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OBA NEWSLETTER 2005
VISIT TO THE SCHOOL OF
THE COUNTESS OF WESSEX
Portrait unveiled
From the left: Theo Platt, the artist, the Countess of Wessex, Sir Peter Squire and Cristopher Rhys-Jones
The Court Circular for September 22nd, 2004 had the
following entry: “The Countess of Wessex today
visited Somerset and was received by Her Majesty’s
Lord Lieutenant (Lady Gass). Her Royal Highness this
morning opened the newly renovated building at Hugh
Sexey’s Hospital, High Street, Bruton. The Countess of
Wessex afterwards opened the newly renovated Norton
Library at King’s School, Bruton. Her Royal Highness this
afternoon opened the newly restored gardens at
Hazlegrove School, Sparkford and was received by Count
Charles de Salis (Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset).”
That necessarily bald narrative does not tell the whole
story. Throughout the visit, the Countess was
accompanied by her father, Chris Rhys-Jones, President of
the O.B.A. In Sexey’s Hospital, Her Royal Highness called
on Mrs Mary Tyndall, Honorary Member of the
Association, whose late husband, John, had been Chris’s
housemaster in Old House in the late 1940’s. Lady Gass,
the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset is the widow of Sir
Michael Gass (N30/34), and Count Charles de Salis
(Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset) was for many years a
Governor of the School and Chairman of the Finance and
General Purposes Committee.
The Countess spent most of the morning in the School,
talking to pupils and Staff and opening the magnificently
refurbished Norton Library. In the Library, Her Royal
Highness unveiled the Theo Platt portrait of Peter Squire
that had been commissioned by the Association. In a
short speech, the Countess said that she had heard a great
deal about King’s School from her father and now she
could see for herself why he was such an enthusiast for
Bruton. At the unveiling, the Countess met the Officers of
the O.B.A. and subsequently signed the Visitors’ Book.
After lunch in the John Davie Room, Her Royal Highness
left by helicopter for Hazlegrove.
2 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2005