Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Pe.A wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:09 pm

marty wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:02 pm

AMP wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2019 5:37 pm No, genuinely stress related as I recall.

Baker made out that Webb was leaving due to stress & we know that wasn’t true so how can we be sure the same convenient lie wasn’t used for Porteous?

I wouldnt necessarily rule out the stress related breakdown bit. Its the reasons behind that that were brushed over (?)

In as much as I could judge at the age of 13, Webb did have a nervous breakdown. Of course, lots of people have breakdowns without abusing kids, but I do think that Baker's letter had some truth to it.

This tribute is in the October 2018 issue of St Peter's Church, West Blatchington.

My condolences to his family.

Michael Porteous
Thank you for all the many cards and messages that we have received.
Michael was a proud Australian born in Tasmania, but spent most of his life in Sydney. Michael was the eldest of four children and came from a very loving family.
Music played a major part in Michael's life. He studied the cello at Sydney Conservatorium and played in the National Youth Orchestra. He was granted a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, which he was unable to take up, but continued to have weekly cello lessons there. Michael was an accomplished recorder player as well as being able to play a number of other instruments. Michael played in amateur orchestras whenever possible. He loved the Opera and would dash off to London to look at Art Galleries and in the evening go to the Opera.Since his retirement he has written a great deal of music, including an Opera. He was also a very good artist and painted many pictures.
Michael was a devoted husband and loving father to Charles and Sidonia and grandfather to Nina and Oscar. Family holidays were spent camping in the South of France and holidaying on Greek Islands - always looking for the heat and sun, which he so needed. When possible Michael would fly off to Australia to see his family. He was no sportsman, but he loved listening to the cricket especially when Australia were beating England - no comment on Australia being caught cheating!
After Michael was ordained he served at St.Michael's, Barnes, The Annunciation, Brighton and at The Holy Nativity in Lower Bevendean. He was Senior Chaplain at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, where he also taught Divinity for 5 years.He then took up the position of Rector at St.Peter’s until he retired.
After his retirement, Michael made his home in Thailand near the sea, and swam everyday. He hated the jelly fish and wasn't too keen on the kite surfers! Sidonia and Nina visited him every year for their Summer holidays, and as I write this they are again in Thailand, a holiday booked 3 weeks before he died. Michael found the British weather very difficult, the long, cold, grey days very depressing. You may think it strange that I didn't go to Thailand to live, but the heat and I do not get on and there are also many snakes - something I hate!
Michael had always stated that he didn't want a funeral or any sort of Memorial service, but to simply 'slip away'. This being said, he was given a Buddhist funeral and cremation and his ashes scattered at sea where he used to swim. I feel sure he would have been more than happy with this.
With love to you all,
Daphne

Oh wow this is weird as I thought he was still in prison in UK.
He must have been let out early?

Isn't there another ex staff member (ERM) in exile in Thailiand? It seems you can join the web of grubs together quite easily

Elvie wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:43 am Isn't there another ex staff member (ERM) in exile in Thailiand? It seems you can join the web of grubs together quite easily

Richard Poulton, the Headmaster when I was there, who is documented (by newspapers and court records) as having done very little to prevent rampant child abuse during his tenure, moved to Pattaya immediately after leaving CH, to help set up the "International School of Regents", which caters to the spoiled brats of the ultra-rich Russian kleptocracy and various other wealthy international ne'er-do-wells. Some Old Blues were unfortunately duped into helping (is funding gap years really a good use of money for charitable purposes anyway?):

http://www.bluessupportingblues.com/louise-bangs.html

As has been mentioned several times on here and as can be easily verified, Pattaya is the world capital for child prostitution. There is evidence that at least one teacher at the International School of the Regents was convicted of paedophilia, but I posted the wrong link earlier. It seems likely that this individual did teach at ISR, but this isn't conclusive as it's just a forum post (see post 70):
https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asia- ... sex-3.html

Here's the arcived newspaper report on the teacher: http://web.archive.org/web/201208201219 ... n-pattaya/