Page 46 - Old Ratcliffian Magazine 2017

46 OLD RATCLIFFIAN NEWS

Ed Gamble (95) founded ACRE Capital really to play golf, but to get out of doing enjoy freelancing as a drummer, with my
Real Estate in February 2017, having French! Two years later, my handicap most recent gig taking me to the 2017
worked previously as an Executive was one. When I left Ratcliffe in 1960, I Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where I played
Director at CBRE. ACRE specialises in should have gone to university to study the drums in the band for the University
the buying and selling of commercial Engineering, as my father wanted me of Manchester Musical Theatre Society’s
investment properties on behalf of a to join him in his company, but instead, production of Godspell.”
number of property companies and UK I said that I would like to be a golf pro.
institutions. Ed said, “If you’d told me that After he picked himself up off the floor,
I would have my own office in the West he told me that I was allowed to try it for
End after my GCSE results at Ratcliffe, one year, and if it didn’t go well, I had to
I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s the best go to university. I’m happy to say that it
decision that I’ve ever made. We are now went well, and that’s all I’ve done since I
up to six people in the office and growing. left Ratcliffe! In September 1960, I was
I’m happy to help any younger ORs who the assistant pro to Freddie George (our
would like a career in property, so please pro at Ratcliffe) at Birstall Golf Club.
do get in touch!” During my year at Birstall, I won every James Waymont (12)
tournament in Leicestershire, and then
moved to Stratford-upon-Avon Golf Louisa Cooper (15): “Back in April, I
Club as the assistant pro to Len Leach, ran a marathon for Leukaemia Care, in
followed by Leslie Ball when Len retired. memory of a great friend of mine who
My first tournament in Warwickshire was died suddenly. I was not particularly fit
at Streetly, where I shot 68, tying with or healthy, and I hated long-distance
two Ryder Cup players - Ralph Moffitt and running, but I thought that I should go
Peter Butler! Later, I moved to Coventry out and do something that she would
Golf Club (Finham) as the assistant to be proud of me for. I ran the marathon
Norman Roffe, and in 1965, I became the in five-and-a-half hours. Just to impart
head pro at Reading Golf Club, where some wisdom on anyone that may be
I stayed for 22 years. Finally, I moved to thinking about running the marathon
Kitzbühel in Austria, where I have been – do it! I’m not the fittest person, but I
Ed Gamble (95) for 30 years. I have also taught from time pushed through to complete it for an
to time at the Royal Household Golf Club amazing cause. Although long-distance
Alice Foulds (11): “A group of us from the in Windsor Castle. I could go on and on, running isn’t something that I love to
Class of 2011 recently spent a weekend but I would just like to thank Ratcliffe for do in my free time, I can honestly say
together in a cottage near Carsington introducing me to the wonderful game of that this was the best experience of
Water in Derbyshire. We did quite a bit of golf!” my life. The variety of people that do it
walking each day – this generally involved is astonishing, and it proves what the
walking to pubs, if we’re honest! We were human body can do, no matter what your
very lucky with the weather, and it was shape or size. It’s painful, so don’t be
great to catch up with each other.” under any illusion that it won’t hurt, and
it tests every inch of your determination,
but overall, it’s the best feeling. Nearly six
months later, it still reminds me every day
of how resilient I am. To all those people
who made a donation, thank you so much
John Larrad (60) (far right) taking a swing for your support; I raised over £1200
against Ryder Cup players, aged 23 for Leukaemia Care, and I can honestly
say that I would jump at the chance to
James Waymont (12): “After leaving experience running the marathon again.”
Ratcliffe, I studied Music at the University
of Manchester, graduating in 2015
with a First. Following on from a year
L to R: Gee Thorne (11), Kaz Bhojani (11), Toby
Howard (11), Alice Foulds (11), Sophie King (11), of freelance musician work, I moved to
Katie Gerighty (11) & Thomas Rigby (11) Bristol to study for an MA in Composition
of Music for Film and Television. Having
John Larrad (60): “In 1958, Ratcliffe completed the degree earlier this year, I
introduced golf to the School, but at am now beginning to further establish
sixteen years old, we all thought that myself as a professional music composer,
it was a game for old men! However, we producer, orchestrator and arranger for
noticed that the only time that the pro, audio-visual productions, in addition to
Freddie George, could teach us was on a setting up a music production business
Friday afternoon, when we had a French with a fellow composer from Bristol.
class. So we all put our names down, not Alongside my composition work, I still Louisa Cooper (15) running the marathon

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