The Seale-Haynians

Welcome to the Seale-Hayne web site
	We hope that you will find this site useful and interesting. For those new to the Seale-Haynians, Seale-Hayne is an Agricultural College of old, and more latterly became a faculty of the University of Plymouth. The University have subsequently closed Seale-Hayne and much of the history and discussion surrounding the closure can be found elsewhere on this site. The Seale-Hayne alumni club is administered by a volunteer committee comprising several dedicated former students and members of staff from both the College and the Students Union. In addition we currently have an honorary President’s post that was previously the Dean of the Faculty, but as the faculty has ceased to be we are pleased that Fred Harper (the last Principal and first Dean) has taken up the post for another term. To this end we endeavour to meet every couple of months and as a result of several specific members hard work, we can now boast the fact that we are internationally renowned (via the web site) and of course the annual magazine. Membership of the Seale-Haynians is based on a ten year standing order subscription for the magazine. If you left Seale-Hayne before 1989 please Click Here for information relating to your life membership. To download the membership form Click Here

Hannahs at Seale-Hayne
	The Seale-Haynians Club welcomes The Dame Hannah Rogers Trust to Seale-Hayne. It is good to see that the college is being cared for, that it is being used for such a worthy cause and that it is still linked to training and education as bequeathed by Charles Seale-Hayne. At the 2012 AGM, we agreed to offer our support to Hannahs wherever we can in admiration of the work that Hannahs does and in appreciation the respect that they have for the place that is Seale-Hayne and for the history that they have willingly inherited in their move there. We would encourage Seale-Haynians to visit Hannahs website to find out more about what is happening now at Seale-Hayne and about the work that Hannahs does in helping disadvantaged young adults. We also urge Seale-Haynians to help Hannahs realise their dreams for Seale-Hayne in any way possible, but probably the best way is to donate financially to the charity, as so much more becomes possible when funds are available! For regular news of Hannahs work and events at Seale-Hayne, sign up to the regular Hannahs newsletter.

SHF response to the Teignbridge District Council 20-year Core Strategy plan
	The Seale-Hayne Future Group spent nearly eight years from 2002 arguing that the Grade II listed former Agricultural College buildings, along with 450 acres of its productive farmland should remain in use for education and food production.In November 2011, TDC released its 20-year Core Strategy Plan covering the region’s development strategy until the year 2033. And it seems that without any consultation or notification to the present owners, or to the farmer who now owns the land, the bulk of Seale-Hayne’s estate was earmarked for development within the Houghton Barton ‘vision’ of the Council’s Strategic Plan. TDC’s ‘vision’ for this particular part of Teignbridge is for ‘concentrated growth’, with some 2500 new houses to be built, most of them on the green fields that are currently producing food. A huge primary school, new shops and a leisure centre are also proposed and of course, a new road to make it all possible. This plan is in its ‘consultation’ phase right now. Letters of objection really do count in these considerations. We urge everyone to get in touch with Teignbridge District Council before March 2nd and make their views known, before the plan is finalised later in March. Click Here to see the full text of the letter to TDC.

News from Ray Bartlett, Chairman, Feb 2013
	This is an overdue update. The last time I wrote I said our association with the College has now changed so your committee reassessed our Club Constitution. Our original Constitution was approved at the AGM on Dec 9th 1949. The Foundation Objectives approved then were, a) To promote good fellowship amongst its members. b) To keep past students in touch with present students of the College and with the College. c) To publish a Club Year Book Now that Seale-Hayne Agricultural College is no longer, a review of the Foundation Objectives of our constitution was necessary. Accordingly, your committee presented a revised wording, which was discussed, refined and approved unanimously at the AGM on June 25th 2011. Our new Foundation Objectives are, a) To promote good fellowship amongst its members. (Unchanged) b) To keep past students in touch with their Alma Mater. c) To publish a Club Annual Magazine. An additional Item was added to the constitution, which although not a Foundation Objective was nevertheless necessary to include. “To be custodians of all Seale-Hayne artefacts now in our possession or which come into our possession in the future” 2012 was a very memorable year as we celebrated the laying of the foundation stone on November 28th 1912. When organising the Centenary Celebration we used the same formula as the very successful 2004 reunion; but one never knows how things will turn out. There is a separate account of this event elsewhere on this website but I will say here that we were very relieved that despite the weather, it was a very memorable occasion. We made a few mistakes, which we can eliminate next time but thankfully, you were all very forgiving. The rain held off until 6pm whereupon in true Seale-Hayne tradition, you all repaired to the bar and drank it dry. We did warn Hannahs to be prepared but I don’t think they quite comprehended what would hit them. But they are a resourceful lot so they sallied forth to the Highweek Inn, to “borrow” some beer. On the occasion of the actual Centenary day, November 28th, a journalist from the Mid Devon Advertiser visited to mark the occasion and an article about the college was featured in that newspaper. I am delighted to say that Dame Hannah Rogers Trust (DHRT) welcomed Seale-Haynians from the start as “part of the family” and the CEO, Mrs Bronwen Hewitt has asked us to establish a Heritage Area in the Old Library for old Agri. textbooks, Seale-Haynian magazines and any other historical documents. In addition, we have many photographs which Hannahs wish us to hang – especially those lovely old oak framed photographs of the 20’s and 30’s. This work is well underway and at the Centenary Celebration, Sir John Seale and Mr Trevor Hayne officially opened the Heritage Room in the Old Library. Thanks to Seale-Haynians donations nearly 2000 old agricultural books have been recorded and placed on the shelves. Please keep up your donations of books, documents and any other memorabilia. This brings me to a sensitive matter. I understand there are a number of Seale-Haynians who feel resentful that another organisation has taken over our beloved college and regard them almost as ‘trespassers’. I too share much of the resentment about the closure of the college. I regard the actions of the then chancellery of Plymouth University as deceitful and very underhand. I could go on but……! Mrs Hewitt the CEO of Hannahs knows that I think Seale-Hayne should still be teaching agriculture and has said she would feel the same in our position. However, I have reassured her that since the deed was done, very many of my fellow Seale-Haynians and I regard Hannahs at Seale-Hayne with a sense of profound relief that such a noble organisation is now in residence and teaching remains at our Alma Mater. Moreover, Hannahs made it clear from the very start that they wish to embrace the heritage of Seale-Hayne. Dame Hannah Rogers Trust has spent much capital renovating College and it does the heart good to see how the heritage of Seale-Hayne is being cherished at last. Moreover, we discovered at the Centenary Celebration the uncanny fact that in the 1700’s. Sir John Rogers’s sister Maria married John Seale. So it would appear it was meant to be! But it is a costly place to maintain and Hannahs at Seale-Hayne survival depends on the financial support from agencies and charitable donations. So please do your utmost to support them; make a small monthly donation if you can. I have another appeal. We have around 2500 Seale-Haynians on our database. This is a ridiculously small number considering the thousands who have qualified at College. Around 600 are “active” by receiving the annual magazine. We must do something about this. So please would you contact your cohorts (we keep hearing of cohort groups who meet for an annual reunion) and obtain their permission to send us their contact details. Igg, (Ian Goodwin) our membership secretary will gather the information to add to the database. Membership is free; to receive the magazine costs the exorbitant fee of £6:00 annually, paid by Standing Order Mandate (SOM). One of us will send you a complimentary magazine plus a SOM and prepaid envelope to return the same to Igg. Or you can download the SOM Click Here We fully intend to keep the club going. It is quite clear from the messages we received from alumni during and after the Centenary Celebration how so many cherish the memory of their time at Seale-Hayne. Comments like “a life changing experience”, “some of the happiest years of my life” and “this place gets into your soul” have been made. Recently, the wife of a very recent alumnus said “my husband keeps in touch with a group of his cohorts; they seem to have a passion about the place, which I never experienced at my university” QED. Raymond Bartlett.

Watercolour of Seale-Hayne
	A limited edition of a fine watercolour of College has been produced, they are available from the shop at Seale-Hayne for £45.00 (with mount but unframed). The following is a short piece by the artist. Richard Basker has had an interest in painting since his early childhood, but only started painting on a regular basis in the late 1980′s as a form of relaxation, and to compliment his career as a Structural/Civil Engineering Consultant. Painting holidays and courses with established watercolour artists Andrew Johnson and Trevor Waugh, gave Richard that experience which enabled him to develop his own style, influenced also by his own Engineering background.Richard’s painting interests have also run side by side with his membership at Saltram Rotary Club, from whom he has received invaluable support, and which has enabled him to return that support by giving paintings for various Rotary Charities. For over 30 years Richard has driven passed the distant buildings at Seale-Hayne, but has never ventured up to the site, until his fellow Rotarian and Chair of Trustees to Dame Hannah, Geoff Perham, showed him round in the Spring of 2010. He was so impressed with the beauty and magnificence of the main facade, that he felt compelled to paint ‘Hannahs at Seale-Hayne’, which he has given to Dame Hannah Rogers. A limited edition print has been produced in celebration of all those who have passed through their famous portals and for the support of the students who will reside here in the years to come.