Word
version (with pictures)
Contents:
The President's Message
2002 Reunion Report
Pumping the Quarry Dry
The Church Clock
Future Restoration Work on the Church
Subscriptions
Old St Michael's Bible
Coronation Anniversary Service
Music at St Michael's 2003
SMCS Website
News of Old Boys and Girls
Obits
2003 Reunion Planner
Booking Form
The President's Message 2003
The 2002 reunion was again well supported and everyone appeared to enjoy themselves.
During a break in the cricket match a presentation was made to Derek Lanman to mark his outstanding achievement of working at St Michael's for 50 years. This took the form of a handsome pewter tankard suitably engraved with an inscription and the college crest.
We enjoyed a particularly good dinner in the refurbished dining room at the Fountain. Brian Demaus was our Guest of Honour, whose speech consisted of numerous anecdotes covering his time at the college as both boy and master. We were all highly amused by the way he brought a vintage car into each of these anecdotes!
On Sunday the golfers went off to play and those that stayed the night joined the village choir to sing the Eucharist in church. Afterwards we listened to a lecture on the Three Choirs Festival and its origins. I am most grateful to Tony Hull for organising this.
Several Old Boys have expressed concern that, now they are getting on in years, what will happen to their St Michael's memorabilia, photographs/magazines, etc., when St Peter calls. Often their children would not be interested.
I have discussed this with the Principal of St Michael's College, himself an historian. I suggested that ideally an SMCS archive should be housed in the college. He has supported this idea and is looking into the possibility of finding a space for it with perhaps an exhibition area in the library. If any Old Boy has any material they would like to donate, please let me know.
2006 marks the centenary of the Society and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Church and College. We are still looking into the possibility of putting records and cassettes of the choir onto a CD. John Austin has suggested we might mark the centenary by publishing a register of Old Boys 1856 - 1985.
The College Trustees deposited in Hereford Cathedral Library various papers, letters, etc. when the College closed. Among them are two books - a register of pupils 1856 - 1951 and 1951 - 1985. Later in the Summer I will be going over to Hereford to have a look at this material.
This year our reunion is on Saturday, 19th July and Colonel John Blashford Snell (SMC 1947-1949) will be our Guest of Honour and we will look forward to meeting him and to hear him speak.
May I appeal to Old Boys who are not regular attendees to try to join us this year. The church will be open all day and I will leave the organ unlocked so that any Old Boy organists can have a play.
Michael Hart
Reunion 2002
Dinner
The dinner was once again held at the Fountain Inn at Oldwood Common. Nearly
50 members and partners attended a fine meal. The guest speaker was Brian Demaus
and the assembled group retired for drinks and further chat in the bar following
the dinner.
Members and Friends attending:
Michael Hart (President)
Tim Coles (Secretary)
John Pepper (Treasurer)
Bill Price
Philip Wilson
William Jenkyns
David Wilson
Hamish Preston
Derrik Jenkyns
John Austin
Charles Ewart
James Mealings
Simon Banfield
Mr and Mrs Alan Robson
Jeremy Robson
Victoria Paxman
Mr and Mrs David Pepper
Tarquin Wiggins
Robin Bayley
Charles Beresford
Lucian Nethsingha
Guy Holland
Peter Haslam
Alan Meikle
Jeremy Hall
Tony Hull
Patrick Carden
Jenson Jones
Ben Pearce-Higgins
Brian Demaus
Dan Symonds
John Stansby
John Brown
Cricket
Once again St Michael's Old Boys XI took on the St Michael's Village cricket team in what has become an enjoyable annual fixture.
Following the previous year's thumping defeat - thanks to an air of complacency and general lack of concentration - the Old Boys reconvened with a new resolve and a few less sore heads.
Batting first the Old Boys made there best start in some years. James Mealings looked as classy and fluent as always, this time he managed to translate that style into substance by getting the scoreboard ticking over straight away. By the time he drove over the top of a deceptively straight one, the foundations had been laid.
Captain Guy Holland ensured the momentum was not lost by crashing his way to 51 (retired) and Robin Bayley's annual display of lusty, yet often brief, hitting continued to steer the team towards a formidable total. Tim Coles can always be relied on to provide stoic support, yet perhaps the most welcome site was that of Simon Banfield showing that he is still on nodding acquaintance with the art of batting.
A full decade after his imperious match winning 65, Banfield has suffered under the weight of continued expectation. A sequence of 'Ducks' perhaps unheralded in northern hemisphere cricket appeared to shatter his nerve. However 2002 showed a comparative return to form and further progress must be expected this year.
A daunting 150 plus target always looked out of reach for the villagers. Effective opening bowling spells by Mealings, Banfield and Bayley had the visitors metaphorically and literally on the back foot early on. A Randall-esque run out by Robin Bayley and a quite astonishing caught and bowled by Simon Banfield (were it off any other bowler I suspect we would not have seen anything quite so gymnastic).
Perennial support and spirited play from such regulars as Simon Higginson and Ben Turner helped keep the target beyond the villagers' reach and ensure that the Old Boys went 2-3 in the series of matches.
If anybody is interested
in taking part in future cricket matches please get in touch
Golf
Battle resumed at the testing Sapey golf course for the annual SMCS Golf Society trophy.
Ten Old Boys donned their spikes and waterproofs for an afternoon of pleasure and pain. John Pepper emerged as a clear winner; five points clear of his nearest rival, David Wilson.
Result: 1. John Pepper 38pts; 2. David Wilson 33pts; 3. James Mealings 32pts; 4= Guy Holland and Nick Weston 31pts; 6. Robin Bayley 30pts; 7. Simon Banfield 26pts; 8. John Bayley 24 pts; 9. Tim Coles 21pts; 10. William Jenkyns 16pts.
St Michael's Church Clock
At last year's SMCS AGM, members voted that our donation to the church should go towards the restoration of the clock, which had never been properly maintained and had stopped.
It was installed in 1922 in memory of the second Warden, John Hampton, and was made by the famous clockmakers Joyce of Whitchurch.
Following a fund-raising appeal a total of nearly £3000 was donated including £1000 from the legacy of an Old Boy.
The clock has now been restored by Joyce and Co. and is ticking and striking. However, only the roadside clock face is working - the mechanism on the college side has completely rusted and can only be repaired from the outside. There is sufficient money to do this work whenever scaffolding is erected to repair the roof/stonework of the south transept.
Future restoration work on the church
The church is Grade II* listed as a parish church of outstanding historic interest and is known as a fine example of Victorian architecture and Hardman painted glass.
It is currently under review for Grade I listing.
The substantial repairs carried out since 1991 at a cost of £155,300 have been funded by grant-aid from English Heritage and payments of £63,400 from the Parochial Church Council's Accumulated Fabric Fund, which is now largely spent. Over the same period the PCC's General Fund has provided a further £17,800 for ineligible repairs.
The work now planned is essential to protect the integrity of the church's fabric, and is again being carried out under the supervision of English Heritage, which has expressed a willingness to support a phased programme of restoration work on an unspecified percentage grant basis.
The main headings for the next phase of works (Phase IV), as recommended in the architect's 2001 Quinquennial Report and listed in the phased programme prepared for English Heritage:
Contract value of repairs to Chancel and south transept (contains Father Willis organ):
Re-slating of Chancel and
south transept roofs,
Repairs to timbers and renewal of lead work £23,000
Consolidation of high level
masonry and decorating core-work;
re-configuring plinth and ashlar work £76,000
Hardman painted glass windows
- tracery repairs, partial re-leading
of painted glass, renewal of farramenta and bird guards £36,600
Renewal of East end lightning conductor £ 1,500
VAT on repairs at 5% £
6,855
Professional fees at 13% £17,823
VAT on fees at 17.5% £ 3,119
Estimated contract value £164,897
Funding
English Heritage has offered an 'in principle' grant of £114,000 (69%) towards the total cost of repairs, professional fees and VAT estimated at £164,900. The project development work to determine the specification and tender details is due to be completed in early January 2004 at an estimated cost (including fees and VAT) of £20,767.
Englsih Heritage has agreed to contribute £16,000; the balance of £4,767 will be provided by St Michael's PCC. Subject to funding being available, it is envisaged that work would begin in 2004.
The present funding position is as follows:
Estimated cost of repairs £164,900
Less 'in principle' grant
from English Heritage £114,000
PCC Fabric Fund Balance (after contributing £4,767 to
the development project) £ 7,400
Local fund raising and donations £ 5,000 £126,400
The shortfall for Phase IV repairs £ 38,500
J. Sharp, Assistant Treasurer, St Michael's PCC
Subscriptions
With this newsletter comes a Bankers Order form and may I please ask those Old Boys who do not pay a subscription to fill one in and send it off? Only 30 per cent of the membership pays a subscription which means simply that 70 per cent are being subsidised by those that pay and this is not right.
When we left the College we paid for a life membership and of course new members were joining the Society each year as they left the College. This all changed when the College closed in 1985. Our income is spent on producing the Newsletter annually and sending it out to members; printing and sending out an updated address list every 5 years; giving a donation to the church PCC to go towards the upkeep of the Father Willis organ and a donation to the current College as a thankyou for letting us use their facilities during the Reunion.
The Old St Michael's Bible
(From an article contributed anonymously in the St Michael's Sword parish magazine)
With my daughter I recently toured the wonderful Exhibition of Treasures that were on display in the magnificent State Appartments of Buckingham Palace to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Queen.
In one of the lovely glass cabinets in, I believe, the Blue Drawing Room, I noted a lovely blue and heavily embossed with silver Bible and it said on a card that this was found in an old tin bath at St Michael's College, Tenbury.
I was rather interested in this so when I got home and checked in some of my
books I found that a silver Bible and silver Prayer Book was at St Michael's
and was sold in 1911.
They were bought by the
late Queen Mary for the Royal Collection at Windsor and I think that this was
the Bible on display; the Prayer Book I did not see.
A silver Bible and Prayer Book came to Sir Frederick Gore-Ouseley from his grandfather
on his mother's side, one John Whitlock 1757-1833. It was quite magnificent.
In the book it says both books had matching bindings in blue with heavy silver
bullion work and were especially made for the Coronation of Charles II and the
Restoration of the Monarchy.
After about 11 years under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard Cromwell from 1649 to 1660, a complete new set of Coronation Regalia had to be made as Cromwell either sold or destroyed the former set. The St Michael's Bible contained the Stuart coat of arms and Royal cipher CIIR.
A quite magnificent and historic treasure formerly at St Michael's but now once again in a very noble setting!
Coronation anniversary service
The service in Westminster Abbey on June 2 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation was a right royal occasion - and of course not without its St Michael's College influence.
Jonathon Harvey, who left the College in 1952, was commissioned by the Abbey to compose an anthem for the service and, with his wife, was introduced to the Queen.
Mr Harvey is the brother of Prof. Brian Harvey, who was the chairman of the Ouseley Trust.
In the Abbey choir for the service was Ben Turner, a regular at the Old Boys reunion.
It was totally appropriate that there should be a St Michael's involvement in the anniversary service because back in 1953 the College was represented by its Head Chorister, Michael Hartley, at the coronation itself.
Music at St. Michael's 2003
Sunday 18th May Sung Eucharist & Choral Evensong
10.00am & 3.00pm Emmanuel Church Choir, Sutton Coldfield
Director: Richard Mason
Saturday 31st May Organ Recital
7.00pm Keith Hearnshaw, Concert Organist
with big screen projection
Sunday 8th June Sung Eucharist
10.00 am Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School Chamber Choir
Director: Sue Hughes
3.00pm Choral Evensong
The Cradley Singers
Director: Stephan Scot
Saturday 14th June Choral Evensong
3.00pm St Thomas' Church Choir, Stourbridge
Director: Andrew Fletcher
Saturday 21st June Organ Recital
7.00pm John Brierley, Organist, All Saints Church, Worcester
Sunday 22nd June Sung Eucharist & Choral Evensong
10.00am & 3.00pm The Orrishmere Singers. Director: Bernard Crosby
Saturday 12th July Organ Recital
7.00pm Simon Holt
Organist & Choirmaster, Calvary Church
Stonington, Connecticut, U.S.A.
Saturday 19th July Choral
Evensong
6.30pm St. Michael's College Society Choir
Director: Michael Hart. Organist: Keith Hearnshaw
Sunday 14th Sept Sung Eucharist & Choral Evensong
10.00am & 3.00pm The Grafton Singers. Acting Director: Kerry Moore
Saturday 20th Sept Choral Evensong
4.30pm for the American Ouseley Family Heritage Association
The Bromyard Choral Society. Director: Richard Popple
Visitors Welcome
Sunday 28th Sept Sung Eucharist
10.00am The Hereford Church Singers
PARTONAL Director: Peter Percival
FESTIVAL Organist: Michael Hart
Saturday 4th Oct Choral Evensong
4.30pm Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers
Director: Alan Harwood
Saturday 18th Oct Concert
7.00pm Bridgend and District Male Voice Choir
Director: John Jenkins
Sunday 9th Nov Remembrance Sunday Sung Eucharist
10.00am The Hereford Church Singers. Director: Peter Percival
Saturday 13th Dec Carol Service
6.30pm The Birmingham University Singers
Director: John Whenham
Sunday 14th Dec Sung Eucharist & Choral Evensong
10.00am & 3.00pm The Birmingham University Singers
Director: John Whenham
Programmes: All payable at the door
Organ Recitals in Church: £5.00 concessions £3
Concert: £8.00
Proceeds of Concerts and Recitals in aid
of St. Michael's Church Funds
The SMCS Website
The Website continues to attract considerable attention. If you haven't visited it before, why not take a look. You can hear recordings of the last few years' Reunion evensong services, see old photos of the college, and even pay your subscription or book for the dinner online.
Contributions are always
welcome, and if you have any old photographs,
cuttings or titbits from your time at SMC, please get in touch. Several old
boys (and one old girl) have owned up to rummaging through their lofts in search
of some real SMC gems. You can see the choir practicing, and then hear the result,
all delivered to you computer in stereo.
We could do with some memories,
either written or photographic from the
more senior members of the society. To get in touch either e-mail
info@smcsociety.co.uk or ring William Jenkyns on 01904 691202
News of Old Boys and Girls
Caroline Eggington (left 1984)- Caroline is getting married at St Michael's on August 9 and former warden Rev. Andrew Walters is officiating. Hopefully another Old Girl, Claire Northover, will also be in attendance.
Kirsty William (nee Holland) - Congratulations to Kirsty and Leeroy on the birth of their son Joel Peter Vaughan on June 4.
Maj. Chris Coles (left 1979) - Chris has been out in Iraq as a Liaison Officer in the UK Divisional Headquarters at Basrah airport. Whilst there, he accompanied the Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram, and two MPs on a visit.
Stephen Varty (left 1985) - Living in Peterborough with his fiancée Louise, and getting married in July. Working now for Thomas Cook.
Chris Tebboth (left 1985) - Lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Has been married 3 years to an American doctor who he met while working in Zimbabwe. Has also been working in South Africa. He has a newborn daughter (30/12/02) and has just finished a masters degree in theology, I work part time for my local church and spend the rest of the time, playing golf, running marathons.
Obits:
Dr Alec Burnett - Died on 24th April, 2003, aged 89. Whilst not a member of the Society, he was the College doctor for many years and spent the whole of his working life in the Tenbury practice.
Dr John Oliver OBE - Died on 29th August, 2002. His funeral was held at St Michael's, attended by a large congregation. The service was conducted by the Rev. Andrew Walters. For many years he was a churchwarden and was elected a Fellow of College in 1958.
Francis Osmond-Smith (John) - aged 87. Former head chorister.
Michael Eveleigh - Friend of SMCS, died on November 16, 2002.
2003 Reunion - 19/20th July
The agenda for the weekend is as follows,
Time Venue
10.30am Cricket College Cricket Field
1pm Lunch Picnic / Fountain Inn
2pm Cricket Resumes
4.00pm Cricket Finishes
4.30pm AGM College Library
5.45pm Choir Practice St Michael's Church
6.30pm Choral Evensong St Michael's Church
7.30pm (for 7.45pm) Reunion Dinner Fountain Inn, Oldwood
Sunday Golf Challenge TBC
10am Eucharist St Michael's Church
Dinner
Vegetarians need to make themselves known prior to the start of the meal and they will be offered the vegetarian menu. (Please indicate on Booking Form)
Evensong
Canticles - Wood in D
Anthem - Jerusalem on High - Ouseley
Please let Michael Hart know if you will be singing in the choir. Michael Hart, The Threshing House, Bockleton, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8PP, 01568 750544
Anyone wishing to stay over for the Sunday morning service at 10am is encouraged to do so, Please also let Michael know.
Cricket
As ever we are keen to hear from anyone who would like to join the SMC Society
team. Players of all abilities most welcome.
Golf
Course not yet selected but we can promise a fun day and a fine dinner.
Any Questions:
Should you have any questions about any of the arrangements please get in touch with me on 01584 823 209.
The number of the Tenbury Wells Tourist Information Centre is 01584 810136, and they can provide details on accommodation in the area. If you would like any advice on accommodation I would also be delighted to help.
PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN YOUR RESERVATION SLIP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!
Tim Coles