Page 46 - The Old Ratcliffian 2013
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The Old Ratclifan 2013 | Introductionhe Old Ratclifan 2013 | Old Ratclifan News
to give special thanks to Grace Dieu
for their uniform donation and sports
fundraisers, and also to Ratcliffe for
their continued support, from Anne
Taylor’s Colours Days to sponsorship
of the orphans.
To follow Tilinanu’s progress, please
visit www.lovetilinanu.org.uk or
contact the girls at www.lsu.live.
co.uk. If you have ever thought about
volunteering in the UK or Malawi,
please contact Alice and Nina at lsu@
live.co.uk.
Tilinanu: before & after
Alice Pulford (07)
Members of the Class of ‘68 Revisit their Alma Mater
23rd-24th November 2013
Ratcliffe College
Setting foot inside our old school
fifty years after our starting term
was always going to invoke strong
emotions. That initial anxious feeling
as you neared Ratcliffe and drove
up that familiar tree-lined drive to
start another boarding term was still
there. As always, it quickly dispersed
upon meeting familiar faces in the car
park. No longer carrying tuck boxes,
immediately recognisable, but looking
a little more time-weathered, I was
greeting inmates, some of whom I’d
not seen for an intervening period of
forty-five years: Denis Desmond (68),
Michael Evers (66), Patrick Farrelly
(68), Conal O’Donnell (68), Stephen
Moorhouse (68) (communicating by
text) and Michael Shipster (68), who
all joined the school in 1963. L to R: Michael Evers (66), Conal O’Donnell (68), Denis Desmond (68), Michael
The School tour, kindly organised for Shipster (68), Patrick Farrelly (68) & Robert Affeck (68)
us by Jackie Bennett, was revealing:
the cloisters, with their worn stone morning, continuing through lunch within the Rosmini Centre, as I could
floors, and the quadrangle had really with Father President, and even finally congratulate him on somehow
not changed at all, but the feeling was whilst encouraging the Ratcliffe rugby getting me through Chemistry A Level
of much less formality in the teaching team to clinch a 20-12 victory, up in 1968!
rooms, which has to be positive. The to departing on Sunday morning.
Sixth Form building was totally new Saturday evening in The Star at Since returning home to my wife
and very impressive, but on visiting Thrussington proved to be a suitably Lesley in Surrey, I’ve been brought
the Music Hall, nostalgia set in, and festive ocassion, including a brief back to earth, focusing on plans for
I could still see Fr Morris (Father meet-up with Andrew Gamble (68) the weddings of not one, but both of
President at the time) sweeping in at to recall some of the Ratcliffe sporting our daughters in 2014. But re-living
8pm in his swirling black cloak so that stars of the day and a very good memories can certainly be quite
an evening of classical music could dinner afterwards. enjoyable from time to time.
commence. Robert Affleck (68)
One of the main highlights for me,
The conversation was as if there had apart from the important business of To read more about the Reunion of
been no time gap; it was non-stop catching up with contemporaries, was the Class of ‘68, visit our website,
from arriving at midday on Saturday meeting Fr Tobin (59) at his home www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk
46
46
The Old Ratclifan 2013 | Introductionhe Old Ratclifan 2013 | Old Ratclifan News
to give special thanks to Grace Dieu
for their uniform donation and sports
fundraisers, and also to Ratcliffe for
their continued support, from Anne
Taylor’s Colours Days to sponsorship
of the orphans.
To follow Tilinanu’s progress, please
visit www.lovetilinanu.org.uk or
contact the girls at www.lsu.live.
co.uk. If you have ever thought about
volunteering in the UK or Malawi,
please contact Alice and Nina at lsu@
live.co.uk.
Tilinanu: before & after
Alice Pulford (07)
Members of the Class of ‘68 Revisit their Alma Mater
23rd-24th November 2013
Ratcliffe College
Setting foot inside our old school
fifty years after our starting term
was always going to invoke strong
emotions. That initial anxious feeling
as you neared Ratcliffe and drove
up that familiar tree-lined drive to
start another boarding term was still
there. As always, it quickly dispersed
upon meeting familiar faces in the car
park. No longer carrying tuck boxes,
immediately recognisable, but looking
a little more time-weathered, I was
greeting inmates, some of whom I’d
not seen for an intervening period of
forty-five years: Denis Desmond (68),
Michael Evers (66), Patrick Farrelly
(68), Conal O’Donnell (68), Stephen
Moorhouse (68) (communicating by
text) and Michael Shipster (68), who
all joined the school in 1963. L to R: Michael Evers (66), Conal O’Donnell (68), Denis Desmond (68), Michael
The School tour, kindly organised for Shipster (68), Patrick Farrelly (68) & Robert Affeck (68)
us by Jackie Bennett, was revealing:
the cloisters, with their worn stone morning, continuing through lunch within the Rosmini Centre, as I could
floors, and the quadrangle had really with Father President, and even finally congratulate him on somehow
not changed at all, but the feeling was whilst encouraging the Ratcliffe rugby getting me through Chemistry A Level
of much less formality in the teaching team to clinch a 20-12 victory, up in 1968!
rooms, which has to be positive. The to departing on Sunday morning.
Sixth Form building was totally new Saturday evening in The Star at Since returning home to my wife
and very impressive, but on visiting Thrussington proved to be a suitably Lesley in Surrey, I’ve been brought
the Music Hall, nostalgia set in, and festive ocassion, including a brief back to earth, focusing on plans for
I could still see Fr Morris (Father meet-up with Andrew Gamble (68) the weddings of not one, but both of
President at the time) sweeping in at to recall some of the Ratcliffe sporting our daughters in 2014. But re-living
8pm in his swirling black cloak so that stars of the day and a very good memories can certainly be quite
an evening of classical music could dinner afterwards. enjoyable from time to time.
commence. Robert Affleck (68)
One of the main highlights for me,
The conversation was as if there had apart from the important business of To read more about the Reunion of
been no time gap; it was non-stop catching up with contemporaries, was the Class of ‘68, visit our website,
from arriving at midday on Saturday meeting Fr Tobin (59) at his home www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk
46
46
