OLD WESTBROOKIANS

OWS News

OWS News more photos: page 2

	David Ackroyd  Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM subject RE: Westbrook house school   OH, THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING. Horrible for the teachers and parents. Bit short notice though.   Just a thought. I was / still am Chairman of my public school Old Boys Association. The school went through bad times and we thought that it would go under for lots of reasons. I set up a web site with some money that we had in a trust. In the end the school survived but in a different form. This means that what ever happens to only bricks and mortar, WE the OLD BOYS of the school live on. We keep in touch as ever before. We share a lot still together and I think evolve which is essential. One of our number died not long ago. I was told straight away and we sent someone to the funeral and a letter to the widow. Another was wondering what to do with a problem in life, we put all of our thoughts together. It is like an exclusive club. The school has changed so very much that we do not really go back. We keep in very close contact.   This should now happen to our Westbrook. We must sort out the web site so that we can use a letter box system. Over to you David-Michael.   We must get the museum bits at all costs.   Still suggest an annual / biannual get together.   Let’s hope that someone gets the old place up and running again. The fabric of the place was A1 when we all went around it. I think that the dust needs to clear. Keep me informed   David Ackroyd oldwestbrookians@gmail.com

OFFICE/Oldwestbrookians

http://www.westbrookparents.org/category/school-closure/

Josh Whiten (info@westbrookparents.org) - "I am sure you will all be saddenned to hear of the decision by Roger De Haan to close Westbrook House School 2 days ago. All children have been left with no school o go to in september including the Year 6 who are due to sit their Kent Test 2 weeks into next term, but now have nowehere to sit the test and no school to support appeals. There's more views and information at www.westbrookparents.org".

OWS Committee (officeoldwestbrookians@gmail.com) - "Once again the school is facing a bleak future. WJ has done a great job turning it around and bringing the standards up to a level that the school , the pupils and their parents can be justifiably proud of. It seems that's not enough - rumours abound of the site being leveled, in fact the entire corner of Shorncliffe Road and Ravenlea Road, for redevelopment. The school, will become a virtual one and this website will become its "memory". We need more than ever your memories/photos/documents of your time at the school between its foundation in 1947 to the present day under the great WJ. Let's not forget a great institution and yet another Folkestone landmark that's being consigned to the skip of history....."

	Hello Oldwestbrookians and Friends, We have the long awaited 1964 Cricket team photo sent in by Michael Foster, scroll down to the bottom of the page to view it: https://oldwestbrookians.tripod.com/id27.html Thanks a bunch Michael! Also a short film of: The Timmy Metcalfe Sports Day video 1965. "Fencing Display" Part one.https://oldwestbrookians.tripod.com/id23.html More film clips to follow shortly. The OWS Committee meeting was on 6th May 2008 at Wards Hotel, we will be sending you details of this meeting soon. We had a hard winter here in Canada and my family and I are so glad to see the spring arrive here at last! Best Wishes to all! David-Michael Westbrook House School News from OFFICE/Oldwestbrookians : Feb/23/2008 Time: 3:26pm (Canadian Time) Here's some news on research progress - 1. I've sent the first draft of the history of the Foster family to Angus Foster for correction, comment and addition. 2. Angus Foster sent me a copy of the family tree that his father had put together showing the link between Fozzie and Captain James Cook! (I'd like some help from someone to draw up the Foster family tree in a form that could be published. I've put a lot of the tree on the net at www.ancestry.com for viewing by selected friends. I've put your name on it as a contributor. 3. I've received a copy of a booklet from Leeds University which links Robert J Foster (Fozzie's father) with the flax industry in Selby before WW1. 4. I've also received some blurb on Warren Hill School in Eastbourne where it was rumoured that Fozie taught in the late 1920s-1930s. He's mentioned as teaching geography, science & maths! the next stage will be the staff and finally I'm going to knit the whole thing together with OWS memories, photos, documents etc. Of course I still need OWS memories especially of the early period and of the last couple of years of Fozzie's reign (1966-68). I also need help with Ordnance Survey maps of the Shorncliffe Road area, the legal side of the purchase by Fozzie of leases and buildings, photos of Fozzie and a link to the Mallard family.

	Greetings OLDWESTBROOKIANS! The year 2007 brought our society so many unexpected blessings. We celebrated the founding of Westbrook House School, and the visit I'm sure, bonded everyone closer than ever before. Our membership has gone up, we also received many photo's, Anecdotes, Memorabilia and even a film! As part of the New Year's celebration, our committee plan to sit down and review our goals for 2008. I also want to set aside some time to simply be grateful for all the love and support we have received. Thank you for the kind wishes you have sent throughout the year. Without you, none of this would be possible. On behalf of the entire staff, I would like to wish you and your family a happy 2008. Best Wishes! David-Michael Dunbar This is my sister Sarah and I around 1965. Sarah went to school at St. Mary's, while I went to Westbrook House further down the street. We were staying with our Aunties and Uncles in London when this was taken, we were told to cover our knee's as they were dirty! David-Michael Dunbar

	Old Westbrookians’ Society 1947 - 1968 MINUTES OF OWS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 4th DECEMBER 2007 Present: Nigel Pittam (OWS Secretary), David Gordon (OWS Membership Secretary), Tim Lawrence, Peter Goddard. Apologies for absence: Peter Mellor (OWS Hon Chairman), Richard Beaugie, Michael Eaton First of all, on behalf of the OWS Committee, I would like to wish the Head Master, Mr Washington-Jones, pupils past & present, as well as current & former members of staff, a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. 1. It was decided to establish a separate email address for the purposes of committee matters only : owscommittee@gmail.com 2. As regards the OWS Identity : DLG proposed that we use the Tudor Rose formerly used to embellish the cards (see above) sent out by KNG Foster at Christmas - but minus a scroll. This was generally accepted. 3. The postal address : c/o Westbrook House Preparatory School 4. It has been proposed by our webmaster, David-Michael Dunbar, that we present a photographic portrait of Kenneth Foster to the school - to be hung in the hallway. Various enquiries are underway as to sourcing a negative or transparency of sufficient quality. No problems there. 5. Mr Washington-Jones has asked the OWS to design and present an award - not to be given lightly - which best exemplifies what can only be described as the ‘Spirit of Westbrook House’. It was agreed that this honour should take the form of some type of enamel badge – the Old Westbrookians’ are working on it's design as I write.... A description of just what it is that this "spirit" entails was considered by all present to be too esoteric to put into words! c/o Westbrook House Preparatory School 54-56 Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2NB Tel: OWS Secretary, Nigel Pittam on 01303 251280 Omnia mutantur, nihil interit 6. A suggestion was made that the OWS be split into two divisions - albeit closely associated - with a sub-site for the post-'68 Dover Junior/St Mary's Westbrook period; thus preserving historical "continuity" and enabling both sections of the OWS community to be better served by allowing members to concentrate on their own eras....this appeared largely acceptable. 7. A proposal for a school magazine was also put forward; one which would emphasise the proud traditions of the school and, indeed, include a historical section. 8. Somebody suggested that Michael Eaton would make an excellent Treasurer. This was unanimously accepted in his absence, but we await his own comments/acceptance or not. Incidentally, funds are accumulating, largely owing to a generous contribution from the sales of Charles Whitney's book. 9. It appears that there is consensus regarding the desirability of preserving the coachhouse; availability of funds for such a worthy cause remain, however, a topic for future debate. My suggestion that we approach the Lottery Fund was met with howls of derisive laughter! However, I know we all share fond memories of the carpentry workshop; of the Group Captain's quarters. 10. Finally, Peter Goddard stepped forward as the latest addition to the Old Westbrookians cricket team - there was even a rumour that Roger himself might captain the team....we're going to thrash those Old Etonians 11. Next meeting will be advised in the New Year. Should you wish to comment on these minutes or add anything, please contact Nigel (see his details on first page). MESSAGE FROM HOLLY MASTERSON & YUKESH GURUNG, HEAD GIRL AND BOY. (note: Yukesh dad is Gurkha RSM currently on acive service in Afghanistan: his Major was recently killed by car bomb).: Dear Old Westbrookians As Head Boy and Head Girl we are writing to thank you for visiting our School on your Reunion Day. We liked it when you came round our classes and when you spoke to us in the playground. All our class were saying that it made us feel funny to think that one day we may come back to look around when we are mummies and daddies ourselves! Please come and visit us again. Yours respectfully, Holly Masterson & Yukesh Gurung   oldwestbrookians@gmail.com KNG Foster Summer 1968

	"Dear Old Westbrookians It was an absolute pleasure and delight to have you here with us last Friday! It was wonderful to share memories with you and to hear you reminisce. This is today an exceptionally happy school and I now fully understand that that happiness is rooted firmly in the past. However, everything is a learning experience and I realised that I had not allowed enough time for the day - my sincere apologies for having to hurry you along, but I am sure you will understand that I had to balance your visit with the daily life of a busy Prep School. The next Reunion will be in 5 years time in June 2012. As I have just had my 60th birthday it may well be that THAT Reunion marks the day that I myself become an Old Westbrookian! In the meantime if any of you in groups of 2, 3 or 4 would like to join me for lunch, I would relish the opportunity to pick your brains about the past days of this truly wonderful school. With sincere best wishes from this Headmaster - and from that First Founding Headmaster! Yours very sincerely, W-J PS One of your number - he shall remain nameless - has today sent me a generous cheque with which to buy all the staff and children an ice-cream. We have today ordered 150 mixed ices: what crazy, wonderful people you are! N Washington-Jones - Headmaster my mobile number for lunch bookings : 07967 320 660 To Visit 60th Reunion web pages, click on the above photo. 60th Reunion June/8/2007 photos are now open to view! Click on the LINKS below Photos of 60th Reunion More Reunion photos OWS in the Class Room 60th Reunion Slideshow REPLIES TO OWS Letters of Thanks Please send your OLD WESTBROOKIAN REUNION Photo's at the email address below. If possible "captioned" Thanks, David-Michael Dunbar oldwestbrookians@gmail.com   60th Reunion June 8th 2007