Memories of Brighton College

"I was at Brighton College Junior School 1948-52 and Brighton College 1952-57 (Leconfield House). I qualified in Medicine at Guys Hospital, London University 1963. I then worked in Hospitals in Brighton London and Paris and in 1969 moved to Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa to further train in Internal Medicine and returned to London in 1972. In 1973 I moved to Tokyo to join the Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic where I still practice (http://www.tmsc.jp/).

I think I was the first OB to be married in the College Chapel, Saturday 30th 1961. I remember I had to spend three weekends in Bristol House to claim residential qualification. In fact our Marriage certificate gives my address as Brighton College. People think my wife Angela married a school boy! We’ve been married now for 50 years, and celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary this coming September.

In 1969 the Old Brightonians were invited to take part in the Public Schools knockout competition run by the Cricketer and sponsored by Mercier Champagne. Nobody expected very much from us. We had a good side but not a great one, but we did have self belief and enthusiasm. The first match was against the favourites, the Old Tonbridgians. This was the closest game we played. With the scores equal we won through to the next round, having lost fewer wickets.

The recent great successes enjoyed by the College – surely a source of joy to all of us who love the place – have caused the Press to suggest that it was previously a ‘backwater’. So it seems right to refer to the work done in the last fifty years, that work itself laid on earlier foundations. After all, the decade before then produced Lord Alexander, Lord Skidelsky and Bishop Bavin (to say nothing of Sir John Chilcot) among others! And these last fifty years began with a visit from the Queen. Backwater...?!?

This photo was recently found in the Faber archives! This is the CCF at RAF Waddington (home to the Vulcan bombers) in 1978 for a weeks camp!

Prior to a recent show in London, Pablo Picasso’s “Le Train Bleu” curtain was last seen at Brighton College as part of the Brighton Festival of 1982. The 10.3 x 11.7m curtain formed the centrepiece of The Burstow Gallery’s “Picasso and The Theatre” exhibition organised by Gavin Henderson (Le.1960-65) and later overall Director of The Festival) and assisted by my father, Nick Bremer (Director of Art 1969-2000). The show attracted 7,200 visitors to the College – “The publicity is beyond price” Headmaster Bill Blackshaw proudly told the Council.

Some terrifically fascinating facts about Brighton College include...

“I am he that came out of the army.” (I Samuel 4. 16)
posted - 17th June 2005

Many Old Brightonians I have met during my retirement have memories about their experiences in the CCF and I thought this third – and final – instalment of reminiscences over the last fifty years should deal with the Corps and why I became involved.