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John Michael Ginnings 1939-2014 (Leaver 1958)

Photo of John Michael Ginnings

John Michael was born on the 1st November 1939 in the London Hospital in Whitechapel

At school he was a good all-rounder, rather than an outstanding student. He played cricket and rugby for the school; he was a strong distance swimmer; he sang in the school choir and took a leading part in school amateur dramatics.

On leaving school he won a place at Liverpool University to read economics, but turned it down in favour of joining Unilever as a management trainee. And it was there, that he began to acquire the skills which would assist him to survive later on in his career in the challenging world of Asia.

In the early 1960’s he married Gayle Palmer & in 1967 son Philip was born.

Following an invitation from his father-in-law Michael joined the firm of Albert Plaut – a timber import and distribution agency. He was promptly sent to Bordeaux, France to learn the basics of ply-wood manufacturing & to improve his limited school French.  To the end of his life he retained the ability to speak very good French, but always with a Bordeaux accent.

Following several years of working for Plaut’s and establishing contacts in both Europe and the USA he was head-hunted by the Champion Corporation of America.  And so began an international adventure with an initial posting to Taiwan!

In 1970 Michael started up a regional purchasing and quality assurance function for Champion, to supply their mills in Europe and North America with appropriate timber and boards. This involved travelling on a monthly basis to South Korea and elsewhere, establishing important contacts in the industry which he personally benefitted from later.  The Taipei years forged many enduring friendships. During 1971 daughter Marika joined the family.

Michael continued playing rugby in Taiwan for a team of ex-pats collectively called ‘The Outsiders’. He continued with cricket too although he nearly provoked an international dispute with the American community when it transpired that the playing fields they wanted to reschedule a rained-out Independence Day onto had been previously booked by his cricket club. Perhaps it was his wily handling of this diplomatic incident that enabled him to be elected as the first non-American President of the Taipei American Club.

In 1979 the family were relocated to Manila, but at the close of the 2 year contract in the Philippines, and having trained local people both in Taiwan & the Philippines, to run the local agencies, work for the Americans came to an end.  The redundancy caused great upheaval to family life, eventually resulting in divorce.

Following the redundancy he decided that Singapore would be a practical place to set up his own company.  Michael worked hard to assemble an impressive range of international clients. From 1982, he was involved in the launch of the new ‘Asian Timber’ journal and he became a very prolific Consultant Editor and contributor. He also undertook other activities which included chairing Asian based conferences and attending industry events.

In 1987 having fare-welled a good Taiwanese friend at Changi Airport, Michael met (his future wife) Margaret struggling with a luggage trolley and an escalator. Despite this inauspicious start a long distance friendship blossomed and they eventually married in Windsor, NSW in March 1989.

Having lived a third of his life in Asia he had a great affinity to that part of the world, so it was with some reluctance that the 1993 decision was made to move to Australia so Margaret could be closer to support her parents.  Thus the third part of Michael’s life commenced.  Domiciled in Windsor, Michael commuted to Asia for work.  His regular trips were a source of great pleasure for both work & friendship and he continued this pattern of working life until, in 2011, he found the pollution in China more than he was physically able to tolerate.

In the year 2000 he became a proud Australian citizen and with this act he began to play a role in efforts to improve the Hawkesbury area. His contribution was significant, firstly as the writer of the proposal to Hawkesbury City Council for an art gallery & subsequently planning much of the strategy for this to become a reality.  He felt justifiably satisfied when the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery opened June 25th 2005.

He held the position of Vice-President & subsequently President of The Friends of the Hawkesbury art community & Regional Gallery Inc for nine years. However at their August 2014 Annual General Meeting he resigned the position owing to his ill health.

The upgrading of the Richmond War Memorial in 2007 was a further project he was deeply involved in.  Leading a team of volunteers, over 800 names of service personnel were researched in the National Archives Canberra for possible inclusion on the new plinths erected to commemorate those who lost their lives or fought in the Second World War, Korea, Malaysia or Vietnam.

A busy and sometimes stressful life took its toll, however. Michael had a heart attack in 1987 a stroke in 2002 and a further stroke in 2008. He was diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer in 2013 and despite gruelling                         treatment, suffered a series of chest infections over a period of 6 months that hospitalized him for almost half of that time. In the end his heart could not cope any more, and he passed away peacefully on August 24th 2014.

Having a gregarious personality Michael made many, many friends around the world.  He is sadly missed by his family and friends but those that gathered at his funeral felt grateful that he did not live to suffer any more.  Family was, for him the most important focus of his life and, given the distance, he worked hard to keep in touch with everyone regularly.

During his almost 75 years he lived life to the full, experiencing more than many. Those he touched remember his kindness, his smile, his humour. He was living proof that ‘no man is an island’ – in embracing as much and as many as he did, he enriched us all.

August, 30th 2014

 

Born: 1 Nov 1939, London England

Married: 1st: 8 Sep 1962, Wimbledon, England

Married: 27th March 1989 Windsor, NSW, Australia

Died: 24 August 2014, Windsor NSW, Australia

 

Margaret Ginnings

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Congratulations to Claudia, David, Jude and Ruby w Congratulations to Claudia, David, Jude and Ruby who had the privilege of attending the annual wellbeing conference at the @merchant_taylors Hall in London, where this year’s theme centred around safe spaces and belonging.

As part of the event, they were invited to present to delegates on how our TENDO programme helps foster a strong sense of belonging and creates safe, supportive spaces within our School community.

Their presentation was met with great enthusiasm, earning praise for its thoughtfulness, clarity, and confidence.
Train like a pro this May Half Term! ⚽ Our Foot Train like a pro this May Half Term! ⚽

Our Football Camp is led by Marine FC Manager and UEFA licensed coach Bobby Grant, giving young players the chance to sharpen their skills, grow in confidence and enjoy a brilliant day of football.

Places are limited - book now via the link in our bio! ⤴️
We were delighted to welcome world-class baritone We were delighted to welcome world-class baritone @rwoodbaritone to work with our Cambiata Choir last week 🎶

The boys thoroughly enjoyed the session, which focused on developing changing voices and building stage presence. 

It was a fantastic opportunity to learn from a professional singer of such high calibre, and we’re very grateful to Roland for sharing his expertise and enthusiasm.
Harry and Jude from our Eco Committee share how th Harry and Jude from our Eco Committee share how the Recycle 4 School BoxDrop initiative is helping us support sustainability at Merchant Taylors’.

Three textile recycling boxes are now in place across the school, perfect for any pre-loved items you no longer need.

A big thank you to our Eco Committee for driving this initiative and inspiring positive change across our community. ♻️
Pupils from Years 7 to 10 delivered outstanding pe Pupils from Years 7 to 10 delivered outstanding performances at the recent Alderley Edge Festival, earning multiple 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes across a range of drama categories including Acting Through Song, Shakespearean Text, and Duologues.

A highlight of the weekend was being awarded the prestigious William Roache Cup for Outstanding Drama Performance, recognising the school’s exceptional contribution to the festival.

Read more and see the full list of winners via the link in our bio ⤴️
On Thursday, the Year 5 Drama Club enjoyed a speci On Thursday, the Year 5 Drama Club enjoyed a special visit from Dr John Gill, former Head of Drama at Merchant Taylors’. Dr Gill kindly returned to support the pupils as they prepare for their upcoming performance next week.

His wealth of experience and encouraging guidance provided a valuable boost to the group, who thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to rehearse under his direction.

We are grateful to Dr Gill for giving his time so generously and look forward to seeing the pupils bring their hard work to life on stage.
On Day two of their residential, Year 4 had a bril On Day two of their residential, Year 4 had a brilliant time canoeing and paddleboarding - with Mr Roberts “accidentally” taking a splash! 💦

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To round off the day: bushcraft, fire-lighting, and toasted marshmallows under the trees. A fabulous end to a fabulous day!
📣 We’re hiring! The Ian Robinson Sports Cent 📣 We’re hiring!

The Ian Robinson Sports Centre at Merchant Taylors’ is looking for a Casual Holiday Club/Leisure Assistant to join the team.

If you’re enthusiastic, sporty, and great with children, this is a fantastic opportunity to help deliver fun, high-quality activities and inspire young people to get active! 🏀⚽🎾

Click the link in our bio to find out more ⤴️
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