Category: Latest Alumni News

John Alexander (1947-2024)

Died July 21st 2024

The following obituary was kindly provided by John’s wife, Jane.

John was born in Pinvin, Pershore in 1947. He briefly moved to Solihull for a few years, then to Evesham and when he was 18 moved to Pensham, Pershore, where he remained until his death.

His years at school were at Wells Court and Well House in Malvern and then St. Edward’s, Oxford. After graduating in Law he was articled to Needham and James in Birmingham, he then moved to Westons in Kidderminster where he met his future wife, Jane. Westons then amalgamated with Thursfields and Adams whereupon he was transferred to the Stourport branch, taking Jane with him as his secretary. He then set up his own business in 1975 with his brother, William, and Alexander & Co was born.

In 1979 he married Jane Lloyd at Chaddesley Corbett church, near Kidderminster. They then had two boys, Thomas and George.

He had numerous hobbies and started bell ringing at Pershore Abbey in his early twenties where he has rung ever since for Sunday services, weddings and practices. He had a strong affiliation with the Abbey taking on the duties of sidesman and intercessor.

He loved all aspects of the countryside and nature and had a genuine love of gardening, vegetable growing and all wildlife. In his retirement he took up beekeeping and was Treasurer of Evesham beekeepers. He also had a great love of classical music and latterly took up choral singing, joining Pershore choral and Worcester Philomusica where he performed in many concerts.

He was a keen tennis player and represented Pershore for many years in matches across the county. He enjoyed swimming and cricket, playing for Worcester lawyers.

John loved Pershore and the village of Pensham and enjoyed contributing towards the community. He was chairman of Pershore Civic Society and contributed toward the establishment of Number 8 Theatre in Pershore.

John was a real gentleman and family man. He lived life to the full and was very kind and full of fun.

He died at home surrounded by his family on July 21^st 2024. He will be sorely missed by all the people whose lives he touched.

His funeral was held at Pershore Abbey on 9^th August at 12:00 midday.

 

Report by Dave Barnett on 2023 reunion lunch

On Sunday, 8^th October at Colwall Park Hotel, Worcestershire

The long awaited 2023 reunion event has been arranged for Sunday, 8^th October, when all old boys, girls and former staff are invited to attend a 3-course lunch at the Colwall park Hotel on the West side of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.

We are pleased to announce that the Association’s President, Lord Timothy Boswell, will open the post-lunch speeches, and we are delighted that Lord Robin Janvrin, formerly the Private Secretary for the late Queen Elizabeth II, has also agreed to speak.

This is the same venue as the successful 2019 lunch attended by over 90 former pupils and staff plus some spouses/partners and guests.

See all the photos of the event here and read the report on the day by Galen Bartholomew by clicking here.  The terrible Covid pandemic prevented another reunion taking place until this year, so this is a long-awaited event which is expected to be very popular.     Association members have already had an early opportunity to purchase tickets and we can now open-up bookings to all others.

The cost of tickets are as follows :-

• Association Members and their guests – £35 per person.
• Non-members and their guests – £50 per person.
• Membership (£40 lifetime subscription) and lunch booked together – £ 75 for one place, £110 for two places.

There is a limit of 100 places for this sit-down lunch, so it’s best to book early to avoid disappointment.

For further details on how to book places and make payment, contact Rod Hawnt, Chairman of the Wells House School Association – wells.house.assoc@gmail.com

 

Dear Reader,

The Code started life as a novella, a short prequel to introduce my protagonist, Angus McKinnon. But as can happen, the plot began to be dictated by the characters and a complete novel has emerged. Here’s the “blurb” to give you an idea of what it’s all about. The book is now available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format:

https://amzn.to/3vi6ygI

A spy swap in the Syrian desert, a pirate attack in the Sulu Sea, a devastating confrontation in the Balkans …

Beirut 1963: Kim Philby defects to Moscow. As he boards his Soviet escape ship, unnoticed, a young ship’s officer, passes him on the quayside. Valdis Ozols is disenchanted, idealistic and susceptible. And two men are waiting for him.

Drawn into the shadowy world of espionage and a lifetime of deception and danger, Valdis reaches his lowest ebb in the harsh surroundings of a post-Soviet prison – until a ship’s bosun and fellow inmate, Angus McKinnon, becomes the Latvian’s trusted friend and confidante.

Together, the two men must break out and thwart a plan to annihilate a war-torn Balkan city. In doing so, an impossible choice must be made between the murder of tens of thousands of innocent citizens and the horrific killing of a young woman.

The Code spans the Cold War and beyond, from the Cuban missile crisis to the dawn of the Millennium.

And it introduces us to marine investigator, Angus McKinnon and how he becomes entangled in the world of life-and-death espionage before confronting further hazardous assignments in Sea of Gold, Dark Ocean and Black Reef.

E-book and paperback editions: https://amzn.to/3vi6ygI

“Nick Elliott delivers in spades when it comes to fast-paced, intelligent, international thrillers. You feel, smell and touch every authentically crafted location; you’re expertly drawn into a maze of shadows and sinister organizations and characters where nothing is what it seems. This really is thriller writing of the highest calibre.”

Craig Russell, award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Jan Fabel and Lennox crime thrillers.

I hope you enjoy reading this fourth thriller in the Angus McKinnon series as much as I have in writing it.

With best wishes,

Nick

https://nickelliott.org/

From Guy Unwin :

Carol Unwin a former Wells House Boy (1959-63) known as Barrell has sadly passed away at his home in Bideford.

Carol was a popular and well known character to many.   Life had presented him with many challenges after a motor racing accident when he was 19.   He embraced life and had a very kindly nature to all he met.   He had his own way off doing things and will be sadly missed.

The new Association committee met for the first time via Zoom on 25th March 2021, which was much later than had been hoped due to the Covid crisis preventing face-to-face meetings.    The main items to report are :-

1. Galen Bartholomew was elected Treasurer of the Association
2. A bank account had been opened with Lloyds Bank, ready to receive subscriptions from 1st April 2021
3. The life-time membership subscription was set at £40
4. Emails and letters would be dispatched in May inviting prospective members to join-up
5. The next re-union event which had provisionally been planned for September 2021, would now be postponed until May, 2022 at the earliest