Page 34 - The Old Ratcliffian 2011

The Old Ratcliffan 2011 | Old Ratcliffan news touch with Old Ratcliffians along the 2012. My best man is my old school a place at Ratcliffe. I recall having way, especially when I come back to roommate, Dom Magee (92). He has a conversation with Theo fairly early Leicester.” a property investment joint venture on in which we agreed that we would with my other old roommate, Christian tell no one at Ratcliffe our surname Gallagher (92). I am also godfather to or where we came from or who we Alex, son of Abe Mee (92).” were. Above all else, I recall boarding school fondly as a safe-haven, an Christopher Parker (74): “I will soon inward-looking gaggle of students be deploying to Afghanistan for a year living in a bubble. I suppose no-one to be the senior medical commander really knows just how many families for the whole of the International Security Assistance Force.” the Rosminians help in this way, God bless them. Keith Shepherd (73): “I am Ratcliffe in my day had many fine Principal Soil Scientist at the World Sanjeev Dhiman (98) teachers (and a couple of very pretty Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in ones), but one of them means more Nairobi, Kenya, and lead one of their Stan Collins (03): “I have always global research programmes. I am than all the others: Mr Satterthwaite, been inspired by being on stage married to Gemma and have four the art teacher. Simply put, he was and performing, and after leaving, I children aged 27, 24, 22 and 14. We the finest teacher I have ever had in joined an entertainment troupe doing have lived in Kenya for the past twenty any discipline. With my parents he fire eating, stilt walking and snake years and, before that, in the Sudan, has been the single greatest spur to charming, to name but a few!” Philippines and Syria. My A Level my artistic life, and much of what I Andrew Cullen (83): “I’m married Biology project with Brother Primavesi have now comes from him. Whenever I look back Mr Satterthwaite’s love to Sally and have a daughter, Lucy. I on plant adaptation to soil pH seems of art, his real skill and his delight run my own business and regularly to have had a profound effect!” in others enjoying what he adored meet up with Francesca Shepherd James Gillick (88): “It seems that make him the glittering pinnacle of (née Gilby) (83), who used to live neither a long while nor a short while that landmark of my youth, Ratcliffe. near us in London, but now lives in has passed since leaving Ratcliffe. Purple prose, I know, but he deserves Bedfordshire. My brother, Stephen The college was a landmark of such it. (84) lives in Sevenoaks with his wife, scale in my young life that it remains Sam, and two boys, Leo and Daniel.” visible and close however far away I I am A Levels, a degree in Landscape Chris Hession (99): “I’ve set up my move from it. Every time I zoom past Architecture, a marriage and five (soon to be six) children down the own promotions company, Hesso on the A46, I give a little salute and road from that time. My degree Media Ltd, in London, promoting say ‘hello’. was a ‘failsafe’ option in case the artists new and old to national radio painting pictures gig failed. But, stations. I love it!” since my graduation, I have been a Adrian While (67): “After twenty-five full time artist. I have had my share years as a consultant ophthalmologist of troubles, but things are going well; in Hereford, I retired in 2009 and am I run a successful studio, I still enjoy enjoying life and spending time with my work hugely, my faith is still intact, my four grandchildren.” my wife loves me and my children are a joy (to my wife and I at least). I’ll Oliver Thompson (01) completed keep you posted.” an MA in Property Investment and Finance at Nottingham Trent Richard Hopkins (61): “Ever tried University and is now working for a cycling eight miles up over 5000 firm of commercial property agents James Gillick (88) at work in his studio feet around thirty-six hairpin bends, in Northampton. He has recently all cruelly numbered so you know announced his engagement to Frances Ratcliffe gave me and my twin brother, exactly how many more to go before Bacon and is due to be married in Theo (88), a great deal; rescuing you reach the end of your ride to 2012. His sister, Georgia (03), is us from a particularly troublesome hell? Nor had I until, earlier this year, moving to Australia in 2012 to join her period in our lives. Our mother, I signed up for a two week cycling boyfriend in Sydney. She has travelled Victoria, was a very prominent trip in Kerala in south west India. The extensively since university, and for public figure at the time and we were climb in question was to Ooty, high the last year she has been working bullied hugely at our first secondary in the Nilgiri mountains. The next day as an account manager for a fashion school as a consequence. We were was my version of biker’s paradise, accessory company. Harriet (05) expelled within the first term (if I down 6600 feet over forty-five miles has just returned from travelling and recall correctly) for endless fist fights through the Western Ghats to the working in Australia and New Zealand, and dragging the entire school into plains of Kerala. It was worth every and is now back temporarily and a near state of chaos on a couple of moment of the previous day’s toil. working in Leicester. occasions - impossible as that sounds. Kerala is a delight. For the next week No other schools would take us on so Richard Draycott (90): “I am now we were taught at home for a year and or so, we cycled the back roads based in Abu Dhabi where I manage a half with the help of paid tutors. through villages, open fields, forests an investment boutique called and game reserves to the palm groves Stonehaven. I got engaged this It was Fr Hurdidge (40) who saved alongside the golden beaches of year and we plan to get married in us. He came to visit and offered us the Arabian Sea. We were welcomed 34