The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

Moderator: Moderators

davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

The British Columbia Old Blues (BCOB) founded in 1930 via an initiative of HM Sir William Hamilton Fyfe and remarkably active ever since with several distinguished OBSRA's as members (Terry Bate - Media Entreprenueur, Timothy Parsons - Japan Laureate & Marine Biologist, Sir John Daniel OC - Metallurgist, Engineer & Educationalist) has launched a book project on the story of Old Blues in Canada and USA 1617-2017 which is designed around about twelve "essay" chapters by some twelve Old Blues who generally have made part of their careers and lives in North America. The theme for each essay is the adventurous trajectory which took each essayist from Housey to North America - with diversions in each essay on other significant, designated/agreed North American Old Blues such as John Colborne, Field Marshal, Baron Seaton and Governor of Canada - exploring thereby the contributions to North America by Old Blues in various realms entrepreneurially - politics (Robert Burnaby), business (Christopher Bugge, Terry Bate, Anthony Sessions), military (General Thomas North US Army), academia (Timothy Parsons, William Pearson, Michael Craton, Alan Ryan, Graham Riches), Arts/Hollywood (Michael Wilding). This book would be designed especially for Blues and a copy (funded via BCOB) would be given to each Blue and each current member of CH staff (1000 copies) - as with "The CH Book" in 1953 - and designed for other younger readers with an individual, free-flowing and anecdotal storyline in each essay. Included would be the story of Old Blues moving to North America from 1617 as researched by Josh Reynolds from Eastern Canada Old Blues - and essays by Old Blues in the United States as well as Canada. The book would be perhaps akin to the style of books such as Bryan Magee's "Growing up in a War", Simon Wynchank''s "Louis Harold Gray" and Tim Parsons' "The Sea's Enthrall". A coherent collection of interesting stories written in concise readable and entertaining language (6-20 pages each essay -with just 12 B&W illustrations in total). This is a three year project 2018-2021 designed to be launched at a one day Big School "Christ's Hospital Education Conference" in Spring 2022 with a Foreword by HM Simon Reid on new directions for Housey and the CH/North America link over four centuries and ongoing. All income from sales would be designated for the CH Foundation. A notice on this project was published in the December 2017 CHOBA News and comments, suggestions and ideas would be most welcome in evolving this proposed book project in the interests of the Housey mission and ethos in the 21stC.
Kit Bartlett
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 333
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:58 am
Real Name: Christopher Bartlett

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by Kit Bartlett »

D ear David,
I was interested in the above project. One name you may wish to include, who I am sure that you know about is George Michael Betts , T.A. 1941-49 who was a Professor and who died some years ago.
Best wishes,
Kit Bartlett
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

Many thanks. Have you more details of Betts - also Michael Craton?
brian walling
LE (Little Erasmus)
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:32 pm
Real Name: Brian Walling
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by brian walling »

Dear David

One interesting and unique North American OB who could perhaps be considered for mention in the book is James H Bell, Maine A 1957-58 (born 1939, died 2011). He was American, from New Jersey, and came to CH on a special one year English Speaking Union exchange deal. He came straight to CH from schooling at Philips Academy, Andover, and after CH went on to Yale where he studied Law and subsequently went into practice in New York in corporate Law, M&A etc.

From what I have seen, James after leaving was an outstanding suppporter of CH, in spite of having being at CH for only one year. References to CH are frequent in the material on him on the Web.

I don't know whether any other Americans made it to CH and then back to America before Jim Bell. Most interesting was the fact that he parachuted straight into History Grecians 2nd Parting and became an instant button Grecian and house monitor in Maine A on arrival. From the very start he adapted brilliantly to the CH environment and all its traditions.

Best wishes and good luck with the project!
Ma A 53-60
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

Dear Brian

Many thanks. Jim Bell was a close friend of David Godfrey (now also sadly deceased) and they worked together with also their Housemaster Martin Barker (still active in Coventry) on CH/USA links and we need to progress their work via FCH. Ideas?

All Best
David
User avatar
Mid A 15
Button Grecian
Posts: 3172
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:38 pm
Real Name: Claude Rains
Location: The Patio Of England (Kent)

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by Mid A 15 »

I remember an American called Michael Schmidt (? spelling) spending a full academic year at CH during my own first academic year of 1965/1966 but do not recall any others during the remainder of my time. I stand to be corrected by other contemporaries!

I am therefore surmising that Schmidt was the last of his type. Out of interest does anybody know how long the tradition of Americans spending a year at CH lasted?
Ma A, Mid A 65 -72
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

During 1950-1957 there was an American Blue regularly I believe. FCH must have full records.
User avatar
LongGone
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:17 pm
Real Name: Mike Adams
Location: New England

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by LongGone »

I remember Jim Bell trying, unsuccessfully, to teach us the art of a forward pass using a rugby ball. Alas the aerodynamics are sufficiently different from the US football that he could never obtain needed spin. Since moving Connecticut, he and I communicated several times, but circumstances never lead to a reunion.
If a stone falls on an egg: alas for the egg
If an egg falls on a stone: alas for the egg
JohnAL
3rd Former
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:49 pm
Real Name: John Fairfield

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by JohnAL »

I recollect there were several Americans at CH under identical circumstances to those mentioned above. (They were instant button grecians, spending only one year at CH.) I understand they all came from Phillips Academy (but it may have been Phillips-Exeter and/or Phillips-Andover). Further I believe that this tradition was started by EG Malins (head of English at CH) around 1950, after he had spent a year teaching at the same Phillips Academy. Incidentally he returned from that year with an American wife, named Mitzi, or was that a nickname? There is certainly mention of all these American grecians in The Blue (available in the CH Museum and elsewhere). Finally there was at least one UK Blue who spent a year at Phillips after leaving CH. I think it was CL Hicks of Mid B, an excellent sprinter. At that time Malins was Mid B’s senior housemaster. Hicks wrote something about his experiences in either The Blue or Outlook.
sejintenej
Button Grecian
Posts: 4092
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:19 pm
Real Name: David Brown ColA '52-'61
Location: Essex

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by sejintenej »

JohnAL wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 5:51 am I recollect there were several Americans at CH under identical circumstances to those mentioned above.
Yes, there was a new one every year. Never one in Col A in my time and as they would have been in different classes I never realised that they got their buttons. I remember that the one who arrived in September 1960 introduced basketball which became quite a craze throughout the school.
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

Maybe someone could volunteer to write up this story of American Blues for this BCOB book project?
Foureyes
Grecian
Posts: 926
Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:26 am
Real Name: David
Location: England

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by Foureyes »

There was one I recall, named Clem Hastie (Hastey?). I think he was at C.H. in either 1949 or the very early 50s. He certainly had his buttons. I think he was in Lamb B but wouldn't put any money on it. I am sure that the names of the others could be followed in the House Notes in The Blue.
I also believe that this subject was discussed on this CH Forum some years back.
David
:shock:
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

This American initiative via seemingly EG Malins in the post WWII era is an interesting aspect of the globalization of admissions and could be explored as a chapter in the BCOB book. In the 21stC we have witnessed the widening of admissions worldwide as part of the FFP initiative - from the origins of the mission for children in London, then SE England (eg Reading), then the UK, USA, Global. There could be a thread picked up beneficially for the BCOB book which we seek to have interest widely as indeed the CH Book of 1953. Any takers?
Foureyes
Grecian
Posts: 926
Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:26 am
Real Name: David
Location: England

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by Foureyes »

David,
There may have been an even earlier manifestation of 'globalization.' I can remember Mr Archbold talking about a German student having been at the school in the pre-war days. I cannot remember the details, but I got the impression that he was very unpopular as he seems to have been imbued with Nazi propaganda and tried to spread it at Housie - some chance!
I don't know whether it involved more than one German or whether it was a one- or two-way affair, but I believe that it was for one term only.
But, this is a very vague recollection with a third party, so it would need verifying with official records.
David
davidtaplin
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:19 am
Real Name: David Taplin
Location: 221-1111 East 27th St North Vancouver V7j 1S3 Canada

Re: The Story of Old Blues in North America - BCOB Book Project

Post by davidtaplin »

David, Interesting anecdote especially involving TEA. I'm hoping this whole thread develops. The first step outside London admissions to eg Reading (West Gift) then to northern places like Derbyshire (Barnes Wallis was from Derbyshire) through to today (Hong Kong etc). Awaiting posts! I'm very optimistic about the BCOB book project including the launch Conference in Big School and this becoming an ongoing series of collected essays. Thanks for your input variously. Lamb B forever! David
Post Reply