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Replies 41-56
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.jpg "Richard Dilley & Mike Cottrell")
DATE: 07 June 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Jas I was sorry to read about the firms you worked for that went bust [reply 40]. To quote Oscar Wilde, "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness".
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 09 June 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In respect of your 30th reply, Vic, please give my warmest regards to Nigel Palmer, whom I knew fairly well at school. I recall tennis games both at his local tennis club and at my then home in Elstree at Woodcock Hill Farm, where my friend Paul Brenson and I had installed floodlights for our tennis court. I don't recall Brian Hond at all but expect you will enjoy his company as well as Nigel's provided you all survive to enjoy the event.
Jas, I'm not sure why three fit young men shouldn't survive until the end of July. Anyway, provided the Fates fail to succumb to the temptation I've just placed before them, I will give NDP your warmest regards with pleasure (but you never know, he may even reply to you directly - right here!)
Then & NowDATE: 09 June 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
All this discussion about the history of Union Street, Barnet [replies 27‑30] takes me back to my schooldays. There was a guy at school younger than me called Robeson, who used to get books delivered to Barnet Library for his personal use on all sorts of subjects related to local history. I wonder if he is still alive and still retains this enthusiasm for local history. If so and if contactable I daresay he would have all the answers. Failing that the local Barnet history society and/or Barnet Museum will probably be very helpful. Maybe these and young Robeson have a connection. I remember Robeson for other reasons. He like me entered for the History prize on the Battle of Barnet. I wrote many pages on it but as Bop Wakelin said "You had no chance against that guy." He was also one of the trio of Stapylton House cross country runners who ran as a team blocking me from passing them through Hadley Woods on the annual House cross country race. Stapylton won the cup. We as Harrisons came second.
Then & NowDATE: 16 June 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In regard to your response to my 42nd reply, Vic, I am so glad that you, Nigel and Brian are 3 fit young men. Long may this continue. In my own regard I regret that not only am I unable to run through the local woods and countryside, as I have until the last couple of years but have difficulty walking at any pace at all. Even my children and grandchildren as well as my wife leave me way behind when walking along and have to come back to round me up. No joining in most of the Ludgershall and Andover health walks for me! I have been referred by my doctors' surgery to a specialist for a possible hip operation and maybe something good will result. I regret having to abandon skiing, rowing and tennis, though I still play badminton and table tennis. I hope those who can still run and walk along at pace will appreciate their blessings. My sympathies also go to any OEs who suffer also from frailties from illness and the depriving of enjoyment in sport, such as Alan King.
In relation to reply 41, Couf, if this were Facebook I would tick the 'like' box. I may be looking careless in regard to past employment but I am "an ideal husband." I was only saying to Lady Windermere, of whom I am a great fan and who is not a woman of no importance: "It is hard to be humble when you are perfect in every way"
Then & NowDATE: 09 October 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
To return to the original theme of this thread (Famous OEs) I note that one of the finalists of the current series of The Great British Bake Off on BBC TV is Richard Burr, who is an OE. In the current Daily Mail issue of 7th October there is a major article about him by Richard Price on pages 20 and 21. I expect the official QE alumnus news will also profile the man. Apparently he lives in Mill Hill and is a fellow campervan owner. Maybe others might comment on their own or their wives skills in the baking line. I have been known to bake a mean apple pie and my wife produces excellent shortbread and lemon cakes.
DATE: 11 October 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 57-63
I know its sad, but I, too, am a great GBBO fan. Just fancy - Richard the runner-up is an OE. Guess he learnt how to bake in the school refectory after games!
47th 
REPLY
.jpg "Nigel Wood")
DATE: 19 December 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-64
I was looking in a junk/antique shop near Guildford today and came across an engraving dated 1781 of 'Wrotham Park in Middlesex, the seat of George Byng esq.'. [See Reply 26]. Couldn't resist buying it for the very small sum required, especially since a peacock and three peahens were included gratis in the foreground. The painter-engraver was W[illiam] Watts (1752-1851 sic!) and it's likely to be one of his 'Seats of the Nobility and Gentry' series, the gent in this case being the nephew of the ill-fated Admiral. The house it shows is essentially the same as the one standing now, though this was a rebuild after a disastrous fire in 1883. There are some differences... In the engraving, the Palladian (Venetian) windows next to the portico are relieved only slightly from the facade, whereas in today's building the lights themselves are mounted in shallow bays. The wings beyond appear to be of two storeys whereas today's appear to be of three. These changes may pre-date the fire.
Click on the image to enlarge
Then & NowDATE: 02 January 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Congratulations, Nigel, on finding that engraving. If we were friends on Facebook, I would tick the llike box. You appear to have detailed knowledge of Wrotham Park. Was this from personal visit knowledge, internet trawling or by reference to the films mentioned by Nick in his 27th reply? Did you like Nick does now live nearby in your QE days? As for myself, I am pleased with some recent finds of my old home town of Boreham Wood. I acquired an old framed view of the original village street (Theobald Street) made years before my birth. This was from visiting the new premises in the Library of the E & BW Museum. There was also others I did not buy like the old view of Furzehill Road, which was then a mere farm track between woods and fields. I have also from the Francis Frith collection got a framed print of Theobald Street from my youth (the 50s) from Francis Frith Ltd. This has in it my granddad's old car, a black V8 Pilot. I also sent my brother a print for his birthday.
DATE: 12 January 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-64
Flattering of you, James, to think that I knew anything about Wrotham Park. If I gave that impression, it illustrates my talent for lantraction (a silly word I've just coined, along the lines of 'cynoseismic', which a previous boss of mine invented to mean 'tail wagging the dog', as in "the cynoseismic effect of examinations on education"). I don't think I'd ever heard of Wrotham Park until it came up on Stapylton Field. I've certainly never been there. Shows the amazing influence of Stapylton Field!
Then & NowDATE: 14 January 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Your reply 47, Nigel, would appear to say quite a lot about Wrotham Park as it is now and the scene in the engraving. I was curious where the comparison knowledge was obtained. Best wishes to you.
Then & NowDATE: 16 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In relation to earlier replies [23,25,31] on this thread, concerning Freddie Brittain writing the story of Potters Bar and South Mimms (or Mymms depending on your opinion) and particularly the history of the Parish Church of St Giles, South Mimms, I enjoyed talking with another OE, Sir Leslie Fielding KCMG, at the recent Founders Day. Of course he is well known for writing books on his diplomatic career, as well as in The Elizabethan on similar subjects but I learnt that he is also the author of a pamphlet on "Germansweek and its parish church". This is a parish in the Okehampton district of West Devon, where he used to live. It is apparently a small and ancient, originally Norman, church comprising a chancel, north transept and tower and is a member of a team of local churches there. This is intereting in itself I think but are there are any other OEs who have penned publications of their local church?
Then & NowDATE: 30 November 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Richard Burr (OE) of Great British Bake Off finalist fame has obtained further distinction recently winning a celebrity edition of Pointless, filmed in Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, with his fellow contestant. I enjoyed watching him win through against other chef and catering contestants. Not many OEs are seen on the TV screens, so this was a particular treat for me to see and perhaps to others also.
Then & NowDATE: 06 December 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Well spotted, Vic, that Richard Burr has his own website with various sub divisions. I had only seen on the library google report reports of the TV programmes like the Celebrity Pointless one. I found Richard's website interesting and well set up and written. The feed back of tweets praising him and his baking/books is also commendable.
Then & NowDATE: 23 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In regard to Sir Leslie Fielding KCMG and distinguished OE (mentioned in the 51st reply and elsewhere) I am intrigued by his being a patron of The Society of King Charles, King and Martyr. Having only in recent years received copies of The Elizabethan, I do not know whether he has written about this in a previous edition. He may have done, as he has usually been a correspondent for recent copies of the magazine. Special services are held every year on significant dates and many churches are dedicated to the King and take the name of the Church of King Charles, King and Martyr. One of them in Devon celebrated a significant anniversary with a special festival in 2015. From my study of history I thought King Charles was a very foolish man in his outlook and my sympathies are with my old Cambridge college alumnus Oliver Cromwell. I also enjoyed the film Cromwell on TV this Christmas time.
Then & NowDATE: 14 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In regard to Wrotham Park, referred to several times on this thread [replies 47-50], I note that the new serialised version on TV of Anthony Trollope's Doctor Thorne uses this as one of its locations in the series, just as Lord Julian Fellowes did for his film Gosford Park. There are of course several other fine locations as well.
Then & NowDATE: 22 August 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Further to the Discussion earlier of an OE being a contestant on The Great British Bake Off (replies 45/46/52/53) I notice that a current QE pupil has just won the latest series of Child Genius on Channel 4. He is 12 year old Rahul Doshi. Despite differing views about his pushy parents, I really enjoyed the series and congratulate Rahul, who got the top score in 3 out of 5 days before Saturday's show final. He did look a likely winner throughout and has apparently an IQ of 162, thought to be higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.