The Salopian - Summer 2021

TITLE HERE 1 

THE SALOPIAN 

Issue No. 167 - Summer 2021

From the Editor 

CONTENTS 

Our cover image is an inspiring and timely reminder of 

the natural optimism of youth seen in the faces of some 

of our youngest Salopians engaging with spontaneous and 

unadulterated joy in a tug-of-war. The more symbolicallyminded 

will not need much encouragement to imagine 

at the other end of the rope COVID-19, a recentlyarrived 

character in the continuously unfolding drama 

of Shrewsbury School, who will inevitably make many 

unwelcome appearances in the following pages. But our 

young Salopians seem to be undaunted and confident of 

eventual success, as well they should be, and as the pages 

of this edition will testify. 

Pages 13-16 show the heart of Shrewsbury School - its 

House life – pulsating with energy and joy undimmed, 

many interiors doubtless recognisable to our readers of 

every generation. Through this most challenging quartet of 

Terms, the House system, central to Salopian life since the 

embryonic communities of Doctor’s, Rigg’s and Churchill’s 

started to take shape from the mid-19th century – well 

before the School’s move from the town to the Kingsland 

Site in 1882 – has proved its worth as never before. 

(Doctor’s name has disappeared, its black-and-white livery 

subsumed into the magenta, black and white livery of 

School House, magenta and white being the colours of 

its eventual sister House, Headroom). Buildings, colours, 

inmates and of course Housemasters and Housemistresses 

have come and gone, but the essential purposes of the 

House system have never changed. Following the reforms 

of the wartime Headmaster H H Hardy, Houses are no 

longer run by their Housemasters as separate businesses, 

but intense loyalty to the House community has remained, 

manifested not only in the spirit of inter-House competition 

– in the modern era extended far beyond the traditional 

arena of sport – but also in a determination to play a part 

in the House’s achievements as well as to share in its 

misfortunes. Above all, the House is, as its name implies, 

a Salopian’s home for his or her years in the School, and 

all that the concept of ‘home’ should imply. The images 

included on pages 13-16, taken by Housemasters and 

Housemistresses themselves, surely show above all a 

whole School community of homes. These homes have 

been perhaps more important than ever over the last 16 

months, their spirit strengthened even when people haven’t 

been able to live physically together in them. 

Young people become adults, leave home and ‘go to 

their wide futures’ in the memorable words of the poet 

Grace Nichols, and a further focus of this issue is on the 

increasingly important work of the Futures (formerly 

Careers) Department, reflecting what must always remain 

the central purpose of every good school – to prepare its 

pupils for the world beyond its confines. 

From the Headmaster 4 

Journey of Optimism 6 

Ascending the Mountain 8 

House Life 11 

The Shewsy 15 

Whole School Sponsored Walks 16 

School Prizewinners 2021 21 

Scholarships awarded for 2021 entry 22 

Future Proofing 23 

Business Ethics Forums 26 

Economics Society 26 

Pupil Initiatives 28 

McEachran Prize 2021 34 

Academic Enrichment during a Pandemic 36 

Junior School Essay Competition 37 

Biology Photographic Competition 38 

Inaugural STEM Magazine 41 

Drama 43 

Music 47 

Tribute to the Upper Sixth 2020-21 Musicians 48 

Art 49 

This music crept slowly by me on the waters 53 

Field Days 57 

RSSBC 59 

RSSH 62 

Hockey, Lacrosse, Netball 64 

Rugby 65 

Global Schools’ Running Race 67 

From the Director 68 

Dubai Salopian Event 68 

News of Old Salopians 69 

The World’s Toughest Rowing Challenge 74 

Willie Jones at 90 76 

Salopiana 78 

One Hundred Years Ago 79 

Old Salopian Golfing Society 81 

Old Salopian Football Club 83 

Old Salopian Hunt 84 

Sabrina 85 

Old Salopian Yacht Club 86 

Issy Wong 86 

Old Salopian Freemasons Lodge 87 

Salopian Drivers’ Club 87 

Publications 88 

Obituaries 89 

Editor 

Richard Hudson 

rth@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Assistant Editor 

Annabel Warburg 

Obituaries Editor 

Dr David Gee 

Salopian Club 

Nick Jenkins (Director) 

Salopian Club, The Schools, 

Shrewsbury SY3 7BA 

01743 280891 (Director) 

01743 280892 (Administrator) 

oldsalopian@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Design: Tom Sullivan tom@tangosierra.co.uk 

Print: www.buxtonpress.com

4 

SCHOOL NEWS 

From the Headmaster 

I mistrust total competence. I’ve always felt life is a series of small disasters we try to get through. 

Sir Michael Palin 

These gnomic words of wisdom, 

spoken by much-loved Old 

Salopian Sir Michael Palin, have 

bounced around in my mind quite a 

bit during the past twelve months or 

so. The ongoing challenges of keeping 

things moving through the COVID-19 

pandemic have tested the competence 

of leaders at all levels. 

Competence usually entails mastery 

of the familiar and flows from practice 

and experience. Yet, there has been 

so much that is unfamiliar in recent 

times and people in positions of 

responsibility have done their best. 

Competence has needed to find firm 

allies in qualities such as adaptability, 

creativity and innovation. 

Total competence has been a rare bird 

indeed. Critics and newsfeeds have 

been quick to point out commonplace 

sightings of a less impressive 

feathered friend: incompetence. 

Mistakes have certainly been made, 

despite best efforts, by leaders in all 

organisations. Undoubtedly, there 

has been plenty of incompetence, 

and lack of vision, to consider in the 

politics of education in England. 

On a national and global scale, there 

has, very sadly, been much in the way 

of disaster. And the series still seems 

to stretch into the future: the road 

to recovery will be long and hardtravelled. 

However, looking back at all 

that has been achieved in our patch 

of the world, I find myself filled with 

appreciation and optimism. Pupils 

and staff have shown phenomenal 

durability, goodwill and collaborative 

imagination in reinventing a 

Shrewsbury education for COVID times. 

It has been imperfect: the notion of a 

remote boarding school is a profound 

contradiction in terms, for example. 

There has been much learning by 

doing. And there has been so much 

that is outstanding in its quality and 

spirit. There has been a deep resolve to 

deliver the best possible opportunities 

for pupils, whether in remote mode 

or when living and learning on-site 

together under systems of control that 

grate against the individualism of the 

Salopian soul. 

There has been a heavy emphasis 

on inventing and delivering new 

processes, navigating a daily labyrinth 

of advice and guidance from multiple 

sources, often equivocal or even 

contradictory. The times have required 

new and varying procedures to keep 

pupils and staff safe; technology and 

content to keep people learning and 

connecting when apart; new systems to 

reach fair judgements on the awarding 

of qualifications as schools have 

shouldered the bulk of the burden 

normally borne by examination boards. 

This is an area where total competence 

is the only proper goal. 

This edition of the School’s flagship 

publication has Futures as one of its 

themes. Schools are, by their very 

nature, all about the future. The 

academic, pastoral and co-curricular 

provision at Shrewsbury aims to 

illuminate and educate the whole

SCHOOL NEWS 5 

person. It needs to be dynamic and 

responsive to current times, but also 

to be anchored in the firm ground of 

tradition and belonging. Our Futures 

Department aims to offer diverse, 

expert support for a panoply of 

potential life courses. Day in, day out, 

we are offering learning for life – a 

life more complex and diverse than at 

any time in history. This means honing 

character strengths that are developed 

through our unique holistic education; 

that are guided by the compass of timehonoured 

virtues. 

Our 2030 Strategic Plan, which was 

agreed pre-pandemic but will be 

more formally launched in September 

2021, aims to keep the School moving 

confidently and adroitly into the future. 

Independent schools need to find 

further ways of demonstrating their 

positive contribution to society through 

impactful partnership and social 

mobility programmes. All schools need 

to look carefully at pressing issues of 

equality, diversity and inclusion. Our 

international activities will continue 

to be important, operating as a global 

education player and generating funds 

for our significant transformative 

bursary ambitions as we extend and 

widen access to Shrewsbury School. 

Sustainability and social responsibility 

are high up the agenda for our shared 

future, too. 

At the heart of all our thinking, 

planning and doing is quality and 

excellence in the pupil experience 

at Shrewsbury. We are bringing 

innovation to the academic programme, 

with great leaps in our use of 

technology, and the introduction of 

A Level Politics and the Higher Project 

Qualification for the Lower School. The 

pastoral team will deliver a renewed 

blue-print for individual care and 

education to help children through 

the increasingly complex journey of 

adolescence. The co-curriculum never 

stands still, fuelled with a spirit of 

adventure and a commitment to all 

the learning, personal development 

and fun that comes through group and 

individual activity. 

Pupil numbers are very strong and 

the future of the School looks bright, 

even in what are undoubtedly times 

of great challenge. We don’t want 

to be any larger than we are, as we 

strike the balance between having 

a welcome breadth of pupils but 

also being able to know them as 

individuals and by name. 

Any plans for the future need to address 

the physical aspects of our beautiful Site. 

Cherishing and maintaining the unique 

beauty of our 110 acres is an essential 

duty to future Salopians. We have also 

pledged to upgrade boys’ boarding 

accommodation and the next major 

project is a full re-development of Rigg’s 

Hall which commences in July 2021. 

As we look to more distant horizons, 

the clarity of the view is in no small 

part because we stand on the shoulders 

of giants. It is right to pay tribute to 

the Governors and my immediate 

predecessor Heads who took the 

brave and entirely correct educational 

and strategic decision to move to 

co-education. Winchester College 

follows in our wake as we continue our 

voyage, with the next port of call the 

building of a fifth girls’ house, planned 

to open in September 2023. 

Both building projects have been 

designed by different notable Old 

Salopian architects. The concept 

behind the fifth girls’ house seeks 

to blend heritage with modernity, 

an equipoise that encapsulates our 

approach to the future. 

Buildings are great but, as our friends 

at the Shewsy know well, it is people 

that matter more than things. School 

culture is the most precious commodity 

over which we sit watch. Recent times 

have fragmented communities into 

bubbles and households. Communal 

events, the restorative joy of the arts, 

the pleasures of being in shared space, 

have all been austerely rationed. As we 

emerge, we have made gains that we 

can translate into steadier times. We 

have important work to do to reclaim 

parts of our nature that have been 

side-lined; to recalibrate and reset. We 

do not underestimate the impact on 

the wellbeing and resilience of children 

and adults alike of the road we have 

travelled. People are complex and 

diverse creatures, and we will need to 

continue to find complex and diverse 

ways of helping individuals, and the 

School as a whole, to flourish into the 

future. We will also thrive on the clarity 

and simplicity of shared direction. 

In closing, let’s turn again to the 

cheerful outlook of our most famous 

living Old Salopian. Palin sets a kind 

and hopeful tone for the years ahead, 

despite the gloom-mongers who can 

find plenty of fodder in the deep 

challenges of our times. 

Armageddon is not around the corner. 

This is only what the people of violence 

want us to believe. The complexity and 

diversity of the world is the hope for the 

future. 

Complexity, diversity and, I would 

add, its children. This is close to being 

a platitude, but you would want all 

educationalists to define their hopeful 

vision for the future squarely on the 

energy and values of the young. It is 

urgently, arrestingly true that the young 

adults leaving our school – indeed all 

school-leavers – should be equipped 

with skills and virtues for life. There can 

be no such thing as total competence 

when facing life’s journey. But we can 

instil confidence and provide a really 

good compass. 

Leo Winkley

6 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Journey of Optimism 

Deputy Head (Academic) Maurice Walters charts progress and setbacks 

on the long road to normality. 

In my last piece for this illustrious publication, I ended 

the narrative with a sense of the School having come 

through something really quite difficult, but with a definite 

feeling of optimism that the Michaelmas Term of 2020 was 

to bring us back towards ‘normality’. Re-reading it now, I 

feel a tinge of pity for my overly naïve past self as I put 

down the microphone at the end of the Speech Day 

broadcast imagining a lengthy summer break before a 

straightforward resumption. 

How wrong I was. 

The months of July and August were perforated regularly 

by developing government edicts, by entire new glossaries 

of terminology and by references to systems and processes 

that were entirely alien. Leaving to one side the megalithic 

complications associated with the award of Centre Assessed 

grades, it was clear to all involved that the practicalities of 

downloading a virtual Shrewsbury onto the physical site were 

going to be exceedingly complicated. 

In all of this, however, Salopians have continued to 

demonstrate that they, just like love, life and the velociraptors 

of Jurassic Park, will find a way. 

Year-group bubbles and household bubbles are tricky 

enough to maintain in the day-school world; but when 

one adds in the complexities of boarding and a mammoth 

co-curricular programme, the proposition becomes 

spectacularly difficult. Shrewsbury has always been a school 

of togetherness – great power is drawn from the fact that 

the division of time across the week is standard for all yeargroups. 

It was evident from August onwards, however, that a 

new approach was going to be needed. 

It would be tedious to talk here about the endless 

meetings and discussions that led to the development of 

new timetables, to the zoning of the School Site and the 

construction of a system of controls which would be robust 

enough to be in keeping with government guidance and yet 

afford enough freedoms for pupils to feel safe, happy and 

thriving. 

As always, the Shrewsbury staff community rallied 

magnificently, stepping up to every challenge and finding 

those creative workarounds to ensure that the educational 

experience remained as bold and dynamic as possible. 

Of course, an important section of our community – our 

international pupils – were unable to return to the School 

Site and we were determined that they should not be ‘left 

behind’ as we eagerly ushered pupils back into classroom. 

Harry Mackridge instituted a programme of Online Supported 

Learning which gave those Salopians full access to video 

lessons, allowing them to be active participants in school life 

wherever possible. 

At the start of September the Government was still insisting 

that examinations would go ahead as planned and the Upper 

Sixth and Fifth Forms applied themselves with exceptional 

diligence to their studies. Sensing the possibility of another 

lockdown looming, we reviewed the processes we had 

implemented in the remote learning period and made 

modifications to our contingency planning. All staff and

SCHOOL NEWS 7 

pupils were introduced to Microsoft Teams – an easier ‘onestop’ 

remote platform which could be used effectively and 

intuitively both within and without the School. 

We were extremely fortunate that we did not experience an 

outbreak of the virus at Shrewsbury during a long and very 

industrious Michaelmas Term. Our track and trace systems 

and our protection protocols maintained high levels of 

consistency across the academic curriculum and while there 

were some subjects for which it was not possible to attend to 

some aspects of course content (notably Music and Drama), 

the combination of an eager mindset on the part of the pupils 

and energetic teaching meant that serious progress was made. 

Dr Charlie Oakley, Harry Mackridge and Henry Exham could 

not have worked harder to facilitate the range of new systems 

we threw at the pupils and staff. 

So, despite classrooms laid out in grids, despite complex 

methods of ‘loading’ buildings and teachers roving 

nomadically around the Site, despite restrictions on the use 

of paper in lessons and the need to maintain appropriate 

distance wherever possible, the overwhelming feeling at the 

end of the Michaelmas Term was one of success tempered 

with exhausted relief. 

That relief, however, was to be short-lived. Mere moments 

after the last pupils had left the Site, further government 

edicts were released informing school leaders that in addition 

to maintaining these extraordinary mechanisms, we would 

be required to institute asymptomatic testing procedures 

for pupils on return. The work done on that initial project, 

of course, was swiftly dispensed to the ever-growing 

contingency mausoleum (surely a subject for an exhibition 

in the Moser Library in half a century’s time) when the 

lockdown was announced and we reverted to a remote 

provision. 

This second period of remote learning was very different 

from the first. All lessons included live content – facilitated 

now by Microsoft Teams – and there was a much clearer 

structure to the timetabled week. We dispensed with 

the multifarious timetables that had emerged from the 

Michaelmas Term and unified the timings once again – 

working as hard as we could to integrate appropriate 

opportunities for pupils to take breaks from the screen. 

The first remote period had shown us the power of positive 

disruption and, having had time to think about and plan for 

a second period, we introduced this from the outset. The 

new Third Form explored ancestry and identity in a twoday, 

project-themed session. The Fourth Form were able 

to explore futures in greater depth – undertaking and in 

many cases excelling at enterprise challenges and commerce 

simulations. The Lower Sixth also had opportunities to 

explore the world of work – thanks to the ingenuity of Chris 

Wain and his Futures Team – and also, under the careful 

guidance of Toby Percival, to begin plotting their UCAS 

courses. 

The announcement of lockdown in January carried with it, of 

course, additional news for our Fifth Form and Upper Sixth 

year groups. An initial period of uncertainty was followed 

by the news that this year’s grades would be determined 

by teachers (subject to rigorous quality assurance checks by 

examination boards). Their attitude throughout this period 

has been thoroughly commendable. As we have worked 

with them to develop a fair and rigorous process, they have 

been thoughtful, understanding and – more to the point – 

committed to working the hardest they can to put themselves 

in the best possible position to achieve their potential. We are 

now well advanced with our system and, as I write, both year 

groups are completing classroom-based assessments which 

will help us to make those crucial decisions. 

When pupils returned to the Site again in the latter end of 

the Lent Term it was, if possible, a more joyful moment than 

in September. Keen to return to onsite learning as always 

and relishing the prospect of feeling part of an academic 

community once more, they threw themselves at the various 

curricula with such energy and enthusiasm that, by the time 

we broke for Easter, they presented as being as exhausted 

as if they had completed an entire term in the space of only 

three weeks! 

The journey of optimism has continued here at Shrewsbury 

in the same way as it has nationally. As I write this, the sun 

shines down from an immaculate sky onto the lovinglytended 

grass of Top Common where a cricket fixture is 

making gentle progress. Pupils are strolling around the 

boundary and I have a meeting in a few moments’ time to 

discuss the potential for fieldwork. The world is opening up 

once more. 

No matter how quickly we advance, however, and how soon 

‘normality’ is fully restored, I shall never forget the efforts of 

all in the Salopian community – staff, pupils and parents – in 

supporting the School and each other through these most 

difficult of times. 

Hannibal is credited with the famous Latin tag: ‘aut viam 

inveniam aut faciam’ (I shall either find a road or make one). 

There is power in this of course, but sometimes, the braver, 

bolder course of action is not to evade or avoid the obstacles, 

nor to blast through in elbowy fashion with war-maddened 

elephants, but instead to deal rationally and calmly with each 

as it arises and integrate it into one’s own personal journey. 

This, I think, has characterised the Salopian experience in 

these two very difficult years.

8 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Ascending the Mountain 

Deputy Head (Co-Curricular) Peter Middleton writes about the challenges faced 

and met over the last bumpy months on the rollercoaster return to normality 

Walk into any bookshop (or 

browse online, if you will) and 

you’ll find row upon row of self-help 

manuals, some of which you’ll have 

heard of – such as Stephen R. Covey’s 

How to Win Friends and Influence 

People or Carol Dweck’s Mindset – 

others of which you probably won’t, 

from the intriguingly-titled Who Moved 

my Cheese? to the quite frankly baffling 

Dogsense: 99 Relationship Tips from 

Your Canine Companion. The rise of 

the self-help book may seem like a 

relatively recent phenomenon, but as 

far back as 1859 – the year that saw 

the publication of Charles Darwin’s 

On the Origin of Species – there 

emerged another instant classic: Samuel 

Smiles’s Self-Help. The notion of selfimprovement 

was particularly attractive 

to the Victorians, busying themselves 

with exploring unreached regions and 

scaling previously unconquered peaks. 

Like many before – and many since – 

Smiles took the mountain as his central 

metaphor, suggesting that with effort 

and ambition, anything was possible. 

In particular, he argued, it was the 

hardship and suffering that truly made 

a person. “Sweet indeed,” he wrote, 

“are the uses of adversity … They 

reveal to us our powers, and call forth 

our energies.” 

This past academic year has 

undoubtedly been one of adversity. 

Any mountains we might have wanted 

to climb – whether in Snowdonia or 

more locally – were off limits during 

the Michaelmas Term, required as 

we were to confine ourselves to the 

school site with all school activity 

conducted on campus. Then came the 

Lent Term where, for the most part, 

we found ourselves in remote mode 

once again. Sports teams could not 

compete together; orchestras could 

not play together; play casts could not 

rehearse together. We found ourselves 

at home again, separated in distant 

corners of the country and distant 

corners of the world. 

Yet that adversity brought with it 

extraordinary creativity, marvellous 

invention, and an unbridled enthusiasm 

and energy that saw a quite remarkable 

period of Salopian initiative, effort 

and endeavour. Forced to do things 

differently, Salopians rose to the 

challenge of engaging in new ways 

of play, performance and practice. 

Many grasped the opportunity to try 

new things or develop their interests, 

whilst a good number took the 

chance to volunteer within their local 

communities, making a significant 

impact on the lives of others. 

Indeed, the Volunteering@Home 

initiative was a real highlight of the 

remote period during the Lent Term, 

with significant numbers of Salopians 

devoting time and energy to a wide 

variety of inspiring and interesting 

projects, from litter picking to letter 

writing to care home residents and 

everything in between. One such 

initiative that caught the eye of the

SCHOOL NEWS 9 

local press was the efforts of siblings 

Henry and Amelia Griffiths who spent 

two hours every day for three weeks 

picking carrots out of the mud by 

hand to help support the Shrewsbury 

Food Hub. Braving the cold and often 

knee-deep in mud, the pair collected 

over 3,000 carrots, ensuring that they 

didn’t go to waste and helping others 

in the process. 

some novel opportunities for them 

to take part in a number of virtual 

competitions, with some excellent 

victories for the Boat Club at the virtual 

Schools’ Head of the River, whilst the 

Hunt were also able to record times to 

submit to the national Coventry relays, 

with a fantastic third place for the boys’ 

team and an individual top 10 time for 

Sophia Urquhart (EDH 5). Meanwhile, 

the inaugural Global Schools’ Running 

Race drew competitors from 17 

countries around the world including 

Bahrain, Ethiopia, New Zealand and 

Singapore, with President of World 

Athletics Lord Coe helping us get 

the project off the ground with a live 

supportive video message. 

There have been countless ways 

in which our pupils and staff have 

embraced the challenges they have 

faced and indeed sought opportunities 

for new experiences and connections. 

An inaugural international debate, for 

instance, saw Salopians take on their 

counterparts from Cranbrook School 

in Sydney, Australia, whilst the pupil 

organisers of the Shrewsbury MUN 

Conference were not deterred by the 

practical challenges of being in remote, 

delivering a superb virtual ShrewsMUN 

V and dealing impressively with the 

logistical complexity of putting on the 

event. 

Our musicians continued to rehearse 

in remote, and the Salop’s Got Talent 

virtual concerts proved to be a popular 

and joyful weekly highlight drawing in 

musical contributions from both pupils 

and staff, with some fantastic pieces 

recorded at home whether here in the 

UK or further afield. Individual lessons 

continued virtually and, hard though 

it may have been, the beating drum of 

Salopian music remained strong and 

vibrant during this time. 

Similarly, the challenges of rehearsing 

theatre in remote proved not 

insurmountable, with the cast of the 

junior play The Crucible continuing 

to prepare for the duration of the 

Lent Term ready for Summer Term 

Henry Griffiths 

Amelia Griffiths 

Similarly, the 40in40 Challenge was 

a triumph of collective endeavour, 

with the whole school community 

tackling the ambitious target of 

travelling 40,000km in 40 days whilst 

simultaneously raising funds for 

the various House charities. Large 

numbers signed up and contributed; 

such was the interest in the project 

that the 40,000km target was smashed 

within weeks. In fact, by the end of 

the 40 days we’d collectively travelled 

a whopping 80,000km with some 

impressive individual contributions 

from pupils, staff, parents and OS alike. 

Whilst undoubtedly our pupils missed 

the camaraderie that comes from 

competition, there were nevertheless

10 

SCHOOL NEWS 

production, whilst a vintage group 

of Salopians gained selection to the 

prestigious National Youth Theatre 

(NYT) with Alice Lewis (MSH 4) and 

OS Freddie Lawson (SH 2020) joining 

current NYT member Kate Woodman 

(M 5). Their number was added to 

with Jonty Gould (SH U6) and Jake 

Ludlam (R L6) successfully auditioning 

for the National Youth Music Theatre 

(NYMT) to take part in the summer 

production of Billy the Kid, with Jonty 

offered the seat of Reed 1 playing alto 

saxophone, clarinet and flute, and Jake 

being selected as a stage manager and 

lighting operator, providing technical 

support for the show throughout its 

run. Leaver Anya Tonks (MSH 2016- 

20) will also be joining the NYMT 

production as assistant choreographer 

before taking up her place to study 

Dance and Choreography at Falmouth 

University in September. 

Impressively varied and vibrant though 

it may have been, the Lent Term 

was not quite the same and it was 

therefore with great joy and relief that 

we returned again to campus towards 

the end of the term and likewise for 

the Summer Term. Though some 

restrictions have remained in place and 

it hasn’t, of course, been a case of ‘back 

to normal’, it has nevertheless been 

very good indeed to be back together 

once again. Inter-school fixtures have 

resumed, with an impressive cricket 

fixture list packed in to the opening 

weeks of term, alongside various 

national events including the National 

Schools’ Regatta for the Boat Club over 

the Exeat, with silver medals for our 

J16 boys’ crew and a bronze for our 

Championship Girls’ Four; and the 

National Fives’ Championships at Eton, 

where our top pair Digby Taylor-West 

(I L6) and Rory McDonald O’Brien 

(PH L6) made it through to the final in 

the Open category, a match yet to be 

played but eagerly awaited. 

It has likewise been so good to hear 

live music again, with the twice-weekly 

lunchtime concerts well attended by 

both staff and pupils and a Junior 

concert to conclude the first half of 

the Summer Term, where we were 

delighted to be able to welcome a small 

audience of parents for the first time in 

many months. It proved an emotional 

experience for all; some things we 

have taken for granted, and the simple 

joy of listening to young musicians in 

performance individually or together is 

one that we have greatly missed. 

So, too, has it been a great pleasure 

to return again to the Barnes Theatre 

and watch young actors on stage 

performing to audiences whilst small 

in number nevertheless were greatly 

appreciative of the privilege of being 

in a theatre auditorium once again. 

In such a disruptive year, it has been 

impressive that three House plays have 

been able to stage performances in the 

theatre (The Grove’s Pride & Prejudice, 

Severn Hill’s The Real Inspector Hound 

and Churchill’s The 39 Steps) alongside 

the various examined performances 

from GCSE and A Level groups, and 

the fantastic junior production of Arthur 

Miller’s The Crucible that concluded 

the first half of term. With the school 

musical Fame! the performing arts at 

Shrewsbury are very much back in 

business, and we look forward to 

being able to share the fantastic new 

Barnes Theatre facility with many 

more parents, Old Salopians and 

friends of the School in the months 

and years to come. 

Looking back, it is really quite 

remarkable that so much has been 

able to go ahead and so much has 

been packed in. The challenges and 

limitations have not daunted, nor 

have they hindered. The Shrewsbury 

School staff have done an outstanding 

job in maintaining and sustaining a 

vibrant co-curricular programme, and 

indeed shown impressive creativity 

and innovation in redesigning and 

remodelling it. The pupils, too, deserve 

considerable credit for the way in 

which they have approached this 

year. They have not needed self-help 

manuals, such has been their proactivity 

and individual endeavour. 

They have shown remarkable 

resilience, an unflinching positivity 

and perhaps above all, this has been 

a period we’ll remember less for 

the way in which they’ve helped 

themselves, but more for the way in 

which they’ve helped others. 

The mountains we’ve climbed may 

not have been literal ones, but the 

ascent has been no less challenging, 

the summiting no less glorious. Sweet 

indeed are the uses of adversity.

SCHOOL NEWS 11 

House Life 

How has House life, so central to the experience of every Salopian boy and girl, thrived during the past 

year? Let these photos speak for themselves.

12 

SCHOOL NEWS

SCHOOL NEWS 13

14 

SCHOOL NEWS


THE SHEWSY 

In an unusual year, we have found new and creative ways to maintain and deepen our links with 

the Shewsy. Now we look forward to a major fundraising drive with our quinquennial Whole School 

Sponsored Walk for the Shewsy on 23rd September. 

Despite the challenges of the 2020-21 academic year, 

with COVID-19 restrictions preventing us from 

delivering the planned, enhanced programme of reciprocal 

visits between the School and Shrewsbury House (‘the 

Shewsy’), our youth centre in Everton, which were to have 

included a shared residential at Talargerwyn, it has been 

far from a lost and wasted year. With the creativity and 

commitment of all involved, in the past year we have raised 

significant and much-needed money for the Shewsy and 

enabled more students at the School than ever to find out 

about our special relationship, with a series of virtual 

study visits. These are the headline ‘Covid gains’, and as 

we look forward to an even bigger year of fundraising 

next year, with the Sponsored Walk in September and, 

most important of all, a return to bringing young people 

together, we feel that the relationship between the School 

and the Shewsy is stronger than ever and will flourish as 

we get back to normal. 

In the Michaelmas Term, our shared efforts were focused on 

the ‘Big Give’ in December. Shrewsbury School Governor, 

Professor Alan McCarthy led the charge for the Shewsy, 

securing a team of pledgers and the Four Acre Trust as 

match-funders. The aim was to raise £20,000, which would 

be worth double, in support of refreshing and refurbishing 

the facilities of Shrewsbury House. With co-ordinated 

campaigning in Liverpool and in Shrewsbury, using social 

media to offer powerful first-hand advocacy from young 

people and staff at the Club and at School, we reached the 

target and breathed a sigh of relief. With match-funding, 

a total of over £44,000 was raised in a single week – all 

money going towards enhancing the Club’s facilities, 

including providing specialist rooms and equipment for 

those with sensory needs and disabled access. Support from 

the wider Salopian community was greatly valued. 

With our normal programme of Social Studies trips 

cancelled, we provided a high-quality virtual offering that 

enabled Lower Sixth Formers to learn about the Shewsy 

from home during the lockdown. This was co-ordinated 

brilliantly by Dr Richard Barrett, who is now in charge of 

liaison with the Shewsy. From Everton, via Zoom, we had 

the pleasure and privilege of hearing from the Warden, Revd 

Henry Corbett, his wife Jane Corbett, who is Councillor 

for Everton on Liverpool City Council and now the City’s 

Deputy Mayor, John Dumbell, Senior Youth Worker and 

Charlie Hughes, part-time Youth Worker. We learned about 

the history of the Shewsy and the socio-economic context 

of the area that had led to a range of issues including health 

inequality, lower life expectancy, employment challenges 

and the risk of drugs and knife-crime. The Shewsy 

continues to be of vital importance in Everton. It offers a 

safe space to ever more young people, with record numbers 

attending both the Junior and the Senior Clubs. We were 

presented with some hard-hitting and inspiring case studies 

relating to county-lines, immigration and cultural issues, 

the power of having a place to make music – showing 

that the experience and expertise of the Shewsy staff is 

second to none and can provide a lifeline for its members 

at a moment of absolute crisis. Each meeting ended with a 

call for our students to join the growing ranks of fair and 

considerate leaders in life, and to keep in touch with the 

Shewsy. An open invitation to visit was extended to all. 

Now we look forward to 2021-22, and especially to what we 

hope will be the chance to re-engage directly and to bring 

to fruition plans for more contact between members of 

the Club and our pupils. We are currently planning for the 

next Whole School Sponsored Walk for the Shewsy on 23rd 

September 2021. Many reading this article will have taken 

part in a previous iteration, perhaps following the current 

route over the Long Mynd, through some of Shropshire’s 

finest scenery and with stunning views over into Wales. In 

this magazine, and in our build-up on social media, there 

will be the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane 

reading Doc Gee’s wonderful digest of the previous walks 

dating back half a century (see page 16). Last time, in 

2016, we raised over £100,000 for the Shewsy, which has 

provided funding for additional sessional staffing throughout 

the past five years – in turn catering for the needs of an 

extra 24-30 young people throughout that period. We have 

set our sights high once again, and all contributions would 

be greatly appreciated. The Shewsy - info on how to make 

donations for the Sponsored Walk: 

Details of how to make a donation may be found on 

the School website: https://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/ 

sponsoredwalk2021 This includes a link to make a 

donation online via www.virginmoneygiving.com 

Stuart Cowper 

Head of Partnership and 

Community Engagement

16 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Whole School Sponsored Walks 

The idea of a Sponsored Walk by the whole School arose 

as a consequence of an occasion in the summer of 

1969, when a party of twelve, composed both of members 

of the School and members of the Club, walked, over 

two days, from Liverpool to Shrewsbury, to raise funds 

for the rebuilding of Shrewsbury House. The Headmaster, 

Donald Wright, was then in the middle of his ‘reign’, in the 

‘white heat’ of the revolution which he was undertaking. 

He adopted the idea with enthusiasm, for the prospect of 

extending that original initiative to a sponsored walk for the 

whole School fitted perfectly with his avowed aim of opening 

up the School to the wider world. 

Monday 29th September 1969 

The village of Llanfyllin (pop. 1230) in Montgomeryshire 

is normally quiet and sleepy; but soon after 9am. the quiet 

was shattered by the arrival of 14 Salopia buses containing 

more than 600 Salopians, “all but a sprinkling of boys 

had decided to come”, with over 40 members of the staff, 

masters’ wives and dogs. Llanfyllin had been chosen as the 

starting-point for the walk on account of its very quietness 

and absence of traffic. The walk had been planned in two 

legs: from Llanfyllin to Lake Vyrnwy (14 miles) and then a 

clockwise circuit of Lake Vyrnwy (12 miles). A picnic lunch 

was served at Lake Vyrnwy. The members of the Hunt went 

ahead on the course to warn unsuspecting local inhabitants 

of the impending invasion! One master, Anthony Bowen, 

with a party of boys from Severn Hill, where he was House 

Tutor, set out at 5am from there to walk the 36 miles to Lake 

Vyrnwy, and most of the party ‘made it’. Another master, 

Mark Mortimer, ran the 26 miles of the course, and returned 

to Shrewsbury for lunch! Some people did two circuits of the 

lake, one boy started a third. There was much hobbling about 

the Site the next day. The Salopian Newsletter’s correspondent 

remarked, at the conclusion of his account, “Sponsored walks 

seem now to have gone out of vogue as quickly as they 

came in, and I suppose we could not do another; but it was 

fun while it lasted”. How wrong he proved to be! 

So far, there have been 11 such sponsored walks. The idea 

was quickly adopted that every member of the School 

should experience one such walk, so there would be one 

walk every five years. Although this precise spacing has 

not been rigorously observed, the total of 11 walks in 52 

years indicates overall adherence to the concept. The route 

has changed over the years and the Shewsy has been, by 

far, the principal, but not the exclusive beneficiary of these 

excursions. The manner and the degree of thoroughness 

with which each walk has been recorded and the aspects of 

the walks which have been emphasised by correspondents, 

have also varied. Much of the success of the sponsored walks 

has been due to the tradition established by members of the 

Common Room and by their dedication in undertaking the 

mammoth task of planning and execution of the enterprise 

and of the subsequent fund raising and accounting. In recent 

years Nick David has been pre-eminent in the planning, 

following in the steps of his predecessors, Ted Barber, 

Michael Hall, Peter Cox and Graham Barnes. Michael Hall, 

Derek Crompton, Jerome Armstrong and Lesley Drew have 

laboured mightily in fund raising and accounting. Many 

colleagues have played a vital part by setting the standards of 

aspiration and endurance for the walkers, many more have 

participated. Only one master is known to have taken part in 

all 11. As his years have advanced, so his mileage has decreased! 

The loyal contribution of the managers and drivers of Long 

Mynd coaches should also be gratefully acknowledged: they 

made the whole enterprise possible and on favourable terms. 

Tuesday 1st May 1973 

“The Welsh are used to invasion from the other side of 

Offa’s Dyke”, the correspondent to The Salopian Newsletter 

reported. 620 walkers (92% of the boys in the School) were 

deposited in Llanerfyl. They wound up the lovely valley 

of Nant yr Eira (reprieved from reservoir-drowning a few 

days later) and over a new hill road. They crossed the main 

road at Talerddig (supervised by members of the Powys 

Constabulary – during the previous four years ‘Montgomery’ 

had become ‘Powys’) – and descended a steep hill to 

Dolgadfan and a three-acre field beside the Twymyn river 

for lunch at the 15-mile post. The local farmer, having given 

permission for his field to be used, was astounded to see 600


people settle down to lunch on his neighbour’s land! Almost 

all pounded up the long hill to Staylittle (20 miles) and 

over half reached the great dam at Clywedog, seven miles 

further on. Sixty walkers went down the hill to Llanidloes; 

32 stalwarts walked even further, down the old railway track 

towards Llandinam – and back! The contingent as a whole 

walked a total of over 14,000 miles, corresponding to twothirds 

of the Earth’s circumference, or from Shrewsbury to the 

Bering Strait and back through Peking. One boy walked over 

46 miles, one governor in his 73rd year walked over 20 miles, 

one housemaster walked a mile for every year of his age. 

Two boys ran all 27 miles from Llanerfyl to Clywedog. Three 

boys bicycled from Shrewsbury to the start, round the course 

and back to school from Llanidloes, 115 miles in all. Each of 

them fell off once! In Llanidloes, an elderly lady, distressed 

to the point of indignation at the sight of a group of limping 

and exhausted boys, approached the brutal-looking master 

who was marshalling them, and demanded an explanation 

of what was going on. After receiving his explanation, she 

donated 50p to the fund. A photograph was taken of Donald 

Wright (see left), participating in the walk, near the end of his 

whirlwind headmastership. It bears the caption ‘Keep Wright 

on to the end of the road’. Just over £10,000 was raised. 

making Staylittle in excellent time and, on a ‘bicycle-madefor-two’, 

two of his colleagues completed the return trip to 

and from Shrewsbury, a distance of well over a 100 miles”. 

The Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind received 

£7,000 as a result of the 13,500 miles covered and £3,000 

was given to local charities in Shropshire, with priority being 

given to work with deaf children. 

Tuesday 10th May 1977 

The Jubilee Sponsored Walk was so named to mark the 25th 

Anniversary of the Accession of Her Majesty The Queen. 

The weather in early May had been cold and wet and the 

forecast for the 10th May was dreadful. At Llanerfyl, at six 

in the morning, the cloud was dark and threatening; but by 

the time the first of the coaches had arrived, there was dry, 

bright weather to welcome the walkers and by nine o’clock 

the road to Talerddig was covered by dry walkers enjoying 

summer sunshine, previously unseen that year. Modifications 

had been made to the route to enable those who wanted to 

walk beyond the 31-mile point at Llanidloes to do so without 

suffering the agony of tired feet on old railway sleepers. This 

time the enthusiast could go on to Llandinam, an extension 

involving some steep hills but a smooth surface, presenting a 

total distance of 40 miles to be covered. There was only one 

fault with the (by-then traditional) place for lunch, namely the 

1,000 feet climb to Staylittle which follows, but 185 walkers 

scorned the waiting coaches and went on to Clywedog Dam. 

Forty boys and masters, the Headmaster and his wife (Simon 

and Diana Langdale) well to the fore, followed the road 

down to Llanidloes. Simon Funnell records that “the locals 

were utterly bemused at the spectacle, unable to understand 

why one should want to walk 20, let alone 40 miles, and 

amazed at the good humour shown by all, despite the heat 

and the hardness of metalled tarmac mile after mile. Once 

again the good ladies of Llanidloes expressed their horror at 

the cruel ‘brushers’ encouraging the limping and sore-footed 

boys to turn towards Llandinam for those extra miles, but 

again they were mollified when they heard the reason. The 

most dedicated walkers, including Michael Hall, Ted Barber, 

intent on ‘walking his age’ and Richard Field, encouraged 

the boys to join them in the extra lap to Llandinam. The two 

leading boys, from Severn Hill, returned to Llanidloes and 

then made Llandinam yet again – covering 49 miles in 12 

hours and taking 100,000 steps each. Feet were not alone in 

their suffering: the RSSBC could boast blistered hands and 

sore backsides sustained after 1,518 land miles had been 

rowed on the reservoir in eights, fours, pairs and single sculls, 

over a course of eleven miles. Four members of the First 

Eight completed 53 miles, ending with a virtually non-stop 

row of 20 miles at the average rate of 30 strokes per minute. 

Two attempts were made to run the course, Bob Parker 

Wednesday 28th April 1982 

The fourth sponsored walk followed the magnificent 

route of the second and third, which had originally been 

recommended by one of the masters, Ted Barber. Its main 

disadvantage was that this involved a 30 mile bus ride both 

before the start and after the end of the walk. This year 

members of the Middle Sixth (then the name of the yeargroup 

taking ‘A’ level) were not asked to walk, owing to the 

close proximity of their examinations, but over 500 boys, 

with most of the teaching staff, took part, together with a 

small party from the Shewsy. The aim was to raise the £7,000 

needed to complete the recent building work at Shrewsbury 

House. The weather was superb, sunny and bright, without 

being hot, with no sign of rain. The anonymous 15 yearold 

correspondent remembers the “wet jokes” (courtesy of 

FMH), which were attached to each mile-post. “it seemed 

an eternity before the first watering-hole, but once there I 

don’t think I had ever appreciated a glass of orange quite 

so much in my life. He and his walking companion had

18 SCHOOL NEWS 

agreed that they would see the walk through to the end, but 

after lunch, in the Forestry area, “the real slog began as the 

gradient became steeper, but eventually the dam came into 

view. As we covered the last hundred yards, it dawned on 

me that I had covered the longest distance on foot in my life, 

27 miles, and no-one had expected me to do more than ten. 

I am glad that I did the walk and it was as interesting to see 

everyone else toil as it was to find out about myself and my 

endurance.” Those who progressed beyond the 27-mile mark 

numbered 120, most of them achieving 31 miles, but with 23 

going beyond this point, two walking 50 miles and one 51 

miles. A photograph was taken of three boys, en route, who 

finally covered a total of 147 miles between them. Overall, it 

was reckoned that 13,522 ‘boy miles’ were covered. The three 

or four boys who walked furthest provided problems for the 

organisers, as they arrived at all the refreshment points too 

early and were only sustained by emergency organisation and 

charity. All expenses having been met, the final figure given 

to Shrewsbury House was approximately £7,350. 

He remembers that he had intended to take the first bus at 

5.30am, but when he glanced at his alarm clock, he saw that 

it was already seven o’clock. He dressed rapidly and filled 

a bag with apples, which he intended to distribute to the 

starving hordes he would encounter en route. He arrived at 

the assembly point in time to catch the eleventh of the 14 

buses scheduled. His assignment was to show the following 

buses where to stop: he had been told (incorrectly) that there 

would be a total of 15 and having waited in vain for half 

an hour for the non-existent fifteenth bus to appear, he set 

out, encouraged by messages from wayfarers walking in the 

opposite direction, informing him that “you’re only a mile 

behind a group of stragglers”. He found himself chuckling at 

the jokes which had been attached to each mile-post, once 

more, by Mr ‘Fred’ Hall and reflected that solitude can have 

strange effects! Eventually he managed to catch up with a 

group of young gentlemen who were moving at a leisurely 

pace and was able significantly to reduce the load of apples 

which had been weighing him down. He reassured local 

inhabitants as he passed, who yet again had been disturbed 

by the sight of the struggling boys ahead, that the exercise 

was not a punishment but a fund raising operation. He 

arrived at the luncheon field just as they were packing up, 

but fortunately he had been sustained by purchases at ‘Pam’s 

Pantry’, a mobile snack-bar which must have made serious 

money that day. 

Confident that the remainder of the journey would be easier, 

he was dismayed to discover that the post-lunch stage 

involved climbing a steep hill which was reminiscent of the 

‘mountain stage’ of the Tour de France. The cruellest part 

of the day was the last mile. It turned out that the 27 miles 

which had been advertised had been mysteriously extended 

to just over 28. It was difficult to keep going when the 

realisation dawned that a totally unexpected mile-and-a-half 

of hard slog still lay ahead. Yet, as usual, some hardy souls 

attempted ‘extensions’ to 31 miles, 37 miles and more! 

One new feature of the walk, which was to be repeated 

on subsequent occasions, was that the Marines section 

of the CCF, ‘yomped’ past, in martial style, led by Mr 

Steve Fox. Giles reflected that the day had been a great 

success. The weather had been fine, intermittently sunny 

and mercifully cool – ideal for the purpose. There was a 

great sense of achievement upon completing the walk and 

the vast enterprise – almost everyone in the School was 

involved – engendered a splendid community spirit. Many 

Third Formers, in only their second week in the School, 

triumphantly completed the course; their achievement was 

matched, at the other end of the age-range, by some of the 

most ancient of his colleagues. The walk raised over £35,000 

for Shrewsbury House, roughly £50 per boy. 

Wednesday 16th September 1987 

No eye-witness accounts of this Sponsored Walk were 

submitted but a note in the subsequent Salopian Newsletter 

records that it took place on a fine, cool day. As usual, the 

course was 27 miles long, but two boys walked 50 miles, 20 

others more than 40 and another 34 more than 34 miles. A 

total of over £15,000 was raised for Aids research. 

Tuesday, 19th September 1995 

By this time Mr Giles Bell had appeared on the Salopian 

scene and what follows is an edited version of his account. 

Monday 18th September 2000 

This year there was a change of course and the whole series 

of walks received new impetus with the arrival of Lt Col 

Nick David, who has played a major part in all subsequent 

expeditions. What follows is an edited version of his account. 

The new route started at Plowden, then took the walkers up 

and over the Long Mynd to Ratlinghope, where lunch was to 

take place in a farmer’s field, then over the Stiperstones and 

past the 21-mile mark at the finish, just outside the Plough 

Inn in Pontesbury (fortuitously shut for the day!). As Col 

David posted the waymarks during the early morning, he 

was greeted by torrential rain and he thought of the boys, 

having a good cooked breakfast in KH at the time, looking 

glumly through the rain-streaked windows and shuddering at 

the prospect of a sodden trek through the hills and byways

SCHOOL NEWS 

19 

of rural Shropshire. As it turned out, the weather was on the 

mend, it improved throughout the day and only the very 

early walkers got wet. By 5pm participants were rewarded by 

a calm and warm late summer evening. On this occasion, too, 

there was the added incentive of a prize. The top sponsor 

collectors in each year-group would be whisked off, later 

in the term, to see a Premier League game, with all the VIP 

trimmings, at a secret destination, somewhere in Liverpool! 

770 boys and staff took part in the walk and the average 

walking-time was six-and-a-half hours. Once more, Mr Steve 

Fox and his Marines ‘yomped ’along the course, this time en 

masse. Some boys, including members of the Hunt and the 

Boat Club, and some of the staff (including Messrs Fanning, 

Barratt and Sayer) ran the whole route. 840 packed lunches 

were served and 1,300 rolls consumed. Enthusiasm was 

everywhere, as was the pleasure of a whole school event. 

Midlands Police, representing the Old Salopian Club on the 

day and generous sponsorship from Old Salopians sped him 

on his way for the full 21 miles. 

Thursday 28th September 2006 

Nick David records that the day was a great success - the 

weather turned out well, providing excellent walking 

conditions; the lovely views were enhanced by exceptional 

visibility, the sun shone a bit and even more amazingly the 

rain held off. Running the route was more popular than 

ever this year and the first runners had finished the 20 mile 

route by 10.45am! 740 walkers consumed a huge amount of 

flapjacks, choc bars, tomato soup and water. Most important 

of all was the atmosphere of a shared endeavour; there was 

a palpable feeling of enjoyment. In the back of everyone’s 

mind was the purpose of the walk itself and it was fitting that 

about a dozen representatives travelled from the Shewsy to 

take part. 

Friday 26th September 2003 

Suzanne Barrington records that once again the whole 

School descended on the Long Mynd for what was for some 

a very long and tiring day. The aim was to raise £70,000 

for Shrewsbury House, and each boy and member of staff 

had been set the challenge of raising £100 towards the total. 

Spirits were high and the first boys home were beaten to The 

Plough at Pontesbury by Mr Jez Heir. The majority of boys 

and staff chose a steadier pace, with a worthwhile rest for 

lunch at Ratlinghope. The weather was less co-operative than 

it had been in previous walks but, for those at the back of the 

contingent, the downpour at lunch was welcome, since the 

wet-weather plan was put into operation, with an alternative 

route, round rather than over the Stiperstones. Among the 

walkers was Inspector Charles Hill (SH 1980-84) of the West 

Thursday 29th September 2011 

Girls took part in the Sponsored Walk for the first time. Nick 

David records that this year the walk started at the south


Number of walkers: 790. 

Total walk distance: 29 kilometres; Number of (Long Mynd) 

coaches: 16. Staffed checkpoints: 23. 

Average number of steps 

per walker: 36,700. 

Total number of footsteps taken (estimated) 29,000,000. 

Quickest running time (Mr. Howarth) 

2 hrs 46 mins. 

Number of flapjacks consumed: 786. Sponsorship target: 

£50,000, which was duly achieved. 

Highest individual amount 

raised: £1,400. 

end of the Long Mynd hill area and headed northwards 

over the Mynd itself, at that point affording a glimpse across 

what is regarded as one of the finest views in the United 

Kingdom – the rolling patchwork of fields towards Bishops 

Castle, the Stiperstones ridge and, on a really clear day, 

Cader Idris on the Welsh Coast. After a stiff climb towards 

the Midlands Gliding Club, perched on the western side, the 

route drops across the valley to the west and climbs again 

towards the Stiperstones ridge, ultimately heading down 

towards the finish point in Pontesbury and the welcome 

prospect of a KH muffin and transport back to school. The 

day was warm, clear and sunny. The contingent of about 800 

walkers included an intrepid group from the Shewsy itself. 

Everyone enjoyed the occasion, undertaking the enterprise 

in a really friendly and positive frame of mind, chatting 

amiably in groups as they covered the route. As usual, some 

members of staff, with boys and girls, ran over the course. A 

few wily boys and girls got away with wearing fancy dress, 

as recorded in Aut Angparitcharoen’s competition-winning 

photograph of a medieval knight, standing in classic pose, 

on the summit of a fearsome pile of rocks, which appeared 

on the front cover of the subsequent edition of The Salopian. 

Official statistics of the day were as follows: 

Thursday 22 September 2016 

This year an ambitious target of £70,000 was set and over 

£80,000 was raised. Dave Brereton, Senior Youth worker at 

the Shewsy, was uncharacteristically lost for words when 

he was told the final total. When he had recovered himself 

somewhat, he expressed huge delight and enormous 

gratitude on behalf of the staff and young people at the 

Club. “This is an astonishing amount of money raised and 

far exceeds our wildest expectations. The generosity and 

dedication of Shrewsbury School staff, pupils and supporters 

will enable us to continue to offer engaging and challenging 

opportunities for Club members. This funding is a lifeline for 

the young people of Everton. Club members and staff have 

been completely overwhelmed by the amount raised and 

this has given all at the club a massive boost to morale and 

to what we are able to plan for the immediate future.” In 

her email to all pupils and staff announcing the grand total, 

the School’s Charities Co-Ordinator, Mrs.Lesley Drew, who 

had herself worked tirelessly to help chivvy everyone along, 

paid tribute to the whole School and the effort they had put 

in. “Well done to absolutely everyone, and especially to Mr 

David for organising the Walk, a challenging walk and a 

challenging target, all in aid of those who live in challenging 

circumstances. We walked for a better future for others, and 

we’ve made a big difference.” 

The Sponsored Walks have not only become a prominent 

feature of outreach to the wider community, they have also 

provided an indelible memory for individual Salopians and, 

most significantly of all, they have revealed the marvellous 

cohesion and capacity of the Salopian community and the 

experience of intense satisfaction and exhilaration which is 

the product of a communal effort, enhanced still further by its 

application to the service of others. 

Dr David Gee

SCHOOL NEWS 

21 

SCHOOL PRIZEWINNERS 2021 

The Darwin Science Prize 

The Noneley Exhibition 

The Dukes Prize for French 

The Lower Sixth French Prize 

The Bentley Prize for German 

The Bain Prize for Spanish 

The Lower Sixth Spanish Prize 

The Moss Prize for Classics 

The Cross Prize for Classics 

The Classical Civilisation Prize 

The Philip Sidney Prize for English 

The Kitson-Clark Prize for English 

The Upper Sixth Theatre Studies Prize 

The Lower Sixth Theatre Studies Prize 

The Bright Prize for History 

The Murray Senior Prize for History 

The Dorothy David Prize for 

Philosophy and Theology 

The Lower Sixth Philosophy 

and Theology Prize 

The Robertson-Eustace Prize 

for Geography 

The Lower Sixth Geography Prize 

The Arnold Hagger Prize 

for Mathematics 

The Upper Sixth Mathematics Prize 

The Computing Prize 

The Arnold Matthews Science 

Prize for Biology 


Prize for Chemistry 


Prize for Physics 

The Lower Sixth Biology Prize 

The Lower Sixth Chemistry Prize 

The Lower Sixth Physics Prize 

The Upper Sixth Economics Prize 

The Lower Sixth Economics Prize 

The Ramsbotham Prize for Business 

The Lower Sixth Business Prize 

The Extended Project 

Qualification Prize 

The James Meikle Prize for 

Physical Education 

The Lower Sixth Physical 

Education Prize 

The Hill Art Prize 

The Lower Sixth Art Prize 

The History of Art Prize 

The Photography Prize 

The A Level Music Prize 

The Duffell Prize for Design 

and Technology 

The Lower Sixth Design 

and Technology Prize 

The McEachran Prize 

The Junior School Essay Prize 

The Hawksley Burbury Prize 

The Rolls Royce Science Cup 

T.H. Haugan (MSH) 

E.A. Parr (Rb) 

I.S. Jones (MSH) 

R.D.R. Prentis (Ch) 

E.S. Edwards (EDH) 

S.A.R. Freeman (SH) 

C.E. Crowther (M) 

R.G. Shepherd-Cross (O) 

C.A. Holliday (M) 

L. Xu (Ch) 

E.J. Bayliss (Rt) 

Y. Feng (M) 

I.G. Morgan (G) 

G. Cooper (G) 

M.E. Fox (G) 

M. Smith (M) 

F.J. Sansom (PH) 

T.M. Parsons (Rb) 

B.L.J. Cook (M) 

E.S. Letts (M) 

Y. Feng (M) 

F. Ye (SH) 

J. Mencia Ledo (I) 

C.M.R. Russell (G) 

O.M. Taylor (R) 

F. Ye (SH) 

Y. Ho (MSH) 

K. Chan (O) 

Y. Wang (MSH) 

M. Tai (SH) 

R. Mak (I) 

E.H. Hughes (MSH) 

A.P. Davis (O) 

T.E.O. Winkley (G) 

G.A.C. Nicholas (MSH) 

G.G. Norman (G) 

T.H. Gabb (SH) 

E.L. Ware (MSH) 

L.A. Goddard (PH) 

R.F.E. Stocker (EDH) 

R. McCourt (Rt) 

T. Ho (G) 

L.E. Taylor (EDH) 

E.J. Bayliss (Rt) 

L. Williams (SH) 

H.J.W. Clarke (Ch) 

C.M.R. Russell (G) 

Fifth Form Academic Prizes 

Fourth Form Examination Prizes 

Third Form Examination Prizes 

The Goulding Family Prize for Drama 

The Junior Drama Prize 

The Keighley Prize for 

Stage Management 

The Woollam Family Prize for Music 

The Guyer Prize for Music 

The Russell Prize for Music 

The Gordon Riley Prize for Music 

The Senior Debating Prize 

The Junior Debating Prize 

The David Spencer Memorial 

Trophy for Outstanding Contribution 

to Boys’ Sport 

The Elle Gurden Trophy for 

Outstanding Contribution 

to Girls’ Sport 

The Sportsman of the Year 

The Sportswoman of the Year 

Tony Barker Award for All-Round 

Sporting Excellence 

The Charities Prize 

The West Family Prize 

The Guy Lovett Award 

The Haynes Cup 

The Cabral Family Prize 

The Headmaster’s Prize 

S.J. Chudasama (G) 

O.C.J. Edmondson (PH) 

R.E.S. Ellis (M), 

A.G. Hope Barton (I) 

T. Lam (G) 

H.R. Marshall (Rb) 

P. Poon (I) 

K.M. Scholes-Pryce (M) 

W.A. Singleton (R) 

G. Yuen (SH) 

H.M. Cowan (Rt) 

Z. Guo (Rt) 

G.P.L. Holliday (I) 

M.K. Levings (O) 

J.C. O’Brien (MSH) 

N. Sin (I) 

N.F. Toms (EDH) 

E. Veter (G) 

L. Williams (SH) 

Z. Xu (EDH) 

T.R. Bland (I) 

I.G. Britten (M) 

Y. Chiang (MSH) 

J.M. Fraser-Andrews (EDH) 

S.J. Levings (EDH) 

G.M. Moody-Stuart (R) 

F.N. Scholes-Pryce (Ch) 

P. Songwanich (MSH) 

R.D. Tyacke (O) 

H. Yang (M) 

P.A.M. Stratton-Morris (EDH) 

and O.R.R. Williams (Rt) 

C.S. Garavini (G) 

I.C.M. Voelcker (G) 

K. Nishii (Ch) 

J.C. Gould (SH) 

O.J. Toms (PH) 

P.A.M. Stratton-Morris (EDH) 

M. Tai (SH) 

N.F. Toms (EDH) 

O.J. Toms (PH) 


F.J. Sansom (PH) 

F.J.V.W. Harris (EDH) 


L.M. Mandara (I) 

H.J. Bateson (R) 

J.O. Parry (S) 

J.A.E. Bleasdale (M) 

G.C.B. Insalata (EDH) 

I.S. Jones (MSH), 

F.J. Sansom (PH), 

E.S. Edwards (EDH), 

H.J. Bateson (R)


SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED FOR 2021 ENTRY 

Third Form 

Academic 

Butler Scholars: 

Charlotte Kenyon (St Albans High School for Girls) 

Harry Price (Witham Hall) 

George Rink (Prestfelde) 

Richard Wolskel (Prestfelde) 

Kennedy Scholars: 

Caspian Cornwall-Legh (Terra Nova School) 

William Fox (Packwood Haugh) 

Gethin Harrison (Packwood Haugh) 

Merrie Jackson (Prestfelde) 

George Kenyon (Aldwickbury School) 

Holly Mehta (Prestfelde) 

Alington Scholars: 

Charlie Barrett (Prestfelde) 

Freddie Dale (Shrewsbury High Prep School) 

Katie Jutsum (Prestfelde) 

William Meyer (Prestfelde) 

Henry Morris (Shrewsbury High Prep School) 

Isabel Tory (Prestfelde) 

Music 

Burney Scholar: 

Mia Hirakawa (The King’s School, Chester) 

Izaak Bagshaw (Yarlet) 

Maya Barrow (Terra Nova) - Choral 

Zara Bell (Repton Prep School) - Choral 

Charlotte Field (Winterfold House) 

Hoi Ching (Marina) Kam (Diocesan Girls’ School, HK) 

Charlie Maguire (Winterfold House) 

William O’Hagan (Christ Church Cathedral School) 

Harry Pinsent (Mary Webb School) 


Austin Waller (Witham Hall) 


AJ Wongkamyod (Ying Wa College, HK) 

Sport 

George Battersby (Aysgarth) 

Amelia Blackledge (Packwood Haugh) 

Lily Carroll (Terra Nova) 

Raphael Carsen (Shrewsbury High Prep School) 

Emily Clark (Lambrook School) 

Isaac England (Prestfelde) 

Andrew Frisby (Prestfelde) 

William Meyer (Prestfelde) 

Freddie Ogilby (Christleton High School) 

William Rigby (St Michael’s Prep School, Jersey) 

Harrison Vaughan (Prestfelde) 

Artemis Wild (Orwell Park) 

Isaac Simmons (Terrington Hall) 

Johnnie Thurstan (Packwood Haugh) 

Miles Tomblin (Pembroke House) 



Art 

Caspian Cornwall-Legh (Terra Nova) 

Kitty Forrest (Witham Hall) 

Natalie Gibbon (Prestfelde) 

Cordelia Hebblethwaite (Pinewood) 

Lola Read (Shrewsbury High School) 


Zhuzhang (Leo) Xu (Wellesley House) 

Drama 

Pippa Lawton-Smith (The Elms) 

James Nash (Prestfelde) 

Faye Pritchard (Shrewsbury High School) 

DT 

Thomas Brough-Byatte (Terra Nova) 

Max Milbank (Aysgarth) 

Toby Strebel (The Banda School) 

Lower Sixth Form 

Academic 

Darren Chan (St Paul’s College, Hong Kong) 

Emily Choong (Dunman High School, Singapore) 

Iris Downes (Moreton Hall) 

Billy Harris (King Edward’s School, Birmingham) 

Anna Lee (The Grange School, Hartford) 

Alex Norris (Ellesmere College) 

Chloe Thomas (Radyr Comprehensive School) 

Grace Wood (Church Stretton School) 

Music 

Tsz Wai (Chloe) Cheung (West Island School, Hong Kong) 

Zhihan (Max) Hu (British International School, Kuala Lumpur) 

Lok Sum Hui (Ying Wa College, Hong Kong) 

Jia Shin Quek (Gan Eng Seng School, Singapore) 

Lwsi Roberts (Caereinion High School) 

Ho Yin (Jay) Wu (Diocesan Boys’ School, Hong Kong) 

Margaret Cassidy Scholar: 

Rhys Lewis (Kennet School) 

Alex Wilson Scholar: 

Ollie Sharp (The Priory School, Shrewsbury) 

RSSBC Rowing Scholar: 

Andrew McDonald (Toot Hill School) 

Sir Michael Palin All-Rounder 

Izaak Bagshaw (Yarlet) 

Lily Carroll (Terra Nova) 

Caspian Cornwall-Legh (Terra Nova) 

Beatrice Cunningham (Abbey Gate College) 

Freddie Dale (Shrewsbury High Prep School) 

Theo Edmondson (Prestfelde) 

Charlotte Field (Winterfold House) 

Natalie Gibbon (Prestfelde) 

Duncan Henstock (Abberley Hall) 

Katie Jutsum (Prestfelde) 

Charlie Maguire (Winterfold House) 

Harry Price (Witham Hall) 

Violet Raichura (Moreton Hall) 


Sports Scholars: 

Iris Downes (Moreton Hall) 

Honor Graham (Ellesmere College) 

Oliver Smith (Princeton High School) 

Chloe Thomas (Radyr Comprehensive School) 

Kristian Tung (The International School at Parkcity) 

Art 

Rose Tempest (Skipton Girls’ High School)

SCHOOL NEWS 

23 

Future Proofing 

Head of the Futures (formerly Careers) Department Chris Wain reflects on the lessons 

learned from the past 12 extraordinary months. 

Friday 6th March 2020. From a Futures Department and 

a personal perspective, this was an important day. A Mock 

Assessment Centre morning had been arranged for our 

Lower Sixth Form students, all 197 of them, the conclusion 

to a programme of activities marking National Careers 

Week that had involved every year group. We welcomed 

55 professionals onto the School Site to help conduct mock 

interviews, facilitate group activities and share recruitment 

experiences: a wonderful mixture of parents, Old Salopians 

and friends of the School. At that point, the concerns about 

COVID-19 were starting to gather momentum, and I recall 

sending out an email to participants checking if their recent 

travel movements were likely to cause concern. Thankfully 

the event was able to proceed safely and, based on the 

feedback from the participants and visitors, the morning 

was well received. Two weeks later, the School was closed 

for the remainder of the academic year and this remains, 

at the time of writing, the last event of this size that the 

School has hosted. I really hope this is not still the case at 

the time of reading. 

Friday 23rd April 2021. A notable date for me personally, 

my two-year anniversary of working at Shrewsbury School. 

Mock Assessment Centre, March 2020. 

I waited politely and patiently until early evening for delivery 

of a celebratory cake from my colleagues, but once the 

reality hit that I was more excited about this milestone than 

everyone else in the School, I decided to head home. The 

sun was shining, as it had done on the same date in 2019, 

and I strolled past Top Common reflecting on what I had 

considered to be a fairly successful week. Bob Sawers (Rt 

1999-04) had delivered an inspiring presentation on the 

topic of ‘effective leadership’; Tom Macan (SH 1960-64) had 

engaged the MUN group with recollections of his time as a 

diplomatic officer; and Philipp Legner (O 2007-09) and Robin 

Davis (Rb 1983-88) had spoken to Fourth Formers about 

opportunities in technological professions, amongst other 

activities. None of this was in person of course; all had been 

delivered through Zoom, a platform which I never knew 

existed back in March 2020. I know all about it now. 

A quick digression. One of my favourite films is the 2011 

production Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt. It recounts the true 

story of the Oakland Athletics Baseball team, with particular 

focus on their 2002 season. Due to limited financial resources, 

their general manager Billy Beane (played by Pitt) took a 

revolutionary approach to player recruitment, using relatively 

complex and analytical data to assess an individual’s value. 

By this process, he brought in a range of unfashionable 

players fairly cheaply, much to the scepticism of most of his 

organisation. I won’t spoil the story for anyone who hasn’t 

seen the film. Suffice to say, they exceeded expectations, 

despite the huge internal opposition to this shift in policy. My 

favourite line from the film is when Beane is challenged by 

his Head Scout about the plans. His response included these 

three words: “adapt or die”. 

Ten years on from the film’s release, I feel this quote is 

incredibly relevant. I am not suggesting that the ability to 

adapt is an essential requirement for avoiding fatality, but I 

do view with some pride the way Shrewsbury School has 

adapted to what have proved to be twelve extraordinary


months, and the small role the Futures Department, and 

indeed the Old Salopian community, has played in this. If 

at interview just over two years ago I had been questioned 

regarding my knowledge of Zoom, the Institute of Leadership 

and Management (ILM) Young Leaders Award or virtual work 

experience opportunities, I would have broken into a cold 

sweat. Now, these contribute significantly to our delivery. We 

are one of the few schools in the Midlands to be accredited 

to deliver the Young Leaders Award, an excellent qualification 

that covers themes such as mentoring, self-leadership and 

resilience. Despite the challenges of the Summer Term 2020 

lockdown, we were able to take 95 Sixth Form leavers 

through this programme, through Zoom. Since the first 

lockdown, many organisations are now offering virtual work 

experience to pupils from a wide range of age groups, which 

are often research-based tasks that are directly relevant to that 

industry. Most of these (but not all) are free and engagement 

in them is a great way of demonstrating an ability to adapt to 

what is available. 

If in March 2020 I had been told that over the next 12 

months, I would complete over 60 ‘careers insight’ interviews 

with former pupils, without conducting any of them in 

person, and I would then be invited to share my supposed 

‘expertise’ in this at an educational conference chaired by 

Eton College, I would have done more than raise my 

eyebrows in bemusement. Yet these interviews have 

become a fundamental part of our programme, which 

other schools also access, and now current pupils take 

a lead on asking former pupils about their profession, 

their routes into it, the challenges, their experiences, 

their response to COVID-19. Those being interviewed are 

often hundreds of miles away from Shrewsbury School, 

but through the wonders of Zoom, they have been able 

to pause in their work for an hour or so and share their 

insight and expertise with pupils all round the world. 

The point I am making is that whether we like it or not, 

whether we realise it or not, we are continually having to 

adapt to the challenges the world throws at us – and now 

more than ever. In fact, I am now starting to believe that 

promoting the importance and value of adaptability might be 

the most critical function of my role. 

Journalist and broadcaster Nick Owen and four Shrewsbury School Futures 

Ambassadors 

During the past 12 months, I have been indebted to the wider 

Salopian community for the generous amounts of their time 

that they have offered to the School and to the pupils. I have 

hosted many discussions with a range of former pupils about 

their careers, and adaptability has appeared consistently as 

a theme. Noticeable amongst those one might class as the 

‘younger’ Old Salopians, are the movements many have 

made in their short careers, not necessarily within an industry, 

but often switching to a different industry altogether, and 

then back again. Now you could argue that this is a reflection 

of indecisiveness or poor careers guidance, but actually I 

feel it is more a reflection of opportunity awareness and the 

self-awareness that, as humans, we can adapt and thrive in 

different environments. 

During the first part of the Summer Term, we are picking 

up the theme of transferable skills with our Lower Sixth 

students, with presentations taking place on topics such 

as communication, leadership, problem-solving, analytical 

thinking, creativity and innovation. Broad titles, but the input 

is focused on the notion that if you can develop these skills, 

qualities, behaviours, attributes, competencies, however you 

choose to describe them, you can adapt to a wide variety of 

work settings. 

I have certainly had to adapt to some interesting situations 

in the past 12 months, with the changes in practice that the 

pandemic has necessitated. There have been some funny 

moments during the Zoom calls, which have reminded me 

of the need to cope with the unexpected. For example, I’ll 

never forget one Old Salopian cheerfully informing me, a 

minute before launching into a genuinely inspiring Zoom 

talk about his career, that he was all ready to go, with a fairly 

Fourth Form National Enterprise Event, March 2020.

SCHOOL NEWS 

25 

Our first Zoom careers insight interview with Andrew Espley (SH 1979-84) 

exotic-looking glass of gin and tonic in his hand! I’m not sure 

what Michael Parkinson would have done in that situation; 

probably not what I did, which was to smile nervously and 

hope the pupils would mistake it for water. I’ll also struggle 

to forget the moment during our remote Higher Education 

Conference in February 2021, brilliantly organised by Toby 

Percival, when my eight-month-old puppy went berserk at 

the doorbell ringing, midway through a question that I was 

asking the Newcastle University Representative. There were 

just 100-odd parents attending at this point, and I think there 

was genuine concern for my safety, despite the fact that 

the dog in question was actually not much bigger than an 

average-sized cat. 

On a more serious note, what I am very keen to ensure is 

that our current pupils embrace and practise adaptability. 

They probably will tire of me saying it, but it is really 

important that they are increasingly aware of how the world 

of work is adapting and changing at an incredible pace, 

accelerated by the impact of COVID-19. Since being back 

on Site, we have had to operate in a series of bubbles. 

Year group bubbles. House bubbles. Staff bubbles. Since 

I started in my role as Head of Futures two years ago, it is 

very obvious that we are in a wonderful Shrewsbury bubble, 

which is unique and not typical of the bubbles in which 

most of the population operate. Consequently, when our 

pupils move on from education into work, it is helpful for 

them to be aware of how special that Shrewsbury bubble is, 

but also to be realistic about the fact that the world outside, 

as was famously said “is not waiting for Salopians”. The 

message from more and more employers now, reflected 

by their recruitment practices, is that having good GCSEs, 

good A Levels and a good degree is very helpful, but this 

is in many ways a minimum expectation. Employers expect 

these qualifications to be supplemented by a wide range of 

experiences that help build and demonstrate the key skills, 

qualities and behaviours that are going to add value to their 

organisation. If our pupils can continue to adapt to these 

demands, and indeed embrace them, they will be well set to 

prosper outside the famous Moss Gates. 

I am extremely grateful to the many parents and former 

pupils who have supported the Futures Department during 

my time at the School. As well as the examples previously 

quoted, their assistance has also included the offering of 

work experience placements, when restrictions allow, which 

is incredibly helpful for our pupils. If anyone would like 

to support any of our delivery, please do make contact. I 

have included a small sample of some of the activities of the 

Department. I would be delighted to hear from you if you 

feel you could contribute to any of these. Please email me at 

cwain@shrewsbury.org.uk 

The Futures Programme 

For all year groups 

Upper Sixth 

Lower Sixth 

Fifth Form 

Fourth Form 

Third Form 

Old Salopians 

The School hosts a range of events each year, which include a Universities Fair and a huge menu 

of online talks giving pupils an insight into potential careers and university choices. 

Presentations on topics include: UCAS applications; how to select courses; applying to competitive 

universities; School Leaver Programmes; specific degree courses; studying abroad. 

Workshops include interview skills, LNAT, UCAT, BMAT and preparation for the Universities Fair. 

Recent initiatives have included pilots of employer mentoring, Shrewsbury U Programme 

(preparation for university), and the opportunity to gain the ILM Young Leaders Award. 

Presentations include applying to university, understanding UCAS, planning a Gap Year. 

Workshops include registering on UCAS, utilising Unifrog, and advice on personal statements. 

Recent initiatives have included pilots of employer mentoring, recruitment processes simulations, 

skills-based workshops, the opportunity to gain the ILM Young Leaders Award and a Mock 

Assessment Centre morning. 

Pupils sit careers profiling tests and access one-to-one guidance interviews in the Michaelmas 

Term with the Head of Futures. They attend supportive interviews in the Lent Term to discuss 

post-16 choices, and access careers support via the Personal and Social Development (PSD) and 

tutorial programmes. 

Pupils discuss careers and future during PSD lessons and tutorials. The Fourth Form have 

participated in the National Enterprise Challenge for the past two years. Restrictions allowing, 

Fourth Formers will be encouraged to take part in work experience by the end of their 

penultimate GCSE year. 

During tutorials, Third Formers have the opportunity to reflect and record their employability skills 

through engagement with SHREWD, a school skills-based platform. In addition, pupils receive 

support through PSD lessons on GCSE option choices and attend assemblies related to this topic. 

The Old Salopian Network supports much of the activity detailed above, and former pupils can 

still access support, when required, by contacting the ‘Futures Team’ directly. 

With the launch of Old Salopian Connect (https://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/os-connect), which 

now has over 1,000 members, former pupils are now more able to develop industry contacts and 

access employer mentors.


Business Ethics Forums 

In mid-February, the Philosophy & 

Theology Faculty pondered how 

best to bring alive the topic of business 

ethics to our Sixth Form, who by this 

point had been learning online for 

the best part of six weeks. With many 

of us confined to our screens and 

prohibited from non-essential shopping, 

it was hard to ponder the subject 

of best practice in ethical business 

management. Thankfully, hundreds 

of Old Salopians responded to an 

invitation to participate in an online 

forum to share their insights. Students 

were treated to discussions with diverse 

panels of business leaders and industry 

experts from around the world, in 

a way we could not perhaps have 

envisaged prior to what might now be 

called a revolution in remote learning. 

Initially we focused on the validity of 

Milton Friedman’s assertion that the 

“social responsibility of business is to 

increase its profits” (New York Times, 

1970). Old Salopians felt very strongly 

about divergent interpretations and 

implications of Friedman’s doctrine, 

with responses ranging from complete 

rejection to endorsement. Most 

felt the need for a carefully struck 

balance, with smaller business owners 

such as Matthew Kimpton-Smith (O 

1980-85) and Julian Lewis-Booth (M 

1982-87) reminding us that businesses 

must attend to profitability, but guard 

against rampant profiteering. (As a 

humorous aside, Julian assured us all, 

to great relief mid-lockdown, that the 

United Kingdom would not run out of 

toilet roll!) 

On the general question of whether 

‘good ethics is good business’, 

Salopians old and new agreed with 

Lord Marland of Odstock (O 1970-74) 

that “transparency and good faith must 

be key drivers for business”. Students 

and business leaders highlighted the 

importance of socially responsible 

business practices such as diversity 

and inclusion policies, STEM education 

support, and investment in regional 

regeneration (with the latter focused on 

particularly by Lord Heseltine). Several 

were keen to remind us, as one Old 

Salopian put it, that “natural capital has 

been assumed by the corporate sector 

to be free…which it clearly is not”. 

Our contributors also provided 

invaluable insight for students into 

the authenticity of Corporate Social 

Responsibility (CSR) policies, with 

many describing first-hand the laudable 

efforts of companies large and small to 

do “the right thing” (Philippa Foster- 

Back CBE, former Director of the 

Institute of Business Ethics). Others 

such as Cennydd Bowles (PH 1992-97), 

designer and author of Future Ethics, 

expressed concerns about hypocrisy 

and ethics washing, while Neil 

MacDougall (Ch 1981-83) (Chairman 

of the BVCA) cited helpful examples 

of philanthropic business activity. 

Students debated keenly afterwards 

whether the intention behind CSR 

matters if, in the end, the outcome is 

good for individuals, society and the 

environment. 

The talks were enjoyed enormously 

by students, who were struck by 

the pioneering role played by Old 

Salopians in the field of business ethics. 

Many were kind enough to share their 

publications with us; the library is now 

stocked with donated copies of titles 

such as Grand Corruption (George 

Moody-Stuart OBE), Responsible 

Leadership: Lessons from the front line 

of sustainability and ethics (Sir Mark 

Moody-Stuart (R 1954-59)) and Business 

Ethics (co-authored by Clive Bonny (M 

1966-71)), among others. 

In addition to the forums, a survey was 

sent out to all those who expressed an 

interest in responding. Responses are 

still being received and collated into 

an important resource for current and 

future students, along with recordings 

of the forums. With ongoing thanks 

to all of those who contributed to this 

invaluable project. 

Emma Wheeler, 

Head of Philosophy & Theology 

Economics Society 

Building on Success 

In 2019/20, the Economics Society 

produced the inaugural edition 

of its new magazine Shrewsbury 

Economists; in 2018/19 it staged the 

first ever Shrewsbury Economics 

Conference and a highly successful 

Brexit Question Time. 

So, in a pandemic-ridden year of 

lockdowns and remote learning, social 

distancing and limited opportunities 

to collaborate with people and 

organisations outside the School, the 

gauntlet had most decidedly been 

thrown down to the new incumbents. 

It was taken up with an enthusiasm and 

gusto that could yet result in possibly 

the most impressive performance yet. 

The Society this year is made up of 

Lower Sixth Economists (due to year 

group ‘bubbles’) coming up against 

the serious business of economics 

and discovering that the subject was 

not about ‘money’ but much more, 

although perhaps not quite as much 

as my claim, ‘the meaning of life’ (but 

close!). The fundamental problem of 

humankind coming to terms with how 

best to meet its limitless needs and wants 

with limited resources at its disposal 

gives enquiring minds an opportunity 

to explore every nook and cranny of 

human knowledge. It is exactly this level 

of enthusiasm that this year’s cohort have 

brought to the Society. 

Almost immediately students 

volunteered to lead discussions on 

topics including Life beyond Brexit, 

the Economics of Entertainment, the 

meteoric rise of K-Pop and the future of

SCHOOL NEWS 

27 

fast fashion (to name just a few). Wellresearched 

presentations followed by 

impassioned discussions have become 

the order of the day. Having become 

proficient at COVID-inspired remote 

meetings a partnership was struck up 

with the Economics Society of Oswestry 

School who joined us for several of 

these discussions on Zoom, leading a 

couple of them. 

Steven Brakespeare and an enthusiastic 

team of students are in the process 

of producing this year’s Shrewsbury 

Economists magazine. They will build 

on the impressive first issue in 2020 

with even more impressive articles, 

artwork and quizzes to inform and 

entertain. 

George Collings and Theo Parsons 

displayed an early penchant for 

organising and running events with 

external big hitters from the economic, 

political and financial world and so the 

first ever Shrewsbury School Economics 

Society Zoom Question Time was born. 

The subject was Brexit & the Pandemic. 

If the BBC can do it, so can we, and we 

did (better!). The evening started with 

thumbnail sketches of the illustrious 

panellists from Theo, starting with 

the Rt Honourable Owen Patterson 

(Conservative Member of Parliament 

for North Shropshire), Old Salopian 

Will Kenyon (ex-partner with PWC 

specialising in Forensic Accounting), 

Dr Julia Buckley (Labour Councillor 

for Bridgnorth and Labour Party 

parliamentary candidate in Shrewsbury 

and Atcham at the last election) and 

Nat Green (Liberal Democrat councillor 

for Quarry and Coton Hill). Each had 

specific perspectives and expertise 

which promised to make discussions 

interesting. 

The first question from Lem Mbaga (I) 

immediately focused the mind as he 

asked the panel whether if COVID 

had happened before the Brexit 

referendum, Brexit would have 

happened at all? There followed a 

series of equally searching questions 

that the panel fielded honestly if not, 

from time to time, assertively, but 

always in the civilised and academic 

manner that is an expectation of our 

community. Credit for this must go 

to the deft professionalism of the 

Chairman George, whose performance 

I am sure Fiona Bruce and David 

Dimbleby would have been proud of. 

A career in broadcasting may be calling! 

The final question of the evening was 

on the environment, which was sure 

to spark contentious views. It did 

not disappoint. Theo wound up the 

evening with a suitable vote of thanks 

to the panellists, summarising how 

much ground we had covered in the 

evening. Some of these panellists have 

already indicated their willingness to 

come and speak to our students again 

at the annual Economics Conference 

planned for 2021/22. 

Nick Zafar


Pupil Initiatives 

The Eco Committee 

PUPIL INITIATIVES 

“The Shrewsbury Eco Committee has really taken off this year. 

With representatives from most Houses, the Committee has 

been split into several working parties which have specific 

goals and themes, including recycling, creating a Pollinators’ 

Garden, rewilding the KH lawns and general sustainability. 

“As described below, ‘No Mow May’, our pilot rewilding project 

to assess the viability of handing back some of the School’s 

grassy spaces to indigenous wildlife, has been very successful 

and created a beautiful wildflower meadow above KH. And 

under a new leadership team, the Committee has installed a 

Pollinators’ Garden to support nearby bees. In addition to this, 

we have continued to develop the Biology Wildlife Garden, 

which has welcomed tadpoles, birds and even a family of 

ducks to the small pond and surrounding native plants next to 

the Art Building. 

“Environmental action at Shrewsbury School no longer 

consists of the odd temporary project; the Eco Committee 

is now working towards long-term solutions to major 

environmental issues. We want to make Shrewsbury a 

leading example of a school that takes its environmental 

responsibilities seriously.” 

George Collings (Rb L6) 

In a presentation to the Houses, the Eco Committee provided 

information to promote No Mow May: 

“More than ten per cent of UK species are threatened with 

extinction. Since the 1930s, 7.5 million acres of flower-rich 

meadow have been destroyed – overall that is 97 per cent 

of wildflower habitat loss. Against this loss, habitats such as 

lawns have become increasingly important. With 15 million 

gardens in Britain, our lawns have the potential to become 

major sources of nectar. 

“Just one per cent of our countryside now provides this floral 

feast for our pollinators. On a single day in summer, one acre 

of wildflower meadow can contain three million flowers, 

producing 1kg of nectar sugar. That’s enough to support 

nearly 96,000 honeybees per day. 

“The driving force behind the Eco Committee is the genuine 

belief that our pupils can make a difference, and that 

everything we all do, no matter how small, will help.” 

No Mow May 

The British conservation 

charity Plantlife launched a 

nationwide campaign this 

year, asking people not to 

mow their lawns during May. The aim is to allow as many 

wildflowers as possible to bloom until the end of the month, 

in order to provide much-needed extra nectar for bees. 

As part of the campaign, the Eco Committee agreed with 

the School Grounds Staff to create designated areas outside 

Kingsland House that would be left uncut, with a sign 

designed by Theo Gabb (SH U6) explaining why the grass 

had been allowed to grow long. 

The Eco Committee Leadership Team: Izzy Lickley (MSH L6), Eva Hall (G 5), Henry 

Lawson (O L6), Theo Gabb (SH U6), Ella Ho (MSH L6), Sapna Chadasama (G 5) 

and Harry Clarke (Ch L6). George Collings (Rb L6) is not pictured. 

A range of wildflowers is currently adorning the No-Mow 

meadow, and the Eco Committee took to the lawns on Field 

Day to count the number of flowers that had grown in a 

month, using random sampling. The results will then allow 

them to calculate the nectar rating, so they can work out 

No-Mow meadow

SCHOOL NEWS 

29 


Biology Wildlife Garden 

how many bees the area is feeding in a day. The lawn will 

be given a nectar rating once the data has been analysed and 

added to the national database. 

As there was so much rain during May, the flower growth 

slowed down and it was agreed that the No Mow 

campaign would carry on (renamed ‘Let it Bloom June’) 

until Speech Day on 3rd July, where the Eco Committee 

will be able to showcase the lawns and how the campaign 

has impacted on flower growth and, in turn, become a 

source of nectar for bees. 

The Eco Committee are hoping that the No Mow areas may 

be considered for a permanent fixture. 

The Pollinators’ Garden 

Meanwhile, the Committee have also recently started another 

long-term project. The Pollinators’ Garden was born in 

lockdown and is a large formal garden that wraps around the 

Beekeeping Society’s new apiary on the lawn behind the CCF 

building. The plants will predominantly be native species 

showcasing how these floral delights can be used in gardens, 

looking beautiful but also providing sources of nectar and 

pollen for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. 

The garden is designed to be planted in phases over two or 

three years, and a Third Form volunteer group began the 

first phase of planting during Outdoor Week in June. The 

Eco Committee hope that as a backdrop to the garden, there 

will be a nature-inspired mural on the back walls of the CCF 

building. In September, Biology Teacher Jackie Matthews will 

be launching a new Monday Society called Gardening for 

Wildlife, which will give pupils a chance to plan and plant 

the Pollinators’ Garden as part of their volunteering element 

for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.


Fluid Mechanics in the Barnes Theatre 


The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, as 

we have been reminded in recent 

months, encourages young people to 

enjoy the outdoors and to develop a 

skill or interest. It can be any interest, 

and George Moody-Stuart (R 3) decided 

he would like to find out more about 

fluid mechanics, particularly turbulent 

flow. Through reading, he had already 

established that it is a field in which 

chaotic behaviour is readily spotted 

(as in Chaos Theory and the Butterfly 

Effect, not as in an eight-year-old’s 

birthday party 20 minutes after the 

injection of a lot of sugar). He was 

also interested in fractals: mathematical 

constructions, often visual, which echo 

themselves if you zoom in on a smaller 

part of them. 

Besides the odd poster in a maths 

classroom displaying the Mandelbrot 

Set (one of mathematics’ most famous 

fractals), it is unlikely that anyone 

would meet any of these fields in an 

academic context before university. 

Turbulent flows are complex and 

unpredictable and the mathematics 

describing fluid mechanics very rapidly 

become fiendish – indeed in most 

forms the equations are insoluble. 

Nonetheless (or maybe because of this) 

there is something visually intoxicating 

about these flows, as anyone who has 

sat in front of a fireplace can confirm. 

And they are equally intellectually 

fascinating, as many who have studied 

fluid mechanics will attest. 

After some discussion with George 

and with an OS Moserite currently 

applying for a PhD in fluid mechanics, 

we decided an initial target would 

be to try to get some images of the 

‘energy cascade’: a fast fluid flow will 

break down from laminar flow into a 

large vortex or vortices, which in turn 

feed ever smaller vortices, with energy 

passing down the chain. This might 

also show some properties similar to 

fractals. We enlisted help: Shrewsbury 

School’s Theatre Technician Adam Wall 

has a smoke machine, a nice strong 

laser and an engineering degree, so 

shared in the excitement of seeing some 

proper fluid mechanics. Mr Bird also 

helped, having a good camera and the 

wherewithal to use it! And off it all went. 

Not without cause are turbulent 

flows difficult to model and predict. 

While there were some pretty 

dramatic patterns and atmospheric 

photographs, there was no sign 

of the breakdown from laminar to 

turbulent flow George had hoped to 

see. Indeed, after setting off smoke 

alarms and opening a load of doors, 

we learnt a bit about draughts and 

the efficacy of airing a space. There 

will be more experiments in flow 

visualisation to come – possibly using 

water tanks and ink in the Physics 

Department. The pictures we get will 

almost certainly not be as dramatic 

as these, but there should be plenty 

of chances to see complex situations 

develop. 

Seb Cooley

SCHOOL NEWS 

31 

Praepostors lead Mental Health Awareness Week 

Every year, the Praepostors decide on a specific project they can work on together, which will be of 

positive benefit to the School. Immy Jones (MSH) and Joseph Meisner (SH) report on the initiative. 


This year, we chose to focus on the 

issue of mental health and coordinated 

our own Mental Health Awareness 

Week. We wanted to use the week to 

start a conversation about mental health 

and reduce the stigma surrounding it. 

Throughout the week, pupils engaged 

in a range of activities 

that focused on raising 

awareness of issues 

concerning mental health. 

We began with a short 

video outlining to the 

pupils what the week 

was all about. Then two 

Postors, Orlando Williams 

(Rt) and Joseph Meisner 

(SH) spoke in Chapel 

to the Fifth Form about 

their experiences. They 

repeated their talk to three 

other year groups in the 

following weeks. 

With the aim of creating 

a more comfortable 

atmosphere in which 

one can speak about 

mental health, a team of 

Postors went to talk to 

Junior School tutor groups 

in Houses about the 

language we use when 

discussing mental health. 

We then held a Zoom 

seminar with the School Counsellor, 

Wendy Brook, for the Third and Fourth 

Forms, though many other pupils from 

different year groups attended, which 

was exceptional in helping us to raise 

awareness and also in reminding pupils 

of the ways they can get support. 

We were very fortunate that the School 

caterers, Holroyd Howe, worked in 

conjunction with us on the week, 

focusing on the link between nutrition 

and mental health during lunchtime 

on Friday. We also took the discussion 

of the importance of fuelling ourselves 

correctly into Houses, where we had 

pupil-led conversations, coordinated by 

the Postors. 

During the week, the motion for the 

Junior House Debating Competition 

and the Library Book Blast were based 

on the theme of mental health, and 

these helped our message reach an 

even wider range of recipients. 

As well as working to help those 

within the School, we were also keen 

to raise money for 

mental health charities. 

Thanks to a cake 

sale coordinated by a 

taskforce of Postors, 

with contributions 

from across the 

Houses, we raised 

over £600. This total 

was boosted further by 

our non-uniform day 

later in the term. 

As Postors, we have 

all really relished the 

opportunity to step 

up to the plate and 

pursue a student-led 

initiative, and we 

have developed our 

skills of leadership, 

communication and 

delegation. From the 

pupils’ perspective, 

according to the 

feedback we have 

received, it has been 

overwhelmingly 

positive, and we hope that we have 

encouraged people to open up the 

conversation surrounding mental 

health, and the School to continue 

having these important conversations 

for years to come.


ShrewsMUN goes virtual 


On 7th February 2021, Shrewsbury hosted its first ever virtual Model United Nations conference: 

ShrewsMUN V. Rhys Woodward (M U6), Secretary General, reflects on the experience: 

It gives me great pride to think 

that my Executive Team and 

I successfully made Shrewsbury 

history in running ShrewsMUN V; a 

conference which was, by all accounts, 

a resounding success. Looking back 

on 7th February, which now seems a 

very long time ago, my Executive Team 

have wholly positive memories and can 

confirm that every Salopian involved 

rose to the occasion. 

The day started with a meeting at 

9.25am in which Mr Peach (Master 

i/c MUN) and I gave our ‘team talks’ 

to Shrewsbury delegates and chairs 

and finished by answering any final 

queries that people had. Whilst this was 

happening, the 200 external delegates, 

coming from schools all over the 

world, were enjoying our pre-recorded 

opening ceremony and receiving all the 

information needed for the day. 

Then at 10.00am, committees began 

with a period of lobbying and 

icebreakers, which put delegates at 

ease and gave them the feeling for 

the conference that we had aimed for: 

skilled debate with a definitive mix of 

casual discussion and Salopian charm. 

Following on from this, delegates were 

in committees all morning, stopping 

for lunch at 12.30pm, which allowed 

them to get their teeth into a variety of 

topics, ranging from Global Political 

Corruption and Reducing the Economic 

Impact of COVID-19 to Iran’s access 

to Nuclear Weapons. Meanwhile, Mr 

Peach, Milton Tai (Deputy Secretary 

General), Joseph Meisner (Head of 

Press) and I were dipping in and out of 

committees and ensuring the smooth 

running of the conference. 

Now, it would be slightly disingenuous 

of me to claim that we did not 

experience our share of technical or 

administrative problems during our 

day of debate. In all honesty, there 

were probably more than I would 

like to admit. But I think that it was 

our years of MUN experience and the 

expertise of Mr Peach in the running 

of MUN conferences that really saved 

us throughout the day. No matter 

the issue, we all remained calm and 

can pride ourselves on our clear 

communication to external advisors, 

which led to every issue being rapidly 

resolved. And I think that this is what 

made ShrewsMUN such a success, 

alongside the excellent chairing and 

fantastic debate on show. 

Returning to the timetable for the day, 

at 12.30pm the delegates were issued 

with their ‘crisis’ joint-committee topics 

for the afternoon, which were The 

Issue of Global Terrorism (for Human 

Rights + Security Council + Political + 

Disarmament) and The Issue of Climate 

Change (for ECOSOC + Environment 

and Health + Future). Delegates were 

then encouraged to produce resolutions 

for these topics which would be 

debated until 4.00pm and precede the 

Closing Ceremony. As we had done 

in the morning, a few of us went in 

and out of committees making sure 

that everything was running smoothly, 

whilst also receiving feedback from 

external advisors and Shrewsbury 

teachers who had decided to pop in 

and watch the debate. 

By the end of the day, all awards had 

been handed out, with Venezuela 

(Withington Girls’ School) achieving the 

‘Outstanding Delegation’ award. After 

we had said our virtual farewell to all 

the external delegates and advisors, we 

had a Shrewsbury Zoom meeting at 

4.30pm to get everybody’s opinion on 

how it went, which was (thankfully) all 

very positive. 

As a final note, I’d like to look 

towards the future of ShrewsMUN. 

The members of the Lower Sixth 

who contributed to ShrewsMUN all 

did an incredibly good job, with two 

of them chairing strong committees 

(Human Rights and Political) and 

another acting as a delegate in the 

Security Council. I made it clear to 

them during the preparations for the 

conference that they should try to gain 

a strong understanding of the process 

of running the conference, as it will 

inevitably be their job to do this next 

year, along with (hopefully) having 

the pleasure of welcoming delegates 

physically to Shrewsbury. It really is a 

tremendous amount of work, that all 

fortunately paid off on the day. But I 

am sure that whoever takes the reigns 

for the future will skilfully undertake 

and produce the best ShrewsMUN yet: 

ShrewsMUN VI.

SCHOOL NEWS 

33 

Sixth Former creates KH Virtual Queue App 

Sixth Form Entrant Dymtro (Dima) Shkabura (Ch L6) 

has created an ingenious Virtual Queue App for pupils 

and staff in order to support the smooth flow of mealtime 

queuing in Kingsland Hall. 

“The initial idea for creating the app came to me while 

queueing in KH because I wanted to help speed up queuing 

times. I was also thinking that the idea could be used for my 

EPQ project, as I had already decided that I was going to be 

making an app. It was a good opportunity to kill two birds 

with one stone.” 

Dima began working on the project before the first lockdown 

last year. After monitoring the amount of time different 

year groups and Houses spent queuing, Dima started 

brainstorming ideas of how he could make an app that was 

as effective as possible in creating a fairer and more efficient 

queuing system. 

One of the key issues Dima hoped his app would address 

was how to reduce the number of pupils arriving at KH at 

the same time – an issue that was even more important under 

COVID-19 restrictions, as it was more challenging to maintain 

social distancing and avoid mixing of Houses. The other 

was calculating a mathematical algorithm to create a rotating 

queue system that would ensure that all Houses would have 

an equal share of being first – and last. 

“Once I was happy with the initial ideas, I started designing 

the app, keeping in mind that it needed to be very simple 

and intuitive to use, in order to ensure that it would take only 

a minimal amount of time to get used to. I designed three 

tabs: 

• The login tab: a form that lets the user choose whether they 

are a student or supervisor and the information necessary to 

continue onto the next tab 

• The student tab: displays the order of the next meal, the 

time at which they need to arrive and the option to view the 

entire queue 

• The supervisor tab: displays the order and time of each 

House within a year group and displays a tick if clicked on a 

House. 

“After fixing a bug in the system, and 22 hours of work, the 

app was complete and ready to use on all types of devices.” 

Dima produced a video explaining the benefits of the app 

and how to use it, which was shared with staff and pupils. 

“The School agreed to pay for hosting the app and for the 

domain, and the app was implemented during the last week 

of term before Christmas,” Dima explains. “The tests went 

astonishingly well. Not only did our queuing time reduce to 

approximately five minutes, but we have also at most only 

encountered three other Houses queueing at a time. Overall, 

I can say that the entire endeavour was a staggering success.” 

PUPIL INITIATIVES


McEachran Prize 2021 

Unexpected riches in lockdown 

The staging of this most eccentric 

of school prize competitions, which 

dates back in one form or another to the 

late 1970s in honour of the legendary 

Frank McEachran -- ‘Kek’ to his pupils, 

‘Mac’ to the staff -- looked impracticable 

in this year’s intermittently remote 

conditions. Thanks, however, to the 

intellectual endeavours of Salopians, 

the English Faculty’s determination, and 

skills of Film Fellow David Clifford, the 

competition not only took place ‘in 

remote’ but arguably reached a new 

standard. 

The nature and genesis of the 

McEachran Competition is explained 

below by this year’s adjudicator, 

recently retired Churchill’s Housemaster 

and former member of the English 

Faculty, Richard Hudson. Richard, who 

as a boy at Shrewsbury was taught by 

‘Kek’ ran the competition for most of 

his 17 years at Shrewsbury, taking over 

the torch from the late Mike Schutzer- 

Weissmann, and this year passing it on 

to Moser’s Hall Housemistress Elect, 

Lauren Temple. As the emphasis on 

cross-curricular learning has increased, 

so have the always vague ‘Mornington 

Crescent’ type rules of the competition 

become deliberately vaguer. But the 

essence has remained the same: to 

deliver a brief talk, based on any aspect 

of a short text (‘the spell’, to use the 

McEachran terminology) which will 

interest the audience, be intellectually 

coherent and show originality. Unlike 

in so much of today’s world, substance 

takes precedence over presentation. 

This year, with the competition 

necessarily taking place in remote, 

the usual setting of the Moser Library 

was changed for the homes of each 

of the competitors, who used a dash 

of technological wizardry to deliver 

their speeches via the video platform 

‘Flipgrid.’ Many took the opportunity 

afforded by this new format to add 

further character to their presentations, 

and the revised format allowed Mr 

Hudson to provide personalised 

feedback to every speaker before 

revealing the much-anticipated winner. 

The prestigious prize for first place was 

awarded to a thoroughly well-deserving 

Ed Bayliss (Rt U6) for a reflection on 

man’s relationship with nature, inspired 

by John Clare’s poem The Lament of 

Swordy Well. Ed delivered an informed 

and articulate speech which would 

compel even those who had never 

heard of Clare to turn to his poetry. 

The battle for the prize was hard-won, 

with the talks given by each of this 

year’s 11 talented competitors fulfilling 

the requirements of the competition 

par excellence. There was something 

for everyone in the speeches, some 

entering into the fray of contemporary 

debates and others exploring timeless 

concerns of the human condition. 

Sapna Chudasama (G) began the Fifth 

Form entries with a contemplation 

upon race as a social construct, her 

spell from an essay by Sarah McAfee; 

Sienna George (M) continued with 

her thoughtful reflections on the 

relationship between ambition and 

happiness, inspired by Mary Shelley’s 

uncannily prescient novel Frankenstein. 

Eva Hall (G) chose a spell of highly 

contemporary relevance in Amanda 

Gorman’s inauguration poem The 

Hill We Climb with an optimistic 

message of hope for the future, while 

Jack Sheldon (R) considered the 

experiences of persecuted minorities 

in his selection of stanzas from 

Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden; Mia 

Wyatt concluded the speeches from 

the Fifth Form with a discussion of 

diversity and the media, inspired 

by a spell from More Than This by 

Patrick Ness. 

The Sixth Form turned their thoughts to 

equally diverse subjects. On top of Ed 

Bayliss’ winning speech, Joe Meisner 

(SH) brought humour to his musings 

on syntactical ambiguity, captured in 

Ed Bayliss 

a spell often attributed to Anthony 

Oettinger (‘Time flies like an arrow; 

fruit flies like a banana’; Theo Parsons 

(PH) was inspired, by Earth is Enough 

by Edwin Markham, to consider 

materialism and the cycle of desire. 

Alice Semenenko (M) was commended 

by the adjudicator for her sensitive 

handling of a disturbingly current 

concern raised in Thomas Hardy’s 

Tess of the d’Urbervilles; Kira Ward (M) 

considered the impact of one of the 

greatest astronomers upon a poem 

of epic proportion in a discussion 

of Galileo’s influence upon Milton’s 

Paradise Lost. Finally, Orlando Williams 

(Rt) concluded the competition with 

March 27th by Gillian Clarke, and an 

uplifting message which celebrated 

nature being liberated by lockdown. 

The overriding impression created 

by this year’s competitors was one 

of real passion for the written word, 

with personal and erudite responses 

to diverse source texts. Despite the 

challenges of the last year, thoughtful 

engagement with the world beyond the 

confines of our own homes, empathy 

for the experiences of others, and hope 

have all endured, as reflected by each 

of the speakers in their talks. 

This talented group of Salopians 

skilfully captured everything the 

McEachran Competition should be. 

With familiar faces being joined by a 

new generation of competitors, next 

year’s event is set to be fierce! 

Lauren Temple

SCHOOL NEWS 

35 

Frank McEachran (Staff 1936-76) 

- A personal reminiscence 

As a boy at the school from 1967- 

72, I was a pupil of the great Frank 

McEachran, known to us as Kek, then 

approaching the close of his 40-year 

spell as a teacher at Shrewsbury, which 

came to an end with his death in 1976. 

The year before I came, Kek had rather 

memorably celebrated his 66th birthday 

on 6th June 1966. 

By the time I arrived, Kek wasn’t 

allowed to teach any syllabus, but a 

less busy school schedule and perhaps 

a different educational climate meant 

that time was found for his amazingly 

eccentric lessons. He wasn’t for 

everyone, but for the sort of people 

who enter the McEachran Prize, his 

‘teaching’, if you can call it that, was - 

well – spellbinding. 

He did two things in his lessons which, 

when I was in the Sixth Form, took 

place at his home in his sitting room. 

The first was to introduce us to the 

main strands of western moral and 

political philosophy. The second strand 

was spell reading and subsequent 

recitation. Most of the lesson was taken 

up by whichever boy who volunteered 

– nothing was ever compulsory – 

standing on a chair, inscribed with three 

chalk circles, and reciting any ‘spells’ 

he wanted to, until other boys, or Kek 

himself, told him get off and make 

way for others. There was never any 

shortage of volunteers. We all wanted 

to outdo each other. 

‘Spells’ was the name he had given 

to the short pieces of poetry or prose 

in any one of the nine languages he 

spoke, but mostly in English, which we 

had learned from his ‘bank’ of about 

1500 which he had collected over the 

years. The three chalk circles on the 

chair were a reference to one of our 

favourite spells, lines from Kubla Khan 

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: 

Beware, beware 

His flashing eyes, his floating hair! 

Weave a circle round him thrice, 

And close your eyes in holy dread, 

For he on honeydew hath fed, 

And drunk the milk of paradise. 

There are hundreds, perhaps 

thousands, of Kek disciples still around 

– girls too, for he also taught at the 

High School, Professor Mary Beard 

being perhaps his most high-profile 

female fan. We all carry scores of 

these spells around in our heads. Even 

now when we meet, we start trying to 

out-quote each other, that competitive 

spirit which underpins so much of 

Salopian life always lurking just under 

the surface. 

Between my own two ‘spells’ at 

Shrewsbury I was a publisher, and in 

1992 re-published an anthology of Kek 

spells, with his unique commentary, later 

reprinted in paperback as A Cauldron of 

Spells. There are plenty of copies of this 

knocking around the English Faculty and 

in the library. They also contain a short 

biography of this wonderful character 

written by another great Salopian 

figure, Laurence Le Quesne, famously 

remembered as the teacher who inspired 

the first editors of the magazine Private 

Eye, Churchillian Richard Ingrams and 

Ridgemountaineer the late Christopher 

Booker. Laurence Le Quesne judged this 

competition about four years ago and still 

lives in Shrewsbury. 

So in entering this competition, whose 

rules are deliberately vague – apart 

from the time limit, the expectation that 

your talks should be interesting and 

thought out, and that they should be 

based on a text – in entering it you are 

part of a great tradition and are keeping 

the memory of one of the greatest of 

Salopian teachers alive. 

Richard Hudson


Academic Enrichment during a Pandemic 

How has Shrewsbury School continued to thrive academically beyond the classroom during 2020-21? 

Enriching the academic programme 

at Shrewsbury in such uncertain 

times has brought with it a significant 

degree of both challenge and 

opportunity. With visitors to the Site 

prohibited until deep into the Summer 

Term, creative ways of extending the 

academic experience of our pupils 

were duly called for. 

The Michaelmas Term saw the 2021 

Oxbridge cohort take the lead with a 

series of inspiring ‘Viva’ presentations, 

peer-assessed and socially distanced 

in the Haining Auditorium in Hodgson 

Hall. The traditional House Debating 

competition was completed exclusively 

via Zoom until a ‘live’ final was held in 

May shortly before the final round of 

Upper Sixth assessments. School House 

emerged triumphant over Churchill’s 

in a fiercely competitive, inspiring 

grand finale to whole-school Debating. 

As I write, the Junior competition is 

reaching its conclusion and has been 

conducted through Zoom with superb 

assistance from a range of pupil judges 

– ample evidence of Salopian prowess 

in public speaking and leadership on 

display here. 

Subject-specific societies continued to 

provide dynamic extension sessions 

in the virtual realm, with renowned 

experts lending their wisdom 

to appreciative audiences in the 

Bastille (History), Sidney (English), 

Darwin (Science), Astronomy and 

Economics Societies, to cherry-pick 

but a small sample of the breadth of 

academic opportunity provided to the 

Shrewsbury community. 

The unforeseen closure of the School 

Site during Lent Term 2021 brought 

with it a renewed opportunity to 

enhance academic provision across the 

community. To enrich and extend the 

teaching and learning taking place in 

‘live’ timetabled lessons, ‘Go Further’ 

sessions were duly hosted by each 

academic Faculty on a rotational basis, 

in a pilot scheme that ran during the 

nationally difficult months of January 

and February. 

Faculties were asked to propose 

one-off 40-minute sessions that would 

engage and enrich the academic 

experience of our pupils beyond the 

‘virtual’ classroom and their courses 

of study. In total around 60 separate 

sessions were hosted in the four-week 

period and involved over 40 different 

members of teaching staff. The key 

appeal of the sessions was based on 

cross-year-group content alongside a 

strong focus on active engagement, 

discussion and debate. 

A veritable smörgåsbord of content 

was available to audiences on a weekly 

basis; the titles below provide only a 

small sample of the intellective depth 

and breadth available throughout the 

programme: 

• The Most Influential Images of the 

20th Century 

• Oratory from Cicero to Obama 

• Mary Wollstonecraft: Emancipation 

through Education 

• La Nouvelle Vague 

• Experiencing Outdoor Heritage Sites 

at Oswestry Hillfort & Caerau 

• Mechanical Engineering at Home 

• The Pandemic & the Shropshire 

Economy 

• 38 Sounds: The Complete Guide to 

French Pronunciation 

• Water Security in Rural Malawi 

Turnout for sessions was invariably 

strong and weekly publication 

of titles and access links enabled 

the programme to reach beyond 

the Shrewsbury community and 

incorporated partner schools in the 

maintained, prep and Sixth Form 

college environment. The academic 

enrichment aspect of our provision 

enabled close collaboration with Stuart 

Cowper and Dan Nicholas in their 

respective roles (Partnerships and 

Prep School Liaison) to great effect, 

and recordings of events were made 

available for international students, 

the parent body and partner schools 

around the UK. 

Following the success of the 

programmes outlined above, there is 

ongoing discussion about the shape 

of academic enrichment in the years 

to come. One thing the pandemic has 

taught us as a community is the need 

to be adaptable and proactive with 

initiatives and opportunities for our 

pupils. Academic extension beyond the 

physical classroom is more important 

than ever and looks set to go from 

strength to strength in the Shrewsbury 

community next year and beyond. 

Harry Mackridge

SCHOOL NEWS 

37 

Junior School Essay Competition 

The Junior School Essay Competition is open to all 

Third and Fourth Form pupils, who are offered a range 

of questions covering core syllabus and super-curricular 

concepts. Given the unusual circumstances of this year, the 

format of the competition was slightly changed, and pupils 

were challenged to respond in no more than 500 words. 

The winning essay by Luke Williams (SH 4) is published below. 

One day humans will have to leave Earth in order 

to survive. What physical barriers will need to be 

overcome to make this a success? 

There is a hesitant acceptance that the human race has 

left an irreparable footprint on this planet and its delicate 

ecosystem. The population is exponentially expanding, and 

recently, rapid industrialisation, pollution, and deforestation 

to name a few have been asphyxiating the finely balanced 

climate. Physicists have been mulling over a resolution, 

and colonising another planet has become a tenable 

consideration. 

Deciding on a suitable planet would be the first 

confrontation; we could either select a rocky planet 

which lies within the solar system, or pinpoint an Earthlike 

exoplanet. The latter inevitably involves a formidable 

distance, with the nearest star being over four light years 

away, but if analysis is correct, it could harbour water, 

and guarantee a pivotally manageable framework for the 

continuity of humanity. Travelling to a more proximal planet 

provides a more plausible distance, but would introduce a 

problematic environment. 

Considering the barriers for Mars to begin with, although 

the gravity may be not too dissimilar, the terrain is arid, the 

weather is unpredictable, and the atmosphere composition 

is fatal to humans. Installing pressurised buildings would 

promise regular ventilation, but transporting parts would 

be cumbersome, and reaching escape velocity from Earth 

would prove onerous. Liquid water must also be created 

through chemical reactions, either purified for drinking or 

redistributed to vegetation. To conserve the scarcity of water, 

a synthetic water cycle would have to be established. 

As for the obstacle of power and nourishment, a transparent 

roof could exploit the Sun’s oppressive heat, to aid the 

growth of renewable sustenance. Our star could also be 

used to generate solar power; the cumulative force of a dust 

storm could additionally be trapped through a network of 

robust turbines either exposed directly above ground, or 

manipulating the gusts to a more protected alignment of 

turbines underground. 

If instead physicists decided to locate a world that twins 

Earth, light years dissociate humanity from this pedestalised 

proposal. Modern day rocket propulsion would take 

thousands of years to even cover one light year, concluding 

that chemical fuel is insufficient. There are two alternatives: 

either the power source is ground-based, or situated onboard. 

The craft could use nuclear propulsion, preferably fusion, 

which yields profoundly more, but has not been tamed yet. 

Contrarily, ground-based lasers could precisely point at a 

reflective sail on the vessel, spurring it through the vacuum of 

space, but the accuracy and potency is yet to be surmounted. 

In conclusion, not only is radical advancement required in 

the preparation, and in the adaption following colonisation, 

but a discernment must be made. Do we naively wander 

through the vacuum of space, to acquaint ourselves with a 

distant sibling of Earth, or do we engineer our neighbour? 

Mother Nature is knocking on death’s door, and we are 

holding tightly onto her hand. Mountainous advancements 

loom above humanity, but incessant progress will unshackle 

us, and humanity may live on.


Biology Photographic Competition 2021 

The Biology Photographic Competition, coordinated by Biology Teacher Henry Exham, is now in its fifth year and is more 

popular than ever among pupils and staff. 

This year there were over 100 entries showcasing a wonderful biodiversity across both the plant and the animal kingdoms. 

With so many different images and an extremely high standard, the judges’ job was tougher than ever. But they narrowed it 

down in the end, and the winners, runners-up and commended photographs in each category are displayed here. 

Junior Category (Third, Fourth & Fifth Form) 

Winner 

Poppy Godsal 

(MSH 4) 

Runner-up 

Towa Nishida 

(EDH 3) 

Commended - Poppy Godsal (MSH 4) 

Commended - David Shannon (S 4)

SCHOOL NEWS 

39 

Senior Category (Sixth Form) 

Winner 

Annie Fan 

(M L6) 

Runner-up 

Charlotte Russell 

(G U6) 

Commended - Natalie Dee (G U6) 

Commended - Jerry Li (R L6)

40 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Staff Category 

Winner - Stewart Harrison 

Runner-up 

Ray Vardill 

Commended - Deb Hazan 

Commended - Leo Winkley


Inaugural STEM Magazine 

Led by Editor Thea Haugan (MSH L6), the Darwin Society Presidents and other talented pupils from 

across the School have combined their talents and passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering 

and Maths) to produce the inaugural Shrewsbury School STEM Magazine. 

The 60-page publication brings together a vast range of 

articles that discuss many of the most pressing topics facing 

our society today, including the latest research in mental 

health, soil health, plastic waste, special relativity, lithium 

batteries and the science behind the most effective face mask. 

We include one of the 28 articles here, but the full publication 

is available to download as a pdf from the School website: 

https://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/node/64897

42 

SCHOOL NEWS


Drama 

Ongoing pandemic restrictions have continued to limit the performing arts, but Shrewsbury’s 

thespian community has nonetheless managed to stage a number of socially 

distanced and live-streamed productions. 

professionalism in his first performance at Shrewsbury. 

By popular request, Guy Gowar reprised his hit role of ‘Dead 

Body’, which wowed in the last Severn Hill play, treating the 

audience to numerous well-timed sight gags. 

Also honing his craft was Jago Ainslie, who made a successful 

return to his personal specialty, playing police officers. His 

brisk Inspector Hound lent gravitas to proceedings and 

provided an excellent comic foil trying to bat aside the 

simpering Mrs Drudge’s advances. 

A fine dramatic baptism for our wonderful new space. 

HOUSE PLAY SEASON 

The Real Inspector Hound (Severn Hill) 

The gentlemen of Severn Hill opened the season with a witty 

and irreverent take on Stoppard’s classic farce. The play got 

off to a pacey start thanks to Fifth Formers Ryan Mupesa 

and Sam Unsworth, who opened the show as two bickering 

theatre critics, Birdboot and Moon. As the critics take their 

seats in the theatre to watch a new Murder Mystery, the lights 

dim and the play-within-a-play begins. For Moon, reviewing 

this production is his big break, a chance to fill in for his 

paper’s number one critic Higgs, who has mysteriously gone 

missing. The single-minded Birdboot is more interested in 

starting a liaison with a beautiful young actress. 

Will Unsworth made a memorable entrance as Mrs Drudge, 

the cleaning lady who hoovers the drawing-room of Lady 

Muldoon’s country residence while bopping to Queen’s ‘I 

Want to Break Free.’ His natural dramatic timing and comic 

scuttle were a highlight in an evening rich with laughter. The 

jokes came thick and fast as Stoppard’s clever pastiche of 

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap unfolds and the cast’s breezy 

handling of plot exposition piled on the dramatic irony. 

Jos Gowar made a very credible stage debut as the dashing 

Simon Gascoyne who mysteriously arrives across the clifftops 

just as the radio announces that a killer is on the loose. His 

debonair charm instantly attracts the ladies, something that 

will later come to haunt him. Before Simon can make his 

assignation with the glamourous Lady Muldoon, he bumps 

into his former flame, Felicity Cunningham. Through 

expert mastery of the hair flick, Harvey Inman humorously 

portrayed the changeable Felicity’s combination of 

coquettishness and cattiness. 

However, Felicity is no match for Lady Muldoon, winsomely 

played by Felix Robson as a husky femme fatale in fourinch 

heels. When Simon is shot by an unknown assailant, 

suspicion falls on the whole household, including Lady 

Muldoon’s long-lost cousin, played by Third Former 

James Bach, who impressed with his confidence and 

Pride and Prejudice (The Grove) 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a House play 

directed by Dr Brown must be in want of a glitter cannon. 

The spirited cast from The Grove led us on a side-splittinglyfunny 

feminist romp through the Regency, condensing Jane 

Austen’s classic novel into 70 minutes of crisp dialogue and 

wry asides. 

Bonnets were banished in this gutsy update, traded for glitter 

cannons and mirror balls in a production anchored by an 

assured and comically brilliant performance from Georgina 

Cooper as a thoroughly modern Elizabeth Bennet. 

As the action opened against a backdrop of pastel ballgowns 

and a neo-classical set in refined cornflower blue, the 

audience were greeted by a bevy of servants. Cleverly 

transformed into a wry chorus, throughout the evening the 

mob-capped maids nudged the plot along and helped put 

matters in perspective. Played with energy and commitment 

by Sapna Chudasama, Eve Llewellyn, Eva Hall, Eva and Clara 

Garavini, and Melissa Rogstad, the maids pointed out they 

really are vital: after all, “you can’t have a whirlwind romance 

without clean knickers”. 

The irrepressible Mrs Bennet enters, played with superb 

comic timing by Daisy Scott, tearing her hair out at the 

prospect of marrying off five daughters with no fortune. Her 

husband Mr Bennet is precious little help (in fact he’s a teddy 

bear) but hope resides with the eldest, the beautiful and kind 

Jane (Tabitha Winkley), who might be their meal ticket out of 

the gutter. 

And Mrs Bennet has just the match lined up: the new tenant 

of Netherfield Park, the wealthy bachelor Mr Bingley. Better 

yet, Bingley has brought his best friend Mr Darcy with him 

from London, an even more eligible marriage prospect who 

brings home twice Bingley’s annual income. Darcy’s £10,000 

a year might sound meagre to modern ears – but as the 

perky servant-chorus helpfully explain, in today’s money 

that’s around £5 million; no wonder Mrs Bennet is all a-flutter 

at the thought of sending one of her daughters down the 

aisle with him. 

At first all goes to plan, as Bingley is instantly bowled over by 

Jane’s charms. Head of House Charlotte Russell channelled 

Hugh Laurie in a delightful performance that painted Bingley 

as a thoroughly good chap. The object of his affection is 

equally smitten, and Tabitha Winkley winsomely captured 

Jane’s tender heart and sincerity. The only fly in the ointment 

is Bingley’s snide sister, Caroline, played with Grecian poise


The evening had more in store with in-jokes aplenty for 

Austen aficionados with a refreshingly original take on 

Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth and a sequence where the 

servants cheekily try to coax Darcy to take a dip in the lake. 

At last, love reigns triumphant when Darcy redeems himself 

by rescuing the youngest Bennet sister, Lydia, from an 

elopement with Wickham. 

With both Jane and Elizabeth happily hitched to their true 

love, the final showstopping moment of the night came from 

Victoria Kazachkova as the studious Mary. Banished to the 

side-lines for her poor form at the pianoforte, Mary returns to 

close out the show, resplendent in sequins and transformed 

from hapless helpmeet to husky jazz singer. 

It made a fittingly uplifting end to a production rich in a 

dazzling variety of comic performances and empowering 

messages. 

and icy sang-froid by Rose Farquarson. Horrified to find 

herself surrounded by country bumpkins, she clings to Darcy, 

the man she is hell-bent on snaring for herself. And we can 

see why. 

Striding across the stage with flashing eyes and thigh-high 

boots, Imogen Morgan was every bit the brooding heartthrob. 

Her nuanced performance was a masterclass in the 

raised eyebrow and she fully conveyed first Darcy’s snobbish 

disdain, then his bewilderment at falling head-over-heels in 

love with Elizabeth. 

The plot rollicks along with sight-gags aplenty as we watch 

Georgina’s witty and astute Elizabeth do battle with a host 

of characters determined to manoeuvre her into matrimony. 

A scene-stealing Hattie Attwood had the audience in stitches 

as the strutting egotist Mr Collins, who is due to inherit Mr 

Bennet’s estate. Desperate to persuade him to marry one of 

her daughters, “You can have any of them – or all of them – 

whatever!” Mrs Bennet is deaf to Elizabeth’s refusal to wed 

the oafish Collins, until an unlikely figure rides to the rescue 

– Mr Darcy. 

Under the spell of a slow dance and disco lights, we see 

Darcy’s heart melt. It’s an impressively nuanced moment in 

two tour de force performances from Imogen and Georgina. 

There’s still both pride and prejudice to overcome, however, 

and in swaggers Morgan Sandford as the dashing Wickham. 

Elizabeth’s head is turned by his charisma, and along with 

the whole town she falls hook-line-and-sinker for Wickham’s 

tall-tale that the ‘villainous’ Darcy deprived him of his 

inheritance. Meanwhile, Jane’s romance comes to a dramatic 

halt as Caroline whisks Bingley back off to London, leaving a 

forlorn Jane waiting at home, every day, by the door, in case 

someone (anyone) should write. 

Saved from Mr Collins’ clutches only to see her best friend 

Charlotte Lucas marry him, Elizabeth visits Rosings Park, 

home of his patroness Lady Catherine de Burgh. In an 

evening of grand entrances, Hetta Harris took us to new 

heights as Lady Catherine, swooping across the stage in 

voluminous panniers that matched her Wagnerian tone. 

Every bit the Grande Dame, Hetta captured the character’s 

imperiousness to a ‘t’, oblivious to the effect she has on 

Elizabeth when she reveals that it was Darcy who tore 

Bingley from Jane by convincing him that the Bennets are 

gold-diggers. 

The 39 Steps (Churchill’s Hall) 

The gentlemen of Churchill’s have been stalwarts of the 

House play season over the years, and this year, the 

directorial baton was passed to Lower Sixth Form entrant 

and Drama Scholar, Hamish Gray. Hamish’s production 

provided a much-needed moment of (mostly intentional) 

hilarity in the dog days of the Summer Term, as rain 

stopped play and the teaching staff muttered bleakly about 

TAGs and evidence bases. 

Sam Crossley held the production together as the unflappable 

Hannay, who flees to Scotland after the glamorous spy he has 

befriended is murdered in his London apartment. The joke 

is twofold: we laugh at theatre’s inability to create realistic 

impressions of a steam train, a Highland landscape and 

the Forth bridge; and we laugh, too, at the playfulness of a 

production that persists in the attempt regardless. 

In the West End version, the entire production is played by 

four actors and an impressive array of hats; in the Churchill’s 

version, the lengthy list of characters enabled a sizable 

number of the House to perform. Amidst an array of comic 

cameos, particularly impressive performances came from 

Arthur Sutherland, Henry Wilson (as the most threatening 

‘Heavy’ to grace the stage), Garret Healy and Hugh 

Mackinnon. Hugh (in a crow’s nest of a wig) shouting “Don’t 

pick it up!” to a non-ringing telephone would make it onto 

my School Drama Highlights reel. 

Tabitha Winkley and Georgina Cooper (on loan from The 

Grove) brought a note of glamour to the proceedings, 

with Georgina’s crisply business-like Pamela providing a 

wonderful comic foil to the chaos around her. 

As Dr Law wrote to the cast, “If House drama is meant to be 

feelgood community theatre, where the pro thesps can bring 

poise and detail to what they do whilst the have-a-go amdrams 

strut about with bad wigs and funny, shouty lines, then 

this was a top-notch House play!” 

EXAMINED PERFORMANCES 

We returned to school in time to allow the Fourth, Fifth and 

Upper Sixth Forms to take to the stage with their assessed 

performances. 

The Fifth Form went first, with extracts from Agnes of God, 

East, A Voyage Round My Father and All My Sons. Kate 

Woodman gave a poignant portrayal of Agnes, a beautiful 

young nun who stands accused of murdering her baby, 

whilst Abby Wong was compelling as the worldly, cynical 

psychiatrist assigned to her case. Laurie Morgan and Harry 

Webster tackled Berkoff’s challenging dark comedy with great

SCHOOL NEWS 

45 

energy and humour, and Ed Pickersgill gave a nuanced and 

moving performance as Joe Keller, perhaps the greatest of 

Miller’s flawed anti-heroes. 

Next it was the Fourth Form’s turn, as they performed 

their devised pieces. As ever, these demonstrated an 

impressive array of creativity and originality, with students 

tackling a wide range of issues. Harriet Attwood, Daisy 

Scott and Alice Lewis explored the pressures of a career 

in dance, whilst Massimo Wyatt, Anastasia Cecil Gurney 

and Suzanna Pearce told the story of fourteenth-century 

anchorites. Tom Daly, Poppy Godsal, Nell Horne and 

Rosie Taylor gave a moving performance based on the 

verbatim accounts of war photographers in Afghanistan, 

before Tash Loumidis, Oscar Niblett, Henry Clark and 

Billy Gardiner produced a slick slapstick farce subverting 

the conventions of murder mysteries. 

and decency”. The students updated the production to 

the modern day, where there is still no minimum age for 

marriage in 18 of the 50 states. Liv was heart-breaking as 

the abused and traumatised Baby Doll, whose virtue is 

ineffectively protected by the sweet-natured but helpless Aunt 

Rose (Rosanna Stocker). The family’s horrifying secrets are 

brought to light by the arrival of a dashing stranger, played 

with assurance by Orlando Williams. 

Imogen Morgan, Phoebe Stratton-Morris, Arthur Myrddin- 

Evans and Ed Tarling then whisked us away to the seaside 

for some much-needed jollity in their sparkling performance 

of Noel Coward’s Private Lives. Phoebe and Ed were 

hilarious as Amanda and Elyot, the divorced couple who 

discover themselves in adjoining suites (or beach huts) 

on their honeymoons with other people. Performed in 

the style of Kneehigh, this performance included all of 

the company’s hallmarks: toe-tapping musical numbers, 

audience participation and a cameo performance from an 

adorable Labrador called Toffee. Particular thanks must go 

to Kathryn Turpin and Rohan McCourt, for their invaluable 

assistance with the musical elements, and to Seb Cooley, who 

astounded us all with his dancing abilities… 

Finally, the Upper Sixth performed extracts from Baby Doll 

and Private Lives. This has been a very special year group, 

whose commitment to the theatre throughout their time at 

Shrewsbury has been exemplary. I was delighted that they 

were able to perform before a live audience one last time 

– and that the audience was able to include their parents, 

visiting the Site for the first time since September. 

Olivia Barnes, Rosanna Stocker and Orlando Williams 

performed an extract from Tennessee Williams’ Baby Doll. 

Written in 1956, the play tells the story of a child bride in 

America’s Deep South and was condemned by the Vatican 

as “grievously harmful to Christian standards of morality 

JUNIOR SCHOOL PLAY 

The Crucible 

First performed in 1953, The Crucible is widely acknowledged 

as one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century. 

The play is both a scrupulously researched historical 

exploration of the Salem witch trials and a powerful allegory 

of the anti-communist movement of the McCarthy era. Its 

author, Arthur Miller, like many other writers and actors, was 

investigated for ‘un-American activities’ and experienced firsthand 

the hysteria and paranoia surrounding the perceived 

threat of ‘reds under the bed’. The play draws chilling 

parallels between Miller’s own situation and that of the early 

American settlers. 

It tells the story of Abigail Williams, a vindictive smalltown 

girl who seduces a flawed but honourable farmer, 

John Proctor. When his wife Elizabeth discovers the affair, 

Abigail launches a vengeful plan to usurp her by having her 

condemned as a witch. As the village is swept by rumours of 

witchcraft, more and more people turn on their neighbours.

46 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Miller was always clear that the witchcraft at the centre of the 

play was invented and imagined, saying that, “the tragedy 

of The Crucible is the everlasting conflict between people so 

fanatically wedded to this orthodoxy that they could not cope 

with the evidence of their senses”. 

This was a challenging play for the Third Form in their first 

foray onto the stage of the Barnes theatre, but a challenge 

that they carried off with aplomb. Meadow Perks (MSH) was 

compelling as Abigail, capturing both her petulance and 

her vulnerability. The object of her unrequited affections 

was played with brooding intensity by Daniel Ogunleye 

(Rt), whilst Clara Garavini (G) gave a mature and nuanced 

performance as the wronged wife, Elizabeth. William Himmer 

(Rb) was splendidly dislikeable as the petty and tyrannical 

Reverend Parris, and Loic Dutton-Burrows (Ch) brought both 

gravitas and rare flashes of humour to the role of Danforth, 

the pompous governor of the province who finds himself 

tasked with investigating the allegations of witchcraft. 

Abigail’s cronies can often merge into an ill-defined mass of 

screaming girls, but Maddi Lloyd (G), Clemmy Soden (G), 

Nyah Willis (M) and Maggie Cassidy (M) created distinct 

personalities for the children who find themselves in a 

heady position of power. Isla Britten (M), in particular, was 

superb as Mary Warren, the one girl who attempts – albeit 

ineffectively – to stand up for the truth. The scene in the 

courtroom, where she confronts Abigail about her lies only to 

fall prey to them herself, was extremely powerful. 

Particular thanks must go to Luke Williams (SH 4), who 

stood in at the last minute to take on the role of Francis 

Nurse from Oliver Connell (R); his unflappable calm and 

good humour were a huge asset to the cast. We wish 

Oliver the very best for his recovery. 

NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE AND NATIONAL 

YOUTH MUSIC THEATRE 

We are delighted to announce that Alice Lewis (MSH 4) and 

Freddie Lawson (SH, Leaver 2020) have won places in the 

National Youth Theatre. 

This summer, Jonty Gould (SH U6), Jake Ludlam (R L6) 

and Anya Tonks (MSH 2016-20) will all be working on the 

National Youth Music Theatre’s production of Billy The Kid, 

to be performed in a professional London theatre. Jonty will 

be playing in the pit as part of the production’s orchestra, 

whilst Jake will be working as Stage Manager and Anya as 

Assistant Choreographer. This is an extraordinary opportunity 

for all of them to work alongside theatre professionals and 

the country’s best young theatrical talent. 

Dr Helen Brown 

Head of Drama


Music 

It is greatly to the credit of the School musicians that musicmaking 

has continued with purpose and joy throughout 

the academic year. During those periods when instrumental 

learning has been offered in remote, practice and performing 

has been maintained and even flourished. The challenge of 

longer hours in front of a screen has emphasised the joyous 

benefits of playing an instrument. 

It was a privilege to join my fellow new entrants gathered 

together in the Alington Hall at the end of Foundation 

Fortnight for a concert of musical debuts. Confirming what an 

excellent cohort this Third Form will be, we heard unfailingly 

varied and brilliant performances, with standout moments 

from clarinettist Ben Sullivan, trumpeter Oliver Connell and 

singers Meadow Perks and Loic Dutton-Burrows. 

It is surely a sign of a great musical heritage that our newest 

pupils are willing to get stuck-in and generously share their 

music with the wider School community. Throughout the 

globe musicians have missed performing to, and making 

connections with, their audiences. So it was right that we 

should have reasons to feel excitement and optimism as that 

evening unfolded. This event was also a tribute to the work 

of our partners in so many Prep Schools who work so hard 

to produce such talent. 

By the beginning of October we were underway with our 

Lunchtime Concert series ‘Thirty in the Foyer’ in the 

newly-completed Theatre foyer. The first event featured 

Jonty Gould (saxophone) and Henry Hui (French Horn) 

who would go on, later in the term, to win well-deserved 

Scholarships to study at the Guildhall School of Music and 

Drama and the Royal College of Music. It was enormously 

pleasing that we were able to stage eight similarly starry 

lunchtime concerts over the course of the Michaelmas 

Term. Alongside the mask-wearing and tracked-and-traced 

audience, there was much disinfecting of piano keys, the 

finest examples of which elicited their own applause. 

At Christmas there was a display of regulation-mastery in a 

Christmas Concert that took place in three venues on the 

same evening over three hours. Beginning in the Chapel, the 

Third and Fourth Form Wind Band kicked off proceedings in 

style with their recorded performance. This was a new group 

making a superb debut in the most unusual of circumstances. 

In spite of many additional organisational pressures, the 

pupils of the Girls’ Choir, Chamber Choir, String Orchestra, 

Senior Brass Quintet, Senior and Junior Trumpet Ensembles, 

Harp Group, Jazz Band, Senior Sax Quartet and Big Band 

played with considerable flair and style in a concert of 

Christmas favourites. 

As 2021 dawned it was clear that we would need to take 

more of our concerts online; thus, Salop’s Got Musical 

Talent was born. With a view to bringing together Salopian 

families from across the world, the concerts were open to all 

members of the community. The first concert included music 

from OS star tenor Dan Norman, Al Doyle, a technician in 

the Physics Faculty and Emily Higgins, a teacher of French 

and Spanish. They were joined by cellist Amos Cheung 

from Hong Kong, songwriter Ivo Winkley and pianist Luke 

Williams. 

This was such a lovely way to celebrate the continuity and 

power of music-making. In what were uncertain times I am 

enormously grateful to all of the performers listed below, 

representing every House and every year group, who 

through their dedication and inspiration brightened so many 

of our days. I would like to pay tribute to every one of those 

musicians who recorded themselves in the midst of their 

family life. 

Although making music has not been straightforward during 

these times, its absence and the hard-fought battles to make 

it possible have reminded us of its value in our lives and the 

importance of the arts in enriching our unpredictable world. 

Stephen Williams 

Director of Music 

Joseph Bell, OS – Voice and Piano 

Natalia Toms – Flute 

Libby Hunt – Voice 

Ethan Poon – Violin 

Garret Healy – Guitar 

Oliver Cool – Piano 

Ollie Toms – Piano 

Lucy Mielczarek – Voice 

Chester Yuen – Flute 

Jonty Gould – Saxophone 

Oliver Connell – Voice 

Arthur Hope Barton – Piano 

Jensen Kong – Double Bass 

Sophie Voisey-Smith – Trombone 

Tom Kelly – Piano 

Limonée Fearn – Voice 

Billy Gardiner – Voice 

Bubbles Wong – Viola 

Cecelia Lam – Piano 

Dominic Inglis-Jones – Piano and Voice 

Melissa Rogstad – Saxophone 

Laurie Morgan – Voice and Guitar 

Emma Hewetson (Matron School House) – Voice 

Hester Lockett – Voice 

Tom Ellis – Violin 

Benedict Wilson (staff) – Organ 

Oscar Connor – Tuba 

Lily Rogstad – Voice 

Meredith Powell-Turner – Double Bass and voice 

Max Wheeler – Violin 

Emma Bannister – Voice 

India Wilkinson – Voice

48 

SCHOOL NEWS 

A Tribute to the Upper Sixth 2020-21 Musicians 

John Moore, who retired as Director of Music in 2021, pays tribute to leading members of the band of 

Upper Sixth musicians who have just left Shrewsbury at the end of the most challenging of years. 

Once in a while a year group 

arrives, from which a collective 

sense of purpose and inspiration 

appears. I can think of several such 

phenomena occurring in my 40 

years or so of teaching, and every 

time it has happened, I have been 

left marvelling and wondering at the 

blend of talents and characters that 

can give rise to this collective energy 

and its effects on the educational 

environment in which it occurs. 

This year’s Upper Sixth leavers 

have those qualities which have set 

them apart and have enabled them 

to emerge cohesively as a body of 

musical pupils which Shrewsbury 

will long remember. This is not to 

belittle those that have come before 

or intimidate those yet to arrive or 

leave, but rather to acknowledge the 

considerable achievements of a year 

group who have had to deal with the 

pandemic, and all it threw at them 

and others at the School, pupils and 

staff alike. 

Jonty Gould, having won a 

scholarship to the Guildhall School of 

Music, has proved consistently over 

his five years what it is to be a hardworking 

and generous Music Scholar, 

whose talents have simply grown 

proportionately with that dedication, 

and he emerges as one of the finest 

wind players of his generation, set for 

a professional career I have no doubt. 

Amos Cheung is a shining 

example of commitment, talent, 

personal standards and selfless 

engagement, which have meant 

that his contribution to orchestras 

and chamber music as a cellist is 

immeasurable. 

If ever there was a pupil who has 

thrown herself into the life of being 

a Salopian, it is Phoebe Stratton 

Morris, who has graced the Ashton 

Theatre stage with memorable 

performances such as in Jesus Christ 

Superstar, has fronted the Big Band 

as an outstanding chanteuse, has 

supported the Chapel and Chamber 

Choirs, and has played her sax in 

Wind Orchestra, Big Band and so 

much more. 

Kanei Nishii came to Shrewsbury 

as a talented pianist, and leaves it 

as simply one of the best in recent 

years, as well as being a consistent, 

loyal and first-rate violinist in the 

School’s orchestras. Kanei’s playing of 

Un Sospiro by Franz Liszt, when only 

as a Fourth Form pupil he won the 

senior Piano prize, will live long in 

the memories of those lucky enough 

to hear it. His Rachmaninoff Second 

Piano Concerto, Rhapsody in Blue and 

Grieg Concerto are all testament to the 

outstanding dedication he has shown 

in his five years as a Music Scholar, 

not to mention recent performances 

– on consecutive evenings – of the 

first movements of Schumann’s Piano 

Concerto, and Rachmaninoff’s Third 

Piano Concerto. 

The opening clarinet glissando in 

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue 

is a place where wind-playing angels 

fear to tread, and yet that is exactly 

what Ollie Toms did last year in the 

concert in the Elgar Concert Hall in 

Birmingham, bravely announcing 

the opening theme of Gershwin’s 

masterpiece in glorious style, and 

then playing as principal clarinet 

in a programme most professional 

orchestras would be proud to present. 

Ollie is the epitome of a hardworking 

Music Scholar for whom 

only the best is ever good enough, 

and he has produced some stunning 

performances over his five years, 

the most loyal of musicians to the 

Department and his fellow musicians. 

Rohan McCourt as a Music Scholar 

has taken to his role as pianist with 

the Big Band like a duck to water, 

as well as carrying on playing the 

trumpet in orchestras, and leading 

Ridgemount to an unparalleled victory 

in the House Singing, as fitting a 

climax to a distinguished and magical 

musical career at Shrewsbury as ever 

there was. 

Sheldon Yuen has led the flute 

section in the orchestra just so well 

and has proved himself a wonderful 

scholar and player. 

Will Owen has blossomed as a 

trumpet player and been a stalwart 

of the Big Band and other wind 

ensembles. 

Ed Bayliss and Ed Tarling have 

made such an impact vocally at the 

School, whether with the Chapel 

Choir, Chamber Choir or on the stage 

in the Ashton/Barnes Theatre, and 

have been role models for other male 

singers in the School. 

Henry Hui has emerged as a simply 

top-flight horn player, whose modest 

exterior belies his fiercely determined 

inner musical core, which has led 

to him being awarded a place to 

study horn at the Royal Birmingham 

Conservatoire of Music from 

September. 

Victoria Kasachkova wowed us all 

when she first arrived at the School 

with her rich, jazz-infused vocal tone, 

and she is a complete natural, taking 

any song and making it entirely her 

own. Her spirited championing of 

Open Mic Nights was an inspiration to 

other Salopian singer-songwriters, and 

reminded the School that individual 

creativity and just being able to get up 

and perform lies at the heart of what 

Shrewsbury encourages its pupils to 

do, and is a place where they can 

do so, and feel supported and safe, 

whatever the occasion. 

Some pupils are just fantastic team 

players, and that is what Charles 

Ko has been. His role in ensuring 

instrumental music has had a high 

priority through his violin playing, to 

which he brings real ability, has been 

invaluable. 

All of the foregoing have played 

their part. All of them know and 

appreciate each other’s talents, and 

all have benefitted in no small way 

from being in the same year group. 

Anyone lucky enough to have been 

at a performance in which they took 

part will have had their enjoyment 

heightened by the presence of these 

individuals, who individually and 

collectively have kept the music flag 

of Shrewsbury flying high. To them 

the School and its Music Department 

owe a huge debt of gratitude, and we 

hope they will treasure their time at 

Shrewsbury, and will keep the love of 

music gained in their hearts over the 

coming months and years. It has been 

the toughest of years for them all, 

with aspirations thwarted, notes left 

un-played and songs unsung, but still 

they have kept going, and kept giving, 

for that is the kind of people they are, 

true Salopians.


ART 

Third Form work 

Paintings by Third Formers Jess Fraser-Andrews, Archie Siddiqui, Charlotte Taylor, Lyla Williams, Nyah Willis and Holly Yang 

were selected from over 900 entries to be made into flags to festoon Shrewsbury High Street. This was part of the Great British 

Art Exhibition launched by sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, which took as its theme ‘animals’. The ambition was to create a 

country-wide show of imagination and optimism by encouraging people to create works of art to display in their windows, 

balconies or front gardens. Shrewsbury BID used the idea as an opportunity to give local children and young people the 

chance of having their artwork displayed in the town centre – and lifting the spirits of everyone walking through Shrewsbury in 

the process.

50 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Fourth Form work 

Members of the Fourth Form developed their painting skills with studies of the School Site.


GCSE and A Level work 

Old Salopian Weekend Art Exhibition 

All Old Salopians are warmly invited to submit artwork for an Art Exhibition 

to be held at School during Old Salopian Weekend on Saturday 9th 

October. 

The theme this year is ‘Salopian Memories’, with the aim of showcasing 

images and artworks connected to Shrewsbury and the School. 

OS artist Timothy Morgan Owen, who is curating the Exhibition, said: 

“Perhaps ‘Salopian Memories’ encompasses the School Site, or Shrewsbury 

town, buildings, previous members of staff, alumni – anything that conjures 

up Shrewsbury for you. 

“We are inviting Old Salopians, current art students in the School and 

members of staff to contribute. Items will be for sale and a contribution will 

be given to the Shewsy.” 

If any Old Salopian artists, photographers or creatives are interested in 

contributing to the Exhibition, the date for work submission is Monday 4th 

October to the Art Faculty. For further information, please email Head of Art 

Lucy Caddel at lac@shrewsbury.org.uk

52 

SCHOOL NEWS 

This image (above) by Jonty Gould (SH U6) was selected from over 80,000 entries for the ‘HOW ARE YOU FEELING?’ 

Exhibition run by ‘Show & Tell’ Photographic Society. It was displayed on posters and billboards across the UK alongside other 

young people’s work as responses to mental health in the pandemic.


This music crept slowly by me on the waters 

The following pieces of pupil writing are drawn from the latest edition of Fire Engine, now in its seventh year. James 

Fraser-Andrews writes in his foreword: 

Expertly edited and designed by a team overseen by Eustacia Feng (M), [it is] the fruit of our Thursday afternoon 

activities, both in remote and face-to-face during a time when much threatened to overwhelm: from floods to pandemic, 

and all the uncertainties that flowed in the wake of this crisis of our age. 

These writings and art works, which celebrate the broadest range yet of talents from across the school community, testify 

to the power of creativity that allows us to embrace, reflect upon and live through such moments. While the turbulence 

of uncontrollable events may whip up a storm on the surface, here we can enjoy the spectacular and intricate coral reefs 

of imagination that, all the while, lurk iridescent below. 

As Matthew Arnold’s fabulous miniature poem has it: 

Below the surface-stream, shallow and light, 

Of what we say we feel – below the stream, 

As light, of what we think we feel – there flows 

With noiseless current strong, obscure and deep, 

The central stream of what we feel indeed. 

The Hostage 

Whispers hid among the clumsy throng of rainfall, slithering through cracked concrete walls before being caught in the metallic 

claws that lay in the bathroom. It was here that she slumped and reddening knees met stained tile as a pair of eyes the same 

shade as her own found her once again, staring though the mirror. A soft pale glow danced on her delicate features, shiny with 

a layer of vapour drawn from the muggy air. She lurched over by the base of the sink, craning her neck. Crimson fell from her 

lips, seeping into the veins that sprawled all over the floor. The whispers grew louder in her hazy mind, promising to take her 

one step closer to the warmth she was so scared to feel. Sharp shadows fell from limbs, thrown left and right. Damp clumps 

of hair, torn from her tired head. She dragged herself to the bath, curling her desperate hands around the rim. The water was 

calm, holding tightly to bleached skin. 

Hasty tears fell down her face, crawling in between her cracked lips while air spluttered from her lungs. A pitiful attempt 

to piece together her shattered breathing. She shivered at the feeling of something other than the comfort of being numb. 

Gingerly, her eyes crept back up to the blazing reminder of guilt that loomed on her thoughts. Lifeless. Long black tendrils of 

hair unfurled in the cooling water, playing around the body that settled against the rigid plastic bathtub. This picture burned 

into her brain to ensure that it would linger in every nightmare, lurking in every corner of her slowly rotting space. 

Rusty blades crept from the narrow slits between the tiles and underneath the locked door, piling on top of her. Metal upon 

metal pushed the air from her lungs, leaving space only for her heavy mind that continued to twist and writhe. Vapid thumbs 

closed her eyelids and she became her own hostage again. 

Ivo Winkley

54 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Phantom Listeners 

Music still played. The organ sung out its notes, but 

the organist was long gone. Everyone was long gone 

but still the music played. Harmonious chords sang 

through the darkness, echoing on the stones, filling 

the whole cathedral with music. 

Walking down the aisle, he trailed his hand along the 

pews, not minding when his fingers bumped and 

hurt at the ornaments on the side. When he arrived 

at the door he stopped and held his numb fingers in 

the other hand. He slipped through the archway and 

walked around the side. Reaching a stone angle, he 

knelt down in front of it, and bowed his head. 

Suzanna Pearce 

The Wardrobe Door 

Damn that wardrobe door. Mum and dad had promised to fix it 

before they left for their holiday. I dropped my bag and kicked 

it shut, again. School wasn’t far and the rain from last night 

had stopped, leaving the streets soaked and the grass lining 

the school gates sloshy. The police that had been patrolling 

everything from said school gates to the corridors were still at 

their posts. I hated their disapproving looks, their snobby sense 

of self. But it was a “killer on the loose,” they said. “Not likely 

she’s alive,” they said. I approached my locker tentatively. The 

sergeant. Why was the sergeant at my locker? Searching through 

my locker. No. They were done searching – they’d found 

something. At that moment, a violent thud knocked me back – it 

was just Jake. I helped him gather his things, slipping his phone 

in with them but not daring to meet his eye – after all it was his 

girlfriend they were looking for. The sergeant flagged me down 

just after, cornering me with two other police officers, a man and 

a woman. He said something in a grave tone. I just stared, my 

eyes wide and my hands now clammy. Why wouldn’t somebody 

open a window? He continued – the policewoman grabbing my 

hand and cuffing them – but all I caught was “may harm your 

defence if not mentioned in court”. They told me they’d found 

her phone, Lara’s phone. The dead – no, missing – girl’s phone. 

I cried tears blotting out the sergeant and the lady sat with him. 

My heart felt like it might just fail under the strain of pumping 

my blood so quickly. I confessed. I told them everything: how 

Jake had given me her phone to hide, how he was threatening 

her, how the other night he had met her in the night and 

stabbed her and buried the body. They checked my phone, 

only to prove my every word. A wonderful weight had been 

stripped from my shoulders and I fled home, clicking the front 

door behind me and sighing. As I entered my room, I swatted 

at the flies, covering my nose at the smell – it had been such a 

hot day. I approached the wardrobe, reaching my fingers to the 

aged wood. The door fell ajar and just before I slammed it shut, 

I caught a slither of a dulled eye. Damn that wardrobe door. 

Natalia Toms 

How shall I sing that majesty? 

Eleison! 

I haven’t seven trumpets, 

Nor good King David’s lyre. 

But knotted rings of sound will pound 

From here to St John’s spire! 

Edward Bayliss 

Canticle of the Choir Boy 

I was glad! 

The spirit of the Lord is upon me, 

And my call of wisdom has come. 

If ye love me, then please, with me, pray 

For the peace of Jerusalem, and that it might 

Be guarded from that blessed pair of sirens, 

Whose sweet voices will quiver under ye 

Choirs of new Jerusalem, ringing and true. 

Edward Bayliss


Thievery is an Art of the Most Divine Quality 

I often rip and cut at words. Sometimes pictures too. They can be old: vulgar, 

and coarse from the grim dark headlines of the newspapers – same old 

government, same old pandemic, same old world. I look at the obituaries 

towards the end, and I wonder if these people were happy. If they are happy 

now that they’re gone. I think it slightly unjust to immortalise them amongst 

the monotony and dread of the daily newspaper; they’ve spent long enough 

in the realm of the living, and their newspapers of terror. I don’t tend to steal 

from them. The dead are far away from me, as they should remain. 

The words are sometimes lighter. They float diaphanously above their inky 

thick pages. These words cry when I cut at them. They ooze, ragged tears 

flowing in the through-breeze from my cracked window, spilling over as 

metal kisses into the crux of my cold hands. Do they kiss me goodbye? Do 

they condemn me as I rip them from their homes and trap them somewhere 

else? I am sorry, I shake. I am stealing you away like a dream does a sleeping 

child. I am creating something wonderful out of your pain – art. If you can call 

thievery an art, that is. 

I begin to wonder about mankind’s relationship with destruction. I begin to 

wonder – no, I begin to realise how I fit into this relationship. Beneath my 

spindly fingers lie words, defaced, seeping with artful potential, and spelling 

out the answers to all the questions assimilating inside my thoughts. I worry 

that I destroy the things I love. I worry that I spend money as quickly as I 

gain it. I worry that I am overeaten by resentment at nothing in particular. And 

through it all I sit in the same room on the same bed that I’ve slept in since I 

was too young for memory itself. 

But here I will remain. Sentient, a sentry to my own creation. To my own 

thievery. To my art. 

Imogen Morgan 

A Craftsman’s Tale 

I used to own a star-strewn sky. I could hollow tales 

Out of a craftsman’s eye, and draw his sorrows 

With a pail out of a haunted well, filled with darks 

And distortions and echoes of fruit-flies. His limp 

Told his glories in war, or his chivalrous battles 

For his fairy bride, or a venture afar, onto the peaks 

Of the Himalayas, where he tiptoed to glean 

From the moon’s surface, a speck of dust, 

Gossamered with legends from lonesome times, 

And hid it in his trouser pocket for his sweetheart. 

Each night I lay under the heaven, and with a misted gaze 

I picked the brightest stars and scissored them out 

And sewed them together with other evening fires; or knelt 

Just below the waterline, in search of the dreamiest lustre 

A pearl could shine, and gathered all of them and piled them 

Into a stream of diamond rays, with crystal reeds and eddies 

And fish sculpt in ice. But as the sun hovered past, 

Those scenes smoked away, till all that remained were 

A piece of paper and a pencil stump. And I seemed to see 

More to suffering, than a tear from an aching eye. 

Away from the glow worms, exhaust smokes vex the night. 

From the aquarium-like houses, there stare 

Grins and grimaces and vacant brows. 

Children stealing crumbs from the table cloth. 

A splat and a clatter, as the mother squashes a fly. 

The father slamming the door, it takes twice to have it shut. 

An array of dirty dishes, as the hosepipe goes 

Drip, drip, pause, drip drop. Stove burning low… 

The paper-crafted stars, the conch-crafted moons, 

In water they all came, in water they’ll all go. 

Eustacia Feng 

La Cathedrale Engloutie 

Slender spirals pierced the sky authoritatively, 

decked with ornaments and shapes that widened 

as they returned towards the ground. Grand, 

influential, awesome. No architecture embodied the 

basis of Christianity more closely; detailed disciple 

recounts under every ceiling, statues, and a stone of 

a passive, warming hue that beckoned any passerby. 

It was perfectly preserved. 

Blue gracefully overwhelmed it, as its foundations 

slipped. 

Its tips rather protruded from the water, and its 

impression upon the world disappeared. This 

abandoned shell of a religion rested submissively on 

the bed, like a servant under oppressive obeisance. 

Nature found a way around and climbed walls and 

seeped through gaps. 

Sorrowful, yet warming. 

Luke Williams

56 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Depthless 

I saw him in the corridor before my English class 

Laughing at my essay, which I knew he thought was crass. 

He followed me at break time, tugging at my messy hair 

I shooed him off and joined my friends’ new game of truth or dare. 

He watched me from the lunch queue when I didn’t choose the cake 

I watched him pull a face as I chose tuna pasta bake. 

In maths he laughed behind me when I mumbled ‘I don’t know’, 

Made a paper aeroplane, he hit me ‘x is 0’. 

We visited the sweetshop, we stared at every jar 

He bought himself a kit kat and got me a milky bar. 

He didn’t like the walk home and he left a dripping trail 

His shoes were soaked, he dragged his feet, his face grew deathly pale 

At home he held the eye he’d dropped, his teeth grew from their gums 

His laughter guttered, stopped, as something else filled up his lungs. 

Mum didn’t see him choking when she hugged me, ashen grey 

He faded as she whispered: ‘Jess, your brother drowned today’. 

Charlotte Holliday


FIELD DAYS 

Michaelmas Term 

With COVID-19 restrictions in place, Michaelmas Term Field 

Day had to be an entirely on-site event. Nevertheless, thanks 

to the spaciousness of our grounds and the ingenuity and 

innovation of our staff, pupils were still able to enjoy a large 

range of fun activities and challenges. 

Third Formers learnt about first aid and took part in a multiactivity 

competition, while other year groups were able to 

have a go at mountain biking, bird ringing, climbing and 

attempting to make a coracle that could carry them across the 

swimming pool.


Summer Term 

By May, restrictions had been lifted sufficiently to allow 

many Field Day activities to take place off-site. The Natural 

History Society enjoyed being the first school group ever to 

visit the new Cors Dyfi Centre on the west coast of Wales, 

where the first osprey had just hatched. The Rovers travelled 

to Llangollen where they walked the Horseshoe Pass, and 

the Combined Cadet Force were scattered across multiple 

locations including the Surf Snowdonia Park, RAF Cosford 

Museum and Whitemere, where the Royal Navy section have 

recently started learning to sail. 

All of the Third Form had a wet and windy day on the 

Stiperstones learning about map reading and preparing 

for their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. In 

rather gentler conditions, the Concert Party performed to 

a delighted audience at a local care home. Meanwhile the 

STEM group enjoyed a fascinating visit to the Marches Centre 

of Manufacturing and Technology in Bridgnorth, while the 

Global Social Leaders did some valuable community work 

and planted a herb garden. 

In-school activities included working on a willow sculpture in 

the Art Department, music technology, and the compilation 

of an A-Z playlist by the John Peel Society. 

Despite the unseasonable weather, the day rounded off 

the year’s rather fragmented Thursday Afternoon Activities 

Programme on a high. 

John Peel Society 

The John Peel Society is as diverse and 

unique as the music it explores. The society 

is home to a handful of pupils who want to 

enlighten themselves about music dating all 

the way back to the 1960s. John Peel, whose 

real name was John Ravenscroft (R 1953-57), 

comes back to life for an hour on a Thursday 

afternoon where pupils can find themselves 

in a different world. It is a fun, pupil-driven 

society, overseen by Dr Law. If you had to 

sum up John Peel Society in a few words, it 

would be: passion for everything music. 

Harry Twelves (S L6)

SCHOOL NEWS 

59 

RSSBC 

It was fantastic to have pupils return to the Boathouse 

for the start of the Michaelmas Term after our enforced 

hibernation since the end of Lent Term in 2020. There was a 

tangible sense of excitement at the Boathouse as boats took 

to the water. For the Fourth Form it was their first opportunity 

to row. For the Seniors it was a welcome break from the 

hundreds of miles covered in land training and a reminder of 

what it is all about: to be finally back in crew boats. 

The Boathouse was once again a hive of activity with all the 

engagement and interaction that was so difficult to replicate 

in online training sessions. With limited travel possible, there 

were plenty of opportunities for internal competition. The 

first event was the annual VSW sculling races. The top spots 

were tightly contested over the shortened course. Fred Tyler 

(I) took the Victoria boys’ title, with Maya Gruen (EDH) 

winning the girls’ event. In the Sabrina Sculls race Bill Harris 

(Rt) won the boys’ event and Kitty Scholes-Price (M) the 

girls’. In the Williams Sculls race, Luis Baumann won the 

boys’ event and Ellie Blackledge (EDH) the girls’. The Houses 

that won the event for the fastest combined time of their first 

three scullers were Ridgemount and The Grove. 

Louis Baumann - Williams Winner 

Unfortunately plans to attend the Head of the Charles in 

the autumn were shelved due to travel restrictions, but the 

rowers made good use of the half-term with four days of 

training based out of the Boathouse. It also gave the Seniors a 

chance to get out on the water at Lake Vyrnwy. 

Senior boys Lake Vyrnwy 

Sculling Races - Kitty Scoles-Price, Sabrina Girls Winner 

In the second half of term, the Seniors and J16s took part in 

our first ever virtual racing event against Shiplake College. 

The format of the racing saw each crew complete four onekilometre 

runs, with two racing into the stream and two with 

the stream to make some allowance for the varying river 

conditions between locations. Each crew raced with a mobile 

phone in the boat linked to the mobile tracking application 

Strava. After the four runs the average speed was calculated 

for comparison between the schools. While obviously second


Senior girls on Lake Vyrnwy 

to actual side-by-side competition for excitement, the racing 

provided an added focus for our training and preparation. 

The crews were separated by year group to maintain social 

bubbles. 

In the first round of racing, the Senior boys raced in fours. The 

result was two wins apiece for the Senior boys, with Shrewsbury 

quickest in the coxless fours and Shiplake winning in the coxed 

fours. The narrowest margin between the crews came between 

the second of the coxed fours, with 0.1 seconds separating the 

two crews after four kilometres of racing. 

The following day, the Senior boys’ U6th and L6th eights 

again shared the honours with Shiplake, with the Upper 

Sixth posting the fastest average speed of the day. The Lower 

Sixth VIII lost out to a strong performance from Shiplake. 

In the J16 Eights honours were again even, as the fastest of 

the three Shrewsbury crews took the win with the second 

boat narrowly losing out to Shiplake’s second boat. The two 

Senior girls’ quads lost out to Shiplake in two close matches. 

The event proved a great success in reducing the sense of 

isolation created by having no external competition on the 

water since the Wycliffe Head held in February. 

The second Virtual Head saw the Boat Club taking on crews 

from Eton, Radley, Shiplake, Abingdon, St Edwards and 

Monmouth. The Upper Sixth VIII recorded the fastest time of 

the day out of eleven J18 crews. The J16 crews were equally 

impressive with the first of the two RSSBC crews coming 

home a significant margin ahead of its closest competition 

from Shiplake. The second of the J16 eights came in third of 

the five crews racing. 

The Hope Simpson Ergo Competition was the second inter- 

House event of the term. To ensure social distancing was 

maintained, the event was limited to competitors only and the 

boys’ and girls’ Houses were split between venues. This did 

little to dampen the competitive spirit, with very exciting and 

close racing in all the year group competitions. In the boys’ 

event, raced in the Alington Hall, the Third Form competition 

saw the top three teams separated by less than one and a half 

seconds over the 2000m course. Rigg’s claimed victory on 

the line, closely followed by Porthill and Ridgemount. In the 

Fourth Form race, there was a close battle between Radbrook 

and Oldham’s, with Radbrook coming out victorious only 

three seconds off the record. 

In the Fifth Form race, Ridgemount led from the start and 

held off pressure from Radbrook to take the win with an 

impressive sub-six-minute time. In the Lower Sixth race, 

Churchill’s put in a dominant performance over the 3000m 

course to win the event. Porthill took second and Rigg’s and 

Radbrook drew for third, which would prove to be a decisive 

moment for the overall trophy. In the Upper Sixth race, 

Oldham’s held an impressive 1:25 split over the 3000m course 

to claim victory and push themselves into second place 

overall, beating Porthill into third and falling one point shy of 

the overall winners Radbrook. 

In the girls’ event held in the Sports Hall, the Third Form 

competition saw a very close battle between Moser’s and 

The Grove, with Moser’s claiming victory. The Fourth Form 

Hope Simpson Ergo Challenge. U6 winners Oldham’s 

competition saw a repeat of the Third Form race, with 

Moser’s once again victorious, closely followed by The 

Grove. In the Fifth Form event, The Grove girls left nothing 

to chance and produced a commanding performance to seal 

an impressive win ahead of Moser’s and Emma Darwin Hall, 

who fought it out for second and third accordingly. 

In the Lower Sixth event The Grove took first place with a 

strong performance, followed by Emma Darwin Hall and 

then Moser’s, who were separated by 0.2 of a second after 

eight and a half minutes of racing. 

The performance of the night came from The Grove Upper 

Sixth girls, who produced a record-breaking row to take the 

win nearly a full minute ahead of their nearest rivals EDH. 

The overall results saw The Grove taking the win followed 

by Moser’s in second with Emma Darwin Hall third and Mary 

Sidney Hall coming in fourth. 

Sadly, with lockdown restrictions back in place in December, 

the rowers were back to remote training. This didn’t dampen 

efforts and in our first three-week training block, the age 

groups competed in the Christmas Challenge, with the 

J16s winning by logging an impressive 2670km of training 

and holding off a strong effort from the Sabrina Club. Our

SCHOOL NEWS 

61 

second event was an internal crew challenge, with teams of 

four taking on each other to log the most training over three 

weeks in January. There were some impressive results from 

all the squads, with the largest team effort of 680km coming 

from four of the Senior boys. The final challenge of the term 

came in the form of an intra-age group challenge, with the 

Seniors taking a lead role in encouraging the younger age 

groups to get involved. 

It was disappointing not to be out on the water at the start 

of the Lent Term, but it was also something of a relief, as we 

would have missed quite a few sessions due to significant 

flooding in February which, like the previous year, came close 

to record levels and saw two feet of water in the workshop. 

six crews nationally and a place in the A final. The Girls’ 1st 

Quad narrowly missed out, coming seventh (of 34 crews) and 

securing a spot in the B final. 

1st IV at the National Schools’ Regatta 

February floods 

At the end of the Lent Term, the Boat Club took part in the 

Virtual Schools’ Head of the River, which was held to replace the 

cancelled Schools’ Head traditionally hosted on the Tideway in 

London. The format of the racing was for crews to cover 2112m 

on the water in one direction and submit GPS files that recorded 

speed and distance. The event provided a good focus for the 

crews in the final few weeks of the term and some very strong 

results to give some confidence and reward for the significant 

hours of training completed through lockdown. The 1st VIII 

came an impressive second, only narrowly losing to St Paul’s 

School by 0.4sec. The 2nd VIII won their event and the J16 boys’ 

eights came in third in the A event and first in the B event. The 

Senior girls also got in on the act, coming in first in both the 1st 

and 2nd Quad events. 

On the first weekend of the May half-term, the Senior and 

J16 rowers travelled to Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire to 

race at the National Schools’ Regatta. The event took place 

behind closed doors without spectators, but all the racing 

was broadcast live online. The Senior boys and girls got 

proceedings started in glorious conditions at the London 

2012 Olympic venue. The crews took part in a time trial to 

progress to their respective six-boat A and B finals. 

The 2nd VIII, Senior Girls’ Coxless Four and 1st VIII all put 

in a strong row in their time trials to secure a spot in the top 

The pick of the results in the finals was a tremendous third 

place and bronze medal for the Senior Girls’ Coxless Four. 

The 1st VIII came a creditable fifth place in a hard-fought 

race. The 2nd VIII came sixth and the Senior Girls’ Quad 

came second in the B final. 

The following day, it was the turn of the J16A and B crews. 

Both crews produced strong rows in the time trial to secure a 

place in the A final. In the finals, the B crew came desperately 

close to a medal, finishing in an agonising fourth place. The 

A crew went into their final having finished third in the time 

trial. In the final, Radley College took a strong lead ahead of 

Shrewsbury and Shiplake leading the chasing pack. Coming 

into the final 500 metres, the Shrewsbury crew were sitting 

in third place with the leading Radley crew a length out in 

first place. Shiplake and Shrewsbury pressed hard in the final 

stages of the race to surge past Radley in the final strokes. 

The J16 A crew secured a wonderful silver medal. 

On the Monday, two of the J16 girls raced in a double at the 

Junior Sculling Regatta. The girls came thirteenth (of 25 crews) 

in the time trial to get a spot in the C final. The girls produced 

a great row in their final to lead from start to finish. 

J16A crew 

Athol Hundermark

62 

SCHOOL NEWS 

RSSH 

It was clear from the very beginning 

of the season that COVID-19 would 

have a significant impact on us, at least 

in the first few weeks, but in the end 

of course the second and third waves 

from November to March caused huge 

disruption to our proposed fixtures. 

Indeed, the lockdown from early 

January until 8th March meant that 

no club running could take place at 

all in this period; instead we reverted 

to Zoom meetings, weekly training 

schedules to be completed at home, 

and once a week our only opportunity 

to train together in the form of a 

45-minute strength-and-conditioning 

session (very expertly led by coach 

Jamie Lambie). 

Nevertheless, we were determined to 

make the best of it, and in doing so we 

have embraced new opportunities such 

as remote races with other schools to 

give us some feeling of competition. 

We have also managed to complete 

some Inter-House competition in the 

form of the Third Form Race and the 

Steeplechases. 

The year started familiarly enough, 

with the Third Form Race at the end 

of the first week of the Michaelmas 

Term, along a slightly shortened course 

so that we remained entirely within 

the School Site. Even allowing for this, 

there were some impressive times 

among both the boys and the girls, with 

Jack Kinrade (PH) taking the win for 

the boys in 7:35, while Sophia Coulson 

(MSH) took the gold medal for the girls 

in a very strong 8:35 (quick enough 

for 3rd place overall!). Radbrook took 

the House honours, with five finishers 

inside the top 15. Emma Darwin Hall 

continued their run of victories in this 

event, having held the title since 2015. 

With some easing of restrictions in 

October, we were able to complete 

a demanding run around our own 

‘Three Peaks’ – up over Hope Bowdler, 

the Lawley and Caer Caradoc. The 

following week, when we would 

normally have been gearing up for the 

Tucks race, we instead ventured to 

the northern edge of the Long Mynd 

to do a Hash run, generously hosted 

by the family of our Senior Whip, Will 

Owen (Ch U6). The Headmaster was 

cajoled into joining us for what was a 

really beautiful run near the villages of 

Pulverbatch and Picklescott. 

Sadly November saw a tightening once 

more of what we were allowed to do, 

so we remained limited to the School 

Site and concentrated our efforts on 

using the bank down from Main School 

Building for hill work, and the path 

around the edge of Top Common for 

our interval training. Though somewhat 

repetitive, it worked rather well! In late 

November we competed in a remote 

relay race organised by Leweston School, 

which involved teams of four runners 

in senior and junior categories. This was 

the first remote race we had done and it 

was a great success, with the Junior and 

Senior boys’ teams winning their races 

against six other schools. 

By December the teams were in 

very good form and we were able to 

end the term with a couple of races 

for them. We staged the Hunt Club 

Championships (a purely internal race) 

in the first Wednesday of December, 

and the Steeplechases (the Inter-House 

relay) the following week. Huntsman 

Oscar Hamilton-Russell (R) took the 

gold medal in the HCC with a very 

strong effort, front-running from the 

start, while Brad Keay (R) won the 

Junior Boys’ race by 10 seconds ahead 

of Harry Parker-McLain (I). Sophia 

Urquhart (EDH) won the Girls’ race in 

an extremely assured performance. 

The Steeplechases was moved from its 

traditional slot in March to be staged on 

one of the last days of the Michaelmas 

Term. A superb atmosphere was 

generated by big crowds of nonparticipants 

cheering on from their 

Houses as the runners raced past. 

With a flat, fast leg of 2.2km, some 

quick times were posted across 

all year groups, with the stand-out 

performances coming from Mimi 

Griffiths (EDH) among the Junior 

Girls, Brad Keay (R) for the Junior 

Boys, Francesca Harris (EDH) for the 

Senior Girls and Harrison Cutler (R) 

for the Senior Boys, helping Emma 

Darwin and Rigg’s Hall respectively to 

House victories. 

It was a great shame that, having 

trained so hard through the autumn 

to be ready for our big races in 

January and February, the season was 

effectively wiped out by the lockdown 

announced just before the start of the


Lent Term. Nevertheless, our runners 

applied themselves well to their training 

at home, with an optional weekly 

programme to follow. In mid-February 

we staged a race against Bradfield 

College, run over a 3km course chosen 

by each runner close to their home, 

which felt rather strange! 

With the team back in School from 

8th March, we were able to complete 

two further inter-school races. The first 

was the SES Championships, hosted by 

Harrow. We found a 5km course around 

the Site but it was rather soggy underfoot 

and didn’t make for very quick times. 

These things are difficult to compare with 

other schools doing different courses, but 

the Inter Boys and Senior Boys’ teams 

both placed 4th, while the Senior Girls 

placed 3rd overall. 

The second was a race hosted by 

us called the Global Challenge, with 

schools competing remotely from all 

over the world including Canada, the 

USA, Kenya and Thailand. Around a 

very fast 5km course – five-and-a-bit 

laps of Top Common – our runners 

posted some impressive times, with 

several runners placing in the top three 

in their age groups when all results 

were collated. Fastest among the boys 

was Harrison Cutler, posting 16:10, 

while among the girls Francesca Harris 

managed 19:01. 

It was very good of King Henry VIII 

School in Coventry to pursue in early 

May a version of their KHVIII Relays, 

and there was a great take-up by 

schools across the country for this 

prestigious event. Picking the local 

Shrewsbury Park Run route around 

the Quarry, our runners treated it as a 

time trial rather than a relay and blasted 

round as best they could. Despite 

unfortunate injuries picked up mid-race 

for Sam Freeman (SH) and Brad Keay 

(R), our top six times among the boys’ 

A team were enough for joint-third 

place overall, with some stand-out 

performances by Sophia Urquhart (10th 

fastest among the girls, running 19:31), 

Will Singleton (9th fastest among the 

boys with a time of 16:44) and Jack 

Kinrade (fastest U14 runner in 17:49). 

The girls managed to finish in 9th place 

overall. Meanwhile, our B team was 

able to finish in 10th place overall, the 

second-highest B team overall. 

Throughout this strange season, I 

have been hugely impressed with 

the strength of character of our Hunt 

regulars, who showed remarkable 

enthusiasm and team spirit despite 

being restricted to running round 

and round (and round) the School 

Site for the better part of two terms. 

I am also greatly indebted to the 

terrific leadership shown by our 

Huntsman and Huntswoman, Oscar 

and Francesca, whose encouragement 

of their peers was so important to the 

team’s morale. As well as these two, 

we pay tribute to all our Upper Sixth 

leavers – Will Owen, Arthur Bramwell, 

Sam Freeman and Cosmo Waddell – 

who have shown such dedication and 

commitment to this club during their 

time here, having set a great example 

to younger Hounds, hoping that they 

leave with some great memories. 

Ian Haworth

64 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Hockey 

This year has been a challenging 

one in terms of fixtures and training 

in age group bubbles. However, the 

girls have demonstrated real grit and 

determination to use this time to further 

develop their skills and fitness, and it 

is to their great credit that they also 

continued to do this during periods of 

remote learning. Numbers at training 

are constantly rising and it has been 

great to see so many girls representing 

their Houses and Shrewsbury School. 

The Senior Girls’ 1st XI was superbly 

led by Georgie Nicholas, and they were 

fortunate enough to be able to play 

two matches against local opposition, 

beating both Denstone College and 

Moreton Hall. The Senior 2nd XI also 

managed to play two matches, winning 

one and losing one. The U15A team 

had a very close-fought match against 

Denstone College, losing 1-0. Finally, 

the U14A and B teams played in 

their very first 11-a-side matches and 

finished the season unbeaten. Long 

may this continue! 

When we were no longer able to 

continue with matches, the girls were 

keen to compete virtually. Thanks to 

Wrekin and Denstone College, we 

were able to partake in some online 

competitive challenges. 

House Hockey as always is an integral 

part of the season, and particularly 

so this year. Friendly seven-a-side 

competitions took place regularly, but 

the main event for Senior and Junior 

House teams took place prior to the 

Christmas break. Throughout the week, 

they played in a league competition 

and then competed in a Finals Day on 

the Saturday afternoon. Players and 

supporters were out in force to see 

both the Junior and Senior First House 

competition finals being won by Mary 

Sidney Hall. Congratulations to Emma 

Darwin Hall for winning the Second 

House competition. 

On the national front, all competitions 

were unfortunately cancelled. However, 

we were able to have a question-andanswer 

session with GB Hockey player 

Holly Hunt and will be coached by 

another player attending the Olympics 

this summer, Ian Sloane. Additionally, 

in the Summer Term there has been the 

opportunity for our players to attend 

County Trials. It has been wonderful to 

see so many of them in attendance. 

Kayleigh Maw 

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, 

we were unfortunately unable to take 

part in any external fixtures during the 

2020/21 season. The National Schools 

Championships were cancelled in the 

spring, but both the Senior squad, led 

by Lucy Lees (EDH U6) and Georgiana 

Nicholas (MSH U6), and the Junior 

Squad, led by Jennifer O’ Brien (MSH 

4), nevertheless continued to train in 

year groups and progress. 

Our weekly training programme 

consisted of a skill session, a technical 

session and a game-based session, 

and we certainly had plenty of time to 

learn the new World Lacrosse Rules. 

We introduced new game rules and 

implemented them in internal matches. 

The lack of fixtures gave the girls an 

opportunity to focus on their technical 

skills and try different positions on 

pitch when playing intra-year group 

fixtures. This also presented an 

opportunity to give each year group a 

video analysis session after the intersquad 

games. 

The House Lacrosse tournament saw 

Lacrosse 

the four girls’ houses go head-tohead 

across two tournaments (U15 

and U18). In the U15 round robin 

tournament, Moser’s took first place 

in the preliminary rounds, but MSH 

took home the trophy in the final. 

Notable individual performances from 

both Houses included Pippa North (M 

4), Isabel Hall (M 4), Jennifer O’Brien 

(MSH 4) and Maggie Cassidy (M 3). 

The senior competition was tight in 

the early stages, with Emma Darwin 

Hall and Mary Sidney Hall battling for 

top position. The Grove and Moser’s 

played a close 3rd and 4th place playoff 

game, with Moser’s taking the lead 

in the dying moments of the game. 

The final between MSH and EDH was 

hard-fought, with some impressive 

play from both teams. In an exciting 

end-to-end match, MSH came away 

with the win. It was fantastic to see so 

many girls involved in the tournament 

over the course of the week, showing 

a very high standard of lacrosse 

across the Houses. 

Many Salopian lacrosse players have 

gained national or regional places this 

year, representing England, Wales, 

North, Shropshire and Cheshire. 

Particular congratulations to the 

following, who have secured well 

deserved places in national squads: 

Genevieve Bright (M 5) - Wales U18 

Eloise Jones (MSH 4) - Wales U15 

Isabel Morris (MSH 4) - England U19 

Jennifer O’Brien (MSH 4) - 

England Talent Pathway 

Isabella Harpin (MSH 4) - 

England Talent Pathway 

Lucy Lees (EDH U6) - England U19. 

We are sad to bid farewell to Miss 

Affleck, who will be leaving us and 

venturing to pastures new, although 

continuing with her superb lacrosse 

coaching. We would like to thank 

her for all that she has done over the 

past few years to help support the 

development of lacrosse at Shrewsbury 

School. She will be sorely missed, and 

we wish her well in her new role. 

Kayleigh Maw 

Netball 

The Netball season was unfortunately 

cut short, which meant that the girls 

were only able to experience three 

weeks of training with no external 

matches. However, numbers at 

training were extremely high and the 

girls showed a significant amount of 

development over such a short period 

of time. 

The Netball House competition was 

a main event, with super Netball on 

display. Most of the girls were able to 

represent their House in either the A or 

the B league competition. 

The winners of the Senior competition 

were Emma Darwin Hall (First House) 

and Mary Sidney Hall (Second House). 

In the Junior competition, First House 

was won by Mary Sidney Hall and The 

Grove won Second House. 

We are looking forward to what we 

hope will be a more ‘normal’ season 

next year! 

Kayleigh Maw


This year was always going to be 

a complicated one as the impact 

of COVID spread across the country, 

and it meant that there was never 

any opportunity for the Shrewsbury 

rugby players to take the field in a 

competitive fixture against another 

school. Indeed the ramifications of 

COVID protocols from the RFU meant 

that the boys were not even allowed 

to carry out a tackle over the year. For 

many this would have led to a lack of 

enthusiasm, but Shrewsbury School 

rugby players are made of different 

stuff. Throughout the Michaelmas 

Term the dedication of this cohort was 

admirable, as they put every effort into 

training in the hopes that fixtures might 

take place. One of the main benefits 

was a development of superb skills 

throughout the squad, with handling, 

lines of running and footwork profiting 

from the move to touch rugby. 

The determination of the boys did not 

just come from the positive Salopian 

attitude, but was driven by a fantastic 

leadership team headed by captain Will 

Stanford-Davis, with support from Fred 

Stephens, Charlie Stevens and Louis 

Graham. It was they who provided the 

added enthusiasm when players were 

getting frustrated, offering a shining 

example of dedication that drove the 

momentum of the whole squad. 

The one real chance for Shrewsbury 

rugby to shine came at the end of 

the Lent Term, when House rugby 

was re-ignited for the first time in 

five years. This fantastic exhibition 

of running rugby was gilded in the 

Easter sunshine, allowing both boys 

and girls to demonstrate their skills. 

Group stages led to knockout phases 

in separate cup and plate competitions, 

creating fantastic match-ups that created 

tantalising rugby. 

In the senior competition the two 

standout teams over the day were 

Oldham’s Hall and Ridgemount, and 

they eventually met in the grand final. 

This pitted rugby captain Will Stanford- 

Davis (O) against vice-captain Fred 

Stephens (Rt), the culmination of five 

years of rivalry between these two 

Shrewsbury rugby greats. And what a 

final it proved to be! In the last minute 

of regular time, Stanford-Davis broke 

through the Ridgemount defences 

looking for all the world to be sealing 

victory for his team. Yet he was not 

counting on the passion of Stephens 

who sprinted across the field and leapt 

to catch his opponent in the corner 

with a final finger-tip save. And on to 

Rugby 

extra-time the match went… a game full 

of roller-coaster moments that fittingly 

ended with a Stanford-Davis try that sent 

the crowds into rapturous applause – 

Oldham’s Hall had won the encounter 

1-0 in the final seconds of extra time. 

Stanford-Davis (O) scores the winning try in the 

senior house rugby competition. 

The plate competition was no less 

exciting, with the battle of Severn Hill 

and Port Hill ebbing and flowing like 

the River Severn in deep winter. In the 

end fatigue set into the Port Hill legs at 

the end of extra time, and Severn Hill 

managed victory with a chip through 

the Port Hill defences to take the match 

2 tries to 1. 

Port Hill dodge the touch defences of Severn Hill in 

the house plate final. 

The junior House rugby competition 

was no less exciting, and saw a lot 

more tries. Certainly the juniors who 

had only managed a couple of weeks 

of training demonstrated that the future 

of Shrewsbury Rugby is in safe hands, 

as all of the Houses created plenty of 

opportunities throughout the day. 

The cup final found the boys from 

Rigg’s Hall facing the dangerous threat 

of the pacey Port Hill juniors. Form 

books quickly went out the window as 

kick-off took place, and a determined 

Rigg’s Hall refused to back down. Both 

sides showed off superb skills, and by 

the end of regular time the score was 

two tries apiece. It took 11 minutes of 

extra time until the hopes and dreams 

of Rigg’s Hall were dashed by a Port 

Hill try to snatch the game. All the boys 

deserved great plaudits, though, for 

treating the spectators to a tremendous 

display of rugby. 

Rigg’s Hall attempt to break through the Port Hill 

defences in the junior house rugby final. 

The inaugural girl’s House rugby 

competition saw many of the 

Shrewsbury girls picking up an oval 

rugby ball for the first time. Whilst it 

took a little while for some to get used 

to the laws of the game, it did not take 

long before they were throwing 

themselves into the tactics and ideas 

of the game. As skills developed 

through the day, so did the standard 

of the matches, and the senior girls’ 

final between Emma Darwin Hall 

and Moser’s proved to be a fantastic 

spectacle for all in attendance. 

Whilst Emma Darwin snuck the 

match 5-3, Moser’s deserve great 

credit for their positive attitude 

throughout the day. 

In the junior competition Emma Darwin 

Hall completed the clean sweep as they 

defeated Mary Sidney Hall in a close 

game that was decided by a single try. 

No doubt the experienced coaching of 

Housemaster Mr Reynolds had added 

much to the Emma Darwin tactical play 

to enable victory across the afternoon! 

Chris Cook


Senior rugby champions, Oldham’s Hall ... 

... Defeated finalists Ridgemount 

Senior Boys House Rugby Competition: 

Pool 1: 

Churchill’s Severn Hill Rigg’s Ingrams Points Position 

Churchill’s 2 vs 1 1 vs 1 4 vs 1 12 1st 

Severn Hill 1 vs 2 0 vs 0 3 vs 2 9 3rd 

Rigg’s 1 vs 1 0 vs 0 3 vs 0 11 2nd 

Ingram’s 1 vs 4 2 vs 3 0 vs 3 3 4th 

Pool 2: 

Ridgemount School House Oldham’s Port Hill Points Position 

Ridgemount 4 vs 0 1 vs 2 0 vs 0 9 2nd 

School House 0 vs 4 1 vs 2 1 vs 2 3 4th 

Oldham’s 2 vs 1 2 vs 1 1 vs 0 15 1st 

Port Hill 0 vs 0 2 vs 1 0 vs 1 9 3rd 

Knockout stages: 

CUP: 

Semi-finals: Churchills [0] vs Ridgemount [1]; Oldham’s [1] vs Rigg’s [0] 

3rd-place play off: Rigg’s Hall [5] vs Churchill’s [0] 

Final: Oldham’s Hall [1] vs Ridgemount [0] 

PLATE: 

Semi-finals: Severn Hill [2] vs School House [0]; Port Hill [1] vs Ingrams [0] 

Final: Severn Hill [2] vs Port Hill [1] 

Junior Boys House Rugby Competition: 

Pool 1: 

Churchill’s Severn Hill Rigg’s Ingrams Points Position 

Churchill’s 2 vs 3 1 vs 2 4 vs 3 7 3rd 

Severn Hill 3 vs 2 3 vs 5 4 vs 2 11 2nd 

Rigg’s 2 vs 1 5 vs 3 3 vs 1 15 1st 

Ingram’s 3 vs 4 2 vs 4 1 vs 3 3 4th 

Pool 2: 

Ridgemount School House Oldham’s Port Hill Points Position 

Ridgemount 3 vs 2 2 vs 2 0 vs 6 9 2nd 

School House 2 vs 3 1 vs 2 1 vs 5 3 4th 

Oldham’s 2 vs 2 2 vs 1 0 vs 4 9 3rd 

Port Hill 6 vs 0 5 vs 1 4 vs 0 15 1st 

Knockout stages: 

CUP: 

Semi-finals: Rigg’s Hall [2] vs Ridgemount [0]; Port Hill [2] vs Severn Hill [0] 

Final: Port Hill [3] vs Rigg’s [2] 

PLATE: 

Semi-finals: School House [1] vs Churchill’s [0]; Oldham’s [4] vs Ingram’s [0] 

Final: Oldham’s [4] vs School House [0]

SCHOOL NEWS 

67 

GLOBAL SCHOOLS’ RUNNING RACE 

In March 2021, with the world still caught in the grip of the 

pandemic and clouds of anxiety and uncertainty hovering 

over millions of school children, running enthusiast Sam 

Griffiths and fellow staff members of the Royal Shrewsbury 

School Hunt launched a bold new venture to bring young 

athletes together from across the world to help improve their 

physical and mental wellbeing. 

The Global Schools’ Running Race offered the chance for 

pupils from any school in the world to compete in a virtual 

race. The race was split into five age categories: Under-9s 

(who ran 2km), and Under-13s, Under-15s, Under-19s and 

Over-19s, who all ran 5km. Participants were asked to pick 

their own route, across flat terrain, and submit their times to 

Shrewsbury School, where they were logged and compared 

to find the winner of each age category. 

The race attracted more than 400 young athletes from 17 

countries: Bahrain, Singapore, Russia, Latvia, Spain, France, 

China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada, the Netherlands, USA, 

Tanzania, Sweden, Australia, Thailand and the UK. 

An impressive set of results came from runners in the 

small Ethiopian town of Bekoji, which the Hunt visited in 

December 2019 as part of their cross-country running training 

tour to East Africa. Known as the ‘Town of Runners’, it has 

produced over a dozen Olympic gold medallists and world 

champions, even though there are only 16,000 inhabitants. All 

three top spots in the Over-19 male category were taken by 

runners from Bekoji, who all ran 5km in under 15 minutes! 

Salopians also submitted some impressive times, with a 

few pupils and staff making the global leader board in their 

respective age categories: 

Brad Keay (R 4): 3rd place in male Under-15 5km 

Harrison Cutler (R L6): 2nd place in male Under-19 5km 

William Singleton (R 5): 3rd place in male Under-19 5km 

Francesca Harris (EDH U6): 2nd place in female Under-19 5km 

Sophia Urquhart (EDH 5): 3rd place in female Under-19 5km 

Kate Evason (Marketing Manager): 

3rd place in female Over-19 5km 

The campaign attracted attention from national and local 

press, including an article in Athletics Weekly, and also 

received support from Lord Coe, President of World Athletics, 

who sent a video message praising the hard work of the 

School’s race organisers for “thinking outside of the box”, as 

well as highlighting the importance of staying active. 

Race Organiser, Sam Griffiths, said: “The inspiration for the 

Global Schools’ Running Race originates from our passionate 

belief in the importance of staying active, which benefits both 

physical and mental wellbeing. So much has been taken away 

from this generation – all around the world – yet there is light 

on the horizon, and we wanted to really harness that sense 

of optimism and possibility to unite young people through 

the shared joy of running. The beauty of the Global Schools’ 

Running Race is that anyone can take part. 

“The focus of the race wasn’t necessarily about the 

competition and seeing who’s the fastest; rather, joining 

people together and sharing in the enjoyment of something 

that is loved all around the world. With the sport of crosscountry 

running having originated at Shrewsbury School, 

we always feel something of a responsibility and duty in 

promoting the sport and celebrating its rich traditions.” 

The Global Schools’ Running Race has proved such a success 

that it has now been established as an annual event.

68 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 

From the Director 

Like the skirmishers from Britain’s finest regiments, it was our Dubai branch that managed to be “last out and first back” 

with events just before and immediately after lockdown, and we hope that this will encourage other gatherings amongst 

our members overseas. Back in Britain things are beginning to stir as we remind ourselves of the value of old friendships 

and connections. In four regions of the country, rural roads have recently rumbled with the sound of classic and vintage 

cars of the Salopian Drivers’ Club and we look forward to their mass gathering back on the Site on Old Salopian Day, 

Saturday 9th October, as well as welcoming all Salopians back on that day. 

Many of our sports clubs have battled valiantly on when restrictions allowed, and particular congratulations are due 

to the Old Salopian footballers who reached the final of the Arthur Dunn Cup with a relatively new-look side. As with 

sports, so with arts, careers, committees and social gatherings, we rely entirely on an army of Salopian volunteers to 

whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. Thank you for all you do. 

Floreat Salopia 

Nick Jenkins 

Director of the Salopian Club 

Dubai Salopian Event 

This year’s much anticipated Salopian get together took place 

at the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel located within 

Dubai’s International Financial Centre and was made up of 

Old Salopians, various partners, and prospective parents. 

Rather than continue with the usual sit-down meal formula 

(and last year’s ill-fated cricket match), it was decided to 

add some spice to the evening and that most traditional of 

Salopian pursuits was introduced: competitive wine tasting. 

Guests were welcomed into the Bull & Bear Restaurant/ 

Bar with a flowing glass of traditional red sangria. As the 

group numbers increased, I noticed that so too did the noise 

volume and at this moment it was clear the evening was off 

to an electric start. 

After half an hour or so of catching up and mingling we 

were escorted to the venue’s balcony terrace on the 18th 

floor, where the blind wine-tasting would commence. After 

an indefinite period of group loitering, we finally managed 

to divide ourselves into three teams ready for our South 

African hostess to start the tasting. The competition format 

consisted of the hostess verbally providing two descriptions 

for each wine and each team then having to guess the correct 

description. 

Our first team was rather Salopian heavy and made up of 

Nikolas Tryggvason, Ed Bevan, Nick Green and Charlie 

Marlow. Much like the Laurenz V Singing Grüner Veltliner 

from Austria they were lively, vibrant, and palatably friendly. 

I won’t however touch on their aromas. 

The responsibility of securing the School’s future firmly 

landed on my shoulders as my table hosted the prospective 

parents, who were a joy to welcome and I am confident their 

children will fit into school life perfectly. Mirroring the Sallier 

de la Tour Inzolia from Italy, the conversation was fresh and 

light with stories told of Shropshire’s flowery meadows and 

notes of zest and bite. 

We now come onto the winning team of Mark Towers, 

Edward Gallagher and Mike Rigby. Our third wine, the 

Santa Carolina 2018 Carolina Reserva Carmenère from Chile, 

was spicy and briary to the nose, as this team were to the 

eyes and ears in their dominant pursuit of victory. Edward 

Gallagher was certainly feeling saucy and wild on this 

occasion! 

Just like our final wine, the Santa Julia Malbec, Salopians and 

friends of the School only ever get better with age and the 

event was a shining example of this. The conversation was 

full of plum, had a velvety finish and was most certainly full 

bodied. 

A big thank you must go to the Salopian Club for its 

continued support with this annual event, which has now 

been running for a decade. 

Salopians in the UAE are regularly in touch, so if you find 

yourself in the region please feel free to get in touch – 

rupert.connor@gmail.com. 

Floreat Salopia! 

Rupert James Connor (S 1992 – 97)

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 69 

News of Old Salopians 

1940-49 

Brian Fawcett (DB 1943-47) 

Our sixth great-granddaughter was 

born on October 30th 2020 named 

Penelope Young and daughter of one 

of our nine grandchildren Isabelle 

Young (née Hancock) and Andrew 

Young. At 91 and 94 years old Brian 

and Marie-Therese Fawcett keep 

sailing on. 

Eldryd Parry (SH 1944-1948) had 

decided to stop teaching on a Diploma 

postgraduate course at the London 

School of Tropical Medicine when he 

last visited the Medical School at Axum, 

Tigray, nearly four years ago. He was 

persuaded to continue but gave his last 

session on the dreaded Zoom this year, 

not long before his 90th birthday. The 

students are asked to evaluate every 

teacher; Eldryd reports that their verdict 

was bimodal, from “Skip it, outdated” 

to “What a privilege, a legend!” 

Robert Perrin (O 1934-40) 

On 6th March I reached a hundred. 

I suppose in this position it is 

conventional to make boring comments 

on the ‘Good Old Days’, with the 

implication that they were so much 

better than now. Unfortunately, there 

was nothing in any way unusual in my 

school career but I can claim to have 

done one thing which was (and always 

will be) unique: I was the Huntsman 

in control (?) of the ‘Cheltenham Tucks 

Run’ in 1939 in which the whole of the 

two schools took part. (see page 84). 

1950-59 

David Balmford (Rt 1948-51) 

Just before COVID struck, I discovered 

my mother’s old painting equipment 

in the garden shed. She last used it 

in 1990 at the age of 85. Some of it 

seemed usable so I decided to see if 

I had inherited any of her talent. It 

didn’t take me long to get hooked. 

This new hobby has been wonderful in 

countering the effects of self-isolating 

and shielding. Diamond wedding this 

year. Betty and I are planning a small 

party to celebrate on the 24th June C.V. 

(Covid Volente). Small because other 

than progeny, there don’t seem to be 

many of us left. The toast will be “To 

absent friends”. We would be delighted 

to think that any of my Shrewsbury 

compatriots will raise their glass to that. 

Richard Bellamy (SH 1952-57) 

I was High Sheriff of Humberside in 

1980-81 and my wife and I made the 

first official crossing of the Humber 

Bridge six months before the Queen 

opened it 40 years ago this June. We 

were invited to cross with an escort 

vehicle by the Bridge Chairman before 

there were any sides on it when we 

were making a visit to Hull University, 

to save us over 50 miles driving from 

Grimsby. As we drove back Ronald 

Reagan was making his inaugural 

presidential speech. 

I am now involved in developing 20 

acres on distressed land in Freeman 

Street Grimsby (once a leading retail 

street in the UK), left behind when 

the fishing industry died here in the 

1970s. We are working towards Carbon 

Net Zero, having put over 1000 pv 

solar panels on our one-acre market 

roof, 500 yards away from the world’s 

leading Offshore Wind Servicing centre. 

I came to Shrewsbury for the soccer, 

born into the game as my grandfather 

was Chairman of Grimsby Town 

Football Club and a life Vice-President 

of the FA. 

Graeme Faber (Ch 1949-53) 

Fourteen years ago I was diagnosed 

with kidney and bowel cancer, 

which the clever people at Kent and 

Canterbury Hospital fixed without 

even having to resort to chemo. Then 

I got diagnosed with cancer on the 

remaining kidney; that took King’s 

College Hospital in London to fix and 

I’ve still got a low grade prostate cancer 

and I’m the wrong side of 85. So you 

see, hope should feature largely in a 

cancer diagnosis. I’ve done several 

challenges for Macmillan Cancer Care 

- things like climbing Kilimanjaro, 

cycling 250 miles across a very small 

part of Mongolia (even getting there 

was an experience I’ll never forget) 

and so on. In a sense it’s rather ironic 

that my wife has just been diagnosed 

with inoperable ovarian cancer but 

the clever chemo people at Kent and 

Canterbury reckon remission is on the 

cards. See what I mean about hope. 

Iain Mackenzie (S 1950-55) 

The New York Times recently reviewed 

Mark Synnott’s “The Third Pole” 

concerning his search on Everest for 

the lost body of Andrew Comyn Irvine, 

whose Shrewsbury memorial is located 

at Severn Hill. That review brought 

back my brother Colin’s and my own 

memories of the mountaineering 

exploits of our much-admired 

Housemaster Patrick Childs. Patrick 

Childs was the leader of the Rovers 

of that era and spent many termtime 

weekends guiding the Rovers in 

Snowdonia. 

Mr Childs’ outdoors memory is 

beautifully summarised by a Clerihew 

composed and published by a 

contemporary of mine as follows: 

Mr Childs 

Loves the wilds. 

He’s well known on, 

Snowdon

70 


Andrew Maclehose (SH 1952-57) 

has sent in the following clip about his 

brother Christopher Maclehose (SH 

1953-58). 

Michael Rhodes (DB 1947-51) 

On leaving Shrewsbury I went on 

to study Chemical Engineering at 

Loughborough, worked for 30 years in 

the chemical industry and took early 

retirement in 1987, at the age of 54. 

After spending six months chopping 

down an overgrown garden, I took a 

job with a car delivery company. This 

was a good retirement job as I was 

not committed to regular work. It was 

mainly moving cars going on or off 

lease. These could be anywhere in 

the country and you then found your 

way home by public transport. Being 

gainfully occupied two or three days 

a week was excellent. Finally I retired 

completely and seem to have been 

busy ever since. 

Other activities are involvement with 

my local Church where I now act as 

Sacristan. I have been a Scout Leader 

and then was Secretary of the local 

Scout District for many years. I enjoyed 

motor rallying in the 60s and 70s before 

specialisation when you could still 

use the family car and be competitive. 

I enjoyed hill walking and gentle 

rock climbing for many years. During 

retirement I learned to ski, not very 

well, finally giving up when I was over 

80. I am now a member of my local 

Probus club and enjoy listening to a 

wide range of speakers. 

Roger Shakeshaft (S 1947-51) 

During a long lockdown, in my late 

eighties, I was pleased to be able to 

sort out my stamp collection, started at 

school, without feeling a nerd. A happy 

surprise was the discovery of a scarce 

First Day Cover, addressed to myself 

in 1950 when I was 17. The cover (SG 

508) is catalogued, today, at £120. This 

means that, through the vagaries of the 

market and Stanley Gibbons’ optimistic 

pricing, I could easily get £50 for it. Not 

bad: from an outlay of 4d, a 3,000-fold 

profit has accrued over the 70 years. 

More nerdish, though, was the 

calibrating of mis-spellings of my 

surname, with specimens starting 

while I was at school. I suppose the 

patron of the collection has to be David 

Bevan (DJVB). In that cold Lent Term 

of 1947, as a new scum, in Lower IVA, 

DJVB took us for Latin Construe, and 

he would insist on calling me Sheep 

Shanks. How I dreaded it, when in his 

lugubrious delivery, I would hear those 

words: “Carry on translating ... Sheep 

Shanks”. And, by the way, I have 85 

mis-spellings of Shakeshaft, and still 

counting. 

Michael Bird 

(Rt 1964-67) 

1960-69 

I am thoroughly 

enjoying my 

retirement 

having spent the 

final 24 years 

of my working 

life providing 

freelance 

technical writing/PR services within 

the agricultural/horticultural/sports turf 

sectors. I have subsequently relocated 

to Thailand and am now married 

to a beautiful Thai lady who speaks 

excellent English. She is attempting to 

teach me Thai. 

Michael 

Clower 

(Rt 1957-61) 

has finally 

retired after 

more than half 

a century as a 

racing journalist. 

Although he 

qualified as 

a chartered accountant (and was 

placed first in the finals) his heart was 

in racing. He started his journalistic 

career in Kenya where he was also an 

amateur jockey. He moved to Ireland 

in 1973 and wrote for The Sporting Life, 

Racing Post, Sunday Times and Sunday 

Mirror and wrote biographies of Mick 

Kinane, Charlie Swan and Istabraq as 

well as Kings Of The Turf. He moved to 

South Africa in 2006 – his Kenya-born 

wife wanted to return to the sunshine – 

and wrote for the Cape Times. He was 

South Africa’s Racing Journalist of the 

Year in 2015. 

He realised he would have to hang 

up his pen when lockdown eased 

sufficiently for the racing press to be 

allowed back into the racecourses. “I 

found to my horror that my reactions 

were no longer quick enough to cope 

with the 120kph motorway madness 

that characterises driving in Cape Town 

and where most of the drivers appear 

to have been taking lessons from Lewis 

Hamilton,” he told the Racing Post. 

“But I can’t complain. For 53 years I 

was paid for doing a job that, had I 

not needed to earn a living, I would 

happily have done for nothing. Not 

many people are that lucky in life.” 

Guy Egerton-Smith (M 1960-64) 

Pictured are Guy Egerton-Smith, retired 

Chartered Surveyor and David Egerton- 

Smith (M 1956-61), former Head of 

School and retired Lawyer 

Richard Frewer (M 1955-60) has 

been made one of eight 2021 Fellows 

of the Royal Institute of British 

Architecture.


Colin Mackenzie (S 1955-60) 

I am an Emeritus Professor in the 

USA, at the University of Maryland, 

School of Medicine, Department of 

Anesthesiology, with a secondary 

appointment in the Department of 

Physiology. I was recently (Jan 2021) 

appointed as an Adjunct Professor 

of Surgery in the Uniformed Services 

University of Health Sciences (USUHS) 

on the basis of 13 first or senior 

authored peer reviewed papers in 

surgical journals related to developing 

and validating performance metrics 

for surgical technical skills, now used 

in the Advanced Surgical Skills in 

Exposure for Trauma (ASSET) course 

developed by the American College of 

Surgeons. We have patented a really 

cool method to evaluate technical 

skills of surgeons by quantitation of 

the speed, acceleration and directional 

changes of their hands which we 

validated by comparison to several 

other recognised technical skills 

performance metrics. 

Kathryn and I have two sons, two 

grandsons and a granddaughter. 

Dan Rowland (Rt 1958-60) 

A collection of essays written over a 

50-year period, God, Tsar & People: 

the Political Culture of Early Modern 

Russia (Cornell University Press), 

was published in November 2020, 

and is garnering some excellent early 

comments. And CivicLex (CivicLex. 

org), a civic organisation that he 

founded with some friends in 2009, 

and for which he served as president 

until 2018, is becoming a national 

model of local journalism and civic 

engagement. It was recently featured 

on the PBS News Hour by Judy 

Woodruff, on On Point (WBUR, 

Boston), and in a discussion on 

reviving American democracy hosted 

by the Library of Congress. Dan and 

his wife Wendy celebrated their 50th 

wedding anniversary in May, then 

sold the farm in Montville, Maine, 

where they were married, and moved 

their “summer” home to an old 

house along the Passagassawakeag 

River in Belfast, Maine. They spent 

the winter in Belfast, sheltering from 

COVID. Dan continues to work with 

CivicLex, on the restoration of the 

Pope Villa, an 1812 masterwork by 

Benjamin Henry Latrobe, and on 

a civic education plan for the state 

of Vermont. He is keenly looking 

forward to rowing with the 1960 First 

VIII at Henley in July 2022. 

Darryl Walker (DB 1964-68) 

A painting of mine that was on show 

at the 2018 Centenary Exhibition for 

Wilfred Owen at Shrewsbury Museum 

and Art Gallery, has been acquired by 

Oswestry Museum and will be on show 

there from May 17th. It can be viewed 

on my website www.art-pipedreamsonline.co.uk 

1970-79 

Clive Bonny (M 1966-71) 

I have accepted a new post as a 

member of the Advisory Board to 

the Organisation for Responsible 

Businesses https://www.orbuk.org.uk/ 

orb-advisory-board/ 

John Davies (I 1968-72) 

I am happily retired living in rural 

Worcestershire, still enjoying tennis and 

rearing chickens and pigs as a hobby. 

I also enjoy playing ukuleles at both 

Worcester and Droitwich ukulele clubs. 

At last I am a grandparent. 

Stuart Ellis (SH 1968-73) 

In the hopes of reconnecting with old 

school chums, I decided to attend the 

2019 November City Drinks in London, 

the first I’d been to since leaving in 

1973. I recognised some names on 

the attendance list but reconciling 46 

intervening years with the fresh young 

faces I remembered defeated me and 

I came away sad and disappointed. A 

few days later I was contacted by the 

Club asking me to get in touch with my 

dear friend Robert Matthews (O 1973) 

who had seen my name on the list 

and likewise failed the 46-year test. We 

reconnected and met up for lunch in 

town. It was wonderful, emotional and 

joyful; we simply took up from where we 

had left off all those years ago and have 

continued to stay in touch since, despite 

the pandemic. What’s more, we instantly 

recognised one another, so some things 

don’t change despite the passing of time. 

My one and only regret is that I left it so 

long. but better late than never. So here’s 

to the next City Drinks! 

Peter Howells (SH 1966-71) 

It is with great pleasure that, during 

these straightened times, I have had 

some good news. In October 2020 

I welcomed my first great grandson 

and then in February 2021 along came 

another one. This is a total joy for me 

because I lost my only son in 1990 

when he was just 15. I suspect I am 

probably the first of my cohort to have 

become a great grandad. 

Timothy Morgan-Owen (I 1974-79) 

During lockdown I was kept busy 

supplying information and images from 

my Gertrude Lawrence archive for the 

Noel Coward Art and Style exhibition 

that is to open at the Guildhall Gallery 

in the City of London from mid-June 

until December 2021. I have loaned a 

silver gilt lapis onyx and jade card case 

that Noel Coward gave to Gertrude 

Lawrence on the opening night of 

Private Lives 1930, and also advised 

on and overseen the recreation of 

the iconic white Molyneux dress she 

wore in the play. I started researching 

Gertrude Lawrence in my second year 

at Shrewsbury and was encouraged by 

Mike Eagar and Michael Charlesworth 

to go off to archives and libraries to 

research. My archive is now the largest 

in the world. 

1980-89 

Alister Bartholomew (Staff 1977-87) 

In January 2020 I was appointed 

as the Regional Director - South 

East Asia for Beaconhouse, with 

responsibility for 22 schools 

across Malaysia, Thailand and the 

Philippines. The Beaconhouse School 

System is the largest private school 

group in the world, educating 310,000 

children across eight countries. I am 

based in Kuala Lumpur and would be 

happy to see any Old Salopians who 

may be in this part of the world when 

life hopefully returns to normal soon.

72 


John Everall (DB 1980-82) 

I am married with two teenage 

children, living in Norfolk, working in 

Investment Management for JM Finn 

in Bury St Edmunds. I still manage 

the occasional game of cricket, 

now spending more time on the 

golf course at Brancaster. I would 

be delighted to hear from any Old 

Salopians in East Anglia! 

Jim Frates (Harvard Fellow, 1989-90) 

I left Alkermes after 22 years in January 

to take the CFO role at Amylyx. We 

are focused on treating ALS and other 

neurodegenerative diseases. Exciting to 

be working for ALS patents. 

Simon Frew (PH 1982-87) 

The photo shows Si Frew celebrating 

12th April (the start of the end of 

COVID-19 Lockdown 3) on the roof of 

The Dorchester with General Manager 

Robert. There was a live band and 

views of Hyde Park at sunset to die 

for. Simon can still be contacted via his 

luxury travelblog www.sifrew.com 

Emyr Williams (Ch 1980-84) After 

30 years in commercial property 

development, I have set up a new 

specialist care home development 

company www.libertycaredevelopments. 

com actively seeking development 

opportunities across the UK for our care 

home partners. 

1990-99 

Andrew Allman (PH 1993-98) was 

appointed Headmaster of Myddelton 

College in Denbigh in 2019. 

Ben Dudson (I 1994-99) After 14 

years working at the University of 

York, I’m moving to take up a job in 

Livermore, California. Together with 

mini-me Ethan (9), little Ella (5), and 

wonderful and long-suffering wife 

Hsin-ying, we are looking forward to 

new adventures around the Bay area. 

I’m particularly looking forward to 

finding out what a mix of Yorkshire 

and California accents sounds like. 

Jeremy Gladwin (Staff 1984-99) 

After 15 years on the Shrewsbury 

School staff, where I was variously 

Contingent Commander of the CCF, 

Head of Geography and, latterly, 

Housemaster of Port Hill, I became 

Deputy Head of Royal Hospital 

School, from 1999-2005. From 

there I proceeded to St Edmund’s 

School Canterbury, where I was 

Headmaster from 2005-11, moving 

to Bishop’s Stortford College where 

I was Headmaster from 2011-2020. 

I am currently a Governor of the 

Haberdashers’ Schools, Elstree and a 

very part-time Educational Consultant, 

having retired to Cambridge. 

Simon Hewitt (S 1990-95) has set up 

a new Advertising Agency called the 

Orange Panther Collective. The agency 

focuses on start-ups and scale-ups. 

Ryan Lewis (G 1991-96) 

The COVID year of 2020/21 was very 

busy on both a work and personal 

front. My first, and last, son was born 

on 9th September, Ellis Thomas Burton 

Lewis (future Welsh open side) and 

after 17 years of setting up and running 

our own business of financial advisers, 

we sold Nestor IFA to multinational 

firm, Chase De Vere. Hopefully this will 

all result in a lower golf handicap 

Christopher Nattrass (M 1992-97) 

In November 2020 my wife Anne Lind 

and I welcomed a baby girl, Eleanor 

Elizabeth Lind Nattrass. We live in 

Brooklyn, New York and would love 

to host visitors once we can all travel 

safely again. 

Luke Potter (M 1988-93) 

For my part, from Shrewsbury I headed 

up to St Andrews to read History, 

and followed this with an MPhil in 

Medieval History at Fitzwilliam College, 

Cambridge. By choosing not to enter 

teaching I broke a family tradition 

that had started in the 1890s and 

seen three subsequent generations of 

Potters entering teaching and becoming 

headmasters. Feeling an urge to choose 

my own path, I took a foray into travel, 

tourism and events and in 2005 set up 

an inbound ancestral tourism travel 

business. The financial ripples from 

2008 saw my US market contract and 

after deciding to sell on the business I 

joined the National Trust to run a group 

of properties in Suffolk, briefly crossing 

paths at the NT with Mark Griffiths (M 

1986-91). I’m now Assistant Director 

for Operations living in north Wales 

with Lucy and our two boys, Fergus (6) 

and Walt (4). Shropshire connections 

remain strong with family in and 

around Ludlow, and I’m a trustee at the 

Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust - an 

organisation supported by a number 

of other OSs, including a certain F. E. 

Maidment. 

2000-09 

Chris Lloyd (Ch 1997-02) 

After four years in Chile as Head of 

Internal Audit of BUPA’s businesses 

there and in Brazil, we are moving 

to Madrid where I will continue in 

the same role but for Spain, Brazil 

and Mexico. We also have a second 

daughter coming who will be born in 

June, joining Ana who is now nearly 

two years old. We are sad to leave the 

sun and skiing in Santiago but looking 

forward to the wine and being closer 

to home. 

Ishaan Parwanda (SH 2000-05) 

Ishaan lives in New Delhi and travels 

within India. He is in the Solar and EV 

space business. 

Oliver Pickup (R 1998-2000) and his 

wife, Clare, have had a busy year. Two 

days after the first lockdown, in March 

2020, they moved to a slightly bigger, 

older house in south-east London – aka 

“the money pit”. It has a reasonably 

large garden, mercifully. While forced 

to stay at home, their six-year-old 

son, Freddie, has spent many days 

chasing squirrels, growing vegetables,


and (literally) learning about the birds 

and the bees. In June 2020 the family 

welcomed daughter Darcey into this 

weird world, and she has provided 

much-needed joy and hope in these 

uncertain times. Meanwhile, Ollie’s 

career as an award-winning freelance 

journalist, specialising in business and 

technology, continues to develop, 

which is handy as it’s clear that, after 

home-schooling misadventures, a pivot 

to teaching would be a terrible move. 

My branding was designed by another 

old Salopian, Charlie Straw (S 2007-12), 

with whom I spent many hours in the 

music school jamming! 

www.tempestguitars.com 

Jack Travers (I 2000-2005), his wife 

Alice and daughter India are moving to 

Malaysia in August 2021. They will be 

living just outside Singapore. Jack will 

be working at Marlborough College 

Malaysia. 

2010-present 

Hattie Bramwell (EDH 2016-18), 

coached both when at school and 

currently by Tom Rylands (Ch 1973-77), 

has been appointed Vice-Captain of the 

Great Britain U25 Rifle team. 

Annabelle Chapple (MSH 2012- 

14) I have recently been accepted 

by Cambridge for a MSt in Social 

Innovation. I will be at the Judge 

Business School but a member of 

Downing College. 

Charlotte Finley (MSH 2008- 

10) married Daniel Bradshaw (M 

2005-10) in July 2020, having met at 

Shrewsbury some 12 years earlier, and 

on the 11th anniversary of their first 

date. Whilst the wedding was a little 

different to the original plan, navigating 

COVID restrictions and a move to 

Jersey, it was a truly wonderful day 

with a strong Salopian showing. 

Anna Kendrick (Harvard Fellow 

2009-10) 

My first book, Humanizing Childhood 

in Early Twentieth-Century Spain 

(Cambridge: Legenda, 2020) developed 

from my PhD dissertation at Cambridge, 

was published by the Modern 

Humanities Research Association 

(MHRA) amidst the pandemic last 

year. It has just been awarded the 

ISCHE First Book Award, a pleasing 

recognition of its contribution to the 

History of Education and Hispanic 

Studies. 

In my acknowledgments I thank my 

Shrewsbury colleagues, as this was a 

critical first year for me working in and 

seeing a wonderful example of integral, 

holistic education in practice. 

Daisy McConnel (EDH 2011-13) 

After receiving a scholarship from the 

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to 

study acoustic guitar-making, I studied 

one-on-one with two of the world’s top 

handmade acoustic guitar-makers and 

founded my own company, Tempest 

Guitars, in 2021, naming it after my 

mother’s family who exhibit a long line 

of creative women. My order books are 

set to open in Autumn 2021, with each 

guitar being completely handmade 

from scratch to the specification of 

my clients on an individual basis. I 

pride myself on sourcing responsible 

materials and working with diverse 

mediums not yet worked with by my 

contemporaries. 

Maximilian Yale (S 2012-17) 

graduated last year from Christ’s 

College, Cambridge with a BA in 

History. Max was recently elected a 

Graduate Exhibitioner by the Governing 

Body of the College in recognition of 

his academic performance during 2019- 

20. He was also awarded a Levy-Plumb 

Exhibition Prize in History. Max has 

carried on at Christ’s and is currently an 

MPhil Candidate in Economic & Social 

History. He continues to row for the 

College’s 1st VIII. 

Henry Young (SH 2009-14) 

Whilst applying to Sandhurst I have 

been living and working in Edinburgh 

as a Personal Concierge at Waldorf 

Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian 

Hotel. I have also re-joined the Army 

Reserves and am currently serving in 

E Squadron, Scottish & Northern Irish 

Yeomanry, with the aim of gaining 

a commission with the Royal Scots 

Dragoon Guards, once finishing 

Sandhurst.

74 


Old Salopian Takes On The World’s Toughest 

Ocean Rowing Challenge 

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, 

billed as the world’s toughest row, is 

a 3,000 nautical mile, unsupported 

rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean 

from La Gomera in the Canary Islands 

to English Harbour in Antigua & 

Barbuda. The race starts in December, 

when the trade winds are at their most 

supportive for a crossing from east to 

west and varies in duration depending 

on conditions and the number of 

rowers per boat (there are boats with 

solo rowers all the way up to fiveperson 

teams). 

This year, Old Salopian Jono Mawson 

(G 1999-2004) took part in the race 

as part of the four-man team, Latitude 

35. Jono and his fellow rowers Dixon 

McDonald, Todd Hooper and Jimmy 

Carroll departed on Saturday 12th 

December from the Canaries in their 

28-foot boat Crusader, built by Rannoch 

Adventure, based in Burnham on 

Crouch in Essex. 

Although conditions initially looked 

favourable, the weather quickly turned 

against the rowers after just a few 

days at sea. During the course of the 

crossing, the Latitude 35 team was 

frequently lashed with wind and rain 

and found themselves battling 30-foot 

swells, at one time watching in horror 

as a wave snapped one of their oars in 

half with ease, nearly capsizing the boat 

in the process. The team were forced to 

deploy a sea anchor on two occasions 

to prevent the wind and waves from 

rolling the boat and to provide some 

much-needed respite. 

There were further issues during the 

race also. An early morning total power 

outage on day four rendered all of their 

navigation, steering and communication 

equipment useless. With the autohelm 

and GPS powerless, the team handsteered 

as best they could, with only a 

compass for direction, trying not to lose 

too much ground in the race, while 

they fully re-wired the batteries. Over 

the course of the day they were able to 

restore power and confirm that none 

of the electronics had suffered any 

damage. 

As well as the weather, the team faced 

seasickness, dehydration and general 

exhaustion as a result of the punishing 

routine of two hours on the oars and 

two hours off for eating and sleeping, 

which had to be maintained 24 hours 

a day until the crossing was complete. 

Whilst the team had done their best to 

mentally and physically prepare for this 

gruelling daily schedule of life at sea, 

as well as other possible eventualities 

such as capsizing, injuries or even 

collisions with a commercial vessel, 

the Atlantic Ocean showed them there 

were problems that they could never 

have anticipated. 

With nearly 900 miles to go, the team 

were in second place and gaining 

ground on the leading boat in their 

class when they were thrown to the 

deck by the force of a sudden impact. 

Shouted messages quickly discovered 

that some sort of spike had penetrated 

the hull of the stern cabin, narrowly 

missing Jimmy’s leg as he lay resting. 

It was later confirmed that this was the 

bill of a marlin that had rammed the 

boat and then swum away, leaving the 

severed spike firmly embedded in the 

fibreglass hull. 

While the stern cabin steadily filled 

with water, Jono and Jimmy set to


work sawing the bill down into a 

makeshift bung and plugging around 

the hole with epoxy as best they could, 

frequently pausing to pump out the 

incoming flood. After several hours 

work, they had succeeded in reducing 

the leak to a small trickle as the epoxy 

began to dry and bind. Jono tethered 

himself to the boat and entered the 

water to make similar repairs to the 

outside of the hull and after a few 

hours the team returned to the oars 

hoping that their work would hold for 

the remainder of the race. 

Fortunately, it did, and despite all the 

challenges the team completed their 

crossing, pulling into English Harbour 

on Sunday 17th January after 35 

days, 5 hours and 10 minutes at sea, 

watching the deep blues of the Atlantic 

Ocean snap into the turquoise of the 

Caribbean as they crossed the finish 

line holding burning red flares aloft. 

Despite the power problems and a 

marlin bill still protruding from the hull, 

the team finished second in the race 

class and were third overall. 

The row was without a doubt one 

of the hardest physical and mental 

tests of resilience and endurance that 

the team has ever encountered, but 

the experience was unmatched, from 

rowing alongside pods of dolphins to 

battling waves and surfing swells. As 

they stepped off the boat in Antigua 

there was no doubt in their minds 

that they had given it their all and left 

everything out on the ocean. 

About the Not Forgotten Association 

As a former British Army Officer, Jono 

is keen to continue playing an active 

role in the Armed Forces Community 

and chose to raise money for the Not 

Forgotten Association who have been 

supporting veterans since 1920. The 

Not Forgotten combats the causes 

of isolation and loneliness amongst 

the injured and disabled Armed 

Forces community through social 

activities, challenges and the provision 

of televisions, television licences 

and computer tablets. They are an 

incredible charity that makes a very 

tangible difference to the everyday 

lives of members of the Armed Forces 

community, combatting isolation and 

loneliness, ensuring that no veteran is 

forgotten and that no one is left behind. 

Jono is within touching distance 

of his fundraising goal and every 

donation will make a difference. The 

fundraising page remains open. If 

you would like to show your support 

for this amazing organisation please 

visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ 

jonoatlanticchallenge 

For more information on the Latitude 

35 team and coverage of the race itself 

please visit the Instagram account: 

lat35atlanticchallenge2020 

The Latitude 35 team L-R: Jimmy Carroll, Jono Mawson, Todd Hooper, Dixon McDonald

76 


Willie Jones at 90 

Willie Jones (WJJ) celebrated his 90th birthday in Sapporo, Japan, on 6th April 2021, where he has 

lived since 1979. He taught at Shrewsbury School from 1959 until 1977. To generations of Salopians, 

scholars and runners (he was master-in-charge of the RSSH as well as Head of English) he was, and 

remains, an inspiring presence. Separate tribute is paid by Peter Birch (Huntsman 1970-71) in the Old 

Salopian Hunt report on page 84. As both a former runner and pupil of WJJ, it is my great pleasure to 

pay a separate tribute here, by giving the floor to Willie himself. 

The other day Clive Bonny asked me to write something for 

his grandchildren, which I did, but as it is far too long to be 

reproduced here, I have filleted it and re-assorted the fillets 

on a newly-washed platter. 

I am not a metaphysician, yet not a materialist, either. I count 

myself a Stoic of sorts, contented to live quietly in “selfimposed 

exile”, as Peter Fanning put it, within the limits of 

the natural order, while seeking - if not always managing - to 

observe a code known today as “virtue ethics”. I distrust 

those who seek for power, those who desire to control and 

manipulate other people, and dislike the word “teacher” as it 

suggests that you know better than those you teach. I saw my 

position at the Schools as a privilege that I had not deserved, 

for I was given the chance to share with those it was my 

privilege to work with what I had myself enjoyed as a reader 

of English poetry or drama, my role that of a performer, an 

explicator of texts. 

I have just celebrated my ninetieth birthday, and among those 

who wrote to congratulate me were several who thanked 

me for helping them to believe that they had it in them to be 

writers. I feel bound, even if a little troubled, to be pleased. 

I have been troubled because one of the reasons that I gave 

up being a schoolmaster was that I had come to realise that I 

had influence. I had been shocked when a man wrote to me 

years later to thank me for something that I had said which I 

cannot have said as it was the opposite of what I had always 

believed. Yet it may not have been a bad thing if it confirmed 

what he had already been thinking, for a younger mind may 

take what the schoolmaster says and adapt it to suit whatever 

may have been in his own mind at that moment; but it made 

me realise what a dangerous business school-mastering is. Yet 

we may be able to suggest an answer to the question, “How 

am I to live?”, if we take it to mean “How do I use to the best 

of my ability whatever talents I may have, trusting that they 

will do some good and no harm?” 

This is not the same as the question “How ought I to live?” 

should the answer be that if I fail to do as I am told I shall 

be punished, a dishonest bargain since an unequal one. Nor 

does it have much to do with the question “What must I 

do to be happy?” We cannot pursue happiness: happiness 

is incidental, when on looking back we realise that we had 

focused our attention solely upon whatever task we had 

committed ourselves to performing. I recall one day walking 

to lunch at Kingsland Hall and thinking “I am happy”: I 

realised that this was because throughout the morning I 

had never for a moment been conscious of myself, only of 

whatever we had in class been reading that morning. The 

French writer Albert Camus once wrote – in French, of course 

– something to this effect: “The greatest gift that we can give 

to the future is to give everything to the present” – my creed: 

we should never save ourselves for a better performance at 

some later date, but carry out what we have at that moment 

committed ourselves to do, never to hold anything back. Nor 

should we ask “What shall I be paid for this?”, for that is a 

distraction and an impediment. 

I used to pin up on display-boards in my classroom (E2) 

pairs of photographs of unrelated objects or persons that 

matched each other in some quite unexpected yet strikingly 

congruent way. One was of a hump-backed stone bridge in 

the Lake District and the rump and back-bone of a resting 

cow. Another was of two athletes: the prima ballerina Beryl 

Grey on points, and the English Test cricketer Basil d’Oliveira, 

who has just hit what must have been a six off the bowling 

of the West Indian spin-bowler Lance Gibbs. Dame Beryl 

stands in both senses head and shoulders above the ladies 

of the corps de ballet, their shoulders a little bunched up, 

their bodies down to earth; she herself looks serenely ahead, 

as if about to levitate. While it is the bowler, the fielders and 

umpire who are looking skywards, Basil d’Oliveira looks 

straight ahead, his eyes focused almost absent-mindedly far 

ahead of the end of his long stretched-out horizontal bat. The 

figures could be superimposed one upon the other without 

any change, their feet identically poised, their shoulders 

equally relaxed, without tension or strain: exemplars of 

perfect balance, perfect relaxation. What they are doing 

looks effortless, but only because they have perfected their 

craft and can forget themselves altogether, while nothing so 

apparently easy could have been achieved without a great 

deal of extremely hard preliminary work. 

A way of life that suits one person will not suit another, 

some more adventurous, some more timid, yet just as we 

would never expect others to change their way or life to suit 

ours, so they should not require us to change ours to suit 

theirs, provided that we did not harm our fellow creatures 

and the world that we share with them. My way of life 

would certainly not suit everyone; it may to many seem a


selfish, even an unpatriotic life, since it is that of a recluse 

living far from the land of his birth, which has from what 

he reads become a country that he no longer recognises. 

Yet the English language remains my homeland. Without 

its sustenance I could never have survived: I spend my 

days thinking about it, writing it; I read it with my Japanese 

classmates, at the moment Wodehouse, and, most fortunately, 

throughout the long years the plays and sonnets of William 

Shakespeare. 

The Cranes of Kushiro 

The cranes of Kushiro rehearse 

a dance they are world-famous for, 

yet few of the bird-watching corps 

who make the journey to observe 

this avian tour de force 

will hope for more, or more deserve. 

Like Norfolk’s marshes, Kushiro’s 

are secretive and hard to view 

if you’ve no wings and boats must do: 

from bank-side rushes they prepare 

a raft for chicks, from kites and crows 

the danger they have most to fear. 

When ice in winter fills the banks 

they fly to sites inland where on 

a cloth of snow they feed on corn 

kept for them in a wardens’ hut 

with platform where on tripods ranks 

of cameras take aim and shoot. 

It was the start of winter, one 

by one each pair of birds flew in 

to land upon the snow, legs thin 

and elegant, necks stretched out straight 

but oscillating up and down 

as high-strung wires in winds vibrate, 

while kites assembled in the trees 

outside the reservation’s pale 

since keen to cadge an easy meal, 

and in a coop a goose that may 

have hurt itself sought out my eyes, 

but what it wanted could not say, 

and I had come upon a date 

that dull and cold December day 

to marvel at the cranes’ display, 

a leggy leap, beaks vertical, 

wings lifted out, mate facing mate 

in high-lavoltes connubial, 

The afternoon was growing old, 

the ice a steely, polished grey, 

a sunless, ever-colder day, 

so, feeling cold myself, I made 

my way to where within a fold 

of high meshed-wire a few birds stayed. 

One bird seemed rather at a loss 

(its mate had turned away); 

needing a partner in their play, 

he, seeing me (‘he’, I’ll suppose) 

beyond the netting, came across 

on scrupulous, high-stepping toes. 

As he came closer I could see 

his ruddy crown in places bare, 

a cap that all his species wear, 

until we stood there face to face, 

as if this had been meant to be, 

indifferent to time and place. 

We’d met as if upon a tryst, 

and either side the ten-foot wire 

we waited, me the first to tire: 

I took a step, he matched me, stride 

for stride, we might have kissed; 

he copied everything I tried; 

I took five paces, so did he, 

five back, and so we might 

have gone on arm in wing till night 

had not his mate, on having eyed 

the waltz, came up, jealous maybe; 

they stood together side by side 

who usually stand breast to breast; 

nebs lifted up like trumpeters 

about to blazon to the stars, 

and pinions lifted wing to wing, 

I felt as if by angels blessed, 

was for that moment’s grace a king. 

white feathers, secondaries jet 

that folded back suggest a tail, 

black throat, white head, a narrow skull, 

a cap of crimson warts, the legs 

scaled like a snake’s, the bill dead-straight, 

the lengthy throat-line circumflex: 

blest pair of syrens, you may think, 

a sign of both prosperity 

and with good luck longevity, 

ubiquitous as Fuji-san 

or cherry blossoms brushed in ink 

on Lady Murasaki’s fan.

78 


Salopiana 

Football’s Debt to Shrewsbury 

Jonathan Russell’s (O 1959-64) article (The Salopian, Issue 

166, p72) has not surprisingly generated much interest. 

Here is his account of the first ever inter-school match v 

Uppingham, played on 10th March 1877. 

The 1876-7 fixtures list recorded games against Newport, 

the Old Boys and four contests against the Town Club. The 

highlight of the season, however, was the match against 

Uppingham on 10th March 1877. Their 300 boys had been 

evacuated from Rutland to Borth (just north of Aberystwyth) 

a year earlier to avoid a typhoid epidemic. During the 

preceding fortnight, Arthur Gilkes had coached the XI, helped 

by another teacher, Cooper, who captained a scratch team in 

two practice matches. The Salopian worried that “the centres 

do not take their shots at goal soon enough”, and that “the 

sides and centres display an almost absurd level of passing” 

and should be more selfish. 

The match day dawned with great excitement amid drizzling 

rain, with the Saturday curriculum altered so the whole 

school could watch the kick-off at 11.30am. Uppingham 

had arrived from the Welsh coast the previous night and 

were resplendent in “bright red jerseys with blue trimming, 

and long red and blue stockings worn outside the trousers”. 

Shrewsbury were equally smart in their dark-blue jerseys with 

a white Maltese cross, white breeches and dark-blue socks. 

Messrs Moser and Cooper were the umpires. 

The game seems to have been played under Association 

Rules, although there is no mention of this in The Salopian 

report. The Shrewsbury three-quarter-back kicked off, though 

it appears the ball actually went backwards rather than 

forwards as “he was no doubt too excited”. The game was 

hard and fast and the resulting 0-0 draw was deemed a fair 

result. Uppingham’s tactics were based on “furious charging 

and following up altogether in the centre”, while their halfbacks 

tended to kick rather than dribble, “the result of the 

Uppingham Rules”. Shrewsbury, although the lighter team, 

countered through the “excellent passing and dribbling” of 

their centres and by “steadily playing together”. The weeks of 

practice had paid off. 

From Andrew Pollock (I 1971-74) 

I read David Gee’s excellent obituary for Eric Anderson 

in which he mentioned that both Eric and Poppy had 

misgivings about leaving both Abingdon and Shrewsbury 

when approached to move on and it reminded me of a 

conversation I had with Eric on that very subject. 

The demand for tickets to hear Eric’s last Speech Day address 

in the Alington Hall was so great that speakers were erected 

outside on the lawn so those outside could hear his speech. 

I remember it was a very rainy day and the cricket match 

between the X1 captained by my brother Angus and the 

Saracens captained by myself was abandoned. However, 

such was the quality of Eric’s oratory that people stood in 

the pouring rain to listen. I remember him saying during his 

speech that he did not wish to go to Eton when he was first 

approached because he felt his work at Shrewsbury was not 

finished. 

I was fortunate enough to sit on the Governing Body with 

Eric in the late 1990s. I was sitting next to him at a lunch 

when I reminded him of what he said in his speech and 

asked him what it was that changed his mind. 

He told me that having initially rejected the offer, he was 

summoned to a full meeting of the Provost and Fellows of 

Eton (their Governing Body), twelve in total, which was 

to be held on the top floor of the Cheshire Cheese just off 

Fleet Street. At the time, early 1980, Russia had invaded 

Afghanistan and Lord Carrington, the Foreign Secretary, 

visited the country to offer support to the Afghans. Lord 

Carrington returned early from his trip and there was great 

speculation in the newspapers as to why. 

Eric walked into the room in the Cheshire Cheese and the 

first person he saw was Lord Carrington. Eric said to him, 

“Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?” To which Lord 

Carrington replied “There are certain things that are more 

important than Afghanistan.” 

Eric told me that at that moment he knew he had no 

alternative but to accept the offer. 

From the archive: The Site in the 1950s

One Hundred Years Ago... 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 79

80 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS


Old Salopian Golfing Society 

The 2020 Fasti for the OSGS was 

somewhat curtailed by the covid 

pandemic. Nonetheless, I am pleased to 

be able to report that we did manage to 

hold some meetings between the first 

and second lockdowns. 

Trentham meeting 

On Sunday 4th October 2021 the 

OSGS returned to Trentham Golf Club, 

Staffordshire for our 59th Meeting. 

Hosting us was the current Captain of 

Trentham, Simon Mellard (Ch 1973-78). 

Despite heavy rain over the preceding 

two days and a gloomy forecast, ten 

Old Salopians met to play golf. 

• Winner of Storey Putter with a Gross 

78: Julian Mitchell (S 1979-84) (off 15 

handicap, so he also had a net 63). 

• Runner-Up (on back nine) with 81: 

Simon Shepherd (O 1977- 82) 

(Winner in 2019) 

• 3rd (losing on back 9) with 81: 

Will Painter (R 1967-71) 

Julian was best in both gross and net, 

but our OSGS President, Anthony Smith 

(I 1954-59), ruled Julian could only win 

one trophy, and he elected to take the 

Eustace Storey Putter. 

The President handed Julian’s card 

over to the Captain of Trentham, 

so that the Trentham handicapping 

committee could take his handicap 

into consideration, but Simon handed 

it to brother Jonathan, who tried to 

do something with it, but eventually 

handed it back to Julian, so it may 

never see the light of day! Incidentally, 

Julian said it was comfortably the best 

round of golf he had EVER played, and 

certainly the first time he had broken 

80 gross. 

As a consequence, the winner of the 

Tommy Hall Cup was Andrew Hulme 

(Ch 1974-79), with a gross 87 off 17 

net: 70. 

Runner-Up: Mr Captain (Simon Mellard) 

with an 84 off 13 net: 71. 

Golf balls were given to the winners 

(2 sleeves each) and runners-up (1 

sleeve), and balls for 2’s were also 

given. 

Many thanks to President Anthony 

Smith for this report above. 

Note: As OSGS Hon Sec, I spoke to 

the Secretary at Trentham after 

receiving this report and everyone will 

be pleased to hear that I persuaded 

them that this was a Medal Round, 

and Julian Mitchell has duly had his 

handicap significantly reduced. This 

should stop him winning at Gullane 

for the fourth consecutive time in 

2021 on the Scottish Tour! 

We look forward to our 60th Meeting 

at Trentham in 2021 on Sunday 3rd 

October. 

Julian Mitchell Receiving the Eustace Storey Putter 

Andrew Hulme receiving the Tommy Hall Cup 

Trentham 2020 Captain Simon Mellard with his 

runner-up prize 

Simon Shepherd Receiving his Runner Up Prize 

with Michael Roberts (CH 1956-61) sitting at the table. 

Tony Duerr Tankard lost to 

Malvern ‘coalition’ 

On a sunny autumnal morning on 

Sunday 11th October 2021, the Salopian 

team gathered in the Clubhouse at 

Blackwell determined to retain the 

Tony Duerr Tankard in our annual 

match against Malvern. 

In the morning foursomes matches, the 

top pair of James Taylor (R 2003-08) 

& James Shaw (R 1964-68) lost on the 

18th green. Andy Pollock (I 1971-74) & 

James Skelton (O 1980-85) won 2&1. 

Will Painter & Simon Shepherd halved. 

James Pollock (I 95-00) & Charles 

Stockbridge (O 95-00) lost 3&2 after 

being well ahead at the turn. Angus 

Pollock & Rob Ainscow (I 1980-85) 

won 4&3. 

With the match all square, the two 

teams enjoyed a socially distanced 

lunch. Suitably refreshed for the 

afternoon fourball matches, the pairings 

of Taylor & Painter and Skelton & 

Ainscow won easily, but the other three 

matches were all won narrowly by 

Malvern. 

Shortly before the trophy was presented 

to the winning Captain, it transpired 

that the Malvern team contained not 

only alumni from Malvern College but 

also Repton, Felsted and Bromsgrove! 

A victory for the coalition forces by a 

point. 

Final result: Shrewsbury 4 1/2 : 5 1/2 

Malvern. 

The photograph below shows Angus 

Pollock handing over the Trophy to the 

Captain of Malvern/Coalition Forces, 

Giles Sharp. 

Ashridge meeting 

On Friday 23rd October the final 

meeting of the OSGS 2020 season took 

place, when 16 golfers assembled at 

Ashridge Golf Club, including a small 

number of guests. Although conditions

82 


were wet underfoot, the rain held off 

and we enjoyed some fine end-ofseason 

golf. 

Ashridge is the perfect venue and 

the Society was very well looked 

after indeed: both the Course and the 

catering were as good as ever and we 

delivered a proper round of applause, 

organised by James Skelton, to show 

our appreciation. 

The day is deliberately set up in a 

fun format with three scores counting 

from each 4-ball. Despite the ground 

conditions, the heavy cavalry prevailed 

with James Shaw, Skelly, Andrew 

Saunders (M 1990-95) and guest 

Chris Millward representing the Old 

Cholmeleians returning a hugely 

respectable 124 points – and that with 

two auditors in the team! 

The winning margin was 9 points, so 

a large prize for the only 2 of the day 

went to Ainsley Sykes, one of our other 

guests. All 16 golfers were present 

for the team photo on the balcony at 

Ashridge, overlooking the Course. 

Many thanks to Simon Shepherd for 

running the day and providing this 

section of our report. 

Presidential handover 

During the closed season and second 

lockdown our current OSGS President, 

Anthony Smith, who has held this 

post with distinction for ten years, 

announced formally that he planned to 

step down from his role as President 

and make way for someone younger. 

Anthony still plays golf off a handicap 

of 5 and he will be much missed. Plans 

are tentatively in place to celebrate 

Anthony’s significant contribution to the 

OSGS at our 60th Meeting at Trentham 

on Sunday 3rd October 2021. More 

details will follow in due course. 

Anthony will be succeeded by Will 

Painter, as our new President, from 

1st July 2021. Will was previously 

the OSGS Hon Sec for over 20 years 

before Tim Lewis succeeded him. Will 

plays golf off a handicap of 4 and has 

been a Captain at Kidderminster Golf 

Club and Captain & President of the 

Worcestershire Golf Union. He has 

represented the OSGS in well over 100 

matches either in the Halford Hewitt, 

Grafton Morrish or the Mellin Salver. 

He will be a very able President of 

the OSGS and is very much looking 

forward to this new role. 

OSGS v OSFC Foursomes 

Match 2021 

The first meeting for the OSGS in the 

slightly delayed 2021 season took 

place on Sunday 2nd May 2021 at 

Huntercombe Golf Club, Oxfordshire. 

This is only the third time that this 

fixture has been played – it was 

cancelled last year due to COVID – so 

it was great to see so many Salopians 

gathered in one place and raring to 

go. On a bright and sunny day, post 

a bacon roll and coffee, we set out to 

do battle in the following matches with 

results shown. 

OSGS Players v OSFC Players 

Alex Stewart & Peter Worth v 

Richard McGarry & Campbell Naylor 

Result: OSFC won in the country! 

James Butler & Nick Renton v 

Rory Gittins & Will Moorcroft 

Result: Match Halved 

Tim Lewis & Will Painter v 

John Owen & Marcus Morris-Eyton 

Result: OSGS won 2&1 

Charles Hill & Richard Manners v 

Tom Shaw & Jamie Bradshaw 

Result: OSGS won 2up 

Simon Shepherd & John Parker v 

Alex Gittins & Monty Flint 

Result: Match Halved 

Rex Worth & Will Briggs v 

Lewis Brown & Charlie Pilkington 

Result: OSGS won 2up 

The overall result was a win for the 

OSGS, the first time that the OSGS 

have beaten the OSFC. After the golf 

everybody enjoyed ‘socially distanced 

socialising’ and tea and sandwiches. 

Tim Lewis (R 1950-55), the retired Hon 

Sec, particularly enjoyed playing with 

the OSGS President Elect, Will Painter 

(R 1967-72). 

All those teams who won or halved 

their matches were presented with a 

sleeve of OSGS logo balls as prizes. 

Charles Hill (SH 1980-84), Hon Sec, 

received the Match Trophy from 

Richard McGarry (Ch 2001-06), 

President of the OSFC. The photograph 

shows all those who played in the 

fixture, with the current Hon Sec 

holding the Trophy sitting next to the 

retired Hon Sec. 

Thanks go to Huntercombe GC for 

allowing the OSGS to be their first 

visitors post the pandemic.The OSGS 

is looking forward to defending the 

Trophy next year. 

A revised 2021 Fasti for all the OSGS 

events is now available on our 

dedicated website www.oldsalopian. 

golf.co.uk Please visit this site to see 

our fixture list and if you are interested 

in joining the OSGS please do get 

in touch with me. There is now a 

very special ‘New Deal’ available to 

school leavers or those who have left 

university and are under 30 years of 

age to join the OSGS at a reduced 

subscription of £10 per annum for up 

to five years depending on your age. 

Charles Hill (SH 1980-84) 

Hon Sec


OLD SALOPIAN FOOTBALL CLUB 

Arthur Dunn Cup 

With a place in the Arthur Dunn Cup Final against Old 

Foresters awaiting the winner, the Old Salopians’ semi-final 

match against King’s College School, Wimbledon kicked off 

in the usual frantic, enthusiastic manner. 

The opposition had clear height advantage throughout the 

pitch, and Shrewsbury learnt the hard way when KCS scored 

after 15 minutes from a set-piece header at the back post. 

Some nice football was played as a response, but ultimately 

there was a distinct lack of chances created by Shrewsbury in 

the first half. 

The half-time team talk was composed and thoughtful, 

with the message being to carry on playing the way that 

Shrewsbury like to play. Ten minutes into the second half, 

Old Salopians equalised via an own goal from an in-swinging 

corner that caused a mix-up at the front post. Dan Humes 

claims it was on target, which led to it being marked under 

his name; one for the dubious Goals Committee to mull over. 

With Shrewsbury now dictating the game, and momentum 

going all their way, the next goal felt inevitable. It came 

five minutes after the equaliser, with Tom Kelly through on 

goal on his favoured left foot, drilling the ball low across 

the keeper into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. 2-1 

Shrewsbury... 

Five minutes later, a hand ball mix-up on the edge of the 

box handed Shrewsbury a penalty, which Tom Kelly stepped 

up and rifled home with that same left-footed shot into the 

bottom right-hand corner. 3-1 Shrewsbury… 

With one minute left on the clock, KCS got back a goal to 

make it 3-2 and a slightly nervy ending. Ultimately, though, 

the result flattered KCS Wimbledon, who were played off the 

park. Man of the match was rightly Tom Kelly, but there were 

some honourable mentions of George Pearce, who played 

a very composed match in the centre of midfield, and Raul 

Alexis from the left-wing position. 

The Old Salopians went into the final on 29th May brimming 

with confidence. With a coach full of fans departing Clapham 

Junction, there was a real feeling of a Club day out. Special 

thanks to the Salopian Club for generously funding the coach. 

Captain Ollie Brown selected a very strong side that included 

three university students (Toby Pegge, Dan Humes and 

George Pearce), and glorious May Bank Holiday weather set 

up a fantastic day out for everyone involved. 

The match started in possibly the worst possible way ten 

minutes in. Salopians tried playing out from the back, with 

a pass intercepted and capitalised on by the front three of 

Forest. 1-0 down. It turned into a first half to forget, as Forest 

put two more past the stunned Salopian outfit. 3-0 HT. 

A Rafa Benítez-inspired team talk kicked the team into 

gear. In the second half, the team had more energy, better 

decision-making and were so much braver on the ball. 

Momentum is a funny thing in football and somehow, two 

penalties later (both converted by Raul Alexis) we were back 

in it with 25 minutes left! 3-2! 

With newly invigorated confidence, it would have to take 

something special to stop the Salopians from coming back, 

but that’s sadly what happened. A wonderful strike from 

outside the box all but confirmed victory with ten minutes to 

play: 4-2. 

It was a valiant effort and one that sets up the Club for next 

season, where we hope to be promoted back into the top 

division. The team exceeded expectations this year in the 

Cup, and the team, although disappointed, can take great 

pride in their achievements. 

OS Netball Club 

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we were unable to 

play netball between January and March. However, once 

lockdown eased at the start of April, the league started 

back up again and we’ve been back on the courts in 

Pimlico. 

We have played five games to date this season – losing 

the first four games and winning the most recent game (21 

- 8). We’re still getting used to playing netball with each 

other and, now that we’ve won a game, our confidence is 

beginning to build up. 

Defensively, we’ve improved massively, as we’ve been 

fortunate to have a returning player back in London, 

Katy Mason-Jones (MSH 2010-12), whose stint in 

Canada was cut short by the pandemic. Katy has done a 

fantastic job defending our D and has been recognised 

by the league as a star player. 

If you’re in London and interested in playing for the 

OS Netball team, please do drop me an email or a 

message on social media (details are below). All levels of 

experience and skills welcome! 

Alice Long (MSH 2010-12) 

Email: alicefionalong@gmail.com 

Social media: @alicefionalong

84 


The Old Salopian Hunt are optimistic that our annual 

events will go ahead as normal this year. Our big 

occasion is OSH Day on Saturday 27th November 2021, 

which includes the Annual Run at 2pm with the RSSH, 

followed by Tea and Presentations in the Stott Pavilion. The 

OSH Committee then have a meeting in Kingsland House, 

where, later, the Club holds its Annual Dinner, inviting the 

current Huntswoman and Huntsman to attend as our guests. 

This year, we also invite the previous season’s captains, 

because of the cancellation of the 2020 Dinner. 

On Saturday 11th December 2021, the Annual Alumni Race 

should be held in Roehampton, London, where we shall 

defend our title in person, running over the traditional fivemile 

cross country course on Wimbledon Common, which 

has all the testing attributes of a well-varied course and is 

organised by the second-oldest running club, Thames Hare & 

Hounds. This race was introduced in 1953 by Ian Fraser (Ch 

1944-49) and Nigel Miller (S 1947-52), two TH&H Members 

who also founded the OSH, together with the then RSSH 

Master-in-Charge, Adrian Struvé. 

To celebrate last December’s victory, when the Shrewsbury 

team won the Annual Alumni Race for the very first time, one 

of our team competitors, Michael Johnson (S 1955-60), has 

initiated the introduction of a new trophy, to be called The 

Shrewsbury Cup, which will be presented to winners of one 

of the categories of the next TH&H Alumni Race. 

It is hoped that the eighth Shrewsbury Half-Marathon will 

take place on Sunday morning, 10th October 2021, starting 

at 9am from the West Midlands Showground, off Berwick 

Road. There is always a large contingent of School 

runners, with parents, staff, friends and OSH members 

who make up ‘Team Shrewsbury School’. The route 

goes around the town and past the School, before going 

out into the country and then back to the Showground 

for the finish. 

In March 2021, there was a new event called the 5k Global 

Schools’ Running Race, invented by Sam Griffiths (Ingram’s 

Housemaster and a Hunt Coach). Runners of all ages from 

some 17 countries entered, among them many Hunt runners, 

of course, and several of our OSH Members submitted good 

times. The collated results certainly make interesting reading, 

so go to https://shrewsbury.org.uk/globalschoolsrace to see 

the links to all the results. 

On Tuesday 6th April 2021, we wished Willie Jones a very 

Happy 90th Birthday (see page 76). Many people of the era 

up to 1978 will remember Willie as Master-in-Charge of the 

Hunt, together with Mark Mortimer, running alongside us as 

we ran through the Shropshire countryside, regularly stealing 

OLD SALOPIAN HUNT 

the mud from the land! We recall that Willie’s gentle manner 

encouraged all of the Pack, from the youngest Hound to 

the experienced ‘Gentlemen’, to enjoy being a member of 

the Hunt. Even though Willie has lived in Sapporo, Japan 

for 40-odd years, he still keeps his memories of the RSSH 

alive by staying in touch and responding to the many alumni 

who contact him. The photo below is of Mark and Willie 

running in to the finish of the Tucks of 1970, just ahead of 

Geoff Sample’s (Rt) ‘Kill’. The 100th Huntsman of the RSSH, 

R.M.S. Perrin (O 1934-40) celebrated his 100th Birthday on 

6th March 2021. Robert became Huntsman in the year that 

the Second World War started and he presided over the 

Tucks Run in that Michaelmas Term of 1939, when the boys 

of Cheltenham College joined Shrewsbury School, after their 

own school was commandeered by the War Office. The 

report in the Hound Book says the ‘throw-off’ was at 3.30pm 

on Thursday 2nd November, with 342 ‘couples’ and also 16 

couples of masters! 

The photo shows the Pack being gathered in front of Sir 

Philip Sidney, facing the Moss Gates, before the start of the 

1939 Tucks, with Robert wearing his Huntsman’s black velvet 

cap, red jumper and red socks, and whip in hand. Behind, to 

the left, is Patrick Childs (Housemaster of Severn Hill 1946- 

60), with his hands in his pockets, looking on. To the right of 

Robert, to the front, is Senior Whip, G.F. Turner (O 1935-40), 

who has his red cap and also whip and horn. He went on to 

be Huntsman for the Summer Term of 1940 only. In the Lent 

Term of 1940, Robert was disappointed to have to cancel 

Paperchases, when a combination of dangerous icy ground 

and illness in the School took its toll on sporting activities for 

about five weeks. However, the Hunt did manage to revive 

a couple of competitions and some Athletics matches before 

the end of that season. 

At this point, as usual, I invite everyone to visit the OSH 

website pages at www.shrewsbury.org.uk/page/os-hunt, 

where you will find previous reports, as well as details 

about our Club and the OSH merchandise that is available. 

Our Hon. Sec. Liv Papaioannou would be pleased to hear 

from anyone who is interested in getting involved with 

running events. Do get in touch with me or Liv via email, 

or through our Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the 

new OS Connect site. Our Facebook page does contain a 

lot of photos taken over the last few years, which a lot of 

our newer members will enjoy. 

Peter Birch 

DB 1966-71, Huntsman 1970-71, OSH Chairman 

info@crbirch.com


SABRINA 

After a summer of no racing and no rowing, our Sabrina men 

finally got back on the water for the 2020/21 season at the 

start of the Michaelmas Term. 

We have managed outings most weekends and had various 

matches against RSSBC’s top squad, finding real speed before 

another lockdown returned to thwart our season. However, 

it did not dent our enthusiasm to continue to train at home 

alone, helped by another training challenge set by RSSBC, 

which the Sabrina squad joined in with to keep ourselves fit. 

Having finally returned to the water following the latest 

lockdown, we have at least a few targets for the summer in 

our sights. The ‘older’ members are looking to retain their 

Henley Masters winning crown from 2019; and the younger 

members are looking to return to Henley to find that elusive 

first win… 

We hope to see the rowing world return to normal sometime 

soon. Once it does, we will be ready to go again. 

Henley Royal Regatta is now taking place from 11th to 15th 

August. At this time we are still awaiting decisions to be made 

on numbers, etc, so will be publishing information regarding 

Sabrina reunions when we have more details. 

Any Old Salopians returning from university and interested in 

racing at HRR in August, please get in touch! 

Philip Wood 

philip.wood@stantonralph.co.uk 

Sabrina Women’s Rowing 

During a year that has been far from the usual Sabrina Club 

calendar, it has been magnificent to have seen the new 

Sabrina women’s crew go from strength to strength. 

After the success of the Sabrina men’s crew over recent years, 

and the increasing numbers of old Salopian women, the 

Sabrina Club has been promoting women’s alumni rowing for 

some time. There is now a group of 15 Old Salopian women 

involved in the crew, so we manage to get a boat out on the 

River Severn in Shrewsbury once or twice a month. 

Looking forward to the summer, we are aiming to get a crew 

to Henley Women’s Regatta at the beginning of July, and 

hopefully some other regattas too over the racing season. We 

are still gaining new members each week, many of whom 

have not rowed since school, and we all have varying levels 

of fitness, so new recruits are more than welcome. 

earned herself a seat in the Varsity VIII, an impressive feat for 

a freshman. Maggie has no doubt added considerably to the 

success of the crew, which has recently placed fifth at AAC 

Championships, and was the first Temple crew since 1999 to 

medal at Dad Vail Regatta (a large race in the Philadelphia 

rowing calendar). Having done an exceptional job juggling 

her training and her first year living abroad alongside 

academic excellence, Maggie plans to major in Kinesiology 

at Temple. We very much look forward to Maggie joining us 

for the summer regattas in the Sabrina women’s crew, having 

very much missed her larger-than-life persona at the Boat 

Club this past year 

Lettie Tay 

lettietay@gmail.com 

Sabrina Club Member Spotlight: 

Maggie Page (M 2018-20) 

Maggie joined Shrewsbury School as a Sixth Form Entrant 

and Rowing Scholar in September 2018 and quickly made 

an impact on the performance of the girls’ squad, as part of 

the first ever RSSBC girls’ crew to win a medal at National 

Schools’ Regatta. Following her impressive results at school, 

Maggie gained a place to study at Temple University, 

Philadelphia, USA. Despite a year where training and racing 

have much been disrupted by the pandemic, Maggie has

86 


OLD SALOPIAN YACHT CLUB 

Belvidere Cup (Spring Arrow Trophy), Queen Mary Reservoir, 

West London 

It was a re-baptism of fire (we had all forgotten how to sail!) as the OSYC 

entered, for the first time, the Belvidere Cup, which was run by a very 

efficient Royal Thames Yacht Club. 

The conditions were close to perfect, with sunny skies and around 15 

knots of breeze, gusting to 20+ knots at times. It was an intense day of 

very close racing: six races of about 25 minutes each around two laps of a 

short course with no lunch break! So it was pretty much non-stop sailing 

for five hours, with all the crews relearning skills that had lain dormant for 

the previous 18 months. 

We had a very successful day, coming third overall out of eight yachts. It 

should have been second, but the skipper got a bit carried away in the 

last race and we were pipped to the post on the line, finishing fourth 

instead of second. 

We had several very close port/starboards and mark roundings, often 

sitting inches from the nearest yacht. The J80s were perfect yachts for a 

four-person crew (no spinnakers) to throw around a tight and competitive 

course. 

Thank you to everyone involved in the organisation and crewing and to 

the two crew members who fell out of their boat (not us!) at the beginning 

of the first race. It was a wonderful day with some excellent racing. 

Please contact the OSYC if you wish to participate in one of these exciting 

events in the future. 

Floreat Salopia 

Rod Hodgson (skipper), Tim Becker, George Hall. 

Issy Wong 

Issy Wong (G 2015-19) was the first girl to play for the 1st XI 

at Shrewsbury School, taking a key wicket to boot. The Lent 

Term saw Issy heading off to warmer climes as part of the 

GB England Women’s Cricket squad to New Zealand. Issy 

was one of 24 England players to resume training during the 

COVID-19 pandemic and one of three uncapped players 

in the training squad as well as being a nets bowler for the 

England players ahead of their series against the West Indies. 

In New Zealand the England team went on to victory in 

both the WODI and WT20I, winning both series outright 3-0. 

As a right-arm, fast-medium pace bowler, Issy has been 

tipped to be the first woman with the wherewithal 

and ability to break the 80mph speed barrier. With 

a wonderfully smooth and rhythmic action, she is 

already bowling in excess of 70mph. In addition to 

her England training and touring, Issy has a full-time 

professional contract with Central Sparks and had also 

been selected by Birmingham Phoenix to play in the 

new Hundred competition. Adding to her ‘firsts’, Issy 

has just joined the ‘wall of fame’ in the School’s 

Cricket Centre. 

Issy hasn’t only been making strides on the field; when 

challenged to solve a Rubik’s Cube live on Sky Sports, 

she nonchalantly solved the puzzle in just 33 seconds! 

As well as playing cricket, Issy is an ambassador for 

Chance to Shine, a national charity that aims to give 

all children the opportunity to play, learn and develop 

through cricket. Of the five million children that 

Chance to Shine has reached since its foundation in 

2005, 46% are girls and this figure is rising, Issy will no 

doubt be a ‘shining light’ for many starting out on their 

cricketing journey.


Old Salopian Freemasons Lodge 

The latest round of COVID lockdowns prevented the 

Lodge from meeting in the first half of this year, but at the 

time of writing we are planning to resume activities with 

our annual visit to the Schools in July. Edward Whitfield (R 

1956-61) is continuing as Worshipful Master of the Lodge. 

Our next London gathering is on Tuesday 28th September 

2021 at the Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, 

Whitehall, London SW1. The meeting, at 5.00 pm, is 

Masons only. The dinner afterwards is open to all, either 

anyone interested in finding out more about what we do, 

or anyone who would enjoy a convivial evening out with 

fellow Salopians. 

After that, our Installation meeting will be on Tuesday 16th 

November 2021, likewise at the Civil Service Club 

The Lodge membership covers leavers from the 1960s 

onwards, so it is an excellent way not only of maintaining 

a link with the Schools, but also of meeting different 

generations of Old Salopians in a friendly and harmonious 

setting. The Lodge is also part of the wider Masonic 

movement, which has some 190,000 members in over 

7,000 lodges in England and Wales, and several million 

members worldwide. 

As part of our charitable activities, we support a Lodge 

Bursary Fund, which is held as part of the Shrewsbury 

School Foundation. Through this, we are part-way through 

supporting a Rowing Scholarship for a seven-year period. 

We are affiliated to the Public Lodges Council (www.pslc. 

net) and are a member Lodge of the United Grand Lodge 

of England (www.ugle.org.uk - www.londonmasons.org.uk). 

For further information on what we do, and any 

membership enquiries, please see 

www.oldsalopianmasons.com; Twitter: @OsFreemasons 

or contact the Secretary, Chris Williams 

on 07956 964937 or at chrisjhwilliams@yahoo.co.uk. 

Chris Williams (R 1978-83) 

SALOPIAN DRIVERS’ CLUB 

Considering that the SDC’s 

activities focus on socialising 

and travel, it is not entirely 

surprising that the events calendar 

was looking relatively sparse 

throughout the winter lockdown. 

After February’s Turf Club Dinner 

was postponed until next year, 

it became evident that relatively 

large get-togethers were unfeasible until the summer, at 

least. Undeterred, the committee focussed its efforts on 

smaller meets and is pleased to announce that the first 

regional event was a resounding success. 

The Yorkshire and Humberside was the first tour that took 

place over the splendid Spring Bank Holiday weekend, which 

saw an MGB joined by a Mercedes SL320 and an Audi e-tron. 

The pre-planned route saw the trio travelling from the south 

of the River Humber, via Beverley, along the Yorkshire Wolds 

and to Sledmere for lunch, before departing for Fridaythorpe, 

Givendale and finishing near Pocklington. 

Other SDC members have rallied together across the UK 

and a further three regional tours took place during June, 

covering the West Country, the Surrey Hills and Shropshire. 

These events have not yet taken place at the time of writing, 

although eagle-eyed Old Salopians may have spotted reports 

on OS Connect. 

With SDC numbers approaching 100 enthusiasts, the Club is 

keen to hear from more Old Salopians who wish to join our 

sociable ranks. It is irrelevant whether you own a Morris, or a 

Maserati, Austin or an Aston, a Volga or a Volvo, or no vehicle 

at all, everyone is welcome. Further information about free 

membership is available from Miles Preston, 

miles.preston@milespreston.co.uk 

The first SDC Regional Tour took place in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Pictured left to right are: James Morrell (M 1991-96), 

Sebastian Vanhoonacker (I 2016-21) and Neil Hamilton (I 1993-97).

88 


PUBLICATIONS 

Richard Barber (SH 1955-60) 

The Barbers of Sheffield – 

a Family Story 

Disraeli once said there are two 

kinds of ‘Dotage’, the first of which 

is ‘Anecdotage’. My great-greatgrandfather 

James Henry Barber (1820- 

1902) recalled these words in a talk 

about his personal life, and continued 

as follows: 

“Do you know what a rag-drawer is? It 

is a place for everything that hasn’t a 

place … bits of rag are there, a flannel, 

ribbon, luggage labels, old gloves … 

a hammer, a corkscrew, some trouser 

braces and shaving brushes ... Oh yes, 

everyone knows the rag-drawer and 

how tight jammed it is. 

It is just like mine at present. I have been 

thinking things into it for seventy years. 

And I am called on now to turn it all 

out and exhibit it, having had no time 

to sort it at all. I sincerely wish you joy 

of it.” 

My book too is like a family ‘Rag 

Drawer’, and I have been ‘thinking 

into it’ the story of the Barber family 

in Sheffield from the late 17th Century 

until the Second World War. I hope it 

enables future generations to know 

about their remarkable forbears, their 

‘anecdotage’, the world they grew up in 

and of the Christian values and strong 

sense of public service they bequeathed 

to the great city. 

Peter Curtis (SH, 1950-55) 

Pavel’s War 

Pavel’s War Peter Curtis’s third and 

final novel of the The Kohut Trilogy, a 

fictionalized account of a Czechoslovak 

family’s dramatic escape from Nazioccupied 

Prague in May 1939. The first 

two novels, The Dragontail Buttonhole 

and Café Budapest, describe Willy, 

Sophie and three-year-old Pavel Kohut’s 

desperate odyssey through Germany 

and France – ending with the British 

Navy’s evacuation of thousands of 

refugees and soldiers from the south of 

France in June 1940. 

Pavel’s War concludes the story. As the 

Blitz devastates London an incendiary 

destroys the Kohut’s flat. Willy Kohut is 

drafted into the Royal Engineers while his 

wife Sophie finds refugee work as a livein 

maid for a doctor in Cambridge. Pavel, 

now Paul, is sent, like so many other city 

children, to the countryside – 

to live on a farm near Shrewsbury, 

owned by an aristocratic land-owning 

family, the Hilliards. After Paul’s mother, 

Sophie, opens a successful café in 

Cambridge, she and her husband go 

through a bitter divorce. Paul, befriended 

by the Hilliards, attends a prep school 

on the south coast, on track for the next 

phase of his assimilation as an English 

boy – starting at Shrewsbury School. 

Martin Ferguson Smith (R 1953-58) 

In and out of Bloomsbury 

Biographical essays on twentiethcentury 

writers and artists 

These highly original essays illuminate 

Virginia Woolf and a selection of 

other twentieth-century writers and 

artists. Based on detailed research and 

presenting previously unpublished texts, 

pictures, and photographs, they are 

notable feats of scholarly detective work. 

Six of them focus on four pivotal 

members of the Bloomsbury Group - 

Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell, Clive Bell, 

and Roger Fry. Prominent ingredients of 

their story include art, writing, friendship, 

love, sex, mental illness, and Greek travel. 

The five ‘out of Bloomsbury’ essays are 

about the ‘new’ letters from the novelist 

Rose Macaulay to the Irish poet Katharine 

Tynan; the prodigious teenage talents of 

Dorothy L. Sayers; the remarkable story 

of Tolkien’s schoolmaster R. W. Reynolds; 

and the artist Tristram Hillier in Portugal. 

The collection creates a richly varied and 

entertaining picture of British culture in 

the first half of the twentieth century.


Richard Moxon (SH 1955-59) 

Brain Fever 

How Vaccines Prevent Meningitis and other Killer Diseases 

Brain Fever, a devastating infection known as meningitis, affects hundreds of thousands 

of people each year – mostly young children. In a book written for a wide audience, 

the internationally-renowned medical scientist Richard Moxon, Emeritus Professor of 

Paediatrics at Jesus College, Oxford, explains how meningitis occurs and the bacterial 

germs that cause it. 

“A compelling multi-century history of meningitis, showing how effective vaccines came 

to be and why they are so critical to humanity”. Craig Venter Chief Executive Officer, J. 

Craig Venter Institute 

“A wonderful book that recounts the story of one of the great figures in vaccinology, 

Richard Moxon, whose work led directly to several of the most important vaccines for 

meningitis. Sir John Bell. Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford. 

“A vivid narrative of scientific endeavour that perfectly sets the stage for the ambitious 

World Health Organisation (2020) roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030. Sir Andrew 

Pollard. Professor of Infection and Immunity, Director Oxford Vaccine Group, 

University of Oxford 

“Richard Moxon has written a fascinating account of bacterial meningitis, covering 

its history, microbiology and devastating clinical impact. I couldn’t put it down”. Sir 

Andrew McMichael. Professor of Molecular Medicine and Former Director of the 

Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford 

OBITUARIES 

IPG Allan I 1958-63 

PH Blyth MC SH 1944-49 

ER Broadbent M 1937-41 

KP Brown DB 1934-37 

PHB Cadman SH 1945-50 

C Campbell I 1940-44 

GCL Colclough-Evans SH 1968-73 

JEH Colhoun S 1981-86 

JA Conder O 1946-50 

PRH Dixon Rt 1945-50 

JG Drysdale O 1939-43 

CF Eastwood S 1947-52 

JCA Elwin SH 1967-71 

C Ennis 

Staff 

AT Fairhead SH 1933-36 

PWS Farrant Ch 1938-42 

JJ Fox-Taylor SH 1966-68 

JM Galbraith SH 1945-50 

RC Gatensbury DB 1946-50 

DR Gibbs CWM 1936-39 

NHR Gilbert-Harris Rt 1963-66 

JG Hampson DB 1951-56 

CP Hemming Ch 1938-43 

AV Hill O 1964-68 

WF Hobson O 1939-43 

J Holroyd M 1950-55 

BS Jenkins M 1947-52 

P Jowitt Staff 1987-2005 

RO Law Ch 1954-59 

LL Marr Ch 1936-39 

SR Meade O 1941-45 

JR Oliver DB 1943-47 

PF Orchard DB 1957-63 

HS Owens S 1952-57 

DN Rosling R 1944-48 

PRW Sabin S 1960-65 

GE Sayce R 1940-44 

SNB Sayce SH 1955-59 

RS Sheldon M 1944-48 

TC Skelton O 1974-79 

CC Wardle CWM 1934-39 

CA Wild M 1942-46 

RWM Williams Rt 1939-43 

EJ Winnington-Ingram O 1939-44 

John Vernon Armitage (Master 1958-59) 

Vernon Armitage was a member of the Shrewsbury 

Common Room for only one year, before he embarked 

on a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator 

at university level. This culminated in his appointment as 

Principal of the College of St Hild and St Bede, which, during 

his tenure, became the largest and most sought-after College 

in the University of Durham. He remembered Shrewsbury, 

however, with great affection and nostalgia for the remainder 

of his life, during which he provided loyal and invaluable 

support both to the School as an institution and to many of 

its members. He came to Shrewsbury in September 1958, 

to teach Mathematics, and I was appointed to teach History 

at the same time (although I had spent the previous Lent 

Term at the School as a student teacher). Whenever we met 

after he had left the School (which we regularly did, both in 

Shrewsbury and Durham), Vernon reminded me that, at the 

end of our first term as colleagues, I had driven him back to 

Yorkshire over Holme Moss (there were no motorways in 

those days), while we sang our way through the repertoire 

of Christmas Carols which had been performed in Chapel the 

previous evening. One refrain became fixed in his memory 

and he always quoted it on those occasions:

90 


Oh wonder of wonders that none can unfold 

The Ancient of Days is an hour or two old 

Vernon’s affection for Shrewsbury was so deep and abiding 

that, even at the end of his life, when he was losing his 

memory, he could still sing The Carmen, the School Song, 

from beginning to end. 

Vernon was born on 21st May 1932 in Settle, Yorkshire, the 

son of Horace and Evelyn Armitage. Vernon’s father was a 

signalman on the LMS Railway, and it was to one of the Salt 

Lake cottages, at Ribblehead Station, near the magnificent 

Ribblehead Viaduct, that his parents brought him home. The 

love of railways was to be a consistent theme in Vernon’s 

life. His father was also a Methodist Local Preacher, and at 

one stage Vernon himself seriously considered ordination. 

He was brought up in an environment of strong Christian 

commitment and a love of music and literature. Vernon’s 

early education was at Rothwell Grammar School, near Leeds. 

From there he went on to study Mathematics at University 

College, London, where he graduated and subsequently 

achieved his doctorate. This was followed by a year at 

Cuddesdon Theological College, but a teaching placement 

attracted Vernon to a career in education and, after two years’ 

teaching in Yorkshire, at a Girls’ High School in Pontefract, 

Vernon came to Shrewsbury, being offered the position, 

Vernon always claimed, as the result of the discovery, during 

his interview with the Headmaster, Jack Peterson, of their 

mutual enthusiasm for trains! 

Vernon could not resist the opportunity, in 1959, of a 

Lectureship in Mathematics at Grey College, in the 

University of Durham, and it was in Durham that he 

met Sarah Clay. They married in 1963. Four years later, 

with their young son Mark, they moved to a similar 

appointment at King’s College London, and in 1970, their 

family now including Mark’s younger brother Nicholas, 

they moved to Nottingham, where Vernon had been 

appointed Professor of Mathematical Education. 

The family returned to Durham in 1975, where Vernon was 

to preside over the newly formed College of St Hild and St 

Bede, as its Principal, for 22 years. This was an amalgamation 

of St Hild’s College with the neighbouring college for men, 

the College of the Venerable Bede. Vernon was always 

insistent – and at great pains to ensure – that the traditions 

of both institutions should be respected and maintained. He 

chose the new motto for the College carefully, ‘Eadem mutata 

resurgo’ The same, though changed, I rise again’. 

Salopians always received a warm welcome from Vernon 

when they visited Durham on Open Days or made 

applications to the University, and many of them became 

undergraduates in the College. Reciprocally Vernon 

recommended a number of his graduates, who were 

considering teaching, to take a look at Shrewsbury; and all of 

those who joined the staff on that recommendation proved, 

without exception, to be invaluable assets to the Salopian 

community. Vernon himself continued to make his own 

equally invaluable contribution to the School as a Trustee of 

the Friends of Shrewsbury. It is hardly surprising that Vernon 

had hesitated when having to decide whether to become 

a schoolmaster or a university don, for, as Principal of the 

College, he aimed to achieve a schoolmaster’s knowledge 

of his individual charges and unobtrusively to exercise 

a schoolmaster’s pastoral care, so far as appropriate in a 

much larger, slightly older community. His undergraduates 

recognised that aspiration and it earned their respect and 

affection. They recognised ‘Prin’s’ devotion to the College 

and to their individual welfare by electing him an Honorary 

Life member of the DSU (Durham Students’ Union) an almost 

unheard-of honour, an Honorary Member of ‘The Last of 

Hild’s Women’ and the supreme honour of seeing the College 

Bar renamed The Vernon Arms. Vernon’s genial and modest 

disposition, his approachability and his gentle sense of 

humour enabled him to nurture a strong community spirit. 

Although Vernon’s time at Shrewsbury was brief, his 

beneficent influence was both substantial and long-lasting 

and he richly deserves his esteemed place among honorary 

Old Salopians. He died in his sleep, in Durham, on 12th 

December 2019, aged 87 years. [David Gee] 

Francis John Devey Boot (S 1949-54)) 

John Boot was born in Nottingham on 15th December 1935, 

the son of a solicitor, William Arthur (Bill) and of Mary Boot. 

After early schooling at Mountford House Kindergarten in 

Nottingham and six years at Nottingham High School, he 

followed me to Shrewsbury in 1949. He became a praepostor 

in his last year, and gained a scholarship to Clare College, 

Cambridge, to read Classics. There he changed to law, in 

which he obtained a first-class honours degree, followed by 

an M.A and an LL.B. 

After leaving Cambridge, John decided to continue in the 

legal world, and became articled to our father in the family 

firm of Day, Johnson & Boot. At that time, to qualify as 

a solicitor if you had a degree, you had to be articled for 

three years before taking a final examination, and during 

this period he played football with Nottinghamshire F.C., 

an amateur club playing in the Midland Amateur Alliance, 

and served on the Club’s Committee. He also became 

the secretary of the local branch of the Solicitors’ Articled 

Clerks’ Society. As a result, he made numerous friends and 

acquaintances, professional and otherwise, both in the city 

and beyond. 

During the last year of his articles, he and I both attended 

Gibson & Weldon’s law school, at Guildford, where we 

shared ‘digs’, and we took the final examination together in 

London in November 1960. Sadly, our mother died the day


before our exams started, but despite this we both passed 

these and also succeeded in obtaining honours. He (and I) 

were enrolled as solicitors on 1st January 1961. 

Towards the end of his articles John became engaged to Jean 

Cameron, and they married in April of that year. 

He and I, in due course, became partners in the family 

firm, and we both remained with that firm, through several 

mergers and changes of name, during the whole of our 

working lives. As the firm grew larger, John concentrated 

mainly on private client work, and in very many cases his 

clients became friends, even if they had not known him 

previously. His son-in-law has described him as “a rare 

and special man who was essentially kind and readily 

distracted to help those who may not make the firm much 

money”. He was certainly the (now old-fashioned) type 

of solicitor, who put the welfare of his clients before any 

financial gain to himself. 

John also involved himself in local government at an early 

age. He was initially elected to Arnold District Council, 

which eventually became Gedling Borough Council. He 

stood as a Conservative, but he was basically a non-political 

person and always acted in the manner which he believed 

was best for the community. He had the ability, given to 

few, to see problems from everyone’s angle. As a result of 

this, he made many friends of all political persuasions, 

and this was never more clearly shown than by the many 

tributes received by his family from councillors and 

council officials of all political parties. To quote from just 

one of these: “John was the finest of public servants…his 

gracious and diligent approach to public service was a fine 

example to all… the Council was a better place during 

John’s service… as a result of his wisdom, experience and 

methodical attention to detail”. He was recently appointed 

an honorary alderman of Gedling Borough Council, to 

mark 50 years of service in local government. 

John had a love of nature and the countryside, and for 

many years he and Jean have had a caravan in Reeth, in the 

Yorkshire Dales, where they spent as much time as his work 

would permit, and where they enjoyed walking and again 

made many friends. 

When he had time, John was also an avid traveller-trekking 

in Nepal, visiting their son, Peter, and family (initially in 

Singapore and subsequently in Australia), touring Ethiopia 

to visit their second daughter, and regularly visiting a friend’s 

holiday house in southern Ireland. He and Jean also enjoyed 

travelling through France, where they made friends with a 

family south of Paris, and would generally return with the car 

full of wines and cheese. Most recently, he and Jean would 

spend three or four weeks in the Algarve, which they 

loved, and he even managed a last trip in 2020 just before 

lockdown. 

During the last years of this very full life John developed 

Parkinson’s Disease, which gradually incapacitated him 

more and more, but as he had been encouraged by all his 

doctors, right from the first diagnosis many years ago, to go 

on pushing out the boundaries and live life to the full, he 

did just that. Although he must have felt frustrated when his 

communication skills began to diminish, he still enjoyed The 

Times quiz and seeing family and friends when lockdown 

permitted, and he never ever complained. A remarkable man. 

He died peacefully, at home, on 12th August 2020. 

John is survived by his wife, Jean, by three children, 

Rosemary, Caroline and Peter, and eight grandchildren. 

[Jim Boot (S 1947-52)] 

Robert Henry Cope (Ch 1952-57) 

Robert was born on 9th March 1939. He came to Shrewsbury 

from Northaw Prep School, following his father Tom and 

elder brother John and preceding two grandsons Patrick and 

Toby into Churchill’s Hall. Academically he was perhaps a 

late developer, not taking to academic work until ‘A’ levels. 

One school report famously suggested that “if he spent as 

much time working as he does avoiding work, he might be 

quite clever”! After an initial spell as a cox, he moved on to 

other sports, as he had an eye for a ball. 

After school Robert worked briefly at Butlers Wharf in the 

Pool of London before being called up for National Service 

at Templar Barracks in Canterbury. He moved from there 

to Aldershot to do his officer training and, on passing out, 

was commissioned into The Buffs. He was then stationed in 

Dortmund, Germany for a year. 

After marriage in 1961, he and Kristin set up house in 

Kintbury, near Newbury, as Robert had joined Hooper and 

Ashby, a builders’ merchant company, as a trainee based at 

the Newbury branch. Following promotion to Head Office in 

Southampton, he moved to Hampshire, eventually working 

his way up to Managing Director. The business was sold to 

Crossleys in 1986, for whom he continued to work. He was 

recruited in 1989 to turn around a failing business, James 

Chandler, based in Lewes, which also resulted in a move of 

the family home to Newick, East Sussex. The turnaround 

proved impossible, so in 1993 he set up Chandlers Building 

Supplies, working as Managing Director, before becoming 

Chairman in 2000. Robert retired as Chairman in 2005 

but remained in a non-executive capacity until 2019. In 

the course of his career he made many strong, lifelong 

friendships with fellow merchants and suppliers alike, and

92 


held a number of industrial positions, including serving as 

Master of the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants 

and a Director of Great Central Merchants, amongst others. 

Robert played his part in community life, particularly that 

of his local church community. He was churchwarden, 

sidesman, lay minister of communion and lesson reader at 

the Parish of Compton & Shawford, Hampshire, and more 

recently at Fletching, East Sussex. He also played his part 

as a member of the PCC and as a member of the choir, as 

well as being an active member of the Friends of Fletching 

Parish Church. 

Robert was a great animal lover and for most of his life he 

owned a dog. The first, Gyp, a working Collie, who grew up 

with him as a young boy, was later followed by a string of 

loyal canine friends. Many of Robert’s interests and life skills 

were gained during his growing years, and he in turn passed 

them on to his children and grandchildren: fishing, tennis, 

cricket, cooking, gardening, a love of opera, music and 

golf. This last became very important in later years when he 

moved to Newick and became an active member of Piltdown 

Golf Club where he took charge of the “Tuesday Boys”. 

Robert died of cancer on 29th February 2020 just nine days 

short of his 81st birthday. He is survived by his wife 

Kristin, his three children Andrew, Rachel and Charles and 

seven grandchildren. [John Cope (Ch 1951-56)] 

Jonathan C.L. Crown (M 1978-82) 

Jonathan Crown was born on 16th September 1964 and 

died after a heart attack on 19th September 2020. He was a 

notable philanthropist, being the founder of two charities, 

working with people in Ethiopia who were suffering 

from severe facial disfigurement, and also as the keeper 

of his mother’s legacy. He was the only child of Leon, an 

accountant, and Jennifer (née Vyvyan) an opera singer of 

some repute, who sadly passed away when he was nine 

years old. From accompanying her during his early years, he 

developed a lifelong love of opera. 

As a second term entrant, he arrived at Shrewsbury in January 

1978 and found himself in Moser’s under the careful eye of 

P.T.C. Cox and the House Tutors, quickly establishing himself 

as a gregarious member of the House, with his noticeable 

London accent, style and eclectic musical tastes. He was a 

lifelong West Ham supporter and also an accomplished and 

talented footballer in his own right. He played both for his 

House and the School. His obituary in The Times notes that 

he refused to captain the 1st XI and chose to captain the 2nd 

XI, to allow time to pursue his other interests. In later years 

he still turned out for the Old Salopian Football Club in the 

Arthur Dunn Cup and other matches. 

He did try rowing and recounted a tale of coxing a lower 

boat in Bumpers and causing carnage. He had a great 

interest in photography and travel, which led him to go on 

an extended summer tour in Turkey with F.M. Hall and a 

number of boys from other years. Those who travelled with 

him could not know that those interests were precursors to 

his later philanthropy. 

Like many Salopians John took a trip to Shrewsbury 

House. He said, “My deep social conscience was fostered 

at Shrewsbury by trips to Shrewsbury House in Everton; 

experiences that have never left me”. He continued to 

support Shrewsbury House after he left, making several trips 

there over the years. 

After leaving Shrewsbury he completed a degree in business 

studies at the Polytechnic of Central London, now the 

University of Westminster. He then qualified as a chartered 

accountant, working at Casson Beckman. When he was 

23 his father died. Exhibiting typical self-confidence, he 

converted the family home he inherited into flats and set 

himself up as a property developer, founding Jonathan Crown 

Properties. He continued to travel and take photographs and 

it was on one of those trips that his philanthropic side came 

to the fore. 

The following are some excerpts from the obituary 

published in The Daily Telegraph: “Crown’s interest in facial 

disfigurement came towards the end of a long photographic 

journey in Ethiopia in 2000, when he arrived at the ancient 

town of Harar in the east of the country. He was approached 

by a street beggar who, unusually for a boy, was wearing 

a veil. On closer observation he noticed that the youngster 

had a large hole where his right cheek and nose should 

have been and had only part of his lips and mouth. Back 

in London, Crown could not shake off the memory of the 

boy, whose deformity had been caused by noma, a type of 

facial gangrene, nor of another youngster whose face had 

been mauled by a hyena. He also remembered a television 

documentary about Ian Jackson, a Scottish plastic surgeon 

who in the 1970s had restored the face of ‘the boy David’ 

from Peru. Crown managed to secure surgery for the boys on 

a charity hospital ship in Gambia. On his return to Ethiopia 

in 2003, he arranged surgery for two more severely facially 

disfigured children and in the following year Project Harar 

was born, offering life-changing surgery to children in even 

the most remote parts of the country. The actor John Hurt, 

star of The Elephant Man (1980), was its first patron. A man 

of great energy, Crown undertook much of the fundraising work 

himself, visiting schools, giving talks and pressing friends and 

neighbours into lending their support. Through his contacts, he 

was able to get Project Harar featured on the Radio 4 appeal in 

May, narrated by the author William Skidelsky.”


In 2004 Jonathan founded the charity Project Harar which 

has, to date, helped over 8,000 children and which mounts an 

annual surgical mission that operates in Ethiopian Hospitals 

on about 50 people a year. In 2019 he founded Winning 

Smiles, a British-registered charity treating a wider range of 

conditions afflicting people in Ethiopia. In the first year it 

treated ten youngsters with severe and debilitating conditions. 

He also maintained his mother’s legacy through the Jennifer 

Vyvyan Foundation. 

He nurtured many strong friendships, which included many 

Salopians, almost all the members of his year in Moser’s, and 

many other contemporaries. He was actively networking, and 

working on charitable things, right up till his death. He liked 

playing tennis, (badly, he always claimed) and he suffered a 

heart attack playing his usual weekly game. 

Though fully engaged in all his philanthropy, Jonathan found 

time to woo Josephine King, taking her on an early date to an 

Eminem concert. This demonstrated his strong love of Hip- 

Hop, but she still married him. They had two children, Tia and 

Theo. Jo recounts that Jonathan said that if he hadn’t married, 

he would be running a bar in South America. She sums him up 

beautifully saying, “Jon didn’t do minimal”. Jonathan just used to 

say “Just do it” and he most certainly did. 

[Mark Nixon (M 1977-82)] 

Antony Lionel Dyke (O 1941-46) 

Tony Dyke was born at home in Trentham, Staffordshire in 

April 1928, the second son of Lionel and Doris. He attended 

Epworth College Preparatory School before coming on to 

Shrewsbury, and to Oldham’s, in 1941. He always had the 

fondest memories of his time at the School, forming many 

long-lasting friendships there and developing his sporting 

prowess at football, cricket and fives. However, perhaps 

tongue-in-cheek, he used to say that he regarded winning 

the Oldham’s House ‘Fives Interchangeables’ as his greatest 

sporting achievement! 

On leaving school he was called up for National Service with 

the North Staffordshire Regiment and after a short period of 

training was released on an unsuspecting army as a Second 

Lieutenant, serving in Northern Ireland and commanding an 

armoured car troop in Aden. 

On completion of his service in 1948, he returned to civilian 

life in Hanley, joining his father and brother in the family firm 

of Bratt and Dyke Limited, where he eventually became 

Managing Director. In the mid-1970s, Hanley was the 

thriving city centre and retail hub of the Potteries, and 

Tony was honoured to be made President of the Chamber 

of Trade. 

During his time at Bratt and Dyke, he helped to expand the 

original store and opened a new branch in Stafford. Aside 

from the cut and thrust of retail, the shop’s toy department 

allowed him to explore one of his great passions: model 

building. Being an immensely proud nephew of Spitfire 

inventor Reginald Mitchell, Tony was fascinated by aviation, 

and he became a very capable model aircraft builder, 

modifying standard stock ‘Airfix’ kits to recreate precise 

replicas of specific aircraft. 

Tony had gone willingly into the family business, but he was 

always a slightly frustrated designer and architect. Although 

he was not able to pursue a career in this direction, he took 

enormous pleasure in working with architect and close friend 

Philip Hulme (Ch 1944-48) to design and build Birch Hill, the 

family home at Whitmore. 

Tony was also a keen rally driver, being an active member 

of the Potteries Motor Club during the 1950s and 60s. He 

entered many events across the UK and Europe, including 

the Tulip Rally, the RAC and, in 1958, the famous Monte 

Carlo rally. That year was infamous for its appalling road 

conditions and of the more than 300 cars which started, from 

various points across Europe, only 59 finished the race. So, 

in a year when it was considered a particular feat of driving 

and navigation just to reach Monte Carlo, it was even more 

impressive to come a very respectable 3rd in Class. 

Sport continued to be a big part of Tony’s life and he enjoyed 

both participating and being a spectator. His great love was 

cricket, and he became an enthusiastic member of the Market 

Drayton mid-week team for many years, as both player and 

umpire. In 1962, having taken part in a rather shambolic 

charity football match against a Celebrity XI, Tony undertook 

to organise a rematch. This was the origin of Shamblers FC, 

which became a founder member of the Potteries and District 

Sunday League. Through determined fundraising by Tony 

and his friends at North Stafford Hockey Club, Shamblers 

were eventually able to upgrade their cattle shed changing 

rooms and agricultural pitch to a purpose-built sports club, 

with quality football, cricket and hockey pitches; facilities still 

used extensively by the whole community today. 

In the late 1980s the family took the tough decision to sell the 

business and, after nearly 100 years as a Hanley landmark, 

Bratt and Dyke was sold as a going concern. On retirement 

from the retail business, Tony took up a second career, 

working with younger brother Tim in his model making

94 


business. They produced highly detailed and collectable scale 

models of famous cars and Tony was immensely proud of the 

quality of the work they produced. 

For the last 25 years of his life, with a group of good friends, 

Tony took up walking as his main hobby, and he loved it. He 

paid regular visits to the Lakes and North Yorkshire and there 

were also trips to Ireland and the French Alps. 

Tony married Gill in 1959. They enjoyed a long and happy 

marriage, enhanced by the arrival of their daughter Nicky and 

son Phil. 

On 15th October 2020, after several months of illness, Tony 

died peacefully in his sleep, at home in Trentham, aged 92 

years, after a long and very well-lived life. He was dearly 

loved and will be sadly missed by many. It is planned 

to have a celebration of his life, when social distancing 

restrictions allow. [Philip Dyke (SH 1976-80)] 

Jeken Charles Alan Elwin (SH 1967-72) 

Charles Elwin was born on 4th January 1954, the younger 

son of Commander Jeken Allen Elwin RN and of Margaret 

Sybil Maud Elwin (née Gimson). After primary education in 

London and preparatory education at Croftinloan, Pitlochry, 

Charles’ first experience of Shrewsbury took place at Crewe 

station. He had travelled down by train from the Highlands 

of Scotland, with his older brother James, for the start of the 

Summer Term 1967. As he waited for the Shrewsbury train to 

move off, a bag was thrown in through the window followed 

shortly by Michael Hart, his soon-to-be Housemaster, who 

suddenly appeared in the compartment. Michael, as ever, 

took control of everything. On their arrival at Shrewsbury, he 

arranged a taxi from the station to the Schools, thus ensuring 

that Charles entered the House through the Housemaster’s 

quarters. As Charles was a member of the ‘Sandford clan’, 

Shrewsbury was the default choice of school for him. But if 

the choice may have been inevitable, it was also fortunate. 

Charles enjoyed his time at Shrewsbury. 

He was an academically strong student who went from 

Shrewsbury to Keble College, Oxford, to read Geography. 

He was awarded the Archbishop of York’s scholarship for 

his year (largely by virtue, it must be said, of being the 

only eligible candidate that year born in Yorkshire). He 

distinguished himself at Shrewsbury in less formal ways by 

his claim to have visited all 58 pubs in the town without 

getting caught. His attempt to open the batting for Doctors in 

House cricket in his final summer term ended after two balls 

when he was forced to be ‘retired hurt’ with a broken thumb. 

On leaving Oxford, Charles joined the Atomic Energy 

Authority’s management training scheme and was initially 

posted to their training college in Cheshire. From there he 

was posted to Dounreay in Caithness, relatively close to his 

home in Easter Ross. But he soon realised that corporate life 

was not for him. After spending the summer as an assistant 

relief lighthouse keeper in the Western Isles, he decided to 

train as a teacher (1977-78). He started his first teaching job 

at Felsted School in Essex, where he spent the next 18 years 

teaching principally Geography, rising to become Head of the 

Department. He then made the decision (based partly on his 

growing dislike of the east coast weather) to teach at a Sixth 

Form college in Singapore. 

Charles always had a great love of travel, independently, with 

friends and as an organiser of school field trips. This led him 

to many parts of South East Asia, South America and Europe. 

While in Singapore, he would contrive to organise an annual 

field trip to Europe, thus ensuring that his annual trip home 

would be paid for. After only a few years in Singapore he 

decided that South East Asia would be his future home and 

he bought a house in Pattaya in Thailand, for holidays and 

eventual retirement. He eventually retired in 2014. In the 

same year he married Philippe in Paris. While they would 

often travel together, much of their married life was spent 

apart, as Philippe continued to live in Paris, initially for work 

and latterly to be near his daughters, while Charles continued 

to live in Thailand, becoming a stalwart of the ex-pat amateur 

dramatic scene. 

Charles had developed prostate cancer in his mid-fifties 

and initial treatment brought this under control, but it later 

returned and spread. COVID restrictions sadly meant that 

neither his husband, Philippe, nor his family, could visit him 

in Thailand. However, he was ably looked after by friends 

there. Throughout his life, Charles had enjoyed a love of 

cricket. My last conversation with him, a few days before 

he died, centred round the Test and County Cricket Board’s 

proposal to replace wickets with outs. It was decided that 

when Charles went to that great pavilion in the sky, the score 

book would mark him down as “retired hurt.” 

[James Elwin (SH 1965-69)]


Gordon Carey Leigh Colclough-Evans (known as 

Carey Evans) (SH 1968-73) 

Carey Evans will be remembered by his many friends and 

contemporaries as someone who was liked by everyone, a 

very good friend, husband and father, always good company, 

never unkind, although he could get very worked up about 

the smallest things! He was widely remembered by his Old 

Salopian friends, in the nicest possible way, as being as mad 

as a hatter, which he always took as a great compliment. 

Carey was born in Stoke-on-Trent on 23rd March 1955 into 

a local Potteries family and he had an elder sister, who also 

sadly died of cancer in her forties. He attended The Old Hall 

Prep School, where, in his final term, he opened the batting 

against St Chads, for whom Rob Matthews (O 1968-73) was 

opening the bowling, and Carey scored a century in one hour 

and sixteen minutes, with seventeen fours! Their next match 

was against Kingsland Grange, whose cricket master told his 

team about this ‘wonder kid’ left-hander, who had just scored 

a hundred, and had them practising all week, bowling against 

left handers. He knew if they got Carey early they could win. 

Tony Barker (Day Boys 1968-73) remembers the match well. 

They got ‘wonder kid’ Carey cheaply and went on to win. It 

was the beginning of a life-long friendship. Carey, Tony and 

Rob found themselves all starting at Shrewsbury in the same 

year. Carey didn’t trouble the scorers much in the classroom 

but really made his mark on the games field. There was 

a lot of competition to be first XI wicket keeper, but after 

two successful seasons in the second XI, Carey was a very 

reliable keeper in Richard Boys-Stones’s 1973 XI. Carey was 

a very vociferous keeper, always encouraging the bowlers 

and fielders, but his enthusiasm for a good appeal may have 

proved unsuccessful in the age of DRS! 

Carey’s greatest prowess was on the soccer pitch, where he 

was in the 1st XI goal for both the 1971 and 1972 seasons. He 

was an ‘ever present’ in both years, bar one match in 1971, 

when he spent a few days at home, having been found by 

a praepostor playing darts for the Hen and Chickens darts 

team in Coleham. Carey was one of the best goalkeepers 

Shrewsbury ever produced. Although he suffered from 

poor eyesight, his reactions were so quick that he didn’t 

need much time to see the ball. The outstanding 1972 side 

played 13 school matches, won 11, drew two, scored 30 

goals and conceded four, of which two were own goals. 

Carey’s reactions and his dominance in the box was very 

much a factor in this defensive record. He made one save 

against King’s School Chester that Johnny Arthur (O 1970-75), 

watching as a Fifth Former, described as the best save he had 

ever seen on Senior. 

Carey was a very competitive, forthright and determined 

character. This was demonstrated in his second year, when he 

went on the School’s Sponsored Walk around Lake Vyrnwy 

in Wales, a distance of about 26 miles. He had a bet with his 

Maths teacher ‘Freddie’ Hall, (F.M Hall, Head of Maths 1967- 

95), a very keen walker (a Rover and Head of Basic Year at 

the time), that he could walk further than him. Carey kept on 

walking for 45 miles to make sure he won the bet. 

Carey went straight from school to work for NatWest Bank, 

where he remained for the whole of his career, mainly 

as an administrative officer. The banks went through 

many reorganisations over the years, and on at least two 

occasions, before he finally retired, Carey was told he was 

being made redundant. On both occasions he marched 

straight to the personnel department and demanded to 

know what he was doing wrong and why they were not 

getting rid of people who he didn’t think were doing as 

good a job as him. He stayed! 

On arriving in London, Carey began playing for the Old 

Salopians in the Arthurian League and was in the first team 

for a number of years, before moving up to the Veterans XI. 

Carey’s eyesight had continued to deteriorate and he decided 

the best thing to do was to play in glasses! It didn’t stop him 

diving in front of forwards’ feet and his reactions remained 

razor sharp. 

The Arthur Dunn Cup Final of 2003 was between the same 

sides that had contested the first final in 1903, Shrewsbury 

and Charterhouse. The organisers decided that a Veterans 

match should be played immediately before the actual final 

and Carey, aged 48, was chosen to play for the Shrewsbury 

Veterans team. Charterhouse decided to play their regular 

Veterans team, whereas Shrewsbury chose to play a squad of 

15 or 16, as there was no limit on substitutes. This enabled 

old stalwarts, some of whom were in their late sixties, to play 

for a few minutes. Shrewsbury scored two early goals and 

then had to hang on for an hour, during which Carey made 

an instant-reaction save, that the Carthusians described as the 

best save they had seen by a veteran, especially one wearing 

glasses! 

During the summer Carey played cricket at Hampstead 

Cricket Club and was a regular spectator at Lord’s, having 

joined the MCC on leaving school. For many years Carey was 

a member of the Shrewsbury Saracens tour to Devon and 

he ran it for a few years. Carey was an excellent organiser 

and kitty master and those who attended the tour in 1979 

still do not know how he managed to provide as much food 

and drink as he did, for the very small amount he asked the 

tourists to put in. 

In the 1980s Carey turned his attention to golf, and with a 

number of Salopians of the same vintage took up the game, 

encouraged by his flatmate, the late Bob Cooper (M 1967-72), 

who was a good golfer. For many years Carey enjoyed golf 

tours with his friends and latterly with his son Leigh, whom 

he encouraged to play the game from an early age and who, 

much to his father’s delight, became a very good golfer. Carey 

was an enthusiastic member of the Old Salopian Golfing 

Society and was a very good foursomes partner, as his short 

putting was the strongest part of his game. He was ‘scratch’ 

in the dining room and had a prodigious appetite for pints of 

Guinness, being able to continue steadily sinking pints until it 

was time to go! 

As well as physical sport, Carey loved sporting trivia, quizzes 

of any sort and playing games, ranging from board games to 

serious bridge. Despite many of his friends getting married, 

Carey continued with an active bachelor life until 1986. He 

was invited to a bar to discuss a potential skiing trip with 

some friends and met Sue, who was to become his wife. 

She survives him, together with their son Leigh. Carey never 

went on that skiing trip; he was not a natural skier, as he had 

demonstrated on a school skiing trip, together with the High 

School, where his major achievement was to hook the T-bar 

around the foot of a pylon and bring down the overhead wire! 

Carey and Sue were married in 1990 and set up home 

together: they were soon joined by Leigh, who has followed 

his mother into the world of design. Leigh now has a partner, 

Becky; they have two daughters, whom Carey adored. In 

addition to the love and affection he showed his own family, 

Carey was godfather to one of his best friends’ daughter, 

who at the age of six was bridesmaid at his wedding. Carey 

never forgot a birthday or Christmas and took great delight 

in watching his goddaughter grow up and marry an Old 

Salopian. 

Carey’s many Salopian friends will never forget him, not 

simply for his academic or banking career, not even for his

96 


sporting achievements, but for his enthusiasm for life and willingness to try 

anything, however whacky or crazy. Dick Wild (SH 1967-72), one of his 

oldest friends, particularly remembers that Carey’s ingenuity getting into 

the Hard Rock Cafe at Hyde Park, despite the endless queues, was the stuff 

of legend. Another example of Carey’s ingenuity was his decision to take 

on a part-time job as a steward at concerts or sporting events. When asked 

why did he bother, he replied that it enabled him to see some of the best 

sporting events, at Wimbledon, Twickenham, Wembley and concerts at the 

O2, among them, that he would otherwise not have been able to attend. 

“All I have to do is point people in the right direction and tell the odd fool 

to sit down! I get to spectate and get paid; couldn’t be better!” 

Steve Browning, the minister who conducted Carey’s funeral service, had 

highlighted Carey’s love of crosswords in his later years and compared 

the different parts of his life to clues. He finished his address with these 

words. “And so as you look at the whole crossword – allowing every word 

to blend into every other, seeing how every clue is a part of every other, 

you will see a man who was one of life’s ‘characters’ – the sort you could 

hear before you saw him! – who was naturally chatty and gregarious and 

loyal and direct(!) and cynical and LOUD! – yet who was also a sponge 

for information – an intelligent and enthusiastic chap – who was treasured, 

above all, for his loving heart. Although when I asked Sue if he was 

romantic, she said, resignedly, ‘Not particularly!’.” 

Carey sadly lost his 18-month battle against cancer on 12th December 2020. 

Carey Evans, a Salopian legend to all who knew him. RIP. 

[Andy Pollock (I 1971-74)] 

David Malcolm 

Hallworth (SH 

1944-49) 

In 1949, David and 

Johnny Clegg (SH 

1943-49) beat Eton 

in their own Fives 

courts, sending 

back a telegram 

“Eton Beton” 

(preferred to “Eton 

Eaten”), which was 

displayed outside 

the Alington Hall. 

David gained a 

place at Oxford 

(on the strength of his golf!) and, at the inspired suggestion 

of Kek (his form master), read law at Keble. Keith Thomas (S 

1943-47), David, John Milner (see below) and another won 

College Golf Cuppers. David played in the university golf 

match (at Rye) 1951-53, winning a total of three matches, 

(one by ten and nine in the singles), out of the six. His 

partner in each of the three years in the foursomes (then 

a record) was Charles Adams from Belfast. Keith Thomas 

(Welsh international golfer), Peter Owen-Lloyd (S 1944-49) 

and Michael Kitchen (SH 1945-50) also played for Oxford 

in the golf match in that period. David also gained an Eton 

Fives half blue. David played in the Halford Hewitt and 

again partnered Johnny Clegg in 1964, when Shrewsbury 

reached the final, after beating Harrow and Eton on 

successive mornings. Shrewsbury had just won the Arthur 

Dunn Cup too. 

David had two nephews, also in School House, in the 1960s: 

Professor Sir Roger Boyle CBE (SH 1961-66) and his brother, 

Alan Boyle, QC (SH 1962-66). David and his best man, John 

Milner, used to play golf in Harlech with Richard Raven (M 

1945-50 and Master 1960-93), and John’s son Richard (David’s 

godson) became Head of House in Oldham’s in 1984 and 

was also Senior Whip and Captain of Athletics. 

David was a solicitor in Manchester. After 20 years as a 

partner in Hall Brydon & Co., he joined Foysters (later DWF) 

in 1979, where Rod Davies (I 1925-27) was the senior partner. 

David played for 20 consecutive years in the annual golf 

match between the council of the Manchester Law Society 

and the council of the Liverpool Law Society. He was also 

appointed to sit on a special committee of the council of 

the Manchester Law Society to examine and report on its 

workings and constitution. Robin Skelton (O 1940-44) was 

a fellow member (of six) and the convener was Gavin 

Haig (S 1929-34). 

David was received into the Catholic church at the Easter vigil 

in 1979 and sang in the St Vincent’s Church Choir (having 

been a treble in the Chapel Choir at Shrewsbury and having 

sung also in the Alington Hall, in Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast 

and the Revenge). He was a member of the St Vincent de 

Paul Society, serving a term as President. He was also a longstanding 

member of Altrincham Christians Together and of 

the local ecumenical ‘Good News Group’. 

David lived in the Altrincham area all his life and was wellknown 

initially for his sporting activities. He loved all racquet 

sports (including table tennis, with skills honed in School 

House) and his time as left wing for Bowdon Hockey Club. 

However, he was particularly grateful for his 40 years at Hale 

Golf Club, which he joined in 1944, playing with his parents’ 

hickory-shafted clubs and having to look for golf balls (then 

in very short supply) on and around the course. 

David married Joan Stewart Arnold on 16th May 1959. 

Joan came from a well-known local family. An Altrincham 

residential development bears the name ‘Arnold’s Yard’ 

and is on the site of the business started by her grandfather 

John. David and Joan had three daughters and three 

granddaughters.


Andrew Vaisey Hill (O 1963-68) 

Andrew Hill was the youngest of four boys whose parents 

were both steeped in the Salopian tradition. Indeed, that was 

how they had met. Their father R.E. Hill (1926-32) and uncle 

J.C. Hill (1928-33) were in Oldham’s, as was his maternal 

uncle J.R.M. Vaisey (1929-34), while his grandfather R.M. 

Vaisey (1900-03) and great uncle H.B. Vaisey (1890-95) were 

at Shrewsbury before that. 

Before his first term in September 1963, Andrew’s father had 

briefed him about school life at Oldham’s as he had known 

it, so that he would be prepared on his first night as new 

scum for the fagging system of douling and the raucous Hall 

Elections for the positions of Hall Crier and Hall Postman. 

These took place exactly as his father had described. There 

was also the same configuration of bedrooms and studies, 

same swills, same school porter (Mr Hartshorne), same 

classics master (Stacy Colman). But by the time he left, 

the teenage revolution and the programme of fast, radical 

change inspired by the incoming headmaster Donald Wright 

(1963-75) had swept away many outdated traditions. In 

Andrew’s words the school was “transformed almost beyond 

recognition … into the brave new world of liberal thinking, 

freedom of speech and equal opportunity”. 

Andrew had played a significant part in generating and 

supporting change, as a House Monitor and then Head of 

House appointed by Michael Tupper and as a Praepostor 

and then Head of School (as his father had been 36 years 

previously) by Donald Wright. In these roles, he was 

undoubtedly helped by his love of sport, particularly football, 

and his prowess as opening bowler in the 1st XI for two 

seasons and Captain of Cricket in his last: he was a member 

of the 1st Rugby XV and of the Athletics team. But he also 

had a capacity for friendship, a propensity to take calculated 

risks, a zest for living, an expansive personality and a mature 

sense of responsibility honed by experience – all qualities 

which, when combined, made him a natural leader. 

After a ‘gap year’ teaching in Uganda, Andrew went on to 

read classics at Durham University where he played cricket 

in the 1st XI and a lot of bridge before joining Shell Mex- 

BP on their graduate management trainee scheme. He then 

pursued a career in HR (human remains, he called it) in 

the oil industry, first with BP in the UK and then with the 

Kuwait Oil Company (when he once played in the Kuwait XI 

against Pakistan). Lastly, he went out to Cape Town during 

apartheid against the flow of Brits returning to UK. Mobile- 

Engen was sufficiently impressed by his speculative interview 

to create a job for him and he travelled to their operations 

throughout sub-Saharan Africa. After Nelson Mandela was 

elected President, Andrew was tasked with increasing the 

proportion of black workers at every level of the company. 

He addressed the workforce to explain that this was not an 

option and that his job, too, was on the line. 

Ultimately, Andrew chose to pursue a new life in Australia. 

Then finding there were no opportunities in Canberra for his 

specialism, he turned to proof-reading and HR consultancy 

and trained to become a school bus driver for a generation 

of children, making the return journey to its rural outskirts 

twice a day during term time. He used his time in between to 

embrace Australian life, sport, culture and railways, sing in his 

church choir and become a passionate advocate of Canberra 

to visitors and Australians alike. 

That and his abiding interest in, and enjoyment of sport at 

every level, his encyclopedic knowledge of football and 

his lifelong support of Swindon Town, together with his 

Australian family and visits to the UK filled his life, cut short 

by a brain tumour after his 70th birthday. 

Andrew leaves his first wife Zaria, their two children and 

five grandchildren, his wife Cathy and her children and 

grandchild. [Nigel Hill] 

John Renshaw Holt (R 1946-51) 

John Holt was born in Bury, Greater Manchester but, 

unusually for a Mancunian, he was a lover of the countryside. 

John had a cheerful disposition towards all. He was Head 

of House in Rigg’s from Michaelmas 1950, with three other 

Praepostors in the House: Robin McGlashan, Scholar, Philip 

Heal, Huntsman, and John’s lifelong friend Bill Masser, 

Captain of Boats and later President of CUBC. The fourth 

House Monitor was Tom Bell, from Choate, Massachusetts. 

This foursome would meet regularly in later life. Tom played 

Rugby on the wing in the 1st Rugby XV, with his spectacular 

throw-ins – torpedo style. In the Lent Term of 1951, it was 

no surprise to any of us in Rigg’s that John was made Head 

of School, in succession to Michael Kitchin. The nickname 

for the Head of House was “Happy Holt” and John exerted a 

happy influence throughout the House, aided and abetted by 

Brookie, who was getting into his stride after the 15 years at 

Rigg’s of the immortal Jimmy Street, whose boys came mainly 

from Liverpool. 

John moved on to study at the Royal Agricultural College, 

Cirencester. He became a farmer in the Lune Valley, with 

a typical zest for public spirit, such as only Shrewsbury 

regularly produces. Ever a man of the soil, he brought 

his indefatigable energy to countless local enterprises and 

charities. These are so many that they remind me of the array 

of sporting cups that adorned Rigg’s Hall term photographs, 

before Hugh Brooke converted to his Culture Drive, in 1953. 

The address of Rigg’s has always been No 1, The Schools.

98 


John served as a magistrate in Lancaster from 1976 to 2002 

and was on the board of visitors to Lancaster Prison. He had 

the honour of serving as High Sheriff of Lancashire (1991-92) 

and became Deputy Lieutenant of the County. 

He joined the Freemasons at the Settle Lodge and in time he 

became an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the Yorkshire 

West Riding Province. He was a prominent Councillor on 

the Lunesdale District Council and a founder member of the 

enlarged Lancaster City Council from 1953 and was admitted 

as an honorary Alderman in 1981. 

He took on a voluntary administrative role at the Preston 

offices of the St John Ambulance, becoming a Commander. 

John loved his golf as a member of both Bentham GC and 

Royal Lytham & St Anne’s GC. 

John Holt died peacefully on 16th June 2020, aged 88. He is 

survived by his wife Phyllis, daughter Roo and son Ian, six 

grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

Kek would teach John the Nietzsche ‘Kek’ spell: “I’m not a 

Man, I am Dynamite”. Quietly, John was dynamite. 

[Tim Lewis (R 1950-55)] 

James Brian Edward Hutton (Rt 1945-50) Rt Hon. 

Lord Hutton of Bresagh 

Brian Hutton was born on 29th June 1931 and arrived at 

Shrewsbury as a scholar from Brackenber, a small preparatory 

school in Belfast, at a time when it was unusual for children 

to travel to school in England. Although he missed his home 

in Northern Ireland, he excelled academically and won a 

scholarship to Balliol College Oxford, where he graduated 

with a First in jurisprudence. 

He returned to Northern Ireland and was called to the Bar in 

1954, taking silk in 1970. Following his appointment as Senior 

Crown Counsel, he appeared on behalf of the Government 

in a number of important cases in the European Court of 

Human Rights, such as Ireland v UK, and in appeals to the 

House of Lords. 

He was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1979 and 

Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland in 1988. As such, he 

lived under constant threat from the IRA and when this was 

extended to his wife and young daughters, they had to be 

moved to Scotland for safety. Despite an intense workload, 

he travelled there at weekends for over five years to be with 

them. He never allowed this intrusion into his private life to 

take away from his reputation for integrity and impartiality. 

He was much admired for the steadfastness and courage 

with which he led the judiciary of Northern Ireland through a 

difficult and dangerous period. 

In 1997 he was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 

and sat in what was then the final court of appeal until his 

retirement in 2004. After his retirement he was appointed by 

the Government to conduct an inquiry into the death of Dr 

David Kelly. A scrupulously courteous man, Lord Hutton’s 

approach was to let people tell their stories unimpeded. His 

findings were not a matter that many who knew him well 

both professionally and personally ever questioned. 

He was a man of quick humour and gentle manner who 

greatly valued his family and close circle of friends. He once 

said that it was important to keep friendships under repair 

and this was something he did meticulously, never forgetting 

occasions and keeping reliably in touch. 

In 1975 he married Mary Murland and they had two 

daughters, Louise and Helen. Mary died in 2000 and he 

married Lindy Nickols, a widow, in 2001 and she brought 

him two stepsons and a stepdaughter. 

He was an Honorary Fellow of Balliol College and an Honorary 

Bencher of Inner Temple. He died on 14th July 2020. 

[Sir Anthony Campbell]


Brian Stuart Jenkins (M 1947-52) 

Brian Jenkins was born in Chester on 26th May 1934, the son 

of Harold and Lily. He was educated at Hampton House near 

Tarporley in Cheshire before coming on to Shrewsbury and 

to Moser’s, in 1947. 

During his time at the Schools, he rowed in the 1st Eight for 

two years. 

Like many of his generation, he turned down an offer of 

a place at university and went straight into the Navy to do 

his National Service. His ship, HMS Surprise, acted as the 

Flagship Frigate for the Spithead Review, with the newly 

crowned Sovereign on board. Although only a midshipman, 

for a while he was known amongst his friends as ‘Medals 

Jenkins’ after being decorated for the onerous duty of kissing 

the Queen’s hand (as had all the officers on board!). He 

then sailed with the Surprise to Greece to help after the 

devastating earthquake in Kefalonia in 1953. 

On completing his service with the Navy, he trained as a 

chartered accountant with Cooper Brothers in Liverpool and 

London. After qualifying, he transferred back home to 

Chester and joined the family firm, Haswell Brothers & 

Co. This is currently the oldest firm of accountants in the 

world and is the only remaining firm that helped to found 

the Institute of Chartered Accountants in the 1880s. He was 

an admired professional in the local business community 

and hugely respected by his clients for his practical advice, 

throughout his tenure. He handed over to his son, Nick, in 

the mid-1990s. 

For some time, Brian had been a director of Wrexham Water 

Company. After retiring from professional practice, he was 

appointed its Chairman and he led it to merge with the 

Chester Water Company and then to a public listing on the 

London Stock Exchange. With this experience, he was a 

natural choice as a non-executive in various water-related 

businesses, including the Water Companies Pension Schemes. 

In his leisure time Brian enjoyed hunting and shooting, but 

his passion was for sailing. As a child, his holidays were at 

Trearddur Bay on Anglesey, where he raced in all the various 

classes of boats available. Eventually he bought a share in a 

half-rater, Tringa. Many friends crewed for him over the years 

and spent happy hours bailing furiously, but having huge 

fun. Sadly, Tringa was not a fast boat and rarely performed 

well, except in a strong wind. Her best result was a victory in 

the Holyhead race, a long-distance haul in heavy water and 

through vicious tide rips. 

By the mid-1970s it was time to move on, and he bought 

Rinji, a 38-foot Nicholson, replaced a decade later by Trinja, 

a 48-foot Nicholson. Many corners of the Mediterranean 

were explored, with family and friends. Brian’s boats were 

his pride and joy, yet, when his sons were in their very early 

twenties, he was brave (foolhardy?) and generous enough to 

allow them, with their girlfriends, on unsupervised fortnightlong 

cruises for a number of years. In the winter months, 

he would spend hours tinkering in the boatyard, replacing, 

regrinding and renewing worn-out parts. 

He was a proud member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, on the 

Isle of Wight, manning the starter’s gun during Cowes Week 

for many years, and only recently retiring to allow younger 

generations to have their turn. 

He was married in 1959 to Sheelagh (neé Ronan), and 

throughout all these activities, they had a long and happy 

marriage together. They were lucky enough to celebrate their 

60th wedding anniversary in style in 2019, in the company 

of many friends. He was a great lover of quality wines and 

everyone at the party drank the finest in his cellar. Their 

two sons, Nick and Simon, followed him to Moser’s as did 

Richard, one of his grandsons. Their daughter, Booty, was at 

Moreton Hall and now lives in Ireland. 

Brian died peacefully on 20th September 2020, after a very 

short illness, aged 86 years. Although the current regulations 

restricted the numbers permitted to attend his funeral to 30, 

half the men present were Salopians. 

Brian is survived by his wife, three children and seven 

grandchildren. 

Peter Jowitt (CCF Schools Staff Instructor 

1987-2005) 

Peter was born into a mining family in Royston, Yorkshire 

in 1945. His parents did not wish to see him disappear 

underground and Peter joined the Army in 1964, being sent 

to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry depot in Shrewsbury 

for training. In a long and varied military career Peter 

spent time in British Honduras, Singapore, Zimbabwe and 

Germany. He had five operational tours in Northern Ireland 

and held various roles such as Signal Platoon Sgt, Officers 

Mess manager and Signals Instructor. One of his favourite 

roles was on secondment to the Army Air Corps, and he was 

proud to wear his half wings as an air observer. 

In 1986 he left the Army and remembering his family advice 

to avoid a career in mining he continued down another 

career path as a butcher. A conversation with Colonel 

Stephen Caney, whom he knew from his Light Infantry Days, 

led to his hearing about a Schools Staff Instructor vacancy at 

the Schools and Peter was duly appointed in 1987, spending 

18 happy years at Shrewsbury, before ill health forced a sad 

and early retirement in May 2005. 

Behind his bluff exterior was a man who loved his job here 

and he gained great satisfaction from training the cadets in 

his care. The CCF was very active and Peter worked with

100 


various members of staff to ensure that the cadet training was 

rigorous, fun and exciting. At that point the CCF provided 

the infrastructure for the annual Basic Year Camp in South 

Wales and the preparations for this took up much of his 

time. Peter also maintained the minibus fleet and managed 

Talargerwyn, which he also loved. Visitors to the CCF office 

had to penetrate a fog of his cigar smoke and Peter will be 

remembered for many things, not least his colourful turn 

of phrase. As a bluff Yorkshireman his expletives were 

legendary, but Peter knew when to curb his language, not 

least when acting as a regular driver for Ted Maidment, the 

then Headmaster. It was terribly sad that an early stroke cut 

short his career, and led to Peter suffering as an invalid for 

many years and he died in February 2021. Peter will be sadly 

missed by all Salopians who knew him and we all send our 

best wishes to his widow Christine and to his wider family. 

[Nick David] 

James Russell Muir (O 1953-58) 

When Russell Muir started at Oldham’s, in January 1953, 

Basil Oldham was still very much around. During the week 

he could be encountered in the deepest recesses of the 

Moser Library, and on Sundays he invited new Oldhamites, 

including Russell, for tea. Few of these young Salopians 

knew of his bibliographical fame, but they were in awe of 

him nevertheless. It was the fact that ‘The Gush’ had been at 

Shrewsbury, man and boy, over a period of 60 years, and had 

financed and built his own house back in 1911, that made 

him a legend. The red brick pile, set down beside the playing 

fields, had been designed for him by W.A. Forsyth, a leading 

school and church architect of the Edwardian era, to be the 

very model of a modern boarding house. It incorporated 

all the features Oldham thought important for a wholesome 

Christian education. 

Thirty years later, Russell Muir, by then teaching at Repton, 

in Derbyshire, was elevated to become housemaster of 

New House. He felt strangely at home. The substantial brick 

building, with its clear division between the private and 

the boys’ side, hard-wearing parquet floors, excellent light 

and ventilation, minimal heating and small penal-style 

games yard, was familiar because it had been designed 

by the same W.A. Forsyth, just before his Shrewsbury 

commission. Russell was amused by this, and his own 

experience of Oldham’s affected the way he thought a 

boarding house ought to operate, in terms of what to 

maintain, and what to do quite differently. 

Russell was born on 10th August 1940 in Stockton-on-Tees, 

the son of a teacher who was to become the borough 

Education Officer. Both his parents came from Scotland and 

he spent summers on his grandparents’ farm in Fife. After a 

brief sojourn at Dollar Academy, he was sent to Bramcote 

at Scarborough, then one of Yorkshire’s best known prep 

schools, where the winds blowing in from the North Sea 

were particularly character- forming. He became Captain of 

Football, and learned Fives, which stood him in good stead 

when he arrived at Shrewsbury. 

Physically, almost nothing had changed at Oldham’s since 

the House was laid out in 1911. Russell’s Housemaster was 

W.E. Matthews. There were other housemasters of that 

generation who were more charismatic, and Matthews was a 

shy and rather retiring figure, who seldom ventured through 

to the boys’ side. So the House was still run by the boys, as 

it had been in Basil Oldham’s day, and the term ‘pastoral 

care’ would not have been widely recognised. Much of the 

culture of the House, as of the School in a wider sense, was 

still characteristic of the 1920s and 30s, with a rigid hierarchy 

based on the douling system, and a complex set of boyimposed 

rules and conventions, some of which were bizarre. 

By the late 1950s the more perceptive boys and staff sensed 

change was overdue, though this would not come for several 

more years, with a reforming headmaster. 

Like many of his contemporaries, Russell found the 

hidebound custom-and-practice of school life irksome at 

times, but he would roll his eyes upward at some apparent 

foolishness and was never subversive. It helped his standing 

in the House that he was a sporting all-rounder, playing 

football, cricket, tennis, squash and fives, and in the school 

athletics team as a sprinter. He was clever and logical, 

focused on physics, chemistry and mathematics. When 

Russell’s friends turned to him for help with their maths 

work, his ability to explain difficulties, often better than the 

masters whose job this was, showed a natural pedagogic flair. 

He was part of the first contingent who went to the North 

Wales farmhouse the School had just bought at Talargerwyn 

as a retreat, for whitewashing work parties and long walks 

through the Welsh hills. He was a stalwart of the singing 

competitions and played the euphonium in the CCF Band on 

Speech Day with wry aplomb. 

Though he looked a quiet and steady character, he had 

a sharp wit, and a sense of the absurd. He relished J.B. 

Morton’s “Beachcomber” columns and could list his 

characters. Impressions of ‘The Gush’, with his particularly 

fast, slurred and moist delivery, were commonplace in those 

years, but Russell’s version of the House’s founding father, in 

which ‘bibliography’ emerged as one syllable, was lethal. 

From Shrewsbury he went to Cambridge, to read mechanical 

sciences at Queens’. Though he put work before extracurricular 

activity, he began to develop a keen interest in 

stamps, through the Cambridge Philatelic Society. This was a 

hobby which would become more serious and scholarly over 

the rest of his life. Though he thought about other possible 

careers, there was never much doubt that he would follow 

his father into teaching. 

Having returned to Cambridge for a two-term Cert Ed course, 

he was hired to teach mathematics at Brentwood in Essex. 

In 1968 he moved to Repton in Derbyshire, a school which, 

though located in a tighter and more isolated community, had 

an ethos, and physical set-up, more similar to the one he had


attended himself. He liked being back in the north, and in the 

Derbyshire countryside. 

Russell’s ability to communicate, not just with the boys who 

found mathematics easy, but with those who struggled 

towards the hurdle of ‘O’ level, made him a valuable 

addition. His lessons were entertaining and fun. Within 

ten years he was head of the department, and constantly 

improving ‘A’ level and university entrance results were a 

testament to his grip. He was by now deeply involved in 

the wider life of the school. He served as Adjutant of the 

CCF and became House Tutor for The Cross. He sang in the 

Musical Society and promoted Scottish and ballroom dancing 

in the gymnasium. A keen dancer, he attributed any skill he 

displayed to Miss Mavis Marshall of Middlesborough, who 

had taught him as a child. 

His involvement in Repton was further strengthened when 

he married Kathleen Proctor, daughter of the former school 

chaplain, Cyril Proctor. If he needed any evidence that this 

could be a place to spend a fulfilling lifetime, his father-inlaw 

had taught classics at the school since 1927. Russell and 

Kathleen had two children, Nicholas and Katharine, and in 

1982 they bought a holiday house at Harlech in North Wales, 

which allowed the family to get away in school holidays. 

Throughout this period stamps provided a more cerebral 

recreation and escape. Russell had joined the Hong Kong 

Study Circle while at Cambridge and had a growing – and 

some would say arcane – expertise in the stamps and 

postmarks of the colony’s early years. He built an extensive 

collection of his own, becoming a Fellow of the Royal 

Philatelic Society. 

In 1983, Russell took over as housemaster of New House. 

It had been a long wait, and when he finally got the job he 

most wanted, he brought extraordinary commitment and 

energy to it. He made great efforts to know and care for his 

flock, to guide their academic progress and stay in contact 

with parents. He spent much time on the boys’ side, getting 

to know them, and supporting them in whatever they were 

doing. He played fives, golf and tennis with them, followed 

what they were producing in the workshop or the arts 

school, and watched his football teams, wearing an ancient 

Oldham’s scarf. And he finessed his entry lists for future 

years, cultivating prep school headmasters to attract the ablest 

and most engaging boys, who would add to the ‘civilised’ 

mix he wanted for the house. 

Russell was original, humorous and humane. He resisted 

interference from the centre and ran things in his own 

idiosyncratic way. He had high expectations, but was 

prepared to trust the boys, and they rose to the challenge. 

They appreciated his dry wit, and his insouciance. A teaching 

contemporary described New House under Russell as 

“something of an independent republic”. 

Some changes had already been made to W.A. Forsyth’s 

sparse accommodation, with the provision of bed-sitters 

for older boys, and more studies were modernised. The 

last remnants of the fagging system, which had lingered on 

under the disingenuous label of ‘Household duties’, were 

swept away. It helped the sense of identity and family that 

Repton had continued with in-house feeding (long gone at 

Shrewsbury by then), and the boys were sustained with leeks 

and cabbage, beans and rhubarb from the house garden. All 

this required a heavy commitment from Kathleen, who ran 

the domestic side. 

After a successful 13-year stint, Russell stepped down from 

New House, and continued teaching. The school was 

changing on many fronts, with co-education extended to 

all levels, and pupils now drawn from around the world. 

Inevitably this was accompanied by new procedures and 

more management. Russell, who was always his own man, 

bridled at some of this but his love of Repton was as great as 

ever. He took on the running of the Old Reptonian Society 

and used the new tool of email to get news of ex-pupils 

around the world. 

After retirement in 2000, Russell helped the mathematically 

challenged with private tuition and corresponded with Old 

Reptonians who had become his friends. He and Kathleen 

were as involved as ever, attending chapel services, watching 

key football matches, playing bridge and looking forward to 

family gatherings with their six grandchildren. 

Russell died in January 2020, after a debilitating illness, and 

a memorial service was held on 1st February. The Repton 

School Chapel was packed with serving and former members 

of staff, and with men and women who had benefitted 

from his teaching and care. There were moving tributes to a 

devoted father and inspired schoolmaster. Colin MacIntosh, 

who had been in New House during Russell’s time, and in 

the course of his own teaching career spent four years at 

Shrewsbury, said, “We loved him. He gave us so much. I 

have never come across any housemaster who inspired such 

respect, such commitment, such adulation as Russell Muir. 

No-one has even come close. Russell wasn’t a throwback to a 

golden age of House Mastering. He was the golden age.” 

[Peter Pagnamenta (O 1955-59)] 

Peter Fleming Orchard (DB 1957-62) 

Peter Orchard was born on 7th July 1944, the son of 

Frederick and Mary Orchard (née Lock) and came to Day 

Boys after preparatory school at Kingsland Grange. He was 

orphaned in 1957, and subsequently brought up by his 

grandmother, who died while he was at Shrewsbury. Finally, 

he was brought up by his uncle and aunt, who were Morrises 

of the local bakery and lubrication company. Peter wasn’t 

in any way sporty, and he was friendly rather than overly 

gregarious. He specialised in Sciences in the Sixth Form, 

where he developed his very strong scientific and technical 

bent, which he put to good use in the CCF signals section, 

and he was a very skilled photographer. He found the 

tolerance and mild eccentricity of the School community very 

much to his liking, and would in later years recollect his time 

at Shrewsbury with fondness. 

He subsequently went to Trinity College Dublin and then 

to Imperial College for postgraduate study, when he and I 

shared a flat in Notting Hill. Peter had maintained a lifelong 

interest in electronics since his CCF days, which we shared,

102 


and he was always happy tinkering. After some time in 

industry, he joined the BBC on the technical side; but 

by then he had become besotted with meteorology, and 

subsequently took up gliding with a vengeance; he spent 

years, many of them as an instructor, on the Long Mynd. This 

became his second home, where he contributed unselfishly 

to the operation of the winch and the smooth running of the 

Midlands Gliding Club. His dedication to this activity led him 

to renew his contact with the School and in recent years he 

helped out, winching for the School’s summer gliding camp, 

a contribution which was deeply appreciated and which will 

be sorely missed. 

Peter married Modwena Littleton in 1978. They had two 

children, Tim and Ellen. 

Peter died on 19th December 2020, aged 76 years, from 

prostate cancer complicated by a COVID infection. He 

is survived by Modwena, Ellen and Tim and by two 

stepdaughters. [David East (DB 1959-63)] 

Colin Ralston Paterson (SH 1950-55) 

Colin Ralston Paterson MA, DM, MSc, FRCPath, Reader in 

Medicine and Consultant Physician, died from a heart attack 

on 30th March 2020 at the age of 83. 

Colin was born in Manchester in 1936 and first attended 

Tremeirchion School, while an evacuee in Wales. He was 

later a pupil at Ryleys School in Alderley Edge and then 

Terra Nova School in Jodrell Bank. He studied at Shrewsbury 

from 1950 to 1955, boarding at School House. When the 

Queen visited the School in 1952 for its 400th anniversary, he 

presented a chemistry display of soap manufacturing to her. 

Another highlight of his time there was a flight to Singapore 

as an ATC cadet, with stopovers at Baghdad, Karachi and 

Colombo, among other places. His love of travel was lifelong. 

Interests in gardening and rowing were also nurtured during 

his time at Shrewsbury. 

From Shrewsbury, he won a scholarship to Brasenose 

College, Oxford to study preclinical medicine followed by 

a postgraduate degree in Biochemistry. While in Oxford, he 

worked with Hans Krebs and also recalled attending a lecture 

by C S Lewis. He was a member of St Aldate’s Church, taking 

part in their outreach work. 

Colin continued his medical training at University College 

Hospital, London, qualifying as a doctor in 1962. He 

subsequently worked in London, Leeds and York before 

taking up a consultant post in Dundee in 1969. In Leeds, he 

met his wife Sally, a musician, and they were married in St 

George’s Church there in 1968. 

His clinical work and research focussed on medical disorders 

of bone; he developed particular expertise in osteogenesis 

imperfecta (brittle bone disease), vitamin D metabolism and 

osteoporosis. He set up a regional bone clinic and was an 

early pioneer of DEXA scanning. He wrote and co-wrote 

several textbooks and nearly 200 academic papers. He taught 

in the medical school, developed the curriculum and was 

an international examiner. He co-founded the Brittle Bone 

Society and was its chairman for 23 years, continuing to help 

families affected by bone disease until the end of his life. 

He and Sally cared for generations of students, welcoming 

many to their home. They were actively involved in the life 

and work of the local church, particularly in youth work, 

music and buildings maintenance. In retirement Colin was a 

trustee and chairman of a local youth project in Dundee, as 

well as being a lifelong supporter of the Shewsy in Liverpool. 

Colin enjoyed gardening, researching family history and 

travelling to visit his family in far-flung places. A committed 

Christian, he was known for his kindness, gentleness, 

humility and generosity. He leaves Sally, his wife of 52 years, 

three children and five grandchildren.


Denis John Pullin (R 1946-50) 

John Pullin was born on 21st March 1933, the son of Denis 

and Margaret Pullin. He followed his father and two uncles, 

all of whom had been Day Boys, to the School. Sadly, his 

father died in the D-Day invasion, when John was eleven. 

John himself did his National Service in the RAF as a radio 

mechanic. He enjoyed this experience immensely and 

he also had a lifelong passion for World War II aircraft, 

especially the Hurricane. 

John’s grandfather was Frank Tanner of Tanners Wines of 

Shrewsbury, and in 1954 John joined the family business. 

By 1960 he had become a director, responsible for beer 

production and operations, property and distribution. John 

went on to work at Tanners for over 30 years. He was very 

popular with the staff at Tanners, being both kind and fair 

and he was also widely respected in the local business 

community. Steve Lloyd, a director of Tanners Wines 

described him as “one of life’s gentlemen”. 

In the 1950s John met the love of his life, Jenny. They were 

married in October 1961 and had two daughters, Sarah and 

Poppy. In the 1970s the family moved to Grinshill and started 

attending St Bartholomew’s Church, Moreton Corbet. John 

attended this beautiful church for nearly 40 years and was 

treasurer for about 20 of them. 

John was a committed Freemason. He was Worshipful 

Master of the Salopian Lodge No. 262 three times, a record 

equalled by only four others since the foundation of the 

Lodge in 1788. 

He was a very public-spirited person and served on several 

committees, including that of the Clive Village history group. 

In the 1980s, he was also Chairman of the North Shropshire 

Council for the Protection of Rural England. 

His wife Jenny sadly died in September 2005, after a long battle 

with cancer. John then moved to Clive, North Shropshire, where 

he started to build a new life as a widower, immersing himself in 

the activities of the village and being a central part of his family. 

He was a very kind gentleman, who will be much missed by his 

family and many friends. 

Derek Norman Rosling 

CBE, FCA (R 1944-48) 

Derek Rosling was born in 

Dublin in 1930, the son of 

an English father and an 

Irish mother. He spent his 

early years, until he came to 

Shrewsbury, in Ireland. The 

family moved from Dublin 

to Cork and then later to 

Portstewart in Ulster. One 

of his early memories was 

of waving enthusiastically at 

the pilot of a ME109, canopy 

pushed back, Ireland being neutral, flying low over the 

fairway of Cork Golf Club; the young Derek was sent to bed 

without any supper for alleged collaborator tendencies by a 

father who had served in the Royal Navy in the First War! 

When Derek arrived at Shrewsbury, classmates said that they 

found his Irish accent hard to understand. Journeys from 

home to school in wartime were long and could be exciting. 

On one occasion, the Belfast to Liverpool ferry was chased 

by a German U boat on the surface. The ferry escaped by 

circumnavigating the Isle of Man until the submarine gave up 

and dived. Derek enjoyed his time at school, earning some 

repute for steering an eight, which he was coxing, into one of 

the town’s bridges and pursuing his enduring interest in birds 

by keeping a pet owl in an outhouse. 

Derek did his National Service in the Royal Artillery, before 

moving to Yorkshire, where his parents had relocated, and 

joining a Huddersfield accounting firm, Smith & Garton. He 

qualified as a Chartered Accountant, became a partner and 

settled into the life of a provincial professional. He married 

his first wife, Joan (née Heseltine), in 1956 and they had three 

children, Jean, Alan and John. He played badminton for West 

Yorkshire, was active in the local tennis club, raced his Riley 

car in rallies and joined the Round Table. 

In 1965, Derek’s life took an unexpected turn. A client, 

James Hanson, and his business partner, Gordon White, 

invited Derek to join them in the reverse takeover of Wiles 

Group, a fertiliser distributor, based in Hull. The job was 

in London and the family moved south. So began a long 

career working for James, later Lord Hanson, in what 

became Hanson Trust and subsequently Hanson Group 

plc. Derek served first as Finance Director and then from 

1973, when Gordon White moved to the US to create 

Hanson Industries, as Vice-Chairman. 

Hanson quickly established itself as the country’s leading 

acquisitive conglomerate, pulling off a series of increasingly 

audacious deals in the UK and US that catapulted it into the 

top ten companies in the UK. These included Ever Ready in 

1981, UDS in 1983, London Brick in 1984, SCM and Imperial 

Tobacco in 1986, and Consolidated Goldfields and Peabody 

in 1989. Shareholders were enthusiastic about the Hanson 

playbook of acquiring under-appreciated, cash-producing 

assets, refocusing them and disposing of surplus operations 

and excess costs. The share price increased some 60-fold 

from 1974 to 1989. 

Derek was the low-profile technical and financial support for 

Hanson and White’s flamboyance. He managed the Balance 

Sheet, monitored the P&L, coordinated the deal teams and 

advisers, ran shareholder relations with listings in London, 

New York and Tokyo, and battled the Inland Revenue. He 

quickly became indispensable to James Hanson, both in the

104 


company as well as advising on family matters. By the early 

1990s he was spending half the year with Hanson in Palm 

Springs, the base from which they ran the group in winter 

months. 

He was appointed CBE for his services to industry in 1988 and 

finally retired in 1994, a few years before Hanson Group was 

broken into four listed parts and Lord Hanson also retired. 

Derek married his second wife, Julia, whose son, Jamie, 

became his fourth child, and they moved to Beaulieu in 

the New Forest. He enjoyed a long and happy retirement, 

refusing offers of board positions and dedicating himself to 

family, friends and his many interests. Derek stayed healthy 

and busy until a few months before his death; on his 80th 

birthday, indeed, he had celebrated by water skiing! He 

served as trustee for the Countryside Education Trust, a 

charity based in Beaulieu. He and Julia travelled frequently, 

and he gardened, walked his dogs and sailed. 

Derek owned a boat from 1969, when he acquired a Hurley 

20, until his last year when he finally sold his much-loved 

Trader. He cruised extensively in UK and European waters 

and was an active member of the Royal Lymington and Royal 

Southampton Yacht Clubs. He became a member of the 

Royal Yacht Squadron in 1996 and was a regular Committee 

Boat skipper, skilfully holding his vessel on station during 

international regattas over many years. 

Derek Rosling died peacefully at home in Lymington on 27th 

March 2020, aged 89 years, and is survived by his wife Julia, 

three children, one stepson and 11 grandchildren. 

Timothy Christopher 

Skelton (O 1974-79) 

The following is adapted from 

the family eulogy: 

Tim Skelton was born at 

Southfields, Altrincham, 

Cheshire on 12th January 

1961, the elder son of 

Christopher Alan Skelton and 

Helen Skelton (née Taylor) 

and the brother of James and 

Ann. He was educated at 

Packwood and then followed 

his father to Shrewsbury and 

to Oldham’s. 

My older brother by six 

years, Timmy (when he was 

small), Timothy (when he 

was naughty), Timbo to my friends, Tommy Rot to his home 

friends, Skelly to his schoolmates, Tim touched the lives of 

many others over his 60 years, always bringing unique energy 

and fun, with a huge appetite and thirst for life. 

He sang the solo aged 13 at his school carol concert in 

front of hundreds of pupils, teachers and parents. He 

could certainly sing, but more importantly, this showed 

great courage. 

Tim was an aggressive opening batsmen for over 20 years. 

At school he scored over 754 runs in his last year, averaging 

over 50. He broke the school record. Indeed, I remember 

watching him rack up centuries in both innings in a two-day 

game against Uppingham (his grandfather’s team). Tim had 

no fear and met the fastest of bowlers on the front foot. I saw 

him face Ricardo Elcock, bowling over 90 miles an hour. I am 

certain he did not see the first ball: the second went flying 

over square leg. Tim scored 127 away at Repton for the 1st XI 

in 1979, and one Saracen described this as the best schoolboy 

innings he had ever seen. Later that year, with Rupert 

Marsh, he represented the Northern Public Schools at the 

Eastbourne festival. Tim scored 144 not out in the Cricketer 

Cup against St Edwards Martyrs at Shrewsbury in 1995. This 

remains the record for a Saracen in the Cricketer Cup. Lastly, 

he contributed good middle order runs in a low scoring 

Cricketer Cup Final victory in 1987 and featured prominently 

in the celebratory trip to Epernay. After school, Tim played 

1st team cricket at Alderley Edge (with his cousin Jon) and 

also at Esher, Haslingdon and Rawtenstall. 

Tim also loved rugby. He was the school fly half, and he 

played for Wilmslow Rugby Club. He enjoyed the physicality 

and relished the bigger players running at him. After both 

rugby and cricket matches, he excelled in the bar, too: 

discussing the technical aspects of the game, making many 

friends, and rarely (if ever) turning down an opportunity to 

go on and have more fun. 

Our family holidays in Cornwall are specially treasured 

memories. Tim was always in and amongst everything that 

was going on, yet still had time for family fun on the golf 

course, tennis court and beach parties. 

At school, Tim’s academic achievements were no match 

for his cricket. However, we all know he had his own 

special breed of intelligence; he was always good and 

clever company, fast with a response or a put down, often 

witty, and a premier league performer at crosswords and 

quizzes, known locally as ‘The Quiz King’, for his successful 

leadership of the Red Lion team. Christmas Day was always 

a big family affair with the Beans and the other Skellies, and 

cleverly, one year, Tim retrieved our cousin’s number plate 

from our own hedge after she had misjudged a tight bend the 

previous night. Good skills, Timbo! 

Tim spent many of his working years at Airtours, both in 

London and here, locally, in Cheshire. His colleagues will 

remember a team player, who always did his part. During 

that time in London, he showed immense courage when 

his great friend and flat mate Simon Stott passed away. I 

remember clearly to this day how proud I was of him at that 

very difficult time. 

His children, Ben and Rosie and his grandchildren Penelope 

and CC were the source of his greatest pride and he loved 

them deeply. More recently, that love extended to Joe 

(Rosie’s partner) and to Gemma (Ben’s partner). We all know 

that he was never braver than when he agreed to go ahead 

with his lung transplant, which he did to give himself a better 

chance to see Penelope and CC grow up, and to continue 

to look after and love his family. Tim was 60 not out in 

January this year. He could have dug in and settled for the 

draw. In true Skelly fashion, selflessly, he tried to hit it over 

the sightscreens and was caught on the boundary Saturday 

before last. A good knock, and we were all very lucky to be 

part of it.” 

Tim Skelton died on April 17th 2021 at Wythenshawe 

Hospital, aged 60 years, eight weeks after undergoing his 

lung transplant operation, and he is survived by his children 

and grandchildren. [James Skelton (O 1980-85)]


Ian Hood Stott (I 1947-52) 

Ian Stott was born into a mill-owning family in Oldham on 

29th January 1934. He was the son of Alan (Chance’s 1919- 

23) and Mae and had an elder brother, George (I 1946-51) 

and a sister, Susan. He was educated at Bilton Grange Prep 

School, where he was Head Boy, Captain of Cricket and 

Hockey. In later life, he was to serve as Chairman of the 

Board of Governors of the school for 35 years. At Shrewsbury 

he joined his brother George and lifetime friend Brian Horton 

(both remain my Godparents) in Ingram’s: both Ian’s sons 

were to follow him to the House. Ian didn’t achieve the same 

sporting prowess as George and Brian, but he was offered 

the position of 1st VIII cox, after his steering skills in Ingram’s 

1st Boat had enabled it to ‘bump up’ on all four nights. He 

turned the offer down, a mistake, as the VIII went on to win 

at Henley, preferring to concentrate on cricket, and later 

he became a member of the 1st Rugby XV. The family was 

responsible for the levelling and regeneration of Chance’s 

playing fields, a splendid facility which is still enjoyed today, 

and also for the addition, at that time, of a state-of-the-art 

athletics track. The track was lovingly tended by Ken Spiby. 

This generous intervention is still commemorated in the name 

of the Stott Pavilion. The plan, after National Service with the 

Royal Green Jackets and Lancashire Fusiliers, was for Ian to 

go up to Jesus College, Cambridge, to study Law, but there 

were ‘problems at t’ mill’ and he was called to the family firm. 

This was a decision which he regretted, as the mills were 

sold a few years later. 

However, such a sharp brain was not to be wasted. He 

bought and built up a car dealership, ending up with 

five showrooms. This led to his meeting many different 

characters, who stimulated his entrepreneurial skills and 

interests. Many varied businesses followed, including the 

Sidings nightclub, (which was ‘the place to be’ in the 1970s), 

a caravan park in Abersoch, an hotel in Manchester and a 

firelighter factory. The last of these actually caught fire itself, 

but fortunately the fire did not take hold; however Ian had 

to admit, much to his amusement, that the incident was not a 

great advertisement for the product! 

As he lived in south Manchester, Oldham still had a 

considerable attraction for him, and when he was offered 

a place on the board of Oldham Athletic Football Club, 

he grabbed it. He served for 27 years on the Board, 17 of 

them as Chairman, in which time he completely changed 

the culture of this typical, sleepy northern club, previously 

owned by a local brewery, which had run the club more 

out of duty than passion. Ian turned it from a languishing 

division 3 club into a premiership team, reaching the FA Cup 

semi-final and League cup final and orchestrating the greatest 

sporting period the town had ever known. 

Ian’s involvement in Oldham led to doors opening in national 

football administration. It was largely run by self-important 

men with no real direction or feel for the true interests of the 

game. Ian had a striking ability to see through people and 

to identify essential issues. He was proposed as Chairman of 

the FA, narrowly losing out, as his name and Oldham’s were 

not considered sufficiently prestigious, so Vice-Chair it was 

to be. Ian was an Honorary Life Member of the FA, he sat on 

numerous committees, including the five-man International 

committee that appointed Terry Venables as England Manager 

and also the three-man disciplinary panel that banned Eric 

Cantona, after his kung fu-style attack on a fan. A knighthood 

was mooted but never materialised. 

Ian married Gabrielle in 1957 and they had two sons, Robert 

(I 1972-77) and Simon (I 1974-78). Tragedy struck in 1988 

when his younger son, Simon, an award-winning journalist, 

died of pneumonia at just 28 years of age. Simon was blessed 

with Ian’s wit and kind-heartedness. Ian remarried in 1979 

to Maxine; they had two children, Ailsa and Catherine. They 

travelled extensively, notably driving an old Land Rover back 

from Tibet. Maxine was a force of nature, caring for Ian, at 

home, during his failing health. Ian died on 7th April 2020, 

age 86 years and is survived by his brother George, wife 

Maxine, and children, Robert, Ailsa and Catherine. 

[Robert Stott (I 1972-77)] 

Sir Francis John Badcock Sykes Bt (SH 1955-60) 

John was a choral scholar at his prep school, St Michael’s 

College, Tenbury Wells, and entered the School House in 

September 1955. He had a warm and gregarious personality 

with a talent, evident from the outset, for making friends. He 

involved himself in most aspects of house and school life, 

including the Chapel Choir, and he represented his house 

(Headroom) at football, cricket and fives (he was a member, 

with the writer, of the undefeated Under-16 School Fives pair 

in 1957). 

But the sporting triumph which gave him the greatest 

pride was his decisive part in Headroom’s historic victory 

over Severn Hill in the final of 1st House cricket in 1958, 

described in the official report as “one of the most exciting 

matches ever seen on the Common”. Severn Hill, packed 

with cricketing ‘tweaks’ and the overwhelming favourites, 

set Headroom a colossal target of 219 in the fourth innings. 

Headroom were quickly reduced to 9 for 2; but Nicholas 

Barber and Christopher Maclehose then put on 50 together, 

before Andrew Macaulay came to the wicket at about 60 for 

4. An immediate run-out then brought John in at No. 7 to 

join Macaulay with about 150 runs still to go. Throughout 

that breathless afternoon and into the next day, John stuck 

with him (“surviving at first miraculously and then with some 

confidence”); together they put on over 100 runs of which 

John’s share was an heroic 30 (“almost all scored behind the 

wicket!” he said). Victory (by 3 wickets) came as Macaulay

106 


went triumphantly to his century. “That match,” said John 

“was the summit of my brief cricketing career!”. 

John’s final year at Shrewsbury was in Michael Hart’s History 

Upper VI. There he acquired a lifelong passion for history, 

which propelled him into Worcester College, Oxford and he 

went on to take a 2:1 in Law. He represented the University 

in successive years at Modern Pentathlon (fencing, swimming, 

show jumping, shooting and running, perhaps the only 

Salopian ever to have achieved a half-blue at this combined 

discipline; and he also rowed for his college. 

After going down from Oxford, he qualified as a solicitor and 

in due course became a partner in a leading firm of solicitors 

in Swindon. 

Retirement in 2005 allowed him time to give full rein to his 

wider interests – and to three in particular. The first, following 

his introduction through Oxford’s City Barge Rowing 

Club, was Venetian Rowing, in which he participated in 13 

annual Voga Longa regattas, gondoliering through 21 miles 

of the city’s canals and lagoons to raise money for ‘Venice 

in Peril,’ culminating in rowing his own sandolo ‘Piero’ at 

Runnymede in 2015 on the occasion of the 800th anniversary 

of Magna Carta. 

Another great passion was History, especially that of his 18th 

century forebear Sir Francis Sykes who made his fortune in 

the East India Company and became the first Baronet (John 

became the 11th Baronet in 1990 on his father’s death). His 

extensive research resulted in the publication in 2019 of a 

magnificent book called Nabob - The Life of Sir Francis Sykes. 

John’s third passion was restoring the finest house in 

Marlborough’s High Street, the famous 17th century 

Merchant’s House, built in 1653 by a wealthy silk merchant. 

John formed a charitable trust to refurbish, conserve and 

maintain this magnificent building of which he was chairman 

for 25 years, overseeing an enthusiastic staff and many 

volunteers during this time. Among the myriad of ways in 

which John and Sue supported this venture was in extending 

limitless hospitality to numerous Salopian contemporaries 

prior to our attending the legendary history lectures that 

Michael Hart, a Marlborough neighbour, would regularly give 

in aid of the Merchant’s House. 

At various times John was President of the Swindon Chamber 

of Commerce; a governor of Swindon College and of the 

Swindon Enterprise Trust; a trustee of the Roman Research 

Trust, of the Wiltshire Community Foundation and of the 

Duchess of Somerset Hospital at Froxfield. He was also a 

founder of the Marlborough Literary Festival; and President of 

the Reading Centre of the National Trust. 

In 1966 John married Sue (née Ashmore) whom he met at 

Oxford. They had three sons, Charlie, Edward and Alex, and 

formed a lifelong partnership of love and mutual support 

– especially through the 14 long years that Sue suffered 

from ME, when John would take her everywhere in her 

wheelchair, including overseas. In recent years, after Sue’s 

recovery, when John’s own health began to fail, Sue gave 

him the fullest measure of her love and devotion until his 

untimely death in October 2020. 

John dispensed enthusiasm, generosity and kindness to 

everyone and I doubt he ever had an enemy in the world. 

He was devoted to those things in life that really matter, such 

as integrity, fair play, a thirst for knowledge, friendships, 

laughter, kindness and above all his beloved family. Michael 

Hart speaks for us all in describing him as “a genuinely good 

man, open, public-spirited, refreshingly independent and 

always exceptionally hospitable”. 

In recalling John’s life, a few words of Chaucer’s come to 

mind: 

A Knight there was and that a worthy man 

Who, from the moment when he first began 

To ride forth, loved the code of Chivalry, 

Honour and Truth, Freedom and Courtesy; 

In all his life, respecting each man’s right, 

He was a truly perfect, noble Knight. 

[Richard Barber (SH 1955-60)]


Michael James White (Rb 1992-95) 

Michael White was born in Folkestone, Kent on 15th July 

1978. He was the son of Jim and Priscilla White and the 

younger brother of Natalie. The family subsequently moved 

to Shropshire and Michael came on to Shrewsbury School, 

and to Radbrook, from Prestfelde, where his marked artistic 

talent and literary ability had already been noted by his 

Headmaster. During his three happy years in Radbrook, 

Michael seemed well able to take full advantage of the range 

of opportunities available at the School, and he particularly 

enjoyed drama and tennis, activities which he was to develop 

further at university. However, the combined effect of the 

divorce of his parents and a move to the Sixth Form College 

for his ‘A’ level studies proved to be very destabilising. 

Subsequently Michael took a ‘Gap Year’ as a trainee chef in a 

Michelin-starred restaurant in Shrewsbury and became a very 

accomplished cook. In the meanwhile, on the strength solely 

of an essay on Keats, which Michael had both written and 

sent to the university entirely on his own initiative, he was 

accepted to read English at York. 

Michael thrived at York. He found a father-figure in his tutor, 

he edited a student newspaper, he wrote an avant-garde play, 

Screen, which was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 

and he captained the University Tennis Club. Subsequently 

he went on to Birmingham University to study Creative 

Writing, but found the course disappointing. 

Michael had a remarkable capacity for empathy and had the 

ability to make deep friendships, partly, perhaps, because 

he was a marvellous listener. His character made a powerful 

impression on his friends, who recognised in him a brilliant, 

imaginative and creative person, both forthright in his 

opinions and uncompromising in his standards. Michael was 

deeply responsive to all artistic forms, relating that it was 

in art galleries, in classical music (especially string quartets) 

and in the artistic aspects of cooking that he really ‘found 

himself’: he was never happier than when he was cooking 

for his friends. He provided them with superlative meals 

but it was an ominous sign that he rarely did full justice to 

them himself. Michael might well have become a successful 

musician, like his sister, for he loved the violin, but found his 

left-handedness a handicap, so the focus of his ambition was 

to become an acknowledged playwright. 

Moving south, to his mother’s home in Sussex, Michael 

became increasingly reclusive, immersing himself in writing 

and in listening to music. It soon became clear that he was 

suffering from anorexia, which gained an increasing hold 

over him; he refused medical advice and treatment and 

eventually this situation cost him his life. He died on 27th 

October 2019, aged 41. [David Gee]

SALOPIAN CLUB FORTHCOMING EVENTS 

• More details can be found on the Salopian Club website: www.shrewsbury.org.uk/page/os-events 

• Sporting fixtures at: www.shrewsbury.org.uk/page/os-sport (click on individual sport) 

• Except where stated, email: oldsalopian@shrewsbury.org.uk 

All Shrewsbury School parents (including former parents) and guests of members are most welcome at the majority of our events. It 

is our policy to include in all invitations all former parents for whom we have contact details. The exception is any event marked ‘Old 

Salopian’ which, for reasons of space, is restricted to Club members only. 

Supporters or guests are always very welcome at Salopian Club sporting or arts events. 

Emails containing further details are sent out prior to all events, so please make sure that we have your up to date contact details. 

Date Event Venue 

Sunday 1st August 

Thursday 5th August – 5.30pm 

Sunday 8th August- 

Thursday 12th August 

Wednesday 11th – 

Sunday 15th August 

Friday 13th August 

Friday 27th – 

Monday 30th August 

Thursday 9th – 

Sunday 12th September 

Saturday 2nd – 

Sunday 3rd October 

Saturday 9th October 

Silverstone Classic: 

Salopian Drivers’ Club 

London Summer Party 

Saracens Devon Tour 

Henley Royal Regatta 

OS Football Club Dinner 

OSFC Pre-season Tour 

OSGS - Halford Hewitt Cup 

OSYC – Arrow Trophy 

Old Salopian Day and Ridgemount 

Centenary 

Silverstone 

Shepherd’s Bush Cricket Club, 38 

Bromyard Avenue, London W3 7BP 

North Devon 

Henley 

Aragon House,247 New Kings Road, 

London SW6 4XG 

Bristol 

Deal/Sandwich 

Cowes, Isle of Wight 

Shrewsbury 

Saturday 6th November Old Salopian Match Day v the School Shrewsbury 

Saturday 13th November 

Wednesday 17th November 

Thursday 25th November – 6.00pm 

Salopian Drivers’ Club – 

Classic Motor Show 

Salopian Club AGM (5.00pm) and City 

Drinks (6.00pm) 

Birmingham Drinks 

National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham 

B40 1NT 

Cavalry & Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly, 

London W1J 7PX 

All Bar One, 43 Newhall Street, 

Birmingham, B3 3NY 

Saturday 27th November OS Hunt Run v RSSH and Dinner Shrewsbury 

Sunday 5th December – 6.30pm Shrewsbury Christmas Drinks Shrewsbury 

Tuesday 18th January Salopian Club Committee Meeting London 

Wednesday 19th January Salopian Club Epiphany Service St Mary-le-Bow, London EC2V 6AU 

Friday 21st January 

Salopian Drivers’ Club Dinner 

Turf Club, 5 Carlton House Terrace, 

London SW1Y 5AQ 

www.shrewsbury.org.uk

The Salopian - Summer 2021

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