Ian Currie Memories

Ian ‘mad punter’ Currie’s Magic Moments at Harwell RFC (1960-4 & 1967-9)

Preamble

I started my Harwell employment as a member of the 1960 Scientific Assistant (SA) intake along with Ron Screech, Gordon Rhodes and Liz Whiddon (who later became Mrs Bob Evans).

I stayed at Harwell as an SA in the Physics Group of Research Reactors Division headed up by Vic Crocker until 1964. Most of the time I worked on the DIDO and LIDO reactors under the supervision of Geoff Constantine. I left to go Rolls-Royce & Assocs at Derby, with the dire warning ringing in my ears that ‘by going into industry you’ll have to work for a living now’. As it turned out the work at Derby was just as onerous and enjoyable as at Harwell. However I did visit ‘B’ Mess now and then to see old friends and to enjoy the 2nd Saclay visit and celebrations.

In 1967 I left RR&A, to work at the GEC Nuclear Design & Construction consortium (then called NDC, and in later years BNDC, BEEN, NPC(W), NNC & AMEC) at Whetstone, Leicester and in 1985 we were all merged with the rival TNPG D&C Consortium in a new office complex in Knutsford, Cheshire, and I stayed there until I finally retired in 2011. During the interview for the job they asked me if I would mind being seconded to the Shielding Group at Harwell if offered the job, I affirmed that I would, at which point the interview abruptly stopped and I was directed to the Personnel Manager. I subsequently found out that NDC was obliged to provide a secondee to AERE Harwell but the only employees available had been vetoed by Harwell security as one was an Indian national and the other a Pole!! Shortly after I started there, they sent me off to Harwell for a year and a half until I finally left the site in 1969. In the Shielding Group on the RRD Site I worked under the supervision of Alan Avery who was also the 2nd XV Captain so he was in charge of me both on and off the pitch!!

My first MM was when I ambled into the Sports & Social Club (SSC) by the North Gate and enquired as to how to get in touch with the Rugby Club. The steward pointed to the end of the bar where Alan Ball and Frank Freeman (who had his leg in a plaster cast) were propping it up and deep in conversation. Alan Ball (who was the current 2nd XV Captain) looked up, asked what position did I play, and being told ‘hooker’ informed me that I was playing for the 2nd XV that coming Saturday, turn up at the ground at 2.30 kitted out.

I subsequently played most of my games in the 2nd and 3rd XVs but had one or two games for the 1st when they were very short. I remember playing against RAF Benson and having a shocking time until I was told that I had been up against the RAF hooker. Also playing against Oxford Thursday and a veteran infamous hooker by the name of Charlie Eade who had the foulest breath imaginable blowing into my face at every scrum. I was told that before each match he ate a secret concoction to this effect.

I had many many other magic moments during my time at Harwell, residing in Portway then Icknield House but the best ones undoubtedly were during the visits to and from Saclay.

I was not part of the first visit to Saclay but the reports that came from those that went filled everyone with envy and the subsequent visit to site by Saclay the following year was a resounding success. The formula was simple, the away team paid for their transport and the home team arranged accommodation and entertainment.

However the second visit to Saclay did have a hiccup or two both general and personal. We sent across 2 sides leaving Heathrow on the Friday evening (see attached itinery) flying by an Air France Caravelle to Le Bourget, Paris. We landed and looked around for a reception party, but there was none. They were under the impression that we were flying to Orly. While we were waiting for things to be sorted out Tony Harvey inadvertently remarked “who’s smoking French cigarettes?” which made everyone laugh and eased the tension. The Saclay hosts eventually turned up and took us to our hotels. However when it came for us to leave our hotels we found that they wanted payment before we could go and had impounded our luggage as security. Saclay apologised profusely but it did not faze us and a whip around for everyone’s last franc allowed us to pay and proceed. We were recompensed readily in due course. I was down to play hooker in the 2nd XV match which was to precede the main 1st XV match. However the 1st XV hooker who shall be nameless (oh all right then it was Dave Endacott) was absolutely plastered and the skipper Bob Crawford asked me to stand down as it was doubtful Dave would last 8 minutes let alone 80, and that I would definitely play for the second half come what may. What came was that Dave refused to come off at half-time and I was left fuming on the touchline. Not such a happy memory after all.

I was working at Derby when Saclay returned to Harwell but came back to site for the celebrations etc. These culminated in a riverboat shuffle trip down the Thames to Windsor with a jazz band playing. It was a gorgeous day as my photos show.

There were also several weddings I was honoured to be invited to, particularly Dick Bradley’s near to Brands Hatch in Kent and Don & Ann Summers’ wedding at nearby Lambourn. It seemed like the whole club turned out to this event and in traditional style we all had a good drink beforehand. At the back of the church was the belfry which had a balcony for the bellringer to view proceedings and during the ceremony the said bellringer appeared, a hulk of a man with shirt sleeves rolled up and sweating from his exertions. Someone, I think it was Frank Freeman whispered “who’s that Quasimodo?” which proved too much for Noddy Bartlett, who being well-oiled beforehand started to giggle profusely and could not stop in spite of the prodding by his girl-friend to shut up. After the reception when Don and Ann had departed we all went back to the pub only to find a huge grey horse in the bar and the locals going wild. Apparently earlier in the afternoon it had won the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket and everyone had had a bet on it to win.