School Athletics Record Holders

The School P.E. Department recently got in touch following this year’s Sports Day at Kings Park.

They are interested in trying to reach out to some of the school’s Record Holders amongst the alumni community. There are plenty of records from the 90’s and 00’s still standing, and one from as far back as 1985.

Can anyone help make contact with the names below?

OBs Raising Money for Ukraine

David Taylor, who left our Sixth Form in 1991, has persuaded some other Old Bournemouthians (along with six other friends) to undertake a mammoth Challenge in May this year, all in support of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Appeal.

They will be cycling from Sandbanks to St Tropez between the 18 and 27 May’22 – a distance of 1300 km!

Further details of the challenge and about how to make a donation may be found at:

The team are also looking for corporate sponsorship – so please do get in touch if your company would like its logo on their team jerseys.

The Bournemouthian, Autumn 1981 Edition

Kevin Hales (OB 1974-81) has sent a scanned copy of the Bournemouthian from 1981, available below:

He writes:

There must have been a time in late 1981 when I decided: “I’m not going to read this thing, but I’ll put it away in case I have time in future”. And here we are, 39 years later, and I’ve dusted it down and taken a look. Even the adverts are interesting!

The New Wing

The School’s proposed new wing over the Senior Playground was designed by Kendall Kingscott. Here are some general renders of how it shall appear:

View from the Caretaker’s house
View from the copse
Interior of the Canteen

Share Your School Stories

Sarah Coles has got in touch to speak to some OB’s about their experiences of Bournemouth School. She writes:


I am a mature History Undergraduate at Bournemouth University and, as part of a community history project, am looking into the educational and linked social opportunities available in Bournemouth throughout the years. This is a group project and I have been tasked with researching the grammar schools.


I would be very interested to hear from anybody who would like to tell me their tales of grammar school life in Bournemouth. This could be through a telephone conversation, e-mail or face to face meeting.
Please email me in the first instance with your preferred method of contact and I will get back to you in person.


Thank you for your time and I hope to hear your tales soon.
Sarah 😀.

You can contact Sarah on email:
scarerc@yahoo.co.uk

Order Now – Bournemouth Heroes: The Patriots of Bournemouth School 1914-1918

Will Pyke has got in touch with more information about his new book, which is now available to order through Amazon and Waterstones.

Contact: wdpyke@btinternet.com

Purchase: hardback or paperback

About the book: Bournemouth Heroes tells the story of the British Army on the Western Front in Belgium and France, 1914-18. The narrative integrates the experiences of Bournemouthians who took part in these campaigns from the initial battles of August 1914 to the Armistice of 1918 and the occupation of Germany in 1919, and sets out to assess the contribution made by a small and newly-founded boys’ grammar school to the course of the war. As the author reveals, Bournemouth School members were involved in every major battle fought by the British Army on the Western Front. There, they were involved in all of the many developments of the war, including the first use of poison gas, of flamethrowers, and of tanks. These included boys who managed to serve despite being under-age, with some paying the ultimate price for their bravery.

Having established the membership of the school from its foundation in 1901, the author began eighteen years of research using school records; a range of local newspapers from the period; files held at the National Archives, and elsewhere; information offered by contacts made through the school and through on-line forums; and through on-line archives from various Commonwealth countries. He identified 1,125 members of the school to investigate, and 674 members of the school who served, though by no means only on the Western Front. Over one hundred of them were killed, and many more wounded.

The book will be of interest not only to military historians, but also to anyone with an interest in Bournemouth, Bournemouth School, and the families from Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset whose lives were changed so dramatically by participation in the events of the war.

Will Pyke: The Patriots of Bournemouth School

Former History teacher and Deputy Headmaster William Pyke, who’s career at Bournemouth School spanned almost three decades (1987-2014), has published a book which is now available to pre-order. It focuses on the stories of school alumni from WWI.

His research has also contributed new names to the School’s Roll of Honour.