Last Post

The AGM is over and Chris Darnell (M 1965) has been duly elected as President and the medal handed over. He will be a great President for the school's 150th anniversary and we all wish him well. Meanwhile hearty congratulations are due also to Catherine MacLeod-Smith (Alb & L 1979), who has become the Chairman of the Trustees of the Society, the first woman to hold this office, as she was the first woman President. The President Elect for 2013 is Jane Everard (Alb & L 1976). Joe Davis, the Master, was elected an honorary member of the Society, as was Paul Wilkinson, the Bursar. Both have been great supporters.

This will be the last regular post on the blog now that the Presidency has been handed on. I hope you have enjoyed the miscellany of things. There are some posts which never quite made it, and I still have ideas, but 301 posts (including this one) in sixteen months has been quite busy. Of course the quality has been variable, and sometimes just a picture has had to do. The original idea was to post once a month or so, but I got enthusiastic and it has been much more than that. Sometimes I have had time to post daily, whereas over last summer the rate dropped down to less than once a week for a while.

Readers have come from all the continents except Antarctica, and at the time of writing there have been just under 25,000 page views. The busiest month was February 2011 with 1,645 page views from 1,020 unique visitors. People have stayed on the site too. At any one time according to the tracking software about 15% of my readers stay on the blog for more than 20 minutes, which is a long time for a website.

My family will be pleased that will not be forever taking pictures of Haileybury related things to put up on the blog. I have a set of pictures which did not get used for a series on 'nooks and crannies,' which was rather scorned by a friend who, seeing a photo of the urinal at the back of the pavilion on Lower Pavilion on my phone wondered whether people really want posts on 'places where I urinated when I was a teenager.'

Thank you all for reading. I shall leave the blog on the internet, and you can use the links on the right of the page to read the old posts. I am investigating how to make Haileyburiana available as a book using Print on Demand and will put up a notice if that can be done.

Finally, the Master said in his address to the AGM that in the 150th year he would ask the Director of Music to teach the school the Vivat, which has not, I think been sung at Haileybury for 20 years (the hymn Lift up Your Hearts, having largley taken its place). Here is an attempt at a Sesquicentennial verse:

Now we've been here thrice fifty years

Vivat Haileyburia!

Living out our hopes and fears

Vivat Haileyburia!

Girls have come to join the boys,

In other lands they share our joys,

And still this song our tongue employs

Vivat Haileyburia!

I fear it is not as good as AG Butler's original:

Then close your ranks and lift your song!

Vivat Haileyburia!

That life is short, but love is long;

Vivat Haileyburia!

And all through life, where'er we be

School of our hearts, we'll think of thee

And drink the toast with three times three

Vivat Haileyburia!

Handing Over

The AGM is later this morning and Chris Darnell (M 1965) will take over as President. For the last few years the AGM has included a ceremony, the handing on of the President's medal.

The medal was made by James Thompson (C 1953) when he was President in 2007, the Society's fiftieth year. The obverse of the medal shows the family tree of the alumni societies which came together to form the Haileybury Society.

I have worn the medal a lot as I seldom wear a tie. The Dean of S Paul's gave me permission to wear it during the liturgy for my installation as a Canon of the Cathedral last January.

It has been a huge honour to be the President of the Society and to wear the medal. I wish Chris great blessings in his year.

Man of the Match

What a splendid surprise to be given an envelope yesterday with a note from Nick Courtney (M 1960). Robin Bishop (Staff 1985 -) (General Secretary) passed it, still sealed and with the contents a mystery, to John Palmer (E 1962) (Chairman of the Trustees) with the instruction to shake my hand and offer congratulations. John did so, both he and I mystified. When I opened the envelope there was a note and a medal, announcing that the Haileybury Veterans' Rifle Club have made me Man of the Match for the shooting at Bisley in July.

Thank you Nick - I am not sure I have ever been Man of the Match for anything before, and I am honoured and chuffed. Everyone else shot straighter than I did, but it was great fun to be included. Thanks also to Humphrey Nye (Staff 1961 - 1994) who guided me to Bisley and showed me round.

There are some pictures of the day here, and in the Haileybury Society News 2011, my copy of which arrived today.

Thanksgiving for Rodney

There was a fine Haileybury turn out for the Thanksgiving service for Rodney Galpin (M 1945, President OHS 1987-88) this afternoon. Past Presidents Michael Freegard (BF1947), John Palmer (E 1962)  and Donald McLeod (A 1950) were there, as was Edward Walker-Arnott (B 1952). Jean Ross, Chairman of the Education Committee of Council (and Donald's wife), was also present, as were the General Secretary, Robin Bishop (Staff 1985 - ) and the Assistant General Sceretary, Roger Woodburn (Staff 1978 -). The Rev'd Chris Briggs, (Chaplain 2000-), was with us, together with Paul Wilkinson, the Bursar, Debbie Wright his deputy, and Pauline Cassidy from the Haileybury Society Office. (I hope I have not missed anyone.)

S Peter's Church Knowle 

Edward Walker Arnott and John Palmer both wore the 'town' OH tie which was Rodney's choice. He never, apparently, wore the bright magenta or the Hearts and Wings ties.

It was a fine thanksgiving and the church, of which Rodney had been both churchwarden and treasurer in his time, was packed. The balcony where many of us ended up gave a good view, but while the seats were beautifully designed to kneel to pray, they were a bit cramped for sitting.

Our prayers for Syliva and the family and for all those who mourn Rodney.

Haileybury was mentioned as just one of a great number of Rodney's interests and commitments, but on the back of the service paper were printed the words from The Pilgrim's Progress which are round the dome in Hall:

"My sword I give to him who shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, who will now be my rewarder." So he passed over, and the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

A lovely email from John Homan (ISC E 1941 & K) and Past President (1995 - 1996) who has found the blog. John writes:

I was particularly surprised and pleased when you posted so much about the Imperial Service College. It was well timed to put this on record while still a few of us OISCs are about and able to get nostalgic about 'The Coll'.

    I was at Windsor for just two terms before the two schools amalgamated at Haileybury, so I have little that I can add to your Blog accounts. I will try shortly to put together and post a few personal recollections but for the moment I just want to write that I found the description of the demolition of the school buildings and re-development of the site very sad but enlightening. [That of course is not my work, but from a Windsor Historical Society website -  L] Almost total obliteration, just one building remaining, Camperdown House, and that of no architectural distinction! Visiting the site about ten years ago after a long gap I found it quite unrecognisable and could not even work out where the old buildings had stood. Was it not a shame that, presumably to balance the books in 1942, the whole site had to be sold at its wartime value. That was a small fraction of what could have been achieved if delay had been possible. The sale of the much smaller Clewer Manor site when the Junior School moved to join up with Lambrook showed this and, I believe produced a more substantial, if belated, dowry for the 1942 amalgamation.

   

Indeed the 'dowry' from the amalgamation helped to pay for the building of the new Houses required when the school went co-educational. Lawrence, which recievd the boys from the ISC House of the same name, and Kipling, John's Haileybury House, once Le Bas, but renamed for Rudyard Kipling (USC 1878) remained in their original Haileybury buildings. Melvill and Edmonstone moved to new sites.

Former members of Kipling may like to visit the House Website here. I pinched from it the 1942 - 2011 house photo montage at the top of this post.

Rodney Galpin RIP

Rodney Galpin
President OH Society 1987-88

Rodney Galpin (M 45) has died at the age of 79. He was chairman of Standard Chartered 'the bankers to the Raj,' after having been a senior regulator at the Bank of England. When I was on the General Committee in the early 90s as a representative of recent Haileyburians he was incredibly kind and thoughtful to one who knew nothing about money. Others have said how he thought of them and have spoken of his kindness. He was President of the Society in 1987 - 1988.

In 2007 Rodney commissioned a centenary artwork for the Scout HQ at Gilwell Park in memory of his father, Sir Albert Galpin KCVO.

May he rest in peace.

Film Noir

Christopher Nolan (M 1984) is one of the most successful directors in the modern film industry. He directed the Batman film, The Dark Knight, and more recently Inception. He began filming after Haileybury when he was at University College London. This short film, Doodlebug, is one of the ones he made there. It stars Jeremy Theobald who collaborated on another of Nolan's projects, Following. Nolan has been described as a major exponent of 'Neo Noir' filming.


Whether this represents life in the Melvill Dormitory in the late 1980s I leave to you to decide.

New Guv's Test and Random Recollections

Gerald Wilson (M 1962) sent an email with some more memories of the New Guv's Test, as follows. Note his last paragraph about the memorial service at the National Memorial Arboretum on 7th May. If you can come then do be in touch with the Society. I'll write a note about it maybe tomorrow, but you can follow the tag on the bottom of this post to earlier posts about the NMA.

Gerald writes:

Your blog item on graces struck a chord.  I was asked to say grace for my wife's aunt's 90th birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I decided against the well remembered Latin grace from school and went for the more familiar English translation.  The Haileybury version was somewhat shorter than the one trotted out from memory by Sir Richard at the Foundress' Feast last week.

 

Looking back at the blog items about New Guv Tests I wonder whether beaks are "ticked" any more (a sort of diminutive Hitlergruess!)  Other questions I remember from the New Guvs test were on house colours, heads of houses, housemasters and beak's nicknames.  I remember Hiker (WG) Thompson, Blimp (BG Wennink), "Dick" Richards, "Pussy (EW) Williams, "Dangers" Daltry (pronounced with a hard G), "Bogue" Manning (apparently bogus was a favourite word), "Hanc" Nurden (Latin & Greek beak), Harry Hotplate (Hargreaves, chemistry beak), Herr Mueller (Mr Miller, who may have had a slight speech defect and sounded a bit German), RJ (for Mr Rhodes-James, also occasionally Rhodeo-Joe but not, I was told, in his house Melvill). 

The Boot?

 

Of course there was also the Boot for the Master, which was originally the nickname for Canon Bonhote.  Imogen Thomas's book records this as a corruption of his surname, though it was always said amongst the boys that it related to a predilection for corporal punishment.  The nickname was transferred to his successor Christopher Smith, who I experienced for 12 months.  Though a distant figure I remember him with affection and respect.  He knew the name of every single boy in the school and their parents.  My parents & I had met him once when I sat the scholarship at Haileybury in November 1961.  On entering Quad in September 1962 he instantly  greeted us by name.  When William Stewart became Master in 1963 he was known as "The Boot", though due to his loud voice and custom of addressing any boy within 50 yards (a stark contract to his predecessor's unassuming manner) "The Boot" was often transmuted into "The Boom". 

 

I wonder if you will be attending the Haileybury memorial service at the National Arboretum on 7th May.  I am about to put in a late booking.  I haven't been to the National Arboretum yet, but my first alma mater was St Christopher's School in Alrewas (long since closed, but the buildings were still there when I visited 10-15 years ago) so it seems an appropriate opportunity.

 

How Many Were You Allowed?

Ties that is. In conversation yesterday with Humphrey Nye (staff 61 - 94) we wondered how many ties one could be entitled to. He remembered the genesis of the athletics tie - invented by Rev P Ll Morgan. There still seem to be lots - even in these simpler days.

"Wear it Out"!

Sir Bartle Frere and Henry Melvill are buried in the crypt of S Paul's cathedral where we gathered last evening following the installation.  There were lots of living Haileyburians as well. The Master; the Chaplain, The Rev'd Chris Briggs; the General Secretary, Robin Bishop; the Chairman of Council, Michael Gatenby (K 1958) were there as well as the two of my sons who are so far Haileyburians, my sister Anne (H & Aby 1984).

James Thomson, the Master of the London Charterhouse & Past President (C 1953) is sadly not in the picture but he was there. He was the originator of the President's medal which he presented to the Society in its 50th year. I slipped it on under my robes, but the magenta ribbon was showing and the Dean asked after it. He siad "Wear it out!" meaning on top of the robes so that it could be seen in church which I duly did. The Bishop was similarly indulgent. 

The Master, by the way, must be getting fed up with me. I went to a parents' meeting on Tuesday and saw him there, he kindly came to the installation yesterday, and tonight he was at the General Committee of the Society which I chaired. More about that meeting tomorrow.

The happy event which I hope to be able to report looks as if it may indeed come to pass, but be patient on that one. 

VJ Day

Menu Card for the 1945 OH Dinner at Changi

The sixty fifth anniversary of the end of the war in the Far East us being marked today with what may be the last formal reunions of the so - called "Forgotten Army." Andrew Hambing in his Haileybury in Two World Wars records that William Marley (LeBas 1924) was a liaison officer with General McArthur and was present on the USS Missouri when the surrender was signed. As the POWs began to be able to send news and to return home harrowing stories came to light. There were also some lighter memories. In the midst of the suffering in the notorious Changi Goal Haileyburians from Hertfordshire and from Australia has saved and scraped together rations to hold dinners of the Haileybury Society. Imogen Thomas gives the details in her Haileybury 1806 - 1987. On 21st March 1943 Privates RWL McCall (M 1928), ADA Mosley (he seems not to be in the Haileybury Register) and AS Cassells (Ha 1929), Sgt RH Wade (Ha 1918) had dined on salt fish, rice, bananas and tea. On 18th August 1945 Maj FAH Magee (L 1917) , Capt JC De La Mare (M 1921), Maj J Radford (Tr 1921) and LT Cdr VCF Clark (M 1922) of England, dined with Lt JW Huddlestone and LT WE Smith of Haileybury Australia. Hambling tells us they dined on native beans and dripping. Of these McCall, Wade, Magee, De La Mare, Radford and Clark survived the war. Cassels died at Kuching PoW camp Borneo in July 1945.

Changi by Ronald Searle who was a prisoner there

The Evolution of Dormitories 4

The movement over the last twenty years has been to smaller and smaller dormitories for younger pupils and to bed sits for the more senior. The pattern has been to have a 'dormitory' for Removes and Middles and study bedrooms for Vths and above. When the school became co-educational the new Bartle Frere and Edmonstone were set up in this way. Colvin and Melvill meanwhile were equipped with single rooms throughout. Hailey has a dormitory (the old Upper) but the Lower was divided into rooms for four girls each. This is similar to what was done in Allenby when the conversion was made. That pattern has recently been replicated in Trevelyan and Thomason where the Removes and Middles live and work in rooms of four. (Four is a pastorally good number as it reduces the chances of a two on one division happening in a room.)

Meanwhile the new Lower School boys' accommodation in Highfield is in Dormitories of eight.  The Lower School girls' dormitory is in Alban's and while it has great character it is not as swish as the boys' rooms.

Many of the boys' houses have clever bunks in a "T" shape where the top bunk is at right angles to the bottom one and supported at either end by wardrobes.

Uganda

John Jameson Willis (M 1887.1) was one of five boys who entered Haileybury that term who became clergymen. One was Bernard Attlee (L), brother of the future prime minister. Willis became Bishop of Uganda, where of course the work of the Haileybury Youth Trust goes on today. I have posted about the HYT before, but here is a video they have made of their work.

Bishop Willis, by the way, was heavily involved in a church controversy which saw him accused of heresy. More about that on another occasion, but for now here is the video.

Battle of Britain

A vivid memory of school days is of a warm summer term afternoon playing House Thirds cricket on a rough pitch on the edge of Terrace when a sound familiar from films rent the peaceful afternoon air. The Battle of Britain flight came low over the school, turning overhead and heading off. A little while later they came back and a third time! I suppose there must have been an air show at Stanstead or Duxford and were using Haileybury as a land-mark.

The 10th of July was afterwards arbitrarily chosen by Sir Hugh Dowding as the opening day of what became known as the Battle of Britain, so the seventieth anniversary of that long, hot, desperate Summer is marked now. Duxford was the HQ of 12 Group, commanded by Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory (M 1906), covering the area North of London. Sir Hugh Park's 11 Group covering London and the South East bore the brunt of the Battle, and relations between Leigh-Mallory and Park were soured by the former's advocacy with Douglas Bader of the tactic known as the 'Big Wing', massing fighters in large numbers. The Big Wing seemed to reduce casualties, but Park complained that the formations were often late to arrive and in the wrong place when they did.

Leigh-Mallory won the arguments at the time, but the verdict of history has been less swift to agree with him. Although the centre of a feud with other senior air commanders, Leigh-Mallory was noted for his knowledge of the army and specialism in co-ordinating ground and air forces, a skill which was instrumental in winning him appointment as Air Officer Commanding the Allied Expeditionary Air Force, the most senior air officer for D Day and the Battle of Normandy.

Leigh-Mallory was killed when his plane crashed in late 1944, one of the most senior British officers to be killed in the war.

Meeting in February 1944 of the commanders of the Allied Expeditionary Force, London, February 1944. Front row, left to right: Arthur Tedder (deputy commander), Dwight D. Eisenhower (supreme commander), Bernard Montgomery (Twenty-first Army Group). Back row, left to right: Omar Bradley (U.S. First Army), Bertram Ramsay (Allied Naval Expeditionary Force), Trafford Leigh-Mallory (Allied Expeditionary Air Forces), and Walter Bedell Smith (chief of staff).

Lift up your Hearts

The Harp of the human spirit never yields such sweet music, as when its framework is most shattered, and it strings are most torn. Then it is, when the world pronounces the instrument useless, and man would put it away as incapable or melody, that the finger of God delights in touching it, and draws from it a fine swell of harmony. Come night, come calamity, come affliction. God still says to His people as He said to the Jews, when expecting the irruption of the Assyrian, "ye shall have a song in the night."

Sermons of the Rev'd Henry Melvill 1837
'Songs in the Night'

Lift up your Hearts

From a sermon by Henry Melvill, Principal of the East India College 1844 - 1858 then Canon of S Paul's Cathedral

Shall it be said of any amongst ourselves that they heard of Heaven, but made no effort to behold it? Is there one who can be indifferent to the announcement of its glories, one who can feel utterly careless whether he ever prove for himself, that there has been no deceit, exaggeration, but that it is indeed a surpassingly fair land which is to be everlastingly the home of of those who believe in the Redeemer? Everlastingly the home - for we must not overlook the concluding words of our text, "God will establish it for ever." The walls of that city shall never decay; the lustures of that city shall never grow dim; the melodies of that city shall never be hushed. and it is of a city such as this that any one of us can be indifferent whether or no he be finally an inhabitant? We will not believe it. The old and the young, the rich and the poor, all must bind themselves by a solemn vow, that they will "seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness." It is not the voice of a solitary and weak fellowman which now tells you of Heaven. God is summoning you. Angels are summoning you. We are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." The battlements of the sky seem thronged with those who have fought the good fight of faith. They bend down from their eminence, and bid us ascend, through the one Mediator, to the same lofty dwelling. They shall not call in vain.