Lambrook Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2019

Lambrookian 

ISSUE 2 

THE 

In this issue: 

Lambrook - A Year of Highlights 

W.O. Bentley at Lambrook 

The First Girl at Lambrook 

The Origin of the Lambrook Houses

Contents 

4 A Year of Highlights 

6 Sport at Lambrook 

8 Henley Rowing Champion 

9 Sustainability at Lambrook 

10 Music and Performing Arts 

11 Hayley Canham 

– Old Lambrookian 

12 The First Girl at Lambrook 

13 Life since Lambrook 

14 100 Years of Bentley 

16 The Origins of our Houses 

17 Dr Monty Lyman 

– Old Lambrookian 

18 Lambrook Travel 

19 Global Travel 

20 D-Day and the Lambrook 

Ship Remembered 

21 Alumni Events, Keep in 

Touch and Future Events

Welcome 

Headmaster’s 

It gives me enormous pleasure to welcome you to the second edition 

of the Old Lambrookian Magazine. It barely seems possible that a 

year has passed since our first one, and yet so much has happened 

over this last academic year, for which we are extremely thankful. 

It continues to be a genuine privilege to be 

the Headmaster of such an outstanding 

school: Lambrook really is quite an 

incredible place, and time and time again 

I am blown away by our pupils - their 

courage in taking on 

fresh challenges, their 

confidence, their kindness 

towards those around 

them, their resilience 

when things get tough, 

their empathy for those 

seeking to be understood, 

their fun and laughter 

that resonates around the 

community. 

“ 

We have enjoyed 

reconnecting with Old 

Lambrookians over the 

course of the year. We 

have had two formal 

Alumni events, one in November and 

one in July, and we have had plenty 

of other visits from former pupils in 

between. It was fantastic to meet some 

Old Lambrookians who were here in the 

1950s and to hear about life at Lambrook 

all those years ago. Most striking was the 

It continues to 

be a genuine 

privilege 

to be the 

Headmaster 

of such an 

outstanding 

school 

way in which these gentlemen rekindled 

friendships after not seeing one another 

for decades! It was equally heartening 

to see how quickly the recent leavers 

and their families slotted back into an 

afternoon of playing 

and watching cricket 

“ 

The Lambrookian - Issue 2 

and, of course, enjoying 

an award-winning 

Lambrook Match Tea. 

As we draw towards 

our 160th Year, I 

would like to take the 

opportunity to invite 

you and your families 

back to Lambrook for 

the various planned 

events, occasions and 

celebrations. You have 

made Lambrook what 

it is to date, and we are 

keen to celebrate all things Lambrook and 

this momentous milestone with you. 

Jonathan Perry, Headmaster 

3


LAMBROOK IN 2019 

A Year of Hig 

Speech Day 

The Lambrook 

Partnership 

As a school, we have found it 

immensely rewarding to partner 

with both local schools and the local 

community, sharing our resources 

and expertise. This year, we have 

enjoyed partnership days with local 

schools with a focus on Maths, 

STEAM, Geography and Sport. 

We were delighted to welcome 

Lydia Greenway, former England 

Cricket Captain and now Sports 

Commentator, as our Guest of 

Honor. Lydia has already been 

involved in coaching our Senior 

Girls this year and gave wise advice 

to all about making the most of 

every opportunity on offer. 

“ 

Muddy Stilettos 

Our new Queen’s Building 

“ 

Parents love the facilities, the 

ridiculous choice of clubs and 

after-school options and the 

head gets a good report. Their 

children are happy, enjoy school 

life and are well prepared for 

life after Lambrook. There’s a 

lot to love. 

Our Year 8s continued our success of 100% pass rate for Common Entrance exams and now go on to some of the top Senior 

Schools in the country. 

4

LAMBROOK IN 2019 


hlights 

Charity 

This year, we have raised over £30K for 

Thames Valley Adventure Playground, as 

well as raising funds for: Macmillan, Hope 

Valley School in South Africa, Children 

in Need, Restless Development, Purple, 

Epilepsy Society, Save the Children, 

NSPCC and the Marble Project. 

Some of our children enjoyed the 

opportunity to take part in a canoeing 

expedition in Sweden this summer. 

Before departing on their trip, they each 

raised enough money to provide the 

same experience for another group of 

children who struggle in mainstream 

education and who will truly benefit from 

such an opportunity, led by the Teenage 

Wilderness Trust. 

Our Headmaster also took on his own 

fundraising challenge this summer, joining 

with 20 other Prep School Heads for a 

Dawn to Dusk Challenge – Kayaking 5 

miles, cycling 50 miles and running 12 

miles, raising funds for the children’s 

mental health charity, Place2Be. 

Art and Design & Technology Exhibition 

The exhibition was entitled ‘We want to live in a world with/that has’ and guests had the opportunity to view a diverse range 

of works from our Lambrook pupils - from Nursery through to Year 8. Guests viewed painted and sculpted creations, collage 

and mixed media, prints and design and technology pieces from throughout the year, all spread across several exhibition 

spaces in our newly opened Queen’s Building. 

5


A YEAR OF SPORT 

Sport at Lambrook 

2018-2019 

Our Lambrook pupils have continued to excel in Sport this year. 

Sports currently played at the School include: Rugby, Football, 

Netball, Hockey, Cricket, Athletics, Tennis, Squash, Swimming, 

Golf, Polo, Fencing, Judo, Trampolining and Basketball. 

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: 

l Our U11A Girls reached three national finals in Hockey, 

Netball and Football 

l Our U11B Boys’ Hockey winning all their games, scoring 46 

goals and only conceding 4 over the whole season. 

The fourth Lambrook School First XI Cricket tour proved yet again, to be 

a tremendous success. They had fabulous weather which allowed for a full 

sightseeing and cricketing programme. One particular highlight of the trip was a 

visit to Lambrook’s partner school – Hope Valley to meet staff and pupils and to 

learn more about the school and the impact of their fundraising over the past year. 

6

Old Lambrookian Sporting Achievement 

Susannah 

CARR 

After playing every sport possible 

on offer at Lambrook; Hockey, 

Netball, Rounders, Tennis, 

Swimming, Athletics, Touch 

Rugby, (and even playing for 

the boys’ team for Cricket and 

Basketball), sport mad Susannah 

gave Australian Rules Football a go 

during a visit to Australia. 

The rest is history and now 

Susannah plays for South East 

London Giants and recently 

represented England in the 

EuroCup held in Stockholm. 

Susannah’s highlights at Lambrook 

were definitely sport, boarding and 

the Westfield Fête (now Lamfest). 

“ 

“ 

Representing my County 

in a sport was always a 

childhood dream which I 

never thought I’d achieve, 

so to play for Great 

Britain, aged 27, has been 

amazing. 

A YEAR OF SPORT 


CHAMPIONS! 

Former Lambrook pupils Monty Franks, Luke Burke and Liam Thurlow represented 

Wellington College and became Champions in the National U15s Rugby Final. 

7


Nathan 

Swidler 

Henley Rowing Champion talks of 

his recent win at the Henley Regatta 

8 

What was it like to win at Henley? 

It was a feeling of pure ecstasy that I’ve 

never experienced before. I was completely 

elated. To win at Henley is something that 

every rower dreams of achieving, and in 

essence, the culmination of five years' work 

into one race. And so to win that race 

with eight of your best mates who have 

sacrificed everything for you, who have 

worked just as hard as you, who want it 

just as much as you do - words do not do 

justice to the feeling. 

What was the training like? 

Training is the dirty work of rowing, but it 

is essential. Rowing is one of those sports 

where the more you train, and the harder 

you train, the more successful you tend to 

be. With no proper races in the winter, 

in addition to the grimy weather, your 

mental toughness is tested to the limits. 

But there are two quotations that I feel 

encapsulate this idea quite well: “trophies 

are won in the winter, and simply collected 

in summer”, “the greater the difficulty, the 

more glory surmounting it”. Without the 

training there would be no success, and as 

much as it was painful every time, doing it 

with an amazing group of guys takes away 

the short term sting, whilst victory takes it 

away in the long term. 

How did you get into Rowing? 

My housemaster at Eton was a huge fan 

and always encouraged it, and the raw 

physicality was an element of Rowing that 

gripped me right from the outset. I had 

never done it before, and often found 

trying something new hugely rewarding. In 

the Lent term of year 10, I found myself 

cycling to the lake, and despite initial failure 

to get into a team at aIl(!), I worked hard 

over Easter to get myself into the top boat 

- and I’ve loved it ever since. 

What have been your highlights so far? 

A year after I started, we won the national 

championship, and that was my first real 

taste of success in the sport. Getting into 

the top boat in the school the following 

year was a true honour, and to win a 

national championship that year and the 

year after was a victory at the highest level. 

Of course the win at Henley trumps all of 

these. All these wins, however, have one 

thing in common: we were the underdogs 

every single time. And it makes these 

highlights that much more memorable. 

What are the challenges? 

Two immediately come to mind: sacrifice 

and repetition. When you commit to 

Rowing, you commit to a sport that 

requires 6 days a week to train, often 

for. 3+ hours a day, in addition to taking 

up most of your holidays. Hence to find 

motivation behind your sacrifice is vital in 

order to keep making those sacrifices day 

in, day out. With the repetition aspect, 

I mean to say that there is very little 

variation. Doing the same thing over and 

over again takes a long time to get used to, 

and doing it for long periods of time was 

a huge challenge for me in the beginning, 

especially because I hadn’t tasted victory 

yet. 

Were you involved with sport at 

Lambrook? 

I was a keen swimmer at Lambrook, 

was captain in my final year (when we 

used that tiny pool), and won the IAPS 

breaststroke championship in Year 6. 

Biathlons (Swimming and Running) were 

therefore a logical jump to make, and I was 

also fortunate enough to win a few national 

competitions in those. I dabbled in the 

mainstream sports and was lucky enough 

to have played in the 1st XV Rugby team 

in my final two years, as well as being the 

goalkeeper of the 1st XI Football team in 

Year 8. 

What were the highlights of your time 

at Lambrook? 

Accolades weren’t really the highlight of it 

all. For me, it was more about the smaller 

things and getting out of my comfort zone, 

such as doing some drama in 'Grease' 

and 'Lord of the Flies', or the excitement 

of competing in House Athletics and 

Swimming. I’ll never forget the Iceland 

trip in Year 8, the History tests with Mr 

Carr, as well as the many, many delightful 

conversations I had with my Year 8 tutor 

Mr Romanes. Mrs Williams’ brownies, 

that she brought in from time to time, are 

something that I will always remember, too! 

How has school been since Lambrook? 

School has been busy, but incredibly 

enjoyable. The opportunities to follow 

your passion or find a new one are vast, 

and Eton has really enabled me to grow, 

not only intellectually but also as a person. 

I’ve met so many different people from so 

many different backgrounds, and it has truly 

broadened my horizons in terms of world 

perspectives. But my time at Eton has run its 

course, and while I will certainly miss it, I’m 

ready to move on to the next stages in life. 

What are you going on to do next? 

I am taking a gap year, spending most of it 

in Israel, interning at various startups whilst 

also studying Hebrew. I am then going to 

University in the US at Harvard, beginning 

in the Michaelmas term of 2020. 

Will you continue to row? 

I hope so! Apart from its fitness benefits of 

course, Rowing is a great way to network, 

especially at Harvard. The connections you 

form with the people on your team last a 

lifetime, so it is definitely something I plan 

to continue doing. And, aside from the fact, 

I do really enjoy the hard work that goes 

into Rowing, victory from Henley has also 

given me plenty of motivation to keep up 

the sport.


Sustainability 

at Lambrook 

The Lambrook Orchard has been a part of Lambrook’s estate for 

many years and, most recently, was home to two donkeys who lived 

at the school for over 40 years. 

Since the departure of the donkeys, we 

have been able to develop this Orchard 

and not only plant further apple trees, 

but also use the area to foster our bee 

keeping, environment initiatives and our 

new ‘Farming Activity’. 

The aim of this weekly Activity slot is to 

give pupils a taste for outdoor sustainable 

living, equip them with the practical skills 

that they will need, and give them an 

understanding of the farming industry. 

They have already built raised beds from 

scratch, ready to grow vegetables, and 

have been busy building areas for both 

chickens and pigs to live in. Our chickens 

are now laying eggs which our boarders 

are collecting for breakfast each morning. 

Surrounding the Orchard is Lambrook’s 

new 250 tree woodland which was 

planted earlier this academic year by 

Lambrook pupils, in association with the 

Woodland Trust and as a part of the BSA 

Boarding Orchard. 

Since our Eco-Team was established in 

January, its members have been busily 

making changes around the school, 

identifying areas for further change and 

hoping that their enthusiasm for all things 

‘green’ will rub off on those around them. 

We currently have three colonies of Bees at Lambrook and 

our pupils are learning lots about the importance of looking 

after and protecting them. 

9


2019 

Musicand 

Performing Arts 

Performances at Lambrook this year have included: a Big Dance Show, 

Music Concerts, House Competitions, a Performing Arts Day for Year 

3, Rock Bottom, A Night at the West End, a Play in 2 Days and a Year 

8 production of Little Shop of Horrors. 

Our Senior Choir has taken part in 

services at Eton College, Chapel Royal 

Hampton Court Palace and Ascot Priory. 

We are delighted to have a new Dance Studio situated within our Diamond Jubilee Centre 

(Performing Arts Centre). 

10

OLD LAMBROOKIAN 


From the 

West End 

to Spotify 

Hayley 

Canham 

Musician Hayley Canham started writing songs at Lambrook from the 

age of 11 and even wrote one for the Goodhart House Ensemble. 

Now, Hayley writes songs under the name 

‘Cannibal’ and performs regularly at gigs and 

music festivals, most recently at the Henley 

Festival this summer. The six singles that 

Hayley has released have been played on 

BBC Radio and are available to listen to on 

Spotify (search for ‘Cannibal’). 

And it’s not just musical talent – whilst at 

Lambrook, Hayley played Matilda in the West 

End in London and managed to squeeze in 

as many Lambrook productions as possible! 

Since then, Hayley has gone on to act at the 

National Theatre and on Sky Atlantic, as well 

as getting to the quarter finals of the Voice 

Kids on ITV in 2017. Now currently in the 

middle of applying for Classics at University, 

she has written and composed a musical 

based on the Greek play Medea by Euripides, 

which was performed at Wellington College 

on the 26th and 27th of September this year. 

How did you get into music? 

I started writing songs at Lambrook from 

the age of 11 and even wrote one for the 

Goodhart House Ensemble...but we didn’t win! 

Tell us what you are up to music-wise 

now? 

I write songs which I release under the 

name ‘Cannibal’ and have been performing 

regularly at gigs and music festivals - the most 

recent being Henley Festival in the summer. 

Were you involved with music at 


I started learning the violin from an early age 

and took singing lessons as soon as I could. 

I also got involved with as many musical 

theatre productions as possible since I loved 

performing so much! 

Where did you go after Lambrook and 

how have you been able to be involved 

in music there? 

I went to Wellington College and have been 

heavily involved in Music and Drama both 

inside and outside the school. I have been a 

part of the Acapella group, choir, orchestra 

and songwriters’ club alongside the various 

musical and drama productions. 

What have been your highlights so far? 

After playing Matilda at the age of 9 on the 

West End while at Lambrook, I have since 

gone on to act at the National Theatre and 

on Sky Atlantic. I got to the quarter finals 

of the Voice Kids on ITV in 2017 and have 

released 6 singles, all of which have been 

played on BBC Radio! You can listen to 

them on Spotify under Cannibal. 

What are the challenges? 

Juggling my school work and exams with 

all the music and drama commitments 

that I have, but I seem to enjoy stressing 

myself out! 

What were the highlights of your time 

at Lambrook? 

I had some memorable musical roles but 

everything was topped by receiving the 

‘Sports Effort’ prize in Year 8, however 

dubious it might have been!! 

What do you hope to go on to do in 

the future? 

I have written and composed a musical 

based on the Greek play Medea, by 

Euripides, which was performed at 

Wellington College on the 26th 

and 27th of September this year. 

I’m currently in the midst of 

applying for Classics at university 

but I also hope to continue my 

careers in both music and drama. 

11



The First Girl at Lambrook 

Alison Browne, daughter of a former Lambrook Headmaster and 

the first female pupil at the school, shares with us her experiences: 

The contemporary thinking suggested 

that the academic education offered 

by boys’ (boarding) prep schools was 

considerably better than that offered 

by the girls’ schools. The teaching staff 

(aka ‘Masters’) were all men; one or two 

had been overheard to express some 

genuine concern about “having a girl in 

the school”. But her savvy and far-sighted 

mother (Isla) ensured her daughter 

was up to speed with some basic Latin 

grammar declensions and Maths times 

tables before starting school there, so 

relevant staff were won over within the 

first week or two. 

What was it like being the 

only girl? 

In lessons, there was always plenty to 

think about – with staff (all secretly 

given nicknames) who were prepared to 

challenge and develop our thinking, and 

if we were lucky, to pursue a red herring 

when an adroit question had been posed. 

In class, I was on an equal footing with 

the boys, also doing PT and gym with 

them. 

Things divided at games time; for the 

boys it was cricket, football and ‘rugger’ 

(rugby), with weekly scouts, gardening 

– plus golf or the rifle range for some! 

Meanwhile, I had a pony to be groomed 

or exercised (and I must have bored 

them silly on the subject) and joined a 

Brownie pack for some feminine input! 

During the big freeze of 1963, I skated 

with the boys on the local pond; when an 

ice hockey match was arranged against a 

local school, their Headmaster was asked 

if they would mind Lambrook fielding 

their secret weapon – a girl. So I made it 

into the Lambrook ice hockey team! 

What subjects did you 

learn, and did you ever feel 

the subjects were too ‘boyfocused’? 

As intrigued as the rest of the class, I 

copied down the recipe for gunpowder 

and noted the naval tactics employed to 

ensure the English success in the Battle 

of Trafalgar, whilst in another lesson 

we were tackling the long multiplication 

of money in a pre-decimalised world. 

I wasn’t the only one to find the Punic 

Wars in Latin interminable and learned 

lines of English poetry with the rest of 

them. French conversation was doable, 

ditto the creative writing (just one prep – 

an essay on a ‘spy ring’ – fazed this girl!). 

What did you do in your 

free time? 

I had the option to hang out in the 

classroom, over the years growing closer 

to the smaller group I went up the school 

with (but always the whole group, as 

I was mortified if anyone suggested 

I had one particular friend – acute 

embarrassment!). Learning to sword 

fight with a 12” (30 cm) ruler stood 

me in good stead when I took fencing 

lessons for real later on. But the best fun 

was preparing the room for pranks on 

All Fools Day, designing random pulleys 

for something to drop as the door 

opened, placing improbable items in the 

desk drawer or ensuring the chalk was 

unusable. 

Did you enjoy your time at 


I thoroughly enjoyed my time at 

Lambrook; it was a world of more 

limited choices and yet for me 

tremendous amounts of freedom. I 

accessed every part of the school, knew 

every tree in the grounds, the teaching 

staff and their families; all the catering 

and support staff and I knew a great deal 

more about the behind-scenes than any 

of the boys. And my family were close 

by. Above all, it was my home. What’s 

not to like?! 

But I was always the Headmaster’s 

Daughter; seeing both sides and a foot in 

each camp. One heard many things that 

it would not do to pass on and I quickly 

learned to keep my mouth shut – and 

leave it that way! 

Looking back, what did you 

learn from this experience? 

Was this ‘experiment’ successful? Others 

must judge and I’d be interested to know 

what criteria they might choose. Walking 

into one of the top girls’ schools with the 

top scholarship was undoubtedly a credit 

to Lambrook’s academic teaching. Coeducation 

is a subject that will continue 

to be regularly debated, but I would 

hazard a potentially controversial guess 

that single-sex education may, in some 

form, rear its head again within the next 

100 years. 

The years at Lambrook gave me a deep 

understanding that people are people – 

and the commonality between boys and 

girls is vastly greater than any differences. 

An abiding gift from those Lambrook 

years has been an ability to make real 

friends with men throughout my life. 

The extended article can be viewed 

at: www.lambrookschool.co.uk/ 

The-First-Girl-at-Lambrook/ 

12

OLD LAMBROOKIAN The Lambrookian - Issue 2 

Life since Lambrook 

Rachael Condon (left 2005) was at Lambrook when girls were first introduced over 

20 years ago. Rachael now lives in London and works for Nestlé in their marketing team. 

What have you done since 

leaving Lambrook? 

I went to Haileybury senior school where, 

outside of academic work, I was keen 

on Acting and Athletics. At school I was 

into the creative subjects and did my A 

levels in English, History and Philosophy. I 

then went to Durham University to study 

Psychology. After graduating I was offered 

a job at Nestlé in the sales 

team and have now moved to 

marketing, still within Nestlé. 

What does your job 

involve now? 

I am a senior brand manager 

at Nestlé. As senior brand 

manager, I oversee all aspects 

of marketing for my brands, 

including campaigns such as 

TV and digital adverts. I work 

with retailers, including Tesco, 

Boots and Amazon, to make 

sure we have an optimal 

product suitable for that 

market. I oversee any new 

product development, testing 

out flavours, formats, looking at 

trends within my category and 

seeing where our next product 

should be. 

Do you enjoy your 

work? 

I love my job. I love working 

with brands that people use 

and enjoy every day. It is 

fulfilling working on a product 

from concept to then seeing 

the product in store and how 

consumers interact and enjoy it. It’s always 

challenging dealing with tight deadlines 

and the need to act fast. The world is 

changing so quickly, with the evolution 

of technology and start-ups beginning 

to steal a share from bigger companies. 

There is always, therefore, the challenge 

of being first to market and providing a 

product that is loved in such a saturated 

sector, but facing these challenges keeps 

the job interesting. 

Did you have a happy time 

at Lambrook and what were 

your highlights? 

I had an amazing time at Lambrook but 

also regret not realising how great a 

school it was until I left!! We had a very 

close girls' group and we would board 

every Thursday or Friday night. It felt like 

a big sleepover with your best friends. 

It definitely helped set me up for full 

time boarding when I went to my senior 

boarding school at 13. 

What did you enjoy at 

Lambrook? Sport, music 

etc? Are you still into these 

things now? 

I loved Drama and was in a number of 

plays, with my highlight being playing the 

witch in Sleeping Beauty. I still remember 

making a few of the lower school children 

tear up (I used to think it was because of 

my great acting skills at being scary, but 

looking at it, it was probably credit to the 

costume instead!) 

I was a very keen runner and at 

the time there were not many 

girls in the school, so I was in 

the men’s cross country team. 

I remember an away day racing 

an all-boys school and running 

past a boy who said ‘I can’t be 

beaten by a girl’. It is safe to say 

my feminist, competitive side 

faced that challenge! 

Were there any 

teachers that really 

inspired you? 

Mr Romanes definitely shaped 

my future studies, teaching 

me different techniques which 

helped me throughout my 

student years when revising 

for exams. I still remember a 

French song he taught us to 

help us learn the grammar. 

Mr Liddell really pushed me 

and helped me understand 

Maths much better. 

How did Lambrook 

shape you in what 

you went on to do? 

All the extra-curricular activities 

at school, especially drama, definitely gave 

me the confidence required in all aspects 

of my working life, whether presenting to 

our Senior Leadership Team or making 

key strategic decisions. 

13


100 Years of Bentley 

– the Bentley brothers at Lambrook 

One hundred years ago, two Old Lambrookians were instrumental 

in establishing a firm which swiftly became renowned world-wide 

for excellence in engineering and for the highest achievements in 

competitive motor sport. 

There were only sixty boys in residence, all 

full boarders, but W.O. was never 

gregarious in temperament and remained 

rather aloof – a shy, quiet child who 

preferred independence. He had no 

special friends, nor any particular enemies, 

but did fight back against bullies and 

became a champion of the underdog. 

W.O. had seen his first cricket match at 

Lord’s during the summer before joining 

Lambrook, and from then on it became his 

passion. The fixture was between the 

M.C.C. and Yorkshire which, given the 

Bentley family heritage, was naturally the 

Today, their brand is still recognised for its 

elegance of design and remains 

synonymous with luxury. Furthermore, it 

continues to bear the family name of its 

distinguished founding brothers: Horace 

Millner Bentley and Walter Owen Bentley. 

The centenary of Bentley Motors Limited 

was celebrated this summer on 

Wednesday10th July, the company having 

been born in 1919 out of an earlier 

enterprise, Bentley and Bentley, which the 

two siblings had started in early 1912. 

These two Past Pupils, usually known more 

simply as H.M. and W.O., were the 

youngest of six brothers, all of whom 

attended Lambrook at the end of the 19th 

century. With three sisters in the family 

too, the Bentleys were a large household, 

originally of Yorkshire descent, and their 

home was in London near Regent’s Park. 

Born on 16th September 1888, Walter (as 

his parents always called him) was ten years 

old when he boarded the train to join 

Horace, three years his senior and already 

in his final year at Lambrook. Incidentally, 

1898 also saw another significant arrival in 

the form of Orchard House, built that year 

as a hostel for the masters. 

1934 - Drawing of the thatched Cricket Pavilion 

14

100 YEARS OF BENTLEY 


Given the pleasure that W.O. derived from 

perfecting photographic techniques with 

complex gadgets, as well as from cycling on 

the quite advanced machines of the day, 

perhaps it is little surprise that Physics and 

Chemistry were the subjects that he 

enjoyed most. By his own account, though, 

he was a slow learner whose logical mind 

needed to understand each step of a 

process before moving on to the next. 

1901: Whole School Photo 

county to which he swore his undying 

allegiance. 

At Lambrook, games of Cricket were 

played on four days every week during the 

summer and W.O.’s prowess developed 

from his first season. Nets were also 

available and the coaching was clearly 

effective – by the age of twelve he was 

already opening the batting for the 1st XI, 

scoring 79 not out against Park House 

School in Reading. 

Perhaps surprisingly, given this achievement, 

Sport never really came naturally to W.O. 

and he knew that he had to work hard in 

1902: Whole School Photo 

order to succeed. Nevertheless, he was 

fully prepared to dedicate the necessary 

effort and duly reaped the rewards, not 

only in Cricket but also in Fives – winning 

the Singles Cup during his final year. 

If there was one home pursuit which W.O. 

really missed at school, it was Cycling. As a 

nine-year-old he had saved enough pocket 

money to buy a second-hand bicycle of his 

own (with a contribution from his mother) 

but pupils at Lambrook only went out for 

matches and organised walks. On Sundays 

they also marched to church at St Mary’s 

Winkfield, wearing top hats, and once a 

year to the horse races at Ascot. 

Claiming that his academic standard was 

too poor, W.O. felt that he did not deserve 

the award of a place at Clifton College in 

1902 and that luck had been on his side. 

All five of his elder brothers had 

transferred there previously, and he may 

well have had the influence of E. D. 

Mansfield to thank too – the Lambrook 

Headmaster had originally held a post at 

Clifton before moving to Winkfield Row in 

1883. 

Already nicknamed ‘the Bun’ on account of 

his shape and black-coloured eyes, W.O. 

arrived at the College to find H.M. well 

established as second-in-command at Tait’s, 

the house of choice for every Bentley 

brother. The Clifton career followed a very 

similar trajectory to that of his former life 

at Lambrook, including an early 

introduction to informal boxing, following a 

familial piece of advice from his elder 

sibling. 

Fives remained a favourite activity but it 

was Cricket, of all the sports, at which 

W.O. continued to excel. He was selected 

for the house team in his second year and 

during the 1905 summer season he 

opened the batting, just as he had done at 

Lambrook, scoring the second highest total 

of runs – ‘a very consistent batsman, who 

watches the ball well’. 

Since childhood, one of W.O.’s obsessions 

had been the railways with their steam 

engines and so, duly honouring his loyalty 

to Yorkshire, it was to Doncaster that he 

travelled in the autumn of 1905 – fulfilling 

his dreams by becoming an apprentice 

engineer at the Great Northern Railway 

locomotive works. 

An extended version of the article 

can be found here: 

https://www.lambrookschool.co. 

uk/w-o-bentley-at-lambrook/ 

Author: John Kimbell, 

School Archivist 

15


The Origins of 

Houses 

our 

ALEXANDER, ATHLONE, DEWAR AND GOODHART 

This year, for the first time in Lambrook history, each Pre Prep pupil 

has been assigned to one of our four Lambrook houses. 

John Kimbell 

– School Archivist 

Whilst the House system may only have 

been adopted by the Pre Prep this 

summer, it was first introduced to 

Lambrook by Haileybury Junior School at 

the time of their merger in 1997 and, ever 

since then, our Prep School pupils have 

been kept busy with internal house 

tournaments and competitions in Sport, 

Music and many other activities. 

Our four Houses (Alexander, Athlone, 

Dewar, and Goodhart) are named after 

the major four philanthropists who 

contributed towards the early stage 

development of the School, and we have 

retained this tradition since our separation 

from Haileybury back in 2009. 

Alexander 

This house was named in honour of Mr P. 

A. Alexander, an aeronaut (a friend of the 

Wright brothers), scientist and 

philanthropist, who lived locally and 

presented a building in the U.S.C. St Mark’s 

days, as well as donating much-needed 

funds on 12th December 1915, which 

henceforth became known as ‘Alexander 

Day’. 

Athlone 

The Earl of Athlone was the Chairman of 

Governors, as well as being a benefactor – 

assisting in the establishment of the ‘Kipling 

Scholarship Endowment’ for overseas 

pupils, amongst other initiatives. Born as 

His Serene Highness Prince Alexander 

of Teck, he relinquished his German titles 

and was created Earl of Athlone in 1917, 

becoming Governor-General of South 

Africa in 1924 and then of Canada in 1940. 

Dewar 

Mr J. A. Dewar, was the son of the original 

Scotch whisky brand’s creator, John Dewar, 

Sr, and controlled the company together 

with his brother Tommy. In 1934 he 

donated a significant amount of money to 

the Junior School, enabling an entirely new 

wing to be added to the existing building, 

and at other times considerable alterations 

were also made to Clewer Manor, owing 

to his generosity. 

Goodhart 

Mr F. E. McCormick-Goodhart, was not 

only a Governor of the I.S.C. but also one 

of its greatest benefactors, coming to the 

rescue through substantial gifts of land and 

monetary munificence. Following his death 

in 1924 the ‘Goodhart Gates’ (see above) 

were put up in his memory at the main 

entrance to the College. Over time, the 

house name was shortened to 

McGoodhart, and finally Goodhart, as it 

remains to this day. 

In 1935, the much respected Headmaster 

Mr E.G.A. Beckwith died, a Royal Charter 

having been granted to the college four 

years earlier and his son having become 

Headmaster of the Junior School only the 

year before. The Second World War took 

its inevitable toll on schools around the 

country and in 1942, not exempt from 

these ravages, the I.S.C. combined with 

Haileybury – the senior boys finding a new 

home in Hertford, from where Mr Price 

had left to found the U.S.C. in 1874! 

The Junior School also officially 

amalgamated with Haileybury in 1942, 

becoming the Haileybury and ISC Junior 

School, but remained at Clewer Manor 

under its Headmaster, affectionately 

known as ‘Becky’. In 1966, the ISC name 

was dropped from the title, becoming 

simply Haileybury Junior School, and in 

1997 Lambrook Haileybury was born, the 

latest merger having taken place and the 

school being relocated once more – this 

time to Winkfield Row. 

If Haileybury Junior School was responsible 

for transferring its four Houses to 

Winkfield Row just before the new 

millennium, their origin in Windsor dates 

from the first half of the last century and in 

fact, even further back in time, to the 

1840s. 

The extended article can be found 

at: www.lambrookschool.co.uk/ 

the-origins-of-our-school-houses/ 

16



The 

Remarkable 

Life 

of the 

Skin 

Image: www.thetimes.co.uk 

Old Lambrookian Dr Monty Lyman (left Lambrook 2006) is a 

Junior Doctor in Acute General Medicine at Oxford University 

Hospitals and has recently written the book The Remarkable Life of 

the Skin. In his book, Dr Lyman guides his readers through the 

complexities of a human’s largest organ, giving insight into questions 

such as, why do we blush? Why can’t we tickle ourselves? What is a 

‘safe’ amount of sun exposure?’ 

The book has been read in Radio 4’s Book of the Week and is also a Sunday Times ‘Must 

Read’. It has been shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize. 

After leaving Lambrook, Dr Lyman went to Eton and then studied at the Universities of 

Oxford, Birmingham and Imperial College London. Below is an extract from The Remarkable 

Life of Skin: 

The fan had broken in my clinic. Not being allowed to remove my ill-fitting white coat in the heat of a Tanzanian hospital, 

it was the worst-case scenario for a cold-loving Brit on his first day in Africa. The small room was empty, save for a cork 

noticeboard smattered with drug charts and HIV education leaflets. Sitting with me was Albert, a local doctor who was my 

teacher and translator. At the opposite end of the desk was Dani. Head bowed, eyes fixed on his shoes, he was my final 

patient of the day. He had the same stature and facial features of most young Tanzanian men, but it was clear that he was 

an albino. His white skin had a delicate, almost translucent appearance and his head was crowned with straw-coloured 

hair. Albinism is caused by genetic mutations, and Tanzania has the highest incidence of this condition in the world. The 

mutations disable the production of the skin’s black pigment, melanin. Lacking this protective wall paint, each albino is 

consigned to a life of perpetual sun avoidance and recurrent skin cancer. I reached for my dermatoscope and scanned Dani’s 

snow-white skin for signs of cancer. If I found anything, I could either blast away at it with liquid nitrogen or refer him for 

surgery. Dani responded to my questions about his previous cancers with diminishing interest, and as the consultation went 

on it became apparent that the physical aspect of Dani’s disease was the least of his worries. 

As his story slowly unravelled, I discovered that although the sun was a torment to him, it 

came a distant second to a fear of his fellow man. 

Dani had been rescued from his village as a child after his uncle had tried to kidnap and kill 

him. Since then he had spent his life in an isolated, high-walled school built to protect 

albino children from their own people. Now leaving the relative safety of the school, he felt 

little prepared for an utterly hostile world. Albinos in Tanzania have long been referred to 

as zeru (‘ghosts’ in Swahili) or nguruwe (‘pigs’), but the scale of the murder and maiming of 

these people is relatively new. The greed of witch doctors and the poverty of the rural 

population have contributed to a belief that the body parts of albinos bring good fortune, 

wealth and political power. The crushed limbs of albino children are said to cure any 

ailment and demand the highest price. When a full set of albino body parts can fetch up to 

$100,000, it is easy to see why witch doctors are not short of recruits with murderous 

intent. Skin is not simply physical, but it is also a deeply psychological and social substance. 

17


Lambrook Travel 

Lambrook has been able to offer trips for all year groups, and 

over the past year has taken pupils to various destinations, 

including Sweden, France, Italy, Iceland, Somerset, South Africa 

and the Isle of Wight. 

They have also had the opportunity to experience day trips to some places even 

closer to home such as Bath, Windsor Castle, Winchester Science Museum and West 

Wittering Beach. 

Each excursion has equipped pupils with multiple transferable skills and has provided 

valuable teaching opportunities to teach pupils about the world in which they live. 

18



Global 

Travel 

“ 

“ 

My time working at Lambrook 

was one of the happiest years of 

my life thus far 

Byrna Martin was a Gappie at Lambrook in 2012. Born 

in Zimbabwe, and raised and schooled in Botswana and 

South Africa, Byrna has always had a passion for travel. 

One of the highlights of Byrna’s time at Lambrook was travelling with 

the Lambrook Cricket Team on their South African Tour. As well as 

being able to witness Lambrook pupils play South African schools and 

observe the pupils embracing the culture change, the most significant 

part was Lambrook’s visit to Hope Valley School, just outside of 

Durban. 

“The respect they showed for others and how they upheld Lambrook’s 

name and represented it with such poise was mind blowing. I still 

go and watch them play when they come here. I am so proud of 

Lambrook and the opportunity they offer their children.” 

Now involved in the marketing side of the company, African Pathfinder, 

Byrna is passionate about encouraging parents, pupils, teachers and 

Old Lambrookians to embrace adventure and to head to Africa! 

“The likes of the magnificent Singita and beyond, North Island, The 

White Desert in Antarctica... It’s a tough job showing off such stunning 

places, but someone has to do it!” 

19


75 

D-Day and the Lambrook Ship Remembered – John Kimbell, School Archivist 

YEARS ON 

As international events took place this year to mark the 75th anniversary 

of D-Day, Operation Overlord and the start of the Battle of Normandy, 

Lambrook joined the commemorations by recalling its eponymous ship, 

which carried supplies across the Channel for the troops who landed in 

France as part of the allied invasion on 6th June 1944. 

The M.V. Lambrook, a steel Motor Vessel 

of 10,200 tons, was built in 1942 by the 

Burntisland Shipbuilding Company on the 

Firth of Forth, Scotland, and named by Mr 

J. Gibson Graham, a Director, whose son 

Johnny Graham attended Lambrook at 

the time. 

Registered in London and first owned 

by the Austin Friars Steamship Co. / 

Galbraith, Pembroke & Co., the ship was 

fully ready by the early autumn of 1942 to 

carry cargo across the high seas, and was 

immediately earmarked for Government 

Service. She was deployed for the 

offensive into North Africa, 

and went out with one of the 

first convoys carrying tanks and 

ammunition in support of the 

landing troops. For the greater 

part of the first half of 1943, the 

vessel continually plied between 

the United Kingdom and North 

Africa with these supplies. 

When the invasion of Sicily 

took place later that year, the 

M.V. Lambrook was scheduled 

to take part in that operation 

and was again in the vanguard, 

not only with supplies but with 

considerable numbers of troops. 

Despite many near misses from 

aerial torpedoes and other 

hostile action, she remained 

unscathed and continued the good work, 

being one of the first vessels to arrive 

off the Salerno Beachhead in September 

1943. On this occasion, a landing craft 

alongside her was blown up and, as a 

result of Captain McInnes’ bravery, he 

was awarded the O.B.E. The citation read: 

‘Captain H. F. McInnes. For good services 

in M.V. Lambrook, when the ship was 

attacked by the enemy on a number of 

occasions.’ 

The vessel was subsequently detailed to 

carry cargo for General Montgomery’s 

forces, which were at that time advancing 

along the east coast of Italy, but was 

unfortunate enough to run into an 

enemy mine which did considerable 

damage. Nevertheless, she was quickly 

repaired and returned to Britain for a 

complete overhaul in time to head for 

the Normandy beaches on D-Day as part 

of Operation Overlord, continuing to 

transport supplies to northern France for 

a further six months during the ensuing 

Battle of Normandy. 

Several Old Lambrookians, including 

Vice-Admiral P. W. B. Brooking, C.B., 

D.S.O., came into contact with the M.V. 

Lambrook during the war and Lieutenant- 

Commander D. R. G. Goldsmith’s 

destroyer escorted her in convoy on a 

number of occasions. 

From the day of the M.V. Lambrook‘s 

launch, the school was proud to share its 

name with its adopted ship. Gifts were 

despatched to the Captain, officers and 

crew, including knitted garments kindly 

made up by the Winkfield Section of the 

Women’s British Legion, and supplies of 

literature such as books or newspapers 

were forwarded from Old Lambrookians 

and other friends of the School. 

Interesting letters, as well as souvenirs, 

passed regularly to and fro between the 

crew and the school. 

Having survived the hostilities, and in 

as good a condition as ever, the vessel 

carried out more peaceful duties in the 

service of commercial trade, but this in no 

way lessened the school’s interest in her 

activities. 

In 1951, when Galbraith, 

Pembroke & Company 

withdrew from ship owning to 

become ship brokers instead, 

the M.V. Lambrook was sold 

to the South American Saint 

Line, re-registered in Newport, 

and re-named the St Merriel. In 

1963 the vessel was bought by 

the Agelef Companía Naviera 

in Panama, where she was 

re-registered as the Proodos, 

only to be sold on in 1965 to 

a different Panamanian firm, 

and to acquire yet another new 

name - this time, the Elpis. 

Tragedy finally struck the 

following year on 26th June 

1966 when she was abandoned ablaze at 

sea following a diesel engine room fire. 

The ship had been en route from India 

(Mormugao) to Japan, carrying a cargo 

of iron ore, and was eventually towed to 

Sveti Kajo (Split, Croatia) on 10th January 

1968 for breaking up by Brodospas. 

Her framed portrait can now be found in 

the Lambrook School Office. 

20

LAMBROOK EVENTS 


Alumni Events 

This year, we have hosted two 

main Alumni events and a few 

smaller ones in between. 

In January, we welcomed back Old 

Lambrookians spanning many decades 

who enjoyed catching up with old friends 

as well as seeing how much things had 

changed on the Lambrook site since their 

school days. 

In July, we hosted our cricket event for 

recent leavers and enjoyed two cricket 

matches and a Lambrook match tea 

in glorious summer sunshine. We also 

marked the departure of Warren Miller, 

outgoing Master in Charge of Cricket 

and Head of Boarding, who has moved 

to teach at an International School in 

Malaysia. 

Looking Ahead 

2020 sees the 160th Anniversary since Lambrook’s founding. 

We are planning many events throughout the year and would be 

delighted to welcome Old Lambrookians back to Lambrook. 

Keeping in Touch 

We would love to keep in touch with 

former pupils of Lambrook and their 

families. Being part of the Lambrook 

Community is a fantastic way to hear 

about Lambrook’s news and events, as well 

as to re-connect with old friends. 

Open Day 

Saturday 2nd May 2020 

Future Alumni Events 

We are currently in the process of 

confirming our future Alumni events, but 

if you have registered with us, we will 

contact you with further details. 

Event information will also be advertised 

on the Alumni page of our website: 

www.lambrookschool.co.uk/Alumni 

News 

We would love to hear from you and to 

find out what you have been doing since 

leaving Lambrook. Please do email us with 

any news, stories or photographs. 

Register with us 

If you would like to receive updates and 

event invitations from us, please complete 

the form within the link below: 

www.lambrookschool.co.uk/Alumni-Registration 

Contact us 

A: Lambrook Alumni Office, Winkfield 

Row, Nr Ascot, Berkshire, RG42 6LU 

E: alumni@lambrookschool.co.uk 

T: 01344 882717 

21

Lambrook School 

Winkfield Row, 

Nr Ascot, Berkshire 

RG42 6LU 

Tel: +44 (0) 1344 882717 

Email : alumni@lambrookschool.co.uk 

www.lambrookschool.co.uk

Lambrook Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?