Obituaries
Obituaries for Old Leysians and members of our Leysian community are published in OL News and on the website below.
More InformationTommy Dann Memorial Match 2023
The second annual Tommy Dann Memorial Match took place on Saturday 25 March, raising funds for The Jonny Wilkinson Charitable Foundation. The event was well attended and the entertaining match finished Old Perseans XV 31-10 Old Leysians XV.
Our thanks go to OLs Ed Fairey (Bisseker, 2011-16) and Max Wilson (West, 2011-16) for all their hard work in ensuring another memorable occasion in honour of a great man and outstanding teacher. A match report is available here and the full gallery of photos from the day can be viewed here.
Old Leysian Tag Rugby Report 2022-23
In April 2023 the Old Leysian Tag Rugby Team began their 6th season playing in Hyde Park after a long winter break. The team have the same stalwarts as in previous seasons, but on the back of another successful Tommy Dann memorial game against the Perse have managed to recruit Sam Hurd to bring in some youthful talent. This is an area on which the team want to continue to focus, so if you are interested in getting involved, especially if you are new to London, please get in touch with team Captain Jonny Horsford. We are also keen to set up a mixed and/or women’s team, especially as a number of our players are now making it into GB tag rugby squads for the upcoming 2023 World Cup. To register your interest please contact Anna Ewbank.
2022 cemented The Leys School’s reputation as THE premier breeding ground for British tag rugby talent, with its roster of international representatives increasing two-fold, to two. This number is set to increase further, with the Tag Rugby World Cup taking place in Ireland in August 2023 and The Old Leysian Tag Rugby Club’s success in the parks of Zone 1 unearthing talent that will surely catch the selectors’ eyes.
For those spectators who failed to secure tickets to its brutish sister-tournament taking place in France in the autumn, the Tag Rugby World Cup remarkably still has unsold seats available for those willing and able to travel.
The foundations for a strong Men’s World Cup campaign were set in 2022, with a clean-sweep of tournament wins coming in the International Tag Series (Limerick, August), Ireland Test Series (Leeds, September) and South Africa Test Series (Cape Town, December). Veteran tagger, Dante O’Reilly, played a central role in all of these fixtures and is excited for what’s sure to be a big year of ribbon-chasing ahead.
Contact Anna Ewbank (D 08-15) if you are interested in joining a mixed or women’s OL tag rugby team
Old Leysian Real Tennis Club Report 2022-23
OLRTC Tournament
On November 26 2022, eight Old Leysians convened at Newmarket Real Tennis Club for the annual doubles tournament. It was played, as always, in good spirits and the standard of tennis was high. The results of all the matches were very close and congratulations go to the deserving winners Mark Elliott (F 77-82) and Damian Humphrey (E 88-93). A fantastic day was had by all.
OLRTC team from left to right: Nick Lloyd (F 66-71), Tom Hartley (B 81-83), Mark Elliott (F 77-82), Grattan MacGiffin (F 85-90), Will Spriggs (A 92-97), Joel Humphrey (E 92-97), Peter White (Current Common Room), Damian Humphrey (E 88-92)
The Cattermull Cup
The Leys have entered a real tennis doubles pairing into the Catermull Cup (Schools’ Alumni doubles tournament) for the last ten years. This year’s tournament was held at Middlesex University Real Tennis Club over the weekend 21-23 April 2023. In total, 16 doubles pairings entered from 14 schools. There were four groups with the group winners advancing into the knockout phases.
We entered a new pairing of Will Spriggs (A 92-97) and Joel Humphrey (E 92-97). They were placed into a tricky group on Friday evening, but won the group well with three sound victories over Worth (6-3), Charterhouse 1st (6-3), and Charterhouse 2nd (6-2). Will and Joel regrouped on Sunday morning, hoping their camaraderie throughout their school years and beyond would be a decisive factor; unfortunately though they lost their semi-final to the eventual winners Winchester 1st (5-9). Strategy for next year has already started!
Cattermull Cup semi-finalists: Joel Humphrey (E 92-97) and Will Spriggs (A 92-97)
If you would like to be involved in future OLRTC matches and tournaments or would just like to know more about the game, please do not hesitate to contact us. All Old Leysians are extremely welcome.
Captain: Joel Humphrey
President: Mark Elliott
The Old Leysian Golfing Society
Match v The School, 27 April
We were pleased that this match has been reinstated after a gap of two years. Peter White provided a very good School Golf Team, with the Old Leysians narrowly winning. It was ideal that three School leavers, all good golfers, planned to join the Golfing Society.
Spring Meeting
Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club, 11 May
We had an enjoyable and well supported day’s golf and welcomed Richard Bramley to his first Old Leysian Meeting. There were good scores all day with Richard Bramley featuring in the morning with a level par round of golf. Alex Fox was some way ahead with his medal score in the morning and there was a close finish for the Neil White Trophy.
There was a further good score for the nine holes in the afternoon.
Ted Morel Trophy (Medal)
A J J Fox, 76-10, 66 Nett
R C B Bramley, 70-1, 69 Nett (last nine)
N C D Lloyd, 89-20, 69 Nett
Neil White Trophy (Stableford)
R C B Bramley, 37 Points (last nine)
N C D Lloyd, 37 Points
M A Elliott, 37 Points
Society’s Tankards (Stableford) (9 holes)
H C Blunt & S C Amey, 17 Points
The Spring Meeting 2024 will be held at Huntercombe Golf Club, Nuffield, Oxon, on Tuesday 7 May.
Halford Hewitt
30 March – 2 April
We had a very good team this year helped by the inclusion of James Albery with a gap in his GB Hockey commitments.
In the first round we played Framlingham at Royal St. George’s Golf Club. They are now a strong side with golf coaching, there was very good golf all round and we just lost the vital match at the 18th. We then played in the Halford Hewitt Plate against Rossall at Prince’s Golf Club and again were just pipped at the 18th.
Led by Peter Hockin, twelve of us scattered some of Richard Cadman’s Ashes at Royal St. George’s at the par 5, 7th hole, where Richard had holed an Albatross two in a Halford Hewitt practice.
The following played: T L Williams & J D Bareham, C A Holden & P A Quin, R J Bentley & J P Albery, C C B Turner & A G T Petrie, S D Cooper & A R J Smethers.
In the Final Loretto won against Epsom.
Team and Supporters
Senior Bernard Darwin (over 65’s)
Woking Golf Club 13 June
In our first-round match we played Harrow and through a valid cancellation we had to concede one match. Harrow were a much stronger side and won 3-0.
The following played: P M Hockin & S J Pattinson, C M Kidman & R J Chapman.
In the Final Tonbridge won against Charterhouse
Bernard Darwin (over 55’s)
Woking Golf Club 29 June
In the first round we played Eton starting at the fifteenth and in the top match at the short sixteenth there was nothing we could do about their hole in one! A very good match with the vital match in our second pair losing on the last hole.
We played well in The Plate and just missed out by one point to winners Marlborough.
Team: C J Pattinson & D W McClean, T D Page & J S Edwards, C C B Turner & A G T Petrie
In the Final Charterhouse won against Wellington.
Fixtures 2024
10 January Halford Hewitt Centenary Dinner & Draw 1730 Grosvenor House
12 February Annual Business Meeting 1815 R B C Brewin Dolphin
8/10 March Halford Hewitt Practice Norfolk
9/14 April Halford Hewitt Sandwich or Deal
25 April Match v The School (Provisional) 1400 Gog Magog
2 May Match v Greshams (Provisional) Royal Worlington
16 May SPRING MEETING Royal Worlington
19 May Grafton Morrish Qualifying Gog Magog
29 May Centenary Match v Harrow 1200 St George’s Hill
1 June Alba Trophy (Scratch Tournament) Woking
4 June Putting Tournament (Provisional) 1700 Royal Wimbledon
11/12 June Senior Bernard Darwin (Over 65) Woking
12 June Veteran’s Bernard Darwin (Over 75) Woking
13 June Putting Tournament Finals 1700 Royal Wimbledon
2 July Match v Old Fidelians 1400 Gog Magog
4/5 July Bernard Darwin Trophy (Over 55) Woking
20 August Old Aldenhamians /Old Millhillians 1300 Porters Park
23 August Uppley Cup 1400 Ilkley
6 September AUTUMN MEETING Gog Magog
26–29 September Grafton Morrish Finals Norfolk
Supporters are always welcome. Players wishing to join the Golfing Society should contact Nigel Washbourn.