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  Dorset Week-end and Dinner

15th September 2001  

Last year's event re-launched and with no less eclat I'm sure. The 2000 show ran into the political sand of the 'Fuel Protest' and had to be abandoned. "You can fuel some of the people," etc! 

This year we had fine weather for a veteran car rally in front of the main building. Bill Shields set it up. Read all about it elsewhere in the Newsletter. Ten entries ranging from a Rolls and a Bentley, to the 'Lotus Position'. 

Independent of the weather was the Scadding art exhibition held in the Drawing Room, (was in my day). Jeremy Dowling produced a first rate twelve page pamphlet to accompany. Messrs Mash and Peters (the present Head of the school Art department), did the hanging and there you have it; or did until Sunday morning. Three pictures and two cartoons were donated for silent auction: a Scad oil of Durweston Mill, a watercolour by John Eveleigh, a watercolour by David Koster, and two cartoons of 'Scad' and 'Apples' by Tony Hart. These should appear in the Newsletter so that those who didn't make the trip to Clayesmore, to assist their bidding. The bids will be opened sometime after the publication of the Newsletter and after the Dinner at Simpson's-in-the-Strand on 26th January, 2002. May the best man, etc.! The Money raised is to go to a Scadding Art Prize. One of the pix shows reflected lighting on the glass. Hon. Sec. took these. All was set up to exclude reflections of camera, photographer, windows and lights by not switching them on! Pictures ready for taking, briefly left the room, came back and shot the thing. Some kind soul came in and put on the lights. You'll have to make do. 

Music in Chapel before dinner. During the day, Nick Zelle and Ronald Smith worked up a choir drawn from the last fifty years and behold! All the old favourites served with N J Z and R A S introductions which also carried us back. Looked up to the organ loft. No Ian Crabbe but a girl of fifteen! Well, she had to be 18-20 to be in her gap year from Uppingham and on her way to an organ scholarship at Christchurch, Oxford. Libby Burgess is the name to remember. Oscar and Elliot Perks, aged 11 and 9 stopped us in our tracks with Pachalbel's canon on their violins (accompanied by proud mum Karen). they are at the Menuhin School. 'Nuff said! Roy McIsaac was a most welcome guest but sadly Audrey was not well enough to attend. He took back our best wishes. 

Dinner followed. Food excellent , company likewise. Over 50 OCs sat down with a welcome number of Clayesmore Staff. Speech by Derek Thornbery (41-46) proposing the school. Response by Martin Cook. Both perfectly pitched. 

Missed Chapel on Sunday and escaped the usual penalties due to advanced age and the fact that we used the time to visit 'Tommy' Everett at Shroton. Not as young as she was but young for her years. 

Must say how kindly the OC Soc. were welcomed by our new Headmaster Martin Cooke and his wife Eleanor. There's a lot of work that goes into this sort of event and to be a working headmaster at the same time is to walk at Mach 1 and then some. He even found time to judge the veteran cars. We are most grateful for the mileage they put into it all. 

Ocs present:-

Henry Teed. (42-48)

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