Alex and Daphne Thomson. Photo supplied.Let’s go way back to 1965. David Thurlow was College Principal at the time and although Alex was appointed to the role as Head of Technology in 1965, he didn’t actually start the job until 1967. Alex had been teaching at Shirley Boys High and had been granted 12 months leave of absence in order to return to the UK to visit family and friends so when he was successful in getting the role at Ashburton College, that leave of absence had to be part of the deal also! Along with his wife Daphne and their two boys, Alex travelled widely in England and Scotland and worked short term contracts along the way.

Alex was in his Scottish birthplace of Eyemouth at the beginning of WWII and was too young to be called up. He had to wait until he turned 18 years before his involvement where he was sent to Palestine as an infantryman with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He and Daphne met after the war in Eyemouth where Daphne had started for her first teaching role.

The move to New Zealand came in 1951. Alex and Daphne had also considered Australia and Canada as places to emigrate but New Zealand was almost chosen for them a Canterbury University lecturer who happened to be brother-in-law of Daphne's teaching colleague did a lot of the arranging and before they knew it, Daphne had a position at Papanui High School and Alex as an engineer for a firm in Christchurch. His first job in Ashburton was as an engineer with C E Baileys. Alex attended Teachers College in 1957 in Auckland and changed careers.

So in 1967 Alex’s long tenure at Ashburton College began where he taught Engineering and Technical Drawing. Alex worked with three Principals at the College, originally Dave Thurlow and later Owen McDowell, then Digby Prosser. Alex and Daphne became the Deputy Principals, Alex in charge of North School, and Daphne of the South School, now the Ashburton Intermediate School site.

Daphne passed away in 1998, ten years after Alex and Daphne retired on the same day in May 1988.

Travelling has been an obvious passion for Alex travelling back to the UK 13 times to visit family and friends, as well as to California several times. His last trip to the UK was just two years ago.

Recently Alex celebrated his 90^th birthday and so travelling long distances doesn’t have the same appeal any more. He has made numerous visits to his sons Malcolm in Melbourne and Ian in Sydney but says “they can visit me now”.

Alex has been very involved in his community over many years – Masonic Lodge since 1951, Pipe Major of Ashburton Pipe Band, and is a retired Elder at St Andrews Presbyterian Church where he still attends.

Teaching has been a very rewarding career and when asked for any particular highlights, Alex mentioned that ‘just keeping the large staff happy’ was very satisfying.

And when asked about his purported use of the cane while at College, quick as a flash and with a twinkle in his eye he stated “those tales are much exaggerated!”.

Let’s go way back to 1965. David Thurlow was College Principal at the time and although Alex was appointed to the role as Head of Technology in 1965, he didn’t actually start the job until 1967. Alex had been teaching at Shirley Boys High and had been granted 12 months leave of absence in order to return to the UK to visit family and friends so when he was successful in getting the role at Ashburton College, that leave of absence had to be part of the deal also! Along with his wife Daphne and their two boys, Alex travelled widely in England and Scotland and worked short term contracts along the way.

Alex was in his Scottish birthplace of Eyemouth at the beginning of WWII and was too young to be called up. He had to wait until he turned 18 years before his involvement where he was sent to Palestine as an infantryman with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He and Daphne met after the war in Eyemouth where Daphne had started for her first teaching role.

The move to New Zealand came in 1951. Alex and Daphne had also considered Australia and Canada as places to emigrate but New Zealand was almost chosen for them a Canterbury University lecturer who happened to be Daphne’s brother-in-law did a lot of the arranging and before they knew it, Daphne had a position at Papanui High School and Alex as an engineer for a firm in Christchurch. His first job in Ashburton was as an engineer with C E Baileys. Alex attended Teachers College in 1957 in Auckland and changed careers.

So in 1967 Alex’s long tenure at Ashburton College began where he taught Engineering. Alex worked with three Principals at the College, originally Dave Thurlow and later Owen McDowell, then Digby Prosser. Alex and Daphne became the Deputy Principals, Alex in charge of North School, and Daphne of the South School, now the Ashburton Intermediate School site.

Daphne passed away in 1998, ten years after Alex and Daphne retired on the same day in May 1988.

Travelling has been an obvious passion for Alex travelling back to the UK 13 times to visit family and friends, as well as to California several times. His last trip to the UK was just two years ago.

Recently Alex celebrated his 90^th birthday and so travelling long distances doesn’t have the same appeal any more. He has made numerous visits to his sons Malcolm in Melbourne and Ian in Sydney but says “they can visit me now”.

Alex has been very involved in his community over many years – Masonic Lodge since 1951, Pipe Major of Ashburton Pipe Band, and is a retired Elder at St Andrews Presbyterian Church where he still attends.

Teaching has been a very rewarding career and when asked for any particular highlights, Alex mentioned that ‘just keeping the large staff happy’ was very satisfying.

And when asked about his purported use of the cane while at College, quick as a flash and with a twinkle in his eye he stated “those tales are much exaggerated!”.

By Shirley Falloon (nee Melrose) © AshColl Alumni - 22 December 2018

Harry McMillan was in fine form for Mid Canterbury at last week’s regional under-17 cricket tournament, after which he and fellow Mid Canterbury player Archie Redfern were named in the Canterbury Under-17 team. Photo Doug BovettTwo young Mid Canterbury cricketers have been named in the Canterbury Under-17 team following a successful showing at last week’s regional under-17 tournament.

Mid Canterbury’s Archie Redfern and Harry McMillan have both made the team that will play in a regional tournament in Lincoln from January 17-24.

The inclusion of the two young Mid Cantabrians in the Canterbury side came off the back of a pretty good tournament for Mid Canterbury, where they bounced back well from losses in two Twenty20 matches which got the week under way.

After those Twenty20 losses to Canterbury Country and Christchurch Metro Red, Mid Canterbury made a strong start to the 50-over aside games, beating Buller by an impressive 148 runs and then beating South Canterbury by 99 runs.

In their final game of the tournament they took on an impressive Christchurch Metro Red side and lost by seven wickets, but it proved to be a tight tournament, with the two Christchurch Metro sides, Canterbury Country and Mid Canterbury each picking up two wins from their three matches.

Mid Canterbury lost the toss in that last game and were sent into bat and were on the back foot early, losing two quick wickets to find themselves 3/2.

Redfern and Thom Graham helped get the side back on track with a 54-run partnership, but the innings folded pretty quickly after Redfern was dismissed for 15 and Graham for 31. Mid Canterbury were all out for 64 of 27 overs.

Mid Canterbury headed out into the field with the intention of making life difficult for Christchurch Metro Red, and a wicket to McMillan on the first ball started his side off on the right foot.

Tight bowling by all bowlers made scoring difficult for the Christchurch players, but eventually they reached the tally for the loss of just three wickets after 26 overs.

When the tournament finished, the Canterbury Under-17 team was named, and Redfern and McMillan’s names were there, rewarding them for some top performances during the week.

Redfern scored more runs than any other batsman at the tournament, scoring 103 runs in his three innings, including a highest score of 52, while McMillan was eighth in the bowling rankings from the tournament. His best figures for the tournament were an impressive 4/8 and he proved hard to play, with an economy rate of just 1.29.

A Year 11 student this year, Redfern – from Methven – attended and played cricket for the Christchurch Boys’ High School first XI.

McMillan was also in Year 11 this year and played for the Ashburton College first XV, although he is off to St Andrew’s College in Christchurch for his Year 12 and 13 on a cricket scholarship.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 20 December 2018

Ashburton’s Kate Flanagan has been named in the Canterbury Under-18 softball team. Photo Erin TaskerAfter seasons of trying, Ashburton 17-year-old Kate Flanagan has finally made her first Canterbury softball team.

She’s been named in the Canterbury Under-18 team for next month’s nationals and is over the moon to finally have the opportunity to wear the red and black.

She hopes that a uniform with a silver fern on it might one day follow.

A pitcher, Flanagan has been playing softball for almost as long as she can remember, starting off playing t-ball before moving on to little league and then softball.

Although she lives in Ashburton, Flanagan now plies her trade in Christchurch, playing for the PCU club in the under-23 competition on a Monday night and then the under-18s and premier reserves on a Saturday.

Today she’s heading to Christchurch for the pre-Christmas final of the under-18 competition against Papanui before playing in a premier reserves double header.

It’s going to be a big day, but Flanagan’s ready for it.

She said this year she’s come to the realisation that if her only play is at trainings and games she will only stay at the same level, so she’s been putting in some extra pitching practice and it’s paying off.

She’s also learning a lot off her club coach, former White Sox player Suzy Truman – who also hails from Ashburton – and has hopes of one day following in her national footsteps.

From the national under-18 tournament New Zealand trialists will be named, and although this is her last year at under-18 level, Flanagan doesn’t know if that’s a realistic goal.

“I’m not sure if it’s my aim this year.

“I’m definitely looking at it next year, but now I just want to be seen,” Flanagan said.

Pitcher is a key role in a softball team but Flanagan takes it all in her stride.

“I find there’s more pressure at first or second than at pitcher, but then you think about it, it’s not probably accurate because there is a lot of pressure at pitcher,” Flanagan said.

“When it’s a full house, that’s probably the most stressed you get, but I’ve just got to work out what’s not working and get three balls.”

Flanagan has made Canterbury development teams a couple of times, but for the past two seasons has missed out on the Canterbury Under-17 side.

She still went to the nationals though, two years ago playing for Gisborne and last year playing for Southland, and this year she had Waikato in her sights if Canterbury hadn’t worked out.

“This year I trialled and probably went in with the mentality that I wasn’t going to make it and I was thinking if I was going to be on the pick-up list I was going to play for Waikato,” Flanagan said.

She will still take to the diamond for Waikato this season too, when she lines up for Waikato at the under-23 nationals, also being played next month.

Flanagan said the 14 players who will represent Canterbury at the under-18s, under the tutelage of new coach Richard Allison, are capable of bringing it home.

“I think we are going to be pretty close. We’ve got a range of players with different strengths and I think together it’s going to be ideal,” Flanagan said.

“We’ve got a few really strong hitters and some really good short play hitters, and a lot of good infielders – there’s a lot that dive a lot and that’s just crazy to me.

“But I think our outfield is going to be our strongest asset.”

Flanagan said the three pitchers in the side all have different strengths.

One is quick, one is steady, and Flanagan has some mean spin options and she hopes they’ll do the trick.

“Because it’s not fun having home runs hit off you,” Flanagan said.

The under-23 nationals are being held in Lower Hutt from January 3, and the under-18 nationals will follow in the Waikato later in the month.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 17 December 2018