NE WS FROM AR O UND THE W OR L D
Sydney before going onto Sydney University, graduating with
first class honours in Civil Engineering. I have always felt my
education at Sevenoaks provided the platform for that and other
later achievements, due in no small measure to the calibre, and
eccentricities of my teachers. I still have my school reports and
treasure the comment made by my Classics master Dickie Dawson
that I was ‘not a mere circus animal to be tempted by tangible
rewards’ when, having done my Latin O-level in Michaelmas term
of 1964, I dug my heels in over doing very much prep for Greek –
for which I was never going to sit an O-level – and focused on my
Maths and Physics instead!! I still live in Sydney and have stayed in
touch with Neil Powell (Park Grange 66), my musical mentor at
school, David Lanfear (Park Grange 68), Mick Audsley (Grote 67).
I also came across Rufus Boyd (Taylor 83). I’d be happy to hear
from anyone who remembers me.
John Wilber (Fryth 67)
I spent 30 very enjoyable years working for British Rail, leaving
in 1997 as Group Public Relations Officer. After that, I purchased
Railnews, the rail industry staff newspaper, jointly running it for 21
years until retirement in 2018. I still keep very busy organising or
attending railway and local events in Stratford-upon-Avon where
I live with my wife Caroline (married 1987). We have one daughter,
Katie. My main pastimes are researching our family history, my
orchard, my old BSA motorcycle (the same one I rode to school on
from Tunbridge Wells) and trips to Europe. Last year I attended the
Founder’s Day Picnic and met several OS for the first time in 50
years. An interesting day, which I hope to repeat in 2020.
Chris Caridia (Grote 68)
I moved to Frankfurt from Bangkok last year, where I am teaching
English at the university and continuing to write English language
teaching materials.
Steve Olsen (Park Grange 68)
I retired as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner Captain with United Airlines,
aged 65, in 2015. Since that time I have been flying a corporate
jet in Houston, Texas where my wife, Peggy, and I have lived since
1983. Since leaving Sevenoaks, I have been a US Air Force pilot, a
corporate pilot, an airline pilot, a professional race car driver (BMW,
Porsche and Audi) and a part-time rancher on the family ranch in
central Texas. Peggy and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary
on 13 June 2019 and have a daughter, a son and six beautiful
grandchildren. I was in London this spring to bring one of my
granddaughters for a whirlwind tour of London. Sadly our schedule
140
did not allow a dash to Sevenoaks. We would welcome any Old
Sennockians who might find themselves in the Houston area. You
can contact me through Sevenoaks School Foundation.
Christopher Segar (School House 68)
I resigned from the Diplomatic Service in 2005 after serving in
Baghdad. In 2008 I joined the staff of the International Energy
Agency in Paris, working on relations with Middle Eastern states
and with OPEC in Vienna. Since I retired from the IEA in 2015
I have been able to devote more time to a charity supporting
Christian communities in the Middle East. I have visited Iraq and
Jordan several times in the last two years.
1970-1979
Tom Nottidge (Fenton 71)
Passing the milestone of 65 a few weeks ago, I can reflect on how
much I learnt at Sevenoaks. My 2014 (perhaps last?) career step
into hands-on building relies on Mr Gilbert’s tuition in woodwork
and Bert Dinham’s productivity-enhancing shortcuts acquired
while working at repairs in the school buildings most holidays,
and building the cricket scorebox on sports afternoons. Yes,
great academic education got me degrees and enjoyable roles in
engineering and law, but the fun of building is amazing and this
instinctive grasp of how materials behave I owe to the school.
What else from Sevenoaks will I have used by the time I’m really
old? Thank you for developing rounded people and not just exam
machines; please keep it up.
Peter Wyard (Caxton 72)
In 2018 I resigned from my post as Vicar of Colnbrook and Datchet,
and after a period of cross-cultural training and language learning, I
am now with my wife Patricia in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We are with the Church Mission Society, in the Diocese of Aru (NE
Congo). Patricia is a doctor, and I am teaching in the theological
college here, as well as helping with the work of Christian education
in some pretty remote parishes. We are blessed that this little bit of
Congo remains free from conflict, and from Ebola.
Professor Sir Jonathan Bate (Wordsworth 76)
I am standing down from the role of Provost of Worcester College,
after eight demanding years, and returning to my first loves:
teaching and writing. I will continue to work on Shakespeare but
also develop the strand of my work that explores the arts and
humanities in relation to environmental issues. I will remain a
Senior Research Fellow in Oxford, but my primary role will be
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