THE BUCKLAND BRIEF OLD WEST BUCKLAND ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE Issue 68 | Summer 2014

In this issue:OWBs win National Design Competition1950s & 60s Reunion

OWBA - Old West Buckland Association Magazine

Contents

Thank you!

Once again we have received a huge response to our call for articles and news which is much appreciated.

But we always need more.

Send your contributions of approximately 200 words, via email if possible.

Please include relevant pictures if you can. We will return them.

Copy may be carried over to a future issue and we reserve the right to edit articles.

Office Contact Details

Valerie Bishop, ManagerPh: 01598 760164E: vb@westbuckland.com

Lucy Lancaster, Admin & Relationship OfficerPh: 01598 760188 F: foundation@westbuckland.com

OWBA/Foundation OfficeWest Buckland SchoolWest Buckland BarnstapleDevonEX32 0SXwww.owba.org.uk owba@westbuckland.com

The OWBA Committee

Ian Blewett 72-77 GAdam Crispin 90 -97 GJamie Conchie 69 -76 GMark Popplewell 64 -72 GStuart Smith 73-80 GDavid Walker 75 -82 BPete Williams 79 -89 C

John Light, Chairman of the FoundationJohn Vick, Headmaster

The OfficeValerie Bishop, ManagerLucy Lancaster, Administration & Relationship Officer

PatronDavid Cummins 40 -50 G West Buckland OWBA @owbaassoc

Cover and Back Page photographs by kind permission of David Norfolk 60 -67 G

1. President’s Welcome2. Alumni News 4. West Buckland Families 7. Notes from Old Boys 8. Events 10. Memories from the 1930s11. Thank you from the Foundation12. Unions and Additions 13. In Memoriam

“Welcome to the latest edition of The Buckland Brief...

It gives me a great deal of pleasure to be able to report that the objectives of the aAssociation: ‘To keep the alumni in touch with the School and each other, to further the interests of the School.’ have already been achieved this year in many ways: The Plymouth Lunch, Bristol Reunion, London Dinner and a Thai Reunion have all occurred since I started my Presidency in September 2013.

Other events that have enjoyed OWBA support and participation: Remembrance Service, The Exmoor and Year 11,12,13 Careers events and of course, the Summer reunion weekend which was a great success, culminating in a 1950s and 60s Reunion attended by 85 people.

This year is the 100th Annniversary of the beginning of World War 1, and, many West Buckland pupils and staff fell in that conflict.With the support of a donation from the OWBA in order to access military databases, Chris Allin, Head of History (01- S) has put together profiles of all the past pupils who lost their lives. It is an amazing piece of work which will be exhibited at the school during the Remembrance weekend in November

when there will also be a reunion dinner.

One goal that I set myself for the period of my Presidency was to tap into the vast bank of expertise that we have among alumni and make it available to current students in order to aid their future decision making. I have been amazed at the response; more than fifty have made themselves available to share their experiences. Praise indeed must go to Matt Brimson, Head of Higher Education (00 - S) who has worked to put this together as part of a real Careers and Higher Education resource at West Buckland.

I hope you enjoy the content of this years ‘Brief ’. Please send in any news and views to the OWBA office: owba@westbuckland.com. Thank you to Valerie Bishop and Lucy Lanacaster in the office for putting it together and a huge thank you to all the contributors.

A final plea: If you feel able, please consider a £5 or £10 annual subscription to enable us to continue keeping everyone in touch and supporting the continuing success of West Buckland School.”

Neil Kingdon 66 -75 CPresident’s Welcome 1

Alumni News

Claire Lynch (née Latham) 96-01 F Claire, who was Head of School, is now a GP. She has recently moved back to North Devon from Cardiff. Claire and her husband have just set up a Physiotherapy, Sports Science and Well Being clinic in Bideford (www.thewoodlandclinic.co.uk). The couple are very excited about their new venture!

None of us were born by 6th June 1944 but we were all born by Victory in Europe Day in May 1945.

This 70th anniversary of D Day reminds us of the beginning of one of the greatest battles in history. That is why we wanted so much to make our visit in June 2014.

Our base was an ancient hotel in Bayeux, where Hannaford commandeered a large double room while Spry and Wightman coped with a small twin room.

We made day trips starting at the western end of the invasion area, on the Cherbourg peninsular inland from Utah Beach at Saint Mere Eglise which has an excellent museum.

We moved eastwards taking in places such as Gold Beach where the remains of the amazing Mulberry harbour can still be seen. Finally we took in Ouistreham, the area around the mouth of the River L’Orme and then onto Pegasus Bridge.

On our journey we had visited a country mansion at

Creully, where Eisenhower and Montgomery had their HQ and also the British cemetery at Bayeux. It is a very tranquil place and goes a long way to give the respect so greatly owed to those men who gave their lives for us.

Mark Wightman 57-63 C, David Spry 58-63 C, Mike Hannaford 56-64 F.

D Day Commemorations

Alumni News 4Alumni News 1

In the summer of 1940, my father met Mr Fred Hussell, who also had sons at Plymouth College where my brother and I were, and, in the course of the conversation, said that he had found this boarding school in the wilds of North Devon and was sending his three sons there to avoid the bombing of Plymouth by the Luftwaffe.After a visit, my parents decided to send my brother Michael, and, as a special

concession, me, to West Buckland School. At that time, it was a boarding school for 180 boys aged 13-18. My brother was 13 and I was just 8 years old.West Buckland School was a very different place in those days to what it is today. Mother remarked, when visiting a typical W.B. grey, misty day and the walls were wet with condensation, that it could not be any worse than Dartmoor Prison!So it was, in September 1940, that my time at W.B.S started with a train journey to Filleigh Station (changing at Exeter and Dulverton) from where we

walked to school carrying an overnight suitcase. I met another six similar aged boys and we were taken care of by Mrs Corless, wife of James, a master at W.B. who had joined the Army for the duration of the war, and we slept in her house (Greystones).On account of her white hair we were known as ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’! My ten years at West Buckland had begun.

David Cummins 40-50 GPatron of the OWBA

David’s Diary David Cummins 40 -50 G remembers his introduction to West Buckland School

Flying HighDavid Pulman 66-72 BAfter 35 years serving with both the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services (now NATS) David has retired. l. In that time, he became known as the 'face of NATS' at the Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre, near Southampton, which looks after en-route air traffic over England and Wales.

In that role, David hosted numerous dignitaries, foreign ambassadors, diplomats, and journalists in support of exports of expertise. By his retirement, contracts in 34 countries had been established.

He is thoroughly enjoying retirement which gives him more time to fly his Cessna 172 aeroplane at Popham Airfield.

Do you have any news? owba@westbuckland.com 3

Two West Buckland alumni have won a national competition to design a temporary artist’s studio to be located in four locations across England. The rotating pair of rectangular rooms was chosen from more than 50 entries by Space Placemaking and Urban Design (SPUD) in March 2014.

Charlotte Knight (99-06 G) and Edward Crumpton (93-05 C) were talented artists during their time at school, under the tutelage of Nigel Minard (88-12 S). Charlotte graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a first class honours degree in Architecture and now works as an Architectural Assistant

at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios in London.

On completion of his A levels, Edward studied fine art at the University of Lincoln and graduated with a first class honours degree in Fine Art.The two rooms incorporate a workshop to be used by the public, local schools, colleges, universities and community workshops and a study area for the artist.

Innovative Design wins National Competition

The group of artists are hoping to build this structure by sourcing the materials locally and sustainably and are also seeking funding for the project.

‘After school, I went to the University of Reading to read Linguistics and Language Pathology, and worked as a speech and language therapist. I met my future husband Andrew through a local hockey club, we travelled to New Zealand and ended up staying!

We bought and renovated a house in Auckland and enjoyed our shared passion for the great outdoors. We

were always pleased to see visitors, including family, Nick Brookbank and his wife Ivana, Kate and Andrew Flavin’s parents and just before we left, David and Helen Clark.

We both loved NZ and left a little of our hearts there, but we missed family and also, England is pretty special. We came back in 2009, got married and had two children, Evelyn and Barnaby.

Living in Wells in Somerset means we have beautiful countryside right on our doorstep and family not too far away.’

Ruth Wood (nee Wilford) 90-98 C

Please contact Charlotte charlotte.knight@fcbstudios.com or Edward ed@edwardcrumpton.com if you are able to assist them.

West Buckand OWBA @owbassoc 4

West Buckland FamiliesThe Wilfords

‘In 1997 I gained a 2:1 in Visual Arts with History from The University of Gloucestershire. Following a year out I completed a PGCE in Art at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff. I then taught for two years in a large and challenging school in Clacton-on-Sea, before finally ending up in the same county as John and teaching for six years in another ‘interesting’ school (it wasn’t a grammar!) in Rochester, Kent. After nearly 10 years together, John and I married in 2003. Our first son, Archie arrived in 2005 and in

2007, we relocated to Portishead where I have stayed at home to raise our family. Since this move, our brood has expanded with the arrival of Gwen in 2008 and Freddie in 2013. When I find the time, I still enjoy being arty and crafty; however, the life changing event of the unexpected loss of our third child, Danny, at a day old in 2012 (he was born with an undiagnosed heart condition) may well mean that when I do re-enter the world of paid work, it may go in a slightly different direction from teaching...’

Abbie Wilford (nee George) 87-94 C

John Wilford 87-94 COn release from WB, I had no idea of what I wanted to do when I grew up. Graduating with a 2:1 in History from Swansea University, and one appearance for the Welsh Students at Rugby League, I managed to delay the inevitable and got on a postgrad course at the University of Gloucestershire studying Sports Development. I eventually entered the real world in 1999, as a Sports Development Officer. Over the next eight years, I worked in community and school sport for authorities throughout Kent. I also went back to rugby union (the tackling was a bit softer) and got involved in coaching

with the Kent development squads for a few years. I consider myself lucky to have received grounding in sport at school which so many don’t. I’m even luckier to have met my wife there too! When the call of the West Country proved too strong, I moved in 2007 to the University of Bristol, to work as their Sports Development Manager. Following a brief sojourn in county cricket, I returned to the university in 2012, promoting healthy living. I’m temporarily retired from rugby but our eldest’s love of soccer has seen me involved in coaching again, although in the wrong sport! Mike Tucker will never talk to me again.

West Buckland FamiliesThe Youings

Basil Youings 33-44 BClaire Banks 91-95 BHeather Walters 93-98 BSuzanne Youings-Clarke 97-03 B

The Youings family are well known in North Devon, particularly for their shop selling confectionary, tobacco, toys and model kits. Basil Youings’ (33-44 B) entrepreneurial talents carried on the family business which started over 130 years ago. His son Peter was educated at King’s College, Taunton and at the age of 17, asked his parents whether he could start to sell model kits in the shop. Peter and Basil went on to expand the business and Peter now runs a successful wholesale operation.

The three girls arrived at West Buckland from St. Michaels, where they were

to embrace all the school had to offer. Claire (91-95 B) studied psychology at Brunel University, and is now an audiologist at North Devon District Hospital where she is deputy head of the department. Heather (93-98 B) completed her degree in Sport & Exercise Science at Roehampton University. She and her husband moved to Bristol where she qualified as a beauty therapist and owned a successful beauty salon. They moved back to North Devon in 2013 with their family where her husband teaches at Woolacombe Primary School and Heather has set up a new business in Barnstaple (www.facebook.com/oceanbeautybarnstaple).

Suzanne (97-03 B) has a degree in Early Childhood Studies. She too moved from Bristol to North Devon and continues in the family tradition by opening a toy shop specialising in wooden toys, ‘Little You’ in Barnstaple. (www.littleyoutoyshop.com).

The next generation of Youings has taken on the mantel of the family name.

www.owba.org.uk 6

Notes from Old Boys

A Family Steeped in West Buckland HistoryMy great grandfather farmed at Accott Manor and my grandfather John was one of the first six pupils of West Buckland School then at Taddiport. (My friend Jim Hawkins now lives there and the school bell still works.) I still have John’s maths book, a ‘copper plate’ treasure.

My father, John Herbert Squire, rode to school on his pony and later boarded in Courtenay dormitory. He served in World War 1 with Brig. M Roberts (an old boy and a military historian of World War 2). I had three uncles in the North Devon Yeomanry. My mother, Elsie Symons had a brother who won a silver-plated tea pot in the Exmoor run but was sadly killed in Gallipoli.

I think I am now the oldest Old Boy of WBS. While at West Buckland, my first headmaster in 1933 was Mr Harries and then Mr Westall from Blundell’s. He was progressive, he abolished school bounds and had the school workshop built.

I spent many a warm and cosy hour in there during winter evenings under the expert tuition of Mr Pavey and Mr Tupman, which led to my teaching career. I suppose life was tough at West Buckland School but we accepted it like the weather and I am glad of

the experience. I am afraid I was small and poor for rugby and cricket but passionate about wildlife, especially reptiles. Wildlife was abundant and we could always catch a lizard or snake in Cloquay hedge. I was wrongly accused of releasing snakes in the classroom and I think I was the first boy to be put on daily report by Mr Westall.

I then went to the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Engineering and Architecture. This was followed by a four year course at Shoreditch Training College for Handicraft Teachers. However, this was interrupted by the outbreak of World War 2. I served for seven years in World War 2, including three and a half years in Burma and India.

I taught Woodwork and Mathematics for 33 years at Windsor Grammar School. I also commanded the CCF for 11 years. In 1986, after my retirement, Paul Thornhill, the brilliant Head of the Craft Department of West Buckland School, persuaded me to join him for two years. I re-joined the CCF under Derek Holt and took charge of shooting, including Bisley, for a while.

John Squire 33-36 C

Caravans Leslie Stephens arrived at school in April 1953. His glowing biography in the school register failed to mention that the family loved continental travelling. In our day we were banned from walking across the front of the headmaster’s house. The beloved caravan, from that day, became a feature on the front drive.

After a year or so of sitting there, the caravan had become a great concern to many so, come Whit weekend ‘54 several old boys, over a pint or two, decided that immediate action was needed, they took the initiative and manhandled the caravan away to the back of the School. The next morning of course, Leslie exploded, but the good was done - from that day we never saw the caravan there again.

David Lawton 51 -58 F

EventsGolf at HoebridgeThere was no forward warning of a shattering deluge just as we were starting off. We had no choice but to abandon our slots like others following. What was Plan B? There was none. However, the mix and match character of the meeting of 20 names (including some friends) for brunch from 10.00am onward with14 golfers at

the ready for the first tee at 12.00 midday, showed increasing support from varying age groups for the OWBA event. A core took advantage to linger and catch up more with others well into the afternoon: it was all worthwhile.

Bob Van Dissel 49-56 C

OWBA players:Richard Berry (50-54 B), Matias Coombs (67-72 B),

David Cummins (40-50 G), Garry Jensen (was Jones) (47-53 C),, Mike Hannaford (56-64 F), Chris Phillips (60-67 C), Myron Prosser (58-63 C), David Spry (58-63 C) Bob Van Dissel (49-56 C). Brunch only: Geoff Bayles (52-58 C), Jeremy Eames (50-54 G), Edward Gibbons (50-56 F), John Minns (49-54 G), David Lawton (51-58 F), Judith Lawton

June Weekend 2014: OWBA Sports, 1950s & 60s ReunionWhat a Glorious Day – The event saw the best weather any of us had ever seen at West Buckland.

I think we were all surprised by the number of Old Boys who had turned up, there were over 80 in attendance. As many of us had changed beyond all recognition, name badges were very helpful. The tour of the school was conducted by Mike Tucker and was really very interesting and the whole

experience was a joy.

The afternoon was spent relaxing with something to eat while watching the matches. There was a room full of old school registers and photos which was a good place to meet up with old friends and catch up.

In the evening we went down to the Karslake Hall for dinner. The tables were named after previous housemasters. I was on Dale

table as he was indeed my housemaster in the sixties.

The meal was superb and was followed with speeches by Neil Kingdon and Graham Harrison (59-66)We disappeared in to the night with memories of a truly wonderful day. A huge debt of thanks must be given to Valerie Bishop, Lucy Lancaster and Neil Kingdon for organising the whole day.

David Mahoney 65 -70 B Ph

otos

cour

tesy

of D

avid

Nor

folk

60

-67

G a

nd B

ob V

an D

issel

49 -5

6 C

Could you come back and play in the OWBA Sports Teams? 8

I went to visit Ron Way in 2013 after receiving a letter from him which mentioned that he didn’t think he would be able to visit the school again. Instead, we raided the archives and took the school to him

One of the most vivid of Ron’s memories was a time when they boys were taken to the Fortescue Hotel in Barnstaple where they were able to watch the coronation of George VI in 1937, the gooey cakes and fizzy drinks made a particular impression on him! In the same year he described the Headmaster Commander R. Westall calling the boys out to the playing field at night where they stood and watched the wonderful northern lights. Westall, who was a submarine commander in World War One made his students choose a topic and then give a twenty minute talk on it to him. Ron, instead of the ‘80% of boys who chose the navy hoping to impress him’ was obstinate and spoke on the first flight over Everest which had happened in 1933.

He remembered listening to lectures on how to use the red winch and harness which was the escape measure from the dormitories in case of a fire; and indeed the fate of the new boys who were made to sleep by the window (always kept open); and who, even if the snow came in, would be disciplined by a prefect if they tried to close it.

Ron still has his West Buckland School blanket, which had to be bought at Harrods, and although faded, it remains in use – 75 years on.

Valerie Bishop 13- S

Memories of School from the ‘30sRG Way 36 -38 B

Slaying a Demon Paul Walter 70 -77 B returned to WBS to complete The Exmoor this year .

“I ran every step of the way, the first time (I used to walk big chunks of it.) It will certainly be the last time as well. I have done it now. Box ticked. If there is a tougher cross country run in the country then it must involve wading through pools containing live pirhana and running bare foot over red hot coals.”

West Buckland School, Exmoor run. 1976.

The generosity of alumni continues to support the next generation of West Bucklanders

THANK YOU from us all

The school is delighted to announce that Devon Council approved planning permission in June 2014 for a significant upgrade to the school facilities which will transform the study environment for all senior pupils. A new Study Centre and Sixth Form Boarding House will be built near to the Jonathan Edwards Sports Centre. Both buildings will be open by November 2015.

More information can be seen in school publication ‘In Form’ and on the website A fundraising campaign has been launched by the Foundation and alumni will soon receive further information about the project and ways in which they can support it.

This development is extremely significant in West Buckland’s 150‐year history and demonstrates the continued ambition and commitment to provide all of our day and boarding students with the best facilities and learning opportunities.

New Campus Development for 2015

The parent of one of the children awarded a 100% bursary describes their progress since coming to West Buckland.

Having reached the end of the second year of the rolling bursary programme supported by so many alumni, we have been speaking to parents about their experiences.

One parent told us that having been unsure about applying for a bursary, the student was ‘sold’ on the idea of going to West Buckland after visiting the school, so the family decided to apply, never thinking they would be awarded the bursary.

Her child is now greatly enjoying West Buckland School life. He enjoys his classes and feels he is getting a high standard of education and whilst, at times, he finds the workload hard, he recognises that the challenge is a good thing; he believes the structure of the school life suits his personality and sensibilities which he feels would have been lacking elsewhere. When she asked him what he enjoys most about West Buckland, he replied, “Practical classes, cookery, art, as well as the sciences…and lunches!”

The Bursary Programme: One Year On

www.westbuckland.com/foundation 11

Late News

Michael Tindal-Robertson 87-92 B and his wife Kate had their second child, Abigail in May 2012

Rachel Skellon 90-93 G and her husband Jonathan Hinton had their first child, Viktoria on 9th July 2013

Rob Snell 88-95 B and Amber Gatehouse 90-98 C married in 2010. They have two children, Tia and Harvey

Unions and Additions

Marriages

Simon Willis 01-08 married Lauren McGill on 24th March 2014

Sara Charles (nee Kerr 00-10 C) married Martin in April 2014. They have a son, Steven

Daisy Adams 01-09 F married Sal in The Gambia in April 2014

Josh Singh 01-06 G married Kam in Birmingham on 24th May 2014Adrian Worth 97-02 G married Christina in Germany in May 2014

Robert Fox 96 -06 F married Carly Batten on 7th June 2014

Kirsty Milsom 00-08 F married Samuel Durley on 12th July 2014

Births

Hester Berry 96-05 F and her husband David Smale had a son, Zebedee Ivor Smale on 26th May 2014

Please keep us up to date with your news owba@westbuckland.com 01598 760188

and remained at West Buckland for the rest of his school career until 1952. Richard was extremely fond of West Buckland and kept strong links through the Old Boys Association. He was in regular contact with Phil Merry and Alan Ashby in particular. West Buckland was very much part of Richard and he regularly make the journey to Old Boys gatherings and dinners.

He often shared his memories of the Exmoor Run and the pea soup afterwards and blamed West Buckland for his lifelong propensity to finish his food first in the scramble to get seconds! During his time at school he was President of the Camera Club and a member of the

Cadet Corp which stood him in good stead for his national service in Suez and Cyprus. He went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant running his own practice up until his death.

He married Joyce and moved to Buckinghamshire where they had a daughter, Lorna. Sadly, Joyce died in 1999. Richard then moved to St Albans and married Helen, and lived close to his daughter and three young grandchildren. He died peacefully in January 2014, aged 79, after a short battle with cancer. Shortly after he died his youngest granddaughter, Beatrice, summed him up: “Good old grandpa...he was a good old chap”. Lorna Howitt (née Cooper)

Richard Cooper was born in 1934 in Wembley, the youngest of four children. When he was 8 his mother died from multiple sclerosis and his father sent him to West Buckland just after the war in 1946. At first he was dreadfully homesick and missed his mother but he settled into Brereton House

Richard Cooper 46-52 B, OWBA President in 2001

At school ‘Alf ’ was an important member of the school community as both Head of House and Cross Country Captain. Whilst at school, he was awarded the Fortescue Medal; the great-est honour the school can bestow. Sadly he was not presented with his medal whilst he was at school, as this was not possible during the war. We hope that his family will join us at Speech Day this year to receive it on his behalf.

After leaving school, Alf

went on to the RAF, where he was a glider pilot in the later years of the Second World War. Then he went on to the University of the South West (now Univ-eristy of Exeter) to read Physics. Following this, he went on to work for Standard Telephones & Cables (Nortel), latterly based in Paignton. While at Nortel Alf designed one of the key bits of circuitry that allowed the first blind landing system for aircraft to work.

Alfred Hunt 37 -42 F

In Memoriam

Alan Ashby, later known as Edward by some, matriculated in his final examinations at West Buckland, thus qualifying for university entrance. However, he decided to do his two years of obligatory National Service first, and spent most of that time with the Royal Signals at Middle East Command on the Suez Canal, Egypt and travelled widely in surrounding territories. On his return he took up a place at Nottingham University School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington. After four years, he graduated, and obtained his first job managing a small animal feed merchant in Wiltshire. He met and married Christine at Warminster and that union was blessed with two sons, Charles and James. He gained experience and contacts in the industry giving technical advice on growing and feeding, and over time was located in different parts of the Home Counties, Worcestershire and Cambridge. His ambition came to fruition when he set up his own business in Farnham

Common, Bucks, and was given much help then and later by Richard Cooper (46-52 B), a Chartered Accountant, who had been a contemporary at West Buckland, and they remained friends for the rest of their lives. As his business prospered and the family grew they moved to Churt in Surrey. Their happy family life always included Alan’s interest of dabbling in the stock market as well as travelling, athletics and rugby. He was a member of Middlesex RFU and for many years hosted enjoyable gatherings at Twickenham for the Middlesex 7s. Very sadly, Christine, died in the early 1990s; a terrible blow to all the family. This was a difficult time for Alan, in which he wound down his business, and it was five or more years before he met Valerie, similarly bereaved by the loss of her husband years earlier. The couple lived happily in Weybridge for some 14 years, travelling together to many parts of the world, until Alan died. His demise is a great loss to his sons, their families, including grandchildren, to his partner Valerie and to his wider family. It is equally sad to record that Richard Cooper, who had been so helpful when Alan was growing his business, died just two weeks after Alan.

John E.C. Ashby 45-54 G

The Association has been saddened to hear of the death of Nick Turner 80 -88 B.

Edward Alan Spooner Ashby45 -54 G

14

Stephen Higgs 72 -79 F

of Hamlet or Romeo whilst the rest of us had to settle for 2nd Guard or Juliet’s nurse. He went to Warwick to study English and European Literature. After graduation, after an enlightening visit to Berlin in 1985 in the company of Ian Blewett 72-77 G, already a Captain in 1 Devon and Dorset, and Paul Manley 68-77 C, he looked towards the army. After joining as a private soldier in 1 Wessex he passed out from Sandhurst in Jan 1989. His final appointment was as Chief of Operations, part of the NATO Police Training Mission in Afghanistan. As well as being my best

friend Steve was an integral part of the camaraderie and spirit of our time in the sixth form. To adapt the work of Charles Dickens, this is what that spirit meant to us when we were eighteen.

“It was the best of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the epoch of belief, it was the season of Light, it was the spring of hope, we had everything before us, we were all going direct to Heaven.”

Jeff Green 72-79 F

When the Governors approved the building of a new girls’ boarding house, I knew exactly who I wished to appoint as the first “housemother”. Happily for the school, and especially for the Bamfylde community, Richard and Faith moved in during the summer holidays.

For five years Faith gave her time, her patience and her love in the most generous measure to care for the girls, aged from 7 to 18, some of them thousands of miles away from home. Bamfylde is where they went “home” after a busy day in school, to a welcoming smile, friendly dogs, and a chance to relax or to chat about a problem. Faith’s name was the key to her success: from her faith in God came a faith in the girls. Years spent working in hos-pitals as a specialist children’s nurse gave her a quality of calm confidence when a crisis arose or a girl needed individual comfort. The

girls came to know that she was always there for them.

Sadly Faith’s final years of retirement were dogged by serious illness, so that, after many exciting travels and holidays, hospitals became the all too familiar destination for her and Richard. They shared 53 years of happy marriage. Richard, who cared for her with selfless devotion in her illness, is grateful for the messages and letters he has received.

Faith died in December 2012 at the age of 81.

Michael Downward 79 -97

Faith Baker 90 -95 S

Stephen Higgs 71-79 G sadly died on 11th March 2013.

Steve had a clear and eloquent voice won prizes for speech-making, so when studying Shakespeare Steve was a shoe- in for the parts

15

In Memoriam

Ned How 89 -97 FIn the years since Ned left West Buckland he packed a lot into his life. He studied Natural Sciences at Bath University and ultimately made Bath his home; he travelled widely and had many amazing experiences. He had a successful career in the water industry and latterly transferred to train as a company accountant.

Outside of work, he was always active and loved running and surfing. Ned was an inquisitive and spiritual individual who had a kind heart, enthusiastically raising money for various charities. He was a popular man with a large circle of wonderful friends, but he also enjoyed making new ones wherever he went.

As his family and friends, we are still struggling to accept that Ned is no longer with us. In the end, he faced his illness with the same courage and determination that he brought to everything he did. What brings us peace is to know that he lived a full life, even though he has gone far too soon.

At the end of February, we came together to celebrate Ned’s life with a humanist ceremony. The reading finished with a quote that we feel really sums up Ned’s life. In response to the question ‘What is Success?’ Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

To laugh often and love much, to win the respect and the affection of children; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a bit better; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

Kate Fenton (nee How) 90-95 F

RumpelstiltskinTongue of dog, claw of cat,Leg of frog, tail of rat;Beams of moonlight, here and there;A couple of snips of golden hair:

Mix together in one stewTo make gold, just for you.

Eye of toad, tooth of snake,With a bit of lion steak;Spider’s body, chicken’s nose,Worm’s guts, elephant’s toes.

Bits of meat, cold and raw,Added with the yellow straw;Lots of steel is stuffed in –Let the wheel spin and spin:

Mix together in one stewTo make some gold, just for you.

Ned How, Prep 4B

16

Annual Membership Subscription I would like to make a regular gift to the

Old West Buckland Association

Title Mr Mrs Miss Ms Other .......................................................

Forename...............................................................................Surname.........................................................................

Address............................................................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................Postcode......................................................

Telephone...............................................................................Mobile.............................................................................

Email................................................................................................................................................................................

Bankers Order

To the Manager of........................................................ at.............................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................Postcode.............................

I would like to make a regular gift of £......................... to Th e Old West Buckland Association

Monthly Quarterly Annually

Please debit my account number Sort Code

Starting on Ending on (optional)

Signature Date

Please send this form to the OWBA Offi ce, West Buckland School, West Buckland, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 0SX ` Phone: 01598 760164 Email:owba@westbuckland.com

Th ank you for supporting the OWBA. Your generosity helps provide events and

publications and enables us to keep in touch with alumni.

Sort Code 55-50-29 Account No: 06112129

Your Association Needs You! £3 a year will pay for a copy of the E-Buckland Brief to be printed for an OWB who does not use the internet

£15 a year will pay for a glass of wine each for 5 people at a Reunion Drinks Reception

Featured Events & Merchandise Please see your Events Calendar and the OWBA website for more information

Special Remembrance Weekend 8-9 November 14

Commemorating 100 years since the start of the Great War

Saturday 8 November, 5.45pmDrinks receptionExhibition “West Buckland Boys in World War One”Talk by Chris Allin, History Master in 150 Building3 Course Remembrance Dinner in Th e Karslake.

Tickets £15 from the Foundation/OWBA Offi ce or online.

9th November, 10.15 am Remembrance Service

All Welcome