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The Old Clayesmorian Society Centenary Dinner at Simpson’s in the Strand
1st, February 1997
Lex could have taken a day off from the cares of Clayesmore in 1897 to dine at Simpson’s. His menu and ours could be exactly the same. Grub fit to hold you down in a high wind, which is what Simpson’s is all about. Jane Salkeld put on her Chairman’s hat and said "Fog soup, Rosbif and Plum duff". Hon Sec did that; whereupon, the idea of a fish course crept in by way of celebrating "The Centenary" at the Society’s expense. Hon Treas. said OK so long as it didn’t happen for another hundred years. So we had potted shrimps.
This formula packed in the fellows but scared off the girls. Is it only the male who is "clubbable"? Three lady guests and two paying was the total.
We were to have sat down one hundred exactly but the influenza virus stalked the school so head girl sent regrets from her sick bed; yet, come the pud we had our hundred bodies for the hundred years. The inscrutable ways of providence threw up one A. G. L. Turner, 41-45 who, having "Taken the Opera" rolled up wearing a brown pullover and a broad grin looking more the product of a shop doorway than a retired Diplomat which in fact he is. Sat himself next to his brother M. D. K. 42-48 to put away duff, coffee and some of the red stuff.
Came the toasts, replies and a couple of presentations and the night wore on a bit. Edward Lukins in proposing "The School;" favoured us with divers insights into high finance in the City which had that week boiled over somewhat sensationally. The Headmaster replied with a vignette of our Founder and the good news that not only was Clayesmore alive and well when he left it but he was going back for more of the same on Monday.
Bob Mash went to the Prep School at Charlton Marshall, went on to Clayesmore and apart from a spell at Balliol has been a landlord’s fixture in the Biology Department at Clayesmore ever since. Moreover, he has worn just about every hat on the OC Committee. Something had to be done when he bowed out. His inclinations being a touch oenological, the President, David Anderson, hung a tastevin round his neck and invested him as a Chevalier of the order of St. Bibulous. While still vertical he provided the cabaret slot with a reading from "Hoffnung at the Oxford Union’s Respected Sir". Mash having been there and heard it first hand. Order having been restored, he proposed the health of the Society leaving Stephen Levinson to reply. Before this, we hung the works of T. S. Eliot round his neck in recognition of his two-ulcer career as Hon Sec; the torch passing to H Teed who failed to stay awake during that part of the Committee meeting that voted him in.
The Founder’s toast by Hon. Sec. took less than a minute. It’s remarkable that it is not drunk more often. If we want another hundred years of Clayesmore a periodic nod in his direction will keep him interceding.
The rest of the evening was the mixing and talking albeit on the late side circa 2200hrs+. Not enough of us were staying at the Savoy, next door and too many of us had to catch trains, so the grumble was "Too many speeches, not enough time to chat". Next year no presentations are in prospect, so it will be stopwatches replacing calendars!