NEWS F ROM ARO UND THE W OR L D
Ranavir Bose (Park Grange 67)
I am Senior Sports journalist and Senior Racing Correspondent for
the Times of India, and India’s premier racing website:
www.indiarace.com (sobriquet Epsom Ace).
Calcutta’s ‘Royal’ connection:
The city of Calcutta may be thought of as a ‘black hole’ by many of
the post-war Boomer generation of Englishmen, but the truth of the
matter is that 300 years of British rule has left its indelible mark on
this rather congested metropolis. Nowhere is this more prevalent
than at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, where the Queen Elizabeth II
Cup (formerly the King George VI Cup) is run every February amid
much pomp and pageantry. While this is no Ascot, the Stewards of
the Club ensure that the city’s British connection is maintained by
inviting the British High Commissioner to present the trophy to the
owners of the winning horse. This year, the honours were performed
by Sir Dominic Asquith, the British High Commissioner in New Delhi.
Mark Clinch (Sackville 78)
I retired from a long career with PwC in December 2016. Last year,
I bought a home in English Harbour, Antigua, to pursue my passion
for sailing. I completed my first serious offshore race, the Caribbean
600, in February; and crossed the Atlantic in April in a 90-foot sailing
yacht. My eldest son, Alasdair Clinch (OS 2009) now with Deloitte,
joined me for Antigua Sailing Week. Max Clinch (OS 2011) is
currently in Japan working and skiing; and Oliver Clinch (OS 2016)
is reading Business and Management at Exeter University.
1970-1979 Nicholas Khan QC (Park Grange 78)
After qualifying at the Bar, I have spent most of my professional life
in Brussels, advising and representing the European Commission,
focusing in recent years on major competition matters against
companies like Mastercard, Microsoft and Intel, with Google also
figuring prominently in current work. Whatever the uncertainties of
Brexit, I’ll have to keep working for quite a while yet as my two sons
are only 10 and 12. Consistent with doing everything important
later in life, on being appointed Queen’s Counsel this year, I found
that I had been called to the Bar years before any of the others.
Taking silk was an excuse for a drinks party in London, where guests
included Nick Cramer (Park Grange 78), who lives not far from
the Channel Tunnel and whom I try to see when coming over by
car. With the family based in Brussels and the pressure of work,
it is many years since I last visited Sevenoaks, but I realise we are
approaching 40 years on and although I have not managed to make
it to any of the previous annual dinners, will definitely try to come
over this November and see how many of my contemporaries are
still recognisable!
Adam Taylor (Caxton 72) Simon Olley (Fenton 79)
As an added attraction the ladies donning the three most stylish
headgear are declared prizewinners. The most memorable moment
of this prestigious race was in 1961, when Her Majesty visited
Calcutta and presented the trophy to Mrs Billmoria, the owner of
the winner, Pa Bear (Wally Swinburn up).
Graham Breakwell (Warnoton/Fryth 67)
I am relaxing in Los Angeles abundance – the cutting edge of
society! Contact me if you were in my year and coming to LA:
[email protected]
Last November, my verse translation of ‘Le Cimetière Marin’, a poem
by the French poet, Paul Valéry, was published in an edition of Long
Poem Magazine, which was launched by a reading at the Barbican
Library in London. The translation (the first, so far as I know, into
English verse since Cecil Day Lewis’s in 1945) represents homework,
delayed by over 40 years since I was a pupil of Brian Scragg, late
Undermaster at Sevenoaks School.
My ceramics were awarded Best Decorated Exhibits at the 2017
London Potters’ Annual Exhibition held in November at the Morley
Gallery, London. I continue to make pottery, inspired by the life
(sometimes imaginary) of my black Labrador, Uly, and have also
exhibited at Artichoke and Twenty galleries, with others lined up
for 2018.
Andrew Ingram (Groves 76)
I recently started a new band here in Maidenhead – we call
ourselves Acoustic Grandads, which gives a flavour of the sort of
nonsense we peddle. Available for weddings, bar mitzvahs, egg and
spoon races etc.
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ALUMNI REVIEW
1980-1989
Tom McLeish (Fenton 80)
First, I was delighted to be able to welcome the school’s 2018
Patrons Dinner to the Royal Society, as chair of the Society’s
Education Committee and an OS! I have this year moved from
Durham to a new chair in Natural Philosophy at the University
of York, where as well as the theoretical physics of biology, I will
also be exploring collaborations between sciences and humanities,
including the continuing work with Oxford and Durham universities
on medieval science from an interdisciplinary perspective. In 2018
I have a new book coming out with OUP, The Poetry and Music of
Science, exploring comparative creativity between arts and sciences.
Costas Metaxas (IC 81)
I currently live in Friendswood, TX, with my wife Deena. I am
working for INEOS Olefins and Polymers as a Chemist advisor in
the polyolefins area. My daughter Athena recently passed her PhD
qualifying exam at the University of Minnesota Materials Science
department and my son Thanos is completing his MSc in Structural
Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin. At present, he is
working on completing his private pilot’s certification.
Middle East. My current assignment keeps me shuttling
between Karachi and Riyadh. I’m happy to be in touch with any
Old Sennockians and particularly my peers from the IC.
Mary Colyer (Wordsworth 87)
Hello to all my old friends from the Class of 1987. I am currently
enjoying teaching (mainly English and Art) in Guildford and living
in Surrey. I still visit Sevenoaks often. After giving up Art A-level at
Sevenoaks, possibly due to lack of confidence at the time, I became
interested in metalwork and silversmithing after travelling through
Thailand and India, following my Psychology degree at York.
I returned to London and did various courses, but have mostly
taught myself. Friends might be interested in my Etsy shop, for
which I can offer a discount code: www.marycolyer.com
Ian Walker MBE (Sackville 88)
In 2017 I stopped professional sailing to take up the role of Director
of Racing at the Royal Yachting Association. My primary role is as
Performance Director of the National Lottery-funded World Class
Programme and leading the Olympic team in Tokyo 2020. This new
role based in Southampton will allow me to spend more time with
my wife and children and to sail for fun again.
Reverend Rachael Knapp (née Stocker) (Caxton 82) Vandana Harris (née Shah) (Sennocke 90)
I was made an Honorary Canon at Rochester Cathedral in March,
in recognition of my work as Chaplain at Bennett Memorial School,
Tunbridge Wells. I was featured in the May issue of Bellevue Lifestyle as one of seven
women who are movers and shakers in the community.
1990-1999
Jill McDonald (née Manaton) (Caxton 82)
I have recently been appointed as Managing Director Marks &
Spencer Clothing & Home. I am living in Buckinghamshire, married
to David with two teenage boys.
Dr Richard Alexander (Grote 83)
I became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers
in March 2017 and was appointed a Director of the UK-Sichuan
Business Association in September 2017.
The Hon Simon Perry (School House 84)
My wife Carolyn and I welcomed a son, Sebastian George, born in
New York on 10 July 2016, and christened later in the year at the
Palace of Westminster.
Yavar Moini (IC 86)
I am currently consulting for the World Bank on financial sector
development with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia. I moved back
to Karachi about three years ago after many years in Dubai and the
Tiffany Oatway (née Butterworth) (Elizabeth 93, Class of 95)
I continue to be involved as an athlete with the Armed Forces
Para-Snowsport Team (AFPST) and this winter I had my best season
to date. I trained and foreran races in Slalom and GS at the Army
and also the Inter-Services Skiing Championships in France, and
came home from the Army Scottish Skiing Championships with
two bronze medals in the Individual and Team Giant Slalom events.
Last month I joined a team going out to the AIG Winter Summit in
Stowe, Vermont (USA) and we came back with the gold in the Team
Dual Slalom event, beating the American teams for the first time
in ten years! I am now looking to progress to becoming an Alpine
Ski Instructor so I can give back to the team that has helped me so
much! I also started a new role as a Registrar of weddings last year
and, later this year, will complete my Celebrant training so that I can
enjoy working with more couples as they tie the knot.
SEVENOAKS SCHOOL 2017-2018
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