No. 123
The Trusty Servant
Wiccamica
Valete( after one Ave)
At the beginning of Common Time, we welcomed Shane Higgins( Russian and French). And at its end we bade farewell to Hugh Hill( Mathma, since 1983; retired), Matt Weaver( Sport, since 2016; further study) and Irina Nekhyudova( Russian, maternity cover).
The bells toll for Hugh Hill
Seven dons will be leaving at the end of Cloister Time. They are: Christopher Tolley( English & Div, since 1979; retiring); Graham Watson( Economics, since 1997; appointed Director of Studies, King Edward’ s, Birmingham); Marjorie Huntley( History & Div, since 2004; retiring); Dara Alizadeh( Sport & Economics, since 2015; further study); Anna Kashlach( French, since 2015; returning to France); Poppy Lambert( Biology, since 2015; further study) and Hettie Podger( Geography, since 2015; new position).
Apologies for neglecting to mention the departure of Simon Woolley( Coll, 83-88; Geography 92-15). He is now teaching at Charterhouse.
We wish Shane well as he continues to settle into Win Coll, and all the others success in their future endeavours.
Ave in perpetuum
The Wykehamical community also said a final goodbye to Raymond Humphrey( Music, 53-79; visiting music staff 79- 95), who died on 22 nd April, aged 100. We think he was the oldest don ever; the previous closest to a century was CE
Robinson( History, 09-45; Ho Do, H), who was out for 97 in 1981. However, the Bin( as he was known) will hopefully soon be surpassed by John Dancy( Classics, 48- 53), who is currently 96.
Achievements
In addition to George Jones’ s second place in the Stephen Spender translation prize senior category, mentioned in the last edition, Tomás Sergeant( B, 14-) won the 14-and-under category with a translation of Lorca’ s‘ Deseo’.
Joe Zubier( Coll, 15-) followed up last year’ s LTCL singing diploma with one at FTCL level( Fellowship of Trinity College London). The qualification is equivalent in standard to a postgraduate course at a conservatoire or university: an astonishing achievement for a schoolboy, reached by only three of his Win Coll predecessors while at school.
Boat Club’ s Tobias Schroder( Coll, 12-), Alex Wythe( Coll, 12-), Luke Robinson( C, 12-) and Dent Goodman( E, 12-) all won gold medals representing Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse; Alex Wythe also represented Great Britain at the Junior World Championship.
Each of the four finals at the West of England School Fives Tournament was an all-Wykehamist affair. The School’ s team has won more trophies in the last two-and-a-half years( 22) than in the previous 85.
Richard Foster( History & Fellows’ Librarian) gave a paper at the History of Libraries Seminar, entitled‘ Winchester College Fellows’ Library, c. 1600-70.’
Nick Townson( History) will give a paper in June on the 13 th-century Dominican theologian, Roland of Cremona at the History of Emotions conference in York.
Campus Developments Present and Past
Old Bethesda garden has been redesigned by the College Gardeners, Alan Smith and Tim Cox. A herbal corner gives a nod to its history as an apothecary garden for the building’ s original role as College Sick House.
The redevelopment of Wellington House into 11 housing units made a destructive start last summer with the razing of the 1960s block 78-79 Kingsgate St and other parts of the site. Work has recently begun again after a lengthy archaeological investigation of the medieval wall and ditch and the project should finish early next year.
Anniversaries
This year is the 30 th anniversary of central heating being installed into the boys’ upstairs chambers( bedrooms) in College. It took a cold snap at the start of Common Time, 1987, in which the Collegemen built a snowman in the middle of the floor, where it lasted for three days and nights, to convince the authorities to act.
Win Coll in the papers
Cruciverbalists will have been cheered to see a more humorous reference to their alma mater in The Times on 31 st March. Cryptic-crossword clue:‘ Old boy’ s drunk malt whiskey, putting away litres.’ Answer:‘ Wykehamist’.
Dr DH‘ Freddie’ Forsdick
Many Wykehamists will retain happy memories of Freddie, a School Doctor from 1953-87, initially at Hopper’ s, later at Phil’ s. He died at his home in Harestock on 9 December 2016 at the age of 92, having been a widower for many years, and was a much loved and respected Wintonian with a notable sense of humour.
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