William Birtles of the 1960s.............Shene Grammar School pops up readily on a Web search and enabled the Editor to locate the following details on William which tells of his eminence in his profession.   Yet another example of Shene Old Boys 'enriching the time to come' 

His Hon Judge William Birtles

His Hon Judge William Birtles
Year of Call Nov 1970

Profile
Specialisation: Barrister specialising in environmental, planning and local government law. Has had considerable experience in both civil and criminal aspects of pollution claims including land contamination (arising from oil, toxic waste and industrial waste disposal), water (e.g. Barry Docks, Cardiff), air (particularly industrial smells) and noise.

Major inquiries include the Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station Inquiry (1984-86), the Westminster Council District Audit Inquiry (1994-5) and various inquiries for local authorities including the London Borough of Greenwich and Sailsbury District Council.
Also specialises in employment law, individual employment law (esp. discrimination and trade union law) and professional negligence.

Recent cases include:
Speciality Care plc v Pachela and another [1996] IRLR 248
Wallace v C.A. Roofing Services [1996] IRLR 435
R v Rochdale MBC ex parte Brown [1997] Env. R 100
R v Derbyshire CC ex parte Woods [1997] JPL 958
R v Somerset CC ex parte Dixon [1997] JPL 1030
Ind. v The Plant Hire Company (Stroud) Limited [1998] Env. L.R.D15
Housing Corporation v Bejard [1999] ICR 123
R v NorthYorkshireCounty Council ex parte Brown [1999] 1 All ER 969 (HL).

Qualifications
SheneCountyGrammar School; King's College, London (LLB 1967, LLM 1968); HarvardLawSchool (LLM 1971); New YorkUniversityLawSchool (Robert Marshall Fellow 1971-1972).

Bernie Doeser

Bernie Doeser of the 1960s appeared on TV's Mastermind during October, 2007 and this is the correspondence between David Richardson and Bernie.............

Bernie,

'I saw the show and thought you were up against some really tough cookies without getting some rough questions yourself.   The time element is obviously crucial and being in the spotlight must have been quite an examination for you................'

........but congratulations are obviously due for being on the show in the first place.'

'Thank you David,
It was the most nerve wracking experience of my life. I had to keep thinking, they’re not going to execute me if I don’t win.
I also knew the answers to three questions I passed on, but under the conditions I couldn’t quite get the answer out.

Anyway, I was glad I had a go, but would not do it again, nor would I recommend
it.'

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Taken from the School Magazine of 1947

On Thursday evening, November 13th, 1947, in the main corridor of the school, at the close of a Service of Remembrance, there was unveiled the plaque which records the names of seventy-five of our Old Boys who died on service in the war of 1939-1946. Over two hundred parents and friends were present at the ceremony. Prefects of the school and representatives of the senior forms also attended. Flowers, brought by the boys of the school helped to illuminate the improvised dais at the balcony end of the hall.

The service was conducted by an Old Boy, the Rev. F. C. Watson; Mr. Giles, Vice-Chairman of the Old Boys’ Association, read passages from the Wisdom of Solomon as a Lesson and Mr. W. R. D. Martin, secretary of the Association, read out the names on the memorial. The unveiling was done by Mr. W. G. Hale Pearce, Chairman of the Association. The hymn, ‘O, Valiant Hearts’ was sung, with the assistance of a small choir, to the piano accompaniment of Mr. D. A. Martin. Finally, the Last Post,” sounded by a bugler from Kingston Barracks, echoed its message of Hope through the corridors of the school and in the hearts of all those who had gathered to do honour to the memory of old comrades.

It was difficult for us of the school, during the service, to realise that the boys whose names are on that plaque were gone from us. We remember them at their lessons and in their games. We have little knowledge of how they fared in the world for which we helped to prepare them. But we know they faced their duty resolutely and we know they died that the rest of us might live in freedom. Let us therefore remember them as long as the bronze plaques glow softly and the graven names remind us that these men were and are our own special Old Boys. May the boys now at the school and those who, in days to come, throng the corridor, always recall why those plaques are there and resolve that when the moment of trial comes, as it does in the lives of all of us, they too may choose the Truth and the Right.

ROLL OF HONOUR

SHENE OLD BOYS LOST IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR

R. J. S. Ackary
P. B. Ashby
G. C. Ayres
R. J. Ayres
A. J. Baker
G. G. Barker
J. F. Bigg-Wither
 A. L. W. Bond
E. A. Brace
C. V. Brasseur
S. H. Bunch
R. E. Burgess
J. C. Cantle
M. G. Capel
R. T. Chinery
A. L. Clipson
R. G. Cole
G. L. Collins
D. M. A. Connelly
B. E. Coppin
 D. G. Corbett
J. V. Cowtan
R. W. Cox
M. E. Cumber
L. A. Day
N. W. Dorling
J. A. Dutton
J. D. Dye
W. L. Dymond
A. F. Etherington
V. Eyton-Jones
S. J. C. Groom
D. A. Harsum
K. G. Harvey
R. Heathfield
R. Herbert
P. A. Hill
K. Hoad
H. J. Huben
G. R. Humphries
D. W. G. Jones
0. A. L. Jones
H. J. Kelly
L. G. Kelly
V. S. Lacey
 L. A. Leddington
J. H. Lingwood
J. G. B. Macfarlane
S. H. Mansbridge
H. W. Matthews
E. G. Meaton
R. A. S. Mitchell
P. H. Moller
R. W. Morgan
R. H. Morgan
H. J. Naldrett
A. J. Oakley
K. B. Parker
D. M. Penny
H. E. J. Perry
K.D.Port
J. A. Raper
R. D. C. Rich
J. W. J. Roney
B. B. Shipton
H. Slingsby
D. J. Slaughter
R. C. J. Southey
J. B. Sowerby
P. J. Stuart
F. G. R. Thomas
W. F. J. Thomson
G. A. R. Undrell
C. G. D. Walter
A. M. White
D. R. Wilson

PAUL HANCOCK, 1937 - 1998


Professor Paul Lewis Hancock was Professor of Neotectonics at the University of Bristol and an international authority on active fault zones and earthquake movements. He had been on the staff of the department for 30 years when he died from cancer, in 1998, at the age of 61.

Paul Hancock was born in London in 1937 and educated at Sheen Grammar School and then Durham University, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Geology in 1959. He remained at Durham to carry out his doctoral research, on the structure of the Orielton anticline in Pembrokeshire, completing his PhD in 1962. Research and teaching appointments at Cambridge,
Nottingham and Strathclyde were to follow before he came to Bristol in 1968. He remained at Bristol for the rest of his life, being actively involved in both research and teaching in the department. He supervised more than 20 research students and, for over 20 years, was coordinator of the Joint School in Archaeology and Geology. He was promoted to Reader in 1981 and appointed to a personal chair in 1995.

Hancock's research work took him all over the world, from Spain to Argentina, China to Turkey, and from Greece to Nevada, USA. He was always an exponent of the classical traditions of field geological study. Lengthy and personal observation of the rocks in situ, and detailed recording on paper and by means of photographs, together with step-by-step mapping of the terrain, were essential for a proper understanding of what was going on. Hancock's research interests in these diverse regions included classical structural geology, in particular the study of brittle microtectonics (the use of faults to identify past stress conditions in the Earth's crust) and regional structure (major thrusts of rock masses to produce mountain ranges). He later moved increasingly into the field of neotectonics, the study of faulting and folding in action, both in the present day, and in the archaeological past.
The combination of geology and archaeology became a particularly fruitful field for Hancock in the 1990s. He showed, by observation and experiment, the nature of the earthquakes that had destroyed so many classical Greek temples. He also showed how the combination of archaeology and geology allowed the history of earthquakes in an active region to be reconstructed precisely, and then to be used as a means of calculating current and future risk.

Hancock's academic activity was reflected in a distinguished publication list, including 65 scientific articles, and ten edited books. In 1978, he launched the Journal of Structural Geology, which has since become the leading international journal in the field; from 1992 until his death, he was chairman of the International Commission on Tectonics (sponsored by UNESCO).
Those who knew Paul were aware that his sometimes stern expression hid a dry sense of humour and a kind heart. He will be remembered with affection by his colleagues and former students. In 2001, Journal of Structural Geology 23, 2&3 were devoted to the memory of Paul Lewis Hancock: Editor-in-Chief, 1979–1985; Founding Editor, 1986–1998.

The Hancock Memorial Prize is awarded annually to the best final-year MSci student, and the Hancock Occasional Prize has been set up to reward outstanding performance in Archaeology/Geology. 

HYWEL MADOC-JONES, 1939 - 2004

Hywel Madoc-Jones, M.D., Secretary/Treasurer of the Massachusetts Medical
Society, died at the age of 65 on Wednesday 14th January, 2004 after a brief illness.

A member of the Medical Society for 23 years, Dr. Madoc-Jones was a
radiation oncologist practicing at Norfolk Radiation Oncology Associates in
Norfolk. He also practised at Caritas Norwood Hospital Southwood Campus,
Caritas St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston, and other hospitals in the
Boston area.

Born in Cardiff, Wales, Dr. Madoc-Jones initially trained as a cancer
researcher in London. He subsequently taught radiobiology at the Washington
University School of Medicine and earned his M.D. with honours at the
Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago in 1973. He moved
to Boston in 1980 to lead the Radiation Oncology Department at Tufts
University School of Medicine.

Dr. Madoc-Jones joined the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1981 and was a
member of the Society's House of Delegates and numerous committees before
his election as Secretary/Treasurer in 2000. He was re-elected to the
position twice. He also served two terms as President of the Suffolk
District Medical Society from 1997-1999.

MMS President Thomas E. Sullivan, M.D., said, "Hywel Madoc-Jones was a true
gentleman and a Massachusetts Medical Society activist. He was vocal about
his concerns for the profession, for the Society and for the best in patient
care. He contributed selflessly to the leadership of the Society and often
reminded us of our mission and the need to use our resources wisely to carry
out our mission. His example and his counsel will be both missed and
remembered by his fellow officers and many friends and colleagues."

Dr. Madoc-Jones' funeral will be held Saturday (Jan. 17) at noon at the St.
John the Evangelist Church, Wellesley. There will be a private burial
service in Louisiana. His family requests that in lieu of flowers donations
be made in his memory to the Dr. Hywel Madoc-Jones Fund, c/o Development
Office at Tufts-New England Medical Center, 750 Washington St., Boston
02111.

As reported on the MMS Website and provided by Alan Treherne

Rev. IVAN DOWNS, died 1st March 2005

Dick Strevens recalls that Ivan had left the School by the time he arrived in September 1946 and he was to meet him later at a School scout expedition to the Lake District.   Ivan was a regular worshipper at All Saints, East Sheen.   Dick has provided the following regarding Ivan's career in the ministry via  Crockford's Clerical Directory and his death notice in the Church Times.

1965.   attended Chichester Theological College
1966.   appointed Deacon
1967.   ordained Priest
1966-70.   Assistant Curate, Corbridge with Hallow
1970-74.   Assistant Curate, Christchurch, Tyneside
1974-79.   Vicar, Walker
1979-89.   Vicar, Dudley
1990-91.   Vicar, Weetslade until retirement
1991.   Given permission to officiate
Deceased 1st March, 2005

ALAN ROBERT GREGORY, 1929 - 2005

An e-mail dated 10th February, 2011 from Gareth Gregory
I am the son of Alan who was born in 1929 and I believe attended the school for his secondary education. Dad died in June 2005 having suffered from dementia for some time.

After leaving school Dad graduated from Battersea Polytechnic with a degree in engineering. Following his National Service, he joined the Post Office and amongst other things assisted in laying the telephone cables across the Atlantic ending up in Newfoundland!

He later joined the CEGB (now Nuclear Power) and worked in Paternoster Square near St Paul's. The family moved from Larches Avenue to Fetcham in the early 60's. In 1972 we moved to Cheltenham with Dad's job and he became involved in finding alternative energy sources such as wave power and district heating. Towards the end of his career he became more involved in proposals for decommissioning nuclear power stations. He was invited by the IAEA to address various conferences in Vienna and Istanbul as well as travelling on a monthly basis to Brussels.

Following his retirement he and my mother visited lifelong friends in Los Angeles where he suffered a heart attack which triggered vascular dementia.

My mother's recent funeral was attended by Peter Nockolds (I believe to be an old boy) and his mother Margaret (the widow of Fred who may also have been an old boy from the 1940's?).

RICHARD (DICK) BOND, died January, 2006

An extract from Mrs. Tina Bond's note to David Richardson:  'I'm sorry to have to tell you that my husband,  R.J. ( Dick ) Bond died 23rd January 2006 at home in Fareham, Hants after being diagnosed with cancer nine months previously.

I'm not quite sure  when he started at the school as things were rather unsettled over the war years but he left  in 1948  to begin an apprenticeship at the R.A.E.   His love of cricket & football was greatly encouraged at the school & he continued to follow those sports through into further education with avid spectating in later life'