St Michael’s College Society

For many years, going back in history, the annual reunion was held alternately in Oxford and London. I know the Old Boys prefer the present arrangement whereby we are able to hold our annual reunion at the College with the usual activities on the cricket field, Evensong in the Chapel and so on. Many old boys have told me how they still get a thrill of anticipation driving up from Tenbury towards the common, past the Fountain Inn, round the bend and there in the distance, nestling in the trees, rises the East End of the Chapel. Past memories come flooding back.

Our hands are tied as to when we can hold the reunion. Ideally, I think it would be best to hold it in early July, but this is not possible if we want to use the dining hall facilities when we displace the resident pupils. There are fewer in August and it is possible for them to have a barbecue while we dine in the College Hall.

The Committee held a meeting in April and it was felt that a greater number of Old Boys would be able to be present if we held the reunion in June / July, August being a holiday month. We have decided therefore, as an experiment, to hold the annual dinner this year at the Fountain Inn with everything else going on as before at the College. If this is successful it would mean we could hold the reunion earlier without disrupting the eating arrangements of the resident College pupils. I think the sacrifice of not dining in the College Hall will be worthwhile if a greater number of Old Boys can attend.

The reunion last year was a great success and in particular I would like to thank James Mealings for providing us with such a superb banquet; excellent food, professionally prepared and served. We are grateful to the College authorities for allowing us to have the run of the school - a link we must continue to nurture.

In past years, the Old Boys who form the choir for Evensong have done their best singing SATB settings such as Stanford in B Flat and Walmisley in D Minor. In Joyce’s biography of the founder there is listed an E Flat service for men’s voices (as sung at St Paul’s). This service has never been published and probably not performed for many years. On being asked, St Paul’s said they had a set of copies but did not know where they were. After a search they were found and I received a photocopy. I am grateful to David Bland for his help in tracking down this music.

It is beautifully hand-written by a certain Henry King in 1889, the year of Ouseley’s death, and is written for alto, 2 tenors and bass. Unfortunately the alto and tenor parts are written in the C clef, so I have had the service printed using treble clefs. I hope we can sing this setting at the reunion and if anyone would like a copy to learn their part, then please let me know.

Next year we will be issuing an updated Members’ Directory and we need up to date information on all Old Boys that anyone is in touch with. Please send any updates direct to Tim Coles or by Email to William Jenkyns (website).

Information we would like is:

The athletes prepare for the SMC batting reply in 1999.

The second annual cricket match against St Michael’s Village was a great success with the Village edging home to a narrow victory. Team captain Andy Cook was presented with a trophy (the old Pioneer trophy). At lunchtime the villagers kindly provided a spread for both teams and spectators.

The Village scored a creditable 154 for 7 in their allotted 30 overs with Guy Holland taking 3-23 off 5 overs. Top scorer was F Young with 38 and G Pitt with 36.

In reply, the Old Boys got bogged down early on and in the frantic run chase that followed, lost key middle order wickets cheaply. What had looked like a powerful batting line up crumpled in the mid-afternoon sun as the SMCS XI were skittled out for 121.

We know that there are plenty of keen potential cricketers out there (it’s not THAT serious!) so please indicate in your booking form if you would like to play….. we are always on the lookout for players. Alternatively contact Tim Coles on 01584 823 209.

Former pupils and Friends and members of Bromyard Choral Society formed an excellent choir for the Choral Evensong in the Church which doubled up as a Memorial Service for John Gray. The service was notable for the Lessons read by Brian Demaus and John Austin, the Choir singing Walmisley in D Minor and the Anthem ‘ A Gaelic Blessing’ by John Rutter. The address was given by the Vicar of Tenbury the Revd Duncan Dormer.

The AGM was held in the College Library prior to Dinner, 28 Old Boys were present. Officers elected were,

President - Michael Hart

Secretary - Tim Coles

Treasurer - John Pepper

Committee - Simon Banfield, Guy Holland, James Mealings, John Brown, Jensen Jones

Donations: £200 to the organ fund, £100 to John Gray’s headstone fund, £125 to St Michael’s College.

Around 50 people gathered for the Renunion dinner in the College dining hall. Guest speaker was the Revd Duncan Dormer and a superb meal was enjoyed by all.

The annual SMC Golf Society Challenge was again at Kington and enjoyed better weather than the previous year. At the end of a gruelling day Ian Holland emerged as victor with 35 points. There were 9 combatants in total.

Results: Top 3

As is traditional after the match, the players and supporters retired to a local hostelry to enjoy the finest food and drinks, followed by the Presentation.

This year’s schedule is as follows, (Saturday 12^th / Sunday 13^th August)

(*Please note new order of play)

SATURDAY 12^th August

10.30am Cricket College Cricket Field (please be prompt)

1.00pm Lunch Provided by villagers / Cloisters Lawn

2.00pm Cricket Resumes

4.00pm Cricket Finish

4.30pm AGM College Library

5.45pm Choir Practice Church

6.30pm Choral Evensong St Michael’s Church

7.30pm Reunion Dinner Fountain Inn, St Michael’s

SUNDAY 15^th August

11am SMC Golf Society Trophy Kington Golf Club

6pm Dinner and Presentation Local Hostelry

(times for Sunday to be confirmed)

SEE BACK PAGE FOR BOOKING FORM (to be returned by August 5^th)

Ian Holland received the 1999 Golf trophy

‘I was indeed, very surprised and somewhat flattered to read in the last Newsletter that I was to receive a presentation at the Reunion Dinner. My association with St Michael’s in various ways since 1939 has proved to be immensely rewarding in itself, but it has been a particular pleasure to have contributed to the organisation of the Society in recent years. To those members who were not present, I would like to express again my thanks for the very generous gifts which I received, and also thanks on Norah’s behalf, for her magnificent bouquet.’

‘I feel that I must write to express my appreciation of the SMC Society Reunion. It was so well attended and in particular on the absolute excellence of the catering arrangements. Whereas both my wife and I were somewhat disappointed with the arrangements in the previous two years, we feel this year the meal, both in content and presentation, could scarcely have been bettered in a five star hotel.’

Editor’s note – "If you don’t do the catering this year Mealings it’s a triple minus for you !! Go and get your house sheets !!"

‘I really enjoyed my three years as President, I feel so strongly about St Michael’s, as do we all, that the work for the Society is a sort of repayment. I’ll continue to do what I can’.

‘Mary joins me in thanking you and members of the St Michael’s College Society for your generous hospitality to us at the Annual Dinner. It was a quite excellent meal, beautifully presented and we were very pleased to meet so many of John Gray’s friends and associates. We are pleased to be Friends of the Society. I hope the association between the Society and a new generation of Parishioners will be able to grow in a fruitful and beneficial way.’

For about twelve months now, the Society has had a presence on the Internet. This has recently grown quite dramatically, with an ever increasing amount of information, photographs and so on, about the College, the Society and its members.

The site has been put together by William Jenkyns (SMC 72-78) and seems to be creating a high level of interest across the world.

Some topics featured include:

A picture gallery

Visit the forum / have your say

The College

Members’ Register

Details of Former Pupils

 

Visitors can not only see the College and read about its history, but there is also the opportunity to hear the choir at the last service on the day of the College’s closure in 1985. Members are encouraged to log in and share their memories / thoughts about the place and the influence that SMC has had on them.

Web author, William Jenkyns said that it is proving to be an interesting experience. "With the Internet being so much part of everyday life, it seemed a logical thing to do to have a Society site. We have changed the Web address to something a little more memorable, and now receive e-mail from all over the world. There is, it would seem, an SMC stronghold in California of all places!"

The website is changing and expanding all the time and if you have some old photographs or articles that would benefit being seen by a wider audience then do please make contact:

www.smcsociety.co.uk

Guy Holland at Kington in 1999, nice swing, shame about the scoring!

After St Michael’s (1938-43) went to King’s School, Worcester, then on to the Army, RMA Sandhurst, commisioned into the Royal Artillery. Left the army in 1956, qualified as a Chartered Surveyor / Land Agent. Worked in Cumberland, Scotland, Yorkshire and Bedfordshire before coming to Windsor in 1974 as an agent for the Windsor estate. Retired 1995. Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire and High Sheriff (1998). Married with one son and one daughter.

Married Mary Rumble on 23^rd May 1998; baby son Dominic Robert born on 27^th April 1999; took up an appointment as Canon Precentor of St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa, in September 1999. First book "Echoes of a Rainbow Song" published May 1999 to critical acclaim.

Has finally left the Hereford Times after 12 years as a journalist to take up a managerial position in an Internet business.

Last year was organist at the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones:

"Conditions in the organ loft for the service were rather cramped – apart from our organ scholar we had the organ tuner, four trumpeters and three trombonists."

In connection with the wedding Roger appeared in the pages of ‘Hello’ magazine. (Ed. Surely an SMC Society first?)

His third organ solo CD, of music for Advent and Christmas, received some excellent reviews and one track was included on a free cover CD of ‘Classic CD’ magazine. ‘Gramaphone’ magazine wrote: "Christmas organ music that reveals a lively imagination in its planning, and superb playing in its performance." Roger’s next CD will be recorded in the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam later this year.

After reporting his marriage last year we are delighted to announce that James "Eggman" Mealings is the proud father of a baby boy, William.

"Wonderful to see St Michael's on the Internet! I am now based in Brighton with my wife, Mo. We were married last year in Cromer, Norfolk, at which time we were both working at Gresham's School, teaching English and Drama. I am currently studying for a DPhil. at Sussex University. We are active participants of St Peter's Church, Brighton, which runs an all male choir that offers bursaries to the boys financed by a trust set up as a consequence of St Michael's. I sing bass for the choir - it is marvellous to sing as part of a choir again! "

Robin Bayley

Has become a father.

Who was at the College between 1968 and 1971 would like to hear from anyone who was there at the same time. His number is 01633 423 993.

The Society is run by dedicated volunteers. However there are costs associated with producing the Newsletter and providing a central Secretarial service for Members. Please contact the Society Treasurer John Pepper if you are not subscribing (Gelda Lodge, Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton, Shropshire). Many thanks for your continued support.

The Committee recently agreed upon a minimum subscription of £5. Please ensure that your subscription is updated if necessary.

Old Boy and former Chairman of Governors who presided over the closure of the College in 1985.

To be published August 22^nd (see attached flyer). David has asked that if members would like to order the book now, they can pick it up at the Reunion on the 12^th thus saving on postage and packing and claim a £3 discount for advance orders.