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September 2013
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10th Anniversary of the Abingdon News
Now on its 33rd edition, the Abingdon News celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Introduced by Mark Turner, headmaster 2002-2010, it has been edited by Sarah Wearne
since the beginning. Issue 1 covered the start of the Arts Centre; issue 10 outlined
the plans for the Sports Centre and the last issue, number 32, outlined the plans for a
Science Centre. It is interesting to see how quickly news becomes history so it seems
appropriate that the editor is also the School’s archivist.
The back numbers can all be read online at
The Atomic Spies of Abingdon:
Klaus Fuchs and Bruno Pontecorvo
Professor Frank Close, Wednesday 9 October 2013
7.30 pm Amey Theatre All welcome, admission free
Following the arrival of the secret atomic research establishment at Harwell in 1947,
several of the leading scientists sent their sons to Abingdon School, including Bruno
Pontecorvo. In August 1950 the family disappeared whilst on their summer holiday
in Italy, causing huge consternation among the intelligence services, especially when
Pontecorvo resurfaced in the USSR.
Pontecorvo has long been numbered with Britain’s atomic spies even though he was
never formally accused of spying, unlike his fellow Harwell scientist, Klaus Fuchs,
who was sentenced to fourteen years in prison. Fuchs didn’t have a son at the
School but he once lodged in Lacies Court, now the Head’s house.
Frank Close is writing a biography of Pontecorvo and has been in touch with his
son Gil, a nuclear scientist working in Moscow, and with some of Gil’s school
contemporaries who remember the international sensation caused by his father’s
disappearance.
The biography –
A Life of Two Halves
– is almost finished but if you think you might
have anything to add then do come along to the talk and speak to Frank afterwards.
Otherwise, just come along; it is bound to be a fascinating evening.
n
Staff Profile:
Ian Beachey
Ian Beachey, the Sports Centre Facilities
Manager, is Abingdon born and bred.
Educated at John Mason School, his first
job was in the Pavlova leather factory
where he became a skilled leather worker.
After this he worked for Medisense as a
production supervisor. He came to the
School in 2009 as Sports Centre caretaker,
became the maintenance supervisor of
the prep school and main school sites
and in his current job is responsible for all
aspects of the Sports Centre building from
the chemical quality of the water in the
swimming pool to the energy management
of the whole premises.
Ian is a keen footballer who trialled for
Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1980.
He has played for Abingdon Town
and Abingdon United, and for Milton
United in the year they won the Hellenic
Premiership. He coached Abingdon Youth
Under 12s in 2011, the year they won the
Oxford Boys League, and now referees
here at the School where he hopes to get
involved with coaching. Married with three
children he says his interests are family
and football!.
n
Bruno Pontecorvo
Klaus Fuchs
Frank Close
