Messages Sent To The Lyddon Site
From John Norris:
Am still in contact with a number of Lyddon members from my period: Stephen Johnson, (for both of whose weddings I had the distinction of playing the organ); Ian Shepherd, who still lives in the States but visits at least once a year; Dickie Loweth, who is married, (second wife), and living in his family home town of Kirby Muxloe in Leicestershire. I haven't heard from John Trew, since 1992, when I played for his wedding to Diana Cawdell, but believe they have a son, named Freddie. Julian Kerrell-Vaughan is, I gather, living in Hong Kong, collecting Chinese artefacts and holding dinner parties. I have spent the years since leaving Lyddon, teaching, currently at Oakham School, in Rutland, but still visit Leeds regularly, never ceasing to be struck by its attractiveness and my own degree of fondness for it. I wrote to John May, in 1993 when he was custodian of the Association, enclosing a cheque for £15.00, in payment for a tie and including a donation, but haven't received a reply to this day. I simply assumed that he still hasn't forgiven me for holding one or two noisy gatherings in the room adjacent to his. Cheers to everyone.
From Gordon Spankie:
Nice to see a web site for the association (Should it be WEBB site?). What I would like to see is E-mail addresses as well as URL's for members.
Now living at Nuthall, Nottingham. Married to Susan & have a little boy maned Timothy (now 4) Still at Martin International as Group Accountant. Now a member of the St Helen's Anglican church in Trowell. Would love to hear from some of you ex-Lyddonites
From Shelley Charik:
I was at Leeds studying Chinese and Economics from 1965 to 1969. I lived in the Cromer Terrace flats where Rod Webb was Sub-Warden. I joined the Lyddon Hall Association and later its Committee. I held a number of posts including 10 years as Chairman. So good a Chairman was I that the finances and administration of the Association collapsed entirely during my final year of office. There has not been an AGM or a new election for Committee members or officers since. I continue to act as Treasurer both of the Association and of the Trust Fund, in the absence of anyone else. After leaving Leeds I worked in marketing in the engineering industry, did a one year post-graduate diploma course at Manchester Business School and joined the Department of Trade and Industry in 1977. I have worked (if you can call it that) there ever since and am now Director of the National Measurement System.(Now RETIRED)
From Paul Danon:
I lived at the Hostel of the Resurrection during the 70s but knew Christoph Schliack of Luebeck, Germany. He did Chinese studies and was a little, er, eccentric. He wore a monocle and academic gown and carried a cane. He stood unsuccessfully for union-president, but created quite a stir. I fear he died in tragic circumstances.I feel that I should, at long last, make some reply to John Norris. That I live in Hong Kong, and have done so for almost seven years I cannot deny; that I collect Chinese artefacts and give dinner parties is also true. But I also do other things as well. Perhaps I should mention to John in passing that a Ming armchair or an Imperial Qing bed (examples of both of which are among the 'artefacts' - see below) is an inexpensive and preferable alternative to the plastic chairs and leather sofas so beloved of the bewildered rich out here. As we average 98% humidity for almost eight months of the year, a concern for comfort is important to me. I don't know that I would judge my cooking as 'dinner parties' - making a salade verte is major manual work even with air conditioning.
I do love China, and often go. I manage well enough in Cantonese, and although I don't have Putonghua, I have always managed to get whatever I wanted or needed with sign language and a smile. Unlike so many Lyddon old boys, I haven't managed to marry, but I do have 34 children, all Chinese and all much loved. Thus far SARS has claimed none of them, probably because I insist on fresh air and forbid any mention of Hello Kitty, pot noodles, Macdonalds (and anything American in fact) or game-boy. I also ask them not to read articles about Betty Tung, the wife of the Chief Executive. She looks like a gorilla in a black crash helmet, and would certainly upset my policy of encouraging them to see beauty in everything.
I should so much like to renew contact with Miles Mooney - he was always such a faithful friend, never failing to write at Christmas and on birthdays, unlike, I am obliged to say, Little Norrit - and I misplaced his address whilst with the Trappists in France. If anyone could give me an address or an e-mail, I should be SO grateful. I see that Norrit is teaching at Oakham now. One of my children is currently there and doing very well in English too. Perhaps I should warn him?
Best wishes to everyone,
Julian Kerrell-Vaughan, a.k.a. Mother Eureka