Page 49 - Old Ratcliffian Magazine 2019
P. 49

family get-together, including most of
        our 10 grandchildren, at our daughter’s
        home near Princethorpe. Sadly, our eldest
        son died unexpectedly from a heart attack
        two years earlier, aged 55. Now nearing
        my 89th year, I still remember many happy                                                                     OR NEWS
        times as a lad at Ratcliffe.”






                                            Anthony  Holland  (56):  “I  have  no  real   (57), who now lives in Colchester, and I
                                            news, apart from enjoying, as always, the   also attended a retreat organised by  Fr
                                            Past Presidents’  Dinner at  the College   David Tobin (59) at Sacro Monte Calvario
                                            each autumn. I was in Rome recently on   in  Domodossola,  which  I  have  wanted  to
                                            a pilgrimage organised  by  the Newman   visit for years. On most Sundays, I go to St
                                            Association, to learn more about Judeo-  Etheldreda’s in London, where I listen to
                                            Christian relationships in the 1st century   the sermons of Fr Tom Deidun (62), which,
                                            AD. It was quite an eye-opener – for me,   in my view, are worthy of publication on
        Robert Ippaso (73): “I’ve now been living in   anyway.  I am  in  contact  with  John  Sharp   most weeks.”
        Naples, Florida for 10 years, and it’s idyllic.
        The poem, below, that I wrote may bring   Alex Slack (née Gamble) (03): “It was with   but also because I felt his presence around
        some of you a smile and prompt you into   a very heavy heart that I left the Ratcliffian   the School.
        thinking how beautiful the world really is.”  Association in May this year. Ratcliffe
                                            has been, and will always be, a big part   I have so many emotional, but very
                                                                                happy, memories of Ratcliffe College, and
            A Summer’s Day in Florida       of my life. Having been christened in the   I would like this to continue with my own
                                            Religious Studies room, confirmed and
            The lake shimmers in the early breeze,   married in the Chapel and, subsequently,   children, and to be able to offer them
             Dancing rivulets of light kissed by    having baptised both my own children   what I was lucky enough to have. In order
                    the rising sun,                                             to pursue this dream and make it a reality,
           Reflecting passing clouds, hopscotching    there, it’s fair to say that I miss the place.   I have had to make some drastic changes
                   with such ease,          Not only was I educated at the College, but   in my work life to be able to financially
            It heralds a new day just now begun.
                                            also my grandfather, Gerard Gamble (31),   support it. The House of Lifestyle
          Observing its environs with majestic grace,  my  four  uncles,  Tim  (62),  Richard  (64),   Management was born last year; it was a
         An ibis meanders daintily along water’s edge,  Mark (71), and  Charles (75), my father,   big risk, but one I was willing to pursue to
            Confident in its prowess to outpace,  Andrew (68), my brothers,  Ed (95) and   enable my children to have the fantastic
            Its curved bill nature’s dancing dredge.  Patrick (96), and many of my cousins. We   education that Ratcliffe has to offer.
                                            all had an amazing time, and Ratcliffe has   Charlie is registered to come to the School
              A ripple breaks the perfect glass,
            A little beak emerges from the deep,  shaped us into who we are today. As I sit   in 2022, so I’d better knuckle down if I’m
              Imbued with curiosity and sass,  and write this, I wonder how bricks and   going to reach this target!
           The snapping turtle juts its head to peep.  mortar from one place can have such a   My  new  company,  The  House  of  LM,  has
                                            huge impact on my life.
          All the while, majestic palms sway to and fro,                        one mission: to enrich people’s lives, by
             Their fronds fanning summer’s air,  I recall the saddest day of my existence, of   giving them more time and helping them
          From high they watch the morning’s show,  which Ratcliffe was a part: the day I was   to take control of their work-life balance.
           Shielding those below from radiant glare.  told that my brother had been killed in a
                                            car accident. The first place I wanted to   I would like to take this opportunity to
           A perfect harmony of sights and sounds,  be (aged 14 and not a proactive Catholic   thank Ratcliffe for giving me the chance to
            It bathes the soul, lightens the heart,                             work at the School. I will dearly miss all the
           Nature’s beauty truly knows no bounds,  at the time) was at Ratcliffe. In the   friendly people that make up the Ratcliffe
          Of which we’re blessed to form a tiny part.  Chapel, I met Fr Meredith (57) and Teresa   College community.
                                            Gamble, and we sat and prayed in silence.
                                            The following weeks were a blur; however,
                                            I clearly remember receiving Patrick’s
                                            body into the Chapel the night before his
                                            funeral, and knowing that he would be in
                                            safe hands. 

                                            Another memory etched in my mind for a
                                            lifetime was Patrick’s funeral, where 700
                                            people lined the route to the graveyard
                                            as his body was laid to rest in the school
                                            grounds. Working at Ratcliffe years later
                                            made  me  feel  at  peace,  knowing  that
                                            he was so close by, not only because his
                                            physical being was buried in the graveyard,

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