Richard Norton Allebone
North B 1937-40
“No obituary was published in the OL magazine at the time of my father’s death but I felt he should have one, albeit 21 years late.” Tim Allebone
My father’s earliest memory of The Leys was of the initiation ceremony in B House. A mountain of chairs was formed on top of a table in the Common Room and new boys had to sing a song from the top: his song was Pennies from Heaven. Richard was keen on sport at The Leys and enjoyed rugby. He also represented the School at hockey and shot at Bisley. He remembered having tea with W H Balgarnie (‘Mr Chips’) at 6, Brookside and discussing the MGM film Goodbye, Mr. Chips, shot at Denham Studios. The School’s evacuation to Pitlochry meant my father left The Leys early and joined Whitworth Brothers as a corn buyer, learning the grain trade. He joined the King’s Troop, 4th Royal Horse Artillery in 1942, his love of horses being a lifelong passion. Richard rode in the regiment’s motorcycle display team and was based in Kiel at the end of the war, the British officer assigned to one of the Russian ships (formerly part of the German fleet that was divided up between the Allies) that was sailed across the Black Sea in appalling weather.
After the war my father returned to join the family farm, modernizing many aspects of its arable production. An excellent shot, he was also a proficient showjumper and a founder member of the British Horse Society, becoming one of its youngest judges and officiating at such events as the Horse of the Year show and the European Championships. Because of his equine connections, he was once asked to source a pony for the son of Hollywood actress, Sophia Loren. Disappointed at not meeting her in London (he forgot the name she checked into her hotel with!), he was nevertheless asked to drive the pony over to Italy and stay with the family at the Villa Sara for several weeks over the summer to settle the pony in. He declined, explaining that harvest would have to take preference. (I think I’d have called the contractors in …!)
Away from the farm, Richard played a full part in the local community: a churchwarden, he also served on Wellingborough’s Rural District Council in the early 1970s. He chaired Easton Maudit’s Parish Meeting for over 40 years as well as the local National Farmers’ Union branch. He died on 4 November 2004, aged 81, leaving a widow, Marguerite (‘Peggie’) and two sons, Tim (North B 1967-72) and Peter (North B 1970-73). My father retained fond memories of The Leys and my brother, Peter, and I are eternally grateful to him for the many opportunities The Leys afforded us.
Words by Tim Allebone