1646 – Issue 4

The generous and heartfelt bequest the Old Blues received after John sadly left us far too early has now been closed following a final payment to the School. Details are given on the adjacent page on how the funds have been used over the years for the benefit of so many. Most significantly, we have John to thank for funding about half the cost of the Pavilion, which replaced the much loved albeit barely fit for purpose Maidenhead Bus Shelter which used gracefully to adorn the other end of the School drive. John attended Reading Blue Coat in its early years at Holme Park leaving in 1955, developing a great love of the game of cricket during this time, becoming a master of the late cut and a slip fielder par excellence. He served faithfully on the Reading Old Blues Association Committee for many years and played cricket for the Old Blues on Sunday afternoons brightening up many a day’s play. Indeed, on one occasion he literally did just that! Lolloping after a ball heading fast for the boundary, he dipped to the ground in front of the ball like a swallow, stopping a certain four. Unfortunately, he had forgotten the Swan Vesta matches in his trouser pocket and he returned the ball to the stumps triumphant but aflame! Smoking wasn’t much of a vice in those days and neither was drinking and John was able to keep up with anyone else on that front. The Daniels Cup cricket match was always enlivened by a marvellous lunch provided by the School, including a seemingly inexhaustible supply of cans of beer. John took some wonderful catches in the slips... nearly always after lunch! His hands disappearing deep into his voluminous stomach so that like a conjuror the ball completely disappeared as if by sleight of hand. Rarely did the hand, with ball clutched safely in it, not eventually emerge with John’s triumphant “How’s That?” ringing out across the ground. On one occasion, John was amusingly banned for three games by the long time Old Blues captain Nick Siney (1955) for “bringing the game into disrepute”. The whisky glass laid in front of him in the slips was evidence for all to see of his fall from grace (or should that be Grace – Ed). The MCC’s “Spirit of Cricket” was perhaps being too faithfully followed. John was quickly back in the team, so no real harm was done. John also enjoyed the Old Blues Tours of Holland. The room John was sharing with Andrew Pett in a low rent dive in Rotterdam (“well you say that...”) had a door – so far so good. Unfortunately, the door could only be opened from the outside, leaving John and Andrew stranded, on a number of occasions having to call out of the window when they need to leave the room! Obviously, their pleas were routinely ignored by the Rotterdam citizenry below, possibly because of language but more likely because they were being stopped from responding by other team members hiding from view. For the last reminiscence, we return again to the Daniels Cup. The Headmaster always invited a number of guests to lunch and one year he wanted to get hold of John. The phone book was consulted and a call was made to John. On the great day, more than one John Southall and partner arrived for lunch! The original John Southall sat with the Old Blues team – all had tears of laughter running down their cheeks – as dopelganger John, a Councillor from west of Pangbourne with no relationship with the school of any kind, stood and made a long speech thanking the Headmaster for the surprise invitation. He left many hours later after tea as bemused about the experience as he was at the start. John just tucked into the strawberries and cream and remembered to fill his pockets with some cans for afternoon refreshment which were generously shared with his teammates in the long session through to tea. This is how I like to remember him. John was larger than life, not just in physique, and is still sadly missed. The bequest he left the Old Blues in the early 2000’s is testament to the love he had for the school, the Old Blues and cricket. Our collective thanks to John and his bequest is beyond words. Robert Trew (1980) and the Reading Old Blues Association The John Southall Bequest 3 0