Hi, this is Sylvia here.
No we did not go to Nottingham for this reunion. We did go three years ago in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of my first year at NU. We were rather disappointed and once again my name tag said I was a "guest" even though I had booked and once again given them my information. This is the third time this has happened to me! Their database leaves a lot to be desired. We are not the only people this has happened to.
From Vancouver it is a long way to go for a reunion (and expensive) and we are going to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands and Peru and Macchu Pichu on Wednesday this coming week. That is enough travelling for the fall! We are excited about this trip to celebrate my 70th birthday and next year our 50th wedding anniversary. We thought we would travel while we can! Also, we are going with Adventure Canada that our daughter -in-law Brittany worked for this summer as a cruise director on 4 cruises (Newfoundland and Labrador and three Arctic cruises). Martin also went on 3 of the cruises. Wonderful experience for them. Martin drove one of the zodiacs and taught yoga on deck (mostly to the ladies!). We also get a 20% discount with AC!) even though we are on a National Geographic boat (only 48 passengers).
Martin & Brittany got married on 4 July this year on the beach at Eagle Harbour down the road from us and then at the yacht club. A wonderful location and beautiful warm, sunny day (before the smoke came in from the forest fires!). Brittany is now finishing her Master's degree from Guelph University in Ontario (in adventure tourism in the Arctic) and Martin is with her in Guelph.
Best wishes to you all
Sylvia Aldrich, B. Pharm 1966
Thanks. Strange how things turn out; on the Saturday morning when I got up, I thought I might just be able to make it, but a cough persisted and still hangs around rather, as they do. With Nickie also under the weather, it did not seem a fun prospect to spend 5 hours driving; she cleared up during the day though. Now, I suppose we will have to keep fingers crossed to make the 60th!
I was going to chat to you about languages. I guess the experience of being in Switzerland has at least given you the opportunity to pick up several languages yourself, and presume French the likeliest, though that depends on exactly where you are. I used to visit Basel when working for Sandoz and found that though all our discussions were in English as the lingua franca they used both German and French in asides to each other. At that time I did not really speak French but did German (which you might but probably won't remember I already had before university). Even so, watching television in the evening completely foxed me; then I realised the questioner was putting points in good German, but his interviewee was responding in schwitzer deutsch! Not a hope.
Since then, I have been acquiring French, which I have learnt through my wife and her mother - a Belgian Walloon by origin - and even more so through twinning. About 20 years ago our local parish (covering Woolton Hill and about 5 other hamlets) linked with 4 communes (horrid word - why can't they call them villages? Obsession with legal status , I think) near Caen and barely inland from the port of Ouisterham. (In case it rings any bells with you or the others left copied, they are Anisy, Anguerny, Colomby-sur-Thaon, & Villons-les-Buissons.) We meet every year for a long weekend, alternate years here and France, and stay in each other's houses, so it is a real interaction, not a group thing. Because Nicole is fluent, she took a leading role as early chairman, useful particularly as their early chairman did not speak English (we think he understood some, but declined to speak it). In fact relatively few spoke the other's language! We always stayed with families where someone French spoke no English, so I determined to start to acquire more French. It finally reached the point only this year when I could cope enough in French and it was the only language used with our guests. It is not beautiful or always correct, but enough for example, to discuss some of the politics of Britain and the EU.
I do not speak Spanish (as I presume Jill now does), but have of late again tried to pick up a little, since a holiday on the island of Palma 3 years ago. I learnt enough then to greet and be polite, but it rather withered from lack of use. Now I find one of the osteopaths I sometimes use is Spanish.
But that interrupted a rather stronger endeavour to pick up Italian over the past 4 years. They (Italian & Spanish) have quite strong similarities, which can confuse, so I am concentrating on Italian! What I have found though is the reinforcement effect of multiple efforts, which you can understand between similar languages like French, Italian and Spanish, but it has surprisingly reinforced my German too. I suppose the brain is switching between alternate pathways, but is basically recognising similarities of routing and finding the differences of interest and a reinforcement. It's a bit like growing plants (another major preoccupation) - all have flowers and seeds, but the variations between say lavender and sprouts and firethorn are not as great as one might suppose when considering their cultivation.
Interesting reading through your notes generally. I do not think I have knowingly crossed paths with anyone since the Addison dinner of 1988, and the Colonel Shaw 100th birthday lecture, apart from John Aldrich. It might have been close in 1983; I had to get a yellow fever injection, then not commonly available, before going to work offshore Malaysia and went to BA in LHR. I knew from somewhere that Jill Parker was or had been in cabin staff training and did make enquiries, but to no avail. Never mind, Jill, but if you are ever near Newbury feel free to contact! (Others too if wish.)
By the way, I looked at your listings re the chap with adverse reaction, but for the life of me cannot remember his name, though I remember the incident. Also, I rather seem to recall that we were not all together but were divided for practical classes into three groups, alphabetically I imagine; was he in the first third? But do not take as gospel, memory plays tricks, and if anyone knows to the contrary, I happily withdraw the suggestion.
Kind regards John
Well, there is no time like the present, or your email will get lost in the blanket of emails which descends on me still!
At the age of 66 now, I am still not retired, and Benoil Services Ltd has gone from strength to strength, particularly in the design and supply of rupture discs. Not an obvious sequel to chemistry research, but we seem to be flavour of more than just the month as few in the oilfield seem not to find there way to our door - or at least our website and email! We took Rob, our eldest, into the company, nearly 5 years ago now, and he is about to acquire it and continue it into the future. I have a feeling I may be involved for a while yet though.
Running our own business has kept us in the same spot for 27 years now. It is a good locality to be in (Woolton Hill is in North Hampshire and just to the south of Newbury - visitors welcomed!)and we are fairly well rooted in our community. I am broadly in charge of Neighbourhood Watches in the area, and also now chair the local branch of UKIP.
It is a fine sunny day and I ought to be in the garden - but must attend to requests from customers!
The business is just myself and my wife, Nicole (also ex Notty 1968 French and German). Ian helps us occasionally with IT and wrote our original web site, and his first, while still at school and university. He has gone on to the wider world at Merrill Lynch as an IT manager. We have two older children: Angela who is now in Brussels on secondment from Folkestone to the Kent / SE Region EU office, and Robert who is a CAD expert and recently returned from 2-3 years in Germany designing cars, now with Landrover. How's that for potted histories?
I heard from Joyce Leedham (nee Boon) that you were interested in renewing contacts with the class of '65 Chemistry.
I live in China now. Actually I was in UK a little earlier in the year but could not stay on until the October reunion, I had to return to China for the school term of my young son. I am involved in many roles for him: mentor, driver, joke-teller, maths-helper, sex-advisor, music-teacher, butt of practical japes, lego supplier and many others.
I seem to remember that we were in contact some years ago and I sent you some info then. All I can do this time is to attach my latest CV (I revised it recently as I was invited to be on a careers panel at my boys's school, and they asked for information on my career).
I have not kept in contact with any of the Chemistry class, except Joyce and Gerry Allen.
A comment: I look back on my 3 years at Nottingham with great fondness, I had a thoroughly good social time there and met many interesting people who had a profound influence on me (example: Joyce). However none of these were Chemistry Department academics; we had a terribly dire and uninspiring group of professors and lecturers, who thought that all they had to do was read their notes, reprint these and then expect to see them again in exams. It was only when I subsequently worked in industry that I met human and inspiring leaders. These people, and not the Nottingham Chemistry academics, fired me up so much that I stayed as a scientist/technologist manager for the rest of my career. And had a thoroughly good and rewarding time.
By a round-about route - actually via Joyce Leedham (Joyce Boone that was) - I heard that you were planning a Nottingham Chemistry Class of '65 Reunion, for the 15th of June, at the University.
As you can see from my address I am now working in China. Ironically I will be in Europe the week before the reunion (meetings in UK and Switzerland) but will be returning to China on Saturday 15th. So it seems that, unless I can make some changes to my programme I will not be able to make the reunion. If I can change anything I will let you know.
Just to fill you in quickly on what I have been doing since leaving Nottingham (when I reread the following it seems like a game-show introduction):
I feel quite good about all this since my tutor at Nottingham said I would never amount to anything and I left with a poor degree. However I had a great time there (never to be forgotten) and met some great people. Some of these are still friends and I see them now and then when I can get back to UK. Of course my biggest achievement is that I have a wonderful wife and two talented kids - of whom I am very proud.
I would be pleased to know how the rest of the Chemistry Class of '65 is doing . It just seems the other day that I first walked down the hill from Wortley Hall to the Chem building .... and it was almost 40 years ago.
Late Chinese New Year resolution: I will make the effort to keep in touch. ...
Best regards,
Chris Brimelow
Nice to hear from you after such a long time.Still working hard by the sound of it.There is an after life so keep up your pension contributions.!
Chris is very well but I've had another very bad period with excrutiating headaches related to a whiplash accident I had several years go.Feeling somewhat better and with spring in the air we booked into a hotel in the Howgills to do some walking this week.How things change in a few days ! Whats the weather been like in your place?
Joined May & Baker in 1965 as assistant to the reasearch controller and became head of the research records department. Joined Unilever in 1973 working in the marketing department on the analysis of detergent markets. My main career was with the Chemical Industries Association as a senior executive formulating policies on environmental issues and developing and promoting agreed positions both nationally and internationally.
Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
In SCI membership (off and on) from the late sixties.
Played a role in developing legislation on the environment in the UK and Europe. Contributed to and edited a number of CIA and CEFIC publications on waste management. Was chairman of the CEFIC waste group and a member of a number of government advisory groups. Negociated on behalf of the chemical industry at OECD and European Commission meetings. Have given evidence to several parliamentary select committees and the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. Presented chemical industry views on TV and radio and to the press.
I gave up work to renovate a 17th century house and create a fitting garden. I enjoy fell/mountain walking, skiing and travelling.
Married to John, who is also a member of SCI Council.
Always attends the CCA reunion dinners in Nottingham.
3 children (2 doctors and a solicitor) all in the south of England, 3 grandsons.
As previously suggested in an e-mail I can add a bit of news - no, it's history really.
I keep in touch with Godfrey Graver who lives in Long Eaton and also used to see Pete Evans from Stoke on the odd occasion. Unfortunately he died back in 2000 if my memory serves me correctly.
Last May I bumped into Doug Hartley on board The Black Prince on a cruise to the Adriatic. He was in Hu Stu like me on the same course graduating in 1965. My retirement 'job' is teaching and organising Bridge on board cruise ships and he appeared on the scene. I must admit I did not immediately recognise him and neither did he recognise me. ( See picture attached ). He lives in Ramsbottom, Lancashire quite near me.
So I am seldom home here in Lancashire where I ended up after an eventful industrial career. Like most people I wondered how I found time to work.
Next weekend Nov.1st I embark on yet another cruise ( 7 this year so far ) to the Canaries. After 5 years and 3 world trips there isn't many places left to explore ! And all down to an interest and an ability to teach of all things Bridge. Anyway, sincere best wishes to all who remember me. I admit I was not the brightest spark but enjoyed Nottingham immensely.
Nothing significant to add other than that I am now fully retired and loving it. What with the French Horn, flying, photography, the garden and astronomy I can't imagine how I ever had time to work, although I was MUCH better organised then!
I've just read the note from Midge Caryer for the first time and I have to say it still brings a tear to the eye. There really is no justice in this life.
Happy New Year to you too. As you can see, now back in the UK after a fantastic time in the US. (He is in the Cheltenham area).
I really enjoyed receiving your letter about the proposed re-union. Unfortunately for me, you pick a date which is impossible - coinciding with BIO 2002 Toronto which is the world major event in our industry.
For the last 23 years I have been with the Swiss chemical company Lonza as MD in our UK office in Cheltenham. Then 2 years ago I was offered the job of running our biotec marketing out of Fairlawn, NJ, USA. After 21 years this came as a hell of a shock. Carol (nee Duckels, Social Admin, 1966) and I decided what the hell - a great opportunity to do something new at our advanced years and see America too.
So hear we are. ... But we finally made and really do enjoy it, as do our son and daughter who have been out here many times. We have an appartment right on the NJ side of the Hudson which affords wonderful views of Manhattan, albeit rather changed now sadly. They have recently commemorated the Twin towers by 2 columns of light. It is superb. In the next mail I will forward a photo for you. As it happens Reg Davies is visiting NYC next week so we can chat about the re-union. i wish you all success with your great idea and give you my apologies than I cannot attend. Please organize another one when we retire back to the UK (pretty soon now!).
Hi Howard. I've been out of touch with the chemistry 1965 year group for some time, though I do have an annual contact with Dick Fereday. It is the price of moving to Southampton to do my Ph.D. Here's a quick synopsis of what I have been up to for the last - grief -45 years.
After my Ph.D. (1969), I moved to ICI in Huddersfield and worked for three years in R and D. Needing fresh air and more variety, I moved into teaching, and ended up spending the major part of my working life at Atlantic College in south Wales. This international sixth form college provided variety, ranging from teaching chemistry to instructing sailing along with a myriad of other duties. An added bonus was that I met my wife, Irene, there -she is a mathematician.
I retired in 2008, and Irene took early retirement at the same time. We spend much of the year on our small narrow boat which is moored at Tewkesbury. In addition we cycle, walk, I have a PPL though not actively flying just now, and Irene plays music ranging from medieval (hurdy-gurdy, hammered dulcimer) to improvised jazz. I am also pretty involved with voluntary work focussing on offering mainly telephone emotional support.
Regards, John.
Photograph taken in 2005.
This is Pauline Richardson – or I was in 1965. Now I’m Pauline Fatayerji - alive & kicking here in Southern California.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to the UK for the reunion, but Joyce Boon (now Leedham) kindly passed on your email address with the promise that you’re doing a great job of gathering information on our contemporaries. I look forward to the chance to get back in touch with you & the rest of the Chemists.
PS we’re heading out early Tuesday on a road trip to Zion National Park in Utah. Internet connection is unreliable so don’t be surprised if it takes time before you hear more of me.
Take care & hope to hear from you shortly.
The portrait was drawn by Thomas Zipfel during the conference dinner of the ChemKrist Workshop 2009 in Freiburg i. Br. As I have had much to do with questions of chirality over the last 25 years, you can see part of my circus act (i.e. the two teddy bears with eye patches kindly lent to me by my two children, now aged 30 and 28.) to try and explain some of this stuff to eager and not-so-eager students. If you are interested in the details, you have to read through some of the following rather technical material.
Got your message and am still alive, (as Harry Secombe would say), and residing in darkest Norfolk. I've attached my current CV, and it's now fine by me if you want to add it to your site. I'm still working hard in order to keep my wife in horses, and me in wine.
By the way, there are at least 3 other John Fiddys, two in Norwich and one, a rapper, in the States. We're common as muck. One of the Norwich JFs was awarded MBE recently, so if anybody is interested, (probably not), it wasn't me, despite the large number of congratulatory emails I received. Maybe one day.......
A couple or three pics if you want to add them to the website. Supposedly the John Fiddy Orchestra "hard at work". Hmmm. The musicians are amongst the best in the world, if not THE best, and the photos are from a social dinner after finishing an album of mine some months ago (the orchestra, choir etc were recorded in Sofia later). I've now written and recorded over 2000 lumps of music, so have not entirely wasted my time in music.
The first photo is L-R : George Hamer, orchestral contractor; Dave Arch, keyboards (he is the music director for Strictly Come Dancing); Me; Jeff Leach, keyboards (also works on SCD); Gary Kettel, percussion (one of the very best and a complete lunatic).
Second photo L-R Me; Dave; Jeff; George; Gary; Frank Ricotti, percussion (also works on SCD); Steve Pearce, bass guitar (I've stopped playing now); Mitch Dalton, guitars. I can't tell you how good these guys are.
Also a photo from the mid-70s in Japan when I was still playing (bass guitar). Strange what Chemistry graduates get up to....hope your're not too bored.
By the way, the "Class of 66", ie a year after us, meets occasionally; I am a sort of honorary member and it's always great to see them. Including John Monks who was my next door room-mate in Cripps and became boss of the TUC, and is now boss of the ETUC (European equivalent of the TUC). Despite that he is still a lovely guy.
I retired in 1992 from my position of Technical Dirctor of a Plastics Company for health reasons.
For the last ten years I've concentrated on my hobby of genealogy and computers - especially combining them. I edit a Family History magazine amongst other things.
Just returned from working for a week in Lincolnshire. I am still around in Long Eaton and despite reaching 65 am still working - as a gardener. I did a short while doing contract work for a management consultancy until they were taken over around 2004 and then returned to what I started doing at the age of 17.
Since 2002 I have aquired a new partner and 3 "step " children. I have 4 grandchildren between the ages of 19 and 1 year old, and Heidi has 4 too, so family life is interesting. I am still playing the keyboards to the "elderly" - mostly October to March when the gardening season is slack! And just to keep my hand in I am also an examiner for NEBOSH for Health and Safety exams.
Yes, I graduated with you. I believe we met again around 1967. A lot has happened since then. I sent an e mail to Mike and Sheila after receiving the invitation to the reunion. However, as explained, I shall be in Holland at that time with a friend - looking at organs. The only member of our graduation group that I am in regular contact with is Tony Cordery who I went to school with. I still do a little consultancy work in the health and safety field but spend most of my time in charity work - usually entertaining the elderly.
Greetings from the USA.I just received the notice of reunion after returning from the UK for a wedding and holiday with Mary(and none of our 4 children!) I was interested to see the list-did you manage to get hold of Dave Hazeldine-last I knew he was with British Gypsum-near Newark? Not sure yet about June 16- have to be in the UK for a 40th Wedding Anniversary in July so I will only make the 16th June if I have to be over on business. If you ever get to Boston we are 2 hours North and have a guest house on the property.
Hope to see you
David
David MacMahon, President
Gates Formed-Fibre Products, Inc.
You are very good at tracking people down. I changed my email address last year and was not very good at making sure everyone knew that it had changed even though the 2 ran in parallel for a bit. Now in full time retirement and doing much as before - travelling and golf. Summers are in the UK, with some time abroad, and winters are in Spain where I have a place, just east of Nerja which i really enjoy. I'll try and fix up a photo some time.
Although I left BA about 10 years ago I still have several friends there and so your message in the BA News has got to me. I tried sending an e-mail but it was returned because 'it did not exist' and I suspect that there was part of it missing in the ad. All in all I can't help but be curious.
I must say you are very persisent to have resorted to the ad and I have to say I am interested in hearing how everyone is. I am still in contact with a few though mainly from the Hall of Residence contacts - in particular Liz Goodman (Towns), Anna Mumford and Joc Thomson. I have also just come back from the States from visiting Cookie Rheinhardt who was in Broadwood for a year on a sabbatical from Tulane University.
Since leaving Notts you obviously know that I spent quite a bit of time in BA. After being in charge of the Cabin Crew Training side I moved over to Marketing where I had a lovely time setting up the Executive Club and BA credit card which kept me very busy for a few years. I then left and worked for a consultancy company and was also Marketing Director for a large newspaper group which I thoroughly enjoyed until we were sold off. Since then I have been back in consultancy though I have to admit I am now virtually in full time retirement which I love. It is mostly golf and travel these days.
I'm not sure whether you are planning other reunions but it might be interesting to see how everyone has fared. On the whole I'm not a great one for them but every now and again it is good to satisfy ones curiousity and catch up with old mates.
I am just sorting out a stack of old mail only to find a letter & business card you mailed me last year, whilst I was still working in Shanghai.
I am now back from China and retired from Unilever, but decided I did not like retirement after a hectic working life and recently got started with BR Consulting as an intellectual hobby to keep me occupied and pay for some travelling, including trips back to China, where I now have several clients.
I am now fully online and just invested in Broadband too. Please feel free to update the website with my contacts. I am in touch with Dave Hazeldene, Pete Hubberstey, Dick Fereday and Stu Hosfield, but none of us made the intended effort to organise a reunion this summer. I have a sister and brother both still located close to Nottingham and still have occasional visits back there.
PS. I am still married to Gill and after 35 years with three "grown up" kids and two grandchildren.
As for Kate, yes, there was a degree of contact. And nothing I cannot pass on.
In the first place, I met her and Tony about a year and a half after their marriage, staying with them a night at their home then in Winnersh, near Reading. These days the Winnersh triangle, as it is known, is a noisy spot surrounded by the M4 and A329M and several industrial estates, but then it was a peaceful and isolated area with a streamlet at the bottom of the garden; and I met Ashley as a baby. We might have exchanged news a few more times - well, I know we did at the Christmas card level at least as I knew they went on to have a second and third child - , but largely lost contact after I finished off my PhD in Nottingham in 1968 and went to Australia with ICI. I rather think that was more to do with them moving house twice fairly quickly and not keeping me on their list of address changes.
We ... returned from Oz after 4 years ... . In about 1977 I was with some work colleagues (Akzo, by now) in a pub somewhere in SW London, Wandsworth area, when I was tapped on the shoulder with a cautious greeting "Hello, it's John, isn't it?" by Tony. That chance contact led to a renewal of the Christmas card links, but they then lived near Chichester while we then lived just outside Luton and we were soon on the move to Leeds. Kate and I corresponded once or twice more and I know she was happily engaged in teaching in, I think, a technical college in Brighton while bringing up her family. Then there was nothing for a while.
However, in 1982 we moved south again to Newbury and in 1985 set up our own company, Benoil Services Ltd. In the course of pursuing business contacts, one of them on the industrial estates near Chichester, I remember I had finished early, about 4pm, and realised I was not that far from their address in Oving village. I called round, and the door was answered by a woman who at first said only that the Taylors were no longer there. But somehow she gave me opening to explain the connection, and then told me that in fact Kate had worked with her husband at the tech, and that they had bought the house after Kate had died. I think I must have looked slack-jawed with shock, because she suddenly became very concerned; then she gave me a little more detail, saying Kate had had cancer. I guess she can only have been about 35 or so. Tony had moved back near parents, for support with the children, but she did not know where, and I have never heard further from him.
http://www.gemini-riteway.com/who.htm shows the contact page from the web site of the firm gemini-riteway. John Bentham has been able to confirm that this is Kate's husband Tony and two of her children Ashley and Nick.
Sorry it took a while to reply. Got involved with usual Christmas kerfuffle (which in our case also involves appearing in a Christmas musical at Chicken Shed Theatre).
I don't know how much you know, but here's a brief account of my sister Kate's short life.
She died in October 1980 from malignant melanoma (skin cancer, though as a scientist I'm sure you know that!). In 1976 she noticed that a mole on her leg was bleeding and when she mentioned it to the doctor while there with her daughter, was immediately rushed to Roehampton Hospital, where she had a big lump cut out of her thigh. We all thought, or probably in hindsight hoped, that was that. However, 4 years later she developed dreadful back pain and eventually it was discovered the cancer had spread to the lymph system. She was very ill indeed at the end.
She had 3 children, Ashley, Nicholas and Clare and they were all quite young when she died. I've lost track of their ages as they are all adults now, but I think Clare, the youngest, was only about 10. As you can imagine, Tony was absolutely devastated and immediately sold the house and couldn't bear to go back there. ...
Ashley, the oldest is married to Sarah and they have two children, Abigail (whose second name is Kathleen) and Matthew. Nicholas is married to Jo. Clare is married to Colin and they have a 2 year old called Kate and one due any moment. My own 19 year old daughter, who is disabled, is also called Kate. We all want to name our children after the original Kate Caryer!
(I think Katie found your email address while doing a web search for herself!)
Best Wishes for Christmas and always
Midge Caryer
Had Kate Caryer (the elder - my sister) lived, she would now have six grandchildren, who are all gorgeous of course. In keeping with family tradition, the girls seem particularly bright. Kate's children (2 boys and 1 girl) are all remarkably well-adjusted and kind people.
Sheila Tippett died on 11th May 2009 from cancer. Her friend Liz Turner (also Nottingham, English) wrote this obituary
