President	-	Hugh Griffiths
Chairman and Hon. Membership Secretary	-	Bob Rench
Hon. Secretary	-	Tony Day
Hon. Treasurer	-	Colin Lucas (ag)
Newsletter Editor	-	Peter Foster
Hon. Press Officer	-	Michel Hooper-Immins
Webmaster	-	Terry Stone

HELLESPONT SWIM RACE

Yes, this is ROMANTIC MADNESS! Please help Peter Grundy to raise funds for the Hardyeans Club Charitable Association, which supports students from The Thomas Hardye School with the costs of higher education.

2010 marks the 200^th anniversary of Lord Byron’s successful swim across the Hellespont (Dardanelles) from Europe to Asia Minor on 3 May 1810 (at the second attempt).  Peter says he has very foolishly entered the annual 4km Hellespont Swim Race which takes place on 30 August and is limited to 200 Turkish and 100 non-Turkish entrants. He is hoping to raise money for various good causes, including our own Charitable Association.

To sponsor, all you have to do is email Colin Lucas with your pledge. If Peter is successful, he will get in touch with you in September with instructions as to how to pay up. If he fails, you’ll be able to dine out on the story of how you sponsored someone who drowned.

Many thanks for any support you’re willing to give.

The painting is Turner’s The Parting of Hero and Leander. (Leander swan the Hellespont daily to visit Hero before finally drowning when he tried it once too often.)

EMINENT DNA SCIENTIST TO RECALL HIS SCHOOLDAYS AT THE OLD HARDYEANS DINNER

DNA scientist Dr. Terry Brown is the guest speaker at the Old Hardyeans annual dinner on Saturday evening 20 March, held again this year at Thomas Hardye School’s Sixth Form Centre, Coburg Road, Dorchester. Dr. Iain Melvin OBE, Headmaster of Thomas Hardye School and his wife Jan will be a special guests. Shortly before the dinner, Michel Hooper-Immins will be invested as President of the Hardyeans Club, in succession to Professor Hugh Griffiths, Professor of Radar at University College London.

Terry Brown BSc PhD FSA became Professor of Bimolecular Archaeology at the University of Manchester in 2000- the study of DNA from archaeological specimens such as bones. Born at Charminster, near Dorchester, he today lives at Glossop, on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District. His elder brother Alan is also an Old Hardyean, a retired schoolmaster living in Bournemouth, at Hardye’s School from 1957 to 1964. Alan Brown is Treasurer Elect of the Hardyeans Club.

Leaving Hardye’s School in 1971, Terry Brown read microbiology at Queen Elizabeth College in London and then undertook his PhD at University College, London. Terry married Swansea born Keri and they moved to New York for three years, undertaking research on plant biochemistry. He joined Manchester University in 1981 and has been there ever since - previously not having been north of Watford! Keri Brown is an archaeologist and it was through her that Terry became interested in archaeological DNA. For the last 20 years they’ve worked together - Keri doing the laboratory work and Terry applying for the money to finance the research all over the world.

"I became interested in ancient DNA and became one of the first scientists internationally to carry out DNA extractions on bones and preserved plant remains," remembers Terry. "This work has required close collaboration with archaeologists in Manchester and elsewhere, leading to my current interests in the origins of agriculture, genetic profiling of archaeological skeletons and the evolution of disease."

Terry Brown passed the eleven-plus a year early and so was ten years old when he arrived at Hardye’s in 1964 as the smallest boy in the school! "I spent a lot of time trying to get into the cricket first XI, but only ever played one game for the seconds, which we won. I avoided getting into the crosscountry team, as I was quite good at jogging along- the story of my life! On games afternoon, I had to slow down on the run home from Pigswill Hill to avoid being in the top ten and being ‘invited’ to do crosscountry again on Saturday afternoon."

The Old Hardyeans annual dinner menu begins with asparagus soup, followed by braised beef in red wine sauce with button mushrooms, carrots, garden peas, green beans and creamed mashed potato. Peach & Sherry trifle is the ever popular dessert.

All Old Hardyeans and their partners are welcome at the annual dinner on Saturday 20 March, at 7.30pm for 8pm, costing only £16. Bookings are being taken by Old Hardyeans organiser Colin Lucas at 4 Fir Tree Close, Dorchester. DT1 2PY. Telephone 01305 265446 or send a message to Colin.

THE LOST LEGION

Bob Rench has done a sterling job of reducing the Lost Legion, it has gone down from almost 120 members to 26 but there are still 26 people out there who are not receiving the Newsletter!

Please take a moment to follow this link where you can make sure you are not one of the lost legionnaires. If you are or if you have changed your e-mail address or you do not yet receive the Newsletter by E-Mail please drop an e-mail to Bob Rench.

MEMBERS WEBSITES

Nigel Newbery has set up a Website at:
www.schoolpanoramas.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
which has a copy of the 1957 Panoramic School Photo, well worth a visit for those who were at Hardyes in that year.

Graham Allen also has a Website at:
 http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/grahamallen/Old%20Hardyeans/index.html
which has a great selection of pictures of life at Hardyes in the Fifties, again well worth a visit.

Carambola Real Estate at:
http://www.stkittsandnevis.net
Lists properties for sale and rent in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, the twin island Caribbean state

SITUATION VACANT

The position of Club Treasurer remains vacant and Colin Lucas continues to fill the gap. If you are interested in the position pleas e-mail Colin.