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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