The Vanbrugh Chronicle
EDITORIAL
It has been my privilege and pleasure to edit the past two numbers of the Chronicle, and it has been jolly hard work.
I now hand on the pleasure, the privilege and the hard work to Charles Kendall and Alun MacFadyen, with the hope that the magazine will not be allowed to decay or die for some of us have been very surprised at the delight our rather humdrum news has given to all kinds of people right outside our acquaintance.
Its main purpose is to provide a record of the term's activities - no more - so we are not interested in publishing any literary efforts of our readers. Such essays should be handed to their English masters.
John Elliott.
LEAVERS
McCann, Meace, Keeble, Tyekiff, Solomon, Haigh and Pountney have been awarded places at Kingham Hill School, Grayston has won a place at Reed's School as a Foundationer, Fowler has qualified for Bromsgrove.
Our Roman Catholics have gained places at St. Augustine's Abbey School at Ramsgate . They are Mulligan, Sanders, McConnell and Elliott. We congratulate them and regard them as very fortunate boys who will now be able to continue the kind of education they have been receiving at this school, and perhaps reach the heights that have lately been achieved by other boys who have graduated from Vanbrugh to these same schools.
All these boys have served this school as prefects, dormitory captains, head chorister, band leader or some such position, and we shall all miss them, very much. We wish them the best of good fortune.
Kevin Mulligan.
STAFF
The only addition this term has been a Spanish assistant cook. The teaching staff remains the same, and we all congratulate Miss Orr and Mr. Trasler on their engagement.
Mr. Trasler goes on from here to Cuddesdon College near Oxford to train for ordination in the Church of England.
We thank all the masters for their hard work and the successes we have obtained at our future schools.
Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Roberts, Netta and the kitchen staff have kept us well-fed and healthy, and we thank them too for our delicious food. And to all the ladies whom we seldom meet and to Mr.Cheesman, Mr. Tappenden and Mr.Plumb, we now say our thanks.
A. Macfadyen.
Post-scriptum
I forgot the part-time teachers who have done so much for us in the past year: Mr.Paddy Purcell, The Reverend Donald Young, Father Dunn, The Little Sisters of the Assumption, Mr.Roger Paul, Mr.Trotman, Mrs. Spiers, Sergeant Taylor and Mr.Brunker.
CHOIR
Perhaps the most interesting event of the past term was the visit of the Patriarch of Rumania who visited the Royal Naval College Chapel with the Archbishop of Canterbury one evening The choir sang to him, and he presented each member with an ikon as a souvenir of his visit.
As usual there was one Sunday at mid-term when no W.R.N.S were present, and our boys were left on their own. All must have gone well, for we were congratulated on our singing after the service.
These choristers are leaving: Meace, Thirsk, Haigh and Tyekiff. David Elias, Alan Elias and A. Jakeman hope to join next term. Butler, Maynard, Ingleson, Owens and Campbell remain.
G. Meace.
BAND
There have been no changes in the band since last term. The vigour of Paddy Purcell remains untamed, and the standard is therefore every bit as high as ever.
We are very sorry to lose Mr. Kettleborough, Mulligan, Haigh and Thirsk but are confident that worthy successors will be found.
It is always difficult to know how to thank Paddy for his genius and devotion, but this is as good a chance as we ever get to do so.
J. Maynard.
THE LYONS CUP
This year's plays were judged by Mr.Edward Bishop, who is writing a history of the RAF Benevolent Fund, and who spent two days and nights at the school during the term in order to find out the true facts about our school. He gave the cup to Harries House for their performance of the Pyramus and Thisbe scene from the Midsummer Night's Dream.
Cordingley put on the short play The Crimson Cocoanut which was also enjoyed.
R. Haigh.
VISITS
Seven boys went to Bowles Mountaineering Gymnasium for the week-end July 2-3. They were Solomon, Haigh, Rankin, T. McConnell, Kendall, Rodgers and Maynard.
The twelve youngest cubs went to the South 66 Jamboree at Crystal Palace on the 25th of June.
The twelve oldest cubs went to camp at Downe on July 7, 8 and 9.
In July Mr. Morton took all the Vth and IVth forms to the Royal Festival Hall to hear the Halle Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbarolli.
A. Solomon.
GUESTS
This term we have had so many guests that we can't remember them all.
Among them were certainly Lady Cordingley, Mrs. Croome, Brigadier and Mrs. Hogg (the uncle and aunt of Quintin Hogg), Mr. Vincent Taylor, Mr. Mansell Lewis, Mr. Edward Bishop, Mr. Wragg, our former Chaplain, Mr. Donald Young, our present Chaplain. Ian MacFadyen (an old boy), Sir John Cordingley and Mr. Tappin, Mr. Cutting, Miss Wentworth and two other old boys, Donald Taylor and Martin Smith.
Later in the term we welcomed David Pafford, Flying Officer Hooper of Odiham who showed us a film and had tea with us, and Commander Bell, one of our neighbours, who showed us a film of his recent U.S.A. tour.
G. Fowler.
TUCK SHOP
In order to allow the younger boys to have sweets (they are not allowed out on their own) we opened a tuck-shop inside the school and sold £30 worth of tuck during the term. It was a great success. For various reasons we did not try to make a profit. We are handing it over to Kendall, Owens and Robin Jakeman next term.
G. Fowler and A. Solomon
OLD BOYS NEWS
Kingham Hill
BRIAN SHORTER Head of School; Captain of Cricket; CSM of CCF; School athletics team and cup for best all-round athlete of the year; orchestra; A levels in Maths and Physics; Medal of Merit.
BARRY WH1TTAKER Vice-Captain of School; School prefect; Head of Bradford House; Voluntary Service Overseas 1966-67; Assistant Scout-Master; School English prize; French conversation prize.
DAVID RODGERS Form Captain of L4, Octagon Debating Society; CCF.
BRIAN PAFFORD U3 Form Captain; Gym Club; Under 15 cricket team; Swimming VIII.
JOHN CREWDSON 1st XI cricket team; Swimming VIII, Athletics team.
DAVID EV1SON Model Club; orchestra; Junior Debating Society; Junior athletics team; CCF.
TREVOR OGDEN Under 15 Cricket team; Form Captain U4; Art Club; CCF.
JOHN D1XON Riding Club; Octagon Debating Society; CCF; Camera Club.
JOHN HUNT Stage Club; CCF; Octagon Debating Club.
KEITH BARLEY Natural History Club; CCF; Octagon Debating Club.
PETER BANBURY Under 15 cricket team; Form Captain U3; Art Club; CCF.
STEPHEN JONES Captain of Junior House cricket team; CCF; Octagon Debating Society.
Reed's School
DONALD TAYLOR School prefect. Will be Captain of Mullins and School Captain next year; 1st XI cricket. Sergeant in CCF; House athletics and swimming.
MARTIN SMITH Left CCF. Now in charge of school tandem brigade.
ANDREW McCULLEY 1st XI Cricket, School athletics and swimming. House water-polo, Leaving this term.
CHRISTOPHER PAFFORD 1st Year Sixth Form. School and House athletics.
BARRY LONGHURST Senior House cricket.
IAN MacFADYEN Has taken eight GCE 'O' Levels.
DAVID PATTEN Under XV cricket team; Junior House cricket; House swimming and athletics.
TERRY MAYNARD Under XV Cricket team; Pre-CCF; Junior House cricket XI.
JONATHAN CLELFORD Eight standard points in house athletics.
MARTIN CULL Junior House cricket; House swimming and athletics.
MISCELLANEOUS
One of the ducks laid twelve eggs, two of which hatched out and caused great excitement in the school. The drake tried to strangle them before they were a day old, but was foiled by a broad attack by Miss. Orr and two matrons. The ducklings prosper.
Mr. Tappenden has built a handsome brick path from playground to Games Room and hopes we shall not insist on walking on both sides of it.
We bought an electric fountain for the duck-pond, because the experts said it would stop algae forming and turning the water green. It didn't, and the, fountain broke. We are now awaiting spare parts from Birmingham, and it looks as if we are going to wait a very long time. Let's hope that it's the right part when it does arrive.
CRICKET
Of the 14 matches that the 1st XI played this term, we have won 10. Our victories were against Clare House School, Westminster Under School, Carn Brea 2nd XI, Westminster Abbey Choir School, St. Faith's School, Cambridge, 2nd XI, Ravensbourne College, Homefield School; and then against Ravensbourne, Westminster Abbey and Homefield for the second time.
The team has consisted mainly of:-
B. Tyekiff (Captain), Sanders, McCann, Keeble, Rankin, Barlow, Ingleson, Mulligan, Grayston, Thirsk and Rodgers.
LETTER FROM THE CHAPLAIN
My Dear "Vanbrughs",
Many, many thanks for the unexpected pleasure of my Scripture Prize from you all.
A book on London will always remind me of you all.
It has been a great pleasure and honour to help look after you and I'm sorry that time is up,
Good Luck!
Yours very sincerely,
DONALD YOUNG.
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To The Headmaster,
Vanbrugh Castle School,
Blackheath,
London,
S.E.3.
31st July, 1966
Dear Headmaster,
It was most unfortunate that we should all be denied the annual pleasure of Speech Day. Especially those parents and friends of reluctant Vanbrugh leavers to whom it was particularly significant.
I would, therefore, on behalf of all such parents, take this opportunity to sincerely thank The Committee for their consistent painstaking interest in the affairs of the school; Yourself, Miss Orr, Mr. Morton and Mr. Frasler who both in the classroom and on the sports-field never flag in their enthusiasm for the progress and success of the boys; Mr, Kettleborough, Mrs. Smith and her helpers whose efficiency is confirmed in the fitness and healthy appearance of all the boys.
I must include a grateful word to Miss Vince and Miss Smith for their ever-tireless 'mothering' and also Mr. Cheesman and his 'handymen'.
There are many other people who make it possible for the boys to pursue activities not usually open to the average schoolboy. To them, we are eternally grateful.
We are lucky our boys have had the opportunity to attend Vanbrugh and I know that those who now leave will distinguish themselves and uphold the name of Vanbrugh in the Schools for which they have been so ably prepared.
Yours sincerely,
Hilda Tyekiff.
30th July, 1966.
Dear Mr. Editor,
I want to bring this edition - and the school year - to a close by thanking on the boys' behalf all the members of the staff who have made this school such a successful and happy place. Everyone, teachers, kitchen staff, housekeeper, matrons, handymen, cleaners and laundresses, all have worked as a splendid team and done their best to give you every chance of success and happiness. You owe them more than you know.
The boys who are leaving will miss the cosy comfort of the Castle, and find to their dismay that they count for almost nothing next September. Having been leaders they will become servants again. That is part of the process of sound education. And as time goes on they will discover that to be a servant is to serve others, and what higher ideal can be imagined than that? 1 hope that slowly but surely you will all understand that the kind of leadership that matters is the ability to serve others with distinction and modesty. Our Country has never been in greater need of inspired leaders, and if this little school has given you a hint or two of the opportunities that face you, we shall be very happy.
For the boys who remain I have one special request, and that is to think out how we can become an even happier family. Who is going to lead the way to the kind of self-governing community that you all know we could be? Discipline is of course essential, and it is my duty to ensure it; but self-discipline is a far more effective means of getting the best out of every single boy. An old boy wrote recently begging you all to make this a school in which the whole staff could go away with no one noticing their absence. He had the right idea. It is your school, and you all know quite well the kind of school you want it to be. It only remains for you to have the courage to make this possible. Bonne chance!
Yours sincerely,
J. H. CORNER.