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AOSA ANNUAL
REPORT 2001 - NEWS OF OLD SCHOLARS |
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Page ten]
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My welcome annual letter from THAVORN RATANAVARAHA (1951-55) arrived in early January, this time I managed to send off my reply to him before I made a start on the news for 2001. He and Vipha became grandparents, twice, during the year 2000.: -‘The passing year gave us some happy occasions with the births of our first grandchildren. Raweewan gave birth to a baby girl in mid-July and Pawaree’s daughter arrived one month later in August.’ As his health is now much improved, Thavorn finds himself very busy once again. He plays golf several times a week with other retired friends and walks near home at the weekends. He is also involved, with their architect, with the designs of his new house. -‘The present house where we live is about 40 years old, which was built when I returned from England. Because Bangkok was built on silty clay with a high water content, the house has sunk about one meter over the years. With some heavy rain during the months of October and November, we have to pump water out from the garden and carpark. In about ten years’ time, if the rate of subsidence remains as it is, our living and dining rooms on the ground floor will be under water during heavy rain. With the new house I am using long, cored piles (not available 40 years ago when the house was built) down to the level of fine sand which is about 20 meters in depth, to support the structure so that even if the land sinks, the house will not.’ CLIFFORD MORGAN (1945-81) met FAY (RURKA 1952-59) PRITCHARD her cousin and husband, Tim, in the village, they had been visiting the ‘school’ grounds. According to Clifford, Faye and family are regular visitors to Ayton and frequently stay at the Royal Oak; they live in Hull where they run a guesthouse. The group was joined by Fay’s contemporary, WENDY JONES (NEWBOULD) who lives in Middlesbrough. MELVYN STEWART (1952-58) had been on our list of ‘missing’ Life Members for some time when I heard on the O.S. grapevine last July that Mel’s brother KEITH (1953-57) was a member of Brancepeth Golf Club in County Durham. After a bit of fancy footwork via Directory Enquiries and the Golf Club itself, I found Keith’s address and telephone number. I then rang the number and talked to a rather surprised Keith who eventually remembered who I was. He recalled a meeting he once had with my father, no mean cricketer, who gave Keith some coaching. This was so effective that the next time Keith played cricket he took all ten wickets for his side for an incredibly low score! Keith was also able to give me the address for Mel, who was (last July) over on holiday in UK to attend the ‘Open’ at St. Andrews’ from his home in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and was expected back at Keith’s the following week. I informed Dick Dennis, who has moved Mel back into the ‘active’ file and sent off copies of the Handbook and the Annual Report for the year 2000 to await his arrival at his brother’s. Keith asked for information about WILLIAM (WIMPEY 1953-58) WADE and ALAN (1952-57) and BERYL (1948-55) GOODFELLOW. As we were off to ‘press’, the following e-mail arrived from Mel - ‘Thanks for your letter of 16th July 2000 and apologies for the delay in replying. Keith gave me your letter when I visited him at Brancepeth in August. Sorry I "went missing". This must have been in the early 90s when, after 22 years in the Middle East, my company in their wisdom wanted me back in UK to manage all their Middle East business from there rather than from Dubai. This involved visiting the Middle East for 2 weeks every month and as you can imagine was all too much for me, so I returned to the Emirates at the beginning of 1995. In February 1998 I took early retirement after being invited by our most important Client, the Ruler of Sharjah, to join him as his technical advisor. This is a job I really enjoy. I am still involved in major engineering and infrastructure development projects but as the client - a refreshing change. My new wife Jacqui and I live in a very nice villa right on the beach. The working hours are kind and we have 3 fantastic grass golf courses within 30 minutes drive. (Tiger Woods was out here for the Desert Classic in March 2001.) As you may know Dubai has become a popular holiday destination, so during the cooler months (October - April) we have a constant stream of visitors. These include my two sons and their families. My elder son Iain (36 yrs.) is a Major in the Royal Engineers and loves the army life. He has applied for a posting in Oman so hopefully will soon be within easy reach and will visit more often. My younger son Robin (34 yrs.) is one of those over paid, over worked merchant bankers in the city of London and living in Kingston-upon Thames. He and his wife made me a proud grandfather last year. I have contact with other Old Scholars from time to time. I see John Wray almost every Summer when on UK leave. He is really enjoying retirement and his part time job as a schools’ inspector. Stewart Brammer visits Dubai from time to time and we have a few words.’ Mel was awarded an O.B.E in 1991 “for services to British commercial interests in the United Arab Emirates.” Mel, Keith, Fay & Wendy may be interested to know that District Secretary SONIA WADE (DUNN 1952-58) is our President Elect. It would be nice to think that she could expect a good turnout of contemporaries for her Inaugural reunion weekend – 23rd/24th June. A significant amount of news this year has been generated via the Internet ;one e-mail which caused me some confusion came from HILARY EVANS (WILSON) who had responded to Dick’s request for information about Lost Life Members. She was not in our Handbook, but she was in CHRIS SCAIFE’S (1965-94) ‘Ayton Register’ so I e-mailed back to ask her how she came by the Old Scholars’ Mag. In a reply Hilary told me that she had been sent the Mag by her friend JANE JAMES (HALEY 1958-63) who knew she was friendly with missing Life Member, CHRISTINE RABSON (CHESTER 1958-63). Hilary also said that she, herself, was at school from 1958-64, her brother, PETER, from 1955-61, their late father, THOMAS, from 1924-29, while his late brother, JOHN – 1930-34 – was our John Wilson, close friend and contemporary of DOUGLAS HORNE (1930-34). |
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