The Salopian Summer 2023

TITLE HERE 1 

THE SALOPIAN 

Issue No. 171 - Summer 2023

From the Editor 

CONTENTS 

On page 36 you will find a map of the Site as it was just before 

the School moved up from the town in 1882, a decision as 

controversial at the time as any which have followed, but now 

seen as a necessary and positive step in the ever-unfolding 

story of Shrewsbury School. The map repays close analysis. 

At its heart, then as now, is the euphemistically-named ‘House 

of Industry’, the former Victorian workhouse, a name equally 

suited to its present function. At its extremities are the twin 

temptations of the ever-vibrant Boathouse Inn and the long 

defunct Beehive Inn, the last now only remembered in the 

name of the lane on which it once stood. At the southern 

extremity of the new Site were the Smokers’ trees, the presentday 

location of two trees, one a replacement, and the Senior 

cricket scorebox, so named, not because they provided cover 

for wayward schoolboys, but because that was where the 

Masters, who by convention did not smoke on the Site, could 

retire to enjoy their pipes. To judge from the number of paths 

radiating from it, it was, also, at least until 1882, something of a 

Piccadilly Circus. 

One wonders what the Site looked like when the School 

picked up its bags and moved. 141 years later parts of the 

Site not needed for other purposes are being returned to their 

natural state in a rewilding project spearheaded by the Eco- 

Committee and Biology Departments, whose work you can 

read about on page 27. The image below shows the incipient 

wildflower meadow leading down to the architecturallyunloved 

but perennially-serviceable Kingsland Hall (‘KH’), 

erected in 1969, when I was in the Upper Fifth Form (as it was 

then called), to enable the surprisingly uncontroversial move 

from what was then unceremoniously known as House to 

Central ‘feeding’. 

The trees have long been celebrated as one of the crowning 

glories of the Site, but with the development of a pollinators’ 

garden, new wildflower meadows, the ubiquitous squirrels, 

and recent reports that the Site is becoming a refuge for swifts, 

whose populations are in rapid decline, it is good to see the 

School as a haven for a different kind of wildlife - not just of 

the adolescent human variety. The continued inspiring work of 

the beekeepers, Eco-committee and all those whose efforts are 

focused on, in their own words, ‘sharing our space with nature’ 

is to be congratulated. 

Wildflower meadow leading down to Kingsland Hall 

Front Cover: Pipped to the post 

Inside Front Cover: Podium joy 

(Photos: Dr Richard Case) 

From the Editor 3 

From the Pentagon 4 

Learning in a World of AI 7 

Breaking Cultural Barriers 8 

A Tribute to Huw Peach 9 

School Prizewinners 2023 12 

Scholarships Awarded for 2023 Entry 13 

Leavers’ Address 14 

Queen Elizabeth Hall 15 

Building Bright Futures 16 

I.T. at Shrewsbury 18 

Economics is not just about Money 22 

McEachran Prize 24 

Junior School Essay Prizes 2023 25 

Sharing our Space with Nature 27 

Biology Photo Competition 29 

Academic News 32 

Notes from the Archives and Taylor Library 34 

Notes from the Moser Library 38 

Shrewsbury’s first International School in India 39 

Drama and Dance 40 

The John Weaver Dance Festival 43 

Music 44 

Art 51 

CCF 55 

ShrewMUN VII 55 

Restart Africa 56 

Thursday Afternoon Activities 59 

Volunteering 60 

Scottish Islands Peaks 2023 62 

Football 64 

Rugby 68 

Fives 71 

RSSBC 74 

RSSH 77 

Hockey 79 

Lacrosse 80 

Netball 80 

Simms Trophy 80 

View from the Boundary Crossword 81 

From the Director 82 

Vale Nick Jenkins 83 

News and Events 83 

Silk Roads and Song Cycles 88 

Salopian Drivers’ Club 89 

Old Salopian Freemasons Lodge 90 

News of Old Salopians 90 

100 Years Ago 99 

Old Salopian Hunt 101 

Sabrina 102 

Old Salopian Golfing Society 104 

Old Salopian Squash 106 

Old Salopian Football 107 

Old Salopian Rugby 107 

Publications 108 

Obituaries 110 

Salopian Club Contacts 123 

Salopian Club Forthcoming Events 

Editor 

Richard Hudson 

rth@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Assistant Editor 

Annabel Warburg 

Obituaries Editor 

Dr David Gee 

Salopian Club 

Holly Fitzgerald (Director) 

Salopian Club, The Schools, 

Shrewsbury SY3 7BA 

01743 280891 (Director) 

01743 280892 (Administrator) 

oldsalopian@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Design: Tom Sullivan 

Print: www.buxtonpress.com

4 

SCHOOL NEWS 

From the Pentagon 

Intelligent Change and the Power of Excellence 

“A Shrewsbury School education is 

characterized by its commitment to 

excellence and holistic development. 

It provides a rigorous academic 

curriculum that cultivates intellectual 

curiosity, critical thinking and a love 

for learning. The school emphasizes 

the importance of whole person 

education, fostering values such as 

integrity, courage and kindness. 

With a rich history, vibrant student 

community, and a wide range of 

extracurricular activities, the school 

offers a well-rounded education that 

nurtures character development and 

leadership skills. Shrewsbury School 

prepares children for a world of change 

by fostering adaptability, embracing 

diversity, and instilling a global 

perspective. It equips students with the 

skills, knowledge and confidence to 

navigate an ever-evolving society and 

make positive contributions to the world 

around them.” 

So says me? So says the artificial 

intelligence platform ChatGPT. The 

text above was generated in a matter 

of seconds by a machine. It came in 

response to the following question 

prompt: why might a parent choose 

a Shrewsbury School education to 

prepare their child for a world of 

change? Reading the paragraph above 

- as a parent as well as Headmaster - I 

certainly found the artificially intelligent 

answer pretty compelling. 

As most alert humans will already 

know, ChatGPT is an online Artificial 

Intelligence tool that generates and 

refines text responses to the prompts 

a human chooses to give it. ChatGPT 

has basically eaten the entire contents 

of the internet up to 2021. Using its 

encyclopaedic data, ChatGPT – and 

other similar tools such as Bard and 

Bing (sounding like a provincial 

solicitor but with awe-inspiring reach) 

– these tools willingly and elegantly 

articulate responses to pretty much any 

question you ask them. 

The exponential rise in the potency 

and application of AI makes the 

human head spin. Its ability to produce 

authoritative, human-like responses 

to a vast range of questions explains 

why ChatGPT became the fastestgrowing 

app of all time, reaching 100 

million users in only two months. 

Every field of human activity has had 

to accelerate its consideration of the 

implication of AI. You’ll see elsewhere 

in this issue that our Deputy Head 

(Academic), Dr Richard Kowenicki, has 

begun work with colleagues, pupils 

and external experts to compute the 

various opportunities and challenges in 

the context of teaching and learning. 

For example, the obvious appeal of 

making the machines write (and mark) 

essays raises numerous questions about 

integrity and critical thinking. There are 

wider educational, ethical, cultural and 

social issues at play too. The discussion 

is far too complex to tackle in this 

context but, as you would expect, 

we are onto it. 

As I remarked in the previous issue 

of this noble publication - which we 

can confirm is written entirely by real 

humans - change is a certain fact of 

life. AI will change the world. It is 

already hugely powerful, but ChatGPT 

is certainly not perfect - yet. Indeed, it 

sometimes makes things up, particularly 

when writing biographies. In fact, as I 

recently discovered, it hallucinates … 

It’s a rather narcissistic exercise, but the 

experts say that it’s sensible to check 

up on our digital footprints from time 

to time. Most of us will have googled 

ourselves. In this spirit, I recently 

asked ChatGPT to write a 500-word 

biography of Leo Winkley. My wish 

was its command and within a few 

seconds, the bot had produced several 

paragraphs. “Leo Winkley is a respected 

educator” – a flattering start – “and 

the current headmaster of Shrewsbury 

School in the United Kingdom.” Good 

so far. But, in only the next sentence, 

things started going awry. “He was born 

on March 20, 1969, in Cheltenham, 

Gloucestershire, and grew up in a 

family of educators. His father was 

a headmaster, and his mother was a 

teacher. Winkley attended Cheltenham 

College and then went on to study at 

Pembroke College, Oxford, where he 

earned a degree in modern history.” 

This all sounds perfectly plausible – but 

there are five factual errors in these 

sentences alone. Later on, the Chatbot 

erroneously bestowed a PhD before 

capping the creative flight of fancy by 

awarding me an OBE in 2021 New 

Year’s Honours list. What fictional 

accolades might you receive, dear 

reader, from ChatGPT? 

Part of the trick with ChatGPT is to 

refine your prompts. Hence, one of the 

emerging new careers is that of the ‘AI 

prompt engineer’. So, I went back with 

the following rather schoolmasterly 

admonishment: “This is riddled with 

errors. Leo does not have an OBE. He 

was born in Guildford and studied 

Theology at Lady Margaret Hall, 

Oxford. Please could you check all facts 

and rewrite?”. To its credit, the AI bot 

apologised politely for its errors and 

went immediately to work. There were 

still some hallucinations, but the second 

effort was much more accurate. In 

this revised version, it also upgraded 

me to “a highly respected educator”: a 

smart move. 

The serious point is that truth matters. 

But, who gets to decide what is true? 

As a school, we are alert to this debate 

and have begun working on how 

AI might be harnessed to improve 

and support excellent learning and 

teaching. Alongside a staff group, 

we have formed a pupil group to 

research and explore the application 

of AI to learning, both inside and 

outside the classroom. As we engage 

actively with the exciting potential 

of these developments, we will also 

have the courage of our educational 

convictions to avoid being swept along 

by a tide. We need to apply judgement 

and critical thought and, as a sevenday 

school, we will always treasure 

the unique value of real human 

community. 

It is often said that a lifetime flows like 

a river: sometimes direct, but more 

likely meandering. The annual cycle of 

a school is geared to this, as our pupils 

move up through the year groups and 

then follow their own courses toward 

wider seas. Those of us who work 

in schools choose to get caught in a 

precious kind of eddy, circling round 

with the young as they grow and move 

on. Our job is to nurture, inspire and 

prepare them for a world of change. 

On site, there is plenty of positive 

change going on. Queen Elizabeth Hall 

is nearing completion and will open 

in September with over 50 girls across 

four year groups. The refurbishment 

work on Churchill’s Hall and Ingram’s 

Hall has progressed swiftly before 

being sensitively paused for the exam 

season. The two new all-weather 

sports facilities – which will be named 

Radbrook and Port Hill pitches – are 

emerging nicely, as are the new netball

SCHOOL NEWS 5 

and tennis courts on Lower Kingsland. 

Preparations for our move to the fully 

integrated House system in September 

2023 have continued strongly, with 

year group welcome events for 

current dayboys to ease their move to 

their preferred House. Most recently, 

Housemasters have hosted evenings 

for parents at each of the seven boys’ 

houses. There has been much careful 

planning to enable a really smooth 

beginning for all, as we revise daily 

routines, communications and the 

overall shape of the week. For the 

230 plus new pupils joining us in 

September, the ‘new’ will simply be 

how things are. In the meantime, we 

are mindful of ensuring a strong finish 

for Port Hill and Radbrook. 

Dr David Gee - the only human being I 

know with a data set superior to that of 

ChatGPT - kindly accepted my request 

to put together a commemorative 

booklet detailing the 38-year history of 

Port Hill and Radbrook, an important 

chapter in the long story of day boys 

at Shrewsbury School. This work will 

preserve what is a significant slice 

of our history as we move onto the 

next chapter. We have also worked 

with senior pupils on how honours 

boards and other House items are best 

preserved for posterity. We want Old 

Salopian day boys to be able to return 

in decades to come and see such things 

displayed with pride. 

From September, there will be 12 

Houses – seven for boys and five for 

girls – with day and boarding pupils 

alongside one another. Individual 

Houses will tend to have about 70 

pupils (of whom around 55 will be 

full boarders) and an overall school 

roll of roughly 840. This is an exciting, 

carefully planned change as the School 

moves confidently forward. 

The economic and political headwinds 

that we face are far from artificial. 

However, we are in an excellent 

position to meet them. We do so 

with the confidence that comes from 

knowing that we are committed to 

excellence and contributing positively 

to the world around us. Not everyone 

understands the value that the truly 

great independent boarding schools 

bring to society. Not everyone knows 

that we currently have 23 pupils 

in the school on transformative 

bursaries as we partner with Royal 

National Springboard Foundation 

and other agencies to widen access 

to a Shrewsbury education. Or that 

our means-tested bursary programme 

currently provides financial support for 

194 pupils. 

Not everyone knows that we provide 

opportunities for thousands of pupils 

in our partner state schools, through 

our numerous music, sport, STEM, 

languages, dance, sport and character 

development programmes. Not 

everyone knows that Shrewsbury 

School is a champion supporter of the 

School Partnerships Alliance, a national 

charity that promotes cross sector 

educational partnerships to help the 

disadvantaged. Not everyone knows 

about The Shewsy. 

We are not doing these things for 

show. Neither are we doing these 

things for awards, though it is lovely 

to be nominated for three TES schools 

awards for 2023. We are doing them 

because they are good. Because they 

are an integral part of the identity of 

our school, whatever the political and 

economic weather. 

We will keep arguing our case and 

presenting the truth as we see it. 

Even more importantly, we will keep 

focused on providing an outstanding 

education for our pupils, harnessing 

the generative power of excellence and 

sharing it with others.

6 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Final final. The Port Hill U15 house cricket team graciously accepting defeat at the hands of Radbrook in the U15 House final on the last full day of the Summer 

Term 2023. 

The Place of Port Hill and Radbrook 

in the History of Day Boys 

The Place of Port Hill and Radbrook 

in the History of Day Boys is published 

on the Wiki (School History) section 

of the School website and may be 

downloaded by scanning the QR 

code below. 

The School has admitted both Day 

Boys and Boarders throughout its 

470-year history and, as Dr David 

Gee describes in the first half of 

the booklet, the changes in the 

relationships between the two 

groups – and more widely between 

the School and the Town – have 

been fascinating. At its foundation, 

the School was intended to provide 

an education in Classical Grammar 

for the sons of local townsfolk, who 

considered it to be ‘their’ school. From 

its earliest days, however, Shrewsbury 

attracted pupils from considerable 

distances, who had no alternative but 

to board – either with local families 

or with individual members of staff 

– and rapidly the School found itself 

with as many Boarders as Day Boys. 

Much later, significant changes in 

the government, status and location 

of the School had taken place that 

seriously damaged the relationship 

between the Day Boys and Boarders 

and between the School and the 

Town. The power and influence 

over the School originally granted 

in the Foundation document to the 

Bailiffs and Burgesses of Shrewsbury 

were gradually (and acrimoniously) 

reduced. An Act of Parliament in 

1798 reformed the constitution of 

the School. In 1868, the inclusion 

of Shrewsbury as one of the nine 

‘Public Schools’, considered by the 

Clarendon Commission to be of elite 

national standing, was greeted by 

the Burgesses of the town not with a 

sense of civic pride, but with outrage 

that the Government had “stolen 

their school”. When, 14 years later, 

the School moved from its cramped 

buildings in the centre of the town 

to the more spacious location on the 

far side of the river in Kingsland, the 

move caused widespread local outcry. 

All this had a drastic effect on 

the status of Day Boys, whose 

participation in the School was for 

decades largely confined to their 

attendance in class. (Regarded by 

most of their schoolfellows and even 

by many of the staff as second-class 

citizens, they had to make their 

own arrangements for sport.) This 

began to change, however, under the 

headmastership of Revd Moss, who 

had been a Day Boy at Shrewsbury 

himself and, in 1904, appointed a 

master to exercise specific pastoral 

oversight of them. When Alington 

succeeded Moss as Headmaster, he 

made a deliberate effort to draw the 

Day Boys into the School’s wider 

activities; and in 1934 Headmaster 

Hardy appointed the first Day Boy as 

Head of School. 

Headmaster Donald Wright made 

more sweeping changes during 

the 1960s and 70s, determined that 

the School should turn to face the 

Town. Gradually the status of Day 

Boys changed and numbers grew 

rapidly. As ‘Day Boys Hall’ in the 

Main School Building began to take 

over more and more classrooms, new 

accommodation had to be found. 

Dr Gee himself led the move, on 

a cold February morning in 1979, 

when the Day Boys picked up all 

their possessions and carried them 

to the first physical ‘House’ they 

had ever had, in the building that 

had previously been the School’s 

Sanatorium. 

Dr Gee’s history of Day Boys ends on 

1st January 1984, when Port Hill and 

Radbrook formally came into being. 

The story is then taken up in the 

second half of the booklet by Andy 

Barnard, Housemaster of Port Hill 

from 2011 until 2022 and Dr Richard 

Case, Housemaster of Radbrook from 

2014. The next chapter of a fully 

integrated House system for Day Boys 

and Boarders begins in September. 

To download the full ‘History of Day 

Boys’ booklet, please scan the QR code.

SCHOOL NEWS 7 

Learning in a World of AI 

Deputy Head Academic Dr Richard Kowenicki writes about the challenges faced by the inexorable 

rise of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence platforms. 

Since ChatGPT was launched for public consumption, 

the rapid acceleration and universal availability of AI 

technology has left all those with an interest in education – 

pupils, teachers, parents – attempting to forecast the potential 

impact on school life. Is this the opportunity we’ve all been 

waiting for to develop genuinely personalised learning? What 

will it mean for the role of homework? Will we even need 

teachers in the future? 

While the answers to these questions are not clear yet, AI 

looks set to be a fundamental disrupter to education. In his 

2018 book The Fourth Education Revolution, Sir Anthony 

Seldon anticipated many of the themes that are now in 

the public spotlight, and made recommendations to all 

institutions on how best to prepare for a world of AI. The job 

for schools, including Shrewsbury, is to develop expertise in 

the context of education, and as far as possible to anticipate, 

plan and innovate as the technology evolves rapidly. It is 

worth remembering that the hardware and software that 

young people are currently using will be the worst and 

least powerful they will ever use. It is both an exciting and 

daunting prospect, especially when we consider that experts 

predict that technological advancement in the next ten years 

will be equivalent to what we have witnessed in the previous 

100 years. 

Our job, as educators, is to balance the risk that AI poses 

with the opportunities it creates. It seems these days that 

every article or post out there is either on one side or the 

other. Clearly, we must protect learning and the integrity 

of assessment, whether by internal or Public Exam, but we 

should also be open to the opportunities that AI affords. 

Unsurprisingly the response from schools has been varied. 

Some, most notably all the New York City Public Schools, the 

largest school district in the US, have banned ChatGPT due 

to “concerns over cheating” and the potential impact on skills 

development. At Shrewsbury we, like all schools, will be 

developing systems and policy to mitigate the risk to learning, 

but our focus has been on promoting positive behaviour and 

in particular on attitudes to learning. Academic Honesty has 

been a theme of this academic year – an ongoing discussion 

about what it really means to engage intellectually with 

academic endeavours, consistent with the Salopian Virtues 

that pervade the School; intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, 

originality and above all a love of learning. The goal is for 

our pupils to be genuinely proud of the work that they 

create, and so we need to be mindful of the challenge young 

people face in ensuring that the work they complete is truly 

their own and that they have the skills and understanding 

to acknowledge content that is not their own. This does not 

come without training, and we expect to coach pupils on 

how to work in an academically honest way. 

That is not to say we are ignoring the role that AI will 

play in learning. The advancement of AI technology and 

Academic Honesty are not mutually exclusive. It seems as if 

every day a new AI learning tool is released to market, and 

in the classroom I have already seen our pupils are using 

ChatGPT in a very effective way to summarise texts and to 

assess their knowledge and understanding, all of which helps 

support their learning. There are tools for teachers too, who, 

with careful prompting, can use ChatGPT to plan lessons 

or suggest creative and effective assessment activities. Our 

challenge is to identify and focus on the areas of teaching 

and learning where AI will have a meaningful and positive 

impact and to train our pupils to use it for good purposes. 

We have recently convened groups of interested pupils and 

teachers who are enjoying experimenting with selected AI 

tools and exploring what enhances learning and, perhaps 

more importantly, what doesn’t, so that any promising leads 

can be scaled up. 

To showcase the potential flaws of the technology, a number 

of school leaders in recent times have used ChatGPT to 

generate content for magazine articles, newsletters and 

assemblies to see if the consumer can spot the difference. 

Invariably the AI content is technically precise, but at the 

same time anodyne and lacking in nuance and with a trained 

eye is easy to spot. (This entirely human-generated article is 

perhaps the exception which proves the rule: I am after all a 

science teacher.) In the future, better promptcraft may lead to 

more convincing AI-generated content, but the point being 

made is that whatever the output of AI, it cannot replace 

the human attributes of a developing learner, most notably 

the natural human instinct to want to know more and to 

understand better. There is no doubt that technology will play 

an important role in the learning journey of all young people, 

but it will never supersede the fundamental human trait of 

intellectual curiosity. It is with that spirit that we proceed into 

a world with AI cautiously, but also with a sense of optimism.

8 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Breaking Cultural Barriers 

Those of you who keep an eye on the cultural offerings of 

the South Bank will be aware that the National Theatre 

has commissioned a new play this summer. Written by James 

Graham, the play is inspired by Gareth Southgate’s journey 

from his infamous missed penalty in 1996 to his current status 

as England manager and national treasure. Dear England 

stars Joseph Fiennes as Southgate and takes its name from 

Southgate’s open letter to the nation in 2021. Naysayers have 

already derided the commission as populist: they bemoan the 

incursion of the sporting hoi polloi onto the National stage. 

However, to do so is to miss three crucial points. The first 

concerns the epic, one might even say Shakespearean, nature 

of the drama that can unfold on a sports pitch. The second 

is to diminish the colossal influence that football has had 

in redefining our concepts of gender roles in recent years. 

Finally, such criticism reinforces the idea that people are 

one-dimensional: sportsmen or intellectuals, artists or athletes. 

This kind of categorisation is anathema to a Shrewsbury 

education. 

At the end of the Lent Term, we witnessed our very own 

footballing drama unfolding on Senior, when the boys’ First 

XI defeated the favourites, Brooke House College, to earn a 

place in the ESFA final. Hundreds of supporters turned out 

to witness a superb display of teamwork and skill, leading to 

a 3-2 victory and cries of ‘Barlo-o-o-w’ echoing around Top 

Common. Six weeks later, the team and supporters travelled 

to Stoke, where they met Hampton School in the final. On 

that day victory eluded them, but that does not detract from 

the importance of the journey that took them there. The boys, 

their coaches and the school can be tremendously proud of 

the grit, determination, perseverance and sportsmanship that 

they have displayed throughout this season and those that 

have gone before. 

This year we have also seen the role that sport can play in 

breaking down gender barriers. We were delighted to launch 

girls’ football in the Lent Term and have been tremendously 

proud of the girls’ success so far. Special credit must also go 

to the coaches – particularly Dr Ellie Lyell, who has been 

appointed as our first Head of Girls’ Football, and Mr Liam 

Hennessy, who has recently received a national accolade 

from the FA as part of their #LetGirlsPlay campaign. 

It is tribute to the breadth of the Salopian experience that 

many of those involved in these great sporting successes 

have also been part of the variety of other co-curricular 

events that have enriched the last two terms at Shrewsbury. 

The following pages will celebrate superb theatrical 

productions, concerts and recitals, the inaugural John Weaver 

dance festival, Shrewsbury’s MUN conference, House and 

School debating, military competitions, outdoor adventures 

and much, much more. We honour the superb achievements 

of our specialists, but we also acknowledge the huge number 

of Renaissance men and women who are developing their 

skills and interests in a wide variety of different areas – and 

having serious fun in the process. To borrow the exhortation 

of Sir Henry Sidney, who sent his son Philip to Shrewsbury in 

1565, I would urge our current Salopians to: ‘Give yourself to 

be merry … for you find yourself most able in wit and body 

when you be most merry.’ 

Dr Helen Brown 

Deputy Head (Co-curricular)

SCHOOL NEWS 9 

A Tribute to Huw Peach 

Waves of deep shock and sadness reverberated throughout the School community when we heard the 

news in January that Huw Peach, Head of German, Teacher of French, Head of Model United Nations, 

Rowing Coach and House Tutor in The Grove and later in Ingram’s, had been diagnosed with an 

inoperable brain tumour. He died nine weeks later, on 7th March, peacefully and at home, surrounded 

by his family. On behalf of the School, fellow linguist Thane Warburg pays tribute to a remarkable, 

deeply respected and much-loved colleague and friend. 

For the Salopian community, young 

and old, and perhaps particularly 

for those of us with greying hair who 

knew him for so long, a Shrewsbury 

without Huw seems unthinkable. He 

was an ageless and joyous part of all 

things Salopian for over 30 years, a 

constant presence spreading energy 

and positivity wherever he was, in 

abundance. That bike speeding around 

the Site, the beatific smile, the uplifting 

chat, the raft of Commendations, the 

help for any colleague in need, the 

nodding head expressing affirmation. 

He educated, charmed, delighted, 

inspired, listened, and counselled all 

of us. 

At his core were deeply held moral 

principles, genuine moral courage 

and an infectious love of humanity 

and the planet. He was universally 

admired, respected and loved, by 

the countless pupils he taught, by his 

colleagues in the Common Room, by 

the whole non-teaching staff. He was 

endowed with many gifts, not the least 

of which was his joy at generously 

giving people time. When you talked 

to Huw you automatically became 

the most important person in his 

world. He gathered new friends at an 

extraordinary rate wherever he was 

and remained, faithfully, in touch with 

them for years and years.When the 

shocking diagnosis of his brain tumour 

was made just after Christmas, the 

Peach family letterbox was very soon 

inundated with letters and cards from 

hundreds of those whose lives had 

been so positively influenced by HRWP. 

What becomes crystal clear in reading 

these appreciations and tributes is just 

how deeply influential Huw’s entire 

Weltanschauung has been, and how 

it will continue to inform those whose 

lives he touched. 

How lucky Shrewsbury is to have 

had him for so long. After an idyllicsounding 

childhood in Oxfordshire 

and education at Abingdon School 

followed by Hertford College, Oxford 

where he read German and French, 

he arrived in the Michaelmas Term 

of 1991 fresh from two years of TEFL 

teaching, on the JET programme, in 

Japan. Characteristically he had thrown 

himself while there into his teaching, 

into learning Japanese and into 

environmental issues. 

It was clear from the off, that Huw’s 

appointment to Shrewsbury was an 

inspired one. He was an all-round 

schoolmaster and the ultimate team 

player, who invested his prodigious 

energy and talents into a wide range 

of activities. There are far too many to 

catalogue here, but picture him playing 

football for the Staff Ramblers, speeding 

down the wing – his shots sometimes 

on target, sometimes decidedly not, 

the resulting smile and laughter just 

the same whether resulting in Triumph 

or Disaster. Throughout his career he 

was the most devoted and enthusiastic 

rowing coach on the river. It didn’t 

matter whether the crew was a top one 

or not, the same surge of energy and 

encouragement was invested so that 

everybody under his instruction felt 

they were potential Olympics material. 

Every year during Bumps the Umpire 

List unfailingly included HRWP and, if a 

volunteer was required for the Postors 

vs Staff race, guess who was always 

there. The ultimate team man. It was 

and will remain a treasured memory 

for many that Huw was well enough, 

early in the new year, to be present 

when an RSSBC boat was named 

after him and he was presented by a 

grateful Boat Club with an oar for his 

decades of service and dedication. His 

characteristic “Wonderful! Fantastic!” 

and smile, a mile wide, summed up his 

courage, his joy at being among friends 

and the poignancy of the situation. 

It was through rowing that Huw met 

Sophie, the love of his life, in July 

1993. As a Tutor in The Grove, he was 

invited to a Bumps Supper hosted by 

Sophie’s parents. Things moved swiftly 

and they were engaged the following 

July and married in July 1995. The 

arrivals of Millie, Sam and Zac brought 

further joy, pride and fulfilment to 

the Peach family. Their move to Clive 

House, in the centre of Shrewsbury, 22 

years ago, signalled a commitment not 

just to the School but to a rich family 

involvement in the life of the town 

and the county. The Peaches were the 

most generous of hosts to so many 

and deeply influential in many good 

causes, educational and environmental. 

Huw was far-sighted in educational 

terms, seeing way beyond the 

confines of exam boards. Many Old 

Salopians will recall the weekly, 

fiendishly difficult quiz, focused on 

European current affairs, concocted by 

Shrewsbury’s European Liaison Officer 

– how times have changed - one Huw 

Peach, which was posted around 

the School and fiercely contested by 

Houses. Many will recall the annual 

all-day European Conferences also 

organised by Huw, one for the Lower

10 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Sixth and one for Third Formers, 

where the issues of the day were 

debated. For as a committed European 

and an inspirational teacher of German 

and French, Herr Pfirsich/M. Pêche 

was evangelical about the importance 

of pupils being well informed and 

prepared for life beyond Shrewsbury. 

Nowhere can the fruits of this vision 

be seen more clearly than in his long 

involvement with and leadership 

of Model United Nations (MUN). 

The many moving tributes Huw 

received from former MUNers are 

not just testament to his work but 

also to the formative skills and the 

self-confidence acquired by those 

involved. Every Wednesday evening, 

bands of enthusiastic MUNers would 

populate Huw’s classroom on the top 

floor of the MSB and enjoy the cut 

and thrust of debate as they explored 

the burning political and ethical 

issues of the moment. 

Huw’s conception was of a meritocracy 

in which the most talented pupils 

filled the top executive positions, 

regardless of age, where everybody 

was encouraged to speak, where 

everybody was given the space to fail 

or get things wrong, this latter point 

crucial. He was the master delegator – 

MUNers understood Huw’s rules and 

expectations and he invested total trust 

in the pupils, knowing that they in 

turn would respond positively to being 

treated like adults. A great many pupils 

found these sessions, which were funfilled, 

to be the highlight of their week. 

For many the aim was to go to MUN 

Conferences, which included trips 

to schools across the country, giving 

Salopians the chance to meet fellow 

MUNers from other schools and try out 

their ideas and their persuasiveness in 

both formal and informal settings. 

Michael Webb (S 2003-08), a 

former MUNer, pays tribute to Huw’s 

transformative powers. At his first 

conference he had to summon up 

courage as he strode into his first 

committee room knowing he had to 

meet as many of his fellow delegates 

as possible: “I was a shy boy then. 

I remember being buttoned-up, 

anoraky, someone who’d much rather 

sit alone and read a book than meet 

new people.” But he recalls how 

well prepared and supported he felt, 

knowing that Huw was “an omniscient, 

unobtrusive, fatherly presence, primed 

to dispense as many words of expert 

advice or encouragement as might be 

needed at just the right time”. 

Perhaps the climax for many 

was the Paris MUN, held in the 

UNESCO Building, a chance to 

ply their skills internationally. 

Michael recalls giving a speech to 

the General Assembly, assembled 

in the main hall of the UNESCO 

building: “It was an enormous room. 

I remember the delegates’ desks 

arranged in semicircles, all with fancy 

microphones, translation booths in 

the corners, and a solitary podium 

in the centre of the giant stage… 

That experience has meant that, ever 

since, I’ve never felt intimidated when 

speaking in large halls or at imposing 

podiums. I just think ‘I’ve done that 

before at the Paris MUN!’” 

Central to Huw’s MUN philosophy 

was the idea of being an ‘honourable 

delegate’, of listening to opposing 

viewpoints carefully and seeking 

consensus. How our modern politicians 

could have done with a crash course 

from him! In 2017, Shrewsbury 

established its own annual Conference 

which has been a resounding success. 

True to his philosophy, Huw created 

the framework but delegated the 

responsibility for the Conference to 

the pupils, knowing that they could 

fail but trusting in them absolutely. 

The sense of achievement those 

pupils experienced as they realised 

what a triumph they had pulled 

off remains with them to this day. 

Tributes to Huw for his MUN work 

poured in from MUN teachers at 

other schools and from their pupils. 

He was that well known, that friendly 

and that well loved. 

Huw was always burning the midnight 

oil. We, in the Languages Faculty, 

marvelled at the countless hours he 

spent preparing his lessons and often 

wondered whether perhaps he had 

a clone or had access to Hermione 

Granger’s Time-Turner. The sheer 

wealth of original material he produced 

every week, the listening material, 

up-to-the minute material directly from 

authentic German and French sources, 

recorded audio and TV clips, together 

with bespoke question sheets was 

truly mind-boggling. What teacher up 

and down the land has the dedication, 

would find the time, day after day, 

to treat their pupils to a feast of such 

relevant educational pickings? 

He had certain sayings in his classroom 

which generations of his former 

charges will recognise: “Englisch ist 

streng verboten!” and “Ohne Fleiß kein 

Preis”. His classes were fun, absorbing 

and high performing. His pupils loved 

being introduced to literature, film and 

German culture by him, as well as 

gradually mastering the language. Chris 

Minns, who led the German Faculty so 

ably for many years before Huw took 

it over, is unstinting in his praise for 

his indefatigable colleague. They were 

a class act together, inspiring many of 

their charges to go on to read German 

at university, some to become German 

teachers themselves, some to become 

German academics. 

Huw’s French was every bit as good 

as his German and to share a Sixth 

Form set with him was an enriching 

pleasure. He worked supportively, 

at all times, to strengthen the MFL 

Faculty. Exams results days every year 

saw Peach family holidays put on hold 

as Huw nervously awaited the news. A 

poor night’s sleep was then followed 

by careful poring over each pupil’s 

result, delight at success and a personal 

sense of failure if he sensed an 

underperformance. Modest to a fault, 

Huw never took any credit for all the 

success: “All down to innate talent 

and hard work,” he would say. It is 

a mark of the far-reaching esteem in 

which he was held that he received, 

in February, a personal letter from 

the German Ambassador enclosing 

a Certificate of Appreciation, on 

behalf of the German Embassy and 

the Goethe Institut, for: “Outstanding 

Achievements in Teaching German”. 

This is a very rare honour. 

Huw’s passion for the environment 

began long before it became 

mainstream. Thanks to him, recycling 

at the School was introduced in 

the 1990s. He was a stalwart of the 

Green Party in Shropshire and, but 

for 400 votes, would have become a 

Councillor. He always cycled to work. 

No car for short journeys for him. He 

didn’t just talk a good ‘green’ game, 

he actually lived it, day by day, week 

by week, year by year. Peach family 

holidays, even those abroad, were 

invariably taken using trains, buses and 

bikes. Never a plane, rarely a car. But 

here is the thing about Huw. He taught 

by example and was not judgmental. 

He never ever intimated to a colleague 

that they could and should be setting 

a better example to the pupils. He was 

very fond of quoting the saying “Be the 

change you want to see in the world” 

and he epitomised this every day of his 

life. He was a tireless campaigner and 

made great use of Twitter to engage 

in those causes dear to his heart. His 

Twitter ‘bio’: “Trying hard to add to 

the sum of accurate information in the 

world”. Food for thought. 

Huw was wise. He was a vastly 

experienced support and counsellor 

to a number of Housemasters. His 

pastoral care was an entirely natural 

extension of his genuine interest in 

others. A long-term member of The

SCHOOL NEWS 11 

Grove’s House staff, he was loyal 

and cherished, as he was latterly in 

Ingram’s. He was a rock when the 

School was going through times of 

change and was much valued for 

this. He was immensely popular and 

much sought-after as a Sixth Form 

Tutor. As ever, he gave his Tutees 

time, got to know them properly, 

engaged them in thought-provoking 

conversations, gave them excellent 

advice and was generous in taking 

them out for Tutor meals. 

Huw met his diagnosis with truly 

exceptional acceptance and dignity. 

There was no anger or bitterness, no 

hint of this being unfair. In his last few 

weeks, Sophie and the family were all 

together ensuring every day was full 

of love and laughter, sharing precious 

moments with extended family and 

a multitude of friends. While he was 

well enough, the family explored 

their favourite bits of the Shropshire 

countryside. The support he was 

given by the Severn Hospice team was 

remarkable, allowing him to remain 

at home throughout so that the family 

could do the lion’s share of his care. 

The service to celebrate his life, held 

in the School Chapel, was as true a 

reflection of Huw’s life as it is possible 

to imagine. The Chapel was absolutely 

packed, well over 600 in attendance, 

those present clothed in bright, bright 

colours. Beautiful mellow music from 

The Indigo Girls and Daby Touré 

began and concluded the service. In 

between, Zac, Sam, Millie and Sophie 

paid loving tributes to their Dad and 

Husband with extraordinary poise 

and delivery, as did Huw’s sister Katie 

and brother Guy. There was laughter 

and true celebration of a man of rare 

qualities, tinged, of course, with the 

undercurrent of immense sadness. 

Mendelssohn’s Anthem ‘Verleih uns 

Frieden’ was sung beautifully by 

the choir and there was a poignant 

reading in German about the state 

of the planet. There were joyful 

hymns and powerful words from 

the Chaplain, Andy Keulemans. At 

the end of the service, and such a 

rollercoaster of emotions, reflection 

on Huw, on such a life-affirming and 

positive example to us all, brought 

starkly into focus the cruel sense of 

loss of an inspirational teacher in his 

prime. Huw’s indomitable spirit and 

life-enhancing legacy will continue in 

future generations, of that there is no 

doubt. Truly, a man of overflowing 

goodness. 

Paris MUN, December 2014 

Before he died, Huw received hundreds of letters, cards and messages from former pupils, current pupils, MUN teachers at 

other schools, MUNers at other schools. They meant a great deal to him, just as he meant so much to them. Here is just an 

inkling of the legacy Huw leaves: 

“The topics we discussed in meetings sparked a curiosity about the world and fuelled an anger about its problems. The 

culture that you fostered of encouraging those who hadn’t yet spoken to speak is one I try to replicate in my tutorials…Most 

importantly, MUN taught me that good preparation is key; if, for whatever reason, the preparation doesn’t get done, then 

you’ve just got to wing it.” Sasha Arridge (Rb 2001-16) 

“Please allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for your outstanding dedication to and tireless support for the 

teaching of the German language.” Miguel Berger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany 

“I gained an awareness of issues that were of global importance and a passion for trying to understand the alternative point 

of view. I also grew in self-confidence and maturity, thanks to your willingness to challenge me, but always with kindness.” 

Grace O’Mara (M 2017-19) 

“I will never forget the way you made us feel – that every thought, idea and word mattered, and that you believed 

in us. Your optimism, kindness and consideration to all is, to this day, one of the biggest influences on me…I will 

remember with extreme fondness the first ShrewsMUN and the fun my contemporaries and I had putting that together 

under your trusting eye.” Ed Plaut (S 2012-17) 

“You gave us an understanding of language beyond words on a page. Please know that Wednesday evenings gave me, 

and hundreds like me, the space not just to speak, but to understand – yes the world around us, but also ourselves… 

Returning from a conference always felt a bit like returning from the moon – an escape but also an incredible, eye-opening 

adventure.” Dan Edwards (S 2010-15) 

“Now, as a German teacher myself, I would say that your direct impact has been fundamental for me succeeding in my own 

goals…17 years on I still remember how we studied Germany’s past through literature and film in a way that humanised it, 

as well as the European project.” Arthur Ford (G 2001-06)

12 

SCHOOL NEWS 

SCHOOL PRIZEWINNERS 2023 

The Sidney Gold Medal 

D. C. Heintz (G) 

The Harvard Book Prize 

N. F. Toms (EDH) 

The Richard Hillary Essay Medal S. D. L. Unsworth (S) 

The Darwin Science Prize 

T. Lam (G) 

The Noneley Exhibition 

H. R. Marshall (Rb) 

The Dukes Prize for French 

G. C. Wood (G) 

The Lower Sixth French Prize 

E. Veter (G) 

The Bentley Prize for German 

E. I. Bolza (EDH) 

The Bain Prize for Spanish 

G. Yuen (SH) 

The Lower Sixth Spanish Prize H. W. J. Hatton (Ch) 

The Moss Prize for Classics 

J. T. Gowar (S) 

The Cross Prize for Classics 

J. H. Mackinnon (O) 

The Classical Civilisation Prize 

M. P. R. Wyatt (G) 

The Philip Sidney Prize for English S. S. E. George (M) 

The Kitson-Clark Prize for English L. Williams (SH) 

The Upper Sixth Theatre Studies Prize E. L. Garavini (G) 

The Lower Sixth Theatre Studies Prize S. O. Patten (Ch) 

The Bright Prize for History 

D. C. Heintz (G) 

The Murray Senior Prize for History Y. Wong (R) 

The Upper Sixth Politics Prize 

O. J. L. Faulkner (PH) 

The Lower Sixth Politics Prize 

I. K. Barnes (M) 

The Dorothy David Prize for 

Philosophy and Theology 

C. D. Thomas (MSH) 

The Lower Sixth Philosophy 

and Theology Prize 

J. C. O’Brien (MSH) 

The Robertson-Eustace Prize 

for Geography 

G. M. Stanford-Davis (O) 

The Lower Sixth Geography Prize G. D. Sykes (EDH) 

The Arnold Hagger Prize for Mathematics D. L. Y. Chan (Ch) 

The Lower Sixth Mathematics Prize K. Kwok (S) 

The Arnold Mathews Science 

Prize for Biology 

Z. Zhang (O) 

The Arnold Mathews Science Prize 

for Chemistry 

Y. Wu (EDH) 

The Arnold Mathews Science Prize 

for Physics 

X. Miao (S) 

The Lower Sixth Biology Prize J. Li (G) 

The Lower Sixth Chemistry Prize N. Sin (I) 

The Lower Sixth Physics Prize 

H. M. Cowan (Rt) 

The Upper Sixth Economics Prize K. Lam (MSH) 

The Lower Sixth Economics Prize E. Veter (G) 

The Ramsbotham Prize for Business M. J. Baillieu (S) 

The Lower Sixth Business Prize A. A. J. Tulloch (Rt) 

The Extended Project Qualification Prize A. C. L. Griffiths (EDH) 

The James Meikle Prize for 

Physical Education 

W. F. Goodall (Rt) 

The Lower Sixth Physical Education Prize E. A. Hurford (EDH) 

The Hill Art Prize 

O. R. Bayliss (Rt) 

The Lower Sixth Art Prize 

T. D. Jagger (PH) 

The History of Art Prize 

W. T. O. Wild (SH) 

The Photography Prize 

L. F. A. Clarke (EDH) 

The A Level Music Prize 

A. G. Hope Barton (I) 

The Duffell Prize for Design 

and Technology 

T. R. Hughes (S) 

The Lower Sixth Design and 

Technology Prize 

T. P. Moore (I) 

The Bentley Elocution Senior Prize K. E. R. Woodman (M) 

The Bentley Elocution Fourth Form Prize E. G. Prieur (R) 

The Bentley Elocution Third Form Prize R. S. F. Evans (R) 

The McEachran Prize (senior) 

E. A. W. Scott (Rt) 

The McEachran Prize (junior) 

V. A. M. Heintz (M) and 

Y. M. Wong (SH) 

The Junior School Essay Prize 

R. N. Zhang (Rt) and 

C. E. Kenyon (M) 

The David Harrison Prize 

The Hawksley Burbury Prize 

The Rolls Royce Science Cup 

Fifth Form Academic Prizes 

Fourth Form Academic Prizes 

Third Form Academic Prizes 

The Goulding Family Prize for Drama 

The Junior Drama Prize 

The Keighley Prize for Stage Management 

The Russell Prize for Music 

The Guyer Prize for Music 

The Woollam Family Prize for Music 

The Gordon Riley Prize for Music 

The Senior Debating Prize 

The Junior Debating Prize 

The Sports Person of the Year Award 

The Sports Person of the Year Award 

The David Spencer Memorial Trophy 

for Outstanding Contribution to 

Boys’ Sport 

The Elle Gurden Trophy for Outstanding 

Contribution to Girls’ Sport 

Tony Barker Award for All-Round 

Sporting Excellence 

The Charities Prize 

The West Family Prize 

The Guy Lovett Award 

The Haynes Cup 

The Societies Prize 

The Salopian Award 

The Praepostor Prize 

Headmaster’s Leadership Prize 

R. P. Wolskel (Rb) 

J. F. Gundle (O) 

Z. Xu (EDH) 

J. M. Fraser-Andrews (EDH), 

H. M. Kam (EDH) 

M. C. C. Lee (O) 

S. J. Levings (EDH) 

C. Man (Ch) 

G. M. E. Moody-Stuart (R) 

F. N. Scholes-Pryce (Ch) 

P. Songwanich (MSH) 

G. R. Walker (EDH) 

H. Yang (M) 

J. Chan (G) 

K. Cheng (EDH) 

C. Cheung (R) 

C. Y. Y. Dai (MSH) 

C. E. Kenyon (M) 

H. Pang (M) 

G. T. Rink (PH) 

C. Tsoi (Rt) 

R. P. Wolskel (Rb) 

W. S. Young (I) 

W. M. Bowett (MSH) 

T. Bunditkitsada (G) 

V. A. M. Heintz (M) 

T. Leverton-Griffiths (Rb) 

L. V. S. Ling (Rt) 

P. Mo (Rt) 

H. D. Mparadzi (MSH) 

B. A. Reid (EDH) 

R. M. Yung (O) 

R. N. Zhang (Rt) 

K. E. R. Woodman (M) 

P. E. A. Lawton-Smith (G) 

S. Ludlam (R) 

E. S. Inger (Rb) and 

A. O. Thompstone (EDH) 

P. Poon (I) 

L. Hui (I) 

G. Yuen (SH) 

S. T. Sim (G) 

Y. M. Wong (SH) 

I. A. A. Downes (G) 

O. J. Sharp (PH) 

G. W. Hughes (PH) 

K. M. Scholes-Pryce (M) 

L. F. A. Clarke (EDH) 

P. E. A. Carter (EDH) 

O. J. Sharp (PH) 

M. Cherkashyn (SH) 

H. E. Clarkson Webb (O) 

S. D. L. Unsworth (S) 

J. T. Gowar (S) 

P. Poon (I) 

R. R. Mupesa (S) 

C. D. Thomas (MSH) 

E. A. W. Scott (Rt) 

A. O. Thompstone (EDH)


SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED FOR 2023 ENTRY 

Third Form 

Academic 

Butler Scholars: 

Helena Cornwall-Legh (Terra Nova School) 

Sebastian Eckley-Majercak (Packwood Haugh) 

Madeleine (Maddie) Geary (Packwood Haugh) 

Carys Tamilarasan (Prestfelde) 

Kennedy Scholars: 

Arthur Cornwall-Legh (Terra Nova School) 

Edward Densem (The Grange School, Hartford) 

Annabel Feeny (The Elms) 

Alice Jutsum (Prestfelde) 

Maigan Lord (Terra Nova School) 

Sherwyn Sarabi (Aysgarth) 

Emilia Smith (Cargilfield School) 

Alington Scholars: 

Callum Dovaston (Packwood Haugh) 

India Grant (The Elms) 

Tsz Huen (Becky) Hao (St. Andrew’s Prep) 

Avani Lacy-Colson (Prestfelde) 

Harrison Reilly (Prestfelde) 

Music 

Lydia Chen (Chetham’s School of Music) 

Hei Ching (Hazel) (Cheung Pui Ching Middle School, Hong Kong) 

Frances Cleobury (St. Peter’s, York) 

Sebastian Eckley-Majercak (Packwood Haugh) 

Benjamin Foxley (Yarlet) 

Grace Graysmark (Newport Girls High School) 

Georgie Pugh (S. Anselm’s) 

Harrison Reilly (Prestfelde) 

Sherwyn Sarabi (Aysgarth) 

Wanzhi She (Godstowe Prep School) 

Chit Soo Pui (Ching Middle School, Hong Kong) 

Sport 

Arjan Barard (St. Dominic’s Grammar) 

Pheobe Bell (Packwood Haugh) 

Rosie Cooper (Abberley Hall) 

Jake Datnow (Prestfelde) 

Sienna Earles (Viz II OS Togaska Slatina, Slovenia) 

Jack Edwards (Mary Webb) 

Madeleine Geary (Packwood Haugh) 

Bascom Griffiths (The Elms) 

Charlotte Harker (Casterton, Sedbergh Prep) 

Harvey James (Prestfelde) 

Eleanor Marsh (Abberley Hall) 

Will Parkinson-Witte (Prestfelde) 

Willow Sowden (Prestfelde) 

Sir Michael Palin All-Rounder 

Hattie Bankes (Moreton Hall) 

Camilla Brough-Byatte (Terra Nova School) 

Clara Charlesworth-Jones (Packwood Haugh) 



Callum Dovaston (Packwood Haugh) 

Madeleine Geary (Packwood Haugh) 

Tsz Huen (Becky) Hao (St Andrew’s Prep) 

Henry Hill (Terra Nova School) 

Harry Inkin (The Elms) 

George Jordan (Prestfelde) 

Avani Lacy-Colson (Prestfelde) 

Carys Tamilarasan (Prestfelde) 

Mary Tomlinson (Yarlet) 

Art 

Rocco Catellani (Aysgarth) 

Oscar Diwakar (Kings School, Macclesfield) 

Emilia Smith (Cargilfield School) 

Camilla Brough-Byatte (Terra Nova School) 



Harriet Grindle (Prestfelde) 

Tsz Huen (Becky) Hao (St Andrew’s Prep) 

Fleur Jarvis (Prestfelde) 

Elizabeth Moore (Prestfelde) 

Oliver Standeven (Aysgarth) 

Drama 

Grace Graysmark (Newport Girls’ High School) 

Luke Greenhill (Aysgarth) 

Harry Inkin (The Elms School) 

Daphne Whittal (The Downs) 

Design & Technology 

Clara Petrie (Windlesham House School) 

Orlando Boddington (Packwood Haugh) 

Sixth Form 

Academic 

Juliet Anthony (Headington School) 

Hei Yin (Ian) Ng (Cheltenham College) 

William Oakden (Birkenhead School) 

Lilith Pearson (The Community College, Bishop’s Castle) 

Max Webber (Denstone College) 

Dorothy Yap (Tanglin Trust School, Singapore) 

Melissa Zarbafi (Queen Anne’s School) 

Jialin (Peter) Zhang (Guanghua Cambridge International 

School, China) 

Music 

Yat Kiu (Ian) Chak (La Salle College, HK) 

Chit Hang (Chad) Lee (Ying Wa College, HK) 

Keely Li (Burgess Hill Girls) 

Max Webber (Denstone College) 

Sport 

Teix Bolingbroke (Cheadle Hulme School) 

Portia Boustead (The Grange School, Hartford) 

Gabriella (Gabby) Bowman (Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn) 

Ka Kiu (Kathy) Chow (St Clare’s Girls’ School) 

Finlay Cullen (The Community College, Bishop’s Castle) 

Charlotte Kirk (Clayton Hall Academy) 

Lou Kokubo (Royal Russell School) 

Christopher (Kit) Smith (Dulwich College, Singapore) 

Isaac Stanley (The Priory School) 

Art 

Ruya Cooper (Alderley Edge School for Girls) 

Alice Pilott (Queen’s School, Chester)

14 

SCHOOL NEWS 

LEAVERS’ ADDRESS 

The following address was given at the Leavers’ Service on 1st July 2023 by Dan Nicholas 

(Staff 2007-23, Housemaster of The Grove (2009-12) and of Severn Hill (2012-19). 

So the day has finally arrived! The 

sense of joy and relief you might 

be experiencing may be overwhelming 

- and I am not just talking about the 

parents who have written their last 

cheque. I remember it myself, sitting 

where you are sitting some 43 years ago. 

For our leavers, exams are over, gap 

years loom and you are on the cusp of 

your next adventure. Five years have 

flown by. You will have played hard on 

the sports fields, pulled strongly on the 

river, performed to the highest levels in 

concerts and on the stage. Hopefully 

you will also have gained some 

academic qualifications and progressed 

from those early days. We will always 

remember fondly those first essays: 

the evaporation of the children to the 

countryside during the war, the prisoners 

of war kept as ostriches in constipation 

camps. The future being safe with all 

cars being fitted with catholic convertors 

... and of course you are now leaving 

school to enjoy your adultery. 

Reflect on your journey so far – the 

lasting friendships you have made, the 

things you have learned and achieved. 

You will rightly be feeling excited, 

perhaps emotional. Undoubtedly 

there will be some nervousness and 

trepidation as you leave the familiarity 

and security of a place that has played a 

major part in your formative years. That 

is only normal. But as O’Donoghue’s 

For a New Beginning, so beautifully read 

by Chloe reminds us: “This beginning 

has been quietly forming, waiting until 

you were ready to emerge”. Like the 

chrysalis, so much has been happening, 

so much unseen, until the butterfly takes 

flight. Some of you may have emerged 

already; others may not yet have 

emerged, but will do so at just the right 

time. Everything has been preparing you 

for this day, and everything is in place. 

You have made mistakes and you have 

learned from them. You have pushed 

the boundaries and will rightly delight 

in letting your Housemasters and 

Housemistresses know what they never 

discovered. Well done for not getting 

caught! Together they, your parents and 

your teachers have helped you calibrate 

your moral compass so that you can 

be confident of taking the right path 

on your own, unrestrained by the rules 

and regulations which school has used 

to guide you. And you will hopefully 

have developed moral courage, integrity 

and a sense of duty, all so important in 

leading others. It was Thomas Jefferson 

who said: “In matters of style, swim with 

the current; in matters of principle stand 

like a rock”. Salopians are both stylish 

and principled. 

So “What next?” is something you 

may be pondering - and your parents 

too. As O’Donohue tells us: “Though 

your destination is not yet clear,/You 

can trust the promise of this opening”. 

Follow what you love, be you, do what 

you are good at and your life’s destiny 

will unfurl. Do not be troubled by this 

unknown. Whatever career path you 

take, it is how you lead your life that will 

be how you are remembered. Always 

do the best you can, but remember that 

it will be who you are and what you 

stand for which will enable you to take 

others with you. Value communicating 

with others not by text/Instagram/ 

Facebook but face-to-face, sympathising 

and empathising with others. We all, at 

times, need to open our eyes and see 

and recognise people for what and who 

they are: actually looking, seeing, caring 

and understanding. 

Old Salopian Sir Philip Sidney said … 

”Scholae meae alumnos agnosco”: I 

recognise the members of my school. 

We symbolise this in our annual School 

Callover, in which every pupil answers 

their name to the Headmaster – your 

final one will be this afternoon. You 

might have been wondering what this 

was really all about. It is a time when 

every pupil is seen, recognised and 

valued for who they are and for the 

part they play and have played in the 

community. Not a bad lasting message 

to take away as you all launch into new 

communities. 

As Proverbs tells us: “More than all else, 

keep watch over your heart, since there 

are the well-springs of life”. It is for no 

small reason that the Salopian motto is 

“Intus si recte ne labora” – “If your heart 

is in the right place, all is well.” 

So what is that “right place”? It is where 

you will find the sense of fulfilment and 

success – not to be measured materially 

but from leading, giving and serving 

others. We see before us the Class of 23 

future leaders. And with this privilege 

of leadership comes the responsibility 

not only to lead with vision but with 

selflessness at the heart of what you do. 

Our bible reading reminds us to “do 

nothing out of selfish ambition or vain 

conceit. Rather in humility value others 

above yourselves, not looking to your 

own interests but each of you to the 

interests of others”. This is encapsulated 

in Sandhurst’s motto “Serve to Lead”, 

which is very close to my heart. 

And as you lead, do so with courage, 

commitment and vision. As O’Donoghue 

says: “Then the delight, when your 

courage kindled,/And out you stepped 

onto new ground,/Your eyes young 

again with energy and dream”. 

And where can the selflessness be 

found? In commitment to others, love of 

others and commitment to something 

other than “self” – causes, music, art, 

your chosen profession. You have 

already laid the foundations for this, 

and for many, the less colourful canvas 

of your arrival is now vibrant with hue, 

tone, shapes and contrast, making life 

much more interesting and colourful not 

only to you, but also to others, so that 

people want to know you, wish to be 

with you and want to work with you. 

And with the commitment to something 

other than yourself comes risk, and with 

that risk comes adventure: “Awaken 

your spirit to adventure;/ Hold nothing 

back, learn to find ease in risk”. Aversion 

to risk may mean that we never meet 

the best possible version of ourselves. In 

the words of Winston Churchill, “Success 

is not final, failure not fatal; it is the 

courage to continue that counts”. 

Do not be scared of change, for change 

is progress and you are better fitted for it 

than you may think. Heed the words of 

our very own Charles Darwin: 

“It is not the strongest of species that 

survive nor the most intelligent, but the 

ones most responsive to change” 

I have given you some tall orders, I 

know, and none of us is able to live up 

to all these ideals all of the time, but 

we can try. Sadly we live in a world 

where many of these values are lacking. 

Make sure that you aim to make the 

difference. You can and you will. You 

are the future, and we have confidence 

in you. “In out of the way places of the 

heart,/Where your thoughts never think 

to wander,/This beginning has been 

quietly forming,/Waiting until you were 

ready to emerge”. 

Today you are ready. On what will you 

set your heart?


Queen Elizabeth Hall: A New House Community 

In a matter of weeks Shrewsbury 

School will be home to a brand-new 

community of kind, talented, creative 

young women who are ready to throw 

themselves into school life from day 

one. Hailing from myriad walks of 

life and global locations, across four 

year groups, they are an energetic and 

eclectic bunch who will be part of the 

wonderful paradox of something which 

is both new and what will be a key 

moment in the School’s history – its 

fifth girls’ house. 

And I am fortunate enough to be their 

founding Housemistress. 

We are so lucky that we will be able 

to call Queen’s – a beautiful, purposebuilt, 

green building – our home at 

School. The appeal of being the first 

to use the Common Room, or House 

Hall – and to have a material impact 

on the way they look and feel – is 

a privilege for both the pupils and 

me. As I know to be true from my 18 

months at Shrewsbury, Salopians are 

deeply connected to and proud of 

their Houses – and I hope Queen’s will 

be no exception. Girls who join us in 

our first few years will have the unique 

opportunity to shape our identity, which 

will be grounded in our values as a 

community. They will be pioneers in 

this regard, and I am looking forward 

to seeing what they bring. 

I have been in the fortunate position of 

being able to meet incoming September 

2023, 2024 and 2025 pupils among the 

hundred or so prospective families I 

have toured in my time at Shrewsbury 

so far. Without a building to show 

them, or, more importantly, existing 

Queen’s girls for them to talk to, I am 

convinced that photographs of our 

two dogs have been the clincher for 

several… But their genuine excitement 

to be part of something new is tangible. 

I am very pleased to be working 

already with our incoming Upper Sixth 

pupils who are taking an inspiring 

leap of faith and moving from some of 

the existing girls’ Houses to create the 

Queen’s pupil leadership team. With 

a wealth of experience of the School, 

they are well placed to guide and 

support our incoming new pupils. 

In a narrative of new beginnings, 

it seems fitting that we are named 

after a woman who made her own 

beginning, as our late monarch, at 

the youthful age of 25 – offering a 

lifetime of service with kindness, 

dedication and fortitude. Her Majesty 

Queen Elizabeth II showed the 

immeasurable strength of young 

women, in good times and in bad, 

and is a fitting figure after whom we 

are honoured to be named. 

A House community is defined by its 

people, both within and without, and 

I would like to thank all colleagues 

who have been working hard to make 

the launch of Queen’s a success, 

particularly Martin Cropper and his 

team in the Admissions Department 

and Jon Taylor and his team in 

the Estates Department. I am also 

particularly grateful to Anna Peak and 

my Housemaster and Housemistress 

colleagues for welcoming me into their 

midst and providing sage words of 

wisdom that I know will stand me in 

good stead as I take up this role. 

The House team and I look forward 

to opening the doors of Queen’s to 

our first cohort of around 50 pupils in 

September, who will make their own 

important contributions to Shrewsbury 

School at this exciting point in its coeducational 

journey. 

Sally Pearson

16 

SCHOOL NEWS 

BUILDING BRIGHT FUTURES 

For a number of years, I have 

closely followed the work of the 

High Fliers Research group. They 

produce annual reports on Graduate 

Recruitment, connecting their studies 

into the future aspirations of imminent 

university leavers to the reality of 

the opportunities that exist for these 

cohorts. Whether it is graduate pay, 

reporting on the most desired graduate 

opportunities, or promoting the surge 

of degree apprenticeship opportunities, 

the topics they cover are of genuine 

interest to the Futures Department and 

help to inform aspects of what we offer 

to our pupils at Shrewsbury. 

I tuned in recently to their latest 

online broadcast, where they shared 

some genuinely fascinating data on 

competition for graduate jobs: those 

positions that you can only access if 

you have a degree. They made two 

statements that particularly caught 

my attention. First, on average, ‘top’ 

companies receive 39 applications per 

graduate opportunity, with the most 

sought-after positions receiving over 

300! Second, up to 70% of graduate 

employers will take applicants from any 

degree discipline. 

The widely reported rise in 18-yearolds 

in the United Kingdom, along with 

UCAS recently predicting that by 2030 

there will be one million applications 

for Higher Education courses (a 25% 

increase on the current number), 

serves as another reminder of the 

increased competition our current 

pupils are going to face as they move 

through compulsory, further and higher 

education. 

Just take a moment to reflect on what 

it must be like for employers to receive 

that volume of applications from so 

many well-educated individuals. Some 

of you reading this magazine may 

be dealing with this as a key part of 

your work and be very familiar with 

the challenges it presents. It must be 

very tricky sifting through hundreds of 

applications which, from an educational 

perspective, must all look very similar. 

GCSES: tick. A Levels: tick. University 

Degree (whatever the subject): tick. So 

if those minimum expectations are met, 

employers are naturally crying out for 

points of difference between applicants. 

As a Futures Department, I see it as our 

absolute responsibility to contribute 

positively in preparing pupils for these 

challenges and offering some of those 

points of difference. Whether that’s 

skills workshops, enterprise days, mock 

assessment mornings, work experience 

opportunities, networking meetings 

or careers fairs, we are very aware 

of the need to ensure that our pupils 

have the best opportunity to navigate 

these future processes effectively. Our 

newest addition to the Futures activities 

is a ‘pilot’ Sixth Form programme to 

be introduced in September, which 

I anticipate will offer something 

positively different for those students 

who access it. 

The ‘Future Ready Qualifications’ 

(FRQs) are a suite of accredited awards 

which will be offered to Lower Sixth 

Formers alongside their core A Level 

programme. Although it is a new 

offering, it is bringing together awards 

Shrewsbury School has been delivering 

since 2020, so it is based on informed 

practice. There are three distinct parts: 

1. The Institute of Leadership & 

Management (ILM) Young Leaders 

Award (Level 2) 

2. Microsoft Skills Certifications – the 

opportunity to gain accredited awards 

in Word, Excel and PowerPoint 

3. Accredited work briefs and / or 

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). 

Let me explain further. When public 

examinations were cancelled in 2020, 

the School moved swiftly to become 

accredited to deliver the ILM Young 

Leaders Award. Since then, over 200 

Sixth Form students have obtained this 

award, either in the absence of A-Level 

exams in 2020 and 2021, or through 

studying it as part of their Thursday 

afternoon activities programme. As the 

lead for this qualification, I could not 

be more enthusiastic about its value 

(unsurprisingly!). 

Delivered in a training course style, 

students learn about topics such as self-


leadership, resilience, self-motivation, 

problem-solving, communication and 

mentoring younger members of the 

School community. Since 2020, over 

250 pupils have benefitted from this 

mentoring support. All the students 

who have gained this award have 

developed skills and competencies 

that employers, regardless of their 

industry, want. Moreover, these have 

been learned using a framework 

that is nationally recognised and 

often incorporated within employers’ 

leadership training. 

Our digital lead, Henry Exham, 

introduced the Microsoft Office 

Specialist course in September 2020 

as a Thursday afternoon activity. Very 

popular among students, it offers 

them a fantastic opportunity not only 

to develop their digital skills but also 

become accredited in IT packages 

that many employers utilise. As we 

approach its third year of delivery, 

those who have obtained these awards 

can now demonstrate confidently their 

excellence in these areas. 

The third aspect of the FRQs is in some 

ways for me the most exciting. This will 

be delivered in the Summer term of the 

Lower Sixth, by which stage students 

will be starting to think a little bit more 

seriously about their future aspirations 

as they approach their final year. 

Linked to their personal aspirations, 

students will have the opportunity 

to choose either to navigate their 

way through a work-based project, 

offered via a number of high-profile 

graduate employers, or to take on a 

MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) 

linked to a subject they may be 

contemplating studying at university. 

Both are accessed online, and students 

are supported to work independently 

through different challenges to help 

demonstrate competencies and qualities 

that are essential for future success. 

So, by the end of their Lower Sixth, 

those students who have chosen 

MOOC will have studied a range of 

courses, from which they will have 

developed and accrued a whole host 

of desirable skills, to list on either 

immediate or future applications. These 

students will leave Shrewsbury School 

in 2025, and it is worth noting the 

‘Top 10 Skills of 2025’ that the World 

Economic Forum advised would be 

most desired for future workplace 

success: 

• Analytical thinking and innovation 

• Active learning and learning strategies 

• Complex problem-solving 

• Critical thinking and analysis 

• Creativity, originality and initiative 

• Leadership and social influence 

• Technology use, monitoring and 

control 

• Technology design and programming 

• Resilience, stress tolerance and 

flexibility 

• Reasoning, problem-solving and 

ideation. 

Many of these points will be covered 

and developed throughout the FRQ 

programme, in addition to the wealth of 

experiences students are able to enjoy 

through the whole person education 

offered by the School. 

Those who choose to do four A Levels 

or an Extended Project Qualification 

(EPQ) will still have the opportunity to 

take on aspects of the FRQ programme 

through the Thursday afternoon 

activities programme and will have their 

own points of difference through those 

selections. 

As we cast our mind back to what 

it must be like for employers sifting 

through vast piles of job applications, 

these may prove to be very helpful 

indeed… 

Chris Wain 

Head of Futures

18 

SCHOOL NEWS 

IT at Shrewsbury 

A Memoir: 1979 to 2005 

Mark Twells (Staff 1979-1985, 1993-2005) charts the early days of IT development at Shrewsbury. 

RGR tends an analogue computer, Speech Day 1994 

1979 to 1985 

On my first Speech Day in 1979, I 

wandered into a static exhibition in 

the end of the baths building – what is 

currently the Admissions Office. Therein 

stood an old Eliot computer along with 

the peripheral bits and pieces needed 

to run it – teletypes, paper tape readers 

and so on. A small platoon of boys ran 

this behemoth. I was entranced. A little 

more exploring revealed a classroom 

full of Research Machines 380z Z80 

machines – small microcomputers, 

capable of running small programs. 

Gilbert Roscoe (RGR) taught these skills 

to the School through an innovative 

loophole in the timetable provided by 

the then Director of Studies. Shrewsbury 

had an eye on the future, and I began 

to get hooked. 

I borrowed a RM and a bag full of 

cassettes (of software) over Christmas 

1979 and set it up on the dining table at 

home, much to my mother’s annoyance. 

I taught myself the rudiments of Z80 

machine code and marvelled at the 

“front panel” – the device provided to 

debug a 380z. Z80 assembler was the 

language of the CPU, the brain in the 

computer. It turned out to be difficult 

enough to even print characters on 

the screen, let alone write something 

useful. Proper graphics were even more 

difficult to do. Easy to dismiss these 

things as complicated toys. 

By the start of January 1980, I had 

become enamoured with the micro PC 

as a tool for teaching mathematics. I 

engrossed myself in coding and actually 

managed to produce one or two small 

gems (by my standards) to use in the 

classroom. Little else hit the mainstream, 

though RGR did produce an excellent 

controller for the School’s telescopes – 

written, of course, in Z80. (It was the 

only way to get enough room to write 

the code combined with enough speed 

to make it useable). I teetered on, in a 

relationship with the RM machines but 

not prepared to make the first move, 

for some time. And thus ended my first 

entanglement with Shrewsbury. 

1985 to 1993 

I stagnated for a while, then realised 

I needed to move. By this time 

married with one daughter, Mrs T and 

I reckoned that a move back to her 

native Leicestershire was sensible. In 

the interests of career progression, a job 

came up at Loughborough Grammar 

School, teaching maths. I applied and 

got the job. 

Seven years later came a phone call. 

Michael Hall (FMH) at Shrewsbury 

wanted someone to run Basic Year (the 

Outdoor Pursuits programme for junior 

boys). I wasn’t initially interested but 

went over for a chat with Ted Maidment 

anyway. He offered some involvement 

in IT, a new IT centre, a split with 

Maths, and the Basic Year. And I got 

paid too. I bit, and moved back, married 

with three girls, in September 1993. 

1993 to 2000 

It became evident that in the interval 

1979 to 1993, very little had changed. 

Most of the Common Room had been 

in post in 1985 when I left. Richard 

Auger (RA) was Director of Studies and 

took a commendably positive viewpoint 

on IT. The baths building was still the 

home of IT, although some newer RM 

machines had been purchased. Gilbert 

(RGR) wanted to develop, and I was 

keen to help. The classrooms were on 

a local area network 1 , mainly to share 

printers and suchlike. Pupils had very 

limited space for storage on the server. 

We decided that things had to expand.


Begging letter to Headmaster. 

The first target was the Common Room. 

We bought a Windows NT machine 

for the CR and stuck it in a corner, 

eventually connecting it by means of 

a homemade fibre optic cable to the 

core net in IT. Several members of staff 

became frequent users of this setup and 

saw the benefits of the net. 

Windows NT was a godsend for us. 

In 1993 we were locked into Research 

Machines, and increasingly frustrated 

by them. Our servers lacked storage 

space and they had a very strange 

system of rolling out applications over 

a network. Windows NT seemed to 

offer us a solution. We couldn’t use 

ordinary Windows because it had no 

security whatsoever: we once put a 

sacrificial, clean, Windows 98 machine 

in a corner of a classroom on Speech 

Day. Within an hour it was a complete 

unbootable mess. NT gave us security 

on the hard disk which 98 lacked. 

Unfortunately, it came with other issues 

which we discovered as we progressed 

the project. Microsoft didn’t understand 

school networks, so the ability of NT to 

handle roaming desktops (your desktop 

follows your login around the network), 

for example, was broken. But we 

persevered and things improved as they 

rolled out fixes. With our own login 

script, driven by a backend database, 

we got drives to map properly and 

desktops to roam. Pupils sat down and 

got their own desktops, and their own 

shared resources. 

Eventually, we got good enough 

with NT to allow us to ditch RM. This 

mattered because until we had a non- 

RM network we couldn’t hang normal 

PCs onto it. We wanted to go all out 

and hang boys’ PCs on the network 

to give them a seamless working 

experience. 

Fibre Optic technology, used to link 

buildings together, was initially alien to 

us. In the end, after a lot of practice, 

RGR acquired great skill in popping 

plugs onto fibres, polishing the ends 

to undreamed of tolerances. They all 

worked splendidly. We had to buy 

some quite expensive kit to terminate 

the fibre and I remember distinct raised 

eyebrows in the bursarial department at 

the budget request. More followed… 

Very little debate produced trenches 

and ducting for Biology and Art, just 

across the quad. Science was easy. And 

then Ted managed to raise money for 

the promised new IT centre from a 

generous bequest from an Old Salopian. 

The only condition I remember was that 

the building had to be called The Craig 

Building. 

And so we moved out of the baths 

building into a purpose-built suite 

of 2.5 classrooms and one servery/ 

office in what had been the Science 

department car park. Much had to be 

done ourselves – all the data cabling, 

and we had major issues with the 

ducted mains cabling round the edge 

of the room. But we had two rooms 

of working, networked PCs and a 

respectable servery. 

In the late 90s, I ran a day seminar 

in another boarding school on the 

importance of the internet. In those 

days, Shrewsbury was regarded as 

being innovative, and our LANs 1 for 

networking boarding houses were 

way ahead of most other schools. Our 

email was strange, however. We had 

about five email addresses on the CiX 

conferencing system, accessible by 

dialup. At least one member of staff 

wooed his current wife on CiX. Our 

Russian Fellow was stunned to discover 

we had email. Our Harvard Fellow 

was appalled that only one address 

(and not the internet) was available on 

site in one machine. But CiX wasn’t 

the internet, so I had some difficulty 

in putting a demo together, since we 

didn’t actually use it. I think I managed 

to talk about networking Encarta for a 

few hours. 

On the way back from this seminar 

I began to reflect on how we used 

our small network. In a sense it was a 

solution looking for a problem. We had 

the means to distribute data, but little 

data to distribute. Email was an obvious 

win, but reflecting on how Microsoft 

and Research Machines distributed 

updates suggested another. Updates 

would arrive in the post as a pile of 

20 or so 3.5” diskettes. One ploughed 

through these on each server in turn, 

then rebooted. Time consuming, and 

error prone. The slow speed of updates 

also exposed us to disk-borne viruses. 

Then there was Encarta. Probably 

the biggest draw, this fossilised but 

wonderful encyclopaedia had, if I recall 

correctly, annual updates. It was always 

out of date. 

The Internet, specifically The World 

Wide Web, beckoned. The first 

capture of www.shrewsbury.org.uk 

was in December 1998. The site is 

unrecognisable: static (they all were), 

clunky and small. It had no official 

status with the School. By May 1999 

a small “Web Prospectus” had been 

installed. We plagiarised text from

20 

SCHOOL NEWS 

the printed prospectus and made use 

of scanned photographs and so on. 

Everything was dial-up so files had to 

be small. We had to use a modem to 

dial in to a node, so uploading anything 

was very slow. By today’s standards 

the whole edifice was wooden. But 

we have to remember that this had no 

official backing, and dial-up forced all 

the files to be small. Headmaster Ted 

Maidment was not especially interested 

in this method of recruiting, so we 

held essentially free rein. Alex Went 

joined the team and did a lot of design 

and writing. RGR and I continued to 

progress the technicalities of running a 

Linux Webserver in public. 

We began to experiment with email. 

Part of the problem was that there was 

no standard for handling attachments, 

and most of the email clients were 

difficult to use. This didn’t stop some 

staff and a fair proportion of boys from 

using our primitive system. It dialled up 

on a regular schedule, dumping and 

fetching using an unstable version of 

Slackware Linux as the mail server. The 

more propeller-head pupils and staff 

used pine as a mail reader. 

2001-2005 

By May 2001 we had email running 

more reliably, over the dial-up. Boys 

were given an email address upon 

request – the setup ran on a rather flaky 

early version of MS Exchange. Some 

departments, notably Physics, were 

quick to realise that this offered a great 

opportunity to share documentation. 

With an eye on future developments, 

staff emails linked into set lists in an 

obvious way 2 , though the set lists were 

(being polite) “work in progress”. 

We moved quickly to a leased line for 

email. The domain shrewsbury.org.uk 

was registered, and we began to populate 

it with sites, servers and services. 

An early www.shrewsbury.org.uk 

The first experimental www usage 

happened about this time. We intended 

to use squid, a proxy server connected 

to both the internet and our internal 

network to supply web pages to pupils. 

We set this up on another linux machine 

(running Slackware) fairly easily and it 

worked well with most web browsers, 

requiring a small configuration change. 

Once dialled in, squid would fetch a 

page once, then cache it for subsequent 

users. Initially this worked well, but as 

the internet grew in size and popularity 

we realised we had a major management 

issue with it. 

Our network still consisted of two 

classrooms, a link to a solitary computer 

in the Common Room, and a couple of 

servers – the main RM file server, and 

a Linux box serving mail and what we 

rather amusingly called an Intranet, a 

static website with areas managed by 

departments. This was going nowhere 

unless and until we engaged pupils, 

but a couple of departments were very 

interested. 

Churchill’s proved to be an initial 

driving force. Despite an almost 

complete lack of budget, we 

“subcontracted” the cabling of 

Churchill’s to a couple of keen Sixth 

Formers. Meanwhile, the Main School 

Building was cabled – MT spent many 

happy hours crawling around the very 

top floor of MSB laying 102 cabling. Not 

very futureproof, but it was easy and 

we were familiar with it. Meanwhile, 

10T went into Churchill’s, and boys 

appeared on our network 24/7. The 

problem of having machines one didn’t 

own or control was a new one, and 

unfamiliar. Few schools had got this far 

by this date – Chris Dawkins at Felstead 

had networked most of the school, but 

he was using BBC computers, which 

were probably easier to control but very 

niche. We wanted an open architecture, 

so that we could plug what we wanted 

onto it. This meant using TCP/IP 3 as the 

network protocol, and precluded the 

BBC. Our choice allowed us to move 

away from RM, and move towards 

Unix, Linux and newer IBM PC variants 

running vanilla WindowsNT. 

A number of members of staff bit the 

bullet and populated our web server 

with useful teaching pages. Alex Went 

(ASMW) in English, Simon Baxter (SDB) 

in Maths and various physicists set to 

and digitised a lot of their courses. 

Our first choice of architecture rather 

naively imagined that pupils would use 

the network for study – encyclopaedic 

information, and what later came to 

be known as GTD – Getting Things 

Done. Planning and diary. This turned 

out to be naïve at best, and probably 

just plain wrong. The first two Houses 

online spent most of their time ‘hacking’ 

the opposition, and indulging in vast 

pan-network games, which crippled 

the network for serious work, and 

even slugged backups. Something had 

to change. We had installed switches 

on the edge of our DMZ 4 , which 

was at least a start, but then someone 

mentioned VPNs 5 . 

We hadn’t heard of VPNs – virtual 

private networks. One set of physical 

infrastructure, several virtual networks 

running on it. We could separate the 

pupils off. However, we learned that 

they were the domain of research and 

very expensive. We had to bottle in 

our pupils, but give them access to 

what we deemed useful and VPNs 

were clearly the answer. This had the 

consequence of making RGR and me 

the most unpopular brushers (teachers) 

on site, but we had to move. But what 

and how? 

The solution turned out to be Linux, 

again. 

In 2000, VPNs were ridiculously 

expensive and difficult to get hold of 

and configure. Additionally, we would 

have to manage the configuration 

manually since the School added 20% 

of users every year, and lost the same 

number. These changes all had to find 

their way into the configuration - this 

became an all but impossible task for 

two essentially part time members of 

staff, charged with teaching a timetable 

as well. Ade and Rick joined us – 

Ade became our full-time technical 

help, with particular expertise in PC 

configurations. Rick was technically 

part-time with classroom Audio Visual. 

With these two on board we could 

move forward with the plan, helped by 

the electricians who were now floodwiring 

Houses and classrooms in their 

‘spare’ time, having taught themselves


The first e-prospectus. Around 2000 

how to terminate the copper cables we 

used for miles of indoor wiring. 

The VPN solution turned out to be to 

make our own switches. Linux – our 

chosen flavour was Ubuntu - shipped 

with some nifty code called ebtables 

which allowed us to configure routing 

in a computer full of network cards 

by mac address - a sort of unique 

telephone number for the PC. We could 

say that this PC was permitted to use this 

route through our box to communicate 

with this server on this port. Thus, we 

generated several rules for each PC 

on the network. If the system didn’t 

recognise the network card in the PC, 

the network led nowhere. But where to 

get the MAC addresses 6 - the network 

card’s phone number - from? The 

solution involved a big database, and 

more utilities such as arp. Running arp 

against a known machine gave us its 

MAC address which was then stored 

in a SQL table. Another routine then 

pulled the MAC addresses out and ran 

ebtables with them to let them through 

to appropriate servers. The effect was to 

stop House-to-House gaming, and even 

to stop iTunes sharing in Houses. 

It made us very unpopular, but it kept 

the network working. 

This design went through several 

iterations. An early one had the pupil 

file storage in the box itself, with each 

box handling three Houses. This was 

fast (a direct route on both sides) but 

unwieldy, and one pupil once changed 

Houses. Later ones had a single 

pupil file server for each House to 

which the PC was routed. 

But things were getting complicated. 

As well as the two SMB 7 Servers – a 

main and backup – we had three House 

firewalls, and separate pupil and staff 

file servers, then backup systems. Each 

client had to run a login script which 

set up the required drive mappings 

at login. This script got increasingly 

complicated as services were added 

and expectations grew. 

We had, however, missed a trick. WiFi. 

WiFi started slowly, but eventually 

broke our model. We had designed 

everything – in particular the SQL 8 

tables for the switch firewalls – on the 

back of one pupil, one IP address. WiFi, 

after a few years of settling in, gave 

pupils the option of connecting phones, 

laptops, tablets and desktop PCs all 

to our network. Our original notional 

limit of around 1000 PCs began to look 

woefully inadequate and we began to 

run short of IP addresses as well. In 

addition to all this, we discovered that 

some foreign students had discovered 

how to run virtual network cards 

configured with a MAC address of their 

choosing. A bit of judicious listening 

gave them two or three staff MACs to 

play with, and away they went with full 

staff privileges. 

We realised that changing systems was 

a lot more difficult than building them 

in the first place. Our setup with one IP 

address per pupil wasn’t going to work 

long term, so we began to fragment our 

network and provide WiFi on a House 

by House basis, connecting to the 

central ‘DMZ’ for internet/email access. 

IT became a provider of bought-in 

services, and the Site slowly became 

fibre-optically enabled. 

In 1993, The School timetable was 

held in the head of its creator, Mark 

Mortimer (MM). A paper copy, with 

the timetable in pencil, was kept in the 

Common Room. If you wanted a copy, 

you had to get it yourself with paper 

and pen. Set lists were managed by the 

head of department. It looked like time 

for a change, though there were no 

commercial packages to do the job in a 

very niche market. We wrote our own, 

over a few months. A web-based front 

end managed modules to handle the 

various lists we wanted, exam results, 

registration and everything except 

examination entries. The prospect of 

Bob Kendall retiring (Examinations 

Officer) a few years into the project 

eventually forced a move to a much 

more standard package, iSAMS, which 

the School runs to this day. 

iSAMS gave us all a clue about direction. 

We were moving from a strange and 

non-standard system, built as innovators, 

into a world of standard packages with 

IT support glueing them together. Seat 

ticketing had to talk to iSAMS. iSAMS 

had to talk to examination boards, 

and so on. The floating hotel that is 

Shrewsbury had to provide internetbased 

resources without compromising 

on security. And backend provision was 

changing. Real servers became software 

packages running on 19” rackmounts, 

and the creation of a webserver involves 

just a few keypresses on one of the host 

machines. 

As things matured, the virtual classroom 

became a reality. Just in time for 

the COVID pandemic, Shrewsbury’s 

adoption of e-learning enabled the 

School to function in some manner, 

and emerge more or less intact. Indeed, 

a VLE (virtual learning environment) 

probably saved the School during 

the COVID pandemic. But that is for 

someone else to judge. 

1. Local Area Network – a network occupying one room or building. 

2. If mt@shrewsbury.org.uk was the email address, mt taught the set. 

3. The set of rules for communicating between computers. TCP/IP was a complex set which was difficult to implement. BBCs used a simple but proprietary 

protocol. PCs ran the full TCP/IP – so we judged that to be the better bet. 

4. DMZ = central zone, flanked by a secure fence (a firewall) through which few are allowed. All the important servers go in the DMZ with access to them 

controlled by other machines. 

5. VPN = Virtual Private Network. Multiple networks can run privately over a single physical connection, thanks to the wonder of encryption. For instance, we 

would run House staff in a different network to boys. 

6. A unique number attached to a network card, allowing us to identify the card and hence the PC and hence the user. Or so we thought. 

7. SMB = Microsoft’s file sharing server system. The servers are generally referred to as SAMBA machines, 

8. Structured Query Language. Used to access data in a database. Nearly everything, these days, is held in a database.

22 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Economics is not just about Money 

Nick Zafar has taught in the Shrewsbury School Economics Faculty since September 2018. 

He runs the Economics Society. This is the text of the lecture he recently delivered in the 

Barnes Theatre as part of a lecture series entitled Dialogues. 

It is the start of the 

first lesson with a 

new class. I advise 

my new students 

that the moment 

they stepped into 

my classroom they 

agreed to leave their 

humanity behind. 

They were now 

embarking on a 

course to become 

superhuman, to 

understand and 

explain things that 

are currently just 

a blur of facts, figures and opinions swimming in the ether 

of their consciousness. I would explain that it was not my 

role to get them a good A level grade, that was their job. My 

job was to turn them in to economists, and the rest would 

follow naturally. They would be able to intelligently discuss 

economic affairs with their parents and stand their ground, 

challenging opinions and long-held perceptions. 

The start to this process often involves the post-it sticker (I am 

sure there are more high-tech ways of doing this) exercise. 

Each student writes down one word that economics means to 

them and sticks it on the whiteboard. Unsurprisingly, the word 

that appears most often is “money”. So starts the journey of 

re-education. 

Adam Smith, often referred to as the ‘father of modern 

economics’, is still the prime influence on the way we view 

economics in the Western world. He suggested: 

1. Wealth is created through productive labour, 

2. Self-interest motivates people to put resources to best use. 

He set this out in his work An Inquiry into the Nature and 

Causes of the Wealth of Nations in 1776, where he suggests 

that self-interest and competition ensures sufficient goods are 

produced at the lowest price to meet the demands of people, 

and better products are produced at lower prices due to 

competition. 

Traditional economic theory, based on Adam Smith’s work, 

believes that all needs and wants are met by an economy 

where buyers and sellers meet and determine an appropriate 

price which in turn is a measure of worth for all things that 

people desire. Over-pricing cannot occur because the buyers 

will not pay it and under-pricing will not occur because the 

suppliers will supply at this price. Everything will be priced 

fairly, and everyone will be happy. 

With resources allocated efficiently through this mechanism 

(often referred to as the “invisible hand”) there will be no 

abject poverty, extreme inequality, environmental destruction 

et cetera. 

One can challenge traditional economic theory by discrediting 

its underlying assumptions, including the existence of perfect 

information, perfect mobility of resources, homogenous 

products etc. However, disciples will respond by asserting the 

assumptions are ideals that, while unrealistic, are still worth 

pursuing as a yardstick of desirability. They will argue that 

rational human beings will strive for these ideals and therefore 

that they remain valid. 

This piece of work, which has earned Adam Smith the 

accolade of being the “father of modern economics”, is 247 

years old, yet still substantially informs government policy and 

thinking today. It informs political discourse. It informs the 

teaching of economics which in turn perpetuates allegiance to 

it by the next generation of economists. 

247 years ago, the British economy was in its industrial 

revolution heyday, with a manufacturing base fed by cheap 

resources from a sprawling empire that reached every corner 

of the Earth. 

247 years later, the British economy, in common with most 

developed economies, relies upon a highly developed service 

sector fuelled by communication technology that would have 

been regarded as magic in Adam Smith’s time. 

247 years ago, environmental concerns were not even 

conceived of, let alone recognised as arguably the biggest 

crisis the world faces. 

On a macro level, the success of economic policy is generally 

gauged by reference to the achievement of key economic 

objectives, the most important of which is generally regarded 

as economic growth. Economic growth is measured by 

reference to the gross domestic product or gross national 

income of a nation which in simple terms is an indication 

of the wealth of a country. So, GDP or GNI is a measure 

of material wealth. If we can maximise this, and therefore 

average incomes, we maximise satisfaction. That’s the way 

traditional thinking goes. 

However, an American economist by the name of Richard 

Easterlin observed a puzzling phenomenon. Between 1946 

and 1970, the US witnessed remarkable economic expansion. 

And yet surveys failed to show any upsurge in happiness 

throughout this period of post-war boom. This trend, as you 

can see in the graph on the following page, has continued. 

Easterlin Paradox 

The Easterlin Paradox suggests that, once a basic level of 

income has been achieved (in the US in the 1960s that was 

considered to be $10,000) further increases do not increase 

happiness. 

This naturally raises the question of how ‘happiness’ is 

measured. Most economists and academics have shied 

away from the task of trying to measure what they see as 

unquantifiable. Fortunately, not all. 

Measuring happiness usually involves surveys asking people 

to report their own happiness levels. In attempting to do this, 

researchers have found that it becomes possible to measure 

the immeasurable. This is done by attributing measurable 

indices to generally agreed human desirables of happiness 

which affect broader welfare levels. These generally agreed 

human desirables include levels of literacy, access to health 

care, political freedom, quantity of leisure, income levels 

and pollution levels. Although not a comprehensive list of 

happiness-deriving factors, it would be hard to argue that they 

do not significantly contribute to happiness.


Income level is recognised as a factor contributing to 

happiness in our analysis, but it is only one of many factors. 

GDP is concerned with income levels and income levels 

alone. Traditional economics implies a direct and endless 

correlation between material wealth and happiness and 

therefore welfare. 

If economics professes to be a discipline that seeks to establish 

how best to use limited resources to meet unlimited needs and 

wants (which it does), surely it needs to consider all needs and 

wants … not just income-related needs and wants? 

In October 2002 Dr Daniel Kahneman was awarded the Nobel 

Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. The significance of 

this event is that Dr Kahneman is not an economist. He is a 

psychologist. 

Daniel Kahneman’s work challenged the traditional economic 

theory of markets. He argued that where traditional economists 

went wrong was in assuming that people and organisations are, 

or seek to be, “rational decision makers”, that they made fully 

objective decisions after considering all the costs and benefits, 

motivated entirely by self-interest, to maximise their own material 

benefit. Indeed, to make decisions based on any other factor is 

considered irrational. Daniel Kahneman’s work concluded that 

this was a false premise. 

Deep in the eastern Himalayan mountains, a tiny state with 

a population approaching one million people has taken this 

thinking to rethink the drivers of economic policy. That country 

is Bhutan. It borders powerful neighbours, China and India, 

both of which are entirely committed to the traditional economic 

objective of growing their economies and average incomes 

almost, many would argue, to the exclusion of all else. 

Bhutan however has chosen a different path. It has chosen 

instead to pursue economic happiness. Instead of using 

Gross National Product, Bhutan’s government uses the Gross 

National Happiness index (GNH) as its main macroeconomic 

indicator of economic success. This informs economic policy. 

The GNH’s construction is simple: rather than measuring the 

aggregate spending from a country’s population, Bhutan’s GNH 

seeks to measure their total happiness. In order to measure this 

as objectively as possible, the indicators for GNH are based on 

tangible statistics of measures on factors ranging from economic 

development to environmental protection levels. 

The idea of a GNH index stretches back to 1972, when one 

of the founders of the European Union, Sicco Mansholt, first 

came up with the idea. He did this because it was recognised 

that the world’s traditional budget reliance on Gross Domestic 

Product (GDP) was criticized for ignoring crucial aspects of 

people’s lives, including life-satisfaction and environmental 

degradation etc. 

Compared to GDP’s technical measures of spending and 

output, Bhutan’s own GNH index takes a more holistic 

approach to measuring a country’s growth. It gives equal 

weighting to ‘economic’ and ‘non-economic’ aspects of the 

country, as exemplified by the four pillars that the GNH index 

encompasses: 

1. sustainable and equitable development, 

2. conservation of the environment, 

3. preservation and promotion of culture, and 

4. good governance. 

While other countries, including the UK and New Zealand, 

have shifted macroeconomic analysis towards more holistic 

social indicators to incorporate wellness goals, only Bhutan 

has put the ideas of happiness as central to their public policy 

decisions. 

So, how successful has Bhutan been? Here are some of the 

outcomes: 

1. While the rest of the world struggles to achieve carbon 

neutrality, Bhutan is the first and only carbon-negative 

country in the world. 

2. Bhutan has also recently prevented the COVID-19 pandemic 

from overwhelming its population, with only one Bhutanese 

citizen passing away from the virus to date. 

3. According to a World Bank report, Bhutan has been able to 

cut poverty from 36 to 12 per cent between the years 2007 

and 2017: the steepest decline in poverty of any of its 

neighbouring South Asian countries over that time. 

4. Enrolment in both primary and secondary education has 

significantly increased, with the former jumping up by 30 

percentage points between 2007 and 2017. 

5. 91 per cent of the Bhutanese population now lives within a 

one-hour distance from a health facility, compared with just 

73 per cent in 2007 

6. Increased public investment has led to farm road networks 

jumping from 1700 km to 11200 km between 2008 

and 2017. 

There are valid criticisms of some of these numbers that may 

question the direct cause and effect relationship. For example, 

while educational attainment certainly increased over the past 

decade in Bhutan, it is easy to see that the trend extends back 

to the 1990s. Also, many of the World Bank report statistics, in 

fact, show positive trends that already follow from before the 

GNH index was first used. 

While there is value in constructive scepticism, I would 

suggest that perhaps Bhutan has demonstrated sufficient 

success to encourage others to think again about their use 

of GDP alone to inform economic policy. Perhaps Bhutan 

and the use of GNH has gone some way to explaining the 

Easterlin Paradox. 

Perhaps the time has come for us to rethink the traditional 

approach to economics espoused by Adam Smith. Perhaps 

it is time to recognise that the work of Richard Easterlin, of 

Daniel Kahneman, and the Bhutan experiment, all prove 

conclusively that economics is not just about money. 

Perhaps it is time for a new parent of modern economics 

– and why shouldn’t that person come from one of those 

students embarking on their course to superhumanity at 

Shrewsbury School?

24 SCHOOL NEWS 

On a chilly evening in early February, what could be 

better than an evening in the Moser Library, listening to 

Salopians discussing their carefully chosen “spells”? 

The McEachran Prize, awarded to the winner of this 

wonderfully unique competition, is a celebrated and much 

anticipated event in our School’s Fasti, and the class of 2023 

did not disappoint. The illustrious Frank McEachran, who 

taught for 40 years at Shrewsbury and whose passion and 

individuality are commemorated through this competition, 

would have been very pleased to see 16 young people 

volunteering to share such a wide variety of interesting and 

engaging thoughts, sparked by carefully chosen lines of verse 

or prose. 

Richard Hudson, former pupil of ‘Kek’ and, more latterly 

teacher of English and Housemaster of Churchill’s, was 

welcomed back to adjudicate – and nobody envied him the 

task of having to choose the winners from such a strong field! 

The evening began with a reminder of the rules: students 

must talk for up to four minutes on the subject of their 

choice, the content of which has been inspired by a 

“spell” – a piece of text from any source or genre. There 

is no reward for slick delivery here – this is not a public 

speaking competition - rather, the talks are judged on the 

way the subject matter relates to the chosen text, the level of 

intellectual coherence and the interest and value of what they 

have to say. 

This year’s ‘spells’ came from a wide variety of sources, from 

The Velvet Underground to Herman Melville, from Woody 

Allen to John Milton. Without exception, the talks were 

hugely engaging, carefully considered and intellectually 

stimulating. Such is the personal nature of the competition, 

every person in the audience will have had their own 

individual view on who was the most deserving of the prize, 

with so many worthy contributors. But the adjudicator was 

the only person to make his choice. 

McEACHRAN PRIZE 

Mr Hudson gave careful consideration to each talk and in 

the end made the following awards: the junior prize was 

shared between Violet Heintz (M 3) and Matthew Wong (SH 

4). Violet reflected on the aphorism commonly associated 

with Winston Churchill: History is written by the victors. 

Matthew chose an extract from Keith Douglas’ poem, 

Vergissmeinnicht. 

The senior prize was awarded to Edward Scott (Rt U6) 

who skilfully wove his spell into his speech, to explore the 

nature of Englishness and the value of the ordinary through 

examination of “the little old lady of College Street, who 

commanded no armies and attacked no religions, who was 

burnt at no stake and married no prince, whose life added no 

faintest ripple to the waves and storms and England.” (from 

England, their England by A G Macdonnell). 

Enormous thanks are extended to all who took part in what 

was a wonderful evening of thoughtful entertainment. 

Kristina Leslie 

Head of English

SCHOOL NEWS 

25 

JUNIOR SCHOOL ESSAY PRIZES 2023 

Intellectual passion at Shrewsbury School is alive and well, as these two young winners 

of the Junior School Essay Prize 2023 amply demonstrate. 

Third Form Winner Charlotte Kenyon (M) 

Discuss the claim that morality is nothing more than the expression of personal preference. 

I was nine years old when I first made the decision to be a moral human being. It was a 

conscious decision galvanised by a curious manifestation of guilt coinciding with the caustic 

realisation that actions had consequences. That decision has continued to mould me into 

the person I am today. Yet, is morality simply the desire to avoid feelings of regret? Does it 

lend itself more to the expression of personal preferences and each individual gradually and 

inevitably growing into the person they are meant to be? Or is it, perhaps, quite the opposite; 

is morality the shaping and adaptation of oneself to best fit into the jigsaw puzzle of society in 

the least problematic and inconvenient way possible? 

As mentioned, my personal experience of not only finding but, crucially, choosing to be 

guided by morality was one driven primarily by guilt. At a time when neural-pruning and 

brain-rewiring was occurring at great abundance, my juvenile self was swamped in a constant 

and tiring feeling of prudence and regret. Mistakes of days past would suddenly emerge in 

my thoughts and actions of the present were shaped by a careful aversion to feeling that same 

regret. It was this relentless self-reflection that led to my subsequent attitude to life being one 

engulfed in morality and doing the right thing. I don’t think that I am alone in this childhood 

phenomenon and I believe that it poses a strong argument for morality being a desire to 

avoid displeasing oneself and others. This albeit rather cynical view finds itself supported by 

the evolutionary ideology of mankind doing good deeds based on the assumption that it will 

result in a reciprocation of such deeds. 

On the other hand, Carl Jung once said that “without freedom there can be no morality”. This 

conveys an alternative approach to the meaning of morality. I whole-heartedly agree with Jung 

in the sentiment that morality is dependent on the existence of free will because morality is 

founded on the principle of choice. And yet, the statement I am discussing seems to imply that 

morality is, in itself, the freedom to choose and to express such choices. Once again, I find 

myself questioning whether morality can be this egotistical. Is morality all about being true to 

oneself and expressing personal preferences? Perhaps, if humans coexisted in the absence of 

interaction, if a person lived their life for the purpose of pleasing oneself, then this could be a 

plausible definition. However, in a world so heavily reliant on interaction and communication, 

morality appears to be quite the opposite. 

Here, I implore you to flip the prior point on its head and explore the argument that 

morality is the interpretation and utilisation of others’ expressions of personal preference in 

determining our future actions. In other, more simplistic terms, doing good is about observing 

what possible action would result in the greatest amount of positive reaction from the 

external world. This juxtaposes the previous two ideologies by being a fundamentally selfless 

approach to doing the right thing and, in my opinion, comes the closest amongst a myriad of 

philosophical attempts to defining morality. It would provide reason for the apparent lack of 

morality in certain species who appear incapable of deciphering the unwritten rules of right 

and wrong; if morality relies on the observances of the external world and the evaluation 

of said observances, then animals who seem to act with little or no accordance to morality 

may simply not have the mental capacity to evaluate their surroundings with sufficient 

thoroughness and scrutiny. 

To summarise, I think that morality can mean different things to all individuals. However, I 

believe that all morality of all forms relies on the honest and outward expression of personal 

preferences and, even more crucially, the intelligent inference of these expressions in 

moulding and manipulating the outcomes and actions that follow.


Fourth Form Winner Nathan Zhang (Rt) 

Never Take the Stone 

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom named Atlantis. Atlantis was utterly isolated from the rest of the world, so 

explorers from Atlantis desired a greater sense of freedom and companionship. As a result, adventurers were sent out to 

discover a sign, any sign, that they weren’t alone and stuck in this unholy and dystopian place. 

One of these adventurers, through dedication and enormous amounts of effort, discovered a magic spell that allowed them 

to communicate with anyone anywhere. And so they found Avalon, Antillia, Aeaea, and many other communities. At first, 

everyone in Atlantis was absolutely delighted with this news and reached out to find an extraordinary amount of amiable 

people and found friends in them. 

Yet happiness left as fast as it came as more and more malicious users began to appear. Though they were a minority, 

they sent waves of resentment within the kingdoms and caused every kingdom to abhor each other. In a frantic move to 

appease the people, they built gigantic opaque walls that blocked every form of outgoing magic. Consequently, the people 

inside the walls only remember the resentment and hate against the other kingdoms. Furthermore, the supposedly opaque 

walls weren’t as all-blocking as they seemed, and, just occasionally, there would be rocks disguised as magic which were 

hurled at opposing kingdoms, bringing about chaos and riots. 

This magic’s name is social media, and the black wall is the algorithms directing what you see. 

Social media started with the ambitious belief that people all around the world would be able to connect with each other, 

be cordial with each other, and make friends that would’ve been impossible to make just a decade before. Yet, after a few 

years, social media has become a distorted version of itself – almost completely unrecognisable to its first users. So, what 

happened? Was it the greedy, monopolistic companies blinded by profit? Was it the people who changed, and the early 

optimistic ages just an anomaly caused by a sense of freshness and something brand-new? Or is it a combination of both? 

Either way, social media’s benefits and drawbacks have been thrust into the spotlight over the past few years, and the only 

way to find out is by diving deep into how it became in the first place. 

For one, social media’s algorithm has dramatically improved and changed in the past few years. What is an algorithm, and 

what does it do, you may ask? Well, the algorithm’s general purpose is to recommend news or information that the user 

is interested in. If you like cat photos, the algorithm will recommend cat photos; if you like football, it will recommend 

football news and articles. This idea has performed wonders and was “magical” to begin with, yet I imagine even its 

creators wouldn’t have imagined the effects that it would have on our society. 

Before discussing its drawbacks, I absolutely need to address the algorithm’s positives. Social media and algorithms 

have become invaluable to our daily lives. It has allowed anyone with internet access to become a global citizen. Social 

injustices and unfair treatment have been pushed to the forefront because of social media and algorithms. Moreover, 

people who enjoyed particular niches and were isolated found their homes on social media. Most importantly, it induces a 

sense of relaxation after working a 9 to 5 full of stress and overwork. 

Above are all perfect examples of how social media has been revolutionary for the human race, which begs the question: 

why is the writer so cynical about its effects and future? The short answer is this – the stones that were disguised as magic. 

See, social media can bring out the best and worst of humanity. The best was shown as online strangers welcoming 

loners into their society. The worst is the egregious behaviour brought by the anonymity that brought the outcasts shelter. 

Without a necessity to reveal your identity, many are willing to go to lengths to bring hate that originated from their daily 

lives. They are a mere minority but were pushed into the limelight through the algorithm’s subtle manipulations to gain 

interactions. After these people get rewarded for their rants and hatefulness, they get jolts of dopamine that cause 

them to do it over and over and over again. Other people looked on in envy and began to follow suit, and what 

ensues is extremism and polarisation. One of the most notable examples was the US election of 2020. Voters from 

both parties fell into an almost mindless frenzy of hate. As a result, it became one of the most controversial elections 

in the country’s history. 

A notable phenomenon resulting from social media is reductionism – reducing nuanced questions to ‘yays’ or ‘nays’. Here 

lies the second trick of the magic known as social media. It’s like ‘the monkey’s paw’ in the sense that it gives people 

information from every corner of the world, yet that information is too much for humans to comprehend and react 

logically. Without enough time to think, resorting to moral outrage and reductionism is much easier. 

Reduction’s hideous twin is known as “ad hominem” – attacking others directly rather than arguing about an issue. For 

one, the algorithm traps us in echo chambers that focus solely on reinforcing one’s pre-existing beliefs. They narrow 

down people’s viewpoints, so they will view an opposing group or ideal as the ‘enemy’ and believe themselves to be the 

‘protagonist’. Moreover, as mentioned before, the vocal hateful minority gets pushed to the front page. As those people 

are the only voices they see from the other side, they instantly start to dislike and distrust those with similar perspectives. 

Ultimately, everyone doesn’t like everyone, and nothing will change if this continues. 

Social media is the perfect poster boy for the phrase “Be careful about what you wish for”. It started off with the grand 

belief that people could connect with others worldwide, yet it only amplified hatred and invoked distrust. 

When you gaze too long into the black opaque wall, the wall also gazes into you. If you get too close to it, it will offer you 

a stone, and when it does, remember to never take the stone.

SCHOOL NEWS 

27 

Sharing our Space with Nature 

The past academic year has been 

a success for the Eco-Committee 

at Shrewsbury, thanks to the outgoing 

leaders who have been instrumental 

in increasing membership and 

engagement within the School: Ling 

and Issy from Mary Sidney Hall and 

Boris, Sasha and Tim from School 

House. We owe them a huge debt of 

gratitude and we wish them all the best 

for the final exams. 

The new leadership team of Felix 

Kershaw (S L6), Umar Salehuddin (S 

L6), Rosie Taylor (M L6), Grace Dale 

(MSH L6), Chelsey Dai (MSH 4), Josh 

Wong (SH 4) and Tony Gao (R U6) 

took over at the start of the Summer 

term. This young, keen group will lead 

Shrewsbury’s Eco Committee for the 

Summer term and upcoming 2023-24 

academic year. 

Preserving our planet is not just a 

duty; it is our collective responsibility. 

Aims and initiatives were immediately 

established by the new leadership 

group. One of our aims is to increase 

our environmental connections across 

Shropshire and explore how we can 

work together to make Shropshire 

a greener place. This was put into 

action on 18th May, when members 

attended the Zero Carbon Shropshire 

event: Accelerating Action on 

Climate Change, held at University 

Centre Shrewsbury. Philip Dunne, 

MP of Ludlow, was in attendance, 

demonstrating the high status of the 

event. Our other notable partnership 

this year has been with Packwood 

Haugh School, where we exchanged 

ideas and visited each other’s 

environmentally-friendly school sites. 

Since the Eco Committee’s first 

meeting in 2018, the pupils have been 

campaigning for a wildflower meadow 

in School. As reported in the last 

edition of The Salopian (Issue 170), a 

wildflower meadow was sown next 

to Kingsland Hall by members of the 

Eco Committee in October 2022. It will 

take time to establish into a healthy 

and thriving area for wildflowers 

and wildlife and it will probably be 

five years before it reaches a peak 

in biodiversity. The Eco Committee 

hope that by sharing more of our 

space with nature at school, we can 

raise awareness of human-caused 

climate change and the rapid loss of 

biodiversity around us. The meadow 

will be scythed in September and then 

dried to make hay bales. 

As we all know, Nature is threatened 

as never before by climate change, 

habitat loss, species decline and the 

threat of invasive species. Since 1940, 

Felix Kershaw (S L6), Dr Quentin Shaw, Jai Humphries (Ch U6) 

we have destroyed four million acres 

– that’s around 97% – of all flower-rich 

meadows in the UK. We could recover 

at least half that figure if only our 

gardens, both civic and private, were 

freed from chemical interventions and 

turned back primarily to native flowers 

and shrubs. Through initiatives run by 

the Eco Committee, we hope to put 

Shrewsbury School, with its links to 

Darwin, at the forefront of education 

about ‘nature-based solutions’ and 

planning for a future that includes and 

values the natural world. 

The Third Form have been busy again 

this year, continuing to plant and 

work on the Pollinators’ Garden every 

week as part of the BASE rotation on 

Thursday afternoons. The garden is 

really beginning to take shape and is 

looking wonderful. The Lower Sixth 

volunteers who have led, guided and 

worked alongside the Third Formers 

each week in the garden have been 

fantastic. The Pollinators’ Garden has 

a myriad of different habitats and 

flowers to support our pollinators. 

In the centre of the garden are the 

School’s beehives, which are nurtured 

by the School Beekeeping Society 

every Monday afternoon. 

During this coming year, we are targeting 

the problem of food waste and recycling 

within School and have begun to work 

with Holroyd Howe, the School’s catering 

company, in looking to see how we 

can reduce food waste. Our sustainable 

buffets every other Tuesday for Eco 

Committee meetings have contributed to 

this, with Holroyd Howe using leftovers 

from previous meals to make into a 

delicous buffet for members. 

This term, we have begun work on 

a new Swift Conservation project at 

School.


The arrival of swifts on Site in May has 

been a reminder of the importance 

and impact our School Site can have 

in conserving insectivorous birds. With 

the School’s proximity to the River 

Severn, which throngs with mayflies 

during much of the Summer term, this 

is the most pertinent time of the year 

to be thinking about how Shrewsbury 

can aid the survival of migratory birds. 

Swifts are perhaps one of the most 

extraordinary of the migratory birds 

that arrive in spring, and at least five of 

them have been spotted flying over the 

School Site so far this year. 

However, Swift populations have 

declined by 60% since 1995, and 

they are currently on the UK’s 

conservation red list. An increased 

global temperature has played a large 

role in swift population decline. 

However, the largest factors have 

been decreases in insect-food, due to 

decreased insect population numbers 

in the UK, and the destruction of 

nesting sites – often small crevices in 

buildings – due to increased efforts to 

insulate modern buildings. 

In light of this, the Eco Committee 

wanted to see how Shrewsbury 

School could have a greater positive 

impact, and on 15th May, a Trustee 

of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Dr 

Quentin Shaw, was invited to have 

a look around the Site and advise us 

on swift conservation. He was highly 

complimentary about Shrewsbury 

School’s efforts and felt that conserving 

and supporting swift populations on 

the School Site would be incredibly 

beneficial, especially given that we are 

situated on one of the largest areas of 

private land in Shrewsbury. 

He made several key suggestions about 

how we may aid swifts. The first was 

that we could put up little signs where 

the swifts are currently nesting, in the 

roof of Quod and other locations, to 

prevent the current nest sites from 

being filled in in the future. 

The second was that we could put 

swift boxes up around site to increase 

the number of useable nest sites on 

the School grounds. He particularly 

earmarked the front of the Design & 

Technology Department (the Chatri 

Building) as an excellent location, 

as the overhanging shelter would 

emulate the caves where swifts would 

naturally nest. 

Given the importance of insect 

populations for sustaining swifts as 

food sources, he suggested that we 

might increase the number of flying 

insects by further expanding our 

wildflower meadows onsite. He was 

greatly impressed by our current efforts 

in front of Kingsland Hall and in the 

Pollinators’ Garden. 

Finally, he suggested that we ask the 

School to ensure that all new buildings 

have swift bricks (hollowed-out bricks 

placed high up under the eaves) to 

provide shelter. These are the best form 

of swift nesting as they last for many 

years and, unlike nest boxes, don’t run 

the risk of falling off. The swifts also 

prefer nesting bricks to boxes, and 

bricklayers can incorporate these into 

decorative brickwork. 

Meeting Dr Shaw was a great 

opportunity to talk with an expert 

in this field, and we look forward to 

putting his suggestions into action. 

In conclusion, this past year has 

been fruitful and we aim to make 

great strides in pursuing positive 

environmental change on the School 

Site next year. We also would like to 

acknowledge our utmost gratitude to 

Mrs Matthews, who has been influential 

in helping out with our Eco Committee, 

and we look forward to future projects 

next year. 

Umar Salehuddin (S L6), 

Eleanor Chance (EDH 3), 

Aidan Kwok (S L6), 

Lemuel Asare (S 4)

SCHOOL NEWS 

29 

Biology Photo Competition 

Junior Category 

Winner: Fynn Carey (S 4) 

Runner-Up: Chiara Craig (MSH 3) 

Commended: Toby Strebel (I) 4th Form 

Commended: Henry Cunningham (Ch 4)


Senior Category 

Winner: Camilla Lawson (G U6) 

Commended: Ivo Winkley (Rb L6) 

Runner-Up: Alistair Murray (SH 5) 

Commended: Camilla Lawson (G U6)

SCHOOL NEWS 

31 

Staff Category 

Winner: Stewart Harrison 

Commended: Kate Bronner 

Runner-Up: Sara Luzny 

Commended: Paul Allen


ACADEMIC NEWS 

Gold CREST Award 

Mico Xu (EDH L6) has been awarded 

a prestigious Gold CREST Award, the 

highest level of achievement in the 

CREST Awards programme. Requiring a 

minimum of 70 hours of dedicated work 

on a STEM-related topic, the award 

encourages young people to engage in 

scientific research and exploration. 

Mico’s physics project delved into 

the fascinating realm of earthquakes, 

combining theoretical knowledge 

with practical experiments to develop 

innovative ideas for reducing earthquake 

mortality. Her extensive background 

research demonstrated a profound 

understanding of seismic events and 

the potential dangers they pose to 

human lives, as well as the history and 

development of engineering designs. 

Mico’s hands-on approach included 

embarking on a series of experiments 

to test various building modifications 

aimed at minimising the impact 

of earthquakes. Through these 

experiments, Mico explored different 

concepts and approaches, allowing 

her to gain valuable insights and 

practical knowledge in the field of both 

theoretical and practical physics. The 

external assessor of Mico’s project was 

highly impressed, awarding full marks, 

which is a very rare occurrence. 

Mico completed this project as part of 

the Lower Sixth Academic Perspectives 

courses, which all pupils take in their 

chosen subjects, to add breadth and 

innovation to their learning and also to 

embed skills that might not fall into the 

standard A-Level specifications. 

In the Physics Academic Perspectives 

course, a range of titles have been 

investigated, from the best pizza box 

design, a robotic ball-boy, testing the 

strength of ropes and designing a safe 

drop system for drone deliveries. 

Biology Challenge 

Third and Fourth form pupils performed 

exceptionally well in this year’s Royal 

Society of Biology ‘Biology Challenge’, 

in which 43,485 pupils from 621 schools 

worldwide took part. 

Six Salopians were given Gold awards, 

placing them in the top 5% of entrants; 

11 were awarded Silver, placing them 

in the next 10%; and 33 won Bronze, 

placing them in the next 15%. A further 

50 pupils were highly commended. 

The entire Fourth Form and some pupils 

from the Third Form undertook two 

25-minute papers, which put them 

through their paces with a mixture of 

knowledge-based and problem-based 

questions. 

The winners of the Gold awards were: 

George Rink (PH 4) 

Mia Hirakawa (G 4) 

Evans Su (Ch 4) 

Merrie Jackson (M 4) 

Jeremy Cheung (R 4) 

Richard Wolskei (Rb 4) 

Gold Award winners with Head of Biology 

Dr Torin Morgan 

Chemistry Olympiad 

Twenty-five students from the Lower Sixth 

and nine students from the Upper Sixth 

took part in Round 1 of the Royal Society 

of Chemistry Olympiad in January. This 

competition is designed to challenge and 

stimulate the most talented young chemists 

in the country and is open to all post-16 

students in the UK. 

The paper itself is based on the core of 

the chemistry A-level specifications, so 

that students taking any of the different 

exam board A-levels can compete 

fairly. The exam lasts two hours and 

is composed of a series of structured 

questions designed to stretch able 

students by making them apply the 

principles they have learnt to new and 

often more complex situations than 

they would meet in their A-level course. 

Thus, in order to score marks, it is 

essential to have a very sound base of 

knowledge and understanding but also 

the ability to think and reason - often 

‘outside the box’ - at a high level. 

Gold Awards – given to the top 9% of 

students from nearly 12,000 entries – 

were won by: Jia Shin Quek (Rt U6), 

Charlie Sin (I L6), Vanessa Wu (EDH 

U6), Olivia Zhang (EDH U6) 

Eight students won Silver Awards: Chloe 

Cheung, Oliver Cool, Jeremy Gundle, 

Cici He, Tommy Wu, Mico Xu, Jonathan 

Zhang and Maggie Zhang 

Twenty-one students won Bronze 

Awards: Nigel Chan, Jeremy Cheung, 

Archie Collings, Hal Cowan, James 

Crews, Kanami Fukuoka, Jacky Gong, 

Henry Hatton, Angel Lai, Ben Lahiri, 

Moriz Ip, Cherry Li, Rio Nakamoto, 

Jennifer O’Brien, Anson Pan, Isabella 

Qin, Umar Salehuddin, Mingming 

Srichaisak, Gladys Wan, Isaac 

Wickramage and Yanny Yiu. 

British Physics Olympiad and 

Challenges 

Congratulations to the Upper Sixth 

Physics students who took part in the 

gruelling British Physics Olympiad 

Round 1. The paper is 2 hours 40 

minutes long and gives students a great 

opportunity to test their problem-solving 

skills. Impressively, all students in 

Shrewsbury School who sat the paper 

were awarded with a certificate. Top 

performers were Michael Miao (S) who 

achieved a Top Gold award (awarded 

to around 50 students nationally), and 

Godwin Yuen (SH) and Tom Pan (Ch) 

who both achieved a Gold award.

SCHOOL NEWS 

33 

The entire Lower Sixth Physics cohort 

took part in the slightly less gruelling 

Senior Physics Challenge online and 

eight students achieved a Gold award, 

representing the top 17% of students. 

Fifth Formers took part in the 

Intermediate Physics Challenge, and 

18 students achieved Gold, again 

representing the top 17% of students 

nationally. 

Microsoft Office Specialist 

Competition 

Congratulations to Kate Veter (G L6) and 

Roy Hsieh (R L6), who won through 

to the UK final of the Microsoft Office 

Specialist Competition. 

As reported on page 17, Microsoft Skills 

is now offered to Lower Sixth pupils as 

a Thursday afternoon activity, led by 

Henry Exham, Head of Digital Learning. 

Pupils work towards certification in 

one part of Microsoft Office: Word, 

PowerPoint and Excel. When they take 

these exams, their scores are recorded 

and the top ten in each application 

across the whole of the UK and 

Ireland are selected to take part in the 

UK and Ireland Championship Finals. 

Kate was selected as a finalist in Word 

and Roy in PowerPoint. These are 

huge achievements, as over 15,000 

students aged between 13 and 22 take 

each exam. 

The UK and Ireland Microsoft Office 

Specialist Finals took place online 

on 15th June, with the prize for the 

winners a trip to Orlando, Florida, USA 

to represent the UK in the Microsoft 

Office Specialist World Championships. 

The exams were especially hard to 

test candidates’ skill and accuracy. 

Although Kate and Roy both scored 

well, unfortunately they did not win the 

grand prize. Nevertheless, it was a great 

experience, and they can both be very 

proud of their achievement. 

The Purple Comet Maths 

competition 

Congratulations to the team of Salopian 

mathematicians - Kanami Fukuoka (MSH 

L6), Mico Xu (EDH L6), Jacky Gong (Rt 

L6), Aidan Kwok (S L6), Michael Miao 

(S U6) and Darren Chan (Ch U6) - who 

came first in the UK in an international 

online Maths competition, ‘The Purple 

Comet’. They were also placed 178th 

globally in their class out of over 1,000 

teams. 

The competition is designed to require 

teamwork and ingenuity to solve as 

many of a set of 30 maths questions 

as possible in 90 minutes. Over 4,000 

teams from 67 countries took part, from 

Albania to Vietnam, and the contest was 

split into classes dependent on size of 

school. 

Our second team of Tom Pan (Ch U6), 

Harold Ju (S 5), Caesar Chan (O 5), 

Tommy Wu (O L6), Jeremy Cheung (R 

4) and Steven Jiang (SH 5) came well 

within the top 400 teams in the ‘Small 

High School’ class and third overall 

amongst the UK entrants.


Notes from the Archives and Taylor Library 

The Taylor Library has passed through many phases in its 

over 400-year history and it continues to evolve steadily 

as we make it a more lively part of the School’s intellectual, 

cultural and academic life. It began active life in the early 

17th century as the School’s working classical and theological 

library and has grown over the centuries not only to reflect 

the changing curricula, history and intellectual thrust of the 

School but also to achieve wide national and international 

recognition. We continually ask, how does it enrich the 

cultural, intellectual and spiritual life of the School? How 

does it reflect the life and history of the School? How can its 

riches be nurtured and disseminated to best effect within the 

School and beyond? How do we best honour and preserve 

this precious legacy and history? These are questions asked 

equally insistently by many other University and School 

Ancient Libraries. When linked, as it is, with the School’s 

fine modern and ancient Archives containing all manner of 

precious materials right down the centuries to our founding 

Royal Charter under the Royal Seal of Edward VI in February 

1552, it amounts to a unique resource. We face in several 

directions: into the School; out to a national and international 

scholarly and academic community; to the wider Salopian 

community; to other schools and our local community; and 

to the public at large. 

There have been a number of interesting initiatives in recent 

months outlined below, that help us along this path. 

Taylor Library Catalogue 

Our cataloguing project of the Taylor Library Collections is 

progressing steadily as we enter rare book details into our 

main frame school catalogue system. By the autumn, we 

hope to have completed the initial entries of approximately 

20 per cent of the total of rare books in the Library, and at 

that stage we plan to formally declare the catalogue ‘open’ 

so that it will be visible inside the School via the Library 

catalogue terminals. The next step will be to open the 

catalogue to public access via the internet. The main source 

has been the eight volumes of handwritten 19th century 

catalogues in various headmasterly hands and in several 

languages (see below). 

Exhibitions 

We have staged a number of exhibitions and events within 

the School. The latest of these include an exhibition to mark 

the 350th anniversary of the birth in 1673 of John Weaver 

(OS), renowned as the 18th century pioneer of Dance, Ballet 

and Pantomime. I wonder how many Old Salopians know 

this. Naomi Nicholas, Assistant Taylor Librarian and Archivist, 

describes this exhibition below. 

We are currently working on an exhibition about John Taylor, 

Fellow of St John’s College Cambridge, Professor of Classics 

and briefly Cambridge University Librarian, after whom the 

Library is named. 

Rare Books Summer School 

Another exciting initiative is a collaboration with the 

London Rare Books School (LRBS) at London University’s 

Institute of English Studies. The idea of a residential 

summer school based in the Taylor Library was conceived 

this year following a lecture last October in the Library 

by Professor David Pearson, the country’s leading book 

historian. After some discussions, we met with Andrew 

Nash (Director of the London Rare Book School), David 

Pearson and Philip Walker (the School’s General Services 

Manager) to explore the possibilities. It was decided to 

proceed with an initial three-day Summer School in the 

Easter Holidays from 10th – 12th April 2024. It will be 

available to any member of the public, with probably 

around 15 places, and hopefully a couple of free places for 

our Sixth Form volunteers in return for helping host the 

visitors. This promises to be an exciting new venture and 

hopefully the first of many. In addition to providing a rich 

learning experience in the Taylor Library, it will help us to 

understand key parts of our own collections in more depth 

and to make this knowledge more widely available within 

the School and Salopian communities. 

Pages from the 19th century MS catalogue, much of it in the hand of 

Headmaster Butler 

Alpha Academy 

As part of the School’s emerging link with the Alpha 

Academy in Stoke-upon-Trent, we hosted five Junior School 

classes all on one day in February for a ‘Darwin-Themed 

Experience’ in the Library and on the School Site. This was 

brilliantly led by our excellent Upper Sixth volunteers, Mia 

Wyatt, Orlando Bayliss and Sam Unsworth, who were greatly 

appreciated by the visiting children and staff. We are gearing 

up for another Alpha Day in June. 

Mia Wyatt (Upper Sixth Archives Volunteer) teaches juniors from Alpha Academy

SCHOOL NEWS 

35 

The Shewsy 

I have been working on a Chapter outlining the history of 

Shrewsbury House in Liverpool as part of a book on Public 

School Missions to inner cities, provisionally titled My Soul’s 

Shelter: Public Schools and their Missions to be published in 

October. Of the very many schools that established ‘missions’ 

to inner cities in the late 19th century, all have long since 

closed down, with the exception of Shrewsbury House and 

the Harrow Mission. The full details are: 

My Soul’s Shelter: Public Schools and their Missions 

(Provisional Title) 

Sunnyrest Books, Truro, October 2023 

Foreword by HRH the Princess Royal, Prologue, 22 School 

Essays, Epilogue. c500pp; c170 illustrations. 

Hardback c. £40, Paperback c. £25. 

Schools included: Bradfield, Charterhouse, Cheltenham 

Ladies’, Clifton, Dulwich, Durham, Eton, Haileybury, Harrow, 

Highgate, King’s Canterbury, Marlborough, Monkton Combe, 

Radley, Repton, Rugby, Shrewsbury, The Leys, Tonbridge, 

Uppingham, Wellington, Winchester. 

Scholarly Visits 

We have hosted the usual array of scholars and academics 

to work on various items and received a varied mail bag of 

archival and scholarly enquiries, including visits from: 

Evelyn Nicholson, doctoral student from Cambridge, to work 

on the Haughmond Graduale (MS 30), and MS 12 from 

Buildwas Abbey, both dating from the early 12th century. 

John Colley, doctoral student from Oxford (recently elected 

Fellow of St John’s Cambridge), came to work on various 

16th century books related to the English Renaissance. He 

was particularly interested in marginalia and annotations. One 

of the books is reputed to have been the personal possession 

of Roger Ascham, tutor to our founder king, Edward VI. 

MS XXIII: Floretum et Rosarium. England late 15th Century 

Prof Van Dussen of McGill University plans to visit for two 

days in June to work on MSS X and XXIII; “particularly 

interesting admixtures of Floretum and Rosarium material,” 

he observes. He specialises in research on the Wycliffites in 

England and their counterparts in Hussite Bohemia. 

MS X: Rosarium Theologiae (De Virtutibus et Vitiis) – 194 

leaves. 165mm by 110mm, vellum, red initials, England, 

15th Century. A donation label stuck to f. iv states, ‘given by 

Mr Lewes Taylor parson of Moreton Corbett in the County 

of Salop, 1619’. Extracts in Latin from the Fathers, etc., on 

Virtues and Vices. 

MS XXIII: Floretum et Rosarium – A theological 

commonplace book, in alphabetical order according to 

subjects. Paper and vellum. 174 leaves, 230mm by 215mm, 

England, late 15th Century. 

Peter Brown – ‘Journeys of the Mind’ 

Over the last couple of years, I have been in occasional 

correspondence with Peter Brown (O 1948-52), Professor 

of History at Princeton. I was able to provide some help 

and digital copies of a hefty chunk of The Salopian for 

the last 80 years or so to help him with his magnificent 

memoirs, Journeys of the Mind: A Life in History, Princeton 

University Press, 2023. It is an enthralling account not only 

of his life from childhood in Dublin to academic historian, 

but also his seminal work in the study of late antiquity, the 

rise of Christian Europe, and pioneering work in Byzantine 

and Middle Eastern antiquity.. It contains a fascinating and 

detailed account of his time at Shrewsbury School in the 

early 1950s, in which he captures with great faithfulness and 

affection the character and atmosphere of the School at that 

time and his remarkable teachers, 

notably Murray Senior and Laurence 

Le Quesne. He is undoubtedly the 

most distinguished historian to have 

come from Shrewsbury and is rightly 

described on the book’s cover as 

“one of the world’s most influential 

and distinguished historians”. 

Among his many books, his 

biography St Augustine of Hippo is 

a much-read classic. 

Rowland Heylin (OS) 

A fascinating request came to us from Lloyd Bowen, an 

academic in the History Department at Cardiff University, 

regarding an Old Salopian, Rowland Heylin, who, along 

with his wife, bequeathed 83 books to the School Library. 

We were able to supply some details of the books, some of 

which are listed in the Library’s Benefactors’ Book, while the 

remainder will emerge as we complete the cataloguing work. 

Heylin was born in 1562 and entered the School in 1570. 

He became Alderman of Cripplegate in 1624 and Sheriff of 

London in 1625. He was a native of Shrewsbury, although 

of Welsh extraction, his family having long been settled at 

Pentreheylin in Montgomeryshire. He published a Welsh 

version of the Bible at his own expense, and among his 

bequests to the Ironmongers’ Company was £100 to provide 

for an annual sermon to commemorate the failure of the 

Gunpowder Plot, and for a dinner after it. Lloyd was able 

to add that Heylin was deeply involved in the religious 

controversies of the early 17th century – particularly in 

Shrewsbury itself, where his sponsorship of a disruptive 

puritanism is striking.


Map of Kingsland just before the ‘move’ showing the Taylors’ Arbour, Shoemakers’, Smithys’, Saddlers’, Skinners’, etc as well as ‘site of windmill’; and - heaven be 

praised - the Boathouse Inn. The Main School Building is still named ‘The House of Industry’. 

Enquiries 

We provided copies of old local maps of Kingsland from the School archives for a local planning application challenge. These 

illustrated some interesting details of Kingsland and the School Site from the 19th century, especially the sites of various craft 

and trade ‘Arbours’ that used to flourish, as well as the site of the Beehive Inn. 

We provided a translation of the School’s Founding Charter of Edward VI for Katriona Wade (former parent), which opens: 

“Edward the Sixth, by the Grace of God of England, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and in Earth of the 

Church of England and of Ireland Supreme Head…. Know ye that we… [ordain] for a Grammar School to be erected and 

established [in the County of Salop] for the education and instruction of boys and youths…” 

Robin Brooke-Smith

SCHOOL NEWS 

37 

The John Weaver (OS) Dance Exhibition 

The inaugural John Weaver Festival of Dance hosted by the School (see page 43) has been a wonderful opportunity to 

delve deep into our historic collections and highlight some previously unseen items from the Taylor Library and Archive. 

The festival weekend of 17th-19th March saw over 50 visitors make their way to the Moser Gallery to see our first editions 

of Weaver’s works, which include two copies of An Essay towards an History of Dancing (1712) and a copy of Anatomical 

and Mechanical Lectures upon Dancing (1721). Also on display, and brought together for the first time since they were 

given to the School by Weaver himself in 1743, were Ptolemy’s Harmonicorum (1682), Danet’s Dictionary of Greek and 

Roman Antiquities (1700) and Della Porta’s fascinating work on Physiognomy (1618). They give us a fascinating glimpse 

into Weaver’s mind and the subjects that interested and inspired him. 

Thanks to Tim Ashton (OS), the importance of dance as court magic and statecraft is explored through account books and 

ledgers lent to us for the exhibition, relating to designs for a dancing pavement installed in the 19th century at his home at 

Soulton Hall, but whose roots go back much further. 

Naomi Nicholas 

Orlando Bayliss (Rt U6) – Archives Volunteer, 2022-23 

During my final year at Shrewsbury, I have had the privilege of spending my Wednesday mornings volunteering in the 

Moser Library. Throughout my five years at Shrewsbury School, I have endeavoured to embrace its traditions and history. 

Volunteering in the Library in the Upper Sixth has enabled me to do exactly this. 

One of my roles has been to catalogue the School’s records in a digitised format. This job has given me a truly unique 

insight into the history of the School which I feel very lucky to have experienced. Amongst the less exciting swathes of 

‘bailiff & bursar correspondence’, many gems have been revealed. I have catalogued Richard Ingrams’ and Willie Rushton’s 

‘Salopian’ articles and have uncovered proposals for the School’s move to Kingsland in 1882. The archives have, therefore, 

unexpectedly provided a degree of interest and excitement which I had not anticipated at the outset. 

In addition to cataloguing, my fellow volunteer Sam Unsworth and I were tasked with the job of deciphering and 

recording the names engraved on the School wall (on which exemplary students were documented until the 1960s). 

From the 2,249 names recorded, Sam and I encountered many fine Salopians, from Everest explorer Andrew Irvine to our 

esteemed Archivist Dr Brooke-Smith! It was especially rewarding and interesting to take the time to appreciate a part of the 

School which I had walked past many times without, I now realise, giving it due attention. 

Volunteering in the Library has also given me a valuable opportunity to escape the, at times, relentlessly frenetic Salopian 

life and enter the studious calm of the Archives, where one’s brain can move in a different, intriguing direction. Sam 

Unsworth and I must thank Dr Brooke-Smith and Mrs Nicholas for their kind and expert insight into the wonderful 

resource that is the Taylor Library and the Archives.


Notes from the Moser Library 

The Moser Library team has been 

very busy this year. The Summer 

term has seen a glorious flourishing of 

students revising, and some exciting 

changes have been taking place. We 

have transformed part of the foyer in 

the main library into our new Wellbeing 

Hub: a welcoming and relaxing space 

where students can take a break and 

settle down comfortably with one 

of the new titles in our collection, a 

magazine or perhaps our Book of the 

Month, chosen by Library staff. 

The Moser is first and foremost a place 

of quiet study. It is also a sanctuary, 

a break from the rush of lessons 

and activities and a space to reflect 

and absorb the learning gathered 

throughout the day. We cultivate this 

environment and pay special attention 

to making every student feel welcome. 

We have also opened a Break Station 

specifically with our Upper Sixth 

Formers in mind: an area filled with 

colouring books and jigsaws to offer 

them a short, refreshing break from 

gruelling revision schedules. This has 

proven popular with teachers as well! 

For our ever-curious students we have 

dedicated a rotating range of displays in 

celebration of events and notable dates 

from around the world. From Chinese 

New Year to the poetry and art of 

Edward Lear via Revision Skills, Science 

Week and Random Acts of Kindness 

Day, LGBT History Month, Children’s 

Mental Health Week and celebrations of 

all the patron saints of the UK. Photos 

of these and much more besides are in 

our Twitter feed @Shrewsbury_Lib 

During the Lent term, we linked up 

with the joyful celebrations of John 

Weaver. Alongside the exhibition in the 

Taylor Library (see page 37), we are 

currently proudly displaying costumes 

made by students from the Art Faculty. 

We have been installing pop-up 

libraries across the School to support 

a range of different events, including 

Shakespeare’s birthday menu in the 

Kingsland Hall, the Darwin Festival in 

the Science Lecture Theatre and many 

of the lectures in Hodgson Hall. This 

has given students an opportunity 

to read around the subjects being 

discussed, follow different lines of 

enquiry and further explore their 

interests. 

World Book Day in March is always a 

time of celebration in the Library. With 

a full week of events and competitions, 

the atmosphere was certainly buzzing! 

Daily competitions were held for all 

comers, including wordsearches, ‘Guess 

the book title’ and, with a little input 

from teachers and their favourite books, 

‘Who reads what?’ This challenge 

proved trickier than expected – the 

Shrewsbury teachers shrugging off 

categorisation to surprise everyone 

with their choices! Our Manga Art 

Competition showcased some amazing 

talent inspired by iconic Manga 

characters, with the winning entries 

displayed for all to admire. 

We welcomed Amy Beashel, 

Shropshire-based Young Adult author, 

to talk to a Third Form English group. 

Amy spoke eloquently about her 

journey to becoming an author, fielded 

the excellent questions put to her and 

kindly signed copies of her books. As 

well as inspiring our budding Third 

Form writers to jump in, Amy also gave 

the pupils practical tips on fine-tuning 

their writing skills using post-it notes 

and the Pomodoro Method! 

March brought the annual McEachran 

Prize competition, held in the 

Churchill’s Room. This room also 

played host to several of the 

Shrewsbury Dialogue events; well 

attended and thought provoking, 

also supported by a curated range of 

exploratory reading material. A real 

highlight was the diplomatic wisdom 

(and optimism!) shared by John and 

Judith McGregor. 

We look forward to opening our doors 

to a new intake of readers in September 

and wish our leavers all the very best in 

their future endeavours.

SCHOOL NEWS 

39 

Shrewsbury’s first International School in India 

We are delighted to announce a 

new partnership with Jagran 

Social Welfare Society to establish our 

first international boarding school in 

India. Shrewsbury International School 

India, which is set to open in 2025, 

will span across 115 acres in Madhya 

Pradesh in the heart of the country. 

The School will be a full co-educational 

boarding school for ages 11 to 18 and 

will follow Shrewsbury’s distinctive 

version of whole person education, 

offering the very best academic, cocurricular 

and pastoral provision with 

state-of-the-art classroom, sporting, 

drama, music and living facilities. 

At the formal signing of the agreement 

with Jagran Social Welfare Society, 

Shrewsbury School’s Chair of 

Governors Tim Haynes commented: 

“This signing marks a very historic 

moment in Shrewsbury’s history. We 

are absolutely delighted to be working 

with the Jagran Social Welfare Society 

who already have considerable 

experience in education in India.” 

Shri Hari Mohan Gupta, Chairman of 

Jagran Social Welfare Society, said: “It 

is very exciting to sign the agreement 

with Shrewsbury School UK. It’s a great 

opportunity for us and as Chairman, 

I would like to express my gratitude 

and thanks to the team at Shrewsbury 

who have worked very hard on this 

agreement, it’s very exciting for us.” 

Headmaster, Mr Leo Winkley added: 

“We are thrilled to be working with 

our partners to bring the full boarding 

experience of a Shrewsbury education 

to India.” 

Commenting on the development, 

Dr Maghin Tamilarasan, International 

Development Director at Shrewsbury 

School, said: “We are delighted to 

have signed an agreement with Jagran 

Social Welfare Society, which is the 

culmination of three years of hard 

work by both parties. We are very 

much looking forward to making 

progress on the project and opening 

the school in 2025.” 

Mr Abhishek Mohan Gupta, Vice- 

Chairman added: “It’s a milestone 

for us as a society bringing worldclass 

education to India; it marks the 

beginning of great quality education 

in India.” 

The signing ceremony (pictured above) 

took place in Shrewsbury School’s 

Moser Library and was witnessed by 

Shrewsbury Headmaster Leo Winkley, 

along with Governors of Shrewsbury 

School and the Chairman and Vice- 

Chairs of Jagran Social Welfare Society. 

Shrewsbury International School India 

will be our fifth international school, 

following the announcement in 2022 

of Shrewsbury International School 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the existing 

international school in Hong Kong and 

the further two schools in Bangkok, 

Thailand. This year also marks the 20th 

anniversary of the opening of the first 

Shrewsbury International School in 

Bangkok (Riverside).


Drama and Dance 

Lysander, Hermia, Helena and Demetrius (Johnnie Thurstan, 

Faye Pritchard, Pippa Lawton-Smith and Luca Gremoli). 

The lovers were played with endearing innocence and 

naivete by this young cast; I particularly enjoyed the spoilt 

disdain with which Hermia received her suitors’ puppyish 

affection, and the boys’ attempts to show off their physical 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is often played as one of 

Shakespeare’s most twee and genteel comedies – it’s a 

favourite of country-house outdoor Shakespeare companies, 

and the play’s imagery of forests and fairies can easily 

become comfortable and cute. 

Mrs Cissone’s fierce and fabulous Junior School production, 

therefore, gave the play a welcome sense of grit and energy. 

Instead of wafting acres of tulle and sparkles, these fairies 

were punky rebels in leather and miniskirts. Led by a 

charismatic Oberon (Ethan Prieur) and sparky Titania (April 

Hunt), the fairies inhabited a junk-yard forest of steel girders 

and discarded washing machines. In this world, Puck (Freya 

Collinge) was a celebrity influencer, whose pranks find 

their way instantly onto YouTube. The fairies observed the 

hapless mortals who stumble into the wood as if it were a 

Renaissance Gogglebox, offering a hilarious commentary 

(‘Love that journey for you!’) on the on-off relationships of 

prowess to impress her. In an addition to the script, Pippa 

Lawton-Smith’s Helena burst into song in the second Act, 

bemoaning Demetrius’s failure to see beyond the surface. It 

was a dramatic and musical triumph, with brilliant lyrics by 

Pippa herself and orchestration by Ivo Winkley. 

The comic subplot of the play is provided by a group of 

wannabe thespians, who also find themselves in the forest. 

Violet Heintz was hilarious as the beleaguered director (I 

wonder where she got that from…) who is trying to herd a 

motley crew of workmen through rehearsals. Will O’Hagan, 

Isaac Simmons, Angus Paton and Lucy Barrett wrung every 

moment of slapstick brilliance out of Shakespeare’s script – I 

particularly loved Will’s expression of moonshine through 

interpretative dance. The 

show is stolen, however, 

by Gethin Harrison’s 

egomaniacal Bottom, 

who is desperate to play 

every part at once. 

Played straight through in 

a breakneck 75 minutes, 

this was a tremendously 

engaging and energetic 

production by a young 

cast who were clearly 

having a ball. 

And Then There Were None 

Agatha Christie – the best-selling fiction writer of all time – 

knew how to construct a plot. She was the mistress of the 

carefully laid clue, the red herring, the even redder herring, 

and the unexpected murderous twist. And Then There Were 

None is one of her most famous and most complicated 

mysteries. Ten strangers find themselves marooned on 

an island off the coast of Devon. One by one, they fall 

prey to an unknown murderer, who arranges each death 

to echo a line of the well-known nursery rhyme. Poppy 

Godsal’s brilliant adaptation, written and performed as 

her EPQ project, had all the suspense and surprise of the 

original, eliciting audible gasps from its audience as the story 

unfolded. 

Laurie Morgan, a veteran of the Ashton stage, is terrific as 

the dashing but possibly unhinged Captain Lombard. This 

is a stock Christie character: the charming rake with a shady 

past, a good chat-up line and a revolver in his pocket. Laurie 

got the style precisely right, his accent and delivery spot 

on and his sense of total investment in the character and 

situation impeccably judged. The object of his attentions is 

Vera Claythorne, the beautiful young secretary. Kate Woodman 

– also a dramatic stalwart of the Upper Sixth – gave a brilliantly 

nuanced performance, forcing the audience to question whether 

she is a heartless femme fatale or frightened ingenue.

SCHOOL NEWS 

41 

Clara Garavini played the prime suspect, a doctor with a 

shocking case of nerves and a dark history of alcoholism. 

She is the most obvious choice as murderer, and Clara 

found clever ways to underline this while, at the same 

time, leaving open the real possibility that she is just 

another frightened victim. 

This being Agatha Christie, there is a smorgasbord of eccentric 

supporting characters. Gravitas came from an impressively 

mature performance from Will O’Hagan as Sir Lawrence 

Wargrave, a judge familiar with death sentences. Hattie 

Attwood was suitably purse-lipped and judgemental as the 

sanctimonious Miss Brent. Henry Clark brought an endearing 

vulnerability to the gruff bluster of General Mackenzie, 

lamenting his departed wife. No murder mystery is complete 

without a policeman, and Massimo Wyatt was excellent as 

retired CID man, William Blore. Tom Daly’s spoilt petrolhead 

and Isla Britten and Poppy Godsal’s put-upon maids provided 

the comic relief. 

The play’s tension was highlighted by Sam Ludlam’s lighting 

design, which became increasingly chilly and menacing 

as the murderer grew closer. The story unfolded against 

the backdrop of a beautiful 1930s-inspired set, built by 

our resident technicians Bradley Fenton and Stuart Myles. 

Those who saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream the previous 

week may have suspected that the transformation from one 

outstanding set to another was the result of fairy intervention; 

there was definitely magic at work. 

Legally Blonde: The Musical 

Our second EPQ production of the year played to rave 

reviews, as Daisy Scott took on the enormous challenge 

of directing and choreographing an extract from the 

hit West End and Broadway musical, Legally Blonde. 

For those of you who know the film, the premise is 

simple – a ditzy Californian fashion-major ditches the 

sunshine and Manolos in an effort to demonstrate to her 

snobbish boyfriend that she is sufficiently ‘serious’ to be 

considered wife material. Along the way, she realises 

that she has a brain as well as a pretty face; she ends 

up as the Valedictorian of Harvard Law School while the 

erstwhile boyfriend drops out to become a model. She is 

accompanied along the way by a Greek Chorus of sorority 

girls – played here by a hugely talented group of students 

from the Third and Fourth Forms. 

Hattie Attwood was brilliant as Elle, delivering a 

performance that was both hilarious and vulnerable. It is a 

hugely challenging role musically and Hattie demonstrated 

fantastic technique, particularly in the powerhouse first 

act closer So Much Better. Billy Gardiner and Oscar Niblett 

played the men in her life – her pompous ex-boyfriend 

Warner, who tells Elle he wants ‘less Marilyn, more Jackie’, 

and the hapless but sweet-natured junior lawyer, Emmet. 

There were a series of brilliant cameos throughout the 

production, including two for whom this was their final 

performance on the Ashton stage. Isla Britten was fantastic 

as the hopelessly romantic beautician Paulette, who 

pines after the handsome UPS delivery man (Tom Daly), 

while Kate Woodman played Brooke Wyndham, a fitness


guru wrongfully accused of her husband’s murder. Kate’s 

number Whipped into Shape was a virtuoso combination of 

singing, skipping and masterful comic timing, and a fitting 

finale for her Salopian drama career. 

This was a hugely impressive production, and particular 

praise must go to Daisy for masterminding the whole affair 

with such professionalism and aplomb. 

House Plays 

This year has seen a wide variety of house productions: Peter 

Pan (Moser’s Hall), The History Boys (Churchill’s Hall), The 

Wedding (Ingram’s Hall) and Black Comedy (Severn Hill). 

Over a hundred students were involved, either performing or 

backstage, and it has been a joy to see so many making their 

theatrical debuts. 

The Rankin Cup is awarded to Moser’s Hall (pictured below), 

and the cup for Best Performance in a House Play is awarded 

to Sam Unsworth of Severn Hill.

SCHOOL NEWS 

43 

In 2023, we have celebrated the 

350th anniversary of John Weaver, 

the ‘dancing master’ of Shrewsbury 

from 1720 to 1760. Weaver was a 

highly esteemed choreographer and 

producer, creating works such as The 

Loves of Mars and Venus and Orpheus 

and Eurydice which were performed 

at the royal court and in the West 

End. He combined Italian Commedia 

dell’Arte with classical mythology and 

French court dance to create the first 

truly English ballet. Weaver wanted to 

elevate dance to the same artistic status 

as theatre, believing that dance could 

communicate story and feeling without 

the commentary of speech or song. He 

was also an accomplished writer and 

academic, developing his own system 

of dance notation which is still used 

today. Dance is a uniquely transient art 

form, but Weaver’s system has enabled 

generations of choreographers to pass 

on their work to later dancers. 

We celebrated Weaver’s legacy with a 

series of events, including an exhibition 

of his work in the Moser Library, a 

lecture by renowned dance historian, 

Moira Goff, our inaugural dance 

competition and the annual dance 

The John Weaver Dance Festival 

showcase, which this year was inspired 

by Weaver’s influence on English ballet. 

The festival began with the showcase, 

which was performed to enthusiastic 

audiences on Friday and Saturday 

night. Over fifty students took part, 

which is testament to the growth of 

dance at Shrewsbury over the last few 

years under the inspirational leadership 

of Sian Stanhope and Olivia Jones. 

All of the performances demonstrated 

great skill and enthusiasm, from Clara 

Garavini’s jazz routine to the exquisite 

ballet solos of Emily Martell, Cordelia 

Hebblethwaite, Will O’Hagan and 

Bethan Reid and the dynamic hip 

hop trio of Rebekah Liu, Joey Pang 

and Nami Chusang. The finale of the 

showcase was a fantastic contemporary 

group number to Bring me Out of the 

Dark, performed by our Intermediate 

Contemporary Team. 

This team, alongside groups from six 

other schools across Shropshire, took 

part in Shrewsbury’s inaugural dance 

competition on Saturday. Moira Goff 

was joined as adjudicator by Rosie 

Price, a dancer and teacher from 

Elmhurst School of Ballet and Rambert 

School of Contemporary Dance. We 

welcomed competitors in all age 

groups from Primary to Senior, with the 

winners of each heat going through to 

the Grand Final on Sunday. 

The standard of competition was 

incredibly high, and it was wonderful 

to see so many students passionate 

about dance as an art form. 

On Sunday, we were delighted to 

welcome the Lord Lieutenant of 

Shropshire, Anna Turner, to present the 

Weaver Cup – and even more delighted 

when our team were announced as the 

overall winner. The adjudicators praised 

the piece’s imaginative and challenging 

choreography, and the emotional 

commitment of all the dancers. 

1st – Shrewsbury School 

2nd – Katie Crosland Dance Company 

3rd – Packwood Haugh 

We would like to thank all those 

who helped make the festival 

possible, particularly Maggie Love, 

Moira Goff, Rosie Price, Anna 

Turner, Laura Whitrick, and all the 

participants.


Music 

Director of Music Maria McKenzie looks back on an eventful first year in post. 

What a thoroughly enjoyable 

and opportunity-filled first year 

I have had; from the collaborative 

performance given by the then new 

Third Form in September, to nurturing 

the virtuosic abilities of some of our 

top musicians, the exquisite detail 

encouraged in detailed rehearsals or 

the enjoyment of Thursday evening Big 

Band marathons, it has certainly been a 

year to remember. 

An incredibly busy year has featured 

too many performances to mention, but 

highlights include the annual weekend 

of St Cecilia concerts, exceptional 

chamber and solo recitals in Didsbury, 

Manchester and Ludlow in January, a 

lively and enjoyable evening of Jazz 

in The Barnes that featured over 100 

students in aid of the local Foodbank, 

an exquisite Evening of Song from The 

Great American Songbook, showcasing 

our exceptional vocal talent across 

the various years, a debut Evensong 

at St Paul’s Cathedral and a rather 

spectacular Gala Concert in April, here 

in the Alington Hall. 

Well, where do I begin? Singing 

Evensong in St Paul’s to a sizeable 

congregation, including some notable 

Old Salopians, is something that will 

be remembered by all the performers. 

The sublime quality of choral timbres 

was appreciated by all and it iscertainly 

an event to repeat. From choral to 

orchestral, we embarked on two 

impressively large ensemble concerts 

this year. The first was the Friday 

evening of the St Cecilia celebrations 

which featured the Concert Band, 

String Orchestra, Wind Orchestra and 

Symphony Orchestra in an exciting 

programme including works by 

Horovitz and Greig, culminating with 

Wagner’s Maestersingers Overture 

and Mars and Jupiter from Holst’s 

The Planets. Our musicians were on 

fine form, performing throughout 

to an exceptional standard, with 

professionalism, musicality, enthusiasm 

and passion – what more could you 

want? The Gala Concert in April was 

another opportunity to celebrate 

our fantastic musicians, and that we 

certainly did. From the triumphant 

brass, the exquisite wind playing and 

some sumptuous string performances, 

the whole concert was as enjoyable 

for us as it was for the audience. The 

programme was themed Celebration 

and included some Coronationinspired 

repertoire selected especially 

for the occasion. 

The annual Jazz in the Barnes just 

before the February Exeat, raising funds 

for the local Foodbank, is always an 

enjoyable evening and this year was 

no exception. Those lucky enough to 

have been present were privileged to 

be part of a transient, brilliant, musical 

moment that featured performances 

by the growing Jazz Band (now nearly 

30 in size!) under the direction of 

Katy Landon, Head of Wind, Brass 

& Percussion, the talented All Things 

Jazz combo, giving a female-only 

performance of Twenty-First Century 

Woman by Alexander L’Estrange, all 

culminating in an explosive finale by 

the Big Band. 

To support the increasing number of 

top-level musicians here at Shrewsbury 

we have reconnected our links with 

the Royal Northern College of Music 

(RNCM) and have been fortunate to 

have had visits from Andy Stott, Head 

of the Popular Music course, Chris 

Hoyle, Head of Strings, and Catherine 

Yates, Deputy Head of Strings, 

accompanied by some RNCM students 

to give workshops and masterclasses.

SCHOOL NEWS 

45 

Music prizes 

Our internal music prizes were expertly 

adjudicated by professional musicians 

from across the UK. 

This year our adjudicators were: 

Richard Howarth – String Prize 

Katherine Page – Piano Prize 

Anthony Howe– Brass Prize 

Jennifer Hutchinson – Wind Prize 

Dan Ludford-Thomas - Singing Prize 

As ever, the competitions were hotly 

contested and generated huge amounts 

of practice, always encouraged! This 

year the prizes were awarded as 

follows: 

Brass Prize – Outstanding Soloist – 

Sam Hui (I U6) – Euphonium 

Senior Classical Singing Prize – 

Billy Gardiner (SH L6) 

Senior Contemporary Commercial Vocal 

Music Prize – Kate Woodman (M U6) 

Senior Piano Prize – Marina Kam 

(EDH 5) 

Senior Wind Prize – Natalia Toms 

(EDH L6) - Saxophone 

Senior String Prize – Ethan Poon 

(I U6) – Violin 

Individual successes 

As you would expect, in a thriving department there are number of individuals 

who should be celebrated; Arthur Hope Barton (I U6), who in addition to 

performing for us weekly in Chapel has been awarded a Gap Year Organ 

Scholarship at Sherborne School. Three students, Jay Wu (SH U6), who has 

gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music to study viola from September, 

Sam Hui (I U6) (euphonium) and Marina Kam (EDH 5) (percussion) 

who were successful in making the final of the prestigious Gregynog Young 

Musician of the Year in November. Despite being an incredibly competitive 

competition attracting entries from a national field, Marina was awarded 

Percussion Finalist and Sam Brass Finalist. All three played incredibly well and 

should be very proud of their performances. Five of our students competed 

in the final eight in the Concord College Concerto Competition during Coach 

Weekend in March. The finalists were; Bob Li (S 4) (bassoon), Max Hu (Rt 

3) (violin), Jay Wu (violin), Jia Shin Quek (Rt U6) (piano) and Marina Kam 

(marimba). The competition was tough, with all of our students performing to 

a high level, playing with exceptional musicianship and impressive technique. 

The winner was Marina Kam. 

Marina, a particularly busy music student, has also recently competed in the 

Coach House Piano Schools Competition and was awarded 3rd place in this 

national competition. Marina conveyed the different styles and genres of 

each piece superbly. The finale of pieces byLiszt and Granados provided the 

perfect climax both musically and technically, enabling her to fully convey her 

exquisite talent for the piano. Two of our younger students, Mia Hirawaka 

(G 4) (cello) and Richard Wolskel (Rb 4) (double bass) auditioned and 

were selected as section leaders in the National Children’s Orchestra (NCO) 

performing amongst other repertoire the fiendishly difficult Dances from West 

Side Story by Bernstein. Richard Pinsent (Rb 3) (flute) has been selected for 

the NCO this academic year. Finally, we congratulate Ivo Winkley (Rb L6) 

and Natalia Toms (EDH L6) who have both been awarded a place in the 

band in the National Youth Musical Theatre this summer. 

Choral Highlights 

Arguably the highlight of the musical 

calendar in the Michaelmas term 

was the pair of St Cecilia concerts, 

celebrating the patron saint of music. 

The second of these concerts focused 

on a choral theme, with the centrepiece 

of the concert being the massed choral 

performance of John Rutter’s evocative 

Requiem. The first half saw a series 

of choral items sung with poise and 

nuance by the Chamber Choir before 

Arthur Hope Barton and Marina 

Kam performed Gerald Finzi’s lyrical 

Eclogue. The final moments of the first 

half were a collaborative effort between 

the Chamber Choir and Community 

Choir, giving the audience a flavour of 

the power of a massed choir of some 

130 voices. John Rutter’s Requiem 

possesses many changing moods and 

following the impending and gloomy 

opening, the dulcet melodies of the 

Kyrie shone through. There were 

beautiful vocal solos in the Pie Jesu and 

Lux Aeterna by Annabel Thompstone 

and Iris Downes respectively, whilst 

special mention should also go to 

Godwin Yuen for his wonderful oboe 

playing, a sensitive cello solo from Jia 

Shin Quek alongside superb ensemble 

playing from the student orchestra. 

Soon after this memorable concert, the 

choir were in fine voice for the series 

of Carol Services which followed. At 

the end of a busy term of singing, they 

should be extremely proud to have 

produced three services of such musical 

subtlety and nuance. 

Throughout the course of the year, 

the choir have sung some wonderful 

anthems from the staple repertoire 

of the Anglican tradition. Particular 

highlights have been Elgar’s Spirit 

of the Lord, Wesley’s Blessed be 

the God and Father, Finzi’s God is 

gone up and perhaps the highlight, 

Stanford’s tumultuous For Lo, I raise 

up. As a result, their ability to learn 

new repertoire on a weekly basis has 

enhanced their sightreading skills but 

also provided great variety within the 

weekly services. 

On Sunday 19th March, they 

performed a programme based on 

The Great American Songbook. This 

was an exciting project in which they 

grappled with the jazz style within 

a choral medium. Alongside some 

consort singing in groups of six or 

seven singers, the Chamber Choir 

sang Alexander L’Estrange’s upbeat 

arrangement of Lullaby of Birdland 

and an eight-part interpretation of 

Over the Rainbow whilst they were 

joined by a jazz combo to perform 

Hoagy Carmichael’s Skylark with Kate 

Woodman taking centre stage as the 

vocal soloist. A series of lovely vocal 

solos and an instrumental arrangement 

of Moon River followed to provide a 

lovely evening of lighter music, fitting 

for a Sunday evening.


One of the major landmarks of the 

choral year was the Chapel Choir’s 

invitation to sing Evensong at St 

Paul’s Cathedral in London in April. 

With the inspiration of singing in 

such a famous and iconic acoustic, 

the choir sang with great skill and 

style. In an acoustic delay of a mere 

seven seconds, the attention to 

detail in both diction and phrasing 

was testament to their hard work as 

the Rose Reponses and Psalm were 

controlled very effectively. Walmisley’s 

dynamic setting in D Minor provided 

the tenors and basses with plenty of 

melodic lines, whilst the reflective 

solo quartet in the Magnificat was 

beautifully effected by Eva Garavini, 

Rose Farquharson, Billy Gardiner and 

Branton Zhao. Wesley’s Blessed be 

the God and Father is a staple of the 

choral tradition, often heard in many 

cathedrals around the land, and this 

epic anthem was beautifully crafted 

with Annabel Thompstone singing with 

great understanding and musicality in 

the soprano solo. As with all musical 

experiences, the opportunity to sing 

in such a wonderful setting will 

last long in the memories for those 

choristers fortunate enough to attend. 

Finally, special mention must go to 

both Branton Zhao and Annabel 

Thompstone, this year’s Choregi, 

who have set a wonderful example 

to all members of the choir with their 

leadership, musicianship, commitment 

and dedication. 

Richard Stafford 

Meet Ethan Poon and Clara McAllister 

Ethan Poon (I U6), a Music Scholar, 

has the double distinction of being 

both Leader of the Symphony Orchestra 

(violin) and of the Big Band (drums). 

What has been your most 

memorable musical experience 

during your five years at Shrewsbury? 

My most memorable musical 

experiences have been taking part in 

the yearly Prep School Big Band Days 

which, strangely enough, are some 

of the few times I don’t actually play 

much music. The process of meeting 

a group of drummers with varying 

skill levels, helping them learn new 

repertoire, then having them perform, 

all within the space of a couple of 

hours is a really rewarding experience. 

What opportunities do you feel you 

have gained as a Music Scholar? 

As a Music Scholar who plays two very 

different instruments, I’ve been given 

many opportunities to perform in many 

new and contrasting environments, 

such as in the Elgar Concert Hall in 

Birmingham or the Tabernacle in 

Machynlleth. 

Which performance will stay with 

you forever? 

Although they weren’t necessarily 

entirely music-oriented performances, 

the shows I did up in Edinburgh for 

Gatsby are some of the most fun I’ve 

had in general. The pressure from 

having to perform in front of an 

audience that had no relation to the 

School at all, combined with the need 

to impress them to get good reviews 

made for a somewhat stressful, but 

totally memorable experience. 

Clara McAllister (EDH 3) is a Third 

Form Music Scholar specialising in 

singing and cello. 

What has been your most 

memorable musical experience 

during your first year at Shrewsbury? 

There have been so many amazing 

musical highlights this year, such as 

the many concerts that I have taken 

part in, so it is difficult to pick just one! 

However, I think I would probably 

have to choose the unforgettable day 

we spent in London when the Chapel 

Choir got to sing Evensong at St Paul’s 

Cathedral. It was an absolutely magical 

day. We sang such beautiful pieces and 

in the most stunning surroundings. It 

was certainly an experience that will 

always stay with me. 

Has having the title Music Scholar 

given you extra opportunities? 

Being a Music Scholar has really given 

me so many opportunities in all areas 

of music and I feel very fortunate to be 

part of such a fantastic community. I 

am learning so much every day from 

such talented and creative people, 

both teachers and students. As well as 

the many concerts and performances 

throughout the year, I have really enjoyed 

having the opportunity to sing with 

the local the Community Choir and the 

chance to perform at local schools. 

What makes a Music Scholar 

different at Shrewsbury? 

Being a Music Scholar at Shrewsbury 

feels like being part of a family. 

Everyone in the Music Department 

is so supportive and encouraging 

and I felt so welcomed and at home 

there from the very beginning. It is 

such a busy environment and there 

is always something going on in the 

Maidment Building, which is fantastic 

as it means there’s always something 

to get involved in. What I find special 

about Shrewsbury is that although 

I am a Music Scholar, I am still fully 

encouraged and supported to be a part 

of other aspects of school life, such as

SCHOOL NEWS 

47 

sport. This is really important to me 

as I also very much enjoy sport. This 

year I have played fives, football and in 

Summer term I really enjoyed rowing. 

What made you decide to apply for 

a Music Scholarship? 

I decided to try for a Music Scholarship 

as music has always been one of my 

passions. In my previous school, St 

Peter’s York, I was a chorister at York 

Minster, where we usually sang five 

services each week and so choral 

singing was such a big part of my life, 

and one which I enjoyed so much. 

I also play cello and piano, and so 

at St Peter’s I was part of the string 

orchestra and various other music 

ensembles. I really wanted to continue 

with my music at Shrewsbury School, 

and so I thought I should give a Music 

Scholarship a try! 

What advice would you give an 

incoming Music Scholar? 

I would advise the new Music Scholars 

to throw themselves into every 

opportunity that comes their way. Life 

at Shrewsbury is so busy, with many 

musical opportunities on offer, as well 

as academics, sport, drama, House 

events, and all the other areas of school 

life. I would say to the new Music 

Scholars, get involved in it all, and most 

importantly, enjoy all of the fantastic 

experiences that you will have! 

Grade 8 & Diploma success 

Chloe Thomas - Flute - Grade 8 Distinction 

Meadow Perks – Singing - Grade 8 Distinction 

Angel Lai - Singing - Grade 8 Distinction 

Anna Mallett - Singing - Grade 8 Distinction 

Rose Farquharson - Singing - Grade 8 Distinction 

Will Himmer - Jazz Saxophone - Grade 8 Distinction 

Jia Shin Quek - Cello - Grade 8 Distinction 

Stephen Jiang - Clarinet - Grade 8 Distinction 

Diplomas 

Richard Pinsent - Flute - ATCL 

Godwin Yuen - Oboe - ATCL 

Eva Garavini – Singing - ARSM Distinction 

Symphonic Sunday 

Symphonic Sunday, our communitybased 

children’s orchestra for students 

of around Grade 3 and above, has had 

an excellent year with four rehearsal 

sessions and a gala concert on 18th 

June in the Alington Hall. 

In addition to the regular orchestra, 

there is now another orchestra for 

younger musicians just starting out! The 

Symphonic Sunday Sinfonia is aimed at 

students who can play five notes up to 

around Grade 3. 

We have enjoyed all sorts of music 

from Handel to Beethoven and beyond, 

and film music from Batman to The 

Polar Express. A first for the orchestra 

this year was to play with a choir too 

in Zadok Rules by Alexander L’Estrange. 

The students enjoy the lovely 

atmosphere of the Maidment on a 

quiet Sunday and the pattern of expert 

sectionals taken by the music teaching 

staff here and the full orchestra 

directed by Maria McKenzie. Another 

first this year was for the orchestra to 

play with a choir formed of students 

from Radbrook Primary School and 

Packwood Haugh Prep School. 

There are nearly always places available 

for anyone looking to join in. 

There is an online application form 

on the School website. The QR code 

below takes you to the relevant page.

48 

SCHOOL NEWS 

All Things Jazz 

Serendipity is a wonderful thing and 

can sometimes lead to an extended 

period of grace. It doesn’t happen 

often that a group of young musicians 

all land up at the same School, at the 

same time, all with extraordinary talent, 

discover each other and make magic 

happen. Such is the transitory nature of 

schools that this can only be called ‘a 

period of grace’. 

In late 2021 Kathryn Turpin, in her 

Concert Party activity on Thursdays, 

spotted the opportunity to group 

together some musicians in a jazz 

format she quaintly named The Baby 

Big Band. This group metamorphosed 

over time to become what is now 

known as All Things Jazz. 

The band consists of Ethan Poon 

(drums), Jensen Kong (bass), Ed 

Pickersgill (piano, trumpet & vocals), 

Kate Woodman (vocals), Ivo Winkley 

(trumpet & piano), Billy Gardiner 

(vocals) and Max Darke (saxophone). 

They have pursued the genuine 

jazz experience of creating head 

arrangements of Jazz Standards from 

lead sheets or recordings (ie no written 

arrangements) and opened each one 

up with extended improvisations. The 

ensemble is the epitome of musical 

democracy, led with gentle authority by 

the inimitable and multi-talented Ethan 

Poon, with only occasional direction 

provided by staff. 

This calendar year alone, besides 

countless Thursday afternoon 

performances at local care homes 

and primary schools, the band has 

performed at three Open Mic nights, 

Jazz at the Barnes Theatre, twice at the 

Hencote Restaurant, Attingham Park’s 

Coronation celebrations and the REVS 

Classic Car Rally at Trinity Church in 

Meole Brace. They will also provide 

parents with an elegant backdrop to 

their pre-concert drinks at the Jazz in 

the Big Tent on the eve of Speech Day. 

Their star continues to rise! 

Mike Skipper 

Upper Sixth Leavers 

From his early days at Shrewsbury 

as a soaring treble to his impressive 

leadership as Choregus over the last 

year, Branton Zhao has always 

been a consummate musician with a 

wholehearted commitment to choral 

singing. 

Lwsi Roberts has effortlessly 

embraced many different styles of 

singing during her time at Shrewsbury, 

from opera to the open mic nights, 

and has introduced the Shrewsbury 

audience to the beautiful Welsh 

repertoire she makes so much 

her own. 

Annabel Thompstone has been 

a stalwart member of the choral 

community since arriving at 

Shrewsbury, and has been both 

charming and inspirational in her 

leadership of her House singing and 

as Choregus, culminating in a beautiful 

solo in the recent evensong at St Paul’s 

Cathedral. 

Eva Garavini has worked tirelessly to 

develop her singing and musicianship 

over the last five years and was 

recently rewarded with a Distinction in 

her Diploma – a huge achievement for 

a singer still at school. 

Although only starting his school 

singing career in the Fifth Form, Guy 

Davies’ quick vocal progress and 

natural stage presence meant that he


was soon taking leading roles in our 

successful productions of Gatsby and 

Chicago. 

Reuben Lindsay-Bowen has one of 

the most beautiful voices to have been 

heard at Shrewsbury in recent years 

and was a committed member of the 

outreach Concert Party group for two 

years, bringing much pleasure to all 

who heard him. 

Although competing as an athlete at 

national and international level meets, 

Iris Downes has still found time 

to sing with immense artistry, vocal 

beauty and natural musicianship in the 

full range of musical opportunities that 

Shrewsbury offers. 

Eleanor Keulemans has embraced 

singing at Shrewsbury in all its many 

forms, with poise and vocal beauty 

throughout, and has made a real 

impact with the elegance of her 

performances over the last year in 

particular. 

Gabby Taylor arrived at Shrewsbury 

like a whirlwind determined to do 

as much singing as possible, and has 

sung at every possible opportunity 

since then, from open mic nights to 

soloist at the St Cecilia concerts. 

Kate Woodman has been a 

consummate professional in her 

approach to her singing during her 

time at Shrewsbury, shining in many 

productions both within and outside 

school over the last five years, as well 

as being a mainstay of the alto (and 

also tenor!) lines in the Chapel and 

Chamber Choirs. 

Jasper Heath has been a huge asset 

in Jazz Band over the last five years. 

His confidence as a saxophonist has 

helped to build the Jazz Band to the 

ensemble that it is today. Jasper is a 

keen soloist and has been a strong 

leader in the saxophone section - his 

enthusiasm will be greatly missed by 

all on Tuesday evenings. 

Sam Hui has been an exceptional 

musician in both dedication and 

musical ability. It has been a pleasure 

to have such an accomplished Tuba, 

and more recently Euphonium, 

player at Shrewsbury. Sam has been 

involved in many ensembles at school 

including Symphony Orchestra, Wind 

Orchestra and Brass Quintet. He has 

performed on numerous occasions 

both as a soloist and in many different 

ensembles; a particular highlight 

was winning the Brass final of the 

prestigious Greygnog Young Musician 

Competition. 

Elliot Inger has been an exemplary 

Music Scholar throughout his time 

at Shrewsbury; his musicianship has 

grown from strength to strength over 

the last five years. Highlights for Elliot 

have been his performance of the 

Kamen Concerto in the Gala Concert 

and achieving an LTCL diploma on 

the saxophone. Elliot leaves us as a 

musically proficient saxophonist and 

clarinettist. 

Joyce Li should be proud of her 

achievements over the last five 

years. She leaves with a distinction 

in her flute LTCL diploma, a huge 

accomplishment. The maturity and 

musicianship in her performance is 

of a level rarely seen in students of 

this age. Joyce has been the principal 

flautist of Symphony Orchestra, Wind 

Orchestra and Flute Quartet during 

her time at Shrewsbury, her efforts 

rewarded with an honorary Music 

Scholarship in the Sixth Form. 

Since Third Form, Sam Wan has been 

involved with many aspects of musical 

life at Shrewsbury. Over the last few 

years, he has been principal clarinettist 

of both Symphony Orchestra and 

Wind Orchestra, played in several 

chamber ensembles and been a valued 

member of the Music Department. 

As a trumpeter, vocalist and jazz 

pianist, Edward Pickersgill has been 

an enthusiastic musician particularly 

in the genres of Jazz and Pop. A 

confident, talented and often lively 

member of an ensemble, his musicality 

and ability have really flourished 

during his Sixth Form. An exquisite 

voice, extraordinary ability to scream 

any trumpet line and flair for playing 

a set of jazz chords on the piano have 

enabled Ed to make a real name for 

himself at Shrewsbury. 

Rufus Thornhill will go down in 

history as someone who not only 

emptied every first aid box in the 

Maidment of plasters, stained the 

Congas (blood) red after a lengthy 

gig and yet was considered the ‘really 

cool guy’ at the back of the Big Band, 

improvising his way through any style 

or genre. Rufus will be missed but 

always remembered as setting the 

tradition for having a permanent conga 

player in Big Band! 

An exceptional musician, through and 

through, Godwin Yuen has made a 

lasting impression on the department 

and has made outstanding progress 

during his five years here, culminating 

in achieving a Distinction in his ATCL 

Oboe diploma. In addition to the 

copious ensembles that Godwin has 

been part of, he is also an incredibly 

talented pianist. We certainly hope that 

his music journey is not ending here. 

As a Music Scholar, Godwin has been 

reliable and committed, so talented yet 

so modest. 

Jacky Chan will be greatly missed 

around the Music School. Often selfdeprecating 

but unfailingly caring 

of others, Jacky was a central player 

in string activities for five years. An 

excellent soloist, he won the top 

prize for a string solo in the annual 

competition in only the Fourth Form 

and has appeared in quartets and as 

co-leader of the String Orchestra for 

a long time. A cheeky smile and the 

ability to play the violin excellently are 

two fond memories as he leaves us. 

Jay Wu has been a non-stop force 

of nature. A brilliant viola and violin 

player, his place at the Royal Academy 

of Music secures his reputation as 

a recent superstar. Although quiet 

in person, Jay’s musicality and 

commitment shine through in his 

solo playing and he has been a 

fearsome member of quartets and 

duos. He has tirelessly come to the 

rescue of ensemble pieces played 

by all standards of string players and 

deservedly won the top prize in the 

string competition at the first go. It 

is likely we will see him again in the 

future to support our Shrewsbury 

concerts and other local musical 

events. 

Modest but keen to achieve, Jia Shin 

Quek has blessed us with both his 

piano and cello playing over the last 

two years. After some early nerves, 

he settled into solo performing 

well and hit the heights of concerto 

appearances in external competitions 

and here also. Ever-studious, Jia Shin is 

never short of a supportive comment 

or an ultra-polite request for help with 

his own music. He will be missed 

across the Department, and we hope 

to hear of his continued development 

on both instruments. Something of 

a fashion icon, Jia Shin has set new 

standards of Haute Couture coupled 

with Haute Baroque! 

Chloe Cheung arrived with a 

reputation for intensely musical violin 

playing and occasionally audacious 

violin antics. A quiet, thoughtful young 

lady, Chloe has been in the mix right 

at the front of chamber music and 

orchestras, always being there to bring 

beautiful playing to any situation. She 

has an uncanny ability to go up and 

down the violin when everyone else 

stays in the stratosphere (!) and is 

always reliable under pressure. Often 

very busy, Chloe has supported ad 

hoc ensembles and been a wonderful 

addition to the 1st violins in many 

concerts. We all wish her well!


Max Hu impressed us all with his 

violin playing from the very first 

concert. He has a rare ability to get 

around the instrument extraordinarily 

well and always plays with passion and 

intensity. As the leader of the top string 

quartet, String Orchestra and co-leader 

of the Symphony Orchestra, Max has 

shown he is equally at home playing 

with ensembles as in a duo with a 

piano. Although not known for the 

best counting, Max expresses himself 

every time he puts bow to string and is 

a player everyone looked up to for one 

reason or another. His efforts in the 

Concord College concerto competition 

two years running will live long in the 

memory. We wish him all the best as 

he moves on. 

Better known to some as Amadeus, 

Morricone, Tarantino, Voodoo Child, 

Laurie Morgan is an original thinker 

and a poster boy for alternative rock 

fans. He has left an indelible mark on 

the theatrical stage here at Shrewsbury, 

but will also be remembered 

for his insouciant introductions, 

performances, and leadership of Open 

Mic Nights. 

Eclectic talents like Ethan Poon are 

not often seen. It is difficult to imagine 

that such a highly skilled violinist and 

leader of the Symphony Orchestra 

could also be the superbly talented 

drummer that leads the Big Band 

(known as ‘Big Daddy’) and All Things 

Jazz. On top of all of this, he is also a 

Mathematician and a Physicist. 

It is extremely rare that a school is 

in a position where they can rely on 

a student accompanist. Throughout 

the course of his Upper Sixth year, 

however, Arthur Hope Barton has 

revealed both his musical and stylistic 

prowess on the organ. Performing at a 

level most university graduates would 

be proud of, alongside supporting 

the weekly chapel service routine, 

it has been a total privilege to see 

Arthur hone his accompanying skills 

this year, with a possible culmination 

being the opportunity to play on the 

organ at St Paul’s Cathedral. Arthur 

has contributed a huge amount to the 

musical life of the School and certainly 

has a bright musical future which we 

will follow with interest.

SCHOOL NEWS 

51 

It has been another typically busy end to the academic 

calendar in the Art Faculty with all the usual Lent term 

prep school art events, outreach screen-printing workshops 

at The Priory School and the final installation of our outreach 

mosaic in Meole Brace Primary School. 

There are some exciting new outreach projects in the 

pipeline for next academic year, so watch this space! This 

year, however, we are sad to say goodbye to two of our 

most well-loved members of the art team. Rubia Rose 

Southcott has been a dynamic and enthusiastic Art Fellow 

on a two-year placement following her degree at Ruskin 

College, Oxford. She has been a cornerstone of the Faculty, 

assisting both students and staff in the day-to-day running 

and the creation of ambitious outcomes. Rubia now moves 

on to pastures new back in her hometown of London as a 

professional visual artist. 

ART 

Stewart Harrison has led the teaching of Art History in the 

Faculty for the last five years with expertise and energy. The 

subject has been enlivened by his presence, the learning 

environment of the lecture theatre is carefully decorated 

with interesting and helpful material on the walls and 

his students will miss his densely packed, interesting and 

engaging lessons in the subject. Stewart is looking forward to 

enjoying his retirement focusing on his many interests (he is a 

Renaissance man!) including photography, travel, music and 

photomontage. 

Next year we look forward to welcoming two new members 

for the team: our new Art Fellow, printmaker and book artist 

Rachel Lloyd; and Art Historian Bella Winkley from Benenden 

School in Kent. 

Lucy Caddel 

Rubia Rose Southcott 

Stewart Harrison 

MEOLE BRACE PRIMARY MOSAIC


A LEVEL ART 

Eleanor Keulemans 

Buster Read 

Tom Ross 

Mia Wyatt 

Rose Tempest

SCHOOL NEWS 

53 

Emma Cocliffe 

Grace Lyu 

Harry Clarkson Webb 

Liberty Clarke 

Orlando Bayliss


GCSE ART 

Charlotte Taylor 

Clemmy Sowden 

Grace Shan Henry Hollins Iona Biggs Lovell 

Kara Hundermark 

Lyla Williams 

Molly White

SCHOOL NEWS 

55 

CCF 

The Cadet Cambrian Patrol is the premier national Army 

Cadet competition, held at the infamous UK Ministry of 

Defence Sennybridge Training Area in South Wales. It is 

designed to test the skills, teamwork, fitness and leadership 

abilities of some of the best CCF cadets in the country. 

This year, Shrewsbury’s Army Section Cambrian Patrol team 

won the tremendous accolade of achieving a gold medal. 

This achievement places them in the premier league of 

Army Section teams. 

Geography teacher Captain Charlie Kenzie (Officer 

Commanding the Shrewsbury Army Section) was glowing 

in his praise of the team’s success: 

“I cannot overstate the significance of this achievement 

and how proud I am of the team. The competition is 

truly gruelling: sleep deprivation and upwards of 30km 

patrolling across difficult ground, whilst completing infantry 

activities such as Section Attacks, take a huge physical and 

mental toll on your body. Having spent eight years as a 

front-line Infantry Officer in the British Army, I know and 

understand the extent of the challenges they faced over the 

weekend. I can say with utter certainty, that there are some 

regular soldiers who would have struggled, if not failed, to 

complete the arduous nature of this year’s exercise.” 

Section Commander Sgt Charlie Silver (EDH L6) deserves 

particular credit. She was ably supported by her Second-in- 

Command Sgt George Edwards (PH L6), SSgt Imo Voelcker 

(G L6), Lcpl Casper Dugdale (I L6) and cadets Will Beeston 

(PH 4), Richard Wolskel (Rb 4) Alex Mackinnon (Rb 4) and 

Tom Brough-Byatte (R 4). 

ShrewsMUN VII 

Co-Secretary General Oscar Rink (PH U6) reports. 

In March, we once again had the honour of hosting our 

own Shrewsbury School Model United Nations Conference, 

welcoming over 170 delegates from ten schools. 

We chose as our theme ‘multiculturalism’, celebrating the 

School and our international community, where we continue 

to embrace diverse ethnicities and cultures. Despite finding 

ourselves in a difficult situation with Mr Peach’s passing, our 

team managed to put together what proved to be a very 

successful and engaging conference. 

Under the guidance of our experienced chairs, debates in 

committees were lively and productive and a wide range of 

issues were discussed, from women’s rights in Iran to the 

role of AI in conflict. Our social event was also a hit with 

our delegates, thanks to our very own George Rink (PH 4) 

making his debut as DJ. 

General Assembly (where all 170+ participants debate 

together) was filled with fruitful debate as we attempted to 

resolve the issue of spy balloons, addressing topics such as 

national security and sovereignty. 

Our winner of the Huw Peach Best Delegation Award at 

ShrewsMUN VII was Withington Girls’ School. Representing 

Australia, their delegates performed at the highest standard 

across the committees. We further commend all other 

delegations for their hard work, great teamwork and 

outstanding public speaking skills. 

There was an impressive level of debate, and we were 

delighted to see delegates grow in confidence throughout 

the conference. We look forward to seeing more in the future 

and continuing the legacy of ShrewsMUN.

56 

SCHOOL NEWS 

RESTART AFRICA 

Shrewsbury has recently committed to supporting Restart Africa 

as our overseas charity for at least five years. Giles Bell explains why. 

Over the last few years, I have 

found myself a regular visitor to 

Kenya in my role as an Admissions 

Tutor at Shrewsbury. Two hours north 

of Nairobi in a small town called 

Gilgil, there is a prep school I go to 

visit called Pembroke House, and it 

was there that I was first introduced 

to the inspirational Mary Coulson. Her 

work with the orphans and abandoned 

children in Gilgil led to the beginnings 

of a beacon of hope for children who, 

until they arrive at Restart, have none. 

I was lucky enough to stay with Mary 

and hear from her at first-hand how she 

came to start a charity from scratch that 

now feeds, clothes, educates and above 

all offers sanctuary and security for over 

100 children. 

It is hard not to be deeply moved 

by the stories Mary told me about 

the traumas that children were 

experiencing after the horrific postelection 

violence in 2008, which had 

resulted in over a thousand deaths 

and more than 500,000 people being 

displaced from their homes and 

villages, with a large number ending up 

in Gilgil. Many of them were children 

who had been orphaned, abandoned, 

or driven out of their homes by parents 

who could no longer support them. 

They suffered starvation, physical and 

sexual abuse at the hands of gangs on 

the streets, or sometimes their own 

families. 

Mary was so horrified by the growing 

number of street children that she felt 

compelled to do something about 

it. She found a modest property to 

rent and initially gave shelter to just 

six boys, providing refuge for those 

desperately in need: Restart Africa had 

been born. 

The original buildings were in a poor 

state of repair, with the boys all in one 

dormitory room crammed with bunk 

beds, often sleeping two to a bunk. The 

toilets were primitive and everything 

was a challenge, but the children 

were fed regular meals, received an 

education and were safe from the 

horrors they had endured on the 

streets. As time went on, Restart also 

started to take in girls, many of whom 

had suffered horrific sexual abuse. The 

number of children eventually swelled 

to over 100, ages ranging from just a 

few months old to youths in their late 

teens. The old Restart building was 

bursting at the seams and became unfit 

for purpose. 

Just before Christmas 2014, the children 

moved into a new Centre which was to 

be their new home. I first visited Restart 

in June 2015 and was bowled over by 

the warmth of my reception and by the 

smart new buildings, but above all by 

the enthusiasm and welcoming smiles 

of the inhabitants. I immediately found 

myself being taken by the hand and 

proudly shown round the premises 

by a little girl called Paulina. She was 

very keen on my hat and laughed a lot. 

She told me that the best thing about 

living at Restart is that she feels loved. 

Another little boy called William told 

me that he loves his life now as he can 

play football and he knows that people 

care about him. He reiterated those 

sentiments in front of a judge who 

was trying his father for murdering his 

mother. The judge, wiping away his 

tears, told the courtroom that Restart 

had clearly done a fantastic job looking 

after this young boy who had seen so 

much violence and experienced so 

much suffering so young. 

The charity’s motto is ‘Think not what 

you are, but what you can become’, 

and underlines the belief that, given 

the love and opportunity that Restart 

provides, the children there will all 

have bright futures. 

There are strong links between 

Shrewsbury School and Restart. Jules 

Winkley, Anna Peak and I are all 

Trustees of the UK branch, and the 

Chair of the Trustees is Chris Conway, 

whom many members of the Salopian 

community will remember fondly 

in his previous guises as a member


of the Chemistry Faculty and Head 

of Careers. Mary Coulson sent her 

sons to Ellesmere College, where she 

and her late husband Terry became 

good friends of the Headmaster, a 

certain Ted Maidment. When Ted 

became Headmaster of Shrewsbury, 

the Coulsons came to visit him and 

the Shrewsbury connection was 

established. We have since had five of 

Mary’s grandchildren at Shrewsbury, 

four of whom have moved on to 

further their academic aspirations, but 

we still have Sophia! 

We are planning a trip to Restart next 

year. This will enable Shrewsbury 

pupils to visit Restart and meet the 

children, establish friendships and 

return to the UK inspired to help 

them further. We are also aiming to 

raise a significant amount of money 

so that the children can go to private 

schools. Whilst not on the same level 

as British private schools, these are 

significantly better than the state 

schools in Kenya. We have already 

raised a significant amount of money 

for Restart this year, courtesy of a 

staff football match and an all-night 

sponsored ‘sport-a-thon’. (See Andrew 

Murray’s report below.) A huge thank 

you to all involved, especially Adam 

Morris and Seb Cooley. 

With so much misery around the world 

in terms of conflict, repression, war 

and environmental destruction, it is 

wonderful to be involved with a charity 

that really does make a difference to 

children’s lives. The Restart community 

very much reminds me of the prep 

school up the road, Pembroke House. 

However, the experiences of the 

clientele are very different. The Restart 

children have been ‘thrown away’. 

They are the unwanted, surplus to 

requirements and unaffordable. There 

are some heartrending stories behind 

the smiles. What Restart does is give 

such children a chance, a ‘re-start’ in 

life. There are some success stories 

if you want to measure success by 

going to university and gaining decent 

jobs. The real success in my mind 

is in providing children who have 

nothing with a place of security, an 

education, friendship, community, 

love and a chance to grow up with a 

smile on their faces. This is all thanks 

to the vision of Mary and the hard 

work of her team. Mary has been 

awarded the MBE for her work with 

Restart, and if you are looking for a 

rewarding challenge, please do think 

about volunteering or raising money 

for the Orphanage. If you would like 

any further information, please do 

not hesitate to contact me at gjfb@ 

shrewsbury.org.uk. I also encourage 

you to have a look at the website: 

http://www.restartafrica.org/ where 

you can make a donation should you 

wish to. 

I leave you with the words written 

by Tara Swords (G 2014-18), who 

volunteered at Restart a few years ago. 

For me, her last sentence says it all and 

always brings a tear to my eye. 

“During my Gap Year I spent eight 

weeks at the Restart Centre near Gilgil, 

Kenya. The Centre provides a home 

for children who either have no family 

or who for some reason are unable to 

live with their family. At Restart they 

ensure that their children receive a 

good education so that their chances in 

life are increased. Even though I had 

spent time exploring their website, I 

wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s the kind 

of place you need to experience firsthand 

to fully appreciate. One thing I 

wasn’t quite expecting was the fact that 

Restart is such a happy place. There is 

a real sense of family. The children are 

well cared for, and they thrive because 

of this. They are friendly, loving, 

courageous, amazing personalities who 

are willing to experience everything life 

offers. They study hard, take pride in 

their work, support each other, are keen 

to help with chores, love singing and, of 

course, there’s football. 

“No one ever seems to leave, even 

those who grow up, secure a job and 

start to make their way in life stay 

connected. Before I went to Restart, I 

kept wondering what I could do for 

the children there, what I could teach 

them. But the reality was that they 

taught me far more. I learnt that second 

chances do exist and that when people 

work together, they have the capacity to 

change lives. Above all, I deepened my 

belief that skills and talents, all those 

things society places great value on, are 

humbled in the presence of kindness.”

58 

SCHOOL NEWS 

FUNDRAISING FOR RESTART AFRICA 

Through our partnership with Restart Africa, our collective goal at Shrewsbury School is to raise funds and enhance the 

educational prospects of the children at the Restart Centre. With every £360 contributed, we can support a child’s access to 

quality education in Kenya for an entire year. This not only enhances the welfare and prospects of these children but also 

enriches the community by investing in teaching, infrastructure and technology. 

Throughout the year, our school community has rallied behind this noble cause, engaging in a series of remarkable 

initiatives that have a massive impact for these children. We kicked off the year with a resounding success, as our School, 

Staff and Old Salopian network collaborated to host a Charity Football event in November. Under the guidance of Mr 

Morris, this event was accompanied by a raffle and auction, resulting in an impressive total of over £6,000 raised for 

the charity. 

Following this triumphant start, a group of 32 pupils stepped forward in February to take part in an exhilarating All- 

Night Sports Marathon. Over a span of ten hours, these spirited individuals competed in ten different sports. With the 

unwavering support of our staff throughout the night, our students enthusiastically participated in a diverse range of 

activities, from Dodgeball to Netball, Mountain Biking to Yoga. Together, they raised an astounding sum of £3,500. 

Our Houses have also played an instrumental role in our charitable endeavours, spearheading numerous initiatives and 

events. One such example is Churchill’s Hall, which organised a ‘300km in an Hour’ event, uniting the entire House in a 

shared goal. Students ran, pedalled, and rowed their way to the finish line, demonstrating their commitment to making a 

difference. We also had a superb effort from other Houses, such as Mary Sidney Hall who sold house joggers alongside an 

evening of poker, spanning all the way to an individual effort from a pupil who sold Chinese New Year decorations. 

These remarkable undertakings are a testament to the compassion and resilience of our school community. We believe that 

education is a powerful tool for transformation, and with each donation, event and initiative, we inch closer to creating 

a brighter future for the street children of Kenya. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in any of these 

projects, whether it be through organisation or through much-needed donations. 

Andrew Murray


THURSDAY AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES 

Over the last year, our Co-curricular Activities Programme 

has developed apace. As the staff member responsible 

for this provision, I feel proud that we have so much to offer 

to pupils. All good schools will trumpet their successes, but 

for me it is how we use our time to develop young people 

that is the real measure. Without getting carried away with a 

mission statement, what are we trying to achieve? A love of 

the outdoors of course, a social conscience and awareness of 

others, the positive traits that can be developed by working 

in groups, a chance to show initiative, to experience the 

challenge of leadership, to have fun, and to develop interests 

for life, perhaps even passions. All these are laudable aims, 

and seeds sown now can take years to yield, sometimes with 

unexpected results. 

For a new Third Former, the activity programme starts in 

week three of their Salopian career. The BASE programme is 

designed to be a fun springboard into adventure, but with the 

added aim of encouraging sociability, positivity and ingenuity 

- all traits of which Old Salopian and Everest mountaineer 

Sandy Irvine would have approved. The Sandy Irvine Award 

(the badge for which will show crossed ice-axes) will be 

awarded to those Third Formers who best exhibit these. Adam 

Smiter heads up this provision and is supported by Head of 

Adventure Tom Folker in constantly refining what is a complex 

programme involving 140 pupils. So far our youngest pupils 

have orienteered, learned basic first aid, explored the hills of 

Caradoc and the Wrekin, and developed indoor climbing and 

kayak skills. The year will culminate with a two-day overnight 

‘mountain marathon’ expedition in the lovely Shropshire Hills 

during Outdoor Week in June. 

Our aim with BASE is to impel pupils into mixing with 

each other, to open their eyes to the fun that can be had via 

well planned adventure pursuits, and to encourage them to 

continue this later on in their school career. Such activities may 

not be for all, but we believe everyone should have the chance 

to experience them. BASE also includes both adventure and 

volunteering elements, as well as a chance to taste Combined 

Cadet Force activities, so on entering the Fourth Form 

pupils are better prepared to choose their Thursday 

Afternoon activity. 

In their second year at the School, Salopians have three 

Thursday options to choose from: Adventure Society, 

Volunteering and Combined Cadet Force. Once pupils enter 

the Fifth and Sixth Forms, the range of possibilities widens and 

more specialist experiences are available such as scuba, selfprotection, 

natural history and polo, to name just a few. 

Older readers will remember the Rovers, now rebranded as 

the Adventure Society (AS). This has proved to be a popular 

option, given the choices of kayaking, climbing and biking 

mixed in with elementary skills such as bushcraft, navigation 

and first aid. Tom Folker, who runs AS, has completely rejigged 

the structure and we have a well-run programme that offers 

variety and choice. 

Our three CCF sections, Royal Marines, Army and RAF, 

continue to thrive and cadets will take on leadership roles as 

well as being eligible for a host of MOD-sponsored courses 

and expeditions. Our CCF programme has produced glider 

pilots and RYA-qualified dinghy instructors, and at Fifth and 

Sixth Form level the chance to experience realistic leadership 

challenges. MOD events such as the Brigade Cadet Skills, 

Cambrian Patrol and Pringle Trophy competitions create real 

interest amongst our cadets and there is competition for team 

places so all can show off their skills. 

Another area of effort has been in the development of our 

Alive, well and thriving 

volunteering programme. Again, our aim here is to foster 

a culture of awareness, but also to identify how outreach 

activities can be treated rather like work experience, in order 

to encourage working with others, the chance to experience 

contact with charities, Community Interest Companies, public 

sector organisations and so on. All this, we hope, will mature 

the individual, increase employability, create better citizens, 

improve emotional intelligence and provide real personal 

satisfaction. 

Naomi Pritchard, assisted by Dr Jane Pattenden, has taken 

on the leadership of volunteering and has worked hard at 

developing contacts for the large number of pupils who want 

to become involved. These have been challenging times for the 

traditional visiting of care homes. However, with the guidance 

of Stuart Cowper (Head of Partnership and Community 

Engagement), real ingenuity has been shown in the breadth 

of our volunteering contacts. As she describes in more detail 

overleaf, around 180 pupils are now involved in projects such 

as reading in schools, care home and charity shop work, 

medical volunteering, mindfulness courses, supporting Syrian 

refugees and online contact with the Restart Centre in Kenya. 

A partnership with Severndale Specialist Academy is providing 

challenging placement opportunities for our volunteers, who 

range from Fourth to Sixth Form. 

Those Old Salopians who visited Talargerwyn during their 

time at Shrewsbury will be glad to hear we are now ensuring 

that all Salopians get the chance to visit to visit Tally during 

their school career. A new initiative developed by Tom Folker 

ensures that all Third Formers take part in a House-based 

short weekend trip. These have been really well received and 

create a positive bonding experience for all concerned, as well 

as the chance to experience not just Tally, but the delights of 

Snowdonia too. 

We undertake all these initiatives not just because it is the right 

thing to do, but because it develops our young people as well. 

At a future interview, some will be asked to reflect on a time 

when they faced challenge, helped others, or shown initiative 

and leadership. As well as giving them something to talk about, 

I would hope that the programmes described here might just 

create happier, rounded individuals with genuine interests, 

perhaps even life passions. If a spark is lit by what we provide, 

then we can maybe feel some small sense of satisfaction that 

we have made our mark. 

Nick David 

Director of Activities 

Francis Argyle (M 1964-69). Thursday afternoon for life. See page 93.

60 

SCHOOL NEWS 

VOLUNTEERING 

the shelves and put together packages of food to send out to the 

local community, as well as helping with other errands. It’s 

great work and it’s incredibly rewarding to know that we are 

doing our bit for the community, I will continue to help out 

as I get older. I also really enjoyed working with my friends to 

help at the Christmas Fair held in Quod, where we sold crafts 

from Thai villages as well as Christmas Cards designed by our 

Headmaster in order to raise money for the Foodbank.” 

This year our volunteering programme has gone from 

strength to strength. With 180 students eagerly wanting 

to help out in the local community on Thursday afternoons, 

we were able to deploy willing teams to The Grange Primary 

School, The Martin Wilson School, Shrewsbury Cathedral 

School, Woodfield Infant School and Radbrook Primary 

School to help support young children in the classroom, 

with a particular focus on reading. Other volunteers were 

dispatched to the local Mount Care Home, St Barnabas 

Foodbank, an array of local charity shops, Severndale 

Specialist Academy, Restart Kenya (via a video link), 

Beekeeping at School and at Longlands Primary, Headway, 

our Homework Club for local refugees and the Royal 

Shrewsbury Hospital. Within each of these placements is a 

plethora of activity and, most importantly, a great deal of 

good work being done by our students. 

The students have benefited greatly. Scarlet Sim of The 

Grove, who has helped out at the local Foodbank all year, 

writes: “I work at the Foodbank with a group of other students 

every Thursday as part of my afternoon activity. We restock 

Logan Penty commented about recent bee-keeping lessons 

he gave at Longlands Primary School: “I really enjoyed 

hosting ‘all things bees’ at the school. We created activities to 

help educate young children about the importance of bees, 

including taste-testing, candle-making and trying on a childsize 

bee suit. It was brilliant to see how keen the children were, 

and I can’t wait to go to more schools to keep sharing our 

knowledge.” 

Natasha Loumidis and Florence Belcher (friends from Moser’s


Hall) have been dedicated volunteers at our Homework Club: 

“We really love helping out at our Homework Club and 

working with younger refugees whilst their older brothers and 

sisters work hard on their Maths and English with our friends. 

We take time to entertain the younger children with puzzles, 

art and spelling games, trying to make learning fun and help 

support their primary school learning. When we hear the 

stories these children tell us about their backgrounds, it makes 

us want to work even harder to help them and we are really 

proud to help out with this activity. We strongly urge other 

students to get involved and come and help.” 

I am delighted to share positive feedback from our local 

contacts, demonstrating the strong impact our students are 

making. Adrian, General Manager of the Mount Care Home, 

writes: 

“Our residents are more content and happier when your 

students visit. The engagement levels increase greatly for our 

residents and they are more active. We have a few people 

with early onset dementia and the first signs are confusion 

and short-term memory loss. It seems that these issues are 

not noticeable during these student visits, it is like they take 

full control of their cognition and wellbeing. The only thing 

we can change is adding more visits from your students. 

Please let the students know they are making a huge positive 

difference to people`s existence.” 

Karen, Team Leader from the local Foodbank, has frequently 

commented on the impact our students make: 

“The girls work hard each week, preparing for the busiest 

session of foodbank the following day. They prepare parcels 

and their contents, like bagging up sugar, tea bags and 

washing powder. They also replenish the shelves and ensure 

there is enough stock out ready for the following morning. 

Their presence is invaluable as they ensure we have a head 

start on Friday morning.” 

Emma Hellyer, Governor at The Martin Wilson School writes: 

“Thank you so much for setting up support for The Martin 

Wilson School. At a recent Governor meeting, the new 

partnership was highlighted as a real positive at an otherwise 

extremely challenging time for the school.” 

In particular, a huge well done to Phoebe Carter, Ollie Sharp 

and Joss Gowar for their recognition at the High Sheriff’s 

Outstanding Young Citizen Awards Ceremony, held at 

Telford College, for their volunteering and fundraising efforts 

over the last couple of years. They were all recognised 

in the Volunteering and Community Service category for 

their dedication to society. A special mention must go to 

Joss Gowar, who was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ – the 

highest prize in this category – for his continuous work at the 

Foodbank, help at Restart Kenya, fundraising and previous 

work for Global Social Leaders. 

Naomi Pritchard 

Head of Volunteering

62 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Scottish Islands Peaks 2023 

With stories of last year’s battle with the dreaded mal de 

mer ringing in their ears, this year’s Peaks Race Team 

of six were full of trepidation as we set off on the long drive 

north to Oban. Yet all the talk at race briefing was about the 

lack of wind, of the need to row, and a possible Monday or 

even Tuesday finish … For the school teams this was not the 

news we wanted! Sailing is a tricky sport to predict however; 

we would just have to see how it all panned out. 

At midday on Friday 19 May, Tim Strebel and Hamish 

Griffiths were our pair on the start line, ready to run the 4.5 

mile hilly loop in this, the fortieth anniversary of the race. 

Thirty minutes later they were witnessed bombing along 

the final straight, forcing on their lifejackets and paddling 

furiously out into the bay to be greeted with wild abandon 

by the rest of the team aboard Gertha V. This was our sleek, 

Swan 46 that had so gamely housed a Shrewsbury team in 

the British Three Peaks Yacht Race the previous summer. 

Little did our sailors, Simon and Malcolm, realise then that 

they would be persuaded to leave the boat in Scotland for 

this next mad cap adventure! For now, though they must 

have been delighted with this quixotic decision as we 

bounded out into the Firth of Lorn with a decent wind, bright 

sunshine and a spot right up at the front of the fleet. Tacking 

up the Sound of Mull, it was now the turn of our next pair, 

Ellie Leigh-Livingstone and Rosie Morris (with Adult Runner 

and Old Salopian, Oscar Dickins) to ensure they were fuelled 

and focused for the 19-mile odyssey that awaited them on 

Mull: Bein Talaidh. By 5.30pm, the dinghy was hoisted over 

the side, we clambered desperately in and paddled ashore 

for the compulsory five-minute kit check. Always a nervewracking 

experience (failure means a return to the yacht 

to collect the forgotten item), the girls soon emerged from 

the tent and were off on their way into the wild heart of the 

island. 

Salen Bay often feels like the calm before the storm; it’s 

important for the rest of the team to cook a hearty meal, 

play some cards and generally rest up. And yet the YB Races 

tracker app was telling us that Ellie and Rosie had somehow 

overtaken the Glenalmond boys’ pair near the summit. There 

was a palpable sense of excitement back ashore amongst 

the marshals as we waited to see if this extraordinary feat 

was true. After 4hrs 27mins, through the ethereal mist, fading 

darkness and midge clouds, Team Shrewsbury emerged in a 

state of sheer delirium. Indeed, such was their euphoria that 

they charged straight into to the sea to wash muddy legs, 

momentarily oblivious to the need to be back on Gertha as 

soon as possible! Back aboard, Archie soon became king 

of the galley as he served our runners some thoroughly 

deserved hot food. The wind had now (11pm) almost 

completely died and so digestion and sleep were easy as we 

took the tide gently south into darkness. 

By first light (4am at this time of year in Scotland), all the 

runners were still asleep, some even on the floor. As so often, 

it seemed to take forever to squeeze through the key tidal 

gate of Fladda, some of the lighter boats pushed ahead of us 

in the very light airs. Spirits rose though as the waft of bacon 

permeated through the cabin; possibly the only thing in the 

world that can force a teenager out of their bunk! By 3pm 

we had finally reached the picturesque village of Craighouse. 

Embraced by the stunning Paps to the west and lovely Small 

Isles to the east, the pupils had a chance to row ashore here


and explore the only shop and hotel on the island, oh, and 

one of the many distilleries! Yet for Archie Tulloch, Massimo 

Wyatt and myself, no such relaxation was to be had as we 

began our assault on the infamous slag heaps that are the 

Paps. Pounding along the seashore, the turquoise blue sea 

was somewhat incongruous, particularly as rain suddenly 

appeared, enough to make us don our waterproofs as we 

neared the first summit. Although only 14 miles, Jura has two 

mountains to climb and no path at all; the terrain is essentially a 

natural obstacle course of boulders, bogs, heather and streams. 

A savage decent off the final Pap saw our little trio realise we 

were on for a record Shrewsbury time (2hrs 20mins), ensuring 

that the final run in along the single track road resembled a 

particularly macabre SAS selection process. 

Back aboard, we inched our way towards the races main 

hurdle; the mighty Mull of Kintyre. Although pleased to not 

be feeling seasick in this exposed section, a decision now 

had to be made over whether or not to use the engine. 

Glenalmond had long since lost patience with the lack of 

wind, but a quick call to Fettes confirmed the worst: we’d 

have to stow the oars and even the sails and motor for 

much of the rest of the race. This meant that to win the 

Youth Section, it would all come down to the running and it 

currently stood 1-1 between ourselves (Jura win) and Fettes 

(Mull win); all was to play for as after a final night at sea we 

finally arrived around midday on Sunday in Lamlash, Isle of 

Arran. Tim Strebel and Hamish Griffiths, accompanied by 

Oscar were hell bent on trying to beat the record for this leg 

that has held since 1998. Unfortunately, cramp on Goat Fell 

put paid to this by just four minutes, but the blistering time of 

3hrs 44mins ensured that yet again Shrewsbury were winners 

of the Prince/Princesses of the Bens and as a result, Youth 

Section winners. A proud team wolfed down some pizza with 

Bryan Adam’s Summer of ‘69 blasting out on the speaker as 

we completed the final lap across the Firth of Clyde and into 

Troon for a 7.30pm finish. After the briefest of celebrations, we 

were back on the minibus, arriving at 1.00am in Shrewsbury, 

ready for Period One that morning. What an adventure, it was 

truly, as Bryan sang: “the best days of our lives.” 

Sam Griffiths


FOOTBALL 

The 2022-23 football season will be remembered for a 

number of historic events. 

Thursday 4th May witnessed over 800 vociferous current 

and past Salopians descend on Stoke City’s Bet 365 Britannia 

Stadium for the ESFA National Cup Final against Hampton 

School, our first ever appearance in the final of this 

competition. 

We also launched football for our girls with an inaugural 

U14 Festival held on 6th October on Top Common. It was 

wonderful to welcome Aiofe Mannion, current Manchester 

United Super League player and ROI International, and 

Laura Bassett, ex-England international, to launch the festival. 

Third Former Ariana Marais had the honour of scoring the 

first ever goal for a Shrewsbury girls’ team. Jenny O’Brien 

had the honour of scoring the first ever girls’ 1st XI goal 

with a thunderbolt left foot strike in the ISFA U18 National 

Cup against Repton, a fitting way to kick off our girls’ 

programme in ISFA competitions. We are excited about 

how this programme is going to develop over the coming 

seasons under the guidance of new Head of Girls’ Football 

Dr Ellena Lyell. 

We also had the honour of hosting Charterhouse in the 

Centenary Year anniversary of this historic fixture between 

the two Schools this season. 

A total of 374 schools entered the 2022-23 ESFA National Cup. 

Our ESFA journey started on 20th September 2022, at home 

to Wrekin College in Round 1. Seven rounds later, we found 

ourselves facing our old adversaries Hampton in the final. To 

be one of the two best U18 schools sides in the country and 

to have the chance to contest a national final was an amazing 

achievement. 

The closest we had previously been to getting into an ESFA 

final was back in 2001 when we lost to St Cuthbert’s, who 

were the eventual winners. The 2001 side was managed 

by then Master-in-Charge of Football Mark Dickson, who is 

currently Chief Executive of ISFA. Mark was the first manager 

to win the coveted Boodles ISFA National Cup in 2000, and 

we were delighted that he was in attendance at Stoke. It 

was also an honour to welcome two other former Heads 

of Football to the final. Robin Trimby, who was in Charge 

from 1962-1981, has been a huge supporter of our 1st XI 

throughout the season; and Steve Biggins, at the helm from 

2009 to 2015, was also in attendance. 

Cup runs are never straightforward, and our journey to the 

final epitomised this. However, despite the perilous nature 

of knock-out football, we played some of our best football 

throughout this competition. It would not be right for me 

to single out individuals for praise, as our success was 

based on a team ethos of everyone working together and 

enjoying each other’s success. However, as with any team 

sport, you need individual moments of brilliance and we 

have had these in abundance throughout the competition. 

There were no better examples of this than in the last 

16 game versus Altrincham Grammar and the semi-final 

versus Brooke House. 

After having to move the Altrincham game to Shrewsbury 

Sports Village due to a waterlogged Senior, Will Jenkins (Rb) 

made three unbelievable saves, saving the first three penalties 

in the shoot-out. We went on to win the shoot-out 2-0 on the 

back of Will’s brilliance. The Brooke House game witnessed 

two of the best goals you will see at this level of football. 

After a composed finish from the penalty spot by captain 

Ollie Sharp (PH), Louis Crofts (PH) produced a thunderbolt 

left foot strike into the top corner to give us a 2-0 lead. Archie 

Barlow (R) then stepped up and scored a brilliant individual 

goal, turning the Brooke House centre-back before bending 

in a left-foot strike into the top corner that was ultimately 

the vital winning third goal. The Brooke House performance 

was arguably our best performance under such pressure for 

several years. A performance based on hard work, tactical 

awareness, resilience and the sheer desire of all players 

to do the best they possibly could for the School, were 

the hallmarks of an unbelievable display. The team were 

cheered, on throughout, by the majority of the School and 

by friends and family, who surrounded Senior and created 

an unbelievable atmosphere; they were our 12th man. We 

executed the game plan to perfection on the day. It was a 

just reward for all the hard work and commitment this group 

of players had put in throughout the season. 

Despite the disappointment of the end result, we can reflect 

on an amazing day in the ESFA Final. Thursday 4th May will 

go down in history for the Football Club. The atmosphere 

created by the spectators from both Schools, but particularly 

by the 800 Salopians in attendance, made for an amazing 

occasion and spectacle. Shrewsbury is an amazing institution, 

and nothing epitomised this more than the whole community, 

past and present, coming together as one to cheer on our 

amazing squad at Stoke. The boys did everything they could 

do to claim the win, but it wasn’t meant to be. A couple of 

key decisions that didn’t go our way, and good attacking play 

and defensive work from Hampton, were to be our undoing. 

Despite the disappointment, the lads were in reflective mood 

post-game and can take heart in the history they had created. 

This group of players have created an everlasting bond of 

friendship. The experiences of this season will be forever 

etched in their memories, and these shared experiences, 

I am sure, will be talked about in years to come. A great 

example of the bond created by team sport happened 

this season. The team of 1972 met up with their former 

manager, Robin Trimby, to celebrate their invincible 

season, at the Hudl League game versus Repton, on Senior, 

in November. It was an honour and privilege to get to 

spend some time with them, talking about the success they 

had and the philosophy of the current football programme. 

I hope our group of boys will be doing something similar 

in another 50 years’ time, albeit potentially without their 

team manager, but you never know. 

Following on from the unbeaten Hudl League campaign 

last season, we went into this season with high 

expectations. However, having to play Bradfield in our 

opening fixture, without four key starting players due 

to a biology trip, was a challenging start. Despite the 

4-1 defeat, there were enough signs in the game to 

suggest that better things were to come. A well-deserved 

2-1 victory at home to Millfield, a side we now haven’t 

lost to in three years, kick started our season. A further 

3 points were gained against our arch-rivals Repton, 

courtesy of a 2-0 win on Senior. A screamer from Oli 

Smith (Rt) opened the scoring and a further strike from 

Sam Jones (PH) sealed back-to-back victories over 

Repton. Further wins against Bedes and Ardingly and 

a draw away against Boodles champions Royal Russell 

(who we haven’t lost to in four years), secured us a 

fourth-place finish. A creditable season on the back of 

last season’s unbeaten campaign. We now believe we 

can compete at the top of the table in this league, which 

is a great place to be mentality-wise.

SCHOOL NEWS 

65 

1st XI Squad Photo 2022-23 

Match Day – ESFA National Final 

ESFA National Final supporters

66 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Our Boodles campaign ended at the quarter-final stage, 

ironically against Hampton School. The tale of another 

penalty that wasn’t given would be the abiding memory 

of this fixture, as we went down 2-1 away from home. 

However, this level of performance, in terms of getting to the 

last eight again will see us seeded in the top six schools in 

2023-24 and will see us enter in Round 3 next season. 

After a wonderful season that achieved so much, we wish 

our leaving Upper Sixth students the best of luck next year. 

They have been wonderful ambassadors for the Football Club 

throughout their five years at the School. Our aim now is to 

build on the success achieved during the past two seasons 

and continue to produce players and a side that can compete 

against the very best schools on the circuit. The future looks 

positive, with a number of quality footballers joining the Sixth 

Age Group Playing Records 

1st XI 

Played Won Drawn Lost Goals 

For 

Under 14A 


For 

Goals 

Against 

30 21 3 6 96 40 56 

Under 16A 


For 

Goals 

Against 

9 2 1 6 18 25 -7 

Under 15A 


For 

Goals 

Against 

14 9 1 4 53 24 29 

Goals 

Against 

11 2 1 8 15 44 -29 

Goals 

Difference 

Goals 

Difference 

Goals 

Difference 

Goals 

Difference 

Form in September, as well as four boys from our current 

U15 side being invited on the pre-season tour in August. We 

hope that they will be able to make the transition to playing 

top level U18 football. 

ISFA Representatives 2022-23 

U15 – Isaac England (Rb) 

U17 – Oscar Cooke (PH), Louis Crofts (PH). Both Oscar and 

Louis played for the ISFA U18 side in an international fixture 

this season. 

U18 – Oli Sharp (PH) 

Shrewsbury continues to be the ‘Home’ venue for the 

ISFA U18 side in Season 2023-24 and we look forward to 

hosting International Independent Schools next season. It’s 

wonderful to see four of our boys represent the National 

sides in the above age groups. Isaac (Rb) has been an ever 

present in the U15s this season, has captained the side and 

scored a terrific header in the fixture against Manchester 

United’s U15 Academy side at Carrington. Oli, Louis and 

Oscar all featured in the U18 ISFA International at Shrewsbury 

against the Welsh Schools and Colleges FA, with Oli playing 

in every international last season. This continues to be a 

wonderful development opportunity for our elite players and 

demonstrates we can produce players good enough to play 

international representative football. 

Launch of Girls’ Football 

Celebrating a historic moment this year, we proudly launched 

our inaugural football programme for girls. Both senior and 

junior girls, fuelled by their own resilience, showcased skills, 

determination and great team spirit to trailblaze the sport. 

They achieved remarkable success, both on and off the pitch, 

and rose to the challenge when participating in local leagues, 

national cups, football festivals and House tournaments. 

The under-14s kicked off their season playing against 

Madeley High School in the first round of the Sisters N Sport 

Cup and won 3-1. Often, the Juniors played against teams 

that were not only slightly older than them but had also been 

playing for much longer. With each match played, these girls


are heralding a new era of sporting excellence and we’re 

excited to see what they achieve next season. 

Our Senior girls started their campaign travelling to Malvern 

College for their first away match. The gusty winds at the 

foot of the Malvern Hills quickly blew away their first game 

nerves but, despite hitting the woodwork, they lost 1-0. It 

seemed only fitting then that we hosted Malvern College in 

a return fixture for the Seniors’ final 11-a-side game of the 

term. Yet Shrewsbury found themselves 1-0 down at half 

time. With the shouts of ‘Salop’ and encouragement from the 

supporters the girls had accumulated and a rousing half-time 

team talk, the girls courageously turned it around. To show 

how far they have progressed in their abilities, confidence 

and resilience, the girls came away with a well-deserved 2-1 

win! Through teamwork, discipline and determination, this 

team have etched their names into the annals of Shrewsbury’s 

sporting legacy. 

Quality staff is the key to running our successful development 

programme. We are fortunate to have retained some of the 

very best people to work with our boys’ and girls’ sides this 

year. Former professional players, UEFA Pro Licence, UEFA 

A & B Licence coaches all work across A team/1st XI squads. 

However, it’s not just the top squads that require quality level 

coaching; it is a priority for us to staff each team with the best 

quality staff available. The new 3G Astro will offer another 

exciting dimension to our programme next season and give us a 

wonderful state-of-the-art facility that can be used in all weathers. 

I am hoping this facility will take our football provision to the 

next level through one-to-one coaching sessions in students’ free 

periods, and always having a quality surface available in which 

to develop a possession-based playing style. 

Our desire to offer the very best development programme 

continues to be our primary focus. A player-centred 

approach is key to developing players who have a love 

of the game, a willingness to improve and a desire to be 

the best players and human beings they can be. Football 

in the independent sector is improving every year, as was 

evident in the performance KCS Wimbledon produced 

in the Boodles National Cup against us this year, despite 

them losing the game. The so-called non football-playing 

schools are becoming fewer, with a number of new ‘football 

academy’ programmes being launched in several high-profile 

independent schools. As a result, we need to ensure we are 

staying ahead of the game. As a school we need to continue 

to develop a culture of excellence within our programme at 

all levels. If we do this, we have shown that we are, on our 

day, one of the strongest football schools in the country. We 

wish all our 2022/23 leavers the very best with their future 

footballing pursuits and we hope to see them back at School 

as part of the Old Salopians squad in the coming seasons. 

Steve Wilderspin 

Director of Football

68 

SCHOOL NEWS 

RUGBY 

1st XV 

Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference 

10 4 0 6 240 225 15 

On paper the results from this season look similar to 

last year, and yet the reality could not be further from 

the truth. A table of results hides much about a season, and 

certainly does not account for the three games that were lost 

by a mere two points; it just always appeared that the bounce 

of the ball kept on turning away from us. Even so, this was 

a season in which the Shrewsbury rugby players stood up to 

be counted and showed that they could stand up against any 

opponents. 

Certainly this was a season of great progress, in which the 

players fully bought into coach Rhodri Evans’ ideas and 

plans and began to play rugby of the highest quality. After a 

rather dismal first match against Wrekin in sunny September 

(10-24), the pod work and running lines saw strides of 

improvement. The movement of captain Will Goodall from 

scrum-half to hooker (could he be the next Tom Youngs?) 

was a useful change, as the placement of a skilful target man 

at the front of the pod system offered the opportunity to use 

his pass to increase the distribution and pace of our game. 

This enabled a wider and quicker game plan, and the fiery 

backline were able to use this to their advantage. With Tom 

Daly organising proceedings from fly-half, the team scored 

some tremendous tries, ably supported by a mobile pack led 

from the front by George Orchard and Ed Scott. Soon enough 

results went our way; a 15-10 defeat of Wrekin a fitting finish 

before Christmas, and a 57-5 annihilation of Oswestry good 

recompense for the loss in 2022. 

Yet again, the main problem for the team was keeping all our 

players fit and healthy. Long-term injury meant that George 

Stamford-Davis never donned the white shirt this season, 

while there were long lay-offs for Ed Scott, Ed Carryer, 

Freddie Greenwell, Harry Harnaman and Charlie Rutherford, 

to name but a few. In fact, I don’t think that our number one 

starting side ever managed to play together. 

Success, then, came from a large squad of committed players, 

who all drove each other to be better. It was useful to have 

natural leaders in the squad, witnessed on the pitch through 

the go-forward power of Jack Sheldon, Tom Corbett and 

Marcus Davies. In the backline, there really was skill galore, 

with Tom Daly’s jinks well-attuned to the power of Tom 

Brown and the pace of Morgan Matthews. 

Yet it was the supposed ‘fringe players’ who really pushed


through this year. The likes of Jasper Heath, Tom Hollins and 

Will James gave absolute commitment to the team, becoming 

integral teammates, and showed that hard graft can have a huge 

impact on squad success. 

While the near losses may remain close in our minds, the boys 

should focus on the huge number of positives from the season. 

They were a team who showed absolute commitment to the 

cause (apart from Friday morning fitness sessions!). A team 

determined to work together to improve. A team determined to 

fight for one another, never giving up, never taking a backward 

step. I admire the team spirit that they showed and thank them 

all for the efforts that they gave. 

Much of this determination stemmed from the impressive 

leadership team of Will Goodall, Ed Scott, Morgan Matthews and 

Marcus Davies, who gave their very all throughout every session 

and match. Yet it is important to recognise our leavers, whose 

impressive efforts for Shrewsbury rugby over the last five years 

have helped to build them all into determined individuals, who 

work cohesively as a team: 

Will Goodall, Ed Scott, Morgan Matthews, Ed Carryer, Will 

Corbett, Ed Dale, Freddie Greenwell, Jasper Heath, Tom Hollins, 

Will James, John-Anthony Leigh-Livingstone, Yuhi Nzei, George 

Orchard, Jack Sheldon, Harry Harnaman, George Stanford-Davis, 

Hubert Read, Kit Lovesetto. 

U18 VIIs 

In the Lent term, the U18s moved on to the Sevens season, 

and achieved some notable successes. It was a pity that 

things just kept on getting in the way of developing our 

game; teachers’ strikes and bad weather affected two of the 

main tournaments that we were entered for, and this was 

disappointing for everyone concerned. 

Even so, the boys developed their game well and, in the 

game of the season, found themselves battering the Sedbergh 

try-line with the scoreline 14-10 with only 4 minutes to go at 

the North of England Cup. Unfortunately the victory was not 

to happen… we dropped the ball over the try-line, and from 

then on Sedbergh wouldn’t give us the ball back. 

The Sevens season is always about Rosslyn Park, though, 

and the boys can be pleased with the effort they put in. 

A close game against Dollar Academy led to success 

against Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe (28-19), though a strong 

Bradford Grammar side sent us back up the motorway. 

Even so, the boys, led superbly by Morgan Matthews, will 

have taken a huge amount from the sevens season, and I 

look forward to them pulling on the Old Salopian jersey in 

the oncoming years.

70 

SCHOOL NEWS 

U16s 

Though small in number, the U16s play with great heart. 

They slotted into the senior squad after Christmas and played 

in several games against the likes of Repton, St David’s and 

Oswestry. The U16s also competed at Rosslyn Park, where 

they put themselves in a strong position to finish towards 

the top of their group with a fantastic 28-19 victory over the 

Grange School, Northwich. Led impressively by Henry Riley- 

Smith and Rupert Price, the U16s showed plenty of grit to 

score some excellent tries, particularly through the impressive 

Oli Bing. Unfortunately the wind blew out of the boys’ sails, 

and a hefty defeat to Skinners’ School deflated them, which 

led to a disappointing defeat to Greenhill. Even so, I am sure 

that the players took a lot from the experience, and they will 

be integral to the success of the squad next season. 

As I have stressed earlier, the team came on leaps and 

bounds, and this has much to do with the continued efforts 

of the dedicated coaching staff. Rhodri Evans has been a 

revelation with the boys, getting them to play progressive 

patterns that take us forward and set up intelligent attacking 

play. He has been ably supported by Will Reynolds, Luke 

Baxendale and Chris Wain over the season, and I offer my 

thanks to them for their hard work throughout the year. 

Chris Cook 

House rugby 

Back once again, House rugby proved to be another feast of entertainment at the end of the Lent term. The sun blazed down 

on players and supporters, allowing the flowing rugby that we want to see. 

A new set-up for this year saw the group stages turn into new competitions for Bowl, Vase and Cup. 

Juniors 

Seniors 

Bowl Severn Hill Oldham’s 

Vase Port Hill Ingram’s 

Cup Radbrook Rigg’s


FIVES 

The Shrewsbury School Fives Club has enjoyed another 

successful season, and there continue to be a healthy number 

of players coming through the ranks. It was a privilege 

for us to host the 2023 Schools’ National Championships 

at the School in March. During that week we welcomed 

over 600 players, who competed in 11 different age group 

tournaments. In nine of these tournaments, Shrewsbury 

players reached the semi-final or final. 

U14 Boys 

After great enthusiasm throughout the introductory sessions 

in the Michaelmas term, a healthy number of U14 Boys 

opted to play fives in the Lent term. The squad started the 

season strongly, with Daniil M (S 3) winning the individuals’ 

tournament at Repton. A strong showing in our fixture with 

Eton led to Shrewsbury entering an U14 squad into the U15 

Hughes Cup. The team finished 7th, an excellent effort with 

some superb individual performances. 

The squad continued to progress as the season went on, 

and one week before the Nationals, six players were in the 

running to be in the first pair. In the U14 Main Competition, 

which mainly comprises experienced players who have 

played for several years, Shrewsbury gave a good account 

of themselves, with several pairs progressing from the group 

and into the knockout rounds. Canon Farrer (Ch 3) and Tyger 

Leverton-Griffiths (PH 3) were the surprise package, reaching 

the last 16 from pair 3. 

The next day was the U14 Beginners’ Tournament, with 

players from the major Fives-playing schools present. Five 

Shrewsbury pairs reached the last 16 stage of the tournament, 

with Shrewsbury’s first pair, Sam Spiby (PH 3) and Miguel 

Aranguren Martín (SH 3) making it through to the quarterfinals, 

where they defeated Queen Elizabeth’s School Barnet 

2-0 (12-6, 12-2). They then took on Eton 1 in the semi-final. 

What followed was a three-hour spectacular, with Shrewsbury 

coming out 3-2 winners (12-5, 12-8, 6-12,6-12,12-9). The next 

day they took on Queen Elizabeth’s School Barnet 1, hoping 

to win the U14 Beginners’ trophy for Shrewsbury for the first 

time since March 2019. Sam and Miguel stepped up to the 

challenge and produced their best fives to date, defeating 

QEB 3-0 (12-4,12-7,12-5) 

U15 Hughes Cup 

U15 Boys 

A year of development for our U15 Boys this season. There 

has been a core of committed and talented sportsmen who 

have set about learning the intricate nuances of Fives and 

have made great progress. A 4th Place finish in the Hughes 

Cup was Shrewsbury’s best performance in some years, and 

the strength in depth of the squad allowed us to rotate and 

rest key players throughout the tournament. Yee Lok Mak, 

Oliver Paine, Harrison Vaughan, Freddie Ogilby, Jonty Swan 

and Max Milbank all showed great potential and provided 

good competition for our first pair. As the season progressed, 

it was clear that this year had bridged the gap significantly as 

we competed in some tight affairs against Eton and Harrow 

in particular. In the Nationals, four Shrewsbury pairs reached 

the last 16, with 2nd Pair (Oliver Paine and Yee Lok Mak) 

having to withdraw mid-way through a tight encounter with 

Harrow 1 after injury. Our 1st pair progressed through to the 

semi-final after overcoming Ipswich 1 3-0 (12-5, 12-6, 12-7). 

Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the semi-final, losing 

0-3 (7-12, 12-14, 7-12) to a very talented Berkhamsted pair. 

Best Performers: Michael Draper (I 4) & George Battersby (O 4) 

Most Committed: Jonty Swan (O 4) & Miles Tomblin (I 4) 

Most Improved: Yee Lok Mak (S 4) & Freddie Draper (Rb 4) 

End of Season Awards: 

Best Performers: Sam Spiby & Miguel Aranguren-Martín 

Most Committed: Tyger Leverton-Griffiths & Jack Lupton 

Most Improved: Dan Metelskiy & Maksym Blahodyr 

U15 Boys 

U14 Boys 

U16 Boys 

The U16s Boys have been a great source of fun and 

enthusiasm this year. Late to the game, they have been up 

against it in terms of catching up with those who started 

playing in prep schools. They have set about the challenge 

with great determination and are always good value on court. 

Louis Hursthouse, Louis Malanaphy and Harry Mitchell have


improved a lot and have worked tirelessly to bridge the 

gap. Unfortunately, an injury kept Theo Darke out for the 

bulk of the season. We hope he will make up for this in 

the Sixth Form. 

Best Performer: Louis Hursthouse (S 5) 

Most Committed: Louis Malanaphy (Ch 5) 

Most Improved: Gabriel Smith (O 5) 

Richard Barber Cup 

distinction, becoming the inaugural recipient of the Ainslie 

Award. This is named after Jago Ainslie (S 2017-22) and will 

be awarded annually to an individual who embodies the 

values of a Salopian Fives player. George received the most 

votes from the committee, comprising staff, students and Old 

Salopian Fives Players. 

Best Performers: George Hughes (PH U6) & Jack Home (PH L6) 

Most Committed: Harry Webster (Rb U6) 

Most Improved: Theo Wylie (PH L6) & James Hudson (R L6) 

Best Newcomer: Monty Cort (O L6) 

Mixed Fives 

The U18 Mixed Open was 

dominated by Shrewsbury, 

with all four semi-finalists 

being Salopians for the 

first time ever. The final, 

Shrewsbury 3 vs Shrewsbury 

4, was an excellent match, 

with Anisha Mupesa & 

Harry Webster defeating 

Rose Farquharson & Guy 

Bradshaw 2-0 to keep the 

Mixed trophy at Shrewsbury 

for another year. 

Senior Girls 

Senior Boys 

Senior Boys 

The Senior Boys’ Fives season started in December with the 

Graham Turnbull trophy. George Hughes and Mr Cooley 

reached the final, before losing in a tight final against St 

Olave’s. Luckily, George and Mr C would get the chance to 

make amends for this at the Richard Barber Cup in January, 

which they did. Shrewsbury retained the trophy for the 

second year running. Early season wins against Harrow 

and Eton also provided us with optimism about the season 

ahead. A season-long injury to Alex Clark and injury to Theo 

Wylie meant that we were not at full strength going into the 

Williams Team Cup. On the day, the boys fought valiantly 

against St Olave’s and Eton in particular. But both proved too 

strong, and Shrewsbury recorded a 3rd place finish. 

Fast forward to the Nationals and there was an upset in the 

group stage, as Shrewsbury 2 defeated Shrewsbury 1, which 

meant that our first pair lost their seeding. Shrewsbury’s 

top three pairs reached the last-16 stage before exiting the 

competition, with Pair 1 being defeated by the eventual 

winners St Olave’s, Pair 2 losing to second seeds Harrow, 

and Pair 3 losing to the tournament’s surprise package and 

eventual semi-finalists St Olave’s 3. 

Alex Clark, James Crews, Harry Webster and Guy Bradshaw 

have served the Fives Club superbly well during their 

five years at school, earning their Fives colours for their 

efforts. Boys’ Captain George Hughes has led the Club with 

The Senior Girls have been 

outstanding this year. The 

season opener, the Richard 

Black Cup, showed the potential 

in this group. Shrewsbury 

finished in third place in an 

adult tournament, a superb 

achievement. Throughout 

the season, all students made 

outstanding progress, with a 

convincing win against Oxford 

University in the run-up to the 

U18 Girls Open Winners Nationals. Five Shrewsbury pairs 

reached the quarter-finals of the 

U18 Girls open, a clear indication of the strength in depth of 

our seniors. 

It would be an-all Shrewsbury final, reminiscent of the 2019 

Nationals, with Rachel Ellis & Esther Hurford (Shrewsbury 1) 

competing against Amanda and Anisha Mupesa (Shrewsbury 

2). After a tight semi-final, and with Anisha already having 

competed in the U18 Mixed Open Final in the morning, 

Rachel and Ellis took advantage of this and produced

SCHOOL NEWS 

73 

their best Fives, winning the tie 3-0 and providing Rachel 

(Captain of Girls’ Fives) with a trophy in her final match 

at Shrewsbury. Rachel, like George, has captained the side 

superbly well this season, leading by example and being a 

positive role model to the younger girls. 

Scarlett Whittal and Liberty Clark, along with Rachel, received 

School Firsts for Fives. Rachel also went on to be nominated 

for Young Fives Player of the Year in the Eton Fives 

Association Awards. 

Best Performers: Rachel Ellis (M U6) & Esther Hurford (EDH L6) 

Most Committed: Liberty Clarke (EDH U6) & Scarlett Whittal 

(EDH U6) 

Most Improved : Rose Farquharson (G L6) 

performances from the U15s in 

matches against a strong Repton 

squad throughout the year and, 

as the National Championships 

loomed, there was much optimism 

about Shrewsbury’s chances of 

success. Emily Clark and Charlotte 

Field reached the final before 

succumbing to a very talented 

Highgate pair who had already 

won the U14 Girls’ Nationals the 

previous week. 

Best Performers and Most Committed: Emily Clark & 

Charlotte Field (both EDH 4) 

Most improved: Mia Hirakawa (G 4) 

U16 Nationals 

U16 Girls 

The U16 girls have real quality and, with the right application, 

can become an excellent squad. Liv Millar and Alice 

Beardsmore have shown great potential this year. There were 

strong performances from the U16 Girls in matches against 

Repton and Ipswich School, and they performed superbly 

well in the Northern Championships held in February. 

In the Nationals, this year group welcomed Janice Wong (G 

L6) to the team, as she is eligible to participate in the U16 

tournament. Our first pair of Janice and Liv reached the 

final of the U16 Nationals and provided us with one of the 

best matches of the Championship week. At two sets down 

against a Highgate pair who had never dropped a set, Janice 

and Liv brought the match back to 2-2. Unfortunately, they 

didn’t have enough to get over the line, but they were able to 

prove that, with the right application, they have the potential 

to defeat any pair. Next season we very much look forward 

to seeing Jess Fraser-Andrews back on court after the knee 

injury that has kept her out for over a year. 

Best Performers: Janice Wong (G L6) & Liv Millar (EDH 5) 

Most Committed: Charlotte Taylor (EDH 5) & Clemmy 

Sowden (G 5) 

Most Improved: Alice Beardsmore (EDH 5) 

U15 Girls 

Despite low numbers, the U15s showed real promise. Led 

by Emily Clark, the squad has made tangible progress 

throughout the season, providing competition for the 

squads in the years above and below. There were strong 

U14 Girls 

This year the U14 Girls showed great enthusiasm and a 

determination to improve throughout the season. They 

made a great start at the U14 Individual tournament, with 

three Salopians finishing top of the rankings and making 

it through to the grand final. As the weeks progressed, 

there were several players vying for a spot in the top pair. 

Eventually, Bella Clark and Millie Parry proved to be the most 

consistent performers and were rewarded with a place. In 

March the U14 Girls competed in their National competition 

in snowy conditions at Eton. Millie & Bella were competitive 

throughout the day. They played with improving technique 

and focus and were worthy finalists. Unfortunately, Highgate 

1 had five years of experience to call on in the final and, 

whilst the Shrewsbury girls battled hard, they could not 

match the know-how of their opponents. Nevertheless, they 

will now find their names on the honours board and can feel 

confident that they are the best U14 Beginners in the country. 

Bella Bland and Violet Heintz performed superbly well and 

reached the semi-finals before being defeated by the eventual 

winners, Highgate. There were also impressive performances 

from Clara McAllister & India Quinn who won Plate A, 

winning 75% of their matches throughout the day. 

Best Performers: Bella Clark (M, III) & Millie Parry (MSH 3) 

Most Committed: Willa Bowett & Emilia Griffiths (both MSH 3) 

Most Improved: Violet Heintz (M 3) 

Thank you to the many school staff who coached and 

supported our students this year, generously giving up their 

time and effort to ensure that we were able to make the 

2022/23 season one to remember. 

Junior Girls 

Adam Morris


North of England Head 

The first event of the Michaelmas Term saw 87 pupils take 

to the water for the Boat Club’s annual VSW Sculling 

race. There was little wind and the stream conditions were 

perfect for some great racing. One second separated the 

overall winner of the Victoria Cup, Bill Harris (Rt U6) from 

second place Johnny Fielden (Ch U6). The Senior Girls’ event 

saw Alice Colclough (G U6) produce a strong row off the 

back of her GB selection in the summer to win the Kitchin Cup. 

The other event winners were: 

Joe Datnow (PH 5) - Sabrina Cup 

Robbie Lapping (S 4) - Williams Cup 

Sophie Sharman (M 5) - Case Cup 

Seren Carter (MSH 4) - Fox Trophy 

The fastest four scullers from each house are used to 

determine the winners of the Senior Challenge Sculls 

Trophies. Radbrook won the boys’ event, with Emma Darwin 

Hall winning the girls’ event. 

The Boat Club took an armada of small boats to compete 

at the Runcorn Head at the start of October. Thirty-seven 

Shrewsbury boats tackled the 3650m stretch of the River 

Weaver. Bill Harris (Rt U6) reinforced his strong performance 

at the VSW sculling races with a win in the J18 singles event. 

Toby Moore (I L6) held off a challenge from five other RSSBC 

singles to win the J17 singles event. The Senior Girls recorded 

wins in the J17 4X- and in the J17 and J18 4X+ events. Katie 

Hale (MSH L6) came home with two medals on the day by 

winning the WJ17 singles event in the afternoon, following 

her success in the coxless quad. The two J16 boys’ quads 

had a close race between them to decide who won the 

silverware, with only three seconds separating both boats on 

the finish. 

RSSBC 

Over the second week of half term, the Senior Boys and 

Girls travelled to Ely for a training camp. The squads were 

hosted by King’s School Ely which proved an ideal location 

for accommodation close to the Great Ouse. The crews were 

training on the stretch of water that hosted the Boat Race in 

2021 and provided endless miles of straight river with little 

stream. The rowers were predominantly out in small boats 

with an eye on the upcoming GB Trials and the Fours Head 

of the River. It was great to see the pupils making significant 

progress through the week and putting that into practice in a 

time trial at the end of the camp. 

Eleven Shrewsbury crews competed at the Stourport Small 

Boats Head in November. The event took place over a 

3.7kilometre stretch of the River Severn. The morning division 

saw Senior Boys’ crews placing second in the Open Coxed 

Fours event and in the J18 Doubles event. The J16 Girls came 

third in the Girls’ J16 Quad event. Three J15 boys’ quads 

took to the water in the first official race for many of them 

and placed an incredible 1st, 2nd and 3rd out of seven crews 

in the event. Particular mention to the winning crew for 

recording the second fastest time of the morning. 

In the afternoon it was the turn of a Senior Girls’ quad, Girls’ 

J16 double and three J15 Girls’ quads to race. The crews 

came second in all three events with the second and third 

J15 Quads placing third and fifth in their event respectively in 

encouraging performances in their first external race. 

Over the coach weekend seven Senior crews travelled 

to London to take part in the Fours Head of the River. 

The event saw close to 500 crews tackling the 6.8km 

Championship course on the Tideway from Chiswick Bridge 

to Putney Bridge. All seven crews coped well with a stretch 

of water that was unfamiliar for many of them, to record


Girls’ J15A at the Junior Sculling Head 

Boys’ J15A - Bronze medal-winners at the Junior Sculling Head 

Ely Half term camp 

Ely Half term camp 

Senior Boys’ Eight at Wycliffe 

VSW Sculls race 

North of England Head


Boat Club Dinner 

some encouraging results so early in the season. The 

Senior boys placed 6th and 19th in the coxed four, 9th in 

the coxless four and 24th (of 39) in the quad. The Senior 

girls placed an impressive 4th in the coxed four and 16th 

and 38th in the quad. 

In December, six Shrewsbury crews travelled to Chester for 

an invitational Head Race with the four local clubs on 

the River Dee. It was great to have the J15s, J16s and Senior 

crews racing at the same event. Two Senior mixed VIIIs and 

the J16 VIII were the fastest three crews down the track. The 

Boys’ J15 octuple posted an encouraging time to place sixth 

overall of the 36 crews. The J16 Girls’ quad and J15 Girls’ 

octuple rowed well to place 1st and 3rd out of boats in their 

respective age groups. 

In the Lent term, the Boat Club Dinner was held just before 

the first coach weekend. It was wonderful to have boats 

and oars in the hall to set the scene. The dinner provided 

the Boat Club with the perfect opportunity to show our 

appreciation to both Huw Peach and Steve Fox for their 

significant contributions to the Boat Club over the past 32 

and 29 years respectively. It was a fitting tribute to name the 

School’s new coxed and coxless fours after them. Our guest 

speaker for the dinner was Will Satch (MBE). Will stroked the 

Great Britain Men’s Eight to gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016. 

Will spoke with great passion as he shared his story and 

inspirational advice with a captivated audience. 

At the beginning of February, six Shrewsbury crews raced at 

the Wycliffe Head over a 4500m stretch of the Gloucester 

and Sharpness Canal. The conditions were ideal for racing 

and saw the Senior Boys place 3rd, 4th and 8th in the J18 

Eights event. The Senior Girls placed 4th and 5th in the WJ18 

Eights event and the J16 boys placed 3rd in their event. 

On the Saturday preceding half term, four J15 crews travelled 

to Chester for a match with The King’s School Chester. 

The match saw the crews take part in a time trial over two 

legs of a 1500m stretch before facing off in a side-by-side race 

against the equivalent King’s opposition. The match provided 

an ideal opportunity to prepare the crews for managing 

themselves on and off the water in a low-stress environment. 

The crews more than held their own, with some impressive 

rowing on show from all involved. There were some very 

close margins in the time trials, with the boys’ and girls’ crews 

compared by relative gold medal percentage times. The first 

of the Shrewsbury Girls’ octuples recorded the highest gold 

medal percentage time with 85.5% - only 0.1% over the first 

of the Shrewsbury Boys’ octuples at 85.4%. 

Over the second coach weekend, the Girls’ 1st VIII and 

Boys’ 1st and 2nd VIIIs travelled to Chester to race in the 

North of England Head of the River on the River Dee. It 

was the first opportunity for the selected crews to show 

their speed in a race situation. The event saw 129 crews 

tackling the 5000m course. The boys’ crews raced in the 

first division and put on a strong performance, with the 1st 

VIII winning the J18 category and placing 3rd overall. The 

2nd VIII placed 3rd in the J18 category. In the afternoon 

division, the girls relished the chance to get out racing 

and produced an impressive row to not only win the J18 

category but also claim the overall headship as the fastest 

women’s crew at the event. 

Six crews travelled to London to race in the Schools’ Head 

of the River over the 6.8km course of the River Thames from 

Chiswick Bridge to Putney Embankment. Despite little recent 

water time due to flooding, the crews coped well in the wet 

conditions to record sound early season results: 

Boys’ 1st VIII - 9th of 38; Girls’ 1st VIII - 17th of 34; Boys’ 2nd 

VIII - 10th of 20; Boys’ 3rd VIII - 4th of 7; Boys’ J16 VIII - 10th 

of 14. 

On the final Monday of the term, four Shrewsbury J15 

crews joined 3,000 other junior rowers to race at the 

Junior Sculling Head at Dorney Lake. The crews 

completed two timed 1800m legs of the lake, which were 

combined to work out the results. The two Girls’ J15 

octuples placed a creditable joint 9th and 22nd out of 25 

crews. The two Boys’ J15 octuples placed 3rd and 12th out 

of 14 crews in their event. It was a fantastic result for the 

J15A boys to win the bronze medal. 

Sam and Huw Peach 

Athol Hundermark


RSSH 

Dominic Weilds 

Despite a virulent spate of illness 

that laid many pupils and staff 

low, the Michaelmas term ended 

with the traditional Paperchases 

event intact, with Housemasters and 

Housemistresses gamely fielding 

enthusiastic, if depleted teams. With 

the Juniors setting off first, individual 

winners came in the form of Monty 

Woodhouse (S 4) and Georgia Grant 

(MSH 3). Indeed, Georgia led Mary 

Sidney Hall to the team title, whilst 

Al Weilds (Rb 3), in second, led the 

Radbrook boys to victory. In the 

Senior races, it was Rosie Morris 

(EDH L6) who finished first, steering 

Emma Darwin Hall to victory, 

whilst Kristian Tung (I U6) put in a 

dominant display to deservedly take 

his first School race title. Port Hill 

were overall winners of both Senior 

Boys 1st and 2nd House races. 

January saw the traditional foray down 

to Sevenoaks for the prestigious and 

demanding Knole Run – 5km for 

the girls, and a gruelling 10km for the 

boys. First up were the girls, with Iris 

Downes (G U6) and Sophia Urquhart 

(EDH U6), joint Huntswomen, leading 

a team including Sophia Coulson (MSH 

5), Ellie Leigh-Livingstone (MSH L6) 

and Amelia Blackledge (MSH 4). As 

expected, Iris found herself very much 

to the fore, holding her fast start to 

finish in a very impressive 3rd place. 

Sophia Urquhart was also high up, 13th 

overall, confirming her return to form 

following illness. The team finished a 

highly creditable 4th overall. 

The Hunt fielded two full boys’ teams 

on the day – 16 runners in all – and 

clearly had a strength in depth that no 

other competing school could equal. 

Will Singleton 

Whilst our A team were beaten to 

1st place by the all-conquering Judd 

School, our B team were the highest 

placed in the category, rivalling a 

number of other schools’ A teams. Had 

Will Singleton (R U6) more than a few 

training runs under his belt, it seems 

probable he would have been in the 

mix for the win; his 4th place was a 

remarkable effort given his minimal 

preparation. Kristian Tung’s 6th place 

was no less impressive, whilst Harry 

Parker McLain (I 5) managed a highly 

commendable 18th. A couple of names 

for the future, Johnnie Thurstan (Ch 

4) and Zac Wasteney (Rb 4), deserve 

mention for their 22nd and 32nd place 

finishes, respectively. Both have three 

more opportunities to race the Knole. 

The much-anticipated King Henry 

VIII Relays at Coventry proved a real 

highlight of the season. It was pleasing 

to finally have a full-strength squad 

and everyone, boys and girls, ran out 

of their skins to try and emulate last 

season’s impressive showing. The girls’ 

team came home in a highly creditable 

10th place, with Iris Downes’ 12m57s 

leg good enough for 7th fastest on the 

day, and 15th fastest all-time (in the 

race’s 23rd year). The girls’ B team 

managed a very respectable 22nd place 

overall, whilst the boys’ B came home 

in 19th overall, second B team to The 

Judd School, and 20 seconds or so clear 

of Abingdon. 

Within the boys’ A team, there 

had been a real sense of hope that 

Shrewsbury could go one better than 

last year and secure a silver team 

medal. Will Singleton took over in 

3rd, 10 seconds or so down from 

Abingdon, with spectators relishing 

the duel ahead. Will’s blistering pace 

soon extinguished any threat Abingdon 

might have posed. In what must be 

one of the most impressive runs the 

RSSH has ever seen, Will tore round to 

finish comfortably in 2nd, with a time 

of 10m55s. This was not only the fastest 

of the day, but the 6th fastest of the 

51-year history of the race. Will’s time 

ranks him above the likes of Sebastian 

Coe, Richard Nerurkar and the 

Brownlee brothers. It was a privilege to 

watch, made all the more remarkable 

by the considerable battles Will has 

had with illness over the last year. It 

is worth adding that the boys’ A team 

managed to run 2 minutes quicker than 

last year’s 3rd placed Hunt team. At 

70m50s, their time was, we think, the 

8th fastest on record. The fastest ever 

time now belongs to The Judd School, 

who came home in an extraordinary 

69m05s to claim a record that had 

stood for 40 years. 

Following considerable team success 

at the Shropshire Schools’ County 

Championships – a clean sweep of 

Junior, Intermediate and Senior team 

titles for the boys, and a Senior girls’ 

title, to boot – the Hunt saw nearly 20 

of its runners compete for Shropshire at 

the English School’s Cross-Country 

Championships at Nottingham. To have 

so many compete at such a high level is 

an outstanding achievement; it is difficult 

to imagine any other single school in the 

country having so many representatives 

at this blue riband event. 

Just prior to the English Schools, the 

RSSH hosted the Spring Relays at 

Attingham Park. It was wonderful 

to see a number of new attendees 

travelling up for a relaxed yet


competitive event, with runners 

completing a 2km loop into the Deer 

Park, on the opposite side of the estate 

from the Tucks course. It was equally 

pleasing to see the Hunt finish in the 

top 3 in all race categories, winning the 

Mixed Relay and the Senior Boys races. 

The Lent term ended in fittingly rousing 

fashion, with the running of the annual 

inter-House Steeplechases event 

seeing out the season. The format of 

the relay race – the racing of set year 

groups on set legs and the contained 

campus loop – makes for arguably 

the most exciting of the various 

School races; the 2023 edition was no 

exception. Both boys’ and girls’ races 

were ultimately won by the closest of 

margins, with battles between Hunt 

runners on the final legs – Massimo 

Wyatt (PH L6) and Sophia Urquhart 

securing victories for Port Hill and 

Emma Darwin Hall in the home 

straight. In doing so, EDH recorded 

an impressive trio of victories across 

the main School races: the Tucks, the 

Paperchases and the Steeplechases. 

The Hunt’s celebratory-cum-valedictory 

lunch proved a fitting occasion to 

reflect on another busy and successful 

season. It was an important moment for 

the Hunt runners to catch their breath 

and to enjoy one another’s company, 

whilst wishing our leavers the very 

best. We were very fortunate to sign 

Dan Grinnall (O U6) on a free transfer, 

and his almost immediate selection to 

the 1st teams for Knole and Coventry 

was no mean feat. We will be very 

sorry to see Eva Hall (G U6), a stalwart 

of the Club, leave. Full of goodwill and 

generosity, she has been continually 

willing to forgo her own interests and 

race for the Hunt this year. George 

Hankins (O U6) has been a regular 

and very dependable presence, full of 

running and nothing if not enthusiastic. 

The fact that two Huntsmen and two 

Huntswomen were appointed this year 

serves to illustrate just how blessed 

the Hunt has been with its Upper 

Sixth. Sophia Urquhart has been a 

wonderful servant of the Club. Ever 

positive and determined, we will miss 

her outstanding service. Iris Downes 

has raised the standard of girls’ running 

single-handedly to dizzying heights 

in her time at Shrewsbury. She has 

proved a wonderful ambassador for 

the Club and the School – not just in 

her racing, but in her broader manner 

and attitude. Kristian Tung has been 

nothing short of gold dust. His upbeat, 

cheerful temperament, combined 

with his unwavering commitment and 

discipline, makes him a wonderful 

role-model for us all. Phoenix-like, Will 

Singleton has somehow shrugged off 

illness and injury to compete at the very 

top of the national running scene, and 

he is now posting terrifying times on 

the track. We hope our leavers will take 

the opportunity of actively engaging 

with the Old Salopian Hunt in future 

years, and we will watch their progress 

in future years with great interest. 

Finally, it is important to recognise 

the tireless efforts of the staff, and 

their dedication and passion for the 

Hunt. Specifically, Dr Oakley has 

been, as ever, an invaluable support. 

His Herculean efforts processing and 

generating race results are essential to 

the smooth operation of the various 

races hosted across the year. We are 

also indebted to Colin Lancaster, whose 

calm and reassuring guidance and 

coaching is appreciated by so many. 

Lastly, Mr Haworth has been a constant 

source of advice and assistance, always 

responding positively and generously 

to the many calls for help directed his 

way this year. 

Frank Tickner 

Iris Downes Sophia Urquhart Dan Grinall Kris Tung Eva Hall George Hankins


We have been able to expand our 

Hockey programme significantly this 

year, with regular fixtures throughout 

the Michaelmas term for U18A, U18B, 

U16A, U15A, U14A and U14B. Our 1st 

XI team played 24 fixtures, starting with 

the Nottingham Invitation Pre-season 

tournaments over the first weekend in 

September 2022. This was a fantastic 

opportunity for the girls to learn new 

processes, shape our playing identity 

and understand the standards we aspire 

to achieve. 

The squad showed notable 

improvement week on week, 

culminating in reaching round 5 of the 

National Plate Knock-out, where we 

faced Cheadle Hulme just before the 

Christmas break. We are excited about 

the potential of this group, particularly 

with our incoming Fifth Formers who 

will create competition for places 

and raise the standard of our hockey 

programme. 

The 2nd XI team also had a good 

season, adding depth to our senior 

girls’ hockey programme. We hope 

to introduce a 3rd XI team soon, a 

testament to our growing inclusive 

programme. Our U15 team displayed 

HOCKEY 

fantastic local performances, indicating 

potential for some girls to push for a 1st 

XI squad place in 2023/24. 

Our Third Form entry, under Miss 

Davis’s leadership, proved to be a 

talented cohort who were crowned 

County Champions after a tense shootout 

versus Moreton Hall in the county 

final. They progressed into the Midland 

Zonals and reached the semi-finals. 

Their tremendous effort and grit were 

evident throughout. 

Our pupils have successfully 

balanced their academic schedules 

with sports, showing remarkable 

progress throughout the term. We are 

incredibly proud of all pupils who have 

represented the School this season. 

This summer, we are delighted to 

announce that two of our pupils, 

Harry Price and Sofia Coulson, have 

been involved in Talent Academies 

for the highest potential 15 – 18-yearold 

players. These academies provide 

high-quality coaching across 40-44 

weeks of the year, concluding at the 

summer tournament at the Nottingham 

International Hockey Centre. 

Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate 

the 2023/24 Hockey term, with the 

opening of new artificial pitches named 

Radbrook and Port Hill. This stateof-the-art 

surface will undoubtedly 

enhance our pupils’ hockey experience. 

Liam Hennessy


LACROSSE 

The 1st lacrosse team have had an excellent season and 

the girls should be incredibly proud of their efforts, with 25 

fixtures played across the Michaelmas and Lent terms and 

a new school record set at the prestigious National Schools 

Championships. 

The start of the season witnessed some great results from 

the 1st team, with the girls securing a deserved 3rd place 

at the North Schools Tournament. With convincing wins 

against Harrogate Ladies College (9-2), Birkenhead (10-1), 

Queen Margaret’s York (9-2) and Withington (5-3), the 

team got off to a very good start. We struggled against 

some slightly stronger sides from Moreton Hall (3-6) and 

Bolton (0-8), but we left the tournament with plenty to 

build on in future training. 

The next big competition of the season was at Marlborough 

College, where the girls played some excellent lacrosse 

against tough opposition. This was a great opportunity to 

practise our tournament-style lacrosse only a few weeks 

before the National Schools Competition. At Marlborough, we 

achieved a convincing win against Monmouth Girls’ School 

(4-2), draws against a club team from Cheltenham (3-3) and 

Cheltenham Ladies College (3-3) and two narrow losses to 

Marlborough College (2-3) and Stowe (1-5). 

Arguably the highlight of the season was our performance at 

the National Schools Championships. With convincing wins 

achieved in our pool on the first day against St Paul’s (4-2), 

Stowe (6-0), Tudor Hall (6-1), Malvern St James (6-1) and 

North London Collegiate School (9-1), it was confirmed that 

we would progress forward into the championship division 

which consisted of only the top 16 schools out of over 50 

initial participants. The girls played a final tactical game 

against Putney High School resulting in a (1-4) loss in a bid to 

save energy for day two. 

Day two started with an important match for Shrewsbury in 

the quarter-finals against a strong side from Queen Anne’s 

School, the firm favourites to win the overall competition. 

Playing some excellent lacrosse, the girls managed to 

win this match convincingly with a final score of 5-2. 

The team put in an incredible effort in their semi-final 

against an equally strong side from Moreton Hall, which 

unfortunately ended in a narrow (1-3) loss. Despite 

inevitable disappointment at being knocked out of the 

tournament, the girls did themselves and the School 

incredibly proud by making the final eight schools in the 

competition, setting a new school record. To make the top 

eight schools in the UK is a fantastic achievement and a 

lovely way to finish off an exceptional season. 

NETBALL 

A record number of 89 games of netball have been played 

this year, with a total of 1,656 goals being scored. 

The U14 A team scored an impressive 442 goals during 

the season and were crowned County Champions. They 

progressed to the Midland Regionals where they produced 

the best performance of any Shrewsbury netball team. 

They also managed to progress to the quarter-finals of the 

Sisters in Sport competition. 

Our Seniors (U18 A, B and C) had a combined total of 26 

wins, scoring 800 goals between them. 

A special mention to Scarlett Whittal (EDH U6) who has 

been Netball Captain this year. She has led by example and 

been a fantastic role model for the junior squads. 

The Simms Trophy 

Named for his father, Commander Hugh Crofton Simms, 

D.S.O., R.N., Blake Simms (R 1953-57) instituted an 

award in 2018 to recognise the effort of teams or individuals 

who just missed out on glory. Nominations are made by 

coaches and the award is decided by a small committee of 

staff. Since its inception, the trophy has been awarded four 

times to teams that have excelled in their sport. 

2018 – U15 Girls Cricket Team (runners-up in two national 

competitions) 

2019 – 2nd VIII Boys Crew (only school 2nd VIII to qualify 

for the Temple Cup at Henley and narrowly missed out at 

the Schools’ Head and the National Schools’ Regatta) 

2020 – Girls Quad Crew (won silver medals at Henley in 

L6th but were frustrated to miss out on the chance for gold 

in U6th due to COVID) 

2021 – U15 Girls Cricket team (runners-up in the national 

100-ball competition) 

2022 – 1st XI Boys Football team who were unbeaten in 

the HUDL League but finished in second place overall. 

2019 Winners being presented with the trophy by their coach Philip Lapage


View from the Boundary 

By Quotient 

The solver must complete the “View from the Boundary” by highlighting a six letter word in the completed grid. 

Solution on page 123. 

Across 

8 I could represent this... (6) 

9 ...boss regarding Paddington, perhaps (8) 

10 No American adopts a purpose poorly (8) 

11 Doomed lover soiled pants (6) 

12 Call “Help!” on tee frantically (9) 

13 Pour in white wine, we’re told, as and when (2,3) 

15 Paul’s excited about beginning of Plan A, 

somewhere in Sweden (7) 

17 Doctor on Nancy’s bed took on extra duty (7) 

20 Grass snake writhed (5) 

22 Develop work in US in English tea brewing (9) 

25 Collection of animals, in enclosures, sent back to sleep (6) 

26 Dramatist’s rodent - extraordinarily giant (8) 

27 I cry a river with ice nearly at equal pressure (8) 

28 Erasmus distraught without right to conjecture (6) 

Down 

1 Artist, good in enemy search (6) 

2 Their oil protects bats (8) 

3 No hope negotiating with returning priest, one 

who likes a drink (9) 

4 Composer returning from Britain is sorry (7) 

5 Headless fawn - that is scary! (5) 

6 A minor thoroughfare overseas (6) 

7 Party plugs unusual ration for cooking style (8) 

14 Inverted function error is mine (5,4) 

16 Attribute of weak translation of last of Latin supines (8) 

18 They love what they see, on reflection (8) 

19 Doctor Gee and heartless lexicographer start to castigate 

old artist (2,5) 

21 Obama upset about end of the simple life (6) 

23 Amtrak almost unsettled over union stress (6) 

24 Fruit left for 30 year celebration (5)

82 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 

It’s a great privilege to be writing my first report for the 

Salopian Magazine. Thank you very much to everyone for 

making me feel so welcome in what has been an extremely 

busy but enjoyable first few months in post. 

I was fortunate to have a long handover period with 

Nick Jenkins and am hugely grateful to him for taking so 

much time to pass on some of his immense wisdom and 

experience. 

The Headmaster hosted a farewell drinks party for Nick to 

commemorate his 30 years’ service to the School. This was 

followed by two events hosted by the Club, one in London 

and one in Cheshire, to thank not only Nick but those who 

have served as Chairman, President or one of the other 

major officers of the Club during his time in post. All three 

involved delicious food and drink, lively conversation and 

an opportunity to reflect on nine happy and successful 

years of Nick’s leadership of the Club. Nick graciously 

accepted some gentle ribbing from the Headmaster, former 

President Nicholas Barber (SH 1953-58) and old friend 

and former Chairman Peter Stewart (Ch 1958-63) and 

managed to come up with enough material to amuse three 

different audiences in three different locations without 

anyone hearing the same anecdote twice. 

I wish Nick all the very best for his retirement and am 

pleased to say he still intends to attend events now that he 

can relax while I take the strain! 

The Directorship of the Salopian Club is a very varied role. 

So far, my visits have embraced St Paul’s Cathedral and the 

stadium of Stoke City FC in the company of Old Salopians 

keen to support current students. I have learned the words 

to the Carmen Salopiense and revived the Club Instagram 

account, chatted with former staff in their 90s and addressed 

17- and 18-year-olds at the Leavers’ Assembly. 

I have always been impressed by the kindness of Old 

Salopians and their willingness to offer help and support both 

to each other and to current pupils. I have already witnessed 

the generosity of Old Salopians in the time spent offering 

careers advice and practical help to those starting out in their 

professional lives. I’ve seen the strength of the Old Salopian 

From the Director 

community overseas where local representatives arrange gettogethers 

and offer practical support to Salopians moving to 

a new country. I’ve enjoyed the warmth and conviviality of 

social events where people are bonded through the shared 

experience of attending our School. 

At our heart we are a community of more than eight 

thousand people who can help each other out, as well as 

working together for the good of the School and the wider 

community. 

My aim is to engage with as many Old Salopians as possible 

across the globe. Inevitably this calls to mind online interaction 

which is an important part of modern communication. If you 

look at social media, please do follow us and please do sign 

up for Salopian Connect which has huge potential for both 

professional and social networking. If you don’t, please do 

come to our events, read the magazine and feel free to pick up 

the phone and give us a ring in the office. 

I am ever mindful that we are a Club which belongs to 

its members. My quest is to discover what inspires Old 

Salopians to keep in touch with School, what you would 

like to hear about and what sort of gatherings you would 

most like to attend. 

Finally, and most importantly, my thanks go out to all 

the wonderful volunteers without whom the Club would 

not exist, those who sit on the Committee, run the many 

and varied sports clubs, the Drivers’ Club, the Young Old 

Salopians and the Arts Group. So much work goes into these 

activities and nothing would happen without the people who 

give up their own time to ensure Salopians can continue to 

meet up and pursue their interests together long after they’ve 

left school. 

I very much look forward to meeting as many of you as 

possible over the coming months and learning more about 

this wonderful community rooted in good will, shared 

heritage and the wit and warmth that so often characterises 

Salopians. 

Floreat Salopia! 

Holly Fitzgerald

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 83 

first met Nick in the mid 1950s. Both of us went 

I to Stepping Stones pre-preparatory school (now 

Shrewsbury High School’s junior school) on Kingsland. 

He is a little older than me. Our paths soon parted as Nick 

went off to the Old Hall Preparatory School and, a while 

later, I went to Kingsland Grange. 

From the Old Hall, Nick went to Rugby, excelling at sport 

and gaining a place at Trinity College, Cambridge, where 

he read classics. 

He then joined the Army, serving in the Royal Green 

Jackets in Germany, Cyprus, the Falklands and Hong Kong, 

with six tours in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. 

In 1989, he took command of the 5th Battalion (Shropshire 

and Herefordshire) Light Infantry and in 1992 was awarded 

the OBE in recognition of his Army service and his work as 

Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion. 

He became a master at Shrewsbury in 1992, teaching classics. 

His management and leadership qualities were quickly 

recognised and after three years, he was asked to become 

Housemaster of Oldham’s Hall. There, greatly assisted by his 

wife, Bee, he was an enormously competent and successful 

Housemaster, exceptionally hard working and caring, with a 

great wit and sense of humour. During this time, their three 

boys William, Edward and David grew, with William going 

to School House and Edward and David to Rigg’s Hall. Nick 

stood down as housemaster in 2009, bringing fourteen very 

happy, but doubtless tiring, years to an end. For three years, 

he then returned to teaching. 

Vale NICK JENKINS 

Nick had so immersed himself in life at Shrewsbury that, 

notwithstanding that he wasn’t an Old Salopian himself, 

his appointment as Director of the Salopian Club came as 

no surprise. Sure enough, starting in February 2014, he 

completely subsumed himself in all matters Salopian Clubwise 

for the next nine years. 

He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Old Salopians 

and a full understanding of everything about the ethos 

and character both of the School and Salopians. He 

attended numerous Old Salopian events every year 

of his time as Director; social events, church services, 

football, cricket, fives matches, indeed all the numerous 

sporting competitions. He managed to get to the School 

and Sabrina lunches at Henley when they didn’t conflict 

with Speech Day. 

When I became Chairman of the Salopian Club in 2018, 

Nick had already been in post for four years. He was 

hugely supportive and knowledgeable and helped me 

find my feet over the first year. He was unfailingly polite, 

enthusiastic, efficient and punctual but, most of all, had a 

great sense of humour. 

On behalf of the whole Salopian community, I thank him 

for everything he has done for us over the last 30 years and 

wish him an enjoyable and fulfilling time in the next phase 

of his life. 

Miles Preston 

Chairman 

News and Events 

Birmingham Dinner 

West Midlands Old Salopians gathered at Edgbaston Golf 

Club for the annual Birmingham Dinner on 27th April. 

A handful of golfers played the course before joining the 

other Old Salopians in the splendid surroundings of the 

club house, a Grade II listed Georgian manor house. Old 

Salopians from several decades were represented and, in 

contrast to the stormy weather outside, the atmosphere 

was warm and convivial as they enjoyed a three-course 

meal with some current staff who had travelled from 

Shrewsbury for the evening. The after-dinner speech 

was given by the new Director Holly Fitzgerald who 

talked about her time as a TV News Reporter and the Old 

Salopians she had encountered in her previous career. A 

last-minute request for the School Song led to a search 

through the archives in the office. The Director grabbed 

the music on her way out and some of the younger diners 

took the time to handwrite the lyrics for an impromptu 

performance. Some remembered it well, some had never 

sung it before, but all gave it their best, accompanied by 

the Head of Academic Music, Mike Skipper. The evening 

ended with an impressive performance from Lower 

Sixth student Billy Gardiner (SH L6) who is known as 

‘Shrewsbury’s answer to Michael Buble’! He charmed the 

audience with a smooth rendition of some jazz classics 

before the school party departed. 

Thanks are due to to Jonathan Mitchell (PH 1980-84) 

and the Birmingham Committee for organising an excellent 

evening. 

Old Salopians join current parents to give 

Sixth Form students a taste of a real-life job 

interview 

Around 50 current parents, Old Salopians and friends of 

Shrewsbury School came to School to help with a Mock 

Assessment Day exercise for the Lower Sixth on 21st April. 

Old Salopians from professional areas including farming, 

telecommunications, web design and surveying took part 

carrying out competency-based interviews and advising on 

CV presentation. The day also included a range of other 

activities, including a team exercise, a communications 

workshop and practice Situational Judgement Tests. It started 

with a talk from Salopian Club Director Holly Fitzgerald 

about the professional benefits of being a part of the Salopian 

network and her own experience working in both the media 

and headhunting. 

Old Salopians play a leading role in British 

Baseball success 

Two old Salopians have just returned from the World 

Baseball Classic in the USA where the British team won a 

historic victory and secured a place in the next WBC in 2026. 

Tom Thornhill (I 2008-13) is the President of the British

84 


Baseball Federation. He started playing Baseball at university 

but first became interested in the sport after playing softball 

at Shrewsbury. Richard Evans (M 1976-78) is the Marketing 

and Communications Officer. A chance conversation about 

attending boarding school led them to discover recently that 

they are both Old Salopians. 

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the USA but is 

relatively unknown in the UK. The GB team chalked up their 

first ever win against Columbia to finish fourth in their group 

which guaranteed a place at the 2026 competition. The WBC 

is equivalent to the World Cup in football. Qualifying is worth 

six times the annual income of the governing body in Britain. 

The British team also ran the USA and Mexico surprisingly 

close which shocked the World Baseball Community. 

The Federation led by Tom Thornhill hope this represents a 

significant breakthrough for the sport in this country. Tom 

and Rich will both be in London in June to see the Chicago 

Cubs take on the St Louis Cardinals when Major League 

Baseball returns to the London Stadium. It’s only the second 

time a series has been played in the UK and this time the 

games will be live on the BBC. 

Old Salopians cheer on crews at the Schools’ 

Head of the River Race 

Parents, Old Salopians and supporters once again assembled 

at the Blue Anchor in Hammersmith on 17th March to watch 

a sizeable number of School crews row past in the Schools’ 

Head of the River Race. Six RSSBC crews were among a 

record 339 crews who took to the water on a damp, grey 

day to compete. The event is the culmination of the head 

racing season, attracting competitors from across the UK and 

Ireland. Full results can be found at https://www.shorr.org. 

uk/2023/results.html 

The event provides an excellent opportunity for current 

parents and old Salopians to meet together and support 

the School crews. The shelter of the pub was particularly 

welcome on such a wet day. A hearty lunch, organised by 

James Russell (PH 1990-95) and the Sabrina Club, was 

available to all Salopian spectators who were able to view 

the racing from the upstairs room of the pub. 

70 Old Salopians support the School Chapel 

Choir singing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral 

On a truly memorable evening the School Chapel Choir 

sang to around a thousand people during the course of the 

day at St Paul’s Cathedral, culminating in Evensong at 5 pm 

on 24th April. Seventy Old Salopians joined tourists, visitors 

and regular worshippers to enjoy the sublime experience of 

hearing the singing echo around the famous dome. 

Afterwards the School party was entertained at Dion at a 

reception hosted by the Marketing Department. It was great 

to see so many Old Salopians in attendance including those 

working in the music world including the composer Richard 

Eteson (G 1989-93), singers Patrick Craig (Ch 1982-87) 

and Martin Harris (S 1968-73) Vicars Choral at St Paul’s, 

and singer-songwriter Joe Bell (Rb/I 2010-15), alongside 

current members of staff, parents and governors. 

A tour of the Silk Roads 

A party of 30 Salopians and guests had the privilege of a 

guided tour at the British Museum on Thursday 16th March 

with Nicholas Barber (SH 1954-58). The tour concentrated 

on the artefacts of India and China and their associated 

history and religions and benefitted considerably from 

Nicholas’ encyclopaedic knowledge. 

The ‘Silk Roads’ refer to the network of people, objects and 

ideas that moved across Afro-Eurasia particularly during the 

first millennium AD. During the 19th century Britain and 

Russia vied for control of this region and sought to explore 

its lands. 

Nicholas Barber is the Honorary President of the charity 

Classics for All which supports maintained schools across the 

UK to introduce or develop the teaching of classical subjects. 

He was a previously a Trustee of the British Museum and 

later the Chairman of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. 

The tour was enthusiastically received by those who 

attended, one old Salopian remarked, “Nicholas’s erudition 

and witty commentary was superlative” and another former 

member of staff said, “Nicholas’ knowledge of those cultures 

and the clarity of his delivery was a lesson to us all.” 

Sincere thanks are due not only to Nicholas Barber but also 

to Peter Fanning (Staff 1981-2012) for organising the tour 

and to Kit Oates (PH 2000-05) for his technical support. 

A memorable afternoon concluded with some welcome 

refreshment at The Plough in Museum Street. 

Dubai Salopians gather in a stunning location 

for the annual get-together 

Around 30 Salopians and friends met at the newly opened 

restaurant “Mi Amie” in the world-famous Jumeirah Emirates 

Towers for supper in March. This is the twelfth consecutive 

event in Dubai, one of the most active international Old 

Salopian groups. 

The evening was organised by Rupert Connor (S 1992- 

97), who has lived in the UAE for the past 16 years. This 

year’s event once again coincided with a visit to Dubai by 

Shrewsbury School’s Development Director Oliver Jackson- 

Hutt, who was able to update Salopians on everything 

going on back at HQ. There are a number of Salopians 

living in Dubai and the surrounding areas working in a 

variety of fields, including financial planning, property, 

law, shipbroking, contemporary art dealing, recruitment, 

plastic surgery, management consulting and many more. 

The evening, as always, was filled with laughter, great 

conversations, and company, with plenty of Salopian tales of 

years gone by. 

If you happen to find yourself out in the Middle East, please 

feel free to reach out and join the network – 

rupert.connor@gmail.com. 

Old Salopian wins major new writers’ prize 

In a week bookended by two of Shrewsbury’s strongest 

creative challenges, the McEachran and Sidney prizes, it 

was a timely and real delight to hear that Will Hunter (Rt 

2007-12) has received the #Merky Books New Writers’ prize 

for 2023. A competition that aims to discover unpublished, 

underrepresented writers aged 16-30, it was founded by the 

musician Stormzy, who also oversees the judging panel. Will’s 

novel, People Like Us, tells the story of a boy who falls in love 

with a family and into a world in which he doesn’t belong. 

Will commented, that “writing is something that I’ve wanted 

to do for as long as I can remember, but I’d begun to feel 

like that door was closed to me.” As part of the prize, Will 

receives a book deal with Penguin Random House, who will 

work with him to publish People Like Us. Stormzy added that 

he was “so happy to crown Will as the winner of this year’s 

prize. An extremely talented writer and I can’t wait to 

read more.”


Will’s creative potential was seen by all who knew him at 

Shrewsbury: he was a key figure in both the theatre and 

Maidment building, performing in School and House plays, 

as well as operas and other concerts over his five years. 

Epiphany Service 

The Salopian Club Epiphany Service at St Mary-le-Bow on 

Wednesday 18th January had everything. With an Old Salopian 

choir that resounded around the City under the baton of 

Patrick Craig (Ch 1982-87), remarkable solo performances by 

Andrew Tipple (M 2000-05), Dan Noman (I 1984-88) and 

Sophia Price (EDH 2016-18), organ playing of the highest 

quality from Anthony Merryweather (I 1986-91), a variety 

of readings from Salopian personalities, a world première of an 

exquisite carol written by Alex Clarke (Rt 1982-87) and a truly 

memorable address from Canon Dr Mark Oakley (Rb 1982-87) 

who came down from Cambridge to conduct the service, it has 

been hailed as the best Salopian Club Epiphany Service yet. 

Many of the 100 or so Salopians in the church then repaired for 

yet more spiritual refreshment at the nearby Williamson’s Tavern, 

some evidently in for the long haul! Sincere thanks are due to 

Richard Eteson (G 1989-93), Patrick Craig and Peter Fanning 

(Staff 1981-2012) for masterminding such an inspiring service. 

Open Mic Night 

In the atmospheric cellars of the Albany in Fitzrovia, 

five talented Salopian singer-songwriters entertained an 

enthusiastic gathering of young Salopians well into the 

evening on Thursday 9th February. Many thanks are due to 

Joe Bell (Rb/I 2010-15) for organising the evening as well 

his fellow performers Luke Lloyd-Jones (Rb 2011-16), 

Jessie Inglis-Jones (EDH 2016-18), Cameron Bates (S 

2012-17) and George Bates (S 2009-14). It was a night that 

emphasised the wealth of Salopian talent that is so evident 

across all areas of the musical scene. 

Oxford undergraduate gathering 

The annual gathering of Salopian undergraduates at Oxford 

and Oxford Brookes universities took place once again in 

the Wadham Room at the King’s Arms in Holywell Street on 

Saturday 18th February. Salopians at both universities were 

well represented and in buoyant spirits, while Paul and 

Jane Pattenden (Shrewsbury School) and Nick Jenkins (The 

Salopian Club) travelled down from Shropshire. Many thanks 

are due to Johnnie Dowd (Rb 2015-20) for making the 

arrangements at the Oxford end. 

Portraiture and Prosecco Cocktails in SE21 

Around 60 Old Salopians were treated to a private tour of the 

Dulwich Picture Gallery with one of the country’s foremost art 

experts and current President of the Salopian Club Desmond 

Shawe-Taylor (I 1968-73) on 21st June. 

Desmond was the Director of the Gallery between 1996 and 

2005 before taking on the highly prestigious role of Surveyor of 

the Queen’s Pictures between 2005 and 2020. He talked though 

some of the highlights of the collection including Saint Sebastian 

by Guido Reni and famous works by Rubens and Rembrandt. 

The group were then free to wander around the gallery with 

Desmond on hand to answer questions. 

After the tour the Old Salopian group enjoyed supper and 

cocktails in the grounds of the gallery, the first purpose built 

public art gallery in the world. A perfect way to spend a warm 

summer evening in Dulwich Village. 

Glorious sunny evening for the Salopian Club 

Summer Party 

The Young Old Salopians were out in force on a glorious 

summer evening at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club. 

A record attendance of around 100 people gathered for 

cricket, cold drinks and a barbecue. 

An unofficial link has been established between the Cricket 

Club and the Salopian Club, as a number of Old Salopian 

cricketers play in the team and help organise events. Over 

the past few years the event has been affected by both 

COVID and train strikes but this year all things conspired for 

the perfect summer party. Year groups from 2022 to the latter 

part of the 1960s were represented and it was great to see 

some who had travelled from Shrewsbury especially for the 

event (not just the Director!). 

There is a Young Old Salopian Committee dedicated to 

keeping in touch with those who have left School in recent 

years. They organise events and meet-ups through the year. 

If you are interested in getting involved, contact the Chair 

Becky Home (MSH 2011-13) at becky-home@hotmail.com 

or the office at oldsalopian@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Young OS return to give advice on 

university choices 

Some of the youngest Old Salopians returned to School in 

the last week of June to speak to the Lower Sixth as part 

of a workshop about life after Shrewsbury. It was fantastic 

to relaunch the OS Uni Rep drop-in session after a 

three-year hiatus. 

Twenty Old Salopians currently studying a wide range of 

subjects at university, from Classics to Computer Science, 

Human Sciences to History, came back to Severn Shore 

to talk informally about their experiences and institutions. 

More widely, 400 Old Salopians in the Uni Rep network had 

already given their time to offer their unique insight into 

particular universities and courses 

The buzz in Quod was almost palpable, as the Lower 

Sixth were able to engage directly with those currently at 

university, asking the questions they might have been afraid 

to ask a teacher or admissions officer. 

For more Salopian Club news please look out for our 

e-newsletter. Salopian Connect is regularly updated, 

as are the OS News pages of the School website, and 

you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and 

Instagram. 

Salopianconnect.org.uk

86 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS 87

88 


Silk Roads and Song Cycles 

Salopian Arts 2023 

For Salopians in the Arts, it was a huge relief to have finally 

shrugged off the Pandemic. The annual Epiphany Service 

at St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside had been silenced for two 

years. In January, the event returned with a glorious revival. 

A gathering of more than a hundred saw an all-Salopian 

Choir, conducted by Patrick Craig (Ch 1982-87), with 

organist Anthony Merryweather (I 1986-91) give a 

wonderful rendering of Alex Clarke’s (Rt 1982-87) World 

Premier Light Came Down - with soloists Daniel Norman 

(I 1984-88) and Sophia Price (EDH 2016-18) and further 

solos by Andrew Tipple (M 2000-05). 

Some fine eclectic readings 

were spoken by old and 

young and the Dean of St 

John’s Chapel Cambridge, The 

Revd Canon Dr Mark Oakley 

(Rb 1982-87) delivered a 

sermon for the ages. It was an 

inspiring occasion, polished 

off by a crowded post-match 

gathering at the nearby 

Williamson’s Tavern. 

Huge thanks to Richard 

Eteson (G 1989-93) for his 

tireless preparation. 

In February, Joe Bell (Rb/I 2010-15) together with Becky 

Home (MSH 2011-13) and the Young Salopians organised a 

fantastic Open Mic Night in London featuring an array of Old 

Salopian talent include Joe, Cameron Bates (S 2012-17), 

George Bates (S 2009-14), Jessie Inglis-Jones (EDH 2016- 

18) and Luke Lloyd-Jones (Rb 2011-16). 

Another memorable event took place in March, when 

Salopians gathered to witness a tour of the British Museum, 

led by Nicholas Barber (SH 1954-58). Barber, who had 

earlier toured the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, took as his 

theme The Silk Roads that stretched from China into Europe. 

A former Trustee of the British Museum, he led his guests 

through the very best of the Chinese and Indian Rooms, with 

an impeccable eye for detail, entertainment and anecdote. 

In April the King’s Place, London saw yet another World 

Première: Richard Eteson’s Song Cycle Under the Hawthorn 

Tree, based on a set of poems by Welsh poet Hywel John. 

Performed by James Hall, countertenor, and Dylan Perez, 

piano, the cycle broods on the mysterious Welsh landscape 

around the Preseli Hills. 

Proceeds for the concert went to the Children’s Charity 

Coram. The Coram Foundation is no stranger to original 

works by other composers. The Foundling Hospital was 

partly funded by George Frederick Handel, a branch of 

which was once in the Main School Building at Shrewsbury 

School. 

Are you on the mailing list for Arts Events? If not, please 

email a request to the Salopian Club Administrator Christine 

Stephens clstephens@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Plans for the Arts Season 2023-24 will be published shortly. 

Peter Fanning (Staff 1981-2012)


The Salopian Drivers’ Club: 

Preparations Afoot 

The Turf Club hosted the SDC’s first event of 2023. 

While autumn and winter are 

traditionally quiet seasons in 

the motoring calendar, the Club’s 

committee has been beavering away 

behind the scenes. Our inaugural 2023 

event was dinner at the Turf Club in 

St James’s, London. After last year’s 

event had to be relocated at short 

notice, owing to COVID striking down 

the kitchen staff (who all, fortunately, 

recovered within a few days), SDC 

members were looking forward to the 

10th of February’s return to Carlton 

House Terrace. We were honoured 

to have Nick Jenkins join us, who 

supported the SDC so strongly during 

his tenure as Salopian Club Director. 

Going Digital 

While we remain very grateful to the 

Salopian Club for permitting us to 

post club updates on its website, we 

have now created a dedicated online 

space to share photographs, promote 

our events and make it easier for 

members to liaise. Not that the SDC is 

going it alone; updates will still feature 

on the official School website, but 

more information is hosted on www. 

salopiandriversclub.org (scan the QR 

code opposite). 

A Stacked Diary 

While SDC members met each other 

at car events all around the country, 

from the MG Triumph Show at the 

NAEC Stoneleigh to the Practical 

Classics Restoration Show at the NEC, 

Birmingham, the Committee is also 

organising dedicated outings. 

By the time this magazine goes to 

press, many of our regional tours will 

have been completed, but we intend to 

report on these fully in the next edition. 

These include the joint Salopian Drivers 

Club and Bentley Drivers Club tour 

from Shrewsbury to Hawkstone Hall 

(21st May), the Yorkshire Tour (11th 

June) and the ambitious two-day South 

Kent and East Sussex Tour (18th/20th 

June). 

We also have a unique opportunity to 

visit the home of Jack Henley of Henley 

Transport fame near Smarden in Kent. 

This will be on 2nd September and, 

for Salopians wanting to stay overnight 

before or after the event, there may still 

be places available at a nearby hotel. If 

you are interested in spending the day 

looking at Jack’s amazing collections 

of cars, clocks, toy vehicles, jukeboxes, 

Wurlitzers and more, please email John 

Sutton at john.sutton@suttonsgroup. 

com . 

Of course, our main event sees the 

SDC return to the School Site for its 

fifth AGM, to be held on OS Day 

during Saturday 30th September 2023 

at 2.00 pm in the upper room of the 

Moser Library. As usual, existing and 

potential members are invited to 

gather that morning with (or without) 

their cars at 11.45 am on Central in 

front of the Darwin statue. Once the 

official activities are over, the fun starts 

with dinner at KH, at which all SDC 

members are welcome. As per SDC 

tradition, the following day will see 

an excursion into beautiful Shropshire 

countryside, ideal for anyone wishing 

to skip chapel! 

If you would like to send apologies for 

absence from the AGM, or if you are 

interested in joining the SDC (and why 

wouldn’t you? It is free!), 

please e-mail Miles Preston at 

miles.preston@milespreston.co.uk 

Robert Marshall (R 1994-99)

90 


Old Salopian Freemasons Lodge 

2022 was the first year since the arrival of COVID that the Lodge has been able to fulfil its usual schedule of four meetings 

each year – three in London and a summer ‘Emergency’ meeting at the Schools. 

Our Lodge meetings in London in September and November 2022 and March 2023, all had full-scale ceremonies, with 

March marking the Initiation of a new Brother. Our Installation meeting (effectively the AGM) in November was re-located 

to Mark Mason’s Hall, next to St James’s Palace. Robert Talog Davies (I 1985-90) was Installed as Worshipful Master, a 

fine time was had by all, and we were the last out of the bar. 

With other new joiners, including fathers of Salopians, we combine a 

growing membership with a falling average age. Lodge membership covers 

leavers from the sixties to the noughties, so we are a multi-generational 

group, linked by our bond of affection to the institution of the Schools, as 

well as an interest in personal self-improvement. Masonic ritual, and the 

degree ceremonies, are intended to inculcate this, and have changed very 

little in the last 250 years. As such, we offer something new for the new 

normal, as well as a way of maintaining a link with the Schools. 

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 26th September at the Civil Service 

Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, Whitehall, London SW1. The meeting, 

at 5.00 pm, is Masons only. The dinner afterwards is open to all, either to 

anyone interested in finding out more about what we do, or to those who 

would enjoy a convivial evening out with fellow Salopians. We are the only 

Salopian group which has dinners in London on a regular basis. 

We are a member Lodge of the United Grand Lodge of England (www. 

ugle.org.uk - www.londonmasons.org.uk), which has 175,000 members in 

some 7,000 lodges in England and Wales. Our Grand Lodge has regular 

dealings with the Order of Women Freemasons - www.owf.org.uk - and 

with Freemasonry for Women – www.hfaf.org 

For further information on what we do and any membership enquiries, 

please visit www.oldsalopianmasons.com, follow us on 

Twitter @OsFreemasons, or contact the Secretary, Chris Williams 

(R 1978-83) on 07956 964937 or at chrisjhwilliams@yahoo.co.uk. 

News of Old Salopians 

1890-99 

John Holt (Chances 1897-99) 

Delighted to read, in the Winter 

2022/23 edition of The Salopian, my 

grandson Jonathan Russell’s excellent 

translation of my presentation on life 

at Shrewsbury School to the School of 

Commerce in Geneva. 

Through Jonathan’s cousin, Charles 

Hunter (O 1960-65), I can add to 

what I was felt able to say in Geneva. I 

enjoyed my time at Shrewsbury School, 

but as the 21st century pupils will 

note, the School had a somewhat more 

robust atmosphere in my time. 

In the photos of our bedrooms in 

Chances, the chamber pots can be 

seen. In addition to their real purpose, 

we used them as curling stones, sliding 

them across the polished bedroom 

floors, attempting to knock our 

opponents’ usually empty pots! 

In addition to the boarding house 

initiation ceremonies for new boys 

(new “scum”), each one was asked at 

the first assembly of the whole School 

to stand up to sing a song. The only 

song I could recall was 

“God Save the Queen”. I was amused 

that this led everyone to stand up to 

attention. 

1940-49 

J P Cross (Rt 1939-43) 

See Publications on page 108 

Keith Ferris (R 1944-48) 

A long-retired ENT consultant surgeon, 

I am just about “hanging on”, with 

any number of pathologies. I have 

continued to get an occasional letter 

published in the Daily Telegraph as 

well as articles for the Charlton Athletic 

Supporters Club newsletters. I am 

probably one of the last surviving 

supporters who went to both the 1946 

and 1947 Cup Finals. 100,000 attended 

each of these matches at the old 

Wembley Stadium. 

1950-59 

Colin Leach (O 1945-51) 

That I am still working enjoyably at 90 

is news enough. I make regular visits to 

Monaco and Zurich, besides continuing 

to review new publications for Classics 

for All’s online Journal - we aim to 

publish reviews more rapidly than the 

admirable, but naturally slower, journals 

such as Classical Review. 

Graeme Faber (Ch 1949-53) 

I am 87 years old, so the few 

contemporaries of mine who have not


passed on might find this of interest. I 

am the first Faber since my grandfather 

(Huntsman in 1904) to gain a major 

school first (PT Special, briefly School 

Captain of Gymnastics). I seem to have 

inherited grandad’s abilities, running 

countless half marathons, in the 1989 

London Marathon finishing 20,009th, 

in 4 hrs 58 mins. I’ve also done a short 

course Triathlon in which, despite a 

very slow swim and a puncture on the 

cycle leg, I still wasn’t last! National 

Service from 1954 to 1956 was spent 

as a subaltern in the Kenya Mau Mau 

campaign (I could write a whole book 

about that, and what a huge waste 

of public money it was). Various jobs 

in Kenya and Tanzania (tea and sisal 

estates) followed. I have twice climbed 

Mt Kilimanjaro. 

I celebrated my 70th birthday with a 

three-week trek in Nepal when it was 

still a kingdom. I have also completed 

a ten-day 250-mile cycle ride across 

a very small part of Mongolia in aid 

of Macmillan Cancer Care, finishing 

at Ghenghis Khan’s old capital 

Karakoram. The Mongolians are 

amazing people, many living in felt 

skin tents between minus 50 and plus 

30 degrees celsius. This is only a short 

precis of the book of my life story I’m 

writing, to be called A Fool’s Odyssey. 

he was told he had gone the wrong 

way and had to swim back again. This 

he did and much to our chagrin still 

finished first after sprinting the last 

few agonising hundred yards up the 

Kennedy Road. 

My brother went to Cambridge and 

became a heart consultant. I qualified 

as a Chartered Accountant in the 

mistaken belief that it was something 

to do with engineering. (I had a good 

friend, Bromley Way (Ch 1949-54) 

who taught me about car engines 

and crystal wireless sets and who 

said he was going to be a Chartered 

Accountant). I then spent five very 

boring years as an Articled Clerk (but 

I did introduce a chap at the Liverpool 

Art School who was trying to pinch 

my girlfriend, to music and the Cavern 

Club. His name was John Lennon and 

I understand that not only did he later 

become quite famous but he also called 

his son Julian!) 

for a family party. All Saracens will 

know this lovely building well, sitting 

on the estuary where the Taw and 

Torridge rivers meet. I myself played 

there, and my father before me, a 

founder member of the Saracens in the 

late twenties. There is a photograph 

still in the pavilion. My daughter 

painted a small watercolour by way 

of an invitation. I wore my father’s 

old cricket blazer, despite the moth 

holes! Hockings drove the ice cream 

van round to the pavilion much to the 

delight of old and young alike. The day 

ended with rounders. A great occasion, 

and I look forward to the annual 

Saracens match in August. 

Julian Pilcher (Ch 1949-54) 

I followed my elder brother Jeremy 

Pilcher (Ch 1948-53) and my father 

Humphrey Pilcher (R 1912-16) 

to Shrewsbury. My grandfather was 

Percy William Pilcher, music master 

from 1918-1935 and Housemaster 

of the ‘Holding House’ Gorswen. 

Notable amongst other cousins and 

uncles who attended Shrewsbury was 

my cousin John Arthur Pilcher (R 

1926-30) who for obvious reasons had 

to drop the ‘Arthur’ when he became 

Ambassador to Japan from 1967-72. 

Here are a few of many memories of 

my days at Shrewsbury, which were 

happy and fulfilling: 

The last day of Bumpers was a major 

gathering of Old Salopian Oars. Dick 

the Boatman (who personally built 

the Eights) got a 10-shilling tip if he 

remembered your name. He never 

forgot! So did the House John and any 

boy who cleaned his father’s name on 

the School Wall. 

Inter school Cross Country running was 

very competitive. Sedbergh up in the 

hills was very tough and always beat 

us, so we hatched a cunning plan. As 

usual the leader was from Sedbergh so 

he was directed across the River Severn 

(in full flood). Once he had swum it 

Jim Davies (O 1951-56) 

I’m savouring a quiet retirement among 

the delightful hills of New England after 

a career, following Cambridge, partly in 

IBM and partly as owner of a small firm 

in direct mail. Both were enjoyable, 

but running my own firm was the most 

satisfying. I remember being among the 

sea of boys admiring Her late Majesty’s 

walk along her Terrace in 1952, though 

alas my likeness in the photo on page 4 

of The Salopian Issue 170 was obscured 

by the Headmaster Jack Peterson’s right 

elbow. Being sufficiently in favour of 

Western civilization as to wish to help 

preserve it from nuclear annihilation, 

and having noticed that no war was 

ever waged but by governments, I 

propose their abolition. To that end I’ve 

prepared a no-charge “Liberty Banquet” 

at TakeLifeBack.com which I augment 

weekly with an anarchist Blog. 

Christopher Hewetson (R 1951-56) 

On Easter Monday this year my 

wife and I celebrated our Diamond 

wedding. Fifty members of our family 

gathered at Instow Cricket Pavilion 

Robert Adams (1953-58) 

My partner Nikki and I have moved 

from a Flemish speaking part of 

Belgium to a French speaking part. We 

both play golf regularly, do weekly 

gymnastics and physiotherapy to 

keep us fit and walk in the wonderful 

countryside near where we live. I am 

on the very active Committee of the 

Oxford Society of Belgium. Recently 

we have organised a meeting in a pub 

to follow the Oxford versus Cambridge 

Boat Races, held our annual Oxford 

versus Cambridge Croquet Match, and 

celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 

Oxford Society in Belgium. 

Andrew Soundy (I 1953-58) 

Andrew sent the photo overleaf of 

Ingramites 1953-58 (R to L): Andrew 

Bache (CMG, Diplomatic Service 

Retired, former Ambassador in 

Copenhagen), (Sir) Robert Corbett 

(Major-General, KCVO, CB, former 

British Commandant, Berlin) and

92 


Andrew Soundy (Retired Senior 

Partner Ashurst Morris Crisp, Solicitors); 

each with his wife (respectively) Shân, 

Susie and Jill (dog at end, ‘Lizzie’ 

Corbett). Bache’s and Corbett’s fathers 

were also contemporaries at Ingram’s in 

the 1920s, remaining friends thereafter. 

Nicholas Barber (SH 1954-58) 

Nicholas Barber has always felt the 

standard translation of the school motto 

Intus si recte ne labora rather dull, in 

fact un-Salopian. How about something 

lighter, closer to the Salopian ethos? 

Kek used to favour a version related to 

the state of one’s digestion. 

Nicholas suggests: 

‘If you’re on good form, don’t worry 

about top schools’. 

Other suggestions welcome. Please 

send them to the editor at 

rth@shrewsbury.org.uk 

David Kempton (M 1955-59) 

After a long and varied career, I am 

now chairing a Hydrogen company and 

actively running my art gallery Kynance 

Fine Art www.kynancefineart.com 

Any OS interested in ‘investable’ art 

from established artists should email me 

at dk@kemptonholdings.com. 

1960-69 

Patrick Balfour (SH 1955-60) 

I recently completed a short biography 

of my grandfather George Balfour, the 

co-founder of Balfour Beatty and an MP 

for 23 years. 

George Balfour was not a Salopian but 

sent three of his sons, Hugh Balfour 

(Chance’s 1918-23) , David Balfour 

(S 1923-27) Will Balfour (SH 1921-24) 

to the School. They were followed by my 

brother Michael Balfour (SH 1953-58) 

and me and we were joined by Will’s son, 

Bill Balfour (I 1954-55), on an English 

Speaking Union scholarship from the USA. 

law is a welcome change. 

Two local residents recently made 

an application for village green status 

for two adjoining pieces of land in 

Elmbridge, Surrey where I live. One 

was owned by Elmbridge Borough 

Council, the other by a developer and 

both were used regularly for walking 

by local residents. The applications 

were opposed by both landowners and 

I could see substantial legal problems 

with the one relating to the land owned 

by the Council. 

I’m a member of the Council’s 

Countryside Consultative Group and, 

raising the matter at 2022 meeting, 

argued for a voluntary dedication of a 

village green by the Council. This was 

supported at the meeting and, helped 

by the area’s local councillors, we 

navigated the proposal through another 

two Council committees. In March this 

year the Council agreed to withdraw 

its opposition to the application and 

dedicated the land as a village green. 

Stephen Lewis (R 1954-58) 

Eleven former Riggites recently 

attended a lunch, held annually for 

nearly 20 years, to remember their 

Housemaster, Hugh Brooke (Brookie): 

John Bolton, Francis Grundy, Nigel 

Burton, John Ingram, Mark Moody- 

Stuart, John Sellers, Michael Palin, 

Stephen Lewis, John Gilbert, Mrs 

Carol Boscoe, and Robin Hodgson. 

All were in RHJB between 1954 and 

1962 when Houses were known by 

the Housemaster’s initials. We were 

all delighted when Carol (Brookie’s 

eldest daughter) joined these occasions. 

Sadly, this year Geoffrey Saltmarsh 

and Oliver Clutton Brock could not 

attend. We also keep in touch with 

Billy Ward, although he has never yet 

been able to attend. We particularly 

remembered other founding members 

of the group: Geoffrey Fallows, 

Francis Ravenscroft, Charles 

Edwards and Christopher Cherry. 

We are very sorry to have to report the 

death of Stephen Lewis on 30th June 

2023. An obituary can be found on 

page 116, together with a photo of the 

Riggite lunch he describes here. 

Roger Musson (Rt 1955-60) 

Pictured above is racehorse Bertie Blue, 

bred by me and sold in 2021 to owners 

of his trainer Emma Lavelle (daughter 

of Richard Lavelle (Db 1949-54) and 

niece of John Lavelle (Db 1950-56) 

who on 28th April this year won a 

hurdle race at Southwell Racecourse in 

a field of 13, beating into second place 

the favourite, White Rhino, trained by 

Oliver Greenhall (Rt 2000-05). 

Rodney Whittaker (SH 1961-66) 

Rodney is enjoying a retirement role as 

the local correspondent for the Open 

Spaces Society, the leading pressure 

group for the protection of Commons 

and Village Greens in England and 

Wales. After a legal career largely 

involving international law, this area of 

Stephen Wright (S 1960-64) 

A recent photo of my brother David 

Wright (S 1954-59) and myself. The 

lady is Danica Wright, my brother’s wife. 

Chris Buckley (I 1964-68) 

Here I am with my son Harry on a 

recent holiday to Las Vegas, photo 

taken by my wife Denise. 

I’m off tonight to an Anglican meeting 

to try and ‘find new direction for the 

church in the Halifax area’. I think this 

time I’ll do more listening than talking. 

I gave a talk to the men’s group in our 

church recently based on the prodigal 

son - my favourite parable.


Alasdair Forbes (SH 1964-68) 

After leaving Shrewsbury, I kicked 

around aimlessly for a while, before 

going into journalism in 1972, starting 

as a reporter on the Cheshire Observer, 

then as a sub-editor on the rival Chester 

Chronicle. In 1978 I was tempted into 

a sub-editing job on the Saudi Gazette 

in Jeddah. There followed similar jobs 

in Bahrain, Cyprus and Dubai before I 

landed in Hong Kong in 1988, where I 

ended up as editor of Asian Business, 

a monthly magazine that circulated 

from Australia to Japan and across to 

India. After the Asian financial crash of 

1997 ruined the publishing business, I 

moved to Thailand as managing editor 

of the local Phuket Gazette, and then a 

similar role at the Phuket News. 

Following the 2014 military coup in 

Thailand, I was denied a renewal of my 

media visa (on which my work permit 

depended), so I opted to retire. I was 

by then 64, so it seemed the right thing 

to do. 

Pen, my wife of 43 years, and I now 

split our time between our house in 

Phuket and another in her home town 

in Srisaket, close to the Cambodian 

border. I keep myself occupied with 

watercolours and she with the gardens. 

Robin Harrison (1963-68) 

Robin married Rachel Barlow on 26th 

November 2022 and is living near 

Knutsford in Cheshire. Rachel has two 

sons from her first marriage who were 

in Oldham’s, Richard Barlow 

(O 1988-93) and Charlie Barlow 

(O 1990-95). 

Francis Argyle (M 1964-69) 

See photo on page 59 

I was not particularly happy at school, 

was useless on the games fields and 

ended up with an A-level disaster. 

I always enjoyed escaping from the 

Site to go bird-watching and this 

hobby is still with me and does, on 

occasion, provide me with some 

gainful employment. My greatest 

achievement at school was to qualify 

for a UK Bird-ringing licence and I 

am eternally grateful to teachers Peter 

Mawby, Peter Gladstone and my late 

Housemaster Robin Moulsdale for 

help and encouragement towards this 

achievement. I have kept the licence 

up to date and used it continuously. 

In 1978 I gained the Israeli equivalent 

licence which I also still use and I 

am the longest-serving bird ringer in 

Israel. I attended the Hertfordshire 

College of Agriculture 1970-1973. I 

was Bird-ringing Advisor to the Iranian 

Imperial Government 1974 to 1978 and 

Volunteer lead bird ringer for Israel 

Nature Protection Society (SPNI) at 

Eilat in 1978 and 1979. I married Nurit 

Cohen from Israel in 1980. I was a selfemployed 

nurseryman in Tamworth, 

UK, from 1980 to 2009. I am now 

retired in Israel, and a dual UK/Israel 

citizen. I was volunteer lead bird-ringer 

on a part-time/seasonal basis for the 

SPNI between 2004 and 2015 working 

mostly in the Hula Valley. Between 

2010 and 2020 I was employed by 

three Israeli Universities on shortterm 

contracts to assist PhD and MSc 

students with ornithological field work. 

I am currently employed at Hefer Valley 

birds research station in Israel. Over the 

course of my life I have birdwatched 

in 40+ countries, bird-ringing in 14 of 

them, with a world list of over 5,000 

bird species seen so far. My latest 

destination has been Mongolia to help 

develop bird-ringing there. A third trip 

there is planned for this summer. 

Simon Morris (DB 1964-65, 

Rt 1965-69) 

I qualified as an ACA with the Institute 

of Chartered Accountants in England 

and Wales in 1975. Following a cabaret 

session, I was invited to teach students 

in London with an accountancy trainer 

for their professional accountancy 

exams, later joining Financial Training 

plc. In 1984 KPMG, a client asked us 

to assist their Zambian office students 

for the ACCA exam preparation. This 

was an epiphany. I learnt in Africa 

that skills transfer in developing 

countries can transform lives and bring 

empowerment. From 1988 I spent five 

years with the ILO and KPMG Ireland 

and Price Waterhouse starting aidfunded 

accountancy schools in Zambia 

and Botswana geared to professional 

and technical exams. In Botswana I 

started an MBA with the University of 

Manchester, graduating in Vanuatu, 

when with British Aid, we designed 

a certificate course, which articulated 

into Australian further education, 

then making ourselves redundant by 

training Ni-Vanuatu to take over. I 

migrated to Australia in 1998, moving 

to Darwin in 2005. The 1999 vote for 

independence in Timor-Leste brought 

the destruction of 70% of homes 

and 80% of schools and government 

buildings. Most Timorese live in the 

country areas as subsistence farmers, 

with 50% of children under five having 

stunted growth due to malnutrition. I 

have been visiting Timor-Leste since 

2009, with their Ministry of Finance 

students completing accounting and 

business degrees at Charles Darwin 

University in Darwin. I hope to start 

an aid-funded project in Timor-Leste 

bringing accountancy skills to the 

wider community and strengthening 

the capabilities of existing accounting 

graduates. 

John Tattersall (O 1965-69) 

John was delighted to be honoured by 

the King in the New Year’s Honours 

List with a CBE for service to the 

finance sector. This was principally in 

respect of his role as Chair of UK Asset 

Resolution since 2016, and a board 

member since 2010, with responsibility 

for returning the former mortgage 

lenders Bradford & Bingley plc and 

NRAM (formerly Northern Rock plc) 

to the private sector, selling off their 

mortgage and personal loans, and 

repaying the taxpayer in full for the 

cost of the bail outs of both banks 

during the financial crisis of 2008-10. 

His service to the finance sector also 

includes his work in financial regulation 

as a partner at PwC until his retirement 

in 2009, and subsequently in various 

other roles, including as a member 

of the Independent Commission on 

Equitable Life Payments, advising the 

UK Government on compensation 

to Equitable Life policyholders, and 

as Chair of the Financial Services 

Commission, the financial regulator 

in Gibraltar. These roles have been 

alongside his work as a non-stipendiary 

priest in the Oxford Diocese of the 

Church of England since 2007. 

1970-79 

Paul Blackburn (M 1968-72) 

Pictured overleaf are myself and Dr 

Huon Gray (M 1968-72) (on right 

in picture) partaking in Sporting 

Clays in an Edmonton club during 

the marvellous Prairie summers of 

2022. I’m now retired from a lifetime 

of global consulting work, having 

undertaken major projects in Canada,

94 


the US, Middle East, Europe, Japan 

and Australia. I now spend my time in 

Alberta, Canada - and Seychelles where 

my wife Josemee still has friends and 

family. This perfectly balances the cold 

winter months of -30 o weather that one 

encounters here on the Prairies, with a 

more tropical outlook (+30 o degrees) 

that can be found amongst the Indian 

Ocean archipelago. Pastimes include 

mountain biking, golf, swimming, deep 

sea fishing and sporting clays. 

Travelling Old Salopians are most 

welcome to drop by. 

Desmond Thomas (DB 1967-72) 

I left Shrewsbury to follow a career in 

the electronics industry with, what was 

then, the Ferranti company, most of my 

time with the electronic components 

division in Chadderton (Oldham, 

Greater Manchester). Following a 

number of mergers and acquisitions 

(four employers in the same business 

over 26 years), we were ultimately 

‘asset stripped’, with the main part of 

the business being absorbed into the 

GEC organisation in the south west of 

England. 

The decision faced by many of us was 

whether to move with the company, 

or to change direction. I chose the 

latter option, moving into IT network 

management for the second part of my 

working life, retiring in January 2020, 

shortly before the world was hit by the 

Covid pandemic. Retirement did not, 

however, follow the planned path for a 

couple of reasons. 

We had planned to spend much of 

our retirement time at our home in 

Cirella, southern Italy, however travel 

restrictions put an end to this plan 

for a couple of years (only managing 

to visit 2/3 times, and with many 

restrictions). As Covid eased, and 

seemed to go away (we think/hope), 

my wife unfortunately suffered a stroke 

in the autumn of 2022 which finally 

ended the Italian dream such that we 

have to remain at home and close 

to the medical care which we have 

here. The upside though means that 

we are able to spend time with the 

family/grandchildren, but having to 

restrict ourselves to UK holidays for the 

immediate future. We have learnt to 

accept the cards which life has dealt us, 

and make the most of what we have. 

Giles Wood (SH 1969-74) 

I am enjoying a bit of late-flowering 

attention. Mary Killen - my wife and 

Spectator agony aunt - and I are 

featured on the cover of You Magazine 

(23 April 2023) modelling Italian 

clothes. A three-page article ends 

with a plug for our second book, (see 

Publications on page 109). Country 

Life: A Story of Peaks and Troughs is 

illustrated with pen and ink drawings 

by me and features a drawing of 

Portmeirion, when I must have been 

at School. I joke in the book about 

Shrewsbury being a minor public 

school … which it isn’t … but is the 

result of having too many friends who 

went to Eton. I have recently contacted 

an Old Salopian schoolfriend and we 

enjoy an email correspondence. Lord 

Marland recently commissioned me to 

paint an interior in oils of his manor 

house drawing room near Salisbury. I 

may be the only Old Salopian currently 

involved in the cast of a reality 

television series, not a career option at 

my time at Shrewsbury. 

Nick Gill (O 1970-75) 

After a career working in the utility 

sector, I am now enjoying a retired 

lifestyle. As a chartered electrical 

engineer, I fulfilled various engineering 

roles in the electricity utility company 

in the northwest. When it merged 

with the water company (who said 

electricity and water don’t mix?!) I 

diversified into health and safety and 

then into business risk. Leaving the 

utility company, I then eased myself 

into retirement by working on my 

own in risk consultancy before fully 

finally winding up a couple of years 

ago. I now enjoy a retirement whilst 

keeping my “working eye” in, through 

being a trustee on a nearby multiacademy 

trust for SEND education. 

My retired life has scared away our 

family as all three children work and 

live in London, whilst I remain in the 

northwest! I recently visited Gambia 

to see a school built by a charity in 

my late sister’s name. Very humbling, 

the visit reminded me how we take 

everyday things in the West for granted, 

especially education and good health. 

William Marston (DB 1972-77) 

I retired as a Priest in the Church of 

England in May 2021, after which I 

have published a semi-autobiographical 

novel Confessions of a COVID Cleric. 

(See Publications on page 109) 

Philip Williamson (DB 1973-78) 

On leaving Shrewsbury, I studied to 

be a professional violinist at the Royal 

Academy of Music, but subsequently 

re-trained as an osteopath at the British 

School of Osteopathy, my interest 

piqued by treatment for a shoulder 

injury sustained at music college. I 

assumed that I would probably end up 

treating crocked-up musicians for the 

rest of my working life, but in fact I was 

drawn more towards general practice, 

treating patients with a wide range of 

conditions and of all ages from babies 

to the very elderly. I have lived and 

worked in Kent ever since qualification, 

and married my wife, Sophie, in 1984. 

We met on a music course when 

we were 17, and then subsequently 

reconnected at music college two years 

later. We have one daughter, who is a 

qualified vet, and also a keen amateur 

musician. 

The pandemic was an interesting time 

to be performing hands-on treatment 

with patients, and the initial injunction 

to ‘work remotely’ just didn’t seem 

to cut it, given the nature of the job. 

Things have gradually got back towards 

normal, but I am trying to do a little 

less to improve the work-life balance. 

I have always kept my violin playing 

going, and play regularly in orchestras 

and ensembles. I also enjoy (very 

amateur) photography. 

Robin Copestick (M 1976-79) 

Robin is Managing Director of Freixenet 

Copestick which is the largest importer 

of Sparkling Wine in the UK. Freixenet 

Copestick wholly owns the directto-consumer 

website called Slurp as


well as the renowned English Winery, 

The Bolney Estate, based in Sussex. 

Additionally Robin also helps oversee 

the group’s offices in The Nordics 

and Benelux area. Robin would be 

delighted to arrange a visit for any 

Old Salopians who would like to visit 

Bolney. Contact Robin.Copestick@ 

fxcbranding.com 

stayed until my retirement at the end of 

2021. I still live in Belgium and became 

a Belgian citizen in 2019. I have added 

a picture of me during my time in 

the care of Paddy Knox, who ran an 

‘overflow’ just off Ashton Road. 

business in Nantwich, Manchester, 

Leigh, Bury and Southport, we also 

look after three Yorkshire Building 

Society Agencies. 

Graham van’t Hoff (Rt 1975-79) 

Graham went on from Shrewsbury 

to study Chemistry at Exeter College, 

Oxford, and from there joined Shell. 

He was at Shell for 35 years, serving 

as Chairman of Shell UK, EVP of 

Alternative Energies and Climate 

Change, and global head of Shell 

Chemicals from 2013 to 2019. Graham’s 

wife Maggie comes from Dallas and 

they moved to Naples, Florida in 2017 

where they now live. Graham has a son 

Jake from his first marriage who lives 

in Edinburgh, and three more children 

- Josh, who is studying Engineering at 

Purdue University in Indiana, Rebecca 

and Benjamin. Graham is now semiretired, 

working on several boards in 

the energy, gases and chemicals spaces. 

Graham sailed his boat across the 

Atlantic with three friends in 2011, and 

continues to sail from Florida around 

the Bahamas and Caribbean. He is also 

a qualified dive instructor, technical and 

rebreather diver, and pilots his own 

single engine propeller aircraft around 

the US, mostly to travel, see friends and 

play golf. 

1980-89 

Crispin Mason-Jones (M 1975-80) 

In January 2022 I retired from my 

architectural practice in Newcastle 

upon Tyne and joined my wife 

Ellie on her sabbatical as the Valley 

Doctor in Mfuwe in North East 

Zambia. Here I became involved 

with a sports club which had grown 

out of an arts project for orphaned 

and underprivileged children. This 

has quickly taken over my life! What 

began with raising funds to supply 

some boots and equipment has 

grown into a full-time job. Thanks 

to generous donations from friends 

and sponsors we have kitted out 

and secured the future of ‘our’ club, 

‘the Mfuwe Mags’ and are now 

committed to supplying kit to all 

the teams in the local district - we 

are just back from a fantastic trip 

where we presented kit to over 170 

children from 16 teams to facilitate 

the re-start of the junior leagues 

halted by the pandemic - as well 

as hopefully building some decent 

facilities so that these very talented 

boys and girls can showcase their 

considerable talents. If anyone 

would like to know more about the 

project or might be able to help in 

anyway, then please get in touch! 

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ 

start-artss 

Warwick Hawkins (S 1978-83) 

Warwick Hawkins MBE has finally 

returned to the West Midlands after 35 

years in London. His social enterprise, 

Faith in Society, continues to support 

community relations projects across the 

country. 

Will Campion (M 1980-84) 

Will is a very proud Old Salopian, 

like his father, uncle and great uncle 

before him. He still represents the Club 

in the Halford Hewitt and Mellin golf 

tournaments. He is also a keen fives 

player, representing the Jesters and the 

North Oxford Eton Fives Club. After a 

distinguished career in the city working 

for JP Morgan, he founded www. 

campioncapital.com in 2003 and www. 

moneymazepodcast.com in 2020. 

He has four children and lives outside 

Oxford. Like many Old Salopians, he 

has a holiday home in Anglesey. 

David Wood (SH 1977-79) 

After Shrewsbury, I took degrees 

in politics and law, followed by 

qualification as a solicitor in 1989. I 

moved to Belgium in 1991 and shortly 

afterwards joined DG Competition of 

the European Commission. I spent ten 

years there specialising in competition 

law enforcement in the transport, 

financial services and media sectors. 

In 2002, I returned to private practice 

joining Gibson Dunn in 2004 where I 

Andrew Hollings (DB 1976-81) 

Still working as a GP in North Cumbria 

as well as beekeeping, playing golf 

(Brampton and Silloth) and a spot of 

tennis. Hadrian’s Wall is close by as 

well as the opportunity to cycle coast to 

coast. www.cumrewhouse.co.uk 

All Old Salopians welcome. 

Philip Robinson (DB 1976-81) 

I have just joined KBA The Financial 

Planning Company and am based in 

the Nantwich office. My specialism is 

helping Business Owners shape their 

future with forward thinking Financial 

Planning. As well as running our core 

Clive Hayward (SH 1979-84) 

Clive is still working as an actor but 

fame and fortune have eluded him! 

However, the last two years have seen 

him at work at the Barbican Theatre 

in Anything Goes and at the RSC in A 

Christmas Carol. He works mainly in 

theatre, radio and audio drama but 

does occasionally pop up on television. 

His wife, Claire, has a successful pianoteaching 

business and still performs as 

an accompanist. His two children, Elsa 

and Leo, are at school and showing 

early promise of not following in their 

father’s footsteps.

96 


publishing for 20 years I felt the time 

was right to publish my own books. 

Townhouse specialises in children’s 

novelty board, sound books, preschool, 

and colour & activity. I live in 

Cheltenham, am married to Lisa and 

have two sons, Otis and Ralph, and 

a dog called Trevor. As a keen golfer 

I am a member of the Old Salopian 

Golfing Society and enjoy the meetings 

and knockout competitions that run 

throughout the season. It’s great to play 

the game and meet interesting Old 

Salopians of various ages. 

Rob Yorke (R 1981-86) 

Rob Yorke is branching out into new 

fields. With over 30 years working 

as a rural chartered surveyor, he’s 

now pushing his specialist role as an 

Environmental Dialogue Broker. What’s 

that? It’s about creating the space and 

the people to have conversations we 

need to, rather than want to have. He 

curates, facilitates, moderates events (in 

person - indoors or outdoors) around 

land, trees, wildlife, conservation, 

hunting, water, food, wilding etc by 

moving around chairs on stage and 

mics in the audience. Oh, and he’s still 

annoying The Times Letters editor with 

133 letters published to date. Find him 

at www.robyorke.co.uk or on twitter 

www.twitter.com/blackgull 

Simon Frew (PH 1982-87) 

The Restaurant & Bar at Four Seasons 

at Park Lane in Mayfair, London are 

being refurbished and Simon took part 

in this publicity shot for Chef Yannick 

Alleno’s new culinary venue. 

Simon continues to enjoy being a 

Brand Ambassador for Four Seasons 

Hotels & Resorts, as well as sitting on 

the Board of Jordan International Bank 

plc, based in London. 

William Ransford (O 1982-87) 

has been commissioned as a Deputy 

Lieutenant of Powys by HM The King. 

The photo above shows William with 

Alex Trevor (R 1999-04), 

Damian Richards (R 1986-91) 

and James Harvey (S 1983-87) at an 

annual Family Shoot at Powis Castle, 

Christmas 2022. 

Johnny Holland (O 1983-88) 

Johnny lives on a small farm in rural 

West Dorset with his family and an 

ever-expanding menagerie of animals, 

including dogs, donkeys, ducks and 

chickens. 

During the week Johnny works in 

London as the head of Hackett Holland, 

a successful boutique Architecture and 

Interiors Practice which he founded 

with wife Jane Hackett. Hackett 

Holland specialize in residential 

refurbishment and extension for private 

clients. Johnny is passionate about 

‘recycling’ older buildings and creating 

highly energy efficient new builds. 

Hackett Holland are currently working 

on five separate Listed houses in RBKC, 

as well as developing three new build 

country houses in traditional style with 

sustainable credentials. 

Johnny remains in close contact with 

Salopian contemporaries including 

Simon Bevan (O 1983-88), 

Charles Davies (O 1983-88), 

Tim Dams (PH 1983-88) and 

Charlie Goddard (PH 1983-88). 

1990-99 

Tom Oakes (S 1990-92) 

In 2021 I set up children’s book 

publishing house, Townhouse 

Publishing Limited. Having worked in 

Ed Godrich (I 1988-93) 

Ed Godrich has been working with 

singer and celebrity Robbie Williams 

as his creative partner on a major art 

project. They held their first exhibition 

at Sotheby’s in May 2022 and went 

on to show their work in Dubai in 

December. Ed and Robbie have been 

working together for several years. 

They met when Ed, who used to be 

an interior designer, was enlisted to 

decorate Robbie’s London home. Ed 

founded Godrich Interiors with fellow 

Old Salopian Rupert Hunt (M 1988- 

93) who still runs the company. Robbie 

Williams has collected art for some time, 

after becoming inspired by album covers. 

The pair are inspired by their mutual love 

of art, music and all things ‘80s. 

James Smith (Ch 1990-95) 

My news is I have a son in the Fifth 

Form in my old house Churchill’s Hall 

about to do GCSEs, coincidentally 

sharing a dorm with the son of one of 

my old friends and dorm mates from 

when I was at Churchill’s in the 1990s; 

and a daughter starting in the Third 

Form at Queen’s Hall next September. 

I’ve recently started a new job as 

CFO of TalkTalk, the internet service 

provider, headquartered in Manchester, 

although my family home remains in 

Scotland with my wife Camilla, who 

teaches at Fettes, and our seven lovely 

children.


Rob Barber (SH 1995-97) 

I have been appointed to the 

Board of Atta, the African Travel 

and Tourism Association. My wife 

Charlotte Bennett-Diver and I also 

welcomed our firstborn child, a baby 

girl Rose Elizabeth Jane Zia on 19th 

October 2022. We continue to live and 

operate our luxury safari business in 

Maun, Botswana, the gateway to the 

Okavango Delta, a UNESCO world 

heritage site, and as per the Old 

Salopian business directory, we are 

happy to extend a 10% discount to 

all Old Salopians and their travelling 

parties. 

James Matheson (G 1992-97) 

is engaged to marry Alison Lois on 8th 

July 2023 in Chester. 

Dominic Gill (G 1993-98) 

While summer regularly brings with 

it the risk of forest fires around our 

home in Truckee, California (near 

Lake Tahoe), this year saw the biggest 

winter on record, with approximately 

75 feet of snow burying our house 

and production company. This is not 

a complaint: while digging everything 

out became tedious, I’d welcome 

this every year to reverse California’s 

drought conditions, and of course for 

the skiing. Our four-year-old Husky 

enthusiastically agrees. Between 

shovelling, we have been working on 

a feature-length documentary entitled 

The Messengers, shedding light on four 

Republican environmentalists who 

are trying to work hard in their own 

fields to mitigate the effects of climate 

change. For too long we believe liberal 

filmmakers (which include us) have 

been preaching to the choir. In order 

to harness the power of the entire US, 

Republicans need role models in the 

public domain who speak their own 

dialect. Platforming those role models is 

our intention with this film, which we 

hope to complete and release during 

the 2024 US Presidential Elections. For 

more info go to 

www.encompassfilms.com 

Jon Pendergast (PH 1993-98) 

John continues to live in Ontario 

Canada with his wife, Jen, and his 

two boys Sebastian (10) and Dominic 

(8). Last summer, they moved out 

of Toronto city and into the rolling 

hills to the East. Jon leads the Sales 

Engineering organization for North 

and South America within a large 

global software firm, and Jen is 

Executive Director of a local charity. 

Jon continues with his ‘extreme science’ 

hobbies, and at the time of writing, 

he is chasing storms in the American 

mid-West. 

Hamish Clegg (SH 1994-99) 

Hamish and William Ewart (SH 

1994-99) have founded one of the first 

medical cannabis companies in the UK 

and we are now supplying UK patients 

with much-needed medicine. 

www.hilltopleaf.com 

2000-09 

Tom Graham (Rt 1996-01) 

Tom Graham is cycling from John O’ 

Groats to Lands’ End in May, pedalling 

up to 108 miles per day for ten 

consecutive days. His team are raising 

money for Parkinson’s UK, with the 

total standing at just over £60,000 two 

weeks before the challenge. 

Edward Shorthouse (S 1996-01) 

After several years of running the 

training team at the National College for 

Nuclear in Somerset, I have joined the 

Nuclear Skills Alliance working for EDF 

at the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant. 

Ann is continuing her Kinesiology 

practice and Eleanora is heading to 

Taunton School, around the corner 

from us, this September. 

Chris Moore (Rb 2000-02) 

I have become a Chartered 

Aeronautical Engineer with the Royal 

Aeronautical Society. 

Patrick Higham (O 2003-08) 

Our second child, Charles Patrick 

Séamus Higham was born 25th 

February to join our daughter Florence 

Catherine Rose Higham who was 

born in 2020. Florence is named after 

my mother who was organ teacher 

at Shrewsbury for many years and 

died on Christmas Eve 2020. Charlie 

takes my grandfather Séamus Ennis’ 

name - a celebrated Irish folk musician 

and collector. Professionally I am an 

Associate at DWF Law specialising in 

counter insurance fraud. 

Harry Phillips (G 2004-09) 

After a six-year period of working in 

the London luxury real estate market, 

Harry has moved to South Wales where 

he has taken up a key role within the 

family business, Family Finance. Due to 

wed his partner Alice in December later 

this year, Harry remains an avid fan 

of Welsh rugby and can frequently be 

found at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium 

on match day. 

Jake Greenall (Rt 2005-10) 

I am now working as General Manager 

at Sun Street Hotel near Liverpool 

Street, London.

98 


2010-19 

Daniel Bradshaw (M 2005-10) 

Daniel and Charlotte Bradshaw 

(née Finley (MSH 2008-10) are 

delighted to announce the birth of 

their son, Edward, born in April 2023. 

With a christening booked in at the 

School chapel and two Old Salopian 

godparents, Ned is off to a strong start! 

Sebastian Pope (PH 2008-13) 

Erratum: The Editor apologises for the 

incorrect identification of Sebastian 

as one of the four people in the 

photograph at the top of the right-hand 

column on page 82 of The Salopian 

Issue 168. The Old Salopian pictured is 

in fact Evan Rolfe (S 2010-15). 

Harry Sargeant (M 2009-14) 

Harry has married US-born Vanessa 

Woods at a ceremony near her family 

home in Chicago in February. Harry’s 

close family flew out to join the 

celebrations. The couple met when 

Vanessa was in the UK on a catering 

school scholarship. They have made 

their home in London where Harry 

is progress leader for music at an 

academy school and Vanessa is a 

Cordon Bleu pastry chef. 

Rob Hartwell (R 2012-17) 

I have recently completed my basic 

officer training with the Royal Marines 

at Commando Training Centre Royal 

Marines in Lympstone, Devon. 

Subsequently I was commissioned 

into the Corps in December 2022 and 

I am now a troop commander at 42 

Commando Royal Marines. 

Thomas Kirk (SH 2015-17) 

While at Shrewsbury my chosen 

Thursday afternoon activity was 

travelling to Welshpool to learn to fly 

helicopters. I did this over my two 

years of Sixth Form until I obtained my 

private pilot’s licence. I then spent the 

next three years at Newcastle University 

studying offshore engineering. 

Throughout the COVID lockdowns I 

studied for the 13 theory exams to pass 

the Commercial Pilots’ Licence which I 

finally passed in December of 2021. 

I now work for a company called UNI- 

FLY, who provide critical passenger 

and cargo flight operations support 

to the Hornsea 1 and 2 offshore wind 

farms, using the Leonardo Helicopters 

AW169 for helicopter hoist operations. 

As a member of UNI-FLY you are a 

part of a team that plays a vital role in 

ensuring the smooth operation of the 

UK’s national energy infrastructure. The 

Hornsea wind farms are a major source 

of renewable energy for the UK and as 

a pilot supporting this operation, I am 

proud to be contributing to the growth 

of an important industry. 

Bertie Watts (Ch 2013-17) 

I completed my first ultra-marathon 

recently, The Pennine Barrier. This 

was a 50-mile loop encompassing the 

Yorkshire three peaks. I finished in 11 

hours 20 minutes. It was incredibly 

tough, but I’ve got my eyes on a few 

more for the future … 

Andrew Zuo (R 2016-18) 

I have completed my first four-year 

degree in Mechanical Engineering 

at the University of Manchester. 

I am now studying for an MSc in 

Engineering Project Management 

and hopefully will start a career in a 

postgraduate research programme for 

a PhD in circular economy. 

2020- 

Antoine Ceolin (Rt 2015-20) 

I am in my third year at IE Madrid 

University and set to graduate in 

Summer 2024. Right now, I’m on a 

six-month exchange program in Brazil, 

writing this email from Rio de Janeiro. 

I will also be starting an internship in 

Finance in July. 

Grace Richards (G 2019-21) 

Currently I am in my second year at 

Oxford Brookes University. I was the 

rowing scholar and after a successful 

first year rowing in the 1st VIII last 

year, I have retained my seat this year 

and alongside have been trialling for 

the GB squad as an U23. I am hoping 

to represent Great Britain in an VIII 

at the World Championships. The first 

set of trials was in a pair in February. 

I was placed 1st U23 boat. April trials 

followed and I was placed 2nd U23 

pair, missing out on 1st place by 0.8 

of a second. I now await the next trial 

and continue to race for Brookes in 

VIIIs. With me at Brookes are Louis 

Nares (I 2015-20) and Matt Rowe (SH 

2015-17), who are also trialling for the 

GB team. 

Andrew McDonald (Ch 2021-22) 

I have been appointed as Director 

of Partnerships at Fair Money (www. 

fairmoney.com) and the Campaign 

For Fair Finance, the first AI powered 

and informed loan comparison service. 

I will be working with Independent 

Financial Advisers, Affiliate Marketers, 

and a vast array of financial 

organisations to ensure that consumers 

get a fair deal. 

Henry Corbett (Warden, 

Shrewsbury House 1987-2023) 

Henry is now a retired or freelance 

vicar in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, 

helping out in Churches, Schools and 

the community there. He has reflected 

on his time at the Shewsy and as a vicar 

in Everton in a Grove booklet titled 

Leadership for the Long term: affirming 

the value of staying. https://grovebooks. 

co.uk/products/l-41-leadership-for-thelong-term-affirming-the-value-of-staying 

Henry came to the Shewsy as a 

volunteer in 1975 for a year, then 

came back as curate and helper at 

the Shewsy in 1978 before becoming 

Warden of the Shewsy and Vicar of 

St Peter’s and St John Chrysostom 

Churches in Everton. His wife Jane 

is Labour Councillor for the Everton 

West ward, and his daughter Sarah has 

written How to be a Craftivist: the Art 

of Gentle Protest which also includes 

stories of Everton campaigns in which 

the Shewsy was involved.


100 Years Ago 

A fascinating editorial, reflecting a very different world view from our own, concluding with wise 

advice. Readers of a certain age will be interested to read the obituary of H W Adnitt of Adnitt and 

Naunton, on whose stationery our fortunes were built (or not).

100 

SALOPIAN CLUB NEWS


It has always been 

difficult to encourage 

busy Salopians to find 

time to get involved 

in their chosen Old 

Salopian Sports Club, 

but the Old Salopian 

Hunt maintains healthy 

interest of its members 

by email contact and 

social media. If any of 

you reading this have 

any desire to rejuvenate your memory of The Hunt, whether a 

previous participant or not, then please do get in touch with me 

(email info@crbirch.com ). 

We created another memory on Saturday 26th November 

2022, when an OSH Team of 11 assembled on The Drum, 

in front of The Main School Building, to run with 20 of The 

RSSH in this annual event that is well supported by many 

Salopians, staff, parents and friends. Our Team photo shows 

(from left) James Adney (Rb 1991-96), Phil Robinson 

(Db 1976-81), Ed Booth (PH 2002-05), Ed Hector (PH 

1991-96), Ed Mallett (S 2008-13 & Huntsman), Pete 

Beer (behind) (Ch 1991-96), George Mallett (S 2007- 

12 & Huntsman), Liv Papaioannou (EDH 2014-16 & 

Huntswoman), Oli Mott (Rb 1998-03 & Huntsman), 

Henry Exham (R 1997-02), Adam Booth (PH 1995-2000 

& Huntsman). 

Just under 20 minutes after the start, brothers Ed and George 

Mallett came into view, down Central, to finish, before our 

Captain Oli Mott and then the Booth brothers, Ed & Adam, and 

Pete Beer completed the course as our winning six counters. 

At Tea in the Quod, the retiring Master-in-Charge of the RSSH, 

Ian Haworth, was presented with a decorated Gents Baton, in 

appreciation of his six years of leadership, before he carried out 

presentation of Cups. The new Master-in-Charge of the RSSH, 

Frank Tickner, announced that the OSH had won the Run for 

the second consecutive year, with 32 points to the Hunt’s 46 

points. Ian handed the David Loake Memorial Trophy to Oli, 

before then presenting the Will Ramsbotham (O 1980-85) 

Cup to Ed Mallett, who celebrates his third year of winning the 

run, and lastly, the Peter Middleton Cup to our Hon. Secretary, 

Liv Papaioannou, for her second time win. 

Shortly after, our Committee met in the Hardy Room of 

Kingsland House to go through the Agenda of our AGM, 

where, during elections, Oli stepped down as our Captain, 

OLD SALOPIAN HUNT 

and Ed Mallett agreed to be our next team leader. At 7.30pm, 

16 diners came to the Peterson Room for our Annual Dinner, 

which included our guests, Huntswoman Sophia Urquhart 

(EDH), Huntsmen Kristian Tung (I) and Will Singleton (R). 

A full report (with photos and results) can be found on the 

OSH website page, that now has a new address 

www.shrewsbury.org.uk/salopian-club/os-sport/os-hunt . 

Looking towards winter, as planning starts for our next OSH 

Day, there are some School Fasti clashes that may mean that 

our return to the Site for our big day will be pushed back a 

week, to Saturday 18th November 2023, when we gather for 

the OSH v the RSSH Run, followed by Tea & Presentations, 

then the AGM before the Annual OSH Dinner that evening. 

Do get in touch with me if you are interested in coming 

along. I will confirm the date in good time. 

The Thames Hare & Hounds Running Club has been the 

organiser of the 

Annual Alumni Race 

since its inception 

in 1953, when 

Old Salopian (and 

one of our club 

founders) Ian Fraser 

was in charge of the 

TH&H Club. This 

year is the 71st Race 

for Alumni of Schools and it is being run over the traditional 

five-mile course at the Roehampton end of Wimbledon 

Common on Saturday 16th September 2023. Last September 

the OSH Team of 12 ran amongst 34 other teams, to finish 

3rd Place in the Open Race. It is hoped that this year we can 

achieve a Gold podium position. Liv P. has won the female 

category race for two years now, but needs three more girls 

(of any ability) to make a team that would probably win that 

category. 

The Old Salopian Hunt welcomes enquiries and observations 

from all Salopians, so don’t hesitate to contact me or Liv 

(livpapaioannou@gmail.com) and don’t forget to keep an eye on 

our OSH “Salopian Connect” page, as well as the OSH website 

page, OSH Facebook & Twitter pages. You can also email me 

on info@crbirch.com for purchases of OSH silk ties & scarves, 

the OSH running vest and the digital records of the RSSH from 

1831 onwards (see all the details on our website page). 

Peter Birch, OSH Chairman 

(DB 1966-71 & Huntsman)

102 


Young OS rowers have been making exciting moves in 

recent months. Louis Nares (I 2015-20), Matt Rowe 

(SH 2015-17) and Grace Richards (G 2019-21) performed 

on the highest stage, taking part at the recent GB Senior Trials 

held at the Redgrave and Pinsent Rowing Lake in Caversham. 

Three Salopians also took part in this year’s Oxbridge Boat 

Races, two of them even going head-to-head. Lewis Gray 

(Rt 2020-21) stroked the Light Blues to victory against Adam 

Pattenden’s (S 2014-19) Dark Blues in the Lightweight race. 

Juliet Russell (G 2014-19) stroked the Oxford women’s 

reserve boat, Osiris, for the Boat Race. 

SABRINA 

degree and further emulate the success of Old Salopians, both 

past and present rowers who have achieved amazing things in 

the sport.” 

On the weekend of the King’s Coronation, Shrewsbury 

Regatta took to the Severn once more and the School 

Lewis shared some thoughts with us on his experience: 

“Joining Cambridge University Boat Club following on from 

my time at RSSBC was an immense privilege. To be able to 

have been a part of two incredibly historic boat clubs has 

helped my rowing career invaluably. Being part of the squad, 

whilst gruelling, was incredibly rewarding, and was 

capped off by a win in my first lightweight Boat Race. 

The race on the championship course was not short of excitement, 

with early clashing of blades along the Putney embankment. 

But full of adrenaline and determination to beat our Dark Blue 

counterparts, we were able to pull away and take open water 

within the first three minutes. Throughout the rest of the race we 

were able to relax into a stronger rhythm and push away from 

our opposition, extending our lead across the whole course to 

win with a dominant 11 lengths of clear water over OULRC: 

the biggest ever winning margin in the men’s Lightweight Boat 

Race history. 

The Lightweights’ success was replicated by the rest of the 

squad the next week, resulting in a Cambridge clean sweep, 

being only the third to take place (1983, 2018 and 2023). This 

made the opportunity to share this year’s experience with my 

teammates even more of a privilege. I hope to carry on this 

success in future Boat Races as I complete my undergraduate 

welcomed Sabrina members of all generations. A total of 44 

enjoyed lunch in Kingsland House, including members who 

left School between 1963 and 1972, along with their guests. 

Though lunch was originally planned to take place in the 

Boathouse, the event was fully booked; testament to the 

lifelong connection and fondness that is felt by OSs for the 

School and their memories of rowing. 

All the Senior crews of those years were represented, with 

many who had subsequently gone on to distinguished 

rowing careers. Former Presidents of both Oxford and 

Cambridge University Boat Clubs were present, along with 

others who had represented Oxbridge, as well as many other 

Universities and Clubs. A variety of blazers were sported, 

including OUBC, CUBC and Leander Henley winners. 

Sabrina Club President Charles Wright (S 1963-68) 

commented: ‘There were there also many of us who did not 

rise so high, but are very glad to have enjoyed our time on 

the water and are glad to meet our old friends.” 

School House was particularly well represented and there was 

a popular request to remember Bill Grant (SH 1961-65) , who 

was a hugely popular member of that group. We could also 

toast a new reign as well as the health of the RSSBC. The meal 

closed with a hearty rendition of the Carmen, as advocated 

by Peter Saltmarsh. After lunch the group migrated to the 

Boathouse to enjoy coffee and spectate at the Regatta, with the 

added pleasure of supporting a good number of RSSBC crews. 

Sincere thanks go to the Salopian Club who supported the event. 

Liz Collins (MSH 2012-14)


SKIPPY’S TERRIERS REASSEMBLE 

In Ed Shropshire’s typewritten report of the 1990 Runcorn 

Regatta (held on a particularly ‘industrial’ stretch of the 

River Weaver) he started with an excellent joke - that a 

Geiger Counter might be as useful as anything to monitor 

stroke rates. His report was also the first to mention 

‘Skippy’s Terriers’, the adopted name of that season’s 2nd 

VIII. That day, we had scooped our first pots. 

‘Skippy’ was the easy-going Australian coach Richard 

Ponsford, over from Melbourne to teach for five terms. We 

were his crew, fearlessly competitive despite the size of 

the opposition, hence ‘Terriers’. That magical season, we 

Terriers were very successful, including an unforgettable 

victory over St Edward’s (Teddy’s) 1st VIII at Evesham. 

Skippy was a brilliant coach, enormously proud of us all, 

who radiated an infectious belief in our potential. The 

crew’s other secret weapon was cox Matt Capps (PH 

1986-91), whose start-line motivational speeches and welltimed 

pushes undoubtedly added boat speed. Very sadly, 

Matt died whilst studying at Durham University. 

In 2020, John Cooper (PH 1986-91) our stroke mooted 

a 30th anniversary reunion which COVID quickly stymied. 

But the enthusiasm with which crew and coach (now 

resident in Melbourne) reconnected made it clear that 

our team spirit had endured and that the Terriers needed 

to row again! Finally, on 7th May 2023, thanks to the 

determined efforts of Caroline and Nick Scott (Rt 1986- 

91), the patient support of our families, the generosity 

of Athol Hundermark and the Pengwerne Boat Club 

committee, the Skippy’s Terriers reassembled to row over 

the course at Shrewsbury Regatta. 

The sun shone, the years melted away and the crew, if 

a little balder, were surprised and delighted at the speed 

at which our technique returned and the boat moved. 

Skippy woke up at 2am for a pre-outing video call from 

Melbourne. Cameron Gilby (O L6) kindly stood in for Matt 

Capps, whose mother and brother, Martin came to cheer us 

on. Martin managed to avoid cycling into the river whilst 

filming, and Cameron earned Honorary Terrier status with 

his fearless handling of a crew with a combined age of 400. 

It was an unforgettable day. 

During reunion preparations, Skippy shared the transcript 

of a motivational poem, If (not Kipling’s) that he’d first 

recited on the banks of the River Dee. It is a brilliant 

paean to the power of belief and deserves reproducing 

here (below). But, the fact that we could all still remember 

so much of what Skippy said (I recently used his ‘your 

legs keep on keeping on’ line to help my daughters 

up a Scottish mountain); the fact that we so willingly 

reassembled to enjoy our friendship and not-too-shabby 

rowing; the fact that it was this crew that reunited (despite 

quite a few of the Terriers going on to far greater rowing 

heights); well, that is a demonstration of the power of 

shared belief and purpose fostered by a great coach over 

33 years ago. 

Thinking by Walter D. Wintle 

If you think you’re beaten, you are 

If you think you dare not, you don’t 

If you’d like to win, but think you can’t 

It’s almost certain you won’t. 

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost 

For out of the world we find 

Success begins with a fellow’s will – 

It’s all in the state of mind. 

If you think you’re outclassed, you are 

You’ve got to think high to rise 

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before 

You can ever win a prize. 

Life’s battles don’t always go 

To the stronger or faster man 

But sooner or later the man who wins 

Is the one who thinks he can. 

Scan the QR code to enjoy 

a video of the occasion. 

Tom Lewis (R 1986-91) 

Henley 1990 (bow-cox): Hamish Smith (I), Tom Lewis (R), Ben 

Hebbblethwaite (R), Jim Dale (O), Nick Scott (Rt), Hugh Mowat (O), Ed 

Gormley (SH), John Cooper (PH) and Matt Capps (PH) 

Shrewsbury 2023: crew as in 1990 but coxed by Cameron Gilby (O L6)

104 


The 2023 season started on 23rd March with our usual 

Southern Spring Meeting at Denham Golf Club in 

Buckinghamshire, where 15 players competed in two 

divisions in an individual stableford competition playing in pairs, 

courtesy of James Shaw, who helped to organise the day. We all 

then enjoyed the famous Denham three-course lunch. 

Old Salopian Golfing Society 

Seated L to R: James Butler (S 1960-65), John 

Rowlinson (S 1962-66), Simon Shepherd (O 1977- 

82), Michael Cox (M 1961-66), Will Painter (R 1967- 

71), Anthony Parsons (Rt 1959-64), James Shaw (R 

1964-68), Andy Pollock (I 1971-74), Peter Thwaites (R 

1960-64), Michael Smart (R 1966-70), Charles Hill (SH 

1980-84), David Moorhouse (I 1965-69), Rob Cutler 

(Rt 1984-89), John Bolton (R 1956-61), Richard Boys- 

Stones (SH 1968-73) and Stephen Shaw (M 1956-61). 

Prizes were awarded for the golf at lunchtime. Anthony 

Parsons, who sadly can no longer play golf due to failing 

health, joined us for lunch. He was congratulated on being 

given the honour of being appointed as the first President 

of the G.L. Mellin Tournament for a three-year term, in 

recognition of his contribution as a player and officer of 

the Mellin. Anthony was not only a very successful player 

for Shrewsbury in the Mellin, but he helped to run the 

tournament for many years too, after his retirement from 

competition golf. 

After lunch six people played a fun three-ball sixsome to help 

work off our lunch before tea and our homeward journeys. 

Our Northern Spring Meeting took place at Royal Liverpool 

Golf Club, Hoylake on 14th April. This will be the venue 

for the 151st Open Championship in July. 

As a result, we could only take 24 players this year, as the 

Club is very busy preparing. The grandstand infrastructure 

for The Open was being built when we played. As you 

played your shot into the 18th green, you could imagine 

the crowds cheering and clapping! All those who played 

will enjoy The Open even more having been a part of this 

day out. 

After the golf we had drinks and a snack in the bar with 

prize-giving. Mark Ferguson (Rt 1992-97) won the 

Todwick Tankard by coming first overall. The photograph 

shows Mark being presented with his prize by Charles 

Hill (SH 1980-84). Thank you to the six members of 

Royal Liverpool for helping to host this meeting. 

On 23rd April, I am pleased to be able to report that 

the OSGS vs The Schools Match at Hawkstone Park in 

Shropshire was resurrected after a gap of a few years. 

Both teams met in the new clubhouse for lunch, and we 

were joined by the new Director of the Salopian Club. 

The Shrewsbury team included ten boys and two members 

of staff: Paul Pattenden and Adam Duncan (Housemaster 

of Severn Hill). The OSGS team included a new member, 

Sinead McGrath, who now works in golf for The Legends 

Tour. Claire Painter, wife of our current OSGS President, 

also played in our team. I hope that other female OS 

golfers will also be encouraged to join the OS Golfing 

Society to bolster our numbers of wives and a few female 

OS members. 

After a hearty lunch, we played Pinehurst Foursomes for 

the BWD Rensburg Bowl. 

We then had drinks and prize-giving on the clubhouse 

terrace. My thanks to OS, Mark Davies, who brought along 

some bottles of wine for prizes too. On this occasion the 

OSGS team prevailed 4 ½ to 1 ½. 

L to R in the photograph the Old Salopian Members and 

others are: Adam Duncan, Chris Dickson (R 1972-77), 

Paul Pattenden, Claire Painter, Will Painter (R 1967- 

71) – OSGS President, Jonathan Mitchell (S 1973-78) 

– holding the Trophy, Tim Phillips (Rt 1966-71) - at 

the back, Charles Hill (SH 1980-84), Charles Tustain 

(O 1998-2003) - in cap, Tim Dakin (Father), Sinead 

McGrath (MSH 2009-11), Anthony Smith (I 1954-59), 

Mark Davies (R 1993-98), Allan Kerr (M 1964-69). The 

boys playing were George Battersby (O), Ed Carryer (Rb), 

Elijah England (Rb), Harry Marshall (Rb), Theo Wild (SH), 

Henry Hawkswell (S), Tom Hughes (S), Tim Manka (SH), 

Sash Petukhov (SH) and Alex Capanni (S). 

All those who played agreed it was a great day. Some of 

the boys said it was their best experience of golf at any 

club. It was agreed to endeavour to keep this match going 

to encourage more golf to be played at The Schools, so 

that the OSGS will have more players to call on in future 

matches and meetings against other schools. 

The annual Match between the OSGS and the OSFC at


Huntercombe was cancelled as it clashed with the King’s 

Coronation. However, the date for next year is Sunday 5th 

May 2024 and we are hoping to involve the Saracens too, 

to make it a three-way foursomes match. Please put the 

date in your diary now. 

The OSGS had a mini meeting at Edgbaston Golf Club 

prior to the Midlands Branch Dinner held there on 27th 

April. The following day, Stephen Shaw organised the 

Triangular Match between Shrewsbury, Dulwich and 

Tonbridge and eight OSGS members played. However, we 

were unable to hold on to the trophy this year and had to 

give it back to Tonbridge. Everyone enjoyed the Tandridge 

pudding nonetheless! 

If anyone is interested in joining the OSGS, I would be 

delighted to hear from you. Those Old Salopians who 

are under 30 years of age can join for as little as £10 per 

annum and play some magnificent championship courses 

at a very subsidised rate - please have a look at our 

website: www.oldsalopiangolf.co.uk 

Halford Hewitt 

Charles Hill, Hon Sec OSGS 

(R 1989-94) 

The Old Salopian Golf Team returned to Royal St George’s 

at the end of March for the 99th edition of the Halford 

Hewitt Cup. 

The Halford Hewitt is the largest amateur golf competition 

in the world, in terms of number of participants, and is 

widely considered one of the top events of the amateur 

golfing calendar. Founded in 1924 and played across 

Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St George’s golf courses, it 

is competed for today by the old boys of 64 English and 

Scottish public schools, which each field five foursomes 

pairs in a scratch knockout competition. The tournament 

has a rich history, frequently pits average golfers against 

famous internationals and produces moments of golfing 

pressure simply not experienced by amateur players 

elsewhere. As described by golf writer Nick Tremayne, 

it is “the greatest of all truly amateur tournaments”. 

Although we had a relatively kind first round draw, pitting 

us against St Paul’s, the weather in Hewitt week was 

horrendous - combining strong winds gusting up to 60mph 

and bursts of torrential rain (not unusual for Hewitt golf in 

late March!), making scratch foursomes a serious challenge. 

St Paul’s has a similar track record to our own in recent 

years, so on paper we were evenly matched teams, and 

so it proved out on the course. 

The strategy for the day was to ‘front load’ the team with 

our experienced and power players in an attempt to 

deliver a quick win, and to leave our new recruit Xander 

Haspel (Rb 2010-15) in the capable hands of Mark ‘Ferg’ 

Ferguson (Rt 1992-97), who was returning to Hewitt golf 

after a lay-off of almost ten years, in reserve at number 

five and hoping not to be put to the test. Best laid plans, 

however, often go awry. 

Although there were wins for first pair Jon Howse 

(R 1998-03) and Richard Roberts (R 1989-94), and third 

pair Will Campion (M 1980-84) and Stefan Hindmarsh 

(Ch 2006-11), we lost the second and fourth matches. James 

Mainwaring (R 2005-10) and Alex Stewart (O 2006-09), 

playing second pair, had an extremely tough, see-saw match 

and were unfortunate to lose one down on the 18th hole; 

while fourth pair Jonty Campion (M 1980-84) and Ted 

Williams (R 2014-19) came up against strong opposition 

and suffered a heavy defeat. 

Match in the balance at 2-2. Crowd gathering and pressure 

now fully on the ‘rookies’ to bail the team out. After being 

three down with four to play, Xander and Ferg managed, 

through some tenacious and sometimes brilliant golf, to 

claw the momentum back to take the match down the 

18th hole but needing a win to keep the match going. 456 

yard par 4 into a howling wind, Xander trying to reach 

the green in two to put some pressure on the opposition, 

pulled his 3 wood second shot left of the green into the 

rough, leaving two bunkers between the ball and the hole 

– dead. Advantage St Paul’s, who were long of the green 

but with a tricky downhill chip. Ferg, however, is the 

ultimate competitor and always responds to a challenge, 

especially when on show. On the side of 18 he delivered a 

unique ‘Hewitt Moment’ under the most extreme pressure 

by landing his pitch on a dinner-plate-sized spot over the 

bunkers and running it to within a foot, to win the hole 

with a par four to St Paul’s five. 

Off down the 19th hole for sudden death, and hopefully 

to take advantage of the swing in momentum. At this point 

the nerves on both sides were beginning to show and the 

quality of golf began to diminish rapidly, with the St Paul’s 

pair topping their second and leaving the door open for us 

to take advantage by hitting the green. Unfortunately the 

feats of the 18th couldn’t be repeated, and with a miss and 

a couple of three putts, the hole ended in a scrappy half in 

six. Frustratingly, after all the effort from Xander and Ferg 

to keep the match alive, we lost on the 20th hole after an 

errant tee shot into the fairway bunker put paid to our 

chances, and we lost to a par four. 

So, a disappointing first round loss and off to the Plate 

Competition for the second time in a row, leaving the team 

with a summer thinking back of “what could have been”, 

and “if only’s”… 

Richard Roberts 

(R 1989-94) 

Appeal for Players 

We are continually searching for new talent to widen the 

player pool. If you are a low handicap golfer, this is an 

event which you must experience and which you will 

definitely enjoy, both on and off the course. We do make a 

contribution towards people’s expenses to help with travel 

and accommodation for the week. If you would like to 

know more, please get in touch with our Hon Sec. Charles 

Hill at CharlesGCHill@hotmail.com or captain Richard 

Roberts at glynswood@gmail.com .

106 


The Old Salopian Squash Club has 

survived another season of strokes, 

saunas and Claret. Moderate success 

was had despite the team’s beefedup 

fixture list, with 12 competitive 

matches played in total; six were 

won, six were lost. 

The opener saw our side up against 

the RAC in Pall Mall. Especially strong 

performances by Will Street (SH 

2011-16) and new recruit Harry 

Bullock (S 2009-14) pushed us over 

the line and the match was won 3-2. 

This early victory was somewhat 

unexpected, as some members of 

the team appeared to have spent the 

summer months more preoccupied 

with gastronomy than the looming cost 

of living crisis. Safe in the knowledge 

that the next fixture was several weeks 

away, the team continued to work 

their way down the Long Bars canapé 

menu long after the match. 

Unfortunately the tapenade had 

its revenge, as the team were 

comprehensively beaten by a strong 

Lansdowne side (away) on their 

next outing (0-5). To compound the 

team’s misery, our first string Jonny 

Williams (R2004-09) suffered a 

hamstring tear and skipper Rupert 

Parry (Ch 2004-09) announced that 

he’d soon be moving to Cheshire 

after putting up a strong fight in his 

final performance of the season. The 

squad’s partial depletion didn’t seem 

to faze the team in the least, however, 

as they performed disconcertingly 

well in the next couple of games; and 

victories over Tonbridge (4-1) and 

Roehampton (3-2) at home came in 

Old Salopian Squash 

quick succession. 

The annual Londonderry Cup game 

was up next. Run by the RAC, this cup 

is the official public schools’ old boys’ 

competition and is one of the oldest 

squash tournaments in the country. 

Shrewsbury are yet to make the second 

round of the main draw in this bitterly 

fought battle for toff supremacy; although 

it must be said that being routinely drawn 

against Lancing and Millfield hasn’t been 

helpful. This year we were pitted against 

a strong Cranleighan side and lost 4-1, 

but kudos must be given to Henry 

Brown (M 1997-2000) who put on an 

impressive display to secure the only 

Salopian win of the night. 

The Christmas break rolled by before 

the team took on Lloyd’s of London in 

their next home fixture. After a rough 

start, Will Briggs (O 2005-10) and 

Nick Davies (Rb 2004-09) bagged two 

gutsy victories against their opposing 

strings to restore some Salopian pride 

and set the final score at 2-3. 

Our next scheduled bout pitted us 

against Eton. Determined not to see 

us get outdone by our old rivals, 

the team’s non-executive director, 

Ben Stirk (M 1991-96), cleared his 

schedule to lead from the front. A 

series of lung-busting rallies and some 

textbook ‘attritional’ squash saw him 

overcome his opponent in five games. 

The deft footwork of Sam Welti (I 

2007-12), another key member of the 

team, likewise proved to be too much 

for his opposite number. But sadly it 

was not to be our day, as the rest of 

the team 

floundered and we had to accept a 

close fought loss (2-3). 

Quickfire losses against Lansdowne (2- 

3) and the RAC (1-4) followed despite 

some strong performances from the 

ever-improving James Kidson (O 

2003-08) and Robert Cross (S 2008- 

13), before the team regained its form 

to bag wins against Tonbridge (4-1) and 

Roehampton (3-2). 

In March, a slightly reduced team took 

on the School. None of the usual team 

were available to play, but George 

Carver (S 2008-13), Henry Bateson 

(R 2016-21), Luke Russell (R 2016- 

21) and Seb Cooley (Hon OS) took on 

the mantle and achieved a clean sweep 

of victories in a match contested in 

great spirit. 

All in all, the team represented their 

alma mater with sweaty browed 

aplomb. As ever, we are looking to 

enlist new members who are interested 

in dusting off their rackets for some 

social squash. Home games are played 

at Lord’s Cricket Ground (many thanks 

to the MCC) and are a great way to 

keep fit while enjoying good company, 

food and drink if you are based in 

or around London. In addition to the 

usual fixtures, we will also be doing 

a tour (after the success of our last 

tour to Dublin) as well as putting on 

social gatherings and attending some 

professional cricket. 

If this sounds of interest, please 

get in touch with Jonny Williams at 

jonnywilliams13@gmail.com. 

Floreat Salopia! 

Jonny Williams (R 2004-09)


Old Salopian Football 

Another season in the Arthurian League has passed. Our 

incomparably named 4G pitch in London ‘King’s 

House’ has been well-trodden and, as always, we must 

first give thanks to our loyal fans around the globe. 

To summarise the season in terms of numbers: 32 league 

matches were played across both our teams, including an 

Arthur Dunn Cup quarter-final against Carthusians, who 

narrowly lost in the final to Reptonians on penalties, and a 

revitalised Veterans squad pushing for silverware. In terms of 

league positions, we ended in mid-table (8th and 4th) for our 

1st XI and 2nd XI respectively. The 2nd XI were unlucky with 

their final position, after a close promotion charge all season 

long. A shout-out to Harry Gregson (Rb 2012-15). who 

netted top goal-scorer award in the division for the 2nd XI. 

After the success that the School have shown this season, 

we are excited to welcome the next crop of players. Like 

Man United’s class of ‘92, this could be the start of something 

special in the coming years. 

Looking on to preparation for next season, training starts 

from mid-July and several pre-season fixtures in London are 

lined up in Augus. 

Our tour this year sees 22 fine gentlemen travel to Prague, 

where we will play two fixtures against Czech opposition whilst 

embracing the local culture. 

For more information on how to join the OSFC , please 

contact us on oldsalopianfc@gmail.com or Instagram 

oldsalopianfc. We have weekly fixtures on a Saturday in 

London, with training midweek in Marylebone. We welcome 

all levels of ability and would love to see the Club continue 

to flourish and push for silverware next season. 

Guy Williams (Rb 2008-13) 

Old Salopian Rugby 

The OS Maps had a quiet off-season in the run up to what 

should be a busy summer. The highlight has been the 

Christmas AGM and social, which was hosted at School on 

3rd December. This was a great opportunity to welcome 

the newest cohort of Old Salopians to our ranks and discuss 

future plans for the Club over lunch in Kingsland House. 

An integrated training session with the current school 1st XV 

allowed us to strengthen our links with the players, whilst 

also giving many members of the Club a reality check on 

their fitness! 

We look forward to playing in two new tournaments this 

summer, Cheltenham 7s and the Jack Fishwick 7s in London, 

as we look to continue our two-year streak of adding 

silverware to the cabinet. If you are interested in joining OS 

Rugby, please get in touch at t.plaut@outlook.com. 

Tom Plaut (S 2014-19)

108 


Publications 

James Irvine (S 1970-75) 

Where’s There’s Brass, There’s Muck 

Austin Macauley Publishers 

ISBN 978-1-398 46604 – 3 

In the glorious May of 1998, the governors of the Tanswold School Trust are looking forward 

to a new era in which they are about to build a new dining hall for their independent school. 

However, the unbridled optimism soon turns to despondency as they realise that the bursar has 

been doing DIY stock-broking with a very large bequest which has provided security for the 

school. 

For the band of elderly socialites that form the governing body this is not just a disaster, 

but a scandal that attracts the attention of the fraud squad of the Middle Riding of Yorkshire 

Constabulary who open up a financial can of worms. And it’s not just financial; the appalling 

standard of hygiene in the school dining hall leads to a serious outbreak of food-poisoning with 

heart-breaking consequences. 

The headmaster is placed under the spotlight and his management becomes more and more 

capricious as the spotlight is shone on him. The remaining part of the summer term becomes 

more and more of a comedy of errors as he loses his grip. As for speech day… 

John Cross (Rt 1939-45) 

Operation Tipping Point 

Monsoon Books 

ISBN 978-1-915310014-9 

Operation Tipping Point is the eighth in a series of standalone historical military novels set 

in Southeast Asia that may be read in any order, including Operation Black Rose, Operation 

Janus, Operation Red Tidings, Operation Blind Spot, Operation Stealth, Operation Four Rings 

and Operation Blowpipe. The series features Gurkha military units, and the author draws on 

real events he witnessed and real people he fought alongside in various theatres of war in 

Southeast Asia and India. 

Richard Bevan (O 1957-61) 

Alter retiring from consulting and teaching about ten years ago I found myself 

newly occupied with writing and publishing through my own imprint ChangeStart 

Press. So far I’ve produced five books of my own and helped three other writers 

publish their work. My books are Changemaking (2011) and The Changemaking 

Checklists (2015), both dealing with the management of change; The Galley Slave’s 

Handbook (2010, revised edition 2020) on provisioning and cooking for an ocean 

voyage – based on a wonderful transatlantic adventure led by Charles Tongue 

(S 2010-15); and The Hidden Triceratops (2021) and The Tangled Pteranodon 

(2022), stories for children in the 4-to-8 age range. The first of these two, a COVID 

lockdown project, is illustrated splendidly by 12-year-old lo Shepard. The two 

Changemaking books, if not best-sellers, are still selling steadily. 

Gareth Williams (Rt 1986-91) 

Happiness in Your Head – From Hong Kong Banker 

to Sunny Coast Chancer 

ISBN 13-978-02288866-7 

From school to university to working in a global corporation, my life path had been conventional. 

What society has primed us to strive for. I was peaking in my career, based in Hong Kong. I was 

flying around Asia Pacific inside the world of high finance. However, I knew I had to search for a 

more authentic happiness. The COVID craziness helped crystallise an array of deep philosophical 

thoughts gleaned from the wealth of wisdom now so easily accessible. Thoughts and impulses that 

I could no longer ignore. The decision was made: a world detour! One that would see our family 

travel the diameter of the world during a time of huge disruptions. This is a story of that journey. 

That search. Physically, from Hong Kong through Europe to the Sunshine Coast. Career-wise, from 

banker to chancer. Philosophically, from conventional to counter-narrative.


Dr John Godwin (Staff 1984-2019) 

Juvenal Satires – A Selection 

Bloomsbury Academic 

ISBN 978 1 35015652-4 

This is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Latin AS and A-Level (Group 3) prescription of 

Juvenal, Satire 6 and the A-Level (Group 4) prescription of Satires 14 and 15, giving full Latin text, 

commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction that also covers the prescribed material 

to be read in English for A Level. 

Juvenal was the last and the greatest of the Roman verse satirists and his poetry gives us an 

exuberant and outrageously jaundiced view of the early Roman Empire. This book contains a 

selection from three of his satires: Satire 6 attacks women and marriage, Satire 14 critiques the 

role played by parents in the education of children and Satire 15 describes all too vividly the 

cannibalism perpetrated by warring Egyptians. These Satires expose the folly and the wickedness 

of the world in some of the finest Latin to have survived from antiquity. 

John Patterson (Ch 1961-65) 

Eight Questions About Sexuality 

Grosvenor House Publishing 

ISBN 978-1-83975-156-1 

In recent years there has been a revolution in views about human sexuality. Long-held certainties 

about sexual behaviour have been swept aside by some. Others feel that the old certainties were 

the right ones, whilst yet others just feel confused about so many conflicting views. In this booklet 

John Patterson, a retired minister within the Church of England, briefly addresses eight questions 

about sexuality including gay marriage, transgender and homophobia. He seeks to explain why 

the Bible is the foundation of a Christian’s understanding and how the Bible answers the questions 

he raises. 

Giles Wood (O 1969-74) 

Country Life: A Story of Peaks and Troughs 

Ebury Spotlight 

ISBN 978-1-52990015-6 

Are you considering escaping the city for a blissful new way of life in the countryside? Estate 

agents may be feeding you with persuasive visions of Arcadia, but realities are more helpful. 

Former townies Giles and Mary have embraced country life for over 30 years, each in their own 

different way. Mary is more inclined to engage in the social opportunities offered by the local 

community. While Giles’s pre-occupations include his organic no-dig veg patch and regenerative 

agriculture as ‘the only method that could save the ecosystem from imminent disaster’. Together 

they sift through the unhelpful dreamy myths and offer their own, two-handed pragmatic reality, 

obtainable for all. In robust back-and-forth exchange, they de-mystify every aspect of life in rural 

outposts, celebrating the peaks and navigating the troughs, from planning wars and ghost hunting 

to dog walking and bargain hunting. 

William Marston (DB 1972-77) (Liam Thornton) 

Confessions of a COVID cleric 

ISBN 978-1-91659609-2 

Father Matthew is an ordinary vicar in an ordinary parish. He is a Freemason. Our tale starts in 

2019 with some wry humour, as to what Christmas can be like for a cleric. Then COVID strikes the 

nation. Father Matthew’s routine, like that of everyone else, is turned upside down. Soon there is 

even an official complaint made against him. A downward spiral starts. How was the working life 

of clergy changed by COVID? How did society change in its’ daily workings? What can stress do to 

you? Memories are seen as sometimes guests, but at other times ghosts. 

Peter Caddick-Adams (Ch 1974-78) 

A recent article by Peter Caddick-Adams in The Critic features the School and Old Salopian novelist Nevil Shute Norway. See 

https://thecritic.co.uk/Putin-Shute-and-nukes/

110 


OBITUARIES 

An obituary for those marked with an asterisk* is being prepared and will be published in the next edition of The Salopian. 

P R H Adie SH 1957-50 

*J Alexander I 1955-60 

R Auger Staff 1969-03 

M S Baker-Bates M 1953-58 

C Beddow I 1959-64 

C Campbell I 1940-44 

A Champion R 1941-46 

F W Cooper I 1944-49 

J Cuthbert SH 1959-64 

P R H Dixon Rt 1945-50 

R Fallows O 1954-59 

M R P Fleming O 1960-64 

D O Forshaw Rt 1941-44 

C E J S Godwin Ch 1949-43 

D Harrison Governor 1980-03 

J R C Higgins Rt 1936-41 

*C R Holt I 1976-81 

J Holyoake DB 1937-41 

M C Hughes DB 1941-44 

E M Hulme DB 1947-51 

J M H Hunter SH 1950-55 

A Jones Ch 1997-02 

J N Kay Ch 1969-74 

*R H Ker M 1965-69 

R G Lee R 1960-64 

S Lewis R 1954-58 

G R Marshall DB 1964-69 

J McCarter Rt 1951-54 

G McCracken JHT 1938-43 

H R W Peach Staff 1991-23 

J C Peat Staff 1980-08 

A G Phillips O 1944-49, 

Staff 1960-76 

G J Roberts DB 1947-51 

S Sandford SH 1948-53 

D Sargeant DB 1952-57 

*P Scales Staff 1988-04 

M Simmonds S 1946-49 

G Silvester DB 1964-65 

F A Sporer I 1986-87 

J L Talbot O 1949-53 

C Taylar 1948-53 

W Thomas S 1945-50 

R J G Waldron R 1950-54 

Edward Robert Graham Anderton (I 1951-56) 

Edward Anderton (‘Ted’) was born in Leeds and educated at 

Drighlington Village School, Fulneck School in Pudsey and 

then at Charney Hall prep school in Grange-over-Sands. He 

boarded at Shrewsbury School from 1951 to 1956. He became 

a praepostor and Head of House in Ingram’s Hall, and made 

many good friends there, including the comedian and actor 

Willie Rushton. 

He told his family that he enjoyed his time at school - but 

perhaps not the daily cold showers. He recalled there was a jam 

jar of water in the shower block and the boys were excused 

from showering if the water had frozen! 

From school he went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1956, 

to read Medicine, following in his father’s footsteps. He also 

enjoyed life in Cambridge, although, as at school, his college 

was an all-male environment. He talked fondly of summer 

afternoons on the boundary at Fenner’s, near his digs, watching 

cricket, with a pint of beer in his hand. He completed his clinical 

training at Westminster Medical School, many years before 

Addenbrooke’s had a Clinical School. 

Ted met his wife Mary when they were both doing house jobs 

in Lancaster Infirmary, and they had three children: twin boys 

John (who also read Medicine at Christ’s) and Richard, and a 

daughter, Sarah. 

Ted practised as a GP in Lancaster from 1967 to 1993, 

contributing several articles to the British Medical Journal’s 

‘Materia non Medica’ section, on topics as diverse as his 

addiction to crosswords, and Mary’s knitting machine! They 

retired to nearby Littledale and enjoyed over 20 very happy 

years of retirement together. 

After a period of increasing frailty, Ted died peacefully 

surrounded by his family on New Year’s Eve 2022. 

[Dr John Anderton] 

Richard Auger (Staff 1969-2006) 

Richard Auger, who died peacefully at home in April after a 

two-year battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, was a central 

figure in Shrewsbury School from his arrival in 1969 to his 

retirement in 2006. 

He was born in 1943, when his father, a doctor, was serving in 

the army in North Africa and Sicily. He grew up with his three 

brothers in Farnham, Surrey, going on to board at Berkhamsted 

School, where he became Head of School. In 1962, having 

already set his sights on teaching, he went on to study Natural 

Sciences at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. 

After a Dip Ed., he spent three years teaching chemistry at Mill 

Hill in North London. During this time he met Caroline, and the 

two were married on 2nd August 1969. With encouragement 

from Michael Hart, ex-Housemaster of School House and 

Headmaster at Mill Hill, he applied for a job at Shrewsbury the 

same year. It was the moment when he had to swap allegiance 

from the oval ball to the round one! Richard went on to become


Head of Chemistry, Housemaster of Rigg’s Hall for 11 years, and 

finally Director of Studies. One theme which stands out time and 

again in recollections is the dedication he showed to mentoring 

and supporting boys and colleagues. 

Richard was always active, practical and competitive. He 

masterminded some notable sporting victories for Rigg’s over the 

years and was involved in numerous activities, including Basic 

Year, athletics, shooting and staff football. As Director of Studies, 

he played a central role over many years in ensuring high 

standards of teaching and strong exam results. He was someone 

to whom everyone turned for advice, who ‘just knew how 

everything worked’! He led the School through Ofsted’s first 

inspection of an independent boys’ boarding school and was 

instrumental in the introduction of computer systems. Figuring 

out how to programme the School timetable efficiently was no 

mean feat! 

Retirement was only a partial concept. Richard became a 

Governor at Moreton Hall, teaching there for some time 

as well. His biggest undertaking was to be the clerkship of 

the Shrewsbury Drapers Guild, a role to which he brought 

steadiness, diplomacy and perseverance for many years. His 

crowning achievement was his involvement in the planning 

and building of a new set of almshouses, which required 

fund-raising, negotiations with government officials and 

constant site visits. 

He continued to live just outside the School Gates in Porthill 

Gardens, and many of his former colleagues became golfing 

and walking companions. His love of galleries and historic 

sites had been deepened by his enjoyment of School art trips 

across Europe. Walking and the geology of Shropshire were 

also passions, and he continued to walk the hills until his final 

weeks. He played golf keenly, albeit with self-declared modest 

talent. Regular golfing tours to North Wales and further afield 

were much enjoyed in the company of other former Shrewsbury 

staff including Richard Raven, Hugh Ramsbotham and Chris 

Conway. Family life was always central, and long school 

holidays allowed Richard to drive Caroline and their children, 

James and Bridget, on many extended camping trips around 

Europe in a lime-green VW camper. In his retirement he devoted 

huge energies to DIY projects in his children’s homes, never 

able to sit still. He loved being around his four granddaughters, 

Zoe, Jenny, Hazel and Cora. 

Richard remained engaged, practical and a reliable soundingboard 

to the end. His lasting influence on Shrewsbury and 

the hundreds of boys who passed through during his time 

is exceptional and he will be much missed by the Salopian 

community. as well as by his family and friends. 

[James Auger (Rb 1986-91)] 

Merrick Stuart 

Baker-Bates 

(M 1953-58) 

Merrick Baker-Bates was 

born in Crosby, then in 

Lancashire, in 1939, six 

weeks before the start of the 

Second World War. He was 

the second of five children 

of Norah (née Stuart) and 

Eric Baker-Bates. His parents 

separated when he was ten 

and he was sent to live with 

a friend of his father’s whom 

he called ‘Auntie Kath’. He was educated at a prep school in the 

Lake District before arriving in Moser’s Hall in 1953. 

At Shrewsbury, his experiences of the legendary schoolmasters 

Anthony Chenevix-Trench and Frank (‘Kek’) McEachran 

made a great impression on him. He recalled the former’s 

habit of making boys recite Latin verse outside his window 

while he was shaving in the early morning, and a trip to 

Italy with the latter, during which Kek became locked inside 

a toilet, the eventual escape prompting Kek to say, “O! It’s 

broken the lock and splintered the door”, a quotation from 

McEachran’s anthology Spells. 

Merrick went on after Shrewsbury to read history at Hertford 

College, Oxford. On graduating, he spent a year at the College 

of Europe in Bruges, followed by a spell in Brussels as a 

journalist, before he passed the civil service exam and joined the 

Foreign Office. 

Posted to Japan in 1963 at the start of his diplomatic career, 

he later became one of his generation’s most accomplished 

speakers of Japanese. He and his wife Chrystal narrated the live 

satellite broadcast of the wedding of Charles and Diana on NHK 

Television. In the English language he was also an impressive 

orator – the style of his delivery often able to bring a rapt silence 

to a crowd. 

His witty, gentlemanly manner, occasionally sprinkled with a 

certain Northern English grit, gained him a wide circle of the rich 

and famous, particularly during his time in Los Angeles. He was 

credited among other things with introducing Elizabeth Taylor to 

John Warner, her sixth husband. His charitable involvement with 

the homeless in Long Beach, California, also led him to strike up 

an unlikely if brief friendship with one Calvin Broadus, later to 

become the rapper Snoop Dogg. 

But perhaps unusually for someone with a position at the heart 

of the British establishment, he was always more enthusiastic 

about the ordinary people in the countries in which he lived. He 

befriended taxi drivers, mechanics, golf caddies and teachers - 

often becoming intimately involved with their lives. In Japan, this 

gave him a subtle understanding of the way the Japanese saw 

Britain and the West, a quality often overlooked by the office 

in London as the ‘economic miracle’ played out. It was because 

of this that he was perhaps the best ambassador to Japan that 

Britain never had. 

While a member of several philanthropic charities in his 

latter years, he also assumed a largely independent and selfdirected 

role as mentor, teacher or simply a good friend of the 

disadvantaged. His almost daily involvement with drug addicts, 

former gangsters and thieves sometimes alarmed his family. A 

habit of offering accommodation to otherwise homeless people 

at his house in the rural village of Creaton, Northamptonshire,

112 


eventually had to be reconsidered when one such guest lapsed 

into an alcohol-fuelled attempt to steal as many possessions as 

he could carry out of the house and into his car, before being 

found by police the next morning in a ditch. Unperturbed, 

Merrick immediately visited the consequently reincarcerated 

former houseguest in prison – to discuss what to do on release. 

He died on 24th February 2023 and is survived by his wife, 

Chrystal, and children, Jonathan and Harriet. 

David Luard Boult (R 1938-42) 

Born in Hoylake on 6th December 1924, David Boult went 

to prep school at Dunchurch Hall and then followed his 

brothers, Peter and Rex, to Shrewsbury, having won a Maths 

Exhibition. He later won the Powell Maths prize and left in 1942 

to start a six-month engineering course for would- be Royal 

Engineer officers at Birmingham University. After training, he 

was commissioned in December 1944. He was first posted to 

Ripon to work on bridge design and to test explosives. As the 

war ended, he was sent to Austria, then to India twice (where 

he gained great respect for the Gurkhas) and Malaya. He was 

promoted to Captain. 

On leaving the army, he embarked on a 35-year career with 

BICC, starting on a two-year apprenticeship course. He also 

gained a degree in business management and eventually 

became a Fellow of the British Institute of Management. 

After progressing through the company, he took over the 

management of the Metals Group and became Executive 

Director of BICC Cables at Prescott. He liked to tell of his 

involvement in the manufacture of the TV cables for the late 

Queen’s first Christmas broadcast from Sandringham. Later he 

enjoyed an inaugural flight on Concorde to New York, telling his 

American business hosts at lunch that he had left London after 

breakfast! One day he came home with a small sample of the 

first fibre optic cable ever made. 

Retiring from BICC at the end of 1982, he was headhunted 

by Pilkingtons to be Director of The Community of St Helen’s 

Trust, a consultancy for small businesses, where he became an 

expert on the Business Expansion Scheme. He joined the board 

of MANWEB as a non-executive director and thus was on the 

committee proposing the building of a Mersey barrage, but it 

was turned down by the government as too expensive. (Which, 

today might be seen as short-sighted.) He finally retired in 1990. 

He was also asked to set up and be chairman of two charities: 

in 1978, of the successful Merseyside Playing Fields Association; 

and later, of Lazers for Life. 

Sport was a major part of David’s life, including tennis, 

cricket, football and golf. He always said that his family home 

in Hoylake was a 9 iron to The Royal Liverpool Golf Club 

clubhouse. In the army, he enjoyed horse riding in Austria, 

learned to play hockey in India and played many sports in 

Malaya, including rugby for a state team. Rugby became his 

main game on leaving the army. He joined Liverpool RUFC 

in 1947, becoming captain for four successful years and later 

chairman and president twice. He played rugby for Lancashire, 

Cheshire and the TA. Golf took over later, and he enjoyed 

meetings of the Old Salopian Golfing Society. 

Family was very important to him. He married Anne Collett in 

1957 and they had three children and later six grandchildren. 

He took great interest in the careers of them all, always offering 

advice and help. He was an enthusiast. His interests included 

gardening, a knowledge of wine, keeping sheep as mowers 

when living in Cheshire, model yacht sailing in Southwold and 

he was always planning parties, holidays and other projects. 

Sadly, he struggled with dementia for his last few years and 

died peacefully on 15th July 2022. He is greatly missed by 

family and friends. 

[David’s family] 

David Campbell Clark (I 1942-44) 

David Clark was born on 5th August 1926 in Upperlands, 

County Londonderry, the middle of three brothers, Roddy being 

older and Desmond (now aged 95) younger than he; David also 

had a younger sister, Victoria. They were born into the William 

Clark & Sons linen business based in Upperlands. By right of 

birth, his older brother Roddy should have gone into the family 

linen business, but sadly he was killed in the war, his naval ship 

being scuttled in 1944. David subsequently left the Army to join 

the family business. 

He always spoke of his time at his North Wales prep school 

‘Woodlands’ very fondly. He then went on to Campbell College, 

Belfast between 1940 and 1942, finally arriving at Shrewsbury, 

like his brothers and quite a number of his Clark cousins. 

David met Gillian Atkinson when she came over from York to 

play golf in the Home Internationals at Royal Portrush in 1955. 

It was love at first sight. They were married months later, and 

the rest is history. They were married for 66 years and had two 

children: Roger, who became a GP on the Isle of Bute; and 

Diana, who lives in Buckinghamshire. 

A move to England took place in 1975, with a variety of new 

roles for David, including owning The Durham Ox, Crayke 

in North Yorkshire, and owning holiday cottages. David was 

a natural with people and a very popular landlord. When 

time allowed, he would regularly go on hikes and enjoyed 

being a guide at National Trust properties in York. He loved


people and enjoyed every opportunity he could to make a 

connection, especially through travel. He always had a very 

positive approach to life, was even-tempered with a genuine 

zest for life, non-judgmental and always willing to help others 

in any way he could. 

His passion for cricket was only rivalled by his passion and 

commitment for the Royal British Legion; he reached an eminent 

position in Northern Ireland, where he was elected Chairman 

of the Northern Ireland British Legion and became a member 

of the National Executive. He was awarded the gold badge in 

recognition of his long years of service. 

David died peacefully, after a short illness, in York Hospice on 

10th December 2022 aged 96, having had a very long, happy 

and healthy life. 

He will be greatly missed in his York community where he 

was much loved. He was extremely proud of his family and is 

survived by his loving wife Gillian, and by Roger, Diana and his 

six grandchildren. 

[Diana Whipp] 

Mark Roger 

Patrick Fleming 

(O 1960-64) 

Mark Fleming was 

born in Aberdeen in 

1947 to Roger and Judy 

Fleming, as the eldest 

of three siblings. One 

of Mark’s passions as 

a child was building 

‘karties’, in which he 

would ‘drive’ his two little sisters. They had such confidence in 

the road-worthiness of his creations that he had both on board 

when going down a nearby hill, sailing across the main Deeside 

Road with reckless abandon, quite unable to stop! 

Mark went to Cargilfield in Edinburgh, before coming on to 

Shrewsbury, following his father Roger in Oldham’s. Mark coxed 

the Oldham’s 1st Boat in Bumpers in 1961 and the Shrewsbury 

1st VIII in 1962. The crew, coached by Peter Gladstone, won at 

Nottingham, Chester and Hereford Regattas and also competed 

in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. 

The School had won in 1955, 1960 and 1961, so there was 

pressure to win again. Race commentary shows that the crew 

set new records to Barrier and Fawley, but sadly the competing 

Radley crew pushed through at the final stretch to win, setting a 

new course record and going on to win the event. 

On leaving Shrewsbury, Mark taught at a school in Madras 

which had ties with Shrewsbury. He chose to return home 

overland, travelling through Persia and Turkey either by bus or 

hitch-hiking. After Shrewsbury, not only was he offered a place 

at Aberdeen University, but more colourfully left school with a 

scholarship to join the university air squadron and later became 

the Scottish Universities Acrobatic Champion. In celebration, 

and to his mother’s consternation, he flew a chipmunk, upside 

down, over the family home! 

From Aberdeen University, Mark went on to qualify as a 

Chartered Accountant in Edinburgh, before joining Deloitte, 

spending his first period of employment in Paris, but then 

returned to Scotland, where he joined the family timber 

merchants, John Fleming and Co Ltd, in 1974. He met and 

married his wife Elspeth in 1982, and their home for the first 

year was back in France in Fontainebleau, where Mark had 

secured a place to study for an MBA at INSEAD. 

On returning to the UK, Mark and Elspeth quickly moved 

up to Aberdeenshire. Sarah was born in 1988, followed by 

Rachel in 1992. Of all Mark’s achievements in life, the most 

important to him was the love and success of his family. He was 

unquestionably proud of his two daughters, and it didn’t matter 

what sort of trouble they got themselves into, the recourse was 

always the same – phone Dad! 

Mark was the fourth generation of Flemings to run the family 

company. He had a challenging task looking after the group 

of diverse businesses, but although it was a tough decision to 

sell the family firm, his timing was spectacular – achieving a 

successful sale soon before the financial crash of 2008. 

Mark had many interests. He learned to ski young, and skiing 

remained a joy throughout his life. He taught his daughters 

to ski in Scotland, enjoyed ski touring in the Alps and latterly 

cross-country skiing in Aberdeenshire during lock-down. But he 

equally enjoyed stalking, sailing and walking. His love of fourwheeled 

transport also matured with the years. Ultimately the 

karties were replaced by a vintage Rolls Royce and a Bentley, 

and in his retirement he took on chairmanship of the Grampian 

Transport Museum. 

Mark was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in Autumn 

2022. An otherwise extremely fit and healthy 75-year-old, he 

bore the news and faced the remaining few months of his illness 

with dignity and fortitude. 

[Sarah Fleming, with grateful thanks to Nicholas Randall 

for the Sabrina records]

114 


David Oliver Forshaw (Rt 1941-44) 

David Oliver Forshaw, known as Oliver (his father was a fan of 

Oliver Cromwell), was born in Cheam in Surrey on 12th June 

1927, but his family roots were in Lancashire and he lived in the 

north of England for most of his life. 

He enjoyed his days at Shrewsbury, where his love of rowing 

began. Cambridge and National Service followed and then, 

finding his vocation, he was ordained as a priest in the Church 

of England. He served his curacy in Leicester, before becoming 

chaplain to St Andrew’s School in Singapore. Thereafter, he 

served in West Yorkshire, West Cumbria and in South and North 

Manchester. Oliver felt called to areas of deprivation and he 

lived out his faith working tirelessly in parishes where there was 

often great need. The sacramental life was important to him and 

he was also a dedicated pastor, visiting people as much as he 

could. Many have commented on the profound impact he had 

on their lives. 

In many ways a kind, quiet and gentle man, Oliver was also 

fiercely independent and strong-minded. He certainly was ready 

to challenge authority and fight for what he thought was right. 

He has been described as “a doughty warrior for the truth”. 

A great admirer of the psychiatrist Frank Lake, Oliver was 

interested in pastoral counselling and became an accredited tutor 

with the Clinical Theology Association. He and his wife Jean led 

many groups and served on a regional panel of counsellors for 

clergy and their families. 

Oliver maintained his active interest in theology to the end of 

his life. In 2010, at the age of 82, his book Personhood and 

Christianity was published, reflecting his interests in theology 

and psychology. 

Oliver’s father was a well-known architect and Oliver too 

was interested in buildings, especially church buildings. His 

imaginative and creative nature came to the fore when he 

oversaw major church reordering schemes while vicar of St 

Thomas’ Heptonstall in West Yorkshire and St Luke’s Benchill in 

Manchester. In Benchill, he was also instrumental in setting up 

an ecumenical counselling and community project. 

As well as endlessly drawing plans and coming up with ideas, 

Oliver was also a practical man who enjoyed woodworking 

and creating new things from bits of old furniture or remnants 

of church buildings. His creativity also found expression in the 

garden he created when he retired to the Lake District and he 

became a skilled plantsman, particularly fond of conifers and 

other trees. He lived out most of his last years in his beloved 

Lake District which had always been part of his life. 

He died on New Year’s Eve 2022 and is survived by Jean, 

to whom he was married for 69 years, and by myself and 

my brother Daniel, four grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. 

{Judith Forshaw} 

Henry Joseph Millington Hambrook (SH 1942-46) 

Joe Hambrook was born in 1928 in Sumatra, where his father 

was the manager of a rubber plantation. When Joe was three, 

he and his sister were taken to England and left to be shuttled 

between boarding school and friends of their mother’s. 

Joe came to Shrewsbury and to School House in 1942. He 

kept some of his school exercise books, with neat diagrams of 

Greek naval battles. His stories about his schooldays included 

his performance of reading Ecclesiastes in the School Chapel, 

and the wartime sausages that contained bits of machinery! He 

was appointed a praepostor and won a scholarship to Trinity 

College, Oxford. Athletics was an important part of his university 

life, and he ran with the record-breaking Roger Bannister. 

After finishing his degree, Joe led a rather nomadic life, spending 

time in Spain and Italy. One Spanish trip included train crashes, 

avoiding the secret police and running parcels to the anti-Franco 

resistance. He then spent time in Ibiza and Mallorca with the expatriate 

communities of artists and writers and did research for 

the poet and novelist Robert Graves. 

In the mid-1950s, Joe spent three years teaching Latin and Greek 

at Eton. He found Eton a fascinating place to be at a time when 

British global power and influence were declining, particularly 

during the Suez Crisis. 

All through these years, he had also been doing bits of work 

in advertising, and he left Eton to work with the animator


Richard Williams. They set up a cartoon film studio in Rome, 

mostly making commercials. Joe met his wife, Maureen, 

in Rome; they returned to England, married and had two 

children, Katie and Dan. 

Joe became a television producer for the BBC’s English by 

Television, making highly regarded programmes for teaching 

English as a foreign language. His series Follow Me was watched 

by one hundred million people in China in 1983. The muchloved 

children’s cartoon, Muzzy in Gondoland, was later 

adapted for teaching many other languages. 

After Joe left the BBC, he was engaged in several languagelearning 

video and multi-media course designs, including 

projects to use the Muppets and Postman Pat for teaching 

English. He was influential in promoting the use of video in 

English language teaching. 

As his work began to take up less of his time, he and Maureen 

took up life in Italy again, spending a part of each year in an 

apartment in an old convent in Umbria. Sadly, Maureen was 

diagnosed with cancer and died in 2010. 

Joe died on 25th September 2022, and tributes from colleagues 

described their admiration for his talent, expertise, hard work 

and sharp mind. Many remembered him as an inspirational 

influence and mentor. He had a great gift for friendship and was 

remembered as warm and generous, entertaining and full of 

fascinating stories. 

[Katie Hambrook] 

Sir David Harrison (Governor 1980-2003; 

Chairman of Governors 1989-2003) 

David Harrison was born in Essex on 3rd May 1930, the son 

of Harold Harrison, a civil engineer, and his wife Lavinia. Part 

of David’s schooling took place in Sunderland, where he 

lived with an aunt, as an evacuee during the war. He showed 

an early interest in history; but science, in which he showed 

outstanding ability, finally claimed his allegiance and he became 

one of the most distinguished chemical engineers and scientists 

of his generation. After National Service in the Royal Electrical 

and Mechanical Engineers, he began his long association with 

Selwyn College in 1950, as an undergraduate. His PhD in 

Physical Chemistry in 1956 earned him a swift promotion to a 

Fellowship, in which he specialised in the study of fluidisation. 

In 1962 he married Sheila Debes, a teacher, whom he had met at 

a Cambridge party. She survives him, with their son, Michael, an 

accountant, corporate financier and civil servant, and a daughter, 

Sarah, a solicitor and magistrate. Another son, Tony, died, while 

a student, in 1986. 

As admissions tutor, Harrison made great efforts to encourage 

state schools to send candidates to Oxbridge. His intervention 

and personal encouragement transformed many lives. 

Harrison’s charm was matched with a steely determination to 

run things efficiently. His approach was always calmly analytical; 

he was a superb chairman. His administrative and networking 

skills equipped him well for a career beyond academic research. 

In 1979 he became vice-chancellor of the University of Keele 

and in 1984 he moved to the corresponding position at Exeter. 

In 1994 he returned to Selwyn College as Master, and from 

1997 was also deputy and pro-vice-chancellor at Cambridge 

University, as it sought to modernise its governance. He also 

worked over several decades with Homerton College in 

Cambridge, helping it to achieve full college status. The college 

named Harrison House and Harrison Drive after him. 

In broader public life Harrison was a keen advocate of gender 

equality and social opportunity, always anxious to improve the 

quality of scientific education and awareness and to provide 

better access to higher education for disadvantaged social groups 

and for women. “Teachers make the difference,” was one of his 

recurring mantras. 

His knighthood in 1997 was awarded both for services to 

education and for his contribution to nuclear safety. He 

headed an advisory committee giving guidance to government 

and parliament on the role of nuclear power generally, as 

well as on specific areas including the siting, operation and 

decommissioning of nuclear facilities. 

Harrison retired, up to a point, at the age of 70, though was 

still greatly in demand. However, there was now more space 

for other interests, including Lake District walking, cycling and 

reading history. He was a devoted churchgoer and he chaired 

the council of the Royal School of Church Music. 

A formidable member of what some would term “the great and 

the good”, Harrison had also greatly valued his work with those 

starting out from the bottom of the social pile, knowing the huge 

difference educational opportunity could make. The novelist 

Robert Harris, who had known Harrison since the age of 17, 

described him simply as “a wonderful educator — generous, 

wise, humane”. 

[With grateful acknowledgement to The Times] 

Ted Maidment (Headmaster 1988-2001) adds: 

I feel hugely privileged to have worked with David Harrison in his 

role as Chairman during 12 of my 13 years at Shrewsbury. He 

was the most perceptive and thoughtful of men. A distinguished 

scientist with a sharp, analytical mind, he was also utterly 

committed to helping younger generations find their way. To 

have been vice-chancellor of two universities and master of his 

college in Cambridge says everything in this respect. 

David’s handling of Shrewsbury’s governing body meetings 

was memorable. Brisk, well informed, always open to debate, 

courteous - and remarkably successful at achieving consensus. 

On a personal level he was immensely supportive. Always happy 

to make the long journey to Shrewsbury - first from Exeter and 

later from Cambridge - whenever required. Superb on the 

telephone. Mind immediately focussed and always shrewd. 

Often he would end his call on a much-appreciated personal 

note. “And you, Ted, how are you?” Lonely headmasters value 

these things! 

Sir David Harrison died on 27th March 2023, aged 92.

116 


Stephen Lewis (R 1954-59) 

Stephen Lewis was born in Bedford in 1940 but moved with 

his family to Windermere in 1944, where his father became 

headmaster of Windermere Grammar School. A supremely 

happy childhood included early education at the Craig School 

under the generous guidance of its Headmaster, Edward 

Hewetson (Ch 1915-21). 

Shrewsbury took over in 1954. Scholarship took priority over 

sport, although he represented Rigg’s with enthusiasm in most 

games. Stephen, along with his brothers Tim (R 1950-55) and 

Anthony (R 1952-56) were under the care of Hugh Brooke, a 

talented Housemaster and great influence on all three. 

Stephen became a Praeposter and Head of House and excelled 

in history, particularly under Michael Hart. He won an Exhibition 

to Peterhouse, Cambridge, following in his father’s footsteps. His 

father tragically died before hearing news of this achievement. 

Recently, Stephen was delighted to continue his education with 

Mr Hart at the annual Marlborough Summer School. 

After Cambridge, Stephen enjoyed a spell in the paper industry 

in the UK and Brazil. However, the invitation to travel home 

by boat to attend brother Anthony’s wedding proved a greater 

temptation and he accepted with alacrity. 

After a brief spell teaching, Stephen decided to become a 

Chartered Accountant, joining Anthony at a small but highly 

respected firm, Hodgson Morris & Co, in Liverpool. He was 

placed 22nd in the country in his exams and, after widening his 

experience with Coopers, he returned to Hodgson Morris. He 

and Anthony remained in partnership until the mid-1990s when 

the firm was taken over. Stephen left to build his own practice. 

Clients followed and became not only business associates but 

firm friends. He was still working for them from his hospital bed. 

At Anthony’s wedding, Stephen met and subsequently married 

Gillie Travis, younger sister of the bride. Anthony and Stephen 

were therefore brothers, brothers-in-law and business partners. 

Married life suited Stephen perfectly. He and Gillie became 

proud parents of Sally, Ros and Tom (R 1986-91), with eight 

grandchildren arriving in due course. Holidays were taken 

in Abersoch, where sailing became a pastime. However, for 

Stephen, the land and golf provided the stronger calling. At 

Royal Birkdale Golf Club, he was both Treasurer and Captain of 

that famous course, a role which Gillie also fulfilled for the lady 

members, emulating her mother and her aunt. 

When he wasn’t dreaming of splicing the fairways at Birkdale, 

Stephen found his way to Formby Golf Club, where he also 

served on the finance committee. He was a keen and regular 

player until shortly before his death and loved the repartee of 

the 19th hole. 

He never once complained about his bad luck in contracting a 

rare and aggressive cancer. Instead, he whiled away his time in 

hospital with work, crosswords and the horses. He might have 

become a bookie if he had his life all over again; changing from 

chartered to turf would have amused him. Like all gamblers, he 

didn’t disclose his losses, although he was proud to proclaim his 

winners on courses ranging from Aintree to Punchiestown! 

Stephen was a man of many parts - charming, warm-hearted, 

witty, informed and generous. He will be greatly missed but was 

the first to admit that he had had a good life. 

[Anthony Lewis (R 1952-56)] 

Shortly before he died, Stephen sent a brief account of a lunch 

attended by 11 former Riggites, held annually for nearly 20 

years, to remember their Housemaster, Hugh Brooke (Brookie) 

(see page 92). Pictured from L to R are: John Bolton, Francis 

Grundy, Nigel Burton, John Ingram, Mark Moody-Stuart, John 

Sellers, Michael Palin, Stephen Lewis, John Gilbert, Mrs Carol 

Boscoe (Brookie’s daughter) and Robin Hodgson. All were in 

RHJB between 1954 and 1962. 

John Alexander Salmond 

Mackenzie-Grieve 

(M 1951-56) 

John Mackenzie-Grieve was 

born in 1938 in London, where 

his Royal Naval father was in 

the Admiralty. After the war, the 

family moved to north Essex, 

where John was able to indulge 

his love of everything equestrian, 

with family friends who nobly 

allowed him and his sister to 

help with mucking out (and 

riding the steeds responsible). 

In due course John was dispatched to Shrewsbury. He devoted 

his sporting time to the RSSH (of which he became Hunt 

Secretary) and swimming, in which he also represented the 

School. For his last year he was Head of House in Moser’s. 

National Service in the Royal Navy followed. Adding fencing and 

shooting to his talents for running, riding and swimming, he was 

quickly involved in the Navy’s pentathlon team and won the 

inter-services competition. 

On leaving the Navy, John joined British American Tobacco 

(BAT), with which he spent ten years in East Africa. He devoted 

much of his spare time to another of his interests, natural history. 

His enthusiasm extended to pretty much everything wild, to the 

extent that when his fiancée, Jo Chevalier, first visited from the 

UK, after one look at the containers on the verandah she quickly


issued an ultimatum – either the snakes went or she did! 

John’s last posting in East Africa was to the West Nile District of 

Uganda. At that time, probably the area’s best-known son was 

Idi Amin, who had risen to command the Ugandan Army. One 

weekend the Army organised a tribal dancing competition and 

Amin hosted the affair. The writer of this piece, John’s younger 

brother Colin, was staying with John and his wife, as were 

Colin’s Housemaster, Robin Moulsdale, his wife Julie and their 

children. We were all spectators at the dancing competition 

and, seeing our group as almost the only Europeans present, 

Amin came over to John and invited all of us to cocktails at 

his compound. Halfway through the evening, Amin’s pilot 

arrived on a stretcher, covered with blood, having “fallen 

off a pavement”. But the event ended on a high note with a 

conga round the grounds, led by Amin, with John’s wife Jo 

immediately following and therefore gingerly clutching Amin 

(who was dressed in his regulation boiler suit) round his already 

ample waist. 

John left BAT when an opportunity arose back in the 

UK, to be full-time Hunt Secretary of the Pytchley Hunt 

in Northamptonshire. John and Jo (herself a very able 

horsewoman) never had fewer than six horses in their stables. 

Those years were followed by several at a veterinary science 

charity, The Animal Health Trust, and latterly by another 

spell as Hunt Secretary, this time for the Beaufort Hunt in 

Gloucestershire. 

John’s retirement years were almost as full as those that 

preceded them. Losing Jo to leukemia far too young (but 

some years later teaming up with Leila, who was to be his 

partner for the rest of his life), John threw himself into the 

work of conservation charities across the world, including 

several expeditions led by Colonel John Blashford-Snell, to help 

indigenous peoples in Amazonia. At the age of 79, John was 

sleeping in hammocks in the rainforest, as well as, much closer 

to his Wiltshire home, assisting with the re-introduction of Great 

Bustards to Salisbury Plain. In his early 80s, his previously good 

health failed him and he died, aged 83, on 21st August 2021. 

[Colin Mackenzie-Grieve (M 1964-68)] 

Philip Gale Marshall (DB 1960-65) 

“I am not a man, I’m dynamite!” was one of Philip Marshall’s 

favourite phrases, although it was borrowed respectfully from 

the legendary Frank McEachran’s book of Spells. ‘Kek’, in 

turn, leant upon Nietzsche for inspiration. Like the explosive, 

Philip Marshall made his mark. Born in Shrewsbury in 1946, 

the second of four brothers, Philip arrived fresh-faced from 

Prestfelde to join Stacy Colman’s Day Boys’ Hall in 1960. Within 

that decade of change, Headmaster Jack Peterson gave way 

to the reformer, Donald Wright, while Colman gave way to 

‘Jock’ Saint as Housemaster of Day Boys. Yet, like many boys, 

Philip was influenced particularly by his form master, D.J.V 

Bevan, about whom he reminisced fondly and frequently. 

Philip was a solid performer on the sports field. His triumphs 

included gaining his Army Proficiency Certificate in 1963, 

being in the cadet force and earning his novice boxing medal. 

After knocking a boy unconscious during one match, Philip 

became disillusioned with the sport, preferring the slightly more 

gentlemanly options of football and cricket. 

While Shrewsbury’s broad education stoked Philip’s lifelong 

interest in history and art, he was not a starring academic. 

Indeed, throughout his life, he held a healthy suspicion of 

academics generally, preferring common sense, worldliness and 

hard work above examination grades. Perhaps this attitude came 

from his time at Shrewsbury? Almost immediately after becoming 

a Salopian, Philip’s masters expressed doubts about his ability to 

join the family’s accountancy practice. In his summer 1961 end 

of term report, Housemaster Colman confirmed that his initial 

doubts about Philip’s mathematical skills were justified. By 1964, 

his maths teacher, ‘Percy’ Childs, confirmed that he was weak at 

this subject. 

Yet, as Shrewsbury’s motto confirms, if all is right within, trouble 

not, and all was right within Philip. Against the advice of his 

teachers, he aimed high and knuckled down to his professional 

accountancy qualifications, leaving Shrewsbury for Birmingham 

to work for Peat Marwick and Mitchell, now KPMG, en route to 

becoming chartered. He joined the family accountancy business 

in 1971 but his heart was really in business, which explains why 

he joined a struggling engineering and car sales firm, becoming 

a director in 1972 and chairman later, until his retirement. Thanks 

largely to Philip’s shrewd financial management, common sense 

and sound people skills, Lewis Marshall Holdings grew into one 

of the largest and most respected engineering businesses and 

retail car sales outlets in the county, scooping several national 

awards. It also brought Shropshire representation to some of the 

most well-known motorcar brands for the first time, including 

Volvo, Subaru and Hyundai. His contribution was recognised 

with an invitation to join the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures 

and Commerce. 

Philip married Sheena Kinnear in 1975 and they settled in Great 

Ness, just outside Shrewsbury. Two children followed, Robert 

(R 1994-99) and Suzanna (b. 1984). Philip threw himself into 

a well-deserved retirement, enjoying history, art and travelling 

and being a loving grandpa to his three granddaughters, before 

encroaching Alzheimer’s restricted his ambitions, although 

pneumonia ensured that he did not succumb to it ultimately. 

Like dynamite, his sudden passing in August 2022 leaves a huge 

hole in the Marshall family, which is also reeling from the deaths 

of his brothers, Keith (b. 1943) and Garth (DB 1964–69) nine 

months later. 

[Robert Marshall (R 1994-99)]

118 


Garth Roger Marshall (DB 1964-69) 

Garth Marshall was born on 6th August 1950, following his 

identical twin, Russell, into the world; they were the youngest 

of four brothers and lived with their parents, Mick and Vida, in 

Mayfield Drive, Shrewsbury. 

After attending Prestfelde Preparatory School, they came on to 

Shrewsbury School as Day Boys in 1964. Garth always had the 

fondest memories of Shrewsbury and formed many lifelong 

friendships there. Whilst at School, Garth and Russell discovered 

their need for spectacles - somewhat worryingly whilst on the 

shooting range! In their final year, since the School had two 

sets of identical twins at the time, they were asked to take part 

in Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, a production that is still 

remembered to this day by those who saw it. 

Upon leaving School in 1969, Garth and Russell started their 

first business venture together, opening a supermarket in Wem, 

Shropshire. Within a few years they opened two larger stores 

in Shrewsbury, located in Copthorne and the town centre, 

which both gained a loyal customer base. The stores proved 

a great success due to the twins’ enthusiastic personalities. In 

1985 they purchased the Longden Coleham Shopping Centre, 

and this marked the beginning of their transition into Property 

Management, which has been their main focus for the last 35 

years. Marshall & Marshall Ltd moved their administrative head 

office into premises on College Hill, Shrewsbury in 1987, and 

from there they have continued to build their Residential and 

Commercial Property Investment businesses. 

Family has remained at the heart of the business, and Garth’s 

elder brothers, Keith and Philip (DB 1960-65) worked alongside 

the twins for many years. Russell’s son, Oliver (Rb 2008-13), also 

joined the business upon leaving university. 

Away from work, Garth was a devoted family man, a committed 

Christian who worshipped at St Chad’s Church and he was 

a wonderful friend to many. He served on the Shropshire 

Horticultural Society Committee from 1978 to the present day 

and was a very well-known face at the annual Shrewsbury 

Flower Show, not least because he was such a genial host at 

Quarry Lodge. Garth was made a Vice-President in 2010 and 

his work on the Committee was recognised in 2018 when he 

attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. 

The Old Salopian Club played an important part throughout 

Garth’s life. He relished returning to the School for the various 

events and found it a tremendous opportunity to rekindle 

old friendships and start new ones. Having been a passionate 

supporter of the School, one of his proudest moments was 

when his son, Harry, was awarded a Butler Scholarship and 

entered Radbrook in 2018; Garth was then able to continue his 

relationship with the School as a parent and he quickly became 

a familiar face to the current Salopian community. 

Garth was the beloved husband of Penny, a devoted father 

to Sarah, Daisy and Harry and proud grandfather to Charlie. 

He passed away peacefully on 13th April 2023 aged 72 years, 

following a short illness. As has been so clearly demonstrated 

in the many hundreds of cards and letters received since his 

death, Garth was a true gentleman, a treasured friend and a very 

special person who will be missed by many. 

[Robert Marshall (R 1994-99)] 

Bob Parker (Staff 1975-97) 

Bob Parker, an explorer and mountaineer, climbed with many 

of the big names of his generation on crags from the Derbyshire 

Gritstone to the European Alps and Dolomites, as well as further 

afield in the Himalayas. But, of course, at Shrewsbury, he was 

best known for the indelible contribution he made to crosscountry 

running and athletics. 

When Bob arrived at Shrewsbury in 1975, Huntsman Kim 

Walker remembers his “new-fangled training ideas” as something 

of a shock to Hunt runners, who were used to a gentler and 

more civilised regime from former RSSH Masters-in-Charge, 

Willie Jones and the eccentric ‘Mort’! 

Bob transformed the School into a formidable force in crosscountry 

running and athletics, including ‘back-to-back’ victories 

in the prestigious King Henry VIII relays in Coventry. He 

coached numerous County Champions, some of whom went on 

to compete at international level. 

Bob was born in Chesterfield in 1938, educated at King Edward 

VII School in Melton Mowbray and Imperial College London. He 

married Heather in 1965, with Neil and Lynn arriving soon after. 

He was the proud grandfather of two granddaughters. 

In his younger days Bob was a very good middle-distance 

runner himself, and at the age of 42, he ran the London 

Marathon in under three hours. 

Bob came to teach ‘O’ and ‘A’ level physics at Shrewsbury. 

Head of Science, John Furniss, described him as an 

“outstanding physicist” and a “brilliant problem-solver”, who 

was able to tailor his teaching approach to both the cleverest 

and the less able pupils. 

He was also a House Tutor in Ingram’s. 

Bob loved the outdoors and the quiet enjoyment and profound 

experiences that wild spaces bring, a passion that he passed on 

to numerous Salopians through his involvement in Basic Year 

with the egregious ‘Fred Hall’, as well as leading many Rovers 

expeditions into the wilds of Wales. He taught rock climbing 

as one of the Thursday afternoon CCF activities on the gym 

climbing wall, which he had designed. He cheerfully gave his 

time to coach, instruct and enthuse not just those who were 

good, but also those who were prepared to have a go; he 

epitomised “Just do it” before Nike had ever thought of it! 

He instilled in us that the key to being successful in life was 

sheer hard work: put the preparation in, then reap the rewards: 

“A lot of plodding makes you a very good plodder!” 

A kind, straightforward man, he was as understated as he was 

capable, and we all loved his dry sense of humour. Another of


his great admonitions was in response to our complaints about 

the shower facilities at a cross-country event. Bob told us that he 

used to be grateful for “a bath in a puddle”! 

One of his well-known habits was to rub his hands together 

when he was pleased or excited about something, which he 

explained had emanated from trying to keep warm in the 

mountains. He was definitely ‘one of a kind’. 

Bob retired early in 1997 due to ill health, but he continued to 

be involved with the RSSH throughout his retirement, attending 

races and quietly advising and encouraging pupils. He was 

a Past Chairman of the Old Salopian Hunt, and we were all 

pleased to celebrate his 80th birthday with him and Heather at 

the annual OSH dinner in November 2018. 

The RSSH was recently honoured by World Athletics as the 

birthplace of cross-country running, and Bob was a great 

supporter of the Hunt’s traditions. He would also run with the 

hounds (pupils) on the weekly runs, so I leave you with a 

vision of him running with the Hunt on foot, just like they did 

originally over 200 years ago, across fields, through woods and 

streams, and over the hedges and farm gates of the spectacular 

Shropshire countryside 

[Tim Bedell (S 1974-78, Huntsman 1977-78)] 

Professor Sir Eldryd Hugh Owen Parry KCMG OBE 

(SH 1944-48) 

Eldryd Parry was born in Cardiff on 28th November 1930, the son 

of Owen and Constance Parry, who were both GPs in the city. 

Eldryd loved Shrewsbury, but he was not so sure about the 

general assumption that he would become a doctor. In a letter 

to his father, written when he was 16, he made it clear that he 

wanted to pursue an interest in old furniture and work at the 

Victoria and Albert Museum. The reply was sent by telegram. 

“Don’t dare shirk Cambridge exam. Father.” Eldryd took the 

exam, abandoned the idea of working with old furniture, 

and was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, to study 

medicine, in 1948. 

Eldryd’s pioneering approach to treatment was shaped, 

however, in Cardiff, where on one occasion, he accompanied 

his parents as they examined an emaciated patient, living in a 

derelict tenement close to the city’s docks, who was suffering 

from respiratory disease. For the first time, Parry appreciated the 

social determinants of disease. 

After Cambridge, Eldryd trained at the Welsh National School of 

Medicine in Cardiff, where he also experienced life as a patient. 

He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to undergo a 

thoracotomy as well as treatment with drugs. After recovering, 

he moved to Hammersmith Hospital. In 1959, he met Helen 

House at a bible study group in London. The daughter of literary 

scholars, Helen was an English teacher and university lecturer. 

Six days after their marriage in Cambridge in 1960, they sailed 

from Liverpool to Lagos on a voyage that would change their 

lives and eventually have a profound impact on the treatment of 

patients in many parts of Africa. The couple had four children: 

David, who is a gardener based in Japan; Julia, an English 

teacher and author; Anna, who is a screenwriter; and Tiggy, 

who is director of the charity Project Food and played a role in 

the development of Parry’s Trust. 

In Nigeria, Eldryd joined the medical staff at University College 

Hospital. He had agreed to spend a year there on secondment 

from the cardiology department at Hammersmith Hospital in 

London to study endomyocardial fibrosis, a form of heart disease 

that was prevalent in southwest Nigeria. 

He would spend three years in Ibadan and most of the next 

60 teaching African doctors, influencing the development of 

medical services in the region — and learning several languages 

along the way, including Amharic and Hausa. 

He recorded that “we were dealing with diseases that had never 

even been properly described…… at times I had to look after 30 

acute medical beds: in my sixth year out of medical school: this 

was quite a challenge.” He “began to distinguish between the 

classic notion of tropical medicine and what he calls ‘medicine 

in the tropics’. The former is concerned with a group of diseases 

found in particular regions; the latter with the practice of general 

medicine but modified by infection and poverty.” 

Subsequently he returned to Hammersmith for two years, but 

then took up a post at the Haile Selassie University in Addis 

Ababa, Ethiopia, before returning to Nigeria, where he spent 

eight years from 1969 as professor of medicine at Ahmadu Bello 

University in Zaria in the north of the country. Subsequently 

he become founding dean of the faculty of health sciences at 

the University of Ilorin in western Nigeria, and then dean and 

professor of medicine at the Kwame Nkrumah University of 

Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. 

In 1976 he produced Principles of Medicine in Africa. Whereas 

English textbooks catered mainly for doctors working in urban 

hospitals, Eldryd concentrated on the needs of medical staff 

caring for impoverished rural communities, and demonstrated 

how different diseases presented in different circumstances. 

In designing treatments, Eldryd believed that the patient’s 

home and working environment were all-important, taking 

into account geography, climate, the availability of food, water 

and sanitation, and the cultural background of the patient. He 

identified the core question for good clinical practice in Africa: 

“Why should this person, from this place, present in this way, at 

this time?” 

By 1988 Eldryd was back in Britain as director of the Wellcome 

Tropical Institute in London and preparing to make his next 

great contribution to the development of medical services in 

Africa: he founded the Tropical Health and Education Trust, 

which aimed to tackle the shortcomings in the training of all 

health workers throughout east and west Africa.

120 


Initially the Trust was run by a small group of people, with 

Eldryd as chairman, and a handful of close associates, including 

his wife, who became trustees. They established partnerships 

between institutions in Britain and Africa, to train health workers. 

NHS hospitals in Nottingham and Leicester supported new 

medical schools in Jimma and Gondar, in Ethiopia. The trust 

flourished and expanded, working in five African countries as 

well as Myanmar, then known as Burma. Eldryd’s achievements 

were “colossal . . . Eldryd shaped undergraduate medical 

education in the whole African region”. Recognition came 

in 2011: he was knighted for his contributions to healthcare 

development. 

Although he had long given up the idea of working at the 

V&A, Eldryd held an interest in traditional Welsh furniture and 

collected pieces throughout his life; he read voraciously, loved 

poetry and would always pack a Shakespeare play in his case 

on a trip. A keen gardener, he had an allotment in Fulham, not 

far from his London home. He never lost his love of Wales. In 

later life, he learned the language and read a psalm in Welsh 

each day. The family had a cottage on the Ceredigion coast. 

Eldryd continued working almost to the end of his life. He 

remained chairman of his Trust until 2007 and was a special 

professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of 

Nottingham until 2018. In his eighties, he was still delivering 

lectures at King’s College, London and would lock the doors of 

the lecture theatre to prevent latecomers from entering. In his 

view, students needed to be professional and on time, ready for 

their roles as doctors in the health service. 

He raged against quick fixes and, like a Welsh nonconformist 

preacher, urged his audiences to prepare for the long haul. 

Among his favourite poems was Up-Hill by Christina Rossetti, 

which he would sometimes quote at the end of speeches. 

“Does the road wind up-hill all the way?/ Yes, to the very end./ 

Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?/ From morn to 

night, my friend.” He died on 13th November 2022, aged 91. 

[With grateful acknowledgement to The Times.] 

With his wife, Helen, on their wedding day, just before sailing to Lagos in 1960 

Jonathan Charles Peat (Staff 1980–2008) 

Mere weeks before he was taken from us untimely, and 

despite being ravaged by cancer and its failed chemo cure, JCP 

remained his own inimitable witty and stubborn self. He may 

have been content to plough his own furrow at times, but he 

certainly relished, and enormously contributed to, the friendship 

of others. 

Educated at William Hulme Grammar School, he gained a 

seventh-term physics scholarship to Brasenose, aged just 17. 

After a PGCE in sport at Loughborough, he was appointed to 

Shrewsbury in 1980, where he quickly earned respect for his 

engaging, philosophical intellect. As the top-squad rugby coach, 

member of the Chapel Choir, and Tutor in Rigg’s Hall and then 

Ridgemount, he was rapidly integrated into the wider school life, 

while his trips to Tally and peer hospitality revealed generosity 

and substantial culinary skills. 

Jonathan is survived by Cathy, née Duffield and daughter of the 

then Director of Studies, whom he married in 1981, and their 

two sons Christopher and Andrew. Appointed to Radbrook in 

1987, Jonathan strove with them to provide an environment 

in which the pupils could flourish. Abiding by his own high 

standards, he demanded them in others, all the while fostering 

the whole person; House and School music and drama were 

strongly encouraged at a time when the average Salopian diet 

was comprised substantially of academia and sport. 

It was not all plain sailing. The tragic dissolution of his first 

marriage led Jonathan along a difficult personal path, including 

the premature relinquishing of his housemastership of 

Radbrook in 1995. But by turning down the offer of a Deputy 

Headship elsewhere, his continued presence at Shrewsbury 

ensured the smooth running of some demanding tasks, for 

strong organisational skills and mastery of complex, innovative 

technology were his trademarks; he also tutored and produced 

musicals in Churchill’s. It brought him, too, into contact with 

Susie Tait, a widowed teacher, and a lively friendship evolved. 

Despite an apparently well-armoured, almost bristling, exterior, 

Jonathan was an erudite and jovial raconteur, and if occasional 

minor exaggerations led to the gentle embellishment of a story, 

so much the better; Susie was highly amused with his school 

nickname ‘Bouche’. They married in 2000 in Clive Church, 

Jonathan also becoming the father figure, and inspirationally, to 

Susie’s then 12-year-old son, Matthew. 

Jonathan moved in 2008 to Moreton Hall as Director of Studies, 

following his wife’s appointment there as Head of Mathematics. 

Retirement in 2011 allowed them both to settle near Limoges 

in their house renovation project, where Jonathan could work 

on his rudimentary linguistic skills, indulge his wide interest 

in classical music, develop his considerable craftsman’s ability, 

and continue his culinary magic. Susie remains there with the 

labradors. 

As producer, Jonathan’s favourite musical was Jesus Christ 

Superstar, and his production featured a three-metre-high cross 

from which intense white light could emanate. There was a 

lovely occasion when, grinning with anticipation in the empty 

gloom of a dimly lit theatre, he said, “Watch this” and switched it 

on. His faith, never overt, was sure. 

[Philip Lapage (Staff 1982-2018)]


Alan Geoffrey Phillips (O 1944-49, Staff 1960-76) 

Geoffrey Phillips was born in 1931, the son of Alan and Ethel. 

Alan was a Master at Shrewsbury, who taught Chemistry from 

1929 to 1964 and was Housemaster of Moser’s from 1939 

to 1956. Geoffrey was an avid sportsman during his time in 

Oldham’s, playing 1st XI cricket, football, and as a member of 

the first or second pair in fives. He particularly excelled in cricket 

as a number 3 bat, and in fives. 

Geoffrey‘s enthusiasm for sport continued after he left school: he 

played cricket for the Saracens in the Cricketer Cup and fives for 

the Jesters. His all-round sporting activity also included tennis, 

squash and golf. After leaving school, Geoffrey did National 

Service and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 

Royal Artillery. The Army tried to keep him longer, as he was 

such an asset to their cricket team. Whilst at Worcester College, 

Oxford, having gained entry on languages, Geoffrey changed 

to Geography and Geology after his first year. He never lost his 

linguistic talents, and he remained fluent in German and could 

manage well in French. He continued to play squash and 1st XI 

cricket at the university. 

Geoffrey started his teaching career at St Paul’s, London, after 

marrying Betty, whom he had met while at Oxford and he 

remained in London for four years. In 1960, he returned to 

Shrewsbury, where he taught Geography and was heavily 

involved in coaching sport. He coached 1st XI cricket, U16 

football, fives and squash. He enjoyed a two-year Sabbatical 

from 1968 to 1970 at Tripoli College in Libya. This was an 

English-speaking school, which followed the UK syllabus up 

to A-level. 

From 1970 Geoffrey was Housemaster of Rigg’s Hall. His first 

three sons were all educated at Shrewsbury and in Day Boys. 

Geoffrey left Shrewsbury in 1976 and remarried, after divorce 

from Betty. Subsequently he had two more sons, who were 

educated at King’s School in Stamford. Geoffrey’s subsequent 

teaching posts included Witham Hall prep school in Lincolnshire 

from 1976 to 1991 and also in Oman from 1991 to 1993, where 

he taught English as a foreign language to the Royal Guardsmen. 

He died on 11th May 2023, in Kempsey, Worcestershire. 

[Dr Peter Phillips (DB 1970-75)] 

Richard Oliver Quibell (S 1951-56) 

Richard Quibell was born in 1938 in Lincoln and had three older 

sisters. He was educated at Summerfields in East Sussex before 

arriving at Shrewsbury in 1951. Richard enjoyed his school days, 

especially his time on the sports fields. During the holidays, he 

played cricket and football for the Lincolnshire teams. He served 

as Head Boy in 1956. 

His national service was spent in the Malayan jungle with the 

Cheshire Regiment. He said eating snake steak was like eating 

chicken but very bony! On return, Richard joined Gonville and 

Caius College, Cambridge, where he read Chemistry and Natural 

Sciences. He then completed a Diploma in Education. He was 

an active member of the Hawks’ Club and a keen fly fisherman. 

Richard served as a master at Eton for 36 years,15 of those as 

a housemaster. He found teaching and being a school master 

challenging but very rewarding. His mantra, ‘friendly, firm 

and fair’, was well known and his approach garnered respect 

among the boys. In 1970, with support from the students, 

Richard established the first Eton Christian Forum Society, which 

continues to thrive today. 

His choice of a career in teaching was in part influenced by his 

love of sport, as the longer holidays enabled him to continue 

with his own sporting interests and to enjoy his 64-year 

membership of Lord’s, as well as to support football at White 

Hart Lane and Wembley stadium. He was present at the football 

World Cup victory in 1966. 

He met his wife Sue on a ski holiday and they married 

in 1967. She survives him, together with their three sons 

and six grandchildren. Their married life was founded on 

the principles of the Christian faith; their 55 years together 

reflected their decision to walk humbly in joy, peace, 

kindness, generosity and love. 

Richard retired to his beloved Dorset countryside in 1999. He 

was a lay reader for over 50 years and helped in the local 

Benefice and particularly through two interregna. He played 

golf, walked, travelled and continued to fly fish and enjoyed 

watching sporting events. Richard and Sue moved to West 

Sussex in 2016 in order to be nearer to their family. He died 

peacefully on 10th December 2022. 

The Quibell armorial motto ‘Deo Confido’ serves as an accurate 

depiction of Richard’s lifelong faith. During his well-attended 

service of thanksgiving, Richard’s family affirmed their intention 

to take up his baton of trust in God as a tribute to Richard’s 

faithfulness to them and to his belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

122 


Michael John Anthony Rhodes (DB 1947-51) 

Michael Rhodes was born in 1933. At the age of eight, the family 

moved to Uffington, Salop, where his father was Rector, and 

Michael first went to Prestfelde and then came to Shrewsbury 

as a Day Boy. He was immensely proud of the School, where 

he was a ‘wet bob’ - enjoying rowing, sailing and canoeing 

(albeit modestly) for most of his active life. Although not a great 

academic, he read widely, having been greatly influenced by 

‘Kek’ (Frank McEachran), and he would often recite his favourite 

‘spells’ to his family and friends after a convivial meal. 

He left Shrewsbury to study Chemical Engineering at 

Loughborough, and in 1954 he moved to the North West to 

take up a role with Shell at their Carrington works, first as 

technologist and later as a Chartered Engineer. During his time at 

Shell he became involved in the Shell Motor Club, taking part in 

rallies as driver, navigator or marshal, as needed. It was here that 

he made many friendships, which lasted throughout his life. 

Michael was an active member of the Scouting community. 

He started as a Scout Leader, became Warrington District 

Secretary, a post he held for over 20 years, and finally Honorary 

President, receiving the Silver Acorn Award and Bar for 

distinguished service. During his time in Scouting, he instilled 

into innumerable boys his love of the outdoors, of canoeing, hill 

walking and map reading, as attested by the many friends who 

attended his funeral. 

After retirement, travelling became an important feature of his 

life, and with his wife, Kathryn, he spent many holidays abroad, 

mainly in France but also in most other European countries. 

Michael always said he had had a wonderful life. He rejoiced in 

his love of the family, who will always remember his extensive 

knowledge and his wide interest in every aspect of life. He died 

peacefully at home in Lymm, Cheshire on 29th November 2022, 

and is survived by his wife, Kathryn, their two sons, Tim and 

Nick, and three grandchildren. 

[Kathryn Rhodes] 

Richard John Graham Waldron (R 1950-54) 

Richard Waldron was born on 4th May 1936 and attended 

schools in Wales, Switzerland and Australia, before settling into 

the Shrewsbury family of Rigg’s Hall. Richard gained his love 

of rowing at Shrewsbury and although a bout of pneumonia 

denied him a place in the 1st VIII, he always enjoyed whatever 

oar he pulled, whether in an eight or in a sculling boat: he 

was at home on the water. This love-affair would continue 

throughout his life as he rowed for other institutions, including 

the Hong Kong Rowing Club some years later. 

He loved his time at Shrewsbury and recalls a time when, as 

the School’s tug-of-war team anchor, he had been caught tying 

off the rope to a tree during training, making victory against 

his friends assured. His time in the Combined Cadet Force, 

reinforced by his father’s example, gave him an interest in 

joining the services. After Shrewsbury he travelled to Kenya to 

stay with family and, after a while as a farm hand, he enlisted for 

two years’ voluntary service with the Kenya Regiment. 

Subsequently, he continued his global travels from Kenya to 

Hong Kong, to Malaya and around Europe, before settling back 

into the UK where he became a wine merchant, life assurance 

salesman, equipment salesman and many other roles to boot. 

He fell in love with Lynne Susan Campbell at an RNLI ball in 

Trearddur Bay, Angelsey and they went on to have a long and 

happy life together, travelling the country in the pursuit of work. 

They lived in Cheshire, Henley, Wales and Oxfordshire, finally 

retiring to Somerset. After a short but tough battle with old age, 

dementia and physical ailments, Richard passed away peacefully 

on 7th March 2023 at the age of 86. 

Richard was a staunch supporter of the RNLI and had asked 

for donations to be made by any who wanted to honour his 

memory. Donations so far have now resulted in Richard ‘Walrus’ 

Waldron being placed on the side of the new Whitby lifeboat. 

He is remembered by his loving wife of nearly 50 years, 

Lynne, by his two children, James and Katie, and by his four 

grandchildren, Isaac, Jacob, Ivy and Matthew. 

[James Waldron and Katie Baker]


Salopian Club Contacts 

Sport 

Cricket (Saracens) – Tom Cox tom.cox@gowlingwlg.com 

Rowing (Sabrina) – Rod Spiby rod.spiby@bulleys.co.uk 

Football – Guy Williams guy.d.williams@hotmail.com 

Golf – Charles Hill charlesgchill@hotmail.com 

Hunt – Peter Birch info@crbirch.com 

Rugby – Tom Plaut t.plaut@outlook.com 

Fives – Sam Welti swelti@advantainvest.co.uk 

Squash – Ben Stirk benstirk@hotmail.com 

Racquets Club – Tom Gerrard tdgerrard@yahoo.co.uk and Will Briggs briggsy999@gmail.com 

Yacht Club – William Matthews wjmatthews89@gmail.com 

Basketball – Bryan Yick bryanyick@gmail.com 

Women’s Sport – Elle Gurden e.gurden@hotmail.co.uk 

Social, business and recreational 

Young Old Salopians – Becky Home becky-home@hotmail.com 

Salopian Arts – John Moore jufum123@gmail.com or Henry Southern henry.southern@gmail.com 

Salopian Magazine – Richard Hudson rth@shrewsbury.org.uk 

The Salopian Drivers’ Club – Miles Preston miles.preston@milespreston.co.uk 

Head of Futures (Careers) – Chris Wain cwain@shrewsbury.org.uk 

Property Group – Toby Clowes tobyclowes@me.com 

Solution to Crossword on page 81

SALOPIAN CLUB FORTHCOMING EVENTS 

• More details can be found on Salopian Connect salopianconnect.org.uk 

• Except where stated, email oldsalopian@shrewsbury.org.uk 

• Follow us on Social media: Facebook.com/oldsalopians Twitter.com/OldSalopians Instagram.com/salopianclub 

Linkedin.com/company/the-old-salopian-club 

All Shrewsbury School parents (current and former) and guests of members are welcome at the 

majority of our events. 

Email is still our principal method of communication, so please do make sure we have your contact 

details which can be updated via the Salopian Club section of the School website and by scanning 

the QR code opposite. 

Friday 25th – Monday 28th August 

Old Salopian Football Club Tour to 

Prague 

Prague 

Saturday 2nd September OSFC Season starts in Arthurian League Various 

Saturday 2nd September SDC Visit to Car Collector Jack Henley Marden, Kent 

Saturday 16th September Annual OS Hunt Alumni Race Roehampton 

Tuesday 26th September 

OS Freemasons Lodge meeting 

and dinner 

Civil Service Club 13-15 Great Scotland 

Yard, London SW1 

Saturday 30th September Old Salopian Day Shrewsbury 

Saturday 14th October OSFC v School Matches Shrewsbury 

Sunday 12th November Remembrance Sunday Shrewsbury 

Wednesday 15th November 

Salopian Club AGM and City Drinks 

Cavalry and Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly, 

London W1J 7PX 

Saturday 18th November OS Hunt v RSSH Run and Dinner Shrewsbury 

Thursday 23rd November Birmingham Drinks All Bar One, 43 Newhall Street B3 3NY 

Friday 24th November 

Saturday 25th November 

Durham and Newcastle University 

Gathering 

Edinburgh Gathering 

Durham TBC 

Sunday 3rd December Carol Service and Christmas Drinks Shrewsbury 

The Wally Dug, 32 Northumberland 

Street, Edinburgh EH3 6LS 

Sunday 21st January 2024 Epiphany Service St Mary-le-Bow, London EC2V 6AU 

Monday 22nd January 

Salopian Club Full Committee Meeting 

Stephenson Harwood, 1 Finsbury 

Circus, London EC2M 7SH 

Saturday 17th February Oxford Gathering Oxford TBC 

Friday 23rd February SDC Annual Dinner Turf Club, London SW1 5AQ 

Wednesday 20th March 

Schools’ Head of the River Race 

Blue Anchor, Hammersmith, London 

W6 9DJ 

www.shrewsbury.org.uk

The Salopian Summer 2023

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