Thornton B and Ward Nine Association

70th Annual Dinner

The 70TH Annual Dinner will be held on Friday 14th March 2008 at the “Jurys Great Russell Street Hotel”, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3NN (nearest tube Tottenham Court Road). Diners are invited to congregate at the bar at any time after 6.00 pm and dinner will be served at 7.30 pm.

Chairman – Richard ‘Dick’ Arblaster Thornton B 1943–1949

Richard left CH in July ’49 and after working with British Thomson Houston Rugby, left for Singapore in October ‘52, and spent his entire working life in the Far East, mainly with the Inchcape group achieving considerable success in the motor industry, and as an adjunct to this, in motor sport. Amongst other successes becoming the first winner of a race by the legendary Mini outside Europe in February ‘60 and Malaysian Rally Champion in 1973.

He retired to East Sussex in 1996 with his Singaporean wife and daughter and son, now working respectively in Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Richard’s health will be proposed by Captain Jeremy Read (Th B 44 –51)

The Thornton B & Ward 9 Association is the longest running Christ’s Hospital house reunion. For this dinner, Roy Salisbury (Th B 40–46) has kindly agreed to say something of the history of the Association.

We will be inviting the Housemistress to attend the dinner as a guest of the Association, together with the House Captain.

Following discussion last year regarding guests, the consensus is that we should make the dinner open to lady guests as well as gentlemen. I will note here that a number of replies expressed the view that whilst they had no objection to ladies coming along, they may not enjoy an event where so much shameless reminiscing goes on. So please don’t feel under obligation to bring a partner, but if you would like to, they are most welcome.

The Association is not for profit. As your Hon Sec, I am very happy to organise this event. Each year there is a challenge to find a suitable venue. One where the pricing suits both the recent leavers and those more established in their careers. The demograph of who attends and supports the event is changing and we have more Old Blues who are retired able to support the event. Traditionally the price asked for the recent leavers and the OAP price is offset by the upper price. With the need to ensure that the event is financially viable I am going to make a direct and open request.

Please make use of the discount if it makes the difference between attending and not attending. Equally, if the higher price prohibits your attendance, make use of the lower sum. The ‘per head’ cost of the dinner is £36. Can I request that, in the words of the charge, you pay ‘according to your means’? Any surplus will be donated to House Funds.

This year’s dinner will be priced as follows:

Recent leavers (since 2003) and OAP concession £30.00

Earlier and Guests £40.00

Yours sincerely

Jon Riley (Hon. Sec)

The reply form is available for download in PDF format [55KB] and it is also available for download as a Word document [33KB]

For details of the activities of the Thornton B and Ward Nine Association, please contact Jon Riley (Ma A 73–75, Th B 75–79).

Top