Our New Trustee

Chris Brown

Chris Brown

My first memories of handling a rugby ball was at a very young age when I used to take my Dad’s Old Blues rugby netball kit bag out onto the grass on the Alton Estate where we lived and set up teams using his shirts against “Skins”. It was also in Roehampton where I honed my dodging and tackling skills with a regular game of British Bulldog.

I started school in Sutherland Grove in 1970 and was immediately picked for the 1st year rugby team which was filled with some really talented players like, Curtis Carth, Graham Field, Tony Milton, Stirling, Carter, Tony Gribble (He also stopped me from being a “Sixer” in the 1st Roehampton Cubs) to name but a few. I captained my form (1 Iota) and went on to lift the coveted (?) first year rugby trophy and it all went downhill from then on.

In the 2nd year under the tutelage of the late and great Jim Lindsay 3 year teams travelled down to South Wales represented by the likes of Ian Hayworth (1st) and Tony Davidson (3rd) who were playing for their respective teams, however and our team was the only one to win all 3 games in the Newport area, stuffing Duffryn, Queens & Caldecott. However, my abiding memory of that tour was not about the rugby, but Trevor Rowe jumping into his bunk bed and setting off the box of Swan Vestas he had in his back pocket, so much for safety matches!

I had a brief jaunt in Russell Burgess’s Wandsworth School Choir and sang Mahler’s 8th Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall, an event that I have never forgotten for all the right reasons, but alas I had to leave when I left Wandsworth School in the 4th year.

On to the Old Dubs, where I joined in 1976 under the captaincy of Bob Andrews playing in the mud down in Claygate, in swamp-like conditions which were so bad it used to stop Herbie driving his favourite tractor in its tracks on many occasions! In fact I severely cut my knee one season playing O’Meads and my own father (Micky) refused to put me in his new Mercedes and take me the short distance to Epsom district hospital, so I had to wait in the changing rooms for 3 hours waiting for an ambulance to show up.

I had some great times playing for the Old Boys and would do almost anything for the lads, I even gave a try to Laurie Hastings when the ball was over the line and I waited for him to arrive to touch down! Tours were magnificent; especially Paignton with Bosley’s Leopards who were formed as the direct result of obtaining a large stuffed cat which was “lifted” from a local pub and the Liege tour where our roomie spent 2 nights in a Belgium cell and his only night in our room comatosed on the floor – splendid!

After leaving the UK I went to Sydney with fellow Dubs, Steve (Mole) Murray,Martin (Tads) Walpole and met up with Steve (The Att) Attridge and Stevie (?) Young! We had a great time in Oz and I ended up getting married to my lovely wife Caroline and had 2 daughters Sarah and Nicola both born in Sydney.

I played rugby with Tads for a Sydney Division 2 side called Smithfield, but had to give it up due to a head injury, which some may say has never gone away. On my return from Australia at the age of 33, I decided to retire from the Dubs and was relaying this message to a fellow, called Pete Hawkes who must have been in his mid-fifties. He embarrassed me back into playing again and I finally retired after the 1999 tour to Lisbon after too much Guinness at half time! I am now a big Northampton fan and usually catch up with a lot of the boys when the Saints journey down to the “Stoop” or we catch up at an England or Varsity game!

I had the opportunity to apply to join the Trust at the beginning of the year as I wanted to stay in touch with friends made over the decades who have been associated with Wandsworth School one way or another. I have now just about completed my first year and I am very proud to be involved with all things Wandsworth School. To be invited to join a Trust where its members both past and present make all efforts to do what’s right for the school and it’s financial legacy is simply a great privilege and I am honoured to be a contributor. Therefore as is written on the Wandsworth coat of arms “We serve” it is now time for me to do my best to carry on that tradition!

Chris

Comments are closed.