Category Archives: School

News about the school, current pupils, teams and staff

Dating the Sixth Form Block

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Emeritus Professor Geoffrey J Giles of the University of Florida’s Department of History writes:

Visiting from my home in Florida in the summer, I bought a copy of the excellent history of our town by Vincent May & Jan Marsh (Eds.), Bournemouth 1810-2010: From Smugglers to Surfers (Stanbridge/Wimborne: Dovecote Press, 2010). The photographs in the book are fresher and more remarkable than any other published history of the town. However, I did a double take at the photo of “Bournemouth School on East Way 1950s” on page 162. I’m sure this is wrong, and I’m hoping other Old Boys will confirm this. My recollection from my time at the school (1959-1965) is that there was nothing to the left of the caretaker’s house except a wrought-iron railing (I think!) leading directly to the Copse. But in this photo there are rather large new buildings. Am I right in thinking that this aerial photo in fact dates from much later?

Wikipedia dates the Sixth Form Block to 1966. Perhaps some Members can verify this?

“Schools of War” article

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Many of you have been in touch to ask after the article “Schools of War” that was published in the Bournemouth Echo on 10th September. The piece tells how Bournemouth welcomed pupils from Taunton School, who were evacuated from Southampton due to the German bombing campaign. The article was mentioned at the year’s annual dinner. Neil Bichard was kind enough to scan the piece to this PDF file.

Lecture Theatre Appeal

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September 2014 marks the 75th Anniversary of Bournemouth School occupying the East Way site. In the intervening years much has changed, but the pressure on the school’s accommodation and funding has remained. The school is now launching a 75th Anniversary Appeal with the intention of raising £75,000 by next September to refurbish the Lecture Theatre. Any donations would be gratefully received (cheques should please be made payable to ‘Bournemouth School Fund’) and sent to the school address.

Panorama photo from 1933

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Roger Shore has written to us to share a panorama photo (PDF, 2Mb) of the school from 1933. Roger writes:

My father was at Bournemouth School between 1929 and 1936. I followed in his footsteps between 1960 and 1967. There were six masters who taught both me and my father, although I can only identify five of them in that photo at present. That would be Messrs Cushion, Dodds (a truly dreadful man, as I’m sure you already either know, or will have heard!) Walker, Williamson and Wiseman. The 6th – Mr. Dixon (who went on to become deputy head) – I haven’t yet identified…

Roger is surely right that this may be of interest to some of you, although as he notes the very youngest in that photo will be at least 90 by now.

Bournemouth School to admit girls

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The Bournemouth Daily Echo reports that for the first time, Bournemouth School is admitting girls as pupils in the sixth form. Previously, BSG students had been able to study in the sixth form, but this arrangement was ended recently due to timetable clashes. The new girls will be full members of Bournemouth School. In a couple of years we will no longer be exclusively Old Boys. The full story is here.

English Literature teacher

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Ms Betty Samuels writes:

I write on behalf of a friend of mine who was a pupil at your school 1939 to 1946. His name is John Douglas Jones who at the age of 80+ is still very active and living in Clifton, Bristol. Doug has only recently had to give up flying his sailplane at the Bristol & Gloucestershire Gliding Club. In the course of a conversation yesterday about schools we attended, Doug said he can remember the names of all his teachers during his time at your school except the name of the English Literature master.

Doug would be interested if anyone might be able to remember this teacher’s name.

Panorama

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Graham Keeling has found and scanned this photograph of everyone in Bournemouth School at on 31st May 1946.

Bournemouth School Panorama, May 1946

Graham writes: “They possibly did a photograph like this every few years, because I remember having one taken in about 1994ish, when I was there. It was taken on the field in front of the copse. I didn’t get a copy.”

A full version of the picture can be viewed at Graham’s site.

Old Boys back from Afghanistan

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Kevin Lindsay, who left the School in 2006 having taught there for 5 years and was an Officer in the School’s CCF, writes:

I thought it fittng to mention that there is an article in the Daily Echo today (Saturday 10th April) on page 20, featuring news of three Old Boys, Iain and Nik West (brothers) and Neil Riley who all served in Afghanistan together. They are all back safely after a 6 month tour.

Kevin says that he still follows the success, progress and stories of people I knew and taught at Bournemouth School and very much enjoys the annual COMPO dinners.

Parent’s Association Annual Quiz

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Phil Brightwell writes:

In November 2008, we entered a team in the Parents Association Annual Quiz, which was held at the School one Friday night. Our team comprised Neil Bichard, Malick Kudmany, David Bryant, Pat Stokes (I think), my wife Gwen and me – and, possibly, A.N. Other. (Sorry, my memory is not too good at this distance!) In the end, we won from about 12 other teams – by six or seven points, if my memory serves me right, and were rewarded with a bottle of wine each. To add insult to injury (for the other contestants), Dave Bryant won 1st Prize in the Raffle – a magnificent Marks & Spencers’ Christmas Hamper, no less. Before last year’s contest, The Association donated a trophy for this event. Unfortunately, because the 2009 Quiz date clashed with other commitments that Neil Bichard and Dave Sidwick were involved with, and Pat Stokes couldn’t get back from Yorkshire in time, we ended up with a team of just four people – Simon Hird, Bill Brocklesby, Gwen & me. Despite a valiant effort on our part, we lost by a mere one point to a team with about 12 players in it, with a very broad age span. Let’s hope we can win the trophy back, this year.

The Quiz usually happens on a Friday in mid-November – so, if you want to be on our team, keep your eye on the website in early October and let me know of your interest as early as possible. The entry fee is about £6 a head, and that includes a fish-and-chip supper. There is a bar, and soft drinks are available. I look forward to hearing from you budding ‘quizzers’ in due course.