St Cyprian’s School – Eastbourne

L C V WILKES MUM WILKES OLD BOYS CORRESPONDENCE

Some interesting Old Boys of St Cyprian’s Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was a society photographer and stage designer, his work including “My Fair Lady”. His artistic talent was recognised and developed at St Cyprians where he regularly won art prizes. Eric Blair (George Orwell) (1903-1950) – Writer of fiction including “Nineteen Eighty Four” and “Animal Farm” and journalist Alan Clark (1928-1999) was MP for Plymouth and later Kensington and Chelsea. He served as a minister in the Thatcher government and subsequently published his diaries which caused a minor scandal at the time. He was an outspoken maverick and probably the only minister who was not intimidated by Margaret Thatcher. Cyril Connolly (1903-1974) was an intellectual, literary critic and author of “Enemies of Promise”. In this book he both praises and criticises St Cyprians (Wulfrics) and refers to his time both as a child and later on a visit when he was about to go to university. His friendship with Orwell stemmed from St Cyprians days, although unlike him he referred to the Wilkes as “True friends” Henry Robert Foote VC (1904-1993) was a Major-General who was awarded the Victoria Cross in North Africa in 1942. He said of Mrs Wilkes “I owe her a great deal – she was a mother to me” Ian Fraser (1897-1974) was blinded at the Battle of the Somme, but went on to run the St Dunstan’s Charity for the blind for 52 years, became a Member of Parliament, Governor of the BBC and the first Life Peer as Lord Fraser of Lonsdale Brian Grover (1901- ) landed an aircraft illegally in the village of Noginsk, north of Moscow in November 1938 in a bid to see his lost beloved, Yelena Golius, a pharmacist's assistant - an offence that could have brought three years hard labour under Stalin’s regime. They had met when Grover worked there earlier in the 1930's as an engineering expert in the Soviet industrialization drive. Miss Golius came to Moscow and the couple were married. The sentence was commuted to a fine of 100 roubles and they left together for England in December 1938 Reader Hanbury DSO (1915- ) sank two German U-Boats from his Sunderland Flying-boat during the war, and piloted in the 100,000th tonne of cargo flown in by civil aircraft in the Berlin Airlift. Henry Longhurst (1909-1978) was an eminent golfer and Golf Correspondent, writing for the Sunday Times for 40 years. The proximity of the golf course to St Cyprians stimulated his interest in the sport and he wrote affectionately of the Wilkes with whom he remained in regular contact after he left. He described Mrs Wilkes as the outstanding woman in my life. Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969) was a Scottish naturalist and author of “Ring of Bright Water”. His autobiography recognises the contribution of St Cyprians to his nature study, in particular the support of R. L. Sillar. Anthony Mildmay (1909-1950) later Lord Mildmay was a gifted amateur steeplechaser who took part in the Grand National on several occasions and won several important races. He also stimulated the Queen Mother’s interest in jump racing. He had the opportunity to ride on the Downs when at St Cyprian’s. David Ormsby-Gore (1918-1985) was a Member of Parliament and British Ambassador to the USA during the Presidency of J F Kennedy, the Cuban missile crisis and the signing of the first nuclear test ban treaty. Subsequently as Lord Harlech he was President of the BBFC at a time of considerable liberalising of film censorship. Sir Lashmer Whistler(1898-1963) was a General at the Battle of El Alamein, Normandy Landings and Operation Market Garden. He held his wedding reception at St Cyprian’s. Michael Wickham (1909-1995) was an artist and Vogue photographer - described by Terence Conran as “master of many trades and an enthusiastic amateur of countless others. He was a furniture-maker, a gardener, a photographer, a painter, a musician, a cook, a motor engineer, a raconteur, a linguist, a romantic philanderer, a Marxist, a husband (four times), a father (of seven children), a grandfather (of 12) and, best of all, an enormously generous bon viveur.” Richard Wood (1920-2002) lost both his legs during the Second World War but went on to become an MP and held many ministerial posts from 1955 to 1974. Philip Zeigler (born 1929 is a prominent British biographer and historian Cyril Connolly “The Evening Colonnade” 1973 Cyril Connolly “Enemies of Promise” 1938 Ian Fraser “Whereas I was Blind” 1942 Henry Longhurst “My Life and Soft Times” 1971 Gavin Maxwell “The House of Elrig” 1965 Terence Conran “Michael Wickham Obituary The Independent 1995 Feb 7 New York Times “In a 1938 flight to Soviet, love knew no frontiers” 1987 June 1