Societies & Events

Bloomsbury Society Beerbohm Society

Emily Xu (Su) and the Beerbohm Society have continued creating excellent comic art. Featured is some recent work.

Emily has also come runner-up in a major international manga comic competition. This is a fantastic conclusion to Emily’s time at Charterhouse. She hopes to pursue this interest further and we wish her all the best in continuing the great tradition of comic artists at Charterhouse.

Things were odd to begin with: the society, which has usually functioned as an opportunity for articulate obsessives to discuss books and literary ideas, did not really thrive during Lockdown. This was partly due to the usual problem, which is that its most active members tend to be Oxbridge candidates and, therefore, likely to fall apart, or asleep, throughout the autumn; the spring, traditionally, is destroyed by coursework – and the summer, of course, is too awful to think about.

When the dust settled, however, we found ourselves with a group of very well-read, very thoughtful people. At first, we did the things you’d expect a society to do: one week, Amelia Groom (F), our distinguished leader, said intelligent things about Paulo Coelho; another, Ciarán O’Lionaird (C) gave a presentation on ‘The Modern Orientalist’, making dizzying links between disparate literary texts, films, and beans; another week was dedicated to a group reading of a play.

Gradually, however, things began to change. I suggested a meeting dedicated to a discussion of the evolution of the sonnet, asking members to bring along texts of their own choice. But most of the texts brought turned out not to be sonnets, and to be their own poems. That kind of slippage is the sort of thing you learn to expect. The surprise was that the writing was so good, so technically tight, so well-performed, and so well-received. Stranger still, this was a group of listeners attentive enough to be able to give advice, and writers thoughtful enough to be able to act upon it.

For a while, therefore, the Society functioned as an ad hoc salon playing host to anarchic but hugely productive sessions which almost always seemed to end (as these things should) with Matthew Parnall’s (G) poem about penguins. Finally, however, we made one last shift: Ciarán had written a brilliantly edited version of Edward II, cast almost exclusively from members of Pride and Bloomsbury Society. All these people tend to be horribly over-committed (which is why we had to change our meeting times three times in the first term), so it was hard to schedule readings and rehearsals. By the end, the Society had been reinvented one final time as a repertory theatre, culminating in a rare, dramatized reading of Marlowe’s play as our contribution to Artifex.

Zoe Lau (F) has very kindly agreed to lead the group next year. Where she will lead it is, of course, anybody’s guess.

Mr Charlie Hall

Christian Union

The Christian Union continues to thrive, with weekly meetings in Verites House Library well attended by pupils from across the year groups. To avoid possible Covid issues, most of the sessions were led by members of Brooke Hall this year, although we were also grateful for a number of visiting speakers. In OQ, the talks and discussions addressed questions about Jesus, looking at passages in Luke’s Gospel, and we also had a very lively question panel in one week. During LQ, we looked at challenges to Christianity, such as whether science has disproved the Bible; whether all religions lead to God; and how a loving God could allow suffering. In CQ, we looked at the difference that being a Christian makes, with titles such as “Peace in an anxious world” and “#Godliness in a digital world.” As always, the annual BBQ at Artifex was a highlight, with around 65 gathered in beautiful evening sunshine to hear a very clear talk and to enjoy some excellent food. We look forward to meeting again in September. As ever, anyone is welcome.

Mr Ed Reid

Entrepreneurship Society

The School’s growing Entrepreneurship Society has had a productive year, with a number of budding entrepreneurs sprinting to the deadline of a presentation to be delivered in front of the Senior Leadership Team ‘Dragons’. Our two standout groups were ‘Banco’, a School timetabling and organisation app for the digital native, and ‘The Creators’, a rebranding of the School’s entrepreneurship and innovation offering. These two groups have worked tirelessly to prepare world-class pitches. Banco, if it receives angel investment, will be piloted by the School next year, and The Creators will become the new brand for Charterhouse Entrepreneurs. In addition, a separate branch of the Society saw eight pupils take Microsoft’s Citizen Developer exam with support from OC Alex East (R08). It has been a standout year for entrepreneurship at the School and one on which we hope to build next year.

Mr Stephen Barnett

Fashion and Textiles

In the elective programme this year, 1YS pupils had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of pattern cutting and garment manufacture. Pupils translated their designs into pattern pieces, toiles, and final tops. The Fourths have been exploring the intricacies of the drawn and stitched line, and have experimented with texture, colour, and composition. Recently, Fourths have also been working collaboratively to print and stitch into a wall hanging that will be displayed in an exhibition at Godalming Museum.

At the beginning of the year pupils were making their first forays into hand stitch techniques, and by the end of OQ, the hashroom had become a hive of activity, with pupils working on a broad range of projects.

The Groundlings

The Groundlings Drama Group for Drama Scholars and Drama enthusiasts has had a successful year. The final performance of Snow White and the Eight Dudes was performed to prep schools during Artifex. This modern adaptation of the classic tale was an ensemble piece and it enabled all of the performers to showcase their talent and over-exaggerated style. The piece began with a movement sequence to Dolly Parton’s ‘9-5’ with Timipre Ebimami (L) taking on the role of Dance Captain and the first Evil Queen. The staging was minimalistic, consisting of nine chairs and some essential props to ensure the group understood the demands of ‘Theatre in Education’. The different locations of the piece were created by unison movement echoing Pina Bausch’s Chair dance. Eve Dailly (N) played Snow White and was supported by Jessamy Manches (N), AmberJade Black (N), Alfred Smith (R), Jemima Jones (Su), Poppy Everest (C), Andile Thabethe (D) and Matilda Taylor (Su). Matilda also took on the role of designer and sourced the props. Congratulations to the company for their commitment and dedication to The Groundlings this year.

Mrs Rebecca Pugh

History Society

This year has seen another successful and engaging programme provided for the people (of Charterhouse History Society), by the people (of Charterhouse History Society). Veterans of the History Society line-up have naturally stepped up to the plate. I am grateful to Danny Cross (R), Caspar Stansfield (V), Ryder Hammond (V), Henry Anderson (L), Ritvik Mekala (B) and Finn McCooke (B) for providing us with excellent presentations on topics ranging from the Reconquista in Spain to the First Anglo-Afghan War, to the story of Namibia’s independence. I am also encouraged by the tremendous amount of fresh talent from our new members, with Giovanni Fiorilla Di Sancta Croce (V) and Kingston Tew (R) putting in stellar performances in their opening talks. Rory More O’Ferrall (H) also provided us with his long-awaited and well-delivered debut on the British Empire. Thank you also to George LakeCoghlan (S) and Yusuf Furniss (D) for their excellent support from the wings, making sure that the venues were well set up and cleared away either side of the Society’s meetings. I would like to thank our leavers – George, Henry and Yusuf – for their years of service to the Society and to wish them all the best with the next steps on their educational journey. I look forward to seeing the gems from the past that our pupil speakers will unearth for us next year.

Mr Will Tink

Investors Society

The Investment Society has gone from strength to strength this CQ. Yash Seth (H) and Utkarsh Seth (H), having earned School colours for their founding of the Society, have now passed the baton on to Maria Nesterenko (N) and Dino Franassovici (g), who have great plans for next year. This CQ has witnessed a number of world-class speakers and events, including an inaugural ‘Girls Are Investors’ evening, encouraging girls from across the School to get passionate about investing. The CQ investment programme culminated with over 100 pupils taking part in a trading simulation afternoon, trying their hand at being buy- and sell-side traders.

Mr Stephen Barnett

UK Linguistics Olympiad

2022 was Charterhouse’s first ever year competing in the UK Linguistics Olympiad. The UKLO is an international competition, in which pupils are required to solve a range of extremely challenging linguistic puzzles.

This year’s competition saw Carthusians tackling sentences in Bislama creole, the Mazateco whistling language and Zuni. Caspar Beyer (P) is the first and only Carthusian to have won a UKLO Gold, coming in the top five percent of all entries. Caspar advanced to Round 2, eventually placing 45th in the world and narrowly missing out on selection for the GB Linguistics Squad. Bronze medals were also awarded to Hope Kiernan (Su) and Justin Wang (L), both of whom did exceptionally well.

A big congratulations to the other Carthusian entrants: Viggo Terling (g), Stasys Milius (g), Animesh Katti (S), Benjamin Cole (B), and Freddie Halford (W).

Mr Michael Dawson

Jacob Rees Mogg

On Thursday 12 May, the Politics Society welcomed the Rt. Hon. Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, to speak at the School.

With anticipation the assembled audience, comprised of Politics Society members, beaks, parents, the Deputy Head and Head, awaited Mr. Rees-Mogg on Thursday evening. It seemed that a large part of the School had defied the call of Cricket Quarter banco to fill up a heaving Lecture Theatre.

Mr. Rees-Mogg arrived slightly late. He had been with the Prime Minister, attending a meeting of the Cabinet. Nonetheless, our collective excitement peaked as Mr. Rees-Mogg climbed the spiral staircase and strode into the packed-out room. After a brief introduction, Mr. Rees-Mogg stood to speak. He focused on several key areas: the war in Ukraine; the cost of living crisis; and the quality of the government. He underlined the importance of a strong response to the Russian invasion, an invasion that in his view posed the greatest threat to world order since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Minister reminded the audience how China and other states would be watching the British and American response and determining whether they would be able to make their own offensives, such as in Taiwan. Moving to the cost of living crisis, Mr. Rees-Mogg took a Thatcherite stance, attempting to justify the need for increased interest rates by citing high levels of inflation. He concluded with a stout defence of the government and its handling of domestic issues, praising the Prime Minister for his response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As soon as the Minister sat back down, the hands shot up. The war in Ukraine was a popular topic, with the audience asking the extent to which Britain would protect other European countries, but questions also moved to matters closer to home. Mr. Rees-Mogg gave no ground on Partygate, stating that it was an irrelevant issue and recalling that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had been fined after simply arriving early for a meeting. In his opinion, the attentions of the press should therefore move away from the affair, as well as Beergate, affecting the Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition. Inevitably, Brexit was a much-probed topic. One 2YS inquired why we had left the Single Market, when in his opinion it would have saved households more money. The Minister responded by arguing that consumers now had a better choice of better value products since leaving Europe, and that the trade of products from the rest of the world outside of the European Union had been prevented to protect the interests of others in Europe. As an example, Mr. Rees-Mogg explained how the UK had not had access to affordable Florida oranges, simply as a result of Brussels’ desire to protect Spanish orange-growers.

Towards the end, an enthusiastic spectator boldly asked from the back, “Charterhouse or Eton?”. It was a question that could have stumped an Old Etonian with a long family connection to Charterhouse such as Mr. Rees-Mogg. However, he smiled and explained that his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, nephew and niece were all Old Carthusians. That won it for him, and he answered, “Charterhouse” - a diplomatic choice!

Mr. Rees-Mogg was kind enough to stay after for drinks in Oak, chatting to members of the Politics Society and answering further questions. Regardless of one’s own politics, it is perhaps difficult to deny Mr. Rees-Mogg’s politeness, conviction, and eloquence.

The Politics Society is very grateful to Mr. Rees-Mogg for coming to speak to us and for staying afterwards to chat in Oak. The Politics Society is also grateful to the Mr Turner and to Dr Sutton for their help and support in organising the talk.

Rory More O’Ferrall (H)

Pond Meadow

Community partnerships: Volunteering at Pond Meadow School in Guildford

At the start of this academic year, a small number of students composed mainly of 1YS and 2YS embarked on the Pond Meadow Garden project. Pond Meadow is a special needs school based on the edge of Guildford for pupils aged 2-19. The aim of the project was to create a vegetable garden from scratch just outside the main education building. Each week, a handful of Carthusians visited Pond Meadow with gardening supplies donated from Charterhouse School and the Guildford Lions Club.

Max Dyer (L)

Over the year, our team of volunteers and the enthusiastic pupils at Pond Meadow School have collaborated to transform an empty patch of grass into a flourishing garden. Throughout this time, we have worked on various projects such as the creation of vegetable patches with walkways so everyone could enjoy spending time in the garden and watching it develop. Painting birdboxes, chairs and tables has added colour to the garden, alongside using repurposed planters to display the vibrant flowers. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, interacting with the pupils, forming a connection over the last year and being able to have a joint purpose. It was inspiring to spend time outside and see the growth of this amazing project within the local community. I have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity and the skills I have learnt are invaluable. I would recommend that everyone gets involved with the huge breadth of volunteering opportunities Charterhouse has to offer as they give a truly enriching experience.

Iona Marney (F)

Upon our first visit to Pond Meadow School, I was oddly moved by what seemed to be a field of weeds and overgrown grass. I knew that the creation of this sensory garden was important, but I never expected it to become as meaningful to me as it is now. Instead of an (albeit beautiful) field of weeds, beds of radishes, spring onions, peas, sunflowers, and even trees have now been rooted there. Working with the students and staff, we all turned the normal patch of weeds into something of a haven, for both the students of Pond Meadow and for us, the Carthusians. This may all sound trivial and perhaps advanced gardeners may even scoff at our efforts. However, it is the Pond Meadow students’ dedication and determination to create something beautiful that sets it far apart from a mundane garden. Throughout this year, in the chilling winds of winter and the blistering heat of the sun, we worked together to plant as many plants as we physically could in the worm-enriched soil. The time spent with the students and staff, hovering over weeds and squirming at bugs, are some of my most treasured memories.

Zoe Lau (F)

Pride Society

It has been an excellent year for the Pride Society, which has seen the group almost quadruple in membership, indicating the dynamic character of the LGBTQ+ community at Charterhouse. The group has met on a weekly basis throughout the year and has been involved in a range of School-wide initiatives, including consultations with the Head and SLT regarding inclusion and diversity in the School and contributions to the planning of LGBTQ+ History Month in February and Diversity Week/Pride Month in June. The latter two events saw the Progress Pride flag flown from the flagpole, and Prince’s Avenue illuminated in the colours of the rainbow for an evening in late winter.

The group has welcomed several external speakers into our meetings, including OC Gabriel Brown (G20) who returned to the School to discuss his experience of coming out at Charterhouse, and Ian Cole, the NHS LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer who came to deliver an excellent and informative outreach session for the students. Pride also attended a fantastic production of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart at the National Theatre in London in November, which was a moving portrayal of the political activism surrounding the AIDS crisis in New York in the 1980s and allowed students to gain insight into an important period in LGBTQ+ history.

Pride has grown exponentially this year and has become a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and allies alike to come together in solidarity and friendship, and to discuss experiences of discrimination, share sources of support, and strengthen ties in the community. I am very grateful to the excellent student leaders of the group, who have been called upon to assist with the running of various events throughout the year and have played a significant role in shaping the future of LGBTQ+ inclusion at Charterhouse. I am very proud.

Mr Chris Jones

Year in Library

At the end of May we had a very special Jubilee tea party

The Magic Eye book was a huge hit at the STEM Fair

Most borrowed Fiction

1. One of Us Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus 2. Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell 3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid 4. The Appeal, by Janice Hallett = 5. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley / Heartstopper vol. 4, by Alice Oseman

Most borrowed Non-Fiction

1. Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions, by B. Christian and T. Griffiths 2. Immune: A Journey Into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive, by P. Dettmer 3. Michael Jordan: The Life, by R. Lazenby 4. The Penguin History of the United States of America, by H. Brogan 5. Ruling England, 1042-1217, by R. Huscroft

For World Book Day in March we had a literary dinner party