News from John Nicholas

Nick and co, Nearing "the Rock" in 2007 Fastnet Race

It was pretty amazing seeing you dig up my email address, presumably from the school. I have pretty much been away from Canberra since 1973, in New Zealand for a second degree, and two stints living in the U.K. with Darwin in between.

I have a wife, whom I met in a pub in London in 1973, a son who has himself a wife and son in Brisbane, and a daughter, with her own son and daughter, in Melbourne.

We have been living and working in England since 2002, although we catch up with the family, either here or in Oz, at least once a year. I am not a petrolhead, though I remember well the influence the internal combustion engine and wheels had on the class of '67. I do have a friend in Cambridge who has eight Lotuses and races two of them. The Nicholases sail instead, and son Ben has been four times a class national champion in Australia and Britain, and one year world champ. Something in common with Pete Forsythe. For his interest I have attached a photo of us sailing our boat in the 2007 Fastnet Race.

We are currently living in North London, but moving soon, tossing up between Cambridge and Berkshire.

Post this if you think it newsworthy. I will keep in touch.

Cheers

John Nicholas

David Edmunds on his European bike Ride

David and Roz are pedalling across Europe.  Follow them here.

David has a daily blog of his adventures as he and wife Roz pedal across Northern Europe.
You can follow them here. Or by typing " pedallingeurope.com "into your search engine.
Check out their google map of where they are, each day.
And here's "the Bike"...

"Has to be comfortable, light and durable".  David explains here.

Don P: The MG National Concours d Élegence

Update to below....

As a post script… The MG National Concours d Élegence was held over the Easter weekend. The maroon MG B GT V8 (1973) and the maroon and cream MG SA (1937) both won their classes. Both cars were in a pretty terrible state when I bought them.

Don P

Don Phillip's Stable

A lovely MG TG, if I'm not mistaken... if I am, mail me

[Steve P]: Love of cars ancient and modern seems to reside deeply in the 1967 psyche. Don claims to have caught the bug via Mark Hodgkin:

An MG freak through and through. However, you may remember I had a Mini for aI have one now as a friendly reminder. while. So, Five MG’s and the Mini complete my stable. Mark Hodgkin was responsible for kindling my interest in MG’s.  Photos attached for circulation. [See below the fold]

Regards

Don

Pete's Post: the log barque...

Ahoy!  Check out my sailing log! This little barque clocks up a surprising amount of knots, even in choppy conditions,
All the best
Peter Read.

John Cursley reports on Targa Tasmania

John Cursley reports on Targa Tasmania

Hi All,

Have been down in Tassie watching the Targa Tasmania and the fortunes of our petrol head representative Barry Faux.

There’s no doubt about it he can certainly get that Mazda flying and in the right direction ably assisted by Therese. I timed him against most of the top competitors over my viewing range and they were always in the top ten cars. Well done Barry and Therese.

Like Barry and Hodge(nice E Type Hodge) I’m also a petrol head and had some fun around some of the more secluded but great roads in Tassie.

There’s some very nice old and new wheels that get there as per attached photos and Maggie and I will most likely go again. We also highly recommend the MONA Gallery in Hobart.

Warmest best wishes

John and Maggie

Autumn in Canberra brings on the car rallies

Autumn in Canberra brings on the car rallies
Easter 2011 brought the e-type Jag owners to Canberra including Mark Hodgkin with his 1967 e-type. Mark made the pilgrimage from his home-base of Hampstead in London UK. Pictured you can see Mark's car getting the treatment from the judges and in discussion with Chris and Steve after the Concourse d' etat car judging.

Peter Cornhill: Adventures in Taiwan

Hi Steve and Everyone, Just thought I’d send in a few musings on Josie’s and my recent trip to see Taiwan and visit our elder daughter Serena, who spent one and a half years teaching English to Taiwanese kids, aged 21/2 to 12 –they start early there! Having not been OS for 11 years I had half forgotten how good we had it in Oz, and it’s always good to put that into perspective again. 

[Rest of story and photos below].  Click "Read more"}

Jock Rankin, ABC News,

From ABC News, January 17, 2002:
[Posted by Steve Padgham, in Hong Kong]


Victorian journalists have paid tribute to Jock Rankin, the veteran ABC broadcaster who died in Melbourne yesterday.

Mr Rankin joined the ABC in 1972, and had been a reporter for television and radio current affairs programs including Four Corners and This Day Tonight. 

He was Victorian Director of News and Current Affairs from 1988 to 1993, while in recent years he was best known for his work as executive director of the Property Council of Victoria. 

Mr Rankin, who was 52, is survived by his wife, state Education Minister Mary Delahunty, and their two children. 

ABC TV newsreader Ian Henderson says Mr Rankin made an important contribution to Victorian journalism. 

"Jock was an uncompromising and passionate editor of the old school - he was capable of both inspiring great loyalty and making you quake in your boots, like the best did," he said. 

"He was a great fighter for Victoria's place in Australian journalism."

Jock Rankin, ABC Radio interview with Mary Delahunty

This is from Padge, an email sent out on 27th August, posting now for the folks on the blog....

Dear all, you will all have memories of Jock. After all he was school captain. I remember dropping by his place when walking home in the afternoon. As most of you know he became a journalist and married Mary Delahunty (another ABC  journalist) and Mary went into State politics (Victorian Labor), became Arts and Education minister. She has recently written a book about her experiences and living with Jock's mysterious illness. Later diagnosed as` a rare cancer.

She was recently interviewed on Radio National. David Edmunds and I found it a very interesting account.

The Mary Delahunty interview from Life Matters is available on the RN website for which click here.

Trust all is well. Has anybody alse come up with other contacts?

Best wishes

Steve Padgham

Some more old photos

This is from Padge and Forse.  Padge reckons a number of you may find some these photos of interest....

Barry Faux, "G.D." the Red Setter and Big Pete Read (aka "Ace")

Tony Peppercorn, Oz and Jenny, plus Fish the Dog

Big Pete and Oz

Somewhere in the sixties.... Ray, Big Pete, Ross and Forse

September 19, 1969...

Hello from Hong Kong!

Padge and Forse at the Forsythe residence

Discovery Bay Hong Kong, 20 October 2010

Padge and Forse here. Padge just arrived in from four days in Shanghai following the Shanghai Masters tennis, with brother David (Grammar Class of 71).
They saw in action: Federer, Djokevich, Rafa, Sodeling, the Brien Bros and the eventual winner, Andy Murray.

Padge sends regards to all and boot in bum for no one having posted anything since June!

Off to Yacht Club now.....