Rhubarb

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22 St Edward’s rhuba rb
Peter Eveleigh
developed an art teaching system for small
children now used in many primary schools
in Sweden. I have also used painting as a
therapeutic tool in the treatment of veteran
soldiers and militiamen suffering from
combat PTSD. These men were immigrants
with several years of battle experience
from Lebanon, the Iraq-Iran war and the
first Gulf War. This experience led me to
study what is known about the workings of
the brain, especially in regard to memory, a
key issue in PTSD. Finally, I worked for ten
years as an illustrator in a scientific project
exploring the relationship between the sun
and climate, another fascinating subject of
study. Throughout this time I continued to
paint. Since the year 2000 this work has
almost exclusively focussed on portraying
the ‘English’ 18th-century royal park at
Drottningholm, visible from the windows of
my studio, in all weathers and seasons. I have
to thank my time in the art room at Teddies
and my first art teacher Lawrence Toynbee
for my interest in landscape art. Lawrence
was a lovely man; wine gums and gentle
encouragement combined with a critical
comment or two is a fine teaching method
for the young and inexperienced painter. On
my website you will
find a presentation of my landscape art, as
well as a journey into the inner workings of
the solar system, and a strange story about a
couple of cranes.”
1962
Robert Barnes (G, 1957- 1962) after the
‘Rhubarb Goes to Town’ event in London
last year kindly provided an update:
“I am a Chartered Surveyor and was a
partner in Porter & Cobb, the largest firm
of Charted Surveyors in Kent at the time.
In 1987, we succumbed to an offer from
General Accident and sold up for what
seemed like silly money at the time. From
then on, I never had a regular office job
although I continued as a Consultant in
property matters for a bit. I got involved
in local politics and had a fascinating time
as Chairman of the Maidstone and Weald
Conservative Association and was deeply
involved in three general elections with Ann
Widdecombe. My other great interest was
in Abbeyfield, a charity looking after the
elderly. After 14 years I have just handed
over the Chairmanship of the Kent-wide
charity currently employing 590 staff with
an annual income of £12.2m. The Society
achieved considerable recognition for its
philosophy of assisting those marginalised
in the community. It is exploring a new
homes project to assist more in the
future. I will be continuing as a Trustee
as well as a member of the Property and
Development Committee and as Link
Trustee for St Martins and Greensted. I
will remain as a member of the Abbeyfield
South East Regional Council and as Chair
of the Abbeyfield Kent with Sussex Borders
Cluster Group.”
1965
Jon Dance (E, 1960-1965) is currently
in the middle of his first year as President
of the Rugby Football Union. Teddies was
home to Jon, his two brothers, and his two
sons. At School he played rugby and rowed.
After leaving St Edward’s he went on to Law
School and became a solicitor, then worked
at Hoover and Calor Gas, where he was
Company Secretary. Jon played rugby at
hooker for Grasshoppers in London, and
then Bracknell Rugby Club and Berkshire,
playing 1st XV on a regular basis. He was
forced to retire with injuries, and from there
began his rise up the administration ladder,
with club, county and now country. He
loves St Edward’s, and has pictures of the
Quad, Apsley and the School displayed in his
house. Jon continues to keep an eye out on
the School’s sports results, and is currently
involved in the Six Nations. Jon’s family are
immensely proud of his achievements and
wish to celebrate his success with all who
know him.
Nick Dance, Mary Dance and Jon Dance before the
England v South Africa game in October 2014
Peter Eveleigh (G, 1961-1965)
“I make bespoke cider mills and presses and
have managed to win what became called
the ‘Battle of Brogdale’ and attach some
photos of the event having ‘munched’ our
way through 200kg of apples in the two
hours. I have to express some surprise at
this because the other technique (juice and
strain) is certainly much faster to begin with.
On a different tack, I recall an occasion
whilst at Teddies, in Spring term in the
Shell dayroom at Segar’s – probably 1963,
some of us decided to contact the famed
Radio Luxembourg Sunday evening request
programme – after the Top 20 which was
compulsory listening in those days. We
asked the 208 to “please please us by
playing ‘Please Please Me’” (Beatles) and
asking any ‘nice girls out there’ to write
to us.
The letters started to stream in on
Monday’s afternoon post and by the next
day we had more than 50 and an interview
with Bill Veitch!! “Wazza-form boys?” Whilst
he was clearly quite amused, the Warden
(FFF) took a different view, banning us from
receiving any further letters on the basis
that he would respond personally!! I believe
there were over 300 letters eventually and
from the content of some of those that we
received, we’re fairly sure they would cause
a raised eyebrow or two.
There is also a post-script; Easter CCF
camp in the Brecon Beacons (DofE silver
expedition etc). Evening inspection at our
campsite near Sennybridge by Mr Cochrane
drew a comment from him related to a
number of girls on the bridge about 50
metres away – by appointment!”
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