Twenty five years is a long time but what about the 1949 PE team? They were there too and so were quite a few of those who were only yesterday (as it were) walking across the quad without a (real) care in the world. For those of us celebrating a silver anniversary of leaving the College it was for most the first time we had returned for a great many years. And did we enjoy it? Of course we did…until well into the early hours. After all it’s only once in a quarter century! (But what happened to 24 hour licensing in Kemp Town!) All were old friends, most not seen for years but some with whom we have been lucky enough to share other parts of our lives from university to weddings and children. The OBA dinner was a great occasion for celebration. A milestone and we got here. Some of us did not make it and perhaps that is one very good reason to come back and remember the valuable days we spent at the College in privileged times with the world at our feet and opportunity waiting for us. Keep living for that feeling and, like the 1949 PE team, you’ll be back here in another 25!
That is what can happen if you dare to make a break with our generation’s anti institutional attitude and think that it might just be fun to spend an evening with some wonderful people from down the years of College life and to hear something of what life there is like today. Few can have missed the achievements of the current headmaster, Anthony Seldon, who is shortly to be followed by Richard Cairns. The academic, sporting and social life of the college have all seen immense progress supported of course by excellent members of staff, some of whom remembered us and were there to celebrate too. The Seldon babes (or some of them) were also there – or so he said. (Isn’t that politically incorrect or something? Ed.) Private schools are here to stay and the example being set by the College in the community is a vital one to ensure that pupils are not blind to the less privileged and if schools like this are to continue to have charitable status. 
And in case you thought that the College is turning out straight A students with no nouse for the real world, we had two Golds (if not two Davids) to prove you wrong. The first, David, OBA President, gave a polished speech and conducted the proceedings with considerable Parliamentary authority admitting to less than perfect academic and sporting prowess. The second, Johnny, gave us a memorable account of life as the founder of Tramp, the famous London night club and all on the weekend that his old friend George Best passed away to a better life. The vote of thanks reminded us that we cannot all be a Gold but the important thing is that Brighton College still takes all types. Whether, like Lord Alexander, you get to be Chairman of Natwest and a famous QC or, like Johnny, you just run a rather successful night club, it does not matter, you will always be welcome at the OBA dinner and down with anyone who would have it any other way. So come on you lot, the class of 1981, it is your turn on 25th November 2006. Make sure you invite as many as you can and do invite the staff and do have a table plan. We’ll do all that next time when we’ll be nearly as old as the 1949 PE team!
Pictures from the evening >>
Johnny Gold in the OBA Hall of Fame >>
Those who attended included:
Mr David Gold (S. 1986-91) & Mr Mark Elliott
Dr Anthony Seldon (Headmaster) and Mrs Anthony Seldon
Father Robert Easton (School Chaplain)
Mr & Mrs Edward Twohig (BC Director of Art)
Mr Peter Withers (ex staff) and Mrs Barbara Withers
Mr Tony Whitestone (staff)
Mr John Page (ex staff)
Mr Simon Smith (staff)
Mr & Mrs Richard Brightwell (A. 1970-75)
Miss Charlotte Brightwell (F. 2000-02)
Mr John Aiken (A. 1976-81)
Mrs Fiona Aiken (F. 1979-81)
Paul and Sarah Hopwood (parents)
Mrs B Parsons (Ex parent)
Mr Norman Wilson (C. 1934-39)
Mr & Mrs Peter Rumney (H. 1937-39)
Mr Chris Apps (H/A. 1942-46)
Dr Peter Weston (B. 1944-48) & Mrs Marlie Weston
Dr Martin Lea (L. 1941-44)
Mr Keith Hawkins (S. 1944-47)
Mr Robert Rowland (B. 1944-50)
Mr Peter Miller (C. 1945-49)
Mr David Owen (B. 1945-48)
Mr Timothy Davis (L. 1947-51) & Mrs Gracia Davis-Borregon
Rear Admiral Peter Dingemans (D. 1948-52)
Mr Michael Gilchrist (A. 1948-52)
Capt Alan B Haywood (B. 1945-49)
Mr Ian Stone (A. 1945-49) & Mrs Valerie Stone
Mr 'Nibbs' Davis (L. 1945-50)
Mr & Mrs David Nelson-Smith (H. 1949-55)
Mr John Eborn (S. 1945-50)
Mr Peter Bowles (A. 1945-50) and Mrs Janet Bowles
Mr R A H Davis (L. 1945-50)
Mr & Mrs Roger Beasley (H. 1949-55)
Mr & Mrs Malcolm Edkins (H. 1950-54)
Mr & Mrs John Rogers (A. 1952-57)
Mr & Mrs Grahame Carr (A. 1953-56)
Mr & Mrs Bob Lane (D. 1955-59)
Mr Andrew Symonds (A. 1955-59) and Mrs Iris Symonds
Mr & Mrs Ian Screech (D. 1956-61)
Mr Michael Bishop (C. 1960-65)
Mr Chris Pett (H. 1962-67)
Mr Graham Leathes (A. 1962-67)
Mr David Galpin (A. 1963-67)
Mr & Mrs Jim Evans (L. 1964-69)
Mr & Mrs Mark Hudson (A. 1970-75)
Mr Glyn Adams (A. 1970-75) & guest
Mr Michael Hearn (L. 1971-75)
John & Fiona Nehls (H. 1972-77)
Mr Stuart Murray (H. 1974-79)
Mr Matthew Hyams (H. 1975-77)
Shaun Cheesman (H. 1975-80) and Elizabeth Williams
Andrew Currie (L. 1975-80) and Britt Gardiner
Mr Keith Tracy (C. 1975-80)
Mr & Mrs Peter Tuffin (L. 1975-80)
Mr Peter Binning (C. 1975-80) and Anita Fulton
Mr Praveen Agrawal (S. 1976-80)
Alasdair Paul (C. 1976-80)
Mrs Charlotte French (nee Keys, F. 1978-80)
Heather Paul (nee Barbour, F. 1978-80)
Mr & Mrs Jill Ward (nee Ramsdale, F. 1978-80)
Mr & Mrs Sarah Thomas (nee Pontin, F. 1978-80)
Mr Alex Bremer (R.1979-83) and Mrs Miriam Bremer
Mr Ben Stott (R. 1979-84) and Mrs Tina Bolton-Stott
Mr & Mrs Joey Appleton (D. 1979-84)
Miss Carrie England (F. 1982-84) & guest
Mr & Mrs Nick & Carol Hays (C. 1981-86 / F. 1985-87)
Mr & Mrs Leo McKeague (S. 1988-91)
Vanessa Cuddeford & guest (W. 1996-98)
Miss Jodie West (W. 1997-2002)
Miss Rina Chotai (W. 1997-2002)
Mr Marcus Dorfman (R. 1997-02)
Mr Eliot Toynton (R. 1997-02)
Miss Dominique Coleman (C. 1999-01)
Miss Sarah Douglas (C. 1999-01)
Miss Lucy Baker (C. 1999-01)
Miss Cassandra Hedger (C. 1999-04)
Miss Katy Rodgers (W. 1999-04)
Miss Naomi O'Connor (C. 1999-04)
Miss Elizabeth Yeo (W. 1999-04)
Mrs Emily Warren (nee Weighill, C. 1999-04)
Miss Clara Rugman (F. 2001-03)
Mrs Jackie James and guests
Mr & Mrs Tony Hitch
Mr & Mrs P Cohen
Mr Ray Williams & guest
Mr Jack Bitton
Back to OBA Reunions>>
