The Old Shebbearians' Association

SHEBBEAR SHAPERS' KIN INVITED TO HISTORIC REUNION

KIN OF THOSE WHO SHAPED SHEBBEAR INVITED TO HISTORIC REUNION

The Association will hold its 100th Annual Reunion on Saturday, 26th January 2008, at the RAF Club in Piccadilly - with a guest list that does justice to an historic occasion. Not in one year, including those of two World Wars has the annual event failed to take place. Air Commodore Chris Blencowe will preside.

 

A second reunion, at which partners will be welcomed, will take place at the school, hopefully in a large marquee, on Saturday, August 30. Some accommodation with breakfast will be available at college at reasonable cost.

 

To mark the centenary dinner, the OSA has invited a descendant of the Thorne family, instrumental in founding the Bible Christians and ultimately the school itself. Also invited are descendants of the Rev William Kelly (Headmaster from 1847-55) Thomas Ruddle (1864-1908), John Rounsefell (1909-1933) Leslie Johnson (1933-1942) and Jack Morris (1942-64).

 

Mrs Alice Kingsnorth, widow of George Kingsnorth (1964-83) will also be there. The guest list will be completed by the attendance of Mr and Mrs Russell Buley (1983-97), Mr and Mrs Leslie Clark (1997-2002) and the current headmaster and his wife, Mr and Mrs Robert Barnes, who have seen numbers at the school rise to a record 330.

 

Representing the Thorne family will be Brian Thorne of Guildford, Surrey, who with his sister, can trace their lineage back to John Thorne, first of North Furze, then of Lake Farm from 1810. John’s son, Samuel, a printer of religious tracts, is recorded as being Shebbear’s first Headmaster before its official foundation in 1841.

 

There were briefly two headmasters in quick succession, H.C.O’Donnoghue for less than a year between 1841 and 1842  and John Pyer in 1846.

 

The youngest of the Rev. Kelly’s three sons was born at Shebbear soon after he was appointed headmaster. By luck, the OSA was seeking descendants on a genealogical website at the same time as his great, great, great, great granddaughter in Western Australia was seeking details of him.

 

Hence an invitation to Mrs Cherilyn McMeekin of Landsdale, WA. If she is unable to accept, we hope her mother Mrs Gwenda Wyllie, of Donnybrook, WA, will. 

 

The revered name of Tommy Ruddle needs no introduction. His headship spanned more than 40 years. We hope that his great granddaughter Professor Jennifer Tann – she was a guest of honour at Speech Day in 200? – will be joining our other guests. Internationally renowned, she is Professor of Innovation Studies at Birmingham Business School, part of Birmingham University. It was Ruddle who before his death chose, persuaded and recruited John Rounsefell, himself an Old Shebbearian, to succeed him. 

 

Rounsefell, much respected, had one son, born severely handicapped who died at an early age. However, he had two brothers, Digory and Owen, both to enter the Bible Christian ministry. Digory was certainly educated at Shebbear and it seems certain that Owen was as well.Owen had two children, Anthony and Julia. Dr Anthony Rounsefell was a dentist in Cheltenham. Such is the excellence of the Shebbearian as a journal of record that it was once recorded that an Old Shebbearian had been a patient. Sadly, we were too late in tracking down Anthony – he died in 2006. But inquiries led to Julia, living in Moorland, near Bridgewater. She will be delighted to attend as the grand niece of “Rusty”.

 

Moving on to “modern times” Pat Johnson, who was a student at London University at the same time as Secretary David Haley, is the daughter of Leslie Johnson. She has fond memories of Shebbear and the village primary school and is “very delighted to be included in this special occasion.”

 

Clare Woodhouse is the late Jack Morris’s eldest granddaughter. She was overjoyed on contacting the OSA three years ago from her home in Perugia, Italy, to be sent information and memories on JBM. Distance prevents her from attending the reunion, but she is sure that Eva, a sister from London, will take her place.

 

Alice Kingsnorth, last at a reunion in 2001 and now in her eighties, is determined to come. So are Russell and Carolyn Buley. Russell has retired from his duties as chaplain Truro School; but is working part-time for the Methodist Church in Penzance.

 

Finally to Leslie and Lynda Clark, now living in full retirement (he did a short spell as Headmaster of Edgehill College after retiring from Shebbear) at Newton Mearns, near Glasgow. Referring to “the spirit that is Shebbear”, he said:”We will see that spirit a plenty next January. I very much look forward to this unique event." 

 

Old Shebbearians are advised that tickets for the special dinner will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Seating at the RAF Club is limited to around 130 seats.

 
OSA Hon. Sec. is David Haley, Cold Norton Farm, Ockham Lane, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1LW
Tel: +44 (0)1932 863746 Fax: +44 (0)1932 866709 Website: www.oldshebbearian.co.uk