One Day Revival for O.E.C.C. !

On a blistering hot Sunday in July at Abbeydale Park, the 'Presidents XI' played a 'Brian Hall XI' in a 20/20 contest. Some stalwart OE's were supplemented by enthusiastic teachers + students from the school, and some Juniors from Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club (also originally formed by Old Boys of the school). Brian Hall's team batted first, and 'got off to a flyer' with Richard Farrand making some attractive shots before retiring undefeated on 27. Further contributions from John Parr + John Gray saw the side close at 127 for 6. The President's team replied with excellent contributions from John Gibb + John Saddler (both currently school staff) each retiring at 25 not out, but were always behind the required run rate and were 15 runs short at the close. Nevertheless an excellent day was enjoyed by all, particularly afterwards when happy days away at Sleaford, Clumber and Keynsham were recounted with much amusement!

John Phillips, Old Edwardians President

The Chris Knowles Memorial Prize

Chris, who died in Sept 2006 (see below), taught Chemistry at KES from 1972 until his retirement in December 2004, a record of outstanding commitment to the students of the School. After discussion with Chris’s family the school would like to establish a prize to commemorate and honour his name. Chris was a dedicated teacher of Science who inspired many of his pupils with a love of and fascination for Chemistry. The Chris Knowles Prize will be an award for excellence in Chemistry and should go each year to a young man or woman who wishes to pursue the study of Chemistry in Higher Education and who is already demonstrating excellence. We hope that to fund a prize from annual interest earned by the fund. A good start has been made with generous donations by The Royal Society of Chemistry and Sheffield NASUWT.

Will Davey, who succeeded Chris as Head of Chemistry at KES, has kindly agreed to co-ordinate the prize. If you would like to contribute to the fund, please send a cheque to either Will Davey or Michael Lewis at the School. Cheques should be made payable to “King Edward VII School”.

For the progress of this appeal, please see oldedwardians.org.uk.

Julia in November 2006

Annual Dinner 5th April 2007

This year's dinner as usual takes place at Baldwins Omega on Maundy Thursday. This newsletter arrived with a form that you should complete and send with payment to Old Edwardians Association, PO Box 3682 Sheffield S11 9ZU.

This year’s speaker will be Julia Bradbury, one of television’s most experienced and versatile presenters. She currently co-hosts the BBC1 consumer affairs programme Watchdog with Nicky Campbell which regularly pulls in over 5 million viewers. Watchdog is broadcast live every Tuesday at 7pm and is on air from September to April.

This summer Julia can be seen around the country with The Animal Roadshow for ITV1 with GMTV’s Richard Arnold. Her passion for competitive outdoor sports will be satisfied working alongside Class 1 Powerboat Champion Steve Curtis fronting the 225 Honda Formula 4-Stroke Powerboat Championships for Channel 4, to be broadcast in September.

A well known face on our screens, Julia has also been the Los Angeles Correspondent for GMTV, the host of EXCLUSIVE! for Channel 5, worked alongside Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, presented The National Lottery for BBC1 and travelled the world for Wish You Were Here.

Julia attended primary school in Edith Weston (Rutland), followed by King Edward VII School in Sheffield, where her father worked in the steel industry and her mother ran a fashion business.

She left school at 16 after O-levels and worked in advertising in various capacities, including a stint with the family business. With co-host Arkin Salih, she hosted the BBC's Are We Being Served?, which examined customer service in the UK and ran for 6 programmes in the summer of 2006. She is scheduled to appear as a contestant in Just the Two of Us for the BBC in January 2007. She is also an ambassador for Marie Curie Cancer Care's Great Daffodil Appeal.

The air raid shelter does exist!

A small event took place at the school last autumn when it transpired students and staff had undertaken to open up the school air raid shelter and map it. Located under the green in front of the school, its actual existence and freedom from ghosts and other violent creatures that had added to the experiences of first years in the 60’s and 70’s may be disappointing! Odd things were found in it but it was the sheer scale of it and the remarkable condition in which it was found that amazed many. Accounts were unearthed which had showed how worried were those in 1939 and 1940 who planned for the school to largely close, and pupils nearing exams be tutored in small groups in homes around the city. But well before the bombs dropped architects and builders arrived at the school to deliver urgent war preparation shelter construction.

The air raid explorations were thorough and a grant appeal is underway order to open the shelter for visitors and to mount an exhibition in it.

Edward VII Painting Wows School!

John Phillips and Michael Lewis

An 8ft tall painting of King Edward VII, painted when he was Prince of Wales, has been fully restored by the Old Edwardians Association on behalf of its members and was unveiled to the school at a small ceremony.

The unveiling followed an appeal begun in 2005, the year of the school's centenary, which was well supported by Old Edwardians from all over the country, and in one case from abroad. All those who had contributed to the appeal were invited to the installation ceremony, which took place at the school in October on the evening of a school concert.

The school acquired the picture for 40 guineas in 1947, and we will all remember it hanging on the school's western staircase. The cost of restoration, in contrast, was measured in £1000s, not only because of age, but because a leak in the roof above the painting had done considerable damage.

The painting was executed by Captain Augustus Savile Lumley (1855—1881), a captain in the Life Guards who exhibited at the Royal Academy.

'The restored condition of the painting and its new position within the entrance hall of the school is exceptionally good, and adds a permanent dramatic element to the fabric of the school,' said King Edward VII School head teacher Michael Lewis.

'Since we launched the appeal last year, Old Edwardians from across the country and around the world have generously responded to the extent that we have been able to fully fund the restoration within the original period of the appeal,' said John Philips, President of the Old Edwardians Association. 'The finished result is far in excess of what we dared hope, and as a result we are really pleased that we have been able to provide the school with such a memorable asset for the future.'

KES Drama Event!

A dramatic opportunity by the Blank Slate Theatre Company! Blank Slate consists of King Edward students and has been running for sixteen years. Every year a show is put on in the Crucible Theatre, which to date have been highly successful. Readers may want to support the next production Daisy Pulls It Off. It is about the attempts of super-achiever Daisy Meredith to submerge her poor elementary school background and find acceptance in the snobby confines of Grangewood School for Young Ladies. The dates of the production at the Crucible will be Monday 9th July and Tuesday 10th July. Payment last year was via the Crucible booking office.

Archive request!

John Cornwell a governor of the school, and author of the excellent centenary book King Teds (some remaining copies of which will be available for sale at this year's Annual Dinner) tells us that the school archives are in excellent shape and that records have been supplied to aid researches on three Old Edwardians who attended the school before the first world war, and who are pictured in sports gear today in the school vestibule area. All had fought in the first world war and one of them, H A Allen, became a famous painter, exhibiting many times at the Royal Academy. His name is on the honours boards at the school. Old Edwardians of all eras (our least well documented period is during the comprehensive years) are encouraged to send in whatever material they have, as this will ensure their preservation in years to come, with other material of the same era. Anything should be sent to John Cornwell or the School Secretary care of King Edward VII School. If information is by email, please send to membership*at*oldedwardians.org.uk.

New Members

The association continues to grow, though not yet at the rate of the numbers who leave the school. However, as it is sometimes of interest to other Old Edwardians, we publish the list of new additions to the membership in the last year and will do the same in the next.

A group of long-retired teachers who all began their teaching careers at KES in the 1950s have maintained intermittent contact ever since. Below is the key to the photograph (taken in 2006), reading from left to right: P.D. Arculus (Chemistry) '54-'59; B.C. Arthur (Modern Languages) '54-'59; R. Mackay (son of G.M. Mackay, Head of Science, '51-'66); D.F. Wright (Biology) '54-'60; A.F. Turberfield (Classics) '54-'58; P.S. Hetherington (English) '55-'58. Photograph supplied by Peter Hetherington.

KES to Kyrgyzstan Expedition July 2007

The School will be undertaking an expedition to the remote mountains of Eastern Kyrgyzstan in July 2007. The aims of expedition will be to give students the experience of taking part in an adventurous expedition requiring extensive planning, training and preparation, to climb high mountains (12,000 ft) and to meet with local people and school children and experience an entirely different culture and environment. The last expedition was to the deserts of Morocco during Christmas 2004/5. The 22 students, aged 15-18, have been working hard to secure funding to cover the costs of the trip. Much like the School they reflect a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

We would be delighted to hear from you if you are aware of any sponsorship or aid the School could access to ensure that all of the students who are signed up are able take part in the expedition.

If you would like any further information please contact Mr Mat Galvin or Mr Marc Badham on mg*at*kes.sheffield.sch.uk and mba*at*kes.sheffield.sch.uk

Fashion Dance and Dinner

Students of KES plus some tutors are organising a large scale charity Ball which takes place on Tuesday 27th February 2007 in the Grand Ballroom of the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria Hotel Sheffield. The formal evening comprises a fashion show charity auction, buffet and dancing.

Sponsors and retail partners will also be showcasing their businesses and products at the event. Tickets cost £25. All proceeds will go to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity Trust. All are welcome! For tickets visit the website at www.freewebs.com/charityball.

Obituaries

Dr Eric Stefanuti

(KES 1944-53); Died 6 June 2006.

Eric's grandparents migrated from Italy at the turn of the century. His father, who was born in Sheffield, attended KES.

At school, Eric was captain of tennis (possibly the first holder of this post). From KES he went to Sheffield University Medical School, graduating M.B., Ch.B. in 1959. After pre-registration house jobs in Sheffield, he spent periods in general practice in the Potteries and Rotherham. However, it had always been his aim to return to Sheffield, and he was successful in obtaining a single-handed practice in Ecclesall Road (though not without opposition from some people who thought that, with his name, he must be a foreigner!).

Sadly, his later years were marred by declining health, which led to his retirement at the age of 56. A keen tennis player and golfer, in retirement he became a skilled artist, embroiderer, silversmith and jewellery maker, and learned to play the piano. At the time of his death he was vice-president (and president-elect) of the Sheffield University Association.

His funeral service at St Marie's R.C. Cathedral drew a large congregation of friends and colleagues. Throughout his long illness he was cared for devotedly by his wife Gudrun, who survives him with their two daughters and five grandchildren. His sister, Eve, is married to another distinguished Old Edwardian, Norman Adsetts.

From Ian Bronks (KES 46-53 + Sheffield University Medical School)

Chris Knowles

Died on Sunday 17 September 2006 aged 60 after a tenacious battle against cancer.

Chris joined KES at the start of his teaching career in 1972 and remained here, rising to be Head of Chemistry, until his retirement in December 2004 after 32 years at the school. He was a very fine teacher, an enthusiastic sportsman and good singer. He was also a very modest and rather shy man. He was greatly looking forward to his retirement.

He was struck down with a brain tumour within months of retirement and struggled with all his legendary stubbornness against his illness. Chris was 60.

Michael Lewis, Headteacher, 19/9/2006.

David Holdford (KES Head of Biology, 1966-79) adds:

I remember him well as a delightful colleague who was always full of fun, and whose company guaranteed good cheer and humour. I know he was also respected by his students, not only of Chemistry, but rugby and any other School activities which brought them to his presence. Chris in full flight at Whiteley Woods or Castle Dyke was a sight to savour!

Richard Doyle (KES 1991-1997) adds:

I am saddened to hear of Chris Knowles's passing, as I remember his chemistry lessons well. He encouraged me to continue my studies beyond school, and I am now doing postdoctoral research at the Chemistry Dept of the University of Sheffield. Chris was quite a firm, traditional teacher, but he had an outstanding ability to explain complicated topics, and present them in a clear and interesting way. I also remember that he accompanied us on a memorable school trip to the Czech Republic.

Dr Richard Doyle (21/9/2006)