Celebrating 160+ Years

From the President – Paul Heaver (66-71)

I feel both honoured and privileged to have been elected as President of the Conway Club for a period of two years starting on 1st January 2025. Firstly, I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, John Noble for his fine work during his tenure as President.

I started as a New Chum in September ’66; a Kenya hand and one of the first intakes directly into the New Block. I spent four years in Maintop before becoming SCC Foretop for my last year finishing in July ’71. In actual fact I was expelled, along with CCC James ‘Chinky’ Hall, a few days before the end of that Summer term by the Headmaster, Mr Basil Lord, for not getting our haircut! I didn’t go to sea but started my Commercial Air pilot training before joining BEA as a Second Officer in ’73 flying Hawker Siddeley Tridents around the UK and Europe. In ’86, now in British Airways (BA), I flew Boeing 747s on worldwide routes, gaining my first Command in ’96 on the Boeing 777, becoming a Training Captain soon after. In 2003 I converted back to the Boeing 747 for my final 14 years before retiring in June 2017 after nearly 44 years with BA.

During my time as President I aim to visit as many branches as possible, and to attend the Canadian Coast Guard College’s Graduation ceremony each June for the award of the Conway King’s Gold Medal.

I hope that we, as a club, may proceed in harmony and unity as the years go by. The club is in good health and that has a great deal to do with the conscientiousness and diligence of the Committee members, to whom I am and remain hugely grateful.

My latest President’s Message from the February 2026 The Cadet is here.