In addition future England rugby captain Nick Easter also appeared in the competition before playing in the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups. Certain names are prominent in the list of leading OA performances in the Cup: Simon Dyson took 96 wickets at only 11.48 each for OAs and Simon Teesdale shone with both bat and ball. Phil Hulston is still going strong having made his debut in 1984; he is now nearing 1,000 runs in the Cricketer Cup which will make him the only OA to reach that milestone in the competition.
average on the day. The most notable event occurred after the close of the season, with the sudden and unexpected news of the death of David Gooding at the age of 55. David had been our treasurer and a stalwart of the Club for many years. He had recently decided to take a lower profile, relinquishing the role of treasurer in September. Four of our members were able to attend his memorial service near Wrexham in November. David is going to be missed by us all.
David Nicholson (59-67)
Charles Fellows-Smith (66-75)
OA Lodge
OA Shooting Club
The OA Lodge meets four times a year and, by kind permission of the Master, holds its meetings in the Old Library. These meetings, attended by members, their guests and representatives of other Public School Lodges, are followed by a convivial dinner, giving all present the opportunity to meet old friends and make new acquaintances in friendly and familiar surroundings. Additionally, members enjoy a range of social occasions outside the school grounds, to which partners and other family members are warmly welcomed. Founded in 1920, one of the Lodge’s founder members was Sir Ernest Shackleton. We currently have 42 members of all ages and from all walks of life. Membership is open to all who have attended the College or are members of the Alleyn Club, and we warmly welcome those who are interested in becoming a Freemason or are already members of other lodges and wish to strengthen their connection with the school. Freemasonry is considered a taboo subject by some and, by its nature, it is not a well advertised activity. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not a secret society. Reasons for membership vary. Some join because of family connection, others through knowing friends who are Masons, and others still through a curiosity to find out more about an organisation which has existed for more than three hundred years and which is the second largest contributor to charity after the National Lottery. One popular myth is that you have to wait to be invited to become a Mason. This is not the case. Indeed, you can just call the Secretary or any other member for an informal discussion about what membership involves. You may wish to talk to a family member or friend whom you know to be a mason, and we would strongly support your doing this. The Lodge is in very good heart and has received a number of expressions of interest from young OAs, some of whom are considering becoming interested in Freemasons and some of whom have been initiated
In the main the 2011 season was pretty uneventful. Compared with previous years at Bisley there were no heath fires or floods on the range, and for the most part we enjoyed great weather and good shooting. Attendance was good at the ten shoots, the first a practice in early April and the last our annual season finale with the Old Albanians in mid October followed by a great meal at the Artist’s Rifles Club, surrounded by memorabilia of the early days of the SAS. Throughout the season we held our own in most shoots; not spectacular but most enjoyable. We tend to have a series of less formal shoots against other old boys clubs, notably Old Johnians, Lancing, Cranleigh, Marlborough and Wellington, as well as our continued shoot against the Old Albanians, instigated by a master who had taught at both schools and after whom the Arnold Cup is named. This year we bested the Old Albanians by 17 points – a great win, for a change, as most of these shoots end up with only one or two points as the margin. We also started a shoulder to shoulder shoot with the Old Bedfordians, which has been arranged again for the new season. The Club champion was Kit Sturges, wresting the title from the skipper, Neil Blaydon, in a low scoring shoot. The handicap medal was won by David Nicholson, being the only one to shoot up to his
David Gooding on the range
15 Clubs & Societies
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