In Focus/OB Bulletin Summer 2011
Page 43
To commemorate the School‘s 150th year, we are launching an appeal to raise money to commission a sculpture in bronze, incorporating a water feature, which will be sited in the area in front of Bushell Hall. Alan Blain, Head of Art, has made a series of drawings using different ideas and design suggestions put forward by staff, students and Old Birkonians. Opposite is just one of the drawings which depicts figure in reflective pose sitting on a pathway encircling a globe. The globe is etched with a bird‘s-eye view of the School campus. The pathway is inscribed with the School Motto and the 150th year. There have been appeals in the past where Old Birkonians have been able to mark their affiliation with the School the teak benches with the brass plaques round the Cricket Field and, many years ago, the oak chairs in Bushell Hall were inscribed with their donor‘s name and dates at School on their backs. Old Birkonians who subscribe £250 or more will have the opportunity to have their name and dates inscribed on the sculpture itself. Donations, of course, may be gift aided. More information, a donation form and Gift Aid form may be downloaded from our School website at: www.birkenheadschool.co.uk - just click on the advert on our home page. Alternatively, please contact the School for further information and forms. Donors will be kept informed on a six-monthly basis about the progress of the appeal and the final design of the statue. The Appeal has already been kick-started with a donation of £1,000 from Dr David Cooke OB (1957-1970) who lives in Fremantle, Western Australia. An avid art collector, he works at Fremantle Hospital and runs a luxury Bed and Breakfast Fothergills, a heritage listed building which also houses his art collection.
Preparation for the publication last September of Birkenhead School Pictorial History 1960 to 2010 has kept the Archives team (a dozen enthusiasts) well occupied for some considerable time and since then there has been the opportunity to concentrate on new projects. Book sales have been going very well! A summary of the book is being prepared in the George De Ritter Gallery in the form of 50 large display panels, one for each respective year. This will be available in future years as an immediate visual display of the School‘s history. On the staircase approaching the Archives Department it is planned to produce a similar display devoted solely to the 150th celebrations. Much of the information now received in Archives is in electronic form and most of our photograph collection has now been scanned. Starting from the records for the year 2000 we are planning to store this information so that cross referencing of names and events will be possible – clearly this will be a
challenging project Some material we have is not directly linked to the School and we plan to sell such items on ebay possibly in the near future For those who remember Charlie Jones, PE teacher from pre-war to the late fifties, we have recently received from his family a large and most fascinating collection of photographs and documentation associated with his time at the School. This will take some time to analyse and store. We deal with a regular stream of enquiries concerning Old Birkonians of all ages. We welcome visitors any Monday morning 10am to 1pm except Bank Holidays – there will always be a coffee and a biscuit to welcome you!
Alan Hanson archives@birkenheadschool.co.uk
The complete accounts of the Old Birkonian Society for the last financial year will be available at the AGM on Satu rd ay 3rd September. After this date, they will be available to view or download from the Old Birkonian website. Those who do not have Internet access may apply for a copy from The Old Birkonian Society, Alumni Office, Birkenhead School The Lodge 58 Beresford Road Oxton, Wirral CH43 2JD