Annual Newsletter

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Our Treasurer - Hugh Cutler - has submitted the following memoir from his school days - how many of you remember this trip - though regrettably it wasn't possible to include his excellent photographs too

 

SCHOOL TRIPS REVISITED

A late summer 2010 cruise to the Greek Islands and the Adriatic that my wife, Stee, and I took gave me an opportunity to go to a number of locations that I had previously visited on School Trips back in the 60’s.  Those School trips still conjure up some vivid memories and led me to think that if a shared some of my thoughts perhaps others would do likewise.

On this occasion I revisited Athens, Olympia and Corfu which I had been to for the first time back in what I seem to recollect was 1965 (but I may be misremembering the year!) with the ‘Messrs Abbot and Luck Tour’.  This had consisted of train to Brindisi, boat to Corfu, then boat to Patrai where we were met by a mini-coach and ferried via Delphi to Athens.  The tour also included a circle of the Peloponnese to include Epidauros, Nauplion and Olympia.  The party split at one point with some going to Crete and others visiting islands close to Athens.  The return was via boat through the Corinth Canal (of which I have particular memories) and then back via Corfu.

So, after 45 years, I climbed once again onto the Acropolis to find it all much cleaner and tidier than I had before. The centre of Athens itself, was much cleaner and tidier and seemed to have many more trees than I remembered. The Greeks, of course, did not miss the opportunity to berate us about the Elgin Marbles and assorted other antiquities!

 A drop into Katakolon followed by a short coach ride took us to Olympia of which I had less clear memories.  Again, it all seemed tidier and very much greener than I recollect it to have been.  More of what I recall as the litter of fallen stones had been reconstructed to mark the location of buildings.  We only briefly pulled into Corfu so there was not an opportunity to revisit 1965 haunts.

 The cruise terminated in Venice, which I had not visited since a School Trip in 1964 (I think).  This was a Miss Ship/Mr Stowe Tour which included the wonderful combination of mountain walking in the Austrian Tyrol, sleeping in mountain huts, followed by stays in Verona and Venice.  In the latter I remembered that we stayed in the Youth Hostel where I experienced the worst spaghetti that I have ever tasted.  As we cruised into Venice (with Pavarotti embarrassingly playing full-volume from the ships speakers), I surprised myself by spotting the self same Youth Hostel.

 Now....whilst I remember one or two other people who were on those trips, I certainly do  not remember them all. Were you on either of those School Trips?  Are there any similar memories out there?  Do you have any particular memories of other School Trips?

Hugh Cutler (1959)

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Annual School Sports Day

Regrettably we - the Rosarians were not present this year (2012) at the Annual Sports day in July - however we hear that it was very successful as usual so next year we hope to be there again.

 

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New School Sports Hall

Plans have been approved for the building of a new £3.25m Sports Hall adjacent to the existing playing fields. The facility will include indoor cricket nets, a fitness suite, dance studio, various sized floodlit astro-turf pitches and associated changing facilities.

The school’s website (www.rickmansworth.herts.sch.uk) contains outline plans and progress reports on the whole scheme and associated timings.

The new facility will allow the development of the natural sporting abilities of all pupils and the facilities are designed to cater for everyone’s needs and tastes.

The Rosarians have contributed by donating to the associated ‘Buy a Brick’ fundraising scheme, with our brick displaying in gold lettering ‘The Rosarians’ on a double sized brick, which will remain as a permanent legacy of our support to our old school.

We will be displaying plans and sketches of the project at the Reunion on 24th September for all to see.

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More news items will hopefully follow - if you have one then email it to us - details as above?

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