40s and 50s Memories
leave periods were treasured and the envy of
the Fleet. I left the Navy in 1974, having enjoyed
every minute. As we loved the area and people
of Dartmouth, I opened a practice there. It was
hard work but rewarding: I had five daughters to
educate, two of whom came to King's, like me,
for their sixth form education.
Sixteen years later, my daughters' education
over, I sold the practice and I took a sabbatical
year in Aix-en-Provence, trying to improve my
'Popsie French' with some idea of perhaps
opening a practice in France.
However, an appointment at Cambridge
University came up and that was where I spent
the last ten years of my career. My colleague
& I looked after the undergraduates, postgraduates and dons of the University.
I met a few of my daughters' contemporaries
who were students there but Cambridge wasn't
over-populated by OAs. Life was extremely full,
as anyone who has worked at a university would
know, but also most fulfilling. However, this
time, the Long Vacation did not extend to the
University Dental Clinic! I retired in 1998 with
many good friendships and lasting memories of
Cambridge.
Since then I have returned to my house here
in Devon and live with my wife and two dogs,
gardening like mad, sailing boats, keeping
an eye on the local Rugby Club and enjoying
the visits of my inevitably returning daughters,
step-daughter, step-son and our sixteen
grandchildren. We are spoiled by another
OA, Dennis Hill, when he visits in the summer
loaded with the best strawberries in England.
So life after King's has been varied and happy
and there are few things that I would change.
The School gave us a good start, taught us to
be adaptable and to look after ourselves in the
belief that we could compete with the best- and
win.
But, who knows? Maybe the best is yet to
come?
A. MARKS
King Alfred 1947
Tony Marks was a Prefect of King Alfred House.
He was also Head Chorister and involved in the
play reading and dramatic societies.
Of his life after King's, he writes:
Being an only son and knowing that my father
was hoping that I would go into his motorcycle
business, I left school in 1947 thinking that I
might in all fairness see if I was suited to the
trade. After about three years in this endeavour,
and following a return to school for an OA
reunion, I spent some time in the chapel and
then, on return to Lancashire, I knew where my
future lay. It was ordination to the priesthood.
Father Miles Sargent, the School Chaplain, had
given me some good advice, and I still treasure
his letters to me. My father was very upset and
quite "anti" the whole idea, but off I went to
King's College, London to study theology.
In 1954, I was ordained in Blackburn Cathedral
following which I served my curacy in Fleetwood
among deep-sea fishermen. The love of the
sea has never left me and so, after serving for
four years in my own parish in Burnley, I joined
the Royal Navy as Chaplain.
I joined the Navy in 1960 and served for 20 years.
I began at HMS Nelson, the Naval Barracks in
Portsmouth, along with about eight young Lt.
Schoolies (Instructors) and three Doctors. I had
not done any PT since leaving school and I
was now 32 years old, and we were in the gym
every morning. I remember vividly being almost
exhausted doing press-ups and a Chief Petty
Officer PT Instructor saying to his "oppo" "Don't
kill 'im, he's the only one we've got!" Then there
was jumping into the swimming pool from the
top diving board into a life raft which neither
inflated nor filled one with confidence! This
course lasted a month and then I was flown out
to Malta to join my first ship, HMS Undaunted,
plus three other Frigates.
During my naval Chaplaincy I had been Chaplain
to two squadrons of Frigates, including the
Dartmouth Training Squadron, and also to HMS
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