A Memorable Visit from 1982

A group of friends from the Year of 1982 recently returned to King’s as part of a weekend-long get-together, taking the opportunity to catch up and remember their friend OV Martin White (Cr 77-82 and Old Hawfordian), who passed away in 2024. His absence was felt throughout, but the visit was a chance to share memories and spend time together again.

Gathering together were OVs Andrew Husband (S 77-82), Niall McNevin (Br 72-82 and Old St Alban’s ), Steve McOwan (W 75-82), Adrian Searle (Cr 75-82), Andrew Street (Br 77-82) and Chris Whittingslow (W 80-82). While some are still relatively local, others travelled from across the UK, while Adrian was visiting all the way from New Zealand. Despite the distance and the time passed since being together at School, the group quickly picked up where they left off and the years fell away.

The tour of the school brought back plenty of stories, most of which are probably best left unpublished! This was, after all, the year group involved with the mysterious footprints from Matron’s house to the Head’s, amongst other things. No one present admitted responsibility, of course.

An important place to visit was the Michael Baker Boathouse, in honour of Martin who was a keen rower at King’s. Niall explained, “The boathouse, which in its previous pretty rickety condition, found Martin for many hours ‘boat faffing’, which he regularly in his life continued at the boat club in Clevedon together with bike ‘faffing’, car ‘faffing’ and latterly motorcycle ‘faffing’! Of course he may have described it as fine tuning!”

Throughout the tour, around the main School site and King’s St Alban’s, the group remembered former teachers and old schoolfriends with incredible recollection, sharing their memories with current members of King’s staff including Hon OVs Donna Salkeld in the Annett Building/Maths Block/New Block, and Elizabeth Shepherd in Edgar Tower (now home to the Classics department but the library and History when they were there).

After the tour, the group headed to Worcester for an evening of cricket, which gave more time to talk and reminisce. Plans for a day at Worcester Races the following day were cut short by the typical British weather, but it didn’t dampen the mood.

It was a simple but memorable reunion; lots of laughs, plenty of shared history, and a chance to remember a friend who would have been right there with them.

There are also plans afoot for a reunion next summer for the Year of 1982. If you are interested, please get in touch with the Alumni Office in the first instance and confirm if you are happy for your details to be passed onwards to the OVs spearheading it!