Following the welcome, in a well-crafted and humorous address, Marc van Heerden (S, 2008) proposed the toast to Bishops. Now a rising star with international law firm Allen & Overy, he reminisced about his Bishops experiences and friendships and why Bishops had meant so much to him.
In what has been perceived by some to be a family takeover of the UK branch of the OD Union (your secretary, the speaker's twin brother, was the MC), Zandy Bicket (S, 1973, above) who had come in from Pittsburgh, PA, was our guest speaker. In a slight deviation from tradition, the after-dinner speech was delivered before the main course in attempt to reach the greatest number of ODs who might, after dinner, be either asleep or otherwise incapacitated. Zandy regaled us with his journey from an inaugural member of the first sub A class at Bishops in 1962 to becoming a judge in the Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania, USA.
He took a quick and witty tour of his schooldays and how his uniquely Bishops experiences and the extraordinary teachers and contemporaries had shaped his trajectory and life values which has culminated with his role now as a judge (in a State which has the death penalty - well that ensured a certain discipline among what can otherwise be a rowdy audience!). He closed by extolling the virtues of Bishops which had made him who he is and reminding us why it is so important to give back to the School so that others may benefit as we had from those before us.
Anthony, Marc and Zandy put Bishops squarely in the middle of the room. Choppy Bands (K, 1990) reinforced this message in his erudite reply and thanks delivered, as always, with charm and scholarship.
The dinner itself was lively, loud and delicious. The after-dinner drinks, back in the Carlton's Morning Room gets more and more popular each year.
We hope the Carlton Club loves the ODU; we love the Club and thank them and their incredible staff for another superb dinner.
And thank you, ODs, for making it so incredible. It is your dinner and you were a credit to Bishops and the Union.
The names, years and houses of the ODs are given at the end of this post.
Click on the photos to enlarge them
Before dinner:
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| Anthony Record, Nicky Bicket, Zandy Bicket and David Walsh |
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| Steve and Nicole Suckling |
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| Zandy Bicket and Allan Gasson |
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| Marie and Peter Syfret, with Joy and Richard Montgomery |
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| Matt Geeling, Dean Worrall and Devan Du Plooy |
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| Dirk Kotze, Robert Brink, Matt Heydenrych, Matthew Golesworthy and Luke Rockey |
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| Audrey Hofmeyr, and Niall and Malcolm Brown |
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| Tom Horne, Michael Leach, Marc van Heerden, Simon Alexander and James During |
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| Brian Mannion, Nicole Du Rand and Mano Ghioules |
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| Menna and Bruce McGregor with Bruce Wilson |
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| Michael Mills, David Walsh and Ceinwen Wilson |
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| James Plimsoll and James Husband |
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| Nick van Breda, Charles McGregor and Stuart Commins |
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| Mano Ghioules, Nicole Du Rand and Zandy Bicket. Michael Mills in the background. |
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| Richard Montgomery, Malcolm Brown and Joy Montgomery |
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| Joe Miller, Luke Heydenrych, Mark Jones and Luke Rockey |
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| Stuart Commins, Nick van Breda, Doug Mallett and James During |
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| Greg and Laurie Chiappini, John Richards and Ian McLarty |
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| Carole and Anthony Record |
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| Carole Turner, Nick Heesom and Anthony Record |
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| Martin Fletcher, Michael Mills and Zandy Bicket |
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| Nicky Bicket, Stuart Commins and Devan Du Plooy |
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| John Hawinkels, James Strang and Tom Horne (James Plimsoll with his back to the camera) |
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| Chris Leach, Doug Mallett, Adrian Kritzinger, Mano Ghioules and Zandy Macdonald |
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| Audrey and Steve Hofmeyr and David Walsh |
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| L: Zandy Macdonald and Chris Leach R; Simon Alexander and Mark Jones |
Dinner:
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| The menu outside covers |
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| The menu inside pages |
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| Matthew Golesworthy saying the Grace, flanked by Simon Alexander and James Strang |
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| Nicky Bicket introducing Anthony Record who welcomed all ODs and Guests |
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| Anthony Record welcoming ODs and guests |
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| Nicole Du Rand being singled out for the outstanding job she does for the ODU. Nicole had flown up from Cape Town to attend the UK Dinner |
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| Nicky Bicket, Charles McGregor, David Walsh, Anthony Record, Laurie Chiappini, Nick Heesom, Peter and Marie Syfret |
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| Carol Record, Charles McGregor, David Walsh, Anthony Record and Laurie Chiappini |
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| Marc van Heerden proposing the Toast to Bishops |
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| The Toast to Bishops |
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| Zandy Bicket delivering the main speech |
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| Malcolm Brown, Chris Anderson, Rosemary Gasson and Michael Mills |
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| Choppy Bands with the reply and thanks |
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| Laurie Chiappini and Nick Heesom |
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| Ceinwen Wilson and Charles Jillings |
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| Zandy Bicket and Ceinwen Wilson |
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| Left: Pete Husemeyer and Dillon McEvoy Right: Allan Gasson and Bruce Wilson |
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| Left: Luke Heydenrych and Geoffrey Forbes Right: Jo Cockburn, Matt Geeling and Chris Leach |
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| Left: Brett Ormrod, Simon Alexander and Matthew Golesworthy Right: Ceinwen Wilson, Michael Mills and Stephen Larkin |
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| Left: Michael Cockburn and Adrian Kritzinger Right: Stuart Commins and Mano Ghioules |
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| Bruce Good and Andy Jackson |
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| Chris Leach, Michael Watson and Michael Leach |
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| Brett Ormrod, Marc van Heerden and Niall Brown |
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| Michael Cockburn, Adrian Kritzinger and Stuart Commins |
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| Rosemary Gasson and Audrey Hofmeyr |
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| Anthony Record and Laurie Chiappini |
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| Michael Mills, Zandy Bicket and Ceinwen Wilson |
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| Nicole Du Rand, Stephen Larkin and Choppy Bands |
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| Joe Miller, Michael Leach, Michael Watson, Jo Cockburn and Chris Leach |
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| Wendy Heesom, Nicky Bicket and Carole Turner |
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| Charles McGregor and David Walsh |
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| Dean Worrall, Bruce Good and Andy Jackson |
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| Oliver Cunningham |
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| Dru Danford and Tim Laughton |
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| Menna McGregor and Jeremy Friedlander |
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| Oliver Cunningham, Justin Michau and John Richards |
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| Jo Cockburn, Mat Geeling, Chris Leach, Marc van Heerden, Scott McLean, Michael Leach and Jono Mackie |
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| Richard Montgomery, Steve Suckling and Joy Montgomery |
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| Charles McGregor and Adrian Ktitzinger |
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| David Walsh and Anthony Record |
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| Stephen Hofmeyr and Niall Brown |
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| Neil Orpen, Dugald Macdonald, Marc van Heerden, Scott McLean, Jono Mackie, Nick van Breda |
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| Our beer and wine sponsored by ODs |
After dinner:
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| Greg Chiappini, Caelim Parkes and Neil Orpen |
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| Bruce Good, Nick Boswell, Oliver Cole and John Hawinkels |
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| Greg Baldwin, Matt Geeling and Jono Mackie |
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| Mano Ghioules and Nick van Breda |
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| Zandy and Dugald Macdonald |
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| Mano Ghioules, Nick van Breda and Michael Cockburn |
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| Back: Zandy Macdonald and Michael Leach Front: Chris Leach and Dugald Macdonald |
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| Jeremy Friedlander and Steve Suckling |
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| Wendy Heesom and Joy Montgomery |
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| Joe Miller and Alex Enotiades |
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| Martin Calder and Brian Mannion |
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| James Plimsoll and Mark Jones |
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| Michael Leach, Nick Boswell and Chris Leach |
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| Laurie Chiappini and Eric Allan |
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| Dirk Kotze, Matt Heydenrych, Geoffrey Forbes, Luke Rockey and Luke Heydenrych |
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| Dan Linegar and James Strang |
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| Michael Enotiades and Seb Golding |
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| John Richards, Stephen Morrell and Stuart Crawford Brown |
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| Bruce Good and Choppy Bands |
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| Geoffrey Forbes and Matthew Golesworthy |
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| Adrian Kritzinger and Nicky Grieg |
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| Malcolm Brown, Zandy Bicket and Niall Brown |
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| Simon Alexander, Mark Jones and Luke Rockey |
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| Dillon McEvoy, Matthew Golesworthy and Luke Heydenrych |
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| Andy Jackson, Dean Worrall and Bruce Good |
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| Doug Mallett and Marc van Heerden |
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| Dan Linegar, Mark Strang and Michael Watson |
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| Nicky Bicket and Chris Anderson |
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| Jos Cunningham and Michael Enotiades |
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| Nicole Du Rand and Charles McGregor |
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| Devan Du Plooy and Doug Mallett |
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| Nicole Du Rand, James During and Simon Alexander |
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| Luke Heydenrych, Dirk Kotze, Luke Rockey and Robert Brink |
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| Tom Horne, James During, Simon Alexander, Mark Jones and Luke Rockey |
Guest list:
The beer and wine:
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| Co.bru beer and wines from Domaine Gayda |