28 November 2014
The Annual OA Dinner in November 1914 was cancelled due to the outbreak of war, one hundred years later, on Friday 21st November 2014, over 100 OAs and their guests gathered for a memorable event.The evening began with a drinks reception and pre-dinner talk in The Wells Centre. En-route, past the Library, the WWI centenary scene was set with an impressive, floodlit display of 163 clay poppies festooned around the door of the Library, the building itself being a memorial to “the sons of the School who gave their lives in the Great War”.The talk, given by Canon Joe Hawes (SHO1978-83) and entitled: ‘Change and decay in all around I see - the future of the Church of England’, was a light hearted and yet thought provoking look at modern day church going and how the community remains at the heart of all types of religion. Aldenham’s own Pardre, Simon Chapman, who joined the School in April 2014, was so impressed with the subject and delivery that he would like to invite the Canon to return and speak to the current students.The Dining Hall looked splendid, with red poppies on the tables and a shrine, built by Paul Spencer (CR1985-Present) as a further tribute to the OAs and Masters lost in 1914-18. The War List 1914-19, taken from the Aldenham School Register - Fifth Edition, was displayed along the wall for all to see the part our people played in this devastating event. A solo performance by Laurence Wells (M2010-present) of ‘Empty Chairs and Empty Tables’, from the musical Les Miserables, was a fitting way to pay respects to the lives lost and to recognise the sacrifice made for ‘our todays’. After a minute’s silence and grace the meal began. The new School catering company, Holroyd Howe, put on a splendid menu, the food was beautifully presented and very tasty, with plenty of wine to wash it all down. There was a lot of chatter and laughter on every table with the age of guests ranging from 18 to 92.The President, Neil Sutherland OBE (B1966-70) proposed toasts to The Queen, the School and to the Guests. James Fowler, Headmaster responded on behalf of the School and the Guests highlighting the genuine warmth he feels at OA gatherings – especially when he journeyed to Australia and Dubai during the autumn half term holiday for a series of Aldenham reunions. He explained that the temperature reached 38 degrees on the terrace where brunch was held in Dubai. Despite the cold and mist outside on this evening and the rather draughty conditions of the Dining Hall, the atmosphere was, once again, warm and inviting with many first timers at the event vowing to make this a regular diary booking in the future.It was great to see several OA families present this year, Andrew Fraser, Bursar and Honorary OA was joined by his two OA sons, Duncan Fraser (M1998-2005) and Iain Fraser (P2000-07), Simon Rennie (SHO1970-74) came with his wife Sandra and their boys Carl Rennie (M2003-10) and Andrew Rennie (M2003-10) and John Willmott (SHO1967-70) brought his eldest son Scott Willmott (K1995-2000). Mike Yeabsley (CR2008-Present), Housemaster of McGill’s came with his wife, Clare Yeabsley (K1988-90) and introduced his daughter Georgina early to the OA scene, as she is currently in the Lower Sixth Form at the School. All in all the whole occasion was a great success with the only ‘Empty Chairs and Empty Tables’ being those in the song at the start of the proceedings. Here’s to a future of similar triumphs and memorials to times gone by.