Earlier this month (20th March) we were delighted to welcome back to Malvern College five OMs whose friendship has spanned more than 60 years.
Robert Barnes (No.9), Will Mather (No.9), Nicholas Davenport (No.2), Graham Ball (No.9) and Hugh Roberts (No.2) all arrived at Malvern with trunks and tuck boxes in 1963/64, and left after A Levels to further their education and careers, with much life experience already banked – not least of which being the arrival of the first cohort of Ellerslie girls to share the College’s teaching resource.
Here is what they had to say:
“In House 9 we formed easy friendships, with Graham and I enjoying Northern solidarity in the gentle yet creative environment fostered by Housemaster Robert Stobbs, while Nick and Hugh shared their Malvern experience in House 2, under Michael McNevin’s stewardship.
“We went our separate ways, following diverse paths into commerce and the professions, but, in the early 2000s, through the now-defunct ‘Friends Reunited’ website, Graham ‘found’ me and these two past friends were indeed reunited. Our current ‘OMs Reunited’ group has grown happily and easily and not forgetting that we see our contemporary Simon Holland (5.64-68) in Cape Town, on regular ZOOM calls.
“For the last 16 years, homing in on Malvern from the north-east, south-east, and south-west of England, we’ve been meeting regularly for walks, dinners and relaxed bonhomie. Of course, not only do we have the all-important Malvern College connection, with pin-sharp recollections of happenings all those years ago, but we also have the common ground of the experience of lifetimes to share, so the conversation never falters. It’s especially rewarding now, as Will, Graham and I barely crossed paths with Hugh and Nick during our time at Malvern, yet this more recent bond was instant. We all come to this late-blossoming and amiable communion as equal partners, even extending to a joint shareholding in the community-owned Brewers Arms in West Malvern – for old times’ sake, of course!
“We have already booked in for early 2026, planning to continue this warm and welcome added dimension to our lives, for as long as we can.”
If anyone would like to get in touch, please email Rob here.
Words by Robert Barnes
4 of us “reunited” @ #5 reunion Sept 2019!
I tried to attach the photo but it doesn’t appear to work in”Comments”!
I can email it to you if you give me your email address!
Best regards
David (#5 57>62
Having joined No 2 in 1963-3, as did Nicholas Davenport, under the house-mastership of Gordon Surtees, I believe MHP (Hugh) Roberts joined 1964-3, I remember them well. I recall the three No 9 gents, though I do not recall our paths crossing in any classroom. I would be more than happy to join in a meet back at the ‘old school’ sometime. My only real involvement with the school is through the OM Rifle club, of which I am chairman, and we usually manage a couple of shoots each year against the school. It would be good to hear from them.
Regardss
Phil Vicars