SGSOBA Magazine July 2017

SUDBURY GRAMMAR SCHOOL OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION
,
Old Boys Lunch
Dates
Friday Sept 22nd 2017
Sudbury AFC Ground
Brundon Lane
Sudbury COIO 7HN
1200noon for 1245 lunch
Guest Speaker will be Dr Peter Cooper who will speak
on 'The Humphrys Revisited'
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Copy and comments are always welcome
Copy for the Jan 2018 issue should be sent to the Editor.
If you prefer, send the copy electronically to
robinfarbridgel 5@gmail.com
Deadline is Dec 20th 2017 but this is somewhat elastic.!
The opinions expressed in the letters and articles in this
magazine are those of the writers. who are-responsible
for the accuracy of the information contained within
them.
Secretary:
J A Geddes
7 The Chase
Foxearth
Essex
C0107LD
Tel 01787 374632
johngeddes242@gmail.com
Registrar:
J H Turkentine
23 7 Barnard Road
Galleywood
Chelmsford, Essex
CM28RU
Tel 01245 475263
john.turkentine@gmail.com
SGS Old Boys Association Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting held on 17 March 2017 at AFC Sudbury. As
our Chairman Mr J olrn Geddes was still recuperating and not fit enough to
attend, Mr Tim Underwood welcomed the 28 members present and stated
that he would be chairing the meeting.
I Apologies for absence: Jolrn Geddes, Duncan McLellan, Ray Hammond,
Brian Beaumont, David Goldsmith, Michael Baker, David Brampton, Herny
Ruse, James Stannard, Robin Farbridge.
2 Deaths of Members. The following Old Boys were remembered: Tim Angelbeck
1933-41, RE Chamberlain 1931-39, PW Fletcher 1935-40, B D
Leech 1947-52, Eric Charles Jennings 1945-50, JC Tricker 1951-58, Lionel
D Bell 1928-34, Fred W Pawsey 1930-35, 0 TS Panton 1941-46, MA Nutton
1961-69, Brian Palfreyman 1945-51 Jolrn Pawsey 1948-50, Herny Riches
1955-60.
Lionel Bell was our oldest Old Boy and was over 99 years old when he died
in May this year. Fred Pawsey who died in September, was 97 years old.
Both had been at the 2008 Sausage Supper (a photo was given in the January
2009 magazine) together with three other Old Boys; all had reached 90 at
that time. Tributes /obituaries for Bell and Pawsey give later.
On behalf of the Association, a letter of condolence has been sent to Tim Angelbeck's
daughter Kate in Texas and to his son Nigel in Italy.
Since the AGM, we have been advised of the death in February this year, of a
former master of the School, Eric Britten.
3 Minutes; Copies of the Minutes of the AGM held 181h March 2016 were
distributed to members and were unanimously agreed to be an accurate re-
1

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cord of that meeting.
4 Matters arising from the last meeting: The plaque presented by Neville
Tribe co=emorating the school has been installed in St Peters Church.
Background information on the meaning of the plaque, in the form of a brief
history of SGS and some of its famous Old Boys (such as Sir George Humphrey)
would be produced and the OBA will then have a co=emorative
gathering at the church.
5 Chairman's report: There had been two committee meetings. Ormiston
Academy, the BBC in association with Falklands veteran Simon Weston, had
been making a progrannne on Great War casualties, using 'March On In
Firm Endeavour' and Free Press Reports. The progrannne was screened on
Saturday 181h March 2017 at 7.30 on BBC2.
6 Secretary's Report: Legal problems with the McLellan Wheeler Trust have
been overcome and the assets are now invested for income. The Trust Chairman
has died and the trustees will be electing a new one. The SGS OBA
committee has· donated £300 toward costs of a study trip to Pompeii and
Naples by Ormiston Sixth Formers. Representatives of the OBA attended the
Memorial Service for Fred Pawsey and for Lionel Bell.
7 Treasurer's Report: Tom Welsh distributed copies of the audited accounts
to 31 December 2016. Although receipts were slightly down so were payments,
due to fewer luncheon attendees and a lower insurance premium. The
excess of £93 had increased the cash in bank at the year end to £4692. The
Association subsidised the May visit to Bury Records Office by £42.00 The
Independent Examiner Paul Garrard had only charged for the cost of printing
the accounts. The Treasurer thanked the Registrar for pursuing outstanding
subscriptions and recruiting new members. The cash at the bank this morning
was £5734.29. Michael Laflin proposed that the accounts be approved, which
was carried unanimously. There was no need to increase subscriptions. The
meeting Chairman thanked Tom Welsh for his work as Treasurer.
8 Registrar's report; He welcomed two new members, Jervase Jordan and
Ian Harris to the meeting. There were now 114 members ( 148 last year). He
followed up lapsed members and hoped members would encourage form
mates to join. He had the facility to record our meetings although unfortunately,
today's recording failed; he had recordings of previous luncheon
speakers which he could make available to members. The Registrar is now
able to pay in subscription cheques through his local post office hence avoiding
a trip into central Chelmsford to Lloyds Bank. He encouraged payment
through BACS. He had the equipment to make Oral History recordings and
was happy to build an archive of SGS Old Boys recordings. Colin Garwood
thanked John all his hard work as Registrar.
9 Archivist's report: The archive is gradually being dispersed; unnamed photographs
are being passed to the Sudbury Ephemera Society. The Suffolk
Regiment Museum is not interested in the Cadet Flag. When the Association
folds, the Sudbury Museum could take all the material. In the meantime a
certain amount of material is being kept for display at AGMs and luncheons.
From the floor it was suggested that Facebook could be used to show material.
The Registrar had created a F acebook page; he will look into how it
could be administered.
10 The Editors report: Old Boys were thanked for several interesting contributions.
The January issue showed a rare car and members were invited to
guess the make. To date very little copy has been received for the July magazine
yet in our collective memories there must be a wealth of stories on hobbies
and careers.
11 The Social Secretary's report: There was a successful luncheon at the
Granary last September with a talk by Sue Tibbitts of the Sudbury Ephemera
Society. The Luncheon this year will be at AFC Sudbury on September 22nd;
Dr. Peter Cooper will speak on the Humphrey Family
12 Additional Activities: Over 20 Old Boys have signed up for a visit to Long
Melford on May 9th 201 7 [see page 6] \
13 Elections and Appointments. A summary of the constitution regarding
elections and appointments was read. John Geddes has advised that he will
be happy to continue as chairman subject to a recovery in his health. There
were no additional nominations for any of the positions and the following
were approved by the meeting. Chairman John Geddes, Secretary Vacant;
minutes by Colin Garwood, Treasurer Tom Welsh, Registrar John Turkentine,
Archivist Tim Underwood, Editor Robin Farbridge, Social Secretary
Michael Wheeler, Committee Ian Brewster, Colin Garwood (minutes), David
Webb, Independent Examiner Paul Garrard.
14 Any Other Business: Tom Welsh had received an Award from the Norwegian
Government for his service in liberating Norway from the Nazis.
A member had attended the funeral of former teacher Eric Britten. Mrs Britten
was still alive; the committee will discuss how to locate any survivingstaff.
Jervase Jordan would be happy to be involved in an SGS OBA Facebook.
Charlie Barber had found that some of his classmates were deceased but
wondered if they had been co=emorated by the Association, i.e. Percy
Fletcher, Francis Lincoln.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 1.15 pm.
2
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11
Phillpotts meets Lord; Canada 2016
Early sn=er of 2016 saw myself and my wife Anne putting together an
itinerary for the Vancouver Island part of our forthcoming holiday to Western
Canada. The first part had been taken care of by the Travel Agent - starting
with the Rockies Tour, Banff, the Icefields Parkway, including a walk on
a glacier, the Rocky Mountaineer train from Jasper to Vancouver and Vancouver
itself.
Before a final cruise up the coast to Alaska and back, we wanted to spend a
week on Vancouver Island. The first part was actually spent relaxing at the
northern end of the Island in a hotel overlooking the sea, and being entertained
among other things by wild black bears peering in the hotel restaurant
window and their general presence on the hotel campus. The rest of the time
was intended to be used in continuing Anne's family history research into the
members of her mother's family who had emigrated to Canada in the 1920s
from the South West of Scotland.
The planning stage of this part of the itinerary was leading us to the town of
Duncan, but a lack of a decent map and responses to emails to local information
centres meant that it was not possible to assemble the final pieces of the
jigsaw. That is until I realised that a certain gentleman from Sudbury Grammar
School going under the name of Peter Lord, had emigrated to Western
Canada in the late 1960s/early 1970s with his wife Heather and according to
the SGS Old Boys Directory was actually resident on Vancouver Island in
Duncan! Although Peter left the School in the sn=er of 1958 and I started
in September of the same year, I had known him and his family as fellow
residents of Stoke-by-Nayland. I had also played cricket with his father and
later Peter and his brothers for the
local cricket team, Tendring Park.
I fired off an email and oh boy did I
hit the jackpot!! Nothing was too
much trouble for Peter particularly as
family Iii.story research was a passion
of his. When we finally met up, not
only had he located the smallholding
where Anne's folks had lived, but he
had been in touch with the current
--..... occupiers to arrange for us to make a
visit; additionally he had also located
4
in a local cemetery the graves of the older members of the family.
A few days in the company of Peter and Heather quickly showed why they
had uprooted themselves to this part of the world with its very laid back lifestyle
and pace of life to go with it; the type of property they have called
'home' over the years demonstrates quite clearly this way oflife. The current
home, situated on a quiet lake with its own ospreys and eagles, was designed
by them on a single level with its own basement ('crawl space' to Canadians)
which Peter is turning into his own play area and workshop. The large integral
garage has room enough for the two cars, Peter's boat and two produce
freezers. The surrounding garden is being cultivated primarily for vegetables
although his allotment is being kept on, which all goes to show that you can
take the farmer out of Suffolk but not the farmer out of the boy; the boat is
used for regular fishing trips to keep stocked the other freezer.
The water and the sea have played a big part in their lives on Vancouver Island
both from the location of their homes and from a recreational point of
view. A Saturday afternoon spent with Peter watching a group of First Nation
people fishing from a bridge for salmon on a tidal river was something to
behold. In the group were two young lads with fishing spears in one hand and
mobile phones in the other; trying to spear fish, and surfing the internet at the
same time is quite a feat! Suffice it to say that>whilst we were with them
nothing was caught, although they came close on a couple of occasions. To
cap it all, whilst this was going on, the rest of the local First Nation Co=unity
were performing a ritual in an adjacent barn like hall to the accompaniment
of their rhythmic tom-tom drums - what a surreal experience!!
One final mention must relate to Peter's passion for cricket. There is a thriving
cricket club in the locality at nearby Cowichan in which Peter has over
the years played a keen role, and which is now being well looked after by his
friend Howard Martin who also hails from the UK. The pavilion, needless to
say, is full of cricketing memorabilia with Suffolk well represented and about
people I actually knew!
On return home the family history research goes on with contact being made
with one part of the Duncan family, which has established itself on the
mainland in one of the satellite towns of Vancouver. It is clear that another
trip to Canada is on the cards in the not too distant future to pursue this new
link and with it hopefully further time to be spent on Vancouver Island with
Peter and Heather.
Roger Phillpotts (SGS 1958-1965)
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11 ,
Long Melford Visit on May 9th
The party of 30 Old Boys were welcomed to the Old School, Long
Melford by Chairman John Geddes, who explained that the speaker on
the history of Long Melford was unable to be present due to illness,
but he had been able to prevail on Ashley Cooper to step in at the last
moment. Ashley said he hoped that he could do justice to the History
of Long Melford as he had put the talk together at short notice during a
busy time on the farm. He had been delayed at the dentist that morning
which had not helped in his preparation for the presentation.
He started by showing a slide of an underwater scene where the village
was the bed of the ocean in prehistory. The skeletons of the swimming
creatures depicted would form the chalk found in the area.
Using a watercolour artist's impressions of various historical periods,
he took us through successive eras, Bronze Age, Roman, Saxon, Tudor,
etc. A map of the Roman road from Gestingthorpe through Long
Melford showed that contrary to their usual practice of building
straight roads, the Roman engineers had veered to one side, which
Ashley explained was to cross the river once, instead of the three times
that the winding river course would have dictated. He asked if anyone
knew the name of the local river, and was somewhat disappointed to
hear the Chad; no one fell into trap of assuming the village was named
after the ford over the Mel. Mel was a corruption of mill; the village
name denoted the ford near the mill.
Other correct answers to questions were rewarded with cards of some
of the water colour slides. Famous Melford visitors mentioned included
The Peasants' Revolt, Queen Elizabeth I, Will Kemp, Daniel
Defoe and Charles Dickens.
Richard Kemp, Parish, District and County Councillor, then spoke
about the village at present. He apologised if his talk became political,
but he was describing the situation as he saw it, as an Independent unrestrained
by party policies. There had been a decline in employment
in the village but an increase in the demand for housing. Councils
faced tough decisions on planning, sometimes approving schemes
knowing that developers could afford to make legal challenges that
would be exorbitantly expensive for the council to defend. Developments
in Bull Lane would add to traffic chaos, the exit into Hall Street
was extremely restricted, and that onto the A134 had already seen serious
accidents. Most new houses were priced beyond the means oflocal
people.
In a series of personal anecdotes, he described how in respect of Long
Melford the machinery of Council worked and in some cases did not
work. An example quoted was the 50 local potholes which were dealt
with by the arrival oflorries, traffic lights, and workmen in hi-viz jackets,
who only repaired two holes before packing up. The remaining 48
were still being analysed by the assessor.
On a positive note, he was associated with a local charity which would
be building a number of dwellings in High Street specifically for local
people. It was evident from the passion with which he spoke that Richard
cared deeply for the village and the local people.
Old Boys at lunch in the Bull.
With apologies to Charlie Barber
Jot t11e partial introduction of a
postage stamp like object into the
photo. Likely cause; technical ineptitude.
The party then adjourned to the Bull where lunch was enjoyed and we
were able catch up with classmates. All agreed we had heard two excellent
talks. On a personal note Richard Kemp admitted to being descended
from a Garwood of Stanstead, who had lived at Cut Throat
Farm.
(reported by Colin Garwood)
Ownership Change for Local Press
Old Boys who read the local press may soon notice changes in layout and. content. Owners
Johnson Press, in January 2016, identified a number of newspaper brands and publishing assets
that it did not consider to be strategic priorities, particularly those that (i) fall outside its
selected geographic markets; (ii) did not match its audience profile; or (iii) did not offer the
levels of digital growth sought by the Group! In December 2016, it was announced that Johnston
Publishing East Anglia Limited had been sold to Iliffe Media Limited for £17.0 million; 13
publishing titles and associated websites in East Anglia and East Midlands have been disposed
of, including the Bury Free Press, the Haverhill Echo and the Suffolk Free Press. Do we, Old
Boys, now fail to match this 'audience profile'?
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Frederick William Pawsey [SGS 1930-35]
Old Boy Fred Pawsey lived an adventurous and interesting life. He won the
Victor Ludorum at SGS, flew both Hurricanes and Spitfires in World War 2
and later had a long and successful career in education.
Fred was born in Alpheton Suffolk, attended Alpheton primary school and in
1930, age 10, passed a scholarship to attend Sudbury Grammar School, cycling
fifteen miles each day. He passed the Cambridge School Certificate in
1935 and won the school Victor Ludorum
After encouragement from Headmaster Gillingham, he entered No 1 School
of Technical Training at Halton in 1936. On completion of his aircraft engineering
studies, he was posted to 56 Squadron at North Weald in 1939 and
then to 328 Squadron and later 109 Squadron.
Following his 1941 promotion to sergeant, he was selected for training as a
pilot in Georgia, USA uoder the Arnold Scheme. He graduated and then
spent 6 months at the Advanced Flying School at Napier Field Flying School,
Alabama (flying Harvards) where he qualified as an above average pilot and
was presented with the Silver Wings badge of the USAF. On return to the
UK, he converted to Hurricanes and Spitfires and was posted to 253 Squadron
in the Mediterranean. He flew many types of operations including convoy
and bomber escort sorties, attacking strategic targets and axis trains and
road transport as well as supporting the partisans in Yugoslavia, Greece and
Albania. Awarded the DFC in 1944.
Fred left the RAF in September 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant and returned to
Alpheton and worked initially for his father, a fruit farmer. Then in 1948, he
trained as a teacher and in 1949, started his 30 year career at Hedingham Secondary
School. In 1957 he took temporary charge ofRidgewell C ofE aide(,!
school, returning to Hedingham school later that year; he became Headteacher
at Hedingham between 1972 and 1975. In 1972 he moved to Cavendish
and in 1980, retired from full time teaching.
He took part in many activities in the co=uoity, including parish couocil
chairman, magistrate, local historian and chairman of primary school governors.
He was also secretary of Hedingham parochial church couocil, lectured
to Chelmsford and Canterbury diocesan summer school, was lay-chairman of
the deanery synod, a youth centre teacher and was secretary to Halstead and
District NUT amongst other things. He gave many talks to associations in
Suffolk Norfolk and Essex and was author of three books.
Fred Pawsey died September 2016 aged 96, and was remembered at a
Thanksgiving Service at Cavendish Church
8
Lionel Douglas Bell [SGS 1928-34]
Lionel Bell was born on 22 Juoe 1917, the son of G H Bell, a painter and
decorator from Long Melford. He won a scholarship from Melford Juoior
School to Sudbury Gra=ar School where he became a prefect and passed
the Cambridge School Certificate in 1933. On his school record card, his
later occupation was noted as engineering which suggests that on leaving
school, he became apprenticed to an electronics/engineering company and
later joined Post Office Telephones.
Lionel had a long record to service
to Sudbury masonry and in
2012, a special presentation was
made to him, to mark 68 years in
masonry and 60 years in reaching
the Chair. Lionel followed his
father into Stour Valley Lodge,
was \iajtiated in 1943, and became
WMin 1951.
Lionel frequently wrote for the
Old Boys magazine, on subjects such as the early days of the School playing
field (he mentions stone picking to prepare the field for seeding), recollections
about school friends, some perspectives on age (with Tony Wheeler)
and a knowledgeable article on WW2 Liberator bombers over Melford (the
July 2012 Magazine)
Lionel attended a memorable Sausage Supper in 2008 together with 4 other
Old Boys [Dick Colson (SGS 1928-32), Bob Jackson (SGS 1930-32), Harold
Cooper (1928-32) & Fred Pawsey (SGS 1929-35)]. All had reached 90 years
and had attended SGS in School Lane during the late 1920s and early 1930s
and had stayed in contact ever since, a friendship spanning an incredible
eight decades.
Lionel Bell died on 19 May 2016. At his funeral, held in Juoe, a tribute to
Lionel was given by the Worshipful Brother J W Y eldham of the Stour Valley
Masonic Lodge; two members of the OBA committee also attended the
funeral.
9

North Street School, 1955
Our President, Duncan McLellan, has sent this charming photograph
of pupils ofNorth Streer Junior School in July 1955.
It shows the cast of "A Gipsy Tale" as performed by the top (oldest)
class in the school.
In the September of that year, 9 of the boys would have started at SGS.
They were:
EN J (Tim) Angelbeck [SGS 1933-41]
Tim Angelbeck was the son of E J Angelbeck, geography master and latterly,
acting Headmaster of SGS. Tim was educated at Cambridge and then followed
a career in the agricultural advisory services.
His son Nigel recalls how his parents met; In 1946, Tim was a student at
Cambridge he suffered from impacted wisdom teeth. He went into Bury St
Edmunds hospital to have them removed, came round from the anaesthetic
and was promptly sick over the nurse. That was how he met my mother! Despite
this messy start a friendship grew and eventually my father took my
mother punting on the river Cam at Cambridge where he proposed to her.
My father managed to get the pole stuck in the river bed but he hung on and
slowly keeled over into the water while my mother sailed serenely on down
the river. He managed to recover the pole and swim after the punt and clamber
wetly back on board. All ended well and they had 67 years together.
'
Michael Croft, Peter Elmer
David Goldsmith, JOnathan Lowshak
Robert Loades, Duncan McLellan,
Peter Postle, John Turner,
Raymond Wacey
Duncan asks:' But where are they now? Only 2 or 3 are in the Association!'
10
Tim's son Nigel also recalls a visit to SGS: In about 1960, Tim and his son
Nigel were shown around S.G.S. by Ted Angelbeck who was still teaching
there. He remembered lots of dark echoey corridors. They went into the gym
and his grandfather Ted got the ropes out and the three of them had a go at
climbing them. In no time grandfather Ted was swinging about at the top,
Tim was half way up and Nigel was just off the floor!
Tim was a jovial and popular President of the Sudbury Grammar School Old
Boys Association and much enjoyed his biennial visits from Worcestershire
to Sudbury for Association activities. He steered us through several memorable
Sausage Suppers, often deploying warm and vivid memories of his old
school which were much enjoyed by Old Boys! He even wrote an explanation
of the confusing informal names given to his father ('Angus equals Angelbeck'
SGS Magazine January 2011)
Many of us will have fond memories of an occasion when President Tim,
doubtless rushed after the journey from Evesham, started the Old Boys meeting
using the minutes of the Evesham National Farmers Union. Soon
prompted to read from the more relevant paper work, Tim in good humour,
resumed his duties amid some laughter.
Tim resigned as President in 2012.
He died on 7 feb 2017 being pre-deceased by his wife who died in 2014.
11

Grammar Schools & selection; an endless debate?
Some School History 1856-1909
'
In 1972, West Suffolk adopted a fully comprehensive non-selective system and SGS
was no more. There were 1298 Grammar schools in England and Wales in 1964 and
now over 160 remain, mainly in SE England. No new ones have been established
since 1998 when a Labour Government (under the School Standards and Framework
Act 1998) made their creation illegal.
The arguments for and against grammars and selection, and their function of furthering
social mobility, have continued ever since. For example; 'selection inevitably
gets best results' [yet in 1959, when the Editor was at SGS, 40% of grammar school
pupils failed to get 3 0-levels. So selection didn't benefit everybody], or 'grammars
are engines of social mobility, the benefits of a grammar education accrue to all
classes' [Currently, 3% of grammar school pupils are eligible for free school meals
whereas the England average is 17.5%. It appears that middle class children benefit
most from grammar schools.]
The numbers of students attending Grammars are now increasing and currently, over
5% of children in England and Wales are educated in grammars. In 2012, the Conservative/Lib
Dem coalition government, made it easier for all schools (including
grammars) to grow on their existing sites without consulting their local authority.
Further, grammars were given the right to expand onto different sites if they could
show that the new buildings constituted an "annex, extension or satellite 11
of their
existing operation. hnplementation of this change led to some creative expansion.
An all-girls grammar in Tonbridge, Kent was given permission in October 2015 to
build an annex ten miles away in Sevenoaks; to get approval, the school had to show
that it would run a single school across two sites with common staff and timetable;
some of the Sevenoaks annex pupils will spend some time at the Tonbridge site once
a week. Other schools were considering this cunning strategy when chaotic UK politics
intervened. Following the 2016 Brexit referendum, and PM Cameron's resignation,
his replaceruent Mrs May, announced a policy U-turn which would overturn the
ban on new or expanded Grammar Schools. These new selective schools would recruit
pupils at ages 14 & 16 as well as 11 and would have to accept some children
from lower income households. In May 2017 the Conservative government duly unveiled
plans for this new generation of grammar schools and planned to fund up to
140 new free schools. A particular objective was to offset the existing situation in
which a different sort of 'selection' exists, that based on house prices and parental
income; the children of the well-off can choose a better school for their children by
moving to a different area or paying to go private.
After a bad election result and Brexit indigestion, the Conservative government has
been forced to shelve these plans. The debate continues, perhaps forever or until the
next government!
[In my opinion, the sensible option is the all-ability non-selective school in which
streaming, generally by subject rather than year age, is the normal and educationally
efficient practice. Editor]
)
)
)
)
Aspects of the history of SGS in the period from 1857-58 and 1888 was
given in articles by J G Webb and T H Underwood, published in 2006 and
2007. [see references below]. These articles prompted a review of minutes of
meetings of the trustees and governors of SGS which cover the period from
1856 until 1909 [SGS Minutes of Proceedings EE501/19/1]. They give interesting
background on the evolution of the school up to 1909 when the West
Suffolk Education Committee (WSCC) took over control of the school.
The Trustees seem to have constantly been worried about school finances;
academic matters are seldom mentioned. The minutes invariably give details
of bills, payments and fees unpaid together with threats that parents must
withdraw boys if these fees remain unpaid; no fee rebate was offered if a boy
was absent through illness. It is possible that the school may have been on a
financial shoestring with few reserves.
Between 1856 and 1857, the Trustees negotii~ted a project with architects and
builders to dismantle the old school house aD.d. to build 'a new school room
and master's house'. A Long Melford builder, Charles Fordham, got the job,
price £2264-10. The works were evidently done on time at the school reopened
on 1st February 1859 and at the opening, it was noted that foundation
boys were accepted; their ages were reported as 7-14 years and the quarterly
charge was £30, excluding books and stationery.
A meeting of the Trustees in 1862 records that a foundation boy, Arthur Hibble
Higgs, joined the school aged 11. The Trustees also resolved that the
boys should wear 'the usual college cap in going to and returning from
school'
In 1897, the Headmaster's salary was about £100, paid in termly instalments;
the Head and an assistant master looked after 4 7 boys, including 12 boarders.
In 1900, the headmaster Mr W G Normandale was reminded by the Trustees
that 'no master of the school be allowed to be absent from his duties for more
that 1 week without co=unicating to the Clerk'; we are not told why the
Head was absent !
In 1901, the grants from Suffolk County Council were discussed and in respect
of science teaching, the sec found that no part of the building was
available for a laboratory. Things moved slowly and in 1905, a letter from
the Board of Education in London stated 'that the school should be provided
12
13

with a laboratory urtder the regulations for secondary schools'. Concurrently,
the school Clerk was asked to write to SCC asking for funds for a new
lab building.
Maybe school finances were never robust because in 1906, the Governors
produced an 'Application for a new Scheme' which proposed 2 options;
'Either the governors lease the school buildings to WSCC at rent, and WSCC
raise a loan to provide for the additional new buildings, or the Governors
raise the loan by mortgage, provide additional buildings, and lease them to
WSCC at increased rent'.
Eventually, in 1907, the Governors agreed to the WSCC proposal, to 'hand
over the school urtconditionally to WSCC subject to the consent of the Charity
Trustees (or Board of Education)'
On 9 July 1909, at a meeting of the 'late governors', accourtts are presented
and reco=ended to WSCC for payment. It was also resolved that the Clerk
'Mr George Lancelot Andrewes 'be authorised to hand over all books and
papers relating to the school to WSCC'.
Financial responsibility for SGS having changed, the minutes end as do presumably,
the functions of the Governors.
RA Farbridge (SGS 1953-60)
Documents;
-Jobn Garnbart Webb; Sudbury Gra=ar School in 1888; SGS OBA Magazine
July 2005; Jobn Garnbart Webb; Continuing the History of Sudbury
Gra=ar School, A New Building 1857-58 SGS OBA Magazine July 2006;
Jobn Garnbart Webb; Continuing the History of Sudbury Grammar School,
The Revival of SGS 1858; SGS OBA Magazine Jan 2007
-Tim Underwood; Extracts from an Order from the Court of Chancery dated
26 july 1858 for The Management and Regulation of the Grammar School at
Sudbury Suffolk and the Application of the Income Thereof SGS OBA
Magazine Jan 2007
-other information from the minutes of meetings of the trustees and governors
of SGS [SGS Minutes of Proceedings EE501/19/J; document held by
the Suffolk Records Office in Bury St Edmunds].
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MARCH ON IN FIRM ENDEAVOUR
To co=emorate the master and two Old Boys who died in the last half of
1917 we are printing more extracts from 'March On In Firm Endeavour',
researched by Old Boy Arthur Potton and published in 2007. Footnotes are
by Colin Garwood
Arras 1917: A Quiet Time on the Front Line
Private Herbert William Crouch
7th Battalion the Suffolk Regiment
1893-11Julyl917 Aged24
Herbert Couch was born in Birmingham, where he attended the grammar
school and then the university, where he gained his bachelor's degree. He
was appointed to teach history, modem languages and geography at Sudbury
Grammar School in April 1914. He enlisted in Sudbury in January 1916 urtder
the Derby scheme, which urged men to register with the condition that
they would only be called upon to serve if needed. After his prompt call up
and training, Couch fourtd himself in the 7th Battalion of the Suffolk Regi-
!71&,/,,w Cjt/-e//ia,n (?~ ment.
Herbert Couch's records have not survived
at the National Archives, so one can only
try to reconstruct the story of his time on
the Western Front. The 7th Suffolks, like
the 4th Battalion in which Edward Hills
served, was at the Battle of Arleux on 28
April 1917, so Couch may well have
fought there. After that fight, the remnants
of his battalion (two weak companies, less
than half of its established strength) went
into reserve. Couch was apparently in hospital,
lightly wourtded, at that time.
II. ,
[letters to his sister Winifred follow; in
II
14
15

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Dear Win, Thursday I 015117
I am getting on quite well and my leg doesn 1 t cause me much inconvenience now. In
fact, it is getting better almost too quickly for my liking.
Your affectionate Brother XXX
Couch's wound gave him little respite from the trenches. He returned to front
line duty soon enough:
Dear Win, Wednesday 2016117
lam writing from the trenches once more, but by the time you get this l shall probably
be out of them again. lam getting on quite well and we are in cushy part (the
Monchy Sector) compared with last time though we are near the same spot. Don 't be
anxious about me. l shall turn up right in the end, you know, like a bad penny.
Much love, Herbert. XXXKU'X
Dear Win, Sunday 117117
Just a line to let you know that I am getting on quite well. We are out on a few days
rest just at present- in a large town (Arras) with several cinemas & Y.Ms etc. l wish l
had the chance you have of sea-bathing, l should just enjoy a dip every morning to
wash off the dirt & lice & elephants off me. Give my love to all- Father, mater, & the
youngsters. I must close now to go on parade.
Much love from your affectionate brother XXXXXX
Herbert Couch wrote no more letters to his sister. He could not; he died of
wounds on 11th July 1917. The war diary of 7th Suffolks does not explain the
circumstances. He was a "daily wastage" casualty:
7 July Relieved the 11th Middlesex Regt in left subsector (of the front line).
8 July Quiet day in front line. Orchard Trench shelled during the afternoon.
9 July Quiet.
I 0 July Quiet on our front.
21 July Relieved by 7th Norfolk Regt. To Monchy defences. Relief complete at 3 am.
He was buried in the British Duisans Cemetery at Etrun.
Footnote: Arthur Potion acknowledged help from Shirley Smith of the Sudbury
Information Centre. On the Sudbury Roll Of Honour she noted that Herbert was exempt
from conscription being the main breadwinner of the family due to his father's
failing health. A family member had said 'On more than one occasion he was sent a
white feather' and 'found the remarks in the street very painful' The Suffolk and
Essex Free Press on 19th July 1916 reported that 'Private H W Couch, of the Suffolks,
who was one of the Masters at Sudbury Grammar School, was wounded in the
head by a shell, which smashed his rifle. Private Couch is in hospital in Edinburgh'.
He must have been wounded again as in the letter quoted above he refers to his leg.
16
The Birmingham Mail of July 25th 1917 reported his death, stating he had been
wounded twice before. At the time of his death he was owed £811/1 in back pay,
which was forwarded to his father, followed later by a gratuity of £6. In his will he
left £106/14/7 to his father.
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The Air War
Major George Bernard Ward MC & Bar
10 Squadron Royal Flying Corps
18August1891-21September1917 Aged26
The years leading up to the outbreak of WWI saw fundamental developments
in technology; the demands of the war itself ensured their rapid expansion
wherever they applied to weaponry. Nowhere is this as true as in air warfare,
in which one of the Sudbury Grammar School men distinguished himself
with gallantry on the Western Front.
George Bernard Ward was the elder son of David Ward, a licensed common
brewer ofFoxearth, and Louisa, his wife. Berµard Ward went up to Malvern
College after attending school in Sudbury. He 'was quick to volunteer for
military service at the beginning of the war, first as a motor transport driver.
However, it was not long before he was commissioned into the North Staffordshire
Regiment. Nor was Ward destined to serve long as an infantry officer.
He gained his Royal Aeronautical Club Certificate as a pilot a week before
his 24th birthday in August 1915 at Hendon (where the RAF Museum
now stands) and so guaranteed himself a different fate.
From the Suffolk and Essex Free Press 1December1915:
The visit of Mr Bernard Ward of Foxearth who flew from Farnborough on Friday
afternoon, created considerable interest in Essex as well as in Foxearth, Sudbury,
Melford, Lyston and adjacent villages.
Aeroplanes have been from time to time passing in the vicinity of the town, but none
have flown over the town as this one did The throb of the engine was as distinct as
that of a motor-cycle a street or so away. He flew low to salute the inhabitants of
Sudbury, no doubt, and they were out in crowds, for they knew who it was.
On Saturday he made several flights over Melford and Sudbury, encircling several
times. A large crowd was in the park, morning and afternoon to see the ascent and
descent, and to inspect the machine at close quarters. Mr Ward took to the air again
on Sunday and manoeuvred the machine over Melford and adjoining parishes, and
left for Hendon in the afternoon with best wishes from his numerous friends.
17

'
With effect from 2 February 1916 Ward was posted to 2 Squadron RFC which was
employed on tactical reconnaissance, artillery spotting and later, bombing duties. In
May he was appointed co=ander of one of the squadron's flights; in October he
was awarded the Military Cross for work in artillery spotting whilst under heavy fire.
After a year's combat flying, he was posted to 10 Squadron RFC as its co=ander in
February 1917; seven months later he was awarded a bar to his MC.
During Ward's time with 10 Squadron, it was gradually re-equipped with Armstrong
Whitworth FK8s and by July or at the latest September 1917 flew nothing else. The
FK8 was a large aircraft, rugged, strong in a dive, which carried a substantial bomb
load and flew at the then considerable speed of 90 mph.
In August 1917 Major Ward and his observer, 2Lt Wilson, flying an FKS, drove an
enemy Albatross fighter down out of control. One might suppose that Ward loved
flying; at any rate he enjoyed a joke on duty, as this extract from a diary shows.
·Jo.1.y1.•r ~~._,,ti'

'
advance to Gaza and eventually Jerusalem. George Mauldon was killed in
action on 6th November 191 7.
The 15 Suffolks' War Diary for that day describes it simply, as follows:
With the support of a section from the Machine Gun Corps, an attack was carried on
very rapidly, the Turks being driven out of all objectives. A considerable number of
prisoners were taken and a battery of guns captured intact. During the day the Turks
tried to counterattack and capture the guns but were driven off by machine gun fire.
From the Suffolk and Essex Free Press 28 November 1917:
All who had the pleasure of his acquaintance will learn with keen regret of the death
of a well-known Sudbury young man. Mr C. E. Mau/don received notification from
the War Office on Thursday morning this week of the death of his brother, Lance­
Corporal G. F. C. Mau/don, who was killed in action on the 6th inst in Palestine. He
enlisted in the Suffolk Yeomanry and saw service in the Dardenelles campaign. He
was the youngest son of the late Alderman C. E. Mau/don and was in his 25th year.
Two other brothers are serving with the colours.
Footnote: In 1911 George was a Farm Pupil to his uucle at Wood Street Fann Ix-
~
~ . _.. ., ·· I' ,. ,..
cc:,? worth. As the fifth son he could not
- " ,,.. -"' ?.J- ,.,.. ,.._, ~ ..
~~ -~ -'~
,,..~
:..•/':;',-,"< , "-~~ • ':'·- -~-• ..1 ':~~:-. have expected to inherit the family
1
· • brewery and had looked to farming
as a career. The 'Olympic' on
which he sailed was the first of
" three sister ships to be built and was
·in service uutil 1935. Her sisters
were the Titantic (sunk by an iceberg
in 1912) and the Britannic
which was sunk by a mine in the
Aegean Sea in 1915, with loss of
only 30 lives, while serving as a
hospital ship. The Essex Newsman
of December 8th 1917 reports that
George had been shot by a sniper.
He left £1871/11/1 He is remem-
·':~ bered on his parents' grave in the
, ~ Sudbury Cemetery, the Sudbury
:.·.. War Memorial and the Ixworth War
~(;. Memorial (pictured)

'
Eric Britten [SGS 1956-1972]
Eric Britten was born in !!minster, Somerset where he attended the local
Grammar School and eventually became Head Boy. He won a
place at Keble College, Oxford in 1941 to read history but only stayed
there for two terms before being called up for war service. Initially he
was selected to be an officer cadet with the Queens Royal Regiment,
but as a result of his breaking a leg at school playing football and the
break not being properly set, he was not classified as Al. He transferred
to the Intelligence Corps and before long found himself posted
to India where he was based at an RAF station intercepting messages
being sent by the Japanese forces.
He returned to Oxford after demobilisation and after graduation studied
at the Institute of Education in Russell Square, London. In 1956 he
applied for a position as a history master at Sudbury Grammar School.
He loved his profession and really enjoyed his time at the Grammar
School; he had very many supportive colleagues and motivated pupils.
In 1972 West Suffolk went comprehensive and Eric was appointed
Head of Sixth Form at the new Upper School. He took retirement in
1981 at the age of 58. He then became a volunteer at the local Citizen's
Advice Bureau until he was 70. Eric died on 21st February 2017 aged
93 after a long illness. (contributed by Mrs Betty Britten)
Below is a tribute from one of Eric's pupils, Michael Younger.
It is a truism, I think, for all teachers, that pupils rarely thank them
enough when they are actually experiencing education or when they
leave school, but I wanted to share with you, even now, the impact that
Eric has had on my education and subsequent career. In teaching history
to me, over a period of 7 years, he opened my eyes to the joy of
history, and gave me a sense of enjoyment, fulfilment and curiosity
about historical events, peoples and heritages which I retain to this
day. I remember him as a man of principle and intellect, the epitome of
an academic school master concerned for the welfare and well-being
of his principles. Never accepting specious or ill-founded opinions, he
demanded evidence, rational argument and coherent theses, and he
taught me the worth of literature, reason and inquisitiveness in academic
discourse. In my subsequent career in teaching and in academia,
I often returned to memories of him and quoted his example to stu-
22
dents here at Cambridge; in my memories, Eric will always remain a
man of quality, of charm, a schoolmaster who demanded rigour but
gave so very much in return.
Michael Younger (SGS 1959-66)
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A Grammar smaller than SGS: Halstead Grammar School for
Girls.
With support from local educationalists, Halstead Grammar School for
Girls opened as a fee paying school in 1909. [A small gra=ar school
for boys had existed in the High Street in Halstead but this was replaced
in 1897 by the Earls Colne Grammar School.]. The school, on
the Colchester Road, was built for £698 and was funded by Halstead
Educational Charities. The school could acco=odate 100 pupils with
5 free places by examination; annual fees in 1924 were £10.00. The
school remained fee paying until the 1944 Education Act when the
school became free to girls who had passed the 11 + examination. In
the early 1960s the school was expanded tb include a science block,
dining room & kitchen, art and domestic science rooms. The girls'
grammar school, one of the smallest in the UK, existed for approximately
66 years. In 1975 it was amalgamated with the Earls Colne
Gra=ar School and Halstead Secondary Modem School to form the
Ramsey School based in new premises in Colne Road in Halstead. The
HGS site eventually became redundant and was sold for development.
The website co=ents that Mrs Rachel Hales, the last Headmistress,
had the unenviable task of overseeing the amalgamation of the school
with Earls Colne Grammar and the Secondary Modem School. The
late SGS Headmaster, Alec Strahan, would have had some sympathy
with this opinion.!
The Association has two aims: To maintain the history and spirit of
Halstead Gra=ar School and to promote co=unication between all
former staff and pupils. The website gives current membership to 88;
the SFP reported that the Association recently held an AGM in May
and they have a lunch annually in September. The website holds a
photoarchive. Robin Farbridge (SGS 1953-60)
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TREASURER'S REPORT
For the year ended 3 J" December 20 J 6
Receipts 20J6 20J5
[£] [£]
Subscriptions and donations 2230 2340
Interest
Buffet I Luncheon tickets 570 735
Donations 20 45
Visits 300 285
3,J20 3,405
Less payments
Cost of Buffet/Luncheon 920 J,276
Postage & telephone 298 245
Printing & stationery 621 521
Hire of Hall etc 255 J95
Awards 350 250
Accountancy fees (printing) 63 60
Donations 50 JOO
surance 115 274
11iscellaneous J3 74
Visits 342 285
',
3,027 3,280
Excess of receipts over payments 93 J25
Balance atbank J"' Jan20J6 4.599 4474
Balance at bank 3 J" Dec 20 J 6 4 692 4 599
Statement of Assets & Liabilities
Monetary Assets
Cash at bank 4,692 4,474
Liabilities
Subscriptions paid in advance 25 JO
(Tom Welsh Treasurer)
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