bradfield’s play Beastly Plebians, was performed as a rehearsed reading by professional actors. Peter Debenham, whose play Drains was long-listed, was also invited to take part in a playwriting day at The National with professional playwrights.

Michael Jacobs has been selected in swimming for the Sainsbury’s 2015 School Games in Manchester in September.

New publications include Issue 4 of the Medics’ Society Journal and the new Olavian Duolingo Magazine where it is good to see younger students contributing to our scholarly Journals and branching out into diverse languages.

International

A number of exciting overseas trips supported our endeavours to broaden our students’ international

awareness. Classics students made the annual sojourn to Greece, taking in Delphi, Olympia, Athens, and the Mycenaean cities of the Argolid; Geographers had a fabulous time in Iceland, The land of ice and fire, with it’s fantastic waterfalls, spouting geysers, bubbling mud pools, volcanoes, fast retreating glaciers, Blue Lagoon and an opportunity to go lava tubing; German students enjoyed a week in the Middle Rhine region, including a boat trip, a castle visit and the thrilling rides of Phantasialand, whilst Spanish students enjoyed mud bathing, windsurfing and dancing salsa to a favourite Cuban band at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento in Los Alcázares and Cartagena. The highlight of the summer for Year 9/10 rugby squads was the Tour to South Africa. The boys were made extremely welcome, not least in Langa Township, where they learned about the historical and current political situation. Other highlights included being hosted by South African families, visits to national stadia and, of course, the safari where they were lucky to see the Big Five. Sixth formers visited the Pacaya-Samiria national reserve in South America with Operation Wallacea to assist in the collection of data on biodiversity of the upper Amazonian rainforest. They worked with the Cocama Indian community, as well

as university biologists, on transects including habitat, caimans, dolphins, wading birds, macaws and frogs. As well as catching colourful frogs, there were also huge grasshoppers, cockroaches and the much-feared inch long bullet ants whose sting has been likened to being shot. Historians and Economists arrived coincidentally on the 4th July in Washington to enjoy a patriotic firework display. A lecture at the World Bank was followed by a moving tour around the black wall of the Vietnam Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jnr Memorial. In New York, they enjoyed a cruise around Manhattan Island, spectacular views from the Empire State Building and a poignant tour of the pools at the site of 9/11. 41 students took part in World Challenge in Croatia, sea Kayaking and mountain trekking in the Paklenica National Park. Through buying, hauling food and cooking all the meals they got a real insight into the fun of backpacking and enjoying life ‘off grid’.

An eager group of 19 girls arrived for a week as part of our British Council Kolkata link. Hosted by our International Student Ambassadors, they experienced lessons and presented a colourful assembly about La Martiniere, with dances from different cultural eras in Indian history. We look forward to the next leg when our students visit Kolkata. 56 Beijing students joined us for a week to get a flavour of life in an English school. They experienced lessons, a day of sports, a day of creative art and a day of outdoor pursuits. It was lovely to hear one of the Chinese girls, proudly sporting an Olave’s tie, say “I love this school.”

Activities

The two Activities Weeks provide countless opportunities for our students to get out of the

classroom and do interesting stuff! The LBB Cycle Team delivered Bikeability cycle training, ensuring that many of our pupils have confidence in road position, looking and signalling; Year 10s immersed themselves in French language and culture in Normandy, interviewing local residents and sampling snails and mussels; others saw the Basilica and bought interesting cheese, sausages, Nems Chauds, Vietnamese food and even horse-meat in the beautiful market town of Boulogne. Year 7s enjoyed camp craft, open lake swimming, rabbit skinning and survival skills, including building their own shelters to sleep under the stars, at the annual residential with The Bushcraft Company at Penshurst Place; Year 10 Geographers went on a fieldtrip to Maidstone, collecting data to ascertain whether it is possible to identify the different functional parts of the town. Year 9s visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, using their creative skills to build simulations of a Bailey Bridge, rocket launchers and a tank flotation device; they witnessed a re-enactment of a spectacular WW2 dogfight between

8 – Olavian 2015

for his Master’s dissertation; Tom will be continuing his research at Oxford in the Biochemistry Faculty and has also been appointed as a lay clerk at Magdalen College. As a special tribute to the Reverend Andrew McLellan in his final Communion Service, the Chapel Choir gave a splendid performance of the Allelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. In an interesting assembly on WW1, we heard letters from the trenches – extracts from a new book, My Dearest, compiled by Aura Hargreaves, grand-daughter of Old Olavian David Henry Taylor. Highlights of the Mid-Term Concert included sensitive solos from Udgama Tyagi on the piano and Sam Jolly on the Clarinet, with a very impressive premier of Alex Lau’s own Piano Sonata No 1. We rounded off the year with the traditional Chairman’s Garden Party where we were able to thank invited guests from the Governing Body, the PA, and the staff, for their tremendous work in supporting the school during this academic year.

Sport

Chess, Swimming and Cricket have all seen great success this term. St Olave’s emerged as winners in

the Kent Secondary School Chess Championship, where Anantha Anilkumar also won the U14 Grand Prix for the second consecutive year and will represent England in the World Junior Chess Championship in Greece in October. Henry Rennolls recently won the ‘Gold’ in the Intermediate Boys 100m Freestyle at the ESSA National Championships; Henry also took the Junior Gold last year. At the London Youth Games, Michael Jacobs and Theodore Haslam helped Bromley senior team to win the swimming trophy for the second year running. The U15 Cricket squad beat Langley Park to win the Bromley Cup with superb performance from Captain Sohayl Ujoodia; the U14s also reached their second Kent Cup final in 3 years. Well done to Leah Everson and Jennifer Stevens who represented Kent at the English Schools Track and Field Championships in Gateshead. Highlights of the Tennis season saw the U13s win their pool and then dominate Alleyn’s in the final of the ‘B’ league to win convincingly in both singles and doubles. The senior Rugby squad travelled to Eastbourne for a 3 day pre-season training camp. The tour culminated in a trial match against Eastbourne College, where all 36 players were put to the test against a strong College side.

Duke of Edinburgh

The team was out again with 5 Silver groups walking from school out to Frant over 3 days, taking in the

weald and East Sussex. Despite the heat and the distance all completed albeit with some with some spectacular blisters!

a Spitfire and a Messerschmitt, with the added bonus of a visit by Prince William on the same day. On a similar theme, but from the 69th Floor of the Shard, Year 8s witnessed Spitfires and Hurricanes roaring across London, underneath them, on their way to Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. In-school activities included a Bake-Off where boys embraced the challenge of making sablés Bretons using a recipe in French; a Year 8 drama project that culminated in superbly characterised performances of The Three Brothers, The Government Inspector and The Pied Piper of Hamelin, with former students James Curling, Jack Bradfield, Fergus Macdonald and Louis Cokell, and current students Luke Smith and Theodore Antonov acting as directors; a taste of the French Revolution, where boys learnt about the storming of the Bastille and made revolutionary hats called bonnet phrygien.

Events

Year 7 Induction Day saw our soon-to-be new Year 7s enjoying a taster day at school; team building

exercises, Maths challenges, Games and languages sessions left them feeling a little more confident about joining us in September. The new quad was a wellspring of sunshine, canapés and badinage for our Leavers’ Reception, after which, coaches took them to the Ball at Oakley House for a sumptuous buffet and dancing to the Take Five Party Band. In Saturday Morning Computing Club pupils programmed an IQ robot to respond to commands and perform specific tasks. I was intrigued to see the diversity of activity taking place on Empty Classrooms Day, ranging from building and firing rockets to giving directions in German to a blindfolded colleague or creating a giant Born Haber cycle for the formation of Aluminium Oxide. It was a pleasure to welcome back former Captain of School, Mr James Goodman, who gave an inspiring address to Prize winners, staff and proud parents in The Great Hall for the Lower School Celebration. In perfect weather for Sports’ Day, Cure ultimately prevailed over Bingham to take the House Trophy, with Louis McLean taking the Junior Victor Ludorum. Annual exhibitions in the Lower Field Gallery showcased a wide variety of paintings, drawings, photography and digital work from our GCSE and A level students. Four members of the Support Staff completed the 10 mile Pink Ribbon London at Night charity walk raising funds for Breast Cancer Care. The PA raised over £7,000 on a magnificent Summer Fun Day with over 400 attendees and stalls ranging from the International Food Stall to the jousting inflatable and infamous BBQ stall. At the Former Choristers’ Service at the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy I caught up with former Head Chorister, Tom Dixon who recently graduated In Biochemistry from St Peter’s College, Oxford, with a First

Olavian 2015 – 9

PLASMA-T

The Robotics Festival saw Year 5 students from local primary schools challenged to create and

manipulate robots to perform tasks, which the winning team from Chelsfield proved particularly adept at mastering. Teachers from St Olave’s and other schools attended GeoGebra for Beginners, led by UK software developer, Mr M Borcherds, learning how to create and transform geometrical objects. 240 pupils from six local primary schools participated in our annual Maths and Science Day. Our guests turned the Science labs into CSI Orpington for the day, learning all about chromatography and other analytical techniques - and having a lot of fun too. They also practised their orienteering and learned how to prepare and launch rockets.

Old Olavians

For a snapshot of Old Olavian news: astronomer Nick Woolf visited the UK from Arizona for a screening

of a documentary film about him, entitled: Star Men - bringing the universe down to earth; Chris Philp was elected as Conservative MP for Croydon South; Robbie Britton won the team Gold medal in the 24-hour world running championships in Turin; it was a pleasure to host visits from Mr Stephen Lockwood, Dr Jim Beales, Mr Richard Haylett, Mr Michael Donovan and Mr Terry Golding. Former Captain of School, Timothy Munday, has just graduated from Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, with a First in Economics; after completing his first degree in Economics and Psychology, Colin Hoddinot will be commencing at Durham University to study Medicine this Autumn; Laurence Tennant achieved the highest 2:1 in Cambridge for his English Degree and is off to teach and study in China; Priyanka Kulkarni, reading HSPS, also earned a very strong 2:1; Luke Kweku Abraham graduated with a high First and has now moved on to postgraduate studies in Mathematics at St John’s College Cambridge. Kweku has been honoured with the prestigious Larmor Award, presented annually by the Master of the College, Professor Chris Dobson, to students who demonstrate excellent “intellectual qualifications, moral conduct and practical activities”.

Staff Farewells

We said farewell to a number of teaching colleagues and support staff – Miss Laura Cooper, Mr

David Gonsalves, Mr Stephen McNamara, Miss Rachel Garswood, Mrs Sarah Beard, The Reverend Andrew McLellan, Mrs Elaine Vago, Mrs Judith Cooke and Mr Chris Davies. Something of a legend, Chris Davies retired after 27 years of service to St Olave’s.

10 – Olavian 2015

Chairman of the Governors

S. Hibberdine, Esq., B.Sc., F.R.I.C.S.

Vice-Chairman of the Governors

The Revd Professor P. Galloway,

OBE, JP, PhD, DLitt, FSA

Foundation Governors

Appointed by the Lord Bishop of Rochester:

The Revd H.P.C. Broadbent, M.A., Dip.Theol.

R.P. Highmore, Esq., M.A

Appointed by the Rochester Diocesan Board of Education:

The Revd H.A. Atherton, M.A., M.Th., B.Sc., F.G.S., Dip.Ed.

The Revd B. McHenry, C.B.E., M.A., B.A.

Appointed by the Chapter of Southwark Cathedral:

N. Grenside, Esq.

Appointed by the Senate of the University of London:

I. Ketchin, Esq.

Appointed by the St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Schools Foundation:

M.H. Lovett, Esq., F.C.I.B.

Appointed by the Dulwich Estate:

S. Hibberdine Esq., B.Sc., F.R.I.C.S.

Appointed by Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy:

The Revd Professor P. Galloway, OBE, JP, PhD, DLitt, FSA.

Elected Parent Governors:

Ms J. Cattell

Mrs S. Chaudhary

Elected Staff Governor:

Mrs K.S. Brooker

Local Authority Governor

Councillor J. Grainger.

Associate Governor St. Olave’s Grammar School

A. Stoneham, Esq.

Ex Officio

A. Önaç, Esq., B.Mus., BSc., ARCM, FRSA

Clerk to the Governors

R. Walters, Esq., M.A., ACA

Senior Leadership Team

Headmaster

A. Önaç, Esq., B.Mus., BSc., ARCM, FRSA

Deputy Headmaster

M.J. Evans, Esq, BSc, University of Durham

Assistant Headmaster

A. J. Rees, Esq, BSc, University of Bristol

Director of VI Form

D.J. Budds, Esq., M.A., St. Peter’s College, Oxford

Olavian 2015 – 11

Assistant Staff

R.N. Archer, Esq., B.Ed.(Hons), Loughborough University

C.E. Davies, Esq., B.A., A.T.D., M.A., Universities of Wales, Bristol & London

D.M.G. Craig, Esq., B.A., M.Phil., Bristol Univer-sity & King's College, London University

L.J. Ward, Esq., B.Sc., M.Sc., University of Sussex & City University

N. Maltman , Esq., M.A., Pembroke College, Cambridge

Mrs S.L. Beston, M.A., St Catherine's College, Oxford

P.E. Holland, Esq., B.Ed.(Hons), Brunel University

A.M. Kenward, Esq., B.A.(Ed.)(Hons), University of Exeter

D. Bowden, Esq., B.A., University of Lancaster

Mrs. R. Maxwell, B.A., University of Manchester

Mrs M.T. Morinan, B.A., B.Sc.,M.Sc.,M.R.S.C. National University of Ireland & Open University.

Ms C.E. Marwood, B.Sc., The Open University; L.R.A.M., Dip. R.A.M.

Miss M.F. Sullivan, B.A., Westfield College, London University

Ms. S.K. Wilcox, B.A., Goldsmiths’ College, London University

Mrs J.M.Cooke, B.Sc., University of Wales.

Mrs.P.Garton, B.Sc., University of Kent.

Mrs J. Upsdell, B.A., University of Surrey

Dr. J.Bradley, B.Sc., Ph.D. King’s College & Royal Free School of Medicine, London University

Mrs C.Johnson, B.Sc., University of Nottingham

Mrs D.E.Lewis, B.Sc., University of Portsmouth

Ms G.C. Gardiner, M.A., Newnham College, Cambridge

Mrs E.J.Kite, B.Sc., B.A., University of Birmingham & The Open University

Ms. B. Onifade, B.Sc., Ph.D. University of Central England

Mrs J.S. Penny, B.Sc., Royal Holloway College, London University

J.A. Greenwood, Esq., B.Sc., University of Bradford

Mrs K.A. Hodges, M. Eng., St. Catherine’s College, Oxford

M.G. Price, Esq., M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge

Miss P.Vasileva, B.Sc., University of Sussex

Miss M. Delage, Maitrise, Universite de Limoges

Mrs V.E. Watson, B.A., University of Sussex

L.D. Espejo, Esq., M.A., University of St. Andrews

Mrs E.A. Goodman, B.A., University of York

Miss R.E. Hawley, B.A., Middlesex University

Miss A. Wilkie, M.A., B.A., University of Warwick & Goldsmiths’ College, London University

G. Buckley, Esq., B.Sc., University of Sheffield

Miss S.L. Heraghty, B.A., Loughborough University

T.A McCurrach, Esq., MMath, Magdalen College, Oxford

J.R. White, Esq., B.Sc., University of Bath

Mrs J.M. Munday, M.A., Cambridge

Dr. K.I. Steel, B.A., PhD, Oxford & University of Southampton

Mrs H. McPartland, B.Sc., Bristol University

I.M. Sanderson, Esq., B.Sc. University College of Rhodesia, London University

D.R. Shilling, Esq., M.Cam., Bournemouth and Poole College

Mrs S.L. Beard, B.A., University of East Anglia

A. Lake, Esq., B.A., University of Nottingham

Ms L.G. Dunlop, B.A., University of Sussex

R.C. Cliff, Esq., M.A. (Cantab)

J.B. Davis, Esq., B.Sc. (Cardiff )

Miss R. Garswood, B.A. (Exeter)

W. Haines, Esq., B.A. (Hons), M.Sc. (Manchester)

Miss M. Lawrence, B.A. (Hons) (Cantab), MEng (Cantab) M.A. (Cantab)

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Dr A. Sidhu, B.Sc. (UCL), M.Sc., (Exeter), Ph.D. (Warwick)

Dr J.N. Stewart, B.Sc. Hons (University of Glas-gow), Ph.D. (Heriot-Watt)

M. Acheson, Esq., M.Phys. (Manchester)

A.K.J. Carroll, Esq., M.A. (Cantab), M.A. (London)

Miss L. Cooper, B.A. (Oxon)

Miss P.J. Doorbar, B.A. (Warwick), M.A. (School of Oriental and African Studies)

Miss D. Farr, B.A. (UCL)

D. Gonsalves, Esq., B.A. (Sussex), M.A. (Sussex)

Miss S. Lands, B.A. (Hons) (Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication)

Mrs J. Morrell, B.Sc. (Reading)

Mrs A.E. Roberts, B.Sc. (London)

R.O.P. Ryan, Esq., B.A. (Macalester College), M.Sc. (Florida State University)

Mrs S. Saul, B.Sc. (S. India), M.Sc., (S. India)

Miss S. Westley, B. Mus., (Trinity College of Music) LLRAM, PGDip (Royal Academy of Music)

Miss K.A. Zwanziger, M.A. (University of Vienna)

Olavian 2015 – 13

Valete - July 2015

The Reverend Andrew McClellanDapper, double-breasted suit wearer, polyglottal, fellow auctioneer, ex-banker, sage, confidante, teacher, fan of Led Zeppelin, deliverer of the very best sermons and a Christian whose belief s are adhesive and persuasive. This is how I see Andrew McClellan, but to all these qualities which are akin to Homeric epithets I could add

organiser of Christian fellowship weekends at Carroty Wood, calmer of the timorous, a man who enjoys a challenge but above all a wonderful man. This school has benefitted hugely from the presence of Andrew in assembly, at Holy Communion, at the school’s remembrance service, in the confirming of his pupils, in his visits to Spain and New York and above all in his goodness. By jingo Andrew has goodness and very comforting it is too. This exceptional and delightful man will be missed whole heatedly. All who have known him feel blessed.

Sarah BeardSarah Beard left St. Olave’s after 3 years to take up the position of Head of History at her alma mater, Coloma Girls School. Sarah joined the History department in 2012, she also served as an effective Head of Year, first to her self-styled, “Year of Champions” in Years 8/9 and later to Year 7 in

2014-15. Sarah was an excellent practitioner achieving incredibly strong performance with her exam classes, she will only continue to grow as a teacher and will be sorely at St. Olave’s.

Rachel Garswood.Rachel’s stay has been all too brief but her contribution to the school has been large. She has taught geography throughout the school at the very highest level of delivery and has been an excellent year seven form tutor. Naturally she has accompanied the department on its fieldtrips

but she has also been instrumental in setting up links with schools overseas under the aegis of the headmaster. Inter alia there have been visits to India to forge relationships with La Martiniere School Calcutta, and a school in the Netherlands. The common room will miss her greatly and wish her the very best at her new school Newstead Wood.

Judith CookeJudith has been a much admired member of the mathematics department for many years. She has taught brilliantly at every level from year seven right through to the upper sixth. There is following her at all times the spectre of reason and common sense. Sitting next to her at break time or a lunch one

immediately realises that she is perfectly splendid and completely someone whom one could trust and admire. She is in the best possible sense a woman whose head is well and truly screwed on the right way. Once out of the school gate maths will have been left behind and she will be leading a very interesting life. She plays tennis, loves her streamed music, her activity holidays and above all her family. She will be hugely missed by all the common room for her humour, wit and nous.

David GonsalvesDavid Gonsalves left the History department in July 2015, having joined in September 2014. David will be missed by staff and students alike. His enthusiasm as a teacher was infectious. He particularly enjoyed teaching KS3 pupils and can be held partly responsible for the large number of Year 9s studying GCSE History. Having spent

the academic year commuting from his house near Faversham David sadly took the decision to move to a school closer to home and joined St. Edmund’s School, Canterbury.

very highest order. She was always the most charming, benevolent and beautifully presented of colleagues whose charisma was much enjoyed through out the school both by students and colleagues alike. She and her wonderful sense of humour will be greatly missed.

Chris DaviesChris Davies served the school with distinction for twenty six years both as Head of Art, School Governor and at one time Head of IT. Christopher was an outstanding teacher throughout his long career at this school where not only did he nurture the artistic skills of his pupils across a whole range of media but was also an impeccable Head of Year

and form tutor. He was without doubt the voice of reason and moderation.As with all the staff at the school he gave of his time freely and contributed to successful hockey teams through his judicious coaching, but he also took frequent art trips abroad and accompanied many of the history department trips to Normandy and Belgium. Christopher is a very clever man indeed whose delightful company enriched the conversation at all times. He also became the school archivist and put on some brilliant shows of material from the World Wars. His tremendous legacy among many other things will be the proliferation of art work throughout the school. He will be greatly missed.

14 – Olavian 2015

Elaine VagoElaine joined the school’s finance department in January 2007 where her industry, sense of humour and sartorial elegance made an immediate impact. A woman of great charm and charisma she was possessed of both a sense of humour and nous so rarely coupled today. She was in essence a woman whose

understanding of the real world was profound. Her abilities to see through the complexities of finance and budgets supported and enhanced any school trip in which she was involved. Her efficiency and calm demeanour gave those of us who were running the trips the balm that all would be well whether in countries overseas or here in Britain. She was a friend and a colleague who will be dearly missed.

Sandra VaughanSandra Vaughan played a pivotal part in the well being of the school for many years. There was no task to which she could not turn her hand. At times she was supporting students with their learning and at other times she was playing a crucial role in the Sixth Form library where

she was the most able of assistants. She helped with a great range of crucial activities involving the support of the Sixth Formers. She was an administrator of the

Olavian 2015 – 15

National CompetitionsSalvete - September 2015

David Asafu-AdjayeDavid Asafu-Adjaye, who has been appointed under the School Direct Training Scheme, was educated at St Olave’s Grammar School and went on to Brunel University where he gained a BSc in Financial Mathematics. David is a part-time drum and bass

tutor and professional session musician. In his role as Assistant Music Director of Ealing Christian Centre, he has provided personal music tuition for both children and adults and has put together music workshops for church musicians across London. David is also a keen sportsman and works as a Youth Club Volunteer helper.

Rhiannon BeachMiss Rhiannon Beach, joins us as an NQT. Rhiannon was educated at Calder High School and went on to the University of Leeds where she gained a BSc in Geography and Geology. Rhiannon completed a PGCE in Secondary Geography at the Institute of Education

which included a placement at St Olave’s Grammar School. Rhiannon is an accomplished pianist and ballroom/modern dancing enthusiast, having achieved Gold Bar II Standard. She is also a Royal Geographical Society Ambassador and a Member of the Geographical Association. Other hobbies include film editing, baking, social networking and travelling.

Jennifer CliftMiss Jennifer Clift, also an NQT, was educated at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and went on to Durham University where she gained a Degree in History. Jennifer undertook a PGCE in Secondary History at the University of Cambridge. Jennifer is

an accomplished swimmer and sportswoman, playing hockey to county level. She enjoys both listening to and participating in musical events and has achieved Grade

8 on the piano. Jennifer is a volunteer Parish Church Administrator and is keen to become involved with Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

Stephanie DiffordMiss Stephanie Difford has also been appointed under the School Direct Training Scheme. Stephanie was educated at Walthamstow Hall School for Girls and went on to Queen Mary University of London where she gained a Bsc in Biochemistry. She enjoys

being involved with extra-curricular activities such as Drama, skiing and Judo, including coaching younger students.

Simon HolleranMr Simon Holleran, also an NQT, was educated at St Olave’s Grammar School and went on to Imperial College London where he gained an MEng in Chemical Engineering. Simon then undertook a PGCE at the University of Cambridge. Simon is an accomplished

linguist and holds a Test of Proficiency in Korean Level 4 (equivalent to B2 in CEFR). He is also a keen marathon runner.

Paul KeownFather Paul Keown, who joins St Olave’s Grammar School as part-time School Chaplain, is the Rector of the United Benefice of All Saints, Footscray and St James, North Cray. He attended the University of Wales, Swansea, where he gained a BA in English and Medieval

Studies, followed by a PGCE. He then completed a Bth in Theology from the University of Oxford. Father Paul holds a Licentiate Diploma in Acting and Theatre Studies from the LGSM and has 22 years’ experience working in television, regional and West End Theatre.

16 – Olavian 2015

Scott LiMr Scott Li was educated at Riddlesdown High School before joining the Sixth Form at St Olave’s Grammar School. He then went on to the University of Warwick where he gained a BSc in Mathematics. Scott completed a PGCE in Mathematics at the

University of Oxford and is keen to extend this to an MSc in Learning and Teaching. Scott has been a member of Blackheath and Bromley Harriers for track events and also enjoys badminton and skiing. He has been involved with Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and the organisation of trips cross Asia and Europe. He has a keen interest in languages and has taught himself Beginner Cantonese (colloquial) and Beginner Traditional Chinese (written). Other interests include oriental culture, origami and cooking.

Matthew TwoseMr Matthew Twose has also been appointed under the School Direct Training Scheme. Matthew was educated at St Olave’s Grammar School and went on to the University of Nottingham where he gained a MEng in Mechanical Engineering. He then spent

a year in industry where he was able to apply his technical engineering knowledge in a commercial and corporate setting. Matthew enjoys sport and music and is keen to participate in extra-curricular activities.

David VazquezMr David Vazquez was educated at Tiffin School for Boys and went on to gain a BSc in Social Science (with Geography and Economics) from the Open University. He then gained an MSc in Economic Development and Innovation at the Universidad de Santiago de

Compostela. David completed a PGCE in Modern Languages at the Institute of Education. David speaks fluent Spanish and Galician; he also speaks French, Portuguese and Italian. David enjoys swimming, table tennis, football and hiking and is keen to become involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and World Challenge.

Jonathon VeryMr Jonathon Very, also an NQT, was educated at Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School and went on to the University of Cambridge where he gained a BA in Natural Sciences and MSci in Systems Biology. He then undertook a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church

University. Jonathon enjoys computer programming and is fluent in Java, Clojure and Arduino microcontroller programming systems. He holds Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards and was the President of the Cambridge Biological Society.

Students’ Work

18 – Olavian 2015

Students’ Work

This year’s creative work section reaches out to various different subjects within the school, showing individual/group excellence within them. It is our hope that all readers will find

something to interest them within this section containing illustrations from the Art exhibition and works from English, Music and Economics. It is, unfortunately, as ever, impossible to

include works from every subject that submitted pieces, but, with the continued presence of the new school journals, including the Olavian Academic Journal under the patronage of Mr Budds,

we remain sure that such articles will not be lost to people as a result of not being printed here.

The SwanBy James O’Daly 8CA sapphire pool, golden summerVermillion sky, emerald plainsNature spills with colour.

This grotesque duckling, grey and dullEpitomises what is wrong with this worldA tiny head and a massive beak.

All the other ducks follow their ordersThis juvenile, this delinquentLoiters alone, aloof.

The Butterfly flutters, the mockingbird singsThe magpie hordes its diamond ringAll fear the eagle king.

What does this cygnet have?No friends, No familyHe is alone, he has nothing

RageBy Joseph Barradell 7L

This feeling is a wasp, trapped in a jar.

A tornado, ripping up a city. Leaving death and destruction wherever it goes.

Its music is loud and out of tune. Random keys are pounded.

It leaves a black blanket as dark as can be, covering the earth, absorbing all happiness.

It all ends when you return the deed. The deed that made you like this.

A level artwork

Olavian 2015 – 19

The rising gap between rich and poor is not just bad for society, it is bad for growth’ Discuss.By Jack Cornish

In a 2013 speech, President Obama described inequality as the ‘defining challenge of our time’, and he is not alone in this view. This month ( June 2015), Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, spoke at length about the dangers of rising income inequality, in light of a study recently published by the organisation. But why are they so worried? In OECD countries, the gap between rich and poor is at its highest for 30 years, with the richest 10% earning over 9 times more than the poorest 10%, up from 7 times in the 1980s (Cingano 2014). From a societal perspective, these figures are damning – such division can only lead to widespread unrest and political instability, not hallmarks of a successful nation. However, these figures do not tell the whole story – they only account for the bottom and top 10%, not the distribution of wealth throughout society as a whole. In order to examine this, we must use the Gini coefficient, the most popular measure of income inequality. Created by Italian statistician Corrado Gini in 1912, the Gini coefficient uses 0 to represent a society where everyone earns the same, and 1 to represent a society where one person earns all the money, and is a very technically sound way of measuring income inequality across a population. Since 1980, The US Gini has increased from 0.34 to 0.38, while China’s has risen further from 0.3 to 0.4 (Economist 2011), and the UK has seen an increase from 0.25 to 0.34 (IFS 2013), demonstrating the rise in income inequality across a range of economies according to the Gini coefficient. This is further displayed in Figure 1, which shows the Gini coefficient for OECD countries in 1985 compared to 2011, with the vast majority of countries seeing an increase. This data serves to show a clear trend of rising income inequality, which in turn could have wide ranging economic repercussions. Although income inequality is almost universally accepted as a societal problem, there remains some debate amongst economists as to whether it is harmful or beneficial to economic growth. This paper aims to come to a conclusion on the macroeconomic impact of income inequality, by first exploring the large academic literature that exists on the subject, and then examining multiple empirical studies, before making appropriate policy suggestions.

Among a large theoretical literature, there is strong support for the idea that income inequality is indeed bad for growth. Notable among these is the idea of endogenous fiscal policy, or redistribution (Cingano 2014). This theory stems from the idea that political power is usually more evenly distributed than economic power, meaning that in an unequal society, the economically disadvantaged will push for the redistribution of

resources by the government, and the more the unequal the society (the greater the income inequality), the greater the demand for redistribution will be. In turn, redistribution will likely involve an increase in taxes on the wealthy and a decrease in subsidies for businesses, removing incentives to work and to invest, ultimately culminating in a fall in growth. However, while this sounds reasonable in theory, it has been widely refuted by empirical studies, particularly a report by the IMF in 2014. The report used detailed statistical analysis to conclude that generally redistribution is pro-growth, probably due to an increase in the wealth of the poor allowing for increased investment in human capital and increasing social mobility, except in a few extreme cases. This means that if income inequality does have a negative impact on growth, it is not due to endogenous fiscal policy.

Perhaps the most convincing reason that the gap between rich and poor would be bad for growth is known as human capital accumulation theory, first coined by Galor and Zeira in 1993. The theory explores the impact of income inequality on the ability of lower income brackets to invest in human capital due to imperfections in financial markets, and has led to extensive research into the effects of income inequality on social mobility and thus the efficiency of economies. In imperfect financial markets, the poor cannot borrow form the rich to achieve an efficient level of investment in human capital. This means that as incomes become more unequal, a growing number of the low income population cannot afford to invest in human capital such as university education despite the high marginal returns. As a result of this, higher income inequality can lead to lower productivity across the economy as those on lower incomes decrease their investment in human capital. In addition to this, a large literature exists which suggests that the divide between rich and poor could cause a fall in occupational mobility within the economy due to this fall in investment in training, meaning that the economies workers are distributed inefficiently, with some sectors harbouring large unemployment while others see labour shortages, with a net fall in growth.

Figure 1

20 – Olavian 2015

Recent studies have suggested an intriguing relationship between income inequality, financial liberalisation and financial crises (Kuhmof and Others 2012). As income inequality rises, a likely government response is to liberalise financial markets, giving the poor and middle classes access to cheap credit to support their living standards despite their stagnating real incomes. Although this may temporarily prevent a fall in consumption, it will lead to a large rise in domestic debt levels, and a fall in consumption in the longer term. This in itself has major implications for growth – not only will a fall in aggregate demand through consumption lower growth, the increased reliance on financial markets will likely push investors towards financial rather than capital assets due to higher returns, with a negative impact on aggregate supply. Past this, unsustainably high household indebtedness has been pointed to as a major factor behind the 2008 financial crisis, meaning there is a worrying link between income inequality and the boom and bust cycle. Inequality leads to unsustainable borrowing as a result of financial liberalisation, resulting in huge debt among the poor and middle class and eventually financial crises, which are incredibly damaging for growth.

Rising income inequality has also been linked to a rise in social and political instability, decreasing business and consumer confidence and thus investment within the economy (Barro 2008). It is theorised that inequality can lead to a surge of radical political thought, perhaps visible in the recent UK election, where people started to stray from the traditional ‘big two’, with the Scots placing their faith in the SNP and over 10% of the population voting for the relatively radical UKIP – in other words, inequality inspires a lust for change, and change is usually promised by the more obscure parts of the political spectrum. In a country with such divided voting and the parties that one would expect to run a stable economy (in the UK’s case, the Conservatives and Labour) seeing a decrease in influence, it is reasonable to assume that some investors may be put off, leading to a fall in growth.

However, there are also sound theoretical arguments that imply the rising gap between rich and poor is good for growth, or at least not detrimental. Some investigations into optimum labour models have suggested that inequality provides an incentive to take risks, invest and work productively for those on low incomes, as there is such a large reward for success due to the disproportionately high incomes of the rich (Lazear 1981). An example of this is that in an unequal society, highly educated people earn disproportionately more compared to how much more educated they are. This provides more of an incentive for people to invest in higher education, thus potentially increasing the productivity of the workforce. In this way, income inequality can be seen as good for economic growth.

Furthermore, especially in developing countries, income inequality may be necessary in order to provide a few individuals with the means to start businesses and gain a good education (Barro 2000). In the presence of financial market imperfections, the concentration of wealth allows for the necessary level of investment to gain full return on education or from a business, giving these individual agents an opportunity to fuel growth and lead the economy forward.

There is also a suggestion that the prosperity of the rich can benefit society as a whole – not quite ‘trickle-down’ as this is unlikely to increase the incomes of the poor, but could benefit macroeconomic performance. The rich are far more likely to invest in capital than those on low incomes, partially due to their higher incomes and also due to their propensity to own businesses rather than work for them. It could therefore be argued that an increase in the incomes of the rich would lead to a rise in investment, causing an increase in output and thus growth – therefore increased concentration of wealth among already high earners could be good for growth.

It is clear that there is contradictory theory in terms of this relationship, while there is a strong case to be made that income inequality is bad for growth, leading academics have also provided feasible explanations that sympathise with the opposite view. It is necessary then to look to empirical evidence to determine whether income inequality is good or bad for growth. There have been a range of studies using large data sets that seek to explore this area, and we will focus on recent data by using papers from large organisations, the OECD and IMF. One of the most comprehensive studies to quantify the relationship between income inequality and growth was by the OECD in 2014, which focused on OECD nations, which it had access to a huge bank of data for. The OECD used advanced statistical analysis, which accounted for external shocks, to examine the relationship between a change in income inequality and the next five years of growth (as the effects of the change would be medium to long term). They found a strong negative correlation between income inequality and growth – a fall in inequality by one point on the Gini Index would increase growth by 0.8% across the next five years, clearly supporting the idea that rising income inequality is bad for growth. The relationship can clearly be seen in the figure below, where the top of the counterfactual bar shows the potential growth without income inequality, and the diamond shows the actual rate of growth. Although a few OECD countries like Spain and Ireland would have seen lower growth without a rich/poor divide, the vast majority lost out due to income inequality, a damning realisation for supporters of ‘trickle down’ policies. One interesting finding of the study was that the negative impact on growth mainly stemmed from changes in low incomes, namely the bottom 40% of

Olavian 2015 – 21

earners. It was the stagnation of their earnings that was causing problems – not the rich and super rich racing away. This points to the importance of human capital accumulation theory as the transmission mechanism through which income inequality affects growth, as this is the most prominent theory that shows slow rising incomes of the bottom 40% impacting growth. This has interesting implications for policy decisions, which will be discussed later.

Figure 2: Estimated consequences of changes in inequality on cumulative per capita GDP growth

(1990-2010)

This month, the IMF also published a large study investigating the consequences of income inequality. They not only found that a rise in the Gini coefficient had a negative impact on growth, but discovered interesting trends in income distribution. It was found that if the incomes of the richest 20% were increased by 1%, growth fell by 0.08% over the next five years. On the other hand, if the incomes of the poorest 20% were increased by 1%, growth was 0.38% higher across five years. This not only shows inequality is bad for growth, but also crushes the argument for trickle-down economics, showing that making the rich richer doesn’t benefit society as a whole, but damages it. It also suggests that improving income inequality and negating its effects on growth can be as simple as a minor redistribution of wealth, something to consider in terms of policy.

Two recent empirical studies by two of the planet’s largest economic organisations agree that the rising gap between rich and poor is indeed bad for growth – this is conclusive. However, this is not the only conclusion we can draw from the studies. It is clear that the poorest 40% of society with stagnating incomes is the main culprit negatively impacting growth. Furthermore, it is also clear that the redistribution of wealth is generally good for growth, not bad as first thought, while rising incomes of the rich only worsen the situation. From this, we can begin to suggest policy that will not only make our society more equal, but benefit macroeconomic performance.

Policy clearly needs to target the bottom 40% of earners, and education should be a cornerstone of this. Removing financial barriers to higher education and improving

access to apprenticeships and other vocational programs, as well as improving the quality of education in general would be good initial steps to counteract the below optimum investment in human capital due to inequality that is the main drag on growth, by creating more equal opportunities for young people and improving productivity among low income earners. Furthermore, labour market policy is also key – improving job search schemes and establishing a strong welfare system for the unemployed as well as improving employment protection and setting a good minimum wage for the employed should improve incomes of the bottom 40% and limit future wage suppression as has been seen in the last 20 years, reducing inequality as well as giving low income earners the funds to invest in human capital. As rising incomes at the top of society have been shown as bad for growth, and the redistribution of wealth good, financing these policies would most likely be achieved through a focus on high income earners. Some combination of fiercer progressive taxation, the closing of tax loopholes and perhaps a ‘mansion tax’ on expensive property should be adequate to finance changes that would not only make our society more equal, but a richer one too.

However, these policy decisions should not be rushed. Redistribution data remains limited, and is only focused on changes in taxes and subsidies, not the more varied means of reducing inequality cited in our policy considerations. As a result, evidence on income redistribution in particular may not be strong enough to justify these radical actions. Instead, it is urgent that further data collection and research is taken exploring the macroeconomic effects of redistribution, in order to allow the issue of rising income inequality to be combatted in an effective manner.

Income inequality is a problem, and not just a societal one – it’s a drag on the economy. So even if the moral argument against an increasingly divided society was ignored, there is now a convincing macroeconomic one. Clearly, action needs to be taken.

22 – Olavian 2015

Reply to farmerBy

Dear Robert,

I want to thank you for apologising for your imprudent action that led to the destruction of my house. It is certainly very laudable of you in taking time to expiate for what has occurred when others would not have given it a second thought; however, one fact remains invariable: you destroyed my home. Under normal circumstances, having your home demolished would be devastating enough yet having the prospect of enduring a long, cold winter hang over your every thought is excruciating.

Despite my nest not being the most extravagant or resplendent, it did cost me hours of arduous labour to construct. You must endeavour to comprehend the fact that I am currently completely out of options. My previous home as you well know was decimated by your plough whilst winter is approach too abruptly for me to inaugurate the construction of another nest. Out in the open, I am totally susceptible to the harshness of the weather that the change of season engenders.

Unfortunately, I am now compelled to turn to my last resort. I would have the courtesy to tell you what my plan is but I suspect you would be likely to disapprove of it so the details will be omitted. This is neither my first choice nor yours even though you are the only one at a disadvantage if this situation actually occurs. In gratitude to your apology I will try to limit my family in not eating all your corn during our sojourn but as you said yourself, we ‘maun live’.

For your generosity which is needed for my plan to work I am willing to put this incident behind us. I hope that your winter would be as enjoyable as mine and wish you all the best.

Yours sincerely,

The Mouse

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live”. Make a case for the power/value of storytelling or narrativeBy Thomas Macovich 13E

Since the first group of humans gathered around the brand new campfire, regaling each other with tales of their day’s hunt, stories have been a fundamental part of society and humanity’s development. For people who happily go about their daily lives, stories are conversation pieces and food for thought. For people struggling with day to day life, stories are their escape. For everyone, stories express ideas and new feelings that may not have

been noticed before. This has been the role of storytelling throughout history, from the very first recorded story, The Epic of Gilgamesh, to our contemporary works.

Stories don’t have to be fiction, although slightly embellishing stories is often a result of telling them. The quote states that we tell ourselves stories “in order to live”, which can be interpreted in different ways. It is either the act of making life more interesting, which helps us live, or directly how stories allow us to make sense of the world around us – the rest of Joan Didion’s quote implies the latter. “We look for the sermon in the suicide” is how she expresses the human condition in very few words. If we see a mass shooting or a suicide mentioned on the news, immediately most jump to conclusions and try to join dots - dots that might not actually have a link. “We interpret what we see, select the most workable of multiple choices” suggests a possible selfishness in storytelling, as we try to find the set of ideas and principles that fit our interpretation of the world. This perfectly aligns with how the different media outlets have different political outlooks, as different writers and editors have their set of “workable” ideas – and likeminded people often gravitate together. The fact that storytelling can bring together people, and express ideas and emotions that wouldn’t be otherwise, is surely a case for the power and value of storytelling.

People around the world have read this full quote, and a very good summary of it comes from a blogger who writes a diary online (thehouseilivein.me). “My personal bookend to Ms. Didion’s observation is that I read in the hope, maybe even in the faith, that I will find a writer who will not necessarily explain my life, but share it. That, my friends, is why we tell stories–which is to say, the declaration of our very existence.” It suggests an inherent need in humans to understand their world and explore it, yet everyone’s world is ever so slightly different – so finding someone who can explain your life is impossible. Having your story told, however, could be argued as “the declaration of our very existence”. The slight hint of narcissism in everyone results in this want for our lives to be shared, so perhaps this is what led to people forming tribes, towns and now cities. If we are around as many people as possible, surely the chance of our story being told is higher as well as the number of stories we can hear. In this sense, stories may have been pivotal in the formation of society as we know it today.

The value of storytelling is in its power to keep us sane, as without it we’d be constantly overwhelmed by the world around us. This view is shared by a Nathan Bransford, who is also a blogger. “Life is too complicated to hold in your head and relationships are too immense and multi-faceted to easily comprehend. So we write and tell stories to make sense of our relationships and existence. A novel can capture more than we can readily

Olavian 2015 – 23

This human instinct to tell and gain stories has been looked into both by writers and scientists, mostly around the idea of memories and our perception of the world. Some have said that the original ideas of the world being created of five elements were essentially stories made by humans to make sense of the events around them. This intertwining of reality and stories has been integral to humanity’s progress, and yet this power might not be solely a good thing. While storytelling has helped establish society as already mentioned, it also has the potential to hinder us. The reason everyone has a different outlook on life can be put down to the “narrative” that goes along with their day. A more introverted person may have a somewhat downplayed narrative, resulting in a self perpetuating cycle of ‘average’ things happening – as another blogger, Scott H Young, put it “to a certain extent, I feel our identity becomes inseparable from the story we keep repeating”. Is it possible that we are all characters in a story of our own making? This is certainly possible, as everyone has an image they’ve created of themselves – perhaps for different social situations. This can cause problems, as Young describes, because “if the narrative of your life isn’t one where the protagonist triumphs in the end, I can imagine why it would be difficult to change”.

Storytelling has been a fundamental building block for society, and a stepping stone for humanity’s progress. This is likely down to our natural instincts to share and hear stories, to help make sense of our own lives and get ourselves known. As social animals, humans thrive around a good story and have done for millennia – with the billions of humans that have ever been all as the character in their own story. We tell stories to survive, because our lives ARE the story – and if the story ends, we might too.

contemplate, and an author can, brick by brick, build a world that can illuminate and give meaning to some part of the full tapestry of our lives and relationships.” While a long quote, it raises an interesting point that we need multiple stories to make sense of our world. Certain novels, films, series and so on can “illuminate and give meaning to” a small segment of our whole being, which when brought together can perhaps explain as much of our lives as possible. Following this logic, people may have the one goal of having their lives explained, which inevitably results in many unfulfilled lives in the past. We group together in order to help each other towards this goal, sharing experiences and thoughts to further our understanding of ourselves. This may be why if someone is left isolated for a length of time they begin to lose their grasp on reality – humans are often called ‘social creatures’ and this appears to be much more important than we often think.

There are a few countries and regions today where we can still see the effect stories have on humans in this primal way, such as warzones and their inhabitants. For people without homes or food, as humanity was a few thousand years ago – Reynold Price, a former Duke University lecturer, noted that storytelling was “second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence” This does appear to be true, as whatever the situation a good story can change someone’s day. Whether it makes them happy or more melancholy, a story can act as a small aid in testing times. It may be the glimpse into someone else’s life, and the inevitable comparison with your own, that results in this incredible power behind storytelling, or perhaps how this opens up an opportunity to share a story of your own (which is potentially everyone’s common goal).

24 – Olavian 2015

Under PressureBy Hector Yu

Mikhail

You didn’t get long to think between the constant flow of refugees at the supply lorry and the memos going to and from Sofia, and often the only time Lieutenant Mikhail Angelo found he could do so was when he running errands between guard posts. But even then, his thoughts were drawn by the stench and rot and suffering around him. However, today he was so plagued by something else that he didn’t even stop to tell the peacekeepers to clean out the rat infestation or to supply drinking water that wasn’t some shade of brown. The suspending of refugee entrance into the country denied everything he had spent his life working on, in this camp and before. It didn’t matter to the officials what fate met the people trapped beyond the border, because that was safely beyond their concern, but it mattered to him. And the reports he’d been hearing worried him greatly; they reminded him of another time and place, of radio reports from his childhood in Belgrade, of the government that left his family to die.

“There’s been an alert, Lieutenant.”

The voice snapped him out of his reverie. “What is it?” It came out a little more harshly than he’d meant.

“We’ve got a couple of hundred fleeing from Edirne. Two klicks south-east and headed straight for us. Their condition is serious.”

“Well, don’t that just beat all.”

A rattling alarm pounded out an alert as peacekeepers scrambled to their posts at the perimeter fence, and a few minutes later, all were stationed at the gate, grim and silent with the news they’d be giving the approaching refugees.

“You know the consequences for our country economically, Governor. We simply cannot afford to harbour anymore Syrians.”

Mikhail now despised the Secretary-General for even more than usual - a man of his position should not hold, or at the very least hide, such views.

“And do you know the consequences for the Syrians, General? Any of them still alive will be hunted for ethnic cleansing, starve, or die of exposure at our very gates.”

The radio cut off as a sign of the General’s acknowledgement.

Tarik

Tarik Al-Kameka had escaped ethnic cleansing, hadn’t eaten in days, and now his daughter was at death’s door, even as he arrived at salvation’s. He stumbled up behind some men on the dusty crest who were rattling the gate. There were white men behind it, conversing with animated gestures, which provided the only clue under the ruckus that they were talking at all. But why where they talking, when there was so little time? Was something wrong? There must be a delay. But he couldn’t afford a delay. Allah Almighty, he’d promised her, if it was the last thing he did. Tarik began to plough through arguing couples and crying children.

A megaphone cut off two hundred different conversations to inform them in a language they didn’t understand about something else they couldn’t understand. One word, however, was understood: “Closed!” a man cried at his wife, “They are closed!”

As the crowd started up again, Tarik was pushed out of it, where he fell weakly to his knees and stared towards Edirne over the horizon, where so many had died. He could have been praying to Mecca. Desperate now, he had to something, so he reached inside his coat to find a desperate man’s tools.

Mikhail

An explosion lit up the horizon. Then another. Mikhail was ten again, watching the distant pretty lights. His parents were out late at work.

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But this time he knew what the lights meant, this time he could do something. But he also knew what doing something meant - that was insubordination.

The visions are sucked away as a gunshot breaks the vacuum of his thoughts. The crowd parts, screaming. And in its midst, a wild-eyed man waves a gun at a guard. His decision had been made for him.

“Open the gates.”

Under Pressure Satellite Autobiography“Ladies and gentlemen of the tribunal, I ask you, who is right? A people who wish for order, but are willing to massacre thousands to achieve it? A people caught up in a desperate search for freedom, who tear away the stability of others to find it? An international organisation that strives to bring peace for two bloody years, during which thousands die, including my own parents, hundreds of thousands are displaced, and a nation wiped off the map?

I began my search for the answer years ago, and the story I’m about to share with you all is about how I started it.

It begins on the outskirts of Belgrade, with a ten year old boy. Winter’s icy grip is as firm as ever and a clear blackboard sky stretches across the heavens. Bright pinpricks of light are stenciled into it. The boy picks out the forms of Orion the Hunter and Pegasus the Winged Horse from his seat by the kitchen window, but his favourite is the Moon. It’s how he imagines the Earth was before humans, so peaceful. Earth has been very busy lately.

He picks up the phone - it’s his mother phoning to say she’ll be back late. Mother and father work at the embassy. They’ve been very busy since bad people damaged some buildings in the city. Life has been lonely since school stopped. The reality he knows is slowly leaving - some of his friends were expelled, some of his teachers fired. Father says they were bad people, mother says they were just Albanians. They were just friends to the boy. At a silent dinner table, father had said he’d heard reports that weren’t on the radio, that war is coming. Mother got very angry after that. They’d left early in the morning. The

phone call is the last time he’ll hear his mother’s voice, though he won’t know until hours afterward.

He wouldn’t have picked it out if he hadn’t been looking. A shadow flitting across the blackboard, sleek and silent. I sometimes imagine how it must have been in the cockpit. Heavy breaths sucked through a mask, the world flashing past beneath you at several times the speed of sound. Frantic radio chatter, a garbled order, then the flick of a switch. To the boy, a black form glides steadily toward the distant city lights. Its ribcage opens, and a falling shadow dropping steadily becomes visible. Suddenly, he sees many, like rocks sinking into the murky depths of the night. And as the tail of the shadow disappears into a cloud, the first of the city’s lights flare. He hears the distant rumble of thunder. The explosions reflect themselves weakly in the kitchen window and the boy’s eyes. The fire eventually dies to a soft flickering as the city’s lights shut down, block by block.

But the fire ignited in the boy’s heart never dies down. It is what keeps him going as he sits on his stool by the window, hours after the last of the distant fires is put out, as he waits for his parents to come home. It is what drives him to find answers to the needless bloodshed. And it is what teaches him there is no right in war, only who is left.”

That was the speech I gave the UN inquest into my insubordination. They discharged me, of course - you can’t have every camp governor acting like some do-gooder vigilante. Honourably though, that was what always confused me. Maybe they had some sense of decency, or just a sense of humour.

26 – Olavian 2015

An A-level composition by Oscar Ridout

Prize Day

28 – Olavian 2015

Prize Day

Prize Day Speech by the Headmaster

Your Royal Highness Princess Helen, Your Excellency, Chairman, proud parents, students, colleagues; it

is a pleasure to welcome you to this celebration of the achievements of our senior students as we reflect on the world of education and another excellent year.

Mapping out a sense of direction for a school is no minor challenge given the constant changes and constraints foisted upon us. The landscape ahead is already dominated by two external factors over which we have little control: curriculum/examination changes and the seemingly endless funding reductions. From the numerous HT meetings which I attend it has become clear to me that we are already well ahead of most in terms of our planning and preparations for curriculum change, both at GCSE and A level. Thanks to generous support from parents and a number of successful bids like the PLASMA-T and SCHOLA projects, we have survived the funding pressures of the last 3 years, even managing to build 2 stunning new science labs; and, you may rest assured that nothing will derail the relentless pursuit of scholarship and excellence here at St Olave’s.

This is a time of considerable pressure for young people, both socially and academically. We need to build on our excellent values system to guide our students carefully through the safe use of the relentlessly growing world of electronic communications and social media, which bring both positive influences, as well as potential dangers.

This is also a time of considerable political pressure on schools like ours to find ways of enabling more children to take advantage of a selective education and, in particular, to champion greater upward mobility for youngsters from areas of social disadvantage. The challenge of how to achieve this is substantial. Such children often achieve less well at Primary school and may not have the same access to positive educational influences and aspirations from their families and communities. However, this is an important challenge and one that we should embrace with enthusiasm.

The scholarship agenda continues to go from strength to strength, with impressive articles published in the many student journals, high quality EPQ, HPQ & LPQ projects, play scripts and musical compositions. Where else would you find a Natural Sciences Society Journal, researched, written and edited entirely by the students, with fascinating articles such as: Saturn’s moons,

Autoclave sterilisation, the RuBISCO enzyme and the secret of tortoiseshell felines? Our new 3-year KS4 will provide further opportunities for students to become self-directing scholars and to research areas of personal interest with passion and curiosity.

As we played host to 21 visitors from our partner school La Martiniere, Kolkata, it was a pleasure to see more outlets for, and celebrations of, the growing cultural diversity in the school. Our new team of International Student Ambassadors will be seeking to add to our portfolio of British Council links, more countries with different perspectives, perhaps in Africa, Asia or the Middle East.

Having a good understanding of global issues in a rapidly changing world, and developing a positive vision for what the future holds, is the part that I find really exciting. The 21st century is going to be amazing, so much so that there will be changes we cannot even imagine today. And what better springboard from which to set out on a remarkable voyage of discovery into this unknown, than an education at one of the nation’s most prestigious Grammar schools, within the context of London, the world’s leading 21st century city.

So what might this future look like? Perhaps, the hardest of questions to answer, given the exponential rate of technological development. I did a bit of crystal ball gazing last year and still believe that bio-mathematics will have profound implications for society, health, food, sustainability and communications. A relatively short time after HG Wells was ridiculed when he wrote about men travelling to the moon, we are now seriously considering manned missions to Mars. As I watch Sci-Fi films like Cyborg, Terminator, Lucy, ExMachina I become even more convinced that bio-robotics will be the trillion dollar Industrial Revolution of the 21st century. My view was strengthened by recent news articles, one on the use of stem cells in neurone growth; one on a company that has now reduced the cost of a mechanical robotic hand to as little as £2,000; another on a research team who, after growing a new rat limb from host cells injected into a framework, are progressing to primates as the next step towards humans. It will be important that we, as educators, at least try to keep up to date, share in the excitement of what lies ahead and equip our students with the best possible start for this adventure.

At the same time it becomes ever more important that we try to help our students to think about what our race

Olavian 2015 – 29

is doing to the planet.

All is not well socially. The accident of birth means that millions find themselves born into poverty, famine or war-torn regions. Such desperate situations lead to desperate measures, as we see in the increasing numbers of migrants heading for a better life in Europe. How should we respond to this and set an example to our young people? Build more fences to protect fortress Britain, or take a lead from my heroine, Mrs Merkel, rise above our lamentable lack of leadership and compassion, welcome the weary travellers with kindness and share some of our wealth with them?

All is not right politically. Why do young men and women abandon an apparently privileged life in countries like ours to join the ranks of apparently barbaric regimes like Isis? Perhaps the old politics of the West need to be rethought. And so, as educators then, it is vital that, at the same time as inculcating a sense of scientific adventure, we continue to underpin the education of our children with solid values so that they can make sound judgements; and, whilst some might win the next Nobel prize for robotics, others might take the prize for peace and become leaders of a better political world order.

Our students have, of course, been excelling in academic achievements the likes of which few schools can boast. In another excellent year of public examination results, 94% of A level grades were at A*/B. It was particularly pleasing to see the top grades of A*/A increase to 77% from last year’s 73%. All but 1 of the 55 students who had offers from Oxbridge or Medicine met the conditions to take up their places. Our top performers included Elena Rastorgueva with 5A*s and a place at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, for Engineering; and Kush Banga with 4A*s plus 2S (outstanding) grades in the fiendishly difficult Cambridge STEP Mathematics entrance papers; Kush will also take up a place at Cambridge, to read, not surprisingly, Mathematics.

At GCSE 84% of our students’ grades were at A*/A, with 52% at the top grade of A*. Top performer was Richard Decker with 11 A*s and 75 students gained at least 9 A*/A grades. I was particularly pleased that 95% of our boys gained the EBacc. They join an illustrious new year 12 where nearly 70 of the students have at least 9 GCSE A* grades.

And so, we shall now hear with great pride, about the many successes of our senior students: from Gold medals in Mathematics and Science Olympiads; and play-readings at the National Theatre to the rugby tour of S. Africa and Operation Wallacea in Peru. I am delighted to welcome HRH Princess Helen as our guest speaker today and look forward to hearing about some of her fascinating experiences. May I thank all of my colleagues

for the commitment and inspiration they give to our students; our Chairman and governors for their service to the school; and you the parents for your aspirations for your children and for your generous financial support on which the school now depends. As I look at the portraits of some of my predecessors, I remain, Chairman, deeply honoured and humbled to lead this remarkable establishment in its 454th year as one of the nation’s foremost Grammar Schools.

Prize Day Speech by Director of Sixth Form, David Budds

Chairman, Your Royal Highness, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In his scathing critique of the Victorian education system, Nicholas Nickleby, Dickens wrote movingly of the blighted aspirations of a generation of impoverished and disadvantaged pupils with the following words: “Dreams are the bright creatures of poem and legend, who sport on earth in the night season, and melt away in the first beam of the sun, which lights grim care and stern reality on their daily pilgrimage through the world.”

How far we have come. How very different, thankfully, are the plights of our own Olavian students, whose dreams and aspirations are, thanks to their magnificent work, so tangibly close to realisation.

As you have already heard it has been an excellent year academically for the Sixth Form with a remarkably impressive set of results both at A2 and AS. All of our students are bright; most of them shine and some of them are positively incandescent. Whilst the aggregates are indisputably superb, as always they are only the sum of the incredible efforts of individual students. Tonight we celebrate the personal endeavours, triumphs and sheer hard work and determination on which those aggregates are based, not to mention the incredible range of other contributions which our remarkable Sixth Formers have made to the school and the potent legacy of scholarly excellence and unrelenting aspiration which they leave in their wake. To our prize winners, your school is proud of you and we can only imagine the pride which your families will feel in reflecting on your various achievements this evening.

How these superlative young people fit it all in, goodness alone knows, but our Sixth Formers also found time to get involved in a huge range of co-curricular activities. As seems to happen each year, my greatest challenge in preparing this speech was deciding what to leave out, as there is so very much which has been remarkable. You will forgive me then for being selective in what I say now; if I were to enumerate and celebrate every remarkable thing our Sixth Formers have done, none of us would be home before midnight.

30 – Olavian 2015

In addition to their strong A-Level results, 36 Year 13 students completed their Extended Project Qualification and gave highly accomplished and cogent presentations of their 6000 word dissertations. EPQ topics were astonishingly diverse and challenging, ranging from “Is Shakespeare still our contemporary?” to “the role of wind tunnels, computational fluid dynamics and acoustic research in shaping the design of modern commercial aircraft.” All EPQ candidates were subjected to rigorous questioning from the floor and the students rose to the challenge with exemplary Olavian erudition and aplomb. Other academic achievements beyond the mainstream A-Level curriculum were abundant, with highlights including Akhil Sonthi of Year 12 coming in the top 5 nationally of the AS Challenge strand of the British Physics Olympiad, Kush Banga and Olivia Argent being awarded gold medals in the first round of the International Chemistry Olympiad and Abhishek Patel and Eamon Hassan achieving gold medals in the first round of the British Biology Olympiad. Such prestigious awards are not given lightly.

In sport, the first XV rugby season’s highlight was reaching the last 32 in the Natwest Vase with notable victories against Gravesend Grammar School, Hayes and the Anglo-European School. Under the strong captaincy of Joshua Searby, the season began strongly with victories over Colfe’s and Ravens Wood and a strong finish saw impressive wins against Skinner’s and local rivals Langley Park. In rugby sevens, St Olave’s came second in the national sevens pool. After a pivotal mid-season epiphany, the first XI football team proved a powerhouse force to be reckoned with, achieving striking wins over the Priory and Christ the King in order to land a mid-table finish in the North Kent Division One. Chloe Daley, Michelle Ruas, Lucie Edwards and Velvet Dibley proved inspirational leaders of the Netball A and B teams and under the captaincy of Freddie Luff, our hockey squad went from strength to strength. All of our captains are commended and all are thanked for the legacy of inspiration and excellence which they leave behind. The captains were supported by a very dedicated team of sports prefects who also consistently set the highest standards of aspiration and support for our younger students. No less impressive than the team efforts and the captaincies and prefectures which relate to them are the achievements in more individual pursuits, which include Theo Haslam’s representation of England East in the School Games in Manchester where he came first in the 50m freestyle. This placed Theo 3rd nationally in his age group for the 50m and 100m freestyle. Molly Haynes was awarded the Keighley Mayes Trophy for Perseverance and Endeavour at the National Inter County Swimming competition. In fencing, for the fourth year in succession, Adam Whitelaw has qualified to represent his country and has fenced for Great Britain’s under-17 team in Bonn and Copenhagen this year.

Aside from sport, the Sixth Form have enjoyed many other proud achievements. Drama has continued to flourish at the school with Year 13 taking prominent roles throughout their time in the Sixth Form at events including a stunning performance of Lionel Bart’s Oliver where the comic exuberance of Peter Debenham’s Mr Bumble was powerfully counterpointed by the simmering fury of Robert Pattinson’s Bill Sykes and the poignant warmth and pathos of Alicia Harris’s Nancy. Robert was no less impressively terrifying and engaging as Dionysus in Daniel Finucane’s outstanding production of Eurpides’ Bacchae. More intimate productions of The History Boys and Twelfth Night staged in the school chapel, were no less affecting, and the direction of Matthew Roberts, Adrian LaMoury and Jack Bradfield elicited superb performances from their talented casts, demonstrating their directorial vision, nuance and panache. Standout performers other than those already named in the year group have included Sam Edwards, Haniel Whitmore, Joseph Cordery, Sarah Cronk, Jon Leech, Pamela Tickell, Max Lewthwaite, Emily McPherson-Smith, Sam Luker Brown and Jack, Daniel and Matthew themselves to name but some, and whether as individual performers or as part of a cohesive and focused ensemble cast, it has been a real pleasure to see them continue to blossom after such strong performances in Elling, A View from the Bridge and the Shakespeare Trilogy the previous year. The dramatic talents of our students are not limited to performance; three of our students, Michaela James, Peter Debenham and Jack Bradfield made it onto the long-list for the National Theatre playwriting competition, with Jack’s play also being shortlisted and receiving a rehearsed reading at the National. Not content with this, Jack was also a runner up in the annual Oxonian Review’s national poetry competition with his poem “Musee de Cluny”.

Musically, Sixth Formers have played prominent parts in the Christmas and Easter concerts as well as through their involvement in the wide range of orchestras, ensembles and choirs both as leaders and as active participators and none more so this year than the inimitable and endlessly versatile Lucy Morrell. Her magnificent arrangements, voluntaries and medleys for the organ in the vast majority of assemblies throughout the last school year were astonishing and she took a great pride in the fact that we never heard the same piece of music from her more than once. Her work on the O-Factor this year, including writing arrangements for all 8 performed items for an in-house O-Factor band, was even given the seal of approval by none other than Peter Leigh himself; this being the highest possible accolade from the greatest authority on the subject imaginable. No less gratefully received in this event was the excellent and inspirational work of Holly Lewis in choreographing the year 7 and 8 forms. Her broader contributions to dance at the school in a variety of initiatives and productions

Olavian 2015 – 31

have been consistently of the highest standard. Our annual Art exhibition held at the end of the summer term again showed what intensely talented and creative students we have. The time, thought and effort put into the many pieces on display was an outstanding achievement and it came as no surprise that so talented a cohort received national recognition this year at the Shine Media awards where their second edition of the Art Society’s Journal, called “ARTicle”, won the award for Best Original Artwork and Photography and was highly commended in the Best cover and Best Magazine categories. Principal Editors Matilda Boyer, Jordan Butt and Luke O’Donovan are warmly commended on this fantastic and richly-deserved achievement. I would urge you to seek out a copy of this publication if you have not already seen one.

Senior students once again found themselves organising a wide range of events this year with probably the highlight for most being Festival, with afternoon lessons being suspended in order that students could enjoy the various stalls run by form groups, and events such as firm Festival favourites including “Just a Minute” and the student-produced “Teachers’ Video”. As well as Festival, Cabaret was held on the Friday night before the end of the Christmas term, and this event showcased the wide range of talent in the Sixth Form including a great variety of singers and bands. All of this was done in support of the charities the Freddie Farmer Foundation and the DEC Ebola Crisis Appeal, for whom the sum of almost £10,000 was raised this year.

The Sixth Form provides students with many opportunities to take on positions of leadership within the school, and our local community, and this year was no exception. 157 of the then Year 12 took up positions as form, duty, academic and ambassador prefects. The Senior Prefect Team of Teddy McAleer, Matthew Allen, Jack Bradfield, Lucy Morrell, Abhishek Patel and Elena Rastorgueva have achieved a stunning amount this year, organising the second annual scholarship fortnight, taking on the mantle of producing the second edition of the cross-curricular academic journal, continuing the sterling work of their predecessors in raising the profile of and level of engagement with the House system and organising a whole school co-curricular student questionnaire, the results of which they analysed in detail and reported to the Governing Body and the Senior Leadership Team of the school. All this in addition to their day-to-day work of leading the various prefect teams which run in the school, their various personal extra-curricular interests and achievements, some of which you’ve already heard about and on top of their superlative academic achievements. How they have achieved all of that and have remained so driven, so committed and so unfailingly good natured is a great testament to their exceptional abilities and their strength

of character. Teddy, Matt, Jack, Lucy, Abhishek, Elena – your school is very greatly indebted to you; you are exemplary Olavians and leave a powerful and inspiring legacy to your successors.

Sixth Form students have also been instrumental in a range of outreach initiatives with local primary schools, and one of the highlights of our annual outreach calendar was the Year 5 maths and science day in which 12 of our committed academic prefects worked with 240 visiting pupils on a carousel of activities.

Student-led societies continued to flourish, along with an ongoing blossoming of the culture of student-produced academic journals of astonishingly high calibre. Sixth formers remain heavily involved in and committed to the School’s Le Chavetois programme, assisting and supporting a range of local community-based endeavours and improving the quality of life of hundreds of other people, old and young, throughout the borough. Sixth Formers also organised Cultural Evening which included an exotic display of music and dance as well as culinary delights from around the world and a dazzling fashion show.

And finally, at the close of the academic year, following A Level examinations, Year 13s took time to celebrate the end of their school careers, but hopefully not the end of their contact with the school, at the Leavers’ Reception where they, their parents and staff enjoyed canapes and champagne before the students went on to the Leavers’ Ball held at Oakley House.

This year group could scarcely have made me prouder as their Director of Sixth Form, and I’m sure Mrs Maxwell would second that feeling as your Head of Year, as would your form tutors and the rest of the teaching staff here at St Olave’s who have been privileged to work here with you. I thank you all for making it possible for me to say that with such absolute certainty.

Before commending you on to what I trust will be sparkling futures, propelled ever forward by a burning sense of aspiration and intellectual zeal and hunger, permit me a few final words. There is a linguistic tendency for socially marginalised, oppressed or disenfranchised groups to appropriate and reclaim terms which were once deemed insults and to wear them instead as a badge of pride and cultural identity. Whereas the story of the late twentieth century was one of significant progress in terms of a more egalitarian and progressive attitude towards race, gender, sexuality and political outlook, the same period arguably witnessed a groundswell of anti-intellectualism. I’ve heard it said by detractors of our school that our pupils are geeky, using the word as an insult – and yet, I have also heard the very same word used by those who understand and celebrate the ethos

32 – Olavian 2015

of our school to signify the highest form of approbation and endorsement. To the enlightened, the word “geek” no longer contains the anti-intellectual stigma and absurd baggage which once it did; instead it celebrates the drive, intellectual avidity and sheer delight in learning both for its own sake and as a tool to shape a better world which will propel us all to a brighter future. The phrase “geek chic” is even a popular epithet for a particular kind of old-school yet subtly progressive sartorial elegance. It is the look favoured by many of the young men and women whose work here we celebrate tonight, who, with their school, Janus-like both reflect back on the traditions of an illustrious past whilst maintaining an auspicious eye on the future. More than ever before, you as a year group have fostered an ethos in this school which is the living embodiment of the Headmaster’s vision of scholarship, culture and values. You are academically aspirational, diverse and enthusiastic in your interests beyond the classroom and driven by a principled and socially enlightened approach to how you live your lives and how you enrich the lives of those you have worked with. You are the apotheosis of geek chic and have made it the rightful and proud standard to which to aspire in this school; you are in the vanguard of what drives the linguistic change which makes the word geek a badge of pride and are avatars of a culture which celebrates the life of the mind. The culture of this school is a rare and beautiful thing. You personify it and, if the chairman will forgive me a paraphrasing of the beatitudes, I can think of no greater compliment than this: When I look at you all, our prize winners of 2015 and the superb legacy you leave, never could it be said with more justifiable certainty and pride that the geek shall inherit the earth.

Chairman, tonight celebrates the very great deal of hard work conducted by our students and their dedicated teachers and all concerned richly deserve to share in and enjoy this occasion of celebration. Outstanding exam results will open up the widest range of opportunities for these remarkable young people and I know that as they move on to university and to bright careers beyond, they will take with them not only glowing results, but all that they have learned during their time at St Olave’s Grammar School. To the outgoing Year 13, you have set a fantastic example for the new Year 13 to follow, you were led by a superb Captain of School in Teddy McAleer, an excellent Senior Prefect Team and you have been an absolute credit to the school and to your parents. It has been a wonderful privilege this evening to eulogise about this splendid year group. You will go on to bright and brilliant things in your lives beyond the school, and we look forward to sharing news of your future triumphs in the place where you are cherished and in which you will live long in the memory as an outstanding year group. You are the Young Olavians of today and the Old Olavians of tomorrow; once an Olavian, always an Olavian. On behalf of all of your teachers, I thank you

all for your commitment and wish you every possible success and happiness for the future.

Prize Day Speech by Cheryl Johnson, Head of Year 11

It is an honour to be amongst this audience tonight, whether as a parent, a member of staff, a student or

guest, as we celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students.

The Head Master has spoken about the outstanding results and high standards which our students continue to achieve. Two years ago, I stood here, and spoke about the achievements of many of those in the Year 13 audience, having been your HOY in Years 10 and 11, and it gives me great pleasure to see how much you have grown and gone on to achieve since then; so if I may just steal a moment to say well done once more to all of you and wish you the very best on your chosen courses or gap year activities. Well done and have fun!

However tonight, I am here to talk about last year’s Year 11 cohort and what a cohort they were. From Day 1, I knew it was going to be emotional! Don’t misunderstand me, they are an extremely talented bunch of young people as you will know, but they had their own, unique, very different way of doing things. I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy ride, but something gave me hope, that something was….

Over a period of a few weeks, I came to watch the Rugby team play their match games on Saturday morning. The transformation I gradually saw, over the games in Year 10 and then in Year 11 was amazing. The difference came about through hard work, dedication, self-control, self- discipline and in working together as a team. It took time and it took patience, all of which underpin success.

It was a joy to see such marked improvement and I have been delighted with the progress many individuals have made, in all areas of school life. Forgive me for not mentioning them all individually, but I will make reference to several.

The year group have achieved another excellent set of GCSE results. A number of them are here tonight to receive prizes for exceptionally high academic achievement, and that is wonderful. Well done all of you. However, we can celebrate too the achievements of a number of individuals, who may not appear on those lists, who have overcome their own personal challenges, to achieve a fantastic set of exam results amongst other things.

A total of 28 boys, over a quarter of the year group, completed a Higher Project, and even more impressively, all achieved grade A or A* for their final grade. Similarly,

Olavian 2015 – 33

the top set mathematicians sat their IGCSE early, back in January, and every student gained A* grade and a mark in the 90’s.

Staying with Maths, Owen Messere achieved a perfect score of 130 in the Intermediate Maths Challenge and Richard Moulange also performed impressively gaining a Distinction in the Maths Olympiad.

Richard Decker, who has achieved many accolades during the five years he has been at St Olave’s, continues to impress. This year, he won the London round of the Poetry by Heart Competition with his recital of “The Galloping Cat”, and swiftly followed that up with a first place in the Rochester heat of the Cranmer Awards for reading from the Book of Common Prayer.

The number of boys in the year group who play a musical instrument to a very high level is astonishing. Mr Price has always been very complimentary about their musical ability, and this year saw the highest proportion of A* grades ever achieved. But they were also very committed to the extra-curricular activities in the school. This evening, Richard Moulange, Richard Decker, Kosi Nwuba and Oliver Morrell will each receive a Governor’s Award for Music and that is only scratching the surface. Digging deeper you find that Oliver Morrell formed the Renaissance choral group which performed at several concerts last year and he also co-led the Chapel choir with Richard Decker. Such activities eat into their own free time and they have willingly given it.

Miss Wilkie has also been grateful for the time given up to support the drama work in the school. Specially mentioned are Luke Smith and Theo Antonov who continued to give up their time even after they had officially left school for the summer. They worked with the year 7 and 8 students during the final week of term, culminating in three performances.

Many boys have excelled in a wide variety of sporting activities. The U16 rugby team, who I have already made reference to, won 11 out of their 14 matches this year.

The cricket team, having won the Bromley Cup Festival when they were in Year 9, continued with the same form and brought home the silverware in Year 10 too.

Eton Fives is a very popular choice of sport for many boys, and they excel at it. Morgan Pugh has played in the Old Olavians 1st Division, Vish Shetty took a superb win at the Eton U16’s, and continuous, outstanding performances from Tomas Gallagher and Kosi Nwuba have gained them an “unbeatable” reputation. They won the U16 Nationals without dropping a set; this makes them the best in the country and even, so Tomas informs me, best in the world!

The school boasts a number of Kent County swimmers; Michael Jacobs who triumphed with a Gold medal in the 100m back stroke, continued to push himself hard in his training throughout his GCSE’s. Charlie Davis, Alex Leggatt and Joshua Davidson have all balanced strong academic performances with regular training for cross country running; their efforts saw Bromley receive second place in the Kent Schools Cross-Country Championships.

Year 11 also managed to organise their own football team, and played several matches against other schools. Kosi Nwuba was the captain of the team and organised most of the fixtures himself. At one stage a PE teacher from another local school called and said he was trying to organise a game and would like to speak to a teacher called Kosi. The team acquitted themselves admirably despite not playing together often. Star players, Alex Lamberti, Tom Gallagher, Seraphin Gnehm, Henry Edwards and of course Kosi himself deserve great credit for the way in which they represented the school.

Twelve individuals will receive Form Prizes tonight, awarded to those students who have been supportive in their form group, good friends, reliable, courteous and generally very helpful and a pleasure to have around. Your tutors, who I am grateful to for their support and faithfulness, speak highly of you, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the tutors for the pastoral support they have given you.

So summing up, the year group have done well. They have performed well academically and shown their commitment to a great number and diverse range of activities alongside that academic work.

My final note is one to all the students, those staying with us and those leaving us. There is a huge world out there waiting for you to stamp your mark and make a difference ……make the most of it and remember this was just the beginning. We are grateful and proud to have played just a small part.

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Special Prizes

Giles Pilcher Prize for Public Service (Awarded by The Old Olavians’ Lodge)

Edward McAleer

John Marshall’s Educational Foundation Prizes

Matthew Allen

John Bradfield

Lucy Morrell

Abhishek Patel

Elena Rastorgueva

Chambers Prize for Leadership Raunak Rao

The Anthony Jarvis Shield Liam Carroll

The Woodard Board Prize Lucy Morrell

Michael Pugh Prize for Public Speaking

Joseph Cordery

The Renshaw Shield for Debating Skye Galpeer-Shade

Headmaster’s Prize for Poetry Rachel Wood

O.O Lodge Prize for Contribution to School Life

Jeevan Ravindran

The Medical FundDaniel Bradford

Liam Carroll

Cathedral Parish Prize for Voluntary Service

Nicholas

Greenwood

Leslie Sanders Prize for English Literature

Samuel

Luker-Brown

French Prize Nisha Virdee

A.W. Walker Prize for German Rowena Stevenson

Spanish Prize Florence Salotun

Matthew Holmes Prize for Classics Joseph Cordery

The Ashley Prize for History Matthew Roberts

Antiquarian Society Prize for a History Project

Callum Sarracino

Geography Prize Hope Goodban

Economics Prize James Gibb

Harry Little Prize for Mathematics Kush Banga

Paul Slade Prize for Physics Elena Rastorgueva

Brian Ruth Memorial Prize for Physics Kush Banga

Gnaanachelvan Prize for Biology Eamon Hassan

Biology Project Prize Abhishek Patel

George Dyson Prize for Chemistry Olivia Argent

Chemistry Experimental Skills Prize Raunak Rao

Computing Prize Callum Sarracino

Phyllis Packer Prize for Practical Musicianship

Alicia Harris

An Old Olavian Prize for Music Lucy Morrell

Religious Studies Prize Nilojana Nirmalan

Art Prize Matilda Boyer

Graphics Prize Jordan Butt

Design Prize Henry Gill

Susan Owen Medal for Drama John Bradfield

Prizes for Achievement in Public Examinations

H.G. Abel Prizes for A-Level

Matthew Allen Daniel Fargie

Akhilesh Amit Hope Goodban

Olivia Argent Marcus Grainger

Kush Banga Alastair Haig

Daniel Bradford Danielle Hasoon

Celeste Brant Eftichia Iossifidis

Zoe Chadwick James Kershaw

Stephen Chan George Martin

Patrick Cromb Edward McAleer

Sarah Cronk Abhishek Patel

Susannah Da Silva Raunak Rao

Daramola Elena Rastorgueva

Gabrielle Day Weronika Raszewska

Daniel Dean David Richards

Mark Dinh Janushanth Sritharan

Chandan Dodeja Anthony Tang

Cleveland Douglas Hoan Truong

Nigel D’Souza

For G.C.S.E.

Prem Chowdhry Richard Moulange

Joshua Davidson Chukwunenyem Nwuba

Richard Decker Daroon Ramadani

Tomas Gallagher Sachin Savur

Seraphin Gnehm Luke Smith

Leonard Lee Harry Stanbury

Jacob Loveridge Ciaran Twomey

Lower VI Form Prizes

Awarded by the Parents’ Association for “enthusiasm, commit-ment and imagination in the use of the Lower Sixth year”

Aster Gordon Jeevan Ravindran

Michaela James Sebastien Santhiapillai

Iham Mohamed Kasem Bradley Sawyer

Alexander Mulroy Suzanne Smith

Adeel Mushtaq Tom Wang

L.W. White Prize for Sporting Activities

William Phillips

I.W. Kirk Prize for Sportsmanship Edward King

Senior Victor Ludorum Jonathan Pairman

Sidney Tweedy Chess Cup Raunak Rao

Douglas Keeble Prize for Fives Josh Ravi

Gordon James Christie Prize for Cricket

Matthew Lane

Sohayl Ujoodia

Olavian 2015 – 35

Form Prizes

11HJoseph Fairhall,

Rickey Rajendran

11JAlexander Albarosa,

Qais Zaidi

11KJacob Loveridge,

Kirryl Tarunin

11LJohn Holden-Murphy,

Oluwatobi Salami

11MJoshua Davidson

Hani Razvi

11NJames Black,

Oliver Morrell

10JJames Byrne,

Tommaso Simpkins

10KJordan Adesina,

Callum Twose

10LVeyasan Karnan,

Aahan Sabharwal

10MAlexander Martin,

Charles Stocks

10NJohn Bentas,

Henry Miller

Grants and Awards

Governors Awards

John Bradfield National Playwriting Competition

Harriet CaisleyRCM Junior Department Grade 8

(piano)

Zoe Chadwick KYCO (cor anglais)

Richard DeckerABRSM Grade 8 with distinction

(piano)

Tomas Gallagher Fives

Theodore Haslam Swimming

Alexander Jochim Tennis

Alexander Lau ATCL Diploma (piano) and

Norman Trotman Competition

BYMT

Eric Leung RCM Junior Department (cello and

piano)

Finn Macpherson Rugby

Lucy Morrell ATCL Diploma (piano) and

ABRSM Grade 8 with distinction

(organ)

Oliver Morrell LFCCM composer

Richard Moulange ABRSM Grade 8 (piano)

Chukwunenyem

Nwuba

Fives

Henry Rennolls Swimming

Oscar Ridout Beckenham Festival

Akhil Sonthi AS Physics Olympiad Challenge

Imogen Spark Netball

Sohayl Ujoodia Cricket

Kieran Walton Hockey

Thomas Whichello Rugby

Adam Whitelaw Fencing

Sean Seeds

Vex Robotics

Wilfred Kiondo

Oscar Hinze

Nathan Lewis

Grants for Outward Bound, Travel and Gap Year projects

The James Burdett Memorial Prize:Christopher Page,

Oliver Telling,

Haniel Whitmore

Cultural trip across America in

preparation for reading English

Literature at university, with a focus

on Poetry, Music and Photography.

Matilda Boyer, Max

Brooks, Jordan Butt,

Adrian Lamoury,

Max Lewthwate,

Samuel Luker

Brown, Rachel

Wood

Historical cultural and artistic visit

to Budapest, one of the great capitals

of Europe, providing enrichment for

University studies.

The Potto Hicks Award:Daniel Finucane Travelling through Europe by train

to explore classical sites and broaden

knowledge prior to reading Classical

Studies at the University of Bristol.

The Witton/Newmarch Award:John Bradfield Travelling through Europe by train

to broaden research and knowledge

prior to reading English at the

University of Oxford.

36 – Olavian 2015

The Rushbrooke Memorial/Gridley Award:Catherine Bean,

Matthew Roberts

Visit to Berlin to broaden

knowledge of life under the Soviet

Union, classical traditions of

German aristocracy and on-going

understanding of the Ancient world

prior to reading History and PPE at

the University of Oxford.

The War Memorial ScholarshipPamela Tickell Volunteering in Costa Rica,

including teaching and involvement

in extra curricular endeavours prior

to reading History and Politics at

Nottingham University.

Headmaster’s FundOluwamayomiwa

Makinde

Travelling through France to utilise

language skills and gain an insight

into French customs and culture

prior to commencing studies at

University.

Weronika Raszewska Undertaking a residential family

placement in Ibiza to broaden

experience of different cultures, visit

historical sites and improve language

skills.

Susannah da Silva Historical visit to Hong Kong and

China together with the opportunity

to trace family ancestry prior to

reading Veterinary Medicine at the

University of Cambridge.

Full Colours 2015

Senior Colours

Senior Prefects

Matthew Allen

Jack Bradfield

Edward McAleer

Lucy Morrell

Abhishek Patel

Elena Rastorgueva

Contribution to School

Mojere Agbaje

Andrew Bertini

Max Brookes

Matipa Chieza

Max Costaras

Cleveland Douglas

Shezara Francis

Danish Hafeez

Danielle Hasoon

Edward King

Holly Lewis

Contribution to School

Frederick Luff

Oluwamayomiwa Makinde

Alice Millar

Nilojana Nirmalan

Calvin On

Abhishek Patel

Raunak Rao

Josh Ravi

Florence Salotun

Darshana Sridhar

Aman Tiwari

Rachel Wood

Sports leadership Taranpreet Bhoday

Debating

Matthew Allen

Skye Galpeer-Shade

Max Lewthwaite

Andrei Sonea

Drama

Jack Bradfield

Josephy Cordery

Sarah Cronk

Chloe Daley

Peter Debenham

Samuel Edwards

Daniel Finucane

Alicia Harris

Adrian LaMoury

Jonathan Leech

Holly Lewis

Max Lewthwaite

Samuel Luker-Brown

Emily Macpherson-Smith

Loren Noble

Robert Pattinson

Matthew Roberts

Pamela Tickell

Katherine Tragheim

Haniel Whitmore

Rachel Wood

Fives

Max Brookes

Edward King

Josh Ravi

Football

Rory Lilley

Eren Salih

Oscar Dixon

Hockey

Taranpreet Bhoday

Frederick Luff

Oliver Telling

Music Zoe Chadwick

Olavian 2015 – 37

Music

Alicia Harris

Lucy Morrell

Abhishek Patel

Adam Stagg

Netball Chloe Daley

Rugby

Daniel Bradford

Joseph Cordery

James Gibb

Kanyanta Green

Edward King

Edward McAleer

William Phillips

Luke Prentice

Joshua Searby

Thomas Walton

Other Clubs and Societies

Mojere Agbaje

Matthew Allen

Akhilesh Amit

Catherine Bean

Matilda Boyer

Jack Bradfield

Jordan Butt

Liam Carroll

Matipa Chieza

Rebecca Daramola

Gabrielle Day

Daniel Dean

Skye Galpeer-Shade

James Gibb

Daniel Gillette

Holly Gressier

Avni Gupta

Alastair Haig

Eamon Hassan

Molly Haynes

Adrian LaMoury

Joel Lewis

Frederick Luff

Samuel Luker Brown

Lucy Morrell

Luke O’Donovan

Christopher Page

Abhishek Patel

Bethany Prentice

Raunak Rao

Elena Rastorgueva

Weronika Raszewska

Matthew Roberts

Other Clubs and Societies

Michelle Ruas

Janushanth Sritharan

Nisha Virdee

Catherine Walker

Simone White

Rachel Wood

Intermediate Colours

ChapelRichard Decker

Oliver Morrell

Chess Owen Messère

CricketTomas Gallagher

Keeran Rajendran

Drama

Richard Decker

Oliver Morrell

Richard Moulange

Luke Smith

Fives

John Oxley

Morgan Pugh

Vishwakrith Shetty

Music

Richard Decker

Oliver Morrell

Richard Moulange

RugbyHenry Edwards

Niall Johal

Other Clubs and Societies

Thomas Garner

Justin Reed

Anik Roy

Benjamin Ryan

38 – Olavian 2015

VI Form News

40 – Olavian 2015

VI Form News

The Sixth Form’s achievements have covered a vast spectrum. In virtually all aspects of the school’s

vibrant life they have played a significant, active and very useful part. The prefects have seen the smooth running of duties, have assisted classes in the lower school, have helped the integration of Sixth Formers from outside the school with internal pupils, been there at parents’ evenings with hot drinks, shown timorous year six pupils to their entrance test rooms, beaten the opposition on the netball courts and the rugby pitch and in between all that have found time to excel in all academic subjects. The proliferation of clubs, societies, productions of magazines, the performance of school plays and the participation in orchestras and choirs is testament to the rigorous spirit of determination and zeal that courses so abundantly through the bodies of all the pupils in years twelve and thirteen. The articles beneath reflect just a section of their own very active part in the well-being of the school and its tremendous successes.

Blackland FarmIn perfect weather Year 12 novi and novae participated in a range of outdoor challenges which enabled them to become acquainted. The activities included balancing on planks, swinging on ropes and designing paper parachutes to drop eggs from the top of an abseil tower. Our hard-boiled students scrambled bravely for victory, poaching as many points as they could but just when they thought it was all ova 12M won the most successful team award.

Tall Ships RacesConor Watson and Peter Maslin took part in a 10 day ‘cruise in company’ around the coast of Norway, from Fredrikstad to Bergen in a Dutch Schooner. They worked on board ‘The Gulden Leeuw’ tall ship as trainees alongside an international crew from Poland, Italy, France, Norway, Afghanistan and Syria. Sleeping quarters were ‘like a large wine rack.’ 4 hour shifts climbing the rigging, hoisting sails, cooking and washing up in the galley were balanced by some welcome dips off the ship in the North Sea.

ScholarshipCongratulations to Presidents Mojere Agbaje and

Simone White, for producing the 2nd edition of the Law Society Journal; and to Jack Bradfield and Abhishek Patel for compiling and editing the 2nd edition of the Academic Journal, a truly erudite collection of scholarly articles and the best of the EPQ and HPQ projects.

International Ambassadors18 students have been selected to become International Student Ambassadors. They will be helping to run projects and exchanges with schools across the world such as developing the British Council link with La Martiniere School for Girls, Kolkata, and starting a new link with a school in Sicily. The aim is to heighten understanding of different cultures, values and traditions with a focus on sustainable living and globalisation.

Cultural EveningOur annual celebration of cultural diversity with music, dance, haute cuisine and couture from around the world, was charismatically compered by Thanusan Balakrishnan, Shaun Bentum, James Gibb and Kanyanta Green. Dazzling highlights included virtuoso piano playing from Victoria Kwok, Bollywood dancing from Divija Seelam, a Chinese Wushu display from Quang Tu, Carnatic dancing from Jeevan Ravindran, a Nigerian pop song from Florence Salotun accompanied by Calvin On, culminating in the inimitable Fashion Show. Thanks to parents, performers and organising committee, Shezara Francis, Danielle Hasoon, Calvin On, Florence Salotun, Darshana Sridhar and Elena Rastorgueva, we made a substantial donation to Amnesty International.

David Budds Director of Sixth Form

Sixth form Leavers Ball

Olavian 2015 – 41

FestivalThe annual Festival raised funds to support a local and an international charity with favourites such as ‘Just a Minute’,’ Pointless and Would I Lie to You?’ featuring panels of staff and students. There was an exciting Science v Humanities face off in ‘ Family Fortunes’ and a wide range of innovative stalls which preceded an Inter-house Dance Off! Our thanks go to Cleveland Douglas, Henry Gill, Danish Hafeez, Nilojana Nirmalan with Senior Prefect Lucy Morrell for their hard work in making the day such a success.

CabaretEveryone turned out wonderfully for the occasion, capturing this year’s theme of Black and Gold Masquerade. Varied acts covered all genres from stand-up to hard rock. Hats come off to the organisers, Maya, Alice, Matipa and Andrew. What talent, what verve, what fun!

Scholarship FortnightThe Michaelmas term got off to a suitably aspirational start with the second annual Olavian Scholarship Fortnight. Ten Old Olavians led symposia on a diverse range of topics; the Great Hall played host to our Harvard Outreach Evening, outlining the process of applying to the most prestigious US universities, and our Senior Scholarship Evening saw the launch of our second pan-curricular Academic Journal, with ten erudite 6th Formers presenting some of the finest HPQ and EPQ projects.

Exam SuccessesCongratulations to new Year 12 student Nicole Morgan who recently gained Distinctions in both the ISTD Tap and Modern, Advanced 1, dance examinations; to Jonathan Lancaster who achieved a Distinction with 134 marks in his Grade 5 organ exam; and to Jonathan Leech who passed his Grade 8 singing exam with a Distinction and was selected to play the role of Raoul in a borough-wide BYMT production of ‘Phantom of the Opera.’

Interview DayYear 13s participated in this exchange day with Langley Park School for Boys in preparation for university interviews. A one-to-one specialist interview plus a series of workshops, lectures and discussion groups helped students reflect on and prepare for the process.

Independent Learning This Conference, hosted by the Life Skills Company, gave Year 12s a chance to practise the study skills they need for A Levels and University, such as speed and skim reading, effective note taking, condensing text, time management and presentation skills.

Higher Education EveningYear 12 found out about the challenges of student life as they prepare for the UCAS process later. Katherine Pagett from Birmingham University tackled the questions: “Why go, which university and what course?” Elizabeth Farnhill from the University of Sheffield, outlined student finance, and Richard Patient of Imperial College, focused on completion of the UCAS form.

‘Voice of the Future’Four students had the privilege of attending the ‘Voice of the Future’ event at the House of Commons, broadcast live on the BBC Parliament channel. MPs and government organisations, including the Select Committee for Science and Technology, fielded questions ranging from equality in science careers to changing science policies in the UK. Organisations present included the Royal Societies of Chemistry and Biology, as well as St. Olave’s Grammar School, represented by Zoe Chadwick, Abhishek Patel, Rebecca Daramola and Liam Carroll.

Ambassador Outreach PrefectsThese newly appointed Prefects are building links between the school and former Olavians, by improving the website, database and networks to keep the Old Olavian community more integrated with school life. As well as promoting school events such as Commemoration they will be introducing new social ones such as Young Olavians dinners for more recent leavers.

O FactorThe annual house singing competition heard hymns and pop songs, including Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”, One Direction’s “What makes You Beautiful”, Bastille’s “Pompeii” and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”, with favourites hymns: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer” and “Be Thou My Vision”. Vice- Captain of School, Lucy Morrell, coordinated the event assisted by her brother Oliver Morrell and Richard Decker.

Student-run SocietiesUnderpinning the scholarship agenda students invite professionals to address their gatherings. In Classics Society Dr D’Angour, Jesus College Oxford, focused on music and rhythm in classical poetry; Geographers heard a lecture on ‘Gender and the Development Gap’ by Dr Willis; Dr McDermott, University of Kent addressed Natural Sciences Society on the ‘Rosetta Space Mission’; Medics’ Society heard Dr Kangeson speak on ‘ Life as a GP’; Edward Wood spoke about ‘Fast Track Graduate Careers in Parliament’; Danny Lavender presented the challenges of early onset Parkinson’s disease; History Society hosted a talk by Dr Dyson, Fellow at Trinity College Cambridge, on ‘ Attempting the Impossible’; Political Economy Society welcomed MP Heidi Alexander.

42 – Olavian 2015

Oxbridge EveningOxbridge representatives addressed a Great Hall packed with aspirational students and parents from St. Olave’s and other schools on the challenges of applying to these prestigious universities. Dr Richard Earl of Worcester College, Oxford and Dr Caroline Burt of Pembroke College, Cambridge, with tutors Helen Brooks of Mansfield College, Oxford and Laura McGarty of Pembroke College, Cambridge, offered an erudite blend of statistical information and pragmatic advice followed by a lively Q&A session.

HPQs and EPQsThe Spring Term saw the completion and presentation of Year 11 Higher Project Qualifications and Year 13 Extended Project Qualifications with some fascinating scholarly research presented to audiences of students and parents. These impressive personal studies included Oliver Morrell’s ‘Is the Baroque period responsible for the western musical of today?’; John Hawk’s Graphene; How will it affect the future? Matthew Allen’s ‘Does the EU undermine national sovereignty?’; Akhil Amit’s ‘Can space technology enable manned interstellar travel?’; Joseph Cordery’s ‘Is the Minoan civilisation a creation of Sir Arthur Evans’ mind?’; Rebecca Daramola’s’ Is the risk of developing ovarian cancer determined by genetics?’

Medics OutreachAspiring Medics, both Olavian and from partner schools via the PLASMA-T project, have benefitted from outreach events with prestigious universities. Motunrayo Olaleye, Apoorva Kumar and Daniel Jenkins arranged the Medical Admissions Information Evening in which admissions officers from Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrew’s gave details of curriculum structures and applications processes before responding to questions from the audience. Admissions staff and student volunteers from Imperial College led workshops for Year 11/12 students and a staff session on preparing students for successful medical applications.

Careers in Languages Day4 students attended the ‘Careers in Languages Day’ at Westminster University. They enjoyed lectures about translating and interpreting as well as the opportunity to learn Russian, Chinese or Arabic and to have a go at interpreting.

Social MobilityAs a first step in enabling greater social mobility we welcomed some Year 5 looked after pupils from Bromley Primary schools for a taster day. After a snapshot of the school’s history Year 7 pupils gave them a tour of the site, before joining hungry students at the canteen. After sampling Art and DT lessons they were entertained by prefects, Alastair Haig and Holly Lewis, for a Maths session on Countdown and Leapfrogs. Lunch rounded

off the morning and we hope that any myths about Grammar schools have been debunked.

The Leavers’ Ball The new quad was a wellspring of sunshine, canapés and badinage for our Leavers’ Reception at which parents and students mixed with staff in a relaxed environment. After entertaining speeches in The Great Hall, coaches took the leavers to the Ball at Oakley House. To the accompaniment of the Take Five Party Band students danced, enjoyed a sumptuous buffet and the legerdemain of the magician. They have been a fantastic year group who we hope will keep in close contact with the school for years to come.

Sixth form Congratulations EveningThere was a real buzz at this event where we welcomed and extended our warmest congratulations to 150 external students who have been offered places in the Sixth Form. After talks and a tour of the school they enjoyed a fine buffet and a chance to socialise under the watchful eyes of the new Ambassador Prefects.

New Senior PrefectsCongratulations to the new Senior Prefect Team for 2015-16: Captain of School: Daniel Jenkins; Vice Captains of School: Amy Borrett, Isabelle Cooper, Iham Mohamed Kasem, Radhika Kumar, Rishil Patel, Jeevan Ravindran and David Van Egghen.

UCAS DayPost AS-Level examinations, we welcomed back Year 12s for their UCAS day with an introduction to HE admissions and advice on writing a personal statement from N. Johnston of Durham University. A panel of recent St. Olave’s leavers kindly offered a student’s perspective on the quirks of the process, the joys of offers and heart-ache of rejection. We trust that this firm foundation of advice will encourage students to aspire with confidence to some of the most sought-after courses and institutions in the country.

After the reception, parents waved their sons and daughters goodbye as the students moved onto the Leavers’ Ball at Westerham Golf Club. Students danced the night away to the Take 5 Party Band and were entertained by a magician as they socialised on the balcony, overlooking the golf course.

Recent Old OlaviansKate Richards secured a an Excellent First Class honours degree in history at the University Of York.

Stuart MacGowan has attained a MSci Geology degree from the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College, London.

Olavian 2015 – 43

Lower VI - Blacklands Farm Team-building Day

44 – Olavian 2015

Leavers’ Destinations 2015

Name Destination Course

Agbaje, Jere Warwick Law and Sociology

Allen, Matthew Warwick History and Politics

Amit, Akhilesh Imperial Aeronautical Engineering

Argent, Olivia Cambridge, Jesus Natural Sciences

Arunathevan, Andrew Southampton Solent Yacht and Powercraft Design

Balakrishnan, Thanusan Warwick Economics

Banga, Kush Cambridge, Churchill Mathematics

Barovbe, Daniel Warwick Computer Science

Bean, Catherine Oxford, Mansfield Philosophy Politics and Economics

Belmain, Alaric Re-applying in 2016

Bentum-Siripi, Shaun UCL Geography

Bertini, Andrew Manchester Chemical Engineering

Bhoday, Taranpreet Re-applying in 2016

Boyer, Matilda Brighton Fine Art Painting

Bradbury, Isabel Exeter Geography

Bradfield, Jack Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall English Language and Literature

Bradford, Daniel St. George's University of London Medicine

Brant, Celeste Imperial Geophysics

Brookes, Max Bristol Economics

Burchill, Benjamin Swansea Materials Science and Engineering

Burtonshaw, James Exeter Geology

Butt, JordanCourtauld Institute of Art, University of London History of Art

Cann-Abaidoo, Michael East Anglia Pharmacy

Carroll, Liam Oxford, St. Peter's Medicine

Chadwick, Zoe Oxford, St. Edmund Hall Materials Science

Chan, Stephen Cambridge, Robinson Medicine

Chieza, Matipa Nottingham Pharmacy

Cordery, Joseph Oxford, Christ Church Classics II

Costaras, Max Southampton Civil Engineering

Cromb, Patrick Bristol Economics

Cronk, Sarah Bath Mathematics

Da Silva, Susannah Cambridge, Murray Edwards Veterinary

Daley, Chloe Cardiff Law

Daramola, Rebecca Oxford, New Biochemist

Day, Ella Manchester Medicine

Day, Jonathan Re-applying in 2016

Dean, Daniel Imperial Computing

Olavian 2015 – 45

Debenham, Peter Nottingham Product Design and Manufacture

Desai, Jay Birmingham Dentistry

Dibley, Velvet UCL English

Dinh, Mark Cambridge, Trinity Hall Mathematics

Dixon, Oscar Surrey Economics

Do, Lawrence UCL Pharmacology

Dodeja, Chandan Imperial Aeronautical Engineering

Dorrer, George Exeter Economics

Douglas, Cleveland Imperial Chemical Engineering

Drabwell, Emeline Loughborough International Business

D'Souza, Nigel Oxford, St. John's Mathematics

Dudley, Joseph Southampton History

Eaton, Christopher Durham Philosophy

Edwards, Lucy Bristol Spanish and Portuguese

Edwards, Samuel Nottingham History

Elufioye, Christopher Loughborough Chemical Engineering

Fahy, Jacob UCL Astophysics

Fargie, Daniel Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Engineering

Fearnley, Edward Re-applying in 2016

Finucane, Daniel Bristol Classical Studies

Flagg, Andy Oxford, St. Anne's Geography

Foxhall, Marc Re-applying in 2016

Francis, Shezara Re-applying in 2016

Fraser, Gerald Aston Chemical Engineering

Galpeer-Shade, Skye Exeter History

Galvin, Daniel Warwick Economics

Gibb, James Surrey Economics

Gill, Henry Ravensbourne Digital Film

Gillette, Daniel Re-applying in 2016

Goodban, Hope Imperial Civil Engineering

Grainger, Marcus Warwick Physics

Green, Kanyanta Leicester Banking and Finance

Gressier, Holly Bristol Religion and Theology

Grozier, Charlie Re-applying in 2016

Gupta, Ankur Nottingham Economics

Gupta, Avni Oxford, Keble Chemistry

Hafeez, Danish Manchester Medicine

Haig, Alastair Cambridge, Gonville & Caius Mathematics

Harcombe, Owen ImperialElectronic and Information Engineering

Harper, Sam Exeter Economics

Harris, Alicia Warwick Physics

Hasoon, Danielle QBELF Dentistry

Hassan, Eamon UCL Biomedical

46 – Olavian 2015

Hawes, Chloe Re-applying in 2016

Haynes, Molly Nottingham Law

Heath, Oliver Warwick Mathematics

Ho, Haozen Birmingham Economics

Holland, Liam Manchester Chemical Engineering

Hookway, Georgina Nottingham French Studies

Iossifidis, Effie UCL Medicine

Jog, Ajeya KCL Computer Science

Judge, Martin LMU Human Geography

Kaba, Saarah KCL Dentistry

Kershaw, James Oxford, New Engineering

Khan, Saad Warwick Discrete Mathematics

Khandelwal, Sevenia Warwick Engineering

King, Edward Bath Economics

Krishna, Dhruv UCL Biochemist

Kwok, Victoria Cambridge, Churchill Veterinary Medicine

LaMoury, Adrian Imperial Physics

Leech, Jonathan Surrey Business Management with Marketing

Lewis, Holly Bristol Mathematics

Lewis, Joel Oxford, St. Annes' Computer Science

Lewthwaite, Max Re-applying in 2016

Lilley, Rory Liverpool Geography

Lindsay-Price, Milo Manchester Philosophy

Luff, Freddie Nottingham Product Design and Manufacture

Luker Brown, Samuel Oxford, Balliol History and English

Macpherson-Smith, Emily Bristol Geography

Makinde, Maya Birmingham Civil Engineering

Mallett, Faye KCL English Law and French Law

Mansell, Oliver Bristol Mathematics

Marshall, George Leeds Economics

Martin, George Warwick Engineering

Matthews, Luke East Anglia Economics

McAleer, Teddy Bristol Mechanical Engineering

McCarthy, Saul Queen Mary University of London Physics

McKenzie, Alexander Exeter Economics

Millar, Alice Birmingham Anthropology and History

Morrell, Lucy Cambridge, Girton Music

Nathan, Kartigan Re-applying in 2016

Ng, Simon Birmingham Biochemist

Nirmalan, Nilojana Exeter Law

Noble, Loren Re-applying in 2016

O'Donovan, Luke Nottingham Architecture

On, Calvin KCL Biomedical

Olavian 2015 – 47

O'Neill, Megan Manchester Biology

Osborn, Teddy Bristol Geography

Page, Christopher Oxford, Hertford English Language and Literature

Pairman, Jon Southampton Mechanical Engineering

Patel, Abhishek Cambridge, Emmanuel Natural Sciences

Pathmanathen, Nithen Bristol Economics

Pattinson, Robert Nottingham Economics

Phillips, William Bristol Law

Prentice, Beth Reading Art and Film and Theatre

Prentice, Luke Manchester Mechanical Engineering

Quail, Joshua Nottingham Economics

Rao, Raunak Cambridge, St. Catharine's Medicine

Rastorgueva, Elena Cambridge, Corpus Christi Engineering

Raszewska, Weronika Warwick Physics

Raveenthiran, Akkilash Nottingham Economics

Ravi, Josh Surrey Economics

Reekie, Evan Warwick Politics and International Studies

Richards, David LSE Economics

Roberts, Matthew Oxford, Keble Ancient and Modern History

Ruas, Michelle NottinghamComputer Science with Artificial Intelligence

Salih, Eren Leeds Environment and Business

Salotun, Florence KCL Biomedical

Sarracino, Callum Edinburgh Japanese

Searby, Joshua Loughborough Mechanical Engineering

Shotton, Jacob Manchester Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Sivapalan, Nirjithan Imperial Medicine

Skelly, Jacob Sussex Arts and Humanities

Smieja, Connor BathChemistry for Drug Discovery with Industrial Placement

Sonea, Andrei Re-applying in 2016

Sridhar, Darshana UCL Chemistry

Sritharan, Janushanth Imperial Medicine

Stagg, Adam Warwick Engineering

Stevenson, Rowena Sheffield Civil and Structural Engineering

Stimson, Connor Manchester Engineering

Tang, Anthony Cambridge, Selwyn Medicine

Tarhan, Oskay Nottingham Economics

Telling, Oliver Exeter English

Tickell, Pamela Nottingham History and Politics

Tiwari, Aman Re-applying in 2016

Tragheim, Katie Manchester Biology

Truong, Hoan Imperial Mathematics

Trusselle, Imogen Bristol Classics

48 – Olavian 2015

Tu, Quang Warwick Engineering

van Bakel, Isaac Re-applying in 2016

Virdee, Nisha UCL Physics

Walker, Kitty Glasgow Philosphy

Walton, Thomas Hull Primary Teaching

West, Katrina Exeter Biological Sciences

White, Simone Newcastle Law

Whitmore, Haniel Oxford, Somerville English Language and Literature

Williams, Laurence Sheffield Civil and Structural Engineering

Wood, Rachel Edinburgh English Literature

Yip, Victor Warwick Physics

Zhu, Henry UCL Philosophy

James Watson New College, Oxford Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Ella Wells New College, Oxford Biochemistry

Julian Wickert York Economics

William Williams Bristol Palaeontology and Evolution

Jakobi Wilmott LSE Economics

Rebecca Wong Reading Accounting and Business

Michael Yates Durham English Literature

Caroline Yuen Queen’s College, Oxford Law

Peter Zheng Imperial Aeronautical Engineering

Clubs& Extra-curricular

50 – Olavian 2015

Clubs and Extra-curricular

Natural Sciences SocietyThe last year has seen the Natural Sciences Society at St Olave’s continue to flourish.

We have had a wide variety of students presenting on an even more diverse range of topics of their interest. Under the new team of Presidents we have produced one of the largest Journals yet, with nearly twenty articles from students who attend the society meetings.

Our Spring Journal possesses both quantity and quality; we have articles on Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine and Engineering, reflecting the varied and specialist intrigues of the contributing writers. Each writer handled their chosen topic with a care and enthusiasm that should be commended. The topics of articles in the Spring issue ranged from the very small, with titles such as ‘Heavy Hydrogen’, ‘A Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Breast Cancer’, and ‘Particle Physics - The Nature and Discovery of Subatomic Particles’, to the very large like ‘Pulsars: An Unexpected Discovery ‘, ‘Galileo – Father of Astronomy’. Furthermore we even had a guest entry from a lower school student and member of the Junior Natural Sciences Society entitled ‘Pigs and Their Adaptations’. It is truly gratifying to see the depth and breadth these articles cover, and to see the enthusiasm of the students who write them. It captures the multidisciplinary ethos of modern science and makes the work of a President a joy.

The Society meetings began with each President giving a talk in turn to introduce themselves and their interests to the members attending the society. The year started with my talk on ‘Synesthesia’, which included interactive diagnostic tests and personal descriptions of a rare condition which causes one to experience the world with multiple senses in tandem. Then Radhika Kumar talked on ‘Motor Neurone Disease’, with detailed medical analysis of its causes and treatments. Following this Nicole Morgan presented on ‘Graphene’ – the one atom thick carbon wonder material and its potential to revolutionise our world. To round off the Presidential series Iham Kasem talked on ‘A Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Breast Cancer’, a standout talk in its technical depth. We then were treated to presentations from regulars at the society. Rowan Wright presented on ‘The Mathematical Universe Hypothesis’, and challenged us to consider the possibility of a world dictated by mathematical laws rather than described by them, causing some lively debate to ensue. Tom Boddington educated us on ‘Human Prion Diseases’ and on our last day this

term we had Emily O’ Sullivan talking on ‘Progeria’. As a special event, we held a debate on ‘The Value of Science’, with a high number of attendees for what proved to be a very engaging topic for our budding young scientists. Many argued for the value of science, with opposition from Alexander Lau and some playing Devil’s Advocate to all positions. We also had a presentation delivered by Abhishek Patel – the previous President of the Society – and Olivia Argent on ‘Applying for Natural Sciences at Cambridge’. And together they brought in possibly the highest turnout I’ve ever seen. We then had a workshop given by guest speaker and PhD student William Dunn on the detection of Exoplanets using the transit method. We were amazed to learn about the real methods used by scientists to determine the features of the most alien worlds. Previous Vice-President of the Society Elena Rastorgueva gave a talk on how to make the perfect paper aeroplane and Danny Jenkins enlightened us on how chameleons change their colours. Our final talk of the year was given by me on Fermat’s Last Theorem, the hardest problem in number theory.

At the start of a new academic year we have had a huge influx of new members of the Society. We began with a talk by me on the technology and science behind the new Gaia telescope. Following this the always entertaining Tom Wang presented on compounds of the noble gases before we picked up part two of our debate on ‘The Value of Science’ in the following week. We eagerly look forward to seeing what our new members can teach us in both their talks and their articles. In particular we anticipate another stellar journal of even greater proportions than the last. Last but certainly not least in our calendar will be the appointment of a new team of Presidents of the Society, and we pre-emptively wish them luck and success in carrying on the Society’s legacy.

We would like to thank Ms Marwood, and I hope I can do justice to her contributions to the society here. Thanks to her support and guidance (and classroom) we have been able to smoothly run the most popular Society in school. While a student led team, the Natural Sciences Society couldn’t function at the high level it does without her as a supporting staff member. In particular I would like to thank her for making the spring Journal possible, and aiding the Presidential team in our transition into running the Society. Secondly we would like to thank Abhishek Patel, Elena Rastorgueva, and Raunak Rao for choosing us as Presidents at the end of the Autumn term. We have immensely enjoyed our time so far and

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cannot wait to continue engaging and communicating science to the students in our school. Thank you for this unparalleled opportunity. And lastly thank you to you, members of the society, for contributing so much. Without you neither the weekly meetings nor the journal would be possible. Thanks to your scientific curiosity and passion we have been able to showcase the work of the Society, and we are all the more enriched for it.

Medic’s SocietyThe 2014/15 school year have shown a continuation of the strong medical presence at Saint Olave’s, with a great variety of presentations having been delivered. Student and Old Olavian talks as well as a “Getting into Medical school” evening have all taken place during these past few months. This has been aided by the frequently high attendance, as well as the wide range of medical interests exhibited in the society, as demonstrated by the articles in the Medics’ Journals that have been published.

Chess NewsIn the Kent Junior Chess Grand Prix Anantha Anilkumar won the U14 title by a clear margin of 51 points. Raunak Rao became the third consecutive Olavian to win the U18 title, and, to crown the achievement, StOGS won the championship for the seventh year, finishing 160 points ahead of second placed Sevenoaks School.

Congratulations to our chess team who beat Eton College for a place in the quarter-finals of the ECF National Secondary School Championships. After an early loss, followed by a win and three draws, a nail-biting final game saw both players down to the last few minutes on their clocks. A blitz-style finish saw Olave’s emerge as victorious, with 3.5 points v Eton’s 2.5. Well done to Anantha Anilkumar, Raunak Rao, Owen Messere, Nigel D’Souza, Zeeshan Kisat and Ammar Kisat.

Despite being one of the youngest in the competition, our team managed to secure 4th place in the Major, with Ammar and Zeeshan Kisat each winning key matches against England International players. Board prizes followed after brilliant performances from captain, Raunak Rao, and Owen Messère.

D of EIn a busy 12 months 7 students gained the highest honour – Gold. This year we have completed 4 Bronze expeditions across the North Downs, 2 Silver across both the North and South Downs. Despite grim conditions for Gold in a wet Brecon before a heat wave in Snowdonia, many passed their assessed phase with aplomb. Thank you to all the staff who help and without whom the programme would not function.

D of E Gold

In a testing Gold expedition over 4 days and 3 nights in inhospitable country, students fought the 100mph winds, driving rain and extreme mountain temperatures. Pitching up behind dry-stone walls for protection at nights, the groups proved that, with team work and plenty of inner resolve, anything can be overcome. Iham Mohamed Kasem, Edward King, Abhishek Patel and Raunak Rao have now completed the Silver Award. Old Olavians Alexander Bailey, Christopher Leech, Samuel Wells, Timothy Adelani and Senthury Jegatheeswaranathan completed their Gold Award recently and will attend presentations at the Palace next year.

World Challenge HondurasIn the picturesque national park of Pico Bonito, students trekked to impressive waterfalls, built a shelter from forest materials and foraged for edible leaves, guided by a colleague of Bear Grylls. Creating rainforest trails to encourage tourists gave isolated village locals an alternative income to cutting down the rainforest. Mayan ruins and trekking through Celaque National Park preceded the Caribbean island of Roatan, where students swam with turtles as the climax of a fantastic experience.

World Challenge ExpeditionFrom the Laos capital, Vientiane, 17 students headed into the jungle for a trek in the humid climate. In Laos, for the project, they painted a school building, built a new toilet block and taught English to Bangkok village children. After heading up the Mekong River into Thailand their 6 day trek included steep inclines, sleeping in hammocks and close encounters with various insects. Temples and street markets in Chaing Mai preceded a night train to Bangkok to complete an unforgettable month.

Operation WallaceaDuring the summer a group of 19 Olavian sixth formers embarked upon a 21/2 week trip to South America, accompanied by Ms Marwood and Dr Sidhu. Our destination was the Pacaya-Samiria national reserve in north-eastern Peru where we were volunteering for conservation charity Operation Wallacea to assist in the collection of data on the wellbeing of the upper Amazonian rainforest. The principle aims of the research were to investigate the effect of anthropogenic climate change and the existing long term conservation strategy upon biodiversity in the reserve.

The closest airport to our destination was in the provincial city of Iquitos, where we stopped for the night and took the opportunity to explore what is a relaxed yet vibrant Peruvian town defined by, indeed owing its very existence to, the river Amazon.

We continued by road to Nauta where we boarded the

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M/F Rio Amazonas, a former rubber boom ship that would be our home for the next 12 nights. Being over 100 years old she was a little rickety but our settling in was facilitated by the ever cool-mannered Peruvian handyman Aldo who had the blessing of being able to fix whatever we managed to break - even a sink that fell off the wall!

Aboard the Rio Amazonas we met the second group of school students who we would be working with on surveys. Being from Mexico we not only made good friends with them but also learnt (through their excellent English) about Mexican culture.

The Pacaya-Samiria reserve is located two days travelling up river by boat from Iquitos and covers an area the size of Wales. It is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna that has to cope with the annual flooding of at least 95% of the reserve. Increasingly, climate change has led to greater flooding leading to a dramatic reduction in the populations of ground dwelling animals as their available habitat becomes scarcer during the wet season.

During our stay we worked closely with guides from the local Cocama Indian community as well as university biologists and dissertation students. Each day we all went out on 2 or 3 surveys in small groups. These generally involved surveying along transects of up to 5km, with many being carried out by boat.

Of these, caimans proved the most popular. This survey involved traveling along a 5km stretch of river after dark, scouring the river banks with a spotlight for the tell-tale red eyes. If possible the guides then restrained the caiman with a noose (or in one instance actually jumped in on top of it!) in order to bring it aboard, whereupon measurements were taken. Despite having suffered massive losses at the hands of poachers and the fashion industry during the 1970s/80s, our research showed that black caiman numbers are now healthy, whilst dwarf caimans were at their highest numbers for nearly a decade.

Also very popular was the frog survey which also occurred at night, providing us with an awesome array of stars and the Milky Way. As well as catching a great number of colourful frogs, there were also numerous huge insects, including grasshoppers and cockroaches living in the floating vegetation. Throughout our trip insects were often an annoyance, as might be expected in a tropical environment. By far the most feared however were the inch long bullet ants so called because being stung by one has been likened to being shot; fortunately no one was subjected to this trauma during our stay, although they were seen.

Other memorable wildlife included a variety of monkey

species (including the woolly, squirrel, capuchin, howler monkeys and saddle-back tamarins), pink river dolphins, sloths, a rarely-sighted tamandua, endangered giant otters, piranhas, and a myriad of birds. To put the wealth of life of this area in perspective: one survey along a 5km transect recorded 16,000 wading birds alone!

As well as the wealth of knowledge to be found in our guides, we learnt more about the biogeography and conservation of the reserve and about specific animal groups in lectures from OpWall staff, including Dr Richard Bodmer who has studied the area for 25 years and who we hope to welcome to St. Olave’s in the near future as a guest speaker.

Our time in the rainforest flew by and all too soon we were leaving the Samiria river and heading back to Iquitos. On our return journey we stopped downriver at one of the Cocama Indian communities, where we had a tour and an opportunity to buy locally produced gifts. The community then treated us to a demonstration of traditional Indian dance before inviting us to join in. In return we presented the children with gifts we had brought from the UK. For many, this element of the trip was just as memorable as any of our wildlife encounters and provided an insight into yet another distinct culture. Before arriving back in Iquitos we also had time to visit a manatee rescue centre. Everyone embraced the opportunity to feed these docile creatures, although it was rather odd seeing other animals such as monkeys there in captivity having only recently seen them in the wild.

After living off a diet of rice, egg and jam for breakfast and rice or spaghetti for lunch and dinner, we all welcomed the opportunity to indulge in eating chips once back in Iquitos, where we spent a memorable last evening with our Mexican friends, before retiring to the relative luxury of our hotel. Although we shan’t miss the bucket flush toilets, insect bites or being smothered in DEET, everyone was disappointed to see the end of what was a fantastic experience in an astonishingly vibrant part of the world and sad to say goodbye to our new friends. Thanks must go to Ms Marwood and Dr Sidhu and the OpWall staff for making the trip possible, and especially the local guides who we got to know and admire for their wisdom and skill in the jungle: we are grateful to all of them for what was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

By Sam Wootten and Jonathan Lancaster

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Operation Wallacea

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International LinksThe new International Student Ambassador Team presented an assembly on links with schools in India, The Netherlands and Italy. A student visit to Mencia de Mendoza in Holland is planned for next Easter and students from La Martiniere School should visit us this academic year with a reciprocal visit next year. We recently received news from their Nature Club which celebrated World Wetlands Day with a trip to the East Kolkata Wetlands.

Students made a reciprocal visit to Mencia Mendoza in Holland, helping to broaden their European understanding.

Indian exploration.A planning visit to La Martiniere School for Girls, Kolkata, as part of the British Council’s, Connecting Classrooms scheme gave a flavour of both city and school through special assemblies, basketball matches, inaugurations of societies, the launch of an Art exhibition, a visit to Kolkata Heritage Library of ancient books and a trip to the Rabindranath Tagore centre. The school has strong links with the city’s Science Museum where students use the laboratories to test out new inventions and learn about robotics. Focusing on sustainability and global citizenship, projects were instigated across departments beginning with Commemorating WW1.

Lixin School Visitors from this top Beijing school, particularly famous for its teaching of Mathematics, had a presentation on the school before our Student Ambassadors hosted them for lessons and daily routines; we shall be playing host to a further group of Chinese students in July.

Dutch VisitDutch students from the Goudse Waarde school, Amsterdam, visited St. Olave’s to cement international links. After attending lessons they took part in cultural activities and projects including ‘Day in the Life’ videos that show how school life in the Netherlands differs from that in the UK. Students enjoyed a fun quiz on Dutch stereotypes and an evening of bowling in Orpington and look forward to further projects in the future.

La Martiniere An eager group of 19 students arrived for a week as part of our British Council Kolkata link. They spent several days in school, hosted by our International Student Ambassadors, experiencing Olavian lessons and sharing presentations about La Martiniere school. The girls also took in some of London’s attractions, including the Tower and the Changing of the Guard. The highlight of the week was their colourful assembly with dances from different cultural eras in Indian history. We look forward to the next leg when our students visit Kolkata.

Above: students from Lixin School, ChinaBelow: students from La Martiniere School, Kolkata

Left: Students from Gourdse Waarde, Netherlands

Mathematics & Computing

Specialist Status

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The Faculty of Mathematics,ICT & Computer Science

The past year has seen the Faculty sustain its outstanding contributions to the academic plus

co-curricular aspects of school life. We live in a time of great change mathematically at national level and so new curriculums have been written for the new GCSE and new teaching resources have been embedded within the curriculum. There have continued to be developments in the extracurricular clubs and competitions on offer. These have enabled Olavian students to develop their problem-solving, logic, communication and team-working skills in a variety of ways culminating in impressive results in external plus internal examinations as well as enabling a significant proportion of our Year 13 students to embark upon mathematics or mathematics-related degrees at university.

Around 85% of Year 13 students completed the A2 Mathematics course with almost half of these also undertaking the A2 Further Mathematics course. St Olave’s is the biggest school for this demanding qualification nationally and with an average nearly 3 times the number of students than any other similar school. In terms of examination results, of the 140 A2 mathematics candidates 48% of entries were graded at A* and 77% at grade A or above.

In Year 12 there was record cohort of 210 mathematicians with a significant majority completing the double mathematics option and hence achieved AS Levels in both Mathematics and Further Mathematics. Overall, the year achieved very commendable results. The results in AS Mathematics were very similar to previous years with around three quarters achieving the highest grade. For Further Mathematics AS results were a pleasing 89% A/B. The demands of completing 2 AS levels – a total 6 modules in less than a year alongside 3 other subjects should not be underestimated.

Our Year 11 students had the daunting task of following in the footsteps of last year’s outstanding set of IGCSE results. It is pleasing to report that they responded positively to the challenge, achieving a near record of 114 out of 115 students gaining A*/A grades and many students achieving close to full marks in one or both of the papers. The top two sets sat the Free Standing Unit in Additional Mathematics, an excellent extension qualification in preparation for sixth form studies of the subject. The results were very encouraging with a record numbers achieving the top two grades.

Students in Years 7 to 10 have continued to demonstrate their considerable ability plus enthusiasm for the subject through impressive end-of-year assessment results plus involvement in clubs, mathematics activity days, national mathematics challenges plus team competitions, attendance of mathematics clinics, involvement in the buddy system and preparations for Olympiads.

The department has continued its intense involvement in the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust’s Junior, Intermediate and Senior Challenges with all Olavian students having at least two opportunities to sit each Challenge. As ever, huge numbers of students achieved certificates placing them well within the top half of the selective cohort sitting the papers. In addition, significant numbers go on to the follow-on rounds of the Olympiads plus Kangaroos. In view of the confirmed desire to introduce a greater problem-solving element to public examinations, this involvement should ensure that Olavians have been given additional opportunities to develop this aspect of the subject and we will be expanding this program over the coming years

Computing has continued to go from strength to strength under Dr Onifade’s leadership. Two classes completed the AS Computing course with many excellent results. 100% of A2 Computing students achieved A*/B. In addition, the subject has continued to develop in Years 9 to 11 with computing now being one of the most popular GCSE option choices. The Year 11 GCSE results were encouraging. The Key Stage 3 course with its greater emphasis on computing skills is now well established and should lay firm foundations for further developments over the coming years.

There have been some new developments as a result of the PLASMA-T LSEF project. Teachers have benefitted from links developed with the Further Mathematics Support Program and London Mathematics hubs. Teachers from other schools have received training diverse area such as: Graphical Calculator use, GeoGebra and also in the teaching of several A level modules and KS3/GCSE Computing training. The help of the mathematics prefect team has been appreciated - especially with the 240 pupils who attended the year 5 maths and science day in July. St Olave’s pupils benefitted from some of the LSEF initiatives for example - Year 9 received a superb program using GeoGebra for problem solving during activity week 2. A St Olave’s teacher presented a session at this year’s MEI conference in Bath in June 2016.

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James Davis Head of Mathematics

At the end of the year the Faculty bade farewell to Mrs Judith Cooke who has been an integral part of the Mathematics department for many years making significant contributions to the department. We wish her the best as she moves onto a teaching post at Babbington House School.

In September the Faculty welcomes two new members of staff – both Old Olavians, namely Mr Scott Li who will teach Mathematics throughout the school plus David Asafu-Adjaye who will complete his GTP teacher training with us.

As I reflect upon the past year - my first year as head of Faculty I have really appreciated the support and hard work of all the department. I also continue to marvel at the determination of Olavian students to push themselves academically whilst seeking to broaden their mathematical horizons. It has been a privilege to oversee this last year and I look forward to another year of exciting developments.

Senior Team ChallengeOn Wednesday 26th November Alistair Haig and Mark Dinh of year 13 and Alex Lau and William Edmonds of year 12 visited Ravenswood School to represent St Olave’s in the regional heats of the UKMT Senior Maths Team Challenge. After the first round they had only got one question wrong. Following, a particularly difficult cross number (a numerical crossword) the team had lost no further points. A strong performance in the final round improved our chances, but was sadly not enough with St Olave’s finishing in second place. However, since the students had performed so well, getting just one question incorrect, they were invited to the National Final. Another strong performance at the final left St. Olaves towards the top of the board. Congratulations to all of the students for some very impressive problem solving and mathematical reasoning.

British Mathematical OlympiadIn this year’s follow-on round from the Senior Mathematical Challenge, many of the twelve Olavian qualifiers performed creditably. The outstanding performances were by Kush Banga and Hoan Truong of Year 13 who were both awarded certificates of distinction.

Senior KangarooIn the European Senior Kangaroo competition, a record seven students received a certificate of distinction. They were Susannah Da Silva, Callum Melly, Owen Messere, Isaac Van Bakel, Jonathan Day, Oliver Heath and Richard Moulange. This achievement demonstrated impressive problem-solving skills under considerable time pressure.

Intermediate Mathematical ChallengeOlavian students from Years 9 to 11 achieved another set of outstanding results in this year’s Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. The 287 entrants achieved an impressive 92 gold, 89 silver and 63 bronze certificates with a record of eight-two students qualifying for the follow-on rounds. All sets achieved well, but it continues to be pleasing to note the significant proportions of lower set students who achieve very creditable results. As a result of this, the department has decided to enter all Year 9 students for the Intermediate Challenge next year and all Year 11 students for the Senior Challenge.

Eleven students qualified for the demanding Intermediate Mathematical Olympiad consisting of six perplexing problems. Congratulations go to Owen Messere of Year 11 who achieved an amazing, almost perfect score of 130 plus Eugene Lee (Year 10) and Cameron Martine (Year 9) who achieved best-in-year results.

An indication of the strength in depth of Olavians’ problem-solving skills is the extraordinary seventy-one students who have qualified for the European Kangaroo

NATIONAL COMPETITIONS

Senior Mathematical ChallengeOn Thursday 6th November, the Senior Mathematical Challenge was undertaken by all students in Years 12 and 13 studying Mathematics plus the top two sets from Year 11. Hence almost four hundred Olavians tackled this year’s paper which proved to be a reasonably accessible set of problems. Our students achieved many very high scores and a record twelve students achieving a score of over 100 out of a possible 125 and hence qualifying for the prestigious follow-on round of the British Mathematical Olympiad.

Overall, the 398 Olavian entrants managed to achieve an outstanding 318 certificates (a record 57 gold, 124 silver and 137 bronze) representing an outstanding 80% of entrants which equaled our record of last year. Special mention should be made of Kush Banga (13X) who achieved the best in school with a score of 120 plus Jacob Holleran (12N) and Richard Moulange (11J) who achieved best-in-year results.

In addition to the twelve Olympiad qualifiers, another record twenty-seven Olavians qualified for the Senior Kangaroo Mathematics follow-on round on Friday 28th November. All these results continue to reflect the excellent problem-solving abilities possessed by so many of our students.

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Mathematical Challenge which consisted of a further twenty-five multiple choice mathematical problems.

Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad and Kangaroo CompetitionsA record eighty Olavians from Years 8 to 11 qualified for the follow-on rounds to this year’s Intermediate Mathematics Challenge. The twelve qualifiers for the Olympiad all performed creditably with four students achieving a certificate of distinction placing them within the top 25% of the select cohort of qualifiers. Congratulations go to Richard Moulange (11J), Alec Hong (10N), Oliver Bennett (9H) and Shachin Pratheepan (9C).

In the Kangaroo Mathematics competitions, a near-record twenty students achieved a certificate of merit, again placing them in the top quarter of entries. Special mention go to Alexander Tomlinson (11M) and Max Nichols (9H) who achieved the best-in-school scores in their respective competitions.

Junior Mathematical ChallengeIn this year’s Junior Mathematical Challenge a record 94% of the 247 St Olave’s Years 7 and 8 students were awarded a certificate. These consisted of 99 gold, 87 silver and 45 bronze certificates representing our best ever overall results. The Year 7 cohort are to be congratulated upon achieving the unusual feat of achieving more certificates plus a higher average score than their Year 8 counterparts suggesting that they have exceptional problem-solving potential!

A near-record eleven students qualified for the prestigious Junior Mathematical Olympiad follow-on round. In addition, an incredible further fifty-two students qualified for the new Junior Kangaroo competition paper. On an individual basis, George Guest (8H) and Daniel Pereira (7L) achieved the best-in-year scores.

Junior Mathematical OlympiadIt is pleasing to report that younger Olavian Mathematicians in Years 7 to 9 have been created some new records in national Mathematics follow-on competitions.

An impressive eleven students qualified for the prestigious Junior Mathematical Olympiad designed for the top thousand students in the Junior Mathematical Challenge. The Olympiad consists of ten short answer, though demanding, questions followed by six perplexing problems requiring rigorous explanation and proof. All students gained at least a certificate of merit and four students attained medals : Linus Luu (7H) and Charles Anderton (8H) were awarded gold medals placing them in the top thirty nationally whilst George Guest (8H) and Matthew Perry (8L) gained silver medals. These

record results indicate some prodigious problem-solving skills from our younger students.

Junior Kangaroo Mathematical ChallengeThis is a new national competition for students who just missed out on the Olympiad. An incredible fifty-two St Olave’s students qualified for this twenty-five multiple choice problems challenge. Of these, an impressive nineteen were awarded a certificate of merit placing them in the top 25% of scores. Congratulations go to Gareth Saunders (8C) who achieved the best-in-school score.

UKMT Senior Team Challenge Regional Round and National FinalsOn Wednesday 26th November Alistair Haig and Mark Dinh of year 13 and Alex Lau and William Edmonds of year 12 visited Ravenswood School to represent St Olave’s in the regional heats of the UKMT Senior Maths Team Challenge. After the first round they had only got one question wrong. Following, a particularly difficult crossnumber (a numerical crossword) the team had lost no further points. A strong performance in the final round improved our chances, but was sadly not enough with St Olave’s finishing in second place. However, since the students had performed so well, getting just one question incorrect they were invited to the National Final. Another strong performance at the final left St. Olaves towards the top of the board. Congratulations to all of the students for some very impressive problem solving and mathematical reasoning.

UKMT Team Mathematics Challenge Regional FinalOn 25th March St. Olave’s hosted the regional final of the UKMT Team Maths Challenge for thirty-seven local schools. The St. Olave’s team consisted of Mehar Bijral(9C), Shachin Pratheepan (9C), Matthew Perry (8L) and George Guest (8H) who had to undertake four rounds of very tough problems in various formats throughout the day. The Olave’s team made easy work of the first set of questions, gaining a maximum score

UKMT Junior Maths Team Challenge team

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in round 1. The fiendish cross-number round was also completed very well, with the team losing just 1 point out of a possible 60. Unfortunately, one small error led to a more significant loss of points in round 3, and although there was a strong performance in the final ‘relay’ round, St. Olave’s were just beaten by a strong Alleyn’s team.

UKMT Team Challenge National FinalDespite finishing runners up in the regional final we hosted in March, the St Olave’s team qualified for the National Finals in London on June 22nd. After a slow start in the group problem solving round, they acquitted themselves admirably in the remaining three rounds including a cross number and a relay to finish a very creditable 25th out of 96 teams. In view of the successes in this year’s Olympiad, the prospects for success next year are most promising.

Win At Schools National FinalWell done to our team - Tannay Vankayalapati, Hari Patel, Thomas Halton and Swastik Gupta - who qualified for the International Centre for Statistical Education final and came away with a £500 prize for the school. The event was hosted by Dr Vicky Neale, Whitehead Lecturer at the Mathematical Institute and Balliol College, Oxford.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS

Mathematical Lecture In April, the Olavian Mathematical Society continued its programme of lectures with former student Luke Abraham, currently reading Mathematics at St John’s College, University of Cambridge, returning to provide a highly entertaining lecture under the title Minus a half factorial and other nonsensical questions. The lecture certainly broadened our horizons mathematically and not a few quizzical faces left the Chapel that evening!

Oxbridge Mathematics SymposiumThe School was delighted to welcome back Old Olavians

Kit Harris and Luke Abraham (2004 – 2011) in September to lead our first ever Oxbridge Mathematics Symposium. They are second year Mathematics undergraduates from Oxford and Cambridge respectively. They presented engaging proofs of various assumptions which are taken for granted at pre-university Mathematics and gave insightful commentaries on the Oxbridge admissions process to members of Years 12 and 13. We aim to repeat and develop this opportunity in future years.

Royal Institution Maths MasterclassesSix Year 9 students had the opportunity to extend their mathematical horizons by attending Mathematics Masterclasses at Bromley High School on Saturday mornings during the Autumn term. The sessions involved exploring more advanced and abstract topics, often beyond the scope of traditional mathematics lessons. In the words of one student, “the emphasis on proof and rigour provided both challenge and satisfaction.”

Maths in Motion ClubThe Jaguar Cars “Maths in Motion Club” has continued to be very enthusiastically and ably run by Peter Leigh, Iain McGowan and Matthew Burns from Year 13. Students have an opportunity to use their mathematical and arithmetic skills to design and fine-tune their racing cars in order seek places on the podium in races around simulations of various formula 1 race tracks.

St Olave’s qualified for the national final of the Jaguar Maths in Motion Challenge for Schools, a computer-based competition where students design and race cars around virtual Formula 1 circuits in a variety of driving conditions. Eddie Ho and Abhay Gupta of 7H competed against eleven other teams in their age group at the Heritage Motor Centre near Banbury on Wednesday 26th June. The computer-based competition involved designing a formula 1 racing car in the light of information given about a track and conditions. After a fiercely contested race, Eddie and Abhay achieved a very creditable 7th place in their age group. This is the first time we have reached this stage of the competition and its achievement is a testament to the outstanding training, support and encouragement provided over several years by Peter Leigh, who accompanied the team on the day, Iain McGowan and Matthew Burns-Watkins of the Upper VI.

Maths Puzzles1. ABCD is a parallelogram. Points Q are the midpoints of BC and Dc respectively. The diagonal DB cuts AQ at E and AP at F. Prove that DE= EF=FB.

2. Prove Varignon’s theorem(1731): the figure formed when the midpoints of the sides of a quadrilateral are joined in order is a parellelogram and its area is half that of the quadrilateral.

UKMT Team Challenge

ScienceSpecialist Status

Olavian 2015 – 61

National CompetitionsThe Faculty of Science

This academic year has seen the Science Faculty buildings undergo some dramatic transformations. Initially the scene was one of industry and apparent chaos as the builders moved in, with corridors and staircases closing, often at short notice, and digging and drilling resulting in challenging noise levels. In April, two new, bright and well equipped laboratories emerged from the process, and we start the new academic year with a science building fit for purpose and able to accommodate the large numbers of students studying the subject. Thanks must go to the PA who, through their tireless fundraising, have enabled us to fully equip the new labs.

This year saw some excellent exam results in all the sciences, with many students gaining places as the top universities and 24 going on to medical schools. There were further successes in the national Olympiads for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Particular mention should go to two students: Tom Wang who gained the Roentgenium award in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, which put him in the top 0.7% in the country and earned him a place at a Summer School in Cambridge; and Akhil Sonthi, whose AS challenge mark put him in the top five Physics students in the country. Akhil was presented with his award at a special ceremony at the Royal Society, and the school was given data logging equipment as a result of his success.

The Sixth Form societies continue to thrive, producing several outstanding journals during the year, and there has been a move towards a more investigative approach in the lower school societies with many students now registered for the Crest Award scheme.

A range of trips provided extension and enrichment beyond the curriculum with new activities being introduced for Year 8 and 9 in activities weeks. A level Physics students enjoyed an exciting trip to the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, and Year 12 biologists once again spent a week at Nettlecombe Court in Somerset studying the ecology of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In July 2015, 19 Sixth Form students took part in an Operation Wallacea expedition to the Amazon Basin in Peru, where they worked alongside Peruvian ecologists and British academics on a range of biodiversity surveys.

With increasing student numbers, we are joined in 2015 by two new staff members, Mr Jonathon Very (Physics) and Mr Simon Holleran (Chemistry). The Science Faculty continues to growth in strength and depth and we look forward to another productive year ahead.

Caroline Marwood S___Head of Science Faculty

Year 10 making rockets in activity week 2

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BIOLOGY

Biology Olympiad Of the 11 students who sat the extremely challenging British Biology Olympiad, two students, Abhishek Patel and Eamon Hassan, were awarded Gold medals and three achieved Silver medals - Susannah Da Silva, Stephen Chan and Katrina West. Congratulations to Eamon Hassan who has been invited to the second round of the competition.

National Biology ChallengeCongratulations to the 59 Year 10 Biology students who were awarded medals. These included 7 Golds for Jeron Thaiparampil, Henry Miller, Kameron Swanson, Ishaan Lal, Niko Kristic, Daniel Maghsoudi and Hari Patel, placing them in the top 5% of the national cohort, as well as 21 Silver and 31 Bronze.

Natural History Museum The Science Faculty challenge for Year 7s to research and document three interesting areas for presentation back to the class saw many head for the T-Rex and other dinosaurs. The Earth Sciences exhibit aroused interest with its topical focus on earthquakes, volcanoes and geological formations.

In Activity Week 1, we went to the Natural history Museum. We travelled on the train to our destination, and after a long and tiring journey, we finally arrived. It was an amazing scene. The first thing we saw was a skeleton of a Diplodocus.

One of my favourite displays was the great blue whale. The blue whale weighs up to 200 tons – that’s approximately the same weight as 276 men! This was very interesting as there was a model of the whale and the skeleton, so we could compare them. I could also see the bristles of the whale where plankton would be sucked through the whale’s mouth.

In the Natural History Museum I liked the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex because it isn’t every day that you can see a giant robotic dinosaur that can move in several directions! I think scientists would have needed a lot of imagination, clues and expert puzzle solvers to put together a ‘real life’ model of such a ferocious hunter. One of the things I found fascinating was that birds may have evolved from dinosaurs. There is evidence that a timid sparrow could have evolved from something as ferocious as a velociraptor.

I also liked the ants in the ‘Creepy Crawlies’ section of the museum because you can fully see the ants at work, and how the community in a colony of ants can help each other out. There are different sized ants that guard, build or support the nest and it is a fantastic sight. They

show that it is important for members of a species to have a connection with other members of the species, for survival. I particularly enjoyed the section where you were allowed to walk through a life-sized model of a termite mound, and see a model spider being fully taken apart.

I liked the Earth Galleries where there was a re-creation of a Kobe supermarket; the location of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurring as a result of plate movement along the Philippines, Pacific and Eurasian tectonic plates. We also saw some real volcanic rock which turned out to be magnetic, which I really did not expect as it didn’t look like iron, cobalt or nickel. I also saw lava which had been spun by the wind to look like hair.

In the Human Biology section was a round table with people sitting round it. Each of us sees things at a different angle but a young child would not be able to understand the things can be seen differently by other people. We were able to work out how each person saw the things on the table. There were lots of optical illusions such as staring at a bird, then at a cage, and suddenly the bird would be in the cage! This section was full of interactive things that showed how our brains react when we are under stress and how our eyes can

Year 9 receiving a presentation about birds of prey

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Biology Field Trip 2015

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deceive us if we look from a certain angle while doing tasks. I loved the memory game because it taught me a lot of new things about my own memory, for example, a weapon can distract your eyes from the criminal’s face.

The model of the baby with the umbilical cord intrigued me. It showed how a foetus would look and I was absolutely fascinated by the rest of the human body section.

CHEMISTRY

Experimental Chemistry Society This year, by popular demand, there has been more focus on fire and explosions! This has included an investigation into which brand of jelly baby is best in the “Screaming Jelly Baby” experiment – a great result for Lidl! The group recently designed different rockets using a range of substances including potassium nitrate or ethanol, launching them with varying degrees of success and thankfully no injuries.

Cambridge Chemistry ChallengeIn a fantastic display of intellect, Ian Chiang, Anna Fatunla, Peter Gibbs, Daniel Jenkins and Kenneth Liugained Gold Awards; 6 others gained Silver and

23 Copper. Outshining even these achievements was a special Roentgenium Award for Tom Wang who, we think, gained the highest mark in the country.

Chemistry Olympiad 2015Students performed exceptionally well in the 47th International Chemistry Olympiad 2015, UK Round 1 achieving 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze Awards.

PHYSICS

Physics trip to CERNYear 13 students visited the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, viewing exhibits on the origins of Physics, the superconducting magnets fabrication hall and the inside of the Compact Muon Solenoid detector where evidence of the Higgs Boson was collected. Visits to the History of Science Museum and a boat trip on Lake Geneva rounded off an intense but enjoyable weekend.

Physics OlympiadAfter finishing in the top 5 students in the country in the Physics AS Challenge, Akhil Sonthi was invited to the Royal Society for the British Physics Olympiad Awards ceremony, having an opportunity to view artefacts by Sir Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle.

Year 13 trip to CERN

English & Drama

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The Faculty of English & Drama

Our year was dominated by stellar performances both in examinations and theatre at school and

in London. Our students produced some excellent productions which included The History Boys, Twelfth Night, a joint production with the Classics Department of The Bacchae and an afternoon soiree with the Junior Olavian Players. This was rounded off by a whole school production of Oliver! directed by Miss Wilkie. The extra-curricular programme enriches the students’ lives and ours developing the essential empathetic and creative skills honed through study of language and literature.

Being involved in a school production is a marvellous opportunity for team work and self-discipline as well as an opportunity to build self-confidence and performance skills. Our talented directors, Jack Bradfield, Matthew Roberts, Adrian Lamoury, Daniel Finucane and Joseph Cordrey, have demonstrated initiative and creativity along with superb leadership skills and dedication. Working with the Music Department on Oliver! was remarkably rewarding, with everyone enjoying the atmosphere generated by a large audience.

Our sixth form Theatre Society, which is open to all, continues to thrive. Last year we took 85 students to see an eclectic mix of Electra, James III, Gypsy and The Play That Goes Wrong. Visiting the theatre is culturally enriching and always provokes lots of discussion amongst our members. It is always a pleasure to accompany so many charming and courteous young people. On a smaller scale we also organise visits to performances of our set texts or complementary productions to help bring the text and its context to life. So we capitalised on the revenge tragedy season at the Sam Wannamaker playhouse at the Globe.

It has become tradition to take year 7 to the Globe in March for a schools’ production and this year was no exception. The boys enjoyed the use of zip wires to deliver the players to the stage, as if descending from helicopters in a modern war zone, for Othello. They were able to appreciate Iago’s Machiavellian machinations and Cassio’s easy manners that make him the target of Othello’s jealousy. During the activities weeks we make a point of taking the younger students on a backstage tour at the National Theatre which helps them understand the logistics of putting on a show and preparing costumes and props and hopefully encourages them all to become theatre goers.

The extra-curricular programme was enhanced by a new

venture that targeted the talented year 7s and 8s who formed the Junior Olavian Players. We were delighted to welcome back senior students to support this initiative and direct our budding thespians. Our thanks go to Theo Antonov, Jack Bradfield, Louis Cokell, Fergus MacDonald and Luke Smith.

We are already busy planning and organising visits for next year which will include The Marriage of Figaro at the Royal Opera House, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet and a Theatre Society trip to Our Country’s Good at the National Theatre. Several student directed productions are already underway and Miss Wilke has great plans for a Christmas show in December, a night of extracts from musicals in our ‘Showstoppers’ night in February and a whole school play in March.

Liz GoodmanS___Head of English Faculty

Theatre Society visitsJames III: A True Mirror was full of bawdy humour, contemporary and historical satire and profanity. Jamie Sives, as King James, elicited an addictive combination of hatred and fondness for his regal character; Sofie Gråbøl as Queen Margaret displayed terrific stage presence and authority with flair for humour. One left with the satisfaction of knowing the answer to a uniquely Scottish question: “Just what do they wear under their kilts?”

Year 8 see ‘The Dreamers.’Year 8s were treated to the world premiere of The Dreamers, performed by ‘the Virgin Soldiers’ ,a six-piece ‘Strock’ band, along with a young cast of talented, local singers. The story depicted the bravery of soldiers sent

Senior Debating Team

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aboard HMS Hythe to fight at Gallipoli in WW1 and also featured celebrity readers such as Michael Buerke, Tim Rice and Amanda Redman.

DebatingThe Senior Debating team have been busy this term, attending a workshop before competing in the Cambridge Schools’ competition, only narrowly missing going through to the next round.

Theatre SocietyAfter the 5 star reviews students were excited to see Electra for themselves. It was an intense experience at The Old Vic with Kirsten Scott Thomas giving an incredible performance in the lead role. Although some of the supporting cast were not quite as strong it was a great evening to round off the year.

Playwriting GroupThe group was fortunate to see two National Theatre productions. ‘Three Winters’, a by Tena Štivičić, directed by Howard Davies focussed on Croatia from 1945 to 2011, from the remnants of monarchy to Communism, democracy, war and the EU. The Kos family argued, adapted, fell in and out of love and gave us an insight into life in troubled Croatia. In contrast DV8’s John, was a brutal, but moving piece of verbatim theatre about one man’s life, with stunning movement combined with a powerful simplicity of the language.

The History BoysCongratulations on another outstanding upper school production, this time directed by Matthew Roberts and Adrian Lamoury. The play focuses on a group of boys at a grammar school with ambitions of reading History at Oxford University, a subject many of our own students can identify with! The more controversial themes were treated with great sensitivity creating some poignant moments.

Sam Wanamaker PlayhouseEnglish students enjoyed an atmospheric production of ‘Tis Pity’ at the new candlelit Indoor Theatre. The lively, often hilarious, but bloody performance brought this revenge tragedy to life.

Cranmer AwardsCongratulations to Richard Decker who, despite stiff competition, won first place in the Rochester heat of the Cranmer Awards for reading from the Book of Common Prayer.

Alan Brownjohn Poetry Prize‘Self Similarish’ by Fintan Calpin won this top international award attracting entries from as far away as the Hwa Chong Institute in Singapore. Fintan, now in his first year reading English at Wadham College, Oxford, is described by his teacher as ‘a true poet.’ Well done also to Michael Sun in Year 8 who was highly recommended.

RememberPrizes were presented to 3 budding poets, Nathan Jossa, Yannick Springer-Hughes and Jack Bradfield, who crafted very successful entries to this year’s competition on the theme Remember.

Public Speaking Training Years 9 and 10 enjoyed a day of professional training in active workshops. All rose to the challenge and each student presented a 3 minute speech demonstrating their skill and intellect.

‘Othello’All Year 7 touched base with our roots at The Globe where Shakespeare was presenting his plays at the time when St. Olave’s Grammar School was founded. As a short hail storm subsided, soldiers zip wired into Cyprus in a 20th Century setting, to celebrate their success against the Ottoman Empire. The boys quickly picked up on Iago’s duplicity and Othello’s naivety before a TV interview in which they acquitted themselves with typical Olavian confidence.

Young Olavian drama project

Visit to the Globe Theatre

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Poetry Attendees at ‘Poetry for an Enlightened Age’ at UCL’s Institute of Education were treated to a fine evening of entertainment with guest of honour, Roger McGough, Dr John Wedgewood Clarke, Jane Duran and Suzanna Fitzpatrick. Our own Fintan Calpin and Jack Bradfield spoke with passion and humour as they rubbed shoulders with one of Great Britain’s most celebrated poets.

Film WorkshopYear 8s visited the Institute of Education and presented to a cohort of student teachers about their experience of making a film in the classroom. We were delighted that delegates noted their mature, reflective approach and the clarity and confidence with which they spoke.

Bromley Speakout!Ivan Tregear won a Jack Petchey Foundation Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement’ for his work as a volunteer shipmate at the Ahoy Centre in Deptford, a charity which helps disadvantaged and disabled youngsters

to participate in sailing and rowing. Ivan also won the Bromley Speakout! Final with a speech entitled ‘Reactions’, about the consequences of human actions and the importance of making the right choices.

Young WritersThis Group runs weekly in the Main Library with help from Oliver Bennett of Year 9. Students are encouraged to write creatively using a particular theme as a stimulus. Subjects covered include ‘Literary Extracts’, ‘London, a Glorious City!’ and ‘Ghost Stories’.

English and DramaLiterature students attended a study day in Cambridge on the tensions in civilisation and education. Led by Dr Fred Parker of Clare College, students developed alternative readings of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’; explored contentious interpretations around the idea of educating and civilising Caliban; looked at the play’s sources, Montaigne and Ovid, and considered the power of transformation and masque.

The cast, crew and orchestra for Oliver

The History Boys The Bacchae

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Theatre Society Students visited The Globe’s beautiful new indoor theatre for Middleton and Rowley’s 1622 masterpiece ‘The Changeling’. The production was shocking with murders and sexual control creating the sense of a society hiding extensive sins and corruption. Somehow there were still moments of humour in the sub plot with noblemen pretending to be madmen and fools close to the old doctor’s beautiful, young wife.

Public Speaking Training Years 9 and 10 enjoyed a day of professional training in active workshops. All rose to the challenge and each student presented a 3 minute speech demonstrating their skill and intellect.

Remembrance A number of Old Olavians joined us for our Remembrance Service on Tuesday. Graham Milne and the Captain of School, Teddy McAleer, placed the wreaths by the school’s memorial which had been presented by King George V and Queen Mary. On Wednesday the English department also led an assembly on the theme of remembrance with poetry that arose from the grim reality of WW1 recited by students.

Oliver This sparkling triumph saw over 60 students in a fantastic performance of this well-loved musical. Matthew Perry and Joshua Williams-Ward impressed as the unfortunate orphan Oliver, joining an endearing chorus of workhouse boys; Jonathan Leech’s Fagin oozed cunning alongside James Pyle’s suave Dodger. Alicia Harris was stunning as Nancy, mixing defiance with dependence on the terrifying Bill Sykes, performed by the talented Robert Pattinson. Peter Debenham and Verity Andrew were terrific as the unhappily married Bumbles, with Haniel Whitmore and Sarah Cronk’s Sowerberrys delivering ‘That’s Your Funeral’ with unabashed enjoyment.

National Theatre Three of our students, Michaela James, Peter Debenham and Jack Bradfield made it onto the long-list for the National Theatre playwriting competition. Congratulations to Jack Bradfield whose play has now been shortlisted and will receive a rehearsed reading at The National.

PoetryJack Bradfield’s poem ‘Musée de Cluny’ was a runner up in The Oxonian Review’s 2015 poetry competition, judged by the poet Jamie McKendrick, and will be published in the Review towards the end of April. Jennifer Stevens was long-listed in the Young Romantics poetry competition for her poem Lost Angels, with judge and Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, reading from her own poems at the awards night.

Twelfth NightWell done to those involved in the spring production of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’. This was the last school show for several of our talented Year 13s who have been involved in numerous memorable performances.

ChartwellIn the beautiful grounds of Churchill’s home, Chartwell, Saint Olave’s won First Prize in the Sixth Form round at the Churchill Public Speaking competition. John Power, Conor Watson, Leo Henderson and Celeste Cardew enjoyed the company of Churchill’s great grandson, Randolph Churchill, who was clearly impressed at the high standard of the speakers.

Poets and Playwrights Our friend and mentor Jane Duran returned to St. Olave’s to inspire our students to write their own creative poetry. She worked with Year 7s and 8s, exploring imagery and how to craft it into a poem, before speaking to Literature Society, sharing one of her poems and some tips on how to critique our own writing.

The cast of Twelfth Night

Visit by poet Jane Duran

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Theatre SocietyStudents have enjoyed an eclectic mix of productions this year starting with one of the James plays at The National, followed by the Greek Tragedy Electra, then the farcical The Play That Goes Wrong and, most recently, the musical Gypsy at The Savoy Theatre with a powerful performance by Imelda Staunton.

Activity Week 1Doctor Johnson said, ‘when a man is tired of London he is tired of life.’ It was a sentiment years 7 and 9 shared after an exciting two days exploring the sights, sounds and smells of London – led by the English department.

Year 9 had been dipping into a selection of writers’ work considering how they portrayed the River Thames in their poetry and prose. We explored Wordsworth’s ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’, Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’, Dickens’ ‘Bleak House’ and Duffy’s ‘Jubilee Lines’ - learning how writers have used the river to convey change and transformation. Students were encouraged to think about the Thames as a canvas onto which a wide range of dreams, hopes, anxieties and nightmares have been projected.

We then explored further. One group completed a river walk from Rotherhithe to London Bridge, dropping in to the White Cube. Another toured Dr Johnson’s House on Gough Square and then walked over the Millennium Bridge away from St Paul’s. A third started at the Portrait Gallery exploring self-portraits and walked back to the Southbank. The Latinists visited the ‘Defining Beauty’ exhibition at the British Museum, exploring Greek and Roman influence on architecture and art.

Back in the classroom, students have been asked to craft their own response to the Thames in poetry or prose and illustrate their work with drawings or photographs.

On the Friday, year 7 exchanged the river walk for a visit to the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square.

We were lucky enough to catch the Changing of the Guard at Horse Guard’s and at Buckingham Palace. Art historian and author Bridget Crowley led two separate workshops, one in the morning on myths and legends followed by travel writing in the afternoon. Using the paintings and artefacts as inspiration she encouraged the boys to tackle speech writing, take a dog’s perspective on life and then write as though they were crossing the Bridge of Sighs in Venice on their way to prison. She was delighted with the boys’ creativity and craftsmanship and impressed by their behaviour and enthusiasm.

Activity Week 2An extraordinary birds-eye view of Spitfires and Hurricanes roaring across London was the highlight of Year 8’s part in last week’s activities.

Pupils saw the aircraft fly underneath them from the 69th Floor of the Shard office building. The planes were on their way to Buckingham Palace where the Queen and the Royal family were celebrating the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain.

And the group went higher still – to the Shard’s 72nd floor which, open to the elements, is 800 foot high and planted with agapanthus and stocks.

The view from here stretches 30 miles with prime sights being Tower Bridge, St Paul’s, The Oval cricket ground, Canary Wharf and the North Downs.

Year eight were also treated to an interactive dance experience at City Hall and some joined a behind the scenes tour of Tower Bridge. The day concluded with some mudlarking on the Thames bank in front of Tate Modern. Among the discoveries were clay pipes from the 17th century, Victorian pottery shards and a rather grisly, gnarled tooth.

It was a busy week for year 8 which started with a city cruise from Tower Hill to Westminster followed by a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and The Mall – with plenty of reference to London ‘s rich literary tradition.

Midweek, school based activities tested the group’s creativity with a film making workshop. The theme was the Pyramus and Thisbe story followed by a performance of A Midsummer Night’s dream in the Great Hall. In an inventive production five actors played all the roles with the aid of clever stage trickery to suspend the audience’s disbelief.

In London for activities week

Library

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Library News

The Main and Sixth Form Libraries have been utilized regularly this year by students in the lower

and upper schools.

Last December I recruited some parent volunteers to assist me with the running of both libraries and I am very fortunate that I now have an established and hardworking team to whom I am very grateful. I have also been assisted by my group of Student Library Assistants and, again, am very appreciative of their help.

Both libraries have undergone a number of alterations this year. In the Main Library, we have recategorised the non-fiction section and changed the layout of the library slightly in order to improve access. We have also increased the seating arrangements in the Sixth Form Library to accommodate the larger number of students now in Years 12 and 13.

I have bought a number of new books for the two libraries including some new Biology, Chemistry and Physics titles for the Sixth Form Library.

We celebrated World Book Day in March in various ways with quizzes and displays including a Student Book Board where students were able to ‘chat’ about books to their friends through book reviews and recommendations. We also held a ‘Guess the number of books in the libraries’ competition where students could guess how many books are in the Main or Sixth Form Libraries or guess the overall total housed in both libraries which is 15000. I produced some ‘My

Favourite Book Character’ stickers and encouraged both students and staff to wear one and discuss their favourite characters with others which proved to be fun.

At the beginning of the year I held an induction session for the new Year 7 and Year 12 classes welcoming the new students into the libraries. I also delivered a book talk to Year 8 and a careers session for Year 11. In April, Laura Cooper (a PGCE German teacher) and I launched Poetry Club for students in Years 7 to 9. This club gives the members an opportunity to read and discuss poetry based on a variety of themes including humour, horror and Shakespearean sonnets. Students also create their own poetry which is on display at numerous times in the Main Library. Young Writers, our creative writing club, also continues to grow and is run very successfully by a student in Year 10.

We have produced a number of displays in the Main Library which promoted Poetry club and celebrated various book genres such as horror which tied in with Halloween.

This year has been a very busy but enjoyable one and I look forward to working in both libraries with my team of parent volunteers and Student Library Assistants during the coming year.

Catherine BeckS___Librarian

Chaplaincy

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2014-15 has been another very full year for the School Chaplaincy, with regular Chapel services and a broad

range of special events as well as the Chaplain’s day-to-day pastoral support for students, parents and staff.

The academic year started with our annual Chapel weekend away at Carroty Wood Activities Centre near Tonbridge. In former years this had taken place in June, but this year moved to September, which allowed the new Year 7 intake to participate alongside older students. The move proved very successful, with a record number of students attending this time. As well as enjoying great food and activities in an idyllic rural environment, the students had an opportunity to explore aspects of the Christian faith through scheduled sessions and informal discussion times. This year we looked at the story of Joseph and his brothers, which touches on some of the Bible’s big themes of guilt, suffering and salvation, and ultimately shows us that God’s love for his creation triumphs over all adversity.

The annual Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving in Southwark Cathedral on 23rd April was led by the Cathedral Sub-Dean, with the Right Reverend Paul Williams, Bishop of Kensington as our guest preacher. The service featured student presentations on the theme of ‘Foundations for Life’, and anthems performed by the Chamber Choir. Special services were also held for Harvest, Remembrance, Christmas and Passiontide (at the end of the spring term), with a Farewell service for leavers in July.

The Staff Prayer Meeting has continued to run this year under the leadership of David Bowden, while the Parents’ Prayer Group has met twice a term in the School

Chapel. A group of Sixth Form students has continued to lead the Senior Christian Union, giving opportunities for Y12 and Y13 students to lead prayers and Bible study discussions.

Meanwhile the Chaplain’s weekly discussion group Firm Foundations, which is aimed particularly at boys in Y7 to Y11, has covered a wide range of exciting and sometime controversial topics, including If you died tonight, and God asked you: ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’, what answer would get you in? Then in the end-of-term special event known as Roast the Reverend, the Chaplain was subjected to a quick-fire barrage of difficult questions put by the students.

The school’s voluntary service programme known as the Le Chavetois Society has continued to grow, with over fifty Year 12 students involved this year in community projects ranging from healthcare to charity fundraising. We were also able to maintain our strong links with St Paul’s Cray Church of England Primary School, where our students helped the younger classes with reading and writing, and ran a maths club for older children.

The academic year ended with the Revd Andrew McClellan bidding farewell to St Olave’s after six very happy years as School Chaplain. He leaves in order to devote more time to work in his parish of St John the Evangelist Bromley (www.saintjohnsbromley.com). Father Paul Keown takes over as the new School Chaplain in September 2015.

Andrew McClellanS___Chaplain

Music

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A Year of Music

Many excellent musical moments pervade the industrious hub that has been St Olave’s over the

past year. Responsible for a number of these was our newest member of staff to join the fold, Sarah Westley. In at the deep end, Miss Westley trained the St Olave’s School Choir for the Christmas Concert, which gave an accomplished performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria. She also fronted our two mid-term Chapel concerts in November and June, which gave some of our budding concert soloists and small ensembles the platform to present in front of an eternally supportive audience of friends and family members. She also arranged for our A-level musicians to join with others from across the country in attending a live seminar-concert, given by members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is always a treat to hear the study works, found on CD recordings and in printed anthologies, brought to life in this way.

Also at our Christmas Concert, we heard from the now well-established Brass Band, Jazz Band and Chamber Choir. The Symphony Orchestra delighted with its performances of Bizet’s Carillon from the suite “L’Arlésienne” and Tchaikovsky’s famous “Rose” Adagio from his ballet Sleeping Beauty. As if by magic, the Symphony Orchestra then transmogrified into the pit band for the joint Drama and Music production of Bart’s Oliver! (Olavians are not just talented, they are also multi-faceted!) The show was a huge success, playing to a matinee audience consisting of our friends from local primary schools and then two further evening performances. Such a large-scale operation is no mean feat and congratulations must go to the cast, to the band and to those oft-unsung heroes on the technical crew for their dedication and hard work. Another major highlight in the calendar was of course the four-yearly visit to St George’s Chapel Windsor, where the choristers of the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy sang alongside the resident choir for the members of the Royal Victorian Order, with Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, amongst other royalty, in attendance.

As with every year, there were again innumerable successes amongst the very gifted Olavian musicians, certainly too many to list here. I would however like to give special mention to Lucy Morrell who, having set her heart on reading Music at university, embarked upon a campaign to be involved in almost everything musical that moved! She played organ in almost all of the assemblies during the year (to my great relief ), even weaving many well-known tunes into her own

skilful arrangements. We congratulate her as she takes up her organ scholarship at Girton College Cambridge. Additionally, it is important not to overlook the many practical exam passes – several of which were at the highest levels – the various accolades in regional and national competitions and also the continued participation of Olavians at the junior music conservatoires. Speaking on behalf of the Music Department, we are very proud of the students responsible for these and the great number of other musical accomplishments and we look forward to another year of the same.

Mid-Term ConcertCongratulations to: the Guitar Ensemble and Intermediate Strings who provided polished performances; the Morrell Duo for a rousing Liszt piano duet, Harry Stanbury for his very musical Somewhere over the Rainbow, Eric and Ivan Leung for their accomplished cello playing and Alex Lau for sending us home with a virtuosic performance of Kapustin.

Christmas Concert A warm reception from family-members, friends and loyal supporters greeted the school’s senior choirs and instrumental ensembles after weeks of preparation leading up to the night. Under the baton of Miss Westley, in her first end-of-term concert, the Choir gave an impressive performance of Vivaldi’s popular Gloria. Symphony Orchestra delivered melodies by Bizet and Tchaikovsky, and Jazz Band and Brass Band both had toes tapping well after the end of the evening. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Mid-Term Concert Congratulations to all the talented students who featured in the mid-term concert. There were outstanding individual performances and some impressive ensemble playing from the Karnatic Music group, the String Orchestra, the Jazz band and the Vocal Ensemble

Music RecitalsAS and A2 students performed their recitals with sensitivity and impressive technical skill to family, friends and teachers in The Great Hall, singing and playing on the piano, violin and trombone. Lucy Morrell took us on

Matthew Price S___Director of Music

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a journey through four ages of piano music before Alex Lau rounded off a showcase of high quality with some sparkling virtuoso playing.

Musical AchievementsLucy Morrell has been busy developing her impressive talents as an organist. Following an invitation by Old Olavian Noel Tredinnick, she tackled the massive 4-manual Harrison organ and the 3 manual Willis console at All Souls Langham Place, unleashing the full power and glory of these instruments, taking to them, in Noel’s words, ‘like a duck to water.’

LPO BrightSparks ConcertGCSE musicians were fortunate to be counted amongst the hundreds of young people at the Royal Festival Hall for the LPO BrightSparks GCSE concert, with extracts of symphonic works by Mozart, Haydn, Berlioz, Liszt, Rachmaninov and Saint-Saëns. Members of the orchestra also talked about the composers’ lives and details to listen out for. Two Olavians secured their “fifteen minutes of fame” when they were chosen to share their reactions on camera!

RVO ConcertOur Choristers of the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy had a fabulous experience joining with those from St George’s to sing for The Royal Victorian Order service at Windsor Castle. In the presence of Her Majesty the Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, other members of the Royal Family and Medallists of the Order, the boys sang music by John Ireland and Dr Henry Bromley-Derry MVO.

Jazz SpectacularThose who attended were treated to a fabulous display of musical talent with the Jazz Band on top form under the expert direction of Nick Beston (now for the 27th year). The star of the show, however, was the sparkling virtuoso playing of ‘Harry the Piano’ returning for his second visit to St. Olave’s.

Mid Term ConcertA healthy audience supported a wide variety of musical performances and compositions. Highlights included sensitive solos from Udgama Tyagi on the piano and Sam Jolly on the Clarinet, with a very impressive premier of Alex Lau’s own Piano Sonata No 1. Summer strings and Shouvik Chakraborty’s arrangement of the Imagine Dragons track Demons, sent us off into the night with a toe-tapping mambo.

Samba WorkshopThe Music Department resounded with the grooves of Brazilian festival music, with Year 8s learning to be samba bands. Some even added choreography, in a style which is central to the Mardi Gras parade. The 2015 Inter-House Samba Band of the Year Competition was

showcased at the Summer Fun Day.

Commemoration The magnificent Southwark Cathedral played host to our Annual Commemoration Service, resounding to splendid music from the Chamber Choir, Brass Band and student organist Lucy Morrell. The Right Reverend Paul Williams, Bishop of Kensington, gave a thought-provoking address on building good foundations for life.

Year 9 Band

Choristers in the Quad

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Modern ForeignLanguages

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Modern Foreign Languages

The Modern Foreign Languages Faculty has had a very successful year. A particular strength of the

faculty remains the vast array of extra-curricular offering. However, the arrival of a new Head of Faculty has also meant changes to the programme of trips and activities. Particular mention should be made of the Year 9 Lille French Exchange, which took place for the first time this year. We hope it will become as well-established as its German counterpart, the Year 10 Starnberg Exchange, which has been running successfully for 33 years! The growth of an MFL film club, alongside a popular Languages Society, as well as the introduction of foreign language plays and the school´s first participation in the UK Linguistics Olympiad have been but a few other new highlights. Furthermore, we were lucky to be supported by Frau Cooper, who mainly taught German but also some French.

European Day of LanguagesEuropean Day of Languages is celebrated in all European countries on 26th September at the initiative of the Council of Europe. The MFL Faculty honoured this with special activities taking place throughout the week. We started on Monday with all forms completing a quiz of 26 tricky questions on European languages, won by Kanyanta Green with an astounding result of 25/26. On Tuesday, students of French and Spanish talked about their respective Year 10 residential trips to Normandie and Murcia, all in perfect French or Spanish, before the canteen served delicacies such as Courgette Pasta and Abóndigas. Wednesday’s assembly saw more students recount their adventures in the Rheinland, in fluent German. Adrian Santhiapillai’s video clip of the German Exchange to Starnberg was a technical masterpiece which made everyone shed a tear of laughter; and superb German meatloaf, based on Frau Cooley’s recipe of German Frikadellen, and Sauerkraut made for a highly popular lunch. The week was rounded off with foreign languages quizzes and our multilingual Chaplain teaching us some Russian in Friday’s assembly. Nous adorons les langues! Wir lieben Sprachen! ¡Nos encantan los idiomas!

Years 11 – 13 MFL Film ClubLaunched in November, the MFL Film Club held some well-attended showings including Goodbye Lenin, Das Leben der Anderen (German), Les Intouchables,

Bienvenue chez les Ch´Tis (French), as well as Volver and Un Cuento Chino (Spanish). Films are in the original language, with subtitles in English.

UKLOAll Sixth Form students of MFL, as well as a few voluntary additions, sat the Advanced UKLO (UK Linguistics Olympiad) for the first time in the history of the Faculty in early February. Students had to match up Japanese place names with their English translations, translate texts from indigenous Australian languages into English, make head or tail of the rather complex Finnish case system and decipher sentences written in the Georgian alphabet. Over 1400 students participated in the whole country, the great majority coming from independent schools. Although our students all found the paper extremely difficult, Edward Tolmie and Prerana Bhandari managed to get into the top 5% (Gold Certificate), Rangana Kumarasena, Philippa Norris, Sophia Hou into the top 15% (Silver Certificate), and William Edmonds, Tabtim Dünger and Oliver Allen into the top 35% (Bronze Certificate). Well done to all our contestants!

Years 11-13 MFL SocietyWell done to Jeevan Ravindran for his enthusiasm in creating this society, which attracted our top linguists. Students presented talks on The Philosophy of Language, Google Translator, Baby Talk, Aboriginal Languages, amongst others, which were followed by discussions on these topics.

Years 9 & 10 MFL PlaysYears 9 and 10 attended plays in French, German and

Karin Zwanziger S___Head of MFL

Linguistic Olympiad

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Spanish by the theatre company Onatti in the Great Hall. These provided great entertainment for the students, as well as an opportunity to gain inspiration and sharpen up their language skills. Students of Spanish enjoyed the performance of ¡Fuera!, which was about Raquel´s revenge on her brother Oscar for ruining her cita (date) with her dream-boy Fernando. Student participation was well appreciated with some perfect Spanish accents. The students had been prepared in advance for some scenes of the play, conducted entirely in Spanish by native-speaking actors. The common consensus was that it was highly enjoyable with students impressed by how much they understood. Our students of German enjoyed Meine neue Schwester, performed by two German actresses, about sixteen year old Katarina, whose mother is acting rather embarrassingly around her new boyfriend Gunter. Gunter´s daughter Sonja seems like someone with whom Katarina could share the joys and worries of teenage life. However, to her disappointment Sonja turns out to be an utter nightmare – rude, condescending and far too cool for Katarina´s world. Opposites attract though and the two girls eventually overcome their differences. The students all agreed that they thoroughly enjoyed the play and even the boys in their second year of learning understood about 80% of it. They certainly did their teachers proud when being called upon stage to act! French students had fun attending Une Erreur d’identité, a play which was set in a run-down hotel in France. A blend of mystery and comedy, performed entirely in French, also called some students on stage to take part in the plot. Quel Plaisir!

FRENCH

Sixth-Form Paris TripUne fois arrivés à notre logement nous sommes repartis pour faire du tourisme, et tout le monde a été très impressionné par les vitraux de la Sainte-Chapelle ainsi que par le château de Versailles que nous avons visités le lendemain. Cependant, si amusant soit-il, pendant une sortie scolaire il y aura toujours des mésaventures, notamment Jeevan que Mlle Delage a dû aller chercher à Montmartre où il avait été abandonné! Ensuite, on a mangé chez Chartier où nous avons fait l’expérience du chaos causé par une grève des employés. Avant de voir l’Arc de triomphe, les jardins de Luxembourg et la tour Eiffel de nuit. Le dernier jour nous sommes allés au musée Picasso et on a vu quelques-unes de ses œuvres célèbres.

Year 9 Lille French ExchangeFor the first time in many years, an exchange with a school in France welcomed 14 French students with their two teachers for a week. During the first leg of the exchange, the boys attended a performance of The Lion King in Covent Garden, played rugby together and had an afternoon cooking session to make shortbread! The

return visit during the Easter holidays was by no means less exciting. Students spent some time at our partner school Collège de la Croix Blanche experiencing French school life first hand, visited a mining museum, learned about the textile industry in the North of France, and attended pastry and tee-shirt making workshops. They also enjoyed a bilingual treasure hunt and spent a day in Eurodisney.

Years 12 & 13 ‘Le Tartuffe ‘In March, students visited the French Institute in South Kensington to see Le Tartuffe by leading French playwright Molière. In this energetic one-man show, actor Guillaume Bailliart perfectly captured the nuances of each character, particularly in his riveting and comical portrayal of Tartuffe.

Year 8 in BoulogneAn early Euro Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais preceded the drive to the beautiful town of Boulogne-sur-Mer. After walking around the ramparts and the Basilica, students of French bought interesting cheese, sausages, Nems Chauds, Vietnamese food and Bérets in the market. Wandering through the Nausicaa sea-life centre, they saw turtles and sharks, and they witnessed spectacular feats performed by the sea lions. With the weather being stunning, students were able to enjoy a few games by the beach. The completion of French booklets ensured the target language was practised throughout

Students sketching the Basilica in Boulogne

Year 8 enjoying the market in Bolougne

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GERMAN

Sixth-Form Berlin tripDuring February half term a group of Sixth Form German students explored the sights and sounds of Berlin. They stayed in a comfortable youth hostel enjoying a hearty breakfast every morning, based only two underground stops from the Alexanderplatz with its iconic TV tower. Highlights of the trip were a visit to the Jewish Museum, walking along the East Side Gallery with the longest stretch of remnants of the original Berlin Wall, looking at the documentation on attempted escapes to the West in the Bernauer Straße and a tour of the Reichstag with the modern glass dome by Sir Norman Foster. Last but not least was a tour of the prison of the former STASI (Staatssicherheit), where the students learned about the GDR’s inhumane methods of interrogation from a lady who had been imprisoned for 3 years merely for enquiring about travel to the West! The trip not only improved the students’ language skills, but was also a thought-provoking journey back to the times of the Cold War. Wir sind alle Berliner!

Year 10 RhinelandWir haben die Schule um sechs Uhr verlassen und die Reise mit dem Bus war ziemlich anstrengend, weil sie viele Stunden gedauert hat. Wir sind am Abend im Hotel Jägerhof angekommen und haben noch ein wenig die umliegende Umgebung erkundet. Am Dienstag haben wir eine Bootsfahrt auf dem Rhein gemacht und danach sind wir mit der Seilbahn zum Denkmal Niederwald gefahren. Es war spannend und die Landschaft war wunderschön. Am nächsten Tag sind wir in das mittelalterliche Dorf Cochem gefahren. Dort

the day and students found the trip highly enjoyable.

Year 10 Residential to NormandyEn juillet, nous sommes allés en France en Normandie pour une semaine. Nous avons visité le Mont Saint Michel (c’était tellement touristique!) et nous avons fait la traversée de la Baie à pieds. Nous avons testé les sables mouvants. Nous sommes aussi allés à un marché traditionnel et nous avons visité une chèvrer+++ie. De plus, nous sommes restés à La Grande Ferme pour passer notre temps libre; ça nous a plu, nous avons pu jouer au foot, au volley ou au ping-pong. Nous avons aussi regardé un film passionnant: Les Intouchables. Dans l’ensemble, c’était une semaine fantastique!

Students in Sir Norman Foster´s glass dome at the Berlin Reichstag

Berlin

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Berlin Trip 2015

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Paris Trip 2015

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haben wir eine Burg in der Nähe besichtigt, bei der wir viel über ihre Geschichte gelernt haben. Es war total interessant. Am letzten Tag sind wir nach Phantasialand, einem genialen Freizeitpark, gefahren. Die Wartezeit war beinahe unerträglich, aber nach einer Stunde sind wir schließlich angekommen. Jeder hatte unglaublich viel Spaß im Freizeitpark und wir haben versucht, so viele Fahrten wie möglich zu machen. Unsere Lieblingsattraktion war Die Schwarze Mamba. Am Freitag waren wir alle so müde, dass wir auf der ganzen Rückreise geschlafen haben. Im Großen und Ganzen war es extrem unterhaltsam und äußerst unvergesslich.

Year 10 Starnberg German ExchangeYear 10 students of German took part in the 33rd German Exchange to Starnberg. Exchange partners from Starnberg Gymnasium visited us as early as April and visited the London Eye, the Globe and the Changing of the Guard. The Germans’ command of English enabled them to enjoy Charlie and The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This fantastic experience was replicated as our students did the return

visit to Starnberg in July, taking in Disney’s iconic fairy tale castle at Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian Alps, the BMW works, the Olympiapark, as well as the University of Munich, where Sophie Scholl famously distributed her Anti-Nazi leaflets and was later executed for high treason. They also spent time in the Alps, relaxing in the Englischer Garten and joined their partners for a few lessons in school.

Das Beste am Austausch war es, nette deutsche Leute kennenzulernen. Wir haben unglaublich viel Deutsch gelernt, weil wir nach Frau Zwanzigers Anweisungen in Deutschland immer Deutsch sprechen mussten. Obwohl es anfangs schwierig war, war es ganz wunderbar. Die Austauschfamilien haben uns sehr geholfen und wir haben viele schöne Dinge gemeinsam erlebt. Der Wasserpark war wahrscheinlich die allerbeste Aktivität. Es gab eine Wasserrutsche und ein Sprungbrett. Ein paar von uns haben jeden Tag Schnitzel gegessen, was total lecker war. Wir werden mit unseren Partnern auf jeden Fall in Kontakt bleiben und möchten sie nächstes Jahr wieder besuchen.

Students enjoying stunning views in the Rhineland and having fun in Phantasialand

Students enjoying themselves in the Olympiapark, and admiring Neuschwanstein in the sun

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SPANISH

Year 8 Spanish DayStudents enjoyed a day of activities to increase their cultural awareness of the Spanish speaking world. They spent time watching an Argentinian animated film about a table football game coming to life called Metegol, learned basic Flamenco steps with teacher Juani Garcia and her guitarist, and cooked Tortilla Española and Patatas Bravas, under the close supervision of Señora Gardiner. The boys had a fantastic time and learned a great deal, although the skills acquired were not only related to Spanish (e.g. how to peel an onion, how much spice to put in a sauce…). ¡Qué bien!

Year 10 Residential to Murcia Under cloudless skies Year 10 Spanish students landed at San Javier airport in Murcia. They then set off for the Centro de Alto Rendimiento, a former Olympic centre, in Los Alcázares, which was only a few metres away from the beach. They visited the Amphitheatre in Cartagena and a funfair, experienced Spanish lessons, mud bathing, swimming, sailing, windsurfing, paddle boarding and dancing salsa to a Cuban band. It is fair to say that they all had a great time! ¡Viva España!

Spanish Work ExperienceThis February half term, my friend Jacob Shotton (13Q) and I went to the vibrant city of Alicante, located on the Costa Blanca, for a week’s work experience. I spent five days working in the office of the trades union CGT

(Confederación General del Trabajo) and Jacob worked in the harbour administration offices. As a prospective law student, I was particularly interested in spending my week working within the legal or political field, so when I was allocated my placement I was very excited yet slightly apprehensive - I knew little about Spain’s political and economic problems.

Throughout my week at the CGT, I barely spoke a word of English to any of the workers and I learnt a lot about the problems facing people in Spain - particularly for low-earning workers who are facing zero hour contracts and homelessness. In addition, I helped the receptionist to work out the differences between the budgets set in place for this particular trade union compared with the actual spending on research, legal fees and demonstrations. Shadowing a lawyer and having the opportunity to sit in on client meetings was also incredibly interesting and beneficial for my career plans, although it was particularly difficult to understand political and legal vocabulary in another language!

I had a very pleasurable experience in Alicante, and my time spent there has greatly improved my spoken Spanish. In addition, I have become more interested in political affairs and I hope that I have made some valuable contacts so that in the future I might have the opportunity to further develop my linguistic skills in such an intellectually engaging environment.

Chloe Daley 13P

mud bathing

Humanities

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The Faculty of Humanities

2014-15 was a successful, stable year for the Humanities Faculty. The faculty continued to organise an ever

expanding plethora of extra-curricular ventures and trips alongside preparing for several major curriculum changes taking effect in 2015 and 2016.

In last years Olavian it was noted that the faculty would organise a mock election in March 2015 prior to the General Election in May. Polling Day was on Thursday 19th March and having followed extensive debates and hustings organised by a committed team of Sixth Formers, over half the school population turned out to vote at polling stations setup across the school site. Electronic voting helped to exclude protest votes and also alert the election team to irregularities in favour of one party which were duly discounted! The Labour party represented by Edward Parker-Humphreys and Max Lewthwaite were the overall winners, however, the faculty hope the process served to introduce pupils

Daniel Espejo S___Head of Humanities

across the school to the British democratic process and its vagaries!

2014-15 also saw a review of the Humanities Faculty which it tackled with customary imagination and diligence. The review only served to highlight why pupils approach lessons within the faculty with such enthusiasm and consequently go on to achieve excellent results in public examinations. The numbers of pupils studying Humanities subjects is ever growing and it has been heartening to see increasing numbers of young men and women leave St. Olave’s to continue those academic pursuits at university. 2015-16 will see the faculty continue to flourish.

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The Department of History

“It was not a game as such – more of a kick-around and a free-for-all. There could have been 50 on each side for all I know. I played because I really liked football. I don’t know how long it lasted, probably half-an-hour, and no-one was keeping score.”

Legend has it that on Christmas Day 1915 British and German soldiers engaged in an impromptu football

match in no-man’s land having left their trenches during a truce. The quote above is attributed to Bertie Felstead who served in the Royal Welsh fusiliers and was the last survivor of the match. As we mark the 100th anniversary of the football match to which Edmund Blackadder refers in the final episode of “Blackadder” the History department continues to help pupils remember and reflect on the Great War. The Year 8 visit to Ypres/Somme saw pupils pay homage to fallen Olavians at the grave of Private W. Ruggles at Poziers cemetery. Old Olavian Peter Leonard’s book, “Till All Our Fight be Fought: The Olavian Fallen” has proven to be invaluable in helping pupils to access the stories of the lives of boys and men who studied and worked at St. Olave’s prior to joining the services.

2014-15 contained a huge amount of activity within the History department, however, it was sad to bid farewell to Mrs Beard and Mr Gonsalves who both brought both great passion to the teaching of History at St. Olave’s. Exam results remained a real strength with the Year 11 GCSE cohort coming close to matching the record results of 2013-14 with 78% of pupils achieving A*s and 97% A*/A grades.

2015-16 will see further changes for the department with the introduction of Miss Clift and new Year 12 modules on the Birth of the USA and Challenge and Transformation in Britain from 1851 onwards.

Utopia DayIn this annual event to promote links across departments, Year 7s studied the theme of Utopia in Classics, English, Geography and History. Caleb Martin-Batchelor wrote: “We learnt why the Pilgrim Fathers left England and how America was created. We studied democracy in ancient Athens, and how the words utopia and dystopia

Daniel Espejo S___Head of History

come from the Greek eu (good), dys (bad) and topos (place). In Geography we learnt what makes a Utopia and analysed dystopia in English, by watching three trailers of post-apocalyptic films.”

HolocaustStudents were well informed about activities marking the seventieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz through History lessons on the Holocaust. They used the stimulus of Freddie Knoller’s story of his survival, recently shown in a BBC documentary, and considered the legacy of survivors’ stories.

History SocietyIn an intriguing talk on the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative MP, Sir Edward Leigh, who served alongside her during her time in office, provided a captivating insight into her decision making and infamous style of leadership! His answers to the questions posed by the packed student audience revealed his personal sadness at the end of Thatcher’s ministry in 1990, and the complex internal divisions within the party.

WW1 ExhibitionThank you to Chris Davies for setting up the World War 1 exhibition in the First Court Cloisters and also to those who sent in memorabilia, photographs, moving personal letters, diaries, military records, medals, records of bravery, that tell of how the war affected those at the front and also those left behind. The school archive records that nearly 200 Olavians, students and teachers lost their lives; in token of this King George V donated the memorial and signed photographs that stand at the back of The Great Hall. Grantley Le Chavetois was killed in Palestine and gave his name to our school community outreach charity. In the school Reception you will see the clock donated by his mother in his memory.

“Beginning in the small hours of Monday 18th May, the entirety of Year 8 proceeded on a short journey from Orpington to Folkestone, through the Channel Tunnel to Calais and on into northern France and eventually Belgium.

It was in southern Belgium where we made our first stops at a mere few of the cemeteries across Belgium where the soldiers killed in World War 1 were laid to rest. These included Bedford house, the vast Tyne Cot cemetery, where over 10,000 soldiers from Commonwealth are

90 – Olavian 2015

buried, and the German Langemark cemetery. At every site we had the opportunity to learn about aspects of war burials and the circumstances through which many of the poor souls buried came to be there.

Following this and a visit to a preserved German trench system just outside Ypres, we entered the formerly much-fought over town and observed the famous Menin Gate and then enjoyed a spectacular and civilized dinner of the highest quality. Once this was finished the day was drawing to an end and we proceeded to our hostel, which surpassed many expectations, as each group enjoyed a generously sized apartment!

The next day, after an amazing breakfast buffet at the hostel, we went on yet another long coach journey (but this time thankfully livened up by a documentary about the Battle of the Somme) to one of the sites at which the infamous Battle of the Somme was fought. Following an introduction to conscription and Kitchener’s Army, we trekked across the countryside to a site at which a battalion of men from Accrington in Lancashire who had volunteered for the British army were decimated on the first day of the infamous battle on July 1st 1916. From there we went on to the Newfoundland Memorial Park, where we observed how the attack on July 1st not only killed thousands of British men but also had a hand in the economic collapse of the entirety of Newfoundland.

After that we visited the Theipval Memorial to the Missing, a colossal structure created in honour of those brave soldiers who died and whose bodies were never found. Here we sought out the names of the many Old Olavians who gave their lives in World War 1, and after paying respect to them we went on to visit the Lochnager Mine Crater which was created by the explosion of an enormous mine laid under German lines on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. To finish the day we held a short ceremony of remembrance at Poziers cemetery during which we laid a wreath on the grave of C.G Ruggles, an Olavian who sacrificed himself in the war to end all wars.

Wednesday 20th May was dedicated to the early phases of World War 2, and we headed into France to examine the forts hastily constructed on the French-Belgian border to defend against another German attack as we learnt about the Maginot Line and German rearmament in the inter-war years. Then we visited French the town of Cassel as we learnt about Blitzkrieg and the retreat of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940. Here we were permitted a brief look around, but we were soon nearing our final spot: Dunkirk. On the beaches where, 75 years ago, over 300,000 men were evacuated, we learnt exactly how this evacuation came about, and after an informative trip to the museum it was time to return, each of us more knowledgeable than we were before.

I personally send my heartiest thanks to everyone who helped organize the trip, as it provided a huge amount of fascinating information about both world wars and ample opportunity for reflection on the sacrifices made by the men who fought in them.”

On the beaches at Dunkirk

At Bedford House

Olavian 2015 – 91

Serre

Thiepval

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The Department of Geography

Geography is a fascinating study of places, people & their interactions. It is truly synoptic and is always

relevant and changing – from the local to the global – this is reflected at St Olave’s. Geography is everywhere and students can enjoy this – we live in an amazing, awesome, but delicate physical environment that needs our care.

Politically, geographical issues are taking on increasing relevance. Topical issues such as climate change, global warming, population growth, resource depletion and international debt dominate our news to an extent never before seen. The Geographical Society has been discussing these topics in depth this year, going from strength to strength. Topics were wide ranging, from the Spratly Islands, to Globalisation & the internet, to the Senkaku Islands.

Governments have a role to play in shaping the future. However, it is the individual who will ultimately shape public opinion. The collective decisions taken today are going to have profound effects upon future generations. The world has never been in greater need of well-educated and curious Geographers such as our Olavians who continue to achieve fantastic results, with many going on to study Geography at university too.

Geographers in MalhamIn a four day trip to the Yorkshire Dales students investigated river variables in Cowside Beck and renewable energy sources. Experiencing first-hand the effect of flash floods and working mini hydro-electric power plant enhanced their understanding. The keenest explorers also trekked up Goredale Scar waterfall and to Victoria Cave before breakfast!

Trip to Ashdown ForestYear 9 Geographers investigated river processes and downstream changes on the River Warren in the Ashdown Forest, drawing a field sketch and measuring variables such as cross-sectional area, velocity and gradient. Despite recent dry weather, some of them still managed to get very wet!

Fascinating MaidstoneYear 10 Geographers went on a fieldtrip to Maidstone, collecting data to ascertain whether it is possible to

identify the different functional parts of the town. We planned our own hypotheses prior to the trip regarding various things like functional land use, building height, change over time, environmental quality, traffic, and so on. Our theory was that retail and commerce will be found in the centre of town because the transport links converge there so the workers and shoppers are able to reach the area easily. Towns tend to grow outwards, so we were expecting to find older buildings nearer the centre and newer ones further out. We thought that residential areas should be outside of the central business district because the land becomes cheaper, meaning individuals can afford houses and flats. Our findings were fully analysed during the summer term.

CompetitionsThe Geography Department entered two teams into the Bromley WorldWise competition run by the Geographical Association. Ten boys from Year 10 took part in the quiz involving rounds on OS maps, Google Earth and famous landmarks. Well done to St. Olave’s Edward Cranston, Thomas Young, James Byrne, Joshua Limbrey and Kieran Walton who took second place.

Victoria Watson S___Head of Geography

Year 12 Malham Trip

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Our congratulations went to Jacob Lawson 10M who was Highly Commended in the Geographical Association Physical Geography Competition – ‘Physical geography around where I live’. This was a national competition and many students from St. Olave’s enjoyed exploring their local areas and seeing the physical geography that is all around us.

Students in the Wonders of the World Club for Years 7 and 8 have been designing earthquake proof buildings. They also joined Ian Stewart on his journey through the incredible landscapes and ecosystems of planet earth.

Geography and RS.In Activities Week Year 7s focussed on differences and similarities in the design of churches. After starting with St Peter & St Paul’s church in Farningham they walked to Lullingstone to see St Botolph’s in the castle grounds, as well as Lullingstone Roman Villa with its family chapel. For Geography, they studied Hulberry and Eynsford to develop understanding of settlements, siting factors and modern functions which will be used in their IPM.

Iceland TripArriving in Iceland on the 6th of July 2015 there was an atmosphere of excitement, anticipation, and a little tiredness, as we awaited all that Iceland had to offer. After eating dinner at the hostel on the first night, we quickly made our way to the local geothermally heated pool for a late night swim in Reykjavik, perhaps our first real taste of Icelandic culture, which would warm us up for the even more exciting trip to the Blue Lagoon a few days later.

It was an early start the next day, departing at 8 AM from the hostel on the minibus for a day packed full of sightseeing and adventure. Our first major stop, the Solheimajokull Glacier, was for many one of the most exciting parts of the trip, giving many of us our first experience of walking on a glacier. The perhaps ironically named ‘Home of the Sun’ Glacier may not have offered much sun, but it did offer us a firsthand insight into the wonders of the glacial environment; seeing deep moulins and crevasses, and even getting to taste the glacial water. We also had the unique opportunity to learn about w basic ice equipment, such as fitting crampons onto our boots, and holding ice axes. After walking for a couple of hours on the glacier, it was time to return to the minibus though, as an exciting day still waited ahead.

The rest of the day consisted of visiting two Icelandic coastal towns, in Vik and Reynishverfi; the second of which offered us the opportunity to climb up and sit on

Year 9 trip to Ashdown Forest

Year 7 Trip to Eynsford

Empty Classroom Day

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the basalt columns, and take photos of the impressive basalt caves. After a video screening at the Eyjafjallajokull visitor centre, we still had time to visit a couple of Iceland’s most exciting waterfalls, at Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss; the second of which we could even walk behind.

The second full day, whilst a little shorter, was still packed full of things to see and do. We got to stop off at the massive volcanic Crater Lake at Kerid in the morning, and then visited the Gullfoss, or Golden Waterfall, which was a double falls located in a deep steep-sided gorge; undoubtedly one of the most impressive sights on the trip. Our lunch stop allowed us to explore the Geysir Park where we saw the incredible might of the Strokkur geyser, which could reach a height of up to 30m. Yet, after lunch more adventure awaited, as we had the opportunity to go lava tube caving, exploring a large cave created by volcanic activity in the Thingvellir region and allowing us to walk and climb through the caves with the help of our trusty guides. The day concluded with a walk around the National Park in Thingvellir, along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

With the skies relatively clear that evening, we were able to mark our last night in Reykjavik with a wonderful sunset, but it wasn’t to be goodbye quite yet, with another fully packed day the next morning and early afternoon. We started the last day with a tour of the city centre in Reykjavik, visiting the impressive church, the old port and the lake. We also got to stop off at the Harpa building, and marvel at its magnificent structure from the inside and out. To conclude our tour of the city, we visited Perlan, a large circular building, with a rooftop viewing platform

which gave us beautiful panoramic views over the city. Our morning would conclude with a visit to boiling mud pools and hot springs in the Reykjanes Peninsula, and the Lucky Bridge, a bridge between continents spanning the fissure of the mid-Atlantic ridge.

Last, but certainly not least, it was our chance to visit the Blue Lagoon, the geothermally heated pool said to be one of the 25 wonders of the world. Relaxing in the warm pool, said to have special healing properties for the skin, was a great way to relax in comfort and style before our flight back to London. It was a tiring few days, but packed full of adventure and sightseeing and well worth the effort. The trip gave us a much greater understanding of how geographical processes have formed and shaped Iceland, and also provided us with an insight into Icelandic traditional and culture; where we tried a couple of Icelandic delicacies on the last day. It was an amazing trip, and one I’m sure many students will enjoy in the future.

Watching the sunrise in Iceland

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National CompetitionsThe Department of Classics

The department continues to prosper with good numbers taking up Latin in the Lower School

and continuing right through to GCSE and beyond. Imogen Trusselle, Jo Corderey and Daniel Finucane will start to read Classics at University this October and we have high hopes on the back of 100% A/ B grade at AS that we will secure places this coming year. The enthusiasm for Ancient Greek is still burning and this year we have one brilliant candidate doing A2 Greek being taught by the members of the department as an extra-curricular subject. There were some magnificent moments this last year not least with the tremendous production of the ‘Bacchae’ which was introduced by an academic from King’s College London. This first outing in my time at Saint Olave’s into a production of Greek Tragedy has given birth to a production of the Oresteia this year. This new enthusiasm for Greek Tragedy will be encouraged enthusiastically as it adds further depth to their learning and provides a richer dimension to the interdisciplinary nature of Classics within the school. There were some familiar visits too and I seemed to take up almost permanent residence in the British Museum during Activity Week One with a record stay of three days with ‘Craigisms’ on the Elgin Marbles. My nostos there was to coincide with the ‘Age of Beauty’ exhibition. We also took the charabancs down to Porchester and however much I feel that I would like to do something new, perhaps a visit to Verulamium, it actually proves an ideal site each year though my increasingly elderly knees are less keen on the triple ascent to the top of the Norman Keep. Up there, I feel like the watchman lying on the roof of Clytemnestra’s Palace waiting for news of Agamemnon’s return. However I am significantly supported by my colleagues who have become all honorary members of the Classics Department.

My new colleague Mr Carroll has been wonderful in every respect not merely with his profound knowledge of all matters Classical but all matters technical too. We hope to engage even more students with Greek with his excellent work with both beginners Greek in Year Eight and his work with the short course Greek GCSE which sadly will not be offered by OCR after next year. This is a serious error on behalf of OCR because the short course fits ideally into a timetable wherein there would not be enough space to allow the teaching of the full course. OCR are however are offering some form of certification but we will all have to wait to see what exactly that means.

We are also very fortunate with our alumnae and

alumni. Tim Adelani has already come back and given an excellent talk on ‘How to rule an Empire’ and we have a whole cohort ready to grill this year’s Oxbridge potentials. I am thrilled both by their progress and their on- going commitment to the school. Of course too, we went to Greece this year and my report thereof is below this proem. It was rather too challenging given the crisis and Grexit referendum taking place while we were there but we still had a glorious time and found new delights such as Thorikos and Oropos. In a nutshell, all is well.

David Craig S___Head of Classics

The department was given a superlative boost at the beginning of the year with the arrival of Cambridge University educated Mr Alex Carroll who has in keeping with his predecessors brought his own brand of wit and sagacity. We continue to draw large numbers to this subject from our own students and from other schools with the new sixth form intake. All these pupils will benefit greatly from Mr Carroll’s learning. There is a real enthusiasm for Latin and Greek in Years 12 and 13 with many of our pupils going on to read Classics in its many formats at the very best universities. We continue to enjoy trips to Greece with the annual attempt to find some sites which have not been visited by us before though we have yet to travel north to explore the tombs of Philip of Macedonia. It would be magnificent if we could organise an OO Classics trip too or an Activity Week Two which was more than a week in duration. The department no longer visits Tunisia or Italy because we have been teaching the AQA Course on Art and Architecture for some time now and very rewarding it is.

It is immensely pleasing to hear news of OO Classicists who seem to be receiving First Class honours degrees and prizes and we have even one who has now sung in the Sistine Chapel for the Pope. We have bought, thanks to the generosity of the Parents’ Association, ‘Massolit’ which is inter alia an on –line series of talks on Classics subjects by leading authorities and very good it is too. It has in part been brought about by the brilliant Classicist and OO Christopher Tudor who was the Erasmus scholar at Brasenose. We have had also another Erasmus scholar at the same college in William Dudley and have high hopes for several students in the current Lower Sixth who are already showing immense promise.

My neighbour towards the end of term said to me

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that I should go the ‘Age of Beauty’ exhibition at the British Museum. The thought of strangulation came to mind because I actually saw it three times in one week in addition to the recce I had done earlier in the year during the Easter Holidays. I took years seven, eight and nine there, became very excited about the pediments of the British Museum itself, the works of Myron and Praxiteles, digressed on the metopes and tried to explain the significance of the Parthenon Frieze. We also were evacuated from the museum because of the fire alarm going off which was a first in my experience.

We went to Portchester as per norm. One of my colleagues thought she might have been there ten times with me. I think she is correct; ‘mos maiorum, mos maiorum ‘, I uttered under my breath. Portchester is a superlative example of a Roman coastal fort and best seen from the roof of the Norman Castle but as I grow older and less elfin the task of climbing up and down the keep six times in one day grows more challenging. The difficulty lies in finding something as rewarding and as easily accessible. We have given thought to Saint Albans, Pevensey and even Roman Basingstoke but none of these three seem to have the pull of ancient Portsmouth.

There are plans and at this stage no more than plans for some more Classical adventures for different age groups. Perhaps I shall be writing in the magazine about these soon. Given that Latin and Greek are nationally recognised as the hardest GCSEs and A levels, OCR has decided to make them even harder with some English in Latin, though the fate of the short course Greek GCSE is flimsy but likely to survive for two further years. Additionally I have noticed the trend too in setting more exasperating authors. Currently I am preparing Tacitus’ Annals Book 4 full of the skulduggery of Sejanus and his penchant for poisoning and in the last two years we have been teaching Propertius and not the more famous ‘ Monobiblos’. I enjoy teaching these authors but sometimes I wonder how much OCR appreciate their complexities, not least with Tacitus’ fondness for omitting the main verb or having to hunt for the verb like some Classical ‘Where’s Wally’ and Propertius’ delight in myth and geography of which few have heard.

We are fighting our corner against these travails. We have had exciting speakers come to the Classics Society both from Oxford, notably Dr D’Angour, and Cambridge. The Sixth Formers produced a brilliant ‘Bacchae’ which was introduced to us by Dr. Emmanuela Bakola, a superlative lecturer from King’s College London. Mr Alex Carroll has a small group of Greek enthusiasts in the Lower School and I have been preparing one pupil for Greek AS. We are de facto pleased with our progress but we would enjoy hearing too from more OO Classicists and their experiences of the Classical World.

Classics Trip to Greece 2015Herakles wants to pay ball while a new Dikaiopolis seeks the help of Merkel.

This year they were performing Aristophanes’ Archarnians or ‘The charcoal burners’ in the theatre at Epidauros. I have seen the play and indeed translated it many years ago but not as long ago as its first performance in 425BC but I have never watched it or indeed any other play performed at Epidauros; the tickets are astronomically expensive and nigh on impossible to obtain even in a Greece struck by an economic crisis. Equally I wonder how much my Lower Sixth would enjoy two hours of Ancient Greek in the evening Argolid sun. But as you will know I have been to Epidauros many times and seen impromptu performances by some notable Olavians such as James Robinson and Peter Leigh. The latter was probably singing for the Pope in the Sistine Chapel at the time of this year’s visit. The irony of it being the Archarnians was not lost on me. Dikaiopolis the protagonist frustrated by the lack of effectiveness of the Boule during the Peloponnesian War determines to strike a deal of peace with the Spartans which suit his needs but not those of his people. He returns to his village to eat copaic eels, drink lots of fine wine and enjoy the good life. He infuriates the demos who pelt him with pieces

Eleusis

Sounion

Olavian 2015 – 97

of charcoal. One can only imagine how uncomfortable this must have been for the contemporary viewer today; Tsipras was out of town during our visit while the demos were forming a riotous assembly outside the Palace in Syntagma Square, a mere ten minutes’ walk from the ancient Pnyx.

The common room was awash with speculation about my visit to Greece prior to departure. The Economics department was telling me of the ramifications of a potential failure to receive the bail- out and the neologism of Grexit. How was the risk assessment going to look if the smoke bombs were to be thrown in the centre of Athens? Was I able to take enough cash to bring the children home? Would the sites be open?

The trip was indeed potentially full of challenges but all were met with aplomb and not a bomb. We thought on our feet. We arrived late thanks to British Airways who gave us the normal platitudes of ‘we will try and make up time’ on the journey. What were they going to do? Were we to be transferred mid-flight to a Lockheed fighter 35, all squeezing into the cockpit? Our late arrival therefore prompted a sprint around the new Acropolis museum before a swim in the roof top tubs of the Herodian.

Unlike previous years we went south this year first to Sounion perched high up on the rock, then to the curious Thorikos with its oblong theatre and the remains of the silver mine. We were in the Laurion peninsula, the source of the silver for the Attic owl and the vast amounts of money needed to pay for the war effort. Thereafter we proceeded to Brauron where we were given a harsh reception; ‘why do you expect free entry?’ was the context of the dialogue I had with an angry museum guard. The site itself was small and rather disappointing but the museum was sensational. In the afternoon we returned rapidly to Athens where we just reached the top of the

Acropolis before we were serenaded with dozens of tin whistles announcing a strike. The Erechtheion was never viewed so quickly.

The evening planning session meant that I had discovered that many of the sites were to be closed not least my favourite Rhamnous. The new route however proved very rewarding. The tomb of the fallen Athenians at Marathon was wonderful not least because of the superb map detailing the movements of the Persians, the Plataeans and the Athenians. This was the first battle where the Athenian hoplites ran under the command of Miltiades but the museum was beyond expectations. Here there were stelai, Heroides Atticus’ collection of statues of Egyptian deities and next door under a purpose built canopy a late Helladic necropolis. Further up the road we also visited a magnificent Byzantine monastery dedicated to Aghios Eleferias who was flayed from a tree. I leapt out of my skin inside the chapel when I saw the revered saint dressed in his robes in a glass-topped coffin his skeletal finger apparently accusing me. The wretched tree from which he was hung upside down also had centre stage with various icons decorating its branches.

Prior to moving onto the wonderful Delphi we went to the star attraction of the trip the Amphiareion of Oropos. The site is off the beaten track but well worth visiting not least for its remoteness. In the Fifth Century it was the seat of the oracle and seer Amphiareos, the son of Melanpos. To be seen there is a wonderful stoa where oracles were given, medicines prescribed and a small theatre. There are also the remains of a temple to Amphiareos and a clepsydra. The coach driver said he had never been there before and the guard said he had never seen a British school party!I will notch that up as another first for Olavians.

Left: ErectheionAbove: Silver mine at Thorikos (above)

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There was no change at Delphi; the Roman section below the temple and the treasuries was still closed but the early start to the day gave us a mostly crowd free visit. The little town itself still buzzed with the noise of bars, knick-knack shops full of replicas were open until late and there were the usual roaming hounds hoping for treats. The winds blew excitedly across the pool in the Amalia and for once we managed to avoid the relentless curse of cheesy pie. Olympia on the following day was as magnificent as ever and there was a great detail of archaeology taking place. Some Danish archaeologists explained to the group about new work being done on the Leonideon which brought much to light not only about the site itself but the techniques involved in recording data.

Previous co-travellers will remember the wonderful Amalia in Nafplion where we stayed once again. I confess they were so pleased to see us that my wife and I were given a huge bowel of fruit and a bottle of wine in our room. From there we used it as a base to visit Epidauros where here too a very generous spirited archaeologist outside the Thymele gave us a brilliant impromptu talk on stratification and seriously outshone my ham efforts at archaeology in the bath house. Of course we went to Mycenae again and Tiryns too. We managed to find the famous ice cream shop in Nafplion and I managed not to lose my temper there. There took place another unusual event here where one of my group bought himself a fishing rod and tried to catch his lunch!

The last night saw the usual cabaret evening which by any standards was the most unusual. It really was quite remarkable combining what I can only say was a fantastical mixture of Peter Cook, Monty Python, surreal adaptations of Ovid’s Metamorphoses ,an Elvis Presley impersonator telling ribald jokes and Kity Pring being silent, mirabile dictum. It took me some time to realise that this was really rather wonderful.

The drive back to Athens saw us visit Corinth, where Zack Stiling sang in the theatre and make a flying tour of the Archaeological Museum. Other aspects of this excellent trip have not been forgotten such as the ‘ train drive’ around Athens at night; discovering that there was a beautiful dog called Herakles at Nemea who just wanted to play ball and that philosophical debates were going strong on the coach. We also discovered as ever that Greece for its woes is still a beautiful, welcoming country to visit.

Classics TalkDr D’Angour from Jesus College, Oxford visited the Classics Society to give a talk on music in the poetry of Homer and Virgil. Dr D’Angour, who was the composer of the Ode for the London Olympics, explained the rhythm of the dactylic hexameter to the large audience

and finished off with an exquisite recording of the sort of lute playing which might have accompanied ancient Greek poetry performances.

Classics SocietyDr Helen Van Noorden from Girton College, Cambridge, gave a captivating talk on the Cosmic Iliad, explaining some nagging problems which hang in the balance between divine will and fate. A brilliant academic, she described how the audience of Homer would have known the epic Cypria and why Achilles had to die by reference to the story of Prometheus Bound.

The BacchaeStudents gave a very convincing performance of Euripides’ ‘Bacchae’; congratulations to all the cast and particularly to student directors Joseph Cordery and Daniel Finucane. The audience’s appreciation of the play was enhanced by a lively and enlightening lecture given by Dr Emmanuela Bakola prior to the performance. All the actors were very plausible and Robert Pattinson’s Dionysus was electrifying and dynamic.

Horace Odes 1.25Those Bright Young Things, with a few choice rocks

Don’t rattle your windows quite so much

Or snatch away your sleep; and the locks

Of your door hold fast to the touch

Which once swung the hinges so freely!

Less and less now comes the cry,

“Lydia, in all the long nights are you really

Asleep, whilst for you I think I must die.”

In turn you’ll be alone and old

At a dead end, lamenting men,

Faithless, fickle. While north winds hold

The secret thrill as parties happen

And you, burning with love and lust,

Raging like a mare on heat,

Clutch at your ulcerous liver, just

Refining your complaints to meet

The carefree youth with party gear

Of green ivy, enjoying dress

Of dark myrtle, not dry leaves near

The cold extremes of wintriness.

Translated by Old Olavian Dr. Crispin Pailing

Olavian 2015 – 99

National CompetitionsThe Department ofReligious Studies

Above all, be careful what you think, because your thoughts control your life. Prov 4:23

Can you think? What do you think and why do you think it? Can you think clearly and assess the claims of those who think differently to you? The ability to think is shared by all of us and sets us apart from the majority of the animal kingdom, but the ability to think clearly and effectively is all too rare. If it is indeed true that our thoughts control our lives, then the trick is to control our thoughts.

Religious Studies is uniquely focussed on the development of this most fundamental of skills. From the first half-term in Year 7, in which students consider a variety of approaches to ultimate questions, to the trickier end of Year 13, in which students consider Boethius’ views on the nature of eternity, students are challenged to understand the thought of others and to learn to think for themselves.

The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. Job 34:4

Philosophy for Children is an approach to discussion that places control of the conversation in the hands of those taking part. A stimulus is provided by the teacher (a video, a story, an article), which forms the basis for the class to generate questions for discussion. The emphasis in the discussion is on listening to and building on or challenging the ideas of others. The department hosted a number of Philosophy for Children discussions in Year 9 and 10 lessons, on topics ranging from immigration and foreign aid to women bishops and giving to charity. In emotive topics, it is vital for students to learn to persuade others through argument rather than forcefulness, and Years 9 and 10 are to be commended for meeting this challenge. A visiting teacher from La Martiniere school in Kolkatta remarked ‘there was some anger in the discussion, but they knew how to express themselves appropriately.’ Our students never cease to amaze with their maturity. It was particularly pleasing in discussions on giving to charity to see students with hardened views becoming persuaded by the more compassionate views of some of their peers.

Wisdom is better than rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov 8:11

Another busy year, then, for the Religious Studies Department. Wisdom is not to be measured in exam results, but particular mention should go to students

who performed spectacularly well this summer. Ten Year 10 students chose to sit the Full Course GCSE qualification, giving the Exams Office a headache in administration but ultimately all achieving A and A* Grades. At AS, more than a quarter of all the module results were graded at 100% UMS! Special praise should go to Izzy Cooper, Izzy Lawson and Susie Bailey, who all achieved 100% on both papers. In a very difficult subject, this is an incredible achievement. Wisdom may not be measurable in good exam results, but it can be demonstrated in the behaviours that lead to them. At A2, Nilojana Nirmalan, who picked up the Religious Studies Prize at Prize-Giving, worked with perseverance and determination all year. She richly deserved her A* and in the course of achieving it in her Philosophy of Religion paper wrote quite the most brilliant essay I have seen under exam conditions. Well done Nilo.

Andrew Lake S___Head of Religious Studies

100 – Olavian 2015

Religious Studies TripsWhere would you find a soggy shoe, a seditious toy, and a bed that is always used but never slept in? In a year with the Religious Studies Department, of course!

Soggy shoes were this year to be found in abundance on the Year 7 Geography and RS field trip, since the good weather to which we have become accustomed was not consistently apparent this year. Hence, our summer stroll through the fields, stopping to take in the occasional church or field sketch, at times took on more the air of a forced march. Happily though, reports of Trench Foot are unfounded. Nevertheless, the churches on our route fulfilled their roles as refuges in times of trouble in both a literal and symbolic manner.

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Farningham offers a fascinating symbolic journey from the profane to the holy. The entrance to the church grounds is marked by a traditional lychgate, a favourite in every wedding album. How many of those happy couples realise that ‘lych’ is the Old English word for ‘corpse’, and that the photogenic lychgate was in fact the place where the recently-deceased, wrapped only in a shroud, were brought to be met by the priest?

Hence the entrance to the church is open to the ultimate profanity, but the path from gate to altar is also a path to the holy. At the entrance, a font, which marks the cleansing of a believer and a turning from sin. Next, the nave, where believers receive the Word of God from a golden lectern. Speaking now from behind the altar table, the priest addresses the congregation from an apse, a semi-dome cut into the back wall of the church that both projects his voice and focusses attention on the body and blood of Christ. ‘Draw near with faith’, he says, ‘and encounter the divine’, he implies. The altar itself is slightly removed, its visitors must step up into the chancel but come no further than the communion rail. There at the communion rail, as a believer receives the bread and the wine, the everyday meets the holy.

This was the last Year 7 trip to be accompanied by our outgoing chaplain, the Reverend Andrew McClellan. As always, his expertise in guiding our groups was greatly appreciated. Doubtless he would disagree vigorously with the theology outlined above: his unswerving view in his service to the school was always that God is not to be kept locked behind gates, steps and screens. Instead, like Jesus eating in the houses of ‘sinners and tax collectors’, he seeks to meet with people in the everyday and by doing so to make the everyday holy.

So much for soggy shoes, but seditious toys? These were encountered by Year 9 at the Jewish Museum in Camden. Perhaps tragic toys would have been a better

tagline though, since this was a toy owned by Barney Greenman, a Jewish boy born to British parents living in occupied Rotterdam at the outbreak of the Second World War. His father, Leon Greenman, made it for him: a pull-along truck painted red with the letters LMS emblazoned on the sides. Barney never outgrew it; he was deported along with the rest of the family to Westerbrook and subsequently to Auschwitz, where he and his mother were killed on arrival. Leon Greenman survived the war and devoted the rest of his life to telling the story of the holocaust and to fighting racism. He donated what remained of Barney’s belongings to the museum, who use them so effectively to bring to life the story of millions through the eyes of one survivor. As for sedition, the letters LMS on the truck stood for the London Midland and Scottish Railway, a tiny act of support for the home nation in a terrifying time.

Finally, a bed that is always used but never slept in. In fact, many beds that are always used but never slept in, and all of them to be found in Europe’s largest Gurdwara, the Siri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend. As Year 9 will attest, having been this year the first Olavians to visit a Gurdwara, this really does have to be seen to be believed. The building itself is enormous, its 35,000 tons of concrete enclosing a number of worship halls with a capacity for several thousand people. It is also impressively ornate, being clad in marble and granite and decorated throughout with gold leaf and polished wood.

A Gurdwara is so named because it is the House of (or Gateway to) the Guru. In Sikhism the last of the founding Gurus is the Guru Granth Sahib, which is not a human guru, although it may be said to be a living guru. It is scripture, always exactly 1430 pages long and always with exactly the same content on exactly the same pages. Any building that contains the Guru Granth Sahib may be said to be a Gurdwara.

We were fortunate on our visit to have the services of an exceptionally engaging and informative guide, who communicated the tenets of Sikhism with clarity. Students were invited to consider whether Sikhism should properly be thought of as a religion or a philosophy, and whether its practices are more correctly thought of as worship or meditation. We were taken to see the Langar, a community kitchen where all guests, we were pleased to discover, are invited to receive refreshment. Should you ever find yourself hungry on a journey to India or Gravesend, meals are free to all visitors to a Gurdwara.

There was only one room in this enormous complex not open to our students. Inside it could be seen, behind tinted glass windows, a row of four-poster beds. Always used, but never slept in, each bed was the resting place for a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Olavian 2015 – 101

National CompetitionsThe Department of Economics

It has been another busy and successful year in the Economics department. The number of students

studying the subject continues to increase year on year. The results in 2014-2015 were particularly pleasing with 100% of students in year 13 achieving A* to B. This academic year the department is focussing on delivering a new A level in Economics which contains a greater use of mathematics. In addition to the syllabus the Economics departments continues to enrich our students from a range of extra curricula opportunities and visits. Some of the highlights from last year are shown below.

Political Economy SocietyAs one of the school’s most popular societies, Political Economy Society has consistently attracted large crowds this academic year, with a wide range of internal and external speakers presenting on a fascinating array of topics. With the Scottish referendum, the Greek debt crisis, and most prominently, the general election, all dominating the headlines recently, it has been an extremely interesting year for anybody interested in politics or economics.

Once again, the student members have actively contributed to the society, regularly giving talks and fielding questions afterwards. This year, we have seen topics such as the Chinese economy, deflation, and foreign aid discussed, as well as more unconventional ideas such as an economic system without money! In

addition to a large number of student presentations, we have also welcomed guest speakers from a variety of related professions. Heidi Alexander, Member of Parliament for Lewisham East, spoke to the society back in February, while George Buckley, Chief UK Economist for Deutsche Bank, and David Smith, Economics Editor for the Sunday Times, also came to give talks. Political Economy Society was also pleased to welcome back John Burston, formerly the Head of Economics at St. Olave’s, whose talk on the future of the NHS was very well received.

We look forward to an exciting programme of talks from the student body in the coming academic year, as well as welcoming even more external speakers. Our thanks goes to James Gibb for his excellent leadership of the society, and we wish the new management team the best of luck.

Saint Olave’s Target 2.0 Competition On 11th November the Economics Department at Saint Olave’s hosted its own target 2.0 Monetary Policy competition. This involves students analysing economic trends and formulating policies to meet the inflation target for the economy of 2%.

The team from Saint Olave’s competed against teams from Bromley High School for Girls, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, and St Paul’s Boys school.

The team from Saint Olaves recommended keeping interest rates on hold at 0.5 as per its forward guidance policy as well keeping QE on hold at £375 bn. They also recommended making greater use of the British Business Bank to provide finance to small and medium sized businesses who are finding it difficult to get finance to undertake new investment.

We are especially grateful to Chris Giles Economics Editor of the Financial Times and Roy Cromb of Wawhani Asset Management for judging the competition. We are also grateful to the Parents Association for supporting the event by providing prizes, and catering on the day.

The day culminated with the team from Saint Olave’s winning the overall event. Each member of the team was awarded with a kindle as a prize for their hard work.

Washington New York July 2015During activities week two, students from both the History and Economics department visited the cities of

John Greenwood S___Head of Economics

Pictured Right to Left, Daniel Galvin, Edward Parker Humpherys, Amy Borrett, Heidi Alexander MP, James

Gibb and Sebastian Santhiapillai.

102 – Olavian 2015

Washington and New York in what would turn out to be a very memorable trip. Having arrived coincidentally on the 4th of July, the group had the opportunity to enjoy a patriotic firework display at Washington Monument. The economists enjoyed a thought-provoking lecture at the World Bank and were treated to an unforgettable lunch at their international café. This was followed by a moving tour around the war memorials, including the black wall of the Vietnam Memorial the more recently resurrected Martin Luther King Jr Memorial. Students were then given the chance to explore the exciting range of museums as part of the Smithsonian Institution, with

this part of the trip coming to an end with a guided tour of the US Capitol. From Washington, we travelled west towards New York, stopping off on our way in Philadelphia to visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. In New York, students enjoyed a cruise around Manhattan island, spectacular views from the Empire State building and a poignant tour of Wall Street and the reflecting pools at the sight of 9/11. The whole trip ended with a visit to the United Nations Headquarters in which students saw at first hand the incredible efforts that have been made to promote global peace amongst countries.

Washington & New York - Lower VI Economics and History Trip

Political Economy Society with George Buckley (head of Deutsche bank))

Sports

104 – Olavian 2015

The Sports Faculty

Sport continues to flourish at St. Olave’s in a range of activities. As well as maintaining our traditional

strengths in rugby, cricket, Fives and netball (the first two give opportunities for the players to travel the world to destinations such as Antigua and South Africa), we have significantly developed other sports such as hockey, football, badminton, table tennis and squash. The Sports’ Prefects devote significant time to supporting these activities by running clubs and training sessions as well as sourcing new fixtures. Sport plays an important part in the lives of many Olavians and it is always a pleasure to see so many current students engaged in the extra-curricular clubs available as well as to meet former Olavians who still play a sport having been inspired whilst at St. Olave’s.

1st XV RugbyThe highlight of the 1st XV was reaching the last 32 in the Natwest Vase with notable victories against Gravesend Grammar School, Hayes and Anglo-European school, before being knocked out by SEEVIC College. The team had a very promising pre-season tour and this was built on by beating Colfe’s and Ravenswood whilst unfortunately losing to the Old Boys. A strong finish to the season saw impressive victories against Skinners and local rivals Langley. Well done to the squad, captained by Joshua Searby.

2nd XV RugbyDespite a tough start to the season the narrow losses of the first half term were soon converted into notable victories over Langley 25-17 and Gravesend Grammar 36-10. The realisation that team unity was needed to succeed was a turning point for the season, after which the lads’ spirit could not be faulted. Thank you to Mr Haines and Mr White for steering the improvement in the standards of rugby.

Under 16 RugbyThis year, through an outstanding work ethic both in training and matches, the team has deserved its reward of winning 11 and drawing 1 out of 14 matches. The group has matured greatly in terms of its skills and the ability to play good rugby under pressure.

U15 Sevens The squad started their Sevens season with an impressive

Andy Kenward S___Director of Sport

1st XV, 2014-15

2nd XV, 2014-15

Under-16 A 2014-15

Under-15 A 2014-15

Olavian 2015 – 105

tournament win in the prestigious Kent Cup. After easy victories over Maidstone Grammar, Ravenswood and Sevenoaks, they beat a very quick Gravesend side in the semi-final. Despite conceding points early on, StOGS eventually trounced a powerful Judd side to win by three tries and lift the trophy for the first time since 1994. They now qualify for the National Finals in September.

U13 Rugby TourAfter last year’s cancellations it was with relief that the squads boarded the coach for Bristol. Although both teams lost against Ding’s Crusaders and Chippenham RFC, lessons were learned. The Olavian squad formed the Guard of Honour for Bath v Toulouse in the European Cup, before an evening of ten-pin bowling. N Bristol RFC were the opponents for the final matches which the U13s and U14s both won dramatically, 74-0 and 47-0.

Barcelona Rugby TourIn a highly enjoyable tour, a glimpse of the cultural delights of the city preceded a truly epic thunderstorm! Performing in high temperatures in the first match, on the 4g pitch carved into a valley, the team won 74-0 against Barcelona University. Light relief came in the form of high-wire activities, a drenching in the water-park and a visit to the fearsome Port Aventura theme parks. In a tougher challenge against Taragona Club, the boys showed great determination to secure a 42-0 win.

Under-13 A 2014-15

Rugby Results

Netball UpdateIt has been pleasing to see both the A and B teams go from strength to strength, benefiting from the coaching of Sue and the more experienced Netball players. A successful win against The Priory was just one example of fast play and well thought out tactics. Many thanks to Chloe, Lucie, Velvet and Michelle for their inspirational leadership.

Y11 Charity Netball This newly formed team travelled to Newstead Wood to challenge the girls to a friendly match. Reality struck as the boys were penalised for footwork before the game had even started. Despite giving Newstead a run for their money the girls eventually won 12-10. Well done to both teams for raising £189.90 for United Through Sport which helps to educate people in South America, Asia and Africa.

Kent Netball TournamentAfter a flying start, beating Dane Court 16-3, the team continued with victories over Bromley High and Judd.

Team Played Won Drawn Lost1st 22 5 3 14

2nd 13 4 2 7

U16A 16 13 1 2

U16B 3 0 0 3

U15A 20 11 1 8

U15B 14 11 1 2

U14A 20 6 0 14

U14B 12 3 1 8

U13A 19 6 1 12

U13B 16 7 0 9

U12A 20 2 0 18

U12B 21 4 1 16

Barcelona Rugby Tour

106 – Olavian 2015

Despite a narrow defeat by Colfe’s they won their final match against Weald to finish 2nd overall in the group and qualify for the next round.

Sport at Stamford - Netball Tournament.Every third year we join the Stamford Endowed Schools for a day of friendly sporting fixtures. Under clear blue skies some excellent matches were played in good spirit, with the newly formed girls’ Netball team only narrowly losing by 31–25 and the U16 Rugby squad losing by three tries to one.

Eton FivesThis has been another fine year for Fives. A strong Year 10 squad won almost all their matches. Kieran Walton and Charles Stocks helped win The Richard Barber Cup, whilst James Tate and Charles Stocks won a very large regional Individual event at Harrow. In Year 11 Vish Shetty took a superb win at the Eton U16s Individual event and Morgan Pugh also played in the Old Olavians 1st Division. Tomas Gallagher won the Turnbull Trophy, The Kinnaird Pepper-Pot, and became the first schoolboy to be in a Barber Cup winning team. Most outstanding were Kosi Nwuba and Tomas Gallagher who lived up to their 1st Seed ranking by winning the National Schools’ Championship’s U16 title without dropping a set. Joint Senior Captains, Josh Ravi and Edward King, won the Kinnaird Pepper Pot and reached the Turnbull Final; they led by example, helping to train a large Senior Girls squad who beat Westminster.

The amazing Fives team remains undefeated in all age groups with impressive wins against Eton, Harrow and Westminster. Vish Shetty and Joshua Hutko were victorious in the Midland’s Adult Tournament Festival section. The Richard Barber Cup saw Kieran Walton, Tomas Gallagher and Charles Stocks successful against Highgate, Shrewsbury and Ipswich to bring the title back for a fourth consecutive year. Further triumph came in the Graham Turnbull trophy as Tomas Gallagher and OO James Toop overcame Josh Ravi and OO Seb Cooley.

The superb Year 7 squad won their debut fixture against RGS High Wycombe and 16 competed in an U12 tournament at Eton College. Girls’ Fives is strong this year, with 16 excellent new recruits. Most matches have been won in both Regional and National Rugby Fives and Eton Fives Championships. Outstanding performances in both Adult League and Tournament play have come from Vish Shetty, Josh Hutko, Sachin Balaji, Louis McLean, Cameron Swanson, Kieran Walton, Charlie Stocks, Morgan Pugh, Josh Ravi, Max Brookes, Ed King, Kosi Nwuba and Tom Gallagher, Will Carew, Sohayl Ujoodia.

FootballThe 1st X1 football team has enjoyed notable wins over Christ the King, Ravenswood and The Priory. In addition, a draw against Charles Darwin and a narrow loss against the league leaders Kemnal Technology College have built a positive momentum going into the final matches of the season.

HockeyThis season has seen strong development with newcomers joining experienced players to create a vibrant group. Coach Frederick Luff organised effective training, ably assisted by Taranpreet Bhoday. Some promising Year 12 players, including Priya Wasu and Katherine Braybrook, are coming through which augers well for next season. Thanks to Langley Park Girls’ school for enabling us to use their astroturf.

The team has made enormous progress this season with total commitment from Captain Frederick Luff and some excellent play from Katherine Braybrook. Thomas

Netball Team 2014-15

Football Team 2014-15

Hockey Team 2014-15

Olavian 2015 – 107

Cox, the goalie, made some outstanding saves, earning him the title Players’ Player of the Year.

Year 9 CricketCongratulations to the Year 9 Cricket squad who won the Bromley Cricket Cup. They began the defence of their title against Langley Park, winning by 39 runs. In the final, strong batting saw our total reach 128; this, combined with some excellent bowling, was enough to defeat Ravens Wood and secure the trophy with a margin of 82 runs.

The U14’s again were through to the Kent Cup final at Tenterden, their 2nd in 3 years. Despite a strong 42 from Swastik Gupta. Olave’s struggled and, in the end, Tonbridge ran out the winners on a hot but enjoyable afternoon’s cricket. In a much improved season our Year 8 cricketers claimed 3 victories, most notably by 9 wickets against Ravens Wood and also in making the 3rd round of the Kent Cup

U15 CricketCongratulations to the squad who won the Bromley Cup, beating Skinner’s, Sevenoaks and Langley Park en route to the trophy. Disciplined bowling, fine wicket keeping from Kieran Walton and captain Sohayl Ujoodia’s 42 sealed victory in the final.

U16 CricketHaving won the Bromley Cup Festival last year, the Year 10 team was focused on retaining the title. Facing Langley Park first they set a total of 126 with Amrit Dawood scoring 44. This was always going to be tough to chase and our bowlers restricted Langley to 101. A victory against Hayes, with Henry Edwards scoring 41 off 22 balls, ensured that we topped the group and came home with the silverware.

BadmintonOur Key Stage 3 and 4 Badminton teams travelled to Sutton to play in the regional round at Westcroft Leisure Centre, both returning with Bronze medals.

FencingOur warmest congratulations go to Adam Whitelaw who, for the fourth year in succession, has qualified to represent his country and will be fencing for Great Britain in the U17 Épée team in both Bonn and Copenhagen this term.

Poomsae ChampionshipsJake Egelnick has been selected to represent England U14s at the 2014 Commonwealth Championships in Edinburgh. Poomsae is a style of Taekwondo consisting of a sequence of movements in response to attacks from multiple imaginary assailants.

Under-15 XI, 2015

Under-14 XI, 2015

Under-13 XI, 2015

U13 Tennis team

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SwimmingIn one of our most successful years ever, Theodore Haslam represented England East in the School Games in Manchester, coming 1st in the 50m freestyle. In an exceptional swim, Henry Rennolls set a new British Record for the U15 Boys 50m Freestyle in the ESSA National Finals with a staggering 24.15s, beating the previous record by 0.2s. Congratulations to Henry who has been invited to Phase 2 of the England Programmes. With our seniors currently building such a reputation, it was good to see our youngsters win every single race in a resounding victory against Colfe’s and Farrington’s.

Congratulations to Theo Haslam who represented England East in the School Games in Manchester where he came first in the 50m freestyle. In the 16 age group Theo is now ranked third nationally in 50m and 100m freestyle.

Congratulations to Henry Rennolls who was invited to the British Championships/Selection Trials at the London Aquatic Centre, and went on to win Gold (for the second time) in the Intermediate Boys 100m Freestyle representing St. Olave’s and ESSA London Division. Well done to Michael Jacobs and Theodore Haslam who, despite being younger, were also in the Senior London team.

In an exceptional swim, Harry Rennolls, set a new English record at Crystal Palace for the U15 Boys 50m Freestyle, in a time of 24.40 sec. He also beat Theo’s previous Kent County Record for U16 Boys 50m Butterfly, with a time of 26.76 sec. Congratulations to Harry who, following recent ASA England Training, has been invited to Phase 2 of the England Programmes 2014.

County SwimmersCongratulations to Theodore Haslam, Henry Rennolls, Michael Jacobs and Felix Haslam who represented Kent at the annual National Inter County competition in Sheffield. All achieved personal bests, with Michael Jacobs gaining 3rd place in the 100m backstroke and Felix and Theodore Haslam both winning relay medals. I was also delighted that Molly Haynes was awarded the Keighley Mayes Trophy for Perseverance and Endeavour, to be presented at the AGM on 13 December in Dover.

U13 and U16 Bromley Table Tennis championships.The Year 8s fought valiantly to come 3rd in their pool but the U16s (actually four Year 9s) came 2nd in their pool to play the winners of the other pool in the semi-final. A thrilling 3-1 victory put them into the final where they only narrowly missed winning the competition.

Cross CountryThanks to the work of parents and some tree-surgery, the

school’s cross-country course has been resurrected and is now in regular use by many pupils in the school.

ArcheryConnor Stimson was selected, for the second time, to represent the London Borough of Bromley at the 2015 London Youth Games.

TennisHighlights of the season include Year 8 reaching the final of the Bromley district level 2 competition after beating BETHS and Stationer Crown Woods Academy, and some wonderful performances from Year 10 Alexander Jochim. Well done to the U13 squad who won their pool in the league and then dominated Alleyn’s School in the final of the ‘B’ league to win convincingly in both singles and doubles.

AthleticsAn enjoyable season saw 7 of our athletes nominated for Kent Schools. The 4 x 100m Year 8 relay team broke the school record at the Bromley Minors; Finn Macpherson and Caelan Raju led the team well at the ESAA School’s Cup scoring 50 and 43 points respectively with the team coming 3rd overall.

Sports’ PrefectsWell done to the Year 13 prefects who give up their time to ensure that many differing sporting opportunities are available for students. Without them far fewer clubs and inter-House matches would be organised.

Sport in Activity Week 2Fine weather enabled a full range of activities with Year 8 participating in a range of cricket, table tennis, tennis, badminton and softball House matches. Year 9 were taken out of their comfort zones by engaging in Street Dance, Golf Extreme and Doce Pares, before a more familiar House football competition.

Sports Day 2015 In perfect weather, Sports’ Day was a great spectacle for all, including the many parents who attended. Ultimately it was Cure who prevailed over Bingham by a slender margin to take the House Trophy. The Junior Victor Ludorum was Louis McLean who managed to score 55 individual points.

Sports’ Celebration Dinner This event, hosted by the PE Department in The Great Hall was represented by all year groups and a range of sports. Prizes were presented by Old Olavian, Tom Thackray, after his speech on making the most of opportunities at St. Olave’s and the value of continuing sport once you leave school.

Olavian 2015 – 109

Sports Day 2015

Art, Design & Technology

Olavian 2015 – 111

National CompetitionsArt, Design & Technology

The Department of Design & TechnologyThe design department prospers greatly with a huge enthusiasm and acumen for the subject being shown across all the year groups. Mr Twose has returned to teach in the department after his passion was inculcated so brilliantly while a pupil at the school The department continues to secure places for its students at the very best universities and excels at the very highest levels in national competitions. The cyclopean thundering and beating as though in the bowels of Etna bear witness to the delight both girls and boys have for the exciting, dynamic and challenging subject that is design.

Arkwright Scholarships 2015The school has had another very successful year for Arkwright with 13 students applying for the prestigious scholarship and 6 being invited for interview. In the Sixth Form 5 of our current Arkwright scholars made good use of their funding to enter and compete in the Land Rover 4x4 Challenge and we hope this year’s successful applicants will take on this exciting opportunity next year.

Congratulations to Franklyn Asafo-Adjei, Harriet Caisley, Henry Gill, Sophie Parsons, Bradley Sawyer, Kai Smith and Adam Stagg who have been awarded Arkwright Scholarships. These prestigious awards identify high-calibre students, to inspire and nurture

them through A levels and university and, hopefully, to see them emerge as future leaders in Engineering and Technical Design.

Design Ventura Teams from Y9 and 10 developed a product based on the theme of ‘Connect’ before visiting the Design Museum to attend a workshop. Their designs were assessed for originality, sustainability and economic viability. Congratulations to Shaun Sanu, Halley Zhu, Oliver Farrell, Hai Duong, Michael Li and Cameron Martine whose ‘eeZeePlug’ was selected to compete against other schools in the UK.

Team Kanga, comprising of Bradley Sawyer, Harriet Caisley, Sophie Parsons and Kai Smith travelled to Birmingham to compete in the Land Rover 4x4 In Schools Regional Competition. Throughout the day they took part in a number of assessments including a pit display, verbal presentation, engineering scrutiny, trailer test and the eagerly awaited obstacle track. The team performed exceptionally well, impressing both their mentor from Land Rover/Jaguar and the judges with their detailed research and portfolio, strong engineering skills and skilful driving across all of the challenging obstacles. The team scored highly in all areas and were pleased to be awarded a prize for both the best track performance and the overall winner in their category. The team qualified for the National Final in March where they competed against 24 other teams for a place at the World Championships.

Team Kanga travelled to the Heritage Motor Centre to compete in the National Final of the Land Rover 4x4 in Schools Challenge. Congratulations to Harriet Caisley,

Rosie Hawley S___Head of Design & Technology

VEX RobotsThe Land Rover 4x4 Team

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Year 11 Art TripOn the Tuesday 23rd October Year 11 Art students visited London as part of the preparation for their current Controlled Assignment entitled ‘Great Britain’. They visited an interesting contemporary exhibition and talk at the Saatchi Gallery just off the Kings Road followed by an open-topped bus tour of sites and attractions.

Year 10 Art TripOn Tuesday 2nd October the Year 10 Art group went on a visit to London and a variety of galleries and museums. The day started at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe with a fascinating talk about the first ever tunnel under a river in the world. The group then walked along the Thames river bank, stopping and discussing the changes in London and the way the river has been used. There is still plenty of historical evidence in the old cranes, docks, buildings and views of the history of the river. 3000 ships at the height of the British Empire on the Thames at any one time.

The group also visited an American artist’s show at the White Cube gallery in Bermondsey Street, just behind the old St Olave’s school in Tooley Street. Further walking then followed past the Globe and along to The Tate Modern. The Turbine Hall was the site for a conceptual piece where members of the public are approached and engaged in conversation about peoples’ stories. Several of the group were thus engaged.

The purpose of the visit was to record people and environments in London, to be used back at school for Art project work. Thanks go to Miss Heraghty and Mrs Smith for accompanying the group.

Year 10 Maritime Museum TripAs part of their introduction to GCSE Photography the year 10 artists visited the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to be inspired by the photography of Ansel Adams. Displaying a huge range of epic landscapes in his distinctive dynamic style, students were impressed by the iconic and beautiful images of American nature. A highlight of the exhibition was the documentation of water in its varying forms; ranging from exploding geezers, to still, reflective pools and churning seas. Students had a chance to leave their mark on the exhibition by leaving comments on how Ansel Adams had inspired them. There was just enough time to take photographs of the newly restored Cutty Sark before returning to school. Many thanks to the staff involved.

Royal Academy of Art Life DrawingOn Tuesday 5th February, the Year 12 and 13 Art students spent the day in the Pavilion attending a life drawing class arranged by the Royal Academy Outreach programme, with a model and tutor.

It was a very intensive day spent exploring various ways

Sophie Parsons, Bradley Sawyer and Kai Smith who were awarded 1st place in their category.

VEX RoboticsWell done to St. Olaves’s two senior teams, The Machines and the Smooth Operators, who have both won regional qualifying matches to secure places in the Nationals. Junior VEX Robotics Club has also started with pupils building Clawbots for an inter-house competition.

Robotics FestivalThe Robotics Festival, run as part of the LSEF PLASMA-T project, saw 20 Year 5 students from five different local primary schools participating in the Robotics ‘Build, Design, Compete’ event. Our young guests were challenged to create and manipulate robots to perform tasks, which the winning team from Chelsfield Primary School proved particularly adept at mastering.

The Department of ArtThe Art department has been a hive of creativity this year, with students continually pushing the standard of work. Every year group has contributed to the departments highlights. In the lower school, Year 7s produced imaginative human sculptures, Year 8s created ‘Identity’ themed Totem Poles and Year 9 animated stop-motion films, often with humorous results. Our KS3 students also won the prestigious ‘Bromley Schools Digital Art Prize’. GCSE students took trips to the several London Galleries, collecting inspiration for their projects. The sixth form Art trip to Amsterdam was a huge success, with students having the opportunity to visit the Van Gogh Museum, The Rijks Museum and Anne Frank’s house. The most admirable areas of the department are the clubs and societies, run by the students themselves. This year ‘Art History Society’ came into being, boasting a wide range of high quality talks and a loyal cohort. The Art prefects have given a new lease of life to Art club, running fun and engaging activities for the lower school including sculpture projects and spin art. The year culminated in a breath taking sixth form exhibition held in the chapel. This showed a wide range of inspirational work, much of which demonstrated sophistication and skill well beyond the years of the student. It was in the beautiful, and often emotional, film work that the students really epitomised the strong link between technical skill and creativity that the department is always striving towards. Congratulations to all the students and staff for a truly fantastic year.

Siobhan HeraghtyS___Head of Art

Olavian 2015 – 113

to portray the human figure. Working on the floor, on a wide variety of exercises and in different media, the idea was to widen the perception and approach to drawing. Life drawing is probably one of the hardest challenges and this was the first time that some of the students had attempted this task. It was a tiring day, both physically and intellectually, but all students worked very hard and produced some excellent outcomes.

Bromley KS3 Art ExhibitionThis year’s Bromley Key Stage 3 Art exhibition was held at Hayes school on Thursday 7th March offering all schools in Bromley a chance to showcase their Key Stage 3 Art work. As in previous years, the visually stimulating artwork, including those submitted by St Olave’s students reflected the talented artists in the Key Stage 3 cohort and we were thrilled to win the prize for the best digital artwork in the Borough.

Year Eight Totem PolesTaking inspiration from contemporary imagery and tradition methods, Year 8 produced a series of fantastic Totem Poles during an extra-curricular day. Each student carved and painted their own block of wood which were then attached together to create striking sculptures. Well Done to the entire year group for all their hard work.

Art ExhibitionThis annual event was again typified by the quality and variety of art work produced by Year 12 and Year 13 artists. There were paintings, sculptures, reliefs, graphic designs, photographs, films and timelapse and the external examiner commented on the wide range on show. A few pieces have been chosen for the Creative Work section of this magazine, and can be found towards the front.

VI Form Trip to AmsterdamThe 6th Form art group spent Activity Week 2 enjoying the cultural delights of Amsterdam. We visited a wide variety of galleries- not just the famous ones. The newly refurbished Rijs museum for older artworks, including Rembrandt’s ‘Night Watch’, delightful gems by Vermeer Visit to Berlin

and many other famous artists. The Van Gogh museum, with the accompanying audio tour taught us all a lot about his techniques and life. The Stedelijk modern art gallery was probably the most popular with a huge variety of modern works displayed in the recently opened extension.

Other delights were the Cheese Museum, The Fluorescent Art gallery or Electric Ladyland and the Foam photography and David Bowie exhibitions. A canal tour and various markets completed a varied and stimulating visit to a fascinating city. Many thanks to Mrs Smith for her organisation and patience.

Visit to the Folkestone Triennial

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Old Olavian

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CONTENTSEditor’s Notes

Chairman’s Report

Annual General Meeting

Annual Dinner

Tooley Street 2015

Motoring Fifty Years Ago

Poetry by Fintan Calpin

St O-lave’s or St Olive’s

Clubs and Societies

Old Olavians’ Lodge

Cricket Club Tour 2013

Eton Fives Club

In Memoriam

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134

Chris Harris

Paul Symmons

Eric Hibbs

Ron Cork

Robin Dadson

Fintan Calpin

Leslie Watmore

Peter Hudson

Lance Giles

Howard Wiseman

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 117

Editor’s Notes

When I was a lad at St Olave’s all those years ago we used to sing Forty Years On and it

seemed difficult to imagine myself ever reaching such a milestone. If there are any young men still at the School who read these notes, I can assure them that those forty years will come to pass and that, for most of you, you will be able to say as I can now, Sixty Years On. For that is how long it is since I left the School in Tooley Street - 1955, the third year of our queen’s reign.

One of the advantages of living a long life is that you will have many memories of good friends, good experiences and of wonderful places visited. There are, of course, disadvantages, one of the main ones being that the body does not behave as it used to and sprightly movements and quick reactions are not quite what they used to be. And sadly, the longer you live means that you are more likely to lose friends who have helped to provide some of those good memories gathered over the years. In this edition it is sad for me to include the loss of two of those friends in Bert Casey and Jim Biggs, both of them team-mates in the Old Olavian Cricket team with Jim Biggs being one of the very best Fives players in the country.

I am again grateful to those few Olavians who have responded to my annual plea to write something for this magazine: this year I am especially grateful to Harold Wolfers and Robin Dadson for their very readable contributions which I am sure will create waves of nostalgia for our older readers and perhaps open the eyes of those who have not yet lived so long. In addition Ron Cork has sent some interesting information about our old school building in Tooley Street; and Leslie Watmore has sent some thoughts on how the name of our school should be pronounced.

There must be so many Olavians out there, all of them with so many stories to tell, but so few of them sharing those stories with fellow old stuednts. Please spend a little time to tell us how your life is going, what unusual experiences you may have been through, and thus help to make this section of our magazine even more readable and memorable.

There is some exciting news about the building of four new Fives courts at the School - any Olavian, whether or not they were regular players, is invited to contribute towards the cost of these. More details on how to make a contribution can be found in Howard Wiseman’s report on the OO Fives Club. For many years now St Olave’s has been the leading Eton Fives school in the country and the Old Olavians

the leading club, and anyone making a contribution would be helping to keep their old school in that top position.

As always we owe a great deal to the dedication and hard work of Jane Wells at the school for collating so much information and answering all sorts of unreasonable questions from the editor of this section of the magazine.

John Brown Editor, Old Olavian

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Chairman’s ReportHere I sit, as I do every year in late September after the

annual Reunion, looking back over the last year.

My first duty in the Society’s year is attendance at the

School Remembrance Service, which takes place in the

Great Hall. This year was no exception and on Tuesday

11th November the Headmaster welcomed Old Olavians

Alan Wright, Father Michael Walters, Graham Milne, Dr

Noël Tredinnick, Bill Prouse, John King, Greg Robinson

and me to his study before the service. It is good to

see Old Olavians attending, especially from The Old

Olavians’ Lodge who are always represented at this service

by Graham Milne (1956-63). Graham was joined by

Captain of School, Teddy McAleer, to lay the wreaths at

the memorial which was presented to the school by King

George V and Queen Mary. I would certainly encourage

those local enough to attend, to try to come along in 2016.

The date is announced quite early in the winter term, and

it will be in the newsletters and in the Events Calendar on

our website.

As I said last year I am very fortunate. I am often invited

as a guest to concerts and other events. So it was that I

again took my place in a packed Great Hall at the School

Christmas Concert. I was also there as a proud father and

the concert, with its mix of choral, classical, jazz and carols,

included Mr Price’s neo-Baroque Concerto for oboe,

bassoon and strings, with my daughter Alicia on bassoon.

The choir also performed a spirited Vivaldi’s Gloria and the

whole evening was thoroughly enjoyable.

In March it was the school production of Oliver. I was

there to see Nancy (Alicia), although the whole show was

very professional. In fact I went both nights.

As all the school events are usually plugged by the

Headmaster in his newsletters, please let Jane Wells know if

you wish to attend any of them and we will arrange tickets.

Then the AGM was held on 18th March, and the minutes

are shown below. There were no resignations this year and

all of the committee members were re-elected. We would

really like to see more Old Olavians attending, and having

a say in what goes on. The date for the next one will be

published in the New Year. A minimum of four weeks’

notice is given and the date will also be on our website.

This year I was invited to the 40s Lunch at the RAF Club

on Wednesday 22nd April, the day before the School

Commemoration Service. It was the biggest turnout for a

few years with fifteen of our membership making the trip

to Central London. I am sure that they won’t mind me

saying that their ages ranged from 90 to a youthful 80, if

you ignored the ages of the Headmaster, Jane Wells and

me. Jane arranged the lunch and we were very well looked

after by the club. Some of the stories that were told at this

lunch reminded me of just how fast our world has changed,

like hearing from an Old Olavian, who as a schoolboy had

had to take cover from a strafing Messerschmitt.

In recent years, Old Olavians have been meeting up on the

morning of the annual Commemoration Service. A few

did this year, but the Tooley Street buildings are still not yet

opened as a hotel, so it was mainly just before and after the

service that we were able to catch up with each other. It

was particularly good to see Tony Jarvis and Des Coulson,

both ex-Headmasters, in attendance. Old Olavians

attending the service are reserved seats, and invited to tea

afterwards, as long as you let Jane know you are attending.

Would you believe I missed the Headmaster’s garden party

again, and still have not had the opportunity to see the

magnificent roses? The year it had to be held in the Foyer

due to bad weather remains the only year I have been able

to accept the invitation. Maybe this year?

Whilst I have been fortunate to attend concerts and

productions through the year, most have been as a Dad.

However Alicia is now an Old Olavian herself and, as I

have already said, Old Olavians are welcome at all School

concerts and productions, and Jane will be very happy to

arrange tickets. I look forward to seeing some of you there.

Just a week or so ago I had my own little reunion with

classmates from 1B as we were known then in 1970, and

with one who joined us in the lower VI. There are six of us,

who in 1981/2 agreed to get together one weekend a year

to take part in some sporting activities to keep in touch.

Rules were written and ten events were chosen. This is

now down to seven events, mainly due to age, and this year

it was held midweek. Five of us managed to make it to

the 34th annual Competition. And due to bad weather, a

change of golf course from 18 holes at Lullingstone to 18

holes of Adventure Golf, I won the golf for the first time in

34 attempts. It didn’t help me win the trophy, which for

the second year in a row went to Paul Ouseley.

If you are considering planning a reunion, let us know, and

we might be able to help. Or if you have had a reunion, let

us know about it by providing a report that we can publish

in the next Olavian.

And here we are back where we started, except almost a

year on. Friday 25th September and the Old Olavians’

reunion at the RAF Club in Piccadilly. It was the largest

turnout for a few years and again had Old Olavians

attending who spanned nine decades of the School. Eric

Hibbs joined the School in 1937, when the headmaster

was Henry George Abel. He was there – Eric, not H

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 119

G Abel. Five of the senior prefects who had left in the

summer came along as Old Olavians. They were students

under the current headmaster, Aydin Önaç, who is only the

fourth headmaster since Henry Abel.

Mr Önaç, our President, spoke about the School, their

achievements and the future, before proposing the toast to

the Old Olavians.

Replying this year to the Headmaster’s toast was Anthony

Wands (1960-67). He described himself as an Investment

Banker, and promised some irreverent thoughts about

School, the City and interesting messes he has got himself

into internationally, while keeping one eye on the thirty-year

rule. He definitely did not disappoint.

There are other recollections of the evening in the pages that

follow, so I will let them describe what they remember.

It is very likely that we will return to the RAF Club in

Piccadilly one day, but please ignore the AGM minutes. The

Reunion for 2016 will be on Saturday 24th September. It

will be a lunch and will be held in the Great Hall at the

school. The guest speaker will be Roger Brown (1958-66).

I am hoping that we will be able to watch some rugby in the

morning and arrange tours of the school. For those of you

who will need hotel accommodation, Orpington is having a

brand new Premier Inn built in the Walnuts. I am hopeful

that they will complete it on time and rooms will be available

by then.

And so that brings us to the beginning of a new year.

The third Olavian Lecture series is already under way. So

please read the newsletters, both ours and the Headmaster’s,

and visit our website and the School’s to keep up to date

with what is on offer. The last two lectures in this series are

both in February 2016, and the final one, on Monday 29th,

is given by Dr Stephen Lockwood, an Old Olavian himself.

The Old Olavians Society, and ultimately the School, are

grateful to those who remember this great institution in their

own wills. No matter the amount, the funds can always be

put to very good use.

Last year the Society and the Benevolent Fund donated

£15,000 to the School. The uses to which these funds are put

enable the School to continue to support the pupils in ways

that many state schools are just not capable of doing. One

only has to read the Olavian to see the breadth of student

activities and the talent nurtured by this great school.

The Old Olavians’ group on LinkedIn is nearly four hundred

strong now. If you can’t find it, email me and I will invite

you to join. Please don’t forget that you can add the links

to your LinkedIn profile, your Twitter account and your

Facebook page, should you wish to, on your personal details

page on the Society’s website - www.oldolavians.net. That

is also where you should direct any Old Olavian that you

know is not receiving our newsletters.

And I will ask again what else you would like from the Old

Olavians Society, preferably with a suggestion of how it can

be achieved. Write or email via our administrator at the

School, Jane Wells at jwells@saintolaves.net.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

OLD OLAVIAN’S SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Attending: Chris Harris, Chairman, Bill Prouse, Secretary,

Paul Ouseley, Committee member, Graham Milne,

Committee member, Raj Purwar, Committee member, Ian

Giles, George Snelgrove, Jane Wells

Apologies: John Brown

1. Minutes of Last Meeting

Agreed

2. Matters Arising

The shareholdings of OOs and benevolent funds

are now with Rathbone Investment Management

Limited, following the move of the business

wholesale from Deutsche Bank. Our adviser

(although we are using an execution only service) is

unchanged, as he moved with the book.

The Chairman briefly spoke to the Head on the

subject of a balcony for the pavilion. It is not

something that would be seen as an improvement

that funds could be set aside for.

3. Chairman’s Report

3.1 Membership

7741 names on database: 2575 with an email

address (up 140 on last year!!!) 2560 have opted in

to receiving emails

120 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

The database says 506 subscription members (only up

17). However only 382 paid £20 or more entitling

them to the magazine, and a further 333 paid

something, giving a total of 715 - £10,930.

18 paying sponsorship members (although the

database says 22 again being looked into), bringing

another £1,768.

3.2 Society Admin

This continues to be managed entirely by the school’s

OO Administrator ( Jane Wells).

Keith Goldsack was going to look at our website for

us, with a view to making it more worth visiting, but

Jane has not been able to make time to introduce

Keith to the ways of our database.

With the committee’s lack of skills and perhaps time,

the Chairman has asked whether any 6th formers

would be able to help out. A committee has been

formed under the name Old Olavians Outreach

(OOOs). They are going to recommend changes to the

website as a tool for communication, and also contact

and encourage those persons that we have names for,

but without email addresses, to register their details.

Initially they will concentrate on leavers from the

last five years, and part of their brief is to strengthen

the ties to the school asking for help with interview

preparation, and talks to be given on university life

and subjects to be studied. Ultimately we will wish to

encourage people to pay the subscription.

3.3 Audit

Managed by the committee pro tem.

3.4 Magazine

Thanks again to John Brown, our editor, who would

welcome any memories of school life, staff etc. The

number of contributions declines each year.

3.5 LinkedIn Group

This now has 341 members, and is expected to grow

faster again this year.

4. Finance Report

4.1 Accounts

2014 2013

General Fund Income £21,805 £26,347

Expenditure £25,191 £23,462

Excess of Income/

Expenditure

(£3,386) £2,885

Balance Sheet £35,862 £39,248

Benevolent Fund Income £1,701 £1,245

Expenditure £5,000 £5,000

Excess of Income/

Expenditure

(£3,299) (£3,755)

Balance Sheet £53,394 £56,692

4.2 Notes - General Fund

Total Subs down £735 and investment income up

£814

The dinner will have been subsidised from subs to

the tune of about £400 with some payments having

to be chased after the year end. As the objectives

of the Society are the bringing together of Old

Olavians for the furtherance of personal friendships

this was seen as justification. That is less than the

cost of six of the senior prefect team, the headmaster,

guest speaker and two members of staff, who we do

not charge.

4.3 Donation to School

The Chairman recommended a donation to the

school of a similar amount to last year – a total of

£15,000 including the sponsorship money. Last

year, most of the money was spent on repairing the

organ. A discussion took place about the proposal

and after some debate it was agreed unanimously

that:

a) A policy would be adopted that a minimum

accumulated fund of £25,000 would be retained.

b) A total of £15,000 would be made available for

the school to draw on this year and this would be

communicated to the Headmaster.

c) The Headmaster would be asked to make proposals

for spending some or all of this sum during the

year and the Committee would make a decision or

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 121

decisions by email.

4.4 Hidden Assets

Although not accounted for in the books, we still have

at least 25 pairs of cufflinks and 80 OO ties in stock.

4.5 Benevolent Fund

The trustees have for the last 3 years donated £5,000

for the headmaster to be used in cases of hardship.

The Headmaster has confirmed in writing that the

funds have made it possible for students to take part in

activities and trips that would otherwise be out of their

grasp financially. The chairman proposed that this is

repeated this year and this was agreed unanimously.

The Accounts for the OO Society and the Benevolent

Fund were accepted.

5. Functions Report

RAF Club venue was enjoyed by all. Noel Tredinnick

was a hit with all the diners. This year the proposed

speaker is Sir Anthony Wands. He is an Old Olavian

(1968-75), having left the School 40 years ago.

Anthony has promised some irreverent thoughts

about School, the City and interesting messes he has

got himself into internationally, while keeping an eye

on the thirty-year Rule.

We will return to the RAF on Friday 25th September.

Thanks go to our sponsor member at the RAF Club,

Mike Pugh.

A separate lunch for the 40s group was also held,

attended by 13 OOs and was a success.

Options for next year were discussed. The RAF club

is likely for 2016 and a lunch at the school in 2017.

6. Affiliated Club Reports

6.1 Cricket

Ian Giles - The 2015 tour was successful, playing six

and winning three. Two new young Olavians joined in

July for practice matches against the Old Wilsonians

and Old Dunstonians. We are trying to encourage

more 14 or 15 year olds to take an interest; some are

being coached by Chris Swadkin. Jane Wells will see

if a fixture against the school and at the school can be

arranged.

A £500 donation to the cricket club was agreed.

6.2 Fives

Howard Wiseman had advised the Chairman

that he is looking to raise funds to build four new

courts at the school which will allow the school to

host competitions. It is able to host matches on

the four courts we have and it remains one of the

most successful Eton Fives Clubs in the country,

currently having four of the top ten ranked players

in the country. As an example of their success, in

January The Alan Barber Cup was won at Eton by

the Old Olavians for the twelfth year in succession,

with a 2-1 win over the Old Salopians in the final.

However, he is not asking the OO Society for any

contribution

6.3 Masonic Lodge and Chapter

Graham Milne. This is expanding and has recently

absorbed other bodies. It is open to all OOs but it

is open to non-OOs as well.

7. Election of Officers

There were no persons wishing to stand down, so

all current members were proposed, seconded and

re-elected.

8. Other Business

It is clearer than ever that the school wish to tap into

our membership both for money and support for

students. Part of the Parents Association is an arm

called Ensuring Excellence (EEX). They are tasked

with finding funds for specific capital expenditure

items, such as an all-weather Astroturf pitch. Any

further request for funds is difficult and recognition

will always be given for the support that members

already give. One possible future way to help would

be to sponsor a classroom.

The other support that they are looking for is by

way of members addressing parts of the school with

career advice, and the provision of work experience

places.

We funded a new book of the lives of Olavians lost

in WW1. This is also available to Old Olavians and

their families, and anyone else interested in the story

of these lives. For each book sold, whether through

the society or the school, the society will receive a

small royalty. Peter Leonard completed the book

with the help from a couple of students, and Rob

Gardner (who sadly died in the New Year). Cost

was £500 to get to publication. It was out in time to

122 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the start

of WW1. No receipts in last year’s accounts, and

sales have been slow. Sixty-seven copies have been

sold through the school, which will pay back just over

£200 of our investment. The continued interest in all

things WW1 may eventually see our money back but

in any case it is a fantastic document, and copies have

been donated to both libraries. It was suggested that

the book be re-advertised through sQuid, the school’s

electronic payment system, and that some copies be

taken to the dinner in September.

The meeting was adjourned before 8.45pm, and most of

those present retired to the Maxwell PH to reminisce again.

Annual DinnerOur chairman persuaded Paul Symmons (1968-1975) to

write a report on his experiences at the annual dinner, and

it follows here:

Some two years ago now last September, a few of the class

of ‘75 found ourselves, somewhat by chance, attending the

Old Olavians’ dinner in the RAF club in Piccadilly. A great

night was had by all and the conversation flowed as if we

had never been apart, although for most of us it was thirty-

eight years!

It was fairly late on that evening after a few pints of Spitfire,

in the basement pub of the RAF club, the name of which

escapes me, that we struck on the idea of trying to get as

many of the class of ‘75 as we could to the event in two

years time, September 2015, as our 40th anniversary.

So the task began using friends of friends, social media in

the form of LinkedIn and various other avenues to find as

many of us as possible. We managed to contact around

twenty-five of us all over the world including Hong Kong

and Egypt. This initial contact triggered some chance

meetings from someone tapping me on the shoulder in a

crowd of 85,000 in Twickenham saying, “Hi Paul, Colin

here...we haven’t met for thirty-nine years but I recognised

your photo on LinkedIn! Looking forward to our

get-together next year at the reunion...

Over the coming months emails circulated, stories were

regaled, from Chemistry lab explosions; to crucifixions

on window poles; to being wedged in quad litter bins for

hours; to being caned for daring to talk in the dining hall

over lunch. The anticipation rose....

The day finally came and we managed thirteen of us on

a long central table, headed by our illustrious speaker

Anthony Wands. We travelled from Cheshire and

Yorkshire amongst other counties. What a great night,

with jaws aching from laughter, great food and great wine,

conversation flowing as if we had never been apart. The

power of the StOGS brand I guess.. Anthony royally

entertained us with memories and stories that I guess some

of the recent leavers found it hard to believe or indeed

comprehend.

Perhaps our 45th anniversary, in 2020 when retirement

beckons for some of us, we can look to exceed the number

achieved this year... we did not scratch the surface of the

stories to be shared or friendships reacquainted...

Eric Hibbs (1937-40)

Tooley Street - 2015Ron Cork (1962-1968) has contributed some details of

the current renaissance of the Tooley Street school building

and adjoining sites as the One Tower Bridge Development.

Edward Mountford’s fine 1890s building ( grade 2 listed

) is now being converted into a luxury boutique hotel on

behalf of the Lalit Group. Much of the land around the

site, including what was the school playground, is now “top

end” residential development being marketed by Berkeley

Homes under the strapline, “the best views in London”.The annual dinner

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 123

EPR, the architects for the scheme, have posted some

information on their website concerning the conversion, as

follows:

1) the work involves the restoration of the School’s Great

Hall into the hotel’s restaurant & event space;

2) the Governor’s Room (with its panelled walls & elaborate

plaster ceiling) will be converted into a cocktail bar;

3) the Headmaster’s Room will be transformed into a luxury

suite;

4) there is to be a spa, gym and changing areas in the newly-

developed basement underneath the building.

It will be interesting, to say the least, for many of us who

knew the original site, which St Olave’s left to move to

Orpington in 1967, to see the end result.

St Olave’s during the war and after

In the 2013 edition of The Olavian Robin Dadson told the

story of his schooldays at St Olave’s during the mid- to late

1950s. Harold Wolfers (1943-50) has written to comment

about his own time at StOGS.

In the Summer of 1939 my local East London State School

sent me on holiday on a scheme to which my parents had

contributed called “The Country Holiday Fund”. I start

here as this gives an insight to how it was in the war years.

The holiday was to an unusual “village” in central Somerset

called Street which is situated about one to two miles from

the ancient and historic town of Glastonbury, famous for its

“Tor Hill” also being the burial place of King Arthur and

Queen Guinevere and also, according to local legend, the

place in England to which Joseph of Aramethia brought the

child Jesus Christ when he was twelve about two thousand

years ago. Street in its own right the birthplace of the world-

renowned Clark’s Shoe Company and, although technically

a village, it has a population that exceeds many towns and

even our City of Wells!

Soon after I had returned home from the Country Holiday,

war was declared against Germany on the 3rd September

1939. Sensing the potential danger to London my parents

asked the lady whose house I had stayed on holiday with

to take me as an evacuee and she agreed. She had three

sons and shortly after I arrived two other boys came from

Dagenham, Essex and a mother with a young daughter

from West London. By early 1940 there were ten people

altogether living in this terraced house. It was crowded

and not the best of times. After the “Blitz” of 1940 had

progressed for some weeks with great intensity in the East

End of London where my parents lived and ran a Fish and

Chip Shop, my father said to my mother, whose nerves had

been shattered by the dreadful experience of the constant

bombing, “It’s better that one of us survives; you go down

to Street and stay with the boy.” With that he sent her

down by train and she stayed with a family some distance

away from where I was living but still in the same village of

Street. A few months later my father came to see us and I

asked him to take me to the local open-air swimming pool,

Greenbank. At the pool he bought me an ice-cream at the

cafeteria, the lady in charge happened to be the next-door

neighbor to where I was staying. She said,“You’d be better

taking your son back to bombed-out London than leave

him with that woman!” My father had noticed that I had

lost a great deal of weight, my mum did overfeed me but by

now I was lanky. Upon hearing this my father, ever a man

of action, took me straight back to the house where I had

been living and said to the lady, “He is no longer staying

here, please get his clothes, belongings and suitcase.” With

that he took me away from that house. We then met the

Headmaster of the evacuee school I had been attending and

explained what had been happening and said, “I’m afraid

I’m going to have to take my son back to war-torn London.

Whereupon to my father’s utter surprise, the headmaster

replied, “No, don’t do that, my wife and I have now bought

a house here and we would like your son Harold to come

and live with us.” This solved my parents’ worrying

problem and I finally lived happily with the headmaster,

his wife and his son for the next two to three years. When

I was about thirteen the headmaster said to me, “I see, in

the educational supplement, there is an advertisement for

a London Grammar School which has been evacuated to

Torquay, Devon. Would you like to sit the examination?”

The school of course was St Olave’s. I passed and was

sent on to Torquay on the south Devon coast where I

arrived during the summer of 1943. I was delighted to

find myself at the seaside during the warm summer days

and I spent many delightful hours on the beach. One day,

however, whilst on the beach during the afternoon (we

shared a school with the local people splitting the days

between the schools), a German Messerschmitt fighter

plane came flying over the harbour and along the beach

machine-gunning everything on the beach. Hearing the

rat-a-tat-tat of the guns, I flung myself on the sand and, in

a matter of seconds, the plane had passed over and headed

out to sea. I remained motionless for a while clutching

the sand: I remembered to breathe again, then rose and

pinched myself to see if it was real and checked I had not

been shot. I lifted myself off the sand with a great sigh of

extreme relief and realized I had passed within an ace of

death and was extremely grateful to still be alive!

Most of the school remained in Torquay until 1945 when

WWII ended and we returned to London to resume our

education in Tooley Street which fortunately survived the

124 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

Luftwaffe! I remember two inconveniences were having

to travel during the week and on Saturdays to Dulwich that

took at least an hour changing at Peckham for a second bus

and the timings of the bridge raising at Tower Bridge. I

got caught a few times for being late into school! Other

than that it was a pleasure being back in London. As I

advanced up the school my peers and I began to receive

advantages, which would not have been available to most

children, such as going to see classical plays in the West

End.

My days at St Olave’s were during the period when the

celebrated Dr. Carrington was at the height of his formidable

powers. I recall an occasion when we were evacuated in

Torquay and I was billeted about two miles away from the

school; I went to school by bicycle. One day, instead of

waiting to get onto my bicycle at the main road I mounted

it on the pathway, which led from the school directly to the

main road, which would have appeared dangerous to most

people apart from myself ! As I rode down the pathway I

saw Dr. Carrington walking up the pathway from the main

road. “BOY!” he shouted, “Get off that bicycle and go up

to my room and wait for me outside!” I knew what that

meant and, sure enough, ten minutes later Dr. Carrington

invited me into his room where he awarded me with his

customary “six of the best” on my hands following which he

said to me, “Boy, that hurt me more than it did you!” I still

find that hard to believe! After that event I took good care

not to incur Dr. Carrington’s displeasure again and I clearly

must have succeeded in this resolve because in 1948 he

appointed me to be school Captain, much to my pleasant

surprise! I was the first Jewish school Captain. It (the

whack) was otherwise for my good friend Bill “Jazzer” Jayes

who was a regular candidate for “the whack” and who in

later life achieved fame by being the stuntman for Richard

Burton at the time when he was making his famous films

with the late legendary Elizabeth Taylor both of whom

he knew well. I went on to attain a State Scholarship to

Exeter University to study Law, I articled at Manches (now

Penningtons Manches) under the founder Sydney Manches

before going on to open my own business in Wimbledon

Village in 1963 with my late wife Betty. I’m now 85, I have

one daughter Laura and two active grandchildren, Oska &

Morgan, to whom I gift private education as I had been

given many chances. I live with them in Street, Somerset

across the road from the Headmaster’s house, I have many

fond memories here and I also spend a few months a year

in the USA. I really enjoy reading the Olavian and hope

you will like my story.

Harold C Wolfers (1943-50)

Motoring Fifty Years ago Quite recently a young friend of ours purchased her second

car having kept her very first vehicle for just about a year.

This set me thinking about my earliest couple of cars and

the vast difference between motoring in the early 1960’s

and that of today. Here are a few of my reflections and

memories of all those years ago and of two quite remarkable

motors.

“When you come round to my place at the weekend I’ll

have to introduce you to ‘Lulu’” I casually remarked to my

girl friend one dull February evening in 1962.

She looked at me a bit quizzically and you could see exactly

what she was thinking, ‘So who is this other female then?”

Imagine her relief when she met ‘Lulu’ a few days later and

discovered her to be a rather battered Ford Anglia shooting

brake dating from 1939. Yes, I had purchased my first car!

During the post-war era far fewer families owned their

own vehicle and those that did very often only had the

use of one as it came as part and parcel of a job. Such

was the case with my father who was employed as what

was known as a commercial traveller at the time, rather

than a company representative, and consequently he had

the benefit of a company car. Although this was highly

acceptable to us cars were in quite short supply in the fifties

as a result of wartime austerities and many companies

grabbed whatever they could get for their travelling staff

members. My earliest recollection was a black Ford 8

that was built even before ‘Lulu’ which the family fondly

christened ‘Rosie’. Some time later my father accepted

a job with a different organisation that initially provided

him with a tiny Fiat which we dubbed ‘The Roller Skate’.

A fair few of those vehicles that you did see about were

in something of a dubious condition which eventually led

to the introduction of the MOT test for road worthiness

although, in those early days, attention was only paid to

brakes, lights and steering which would be passed provided

they functioned to a reasonable degree. A vehicle

covered by an MOT certificate could lead an unwary

buyer into a false sense of security as they imagined, quite

incorrectly, that a ‘roadworthy vehicle’ had been scrutinized

throughout. A car might well come with a valid MOT

certificate but, provided the brakes, lights and steering

were deemed OK, the engine, gearbox, exhaust system and

other vital components could still be totally knackered.

There were numerous ‘Car Dealers’ who operated from the

many bombsites still to be seen and much of what they

offered could be highly questionable and would have been

immediately condemned by today’s standards but this stock

was legal at the time - well, usually. In comparison to such

traders ‘Arfer’ Daley would have been thought of as quite

a high-class gentleman from whom to purchase a motor.

Now I have to admit ‘Lulu’ was past her prime and in need

of some care and attention but at least she was a CAR!

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 125

The first task was to see that she was fit to pass the

new-fangled MOT test by making her look more

presentable. This necessitated patching up one of the front

wings that had a large hole in it with fibre-glass and then

renewing parts of the timber body shell that, in theory, held

the wooden body panels in place. In actual fact in some

areas it was only the panels that kept sections of the body

shell in position but we got it sorted out with replacement

lengths of timber. The next thing on the agenda was to

swap the existing engine under the bonnet for the ‘spare’

sitting in the back that had been included in the £15

pounds I had paid for her. This was achieved with the

help of a friendly mechanic my father knew but, having

got the thing installed, Lulu refused to start, not even with

the use of the starting handle which one inserted through

the front radiator grill. Eventually the mechanic had a

bright idea! Firstly he dripped a small amount of oil into

each of the four cylinders via the spark plug-hole to aid

compression. We then reinserted the plugs and replaced

the 6-volt battery with a 12-volt one, pressed the starter and

awaited the outcome. I can say from personal experience

that attaching a 12-volt battery to a 6-volt system proves

quite interesting. The starter motor fairly whizzed

round and the radiator fan reminded us of a Spitfire or

Hurricane propeller as it moved so fast but all was well

and Lulu roared into life for the first time under her new

engine. Driving back to my home about half-a-mile from

where the operation had taken place was very memorable

mainly due to the clouds of smoke which poured out of

the exhaust pipe as the oil was burned off in the cylinders.

It was as if ‘Lulu’ was attempting to rival a Royal Naval

smokescreen of the two world wars. Brakes, lights and

steering were checked and ‘Lulu’ was subsequently granted

an MOT certificate and ready for use on the road. The

final project was to repair the choke which, in vehicles of

that era, was utilized to enrich the petrol/oil mixture going

into the cylinders when starting from cold. ‘Lulu’s’ choke

simply didn’t operate and, in order to enrich the mixture,

it was necessary to bung a large cork into the top of the

carburettor which then had to be removed once the engine

had started and warmed up. To say the least this was

somewhat inconvenient but, fortunately, it was quite easy

to effect a repair by using bits of wire and the thing worked

perfectly well thereafter.

In order to keep costs down it was quite possible at that

time for an older, more experienced driver, within a family

to insure a car in their name and nominate a younger

relation as a second driver which is exactly what my father

was able to do on my behalf. Insurance was taken out on a

‘Third party, fire and theft’ basis which reduced things even

further. I now understand that the former arrangement is

no longer possible and ‘Third party, fire and theft’ is just as

expensive as ‘Fully comprehensive’, presumably as a result

of insurance companies since realizing they could squeeze

even more money out of Joe Public by changing the rules.

Upon discovering I had obtained a car one of my very good

friends, also an ex-Olavian, immediately decided he must

have one as well. A week or so later a frantic tooting of a

car-horn could be heard from my home and George (name

changed to protect the innocent) came roaring along the

road in a vehicle of a similar vintage to that of ‘Lulu’. The

thing seemed to be in a somewhat better condition than

‘Lulu’ but it soon became very clear that George only had a

very rudimentary idea of how things worked. It transpired

that he had been so anxious to obtain a car of his own he

had drawn out all his savings and gone along to a local

bombsite dealer. There was only one vehicle on show that

was within his budget so he approached the proprietor

saying ‘I’ll have that one’. The man must have thought it

was Christmas as he took George’s money, £70 odd in total,

and without a word gave him the relevant documentation

and keys and that was that - no test-drive, instructions or

anything! Needless to say the owner’s manual had long

since been lost so, by the twisting, pulling and pushing of

various knobs, switches and levers we managed to puzzle

out the controls. By turning one switch the word ‘side’

was revealed and a second click brought ‘head’ into view so

it obviously operated the lighting system. Sadly, although

the sidelights worked perfectly, the off-side headlight

refused to come on. ‘I’ve been done. It’s going back,’

shouted George as he jumped in and disappeared in a

cloud of dust back towards his bombsite supplier. Within

a matter of minutes he was back. ‘Got it fixed without any

argument,’ he announced. Trouble was the offending light

still refused to come on when the switch was operated.

‘Oh don’t worry,’ exclaimed George; ‘The dealer showed me

what I have to do’ upon which he jumped out and gave the

front wing a hefty kick which caused the headlight to shine

forth. Just how he intended to keep the thing illuminated

during a prolonged drive at night was never discovered as

he managed to write the car off within a few weeks getting

a speeding fine in the process.

Of such were some of the motors on sale at bomb site

dealerships and of such were the sort of rogues that offered

them.

Naturally my girl friend wanted to be taken for a ride in

‘Lulu’ immediately she saw her but it was only then we

discovered that ‘Lulu’ had a bit of a jealous streak and

refused to start up when a female was aboard. As a result

we often had to play out a bit of a pantomime whereby my

girl-friend would hide until I had got ‘Lulu’ started and

then jump in before the car realized what was going on.

The acquisition of a car opened up a whole new world to

us as we could now take regular trips from where I lived

in Denmark Hill, South London, which is situated just

126 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

a couple of miles south of London Bridge, out into the

countrified areas of Kent and Surrey that earlier we could

only have reached by train. As a boy I had experienced

a good number of such excursions in my father’s car but

my girl-friend had hardly visited any places which lay but

a few miles outside the metropolis. Accompanied by a

couple of friends we would take regular Sunday jaunts to

destinations such as Box Hill, Warlingham, Oxted and

Shoreham, Kent, as well as other locations not served by a

railway where we could enjoy the sights, sounds and smells

of ‘rural’ England.

The performance of Ford Anglias in general could only

be described as quaint. The official maximum speed was

around 57mph although I once got ‘Lulu’ to register 69

mph on the speedometer whilst going downhill on the

Caterham bypass with the wind behind her! Her normal

cruising speed when travelling outside built-up areas

and their 30 mph speed limit was around 45mph which

returned between 30 to 35mpg. Acceleration was nothing

but phenomenal with the maximum speed being reached

in just under 40 seconds. As far as I can recall speed limits

were not quite so stringent as they are today and there was

actually no top limit of 60mph on country roads in those

days. This did not really matter as most cars could barely

reach that sort of speed anyway and a machine capable of

doing 80 mph was regarded as very fast indeed. Motorways

were a new innovation so they did not really come into the

equation. ‘Lulu’ was provided with only three forward gears

and synchromesh was only fitted between second and third

which meant you prayed you did not encounter a steep hill

that could not be climbed in second. It was possible to

drop down into first by double de-clutching which took

a fair amount of practice and resulted in horrible grinding

noises from the gearbox if you got it wrong. This operation

would be a bit too complicated to describe, assuming I

could actually remember how it was done in the first place.

The windscreen wipers were something of a joke and

operated on a vacuum system created from the engine. The

things slowed down as the speed of the car got faster and

stopped altogether at anything over about 45mph. The

same thing happened when travelling uphill which meant,

in a heavy downpour, it was necessary to slow down in

order to be able to see anything whatsoever ahead much to

the frustration of any following drivers who had cars fitted

with electrically-powered wipers that kept going. The use

of disc-brakes was an exception rather than the rule on

smaller cars and, with drum-brakes on all four wheels, it

is undoubtedly a good thing that maximum speeds were

quite modest as that meant a car could be brought to a

halt within a reasonable distance. Hydraulically-operated

braking systems were in use but not on all vehicles and

‘Lulu’ was fitted with a system of metal rods, linked

together by cotter-pins, by which any pressure applied to

the brake-pedal was transferred to the four brake-drums.

Now this is all very well but cotter-pins wore down after

a time and it was essential to ensure that the brakes on all

wheels operated simultaneously to avoid the car slewing

to one side or the other when the brakes were applied.

In theory a balance was maintained by adjusting each

brake-drum in turn by jacking up each wheel and turning

a ratchet by means of a screwdriver through a hole on

the rear plate of each brake. The idea was that you spun

each jacked-up wheel whilst adjusting its ratchet until the

brake linings started to engage the drum. Upon hearing

a grinding sound, which indicated the brake-shoes were in

contact with the drum, you released the ratchet one notch

and proceeded to the next wheel where you performed the

whole operation all over again. I honestly don’t think this

system really ever truly balanced the brakes but, with the

low maximum speeds that could be achieved, nobody was

too worried.

On reflection I almost certainly spent more time taking

‘Lulu’ apart and putting her together again than I ever

did actually driving. Much of the attention given was

conducted with me lying in the road outside my home

underneath the car, fiddling with one thing or another. This

appeared to fascinate the young daughter of a neighbour of

ours, some five years my junior, who would often stand by

the car talking to me as I was underneath carrying out the

current ‘repair’. We are still in touch and she continues to

refer to me as ‘the grease monkey’ whilst I tell her I would

recognize her anywhere just by her legs.

Nowadays a drive to any part of the UK is considered

quite normal and modern vehicles are happily taken on far

more lengthy holidays abroad. In 1962 it was more of an

expedition for owners of older cars to venture on longer

journeys but, undaunted, a friend and I planned such an

adventure for July of that year. My friend’s father, who was

sadly deceased, had been born in Tavistock in Devon and my

pal had never visited his birthplace. I had spent a holiday in

south Devon for each of the preceding four years and had a

fair knowledge of the area so ‘Lulu’ was tasked with taking

the pair of us on a week’s camping tour westwards with the

ultimate aim of reaching Tavistock some 220 miles from

our South London homes. We imagined we had planned

our adventure down to the very last detail but, oh for the

optimism of youth! Esso Petroleum were publishing road

maps at the time so I duly purchased one for a ‘tanner’ - six

old pence - which covered the whole of southern England

and was probably scaled at 10 miles to the inch. Our one

and only tent was a lightweight affair measuring about 6’ 6”

x 6’ x 3’ 6” which my parents had bought for me years before

from an army surplus store for the purpose of ‘camping’

in our back garden. The groundsheet was a separate item

which had to be pegged out within the tent once it was up.

We had no sleeping bags but took a couple of blankets each

to keep us warm at night and our ‘cooking’ arrangements

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 127

consisted of a large 7-pint ‘Party keg’ beer-can with holes

bashed through it and a supply of broken up wooden crates

to burn in our ‘brazier’. Thus, so magnificently equipped,

we chugged off westwards with the intention of making a

slow outward journey over a period of several days before

reaching Tavistock. By the evening we were in deepest

Dorset and decided to find a campsite and stop for the night,

but this proved more difficult than we had anticipated. No

matter whom we asked nobody could direct us to a suitable

venue and it appeared that not a single person knew of a

farmer in the whole of the county who would be prepared

to grant us permission to put up our tent in a corner of a

field overnight. Eventually darkness fell and I had to call

upon ‘Lulu’s’ headlights for the very first time. They did

actually work but their beam was limited to around thirty

feet ahead meaning our speed had to be reduced to a crawl

as we drove on. Eventually we spotted an open gateway

in the light of ‘Lulu’s’ two-candlepower headlamps and, in

desperation, we pulled into the field beyond. Permission

or no permission we had to camp somewhere and we would

be gone very early in the morning so nobody would be

any the wiser. Despite a rather odd smell the tent was

erected in the dark as we didn’t want to run ‘Lulu’s’ battery

down and a fire was got going on which to cook a belated

supper. It was then we realized that our supply of broken

timber for cooking purposes was not going to last us two

or three days as we had optimistically intended as, within

fifteen minutes, it had all been consumed. We found

we had a kettle of lukewarm water with which to make a

couple of cups of coffee and, after that, took our blankets

and gratefully crawled into the tent to sleep, very tired but

still enthusiastic to be under the stars well into the West

Country.

That didn’t last for long as the blankets did not provide the

cosy warmth we had anticipated. We had reasoned, after

all, that we would be travelling in the height of summer

when the nights would be warm and balmy and we were

both young and fit. In actual fact it was freezing and by

around 3am we had abandoned the tent for ‘Lulu’ where

we spent the rest of our first night. We slumbered on until

dawn and, as it broke, we got the distinct impression that

‘Lulu’s’ windscreen had been cracked overnight as we could

not see out. Could it have been some vengeful farmer who

had crept up on the car during the darkness and paid us

back for entering his field without asking? We stumbled

out of the car into the half-light only to find the windscreen

was covered in a thick layer of frost and we later learned it

had been the coldest July night in south Dorset since the

year dot. The reason for the odd smell we had noticed the

previous evening also became apparent as the sun rose to

reveal we were surrounded by a ring of dustcarts having

camped overnight in the local refuse yard. Swiftly we took

down the tent, packed up our belongings, got ‘Lulu’ going,

pointed her bonnet westwards once more and continued

on our quest.

With such an early start, and with far fewer vehicles on

the roads in those days, we had a most enjoyable run in

the early summer sunshine for the next couple of hours

or so without encountering a single other vehicle. Before

much longer we had crossed the county border into

Devon and took our time to explore delightful places

such as Beer, Ladram Bay and Otterton before putting

up overnight in East Budleigh. I am pleased to say that,

after the experiences of our first night, the temperatures

rose and the tent came into its own. We also managed

to scrounge further supplies of firewood so all was well

cooking-wise. Over breakfast on day three we consulted

our map and calculated we were within fifty miles of our

target so made the decision we would arrive in Tavistock by

that evening and spend a couple of days in the area. The

most direct route seemed to be to head for Ashburton then

cross Dartmoor via Dartmeet and on to Tavistock. Now

I had visited Dartmoor on a number of occasions during

previous holidays, but these were mainly on day-trips by

coach. ‘Lulu’ chugged purposefully forward to Ashburton,

up the steep hill through Holne Chase and, climbing ever

higher, on to Poundsgate beyond. After Poundsgate we

came upon the steepest incline we had yet encountered,

with two hairpin bends thrown in, but ‘Lulu’ negotiated the

hill, if somewhat slowly. Some miles further on we arrived

at the top of the long steep descent to Dartmeet and it was

then ‘Lulu’ started to show signs of being unwell. There

was nothing for it but to pull into the car-park at the foot of

the hill and review the situation. As luck would have it, the

road beyond Dartmeet, leading to Tavistock ten miles or

more further to the west, went up an even steeper hill than

the one we had just descended so we reluctantly retraced

our steps back to Poundsgate where we had spotted a small

garage. In ascending the hill ‘Lulu’s’ symptoms grew worse

and there were all sorts of odd noises coming from beneath

the bonnet. We managed to get to Poundsgate and, as

we pulled into the garage forecourt, the elderly proprietor

came across from the wall upon which he had been leaning

and said in his delightful Devon accent, ‘I ‘eard ‘ee a’comin’.

Fortunately he was able to take ‘Lulu’ in charge there and

then and soon diagnosed the problem, but told us he would

have to order spare parts and the job might take a couple

of days as a result. Luckily there was an adjacent campsite

where we were able to stay whilst we waited. Sure enough

‘Lulu’ was ready by day five although our friend from the

garage advised us to find less challenging terrain for the

rest of our holiday to avoid further trouble. Seems the oil

in the sump had got a bit on the low side, no dashboard

warning lights then, and had run to the back of the engine

when ascending steep hills with fatal results. I still have

the bill for that repair somewhere and it totals less than £5

which includes two gallons of petrol as well as the spare

parts, labour and fresh oil for the sump.

128 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

Accepting his expert advice we abandoned our aim of

reaching Tavistock and headed for the Dartmouth area,

which I knew well from earlier years, where we spent the

remainder of our week’s holiday camping on a farm with

the permission of a most affable farmer.

After a couple of days more ‘Lulu’ said goodbye to Devon

and safely transported us back to south London in one

long hop thus bringing to an end the first of her two epic

voyages to the west country’.

At the end of August we had a family holiday booked

in a cottage just outside Dartmouth so ‘Lulu’ was asked

to venture westwards once again with myself driving

accompanied by my girl-friend and my aunt. As I have

mentioned there were few motorways in the early 1960’s

and our July expedition had led me to discover very few

towns were by-passed either so journey times could be quite

prolonged. As a result we decided to leave London on the

Friday evening and travel via the A30 overnight rather than

use the more southerly route I had followed a month earlier.

By so doing we hoped to avoid the heavy traffic congestion

that was then a feature of the Exeter area each summer

Saturday during late July and throughout August. During

the previous weeks ‘Lulu’s’ remarkable headlights had been

boosted by the installation of a spotlight so I anticipated

night-driving would be greatly improved. Wrong! With

the heavy evening traffic through the London suburbs it

took us for ever to reach Staines where we were to join the

A30. By the time we did so dusk was falling and I soon

discovered the main difference between our chosen route

and the one I had taken in July. The A30 was a major

trunk-road and thus carried a far greater volume of traffic

including a large percentage of goods vehicles and long-

distance passenger coaches. Even with the newly-fitted

spotlight the illumination generated was simply drowned

out by the lights of oncoming vehicles and our speed had to

be reduced accordingly in the interests of safety. Eventually

we did make it, however, and had no problems with ‘Lulu’

throughout the fortnight. During that time she took us on

a number of trips locally and, on one magnificent occasion,

reached Tavistock carrying myself, my girl-friend and my

grandfather (to say nothing of Rags, the dog) and even

went on into Cornwall. All too soon our fortnight came

to an end and I drove ‘Lulu’ back to south London without

incident, but this time reverted to the more southerly route.

In November we took it upon ourselves to ask ‘Lulu’ to

follow the veteran cars on their annual London to Brighton

rally which she did without question. Imagine our delight

when the local TV news that evening broadcast some

film of the rally and actually gave a brief glimpse of ‘Lulu’

bowling along merrily.

The winter of 1962-1963 was quite severe and, sadly, ‘Lulu’s’

dislike of cold weather became all-too-soon apparent. Day

after day she simply refused to start and, just about a year

after I had bought her, I got the chance of replacing her

with a little Austin 8 dating from 1947. ‘Lulu’ had been

fun but was cold and draughty at the best of times so the

chance was too good to miss and she had to go. We said

goodbye in a scrap-dealer’s yard in Loughborough Junction

a mile from where I lived and I assume she was finally

broken up but who knows? Those bombsite dealers were

still about and maybe she was even sold on.

Officially the Austin 8 was christened ‘Son of Satan’ but

was only ever referred to as the ‘Little Austin’. It was

somewhat smaller than ‘Lulu’ but sported four doors as

opposed to two and was rather more comfortable. Best of

all it started without too much trouble, well usually! Even

so, to the obvious delight of my young neighbour, it still

required regular attention so she could continue to talk to

me as I struggled to put right some defect or another.

Mechanical matters were far simpler then and it was not

too difficult to replace a clutch or even remove an entire

engine whilst the car was parked in the road outside your

home. As ‘the little Austin’ was a bit heavy on oil I decided

to have the cylinders rebored and, with the help of a couple

of friends, lifted the engine block out by roping it to a

shortened length of scaffolding pole and raising it clear of

the engine compartment. It was re-installed by the same

method.

My girl-friend was quite impressed as the Austin seemed

to accept her and would start up without sulking even if

she was sitting in it. Our regular trips into the countryside

outside south London continued as before but, as the ‘Little

Austin’ was somewhat more reliable and economical (by

returning up to 50 mpg on a run) and would cruise along

at 50 mph without too many objections, our range was

extended westwards beyond Guildford and southwards to

the Sussex coast. On one such Sunday jaunt we had spent

a day at Frensham Ponds not far from Farnham in Surrey.

It was a glorious summer’s day and my pal and I took out

a hired canoe leaving the girls beside the car. Due to total

inexperience on my part plus a mix-up in communications

we managed to capsize the thing thus getting ourselves

soaking wet. Fortunately we had a change of some items

of clothing and managed to dry the rest off in the sunshine

before going off for an exploratory walk. Oh joy, a sudden

heavy downpour soaked us for a second time before we

could get back to the car and we had to dry off all over

again. Late in the afternoon we set off for home through

another sharp downpour which was over within a matter of

minutes. It was very hot and humid and I had my window

open as did my pal who was sitting behind me on the rear

seat. He had just remarked, ‘Thank God we are in the car.

At least I won’t get wet again today’ when we came upon

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 129

a dip in the road filled with rainwater. In driving I saw it

coming and ducked forward but he did not and there was

an almighty splash as we hit the puddle a split second after

he had made the remark. The look on his face, which I saw

in the driving mirror, was an absolute picture of disbelief

as a sheet of water shot through his open window and hit

him fair and square. Laugh? I thought my legs would

never dry!

The first lengthy expedition I asked the ‘Little Austin’

to take me on was a week’s tour of Devon and Cornwall

with the ultimate aim of reaching Land’s End. On this

occasion I was accompanied by another Old Olavian

friend, whom I shall refer to as Reg for the purposes of

this narrative, who was engaged to be married and wanted

the chance of an economical holiday as he was saving up

hard for his wedding. Having learned from my mistakes

from the trip undertaken in ‘Lulu’ the previous year we

had both purchased a crude sort of sleeping-bag, included

extra blankets in our luggage, took along a primus stove

for cooking, a paraffin hurricane-lamp for illumination

and armed ourselves with a ‘Guide to Campsites in the

West Country’ as a precaution. The lightweight tent,

however, remained our only night-time shelter. Leaving

south London on a summer’s Friday afternoon we headed

for a campsite about eighty miles to the west that we had

selected from our guide and had ‘phoned prior to setting

off to ensure we could get in. In theory there were two

carloads destined for Land’s End, the second being

driven by George, the friend I mentioned earlier who had

written off his first car a few weeks after buying it. He

had since acquired a rather grand roadster model which

looked fine but did less than 20 mpg in London and only a

little better on a run. What with this and the amount he

had borrowed to buy the thing in the first place I got the

impression it was proving a terrible strain on his finances.

We had arranged to meet up at a designated spot near

to our selected overnight campsite but when Reg and I

arrived, much to our surprise, George and his faster car

were nowhere to be seen. We waited for a good length

of time but they failed to show up so, as it started to get

dark and, remembering the refuse-yard incident, we drove

off to set up camp. When we got there we found George

and his party had arrived hours before having forgotten to

stop and link up with us as arranged. Our tent was duly

erected and then came the matter of lighting the primus

stove to enable us to cook supper. Night had fallen but we

did have the benefit of the hurricane lamp so we filled the

primus with paraffin in its light and set about pumping up

the pressure. We worked away merrily for about twenty

minutes with absolutely no results whatsoever, relighting

the paraffin-soaked cotton-wool in the upper tray on more

than one occasion. Eventually we decided to give up and

make do with a cold snack so I opened the pressure release

valve a mere fraction at which there was a loud whoosh and

a column of flame leaped twelve feet into the air, rather

like an Elizabethan beacon warning of the approach of

the Spanish Armada, and illuminating an area of about a

hundred yards in radius. Hooray, the thing was going but

a few other disgruntled campers peered out to see what was

going on! Supper eaten we settled down in the tent for the

night but, when we got up the following day, everything

seemed to reek of paraffin. Anybody who has read ‘Three

Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K. Jerome will be familiar with

his views on the subject of taking such oil along on a

camping trip and I now heartily agree with his comments.

The next morning there was a bit of a confrontation!

George had persuaded his group that they actually wanted

to go to Weymouth and spend a week there but I had set

out for Land’s End and that is where I was going even if

I continued on alone. Dear old Reg opted to stay with

me so we bid the other group farewell and turned west as

they headed south for Weymouth. I learned years later

that George had never really intended to continue on into

Cornwall as he simply could not afford the cost of fuel for

his vehicle, even though his companions had agreed to chip

in, and was too embarrassed to admit it. He also had his

mind set on the chance of meeting girls in Weymouth but

he was apparently disappointed in this also although both

his companions fared much better.

We continued on in the ‘Little Austin’ and were soon well

into Somerset when a following driver drew my attention

to the fact that my brake-lights were not working. Now

these lights on the ‘Little Austin’ had never given any

trouble although there was an auxiliary reversing light

that had been installed by a previous owner that had never

worked. Initially I assumed a fuse had blown which I

changed immediately - in those days you never ventured

anywhere without a full tool-kit and a host of assorted

spare parts. Hmmm! Still no brake-lights but, for some

inexplicable reason, the reversing light worked a treat.

Nothing for it but to crawl underneath and take a look to

see if there were any broken wires. I found an absolute

maze of wiring although none seemed to be hanging loose

anywhere but, after about an hour of prodding and poking,

the brake-lights resumed working and the reversing light

went dead again. I never did find out the cause of this

phenomenon but there was never another problem in that

department for the following two years that I retained

the car. Had we been across the Devon border I would

have put it down to mischievous pixies but we were still in

Somerset. The next few days were quite uneventful and we

achieved our goal by reaching Land’s End before turning

for home. Occasional overnight rain had resulted in

‘drying out’ operations being required to damp bedding but

we managed these quite successfully. On more than one

occasion we had been granted permission to stop overnight

in a field by a hospitable farmer which led to morning

130 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

ablutions being taken out in the open in a stream. We had

planned our first night’s stop on the return journey would

be somewhere on the north coast of Cornwall and we were

passing through the small town of Portreath when the

‘Little Austin’ gave a sudden cough and ground to a halt.

Upon opening the bonnet we found the fuel inlet pipe to

the carburettor to be leaking badly and closer examination

revealed the thread in the body of the thing had stripped

through vibration, the inlet pipe had come loose and could

not be screwed back in place. Well, I know I said you

carried all manner of spares in those days but a carburettor

was not one of them so we were stuck. Fortunately we

learned from a passing local that there was a breaker’s yard

a few minutes’ walk away - what town did not have a local

car-breaker then? - so we took off the offending unit and

soon had a replacement. Within minutes it was installed

into the ‘Little Austin’, the engine roared into life and we

were off! Oh no we weren’t for, as soon as you revved up

to pull away, the engine died out. It would happily start

up again but, apply a few revs, and it cut out once more.

We simply couldn’t fathom it out but then I had an idea.

We made a loop in a bit of string with a slip-knot which

we placed around the carburettor and out over the fuel-

pipe which was then pulled tightly into place by means of

the knot. The joint was then plastered with a thick layer

of Gun Gum, intended for patching holes in an exhaust

pipe, and then swathed in a bandage from our first-aid kit

which had been soaked in gasket seal. The layers were

built up, more Gun Gum, more soaked bandages, until we

had covered the joint with a thick cocoon about the size of

a coconut. The essential questions were: was it air/petrol

tight, would the engine start and would it hold? Oh joy, the

engine started and we set off eastwards with the intention

of getting as far as we could towards Dartmouth where I

had a good few helpful friends. Eventually, of course, it

started to get dark but we spotted a muddy lay-by with

garage and workshop a hundred yards or so beyond on the

outskirts of a village so we decided to stop there, sleep in

the car overnight, and call into the garage for advice when

it opened the next morning. There was not a great deal of

room in the ‘Little Austin’ so we clambered into the back

seat, made ourselves as comfortable as we could, wrapped

ourselves in the blankets and prepared to try to get some

sleep. Reg, who was a smoker, insisted on having his last

cigarette before settling down so, after a bit of a search, he

managed to find his cigarettes and lighter and lit up. He

then promptly dropped the thing down among the blankets

and other paraphernalia piled into the back of the car along

with the pair of us. The only solution was a swift evacuation

and search for the lighted cigarette because, after all, there

was not only a faint lingering odour of paraffin but the

added smell of petrol as well. After a prolonged hunt in

the dark we eventually located the offending cigarette only

to find it was out and, in fact, had apparently never been

alight in the first place. Smoking in the car was banned for

the rest of the holiday.

Needless to say sleeping in the back of a small car is not

the most comfortable of things to do and, as a result, we

were up very early the next morning. By chance there

was a public seat some yards away from the layby on the

opposite side of the road in the direction of the garage so

we chose to take the primus and cook our breakfast there

whilst sitting on the seat. As we sat there, both looking

very dishevelled after our uncomfortable night, we spotted

an early riser approaching us from the centre of the village.

She suddenly stopped dead, crossed the road and ran past

us on the opposite side. This was repeated several times

more as local residents made their way to work and we

found it very puzzling. Eventually the garage opened and,

once we had explained our problem, the mechanic invited

us to bring the ‘Little Austin’ in for further investigation.

When he opened the bonnet and saw our cocoon he stood

up with a look of amazement on his face: ‘And how far did

you get with that’? he asked.

‘From Portreath’ I responded.

‘Bloody hell,’ he exclaimed, ‘That’s all of seventy miles. I’ve

seen some bodging in my time but I take my hat off to you

guys’.

The problem was quickly resolved as he re-threaded the

damaged joint and fitted an oversize connection to the

fuel-pipe. Apparently, although the carburettor purchased

from the breaker was exactly the same size externally as the

original, it was for a 10hp engine rather than an 8hp one,

and as soon as the throttle pedal was revved the engine

flooded.

We continued on to Dartmouth and spent the last

few remaining days of our holiday nearby. Reg had

accompanied me to the area on a previous holiday, which

had been taken in the cottage mentioned earlier, so we

were both familiar to the landlord in the local pub. He

greeted us warmly when we popped in for lunch and asked

us where we had been. When we revealed we had travelled

up from Cornwall and spent the previous night sleeping

in the car he asked, ‘See anything of those two convicts

that escaped from Dartmoor Prison yesterday?’ Suddenly

the reason for the antics of the local folk in Cornwall that

morning became clear.

A few days later we were back in south London after an

uneventful drive home.

The Devon cottage had been booked once again for a

fortnight in August so the ‘Little Austin’ was loaded up

once more with as much as possible being packed into the

small boot with any excess baggage being accommodated

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 131

on a roof-rack or squeezed inside. In addition to myself and

my girl-friend, my aunt and cousin were to travel with us

which meant the interior became very cramped indeed but

we were soon off. As before, we chose to drive overnight

on the southern route via Winchester, Dorchester and

Bridport in order to avoid the anticipated heavy holiday

traffic on the Saturday. Night fell long before our journey

ended and I am pleased to record that the lights on the

‘Little Austin’ were significantly better than those of ‘Lulu’.

A very noticeable difference between motoring in the

1960s and the present day was that, after about 2300 hours

in the depths of rural Hampshire and Dorset, you met very

few other vehicles on the road. I recall quite distinctly

covering around twenty miles or more during that journey

and not encountering another moving car. Having crossed

the Devon border, and with the greater portion of our

drive behind us, we decided to pull into a lay-by for a few

hours’ sleep before continuing on once dawn had broken.

Quite recently I attended The Torbay Steam Rally which

included an exhibition of vintage cars and, much to my

delight, there stood an Austin 8 exactly the same as the one

I had owned all those years ago. What immediately struck

me was the diminutive size of the car and I tried to fathom

out how four adults with all their holiday luggage had

once crammed into such a model and travelled around 220

miles from London to Dartmouth! We had no significant

problems with the car, which was used for a number of

excursions during the fortnight, before returning us safely

back to London in early September.

The winter of 1963/4 was also quite severe although it was

not so bad as to cause the ‘Little Austin’ to play up too

much. It was, however, bitterly cold and many cars had

little or no means of heating their interior. During the

spring of 1964 I was tempted into buying a much larger

car in the form of a Triumph Renown, which boasted a

heater, but it did not last too long at all as it developed

severe engine problems during a trip to Cornwall during

the early summer. Repairs would have been very expensive

so, as I had yet to dispose of the ‘Little Austin’, I decided to

give it a reprieve and abandoned the Triumph in a garage

near Exeter. In all honesty I had totally forgotten about

the Triumph and was, therefore, very surprised to receive a

letter from this garage about a year later. This contained a

cheque for £2 10s (£2.50) with a covering note to say the

car had finally been sold for scrap for £5 and the proprietor

had taken 50% for his trouble but was enclosing the balance

accordingly. Clearly not all garage owners/car dealers were

rogues.

The holiday cottage near Dartmouth had been booked for

a further fortnight starting in August 1964 so the ‘Little

Austin’ made its third trip westwards almost as heavily-

laden as before. I say ‘almost’ as my girl-friend was unable

to take her holiday in August that year so there were only

three persons on board for the overnight journey but we

still managed to fill every nook and cranny with luggage.

The drive down was a bit wild as the weather was none-

too-good and we proceeded through heavy rain for most

of the journey but, as the ‘Little Austin’ had electrically

operated windscreen wipers, it did not cause us too many

difficulties. On that occasion we drove right the way

through to the outskirts of Dartmouth before pulling over

for the remainder of the night and spent a few hours as

the wind howled about us rocking the car quite noticeably

at times. Still, we survived intact and spent all the next

two weeks enjoying our days in Devon before returning to

London without incident.

The ‘Little Austin’ stayed with me until the spring of 1965

when it was sold in favour of an Austin Devon which

was a somewhat larger, more modern, vehicle and my

days of small, older cars came to an end. In the twenty-

first century it may be impossible for younger people to

appreciate the almost pioneering spirit that led individuals

like myself and my friends to venture forth all the way to

the west country in vehicles that would certainly not be

allowed on the roads these days. The fact was that package-

deal holidays to places like Spain were in their infancy and

most people still took their vacations within the UK. As

previously mentioned there were far fewer cars on the

roads so the greater percentage of holidaymakers arrived

at their destinations by coach or train. Holiday camps, as

featured in the TV series ‘Hi-Di-Hi’, were at the height of

their popularity and, although Devon and Cornwall have

always been popular areas in which to take a holiday, many

people chose the resorts of Essex, Kent and Sussex rather

than those further afield. It was, therefore, something of

a real adventure to tour to places several hundred miles

away from your home with the knowledge that something

would almost certainly crop up along the way. When I

first obtained ‘Lulu’ she was twenty-three years old and

‘the little Austin ‘ was fifteen. With the tightening up of

regulations cars of a similar age are now far less common

on our roads and the first two vehicles owned by our young

friend mentioned during my introduction to these memoirs

were both considerably younger in years.

Since the 1960s I have owned and driven dozens of cars of

all shapes and sizes, some good, some bad, some indifferent,

but I find it impossible to recall the registration numbers of

any but a couple of the most recent. ‘Lulu’, however, carried

ETC 415 and the Little Austin JGC 788 which may go

to illustrate just how memorable that pair became. No

matter what vehicle I have driven since those days I have

always been very conscious of anything appearing a bit

odd, especially ‘hot’ smells, as that invariably used to mean

mechanical trouble of some sort or the other. Despite all

their faults my wife of forty-seven years and I occasionally

laugh about some of the experiences the pair brought to us

132 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

for, you see, she is the same girl that had to hide from ‘Lulu’

to stop her sulking in back in 1962.

Robin A Dadson (1954-59)

Poetry By Fintan CalpinMise en Scène (a triptych)

iSo learnd I loue on a hollye eue,hey ho holidaye,That euer since my hart did greuenow endeth our roundelay.

I caught the sun today

In one hand and rolled it

Down the mudpath, moulded it

Like a clod of clay

Into a word for retire.

Maybe we waited for a sun-

Set (which burnt as if hellfire

Spilling across the horizon)

To light our cigs on. Maybe

We could not wait though.

All day my lips connected to

An outdoorsy heaven, the sky frescoed

In sky-blue - the shot breeze

Caught in leaves and throats

Trees breathed in dalliant

Ease just you me and the sun

Setting: your apocalypse,

Me walking through it.

iiUpward again on slow-firm pinions slanting, their separate

diverse flight,

She hers, he his, pursuing.

Twist is, when your eye opens

Its chambers empty of shadow; closing

The night draws distance closer.

The night: where our chronologies of will

And circumstance collide, two eagles over Delphi.

My clipped talons tick time.

This conceit

Tricks these buildings into bearing

Your countenance. Long after you are gone

I will sink back into the limestone.

With glad hands I press down

And, in a click, the shutter

Closes on the image,

Negatives impressed

Somewhere no light

Can reach, until

The greedy, prodding

Fingers of memory

Come distorting

This perfect fullness of shadow -

Us lying still in the lack of light.

iiibut what kind of light?

Went north and got

sunburnt waiting for the

evening same as every

day.

Left

for the flowers at

Hidcote still flaring still

exploding their stems

into the present. Picked up

the antique telephone

in the display room

(hoping to call you)

it wasn’t plugged

in.

Shift

suddenly in

perspective, these

garden rooms open

on the wide open wild’s

wide open eyes. Toes

right on the edge

smile and suddenly get

why they call it a

haha.

By Fintan Calpin, a second year English Student at Wadham,

Oxford

St O-lave’s or St Olive’s?Leslie J Watmore sent the following contribution, the last

paragraph of which some of our younger readers might do

well to observe: In a recent conversation I had with our

OOs’ secretary, Jane Wells, the subject of the pronunciation

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 133

of the school’s name was raised because, she said, whenever

she speaks to the older OOs they pronounce it as “Saint

Olives” whereas in modern parlance the first syllable is a

long “O” as in “Oh”. I told her it was my firm belief that

the name was pronounced “St. Olives” at least as far back

as the beginning of the last century and probably for all the

centuries to when the school began in Elizabethan times.

This would have been because the school was named after

the Bermondsey parish of St. Olave’s where it was founded,

whilst the girls’ school, built 10 years earlier, was called St.

Saviour’s being situated in the adjacent parish of that name.

I very much doubt if the denizens of that area gave a great

deal of thought to the patron saint St Olaf when talking

of their parish or their local school, and I wonder whether

the new pronunciation arose after the school moved to

Orpington and became more gentrified. Certainly every

master including the headmaster and all the boys in my

time at the school 1940-47 used the earlier pronunciation

as did Mr. Grainger, our chemistry master, who joined the

school in 1904.

To change the subject, just lately (I am writing in January

2015), there has been considerable concern about childhood

obesity, and it has been authoritatively stated that nearly

a third of British children born in the year 2000 were

overweight or obese by the age of 11. This has its impact

on the NHS as well, of course, as the children’s health. I

therefore thought I might add to the national debate by

writing a letter to the Times which they published on 23

December, its relevance to our school, which is not named,

being fairly obvious to OO readers. It reads as follows:-

“Sir, I was ten years old at the start of the Second World

War and spent the next six years evacuated with my school

in Devon. In that period there was no TV, virtually no

cars, and food and sweets were severely rationed. I have

kept over the years all the annual photographs of my school

forms and, apart from one boy who apparently suffered

from a glandular disorder, every one of us looks slim and fit.

As my maths master would have said, “QED”.

As neither the school nor I was in Devon in 1939/40 but

both evacuated elsewhere I used a little poetic licence in the

above to avoid getting entangled in irrelevancies.

Leslie J Watmore (1940-47)

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

Old Olavians’ Lodge No. 5758This is the masonic lodge closely associated with our

school. It was founded in the 1930s for the old boys, staff

and governors of St. Olave’s and, despite the fact that we

now have much wider open membership, we still retain

strong links with, and great affection for, our school. We

still provide funds to support two of the annual prizes, for

example.

Our primary purpose nowadays is to raise money for

charity. The annual report of our ‘Grand Charity’ shows

the wide range of organisations, charities, medical research,

clubs for the disadvantaged in society, hospices and other

worthy causes that we support. If a natural disaster occurs

somewhere in the world and an international appeal

follows, you can guarantee that our Grand Charity will be

among the first to respond.

Recently those lodges based in London have bought a

wonderful piece of much-needed medical equipment for

St. Bartholomew’s Hospital - the ‘Cyberknife’, which

irradiates and tackles deep-lying cancers. We have

purchased a mobile scanner for the London Hospital

which can go to the bedside of road traffic accident victims

to check them for spinal injuries - thus saving them from

slow, difficult and careful transport to X-ray departments.

We supply ‘magic breakfasts’ for some schools in London

so that many children now start their school day with a

good meal.

The latest venture we have undertaken is to set out to

raise enough money, within two years, for the London

Air Ambulance Service to be able to purchase a second

helicopter. The current helicopter has, of course, to

spend many hours a year being serviced and maintained

and, whilst this is happening, we have no cover overhead.

London freemasons are determined to help to provide this

support.

Want to know more about us? Why not write to me? I

am sure I can answer your questions. We meet formally

just four times a year at Freemasons Hall, Great Queen

Street - just off Kingsway in Central London. However,

once you join, you have the right of access to thousands of

masonic lodges world-wide.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Peter G Hudson OBE, Honorary Secretary of Old

Olavians’ Lodge, 9 Downs View Close, Pratts Bottom,

Orpington, Kent, BR6 7SU

Old Olavian Cricket Tour Report 2015After a dry, if not stunningly hot, summer in which hardly

a game was lost to rain, the big question in the forefront of

the minds of the nation was whether the good luck would

hold for the Old Olavians’ tour of Devon. Sadly it did not,

and 2015 was the wettest tour in recent memory. It wasn’t

wall-to-wall rain, though, and we still got three games of

cricket in and had a lot of fun the rest of the time as well.

134 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

The Sunday game went for a burton a week before tour even

started, due to the seemingly obligatory pre-tour dramatic

event. We were meant to be returning to Budleigh

Salterton, a very nice ground on the coast that we used to

play regularly. However, the first team skipper with whom

we arranged the fixture suddenly parted company with his

club, and no-one took over responsibility for the fixtures he

had arranged. When we phoned up to confirm the game

the week before we found out that they wouldn’t be able

to play us, and sadly we weren’t able to find a replacement

fixture in time. This meant there was a more leisurely trip

down to Devon than usual for most tourists on the Sunday,

and they could get up to whatever they fancied before

meeting at the Cavendish hotel in the evening. Laura

Pangbourne, the imminent Mrs Tom Parsons, took a group

of us out for a spot of paddle-boarding in the sea about 500

yards from our hotel. It was quite a hit, and will probably

become a regular tour activity in future for those of us who

don’t mind falling in the water. A lot.

One other notable event on Sunday night was the surprising

arrival of Amanda Colloff on the stroke of midnight, as she

had said she couldn’t come after spending eight months

travelling the world, since she was about to head off to

Europe to spend another couple of months travelling there.

We had been told that every single bed in the hotel had

been taken, but this didn’t seem to deter her - I suppose you

get the hang of finding places to sleep as you backpack your

way through pacific islands and busy international capitals.

She kept showing up at breakfast every morning during the

week in any case, so she must have a good knack of hunting

down disused broom cupboards and finding space on top of

wardrobes and that sort of thing.

The Monday game at Sidmouth was sadly lost to rain,

which was made all the more frustrating as the sun came

out in the afternoon and positively beamed down on us as

we hacked and slashed around Starcross golf course. There

was nothing wrong with the weather on Tuesday though,

and we were all chomping at the bit to get on the field

at Sandford, particularly since we usually have really close

games there and also because they are such terribly nice

blokes.

Sandford batted first. Josh Rawlings, a new tourist from

Bromley cricket club and our one pace bowler for the week,

opened the bowling and got a wicket with his sixth ball to

get us off to a good start. He followed that with a couple

more wickets in his fifth over (all bowled - perhaps he had

heard about the catching reliability of the OOs) and he

could have actually had a few more with the number of

times he was beating the bat. Skipper Ian Giles came

on first change and dismissed four more batsmen with

his usual combination of late swing and mystery balls and

the home team were swiftly struggling at 68 for seven.

You can never afford to relax against Sandford though.

Their skipper B. Clement came in at number nine and

made several lusty, windmill-type swings in the general

direction of the ball without getting remotely near it, but

then suddenly got his eye in and started sending them all

around the park. Dave Colloff put in a good tight spell

against the onslaught but the OOs couldn’t find a break-

through as the ball landed maddeningly between fielders

and the score surged upwards. Josh returned early for his

final two overs and managed to dismiss T. Williams for

27, who had been holding the other end up. Lance Giles

came on for a second spell and got carted around a fair

bit just as before but managed to bowl Clement in his last

over for a thoroughly cavalier 83. Pete White took the

last wicket courtesy of Tom Parsons with his second catch

of the day, and Sandford were left on 196 after 37 overs,

which seemed a fair target.

Not content with his batting heroics, Clement opened the

bowling too. He annoyingly bowled Parsons in his second

over and followed that with a couple of maidens, but the

Olavians managed to keep him out for the rest of his tight

spell of eight overs for 16 runs. When he wasn’t batting

or bowling Clement liked catching too, and caught Sanjay

Ranasinghe before he could trouble the scorers more than

mildly in the tenth over. Other accurate bowlers came on,

and the OOs were finding them hard to get away, losing

wickets regularly and steadily getting behind the clock

in run-rate. The exception to this was Sagren Nayanah-

Rajh, who opened the batting and mixed resolute defence

with thunderous blows, particularly favouring the booming

straight aerial drive. He didn’t seem so keen on singles,

but who can blame him? He waged a lone war against

the bowlers (suffering his traditional hamstring complaint

manfully during the process) until he was finally caught

on the boundary for 89 quality runs. This left the tourists

on 143 for seven off 33 overs. 54 more runs required from

seven overs. This sadly proved too much of an ask of the

remaining batsmen, and the OOs subsided to 147 for nine

in 35 overs. Lawrence Roots had had to retire from the

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 135

game during fielding earlier due to a dizzy spell related to

a concussion he had received a couple of weeks earlier, and

unfortunately wasn’t able to bat. Who knows whether this

would have made a difference to the result, but his batting

has come on tremendously in recent years and his elegant

drives would certainly have proved very useful.

Wednesday was another fine day, and after a civilised yet

mercilessly competitive bout of lawn bowls we all amassed

at Torquay’s pleasant ground. The home skipper Galhenage

confidently said he’d like to bat first in a 40-over game,

and his OO opposite number Lance Giles acquiesced,

a decision he would come to rather regret. Torquay

mentioned that they had had a lot of trouble raising a side,

and had dragged players in from several nearby clubs to

make up numbers. What they didn’t mention at the start of

the game was that all these players were first team batsmen

very eager for a bit of midweek practice. Josh and Lance

opened the bowling, and after nine overs the score was 38

for none and the batsmen had played and missed numerous

times, particularly against Josh who beat the bat about

three times an over. From then on it was pretty much

carnage. Galhenage got fifty, his opening partner retired

on 100, and there were two other fifties from the middle

order. At least five balls were lost over the short boundary

and over the road. Reduced to bowling with rough net

balls, none of the bowlers came out with much credit. The

only highlights were really Craig Giles’ first bowl back on

tour after an eight-year absence and Chris Evans, who was

appearing for the first time on tour after muttering about it

for at least twenty years, taking a wicket with his first ball.

Torquay finished on 336 off their quota of overs, which was

a record score against the OOs in Devon.

Faced with such a monumental task, the only approach for

the tourists was to go out and enjoy it and let the result take

care of itself. Tom Parsons opened up in his usual carefree

manner and reached ten after two balls, after which he

moved like a force of nature to 29 before getting caught

out. Sanjay was scheduled to throw the bat briefly before

running for a train at 6.30pm that he needed to get back

to London. The problem was he started batting rather

well, and the more he found the middle of the bat the less

inclined he seemed to be to surrender his wicket. 6.30pm

came and went before Sanjay was caught out for an excellent

30, and he skipped off to the train station with a whistle on

his lips (where he managed to catch a later train and get

back to London around midnight, for those who like their

stories to have all the loose ends tied up). Chris Swadkin

looked in fine form for his 21 before bizarrely managing

to get out by stepping on his own wicket. Dave Colloff

came in fresh from an 80 at the weekend and played the

best innings before unluckily being run out from a direct

hit on 40. Josh played several mighty shots and remained

unconquered on 31 as the OOs finished on 218 for seven

from their forty overs, which in any normal game would

have been a decent enough score.

It takes more than a first innings’ hammering to dent the

good cheer of an Olavian touring party, and everyone

quickly turned their thoughts to Terry Smith’s Tour Quiz

back at the Cavendish. A couple of contentious questions,

a walk-out and a couple of fist fights was the perfect way

to take everyone’s minds off the Torquay game, and a good

time was had by all.

South Devon phoned up the next day apologising for

having to call the game off due to a waterlogged ground,

which wasn’t too surprising given the overnight rain. It

carried on drizzling for most of the day. The OOs thought

that if you’re going to get wet you might as well do it

properly, and adjourned to the hotel swimming pool for

stupid games involving inflatable balls. Everyone had such

a good time that that they carried on for hours, moving

indoors after a bit to do silly things in the heated but smaller

indoor pool, before finishing crammed into the sauna. The

tour dinner in the evening was a more relaxed affair than

normal, since we didn’t have to hurry back from a cricket

game. Paul Chapman navigated us through it with his

customary avuncular wit, and John Brown delivered a very

entertaining extended speech about how tour had changed

through the (many!) years of his experience. JB claimed

our predecessors went to bed a lot earlier than the current

tour incumbents, roused early every morning for a dip in

the sea, and finished each day off with a knickerbocker

glory. I’m not sure which one is least likely these days.

Friday dawned monolithically grey, and steady rainfall in

the morning left everyone pessimistic, if not dismissive,

of any chance of a game. Kenn were very keen for the

game to be played though, especially since it would be

the first time we had played them since Pete Murfin sadly

passed away last winter. So we had lunch in the Combe

Cellars pub on the edge of the River Teign and watched

the rain come down outside, and then we drove off to Kenn

136 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

where we huddled on the outfield as the drizzle continued.

Eventually it stopped and we thought we would try to get

a 25-over game in. The ground was too slippy for bowlers

to run up more than a couple of yards, but conditions

were the same for both sides so we thought we’d give it a

bash anyway. Josh Rawlings (36) opened the batting for

the first time in his career, and he and Pete White (36)

began smiting the ball around very nicely. They fell in

quick succession, however, leaving us on 87 for 2 after ten

overs. Swaddy came in and hit three sixes in a quickfire 39

before he was stumped, and John Brown and Steve Parsons

saw us through to 159 for four from our 25 overs, having

relinquished their normal scoring and umpiring roles.

Ian Giles (2 for seven) opened the bowling and proved just

as difficult as normal for the batsmen to get away. Chris

Evans and Lance Giles got a wicket each too, and although

Jimmy Gosling played well for 33, once he was out the

hope for the home side was gone, as they were getting too

far behind the run-rate. Stephen Parsons bowled three

lovely overs at the end for figures of 2 for eleven, and Kenn

finished on 77. The amount of slippy mud had made it an

unusual game, but it was very good of Kenn to persevere

with playing it and all the tourists appreciated their efforts

- it was far more satisfying to drive back to London after

a game than after another wash-out. It was also a much

better way to remember Pete Murfin than a rained-off

match, and a few heart-felt words were said about him

before the start of play.

It had been unfortunate the weather had decided to turn

foul just at the wrong moment for tour, but we were able

to get just enough cricket in so that all the players took

the field at some point and made a useful contribution.

Most grateful thanks must be awarded to everyone who

umpired and scored during the week, particularly Stephen

Parsons and John Brown who performed those duties full-

time at Sandford and Torquay. Thanks also to Sanjay who

handled the finances until he ran off for his train on the

Wednesday. Finally, congratulations to everyone in the

tour party for keeping their spirits up when faced with

yet another wet morning, and for completeness those that

haven’t been mentioned so far are: Chris Ruddle, Rashalen

and Sharon Najayanah-Rajh, Andy Bayliss, Jackie Childe,

Janet Colloff, Pennie Giles, Linda Michael, Margaret

Roots, Jo Swadkin, Peter White’s girlfriend Becky and

John Brown’s partner Ann.

RESULTS:

Sun 9th August v Budleigh Salterton

Match Cancelled

Mon 10th August v Sidmouth

Match Abandoned

Tues 11th August v Sandford (40 0vers)

LOST by 44 runs

Sandford 196 in 37 overs ( J Rawlings 4 for 21, I Giles 4

for 41)

Old Olavians 153 in 35 overs (S Nayanah-Rajh 89, D

Colloff 26)

Wed 12th August v Torquay (40 overs)

LOST by 118 runs

Torquay 336 for 5 in 40 overs

Old Olavians 218 for 9 in 40 overs (D Colloff 40, J

Rawlings 31, S Ranasinghe 30, T Parsons 29)

Thurs 13th August v South Devon

Match Abandoned

Fri 14th August v Kenn (25 overs)

WON by 82 runs

Old Olavians 159 for 4 in 25 overs (C Swadkin 39, J

Rawlings 36, P White 35)

Kenn 77 in 17 overs

Lance Giles (1988-1995)

Eton Fives Club ANOUNCEMENT: Planning permission has been granted

for the building of four additional Eton Fives courts at

St.Olave’s. For all information about this exciting project

and how to donate, please look at: www.olavianfives.com

The first news that has to be reported is the very sad news

of the sudden death of Jim Biggs, who was a father-figure

in many ways to our club. Jim was at the top of the sport in

his hey-day, having won the Men’s Nationals several times

in the 1960s/70’s and having been a leading player in our

1970 Barber Cup winning team. Despite living in the

West Country, and having retired from playing many years

ago, Jim still visited us at key tournaments and events and

kept in touch with the club’s progress. Jim was a very proud

Olavian and a great all-round sportsman at school. He

played in both the last ever official school football match

for St.Olave’s and then the first ever official school Rugby

match! Jim was thrilled by the Fives Club’s successes and

enormous growth. Those of us that were lucky enough to

know Jim will miss him very much. Jim would have very

much approved of all else that we have to report for the

2014-2015 season. (There are more tributes to Jim in the

In Memoriam section).

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 137

The Saturday morning club sessions grew in popularity and

there were three or four courts full most weeks, especially

over the summer term. It was great to see so many players

return to the club whilst at university or having left university

in recent years. Brian Wang, Sudhir Balagi and Tony

Barker all made important contributions to The Cambridge

University Fives teams, with Tony triumphing in all matches

at first pair and winning the University Championships.

We managed to win the First Division (and, with it, the

coveted Douglas Keeble Cup). Scraping through by 1.5

points, the last three matches were crucial - especially our

2-1 win over the Old Berkhamstedians who were in pole

position until that time. The most satisfying statistic is

that fifteen different players represented the club in this

successful campaign, including three superb players from

the school! The joint School/Old Olavian Second Division

team finished third, whilst the third Division Team won

their title also!!

The main target every year as a team is the all-club knockout

-The Barber Cup. We triumphed again, making this the

club’s sixteenth title in this event, and the twelfth in a

row. The winning finalists were James Toop & Matthew

Wiseman, Sebastian Cooley & Peter White, and Howard

Wiseman & Tom Gallagher. Aged only sixteen, Tom made

history by becoming the youngest player, and first schoolboy,

to have ever been in a winning Barber Cup Team.

The two tournaments that specifically feature pairings of

past and present pupils were both won by the Olavians. The

Old Olavian ladies reunited to compete in the Richard Black

Cup. Old Olavians dominated the major Tournament scene

with Seb Cooley, Matt Wiseman and James Toop appearing

in almost every major final. Seb remains undefeated in

five years with his Old Harrovian partner; he won all major

events including the Men’s nationals, and also the Mixed

nationals with his Old Olavian sister, Charlotta! Charlotta

won the Ladies Nationals as well.

Luke Stradwick and Peter White enjoyed another very

committed and successful year competing in The England

Fives/International Wall Ball Team, which included good

performances in the World Championships in Calgary,

Canada.

Old Olavians Matthew Wiseman, David Mew and Howard

Wiseman continue to serve many schools as the visiting

Fives Professionals, whilst Matt has also been appointed

as the the Fives Master-in-charge at Westminster School

and the lead coach for the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz in

Switzerland. Seb Cooley is the master-in-charge of Fives

at Shrewsbury School, and Charlotta Cooley has just joined

the staff at Ipswich school were she will be heavily involved

with the busy Fives programme there. Chris Self, whilst

in his second year at university in London, has joined

the coaching team at Alleyn’s school. It is fantastic to

see so many Old Olavians playing such an important

role in the development of this sport both nationally

and internationally! When additional courts are built

at St.Olave’s, these will be used to enable more girls and

boys from other schools in the area to play and to represent

either their own school or a Bromley Borough team.

Anyone reading this report who would like to play fives

again, or for the first time, or would just like to come and

see a match being played amongst Olavians, do please get

in touch. Just contact Howard Wiseman on: hwiseman@

aol.com, or 0779 222 6036.

If you are keen to donate towards our court fund, then

please do look at www.olavianfives.com or contact Howard.

Donations of any size would be greatly appreciated.

IN MEMORIAM

Michael John Kendrick BALAAM (1955-63) died

in the autumn of 2013. We were sent this sad news by

his friend Dr Stuart Handley (1956-64), and later we

received the following tribute: On Sunday, May 17th 2015,

‘Suffolk Singers’ a choir from Otley, near Ipswich, sang in

the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy in memory of Michael

Balaam, a former chorister of the chapel and member of

Suffolk Singers, who died in October 2013. Michael had

left the choir a small legacy to do something ‘different’,

‘special’ and this is what the choir had chosen to do.

Michael was a former chairman and dedicated member of

Suffolk Singers in which he had sung for many years.

The diagnosis of a grade 4 brain tumour in March 2011

had come with a ‘months, not years’ prognosis. At no point

during the succeeding two and a half years did Michael

shrink his life to accommodate the cancer. Rather, he

expanded it, made it denser, more positive and fruitful.

Music, singing and the wonderfully supportive Suffolk

Singers, of whom he was so proud, did much to enrich

these precious years.

Form 1cMichael was born in London on the 7th July 1944, a year

before the end of WW2. An only child, he lived with

his parents in Honor Oak Park and joined St Olave’s in

September 1955 where he started in Form 1c with George

Collins.

In the form photograph, Michael is in the second row, fourth

from the right. He was a chorister in the Savoy Chapel

under the Master of the Music, William Cole, himself

138 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

a former pupil of St Olave’s. After ‘O’-levels he was in

Transitus III and the Modern VI taking English, History,

Geography and, latterly, Music as his main subjects. He

played rugby for the 2nd XV and was involved with many

school activities outside the classroom.

In July 1962, he was a member of the school party that

went to Rome and Sorrento with, as minders, George

Collins, Basil and Mrs Taylor and another couple, friends

of the Taylors. The photograph shows Michael sitting

next to Basil Taylor on a ferry taking the party to the

island of Capri. Michael was awarded the Susan Owen

medal for speech and drama. This may be the prize he is

collecting at the 1962 prize giving in the film of the school

“St Olave’s on Horsley Down” at 21m 30 s. Described as

steady, likeable and conscientious, in his final year, he was

joint School Captain with Christopher Cuttance.

After completing a teacher-training course, Michael

spent three years teaching in Mpanza in Zambia, another

experience that was to have a lifelong influence on his

thinking on teaching and aid. On his return, he was

delighted to visit his old school and even more pleased to

meet a past pupil who was now a teacher at the school. He

worked in schools in Walthamstow before moving with his

parents to Suffolk, his father’s birthplace. He retired from

Stoke High School in Ipswich.

St Olave’s had a major influence on Michael’s life and he

often spoke very warmly about his school years. He had a

choice of three schools and visited them all with his parents.

He thought St Olave’s was by far the most ‘comfortable’,

‘exciting’, and he always blessed the day he decided that

was the place for him.

Catchphrases from school days became part of family

shared vocabulary. The most quoted was “Well spotted

Balaam!” from a bird-watching expedition in Dulwich Park

when the young Michael had seen something unusual.

The school nurtured his life-long love of music, and choral

singing in particular, and in the Suffolk Singers he found

just the choir for him. A young friend in his village dubbed

him ‘The man who knows everything’ and he did indeed

have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all sorts of subjects.

When asked, “How did you know that?” he would say with

a laugh “A good school.”

Michael Balaam is survived by his wife, Jess.

James ( Jim) W BIGGS (1944-52) died in July 2015 as

the result of a car accident. Jim was the first truly great

Fives players produced by the school, and there have been

many tributes to his skill and achievements in that sport

over a long career. The first of these comes from his

contemporary, Peter Batten, who played Fives with Jim at

school: “In my last year at St Olave’s I was Jim’s partner in

the first pair of the Eton Fives team. “I think he chose me

because I was good at the back of the court, able to drive

the ball with both hands. He was already one of the best

Eton Fives players around.

“During that season we played many enjoyable matches

against other schools and against senior teams such as the

Old Citizens, Old Chigwellians and, of course, the Old

Olavians. Thanks to Jim’s outstanding play we enjoyed

a great deal of success. We were not so successful in the

Public Schools’ event. Early on we played the eventual

winners. Although we gave them a very tough match, in

the end we lost.

“During our matches the opponents quickly realised that

I was not as strong a player as Jim, and adjusted their play

accordingly. Although I was often under pressure, Jim

never once shouted at me or criticised my play. He was

full of enthusiasm and encouragement. I remember him

with great affection.”

Dick Spooner (1953-1960), for some time captain of the

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 139

OOEFC, writes: “At Jimmy’s funeral, Richard Black who

is Chairman of the Eton Fives Association described him

as follows: ‘Jimmy was not just a good Eton Fives player, he

was a true champion, one of the best players in the history

of the game. He was national Champion four times and

appeared in many other finals. He has a place amongst the

all-time greats of the game.’ I would fully concur with this

pronouncement but I might have been accused of being

biased if I had been the first to say it.

“I first met Jimmy in 1960 when I joined the OO’s Fives

Club. He had already won the Kinnaird Cup, the major

pairs competition, in 1957 with Philip Curtis (Old

Carthusian) and had lost in three other finals with the

same partner. He went on to win the Kinnaird Cup three

more times with Jimmy Wallis in the years 1961, 1962 and

1964. He appeared in twelve finals spanning twenty-one

years. Only one other player in the history of the game has

a longer span of Final appearances.

“During the 1960s and 1970s, the OOs became one of

the strongest clubs in the country. Although the OOs

had some good players at that time, none was in the same

class as Jimmy whose presence made the sum of the parts

that much greater. Indeed, the OOs won the main club

competition (the Barber Cup) in 1971 and lost in the

1973 and 1974 Finals. As Gordon Stringer, Eton Fives

Association, (EFA) remarked in the obituary he did for the

EFA ‘In his youth he ( Jimmy) was so quick that he could

‘carry’ almost any partner’.

“Jimmy had amazing strength and generated very powerful

shots for somebody who would be described as a little

short on stature. He always won the strength-pulling

test at the arcade on the Sunday morning of the Lancing/

Charterhouse tour.

“Jimmy will always be remembered for laying the

foundations and many of the building blocks which have

led to the OO Fives Club being one of the most successful

Fives clubs over the last fifty years.”

Besides his extraordinary skill as an Eton Fives player,

Jim was a more than useful cricketer. He was a regular

player for the Old Olavians during the sixties, and he

enjoyed touring south Devon with that club. He played

as a middle-order batsman, but his greatest asset was his

fielding – he took some outstanding catches at slip where

the reactions which served him so well at fives helped him

to snaffle the most unlikely of chances.

He was not the most prolific of run-scorers, but there was

great joy when he reached his fifty against Croydon Gas in

1966. Just occasionally he would be allowed a bowl and on

more than one occasion he took pleasure from bowling an

over with three balls delivered with his right arm and three

with his left.

Away from the courts and playing fields, Jim was a

successful dentist who treated me (OO editor) when I had

some teeth knocked out by a cricket ball. He had three

children with his first wife, Marion - Jackie, Christopher

and Debbie.

(There is a further tribute to Jim in the OO Eton Fives

Club report earlier in this section of the magazine)

Albert (Bert) W CASEY (1945-48): it is with more than

usual sadness that I (OO editor) have to report the death of

Bert Casey in April 2015. He was an enthusiastic Olavian

with whom I played many happy games of cricket during

the late fifties and sixties. In the early sixties, before he had

bought himself a car, I used to collect him regularly from

the forecourt at Waterloo station before driving together

to wherever the Olavian fixture had been arranged that

Saturday afternoon. I remember with particular fondness

opening the batting with him at Sidmouth on my first OO

tour of South Devon in 1958, when we managed to put

on sixty runs between us. He was a correct and stylish

right-hand bat who always played the game in the right

spirit, and who always played with the team’s interests to

the fore. In addition he was a steady medium-pace bowler

who rarely bowled a poor ball.

Bert had a successful career working with the

Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He was utterly reliable

in all that he did, a true gentleman, one who will most

certainly be missed.

Edward (Ted) Charles COLEMAN (1941-44) died in

February 2015. His daughter, Catherine, sent this sad

news.

The Reverend Canon John Wilfred EVERETT (1948-

56) died on 5th April 2014. His wife, Alexandra, who lives

in Willsborough, near Ashford, in Kent, sent this news in

January 2015. Fives Team 1952

140 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

Roy George GREGORY (1946 - 1953): This article

is based on Roy’s obituary written by his sister Eve and

printed in “The Guardian” on 2nd September 2015. “Roy

Gregory, who has died at the age of 80 was Professor

of Politics at Reading University and co-founder of its

Centre for Ombudsman Studies. He was born in 1935 in

Plaistow in East London to George and Elsie Gregory, and

poverty was very much part of Roy’s early life. The War

started when Roy was four years old and his family were

determined to keep him in London rather than send him

off as an evacuee.

“As a result his education was almost non-existent and

yet he managed to win a place at St Olave’s, where he

was launched into a new world of Latin and Greek and

the art of scholarly writing, which he practised all his

life. He gained an exhibition to Oxford where he studied

Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Brasenose College

and then focused on the history of the miners and British

politics for his doctorate at Nuffield.

“In 1964 Roy was appointed lecturer in the Politics

Department at Reading University and in 1976 he

became Professor of Politics there, a post he held until his

retirement in 2000. He never forgot his roots, and his time

at Oxford in the 1950s, when very few students were from

state schools and even fewer from the East End, led to a

passionate interest in social justice. This thread is woven

throughout his four books on the history of the miners and

the Labour Party, and a further manuscript which sadly

remains unfinished.

“In the 1960s Roy was a Labour Councillor in Reading and

was one of the last Aldermen in Britain and, until he died,

he remained a member of The Labour Party. Together with

other colleagues he set up The Centre for Ombudsman

Studies, which continues to train future Ombudsmen

throughout the world.

“His career was long and successful; not only was he

an intellectual but also a talented footballer, strongly

preferring that game to rugby (much to Dr. Carrington’s

displeasure), and he played for Oxford University. His real

love was music, however: he played the piano and was an

enthusiastic member of the Chiswick Choir.

“In his latter years his health did not treat him kindly and in

2003 Roy was struck by a sudden, serious and undiagnosed

mental illness that would rack his mind and body for the

next twelve years.

He is survived by a daughter Annie, her mother Pasha and

his sister Eve”.

Nigel D JACKS (1955-62) died unexpectedly early in the

summer of 2015. I am grateful to Stuart Handley (1956-

64) for bringing this sad news to our attention. Stuart tells

us that Nigel was Head Boy in 1961/62 and that he was

captain of the Athletics team in that year. His younger

brother, Digby (1956-63), who died some years ago, also

appears in the photograph (front row, 2nd from right). In

addition Nigel appears several times in the film, St Olave’s

on Horsley Down.

The Athletics Team 1962The following tribute appeared in the local newspaper, the

Keynsham Voice in June 2015: “Nigel Jacks, the chairman

of the Friends of Manor Road Community Woodland has

died suddenly and unexpectedly. Born in Charlton, south-

east London, he attended Imperial and Kingston colleges

in London before qualifying as an electrical engineer. He

worked first with the Central Electricity Generating Board

and latterly National Grid when he and his family moved

to Keynsham in 1978.

“Mr Jacks retired in 2000 and over the past fifteen years

devoted a considerable amount of his time and energy to

the development, management and maintenance of Manor

Road Community Woodland, the local nature reserve

between Keynsham and Saltford.

“He led monthly task groups, fundraising, and chaired

liaison meetings with the local authority and Keynsham

Town Council. In 2006 he was awarded the Keynsham

Good Citizen Award for his contribution to the community.

“Mr Jacks was also on the committee of Keynsham’s Durley

Park Association, an organisation for retired employees of

National Grid, and he arranged regular guided walks in

the local countryside. His hobbies included mountain

walking, photography, astronomy and car mechanics.

“Nigel leaves Margaret, his wife of forty-seven years,

daughters Sally and Helen, and grandchildren Toby, Max,

Noah and Sylvie.”

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 141

Stanley John RICKARD (1941-45) died in September

2015: We were told this sad news by his daughter, Caroline

Rayner.

Patrick Michael SCUTT (1945-52) died in November

2012. His wife, Hazel, has written the following tribute:

“Pat was born in 1934 in Slindon, West Sussex and moved

with his family to London shortly afterwards. During

the war he was evacuated with his older sister and brother,

Peter, who was also an Olavian.

“Pat and his wife Hazel met at Emmanuel Church in

Streatham in 1950 when they were both in their mid-teens.

They both enjoyed sports of all kinds, rugby and cricket

for Pat, hockey and netball for Hazel. Both were keen

swimmers and cyclists and they were at one stage the mixed

doubles champions at their local tennis club. They married

in 1956 and had five children.

“After leaving StOGS in 1952, Pat spent two years in the

army doing his national service which was compulsory

in those days. Most of his time was spent with the

Intelligence Corps in Germany.

“After leaving the army in 1954 he went to work for the

British Rail Property Board as a trainee surveyor whilst

studying for his BSc degree in the evenings. He eventually

became Director of Development and was responsible

for all the land owned by British Rail throughout the

country which was a quite considerable amount. His work

involved the redevelopment of much station property. This

included building shops, restaurants, offices, etc above and

around existing London stations such as Victoria, London

Bridge and Liverpool Street. He and other members of

the Property Board were invited to visit Australia, America

and Japan to advise on aspects of station development.

“Pat continued to play for Streatham and Croydon Rugby

Club into his fifties, and he was still swimming forty

lengths twice a week at Trinity School in Croydon until his

sudden and unexpected death in 2012.

“In addition Pat was a very active member of his local

church, acting over many years as a churchwarden, then

as assistant warden, and he was an important member of

the Parochial Church Council. He and his wife were

Friends of Southwark Cathedral and Pat was a Friend of

Churches in the City of London. In addition he kept

what is described as an immaculate garden with a superb

lawn and weed-free flower-beds. In the eulogy given at

his funeral Pat was summed up as a hard-working, reliable

perfectionist, quite a private and modest man, a loving

husband, father and grandfather.”

William J WHITE (1928-32) died on 26th November

2014. We were told this sad news by Richard White

(1970-77).THE OLD OLAVIANS

HONORARY OFFICERS 2015

PRESIDENTAydin Önaç, Headmaster

The Headmaster’s House, St Olave’s Grammar School,Goddington Lane, Orpington, Kent BR6 9SH

Tel: 01689 820101

CHAIRMANChris Harris,

chris.r.harris@ukgateway.net

COMMITTEE MEMBERSGraham MilnePaul OuseleyBill Prouse

Rajiv Purwar

EDITOR OF THE OLD OLAVIANJohn Brown, 60 The Lawns, Rolleston-on-Dove,

Staffordshire, DE13 9DBTel: 01283 813976 e-mail: johnmbrown60@gmail.com

SECRETARIES OF AFFILIATED CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

CRICKET CLUBLance Giles, c/o 44 Harwood Avenue, Bromley, Kent,

BR1 3DUTel: 07891 725488 e-mail: lancegiles@hotmail.com

FIVES CLUBHoward Wiseman, 7 Genoa Road, Anerley SE20 8ES

Tel: 020 8778 0752

OLD OLAVIANS’ LODGE (No. 5758)Peter G Hudson OBE

9 Downs View Close, Pratts BottomOrpington, Kent, BR6 7SU

Tel: 01689 858583 e-mail: hudsons91@btinternet.com

RUGBY CLUBPhil Grayson,

57, Byrne Road, Balham, London SW12 7JBTel: 07971 878750

HOLYOAK ROOM

St Olave’s School, Goddington Lane, Orpington, Kent,

BR6 9SH

OLD OLAVIANS ADMINISTRATORJane Wells

jwells@saintolaves.net

142 – Old Olavian – Olavian 2015

Olavian 2015 – Old Olavian – 143