OPU President, Marshall Coalter (1974-78), Bill Eames (M, 1935-41), Szymon Gorczynski and Principal, Miss Elizabeth Armstrong at the VJ-Day commemorations in August 2020.

Old Portorans in the news

The Covid-19 pandemic and self-isolation has given us the opportunity to update and expand and the OPU (London branch) website. One suggestion for an addition to the site was to include news on OP’s activities. To start things off we highlight the achievements of some OPs who have been in the news in the past few years. Please keep us informed of newsworthy developments that might be of interest to OPs.

 

Szymon Gorczynski (2020 Bursary Prize winner)

The OPU (London branch) Bursary Prize sponsors a second pupil from the School to accompany the School Principal, Head Boy and Head Girl to attend the annual OPU London branch dinner. Sadly, the March 2020 dinner was postponed due to COVID-19 and this year's Prize winner, Szymon Gorczynski, was therefore unable to come to London to receive his Bursary Prize cheque.

Lockdown during April, May and June added to the complication of getting his cheque to him, but finally during VJ-Day celebrations at the School in August a cheque and framed certificate were presented to him on behalf of the OPU (London branch) by OPU President, Marshall Coalter.

Simon wrote a very pleasant letter of thanks to the OPU (London branch) in which he added that the prize money would be very useful to him, buying study materials for his Electrical Engineering course at Queen’s University.

We wish Szymon every success in his chosen course of study and hope to hear from him again in the future.

(Posted: 7 January 2021)

Oscar Wilde (OP, 1864-1871)

Formerly Reading Goal, Reading Prison was built in 1844 and served until its closure in 2013. It has held prisoners, young offenders and prisoners of war during World War Two. Among its famous former inmates was OP Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Wilde’s cell in Reading Prison

At the height of his fame in 1895, Wilde was convicted of gross indecency with other men and sentenced to two years’ hard labour in Reading Prison. In 1897, while in prison, he wrote De Profundis, which was published in 1905. A long and harrowing love letter on spirituality and faith it charts his journey into the depths of degradation as he renounces his debauched lifestyle and celebrates the power of art. On his release from prison, he moved to France where he wrote his last work, ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’, in 1898, describing prison life. 

Reading Prison was put up for sale in 2019. Campaigners launched a bid to turn the site into an arts hub, but Reading Borough Council’s attempt to buy the prison was rejected by the Ministry of Justice. More recently, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Stephen Fry have added their support to the campaign to have the building turned into an arts hub.

(Posted: 7 January 2021)

Nigel Dodds (OP, 1971-77) 

Nigel Dodds, Northern Irish barrister and unionist politician was nominated for a life peerage in the 2019 Dissolution Honours and created Baron Dodds of Duncairn on 18 September 2020. He made his maiden speech in the House of Lords on 3 November 2020. 

Nigel was North Belfast's MP between 2001-19. He served as Minister of Finance in the Northern Ireland Executive and is deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP. He was defeated in the 2019 United Kingdom general election, losing his seat to Sinn Féin's John Finucane.

(Posted: 7 January 2021)

Leo McKinstry (U, 1977-81) 

Leo writes regularly for several national newspapers including the Daily Mail, Daily Express, and The Sunday Telegraph. As well as writing for the press, he has written several books, ranging from an acclaimed World War II trilogy on the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster aircraft to sporting biographies. 

In 2019 he published ‘Attlee and Churchill: Allies in War, Adversaries in Peace’ which has been very favourable received. Based on extensive research and archival material, the book provides a host of new insights into the relationship between the two men who had vastly different backgrounds and political beliefs and yet during World War II were able to build a partnership, before going on to face each other in two of Britain’s most important and influential General Elections.

Andrew Rawnsley, reviewing the book in The Observer, said, ‘Dual biographies are a tricky endeavour. McKinstry rises to the challenge brilliantly. His account is elegantly structured, his prose is lucid, he explains complex events with clarity, his anecdotes are telling and often funny, his judgments are assured and he brings to gripping life the characters of the leading men and the rest of the cast. While never blind to their flaws, he rightly finds huge amounts to admire in both men. “If Churchill was the giant of the war, Attlee was the hero of the peace.”’

(Posted: 1 April 2020)

Ian Sanderson (Leinster 1950-58)

OPU (London branch) Past President, Ian, canvassed as Liberal Democrat candidate for Romford in the 2019 General Election. Ian joined the Liberal Democrats in 1989 was their candidate for Romford in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 elections. Sadly, he was unsuccessful in winning the seat in 2019, but was able to more than double the Liberal Democrat’s share of the vote (5.7% in 2019. 2.4% in 2017 and 2.9% in 2015).

(Posted: 1 April 2020)

Nicholas Coburn (Ulster 1973-77)

Son of Muir Coburn (Connacht 1943-50) and a recent attendee at London dinners, Nick (Ulster Carpets group managing director and deputy chairman) was awarded a CBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours for his service to the Northern Ireland economy. He received his award from the Duke of Cambridge at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in April 2019.

Nick, the grandson of the company’s founder George Walter Wilson joined Ulster Carpets in 1977. ‘I was fascinated by the machines and the smell of wool in the dye-house, it was always in my bones. I was fortunate, in that I was able to work in all the different areas of the company and learn what went on, from production to sales to design and management.’ He founded Ulster’s US operations in 1993 and went on to build its international contract business in key locations around the world, before becoming group managing director in 2004.

(Posted: 1 April 2020)

Ryan Dempster (Ulster 2002-09)

A regular attendee at recent London dinners, Ryan (Architect at Knotel) was recognised as one of the UK’s rising stars in the commercial property sector at the British Council for Offices’ (BCO) third annual NextGen Awards ceremony in 2018.

BCO NextGen Awards 2018 - All winners with Ryan at the bottom right hand corner

The Awards are part of the BCO’s NextGen programme, which sets out to mentor and encourage the next generation of professionals to become future leaders in the industry, whilst providing a platform for new talent to share ideas.

Ryan was joint ‘Rising Star’ for London and South East and at the time was supporting on a comprehensive remodelling and extension of 77 Coleman Street, creating a 82,000 sq ft office-led development in the City of London.

(Posted: 1 April 2020)