The Lion 2019-2020

THE LION 2019-2020

SCHOOL Pages 1-59

ARTS Pages 60-98

TRIPS Pages 99-116

SPORT Pages 117-164 OLD HAMPTONIANS’ CHRONICLE Pages 165-206

EDITOR Mike Baker DESIGN AND DTP Jiri Musil FRONT AND BACK COVER Quantock The Editor wishes to thank: Nick Woods Sarah Dearden Liz Colvine Alumni Office Team Denis Fuller

The period between March and July 2020 – it soon acquired the sobriquet ‘e-Hampton’ – was probably the most enervating that I have experienced during 25 years in teaching. But due to the collective efforts of Hamptonians, parents, alumni and colleagues, it was also a time characterised by inspiring levels of ingenuity, kindness and good humour.

Boys and teaching staff remained connected via live lessons on Microsoft Teams and continuity of learning was maintained; an imaginative range of online sporting and other co-curricular challenges helped Hamptonians to remain active in mind, body and spirit. A personal highlight occurred when our always imaginative and resourceful Voices of Lions choir performed a stunning online rendition of He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

by The Hollies – the lyrics felt particularly apposite and poignant given our physical separation from one another.

Reading this edition of The Lion will hopefully allow Hamptonians everywhere to gain an appreciation of one of the most extraordinary years in our School’s long and distinguished 463-year history. Our talented editor, Mike Baker, deserves the highest praise for ensuring that the 2019-20 version of our magazine is so typically engaging, vivid and multifaceted. This is no mean feat given the context of a global pandemic and the government’s closure of school sites for six of the twelve months involved! The following pages amply demonstrate the remarkable successes of our community during ‘lockdown’ and also celebrate Hampton life before Covid-19 became so prominent in our daily lives.

The academic year began with our 2019 Leavers securing record-breaking A Level/Pre-U results, reaffirming that Hamptonians are annually among the country’s highest-achieving young people. Equally superb GCSE results ensured that our Fifth Years were able to embark upon their Sixth Form studies with confidence and renewed vigour.

Prominent within the autumn term’s events was an official opening ceremony for the new gateway on the western border between Hampton and LEH. Older alumni will doubtless recognise this as a significant development since the days when staff conducted lunchtime patrols of the Hampton-LEH boundary, in scenes reminiscent of 1961-89 Berlin. This new material connection between the neighbouring sites is emblematic of the increasing collaboration between our two schools.

One of Hampton’s distinguishing features remains our compelling blend of exceptional academic outcomes, top echelon sporting achievements, and a wide-ranging cultural programme. In the autumn we were treated to another sell-out Hampton-LEH senior musical, Return to the Forbidden Planet, which saw the cast revelling in a fusion of sci-fi and Shakespeare.

Before the pandemic’s unwelcome intervention, an impressive series of Hammond Theatre concerts across all genres had showcased the breadth and depth of musical talent across the School. Meanwhile, the junior musical, The Wizard of Oz, provided wonderful entertainment, and a Sixth Form-led production of Simon Stephens’ hard-hitting contemporary drama Punk Rock captivated audiences in the Garrick.

Hampton Sport continues to thrive and while creative digital alternatives had to be found during the summer term, there was plenty of consolation to be found in three of our Football squads – the Second XI, Under 16As and Under 16Bs – being crowned 2019-20 English Schools FA (ESFA) champions. In the oval ball game, our First XV squad flourished and was extremely unfortunate that a last-gasp try by Rugby School denied them a place in the RFU Champions Trophy final. Covid-19 sadly prevented our rowing crews from competing on the water during the regatta season, although there is a very healthy number of Hamptonians in the Boat Club and this bodes well.

In one of our weekly summer term Hampton@Home e-newsletters, I referenced some especially memorable words from one of my favourite writers, Maya Angelou: ‘My mission in life is not merely to survive… but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion… some humour, and some style’. Our School community subscribed to this philosophy in admirable fashion throughout lockdown and undeniably testing waters were navigated by remaining optimistic about what could be achieved together in innovative, open-minded ways. Embracing the potential of digital technology was at the heart of this and the pace of the School’s development in this area has been a silver lining of the Covid-19 cloud.

We quickly became adept in the use of video conferencing, Firefly and OneNote, although the Hampton phrase of the year, as in so many other settings, must surely be ‘you’re on mute’! I wish that the Fitzwygram Foundation had benefited by a pound for every time that phrase has been gleefully directed at a classmate or teacher since mid-March.

In reflecting upon the tumultuous global and national events that transpired during the 2019-20 academic year – my seventh in The Headmaster’s study – I have more reason than ever to be grateful for our School community’s distinctive togetherness, vibrancy and warmth. It is evident that the authenticity of our Hampton values is enabling us to meet the challenges of the pandemic with equanimity and cheerful resilience. Former Intel CEO, Andrew Grove, observed that ‘Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, good companies survive them, great companies are improved by them’. Much the same could be said about schools and I am confident that Hampton will emerge, post-Covid, as an even better, stronger and more agile community. It has certainly been uplifting since September to see (and hear!) Hamptonians back in classrooms, around the corridors, and on the playing fields and 3G. March to July 2020 proved beyond doubt that our buildings and grounds are not meant to lie empty and should resonate with the energy and joie de vivre that over 1300 teenage boys supply in abundance.

Leading our School remains an enormous privilege and a source of great personal joy. I am indebted to boys, parents, alumni and colleagues for the parts they play in making this so.

I do hope that you will enjoy this edition of The Lion. It has been quite a year for us all!

Kevin Knibbs Headmaster

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Anthony Ellison

Alex Hopton

Caroline King

I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Economics Department at Hampton. I am passionate about Economics as it is so relevant to the real world and provides a way to understand and make sense of complex issues around us. It also helps us understand how individuals and firms, such as Amazon and Netflix, make decisions and become super successful.

Having always had a strong interest in Science, I pursued Science A Levels as a pupil and then went on to Kings College London to read Chemistry, following this with a MSc from Bath University.

After studying Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge University, I worked for many years as a strategic planner in international advertising agencies – Saatchi & Saatchi, DMB&B and Leagas Delaney – where I helped to develop engaging communication campaigns for multinationals such as Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble and Roche Pharmaceuticals.

But, after almost a decade in business, raising five children and living in the Middle East due to my husband’s diplomatic career, I realised that I wanted to go back to my abiding interest in Economics and started tutoring A Level pupils – which I have found hugely rewarding. I am now looking forward to teaching at Hampton, a school with an impressive reputation and a strong Economics Department, and to passing on my enjoyment of Economics to my pupils.

I was born and brought up in Cambridge, but my family is originally from Chile. I am bilingual in English and Spanish and also teach Spanish. Outside teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking our lovely black Lab called Theo, doing Pilates and Zumba, oil painting and playing music.

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Having spent a few years in industry in the research and design of cosmetics, I returned to university to complete a PGCE at Roehampton University. I have never looked back! I spent six years teaching Science at a vibrant state comprehensive in Sutton, before pausing to have my own family. I am now delighted to be returning to the world of education at Hampton School as a cover supervisor.

During the last term of home-schooling my three children and trying to keep the family safe during these unprecedented times, my catch phrase seems to have become, ‘Careful, no hospital trips!’

The one benefit has been the number of walks our labradoodle has had – although her preferred activity is to jump into the paddling pool! I am a big fan of long, pacey walks and I am currently working my way through knitting a blanket, having taught myself the basics – it may take some time!

I am greatly looking forward to joining Hampton School and becoming a part of the community there. Please do say hello to me when we pass in the corridor.

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I am very much looking forward to joining the staff of Hampton School as a Teacher of Chemistry from September 2020. As a longserving – ‘lifer’ – chemistry teacher, I am increasing the average age of the Hampton School Chemistry Department by a number of years, but I would like to think that I still remain young at heart!

I began my teaching career at Cranleigh School in September 1982. After four enjoyable years in ‘deepest’ Surrey, I moved – for the first time – to the mean streets of Hammersmith to teach chemistry at St Paul’s Girls’ School from 1986 to 1991. Having taught by then for a total of nine years, I decided to apply for the position of Head of Chemistry at St John’s School, Leatherhead.

Seven wonderful years followed there, during which time I was also an Assistant Housemaster in a boarding house. In September 1998, I was appointed as Head of Science at Queen’s Gate School, London during which time I became firstly a Principal Examiner and then, a few years later, Chief Examiner for Edexcel A Level Chemistry. I subsequently served as Chemistry A Level Chief Examiner from 2005 to 2019.

I returned to St Paul’s Girls’ School as Head of Chemistry from September 2006 until August 2017, during which time I authored a number of A Level chemistry textbooks for Collins Educational publishers and two A Level Independent Learning Resource Packs for Hodder.

Most recently, I completed a one-year maternity cover post in the Chemistry Department at St Paul’s Girls’ School – again! – for the academic year 2019-2020.

My hope is that ‘normality’ will be restored in schools by September 2020 and that it will be possible to teach my chemistry lessons at Hampton School, face-to-face and in a laboratory!

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David Sharkey

Eileen Mullan

Beth Tiller

Some see things as they are and say ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and say ‘Why not?’

– George Bernard Shaw

So what should you expect? Well gentleman, the first thing is height. Plenty of it. The second is big hair. Think 1980s. You get the picture.

The irony of an Irishman teaching English in England is not lost on me. If I am being truly honest, I only ever intended to do it for a year or two before heading back across the Irish Sea, but, now entering my 13th year in teaching, here we are.

My subject is Economics and I have heard that you are a bright cohort, so I am excited about unleashing your potential.

I join Hampton’s Drama Department excited to return to teaching following a year of travel and volunteer work. After starting my teaching journey at a school on the Isle of Wight, where I completed my PGCE, I returned to the mainland, working and living at a boarding school in Surrey for the next two years.

Having trained as a teacher at King’s College London, I worked at Holland Park School and then, most recently, at Shiplake College as Head of English for six years. In between those posts, I did manage a two-year trip home to undertake a House Master's position at my alma mater.

When I am not teaching, I am likely to be coaching rugby and I have been involved in the sub-academy program at Wasps for the last three years. I also have a coaching role with the rugby ‘arm’ of the Honourable Artillery Company, which is something I thoroughly enjoy.

Two interesting – well, I shall let you decide – facts about me are that I took up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in recent years (I am terrible) and that one of my middle names was inspired by the name of an Italian monk. If either of those cannot prompt a conversation then frankly, I do not know what will.

While it is not my favourite book, I think that F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby has the best combination of opening and closing lines of any book. Please feel free to suggest an alternative or just to tell me I have that wrong when our paths cross.

I am looking forward to taking an active part in school life at Hampton in the English Department. It is my hope that I can create meaningful and lasting connections with all of those I have the privilege to work with at this wonderful school.

What I would like you to understand is that Economics can be a powerful weapon. Your A Levels are important, but, beyond that, I really hope that some you will go on to make a difference to people's lives, using economics. The Covid-19 crisis should help you to see that the interactions between governments and their citizens, can aggravate, or alleviate, disastrous situations. One day, YOU could be the alleviators. The humble supply and demand curves – which many of you will come to know very well – are merely a launch-pad. Theory alone does not cut it. You need to open your minds to what is going on, in the outside world, and then envisage a brighter future.

In sum, this is not about me. It is your show.

Enjoy.

I made the bold decision to leave my previous teaching position in 2019, in order to fulfil my dream of exploring the world and teaching in different communities.

The reality of this dream, however, was that after six months of climbing volcanoes in Bali and ziplining through the mountains of Canada, I was grounded back in the UK. I spent the remainder of my ‘delayed gap year’ treating my weekly trips to Sainsbury’s with enthusiasm, documenting them for my newly established travel blog. If you are wondering, yes, I have lost a lot of followers.

Following my, somewhat unsuccessful, launch into the world of travel blogging, I am delighted to join Hampton School. Theatre has been such an influential aspect of my life for as long as I can remember, and I thrive off sharing my passion with others. I cannot wait to see the immense talent of the pupils at Hampton firsthand.

‘It is my hope that I can create meaningful and lasting connections with all of those I have the privilege to work with at this wonderful school.’

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Ewan Zuckert

George Haynes

Harry Hooper

My musical education began at school in Scotland, as I was lucky enough to be taught by numerous inspirational music teachers. This motivated me to take the subject further, culminating in achieving a Masters, specialising in clarinet performance, from the Royal College of Music in London.

I was born in Yorkshire – but grew up in Warwickshire – attending Solihull School on a full scholarship. Whilst there, I threw myself into the co-curricular activities that were available: the rugby XV, saxophone groups, chapel choir, school plays, and an ill-advised stint in the ceramics club – I had a severe lack of ability in that department...!

This is my first job as a teacher. Previously I have worked in Insurance, Recruitment and most recently for a Proptech StartUp. From these posts, I have gained all kinds of experience – not least in mentoring younger members of the team.

I am excited to be joining the PE Department and I am looking forward to working as part of what appears to be a highly successful team. I will also be found in other parts of the school covering lessons where needed.

During this time, I enjoyed playing with several of Scotland’s leading professional orchestras, a highlight of which was a tour to India with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. I am particularly excited to run co-curricular ensembles at Hampton and to be fully involved in helping to run the numerous concerts.

I am delighted to be able to return to Hampton School, as I very much enjoyed teaching here for a period in January 2019. I have never been far away; I have also taught for a number of years at LEH both in the Senior and Junior Schools, and as a piano and clarinet teacher.

Outside of school, I love long walks with my dogs, turning wood on my lathe, and horse riding. Most weekends, my wife and I can be found trudging around the Surrey countryside dodging showers!

I cannot wait to get to know the school, and all the staff and pupils at Hampton, and I am excited for all that lies ahead.

After school, I studied Maths at Durham University, continuing where I had left off with my commitment to co-curricular activities. I like to think I was a great proponent of one philosophy of the university: ‘Don’t let your degree get in the way of your education!’

After university, I followed the natural career path for a Maths graduate in becoming a professional actor. During my career, I performed on stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe, The London Palladium and on West End stages in a variety of productions and have even performed for royalty! I tutored Maths for seven years alongside my acting career and am very much look forward to joining the Mathematics Department at Hampton.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking – I even baked my own wedding cake! – listening to The Archers on Radio 4 and avidly following the England cricket team. I am always up for a chat on feminism, bemoaning England batting collapses or unpicking the latest Murakami novel.

Having played sport against Hampton, I am familiar with the size, stature and prestige of the school and I am thoroughly looking forward to working in a school with such a focus on pastoral and co-curricular education.

I have a degree in Sports & Coaching Studies and sporting experience including representing England Under-18s at cricket and the ISFA South of England Under-18s at football. As a Leeds United supporter, it has been a particularly great summer! I still play football, cricket and golf regularly.

More recently, I have developed a passion for selfimprovement and every January I set myself a target for the year, ranging from reading a book a month, to running 1000 miles in a year, to making sure I get all 5 of my 5 a day. I have a thirst for learning that I perhaps lacked at school and find myself listening to podcasts and reading a wide range of books I would never have picked up in the past.

I am married to Eloise and we have a one-yearold son, Alf. We live in Camberwell.

‘I cannot wait to get to know the school, and all the staff and pupils at Hampton, and I am excited for all that lies ahead.’

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Kit Saunders

Nivetha Vasanthakumar Lauren Ferreira

In and amongst the chaos caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, I have completed my PGCE at King’s College London. I am delighted to be joining the Classics Department at Hampton and cannot wait to get stuck in come September.

After graduating with a degree in Mathematics, I left the London university environment to take up my first teaching post in 2015 in an independent school for boys and girls in Surrey. I have always been interested in Mathematics from a young age and enjoyed exploring Geometric Proofs. I now aim to attend lectures and courses, which look at the real-world applications of Mathematics and enjoy working on puzzles and logic problems.

I have always been fascinated by Classics and enjoyed my undergraduate degree in Classics at Durham University. I further indulged my interest in Classical philosophy and wrote my Masters thesis on Lucretian metaphysics.

I was fortunate to attend two boarding schools from the age of seven which enabled me to try my hand at both music, sport and theatre. I play saxophone, clarinet, and piano and have enjoyed playing in ensembles and particularly enjoy playing and listening to jazz.

Throughout school and university, sport has been a real passion of mine. I have played in Rugby, Football and Hockey teams and played Tennis and Golf in the summer terms. I am looking forward to coaching Rugby at Hampton. I am a Bath rugby fan, having grown up in Bath, and support Arsenal.

I spend much of my free time cooking and enjoying restaurants – needless to say I am very much looking forward to the end of lockdown! I also take great pleasure in travelling and particularly enjoy skiing.

As a teacher, I enjoy passing on this knowledge to the next generation and exploring Mathematics with my pupils. I have been a Form Tutor for four years and have had pastoral leadership responsibilities, building strong relationships with both pupils and parents.

Aside from Mathematics, I would like to think I have a number of hobbies. I enjoy reading, going to the cinema – as a Marvel fan I have a few superhero, bobble-head figures on my office desk – and baking, where I have made a wedding cake and several birthday cakes! Over the past few years, I have been focusing on improving my health and fitness through meditation, short outdoor runs and going to the gym.

I am very much looking forward to joining the Hampton school community and a brilliant Mathematics Department; it is going to be an exciting new chapter in both my life and career!

‘...it is going to be an exciting new chapter in both my life and career!’

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I spent my childhood in Reading, Berkshire, before gaining my degree in Theology from Grey College, University of Durham. While my degree was broad in its coverage, my main academic interests are Ethics and how society’s relationship with religion and faith is changing. I will happily join in any debate, study or discussion on belief, culture and politics today!

By taking up this position, I become the third generation in my family to go into teaching!

Coming from a family of teachers, I felt it beneficial to pursue a career outside of teaching first. After university, I worked in Education Sales at The Independent and i newspapers before working in Editorial in academic book publishing.

During my publishing days, I voluntarily tutored pupils who faced difficult circumstances, and it was at this point that I turned towards teaching.

I spent a year working closely with pupils with autism and complex special educational needs before undertaking my PGCE at the University of Cambridge this past academic year. I am delighted to take up this post at Hampton School, and excited to be a part of the school community.

One of the activities I enjoyed at university was coxing for my college boat clubs, and I look forward to being part of the HSBC team! I also enjoy long bike rides, wild swimming, reading and I am currently learning to play squash. I am a huge foodie, and I love being a tourist at home and abroad.

While I have always been excited to begin teaching at Hampton School, going through this unprecedented time has reinforced how much I want to contribute to the academic, pastoral and co-curricular life at Hampton. I very much looking forward to meeting you all.

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Tom Lees

Vonn Abeabe Jimenez

I grew up in West Sussex and attended RGS Guildford, and so my last visit to Hampton prior joining this summer was in 2010 as the opposition for some rugby and football fixtures!

Nationally Spanish, ethnically Filipino, and a proud Londoner since the age of one. I cannot wait to begin my journey as a teacher at Hampton school!

After leaving school, I worked as a gap year student at a boarding school in New Zealand for a year – it was here that I discovered my love for teaching.

I have recently finished my integrated Master’s in Chemistry with Industrial Experience at the University of Bristol and completed my final year project as part of the Bristol Solar and Electrochemistry group. I also helped kickstart the University of Bristol Filipino Society.

Upon my return from the Southern Hemisphere, I studied Mathematics and Economics at the University of Exeter, and, after graduating, I trained as a teacher on the Teach First Leadership Development Programme, which saw me placed in a challenging school on the outskirts of Bournemouth. After two years on the South Coast, I moved to the sunnier climes of Southeast Asia, where I spent four years working at Dulwich College (Singapore). During this time, I was Head of Year as well as a Mathematics Teacher.

Outside of teaching, I am a lover of all things active and am a regular player of football and golf as well as a watcher of anything sport-related! I am also a keen photographer, and so I am looking forward to exploring Europe again with my camera.

I am thrilled to be joining Hampton and am excited to be working within the Mathematics and Economics Departments, in addition to being involved with coaching football.

During my placement year, I worked as a research scientist in an advanced materials company.

Whilst being in a laboratory was fun, I realised that was not my passion and decided that I wanted to inspire the next generation of chemists!

Outside of chemistry, I love watching sports, and I am a huge Los Angeles Lakers fan, and admittedly a Real Madrid fan.

When I am not spraining my ankle trying, and failing, to play sports well, I love to cook, bake, and eat everything! As both a chemist and a foodie, it is only natural that I perfected my baking skills during the recent lockdown.

Hampton has an amazing reputation, and I am excited to join everybody in being proud to be a part of such an outstanding school! I have heard fantastic things about the Chemistry department at Hampton and look forward to help instil my enthusiasm for Chemistry in our pupils!

I am a firm believer that education is not just about academic success and so I am looking forward to contributing to the community at Hampton in any way that I can.

‘Hampton has an amazing reputation...’

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Elisabeth Watson The School has, after 37 years, not only played a significant role in my life but also in the life of every member of my family, as we have all been involved in the life of the School in some way or another.

My two sons, Ben and Luke, were both pupils at the School. They both loved their time at Hampton, where they were fully involved in the co-curricular life of the school, as well as thriving academically. They made lasting friendships and are still in regular contact with their Hampton friends.

Our daughter, Rachel, went to LEH, but she had all her individual Music tuition at Hampton and, as a result, regularly played her violin and her clarinet in Hampton School concerts. She also studied Russian for A Level, which in those days was taught jointly with Hampton in the Sixth Form and so she was a frequent visitor to the School.

In recent years, my husband, John, has also played his part by giving interview training to Oxbridge Engineering candidates.

Hampton is a very special place and it has been wonderful to see the way in which the School has developed and established itself in the community over the last 38 years. And yet, despite the many changes which it has undergone, the sense of community and the importance of relationship are still at the heart of all that Hampton does, and it continues to be a place where both pupils and staff are highly valued for who they are.

It has been a privilege to work in such a committed, vibrant and caring community for so many years.

Elisabeth Watson

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school Making a start at a school at the beginning of Easter term, as Lis Watson did when she came to Hampton in January 1983, often makes for a more awkward transition than arriving in September, particularly as she was coming on a part-time basis, having recently returned from a long and happy sojourn in Brazil. Moreover, she was entering a school that was still very masculine in ethos, if not quite so markedly as previously in personnel, and entering an English Department that was in the middle of a long period of stability – outsiders might have said stagnation – and replacing Nick Hills whose bright and breezy – and tuneful – presence was sure to be sorely missed. If Lis even noticed these potential problems, it was certainly never apparent – but perhaps women, even in that relatively recent era, had become so practised at camouflaging inward trepidations that as mere blind men we simply didn’t notice. Gregarious, chatty, affable and engaging, Lis immediately became a fixture at the English Department table in the Common Room and sealed her place by becoming a firm favourite with the Head of English, Alan Jones. As some dedicated bachelors are wont to be, Alan was susceptible to flattering female attention, which Lis perhaps became aware of, but Alan was earnestly and professionally impressed by Lis’s teaching and it was not long before he admonished us with the opinion that Lis’s knowledge of grammar was better than that of the rest of us: we did not demur and – aware of our shortcomings – did not even resent his remarks, perhaps reflecting that this was unsurprising as she spoke three foreign languages fluently. Indeed, it was these very skills that would in time, though it was close to a decade in fact, gradually loosen her ties to English as she taught at different periods French, German, Portuguese and Religious Studies as well – such versatility is a rare gift to a school and a godsend to timetablers! It is a great tribute to Lis that whilst calmly and expertly negotiating all the demands such a varied schedule imposed, she was managing a busy household and bringing up her three children. And indeed, I was able to witness just how demanding all this was as for about four months I became a member of that household when, finding myself

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temporarily homeless, she immediately and generously offered me lodging for this interim period!

Although it is true that we cannot easily ‘…look into the seeds of time/ And say which grain will grow and which will not’ it should perhaps have been apparent that Lis’s abilities might draw her towards what came to be called the ‘management’ personnel of the school and that the timetablers’ loss would be their gain. And in due course, Lis became a very dynamic and forward-looking Head of Lower school, responsible for liaising with our ‘feeder’ schools and for many years arranging and incrementally developing and improving our entrance arrangements. These responsibilities are, of course, crucial to the healthy development of a school and this was particularly the case when Lis took up the role in 1998 when the school had embarked on its ambitious programme of expansion and I remember Barry Martin saying to me on several occasions how invaluable he had found Lis’s help during this testing period and thereafter. In 2007, Lis joined the Senior Management Team as Assistant Head with responsibility for external relations and admissions, a new challenge which she embraced with her customary enthusiasm and rigour.

After such a successful and valued career at Hampton it is a pity that - like so many in this Covid-19 blighted year – Lis has had to leave the school perhaps almost as quietly and unostentatiously as she entered it all those years ago. I am sure she won’t mind – her children and grandchildren, her intellectual interests and love of ballet and opera will surely sustain her. She will certainly be missed for her warmth, kindness and generosity, particularly – I know from several old friends and colleagues – to new staff disoriented and rather lost when first entering Hampton. And on a personal note I certainly hope to bump into Lis and her husband John once again on some sunny afternoon at Glyndbourne!

Martyn Payne

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John Slater

John has been at Hampton for 23 years and has taught Economics and Business Studies. His style in the classroom was informal and friendly and earned him the appreciation of many boys, who christened him ‘the silver fox’ and then, unbelievably, said that he looked younger than I am (he is not!). However, John has made a huge number of contributions in many aspects of school life beyond the classroom, an extensive list of which follows.

John ran the Second XV for 18 years until 2016, during which time the Second XV had many successful seasons. They lost only three matches or fewer seven times, won the Middlesex plate five times – against First XVs – and won the Worth Second Seven tournament three times in a row – once without conceding a point! For much of this period, he was ably assisted in this work by Mike Passey. John went on rugby tours to France in 2002, three to South Africa, one to LA, Fiji and New Zealand, and the last one to South America in 2015. There was always a great rivalry with the First XV. He developed particularly good friendships with three Heads of Rugby over the years: Steve Timbs, Zorran Higgins and Sean Thomson.

John was also quick to volunteer to support colleagues organising other trips.

He considered it a privilege to go three times to the First World War battlefields with the History Department. He also joined the Politics/History trip to Washington and the Economics trip to New York. In addition, he took part in Duke of Edinburgh Award trips in the UK and three times accompanied the Gothia Cup party to Sweden. On top of all that, John went on four Senior ski trips. Beyond even that, John ran the Young Enterprise operation at the School in later years.

John was a Head of Year in the Sixth Form for 12 years from 2000-2012, which he considered to be a very rewarding part of his work at Hampton.

His own experiences, as a father of two sons who were at Hampton, no doubt informed his approach to Sixth Formers who either had problems or caused problems. Understanding and compassion were the hallmarks of his interactions with boys. Working with Ed Wesson, David Perfect, Mark Mortimer and Jim Parrish, he brought about improvements in many cases.

John chaired the staff consultation committee for a period, and many colleagues have turned to him for advice. But John will be most remembered by colleagues for his entertaining character. A lot of staff, both past and present, will happily recall an amusing anecdote, or often several, in which John has done something memorable, with a casual disregard for decorum.

They will also miss the personal warmth which he has always displayed.

John Slater is therefore a genuine example of an all-round teacher, who regards his job as an occupation, rather than just a profession. He has made a contribution of enormous breadth and one of great length. He personifies the qualities and the culture that make Hampton such a happy place to work for all of us.

We wish him a long and happy future with his family, Joanne, Jamie and Finlay.

SP

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Peter Smith

spent a lot of time at Hampton on the cricket pitch, but this was unforgettable, of a different order.

Conversely, may I also record one very sad memory – out of respect for the person concerned: one very fine young man who I had the pleasure of teaching in the Second Year, whom we lost in the Third. Fahad had incomparable dignity and class.

But, I cannot end on a sad note. Rather, let me – cheesily again – record that a school is only as good as its pupils and teachers and the relationships they strike up with one another. You can forget all the books and buildings and storied mulberry trees. If you are at Hampton, those relationships, positive and purposeful, are your legacy, your right and your responsibility, and your job is to protect them and build on them.

Peter Smith Peter Smith joined Hampton English Department in September 2002, at a time when, apparently, an injection of ‘pizzazz’ was needed. Perhaps fortunately for him, Peter was one of three new members of the English team that year, so the pressure was somewhat eased.

I arrived at Hampton in 2002. In other words, I have been at the school longer than most of the boys have been on the planet. As such, I felt that it was time to give myself a nudge and to move on.

I had worked in a lot of different places before Hampton: a prison, an African secondary school, several London comprehensives. You want to believe that where you work shares your values and serves as a force for good.

It is not always easy to believe that, but at Hampton, I felt that these were boxes I could tick quite easily.

My first impression of Hampton was much like every other prospective teacher’s: sitting in Reception, waiting to be interviewed by the Head. The bell rang for the end of lessons and I watched the boys leaving the building: thoughtful, friendly, cheerful.

After I was appointed, I came back to watch a couple of lessons to get some idea of what to expect. A Sixth Form class of English Literature pupils was wide-angled and witty. There was a stimulating discussion engaging minds that were open and interesting.

In eighteen years – this might sound cheesy – I have been impressed time and again by the intelligence of the average Hampton boy. For a teacher, working with pupils so quick to grasp an idea is a pleasure. This is probably not a bad time to admit that quite often I found myself thinking, ‘This boy is cleverer than me!’ But, I kept that to myself.

Yet, what I will really remember about the school is the friendliness.

Personally, I went to quite an unfriendly school, a boys’ boarding school straight out of Dickens. But Hampton boys and teachers are so naturally, unaffectedly friendly to one another: that is quite an asset, and if the school makes no secret of it, you cannot blame them.

Ironically – given how long I have worked at the school – my favourite experience here was probably as recent as the New Year of 2020, just a few months ago. Let me here record my gratitude to Mr Banerjee for inviting me to join the First XI cricket team in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. I have 10

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That, however, did not stop Peter from making an impression during his eighteen years’ dedicated service to the School. In the classroom, Peter shared his vast literary knowledge with humility and a genuine interest in his pupils’ interpretations and ideas. His lessons were tailored to suit the boys’ learning styles, with clear aims and carefully structured tasks, and the infamous ‘ejector seat’ by the door just in case anyone decided to test the boundaries. And yet there was always an air of mischievousness when Mr Smith was around, much to his pupils’ delight, and thought-provoking literary discussions were peppered with witty asides and anecdotes – as well as the odd inevitable reference to the Beatles, of course!

Peter’s most memorable moments, however, undoubtedly occurred on stage.

Until 2004, most were unaware of Peter’s slightly unconventional thespian talents. So, everyone was shocked, and highly entertained, when he revealed them in the guise of a rather busty and leggy Miss McKenzie in a staff rendition of Busted’s ‘What I Go To School For’, during the annual Christmas charity ‘Staff Stars in their Eyes’. No less jaw-dropping was Peter’s appearance as an equally buxom Shirley Bassey a few years later. Perhaps the height of Peter’s acting career was reached in the Benny Hill-style film of supposed CCTV footage of misbehaving staff, where he was caught in the act of kicking a football indoors by none other than Mr Payne. Needless to say, a serious remonstration took place, with a sheepish Mr Smith being marched down the English corridor in disgrace.

Sport was another, and truly genuine, passion of Peter’s, which he willingly shared with both boys and colleagues. Ten summers of U14B and U15C cricket passed many a happy hour, while the peak of his football-coaching career at Hampton was reached when he took on his fifth team: the U12Es. Of course, one of the highlights for Peter was the most recent Senior Cricket Tour to Mumbai and Ahmedabad, but perhaps his most significant legacy will be the Hampton Sports Chronicle, the School’s award-nominated annual publication. Peter’s fifteen years of good-humoured and patient mentoring of Sixth Form editors and their teams are testament to his unwavering commitment to the boys.

Not surprisingly then, Peter will be sorely missed. He is adamant that he is not retiring, so we will simply have to wish him the best of luck on his magical mystery tour along the long and winding road to retirement. And maybe he will get round to writing that book about the Beatles. It will definitely be worth the read!

CER

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Alice Jacobs

Paul Bolton Mr Bolton was with us for ten years and will be a huge loss to the PE & Sport Department and to the School as a whole.

Mr Bolton the PE Teacher – he is a passionate practitioner who always considers the pupils first and keeps then central in his teaching. He is knowledgeable, caring and fun in his approach and many Hampton pupils have benefited from his teaching over the years.

I still remember panicking as I turned up at Hampton late for my interview lesson – delayed trains had me all of a fluster.

Alice, then Head of Department, calmed me down straight away, and I left impressed by the School, but more so by her demeanour and character. And so it has been ever since.

Anyone who has ever been taught by Alice would say the same thing: she exudes calm and care in all she does. I have often thought, and said, that she is the heart of the department and all those who have come into contact with her – many people, as it happens – would agree in a heartbeat. When she stepped down from the HoD position, she was wonderfully supportive of me and eased my transition to the throne.

Whenever I had a question or an intractable problem, she always had time for a willing ear and a kind, supportive word.

Away from her exemplary academic results – truly startling in their consistent high standards – she has been instrumental in organising a plethora of trips to see plays and in providing extension opportunities for Classics’ pupils over many years.

In more recent years, she has taught beginners’ Spanish very successfully, and this is something that has brought her great joy. This past year she also took on Ancient History – a subject new to her – and, again, she threw herself into this with a likeminded exuberance and dedication.

She has also been well involved with the Music Department throughout her time at the school, not least as an ever-present and ever-enthusiastic member of the choir, but also as an everwilling and vocal supporter of the boys and their achievements. ! Alice will definitely be missed by everyone in the Hampton community, but her presence will live on in so many pupils and across so many departments. I cannot emphasise how much she has done for me personally, and I can guarantee I am not the only one who feels this way. vale, Alice, and !

He washugely committedtothe Specialist Sports at Hampton; with the assistance of specialist coaches and teachers, he enabled many new sports to blossom. Participation increased in Table Tennis, Badminton, Volleyball and Swimming.

Hampton regularly put out numerous teams at Borough and County level and are now competing very well indeed in all of these sports.

Mr Bolton Head of Athletics – witnessing athletes run, jump or throw at their magical best and, in particular, while competing against each other is one of the fundamentals in sport and the corner-stone for any PE & Sport Programme. The benefits to young people are great and it is sport in its purist form. It is clear that Mr Bolton felt this way about athletics. Spending a day at one of the many athletics events in the summer term frequently resulted in producing one of the most memorable sporting days at Hampton.

Participation in athletics – especially with its summer term challenges – has increased exponentially; perhaps unsurprisingly, top-level achievements, including National representation, have also been on the increase.

You may have thought, ‘Why was Basketball not mentioned with the Specialist Sports?’

This is because Mr Bolton managed to push it closer to one of the major sports at the School. The number of boys playing and the standard of Basketball at Hampton has risen over recent years and this is largely down to his enthusiasm, love of the sport his knowledge and, fundamentally, his time.

Mr Bolton the Football coach – during his time at Hampton, he flirted between U15A and U14A teams. He was the perfect teacher and coach to lead lively, enthusiastic and talented pupils during their vibrant teenage years. Mr Bolton has the right temperament to deal with any scenario; what was very evident in his teams were the standards of behaviour and the effort displayed. Once again, the pupils were the beneficiaries. His teams have won National and County Cups.

Mr Bolton, also known as ‘Billy’, the colleague, friend and member of the Common Room – he has been one of the main protagonists in the ‘crossword corner’ at break time.

His love of social connection through games, quizzes or challenges is very evident and his relentless cajoling of other colleagues to take part in staff futsal (5-a-side) on Fridays is testament to him. His kindness and thoughtfulness always came through, helping new and current staff to get involved or settle in.

Michael Jordan once said about sporting challenges, ‘never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion’; these words certainly reflect Mr Bolton’s approach to his teaching and work at Hampton. He made an enormous difference to so many pupils throughout his time with us and we all wish him well for the future.

JWB

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Helen Carmichael

of her pupils could remember a moment in her lessons when they suddenly found themselves thinking about something in a new way.

Her ability to share the pleasure to be had in thinking with an open and curious mind about great history, literature and drama – the very stuff of life! – has benefited her pupils beyond measure, and it has not been limited to the classroom. She has led trips to explore the Roman past of London and Hadrian’s Wall and has used her considerable expertise to direct Hampton and LEH pupils in joint productions of Aeschylus’ Agamemnon and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar; these are wonderful opportunities to explore, think and enjoy which pupils simply would not otherwise have had.

Honest, caring and witty, she has been a valued colleague and friend and I feel lucky to have worked alongside her. Among many other things, I shall remember her invigorating talent for exclamation, which always made the day better. Sadly, however, her finest displays were reserved for a select audience behind a swiftly-closed office door.

Her formal tenure Hampton comes to an end this year following her diagnosis with motor neurone disease in 2017. Although she had to give up classroom teaching within months, she has continued to be a remarkable educator and communicator. She has visited School to give memorable talks, delivered

by Smartbox, about aspects of her experience and she has addressed the LEH and Hampton Classics Society on the topic of directing Greek tragedy.

For the past eight years, Miss Carmichael has taught both Classics and English at Hampton with a combination of creativity, vim and serious scholarship of which I am frankly very envious.

You can read transcripts of these talks on Miss Carmichael’s blog followingafullmoon.wordpress.com – and I thoroughly recommend that you do. She is a fantastic writer who comes across as exactly herself, which – as above – is something that you do not want to miss. On her blog, you will also find horizon-broadening articles about yet another her passions: an Iraqi poet called Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, who was the focus of her studies towards a PhD.

It has been quite normal to overhear her encouraging GCSE pupils to imagine the squelching bloodbath of Cannae by analogy to the same death-toll of watermelons crushed underfoot, or to read out her cover instructions to First Years explaining that she cannot be with them that day because she has been ‘kidnapped by owls’ – cf. the First Year reading syllabus!

She has also been published in The Guardian on the realities of negotiating the earlier stages of her illness while ‘maintain[ing] some semblance of authority as a secondary school Classics teacher’. In her article, she includes her thanks to the ‘kind and classy bunch’ of boys who helped her through, and I am sure that she would wish me to reiterate that here.

She is so good at singling out and communicating the most vivid, inspiring or thought-provoking aspects of any topic that I would bet that every one

Thank you, Miss Carmichael, for everything you have done for Hampton.

Jo Cooper It is easy to say that a teacher cares about their pupils, but with some colleagues they really care. You can tell; it shines through. Jo is one of these people; she has such warmth and kindness and a real determination to give her all to both her classes and her colleagues. Many a day she ate a quick baguette at her desk so she could spend her lunch hour giving additional support to boys. The departmental fridge is now looking sadly empty without her jar of chutney, which topped off said baguettes.

Throughout her time at Hampton, she contributed to CCF, DofE, Chemistry extension lessons, managing the Chemistry mentor program and, most importantly – as departmental social secretary – she kept us well stocked on birthday cake.

Despite her period of long service, her time at Hampton has been more of an interval training session than an endurance event as she came and went several times. This was – hopefully – nothing to 12

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A large number of ex-colleagues and ex-pupils stay in touch with Miss Carmichael, continuing the rich exchange of news, thoughts, ideas and humour. I cannot think of a better demonstration of the impact she has had as a member of the School community.

GJB

do with the original Chemistry photocopier, which she spent most of her life unjamming.

Rather, after producing two mini Coopers, she had the obvious maternity leave as well as a longer period at home raising her boys. This was time well spent as they both later joined the Hampton community in their own right. One of her greatest, and perhaps most unsung, qualities was her ability to convince a nursery that her child was not ill and she did not need to leave her class to rescue him!

A passionate believer in fighting climate change and the war on plastic, she is a strong advocate of cycling to school, Meat Free Monday – and most other days – and bamboo toothbrushes. Her Form well remember her crusade against their disposable plastic water bottles; U6JSC send her their best wishes, but remain unconvinced about toothpaste tablets.

She was last seen living the good life at her new home in Suffolk, pushing a wheelbarrow around her garden, building a chicken coop and single-handedly renovating an annex. We miss her, and wish her every good luck and success in her new life.

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Tim Passmore For many people, Mr Passmore is simply ‘the tall Maths teacher’; but, to those of us who know him well, he is so much more than that. The Department have regularly benefitted from his exceptional baking skills over the years and – although we have recently seen fewer macarons and more sourdough loaves – we can certainly attest to his wide-ranging culinary talents. Kind and considerate to pupils and staff alike, Mr Passmore’s patience is notable as is the care and thought which he puts into every aspect of his work.

Mr Passmore’s lessons were consummate examples of how to explain mathematical concepts in a straightforward and understandable way. Possible misconceptions were addressed explicitly to help his pupils recognise where they might go wrong and therefore avoid doing so. Outside the classroom, Mr Passmore devoted Wednesday afternoons to squash and ferrying boys to David Lloyd or Colets in order for them to play, sometimes participating himself – his sizable arm span made him a formidable opponent!

Mr Passmore leaves Hampton and teaching to move with his family back to his roots in Cornwall.

He is intending to set up a local business making the most of his expertise in the kitchen – baking’s gain is most definitely teaching’s loss.

It has to be said that we will miss seeing him stood next to the smallest First Years as the everyone lines up for the whole school photo.

But, more than that, we will miss his calm and collected presence in the Maths Department, his readiness to lend a hand and his interesting titbits of information on a wide range of subjects.

training as he is their Maths, encouraging them to really think about what they are doing rather than just going through the motions.

The real sweet spot has come when he has been able to combine his two passions: rowing and Maths. Many a mechanics lesson has involved a rowing-related example and on-the-water explanations of rowing technique have regularly incorporated higher level Maths. He can often be found in the atrium discussing complicated physical phenomena with an enthralled selection of Sixth Formers. We never did manage to work out whether these were pre-arranged sessions or if boys had simply collared him while he was working at a table because his desk is buried under piles and piles of paper!

Always a proponent for the proper use of technology, keen to exploit all its capability rather than simply scratching the surface, he leaves Hampton and the teaching profession to pursue a career in software development. Or rowing coaching. Ideally both!

We were sad not to be able to say a proper farewell in person but, of all people, it seems appropriate that his leaving drinks were held via video call.

JRC

Tom Jenkins

fun when he was there and we miss having him around. It was also dangerous! You never knew what prank would be next or what ‘hilarious’ piece of banter you would be the focus of. Tom made coming to work or to your RS lesson something to look forward to and there is a hole in our hearts now he is gone.

Tom was a Hamptonian through to the core. He was a pupil here in the late noughties, and his group of OHs were some of the naughtiest. He was a rower who sculled for the school and then turned coach, enjoying the sadistic side of coaching as he broke boat crew after boat crew only to rebuild them into the finest oarsmen.

After studying Theology at King’s and his Masters degree at Cambridge, he returned to Hampton to share his wisdom and experience with a new generation, who will always remember him. How he loved to tell an innocent boy who came to the office looking for a member of staff that they were dead, in order to test their gullibility and teach them to question what they are told. Perhaps the only thing he loved more was his unrestrained use of the detention system. One knew when they had crossed Mr Jenkins’ path.

After five years at Hampton, however, Tom needed a new challenge. Having studied and taught ethics and spent years shaping the leaders of tomorrow, Tom realised he could give even more back to the world by joining the police force. He successfully applied to join the Met as a detective, the new Luther that our city needs, and left us to go out and make the world a better place. Having left, though, he realised he could make a packet by working in the City and so decided to do that instead. We miss him.

Good luck Mr Passmore!

JHT JRC

Laura Moore Michael Thornton Mr Thornton joined Hampton in 2015 and it quickly became clear that he was not just another Maths teacher. His high standards were apparent from the outset – just because you are only in the Third Year does not mean that you should expect to be told all of the answers and if the neatest solution calls for a differential equation then we might just take a look at those as well!

As well as his time in the classroom, he has been a stalwart at the Boat Club, arguably spending more time there than he does at home. And he has the same high expectations on the water as he does on the land. Always looking for a more efficient way to make the boat move faster, he is as keen for boys to take ownership of their rowing

What’s the link? Ironman triathlete – Pedagogical master – Perhaps Hampton’s finest ever rowing coach – Greek scholar – Form Tutor who genuinely cared – Oxbridge Alumni. The answer can only be one man: the incomparable, the unique, the one and only Tom Jenkins, (sometimes known as Tim Jonkins).

Working with Tom/Tim was the best of times and the worst of times. He was inspirational, a truly great teacher who engaged his pupils, all of whom loved his lessons which were as enjoyable as they were educational. The office was the most the lion

It has been a genuine pleasure to teach in the Drama Department for the past three years and I

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school have loved working with such creative, sparky and funny boys during my time at the School – as well as incredible colleagues!

Particular production highlights are numerous: adapting and directing Moby Dick for last year’s Edinburgh Festival; directing The Crucible with the Fourth Years; and overseeing this year’s hilarious Knee High-inspired myths and legends plays with my Third Years. The responsibilities of being Assistant Head of Fifth Year, 5J’s Form Tutor and Arts Award Advisor have all been deeply rewarding.

It was always going to be hard to say my goodbyes; to leave the school during the Covid-19 pandemic has been a particularly sad way to part from such a wonderful institution.

However, there are positives from teaching Drama via Teams during my last term, the main one being that I realise more than ever, what a privilege a good education is. We have been lucky to have screen time for our teaching – but nothing replaces talking to people face to face and having ‘real present’ communication. This is so vital an aspect of my subject and also so much a part of what makes a school a community as well as a place of learning, giving us the skills of collaboration, creativity and compassionate understanding of others – qualities present in pupils and colleagues at Hampton alike and what make us human.

I shall miss Hampton very much as I start on my next chapter as Director of Drama at Notting Hill and Ealing High School for Girls and will never forget my time with you all – or my last term in lockdown.

Many thanks for the opportunities the School has given me – and a big thank you to the fabulous Drama Department and the great friends I have made at Hampton as well as my brilliant pupils!

Alex has been an inspirational, talented and hugely valued member of the Music Department since joining us two years ago. His all-round talent – including the ability to play a vast number of instruments to a high standard! – and cheerful personality has made it a real pleasure to work with him and learn from him.

Alex’s lessons were an absolute joy to experience and his love and passion for music engaged and inspired the pupils. The same level of enthusiasm was present in every single one of his rehearsals and he led and developed a number of our ensembles and choirs to an incredibly high standard.

In addition to his hard work in the classroom and in the co-curricular life of the department, Alex also took charge of the Music Department Twitter account. As many of you will know, this has bloomed into an entertaining, competitive and fun-packed platform – one which now has over 600 followers! We will really miss his daily musical updates and those Venn diagrams which have kept so many of us entertained during the lockdown!

It was with considerable regret that we had to say goodbye to her at the end of the Easter term in 2020, and we wish her every success and happiness in her future endeavours.

SP

Feriel Kissoon

DER

Alice Thornton Although she leaves after only a year, Miss Kissoon was a kind and dedicated teacher who truly committed herself to the English Department, both in and beyond the classroom.

Having arrived as a part-time teacher with a modestly hidden PhD and lofty ambitions to spend the days she was not at Hampton working on her book in the British Library, Miss Kissoon soon found herself dedicating those spare hours perfecting intellectually-challenging lessons of the highest calibre, challenging even the First Years to engage with complex and nuanced literary analysis and debates!

Alice joined the Economics Department in September 2018, fresh from a year teaching in Nepal to broaden her horizons. She had previously taught at Merchant Taylor's School in Northwood after graduating from The University of Oxford in PPE. the lion

She also helped with climbing and escorted a successful trip to the United States, as well as being a Form Tutor in the Sixth Form. In between all of that, she spotted a position as Head of Economics at Manchester Grammar School and was appointed to that prestigious post at a young age.

We all wish Alex the very best in his next chapter of music education in Cheltenham.

Thank you for everything you have done and, in the words of one of our delightful Second Year pupils, we really have been so lucky to work with the Fantastic Mr Fox!

Alex Fox

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Her intellect was formidable and her appetite for hard work was admirable. She commanded the respect of both pupils and colleagues. Indeed, she had only been in the school for one and a half terms when she was asked to take responsibility for Oxbridge admissions as Assistant Head of UCAS.

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Alongside her meticulous planning, she demonstrated a genuine passion for supporting boys both intellectually and personally, including cultivating a loyal following for her book group, developing a superb rapport with her Upper Sixth form and voluntarily sharing her passion for PostColonial studies during Fifth Year ‘bridging sessions’ in lockdown.

school Her dedication was particularly evident in her warm and patient guidance of the pupils whose Arts Awards she supervised, where her willingness to ‘go above and beyond’ gave her pupils the confidence and drive to produce truly outstanding projects.

The English Department will miss her, and we wish her the very best for her new role at St Benedict’s School.

LAT

Elliot Prior

only a year’s experience at King’s College, his pupils thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from his company and his teaching. Most importantly, it is with him that they genuinely flexed their minds when engaging with literature – which, more often than not, weaved in the topics of philosophy, morality and classical music.

Each of these adjectives serve as a suitable starting point in describing Mr Prior’s character; in this respect, it is wholly unsurprising that, despite

MMB

John Winterburn

A Renaissance man, in truth.

At times – perhaps unsurprisingly given his Renaissance disposition – Mr Prior sometimes clashed with the modern age of email. Yet, despite the occasionally bulging inbox and system of filing that depended on a Micawber-esque optimism that ‘something will turn up’, he carried himself in a way befitting of an experienced teacher of old, more accustomed to wearing a gown and a mortarboard. For those who knew him, it would – of course – have been a dark-green, corduroy suit under that academic gown.

A passionate eco-activist and vegetarian foodie, he could frequently be found with the Environment Committee, helping the boys to work out new ideas to make Hampton green – in addition to black and yellow. Should he have remembered the key, he also ran Sports Radio, helping the boys to produce lively podcast debates.

Relaxed. Kind. Thoughtful.

He will be sorely missed and we all wish him well on his new culinary career.

Although sometimes mistaken for a Sixth Former when catching one of the School buses to and from Hampton, he could never be mistaken for someone who did not care a great deal about his pupils and about how pupils could genuinely learn, rather than just be taught.

Language Assistants Every year, it is a Modern Languages tradition to get together to say farewell to our assistant team. Last summer term, we were able to organise a virtual farewell to say thank you and goodbye to four of our six Language Assistants.

A huge thank you to Mr Winterburn; he made a big impression in a very short time. He brought theological expertise and a great sense of humour and dedication to the office, along with a love of Kierkegaard and Rev! He may also now hold an RS Hampton record in having taught eight different Third Year classes in one year.

Thank you; please stay in touch, and all the very best for the future!

BJC

We are grateful for their work, enthusiasm and the dedication they have demonstrated. We are of course saddened that their experience abroad has been affected by the international pandemic. We wish them all the very best for their future endeavours.

FCC

We say goodbye to Mademoiselle Brunier, who will be returning to her home country to prepare a Master’s degree in Secondary Education. We also say ‘Adios’ to our lovely Spanish assistants, Señorita Santana Martin and Señor Carrasco. Miss Santana will be studying a Master’s degree in Primary Education and Communication Technologies at the University of La Laguna, Tenerife. Whilst both will be preparing for the highly competitive civil service entrance examination for teachers, ‘Oposición’, Mr Carrasco will be working in a Primary school in sunny Granada.

Fräu Lampen who will be returning to Göttingen University, Lower Saxony, Germany to complete her Masters in Education to teach English and Latin, will also be sorely missed. We are delighted to have welcomed back, our French assistant, Mademoiselle Dubost and our Russian assistant, Ms Isaeva this academic year.

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In April 2020, we experienced a first in Hampton’s long and distinguished 463-year history as term began with closed gates. Boys and members of the Common Room instead connected with one another via digital devices for the start of the summer term guided home learning and pastoral care programme.

It is to everyone’s tremendous credit that e-Hampton resumed so purposefully after the Easter break – boys and staff alike embraced new ways of learning and teaching in typically positive, good-humoured fashion. Staff, in particular, went above and beyond to ensure the continuity of the boys’ education and to continue to develop their love of learning; it was abundantly clear how much the boys valued this level of effort and creativity at such a challenging time.

Although the summer term did not happen as anyone could have envisaged that it would, the way in which the entirety of the School adapted was nothing short of inspiring. The scale, speed and success of adapting is, perhaps, even more remarkable when considered in retrospect.

Shortly after the government-required closure of the School site in March, Mr Knibbs shared some words from one of his favourite writers, Maya Angelou: ‘My mission in life is not merely to survive… but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion… some humour, and some style’.

Reflecting on the latter half of the 2019-20 academic year, it is clear that the School community subscribed to her philosophy in admirable fashion.

As the subsequent highlights of the era of e-Hampton demonstrate in abundance, there was a great deal of which to be tremendously proud of during this period and much worth celebrating and remembering in this – in many ways unique – edition of the Lion.

Making visors and helping to support local NHS Workers Hampton played its part in the national response against the Covid-19 pandemic by making and supplying vital protective equipment to local NHS staff.

Many GPs, community nurses and care home staff were faced with the prospect of working without sufficient access to any personal protective equipment (PPE), greatly increasing their risk of contracting the virus.

Responding to the urgent PPE need at the time, Hampton’s Design and Engineering Department quickly produced an easily manufacturable face

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shield that could be made in the school workshops using laser-cutting equipment. At their peak, they were producing a staggering 150 units a day!

Design and Engineering teacher, Oliver Keattch, was working every day to meet the demand. The School also supplied face shields to the Richmond and Hounslow NHS Trust community nursing team, NHS units in Surrey and GP surgeries in Stockwell.

Mr Jason Holdaway who heads Hampton’s Design and Engineering Department said that he was glad – alongside the School – to be able to play a part in supporting healthcare professionals: ‘Our face shields are quick and easy to produce in the school workshops and we are very happy to continue to make them for as long as is needed. The feedback from the NHS workers we have helped so far has been wonderful and very heart-warming.’

Dr Charlotte Canniff, Clinical Chair of Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group, took delivery of one of the first batches of face shields: ‘Face Shields provide an extra layer of protection for health and care staff when interacting with our patients, both for our staff and the patients we are seeing. Thank you, Hampton School, for your fantastic ingenuity and effort. The first batch has been delivered to Sunbury Health Centre GP Practice which serves around 20,000 people. From here we will share with our wider community teams including our Nurses, District Nurses and Community Paramedics. Further batches when available will be sent to other local areas to support the national PPE programme which is still struggling to deliver at the pace required.’

Alongside the production of face shields, the School also donated over 300 science goggles to the local Hounslow NHS Trust.

school But, it was not just Hampton’s rowers who took up the mantle of the 2.6 challenge. Many congratulations to Fifth Year Thomas Norman who impressively ran a 26-mile marathon and raised over £500.

Second Year Nat Taylor decided to put his new musical talents to good use, playing 26 guitar riffs in 26 minutes. Nat has only been learning the guitar since Christmas and is entirely self-taught. Thanks to his creative initiative, his fundraising venture has raised over £200.

Hampton’s chess players also got in on the act, doing what they love most to help raise funds for the NHS. 2018 British Chess Champion and School Vice-Captain, Koby Kalavannan, teamed up with First Year fellow chess enthusiast Zaid Ahmed to run a weekly online chess tournament.

‘We thought it would a fun way of helping our amazing healthcare workers in the NHS!’ Costing £2 to enter, all donations are being given to two charities: The Royal Medical Benevolent Fund and the student medical charity Medic Mentor.

Charity Fundraising Initiatives

Key Worker School

Lockdown not only impacted society in a dramatic and completely new and unexpected fashion, it also had a dramatic impact upon a vast number of charities whose revenue streams disappeared almost over-night.

As Covid-19 raged across the world, with Europe the new epicentre, and over 350 deaths in the UK; the School site had to close.

Our boys – always imaginative and willing to step up to a new challenge – took this opportunity to blend getting some much-needed time outside doing physical exercise and their personal talents with fundraising initiatives to support the charities most in need.

Raising money for local charity, the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, the Hampton and Holles Boat Club Association (HHBCA) came up with a range of ingenious ways to carry out their planned #TwoPointSixChallenge – from a 26-mile cycling time trial to a family rowing relay, a 26-minute ski erg and even a 26-mile home marathon!

With their energy and enthusiasm, HHBCA rowers and their families helped to raise over £6,100 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices; the money raised will go towards providing care for 700 families each year in the local area.

Ed Bellamy, Co-Chair of the HHBCA, was delighted with how pupils, staff and parents responded to the challenge: ‘Well done and thanks to all in the HHBCA for the amazing response to the #TwoPointSixChallenge – it was such a positive and inspiring day, hearing about the various activities, seeing some of you over Zoom and watching the money raised for Shooting Star roll in! I am very proud to be part of this community of athletes and supporters and to be able to share experiences like this.’

However, many pupils – as their parents were in key worker positions – found themselves in a difficult possible. So, the School evolved and reacted to the situation, opening its doors to those pupils, enabling their parents to continue the vital work that they were involved in during the course of the pandemic.

There are many benefits of going to school. For example, you get to work with other people, and this social aspect during the lockdown helps your mental health – something which has become even more readily apparent over the recent months.

During our time in the Key Worker School, the PE Department came in every day to set up a wide array of activities, from cricket to tennis and footgolf. They also helped to organise fun activities for us to do at lunch to help us get the exercise we needed during this time – even more so when going outside was a privilege! In addition – and rather importantly – it gave us the opportunity to engage with a range of teachers from all of the different Departments and to ask them questions and personal feedback.

At first, I thought that lockdown would be an adventure and time to get away and relax; but, very quickly, I realised that it would not be as simple as that. Unsure of what was to come, the excitement very soon wore off. We knew that we were in for the long haul.

During the first week of lockdown, we were based in the atrium at school.

There was very strict social distancing and, overall, it was a very strange experience. Despite this, we quickly made new friends across the years and the Key Worker School at Hampton had begun. the lion

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school After we got back from the Easter holiday, we went back to work. This time, we were at Hampton Prep School. We stayed there for the next half term, and enjoyed the freedom of doing almost whatever we wanted to do – but only between the now common live lessons, of course! These lessons helped us get back into a structured routine. This helped immensely to make sure that we complete all our work and that we understood what we were doing.

After this, we came back to Hampton School itself, but this time we were confided to the library, and we spent most of the time revising. As the end of year exams crept closer and closer, we started to get a little stressed, but we were prepared.

So, when we finally completed them, we were relieved and relaxed, and the rest of the term has been very enjoyable. With no more exams to revise for – and the teachers making the lessons extra fun – we could enjoy ourselves with frequent Kahoots! and quizzes.

The further we went into lockdown the tougher it got for everyone’s mental health. Going into school was a lifesaver; as a very social person, I cannot imagine how I would have coped if I had not been able to speak to and meet my newly made key worker friends.

I know that if it had not been for Mr McBay and all the teachers that helped in the creation of the Key Worker School, we – as well as all of our parents – would have sincerely struggled to work through the lockdown. Thank you!

James Eggleton

Summer Catch-up Lessons Hampton School ran a two-week, summer catch-up programme for Year 10 pupils from local, maintained schools who were particularly impacted by school site closures since March during the pandemic.

70 pupils due to sit GCSE examinations next year benefited from specialist taught lessons in English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, and History.

There was growing evidence to suggest that many young people struggled to study during lockdown for a variety of reasons. In an effort to help youngsters from local partner schools catch up on key parts of the curriculum before they start their final year of GCSE study, teachers from Hampton and neighbouring Lady Eleanor Holles School offered daily lessons for boys and girls from Twickenham School, Reach Academy, The Hollyfield School, Orleans Park School and Tolworth Girls’ School.

Mark Nicholson, Assistant Head at Hampton School and coordinator of the catch-up sessions, asserted the importance of the initiative and emphasised that it would make a sincere difference to those pupils who were able to take part: ‘Through no fault of their own, many young people have found it hard to maintain their studies over recent months and we have designed this catch-up programme to help pupils get back on track ahead of the new School year in September. We have liaised with the schools involved to understand better which areas of the curriculum need addressing to help ensure that the boys and girls involved can begin their crucial GCSE year with greater confidence.’

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Headteacher at nearby Twickenham School, Assal Ruse, had 28 Year 10 pupils participating in the catch-up programme: ‘Next year is such an important academic year and our pupils jumped at the opportunity of attending this summer school.

The programme has been designed to address the needs of all pupils, considering exam specifications for each subject and where individual pupils are in their learning. Our pupils have worked hard throughout lockdown and these superb catch-up sessions offer them an opportunity to consolidate all their learning with the help of specialist teaching by staff who have given up their summer holidays to ensure pupils are given this opportunity.’

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Geography’s Virtual Field Trip First and Second Years were treated to Hampton’s first ever Virtual Field Trips this week! Department members donned their wellies and waded into the River Tillingbourne, just south of Guildford, to take the boys through a practical geographical enquiry via MS Teams.

Head of Geography, Mr Bett, explained the reasoning behind the remote broadcasts: ‘We felt we wanted to push the boundaries and try to do something different and memorable. Everybody remembers their Geography field trips from school – and hopefully our virtual interpretations will stay in the memory as fun, informative occasions for our junior boys.’

During the live stream, our young geographers were taken through the process of performing an investigation, including planning, formulating a hypothesis, conducting and recording the data, analysing the results, concluding and evaluating. Miss Brown performed the role of ‘mission controller’ back at School, running the online sessions and walking everybody through the process.

All the boys thoroughly enjoyed the remote sessions, which were peppered with Mr Bett’s typical good humour and high spirits.

Lockdown Literature and Art English Teacher, Mrs Bartholomew, encouraged her Fifth Years to write their own ‘Lockdown Literature’ during the period of remote teaching.

In the early days of their timetabled Teams sessions and online guided home learning, pupils in her Fifth Year read and discussed different articles, poems and prose pieces by published writers that were in direct response to the pandemic.

In light of living in lockdown and seeing its impact upon society, relationships and families, the boys were then set a challenge to produce their own pieces of creative writing. You can read a selection of just some of their writing below, produced at what was a particularly difficult time for many young people in the UK. the lion

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By Henry Ward

Normal in three weeks The hope of normality It kills me for days

I have decided to write a poem that reflects my vision of the post-Covid-19 era and that the generation still developing during this time will gain more strength and character.

Shear boredom all day Go away Covid-nineteen Who knew I liked school

His father expected him to photograph pretty trees, But He did not like images which appeared to freeze.

Staff also got in on the act as well – all in good humour and keen to get back to face-to-face teaching again.

Instead he captured the moments that no one could, The moments that he was told that no one should.

Lockdown Teacher The images reflected through pixels gave so much hate, Yet the pixels cannot present the pain of war at any rate.

His father was interested in traditional Art, So, he compromised with a Bleeding heart.

But among the anguish and desperation, Pixels have the ability to show jubilation and delectation.

The moment that she is growing and flying, Caught during a time where we must all keep trying.

We are inspired by those with less experience and it is no coincidence, For they are the humans that will bring hope and coexistence.

Covid-19 Haikus

By Thomas Avaunt-Smith Hoarding is not good All I want is some flour Be respectful please

Good morning chaps, I’m recording this session.

James, why are you ’tentative’? Accept the lesson If you are in your bedroom, turn off your camera.

‘Morning, Ma’am,’ say black squares labelled AP, JM, SS, AS, KP. Can someone call Alex, he’s gone to the wrong Teams? If your mic’s not working write in the Chat, if Chat’s not enabled, send me an email.

Virgin’s Network is down so boys might be late.

Let me get started, class, I think you are there.

The only life on screen is me, peering too close, hands spinning, blurring against a coppery mist, little voices pipe from locked-down homes.

A puppy whines and that crackle is Tom fumbling for a pen.

Must I mute all?

Miss, what shall I do, I left my book in school?

And Firefly has crashed. Can you say that again?

You’ve gone all glitchy Ma’am – I think you’ve frozen.

I press the icon, see 23 names there, but are they?

I speak to the screen, gather up a smile At my hissing laptop. There is me in the morning: hair overgrown, Slippers on under the occasional table no one can see, cup of tea and another Rich Tea. Copy me in (for safeguarding reasons) No work submitted must be logged in Cause for Concern.

Time by the dozen We all learn to cook and bake And binge watch Netflix Board games pass the time Now time for Monopoly Park Lane and Mayfair

When will we be back? When will it end?

Leave meeting. End recording. Send to archives.

VCW

No planes overhead Bliss I can finally sleep The canals are clear

In addition to Literary creativity, artistic inspiration and creation was in abundance during the period of Lockdown. Lower Sixth pupil Oscar Nolan’s satirical drawing, inspired by the work of Pieter Bruegel, also reflects some of the key images associated with the crisis.

The stars are brighter Way less traffic on the streets The smog is now gone Time to cycle now No excuse to be lazy Only once a day Spend all day sleeping But now I can game all night I feel bad at night We need key workers We all thank the NHS Thursday night clapping 20

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Oscar Nolan

Rudi Parrish

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Voices of Lions – Virtual Performance A particular highlight of the lockdown and remote learning period was a stunning ‘virtual’ rendition of The Hollies’ classic, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, by our ever-impressive Voices of Lions choir.

Whilst circumstances prevented them from rehearsing in person, their 44 voices combined beautifully in a poignant performance. This song is a perennial ‘VoL’ favourite; but, its message of fellowship, camaraderie and mutual support could not have been timelier, evoking Hamptonians’ distinctive generosity of spirit and togetherness.

Undoubtedly, it is exactly these attributes that played such a significant part in helping everyone at Hampton to meet the challenges of the past few months with equanimity.

Voices of Lions includes sixteen of our Upper Sixth Leavers among their ranks and our class of 2020 is an exceptional group of young men. They have all been wonderful role models and impressive ambassadors – we wish them every happiness and success postHampton.

Lucas Herman Sosa

Felix Lyon

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Hampton School ‘Dream Teams’ During the period of lockdown, members of the Common Room were encouraged to reminisce about the various Hamptonians that they had coached during their time at the School, coming up with their personal ‘Dream Teams’ – some of these sides would certainly have been a sight to behold on a Saturday morning sports fixture!

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Guess the Workspace The switch to remote learning was certainly challenging and difficult for some – particularly the loss of being able to enjoy the company of friends and peers at School. In response, Hampton teaching staff came up with a range of ingenious ideas to keep Hamptonians entertained while they’re staying safe at home.

One such challenge was the weekly ‘Guess the Workspace’ segment on the Hampton website; it was certainly a fun and entertaining way to keep the boys guessing about the artistic and decorative styles – and relative tidiness!

– of their teachers, all of whom were going the extra mile to deliver inspirational and meaningful lessons remotely.

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Careers Given the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2019-20 was a challenging year for pupils nationally, with much uncertainty surrounding examina‐ tions, university applications and available opportunities. Fortunately, Hampton pupils were able to take advantage of a range of opportunities and support before school closed in March and, despite extensive obstacles, they continued to remain proactive and positive over the lockdown period.

For the first half of the year, Hamptonians embraced a variety of careers events both in and beyond school to give them a flavour of working life. In September, Sixth Form pupils attended a Financial Services Reception at the PWC social enterprise kitchen, giving them an excellent opportunity to network with professionals and find out more about what working in finance is like, whilst aspiring Engineers were able to gain insights into their preferred field at an in-school event in March, just before lockdown.

and we are thrilled for them that they have weathered the storm and managed to secure some superb university and degree apprenticeship places.

It is clear that pupils will continue to have to deal with uncertainty as they pursue choices, applications and work experience placements which will affect their futures, but Hamptonians’ tenacity in doing so despite the challenges is testament to their excellent strength of character. The Careers and UCAS Team will continue to do everything they can to support and guide Hampton pupils in 2020-21, and look forward to seeing them continue to embrace all the opportunities available.

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The regular programme of careers interviews and lunches continued to prove popular, with many boys enthusiastically seizing chances to interview a range of high-profile individuals working at the forefront of their fields.

These included: James Lawson, Director of Strategic Markets at WorkFusion; Dom Joseph, who began his career as a drummer but then founded Captify, a search data company; Tim Thomas, a lawyer at partner at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors and Andrew McHutchon, Senior Data Scientist at McLaren Racing. Hamptonians impressed the interviewees with their enthusiasm, insightful questions and impressive industry knowledge.

The annual Careers Convention in February was a great success, giving Fifth Year and Sixth Form pupils a chance to connect with individuals from a widerange of fields, seeking representatives’ expertise to help guide their futures.

Within and beyond PHSE lessons, pupils were supported with making informed decisions around their options and gleaned insights into important careers-related knowledge and skills, for instance CV writing, public speaking, degree apprenticeships and applying for work experience.

As part of their Careers PHSE programme, Third Year Pupils heard from Sam Ellis, who has extensive experience in marketing and has recently cofounded of a new start-up, Project Automobility, about the importance of flexibility, resilience and creative thinking.

To support their journeys towards and beyond the Sixth Form, older Hamptonians benefited from support and guidance at the Higher Education Evening, UCAS clinics and one-to-one individualised meetings. It is clear that Hamptonians are very receptive to guidance and make the most of the provision available to them to ensure they are making the right choices.

When lockdown occurred in March it posed significant difficulties for Hamptonians wanting to look ahead, but they confronted the challenges with excellent resilience, embracing opportunities available remotely. Lower Sixth pupils facing imminent university applications in an uncertain climate were keen to seek advice at virtual appointments with the Careers and UCAS team and continued to take opportunities to enhance their profiles, with many undertaking MOOCs – online courses – entering essay competitions or challenging themselves with extra reading.

Luckily, they were able to return to school for socially-distanced personal statement days, putting themselves in an excellent position for their forthcoming university applications as well as giving them a much-needed chance to speak to their peers and teachers.

Virtual work experience programmes in fields such as Medicine and Law were pursued by Fifth Year and Sixth Form Hamptonians, whilst Fourth Year pupils were introduced to the Unifrog platform to begin their careers research. It was, of course, a time of great uncertainty for the Upper Sixth, the lion

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Arts Award

fictional story; its message of the importance of family togetherness was particularly heartfelt and moving given lockdown challenges.

The academic year 2019-20 was particularly challenging for everyone; along with its numerous other impacts, lockdown initially seemed like it might limit opportunities of Hamptonians to fulfil some of the key elements of the Silver Arts Award, a GCSE-equivalent qualification managed by Trinity College London. The qualification, available to Third and Fourth Year Hamptonians, enables young people to pursue their own creative projects, attend relevant events, work with arts practitioners and lead others to develop arts skills. Being unable to complete some of these requirements in their usual form in 2020 meant that pupils had to find an unprecedented level of organisation, independence and initiative to finish their projects. They embraced the challenge with typical Hamptonian enthusiasm, commitment and ambition, producing portfolios of exceptionally high quality.

Creative writing projects rose in popularity this year, with several pupils motivated to write and publish their own novellas – no mean feat! Danil Eliasov was inspired by his favourite author, Scott Westerfeld, to write a continuation of the popular Uglies series; his novella, Cities, showed excellent grasp of Westerfeld’s style, whilst his classmate Zac Nolan opted for a science-fiction dystopia, evoking his characters and imagined world superbly in his novella Bionica. Luckily, both Danil and Zac were able to attend the Richmond Literary Festival well before lockdown, to take inspiration from authors’ talks.

Meanwhile, Seb Pedder combined his passions for creative writing and history to develop empathy for a character very different to himself in his novella Trouble, which poignantly follows the story and struggles of a young slave girl, Adaoma; Seb was incredibly diligent in his completion of his portfolio and showed great sensitivity in depicting this highly pertinent topic.

Equally inspired to move away from writing about Western life, Naavya Sharma produced a book of short stories and poems exploring his interest in Indian culture, entitled A Vibrant India. Poetry was also Luke Trotman’s chosen genre; he demonstrated sophisticated experimentation with poetic choices in his book The Time of Nature, for which he also beautifully illustrated the front and back covers.

In a Hampton first, Findlay Barrand and Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid decided to produce graphic novels, being inspired by a – pre Covid-19 – visit to Comicon. Findlay’s beautifully hand-drawn black and white graphic novel was a retelling of the Classical story of Theseus, whilst Kieran’s vibrant, colourful work The End of Change extremely creatively explored the modern, pressing issue of climate change.

Several of the keen creative writers also interviewed author Matt Killeen, giving them the opportunity to learn what it might be like to pursue writing at a professional level. The books produced by Hampton boys will be available in the school library and we hope we might see their work in bookshops in the future!

Another art form which saw a resurgence in 2019-20 was film, with a variety of different types devised by Hamptonians. Excellent documentaries were produced by Felix Von Der Geest and Finn Gould. The former explored his interest in protest music in an impressively researched and extremely comprehensive documentary; he was also one of the first Hamptonians to combine his creativity with political impulses by writing his own pertinent protest song for 2020 entitled ‘Dear Boris’. Finn, meanwhile, explored a very personal topic in his documentary My Life: Living with Two Autistic Sisters, addressing the challenges of autism with impressive honesty, warmth, kindness and humour.

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Collaboratively working together, Milo Band and Oliver James opted for a more sinister plot in their film, The Ring, which was powerfully unsettling in depicting an individual haunted by his past. In contrast, Josh Freer was inspired by one of last year’s Arts Award pupils, Jamie Reger, who was profiled in the Trinity Talent 2019 showcase, to create an endearing animated film called Love, Accidentally, in which romance develops for two characters after a chance meeting. The variety and quality of the films was consistently excellent, especially given the difficulties of shooting any footage outside after March.

Sculptures and dioramas were produced by many of this year’s Hampton Arts Award cohort, and their work was extremely impressive. Tom Williams deserves recognition for being the first pupil to complete his project and the only one to finish the leadership component prior to lockdown by teaching workshops in his primary school, but also for being the first pupil in several years to use clay – a real challenge! His innovative, eye-catching sculpture juxtaposed a gold train, symbolising the industrial revolution, with a black sports car, representing modern transport, and was finished to a superb standard.

Sam Berresford was also highly creative in using recycled materials to produce a thought-provoking and multi-sensory sculpture exploring biophilia, the human relationship with the natural world. Such environmental consciousness was a recurrent theme, with Alex Wicks collecting hundreds of plastic bottles to build a highly striking and memorable eco-greenhouse, whilst Jack Seddon and Victor Smirnov both built impressively detailed models of eco-friendly buildings, a hotel and an apartment block respectively. We hope such green-mindedness can give us optimism for how future generations will tackle problems facing the planet.

A very different, but equally impressive, project was that of Stefan Deverill and Ben Hawkins, who pursued their passion for diorama-making to create models of three famous scenes from Star Wars with incredible skill, precision and attention to detail.

Unsurprisingly, art, design and photography underpin many Arts Award projects annually and this year was no exception. Matt Venner showcased an excellent and diverse combination of artistic skills in his varied, beautiful and sensitive portfolio of work inspired by a trip to China. With paint as his medium, Abhishekdev Ramesh also used art to explore social commentary in the form of vivid, vibrant paintings which focused on juxtaposition as a motif to evoke a powerful and moving anti-war sentiment.

Joe Fearnside, Aryan Korpal and Charlie Hall all focused on sketching for their projects, respectively choosing big cats, cars and blue plaque houses as their subjects. Following in the footsteps of Bayley Burridge last year, who was also profiled in the Trinity Talent 2019 showcase, Ayoub Khan focused on clothes design, producing clothes which we judged to be extremely appealing by both pupils and staff, testament to the refreshing versatility of Ayoub’s designs.

Photography portfolios this year demonstrated an interesting contrast between the man-made and the natural, with the latter beautifully reflected in Ben Millington-Jones’ photography book depicting Bushy Park in different seasons, whereas Alex Scothorn and Oscar Tejura both opted for more urban subject matter, London by Crossrail and automotive photography respectively; all three books were completed to an exceptionally high standard.

Music-based projects in 2019-20 showed impressive collaborative abilities to produce compositions, despite the added challenge of lockdown. Ishaan

school Das and Thomas Bainbridge worked together to devise two highly sophisticated pieces, the Mazurka and the Humoresque. Meanwhile the musical triad of Tom Whitehill on drums, Felix Droy on bass and Zachary Dowlatshahi on guitar managed to create two compositions which sounded highly professional, despite social distancing. Tom Shtasel successfully combined composition and technology in a computer game and accompanying music.

The most notable change for pupils completing Arts Awards this year was in their delivery of leadership tutorials, usually taught to younger pupils in person on the annual Leadership Day, but this year Arts Award pupils created video tutorials to provide inspirational instruction on a range of creative skills.

These online tutorials were watched by First to Third Year pupils on a Creative Skills Morning, as well as by Hampton Prep Year Six pupils on an in-school Leadership Day, and audience members were given freedom to produce a mini-project of their own, inspired by one or more tutorials.

The outcomes pupils produced were creative, varied and of a high standard and feedback on the virtual event was resoundingly excellent. One First Year pupil commented, ‘I enjoyed every video I watched and I thought they were all brilliant!’ whilst a Second Year pupil stated that, ‘I really liked the idea of this and I think that it was a great change to spending time in class. It was really fun and diverse and I liked being able to see what other boys had been doing for their projects. I don’t think it could have been better. I would definitely be doing it again’.

We hope that some Lower School boys have been inspired to apply to complete an Arts Award and are grateful to them and their Form Tutors for embracing the virtual event so wholeheartedly.

Ben Hawkins

Jack Seddon

Another significant difference this year was that pupils and advisers had the considerable effort of making all work available electronically for an online moderation, a substantial task, but their efforts were rewarded with a 100% pass rate for the fourth consecutive year and glowing feedback from the moderator: ‘The quality of the pupils’ work overall is of a high standard with evidence carefully mapped to the criteria for each part. The pupils have chosen a very wide range of challenges, art forms and research linked to their interests. Their enthusiasm for their chosen projects shone through and they have obviously been well supported and guided throughout. This has clearly been a remarkable quality programme which the pupils, advisers and the school should be very proud of, especially as adjustments due to Covid-19 meant Unit 2 workshops became effective online tutorial videos. It was a delight to watch their films and hear about their discoveries’.

We are extremely appreciative to the staff who supervised for helping the boys attain such outstanding results, particularly in such difficult circumstances. Prizes for particular excellence were awarded to the following: Matt Venner, Felix Von Der Geest, Sam Berresford, Finn Gould, Seb Pedder, Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid, Luke Trotman, Abhishekdev Ramesh, Ben Hawkins, Stefan Deverill, Ishaan Das, Tom Shtasel, Danil Eliasov, Zac Nolan, Findlay Barrand, Tom Williams, Victor Smirnov and Alex Scothorn.

Extremely well done to all the boys who completed the Arts Award, they have achieved a great deal, learnt valuable transferable skills and shown impressive resilience, of which they should be immensely proud.

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Stefan Deverill

Victor Smirnov

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Abhi Ramesh

Ben Millington Jones

Oscar Tejura

Sam Berresford

Luke Trotman

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Young Reporter Three of Hampton’s journalists scooped awards in this year’s Young Reporter Scheme. Fourth Years Jamie Reger and Tom Scott, along with Lower Sixth pupil and Hampton Sports Chronicle editor, Josh Bartholomew, were named as winners, by an independent external judging panel of journalists and editors.

Overall Top Young Reporter Y12/13: Josh Bartholomew Winner Feature Category Y12/13: Josh Bartholomew Winner Interview Category Y12/13: Josh Bartholomew (Matt Legg OH interview) Commended – Interview Category Y10/11: Tom Scott Commended – Breaking News Category Y10/11: Jamie Reger ‘The standard of writing from Hampton this year was exceptional and the judges were impressed by the quality of those articles put forward by the pupils. As always, the Hampton boys are extremely enthusiastic and are a pleasure to deal with on a day-to-day basis,’ said Diana Jarvis, coordinator of the Newsquest scheme.

‘Their confidence in researching and writing up articles is often outstanding and they follow instructions well, which makes my job a lot easier.’

This year, 500 pupils in 47 schools across London and the South East participated in the online programme, which enables teenagers to gain experience in researching and writing eight different journalism assignments in a range of categories, including News, Feature and Interview. They have to meet strict publication deadlines between September and April.

The boys’ articles are published online at https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/ youngreporter/ – you can find our Hamptonians’ writing online by searching by pupil name or Hampton School.

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Creative Writing Competition The literary talents of Hamptonians from First Year to Sixth Form were on display in this year’s Creative Writing Awards.

Aspiring authors were challenged to write a 750-word story opening and competition entrants came up with creative responses in genres ranging from horror to humour, fantasy and crime. Young adult fiction author Sara Grant provided shortlisted finalists in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior age group categories with top writing tips focusing on characterisation, plot development and ways to create tension.

Sara, who judged the submissions, was hugely impressed by the quality of writing from all those who entered the competition: ‘The quality of this year’s stories was extremely high. I had a very difficult time selecting one winner and one runner-up in each category. I was delighted to read the work of such a talented group of writers.’

The winners and runners-up from each category, who will receive book tokens when we are back in School, are as follows: Junior Winner: Isaac Tarragano Junior Runner-up: Ben Rowe Intermediate Winner: Luke Trotman Intermediate Runner-up: Abhishekdev Ramesh Senior Winner: Pavit Kullar Senior Runner-up: Alex Syratt All the finalists’ work has been published in the Lion Print 2020 Creative Arts magazine, which is available in the Publications section of the School website.

Isaac Tarragano

Last Flight There was a bang. Red consuming the control panel. Alarms blared. The plane was losing altitude. Sharply and suddenly, the throttle was pulled up by the pilot, but no response. “Mayday, mayday”, he shouted into his radio, but only static replied.

There was a loud crack and a burst of light as lightning pierced the cloudy skies.

Panic, fear and confusion seeped through every vein of Arthur’s body as he fought to keep the plane in the air. He was an experienced pilot but still feared for his life every time he went out in this rust-bucket of a plane. His wife always told him she’d see him later, not to worry; but this time he wasn’t so sure she was right. The cockpit filled with palpable terror as Arthur felt the nose of the plane buckle. He was losing control; and quickly.

The wind whistled past as the plane shot downwards, Arthur faded in and out of consciousness as he was forced back into his seat by the force of the vertical freefall……. “…… ‘Last one to that river up ahead is a rotten egg’, Max shouts as the boys race off.

Arthur feels the joy of being a 10 year old out with his friend, no cares in the world.

He pedals furiously to catch up with Max; feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his face and his bare arms. As Arthur reaches the river, he sees a rope swing, he takes a running start and jumps, attempts to grab onto the rope, but his fingers just touch thin air. A shout from Max, “are you ok”, as Arthur hits the water with a splash. Arthur sits back in fits of laughter, and he looks up to see Max glimmering like an angel, as the sunshine reflects off the water, blinding Arthur’s eyes…..”

A smile lit up Arthur’s face as the alarms of the plane cut through his black-out. He saw the numbers on the altitude display decreasing as the plane spiralled down towards the white horses riding the waves of the sea….. “….Blinking through his tears, Arthur sees a sea of black suits and dresses. The funeral procession carries the coffin down the aisle of the church, and ‘Jerusalem’, his mother’s favourite song plays mournfully. Arthur raises his arm to wipe the tears away from his face, 24 years old, and the pain of his mother’s death opening up a wound in his heart. The high ceilings of the church illuminated by lit candles, dotted down the aisle; the joyful vibrant colours of the stained-glass windows, almost out of place with the melancholy event taking place inside. Later, Arthur stands solemnly by her grave, the realisation of how much more time his mother could have had in this world hits him, and he bows his head in respect and sadness. Out of nowhere, his brother’s arm embraces him, and Arthur leans into it: ‘it’ll be ok, Mum would be proud of you’….”

A tear dropped down Arthur’s cheek, onto the cockpit floor, and he wondered how much longer he could have to live. The outline of the coast faded out of his eye’s view as the sea came closer and closer…. “…..Applause erupts around the table as Arthur’s eldest daughter, Selena, cuts the first slice of turkey. Arthur hands round the plates, and everyone tucks in.

The table raise their glasses in a Christmas toast to happiness. The dog snoring quietly in the corner, wakes up at the smell of food and vivacious cheers, and darts under the table, urgently seeking the leftovers. A pause in the conversation, and Selena taps her glass with her fork. She rises up from the table, ‘I’ve got something to tell you” and with a nod, she glances at Arthur, and he knows, “I’m pregnant, you’re going to be a grandfather”. Arthur clasps Selena’s hand, tears in his eyes, choking an ‘I love you’, and he swells with pride and love at his family, all grown-up…..”

Everything was silent in the cockpit as the plane’s emergency systems shut down with a final screech. The seagulls shrieking as the plane approached the turbulent waves of the sea. Through his oblivion, Arthur gently smiled. As the plane hit the water with a crash, he felt the contentment of a life filled with happiness, love and friendship, and he was at peace.

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Ben Rowe

Torment Run! Run! Get out of here as fast as you can and never come back!

The boy stumbled and tumbled down the old cobbled pathway in a delirious manner, the last and only words he remembered ringing in his ears. He didn’t even know why he was running. It was all a blazing blur, his mind a steamy fog of questions, red hot thoughts bouncing and ricocheting around the borders of his brain. Something compelled him to stop. And think. His name was… he couldn’t quite remember. He took a gulp of the chilled night air, hoping that it would revive his senses, and then tried again, desperately scouring his memories, if indeed he had any left. Just a flashback.

The merest glimpse, anything, of who he was. Nothing. It was like a never-ending nightmare. He stood over stray puddles strewn across the damp, desolate, empty street, peering in to discover who it was staring back at him. But it was to no avail. Just a tense, tired and tatty teenager gazing up at the looming, lamp-lit sky. Neither of them really belonged here.

Click. Click. Click.

Piercing the fathomless silence like a knife through butter, shiny, metal toe-capped shoes performed immaculately even footsteps only a few metres away. It could have been just some ordinary person walking down the street, but something wasn’t right. He just knew it. The sharp metronomic footsteps crept closer and closer towards him. They were coming for him. Always. Only for him. He had to keep moving. He had no choice. He staggered on. Towards who knows where?

Pockets of cold air burst from his breathless body as he tried to pick up the pace, narrowly avoiding lampposts and isolated lumps of rock lying on the pavement. He ran and ran and ran just like he had been told to do. But why? And by whom? But the further on he went the closer the footsteps seemed to be. Damn. How was that possible! Wherever he looked, in whichever direction he ran, the footsteps would always be close behind. Never-ending.

Click. Click. Click.

As he ran ragged, his thoughts ran riot. What twisted sadistic figure was out there? In the shadows. Tracking him. Tormenting him. He tried not to think about it. The important thing was that the fire in his strained soul, the fire that had kept him alive, was still burning. Even if it was now a diminishing, dying fire, it was the only sensation he could salvage across his entire body.

What was that? Out of the corner of his eye. Movement? He had only been on this street for just a few minutes, but it appeared to be deserted. There was no one to talk to. No one to help him. Even so, he was certain he had seen something in one of the seemingly abandoned old houses.

Click. Click. Click.

A foreboding sense of inevitability accompanied the approaching footsteps.

He cut across the road, towards the derelict house. With a faintly audible creak, he eased open the rusted gate, climbed the crooked steps and peered through one of the grimy windows. Perhaps this should have felt wrong. Perhaps he should have felt scared. But something was drawing him in. He had to know. He had to look. He stared into the endless black abyss that was looming only metres away from him. For a moment it felt like there was someone staring back at him, through him, looking deep within his soul, then nothing. A pungent, putrid smell emanating from the darkness snapped him back to his senses. He had to leave. He had to keep moving.

Wait! What was that? Flapping at the bottom of the porch. An old brown newspaper. Why could he not tear his eyes away from it? What was pulling him in? He swept it up in his hands and fixed on the headline. “LOCAL BOY DANIEL WATSON NOW MISSING FOR SEVEN WEEKS”. And that face in the photo. It was the same one from the puddle. The shuddering shock of recognition was short lived with the sudden realisation that the sound of the footsteps had stopped. His whole spine shivered in the silence. He sensed an overpowering presence. The shrill creak of the garden gate was left ringing in his ears. He whirled round to witness a smile of maniacal satisfaction and the footsteps were upon him.

CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.

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Luke Trotman

The wrong path The cat knew. He had no idea how it understood but he was convinced that his cat was fully aware of what he had done. As it stared at him, he could plainly see it in its eyes. Anger. Resentment. Disappointment? Arthur didn’t want his cat to be disappointed in him. If his pet felt disappointment in him, Arthur could hardly imagine how his parents would feel…

Arthur ran from detention before Mr Ronald had even finished dismissing him. There were only four of them in there that day. Less than usual. He and Mikey were always there, the two regulars, with a few others. It was funny, he’d never even spoken with Mikey, except about really basic things – like what the time was because no-one had ever even thought to put a clock in the detention room. Arthur never even saw him at school.

He wondered if he even showed up for any lessons…

Arthur paced around in his small room. Sweating profusely. He was afraid. Did they know where he lived? Had they forgotten about him? What should he do?! He heard a key turn in the lock, and his heart rate rose further – such that he felt dizzy.

He couldn’t face his parents, he just couldn’t…

Straight after leaving detention, he hurtled past his house without so much as a sideward glance. Maybe a hint of one. Not long enough to stop. Not long enough to think about what he was doing. Five minutes later, he was on the train, heading to an unknown address, for an unknown appointment with an unknown person. As Arthur got off the train, a suited man was walking towards him. One of his dad’s friends.

Arthur panicked – what if this man recognised him? Throwing his hood over his head, he walked briskly in the opposite direction. After ten minutes, he arrived at the address on the random piece of paper he had found in his locker. The light was fading fast as he hurried through the backstreets of London. It was at this point that he first began to consider the foolishness of his action. Adrenaline shut those thoughts down. He had come too far.

Why couldn’t he have stopped? Thought rationally for a second. As Arthur sat there, head in his hands, he silently cursed himself for being so thoughtless. So arrogant. So selfish. What if he’d put his family in danger? What if – It was a warehouse, leaning slightly into the tenebrous alleyway as though about to collapse. Purposefully, he strode towards the building, before being swallowed by the blackness inside. He took off his hood slowly, then entered the dark corner where whispering voiced echoed.

“You OK Art?”, his mother called up kindly. “All fine mum. Lots of homework!”, he lied, hiding the shaking of his voice. Could he tell them? What would they do? How horrified and upset would they be?

“Finally, he’s arrived. Didn’t think you’d even show up…”, one of them laughed, Arthur couldn’t see his whole face, which was shielded by a hoodie, but guessed he was about his age – sixteen. There were four of them there, all with faces hidden. It added to the already sinister mood of the place. “Sure. Here now though...”

Arthur replied, in as casual a tone as he could muster, “So, what’s the deal with calling me here?”. A second one glanced at the first, who appeared to be the leader, and Arthur thought he could see the hints of a smirk forming on the second one’s face. He recognised that smirk. Before he could register who it belonged to, they all tore off their hoods. He looked over to the second one. It was Mikey.

What did it matter that Mikey was there? Why had it encouraged him to stay? He should have run while he still could, before he caved under the pressure, and did as they said.

“Hey Arthur.” Mikey smiled, and Arthur couldn’t discern whether the smile was mocking or kind. “I thought you’d want to be part of this. These guys, they’re your kind of people…”, he hesitated, “But, they, uh, have a sort of ‘initiation’ ritual, thing. They, need you to …”, Mikey stopped. The leader stepped in, “We want you to rob a shop”, he said so calmly it was disconcerting, “To show you want to be a part of us…”.

“When?”, he asked nervously, unable to maintain a casual façade.

“Now.”, the leader grinned.

Luke Trotman

Retribution The arrow sliced through the air without resistance, hurtling towards its target with unrelenting speed. Straight towards me. It was travelling almost as quickly as my reactions would be… almost. I allowed it to reach so close that I could hear its faint scream as it shot towards me. How ironic – it would come to mirror the screams of he who had fired it. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. In a split-second, I was poised and ready to attack.

With a single, long intake of breath, I cleared my mind of any distractions, as though about to meditate. My reasons for being here no longer mattered.

All that existed now was this fight, and this fight alone.

After hearing the reverberating impact of the arrow smashing itself into the bark of the tree behind me, I sprang into action. Drawing my two daggers in a moment, I enjoyed the scrape as they scratched the sheath. My mind working in slow motion, I sprinted towards the man who had dared shoot an arrow at me. He would live to regret it. If only for a short while. The blades seemed to swing of their own accord, my hands had performed these

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school same intricate motions so many times before. Moving rapidly in an arc through the air, they cut through his neck as if it were little more than paper, preserving his last facial expression for ever. One of shock. One of horror. One of pain.

As I stared down into his empty eyes, feelings of guilt began to rise inside me. This man was little more than a pawn in the King’s game. What I had done was necessary, but this did not mean that I was remorseless or unforgiving. I would never – could never – become the psychopath the King was.

“Sire, he is drawing closer. None of the men we are sending out to stop him seem to have any effect. At this current rate, he will have reached us – you – by tomorrow. Surely you see it is necessary to send out the garrison – he holds too much power! Why put your life in unnecessary risk? Kill him while you still can!”, panted the King’s advisor, having run from the soldiers’ quarters. “No.”, responded the King bluntly, with an almost imperceptible grin, ‘I have plans for him.

Let him come. He’ll regret ever nearing my palace – if only for a short time…’. As his advisor turned briskly to leave, the King called him back. “Keep sending out men though”, he ordered, “He can’t figure out the game is up…”. His advisor paled, “S- Sire”, he stuttered, “But he’ll just kill them?”.

“Yes, for the greater good, every sacrifice is worth making. You’ll see…”, the King announced. “And he’ll see…”, he whispered to himself.

It’s not to say that I never tired on my journey. Much to my disappointment, I never will have limitless stamina, able to sprint without feeling fatigue for days on end. But I have other advantages, I only hope they will be enough to succeed. As darkness began to wrap its hand round the skies each night, I would feel compelled to scale a tree, ensuring I would not remain an easy target for my pursuers. As I stared up each night, I would question the morality of what I was doing. What I planned to do. I searched my conscience for fundamental faults in my murderous intentions. Though I understood murder was wrong, in these circumstances, I could find no evil in my plans. None.

It was a weighty burden to sleep upon, but I recognised the importance of such thoughts. For without my conscience, what was I? “He has been spotted, Sire, not five mile from here. Our first concrete sighting of him, and I am not the only one who believes it will be our last. My King, he is simply too—”.

“Too what?!”, the King snapped, “Too intelligent for me? Too cunning for me? Too strong for me? Whatever your doubts are, banish them immediately! He has not a chance of reaching me without being noticed. Justice will be served for all he intends to do.”

As his advisor left the King’s quarters, head bowed, a thought occurred to him. An interesting thought. One that should have been dismissed instantly.

But it wasn’t. Yes, the King’s foe would never be able to reach the King. Not unless he helped him…

Abhishekdev Ramesh

Once in a Lifetime As the sun began to set and the evening light cast a red tint all around, a large wooden sailing boat glided gracefully. On first glance, the boat looked perfectly normal, just like any other sailing boat. The sort you would expect a pirate to sail the seven seas. It was made entirely from the finest oak and wooden, spindled banisters lined the staircase to the top deck. However, this boat did not sail; it floated. It floated amongst the clouds. An enormous cream, barrage balloon, which was attached by numerous ropes, was suspended above the boat. All appeared calm and peaceful high up in the sky, yet the lone sailor was in fact feeling the exact opposite of calm and peaceful. He was both worried and stressed. The man, who was in his late 60s, had a long white moustache almost reaching his sideburns. He was wearing brown trousers and a brown t-shirt and had a red bandana tied around his head, which we can only presume was hiding his thinning, grey hair. Perched on top of this bandana was a pair orange rimmed goggles, not like swimming goggles, more like the type of goggles a biker would wear. His anxiety started the very moment the rudder fell from the boat and plummeted to the ground, thousands of miles below. The boat came to a halt and he was stuck; suspended there in mid-air.

The gentleman hung his head in utter despair. He stood still for quite some time, pondering his new predicament, when, in the distance, a loud, unusual sound caught his attention. He quickly reached for his telescope and could not believe what he was seeing.

He vigorously rubbed the lens, then, just to be sure, rubbed his eyes and looked again. Sure enough, floating, gliding through the sky were enormous green turtles. They moved with the grace of an angel. There was at least 20 of them, soaring elegantly through the clouds and each one was almost the size of his boat. They were quite a spectacle to see as they moved closer and closer. Not wanting to miss what might be his only opportunity of a rescue; he grabbed a large rope and lassoed one of the turtles around its neck. For a short while, it seemed like this plan would work. The boat was moving once again, but it was clear that the turtle was struggling to drag the weight of the ship behind it. To his dismay, the rope snapped suddenly and the nest of turtles drifted away.

Once again, a feeling of anxiety swept through his body.

Just when all hope was nearly lost, a single cry could be heard in the distance. He glanced behind to see a young turtle racing to keep up with the others. The man, feeling desperate, clambered on to the edge of his beloved boat. He sighed, as his love for the boat ran deeply, before leaping bravely onto the back of the young turtle. Gripping tightly onto the turtle’s shell, he floated silently into the distance, not knowing where he was going. the lion

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Senior Winner: Pavit Kullar for

Unnoticed Senior entries can contain material that some find unsuitable for younger readers hamptonschool.org.uk/whats-on/school-magazines/ Hampton School Website – What’s On – School Magazines – Lion Print 2020 – pages 60-61 SENIOR WINNER Creative Writing Competition 2020 ‘A powerful and emotional story. Pavit wonderfully shares the insights into the tormented life of his main character and shows us a rollercoaster of an emotional journey that I was glad ended with the protagonist reaching out for help. Excellent work!’

Sara Grant, Judge

Alex Syratt

Jenn My name is Tom. Or, it was. My new name is Jenn, I am sixteen years old and I am transgender. Today is my first day at the new school, Walton Private, no one knows who I used to be. I never used to fit in, but now is finally my chance to create a new life, a new beginning.

I sat up in bed, the faint glow of the South England sun, struggling through the autumn clouds. Tired, I pulled myself onto my feet, walking over to the tall oak wardrobe. Reaching inside, I pulled out a murky grey coloured shirt, bland and boring, perfect. I did not want to draw unwanted attention to myself. The longer I could stay unnoticed by anyone of significance the more likely I could have a normal life. Or, as normal as a transgender’s life can be. I pulled out a similar skirt, plain and black. Cute, but not enough to get me noticed. Staring into a dusty mirror I fasten the school tie around my neck. A sharp knock at the door makes me jump. Slowly, I turn and see my mother peering in through the early morning gloom.

My mother is a kind woman. Young looking for her age, yet plump, no one would ever guess she is forty-eight. She sent me a kind smile and then slowly waddled to the middle of the room where I was seated. sat behind me braiding my hair into a long French plait. After she had finished she stood me up, brushing the baby hair out of my eyes. Her soft brown eyes, seemingly filled with sorrow and regret stared into mine, “You look beautiful, daughter”. That was the first time either of my parents had called me daughter. It took my mother a while to get used to the change, but she was supportive. My father on the other hand, well he is no longer in the picture. As I span around, the sun shone on my newly styled hair, in the mirror through the corner of my eye, I could make out a glistening river of blonde gold flowing down my back. My mother smiled again, and in a voice fighting off tears choked, “your hair always was the perfect complement for your emerald eyes”. She hastily looked away, wiping tears from her eyes before telling me to get ready to leave. As I left my room, my sister ran out to give me a hug. This was new, she almost never hugged me, but I was not complaining. I had always been close with her, Sophie, my older sister. She knew about my feelings and changes months before anyone else. I could trust her, with her is where I felt safe and comfortable.

Mother and I sat in the car in complete silence, the road ahead of us stretching for miles. Through the frosted over window of my mother’s ancient Saab, I could see the frozen white ground, and miserable sky. Every now and then, the sun would attempt to break through the cloud line, but to no avail. The road ahead of us disappeared all to suddenly, shrouded by a thick mist. Through the silence and blindness all I could perceive was the beating of my own heart, thumping irregular and panicked. I must have been short of breath too, as my mother put a hand on my thigh and squeezed tight.

“You will be fine Jenn. I promise.”

“Cross your heart...?”

“And hope to die”, she mimed drawing a cross over her heart. It was a silly thing, but it was something I knew I could trust. “Nothing will go wrong, no one will know, no one needs to know. Take deep breaths and try and relax. Show the world who you really are”.

Her words hung in my head like a beehive. Those last few words, buzzing over and over and over, “who you really are?” Who am I? What is my future, where will I go? Who am I? The old car ground to a stop and I get out. Through the mist loomed two large ominous stone pillars.

I stood staring up at the large entrance, it seemed like it belonged to a mental hospital rather than a secondary education campus. The old Saab slowly drew away into the mist, coughing and spluttering as it vanished. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. Stepping forward through the large gates, I thought over and over, “Who am I? I am Jenn Brady. I am sixteen years old. It’s time to show the world who I really am” I opened my eyes and walked into what will be the first day of the rest of my life.

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BBC 500 Words – Winner!

Third Year Vishal Saha has been announced as the BBC 500 Words winner in the 10-13 age group category. This is the first time a Hamptonian has won this prestigious award.

The 500 Words competition is one of the most successful story-writing competitions for children in the country. This year, there were a staggering 135,000 entries – a new record!

Vishal’s story, The Diary of a £5 Note, was shortlisted for showing extraordinary creativity and imagination and judged to be a winning entry by the panel of judges, which consisted of acclaimed children’s authors Malorie Blackman, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Charlie Higson and Francesca Simon, alongside Honorary Judge, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall.

Vishal’s story was also read by comedian and children’s author David Walliams who warmly praised him on his achievement.

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Pens Down Day! This academic year saw two Pens Down days. The idea of the event is for pupils to put down their pens and learn in a slightly different way by encouraging oracy skills.

Once again, Hampton teachers came up variety of creative and fun ways for the pupils to absorb subject material.

In Geography, pupils were put in to groups, each representing a different country in the world of trade. They ‘manufactured’ goods from paper and the aim was to sell goods to the banker – their teacher – who would give them money in return. Third Year pupils took to the School field in Physics in order to calculate acceleration and speed by sprinting in their lesson. In English, Fourth Year pupils took part in a Salem witch trial to reinforce their studies of The Crucible. A number of subjects held debates and quizzes, and there was even the odd game of Bingo – and more beyond!

One Third Year pupil said that he thought the day ‘engaged different parts of the brain that we may otherwise neglect’, whilst others commented on the fact that talking about a topic helped them retain the information.

Walking down the corridors, classrooms were buzzing with activity and it was a joy to see so many pupils out of their seats – for the right reasons! – and enjoying a dynamic approach to their studies.

ACM

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Form Charity Report Form Charity this year has been a lesson in how to make lemonade when life gives you lemons.

The year started off with a new Form Charity event, run with LEH for the Fourth Year, where groups of pupils were given newspaper and tape, and challenged to build a replica of a famous landmark. The event was a great success, thanks, as always to our fantastic charity committee, made up of boys from the Lower Sixth.

The Lower School Christmas Quiz was a very fun way to see out the autumn term. We also ran a foodbank donation drive, working with the Richmond Food Bank, and donated resources around the world via Good Gifts.

In the Easter Term, we ran yet another new event: The Form Charity Rock Around the World Concert, where pupils from both Hampton and LEH performed in the Hammond Theatre.

We were not able to conduct our usual Form Charity elections, due to lockdown, so we do not, as of yet, know which charities we will be supporting next year. However, lockdown could not stop us from mobilising staff and pupils to raise money for our current Form Charity partners in the 1557 challenge, where pupils ran, bounced, swam, cycled, boxed and squatted their way to raising a phenomenal £4013.66 + £770.80 of Gift Aid. AES

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free sc be kept ever m

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Last year, 2018-2019, was a superb year for the DofE at Hampton, with our highest ever completion rate. In total, we saw 14 boys complete their Bronze certificates, 177 receive their Silver certificates and 22 receive the Gold award – a total of 213 boys completing the award!

September 2019 saw the enrolment of over 150 new Silver participants and over 20 new Gold participants. These boys have been active throughout the year completing their volunteering, skill and physical sections.

Only a limited number of expeditions took place this academic year. In August 2019, five senior boys headed to the Lake District in August for their Gold DofE practice expedition. The boys, all rowers, hiked for four days from Windermere to Kentmere, then over High Street to camp at Brotherswater on night two, before continuing over the Scandale Pass to Loughrigg tarn for night three and returning to Windermere to complete the route on day four.

In the first week of the October half term, 61 boys, in nine groups, successfully completed Silver practice and assessment expeditions in Dorset – enjoying some warm and sunny weather on the Isle of Purbeck.

A few days later, twenty-one boys completed Gold practice expeditions in the Lake District walking from Penrith to Windermere via Pooley Bridge, Gillside and Rydal.

Sadly, Covid-19 prevented us running the numerous expeditions planned for the Easter holidays, Summer half term and Summer holidays. This has meant that our 156 Silver participants and over 40 Gold participants will need to wait until later in the year or even into 2021 to complete their practice and assessment expeditions.

We look forward to next year’s expeditions with even greater excitement!

DRC and PWT

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Model United Nations MUN at Hampton continued to go from strength-to-strength in the 20192020 season. We were pleased to welcome a large number of new, junior debaters who were very keen to gain experience at a number of conferences and develop their skills of debate and diplomacy. We have been extremely impressed with their progress and it is clear that they have years of successful and enjoyable MUN debating ahead of them.

This season was sadly cut short due to the Covid-19 restrictions imposed from March onwards. This meant we had to cancel our final – and biggest – event of the year at Haileybury School. Happily, we managed to fit in seven different conferences before debating was brought to an abrupt halt.

Our MUN teams represented Hampton at REIMUN, CROYMUN, BMUN, WHSMUN, GMUN, LEHMUN and MCSMUN, winning a total of 43 individual awards and 7 team awards. This is a fantastic achievement and all of our debaters can be very proud of their public and personal achievements this year.

Of course, winning awards is very satisfying, but the MUN ‘experience’ goes way beyond trophies and certificates. Boys develop confidence and vital, transferable skills. Matthew Cresswell highlights this wonderfully in his article below, urging boys to ‘find your voice’.

Thank you to all our dedicated, vocal and talented MUN debaters. We are proud of your achievements and delighted to see you growing in confidence as your debating and chairing skills develop.

JAF and HA The skill of communication is particularly important in MUN, as it affects so many aspects of the conference experience. How persuasive a policy statement, resolution or speech is will often hinge on how clearly delegates are able to explain and justify their countries’ beliefs; open and honest oracy is also key to forging alliances with other nations and developing friendships which will last throughout the conferences and beyond. No pressure for MUN delegates then!

Since Third Year, I have gradually built up my confidence in public speaking at MUN conferences, with the incredible help of Miss Field and Mr Agulian, working out over time just how powerful a short, concise but wellprepared speech can be. However, even speeches which do not go quite to plan have helped me improve my oracy – MUN is the perfect place to experiment with different styles of communication, before working out which fits you best.

This was a skill I was particularly able to practise and hone at CROYMUN (November 2019). At this conference, I had the privilege to be able to chair debates – adjudicating and judging them, as opposed to being a delegate – which really reinforced the importance of communication to me. Across the day, I had to explain the rules of the debate as clearly as I could to new debaters, ensure proceedings within my committee were calm and orderly (which necessitated working out the right volume of my voice to use, as I had to make sure I could be heard by delegates at the back without deafening those in the front row!), and lead a speech in front of all of the delegates in the full General Assembly. I was struck by how much more comfortable I felt leading debates and discussions by the end of the day, and I am really looking forward to working to further improve these skills in future MUN conferences.

Clear communication is an undoubtedly helpful skill, and MUN is a brilliantly fun way of improving it – join the debate, get involved, and find your voice.

Matthew Cresswell 50

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Classics What an ‘annus mirabilis’ this has been! Before everything went crazy, we had a very productive year in the Classics Department.

Ms Busby and Mrs Ziegler organised a trip to Cambridge for an Ancient History day, replete with lectures on Roman Britain and early Roman History.

The boys found it fun and insightful: Alex Brandon enjoyed thinking about the truth behind Rome’s foundation stories and the theories put forward about early Roman warfare, while Sam Berthon appreciated the insights he gained regarding the reliability of sources and the importance of corroborating them with the archaeological record.

Mrs Ziegler, Mr McTernan and Ms Busby also took the Fifth Year Ancient Historians to the Troy exhibition, where the boys also had some time independently to track down artefacts across the museum relating to their GCSE studies. Some of the boys also stopped by the artefact-handling stand: a great experience as the presenter was a real expert, who asked them lots of thought-provoking questions and answered well the boys’ questions in response.

Sam Berthon thought that the many Cuneiform artefacts in the Persian and Mesopotamia sections were very interesting, as well as the very large Assyrian and Egyptian statues. Alex Brandon found the trip very entertaining, and was most intrigued about the Cyrus Cylinder – as well as enjoying the opportunity to handle artefacts! Fred Darley found a vase, which bore the earliest known depiction of the Trojan war, to be particularly noteworthy as it used a more Egyptian style of art as opposed to the typical Greek style found from the 6th Century BC onwards.

Play-wise, on February 13, a group of middle and upper school pupils went to the Bloomsbury theatre to watch UCL’s production of Aristophanes’ Frogs.

The lecture before the play on tropes and political satire in Aristophanic comedy got the party in the mood for what followed.

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Nayaaz Hashim commented that the energetic production of the play, complete with jaw-dropping staging and music did not disappoint – though a few eyebrows were raised when the agon of the play was turned into a rap battle between Euripides and Aeschylus!

A few weeks later, on Feburary 27, we went to KCL’s Greek play, this a genre mash-up of Aristophanes’ Frogs and Euripides’ Bacchae, set in the modern world and titled Dionysus in the Underworld. Again a pre-play lecture set the scene nicely, explaining how young men of military age performed in the chorus and how the disastrous naval battle of Aegospotami was still very much fresh in the Athenian consciousness when Frogs was first performed.

Sam Berthon enjoyed the play, saying that one moment which stuck with him was Dionysus breaking the fourth wall to ‘trash-talk’ the recent UCL play, as well as the Chernobyl-esque frogs, in swimming goggles and green doctor’s scrubs, dancing and singing their distinctive chorus to the tune of a number

by Lizzo! perrideo palam!

Lecture-wise, Ms Winstock led a trip to Harrodian School for their annual Classics conference. There were a variety of different academics at the event giving talks on topics ranging from the role of women in the works of Homer and Virgil, to what we can learn about Roman imperial rule though portraits of Roman emperors. Alex Fagan thought that each lecture was fascinating in different ways, and that the event broadened their perspective of the Ancient World, encouraging them to explore all things Classical even further.

Our GCSE Latinists partook in their annual set text day conference in Guildford, hearing lectures from two eminent speakers about GCSE Latin set text authors. The talk about Aeneid 2 was perhaps the most illuminating of the two, but the boys also learnt plenty about the writing of political history – Tacitus – and daily Roman life – Pliny.

Further down the School, four keen and intrepid First Years ventured down to Charterhouse with Mrs Ziegler and Mr Barber to take part in the reading

school competition there – a first for a long time! We did not win sadly, but the boys enjoyed performing their prepared dialogue in a lecture hall straight out of Hogwarts, hearing older pupils give empowered displays from the close of Virgil’s epic Aeneid. In addition, and most importantly, two members of the party, Elliot Cundy and Xavier Fricot, were awarded Highly Commended certificates for their eloquent and well-prepared recitals of a Pompeiian love triangle. Given our tremendous showing, this is definitely a competition to watch for in the future!

Another departure for us this year was the inauguration of a Latin vocab quiz for Year 8 pupils from local prep schools. King’s House eventually came out on top, but everyone had a great time, competing in the glorious surroundings of the Hammond Theatre. This will also become another staple of the Classics Department calendar.

Club-wise, Ms Winstock has been running Sanskrit club for two years now and is delighted with its success, as evidenced by her comments below: ‘Following on from Hampton’s very successful Lower School production of the Ramāyana, an ancient Indian play about Rama and Sita, Sanskrit Club was back in the Classics Department for the second year running. All boys from Third Year to Upper Sixth were invited to learn how to read and write Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language tracing back to the 2nd millennium BCE. Although the language is notorious for its highly intricate script and complex accidence, our new Sanskritists rose to the challenge. By the end of the year, they were even able to read and translate some original verses from the Ramāyana itself! It is fabulous to be able to add another ancient language to our evolving roster!’

In addition, and connectedly, Hamptonians enjoyed success again at the annual UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO), which is run by the Classics Department. This national competition, which is similar to other academic Olympiad challenges, presents the pupils with some words or sentences in one of the world’s 7000 languages and asks for further forms or meanings.

A group of 30 Hamptonians from Third Year to Upper Sixth took part in this year’s Olympiad and secured seven gold, four silver and nine bronze awards. Particular congratulations go to Fifth Year pupil Pallav Bagchi and Lower Sixth Former Matthew Cresswell, who both gained a score of over 85% and were named in the top 18 of over 1,600 candidates. This is the eighth year that Hampton has encouraged pupils to take part in the competition, with the number of award winners increasing year on year. Well done to all of the Hampton pupils who participated!

Sadly, this year, and despite all Ms Busby’s hard work, the longplanned and organised Easter Classics trip to Greece was a victim of the then incipient pandemic. Boys and staff were all crushed not to be able to visit Delphi’s famous oracle, see the original Olympic running track, hike up and marvel at Athens’ Acropolis, and sample the awesome acoustics at Epidauros – among many other Ancient Greek marvels. Here’s hoping we get to do another residential trip soon.

All in all, then, a busy year for the department – despite the lockdown!

Unfortunately, this write-up also has to finish on a sad note. Ms Jacobs, who has been at the school for 15 years, is picking up her Hampton stilus for the last time and moving on. I am sure, like the rest of the department, you, dear readers, will be very sad to see her go, but no doubt extremely grateful for all she has done for you – whether colleague, Classicist, Spanishist, Musician, fellow Chorister.

We wish her all the best, and look forward to seeing her at next year’s annual pizzanalia – or nandonalia as it was this year – where the Classics staff and Sixth Form Classicists mark the Roman Saturnalia with tasty food and good company! Until then, valete, omnes et tuti estote!

JWB with contributions from HAZ, GJB, ARW, Alex Brandon, Sam Berthon, Fred Darley, Nayaaz Hashim, Alex Fagan

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Goethe Institut German Debating Competition Following last year’s impressive run, which saw Lower Sixth German debaters reach the National Final, Hampton entered another exceptionally strong team for this year’s competition. Jay Kim (Captain), Nick Thomas, Vlad Penzyev and Ned Bloom put in excellent performances right from their first-round debate against Sir William Borlase’s School, Marlow, successfully convincing the judges that school pupils should have the right to strike for climate action.

Progressing to the second round, the long return journey from Exeter School, where the opponents hosted Hamptonians in style, was made a celebratory one through another victory for the Hampton team, debating the pros and cons of making all public transport use free of charge.

In the semi-final, Hampton met their match against an energetic RGS High Wycombe team, who won over the judges by arguing against the motion that school canteens should in future offer only vegan and vegetarian food.

The Hampton Lower Sixth team were forensic in their research, formidable in their teamwork and proved themselves outstanding German speakers and debaters. They can be proud of all they achieved!

KEW

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Juvenes Translatores Hampton’s Sixth Form linguists excelled at the prestigious Juvenes Translatores competition, an online translation contest that runs across Europe.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation has been running the Juvenes Translatores – Latin for ‘young translators’ – contest since 2007. The competition is designed to promote language learning in schools and to give young people a taste of what it is like to be a translator.

For the first time, Hampton School was selected at random, alongside 72 other UK schools, and the participating pupils had to translate a challenging text on the topic of what young people can do to help shape the future of Europe, from their chosen foreign language into English.

Five Hamptonians competed in Juvenes Translatores on 21 November and were among over 3,100 entries from 750 schools in 27 different countries across Europe, all competing at the same time. Particular congratulations go to Sixth Formers Jake Emerson (German), James Smith (Spanish) and Oscar Leonov (French) who were awarded Special Mention Diplomas for their outstanding translations, placing them in the top 9% of linguists across Europe. Ewan McBride (Spanish) and Max Matthews (French) also produced some excellent, creative translations on the day.

Mr Boardman, Head of French, congratulated the Hamptonians on their impressive achievement: ‘We are all very proud of our outstanding linguists – they analysed a very challenging source text in the target language and had to rewrite it in the most suitable register and tone in English. We always knew they were talented, but now they have been recognised as some of the finest linguists in Europe – what an achievement!’

Me voilà donc enfin diplômé en horticulture (mes parents étaient fiers, je te raconte pas! Ou peut-être simplement soulagés: il faut dire que j’ai mis du temps à trouver ma voie). Mais je vais encore faire une année de formation, avec des cours de gestion en soirée et des stages pratiques en journée, dans des exploitations de la région.

J’ai vraiment adoré l’année dernière, d’abord avec ce professeur invité de Sicile, qui nous a expliqué comment les fruiticulteurs de son île s’étaient adaptés au changement climatique, en se reconvertissant dans les fruits tropicaux: ils ont dû trouver les bonnes variétés, apprendre Zu den Initiativen, die die Europäische Kommission mit „Jugend in Aktion“ fördert, gehören die sogenannten Jugendbegegnungen. Im Rahmen einer solchen Begegnung hast du die Möglichkeit, mit jungen Menschen aus verschiedenen europäischen Ländern zusammenzukommen und für einen kurzen Zeitraum (5 bis 21 Tage) an gemeinsamen Projekten mit europäischer Dimension zu arbeiten sowie an diversen Workshops, Debatten und Aktivitäten teilzunehmen. Du wohnst zusammen mit den anderen Teilnehmern, ihr lernt miteinander und voneinander und stärkt dadurch euer europäisches Gemeinschaftsgefühl.

Oder würdest du lieber direkt in die Sachdiskussion mit politischen Entscheidungsträgern Tierra de forma irreversible… y me he rayado. ¡Es que no estoy haciendo nada al respecto!

Bueno, ni yo ni la mayoría de nosotros. Mucho protestar de boquilla y liarnos a retuitear y compartir publicaciones en el Face, pero, a la hora de la verdad, nada de nada. ¿Y si aprovechásemos las vacaciones de otra forma? Llevamos todo el verano sin dar un palo al agua, y, ahora que somos jóvenes, que tenemos tiempo, podríamos invertir ese tiempo de forma más productiva.

Total, he estado como un loco buscando información en internet sobre programas de voluntariado y, mira por dónde, he dado con una página de la UE en la que presentan un montón de oportunidades de voluntariado para jóvenes. the lion

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History, Archives & Archaeology Society The inaugural year of the History, Archives & Archaeology Society was one to remember, thanks to the brilliant work of our committed and passionate historians.

History teachers Mrs Willcox and Ms Arnott, and School Archivist Miss Esmond, opened the first club meeting with a news clipping from 1939 showing the opening of the School, asking pupils what could be learned from this little piece of history. In September 1939, our School had only days earlier relocated to Hanworth Road and there must have been considerable anxiety among pupils, parents and members of the Common Room when Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced on the radio that Great Britain was at war with Germany. This one news clipping would lead to an exciting exploration of Hampton School in World War II. Driven by the interest and passion of the pupils, the History, Archives & Archaeology Society (HAAC) spent the 2019-2020 academic year investigating life at Hampton during the war, with a specific focus on the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.

Remembrance Week in May 2020, using the wonder of virtual meetings, HAAC pupils met and interviewed Professor David Reynolds FBA, Professor of International History (Emeritus) and Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge. They also interviewed local historian John Sheaf, author of books on the histories or Hampton, Twickenham and Richmond, and British historian Dr Michael Jones, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Member of the British Commission for Military History.

For an inaugural year, we are absolutely thrilled to have recruited such a wonderful group of pupils whose passion and energy has driven such a fascinating project.

Thank you to the following pupils for all their enthusiasm and hard work: Max Melhuish, Daniel Frith, Elliot Bird, Omer Demiral, Oli Cheeseman, Matthew Pickles, William Nichols, Ryan McAleese, Alexander Stylianou, Isaac Crowhurst, Aadi Timblo, Luke Vaughn, Max Goldin and Charles Blagdon.

EA

Pupils handled fascinating archival materials and scoured records, diaries and accounts of the School’s history, piecing together a picture of daily life during the war. In doing so, HAAC pupils were so inspired by the stories they uncovered that they wanted to share the stories with the Hampton School community, giving birth to the idea of a Hampton School World War II Trail.

The Trail identifies locations around the School site that played important roles during the war years. If you follow the trail linked below, you will discover that our wartime pupils displayed resilience and ingenuity as fire wardens and in other important roles. The Headmaster, Arthur Mason, encouraged the boys to cultivate 50 allotment plots to support the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign; the area of our current Sports Hall was home to the School’s livestock and editions of the Lion magazine reveal that Pig Club was a prominent co-curricular activity!

As if researching and writing the Trail were not enough, some of the HAAC pupils wanted to know more and so decided to contact historians to learn more about the experiences of school pupils during the war. During

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Quiz Society The 2019-20 quiz season began with the Lower Sixth inter-form competition. Following a series of 14 exciting matches, only four forms progressed to the semi-finals: L6AJW v L6GHC and L6DG v L6DCW. Watched by their peers and their tense Form Tutors, the final took place on 8 October, where L6DG triumphed over L6AJW in a nail-biting finale, scoring 310 to 230. They demonstrated a wide range of expert knowledge, including international cricket captains, deserts in America, and Spiderman films.

Trials to select the senior quiz squad followed immediately and, in November, Hampton once more hosted the regional round of the national Schools Challenge competition. In a first for the School, we entered three teams, all of whom won their regional heat: Hampton ‘A’ – James Smith, David Evans, Conor McNeany, Piers Marchant; Hampton ‘B’ – Jake Emerson, Rishi Chopra, Nick Allen, Thomas Bainbridge; and Hampton ‘C’ – Ben Cheeseman, Matthew Chapman, Seb Pedder, Will Colvine.

Having been left in the unusual situation where three of the four teams in the semi-final were Hampton teams by knocking out LEH, Bedales, Hurstpierpoint and RGS, a dramatic final between Hampton A and Westminster commenced, where Westminster triumphed overall. Nonetheless, we are very proud of our teams this year, as this the first time we reached the Regional Final in Hampton history!

After the senior teams’ impressive showing, hopes were high that their First and Second Year counterparts could make similar progress in the Junior Schools Challenge competition, which began in February with a round robin hosted by old friends and rivals, RGS Guildford.

Following a highly competitive trial, and a series of intensive lunchtime practice sessions, a quartet of Ronit Raj, Ben Williams, Adam Gaunt, and Jack Reilly were selected to represent the School.

They did not disappoint, beating Churcher’s College in a close-fought qualifier before defeating a strong Whitgift team – who had earlier knocked out RGS, last year’s national finalists – in the regional semifinal. Unfortunately, the rapid spread of Covid-19 then intervened, denying us the chance to compete in the regional final, which was originally scheduled for late March.

Necessity is the mother of innovation and so this year also saw the launch of Hampton e-Quizzing in the summer term. After a few practice sessions with the Junior and Senior Squads, The Second Year inter-Form Quiz Competition took place over MS Teams. After surprisingly few technical issues, 2B and 2J emerged from two hotly contested groups to joust it out in an epic final.

Question: What links Michael Thomas (1989), Sergio Aguero (2012) and Sam Govier (2020)?

Answer: They all scored in the dying seconds of the season to win the title (admittedly, Sam did so with an answer about the Addams Family rather than a football).

A fitting climax to a fine year of quizzing saw 2J clinch the trophy 220210 on the very last question. Congratulations to them and commiserations to the excellent 2B team.

In a quiz year like no other, our Hampton teams continue to impress – bring on 2020-2021!

MWE, RHA, CAM, REB the lion

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The Archives – First Day of School: Education through History The year is 1939 and School, staff and furniture have been uprooted from a site where it had resided for sixty years; Hamptonians new and old prepare to enter what is to be their new school for the next seventy-five years and counting. Transporting everything 2.5 miles from the old site on Upper Sunbury road was no mean feat. The Headmaster’s Secretary, Marjory Brown, who was said to be at the heart of the move, recorded: ‘The clouds of war were gathering and although the new building was scheduled for occupation in September 1939, many of us wondered if we would ever get there … The great ‘Pack up’ began and the move was on, war or no war. This went on steadily for weeks and at last furniture, stationary, books, sports gear, in fact everything conceivable had been moved …

True the new building was not completely finished and the front of the school resembled a builder’s yard, but we were in, which was the main thing.’

In, but only just. We know now that the last of the furniture was delivered just in time for the new year!

In order to fully understand what it was like being at school during this time, we cannot simply compare it to other grammar schools that existed before it. War meant that everyone had to adapt and the constant strain that it placed on the lives of the people who attended and worked there would be ever-present for those next six years – and indeed have lasting effects on their adult lives.

It is a blessing, then, that boys were still allowed to be just that: boys who learned and played. It may

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come as a shock to the modern reader, but the mentality of the time was that life should go on very much the same as it always had – regardless of what was happening around them. School clubs were flourishing, sport teams competed against other schools and in House Games and lunchtimes were spent on the 4G pitch – even though the landscape had been ravaged by deep troughs in an attempt to prevent enemy planes from landing there. With a depth of several feet, these troughs were arranged in a lattice formation, which made it possible to play football or cricket on the stretches of grass in between.

Pupils are ushered into the great hall and a hush descends over the room as the Headmaster takes his place on the stage. AS Mason appears, a stern but approachable figure with his kindly face sporting a slim moustache that was as precise as his dress. His presence demanded a high level of respect in which he reciprocated, making him an admired member of the school.

The masters too demanded respect – some went to greater extent than most, which did not always work in their favour! Their long gowns, mortarboards and highly-polished shoes meant they were quite a sight to behold as they swept through the corridors and classrooms, gliding along almost inhumanly.

It is important to note here that the majority of the teaching staff was very old indeed. The younger teachers were called away to fight for Britain and oftentimes teachers that had already

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taught for 30 years and retired were recalled to fill the places. Given their advanced age, some of Hampton School’s teachers had even fought in the First World War; now we understand that what then may have been as peculiar behaviour in the older teachers was actually shell shock: an after-effect of their time fighting on the front line.

The School canteen did not receive any special treatment during the war; it was subjected to rationing much like everywhere else. However, the school did establish several allotments that were dotted around the front of the main entrance. These were cared for by the boys and much of the fruit and veg grown was greatly welcomed by the kitchen – and the waste was equally and eagerly welcomed by the pigs, who were also new residents on the school site. An effective system was set up and the School was confident that it was self-sufficient in a time of crisis. The boys who cared for the pigs were allowed a share of the meat when it came time; this must have made all the mucking out in the sties worth it...just about.

As the electronic bell sounds, we are transported back into the present day. Much has changed for Hampton School since 1939, but some things still remain in its ethos, the comradery and in the building itself. The white Atrium windows that face inwards are a reminder that we have not forgotten our history, but built upon it.

Miss A Esmond, Archivist

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In December, 28 members of Hampton and LEH cast and crew, ranging from those in the Fourth Year to the Upper Sixth, presented a modern twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

In 1595, William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, a play set in a city torn apart by feuds, a story in which young people reached for their knives to settle scores, to fight for love and to show loyalty.

In 2019, 424 years since it was written, London saw 67 murders in which a knife was used as a weapon; 75% of those murdered were under 19.

This was the backdrop for our retelling of the story. With an underscore of music from the London grime scene, the pupils played this ancient story with confidence and intelligence, effortlessly adding a modern twist to Shakespeare’s text and making a clear point to the audience about their concerns for London’s gang culture.

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arts Directed by Dylan Little and Charlie Maddox This year’s Sixth Form performance of Simon Stephen’s Punk Rock, received rave reviews back in February for three nights.

Sixth Formers Dylan Little and Charlie Maddox provided superb direction of nine senior pupils from Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles in Simon Stephens’ powerful, contemporary drama.

Set in the library of a school in Stockport, Punk Rock tells the story of a group of angst-ridden adolescents preparing for their mock exams, as they flirt, bully and pontificate through their final year at school. The play explores the theme of parental aspiration and over protection, within the isolating and cocooning world of a grammar school for the high-achieving and affluent teenager characters that inhabit it.

audio-visual content to illustrate the devastating climax of the play and cleverly emphasised the menacing atmosphere and unravelling of William in an unnerving and abstract manner.

As the audience exited the Drama Hall, they were left with a great deal to consider when reflecting upon a society that places its value on results above the well-being of the individual: a brave question, and one that the cast raised in a mature and articulate manner throughout this strong and bold production.

The play’s directors, Dylan and Charlie, praised the cast for their hard work and commitment: ‘We are really proud of the cast and how they managed to take on such a challenging play. It is always exciting to see vision become reality and we, as directors, feel that they facilitated this brilliantly.’

The central protagonist William Carlisle, Oscar Leonov – and his spiral into mental ill health – was beautifully evoked through the use of accomplished

LGM

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arts The Wizard of Oz was another phenomenal musical by Hampton and Waldegrave’s lower school pupils, bringing together comedy, acting, dancing and flawless singing to form a truly unforgettable show.

Like many girls her age, Dorothy Gale dreams of a life away from Kansas and of what lies over the rainbow. After a twister hits her farm and carries her over the rainbow to Munchkinland, she meets the Sorceress of the North and embarks on her journey to the Emerald City to ask the great Wizard of Oz to help her get back home. With the Wicked Witch of the West attempting to stop her at all possible moments, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion along the way.

The story follows their adventure along the yellow brick road, in hope of receiving their greatest desires from the Wizard of Oz. Running for three nights, the show, directed

by Mrs James, exuded energy and was filled with fun, whilst still keeping true to the childhood classic we all know and love. The flawless American accents in Kansas – a skill that many must have worked extremely hard to develop – really transported you into the story. Dorothy along with her trusty crew of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, played by Johnny Evans-Hutchinson, Conor McNeany and Theo Gibson, supported expertly by the rest of the 50 strong cast, transported the Hammond Theatre on their adventure along the yellow brick road.

The superb costumes and set design added to the show’s dazzling thrill and colour, creating an entirely new magical world before our eyes!

Mrs Esser and Mr Fox brought the iconic songs to life, with classics such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Follow the Yellow Brick Road expertly performed by the cast, accompanied by a superb band. After 12 weeks of hard work perfecting each and every note, the talented principals and chorus really came together to perform each of these wellknown musical numbers! As well as the familiar favourites, there were also some unexpected surprises, such as music from The Nutcracker, executed flawlessly by our incredible band.

The innovative choreography, put together by Mrs Halford, was performed perfectly by the cast, helping to make the magic of the show come to life. All of the many components came together to form a truly fantastic musical, showcasing the wealth of dramatic and musical talent from across both Hampton and Waldegrave.

Toby Gwynne the lion

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A Year of Music Return To The Forbidden Planet On paper, Return To The Forbidden Planet should not work at all. Indeed, it would take a stellar directing team to pull off such a daring mixture of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and 60s rock ‘n’ roll songs successfully.

to a vibrant, energetic performance with everything a good story needs: betrayal, unrequited love and bravery. The two secret ingredients, to quote Mrs Ashe, were without any doubt ‘pizzazz and chutzpah’.

The six weeks of rehearsal from the start of the year were hard work – to say the least! Director Miss Torrent’s vision of Return’s characters quickly came to life, her creative guidance providing deeper understanding of The Albatross’ crew. Meanwhile, Mrs Tait kept the dancers working rigorously, until they were moving with pinpoint precision. MD Mrs Ashe’s masterful musical training of the cast ensured the authenticity of classic songs, such as Great Balls of Fire, She’s Not There and Good Vibrations.

Sadly, it was not long until The Albatross and her crew said their final goodbyes at the final performance.

The crew of the Albatross were soon ready for lift-off. Destination: a week of performances on the mysterious planet D’Illyria. Audiences were treated

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It was a great honour and privilege to take part in such an astounding musical – a sentiment that I know is shared with the whole cast. On paper, Return To The Forbidden Planet should not work at all, but when you add superb creative visions, incredible energy and the camaraderie of a cast who became close friends faster than you can say ‘Reverse Polarity’, there is no way it could fail to please.

Oscar Leonov

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New Boys’ Concert It was a wonderful extravaganza of glorious music. 47 brave boys took part in the New Boys’ Concert in the magnificent Hammond Theatre on Thursday 7 November at 7.00pm.

As well as a wide range of instruments, the repertoire that the boys offered was varied and exciting. From popular culture, there was the James Bond theme on the French Horn, played by Erik Domsodi, a vocal solo of Fly Me To The Moon, performed by Harry Swain, Hedwig’s theme on the trombone, played by Charlie Puczniec, and Wonderwall, performed as a duet by Felix Landricombe on Guitar and Louis Wright who was singing.

In the programme, there were also two fantastic performances on the drum kit, consisting of, Are You Gonna Go My Way by Kravitz, performed by Edward Reilly, and Tiberius by Griffiths, and Bowld, performed by Avi Bhatt. Other performances included Falak Sher playing Old Town Road on the guitar, Jian Graffe playing Suite No. 1 by J.S.Bach on the cello, and Hector Raoux playing Dance of The Raindrop on the descant recorder. There was a grand total of 18 piano solos, including pieces by Beethoven, Handel, Telemann and Haydn.

Performing in such a large concert is a very nerve-racking experience – I know this, as I was one of the many performers playing! After lots of practice and a rehearsal with the accompanist, I was ready to play. The instrument on which I performed was the double bass, playing Kicho by Piazzolla. It was a piece that I had chosen due to its liveliness and excitement for the audience and the performer. Walking on to such a large stage gave me incredible butterflies and even more so when I had to play my first note. Ploughing through the technically demanding piece, I tried to resist the burning urge to play faster.

Finally, it was over. A great sense of achievement rushed through me as I walked off stage everyone was clapping, which gave me a greater sense of accomplishment.

This fantastic concert would have been possible without the hard work of the Music Department, the theatre management and the brilliant accompanist Mr Tong, whose fast finger-work greatly assisted the show.

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Keyboard Concert Tuesday 12 November saw Hampton host its much-anticipated Keyboard Concert. The performers volunteered from all year groups and the standard of playing was outstanding.

The evening began with a reflective performance of Couperin’s Trio Dialogue of the Cornet and the Tierce, by Sathin Wijesena, on the organ in the Main Hall, before the concert relocated to the expectant surroundings of the Hammond Theatre.

Among the exceptional repertoire featured Chopin’s Etude Op. 10 No. 4, performed by Freddy Liang, a rendition of C.P.E. Bach’s Solfeggieto, by William O’Brien, and, to conclude the evening, Stephon Umashangar treated us to an expressive and moving interpretation of Ave Maria from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses by Liszt .

Whilst most pieces were of classical genre, Aitor McConnell brought us an impressive and jazzy arrangement of Take The A Train, and the second half saw Tommy Skeffington deliver a beautiful and confident performance of the modern Un Phare Dans le Brouillard, by Jennifer Linn.

Occasions such as these really bring the whole School together to celebrate the achievements of pupils of all ages, and it was brilliant to see both new boys and familiar faces actively engaging in the musical side of school life.

The concert was immensely enjoyed by all, the wide variety of pieces keeping the audience engaged from start to finish, and we are all very grateful towards the Music Department for organizing this celebration of musical talent.

James Abrahart

Choirs for Change The Choirs for Change concert was held at the Hammond Theatre on 15 November. The concert included the Boys’ Choir from Hampton and several other choirs from local schools.

of Life and Shotgun. We then heard from Hampton Hill Junior School and Waldegrave. Finally, The Holles Singers from LEH ended the concert with a fantastic number written by their pianist, Brendan Ashe.

The aim of the concert was to raise money for the charity Health, Poverty, Action. We were hugely excited to raise over £500!

Overall, the Choirs for Change concert was a great experience for me and I am sure that it was a great experience for the others who took part in it too.

The first school to perform was Twickenham School, who started the concert with a bang. Next up was the Hampton School Boys’ Choir, singing Rhythm

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Woodwind Concert The wind quintet opened the night with two movements of Malcolm Arnold’s Three Sea Shanties, which left a smile on the audience’s faces.

This was followed by the first soloist of the evening, Ronit Raj, who played Lamplight by Ned Bennett; this slow and relaxing piece helped the audience to relax after the fast and energetic movement, What shall we do with the drunken sailor? of Arnold’s sea shanties.

The audience were then treated to the first solo clarinettist: Theo Webb. Theo played The Wistful Shepherd, by Raybould; this slow, jazz-like piece was played with great sensitivity. The Hampton Flute group then provided some contrast by playing Hook’s Sonata for Three Flutes. Theo Shah played Stanford’s Intermezzo No 2 on the clarinet. Rohan Crowe followed with Bagatelle on the bassoon.

Mrs Jaggard, Miss Estall, Mr Fox, Mr Oyazabal and Henry Ward closed the first half with a performance of the first movement of Mozart’s Quintet for Piano and Winds, which left the audience looking forward to more music in the second half.

Classical Spectacular A mixture of excitement and anticipation mingled in my stomach as we boarded the coach in the near darkness. Our destination: the renowned Royal Albert hall to witness the Classical Spectacular, a series of famous classical pieces performed by a flawless orchestra.

Impatiently, we helplessly watched as the bus dawdled towards our destination, hindered by seemingly endless traffic jams and red lights. Just when we felt that we would never reach our destination, a towering building illuminated in an almost heavenly glow greeted our welcoming eyes. Eagerly, we bounded off the coach likes dogs after a rabbit and rushed towards the welcoming velvet-coated doors. After a quick headcount, we entered the magnificent building and climbed a multitude of stairs before stepping out to a sight that would never cease to amaze: a gigantic arena of glorious red and gold chairs as well as an entire orchestra, smartly dressed and ready to take us on an unforgettable journey.

Settled in our seats – with plenty of snacks and drinks of course – the lights suddenly dimmed and a single, blazing spotlight fell upon the stage. The concert had begun.

The Reeders opened the second half with an arrangement for clarinet quartet of a suite from the Threepenny Opera, by Kurt Weil. Arjun Kang then played Sarabande et Allegro, by Gabriel Grovlez, on the saxophone. Following this, Saul Morrison and Sam Schomberg played the first duet of the evening on two clarinets; the first movement from Bernhard Crussell’s elegant Duet No.1 in F. Following this, the bassoon group entertained the audience with some Gilbert and Sullivan. For their stage debut, they played an arrangement of Madrigal from The Mikado. Tom Wykes played Selanka by Fibich.

Subsequently, we were transported to the jazz age by the improvisation group, with Kenny Dorham’s Blue Bozza. Theo Mantel played an arrangement for flute and piano of the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Quartet in D. The clarinet ensemble closed the show with arrangements of Funeral March of a Marionette and Helen’s Dance by Charles Gounod. The main theme reflected the clumsy and artificial looking movements of a marionette and this provided an entertaining end to the evening.

Many thanks to Mr Oyarzabal for accompanying the evening with his usual musicality and to Miss Estall for her key part in organising the event.

Sathin Wijesena

The first piece was an exhilarating, frantic tune, awe-inspiring to watch; it was accompanied by surreal laser effects that made us all gasp and goggle. From that moment on, everybody knew that what was in store for us would be far beyond what we could even have imagined.

Piece after piece brought a range of emotions that shook my very core. From pride and joy, stemming from Rule Britannia, to sorrow and loss; it felt as though not a single part of you was unaffected.

As the concert pulled later into the night, a drowsy feeling began to overcome us; we were lulled by the rhythm and the beauty of the music – indeed, some of us even fell asleep! However, the ending would change all this; a deafening yet almighty display of mesmerising fireworks as well as fiery cannons left many Hamptonians feeling rather traumatised.

Just as we envisioned the concert drawing to a close, a shower of red, white and blue balloons rained down and fell upon a joyous, disbelieving audience; the perfect way to round off a night that will be remembered for years to come.

Joshi Rasi de Mel

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String Concert On 21 January, the annual strings concert took place – organised by our head of strings, Liz Van Ments.

There were many different types of genres of music, ranging from Mars Mission music to some baroque Bach music. Each and every performance was unique and I am sure that the audience would have enjoyed the music as much as I did.

The accompanist, Mr Oryazbel, was incredible in his efforts to accompany everyone during their various performances! We are all thankful for him on that day as he did an excellent job in supporting us and helping us to produce the music that we did.

At the end of the concert, after all of the solo pieces were completed, a chamber orchestra, lead by Liz, performed; they finished off the concert by playing an upbeat Brazilian song called Tico Tico no Fuba, which was upbeat and fun and left the audience feeling joyful.

Overall, the concert was a complete success and I look forward to seeing what there is to come next year!

Freddy Liang

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Chamber Concert On Friday, 28 February, I participated in the Chamber Concert held at Hampton School, and I was a part of the Bassoon Group. We played a type of dance, one that is supposed to be the first had with a beloved. Overall, I believe we played it pretty well – not least given that we had had limited rehearsal time in the weeks before the concert! Even though there were going to be mistakes made, and there were some here and there, we still had fun performing.

There were also excellent performances from the other groups. The Low Brass Ensemble gave a great opening to the concert and set the mood for the rest of the evening wonderfully. We also had performances from the Flute Group, and the Wind Quintet – just to name a couple from the variety of groups performing.

Overall, it was an outstanding evening of music and really showed the talent that Hampton can offer, even from its smaller groups.

Luke Jansen

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With the lights dimmed and the stage set, the Hampton Rock Concert 2020 kicked off with The Junior Rock Band B singing Smoke on the Water and Reapers by Muse – all whilst Mr Willmott risked his life at the foot of the drummer to fix a faulty bass drum!

Next up were Papercut, singing Hypersonic Missiles by Sam Fender. The duo certainly lived up to expectations, with their powerful delivery. High Stakes then came on to perform the self-penned song Escape to the Ocean, before Alibi, who had until minutes before the concert been known as ‘Er No Name’, sang Bottom by Tool.

The first solo of the night went to Alfie Hannan, who sang Another Love by Tom Odell, and was followed by Prime Factor, singing Walking Disaster, by Sum 41. Theo Bailey then sang the first – and only – country song of the night, Travelling Alone, by Jason Isbell. Cue an awful joke about how many country singers it takes to change a lightbulb – it is an obscure number, you probably will not have heard of it!

The penultimate act of the first half was What Happens Next, with a brilliant performance of their original Killing Time, in time with a lightshow and including punchy guitar solos the whole way through. Wrapping up the half were Intermediate Rock School, with Seek and Destroy, by Metallica, and Just,

by Radiohead.

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After the interval, the audience settled back into their seats for Junior Rock Band A, singing Sweet Home Alabama and Best of You, by Foo Fighters.

Atlanticus Oceanus then sang Pumped up Kicks, a last-minute change from the Take That song on everyone’s programs – complete with a stage invasion of boys armed with kazoos. Max Elliot, another soloist, then sang his own song, Running in Circles, followed by a rendition of The Magic Gang’s All This Way, by The Matt Chapmen.

After them came Boci’s Boys, with Kathleen, by Catfish and the Bottlemen, before Tobias Droy sang Love me in Whatever Way, by James Blake. Suddenly, we welcomed Elvis to the stage with A Little More Conversation, before The Initiative sang an original, Rain.

Finally came two acts with three songs: Ewan Samms with I Say a Little Prayer, Release and Night and Day, and Advanced Rock School with Michelle, Reptilia and The Chain.

Enormous thanks go to Josh Bartholomew and Alfie Hannan for keeping us entertained throughout the evening – though Mrs Oldfield did take particular offense at a joke about chopping violins! Also, huge thanks go to Mr Fox for organising such a brilliant evening for all those there.

Sam Govier

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Jazz Café To open the evening, we had the Swing Band playing Megalovania, by Toby Fox. They then played Stompin’ at the Savoy, by Benny Goodman, a wellknown standard from the swing era of jazz. I really liked the piano solo by Max Elliott in this piece, which was very tasteful yet impressive.

The next piece played was El Gato Gordo, by Roy Phillippe, which is a jazz piece based on Latin music. My favourite part of this piece is the intro and the piano section and it is definitely one of my favourite pieces played by the Swing Band. They then played Now What, by Mike Kamuf. This is a very dark song with a relaxed piano intro and then later on a trumpet solo which changes the feel of the song. The group then played Sambeando, by Victor Lopez, which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a samba. It was a very nice song and was well played.

Then The Other Band played The Girl from Ipanema, a song based on bossa nova by Antonio Carlos Jobim. After that, they played a song which was more based on jazz, called There Will Never Be Another You, by Harry Wallen. Following this, they played Whisper Not, by Benny Golson, which fit the relaxed mood of the evening – though it was also very ‘bluesy’ and was probably my favourite of the three.

We than had the Jazz band. They played Phase Dance, by Pat Metheny, first, which I found an interesting choice as in the original song the main instrument was guitar when they chose not to have one here. However, it was a very well played and an interesting piece to start off the performance. They then performed Joost at the Roost, by Gerry Mulligan. Before playing this, Mr Nair mentioned that he arranged songs for Miles Davis, meaning this was the

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first of six Miles Davis pieces. This was played exceptionally as well and was one of my favourite of the Miles Davis songs. They then played Boplicity, by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. The title of the song is ironic as it is a cool jazz piece – the genre which is often seen as being in retaliation of “bebop”.

Personally, I enjoyed this song and I thought the solos were excellent. We then had Venus de Milo by, again, Gerry Mulligan, which was a great.

After the interval, we had more Gerry Mulligan with Jeru and Godchild. The next piece, Sway, by N. Gimbel and PB Ruiz, was my favourite from the Jazz Band; it was a contrast to the rest and really caught my attention. To conclude, the group returned to Miles Davis with his iconic piece All Blues – luckily, it is my favourite Miles Davis piece! I think the most interesting thing about the Jazz Band is how all the soloists are picked randomly each time and yet they were all impressive.

The Senior Jazz Group then performed, and it was great to see the use of the Cajon in some of the pieces. This was thoroughly interesting and definitely something that set them apart. The solos were, again, very impressive – such a high standard! – and the pieces were all engaging.

To finish off the Jazz Café, Swing Band returned to the stage. We started by playing Vamonós, by Mike Kamuf – the same composer as Now what – and this piece also had a very similar beginning with a full band intro followed by a piano solo. This included a solo from Zac Dowlatshahi on the guitar, which was highly creative and impressive. To conclude the evening, we performed The Incredibles, by Michael Giacchino, which was an incredible – pardon the pun – piece, which the audience seemed to enjoy.

Playing in Jazz Café as part of Swing Band is a really brilliant experience!

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Chamber Choir Trip to St Paul’s Cathedral On Monday 9 March, the Chamber Choir travelled by train and tube to sing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Loved the World, by John Stainer. We did a full run through in the practice room before we went upstairs into the Quire to do a run through there.

Having arrived – and after walking around almost the entirety of this enormous cathedral – we eventually found our entrance and pitched down on the steps to have our lunch. After lunch, we made our way into the cathedral via stairs that lead us down past the cafe area and then past the crypt where Lord Nelson, Wellington and Sir Christopher Wren are buried.

It was here that I got my first glimpse of Wren’s enormous and impressive cathedral. It was stunning; walking under the dome with its beautiful paintings by Sir James Thornhill was particularly impressive. I am a Chorister at Hampton Court Palace, so I am very familiar with evensong and all the music we sang, yet the building and acoustic of St Paul’s was on another level.

We were shown into the practice room where the St Paul’s Choristers practice.

One of the first things I noticed was how the boys had etched their names into the wooden stands – though I imagine that we would have been in trouble had we done the same!

It was not long before evensong had arrived and we processed into the stalls. I felt that the Evensong and the day overall was a great success.

Singing at St Paul’s was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone who is lucky enough to have this opportunity.

The music on the agenda for evensong included the Leighton Responses, the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in F, by George Dyson, Psalm 26 and God So

Benedict Foley Cook

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A Year of Art at Hampton September started for Art with the commencement of Life Drawing for our Sixth Form classes and a visit to the Olufar Eliasson Exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Dominic Nunn ‘Life Study’

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Oscar Nolan working on his ‘Urban Painting’

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arts In October, we put up the GCSE Art Exhibition with the Private View event happening in November.

Oscar Nolan

Tom Shepherd

Tom Shepherd

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arts Third Years visited Roche Court New Art Centre in Wiltshire, where they saw a stunning, new range of contemporary British Sculptures. They were also able to make recordings about artworks – later to be entered into the National Discover ARTiculation Competition.

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arts In November, Upper Sixth artists visited the Worton Hall Studios in Isleworth to see demonstrations of etching and other Fine Art Printmaking techniques. They were lucky enough to see the latest Peter Blake prints being produced.

In December, Upper Sixth artists made a self-directed visit to Central London to hear the artist Richard Billingham talk about his work.

Alex Kavanagh - Architectural model

In January, our GCSE Fifth Year artists visited the Royal Academy to see the Picasso and Paper Exhibition, as well as the Eco-Visionaries Show.

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arts February featured the Lower School Art Exhibition and Private View, whilst Lower Sixth AS artists made a visit to Brentford Lock, taking photographs and making sketches that helped them to explore their chosen themes.

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arts Third Years re-enacted the work of art ‘Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump’, by Joseph Wright of Derby, as part of their Narrative Art theme.

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arts In March, Upper Sixth artists created etchings inspired by their visit to Worton Hall Studios earlier in the year.

Ned Page

Seb Khan

Oscar Nolan received news that his portrait was to be shown at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the showcase of pupils who had attended their summer programme.

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arts As Lockdown got under way in April, GCSE pupils completed their work at home.

Mac Crawford

Oliver Glenn

May saw further work being created at home by Fifth Years, as they commenced their Orientation to Sixth From work with a ‘Sketch A Day’ or History of Art AS.

Kristian Brookes

Matthew Hibbert

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Jake Murray

Luca Parrish

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Fifth Year Jacob Costen heard that he had a piece of work selected for the Royal Academy Young Artists Summer Show on-line with his surreal piece created using the 3D Creation programme ‘Blender’. The work is entitled ‘Leak’.

Jacob Costen

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Dominic Nunn

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Seb Biedrzycki

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Toby Gwynne

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Will Nunn

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During the October half term, thirteen intrepid Sixth Form Geographers and three lucky staff went on a Geography fieldtrip of a lifetime to Uganda in East Africa.

There has been progress of a sort in terms of life expectancy and GDP, but what is of particular concern is the fact that international debt and numbers in absolute poverty have increased.

For me, this one turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and memorable trips I have been on in my 30 years at Hampton school – as the wet season had arrived early, it was certainly the muddiest!

Uganda remains one of the poorest countries in the world; it has dropped down the league table on the Human Development Index to 169 out of 189 countries.

This was in large part down to the enthusiasm and interest shown by the boys, and the staff alike. The boys really did make us proud to be their teachers on many occasions, especially when interacting with the Ugandan people.

There are multitude of reasons why Uganda’s development has stalled: it is landlocked; it relies upon a cash-crop dependent economy; it suffers from poor leadership; and it has experienced civil conflict in the past – Idi Amin’s eight-year rule in the 1970s was particularly devastating, with the effects still being felt today. If you watch the film Last King of Scotland – when or if you are old enough, of course – you will get some idea what he was like!

A little Geography: what makes Uganda so special for Geographers?

Well, Winston Churchill certainly liked Uganda. He christened it the ‘pearl of Africa’ and, in 1908, he wrote: ‘Uganda is a fairy tale. You climb up a railway instead of a beanstalk and at the top there is a wonderful new world. The scenery is different and most of all the people are different from anywhere in Africa.’

It is elevated; most of Uganda is over 1000m above sea level, largely as a result of the doming effect, as tectonic activity led to the Great East African Rift valley. This height moderates the equatorial temperature and makes most of Uganda well-watered and fertile, and exceptionally green compared to the rest of East Africa.

This also means that Uganda has a range of tropical ecosystems to look at – in particular, where East African savannah grassland meets the Congo rainforest. The scenery is undoubtedly diverse and special.

The people are pretty special too – most notably in the stoical and resilient way they meet many of the challenges thrown at them by economic hardship.

A glance at the development indicators will perhaps illustrate my point – I was particularly interested in seeing whether things had improved since my last visit in 2014 – five years ago.

Despite this, it is wholly uplifting to see how Ugandans respond to the situations facing them. Most Ugandans today seem to survive by working in the thriving informal sector of the economy where they can eek out an existence doing an assortment of activities.

The ingenuity, adaptability and resilience most Ugandans show in surviving everyday life is fascinating; it is perhaps something that we can learn from in the West.

Furthermore, despite the obvious hardship, Ugandans are largely a happy and friendly people – this, I was relieved to find out, had not changed since 2014.

We spent much of day 1 passing through a large sugar plantation looking for the last remaining pockets of that rainforest I referred to earlier. It served as reminder of the power of big landowners who have been encouraged to turn much of the country into plantations – to grow export crops and, of course, to get much needed foreign currency in to service the international debt The problem with sugar cane in particular is that it destroys the soil, making the ground unsuitable for anything else.

Few local people were appearing to benefit from the crop or the factory nearby judging from the appearance of local villages and villagers. the lion

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trips In the rainforest and ecotourist camp, we found a wholly different world to the adjacent plantation; in no time at all, we were zip wiring through pristine rainforest.

The next two days were spent in and around Nile and Lake Victoria at Jinja, where the Nile begins its 7000km journey northwards to the Mediterranean.

It was a pleasure to be able to give the staff at the Source Gardens new copies of the information posters about the source of the Nile and the Victorian explorers involved – which was created by three ex-Hampton staff. They will replace the rather tattered ones on display the School donated to them in 2014.

The Nile used to have many waterfalls and rapids in its upper course. Many have been submerged following the construction of several HEP dams, much to the annoyance of the rafting fraternity who bring in considerable tourist revenue to the country.

But, of course, electricity is much needed if Uganda is to develop. However, despite the construction of these dams only 15% of the population have access to electricity. Why? Our Ugandan guide, Yule, explained that very few Ugandans could afford the £100 connection charge or indeed the monthly payments for using the power and so stick to burning charcoal or using kerosene for lighting.

As such, a great opportunity for development is not being used – frustrating to say the least.

Instead, Uganda exports most of it to neighbouring countries to help it with its debt problem.

The next day we got up close to some of the beauty of this area by kayaking down the Nile from Lake Victoria – it was great fun!

Three days into our trip, we travelled to the local Salve NGO campus, where ‘street children’ who had been previously rescued off the street by the charity were living. We drove up the muddy path to the campus, a large sugar cane farm to our right and a football pitch sporting two red goals either side.

Our first activity with the street children was to participate in a debate discussing if it would be possible to create a world where no one is living on the streets. With the aid of translations and patience, the debate was a success; both groups were able to put forward and discuss their own views effectively.

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trips bags filled to the brim of football kits heading their way. The kits ranged from Scunthorpe away, to vintage Man United; yet, each and every kit was met with the same enthusiasm and gleaming smile.

A violent downpour setback our kick-off time against the street children. Despite the conditions, we came to the executive decision that we would brave the rain and start the game in the conditions that faced us.

Far from the familiar 3G, the Hampton side were at an immediate disadvantage to the shoeless side we were facing – who were much more accustomed to stones and bumps of the pitch.

This disadvantage was made immediately apparent as we found ourselves trailing 5-2 in the pouring rain. However, as the conditions of the pitch worsened and slides and falls became more frequent, the Hampton side – which was severely outnumbered – came back to triumph 7-6, with Mr Bett and David Evans pulling their weight between the sticks and up front respectively.

The football match served as an event where all our differences were forgotten for a brief moment in time. All of the Hampton boys were taken aback by how the children seemed to be so wholly immersed in the match, briefly forgetting their obvious hardships.

After a busy couple of days in Jinga, our next location was Kira Farm, set up by the charity Amigos. We received a very warm welcome in the form of a number of traditional Ugandan dances – with which we were encouraged to join in and which we all enjoyed!

After our welcome dance, we were paired off with one of the trainees and given private tours of the whole site. The trainees showed great enthusiasm for all their subjects and were extremely keen to show us what skills they had learnt.

After a tour of the site, we were taken for a tour of the local town and introduced to a number of locals who shared with us how they lived and the challenges that they faced on a daily basis.

We were particularly taken aback when we were showed the local water pump in the village; shockingly, it had been partly dismantled by a rich property owner who did not want local people walking along the edge of his land to collect water.

Appallingly, local villages were, therefore, forced to drink out of what could be loosely described as a large puddle. As a group, we were shocked and wholly taken aback that someone with money could abuse their wealth like that. A reality check.

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trips the conflict-ridden North – with basic skills, such as brick laying and carpentry, which, after a year, they can then take home and pass on to their community. It was fascinating to hear the variety of backgrounds and how a large number of them had been affected by awful conflict.

The most rewarding part of the trip – for me – was when we had the opportunity to build a kitchen for a large family who have ended up looking after four extra children due to the unfortunate loss of their parents.

We clubbed together as a group to build the kitchen almost from scratch.

We carried out tasks such as brick-making, weaving, and – the most enjoyable part – throwing mud at the wall, and just occasionally, at each other. The family were very pleased with the result.

After a hard day’s work, we then had the muchanticipated England vs. Uganda football match.

The temperatures were scorching, the pitch markings were non-existent, and we faced a number of unexpected obstacles – such as termite mounds – and were regularly stopped by a streaker…in the form of a cow.

We started sharply, but disaster struck only five minutes in when there was a lack of communication between myself and our goalkeeper, David Evans, resulting in a looping own-goal header that gave our opposition the lead. David kindly agreed to share the responsibility and the blame.

Perhaps our best chance of half fell to prolific striker Ali Bolding, but a neat save from the opposition goalkeeper meant the home team stayed ahead. The home team then had a rare chance, they hit us on the counter attack but thanks to Oscar Murphy’s Sergio Ramos-esque sliding challenge – which I am sure Mr Burke would not have approved of – we remained level.

Despite this, we conceded about thirty seconds later from an inspiring run from the home team’s winger. After taking a two goal lead into the break, I am certain the home team were told to ‘park the bus’, Jose Mourinho-style, which made it incredibly difficult to break them down.

As a last throw of the dice, we stuck Mr Bett upfront – in the hope that he would be able to use his pace, and agility to deceive the opposition’s defence! Yet, the last chance of the match fell to Olly Heyes, but his curled effort joined my volley in the thick vegetation behind the goal.

So, we had to be gracious in defeat; we felt slightly better about ourselves after we found out the opposition trained with each other every day.

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Soon, it was time to head north to Murchison Falls National Park in the North west of the country, near Lake Albert and the DRC for our safari.

I really do hope the school and the Geography Department maintain and strengthen links with Uganda.

Things are starting change considerably in this area since the discovery of oil in the park. There are apparently 1 billion barrels of oil under lake Albert that could help Uganda make huge strides in development.

If you get a chance, go to Uganda or somewhere similar; when you are there, try to immerse yourself in the place and, especially, with the people.

One can only hope that it does not follow the model set by Nigeria and other countries where a resource blessing has become largely a resource curse.

There is so much to gain in terms of personal development – and of course improving your Geography!

It is the Chinese who are helping to put in the infrastructure for the project and, in this case, I was shocked to see a small single track road through the Budongo forest become a large, tarmacked highway in readiness for the heavy machinery and pipeline that will be needed to extract and then move the oil.

BSB, Jonah Brennan and Tom Hudson

How this sits alongside the conservation of the National park was a question we put to Emma, a National park Officer, when he gave a talk to us and a groups of pupils from local school Sir Sam Baker School. Emma – short for Emmanuel – was quite philosophical about the oil and thought it was minor issue compared to the problems of poaching that continue in the park – although not at the levels experienced during the Amin years.

Our last morning provided a fitting end to the trip with a visit to Murchison Falls itself – probably the most spectacular of falls in East Africa, where the whole volume of the Nile is forced through a nine-metre gap in a granite rock outcrop.

It really was Geography in the raw – literally and figuratively!

I would like to thank all of the boys and staff – Miss Brown and Mr Highton – for making this trip such a great success. the lion

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trips On 17 February 2020, a group of lucky Hampton boys and staff arrived at Keflavik Airport, Iceland, to begin an unforgettable few days.

We were greeted by a friendly guide and driver who frequently taught us about the country through which we were driving. After checking in, we headed out to an infamous geothermal pool; it was here that we really got our first experience of the culture and climate. Eagerly, we dived into the hot pool to escape from the freezing weather. Despite amused looks from the Icelandic regulars, we enjoyed brief spells in the two-degree pool, before finding relief in the thirty two-degree pool!

Fuelled by a continental breakfast, we departed on the coach for a guided excursion of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Through the morning, we were able to learn about the story of the area and appreciate the landforms around us. A particular highlight was a stunning sea view with the sun rising and waves crashing on the coast. Then, in the afternoon, we went on a Lava tubing cave hike – which sounded mysterious to all the boys.

It entailed a climb underground to a cave filled with icicles and amazing formations. We were also able to experience total darkness, the point at which there is no light that can reach you; it was a scary, yet thrilling, few moments. Up from the depths, we went to a new location and spent time at their local pool, and found it snowing spectacularly as we relaxed in the pool.

On Wednesday, my favourite part of the trip, we did a glacier walk. In groups with an expert instructor, we were prepared with crampons and an ice axe each. We were led up a foreign, icy world, as the snow continued to pour down. It was mesmerising and something truly fascinating.

We particularly enjoyed posing for photos with the view and testing out our axes on the wall of ice. Near the top, we were welcomed by a growing blizzard, in which it was hard to see further than a few metres ahead – it was fair to say that it split the opinion of the boys. For some, like myself, it was magical and unlike anything previously experienced. However, it was smart to make a swift retreat, as a whiteout followed. As a result, we drove to the lava museum that looked back at the formation of the land and the types of lava, so we could appreciate the dangers of living in a volcanically active country.

The next day we had an early departure to the golden circle. The first stop was the Secret Lagoon, a hot pool where we able to enjoy a swim in natural warm water, despite the freezing conditions. Next, we stopped at a breath-taking waterfall that was flowing rapidly and offered an amazing sight. We then went to an area filled with the lion

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trips geysers that looked like something extra-terrestrial; we walked through these bubbling pools on a boardwalk. But, this was not without holding your breath – much to everyone’s humour, they had a rather unpleasant smell of rotten egg!

Back at the hotel, we finished the evening with a typically nice meal and then the famous quiz. Despite finishing rock bottom, we had a great time and the teachers really thought of some intriguing questions that perhaps stretched the ‘geography’ theme.

Sadly, we eventually had to depart from Iceland, where we had all developed an attachment for the country. We spent our time in the capital Reykjavík, where we went to an exhibition that explored the wildlife of Iceland in particular, as well as an ice cave below – which was something very unexpected and impressive.

However, the best part of the day followed, as we went to a flyover Iceland experience, which simulated you moving through the landscapes – it was spectacular! It made us all hungry to see other areas of Iceland. This would be our last excursion before we went to the airport and headed home from a trip that will truly have lifelong memories.

I would like to offer thanks to those who played a role in organising it and making it happen.

Jonah Blake

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Second Year Sport and Culture Trip to Provence

In October, 24 boys from 2B and 2H took part in the fifth edition of the Second Year Sport and Culture trip to Provence, in which our 100th Hampton boy participated. After an early 5.30am meet at Heathrow on the Monday morning, we flew out to Marseille and began our trip with a walking tour in the footsteps of Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence. Despite the rain, the boys avoided the Apple store and McDonalds – opting instead for crêpes and photo competitions!

We were very fortunate to be able to stay in the magnificent Château de l’environnement in Buoux, up in the hills, between Aix-en-Provence and Avignon: a listed 17th century château that has been sensitively restored to host school groups.

Surrounded by acres of land, the boys were kings of the castle for the week and soon felt very much at home. Incidentally, this is the area where Peter Mayle spent his time in Provence – and about which he would go on to write with affection.

Our food, as ever, was freshly prepared, organic and locally sourced. In fact, the boys were only served meat once in the whole week, as the château’s mission is focused on sustainability and education; the boys did not seem to notice, rather they enjoyed the food and were able to reflect on their own meat consumption and environmental footprint, while enjoying each other’s company. While some of them needed a lot of encouragement to eat the fresh salads, vinaigrette and aïoli, they all tried everything at least once. As always in Provence, there were copious amounts of healthy and delicious food to eat and the boys seemed to enjoy mealtimes more than any other time of the day!

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trips ‘It was a meal that we shall never forget; more accurately, it was several meals that we shall never forget, because it went beyond the gastronomic frontiers of anything we had ever experienced, both in quantity and length. We ate the green salad with knuckles of bread fried in garlic and olive oil, we ate the plump round crottins of goat's cheese, we ate the almond and cream gâteau that the daughter of the house had prepared. That night, we ate for England.’

– Peter Mayle, A Year in Provence The following day, we went to the magnificent Gorges du Verdon for a full day of canoeing and sailing, before the evening activity of a night walk followed by stargazing. On Wednesday, we spent the day in Avignon, singing and dancing on the famous bridge and visiting the Palais des Papes; the boys were given a device that enabled them to see the interior of the Popes’ Palace as it would have been in the 13th century, alongside interactive games and activities that they thoroughly enjoyed.

On Thursday, we visited the striking, resplendent town of Roussillon, where the boys bought souvenirs and bartered in French over saucisson and nougat, before our afternoon activity of treetop adventures and zipwires. We spent our final morning playing pétanque and other sports before visiting the picturesque town of Lourmarin and a local winery near Aix, where the boys were able to learn a great deal about the local production of wine – even if they did not get to try any!

We arrived back at Heathrow late on the Friday evening and thanked the boys for their good company and behaviour. We felt that the boys who shook hands with us as they left on Friday had all grown and developed over the week, whether it be by conquering a fear of heights, making new friends or simply taking responsibility for their own possessions and actions; they were unrecognisable from the boys we had met earlier that week.

A special mention must go to Edmund Ng and Josh King who won the awards for ‘best tourists’, although many of these boys could have won that award this year, as they were brilliant.

A huge merci must go to the accompanying staff who were fantastic this year and gave up their own holidays to ensure this trip could take place: Mr Moore, Mrs Samuel and Nurse Liz – thank you. It was an absolute pleasure to enjoy Provence with the Second Year, even if at various stages in the week we might have reacted with an ‘ah bon’…

‘Depending on the inflection, ah bon can express shock, disbelief, indifference, irritation, or joy – a remarkable achievement for two short words.’

– Peter Mayle, ToujoursProvence MB the lion

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Senior French Study Trip to Nice

We arrived in Nice on Saturday afternoon, following an early flight, and all headed straight from the airport to our host families’ homes. We settled in to our accommodation, before being cooked dinner by our hosts, and then off to sleep in preparation for an early start the next day – when we were to have our first lessons of the week.

We all met at the language school at 8.45am and began lessons. The Fifth Years had lessons together, whilst myself and the other Lower Sixth pupil, Matthew Chapman, were in separate classes filled with people hailing from many countries, including Germany, Switzerland and Norway. The classes lasted three and a half hours, from 9.00am until 12.30pm – although all of the language teachers were very engaging and the time went by surprisingly quickly!

After the lessons finished, we all gathered once again for a quick lunch of sandwiches from the local bakery before doing a walking tour of La vieille-ville. This included a walk up to a pointvue, which had beautiful views over the whole city. The afternoon finished with some ice cream from a local shop that had over 100 flavours!

Lessons continued as normal on Tuesday and, after another round of sandwiches, we headed to the train station to begin making our way to Monaco. After a short train journey, we arrived in 112

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trips the city and had short walk around before heading to the Monaco oceanographic museum, which contained a large aquarium as well as two very large sea turtles. We then had some free time to explore the palace grounds before making our way back to Nice just in time for dinner.

On Wednesday, the weather took a turn for the worst; we were treated to wind and rain in abundance. So, after lessons, we enjoyed tasting some traditional Provençal food before heading to the cinema – instead of the planned boat trip. After the film, which was – naturally – shown in French, we had some more free time. However, due to the bad weather, the majority simply headed back home for some much-needed rest.

On Thursday, we had our last day of planned activities. After lessons, we were given ten euros each to buy ourselves lunch; the caveat was that we had to buy something French! I decided to go for the classic option of crêpes. We then hopped on a bus to the Musée Matisse, where we were able to see the collection of Henri Matisse’s coveted work. We then went home, completing

a quiz on Matisse on the bus in hope of winning a prize, for the final dinner with our hosts.

Our final day began with lessons as normal. We then went to a Provençal restaurant, where we tried either Ravioli Niçoise, Niçois beef stew or Spaghetti carbonara, with a choice of either Mousse au chocolat or Tiramisu for dessert. Based on the many clean plates, it is safe to say that the dishes were very well received!

We all went back home to pack our bags and say goodbye to our very welcoming hosts, before hopping in a car to the airport for our flight back home.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip that hugely benefited our language skills – thank you to all of the staff that made it possible!

Angus Webber

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Madrid

The October 2019 study trip to Madrid was a fantastic educational experience for the boys that embarked upon it with our ever-helpful members of staff and organisers.

In the duration of the mornings over the five days we were there, we enhanced our Spanish skills in the classroom at the don Quijote Language School, with the early-morning travel – primarily by metro – there from our home-stays being completely independent.

The afternoons were occupied by tours and cultural activities, with a degree of freedom to explore the traditions of the city and to purchase our own lunch with many pupils locating tapas cafes for their meals. We walked around Gran Via and the fascinating Paseo del Prado before a treasure hunt, which really encouraged us to pay acute attention to the minutiae of Madrid. This was completed in groups and we were instructed to take photographic evidence of one of us with the object of the search, ranging from kalamari sandwiches to the oldest bookshop in Spain, the San Ginés.

On Tuesday, we visited Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

Despite a long initial wait to enter the home of 13 Champions League trophies, which were displayed with pride behind bulletproof glass, the stadium was intriguing to any football lover.

Wednesday held a visit to the Museo Nacional del Prado, a cultural cathedral of a different kind that holds the works of Francisco Goya and Hieronymus Bosch, amongst others, before a visit to an inner-city bar in the evening where we saw a stunning display of flamenco dancing.

The following day, our morning classes were shorter than usual, allowing us to visit the city of Segovia and El Alcazar, which had breath-taking rooftop views – at the cost of a few flights of very steep stairs! This excursion was particularly interesting as we were able to observe a location of heritage and precious, medieval architecture, such as the Acueducto de Segovia, which marks the city’s centre.

On Friday, our final full day in Madrid, we went to another site of religious significance in the Templo de Debod, during the late afternoon after our last language lessons.

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We also were given licence to explore the Retiro Park – the most famous park in Madrid – and row boats around the lake that surrounds the monument to Alfonso XII. Much to the amusement of other park-goers, I was drenched from head to toe underneath the fountain – gracias, Nayaaz!

Within the park, there was also the Palacio de Cristal, which housed a seasonal modern art exhibition. The park was stunning and filled with cultural anecdotes that would make it my top recommendation if you are ever in Madrid!

This was followed by a football match in the Parque del Oeste and, for me and my roommates, an all-you-can-eat Pizza Hut buffet! Next morning was an early start and we returned home with an unbelievable experience under our belts.

The most important part of the trip was the hospitality and kindness of our homestays; they provided us with breakfast and dinner every day, very comfortable accommodation and a homely environment. The experience of living with locals that know the city inside and out made the trip all the more authentic.

Thank you to Mr Malston, Mr Turner, Mr Haynes, and all of the members of staff and guides that made this trip so enjoyable.

Oliver Pulfrey Baker

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Córdoba Last October, ten Spanish A Level pupils spent a week in Córdoba on work experience in various local establishments dotted around the sunny Andalusian city. We spent the week living in pairs in the welcoming homes of local Cordovans from whom we received warm hospitality and much local knowledge. Our placements were varied – the majority spent their week looking after pre-school Spanish children in guarderías, but there was also a placement in a veterinary practice, a school, and the renowned Torre de la Calahorra museum.

After work each day, we were given the freedom to explore the old city of Córdoba. We took this opportunity to stroll through Córdoba’s historic streets, eating in its traditional Spanish tapas bars and visiting its remarkable landmarks. On several days we were treated to traditional full-course tapas lunches and dinners which provided us with the chance to sample, for the first time, several foods native to Córdoba. The verdict on flamenquín, bread-crumbed ham and pork, was unanimously positive – but the local speciality of salmorejo, a thick, cold, tomato-based soup closely related to gazpacho, divided opinion!

Throughout the week we visited many of Córdoba’s historical attractions, which painted for us a sharp picture of Córdoba’s historical significance as a city. As the former capital of Moorish Spain, its landmarks provide a fascinating insight into its Muslim roots. Landmarks such as the Arab Baths, La Torre de la Calahorra, Alcazar Castle, and the Mosque illustrated for us Córdoba’s diverse religious history which is one of the reasons it is such an amazing place to visit. Walking around the Jewish Quarter or across the Roman Bridge, you instantly get a feel for the rich culture through the lion

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trips its mixture of Moorish, Jewish and Roman architecture which are prominent throughout the city.

Our visit to the famous Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba on the Wednesday was one of the highlights of the trip. We were all astounded by its massive size and beautiful architecture, as well as being amazed by the close co-existence of the two religions.

On the Thursday, we all had a day off from work because of the celebrations of el Día de San Rafael, a public holiday. On this day, we spent the morning doing Spanish lessons at the Academia Británica, which was very enjoyable and hugely beneficial for our Spanish. The teachers at the Academia also took it upon themselves to teach us the traditional Spanish dance Las Sevillanas – which was no easy feat as the dance is a lot harder than it might first appear!

The following day after work, we met as a group to play Pádel – a racquet sport, not dissimilar from tennis – which is rapidly gaining popularity in Spain.

Guided by Mr Chaveneau’s own experience playing the game during his sabbatical the previous year, we spent the next few hours playing against each other in the 28°C heat of the southern Spanish October sun, which made for a hugely enjoyable afternoon and one of the many highlights of the week.

On our last evening, we were all treated to a meal watching a traditional Andalusian flamenco show. To be given the chance to witness the infamous Spanish dance in its birthplace, Andalucía, inside one of Córdoba’s famous patios, was a fascinating experience and one I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in Spanish culture. The passion of the dancers, which Spaniards refer to as ‘duende’, is something that cannot be rivalled by any other place outside of Andalucía.

The chance to work in a formal working environment in Spain was an extremely useful experience in a number of ways for all of us. Not only did we improve our spoken Spanish, we also learnt what it was like to work in a foreign environment, handling both responsibility and pressure. As a result we emerged from the week as stronger and more confident linguists which was very useful for our exams and will be for our lives as a whole. For those of us continuing Spanish at degree level, the trip provided us with an experience working abroad and prepared us for what is to come in the next few years.

After a week of beautiful Andalusian heat, it was time to return to the miserable English weather! No doubt we all returned as much stronger linguists after a week of experiences that we will all carry with us into the future.

On behalf of the group, I would like to say a big thank you to Mr Chaveneau and Miss Doncel Cervantes, without whose organisation and commitment the trip would not have been as well-run or as thoroughly enjoyable as it was.

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sport In an unprecedented year for Hampton Football, there were a number of successes to celebrate.

Despite the very wet weather and the season being cut short due to the lock-down, we managed to play in excess of 400 fixtures, involving 32 different age-group teams. An estimated 400 boys put on a Hampton shirt to play against other schools.

In addition to this, many boys in the Upper and Lower Sixth, together with their peers in the Fifth Year, played in the internal school social league for two terms. At the Lower School end, Mr Sims and Mr Hurst ran a very successful internal league competition for the E, F and G squads during their games afternoons – Erividise for the First Years, MLS for Second Year and La Liga for the Third Years!

Throughout the age groups, teams were also performing well in the National and Local School Cup Competitions. Three teams - the Second XI, U16As and U16Bs – reached the ESFA National Cup finals. Each team was awarded the title as a joint winner.

It was also an excellent achievement for the U13As to reach the semi-final of their ISFA Competition, whilst, in the Surrey Cup, the U12A team had reached the final. The First XI and U16As were due to play in the semi-finals when the season was cut short. In addition to this, both the First XI and Second XI reached the London IS Cup semi-finals, whilst the Leavers First XI had a Trinity Cup final to look forward to.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the football coaches, academic staff and support staff – grounds, catering and administrative – for all of their hard work and in ensuring that our boys always have an excellent football experience throughout the year.

I would also like to thank the boys for their hard work in training and commitment to the program; it is something that they can all be proud of.

Best wishes to all the Hamptonians who will be leaving the school for university and we hope that you continue playing and that we will see you back at Hampton one day.

DSB

First XI Football

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The season commenced with the annual preseason tour to Colchester. This gave the senior footballers a great chance to bond and improve our fitness. The long weekend was capped off by two highly competitive matches against local teams, which put us in great stead for the season to come. The rest of the preseason back at Hampton provided us with great optimism for the season ahead.

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We produced some storming performances at the beginning of the season, beating other large footballing schools such as Eton and Forests, before winning the second round of ISFA 12-0 against Bury grammar school – which included a very strong performance from Theo Radicopoulos, who netted a hat-trick. We were beginning to see some young talent really start to shine with the likes of Sam Evans, Benjamin Bird and particularly Jonah Blake, none of whom ever looked out of place when stepping up from the U16s.

One thing that started to become apparent was the limited number of goals that we were conceding, as a result of the tenacity of defenders such as Josh Culshaw and Sharya Rezvani. Sami Omaar’s ability to both be a brick wall at the back and a real threat going forward made him a force to be reckoned with. It was also very important to have some experience in the team with players like Tom Waring and Stathis Kalathias performing consistently well throughout the season.

It was a real shame to lose one of our key players, Louis Instrall, to injury over October half term; his technical ability, as well as his game awareness, made him a huge threat and a hugely valuable player to the team.

By Christmas, we had played 18 games, winning 13 of them; this had us set up for a very exciting second half of the season. The versality of players within the team, epitomised by Robbie Cox and Nathan Chapplow, proved just how good an attitude the squad had. Regular appearances from players such as Hugo Raggett, Matt Tobin, Seb Bokonjic and Sam van der Poel provided some much-needed strength when required, the latter of which managed to score 5 goals as well.

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An important piece in the Hampton football puzzle was Oli Burke, playing a deep defensive role – although it often goes unnoticed, it is an integral role that was executed perfectly by Oli. The final piece of the puzzle was Tom Banks, who arguably created goal of the season, passing four defenders before rounding the keeper and squaring it for Theo to tap in during a 2-1 win against Alleyn’s in the Trinity cup semi-final.

Our lethal attack of James McMullin, Alasdair Bolling and Freddy Hodgson could definitely rival the Liverpool front three, scoring a combined 40 goals throughout the season, with Milo Choudhry being a lightning quick threat when he came on. The majority of goals scored this season came from key talisman Freddy Hodgson, who scored a hugely impressive 27 goals in 33 games from right wing and striker. Denil Manuel also provided some scintillating skill and trickery with the ball at times throughout the season.

Despite being disappointingly knocked out of both ISFA and ESFA, we still had three cups to look forward to, largely down to goalkeeper Oscar Murphy’s heroics in a penalty shootout against Westminster in the London ISFA quarter-final, where he saved two penalties. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, the season was ended early, which we were all gutted about – we had progressed to the final of both the Surrey and the Trinity cup and were in the semi-finals of the London ISFA. Overall, I think we had a very successful season; my highlight was thrashing Royal Russel – a football specialist school – 7-1 in our penultimate match. One of my favourite moments of the season was when Matt Cecil sprinted half a pitch to make it into the box to score a diving header against Eton to win the game.

Finally, I would like to wish Mr Burke and the squad for next season the best of luck; they have a very exciting year ahead of them with a bunch of very talented and hardworking lads.

Tom Hudson the lion

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Second XI Football This year’s season, guided by the sturdy hand of Mr Cumberbatch, has been one of the most dominant Second XI displays in recent years.

Despite our generally tantalising displays, the season did not get off to the most stable of starts. Despite winning the first game in convincing fashion, we then proceeded to lose a 2-0 lead to the ever-competitive Eton College, which was followed by a highly controversial 2-1 defeat to Forest, with whom we had endured a bitter rivalry ever since our thumping of them in the 2019 London IS cup final.

However, in the aftermath of this shaky start, we proceeded to morph into a human freight train, crushing everything that stood in our path, during what would become a memorable 18 game win streak. Tom ‘The swiss army knife’ Randall’s ever-reliable ability to slip his man, accompanied by Lucas Copplestone’s relentless finishing in front of goal, meant that we scored at least two goals in every game during our winning run. Further dampening the morale of teams were our defensive stalwarts, consisting of Matt Tobin, Maxi Grindley, Finlay Hamilton-Hunt and Tomas Dwyer, who formed a formidable rotation of centre backs and proved very tough to break down throughout the season.

Our formidable fullbacks, Albert Cloud and Matt Lowe, were integral to our fluid style of play, providing quick ball movement from defence to attack and fearlessly beating their man when needed – an ability which was epitomised by Albert against Alleyn’s when he scored after going on a Maradona-esque run, starting in his own half: a goal which was voted as goal of the season. On the wing, we enjoyed a rich mixture of athleticism and dribbling with Tom Chandler, Haris Williams and Joe Helm, each of whom caused all sorts of mayhem for opposition fullbacks.

Our run also culminated in us becoming finalists in both the ESFA and London IS cup finals, both suspended for now. During these competitions, we received mighty injections of quality from Milo Chowdry and Nathan Chapman, whose time spent in the First XI was evident on the pitch.

Captain Henry Evans demonstrated enormous grit and pinpoint passing from CDM. He typically combined with Seb Bokonjic, a man who rarely failed to dominate a 50/50 to make it an 80/20, encouraged by Mr Cumberbatch and Jules Lockley, who generated one of the highlights of the season when he sealed a 3-2 comeback win against Dulwich with a potent header in the last minute of the game. The relentless work of Sam van der Poel cannot go unmentioned; he was always a threat in both attack and 120

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defence, proving vert versatile with or without the ball. Morgan WorsfoldGregg and his tremendous first touch really shone in the second half of the season, establishing himself as a great midfield option for next year.

Despite the disappointment of being unable to finish the season – and therefore not have any trophies to show for it – I think everyone in the squad can look back on this year and truly believe we achieved one of the best Second XI seasons in the school’s recent history: reaching the ESFA final and London ISFA semi-final, whilst establishing a record of 21 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. In the process, the team racked up a total of 104 goals, with massive contributions from Lucas Coppelstone, 30, and Tom Randall, 18. Equally, Joel Booth had a similar effect on matches, providing us with some game winning saves, letting in only 25 goals and leaving us with a positive 79 goal-difference for the season.

Overall, it was an incredible season; yet, without Mr Cumberbatch, it would not have happened. He established a balance, cohesion and, with that, an expectation as well as a standard within the team in which he instilled a competitive drive to win, whilst also creating an atmosphere where we could relax and have a laugh. The end result was the season described above; so, on behalf of the team, a big thanks goes to Mr Cumberbatch.

Thomas Dwyer and Henry Evans

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Third XI Football The Third XI had a great season, winning 12 games, losing 6 and drawing 3. Towards the end of the year, the quality of football undoubtedly improved, and the Upper Sixth and Lower Sixth gelled together far better as a team.

The season began with a 6-1 home win against Bede’s, with Louis Bird scoring an early goal of the season contender, and Matt Tobin leading the backline. Two games later, we would come back from behind to win 4-3 against Forrest, with Finn Duncan – the Player of the Season – chipping the keeper in the last minute. Despite a very disappointing 4-1 loss to Bradfield, in which Cameron Hair, a rock at the back throughout the season, scored the only goal, we bounced back to win four in a row – with Matt Groves, Danilo Delic and Lucas Wallace beginning to form a brilliant midfield partnership alongside James Ho. In the last game before Christmas, we beat John Lyon 7-0, with ‘king-of-assists’ Makarious Naguib, finally finding his scoring touch with a tap-in. Josh Tatters and Jamie Bird helped hugely to keep a clean sheet, with their usual solid defensive performances.

After Christmas, we started poorly, losing 3-1 to Dulwich, with Alex Riley scoring a late penalty. An unfortunate 2-2 draw against Abingdon followed, despite some ‘worldie saves’ from Miles Patience. Agastya Jha – our most consistent player throughout the season – put in one of his regular MOTM displays to win a late penalty. We were also boosted by the arrivals of Olly Heyes and Hamish MacCormick, who came back from injury and began to form a lethal strike partnership – which was unleashed upon Wetherby, when we came from two goals down to win 3-2. Alex Fagan helped to steady the backline after playing the second half at centreback, letting nothing past him. A 2-2 draw against Bedfont finished the season, with both Zach Whelan and Angus Whitworth playing some classy passing football in the middle of the park.

A special thanks must go out to Mr Aucutt and Mr Haynes, who coached us brilliantly – as demonstrated by our improved performances towards the end of the season – creating a great team atmosphere and keeping our – poor! – fitness in check with regular timed runs.

Overall, we had a thoroughly enjoyable season, and played some great football!

where golden boot winner Hamish MacCormick scored an outstanding hat-trick as we beat St George’s Weybridge Second XI 4-0. It then seemed to be our turn to level a game late on when Rolls Royce Matt Cade scored a bullet of a volley to level the game against Charterhouse – a match which finished 2-2.

Thereon, apart from a humbling defeat against Bedfont Football Academy, the side enjoyed a strong season despite losing their top scorer to the Third XI. Conor Sharif was quickly brought in and had a sudden impact, scoring a powerful, long-range shot to level the game against Ardingly College.

Having finally achieved a ‘loyal’ squad, the boys did not seem to know the definition of defeat, as we scored twice late on to beat John Lyon Third XI 3-2, where no-nonsense centre back Harry Lawrie directed a cushioned cross from James Barnes into the top right corner of the goal to safely secure the match. Our new signing, Conor, sparked life into centre forward Arjun Samra, as he orchestrated an impressive win against Ewell Castle Second XI 5-0, helping us to continue our unbeaten streak, by scoring twice early on to set the pace of the match.

The overall success of the year was catalysed by unpredictable midfield player Sam Spence, midfield roadblock Cameron Fraser, super sub Daniel Shadrin and workhorses Ollie Wykes and Nick Stoner who do not perhaps get the recognition they deserve for their endless miles.

The season culminated on Saturday the 14th of March where we took on a Wellington Third XI side that had not lost, drawn or even conceded a goal all season. A large crowd gathered as a nervous start saw Wellington gain a 1-0 lead. Despite this setback, the trickery of Isaac McGaritty wore them down and Harry Lawrie chipped the keeper from our own half on the brink of half time to level us up at 1-1. An early second half goal from Wellington seemed to baffle goalkeeper George Smith, who stood motionless as the ball whizzed past him to make the game 2-1. Despite endless chances and a few missed open goals, the desired leveller seemed to elude us…that was until midfielder Luke Jefferies drilled in a cross that was bundled over the line by Harry Lawrie for his brace. The game finished 2-2 and seemed a fitting end to a brilliant season.

Naturally, some of this success would have been impossible without the brutal, half-time slammings from Manager Mr Lucas, who drilled his Sean Dyche style of football into us from day one. Thank you Mr Lucas, from us all, for taking us this year.

George Smith

Alex Riley

Fourth XI Football

U16A Football

It was always going to be tough emulating last year’s success!

After a positive start to the season, the squad were optimistic, having lost only one of eight games: a defeat to a strong Eton side 2-1, in spite of an inspiring performance from classy Lower Sixth full-back Johnny Steele, who created a plethora of chances for the side that were not converted. It was quickly clear that we were above the national standard of Fourth XI as we dispatched Chigwell Second XI 4-0, thanks to Joe John – or the two players, Joe and John, if you are Mr Lucas – who grabbed a brace.

Throughout the campaign, we had some enthralling encounters – most notably being the Bradfield matchup, where a late Bradfield goal spoiled an otherwise faultless debut, from Zain Kothari, to draw the match 2-2.

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The season opened with our first trip to Colchester – a highly notable and enjoyable experience. The few days we spent in Colchester were an unbelievable opportunity for us to regroup and find our rhythm again

sport as a team after a very long summer. It would also be a great chance for us to get an early understanding of the style of play and ambitions that our new coach for the season, Mr Mills, had for us.

We returned refreshed and with even more hunger to get through to the latter rounds of their respective cups. A staggering 24 goals were scored by us during January.

Whilst we were there, we played two friendlies against local clubs – the first was a comfortable win and the second was a very tight 0-0 draw.

The draw was particularly valuable as it provided us with a clear indication that there were aspects we needed to improve on over the course of the season – particularly some of our fitness levels, which had been exposed in the extreme heat.

Nerve-rackingly, the final game of the month was decided by a penalty shootout in Round 7 of the ESFA Cup. After a late equaliser deep into extra time by St Peter’s, each of our five brave and clinical penalty-takers executed from the spot to secure us a place in the last eight. An honourable mention has to be given to Louis Middleton, a natural striker, for an outstanding goalkeeping performance in replacement of the injured Joe Gillespie.

Our season commenced in September with a well fought win against a very physical U18 Hampton and Richmond side; this provided a great deal of confidence for us, as it demonstrated how we can deal with teams who pose a real threat through their physicality.

Success additionally continued in the Surrey Cup, with a convincing 4-1 win against St Cecilia’s school on home soil; this boosted the team’s confidence heading into the ESFA Cup quarter finals.

However, following a comfortable 3-0 victory over Eton, we suffered our first and only loss of the season in a tough physical battle against St George’s U18s. Fortunately, in our next game, we were able to rediscover our previous form – which was evident in our 7-0 vicotry over former Surrey Cup champions, Richard Challoner School.

The year of 2019 ended with nine consecutive wins, reflecting the confidence and rhythm we had established as a team. The games not only displayed our ability with the ball but also our mentality of never being beaten, something that would be apparent many times throughout out our historic ESFA Cup run.

This was most clear in our ESFA Cup round 2 fixture against Moulsham High School, where we found ourselves 2-0 down after some close calls. However, despite the challenging pitch and the increasing darkness, we were able to come back and win 3-2; this turnaround was inspired by our substitutes, who emphasised the depth of talent and fight in the squad.

Our ESFA Cup round 5 match against Charter’s School – where the team’s panache was more evidently seen again – resulted in a professional 4-1 win and an all-round solid performance.

We went into the Christmas break, full of confidence in our squad, our illustrious Coach, and ourselves. The New Year lay ahead of us, with an array of targets in mind heading into the second half of a promising season.

A four-hour drive down to Exeter – that was both nail biting and exhausting – brought us to the home of St Peter’s C of E school, where the boys hoped to take another crucial step towards a national final. With the reintroduction of Jonah Blake – who had been proudly representing the School’s First XI throughout the season – the back line furthered its solidity and with an outstanding individual performance and brace from Alex Dinan. We cruised into the semi-final with an impressive 3-0 victory.

Focus quickly shifted to the penultimate game of the competition against Ark Alexandra Academy. A fortunate late change of venue to the home 3G allowed for a crowd of supporting Hamptonians and gave us a further boost in confidence.

After conceding a goal early, a combination of strikes from Jack Da Costa, Sam Evans and Patrick Helm gave Hampton a convincing half-time lead. A late goal from a set piece put us on edge for the final period of the game, but a tight defensive display at the death sealed the victory.

Due to the unfortunate global circumstances, our emphatic cup run had to be cut short – but we left on a high nevertheless.

A historic season – lead with brilliance by Mr Mills – saw us rewarded with an ESFA cup joint-winners medal, finishing on a staggering twenty-match winstreak that began in early October. It was a truly unforgettable season for the U16As! Sam Evans and Joseph O’Pray

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tricky fixture. We battled through the heat to a 2-2 draw, despite losing our hard-working midfielder Tetsuro Kato to injury. The games came quickly and the team was linking up well, with Euan Gallagher and Adam Humpish scoring hat-tricks in our 8-1 win over Alleyn’s. Just before our October trip away, we played Eton again; this time we were prepared for them. We battled hard and, with a man of the match performance from Sam Wooldridge, we overcame the high quality side in an impressive 2-1 win.

This season showed lots of promise and reflected the ability within the squad. As a team, we clearly have the potential to win a great deal of games.

Arguably, the season opened with our two toughest fixtures of the season: Bede’s and Eton. Despite this, we got our first win of the season the following week against Forest school 4-2.

Just a few weeks later, we beat Kingston Grammar School 5-0 in the first round of ISFA – a particular highlight of the season.

During the October half term, the A and B squads went to Villarreal in Spain on a tour. It was a fantastic experience for all the boys. We trained at the Villarreal training grounds with two of their coaches. We played two matches and won on the first night and then played against a Villarreal youth side – and were taught a lesson on how to play passing football!

Throughout the season, the squad demonstrated dramatic improvements to the quality of football and the way we played football. This improvement was perhaps best reflected in an impressive 4-1 win over Alleyn’s school.

Overall, there are many positives to take away from the season, including the performances of player of the year Tim Lee. Matthew Moffatt

During the October half term, we travelled with the U15As to Villarreal for our autumn tour. We had training session led by Villarreal coaches, where Nathan Kent and Matthew Sedgwick showed their quality. Afterwards, we played Deportivo Malilla – a local team – and, despite great performances from players such as James Darke, Isaac Foster and Samay Gajreewe, we drew 0-0, much to our frustration. Our next game was against the Villarreal Wanda Cadete.

Injuries to Kamran Makela and Zach Bartlett made our task tricky, but we fought valiantly. We eventually lost 4-0 – a relatively respectable score line against a quality side, with excellent saves from Adam Dell preventing the scoreline from being much worse.

Throughout the season, we learnt a lot about the ruthlessness of the game. After a dramatic year in the Champions League with extreme highs and lows, the U15B ESFA tournament followed its example with our first tie against Weydon School proving to be an all-time classic. Despite high-quality performances from Connor McNeany and Jimmy Bristow, it ended as a 4-3 defeat; having been 3-1 up, it served to demonstrate the power of momentum within a game of football.

This dent in our season could have led to a Mourinho-style collapse, but, instead, we saw it as a great learning curve. We took the loss collectively and learnt that we needed to give everything until the last whistle. In response to this loss, we bounced back and focused on developing as a team in hope to returning to the ESFA stage stronger as ever in a year’s time.

This year saw many changes to all football squads throughout the year group, and many of our key players were rewarded with a place in the A team after consistent performances. However, the 2019/20 season brought some great new additions to the team, such as Kyan Soni, who played a pivotal role in attacking midfield, Louis Williams, who was consistently performing to a high standard in midfield, and Will Holden, who showed his skills as a goalkeeper.

Despite our season being cut short due to Covid-19, the U15B team made huge progress throughout the year and cannot wait to return to football. All players improved individually and, more importantly, we learnt to use each other’s strengths to work better as a team. Many thanks to Mr Bailey and Mr Ritchie for making this season one to remember.

U15B Football

Matthew Sedgwick and Stanley Cummings

U15C Football This season was one of key development for the U15Bs, with many players improving their game, using experiences from highly competitive games and our October tour to Villarreal. Over the course of the season, we won 7, drew 3 and lost 7.

The team got off to a positive start with a comfortable 5-0 win over Bede’s, including a superb free kick from Archie Kimble and an excellent performance from Keshav Agarwal. This set us up well for Eton away – traditionally, a very 126

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sport From the start of the football season, the U15Cs have shown great teamwork – whether that was winning our first match against the Eton College Bs 2-1 or winning our last match in a penalty shootout against Wellington College Bs. We played many good teams and ended the season with nine wins, three losses and two draws. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that we had such a good win-ratio, we scored 54 goals with ended up with a positive goal difference of 29.

We have shown great improvement from the start of the year, beating many U15B sides, such as Sutton Grammar School. This was the highlight of our season. Our narrow 4-3 win was made possible by our two goalkeepers, Louis Simons-Gooding and Will Holden, who saved countless shots. Despite this, it was unlucky that three goals were even scored against us, given how brilliantly our defence did to stop our opponents. Our centre back, Louis Williams, played exceptionally well, helping to transition the ball up to our midfielders and defending against their formidable strikers.

Soon after the start of the season, Albie Hyde and Theodore Gibson joined the Cs; Theodore scored 8 goals in 4 matches and was our top scorer in the second half of the season. Of the 54 goals we scored, our left winger, Cameron BaraTaylor, was our top goal-scorer with 11 over the course of the season.

The season was definitely a positive one overall; from beautiful aerial plays from Patrick Quirke to astounding outside-of-the-box screamers from Jack Farthing.

However, the defensive prowess of the team was also one to remember. A special mention goes to Arya Lim-Amiri and his commanding presence in the back four. No one could get past him. On the rare occasion that they did, George Chapman, player of the year for the D and our magnificent keeper, was between the sticks and always ready for the challenge ahead of him. For all this, the defence of the team should most definitely be credited at the same level as the attack.

The importance and influence of the players who were added during the season should not be overlooked. From Aryen Khan’s fancy footwork and clinical finishing to James O’Brien’s and Cameron Marshall’s rock-solid defence, they all played a part in our positive year of football.

Behind the side’s success were the two coaches, Mr Gordon and Mr Chaveneau, who inspired the team every week to win the game with their uplifting teamtalks. Clearly, every part of the team came together last season to create a team that everyone will remember for the foreseeable future.

Overall, the season was a pleasing, hugely successful and unforgettable one.

Overall, we have shown plenty of growth; we were undefeated in our last nine matches, demonstrating that we have improved to a level where we are able to play together as a team.

The team would also like to thank our manager, Mr Van Mook, and coach, Mr Cumberbatch, for helping us during the season. All of your time and effort for the side was hugely appreciated.

FCC

U15E Football

Dominik Hagmann

U15D Football

U14A Football This year was definitely one to remember! The near invincible Hampton U15Ds team continued to put in 110% throughout the year due to their unforgettable winning mentality.

The season was filled with wins, spectacular goals and inspiring performances from everyone in the team. Of the 12 games that were played, 10 were won and 2 were lost; even in the losses, the margins were incredibly close.

A game to remember was definitely our second time playing Eton College, a strong and competent side. We were coming off a 3-2 win at home and thus the momentum was with us. However, Hampton was playing away this time and with scorching weather, we knew this game would not be a walk in the park. Due to impressive performances from Albie Hyde and Donald MacDonald in the second half, we came out of the game as winners. This was just one of the many memories forged throughout this monumental year.

After a poor start to the season, losing 3-2 away at Bede’s, we went on an eight-game unbeaten run winning 7 and drawing 1. During this time, we progressed in both the ESFA and Surrey cups.

The Elgin league was going well, with six points after three games, including an impressive 8-0 win against Winchester college. New Third Years Zain the lion

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ESFA round 3 followed with a comfortable 6-1 victory against Howard of Effingham, Paddy Harvey being the star man in this match, scoring 4 goals – which earned him the left wing spot for most of the season.

Including this win, the A team went on an 11-game winning streak, with victories against Lancing College and Ardingly College in the Elgin.

Hayden Christian scored a last minute winner in the Ardingly match and also in the wins in rounds 3,4 and 5 of the ESFA cup against Howard of Effingham, Emerson Park Academy and Trinity School.

Progression to Round 3 of the Surrey Cup was also earned after a hard fought 2-0 win over Riddlesdown College. Both cup runs came to an end with and ESFA round 6 defeat to Beaumont school after a controversial penalty in extra-time, and a 2-1 defeat to Carshalton.

The last Elgin league came at home to Abingdon, where the boys put on an brilliant show to win 9-0. Josh Hood scored his first goal for Hampton after three years at the School and it was not a bad finish – the shot powering into the top corner after a free kick rebounded off the wall.

After 29 games, the U14As had scored 102 goals, with Jamie Wilson getting the most goals with 21, followed by Chibby Nwoko, who got 19 goals in 19 games. Throughout the season, we conceded only 32 goals, keeping 10 clean sheets. This was thanks to a secure defensive built up of Toby North, Josh Pye, Aaron Mills, Rex Booth, Zachary Omaar and Zac Cacheux.

Hopefully there will be some silverware next year; but, in conclusion, this was a brilliant season with lots of wonderful and memorable moments.

On behalf of all the squad, I would like to thank Mr Bolton for helping us improve over the season and wish him all the best with his new job.

Conrad Knight

U14B Football

Jack Meadows, Aryan Virdi, Zachary Omar, Tom Short and Oscar James added strength and composure to our midfield and defence. Lastly, Will Brown in goal, who after a tussle for the number one shirt, made it his own with some excellent saves, showing great shot-stopping and distribution skills.

We started the season with an excellent 5-0 win against Eton College and a 9-1 thrashing of Forest School. There were many new Third Years on the team; they adapted quickly and we played really well together. Our next fixture – against Alleyn’s – was an unlucky one, where the goals kept raining in and both teams were scoring back and forth. At 4-4, in the dying minutes of the game, we scored the goal to make it 5-4 and we thought it was over. Yet, straight from kick-off, Alleyn’s went on to score a fifth and tie the game 5-5.

Our next encounter was away at Bradfield College, where our first loss of the season came. We were not at our best that day, losing 3-0.

Our first cup fixture was against Kensington Aldridge Academy in the ESFA cup. After a good match with lots of chances for us, we won comfortably 2-0 and were through to the next round. Charterhouse were our next opponents and, despite it being goalless for the majority of the match, we won and converted a penalty towards the end of the game to make it 1-0. For the second time this season, we once again put nine past our opponents, Sandringham School, in the second round of the ESFA cup.

Our next game was always going to be a tough one, as we played Sutton Grammar’s A-team; we received our second beating of the season, losing 4-2. However, our next two games, against Wilson’s School and Chigwell School’s As, we won 5-1 on both occasions, and we felt we were ready for our ESFA round 3 game against Goffs School. Sadly, we did not perform quite how we would have wanted to, and we were eliminated from the cup, losing 4-2.

After our disappointing performance in the ESFA cup, we faced Dulwich College and won 2-0, followed by matches against Wilson’s School and Dr Challoner’s, which we won both 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. In our next fixture, we were on the wrong end of a thrashing, as we received our biggest defeat of the season, losing 6-1 to St Paul’s.

However, we bounced back from this straight away, defeating Fulham Boys’ School 6-1 in our penultimate game of the season. Our final game was going to be a tough one, against Wellington College’s As; sadly, we lost 3-0.

Our highest-scoring game was against Sandringham School, butI think our best game was the 6-1 win against Fulham Boys’ School, as we bounced back straight away from a 6-1 loss. I think our worst and most disappointing game was definitely the ESFA cup round 3 game where we lost 4-2 to Goffs School and we were knocked out the cup.

Over the course of the year, the U14Bs produced some great performances and enjoyed a number of memorable victories when we worked together. It took some time to get to know each other as we welcomed new boys to the School and new boys to the squad, all who added quality to the team. These included Ted Clarke, Max Irens, Zaki Sadiq-Baig, Freddie Bates and Freddie Hoffman Becking who added a lot of attacking prowess to the team, especially in the second half of the season when we lost Saganan Thurausugma to Rugby. Jacques Huets, 128

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During the season, we scored 60 goals and only conceded 30, with a win ratio of 64.7%. We were disappointed not to have a longer cup run but, unfortunately, we came up against a strong Goffs School in round 3 on an incredibly muddy pitch. Throughout the season, the team was well captained by Camilo Clarke and managed by the positive Mr Scott.

Thanks to all the parents who came to support the team – it was very much appreciated. Moving forward, the signs are very positive for a successful future.

Camilo Clarke and Sam Spencer

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to the poor managerial decisions? The terrible weather? The players?

Loaning Leo Hartley and Daniel Sleeman to the Cs? The global pandemic?

The real answer is that the U14Ds played mainly against C and B teams this season, matching them almost every time – one highlight being a 14-1 unpicking of Chigwell’s U14Bs, back in November.

The start of the season for the U14Cs was a mixed bag of results, alternating between wins and defeats for the first six matches – the highlight was undoubtedly a 9-2 victory away at Eton College.

In the lead up to Christmas, there was a strong run of three consecutive victories that peaked with a 15-0 win away against Royal Russell Bs. Disappointingly, the heavy rains of early 2020 led to four of the next six fixtures being cancelled. Despite this, we were able to conclude the season with a final 3-0 victory away at Wellington College. This meant the season finished with a win-rate of just over 50 percent across 13 games played: 7 won, 1 drawn and 5 lost.

Some high scoring victories meant that many people had an opportunity to get on the scoresheet throughout the season; but, the standout goal-scorers were Monty Robb and Cameron Jones. Monty was a consistent player, scoring virtually every game. Cameron was our attacking midfielder who also contributed with a large number of assists in addition to his goals.

With 44 goals scored over 10 fixtures, nobody can deny these boys’ ability and desire to score goals and, more importantly, to work as a team. This is an exceptional side with a real sense of team spirit and togetherness: Milo Band and Ben Hawkins worked very well as a goalkeeping duo – when one was on the bench, he would coach the other from behind the goal. They were reliably supported by a resilient and organised back four, held together by our Captain Fantastic - Harry McLusky – and player of the season, Charlie Bates. With a wealth of talent in the middle and in attack, we also had stand-out performances from a number of boys who above all, enjoyed their football this year – especially Sam Gale and Harry Takla.

Communication improved in every game, and every goal conceded was felt by the whole team. Football at this level is about scoring goals, but it is also about making friends and working together – in both senses, this is certainly the strongest D team I have seen so far at Hampton and I wish them every success in the future.

MB

U13A Football

There were other notable performances over the course of the year, including Ben Rollason, who often dropped deep to collect the ball and launch an attack and provide a number of key assists. Ben Millington Jones was everpresent in the centre of defence, ably assisted by Evan Little, until he was forced out half way through the season due to injury. Our goalkeepers merit special mentions, Matthew Barkus and Daniel Evans, managing to keep three clean sheets and help us to an impressive goal-difference of 28.

We have all hugely enjoyed football this year, coached by Miss Smith, and are looking forward to playing again after a long period in lockdown.

Ed Joyce

U14D Football

The U13A team built on their achievements from last year, winning over seventy percent of their games: played 21, won 15, drawn 1, lost 5, scored 50 and conceded 30.

After winning 2-0 against Rokeby in the first game of the season, this gave us a springboard to improve as the season went on. This season, the Hampton U13A team fought very hard to get success and this reflected the resilience which all Hampton boys show.

At the start of the season, the defence was looking a bit shaky; but, Mr Trivedi and Mr Burke fixed that up with the introduction of Omer Demiral at right back, who was a thorn in the opposition’s side. Omar combined well with Tom Tabor, who played a vital part in the back four, Will Fox, who was a rock at the back, Joe Downham, who made some terrific dribbles almost leading to goals on many occasions, and Freddie Philips, who punched above his weight. This led to a rock solid defence.

There cannot be many teams in history that started a season with a 10-2 away victory and ended it with an 8-0 defeat at home. Could this be down

As keepers go, Sam Ellis is one of the best, saving the team on numerous occasions. One of his best saves – which is clearest in my mind – was when he somehow tipped the ball over the bar against Dulwich College, leading to a 2-0 victory and a happy team in the changing room. the lion

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sport As a midfield unit goes, Savan Soni, Sam Bond and Josh King are one of the most hard-working around. Savan is a tackling machine, whereas Sam could run forever and Josh, the captain, provided the vision and made the team tick.

A midfielder who came into the A team towards the end of the season was Oliver Hamilton; he found good passes and switched the play well.

The unorthodox, but brilliant, Nic Herrero spearheaded the attack this season, scoring the most goals in the team and beating any player in a foot race. Jay Cairnes, who drifted into midfield at points, added to the goal tally as well. He used good combinations to break down our oppositions.

Rudy Mills also scored a few goals and provided width going forward.

James Queen, who played on the other wing, was similar, as he showed blistering pace and the ability to win a penalty. Last, but not least, Charlie Helm is a player who can produce a piece of great skill and the ability to ghost past players.

There were numerous highlights in the season, some games, goals and more.

Will Fox’s strike in the last minute from 25 yards out against Alleyns school is one which I cannot forget – neither can Mr Knibbs, whose jaw dropped when he saw the strike. The cup competitions provided memorable moments, including a run to the semi-finals of the ISFA cup and the Sixth Round of ESFA.

The rest of the season seemed to oscillate each week between wins and losses, though the losses were generally against A teams. Despite being defeats, these matches truly challenged and stretched us as players.

We managed to score a total of 63 goals and only conceded 16 in the 14 games we played. We won 9, drew 1 and lost 4, giving us an excellent overall win percentage of 65%.

Our players had some fantastic games and each played their part. Our goalkeepers Harry Oliver and Caleb Levell both had a great year between the sticks making some outstanding saves. From the back, Olly Hamilton, Sam Lee, Porter Read and Joe Murray created a strong defensive line that dealt well with some very challenging strikers. The full backs in particular played some great overlapping football and were often the difference that unlocked teams. In the middle, Max Meikel, Zidaan Khan, Shivam Handa, Archie Hurst, Gabriel Fouche and Fahad Hussain provided goals and assists aplenty, but had their work cut out for them covering the big pitches. Finally, up front, Lawrie Wilkin and Ishan Patel both had good years, with Ishan being a regular on the score sheet.

The whole team had a great season; everyone improved their football as the year progressed. The key reason for our success was undoubtedly how we worked as a team and had a constant determination to succeed.

A great game the team played in was against the tough opponent of St Peter’s school, which led to a 4-3 victory against last year’s finalists in the same cup.

Another memorable game which springs to mind is the 2-1 victory against Beth’s Grammar School, where the team was 1-0 down with 5 minutes to go and turned the score around to win 2-1 in the dying moments of the game.

Many thanks to Mr Schurch who coached us through the season; undoubtedly, his tactics made us all better footballers. I think I can speak for the whole team when I say that we would not have got anywhere without him!

There was a great team spirit and camaraderie for the game this season, which anyone who watched could see. We are all ready to go after next season when lockdown is over!

Joe Murray

Come on Hampton!

I think the whole B team has improved massively this year and we look forward to continuing our development in the upcoming season.

A big thank you to Joe Murray for writing his end of season report, but also for being an excellent captain this year and really leading the team from the back. He consistently showed dedication to the team and a willingness to learn and try to develop as a player.

Joshua King I was really impressed with the team as a whole this season as they have faced some very difficult A teams that would even have given our own A team a run for their money; they took these challenges on the chin though and always came back each week with great positivity.

U13B Football

The boys also tried really hard to learn their roles and implement the Hampton philosophy and I am sure they will only build upon this next year.

I look forward to following your progress next year and wish you the best of luck.

CMS

U13C Football Last season was an incredible experience for the U13Bs, with some great wins over some challenging sides. I believe we were all really tested and all learnt something new to improve our football for the years to come.

We started our season with a strong 18-1 win against Rokeby School, which gave us a massive boost of confidence to attack the rest of the season. After losing one game to a strong Glyn side, we started to play our football and went on a three game winning-streak – though that was halted by a 2-2 draw against a good Berkhamsted side.

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sport In a season that was sadly plagued by cancellations and bad weather, the U13C team still managed to show great teamwork and determination to win every game they played. The Cs displayed an abundance of talent and synergy, playing a lot of all-round impressive football.

U13D Football

In their first game against Forest School, both teams put in good performances. A single goal separated the sides going to the break, with Hampton leading 1-0. In the second half, both teams upped their game and started taking risks, causing the game to open up and seven goals to be scored. Hampton ultimately came out on top, winning 6-2. All of Hampton’s boys showed resilience and grit, but the most impressive performance certainly came from Rohan Kripalani, who scored a brace on his debut for the Cs. The other three goals were scored by Adam Gaunt.

Hampton would not play again for two months; but, when they did, they were put to the test. In another tight game with Berkhamsted School, neither team could find a way to break the deadlock in the first half. However, much like the first game, Hampton upped the aggression in the second half, taking more risks, but also reaping the rewards. Wing-back Thomas Davies finished one off, Rohan scored again, and Olly Spray bagged the winner in his first game for the C team at the U13 level, after missing the first match. It was not all plain sailing though, as Berkhamsted did score twice, and Spray could not find the breakthrough until very late on in the game. Arguably Hampton’s best performance of the season, this was truly a close one.

So, Hampton went into the Christmas break unbeaten and with two wins under their belt and looking very strong. The second half of the season was sure to be exciting.

It began with another close win at Dulwich, where we played without a recognised goalkeeper – thanks to Sam Chapman and Oscar Shepherd for doing their bit for the team. The score was 3-3 going into the last few minutes. A fantastic pass from the right wing by Tom Fearnside, was met on the volley by Adam at the far post. A spectacular winning goal!

The next two games ended up being easy wins, with many goals being scored by a variety of players.

The defence was a fantastic unit all season – mainly comprising of Stanley Kelly, Oscar Shepherd, Nico Alfonso, Thomas Hagan, Ben Taskis and Porter Read who was then moved up to Bs. The goalkeepers, Harry Oliver and Asa Jennings, marshalled the team expertly from the back and made some stunning saves when called upon.

All the midfielders showed great versatility, playing left, right and centre when needed. They all passed, tackled and headed well, scored goals and played with intelligence at all times. Well done to Sam Chapman, Thomas Davies, Tom Fearnside, George Sexton, George Coyle, Harry Spence, Harvey Cooper and Fahad Hussain who moved up to the Bs as well.

The U13Ds enjoyed a very good season. Although the fixtures were cut short, the team still left their mark on the pitch. They boasted a highly impressive 25 goals in only six games!

The team begins with the formidable vice-captain Asa Jennings in goal. In front of him, the solid line of Rishi Vijayan, Tom Cowley, Benjamin Taskis, Ben Williams and Arya Etminan played in defence. Further up the pitch, Alec Hamilton, Eden McBrinn and captain Joe Murphy held the team together from midfield. To top off the squad, a net-busting strike-force consisting of Zakir Mughal, Aberam Sukirtharajah, Marcus Palmer, Rudi Parrish and Henry Forster created havoc in the final-third.

Overall, the team won half of their six games, drawing once. The goal difference shows their true potential, as they only conceded 10 times giving them a goal difference of 15. The most note-worthy game, I think we can all agree, must be their first game of the season, where they won 14-3 at home to Forest school. Other worthy wins were a 7-1 victory at home to Chigwell and a hard-fought 0-2 away win at Dulwich College.

Throughout the season, the team played with determination and perseverance, never letting a goal change their spirits. The atmosphere in the changing room was electric and it was great to be a part of this team.

Finally, everyone from the U13Ds would like to give a huge thanks to the amazing work of the coaching team: Mr Draganov and Mrs Havard.

Joe Murphy and Asa Jennings

U13E Football

The forward line was mainly a rotation of Olly Spray, Adam Gaunt, and Rohan Kripalani. Many spectacular goals were scored, but their defensive work was also appreciated by the players behind them.

Thanks to Mrs Day, Mrs Short, Mr Ritchie and Mr Hurst for coaching, training and managing and to the many family members who supported us throughout the season.

Adam Gaunt the lion

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U12A Football

In terms of the players themselves, there was a core of ten individuals who were involved in at least 14 matches, with a few others who played a major part in the season.

In our first game of the season, we played Rokeby and the score ended up as a convincing 13-0 to us, a sign of what was to come that year!

Throughout the season, we played 19 matches winning 16, drawing 1, losing 2 and scoring 102 goals across all games! We also made it to round 6 of ESFA before being knocked out – which, for our first season, was a great achievement and a benchmark to beat in further years.

Perhaps our greatest achievement this season, however, was in the county cup. After comfortably winning in round 3 and the quarter-final, the semi-final was looking more of a difficult fixture: Whitgift, who had made it all the way to the ESFA final. They were definitely the hardest opponents we had come up against. Although it was a tense first half, we managed to lead 1-0 at the break. As soon as the second half started, we doubled our lead – though the game was still easily up for grabs for either side. Our opponents beat us to the next goal, though we managed to score late on to secure the win, 3-1. It was certainly the best we played all season, every boy doing their part – it was just a shame we never got to play in the final.

It was a great season!

Ollie Swetman

U12B Football The first match that this squad played together was a difficult one to manage. The issue was that the Hampton side was so dominant that there was a need to try and mitigate against this in order to save the blushes of both teams. Despite attempts at half time to mix up the formation and team in order to make for a more even contest, Hampton won 19-0. A remarkable performance.

The second match that this squad played together was a difficult one to manage. The issue was that the opposition were so dominant that they needed to try to mitigate against this in order to save the blushes of both teams. Despite attempts at half time to mix up the formation and team in order to make for a more even contest, Hampton lost 12-0.

‘Mercurial’ does not quite cover it.

To an extent, this represented the pattern for most of the season. The side won 9 matches and lost 9 matches, scoring 70 goals and conceding 60. At their attacking best, they played scintillating football, crushing sides with their intricate interplay and pace. At their worst, they did not.

At their defensive best, they were tough to break down, a sophisticated platform from which to build attacks. At their worst, they were not.

Of course, you learn through adversity, and there were certainly learning opportunities during the course of the season. Importantly, the team grew and improved as a group and as individual players. Many of the boys played in several different positions during the season, developing new skills and an awareness of the game. They learnt that their best performances came when they worked as a team in support of each other. They learnt the primacy of a well-placed and paced 10-yard pass as opposed to a rabona – though some of the side were more resistant to this learning than others! Most importantly, they seemed to have a great time whether they won or lost – unless they REALLY lost.

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There were two goalkeepers across the season with Billy Wilkinson playing the majority of the season before earning the right to a run in the A team thanks to his excellent shot-stopping. When Eddie Haycock joined the side for the final part of the season, he fitted in immediately, showing why he had held on to the A team spot for so long despite Billy’s efforts. There could be years of competition between these two, which will be excellent for Hampton football.

Oscar Cacheux was a rock at the back, exuding calm and often saving the team with a perfectly timed tackle. Rudy Sian was a regular left back, a vocal member of the side, happy to make dynamic overlapping runs. Of course, he was less happy as he sprinted back, bellowing at his team mates to cover after the ball had been lost. Sasha Pryke also played at the back, developing hugely as the season went on, with his positional awareness progressing hugely to complement his undoubted athleticism. Elias Pena started in midfield, before becoming a cultured full back, capable of both a deft tackle and a measured pass – as well as thunderous diving headers on to the bar, as evidenced in the final game of the season. Arun Bhandari played the first half of the season bringing a huge competitive appetite, commitment and joy to the right back position. Sammy Jeffrey spent the season showing off his versatility, playing all over the pitch – including in goal on one occasion – but produced his best performances at centre back, displaying a reading of the game and composure that enabled him to be a calming presence and a start point for attack from the back. It did become apparent that Sammy’s love of a slide tackle might need a little moderating, but this is the sort of knowledge that a young footballer gains with experience.

By the end of the season there were three strong options in central midfield, all bringing different skill sets and complementing each other as players.

Captain Arjun Banerjee was a composed, strong presence all season, linking attack and defence, breaking up play and covering a lot of ground in the process. Richard Page joined the side, having previously played Rugby, and brought a physicality, energy and attitude to the side that lifted those around him, spurring them on to greater efforts. The fact that he scored 6 goals in 6 games is reflective of an excellent, if brief, contribution. Top scorer Hamish Soley – 11 goals from 18 games – was the player who most closely represented the mercurial spirit of the side. At his best, he was utterly irresistible; capable of exceptional skill and possessed of excellent vision and the ability to pick the right pass. On other days, his frustration would get the better of him and things would not quite work out. As a trio, they provided an outstanding mix of skill sets that bode well for future seasons.

Out wide, Rohan Paul Muktieh played both on the wing and as a full back, demonstrating speed and a knack of being in the right place at the right time, whether to score – 8 goals in the season – or to thwart an opposition attack. More purely a winger, the flying Joshi Rasi de Mel terrorised full backs, single-handedly creating chances in every game he played in. As his composure in front of goal grew, so did his goal tally, finishing on 9 goals from 14 games. In games in which the team was struggling, it was often the willing runs, work rate and sheer pace of Joshi which gave us a chance.

Up front, Evan Rutter carried the attack, scoring 10 goals during the course of the season. Evan was just as happy bundling the ball in from 5 yards in a crowded penalty box off his knee, as he was running away from the defence to finish a one-on-one. Particularly towards the end of the season, his movement and understanding of how to work as a fulcrum for others to play around brought a new dimension to the side’s attacking threat.

They were a spirited, happy, enthusiastic team with huge potential for the future and a love of playing the game. The final match of the season perfectly

sport encapsulated this. A ding-dong battle against Claremont was reaching fever pitch, with each side trading goals. At 3-3, with only minutes left, Hampton were gaining the upper hand, urged on by a baying mob of home fans – the usual sophisticated, supportive Hampton parents as well, but let’s stick with the dramatic image! A corner was won. Elias turned to the referee, telling him that he was going to score a diving header – this seemed unlikely. The corner was swung in and Elias thundered into the box, brushing defenders aside. He leapt, making a fantastic connection with the ball, which…crashed onto the bar.

Surely, the game was done. Again, Hampton attacked, relentlessly pressing the creaking Claremont defence, every yellow shirt committed and working for each other. After a swift interchange of passes, the ball was delivered into the box, rebounding around before finally being forced over the line. The crowd went wild – clapped enthusiastically – and the boys jumped all over each other.

It did not matter who had scored – though the scorer would probably tell you otherwise – the joy was equal across the team. The combined effort, the teamwork, the skill and the drama combined to give them all that unique sense of satisfaction at a hard-fought victory – apart from for Elias, who revealed in the post-match team talk that he thought it had been a draw.

Perhaps the revelation of the season was Max Rashkes, playing as close to the traditional number ten role as can be achieved in 9 a-side football, whose growing skill and confidence helped us create chances galore in tandem with for the lightning quick Jayden Oni and Henry ‘the fox in the box’ Jackson.

It was the perfect end to the season and should give all the boys a sense of excitement and promise for their second year of Football at Hampton. They demonstrated to everyone watching that day what they were capable of and it will be exciting to see how they progress.

On a bright, sunny Saturday in September, the U12D team made the journey to Forest School in Essex for their first match of the season. Spirits on the coach were high as the boys looked forward to their debut in Hampton colours, and they were not disappointed: an excellent team effort lead to a 4-2 victory, which was closely followed by a 3-2 win away at Sutton Grammar a couple of weeks later.

TJG

U12C Football Without doubt, the most improved side I have worked with at Hampton.

After a resounding 13-0 victory to get us underway, for periods in the autumn term, wins felt hard to come by – although we did hold on for an excellent 2-1 win away at Forest. We were grateful to eventual player of the season Joseph Gordon for a string of excellent saves to keep us competitive.

Nevertheless, the boys trained hard and improved immensely both in terms of individual technique and collective spirit, culminating with a comprehensive 3-0 win against Wilson’s before Christmas.

Our defence, marshalled by captain Alasdair McIntosh alongside the evercalm Karun Bhalla and the indomitable Arun Bhandari, became harder to break down; we began to turn defence into attack more and more frequently thanks to the indefatigable Tim Edwards, Ruben ‘body on the line’ Bouwmeester-Reid and the silkily composed Benni Maxey.

It was in the spring, however, that we produced our best football, with marauding runs down the flanks from Ben Wizniacki and Jayden Park providing more and more service for top scorer Gabriel Kelly.

A six week unbeaten run was ultimately curtailed by a very strong Whitgift B Team, before our fixtures came to a slightly premature end in March.

I hope the boys are able to pick up where they left off in 2020 and continue their meteoric ascension. They played some attractive and enjoyable football, learnt a lot about team spirit and were a pleasure to coach.

CAM

U12D Football

A slight dip in results towards the end of the autumn term did not deter the boys, who continued to put in spirited performances despite the odd disappointing score-line. Goalkeepers Joseph Bakr and Alfie Bancroft put in excellent efforts, with some impressive saves at one end of the pitch and attacking performances as well, with Joseph scoring the decisive score in an away win at Wilson’s School in January. Defenders Oliver Pryce, Oli Lennox-Smith, Henry Fry and Monty Hunt worked hard to keep the ball heading in the right direction, ably assisted by Ewan McVey and Johnny Purton in midfield, and Daniel Kim, Eashan Aldridge, Danny Mason and Adi Shanbhag on the wings. There were some brilliant goals for strikers Ian Kim and Felix Robinson, with the latter’s goal against Claremont Fan Court School a real highlight of the season. Henry Clark’s passionate captaincy throughout spurred all the boys on to really achieve their best.

As the weather improved, so did the results, and the U12Ds had some excellent wins in the final matches of the season. But, it was the final game against Claremont Fan Court that we will all remember: a 3-0 victory with the spring sun shining on Pitch 6 that had all the parents and their coach cheering on the side-lines.

Thank you for your excellent, positive attitudes and cheerful demeanours on Saturday mornings, boys, and best of luck in the U13s!

MBE

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First XV Rugby In the summer of 2019, Hampton’s Senior squads travelled to South Africa, in search of beautiful weather, the big five and, most importantly, highly competitive rugby against some world-renowned schools. A threeweek tour across Pretoria, Cape Town and Paarl, amongst other locations, saw the first team squad win 5 out of 5 games. A particular on-field highlight was beating a Paarl Boys High side 7-5 in torrential weather.

The wettest South African winter in years did not prevent Hampton playing some outstanding, expansive rugby, preparing the squad well for the season which lay ahead.

Back on home turf, the season officially started with a thrashing of the OH’19 side, in the annual Mapletoft Memorial Cup – although, in all fairness. it was apparent that many of the leavers had not necessarily taken their physical fitness particularly seriously over the summer. Regardless, one highlight of the game was an outstanding try by Patrick Silcox, our full-back and vice-captain, having started with the ball over 60m from the try line. His slippery running epitomised the fluid rugby which was to follow. Helped by the accuracy of the goal-kickers, who converted 100% of attempts, the season began in a hugely exciting and clinical manner with the final score 42-5.

Further convincing wins over John Fisher, St John’s Leatherhead and RGS High Wycombe saw the side go into the Champions Trophy first round game, at home against Tonbridge, with just one defeat in ten fulllength matches, and unbeaten at the ‘Lions’ Den’.

The Hampton side started strongly with a clean try, finished by London Irish U18 centre Jesper Hartikainen, and led at the break 14-5. A spirited comeback was mounted by the visitors early in the second half, which led to a nail-biting finish. Stoic defence from the forward pack kept Hampton’s noses in front, and a great sniping run from scrum half, Luke Greenall, in the closing minutes sealed a 24-15 win and their spot in the second round.

In the second round, the First XV drew Berkhamsted away, a side who had developed a commendable reputation around the circuit in the early stages of the season. This reputation, however, was thoroughly unpicked, when, on home soil, they were dispatched by 38 points to 0.

The afternoon’s proceedings had begun as they would continue, with exceptional play from the back’s unit who played through and around the opposition with ease. Front row duo Iestyn Humphrey and Rupert Reddish each danced their way over the line, while blistering left-wing Daniel Finlay proved too hot for the Berkhamsted defence, leaving bodies in his tracks as he cruised over the whitewash on three separate occasions.

Half term came quickly and, with it, the St Joseph’s National Schools Rugby Festival. Hampton arrived with a formidable record at the tournament, lifting three trophies in the previous four attempts; this year’s side, 11 wins from 12, looked in a powerful position to challenge for the Cup.

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First up was Kirkham Grammar School, giants of the north. Despite having a try – controversially, of course – not awarded, it seemed that a penalty would be enough to see the team get the tournament off to a win, with the score 3-0 as the final play approached.

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But, as is the drama of sport, Kirkham, who would go on to be finalists at the competition, pinched the ball with seconds remaining, to go half the length of the pitch, and score a try to win the game. Such is the nature of tournament rugby, there was no time to dwell on the disappointing result, with the next games against QEGS Wakefield and Dulwich College just around the corner.

The remaining rugby played on the first day perfectly reflected the side, with some powerful and intelligent carries from the pack, providing the quick-ball on which the backs thrived; this enable the side to score countless, expansive and well-constructed tries to put both of our opponents firmly in their place, Hampton ending 40-0 and 41-0 victors in these games respectively.

Aggressive carries were not the only threat the pack this year had to offer, however, with Rupert Reddish, Alex Taylor and Jack Slaney combining Fijian-esque handling, surprisingly nimble running and an elegant, angelic dive to score what must be one the greatest tight-five tries the game has ever witnessed. The tournament organisers seemed to agree, by awarding second row, Jack Slaney the ‘Try of the tournament’ award.

These results were enough to see Hampton qualify for the Cup groups, on Day 2. Despite incredibly closefought performances against some of the country’s strongest opponents, the squad finished third in the

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group, losing to Wellington College – this years’ Champions trophy and eventual St Joe’s winners – and RGS Newcastle – last years’ St Joe’s winners.

The day’s rugby finished with the expansive brand of rugby Hampton teams pride themselves on, winning 28-5 against Brighton College, capping off a disappointing, but nonetheless impressive, weekend.

Having swept Champions trophy quarter-final opponents, Uppingham School, aside, Hampton were faced with the momentous, but exciting, challenge of playing the semi-final against Rugby School away, at the ‘home of the game’.

While the long coach journey up to the Midlands might have factored into our slow start, the question of whether the Hampton side was up to the challenge was discarded when back-rower Archer Chilcott’s 40-yard metre dash over the whitewash finished a move initiated by typical trickery from Aidan Barry and Tommy Nagle. With this score, Hampton took the lead for the first time in the game.

The contest continued in a ferocious end-to-end manner, with scoring opportunities for both sides going amiss. However, finding themselves 15-7 down with just over 5 minutes left to play, an inspiring comeback would be required if they were to get back into the game. A try from a charged-down kick in the 64th minute setup a nervy final few minutes for both sides.

Having been camped in the Rugby 22 for such large periods of the game, without the deserved prevail, it only seemed right that the Hampton side would be offered one final chance to seize victory. Hampton received the subsequent kick-off cleanly, and the following possession, which moved nearly 70m up the pitch and saw 13 Hampton players touch the ball, lasted 25 phases and was nearly 7 minutes in duration, finished with a try from point blank range from Alex Taylor 2 minutes into overtime, with what would have been a romantic finish to an incredible game with the world-renowned Rugby school backdrop in behind. Heartbreak struck, however, when Rugby replied with an equally impressive attack of their own to score 8 minutes after the planned 70 was up.

Despite an impressive, professional victory against Schools Cup finalists, Warwick School, the final few weeks of the 15s season had a somewhat sombre tone to it, with the team unable to properly bounce back from the disappointment in the Midlands, a missed opportunity to become the first ever Hampton rugby First XV to reach a National Cup final.

The season’s disappointing end took nothing away from our season’s floodlit finale against St Benedict’s at Grasshoppers RFC, which saw the return of the liquid rugby that we had enjoyed so much the season. A classy and well-rounded show from senior fly-half Louis Goodwin, who grabbed a hat-trick of assists on the night, and hat-trick of tries for Aidan Barry were standout performances amongst their fellow Upper Sixth team-mates, for whom this would be the last time they were to pull on the black and gold stripes.

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Sevens Spring half term saw the commencement of the Sevens Season, which began in commanding style. The First VII welcomed nine other sides to the coveted Hanworth Road turf in late February for the annual Hampton Sevens Tournament.

With the lower and middle school lining the touchline in force, the Lions opened the tournament in majestic style. St Benedict’s and Hurstpierpoint College were dispatched of with equal ease, and although finishing the next game with just five players, so too were Brighton College. The climax of the group saw the two unbeaten sides, Hampton and St John’s Leatherhead, lock horns in what promised to be an intense encounter between two sides with contrasting styles.

After a cagey first few minutes, the Lions pounced on their first scoring opportunity in the daring, but clinical style that was becoming so characteristic of the side. This was a sign of what was to follow, with Hampton scoring another three tries in quick succession, to finish 24-5 victors and group winners.

Hampton faced Cranleigh in a repeat of the ’16, ’17 and ‘19 finals; it provided a chance for the home side to win the title that had so cruelly evaded them the previous year. For the fifth time in the afternoon, the Lions balanced possession retention with intelligent and tactical probes to draw life from the opposition, who chased shadows for large parts of the game. An outstanding day’s work for newly discovered winger Joe Sykes, who had combined elusive footwork with electric pace, ended with a well-deserved cup final hattrick – which left him with seven for the day.

The game finished with Hampton as resounding 31-12 victors and Hampton Founders 7’s Cup winners.

Further impressive performances in the Middlesex and Surrey Sevens tournaments took the squad to both a Cup final and quarter-final respectively. With the brief injury crisis over in time for the Rosslyn Park National Sevens Tournament, they looked in a strong position to continue their fine form from the Hampton Sevens that had seen them earn a fearsome reputation throughout the country.

However, like so many sporting events in March 2020, this National tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving this exciting squad forever wondering what could have been.

In spite of the disappointing, unpredictable and anticlimactic end to the season, the First XV squad can and should look back on the year with incredible pride, achieving an 80% win success rate at the – now widely revered – ‘Lions’ Den’, a 100% win-rate in South Africa, then becoming only the second Hampton side to reach a National Cup semi-final and bringing the Hampton Sevens Trophy home for the first time since 2017, finishing the season with a cumulative score of 962 points for to 408 points against.

An undeniably exceptional season in spite of the extraordinary circumstances with which it ended. Thank you to all of the coaching staff, who gave up their time and put so much energy into helping us to improve, for making this season into what it was.

Jamie Benson the lion

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Third XV Rugby

the corner from Fraser Dunlop, who had an excellent game despite the score line.

Without doubt, this was an excellent season for the Third XV; we averaged nearly 40 points per game, playing attacking and attractive rugby throughout. With only one loss in the main fixture schedule, the results were equally impressive. But, as ever, the most important thing was the boys’ enjoyment and enthusiasm throughout.

However, the week after, we were looking to capitalise against a strong Trinity side who had gone undefeated so far that season. We went 3-0 up quickly with a penalty, but we were set back when our number 8 Tom Simm was rushed off to hospital with his finger at a right angle and we were left 12-3 down at half time. A penalty-try quickly brought us back in to the game and another Tom Ketel penalty saw us 13-12 up with little time to spare.

We were blessed with a superb set of Upper Sixth boys, who helped lead the way during the season. Upfront, Alex Shaul, Oliver Maskell, Rohan Kamat and Matt Wilson did the damage, whilst our talented backline, that included Oscar Boardman, Jake Robinson, Ollie Aust, Rylan Gavino, Joe Park, Tom Settle and Christian Ilube did the rest. From a personal point of view, having coached that year group as Second Years, it was lovely to see how much they had developed during their time at Hampton.

I must thank my captain, Freddy Short, who essentially ran the show. Not only was he an excellent player, he was also a true leader who set the highest example for others to follow. A senior captain should be a bridge between coach and players and I struggle to think of one better in my time being in and around the senior rugby set-up.

With regards to player of the season, notable mentions must go to Nairn Herries, Jake Robinson Hector Coode, Sam Sparrow and Rylan Gavino, who all ran a very close second to Jonah Brennan. Jonah embraced all that is good about the Third XV; he played for the shirt and his friends, had fun and saved his best rugby to the end.

I must end by thanking my co-coach for the season, Mr Slater, who retired at the end of this academic year. Mr Slater coached me as a Hamptonian and, in those 25 years, has held firm to his belief that rugby should be an open, exciting and enjoyable game. This philosophy was acutely evident in this crop of players; he should be proud that he was able to instil these key values into Hamptonians all the way up to his retirement.

GKB

U16A Rugby Our season started promisingly with a convincing 25-5 win over John Fisher, with a strong team performance from the group.

However, our next game was the triangular fixture against Tonbridge and St John’s, which we lost both matches narrowly to on a hot summer’s day.

This started a poor run of form, losing to Cranleigh and RGS high Wycombe. Our form looked to change though with a narrow 7-14 loss to wellington, which saw Ollie Stokes make a superb debut for the As; he came on as sub mid-way through the game and made some excellent carries with the ball.

Next, we travelled to Seaford. This brought us our second win of the season; it was a pleasure to see Ben Freer score a trademark touchline finish to win the match with the last play of the game.

This run of form did not last though, as we came up against Harrow in the county cup quarter-finals. The game tailed away from us in the second half, after a close first half that saw some brilliant try line defending from the team. Despite a poor final score against Berkhamsted, the team showed great fighting spirt, scoring first with a brilliant try in 142

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Unfortunately, a strong Trinity lineout mall saw us fall 2 points behind with a few minutes remaining, and after an intense last few minutes, we fell just short of a win, after a great performance it was a bitter loss for the lads. The boys were left dispirited and annoyed after the loss against Trinity and were looking for a comeback against Brighton college the following weekend.

With the side’s talisman and captain, Ethan Knight, earning a well-deserved call up to the First XV, we were at a slight disadvantage and quickly went 10-0 down. However, a strong fight back – orchestrated by a brilliant performance from Max Leman – saw us 19-10 up at half-time with a standout try from Ollie Verney-White, burning it down the outside to finish underneath the sticks.

Brighton’s heads soon dropped and we took advantage, with Neo SukhrajHammerl putting in a massive effort in defence and with a try as well, finishing the game on a high with a 45-15 victory. The side displayed great skill and gave the team a massive boost after a tough start to the season.

The next fixture on the list was Dulwich, a fierce rival of ours, but unfortunately the team was not up for the game and it saw us come out on the wrong side of the result – potentially the hardest pill to swallow for us so far this year.

The Tiffin match on the 3G allowed us to showcase some of our skills, including a great charge-down try from Will Lindqvist and Alfie Simmonds-Gooding’s amazing run through the whole Tiffin team to score his first try for the side. This inspired performance saw us finish 53-10 winners – a stellar performance.

Looking to follow up on the performance, the next Saturday we took the long trip to Warwick where we saw a mixed performance, leading to a 36-6 loss. With three games remaining in the season we faced Campion, a tough team who always gave us a physical game. We scored early and saw Luke Mcnamara crash over the line.

Although we were 12-0 up at half time, two sloppy mistakes let Campion back into the game and we were soon 17-12 down. Our lineout, orchestrated by Theo Wedge’s inch-perfect throws set us up for a superb driving maul seeing us at 17-17, with little time to spare. We constantly used our pick-and-go on their 22, enabling Tomasz Findlater to crash over the line to win us the game.

The next fixture saw us face Whitgift, a very strong side who had dominated us in early years. We were prepared for this game and we came out all guns blazing, with some ruthless defence. Although we lost 31-7, it was a superb performance and one to be proud of despite the scoreline.

Then, we were left with one game left against St Benedict’s in Ealing, a school rival for many years; unsurprisingly, we were looking to put in an incredible performance against them in our final game as a team.

A strong, aggressive first-half, with big carries from the forward pack, especially Arthur Hopley, Mathew Hibbert and Ben Settle, as well as a stand-out try from Ben Wix, saw us 17-7 up at half-time, and craving more

sport tries in the second half. We finished the game 26-12 winners, and it was a great way for us to sign out the XVs season.

We were extremely disappointed when Covid-19 cut short our 7s season, but after five years of playing together and many mixed performances, we have learnt a lot.

There also needs to be a big shout-out to all the coaches along the way, specifically Mr Stebbings this year for his fantastic coaching of the U16As. It has been a great experience and learning curve for us and we are very excited for the start of proper Senior rugby next year!

Unsurprisingly, we did not score as many tries in the second half, but we ended our season on a high – and with great memories of our prop, Ben Settle, kicking a conversion from near the touchline. Impressively, another prop, Matt Hibbert, played in this game with what was later discovered to be a broken collarbone.

Overall, we had a great season where we massively improved from last year and enjoyed some brilliant form under our coach, Mr Hardman, who led us us to a first-place finish in Rugby School’s All Comers League.

James Bantick and Ben Wix

Tom Simm and Max Leman

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U15A Rugby

We enjoyed a tremendous start to the season, with a 52-14 win over John Fisher. Having never beaten them in any of our prior encounters, our preseason had paid. This win at their grounds set us off for a great season to come where we would have a run ratio of 83 percent, a significant improvement from our last season where we only won 64 percent of our games.

Despite this performance, our following games – both only 35 minutes long, against St John’s and Tonbridge – did not yield wins. After an unimpressive weekend, we upped our performance, beating Cranleigh 3617 – despite at one point only having 13 Hampton players on the pitch.

We followed this triumph with a win against RGS High Wycombe, with a star performance from Ollie Stokes, who grabbed two tries. This winning form continued into our next two games, where we put over 50 points on both Wellington and Seaford without conceding any. Alex Lloyd, one of our props, scored two against Wellington, as did our winger, Jack Grivvell, who also scored a hat-trick against Seaford.

Our winning form ended when we traveled away to Berkhamsted, where we faced a tough match – and even tougher weather conditions! Throughout the match, we were playing with very heavy rain, which caused many spilt balls and handling mistakes. Despite this frustrating loss, we returned to victorious ways with a close game against Brighton College, which was played on a ridiculous slant. Our hooker at the time, Will Simpson, scored a try after a beautifully executed lineout move, which helped us stay in front of the opposition.

Our next game was against Dulwich – a match that has a history of close scores – where we edged a narrow victory at home with our forwards bossing the game. James Bantick scored a notable try after a solid maul by our pack.

We then had a tough game against Warwick where, despite a sub-par first half performance, we won 26-17. Our successful form continued against Campion at home, when we were reduced to a fifteen-man squad due to injuries, causing some forwards to make the uncomfortable switch into the backline – a surprisingly effective idea in the end!

Wow, what a season we had as a squad, only losing four of our twenty games over the season!

Our long, hard preseason in Biarritz – being whipped into shape by Mr Thomson and many other coaches – seemed to pay off. We started strong, with a tough day of short, intense matches at the South Coast Kings tournament just before the season commenced.

Shortly after, we trained hard to play our first match against John Fisher, a team that put a fair few points on us in the previous season. We knew this would be a tough match due to their physical game. However, we played extremely well and came out with a 22-0 win.

This big result gave us a large boost as a team, giving us confidence to play to our strengths for the rest of the season. We continued our strong start for an eight-game winning streak against some big names, such as Wellington, RGS High Wycombe, and Cranleigh.

After our short half term break, we came back to play Berkhamsted on the Saturday. We expected this to be a tough fixture due to the harsh forecast and their strong reputation. We unfortunately lost this game 12-0, which brought our long-lasting winning run to an end.

Our penultimate game was against Whitgift, where we faced a tough opposition; the game became even tougher when we went down to 11 players.

We hit a small bump in our season as we lost against Trinity school and were knocked out of the national cup against Wellington in a brutal, physical game, which saw us go down 12-0 at half time. We played much better in the second half however, just missing out on the win with a 15-19 final score. Although we were disappointed at the result, we knew we had more exciting rugby to play during the rest of the season.

In our final game of the season, against St Benedict’s, we started off strong. Because of this, in the second half, most of the forwards and backs switched, with the back three switching with the back row.

Throughout this streak, we played games in our Middlesex cup competition, a trophy that we set our sights on at the beginning of the season. After two games against Orleans Park and UCL we came up into the finals, at the the lion

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sport Grasshoppers ground, a well-known venue in the county. We came into this game with high hopes and knew we had to play well to win, especially as the Second XV had lost their final the day before.

We played with great charisma and intelligence, with the final score 48-10, despite going 7-0 down very early on. It was a great honour for us to lift the cup, knowing how hard the team had worked for it.

After our Middlesex cup win, we wanted to finish the season strongly and show our dominance against some big teams we were due to play. We played, in my opinion, some of the best rugby from this season in this final term towards the end of the season. We put 50 points on Brighton College, a tough rival of ours, and kept Dulwich College to nil in a 38-0 victory away, with our forwards and backs working awesomely off each other, showing physicality combined with beautiful ball-skills and width.

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We continued this exciting rugby into matches against Tiffin, Warwick, and Campion School, getting big victories to help our strong results list. A subpar performance resulted in a defeat against a strong, physical Whitgift side, who are admired as a top side in the country.

However, we came back in the final weekend, searching for a big result against St Benedict’s, a local school rival. A strong win bought us to the end of an awesome season, in which we played some fantastic rugby and Improved massively as a group.

Thank you to Mr Beattie for coaching our team this season, and for helping us all develop as players individually and as a squad.

Henry Langrish

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U15B Rugby The U15Bs were optimistic for the season, having developed a higher standard of play in preseason and in the first few training sessions.

Our first fixture was a tough one against John Fisher, where the scoreline was not at all representative of how we played with the game; it was tight until the last 15 minutes, where we dropped off – this seemed to be a reoccurring theme throughout our season.

After a better start than the last season, with the score having improved from last years fixture, we then played a double-header against St John’s and Tonbridge. Our very close game against St John’s was ended without a result after one of their players took a bad injury. We were then beaten by a much larger and more organised Tonbridge team, following a tight game against Cranleigh, where we once again kept it close until the last 15 minutes – at which point we let through a couple tries – resulting in a 5-29 loss.

The next few games got progressively better, with a 17-point defeat to High Wycombe – which was a significant improvement on previous years – and us scoring two tries.

Our first win of the season came against Wellington, where contentious decisions meant that the game, excitingly, came right down to the wire.

Next, we suffered a 5-point loss to a much-improved Seaford side; we should have won, but we were slightly overconfident following our defeat of them last year.

This was followed by one of only two games where we scored no points, a huge achievement comparing to last year, against a much better Berkhamsted side, on a very rainy and miserable November day. This was followed by another heavy loss against Trinity School, though we scored 10 points to ensure that it was an improvement on the previous year.

improvement on last year. Our next fixture was against the always-tough Dulwich, where we had limited them to one try in the first half – a very impressive performance from us! The second half saw the eventual turn of the pitch into a muddy bog. Our performance dropped off and they were able to score late tries to seal the game.

Having played potentially our best rugby against Dulwich, we came into the Tiffin game confident, but made the game much harder for ourselves with some poor play. Despite this, we recovered to win 14-10 in the end.

Our next three games were all close losses, especially the Campion game – on a barely playable pitch – and some good individual performances.

Unfortunately, we could not finish it off.

Then, came the game we had been waiting for all year, the team we beat comfortably the year before and were eager to play: St Benedict’s. Sadly, they cancelled the fixture – resulting in many cries from our team for it to be rescheduled.

The finale of our season was a promising one, with a very close game against Harrodian As. It ended with us losing by 5 points – certainly aided by their fantastic fly-half, who was able to kick the ball from one end to the other with ease.

Overall, this was a great season for us as a team and despite the results we achieved; we played much better than the scorelines suggest, only letting ourselves down in the final minutes of matches – something which became a reoccurring theme and one we need to address next year.

Much in the same way that we had built on our previous years’ successes, we hope to do the same in the coming season – whenever rugby is able to restart – and we are readily waiting and preparing for our first game, hopefully turning some of those narrow defeats into victories. A great deal of this is thanks to our effort as a team to turn up to training, to improve as individuals and to get better; but, much is also down to Mr Keenan, who helped us improve a great deal over the course of the season thanks to his dedication as a coach and the time he put into the side.

Then came a very close fixture against Brighton, where big moments and tight decisions went against up; yet, our 24-17 defeat was still a big

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U14A Rugby

Our luck continued to run out as a large 40-5 loss against Warwick gave us a lot to think about defensively. Vast improvements were made and we managed beat Campion 57–5. Our penultimate game of the season was against Whitgift; it was a unfortunate loss 27–0 since there many chances to score.

Our final game was against school rivals St Benedict’s; we came out on top, winning 31–14 after some excellent defensive performances from Rory Paterson and the whole team to end the 15s season on a high.

The sevens season came around soon afterwards, but with storms ahead and the rise of Covid-19, it did not seem as though the season would last long.

With the influx of new players into the Hampton rugby team, it looked like a promising season ahead.

The first game was against a tough John Fisher side, who had dominated in their previous encounter against our side. However, this year, we came out on top winning 17–7 in a close game.

There were many positives to take out of that game and into the triangular festival against St John’s and Tonbridge; the boys went into the matches with spirits high. Our first game against Tonridge resulted in a narrow 5-5 draw.

With the heat blazing down, fatigue kicked in and we started to tire. St John’s proceeded to beat us convincingly; it was a disappointing result, but new talents in the back-line, such as Frank Hall, kept spirits high. We knew we could improve for the next game and beyond.

The only tournament we had was the prestigious Surrey Sevens tournament, where we were looking confident with the training we had. We dominated the pool stages, only conceding three tries and scoring a whopping 23 to earn a bye in the next round. After a well-earned break, we played Kings College, beating them 15–0, countering their physical game with skilful and intelligent play.

The final was against a forward-thinking St John’s side. Defeating them 15–0, we claimed the Surrey Sevens title. This rounded off a brilliant year of rugby for the U14As and was well deserved after the brilliant coaching of Mr Ellsworth, to whom we are extremely grateful.

Max Cardos

U14B Rugby

After hard work and lots of training, we beat Cranleigh 24–14, with great performances from the forwards and a superb try by Finlay Wiseman to seal the game. It was a free-flowing game, with many new techniques being used in attack to give structure to our game.

Our next game was against a very physical High Wycombe side who beat us 31-14; this match reinforced that there were still many aspects of our game that we needed to work on. Improvements were made, but it was not enough to beat Wellington; we slipped to a 3-0 defeat in a close encounter.

Unfortunately, in our next game, Seaford managed to exploit our weaknesses to defeat us 22–0.

We then faced Grey Court in our first match of the SOCS County Cup; it was a very close game on a wet day, where the pitch conditions altered the style of play for each team. The forwards had to work harder to make big tackles; players like Sam Ho and Caleb Weinstein really stepped up for us here. However, the game did not go our way and the final score was 24–17 to Grey Court – despite an all-round brilliant performance from Theo Tyler-Low, who kept the game alive with his brilliant runs and an exceptional try.

After this loss and our exit from the cup, we came back strong to beat Berkhamsted 29–24 in a great home performance. This was a key turning point in our season; we played much better together and we all played for each other. The next home game against Trinity side, who had only lost one game up to that point in the season, resulted in a tight 7–7 draw. It was a great game by the whole team and we were unlucky to not come out on top and win.

This performance inspired us to win the next two games against Brighton College ad Dulwich College convincingly, winning 19–0 and 49–0, not conceding one try. This set the team moral high going into the next game against Tiffin away, though we lost 5–0 in another tightly contested game.

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We had a bumpy start to the season – mainly because there was an influx of new boys, so we had not played together before and were guilty of playing as individuals.

We had some challenging away fixtures against John Fisher and our prospects for the year were not great after a string of losses. However, most of them were hard-fought and tightly contested; more importantly, no one gave up and we began improving week on week.

As the season progressed, so did our unity and bond as a team. We began to play some very free-flowing and fast-paced rugby. As a result, we were rewarded with a respectable 12-12 draw against Wellington.

All our efforts really came together in mid-October, away against Seaford College. It was a wet day and a tight contest, but we stuck together and, in the final play, we managed to get the ball to the wing and scored a wonderful try resulting in our first win: 24-17.

sport We started to win more and more of our fixtures, including a thumping 46-7 victory over Tiffin. This was followed by a pleasing 29-7 win over Brighton College. During the second half of the season, we hit a run of good form, with four consecutive wins – including beating some good A team sides! The season culminated in a nail-biting final game against Ibstock A team, which we won by five points. This brought our win rate to 50%– and a positive points-difference!

U13A Rugby

Finally, we would like to say a very big shout out to our coach, the fantastic Miss Singleton, who was incredibly encouraging and supportive throughout and really got the best out of our team with her knowledge and passion for rugby.

Oli Goodchild – ‘Our team had many highlights over the season, but my two personal favourites were captaining the team on multiple occasions and beating Brighton college 29-7 – even more so as I was good friends with someone on their team.’

Tom Holland – ‘Over the course of the season, we improved so much as a team that we were almost unrecognisable from the start, culminating in four successive victories to end the season. Overall, it was an enjoyable season, during which we all improved and bonded as a team and had many good laughs.’

We started our season with a tough game against John Fisher School. In a match that could have gone either way at many points, we ended up winning 50-35, with Maddox Dakin scoring a great hat-trick, including a cross-field Kick set up by Thomas Kilpatrick.

Oliver Goodchild, Tom Holland and Henry Hughes

We won our next game against St Johns by 30 points to 5, redeeming our lost from last season. We knew we had a bigger game coming up though against RGS High Wycombe who had beaten us the year before. In the first half, a great try from Adam Gwynne kept us in contention, but we trailed 10-5 at the break. We had the wind behind us for the second half, but, despite a couple of great tackles by Hugo Knowles on the wing against a much larger opponent, we lost 25-10. Another tough loss followed against a strong St George’s College.

It has been an absolute delight and very rewarding to coach the U14B/C squads this year. They have acted on feedback, played with spirit and heart and, as a result, produced some unrecognisable rugby from the beginning of the season.

However, the triangular with Reigate Grammar gave us an immediate chance to reverse the result against St George’s. We played far better all over the pitch and our forwards cleared a path for us to win 15-5. We also breezed past Reigate Grammar 25-0 in our other game that weekend.

Over the space of the season, 31 boys played for the U14Bs, emphasising how hotly contended the starting shirts were.

Our next fixture was a ten-a-side tournament at Tiffin. We beat Gordon School 25-0, including a hat-trick for Toby Smith and a try for Ben Conaghan and Maddox Dakin. We went on to beat Ewell Castle 25-10, with braces from Adam Gwynne and Toby Smith and one from Harry Armstrong. Next, we played Tiffin and won 25-10, where Adam Gwynne and Josh Skeaping scored two and Joe Cornell one. We moved on to Halliford School and beat them 20-0 with Josh Skeaping, Joe Cornell, Harry Armstrong and Tom Harvey scoring. The win put us in the final where we were to play a strong St Edmund’s side. It was a tight game and 5-5 at half time before tries from Tom Harvey and Adam Gwynne won us the game, 15-5. Our First tournament win of the season!

Henry Hughes – ‘Our development has been immense and I am really proud to have been part of the team – let alone lead it on a couple of occasions – and I am immensely proud to have finished the season in such a triumphant way with a great coach and amazing teammates.’

We were also able to play two U14C games towards the end season, enabling everyone to get a chance to represent the School. They had one win and one loss, maintaining the same 50% win ratio as the B Team.

I wish the entire squad all the best for their future rugby careers at Hampton – I know they will go far!

RJS

U14C Rugby

After the Tiffin tournament, we had two easier matches against Halliford and Trinity, which we won 50-5 and 60-5 respectively. Our next fixture was the County Festival. In our first two group games, we won 35-0 and 45-0 against St Benedict’s and Haydon School. However, our last group game was against a very powerful London Oratory side, where we spent almost the entire second half defending our try line from their large runners. We held on to win 10-5 and moved into the Cup Competition, where we would face Grey Court, Enfield and St James’.

We won first game against Grey Court 10-5, but lost Maddox Dakin to a leg injury. We then played St James’ – a big, powerful team. Their winger scored an impressive try, taking them 5-0 up. In the second half, we could not quite get over the line and lost the game. St James beat Grey Court and won the tournament, though we were creditable runners up. After the tournament, we took part in a triangular with Tiffin and St Benedict’s, both of whom we had already beaten in the season. We dutifully did so again, beating St Benedict’s 30-0 and Tiffin 20-0. the lion

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sport The second half of the season started with a bang!

We travelled to play Warwick School. We wanted to avenge our last-minute defeat last year and started the game with attacking intent. Warwick went ahead after 15 minutes, but this did not stop us. Ben Conaghan, playing at inside centre because of the loss of Captain Harry Armstrong to injury, lit up the pitch with an outstanding hat-trick. Joe Cornell added the last try and we cruised to a 20-15 victory.

Next, we travelled to Campion School. This school are one of the best state schools in the country at rugby – we knew they had a stern test ahead. One the day, everything came together, and we demolished our opposition 35-0, with strong attacking that was mixed with sensible decision-making in the most testing of conditions. Everyone played their part; Will Wallace’s bonecrunching tackles in particular helped us to dominate the Campion pack.

We then had our toughest test yet: Whitgift. We knew all about this school’s reputation and so wanted to beat them even more. We started strongly, but spurned a couple of chances during the first half. This proved fatal and

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Whitgift powered to a 10-0 half-time lead. We just could not break their defence down and their superb hands tore apart our defence. Whitgift won 20-0.

Next came St Benedict’s, which was always going to be an easier game based on past results. We decimated St Benedict’s, winning 45-5 with Thomas Kilpatrick and Tom Harvey scoring the pick of the tries.

The sevens season, sadly, was ruined by rain and Covid-19. We played one tournament, the Surrey Sevens, where we won every game except from one, which we drew. The sevens style of game suited our side; we enjoyed breaking down teams with a mix of strong running and well-calculated passes.

We performed well over the season, but still have many goals to achieve and teams to beat. We would all like to thank Mr Gray for coaching us this year and we look forward to the rest of our Hampton careers.

Joe Cornell and Harry Armstrong

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U13B Rugby

U13C Rugby

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Senior Cricket Tour to India On arrival, we headed first for three games in Mumbai, two of them on the famous Oval Maidan in the centre of the city. These matches were against the cricket academy run by former Indian test batsman Dilip Vengsarkar, and his attendance at the third of these games was one of the highlights of the tour.

In the first of these games, the Hampton boys took an early advantage, with half the Academy batsmen dismissed for under a hundred. But, the hosts recovered strongly to post a total which, in the event, was just out of the tourists’ reach.

The second match underlined the impression that Indian cricket at this level is exceptionally strong, but the tourists were now becoming acclimatised to the conditions – and the quality of the opposition – and this was reflected in events in the third game, the best of the three played out in Mumbai.

At first, the host team performed strongly, setting a target of over two hundred. However, exceptional batting from the tourists’ top four batsmen brought the target within reach. At this point, the hosts showed why India is the top cricket nation, with a fielding display that snatched the game from the tourists and chalked it up to the host team.

Between the first game and the second, the party was given a tour of the city of Mumbai. From the Gateway to India to the remarkable Victorian railway station, from the exclusive Marabar Hills to the somewhat sobering Dhobi Ghat, the tour was an overwhelming experience, illustrating the colourful diversity of this remarkable city.

Next, the party headed for Ahmedabad, a six-hour train ride north of Mumbai. Our fourth match was played out in front of the most spectacular backdrop of the tour, a religious college whose spires and onion domes evoked an inspiring tradition of Indian architecture.

Once again, the match veered from one side to the other. Hampton batted first and posted a respectable total, but the Indian side seemed to have the situation in hand. Then a clatter of wickets brought victory to the tourists – as well as the congratulations of a senior religious figure who had come to the game to meet the tourists.

The fifth and sixth games seemed almost to summarise the tour as a whole. In the fifth, Hampton found it hard to live with some extremely efficient Indian cricket, but in the sixth, the tourists raised their game to meet the new standard, eventually emerging the unluckiest of losers, beaten by a single run.

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There was time on the final day of the tour to take a trip around Ahmedabad, to visit a number of places of religious significance and to sample some of the local cuisine at a bustling fast-food restaurant in the city centre. It was a vivid and exhausting day, full of unforgettable impressions, and in that respect, a perfect summary of the tour as a whole.

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Senior Rowing

2020 will certainly be a year to remember. From months of flooded rivers to endless hours of homeconfined training, we can confidently say that it has been an unprecedented year.

Whilst the season came to an untimely end in late March, with the cancellation of all major races, there is much to reflect on fondly from the past nine months in the senior squad.

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Returning to training in September, the squad was keen to brush off the cobwebs and step on from previous years. The first training block was in smaller boats – with a focus on refining our skills as oarsman for the season ahead – culminating in the iconic Sculling Omnium. Each rower had to complete a series of challenging – and somewhat amusing – skills in a notoriously unstable single scull, such as a standing 360 and rigger dips. How wrong we were to believe this would prepare for us for any unexpected events in the later season!

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Our first race of the year saw us travel to Wallingford to each compete in single sculls along a 5000metre course. The iconic S bend proved too much for some, but, by the end of the day, everyone had just about made it down the course, with Alex Saul and James Bradley finishing an impressive fourth in the J18 and J17 categories respectively.

Next, we travelled to Laias for our week long training camp. The glassy water and sunny afternoons ensured fine progress was made in our boat-moving ability. Nonetheless, there was plenty of time to put our progress to the test in race-like situations, leading to a few fiercely competitive sessions on the lake. Returning to school saw Alex and James travel to Boston to compete in the first part of GB trials.

Both came away with strong finishes, with Alex securing an invite to the GB training camp in December.

However, our time on the water soon became limited by the seemingly never-ending red boards. With the river flowing too fast to row, many miles were clocked on the rowing machine. Whilst this was by no means the ideal winter, it provided the perfect opportunity to develop as athletes, with lots of football, running and even triathlons taking place. I am confident the Hampton rowing tri-series will now be a staple of winter training! Mentally, we learned a lot about ourselves as these long winter sessions called on one’s mentality and attitude more than anything.

With the Hampton stretch still too turbulent to row, the squad travelled to Dorney lake for the Eton Invitational Head (BASHER). With scarce time on the water before hand, the boys had to rely on the engine they had hopefully built on the land over the long winter months. A successful day of racing for all crews indicated that the winter training was starting to pay dividends. Promising results continued the following

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week, with the First VIII competing in the Quintin Head on the Tideway. After a long, hard-fought race, the VIII came away fifth in a field of seventeen J18 eights, and 24th in the overall field of 235 schools, universities and clubs.

Unfortunately, this would be the last time the squad raced that year.

However, it was great to conclude the season with a tremendous set of results, reflective of the whole squad’s hard work this year.

The river levels subsided just enough for the boat club to run the Hampton Head. When race day finally came, all boats were excited to race on their own stretch, particularly as this would be the last time for the J18s. The relatively short 3000-metre course, as well as the rapidly flowing river, meant crews had to get out of the blocks as fast as possible and then keep trying to find more and more speed throughout the race. The First, Second and Third VIIIs all finished an impressive second in their categories. A J18 coxless four, who were the first boat on the course to commence the days racing, went on to win their event.

The Covid-19 pandemic meant all racing and formal training was suspended at this point; although, in late June, we were fortunate enough to get back on the water in a socially distant manner. In the meantime, home training allowed plenty of opportunity for the squad to make gains in other sports: running, cycling, and even wild swimming!

The following week, the First VIII and a coxless four travelled to Ely to take part in some competitive training and racing with the Cambridge Lightweights squad ahead of the Boat Race. Despite an early start, and some questionable restaurant choices by Rollo Orme, both crews came away with some wins, some losses, and some excellent race experience.

An integral part of the boat club, the year would not have been as enjoyable and successful if it was not for your sarcastic humour and countless hours given to the squad. We wish you success in your next chapter.

The squad then travelled west to Gloucester Head, where they faced a long course with some tight bends. Fierce racing from all crews saw the First VIII record the fastest time of the day, winning both its category and the overall head, as well as the Second and Third VIIIs securing first and second place in school second eights.

The absence of all summer racing was made worse only by the fact that we would be saying goodbye to Mr Thornton.

We would like to thank Mr Thornton, Miss Taylor and Mr Neville for their tireless dedication to the squad this year. Faced with such unprecedented challenges, they have made it a truly valuable, rewarding and enjoyable year for all.

Let’s hope 2021 is a little more ‘normal’…

Joseph Trevor the lion

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J16 Rowing

made the prospect of a dip much more likely! This, combined with the beautiful countryside around the river, made the whole head more of a day-trip than a race!

The J16 rowing squad showed a sense of strength and determination in this year of unprecedented challenges. There were times when it was very difficult to find the motivation to push ourselves, with the never-ending cycle of red boards on the river making the prospect of actually rowing far distant, and head after head being cancelled. Yet, there was a positive from this – it allowed our squad to bond as a whole rather than by crew, and allowed us to focus on being better, more rounded athletes as well as rowers.

The crews had two weeks to finalise preparations for Schools Head, with training moving exclusively to the Tideway. The crews really managed to step on and confidence was high. Unfortunately, the race was cancelled due to the Covid-19. Further restrictions caused huge uncertainty, making it a challenging time for training.

We began our J16 year mostly in small boats, with our singles and doubles work training both our technique and easing us back onto the water after the long summer break. However, this also tested our bodies since we went through several trials to see how we stood at the start of this year – a milestone in our rowing career as we moved from the junior to senior squad. Most of our squad at this point had an underlying fear of small boats and the likelihood of going for a swim if using them – but the skills work and racing we did in them in this period really shaped us into much stronger and more confident rowers.

Soon after, in the first half term of the year, was the Marlow Rowing camp, a highlight for many of us. Due to the red boards, we never actually managed to row on the Marlow stretch. Instead, we mostly used small boats on Eton Dorney, a short minibus drive away. Although, on the water we were divided, on land we were very much united.

A highlight was on the very first night, when we had an evening circuits session, lit only by car headlights, with the Rocky Theme blaring as we started – what an atmosphere!

As well as this, our progress on the water over this week was very heartening and gave the coaches and us a glimpse into what a wonderful year we could have had.

The Christmas period was disrupted by bad weather and flooding, often preventing us from rowing on the water and causing Hampton small boats head to be cancelled. However, we did get our first taste of racing in the highly anticipated Christmas pudding races joint with LEH and KGS. The annual fundraising event was, as ever, a great success.

However, the turbulent waters did not stop us, and as we moved inside with our training. A new sense of grit was needed as no longer were we rocketing along the beautiful stretch of river we were used to, but instead we were staring at a screen of heart rates or a wall, stationary, for hours a week. Mentally, this was a true test, but a good playlist put together by our team helped us through it, and the motivating yells of Mr Greenaway, Mr Hill and Ms Bradbury did nothing but urge us on. At this point, crews were being drafted for our first race…

The first race of the year was the Eton invitational taking place at Dorney. It was a great opportunity to compare ourselves to other schools and see if our winter training had paid off. The challenging conditions made it a difficult 6km of racing. Our First VIII came second, beating strong Radley and Eton crews.

Hampton Head included two second-place finishes by the provisional First and Second VIII. Gloucester Head was our last opportunity before Schools Head to test out our crews. The First VIII had high aspirations, hoping to beat the senior Second VIII, but after a long wait at the start line, they did not get the start they were hoping for, crashing into the bank round the sharp corner – though they still managed to finish strongly.

The Second VIII made headway in racing technique and flow, hitting a brilliant race rhythm for the middle section of the race – we only settled into it a good way through the race and an unfortunate corner ended our confidence near the end. Yet, this temporary moment of glory was all we needed to give us a massive boost in morale and to show us what we were truly capable of.

Gloucester was unlike any other course we had seen, and this in turn brought some comedic moments – boat jams, barges and tight corners combined with a narrow canal 156

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As the school was closed down, we changed to individual training at home guided by daily emails. The squad showed great determination and resilience, especially as we joined up with the senior squad, facing a change of coaching. We kept our squad together over the quarantine period with weekly virtual chats to talk through what training we were doing.

Fortunately, as the school term ended we had a few opportunities to get back out on the water in singles with socially distancing measures in place.

Despite not having the season we would have hoped for, with races cancelled for flooding and Covid-19, there is no doubt we progressed massively as athletes due to the incredible effort from all of our coaches.

Mr Greenaway’s hard work and effort was invaluable for the whole squad; we all appreciate the lengths he went to find a way for us to get back on the water after all the flooding. We also appreciated his adept coaching which helped improve our technique significantly. His motivating coaching style helped us all improve together as a squad and his work with the First VIII was particularly impressive, helping to instil a new sense of confidence after a challenging J15 year.

Mr Hill was an inspirational coach throughout the season, and his enthusiasm and optimism about the Second VIII in particular, but the way he approaches everything to do with rowing is admirable. His coaching led us to some truly amazing moments on the water and some brilliant performances on land as well, and for that we are very grateful – thank you sir.

Ms Bradbury was also tireless in her support throughout. Her pinpoint accurate feedback was incredibly useful to all rowers and her hands-on approach when we were missing rowers was brilliant – she was always ready to step in and help rowing when it was needed. No doubt you saved us from even more land sessions by stepping in – thank you!

A special mention also goes to Mr Jones; as boatman he serves all of the squads, but his attention to a newcomer to our squad this year in particular made that rower very comfortable in what otherwise would have been a very difficult transition. A special mention also needs to be made for George Sanders, who came in completely new, but with one of the most positive attitudes we had seen, and applied himself fully in all training. Mr Jones’s coaching of the Third VIII nurtured their rowing as well – and his comedic words were always welcome!

The fortitude and determination of the J16 squad and coaches this year has been admirable in all aspects – the way that every single rower has applied themselves fully in every situation, no matter the struggle, is inspirational.

Mr Greenaway is a strong believer in the rower defining the coach, but, in my eyes, the level of dedication from both sides this year was at such a level that to highlight one side above the other would not do justice to how united our efforts were all year, and how united they are even when we are apart.

As our journey continues from J16s to senior rowers, one thing is sure to stick with us, and that is the ethos of our coaches. They taught us that we should always care for others and act honourably, as gentlemen – despite how easy it is to fall down that pitfall when competing for a medal. They truly embodied and passed on the Hampton spirit – thank you all. We shall miss you as we continue into the senior squad.

James Radford, Ben Francis, Abhi Sundharam and Ali Platt

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Athletics 2020 looked extremely promising for Hampton athletes, with a number of boys demonstrating their potential to make national finals prior to the summer term, through cross-country and indoor events.

I know Mr Lucas was very proud to see junior Hayden Christian qualify for the final of the 60m hurdles at the National Indoor Athletics in March, whilst two new Third Years, Finlay Hawker and Freddie Bate, performed fantastically in fitness testing and also reached the final of the ESAA Schools’ Cross Country Championships.

I am sure hopes were high for these athletes, in addition to our very talented group of senior distance runners and others in the School, yet to show or reach their full potential.

As schools, teachers and coaches started to get creative with their offerings, virtual inter-school competitions began to take place. A fantastic number of boys participated in the Trinity Schools’ 1500m event. Later, they were joined by staff and parents respectively in the Sevenoaks and Richmond Schools’ events – where Mssrs Studt and Keenan completed a marathon, running past all Richmond secondary schools!

It was an absolute pleasure for Mr Mills and I to be sent through so many entries; we hope it provided some light relief and health benefits to all in return!

Hampton also developed its own ‘Athletics Leaderboards’, with boys sending in performances for a number of events, attempting to achieve a place on a leaderboard, but more importantly, to improve on their personal best.

There was no doubting the athlete of the virtual season; Fourth Year Henry Fagan, submitted a string of 5k times, managing to reduce his personal best by over three minutes and finishing the term with an amazing performance of 16.59min! Mr Clarke and I both cheekily questioned whether these amazing feats were down to a faulty Garmin watch, or some controversial Nike footwear… However, we were assured and very confident that it all came down to hard work and motivation. Well done Henry!

My apologies to Ed Kenny, who, after his years of dedication to Hampton athletics, was not able to captain the squad out on the track.

I would also like to pass on my thanks to all of the athletes, who have made my ten years involved in Hampton and Middlesex athletics so enjoyable and the many staff who have supported myself and Mr Clarke with schools athletics, over this period.

PDB

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The 5k proved to be the most popular discipline, with seniors Indy Barnes (16.25min) and Pavit Kullar (16.41min) setting a blistering pace, for others to aspire to! Special mentions also to Third Year Freddie Bate and First Years Ollie Swetman, Daniel Mills and Ruben Bouwmeester-Reid for their performances over the summer.

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Cross Country

quickest runners in this race were then picked for the Richmond team in the Middlesex championships, at which the Richmond team won overall.

Hampton’s runners gained three victories at the Richmond Schools Cross Country Championships, winning the Sixth Form race, the combined Fourth and Fifth Year race and the combined Second and Third Year race.

Indy Barnes finished won the Sixth Form Competition, with Sam Southall 2nd, Pavit Kullar 4th and Declan Connolly 5th. In the Fourth and Fifth Year race, Daniel Clarke finished 6th, leading home Sam Davidson 7th, Daniele Smart 9th and Joe Cowley 13th, to complete the team. Finlay Hawker won the Second and Third Year competition ahead of Rex Booth 5th, Freddie Bate 6thand Sam Bond 9th.

Securing places on the Middlesex team from this race were Finlay, who went on to finish 2nd, and Freddie, who went on to take 4th, in the Second and Third Year competition, whilst Declan Conolly finished 2nd and Pavit Kullar 6th in the Sixth Form race. Indy was also selected, but unfortunately missing the qualifying race due to injury.

To conclude the season – the weekend before the School was forced to shift to remote learning – those of us selected for Middlesex travelled up to Liverpool for a particularly muddy English Schools’ Cross Country Championships.

Our First Year athletes finished a very creditable second team, led home by Ollie Swetman in 3rd place, Connor Hendricks 8th, Ruben BouwmeesterReid 9th and Josh Rasi de Mel 15th.

In the Second and Third Year race, Finlay finished a very strong 65th, with Freddie close behind in 79th. In the Sixth Form race, Declan finished 168th, Pavit 125th and Indy was very happy to finish in 43rd.

Seventeen Hampton boys helped Richmond win the Middlesex Cross Country Championships and six were represented Middlesex at the English Schools’ Championships in Liverpool – Indy Barnes, Sam Southall, Pavit Kullar, Declan Connolly, Finlay Hawker and Freddie Bates.

This brought an excellent year of Hampton running to a close – and, for a few of the team, myself included, it was a wonderful way to bring our Hampton Cross Country careers to a close.

Indy Barnes

The School once again enjoyed a year of strong performances competing in the King’s Trophy meeting on Wimbledon Common – where Indy Barnes won the individual race from 126 competitors – the Haskell Trophy relays in Guildford, where our team finished 4th from 38 teams, and the Judge Cup near Hampton Court.

Four Hamptonians represented Richmond in the London Youth Games Cross-country Championships. Seventeen boys helped Richmond win the Middlesex Cross-country Championships at Harrow School, with Declan Connolly finishing an excellent second place in the U19 race, ahead of Pavit Kullar 6th, while Finlay Hawker also finished a superb second in U15 race ahead of Freddie Bate 4th and not to be outdone, Ollie Swetman finished a strong second in the U13 race!

In the Hampton-St Paul’s Paarlauf in early December, involving multiple teams from seven schools our U19 and U15 teams won their competitions, while the U17 team finished second.

Overall, it was a superb year of Cross Country running – the team ought to be proud of their efforts and look forward to what they can achieve next year.

DRC Overall, it was a highly successful year for Hampton Cross Country. The season opener was the King’s trophy, involving 126 competitors, in which we had some strong performances. Indy Barnes managed to take the win, with Pavit Kullar in 14th and Declan Conolly in 15th.

Following this promising start to the season, we narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing 4th in the Haskell Cup cross-country relays. However, we saw better relay results at the Tiffin Judge Cup, finishing 2nd overall, and the Hampton-hosted Paarlauf, winning the U19 and U15 categories while the U17s finished 2nd.

Moving onto the Richmond Schools’ Championships, we saw yet more impressive results, with the school winning all but one category. Finlay Hawker won the combined second and Third Year race, with Rex Booth 5th and Freddie Bates 6th.

In the Sixth Form category, we enjoyed even better results. Indy Barnes took 1st place with Sam Southall a very close second, Declan 4th and Pavit 5th. The 158

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Senior Basketball It was another really pleasing year of senior basketball at Hampton, largely due to the development of fundamental skills through our fantastic relationship with Richmond Knights Basketball Club. Our teams have really benefitted from working all season with Page, our enthusiastic coach, Never has a captaincy been so deserved in my ten years at Hampton, as that of James Smith, who has been playing for the senior team, since Fourth Year. With Surrey League victories against, Caterham, St John the Baptist and Raynes Park, James led the team to the play-offs.

Noah Langford, really helped the amalgamation of three year groups gel. It was also fantastic to see the returns of Tim Bird after injury and the court presence of Max Goldin.

An extremely talented and hard-working Lower Sixth will hopefully continue the development of Hampton basketball next season. The dribbling wizardry of Max Bailey, flashes of Danilo Delic brilliance, combined with the consistent play of Angus Webber and Sam Power, provided some fantastic moments this year. Special mention to Will Barnes, who also contributed to many games, as the only Fifth Year in the side.

Many thanks from the team to Miss Peck, for all her support and insight into sport psychology and to Mr Hurst and Mr Sims for their help with training and officiating matches.

With some really nice team and individual basketball played throughout the year, Upper Sixth players Yash Gupta, Henry Sheen, Ben Gallagher and

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Junior Basketball

Badminton

Hampton’s U12 side had a fantastic season, led by an extremely talented Dante Patel. Such was the strength in depth of our First Years that it became extremely difficult to keep to a squad of 10 for each tournament!

Dante, Yonas Noel, Alex Ashton and Joseph Bakr, demonstrated their basketballing ability, whilst Richard Page and Aaron Mills added tenacity and a determination to defend and win the ball back.

The whole squad, including Gabrial and Noah Kelly, has a desire to learn and develop, which saw the U12s lose only one game in three Surrey festivals.

Such a pity that they were not able to play in the Final Four tournament!

PDB and CH

This year, we have seen a sharp rise in participation levels, with junior boys attending Badminton Club on a Monday and Tuesday lunchtime in their droves. There has been more interest from all year groups with the onset of a more comprehensive fixture list – catering for each year group at both A and B team level – meaning that many more boys have represented the school in Badminton than in previous years, which is great.

This year, we also say farewell to Nick Stoner, who has been a class act on and off the court and has represented the School throughout his time at Hampton. We wish him all the best at University level. Notably, Nick and the senior squad came runners-up in the inaugural KCS Seniors Tournament, coming a very close second to a strong Rutlish squad.

Both the U16s and U14s made it to the London/Surrey/Kent Regional finals with the U16s – Luke Michels, Jai Saha, Rohan Raj and Kyan Soni – playing extremely well against tough opposition to come 5th overall and the U14s – Naavya Sharma, Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid, Ronit Raj & Danny settle – going one round better eventually finishing 3rd.

Both squads demonstrated their skill, were fully committed and gave their best. These results would suggest we have some great talent coming through and there is hope for a very promising future in the years to come.

MKS

U14-15 Basketball

Fencing

The U14 Basketball team had a successful season playing in an extremely competitive league against other Surrey Schools, doing extremely well to win 50% of their games.

Our small team of fencers, once again, travelled to Charterhouse for our annual fixture.

A key characteristic of this team was their ability to take new skills and concepts on board incredibly quickly, as well as constantly improving their basketball knowledge.

Experienced players Obrad Kuzmanovic and Omer Demiral were charged with bringing the ball up the court and creating scoring opportunities, whilst strong rebounders, Leo Hartley, Danny Settle and Zac Cacheux, were able to regain the ball at any opportunity.

Unfortunately, the Public School Fencing Championships were cancelled due to Covid-19, but we are hopeful for a new crop of fencers to come through with the recent addition of Fencing to the PE curriculum.

The team had strength in depth with players like Aaron Mills, Evan Little and Thomas Hagan not missing a game; they should be extremely excited for next season as they enter the U15 League and Cup.

The team fenced well, but lost narrowly in the end – perhaps feeling as though, at the very least, they should have won the Epée.

We also say farewell to Yann Luk who has fenced admirably throughout his Hampton career, and we very much hope he will continue to fence as he moves onto university.

MKS

Swimming

The U15 basketball enjoyed a fantastic run in the Surrey Cup this year, reaching the semi-final stage, comfortably beating Tiffin School and Raynes Park High along the way. The talented Daniel Townend top-scored throughout the season, with committed team mates such as Raffy Froud, Seb Lear, Ben Hagan, Freddie Blair and Yiannis Markellos working hard in defence and consistently contributing to the scoreboard.

Our Third Years look like the age group to pin any future Hampton success on.

The team should be very proud of their Cup run and should excited to join the Senior Basketball program next year!

Hopefully they can use what they have learned, to be successful in years to come.

The always-impressive Rex Booth, was joined at Harrow by Navik Mendis and Sam Ho, where an already strong swim squad, competed extremely well.

Rex and Navik travelled with Seniors Rafe Bletso, Ted Buckle and Jamie Benson to The Bath Cup in March, which proved to be one of the last school competitions of the academic year – a great experience, for a very young team!

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Golf Our top three golfers this year were Oliver Maskell and Jack Humpish in the Upper Sixth and Matthew Avant-Smith in the Lower Sixth. They enjoyed a great start to the season with a convincing win against Westminster in round one of the ISGA Matchplay tournament, in which all three boys won their singles matches in an away game at Royal Mid Surrey. Oli and Jack sealed their victories on the 12th hole, while Matt – playing against Westminster’s lowest handicapper on the day – took the match on the 17th.

In the second round of the tournament, the team found themselves back at Royal Mid Surrey, this time with heavy rain – and little in the way of rain gear! – and against a superb team from St Paul’s who all had handicaps of three or below. Hampton fought hard and played some excellent golf, but St Paul’s came away having won all three matches.

Hampton’s hopes were then riding on the HMC Foursomes competition, in which a team of six competes in three pairs.

Having had a bye in round one, Hampton were up against The Oratory School in round two, which was played at home at Fulwell GC with Oliver Maskell & Matthew Avant-Smith out first, followed by Jack Humpish and Charlie Sutton, then Harley McKenzie and Adam Humpish.

With a thrilling rugby match back at Hampton proving a little distracting (!), Oli and Matt found themselves two down with three to play, gave themselves a bit of a talking to, and fought back to win on the 18th. Jack and Charlie made a strong and convincing team, winning their match on the 17th, while Harley and Adam made light work of their match, ending six up and five to play.

It was great to see these two boys representing the Fourth Year, and good to know we have some talented players moving up the School. We were really looking forward to playing Bradfield in round three, before the HMC tournament was sadly cancelled.

A particularly exciting fixture was a friendly game against KGS at Malden GC. Matt led our side in a singles match against an excellent five-handicapper and did really well to win two up on the 18th green.

Our second and third matches were both pairs: Jake Emerson and Jack Dale, then Thomas Bark and Luca Boucher. Thomas and Luca were not given much of a look-in by a young but talented pair from KGS, but it was great to see them enjoy competitive golf, having had plenty of practice at Fulwell on Games afternoons.

This result meant all was riding on Jack and Jake, who had been three up with three to play but still found themselves under pressure on the 18th tee. As Jake had not been available for HMC matches, it was lovely to see him proving himself on the 18th green by sinking a putt to win the match for Hampton.

I wish our departing golfers all the very best and hope they keep us informed of their future success. I am also looking forward to seeing the younger players develop – I bet that the unique situation we found ourselves in this summer term has done wonders for a few handicaps!

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U16 Table Tennis

All of the boys played with enthusiasm and good spirit over the season, to win all but one of their fixtures.

A solid 8-2 home victory over Epsom College in December was followed by a comprehensive 10-0 win over Southborough in the New Year. A 3-7 away loss against KCS Wimbledon was swiftly followed by a rejuvenating 7-3 win against Coombe Boys’ in early March.

The U16 team amassed a total of 28 games won over the season to finish a very creditable 1st place.

Well done to the boys, all of whom played with verve and spirit. Particular thanks must go to our Fifth Year player, Rohan, for three years of outstanding and dedicated service to the U16 team.

The U16 Table Tennis team enjoyed some very good success this season and performed well to finish top of the ‘B’ league of the London South Schools Competition.

The season started in September when Hampton hosted the Richmond Schools Championships and eventually won it, beating Richmond Park Academy 5-3 in the final. This led to qualification for the London South Schools Knockout competition held at Wallington School in November.

Following a tough first round draw, and loss, against Wallington School – the eventual competition winners – the U16 team excelled in the plate competition. A competitive 4-4 draw with St Olave’s in the semi-final, with Hampton winning 16-12 on countback, meant a place in the plate final where we met Southborough. The team, represented by Rohan Raj, Ed Gooze-Zijl, Vishal Saha and Henry Fagan, won the final 6-2 playing some terrific table tennis.

The ‘B’ league of the London South Schools Competition only consisted of five schools in total and another player, Sam Ho, who joined and strengthened the U16 team for these games.

DJF

U13 Table Tennis Strength in numbers, proved to be the most impressive aspect of U13 table tennis this year.

In a number of competitions and matches, we were able to field A, B and C teams, with 16 players on one occasion!

The U13A team finished as runners up to Richmond Park Academy at the Richmond Schools’ Championships, qualifying through to the London South Finals. Here, the Hampton team of Ronit Raj, Porter Read, Joe Turton and Henry Jackson met Richmond Park Academy again in the plate final, this time drawing 4-4, with Hampton missing out – agonisingly – on silverware, on countback.

PDB

Ski Racing The Ski Racing team has gone from strength to strength this year, with a record number of boys attending both training and competitions over the autumn and summer terms.

The season started well with 20 boys racing at the English School’s Ski Association Qualifying race in Welwyn Garden City. All boys raced well with our U14 teams finishing 6 th and 7 th and U16 teams finishing 4 th and 6 th. Special mention must go to Richard Page, Hal Lewis and Arjun Paintal who were our fastest racers in each age group.

Our second race of the year took place at the indoor slope in Hemel Hempstead, where a further 12 boys took part in the National Schools Indoor Championships. Here, we enjoyed more success as our A Team finished 6th out of 25 teams. Nearly all 12 boys completed both runs, with Hal Lewis finishing 6th in the U16 age category and Sam Schomberg finishing an impressive 5th place in the U18s.

For what was to be the final race of the season, the Hampton Ski Team travelled overseas to compete in the British Schoolboys International Ski Races in Wengen, Switzerland. Our team of James Page, Jack Meadows, Alex Scothorn, Alex Biedrzycki, Hal Lewis, Alex Bush, Arjun Paintal

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and Sam Schomberg performed impressively over several days of competition and returned with our best results to date.

The first race in which the boys took part was the giant slalom, in which Alex Scothorn finished in 4th place in the U14 category and Hal Lewis placed 6th in the U16 category.

The next day, the boys took on the slalom course in less than ideal conditions of heavy snow and strong winds. Not to be deterred, Sam Schomberg rose to the challenge and achieved a bronze medal in a hotly contested U18 category. Special mention must also go to Hal Lewis who finished in a strong 5th place in the U16s.

On the final day, the teams took part in the dual slalom event. Our U16s were unbeaten in their competition, whilst our U18 team narrowly lost out to Reed’s School in the second round.

A huge well done to all boys who have represented Hampton in skiing this year. I look forward to seeing you all again on the slopes when we return to School!

NN

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CONTENTS Association / Club & Society Officers ................................................................................................ 167 Message from OHA President ............................................................................................................. 168 Alumni Office ............................................................................................................................................ 169 Chairman’s Message ................................................................................................................................ 170 From the Editor ......................................................................................................................................... 170 A Year of Alumni News ........................................................................................................................... 171 Alumni Events ............................................................................................................................................ 174 Letter to the Headmaster from Gerald Holmes OH (1953) ....................................................... 176 Interview with Olympian Dave Travis OH (1964) .......................................................................... 177 Hampton School 1940-1947 by Ian King OH (1948) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Past Masters: Bill Foster .......................................................................................................................... 183 Henry Simpkins OH (1961): Life after Hampton ........................................................................... 184 Cricket Club 1975 – A Year to Remember by Geoff Kirk OH (1964) ....................................... 185 World War II Memories ........................................................................................................................... 186 Sports Sections ......................................................................................................................................... 192 Old Hamptonian Lodge ......................................................................................................................... 200 Obituaries ................................................................................................................................................... 201 In Memoriam ............................................................................................................................................. 206

Correspondence Please send all correspondence to: Alumni Office Hampton School Hanworth Road Hampton Middlesex TW12 3HD Tel: 020 8783 4406

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Frank Keenan Director of Alumni Relations & The Fitzwygram Foundation f.keenan@hamptonschool.org.uk Carol Griffin Alumni Events and Communications Officer c.griffin@hamptonschool.org.uk

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Alison Parkin Alumni Relations Officer a.parkin@hamptonschool.org.uk Alex Esmond School Archivist a.esmond@hamptonschool.org.uk

old hamptonians’ chronicle

Association / Club & Society Officers The Old Hamptonians’Association

The Old Hamptonians’ Association Club and Society Officers

Correspondence Old Hamptonians’ Pavilion and Sports Ground Dean Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 1AQ 020 8979 2784

Bridge Club Geoff Wickes OH (1972) 07917 621 503, geoff.wickes@shlegal.com

OHA Office Hampton School Hanworth Road. Hampton, Middlesex TW12 3HD

President Jim Reid OH (1992)

Association Officers Honorary President Kevin Knibbs, The Headmaster Honorary Vice Presidents Barry M Martin: Headmaster (1996-2013) Graham G. Able: Headmaster (1988-1996) Jack D Wells OH (1946) Chairman Martin Sands OH (1967) 37 St Winifred’s Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9JS 020 8977 0428, Martinsands2@hotmail.com Editor of the Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle Denis J S Fuller OH (1961) Inglenook, 11B Kings Ride, Camberley, Surrey GU15 4HU 01276 22454, denis@denis-fuller.co.uk Secretary / Annual Dinner Secretary John Orr Staff (1976-2015) orr.hampton@tiscali.co.uk

Cricket Club

Vice President Ed Crowe Chairman Richard Brown OH (2005) Flat 1, 125 Waldegrave Road, Teddington, TW11 8LL 07832 105 393, ohacricket@gmail.com Club Secretary Matt Bendelow OH (2004) Treasurer Neil Lizieri OH (2001) Senior Advisor Ian Humphrey OH (1963) First XI Captain Toby Godfray OH (2016) 58 Ormond Avenue, Hampton, TW12 2RX 07896552338, tobygodfray@gmail.com Second XI Captain Harry Mayes OH (2015) 14 Burlington Road, Chiswick, W4 4BG 07795248181, harry.b.mayes@btinternet.com

Treasurer Lee A J Gallant OH (1988) 07939 265 951, lee@kybertcarroll.co.uk

Third XI Captain Sufyan Khan 7 Staldon Court, Swindon, SN1 7BY 07470 448 258, Sufyan.raza.khan@hotmail.co.uk

Minutes Secretary James Comber OH (2000) 78 Highdown, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 7J 07814 039 441, jamesrcomber@aol.com

Fourth XI Captain Michael Godsmark OH (2017) 70 Frances Road, SL4 3AJ 07768 105 186, mikeygodsmark@hotmail.com

OHSGL Representative Robert A Glyn-Jones OH (1984) 1 Ormond Drive, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 1TP 079845 708 410, agj1@hotmail.co.uk General Committee Members Alan W Hunter OH (1965) Calypso, Temple Gardens, Staines, TW18 3NQ 01784 455 547, hunter.aw@gmail.com John S Perry OH (1971) john.perry@palmerssolicitors.co.uk Michael F Savage OH (1949) 101 Park Road, Hampton Hill, TW12 1HU, 0208 979 6930, mikesav@btinternet.com

Fifth XI Captain Nick Powell OH (2017) 57 Gloucester Road, Hampton, TW12 2UQ 07716940218, np390@exeter.ac.uk Dramatic Society Andy Smith 26 Cambridge Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2JL Football Club Club Captain Will Legg OH (2012) 07704 934173, williamjhlegg@gmail.com First XI Captain Tristan Michel OH (2011) 07939 089782, trislukemich1993@gmail.com

Alex Kennewell OH (2009) 07923 384 716, alex.kennewell@pwc.com

Second XI Captain Tom Corcoran OH (2007) 07548 609080, thomasfordhamcorcoran@gmail.com

Tressa Wright Bar Manager

Third XI Captain Chris McNab 07940 504416, c.mcnab@dittonparkacademy.co.uk

Frank Keenan OH (2004) Director of Alumni Relations & The Fitzwygram Foundation 0208 979 5526, f.keenan@hamptonschool.org.uk

Golf Society Secretary: Martin Read OH (1972) 07811 351 107, martinread@blueyonder.co.uk Old Hamptonians Lodge Secretary James Lawson OH (2009) Flat 9, 37 Lennox Gardens, London SW1X 0DF Rugby Club First XV Captain Nick Powell OH (2017) 07716940218, nick@powells.uk.com

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Message from the OHA President We are experiencing extraordinary times due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the March to July period of Government-required closure of schools was one like no other in Hampton’s distinguished 463-year history. Remarkable ingenuity, commitment and resourcefulness was shown by everyone involved in swiftly moving our School completely online for the summer term.

For all that was collectively achieved during the ‘e-Hampton’ era, we are delighted that the School site has reopened this term and it is uplifting to see – and hear! – Hamptonians back in our classrooms and corridors. Boys and members of the Common Room alike have adjusted with characteristic good humour to the ‘new normal’ of face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand-washing/sanitising.

During the 2019-20 academic year, our alumni community remained closely involved with the School both before and during lockdown. We are hugely grateful to the Old Hamptonians who returned to the School to assist with our flourishing careers programme, whether for lunchtime discussions with current pupils, via the Talk! programme, or by taking part in our annual Careers Convention. Thanks and appreciation are also due to those who gave so generously of their time and expertise in support of our summer term guided home learning and e-Talk! programmes. Our boys always find their interactions with former pupils (whether in person or digitally) engaging, informative and inspiring.

the OH Pavilion changing rooms and kitchen area has been undertaken by the School and we are looking forward to OHA teams being able to enjoy these much-improved facilities over the seasons ahead.

Many of you already enjoy close links with our School and the distinctive, generous-spirited fellowship of our community has been fundamental in helping us to navigate the turbulent waters of the pandemic in secure fashion. One important illustration of this togetherness is that a further four Fitzwygram Scholars began their time at Hampton in September. They join five such scholars already flourishing with us and a total of 70 boys who attend on free places. The Fitzwygram Foundation has one simple but transformative aim: to increase the number of completely free places available for boys whose families could not otherwise afford a Hampton education. Our ambition is to award an additional 50 Free Place Scholarships by 2025 to mark half a century since our School’s transition to independent status. You can find out more about the Fitzwygram Foundation and ways to contribute by visiting the dedicated website pages: www.fitzwygram.org Thank you for your continued loyal support of our School and I hope to have the opportunity to meet many of you in person over the coming years.

With kind regards and best wishes

Regrettably, current circumstances mean that we have been required to postpone our alumni events for the time being. This is a disappointing repercussion of the pandemic, but we shall reinstate these gatherings as soon as it is safe to do so. Details of rearranged OH occasions will be sent out to you by the Alumni Office in due course.

Links between the OHA and the School continue to flourish. I remain personally delighted that the agreement to transfer the OHA grounds and facilities to the School’s ownership is continuing to prove so mutually beneficial. Earlier this summer, the OHA cricket section was on one occasion able to field no fewer than six XIs, which amply demonstrates the warmth and growing strength of School-OHA relations. Refurbishment of 168

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Kevin Knibbs Headmaster

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Alumni Office Since the last edition of the Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle, it has been a most unusual year for the Alumni Office – as it has been for the world. The importance of the Hampton family and our alumni community became even more evident.

We were delighted to hear of alumni supporting NHS and key workers: from Dan Wells OH (1995) and some of the Class of 1995, delivering meals to Royal London Hospital staff to Andrew Orr OH (2015), who is studying for a PhD in engineering at the University of Oxford, who worked with a team of scientists and engineers to develop a rapid prototype ventilator called OxVent, and Alex Brown OH (2013), who temporarily switched from working on McLaren’s high-performance sports cars to designing ventilators for NHS ambulance crews.

As Hampton moved to e-Hampton during the School closure, many alumni took part in virtual talks. Our thanks go to Simon Amor OH (1997), Gwilym Bradley OH (2019), Louis Lynagh OH (2019), Sam Rowley OH

(2013) and Dalton Leong OH (1981) who gave up their time to support the programme.

We have been incredibly saddened to postpone or cancel the majority of our recent and future Alumni events. We know how much the programme means to many of you and thank you for your understanding. Naturally, we will endeavour to rearrange as soon as we are able and look forward to gathering together in person again soon.

In the meantime, we will be organising virtual events, so do keep a look out on our website and for our regular email newsletter, where we will keep you updated.

We hope that you, your family and friends remain safe and well during this challenging period. Thank you to all those alumni who have sent messages of support – it is another example of Hampton’s togetherness and positivity during times of adversity.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Alumni Office if we can assist in any way.

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Chairman’s Message Welcome to the latest edition of the Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle. Despite the challenges arising from dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, the editorial team of Denis Fuller and the Alumni Office are to be congratulated in managing to compile another fine edition.

Following the Agreement with the School in 2019, we have already seen the benefits in the work carried out by the School this year to refurbish the changing rooms and install new showers in the OH clubhouse. The kitchen has been fully renovated with new equipment and a slightly expanded area to improve the meals service. There is also a new small kitchenette in the changing room area. This will give us some of the best facilities in the area along with a wider choice of food.

Throughout, the OHA and the School have worked closely together on the pavilion plans and we will be considering further ideas for the bar area and the other pavilion rooms in due course. The sections have also been coordinating with the School to determine the measures needed to ensure that teams and spectators can play and watch games safely. We very much look forward to even closer ties with the School in this new era of our long mutual relationship.

The impact of Covid-19 has meant the cancellation or postponement of many OHA and Alumni events and activities that had been arranged for 2020, including the Annual OHA Dinner, which should have been held in March.

We hope to re-instate as many of these as soon as possible and will continue to keep Hamptonians informed of our plans through the various Alumni newsletters.

The football and rugby season had to finish early in March with the imposition of the Covid-19 Lockdown. However, this was another successful year for football and the First XI were top of the AFC Premier Division and in two cup finals, which it is hoped can be played in the new season. Rugby had managed to rebuild the team from last year, with several victories in the Surrey League.

With the onset of the cricket season, the section worked closely with the School to see how matches could be safely played in the light of ECB guidance and managed to play the first game in July, finishing the season at the end of September. It was most encouraging to see so many OH cricket teams playing – including, on one Saturday, a Sixth XI. The Third and Fourth XIs also won their respective Surrey Championship Groups.

Golf was also severely affected and only played their first match in September at Bramley Golf Club against Old Kingstonians and Old Cranleighans, winning the new ‘Triangular Trophy’.

Among other articles in the Chronicle, it is good to see a further contribution to the series on former masters, featuring Bill Foster, who will be remembered by many Hamptonians from his time teaching PE, athletics and rugby at the School and also the training sessions for OH rugby. This is complemented by the interview with Olympian Dave Travis OH (1964), a notable Hampton athlete. There is also a feature on the Old Hamptonian Lodge.

The OHA, along with the School and a local charity, has received a most generous bequest from the estate of the late Ken Taylor OH (1948), who died in May 2004. We are considering how best to make the most appropriate use of the legacy and have already purchased several new OHA gazebos for the sports ground.

I hope you enjoy the Lion and the Chronicle, and do keep in touch to maintain the vital link with Hampton through the Alumni Office. Despite the inevitable difficulties we face in resuming section activities and social events, I would encourage everyone to become involved where possible when 170

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these can be arranged over the coming months. We are also intending to hold a virtual AGM this year, probably on 3 December, and will provide further details in due course. Meanwhile, let us all look forward to better times ahead.

Yours sincerely Martin Sands OH (1967) Chairman OHA

From the Editor Our children and grandchildren, yet unborn, may one day ask the question ‘What did you do during lockdown?’

Fortunately, we live close to the beautiful RMA Sandhurst training area and were able to enjoy our permitted daily exercise.

I wonder how many old Hamptonians have told their children or grandchildren that they took part in breaking the World Record for people in a bed? Although the event was televised circa 1960, it was only available for us all to see on YouTube in 2011. All these years later, I find it a little emotional to see people in the film who I actually knew as boys including Henry Simpkins OH (1961), David Bailey OH (1962), Ian Humphrey OH (1963), Richard Royce OH (1962), Michael Hunt OH (1961). Mike Abbott OH (1961) also appears. I played rugby with him for OHRFC and years later, as Editor of the OHC, had to liaise with his family in the process of arranging an obituary – a necessary part of my role.

Alex, our new archivist – replacing Tim Leary who served us so well for 30 years – recently sent me some excerpts from The Lion summer 1961 edition, in which I was interested to read in the Report of the Debating Society, that the School had entered two teams for the Rotary public speaking competition. As a long-serving Rotarian, I am pleased to report that our ‘Youth Speaks’ competition continues and flourishes. One of the teams won first prize and Keith Faulkner CBE OH (1961) won the best speaker accolade.

This reminded me of my first experience of public speaking. Joining Hampton Grammar School aged just 11, I was seated in the front row next to Keith Baird OH (1962) – we both attended Kenyngton Manor School in Sunbury. We were right under the nose of Angus ‘Furdie’ Falconer, who having announced that we would all be taking part in the First Year public speaking competition, decided that I would be the first to speak. We were each allocated a topic, on which we had to research and speak about in front of the class, for five minutes. My subject was ‘Badges’. I was first to speak at the beginning of the lesson – in fact I was the only person to speak – apart from Mr Falconer who spent a few minutes telling me how appalling my speech was, followed by a fascinating unprepared speech about the sort of badges I could have spoken about, had I been properly prepared.

Trusting that our next Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle will be produced in a Covid-free world, I would like to thank Frank, Carol, Alex and Alison for their sterling work during a very difficult time.

One only has to compare The Lion of summer 1961 with what is produced today to realise the value of an experienced and capable Alumni team, the hard work of the Editor, Mike Baker, and the designer, Jiri Musil.

Denis Fuller OH (1961)

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A Year of Alumni News Simon Amor OH (1997)

Sam Rowley OH (2013)

Congratulations to Simon Amor OH (1997) who was appointed by England men’s head coach Eddie Jones, as the national team’s Attack Coach.

Congratulations to Sam, whose amazing photo, ‘Station Squabble’, of two mice fighting over a morsel of food dropped by commuters on the underground, has won him the Wildlife Photographer of the Year LUMIX People’s Choice Award.

Former England Sevens head coach, Simon has enjoyed an illustrious playing career with London Irish, Gloucester, London Wasps and London Scottish and also successfully coached Team GB to a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Simon also recently supported our e-Talk! programme during lockdown.

Gwilym Bradley OH (2019)

His patience paid off as the image took a week to capture. It was worth the wait, resulting in a stunning image which attracted 28,000 votes from the public.

Matt Hamilton OH (2018)

What a season it has been for the openside flanker! As well as signing a contract with Cardiff Blues, he also represented Wales in this year’s Six Nations, as part of the U20s squad. We wish Gwilym all the best for an exciting future ahead! the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Congratulations to Matt, who stroked the winning Oxford University boat, at the 46th Men’s Lightweight Boat Race, held for the second time on the championship course on the Tideway. Oxford’s 3.5-length victory was their second consecutive win over their traditional rivals Cambridge.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Hamptonians have been in the winning crew of the Men’s Lightweight Boat Race – Ben Mackwork OH (2014) in 2016-2018, Doug Chesterton OH (2018) in 2019 and Matt in 2020.

Alex Hern OH (2008)

As if his current work with the BCC and Sky Sports has not kept him busy enough, Michael also completed seven marathons in seven days to raise money and awareness for the civil-rights organisation, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He has raised over £14,000 so far – well done, Michael!

Phil Kightley OH (1991) and Simon Bastow OH (1991) Alex, UK technology editor for the Guardian, was crowned Technology Reporter of the Year at the 2020 Press Awards. His work in revealing privacy issues when people used Apple’s Siri voice assistant, forced the company to change its processes. Congratulations, Alex!

Michael Timbs OH (2010)

Freelance sports presenter and journalist Michael, made his debut on the BBC’s Match of the DayX earlier in March.

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It was great to welcome back Phil and Simon for the Hampton Founder’s Day Sevens. Phil, Captain of Rugby in 1990, kindly presented the trophy to the winners.

old hamptonians’ chronicle Prof Neil Mortensen OH (1968)

Patrick Aryee OH (2004)

In July, Neil took office as the new President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He takes up the role at extraordinary moment in British medical history and during a landmark time for the NHS and the College. Congratulations, Neil!

Dan Wells OH (1995)

During lockdown, Patrick, Biologist and Wildlife TV presenter, ran a series of wildlife live streams called ‘Wild and Live’. Covering awesome apes and glow worms to conversations about expeditions to Antarctica to study penguins, Patrick’s live streams can still be watched on his YouTube Channel, ‘Patrick Goes Wild’.

Voices of Lions Viral Nick Dibb-Fuller OH (2019), Jacob Abel OH (2019), Felix Elliott OH (2019), Jasper Newbold OH (2019), Tom Morrison OH (2019) and Matt Markham OH (2019) were part of the 44 members of Hampton’s Voices of Lion choir, raising spirits during lockdown with a virtual performance of ‘He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother’.

Special thanks go to Tom Morrison OH (2019), who helped with the organisation and liaison of the recent leavers.

It was lovely to see Dan and some of his old School chums from the Class of 1995, supporting key workers at the Royal London Hospital, by delivering much needed food parcels during the peak of the pandemic.

Much needed and most welcome! the lion

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Alumni Events First Day 50 Years On On the first day of the autumn term 2019, we were delighted to welcome back Hamptonians from the Class of 1976, who, fifty years ago walked up the School drive for their first day at Hampton.

We were amazed to see John Tye OH (1976) return in his perfectly-fitting old school uniform, as well as Andy Moore OH (1976), who sported his old School blazer adorned with his sporting colours.

It was also a pleasure to have in attendance Andrew Hodgson OH (1970), who joined his brother Richard Hodgson OH (1976), and Martin Carter OH (1977).

Old Hamptonians Gerry Rhoades-Brown OH (1976), Richard Alvey OH (1976), David Amos OH (1976), Robert Brook OH (1976), Geoffrey Caldwell OH (1976), Andrew Osgood OH (1976), Mick Fegan OH (1976), John Harrison OH (1976), Graham Marley OH (1976), Stephen Price OH (1976), Chet Selwood OH (1976), Simon Shields OH (1976) and Martin Smidman OH (1976) enjoyed a tour of the School and, over lunch, shared memories of their time at Hampton and beyond.

Joint Financial Services Alumni Reception with LEH On Thursday 12 September, Hampton and LEH alumni recently attended the Joint Financial Services Alumni Reception, held at the Brigade Bar + Kitchen in London.

The evening was kindly supported by PwC and Kevin Ellis, Chairman and Senior Partner.

The evening brought together alumni, with an interest in financial services and current pupils, who were interested in the learning more about the sector.

We were delighted to welcome Peter Ainsworth OH (1976), Andrew Birt OH (1998), Paul Boon OH (1995), Christopher Heritage OH (2006), Harry Blaiklock OH (2012), Alex Kennewell OH (2008), Kurran Tailor OH (2014), Fauzi Waraich OH (2001) and Richard Wicks OH (2010).

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Hampton Lions Oxford Alumni Dinner

Careers Conventions 2020

Over 30 Hamptonians joined us for the Hampton Lions Oxford Alumni Dinner, held on Friday 22 November. This year, the evening was held in the McKenna Room, Christ Church.

Twenty-six Hamptonians returned to the School to support the annual Careers Convention, which is held at both Hampton and the Lady Eleanor Holles School.

Thank you to those who joined us.

Recent Leavers’ Christmas Drinks

The evening gave pupils the opportunity to find out more about a wide range of careers.

On Wednesday 18 December 2019, over 70 recent leavers from the Class of 2017, 2018 and 2019 joined us in Richmond, to celebrate the start of the festive season and to catch-up with fellow Hamptonians.

Alumni Paddle and Pub The annual Alumni Paddle and Pub was different this year, with the river running on red boards for the majority of December and no change in sight.

So, instead of the traditional rowing session for alumni and current rowers, on 21 December, over 20 Hamptonians gathered at a local pub, for a seasonal catch-up. Thank you to all those who came along.

Thank you to Dr Samir Alvi OH (1985), Dr Chris Watts OH (1992), Professor Daniel Osorio OH (1978), Tim Closs OH (1989), John Taylor OH (1961), Ben Lowe OH (1995), Matthew Nolan OH (2014), Chris Heritage OH (2006), Dipam Patel OH (2009), Luke Uzoziri OH (2009), Edward Boyns OH (2002), Chetan Ladwa OH (2001), Sam Ellis OH (2000), James Gibson OH (2000), David Merkle OH (1966), Curran Dye OH (2011), Daniel Clifford OH (2011), Paul Lucas OH (1985), Cameron Sutherland OH (2014), Michael Shennan OH (2014), Adrian Ede OH (1977), Han-Ley Tang OH (2006), Trevor Dutton OH (1982), Matt Oxborrow OH (2014), Lt Adam Swann OH (1999), who gave their time and expertise to support the event.

Cambridge Alumni Dinner We were delighted to welcome over 20 Hamptonians to the Cambridge Alumni Dinner, held at the Combination Room, St Catharine’s College, Cambridge on Friday 28 February. We believe this was the first Alumni dinner to be held in Cambridge since 1979. the lion

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Gerald Holmes OH (1953) Gerald Holmes OH (1953) recently wrote to the Headmaster, Kevin Knibbs, after receiving the last edition of the Lion (2018-19). Printed below are some extracts from the letter, where Gerry talks about his life, experiences and acting career, since leaving Hampton – Grammar School, as it was then:

‘I think that Hampton taught me resilience…I remember the big, airy clasrooms, parquet floors, the order. We were looked after.’

I graduated from Southampton University with an Honours French degree, followed by a year as Assistant Anglais in the Ecole Normale de Garcons, in Brittany, where I witnessed the 1956 mob attack on the Communist Headquarters after the USSR invaded Hungary. It showed the danger of surrendering to collective thought – a course of action frowned on at Hampton. I was there, but not of it.

Returning to do a Post graduate education degree at London University, I then taught French with subsidiary English for a year as a fully qualified teacher at Mitcham County Grammar. However, as the world of theatre was one of great interest to me, I performed in a Moliere play and was awarded a French government scholarship to study drama in Paris.

As I did not see myself teaching for 40 years, I left Mitcham County Grammar, headed to Paris where I studied for six months with Jacques Lecoq, Rene Simon and Noemie Perugia, among others. On returning to England, I became an actor/stage manager for Clacton-on-Sea Repertory summer season. 13 plays in 13 weeks earning £10 weekly.

I then went on to be Production Stage Manager at the old Guildford Theatre, a fringe rep. An interview at the Royal Court theatre landed me the post of Deputy Stage Manager for the 1962 opening season of the Chichester Festival Theatre – Sir Laurence Olivier leading an all-star cast. It was a glamorous few months!

I then moved to become House Manager of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, especially for the 1964 quatercentenary – Director: Peter Hall. As House Manager, I did the entertaining of VIPs, such as Lord Avon, Dame Judith Anderson, Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Harold Pinter, among others. Please pardon the name dropping!

Moving to London, I became Deputy House Manager of the Royal Festival Hall, the world of music. While on a 3-week vacation to North America in October 1964, I learned of preparations for the 1967 World Fair Expo 67, in Montreal. I applied for a job there in theatre management and after several interviews, was offered a post. I emigrated in August 1966. After 3 months on the job in Montreal, I became the Executive Assistant to Gordon Hilker, the Artistic Director of the World Festival of Entertainment. I had to learn, he said, in three months what he had learnt in three years. It was an enormously exciting and challenging job. I am happy to say those of us still left – and mobile – met in Montreal for our 50th anniversary in 2017.

My Montreal job ending in January 1968, I decided to stay in North America and landed a job as in Vienna, Virginia, 20 miles outside DC. My first three days in Washington DC were spent under curfew, as Martin

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Luther King had just been assassinated. I had a house, a car, suits and money in my pocket.

However, the old yen – from Hampton – to be on the stage rather than by it, raised its head. At 42, I rented my house, drove to NYC, joined Actors Equity, changing my professional name to George Holmes from Gerald. As an actor, I did extra work on many movies, performed small roles in soap operas and in 1985, auditioned for the Library of Congress Talking Books for the visually impaired program, run by the National Library service. I heard nothing but suddenly I was called to hear that my audition tapes had been approved. Would I like to come in to record the play A Man for all Seasons?

Thanks to Bernard Garside, my Hampton history teacher, I knew who Sir Thomas More was. I soon recorded the works of Sophocles, Aristophanes, Schiller, Dickens, George Eliot and many others. I am still working, currently recording the classic 1833 On War by Carl von Clausewitz. In between, there were theatre seasons in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Colorado, toured Texas and Arizona, strangling Joan Fontaine, sometimes twice nightly in Dial M for Murder.

Since 1990 when in Aspen Colorado doing Sleuth and Barefoot in the Park, I started hiking. Returning to New York, where I live mid-town on the 43rd floor of a building housing performing artists, I joined an Outdoors club.

Since then, I have done backpacking, cross-country skiing, cycling and long-distance hikes especially in the UK, including the Pennine Way, St Cuthbert's Way, Hadrian's Wall and many others, with outdoor holidays in the Channel Isles and Isle of Man. I visit my many cousins In Pembrokeshire, Wales.

I think that Hampton taught me resilience. I thank my Hampton School Masters, as we called them. Gentle Mr Brentini for Latin. Messrs Yarrow, Moir, Faulkner for English, Mr Sloane (Geography), Mr Garside (History), Mr Jago (French) and others.

I remember the big, airy classrooms, the parquet floors, the order. We were looked after. Free milk, lunches – called dinners – education. I was taught to think, evaluate, give answers with clear reasons and never draw general conclusions from one example. I carry these lessons with me.

I was very pleased to attend the Old Hamptonians’ Dinner for my 50th anniversary, and was impressed with the additions to the School's physical layout, as well as the well-spoken, courteous Head Boy who took us around.

My class, 1C, since the age of 11, has kept in touch and ‘Club C’ has annual lunches organized by Alan Stevens OH (1953).

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Interview with Olympian, Dave Travis OH (1964) Dave Travis OH (1964) was a major figure in UK javelin throwing during the 1960s and 1970s. He competed in the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics and was a gold medal winner at the World Student Games in 1967 and 1970 Commonwealth Games. He was the British javelin record holder for four years.

He attended Hampton Grammar School from 1957 to 1964 where his talent for sport was nurtured. He excelled at school athletics in a variety of events, making his debut at the English Schools Championships in 1960, placing second in the U15 shot.

Two titles in the javelin were achieved in 1963 and 1964, whilst also figuring in the winning sprint relay team for Middlesex Schools in 1962. His club career for Surrey Athletic Club included a British U19 record of 70.70m in 1964. He left secondary school with national status in three disciplines: javelin, decathlon and rugby.

We recently chatted to Dave about his career and life after Hampton.

What is a favourite memory of your time at Hampton School?

For me, I really remember the School Sports Day each year. I do not know what it is like now, but in my day, there would be a busy lead-up to it with all sorts of competitions. It was watched by the whole school as well as parents and it just seemed, if you were a boy of 13-15, an atmospheric occasion and everybody loved it.

And, I was good at it! Sports Day with the whole school, a 1000 boys and parents, it was just a great day. I competed for Pigeon House and Sports Day was the day I looked forward to every year – I think a lot of others did too...a chance to show off!

Do you feel that your experience at Hampton School has been valuable to you as you moved on in life?

Inevitably, it set me on the path to my sporting career. Academically, I was not an ‘A’ student, but I was reasonably able amongst a lot of bright kids; I got through academic lessons in order to get out on the field or to the gym and participate in all those sporting activities I loved. I had such a mix of sporting opportunities at Hampton, from rugby in the winter and athletics in the summer and many other activities too, like basketball, weight training and ‘5s.

I fondly remember our Head of Department (PE), teacher Bill Foster, and a new PE teacher who came in under Mr Foster, Johnny Watterson – who played scrum half for Richmond.

On a general level, there was a tremendous social mix at Hampton…bright, motivated kids, but from many different backgrounds with varied views on life and politics. I strongly believe that it helped me fit in later on and feel comfortable with myself and others...and look more deeply at what made people tick. Important skills for a teacher!

In five words how would you describe your personality?

Well, my wife said that she would describe me as ‘an acquired taste’! But, I think that one I would use is ‘individual’ – you could even say independent.

I am a bit of an individual, not particularly ‘clubbable’, although I have played team games. I call myself a ‘completer finisher’ – I make lists and get things sorted. That is not always in someone’s personality – I am a bit of a completer. I would also describe myself as ‘determined’ – if I decide to do something, I am fairly determined, which is the sporting bit of me I suppose.

I would also describe myself as ‘irreverent’, rebellious, non-conformist – that

Dave Travis receiving the AAA Championship Trophy from The Queen in 1965

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old hamptonians’ chronicle in 1968, I was in an amateur sporting environment, so I had to work for a living. I became a teacher and worked for 23 years in London and Coventry in various different schools.

Then, in 1991, I made the decision to leave teaching and go into a new career of sports development. It was at a time when there was a lot of industrial unrest in schools and teachers were withdrawing from after-school activities. What is now known as ‘Sport England’ was offering positions as Sport Development Officers, to try and promote sport in schools; this led me to work in sports development in Bristol. Over the next 17 years, I became the Director of Sport for Bristol and I like to think I had a real impact on coaches going into schools, developing competitions in inner city schools and opening up opportunities for children and sport. I think, ultimately, that suited me better than continuing my teaching career, focussing on being a supporter and organiser of teachers, coaches, schools and pupils.

When are you or were you happiest?

Dave Travis throwing in the Europa Cup 1975 fits with the acquired taste bit! – and I can be jokily ‘acerbic’ at times. Those fit my wife’s description – meaning you need to get to know me!

And it also fits with my career.

I made a decision after school, when I arrived at Loughborough, to go in the direction of athletics, as opposed to rugby, and to concentrate on a sport that was individual and that did not have so much of a team ethos – fitting my personality type. And I am not sure if I was ever a team player. All the traditions, cultures and togetherness of rugby may not have been what I am best suited to.

You have to fit within the culture of that sport, and I seemed to instinctively know where I fitted; I could be a complete individual based on results. In athletics, you set a performance and you are either good enough or not...athletics selection is not based on personal preferences, unlike rugby.

With athletics, I could see travel opportunities around the world and, at that time, rugby was just four nations. When I made this decision, I was potentially headed for the ‘66 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, ‘67 Student Games in Tokyo and the ‘68 Olympics in Mexico, and I could see quite a good career ahead of me. As opposed to games at Twickenham and Cardiff and Edinburgh…!

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?

I have already mentioned Bill Foster and Johnnie Watterson as they were my inspirational force when I was at school. They were my early sporting heroes and got me started in various sporting ways and were role models both professionally and personally.

Once I started to excel at sport, you are looking at where you would like to go and there was always a pre-eminent figure in my javelin throwing time, Russian-born Jānis Lūsis, who was arguably one of the greatest javelin throwers of all time. He won the Olympics, was a World Record holder, four-time European Champion and he was a few years ahead of me. There was something about the way he was as man, the way he was as a performer, the way he was almost never defeated. Everyone wanted to be like him and tried to beat him, but he was rarely beaten. I got him on a below-par day in 1970, where I beat him and set the British record. He was my inspiration and I found out that, on that one particular day, I could beat him.

Although you are supposed to say it was when you got married or had your first child, I am going back to my sporting career! There was an athletic year I had in 1969, when I was already an international athlete, reasonably successful, but my training and performance improved significantly, everything became simpler, success became easier, and I was rarely beaten. I set the British record and went to bigger competitions including one in Los Angeles – it was USA vs Russia vs the Commonwealth – it is not held anymore – where all the top athletes competed at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

I came second to the Russian Lūsis, but beat everyone else. I could now hold my own at a world class level. A great year!

My success came through a continuation of all the hard work I had been doing previously. I had left Loughborough and started at a school in New Malden, joined a new gym and the group I worked out with included Mike Reddick OH (1960). I just became stronger and fitter and with my regular long-term coach Colin Smith, everything went up a level.

What is your favourite book?

I am not a great reader of books, but I do read newspapers avidly and The Guardian most days.

The last book I read was The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

It was about the way black slaves in the 19th century went through a secret underground system to escape the South and find freedom in the North. My wife read it as well and we went to hear the author speak at the local bookshop. Not long before that, I read Small Island by Angela Levy.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Cakes and puddings! Sticky toffee pudding is not good for you, but I am drawn to it!

In the 1960s, at Hampton there were many trays of puddings at the end of the school lunch, lots of sponges with custard. Apple puddings, treacle puddings and syrup puddings…my love for them probably started then!

What is your most treasured possession?

Medals...lovely as they are…they just sit in the side cabinet, but these three memories are the ones I treasure.

What was your best career move?

I have had a sporting career of 20 years and a work career of 40 years and they have sort of intermingled. When I came out of Loughborough College 178

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Firstly, a press cutting from the Daily Mail in 1970. Britain was in the Europa Cup – and did not do very well – and they had a photo of me with the headline ‘Travis Great, Britain Not!’.

old hamptonians’ chronicle small ordinary summerhouse said, ‘That’s amazing, Dave,’ and I replied, ‘No, it’s not, it’s just a fancy shed…The Taj Mahal is amazing’.

I am a creature of the 50s and 60s where everything was underplayed, but now it is a lot different.

What would you choose for your ‘last supper’?

I am drawn to Italy and to Italian food. If it was my last supper, I would have it on one of the Italian islands by the sea and it would have a starter of antipasto, followed by some unusual pasta and finishing with a tub of Italian ice-cream. Not very sophisticated, but Italian food, culture, views and weather – all the things I have not been able to do this year!

We have got a small camper van and we travel around Europe and especially Italy. We go every year to a different part of Italy and I think the different scenery and food that goes with it is what I love.

Then, in 1969, I had stopped athletics to play rugby for Richmond. At that time, there was a cartoonist for the Daily Express, Roy Ullyett, and he had drawn a cartoon which showed ‘Britain’s best javelin thrower’ throwing one of his team mates over the opposition to score a try! You do not normally appear on the front page of a national paper!

How would you advise a Hamptonian who wanted to follow your career?

Based on my own route to a sporting career, seek out a mentor, an advisor, a coach. Listen to the wisdom that they have got and try to feed off of them on the way you might move through life. But then have an independent mind to work out whether things are the best for you. I had people who made a difference to me, coaches in sport, people I looked up to but I still had an independent mind that meant I worked out what was best to do for me. Then, when you have worked out what you want to do, work hard effectively.

What personal ambitions do you still have?

Finally, Jānis Lūsis sadly died this year and he was a topic of conversation in the javelin community. Someone found a photograph of me with Jānis and the German javelin thrower Klaus Wolfermann, who won the 1972 Olympics, together with our arms around shoulders, laughing and joking. I knew them well on the circuit and it was great to see myself with two of the greatest in the sport.

What is your pet hate?

Hyperbole! The way everything spoken today is prefaced by superlatives for extra dramatic effect. Someone came around recently and seeing my new

I want to see my family happy and settled. I have six children and I would like them all to be happy and settled. I suppose that is what all parents want.

I do not really have any personal ambitions anymore, but I now play tennis and my backhand will never be like Federer…however, I will settle for that!

If you could be invisible for a day what would you do?

I have always been intrigued by the Boris Johnson-Carrie Symonds relationship and I guess one day as a fly on the wall would not be enough, but it may satisfy my curiosity into how human behaviour works at the power end of society. From what I can see, many months would be needed and, even then, I may not fully understand!

Dave Travis Germany Competition 1974 with Jānis Lūsis 1968 Olympic champion & Klaus Wolfermann 1972 Olympic champion

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Hampton School 1940-1947

by Ian King OH (1948) The year is 1939. Previously, in 1938, the Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, had returned from a meeting with Adolf Hitler and declared ‘Peace in our Time’. In hindsight, this was probably an agreement made

by Neville Chamberlin to give Great Britain additional time to prepare for the oncoming conflict. Identity Cards were issued. Once war was declared, Ration Books were also issued to each and every citizen.

Back in Hampton, the Grammar School has moved during the summer break from its old site in Upper Sunbury Road to its new building in Hanworth Road. Percy Road Primary School has moved from its existing site into the, now empty, building of the old Hampton Grammar School on Upper Sunbury Road. The reason for the move is that the Primary School building is being transformed into a First Aid Centre. All the ground floor classroom windows are covered by sandbags from the ground to above the top panes of glass. The upper story windows are left uncovered. Preparations are being made for the possibility of war.

3 September. War is declared. At the Upper Sunbury Road site, air raid shelters are built to protect the children now attending their new school.

The shelters, by to-days standards, were primitive, being a square concrete tube, about 3 meters square, half sunk into the ground with the excavated earth over the top. Wooden benches ran down the centre of the tube. At 180

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the time, this was adequate for anything other than a direct hit. It is only in July 1940 that use of these air raid shelters was needed.

The Battle of Britain had started, and, although Hampton was not in the direct line of fire, much time was spent in these shelters. The teachers still carried on with the job of teaching their young pupils. Very often, the ‘All Clear’ would sound at about lunch time and those who lived nearby would go home to lunch and be back before the afternoon session in the air raid shelters. By October 1940, the Battle of Britain was virtually over.

Children could return to their classrooms. But, a new turn of events was to present itself: The Blitz.

The Blitz started around September 1940 and was the time that 10-11 yearolds started their last year at primary school and prepared for the ‘11 plus examination’. This examination, for boys, was to determine whether we were bright enough to go to Hampton Grammar School (HGS). Girls would do a similar exam for entry to Lady Eleanor Holles. The funding for HGS, at the time, was partly privately sourced and partly from Middlesex County Council. As my mother was a widow, she paid no fees for my education 24 August 1940 was like any other summers’ day. Warm and sunny, and now quiet, after the turmoil of the Battle of Britain. The war was now

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taking a major turn with the German Air Force discarding a direct ‘air to air’ offensive during the day and turning to night time bombing, concentrating on London and other major Cities. Fortunately, Hampton was not in the worst part of the bombing, only getting the bombers that got lost.

Early that night, the sirens went off; my grandmother, mother and I – every bit of 10 years old – got out of bed and went into the Anderson Shelter embedded in the back garden. Now, the Anderson Shelter – named after the Home Secretary – was not exactly the most comfortable of places to be. Made of corrugated sheet steel, it was generally cold and damp – when it rained – but could save your life from anything, other than a direct hit.

We had only just got into the shelter when there was the whistle from descending bombs and three explosions. One bomb dropped onto the pavement outside our house in Broad Lane, the second onto a house in Tudor Avenue and the third onto the shelter of a house a few doors down.

Fortunately, they were only small bombs. They got bigger as the war went on.

The first bomb blew up the granite footpath outside our house, sent it down to the bottom of our garden and split a large shrub in half. The second landed on the house of Mr and Mrs Reddish in Tudor Avenue.

At the time of impact, they were standing on the landing of the house on the way to their shelter and the rest of the house blew away around them, together with the house next door. As the stairs had gone, getting downstairs further was quite a task. The house next door had taken the main hit and was demolished completely. The third bomb hit the shelter of a family a few doors down. No one was hurt as they had been a bit slow in getting out of bed and into the shelter.

Why would an enemy aircraft drop bombs on Hampton? There were no signs of being chased by a Night Fighter, Anti-Aircraft batteries were not

prolific in the area and the American Army base had not yet been set up in Bushy Park. A possible explanation is that, at the time, Hampton had a large number of market gardens, growing a wide variety of vegetables and, in particular, tomatoes in glass greenhouses. These greenhouses would reflect moonlight and make them look like water. With the Hampton Waterworks nearby and the large attendant filter beds, which would shine in the moonlight, the German crew mistook the sight and dropped their bombs in the wrong place. A blessing for London water, but not so good for the inhabitants of Tudor Road. The sum total for this ‘air-raid’ was a piece of paving stone over the house, a shrub destroyed, two houses destroyed and one Anderson Shelter blown out of the ground. No casualties.

Despite all of this, teachers at the Primary School did their very best to get us all prepared for the 11+ exam, held in about May of the year.

Fortunately, I passed, so had to prepare for entry to HGS. The uniform requirements were relaxed slightly because of the war but not the requirement to wear the school cap within one mile of the School.

The great day came early in September 1941, when I attended for the first time. Soon after arrival, we were assembled for ‘House Selection’.

Not having a connection to the School through my father, brother or any other relation or a reputation as a good soccer, cricket player or athlete of any sort, I was finally chosen for ‘Walpole’. A ‘House’, at the time, had no meaning to me.

House – indoor – shoes were a must. Breaking this rule was a punishable offence. Mr Mason, the Headmaster, was not having his shiny new school trampled on by ill shod boys.

Many boys and staff cycled to school. If you could afford a car, there was no petrol to put in the tank, so the choice was walk, cycle or public transport. Mr Mason cycled to and from school four times a day and he the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle handed me an erasure to remove the offending graffiti – which I later did – together with a detention mark and called it a day.

As a way of explanation for my honest behaviour, my mother had always instilled in me, ‘you must be honest in everything, come what may’. I think that Mr Mason appreciated that, to get up in front of the whole school, admit to a major infringement of the rules and not know the consequences, was punishment enough. It was!

Despite the turbulence of war, we pupils were expected to attend classes on a regular basis, do homework, wear a school cap within one mile of the school – until the Sixth Form – and doff the cap to any teacher we met, particularly the Headmaster.

had a unique method of getting on and off the cycle. The rear wheel axle nut on the footpath side had been replace by an internally threaded bar, about 100mm long. To get off, he stopped pedalling, placed his left foot on this bar and stood up. With his right hand he held the saddle, stepped backward off the bike and started walking. All very smoothly done!

The School at that time had a mixture of staff. Many retired teachers had come to replace those young enough to be ‘called-up’ or had volunteered for Military Service. The number of male teachers was insufficient to meet the needs of the school, so there were a number of female teachers.

Up to now, the School had always had male staff and to have female members was a vast cultural shift. The pupils insisted on calling all staff ‘Sir’. Some of the female teachers tried to shift this ingrained habit, but gave up as soon as they realised they were pushing a lost cause. Rather than strict discipline, they worked on getting all their pupils interested in the subject so that we pupils wanted to learn. I can recall one female teacher who ran an extra-curricular maths class, specifically on Euclidian Geometry. I found it fascinating and was a regular attendee. In later years, as an Engineer, it was invaluable – particularly when I was learning to write CAD programmes, Computer Aided Design.

Another teacher, Miss Brown, decided that by clearing up the inner quadrangle next to the main hall, we could grow food there. I liked Miss Brown, she was a good teacher so I threw myself, together with other boys, into her project. The area had been a builder’s tip during the construction phase, so it needed a lot of clearing out. We finally managed to grow some vegetables, enough to divide up amongst the participants, Miss Brown included. So, the project could be rated a success.

The Headmaster, Mr Mason, was justifiably proud of his new school and was determined to keep it in good condition. So, it was with some shock to all when he rose at morning assembly and asked, “Who is the boy who drew on the gymnasium changing room wall?” A ripple of shock went through the Hall. The assembled staff exchanged knowing glances.

Firstly, that anyone could do such a thing and secondly, who in their right mind would admit to this cardinal sin? A hush ensued! “I did Sir,” announced a small boy near the front. An audible gasp arose from the assembled pupils as well as some of the staff in attendance. The hidden message behind the gasp was if anyone was mad enough to admit to an unsolvable crime, they need their head testing. “Come to my office after assembly,” said the Headmaster. I duly presented myself and Mr Mason asked why I had done this foul deed. “Well Sir, there was already one there and I thought I could do a better one.” He mulled this over for a moment, gave me a bit of a lecture on looking after school property, 182

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As the war progressed, the size of the bombs got bigger. By 1944, German aircraft were a rarity over the UK. However, the V1s and later the V2s, were an essential part of life in the SW England area. As a 14year-old, the V1s were an exciting experience. Powered by a pulse jet engine, it could be heard from afar and provided the engine kept running, it could be viewed safely. The V1 had a cruising speed of 360 mph (575 km/h). However, if the engine cut out and it was coming towards you, one had to flee for cover. Later versions had a modification to the steering, so when the engine cut out it did not go straight on but turned back on itself. In these cases, a very rapid dive for the Air Raid Shelter was required.

How do you shoot down a V1? If a fighter plane tries to shoot it down, it will explode in the face of the fighter. Not a good option. The standard technique was for the fighter pilot to get his plane behind the V1 and slightly to one side, gradually overtake the V1 and tip it over with the wing tip of his aircraft. The V1 would then crash into the ground and explode. This would only be done in country areas, mainly in the SW of England. Even so, some units got through and caused significant damage.

The V2s were an entirely new experience. These were a genuine missile, the first ever. Sent into a high trajectory, by the time they reached their target they would be travelling at supersonic speed, so, by the time you could hear it coming, you had been blown into the next world. A truly frightening experience! The nearest V2 was in Teddington, but the threat was still there. V2 attacks started in September 1944 and went on until March 1945. Only six months but long enough. Fortunately, the progress of World War II was nearing the end, so the number of V2s was minimal. Needless to say, school went on as usual. Well almost!

I must admit to only being an average pupil. Woodworking was the only subject in which I topped the class. Due to the shortage of timber, this subject was limited to one year and, after this year, was abandoned due to lack of timber. French was at the other end of the scale. Maths and science were strong subjects.

In 1946, I took my School Certificate exam with a result of One Distinction, five Credits, one Pass and one Fail – French. After one year in Sixth Form, I decided to be an Engineer and won an engineering apprenticeship to the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. The grounding in mathematics and science from HGS was invaluable and allowed me to get professional status.

In 1964 my wife and I, together with our two children, immigrated to Australia, where we have been ever since.

I spent my full working life in Engineering and enjoyed almost every minute of it.

Ian King OH (1948)

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Past Masters: Bill Foster

Keeping a watchful eye on the coaching of rugby throughout the school, Bill coached many successful First XV teams as well as several England Schools’ players and many County players.

Following the establishment of a Soccer Society in 1963, Bill also helped to organise a refereeing course, so the boys could gain a more in-depth understanding of the sport.

His fitness was a by-word in Hampton circles and he encouraged others to do likewise. The Old Hamptonians rugby team particularly benefitted and they had a remarkable run of success under his guidance as a coach. To those who worked with him, he seemed ageless – he could be seen lapping the field or the gym regularly each day!

When the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme began in 1956, Bill became involved with its operation at Hampton, one of the original pilot schools.

For many years, he gave up much of his spare time to organise and supervise the boys doing the DofE award.

The highlight of each year was the walking expedition of up to 50 miles across a moorland area, usually Dartmoor. There is no doubt that Bill loved Dartmoor and fellow teachers and pupils alike, admired his knowledge of its bye-ways and paths, as well as the mires and bogs. These expeditions gave him many opportunities to wander across them whilst at the same time observing the boys' progress from remote vantage points. Sometimes, he would hide in a hollow along the boys' route just to check that all was well, and that they were still in a group.

His concern for the boys' safety and welfare often meant that he walked long distances just to check their campsites in the evening and the morning, occasionally in very poor weather. One night, a blizzard had developed so that by morning the near-horizontal winds had built drifts of snow everywhere. Even so, Bill arrived as usual, covered in snow, to check on the boys who were camping.

Bill Foster joined Hampton School as Head of the Physical Education Department in 1953 and later in his teaching career, taught Mathematics.

On his arrival, he also took over the coaching of the School’s Athletics Club.

In the same year, he began to coach the School’s rugby club, a post he held for 31 years until his retirement, and where his enthusiasm and that of his co-coaches John Troake OH (1949) and Norman Britnor, were accredited to the successes of the team. Bill’s influence spread far outside his immediate department. With so many staff members involved with sport and so many choices for the boys to make about which to become involved with, Bill was able to secure maximum co-operation among his fellow Masters, allowing the boys their choice of sport, without undue pressure. This helped to ensure that all sports thrived and school teams competed successfully.

It is not surprising that when Bill retired in 1984, he should choose Dartmoor for his new home.

A former colleague of his described him as ‘the most self-effacing and least pretentious of men, shunning any form of praise that came his way, yet always mindful of the contributions of others. In short, he was a genuinely modest man. To work with him was a joy. He shared his knowledge and skills of teaching readily, encouraged and helped younger men to establish themselves, yet was always prepared to listen to and support new ideas and methods’.

Bill sadly passed away in 2015.

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Henry Simpkins OH (1961) – Life after Hampton Henry retired to Miami in 2017, where his 35th floor apartment overlooks the ocean!

At Hampton, Henry had a keen interest in athletics, representing the School in long jump and cross-country. In the summer 1961, he was the Combined Cadet Force’s Under/Officer for the West Tofts Camp.

University of California, he became Chief of Pathology at Staten Island University Hospital and later Chairman of Pathology until 2006. Other roles included Professor of Pathology at SUNY, Chairman of Pathology at Temple University Philadelphia and Professor at Hofstra in New York.

After leaving School, Henry went on to King’s College London and studied under Maurice Wilkins, a Nobel Prize winner – Physiology & Medicine 1962 – where he earned a PhD in Molecular Biology.

Henry specialised in specialised in Pathology and Hematopathology, and has written approximately 98 research papers. He was selected as a ‘Top Doctor’ by the Global Who’s Who for outstanding contributions and achievements in the field of Pathology and Hematopathology.

He went on to obtain his MD from the University of Miami, Leonard M Miller School of Medicine. From there, and after his first role at the

In 1990, Henry started diving and had an international reputation for having dived in most sites in the world.

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Cricket Club 1975 – A Year to Remember ‘The 1975 cricket season will be remembered by members in future years with considerable nostalgia and no little pride.’

So wrote Ken Taylor OH (1948), the then Secretary of the Cricket Club, in the introduction to his annual report for the OH Chronicle. He was not to know then that the 1975 season heralded the beginning of a glorious era of success both on and off the field.

Amongst the many achievements during that season of unending sunshine, two are especially worthy of savouring again some forty-five years later.

Sunday 1 June: First XI versus Parisites, aka F E Russell’s XI Frank Russell owned the Cricketers Club of London, a private members club for cricket enthusiasts. He was well known in the upper echelons of first-class cricket, and was associated with many County and Test cricketers of the time. Each Sunday, he would take his team known as the Parisites to play a club; and, for many years, OH was on their fixture list.

Matches were played between 1957 and 1991. On many occasions the Parisites included Test and county players, especially in the early years when there was no first-class cricket played on Sunday. The most notable fixture was in 1957.

The match was always one of the highlights of the season, and we never knew who was in their team until Frank arrived. This particular year his large imposing figure stepped out of a Bentley at 11.00am and enquired who was the OH skipper, upon which Steve Perkins OH (1970) introduced himself and invited Frank to walk out to the pitch.

Frank Russell played in the early fixtures but later on was just match manager. In this 1975 game, OH Jack Gubbins OH (1937) was recruited at the eleventh hour as the eleventh man for Parisites. It was to his credit that at the age of fifty-five he was fifth highest scorer.

For centuries, and still so today, the convention has been for the pitch to be the place where the coin is tossed and for the winner to decide whether to bat or bowl first. Not so this day. Frank informed Steve that the Parisites would bat first, as in his team were some of the Australian Touring Party in need of batting practice.

1975 was the year of the inaugural Cricket World Cup, the first major limited overs one day international tournament to be held. Australia was amongst the eight countries competing; it was also the year for a four-match Ashes series in England. Ian Chappell, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Rodney Marsh were amongst the Australians. In the World Cup semi-final, they beat England, and then lost to a West Indies team including Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd in the final. Australia won the subsequent Test series 1-0.

Their party consisted of sixteen players, and Frank had brought along three to bolster his team: Alan Turner, opening batsman; Richie Robinson, wicketkeeper batsman; and Jim Higgs, leg break googly bowler. Alan Turner opened the batting in the ODIs. His score of 101 in the match against Sri Lanka made him the first Australian to score a century in an ODI. He also played in three of the Test matches, and in a game against Kent scored 156. Jim Higgs did not play in the ODIs or Tests.

Old Hamptonians’ team: Steve Perkins OH (1970) Captain Roy Steele OH (1943) Wicketkeeper Roger Samways OH (1956) Dave Carpenter OH (1960) Mike Royce (associate member) Geoff Kirk OH (1964)

Graham Perkins OH (1972) Kim Adolphus OH (1973) Tim Blyth OH (1974) Gary Hide OH (1975) Keith Revell OH (1976)

A five-paragraph report of the match in the Richmond & Twickenham Times concentrated on the CVs and performances of the Australians, and only in the last paragraph – almost as an afterthought – did it record the three wickets win by OH. It failed to mention that Kim Adolphus took five wickets, including those of Turner and Robinson, and that Higgs was hit for a number of sixes. Ken’s summing up in the OH Chronicle was more apt: ‘OH won convincingly and well and, after the game, all three Australians congratulated Steve and expressed their sincere enjoyment of the game.’

Middlesex 20 Overs Competition Today Twenty20 cricket is commonplace, but, back in 1975, cricket played in this format at county and international level was not only non-existent, but would not be ‘invented’ until 2003. The competition played amongst Middlesex clubs in the 1975 and subsequent seasons was ahead of its time by more than a quarter of a century.

About the same time, a similar competition was introduced for Surrey clubs known as the Decca Cup. It differed in format from that of Middlesex in that it comprised of 15 eight ball overs. Being in a Surrey-based league, OH were able to play in this competition in later years. In 1988, the Club reached the finals day played at the Oval, but lost to Banstead of the Surrey Championship in the semi-finals. the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle the semi-final, OH were drawn against Southgate, a long established and famous club, and founder member of the Middlesex County Cricket League. Southgate won the Middlesex County Cricket League in the following two years; in 1977, they also won the national club cricket competition, known then as the John Haig Trophy. Southgate batted first and were dismissed for 54 runs, which OH acquired with ease.

The opposition in the final was South Hampstead, another old and famous club, and winner of the Middlesex County Cricket League the previous season. The club were known to us as in earlier years we played them in a midweek fixture. On this occasion, they proved too strong for us, but our experiences of that year set us a challenge for the future.

Two years later, in 1977, OH won the trophy, scoring 168 to beat Hornsey in a final that was not played until August 1978. Hornsey were the first winners of the Middlesex County Cricket League in 1972.

The competition was knockout and the format similar to that played today: 20 overs with a maximum of four overs per bowler, but there were no restrictions on field placings. Participating clubs were initially grouped into eight geographical zones of sixteen, with the games played on weekday evenings and often finishing in near darkness. The winners of each zone progressed to the all Middlesex finals.

OH was placed in the Richmond zone, which we won, and advanced to a quarter-final against North Tottenham, which was also won.

Old Hamptonians’ squad for finals day: Steve Perkins OH (1970) Captain Roger Samways OH (1956) Mike Royce (associate member) Geoff Kirk OH (1964) Ian Sparling OH (1967) Jon Cooper OH (1971)

Graham Perkins OH (1972) Kim Adolphus OH (1973) Rob Ford OH (1974) Gary Hide OH (1975) Keith Revell OH (1976) Lee Pettifer OH (1976) Wicketkeeper

Scorer: L A (Bob) Jones OH (1945) The finals took place on a Sunday in early September at Uxbridge Cricket Club, a ground on which Middlesex First XI played the occasional game. In

Geoff Kirk OH (1964)

Hamptonians Memories of the Second World War We asked Hamptonians for their memories of World War II – thank you to all who contributed.

Alan Stevens OH (1953)

When the blitz began, it did not affect our area too much. At first, there were daylight raids on London, and then night raids. I could look from my back door over towards London and see a red glow over the sky. My mother evacuated us to relatives in Reading. My father stayed behind and was still working as a delivery driver for a flour company. He joined the AFS – Auxiliary Fire Service – based on the Rugby Ground.

Once the blitz stopped, my mother and I returned to our home. While we had been away, a bomb had landed close by and blown out all our front windows. Had we been living there at the time the shards of glass could have caused some serious injuries.

My father was called up in 1942, and joined the RASC – Royal Army Service Corps. He became a Lance Corporal and a qualified Driver Mechanic.

I lived in Twickenham, just across the A316 from the Rugby Ground. War was declared just weeks before my fifth birthday. It was on a nice summer’s day and I was playing with a friend in the garden. My mother insisted that the friend went home to be with his parents. Neither of us had any idea what was going on.

The next year was quiet. People built air raids shelters in their gardens, crisscrossed their windows with tape, and made blackout curtains. School continued as normal.

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Meanwhile, Twickenham and the surrounding area became more and more filled with soldiers, mostly American GIs, as the plans for D-Day were worked on in the SHAEF – Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force – facility in Bushy Park.

In 1944, the raids by the German V weapons began. I remember well the first V1 ‘Doodlebug’. It came over the top of our house going north over the rugby ground; the engine cut out and it plunged to the ground followed by a plume of smoke. War had entered a new phase. These planes could be heard coming and people became used to watching them. One day, one cut

old hamptonians’ chronicle out over our house. My mother and I huddled in the Morrison, table shelter.

I heard it coming down, and then silence, and it in fact landed in Whitton.

Operations followed in the Bay of Biscay and then the invasion of Sicily on 10 July, Operation Husky, and then Salerno on 9 September, Operation Avalanche.

My father became part of the D-Day invasion force. He was driving a DUKW – Amphibious Vehicle – the second day landing supplies. He continued to drive trucks during the following bitterly cold winter, delivering supplies into France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. After VE day, his unit was sent to Palestine, waiting to be sent to the Far East.

When hostilities ended in Naples, Edward was attached to the Commander in Chief Mediterranean based on HMS Byrsa. Promoted to Petty Officer, Writer Edward next moved with his ship and the Mediterranean Command to be based in Malta. Demobilisation Class A followed in June 1946.

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Malcolm Forrester OH (1952) I joined Mr James’s Form 1a in September 1944, just after D-Day and during the V1 flying bomb and V2 rocket bombardment. D-Day involved casualties with boys absent when their father or brother had been posted as killed or missing in action. Their schoolmates helped them where possible.

Fortunately, the V1s and V2s missed us; their approach gave insufficient warning for us to get to the Air Raid shelters in front of the school.

Read Captain White’s OH (1924) Story – Submitted by his son Peter White

Extra curriculum activities included an Allotment Society which cultivated the land between these shelters. Also popular were the School Air Training Corps and Scout Troop.

In my second year, Mr James organised a Harvest Camp at Wallingford, at which I helped in the kitchen assisting Mrs James and his daughter as required. I was too young to work in the fields. It was hard but enjoyable work for all the participants. We all cycled from Hampton supervised by a prefect, and camped in a village school building sleeping in a dormitory on straw-filled palliasses.

Teaching staff included war veterans, one of whom had been a rear gunner in Lancaster Bombers, and was traumatised by loud bangs. I regret that we tormented him by accidentally slamming desk lids until the Headmaster had a ‘quiet word’ with us.

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Meet Martin Brady’s OH (1962) Father

Edward was 29-years-old, married and a retail manager from Manchester when he joined the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman in 1941. After training, he joined the Cruiser HMS Nigeria as it became Flagship in NW Approaches. The ship set off for Iceland to escort the Arctic Convoy PQ8 towards Murmansk in Northern Russia.

Soon came attacks from German Stuka bombers. On deck, Edward told the gunners to ‘Shoot the blighters!’ before an officer shouted at him to ‘Get below!’

They faced not only enemy attacks but mountainous seas and dangerous topside ice – the latter hacked away by hand.

Safely home, Edward next trained as a Navy Writer, was promoted and posted to a second Cruiser, HMS Sheffield, joining in March 1943.

Captain JA White RM OH (1924) joined the Corps at Chatham in 1942 as a ‘Hostilities Only’ volunteer and served at RM Depot Deal from which he was selected for Officer training at the OCTU Thurlstone.

Commissioned in 1943 as a 2ⁿd Lieutenant, he was posted to Minor Landing Craft. These units were being expanded in preparation for the forthcoming invasion of Europe.

His unit, 707 Flotilla, worked up at Invergordon, Cromarty Firth before sailing South in the spring of 1944. On promotion to Captain, he worked in the Combined Operations Division of the Admiralty until demobilised in 1946.

Operation Overlord, June 1944 On 4 June 1944, then Lt White was Second-in-Command of 707 Flotilla LCP(L) – Landing Craft Personnel (Large) – on despatch duties off Portsmouth with the Assault craft of Force ‘S’. The weather forecast was unfavourable. A 24-hour postponement of Operation Overlord was ordered. the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle As Duty Officer, Lt White had to give this order in person to the Commanding Officer of each LCT – Landing Craft Tank – of Force ‘S’. The LCTs had the Sherman DD ‘swimming’ tanks of 13/18th Royal Hussars embarked, which were to support 8th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division in the landings on Sword Beach between Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer. The LCP(L)s were towed – to save fuel – across the Channel to be in position by 0600 hours on 6th June. The LCP(L)’s role was to carry FOOs – Forward Observation Officers – to control firing by the tanks on the LCTs before launching and to guide the tanks onto the correct beach after they had launched from the LCTs. 31 out of the Regiment’s 40 Sherman tanks reached the beach.

After the initial assault phase, the Flotilla reported to Force ‘S’ Headquarters ship, HMS Largs, and resumed Despatch duties, eventually from within the Mulberry harbour, for the following three weeks. In the June storms which severely damaged the Mulberry harbour, many of the LCP(L)s were swamped and sank and Lt White returned to the UK for 14 days survivors leave.

bombs had failed to release over the bombing range so he would try to make as smooth a landing as possible! He did so – and I lived to tell the tale!

Undeterred, I volunteered for aircrew duties when I was 17, was accepted and did my pilot training in Arizona. 12,000 RAF pilots got their wings in the USA in World War II. Back in the UK, I was selected to be a flying instructor and, as such, I trained army NCOs and officers who were destined for the Glider pilot Regiment and also naval officers who were destined for the Fleet Air Arm. One of my best naval pupils flew Seafires in the Korean war and retired as Admiral of the Fleet! By the time I was demobbed, I had flown over 1,000 hours in seven different aircraft.

A highlight of my service was the one week’s leave in the middle of the training in Arizona – we all hitch-hiked to Hollywood and met some film stars! The most dangerous part of my service was the journeys to and from America which we did in unescorted troop ships which were steered clear of U-boats thanks to the code-breaking work by Alan Turing at Bletchley!

Lt White was Mentioned in Despatches for his actions in this Operation.

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Meet Alan Copps’ OH (1966) Mother

George Stewart OH (1939) George joined the RAF when World War II broke out, where he flew Sunderlands – flying boats.

In battle, he was attacked by German fighters and his plane became disabled. He was taken prisoners by the Italians.

It was 21 December 1941 and they were flying from Egypt to Malta. They were a crew of 11, with 12 passengers, a dog, a load of turkeys and a cargo of gold bullion. Apparently, there were a lot of pictures taken and they were written about in one of the newspapers of the day.

He survived the ordeal as a POW he was given a silver boot with a wing on it. After the war, George emigrated to Canada, married a Canadian and they had two children.

Meet Christopher Croisdale’s OH (2004) Grandfather

My grandfather’s story: In 1941, I became the first flight sergeant in my grammar school Air Training Corps – Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School. We were sent on a summer camp to RAF Millom in the Lake District where bomb-aimers were trained on twin-engined Avro Ansons.

We ATC cadets flew daily; our job was to manually wind the undercarriage up and down. On one flight, the pilot told us that one of the 25lb practice the lion

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We had heard rumours just after D-Day about Hitler’s secret weapon, but we did not realise when the first ones came over; they were pilotless, flying bombs or ‘doodlebugs’, as we later called them. Some of the first fell in Bushy Park, and I well remember the one that destroyed Pope’s Grotto in the poet’s garden in Twickenham.

I had taken the baby for a walk and was on the way home when that one came over. I heard it cut out and ran like mad with the pram to try to reach home before it fell.

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My elder sister, Lizzie, was born a month before D-Day six weeks prematurely. While she was small, my mother was under doctor’s orders to stay indoors and keep her warm, venturing no further than the local shops in Teddington. Fortunately, my mother was not the staying-in type. But by the time she was able to go further afield the V1s, Hitler’s vengeance weapon, the doodlebugs, had begun falling on London in retaliation for the Normandy landings. She wrote her own account of what happened next before she died 22 years ago. I rediscovered it recently among some family papers:

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A few weeks later, it was a beautiful day and I decided that I would go and visit friends at Weybridge, and call in at the office where I used to work as they so much wanted to see the baby. As I came out of my door, the lady opposite called over to say that, as she knew I was on my own, anytime the flying bombs were bad and I felt frightened, I was welcome to come over and share her Anderson shelter. I thanked her and told her that they were going to deliver a Morrison shelter to me soon so I could sleep in that with the baby. She told me how brave she thought I was, going on a bus ride while the flying bombs were around. I never saw her again.

While in Weybridge we heard flying bombs going over. Changing buses on the way home, I heard that Teddington had been badly hit. When I turned into Church Road, which led to Argyle Road where I lived, there was a police cordon across it. A policeman said: “And where do you think you’re going?” I said: “Home, I live at the end of Argyle Road.” He said: “You mean you did,” and then told me what had happened.

There was nothing but heaps of rubble at that end of the road. He took me to a rest centre at the Baptist Church. I handed the baby over to a Red Cross nurse and he took me to see where my home had been. It was a terrible mess, rubble piled mountains high. It had fallen on the houses at the corner.

old hamptonians’ chronicle The American soldiers stationed in Bushy Park were wonderful, always first on the scene when bombs came down. They asked if there was anything they could do. I told them I had a black cash box which contained birth, marriage and savings certificates which I had locked in a drawer. I will never forget how they searched through debris. Eventually they found it, bent and battered but the contents were safe.

I slept, or rather tried to sleep, in the rest centre that night. Everyone was so kind.

They gave me napkins, a change of clothes for the baby, washing things. The police were wonderful, too. They traced my husband and told him his home was completely destroyed but his wife and baby were safe. The casualties, considering –––

the damage were very light, but I often think of the lady across the road who was so kind, and wonder what would have happened if I had not gone out that day.

When I read this account again, I was struck by its matter-of-factness, the lack of hysteria. Yet the emotional toll did surface occasionally, even years later. I still have that cash box taken from the rubble. My mother told me one other item was found intact – a single blue and white spotted plate on which cake was served at tea time, the only item left of all their wedding presents. A few years later, trying to be a helpful boy, I was carrying it to the table when it slipped through my fingers and shattered on the floor. My mother simply burst into tears. She was inconsolable.

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Ray Robinson’s OH (1962) In September 1944, the Germans upped the stakes and started launching V2 rocket attacks on London. These were like modern ballistic missiles, much bigger and faster than doodlebugs. They gave no notice of their arrival, but caused massive destruction when they hit the ground.

The Winter of 1944-45 was punctuated by V2 attacks. Faced with this added danger, 7000 women and children were evacuated from the Borough.

My mother took me to Sheffield for several months, where we lived with her father’s sister, Lucy and her husband George. They lived in a very basic terrace house in the Pitsmoor district, with a WC across the courtyard.

VE Day arrived on 8 May 1945. Over the duration of the War, 143 civilians had been killed in Twickenham, 500 houses had been destroyed and 32,000

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houses had sustained bomb damage. But now people could sit back for the first time for five years and be free of anxiety.

VE Day unleashed an explosion of celebrations. Cinema newsreels recorded the vast crowds on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, with the Royal family waving graciously from the balcony. Rather less graciously, there was riotous dancing around Trafalgar Square and other central London locations.

My mother and I returned from Sheffield in time for the Sherland Road, VE Day street party. Lines of trestle tables were set up on the site that had been levelled by the incendiary bomb. Flags and bunting were hung from houses.

Kids in fancy dress tucked into sandwiches and cakes, albeit with restricted choice owing to food rationing. I still have a photograph of the event which conveys the joy of the occasion.

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Meet Tony Gibbs’ OH (1965) Father My father and two uncles are Old Hamptonians and served during World War II. My father Alan Gordon Gibbs was at Hampton during 1933 and 1934 according to School reports that we have. During the war, he was in the Indian Army and then transferred to the long-range desert group in Egypt – a reconnaissance unit keeping tabs on enemy movement.

He was possibly transferred to the SAS until the end of the desert war, then to Italy and Crete and was involved in fighting at Monte casino.

He went to Greece by submarine. He met up with Xan Fielding who went on to become a well-known author. He also served with William Stanley Moss and Patrick Leigh Fernor – possibly in Crete. These two became famous for capturing a German general and smuggling him out of the country, made famous in the movie Ill Met by Moonlight, starring Dirk Bogarde!

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John Smith OH (1958) I was born in April 1940 and, with my father being a police officer, we spent the whole of World War II in Putney in London. The only exceptions were brief visits to the seaside village of Jaywick in Essex, where the war time beaches were littered with barbed wire. Bombers were overhead.

The War, even for a young child, was very real and very near. My Dad was out most nights. My mother had a stirrup pump and buckets of water on the landing to try to deal with fires from Incendiary bombs, used against domestic targets. Warning of air raids was given by pulsating wailing sirens.

I still tear up, even today, upon hearing such – the sound forever burned in my memory. Our house was hit on at least one occasion. I was later told that a bomb, which did not explode had demolished my cot. Fortunately, I was elsewhere.

As the War progressed, the rockets known as V1s or ‘doodlebugs’ were used by the Germans. I was old enough by then to be aware, that when their distinctive motors stopped, they would fall randomly. The fear in every one was tangible. I was bundled beneath the dining table, where a steel structure offered some protection against falling debris. The later V2s gave no such warning.

I can well remember VE day. The festoons of banners stretched between houses across our street with people hooraying and dancing everywhere.

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Meet David Merkel’s OH (1967) Father

My late father was a deputy commander of a Prisoner of War camp at Featherstone in Northumberland during the Second World War. He and two other senior officers at the camp were a part of a programme of reeducating senior Nazi officers in their charge. A couple of years ago, my family and I became aware of the extent and importance of the programme.

The Imperial War Museum now have the care of my father’s papers, including letters written after the War from former inmates acknowledging the effect of dad’s, and his colleague’s, efforts.

The letter was addressed to ‘Captain W Merkel, Featherstone Park Camp, Northumberland’ and dated 14 October 1946.

Featherstone Park was a Prisoner of War Camp. The letter’s author, Kurt Schilling, was a former Nazi officer who had just been released from the camp and returned to Germany.

‘I cannot but thank you for all the kindness and humane understanding you showed, not only to myself, but also to the other PoWs in ‘C’ compound…I myself am grateful to you and those officers like you who made my unpleasant duty much easier by their excellent understanding of the mentality of prisoners of war.’

‘Most of those British officers under the command of Colonel Vickers have done more for understanding between our two nations, by the way of treatment in the camp, than statesmanship can ever hope to achieve.’

Featherstone was one of a number of PoW camps operated in Britain to rehabilitate German soldiers, including many devoted Nazis.

What made it different from any other camp was that its key officers – Colonel Vickers, Captain Merkel and a Captain Herbert Sulzbach – were all Jewish.

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Michael West OH (1955) I was born in Shepperton at the start of the war. My dad was unfit for active service, so he served as a medical orderly in the Home Guard. Not sure which character he would have been in Dad’s Army!

He outlasted all of his contemporaries and lived to 97-years-old. I remember standing on our back step with him watching a doodlebug in the sky. He said, ‘Watch the light at the back, when it goes out the bomb may glide on or it might drop straight down so be ready to run to the shelter.’ Fortunately for us, it flew past.

We had bombs dropped close to us; as Shepperton Studios was taken over

by Vickers to assemble aircraft, it became a bombing target. One bomb hit the railway station, another missed our primary school by about 60 metres.

It left a huge crater which became a favourite playground for many years. I remember VE Day and the big street party with red, white and blue crepe paper streamers and rosettes. A massive bonfire at the crossroads with a lifelike effigy of Hitler hanged from a lamp post. Bombs, blackout, gas masks, rationing, tough times, but they taught us appreciation and resilience.

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William (Bill) Stewart OH (1935) Bill was studying to be a chartered accountant when World War II broke out. He served in France, India and Burma during the war. He reached the rank of Major and was awarded the OBE and MBE after his service. After 190

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old hamptonians’ chronicle the war, he was involved with the War Graves Commission. He lived in Penang, Solomon Islands – 5 years helping the Church of Melanasia – before moving to New Zealand and settling on Waiheke Island.

I attended Windmill Road Primary School, where air raid shelters replaced the playground. During raids, we fled to them and were taught to crochet which offered a distraction from explosions, bomb shrieks and shudders.

He made his final move to Port Macquarie where he was happy to spend his time with cryptic crosswords and a weekly visit to the Port Macquarie Bowling Club.

Later on the in the War we would use street shelters, then the Morrison sheet of steel to sleep under. They offered protection against falling masonry but not from gas and fire.

He was survived by his wife of 62 years Jeanne, 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.

I remember sojourns in West Wales. We travelled by steam train: there was no electricity nor running water, we cooked on the fire and there was no toilet paper. My job: to cut up newspapers, hung on the outhouse nail.

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Gerald Holmes' OH (1953)

Back in London where I was at school at Hampton Grammar – I remember living through buzzbombs, butterfly bombs, shrapnel and V3 rockets to victory.

A siren. The War’s begun.

1939/40 changed my life radically. I was four-years-old. Wartime, yes. But, it was the year that my parents split up. Two court cases awarded me to mother. In anger, father sold the house. We were on the streets. Mother found rooms, which are still there, 115 Uxbridge Road in Hampton Hill.

Mother was conscripted to munitions, first Vickers-Armstrong, then General Aircraft, where she became a welder on the Wellington bomber.

When they bombarded Berlin, she proudly said, “That’s my work.”

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OH sports

Old Hamptonians’ Golf Society As with most other sporting activities, golf has been severely affected by the Covid-19 virus since March. Even though golf was one of the first sports to have complete lockdown restrictions relaxed, there are many rules and regulations imposed by the government that have prevented the Society from running its normal programme.

Many golf clubs have stopped accepting Society bookings altogether, some are not offering any catering, whilst others have so many rules about social distancing in place that the whole experience of a golf day out would be ruined. Thus, our 2020 programme did not start until September.

Betchworth Park October 2019 Our match at Betchworth Park Golf Club was very poorly attended for some unknown reason. We had seven members scheduled to play, then two late cancellations reduced the number to five, the lowest turnout that I can ever recall.

Despite the low attendance, we enjoyed a good afternoon on this delightful parkland course lying below Box Hill.

The winner was Toby Drinkwater OH (1998), who scored a very creditable 32 points off his handicap of 9. Our captain, Keith Lambert OH (1975), came second with 31 points. It was nice to see Roger Severn OH (1974) again after a long absence from society events.

Strawberry Hill December 2019 As usual, our Christmas match was held locally at Strawberry Hill Golf Club: a very short 9-hole course, allowing us to easily play an 18-hole Stableford competition in the morning, and a 9-hole team Texas Scramble in the afternoon. Twelve golfers turned out for the day, which, although a reasonable number, was less than normal.

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Yet again the winner of the Stableford, and maintaining his invincibility, was Toby Drinkwater OH (1998), with an excellent 42 points. Runner-up was Martin Read OH (1972) with 40 points, whilst front 9 was won by Steven Wood OH (1969) with 20 points, and back 9 by Terry Atkinson OH (1963) with 21 points.

The afternoon Texas Scramble was won by the team of Bob Hudson, Toby Drinkwater OH (1998), Rob Ford OH (1974), and Martin Read OH (1972) with a net score of 29, 3 under par.

After the match, we enjoyed the usual full Christmas dinner in the clubhouse, where we were delighted to be joined for the meal by Mike Savage OH (1951). Prizegiving followed the dinner. As well as prizes for the match, we also presented Toby Drinkwater with two additional trophies: Round of the Year for his 42 points at Strawberry Hill, and the ‘Race to Strawberry Hill’ cup that is given to the member who has the best aggregate score for four of the society’s matches in a calendar year. Toby won it by a street!

Bramley GC September 2020 We had to wait until September for our first match this year. We enjoyed a very successful day at Bramley Golf Club, where we played our annual match against Old Kingstonians and Old Cranleighans.

old hamptonians’ chronicle The course was in a decent condition after the extremely dry summer, and we just about managed to complete the golf before rain came in. Despite Covid-19 restrictions inside the clubhouse, we enjoyed a good meal of fish and chips afterwards.

There were various trophies at stake on the day, with inter society competitions between ourselves and OKs, OKs v OCs, and an inaugural trophy for the overall winner. Scoring was incredibly close, but we just managed to squeak a win, with a team score of 211 Stableford points against 210 for OKs and 208 for OCs – 7 players per team completing. This meant that we retained the ‘Across the River’ trophy against OKs while also scooping the new ‘Triangular Trophy’ between all three societies.

Further glory was enjoyed by Keith Lambert OH (1975), who had the overall best individual score of 37 points -in fact, he was the only player to better his handicap. Kevin Bell and Bob Hudson both scored a very creditable 32 points, Kevin just winning the society runner-up prize on countback.

Alas, our joy at this success was slightly spoiled by the knowledge that Steve Carleton OH (1971) had to quit his round after five holes due to feeling very unwell, and was subsequently taken to Guildford Hospital for treatment.

Martin Read OH (1972), Secretary

Old Hamptonians’ Cricket Club OHACC Chairman's Message The season we thought would be called a ‘dead ball’ turned into a ‘free hit’ and a quite remarkable 66 scheduled fixtures in 11 weeks in various guises.

Friendlies, The AJ Fordham Surrey Championship and Fuller’s Brewery Covid Cup, The Surrey Slam and The U21 Surrey Trust League all provided many opportunities for our members to play at a number of different standards.

President’s Day was a great success and saw many OHs flock back to play and spectate as Jim Reid OH (1992) captained – not batted! – the President’s XI to victory over the Secretary’s XI, skippered by Matt Bendelow OH (2004).

The Brian Gray Memorial 6s was competed in by many and exuded much excitement and frivolity, including Zac Goodwill OH (2017) winning the brotherly battle to become Player of the Day. It was one of the first opportunities to sample Hampton School Catering, which allowed the organisers to fret less and participants to enjoy the day even further.

The season was also a chance for new, young captains – First and Second XIs – in Toby Godfray OH (2016) and Harry Mayes OH (2015) to learn about their responsibilities in preparation for a ‘normal’ season in 2021. There is a vivid confidence that the club should be playing in the higher echelons of the Surrey Championship pyramid, and the route to progression must be clear.

The Young Player of the Year, Max Cooper OH (2019) was rewarded with a place in the First XI after many good bowling performances in the Second XI and Trust team. He was chased down for the award by one of the best fielders we have had the pleasure to play with: Tim Wallace OH (2019), who scored heavily in the Second XI and, of course, the Surrey Slam! He will have eyes on the First XI next season.

The OHACC Executive Committee are committed to ensuring short, medium and long-term planning to the section, so that young players have the opportunity to play and progress whilst the club continues to build and remain financially secure. The social side of the club remains one its most positive attributes, as is noted by all members and visitors, during a Saturday afternoon and into the evening.

We managed a Covid-secure short season after the quizzes, storytelling and goodness knows what else during the socialising of lockdown. Thanks are offered to Clubman of the Year and Secretary Matt Bendelow for his outstanding contribution to the season, Tressa Wright as Bar and Pavilion

Manager, all the captains and, of course, the members for always playing their part.

We look forward to training in the winter at The Oval and School.

Brick by brick.

Richard Brown OH (2005) Club Chairman

First XI The 2020 cricket season has been unique in a number of forms. Adjusting to the ‘new normal’ was no different in the world of cricket and, admittedly a challenge, but after Boris – eventually – gave the green light, everyone was just relieved to be putting the whites on again.

The OH First, Second, Third and Fourth XIs were drawn in a one-off ‘local’ league that was set up, with no promotion nor relegation – and a new testament’s worth of safety precautions from the ECB to adhere to! These leagues commenced in late July, the Saturday following our notable cleansweep against Walton in a set of pre-season friendlies.

Our league form was positive; four wins were marred by back-to-back losses against Kempton and Hampton Hill, though valuable in highlighting our batting group had to become more dynamic and purposeful.

The nature of the season thus presented us with a unique opportunity to experiment in perhaps ways that we usually would not. A few fresh faces – some especially fresh – joined the First XI squad, starting with Tim Wallace OH (2019). Known for his ESFA-final heroics, Tim quickly established himself as a more-than-able cricketer. Though the mention of his name currently gets met with ‘Grommit’ or ‘the best fielder in the club’, next year his target must be ‘the best all-rounder in the club’.

Max Cooper OH (2019) similarly impressed. With no teas allowed this summer, the First XI introduced a ‘Man of the Match’ sandwich policy – self-explanatory. Rewarded for his debut burst, Coops’ sandwich order of sirloin on sourdough – toasted with mayo on outside – Dijon, rocket, and caramelised onions says a lot about him: he will always take the brave option, and loves a big piece of calf.

Jack Berg OH (2020) meanwhile asserted himself as the first-choice keeperbat in his first real run of games for the club, and Matt Avant-Smith the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle (current) took further strides in establishing himself as a frontline spinner, batsman, and brunch connoisseur. Joe Wheeler OH (2019) saved the best until last, with 50* and 4-24 in the final league game against Ashford.

We continued with our policy of throwing younger guys in the deep end and fast-tracking their development into men’s cricket. We similarly experimented with new tactics and plans, and often put additional pressure on ourselves in a bid to grow what is a young team at its core. In terms of balance, we have religiously selected a five-man bowling attack that included at least one left-arm quick, Ciaran Doley and Jamie Morley OH (2016) and our spin twins Rob Bentley OH (2016) and Richard Brown OH (2005) – a long time ago now. Such a multidimensional unit has allowed us to attack teams and mount pressure for long periods with ball in hand.

Richard Brown OH (2005) himself continues to be set the precedent, with a consistent string of performances. Returning 14 wickets at an

average of 13, Brownie has bowled beautifully. Tim Walker OH (2010) has found his own opening the batting, averaging 37, in often trying conditions and totally epitomising the chest-out, ‘glass half-full’ way we wish to play our cricket. Tim’s batting compliments that of Sharjeel Butt OH (1989), whose ability to take on the opposition bowlers and swing momentum our way is invaluable and infectious. Indeed, we would not be able to try things out as we have without the bedrock of these experienced players, but also the hard work we have all put in the last three years or so as a club to implement a strong brand of cricket that filters right through the club. We continue to play hard but fair, and the number of young players making big strides in their game is exciting.

Upon finishing the league season four points off top spot, we take on Surrey Prem champions, East Molesey, hoping our recent pattern of turning up against the big clubs long continues! Follow our Twitter page to find out the result…

Back Row: Tim Walker OH (2010), Jack Rosser, Jamie Morley OH (2015), Joe Wheeler OH (2019), Ben Dowse OH (2016), Raza Mughal, Richard Brown OH (2005) | Front Row: Sharjeel Butt, Adam Lee OH (2018), Toby Godfray OH (2016) (c), Rob Bentley OH (2015)

England, Max Cooper. Our next game against Kempton is probably best forgotten, and probably best remembered for a 50 from Max Cooper at number eight.

Second XI Taking over the captaincy from Tom Hunter OH (2004) was never going to be an easy task. Fortunately, I was surrounded by a team of excellent cricketers and even better blokes, making my debut season as captain a thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable one.

The season began with a win against local rivals Walton, who sit two divisions above us and have a number of old Hamptonians themselves. A solid batting performance, with contributions from George Gregory OH (2017), Max Vyvyan OH (2017) and a superb 50 from Matthew Bendelow OH (2004) got us up to 200. Our bowling attack led by Max ‘Calves’ Cooper OH (2019), Ciaran ‘Dozza’ Doley and Kavi ‘The Marmot’ Bhasin OH (2015), was too good for them.

A washout against Egham followed, before a convincing win over Hampton Hill. This was set up by a nice 67 from Imran ‘The Rash’ Rashid, before a maiden 5-wicket haul for the man with the biggest calves in South East 194

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I am very happy to report that I was regularly fielding a side with nine genuine Old Hamptonians, showing that the link with the school is as strong as ever. This was clearly demonstrated in our next game against Newdigate CC where Julian Poulter OH (1981) was playing alongside a current Hamptonian and First XI player in Matt Avant-Smith.

We then played Staines and Laleham, with Sam “The Boat” Osborn, who had been the most reliable bowler all year, taking a very memorable hat trick as we bowled them out for 89 and won by nine wickets.

Following this, we had a very good win against Chertsey, with runs and wickets shared around. A loss, away at Ashford, was a disappointing end to the league season, but it was nice to see debuts for Tom Philipson OH (2015) and Tim Wallace OH (2019).

old hamptonians’ chronicle Our final game would be a friendly against Premier league side East Molesey. After winning the toss again (8/8), we bowled first and they racked up 222 in 30 overs. Incredibly, we knocked them off with four balls left after a brilliant 70 from Wallace and contributions from Elmo, Cooper, Basin and Mayes.

What a finish – roll on 2021!

Back Row: Ollie George OH (2017), James Vyvyan OH (2018), Paul Carson OH (1999), James Scowen OH (1992), Zac Goodwill OH (2017), Chris Madoc-Jones OH (2010), James Wilson Front Row: James Osborne OH (2017), Julian Poulter OH (1981), Sufyan Khan (c), George Blair OH (2010)

Back Row: Chris Madoc-Jones OH (2010), Neil Lizieri OH (2002), George Gregory OH (2017), Elliot Morley OH (2013), Sam Osborn, Max Cooper OH (2019), Matt Avant-Smith Front Row: Tim Wallace OH (2019), Max Vyvan OH (2017), Harry Mayes OH (2015) (c), Kavi Bhasin OH (2015)

Third XI A strange year it has been. For a variety of reasons, cricket has felt both unimportant and a relief from it all at the same time. A truncated season, with nothing to play for in terms of promos or relegations might have made availability a real challenge – not for the OH Third XI. In some ways, it did not appear to be a regular Third XI, as we had a whole host of young blood and regular Second XI players available to play Third XI cricket on a semi-regular basis. The club management deserves a lot of credit for this upwards trajectory in fortunes where a competitive, yet nurturing and friendly environment has been created for the young men leaving the school.

Most matches were won comfortably. The only one that really challenged us and indeed felt like would be the only loss of the season was against Englefield Green CC. We won the toss, batted and put on 178 as a target in 40 overs for the top of the table clash. Things did not start well for us in the field and, at the half-way mark, they needed 53 to win from 20 overs with seven wickets remaining.

What followed is an unforgettable passage of play where we created seven events that changed the course of the match and we won by three runs with half a dozen overs still left to be bowled. Beating a First XI, strong side from a much older and established club in the fashion that we did will stay in memory for us all – for a very long time. This win secured as the title of our mini Covid-impacted league.

Special mentions for Julian Poulter OH (1981) aka uncle Jules, George Blair OH (2010) and Jack Rosser with the bat. James Vyvyan OH (2018), Daniel Anders and Tom Phillipson OH (2015) with the ball.

Fourth XI The Covid-affected season presented a lot of challenges, but also offered the Fourth XI a unique opportunity with their first foray into league cricket.

The season started strongly with a comfortable win against Walton, in a preseason friendly. This was followed by two more solid victories against Egham and Hampton Hill, in the latter of these games Ollie Phillips OH (2018) came out with the staggering figures of 6.2-2-10-7 in what was a stellar season for him.

Our next game at Kempton was to prove our toughest test yet of the season.

Chasing 174 to win on a dodgy deck, our top order faltered for the first time in the season. An excellent 72 from Alex Brown OH (2017) was supported by a battling 29 from Nicky Bird. However, after they both fell we needed 28 from the last wicket partnership of Ollie Phillips OH (2018) and Anant Srinivasta. Against all the odds, they pulled it off and saw us home with an over to spare, leaving us three from three.

We backed up this win the next week with a demolition of Englefield Green Second XI, bowling them out for 87 after making 209. Ollie Fletcher was the pick of the bowling, taking 5/17. A friendly win against Putney filled our bye week in the league and we recorded a big win against Chertsey, by 194 runs, in the next week’s penultimate league fixture. This left us needing just three bonus points in our last league game to secure the league, against Ashford.

However, the Fourth XI hate doing things the easy way and we were rusty from the off, conceding our biggest total of the year of 206/6. It was 207 to win or 175 runs needed for the bonus points to secure the title.

However, our top order struggled for only the second time in the season and, in truth, we flattered an average bowling line-up. When the ninth wicket fell we were on just 131-9, needing 44 more for the bonus points to win the league. Anant Srinivasta then played one of the all-time great Fourth XI knocks, as he struck 41 off 30 balls, with skipper Michael Godsmark OH (2017) able to survive at the other end. The leaguewinning runs were secured with a two from the captain, much to the delight of the watching crowd. We eventually fell 22 runs short of the target, for our only loss of the season, but showed real spirit at the end to secure the league. the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Thanks to everyone who played for the Fourth XI this year, especially Alex Wilson and Nicky Bird, who were there for every game. Thanks also to all three Searles and Jamie Lashley OH (2017) for his key death bowling in the two closest matches of the year. There were a lot of contenders for POTY with the James brothers at the top of the order, Dhillon Dodhia’s flair with the bat and Ollie Phillips’ exceptional season with the ball. However, in the end, it was fan favourite Anant Srinivasta who bowled exceptionally all season and then came good twice with the bat in 11th wicket partnerships.

Bring on 2021!

Back Row: Joe Dunlop, Rich Searle, Will Perkins OH (2017), Chris Hillman, Dave Ryan, Alex Brown OH (2017) Front Row: Steven Das OH (2016), Stefan Rampersad, Nick Powell OH (2017) (c), Roshan Hehar OH (2019), Owen Searle

U21 Lions The U21 Lions experienced another successful and enjoyable season with plenty learnt and lots of good cricket being played. Whilst we at times struggled getting out the allotted five U18s every week, we did our best and certainly saw great improvements amongst many of our younger players. We beat some big Surrey clubs with a far greater pool of players to choose from, including convincing wins over Valley End, Worcester Park and Walton, who we beat home and away.

Fifth XI The OHCC Fifth XI had a landmark first full season in 2020. Despite not being able to start until late July, we ultimately fielded more XIs than the Third XI did just four years ago in an unrestricted campaign. This demonstrates the enormous progress by the club in such a short time period.

A brilliant 79* from Harry Short OH (2019) helped us win our first game of the season, when we were known as the ‘Sixth XI’, with Anoop Jaijee OH (1999) captaining the official Fifth XI to a comfortable win over Hampton Hill Fifth XI, while we defeated East Molesey Seventh XI. The following week, we earned a dramatic one-wicket win against Hampton Wick Royal's Fourth XI. 30* from Nick Powell OH (2017) helped us over the line after Hugo Chambre hit 40 and Dave Ryan and Louis Woods opened the batting solidly, following a great spell of spin bowling from the latter.

We had a very disciplined bowling performance against Valley End, with the quartet seam attack of Dowse, Minshull, Cooper and Doley doing the damage with off-spinner Phillipson tying them down at the other end. Runs from Wallace and Godfray saw us home with ease.

Wickets from James Osborne OH (2017) and George Gregory OH (2017) helped us defend a below par 126 at home to Walton and a 114 run opening stand from Max Vyvyan OH (2017) and Ollie George OH (2017) saw us to a 9-wicket victory in the return fixture.

Worcester Park proved a tough test, but runs from Adam Lee OH (2018) and a superb knock of 89 from the youthful Tim Walker OH (2010) put us in pole position, before youngsters Owen Searle, Kyle Seth and Joe Dunlop helped the young Lions to a 120-run victory.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable year and we look forward to taking this side even further in the upcoming years.

Two battling innings from Arya Kalifa OH (2019) and Roshan Hehar OH (2019) helped us to a draw against St James CC, with Oli Taylor's 4* off 54 balls also instrumental. Taylor then hit 31 in a defeat against Bank of England Fourth XI the week after, a match where youngster Joe Dunlop flourished with 4 wickets and 21 quick runs.

Rich Searle, whose sons Ewan and Owen both produced fine performances with the ball throughout the season, scored 35 as we chased down 105 against Hampton Hill's Fifth XI. Top wicket takers Will Perkins OH (2017) and Steffan Rampersad were amongst the wickets as they had been so often this season, as well as Paul Wilkinson OH (2020) and Ola Onabulu.

A narrow defeat against Hampton Wick – once again in an exciting chase – would conclude our season, but ultimately it has been one to savour.

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Back Row: Adam Lee OH (2018), Ciaran Doley, Ben Dowse OH (2016), Max Cooper OH (2019), Luke Minshull OH (2017), Tom Phillipson OH (2015) Front Row: Nick Powell OH (2017), Toby Godfray OH (2016), Max Vyvyan OH (2017) (c), Paul Wilkinson OH (2020), Tim Wallace OH (2019)

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With the significant delays that 2020 experienced, there were fears that there would not be much cricket beyond the truncated Saturday ‘league’ campaign. However, those fears were put firmly behind us as confirmation of the Midweek Surrey Slam came through. We were put into one of the larger groups in the competition alongside a couple of Surrey’s giants, namely Weybridge, East Molesey, Walton, Hampton Hill and Kempton.

We were informed that we would have to top that group to progress. Gulp.

The semi-final of the whole of Surrey was next as we travelled to Finals Day at Horsley and Send to face the Effingham Ships. We bowled first and did well to restrict them to 163 on a good pitch with a fast outfield.

Especially impressive due to a dubious start and some lapsing in standards of our fielding. As the chase started, it was evident it would go to the wire; the Hampton Lions got themselves into a winning position a few times before losing wickets at crucial moments. Max Vyvyan’s OH (2017) 34 the pick of our innings and with 15s and 20s scattered around we ended up needing 6 off the last ball, ultimately losing by 5 runs to the eventual winners.

Our campaign started away at Hampton Hill, where a rusty bowling performance left us a chase of 160 despite 3 wickets for Tom Phillipson OH (2015) on Slam debut. The chase, however, never looked in doubt as another debutant, Tim Wallace OH (2019) smashed 53* and ably supported by the middle order set it up for James Meadows to crunch the winning runs.

Overall, it was a season to be extremely proud of for the Midweek XI – Hampton Lions – a very high standard of cricket played exclusively in the right spirit, which was commented on my oppositions throughout. Shoutouts to Tim Wallace OH (2019) and Zac Goodwill OH (2017) for leading our batting and bowling leaderboards.

Our second game saw us host Weybridge, who could only muster 154 on a good deck despite only losing 4 wickets. Elliott Morley was the pick this time, with only 8 runs coming off his 4 overs. The chase, again, never looked in doubt as more runs at the top for Wallace and James Vyvyan OH (2018) left Chris Madoc-Jones OH (2010) with a lovely platform to propel us to a win in rapid time.

It has been a pleasure captaining the side this year – back stronger in 2021!

Surrey Slam

Next for the Slammers was Kempton. Again, bowling first, we were getting better with the ball, Adam Lee’s OH (2018) 1-17 with the new ball and at the death was the pick this time. Our chase was again comfortable, Neil Lizieri OH (2002) and Wallace getting us off to another flyer with Max Vyvyan’s OH (2017) smart 32* seeing us over the line.

Our fourth game had us hosting the other unbeaten team in the group, East Molesey. A very good bowling performance first up saw us chasing only 135 to win. Morley with 3-fer at the top was backed up by Zac Goodwill OH (2017), Mikey Godsmark OH (2017) and James Osborne OH (2017) with 2 wickets a piece in the middle and at the end. The chase was again looking comfy, as our top 3 of Wallace, JVyvyan and MVyvyan again fired. A significant collapse saw it go to the wire, but George Blair OH (2010) stood firm for the pals and saw us go 4/4.

We batted first in our fifth game, the openers – clearly used to chasing – shared only 2 runs between then. Fortunately, 40-odd from Lizieri, George Gregory OH (2017) and Joe Wheeler OH (2019) got us up to a mammoth 198 off our 20. A well-rounded bowling performance saw us beat Walton by 70 runs.

Our tightest group game was our last. Again, we batted first; we struggled to start, but contributions from Madoc-Jones and Toby Godfray OH (2016) got us up to a defendable total. Under real pressure for the first time, our bowling group really stood up. Sam Osborn, Dan Anders, Goodwill, Patrick Ardill OH (2018), Ciaran Doley and Wheeler all terrific. The captain’s solitary over will go unmentioned.

All this led us through to the round of 16 against Whitley Village, again at Dean Road. Back to bowling first, it was pretty comfortable throughout for the pals. A brilliant bowling performance saw Whitley rolled for 104, Morley and Osborne with 3 apiece and the rest of the unit bowling tightly.

Our tricky start with the bat meant that Morley’s rapid 42* supported brilliantly by Gregory for 30* was very much appreciated.

The quarter-final loomed against Ashford and, having been inserted, our batting card made for amusing reading. 0, 50* from Wallace, 0, 50* from Gregory, 0 was our top 5’s offering. A rapid finish from Lee and Wheeler saw us up and above 190. A decent bowling performance, led by Goodwill’s 3-19 and backed up by 3 run outs in the field saw us advance to Finals Day by 50 runs.

Back Row: Daniel Anders, Adam Lee OH (2018), Elliot Morley OH (2013), Neil Lizieri OH (2002), George Gregory OH (2017), Zac Goodwill OH (2017) Front Row: James Meadows, Max Vyvyan OH (2017), James Osborne Oh (2017) (c), Tom Phillipson OH (2015), Tim Wallace OH (2019)

President’s Day Sunday 2 August saw the second iteration of newly established President's Day and, in a change from 2019, it was held as an all-internal affair.

The President – with the help of a handful of notable former players – took on a Secretary's XI with four of the five Saturday captains also in the playing sides. A tightly contested event was eventually decided on the penultimate ball of the game, fittingly ended by the Chairman, Richard Brown OH (2005), hitting the winning runs.

Contributions across the day from Julian Poulter OH (1981), Matthew Bendelow OH (2004) and Sufyan Khan were the standouts, but the most encouraging aspect was the number of familiar faces that were seen at Dean Road over the course of the afternoon.

This is a fixture that the committee hopes will continue to build over the coming years – an excellent second edition with a third instalment already in the planning! the lion

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Old Hamptonians’ Football Club Despite the season prematurely concluding due to lockdown, the First XI were top of the AFC Premier Division and in two cup finals. There is hope that these matches will be played once the new season commences.

The Second XI remain in the second tier of the AFC. This means that the OHFC are one of only three clubs in the combination – the largest set of men’s leagues in Europe – to have two teams in the top two divisions. This creates a great level of competitiveness and also helps to raise the standard of play.

The Third XI continues to enjoy a large squad and is enjoying some strong results.

We are also delighted that the renovation of the OH Clubhouse, gives us with some of the best facilities in the league with refurbished changing rooms and shower facilities, along with an upgraded food menu available for both home and away players.

Alex Kennewell OH (2008)

Old Hamptonians’ Rugby The Old Hamptonians’ Rugby Club managed half of the 2019/2020 season before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the remaining games of the season cancelled, the club finished in 3rd place in Surrey 4.

Throughout the year, the club stuck to their renowned free-flowing style of rugby, which resulted in some runaway wins at home on the 3G and some tight away games on slightly less-than-flat pitches.

Notable wins came at home over league winners Croydon and two wins over Reigate, including a last-minute game winning try from Greg King OH (2013) away in the mud. The 70-12 victory at home against Reigate was a remarkable performance, in particular as all three Jones brothers – Mark OH (2000), Andy OH (1997) and Chris OH (1995) – played in the game.

Nick Cooke OH (1986) remains the elder statesmen of the club, putting in fine performances wherever he is asked to play. At the other end of the spectrum, it was good to see a number of more recent OHs turn out for the club.

Hopefully there will be rugby this season and the motley crew of Old Hamptonian rugby players will be ready. We will keep you updated as to when our fixtures are able to start and we hope, at least, to see many of you at the Chris Mapletoft Festival of Rugby, which we hope to host in March 2021.

As always, new players are always welcome, please contact Club Captain Nick Powell OH (2017), if you would like to get involved.

The club finished the season with seven wins and a draw out of eleven and will hopefully get a chance to vie for promotion this year.

Nick Powell OH (2017)

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Old Hamptonian Lodge Many Hamptonians will know that the School has its own masonic lodge, founded in 1938 and still going strong. It is one of 270 or so university and school lodges and was a founder member of the Federation of School Lodges in 1947.

The Lodge has a strong relationship with the School and has sponsored the prize for social service for many years. The Lodge’s first new member was, indeed, the then Head, ‘Bossy’ Mason.

There are especially strong links with Oxford and Cambridge Universities’ Lodges, and OH is one of the ‘recipient’ London lodges welcoming members when they leave university.

Freemasonry is one of the oldest charitable organisations in the world, tracing its roots back to the medieval stonemasons who built our castles and cathedrals. Members are drawn from across society, but there are a range of ‘celebrity’ figures: monarchs; scientists, such as Sir Alexander Fleming of Penicillin fame; statesmen, including Winston Churchill and many Founding Fathers of the United States; entertainers, such as Harry Houdini; and many who made huge contributions to the arts, from Scottish national hero Robert Burns, to jazz legend Nat King Cole and painter William Hogarth.

Membership of our Lodge has always been open to ‘sons and friends of Hampton School’. Indeed, we are proud that, over the years, we have attracted a good percentage of our membership from that wider demographic of ‘friends’, notably staff and parents.

Membership continues to grow; recent new members have included not only a Hampton teacher but two from other

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schools! Meetings for many years were in Staines, but a recent transfer to the HQ at Covent Garden proved to be a wise decision; we meet on four Saturday afternoons a year, followed by a splendid dinner at the Heliot Steak House – and later, for those with the stamina, there is a nightcap at the Oxford and Cambridge Club!

We still drink a formal toast to Dr Samuel Hemming, a former Headmaster of the School, who was a central player in the formulation of modern Freemasonry, early in the nineteenth century.

In common with similar groups, due to the pandemic, our physical meetings have been put on hold. But masonry is more than just the camaraderie. To make a rather obvious point – to the cognoscenti that is! – many hundreds of thousands of Freemasons are quietly getting on with something they believe in fervently and are rather good at: charitable work and care for their fellow human beings.

Masonry is not a religion and it is not a secret society; but, it is a considerable step beyond social media: a sharing of likemindedness, respect for values of truth and charity that seem to have become almost displaced in the world we rush through today. And, our big bonus is the strong bond with the School.

We particularly encourage interest from recent Hampton alumni and others keen to engage in the community. If you want to learn more – even better, if you are seriously thinking of joining – please do email us at secretary@oldhamptonian.org

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OBITUARIES Anthony Reginald Burningham OH (1955)

mid-90s, he went to the New Orleans Jazz festival and, even though there were many different types of music going on in different venues, he could not be budged from the jazz tent where he was ‘in heaven’.

Tony is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren.

Dr Sharif Hossain OH (1996)

Anthony Reginald Burningham – Tony, also known as ‘The Prof ’ and ‘ARaB’ – was born in Brentford, London to Reginald and Frances Burningham in October 1937 and passed away in Canberra, Australia in July 2019, due to complications from dementia. He was the middle child of three with an older sister Rosemary and a younger brother Terence.

As a young child, he won a scholarship to Hampton Grammar School, where he earned a school colour in athletics. Once he finished school, he left home to attend the University of Nottingham, where he graduated with an Honours degree in Industrial Chemistry. During his school years, his three passions were boxing, the discus and the sea scouts. As a boxer, he won a number of amateur titles and represented England and, as a discus-thrower, he attempted to qualify for the Olympics.

He commenced his working life at the Richard Thomas & Baldwins Ltd Iron Works in Ebbw Vale in South Wales. While there, he also represented Wales in boxing.

In 1960, he emigrated to Australia, following the love of his life – Janet – and started working at the Newcastle steelworks. He then moved down to the Port Kembla steelworks in Wollongong where he worked for the next 15 years.

In 1962, he married Janet and they set up house in Wollongong, where his two sons were born.

He continued with his love of boxing during this time and represented NSW. As he grew older, he started coaching boxing at local gyms for a number of years, giving something back to the sport he loved.

After leaving the steelworks, Tony undertook a number of different jobs before finally settling down as a taxi driver in Sydney, which he did for 25 years. It was hard work but he supported his family well. Although he never loved it, taxi driving allowed Tony to do one of the things he loved, as, although he was a private person, he loved to chat to people and driving the taxi gave him the opportunity to talk to people and find out a bit about them. He would often have an interesting story about someone he had driven somewhere, using his encyclopaedic knowledge of Sydney’s streets to get around without a map or a GPS. Tony remained a proud Englishman to his dying day and, even after having lived in Australia for over 50 years, he still supported whatever English or Great British team may be touring Australia.

He was always proud of the education he had received and wore his university blazer and tie at special events. It was one of his last wishes that the Hampton Grammar School song be played at his funeral service. In his happy moments, he could be heard humming and singing it.

Tony loved being at home, spending time with his family, sitting relaxing doing a crossword or reading, but he also enjoyed travelling with his wife and friends. They travelled to the US, China, South Africa, India, Vietnam and Cambodia.

They even managed a return to the UK, though it was somewhat confusing as his memory had started to deteriorate at that stage. In his later years, he even managed to enjoy a couple of cruises where he could enjoy reading, and eating without any constraints.

Tony loved music in all forms, but primarily jazz was his thing; when he visited America in the the lion

Throughout his time at Hampton, Sharif accomplished many feats.

Excelling academically, winning various prize's and trophies in Senior Prize Giving, having an unbeaten partnership at various Bridge tournaments, forming a successful and awardwinning Young Enterprise team – that sold CD clocks – as well as editing and producing The Lion in his last year. He was the model pupil that others aspired to be. He formed great relationships with all of his fellow pupils and was highly respected by all of his teachers.

In his final years at Hampton, it became apparent to him that he enjoyed helping people from all walks of life. This included helping the elderly and less able from Service Volunteers as well as patients in hospitals from his work experience at various London NHS hospitals. This put Sharif in good stead for pursuing a career in medicine.

After obtaining 5 As in his A Levels at Hampton, he was accepted at King’s College London, where he successfully completed his medical degrees, MBBS, BSc. After university Sharif became a General Practitioner. He settled down in Kent, serving Medway and the surrounding communities

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old hamptonians’ chronicle through GP surgeries and charitable causes such as the British Heart Foundation.

Just like his time at Hampton, he was a friend to all of his colleagues and respected by his patients alike. A great loss to his family, friends and his local community; Sharif ’s unequivocal impact on the wellbeing of others will never be forgotten.

Gone far too soon and missed by all. Rest in peace Sharif.

Feroze Hossain OH (1999)

Robin Martin OH (1962) 22 August 1944 - 3 June 2020

When he was 16, like many others then, he learned to ride a motorbike. Many happy holidays followed with friends, usually riding around Cornwall. Initially, they stayed in tents but progressed to caravans and then rented cottages. Much fun was had by all.

There were many teenage parties then. Music was played, there was dancing and even alcohol consumption. At one party, Robin introduced a young lady to Mick Stannard when he was 18, and she has now been Mick’s wife for over 50 years.

Robin also loved cars. One of his early cars was a large black Wolesley, similar to most police cars at that time. It was always easy for him to overtake as the car in front always slowed down when they saw a large black Wolesley coming up behind them. He retained his enthusiasm for cars all his life.

After leaving Hampton, Robin worked for a short time in a local horticultural business and this confirmed his interest in gardening and farming.

He gained a place at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester where he studied farming, and his interest in farming continued for the rest of his life.

Robin and some of our OH group first met at school when we were seven, the others when we all started at Hampton at 11. During all of that time, nearly 70 years for some, Robin was a good and true friend, somebody who would give good advice and help when necessary.

Robin was born in Colchester, staying with his grandparents until his father returned from the war. They then moved back to Hampton, where his father ran the pharmacy and chemist shop for many years. Many OHs who lived in Hampton remember the shop and Robin’s father.

At Hampton, with the formidable G J N Whitfield as Headmaster, we all had an education that changed our lives forever. Many of us also remained friends forever, keeping in touch and meeting as often as possible. Robin was an integral part of this.

Robin played a full part in life at Hampton where he was a keen scout and a member of the Boat Club, initially as a cox although he quickly outgrew this role. On reflection, these activities were probably early signs of his lifelong love of the outdoor world.

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After graduating, he joined J Gibbs Agricultural Engineers where he became Sales Manager responsible for selling large agricultural equipment to farmers and land owners, over a wide area. He obtained an HGV licence so he could demonstrate and deliver equipment to his many customers. One of these was HM The Queen who he met at Windsor several times.

When Gibbs closed in 1997, he was snapped up

by Ernest Doe Agricultural Engineers in Esher, where he remained as Sales and Branch Manager until he retired. He continued to sell and deliver new equipment to the farming and land-owning community in Surrey and beyond. There was nothing he liked better than driving a huge shiny new tractor along Esher High Street and then delivering it to a farmer in rural Surrey. He said he had to do the deliveries because, despite having a large number of staff working for him, he was the only one with an HGV licence.

More remarkable was that everybody who met him, including all his customers and staff, regarded Robin as a friend. Typical is the owner of a well-known local farm and garden centre who said that Robin convinced him to buy a tractor from him in 1997 and they have been friends ever since. All of his business went to Robin after that first sale.

Ernest Doe also sell and service gardening equipment and tools, so almost all of the local gardening contractors were Robin’s clients and friends, as were many of the local house owners in

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places like Esher and Oxshott where there are many very large gardens. One lady complained that the ride on mower he sold her did not cut the twigs that fell on her lawn very well. Robin replied, ‘Madam, it is a lawn mower, if you want a wood cutter I can sell you one of these as well.’

She accepted this as she was a friend as well as a customer.

Almost every Sunday, until quite recently, he drove to a friend’s farm in rural Surrey and did whatever farm work was needed to help. He was never happier than if this involved driving a tractor or similar.

He was in Rotary for many years and organised and contributed to many charity fundraising activities over the years. He was a Mason and was Master on more than one occasion. He also had a wicked sense of humour inherited from his father. He had a wealth of jokes and was a brilliant impersonator, especially of Jethro the Cornish comedian.

Robin had three children and four grandsons. He was divorced, but never seemed to lack admirers.

He loved his visits to Barbados, all his charity work, especially the Thames Boat Project, squash, shooting and going to the gym. He packed a great deal into his life. He went to the Old Hamptonians’ Dinner almost every year, never missed one of our OH Summer Lunches and always joined in when we had a pub lunch for some special reason. An example was welcoming back OHs from our year who had travelled from Australia and New Zealand to see us, even though we last saw them well over 50 years ago.

Robin lived on his own in recent years in his lovely house with an acre of garden near Egham, where he grew fruit and vegetables. However, he was always busy and was out a lot. His house was only about 100 yards from one of the best dining pubs in Surrey where he was a regular. We met often for a leisurely pub lunch either at ‘his’ pub or elsewhere and talked for ages about anything and everything; he was always good company. We managed to fit two of these lunches in early this year before lockdown.

Robin never talked about his health unless you asked him a direct question. Several friends have said they had no idea he had been ill, he always seemed so well. In fact, in recent years he had a quintuple heart bypass, a pacemaker, and a complicated procedure to resolve an aneurism on the aorta.

He will be much missed by his family and a huge number of friends from all the many areas of his very full life.

Michael Stannard OH (1962) and Richard Burt OH (1962)

old hamptonians’ chronicle Paul Kibbey OH (1961)

what families are for” she said. “You always say that!” he replied. Paul’s family were at the heart of his life. He was always proud of his son James’ achievements, so happy when he married Anna and was a proud grandfather to Leo and Bella. It was clear to all who saw them together the joy they brought to his life. He was surrounded by photographs of them and his face lit up whenever he saw them.

John Aubrey Harrison OH (1939) 22.09.1923 – 08.12.2019

Paul was born in 1943, in Blackpool where his parents had been evacuated to. In the freezing Winter of 1947, the family moved back to London into a small flat near Kew Bridge. Paul and his twin sister Anna attended Lionel Road Primary School and then, after a move to Twickenham, Paul went on to Hampton Grammar School where he was very happy, made many friends and remained a loyal Old Hamptonian.

University years were spent at Southampton where Paul read for a degree in History and was elected Secretary of the Students’ Union, where his social and interpersonal skills came into their own.

He then had a successful career working for a number of companies in Human Resources, including industrial relations and training. The latter part of his working life was spent in career counselling, where he was able to support those facing redundancy.

People who have written to Paul’s family frequently used the words ‘kind, helpful and caring’. Others recalled him as someone who smiled a lot, was upbeat, suave and charming.

One cousin recalled him as ‘tall, handsome and gentle with super leather jackets!’. Others described him as ‘a great and funny guy, he made me laugh a lot’.

He went on to serve with 216 Squadron in Egypt, Corsica, Italy and France where amongst other things he trained with American Paratroopers. He took part in diversionary raids in preparation for the invasion of Southern France, missions that entailed flying in the dark as low as 200ft.

John later went on to serve in the Middle East, India and Africa.

Whilst in Asmara, Eritrea, John received news that his older brother Dick, had died.

Sadly, he was not allowed to return home to his funeral. Then, after the war ended, his father became seriously ill and so to allay his father’s fears for his son, John ended his flying career, but had no regrets.

John Aubrey Harrison, born in Hampton, Middlesex on 22 September 1923 went to Five Beeches Junior School, Denmead Preparatory School then, from 1935 to 1939, was educated at Hampton Grammar School.

His father and uncle, Eric and Ivan Harrison, were Senior Masters there and taught Geography, History, Religious Instruction and Music.

John’s happiest memories were performing in the school’s Gilbert & Sullivan productions.

His father was involved in productions of HMC Pinafore, The Mikado, Iolanthe and Ruddigore and the Pirates of Penzance. They contributed towards several memorable evenings of entertainment at school.

When John left Hampton Grammar at the height of WWII, he took a temporary job in Barclays Bank whilst awaiting call-up for aircrew in the RAF. He managed to successfully convince the RAF that he was 18, even though he was in fact a year younger!

During the past difficult years of living with Alzheimer’s, Paul remained uncomplaining, trusting and remarkably positive. When he moved into Rivermere in Sevenoaks two years ago, he settled very contentedly and became a favourite of many staff who described him as ‘a real gentleman, always appreciative and polite, greeting everyone with a smile and a cheery ‘Good morning’.

Recently, and not for the first time, Paul said to his sister, “You are all really good to me”. “That’s

awarded his ‘Wings’ in 1941 in the Canadian Prairie Town of Yorkton. Some of John’s most memorable exploits included, as a teenager, flying an over-laden Dakota solo without scheduled rest from Vancouver to Scotland via Greenland and Iceland, a journey that took an astonishing 22 hours.

Following initial training in Torquay and advanced training in Canada, he was the lion

On leaving the RAF, John went on to work as a Manager at British European Airways, where he was to meet and marry Shirley McGeorge; they went on to have three children: Christopher, Martin and Jane.

Taking early retirement from BEA in 1978, John went on to work for Page Engineering and a Spiritual healing Company in Sunbury-on-Thames. In 1984, John and Shirley divorced, and he went on to live in a variety of attractive areas, including Greathed Manor and Albury Park Mansion in Surrey, where he enjoyed a good quality of life.

Unfortunately, during the latter years of John’s life, he began to experience ill health and moved into a residential care home in Farnham. However, he always hoped to return back to Hampton one day and in early December 2019 successfully moved into Hampton Care Home.

On his final car journey, with his daughter Jane, John reminisced about his childhood and school days taking in all the old familiar sights with a gentle smile on his face. His new residence overlooked the Hampton reservoirs, not far from where he grew up, and in John’s own words he was happy to be back home and everything was perfect. He then peacefully passed away in his sleep, on 8 December 2019, only a few days after moving in.

John Aubrey Harrison is very much missed by all his family and friends.

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Peter Swannell OH (1957) While at the School, Peter fully immersed himself in Hampton life serving as Captain of Garrick House (1955-1957), School Prefect, Sports Editor (1956-1957) and Secretary of the Soccer Club.

Praised as an ‘all-round performer’, Swannell represented the School at high-jump many times.

He was adept at soccer and cricket and was still remembered in the latter for his ‘quality of play’, in The Lion.

He achieved a scholarship to study Engineering at the University of Bristol and on competition, accepted a lecturer position for Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham, where he was also a sub-warden of the Halls of Residence.

Alan Kearney CBE OH (1963)

known as ‘The Kearney Report’. Alan was then appointed as Station Commander of RAF Brize Norton and on completion of this tour he was awarded the CBE.

Central London in 1990, becoming part of the University of Westminster. At Harrow, he pioneered courses in computing technology and became interested in ceramics. He took early retirement and later joined the editorial group on Wikipedia, contributing significant articles on Polar exploration and classical music.

An old boy of Hampton School, Alan Kearney joined 90 Entry A Squadron at RAF Cranwell in October 1964. While sitting in the train compartment at Kings Cross, with two other young men, they deduced from their ‘haircuts’ that they had the same destination; they all ended up on 90A and remained close friends for the last 55 years.

A Co-pilot and then Captain tour on 55 Squadron Victor K1 Tankers at RAF Marham, led to a USAF Exchange post on KC135’s at Plattsburgh AFB. He returned to RAF Marham on the Victor K2, again with 55 Squadron, as a Flight Commander.

A ground tour beckoned at MOD in Operation Requirements working on the introduction to Service of the VC10 Tanker. After RAF Staff College, he moved to MOD Barnwood as a Desk Officer. On promotion, he assumed command of 216 Squadron, operating the Tristar Tanker. Alan was then appointed to the staff of the Director of Air Staff Briefings back in MOD; promoted to Group Captain, he undertook the RAF Manpower Requirements Study, which became 204

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His final tour was once again in the MOD as an assistant director in the DROW Directorate.

Retiring from the Service in 2000 at age 55, he was a key player in the Serco team working on the bid for the new wide-bodied Tanker/Transport aircraft.

Brian Boulton OH (1955) Brian was born in July 1947 and when he was seven years old, he and his brother David lived with their Aunt in Liverpool. This was at the end of World War II, and living there during that time had a profound effect on him. Despite only staying there a short time, he still considered himself as a Liverpudlian.

He qualified as a chartered accountant and later became a lecturer at Harrow College of Higher Education; this merged with the Polytechnic of

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He was much loved and leaves his wife, Barbara – they married in 1958 – a son and two daughters.

Frank Boulton OH (1952-1957)

old hamptonians’ chronicle Captain ‘Dusty’ Miller 1926-2019 Cyril Lawrence Miller OH (1944), known as ‘Dusty’ throughout his life, was born on 24 July 1926 in London. He was educated at Hampton School in Middlesex.

Like most of his generation, he was called up as soon as he left school. He was too young to join the RAF, so he enlisted in the Army and after officer training in India he was commissioned into 10GR. Volume One of the Regimental History incorrectly attributes 3/10GR’s first considerable fight with the Japanese in April 1943 to him. That contact happened three months before Dusty’s eighteenth birthday! He actually joined 3/10GR in Burma in May 1945 for the last three months of the war.

He then took part in the difficult Java campaign. He was demobbed in 1947, but his service with Gurkhas changed his life and the experience endeared him to Gurkhas thereafter. His first two cars after leaving the Army were rifle-green.

After leaving 10GR, Dusty worked for The British Bank of West Africa (BBWA) and served for some years in various parts of Nigeria. He returned to London in 1953 and spent the rest of his career as a banker in the City, ending up as a director of Standard Chartered.

He died on 2 January 2019 at the age of 92. He was married to Beryl ‘Bee’ née Kaufmann, who pre-deceased him in 2012. They had three boys: John, Peter and Christopher, who survive their parents.

We extend our condolences to them and their families.

Bill Best OH (1948) Bill Best, co-founder of the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway, near Sittingbourne in Kent, died on April 8, aged 90.

With his brother David and starting with some small diesel locomotives, they later acquired a steam locomotive ‘Bronhilde’ from Bressingham Museum in Norfolk in the late 70s. With the help of several volunteers, the line was extended over the years along with a collection of vehicles, loco and other memorabilia.

Twenty steam and diesel locomotives, along with a wide range of tractors, carts and farm equipment, became available to show and it attracted over 5000 visitors, from around the world in 2019.

William ‘Bill’ Best attended Hampton Grammar School from 1941-1946.

During the War, he spent his holidays working on nearby farm ‘camps’ and pestered the American farm contractors to teach him to drive the tractors and manage other farm machinery.

After leaving the School, he went to work on a farm in Oxfordshire, where his tractor driving skills were put to use when he was put in charge of the farm’s first tractor. His love of farming was nurtured when he moved to Blackmore in Essex for his second farming job. The owner discovered his exam results and pushed him to go to University in Newcastle to study Agriculture.

On graduating, he returned to Blackmore and was helped by his former employer to take over the council tenancy of the same farm. He married

Irene and they moved into the farm together. She was a Newcastle lass and farming life was a big shock, but they managed fine.

In 1959, he got a tenancy of a larger farm in Hockley, Essex. A lack of capital and the turbulence of farming, caused him to find a job as a Loss Adjuster in 1964. Whilst continuing to farm in Essex, his day job was in London. In his spare time, with his brothers, they restored two First World War army lorries and a 1932 Reo Coach. He was donated a ‘Bean’ car in 1968 and it took 20 years for him to restore it.

A keen member of the ‘Bean Car Club’, owning over 10 Beans at one time, the Narrow Gauge Railway Society and many others, Bill was always available to assist and support their activities whenever possible.

In 1970, him and his family, now including five sons, moved to Kent and shortly after, he gave up farming. He became a director of the Loss Adjuster firm he worked for and continued to travel into London every day. He helped many people with their careers during this time, working with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.

A friend got him hooked on skiing and they rented chalets in Austria each winter for them and work colleagues. He continued to be passionate about skiing well into his 70s. Bill retired in 1990.

He was still on his tractor cutting grass, rolling pasture and ‘assisting’ with log splitting the week before his 90th birthday, enjoying every moment he could.

His legacy is one of the country’s finest railways and collections.

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In Memoriam

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Name

Birth Date

Dates at School

Jack Avery

1936-2020

1947-1953

William Best

1930-2020

1941-1946

Brian Boulton

1937-2019

1948-1953

Anthony Burningham

1937-2020

1948-1955

Kenneth Carey

1933-2020

1945-1949

Edwin Clapton

1935-2020

1946-1951

John Claxton

1929-2020

1941-1946

William Godbold

1933-2020

1945-1950

Richard Harman

1942-2020

1953-1960

John Harrison

1923-2019

1935-1942

Bernard Herbert

1930-2020

1941-1947

Alan Kearney CBE

1945-2020

1956-1963

Paul Kibbey

1943-2020

1954-1962

Garry Kingshott

1945-2020

1958-1965

Robin Middleton

1949-2020

1960-1967

Cyril Miller

1926-2019

1937-1942

Andrew Morris

1944-2019

1955-1960

Andrew Osgood

1958-2019

1969-1976

Leonard Owen

1935-2019

1947-1952

Paul Rust

1966-2020

1978-1984

Michael Stimson

1935-2019

1946-1953

Anthony Sullens

1933-2020

1944-1949

Peter Swannell

1939-2020

1950-1957

Keith Taylor

1947-2020

1958-1965

Alan Taylor-Russell

1933-2019

1944-1951

John Troake

1931-2020

1943-1947

Andrew Wedd

1926-2020

1939-1943

Jack Wheeler

1935-2019

1946-1953

Trevor Williams

1947-2020

1958-1965

Bryce Wilder

1935-2020

1946-1953

the magazine of hampton school

2019-2020