Down Under

​Just to let you know that the Australian Division of the SOPs (that is, both of us) celebrated with a long lunch today at the Lord Nelson Hotel, as in previous years. We toasted our most famous OP with Trafalgar Pale, brewed on the premises.
Give our regards to any attendees at tomorrow’s dinner who might remember us. Maybe Keith Morris, Paul Jenner, William Mather and Graham Carver come to mind.
Arch Fraser 1951- 56
Mike Cuming (Boarder) 1952-59

 Mike - "I had an interesting introduction to this painting before it came to the school.
As a boarder with parents overseas, I spent many half-term and other school holidays with a kindly Aunt and Uncle in Reepham.
One day my Uncle Alan took me to Norwich, and said we would visit a well known OP and friend of his, Ben Burgess.
Ben was an avid collector of Nelson memorabilia, and he took me to the back of his office to show me his recently acquired painting, asking if I thought the school would like to have it?
Of course I enthusiastically agreed and shortly after it appeared in the Assembly Hall, where I expect it still hangs."
Thanks Mike - the painting was donated on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the School, in 1956.