Alleyn Club Newsletter 2015

OA News

stage and screen performances, including the 2008 Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in the Donmar’s production of Othello , and the 2013 BAFTA for Best Actor for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years A Slave . Tickets for Everyman are on sale now from the National Theatre’s website. OAs Dominic Evans (75-78), Adam Rothwell (97-02) and Christopher West-Sadler (85-92) all teach at Oakham School in Rutland. Dominic teaches Chemistry, Adam teaches History and serves as Oxbridge Mentor, and Christopher teaches French.

The Classical Fourth Form of 1939: 75 Years of Friendship

In September 1939, a few days after the outbreak of WW2, 22 small boys gathered together in Tonbridge, to which the College had been evacuated, to form the Classical Fourth Form of the new school year. On Founder’s Day in 2014 six of those small boys, now nearing their 90th birthdays, met at the College for their Conventus Annualis Septuagesimus Quintus to mark the 75th anniversary of their initial meeting. The 22 boys, aged 13 and 14, were faced with the stresses and uncertainties of evacuation, commencing life in the Senior School and, above all, meeting the unknowns of living away from the familiar surroundings of home and family life. Sharing buildings and facilities with Tonbridge School meant a reversal of the usual school day, with prep being done, football played and other extra-curricular activities indulged in during the mornings, while classes were held in the afternoons and evenings. It was all rather strange at first, as was the experience of being billeted in houses around the town, but those 22 small boys rose to the challenges and took it all in their stride. The evacuation lasted for only one term and by the start of Spring Term in 1940 the form was back in Dulwich. The return meant the disappearance of some faces and the arrival of others so that in all 32 boys passed through the form during the school year. The way of life was, however, very different from that of the pre-war years. There were the air raids which involved sleep deprived nights, disrupted journeys to and from school often over roads covered with broken glass and other debris, sheltering in the basements of the North and South blocks during daylight air raids, weeding the football pitches for shrapnel before a game could start, fire watching and many other war time activities. It was an exciting if dangerous period but the changed way of life soon came to be looked on as normal. (Left to right): Standing – Peter Hart, Dick Pledger, Rupert Sutton and Derek Akers; seated – Alan Gregory, Charles Mansfield and Peter Edgley

Christopher West-Sadler, Adam Rothwell and Dominic Evans all teach at Oakham School

Alec Fiddes (07-12), a student at the University of Bristol, played for Weston-Super-Mare against Doncaster Rovers in the first round of the 2013-14 FA Cup. Alec joined the Seagulls, who play in the Conference South league, for the 2012-13 season. Prior to the move Alex, a midfielder, played for Spanish club Lleida Esportiu and, during his school days, he played for England’s Independent Schools u18 team. The National Gallery announced the appointment of Dr Gabriele Finaldi (82-84) as its new Director, with effect from August 2015. Dr Finaldi completed his A levels at the College before studying at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Since 2002 he has served as Co-Director of the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, responsible for the museum’s collections and research. Dr Finaldi’s appointment marks a return to London and the National Gallery. Between 1992 and 2002 he worked as the Gallery’s Curator of Italian and Spanish Paintings. Actor Nicholas Galitzine (06-13) starred alongside Luke Perry in the 2014 film The Beat Beneath My Feet , which told the story of a teenage boy who befriends a long- forgotten rock star. The film was nominated for awards at the Berlin International Film Festival and British Independent Film Awards. Professor Chris Griffiths (63-73), Professor of Dermatology at the University of Manchester, returned to the College in January 2015 to address members of the Medical and Dentistry Society. James Hanks (00-02) retired from professional rugby in April 2014 following a ten year career with Exeter Chiefs. James joined the PE department at Dulwich College in September.

14

Made with FlippingBook HTML5