St Edward's Rhubarb - 2018

52 ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

Tennis Mark King (G, 1988-1993) reported that he had the pleasure of taking part in a Martyrs tennis match at the end of April this year. The Martyrs came away 8-1 winners!! The wily old foxes, Dominic Evan-Hart (F, 1989-1994), Greg Kratt (H, 2012-2017), Tim Usher (E, 1960- 1965), Hugh Watson (C, 1991-1996), Simon Talbot-Williams (A, 1974- 1979), getting the better of the young thoroughbreds. Hopefully the Martyrs will be back next year with a bigger turnout! most of the time-keeping and scoring, we staggered through the event pretty successfully (it being our first attempt at this format) and all but one player seemed to enjoy the morning. Less fortunate was Kishida Naoki, who stumbled in his first match and went down with a fractured wrist Squash Though the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even in March, four of our depleted squad of OSE arrived at the School to find that Simon Palferman had persuaded a magnificent dozen of the School’s squash enthusiasts to join our morning’s Tournament. We ran a Swiss-style Monrad event that is designed to give all 16 players four matches and result in a graded result in order of 1 to 16, with matches becoming progressively more closely matched. With Jenny McCarter from the OSE Office doing Golf There was a near record turnout for the 2017 Autumn Meeting, with 25 OSE and four guests, as the Martyrs returned to Huntercombe for the first time in over 20 years. In beautiful late Autumn weather, the competition was fierce. David Leadbitter (H, 1995-2000) won the Latham Bowl for the best gross stableford score, scoring 38 points (playing off 12), while Tim Smart (C, 2001- 2006) won the Kitchen Quaich (awarded to the best net stableford score) with 37 points (playing off 5). We were delighted to welcome Society debutant Anthony Marten (E, 1960- 65), as well as a number of OSE who, for various reasons, hadn’t attended a meeting for a number of years, including Chris Stevenson (A, 1952-1957), David Cannon (G, 1969-73), Ed Craven-Smith (B, 1984-89), Jonny Lawes

(C, 2011-2016), Sam Hamilton-Peach (G, 2010-2015), Hugo Marsh (E, 2010-2015), Tacita McCoy-Parkhill (K, 2010-2015). John Wiggins and Will Morgan (B, 2008-2013) raced to second place in IM3 double sculls. September saw the second annual Eton Revival being held at Dorney Lake. Three races, side by side and a rather weighted scoring system saw Eton take home some sizable silverware leaving the Martyrs finishing a very close third. Edward Nurick (E, 2000- 2005), Tom Coles (G, 2004-2009), Rupert Singfield, Will Morgan, Andrew Scott, John O’Hara (H, 2006-2011) (+subs) and Jo Street (D, 2003-2007), coxing. Hamish Roots has designed and organised Rhubarb tops to go with the cornflower blue and gold lycras of old and the boat club has bought a selection for crews to race to ensure that we stand out! The increased interest from younger OSE has meant that two boats raced at Wallingford Head in November with both boats finishing in the top three in their events. Crews were ‘Young guns’: Ben Sthamer, Oli Knight (B, 2012-2014), Felix Obholzer, Rupert Singfield, Alex Simmonds and Charles Gosling (B, 2011-2016) with Sam Lapage and Oli Stanhope (SESBC coaches) and current 1st VIII cox, Sam Shuker; ‘Muskets’: Katie Greves (MCR), Andrew Scott, Chris Cox (D, 1961-1966), Will Morgan, Andy Knight (C, 1975-1978), John Wiggins, Ric Colborne, Hamish Roots and Tacita McCoy-Parkhill (cox).  John Wiggins and Andy Knight went on to win in their double at the Upper Thames Autumn Head. Looking ahead, City of Oxford is on the 18/19th August and Dulwich College Alleynian and Eton Revival are in September, dates tbc.

M A R T Y R S

Autumn Meeting winners Tim Smart and David Leadbitter (H, 1984-89), Duncan Wethey (E, 1985-90)

and Ben Way (F, 1990-95). Peter Neal (K, 1993-1998)

and was sent off to hospital for an X-ray. Quite by chance, Paul Denvir, Mike’s father, arrived at that exact moment ready to step in if we needed a replacement, so we were immediately back to 16. The top eight of the Competition saw the Martyrs taking the first four places: Horatio Lyon (B, 2011-2106), James Dubois (C, 1960-1965), Tim Smart (C, 2001-2006) and James Moore-Stanley (H, 2012-2017). The next four from the School were Giles Wordsworth, Alexia Drouliscos, Mike Denvir and Hamish Smart (no relation). Followed by brunch in the Main Dining Hall, it was a fun outing and the pupils demonstrated a good mix of skill, enthusiasm and warm hospitality to those of us who have gone before. Here’s to 7th October. James Dubois (C, 1960-1965)

Martyrs at Wallingford Head