|
Old Boys Reunion
Reserve the date of this year’s Old Boys’ reunion which will take place on
Wednesday 1st July.
Booking forms will be available on our website later in the term.
To view a list of Old Boys who have attended previous reunions and have kept in touch with the school, click here to download the word document.
Mr Bjarne Sumelius
In January 2009, we were delighted to have the surprise visit of one of our past pupils, Mr Bjarne Sumelius, who, together with his brother, was at Homefield from 1953 to 1959, when the school was still on the site of Homefield Park. He helped us put names to faces on the 1950s photographs we have in our possession. He remembered fondly his swimming and cricket coaching as he was a member of the Under 11 team. He subsequently had to return to his native Finland where he later became a Hotelier in Helsinki. Now retired, he was keen to make contact with his school and past friends and is hoping to attend 2009 Old Boys’ reunion on 1st July.
10 Years On!
On 17th January parents of the Homefield boys who left at the end of the U6th in 1999 met for a reunion at a local Cheam restaurant in order to catch up with all their news and those of their children. As one of these parents, I really enjoyed this evening and relished hearing of our past pupils. So here are some of the news:
Georgie Cheetham is continuing his dentistry studies at Newcastle University.
Henry Jamieson has graduated from Reading University and is now working for Sky, as a floor manager.
Jamie Laidler has graduated from Nottingham University (Philosophy) and is applying for a Law conversion course.
Alex Lloyd has graduated from St Andrews (Economics and Geography ) and is now training to become an accountant in London
Scott King has graduated and is just started a new job in Birmingham next week. Warren King, his younger brother, has been travelling to Australia and is still playing for the Sutton and Epsom rugby team.
Alaster Price has graduated from Cardiff University (Sociology and Criminology) and is now helping with an events company.
Harpreet Sood is training to become a doctor of Medicine in London.
David Warder has graduated from Oxford University (Maths and Statistics) and is now working at the Headquarters of Ladbrookes.
Philippe White has graduated from Sheffield University (M Eng Mechanical Engineering), has been awarded his wings as glider pilot last Summer and is now working as a resort manager for “Esprit” in France at Les Arcs 2000 in the Alps.
I am very grateful to Mrs Warder for coordinating the arrangements and I understand that we shall meet again at Homefield, on Wednesday 1st December for the Friends of Homefield and Old Boys reunion. All past pupils and past parents are cordially invited to attend and we hope that , like last year, we shall have a great turn out!
Major Robin Medley
Recently, Mr David Medley (Year 3 Teacher and a New Zealander) found a family connection to Homefield albeit 80 odd years ago!
Mr Medley’s English ancestors on his father’s side came from Methley, Yorkshire and can be traced as far back as 1100. After decades of Mr Medley’s fathers’ genealogical research the Medley family made contact with a number of English ancestors.
One such ancestor is Major Robin Medley, 89 years old, and a Dunkirk and World War II veteran. Major Robin Medley served with the King's African Rifles battalion, and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment. Major Medley's battalion was involved in a number of harrowing events surrounding the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. His battalion had to hold the perimeter around Dunkirk for two days from May 29th. On the evening of June 1st, Major Medley and a group of others were taken on board a French trawler and ferried through the night to Ramsgate. He remembers being told before he went to France that he'd be lucky to survive five days - they didn't expect to make it! Major Medley has written two books recounting his experiences; “Five Days To Live” and “Up The Creek”
So what is the Homefield connection?
Major Medley is a Homefield Old Boy who was at the school from 1927 to 1932! Major Robin Medley said he started at Homefield when he was 8 years old and finished when he was 13 years old. When Major Medley found out Mr Medley was teaching at Homefield he rang him to congratulate him on his teaching position at such a fine school.
Major Medley remarked to Mr Medley that his five years at Homefield were very happy days in very difficult times. Major Medley recalls the Physical Education, which often meant boxing lessons. He also said at Homefield he made a number of long time friends, sadly many of whom were lost during the war years. Major Medley also remembers the school fondly and even recollects singing lessons, which required the boys to sing each day with great gusto!
Later in life, after many years in the services, Major Medley also became the Patron to St John's Ambulance in Gwent, and Commander, Order of St John and Dept Lieut. of County of Gwent. Major Medley received an OBE from her Majesty the Queen in January 2007.
The Major summed up his time at Homefield by stating it was a great foundation for the future before him, in turbulent times. He said it helped make him who he later became.
Major Medley has kindly sent us a copy of his book “Five Days to Live” relating his experience of the Second World War, 1939-1940 and his involvement in the Dunkirk evacuation.
Major and Mrs Medley proudly display his OBE
Class of 2008!
Kelvin Walton (1950-1958) writes: Mike Henwood’s news reminded me that I played for the Old Boys in the Cowdrey match, in 1962 I believe. I enjoyed the privilege of opening the innings with the great man: I top edged the first ball I received straight over the fence into Sutton Park Road, so that was that for me, six and out! Colin Cowdrey of course went on to give an elegant batting exhibition using a cut-down bat, in a most memorable occasion for Homefield, and especially for Mr. Chubb, who was the organiser of the day. My recollections of Homefield are mostly good – with the exception of the corporal punishment, which was capriciously administered by some staff members. The recognisable positive legacy from those days is the School’s academic excellence. In the 50s, the junior classes were soundly based in the fundamentals, and the 6th form teaching, by Messrs. Chubb, Doyley, Evans and Stafford, could be inspirational, as evidenced by strong Common Entrance results, and a scattering of scholarship awards. Many boys were enthusiastic about sport, but we weren’t really very good, in part because Homefield was not a large school, with probably less than 25 boys in the final year at any time. Our first teams were cobbled together from two - and more - year groups. At football, the disastrous 1956 1st XI’s record of total defeat was finally saved in a thrilling 1-1 draw with Bickley Park, who had beaten us 12-0 in the away fixture. Both teams missed penalties in the return match. Our rugby was a little better, as we had a few big lads who at least mastered the technique of running straight and hard at the opposition line, plus some speed and determination. Cricket was always the star sport in those days, and the 1st XI really was talented, and competitive. The School has changed profoundly in the 50 years since I left, and it’s good to see its growth and success, its liberalism and its broadening of understanding of what ‘education’ really means. I like to think that the foundations of this advance were laid by MLB Hall, the humane and able Headmaster who rescued the School from the turmoil of the mid-50s.
Peter Davies (1961-1967) writes: was a student from 1961 to 1967, had a year at Whitgift and then moved to Australia where I have been ever since, mainly in Tasmania (the island to the south). I well remember Mr Carnes (I got my only caning for incessantly wobbling my knees during inspection!), the sago pudding and jam at lunch, the Enid Blyton Busy Bee Club and the milk bottle top collections, Douglas Bader giving an inspiring talk, and have fond memories of the school and its grounds at Grove Road. I actually lived in Western Road then (at no. 10), but somehow never found out that the school had moved there, as I'd left for Australia by then. I was inspired by sevral of my teachers at Homefield, in english, art and history. One of them lent me their copies of the Lord of the Rings volumes, one by one as I read them, and when I came to Tasmania, I discovered the forests of Middle Earth there. Years of bushwalking and environmental activism later, I am now an environmental scientist with my own science consulting business, and manage environmental programs on the ecology of several of Australia's biggest river systems. I look forward to visiting the school one day soon.
Timothy Croxson - is the proud father of Joel Andrew, born in April. He is hoping to meet some of his "old Homefield friends" at the reunion on 2nd July.
Mike Henwood (1961-1970) writes: Opening up the Old Boys section on the Homefield website and seeing Mark Flannery's posting has inspired me to write. I was at the school at the same time as Mark and remember those days with great fondness. My memories include semolina pudding in the dining room at the old Grove Road site, the bell being rung allowing us to talk between courses, trying to master dovetail joints in the old carpentry shop, British Bulldogs in the old gym, the Under 11 Football & Cricket Teams, Maths and Rugby with Mr Packwood, History and Shooting with Mr Worton, Latin with Mr Evans, Douglas Bader opening the new school at Western Road, and the centenary cricket match against Colin Cowdrey's Old Boys Team. After Homefield, I went to Epsom College, and then the University of Warwick, and I now manage a Civil Engineering Division at Atkins. I'm married with 2 daughters, aged 21 & 18. Sad to say I won't be able to make the 2nd July, but hope it's a success.
Mark Flannery (1960-1969) writes: I read your e-mail with interest, and visited the excellent website. It was nice to recognise old names in the history section, (it made me realise quite how old I am now!. I was at Homefield from 1960 until 1969, seeing out the last years of Gove Road, and spending my last year at the Western Road site. I have very fond memories of those years, and still occasionally see old friends. It was our year group that donated all the tress around the periphery of the playing field, mine being the weeping willow at the end of the Headmaster’s garden. I believe it has been taken down. I haven’t been back to the school for probably 25 years, but when I did Martin Carnes was still there, and rather worryingly he recognised me straight away. Presumably my ignorance had stood out all those years before! I rarely come back to Cheam these days, but I will try and get hold of a few chums, and my brother, another old boy (in both senses!) and see if any of can make the dinner next July.
Andrew Mathys writes: Thanks for the e-mail. I am an actor now, currently doing a tour of the musical Fame in Germany, so have been using my elementary French and German a lot. Wish I had done more earlier now. I haven’t made any of the recent reunions due to work but it’s great to hear what’s going on with letters etc. Thanks a lot, All the best.
Luke Battersby (left Homefield Summer 2001) writes: Great to hear from you all. After a gap year of travelling throughout Europe I am now at Surrey University studying Law. I wonder if that was what Mr Mowbray ever predicted I would eventually end up doing? Playing squash and enjoying myself a little too much but life is great. Hope to make it to the reunion Summer 2008.
|