AYLESBURIAN MAGAZINE FROM THE ARCHIVES 1930s

As we reach the end of the 1930s it is impossible to read the pieces contributed by both staff and students, often full of such joy and youthful optimism, without the immense sadness in the knowledge of what was about to befall them and indeed most of the world. Clearly at the time, whilst the political situation deteriorated steadily, school life carried on, happily looking to the future..

Despite the onset of WWII, the school did publish a 1939 edition of the Aylesburian magazine in December. Due to the evacuation of London AGS welcomed students from Ealing County School for Boys. A split shift system was employed with AGS students attending school in the morning, and Ealing students attending in the afternoons. Aside from this announcement in the Headmaster’s notes, there is little mention of the conflict at all in the publication’s pages.

AYLESBURIAN MAGAZINE FROM THE ARCHIVES 1930s

In 1939 we see the formulation of the Brodie Trophy, a ‘Challenge Cup’ for the then four Houses to compete against each other. The Cup was donated to the school by the family of Mr Palmer Brodie, a member of staff who sadly died unexpectedly in 1938. Previously the Houses had competed in individual events, but this was the first time the idea of an overall season winner was introduced.

The inaugural winners of the Brodie Trophy were Ridley House, who as the article reports, are thereby named ‘Cock House of the School’. That particular title seems to have died out for some reason…

At the other end of the table, Phillips House had, what can only be described in any era as ‘a complete shocker”…

We are still some years off the creation of the Watson Trophy, so please note the inclusion of Chess in the sporting pursuits programme here