Page 23 - The Old Ratcliffian 2010

The Old Ratcliffan 2010 | Old Ratcliffan news come the age of 70, enough was Emily Pring has left London this week enough, for the moment anyway, and to live in Melbourne, Australia with her I retired. I just supervise some Ph.D. new partner, Chris Thurlsfield. candidates nowadays and my main intellectual activity is writing.” Adrian Fidler is currently training to become a Captain in the George Atkins (01) told us that Merchant Navy. building work has recently started on a two-storey recording studio Giuliana & Sam Bird are expecting in Manchester for his company, 80 their third baby, due in May. Hertz. A record producer, George has Robert and Charlotte Hull (nee Berry) worked with famous artists including now have two beautiful daughters, the Lily Allen, The Twang, Twisted Wheel, elder of the two, Annabel, is in the Dizzee Rascal’s label and Nigel Martin Nursery at Ratcliffe.. Smith’s management company. The Patrick Galey (04) studio is due for completion early in Andrew Espinasse is still working and the new year. playing in the East Midlands region! Sipping the resulting diabetes- Maxine Creighton is still living in inducing brew, I am asked by a man Fr Michael Hill (49) has a new job who features prominently on most as Editor of the Dunedin based Galway, working hard and studying for governments’ most wanted terrorists magazine, Tui Motu. This independent her Accountancy exams. lists why I’ve come to Lebanon to be Catholic magazine was first published a journalist. in 1997. It is a ‘not for profit publication’ with a huge readership As a hack, it’s usually me who asks in New Zealand. Fr Michael has the questions, so it’s difficult to offer already changed the publication to anything terribly insightful. I was a colour but it still retains the original journalist back in London, I reply. I’m editorial directive. The magazine has in Lebanon because it’s where my job a reputation for courting controversy is. I’m also here to get interviews with and for tackling issues which changes people like yourself, I offer, reverently. as New Zealand changes. We wish The flattery seems to work and my him luck. Hezbollah official smiles back, almost Daniel Bunnag (91) has recently as sweet as the tea I’m struggling become a father for the second to finish. I leave with a decorative, time to his daughter Esther in Gemma Kirk (02), Alex Gamble (03) hand-woven bookmark – a gift bearing November 2010. and Gemma Lord (03) a gold-leaf insignia of the party of God – and a piece of advice which Aisling Mitchell (nee Murray) (92) subsequently serves me well: “If you moved to Singapore in April 2010 Gemma Kirk (02): “I am currently are ever in the wrong place at the with husband, Jim and son, Oisin working in South Yorkshire as an wrong time, call us. We don’t want you and is expecting her second child in Equine Vet. Spending most of my to get in any trouble.” So ends another June 2011. time driving around the countryside morning in Beirut. tending to anything from miniature News from the Classes of ’97 Shetlands to Thoroughbreds! Exciting I’ve been here for 18 months and and ‘98: highlights to date have been helping I’m still no closer to answering the Alison Mason: “I got engaged to Ben the Fire Brigade to cut a horse free Hezbollah question: why Lebanon? Court (not an ex-Ratcliffian, although from a trailer, making foals by the I won’t lie. The job is glamorous; a primary school friend of Dom means of artificial insemination, one moment you can be interviewing Brucciani’s) on the 18th November. putting a plaster cast on a Shire landmine victims in the country’s We have set the date for 27th August horse’s foot and stitching up a pony conservative and war-ravaged south, 2011 at Ratcliffe church and are that had been attacked by a dog! More the next you’ll be talking politics having a reception at my parents’ recently I have become accustomed with UN officials and international house. We have been together for six to digging myself out of snowdrifts ambassadors at a lavish Beirut and skidding around the roads in the cocktail party. attempt to get to horses in the foot and a half of snow that has I’ve reported on assassinations, plane graced us! “ crashes, elections and torture trials. I’ve met heads of state, “terrorist” Patrick Galey (04) writes of his leaders, world-renowned academics experiences as a journalist and career journalists. I’ve worn body in Lebanon. armour in the morning for work and If you ever find yourself having tea a dinner jacket in the evening for with Hezbollah, don’t ask for sugar. pleasure. Whatever other worldly delights Beirut still holds that oriental Alison Mason (97) and Ben Court members of the Shiite militant mystique; the one-time ‘Paris of the group eschew in the name of Islamic East’ became the Stalingrad of the years. We’re both very happy and resistance, a sweet tooth isn’t one looking forward to the big day! of them. Levant and is currently rebuilding itself as the playground of West Asia. Register online www.ratcliffanassociation.co.uk 2