08_H_AOIN2011:20982_THE_SALOPIAN201114/7/11 2:00Page1 20982_THE_SALOPIAN SU o 148 No. ISSUE

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School News

EDITOR E DITORIAL Richard Hudson Churchill’s Hall In his leader the Headmaster refers to about how we might do many things differently, School Shrewsbury’s genius loci, and attempts to but we also returned with a renewed sense that Shrewsbury define some of the characteristics of this there is something very special about the SY3 7AT elusive deity. Conscious of the temptation to Shrewsbury atmosphere, so often picked up Tel: 01743 280630 trot out bland platitudes about ‘individuality’ by those who beat the path to its doors. It is [email protected] and ‘excellence’ when visiting parents ask why goodtoreadthatthisgenius, who talks the they should choose a school in the Welsh whole time to sentimental Old Salopians such ASSISTANT EDITOR border country three hours from London rather as me who work in these Arcadian surrounds, Annabel Warburg than one closer to their homes with what they hasalsotalkedtosomanyofourcurrentand might consider to be a more metropolitan feel, former parents, and indeed to the boys and OBITUARIES EDITOR housemasters in particular, but all members of girls themselves. Richard Raven staff in practice, have constantly to ask Part of the modern genius must stem from themselves this question. the blurring of traditional cultural boundaries Old salopian club Recently a group of housemasters, myself between sport, academia, music and the arts: Alex Baxter (Director) amongst their number, visited a couple of more so very different from the Shrewsbury of my Miriam Walton (Administrator) southern competitor Schools, kindly welcomed youth. The question whether the Fasti (the Old Salopian Club in by them to talk to some of their own termly timetable of activities) is too crowded, The Schools housemasters about how they manage their and if it is, which activities should take priority Shrewsbury charges and workload. It is all too easy to over which, is a matter of constant debate, become inwardly focused in an institution such even contention. But it is from just such SY3 7BA as this, and years in the competitive business tensions that the vitality of the School flows. Tel: 01743 280891 (Director) world as a publisher taught me that one can And surely the young man pictured below 01743 280892 (Administrator) always learn better practice from one’s stands as metaphor for this: captain of rugby, competitors – as well as, of course, how not to academic and music scholar – and head of Front cover: Birmingham Town Hall, do things. school. 20th March 2011. Having, I hope, gone with minds completely Are the saxophonists playing the same piece? open, we did indeed come away with ideas

School Captain of Rugby and Head of School Alex Collins (S) touching down

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H EADMASTER’S WORD

I am very grateful to the Editor for this opportunity to pass back down to the personalities and characters involved. The ability of some observations of my first year in post. If the mantra of Blair’s Common Room members to inspire and encourage a wide range new Labour Party, after its barnstorming electoral victory in 1997, of pupils to think independently has led, we are told, to was ‘Education, Education, Education’, we might use as a pupil/teacher relationships being defined as ‘unique’. There are also summary for events at Shrewsbury this year: ‘Consultation, many others who will point to the curriculum: a blend of academic Consultation, Consultation’. During the course of the year, the challenge within a supportive and comfortable pastoral system, School has embarked on the most wide-reaching process of together with an extra-curricular programme which provides the consultation attempted at any school in recent history. All pupils, opportunity for a huge range of talents to find their full expression. staff (teaching and support), together with parents and alumni, have There are still others who will point to Chapel, the place where the been involved in a process of review and analysis which has School comes together most regularly, as the opportunity for values generated a vast amount of relevant and interesting information, not of compassion and fair play to be inculcated. Whatever the spirit of to mention some strong views and opinions. In addition, the Shrewsbury is, I am sure that it is a combination of all these inspections to which the School was subjected by Ofsted, primarily influences to a greater or lesser degree. looking at our pastoral care and house systems, together with an ISI So what needs to change? Well, while it is clear that a inspection in May, which looked at the quality of our teaching and commitment to the individual is a key part of the Shrewsbury learning, have given additional insights into the quality of life here at experience, it is also clear that there is a strong feeling – particularly The Schools. It was very reassuring, even confidence-boosting, to from parents – that there needs to be a ‘tightening up’ of systems be marked as ‘Outstanding’ on all ten of the major criteria that were and procedures. I am fairly confident that, in certain key areas, my the focus of the inspectors’ attention. natural tendency to clear parameters and my brief exposure to Having assimilated and now had the opportunity to analyse much military discipline (which I have never been able to shake off fully) of this data, I am very aware indeed of the necessity to feed back as will mean that there is a shift of the fulcrum in this important area of much as possible that is relevant to those who took the trouble to balance in favour of greater rigour. engage in our dialogue. It appears that the adjectives most often I was interested to discover that at Shrewsbury we do not have a used to describe Shrewsbury and Salopians are ‘rounded’ and uniform; we have ‘Clothing Guidelines’. That is all very well, as long ‘welcoming’, with ‘sporty’, ‘academic’ and ‘sociable’ coming a joint as individuals respect and respond to the need of the School, as an third. It was a relief to know that on all surveys the adjectives institution, to present itself in a positive and business-like way. Once ‘unresponsive’, ‘unapproachable’, ‘pompous’, ‘uninspiring’ and again, there is a balance to be struck. ‘elitist’ were used least often to describe life at school. 95% of all Over the course of the last year, I have enjoyed attending pupil respondents agreed with the statement, ‘I am happy being a numerous events, concerts, plays and matches. It is wonderful to student at Shrewsbury’, with 90% of pupils claiming to ‘have lots of see that, in all these different arenas, Shrewsbury acquits itself fun at the school’. When calculated by the great RSAcademics’ incredibly well. Our sportsmen and women are used to achieving at computer, Shrewsbury has improved its performance, relative to all the very highest level and have grown confident on a rich diet of other schools, from 2005 when the last comprehensive survey of medals, victories and accolades. Our musicians and actors have a this type took place. 389 parents responded to the survey, which natural confidence, which means they respond extremely well when works out at approximately 60% of the parent body. 77% of our given the opportunity to perform in public. In short, it is very easy to parent respondents would definitely recommend the School, with a feel proud about the vast majority of what is achieved here. further 19% saying that they would probably recommend the In conclusion, this has been a frenetic and hectic first year, during institution. That compares with 1% in the ‘probably not’ category which I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to meet vast and just less than 1% in the ‘definitely not’ group. It appears, numbers of our extended community. I have tried to engage as therefore, that Shrewsbury can rely on a vast, extended network of much as possible with Old Salopians; I have felt well supported by parents and to recommend the School. There is no doubt the Governors, enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside many that this support will be increasingly important as social and cultural talented Common Room colleagues, and begun the process of changes continue to erode boarding’s traditional base and as the getting to know many of our pupils. The aim for year two will be to economy just about stutters into something approaching a meet the challenge of articulating a vision which will represent a recovery. direction for the School to follow as we move towards 2020. As with any new headmaster, one arrives with a good deal of In looking to the future, one is powerfully reminded of key reforming zeal and enthusiasm. In that context, I was particularly decisions which have been taken in Shrewsbury’s past. Over the interested in one of the questions, which asked what should and last few months, I have attended events such as the Rigg’s 150th should not be changed at the School. The answer that came back Anniversary and the Oldham’s Centenary. Oldham’s and Rigg’s most strongly was that the ‘Shrewsbury spirit’ or ‘genius loci’ should were Houses founded by inspirational former housemasters, both be protected at all costs. Whilst that was a message which was of whom invested their life-savings in the future development of the communicated loud and clear, it does leave me with an interesting School. It is impossible not to be moved by the scale of their hope, challenge of defining exactly what the Shrewsbury spirit is. Of ambition and motivation for the future of Shrewsbury. It is course, there is no shortage of helpful suggestions. Some will claim impossible not to be in awe of that level of commitment and the Shrewsbury spirit is a geographical concept, which derives from inspired by it as we look ahead. our beautiful site and location. Some, of a more historical mind, will say it is the subtle blend of innovation and tradition that has seen Mark Turner Shrewsbury evolve over the years. Others will be adamant that it is June 2011

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A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF RORY FRASER

My name is Rory Fraser; I’m fifteen, wrenched me abruptly from science to something rather beyond and a relatively gangly member of Shakespeare! The Churchill’s Hall fourth form. Last Friday. Firstly I went to the prize giving ceremony practice where year I was at we were instructed as to what we should do that evening. I had also and so coming into a new school been asked along with some other Churchillian friends to take part in and being able to compare it to an a recital for some future Salopians that evening. It was going to be a ‘elite’ academic boys’ school has day of careful, masterful planning! At five thirty I arrived in the chapel been an interesting experience for fully ‘suited’ and ready to recite my chosen poem, Cargoes by John me. The comparison I am glad to Masefield. Mr Case gave a small introduction with customary say favours Shrewsbury immensely, panache and before I knew it I was standing in front of an audience of for I feel it is a far better habitat for expectant looking faces. I allowed Masefield’s genius to echo around me. the chapel, although I almost kicked myself later for forgetting to bow! I always remembered my previous summer terms as being rather Five minutes later after a signal from Mr Case, I along with two other long and lazy, spending most of my time wandering about in a sunhat prize winners power-walked to the Ashton Theatre. The theatre was or being very bored. Shrewsbury has had none of this, the summer packed with parents, governors, teachers and all the dignitaries of term has started with a plunge in the deep end after the gentle , met by an effusive Mr Fanning. Pupils lined the front rows, breaststroke of the holidays, and there has not been a moment to for once dressed immaculately. The theatre had a certain aura, which lose! must have been that of academic excellence. In the centre of the Monday began with the customary, ‘I can’t go on’, and the mirage room was the shining pile of newly-bound books illuminated by the that I had been in the garden lounging about and wasting time but 24 spotlight. hours before was rapidly disappearing into the recesses of my There was a prize for every imaginable subject donated over the memory. Before I knew it I was sprinting about - tie flapping, hair School’s long history. Not only were there academic prizes, but also flopping and totally out of breath. My society’s hour was taken up by theatre, sport, art and design. This really characterises Shrewsbury, a a play rehearsal for the junior school play where keeping a straight place where everyone can seek, find and achieve their goals if they’re face whilst trying desperately to remember my lines seemed to passionate enough. Finally my prize loomed into view, The dominate the rehearsal. After lessons with only five minutes to return idiosyncratic McEachran Prize, for which I had given a talk on to the house, change and meet for A-leagues, I jumped into my Cargoes earlier in the year. cricket gear and strode out onto the pitch with my fellow Churchillian My name echoed out and my fellow prizewinner and housemate A-Leaguean comrades. Ridgemount were our opposition. We fielded Theo Simmons and I strode out into the light. Mr Cropper busily first where I must admit I spent a lot of time looking thoughtfully at the getting the right books for the right people, handed Sir David mine, A grass and then pretending not to look surprised when the next over Shropshire Lad, a cliché maybe, but wonderful poetry nonetheless. came! I was in the second pair and marched onto the crease Sir David eyed my book approvingly, shook my hand enthusiastically determined not to embarrass myself. I scored a very tactical six runs – and over the sound of the applause said something along the lines mainly focusing on not facing the balls whenever possible, as of, “well done”. As I returned to my seat I tried very hard to put on my ordered by our captain. Churchill’s was victorious, and I was glad I serious yet happy smile, and at all cost tried to avoid breaking out into had been part of it, ‘the day we beat Ridgemount’! an enormous grin. Tuesday began with an as ever eclectic tutor period with Mr Following the prizes, Sir David made a speech. One which I think Sheppe, where we discussed a range of topics from the Middle East definitely will go in my top ten speeches list; it was all that a speech to the Muppets. It was my Hunt run day, a part of my feeble plan to should be: not too long yet not brief, academic, funny, serious but keep vaguely in shape over this term. We got a minibus and sped off giving the invaluable advice to us all, that true success comes from into glorious Mynd, whilst at the back holding up the customary the values you pick up ‘osmotically’ from being at Shrewsbury. tradition of debating important schoolboy issues. We spent the However it is your choice as to whether to use those values to the full. afternoon scampering over majestic hillside like mountain goats, and There followed a very crowded reception in the 6th form Common could see for miles in all directions, down into lush pasture and up Room, by this time I was extrememely hungry and spent most of the into deep purple heather (whetting my appetite for next year’s Hunt time trying to eat a supper of canapés without looking suspicious and training). trying not to get under anyone’s feet. I also spent a lot of time Wednesday, (after having been to chapel where The Revd standing about pretending I was doing something constructive so as G.Dobbie’s hymn choice as ever gave us a boost to the morning) to avoid looking like I knew no one there, until I got into a lengthy was my first experience of exam leave where I got extremely restless conversation with Mr Schutzer-Weissmann about religion which took after about ten minutes and resorted to actually working. That up the rest of the evening. That night as I returned to house over top afternoon in athletics we were preparing for the Saturday’s County common, I had discovered another side of Shrewsbury – pomp. I felt Champs. The session involved sprinting and hurdling. However due so stimulated that I had to immediately involve myself in a serious to a lack of hurdles on the track at the time we had to imagine them, game of house football to calm down. so any passerby would have witnessed a couple of Salopians What Saturday had in store for me was seemingly on a different randomly jumping into the air whilst sprinting for no apparent reason! planet! I woke up to sun shining through the window. How ironic. It By Thursday I was in full revision mode, superglued to my desk was the dreaded day of the county champ’s athletics competition in with my ‘thinking cap’ on. However my roommate did prize me off my Telford; I put on my worn sports kit and packed my bag for the day. At desk with some difficulty for another play practice, which yet again 9:50 the bus passed through the school gates, leaving the homely

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Shrewsbury behind us. In typical Salopian style arriving at Telford the over one was an issue but I improvised and tried many methods. Shrewsbury team which had left earlier were to be found sunbathing After a gruelling race during which I would have appreciated on a bank. In my first race, the 3000 metres. I achieved a comfortable armbands and a snorkel, I realised I had won, and was now third place. Later however was my real challenge. Sadly the good apparently the county champion. In the end it was a really successful weather did not hold out. Less than half an hour later a huge storm day for the school on the track with Shrewsbury winning 32 medals burst. However the show had to go on and the no nonsense Salopian including 10 golds! attitude prevailed. At the appointed time of our races we marched out Sunday morning was no exception to the week, chapel choir onto the track in shorts and vests without the slightest complaint, for beckoned and at 8:45 all basses and tenors reported for an Hunt runners it made us feel sort of at home. My problem was that emergency rehearsal. We rehearsed for an hour then ‘cassocked’ up my next race was three hours later. So I passed the time under a and seamlessly glided up the aisle guided by a Benedictine chant. hawthorn bush doing my chemistry revision, oblivious to the pouring The service went well and the hymns were uplifting against the rain beyond. The 1500 metre steeplechase loomed in to view; for pattering of drizzle on the window. Brunch followed where a steaming those of you who are unaware of this pastime, it involves running 3 ¾ hot chocolate spread good cheer amongst weary choristers. I then times around a track whilst jumping over metre high solid wood paid a visit to the library to pass time and looked at some ancient barriers, one of which had a metre deep water jump on the other side texts after a deep conversation with the librarian over the Clarendon – which had been topped up by the weather. Commission. A play rehearsal followed soon after with much I remembered that my Scotsman-ship and sportsman-ship were at merriment. Finally at three o’clock in the afternoon I collapsed into my stake, so I braved the torrents and set foot on the starting line. The bedsit, rang my mother to confirm to her that I was still respiring, and gun went and the first barrier came into view, not knowing how to get spenttherestofthedayindulginginaDad’s Army fest.

S CHOLARSHIPS 2011

LOWER SCHOOL B. E. Sansom (Prestfelde) R. D. A. Shone (The Ryleys) ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS 2011 D. Walker ( Cathedral School) The following Scholarships have been awarded: Butler Scholarships: Exhibitions A. G. Grocott (Packwood Haugh) G. D. Panayi (Lockers Park) H. F. Partington (Shrewsbury High Preparatory School) T. J. Sykes (Prestfelde) T. J. Sykes (Prestfelde) SIXTH FORM Kennedy Scholarships: A. Bennett (Shrewsbury High Preparatory School) ART SCHOLARSHIPS 2011 T. C. Breese (Shrewsbury High Preparatory School) C. A. W. Morson (The Elms, Colwall) F. D. McCormack (Prestfelde) G. R. Hill (Prestfelde) C. A. Wade (Prestfelde) ACADEMIC AWARDS Moss Scholarships: Harriet Adams (Moreton Hall) J. W. P. Davies (Packwood Haugh) Eleanor Carter-Esdale (Surbiton High School) L. J. Lloyd-Jones (Prestfelde) Sebastian Constantine (Cheltenham School) B. E. Sansom (Prestfelde) Seren Kell (Moreton Hall) Academic with Music Alvin Loh (Alice Smith School, KL) Alington Scholarships: Emma Matthews (Northampton High School) R. W. H. Champion (Prestfelde) Rosie Parr (King’s College, Taunton) J. P. Chesshire (Moor Park) Alice Paul (Shrewsbury High School) Academic with Drama T. H. Dodd (Prestfelde) Hannah Pritchard (Shrewsbury High School) R. J. Elliott-Williams (Prestfelde) Amy Stockdale (Wensleydale Comprehensive) A. R. S. Ghiblawi (Shrewsbury High Preparatory School) Ratanon Suemanothom (British International School, Phuket) B. J. Remnant (Mowden Hall) Matilda Whittingham (Shrewsbury High School) L. G. B. Stewart (Prestfelde) SCHOLARSHIP ALL-ROUNDER SCHOLARSHIPS 2011 James Brent (, Baschurch) T. C. Breese (Shrewsbury High Prep) B. G. Jones (Birchfield School) ART SCHOLARSHIP L. J. Lloyd-Jones (Prestfelde) Teresa Fawcett Wood (Shrewsbury High School) H. A. P. Newbould (Winterfold House) G. D. Panayi (Locker’s Park) MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS Dorit Hasselberg (Gymnasium Adolfinum, Moers, Germany) MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS Sienna Holmes (Moreton Hall) Burney Scholarships Fiona Lau (Belilios Public School, ) F. D. McCormack (Prestfelde) Leonard Ma (Diocesan Boys’ School, Hong Kong) H. O. Thomas (Winterfold House) Daisy McConnel (Gresham’s School, Holt) Music with Drama

Scholarships SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS L. A. Hartley (Woodcote House School) Sebastian Blake (Munich International School) A. S. Hay (Prestfelde) Harry Lonergan (Cardinal Wiseman School, Middlesex) H. A. P. Newbould (Winterfold House) Edward Pollock (Royal , Worcester)

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P RIZEWINNERS 2011

The Harvard Prize J.W. Flowers (I) The Dukes French Prize T. A. R. Elliott (I) The Bentley German Prize K. M. B. Blake (S) The Bain Spanish Prize W. D. Sansom (PH) The Moss Prize for Classics N. J. Thompson (G) The Cross Prize for Classics A. J. Thompson (G) The Classical Civilisation Prize F. J. Ellery (PH) The Prize for English T. A. R. Elliott (I) The Kitson-Clark Prize X. A. M. Greenwood (Rt) The Allen Cup for Creative Writing J. R. Humpish (SH) The R.S. Thomas Poetry Prize T. J. J Simmons (Ch) The Bentley Elocution Prizes: Sixth Form J. L. Brown (O) and J. W. Flowers (I) Fifth Form R. M. J. Cross (S) Fourth Form L. M. Jeffcoate (Ch) Third Form T. J. J. Simmons (Ch) Theatre Studies Prize N. Constantine (S) and H. A. Dickins (MSH) The Senior Debating Prize A. S. Milligan-Manby (R) The Junior Debating Prize J. W. O. Halliday (G) The McEachran Prize: Senior X. A. M. Greenwood (Rt) Junior R. I. C. Fraser (Ch) and T. J. J. Simmons (Ch) The Goulding Family Prize for Drama H. A Dickins (MSH) The Bright Prize for History F. A. Cox (O) The Murray Senior Prize for History E. R. Moodey (MSH) The Quinn Prize for Third Form History G. A. C. Patterson (R) The Dorothy David Prize for Religious Studies W. D. Sansom (PH) and M.E.B. Fisher (MSH) The Robertson-Eustace Prize for Geography T. D. H. Harrison (Rb) The Lower Sixth Form Geography Prize A. W. Pollock (I) The Fifth Form Geography Prize F. St. J. S. Jackson (O) The Arnold Hagger Mathematics Prize Y. Cheng (MSH) and T. H. Elcock (Rb) The Powell Mathematics Prize C. J. Papaioannou (PH) The David Harrison Mathematics Prize E. J. Elcock (Rb) The Arnold Matthews Science Prizes: Biology D. J. Tenison-Collins (Rb) and J. W. Harris (S) Chemistry A. L. Miller (MSH) and F. Kipli (O) Physics S. B. M. Lilico (SH) The Darwin Prize for Science K. M. B. Blake (S) and L. V. Rands (MSH) The Astronomy Prize Y. C. Chow (SH) The Hawksley Burbury Science Prize K. M. B. Blake (S) The Rolls Royce Prize H. B. Karim (I) and B. Y. Y. Tang (SH) The Lampel Prize for Natural History S. C. C. Winwood (I) The Global Perspectives and Independent Research Prize M. J. Cull (I) The ICT Prize J. Y Ng (O) The Business Studies Prize T. Tominari (SH) The Ramsbotham Business Studies Prize A. K. D. Brentnall (MSH) The Lower Sixth Form Business Studies Prize E. T. H. Chiagozie (MSH) The Economics Prize T. H. Elcock (Rb) The James Meikle A Level Physical Education Prize R. M. Corkill (MSH) The Physical Education Prize S. G. Leach (M) Art Prizes: Sixth Form T. W. D. Francis (Rb) Painting C. W. Boutflower (S) and A. C. C. Midwood (MSH) Ceramics J. D. Lambie (I) Photography H. C. Jackson-Stops (O) The History of Art Prize H. A. Dickins (MSH) The Hill Art Prize O. G. C. Monkton (Rt) and C. A. F. Straw (S) Music Prizes: Senior Piano A. J. Y. Ma (MSH) Senior Brass T. H. Elcock (Rb) Senior Strings A. J. Y. Ma (MSH) Senior Woodwind R. H. S. Collins (S) Senior Singing M. J. Shawe-Taylor (MSH) The Graham White Organ Prize C. H. Li (G) The Russell Prize for Orchestral Playing C. L. Aylwin (MSH) The Guyer Family Prize B. A. Hay (Rb) The Woollam Family Prize A. R. G. Collins (S) The Special Music Prize W. J. T. Shaw (Ch) The Gordon Riley Prize S. C. C. Winwood (I) The Guy Lovett Award J. D Lambie (I) The West Family Prize T. H. T. Fitzpatrick (R) and M. E. Cherrington (MSH)

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U NIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES

America – the Land of the Free, is not the phrase that comes to mind when thinking about the option of crossing the Atlantic to go to university. Costs (including tuition and room and board) can vary from as low as $15,000 per year (for the standard four year course) at a small state university to around $45,000 per year at top Ivy League institutions. It is also true that most institutions do not offer financial assistance to international students. However, getting beyond this daunting barrier, some loopholes appear. Sports scholarships do exist, and can be extremely generous (they can cover all fees). Of course they are skewed towards American sports, but nevertheless, students who are stars at: athletics, golf, rowing, squash, soccer and tennis – to give a few examples, could look realistically towards such funding. There are also some institutions which will offer financial support to students on academic grounds, and indeed a handful of universities choose on a “needs blind” basis i.e. the ability to pay does not affect their selection (for international students there are only about 7 such institutions: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, MIT and Amherst). This means that such universities have to be wealthy enough to cover any fee costs – which can be up to 100%. As tuition fees rise at UK universities, all this needs to be looked at carefully, and when making the comparison remember to include living costs at UK institutions! This all begs the question of why one should consider an American university educationat all. At the heart of the answer lies the fact that Americans do value education, finance it well, and as a result a great deal of what is on offer is very good. Amongst the nearly 4,000 US universities and colleges, standards clearly vary. Yale: remind you of anywhere closer to home? However, World Rankings (by reputation) put 7 US the most common and are administered by The College Board institutions in the top ten universities, and 28 in the top 50. It is (www.collegeboard.com). Their website gives the dates of the important to realise that the quality stretches far beyond the tests, the location of centres in the UK, and all the information customary image of Harvard and the Ivy League. The Ivy League that is needed – including being the point of application for any by the way is actually a descriptive term for an athletic tests. Be aware that there are two types of test: the SAT itself conference made of eight private institutions of higher education (essentially reasoning based around Reading, Writing and Maths) in the Northeastern United States, comprising the universities of: and Subject tests. All universities require the SAT and some Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, require a number (usually 1 or 2) of Subject Tests. Each university Princeton and Yale. will have their own score threshold on these tests, and these can The traditional hallmark of the American model is that of the be found from their websites. “Liberal Arts” education. In this, generally the first two years are Key issues are: aimed at providing a broad education from the humanities G The tests are designed by Americans for Americans, and through to sciences. In the final two years, a degree of the language and style is different to most UK exams. As a specialisation occurs with students typically spending around result, specific coaching for these tests and/or practice at 50% of their time on the major subject in the end. There are past questions can be very productive. It is worth making variations on this theme with some colleges (e.g. Brown) allowing the assumption that taking the tests twice will lead to much wider student choice than others. Americans will use the improved scores. term “College” where we use “University”, but they have G The SAT itself is long (about three and a half hours testing essentially the same meaning. plus registration) and all tests occur on a Saturday and start This holistic view of the academic offering by US Colleges is early. Registration begins around 7.45 a.m. mirrored in general by the way they value students and select G All test dates have a registration deadline, and centres get them. They want students who are “rounded” and who will booked up early. contribute outside a particular subject, and indeed outside the G Not all subjects studied at A-level are accommodated in the straight academic world. They have their own distinctive subject tests, and some e.g. American History are clearly characteristics, and they are looking to recruit students who will aimed at Americans. “fit” their own particular template. On top of the tests, applicants have to write an Admissions The starting point of any application is to offer some academic Essay to be submitted with their application to each university. credibility, and apart from good GCSEs (and AS and A-levels if There is no equivalent body to UCAS in America. Each university their results are already known), it is a requirement to take either is applied to separately, and each will require an Admissions the SAT or ACT tests – run by competing companies. The SAT is Essay which will enable them to select students who they think

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will “match” with their institution. points may be worth noting: As you can see the process is complex and different from the Within the broader context of American university applications, UK experience. Help is available from The Fulbright Commission it is always prudent to take the SAT and SAT Subjects Tests twice: (www.fulbright.co.uk) and it may even be worth investing in the students generally show a marked score improvement, especially advice of expert consultants to assist with the process. It is if they have undertaken a substantial course of SAT revision in the certainly worth attending Fulbright’s College Day in September, interim. which is held in London, and allows prospective students to talk Students must also leave time to assemble American university to representatives from many US universities as well as meet application materials: references from Teachers, Housemaster, consultants. There are also many books which can give valuable etc. Factoring in AS-level commitments, a provisional application information about the colleges including: Rugg’s timeline looks like this: Recommendations on the Colleges, the Fiske Guide, The Best 373 Colleges,andColleges that Change Lives – which can be 1. Start of Year 12: applicant starts seriously considering easily found through Google. American universities. When considering a US education, one aspect which should 2. Christmas Term Year 12: applicant undertakes program of not be ignored, is that of employment after graduating. Unless SAT revision you are an American citizen or marry one, it is unlikely that 3. Late January Year 12: applicant sits SAT Reasoning Test for employment in America will be possible beyond a limited the first time. internship period. Thus it is worth bearing in mind that that the 4. Early June Year 12: applicant sits SAT II Subjects Tests for majority of UK employers will be aware of relatively few US the first time. universities. 5. Start Year13: applicant starts compiling application The decision to apply to a university “across the pond” is a materials. major one. The quality and variety of Higher Education offered is 6. October Year 13: applicant re-sits SAT, if needed. not in question, but the process is time-consuming and demands 7. November Year13: applicant re-sits SAT II Subjects Tests, if a great deal of individual effort and research. needed. There are books and league tables 8. Mid-November Year 13: applicant files Early application(s) (e.g. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best- 9. Early December Year 13: applicant re-sits SAT, if needed. colleges/rankings/national-universities) to help give information – 10. Mid-December Year 13: applicant finalises and submits but remember that any rankings are only useful if you understand Regular applications (ultimate deadline usually January 1st) the criteria used to establish the order. On top of this is the fact 11. Late January Year 13: applicant re-sits SAT or SAT Subjects that it is a very different cultural experience compared to being an Tests, if needed. undergraduate in the UK: drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal; football has a different meaning; the concept of student Overall, it is clear that the appeal of an American university debt is no surprise to American students – that has been their experience is becoming more attractive: recent data from the expectation for generations - and of course it is simply a long way Fulbright Commission shows that a record 8,861 UK students from home. However, the of the education offered does studied in the US in 2009-10, a 2% rise from the previous year. produce “well-rounded” graduates – which many UK employers With our Higher Education system currently undergoing dramatic appear to value and claim that UK universities are not producing changes in style and cost, it surely makes sense to investigate in sufficient numbers. one which is already proven to be delivering high quality. If the American experience is pursued, the following practical Chris Conway

H EAD OF SCHOOL

As I write this, less than five days away from my last timetabled For me, it is this emphasis on a lesson, my time as a Salopian is fast nearing its end. My brother more rounded education, rather than Rob and I are the last of four siblings to have passed through the one focused entirely on the School so the end of term will also mark the end of a nine year classroom, that has made my time family connection. Afternoons spent watching regattas, and my first here so enjoyable. With the recent nerve-wracking experiences of Shrewsbury in auditions and arrival of girls in the sixth form and a entrance exams now seem a very long time ago. So now, five years new headmaster, much has been on, what feelings will I take away with me about my time at made of the changes that have Shrewsbury? taken place. But for all these Above all, I will look back on five years of fantastic opportunity, changes, that indefinable ‘Salopian whether that be in the form of football and rugby tours to Spain and spirit’, which was clear to see during Italy, two-week runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival or trips to my brothers’ time here, still remains Prague and Bordeaux. Perhaps just as important as these and will remain with me after I have left. For all my very positive experiences themselves is what they have done for me as a person. experiences here, I certainly feel ready to move on, and this is Certainly, as a somewhat shy third form clarinettist, I would not have something for which I feel my time at Shrewsbury has prepared me seen myself getting up on stage four years later with school friends very well. to play at the Big Chill Festival. Alex Collins (S)

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School News

B EEKEEPING AT SHREWSBURY

Geoffrey Hopkinson’s interesting article in the June edition of Beekeeping Quarterly on “The Decline in School Beekeeping” and his mention of prompts me to review the history of the School’s Beekeeping Society and to outline some of the problems we now face. The Shrewsbury School Beekeeping Society was founded in 1974 by myself and a colleague. It began with just two second-hand hives but over the years it increased in size and was moved around the School site, finally ending up in the orchard of a boarding house and an adjacent woodland. Numbers of boys taking part varied. Some years they exceeded twenty; at that time, the ethos of the School was very much to encourage extra-curricular activities such as beekeeping, but fitting meetings into a crowded School timetable was not easy. However, the problem was largely resolved in about 1977 when the School instituted a ‘Societies Hour’ after lunch on Mondays, with a corresponding reduction in time allocated to sport. The Early Days The programme was straightforward. During the winter the first place, students face increased academic pressure, while terms, we offered a course of lectures based on the British sport seems to receive greater emphasis. Changes to the Beekeepers’ Association Junior syllabus. In summer, there was academic timetable have reduced the Societies Hour to 45 minutes, practical instruction in hive management. Towards the end of the which is not really enough for in-depth study of a number of summer term, boys took the Junior exam – twenty written questions colonies. Then the advent of computers and the Internet are and a ten-minute interview with Geoffrey Hopkinson, for whose help compelling distractions; a boy needs to be really keen to leave his and encouragement we were most grateful. Nearly all pupils console for the apiary. passed and were awarded the Junior certificate as well as the For staff, too, running the Society has become much more School’s beekeeping tie. demanding. Fewer hives come through the winter than was the The Junior syllabus was later extended to include a requirement case previously and we have become increasingly dependent on that pupils should keep a diary. While this accords with good splitting colonies that survive or on swarms to repopulate them. practice, it proved unpopular with students whose pleasure in Much of the work has to be carried out in holiday time, for example, beekeeping gave them the chance to get away from the exigencies taking off supers in July, putting on Apiguard in August and of academic work; they were not prepared to do it and the Junior preparing feed. Whereas in the past, we seldom had to replace exam was dropped. This did not, however, diminish our activities. brood comb, the need to make up large numbers of new combs I look back with nostalgia at those early years. Hives produced an with foundation takes up time and is costly. At least this is a good average of 30 pounds of honey, which was sold in the School shop winter activity for members, who also make candles and brew to fund the purchase of equipment. There were no varroa mites and mead, along with more formal instruction. little evidence of disease. We took off supers (separate boxes Despite the difficulties, our Beekeeping Society continues to placed above the hive chamber, which have a series of shallow attract a number of boys who either have previous experience or combs where bees store extra honey) in September at the are sufficiently interested to embark on a new hobby, to which many beginning of the and hives were given sugar will return in later years. We are encouraged by the complete syrup if needed to help them gain extra stores for overwintering – refurbishment of our store and extracting room to comply with food usually it was not. During the summer, some inspection of hives processing regulations. We are conscious of the importance of took place as part of the instruction on swarm control, but generally beekeeping to the national economy – in fact, we are the only the hives were left undisturbed and combs lasted from one year to School activity that contributes to agriculture in both theory and the next. The Shropshire Beekeeping Association were very practice. The challenges are great but we look to the future with supportive and welcomed small groups at their apiary meetings. some small degree of optimism. Running a school beekeeping society has certainly become more Selby Martin demanding in recent years. There are two main reasons for this. In

SALOPIAN IN BRITISH JUNIOR BEEKEEPING TEAM The British Beekeeping Association has picked Fifth Former Harry Boutflower (S) as one of a team of three to represent the UK at the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers near Vienna in August 2011. This is a three-day competition that covers both the theory and practical sides of beekeeping.

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School News

TAXIDERMY IN SHREWSBURY SCHOOL’S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Visitors on a tour of Shrewsbury School are almost always brought into the Biology Department, to look at the natural history collection, and of course also the modern well equipped laboratories! Natural history collections became increasingly unfashionable in the second half of the 20th century, with the emphasis turning to molecular biology and biotechnology. Many museums, both municipal and school, discarded their collections and indeed turned away from the display of natural history artefacts generally. Interactive displays replaced them. An example is the Human Biology gallery at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. Shrewsbury School built up a natural history collection during the 19th and early 20th century, which was displayed on the top floor of the Main School Building. When this space was converted to classrooms, the collection was put into storage. Fortunately it survived largely intact. During the 1970s the collection was retrieved by Ian Lacey who was then Head of Department, and put on display in the Biology Department. Ian had been promised new Morris, expert in the history of taxidermy and author of a recent laboratories when he was appointed but only Physics and definitive account, visited and felt that these specimens are Chemistry were ultimately granted these. As partial recompense, a significant enough for a guide to them to be published. He carried series of rooms were created under the eaves of the Biology out the research for this in January and has since written a thirty six Department and some of these were used to house the natural page guide. It includes colour photographs of almost all the history collection, which was then rather grandly named the taxidermy specimens and information about the natural history and Museum. Other parts of the collection were put on display in the conservation status of each species. Information is also given about laboratories. Old Salopians may recall biology lessons in the the taxidermists whose work is represented, and their methods. The company of a golden eagle, red kite, snowy owl and even a kiwi. account that Pat Morris has written is fascinating. A limited edition of In recent years the Museum has been refurbished and the 150 numbered copies of the guide has been printed. A copy will be collection re-configured, as part of the celebrations of the 200th sent to any Old Salopian requesting one. Please send a cheque for anniversary in 2009 of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of £8 made payable to Shrewsbury School and a postal address to the publication of the Origin of Species. New specimens are added the Biology Department. Copies will also be available during to the collection, usually as a result of kind donations. Conservation Speech Day on Friday 8th July 2011, when the natural history work is done annually to prevent damage by pests. There is an collection can of course be viewed. important herbarium, or collection of pressed and dried plant Andrew Allott specimens, including a Type Specimen of a species of fumitory. In 2007 the herbarium was digitised, which involved taking digital photographs of each specimen and placing them on the Internet, for researchers to use. The most visually appealing parts of the natural history collection are probably the taxidermy specimens. In December 2010, Pat

Fitzroy – the only live bird in the Biology Department.

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School News

C HAPEL INTERVIEWS 2011

Each summer term a small number of leavers are interviewed in Chapel about their time at Shrewsbury by their housemasters or What has being in our tutors. Considerations of space only allow us to publish one of these chapel taught you? interviews, during which Radin Basiuni was interviewed by his I’m not planning on Housemaster Richard Hudson. converting, if that’s what you’re thinking, sir ... To Can you say something about your background, your country be honest it’s my first and upbringing? time being in chapel, and I hail from this place called Brunei, a tiny dot on the world’s third almost certainly my last, largest island. It’s slightly bigger than the County of Shropshire in but I’d have to say that size but it is similar demographically, with a population of just over you Christians have a 400,000. I was brought up in a small village within this tiny dot, a good taste in relatively isolated place by the sea, called Lumut. I was educated in architecture! both private and state schools, applied for a scholarship from my Government, managed to slip through the cracks and somehow I What do you consider ended up here.... to have been the highs andlowsofyourtimein What where your first impressions of Shrewsbury? Shrewsbury? I initially found the idea of attending, and I quote the school website Highs - taking centre Radin Basiuni ‘one of the leading independent schools in the UK’ rather stage at this year’s intimidating – after all I was, and still am, in my mind, a simple village house singing competition. We were the champions for the unison boy. But apart from its sheer size (which still impresses me even song , and dancing with all that ‘Bling’ and flirting with cross- today), one of the first things that I found was that the people in this dressing third formers on stage made me feel like James Brown on school are very friendly indeed and because of that by the end of my steroids.... first week here, I managed to feel quite at home. Lows - Homesickness had struck me in the lead-up towards my birthday, early during my first term here. It was my first time being You are a Brunei scholar. Can you explain the thinking behind away from my family for such an extended period...but I was able to this scheme? enjoy my birthday in the end and had a wonderful term, because my The Brunei Government has been funding scholarship programs for friends here in general and my ‘mates’ in Churchill’s in particular had its citizens to pursue their studies abroad since 1959. Brunei is a made me feel welcome as part of the School and as a part of the country that depends on petroleum production to survive House. economically, and our Government realises that this is a finite resource. The development of human resources is therefore vital to Would you send your children to Shrewsbury? secure Brunei’s future and hence our Government has put in a I doubt that I’ll be able to afford it, but if they get Government substantial proportion of its annual budget to fund scholarship scholarships, I hope that they will be sent to Shrewsbury because I schemes such as the one that I am on. know that they will have an educational experience that is totally different than what is on offer at home and being in Churchill’s has Could you sum up the practical realities of being a Muslim and taught me that the greatest merit of the here is that how easy or difficult it has been for you to follow its tenets in this everyone in the House can share a sense of pride and joy in country? celebrating both collective and individual achievements and at the There are five pillars in the Islamic faith – declaring allegiance to Allah same time deal with problems, together as a sort of family. It is this and his Prophet, performing one’s prayers, fasting during the month community spirit that I think makes this place special. of Ramadhan, giving alms to the poor and performing the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. What single thing would you like to say to the pupils in front of Alhamdulillah, or praise be to Allah, I have been able to perform you today? my duties as a Muslim without a hitch since first coming here two The Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, is to all Muslims the years ago. I arrived during the Ramadhan, meaning that I had to most perfect example for mankind. I’d like to share with you one of abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. I feel fortunate his Hadith, or narrations. The Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, was that the school is able to cater for my religious dietary needs – as a quoted in a Hadith to have said ‘None of you will have true faith until Muslim, I can only consume food that is Halal, or sanctioned by he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself’. The spirit of Sharia Law. During Ramadhan, KH sets aside Halal food for the sincerity and generosity that our Prophet has conveyed to his Muslim students to bring back home for the early breakfast that we people, reaffirms my faith in mankind. I believe that in spite of all the must consume before daybreak. They also provide us with late tea problems – the global population has reached nine billion, there are for when we can break our fast, which being late summer, would be food shortages, economic predictions internationally sound rather around 9-ish in the evening. grim and the environment is in an alarming state – there is always I feel that I am able to carry out my daily routines as a Muslim quite hope so long as that element of sincerity and goodwill is present in comfortably in Shrewsbury, as everybody that I’ve encountered here, the world. Approach things positively and sincerely and make the be it on the staff-level or amongst my peers, has been very best to value-add and contribute to people’s lives. accommodating.

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School News

D UKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Four groups of Sixth Formers are currently working hard for their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards and will be doing their assessment expeditions during the summer holidays. All of them took part in successful training and practice expeditions during the Easter holidays, many of them in particularly challenging weather conditions. Two groups spent five days walking in wild and hostile weather in , while the canoeists had an equally exciting time in North on Lake Bala for a spot of Canoe Sailing, and on the River Dee where they travelled from Bala to Erbistock over four days. They had a few interesting times at the rapids in Llangollen, with a couple of capsized boats! However, all team members mastered the art of tandem and solo paddling and are well on their way to achieving the British Canoe Union 3 Star Intermediate Award. In stark contrast, the Gold Sea Kayaking Practice expedition off the coast of Anglesey was blessed with sunshine, calm winds and Canoeing on the River Dee warm temperatures. The last three days of the trip was spent living entirely self sufficiently out of the sea boats, beaching each evening anyone from The Shewsy has taken part in this scheme. They for supper on the beach and a beautiful seaside campsite. The visited the School in May and took part in some outdoor expedition students are now fully prepared for their assessment expedition in work around the site before joining the Third Form D of E groups for and are also ready to undertake the British Canoe Union 3 the walking phase of their training on the Long Mynd. They will join Star Intermediate Sea Paddler Award. them again during Outdoor Week for the assessment expedition. We are delighted that nine boys from The Shewsy are working Nick David towards the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards – the first time that

Kayaking group in Anglesey

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School News

F RENCH TRIP TO MONTPELLIER

Eighteen intrepid lower school pupils, from the 3rd, 4th and 5th Forms spent just under a week in Montpellier at the start of the Easter holidays, accompanied by Mr Warburg and Dr Brydon. Blessed with beautiful weather, they spent their mornings in intensive French lessons with native speaker teachers at a local language school and their afternoons on excursions. Evenings were spent with their host families – the boys were billeted there in pairs. Here is a selection of their diary entries, kindly provided by five of the 3rd Formers on the trip.

Le samedi 2 avril Nous nous sommes réveillés à 5 heures du matin puis avons marché jusqu’à la cantine scolaire, où nous sommes arrivés les premiers. Nous avons pris le petit déjeuner, et nous sommes Le mardi 5 avril partis à 6 heures. Le trajet en bus a été long et ennuyeux, mais nous Mardi, nous sommes allés à Nîmes. Nîmes est une très jolie ville! Il y avons dormi. a des ruines romaines. Nous nous sommes arrêtés à une station-service, et avons Le matin, nous avons eu les cours. Ensuite, nous sommes allés à acheté des boissons et notre déjeuner. Nous avons Nîmes. C’est un voyage très intéressant. Nous sommes arrivés et ensuite conduit vers l’aéroport de Luton. nous avons marché jusqu’à l’amphithéâtre. Il faisait très chaud et Après avoir atterri, nous avons rencontré nos familles d’accueil, qui très beau. étaient toutes très sympathiques et nous avons dîné chez eux. La L’amphithéâtre est très grand, c’est superbe! C’est comme le nourriture française était délicieuse ! Colisée à Rome. Je comprends pourquoi Auguste l’a appelé Jonathan Trenchard (S) Colonia. J’ai découvert que l’amphithéâtre est au centre de la ville. Le dimanche 3 avril Puis, nous sommes allés à la Maison Carrée. Nous y avons Aujourd’hui était dimanche et le temps ne faisait pas beau. Il y avait regardé un film en 3D sur les héros de Nîmes. un petit peu de brouillard mais cela dit, j’étais surpris car, je ne sais Enfin, nous sommes allés aux Jardins de la Fontaine. La vue de la pas pourquoi, je me sentais chaleureux et chaud. Puisque c’était Tour Magne était fantastique. Nous avons vu la ville entière! dimanche, nous n’avons pas dû aller à l’école. Plutôt nous sommes Daniel Lo (SH) allés au port de pêche de Sète. Après le petit déjeuner, j’ai pris le tramway qui, à mon avis, était merveilleux et très efficace. Nous Le mercredi 6 avril avons pris le car et pendant le trajet mes amis et moi avons écouté Nous nous sommes levés à huit heures et j’ai mangé un pain au de la musique et parlé. chocolat. Finalement nous sommes arrivés à Sète et immédiatement nous Puis, nous sommes allés à l’école pour les cours du matin. sommes montés jusqu’à la falaise du Mont St-Clair. De là nous Nous avons appris le passé composé avec le professeur, qui était avons apprécié une vue stupéfiante. Après ça nous sommes allés à très sympa. la plage. Nous nous sommes amusés comme nous avons joué au L’après-midi, nous sommes allés à la plage parce qu’il faisait très foot. Maintenant, tout le monde était prêt pour déjeuner. Au beau. restaurant nous avons eu beaucoup de choix mais j’ai mangé du Nous avons nagé et mangé des glaces et c’était vraiment très poisson et du gâteau. C’était succulent. Après avoir déjeuné, nous amusant. avons fait du tourisme autour de Sète. Avec mes amis nous Nous nous sommes couchés après un repas excellent chez notre sommes allés à la rivière et nous avons regardé les bateaux. Puis famille d’accueil. Dominic Dootson (M) après un petit trajet en car nous avons fait du ‘accrobranching’ (high-wire) et de la tyrolienne (giant zip wire). C’était la meilleure de toutes les activités. Ensuite nous sommes rentrés à la maison. Sonny Koh (Ch)

Le lundi 4 avril Lundi, nous avons étudié beaucoup de choses fascinantes à l’école. J’ai parlé beaucoup de français et c’était très utile. Pour le déjeuner, j’ai pris un sandwich au fromage et puis nous nous sommes promenés en ville. J’ai appris un tas de choses sur l’histoire de Montpellier, qui remonte au moyen âge. Après cette excursion historique, nous sommes allés faire du patinage sur glace. C’était très amusant mais aussi un peu dangereux et j’ai failli tomber à plusieurs reprises ! Le soir, nous sommes rentrés à la maison et nous avons très bien dîné chez notre famille d’accueil. Brook Plumptre (SH) Nîmes

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School News

M OUNTAIN BIKE CLUB 2010-11

Throughout the Thursday afternoons of this year Mr Kaye assisted by Mr Johnson has taken a group of twelve mountain bikers to various local woods and as far as South Wales to ride downhill mountain tracks and hone their skills. Trips have persisted throughout all seasons and weather conditions from snow at Haughmond Hill to 40 mph winds at Moelfre Hall. The distinct highlight of the year came with a day of coaching led by the World Cup mountain bikers Matt Simmonds and Joe Smith, including some timed runs of the track, with Nick Hawkins clocking in the fastest time of the day followed closely by Harry Robertson. The home-brewed competition, known amongst the group as the RSSUCI MTB DH competition, lead to a series of competitive races within the group throughout the year across various trails with the final result leaving the aforementioned Nick Hawkins dominant in the leader board, with one loss to Harry Robertson at Eastridge Woods by 0.2 of a second. The trip to Moelfre Hall proved a great experience, despite the bone shattering uplift on the infamous ‘Farmer Jac’s’ trailer. The prospects for the group look positive for next year as Hugh Llewelyn-Jones’ smooth style looks to be gaining pace each session. Jimmy Bruce and Ollie Horsnall appear level pegging and should use each other to raise competitiveness and we’re looking forward to seeing who will break the stalemate and sneak ahead. Bruce Maitland’s bold style and courageous approach, whilst being a severe worry to whoever is standing by the track, place him with the potential for great things if applied with the technique taught by Matt and Joe. This linked with his raw jumping talent, and exceptional manners, make him quite inspirational. Many thanks must go to Mr Kaye and Mr Johnson for their help and enthusiasm throughout the year, allowing this unique opportunity to continue to be available. Harry Robertson and Nick Hawkins

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School News

S HREWSBURY AT SILVERSTONE

The Young Engineers group of Third and Fourth Formers headed to Silverstone at the beginning of May to take part in the Season Opener of the National Greenpower Electric Car Racing Competition, competing against more than 60 other teams. Having spent their Wednesday afternoons building their car ‘Evolution’ to Formula 24 regulations, they were delighted with its performance. The team achieved 22nd place, one place ahead of last year’s top car ‘Zebedee’.

Budding Young Engineers. The Headmaster firmly in the driving seat

T RACK CYCLING

A new addition to the ever-growing Shrewsbury School sports programme – Track Cycling, held at Sundorne Sports Village

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School News

O NE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS 2011

2011 has been a vintage year for our ‘One-Person Exhibition’ in the Art School’s small gallery – an ideal space just off the main gallery that gives each exhibitor just the right amount of room – not too small to be cramped, but not too big to be intimidating. These shows, as in previous years, are the allow a selected group of boys and girls who have made an outstanding commitment to the development of their creative work during the Upper Sixth. The work on show must all be produced in the previous six months. The ‘Openings’ are held on Monday evenings and are well attended by boys and girls, parents, family friends, friends of the School and a wide range of teaching staff – and occasionally the local press to record the event.

Arabella Midwood

Arabella produced a body of work that encapsulated her ability to work spontaneously. Her images are about the immediacy of touch – improvisations whereby the relay of marks inspire the next, till a web of ‘events’ cover the surface of the picture. These events, far from being chaotic, pull together to produce enticing paintings.

Feb 14 – 20 Unconditional offer from Central St Martin’s School of Art

Tristan Francis

Tristan made highly considered and reduced images that were initially inspired by the bridges along the Severn. The stark contrasts of movement over and under imply space and structure with the ambiguity of the half-remembered. His language of perspectival lines and blocked in tone is highly effective and create images difficult to forget.

Feb 28 – Mar 6 Offer from Newcastle University to read Architecture

Molly Derbyshire

Molly produced a room full of shimmering surfaces of trees caught in the haze of a summer’s day or the deep gloom of a winter fog. Forms appear tantilizingly close but never coalesce enough to be named. All of this she achieved with an unusual sensitivity to paint, not brushed on in a traditional manner but smeared gently with cardboard or palette knife.

March 7 – 13 Intends to study Business Management at University

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School News

Charlie Boutflower

Charlie’s show was dominated by the multiple picture of soaring birds of prey against a deep blue sky, whose fabric is torn by the constant rush of wings. The other images – all multiples in different media – are evidence of Charlie’s prolonged research into finding a viable visual language for movement in the age of the film.

March 14 – 20 Offer from the Glasgow School of Art

Hebe Dickins

Hebe started with the central traditional motif of western art – the female nude. She gradually developed an impressive body of work using our female life model before launching off into an ambitious series of painting combining the form of the figure with the freedom and decorative potential of Matisse’s ‘Odalisques’ from the 1930s. This balancing act between the three dimensional form and the flatness of colour and decoration, Hebe handled with intelligence and flair. The final images combined the figure, collage, pattern, colour and line – quite extraordinary inventions.

March 21 – 27 Intends to follow a career in acting

Aubrey Higgin

Aubrey developed a style and language of painting that appears to contradict the words ‘language’ and ‘style’ – so amorphous and impenetrable they initially seem. But careful scrutiny revealed that the choked and chaotic surface of accumulations of paint harboured a rich and thoughtful sensibility – a fastidious ordering of splotch against splotch, scumble with scumble, stab of pigment with smudge! This sounds ludicrous, but is the true alchemist’s art.

March 28 – April 2 Offer from Reading University to study Fine Art

Jamie Lambie

Jamie’s show brought out gasps of disbelief – could a mere A Level student possibly be the author of works that would not be out of place in the finest porcelain showroom? Jamie stood proudly by – all the work was produced in high fired porcelain in the last year – and looked totally professional. Not only was the work made to a very high technical standard but it was also creative, innovative, thoughtful and even amusing – the teapots made from cast drain pipes elicited many smiles.

May 9 – 15 Taking a gap year in

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School News

T O SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US

This is no hyperbole: Martin Parr is the most acclaimed and spring meadows full of fresh vibrant colour, Parr presents us with successful documentary photographer working in the United rain, hail, sleet, snow and lots more rain. And ordinary people Kingdom, if not in the entire world. His name is frequently returning from work buffeted by gales, struggling gloomily against mentioned in the same breath as those of Bill Brandt or Henri the dreadful weather. Although there were precursors to this Cartier-Bresson, the godfathers of 20th century social documentary approach, it is Parr who has been instrumental in showing that photography. His work is intensely studied at Shrewsbury School as photography can be about the mundane and familiar, the adversity part of the Photography A-level syllabus, so it was one of Philip and banality of living through British winters and about the repetition Woolley’s greatest coups to manage to get Parr to come to address and grind of daily life. photographers and art historians at school as part of the da Vinci In the 1980s, Parr embarked on a project designed to document Society’s programme of lectures. and comment upon class. His first book in this series, entitled The Turning out on a freezing, snowy evening in early December, Last Resort, focused on working-class recreation at the holiday students and staff alike were treated to a witty and comprehensive resort of New Brighton, near . Parr does not shy away from summary of Parr’s career to date, straight from the horse’s mouth. presenting us with what can be perceived as the vulgarity and Not surprisingly perhaps, the content of the talk was similar to that tastelessness of his subjects. Mothers and babies paddle in water of Alan Yentob’s television programme ‘Imagine’, screened on littered with discarded chip cartons and drinks cans; disorderly BBC1afewyearsago,whichalsogaveanaccountofMartinParr’s crowds jostle and scramble over one another to get to the hot-dog work from the 70s onwards. counter; and sun-bathers lie on concrete ramps beside JCBs and Parr is predominantly a subversive. His work is conceived as a heavy machinery. The photographs did not go down very well series of photographs usually presented in the form of a book of initially: critics, particularly in the south of , thought them images. In the early days, Parr published these books himself. The classist, exploitative and ‘Thatcherite’, presumably in what was work is subversive because it is designed to undermine perceived as their snobbery. preconceived ideas about class, society, systems of belief and These critics were missing the point though, which became behaviour and about photography itself. abundantly clear when Parr published his next book entitled The One of his early books, entitled Bad Weather, turns on its head Cost of Living, which mercilessly focused on the materialism, the whole notion that photography and art should be about pretentiousness and vulgarity of the middle classes. In this volume, traditional beauty and aesthetics. Instead of dramatic and we become aware of pompous delusions of grandeur at the beautifully composed photographs of sunsets or sun-drenched ‘Conservative Midsummer Madness Party’ at which the invitees

Photography: Martin Parr

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bore one another to distraction, smart frocks stained with champagne at Royal Ascot, or upper-middle class girls vainly adjusting their hair at a windy Badminton Horse Trials. Nobody is exempt from the critical scrutiny of Parr’s lens. It seems to me that the point of these works is to undermine the complacency that is the result of being part of a firmly established system of beliefs. We all appear faintly ridiculous to others when we adhere to social stereotypical behaviour and this is what Parr tries to point out to us. Seeing oneself in a Parr photograph must be the equivalent of being the subject of a Socratic cross-examination. We are taught to question ourselves and our beliefs and to examine who and what we really are. Martin Parr, having turned his attention to globalisation, global tourism and consumerism in recent years, is now focusing on education. He did not miss the opportunity to get some shots of us, pupils and staff, in our working and living environment. Presumably his intention is to visit a range of pedagogical institutions in order to represent different approaches, different attitudes, different cultures associated with education. Some of the results of his study are illustrated here. How do we fare in Parr’s critical but never malicious eye? He certainly captures the eccentricities of Shrewsbury School life: the School Hunt organises Paperchases in freezing conditions and competitors collapse in exhaustion on the frozen ground; we uniformly queue up for our food in Kingsland Hall, our trays making neat regimented patterns across the surface of the photograph; and the classic Physical Training class takes place in the snow, pupils standing with hands behind their heads. The school has some strange, quirky traditions which manifest themselves visually in these photographs. How odd we must appear to those gazing in on us from the outside. And yet in the rather quizzical, slightly ironic glances which are thrown back at the camera in some of these photographs, one gets the sense that the most Salopians are very well aware of that. Fergus Reid

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School News

H OUSE PLAY SEASON 2010-2011

This was a season as diverse as it was hectic, with almost every delighted the audience by focusing on the lives of four waitresses in house staging a play, and an unsurprisingly high standard a 1980s cocktail bar, trapped by their life circumstances. Written as a throughout. Despite the onset of illness, ash clouds and British sister play to Bouncers, period music was effectively used and Hebe weather the Ashton Theatre and the supporting venues received an Dickins, Becky Haynes, Alex Priestley and Ellie Hudson produced impressive turnout for performances ranging from the intrigue of outstanding performances as the beleaguered waitresses with Ingram’s Six Characters in Search of an Author to Dayboys’ riotous hidden depths. Bouncers. Moser’s followed farce with the furious - Death is a Four Letter The gentlemen of Ridgemount opened the season with the Word is a hectic fusion of almost every conceivable detective novel; solemn Twelve Angry Men. Ambitiously performed “in the round” Hercule Perrier mingling freely with Sherlock Holmes. Will Shindell upon a platform exposed on all sides to the audience, this poignant deserves a mention for his lively portrayal of Miss Angel Skeffington. warning of the dangers of preconception saw twelve jurors in Matthew Broughton was memorable as the pompous Perrier, as well disagreement following the presentation of the evidence. Richard as for what was some of the best programme artwork of the season. Williams-Bulkeley was amusing as the German man whilst the Churchill’s, in marked contrast, presented the Thomas doubts of Juror No 8, strikingly portrayed by Will Hunter, ultimately Middleton’s A Yorkshire Tragedy – the story of a prosperous won out, but not before the irrational doubts and prejudices of the landowner’s downward spiral, through gambling and drink, nameless jurors came, sometimes explosively, to the fore. culminating in the murder of his sons and attempted murder of his The Grove’s How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found wife. Jacobean monologues were delivered with aplomb, whilst charts IT Executive Charlie Hunt’s descent into the psychotic. His special mentions must go to Rory Fraser for a very memorable duel, despairing decision to simply start a new identity leads to his to Laurence Jeffcoate for his thoughtful portrayal of the University eventual suicide when his true character refuses to cooperate with Master and to Alessandro Rebecchi for his mesmerizing his new birth certificate. James Halliday was accomplished as Hunt, performance as the infanticidal landowner. whilst Peter Middleton directed his last play for the Grove with Though alas curtailed, Severn Hill’s adaptation of Golding’s customary panache. classic Lord of the Flies provided the audience with much enjoyment, Dayboys, in a welcome departure from their foray into absurd as well as complimentary pork scratchings. Daniel Edwards’ theatre, presented Godber’s Bouncers, a riotous Yorkshire night out. thoughtful performance as Simon deserves a mention, as does the This depiction of no-holds-barred partying sees the chaotic meeting incisive wit of James Brydon’s directorship. of the Lads and the Lasses at a disco, under the watchful eyes of the Ingram’s aimed squarely at the high-brow, with Pirandello’s Six Bouncers. Hilarious dance scenes were poignantly juxtaposed with Characters in Search of an Author, the tale of a family, led by the the despairing monologues of Lucky Eric, played with maturity by husband, the abandoned and incomplete products of their creator. Sam Ansloos. They seek from a theatrical manager’s troupe an author to complete An old favourite, Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound,was their story, yet as the plot unfolds the “characters” force them to staged by a talented Oldham’s cast. This is a hilarious parody of the question the very nature of their own existence as “transitory and Christie-esque whodunnit, in which theatre and reality become fleeting illusions”. Tom Elliot, as the husband, delivered striking bafflingly mixed by Stoppard’s temporal meddling. Emily Michelle monologues with ease and insight, whilst Jack Flowers was was excellent as the manor’s housekeeper whilst James Brown was convincing as the increasingly irate manager. Both deserve credit for suitably louche as Simon Gascoyne. their directorship as well as for their lucid adaptation of what will Not to be outdone, the all-girl production by Hall of never be an “easy” play. Shakers, the second Godber of the season, both moved and The season ended on a high note with two short plays from Alan Ayckbourn’s Confusions, performed in the intimate surroundings of the School House Hall. The increasingly irate dialogue of Between Mouthfuls climaxes in the confession of an affair, beautifully offset by the George Fowler’s measured “Potatoes, Sir?”. Gosforth’s Fête, meanwhile, is a wonderfully convincing parody of that quintessentially British institution. Sam Watts was hilariously ecclesiastical as an amiably vacant country parson, whilst further credit must go to the “ladies” of the show – Harry Al Adwani and Tom Marshall who provide reassurance, if the sceptic is still in need of it, of the unrivalled breadth and potential of Salopian theatrical talent both now and for the years to come. Laurie Stalpher Rory Fraser crosses swords with an infanticidal Alessandro Rebecchi in A Yorkshire Tragedy (all (sic) 4th Form)

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School News

S ALOPIAN ACTRESS WINS PLACE AT BRISTOL OLD VIC

Hebe Dickins: Racing Demon (left) and What You Will (right)

Hebe Dickins (MSH UVI) is one of fifteen people from among 8,000 applicants to have won a place at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School on their three-year Professional Acting degree course. In the two years that Hebe has been at Shrewsbury, she has played lead parts in the Mary Sidney House plays, the 2010 School Play Racing Demon and this year’s school Musical What You Will. She will be returning to School in August for a frantic week of rehearsals for What You Will - and one final performance in the Ashton Theatre - before travelling with the rest of the cast and crew to Edinburgh for a week of performances at the Fringe Festival.

IPWRECK STORM AND SH WHATYOU WILL LOST LOVE AND LOST ILLUSIONSTORED JOY AND HOPE RES Shakespeare’s ravishing comedy ‘Twel transform ed into mus fth Nigh Lyrics by Peter Fanning, ic a nd song t’ Ajourney, st music by John Moore orm and s brother a re separ hipwreck. A l atedona oving s unrequi hostil iste ted lo eshore r and he ve and t .Astory of l r he joy o ost lov fhoper e, WHATYOU estored. WILL

‘A Triumph - Wond Shrops er hire Sta ful’ From the cre r The Bub ators o ‘Marv ble, 20 f ell # ous’ #### 09 Th reeweeks

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M USIC

The wealth and range of the musical talent Jeffcoate (Ch IV) has recently won second three pupils to be taking part in the Final of at the School has been enjoyed by many place in the recital class of the Alderley the prestigious and highly competitive different audiences over the last few ‘Young Singer of the Year’ competition, Gregynog Competition for Young months, from concert-goers to competition where he was the youngest competitor. He Musicians. Mark Li (saxophone) and Galin judging panels and from chapel performed three pieces (one classical, one Ganchev (piano) have also won places in congregations to Radio 2 listeners. folk and one musical theatre) to a full house the Final, which will take place in Cardiff. Our major spring concert in in the Alderley Edge Festival Hall. The next It is not possible to include reviews of all Birmingham’s Town Hall is described on day he won second prize again in a thelunchtimeconcertsthathavebeen page 23. In May, the Friends of Shrewsbury classical class for Years 10-13. taking place weekly in the Chapel. School Music were treated to a wonderful SamAnsloos(RbV)haswonaplacein However, an inspired performance by one concert featuring many of the School’s the Welsh National Youth Opera for 16-25- of the Third Form Music Scholars made finest singers and instrumentalists, year-olds and will perform with them in the such an impression on his audience that celebrating the tenth anniversary of the world premiere of The Sleeper in July. the following account by Martin Knox is Maidment Building. In February a group of Continuing in a Welsh vein, Jacob Owen included here: Music Scholars performed at the Wigmore (Ch IV) has recently been accepted into the “In choosing to play a movement from Hall in London. National Youth Orchestra of Wales. Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Sonata (op 53, The previous week, the Chapel Choir Ali Webb (S V) is already forging a not 54, as in the programme), Galin were invited to Oxford to sing a joint Choral remarkably successful career as a Ganchev (M 3) was undertaking the dual Evensong with the choir of University singer/songwriter/pianist. In January he was challenge of presenting a work which is College, where Kathryn Burningham asked by Radio 2 to go their studios to both familiar and famously difficult. He did record two songs – one of his own and one not make things any easier by setting off at by Elton John – which were later played on a pace such as I have never heard Good Morning Sunday with Aled Jones. He attempted. Crazy, I thought. He is bound to is currently recording his debut album and stumble, and even if he keeps this up, has recently released his first single on much detail will be lost. Not so. What iTunes. followed was a revelation, not just of the Another young musician with a potentially performer’s talent, for we knew of that glittering future ahead of him is Rob Collins already, but of what lies in Beethoven’s (S UVI), who has been awarded a musicwhenitisplayedwithsuchraging scholarship to Berklee College of Music in intensity. Allegro con brio it is marked, but Boston, Massachusetts from September. con fuoco would better describe the mood Rob will be studying contemporary music established in the urgent, driving rhythm of and jazz. the opening. Contrasting phrases spat out, Rob and his brother Alex (S UVI), playing dynamic variations emphasised, but never together as a Wind Quartet with Eugene To overdone, the effect was gripping. (SH LVI) and Edward Wynne (M LVI) In keeping with the high romantic style, reached the finals of the national Pro Corda the second subject (dolce) was given time Chamber Music Competition, which took and space, lingering almost to a standstill, place at the Royal Northern College of before the original momentum made its Music in Manchester. insistent return. It seemed impossible that Fourth Former George Fowler (SH) also only two hands lay behind the complexity of took part recently in a major national music the development and even in the context of competition. He was nominated by the this powerful playing, Galin could produce Organising Committee of the Oundle Music fff chords of shocking force, never crude, Festival for the Emanuel Trophy Piano and always in keeping with the structure of Competition, one of the most prestigious the movement, which was brought to a competitions within the Festival Movement. conclusion that would have us applauding Fellow Fourth Former Henry Kennedy (I) yet. Jonathan Poon, soloist in Mozart’s Flute Concerto, in Birmingham Town Hall is one of four pupils to have recently This was a Waldstein that brought out the passed their Trinity Guildhall ATCL Diploma angst as well as the joy, and in defiance of (Director of Chapel Choir) is also Director of exams, together with Mark Li (LVI SH), the modern tendency towards disciplined Music. The congregation were treated to If Eugene To (LVI SH) and Christopher brilliance and subdued emotion, what we Ye Love Me by Tallis, Stanford’s Evening Hardman (LVI SH). The standard is heard on Tuesday was an uninhibited Canticles in C and Zadok the Priest by equivalent to the performance component assertion of the composer’s genius. Really? Handel, to commemorate the anniversary of the first year in a full-time undergraduate From a 14-year-old? You will think that I of the Queen’s accession. course at a conservatoire or other higher exaggerate. You should have been there.” A number of our singers have also been education establishment. receiving acclaim as soloists. Laurence Fourteen-year-old Henry is also one of

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C ONCERT IN BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL

Concerts in the nineteenth century were, like the dinner menus of disguised by his advanced technique and the accompaniment, the period, notable for their massive scale and wide variety, features under David Joyce, was excellent. Whereas it can be the case that which are still to be found in John Moore’s programme planning. the backing to a virtuoso is distractingly inferior, here, and in the Returning to the venerable Town Hall in Birmingham, a venue other two in the sequence, the playing was polished and idiomatic. combining modern facilities with historic splendour, the Music The strings keep on getting better. Department served up course upon course to satisfy every appetite. The Mozart flute concerto (the one originally for oboe) got off to a It is a tribute to the success of the Maidment Building, recently flying start, the exposition jaunty and tender, the soloist, Jonathan celebrating its tenth anniversary, that so much individual and Poon, mellow in tone and nimble in articulation. Unfortunately, his collective rehearsal can go on, for, make no mistake, this concert memory failed him at one point in the development, but the was the product of many, many hours of dedicated preparation. conductor swiftly and discreetly put him back on track and to the Some three hundred singers and instrumentalists were involved, a credit of all concerned, a confident performance was resumed. That logistical challenge in itself, and the smooth running of the evening the flautist went ahead with such élan was a triumph of character; owed much to good planning and also the professional assistance that the orchestra could stop and then all start again at the right of the Hall’s own platform staff. The many “scene changes” were place seems to an outsider nothing short of miraculous. swiftly accomplished – just as well! Robert Collins has made a massive contribution to the musical First on was the Wind Orchestra, under the direction of Maria life of the school and he can have done nothing better than his Curtis, in a performance of Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances dazzling account of Joseph Horowitz’ oboe concerto. However that was particularly distinguished in the quieter passages. More demanding, however hectic the writing, he was in control, and in the often than not, this kind of large ensemble fails to achieve delicacy, second movement, the “hymn-like slow processional” was but here there was refinement and wit where appropriate. The beautifully realised. This gifted artist was rightly acclaimed at the bassoon solo was outstanding and the vigorous sequel superbly end. managed. When things got noisy there was some coarseness of End of first half? Not likely! “Finlandia” next and what a tone, not enough to dispel the very favourable impression of the breathtaking interpretation. Perhaps John Moore was inspired by whole. the success of the preceding item, perhaps he had an eye on the There followed a triple bill of concertos, Tom Elcock leading the clock; whatever the motive, he set speeds which could have thrown way with a movement from Edward Gregson’s composition for the orchestra into confusion, but they responded with razor-sharp trumpet and string orchestra. The soloist rose to the challenge of a attack and the overall effect was thrilling. The dignity of this heroic work which called for a range of effects, the inherent difficulties tone-poem suffered not a whit, the “big tune”, though faster than

Robert Collins tackles the Joseph Horowitz Oboe Concerto

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the overture “Light Cavalry”, a familiar piece and as such a departure for the Brass Ensemble. The acoustic of the refurbished Town Hall provides the right balance of resonance and clarity for Nigel Gibbons’ players, and though the band may be bigger than ever, they played with gusto and precision, no small feat given the lack of experience of some of its members. After the Brass Ensemble and the Chamber Choir, the main course of the second half came in the form of the Faure Requiem. The first few bars of the Faure Requiem were also a trifle muted, as distinct from reverently hushed, but the large chorus soon warmed up and the Director can be rightly proud of the response he obtained. The orchestral playing was of a high standard throughout and the whole had a spiritual quality in keeping with the solemnity of the work. It was a treat to hear Stephen Garner’s rich baritone fill the hall so effortlessly, and Marianne Shawe-Taylor, deputising at short notice for the indisposed Eleanor Hudson, sang the Pie Jesu to great effect. As John Moore informed us, this substitution was only one example of the ill luck that had dogged the rehearsals – and the performance day itself. Several, himself included, had been victims of ’flu during the term, and other hazards had cropped up. It just may be that adversity had contributed extra motivation to the event. Certainly What followed (yes, there was more to come!) had a celebratory quality, often sought, seldom found. Chorus and orchestra threw themselves into Parry’s Coronation anthem “I was glad” and at its climax, John Moore, elated and sensing that his forces were with him, risked a series of pauses such as a soloist might indulge in – but three hundred? The response was flawless, a glorious, uplifting conclusion to the evening. It must be exhilarating usual, retaining its power to inspire. Regrettably, it inspired certain indeed to participate in such a moment. For a grateful bystander, it members of the audience to join in, singing and conducting as if it was profoundly moving. were the Last Night of the Proms. Predictably they were at it again in Martin Knox

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F OOTBALL

A new season and with it new expectations. “Are we able to retain organisation was good and they were making things more and The Boodles?” was on everybody’s mind. “Will we be as good as more difficult for opponents as the tour went on. last year?” We were already being written off by some. In the event, The 1st XI, playing against two men’s teams and one youth team, we did have a good season, in which only two matches were lost - also made good progress. In the first match against an Umea XI, unfortunately they were the two cup matches. Why did we have a we took the lead, but lack of fitness told in the end and we lost 3-6. better season statistically but were unable to win a cup? Does our Our second match was against Umea City Youth team and, working fixture list provide enough strong opposition to enable us to prepare hard and passing the ball well, we won 5-0. Organisation much for tough cup ties? So many questions – very few answers. improved and our opponents didn’t have the firepower of the men’s The season started as usual with a tour, this year to Holmsund in team we had played previously. In the final game, against Sandvik the North of Sweden, a country where they play summer football IK, a men’s team from the neighbouring village, we started brightly and where the temperatures are lower, helpful for training. and went into a thoroughly deserved 3-0 lead, playing some Arrangements were guaranteed by a long-standing contact in excellent one- and two-touch football. We tired, however, and the Sweden. opponents came back to draw 3-3 in what was a good workout. We We trained in the local football stadium. It was quaint, but the returned to England well set up, both physically and mentally, for the pitch was flat, with plenty of grass on it and we were able to use it busy term ahead. We had scored 11 goals and conceded 9, Jack whenever required. We trained twice a day, held tactical meetings in Hudson-Williams scoring 5, Roy Chatterjee 4, and Max Pragnell 1. the hotel in the evenings, and each side played three matches, all of The new term started with an unusual and unexpected twist, as them good workouts. George Thomason, who had gone on tour as an attacking midfield The under 15s are a small group and they struggled against player, returned to school and was immediately converted into a generally older and stronger opposition. They worked hard on big goalkeeper. A cricketer and player with excellent hand-eye co- pitches for little reward, but defensively they learnt a tremendous ordination, he had played in goal before, but was a little naïve, Our amount and you learn more from losing than from winning. Their professional goalkeeping coach , Andy Mulliner, worked wonders

1st XI Football Squad 2010

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with him and his record up to Christmas read played 17, goals Shrewsbury. She comes with a wealth of experience and it is a great conceded 13. The only instruction I gave him was to catch asset to have her on site on match days, ready to treat any injury everything; he never let me or the team down. from any sport. It gives the staff a huge feeling of security and We started well, winning five and drawing one of the first six confidence knowing we have an expert available to treat any injury games. Using a 4-4-2 formation, we created many chances, on any pitch. scoring 31 to only 6 against, Roy Chatterjee again leading the way Of our next 6 games, we won 4 and drew 2. After a 0- 0-draw at with 13. He is a very talented footballer, difficult to stop and a Bradfield, we played Millfield at home, drawing 1-1 having scored provider as well as finisher of opportunities. He built up a good an outstanding own goal from 35 yards! Both games were very tight understanding with both Jack Hudson-Williams and Max Pragnell, with no quarter given. Against Bradfield, both Roy Chatterjee and who shared the striker role. Max Pragnell had chances with just their goalkeeper to beat, but In the first round of the ESFA Cup, we were drawn against St failed to finish. In the second half against Millfield, we stepped up Thomas More School from Walsall, not a difficult fixture, as it turned the pressure and came more into the game. Being well organised, out. We won comfortably, but it was to the credit of the opposition we were difficult to break down, and with pace in our attack we have that, despite conceding many goals, they didn’t moan or complain been successful when playing counter-attacking football. or get upset with either the referee or each other. They just carried Our next game was against the Grammar School at Leeds in the on giving of their best, trying hard and enjoying the afternoon – what 3rd Round of the ISFA Boodles Cup and was the most a refreshing change! disappointing of the season. It was played on an extremely windy Having had a bye in the 1st round of the Boodles ISFA Trophy, day at Shrewsbury and a 40mph wind blew down the length of the our first big shock came with the visit of Hampton School, a well pitch. Leeds worked very hard and gave us little time and space in organised, high tempo football team. They had two excellent centre which to play. We did create some good chances but our decision- halves and they caused us problems by playing one centre forward making was poor. We shot from far out and crossed from deep in an advanced role and one behind. We struggled for the better when we could have advanced and provided our forwards with part of the game and George Thomason was easily the busiest regulation tap-ins. Our two centre halves left the ball for each other player on the field, making several fine saves to keep us in the tie. and allowed their forward to poach a goal. The game was not one When the match ended 1-1 after extra time, he saved twice in the for the purist and was delicately poised at 1-1 when their centre half penalty shoot out. We had scraped through in a game we hardly stepped out of the centre circle and hit the ball powerfully with a deserved to win. Was our name on the cup or had we just used up very low trajectory from 40 yards that just crept under the bar. We all of our luck? huffed and puffed, but the poor playing conditions and Leeds’ We received a major blow during the Hampton game, when Tom greater appetite on the day gave them the victory. There was to be Elliott picked up a knee injury. Jumping to head the ball in the no repeat of last year’s triumph. middle third of the pitch, he landed awkwardly and had to be Our next three games were all wins, with 8 goals for and none carried off. Our resident physiotherapist, Rachel Greenley, saw that conceded. Charterhouse (who eventually won the Boodles) were surgery was required and indeed he did not play again until March, beaten 1-0 in a tough game of football. Before the Christmas break, though even that was a remarkable recovery from a cruciate knee frost and heavy snow played havoc with training sessions, School injury. We missed him, for as a player who had appeared in every matches and the House programme. Matches against Repton and 1st XI game in his lower 6th Year, he was to be a vital cog in this Wolverhampton had to be cancelled and the game against QEGS hopefully well-oiled machine. Of the 7 games in which Tom played Blackburn on November 24th was our last of the Michaelmas Term. we won 6 and drew 1. I wonder how we would have got on in the The Michaelmas Term was quite strange in the fact that we had Cup matches with Tom in the centre of our defence? used 21 players in 17 matches. Injuries, suspensions, illness and Rachel Greenley is a new addition to the sporting staff at unavailability did not allow us to have a settled side and I cannot remember ever playing the same side in two successive matches. There was no settled team and we were not fluid in our play. We did not have enough “first choice” players and we did not have players coming into the side and playing so well that they couldn’t be left out. We must have players coming into the 1st XI squad who have greater ambition and a greater desire to succeed. Our run in the ESFA trophy began at the end of September, with comfortable wins against schools from Walsall and Stafford. An easy victory against St Thomas More was followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory followed at Thomas Alleynes High School, Uttoxeter. A match played on a narrow, bobbly, uncut pitch with a slope on it. It was far from the delights of our home surroundings – perhaps we need to play more away matches in order to be fully prepared for the hustle and bustle of Senior School Cup football played in very different conditions from the flat-as-a-pancake and consistent 28mm length of grass on Senior! This brought us up to our 5th round tie at Thomas Telford. Again we succumbed to the conditions. Following the bad weather of the Christmas break we played at Telford on the first Friday of the new term, only our second game of football in 51 days. On a very damp and muddy pitch we struggled to find our feet at times and the Charlie Pilkington and Roy Chatterjee sport their ISFA caps match was never going to be a spectacle. Both sides worked hard

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to nullify each other and we conceded the only goal of the game 2nd XI just after half time from a free kick. We stood and watched as their Played 28 Won 20 Drew 3 Lost 5 player ghosted in to head home from 6 yards. We tried to play our The 2nds enjoyed a successful and productive season this year. normal one and two touch football, but it was near impossible. It The team played 28 matches over the Michaelmas and Lent terms. was a day to get the ball forward and chase after it. We did well to It was testimony to the strength of Sixth Form football at Shrewsbury get it forward, but our forwards found it difficult to get beyond their that we used a large number of players over the two terms, but no back four. one ever let us down. It was to be a frustrating end to our Cup football this season. To The team’s best performances in the Michaelmas term were three have lost only 2 matches, both Cup ties was very frustrating. On successive wins against St Bede’s Manchester, Bradfield and both occasions we succumbed to the elements and we found it Millfield. In the , we were particularly focused on difficult to change our game and “win ugly”. There are times when challenging at the top of the Shropshire League. In the end, we won we have to work harder in the first 20 minutes of the game and win this competition on goal difference, with a record of won 9, drew 3, our own individual battles, then dominate our opponents with our lost 2. We had two tight games against Idsall, when we weren’t at slick passing game. It was not to be and we have to accept our our best. In the first game, Jack Stacey managed a late equaliser, deficiencies and see where we can improve. while in the 2nd James Aston, the keeper, earned the team a crucial In the Lent Term, once we had been eliminated from the Cup we point with a string of saves. Our best performance came at home played more of an A team than a 1st XI. We re-arranged the vs. New College Wellington, when we fell a goal behind to a tough Wolverhampton Grammar School match and won 5-1 and had an and talented side. However, a full strength team produced an excellent 1-1 draw with Sandbach School. The Football season impressive comeback, and in the end we were good value for a 3-1 limped to a close with many talented footballers turning to Fives, win. This was the crucial result that enabled us to win the Rugby and the Hunt. Shropshire League for the first time. Max Pragnell, an Under 16 striker who scored many goals in his The key to the 2nd XI’s success this year was a core of first two years at Shrewsbury, was invited on tour in order to learn committed U6th players. When they were all fit and available, we the requirements of 1st XI football. He is a talented player and not were a strong side that played attractive and productive football. long into the season he became a first-choice centre-forward. He These players were Max Lilley, Alex Bould, Lucas Munz, James built up a good rapport with Roy Chatterjee and they Pullicino, Rory Gittins, and Will Sansom. I congratulate them for their complemented each other very nicely. Max has a good turn of achievements; they have set the standard for future 2nd XI players pace, an excellent first touch and he can score goals – 21 goals to follow. Alex was our leading scorer, while Lucas won goal of the from 28 games. He attended ISFA Under 16 trials throughout the season. Max Lilley was coaches’ player of the year, while James Michaelmas Term, becoming a regular member of their squad. He Pullicino was players’ player of the year. They were reinforced by a played against Blackburn Rovers and Leyton Orient FC Under 16s, promising group of L6th players, who are likely to form the heart of but was unable to tour Finland with the National squad. I am sure next year’s 2nd XI squad, such as Steve Leach, Connor Jones, he will lead our attack very nicely in the next two seasons. Jack Stacey, James Aston, Ollie Darrington, Jamie Bradshaw and Charlie Pilkington, a player who was in the starting line up at MK Harry Croft. Next season we will face the challenge of retaining our Dons last year has had an exceptional season. He has captained Shropshire League title and taking on Millfield and Bradfield away the side with great authority and led from the front. He expected from home. On this season’s evidence, we have much to look every player to give absolutely everything throughout the season, forward to. I particularly wish to thank Andy Cooke for his expert whether on the training ground or on match day. Anything less than coaching. His inspiration and high standards were crucial for the 100% was not acceptable for Charlie – a winner through and team’s success. Many Thanks as well to Mr Wright for his help with through. He was a regular member of the ISFA Under 18 squad and coaching and refereeing. played at both centre half and left back for the National team, touring Finland with them in April. Under 16A Roy Chatterjee probably needs no introduction. The first According to the statistics the under 16As were the most successful footballing Cassidy Scholar has been a real pleasure to work with. school team. A decimated football programme meant they only He burst onto the scene last year with 41 goals in 36 matches, played 13 out of their scheduled 21 matches. Of those 13 matches including a hat-trick in the Boodles Final! His game has developed they only lost 3 and won 10. Their defeats were against Shropshire over the two years he has been at Shrewsbury. He came with a lot Schools (h), Bradfield (a) and Christleton High (h). They were quite of pace, a powerful shot and a real eye for goal. He still has these unfortunate to have lost the services for most of the season of skills, but he is now far more consistent with every part of his game. arguably their two best players Max Pragnell and Alex Styles who His finishing is of a very high quality and he rarely misses the target. were regulars in the 1st XI. They lost to Christleton High School from Working hard both in matches and on the training ground, he prides Chester in the 4th Round of the English Schools Cup. The himself on being the best. He broke the School goal scoring record disruption of not having Alex and Max for the most part did them no in only the eleventh game of his second season and has set a new favours in the Cup matches. record of 83 goals in 61 games. Roy has played regularly for the They did have some excellent victories and a goal difference of ISFA National side and he has attracted the attention of several 34 is no mean feat. This group of players have been exceptional League clubs in his time at Shrewsbury. He has been a terrific role throughout their Shrewsbury School careers. They must now show model for any of our younger players to follow and I hope he goes even greater determination and be pushing for 1st XI places next on to greater things on the football field. year. Steve Biggins

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Team Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Ag 1st XI 27 20 5 2 103 26 2nd XI 28 20 3 5 80 37 3rd XI 14 6 1 7 34 32 4th XI 11 6 1 4 22 20 5th XI 82061033 6th XI 7205919 7th XI 2200121

U16A 13 10 0 3 52 18 U16B 81161126 U16C 311199

U15A 11 1 2 8 21 34 U15B 11 4 1 6 28 29 U15C 72141027

U14A 10 4 0 6 21 27 U14B 10 4 1 5 27 26 U14C 93151728 U14D 63031620

1st XI

Tour Matches Umea XI (L 3-6), Umea City (W 5-0), Sandvik IK (D 3-3)

Wed 08 Sept Thomas Telford 2.15 Home W 5-2 Sat 11 Sept Liverpool Ramblers 2.30 Home W 3-2 Wed 15 Sept Hulme G.S., Oldham 2.15 Home W 8-0 Sat 18 Sept King’s School, Chester 2.15 Away W 4-1 Sat 25 Sept Old Salopians 2.30 Home D 1-1 Sat 09 Oct Bradfield 2.30 Away D 0-0 Wed 13 Oct St Bede’s, Manchester 2.00 Home W 5-0 Sat 16 Oct Millfield 2.00 Home D 1-1 Sat 06 Nov Bolton 2.00 Away W 3-1 Sat 13 Nov Grange G.S., Hartford 2.00 Home W 5-0 Fri 19 Nov Charterhouse 1.30 Home W 1-0 Wed 24 Nov Q.E.G.S., Blackburn 2.00 Home W 2-0 Wed 12 Jan Shrewsbury Sixth-Form College 2.15 Home W 5-1 Wed 19 Jan R.G.S., Worcester 2.30 Home Off Sat 23 Jan Wrexham FC u16 2.15 Home D 1-1 Wed 26 Jan Wolverhampton Grammar 2.30 Home W 5-1 Wed 02 Mar St Mary’s College, Crosby 2.30 Away W 3-1

English Schools FA Trophy Thur 30 Sept St.Thomas More (2R) 2.15 Home W 10-0 Tue 19 Oct Walton Highh (3R) 2.15 Home W 5-0 Tue 02 Nov Thomas Alleynes (4R) 2.15 Away W 3-2 Fri 14 Jan Thomas Telford (5R) 2.00 Away L 0-1

Boodles ISFA Cup Wed 06 Oct Hampton (2R) 2.15 Home D 1-1 (W 3-1 penalties) Thur 11 Nov Grammar School at Leeds 2.15 Home L 1-2

AXI

Sat 05 Feb Liverpool Ramblers 2.00 Away D 2-2 Wed 23 Feb Liverpool College 2.30 Away W 4-2 Sat 26 Feb Old Salopian Veterans 2.15 Home W 9-0 Wed 02 Mar St Mary’s College, Crosby 2.30 Away L 1-2 Wed 09 Mar Sandbach School 2.30 Home D 1-1 Wed 23 Mar R.G.S., Worcester 2.30 Away W 11-4

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School News

F IVES

This was perhaps our most successful season ever and resulted in a great number of national successes and tributes. Following this introduction you can find a report on the National Schools' Eton Fives Association Championships, with photographs that tell the story of an outstanding season, including our two Eton Fives Association Awards, our success in retaining the Williams Team Cup and victories in the EFA U21s & Mixed Pairs events. We could not have been busier this season if we had wanted to be. George Thomason, as captain, led from the front and never shirked his duty. The rest of the squad took their turn and thereby allowed the school to be well represented at a great number of national events. The rotation of players was healthy and a successful balance between work and play was achieved.

Age Group Summary and Squads The Seniors and U16s boys fell jointly under my leadership this year. EFA Schools’ Mixed Pairs Champions Alice Brett and Jason Tse They were simply outstanding and must be congratulated for their hard work and first class results. The majority of the squad trained April. Hudson-Williams and Thomason won the competition without together and benefited from regular high class intra-school losingasinglegame-afeatalmostuniqueintheannalsofEton opposition and the excellent coaching of Grant Williams. Fives. The final was streamed live on the internet and made history The U15s were led by Dr Morgan and progressed well throughout by becoming the first ever fives match to be broadcast, attracting the year, but were to some extent hampered by the loss of Andrew by implication the largest audience for any match in the history of Jackson and the promotion of Henry Blofield to the U16 age group. the sport. The Cup was presented by Peter Worth (M 1965-70), I have no doubt that Harry Flowers and Charlie White will continue Chairman of the Eton Fives Association and a former Open winner to impress next year together with a number of others as they set himself. out to win the U16s tournament for the third year in a row, a feat never achieved in the school’s history. Under 16s Winners The U14s were managed by one of our most experienced fives Guy Williams (Rb 5) and Will Miller (Rb 5) defeated the St Olaves 1st staff, Mr Barrett. The competition in this year’s group was significant pair by 3-0 in the Final on Saturday. and a number of boys developed rapidly throughout the term, posing a number of difficult selection problems by the time the Under 14s Beginners Winners nationals came around. An all-Salopian Final in which 1st Pair George Lewis (I 3rd form) and The Girls were managed and coached by Mr Conway who built Nick Pearce (I 3rd form) beat 2nd Pair Jamie Humes (I 3rd form) steadily on the fine work of the previous two years. The number of and Samson Yick (G 3rd form) by 3-0. girls playing again increased and, despite a number of serious injuries, the standard of play was far higher in general with potential Under 17s Beginners Ladies Winners for further growth next year. Another all-Salopian Final in this inaugural event in which Issy The fixture list was comprehensive and allowed us to blood boys Barber and Alice Long defeated our 2nd Pair Sophie Walker and and girls of varying ability on a regular basis. Considerations of Sarah Lim by 2-0. space make a full account of fixtures and results impracticable, and full details can be found on the webite, but the some of the Under 15s Finalists highlights are recorded below. Charlie White (G 4th form) and Harry Flowers (I 4th form) were defeated by the Eton 1st pair. NATIONAL SCHOOLS' ETON FIVES Altogether Shrewsbury returned with seven trophies in the season ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIPS of truly outstanding success. Over 1000 young people from schools all over the country Willams Schools Cup (Team Competition) Winners competed for the Schools National Eton Fives Championships at Our Senior pairs maintained the very high standards set by Eton at the end of March and Shrewsbury enjoyed outstanding Shrewsbury School in recent years and retained the ‘Teams Cup’ success, including winning the coveted Open Championship. thereby collecting the trophy for the seventh time in the past nine This year, we entered over 50 pairs in the Championships, seasons. With four of the squad (Sam Welti had to withdraw due to including five pairs of girls. Minibuses plied up and down the a serious ankle injury) able to play again in 2012 we will once again motorways ferrying players to and fro, whisking them back to be competing hard to set up a three-year victory sequence. School as soon as their matches were over in order not to lose valuable teaching time with public exams looming. EFA YOUNG PLAYER AND COACH Open Championship Winners OF THE YEAR AWARDS Jack Hudson-Williams (PH LVI) and George Thomason (G UVI) Following a season of outstanding success, the EFA have awarded defeated the Highgate 1st Pair 3-0 in the Final on Saturday 2nd Shrewsbury School two national awards:

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George Thomason (Fives Captain, G UVI) has been named EFA where players can meet, change, eat, drink and socialise next to the Young Player of the Year 2011 courts. A pavilion would further enhance our reputation as a venue Grant Williams (Head Coach Shrewsbury School) has been for tournaments and greatly add to the attractiveness of this sport in named EFA Coach of the Year 2011 school. The accounts below are taken from the EFA website: www.fivesonline.net Coaching Staff and assistance As you will have already read, Grant Williams, our senior coach has Young Player of the Year: George Thomason been honoured by the EFA and awarded the prestigious title of This has been one of the best and most successful seasons in the ‘Coach of the Year’. The honour is appropriate and well deserved. history of Shrewsbury School Fives and the school team has been Since his involvement with school was put onto a permanent basis led from the front all year by their first pair of George Thomason and our Fives has continued to evolve and prosper. I am delighted with Jack Hudson-Williams. Either could have been the choice for this the way he has nurtured our considerable pool of talent and I am award after their winning of the Schools' Championships without confident that he will continue to raise standards in the future. dropping a game and their reaching the quarter-finals of both the Tom Welti, coaching as an assistant, worked tirelessly to provide Northern Tournament and the Kinnaird Cup, but George's excellent quality opposition for a large number of senior boys. His hard work contribution to the Old Salopians run to the final of the EFA Trophy and support was greatly appreciated by all concerned. David means that he just edges it. A talented attacking player, the Old Blofield again made himself available for training matches and Salopians will be hoping to see a lot more of him on court over the greatly helped in bringing the best out of our top pairs. next few years. All the coaching and school staff were as ever committed and helpful to all age groups and must be warmly applauded for their Coach of the Year: Grant Williams work. Grant has been at the forefront of an exceptional year for the whole coaching team at Shrewsbury School, which has brought success Future Developments 2011-12 in the Williams Cup and at the National Schools' Championships, As we prepared for our assault on the National Schools this year I where Shrewsbury won the Open, U16, U17 Ladies and Mixed found out that I would be running a Day House (Port Hill) from titles. The passion and level of involvement of Grant at the back of September. Inevitably this will impact on my involvement in school the court watching some of those finals was truly a sight to behold. fives but I am confident that the school has moved quickly to underpin the sport with the appointment of Seb Coley into the FACILITIES Maths Faculty. I am sure that his appointment means we are now The refurbished ‘Peter Worth’ courts are now in full use and, with actually in a much stronger position than previously and over time recent additional work on the court surrounds complete, we now Seb will take over the reigns from me and direct the sport forwards have courts as good as any in the country. In reality we need more, and upwards. It seems far more appropriate for one of the very best but given the time, effort and money that has gone into the players in the country to be advising and coaching our boys rather refurbishment programme over the last four years we should now than a non-playing ex sportsman who signed up to the role in be content simply to enjoy the enhanced environment and dream complete ignorance. Seb will, in due course , head up a very strong about adding to our stock in the furure. Perhaps a more realistic team of experts and enthusiasts widely supported from within the goal would be to plan and build a Fives Pavilion on the Chapel school, the OS community and the local community. lawns next to the courts. The school needs a base for the sport Andy Barnard

Williams Schools’ Cup Winners

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School News RSSH

There was a time when at cross-country fixtures, Hunt runners would be approached by curious onlookers and fellow competitors, all with the same quizzical look on their face, all with the same two questions upon their lips: “Which school are you from?” and “What does ‘RSSH’ stand for?” It has been an interesting development this season that we are being asked this question less and less. This has been a good sign, for not only has our aim been to raise the profile of the Hunt in the school, but moreover nationwide. This season – as the report below will detail – has been a significant one in establishing the club once again as one of the leading forces in cross-country running in the country, with some notable successes in major competitions. As always, we had started the year with some targets in mind. The previous season had been very much about building the club up and developing depth and breadth. This season was now the moment to take on the established ‘Big Four’ of cross-country running (The Judd; Marling; St Alban’s; Manchester GS). Alongside the eight-trophy target was the more important aim of breaking into the top five schools in the country, with the hope that in future years we can challenge for a National title. The first significant competition of the year is always the National Knole Run held in Sevenoaks, a tough, 9km parkland run with over 300 competitors from the top schools in the country. With some encouraging early performances in the Michaelmas term – most notably just missing out on winning the Manchester Relays to Lancaster GS by one second – our aim was to get the season off to a strong start at the Knole. For many of our 12-strong team it was their first experience of the event, and indeed it was a young squad that was selected, with a number of our B team running as 4th formers in an U18 event (impressively, Otto Clarke placed 82nd/300). Our B team was in fact placed just outside the top 20, 2010-11 Huntsman Cal Winwood beating many top schools’ A teams (including Oundle, Lancing and Stowe). Our A team pulled out some gutsy performances, with new least medalling in the Midlands and Northern Championships recruit Tom Cousins storming through the field in the final lap to (hosted here at Shrewsbury), but also in placing just outside the top place just outside the top 50. Our top performer of the day, however, 50 in the English Schools’ Championships (out of over 300 runners, was Huntsman Cal Winwood who launched home in the final all county-selected). straight to a place inside the top ten, a feat achieved by only a small It is worth pausing to reflect on some of the successes, moreover, handful of Hunt runners in the event’s long history. Not far behind of Huntsman Cal Winwood, who has been an outstanding leader of was L6th runner George Mallett (who will next year succeed Cal as the Hunt, and an inspiration to younger runners in the club. Despite Huntsman), whose 11th place demonstrates the promise he has for a period of absence that meant he was unable to compete in the the season ahead. Our team total of 270 points placed us 4th County Championships, Cal managed to secure his name on some overall, and we were thrilled not only to receive the McGregor silverware early on in the year by winning the Will Ramsbotham Trophy, but also to now be amongst the top five in the country for Memorial trophy in the Old Salopian race. He also won this year’s the first time in many years. Senior Paperchases, and the following term become Hunt Club There was further success to come in the county championships, Champion, lifting the Birley Cup with a twenty-three second margin held this year in Oswestry. We retained our Senior and Intermediate over second-placed George Mallett. Above all else, however, Cal’s trophies with convincing victories in both, particularly in the Inters most significant achievement this year came in the Benjies where the first four runners home were all Hunt runners (achieving competition. With overall improvements in this event school-wide the minimum score of 10 is not often achieved). To give an (78 runners achieved the sub-10 minute standard compared to 53 indication of the dominance of the Hunt in this event, it is worth the previous year), we also saw some incredible times being run by pointing out that the silver medallists – Adams’ Grammar – scored our top senior athletes. In season 2009-2010, the fastest time was 70 points. With Ed Mallett having taken the individual title in the Huntsman Alex Mackay’s 7.35. This year, three athletes broke the Inters, elder brother George was not to be outdone in the Seniors elusive sub-7.30 barrier (with 5th former Ed Mallet just outside, despite an extremely strong field. He stormed home in 20.07, posting 7.30). With Cal week on week dropping his time, it became winning the race by 46 seconds and completing a Mallett double, clear that he had a good chance of targeting the Benjies record – the first time siblings had won county titles since the 1970s. Having held for 30 years by Adam Eyre-Walker – of 7.17. Indeed, on the also won the whole-school Tucks race earlier in the Michaelmas New Course (slightly shorter and with the hard climb of Port Hill term, George has achieved a great deal in his penultimate year, not eliminated), Cal finished the year with an astonishing 7.06. So it was

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that on a sunny March afternoon Cal attempted to tackle the Old Course, and in what has to rank as one of the most magnificent sights of the year, he stormed through the closing stages – the route flanked by his cheering Housemates from Ingram’s – crossing the line in a quite brilliant 7.13. It is a moment that will long live on in our collective memory! As a club, there are unfortunately too many highlights to put down on paper, and full details of results can be found on the website. Certainly the National Coventry Relays stands out as another major stepping stone where we placed just outside of the top 5 (though were without Huntsman Cal Winwood that day). We also saw some terrific running from junior boys, most notably from Rory Fraser (winner of the MANISCC championships and Junior Hunt club champion) and established club star Otto Clarke, who broke 8 minutes in the Benjies – extremely impressive for a fourth former. We were also strengthened in the girls section by newcomer Imola Atkins who proved a strong and consistently gutsy performer. She was a deserving recipient of the newly-commissioned Willie Jones Cup for Girls’ Hunt Club Champion (kindly paid for by the Old Salopian Hunt, as indeed was the case with the Mark Mortimer Cup for Junior Champion). Our new home in the Stott Pavilion has been a huge improvement The new RSSH honours board on what we were previously used to, and not only is this a terrific training facility, but it also houses an inspiring archive of old jerseys, his two years helping out with the club. He has been a loyal Hunt squad photos and Hunt regalia, not to mention the very full trophy servant and the boys have greatly enjoyed his input and his good cabinet! We are grateful to the Old Salopian Hunt for their donations cheer. We wish him well in his new post. and continued support of the next generation of runners, and we As I write this and think forward to the season ahead, I do so with very much value the relationship that is being developed between eager anticipation. We have no doubt that next year will be as the two clubs. successful as this one has been. In fact, it should be more so. The In closing, I must pause to thank my team of coaches without ever-expanding group of Hunt runners (over 50 competed this year whom the successes of the club would not be possible. We have in one of our squads) continue to enjoy their running and push been enriched by the arrival of Ian Haworth onto the coaching staff, themselves harder. It is an absolute privilege to work with them, and an extremely talented athlete in his own right, but one who also has – despite contrary opinion – I can assure you it is never dull! played a pivotal role in training our runners, most particularly the Peter Middleton Junior section. Sadly, we have to say farewell to Jason Stanley after

P OLO

Max Hulse (I, IV) shortly after his first goal against Eton. Kirtlington Polo Club

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S QUASH

This term has been a highly encouraging one for squash at Greig pushed Ambrose Cheng consistently throughout the Lent Shrewsbury. Top Squad Squash has developed very well and there Term and has improved markedly since last year. As a squad I am is real strength in depth with the current 3rd, 4th and 5th form having particularly pleased by the progress in their personal development excellent inter- and intra- year competition. In terms of results and how they are all learning to deal with those twin impostors of Shrewsbury predictably lost fixtures against the staff, the parents, the victory and defeat. OS and Shrewsbury Squash Club but were able to dispatch Wrekin Top Squad Squash were lucky this year to watch some excellent and Malvern easily despite fielding under strength sides. squash. I took Top Squad to Manchester to watch the National Semi Cheltenham College beat Shrewsbury but I would expect a reversal Finals and the boys witnessed first hand top level professional next year with Cheltenham losing eight players and Shrewsbury only squash. They also got to see the Malvern and Cheltenham No.1 losing one in this year’s Captain, Ambrose Cheng. A slight concern players who both have the ability to progress to the professional is the inability of Repton, Wolverhampton Grammar and Bromsgrove ranks if they wished to. The last weekend of term saw my personal to field sides against us. Shrewsbury would have no problem in highlight with the return of Zahan Dastur in the OS match. Zahan is fielding three teams of six boys. The standard of inter house far and away the best squash player ever to have come to competition has again improved and the semi finals and final were Shrewsbury and I was delighted to see the transformation in his very closely contested with Oldham’s victorious over Ingram’s. fitness and his high level of motivation to represent in the future. Top Squad Squash was made up of 14 boys with only two in the It is my ambition that the boys continue to play squash after they Sixth Form. The future for Shrewsbury Squash is therefore extremely leave Shrewsbury so it was terrific for all of our boys to see an OS bright. The plan going forward is to have roughly three players in competing at a very high level. each year group, so there is a constant renewing of the squad. Thanks of course must go to all the staff who assisted in running Freddie Earlam (Rt, 3rd form) is the best new starter to the game I the squash this year. I am confident of a better season next year. have come across. Will Schofield (R, 3rd form) showed tremendous athleticism around the court. Ed Shawe-Taylor (O, 4th form), Charles Dates for Diaries Kidson (G, 4th form) and George Bates (S, 4th form) all improved Saturday 14th January 2012 2-4pm Parents vs Top Squad Squash significantly from the year before. The 5th form of George Carver (S), Saturday 17th March 2012 2-4pm OS vs Top Squad Squash. Rob Cross (S) and Jack Hannaby (G) all progressed steadily. Ollie Myles Harding Squash Squad 2011

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R UGBY

Rugby at Shrewsbury continues to thrive and although the weather minutes of the match, two late tries secured a 31-29 win and an played havoc with early crucial preparations in the Lent term much unbeaten tour. work had already been done prior to Christmas. This academic year Although we weren’t always able to keep up this winning form in saw continued development of the ‘A’XV who made notable the second half of the season, the style of rugby we were trying to progress through the Michaelmas term. Further development of the play proved good preparation for the three sevens tournaments that Sevens programme saw the U18 squad play at the Marches, were the main focus of attention in the second half of term. First up Stonyhurst and Rosslyn Park competitions. With dedicated was the Marches Sevens, in which we progressed to the quarter- preparation time the improvement was clear to see and with the finals of the cup competition only to lose by a score to Christ U16 squad performing well at Stonyhurst and coming within a win College Brecon. Determined to avoid any more narrow defeats, we of scoring progression at Rosslyn prospects for the future look travelled to Stonyhurst, where we went unbeaten in the group, good. The U14s for the first time played against Uppingham, Stowe scoring more than twenty tries and conceding only one in five and Oundle and we hope to continue to play on this very matches, that included a memorable 33-7 win over the hosts competitive East Midland circuit. This year also saw three sides go Stonyhurst College. As semi-finalists at Stonyhurst, it was on tour; a pattern which will continue in the future. The 1st and U15 disappointing to win only one of our group games at the National squads had a three match tour of Italy. Based on the outskirts of Schools Sevens at Rosslyn Park, though the draw had certainly not Venice they had a very successful time both on and off the field. The been kind to us. U14 stayed closer to home with a very competitive series of The final fifteen-a-side game of the season, away to King matches in Dorset; again success was seen both on and off the Edward’s Stratford, proved a better way to round off the season. field. The Dorset tour is set to be an annual fixture and next year’s The match was perhaps typical of the entire season, as we put 1st and U15 tour has Valencia as a possible venue. together some good passages of play only to find ourselves trailing A number of players achieved representative honours and we 21-10 with fifteen minutes to go. But with three unanswered tries, we hope to build on this next season. Stephen Barnard played for finished the match much the stronger side to win 29-21. Despite Shropshire U18, Guy Kirkby for Shropshire, North Midlands and competing against lots of very good rugby schools, it was slightly Worcester Warriors EPDG U16, Ed Harrison and Henry Young were disappointing to lose seven out of our fifteen matches, although selected for Shropshire U15 squads with Sam Hill and Ben Smith with a large number of lower sixth formers in this year’s squad, there playing for the U14s. are encouraging signs for next season. As ever I would like to thanks all coaches and members of the grounds and catering staff for their invaluable support and making U16 A rugby such a positive experience for the boys. This was an excellent season for the U16s and a very keen and committed squad, acquitted themselves fantastically against some 1st XV very good rugby schools. The pack were a genuine power house Played 15 Won 8 Lost 7 and dominated in the majority of games throughout the season. Although the season only officially began for the 1st XV at the They worked hard on their line out and won the majority of their own beginning of the Lent term, preparation had started as early as the line out ball throughout the season as well as stealing opposition beginning of September with the recently established A XV. Despite ball. a loss in our first competitive match against Hereford Cathedral The scrum too was solid thanks to an excellent input from the 1st School, two wins from two matches followed before Christmas, XV forwards coach Keith Fowles. The back line at times produced including an emphatic 22-0 victory over . Three some stunning running Rugby and executed their set plays with tries in that game for centre Ruaidhri Smith helped him on his way precision. They too received fantastic input and hours of dedication to becoming the team’s top try scorer for the season. from New Zealand Gap student Tim who is himself a talented fly half It was always going to be the case that the team would have to and he was able to impart large amounts of his knowledge and rely on pace rather than bulk, and with the help of Shrewsbury experience to the boys which stood them in very good stead Rugby Club’s player-coach Keith Fowles, the first few matches of throughout the season. Highlights included excellent wins against the season proper saw us play some very good rugby. However, a School, Adams Grammar, Welbeck College and fantastic lack of consistency made it difficult to capitalise on this, losing three performances where we competed for large parts of the game matches by a margin of less than five points before half-term. against two decent sides in Old Swinford and Stonyhurst. A comprehensive 36-3 win against Altrincham Grammar, The Seven's season was again very enjoyable and also perhaps including a hat-trick from winger James Gregson gave us some real the most successful to date with four out of six matches being won confidence going into a three match tour of Northern Italy during at Stonyhurst and Roslyn Park. We failed to qualify from our group half term. at Roslyn by just 2 points and this was a very exciting experience We played arguably our best rugby of the whole season whilst in and one that sets the boys in good stead for playing Sevens in the Italy, winning all three matches. The first two opponents were U18 6th Form. sides from clubs whose senior sides compete in the European Challenge Cup, and after an ugly win over Rovigo RFC, we U15 A produced a much better display against Petrarca Padova RFC, with Though this season was hit by bad weather, meaning that we lost some very strong defence in the last few minutes securing a narrow matches again, the boys never lost their fervour for the game, and 20-17 victory. The third match in as many days came against after two years of coaching them, I cannot express enough the Valsugana RFC. With the score at 29-19 going into the last ten enjoyment that I have had from working with such an enthusiastic

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and hard working squad. Every few years a coach has the U14 A opportunity to work with a truly gifted squad of boys, and it has This was not an easy term for the U14A squad but it proved to be been my luck to have had these players for two seasons. For all of one which really took off towards the end of the season. The frozen those parents (and there were many of you) who had the chance to pitches followed by rain certainly hampered preparations and as watch the development of the team, I am sure that you can matches commenced the lack of cohesiveness as very evident. The appreciate the superb rugby that the boys are now capable of coaches had no doubt that the potential was there but poor weather playing; by the end of this season they were putting some excellent and boys being involved in a number of sports at school level took plays together and scoring some breathtaking tries. This was its toll, particularly against well-organised teams such as Adam’s helped no-end by the Italian rugby tour. An incredible experience, and Old Swinford. However the performance, a narrow defeat, this tour really brought the team together, boosting team spirit, and against an unbeaten powerful Stonyhurst team gave a glimpse of showed that even against physically superior opposition, this team the potential. will never be intimidated, and will fight to the end. This was Wins proved hard to come by especially against Oundle and especially seen in the final game in Italy, which we unfortunately lost Stowe, but the tide had clearly begun to turn and wins against by one point with the last kick of the game; with a number eight who Ludlow and Church Stretton gave the confidence boost that was so must have been six foot five, and a good eighteen stone at least, badly needed and the wins against Stratford and, most particularly the boys never took a backwards step, and fought to the end. against, Uppingham provided a good end to a difficult school A few thank yous. First all of to all of the parents who have turned season. up week after week in all sorts of weather to support the boys. They The Dorset tour gave a very competitive continuation to the certainly appreciate the attention, and the many pats on the back season and saw continued development and cohesiveness. The after the game – well that or the cakes and sweets that were kindly tour comprised a “double header” against Dorchester, whom we donated to the bus at various times! Secondly to the coaching staff, beat quite comfortably, and the host club Bridport, against who we Mr Mostyn, Mr Still, Mr Keally and Mr Ardagh last year who have were destined not to win! The following day saw some of the most spent many an afternoon putting the boys through their paces and expansive rugby of the season with wins against host club working on a variety of ways of getting the boys to improve. And Swanage and Wareham and against co-visitors Burnham on Sea. finally to all of the boys themselves; it truly has been a pleasure to The final game of tour was certainly the most demanding physically coach a set of lads who don’t question, don’t moan, but work hard and resulted in a draw against hosts Lytchett Minster. The final and enjoy their sport. Good luck for the future lads, I am sure there analysiswas3winsadrawandaloss:amorethancreditable is even more success on the horizon. performance by a squad who worked tirelessly for each other and who was without a number of A team regulars. The final tally was played 14, won 6, drew 1 and lost 7. The prospects look encouraging for the future; Valencia here we come!

Rugby Sevens team at Rosslyn Park

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TOP SQUAD operating the regatta circuit and maintaining the tank and club It seems an age since the warm, balmy, calm days of Bedford Head equipment. He has now moved on to start his own boat repair Race way back last October, though of course (assuming that time business, and our thanks go with him for the years of service here, passes uniformly, or even if it doesn’t) it was only 8 months ago. For and he takes with him best wishes for the future. Bedford was the scene of the first competition of this season, It is a pleasure to welcome, as from April, the new boatman, Mr bringing an early taste of success to the budding top squad. The 27 Keith Brown, to the club. Keith recently retired from the counter- competitors present that day comprised the bulk of the group from terrorist branch of the police force, having played a leading role on which would be drawn three crews for the summer racing. Via a the front line in recent years. Previously he worked as a coach and record haul of medals at Agecroft Head, to the Fours Head, and boatman with ILEA, and he has also been a football manager and more success at Wallingford in December, the soul searching (though less recently!) a cabinet maker. He brings a wide range of selection process moved relentlessly forward on a roller coaster of valuable skills with him and has already made a considerable contrasting weather types. One picture seared in the memory from positive impact on the club in many areas. this phase of preparation that stands out is the frigid outing near the After an uncharacteristically warm and sunny Easter training end of the Michaelmas Term with ice on the looms, a low blinding camp for two crews in Reading and Streatley, the Summer term saw bright red sun, hoarfrost on the hedges and minus nearly double yet more windy and cool conditions at Wallingford Regatta, held at figures on the thermometer, yet out we went. Indeed, in the athletes’ Dorney Lake. The fact of a second consecutive regatta at absence, over the vacation, the entire river froze solid to a depth of Wallingford badly affected by the wind (see last year’s write up) 5 inches. Truly, the Severn, at Shrewsbury, routine training ground somewhat diminishes the call to move the National Schools’ for the club, is among the most beautiful and varied of river Regatta to Dorney, although there is no doubt that Holme locations, changing daily according to the season, the weather and Pierrepoint has its own particular issues with wind as well! The the river height. resurgent 3rd VIII took shape in time for Shrewsbury Regatta, which, Variation of meteorological mood dominated preparation in the Lent Term as well, which saw Wycliffe Head cancelled due to high winds and consequent private matches against Chester. The third place for the 1st VIII at the Schools’ Head Race in London brings the total to seven years unbroken in the top three places in this prestigious event, and although the 2nd VIII were disappointed, the depth of the squad was confirmed by a creditable second place for the 3rd VIII, although they, like others, characteristically, were disappointed not to have come first! Sometimes the high hopes of the athletes mask the quality of their actual achievement. However the speed of the 1st VIII was demonstrated most clearly at Chester Head a week later, where they took line honours overall, forcing into second and third place some serious opposition in the form of and seasoned men’s club Agecroft – both of them being major Henley contenders historically and in prospect. Another picture frozen in the memory from the Lent Term is The Big Flood, the like of which has rarely been seen. The Flood Normal, if it can be called that, sees the grey-brown swirling water approaching but not entering the boathouse doors. By contrast this year, its sibilant turbulence tempered to an eerie stillness by distance from the river bed, the Flood rose rapidly through the front door and up the inclined floor to emerge thigh deep at the back and beyond as though rudely seeking an exit up the stair case. The bottom-rack boats were manhandled to safety by floating them out of the bays and along the front of the boathouse to a waiting trailer - not for nothing have the architects of the new boathouse development of bays 5 and 6, to which we look forward eagerly, incorporated a robust design to accommodate flooding. After over 20 years of time at the club, the boatman Mr Ian Turner retired early in 2011. Initially employed in the mid 1980s while was Master i/c to assist Gerry Sturges (who hand-built the wooden boats we used then, with Ian finishing them to an exceptionally high standard) he has, in his time, seen a large number of changes in the club, from materials to Masters in Charge, as well as construction techniques. During the same period the nature of the job evolved considerably and Ian took on sole responsibility; he built the pontoons we currently use, as well as A happy 2nd VIII preparing for National Schools Regatta. May 2011

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though cold, windy and grey, saw some good racing by all three top course. A fuller account of the National Schools’ Regatta appears squad crews. There is little in the form of contrasting conditions that elsewhere. the school crews have yet to face, but while the coaches can So the preparation for Henley continues among the tribe of comment on the absolute pace of the crews they coach, as enthusiasts - the hewers of water and drawers of wood. We wish measured on the Severn, there is little yet to go on with regard to them every success. the old rivalries, at least on any semblance of flat water and a fair Philip Lapage (River Master)

‘No quarter given’. The two halves of the 1st VIII doing battle in the final of Elite 4+, Shrewsbury Regatta 2011

J14 Octo. Their first race, Northwich Head, Autumn 2010

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N ATIONAL SCHOOLS’ REGATTA 2011

A record eight VIIIs and a IV entered this years National Schools finish. However. If they were to take the 2000 Metre trek to the start Regatta, showing the strength of the RSSBC at present. There were they would have seen a very different picture! many predictions that the Regatta would be cancelled as the First to race were the 1st VIII, in their heat Eton and season’s high forecast was for high winds on Saturday and Sunday, however the performers Shiplake. After the first 500 metres it became evident conditions were not bad enough for sinking so the event went that the conditions were going to make it extremely tough for our ahead! smallish crew – giving away more than a stone per man – in these brutal conditions. Friday Third place meant progression through the repecharge was A record four J14 octuples travelled to Nottingham for the National required. This was dealt with successfully, but meant a poor lane Schools Regatta. The A crew raced in Division 1 for the Cherwell draw for the final. A fifth place in the final was certainly not what we Cup; whilst the B, C and D crews were entered into Division 2 for had planned, the boys all know that they have underachieved, but the Dulwich Cup. have bounced back quickly. We are all confident that Henley will The day started with a 1000m time trial in each event, with only prove to be a more successful regatta. the fastest 12 crews making it through to the side-by-side semi- After a disappointing Schools Head result, the 2nd VIII had a finals. The A crew did enough to qualify (only later did we discover fantastic training camp, there started a great team spirit. It was that they were only 9th fastest out of 23 crews). The B crew were obvious that a much improved result would come at NSR. Driven on unfortunate to break a blade in the first 250m, the seven remaining by trail-blazing girl cox Camilla Aylwin they secured a good second boys rowed on valiantly, but could only record the 17th fastest time. place in their heat taking them into a decent lane for their final. The C crew had a fantastic row, and were pushed all the way by In the final, by half distance, it became obvious that 3rd place and Kings Chester’s B crew, but finished as the fastest non-qualifiers in a bronze medal would be ours, a really excellent effort and 13th place (only 2.5 seconds off qualification). The D crew rowed cementing RSSBC tradition of success in the Elsenham Cup. well to come within two seconds of the only other D crew on show The 3rd VIII had a splendid day, in the usual straight final in the from Radley. West Cup our VIII, who had a great run in to the event, sniffed So only the A crew progressed to the semi-finals, but they had a victory in the first 500 metres. They were not to be rowed down by sizeable fan club to cheer them on to a fine win in the semi-finals by Eton as happened last year, but powered on to victory by a length’s only 0.3 seconds over Latymer Upper School. This placed them in clear water. Congratulations on a great gold medal to the crew and the final alongside the winners of the other semi-final, and local coach PHL! rivals, Kings Chester. Shrewsbury were fast out of the blocks, and Special congratulations to Harry Robertson, stroke of the winning took an early lead. In fact they were the leading crew until about 3rd VIII, as last year he COXED the Elsenham Cup winning 2nd VIII! 200m from the finish when the significantly larger crews from All in all, not a vintage NSR, but certainly strength in depth. The Chester, Abingdon and the Grange School rowed through to leave RSSBC has some deep roots at present with a strong coaching Shrewsbury 4th. Although the boys were disappointed, they can be team that will ensure success in what will be a very exciting 2011/12 very proud of their achievements. They took the race on and went season. for gold when they might have settled for a lesser colour. Finally, we lose a great member of our coaching team this This large squad of boys will come back hungry in 2012, eager Summer, Richard Johnson, this years J15 Coach, has been with us for J15 success. for two years. I am sure that his charges and the rest of the coaching staff will wish him and Sarah all the best for their future. Saturday Richard’s easy going personality, coaching ability and general all A straight head wind greeted competitors on Saturday morning, round helpfulness will mean that he is sorely missed. spectators would not have thought things were too bad from the Paul Manser

3rd VIII gold medallists

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G IRLS’ SPORT

The Michaelmas term started with hockey as usual and this year Eton on Sunday 20th February, alongside the Old Salopian Fives there were more matches than ever before. Now having established team who were playing in the final of the Barber Cup and the semi girls sport, we travelled to new destinations such as Malvern and final of the EFA Trophy too. Many congratulations to Alice Bedstone. The term started with a very mixed bag including a 6-0 Brett and Lucy Rands who reached the final of the Plate and found win and a 6-2 defeat! After the initial weeks of the team getting to themselves up against Old Salopian Alice Walker who was playing know each other and their strengths and weaknesses, we settled for Oxford University in the Second Pair. OS Alice Walker (MSH 2010 down to a solid hockey term. There were victories against leaver) has just been awarded a Half Blue in Fives, and has been Shrewsbury 6th Form College, Bedstone College, appointed Oxford's Captain of Girls' Fives from September. Girls' and Shrewsbury High School, as well as two well fought out draws Fives at Oxford was only awarded a Half Blue status last term, so against Ellesmere College and Moreton Hall. The Shrewsbury team Alice is one of the first girls with this coveted award. Alice (Brett) and got to the semi finals of the county tournament and narrowly missed Lucy lost narrowly, 15-14 to the Oxford pair. out on going through to the Midland finals. School First’s for hockey In the mixed pairs at Eton in March, Shrewsbury entered a record were awarded to Hannah Blofield (captain), Lois Davis, Annabel number of eight pairs in and returned a number of successes. In the Brentnall, Becky Corkill and Hebe Dickins. final, Shrewsbury quickly established a lead and never let go to win The Lent term is dedicated to netball, but unfortunately due to the both games: Alice Brett & Jason Tse (Shrewsbury) beat Anna heavy snow fall it was a few weeks before we really got going. Snowden & James Lawson Baker (Haberdashers Aske's/Harrow) Earlier in the year Shrewsbury netball team had had its best ever 12-2, 12-7 to become EFA Schools' Mixed Champions. Also, performance at the county tournament by reaching the semi finals Shrewsbury's First and Second Girls Pairs both made it through to and so we were optimistic at the start of the season. Unfortunately, the Final of the inaugural Under 17s Beginners due to two serious injuries, we were depleted for much of the Ladies Championships at Eton: Issy Barber and Alice Long won the season. However, early wins against Moreton Hall, Bedstone and title, defeating our 2nd Pair Sophie Walker and Sarah Lim. Kings Chester were pleasing and demonstrated a good strength Girls rowing continues to develop. This year saw the Schools first within the team. The middle part of the season was a little less Girls VIII tackle the Schools Head of the River, in London. successful, but Shrewsbury worked hard in the latter part of the Competing against no fewer than 20 other school girls term to record wins over Bromsgrove 3rds, Priory and Shrewsbury championship VIIIs, the girls raced well. Yet again, experience was High School. School Firsts were awarded to Lois Davis (captain), at the forefront of our minds with the small reward of not coming Hannah Blofield, Annabel Brentnall, Becky Corkill and Ellie Kettle. last. The summer term sees crews prepare for regatta racing with a In Fives, we have had more girls’ pairs than ever before and the host of local events to tackle. Shrewsbury Regatta will allow many first challenge for ladies was the EFT Ladies Championships at girls to race in smaller crews alongside the VIII and 4+s.

Netball v Bedstone

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T ENNIS TRAINING IN MAJORCA

For the third time in four years MDHC and MJH took a tennis training trip to Majorca. This year’s trip was excellent with all 14 of the boys working hard in both their training (2-3 hours per day) and matches (2-3 hours per day). When the boys were not hard at work on the court there was time off by the hotel pool, at the beach and for shopping as well as revision time for the 6th formers. What distinguished this trip from previous years was the “100% buy in” of every boy to working hard on their tennis. Tennis is an exceptionally difficult sport both emotionally and technically and I was very proud of their efforts. Not once did the boys complain about the workload. The boys did suggest that a trip to a water park with a day’s rest half way through the trip and this could be an addition next time in order to rest weary limbs and re-energise for the second half of the trip. The trip undoubtedly gave all of the boys excellent preparation for the Summer Term. All practices and matches were on clay courts and this represented an additional challenge for the boys. They all had to work hard to create openings and the surface required them to think about tactics and to develop patience in the rallies. It was hard to single out individuals but prizes were awarded to Will Milligan-Manby, Tom Robinson and Henry Clay. All boys on the trip can be proud of their efforts both on and off the court. They were all true ambassadors for Shrewsbury School and I am already looking forward to next year’s trip. Myles Harding Harry Tomkinson (R,4)

Tennis training squad

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N EWS OF OLD SALOPIANS

We have been greatly encouraged by the warm response from works. Lord Rees is an acclaimed astrophysicist. He has written Old Salopians to the recent email request for news stories and and co-authored more than 500 research papers and books and other items of interest. We would like to feature more news and his investigations into cosmology and issues in scientific stories from Old Salopians on the OS website and in this epistemology have redefined the ambit of our knowledge. He is magazine and would therefore love to hear from all members of currently Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. the OS community – whether or not you are on email. Please don’t feel that your news has to be “earth shattering”. Ewan MacPherson (M, 1957-62) writes: “I have spent most of Please send your stories to Alex Baxter, The Old Salopian Club, my life in Toronto and Bath and Wells Diocese as an Anglican The Schools, Shrewsbury SY3 7BA or to either of the following Priest. I married Po Wo 43 years ago. Our son Alex writes about email addresses: [email protected] or modern music in (Music on Friday). Our daughter [email protected] Donna-Marie works in Heritage Horticulture, plays the flute, is an acolyte at Wells Cathedral where we worship now, and builds 1940 – 1960 houses for the poor with Habitat for Humanity. I earned a BA Professor Eldryd H. O. Parry (SH 1944-48) was appointed a (Hons) in English Literature and a M.Div at the University of Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Toronto. The first poem I ever wrote was published in The Salopian (KCMG) in the New Year’s Honours List 2011 for services to in 1959, but really they were far more interested in material that healthcare development in Africa. was soon to be seen in . I won the University of Toronto Norma Epstein Prize for Poetry in 1971 and put a poem or two in Charles Wilkinson (R 1951-55) and his wife have become the Wells Journal. Other than that I read at the annual ‘Poets and closely involved with a residential children’s home and school, Pints’ in my parish and turn up at the Wells Poetry Circle once a Mangalakara, for orphaned and destitute children in Southern month.” India. They spent 11 weeks there in 2009/10 and returned there in January this year. The Mangalakara Education Trust was formed in 1961 – 1980 2000 to house, clothe, feed and provide free education for Prof Roger Michael Boyle CBE (SH 1961-66), National Clinical destitute children from all over the Anantapur District in Andhra Director for Heart Disease and Stroke, was awarded a Knighthood Pradesh, Southern India, where unbelievable poverty and in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2011 for services to prolonged drought conditions caused many parental deaths. The Medicine. Trustees work full-time in a voluntary capacity, to ensure that all donations received are used only for the welfare of the children Desmond Shawe-Taylor (I 1967-71), Surveyor of the Queen’s and payment of salaries for teachers and domestic workers. For Pictures and the Royal Collection, was appointed a Lieutenant of more information, email [email protected]. the (LVO) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, June 2011. Hugo Ree (SH 1952-57) was recently awarded a PhD by Griffith University for a thesis entitled “Policing Public Health in Matthew Wilkes (I 1974-79) was elected onto Richmondshire Queensland, 1859-1919”. The thesis examines the role of the District Council, representing Penhill Ward. He stood as an Queensland police as guardians of the public health, with Independent, winning his seat by a 60-vote margin. He currently particular reference to lunacy, venereal disease, leprosy, plague has a daughter, Laura Hustwick-Wilkes at the School about to start and the epidemic of Spanish Influenza in 1919. her second year in the Sixth Form.

Christopher C. Maclehose (SH 1953-58) was awarded a CBE in Andrew Purvis (Rt 1975-80), Chief Executive of the charity the New Year’s Honours List 2011 for services to the publishing Fairbridge, recently announced the amalgamation of Fairbridge industry. The Maclehose Press is highly respected especially for with The Prince’s Trust, thus creating a major force in the support its foreign language work; it is now particularly renowned for its given to disadvantaged young people across the United publication of the Stieg Larsson Millennium Trilogy The Girl who.... Kingdom.

Lord Rees (S 1956-60), Clive Hayward (SH 1978-83) is playing in David Tennant’s Much Astronomer Royal and a former AdoAboutNothingat Wyndham’s, having recently finished a run president of the Royal Society, has in Private Lives at Manchester’s Royal Exchange. He has also been awarded the 2011 Templeton toured the UK as Eric Morecambe in The Play What I Wrote. Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Charles Foster (R 1979-81) lives in Oxford and is a barrister, a Spiritual Realities on 8th April writer and a Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford. His 2011. The Templeton Prize numerous books include Human Dignity in Bioethics and Law honours a living person who has (2011), The Selfless Gene (2010) and The Misadventures of Mr made an exceptional contribution Badshot (2010) (with illustrations by James Wade (DB 1976-81). to affirming life’s spiritual He is married and has five children, with another one due in dimension, whether through August. insight, discovery, or practical

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1981 – 2000 Laurie Sayer (I 2003-08) and James Sutcliffe (SH 2003-08) will Mark Lascelles (SH 1982-87 and Staff 1992-2009) has been begin an attempt to drive to Tajikistan with the Shrewsbury School appointed Headmaster of Dauntseys, Wiltshire. Mark and Amber Blue Chairs, using the second highest road in the world – the (Staff 2000-09) will move with their three daughters to Wiltshire in Pamir Highway, known as the ‘Roof of the World’. Their 8,500-mile 2012. Mark succeeds Stewart Roberts, another former Salopian route will cross 13 countries and two continents. To make things housemaster (Rigg’s 1987-93). even more interesting, they have decided to travel via the Arctic Circle and do the whole trip in a 1-litre car. The underlying aim of Richard Goulding (I 1992-97) will be performing in four short their adventure is to raise as much money as possible, with the plays (two double-bills) at the National Theatre from 3rd August help of the Blue Chairs Movement, for Cure Leukaemia and MIND. 2011. After Shrewsbury, Richard studied at the Guildhall School of You can follow their progress and make a donation via their Drama but left to play the role of Konstantin in The Seagull,with website www.raisetheroofoftheworld.co.uk Ian McKellan, directed by Trevor Nunn. In the lead up to last year’s election, Richard was playing in Posh at the Royal Court Joe Allan (R 2005-10) has won a place at the National Youth Theatre, based recognisably on the goings-on of the Bullingdon Theatre. This year there were more than 5,000 applicants for a Club to which David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George very limited number of places. Joe had a starring role in last year’s Osborne all once belonged. School Play Racing Demon.

Ollie Parry (Ch 1995-2000), landlord of the Salopian Bar in Michael Houston (R 2004-09), Jonny Williams (R 2004-09), Shrewsbury, is taking on the Three Peaks National Challenge Charlie Sole (R 2004-09) and Edmund Magnus (Rt 2004-09) along with three friends to raise money for the Severn Hospice. have recently set off on a 2,000-mile cycle ride across Africa from The group will tackle Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Their route will take them across a 24-hour period, driving between each of the mountains. The the inhospitable Kalahari Desert in Namibia and Botswana, north- group is seeking to raise £3,000 for the hospice. Donations to the east through Zambia and then across Zimbabwe, before finishing group can be made via up in Mozambique. The countries they are cycling through are www.justgiving.com/salopianbarthreepeaks. described by the Lonely Planet guidebook as “totally unsuitable for cycling”. They are raising money for Macmillan Cancer Henry Brydon (PH 1997-2002) continues with his magnificent Support, The Soldiers’ Charity (formerly known as the Army cycling challenge around the world. He is currently in Dali, SW Benevolent Fund) and for the Microloan Foundation. For further China. His journey has covered 21,656km in 372 days. His final information about their trek and to make a donation, visit their destination is Sydney, which he intends to reach in approximately website: www.transafrica.com seven to eight months’ time. Henry, travelling with his good friend Jamie King, states that his motivation is to raise money for brain Sam Wilson (M 2005-10) and Kit Schutzer-Weissmann tumour research, following his brother Jack’s diagnosis with a (PH 2005-10) have recently completed cycling The Freedom tumour in 2003. (Jack (O 99-04) is playing regularly for the OS Challenge – an off-road route covering the 2,300km between Football 1st XI.) Anyone wishing to find out how Henry is faring Durban to Cape Town. It runs over the Drakensberg mountain can log onto www.theblazingsaddles.com or make a donation via range, through the wilderness of the Baviaanskloof and the desert www.justgiving.com/HenryBrydon. of the Karoo. They made it into Cape Town on foot, with a sprained wrist and no gears! They were raising money for the Blue Roland Ballard (Rt 1993-98) and Miranda Ballard (an Old Chairs Charity set up at Shrewsbury School and The Order of Mortonian) started a company called Muddy Boots Real Foods Malta Volunteers, a charity run by young people to care for the Ltd in December 2008. “We left our media and film careers in sick, disabled and terminally ill. Donations are still gratefully London to have a crack at our dream of building a national accepted: www.justgiving.com/Christopher-Schutzer-Weissmann. food brand and we started Muddy Boots to show how beef burgers should be made better. We got a lucky break to appear in On 23rd July Toby Lywood (Rt 2005-10), Tom Maitland (Rt a BBC One television series in May 2010 called ‘High Street 2005-10), Chris Reid (Rt 2005-10) and George Lane Fox (Rt Dreams’ and life got even more exciting after that. Our burgers are 2005-10) will be beginning a 10,000-mile charity trek across some now stocked in Waitrose stores, Ocado and some independent of the most remote areas of the world in a 20-year-old ambulance. retailers.” They will drive from Goodwood Race Course to Mongolia without any technical support or assistance and are hoping to raise 2001 – 2010 £10,000 for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation. To make a Laurie Cottam (M 2001-06) just missed getting into the Final of donation, visit www.justgiving.com/tobylywood ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ with his a cappella group Out of the Blue. The group now regularly plays to sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe. STAFF BABIES Many congratulations to Vikki and Paul Vicars on the births of Josh Sasse (G 2001-04) is currently playing the lead role of Sky Polly and Sam on 6 April. in Mamma Mia in London’s West End. He has recently taken an Elvis tour around Italy, and he also sang Johnny Depp’s lead part Many congratulations, too, to Lucy and Colm Kealy on the in the film of Sweeney Todd. birth of Orla Elizabeth on 14 April.

On 18th July Stephen Johanson (O 2003-06, Rb 2006-08),

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Old salopian News

RAISING FUNDS FOR THE ROYAL MARSDEN HOSPITAL

James Lazarus (1972-77 and OS Club President in 2008) and his family have been living with cancer since James’ wife Mary was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in Summer 2003. It’s been something of a roller-coaster, with Mary enjoying some periods of remission but also having to go through three very onerous courses of treatment. Mary had a major relapse in September 2010 and has spent most of the period since going through yet more treatment, including both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The family are optimistic the treatment has worked but won’t ever be free from the shadow of the disease. In view of Mary’s relapse and her very difficult months of treatment, James and his three children were keen to do something positive. They decided to do a sponsored walk in aid of the Royal Marsden Hospital where Mary has been treated for the last eight years. So the family signed up to the Marsden’s first ever sponsored Mary Lazarus and family at the finish line walk of 14 miles between the two Hospitals in Fulham and Sutton, held on Sunday 27th March. The four members of the Mary Lazarus lastly to ‘stick one’ on the cancer which has dominated their life and Team set themselves the target of raising £4,000. As a result of so many others. some fairly sustained arm-twisting and lobbying of many friends Whilst the walk is over and the family have achieved four times and relations (including many in the Salopian family), the family their target, the Marsden remains a wonderful hospital and it can were able to raise £16,602 pre-tax, and all in all well over £18,000. always make great use of every penny that is raised. So if this The family saw this as a way to express their appreciation for all prompts any readers, the Lazarus family would very much that the Royal Marsden Hospital has done for Mary, secondly appreciate your support. Probably the easiest method of doing this to play their small part in helping others receive the benefits, and is via the Just Giving website: www.justgiving.com/james-lazarus

M ESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

I succeeded Hugh Raven as Chairman of the OS Club in January this year, and I would like to thank Hugh most warmly for his tremendous commitment to the role throughout 2010. I took over at the same time that Tony Walters announced his decision to retire from managing the Club’s affairs after seven years at the helm, and I thank him too for all that he has done for us throughout that time. A tribute to Tony from the President appears on page 46. During this time I have been supported by a dedicated group of Old Salopians, Richard Barber, Hugh Ramsbotham, Richard Raven and David Thomas, who have provided invaluable advice and resource to guide the Club into this new era. We have also leaned heavily on Miriam Walton, who joined Tony at the OS Office last autumn and has been a tower of strength in maintaining continuity during the interregnum with her unfailing efficiency and good humour. In March we announced the appointment of Tony’s successor, Wing Cdr Alex Baxter, as Director of the Old Salopian Club and he took up his new post at the beginning of May. I welcome him warmly on behalf of the whole Salopian community. thereby matching an identical grant given to the Fives Court The Committee met in March and the key decision we took was refurbishment project last year. to endorse unanimously a proposal by the President and myself to Finally, the Sub-Committee for the appointment of the next launch a thorough review of the activities and governance of the President has made its recommendation, and this has been Club under the leadership of David Thomas as Vice Chairman of unanimously endorsed by the Executive Committee. I am therefore the Club. The paper we considered has been circulated to all OS, delighted to announce that Richard Barber’s successor as and the thinking behind it and progress to date are summarised on President of the OS Club in 2012 will be Peter Worth (SH 1965-70), page 44. who has gladly accepted the position. I offer him my The other main decision taken by the Committee was to give a congratulations and good wishes on his vital role in leading the grant of £15,000 towards the building of the new Boathouse, Club forward into the post-Review era. Nick Randall

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P RESIDENT’S REPORT

I succeeded Hugh Ramsbotham as President of the Old Salopian Club in January and then spent two very full days of familiarisation at the School – talking to the Headmaster, Housemasters, Heads of Faculty, the Directors of Studies, Sports and the Foundation, the Registrar and Bursar, meeting many of the boys and girls, the staff in the Common Room, sitting in on a couple of lessons, attending evening prayers at Mary Sidney Hall and School House, and sharing in many aspects of daily life of today’s Salopians. And in reflecting on that experience I would use the word “Pride” – pride in the education that Shrewsbury offers today, pride in its numerous achievements in so many areas of academic and extramural life, pride in what the School stands for and in the vision for the future that Mark Turner is developing. The Old Salopian Club shares Mark’s conviction that a new view of the future needs to be taken. The ways in which the Club has traditionally provided support to the Old Salopian community have changed out of all recognition in recent times: G The revolution in communication means that the way we achieve our purpose “to enable and encourage members to G An encouragingly strong consensus is emerging on many of keep in touch with each other” is radically different today for the key questions we are asking. those under the age of 30. G There’s a strong sense that there is significant scope for the G The way in which members like to get together has widened Club to punch its weight more fully and that the Review is considerably, from formal dinners to many more informal therefore both welcome and timely. gatherings. There’s no doubt that the success of the School requires a G The arrival of Old Salopian girls is a brand new dimension for vibrant and productive Foundation; that the Foundation depends us; as is the interest of parents in alumni activities. critically on a strong and supportive Old Salopian Club; and that the And a key question I brought away from my two days at the enthusiasm of Old Salopians responds in great part to a flourishing School was: how can the Club support the School and Foundation and successful School. I believe that a successful Old Salopian even more strongly and make the Old Salopian Club more relevant Club is one in which: to the boys and girls who are at Shrewsbury now? G all its members know what the Club’s really there for and With these questions in mind, the OS Committee has endorsed a recognise its relevance to them and to the School; proposal from Nick Randall and myself to launch a wide-ranging G its management is determined by up to date, efficient review of the purposes and governance of the Old Salopian Club. governance practices; As reported below, this Review, under the leadership of David G its members contribute significantly to the interests, success Thomas as Vice Chairman of the Club, is now under way through and prosperity of the School and its pupils. wide-ranging consultations with Old Salopians of all ages and IhopethatfromthisReviewtherewillemergeaClubthatmeets experience. Two things are already becoming clear: all these criteria. Richard Barber

O LD SALOPIAN CLUB REVIEW

I have been asked by Richard Barber and Nick Randall to lead a The timing of the review has coincided with the Survey of Old review into the activities and the governance of the Club. The Salopians commissioned by the Headmaster. This has been very reason for the review was a feeling that, by comparison with other helpful in providing a clear indication as to where Salopians would schools’ old pupils’ clubs, ours is punching well below its weight. like the Club to focus, and the conclusions have been remarkably The intention is to have completed the review by September. By consistent with the initial consultations that the review team has held. this time we will have identified how current events and activities can As a result, our focus will be on how the Club can promote events be made more effective, what new things the Club should be doing that are interesting in their own right and that will appeal to for its members, and how best it should be governed and managed. members of all ages. We will also be looking at how the Club can The conclusions and recommendations will then be discussed in best assist Salopians as they move into the professional and detail with the Committee of the Club prior to their being submitted to business world and start to develop their careers. the AGM in October and then published to the full Old Salopian The review is being overseen by a group comprising Richard membership. Barber, Nick Randall, Hugh Ramsbotham, Hugh Faith, Richard The approach being taken is highly consultative. Discussions are Raven and Alex Baxter. One of the recent girl leavers will be asked being held with Old Salopians of all ages, as well as with current to join this group on her return from Gap Year. Salopians, members of staff, the governors and the Foundation. We In the meantime, please direct any comments or questions by have also met with the management of other similar Clubs at Rugby, email to me at [email protected]. Harrow and others. David Thomas

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M ESSAGE FROM NEW DIRECTOR

It was a great pleasure to arrive at the Old Salopian and Foundation Tony Walters for his valuable contribution to the Club over the past Office on 2nd May, with its picturesque views of Top Common. I was seven and a half years and also to Miriam Walton, who has run the immediately made to feel very welcome by my new colleagues OS Office single-handedly since January. based at the School, as well as by the wider Old Salopian I have one plea to the Old Salopian community: please, please community. Prior to arrival I was made aware of the ambitious stay in touch and send us your news stories. We cannot guarantee journey the OS Club had embarked upon in the guise of the to publish everything received, but I am aware that many Old governance review. The remit of David Thomas’s investigations is Salopians are interested to learn about births, marriages, exam or covered elsewhere in this publication, so I do not intend to steal any professional successes and other good news items. of his thunder on this occasion! I wish all of our readers a happy and relaxing summer break. It has been a busy start, with meetings on governance issues, Alex Baxter briefings by the Headmaster to Old Salopians, the Rigg’s 150th celebrations and the Old Salopian Football Club dinner. This has afforded me the opportunity to meet a good cross-section of the Old Salopian community and given me the chance to listen to its views. Key themes that have emerged include a desire to assist the new generation of Old Salopians into their professional and working lives, improving communications between the Club and its membership and introducing better events. The Club will respond positively to these observations, some of which are emerging out of the governance review. It is obvious to me that Old Salopians are very proud of their School, they are interested in its development and they take huge pleasure in its continued success – long may that last. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to my predecessor, Miriam Walton Alex Baxter

P RESIDENT ELECT 2012

We are delighted to announce that Peter Worth will be President of the OS Club in 2012. Peter attended Shrewsbury School from 1965-70 where he was Head of School, Captain of Football and Fives and a member of the Cricket XI. He won the National Schools’ Eton Fives Championship in 1970 playing with Nick Pocock. After leaving Shrewsbury, Peter qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Peat Marwick Mitchell, from where he joined Mark McCormack’s International Management Group for ten years as one of the early members of their European operation. During this time he managed the business affairs of many leading sportsmen including Björn Borg, and was also responsible for the development of many major events such as the World Ski Championships and the World Gymnastics Championships. In 1991 he left IMG and subsequently created the The Quintus Group, through which he built up and managed a diverse portfolio Peter Worth of events in the field of sport and entertainment. In 1994 Quintus was the first company in Europe to place a sponsor’s logo in the Peter has always maintained close ties with the School. He has field of play in 3D so that it looked on television as if the logo was been both a School Governor and Chairman of the Foundation as actually ‘standing up’. well as being Treasurer of the Old Salopian Club. This business in which he is still involved today now places 3D Peter is passionate about Eton Fives, having played the game at logos on sports fields throughout the world. Amongst his key the highest level, and is the current Chairman of The Eton Fives achievements was the launch in 1997 of the annual Masters Tennis Association. He has also been one of many donors to the recently tournament at the Royal Albert Hall, an event that today is the completed major refurbishment of the Fives courts at Shrewsbury – crowning glory of the ATP Tour of Champions. After selling the now appropriately named ‘the Worth Courts’. Quintus business to his former employer IMG in 2007, Peter retired I have no doubt that Peter’s personal drive, and his lifetime of in 2009, since when he continues to be active in several businesses management and sporting experience and commitment to as well as supporting a number of charities – in particular Help for Shrewsbury School will be invaluable as we take the Old Salopian Heroes. Club forward. Nick Randall

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F AREWELL TO TONY WALTERS

The following address was given by Richard Barber, President of the Old Salopian Club, at the farewell dinner held for Tony Walters at the Royal Overseas League on 17th March 2011.

Many years ago I was invited to an Old Salopian Dinner to which I Too near failed to reply. About two weeks before the event I received a The weir postcard in familiar writing from Michael Charlesworth, the then Hon The late Secretary of the Old Salopian Club. It simply read: 1st VIII Macbeth Act III Scene 1 line 28. Michael. But we didn’t go over the weir. Tony’s over-riding quality of loyalty As with every communication from my esteemed former to the Club and School came through then and he kept as even a housemaster, I rushed to do its bidding. I found that line 28 is in fact tenor of our ways as was possible in those turbulent times. only half a line. It reads: And that loyalty has always been cloaked in his other great Fail not our feast! quality: friendliness. It’s a marvellous quality and it has been one of Pithy, to the point, without ceremony, literary, compelling and Tony’s principal characteristics since I first knew him – and indeed I funny – everything that is summed up by the initials ‘MLC’. have had a picture of Tony on my study wall for the past 47 years no Needless to say, I failed it not. less, as a member of the Oxford University Eton Fives team which I That experience captures what we have come to expect in the captained in 1964, and there in the back row is a young, eager, running of this ancient and distinguished Club: friendliness, slim, svelte, athletic and friendly-looking chap who was to become efficiency, exhaustive knowledge of the Old Salopian community, one of my closest Salopian friends throughout the intervening years. and interesting and informative communications. These are the Tony – there is an old saying – qualities that Tony has given to this Club and to everyone what you leave behind is not what’s engraved on stone assembled here this evening over the seven years of his reign. monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. When I became President, I asked Hugh Ramsbotham, my Your stewardship of this Club has met that test. A distinguished predecessor, how he assessed whether the Old Salopian Club was fellow Old Salopian who couldn’t be here tonight has said this of being successful in what it sets out to do, and he said: you: My first measure has been standing back at lunches and dinners I think that Tony has done a great job for Shrewsbury School to and gatherings and simply looking and listening to people which he has always been totally committed. I shall miss his regular thoroughly enjoying themselves and each other’s company. And my email updates on matters Salopian, to which I always looked forward second would be the feeling at the end of the year that the Club is and invariably read right to the last word – amusing, succinct and to healthy and moving forward in the ways that it supports the School the point. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him, and his wit and and the Old Salopian community. charm have endeared him to us all. Two pretty good criteria, you will agree. And the chief custodian of The writer of that is Richard Burbidge, the present Chairman of thesethingshasbeenTony. the Governors, and it’s my great pleasure to echo those words The years of Tony’s stewardship of this Club have included some tonight, to thank Tony for his seven years of distinguished service to pretty testing times, especially when decisions about girls were this Club and on behalf of the whole Salopian community to present turning faces red and the air blue. It all reminded me of a jingle, him with this inscribed silver salver as a token of our esteem and published in the school magazine after some rowing crisis in the gratitude. 1950s. It simply said:

OS FOOTBALL CLUB AGM AND DINNER

The Old Salopian Football Club’s AGM and Dinner was held on 13 Raven (at the ripe old age of 79) was awarded the Veteran’s Team May 2011 in the Princess Alexandra Room of the Overseas League Award, for services to Old Salopian Football. in London. The event was attended by over 60 Old Salopians, many of whom were joined by their partners. The evening proved to be a joyous occasion, with entertaining speeches from each of the team captains. Despite a patchy season, Old Salopian football is in good health and continues to be well managed. This year it was the 2nd team that pushed strongly for promotion, sweeping all before them in the first half of the season, only to fall off the pace in the latter part of the campaign. The Club is keen that the next crop of Salopian soccer stars step forward in the next few months, so that a concerted effort can be made for honours during the 2011/12 season. David Cookson officiated at the AGM and acted as MC during the dinner. Following the meal, prizes were awarded. Jack Brydon (1st XI) was nominated most improved player of the year and James Dobbs received the 2nd XI player of the year award. Richard James Dobbs (right) and 2nd XI captain Lewis Brown

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P UBLICATIONS

Oliver Bullough (S 1991-96) Ken Shearwood (Rt 1935-40) Let Our Name Be Great Pegasus: The famous Oxford and Cambridge Penguin ISBN-10: 978-0-14103-774-5 soccer side of the 1950s, 2nd revised edition The Caucasus mountains are a land of jagged peaks and rugged Kennedy & Boyd ISBN: 978-1-84921-047-8 people, who for over 200 years have rebelled against Russia’s Pegasus gained a tremendous following in its brief life. The team attempts to add them to its empire. Oliver Bullough tells their story won the FA Amateur Cup in 1951 and 1953 before capacity crowds for the first time. Travelling from remote village to refugee camp, at Wembley. This autobiographical account, by one of the key team rocky mountain gorge to forgotten massacre site, he discovers members, brings vivid detail to the story of the club. exiles, fighters, lost sects, defiant survivors – an unbreakable spirit. Ken Shearwood “A book that effortlessly mixes on-the-spot reportage and a wide- ranging history… Let its fame be great.” (The Scotsman) Hardly a Scholar, 2nd edition “Bullough brings us exciting news, presented as short, gripping Kennedy & Boyd ISBN: 978-1-90499-994-2 stories... The history of their resistance and resilience has been After achieving brief fame and glory as centre half in the Pegasus largely unknown for two centuries. Now their stories are sung by a side that twice won the FA Amateur Cup (see above), Ken champion and will resound beyond their boundaries.” Shearwood worked at Lancing for forty-five years as teacher, (Ian Finlayson The Times) housemaster and registrar. “An impressive debut… heartfelt and compelling… With this “Ken Shearwood’s vigorous and lively autobiography is the story impassioned volume he has struck a blow for the glory of the of a successful life, way out of the schoolmaster’s common run…. Caucasus and helped to give voice to the voiceless.” I was sorry to see it come to its end. It is not often one finds oneself (Justin Marozzi Financial Times) saying that; and many people should buy this wholly admirable Oliver Bullough will be speaking at a joint meeting of the Historical book, by one who is indeed hardly a scholar, but is most assuredly Association and the Bastille Society on Friday 11th November at a man.” Colin Leach, Times Literary Supplement 7.15pm at The Schools. Daniel Simon (G 1991-96) Dr Peter Caddick-Adams (Ch 1974-78) Managing the health of early-stage discovery Monty and Rommel: Parallel Lives Nature Magazine, March 2011 Preface Publishing/Random House ISBN–10: 1848091524 Michael Edwards, Tony Tramontin, Daniel Simon (G 1991-96 and This is the story of two men with electrifying personal qualities who, winner of the Sir Philip Sidney Gold Medal), Ajay Dhankhar and between them, altered our understanding of leadership in battle. Mubasher Sheikh (All authors are at McKinsey & Company). Peter Caddick-Adams traces Montgomery and Rommel’s lives from their provincial upbringings, through to them facing each other Productivity remains a critical issue for biomedical research. This across the trenches in the First World War, and to North Africa and paper investigates the differences in productivity between Europe in the Second. laboratories and the critical success factors of the most productive.

(I 1973-77) Alex Brown (O 1978-82) Sebastian Wilberforce Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and his Legacy Legacy Fundraising: The art of seeking bequests, Glen View Media, Pennsylvania ISBN: 978-0-9832139-0-1 3rd revised edition Drawing on interviews with more than 100 people, Alex Brown Directory of Social Change ISBN: 978-1-906294-46-5 explores the life and legacy of the inspirational racehorse Barbaro, Legacies represent a key source of revenue for charities. This who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby but shattered his leg unique publication, in print for over a decade, is a comprehensive two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career guide to the strategy and techniques that fundraisers need. and eventually leading to his death. BOOK DONATIONS 2011 Professor Martin Ferguson Smith (R 1953-58) We are very grateful for a number of kind donations to the School Dearest Jean: Rose Macaulay’s Letters to a Cousin Library: The Churchill Scheme: The Special Entry Cadet Scheme 1913- Manchester University Press ISBN: 978-0-7190852-1-5 1955 (Written by and donated by John H Beattie (SH 1941-45)) Sherborne Language Guides (Donated by Peter Such, Director of IB “This volume is full of previously buried treasure. It will delight at ) Macaulay’s fans and win many new readers to appreciate her The following books were kindly donated by Edmund Palmer: civilised, witty ‘take’ on the world.” A. N. Wilson Battles of the ’45, The Quest for America, The Atlantis Syndrome, “These ‘new’ letters, characterised by the same vitality and wit that Great Issues in American History 1765-1865 , The Secret Discovery of are hallmarks of Macaulay’s novels, illuminate the writer’s life and : Portuguese Ventures 250 Years before Captain Cook, The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery, Churchill: A Photographic Portrait, career, and the literary and social scene, especially in the years that Warfare in the Classical World, The Complete Illustrated Poems, Songs followed the First World War.” Sir Simon Jenkins & Ballads of Robert Burns.

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S ABRINA

At the time of writing, we are looking forward to supporting the Royal Regatta in total, which was only equalled by School’s 1st and 2nd VIIIs at the (29th June last year. – 3rd July). One major Salopian highlight will be the crew reunion and row past enclosures for the 1961 1st VIII. Shrewsbury Room (room 11) at Leander The 1961 crew are remembered for winning the Princess This year as last year, we were offered the exclusive use of the Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley comfortably. Some members Shrewsbury room for the duration of the regatta. A number of of the 1961 1st VIII were also members of the 1960 1st VIII which applications were received and a draw was held with the winner won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley the previous taking up this marvellous opportunity. We anticipate offering the year. This may be an appropriate time to remind readers of a few room next year. Please contact the Secretary if you wish to apply. facts and figures. Since the Shrewsbury School Boat Club’s first ([email protected] or telephone 01709 370071). Henley win in 1919 there have been 14 eights wins at Henley

New Ergo Room and boat store at the Boat House Planning permission has now been granted and it is anticipated that building will commence soon. The project has been made possible by the generosity of some Sabrina Members. Sabrina members wishing to help the boat club through the Foundation (which will add 25% to donations due to Gift Aid) will be warmly welcomed. Please contact Nick Randall on telephone 01824-707953 or email: [email protected]

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1961 1st VIII crew: Bow Richard Owen, Stephen Shaw, Nick Bevan, Stuart Martell, John Godby, John Bissell, Julian Vaughan-Jackson, Stroke John Bannister, Cox Robert Stanbury, Coach Peter Gladstone

O LD SALOPIAN GOLFING SOCIETY

Founded in 1928, the OS Golfing Society has over 350 members. The OS Golfing Society is always keen to welcome new We hold around 20 meetings a year at many of the finest golf members. courses in the country, some of which are heavily subsidised for For further information and a copy of the OSGS Fasti, please younger Old Salopians. contact: Tim Lewis, Honorary Secretary, The Lodge, Crocker End, The Society has a National Knock-out Tournament for the Henley-on-Thames RG9 5BJ. Telephone 01491 641651 Campion Trophy that enables members to meet other Salopian [email protected] golfers and to play their courses, such as St Andrews, Muirfield, The OSGS Fasti and news updates will shortly be available on the Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, The Berkshire and Wentworth, to OS Club website. name but a few.

T HE OLD SALOPIAN LODGE

In 1585, Giordano Bruno came to England. At Fulke Greville’s Members of the Schools and old boys who are interested may house he met Sir Philip Sidney, and the three discussed “moral, contact the Secretary. metaphysical, mathematical and natural speculations”. Bruno also Alternatively, the Old Salopian Lodge meets once a year, between expounded “the reasons of his belief that the earth moves”. May and June at the Schools. Non Masonic guests are welcome to There is no evidence that any of the three gentlemen were join in for drinks and lunch afterwards. Freemasons. The search for truth, or knowledge as well as moral The Secretary may be contacted by email at the following and self improvement are elements which motivate human address: [email protected] progress throughout history. The Renaissance struggled to lay the The Lodge meets at the City University Club, 50 Cornhill, London foundation of what turned into the Enlightenment. Free and EC3V 3PD. The meeting dates for 2011 are Wednesday, 21st accepted, or speculative Freemasons share the similar historical September and Tuesday 22nd November (Installation). All background, if not the same source. Freemasons are welcome to attend.

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C ARDUS, CELEBRANT OF BEAUTY: A Memoir by Robin Daniels

‘Wanted – assistant cricket coach at Shrewsbury School. Must be a good bowler. Apply, with testimonials.’ spotted this advertisement in 1912 in a copy of Athletic News, a newspaper which he happened to pick up (“I was not in the habit of reading sports journals”), and to which he responded. As a result, in May that year, aged twenty-four and albeit ‘one of the shyest and most self-conscious of youths’, he followed his instinct, boarded the train from Manchester (beyond which he had rarely journeyed), arrived at Shrewsbury and was appointed by . For Cardus, his five years at Shrewsbury were continuously rich in delight and remained vivid in the memory. Assistant to Chief Cricket Coach, William Attewell of Nottinghamshire and later Ted Wainwright of Yorkshire, he had left behind Manchester’s ‘row upon row of dismal houses, with backyards full of old cars and bedsteads and torn oilcloth’ and had travelled through fresh air and countryside to the market town of Shrewsbury, with its great school surrounded by spacious playing fields – which he famously described as ‘the most beautiful playing fields in the world’ – above the banks of the Severn. His time at ‘The Schools’, later recorded in his entrancing reflections, was close to paradise. ‘To have been at Shrewsbury in those days, and known cricket there, is to have lived in a heaven here below.’ For Shrewsbury School, his having been there and loved the place, as have so many before and since, is important in itself. But that he thought and later wrote as he did, voicing his recollections in words of incomparable, uplifting evocation and wistful beauty has meant that no Salopian anthology could ever be complete without In delightful measure, Daniels has mixed expression of his own him. He found delight in the place; he relished its life; and he understandings (from reading and conversation over many years) discovered at Shrewsbury tranquillity upon which the sun shone of Cardus the man and the essayist; extracts, many in extenso, from and which, through his words, so fondly revisited by later Cardus’ eloquent, descriptive and critical notices and other scripts; generations, was richly blessed. and a series of fascinating observations on the art of criticism, from Cricket was not his only preoccupation during those Salopian such as Hazlitt, Coleridge, Dryden, Wilde, Pater, Santayana, years, for Cyril Alington, noticing Cardus’s appetite for good Priestley, D. H. Lawrence,... as well as that gathering of remarkable literature, appointed him also as one of his part-time secretaries. minds at the Manchester Guardian, including C.P. Scott, Ernest In 1917 Alington was appointed Headmaster of Eton and hoped Newman, C. E. Montague, Haslam Mills and Samuel Langford. For that Cardus would move with him, but this was not to be. For with them, as for Cardus, writing for their newspaper was a profession, a Alington’s departure Cardus left Shrewsbury and returned to craft in which one aspired to become a master, and in which the Manchester, to embark upon what was to become one of the most ability to convey the essence, in appropriate, finely-turned prose, celebrated careers writing for the Manchester Guardian – including, was all. in the forties, a spell in Australia with the Sydney Herald. Given his own background as a Jungian analyst, it is not The warmth, colour and entrancing elegance of Cardus’ writing, surprising that Robin Daniels brings to his consideration of Neville be it in his autobiographical reminiscences or his writing as Cardus the language and the thinking of one attuned to probing the journalist and critic, are well known. He is a master-craftsman not human unconscious, feelings, emotions, intuition, artistic creativity, only in his captivating choice of words, but also in his astonishing – inspiration, modes of expression...all of which provide rich material sometimes truly astonishing – gift for describing scenes, catching when considering a talent so remarkably creative yet so completely atmosphere, sharing and summoning emotion. untutored (in terms of any formal schooling) as that of Cardus. Yet in It is in his deeply respectful, affectionate exploration of Cardus’ so doing, Daniels manages never to overburden this substantial prose writing in all its range and variety, as well as his portrayal of volume with unduly complex analysis. He writes in interesting, often the man himself, that Robin Daniels has produced an invaluable helpful explanation, and he ensures that it is the entrancing, encapsulation of one the most distinctive, richly creative, admirable, mellifluous voice of Neville Cardus which is always to the fore. lovable journalists of the twentieth century. The title, ‘Cardus Celebrant of Beauty’, could hardly be more In the ‘prelude’ to his book, Daniels states that his ‘aim in this apposite as the entrance into a volume which catches its subject at memoir is to introduce. Then to stand aside, and allow the quality of every stage of a life lived to the full and through nearly ninety years Neville’s writing to speak eloquently for itself – and for him.’ (1888 – 1975). The book itself is beautifully produced – no expense This is precisely what he does – and the result is spared in the weight and quality of paper nor the clarity of type-face comprehensively excellent. – as is only appropriate for such a considerable compilation. In a

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spirit of profound appreciation, bordering on (utterly and it was not Orpheus alone who sang Che faro that night, but all understandable) devotion, Daniels brings Neville Cardus into sharp who loved this wondrous Lancashire lass.’ focus, be it as the boy born into such improbably modest (given all And later... that he went on to be and to achieve) circumstances in Rusholme, ‘Whenever I think of that palid evening, and my Kath singing, or Manchester; as a young man in his first job, at Shrewsbury; as a attempting to sing – knowing that she was, at one and the same striving journalist finding his way into ‘the corridor’ at the time, bidding farewell to her devoted audiences all over the world, to Manchester Guardian; or as the man whose writing became known family and her many friends, to Gluck, to Euridice, to music itself, and understood across the world for its incomparable elegance, fated to sing no more – I feel the same shudder of shock and sensitivity, character, humour, and entrancing beauty. sadness.’ Cricket and music were his subjects – an unlikely combination at Cardus’ thoughts for Kathleen Ferrier reveal his own serenity, first sight, but not for Cardus, who saw grace, the striving for fragility and sensitivity which, coupled with his masterly way with perfection, and the delights of personal expression in them both. words, were the making of his writing. And the writing is His boyhood cricketing experiences had been in the backstreets incomparable, not simply for its elegance and style, but because it of Manchester. His appreciation of classical music emerged also in catches and embraces the human spirit – in joy as in sadness; in Manchester, where the Free Trade Hall and the Hallé Orchestra reader as much as in writer – at its most tender, most vulnerable existed to feed an awakening appetite. His love of literature and of and most beautiful. the use of words sprang from the discovery by ten-year-old Cardus Even though the balance in Daniels’ book is tilted towards music, of the work of Dickens – after which he made the local library his it is seasoned with many an extract from Cardus’ myriad, haunt. He read voraciously and, with nothing more to his education beautifully-poised pieces on cricket. than the modest offering of the local Board School, which he left at Thus one enjoys the natural elision of his delight in music and thirteen, he set himself the task of self-tuition. cricket, seen by him not so much as two separate spheres of It is the story of Cardus’ life, so delightfully desirous of seeing, activity, as two areas of experience for exponent and observer, in understanding and articulating the beauty of things, that Daniels which both become drawn into the exposition of human talents at brings into our experience. And his task is so thoughtfully executed their finest and the expression of the human spirit at its most that, well before reaching the end of the volume, it is as if Cardus engaging. has been in the room and the sound of his voice has been heard. In addition, of course, they give scope to his humorous writing at Such a result, in a biographical memoir, is surely rare, but it is its most exquisite... achieved on this occasion not only by the quality of the writing (of ‘Emmott Robinson was a grizzled, squat, bandy-legged both Daniels and Cardus) but also by the fact that Daniels remains Yorkshireman, all sagging and loose at the braces in private life, but true to his original undertaking: of ‘standing aside’. The book is when on duty for Yorkshire he was liable at any minute to gather and sectioned into a large number of appetisingly short chapters, each concentrate his energy into sudden vehement leaps and charges. (apart from those in which Daniels embarks upon more extensive He had shrewd eyes, a hatchet face and grey hairs, most of them analysis) including substantial, excellently-chosen extracts from representing appeals that had gone against him for leg-before- Cardus’ own writing. wicket. I imagine that he was created one day by God scooping up Particularly striking is the fact that so much of Cardus’ writing is the nearest acre of Yorkshire soil, then breathing into it saying, “Now not simply about episodes, incidents, concerts, cricket matches. It lad, tha’s called Emmott Robinson and one day tha can go on with is about people, about individuals, be they some of the finest new ball at t’Pavilion End.”’ sportsmen of his day or the most prodigious musicians. Perhaps it Robin Daniels’ memoir, the fruit of an enviably special friendship is this personal dimension which makes his writing so endearing and the result of equally enviable care in its compilation, is a delight whilst also, of course, bringing us directly into contact with some of from start to finish, preserving for future generations a reservoir of the most affecting, at times heart-rending moments imaginable. English prose writing at its entrancing best and, in disarming clarity, For example, Cardus writes of Kathleen Ferrier with profound the mind and the voice of Neville Cardus, indomitable ‘celebrant of affection, joy and sadness mixed. For Ferrier was a uniquely beauty’. marvellous contralto who discovered her ‘voice’ later in her short life All quotations which are not obviously attributed are taken, and, at 41, was, so tragically, to die of throat cancer. It is as if Ferrier variously, from Cardus’ own writings. exemplified all Cardus envisaged and hoped for in the promise of Jeremy Goulding the human spirit and its potential for wondrous expression – he, as so many, seeing her voice as nothing less than the exemplification of beauty, with more than a glimpse of the divine. Months before her death, and even in considerable pain, Ferrier sang the lead in Gluck’s Orpheus at Covent Garden. And Cardus wrote... ‘The nobility of her art was revealed in the almost unbearably moving and bodeful performances of Orpheus which brought her career to an end; and her life, but for a few months. Seldom has Covent Garden Opera House been so beautifully solemnised as when Kathleen Ferrier flooded the place with tone which sounded as though classic shapes in marble were changing to melody – warm, rich-throated, but chaste. We who guessed the truth knew the pain she was enduring while she, unwittingly, was becoming a part of the immortality of Gluck. Jeremy Goulding, guest of honour at Shrewsbury Bangkok’s At the second performance, her last agony visibly martyred her; prizegiving, with Isobel Goulding and Ali and Steve Holroyd

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O LD SALOPIAN HUNT

The annual race against the RSSH and Staff took place in arctic In the open competition our scoring team of Ben conditions on Saturday 27th November 2010. Temperatures Hebblethwaite, Charles Tongue and David Thomas finished 7th remained below freezing throughout and there was a decent out of twenty teams, with Ben finishing one place and two covering of snow and ice all around the course, making running seconds ahead of Charles, in 17th position. In the over-50s our conditions particularly tricky. team came in 3rd of eleven closing teams, a remarkable feat The OSH fielded fifteen hardy runners, many of whom can be given the average age of our team was 65! Many congratulations seen modelling the latest OSH vest in the pre-race team photo. This to David Thomas, and in particular Michael Johnson and Anthony is the closest the OSH team packed all day, as, despite our gallant Hickson. efforts, we were soon strung out by a very fast RSSH team. The 2011 race against the RSSH is scheduled for Saturday The RSSH won with 27 points, ahead of the Staff with 87 and 26th November and will be followed by dinner in Kingsland the OSH with 110 points. These results exclude approximately House that evening. All members of the OSH will be emailed with twenty runners who took various routes other than the official one details closer to the event and with the date of the Thames H&H to reach the finish, with runners approaching the finish from three race when it is confirmed. Also check out the OSH pages of the different directions at one time! OS Club website for regular updates and photos. Contact Ian Howarth (Staff) was the overall winner, closely followed by addresses can be found on the website or email Peter Birch on the Huntsman, Cal Winwood, for the RSSH. The first OSH runner [email protected] or phone 01743 362709 or write to 63 Longden home was Tony Power in 8th place, with Charles Tongue our Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 7HU. second scorer in 11th. Special congratulations go to Annabel Brenthall and Lucy Birt who were the first two RSSH girls ever to compete in and finish this race, and to Imola Atkins who led the girls for much of the race but was one of the twenty taking an imaginative route to the finish. After the race, tea was held in the New Hunt Gym, housed in the Stott Pavilion. Cups were presented by the Headmaster, who also unveiled the New Hunt Honours Boards, containing the names of all the Huntsmen since records began. In the evening the annual OSH dinner was held in Kingsland House, where Dr David Gee was our guest of honour in recognition of his completing 51 Tucks. Two weeks later, for the first time this century (and possibly longer), the OSH fielded a team at the Thames Hare & Hounds Back row: Ed Bolland, Damien Scott, Robin Brooke-Smith, Charles Alumni Race on Wimbledon Common. This race is held annually Tongue, Richard Hudson, Anthony Hickson, Cliff Simpkin, Peter over a challenging and muddy course of five miles, attracting Howells, Nigel Miller, Will Painter, Tony Power. Front row: Tim Bedell, upwards of twenty school teams. David Thomas, Peter Birch, Ian Young

ADAM EYRE-WALKER – BENJIES RECORD HOLDER FOR 30 YEARS It is very exciting to hear that my 30-year-old Benjies record has finally been broken, and convincingly broken. (See page 31) My sincerest congratulations to Cal Winwood. It is also very gratifying to see so many other members of the Hunt running very fast Benjy times. I don’t remember very much of the day I set the record; I think I was already the record holder so 7:17 represented an improvement rather than a new record for me. After school I continued to run competitively into my mid-30s, when the years of high mileage finally caught up with me and I joined the injury list. The highlights of my career were coming 3rd in the Scottish National Cross-country Championships and 3rd in the British Student Cross Country championships. I now enjoy cycling, climbing and walking. In terms of my professional life, I read Genetics at Nottingham and did my PhD in Evolutionary Genetics at Edinburgh. I then spent four years in the USA working for Rutgers University before returning to the UK as a Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Sussex, where I am currently Professor of Biology. I study the pattern and effects of genetic mutations, and recently gave a talk to the Darwin Society on Human Mutations: the Good, the Bad and the Indifferent.

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S ARACENS

Our Cricketer Cup Captain, Rob Hillman, who has been a Cricketer Cup: wonderfully enthusiastic and respected leader, has decided to step Exciting Win against Marlborough Blues down and we are extremely grateful to him for his selfless efforts The postponed first round of the Cricketer Cup was eventually over the years. The task of organising Salopians can be more than played on Sunday 19th June at Rugby. a little frustrating, but he has been a model of restraint and The Saracens were inserted by the Marlborough Blues and out efficiency and we wish him well. strode to the wicket the formidable opening partnership of T We are delighted that Tom Cox will succeed Rob as Captain of Chapman (Barn) and R Mackay. Sadly a large combined weight the Cricketer Cup side. Tom was an outstanding cricketer at the does not equal a large combined runs tally, as Jabba was on his Schools and a prolific run scorer at all levels, which has continued way back to the pavilion with no score to add to his name. All too at Durham University and at Shrewsbury Cricket Club. He will be brief flurries from the experienced Rob Ainscowe and the Skipper assisted in running the Cricketer Cup campaign by Ben Chapman, left the Sarries trailing at 49-3 off 15 overs. By this stage Barn, who his Vice Captain. Ben has a splendid record in the competition and now had been joined by Scott Corbett, was beginning to find his ark has worked tirelessly to make the Devon Tour such a happy and (big ark some might say). successful event. Good luck to them both. In under 20 overs the second biggest partnership of the day Can I appeal to all those who enjoy watching cricket on the (though Scott may well be challenging Jabba on the scales Common – Old Salopians, parents, staff, and of course, all nowadays) had put on the largest partnership of 115. It was Saracens – to come and support our Team in the Cricketer Cup. We fantastic to watch as they began flaying the tiring Blues’ bowling would particularly like to see parents of the players, to recreate the attack all over Warwickshire. Whilst the running between the wicket support we enjoyed during the successful campaigns of the 70s left much to be desired, the shots on view did not. Scott’s six over and 80s, when an enthusiastic caravan of camp followers travelled extra cover and Barn’s gigantic maximum over the already vast leg round the country with us, suitably equipped with various forms of side were two of many fine shots. Despite their domination, things refreshment. Our President during those heady years was Alan came to an abrupt end in rather unfortunate circumstances as Barn Barber, a most distinguished captain of Yorkshire, and uncle of edged towards a much deserved hundred being caught and Richard, current President of the OS Club. bowled off the bowler’s forearm and knee. After that the Saracens’ For younger / new Saracens, please do not wait to be asked to tail did not wag enough and 211 seemed very much under par. play in any fixture; the Cricketer Cup, the Speech Day game or the The Devon Touring Side took to the field with some trepidation, wonderful Devon Tour. Get in touch with the match manager and and not without some good cause. After six overs, Marlborough make yourself available. You will be made very welcome and we were steaming ahead at c. 50 for no wicket! T.C. (Tom Chapman, really need you. not Top Cat) slowed the onslaught, along with some tight bowling I am glad to say that Andy Barnard, Master in Charge of Cricket, from Nichols (Junior) and steadied the ship. and Paul Pridgeon, Chief Coach, are fully behind the Committee’s Marlborough, however, continued to cruise until the introduction wish to see the recent success of cricket at the Schools being fully of JK (James – aka The Achilles Heel – Kidson) came on. He reflected in your Club’s performance in the Cricketer Cup and other bowled snakes and asps at the oppo, and, along with some old fixtures. Please rally round. pros, canny stuff, from ‘Subject To Contract’ – Corbett – at the other Nicko Williams President end, a couple of quick wickets fell. We began to sniff victory, with their best Bat gone for 35. We are always keen to welcome new members. Please contact The tide turned against us, however, as we had to swap around Paul Nichols, tel. 0161 834 7563; 01625 884266; 07710 132770; bowlers to get through the required overs. It was not long before [email protected] Marlborough reached 175 for 4 and most of us felt we were going to come second. JK then stopped teasing with the opposition and Diary Dates: in his last over took 4 for 0 and reduced them to 190 for 9! What a Cricketer Cup Semi-final at Shrewsbury: Sunday 24th July; magnificent spell of spin bowling. On a low-bouncing pitch, he Cricketer Cup Final at Shenley: Sunday 14th August; managed to get the ball to fizz. Devon Tour: Sunday 7th – Friday 12th August; Still there was work to be done, as the bemused batsman on 48 Saracens Dinner – 22nd March 2012 at Lord’s in Media Centre. at the other end seemed to have lost it. He just did not know how to play it. In the end he played all around a straight long hop from the Hon Sec. Bails flew. Marvellous! Match Won. Ben Chapman and Paul Nichols

OLD SALOPIAN YACHT CLUB The Old Salopian Yacht club is keen to hear from Old Salopian sailors who would like to take part in the annual Boarding Schools Sailing Association Arrow Trophy Regatta at Cowes on the weekend of 8th/9th October. Crew members of all ages and ability will be welcome. The weekend combines short but exciting races in the Solent with a lively social programme. This year will be the first to be raced in Sunsail’s brand new Benetteau 40-footers. For further information, and to register an interest, please email the OSYC Secretary, David Richards, [email protected]

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O LD SALOPIAN ETON FIVES CLUB

It was a mixed season for the Club this year. There were some In the EFA Trophy, the Club was pipped at the post by encouraging individual achievements, but this wasn’t enough to Berkhamsted in a nail-biting final. The scores were: collectively tip the balance in our favour in any of the major A. Theodossi and A. Joyce beat G. Williams and D. Blofield 3-1 competitions and tournaments. (12-9, 4-12, 12-8, 12-10) The Barber Cup demonstrated the talent that the Club now has at D. Smith and J. Fagan lost to G.Thomason and T. Welti 0-3 (5-12, the top level. Again meeting the Old Olavians in the final, for the first 5-12, 3-12) time in recent years we managed to win one pair, but this isn’t J. O’Neill and A. Rattan beat M. Quinn and C. Webster 3-2 (8-12, enough to win the match. The results were: 11-15, 12-6, 12-4, 12-6) H. Wiseman and P. Markkanen lost to E.Taylor and T. Cox Grant Williams and Dave Blofield fought hard to share the first two 1-3 (4-12, 3-12, 12-8, 5-12) games 9-12, 12-4 but the morning’s efforts caught up with them in S. Cooley and D. Mew beat R. Nichols and T. Gerrard the end and Theodossi and Joyce won 3-1 in four hard-fought 3-0 (12-4, 12-2, 12-2) games. Second pair saw Welti and Thomason in fine form, M. Wiseman and P. White beat R. Griffiths and M. McKeever recording their second win of the day with a comfortable 3-0 victory 3-0 (12-1, 12-7, 12-7) over Smith and Fagan. The early signs at 3rd pair were good for the On paper, this was one of the strongest Barber teams that we’ve Club with Marc Quinn and Craig Webster establishing a 2-0 lead. fielded for some time. It demonstrates our potential, but also shows The third game was the turning point, however, as O’Neill began to that to win top competitions we need to get players playing more take control of the contest and with solid support from Rattan won it regularly to achieve results. It’s a shame that our top players are by 12-6. Once the momentum had turned there was little Marc and and large located outside the London playing centre. We now have Craig could do, and the Berkhamstedians went on to win in five the players to win the Barber, but we need to be playing consistently games. throughout the season in the League and major competitions if we In the League, the Club came second to last in both Divisions. A are to stand a chance of beating the Olavians. Ed Taylor and Tom change in strategy next season with the Club entering just one team Cox deserved their win at 1st pair. At 2nd pair, Rich Nichols and Tom in Division II should help improve our performance next year. Gerrard faced arguably the strongest pair on the day. Their score In other tournaments, the South won the inter-club Harding doesn’t quite reflect how close the game was and with Seb Cooley Trophy at Shrewsbury on the day of the formal opening of the going on to win the Kinnaird Cup later in the season, their refurbished Fives courts at The Schools. The season also saw a performance against him was encouraging. In 3rd, Rory Griffiths strong Salopian presence in the Aberconway ‘Father and Sons’ and Matt McKeever, who have only recently left Shrewsbury, fought Cup. After an essentially all Salopian semi-final, the final saw current well against multiple Kinnaird winner Matt Wiseman but didn’t have holders Peter and Rex Worth beaten by Mike and Chris Hughes. In the experience to quite pull it off. what was a closely fought game throughout, Mike’s fine form on the

The Barber Cup Team 2011 (left to right): Matt McKeever, Rich Nichols, Ed Taylor, Rory Griffiths, Tom Cox, Tom Gerrard

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day just gave them the edge and prevented Rex from dominating successfully secured the future of Fives at Shrewsbury. the court. Mike and Chris carved out a good victory in what was a With the newly refurbished courts in place, it was great to see fantastic final to watch. such an outstanding performance from the Shrewsbury School A new competition this season saw Old Salopians pairing up with team in the National Schools’ Championships this season. You’ll be current pupils from Shrewsbury in the Old boy/School boy able to read the account of this competition in the School News competition. A fantastic day of Fives saw the Shrewsbury team just section. On behalf of the OSEFC, I’d like to congratulate all the miss out on the cup, losing to St Olave’s in the final. players and coaching staff on their almost total domination of the The scores were: competition across most age groups. In particular, congratulations S. Cooley and C. Self beat T. Walters and G. Thomason to Jack Hudson-Williams and George Thomason who won the 2-1 (1-12, 12-5, 12-6) Open Competition without dropping a single game – a feat almost H. Wiseman and T. Barker beat M. Hughes and J. Tse unique in the annals of Eton Fives. 2-0 (12-7, 12-8) On a final note, I am passing on the secretarial baton for the Old D. Mew and H. Ravi beat G. Williams and B. Jones Salopian Eton Fives Club to Peter Nichols from the end of this 2-1 (12-3, 5-12, 12-4) season. I’ve enjoyed my nine years as Hon.Sec of the Club and I’d Despite the result, it was a great opportunity for the Club to like to thank all those who have helped out during my tenure. In establish ties with the Club’s players of the future and Peter I’m pleased to be passing on the management of the Club to congratulations to Thomason, Tse and Jones for playing so well such a dedicated Old Salopian and committed Fives player. against such strong opposition. If anyone is interested in playing Fives either in Shrewsbury or By far the greatest event of the season was the October Day London, they should contact Peter via the Old Salopian Club or visit opening of the newly refurbished Fives courts at Shrewsbury, now www.fivesonline.net known as ‘The Worth Courts’. Richard Barber’s speech from that The link to Richard Barber’s article on the opening of The Worth day was published in the previous edition of the Salopian Courts is: magazine. Attempting to summarise this momentous project in just www.shrewsbury.org.uk/downloads/welcome/Salopian147_Winter2010.pdf a few words here would not do it justice. You can find a link to the Floreat! article below. I would, however, like to personally thank all those Anthony Walters involved in the project. It was a fantastic achievement and you have Hon.Sec. OSEFC

R IGG’S 150TH BIRTHDAY

Despite rather cloudy and blustery weather conditions, the Rigg’s Afterwards “Riggites” were given the freedom of the School site House 150th Birthday celebrations went with a real swing. Up to and many took the opportunity to explore some of the new 170 Old Salopians of vintages ranging from the 1940s to the buildings as well as visiting their old House. Those who “noughties” dropped in during the day. The event began with a congregated in Rigg’s Hall were able to appreciate the extensive service in the School Chapel followed by drinks on the Kingsland collection of old school photographs and reports that had been House lawns. A magnificent luncheon ensued and for the vast gathered and exhibited for perusal. Later that evening, a black tie majority this was the centrepiece of their day. The meal provided the dinner took place in Kingsland House – 33 Rigg’s men attended, platform for several keynote speeches. rounding off a most successful and memorable day. Special thanks Adrian Kemp delivered an entertaining oration in which he go to Malcolm Davies (R 51-56) who worked tirelessly alongside described the souls of “Riggites” being akin “to the guardians of the Matthew Mostyn to ensure the day’s success. Thanks also go to School gates, a bit like The Lifeguards, but without the horses…”. Malcom’s wife, Annie, whose table decorations and flower He also commented that the girth of some of his schoolboy arrangements added that extra splash of colour to the luncheon colleagues reflected the proximity of Rigg’s to the School tuck shop. and evening dinner. Alex Baxter Finally Adrian lamented the unfortunate colours of the House (Chocolate and Gold) which were often referred to as something unprintable (coloured yellow and brown) when playing football against Oldham’s boys! Mark Turner’s speech paid tribute to Rigg’s Housemasters past and present. In remembering the great “Brookie” (Housemaster from 1947 to 62) held in such great affection by generations of Rigg’s men, he was able to thank the former Housemaster’s two daughters for honouring the occasion with their presence. He thanked Matthew Mostyn, the current Rigg’s Housemaster, for his sterling efforts in organising an excellent event. (Matthew steps down towards the end of the year, after a ten-year spell at the helm.) Charles Foster responded to the Headmaster’s address. Charles is a former Cambridge graduate with a background in veterinary medicine and now a barrister specialising in medical law. His thoughts centred on how Rigg’s men were encouraged to do the things they wanted to do, rather than what others felt they should. Old Riggite Sir David Barnes and retiring Housemaster His toast of “Happy Anarchy” rounded off a memorable meal. Matthew Mostyn

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S.S. Sopwith before and during WW2, and 1926. He was educated first at the recently was a Praepostor. He served in the RNVR opened Barfield Preparatory School; there OBITUARY until 1946. He died peacefully on January it seems that he greatly enjoyed a relaxed 18th 2011, aged 87. atmosphere filled with outward-bound P. J. Ambler (R 1964-67) The ‘Stafford Sentinel’ wrote: Tributes activities. In contrast, the scale and A. E .B. Arkle (O 1966-71) have been paid to Sir Richard Bailey, one formality of Shrewsbury was something of R. S. Astbury (Ch 1949-52) of the leading lights of the English pottery a shock; but it was there that he found his Sir Richard J. Bailey (O 1937-42) industry. Sir Richard was at the helm of first true passion – the single scull. He was M. Baillie-Gage (I 1932-36) some of North Staffordshire’s most famous also in the School Swimming Team. C. E. Benson (M 1940-44) brands at a time when the area dominated After Shrewsbury, he enlisted in the world markets. He was Managing Director Royal Navy, trained as a meteorologist and D. M. Birch OBE (I 1963-67) of the Royal Doulton Group when it was stationed in Ceylon. On completing A. B. Bowles (O 1938-43) included such names as Minton, Royal his National Service, he spent some time Dr J. H. Bradshaw (Rt 1942-46) Crown Derby, Royal Albert, Paragon and exploring Europe by motorcycle before Canon R. A. Brownrigg (M 1933-38) Ridgway as well as Royal Doulton itself. being accepted at Sidney Sussex College, N. B. Camber (SH 1954-56) Untilverylateinlifehewasahighprofile Cambridge, where he read Economics and T. C. Chadwick (SH 1946-50) figure in the community, passionate about continued competitive sculling. He next H. W. S. Clark MBE DL (JHT 1941-44) helping Stoke-on-Trent’s residents and spent a few lean years in London qualifying J. Clegg (SH 1950-55) businesses. He joined Doulton Fine China as a Chartered Accountant; unexpectedly, R. M. Cowan (DB 1936-40) in Burslem as Technical Director in 1955 this later resulted in a posting to Borneo, J. D. Cran (DB 1940-43) and became Managing Director of Royal which allowed him further opportunities for R. E. Eccleston (I 1939-43) Doulton in 1963. When Pearson bought travelintheFarEast;whileinBorneohe R. Gibson (R 1932-35) Doulton & Co. in 1972, Sir Richard led the took up dinghy sailing. Rev Prof P.J. Gomes (Hon. Member) merger which resulted in a group with A few years later, he was offered the J. A. Hawke-Genn (SH 1936-41) more than 10,000 employees worldwide position of Finance Director with Giddings T. de B. Hibbert (O 1935-38) and factories in each of the six towns. He and Lewis-Fraser in Arbroath; he met my G. D. Hindley (O 1945-49) was awarded a CBE for services to exports mother at the Loch Earn Sailing Club. Dr R. B. H. Hoole (Ch 1940-44) in 1977 and he became Executive Subsequently, he worked for a number of P. J. Hope (O 1944-49) Chairman of Royal Doulton in 1980. firms in Manchester and London before D. K. Hughes (DB 1927-30) A devoted family man, Sir Richard is finally settling outside Glasgow, where my P. Jackson R 1940-44) survived by his wife, 4 children, 14 sister and I grew up. (died Oct. 2009) grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. On my father’s retirement, my parents C. H. Pemberton (Staff 1955-58) His son John, speaking on behalf of the moved back to Surrey, not far from where Dr A. J. Popert (DB 1943-48) family, said: ‘He always had time for my father was born. There he kept himself everyone, had the ability to understand busy with family, the garden, DIY projects, Dr R. G. M. Poston (R 1940-44) other points of view, and was remarkably village social life and occasional exotic (died Nov. 2003) tolerant. He provided us all with a role holidays. We miss him greatly. A. J. E. Pugh (I 1958-63) model of the power of love, caring and He died suddenly on October 5th 2009, M. D. Ritchie (M 1945-49) service.’ aged 83. J. M. T. Ross MBE (S 1948-53) Service to the pottery industry included Prof J.F.A. Sprent CBE (R 1929-32) being Chairman of the National Joint D. M. Birch OBE (I 1963-67) B.E. Suckling (O 1933-36) Council for the Ceramics Industry and Nick Lewtas (I 1963-68) writes: N.I. Taylor QC (JHT 1936-41) several other similar positions of I first met David at the New Boys and C.H. Towers (SH 1945-48) responsibility. From 1987 to 1994 he Parents Tea Party in Ingram’s Hall, in the H.D. Ward (I 1935-39) chaired the Stoke-on-Trent Community autumn of 1963, where we were mutually Partnership, he was an Honorary Fellow of astonished to find that a millennium or two , Council Member of before us our mothers had been R. S. Astbury (Ch 1949-52) , President of Stoke-on- contemporaries at St Leonard’s School in Richard Astbury followed his father and Trent Repertory Theatre and an Honorary St Andrews. They had endured this uncle into Churchill’s under the Freeman of the City of Stoke-on-Trent. His process of ‘education’, survived and, housemastership of Alec Binney. After lifelong commitment to the area, the amazingly, were about to condemn their Shrewsbury he went to the pottery industry and its people was poor sons to a similar fate. Northamptonshire College of Agriculture, recognised with a knighthood in 1984. David always maintained that life was full and his whole life was devoted to dairy Tributes included: ‘He inspired our of such coincidences and that it was these farming in South Leicestershire until he generation to serve and love the people of pivotal points that determined one’s flight retired in 1995. His Jersey herd was very Stoke-on-Trent.’ ‘We have lost a special path through life. Accordingly, in due well known among pedigree breeders in person but the heritage of service, course we commenced the assembly of a the Midlands. He died peacefully on leadership and caring remains.’ ‘He was rich catalogue of adventures and November 11th 2011. A Thanksgiving superb – very thoughtful, very patient and escapades at school and beyond, that Service was held at All Saints Church, very, very fair.’ must remain as David would prefer “…… Husbands Bosworth on November 20th. strictlyonaneedtoknowbasis.” C. E. Benson (M 1940-44) In addition to academic achievement Sir Richard Bailey C.B.E. (O 1937-42) His son Collen Robert Benson writes: My David successfully involved himself in Sir Richard Bailey was in Oldham’s under father was born in Farnham (Surrey) in more physical and esoteric matters. He

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was a rowing ‘star’ for both House and American society and the business experienced, together with that of the School, being awarded 2nd VIII colours in community with his sportsmanship and farming and shooting community on 12th 1967; indeed it is likely that he could have gentlemanly conduct, David’s quiet February 2011, when I learned that Nard rowed for the 1st VIII in 1968 had he not integrity, modesty and amazing memory Camber of Harley near Shrewsbury had migrated towards university a year earlier for names, details and places, enabled him died suddenly. than his more pedestrian brethren. He was to establish many lasting transatlantic Nardwaswellknownintheguntrade,in a fine marksman, shooting for the School relationships and a track record on both recent years having expanded the gun on a number of occasions. A keen sides of the Atlantic that was second to room at his extensive agricultural merchant thespian, he was involved in the none. Such was his reputation that by 2005 premises. He was a fine shot, an production of truly excellent (and hilarious!) he had been appointed director, Legal experienced deerstalker and keen house plays. In his final year he was made Council to, and Executive Committee fisherman. His hobbies also included a Praepostor, being expected to obey and member of, BABC New York and London boating and in recent years scuba diving. I uphold the law, applying authority through and at various times their Vice President, have spent many enjoyable hours with fine leadership. In the best Birch tradition President and Chairman. Nard, a firm friend, over the past twelve he achieved this magnificently with In recognition of these outstanding years or so. He was a veritable mine of unwavering fairness and firmness, whilst services to UK/North American relations, information on shotguns and rifles, the school rules were invisibly elasticised David was awarded the OBE (Diplomatic carrying an extensive ever-changing stock to widen the breadth of his and his friends’ and Overseas List) in the Queen’s Birthday in his retail shop. His anecdotes were life experiences to the greatest possible Honours of l2004. I know what this honour innumerable, told to me as we shared degree, all in the most responsible way truly meant to David, but typically he was lunch in his office on many occasions. and in the best possible taste, of course! too modest to refer to it with anything but Nard was born on 21st February 1939, David left Shrewsbury in 1967 to study the most fleeting passing reference. within earshot of London’s Bow Bells. His law at University College, London. Then, In 2008 David left Wragge & Co to father Bernard was a psychiatrist in equipped with a good degree, he joined further develop his contacts with North London and his mother was a GP.Afterhis the law firm of Herbert Smith (London), America and India as consultant to the parents divorced, Nard moved with his immersing himself in insurance law until Indian firm, Amarchand & Mangaldas & mother and two sisters to Llandudno 1978 when the family moved to Suresh A. Shroff & Co, and the London where his mother set up as a GP.Itwas Northamptonshire and he took up a new firm of Addleshaw Goddard. He was busily here that Nard developed his lifelong position with Wragge & Co in Birmingham. employed expanding these interests right romance with the sea, boats and fishing. During much of the next decade he up to his untimely death from cancer in At the end of World War Two, after peace created a very significant insurance March this year. had returned, the family moved again, this practice, eventually becoming Head of Itisdifficulttodefinewhatmakes time to Trench in Shropshire. The children Litigation, but from 1985 onwards spent friendships work, but a major feature of went to a primary school in Wellington and increasing time developing the firm’s ours was a shared sense of humour and Nard went to board at Whitchurch international business. This soon became an unspoken but complete understanding. Grammar School and then on to full time and he was appointed a member A look and a raised eyebrow were enough Shrewsbury; there he enjoyed his sport, of the North America and India Desks and to trigger gales of guffaws and giggles. particularly the discus and fives. He also Client Partner for many US and Canadian Perhaps the most striking thing is that all developed a talent for woodwork; his love clients. Involvement with the - his friends, and perhaps all the many who of animals, which he carved to perfection, United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce ever met him, have to various degrees became evident. In his teenage years his led to his becoming a Member of Council been spellbound by this ‘David’ effect: the love of the countryside grew and he spent and honorary representative for the rapier wit, never unkind, and instant much of his spare time fishing and Midlands, culminating in his being laughter, delivered with understatement, shooting; during his school holidays he President for 1993 – 4, and in 1995 his modesty and an absolutely straight face. also worked on the trawler fleets off the appointment as Honorary Consul for This mischievous generosity, on top of all coast of Scotland. He spent his National Canada. As if this was not enough to do, his other attributes, decency, honesty, Service time in the Royal Navy and David joined the board of the British integrity and kindness made David simply afterwards joined a life insurance American Business Council (BABC) the finest of men and an irreplaceable company. However, office life was not for Chicago and, back home with a colleague friend. him and soon he had embarked on his first from KPMG, set up the UK Midlands David leaves his wife Diana, son Toby, steps into agriculture with BOCM Silcock. branch of BABC, eventually becoming its daughter Emily, granddaughter Evie and a Nard, however, was a born entrepreneur Honorary President in 2005. worldfulloffriendswhoallmisshimvery and decided that the job he was doing for Through these connections, David was much. But for those of us that knew him an employer he could do for himself. After also invited to join the British Airways well, the memories are so rich and the marriage he set up his own agricultural Regional Board as a director and laughs still so fresh that this outstanding business, working from his garage at consultant, a position that he held until the Old Salopian must surely live forever. home at Cound. This proved successful end. Not long before David died, BA’s He died on 3rd March 2011. andbeforelongheneededlarger Chief Executive visited him and then premises, so he bought a sizeable poultry announced a new incentive for staff, the N. B. Camber (SH 1954-56) shed at Harley. David Birch Prize for the employee who The following notice appeared in His business flourished and blossomed generates the most new business each ‘Countryman’s Weekly’: The quote from into the successful operation we know year. Watership Down, ‘My heart has joined the today through a mixture of his Like the late 19th century entrepreneur thousand, for my friend stopped running entrepreneurial skills and the help of his Sir Thomas Lipton, who captivated today’, sums up the shock and sadness I friends. In 1979 he bought a chalet

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overlooking the harbour at Pwllheli where H. W. S. Clark MBE DL (JHT 1941-44) and Scottish coasts – and then Norway, he indulged his love of boats. Meanwhile, His son Bruce (S 1971-75) writes: Brittany and the Mediterranean – in modest his family was growing and family holidays Some features of Wallace Clark’s rich wooden vessels. He built up a vast were spent in Finisterre. Sadly, his and colourful life were almost preordained; knowledge of the harbours, tides and lore marriage did not last but both their children others were entirely of his own design. He of those places. That is reflected in Sailing have families of their own; Nard leaves came from the Ulster village of Round Ireland, the best known of a dozen behind five grandchildren of whom he was Upperlands, a place built around the linen books he wrote or edited on maritime and very fond. They, along with all of us, will company which his forebears founded in local history. His love of the maritime past miss him dearly. He was a great lover of life 1736. So it was nearly inevitable that he of Ireland and Scotland was reflected in and a true countryman; he made a huge would spend his career in the textile two high points of his life. In 1963, he number of friends through his many business. In doing so, he followed seven skippered an expedition by curragh (a hobbies. It was his final wish to return to generations of Clarks. traditional canvas-covered craft) from thesea;thewatersaroundPwllheliwillbe His education, too, followed a well- Derry to Iona, retracing the voyage of Saint his final resting place. trodden path. In common with his father, Columba. The oarsmen were received on four uncles and eight kin of his own age, arrival by Michael Ramsay, the Archbishop T. C. Chadwick (SH 1946-50) Wallace was sent to Shrewsbury. While one of Canterbury. Then in 1991, Wallace Richard G. Hodgson (M 1954-59) writes: cousin, Blake, excelled at fives and recreated the world of the Lordship of Isles, Tom came from Whitefield on the another, Roddy, was a champion boxer, a kingdom that held sway over the Scottish northern edge of Manchester where his Wallace’s happiest memories were of coast, by leading a voyage from Galway to father owned and ran the textile dyeing and scudding down the Severn in various kinds the Hebrides in a replica medieval galley. finishing company Walkden & Makin. After of boat, and of keeping a pet jackdaw in He was fascinated by seafaring warriors, Mostyn House, Tom went to School House his house, Tombling’s. He enjoyed the from Ireland’s Grace O’Malley to Somerled, (under Hope Simpson and Taylor) where English teaching of George Simmons, but a Nordic-Gaelic galley commander. For all he flourished, although his talents and by the time he left, his relations with his that, Wallace was a gentle soul, who took interests did not entirely fit in with the Headmaster and classics teacher, Henry delight in his family, immediate and conventional values of the Shrewsbury of Hardy, were difficult. He was longing to get extended, and in his home and garden, those days. Information is sparse, but Tom out of the classroom and into uniform. which attracted swans, ducks and a huge did recall being in class with an equally As a director of his firm, Wallace’s variety of smaller birds. His Salopian sons under-rated Salopian called Michael contribution was impressive. Under his Bruce (a journalist) and Miles (a promising Heseltine. His achievement in reaching the guidance, it developed interlinings that yachtsman and writer who died tragically in quarter-finals of the Northern Tennis could be heat-sealed to garments, and 1993) could rely on his support. During Championships went virtually unnoticed, became an important supplier to the parental visits to Shrewsbury in the 1970s, tennis not being regarded as a school clothing trade. His wife June, a fine linguist he often remarked on how vastly happier a sport in those days. and hostess, helped hugely; she place the school had become. After Miles’s After National Service in the Royal Navy, accompanied him on trips and entertained death, Wallace lavished attention on his Tom went to UMIST to read Textile customers at their historic Georgian grandchildren Finnian and Georgiana, and Chemistry. The early and sudden death of cottage. on many other young protégés. his father left Tom in charge of a major Like his father and grandfather, Wallace In his final decade, he sailed and wrote textile enterprise in his early twenties at a also played his part in keeping the local at every opportunity, in between caring for point where synthetic fibres were new and peace. He was a company commander in June who was disabled. He took their dyeing a matter of technical the Ulster Defence Regiment for seven enormous pleasure in the travel innovation. Tom led the firm successfully in years after its creation in 1970. So, like his scholarship founded in memory of Miles, those challenging times; the business was immediate forebears, he combined daily which has helped scores of Salopians to eventually sold, in time to avoid the business duties with several nights a week turn half-formed plans for exotic trips into eventual decline of the textile industry. of patrolling the fields and hills. Whether in reality. Although firmly unmusical, Wallace Tom had always been an enthusiastic the factory or the barracks, he was deeply had a small repertoire of songs, including yachtsman and set up a sailcloth company loved by his subordinates. A gentle giant, ‘Beautiful Dreamer’. At several moments in (Windmaster). He commissioned a series hewasineverysensealeaderofthe his life – mostly on the sea – Wallace made of yachts, all named Green Highlander, community. Like many of his kin, he also the most improbable dreams come true. and took part in many significant races, played a more formal role, serving as High including competing at Cowes Regatta. In Sheriff of the County in 1970, and as Vice- Jeremy Clegg (SH 1950-55) later years, no less competitively, he Lord Lieutenant for a decade. His widow Claire writes: pursued his interest in rallying in an open- Yet his greatest passion was not cloth- Jeremy was born in Woodford, top vintage MG sports car, along with his making or soldiering of the terrestrial kind. Cheshire, the youngest of a family of four second wife, Elizabeth. He was also an With no encouragement from his parents, children; his brother Jonathan was also in enthusiastic fly-fisherman and latterly he always longed to be on the sea. By VE School House 1943-49. Jeremy, like his became a dedicated church-warden in the Day, he was in the Royal Navy, which brother, was in the Fives IV. village of Toft in Cheshire. remained his favourite arm of the forces. He qualified as an electrical engineer at Tom was a family man and was devoted He served for a couple of years, Metropolitan Vickers, Manchester and went to his children; one son predeceased him specialising in mine disposal, then had a on to specialise in railway signalling and and five daughters survive him. He died season’s adventure on a cattle-ship bound from there to involvement in the design peacefully on October 21st 2010, aged for . From the moment he and installation of new railway signalling seventy-eight. returned to join the business, he was equipment all over the UK. snatching time to sail. He explored the Irish He subsequently moved on to work in

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different capacities for a number of branch of the Forces to join. His training for overseas. He died peacefully in hospital in companies, including a period in South the Signals included a six month stint at Spain on 17th December 2010. He leaves Africa. He retired from Bombardier, where Oriel College, Oxford, doing an electronics two sons from his first marriage and two he had been employed as Deputy Tenders course, which he much preferred to the stepsons from his second. Manager, in 1995. His time with classics. Officer Cadet training also His love of sport, primarily golf, began at Bombardier and their predecessors had involved rigorous outdoor exercises in the Luffenham Heath Golf Club in Lincolnshire involved Jeremy in having to travel Lake District. He became an officer in July and was further developed in North Devon extensively in South America, which he 1945, just as the war was over, and served at Saunton, where he became captain and greatly enjoyed. During this period, Jeremy in the army for three years, in India and often represented his county. While in the was elected to Matlock Town Council and Palestine. motor trade, one of his dealerships was he later became Mayor. Upon leaving the army, he returned to with Jaguar cars; this is how he first His life-long passion for railways Oriel College, this time for a degree in Law. developed his interest in motor racing. For continued after retirement; he was He then joined his father’s firm of solicitors ten years he competed at the highest appointed Chairman and General Manager in Nottingham, and eventually became levels in the sport, earning the title of ‘The of Peak Rail, a local heritage railway. He Senior Partner of the firm Masser & last of the private racing drivers’. He began also developed a passion for bowls and Eccleston, where he remained until he by competing with a Jaguar XK120, then was Secretary of the local club. In addition, retired. He was a mentor to several young with a Cooper Bristol; in 1955 he moved to he was a Churchwarden, a member of the solicitors who began their careers there a two-litre Connaught A-Type with which he local Civic Association and a Custody over the years, and colleagues talk of his wasverysuccessfulatanumberof Visitor appointed by the Police Authority. high professional standards, yet amiable venues. In 1957 he acquired a Cooper He was a great lover of jazz, especially the charm. He was generous in giving his time Climax T43 which brought him international music of Humphrey Lyttleton and Chris to the local community, for example as fame in Europe; in 1958 he raced in New Barber. He took up tap dancing in his President of the Nottinghamshire Law Zealand and in Europe, then in South retirement and was a regular attender at Society, and was involved in several Africa where he became South African classes, despite being the only man in the charities including being on the board of Formula One Champion and International group. the Nottinghamshire Royal Society for the RAC Champion for two consecutive Jeremy and I were married in November Blind for over thirty years. He continued years. Later, he suffered a horrendous 1960 and had two children, and I now have much of the charity work during his crash at 110mph which put him into four grandchildren. Jeremy always retirement, serving as Chairman of the hospital for six months. In 1961 he remembered his time at Shrewsbury as NRSB when he was in his seventies. returned to the South African scene, but being among the happiest of his life; he He was happily married to Elly for fifty he retired saying that at the age of forty- was proud to be an Old Salopian. Jeremy years, and they had two children, three he should slow down a bit as the died on July 11th 2008. Alexandra and Michael. Michael also went competition from the big works teams to Shrewsbury, giving Raymond the was getting so much stronger, thus R. E. Eccleston (I 1939-43) opportunity to enjoy the school vicariously. making it difficult for the private driver to His family write: As well as a love of hill walking (inspired by compete. Raymond was born in Nottingham, but his army training in Shropshire and the his parents had recently moved from Lake District), Raymond enjoyed a variety Reverend Professor Peter Gomes Shrewsbury and the family had deep of hobbies and interests including poetry, (Honorary Member) connections with Shropshire, so it seemed theatre and history. He and Elly shared a Trevor Potter (First Harvard-Shrewsbury natural he would attend Shrewsbury great appreciation of the arts. He was a Fellow, 1978-79) writes: School. He studied the classics, although keen photographer and set up a dark- Shrewsbury School lost a great friend he admitted this was a fairly arbitrary room at home, but he was not deterred by with the February 2011 death of the Revd choice and he found it a hard grind. His the digital age and mastered Photoshop Professor Peter Gomes, DD, Plummer extracurricular activities during the war during his retirement. In later years he Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey years were dominated by army training would have an annual reunion with three Preacher in the Memorial Church at (the Home Guard) and farming, as well as Shrewsbury friends, Henry Thompson, . Sir Eric and Lady rowing. He would describe endless John Jordan and Max Napier, when they Anderson attended his memorial service in parades in uniform, Field Days running up would visit the Schools and take keen note April at Harvard, at which the speakers and down Shropshire hills in the rain, and of the changes they observed each time. were two Presidents of Harvard and the bayonet fighting in the gym led by a Raymond died in January 2011, aged Governor of the Commonwealth of strident Sergeant Major. He and other boys eighty-five. Massachusetts and a moving would sometimes be driven to work on a remembrance from HRH the Prince of nearby farm in a pig truck, to spend long R. Gibson (R 1932-35) Wales was read. Dr Gomes was one of the days hoeing potatoes or weeding kale. His son Tom writes: founding ‘parents’ of the Harvard- Despite these arduous activities, Raymond Richard was born in Bourne, Shrewsbury Fellowship (now in its thirty- developed a love of the Shropshire Lincolnshire. After Shrewsbury, he spent a second year) and over the years visited the countryside and had wonderful memories short time in the RAF, much of that time in Site often, including preaching in Chapel of his time at school. He kept up Canada. Thereafter he developed a career and making friends in the Common Room. associations with Shrewsbury throughout in the motor trade, becoming Chairman Professor Gomes’ initial connection with his life. and Managing Director of Prideaux Garage The Schools came through the Andersons, After leaving school, Raymond enlisted and Devonshire Motors in Barnstaple, who had met him at an Oxfordshire dinner in the army. Career counselling during the North Devon. After a successful business party when they were at Abingdon. They war was reduced to a discussion of which career and two marriages, Richard retired took to each other immediately.

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With the Andersons’ arrival at His first best-selling book was The Good G. D Hindley (O 1945-49) Shrewsbury, Dr Anderson contacted Dr Book: Reading the Bible with Heart and David Hindley was typical of the Gomes at Harvard, seeking his assistance Mind. Dr Gomes’ books extended his extraordinary influence that Shrewsbury in finding a Harvard graduate who would reach well beyond Harvard, and his School can hold on an ex-pupil throughout come and spend a year teaching at contribution to modern theological their life. He held Oldham’s Hall and his Shrewsbury, helping to provide Shrewsbury discussion was significant, as he wrote time at The Schools in great affection, students with greater international beautifully and had the gift of making never failing to attend reunion events until exposure. Dr Anderson was looking for a theological questions accessible and forcedtodosobyillhealthandalways Harvard Divinity School graduate. As Prof urgent to non-theologians. His most recent relishing the arrival of The Salopian, which Gomes often told the story, he knew best seller was The Scandalous Gospel of he read avidly from cover to cover, Harvard Divinity students and was pretty Jesus. What’s So Good About the Good particularly the Obituaries page. Now it is certain they were not what Shrewsbury News?, published in 2007. He participated histurntobeincluded. needed. Accordingly, Dr Gomes arranged in the inaugurations of US Presidents Born in Crosby on Merseyside, he for interviews for several Divinity students Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, followed his father (at Shrewsbury 1915 – when Dr Anderson came to Harvard in the and was the recipient of thirty-nine 20) into the family law firm in Liverpool, first spring of 1978, but also arranged for a honorary degrees from colleges and as an articled clerk and later as a solicitor, Harvard College undergraduate he knew to universities. and appointed by the then Lord spend two days showing the Andersons From early in his professional career, Dr , Lord Hailsham, as a around the University. As Dr Gomes Gomes revelled in his time spent Commissioner of Oaths in 1958. On the expected, at the end of the two days Dr preaching in England, and in what became death of his father the firm amalgamated Anderson announced he was unimpressed his large band of British friends, with Bartlett & Co. and David made the by the Divinity students, but wondered ecclesiastical and otherwise. He was an wise decision to transfer his skills into whether the undergraduate (the writer) Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Local Government work, joining the Legal might be available. He was, and thus Cambridge, a Member of the Order of the & Estates department of Sefton began the Harvard-Shrewsbury Fellowship Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, ran a Metropolitan Council at Southport Town and Dr Gomes’ long connection with week-long mission to Oxford University, Hall in 1972. He completed 25 years with Shrewsbury. Dr Gomes continued a happy and delivered the University Sermon at the Authority. David’s great passion in life association with the Harvard-Shrewsbury Cambridge in 2000 and also the Millennial was for Industrial Archaeology and he Fellowship until his death, hosting US Sermon at Canterbury Cathedral. relished every opportunity to explore the dinners for the Fellows and for many years ancient industrial sites of Britain, from interviewing candidates personally. T. de B. Hibbert (O 1935-38) going down the mines at Blaenau Peter John Gomes was born in Tom Hibbert and his younger brother Noel Ffestiniog to making his way below ground Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1942, the only were in Oldham’s with S. S. Sopwith as to view the old docks in Liverpool. From child of Orissa Gomes, an African- Housemaster as World War Two was the tin mines of Cornwall to the Severn American whose family had been free looming. They were great–grandsons of Sir Valley Railway and the Ironbridge Gorge, northern blacks for generations, and Peter Thomas Hibbert, who arrived at from Brunel’s work in Bristol to the cotton Gomes, a descendant of Portuguese Shrewsbury in 1836 when Kennedy mills in Lancashire, nothing escaped his Azores immigrants. Peter’s multi-cultural became Headmaster, grandsons of Percy attention. Entirely self-taught, he organised persona began from the start; he was Hibbert (1865-69) and sons of Jock Hibbert special long weekend events for his friends baptized a Catholic in deference to his (M 1900-03), whose two brothers were also and colleagues in the Merseyside Industrial father, but raised an American Baptist at Shrewsbury. Tom’s brother Noel was Heritage Society based in Liverpool under the firm hand of his mother, who killed in action with Bomber Command in Museum; the programmes he arranged for played the organ and directed the choir in 1945 after winning the DFC. Percy Hibbert’s 22 years, always to a different location, the local Baptist church. Only much later in daughter was the grandmother of were the annual highlight of his life. An life did genealogical research reveal that Christopher Pearson (M 1960-65) who is annual David Hindley Lecture is currently he also had Spanish Jewish forbears therefore a cousin of the deceased. being planned in his memory. through his Azorean father. As an African- In his war service Tom went to India with It was typical of David that when invited American child in the Plymouth schools, he the Gordon Highlanders. After the war he toattendaBuckinghamPalaceGarden fitted in because of his fascination with the settled in New Zealand with his first wife Party in 2001 he could hardly wait to Pilgrims, who landed on Plymouth Rock in Mary. He was a keen mechanical engineer, escape to have a ride on The Docklands 1620. In adult life, Peter served for many having worked at Vickers; for a time he ran Light Railway and to visit a derelict old years as President of the Pilgrim Society, a business making furniture, including a pumping station in the East End. He was a unique for a non-Mayflower descendant. machine of his own invention which made prolific reader and seldom without a book After Bates College and Harvard Divinity curly chair legs. He could turn his hand to in his hand, he served as Hon. Treasurer at School, Peter returned to Harvard as any task (like a regular Kiwi). the National Trust West Lancashire Centre Assistant Minister in the Memorial Church, He returned to England and lived in for many years. When asked why he spent then served two years as Acting Minister, Manningtree for about a decade with his so much time and trouble organising and was called to the Plummer second wife Yo; he returned to Whangerei events and people, he replied simply: Professorship at the amazingly young age in New Zealand for the last ten years of his ‘Well, at least they all enjoyed themselves.’ of thirty-two. Within a few years, he was life and became an enthusiastic oarsman. He suffered from severe heart failure for drawing crowds to Harvard’s church, and He died in May 2010, survived by his his last 18 months, after retiring to Kendal. rave reviews nationally, eventually being daughter Diana and sons Nick and John He died on October 1st 2010; his named “One of the most distinguished from his first marriage, also by his second cremation was attended by his close friend preachers in America” by Time Magazine. wife Yo. from Oldham’s, Charles Talbot. The service

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ended with the Shrewsbury School prayer; end with the concluding words of an article leave anything to chance. this demonstrated clearly that ‘once a which appeared when he was ordained as (An obituary for Christopher Pemberton Salopian, always a Salopian’. Moderator: appeared in The Independent of January “Our new Moderator has many 5th 2011). D. K. Hughes (DB 1927-30) outstanding qualities, but two deserve His nephew Ian Short (I 1956-61) writes: special mention, his humanity and his Dr R. G. M. Poston (R 1940-44) Kenneth Hughes was born in Corwen, sanctified common sense. He inspires Richard Poston, who was born in Oldham, North Wales, on 1st December 1912, and trust and affection, not consciously, for he was in Rigg’s under J.M. Street during after early years plagued with ill health, is a very modest person, but by his WW2. He read Medicine at St Andrews which almost cost him his life on numerous practical sensible approach. He leads by University and after house jobs at Dundee occasions, moved with his parents to example rather than by any appeal to Royal Infirmary entered General Practice; Shrewsbury when he was ten years old, authority and is always concerned to he remained in the same Glodwick where he lived on Kennedy Road and went encourage others to do their part rather practice until retirement. He was involved to Kingsland Grange before moving to The than to force attention on himself. In this in the creation of the first purpose-built Schools, where Colonel West was sense, his style of leadership is low-key, health centre in Oldham and throughout Housemaster of Dayboys. After leaving but he has very high standards; he his career he never lived more than a few school Kenneth qualified as a chartered believes passionately that in the Church of hundred yards from the surgery. For many accountant and embarked on a God only the best is good enough, and he years he was Secretary of the Oldham distinguished professional and business expects all who work with him to adhere to Medical Society. He died in November career in the food distribution industry. He these standards. But his over-riding 2003 from urothelial cancer, leaving a wife joined the family firm of David Jones & Co concern is with people. His is a personal Christine,fourchildrenandfour Ltd in Liverpool and ultimately became faith in a personal Saviour and he never grandchildren. Director and Secretary. When the company forgets that his Lord is involved in all our merged to form Morris & David Jones and joys and sorrows and that His grace can A. J. E. Pugh (I 1958-63), became listed on the Stock Exchange in transform the lowest and the least. That is later Gordon-Pugh the 1960s, he was appointed Finance what makes him a man of such At his Thanksgiving Service at Saintfield, Director. He remained with the company in understanding and compassion. He is a Northern Ireland, a close friend paid the the same post after it was sold to US man of faith and it shows.” following tribute: buyers in the early 1970s, until he retired in Kenneth died on 30th December 2010, “Today we are here to celebrate the life 1979. Following further acquisitions and aged ninety-eight. of our dear friend Archibald Gordon-Pugh, mergers, the company ultimately became ‘Archie’ as we all knew him. He led a varied Safeway and then Morrisons. C. H. Pemberton (Staff 1955-58) and interesting life, with some early years The fascinating story of the emergence John Alford (Staff 1958-89) writes: in India, then with schooling in England and growth of a small family business Christopher Pemberton, who joined the Art and Switzerland, travelling and working in which eventually became part of Morrisons Department at Shrewsbury in 1955, died Europe and then settling in the late 1960’s is a classic of Victorian enterprise. In 1862 on December 1st 2010, aged 87. He in County Down, after he inherited the David Jones, to whom Kenneth’s taught briefly at Bryanston before coming Delamont Estate from his late uncle Sir grandfather was first apprentice and later to Shrewsbury, then after three years at Alexander Gordon. partner, closed his village shop in North Shrewsbury he returned to teach at his Archie was born in India in 1945, the only Wales and moved to Liverpool; there they own Art College, Camberwell School of son and youngest of three children; he set up a business as wholesale grocers Arts and Crafts, and remained there for 27 always spoke fondly of his six years in and dealers in tea and coffee, supplying years; a number of Old Salopians were India and Bombay. He went to Highfield well-known brands to Merseyside and among his students. Wherever he taught, Prep School in Surrey, where his natural North Wales first by horse and cart, then by he will be remembered as a man who had sporting ability was quickly recognised; he rail and ship. By 1906 the turnover of the an inimitable way of engaging with was given the Victor Ludorum award for his business was £500,000 per annum. This students, a quick perceptive mind and, all-round talent. His early years at was the family firm which, about 30 years above all, a passion for art. Shrewsbury were disrupted by TB and he later, Kenneth Hughes joined. He had been a King’s Scholar at Eton missed a full academic year, which meant During his long career Kenneth was also and it was his Eton Housemaster, Jack no sport. After recovery, he played in both Chief Accountant with the Ministry of Food Peterson, who later appointed him to the the School Football and Cricket XI’s. A in London and Colwyn Bay during World staff at Shrewsbury. For four years during schoolmate of his said, “He went in hard War Two. He later served on the Executive the War, Christopher was in the RNVR on and came up with a grin on his face, but of the National Federation of Wholesale Atlantic convoys; in 1948 he graduated in he was always a very clean player and his Grocers and Provision Merchants and Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford, grin came from the sheer enjoyment at became a patron of the Liverpool Welsh where he was also a Scholar. playing the game and stopping his Chorale and President of the Athenaeum Hisworkasadraughtsmanandpainter opponent fairly.” Archie was also a very Club in Liverpool. is highly respected; it owed much to the accomplished tennis player, and tennis Underpinning the whole of Kenneth’s life Euston Road School and involves an remained his favourite sport to the end of was a deep but unobtrusive Christian faith. objective and extremely searching his life. He was (quite correctly) scathing He was unassuming in all he did, but investigation into visual appearances. With about the ability of the majority of his tennis became a senior member of the Cézanne as a hero, Christopher partners. In fact, I remember one day when Presbyterian Church of Wales, both locally considered every brushstroke, assessing I went down to Delamont and I was and nationally, ultimately as Elder and its contribution to the build-up of the watching him play mixed doubles. His Moderator. It is therefore fitting, perhaps, to painting as a whole. He was not one to partner was very beautiful, standing poised

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at the net. Archie went to serve and just as Executive for nearly twenty years of Cosalt such department to exist in Australia. He he threw the ball up in the air there was a Ltd. As well, he was heavily involved with wrote large numbers of keynote papers on sudden gust of wind which rearranged the other business concerns and held a his subject. With various national and position of her light tennis gear. Archie number of honorary and non-executive international colleagues, he played a key caught the ball, turned round and walked posts both locally and nationally. role in establishing The Australian Society over to me with a smile and said, “This is Locally, in Grimsby, he was a much for Parasitology, of which he was elected impossible!” respected citizen and employer. In March Foundation President in 1964, and for On leaving school Archie went to a 2008 he became High Steward of North twenty years he was the Editor of the business college in Switzerland, then East Lincolnshire. He was President of the Society’s International Journal for returned to work in London and Eastern Grimsby Conservative Association, Parasitology. His tenure as Editor was Europe and eventually to Belfast. He had a President of the Grimsby Rotary Club, a characterised by his continuing passion for passion and great flair for cooking and in town councilor and trustee of the Grimsby his subject and his compassionate support the early 1970’s opened the Hans Sloan Fishermen’s Dependants’ Fund. He was of authors and reviewers. Restaurant in Killyleagh; many of us had devoted to Grimsby, its fabric and its After retirement from the Journal, John interesting and fun nights there. Archie was people. He was appointed MBE for spent his days on his beloved property in full of ideas, many of which were well services to the Conservative Party. Moggill in the western suburbs of ahead of his time. He got planning His stoicism and sheer force of Brisbane. Here he tended his rainforest permission to turn Delamont into a country character enabled him in later life to andcattleuntilillhealthforcedhimandhis club, with marina and golf course, a surmount a tally of calamities that would second wife Mary to relocate to a care potentially brilliant idea but he failed to get have done for a lesser man. But in his fight facility in early 2010. He will long be the backing and eventually sold Delamont against all these trials, which included remembered for his open and gentlemanly in 1985. After that he returned to Europe for Parkinson’s Disease, he was inestimably nature. He is survived by his second wife a period, then came back to England, assisted by his wife Gill, who won the Mary, his two sons and a number of acquiring a hotel in Dorchester, and finally admiration of all who knew them … and grandchildren. came back to Ireland, initially to Dublin for continues to do so. Married four times, he When interviewed about his school days, five years and then for the remainder of his leaves a widow Gill and five children and he was asked, “At school, were you a good life to Saintfield. thirteen grandchildren; his younger son student?” His answer was: “Well, the Archie was a highly intelligent man. He David was co-founder of Carphone answer to that question is NO. I think it was had a broad general knowledge and a Warehouse. a great disappointment to my father. brain which enabled him to handle any The funeral service at Grimsby Minster Although he sacrificed a lot to send me to debate. Many of us will have enjoyed great on 20th May was attended by an estimated Shrewsbury, I did not perform well at all. In banter with him, especially here in 1000 people, among them several Old fact, I remember that there were always Saintfield, whether in our own homes or in Salopians, civic leaders and a host of threepeopleatthebottomoftheclass his favourite watering hole. When Norma friends. He died on 12th May, aged when the marks were read out, and I was and I were away, he would often look after seventy-six. always two from bottom, one from bottom, our home and feed the cat. Just over four or bottom. But I ENJOYED being at school, weeks ago he had been up at our home Professor J. F. A. Sprent CBE because I was keen on sport and I made a and set off down the lane to go home. (Rigg’s 1929-32) lot of friends.” Sadly, aged only sixty-five, he never made John Sprent, long-standing editor of the it. Archie, we your friends, all miss you.” International Journal for Parasitology,died C. H. Towers (SH 1945-48) on 1st November 2010, at the age of Bill Hill (SH 1946-51) writes: The family J. M. T. Ross MBE (S 1948-53) ninety-five. He made outstanding glass bottle firm known as Lewis & Towers John Ross was in Severn Hill in the early contributions over more than sixty years to was founded c 1890 in Dalston, London days of Patrick Childs as Housemaster. His education, research and scholarship within and was managed for many years by younger brother Carl, who died in 2009, the field of parasitology, for which he was Hugh’s father. He died suddenly in 1947 followed him there. John read law and awarded the CBE in 1984. His work and the firm was managed by Hugh’s economics at Clare College, Cambridge included the field of parasite pathogenesis eldest brother and his mother (until her and then qualified as a chartered as well as detailed classical studies on death in 1972). His middle brother Sandy, accountant with Peat Marwick. taxonomy, life-cycles, zoogeography and who was at Shrewsbury (SH 1942-43), The Ross family was originally of evolution of parasites. After Shrewsbury he became a career officer in the Royal Navy. Yorkshire stock. John’s grandfather graduated (First Class) in Veterinary The firm, along with most of the staff, was Thomas came to Grimsby during the Sciences and Zoology at London moved by the family to Edenbridge in Kent town’s 19th century boom years and University and then worked as a Veterinary in 1961. established himself in the fishing industry. Research Officer in Nigeria. Subsequently, Hugh, the youngest son, left Shrewsbury His eldest son J. Carl Ross built on this he held research fellowships in UK, USA before the Sixth Form to learn the technical business and became High Steward of and Canada. intricacies of specialist glass blowing and Grimsby in 1969. John followed his father John arrived in Australia with his wife then qualified as a Chartered Accountant. into the stewardship and also inherited his Muriel and young family in 1952 to take up He was commissioned in the Royal role in the fishing industry at a time when the position of Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Marines for his National Service and was Britain’s fishing industry was declining; Parasitology at the University of involved in the Suez Crisis in 1956. He diversification and expansion into other Queensland. His passionate vision for joined the family company as a full-time lines were needed. John was eminently Parasitology was such that he managed to Director in 1957; when his brother Bill successful, first with his management of establish the Department of Parasitology at retired in 1977, Hugh took over as the Ross Group and later as Chief Queensland University in 1960, the only Managing Director, with his sister Jane as

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Chairman. The Edenbridge plant was far in completed several Fastnet races. Over the was a Lancashire lad, the son of elderly advance of the Dickensian practices of the years he introduced many people to the parents. His mother became ill when David 1890’s; in a few years precision glass pleasures of offshore sailing and racing in was quite young, so he was brought up by blowing moved from an art to a precise a uniquely courteous way and never failed a housekeeper, whom he adored. He went science, with production on a seven-days- to communicate an infectious enthusiasm from Shrewsbury to St John’s College, a-week, twenty-four-hours-a-day basis. for the sport. Racing was pretty serious, Cambridge, where he read Engineering. Hugh had good relationships with the but life had its lighter moments. Some A close friend spoke at David’s funeral: glass industry and with the City, partly remember an early boat of Hugh’s, a When he left school, it was wartime. through his work with the Leathersellers. Spartan 23, that provided an early David had had to wear glasses from He travelled widely to keep in touch with all introduction to terminal sea sickness. infancy and so was unfit for the forces. the company’s clients, not so much to sell There was a rumour that, after a Accordingly he went to work at the Royal more of his wares but rather to ensure that particularly tough race, the deckhands Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough on he was able to provide them with exactly mutinied and Hugh was forced to put in at jet engines for six years and later moved to what they needed. He is remembered by Honfleur to buy another length of strong the British Iron and Steel Research all his work colleagues and business garlic sausages to stiffen their nerve for the Association as a senior scientist until he associates as a man of great kindness and journey home. retired in 1981. He met his wife Dorothy stern integrity – a strange combination in Hugh married Liz in 1997, having been while he was at Farnborough and they today’s industry. Hugh had no children and good friends with her for several years. Liz married in 1951; Dorothy was then working as none of the younger generation of is a brilliant sailing lady and they had a at Vickers. nephews and nieces wanted to join, the wonderfully happy time together. Hugh He was something of an extrovert as a company was sold in 1996. Hugh hung up his racing boots in the early young man, with a wide range of interests - negotiated a sensible deal for his work 1990’s but continued to enjoy cruising in cinematography, traditional jazz and, in force which secured their jobs and performance yachts until shortly before his particular, railways. He spent many hours pensions. The many letters from his former death. He was diagnosed with prostate with voluminous railway timetables employees testify to their high regard for cancer a bit too late for it to be successfully researching unusual routes. He was a very him. treated. Liz nursed him faithfully through competent car mechanic and spent hours Hugh’s abiding passion was sailing. He the last few months. He died at home, near repairing and rebuilding old radios. He and acquired a yacht soon after leaving school Dartmouth, on 8th December 2010. His his wife were keen theatre goers. However, and over the years graduated to sleeker ashes will be sprinkled on the ocean that in his later years David became faster racing machines. He was an active he loved. increasingly frustrated with his failing offshore yachtsman throughout his life, (Bill Hill was in close touch with Hugh health, particularly his failing eyesight; the owning a series of eight different yachts. throughout his school days, his National death of his wife Dorothy in 2009 was a From the mid-1960’s he raced regularly Service and his working life and served as bitter blow to him. He died in December with the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the a deckhand on many of his yachts.) 2010. Junior Offshore Group with considerable I remember David as a very good friend success. His boat was always well H. D. Ward (I 1935-39) and we had many happy times together. maintained with sound fittings and rigging David Ward was in Ingram’s with R. Sale Mayherestinpeace. and could withstand the worst that the as Housemaster in the years just before Channel could throw at it. He successfully World War Two. Like many Salopians, he

Old Salopian Club Office – New location and contact details The Club Office has recently moved onto the Schools Site and can be found across the garden from the Moser Library and Art Building. The new office lies between the Registry and what was the old swimming pool for those who remember it, now transformed into the Sixth Form Common Room and known as ‘Quod’ (Why is it called ‘Quod’? Well, because …). The permanent team consists of Alex Baxter (Director) and Miriam Walton (Administrator). Office contact details are: Alex Baxter: Telephone: 01743 280891, email: [email protected] Miriam Walton: Telephone 01743 280892, email: [email protected] General email enquiries: [email protected] Postal Address: The Old Salopian Club, The Schools, Shrewsbury SY3 7BA

ENGAGEMENTS, MARRIAGES AND BIRTHS Stephen Maynard (Ch 1979-84) has announced his engagement to Juliana Bales. James and Amy Bridgeman (G 1991-96) are delighted to announce the birth of their son Adam on New Year’s Day 2011. Jeremy Yarnell-Davies (PH 1982-97) and David Farmer became civil partners on 19th August 2010. Olly Foster (SH 1988-93) married Laura Heath in July 2010. They live in the North York Moors and have a son, Kit. Olly is a Chartered Simon Black (R 1996-2001) announces his engagement to Helen Surveyor specialising in Land and Property. Elizabeth Bath. They will be married in Lydbury North on 10th September this year. David Glanville (O 1999-2001) and Suzanne Shaw are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter Emily Joyce on 15th September 2010.

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C OMING EVENTS .....

What You Will at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival: there will also be a concert on Friday 7th October in the Maidment 15th – 20th August Building. More details will be circulated. The School’s Musical will be performed each day at Adam House, Chambers Street (venue 34) at 12.25 pm. If you are planning to Old Salopian Lunch at the Tufton Arms Hotel, watch this wonderful production and would like to join other Old Market Square, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria CA16 6XA Salopians, staff and parents, we will be meeting at the Greyfriars Sunday 30th October Bobby Public House in Candlemaker Row at 2.30 pm on Thursday Tel: 017683 51593. www.tuftonarmshotel.co.uk 18th August. The venue is just around the corner from Adam House. Old Salopian Lunch at Royal Liverpool Golf Club Meols Drive, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 4AL Richard Raven’s 80th Birthday Party at the London Rifles Club Thursday 3rd November Friday 16th September Telephone 0151 632 3101. www.royal-liverpool-golf.com This celebration of a remarkable Salopian life is open to any friends of RNER of whatever vintage – details from James Lazarus Old Salopian City Drinks at the Oxford and Cambridge Club, [email protected]. 71/7 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HD Monday 14th November. www.oxfordandcambridgeclub.co.uk Old Salopian Day at the Schools: Saturday 8th October For further information, please contact the Old Salopian Office: The theme for this year is music. In addition to the day’s events [email protected] or telephone 01743 280892.

S PONSORED WALK 2011

The twenty-mile walk that will be undertaken over the Mynd itself, looking westwards wish to take part, please let the organisers by the entire school on Thursday 29th across what is regarded as one of the finest know by emailing Nick David on September 2011 passes through some rural views in the United Kingdom - the rolling [email protected] superlative Shropshire countryside. Every five patchwork of fields towards Bishop’s Castle, This year, it is hoped to reach a target in years, a sponsored walk is organised in aid the Stiperstones, and, on a really clear day, excess of £50,000 and individual pupils will of the Shewsy, or to give it its formal title, Cader Idris on the Welsh coast. After a stiff be awarded useful prize items based on how Shrewsbury House. This has proved in the climb towards the Midlands gliding club much they raise. These incentives, coupled past to be one of those rare events that perched on the western side the route drops with some regular motivational nudges from brings the whole School together in a shared across the valley to the west and climbs house representatives, will hopefully lead to endeavour – and one that has the potential again towards the Stiperstones ridge, some large totals being pledged. If you are to raise a significant amount to help this ultimately heading down towards the finish approached, we do hope you will feel able to youth club in a deprived area of Everton point at Pontesbury and transport back to give generously. For anyone who just wishes which is itself one of the most deprived School. to send money, cheques should be made constituencies in Europe. All staff and pupils will be involved and payable to Shrewsbury School and can be The walk starts at the south end of the of course any Old Salopians, parents or mailed to Philip Turner, The Bursary, Long Mynd hill area and heads northwards friends are welcome to join the day. If you Shrewsbury School, Shrewsbury SY3 7BA.

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