News from Around the World
1940-1949
Sydney Baker ( School House 46 ) I moved to the USA in 1959 and worked at the Boeing company for 39 years with an interesting successful career in aerospace . I am frequently asked what it was like to be in England in WWII – and I find myself always remembering my days at Sevenoaks . I think the history of life at Sevenoaks during WWII with all of the air activity and preparations for D-Day landings would make an interesting story .
1950-1959
Bernard Harvey ( Wordsworth 55 ) In 1949 I was a day boy and started in 3A at Park Grange with ‘ Pop ’ Forder as our form master . A great master who gave many of us nicknames – which is how I came to be called ‘ Bunny ’ Harvey . Four years after WWll , the school was struggling to re-establish itself , and a lot of traditions still existed , particularly under ‘ Jimmy ’ Higgs- Walker , our headmaster . He would arrive in form with mortar board and gown , where he would be met by two biff boys and two cap boys , who would chant ‘ Hail O Cleo ’ to which he would reply ‘ Hail ’. This strange custom was published in a boy ’ s paper , possibly The Hotspur ! Sport was a major part of daily life , not that I ever excelled , except I did help Wordsworth to become the first day house to win the boxing cup . After I left school , I joined Sevenoaks Rugby Club when they started the Colts . But in 1958 I caught polio which changed my life . Articled to the firm of Chartered Accountants PMM & Co , I then went on to work on financial computer systems for ICT , Wills Tobacco and then Avon Rubber . Long retired now , I write novels and make inlaid wooden board games – isolating in a remote part of Somerset . At 81 , I ’ m slowing up , battled with cancer , but still enjoying the occasional pint , remembering Sevenoaks !
1960-1969
Brian ‘ Jon ’ Fay ( Wordsworth 67 ) Greetings from south Florida , currently the US epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic ! So living here now is really scary , especially if you are in the groups of people more at risk for serious complications . Most people and stores do observe CDC personal protection guidelines but there are still too many that seem to ignore the risks of spreading Covid-19 ! Thankfully there are no known Covid-19 cases in our gated community of 315 homes . Happily we have been able to start playing tennis and pickleball again recently , albeit on a limited basis with strict distancing and sanitising rules . Still it is great to get out , see some friends and play . We have done several driveway / patio Happy Hours with a few socially distanced friends , BYOB and BYO-lawn chairs , within our community . Also we are becoming quite proficient in Zoom chatting with friends in America and around the world , including friends in the UK , France , Honduras , Colombia and Qatar . Hope all OS friends are well and finding fun ways to pass the time during this pandemic , and hopefully vaccines will become available sooner than later .
Dr John Barnsdale ( Park Grange 69 ) As always it was gratifying to see the most recent edition of Sennockian magazine . It is astounding to see the generations that have passed through Sevenoaks School ’ s doors since my departure . I have lived in Auburn , California for over 40 years and continue to practice medicine ( Anesthesia , as we spell it ). After leaving Sevenoaks I dropped , feet first , into the tumult that was the University of California , Berkeley . To say I had a great experience would be an understatement . Time and again I reflected on the incredible education I received at Sevenoaks , both academic and personal . I have jokingly told many people that I was trained to go out and serve an Empire that no longer existed and to do it well . Completing a degree in engineering and subsequently medicine ( at UCLA ) I then trained in Anesthesia and moved to Auburn . Each step of this journey was aided by my experience at Sevenoaks . I recognised many of the names in our decade and would look forward to hearing from them . Even back then we were a surprisingly mobile lot .
1970-1979
Professor Jeremy Crang ( Grote 79 ) I am Professor of Modern British History and Dean of Students in the College of Arts , Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh .
1980-1989
Matthew Cawthorne ( IC 80 ) After 27 years in the Royal Marines followed by nine years in Iraq , I am finally working from home in Watford , positioning advanced data analytics solutions for the Government . My interests include governance in education , a cappella singing with a variety of groups , directorship of a private members ’ club in Knightsbridge , and chairmanship of a local political association and a Russian club . A book on compliance in the armed private security ‘ Circuit ’ is in progress .
126 ALUMNI REVIEW