Old Blues Email News 17 September 2001
- 1. Newgate Club- 21 September 2001
On Friday 21st September 'The Newgate Club' will be meeting at Jamie's Wine Bar on Ludgate Hill (by St Paul's) for one of our increasingly infamous lunches to co-incide with St Matthew's Day.
For those of you who are not yet aware, The Newgate Club exists as an informal meeting place for former pupils of Christ's Hospital. All vintages are represented and welcome. At the last St Matthew's Day event we had about 60 attendees, some of whom were more recent leavers, others a tad more mature.
A buffet lunch will be served and a certain amount of wine/beer will be consumed. Past experience tells us that some will stay for an hour but others will make an afternoon of it. Even if you can only stay briefly you are very welcome to join us.
To cover our costs we need to make a charge of £30 per person. This is not a profit making venture and any excess funds will be directed to a worthwhile CH related cause.
We aim to start at about 12.30 ish although depending on the weather some of you may want to watch the Band before joining us.
If you would like to attend, even if it is only for a quick drink, please contact Paul Chambers, John Cullen or Baz Sheehan. Cheques payable to the Newgate Club should be sent to Paul Chambers c/o The Freshman Consultancy, 6th Floor, 56-60 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7BB.
We had a massive turn out last St.Matthew's day and hope to see you all this time around. Please pass this on to as many other Old Blues as possible.
- 2. St Matthews Day - 21 September 2001
The school will be marching through the City as normal. The service will be in St Paul's and all who are attending are asked to take their seats by 11am.
I have been asked to emphasise that tickets will be required to go into the service at St Pauls. If anyone would like further information, they should contact the Protocol Officer, Vicky Haig by email, or by telephone 01403 211293.
- 3. OLD BLUES DAY - 22 September 2001
A number of things are planned for Old Blues Day this year so please put the date in your diary now!
These include;
- The Benevolent Society of Blues will be staging the BSB Challenge which will be a fun quiz based upon the history of Christ's Hospital and related subjects. If anyone would like to assist in setting the questions or running the quiz, please contact John Sheehan at jsheehan@abbeywood.com.
- Old Blues Rugby Football Club 1st XV will be playing Jersey RFC in their first league match of the season.
- Old Blues Band Concert in Big School (as opposed to a School Band Concert with some Old Blues in it). All Old Blues who can still blow are requested to contact Michael Beare (lisbeare@aol.com) to let him know that they would like to play. Also, Old Blues can sponsor the Band to play a favourite piece of music - minimum £50 per piece during the Concert. Again contact Michael with ideas and offers!
- 4. Chess Grandmaster
Christ's Hospital has organised for Raymond Keene (Chess Grandmaster and The Times Chess Correspondent) to challenge pupils, Old Blues and members of the local community to a game of chess on Thursday, 27 September. If any Old Blue would like to participate, please contact Chris Hennock on 01403 730462 who is organising the event.
- 5. www.oldblues.com
I would love to be able to add more photographs to the site. If you have some that would be of interest to others, please [email the Web Editor].
- 6. Old Blues Careers Network
For the past ten years, this network has enabled Old Blues, Governors and other members of the CH family to provide help to fellow Old Blues and support the School's careers programme. The Network has a database of 200 people who have offered their help in 40 career fields. When a request for careers advice or help is received, approximately one third are dealt with by the Careers Registrar over the phone or in a face-to-face meeting. Two thirds are referred on to an Old Blue for advice and/or introductions. Sometimes, the referrals made enable workplace visits or short-term work. Occasionally, a permanent job results.
The Network tries to follow-up on the outcome of every request for help. Of the last 45 requests made:
- 15 obtained full-time work or training
- 14 were settled for now, having explored possibilities through the network
- 9 will continue to seek a change and possibly come back
- 4 have lost touch and 3 were unable to use the Network's help.
How can you help?
- Identify, and encourage, Old Blue Users
- Offer your own help
- Identify a willing helper and introduce us
- Spread the word about the network
- Consider being an adviser or helping as a co-registrar.
Contact us via Wendy Killner, Administrator, Christ's Hospital Association, Christ's Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 7YP.
Phone/fax: 01403 247668, E-mail: oblues@christs-hospital.org.uk
For details about the Co-Registrar/Adviser role, contact Neville Osmond, 37 Aplins Close, Harpenden, AL5 2PZ. Phone/fax: 01582 762029
- 7. Singing Old Blues (SOB)
Two new dates for the Singing Old Blues. 27 September is the last SOB to take place at Tudor Cottage, Petworth before Tweazle Jones leaves. 30 October (11am) - the venue moves back to the Elsted Inn, Elsted, Sussex. Please contact Susan Walsh by email or telephone 01243 528936.
- 8. Maine B Re-union - 30 November 2001
Richard McGregor reports that a Maine B reunion is being arranged for Friday, 30 November 2001. This apparently unseasonable date has been chosen because it is the 80th birthday of Morton Peto, who was a housemaster from 1949 to 1965 after which he spent another 16 years on the staff before retiring in 1981. He will be the "guest of honour". The reunion is for all those who new Maine B as a senior house" i.e. for leavers up to 1966.
There has already been a very good response with 58 Maine B Old Blues expecting to be present on the day plus 29 wives or partners. The full programme will be despatched during September to all those who have shown interest.
For any persons who have slipped through the net, or for those requiring more details, please contact: Anne Sartain or Richard McGregor.
- 9. Old Blues in Hong Kong
Chris Wilson (Ba B 69 - 72 & PeB 72 - 76) has been in Hong Kong since 1977 and would like to link up with other Old Blues. If you know of any Old Blues who are based there, please ask them to contact Chris directly (and let me have their details to add to the Newsletter circulation list!).
- 10. Founder's Day Dinners - this list is growing!
- The main Founder's Day Dinner this year is being held at the Drapers' Hall, City of London on 12 October 2001. The Chairman of the dinner will be Bob Sillett who has of course just retired as a long serving member of staff. The responder will be Harriet Griffiths (Richmond, BB 86-93, Senior Grecian). The Chief Steward is Ian Rodgers. For more details, please contact Richard March, Wedgwood, 5 Hook Hill Park, WOKING, Surrey, GU22 0PX, Tel: 01483 762834.
- The New South Wales Founder's Day Dinner will be held on 26 October. A three course meal for only A$30! Contact Roger Wickins on RogerWickins@compuserve.com for details (he will be away from 3 to 26 September).
- The East Midlands Founder's Day Dinner is being held on 19 October at Scalford Hall, Melton Mowbray. The guest speaker will be the Treasurer, Mrs Susan Mitchell. Please contact Wynn Parry (w.parry@dial.pipex.com) or Marion Rutland for more details.
- The Caledonian Society of Blues is holding its annual Founder's Day Lunch in Edinburgh on Saturday, October 20th 2001. The guest speaker will be Steve Webb (Chairman of the Benevolent Society of Blues and responsible for oldblues.com). All are welcome together with their partners. For more details, please contact joy.holmes@lineone.net
- A Founders Day Dinner will take place on Saturday October 27, 2001 at 6pm. The venue will be Upstairs at Varalli Restaurant, 1345 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The location is intended to attract Old Blues from the N.E area (including New York and Washington D.C. clubs) but all Old Blues and their spouses are warmly welcome. Cost-$50/person (wine & other beverages will be extra) payable in advance to Keith Worker to confirm.
For more information please contact: Keith Worker (Col A 71-78), 35 Old Post Lane, Lititz PA 17543. Tel Office: (717-273 5665) Tel Home: (717-519 6790) E-mail: kworker@pipelineinteractive.com - The Sussex Old Blues Dinner will be held on 19th October 2001 in the Court Room at Christ's Hospital, 6.45pm for 7.30pm.
- 11. Old Blue with holiday lets available
John Stephens (Prep A, Pe A 1960-67) has moved to a farm in Devon. He has now completed the renovation of a holiday cottage on his property located in the attractive Tamar valley (near Tavistock). Next year, his delightful cottage will feature in English Country Cottages as a "five star property". The cottage sleeps 6 to 8 and I can personally testify that it is very well equipped and tastefully furnished!
If you would like a long weekend away or a holiday for a week or two, more details are available from John or his wife, Nikki, on NikkiatRumleighFarm@hotmail.com or 01822 840749. Please mention that you are an Old Blue when you make contact!
My wife and I been there and can thoroughly recommend it!
- 12. St Lawrence Jewry, City of London (by the Guildhall)
The Director of Music and organist of St Lawrence Jewry is Catherine Ennis (Old Blue). At the beginning of October, there will be a week of recitals to celebrate the return of St Lawrence Jewry's lunchtime music after the installation of the new Klais organ. Following the launch, there will be weekly lunchtime recitals and Catherine will be playing on 9, 16 and 30 October, 6, 20 and 27 November, 11 and 18 December.
- 13. Old Blues Rugby Football Club
The first OBRFC League match this season is versus Jersey and will be played at Christ's Hospital on Saturday 22 September. Supporters (and players) will be very welcome! If you cannot make that, get down to Motspur Park sometime!
Membership of OBRFC also entitles you to apply for tickets for the Rugby Internationals at Twickenham. If you (and we do have lady members too!) would like to apply, membership forms can be downloaded from www.oldbluesrfc.com.
- 14. Christmas Celebrations
The West Sussex Old Blues Christmas Lunch will be held on 3 December - PLEASE BOOK NOW! Contact is Susan Walsh at susan@musicprint.co.uk or telephone 01243 528936.
- 15. Contact Website
A good website for tracking down Old Blues is Friends Reunited. There are approximately 400 Old Blues registered there, mostly from the 70's+. It requires a £5 annual fee in order to use all its facilities (i.e. to be able to send emails to other registered participants) and this seems to work well. It provides a good mechanism to be able to track down other Old Blues.
If the Old Blue that you want is not registered, try using Where Are They Now? [now contained within the Blue Yellow Pages' Where are they now? search].
Regards
Steve Webb (Col A 60-69)