Page 50 - Old Ratcliffian Magazine 2019
P. 50

OR NEWS












        RATCLIFFE REVISITED


        We have been very pleased to welcome   when we used to pour water on the hard   twice!  Andres and  his family  thoroughly
        the following Old Ratcliffi ans back to the   ground in the winter and slide on the ice!”   enjoyed  their  visit.  He  and  his  partner
        School this year:                   The brothers also met the newly appointed   were particularly interested to hear about
                                            bursar, Chris Bellamy. Having held the   the  College’s  development  since  Andres’
        Adam Rudd (88) returned to Ratcliffe   position of bursar himself from 1961 to   schooldays and the opportunities that
        on 12th March 2019, having not been   1964, John was keen to meet Chris, and   Ratcliffe offers to its students.
        back for 30 years. Association Secretary   they discussed how much the role must
        Katherine  Lang  gave him  a tour,  and  he   have changed, with there only being
        shared some memories of his time spent as   240 boys at Ratcliffe during John’s time.
        a boarder, the CCF, and several members   John added: “It was fascinating to see the
        of staff. Adam’s father, Paul Rudd (60),   College after so many years.”
        had previously sponsored a chair in the
        Refectory, which Adam and Katherine took
        the time to fi nd. Adam said: “It was great
        to see a little of the School, and I hope to
        come back again with my children. I know
        that they would love to see all the places                              Eric Ho (92) visited Ratcliffe with his
        that  they’ve  heard about  in  my tales  of                            family in August this year, during their trip
        schooldays past.”                                                       to the UK from Hong Kong. Andrew Yell,
                                                                                Ratcliffe’s Development Director, took him
                                                                                on a tour of the School. Eric said: “It felt
                                                                                so wonderful to be back at Ratcliffe after
                                                                                almost 30 years, bringing back so many
                                                                                happy memories from  my  schooldays.  I
                                            Francisco Sardi (66), accompanied by his   was very grateful to Andrew for his warm
                                            wife,  Victoria,  and older  brother,  Jorge   welcome and for showing us around. The
                                            Sardi (59), visited the College on 27th   School has expanded a lot, with many new
                                            June, after spending the morning at Grace   blocks of buildings, a new indoor swimming
                                            Dieu Manor, where both men were also   pool and a gym centre. It’s great to see
                                            students. Development Director  Andrew   how well Ratcliffe has turned out. I would
                                            Yell (82) gave them a tour of the College,   love to see both of my daughters become
                                            and Jorge was thrilled to see the relief map   Ratcliffe students in the near future. I will
                                            of Leicestershire which he helped to make   defi nitely come back to visit…again, again
                                            when he was at Ratcliffe, which still hangs   and again!”
                                            in the Geography Department today. In
                                            October, Francisco and Jorge’s brother,
        Two Old Ratcliffi an brothers, Fr John (53)
        and Tony Bland (54), returned to Ratcliffe   Andres Sardi (65), also visited the College,
        to view the newly completed Lockhart   with his partner, son and daughter-in-law.
        Garden, combining their visit with a spot   During his visit, he told countless stories of
        of lunch with  Fr Ted Mullen  (60) and  Fr   his student days, many of which involved
        David Tobin (59). John and Tony took a   some  mischief  on  his  part,  much  to
        stroll around the garden, and they were   everyone’s amusement. He recounted how,
        both extremely impressed with the layout   on year group photo day, he had taken his
        of the space, noting how much it had   place on the far right-hand side of the
        changed since their time at Ratcliffe. John   group, and, whilst the photographer had
        said: “I was delighted to hear that the   panned his camera along the assembled   On 2nd March 2019,  Andy Magee (90)
        Lockhart name had been restored, and   students, Andres had run around the   tied in a return visit to Ratcliffe with a trip
        I was very impressed by the garden. The   back to the far left-hand side of the   up to Leicestershire for his son’s rugby
        space has been transformed – I remember   group, therefore appearing in the photo   fi xture. Mike Sleath, a current teacher,
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