Regular Features - George Watson's College · Cat Cubie (Class of 1998) If you would be interested...

caritas

The magazine of the former pupils and friends of George Watson’s College Issue 30

July 2011

Regular FeaturesDevelopment MattersWatsonian NewsWhere are they now?

Plus2011/12 Annual Fund Launched

Cat Cubie Past and Presenting

[email protected]

Tel: 0032 2 763 [email protected]

Tel: (905) 272 [email protected]


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[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

Tel: 0064 3351 [email protected]

Tel: 002721 7129426


[email protected]

BahamasMargaret Bain

Belgium (Brussels)Andrew Brown

Canada (Toronto)Robert Chassels

France (Paris) Inez Forbes

GermanyMarkus Schroeder

Hong KongMario Maciocia

South-East Asia(Thailand)Stephen Wise

New ZealandDouglas Bridges

South Africa(Cape Town)Brian Hogg

Spain (Alicante)Kate Burke

Switzerland(Geneva) Henry Meyerhoff

UK

Overseas

Watsonian Networkforthcoming events

AberdeenBill Ferguson

BordersTom Kerr

South West EnglandSheena Carter

Highland and MorayIan Davidson

LancashireNigel Kirkness

LondonAndrew Burt

Perth WomenValerie Fox

YorkshireEric Ironside

Australia(Sydney)Pat Stevenson

Australia(Victoria) Sandy Robb

forthcoming events

Tel: 01330 [email protected]






Tel: 01738 629145




Watsonian Network

Sports ContactsIf you are interested in participating in any of the sports below please contact the appropriate person.

[email protected]


[email protected]


[email protected]


susan.jackson@ winningscotlandfoundation.org

Tel: 0131 225 1119

[email protected]

Tel: 0131 446 6100

Rugby Brian Drinkwater

Cricket Jonathan Moore

Curling Dan Lean

Golf (men) David McMurray

Golf (women) Moira Murray

Hockey Darren Cavaroli

Rifle Susan Jackson

Squash Brenda Carmichael

Swimming Alan H Masson

Myreside Office

forthcoming events

Worldwide Contacts Worldwide ContactsWorldwide Contacts

The magazine of the former pupils and friends of George Watson’s CollegeAny enquiries relating to Watsonian matters should be made to the Development Office, George Watson’s College,

Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5EG Tel: 0131 446 6008 Fax: 0131 446 6102 email: [email protected]

Worldwide Contacts Worldwide Contacts

If you would be interested in attending a Music, Sport or Drama event at Watson’s please contact the Development Office on 0131 446 6008 or email: [email protected]

forthcoming events

USA (North California)Brian WilliamsonJake Mackenzie

USA (East Coast)Robin Macdonald

Watsonian President Rod Slater [email protected] President John Spence [email protected] Roy Mack [email protected] David Mieras [email protected] Gareth Edwards [email protected] of Development Lesley McKean [email protected] Convener Vacant Elected member Lorna Baird [email protected] member Martin Macari [email protected]

Tel: 001 415435 [email protected]@aol.com

[email protected]

Watsonian Council

Worldwide Contacts

Watsonian Network

Worldwide Contacts

Watsonian Network

2011/2012

cont

ents

2011/201210 September Munich Reunion

13 September Caritas Lecture

16 September Highlands and Moray Dinner

7/8 October School Reunion

8 October School Open Day

26 October Watsonian Benevolent Fund AGM

The Watsonian Club AGM

Myreside AGM

28 October Caritas Dinner

3 November London Watsonian Club AGM

11 November Remembrance Day Service

2 December London Watsonian Club Christmas Dinner

Border Watsonian Club Dinner

13 January London Cenotaph Ceremony

16 March London Watsonian Club Dinner

Every gift in every Willmakes a difference.

For information aboutleaving a Legacy to

the George Watson’sFamily Foundationplease contact the

Development Office.

[email protected]


[email protected]


[email protected]


susan.jackson@ winningscotlandfoundation.org

Tel: 0131 225 1119

[email protected]

Tel: 0131 446 6100

George Watson’s CollegeColinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5EG

Tel: 0131 446 6008 Fax: 0131 446 6102email: [email protected]://www.gwc.org.ukGeorge Watson’s College is administered by the Edinburgh MerchantCompany Education Board; a charity registered in Scotland SC009747

Service With a Smile 4 Watsonians Online 5 Kerr Fry Awards 5 Development Matters 6

The magazine of the former pupils and friends of George Watson’s College

EditorLesley McKean (Director of Development)

Design and Production David Brown (George Watson’s College)

CoverCat Cubie (Class of 1998)

If you would be interested in attending a Music, Sport or Drama event at Watson’s please contact the Development Office on 0131 446 6008 or email: [email protected]

Lesley McKean(née Scott, class of 1981)Director of Development

cont

ents

Watsonian News 8 Where Are They Now? 10 Ties That Bind 12 50 Years of Projects 13

Cat Cubie: 14

Past and Presenting Postcard from Gibraltar 15 Desperately Seeking 16

EditorialThe School is in the process of producing its strategic plan for the next five years.

As all of us know, circumstances can change dramatically over a five year period, but a plan is essential to set targets and measure success.

The plan includes the whole Watson’s community and we aim to remain a strong, competitive and forward thinking school far into the future.

Examples of our forward thinking include the introduction of the International Baccalaureate next session, the construction of the George Watson’s College Centre for Sport, which will be completed in Spring 2012, and our new integrated websites for both School and Watsonian communities.

Our commitment to the Foundation remains strong. However, we need ongoing support particularly in this challenging economic climate and details of this year’s Annual Fund are included in this issue of Caritas. I hope that you can give careful consideration to continuing your support or becoming one of our donors.

This year’s School Open Morning and Reunion will take place in October. If you would like more information on either event, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We have recently launched Watsonians Online and more information is provided inside this issue of Caritas. Please join up, as some of the information is only available to online members. This site also gives information about forthcoming events and we hope that you will be able to attend something in the coming year.

Please remember that the Development Office staff (Roy, Lesley, Carol, Anne and Morven) are here to help with any enquiries you may have about the Foundation or former pupil activity.

To the right is a photo of the Class of 2011; we wish them well for the future and are delighted to welcome them all as Watsonians.

Every gift in every Willmakes a difference.

For information aboutleaving a Legacy to

the George Watson’sFamily Foundationplease contact the

Development Office.

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Service with a Smile In January 2011 Caritas listed me on the ‘Desperately Seeking’ page. I should like to thank Charles Alexander and Ian MacFarlane’s sister Anne for reconnecting me with my halcyon school days. Charles strummed guitar, while Allen Skinner deafened the neighbours with his drums, in Elliot Road near Redford Barracks where we both lived. I combined an Edinburgh reunion last March for retired members of HM Diplomatic Service (I served from 1969–2007) with Scottish connections, with my first visit to Colinton Road, since leaving for London in 1968. During my time as a student of modern languages at Edinburgh University, I had enjoyed playing hockey and cricket at Myreside. I recall convivial, if chilly, Easter hockey tours to Aberdeen.

Lesley McKean received me warmly at the splendid Development Office building, which in my day provided toilets and shelter during rain soaked breaks. Reminiscences with Lesley and members of staff, and a comprehensive tour (Jamie Errington was a splendid guide), brought home to me how much has changed. The range of subjects on offer, and the opportunities for visits and exchanges, already considerable in my day, have expanded out of all recognition. The Music School (my first visit abroad was with the School choir to Denmark in 1961), new subjects, and above all the merger with GWLC, mean that the school is much more crowded now. My painting by Michael Gill reminds me where playing fields used to be. But I found many of my old classrooms, the school hall, the Blair Library, and the hockey pitch in front of the main building, much as they were.

I enjoyed my last year, as the school notable with the ‘highest brow and the broadest grin’, according to Phoenix. No examinations loomed. There was time for one to one tuition in Russian (what a privilege!) and extra curricular activities. I concentrated on hockey, in a 1st XI ably led by Peter Glen, and on Ecce. Editing Ecce gave me a first brush with censorship. I had added a George Square supplement, much to the chagrin, as it turned out, of the GWLC headmistress. Roger Young summoned me. He had just had an earful

from (the late) Hilda Fleming. Ecce was corrupting her young ladies. Sales (cost per copy: 1 pre-decimal penny) had to stop. Ecce also annoyed our irascible deputy head master (Johnny Sinclair) who took exception to my criticism (Mr Waugh, the history teacher who doubled up as censor had approved the editorial) of his management of the Blair Library. But these were minor tribulations compared with the weekly cliffhanger of going to press on Sunday afternoon. We had to type on skins, and make corrections with Tippex. The antique duplicator might fail. We relied on the services of the sports editor’s (Colin Ross 1964) sister, a perfect secretary.

I am grateful to teachers such as ‘Jasper’ Brown and ‘Papa’ Henry who awakened my interest in languages, history, and current affairs. I have fond memories of Edinburgh University too. Professor (of French literature) Alan Steele was inspiring. He supported my ambition to join the diplomatic service. Union debates were enlivened by Robin Cook and Malcolm Rifkind (1963). From the pulpit of St Giles Cathedral, the Rector, Malcolm Muggeridge, denounced us as degenerates, ‘addicted to pot and pill’, and resigned. My year in France was spent in Toulon, a short drive from St Tropez. Lecteurs were well paid, and the workload was minimal. So, I found time, with three French students, to visit Munich, where I met my future wife at a Fasching (Carnival) fancy dress ball in the city’s main art gallery.

During most of my career, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was truly a great department of state. I was lucky with my postings, especially as deputy

head of mission in East Berlin when the Wall fell. I worked with several distinguished Watsonians, including Sir Kenneth Scott on peace building in Bosnia. My assignment as the international community’s Deputy High Representative, based in war torn Mostar was challenging. I have warm memories of the late Sir Donald Maitland, with whom I worked on the independence of the New Hebrides (Vanuatu); Gavin Hewitt, whom I succeeded as Ambassador to Croatia; and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, with whom I worked on several aspects of European security. A Scottish identity plays well in many parts of the world. I felt at home at the Badenoch rubber plantation in Malaysia, and working with an indefatigable ambassador to Georgia, Donald (chief of Clan) Maclaren, also an alumnus of Edinburgh University. Donald’s bagpiping helped to put Britain, and Scotland in particular, on the map in this exotic country with which I am presently working on building up the rule of law.

The edition of Caritas that was desperately seeking me, also announced a “grand Scottish-Bavarian reunion dinner” in Munich (school exchanges with Munich started after my time) on 10 September 2011. Not least because my wife and I now live in Vienna (my last post was in Vienna as UK Ambassador to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), this will be a convenient opportunity to strengthen further links with the old school. I look forward to meeting old friends, and making new ones there.Colin Munro(Class of 1964)

Colin Munro (fourth from left) in Mostar, surrounded by Royal Military Police bodyguards in full regalia, with war damage in the background

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RegisterYou register by visiting www.watsonians.org and creating a login under new user registration.

User profile formCan we please encourage you to complete the User Profile Form, which you will find under Your Pages. You can keep this information private, but anything you are happy to share with other users in future you can choose to make public.

Job AdvertsIf you would like to advertise a job, there is a section entitled Job Board, also found under Your Pages. There is also a link to jobs at Watson’s.

Careers AdviceFollowing the recent retirement of Rodney Mallinson, the new Director of Careers is Ian Jordan who will be known to many of you. Over the coming years we will be looking at more ways that parents and former pupils can assist with careers advice, and we also hope to develop opportunities for former pupils to benefit from networking and mentoring schemes.

Development NewsPlease provide us with news of Watsonians that we can post on our home page. The more news the better!

ReunionsAlready set up are pages for the 2011 Reunion so that you can track who is attending the reunion. However, please sign up early to encourage others to attend, as from experience it can work against the event if people wait until others they know have signed up.

Watsonians Online

Polls and SurveysWe will have occasional polls and surveys posted, and again your help with responding to these will be greatly appreciated.

Forthcoming EventsWatsonians Online will keep you up to date on forthcoming events. If you plan to hold a Watsonian event, or a fundraiser for the Foundation, please let us know and we can help to publicise it.

Funding for WatsoniansOpportunities for travel grants have now become open to young former pupils and this information is available at Funding for Watsonians, as is information on The Watsonian Benevolent Fund and the Kerr Fry Awards.

DonationsDonations remain a vital part of our work and you can donate online. Any support of the George Watson’s Family Foundation is greatly appreciated and makes a difference to the lives of so many of our pupils.

ObituariesWatsonian Obituaries will be regularly updated on this site, in addition to being included in The Watsonian magazine.

The website is still in its infancy but will develop over time to provide a useful resource for our worldwide Watsonian community.

Kerr-Fry AwardsStudy awards for graduates of the University of Edinburgh who are also former pupils of George Watson’s College.

These research awards are for people who, because of their circumstances, would not normally be able to give up their usual work and who wish to undertake research or experimental work in the area of their choice.

Kerr-Fry PhD ScholarshipAvailable to former pupils of at least three years standing at George Watson’s College, who have been accepted at the University of Edinburgh on a full-time PhD degree programme in any subject offered by the University.

For more information on eligibility, criteria and applying please visit the Scholarships and Student Funding Services part of The University of Edinburgh website.

The School has recently launched its new website and there is a link to a special site for Watsonians, parents, and friends of the School called Watsonians Online (www.watsonians.org). The success of this site depends on people registering and providing information. We hope that you will join up, and we will continue to develop it over the coming years.

www.watsonians.org

Development MattersDevelopment Matters

Development Matters

Development Matters

Development MattersDevelopment Matters

Help to make a lasting difference through a legacy to the Foundation.For further information please contact the Development Office.

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Dr Anne Brobbel

Congratulations to former Deputy Head of George Watson’s College, Anne Brobbel on receiving an Honorary Doctorate in Education from Edinburgh Napier University. Pictured above left to right are Professor Dame Joan Stringer, Principal and Vice Chancellor, Dr Anne Brobbel, Dr Jenny Rees (mother of former pupils Tristram and Tamsin) and Tim Waterstone, Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University.

With easyfundraising you can shop online with over 600 well known retailers and every purchase you make will generate a free cash donation for the George Watson’s Family Foundation if we are nominated as your good cause. Easyfundraising is free to use and you won’t pay a penny more for your shopping. The potential for this area of our fundraising is huge, so when you shop online please remember easyfundraising.org.uk

Caritas DinnerFriday 28 October 2011. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Enablement Ceilidh raises £9,943

Thanks to Susan Hamilton, Chrys Hibbert, Ruth Thomas and Jaqui Smith for organising this fantastic event in aid of the Enablement Fund. We are delighted that an S5 pupil will join us next session as a result of this fundraising.

Fantastic Fundraising Helps Fellow PupilsEach year we have a huge fundraising effort during the second term from our pupils to support the George Watson’s Family Foundat ion. Thi s year was no different and in addition to the regular tie day in the Junior School and dre s s down day in the Senior School there were sponsored events, coin collections and some individual f u n d r a i s i n g . The total raised was £11,845.02 Fantastic!

Join BBC Weathergirl Cat Cubie who forecasts a memorable night

at the

Caritas DinnerFriday 28 October 2011

Sponsorship and catering by

Be blown away by our entertainment, including live band Corra

The School now has an excellent range of merchandise available for sale.

Further information is available from the Development Office on 0131 446 6008.

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Launch of 2011/12 Annual Fund Thank you once again to everyone who has supported the Foundation in the last financial year (1/8/10 – 31/7/11). The Annual Fund supported many areas of school life, primarily financial support for Foundationers and help for families who require short term fee assistance. Other areas supported included provision of technology equipment, music masterclasses, travel grants, contributions to the Enablement Fund, donations to the George Watson’s College Centre for Sport and the School Angling Club.

All donors receive, with this issue of Caritas, an invitation to our donors’ event and also details of the 2011/12 Annual Fund.

The 2011/12 Annual Fund is seeking support from all former pupils, staff, parents and other members of the wider Watsonian community and details are enclosed. Our focus for the coming year is to provide financial assistance for new Foundationers and for short term fee assistance. However, if you have a specific area of school life that you would wish your donation to support, please let us know.

Lady Susan Rice at Business Breakfast

We were delighted to welcome Lady Susan Rice, Managing Director, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland to talk to this year’s Business Breakfast.

A Chartered Banker, she was previously Chairman and Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland, the first woman to head a UK clearing bank. During the breakfast she gave a very honest and inspiring speech on her “journey” through her business life, and some of the surprising turns that her career had taken.

Thank You

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the tremendous efforts of our parent volunteer fundraisers throughout the year. Pictured above is a photo from the recent Parents’ Association Ball, which raised over £15,000 for short term fee assistance for current Watson’s parents and the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland.

In June, The Technology Department, received a very welcome gift of equipment, including a laser cutter (pictured) from Vernon Williamson, Douglas Loudon and Donald Fortune.

Fashion Show Raises £1,080We were delighted that the first fashion show held in support of the Foundation raised £1,080.

Centre for Sport We are delighted that this fabulous new facility is still on schedule for completion in Spring 2012. To follow its progress please use the link on the front page of www.watsonians.org.

Enterprising Pupils

Thank you to the above Primary 5 girls who raised money for the Foundation by selling Mother’s Day cards, cakes they had made, and old toys.

Watsonian NewsWatsonian News



Watsonian News


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Angela Palmer (née Gordon, Class of 1975) pictured above, speaking at the 2011 Founder’s Day.

Angela thoroughly entertained the audience and it was a pleasure to welcome her back to Watson’s.

Brenda Visits Watson’s

We were delighted to welcome Brenda Pope (Class of 1937) to School on Thursday 9 June. Brenda is a lifelong supporter of the School and The Watsonian Club and Rod Slater, President of The Watsonian Club took her on a tour of the School where she placed flowers at the War Memorial in memory of friends who had lost their lives. Brenda has a delightful sense of humour and shared some great stories with us.

£2,500 Disbursed For Watsonian Travel Grants

This year for the first time, Watsonian Travel Grants were awarded to former pupils as well as current pupils. The successful candidates were former pupils, Hollie Smith (Class of 2007) and James Newbery (Class of 2008). Pictured left to right above are the pupil recipients Eilidh Farquhar, Daniel Williamson, Jake Gray, Will Kelly and Caroline Daw.

Photo by Nina Shahroozi (Class of 2009)

Remembrance Day

We were delighted to receive this photo recently from John W M Jamieson showing the formal unveiling of the Second World War section of the School War Memorial at the School Remembrance ceremony in 1949. John played the pipes for the lament.

This year’s School remembrance ceremony will take place on Friday 11 November. If you would like to attend, please contact the Development Office for further details.

The Aberdeen Watsonian Club held its 65th Annual Dinner at the Royal Aberdeen University Club on Friday 27 May. Pictured left to right are Liam Kerr, Rod Slater,

Sylvie Slater, Bill Ferguson, Kim Watson and George Bews.

Is This a Record?Following the last issue of Caritas, Ian Groundwater (Class of 1946) phoned to tell us that the Ross family also had eight children who attended Watson’s. They were Lex, Herbert, Barbara, Eric, Ronald, Ian, Graham and Joan.

Watsonian Club AGMNotice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of The Watsonian Club will be held on Wednesday 26 October 2011 at Myreside at 7pm. As there is no longer a subscription for joining The Club, all Watsonians, as members of The Watsonian Club, are entitled to attend and vote at this meeting.

Nominations for Office Bearers should be in the hands of the Secretary, Roy Mack, by 5 October 2011.

Agenda1. Notice calling the meeting2. Apologies3. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 27 October 20104. Business arising from the minutes5. President’s Report6. Council Report7. Development Office Report8. Accounts9. Proposed changes to the Constitution10. Election of Office Bearers11. Any other business

Note: Copies of the minutes of the 2010 Annual General Meeting, Council Report, and Accounts will be available from the School Development Office from 5 October 2011.

Attend a Reunion – You Are Joking!Is this the reaction many Watsonians have when the envelope drops through the letter box promising the event of the year, not to be missed, a great opportunity to remember your schooldays with your classmates? Despite the obvious trepidation surrounding attending such an event, the reality is that it is a time to reconnect and reminisce, and above all have fun! So please sign up to the 2011 reunion if you are in the classes of 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961 or 1951. If you have not received information, please contact the Development Office or visit www.watsonians.org/reunions.

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Pictured above is President Rod Slater hosting a hugely successful informal gathering of Watsonians

in Cambridge on 2 March

Stephen Takes Watson’s to the Top of the World

Stephen Green (Class of 2005, pictured right) reached the summit of Mount Everest at 8.15am local time on 26 May 2011. Stephen came into School earlier this year to tell our Junior School pupils about his adventures on Everest. Last year, due to his oxygen problems he had to abort his attempt agonisingly close to the top with only 150m to go, and he had based his Assembly on the theme ‘You don’t always get what you want’.

Luckily this year his dreams have been realised. Stephen was supporting two charities which are very close to his heart, Cancer Research and Marie Curie Cancer Care. Watson’s also means a lot to Stephen and the flag, which is unfurled in the above photo carries the George Watson’s College logo, a photo of his year group and messages of goodwill from many staff and friends.

Pictured above is Watsonian Hockey stalwart George Thornton (Class of 1983), receiving a Thistle Award

from Lee Cousins, President of Scottish Hockey, in recognition of his long and valued service to

Scottish Hockey. (Photo courtesy of Duncan Gray)

Halford Hewitt Champions for the Sixth Time!

The Halford Hewitt Cup was founded in 1924. It is competed for today by the old boys of 64 English and Scottish independent schools. Watsonians were the first Scottish School to win the competition in 1957 and we are delighted that they have won the event this year for the sixth time.

The Order of the Baobab in Silver

Pictured above is William Winship (Class of 1945) receiving The Order of the Baobab in Silver from Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa. The award is in recognition of his excellent contribution to the field of medicine and dedication of his adult life to paediatrics and human genetics. His son David told us that his father would be the first to admit that the qualities he learned at GWC equipped him for the career he has enjoyed and the achievements he has made.

Anyone for Golf or other Sports?If you are living in the Edinburgh area and would like to join one of the Watsonian sports sections, please find the contact information on the inside front cover of Caritas.

IB Presentation to Former StaffMyreside was the venue for the latest former staff event held in May. Johanna Urquhart, Deputy Head gave an informative presentation on the forthcoming introduction of the International Baccalaureate to Watson’s. As you can imagine, given the audience, there was a lively question and answer session followed by lunch. All former staff were invited to attend and we hope to see even more people at future events.

Douglas Fraser entertains Guests at Watsonian DinnerGuests arrived to the sound of the pipes (provided by School piper, Calum Watson) on Friday 1 April. Under the expert chairmanship of Watsonian President, Rod Slater, those present were treated to an excellent evening. The pre-dinner entertainment was provided by the Watson’s saxophone group Saxability and guest speaker Douglas Fraser (Class of 1982) Business and Economy Editor at BBC Scotland did not disappoint with a witty and thought provoking speech.

To those of you who have not attended a Watsonian Dinner for a while, (or indeed ever!), please consider joining us next year, date to be confirmed.

The 2011 Paris Watsonian Dinner

Back row from left: David Crummey, Greg Nicolson, Scott James, Jamie Kennedy,

Richard Johnston, Martin Hopley. Front Row: Andrew Helm, Brian Tait, Non Playing

Captain Andrew Weir, Brian Bingham, Andrew Hogg

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Where are they now?Where are they now?Where are they now?

Where are they now?Where are they now?

Where are they now?

news on the whereabouts of former pupils

Philip Graham Class of 1998

Swapping maroon for green, Philip headed to RMA Sandhurst and a commissioned stint in the Royal Artillery. Returning to normality, some degrees in Architecture (nod to Messrs McVitie, Coutts and Robb in the Art Dept) have led Philip to practise in London, via Sheffield University, Erasmus study in Bucharest, work in Seattle, and two years working and (for a time) living in eastern Libya, designing a new, carbon-neutral city (on hold). Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition assessing keeps up his Watson’s links.

Cat MacLean Class of 1985

and Fergus MacLean Class of 1988

We would like to apologise for the wrong identification of Catriona MacLean in the last issue of Caritas. Below is a fuller article on Catriona and Fergus’s superb achievement.

On 25 September 2010, Cat, now an Edinburgh based solicitor, and Fergus, a GP in Dumbarton, successfully swam across the infamous Corryvreckan Whirlpool to raise money for CHAS, the Children’s Hospice Association, Scotland. Located between the islands of Jura and Scarba, Corryvreckan is the second largest tidal whirlpool in

the world, due to strong Atlantic currents and unusual underwater topography. The area is well known to the MacLeans, who spent most of their childhood holidaying in nearby Ardfern. Although the strait is only 1 mile across, the siblings had a mere 40-minute window between the ebb and flow of the tide to swim across before the whirlpool began running again and the waters became literally unnavigable. On the day of the swim the gods were clearly smiling on the pair, however, as the weather was calm and sunny with little wind. Crossing from Pig Bay in Jura to Scarba, Cat and Fergus, both Watson’s swimming captains in their time, successfully made it within the allotted time, although there was already a strong riptide running when they reached the rocks of Scarba. They said afterwards: “The money we were able to raise made the weeks of early morning training, permanent smell of chlorine, and wearing of all-over neoprene worthwhile. We paid for the costs of a safety patrol boat ourselves, so everything raised has gone straight to the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland.”

CHAS operates two children’s hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch, Loch Lomondside, the latter being local to Levenside Medical Practice in Dumbarton where Fergus is a partner. To date the MacLeans have raised almost £3,000. Donations can still be made at www.justgiving.com/corryvreckanwhirlpoolswim.

Professor Ian Philp Class of 1976

Mr Gordon, in years P6 and P7, left the strongest mark on Ian. His rugby career was cut short because of delayed growth, but he enjoyed curling, with encouragement from Mr Edington. His career in medicine allowed him to work in general practice, hospitals and public health, and to undertake research, policy, management and present cheesy TV programmes. He is currently Medical Director of South Warwickshire Foundation NHS Trust and was awarded a CBE for services to health care and older people in 2008.

Iain GrayClass of 1964

Iain Gray (not to be confused with the local politician) sends a cheery hello to the Class of 1964 to say that he’s alive and well and living in Putney.

After spending the last three weeks of his schooldays in Nice he lost touch with most of his classmates even though he always goes up to Edinburgh for the Festival. He says that at School his mind was on cricket and rugby and not on passing exams, and that he now has even broader horizons and would love to hear from any or all of Class of 1964 at [email protected] or on 07866 593501.

Philip Graham Cat MacLean and Fergus MacLean Ian Philip

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New Governor Susanne Tanner (née Murning) Class of 1992Susanne Tanner is a former pupil and a current parent at Watson’s and was pleased to be co-opted to the Governing Council by the Merchant Company Education Board. Susanne is an Advocate practising at the Scottish Bar and she also lectures in law at both theUniversity of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University. She is a member of the Merchant Company Education, Liaison and Enterprise Committee and has taken a keen interest in developing the annual Prize for Initiative competition and attending business events at the Merchant Company schools. Susanne has joined the Education Committee of the Governing Council, as she is keen to enhance and promote this aspect of school life at Watson’s.

Malcolm LivingstoneClass of 1953

After leaving Watson’s in 1951, Malcolm’s older brother stayed on as a boarder and Malcolm transferred to an English Grammar school, Malta GC, then Plymouth College before gaining a short service commission in the RAF as a trainee navigator. During this period he played rugby for the RAF Bomber Command and Herefordshire, at full back. He went to Exeter University where he graduated with a B Phil(Ed). Afterwards he studied for the LCP and AFIMA externally, during which time he was a co-author of a publication entitled Mathematics for Middle Schools. He completed his teaching career by lecturing in Mathematics and is also an avid supporter of Watsonian rugby, from a distance.

Iain Gray

Retiring StaffThe following members of staff retired in Session 2010/11.

Charles Barrington Marjory Broadie

Rodney Mallinson

Pam Walkinshaw

Malcolm Livingstone

Heather Wright

Ian Geddes

Ian Myles

Cathy Aitken

Jim FergusonEvelyn FergusonBrenda Ferguson

Margaret Lee

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It’s only when you start checking out schools for your own kids that you realise how rare and special Watson’s was, and is. My sister Carol, my brother George and I were all sent there for purely practical reasons (our mother was a part-time teacher at Watson’s so we got a discount on the fees), but I’ve had reason to feel grateful to the old school ever since.

A number of people who left with me in 1973 have remained lifelong friends. Each of these friends had families of course so, through them, I’ve remained connected to whole dynasties of Watsonians – the Flockharts and McIlvrides, the McDonalds, the Browns, the Holdens, and the Richmonds. As an expat, these ties become stronger and more important as the years progress.

This motley crew of pals have all been amazingly successful in their chosen fields. At the time none of us seemed destined for greatness. We were all hopeless dilettantes but maybe that was the key. The headmaster Roger Young – who seemed a traditionalist but was actually very liberal – had assembled a staff who generally encouraged you to try anything as long as it didn’t break the law or frighten the horses. In the old photos of the time, most of us in the 1st XV rugby team look like hippies. I remember the Latin master Jim Pickin once organised a bus trip to Glasgow to see Hair. Ted Edington took a group of us to trample the flora of Western Scotland, and some bold visionary – I think it was Mr Gill in the Art Department – got us permission to stage one of the first ever 6th form revues.

English was my favourite subject, initially encouraged by the loveable apple-cheeked Miss Dalgleish, who wasn’t much taller than the boys she taught in junior school. Later we had Mr Martin who retired before I left, after instilling in me a life-long passion for the adventure stories of Hemmingway,

Steinbeck, Jack London, Graham Greene and Robert Louis Stevenson. From their novels I formed the idea that a writer’s life involved sailing to the South Seas, wrestling with bears and hanging out with exotic Latino revolutionaries.

The part you don’t read about in these novels of course, but you later get from the biographies, was the method by which these experiences are actually committed to paper – the sitting in a room for weeks on end, wrestling with plot and character, then re-reading your efforts and wondering, not for the first time “Why am I doing this?”

In my case it certainly wasn’t plan A.Plan A was to become a doctor, because

that was the family tradition. My father was a doctor and his father was a dentist in Bo’ness. My sister and my brother became doctors and we all went to Edinburgh medical school. My sister married a doctor and their son became a doctor too. This suggests, I admit, a certain poverty of imagination but we all made the career choice for separate reasons. My sister Carol was very compassionate, my brother George had a naturally deductive mind and I figured the best way to hang out with exotic revolutionaries etc, was to be the guy running the local medical clinic. It’s nutty logic, I know, but that’s how your mind works when you’re 17.

In the summer holidays from medical school I did a lot of traveling, firstly just as a penniless hobo – hitch-hiking across America and down through Mexico to Belize, then as a student doctor in clinics in Palestine and Sri Lanka. After I graduated, the pattern continued. I worked in Gabon and Madagascar and

Ties that Bind

Whenever I’ve run into a problem someone from Watson’s turns up to solve it.

the former Soviet Union and in between times I wrote three novels – Kingsley Touch, A Paper Mask and The Rig which all got published by Penguin but didn’t really pay the mortgage.

It’s a weird feature of my life that whenever I’ve run into a problem someone from Watson’s turns up to solve it. I was introduced to the London publishing scene by Sheena McDonald who was a contemporary of mine at Watson’s Ladies College. Then another Watsonian luminary – my old friend Angela Palmer (née Gordon) asked me to write for the magazine she was editing – the Observer colour supplement.

The Observer paid me to write a weekly column on medicine and travel, which became my lifeline for the next six years. I met my wife, Debs, in Moscow (She was a foreign correspondent, I was taking medical

Jack, Isla, Lauren and Debs Collee

John filming a climate change docco

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supplies to Azerbaijan) and our first child was born in the Solomon Islands.

Once we’d started a family we gave up the life of adventure and settled in Debs’ hometown of Sydney, Australia where we calculated (wrongly) that the warm weather would simplify things in the nappy-changing department. As for earning a living, a life working part-time in foreign backwaters had left me lacking in serious medical credentials so when we settled in Sydney I became, by default, a full-time writer.

Another ex-doctor, George Miller, learnt I was in town and hired me to write Happy Feet with him. Early in our friendship he told me this cautionary tale about the film industry. In 1993 he made Lorenzo’s Oil and was nominated for an Oscar. He was walking up the red carpet past the ranks of star-struck journos when they all started shouting – to his amazement – “George! Look this way! George, over here!” He stopped to smile for the cameras and George Clooney walked into him from behind.

That story, like all the best stories has a serious message at its core. Fame is not the prize. It’s fleeting and illusory, sometimes acutely embarrassing and generally outside your control (Happy Feet got an Oscar; Master and Commander which I wrote with Peter Weir got Oscar-nominated for everything except the bloomin’ script.)

The joys of a life in writing lie elsewhere – not in the money and not in the glittering prizes and not even in the actual writing, which is at best an unconscious process, like dreaming, and at worst a pain in the butt.

No, the rewards of a writer’s life are very similar to the rewards of any other career – the joy of exchanging ideas, problem solving, and creating things with other like-minded people. It’s not about sitting alone and trying to imagine worlds of staggering originality. That’s patently impossible because everything we know of the world, as David Hume says, is derived from experience. When I’m asked for advice and how to write fiction I generally just tell people to go and do something meaningful: climb a mountain, have a baby, organise a climate-change rally or spend a night with the homeless. Then sit down, extract yourself from the picture, and put all those feelings in a story. John ColleeClass of 1973

John filming a climate change doccoBackground image: The Cuillins from Elgol

Over the next few months more details will be sent out but in the meantime we would ask that you would take note of the following dates and events.

17 March, 2012 – ‘Projects@50 Day’Come along to the School and wallow in Projects nostalgia, including displays of photographs and memorabilia. There will also be a buffet lunch and guest speakers.

May 2012 – ‘Munro Maynia’ S3 Projects will be climbing many Munros and we hope that FPs will join with us that month in an attempt to climb each of the 284 Munros in Scotland (and even some ‘furth of Scotland). More details about this challenge will appear on the School website in September.

In the meantime we are looking for anecdotes, old logbooks and photos of Projects for the displays.

If you have any please send photos and logbooks (which will be returned) to Rod Slater at School, and stories and scanned versions of photos to [email protected].

2012 marks the 50th anniversary of S3 Projects and we intend to celebrate this in a number of ways. However, it will not just be those in S3 who will be able to take part in the celebrations and we are hoping the many who have enjoyed Projects since 1962 will get involved.

50 Years ofProjects

The first Project group on the summit of Cairngorm, 1962

S3 Projects, May 2011

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I came to Watson’s in Primary 2. I’d started my schooling at a local convent (this is true, not just something I say to liven up dinner parties). From those early days in my pinafore I went on to ‘the big school’, then Aberdeen University, before setting my sights on becoming a TV Presenter. I have now returned to Scotland after six years in London paving my way in broadcasting. I’ve presented a range of programmes from News to the Euromillions Lottery and an audience of over 6 million. These days I can mainly be found chatting about the weather, come rain or shine, on BBC 1 Scotland.

Despite starting school elsewhere, I consider myself a Watson’s baby. ‘Baby’ was also my nickname throughout my first year at Watson’s, having begun school a year early. I was incredibly fond of my first teacher, Miss Leslie, who, with her beautiful red hair, bravely attempted to teach our Primary 2 class French. I still struggle not to say ‘a sittez vous’ rather than ‘asseyez vous’!

I had many wonderful teachers at Watson’s; however it wasn’t until Primary 7, when Mr Robertson and Mr Jordan set up the P7/S1 Drama group that I felt I belonged. I’d been going to Edinburgh Acting School for some time and had gained a love of Shakespeare. At this point, my dream was the RSC (aim high and all!) and Mr Robertson and Mr Jordan aimed high and brought the RSC to Colinton Road. In a way…

The first P7/S1 play was The Tempest. I played Trinculo and discovered that not only did I like the adrenalin, the grease-paint, the words and having my comedic turn, I wasn’t half bad at it either. Mr Jordan later wrote in my report card that I was somewhat of a ‘prima donna’. I had no idea what it meant, but I thought it sounded wonderful!

In addition to my love of acting, I also loved to write. I recently found a heap of (potentially embarrassing) poems I had scribbled in school jotters during my teenage years. I was incredibly lucky during this time that I had an English teacher as witty, as bold and creatively intelligent as Mr Quinn. He instilled in me a love of language and deftly British

Cat Cubie: Past and Presenting…

humour. He also taught me it was ok to be a little rebellious, not that I think I needed much help.

Then the champagne breakfast came, the prize giving and the bittersweet emotions. It was the end of school. I had loved many parts of my life at Watson’s but I was also relieved to have outgrown my blazer, I was keen to see what the world had in store.

After school I went to Malaysia to help set up a school for disadvantaged kids, before going to study Philosophy and Psychology at Aberdeen. I chose the combination because of my interest in people and the bizarre. I was aptly rewarded, going from one lecture where I was told a table was in fact a man, to totter to the next and be elucidated that if I thought a table was a man I probably needed some kind of therapy.

I kept up acting, playing Lady Macbeth in a University production during first year. However, it was also at University that I thought seriously about working in TV. There was no sudden epiphany, just a gradual realisation that presenting and journalism was what I had to do. It was about communication, it was about people, words, language and (hopefully) being entertaining.

I tried to get my foot in the door at BBC Scotland, but I was told, if I wanted to make it in TV, I would have to head to the bright lights of London. I applied for work experience in BBC Science and I was asked to join the production team of the psychology-based parenting programme, Little Angels. I made it clear whilst I was there that come the end of my work experience I would chain myself to my desk, so they might have some difficulty getting rid of me. Luckily, they took me for my word and decided to give me a contract as a runner. And run I did. I worked my way up, learning the ropes – writing, interviewing and filming.

Alongside working in production over the next few years, I also moonlighted as a presenter: from presenting children’s shows (I have been gunged many a time!) to the more serious application of writing and presenting the news, I did whatever I could. I eventually left working ‘behind the scenes’ to pursue presenting full-time.

I think most of my family and friends thought I was crazy.

And perhaps I was. It is often said that it is the lifestyle rather than the job itself that many people cannot cope with when it comes to presenting. Like many freelance professions you spend most of your time looking for work even when you are already happily in employment. It also means you have to be a master of many arts. These days, I write, blog, present, interview, film and of course now I also know a lot about the weather!

The last six months have been a steep learning curve. Despite being very much a team effort, I talk to the Met Office in Aberdeen and the London Weather centre regularly. I also have to look at the charts myself and decide how I am going to put the weather across. I write my own scripts and build my own graphics and I’m often so busy that I literally have to run from the TV studio to radio!

The weather is incredibly important to people in Scotland, partly because it’s so changeable and partly because we just love to talk about it. That means that people are quite invested in what I do. The nation invites me into their living room every night, so for many it can feel like they know me. It’s weird and wonderful when strangers come and say ‘hello’ on the street!

I love being a broadcaster and simply cannot imagine doing anything else. I have always said I wanted to have longevity in the telly industry, but sometimes careers choose you and I’m still not entirely sure what I want to be when I grow up…Cat Cubie (Class of 1998)

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My first day at school with Miss Tait in 1Y was uneventful. Convinced my mother was waiting for me in the car park I knew solace was only a couple of hundred yards away. When I discovered she had gone home, the rest of the week's drop offs didn’t go quite so smoothly. In Senior School my most influential teacher was Colin Binns. However, Tam Fairley would come a close second, mainly because through some clerical error he had the pleasure of teaching me maths from first year right through to sixth. I was hopeless at maths and would have been if Pythagoras himself were my teacher.

I joined the Royal Navy in 1977 and in 1979 found myself approaching Gibraltar aboard my first ship, HMS Arrow, on my way to Springtrain, a combined NATO exercise in the Med. The west of the rock is home to the city whereas the Eastern side is practically sheer; a result of the way the rock was pushed out of the water when two tectonic plates on this particular fault line collided.

My next visit to Gib was in 1981, to work in the communications centre buried deep inside the rock itself. As engineers, it was our job to keep the equipment working, but mainly to route communications traffic. Little did I know just how important a role this was to become. One morning all hell broke loose at about 6am. Traffic was coming in from all over and most of it was routed for the Admiral. I had no way of knowing it at the time, but we had just turned the fleet back from the very same exercise in the Med that I had been involved in three years earlier and the Gibraltarians, staunch Brits to a man, rose to the task of preparing the fleet for a long and arduous task to the Falklands. The dockyard was alive with activity and ships of the grey funnel line. The war was over in a few months and by the end of June those ships we had left from this ridiculous and totally avo idab l e c o n f l i c t returned

to be patched up before heading off home to Portsmouth and Plymouth. Unsurprisingly, my next posting was the south Atlantic to assist building and commissioning a communications centre.

When I left the navy in 1986, I saddled up my spanky new 1litre BMW and with my girlfriend on pillion headed straight to my favourite rock for a job interview. We arrived safely five days later having only fallen off once! I took the job, my girlfriend took a flight home and I never saw her again. I soon fell out with my new employer and found myself unemployed, so knowing little else I set up in competition to him. Computec soon grew and by the mid ’90s I was employing 12 staff and we were the largest of several computer firms on the rock. 1997 saw me married for the first time; I thought I’d leave it late and get it right first time. By 2002 I was divorced with a two-year-old daughter to show for it all. I sold Computec shortly afterwards and had turned my hand back to marine electronics when the captain of a private yacht called. “Could I sail with her to Portugal and look at a few problems?” Just a four day trip... I left two years later having filled the roles of Chief

Engineer a n d Fi r s t Ma t e , gaining my commercial captains licence along the way. A lot of people comment that it must be an exciting job. It can be, however, ‘interesting’ is a better way of describing it. When it gets exciting it generally means that something has gone wrong! My next appointment was aboard Billy Connolly's yacht Takapuna. I spent a wonderful six months aboard this magnificent 110 foot sailing vessel visiting various ports in the Med as far afield as Tunisia. At around this time, my mother was becoming increasingly frail so I decided to come back to Edinburgh to spend more time with her and take some of the strain off my brother John. Her health deteriorated over a year or so and in May 2009 she died at the age of 85.

At about this time I bumped into a girl I used to date in the early ’80s. I took her out on a date and a couple of weeks later Moira moved in and we plan on marrying later this year. Realising my sailing days were probably over and quite happy living back in my home city we racked our brains as to what type of business would prosper in a recession. We decided second hand goods could be the way to go, so ‘Second Avenue’ was born in Portobello high street. Moira uses half the premises for her hat hire and millinery business combined with pre-loved designer outfits and I do house clearances, second hand furniture, white goods and household electrical items.

I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead, and reuniting with the Watsonian community in Edinburgh. I f anyone wants to get in touch my email is [email protected] Watkins(Class of 1977)

Stuart delivering a yacht in the Med

GibraltarA postcard from It wasn’t me!

Desperately SeekingDesperately Seeking

If you know up-to-date addresses for any of the following former pupils, please contact the School’s Development Office

Data Protection

We have an obligation to ensure that information is processed fairly and lawfully. Information received by the Development Office is used to further the development of George Watson’s College and The Watsonian Club. The information will be controlled by the School Development Office in accordance with policy from our IT Services department. It will be processed for marketing, PR, fundraising, event management and educational purposes. Anyone wishing no further contact from the School should inform the Development Office.

Grier Mr Thomas 1939

Gardner Miss Sheila 1940

Sandeman Mr Leonard 1942

Hughes Mrs Joan née West 1943

Ewan Professor George 1944

Innes Miss Jacqueline 1944

Hancock Mr Philip 1947

Ballinger Mr Peter 1954

Smith Mr Iain 1954

Értz Mrs Celia née Bowstead 1957

Fallas Dr Andrew 1957

Miller Mr John 1957

Burton Mr Christopher 1960

Easton Mr David 1962

Lauder Mrs Evelyn née Birkett 1962

Mack Mr George 1962

Mackie Mr Bruce 1962

Malloch Reverend Philip 1962

McKechnie Dr Thomas 1962

Bowie Mr Stuart 1963

Nichol Mr Kenneth 1963

Rodger Mrs Marjory née Jack 1963

Tully Mr David 1963

Reid Mrs Cadien née Inkster 1964

Wilson Ms Diana 1964

Williams Ms Alison née Waugh 1965

Anderson Mr David 1966

Jackson Miss Connie 1966

Inglis Mr Robert 1967

Barclay Mr Julian 1968

Desperately Seeking

Dean Mr Roger 1968

Saunders Dr Peter 1968

Currie Mrs Lilias née Munro 1969

Brown Mr Graham 1973

Cant Mr Alistair 1973

Cleland Mrs Alison née Munro 1973

Grant Mr Richard 1973

McEwan Ms Enard 1973

McMasters Mrs Mary née Cullen 1973

McPake Ms Alison 1973

Moodie Mrs Fiona née Young 1973

Schultz Mrs Sheila née Wilson 1973

Townsend Mrs Anne née Forbes 1973

Walker Mrs Kate née Mackintosh 1973

Baird Mrs Susan née Halliburton 1974

Blake Ms Anne 1974

Manners Mr Stephen 1974

Matthews Ms Norma 1974

Taylor Mr Michael 1974

Watt Ms Susan 1974

Weiss Ms Katherine 1974

Millar Mr James 1975

Morisetti Ms Lesley née Stephen 1976

Fraser Mr Malcolm 1977

Hall Mr Douglas 1977

Ho Dr Edward 1977

Rettie Mr Stuart 1977

Matthews Ms Elaine 1979

Docherty Mr John 1980

Buchan Mr Alistair 1981

Galloway Mr John 1982

McIvor Ms Julie 1982

Baptie Mrs Amanda née Bogue 1983

Barnes-Brown Mrs Lucy née Barnes 1983

Kerr Mr Brian 1984

Baker-Creswell Mrs Celia née Christie 1985

Cowan Mr Christopher 1985

Collier Ms Barbara 1986

Bogle Mr Michael 1987

Bogue Ms Samantha 1987

Macleod Mrs Kirsty née McCallum 1988

Murison Mr James 1990

Lindow Ms Catherine 1991

Campbell Mr Chris 1992

Johnston Miss Lorna 1993

Hayden Mr James 1994

Brewster Miss Nicola 1995

Orr Mr David 1996

Potter Miss Louise 1997

Shott Mr Blair 1998

Hazel Mr Andrew 1999

Davison Miss Alison 2001

Wilson Mr Matthew 2002

Croxford Miss Emma 2003

Brash Mr Greig 2004

Orlowski Miss Phoebe 2005

Gordon Mr Ross 2006

Wilson Miss Amy 2007

McPherson Miss Madeleine 2009

Nunn Mr Craig 2010

Desperately SeekingDesperately Seeking

Regular Features - George Watson's College · Cat Cubie (Class of 1998) If you would be interested...

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Transcript of Regular Features - George Watson's College · Cat Cubie (Class of 1998) If you would be interested...