The Lion 2018-19

LION

THE

The Lion 2018 - 2019

2018 2019

THE LION 2018-2019

SCHOOL Pages 1-33

ARTS Pages 34-76

TRIPS Pages 77-104

SPORT Pages 105-172 OLD HAMPTONIANS’ CHRONICLE Pages 173-208

Photo Credits ESFA U18 Cup Final: 353 Images and Gerry McManus Photography

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

One of Hampton’s defining features remains the distinctive blend we offer: top echelon academic achievements; one of the broadest and best sporting programmes in the country; and an especially vibrant cultural programme. Our Voices of Lions choir again proved a big hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where our dramatists also received excellent reviews for their interpretation of Moby Dick. Other highlights included the joint senior production with LEH, Crazy for You, the Sixth Form-directed All My Sons and a wide range of concerts across all musical genres.

As ever, some of the most inspiring educational experiences of 2018-19 occurred outside the classroom. Boys enriched their School lives through Chess, Model United Nations, the Genocide80Twenty project, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, Adventure Society trips, sports tours, language exchanges, CCF, the Arts Award, Young Reporters, and our thriving programme of community service activities to name but a few. I am sure that many parents, like me, wish they had been able to attend Hampton themselves!

It is always a pleasure to provide some introductory words for The Lion and this latest issue offers the reader superb entertainment. Our assiduous and talented editor, Mike Baker, has once again completed a Herculean task in compiling such an all-encompassing and vivid record of the year. Apparently, this is our most voluminous annual magazine to date and sincere thanks are due the many contributors among boys, colleagues and alumni.

2018-19 got off to a flying start with news of Hamptonians’ public examination results, which saw record-breaking grades at GCSE and over 90% of our 2018 leavers secure places at Russell Group or equivalent universities to read for a diverse range of undergraduate degrees. This set a splendid tone for the year ahead, which turned out to be something of an annus mirabilis even by Hampton standards. It was also one characterised by typical Hamptonian camaraderie, generosity of spirit and community-mindedness.

These qualities were evident in abundance during late September as 120 pupils, staff and parents from Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles joined forces to raise £68,025.31 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Across two days, they rowed 80 miles from Radley College Boathouse in Oxfordshire to Hampton in particularly challenging weather conditions – it was a tremendous collective feat in support of an admirable local children’s charity.

Lifelong memories were forged on 2 April 2019, when our First XI Football Team made Hampton history by winning the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) U18 Cup. A great deal of commitment, energy and dedication from players and coaches alike were rewarded as captain, George Maxwell, lifted the coveted trophy. Over seven hundred Hamptonians, parents, staff and alumni travelled to Shrewsbury Town FC’s ground to lend vociferous support on an exhilarating, euphoric day for our School community. The match made for compelling viewing for stadium spectators and no less for those following the action via a live stream in the Hammond Theatre and, it later emerged, on digital devices worldwide! Our black and yellowclad supporters’ jubilant reaction when Tim Wallace saved the decisive penalty in the shootout was an unforgettable Hampton moment.

We welcome young people of huge potential to our School each September and they swiftly absorb a culture of allround achievement, through which they are encouraged to be ambitious and aspire to personal best. In return for having a lot of fun and enjoying so many opportunities, we expect boys to embrace the paramount importance placed here upon treating those around them with kindness, fellowship and respect.

These same values lie at the heart of The Fitzwygram Foundation, our separate but linked charity to fund additional free places for boys whose families could not otherwise afford a Hampton education. This most important and socially transformative of causes continues to be central to our School’s future planning and strategy, and I am profoundly grateful for the generous backing already received from alumni, parents and staff. Five Fitzwygram Scholars are now flourishing at the School thanks to their support, and we hope many more will join them over the years ahead.

In reflecting personally upon 2018-19 and at the outset of my seventh year as Headmaster, I am more convinced than ever that our boys’ academic and co-curricular successes are a corollary to their day-today enjoyment of Hampton life. As we experience an epoch of national uncertainty, dissension and division, it is reassuring and uplifting to be part of a School community that exudes shared values and common purpose. These things are the essence of Hampton and long may they remain so!

Enjoy reading this edition of The Lion – it remains a great privilege and joy to lead our exceptional School.

Kevin Knibbs Headmaster

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New staff Daan Fuldner

Anna Czumaj

Ben Clark

I have enjoyed the experience of growing up in many countries; I was born in Poland, then lived in Germany and America for 7 years at a time until finally settling in England in Shakespearian Stratford-upon-Avon. This meant that I was learning new languages at school whilst speaking Polish at home, so it is no surprise that I became interested in Maths, the universal language.

Numbers and mathematical symbols were the same in every school system and I could excel in Maths despite – initially – not understanding any English.

Aristotle wrote: ‘Those that know do; those that understand teach.’ I prefer this to Shaw’s ‘Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach’, although please do not ask me to change a tire: you would not be pleased with the result.

Having gained my Mathematics degree at Imperial College and a PGCE at UCL Institute of Education, I find myself fortunate to be in one of the lucky careers where I actually use the Maths that I learned on a daily basis. I started my career at a girls’ grammar school in Surrey where I stayed for a number of years, and I am now excited be joining the excellent Mathematics Department at Hampton.

Outside of school, I like to escape the busy life of school by reading, watching a variety of TV shows – from rubbish to intellectual – and cooking tasty vegetarian food. I enjoy going for walks, especially ones with waterfalls, cliffs and pretty flowers. I have also recently taken up cycling and climbing and am trying to make up for my lack of skill with enthusiasm.

I have been teaching, rather than doing, for several years now in the south of England, although I originally come from the north, the Lancashire / Yorkshire border, near Burnley – who are playing better football now than when I was growing up! I get back when I can, and the countryside there is beautiful.

Hobbies: I like cycling – although not tirechanging – tennis, squash, and, to a lesser extent, running and gym, but they have to be done! I have supported Liverpool from being a young boy and still enjoy watching them play, although the 18-19 season was a tad frustrating in the end!

I enjoy reading, mostly in my subject, but I love a good le Carré book and I am always keen to see a good film: Bladerunner (Final Cut) is top of the list currently, but I also have a soft spot for Kubrick, as every philosophy teacher should.

I love my subject and it is a privilege to be able to explore it further every day with young minds who can challenge old assumptions and received wisdom and who are beginning their own journey to – hopefully – wisdom and ‫םָדָאְו ;הָמ‬, ‫ – הָנּובְּת קיִפָי‬come to Hebrew Club to find out!

The fastest way to make me smile is to show me pictures of cute animals, or to take interest in my pet chinchilla, Chewy!

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I was born in the Netherlands and grew up in a small town not too far from Amsterdam. As a schoolboy, I represented my grammar school as the lead trumpeter in the symphonic orchestra and in several theatre productions, as captain of the debating team and as a member of the school council. I only decided during my final months in the Sixth Form that I would go on to study Physics and Astronomy, and not Classics or German – subjects that I am still very interested in.

During my time at Leiden University, as well as completing my undergraduate courses, I led a foundation that promoted physics at secondary schools by performing shows with liquid nitrogen. I performed these in theatres all over the continent and appeared on multiple TV shows, and even in a music video! After three years, I moved to London to start my Master’s degree in Science Communication at Imperial College. While I completed this course at Imperial, I also worked as an Explainer in the Science Museum in South Kensington, performing shows and talking to visitors about science. Last September, I started my PGCE at King’s College London, and I am very excited to start my teaching career as a member of the Physics Department at Hampton!

Outside of Physics, I am proud to be an Ajax fan and I enjoy watching a lot of football and other sports. I also enjoy going on long walks through nature and watching films and (musical) theatre in the West End. Apart from teaching what I hope will be enjoyable Physics lessons and being a form tutor in the Second Year, I hope to be involved in many areas of the co-curricular life at Hampton and sharing many unique experiences with the boys!

school to be able to maintain these sorts of sporting endeavours alongside my new teaching role – I believe, with a bit of hard work and dedication (and time commitment), that this will be possible!

Elliot Prior

Francis Highton

I was born in Northumberland, but when I returned home from school and said ‘Howay Pet’ to my mum, she decided it was time to move further south. I spent the rest of my school years in Rutland and attended Uppingham school where my Dad was a teacher.

Having recently completed by PGCE at University of Reading, I am thrilled to be joining the Geography Department at Hampton School to take up my first teaching post. For me, it is a homecoming; as an Old Hamptonian myself, it is great to be back walking the same halls as I did over ten years ago. I left Hampton for University of Durham, where I studied Geography, before taking on a Masters in Risk and Security at the same institution.

Escaping the Midlands, I continued my journey south and attended the University of Sussex where I studied History and English Literature.

At Sussex, I pursued my interests in art and wrote my dissertation on the art produced by Matisse and Picasso on the French Rivera.

On leaving university, I landed myself a job at KCS Wimbledon teaching English Literature. I found working with teenagers an immensely rewarding job.

Outside of school, I am a keen cook, baker and gardener. I have spent years trying to perfect my Rye Sourdough and this year succeeded in growing tomatoes, courgettes in my London home, much to my flatmates’ joy. I am a fervent environmentalist and love being in nature, walking, fishing or foraging. As well as this, I enjoy writing and remain the resident poet for a British hip-hop magazine based in Brighton and make short films about food.

I am excited to be starting at Hampton and I am proud to have the opportunity to be joining the terrific English Department.

Before becoming a teacher, I left university with aspirations to join the Great British Rowing Team. Joining Leander Club in Henley-onThames, this dream got off to a good start with early U23 representation and a string of strong performances at trials and in regattas. However, I subsequently developed lower back issues (in the form of a bulging disc in my lower spine – I do not recommend it!), and was forced into a period of rehabilitation. A good few months later – and with a stronger spine – I returned to rowing, but quickly realised the standard had moved on in the time I had been away. I stepped away from the sport that I had started in my time at Hampton – though have kept my foot firmly in the door with coaching and have had some great opportunities since. I cannot wait to get more involved with the rowing team at Hampton, and am looking forward to sharing my knowledge of training both on and off the water.

Last year, I was part of a 20-strong team that took on the Zambezi River in Zambia, rowing 900km down hippo and crocodile infested waters. Long days in the African sun were a challenge for both the body and the mind, and being charged by a bull hippo – that was a challenge not for the faint of heart! In October, I was given the opportunity to represent GB in rowing after all – at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Vancouver, placing 7th in the Men’s Open Single. I will be representing GB again on the coast this October in Hong Kong, this time in a Men’s Quad. I hope the lion

Feriel Kissoon Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada, I have called London home for many years and am delighted to be joining Hampton's English Department.

I gained my bachelor and teaching degrees at Queen's University in Ontario, making the switch to the UK to pursue postgraduate literature and history degrees at King's College London. It was there that I earned my doctorate in history while also convening courses on the same theme at the University of Winnipeg.

My loves of literature, history and especially the artistic exploration of the two together, have travelled with me both personally and professionally, motivating me to share them and inspire others through my teaching.

Outside the classroom, I can typically be found at the cinema, theatre, yoga studio and singing with West London Choir. I also enjoy any chance to grab the camera and get out into the countryside, while also remaining no stranger to the libraries and archives of London and beyond to continue my studies.

I am thrilled to be here at Hampton, sharing my passion for literature and the arts with the students and my colleagues.

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school Museum and the expanding Museum of London possess so many gems for any Classicist, but the desire to understand the experience that is the John Soane Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields made up much of my study for my undergraduate dissertation. In my time at Hampton, I hope to inspire the boys, Classics students or otherwise, to explore the city further to develop their own interests.

Geert Van Mook With ‘van’ in my surname, it will come as no surprise that I was born in The Netherlands – to be precise, in the southern province of NoordBrabant. I grew up not far from the city of Eindhoven, so I ended up supporting the football team from there, PSV, and attended home matches for a few seasons in the glory days of Romario and Ronaldo – not Cristiano, but rather the original one from Brazil! I look forward to being involved in football at Hampton School by working with one of the U15 teams this year.

My strongest subject at school was Mathematics, but rather than study that at university, I opted for Business and Finance at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam instead. This led to an internship and subsequently a full-time job in London, where I worked in a number of banks for over fifteen years. However, my interest in maths always stuck with me, so I started a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics part-time with the goal of going into teaching. After graduating, I left the financial industry behind and started teaching, a decision which I have not regretted for a moment. I now cannot wait to start teaching in the Maths Department at Hampton School.

In my spare time, when not resting to recover from a week of teaching, I spend at much time as I can with my family, ideally in some active manner, such as playing tennis or running.

Henry McTernan Having just completed my PGCE, completing much of my training at Wilson’s School in Wallington, I am delighted to be joining Hampton for my first teaching job.

I have lived in rural Lincolnshire from an early age, so now living a swift train ride away from London – and everything it has to offer – is not something I plan to take for granted. The British 4

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As a keen runner, Bushy and Richmond Parks, as well as Wimbledon Common, provide so much to explore. I love the occasional view of the school grounds as I move between lessons, and am excited to step out on them in the role of managing the 5th XI football team and supporting the cross-country and athletics clubs. In my more sedate moments, I enjoy watching pretty much any sport – although supporting Manchester United is not as fun as it used to be – and reading.

Perhaps the greatest appeal of Hampton for me is the ethos of the school itself. To be joining a community of such impressive and interesting staff members to teach boys who are so enthusiastic about all that the school offers them is inspiring.

I too can put off students so that they rekindle their passion – independently – for the subject in later life! I earned my undergraduate at Queen’s University Belfast and then was given a scholarship to pursue an MPhil at Cambridge.

Following this, I was given a scholarship to undertake a PhD at Downing College Cambridge. Over three years, I undertook research into what drove early modern Europeans to begin to explore Africa and Asia. I had not intended to settle in England, but in between being buried in archives, I found a girl, bought a cat and made some lifelong friends. During my studies, I also won three Cambridge Blues in Rugby Union for playing in three Varsity matches against ‘the other place.’

This year I will graduate from my PhD, pursue a PGCE and start teaching at Hampton. I am really looking forward to all aspects of life at Hampton and am especially thrilled to be coaching the mighty U12s this year.

Jonathan Dixon I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the History Department this year and the strong Irish contingent within the staffroom. If anything, my curriculum vitae goes against the idea that what we choose to do at A Level defines what we do in life. Growing up in Northern Ireland, I was primarily interested in the sciences and chose to study Pharmaceutical sciences at University.

Needless to say, this was not for me.

To the shock of my parents, I decided to transfer to History. I had always loved History from childhood, though I was put off by some bad advice and some pretty shocking teachers.

Entering the teaching profession myself, perhaps

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Jason Holdaway ‘All I want to be is a mechanic,’ said a 15-year-old me to my mother. ‘Not until you have finished your education!’ was her reply. Skip forward a number

school of years to me as a graduate with a Mechanical Engineering degree, I was freelancing as a CAD operator and rebuilding classic MGs on the side.

Very quickly, a further deviation took me through a PGCE and my first teaching post in Slough.

Geography Department here at Hampton school.

I will endeavour to bring my six years of experience across both the state and public sector, in both a small and large school with me and make a positive contribution to the already excellent teaching and extra-curricular activities here.

As a student, I played rugby and was a musician in a stage band, playing in places such as the Foreign Office and the Royal Albert Hall. As a young teacher, I converted to my other sport, hockey, and continued this until I had an argument with a hockey stick along with having two young children.

Hockey coaching continued up until recently in my last school, as my duties as the school’s CCF Contingent Commander started to clash.

My career continues to deliver exciting opportunities, and I was delighted to accept the position of Head of Design and Engineering when offered and am looking forward to enthusing students in all things engineering and perhaps some more traditional craft skills.

Victoria Whitwam I come to Hampton’s English Department along a wiggly and scenic path. I grew up over the river in East Molesey and have known the school all my life. Always a book worm, I read English Literature at Newnham College, Cambridge where I developed a love of theatre, particularly the plays of Samuel Beckett. Acting was my thing and I performed with the Footlights and on the Edinburgh Fringe.

Shelley Havord My journey into teaching only started a decade ago. After a 15-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, I quit and decided to follow my dream of being a teacher – specifically, a History one. I can honestly say that I have found my vocation, allowing me to indulge my love of history every day of the week.

Ladea Michelsen Having grown up in Peru – cuisine highly recommended! – I have always been fascinated with the diversity in the world around us, both in the range of human cultures and physical landscapes, which is something I am to instil in the students I teach, as well as an urge and passion to travel and see the world which they investigate and learn about in the classroom.

My passion for Geography and exploring the world may have started in Peru, but it came into its own on a fieldtrip to the Nevada Desert and Death Valley during my degree at the University of Sheffield. From here, I have continued to travel the world – one continent to go! – and have enjoyed the opportunity to lead and assist on fieldtrips as far as China and Malawi.

Having gained my PGCE, I was very pleased to get a teaching post at Waldergrave School in Twickenham, where I also had pastoral leadership responsibilities. During my time there, I embarked on a Masters in Education which helped me to hone my teaching practice.

Outside of school, I have three sons who keep me very busy even though they are all grown up. I enjoy walking and keeping fit, often taking part in the Bushy Parkrun on a Saturday morning.

Coming from Liverpool, I am a keen football fan but blue is my colour so – at the moment – I am happy to accept ‘mid-table mediocrity’. My big ambition is to embark on a PhD, but only after I have finished teaching.

I am delighted to be back at Hampton School, having completed a year maternity cover at the beginning of the year. Coming back to such a fantastic Department makes me feel like I am returning home.

The next twist in the path took me into journalism and I cut my teeth on the Richmond and Twickenham Times before moving to Bangkok as the Daily Telegraph’s stringer. After three years roaming South East Asia and eating mangoes, I missed London and returned as a news reporter. The next turning took me into religious affairs and I had the privilege of interviewing the Dalai Lama and meeting Pope John Paul II. Boris Johnson was a colleague at the time! I also had a happy stint at BBC Radio Ulster and lived in Istanbul when my children were young. I like eating and cooking Turkish food; baking cakes; reading stories and poetry; adventurous travel; and going to the pictures.

If I was cast away on a desert island, I would like a supply of Bendicks Bittermints to keep me happy and a box set of The Simpsons to keep me thinking. My piggy bank savings go on adventurous travel and I like to explore off the beaten track; recently, I holidayed in Iran and my husband and I are planning a motorbike trip in Louisiana which is great research for my A Level teaching on A Streetcar Named Desire.

I am delighted to join such a vibrant Department and hugely successful and happy school.

I am delighted to be joining what I have found to be an extremely friendly and welcoming the lion

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school I write/play guitar and vocals and my favourite bands are Delta Sleep and Biffy Clyro.

As we are talking performance, and having mentioned my degree, I cannot really get away with not mentioning theatre. I have performed in amateur dramatics as a hobby, especially recently, having relinquished any Acting dream after university, opting for Education. It is such a powerful platform for one to express oneself, and the bond it builds within a group is as strong as any teamworking bond I have ever known. I eagerly look forward to the production of Romeo and Juliet this year at Hampton, and have already had some discussion with staff about getting involved in some capacity – maybe see you there!

Wil McCollum

loved seeing the enthusiasm and engagement of so many students as they develop their creative and problem-solving skills through Computer Science. It is an exciting and ever-evolving subject and I am looking forward to sharing my experience at Hampton School as well as supporting students in rock-climbing, the Adventure Society and the Lego Robotics Club.

Outside of school, I enjoy travelling, hiking, cycling, camping, skiing, rock-climbing, and indulging in techie side projects. I am continuing my Ethiopia interests as a charity trustee and, who knows, maybe I will be able to organise student trips there in the future.

Have a great year, and thanks again for welcoming me into this wonderful school community.

Thank you, first of all, for such a wonderful welcome into the Hampton School community – it has been a super start to the Half Term as a new starter here, and that is down to the superb community spirit that permeates all walks of life at Hampton.

I have worked in Education since I graduated in 2008 from The University of Hull with a 1st in English Literature and Theatre and Performance Studies. Since then, I have worked in six Secondary Schools – four as a qualified teacher – which affords me some authority in the aforementioned references to the outstanding sense of community here at Hampton.

From Elephant and Castle to Mallorca in Spain, there are some poor students who have had to endure or enjoy the whacky ways of Mr McCollum teaching English, Media or Drama; on the whole, everyone involved has enjoyed the learning experiences, and received the qualifications their efforts and intellectual prowess deserve. Teaching is a profession I intend to dedicate my working life to, as I have done since 2008, and I feel privileged and excited about the opportunity to put into practice everything I have learnt along the way here at Hampton.

School aside, I am an avid sports fan, having been a season ticket holder at Crystal Palace for a number of years (Holmesdale, lower tier) as well as a member at Surrey County Cricket Club (I once saw Zafar take a wicket off a wide – work that one out!). I have been to 64 football grounds and aim to get a few new grounds in every year. I have also been to several cricket grounds across the country (go to Taunton or Scarborough) and plan to see my first cricket match abroad within the next two years.

I have an insatiable passion for Music. From going to gigs, to promoting gigs, to playing with a band, writing and recording original material, music has been the rock to which I turn when things are going well, or less so, both sentimentally and intellectually.

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Vince Ting Matt Stockdale Since I was at school, I have always had a real interest in technology and how we can harness it to solve everyday problems. That became a theme through my engineering masters and subsequent engineering consultancy roles, and then while I was developing and leading a small education charity.

The charity was a particular career and life highlight for me as our growing team linked schools and other organisations between the UK and Ethiopia, working together to expand access to quality education to many thousands of children in the Horn of Africa. During dozens of visits to that country, it was hugely satisfying seeing the changes and developments that individuals had been able to achieve. Increasingly, I wanted to get more directly involved in the classroom and, with the charity in excellent hands, I decided the time was right to combine my interests in computing and education.

Through a PGCE at UCL Institute of Education, and teaching in north London schools, I have

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South West is the best. South West London that is. For my secondary education, I attended a boys’ grammar school in Kingston – you can guess which one; for university, I attended Imperial College and, to continue the South West London educational vibe, I completed a masters in Information Technology at Kingston University.

I worked in the IT industry for 15 years before deciding to train as a Computer Science teacher, and I am so very pleased that I did. Supporting, guiding and providing insight for inquisitive minds is an enormous privilege for me. For the last 3 years, I taught at another (rival) boys’ independent school located in, you guessed it, South West London – again, you can guess which one!

Outside of school, I enjoy running and cycling, more recently ultra-distance, off-road running has been my focus and I’ve dabbled in triathlon up to Ironman distance. Origami, cooking, short bursts of on-line gaming and trying to build stuff help me keep calm.

I am very excited to be teaching at Hampton and I am looking forward to being part of and contributing to the successful ethos of the school

school

Mark Scott

Rebecca Singleton

Sam Gordon

As a young man setting out across the Irish sea, I thought that I would be in South West London for a year – I have now been here for 5 years. The rolling green parks and the proximity to London is a heady mix that appeals to my country-boyliving-in-the-city upbringing in Belfast.

I graduated from University of Exeter with a BEng in Electronic Engineering and Manage‐ ment. I stayed on for a year as Guild President before embarking on a career in IT Security. I did this for seven years before coming to my senses and then switched to teaching after completing a GTTP (Graduate Teacher Training Program) as a Science Teacher.

After completing my PGCE last year through the National Modern Languages SCITT, with fantastic placements at Queen’s College London and Harris Westminster Sixth Form, I was delighted to join the Modern Languages Department at Hampton to teach French and Spanish.

I attended the prestigious Sullivan Upper School in Holywood, and was described as ‘a credit to the school,’ when I went on to read Theology and Modern History in Queen’s University Belfast.

After university, I was a youth and community worker, but the need to expand my horizons and develop my professional experience burned deep in my bones. So, after completing my PGCE at Queen’s, again, I headed off for the sunny climes of Kingston Upon Thames and spent a hazy and wonderful four years teaching in a Co-ed Independent Grammar.

When the opportunity to apply to Hampton arose, I jumped at it – luckily the school thought I would be a good fit. I look forward to a fruitful and enjoyable tenure in this excellent and wellrespected school.

Outside of school, I utilise my reasonable size and athleticism playing rugby for Wimbledon RFC and some five-a-side football, when I can fit it in.

I am a great collector of stories and enjoy hearing what is going on with people; so, if you have got a good one, let me know!

Life outside school is mainly spent doing sport and anything outdoorsy. Like most people, I love spending time with friends and family. I am a proud Auntie and Godmother to six lucky chil‐ dren! I am at my happiest when I am doing some‐ thing active. I grew up doing Judo and competed in the Youth Olympics in 1995. I took up rugby at University and from 2005 to 2017 played rugby for Richmond RFC. I also represented Sur‐ rey and captained Thames Valley to an unbeaten regional season. I am currently rehabbing and foot and ankle injury, but plan I plan to complete a Marathon and a Half Ironman once I am fixed!

Travel is a real passion of mine and I have visited almost 50 countries including Canada, Argentina and North Korea. I grew up near Reading, where I went to Kendrick Girls Grammar School.

I am delighted to be working at Hampton; as well as teaching Physics, I plan to fully immerse my‐ self in the cocurricular life, in particular Rugby and DofE. I have previously worked at Cranleigh School in Surrey and the North London Collegi‐ ate School in Jeju, South Korea.

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I caught the language bug at school while studying under some amazing teachers and going on unforgettable trips to the Gers, Andalucia and Salamanca. After A Levels in the holy trinity of French, Spanish and Latin, I went to Bristol University to study French and Spanish, which included a year abroad in Provence and then Buenos Aires – I would be more than happy to chat to any Hamptonians planning a trip to any of these places!

Following an MA in Translation, I worked as a literary translator for several years and was lucky enough to translate novels by French authors including Pierre Lemaitre, Karim Miské and Sophie Hénaff.

I am a big fan of reading, creative writing and cricket – looking forward to the season already – and when I am not teaching or being Form Tutor to the mighty 4G, I can be found in the Quiet Room thinking about vocab, cheese and Ben Stokes’ match-winning century at Headingley.

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Leaving staff

Jon Cook

cricket – he was head of cricket for many years – and football teams that he coached.

Dr Timothy Leary

As Jon Cook rang the school bell at the end of the final assembly of the year it truly signalled the end of an era. Cookie spent his entire teaching career at Hampton, joining the Common Room and History Department straight from university in 1982. The following thirty seven years established Cookie as a masterful teacher of History, a wonderful Head of Department and a wonderful champion of the Common Room.

Beside his family, Jon had one passion: Yorkshire.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos and Leeds FC. He always assumed the worst of his various teams – assuming that a 1-0 lead inevitably meant a 1-2 defeat, the enforcement of a follow-on ensuring a dismal collapse and crushing loss and so on. Whether we were in Ypres, Venice or Portsmouth Jon would always have his tiny radio – or, in a stunning break with tradition in later years, a smart phone – in his pocket ready to keep up with reassuringly disappointing results.

Dr Timothy Leary has been an iconic member of the Classics Department.

He has asked me to be brief, and in some ways this would be most befitting of a man known for his laconic brevity. This would, however, mean missing out on acknowledging his acerbic and dark wit, his allencompassing knowledge of the ancient world, his well-loved object of the week slot in our Department meetings, his disciplined attention to detail, and his inspirational love and teaching of the Classics. I will certainly miss his keen eye and everdependable perspective on all aspects of teaching.

Jon was a simply brilliant teacher – as a classroom practitioner, he was second to none. We all wanted to emulate his subject knowledge, ability to squeeze the last drop of effort out of the boys and his fantastically acerbic put downs! Being in the History Department under Cookie was just like being in a family. He supported, nurtured, encouraged and led by example.

Jon gave as much to the School and the boys outside of the classroom as in it. The hundreds – literally – of trips that he organised and led were always highlights. In particular, the Sixth Form visits to Florence and Venice saw Cookie in his element – inspirational in his encyclopaedic knowledge, exhausting in the pace at which he led the group around the historic sites…and insatiable in his need for a regular tuna sandwich! On the sports field, Cookie was a huge influence on both the 8

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I know that, in retirement, Cookie will not slow down.

He will be travelling with Helen, getting even further involved in his Church, hitting the golf ball out of bounds on a regular basis and catching up with his daughters, Rachel and Laura, who make him so proud.

We hope that he has some time to see us from time to time.

It is impossible to sum up such a wonderful career in just a few words. Everyone reading these words will have their own fond memories of Jon that they will choose to ponder. I will always remember, more than anything, Cookie’s supreme kindness, generosity, collegiality, laughter…and those tuna sandwiches.

I hope he will not keep himself too far away from the school community. He still has so much to give, and we have cherished his time with us. We all wish him, staff and boys alike, a successful and restful retirement.

With tremendous love, Salve!

AJL

JWB

2018-2019

school I have had some wonderful roles here – it has been fantastic to be involved in school sport, and I have particularly enjoyed running the U15C football team in recent years and the U13B and U15B cricket teams. Trips have been another highlight – whether it has been memorable battlefield visits to Ypres and The Somme or to Berlin, Florence, Venice, Washington, Moscow and St Petersburg – and most recently on the U15 development squad cricket tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Being a Head of Year of both the Second and First Year has also been a particular highlight.

It is wonderful to be involved in a Hampton year group’s first experience of the School.

What will I remember most of the time I have spent at Hampton? Undoubtedly, for me, it will be the personal relationships forged in the classroom and on the sports field; the sense of humour and common purpose we share here every single day. It has very rarely felt like a difficult task and, more often than not, it has been a genuine pleasure to teach, to help, to support and to guide. I have been very fortunate to spend such a long time working so happily at such an impressive school.

Richard Worrallo From the moment I arrived, I was instantly struck by just how fortunate I was to be at Hampton. My colleagues were superb, and the boys I taught or coached were pleasant and hardworking. The facilities were impressive and a considerable improvement on my own grammar school back in the Midlands. I could not really imagine ever leaving, and I still cannot today as I prepare to do just that.

I will, of course, keep in very close contact with the School in the years ahead and look out for all the future news as Hampton continues to flourish. It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to be part of the wonderful Hampton School Common Room.

RDW

Ludmilla Wilson For the last 21 years, Ludmilla Wilson has been an enthusiastic and extremely helpful part of the Russian Department! She has worked relentlessly on developing our A Level Russianists’ speaking skills and preparing them for Russian public exams and beyond. She has not only motivated and engaged the students to practise their foreign language skills, but also invited them both to ponder over and express their own ideas on a variety of complex issues related to Russian politics, culture and society.

All of our present and past students have very fond memories of Ludmilla’s excellent subject knowledge and very educational, enlightening and at times heated debates she had with them during speaking lessons.

Our students have also benefited from her professional, warm, friendly and supportive approach to every session. Needless to say, Ludmilla’s fantastic work and commitment to develop the students speaking skills have contributed to Hampton’s consistently successful A level results from year to year.

We are very sad to see her go but send our very best wishes as she continues her well-established and successful career as a tourist guide in and around London.

KNW the lion

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Iain Donald epitomises many of Hampton staff over the years and their absolute and complete commitment to this amazing school and its students.

years, skiing and many other places spread across the world. His passion for the Middle East and anything that resembled a mosque, a minaret or a madrasa is ingrained in generations of boys who were lucky enough to be on one of Iain’s trips. Ros Cash said she still bumps into Old Hamptonians who remember dancing along with a wedding party in Jaipur and listening to the call to prayer from the Citadel in Aleppo, Syria.

Prior to coming to Hampton, Iain taught at Malvern Girls School, prior to going to Abingdon School from 1986 and, lastly, Bristol Cathedral School from 1991. While at Abingdon School, Iain taught members of the band that came to be known as Radiohead – something he is particularly and rightly proud of!

He also has spent a lot of the little spare time he has had doing charity work, raising thousands of pounds for Shooting Star. However, for the last 23 years he has devoted his time to the Hampton School students and staff and through his calm but enthusiastic and gifted commitment to music he has a huge number of Old Hamptonians who owe him so much.

When Iain arrived in 1995, the School’s Music Department was not in a good state. To my recollection, there had been a production of Bugsy Malone in 1991, Oliver as a farewell production for Chris Mabeley, the occasional Gilbert & Sullivan and an orchestra that was the typical collection of out of tune players. Having said that, there were, of course, plenty of excellent instrumental teachers and some very talented student musicians.

Joanna Estall said, ‘He has been a benign and friendly leader of the Department for 23 years. In that time, he has built up a strong team and achieved so much. He has never been a man for saying no and will try almost anything and, as such, has led and supported so many projects, musicals and concerts that we are now almost straining at the seams! The building of the 450 (Hammond) Concert Hall was an important and lasting project that I know he worked on with Mike Franzkowiak and Barry Martin over many years and is a great and enduring asset to the school.’

Iain Donald

However, since his arrival, he has helped to develop a culture of excellence in music of all forms – through his own diverse love of music, but also his willingness to support anyone who wishes to express themselves through whatever form of music: from students’ rock bands, individual students entering the BBC Musician of The Year, Wind Bands, The Jazz Band, to small classical musical groups, the full orchestra (in tune!) and the many choirs and small groups of singers.

To encourage such a diversity of music to be expressed does cause problems; it generates ideas of tours to Lake Constance, Music in the Park, Jazz Café, a thriving and committed Music Society, committed Instrumental Music teachers wanting to show off their talented students in small concerts and the hundreds of Music Exams that this also encourages. I am sure I have missed out other aspects of running a successful Music Department, but this just gives a flavour of the absolute devotion Iain gave to everyone – students and staff – to enable them to bring out the best.

In my capacity as Head of Drama, and having a desire to direct Musicals with casts of hundreds – a crazy notion as I was told on many occasions – I jumped for joy when Iain arrived. At last, I had a kindred spirit which was lacking prior to Iain’s time at Hampton. I had been storing up all those musicals and, when I timidly asked him if he would be willing to help me direct a musical, all Iain said was ‘Which one shall we do? I have always fancied doing Pajama Game’. And so 15 years of Musical adventures began.

Considering my occasional attempts at being a drama queen, when things were not going quite how I would like it, Iain and I never had a cross word or any conflict in all that time.

We ended our fantastic run of musicals with Oklahoma!, our final musical together and the first in the Hammond Hall. I will always remember his advice to the chorus, ‘Don’t worry about singing in tune, just shout!’. This meant that everyone in the cast never was self-conscious and, needless to say, did sing in tune. How he had time to attend all the rehearsals I called over the years with all his other commitments, I’ll never know.

So, for me, a fantastic working relationship began. I finally roped him into the Edinburgh Fringe production of Sweeney Todd ten years ago, our final musical adventure together. Iain was then hooked on the Fringe and has taken Voices of Lions up to the Festival every year since – as if he did not have enough to do!

Apart from his hideaway in Scotland, Iain loves travelling, organising many cultural trips for the students and staff to the Middle East over fourteen 10

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‘In my time there were numerous organ and other scholarships to Oxford and Cambridge, students such as Lawrence Thain, Tim Lambourn, Alex Coutts, William Round, Edward Lidbetter – a testimony to Iain’s ambition to make the Hampton Music Department not only a place where musicians could develop their skills and maybe just enjoy music of all forms, but also a place of excellence.

This is borne out by the successes we have had at the BBC Young Musician of The Year Competition,’ said Kay Ford (Music Secretary) The creation of a yearly music timetable, including classroom music and concerts, was so full on that I suspect he hardly had any time for himself in either term time or the holidays. You are always the victim of your success and, since Iain had suddenly given impetus to many students’ desire to create music in all its forms, the size of the Department mushroomed.

Therefore, the luxury of having a few new music practice rooms in the Garrick became a problem because we did not have enough! So the promise of the Hammond (450) meant an increase in practice rooms, a place for the grand piano Iain had pushed for and a great performance space with an acoustic quality to die for. Many an hour was spent by Iain and myself in architects meetings, probably driving the Governors mad with our various requests: retractable, curved seating; an orchestra pit; storage space for music stands etc.; a ‘noisy’ instrument’ practice room; and wooden, reversible sound boards so that it could be both a concert hall and a theatre with their completely conflicting acoustic requirements.

As a result of all this hard work, the Hammond and Garrick buildings have become buzzing places with music lessons going on and compositions on keyboards linked to apple computers – again something that Iain had introduced. We managed to change the Hammond Hall from a square box in the initial plans to the wonderful theatre and concert hall we have now.

I have got memories of visits by well-known professional musicians, including Brian May, for workshops with Sixth Form Musicians. His PA was not pleased when they always over-ran, and not by a small margin!

Unsurprisingly, there are many more great memories, not just mine but from members of staff and past students, far too many to mention here.

But, all of them emphasise what an inspiration and great support Iain was to them.

I am sure that everyone who knew Iain at Hampton School would just like to say a huge thank you for all he has done for them.

Mike Franzkowiak (Taught at Hampton, 1975-2010)

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Aiden Kershaw

Ravi Kothakota

Mr Kershaw is always going to be that Maths Teacher who is just too cool for Maths. He dabbles in the Arts, both as an actor and an avid film-maker, running the film-making club, and we have all seen his amazing video contributions to Senior Prizegiving. He even spent a sabbatical in New York on a film-making course!

Ravi spent a total of 13 years at Hampton as a teacher; he was a fantastic member of the Drama Department, teaching outstanding lessons and supporting the Sixth Form in their co-curricular play each year. He was also a brilliant Head of Year during his time at the school and countless numbers of boys have benefited from his influence and guidance.

Not one to sugar-coat things, boys in Mr Kershaw’s classes can expect to be well-drilled in the importance of layout and showing their working, and to know full well if they have missed the mark. Always keen to see shirts tucked in and food and phones away, he is definitely not calling for style over substance, but substance without style – or at least answers without method – is simply not acceptable.

Students end up loving his no-nonsense approach; they still talk about his ‘fact of the day’ – an interesting fact that he would write up every morning for his Tutor Group. Teaching in his room and trying to get Third Years to enter quietly can be challenging when they are greeted by sentences like ‘There is a bridge exclusively for squirrels in The Netherlands’ on the white board.

Yet, no matter how hard he tries to hide his Maths side, we cannot neglect to mention that he is an exceptional mathematician, able to teach right up to the highest end of Further Maths, or the fact that he was a fantastic Key Stage 5 Coordinator and previous Second in Department for Maths.

A stalwart of the school for 15 years, there is going to be a Mr Kershaw-shaped hole left in the Maths Department that no-one else will quite be able to fill. As he works on developing apps, we hope he will think fondly of Hampton and pop back from time to time to say hello.

As an OH himself, Ravi has committed a total of twenty years of his life to Hampton rugby. I have been told that he started as a scrawny winger playing in the Steve Timbs era – when leg presses and loaves of bread were Ravi’s daily grind. Allegedly, he sought to curry favour with the more illustrious rugby players, such as Simon Amor and the newly returned king of Hampton, Mr Andrew Beattie.

Although this ultimately failed in a call up to the 1st XV, it would later fuel the fire of many touch rugby sessions against lower school pupils in the years to come.

He returned to Hampton fewer than eight years later – after an infamous and failed audition to play Taj Mahal Badalandabad alongside Ryan Reynolds in Van Wilder: Party Liaison – and was entrusted with the coaching of an A team. He would go on to coach A teams for 13 seasons and has brought his own unique coaching style to the sides in his care. His teams have gone from strength to strength under his guidance.

Last year’s RFU U15 Schools Cup semi-final appearance was thoroughly deserved as a ‘swansong’ for someone who will be greatly missed in the rugby coaching fraternity. He leaves the current U15s in great position and will hand them off to one of the men he spent his school career wishing he could be like.

Whilst Ravi has been busy in other areas of the school, he always remained a trusted member of the Drama Department who can always be relied on to deliver outstanding lessons. He has absolutely amazing behaviour management skills, which is no mean feat in Drama where there are no tables, chairs or seating plans! It was always highly impressive to see the boys having so much fun whilst being totally in his control.

Ravi is known among many members of the Common Room for his enthusiasm and sense of humour, although apparently sometimes mis-timed as once on a rugby tour to South Africa, his comments did incite Higgins to threaten to punch John Slater.

Although it seems Ravi has been at Hampton for almost all his life – having been both a student and a teacher here – I am sure that his move to Emmanuel as Deputy Head pastoral will be a fantastic opportunity for him. All of us here at Hampton will be sorry to see you go but we wish you the best of luck at Emmanuel…except in the rugby, where I am sure many of your former colleagues look forward to beating you!

Although rugby has very much been at the heart of this write-up and at the heart of Ravi’s time at Hampton, it is impossible to quite express the sheer extent of the positive impact that he has had upon both the pupils in his charge and everyone that he came into contact with on the staff.

Our loss is Emanuel’s gain and we wish him the very best of luck for the future.

JRC 12

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school Miss Byrne’s dedication was not restricted to the classroom; she has given up a remarkable amount of her time over the many years she has worked at Hampton to running and accompanying trips in both the French and Spanish Departments. She breathed new life into the Sixth Form exchange to Marseille and ran it successfully for several years. This was followed up by the Fifth Year and Lower Sixth language and culture trip to Nice, and a myriad different cultural trips to Marseille, Paris and theatres and galleries much closer to home. Her passion for all-things-French has emanated from her in all that she has done here and countless numbers of Hampton boys have gained a huge amount from her love of her subject and her willingness to share it with them.

Kathryn Millar Kathryn Millar leaves us this year to take up a post next door at LEH after ten successful years in the Physics Department. As well as major contributions to the work of the Department, Kathryn was also a co-Head of Third Year for many years.

She is an effective teacher in the classroom and was able to communicate her enthusiasm for the subject across the whole range of year groups. She was always willing to volunteer her time for cocurricular activities such as badminton and she was also involved in the Junior Christian Union.

She is looking forward to only a small change of scenery on the other side the fence and a chance to continue to develop her Physics teaching. We wish Kathryn all the best at LEH and will no doubt see her on the many joint Hampton-LEH events that take place each year.

MGY

Having benefitted from a rounded Hampton education in the ‘Noughties’, Paul also threw himself into the co-curricular life of the School, assiduously editing The Lion for three years, coaching the U12B to numerous victories, mentoring budding Hampton Radio sports journalists, and accompanying boys on Modern Languages trips to Provence and Ronda, as well as leading the English Department’s debut tour to Boston, USA. As Second in Charge, Paul has played a pivotal role in the English Department, and his calm professionalism and supportive collegiality will be sorely missed – as will Paul’s annual appearance (albeit a slightly reluctant one!) as a literary figure on Second Year Character Day. Who can forget the sight of Mr Thomas in a furry onesie, inspired by one of Shakespeare’s most famous stage directions in A Winter’s Tale?

Hopefully, as he ‘exit[s]’ to join the Civil Service, Mr Thomas will not be ‘pursued by a bear’! We wish him the best of luck.

CER

Paul Thomas Paul Thomas joined the English Department in 2011, returning to the Hampton fold after seven years away at Nottingham and Edinburgh Universities and a spell in Hunan, China, teaching English.

Seemingly a quiet and reserved young man, Paul soon relaxed into the irreverent repartee of the Department, entertaining us with his dry wit and uncannily convincing impersonations of some of his most memorable teachers (Mr Payne and Dr Leary – that includes you!).

In the classroom, Paul inspired his pupils, engaging them with his extensive subject knowledge and innovative teaching strategies – a favourite of the latter being the highly competitive ‘Dictionary Cricket’!

Francesca Byrne When Miss Byrne (now ‘Mrs’, but known to the boys as ‘Miss’!) arrived at Hampton in September 2009 – after having completed a PGCE in Liverpool and having spent a year working in two French schools in Provence – she brought with her incredible joie de vivre and expert knowledge and passion of the French language and culture. Although she temporarily left Hampton to develop her third language in Madrid for a year, when Miss Byrne returned, she offered a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm inside the classroom, delivering excellent lessons in which she would pass on her passion for French and Spanish. the lion

Miss Byrne was also Assistant Head of Second Year for a few years. She was very much loved and so well-respected by her form and, in fact, by all the boys in her charge as Assistant Head of Second Year; this is all down to the care and consideration she shows to each and every one of them.

Having progressed from a Newly Qualified Teacher to an experienced member of the Modern Languages Department and the pastoral team, it is therefore thoroughly deserved and came as no surprise that Francesca would secure a Head of French position at St Paul’s for boys where she has now started and is very much enjoying her new responsibilities.

We wish Francesca the best of good fortune with all her plans and new role and thank her wholeheartedly for having passed on her love for languages to so many Hampton boys over her time with us.

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school this eulogy with a big question: if Neal Carrier is the answer, what is the question?

JHT

help at lunchtimes and unparalleled notes of the course. An example of her thoughtful nature was when she and Mrs Reyner bought their entire U6 Tutor Group a set of university cook books, each with personalised messages written in them.

Neal Carrier Neal would always say that he believed the children were the future. He wanted to heal the world and make it a better place. His outstanding academic pedigree was matched with a down to earth love of teaching and life and we all enjoyed working with him and learning from him. Those who were taught by him all will remember that he had the highest expectations of them, always demanded that they work to the best of their ability and that they enjoyed every one of his lessons.

At Hampton, Neal’s impact stretched beyond the RS & Philosophy Department. He was a powerful rugby coach, assistant head of UCAS where he specialised in helping our top sportsmen achieve their dreams of attending US Universities. He ran the TALK! programme and generally increased the rigour and optimisation of all those he came into contact with. His commitment to academic excellence was reflected in the fact that, as well as teaching at Hampton, he would regularly head off to Cambridge University where he continued to teach.

Supporting students here to that level to help them achieve their Oxbridge dreams was another way he benefited the school.

Since Neal has left, there is less cake in the office. He would always ask us to look at the man in the mirror, since – if you want to make the world a better place – you have to take a look at yourself and make that change. As an old boy who was regularly in detention, he had made that change and is now someone we are all proud to have known.

Neal goes on to a senior position at Wycombe Abbey School, where his meteoric rise to power will no doubt continue. They are lucky to have him and it is our loss to see him go, but those who worked with him are also proud to have played out part in helping him on this journey.

He is an expert in all things philosophical and so we in the RS & Philosophy Department end 14

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Oliver Rokison Olly came to Hampton in September 2015 to lead the Design & Technology Department.

Energetic and enthusiastic to a fault, during his time he successfully integrated Arduino programming into First and Second Year projects, enabling us to offer a Mechatronics option at GCSE and a Design Engineering A Level. This work also paved the way for the Department rebrand itself as Design Engineering.

Just like all good engineers, Olly made a great contribution to the community; he was an inspiration to others. In class, he would give the boys more than they could possibly ask for; beyond lessons, he was involved with Sailing & Windsurfing, scuba diving trips, the Shell Eco Marathon project, Christian Union and developing School IT.

Her involvement in the wider school has been phenomenal: Ms Latulipe commits to anything and everything, ranging from CCF, DofE, SHINE and Young Enterprise to running ski club at Sandown every Thursday evening. She has also been heavily involved in the IT for the Maths Department, as well as using her amazing background knowledge of IT systems to help with the whole school IT development. And we cannot forget the amount of energy and enthusiasm she has put into helping establish the new Computing Department, which has gained a strong following from students who absolutely love the subject.

There is no doubt that Ms Latulipe is one of the most hardworking, caring, loyal and friendly members of the Maths Department, which is why it is going to be so hard to see her go. However, our loss is Felsted’s gain as Ms Latulipe joins them as Assistant Head, working to develop their IT systems.

JRC

He takes up a role at King Edward VI School in Southampton as Assistant Head of Digital Strategy. He has relocated to his ‘forever home’ with his young family and to a part of the country that he loves. Whilst we miss his humour and ability to solve almost any problem thrown at him, we wish him all the best!

DCW

Floriane Latulipe Ms Latulipe was one of the kindest members of the Maths Department, as well as an outstanding teacher. She genuinely puts students first, every time, with extra sessions out of lessons, one-to-one

the magazine of hampton school

2018-2019

Sam Hitchings Sam has been a whirlwind of ideas and inspiration since he joined us, three short years ago. In that time, no part of school life has been left unmoved by his Midas touch. His dazzling scholarship, his love of sports (all!), his numerous quiz events, his introduction of the Linguistics Olympiad, his support of me and the Department, in short his unfailingly positive and loving demeanour to all that have come into contact with him, have meant that the school is a better place for his arrival and a much sadder one with his departure.

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We all wish him the very best as he takes on his own, and well-earned, HOD-ship in Brentwood.

He does not need any of our luck or good wishes, of course, but he has them nonetheless. Salve!

if we wish she was still with us! She has left us bereft but better people for having worked with her; we all wish her all the best for the future, confident that she will go from strength to strength and continue to inspire and lift up the people around her wherever she goes.

JHT

JWB

James Odling & Harriet Slator The Geography Department lost two stellar Geography teachers this summer when Harriet Slator and James Odling both left for pastures new. Harriet is heading to teach in an International school in Singapore fulfilling a lifelong ambition to do more travelling. James heads to Combe Girls school in New Malden to experience teaching in a different environment to Hampton. He had been at Hampton for over ten years as a student and then a teacher, so I can see his need for change.

They both contributed so much in their three years at Hampton school.

Harriet has had tremendous success with all the groups she taught, most notably her Sixth Form classes where she to create the perfect balance of formality and fun. I think they were all in awe of her rather exciting social life that involved numerous weekends abroad. She really was dedicated though, especially with her marking and feedback to the students. She will be a tremendous asset to her new school and we hope she will keep in touch and send back report on her life in Singapore.

To describe James as bubbly might not be quite the right word, but he was certainly a bundle of energy and enthusiasm from day one. His output of resources was phenomenal and certainly helped me out on numerous occasions when I was struggling for a new more contemporary approach to lessons.

His care for the individual student under his charge

was very impressive. His classes really appreciated his dynamic approach – even his references to his beloved Aston Villa were forgiven! James will be sorely missed, especially by Mr Saul who enjoyed the physical Geography banter, but also by all of us for his eternal optimism and sense of humour.

BSB

Gayle Russell

Marie-Claire McGreevy

She was the best of us. Always giving her time to the students, whether it was running lunchtime clinics, taking charge of the philosophy circle, helping her form with their lost coats and forgotten homework or just inspiring the rest of us in the department to try to match her high standards of teaching.

She was always here before anyone else in the morning and always had a positive attitude, a smile on her face and time for everyone. She knew her stuff and students recognised her as someone who cared about their learning and wellbeing but would not let them get away with not doing their best: an excellent teacher whose lessons were always wellcrafted, energised and taught with aplomb.

Mrs Marie-Claire McGreevy is leaving us after having spent the whole year covering Mrs May on maternity leave. She passed on her experience and passion for Languages, and in particular German and French that she was teaching here.

We thank Mrs McGreevy for her energy and dedication and the popular Japanese club that she ran single-handedly for a year. No doubt she will continue to inspire young students – albeit girls rather than boys for now as she has now moved on to teach next door at LEH. We wish her the very best.

It was no surprise to us that she went on to a Senior Management role at another school, even the lion

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Michele Constabile

Nick Allen

In his year here at Hampton, Mr Costabile worked hard to overcome the mountain of challenges presented to any new member of staff when joining our School.

He was a very strong mathematician and spent a lot of time working through swathes of the hardest questions in the booklets on his own. He was often one of the first people in, and one of the last people out.

After nearly three years in the Physics Department, Nick Allen leaves us this year to take up a post at Nottingham High School.

Nick had an encyclopaedic knowledge of Physics and was able to communicate this to boys, bringing his years of experience to explaining even the most difficult physical concepts. He ran a model rocket club during his time here at Hampton, although an early launch proved so successful that the rocket flew right over to Hampton Hill and landed in someone’s garden, never to be seen again!

We wish him the best of luck for the future.

MGY

Paul Nazir

He had a distinctive way with the boys which they loved and will be remembered and talked about for years to come. A good-hearted, well-intentioned and moral individual, both towards staff and students – many a time did we see him sitting with them at break-times and lunchtimes, working tirelessly through HW Sheets together – Mr Costabile will be missed as he moves to Togo to work in the British School in Lome, teaching, among others, the daughter of the President of Togo.

Paul Nazir leaves us after only two terms to pursue his many interests beyond the world of teaching.

JRC

MGY

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2018-2019

An extremely experienced teacher, Paul took on a large number of First to Fifth Year classes and taught with a warmth and humour that will be greatly missed. We wish him well in his new endeavours.

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Careers In a society where the job market is rapidly changing and where employment opportunities are highly competitive, an informed approach to careers choices must underpin education. Hampton boys are clearly conscious of this, and in 2018-19 they embraced many opportunities to learn about a range of careers and interact with individuals working in different areas, to learn first-hand about jobs they might want to pursue in the future. 2018-19 also saw the opening of the new Careers and UCAS Office, which is staffed every lunch time to ensure boys have the chance to seek guidance about their futures.

Many year groups gain valuable insights into careers through their PHSE lessons, which offer them the chance to discuss highly relevant topics such as the development of new jobs, how to write letters of application and CV writing, as well as helping them recognise how their choices now will affect their future paths. The Fifth Year are well-supported by their tutors and by Sixth Formers in making informed A-Level and Pre-U choices, and also gained some excellent work experience opportunities as a result of their PHSE lessons on how to do so. Pupils’ understanding of careers in the real world is frequently developed through talks by visiting speakers. In January, for instance, the Third Year listened keenly to the words of strategy and innovation consultant Umesh Kumar. He is currently the Director and CEO at Peel Foods, a food start-up based in London which provides delicious, healthy and Michelin star quality food to office workers across the city. Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Pace Ventures, a strategy and innovation consultancy that helps corporates investment into start-ups, including design hackathons, accelerators and innovation initiatives. His talk exemplified the diversity of career journeys which might be available to future Hamptonians. The Lower Sixth, meanwhile, heard words of wisdom from representatives from the organisation ‘Unifrog’ and speakers from a range of universities to help inform their future choices, as well as listening to alumni speak about their career journeys since they left Hampton ten years ago, and the important grounding the school gave them for the future.

Alongside PHSE lessons, various events at and outside of Hampton give students further understanding of careers and higher education. In September, a group of aspiring lawyers from the Sixth Form were lucky enough to travel to the Law Society, giving them the opportunity to network with representatives from a range of legal areas, including solicitors, barristers and judges, to help them discover more about the profession. The

annual Careers Convention in February was once again very well-attended, with students seizing the opportunity to find out from industry representatives, including many Old Hamptonians, what working in different fields is really like. The Third Year gained an insight into where their creativity might take them in the future through workshops on skills such as computer game design, journalism and architecture at the Creative Futures event.

This year saw the continued popularity of regular careers lunches and interviews. These happen at least once per half term and give Hampton boys the opportunity to formally interview individuals working in different fields, followed by more informal question and answer sessions over lunch. A wide range of careers have been explored in this context, for instance boys learned about Careers in Law from Harvey Tomes, a trainee solicitor with Boodle Hatfield, as well gaining insights into Careers in Business Management from Stephen Harris, an international trade and investment project manager, and Careers in Sports Medicine from Nick Metcalfe, the chiropractor for Fulham FC. The Careers in Finance interview and lunch with James Connor, CEO of the company Connor Broadley, enabled several of the students who attended to successfully apply for valuable work experience at the company. For those who were not able to take part in the interviews, they are available on the Careers Department Firefly page.

Of course, 2018-19 also saw the loss of Mr Worrallo, Hampton legend and fount of knowledge, from the Careers and UCAS Department and the school as a whole; his expertise, kindly demeanour and good humour will be greatly missed and we can only hope that the pupils at Brighton College, his new school, will appreciate his advice as much as we did here at Hampton. Following the departures of Mr Worrallo and Dr Carrier, we therefore welcome several new members to the Careers and UCAS team for the new academic year, Miss Thornton takes responsibility for Oxbridge and Mr Doyle for American Universities. It is therefore an exciting future ahead for the team, and we are sure boys will benefit from their insights. We have a wealth of opportunities planned for 2019-20 and we hope that Hampton pupils will embrace all the Careers and higher education provision – from talks to events to interviews – that the school has to offer as enthusiastically as they did in 2018-19.

LAT the lion

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Creative Futures Leading figures from across the creative industries shared their knowledge and expertise with Third Year pupils at Hampton School’s annual Creative Futures event.

The twelve speakers ran workshops and a Q&A session offering an insight into their field of work and the career paths they have followed. From video game design and public speaking, to architecture, journalism and marketing, there were a range of speakers who seized upon the opportunity to show our boys that there are a myriad of opportunities for jobs in the arts.

The speakers encouraged pupils to make the most of every opportunity that comes their way and follow their passions.

Contributors: Ed Slater OH (2008): Production Manager for Tangent Design and Production Limited, a London based design and invention brand Duncan Mackay OH (1988): Visual Design Associate Manager at Allen International Accenture William Aubrey Jones OH (2006): Production Manager at Oily Cart Theatre Company and Artistic Director at Dogfish Theatre Matheson Bayley OH (1997): British pianist, composer, orchestrator, singer and television host.

Currently Musical Director at Make A DifferenceTrust.

Momotaro Ushido OH (2012): Concept artist in a leading AAA video game studio.

Andy Griffin OH (1991): Global Category Strategy Manager, GSK for Publicis Media Matthew Collins OH (1979): Public speaking and voice skills coach Mark Hooper: Designer at QS Designs, a leading UK design agency James Helm: Director of Communications, Metropolitan Police and partner at Portland Communications Stephen Page: Chief Executive, Faber & Faber Ltd George Pascoe-Watson: works for Portland Communications advising the leaders of some of Britain’s biggest firms, charities and organisations on their corporate communications and government relations strategies Mike Stiff: Architect and member of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Architecture Appraisal panels TRA 18

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Creative Writing Awards ‘Fantastic, clever, original stories’ – this was how author Sara Grant described the work of the 25 finalists who attended her masterclasses on Thursday 21st March 2019, as part of Hampton’s annual Creative Writing Awards.

Competition entrants were challenged to write a story opening of 750 words; those shortlisted as finalists in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior age group categories were invited to two hour masterclasses with Sara Grant, a Creative Writing Masters Degree course lecturer.

Sara gave them top tips on creative writing, focusing on description and setting, dialogue, action and orientation; she also provided detailed verbal and written feedback about each of their story openings.

‘I read some amazing story openings from incredibly talented writers,’ said Sara Grant. ‘The pupils worked so hard and I was impressed by their ability to take on board my feedback and improve their already brilliant work’.

The winners and runners-up in each category won £25 and £15 book vouchers respectively. All of the finalists also had their work published in the Summer 2019 edition of Lion Print, Hampton’s Creative Arts magazine.

Senior Winner – Ben Green, Runner-up – Charles Maddox Intermediate Winner – Will Mathers-Jones, Runner-up – George Garofalo Junior Winner – Isaac Tarragano, Runner-up – Nathaniel Taylor TBA

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Arts Award The academic year 2018-19 saw the third successful year of the Silver Arts Award for boys in the Third and Fourth Years at Hampton. Over thirty boys completed this GCSE-level qualification, which is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England, and gives students the opportunity to complete creative projects in an area of their choosing and to pass on their skills to others. The process also requires students to work with practitioners in their chosen art form, learn about careers and attend arts events This year saw boys take the opportunity of model making to a more socially conscious level, with some highly pertinent work designed to draw attention to issues about which we should be concerned. In particular, Charlie Coulter’s thought-provoking and prize-winning model of a globe with pollution spilling out particularly caught his audience’s attention. Joshua Maisuria-Hull and Arjan Sian were similarly inspired by environmental concerns, and opted to design and build a futuristic city out of recycled materials, whilst Freddy Liang created a paper model of a Boeing 777-300ER plane. Also opting for a practical project was Bayley Burridge, who used the Arts Award as an opportunity to pursue his passion for fashion, designing and creating a hoodie and a cape. He was praised by the moderator for his original designs and for taking the chance to develop real-world insight into an industry in which he hopes to work in the future – well done Bayley!

As in previous years, photography, art and writing were popular form for Hampton boys. Leanesh Sivkumar combined his photographs with careful pencil drawings, whilst George Garofalo and Mac Crawford both opted for painting, portraits and landscapes respectively. Like Leanesh, many other boys produced impressive and professional looking photography books. Nature proved to be an inspiring theme, as exemplified by Rizwan Hatimi’s book ‘The Mechanical Eye’ and Louis SimondsGooding’s book ‘Flora and Fauna’, but Hampton pupils were also keen to photograph more man-man elements of the world around them, for instance Daniel Townend’s album of architecture photographs, Toby Gwynne’s photography book on street art and graffiti, and Shane Bowden’s photographic guide to aviation. Seb Biedrzycki and Oskar Chu utilised their own experiences in their work, photographing travels and people they have met respectively, whilst James Darke took impressive photographs using a drone and Toby Davis opted for a more instructive approach in his book guiding the reader on the art of composition. Producing a book of the more literary variety was Ben Strong, whose prize-winning novella ‘A Paper Crown’ showcases his talent for creative writing and makes for highly impressive reading. The books produced by Hampton boys, literary and photographic, are now available in the school library.

It is well-known that many Hampton boys are superb performers and this was particularly exemplified in the excellent standard of musical and dramatic projects in 2018-19. Fourth Years Thomas Wykes and Alex Mehta were both awarded prizes for their compositions, with Thomas representing different countries musically and Alex composing some jazz pieces of an excellent quality; both students also demonstrated superb levels of organisation and independence throughout the process. Cameron Marshall, already something of a Hampton musical legend, was also awarded a prize for his original album of house music, and we 20

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school anticipate great things as he embarks on his next challenge: a regular Hampton Radio music show.

Viduna Diyasena led classmates Kai Kelly and Arya Lim-Amiri excellently to produce some group compositions, whilst Kristian Wells exhibited his passion and talent for drumming.

Sam Brewster, meanwhile, wrote and performed a dramatic piece entitled Skool Life, whilst fellow Third Years Charlie U’dell and Marcus Taylor focused on choreography of The Soldier’s Tale and a gymnastics routine respectively.

Film and technology-based projects saw a resurgence at Hampton this year, with Jamie Reger’s prize-winning animated film being particularly praised by the moderator for its professionalism and attention to detail. In contrast, Tom Banks opted to make a documentary-style film on corner shops, whilst Aadam Shazaad and Praveen Kumarasinghe focused on teaching drawing skills for their instructive video. Krishna Wijayasingam combined his interest in science and arts, by designing and creating a website focused on circuit building.

As well as producing outstanding work of their own, boys exemplified some excellent leadership skills in helping others to develop their abilities.

Many chose to participate in the Leadership Day on the 19th of June. Boys delivered workshops to groups of primary school pupils from seven different schools and the feedback was unanimously positive, with visiting students giving excellent feedback and commenting on how much they learnt, whilst enjoying themselves immensely. Perhaps some of our Hamptonians will excel as teachers in the future!

Other Hampton pupils organised alternative leadership opportunities, such as visiting primary schools or delivering clubs for their peers. All the boys rose to the difficult challenge of planning workshops and leading others and they deserve many congratulations for their efforts.

The moderator was extremely impressed with the variety and quality of work produced by the Hampton boys, stating that it was the best and most organised cohort he had ever seen, and a 100% pass rate was achieved for the third year in a row. We are highly grateful to the staff who supervised for helping the boys achieve such outstanding outcomes. Prizes for particular excellence were awarded to: Ben Strong, Rizwan Hatimi, Thomas Wykes, Bayley Burridge, Alex Mehta, Toby Davis, Toby Gwynne, Charlie Coulter, George Garofalo, Cameron Marshall, Viduna Diyasena and Jamie Reger. Very well done to all the boys who completed the Arts Award, they have learnt a great deal and have achieved much, of which they should be immensely proud.

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Over two hundred boys were involved in the Award this year.

In October, 10 Gold and 14 Silver Award candidates completed their practice expeditions, walking from Penrith south to Windemere. In March, 110 completed Silver Award practice and assessment expeditions in the New Forest with 125 completing their Silver practice and assessment expeditions during the Summer Term in either Dorset or the New Forest.

At Gold level, six completed their assessment expeditions in Snowdonia in April, with 14 Gold participants undertaking either assessment or practice expeditions in the Western Lakes at the end of June.

In August, four Sixth Formers enjoyed superb weather to complete their practice expedition in the Eastern Lakes.

Since September 2018, 144 boys have been awarded their Duke of Edinburgh Awards at either the Bronze, Silver or Gold level.

DRC and PWT

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Model United Nations The Hampton MUN ‘squad’ has had its most successful year yet, awash with conferences and accolades! The boys participated in eight MUN conferences and welcomed several new squad members from lower year groups. They achieved great success, winning a grand total of 51 individual awards and 10 team awards – our most successful year so far. This is an excellent record, especially considering that our junior debaters from the Second and Third Year are competing against Sixth Form students from other schools.

We would also like to extend an enormous thank you to Henry de Oliveira, Dara Sanwal and Alfie Watkins for their long and distinguished service to Hampton MUN. They have been splendid role models for our younger debaters and have won multiple awards. We hope they will continue to participate in MUN at university!

MCSMUN – February 2019 This conference was especially entertaining due to the chocolate and juicefuelled breaks, the phenomenal grounds and facilities and the diverse range of topics selected. Schools from many miles around were attracted to Oxford for this weekend and the quality of debate may be the best I have experienced. Everyone knew about their country in depth, with obscure statistics plucked from left, right and centre. Hampton received a fair scoop of rewards, with eleven of our delegates receiving individual awards.

Magdalen’s prize system encouraged quality debate; this was a touch, I believe, which encouraged diligence and an increased level of thought, resulting in phenomenal points being made even from inexperienced delegates.

Oliver Pulfrey-Baker

HMUN – March 2019 Here are some thoughts from our MUN debaters about the 2018-19 ‘season’.

CROYMUN – November 2018: MUN (Model United Nations) is a remix of the UN where delegates are encouraged to debate current issues using extremely fancy words and referring to themselves in the third person. CROYMUN took place at Croydon High school, where I participated in the economic and financial committee (Ecofin). We discussed whether the USA should impose sanctions on Iran and we debated intellectual property theft. There was a very amiable environment and I enjoyed myself. I strongly recommend more people to come to MUN. Benjamin Hammond

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Eleven Hampton delegates represented Belarus and Papua New Guinea at one of the most intimidating conferences of the year at Haileybury School. This is the only international conference we attend, and Hampton delegates were debating against participants from schools in the US, Netherlands, and Germany. Nevertheless, our delegates leapt into the debates enthusiastically, speaking with typical eloquence on topics such as the protection of bee populations, the removal of trade barriers, religious freedom, and a Special Committee on Syria. Overall, Hampton performed fantastically. Thomas Bainbridge won a Distinguished Delegate award, which was very impressive given that he is in the Second Year. Oliver Pulfrey-Baker, Dara Sanwal and Henry de Oliveira also won Distinguished Delegate awards. Sixth Former and first-time MUN-er David Evans won a Highly Commended award. Finally, the entire delegation of Papua New Guinea, comprising Thomas, Dara, Henry,

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David and Nayaaz Hashim won a highly sought-after Distinguished Delegation team award, making this one of Hampton’s most successful conferences of the year.

HMUN also marked the end of Dara and Henry’s illustrious Hampton MUN careers. Over the course of their time at Hampton, their articulate and astute speeches have inspired the whole team. Many of us remember their kind reassurance and advice to us at our very first conference, and we all wish them future MUN success!

Nayaaz Hashim Finally, Miss Field, Mr Agulian & Mr Cheah would like to say thank you to all of the boys who have participated in MUN this year and made our involvement in this activity so fulfilling. It is a genuine pleasure to accompany these boys to conferences and we are extremely proud of all they have achieved.

For anyone considering MUN next year, here are some reflections from a junior and senior pupil on why it is a good activity to take part in:

Suryaksh Tewatia: ‘I am involved in MUN as, being new to the school, it can teach you valuable skills that are extremely beneficial; it can massively improve your confidence. It also gives you opportunities to engage in interesting topics with pupils from all year groups in enjoyable but serious debates. I believe it is vital for young people to be engaged in political issues; everything that is happening now will have some sort of effect in the future and knowing what will happen will provide many people opportunities to give personal verdicts and opinions that could be implemented.’

Dara Sanwal: ‘When I first started doing MUN, I was for the most part unaware of many global political developments and issues. Doing MUN threw me head first into these very issues, and I developed an affinity for global politics. I now have a passion for debating the causes and effects of, and solutions to, international events and crises - and for that reason I have continued to do MUN throughout my time in school and intend to keep participating in MUN at university. It is imperative that young people educate themselves on key political issues and listen to a variety of opinions, before making up their minds and campaigning for what they believe in.’ the lion

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Young Reporters

interesting events and then being able to write about them. Winning an award has been a great bonus.’

Hampton’s student journalists scooped 11 prizes at the recent Newsquest Young Reporter Awards. They were successful in all of the categories, which included Breaking News, Event, Feature, Interview and Photo.

Fourth Year student journalist Rizwan Hatimi said: ‘Being a Young Reporter gave me something current and interesting to research and write about each month; it also offered me a realistic insight into a career in journalism. I would recommend the scheme to anyone.’

There were eight Hampton finalists selected from 51 boys who participated in the online journalism scheme this year. Those involved in the programme had to research and write a total of eight articles in a range of categories, meeting deadlines between October and April. Their pieces were published on the Newsquest This is Local London website: www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/youngreporter. A total of 639 pupils took part from schools across the South East.

Diana Jarvis, Young Reporter Coordinator for Newsquest said: ‘Congratulations to all of you for demonstrating eight months of real commitment to meeting deadlines whilst learning all the time’. She added: ‘It’s been a pleasure to work with really responsible students’.

Awarding the winners their book vouchers and certificates, Newsquest Group Editor, Will Harrison congratulated them on their ‘fantastic pieces’ and praised them for ‘getting actively involved in journalism’.

School Vice-Captain and 2019 finalist Bart Briston said: ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed interviewing lots of different people, finding out about

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Breaking News Y10/11 Highly Commended Y12/13 Commended Event Y10/11 Highly Commended Interview Y10/11 Commended Highly Commended Y12/13 Commended Highly Commended Feature Y10/11 Commended Y12/13 Winner Photo Y10/11 Highly Commended

Ross Hyde Bart Briston Rizwan Hatimi Josh Bartholomew Ross Hyde Luke Jefferies Harry Lawrie Patrick Helm Harry Lawrie Nathan Chapplow Extra Mile Winner Patrick Helm TBA

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Pens Down Day! Hampton pupils left their pencil cases at home for a day and were encouraged to lift their heads from their books and screens and communicate face to face in lessons.

Throughout the day, Hampton teachers came up with innovative ways to help pupils absorb subject material in a manner that went beyond naturally defaulting back to note-taking.

Across the school and across each subject, discussions, debates, problem solving, group work, practical work, peer teaching, making podcasts and creating films were all embraced for the occasion.

There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that talking about a topic is an effective way of helping pupils process, retain and even question what they are being taught. The day also served to improve and develop the boys’ oracy skills – something that the school is committed to developing.

We look forward to two more ‘Pens Down Days’ in 2019-20 and the varied and amazing lessons that will take place on the day itself!

ACM

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Classics Department The year was another busy one, with plays, lectures and pizza all in abundance!

On Friday November 9th, the Sixth Form classicists convened at Harrodian School for its annual Sixth Form conference. We were treated to a diverse set of lectures on Homer and Virgil, Latin love poetry and Augustus’ imperial image. However, Armand D’Angour’s lecture on reviving the tones and rhythms of ancient music as well as the recreation of a diaulos was the stand-out of a fantastic collection, helping us get the classical calendar off to a winning start.

With the advent of Christmas, we settled in for our annual Saturnalian pizza celebration, this year at Piazza Firenze, Teddington; it was as great fun as ever. Classics teachers and Sixth Form classicists (masters and slaves?) had a convivial time, Christmas jumpers were worn, and a classics themed game of ‘who am I’ was enjoyed. Oh, and pizza was consumed...yum!

The day after this ‘pizzanalia’, the 17 successful early Latin GCSE takers (all 9s) benefitted from a careless promise Mr Barber made to his inaugural Gratin set. So pizza, twisted doughballs and fizzy pop were consumed happily in the Sixth Form common room: a great way to finish off the week.

Hopefully it inspired a bunch of Greek GCSE 9s too (for which only praise will be given out!)...

On 24th January, with Ms Jacobs as gubernatrix, we took the GCSE Latinists to Notre Dame School in Cobham for an annual set text lecture day. Dr Leigh most eloquently helped to rebalance our views on the tumultuous end to Dido and Aeneas’ relationship – was Aeneas always as ‘pius’ as he could have been? He also encouraged our Fourth Year Gratinists and Fifth Year Latinists to consider A level and degree level Classics, by ‘bigging up’ the immortal power of Virgil’s verses. Dr Lowe gave us plenty to consider about Caesar’s commentarii (essentially polished notebooks) and asked us to consider how much both Caesar and Tacitus’ ‘historical’ narratives were shaped by their own preconceptions and characters. All in all, we had much food for thought and plenty of material for 8 mark style questions and 10 mark mini essays.

The Fifth Year Ancient History set spent a morning at the British Museum on the last day of January. Our primary purpose was to visit the widely

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praised exhibition ‘I Am Ashurbanipal’, an exploration of the Assyrian Empire through the reign of its greatest king. The artistic and military culture of the Assyrians was a significant influence on the Persian Empire, a major topic in the GCSE syllabus, and the beautiful stone relief sculptures and boastful royal inscriptions we saw helped us to appreciate the parallels. We also spent time exploring the rest of the museum, looking at world-famous objects such as the ‘Cyrus Cylinder’, made of clay and inscribed with a propagandist record of Cyrus the Great’s conquest of Babylon in 539 BC. On Wednesday 6th February 2019, a day which would have fallen during the Athenian festival of drama some 2500 years previously, 33 Hampton classicists from Third Year to Upper Sixth journeyed into central London for an evening of Greek tragedy, courtesy of the UCL Classical Drama Society.

Following a lively, university-style lecture by Dr Nick Lowe at the UCL Institute of Archaeology and a ‘crash course’ by Ms Busby on the dramatic conventions of Greek tragedy, the boys gathered at UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre for a performance of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, a play which tells the story of a king’s agonising search for the truth as a mysterious plague strikes Thebes. The play was a success and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Exactly a week after the British Museum trip, Hampton hosted best-selling historical novelist Ben Kane, who gave a lively and informative presentation on Alexander the Great. Dr Kane (he is a qualified vet!) has been a popular speaker at Hampton over the last few years, and his wealth of knowledge and personal collection of replica weapons and armour brought to life the experience of the Macedonian soldiers during Alexander’s brutal conquest of the Persian Empire.

On 20th March, a group of Sixth Form devotees headed off to St Paul’s Girls school for a very different kind of lecture. Dr Rowan gave us an interesting insight into archaeobotany – finding out about ancient diets, mainly by trawling through ancient sewers and latrines! We discovered how eating and drinking habits changed over time, by looking at Herculaneum and Pompeii, discovering the ancients were very much like us in their ongoing search for something new, and something to impress their neighbours with, we found out how long pepper would have taken to reach Italy from India (a year!), and we discovered that living in an ancient city would have been quite smelly – they were good at draining away urine, but less good at flushing away number 2s!

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For our final trip of the year, a small group of classicists ventured to Bradfield College on Tuesday 25th June in a people carrier which looked suspiciously like a large airport taxi. After the journey – which including riveting conversation, such as Mr. Hitchings’ Macaroni Peas for dinner – we were amazed first by the sheer size and grandeur of the school, and then by the breath-taking Greek theatre (as shown in the picture). The performance was an excellent rendition of Euripides’ strange but interesting play Alcestis.

This is the story of King Admetus, who was given the power to live in exchange for another’s life, of whom only one person stepped up, his wife, Alcestis. This play, backed up by some unusual music played from a diaulos, showed the problems created, through the grief and guilt, which bore down on him, intertwined with the need for the children’s mother in their life and Heracles visit, unaware as he was of Alcestis’ untimely death. Overall, it was an impressive performance, which had obviously had lots of time put into it, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

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!

Clubs:

Ave atque vale

Following on from Hampton’s very successful Lower School production of the Ramāyana, an ancient Indian play about Rama and Sita, this year saw the arrival of Sanskrit Club in the Classics Department, run most ably by Ms Winstock. 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

Aside from all the successes this year, we had to say good bye to Mr Hitchings, who is levelling up to be HoD at Brentwood school, and Dr Leary, who is retiring. Huge thanks and good luck to them both.

Lower down the school, Ms Busby ran Mythology Club, where a crack unit of curious and enthusiastic Second Years learnt about the story of the Trojan War. As well as studying key moments from Homer’s Iliad – which tells the story of several key weeks during the 10 year siege of Troy, when a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles proved pivotal to course of the war – they also studied the origins and of the war, unpicking the symbolism of Rubens’ Judgement of Paris, and pieced together fragments of the Epic Cycle to understand the final stages of the siege from the death of Achilles and to fateful Trojan Horse. Please stop by the display in the Classics Department to see what they discovered!

Johnny Powell, SCH, ARW, GJB and JWB the lion

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Modern Foreign Languages Goethe Institut German Debating Competition Hampton entered this competition for the first time this year and reached the National Final in March with a superb Lower Sixth team comprising Jake Emerson (captain), Thomas Settle, Agastya Jha and Noah Langford.

After defeating the Grey Coat Hospital School, RGS High Wycombe and Colchester Royal Grammar in the preceding rounds, on topics ranging from the banning of plastics to electric cars, the Hampton team met a controversial defeat at the British Council in London by Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, debating whether ‘Europe’ should be introduced as a subject on the school curriculum.

The team’s performance throughout the competition exemplified the particular skills and attributes that lie at the heart of formal debating: thorough research, critical thinking, organisation under pressure, teamwork and mutual encouragement. The level of German on display was exceptional and the team members, with their School, can be proud of all they achieved.

KEW MFL Poetry Live Competition – Two Hampton Students achieve Gold!

On 18th June, four Second Year students competed in the MFL Poetry Live Competition at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Tom Oliver and Lucas Hermann-Sosa for German, alongside Vishal Saha and Max Cardosi for Spanish, had been awarded places in the final through heats held at School during the Summer Term.

During the first part of the evening, competitors from schools across the South West of London and Surrey performed a poem in either French, German or Spanish that they had learned and practised at home. They were then presented with an unseen poem and were required to perform it to a panel of judges, after mere minutes of rehearsal, and having only been allowed to enquire as to the meaning, but not pronunciation, of certain words.

All the boys delivered lively, outstanding performances – and the Gold Awards for both German and Spanish were given to Tom and Vishal respectively.

Well done to all involved!

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Quiz Society The 2018-19 quiz season began with the Lower Sixth inter-form competition. After fifteen knock-out matches, the well-attended final on 8th October saw L6LAT eventually overcome L6SCY by a score of 280-220.

Trials to select the senior quiz squad followed immediately, and in November Hampton hosted the regional round of the National Schools’ Challenge competition. Hampton ‘A’ (Alfie Watkins, James Dowden, Oliver Pulfrey Baker, Conor McNeany) beat LEH ‘B’, but lost narrowly to last year’s regional champions, Hurstpierpoint, (720-660) to bow out at the group stage. Hampton ‘B’ (Fred Spence, David Evans, Fred Darley, Pallav Bagchi) beat Kingston Grammar ‘B’ and Lord Wandsworth to qualify for the semi-finals, where they also lost to Hurstpierpoint.

The Spring Term was focused primarily on weekly senior squad practice, but we also selected a quiz squad from First and Second Years for the Junior Schools’ Challenge competition. The match team of Piers Marchant, William Colvine, Tomas Escobar and Ben Williams beat Lanesborough in the regional semi-final and then came up against RGS Guildford on 29th April. We had squeaked past RGS in last year’s regional final, but this time lost 540-490; we hope that this blossoming rivalry will produce many more nail-biting clashes in future years.

The HSPA ushered in the Summer Term with their generous purchase of a replacement set of electronic buzzers. Two more inter-form quizzes followed: the Fourth Year competition was won by 4J, who beat 4B in the final, 300-230, and the Second Year by 2L, who won 300-200 in the final against 2B. We rounded off the year with a charity exhibition match between a team of teachers and a Pupils Select IV (James Smith, David Evans, Oliver Pulfrey Baker, Conor McNeany). The boys stormed into a healthy lead, but the teachers came back strongly (helped by a couple of rogue questions accessible only to those alive in the 1990s) and pipped the boys 250-240 in the final play.

After three years developing a full programme of competitions, we are confident that quizzing will continue to be a popular activity that brings something unique to the pupil experience at Hampton.

SCH the lion

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The Archives As always, work in the Archives this year has included general administration – accessions and catalogue work – and dealing with requests for information, from current pupils and staff, the Alumnus Office, Old Boys and former staff, and external researchers – who are now beginning to focus on WWII, following the WWI commemorations.

These quotidian tasks aside, attention has been paid to revising the catalogues of the School’s ‘artistic holdings’, things like maps, prints and engravings, portraits and paintings. This has proved an interesting and rewarding experience.

Jon Owen’s paintings include one of bicycles in a cycle rack alongside some pre-fabricated huts, I think near where the Atrium stands today and, it’s artistic qualities aside, preserves a record of how the School might once have looked.

appeared in a volume entitled A Hundred views of Churches, and the print is part of a collection of six sold as a job-lot and bought by Mason in 1940 from F F Curtis of the Topographical Gallery in Holborn for 5 shillings. The prints were bought

by Curtis from the estate of the collector, philanthropist, pharmaceutical entrepreneur and antiquary, Sir Henry Wellcome FRS.

In addition, the School possesses a number of early maps of Greater London and of Middlesex.

These might have been acquired by A S Mason, although their provenance is unknown. An example is that entitled ‘Middlesex olim a Trinobantibus habitata’, from John Norden, Speculum Britanniae, the first parte, 1593.

The main series of pictures comprises portraits of past headmasters. These used to hang in the front entrance, but have now been moved to the Main Hall ‘A view of Hampton from across the River, published S Woodburn’ Another, very attractive picture of the Hampton Old Church is the lithograph by George E Madely (1798-1858), a printmaker who specialised in medical illustrations but who was responsible too for some architectural drawings.

‘Middlesex olim a Trinobantibus habitata’ The portraits in the Main Hall The School possesses portraits of the following: Revd Dr Samuel Hemming (1803-28), Revd G F Heather (1868-97), W A Roberts (1897-1904), A S Mason (1924-50), Revd G J N Whitfield (1950-68), H G Alexander (1970-88), G G Able (1988-96) and B R Martin (1997-2013), and there is room in the Hall for their successors.

Other paintings include the work of past teachers, for example that of Mr C C ‘Tankie’ Titterton (Art Master, 1923-34) and pupils, for example Jon Owen OH (1979-84). Mr Titterton’s painting is a copy, made in 1929 (by permission of the Public Library Committee of the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames), of Thomas Rowlandson’s ‘The City State Barge opposite the Church, Hampton-upon-Thames’.

Those studying Ancient History at A Level will be well-acquainted with the Trinovantes and their support for Boudicca’s rebellion against Roman rule.

Another is ‘A New map of the Countries Ten Miles round the Cities of London & Westminster & Borough of Suffolk’, engraved by B Cole. This was the frontispiece to William Maitland, History & Survey of London Vol. II, 1756. (See Ida Darlington and James Howgego, Printed Maps of London circa 1553-1850, London 1964, cat. 105.

‘Hampton Old Church’, lithographed by G E Madeley Possibly also acquired by A S Mason are several prints of Hampton Court, although the Archives possesses no receipts or covering letters regarding them. Whoever acquired them for the school clearly knew what he was doing, however.

‘A New map of the Countries Ten Miles round the Cities of London & Westminster & Borough of Suffolk’

Mr Titterton’s copy of Thomas Rowlandson’s ‘The City State Barge opposite the Church, Hamptonupon-Thames’ 32

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Also acquired by A S Mason are a number of prints. Several are of local river scenes, such as the view of Hampton Church published in February 1809 by S Woodburn. This view originally

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‘A Perspective View of the Pavilions belonging to the Bowling Green at the end of the Terras (sic) Walk at Hampton Court, 1744’

school One of these, ‘A Perspective View of the Pavilions belonging to the Bowling Green at the end of the Terras (sic) Walk at Hampton Court, 1744’ is also possessed by the Royal Collection Trust (RCIN 702886), where it is grouped, along with two others not possessed by the School and a further print in our collection, and also by the Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection: Acc. No. B1977.14.11734. Another print possessed by both the Royal Collections Trust and Hampton School is ‘A Perspective View of Hampton Court Bridge cross the River of Thames, opened Dec. 13th 1753’, engraved by A Heckel (RCIN 701791).

all men – are now no more and the original drawing is lost – although the Archives possesses a number of photocopies. Only two of those depicted are still at the School and one of them, Mr Cook, is retiring this year. I too am retiring after thirty years, and although I have not been here long enough to feature in the picture, I am sure that my successor would be delighted to hear from anyone who knows anything about the whereabouts of the original.

TJL

‘A Perspective View of Hampton Court Bridge cross the River of Thames, opened Dec. 13th 1753’ Also of interest is ‘A View of Hampton Court as finished by King Henry VIIIth. Hampton Court, A Royal palace built by Cardinal Wolsey, enlarged, finished and erected by King Henry VIII’. This was engraved for the Society of Antiquaries of London. Another copy exists in the British Library (Cartographic Items Maps K.Top.29.14.c), catalogued in 1829 as part of the King George III topographical collection.

‘A View of Hampton Court as finished by King Henry VIIIth’ The School Archives also contain prints which are duplicated, for example, in the Prints and Drawings Department of the British Museum, and the University Library at Cambridge.

To conclude with something that other collections do not have, but then Hampton School no longer has either: when I first started teaching at Hampton School, in September 1989, there was in the staff common room the framed original of a cartoon by David Lewis, Deputy Head Boy in 1986. This showed the Headmaster of the day, Mr Gavin Alexander, as a sleepy lion in the fork of a tree, around whom were depicted a number of the teaching staff, with almost all of whom I have been privileged to work. Alas, several of these – with one exception, the lion

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Some of the most exceptional musical and theatrical talent in the South East was on display last week at the Hammond Theatre, where students from Lady Eleanor Holles and Hampton School took part in Ken Ludwig’s production of Crazy For You. Each evening, students from Hampton and LEH worked collaboratively to deliver a stunning performance. The acting was convincing, the choreography was clever and the musical scores were played with passion and punch. Technological boosts using special lighting and sound effects helped to enhance the musical ambiance for the audience.

Mrs James, the director of the production, and the Head of Drama for Hampton School, said, ‘I was incredibly proud of all the cast for all of their hard work and their five fantastic shows. They brought such polished performances to the stage and committed whole-heartedly to the musical genre!’

Crazy for You tells the story of an ambitious performer, Bobby Child, whose dream is to perform in one of the most renowned theatres in New

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York: the Zangler Follies. The lengthy musical follows Bobby’s journey through the distant land of Deadrock, Nevada, where he meets the love of his life, Polly.

The actors were aged from 14-18 and their dedication and tireless commitment over the past six months to produce such a wonderful theatrical performance was truly worth it. A cowboy in the musical, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained that, ‘The cast and I were in this project together. We got on really well and I thoroughly enjoyed performing. It took 6 months, but we all definitely feel we have achieved something!’

Unfortunately, Crazy for You was only running for one week, but each of the five performances was a complete sell-out! This is a testament to the quality of the production.

If the standard of this production is indicative of the quality of performances that Hampton and LEH are used to performing, I have no hesitation in recommending their future school performances.

Rizwan Hatimi

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This year’s Sixth Form production received rave reviews as our senior dramatists entertained audiences with their production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.

contented lives gradually unravel as secrets are revealed and their American dream is shattered. Sixth Formers Matt Mundy and Dylan Little produced captivating performances as father and son, Joe and Chris Keller.

Johnnie Clark, Joss Connell and Ethan Delaney-Smith directed ten senior pupils from Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles School, with an impressive set designed by Will Baker.

Two of the play’s directors, Johnnie and Joss, summed up their experience and praised the cast:

All My Sons tells the story of Joe Keller and his family in post-World War II America: a successful factory owner who has established a thriving business and idyllic life, with the ‘perfect’ suburban family. However, the Kellers’

‘We found it a hugely rewarding experience, creating something so emotionally charged whilst staying true to the play’s naturalism. Being new to directing, we were learning throughout the process, but are extremely proud of the cast’s accomplishment in producing such refined performances.’ the lion

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Hampton Drama at the Fringe – Moby Dick Review Mrs Moore’s Edinburgh production of 'Moby Dick' received a 4 star review – an incredible achievement at the Fringe, let alone for a school group!

This was the write up from Fest Magazine (www.fest-mag.com): 'By contrast, what a surprising, precious little lump of ambergris Leviathan Theatre's production is (four stars). This 10-strong cast of young men perform not just with energy, but with restraint and nuance. Leviathan's publicity material is deliberately vague on whether they are a school group, though they somewhat give the game away when they thank their teacher at the end of the performance for her direction and adaptation of the text. And thank her they should: this is a clear and thoughtful setting of the vast novel. A choice has been made to focus on the dramatic hunt for the whale, but retaining an ethereal dreamlike detachment to the whole affair. That's well done, and clever decisions like moving the five "gams" or ship-to-ship encounters together help keep the tension, each rendezvous feeling like a step closer to damnation.

But there's just enough of the book's sprawling asides to keep this from becoming mere story. What's more, it's handled with confidence, and just the sort of irreverence Melville would, one suspects, have approved of. Here’s an example: the boys speak the chapter numbers in unison, and several of Melville’s (sometimes hilarious) philosophical pontifications are grouped together under a heading of "existential musing". That's funny.

The lads are taut as a harpooner's rope in this very physical, but very sparse performance. They pick up on cues instantly; they move as a single body. A table turned upside down takes us below decks; on its edge, it becomes the pulpit from which Father Mapple delivers his manic sermon. There’s some propensity towards hamminess in the portraits of some of the crew, but that's entirely forgivable as an effort to bring out the different registers of Melville's text. Fundamentally, here's a production that takes pleasure in the ambiguity of Melville's weird novel.'

Moby Dick Student Review Rehearsing and performing Mrs Moore’s adaptation of Moby Dick was a truly unique, rewarding and inspiring experience. It was a new experience, for many us, to work in the physical theatre genre and, hence, grasping this in the initial stages of the rehearsal process was something that came as a

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challenge. However, as our understanding of the themes and the deep meaning of the text improved, we became more confident in working within this style and also with each other. This formed the overall basis that could enable us to continue improving.

Something that made Moby Dick different to other productions in the past was the level of focus needed. When working as part of a relatively small ensemble, each performer has individual responsibilities which equally contribute towards creating an overall effect. Throughout the rehearsal process, we learnt that there was never a moment when you could switch off; the energy in both the character and speech as well the intention in every movement would either make or break the show.

After all of our hard work and preparation, the day we had all been waiting for finally arrived. On Saturday 3rd August, the company of ten boys departed from King’s Cross Station, with the help of Mrs Moore and Mrs James. A few hours later we would arrive at Edinburgh Waverley, ready to perfect our performance. After further rehearsals in our venue, which was brilliantly placed just off of the Royal Mile, we felt prepared and excited for our performances. We bravely trooped up and down the Mile ‘flyering’ – something which has become part of the Fringe culture. Our attempts at this were particularly successful, as we were featured on BBC News!

Performing every evening from Monday to Friday, all of the boys can agree that the 45 minutes spent on stage everyday were by far the most the most tiring moments experienced during the whole of the summer.

The opening show was fantastic, yet every night we picked up more momentum and, by Friday, we all felt that we had the capacity to produce our best showing yet. Following this final outing, we happened to receive an official review from Fest Magazine – which you can see above – that gave us a wonderful four stars!

It was a truly unbelievable week, and it was amazing to be able to perform our show, and watch other impressive shows too, including the Voices of Lions. Thanks must go to Mrs James and Ms Plowman for their continued help during the process; but, on behalf of the cast, we would like to give a huge thanks to Mrs Moore. Our teacher showed so much dedication, and her creativity was phenomenal. We will always be grateful for her giving us the opportunity to make some incredible memories, and friends too.

Finally, the cast would also like to wish the very best to the next group which form ‘Leviathan’!

Paul Wilkinson and Taran Chawla

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Our Fourth Year dramatists received rave reviews as they overcame the wintry weather to entertain audiences with their production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.

Suspicion was high in The Hammond Theatre last week as Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles pupils performed the joint Fourth Year play, The Crucible. After months of rehearsals under the direction of Drama teacher Mrs Laura Moore, the cast produced some compelling performances.

Written by famous playwright Arthur Miller, the play follows the families of the accused during the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts 1692, in which John Proctor, Arthur Miller’s infamous anti-hero, fights for his family’s lives whilst striving to keep his good name in the village. The play is split into four acts, each one containing more energy, dark humour, gripping soliloquies and fervent arguments than the one preceding it, before the final climax in Act Four.

Despite the simple and rectangular staging, the cast transported the Hammond audience to a church meeting room, John Proctor's living room, the Salem courthouse and, before the curtain fell, the town jail.

The cast showed off their acting abilities in magnificent style, whether as a cruel judge, an influential landowner or as a paranoid priest. Finlo Cowley, who played Reverend Parris, perfectly summed up the production: ‘We had been practising hard to not only learn our lines but to get into the mind-set of each of our characters, and upon performing, even we felt emotionally swept away, not just the audience.’

A huge thank you must go to Mrs Moore, Miss Barnes and Charlotte Gregory for their dedication to the play and commitment to improving it. Thanks must also go to the technical crew for helping make the production such a success.

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Rats’ Tales On Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th June, thirty-one students from the First to the Third Year took to the stage in the summer show, Rats’ Tales.

Rats’ Tales brings together original stories by Poet Laureate (2009-19) Carol Ann Duffy with dark and enchanting folk tales from around the world.

The spirit of the play is magical at its heart; the stories flip from comedic romps to more sombre poignant tales. The show was an exciting mixedmedia performance using puppetry, shadow puppetry and live camera feed projection.

The students approached the performance with energy and verve, employing exceptional focus in what was a complex and demanding show, truly impressing their audiences.

Well done to all involved!

NPL

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A Year of Music Keyboard Concert

The Legendary Mr Jones

This year’s Keyboard Concert was dedicated to Mr Alan Jones and his extraordinary contributions to Hampton School, following his unexpected passing away earlier this year. The concert included many evocative and emotional performances from talented current pupils, alumni and private students. The programme consisted of an eclectic mix of pieces of varying styles, ranging from George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm to J S Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C major, as well as numerous romantic works by Faure, Brahms and Chopin, to name a but a few. In addition, as Mr. Jones had accompanied many boys in exams and concerts, we were treated to numerous instrumental performances by Old Hamptonians and staff.

The evening maintained an appropriate yet sensitive tone, interspersed with touching personal anecdotes from alumni, alongside a heartfelt speech from his long-standing colleague, Mr Iain Donald. It was a privilege to be involved in such an important and special commemoration, and it was especially poignant to receive thanks from one of Alan’s dearest friends. Mr Jones’ legacy will surely live on through the musical successes of all his former pupils.

Mr O Jones

St Cecilia’s Day Concert What a lovely evening! An appreciative and well-dressed audience, an intimate setting, good conversation, excellent food and – most importantly of all – some fine performances from the boys. Sathin Wijesena, bass, had the honour of opening the evening with a rendition of Faure’s Clair de Lune, whilst trumpeter Adam Wood played Barat’s Andante and Scherzo, producing a pleasing soft timbre in the Andante and a confident, bright tone in the Scherzo. Pianist Max Elliott followed with a romantic interpretation of Paderewski’s Nocturne, op 6, bringing out the inner melodies well. Flautist Anthony Wang presented an instantly engaging and accomplished performance of the first movement of Martinu’s Flute Sonata. Anthony’s beautiful tone was complimented by a virtuosic command of his instrument and a sense of complete ease with the often complex rhythmic interplay of the piece.

After the first dinner interval, Dowland’s In Darkness let me Dwell, sung by bass Stephon Umashangar, was suitably sombre-toned. Trombonist Max Golding played Ferdinand David’s lengthy and quite taxing Concertino in E flat, with a rounded tone and good intonation. Nicholas Stoner, baritone, gave a sensitive and beautifully crafted performance of Vaughan Williams’ lyrical The Infinite Shining Heavens, while Fred Spence, violin, carried off the first movement of Beethoven’s Spring Sonata with confidence and a sprightly tone throughout. He was ably partnered by the evening’s splendid accompanist, Antonio Oyarzabal. Martin Schon’s lower bass notes in 44

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Mozart’s O Isis und Osiris, an aria demanding uncommon presence and gravitas, were pleasing to hear. All that then remained between the audience and their pudding was composer/pianist Felix Elliot’s quirkily creative rhapsodic arrangement of Arthur Wood’s Barwick Green, from his suite My Native Heath; it is a tune that those of a certain age will instantly recognise and which Felix played with a great sense of fun and joviality.

Pudding was followed by a charming collaboration between baritones Jasper Newbold and Taran Chawla in two songs from Les Miserables. With Jasper at the piano, the pair duetted in Drink with Me, before Taran’s lovely solo vocal in Bring him Home. Violinist Matthew Mundy’s sweet tone and lilting phrasing communicated the sensitivity and passion in Dvořák’s Romance, while Nicholas Dibb-Fuller conveyed the delicate piano sonorities of the Menuet from Ravel’s Sonatine, impressively played from memory. The evening ended with two confident performances by baritone Thomas Morrison, whose excellent German diction in Schumann’s Die Beiden Grenadiere complimented a fine sense of line. His vocal nuances in Elgar’s Through the Long Days were equally delightful. And lastly, a fizzing finale of ‘Spanish fireworks’ from Dylan Evans-Hutchison, on violin, in Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dance with sparking pizzicato, shiny harmonics and wonderfully effervescent verve throughout.

Well done performers, and to all those involved in putting the evening together and making it such a success.

Andrew Brixey-Williams, father of Theo Brixey-Williams

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Woodwind Concert

Engelmann’s Melody of Love and Allegro Vivace from Cooke’s Suite for Clarinets.

The annual Woodwind Concert showcased a very high standard of musicmaking. It opened with the Wind Quintet, playing three of Agay’s Five Easy Dances, showcasing a range of moods. This was followed by the first saxophonist of the evening, Tomas Escobar, playing For Astor. Then, Theo Webb played Summer from Reade’s Victorian Kitchen Garden, allowing the audience to forget about the chilly weather outside, and filling the Hammond Theatre with warmth. This was then contrasted with the sounds of a ‘dinosaur’s heavy footsteps’ in Gordon Jacob’s L’Apres-Midi d’un Dinosaur, played by bassoonist Luke Jansen. Next, Varun Mulharidharan played Tambourin after which Jamie Harrison played Tea for Two, the musical classic arranged for saxophone. I then played Gabriel’s Oboe from the film classic The Mission – though not better than Jeremy Irons’ original performance! Sam Spence followed on bassoon with a tango, before Vlad Penzyev played Finzi’s Prelude from Five Bagatelles on clarinet. Our first flautist of the night then performed the Allegro from C P E Bach’s Sonata in G minor. The first half ended with our second ensemble, the Clarinet Ensemble, playing two contrasting pieces:

Anthony Wang opened up the second half with a recital of Adagio Ma Non Tanto from Sonata no. 6 by J S Bach. He was followed by Dylan Little playing Aria by E Bozza and Sebastian Evans performing the third movement from Telemann’s Sonata in F minor. Our second oboist of the night was Edward Finnet, playing the Chanson Boheme from Bizet’s opera, Carmen. More wonderful solos followed: Argun Kang played Toccata Latino by James Rae; Tom Williams performed Allegretto Malincolico from Poulenc’s Sonata; Tom Wykes played Benny Goodman’s Mission to Moscow, Nicholas Stoner played the Yardbird Suite and clarinetist Saul Morrison performed Milhaud’s Duo Concertante. The evening ended suitably with the First Movement of Beethoven’s Pastorale Symphony No. 6, from the Flute Ensemble.

Special mention must go to Mr Oyarzabal for his particularly musical level of accompaniment throughout the night, and to Miss Estall for her integral part in the running of this event.

Stephon Umashangar

New Boys Concert On a dark, rainy November evening, it was a treat to settle down into the dry, splendid surroundings of the Hammond Theatre for a celebration of our new musicians who recently joined the school. With performers drawn exclusively from our new boys in the First and Third Years, we were treated to some absolutely exceptional school debuts. It was an absolute delight to see how these boys rose to the occasion, especially since this would have been the first time most had performed in front of such a large audience and in such a large auditorium. The evening’s repertoire was both varied and interesting. Instrumentalists often performed without piano accompaniment, requiring extra steel under pressure, whilst all solo piano performances were also played with relish.

Getting our feet tapping right from the start was Ishan Patel, confidently opening on the violin with Tiptoe, boo! by Kathy Blackwell – a rite of passage for young violinists. A late entry to the running order, Kessan Konesakumar lulled us into a relaxed mood with a sweet rendition of Malagueňa on acoustic guitar, before Aaron Corpaul picked up the tempo with a cheeky rendition of How’s Tricks on trombone. Ali Henderson literally electrified the stage with his rendition of Sweet Child of Mine, before pianists Yangzi Tjoe, Tejas Sivaram and Edmund Ng all produced memorable debut performances on our Steinway piano. After a short break, we returned to our seats to enjoy the lush sound of Tetsuro Kato on cello, Declan Goh on violin gave us a lively rendition of Seitz’ Concerto in G Minor, before William O’Brien brought proceedings to a close with a technically flawless performance of Alexander Goedicke’s Concert Etude.

All in all, this was a fantastic evening and all new boys who performed should be very proud of what they achieved. We look forward to hearing you all play again, including in our informal concerts held several times a term in the Garrick.

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Classical Spectacular

more instrumental half, with works such as Pachelbel’s Canon, and In the Hall of The Mountain King by Grieg.

On the 22nd November, over 100 boys from the First Year sat in the dining room, eagerly awaiting their trip to the Royal Albert Hall. As the coaches arrived, we were organised into groups, with one group leader, before leaving our bags in the Garrick, and walking calmly – well, maybe not! – over to the buses.

After a short interval, the second half started. This half had a more vocal theme, with pieces such as Nessun Dorma and Rule Brittania, which was complete with cannons, muskets, fireworks, and, of course, balloons!

After an uneventful trip, we arrived at the Royal Albert Hall and took our seats: the very top row of the building! It was not long before the conductor, John Rigby, stepped out into the stage. Thus began the first half. This was a

Christmas Concert I It started to feel a lot like Christmas when the Swing Band launched into a jazz style, up-tempo rendition of Santa Clause is Coming to Town. The Consort of Voices was next and performed Adieu, Sweet Amaryllis and Pastime with Good Company, the former conjuring up visions of the Nativity and the latter reminiscent of Dickensian times. The Concert Orchestra followed and broke with Christmas-themed songs by performing The Incredibles with an explosive sound combination of woodwinds, percussion and piano that had the audience looking around for Mr Incredible and family to emerge! Next the Boys’ Choir sang the crisp, upbeat Star Carol. The singing was simply beautiful. From choir to Sinfonia; the latter gave us a melodic journey from the American ‘baseball and apple pie’ sounds of Stars and Stripes Forever to the powerful and uplifting Lion King medley. What a way to conclude the first half of the concert!

After the interval and some mince pies and mulled wine, we were treated to the First Year Choir who, under the superb direction of Mr Donald, gave enthusiastic and animated performances of Shoulda been a North Pole Elf and The Holly and

Christmas Concert II Christmas Concert II, also aptly titled ‘A Celebration of Iain Donald’s 23 Years at Hampton School’, was a spectacular evening of first class performances that were indeed a great tribute to Iain Donald’s musical legacy to Hampton School. It was a pleasure to see the Hammond Theatre filled not just with current students and their families but also with countless alumni.

The Brass Band provided a rousing start with a spirited performance of Eric Osterling’s Bandology, followed by When the Saints Go Marching In. Next, the Chamber Choir sang Wassail; this delicate song was delivered with beautifully clean part-singing of a very high calibre. The Choir then sang an 46

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After finding our way out of the concert hall, we began the short journey home, arriving back at around 10:30pm – all very tired! A huge thanks to Mr Roland, and all the staff who accompanied us on a trip to remember!

Sam Govier

the Ivy. Next, the School Choir and Orchestra gave an epic performance of the 14th Century carol, Angelus ad Virginem, which was both playful and angelic at the same time. The Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mr Roland, then took to the stage with a sublime and engaging performance of the Allegro Moderato, Adagio Religioso, Rondo from Böhme’s Trumpet Concerto, which was a spirited mix of horns, woodwinds and included a masterful trumpet solo from Nicholas Dibb-Fuller. The Symphony Orchestra then segued into a victorious and triumphant rendition of Holst’s Jupiter before concluding with Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos: the four movements of this concerto were performed with provocative and mesmerising dialogue and interaction between pianists Christian Chan and Felix Elliot and orchestra.

The evening wrapped up with the annual Christmas raffle and audience participation, joining in singing a variety of Christmas carols.

All the performances were absolutely delightful and ensured that everyone there was imbued with some early festive spirit!

Kellie Scott, mother of Josh Skeaping

energetic performance of Chilcott’s arrangement of Ev’ry Time I feel The Spirit. The Chamber Orchestra were up next with Felix Elliot’s arrangement of Time Lapse by Michael Nyman. The evolving themes were beautifully negotiated by each part leading to a climax which was delivered with great intensity. This was followed by Samuel Barber’s famous Adagio; the orchestra immediately captured the intensely emotional character of the work with a wonderfully warm sound. A surprise performance of Five Scottish Songs provided a sparkling finale to their pleasing set.

It was now the turn of the Voices of Lions to take to the stage, and what a sight they were! Joined by a host of alumni, they filled the stage in glorious style and treated us to a dazzling performance. Kicking off with Robert Shaw and Alice

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Parker’s spectacular arrangement of What shall we do with a Drunken Sailor, the choir tackled its intricate part writing with ease, giving a characterful rendition of this popular song. This was followed by a first performance of Good Enough for Him. This beautiful song, written for Iain Donald by his friend John Hoyle certainly drew on the strengths of the choir who filled the auditorium with their richly toned voices. To finish off, the gentlemen sang Iain Donald’s arrangement of Every Time We Say Goodbye. This outstanding piece of ensemble singing seemed a fitting way to bid farewell to the founder and musical director who has moulded the Voices of Lions into such an exceptional choir.

After the interval, we returned for the second half of the concert which was devoted to the Symphony Orchestra. Again, joined by a number of alumni, their programme started with a performance of the third movement of Kurt Weill’s Symphony No 2. A favourite of Mr Donald, this wonderful work used the full forces of the orchestra which conveyed the movement’s powerful sense of drama throughout. Following on from this was Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos,

Winchester Cathedral Evensong The Chamber Choir had the wonderful opportunity to sing Evensong at Winchester Cathedral in January. The rather long, enjoyable coach journey passed enjoyably to through the boys’ singing – to the disappointment of the teachers who preferred that we saved our voices for the cathedral!

After looking around the magnificent Gothic cathedral, we immediately started rehearsing. Perhaps the biggest challenge was to tame the beast of an organ in this cathedral, which Felix Elliott and Nick Dibb-Fuller handled professionally. We sang Noble’s setting of the Mag and Nunc, giving the trebles the chance to excel in their long solo passages. The

featuring soloists Christian Chang and Felix Elliot. This delightful work was the perfect vehicle for both of these exceptional musicians to display their mastery of the instrument. The entire orchestration was managed to give a flawless interaction between the soloists and orchestra, and the two pianists were clearly very in tune with each other and worked beautifully together.

Next up were Jig-a-jig and Tambourin, composed by Iain Donald. These rhythmically charged pieces were smartly played with a good sense of style.

The last piece was Jupiter from The Planets by Holst. For Mr Donald, his conducting had come full circle as this was the piece he conducted 23 years ago when he first came to Hampton! The orchestra truly rose to the occasion and delivered a polished performance, a fitting tribute to their much loved and respected musical director. The concert concluded with a farewell speech and gifts from Mr Donald’s Upper Sixth students and a reception.

Celia Hottinger, mother of Oliver Hottinger

motet for the night was Monteverdi’s Cantate Domino, a suitable choice given the nature of the service, which despite its difficulties in its fast-paced beginning and sudden change of mood half-way through the piece, the choir performed to a very high standard. On top of these pieces, we sang the evening’s psalms as well as a set of Preces and Responses.

Overall, it was a highly enjoyable evening a brilliant experience to sing in such an acoustic in a high-profile cathedral such as Winchester. Thank you to the staff who accompanied the choir on this trip and especially Mrs Oldfield for organising the trip and directing the choir.

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As a new parent to Hampton, I was very much looking forward to hearing what the boys could do when they swapped crisp white shirts for Pink Floyd T-shirts and trainers. I was not disappointed!

Paul Wilkinson and Denil Manuel skillfully broke the ice, and before long the Junior Rock Band appeared under the blue stage lights to perform tracks by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Muse. We heard some great lead solos and the first rap of the evening. Eight different groups then performed, showcasing a great variety of musical talents.

Papercut, a three-piece act, played Feel It Still with a tight rhythm section, and were followed by Analogue Slumber, an instrumental group with a large jazz funk sound.

Next up were Imagine Unicorns, with the first keyboardist of the evening and some great vocals from the drummer. Tom Wykes then impressed the audience with an original composition; his crisp rhythmic guitar set the standard for the night, after which the audience heard their second rap! What Happens Next, a larger fivepiece, then performed Home – another original. Out came the guitar pedals, and a mixture of soft and heavier rock echoed around the theatre.

We then heard the first 12 bar blues of the night, courtesy of The Blues Brothers 2.0 – Chuck Berry would have been proud of the lead guitarist who deftly replicated the iconic riffs! After that, Theo Bailey performed a great solo track with a soft ‘country’ vibe. The last act of the first half was The Shams, who performed a cover of The Strokes’ You Only Live Once, with some great vocals from the bass and strong rhythm section. Dylan Little then took over as DJ during the interval.

The Intermediate Rock School kicked off the second set with covers of Soundgarten’s Black Hole Sun and The Killers’ Somebody Told Me. The groove here was heavier, with strong guitars, a bass solo and some enthusiastic head banging! An acoustic feel followed with Atlantic Oceanus playing Found What I’ve Been Looking For. A Call from Kate then pulled out all the stops for a heavy metal track, with the distortion cranked up and the drummer unleashed! Thereafter followed some of the most technically accomplished performances of the night. Tobias Droy played a wonderfully chilled solo track, with complex guitar effects and inspired use of a loop pedal before we were treated to a cover of the Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody, which included some great drumming.

Thereafter, Avenue, a Lower Sixth group, pulled off a great mix of acoustic and electronic guitar, whilst Easyjet, a five-piece band launched into a track by Jet – complete with the evening’s first drum solo! Ewan Samms followed with a cool solo arrangement of Aretha Franklin’s Say a Little Prayer, with some impressive acoustic guitar.

Lastly came the Advanced Rock School, who ended the night with an amazing rendition of The Eagles’ Hotel California, including extended guitar solos that left the audience wanting more.

What impressed me most about the evening was the range of styles, number of different groups and the sheer sense of fun had by all.

Thank you to Mr. Pym and Mr. Willmott for your excellent tuition and support, and to all the rock musicians for a brilliant evening.

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String Concert

The string concert was, as always, a great success. We were treated to a varied program including works from Pachelbel to Coldplay.

The concert started with a performance of Sinfonia Strings playing Canon in D by Pachelbel, shortly followed by some solos on the violin. Next came a cello duet playing the classic Coldplay song, Viva la Vida. A harpsichord trio then followed, before more solos. Just before the interval came, there was a group of seven playing Vivaldi’s Lute Concerto in D.

we had to return for the second half! This was started brilliantly by the Sarabande from Bach’s Partita in D minor. Many solos came next before it was concluded by the Chamber Orchestra playing Time Lapse and Hungarian Dance no. 5 by Brahms.

It was a hugely enjoyable concert, with brilliant playing from everyone.

Notable mentions go to Mr Tong for being our accompanist that evening and Ms Van Ments, for organising the event. All in all, the Strings Concert was a brilliant event and I would strongly advise you to go and listen next year!

The interval then followed, with everyone flocking around the bar to buy ice cream and drinks. However, the best things do not last forever…soon

Edmund Ng

Nicola Benedetti Masterclass

The theatre was quiet with excited anticipation as we waited for the world famous violinist Nicola Benedetti to arrive. She was at LEH to give a string masterclass and several lucky Hampton string players had been invited to take part, along with pupils from 8 other local schools. She walked in and immediately put everyone at ease with her friendly and easy-going manner.

The afternoon started with four brave LEH girls each performing a solo whilst she gave them tips on what they could do to improve. She mainly focused on technique which was relevant to all the string players watching.

She talked about several things including where to stand, freeing up your bowing arm, shifting, and how to make a bigger sound. There was then a short break while all the pupils formed a massed string orchestra – of over 100 pupils! They played Frolicsome Finale from Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten and Tango by Brendan Ashe. Nicola’s first comment was 50

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to say, ‘Please, really enjoy this moment. It is such an amazing experience to play in such a big string orchestra; make the most of it!’

She also encouraged everyone to make ‘nastier’ sounds in the Tango and exaggerate all the markings.

To our surprise, she then agreed to play something for us. A silence fell as she began playing some of the Bach Chaconne from his D minor Partita for solo violin. The ringing chords, fantastic string crossings and expressive playing drew everyone in and you could have heard a pin drop.

Overall, it was a fantastic and inspiring afternoon which will be remembered by everyone involved.

Ms E van Ments, Head of Strings

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Chamber Concert The night began with the Junior Brass Ensemble playing John Williams’ Great Movie Adventures which featured many of his classics such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park and many others. The audience couldn’t help but hum along! Next, we heard from the Clarinet Ensemble for a quirky Suite by Arnold Cooke, and a jazzy version of Smoke gets in your Eyes. Up next was the personal highlight of the evening (for me): The Soldier’s Tale by Stravinsky is a short theatrical work about a soldier and his journey to happiness, accompanied by a fabulous septet. This was performed immaculately and was a joy to watch.

After the interval, the Wind Quintet played the first movement of Rasmussen’s quintet which was written in the early 20th Century, and therefore had a neoclassical feel to it.

Next to play was the Junior Guitar Ensemble, who played Stringing Strings and Rumba Pachanaga, two contrasting pieces which were both composed by their coach! Afterwards, The Reeders played the Bagatelle by Grundman which is one of his many chamber music compositions. Penultimately, the Flute Ensemble played the Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila, which was played tenderly and superbly throughout. Finally, the String Quartet played Mozart’s 17th String Quartet in Bb, known as The Hunt, which was another highlight.

Overall, it was a wonderful night and well done to all those who played (or acted!).

Samuel Schomberg

Brass Day

The Brass Day was a fantastic showcase of the large quantity of talent that exists in the brass departments at both LEH and Hampton. It included many varied ensembles, from Brass Quintets, to full Brass Bands. In addition to student ensembles, we were very lucky to be hosts to a Trombone Quartet, Bones Apart who not only spent the whole day giving masterclasses to ensembles and performances to most of the lower school, but also participated in the concert performing three pieces, including Jacob Gade’s Jealousy.

The concert opened with Robert Ehle’s Cerro Summit, a piece unheard at Hampton for over 20 years, on which occasion all 12 trumpeters involved lost their place in the music causing it to fall apart and very quickly become

disastrous. This time, however, the 12 trumpeters involved gave a very convincing performance of this potentially hazardous composition – everyone finished at the same time with no one getting lost in the middle.

Other highlights of the evening included a rendition of Handel’s Water Music for two hosepipes as well as one of the first performances of Lester Barnes’ Changing Times for Brass Dectet.

Overall, this day excellently showed off the strength of the brass sections in both schools in a delightful evening of music.

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ISSP Day

On behalf of everyone who took part, I would like to thank Mr Roland and all members of staff from Hampton and LEH, for making this day happen, and running it so smoothly.

On 20th March 2019, Hampton and LEH joined forces with seven other schools from the local area for the annual Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles Independent State Schools Partnership (ISSP). We rehearsed many different orchestral, ensemble and choral pieces throughout the day, resulting in a fantastic concert in the evening, displaying the extremely high capabilities of the talented students of these local schools.

I look forward to playing again next year in what should be another funpacked, musical day!

Thomas Wykes

Over 350 local secondary school students from Hampton, LEH, Hampton High, Turing House, Orleans Park, Teddington School, Twickenham School, Tolworth School and Waldegrave took part, and made it one of the highlights of the year for the Music Department at Hampton.

Personally, I was delighted by the fact that I got the opportunity to broaden my musical interests and take part in Mr Willmott’s Samba Group. Being a clarinet player, and having never touched a percussion instrument in my life before, I thought this would be challenging; however, the other students were very supportive and made sure I knew what I was doing. This was great fun but the highlight for me has to be when everyone came together (choir and orchestra) to perform a spectacular rendition of the amazing Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

Jazz Café

jazz number, Rock This Town, some swing, It Don’t Mean A Thing, and finally the Latin flavoured Vamamos.

Once again, the Hampton main hall dimmed the lights and invited an excited audience to enjoy a night of jazz. The room was bathed in an orange glow and the night started with a lively set from the Swing Band.

Despite being a large group – some 30 players of mixed experience – it was impressively sharp and together. The charts played included the theme tune from The Incredibles and the song Wade in the Water. This group had a real sense of fun about it, but clearly some serious rehearsal time had been put in too! With Mr Roland at the helm, various band members took up the mantle for solos.

It was impressive to hear so many styles from a single band and, once again, the enjoyment and enthusiasm shone through.

The Hampton Jazz Group then played a set of jazz standards, including Summertime and Have You Met Mrs Jones. This quartet consisted of Max Elliot (piano), Nick Stoner (saxophone), Dylan Little (cajon) and Tobias (bass). Apparently, this particular group had only started to rehearse the day before, making their performance all the more impressive!

I left Hampton that evening with a sense of wonder at how so many musicians can so easily exchange Mozart for Miles – well done all!

Next up were the Jazz Band, conducted by Mr Nair. This was a smaller group than the Swing Band and their first set was all arranged by Gerry Mulligan. The original scores performed back in the day by Gerry and Miles Davis were demanding, but the band was up to the task, transporting us back to the Birdland jazz club of the 1950s.

After the interval, Ewan Samms played a Burt Bacharach number, Say A Little Prayer, on guitar with solo vocals and did an amazing job.

The Swing Band then came back on for another set. This time they started with Now What – a play on the famous Miles Davis number So What – followed by a traditional 52

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The Jazz Group then came on for their second set. This time they performed Georgia On My Mind and St Thomas. All members of the quartet pulled out some great solos; this group would certainly be at home in any jazz club. The Jazz Band followed to conclude the evening with a set that contained arrangements by Rogers and Hart, My Funny Valentine, and Weather Report, the iconic Birdland.

Stuart Skeffington, father of Tommy Skeffington

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Choral Society

As I sat listening to the ravishing evening of music making at LEH on Saturday 23rd March, I pondered how to convey the sheer excellence of it all in a few hundred words. My notebook was littered with words such as ‘energetic’, ‘blazing’, ‘breath-taking’, ‘buzzing’, ‘crisp’, ‘dancing’, ‘thrilling’ and ‘sprightly’, which should give you a feeling for what was an audaciously ambitious evening.

The Hampton and LEH Schools Choir, under Mrs Ashe’s spirited direction, opened the evening with a tight, energetic performance of Poulenc’s Gloria, producing a full sound and some wondrously lush textures in the Qui Sedes, with lustrous singing by the solo soprano, Stephanie Bodsworth.

Megan Clarke’s performance of the first movement of Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto was utterly engaging. Megan’s fine musicianship, phrasing and emotional range quite belied her young years and I loved her mellifluous tone. Ably accompanied by the orchestra under Nancy Redman, this was both touching and glorious.

Brendan Ashe’s Magnificat had its World Premiere tonight, and what a fantastic piece it was! Full of pulsing energy, dancing rhythms, rippling piano figuration, blazing brass, wonderful choral textures, and a sense of striving and forward movement. The end was simply thrilling.

Following this packed and memorable first half, the audience were treated to no less than an abridged performance of Handel’s Messiah after the interval. With four professional soloists, this was a veritable tour de force. The Messiah is a well-loved piece, but always challenging to pull off the barnstorming choral counterpoint with precision. What struck me was not just the raw energy of this performance, but the discipline, control and blend that permeated it. I have never heard a more breathtakingly fast Hallelujah chorus, and the final Amen was simply incandescent.

You all deserved your standing ovation, a tribute to your dedication, passion and musicianship. Bravo!

Andrew Brixey-Williams, father of Theo Brixey-Williams

Spring Concert

The evening started in the Hammond foyer, with the Consort of Voices singing Ave Verum Corpus, written by the Renaissance composer William Byrd. They then went on to sing Like as a Ship, a highly-chromatic Madrigal, written by John Stainer.

The concert moved into the Hammond theatre with an all brass ensemble.

The Brass Band performed Frolic for Trombones, along with The Champions, in a riveting manner. Then came the Concert Orchestra, with an arrangement of various classic Beatles hits. These included Hey Jude, Get back and various others, which members of the audience certainly enjoyed.

When I Grow Up and Mr Blue Sky were the next items on the program. Boys’ Choir energetically performed the Matilda classic, before the trebles and altos sung their second piece. Sinfonia continued the theme of well-known music with Star Wars: Episode III. As all past and present audience members would tell you, a concert is not a Hampton concert without Star Wars!

Mrs Oldfield then directed the Chamber Choir, with a beautiful performance of O Nata Lux and It’s my life. As well as pristine harmony, Chamber Choir’s diction was worth remembering, with every word clearly articulated. The allstring Chamber Orchestra then performed Edward Greg’s Letzter Früling.

This was followed by Hungarian Dance No. 5, played with intent and vigor!

Voices of Lions then sung Skye Boat Song, written by A.C Macleod. The piece was performed from memory, with great care from the tenor and bass choir.

After the interval, the concert finished with the Symphony Orchestra. They played three pieces, the first of which being an intimate piano concerto by Ravel, performed excellently by Fred Spence. The second was Dvořák’s Romance in F Minor. This was expressively performed by Matt Mundy.

Finally, the evening ended with the well-known Superman March, a piece that the orchestra handled superbly, despite its difficultly.

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Junior School Workshop Day

Felix then returned to the stage with Pip: a piece written for flute, Anthony Wang, and piano, Felix Elliot, and named due to its motif: a four note ‘pip’, and because Felix ‘really likes fruit’...

The audience were then treated to Felix playing his meditative piece Mantra, for solo piano and electronic soundtrack accompaniment, based on just two chords and inspired by ambient music and Buddhist meditation.

The next piece on the programme was Dylan Evans-Hutchinson’s composition, Sing Agreeably of Love, which set W H Auden’s poem Carry Her Over the Water to music. Dylan sang the expressive tenor solo and was accompanied by a piano trio.

On Sunday 28th April, there was a Junior Music Workshop at Hampton School. There were many age groups involved and many different instruments from violins to ukuleles.

Throughout the day different groups, depending on their instrument, went out to rehearse for the big concert at the end of the day where the children’s parents came to watch their hard work. There were a range of groups: the main orchestra, a guitar ensemble, a choir, a trio, a woodwind/brass band and everyone at the end of the concert came together to play the song from Oliver, Oom-pah pah.

The actual concert was very professional where the children performed in the prestigious Hammond Theatre. The workshop showed many impressive improvements from the children as one child managed to learn a whole new way of reading music and for some people, this was the first time playing in a big group together with a conductor at the front, guiding them through the music.

Finally, rounding off the evening, the audience heard Dauphin au Coucher du Soleil (A Dolphin at Sunset), written for flute, oboe, cor anglais, bassoon, clarinet, celeste, and harp. Inspired by a poster in his room, this peaceful, romantic piece of music, played with extreme sensitivity, rounded off an evening where the exceptional musicianship at Hampton shine through in every performance.

Congratulations must be offered to Felix, Nick, and Dylan for their skilful creativity, and many thanks to all the musicians from Hampton and LEH who helped bring the compositions to life, as well as the Hampton Music Department.

Anthony Wang

Caroline Palmer Masterclass

Some of our Hampton Boys came and gave up the day to help out with various things like helping or teaching the children to learn or to perform in different groups to help them in various places where they might have struggled.

Overall, I think that the workshop was a huge success and I hope that we have managed to inspire some of the children during their time here!

Freddy Liang

Upper Sixth Composition Day and Concert On 3rd May, the Hammond Theatre hosted a music concert of pieces written in-house: three Pre-U music students had the opportunity to have their coursework compositions performed in front of a supportive and attentive audience.

The concert opened with Felix Elliot’s composition Variations, playing the piano himself and accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra and percussion, expertly conveying the different emotions of the piece, which ranged from ‘spiky’, to ‘bouncy’, to ‘sentimental’.

Following on from this, the Brass Quintet brought Nicholas Dibb-Fuller’s Trio of Dances to life: a piece written with Baroque influence but with a fast, 20th Century twist.

Next was a dramatic performance of Pandrew the Elephant, another of Nicholas Dibb-Fuller’s compositions, written for a string quintet and solo double bass, played by Ben Fosker. The piece followed Pandrew, double bass, on his morning walk in the forest and the dangers he encountered.

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On Wednesday the 14th of May, I attended Caroline Palmer’s piano masterclass in the Hammond Theatre. A great number of pupils took part, playing pieces ranging from the complicated polyphonic structures of baroque music to the explorative expression of the 20th Century. For my part, I was greatly impressed by the quality of music being played, and she no doubt felt the same way.

She gave a lot of advice, not just to the pupils she was teaching but also to us as an audience, this involved a load of helpful tips; for example, ‘if you are relaxed, you play more freely and the sound lasts longer’. She also gave some even more specific advice such as recommending pianists learn all movements of a piece such as sonata’s rather than just what is set in an exam.

This is to gain a larger understanding of the piece. In my opinion, this is a great piece of advice and, with a grade 8 that includes two sonatas fast approaching, this will certainly benefit me!

Overall, I feel privileged to have experienced Caroline Palmer’s masterclass and hope to experience many more at the school.

Cameron Marshall

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Art and Music Concert As a new addition to the music calendar, the Arts and Music Concert certainly maintained the impressively high standard of music that is now expected at Hampton.

The repertoire consisted of German composer Gurlitt’s Album Leaves for the Young a collection of pieces which ranged from a Waltz to By the Spring, each bringing a contrasting mood to the one before. The concert started with March – which certainly woke up anyone after a long half term – before ending with Salto Mortale, dramatically played by Joe Strong.

The artwork which accompanied each piece was another innovative idea for the concert and thanks must be given to those boys in the second year who put these colourful paintings together. These helped contribute to the mood of each piece and was an opportunity for budding artists in these classes to demonstrate their artistic skills.

This all made for a very enjoyable evening of music which brought the first half of the Summer Term nicely to an end.

Special thanks must be given to Mr Oyarzabal for thinking of and organising the event as well as teaching these pieces to all of his pupils. We were even able to enjoy him performing a couple of the pieces himself!

Daniel Morgan

Summer Concert As with every concert at Hampton, there is a huge variety.

However, this concert almost had too much variety: there was not enough time for everything! To combat this, the Chamber Choir went before the concert. Regardless of this, their renditions of Bare Necessities and Chili Con Carne, along with a few others, were brilliant.

Mr Roland and Voices of Lions performed next. The bar was set high by Chamber Choir, but Shenandoah surpassed all expectations with clever use of lighting and a solo. Next, there was a lively ensemble. Brass Band performed two pieces including Greenwood’s The Acrobat.

The Hampton Sinfonia Orchestra played a selection from Peer Gynt, followed by Concert Orchestra playing Smoke on the Water

by Deep Purple and Allegretto by Beethoven. Dido followed, with Thank You being sung by Boys’ Choir. Consort of Voices performed Ego Flos Campi. To finish off the first half of the concert, the Chamber Orchestra played pieces from La La Land and Allegro Maestoso by Mozart.

In the second half, Symphony Orchestra played three pieces: two Concertos and Finlandia by Sibelius. Dylan Evans-Hutchison was the soloist for Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1. Next was Nina Rota’s Trombone Concerto in C. Thomas Morrison was the excellent soloist for all three movements. Finlandia was performed last. Their performance was just brilliant!

All the performances were exceptionally and we are all looking forward to all of the concerts in 2019-20!

Edmund Ng the lion

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Voices of Lions at the Edinburgh Fringe For the seventh consecutive year, Voices of Lions travelled to the Edinburgh Fringe festival to perform their popular show at the world’s largest arts festival. This time, however, the Pride was bigger than ever, with 50 members, armed with a giant mascot – Leo the Lion.

In a shortened run, the choir attracted a crowd of over 100 for every show before smashing the record audience – set only last year – of 167 on the final day, selling over 200 tickets. These attendances pay tribute to the tireless persistence shown by the singers on the Royal Mile each morning, pestering hundreds of festival-goers with colourful flyers in the hope that a few would come to the show.

Singing under new direction – Mr Roland having taken over from the retiring Mr Donald – Voices of Lions performed a particularly challenging repertoire, none more so than the complicated Bohemian Rhapsody; Queen’s most famous number was arranged brilliantly by virtuosic Upper Sixth leaver, Felix Elliott.

Arrangements from members of the choir were as common as in previous years with Nick DibbFuller and Max Elliott both arranging songs for Voices of Lions to sing.

Audience members were very complimentary of Voices of Lions, with many impressed by the seamless transition between heartfelt, classical numbers and the contemporary, upbeat songs which are always a concluding feature of the choir’s set.

Josh Bartholomew

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A Year of Art at Hampton September started with the Lower Sixth trip to Tate Modern and the area around Borough Market and Waterloo. Students took some amazing photographs on a beautiful September day in the city.

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Later in the month, Sixth Form Art students started Life Drawing and created some expressive and vibrant drawings as part of their portfolio.

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October was marked by our Third Year visits to Roche Court New Art Centre. Boys enjoyed exploring Contemporary and Modern British sculpture in a tranquil Wiltshire setting.

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In October, Fifth Years went to Tate Modern and saw ‘The Shape of Light’ Photography exhibition alongside the Anni Albers show. Boys were inspired the work they saw at Tate Modern. Some students also saw a viewing of Christian Marclay’s film The Clock which features clips from old movies edited together seamlessly to run in real time.

Shadows and Reflections – Photogram by Nik Yazikov U6

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In November, the Art Department created an exhibition of Third Year Remembrance Art to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War. Mrs Williams also attended Buckingham Palace with two Hamptonians who had been winners over the four years of the ‘Never Such Innocence’ Charity Schools Art Competition (2014-2018).

the boys a theme, ‘Komorebi’, a Japanese word which translates as ‘the light filtering through the leaves’. Her concept was that the boys should try to focus on abstract forms and ideas, exploring the qualities of light and perhaps movement that can be created, whilst also being sympathetic to the use and function of the space The boys produced some exciting designs, and spoke to Maria via Skype to gain advice. We made a few site visits to view the space and to understand the practical constraints involved.

Ideas continued to evolve and the boys were extremely focussed.

Maria and a colleague came to deliver a workshop in late November. The boys each made a presentation or ‘pitch’ to her about their ideas.

I was impressed with the confidence and clarity with which they spoke, and also with the mature manner that the boys accepted criticism and discussion of their designs. Maria chose a design that she felt reflected the brief and constraints the best, and after the workshop the boys pursued this design with some changes and amendments.

In December, Lower Sixth Art students started work on designs for a Mobile Sculpture for the New Sixth Form Study Centre. It was completed with the help of the PiM Studio Architects who were linked to the RIBA ‘Education in Schools’ initiative. The final work was inspired by the Japanese concept of ‘Komorebi’ which means ‘Light through Leaves’ and was designed to complement the ‘Living Wall’ that was also installed in the new building.

‘Komorebi’ Hanging Sculpture Project Late in the Autumn Term, the Lower Sixth Art students were fortunate to work with an architect, Maria-Chiara Piccinelli from PiM Studio to create a design for a sculpture for the new Sixth Form study area.

Maria, with her partner, has established PiM studio in London and recently worked on the new V&A building in Dundee, via living and working in Milan, Japan and The Netherlands.

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One of the hardest aspects of the piece was working out the practical aspects; how it is fixed to the wall, the material used, how it could be installed at a height-all this without compromising the design. For what looks like a simple floating and elegant piece, there was a considerable amount of discussion and compromise needed to make it achievable. This was a valuable lesson for the boys, as in any reallife design situation there needs to be team work, collaboration, compromise and budget/practical considerations.

I am really proud of the boys involved and the final sculpture, and I hope the boys enjoy the calm and reflective sculpture when they use the study area.

It was great to work with Maria, and we hope to build another collaboration with her in the future.

SJK In the boys’ words: ‘Overall, this project allowed us to collaborate on a collective idea and to combine designs with the help of professionals to actually produce something that we all had a say on. The architects taught us the professional way an architectural project is completed through treating it as a live project. The fact this process was a live project helped us come together as a group and build upon our ideas throughout all stages of the journey, from ideas to production and finally displaying it for our peers to see. Each member had their own relevant perspective

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on the project, making the final piece a cumulation of everyone’s inputs. We all felt a great sense of achievement when revealing the completed sculpture and it is certainly an experience we will take with us through the rest of our Art projects to come.’

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In February, Upper Sixth Art students visited the Royal Academy to see the Bill Viola & Michelangelo Exhibition. As a result of this, the Pre-U Art show featured several video and film pieces inspired by the installations at the RA.

April marked a productive time in the Art Department with exciting work being produced at GCSE and Pre-U during their respective examinations at the end of April.

In May, the Upper Sixth Leavers’ Event was also an opportunity to show Pre-U artwork and the Private View Event for this exhibition was a fitting way to mark the end of our Sixth Form artists students’ time at Hampton.

March saw the Private View event for our First, Second and Third Year Art Exhibition. The colourful and varied work featured had been created in the Autumn and Spring terms and it was a very well attended event.

May also saw the first Music and Art Collaboration with artwork to illustrate the Piano Concert, featuring Gurlitt’s Album Leaves for the Young.

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In May, Dominic Nunn of the Lower Sixth had his work accepted to be shown at the National Portrait Gallery after attending a Portraiture Painting Course there.

Finally, Mr Jeremy Blighton had his lino-cut ‘To the Modern World’ accepted for the RA Summer Exhibition.

KAW

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Lino cut designs

Harvey Cooper 1st Yr

Leo Cusden 1st Yr

Rudi Parrish 1st Yr

Sam Goner 1st Yr

Edwin Martin 3rd Yr

Emilio Alvarez-Manilla 3rd Yr

Gus Carter 3rd Yr

Hal Lewis 3rd Yr

Isaac Quiigley 3rd Yr

Kai Kelly 3rd Yr

Leanesh Sivakumar 3rd Yr

Luke Trotman 3rd Yr

Sam Owen 3rd Yr

Toby Gwynne 3rd Yr

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Daniel Clarke

Daniele Smart

Rudi Parrish Freddy Liang1st Yr

Sam Goner Isaac Foster1st Yr

Edwin Martin Jasper Rankin 3rd Yr

Emilio Alvarez-Manilla Joshua Woolaghan 3rd Yr

Louis Simonds-Gooding

Nicholas Murray

Nishaan Sornalingham

Nizar Al-Milli

Rory Gilheany

Ryan Carey

Tejumadeoluwa Mosaku

Tom Banks

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Arjun Sian

Daniel Warmer Calum Clarke

Freddie Blair

Gopal Bhachu

Jamie Smith

William Nunn

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Ishaan Das, Second Year

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Bully by Milo Choudry GCSE

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They Shall Not Pass by Theo Bailey GCSE

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Pipeline by Arjun Paintal GCSE

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Hands by Alex Kavanagh GCSE

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Connections by Tobias Droy GCSE

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City Construction by Louis Mason-Pearson, Upper Sixth

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Leaves by Moonlight by Nik Yazikov, Upper Sixth

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Skull by Joel Malam, Upper Sixth

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On the 5th of April, Heathrow Airport was greeted by an ensemble of 11 Hampton boys and 3 Modern Languages teachers ready to embark upon the standout moment of the year for Hampton Russian students: the sixday cultural trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. After relaxing on the pleasant mid-haul flight from London to Moscow, and surviving the gruelling stare-downs from the not-so-friendly and ever-suspicious Russian border control, we set off down the somewhat lawless Russian roads and arrived at the Ibis Hotel where we would spend the entirety of our Moscow stint.

We wasted no time upon arriving, stuffing ourselves with a hefty meal consisting of a potato and mayonnaise fry-up – a style of cuisine which we would become very much accustomed to throughout this trip. We then proceeded to take an evening bus ride through the mean streets of Moscow before stopping off to get our first look at Red Square and the majestic St

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Basil’s Cathedral. We also took a look inside the world famous, ultra-highclass ‘GUM’ shopping centre, where one could purchase a pocket-sized container of caviar for as much as £5000!

The following morning, on what would prove to be a highlight of the trip for many, we went to visit local secondary school number 1494. After taking a tour of the school museum and enjoying a meet and greet session with about 60 students – in which we discussed several cultural issues – we exchanged gifts and goodbyes before being whisked off to the Cosmonaut Museum where we learnt about the remarkable feats accomplished by the Soviet Union in its several aerospace endeavours. Our first day was topped off with a trip to the historical Nikulin Circus, to attend its trademark animal circus show. Aside from a few morally questionable acts involving trained animals, we observed the beauty of the circus in full force in what will surely be a memorable event for many.

trips On our final day in Moscow, we returned to Red Square to observe the impeccable guard change just outside the Kremlin, before touring the Kremlin’s impressive armoury. Unfortunately, the office and home of the president of Russia Vladimir Putin were off bounds, so we settled with observing the world’s largest bell for a few seconds. After a quick sightseeing stint to a cemetery, we strolled through a high street, where a handful of students fell victim to the temptation of purchasing some highly questionable, brightly coloured Russian army hats.

After spending a night in the cramped, yet surprisingly peaceful, overnight train, we stumbled into St Petersburg Central train station, before enjoying a quality breakfast at a local Russian patisserie; it was here that we were able to try the traditional Russian desert of and , a very complementary combination of pancake and sour cream. We spent the remainder of the day patrolling St Petersburg and learning about its rich, yet sombre, history through trips to the Peter and Paul Fortress and Prison and a WWII memorial museum. Finally, we went on a tour of the majestic Catherine Palace, using the two-hour round-trip coach ride to sneak in a couple power naps and ensure we were re-vitalised following the early arrival from Moscow.

Our final full day in Russia was jam-packed with activity. Kicking things off was a trip to the Defence and Siege of Leningrad Museum, in what was an eye-opening and vivid display of the intense suffering endured

by Russians during WWII. Despite this, we saw clearly the Russian

strength of character and grit which saw it through those dark times.

Lunch put the adventurous Hampton spirit on full display, where boys could be observed forming two orderly queues behind the counters of two titans of Russian cuisine: McDonalds and KFC. Alas, the cultural aspect of the trip was reinstated with a trip to the architectural gem that is Yusupov Palace, where the dazzling and wonderfully colourful rooms dropped many jaws. The day was rounded off with a trip to a Soviet arcade museum, where some competitive gaming took place; the highlight was a machine, where the sole, refreshingly Soviet, objective was to yank out a mechanical turnip from the ground with as much power as possible.

Our final morning was spent at the thousand room Hermitage Museum, where we enjoyed the vast art and historical artefacts which were on display.

After a quick lunch, we headed off to Pulkovo Airport, where we again endured the arduous process of Russian border security, before assembling for our final (group) of the trip and flying on home to London, this time, to the dismay of many, without an in-flight selection of films to enjoy.

This trip will undoubtedly last in the minds of all that went on it and is an inarguable must for any Russian student. A huge thanks must go out to Miss Willett, Mr Agulian and Mrs White, whose expertise and guidance indisputably amplified the educational and cultural value of the trip.

Tom Dwyer

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On Thursday 4th April, a contingent of Hampton students ventured across the Atlantic. Boston was the destination, where we would explore the political and literary heritage of this most important of American cities.

After a lengthy flight, we set out on a literary walking tour, visiting some of the homes of the great and good of Boston literature. Notable writers discussed included William James, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. This was also a first chance to really explore the city of Boston, seeing buildings such as the impressive Boston State House.

Fortunately, the English Department had deemed one walking tour to be insufficient, and so the following day we set off on another. This time we followed the ‘Freedom Trail’, led by a guide in full 18th century colonial costume. This tour allowed us to learn more about the much idealised figure of Paul Revere, immortalised in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’. Revere was someone who would crop up throughout our time in Boston, being an eminent figure in the history of Boston.

A trip to USS Constitution gave us a fascinating insight into American naval history; however, this soon descended into a heated debate between boys about a topic long since forgotten. This was then followed by a fascinating trip to the Old State House, where we participated in a workshop discussing the Boston Massacre. This tragic event was made famous by the aforementioned Paul Revere and his engraving. With our historian hats on, we tried to discern more about what happened on that fateful day, and discussed different interpretations as to whether the British were provoked or not. In this discussion, we were able to understand how Revere’s famous engraving, widely circulated by the patriots at the time, was in fact a highly effective propaganda tool for those advocating for independence.

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trips The next day allowed us to break out of Boston, visiting the historic town of Concord. There, we were all very excited to visit ‘Old Manse’, the house of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Better still, we then embarked on an exploration of the house of Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women. A visit to the picturesque Walden Pond closed off the day, this being the location of author Henry David Thoreau’s isolated cabin which formed the basis of his autobiographical book, Walden.

The following morning, we viewed the art collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum. The museum itself was spectacular, designed to evoke 15th century Venice, and the stories of the $500 million dollar heist there 30 years previously further heightened the intrigue and mystery of this place. A visit to the JFK Presidential museum then served as a useful and patriotic reminder to us that we were in fact in America: America is, apparently, the greatest country on earth!

That night, we were fortunate enough to watch the Boston Celtics, Boston’s basketball team, in action. The game was exciting, the crowd was lively, and we all returned that night having had an exhilarating and very American night out.

We then embarked on another expedition outside Boston, this time to Salem. The Salem Witch Museum served as a sober reminder of the tragic events of the 17th century Witch Trials, as well as being a fascinating insight into the minds of early American settlers. A guided tour of The Witch House, the only surviving structure involved in the 1692 Witch Trials, was an amazing opportunity to see how those involved in the trials lived, as well as being an opportunity to see Tom Hare thoroughly frightened by the house’s ghost stories.

Our final visit the next day was to Harvard University, allowing us to see the incredible facilities and history of the university. This capped off a brilliant trip to one of the most historic, varied and important American cities, and we all left having got to know Boston much better.

A wonderful time was had by all and a special thanks is due to Mr Thomas, Mr Baker and Miss Teunissen who made the trip possible!

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trips China is a country with a vast and rich history; over the two weeks we spent there, we were able to gain insight into both Chinese culture and into Chinese society and its traditions. From the first meal we had in China, we were astounded by the incredible food that we ate. Whether it be the delicious food from Xi’an Bo’ai international school, or the delectable dumpling feast we enjoyed, all the food was divine and helped us to ascertain a more insightful view into Chinese cuisine.

On the first day out in China, we had the privilege of visiting Tian’anmen square, an important historical site in Beijing. We then proceeded to the Forbidden City, where we learnt about the important historical figure, the Dragon Lady, who influenced Chinese politics from behind closed doors. Dating back over a thousand years, the Forbidden City is an incredible architectural feat, spanning a breath-taking 1 kilometre, and at almost 750m in width. Every step through the palace was step into China’s fascinating past. Later in the day, we ventured out in Hu Tong, a beautiful lake, surrounded by many traditional Chinese shops; it was a great chance to relax and enjoy Chinese culture.

Later, we got to visit the famed great wall of China, which although considered by some as a cliché, demonstrated to us the power of the Chinese dynasties. Being one of the seven wonders of the world, we expected great things – it exceeded our expectations. Some other very famous sites which we visited were the Terracotta Army, which although bustling with people was a

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sight to behold, and we also enjoyed a cycle ride along the edge of Xi’an city wall letting us take in every aspect of the incredible city.

Even though China was sweltering – as we went during the hottest months – the breath-taking views astounded us. At the same time, the fact that we were able to enjoy phenomenal ice-cold drinks whilst doing so only reinforced how different China was in reality to what we had expected.

In addition to visiting these truly fascinating historical sites, we also had the privilege of staying in Xi’an Bo’ai international school for throughout the duration of our stay in Xi’an. We were given lessons in Chinese in which we learnt useful vocabulary and grammar to deal with many real-life situations in China, such as ordering food at a restaurant or buying groceries. In addition to these Chinese language lessons, we also took part in other cultural activities.

One of our favourite activities which we did was the Chinese dancing, as we learnt both popular Chinese dance as well as traditional Chinese dance. In a similar vein, we also studied Tai Chi and martial arts which tested our control and gave us insight into contemporary Chinese culture. We also enjoyed the more artistic activities in which we partook, such as making spice bags, painting Chinese opera masks, and enjoying Chinese painting.

One of the most challenging ventures we undertook was learning how to do Chinese calligraphy. Although difficult, the calligraphy was a very awarding task, and helped us to appreciate the sheer craftsmanship of Chinese scribes who had written Chinese history

trips dating back thousands of years. This was also true of the tea ceremony we enacted which taught us how to brew proper Chinese tea.

Another one of the most enlightening experiences of the trip was visiting a small village in the Xi’an countryside. This gave us a truly authentic idea of modern China and how it has changed from its historical roots. We also enjoyed going to the Muslim street in Xi’an, where were able to taste incredible street food, and had many entertaining experiences bartering with shopkeepers. Many an argument was had over the price of a pair of chopsticks, and it tested our mandarin speaking to its limits. We also had these experiences in Hong Qiao market in Beijing, where the bargaining was even more tough and entertaining.

Overall, the trip was an enlightening and hugely enjoyable experience that we will both remember for the rest of our lives. From the food to the sights we really began to understand contemporary Chinese culture, as well as its incredible history, and not to forget Mr Agulian and Miss Zhang who transformed this trip, and made it, for both of us, one of the best school trips we have ever been on to date.

Jack Lucas and Nicholas Lee

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MALAWI

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trips The diverse trips offered by the Adventure Society are rare opportunities that everyone should consider experiencing! This year, our destination was Malawi.

The most significant place we spent our time during our adventures was an area located on the coast of Lake Malawi, called Senga Bay. This town sits at the tip of a broad peninsula jutting into the lake. The locals rely on the lake as their dominant source of food and fresh water. The important reason for our visit was to come to the school that Hampton has been partnered with since its first expedition to Malawi. Every time we visit, thirty eager and enthusiastic Hampton boys try to improve the school in whatever way possible. To do this, we have a local contact – Sam – who provides us with equipment and ideas. Our objective is to improve the school as much as possible in the five days which we have there.

We carried out a number of tasks: painting the inside and the outside of classrooms; building disability ramps for the pupils; painting the front gate; building a bench out of recycled plastic; decorating classrooms with plastic which had been cut out and painted to resemble animals; and cutting and measuring pieces of wood in order to build a playground. It was so worthwhile to feel what a difference we could make. Those on the trip would like to thank everyone who donated items towards this trip; it was wonderful to see how many varieties of trainers, shirts, football boots, books and other learning materials that the school and its students would be left with.

Following our hard graft, we were rewarded with a football match at the end of the week against Malawian second division side, Senga Bay Rovers’ U18 team. In this, Hampton took an early lead, going 1-0 up in the first five minutes. However, due to their lightning-quick speed and considerable stamina, Senga Bay Rovers came back to win 4-1. Despite this humiliation,

I am sure that if you were to ask any of the 25 boys who represented Hampton that day if they enjoyed it, they would respond by telling you it was one of the highlights of their trip; they would emphasise the good nature and sportsmanship that everyone displayed on that hot, dusty, sweaty afternoon.

The most powerful moments of the whole trip were the friendships we made playing catch – or any other ball game for that matter – with the local children on the beach. I am certain that any boy that we bonded with in Senga bay, and any Hamptonians who did likewise, will carry these significant, eye-opening and joyful memories with them for the rest of their lives.

After leaving the Hampton Safe Haven, we travelled to Cape Maclear, a small town on the south of Lake Malawi. Whilst here, we took advantage of the large lake and spent our time doing various activities in and around the clear waters: a highlight of these was scuba diving. Upon arriving at Cape Maclear Scuba Centre, we were kitted up, and the first-timers of our group were given an induction in the shallow waters of the beach. After becoming familiar with how to use the apparatus, we were all taken by boat to the deeper regions of the lake to start diving. Whilst falling backwards off of the boat may have been a challenge to some of us, we all managed – eventually!

Our instructor then took us 10 metres down into the water, where we got a close look at the tropical, vibrantly coloured fish of Cape Maclear. We spent 30 minutes underwater, before getting back on the boat and returning to the campsite. The half hour had flown past, but, thankfully, the fun was not over yet. After lunch, we split into two groups, and went back out into the lake to snorkel in the beautiful waters and spot for fish eagles, who were perched on the trees of small islands in the lake.

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trips The next night was to be spent on Domwe, one of the neighbouring islands, a few hundred metres from the beaches of Cape Maclear. The next morning, we packed overnight bags and loaded them, together with some tents, onto a boat that made its way to Domwe as we kayaked alongside it. We set up tents, wherever we could find space, before being taken on a hike to the top of the island. Afterwards, on our descent, we had the chance to take photos of the picturesque sunset and the equally tranquil view of Malawi’s beaches. We spent that night cooking the food we had bought in Lilongwe, the capital city, at the start of the trip, and also indulging in some of the delicious fresh fish of the lake, which was bought from local fishermen. The next morning, we kayaked back to the camp, before leaving for Zambia.

The drive into Zambia was incredibly interesting, especially the border.

Personally, I had never seen such an amalgamation of different aspects of life. After the border, it was a relatively short drive along some especially bumpy roads into South Luangwa national park. Even driving into the park, we were treated to some brief glimpses of the wildlife that we would see in the upcoming days. Having arrived in the Safari camp, we were almost immediately greeted by the sight of a group of hippos about 100 metres from our camp!

Our first chance to properly see the wildlife, was the next morning. At the unruly hour of 5am, we were woken up. This was, in itself, a task – especially when bearing in mind this was the first time any of us had slept in a bed for two weeks! Personally, I was brimming with excitement, my experiences with Safari animals were pretty much limited to the 'Madagascar' movies and David Attenborough documentaries, so I did not have much of an idea seeing them in real life would be like. Almost as soon as we drove out of the Safari camp, we saw a group of elephants just a couple of metres away from the road – a sight we would be soon to learn, was as common as seeing a double decker bus in England! After ogling the elephants for a suitable amount of time, we ventured further into the African bush.

After driving around for about an hour, admiring the myriad of creatures, we encountered one of the most terrifying and simultaneously awe-inspiring moments of the trip. After a brief crackle of talk on the radio, our driver shot off and, minutes later, we found ourselves in a clearing, looking at a pride of about twn lions. Our Safari car was just a couple of metres from one sleeping lion and, as we looked at it, trying to believe what we saw, it stirred and yawned. That was the moment the realisation of what was happening set in: we were sitting in an open-air car, five metres away from a fully-grown lion. Yet, we did not drive away; in fact, we moved to get a better look at the cubs and lionesses.

However – eventually – we had to leave the lions be. Although, that was probably the single greatest moment of the safari, it was not the only moment of note. As we returned to the safari camp, our road was blocked by an elephant. Baffled, we waited for the lumbering giant to move before we pressed on. That was not the only unexpected encounter we had with an elephant; during lunch the next day, we heard some stamps and trumpet sounds. Looking up, we saw an elephant walking towards our table. However, the danger of the situation we could have been in did not sink in until one of the camp staff chased the elephant away – an impressive feat, I might add.

That night we went for an evening game drive and saw even more weird and wonderful things, including a chameleon and a leopard, both of which sought cover in darkness. This was one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip as it created such vivid and unforgettable memories – these experiences will stick with me for a long time.

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Ronda Flying out of Heathrow to Gibraltar, 42 Hampton boys from the Fourth Year set off for a week in the southern Spanish town of Ronda, with the primary aims of the trip being to experience the atmosphere of the schools of Spain and testing out our language skills on the schoolchildren and locals.

After arriving, we took a two-hour coach journey through the mountains up to Ronda where we got our initial taste of our new home for the next week.

Despite the variable weather, the views accompanied by several rainbows were stunning and everyone was in awe of the spectacular Puente Nuevo: ‘New Bridge’. Following dinner and an orientation walk, we settled down in our rooms at the Hotel Virgen de los Reyes for our first night.

Prior to beginning our lessons at the various schools in Ronda, we had a day available to visit the historic nearby city of Granada and the worldfamous Alhambra palace. We got our first taste of freedom and independence on foreign soil when we set off looking around the town for some lunch.

We used our Spanish language skills learned at school to order our meals before reconvening back in the centre of Granada. Exploring the town as a group, we caught a picturesque glimpse of the Alhambra from the other side of the valley before walking to go in ourselves. The Alhambra or ‘the red one’ was the jewel of Moorish Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain before they were forced to flee in 1492 at the climax of the Reconquista. The astounding complex of the Alhambra is a fascinating blend of Muslim and Renaissance architecture involving the mathematical designs of the Moors and the more ostentatious flourishes of the Spanish rulers. As we wandered around the site, we marvelled at all the intricacies of the place, wondering how such staggering buildings had been built over 700 years ago. Our visit was followed by two competitions, one for photography and one for poetry in Spanish about the Alhambra, both of which were keenly contested.

On Monday began our extensive and fruitful experience at the schools in Ronda. Two were regular secondary schools, Colegio Juan de la Rosa and Instituto Martín Rivero, and in the the afternoons we attended an adult language school.

For four to six lessons each day, we spoke Spanish to the Rondeño people with them testing out their English on us. Despite the unfamiliar environment, we got into the swing of the trip easily, further developing our answers and questions as the days went by. Some lessons were even interactive, with some adults from the language school bringing in traditional Spanish food for us to try. Not only was it a fantastic opportunity to practise our Spanish, but it also gave us an important insight into the lives of other 90

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people and an opportunity to truly live in the shoes of a Spanish school child for an entire week. From Monday to Friday, we enjoyed lots of lessons; when our time at the schools was over, we were definitely left better Spanish speakers.

After working hard at the schools each day, we had our hourly sessions of footy which gave us a chance to stretch our legs and relax. On Friday, we played our annual football match against Colegio Martín Rivero. Although all of the opposition players were two or three years older than us, we managed to keep things even for a while. However, their strength and pace were just too much for us, meaning that the end result was a 5-3 loss.

Although there were a few sad and exhausted faces by the end, we still thoroughly enjoyed the match; a highlight was undoubtedly when the opposition’s headmistress’s eight-year-old son came on for us and assisted one of our goals.

Outside of the lessons and football, there was much exploring and eating of bocadillos de jamón to do. Many groups of people ventured into the old town and there were several interesting trips to some of Ronda’s most famous landmarks. For example, a group of boys visited the oldest bull ring in Spain, where Señor McBay provided them with some interesting insight into what this classic Spanish sport and tradition involves. There were

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also several trips to the Museo del Bandolero and the Hunting Museum. And, of course, there was even a flamenco dancing course for several lucky boys!

Another memorable moment of the trip was the scenic 12km walk through the hills on the outskirts of Ronda. Here, several groups of boys had races between each other to see who could get back to Ronda the quickest. The recent DofE practice expedition that had just happened seemed to have paid off as nobody got lost while walking back to the town and everyone arrived in one piece.

On the final day, we were lucky enough to see the famous and colourful Palm Sunday procession through the streets of Ronda to mark the beginning of Semana Santa or Holy Week. After this, there were many sad goodbyes before we left for Malaga to catch the flight home.

We can speak on behalf of everyone that went on the trip and say that it was a massive success and thoroughly improved our knowledge of Spanish culture and our ability to speak the language. A big thank to all the staff that joined us, especially Señor McBay and Señor Boardman who led the trip superbly.

Jai Saha and Sam Colvine

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In April, twenty Lower Sixth Economics students from Hampton headed to New York. The fiveday tour took in the most important sites of one of the world’s great financial hubs.

Arriving Monday afternoon, we headed to the Rockefeller Centre where we visited the Top of the Rock viewing platform to get some amazing views of Central Park, the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty.

On Tuesday, we had a great guided tour of the UN, looking at how this institution has shaped the world since the end of World War Two. This was followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of Macy’s department store by their marketing team, and a trip to the Mets baseball game in the evening.

On Wednesday, we took a ferry tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and got some breathtaking views of Downtown New York and the new Ground Zero buildings, followed by a walking tour of Wall Street where we saw the New York Stock Exchange.

Thursday involved other walking tours, this time of the garment industry and Ground Zero. We then went to see Beetlejuice on Broadway in the evening Friday we visited Bank of America and had a very informative talk with some of their analysts and traders who are recent graduates before flying home in the evening.

This was a truly spectacular trip and thanks go to all the staff who made the experience possible! the lion

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On Sunday 21st October, around 40 Third Year boys went on a trip to Sicily in order to learn more about tectonics and volcanoes, which we were studying in Geography. The trip featured visits to Mount Etna, an active volcano on the east coast of the island, the Strait of Messina and Alcantara gorge. All of us thoroughly enjoyed getting to see how tectonics shape the world we live in and experiencing volcanoes in real life.

After a very early arrival at school, we flew three hours to Catania Airport where we met our guide for the trip. We then went straight to the Alcantara Gorge, a stunning gorge with crystal clear water from the Alcantara River flowing through it. Its black lava walls, reaching up to 50 metres high, allowed us to learn about the different types of rocks in lava and how they form prism shapes during the cooling progress. Once back at the hotel, there were some football and volleyball matches on the beach – allowing us to burn off some steam!

The next day, we travelled to Tindari; we enjoyed an amazing view of the Tyrrhenian Sea and visited the archaeological site where the ancient town of Tindari stood with original Roman houses and baths. We also saw a very impressive church atop the hill, housing the Black Madonna statue. On the beach, we saw the extraordinary ‘linguetta de sabbia’, a sandbank stretching 1.5 kilometres into the sea. Mr Odling explained the processes used to create this tongue of sand and we did a practical re-enactment of the process on the beach! In the afternoon, we went to the town of Messina and learnt about the Strait of Messina, a narrow channel between the eastern tip of Sicily and mainland Italy, which is 3.1 kilometres wide at its narrowest point.

Day three saw us head to the islands Lipari and Vulcano, two of the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily. After an extremely bumpy boat ride, we first stopped at Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands. We explored the beautiful town and saw some more archaeological ruins. Next, after another short boat ride, we went to Vulcano Island where we climbed the small volcano. At the crater, we were able to smell the sulfur emitted by the volcano and got a great view of the island.

On our final day, we went to Mount Etna, an active composite volcano with an elevation of over 3,000 metres. After taking a cable car and truck up the side of the volcano, we walked around a crater near to the top. From here, we were able to see a large part of the island and could see the four craters 92

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above us at the summit. It was extremely windy but incredible to be standing on such a large, active volcano. For most of us, this was the highlight of the trip due to the sheer size of the volcano and the large number of side vents we saw.

Everyone really enjoyed the trip and learnt a lot more on the subject of volcanos and tectonics. It really helped our understanding of the topic as we were able to see the geographical features and processes covered in lessons in real life and boys going on the trip in the future will love it!

Toby Gwynne

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Over the Easter holidays, 8 Fourth Year boys participated in the annual French Exchange with Notre Dame de Sion School in Paris.

We set off on the Eurostar from St Pancras on Wednesday afternoon; we were met at Gare du Nord by our exchange partners and their families and travelled home with them for our first evening in Paris.

On Thursday, after a bit of souvenir shopping, we ascended La Tour Eiffel and marvelled at the wonderful view of Paris, trying to locate the monuments we were to visit later in the trip.

Next, we took a Bateau Mouche boat ride down the Seine, enjoying the sun, the sights, as well as the Spanish students attempting to befriend Adhish! On our walk back to the school, Mr Timbs entertained us with some trivia and questions How is the word croissant related to the Battle of Vienna?

On Friday, during our guided tour of Musée d’Orsay – a train-station-turned-museum – we learnt about Impressionists and the reason that Manet’s paintings were considered to be so scandalous. In the afternoon, we picnicked in the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries and admired the famous Notre Dame cathedral.

We each spent the weekend with our Parisian families, enjoying an eclectic mix of activities, including a virtual reality jetpack flight around Paris, visiting the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and seeing the opulent Versailles Palace.

On Monday, we spent the day exploring Montmartre, learning about its rich artistic history – Picasso, Manet and Renoir all worked there – as well as seeing the Sacré Cœur.

We spent Tuesday, our last full day in Paris, in Eurodisney. Although it was raining in the morning, it soon brightened up and we were experiencing the thrills of rollercoasters such as Hyperspace Mountain – quelle joie!

Finally, we bid au revoir to our exchange partners and their families, taking the Eurostar back home.

Overall, the Paris Exchange was a very successful and enjoyable trip, and we all went home with improved French, as well as fantastic memories.

Merci beaucoup to Mr Chaveneau and Mr Timbs for organising such a marvellous trip!

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After a short and relaxed flight, 14 of Hampton’s GCSE and A Level French students arrived in Nice, ready for five days’ immersion in the southern French city’s culture and language. On Sunday evening, we met our host families with whom we would spend our mornings and evenings for the next week, experiencing real-life conversations with locals and getting to sample classic Niçoise cuisine.

Every morning at 8:45am, we would gather at the Alpha-B Language School for a formal learning experience of three hours of lessons with French teachers. Nicolas took the Fifth Years, improving their oral and written skills whilst also equipping them with vital information and more colloquial French, including the ‘hip’ practice of ‘verlan’. The Sixth Formers were stretched in classes including adults from all across Europe, helping them to push the limits of their understanding of the language. Each day after our lessons, we participated in activities that introduced us to the culture and sights of Nice and its surrounding areas.

On Monday afternoon, a walking tour of Vieux Nice (Nice’s old town) showed us spectacular views across the whole town, with our reward for all of the walking a visit to the world-famous ice cream parlour, Fennocchio Glacier. Out of the 95 different flavours of ice creams and sorbets, there was something for everyone, with some of the more adventurous students trying watermelon and cactus sorbets. Tuesday saw us visit the opulent city-state of Monaco and its Oceanographic Museum, which is built into a sheer cliff

Second Year Sport and Culture Trip to Provence In October 2018, the French Department took its fourth French trip to Provence with 22 boys from 2B and 2H. Although spirits were high throughout, it rained a lot, every day. Nevertheless, we had a great time, even under sometimes challenging and slippery circumstances. Hampton boys fully embraced the trip, speaking plenty of French and making every effort to try new food and experiences.

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face and houses over 4,000 marine animal specimens. The Prince’s Palace offered breathtaking views across the city, and provided a perfect opportunity for photos before heading home.

Our cultural experience on Wednesday began at lunch, where we sampled all sorts of traditional Niçoise and Provençal delicacies. Afterwards, the Matisse Museum was a great experience – we saw some of the fauvist painter’s most famous works and learned a great deal about the stories behind his art.

On the penultimate afternoon, we were tasked with buying our own lunch, before setting off on a boat trip from Nice’s port to neighbouring town Villefranche. One highlight was listening to the guide point out houses of the celebrities who live on the Côte D’Azur, including Elton John – although sadly we cannot report any sightings of the celebs themselves!

After Friday’s lessons, we were all treated to lunch at a restaurant in central Nice, which served everything from Niçoise salad to double chocolate mousse. By the end of the day we were all safely back in England, having dramatically improved our French and soaked up some Mediterranean sun in the process.

Thank you to Miss Byrne and Miss O’Connor for organising such a fantastic trip!

Oscar Leonov and Alex Fagan

trips After arriving early on a wet Monday morning in Marseille, we dodged the appropriately named – and flooded – Aix-en-Provence, and headed straight for our accommodation, spending most of the day indoors, playing traditional board games and giant ‘Connect4’.

The following morning, we visited the local market of Gréoux-lesBains, before our afternoon activity of treetop zip wires.

Wednesday was spent in the local museum on ‘prehistoric man’, where boys and staff participated in workshops to make rupestrian pottery and necklaces. The next day, we visited Marseille, Cassis and Aix for some cultural visits and free time.

All of our local guides kept telling us that this was the worst weather they had seen in forty years and that, in the previous week, they had all been in shorts and sandals; the unanimous verdict was that the English group had clearly brought the bad weather with them – after we left, it was sunny again, apparently!

Fortunately, on Friday, we were able to do some fine canoeing on the Gorges du Verdon, with a boat trip in the afternoon before returning to Marseille for our return flight. Between activities we were able to play some games of football and table tennis, but the most popular sport this year was undoubtedly pétanque!

A particular highlight of the trip was the excellent French food: local, authentic dishes prepared on site by our chef, and fresh salad, twice a day. In previous years, only a handful of Hampton boys had actually liked the ‘aïoli’ and ‘tapenade’, but this year they loved it.

The boys had no internet access, iPads or laptops and consequently spent a great deal of time socialising, particularly at meal times. The evenings were spent watching some fine French films, playing games, gazing at the stars and socialising; there were also some exceptional silly disguises for Halloween It was fantastic to see Hampton boys experience a new side of ‘real’ France and grow in confidence in spoken French. As ever, I am particularly grateful to the outstanding accompanying staff: Miss Noble, Mr Agulian and Mr Moore; they were supportive and enthusiastic throughout this trip and its success is in no small part, thanks to them.

Thanks to 2B and 2H for a brilliant trip to Provence!

MB

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Valencia Last Easter, 29 Hampton Second Years woke early and travelled to Heathrow, to catch a flight to the Spanish city of Valencia.

Upon arrival, we headed to the hotel to drop off our bags, before swiftly heading out for our first trip into the city. We got a taste of the Spanish food and culture at the famous mercat centro and also visited La Plaza Redonda – one of the only round-shaped squares in the world – where we were able to buy souvenirs and gifts.

On our first evening, we went bowling and ate a delicious paella made by the hotel. I think that everyone was ready for bed after an 18 hour-long day!

The following day, we split up into two groups. After a lot of walking from the Science Museum, we reached the School of Paella near the market we visited the previous day. After a long process, including letting three litres of water evaporate, our traditional Valencia-style paellas were ready to eat! With rice slightly more al dente than our understanding of traditional paellas, everyone enjoyed their own dishes along with a world-class Spanish omelette and mussels!

Our penultimate day in Valencia saw us visit the very modern Oceanogràfic, Valencia’s aquarium. There were many different marine animals on show. One of the highlights of being there was walking through a glass tunnel surrounded by sharks. One of my personal favourites was seeing ‘the only Beluga Whales in Europe’. This was followed by a great football match on the sandy beaches.

However, the best part of the whole trip was the visit to the theme park of Portaventura on our final day in Spain. After another very early morning, we took the long coach journey to the theme park. Those who were brave enough were able to go on the scariest of all rides – multiple times – as we arrived very early. Unfortunately, for some, the other part of the park, ‘Ferrari Land’, was closed, denying the chance to ride on one of the tallest and fastest rollercoasters in the world.

At the end of four and a half jam-packed days in Spain, we had to say adiós to Valencia, after a very fun and enjoyable time. I would like to thank all the teachers who came, especially Mr Blachford, who organised the trip.

Harry McLusky

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Madrid Trying delicious tapas, looking at Picasso paintings at the Reina Sofia and working hard to improve our Spanish at the Don Quijote Language School were just some of the varied experiences of the Spanish trip to Madrid. Over October Half Term, 25 Fifth Year and Lower Sixth students had the exciting opportunity to visit the city of Madrid, practise the Spanish language and explore the diverse and rich culture of Spain.

Staying with host families around the city meant that we had no choice but to throw ourselves into the local culture and to practise speaking the language as soon as we had arrived. We quickly had to adjust to eating dinner at 11pm and be up and on the metro each day at 8am to travel across the city to the language school. Everyone found that their Spanish dramatically improved; the chance to see what Spanish life was really like first-hand gave us a much better understanding than simply learning from a textbook.

Over the course of nearly a week, we visited the historical town of Segovia with its very ancient aqueduct built by the Romans around 2000 years ago. Some of us even tried the infamous cochinillo (roast suckling pig) whilst there. We also explored various parts of the city of Madrid including la Puerta del Sol and la Plaza Mayor, which is one of the most famous public squares in Madrid. Being able to go on a cable car near the Temple of Debod gave us a very different perspective of the city’s skyline and was a very enjoyable expedition. As most of us have a huge love for football, visiting the Santiago Bernabéu stadium – the home of Real Madrid – was a definite highlight for all of us. Furthermore, on the last night of the trip, we were lucky enough to buy cheap tickets to watch Real Madrid play against Plzen in a Champions League group stage match.

Another major highlight of the trip was watching a flamenco dancing show in an authentic bar-style atmosphere. The skills involved in keeping in time with the guitar playing as well as the very fast feet tapping impressed us all.

Overall, the whole trip was a huge success and muchas gracias to the members of staff who organised the trip and made it so much fun for all of us.

Bart Briston

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Lanzarote Scuba Diving

It had been an ambition of mine to learn the skill of scuba diving, so this was definitely the highlight of my first year at Hampton – I imagine it was the highlight for a few others on the trip too! On the 10th of July, a group of 19 of us met at Gatwick airport and flew out to Lanzarote to begin our scuba diving trip.

Once we arrived, we travelled to our hotel, the Costa Volcan, and we then dropped our luggage off there. After that, we did food shopping for our breakfast for the next 7 days and, once we dropped off the food, we went out for dinner. The next day we traveled to the safari diving centre by the beach where we would do all our diving throughout the week.

After that, we got our gear together and then we went in the water for the first time. It felt amazing being underwater with our scuba gear; once we got in the water, we had to do our first course of 5. As soon as we got out of the water, we had lunch and then relaxed in the hotel until it was dinner.

The course was very exciting and taught me useful skills that I can now use almost anywhere in the world. Being underwater with our scuba gear felt exhilarating as we were able to breathe underwater – it felt as if you were flying or weightless. Wherever you looked, there was amazing wildlife. Our instructor, Mauro, would occasionally point out some hidden wildlife such as a seahorse. In addition, there were fish that we would get used to as we went back to those same waters every day; for example, there were some small flatfish that would camouflage themselves in the sand when they saw us.

When some of the other students on the trip went snorkelling, they saw an angel shark – I would have loved to have seen it too! The skills we did included tasks such as removing and recovering our regulators and the taking off and putting back on of our masks. These skills in particular were a bit nerve racking – especially for me since I did not do the regulator recovery right the first time and I surfaced to get a breath. I was also very hesitant to take off my mask underwater – I got there in the end! One task in particular CESA (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent) took me a few attempts to do because I was confused by the task, but, like the others on the course, I eventually managed to get it done.

As well as the diving, everyone on the trip enjoyed each other’s company and the various activities we did together – we certainly all enjoyed the mini golf and go-karting! Having lunch and dinner together every day was fun as everyone was very social and it was exciting to meet new people.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff who made this fantastic trip possible – who knows, I might well go again!

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Berlin History Trip The trip to Berlin has become an exciting way for many members of the History Department and forty GCSE students to start the summer holiday in recent years, but such is the city’s seemingly endless capacity to provide interest and inspiration that there is always something new to discover. So it was this year, when, for the first time, we visited the Stasi prison – no small achievement, given that throughout the Cold War period, its very existence was kept so secret that it did not even appear on East German maps!

Such is the spirit of openness now, though, that visitors to the prison are shown round by former inmates, who seem happy to recall the surveillance, arrests and kidnappings that characterised their lives throughout the Cold War period.

The rest of the trip featured some old favourites and a few that have become new ones. In the former category is the Reichstag, where the juxtaposition of bullet holes dating from the Battle of Berlin on the one hand and the futuristic glass dome on the other never fails to impress. In the latter is the ‘Berlin by bike’ trip.

Just edgy enough to enable the boys to feel they have had a bit of an adventure, but safe enough to negotiate the School’s stringent risk assessment with flying colours; this is an ideal way to while away a Sunday morning whilst getting to see the city from some unusual angles. So extensive was it this year that, by the end, we had already seen all of the sights earmarked for the afternoon walk along the wall, past Hitler’s bunker, and around the Holocaust memorial. No matter; this simply provided an opportunity for an impromptu stroll through the Tiergarten, past the Rosa Luxemburg Bridge, the Column of Victory, the Bismarck statue and the Russian War Memorial. The boys certainly earned their evening trip to Peter Pan’s burger bar!

Berlin Holocaust Memorial

Perhaps it was just as well that none of us discovered the roadside electric scooters – Berlin’s answer to London’s ‘Boris bikes’ – until the final afternoon, by which time it was too late for them to make use of them. Well, almost!

Many thanks to Miss Smith, as always, for her exemplary organisation and strict insistence on regular stops for coffee and cake!

Bismarck Memorial

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Junior and Senior Berlin Trip On the Friday morning of the last day of Half Term, a group of 18 boys from 2P along with five members of the Lower Sixth and Frau Willett, Frau McGreevy, Herr Keenan and Herr Studt flew to Berlin for the annual German trip.

The activities for 2P were the usual mix of language, culture, history and fun – for the Lower Sixth, Frau Willett had separately organised an exciting programme based on their syllabus. On Friday, the boys settled into the youth hostel and then went to see a performance of the world famous Blue Man Group, near Potsdamer Platz. Afterwards, they had the first of many Currywurst and Bratwurst dinners in the Arkaden.

For Saturday morning, Herr Studt had organised a guided tour through Germany’s parliament; the boys also got to walk all the way up to the dome of the Reichstag building for an excellent view over the city.

Afterwards, he took the group on a big walk through Berlin and its sights, such as the Brandenburger Tor, the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie.

On Sunday morning, the group visited the highly impressive Berlin Zoo before making their way to the Olympiastadion, home of German top-flight football team Hertha BSC. Usually, this would be a stadium tour but the stars aligned – not only did Hertha have a home game against SC Freiburg, but Herr Studt had managed to pull some strings get tickets for the entire group: an unforgettable experience for the boys, football fans or not!

On Monday, the group ticked off a few of the remaining sights and visited the Berlin Spy Museum before making the trip back to London. The teachers – and locals – were very impressed with the amount and level of German spoken by the boys – gut gemacht!

For the Lower Sixth, alongside a busy and educational daytime schedule – which included the East Side Gallery, The Wall Museum, the DDR Museum, the Stasi Museum, the Berlin Wall Memorial and a tour of the Stasi Prison at Hohenschönhausen – there was time to sample the delights that the German capital has to offer: excellent Döner kebab one evening; a trip up the iconic Fernsehturm; the sprawling flea market on the site of the Berlin Wall in the north of the city; a cinema trip to see a new film about attempts to flee East Germany in a hot air balloon; and, of course, seeing Hertha BSC defeat Freiburg at home at the Olympiastadion.

Frau Willett would like to thank all the boys for their superb participation in every aspect of the programme – and hopes they were inspired to return to Berlin!

KEW and PST 100

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Fourth Year Konstanz Exchange On the last day of the school year, eighteen boys in the Fourth Year travelled to Konstanz for the annual and longstanding German Exchange with Ellenrieder Gymnasium, run jointly with LEH. After a weekend spent with host families, there was plenty of spectacular local scenery on offer during the Monday day trip to the Rheinfall, the highest waterfall in Europe, where we took boats on the river in order to climb to the top.

Tuesday saw the group scale the high ropes course at the Mainau Kletterpark, a joint trip with the German partners. Wednesday took us further afield to Stuttgart, where we visited the Mercedes Benz Museum and explored the city.

On Thursday, the party had the opportunity to attend lessons with their partners – several Hampton boys were given the opportunity to showcase their German skills when asked to read aloud to the class in a German lesson! – after which the group set off on a glorious walk alongside Lake Constance to spend the next few hours swimming in the outdoor pools at the Bodensee Therme, whilst enjoying spectacular views across the lake.

The reception at the Town Hall, where the group was welcomed on behalf of the Mayor of Konstanz, took place on Friday morning, before farewells at school and departure. Many thanks to all Hampton participants for your enthusiastic participation and exemplary conduct in that beautiful part of the world!

KEW

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Senior Ski Trip – Bormio Friday 14th December. The day had come for 50 boys, from Fourth Year to Upper Sixth, to go on the eagerly anticipated Senior Ski Trip 2018. The great burden for taking such a big group of boys was placed upon the capable shoulders of Mr Kershaw, Mr Bolton, Mr Aucutt and Mr Chaveneau, led expertly by the experienced duo of Mr Mills and Mr Gray.

Being surprisingly efficient in getting our luggage on the coach, the excited group headed off for Heathrow – which had fortunately taken successful preventative measures against drones!

Having safely landed in Milan in the afternoon, a four hour coach journey now awaited the Hampton crew. With the aid of Disney films, we arrived at the beautiful Cristallo Hotel in Bormio which would be our home for the following six days and nights.

An early night (for most!) was followed by a frosty first day on the slopes.

Once completing the arduous tasks of trying on boots, skis and helmets, the different groups were assigned their instructor. The more experienced skiers caught two chairlifts right to the top of the slopes, at 3200 metres, only to meet the beginners later in the week who started mastering the nursery slopes.

It was soon clear that two sessions a day, from 10:00-12:00 and 13:0015:00, ensured respite would be taken from the two tiring sessions in the form of lunch. Arguably, this was the most savoured hour in the boys’ schedules, as each day we were served a wholesome meal by the charismatic owner.

When the ski sessions were finished, Mr Gray and Mr Mills offered the chance for any keen skiers to spend a bit longer on the slopes, with the turnout on Wednesday evening being very high as the group realised it would be the last time they were together.

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Whatever one’s level of skiing, it was widely agreed that rest time was crucial.

It was brilliant, therefore, that we all had the opportunity to go out and explore Bormio. It turned out to not just be beautiful, but practical too with the supermarket being popular. The restaurant at the bottom of the slope would host us for the derby game between Liverpool and Manchester United. Without going into detail, it was not the best evening for Mr Bolton!

There were a few injuries, unfortunately, yet they recovered rapidly; a special mention must go to Mr Chaveneau for always being on hand to go with the injured party to the hospital.

This was truly a great trip that all enjoyed and would love to go on again.

Thanks must go to all of the teachers for their hard work and ensuring we had such fun.

Paul Wilkinson

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First Year Day Trip to Le Touquet This year, the First Year trip took us to Le Touquet again; 47 boys from 1B and 1H were involved. This trip is a nice endof-year treat and also gives the boys an opportunity to practise their spoken French while carrying out little roleplays at the local market and various shops.

After a very early start, leaving school at 5am, we arrived at Le Touquet just before midday and the boys were able to have a look around the market and buy some of the local products – as well as the traditional colourful sunglasses and caps!

We then walked the boys down to the beach and once a few rules where established, the boys sat down on the lovely sand to enjoy their lunch and the various delicacies they had bought at the market – though the sand was a bit hot!

A couple of hours later, we boarded the Petit Train Touristique for a guided tour of the town. This was followed by a couple of rounds at the crazy golf. The boys also enjoyed the various ice creams, waffles and crepes sold at the crazy golf!

We eventually left Le Touquet around 5pm and headed back to the shuttle for our return journey. We got back to school around 9:30pm, exhausted but delighted about the day.

The boys were once again extremely well behaved and a great company – overall, it was a great day out!

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Lille Work Experience

I was to complete a week’s work experience at the restaurant Au Bon Coin. After having a shaky start, not actually understanding what the customers wanted, I started to pull through taking all kinds of orders left, right and centre with the help of my mentor, Sylvaine – a very lovely woman who clocked early on that I hadn’t a clue what I was doing! Laurent, on the other hand, started giving orders like ‘click clack bom bom’. I am pretty sure that’s not French…! Also, he seemed to think my name was Michael, which I don’t mind; Michael’s a nice name and all, it’s just not my name! It was more challenging than I could have expected getting the restaurant in good condition every day and communicating effectively with the French natives; despite this, I had undoubtedly improved by the end of my stay.

Makarious Naguib

After arriving in Lille and spending a day exploring the local sights, I began my ‘stage’ – working as a shop assistant in the discount store ‘ID Stock’, which sold all manner of things, from petrol to Easter eggs! There were a wide variety of tasks to complete; having mastered the sticker machine, I moved on to more complex tasks, such as operating a fork-lift, and creating and mounting a sign.

Interactions with customers and co-workers throughout allowed me to improve my conversational French; this was also in practice at the home of my lovely host family. Overall, a week of immersion in French language and culture has wholly improved my linguistic ability, in addition to providing me with an insight into life across the Channel and the working world as a whole.

James Smith

I spent the week in a French bakery in a small town outside Lille. Staying nearby in a French household, I was speaking French the whole day every day. In the mornings, I was in the bakery, learning how to make a number of different pastries and bread. In the afternoons, I was in the shop operating the till and serving customers. As well as providing me with plenty of crucial bakery vocabulary, I feel the trip has improved my French speaking and listening skills.

The food was great and I made the most of my placement in the bakery! I would recommend the trip to anyone willing to step out of their comfort zone for an experience you will not forget.

Magnus Bell

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1st XI Football The 1st XI season began with a pre-season tour to America at the beginning of July. During the two weeks, four matches were played, three of which were won and one lost. It was a good way for the different years of the senior squad to mix outside of the normal school settings and provided a strong platform upon which to build our season.

Just before returning to school, we had our annual trip to Colchester, which saw more intense training and a few more games under our belts. Both these trips gave us the confidence that we could go on and do something special this season as a team. Before the full season began, we played in the ISFA Sixes, finishing runners-up to eventual ISFA Cup winners, Royal Russell.

After this, the normal season got underway. Although hit with a few injury blows right before the start of the season, we began strongly, winning our first five games, including our first ISFA and ESFA Cup matches. The defence, led by vice-captain Noah Hanley, only conceded one goal in these opening fixtures, an early sign that we would be a hard side to break down. A loss to Royal Russel in our first Hudl League game would prove to be only a slight hiccup – we then went on an elevenmatch unbeaten run, winning ten of these matches. Most notable were the 3-2 away win at cup holders Bradfield in ISFA Round 3, and a 10-0 win against St Thomas the Apostle School in ESFA Round 3, in which talismanic striker Shaun-Chris Joash netted five goals.

During this winning run, a number of key players returned from injury; we looked strong heading into early December and our ISFA Cup quarter-final against Ardingly. Having only just narrowly beaten them 1-0 four days earlier, we knew it would be another tough game. A couple of contentious goal-line decisions went against us, and the game was decided on penalties. Unfortunately, we were unable to progress, and our ISFA run ended there. However, the following Wednesday offered us an immediate chance to bounce back, as we won our ESFA Round 4 fixture 5-0 to round off a very pleasing first half of the season. By Christmas, we had played 24 games, winning 18, drawing 2 and losing 4.

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Our first game back from the Christmas break was another away trip in ESFA. The game finished 8-2 in our favour, with Freddy Hodgson netting his customary ESFA match goal. Another Hudl league game and another win, 4-1 over Shrewsbury, provided us with our goal of the season, scored

by Louis Rhodes – it was a strike that the likes of Ronaldo would have been proud of. Our next Hudl league game saw us lose a tight contest against Repton 5-4, but we would get a chance for revenge later in the season. Following this defeat came a trip to Southend for our ESFA Cup last 16 match; a Sami Omaar bullet of a header from a delicate Rohan Hobbs through ball sealed a 2-0 win and a place in the last 8 of the competition.

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The quarter-final was yet another away fixture, this time against Bishop’s Stortford and in front of a boisterous home support. However, our football quickly silenced the crowd as we ran out 6-0 winners, with Freddy scoring 4 goals. Bradfield were up next in Hudl and another big win followed, with Harry Short at the heart of an 8-1 win. The next two fixtures, a 5-0 win and a 7-1 win against Brentwood and Kingston Grammar school respectively, meant we were hitting form at just the right time.

Gordon’s school in Woking were the opponents for our ESFA Cup semi-final; it was the first time a 1st XI had reached this stage of the competition! The game went back and forth, with a Louis Instrall double seemingly putting us in charge of the tie. A late Gordon’s comeback and some questionable refereeing saw the game go to extra-time, where it looked destined to go to penalties, until a well worked move down the right-hand side saw a perfect cross in from Denil Manuel meet Harry’s head as he rose highest to score a late winner: 5-4.

Four days later, the team won another massive game in the final Hudl match of the season. A manmountain display at the back from Matt Cecil contributed to a 2-1 win away at old foes Millfield: the first time in over a decade a Hampton 1st XI has won in their backyard.

The biggest game of the lot came in early April, as the 1st XI travelled to Shrewsbury to face Repton school in the final of the ESFA Cup – for support, we were fortunate enough to bring 700 boys from the school and numerous alumni, teachers and parents! This was the first time the school had been in the ESFA final at the 1st XI level, and it was reflected in the amazing support we had. We had the better of the first half and were very unlucky to go into half-time 1-0 down. A very strong start to the second half saw us come close on a number of occasions, striking the woodwork and forcing their

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keeper into some good saves. Our luck turned in the 87th minute when we were awarded a penalty, which Louis calmly slotted away. The game was to go to extra-time, during which neither side could find a winner; it was to be penalties that decided the final. Louis stepped up first and scored, with Repton’s first taker hitting the bar. Shaun-Chris then scored his penalty, and keeper Tim Wallace saved their second.

Midfield maestro Stathis Kalathias scored our third, meaning Repton had to score to stay in it. Once again, Tim produced heroics and saved the penalty, meaning we won the shoot-out 3-0, and with it the National Cup. Overall, the season was an extremely successful one; the statistics certainly make for good reading: played 46, won 37, drew 3, lost 6.

Beyond the statistics, special mention must go to the leavers, such as Tim Sweeney and Omri Nolan for their 7 years of service to football, especially this past year. Vice-captain Lucas Boyle, was hit by injuries this season, but contributed greatly when he played. Ollie Roach, who had a constant battle with Tim for the number 1 shirt, helped to keep both performing at their best. Tom Hudson and Tom Waring were both key parts of this year’s 1st XI, and both will be crucial in leading the team next season.

Finally, a massive thank you must go to Mr Mills, Mr Ritchie and Mr Burke for all their help and support throughout the season, both on and off the pitch. It has been a pleasure to play for these three coaches, and I wish them the very best of luck for next season and beyond. This year was a very special season, not only for winning the ESFA Cup but for all the memories from the journey along the way, and one which will live long in the memory for all the boys, and that is down to you. Thank you!

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2 XI Football The 2nd XI season, guided by Mr Odling and Mr Burke, was a highly successful one; the side won 22, drew 2 and lost only 6. Alex Carey captained the side alongside vice, Guy Leman.

The season got off to a rocky start with only three wins from the first six games. However, there were touches of class shown by some of our midfielders early on – including the skilful Seb Bokojnic, who was calm and composed in midfield.

A win against Bradfield proved to be the turning point in our season with TJ Bayfield scoring a dubious cross-shot and Tom Randall also finding the net in a classy 2-1 win. This led to an impressive 11-match winning streak, spanning four months. This included a 2-0 win away at Harris City Academy in ESFA, where Shahin Rezvani showed his Sunday league grit and bossed the midfield. Hugo Raggett and Sam Van Der Poel, our flying full backs, were also pivotal to our success during this time. Persistent throughout this run was our team spirit, epitomised by our epic comeback against the City of London. With 5 minutes to go, the team scored three goals to take us to victory. Matt Cecil, often ‘stolen’ by Mr Mills for the 1st XI, uncharacteristically scored two late goals, while Finlay Hamilton Hunt and Joel Booth (GK), both excellent all season, remained strong and steady at the back to see us home.

January saw us endure a setback; our winning streak came to a dramatic end.

A 3-2 loss to eventual champions, John Madejski Academy, ended our ESFA Cup hopes. Nevertheless, Henry Evans impressed, answering his critics, showing he really could do it on a cold, wet and windy night in Reading!

This result was answered emphatically by an 8-0 win against Wimbledon College and a 6-0 victory against St Paul’s in the first round of the London 110

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IS Cup. This proved the might of our attack; Lucas Copplestone and Joe Helm terrorised full-backs with their pace and quick feet. The team went from strength to strength, and we began seeking silverware in the form of the London IS Cup. The squad put in series of strong performances, battling through hard fought contests in every round. The biggest test coming in the form of a strong Brentwood side, who we beat 3-1 in the quarter-final thanks to goals from Leman and Carey.

Spirits were high amongst the squad as the season drew to a close – mainly because Article 50 had just been extended – but we had also reached the promised land of the London IS final! The final was against a good Forest side, and the teams were evenly matched with no side breaking the deadlock in the first half. The second half began and Forest struck first: a towering back post header sent the travelling fans wild. This set the match alight; the game became more open and chances came and went for both sides. Despite this, an equaliser could not be found and the game crept into added time, but we did not give up hope. With seconds left, a corner was swung in. Up stepped Tom Chandler. The super-sub leapt like a salmon, rising head and shoulders above the rest to nod home off the underside of the bar. Absolute scenes.

Extra-time was as evenly balanced; yet, with 5 minutes left, our centre-back Tom Dwyer scored another thumping header to put us in the lead. What followed was some tenacious defending as Forest bombed forward, especially from Sylvester Simon who had been excellent all game. Finally, the whistle blew making us London IS champions, giving Hampton its greatest football achievement of the year – despite, apparently, something minor happening in Shrewsbury it seems!

A huge thanks must go to Mr Odling and Mr Burke for giving up their precious time to take the team, while implanting their vast knowledge of the game upon us, and subsequently making our last year of Hampton football so enjoyable. Well done to all involved!

Guy Leman and Alex Carey

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3rd XI Football

However, under continued pressure, the opposition capitulated in the second half, with the full-time score being 4-0 to Hampton. Thus, it was on to the final.

The squad began the season as a team of two halves, divided by year group; but, after many matches played together under the watchful guidance of self-appointed social captain Arun Bhasin, the team bonded well to form a strong unit, which would be vital going forwards. As it transpired, the 3rd XI went unbeaten, thanks in part to some hard-earned draws throughout the season, including a run of three at the start against Sutton, Eton and Alleyn’s.

Adapting swiftly to these results, Mr Haynes and Mr Aucutt, once again showing their tactical insight, slotted Matt Tobin into the holding midfield role, where he soon cemented himself, allowing captain Sam Newton to push higher up the pitch and Makarious Naguib to move from the midfield out to his favoured right wing, where his tenacity would go on to become a trademark of the 3rd XI. The main event on the 3rd XI schedule was the annual Trinity Cup competition. The cup run began in late January with a difficult away game against the Whitgift 2nd XI; the game was balanced on a knife-edge, with Hampton keeper Joe Wigoder making many key saves early on, before Agastya Jha was able to provide a brace to calm the nerves which, coupled with a goal from Findlay Duncan, helped to secure a 3-1 victory and progress to the next round.

RGS Guildford were dispatched 8-0 in the quarter final, a game which saw full-backs dominate; Alex Raeburn grabbed two goals with his typical bombing runs down the flank, while Alex Riley carved through the opposition with immaculate footwork and Alex Fagan continued to offer a calm head and a reliable passing outlet from the back. Following this, there were several games scheduled before the semi-final; in just a week, the 3rd XI played three matches, including a very tight 2-2 draw away against Sutton 2nd XI, in which Matt Tobin, enjoying one of his innumerable forays forward from his role as a holding midfielder, scored his first goal of the season, setting the stage for Hal Busfield to go on to spare our blushes, as he had done on so many other occasions this year.

Two games and ten goals later, it was time for the semi-final away at City of London. Played in howling winds in excess of 40mph, the game was a hardfought contest in the first half, with the score remaining 0-0, thanks often to George Smith, who stood in for the absent Joe Wigoder with aplomb.

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The final of the cup was to be played at the Leatherhead stadium on the evening of Wednesday the 27th of March. Having been given yet another inspirational speech by Mr Haynes and Mr Aucutt, the team was ready to go. The first half saw few true chances created, and so the teams went into the break with the score at 0-0. Alleyn’s started to press hard and almost got their reward, only to be denied once by the defiant Alex Riley on the goal line and once by the fingertips of the sprawling Joe Wigoder. Hampton came close through the skilful left foot of George Purnell, but the powerful effort was met by an equally impressive keeper, leading to extra time.

Fresh inspiration was provided by the arrival of Mr Burke, whose famous words will go down in the annals of 3rd XI history: ‘don’t walk’. The determination of both sides was evident as the game opened up beyond the ninety minutes, resulting in some true end-to-end football, giving centreback Daniel Lipscombe ample opportunity to save the team repeatedly by virtue of his long sliding legs.

As neither team could break the deadlock, the game went to penalties, with Alleyn’s winning the toss. Their first spot-kick was blazed over the bar, allowing Hampton to go 1-0 up as Hal Busfield, ever reliable from the penalty spot, struck home. One inspired save from Joe Wigoder and several penalties later, it was 3-3 going into the 5th kick for Hampton. It fell to William Wickstead, fresh from injury, to take. With his classic cool composure, he took to the penalty spot and placed it in the bottom corner, deftly sending the keeper the wrong way, before being swamped by a mass of yellow and black as victory was celebrated.

Having been defeated the year before in the final by Brighton College, the 3rd XI were able to bring the cup back home, giving all the boys memories to be cherished for a long time to come. It was a tremendous game of football, and the gritty manner of victory was testament to the hard work and commitment seen from every single member of the team all season; indeed, it was a final which would set the precedent for a week of Hampton success.

Many thanks to Mr Haynes and Mr Aucutt for enabling such a successful season for the boys.

Sam Newton

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4th XI Football It was a superb season for the 4th XI, who played 16 matches, winning 14 – only drawing 1 and losing 1 – whilst scoring 85 in the process, conceeding only 15 and ending with a goal-differnce of plus 70!

Mr Lucas’ boys started the season strong with two wins away from home, impressively keeping two clean sheets in the new defensive unit’s first two starts together. 8-1 was the score in the 4th XI’s debut home game of the season, against Salesian 2nd XI, quickly showing the coach they would prove to be a formidable force throughout the season. George Smith, the number 1, had a standout performance in a tight 2-0 win against a strong Charterhouse, showing off his cat-like reflexes on numerous occasions.

Radnor House were the first of several 1st XIs unfortunate enough to be matched up against the squad. With the boys 0-1 down at half time, the coach felt the need to resort to the hairdryer treatment in order to inspire the boys to another win: 4-1 was the final score. Quickly making himself one of the first names on the team sheet, Luka Jancic’s robust tackling and ability to find a pass from deep proved the difference on the day. Sadly, the Oxbridge interviews coincided with a Wednesday fixture of the teams, seeing a large proportion of the starting XI miss out. Despite the strength in depth that the 4th XI possessed, this saw the side fall to a crushing 3-2 away defeat to Sutton Grammar, lacking the cohesion frequently seen on display with this group.

The team, having returned to full strength, and bolstered by the new addition of Matt Cade, made sure this remained the sole loss of the season.

The following four games saw the team put together an aggregate score of 32-2. With a comfortable lead at half time against KCS Wimbledon, Mr Lucas decided for an unconventional switch up, seeing the defenders and attackers swap roles. Fred Spence, the team captain, relished this opportunity and scored 3 second half goals. City of London preceded this game and an inspired Chris Cannon put in his best performance of the season, scoring 4 goals, including a penalty. At the same time, fiery full back Finnegan Stone, continued to work his socks off – as he did for the side all season.

In the first game back after the winter break, Joel Malam showed no rustiness, bagging himself a hat-trick and showing off his great pace and clinical finishing, which saw him compete for the Golden Boot, with over 20 goals throughout the season. Playing at the heart of midfield, Max Cooper’s long range free kick routine comprised of asking the nearest player, playing in either strip, either ‘where do you want it?’ or ‘knuckleball?’. These methods somehow produced his best goal, which came in a 7-1 victory against Abingdon School. Hamish MacCormick and Ollie Wykes were at the centre of the teams’ return to form, with Wykes becoming most improved player of the season, while Hamish played well beyond his years.

23rd January. The day the 4th XI learnt they would have the chance to grace the 3G with their trademark flair and finesse. Reigate Grammar School’s 1st XI were the opponents. A tight affair saw the teams go into the break at 0-0. Woo Yang, who partnered Spence at centre back, earned his status as ‘a big game player’ as he climbed above the opposition defence from a corner and nodded the ball into the opposition net. Jubilation ensued. However, the lead was short lived, as RGS retaliated, finding the net with a sweetly struck shot through Smith’s legs. The game also provided a rare run out for William Gray in an otherwise injury plagued season, dropping jaws as he executed a rabona cross…which failed to beat the first man.

The penultimate game of the season saw a repeat of the earlier demolition of KCS Wimbledon, with another hat-trick for Spence, all coming from corners, while Dylan Evans-Hutchinson also got himself on the scoresheet with goal of the season contender – latching onto a half volley from outside the box which nestled into the top corner; he was the deserved winner of the Player of the Season, having consistently been our star man running up and down the line.

For many in the squad, the match against RGS was their last game donning the coveted black and yellow strip. Phin Purton in particular was a standout performer. An all Upper Sixth XI saw the game out, ending their Hampton careers as victors. Post-match emotions ran high and future stars Ollie Wykes, Finlay Dykes and Luke Jeffries were encouraged to carry on the legacy those before them were leaving behind.

Chris Cannon and Max Cooper

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5 XI Football

of oppositions, with a match against a 2nd or 3rd XI one week followed up by a match against another U16B side the next and a match against an U17A side the week after, making for the feeling of a disjointed season at times.

In the face of all this, the team played some outstanding football at times, with sparkling individual attacking play supported by solid defensive structure and a strong work ethic. The boys played with smiles on their faces – for the most part – and ambition.

They played 20 matches, winning 11, drawing 4 and losing 5, with a positive goal difference of 25, demonstrating how dominant they could be when at their best.

U16A Football

This year was another good season for the U16As, winning 15 out of 20 games played and scoring a total of 78 goals. The many fixtures against senior teams gave us good experiences playing against stronger and more physical opposition as well as several players playing some minutes for the 1st XI. Our keeper, Oscar Murphy, produced many great saves throughout the season. Centre backs Maxi Grindley and Theo Radicopoulos kept things secure and tight defensively. Full-backs Sharyah Rezvani and Nathan Chapplow were key to our defence and also supported attacks brilliantly with driving, forward runs.

Morgan Worsfold Gregg, Jules Lockey and Thomas Banks provided plenty of creativity to the midfield and were involved in a large chunk of our goals; they were, of course, supported by myself, Robbie Cox and Max Robinson who helped to keep the ball moving in the middle of the park.

A big thank you to Mr Simms for coaching us this season as we all look forward to being a part of senior football for the next few years.

Oliver Burke

This was a challenging season for the U16Bs. As is always the case in the step from U15 to U16, there is disruption: some players move into senior football, meaning that players in the B team are drafted into the A team; some players may drift away from the squad as the rigours and quality of the football grow; and new faces need to be drafted in and integrated into the side. On top of this, the U16B side find themselves playing a strange mixture the lion

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Above all else, they will remember a team that was often excellent to watch and that always seemed to enjoy playing and each other’s company, which is surely the most important thing. Hopefully they will take their talents through into senior football and push to get into the higher teams – if it is combined with hard work, the potential is certainly there.

TJG

U15A Football The 2018-19 season was one to remember for the U15As, with memorable achievements throughout. During the course of the year of 32 games played, 26 were won, 3 drawn and 3 lost; this includes being unbeaten in all friendly games in the season, a remarkable accolade for an A team.

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The main highlights came from spectacular individual goals, with Danilo Delic’s outrageous volley in the final match against St Paul’s vying with various individual efforts from Haris Williams for space in the memories of the watching fans – but there was much more than just that to be recalled in future years! These same fans will remember James Ho barrelling down the wing, leaving exhausted defenders in his wake. They will recall the solidity of the spine of the team, with skipper Max Robinson relentlessly collecting the ball and moving it on, backed up by Matthew Wilson and Josh Tatters, marshalling the defence. They will think of Sam Hussey at the back, shouting, organising, joking and occasionally pulling off an outstanding save. They will be unable to forget Amar Kotecha haring up and down the right flank, always with a tackle or trick – one trick – at the ready. They will remember the twins, Jamie and Louis Bird, battling relentlessly for the side and subtly niggling at each other if they ever found themselves too closely situated on the pitch. They will think of Matthew Groves selflessly playing wherever he was asked – including, to the incredulity of his teammates, striker – but bringing calm quality and vision to whichever position he was in. They will see cross-field balls flying from the boots of Arjun Samra, heading towards whichever flying winger was willing to chase them. They will recall Lucas Wallace charging from box to box, shoelaces flying. They will smile at the memory of Jules Lockey twisting and turning past rows of defenders. They will still feel the sense of wonder at Jonathan Steel unexpectedly breezing past his opposition winger with the ball in order to launch another attack. They will see Hashim al-Obaidi, focused, charging relentlessly goal-ward. They will see Matthew Lowe, unflappably distributing the ball from the back and equally unflappably deciding he can play in goal, or centre midfield, depending on what is required.

2018-2019

The season contained a vast array of challenges, and many unforgettable moments. Perhaps the first of these was a 2-2 draw against Bradfield early on in the season in a league fixture. Having gone 2-0 down, a rare occurrence, the team managed to claw back two late goals, scored by Rohan Sahota, to salvage a deserved point against our rivals. Later on, the

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majority of the team enjoyed a tour to Portugal where, under the lights, the team produced an inspiring performance, winning 4-0 against a talented Sporting Lisbon side.

After winning a few difficult games in the ESFA and ISFA cups, with an incredible 18 game unbeaten run, the team finally met their match, bowing out in a painful 2-1 loss in the ESFA competition in the final game before Christmas. Quickly recovering, the U15As executed a perfect game plan against Bedes in the ISFA quarter final, with a strong defensive performance throughout. When penalties were looming, a long-range strike from Joe O’Pray settled the match. This set up a massive clash between Royal Russell and Hampton in the semi-finals of ISFA at home.

The game was played at a high and demanding tempo throughout, with Royal Russel scoring a well-worked goal from the edge of the box in the first half. The team continued to put pressure on their defensive line, and we had numerous opportunities to equalise, but the goal just would not come. It was a tough exit to take after a good performance all round. Then after a disappointing result to Aldenham, the team continued to perform well, winning the remaining games quite comfortably with goals from all across the pitch.

Under the control of Mr Burke, and due to consistent performances across the back four and tireless work from surrounding players, the squad only conceded 22 goals all season. The attackers were in good form too, scoring 119 in 32 games, with contributions from the midfield as well.

This season shows that there is more to come from this group of players in the future.

Jonah Blake

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U15B Football

challenge, while full-backs Olly Coles, Noah Wood, Marco Ferruci and Thomas DeGruchy were resolute, strong in the air, and always keen to be an option off the ball. Theo Back ran the show in midfield, dominating opposition. On the wings, Patrick Helm, Jude Glasson, James Kerr and Finlo Cowley were always keen to send crosses in, while Benedict Pearce never seemed to stop running. Fergus MacEacharn was a threat playing just off the striker, and his creative passes always led to chances. Arton Shala and Emad Khan utilised their remarkable pace and physicality up front, dominating defenders and scoring goals.

Overall, it was a very good season with the boys all working for each other, demonstrating a great team spirit. They should be looking forward to developing even further next season. Thank you to all the Hampton coaching staff who have worked with the team this season.

2018-19 was another outstanding season for the U15Bs: played 24, won 20, drawn 2, lost 2 and a goal difference of 48. A near-perfect season rounded off with another national cup final.

The season began on a promising note, with a comfortable 7-0 win over John Lyon School. During October Half Term, we travelled with the 15As to Porto, Portugal, for a warm-weather training camp. Along with the opportunity to learn in a different environment, the first real test of the season came with a match against a strong local side, Esposende. After a close game against an opposition with an unfamiliar style and possessionbased footballing culture, we surged to a last-gasp victory with two late goals.

Our regular season continued with several high-scoring victories, and we also progressed through the first three rounds of ESFA. In Round 4, we came up against our rivals: Glyn School. Despite conceding early, we fought back and defended strongly at the end, to win by one goal: 3-2.

Unlike last year, we did not have a single away game in the cup, and our yellow machine kept on producing wins: 2-0, 3-1 and 3-1. Such was our home form that, without any major scares, the Hampton U15Bs became the fifth team in Hampton history to qualify for an ESFA Final – and the only one to do it two years in a row!

The end of the regular season brought with it the first loss, 2-0 to Reading Blue Coat School. Disappointing, but a very impressive achievement to go nearly unbeaten. The second highest win ratio and points total in the country is no mean feat.

So the date was set: Tuesday 21st May at West Brom’s Hawthorns. The U15B PlayStation English School’s Football Association Cup Final: a chance to avenge last year’s result, when we so cruelly lost on penalties. It was also a rematch against the same team, Sandbach School. After conceding four, including several potentially dubious goals in the first half, the challenge at half-time was astronomical. We came out at half time, inspired by Mr Burke and Mr Bailey, and dominated the second half. It has been the year of footballing comebacks, but this time, it was not to be. In the end, we were left with a scoreline that did not fairly represent the game. A huge thank you to everyone that made the long trip up to support the team – this is a day none of us will forget! Despite a bittersweet runners-up medal, the boys should be immensely proud of what they have achieved over this long campaign.

The best testament to this team is the remarkable strength in depth. They were led by vocal captain and centre-back Sandy Mitchell, and rock-solid defensive midfielder Fergie Briston, the vice-captain. Arthur Bothamley was his usual secure self in goal, while Xandy Slater stepped in admirably and kept really well when Arthur became cup-tied. After spending many sessions working on defensive structure, the defensive unit continued to build on last year’s base. Centre-back Luca Parrish was always up for a 116

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Sandy Mitchell

U15C Football

This was a superb year for the U15Cs with a final tally of 8 wins, one draw and three losses overall. The season began with a strong performance and a 4-0 win against a very solid Sutton Grammar B Team. Perhaps our most disappointing performance of the year happened next with a 2-2 draw against an Eton side who were always struggling to compete with our footballing skills. Another comfortable win against Alleyn’s was followed by our toughest opponent of the season. It is no surprise that Bradfield College topped the national School League table for our level at the end of the season, and they were a little too strong for us. A thumping 10-1 win against Charterhouse boosted morale, and, apart from tight 2-1 losses to Wilson’s and Abingdon’s B teams, the rest of the season was superb. The final games against KCS Wimbledon, 9-2, and Reading Blue Coat, 2-0, summed up the determination, strength and skill of this very strong outfit. It was no surprise that the team were the third best performing C team in the country in the national leagues behind Bradfield and Tonbridge.

In goal, William Barnes showed early promise, but his decision to give up the gloves allowed Xandy Slater his chance, which he took impressively, eventually moving up to the Bs to take part in their ESFA Cup adventure.

Fraser Cory was an ever-present at left back, ably supported by Sam Brewster – who returned from injury for the final dew games – Amar Midha, who led by example as captain and centre-back, with Billy Atkinson and Rory Bate strong and dependable. Raff Lucking also fitted in nicely at left-back.

In midfield, Luke Walsh, Sam Walker, Eason Gunarajah and Will Conyers worked effectively together alongside James Wiley, Benedict Pearce, Sam Colvine and Freddie Haskins on the wings. Mustafa Hussain was our leading man up front, supported ably by Mac Crawford and Leon Griffiths.

sport Many thanks to Messrs Ritchie and Hurst for their coaching throughout the season.

the Surrey semi-finals. Despite losing, there were many positives we could take from the game.

It has been a pleasure to manage the boys this year – all the best for next season!

We learned a lot throughout the season about each other, both as people and as footballers, and I cannot wait to see what we can produce next season by building upon the talent and work-rate the squad this year. The main disappointment during the season, was the number of injuries that we picked up that reduced game time for a number of players – including key figures such as Sam Brewster at the back and Suryaksh Tewatia, whose pace was sorely missed, later in the season – so we hope for an injury-free 2019-20!

RDW

U15D Football

Well done to all involved and thank you to the staff that made all of this possible.

Matthew Moffatt

U14B Football U14A Football The 2018-19 season has been one of ups and downs with injuries plaguing the whole team throughout the season; yet, we came through stronger, both individually and as a team. With a goal difference of 60 and 20 victories in 22 matches, it is safe to say we have been very successful and look forward to improving upon this feat next year.

The U14As started the season strongly with a home win against John Lyon and a draw to a very good Bede’s side in the Elgin league. We had not had very much time to prepare for these fixtures which made these results particularly pleasing.

We then went through a tough few games in which we learnt about our teammates a bit more and Hampton’s passing style of football – something which we embraced throughout the season.

A key match in our season was Winchester at home, where we came out on top – mainly thanks to the fight showed by Mario Romano at left back.

Our first cup game came against St Joseph’s in ESFA. Alex Di Soccio scored two goals on our way to a 2-1 victory. We came back after the half term break to play Bishop Thomas Grant, our 3rd round opponents in ESFA. The match went to penalties where we came out on top thanks to some great saves from Ali Jennings. Our ESFA cup run was soon to end though against a very good Dorothy Stringer team from Brighton.

The Surrey Cup saw us face Christ’s school in the first round, where we put on a convincing display, with a 3-0 victory. Against Orleans Park in the 2nd round of the Surrey Cup, Suryaksh Tewatia produced a wonderful hat-trick to guide us to a 4-0 victory over a very good team. After a more good performances on Saturdays and weekdays – in the cup – including a thrilling 6-5 victory over a top side from Wimbledon College, we found ourselves in

The season started with plenty of movement between the A, B and C squads. A convincing win against a John Lyon B team as the squad got settled was a welcoming start of an impressive string of results for the very experimental squad (of 23) at the start of the season. This included 8-1 and 12-0 victories against Bede’s School and Sutton Grammar respectively.

However, our winning streak tragically, came to an end with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Lancing College A team; it was a fast and physical game which ended on a sour note with our fulcrum in the midfield, Zach Bartlett, sustaining a season-ending injury. Sam Brewster came in from the A team to steady the ship, but there was nothing anyone could do about our 4th Round ESFA tie against a very formidable Ivybridge Community College side. In the later part of the season, we really started to play some good, flowing football that was reflected in the results, notably a strong 2-1 win against Wetherby’s A team – a team including a Beckham!

Throughout the season, Sam Wooldridge, Tetsuro Kato and Aiden Painting have been essential, breaking down play and competing tenaciously in the midfield. They were complemented by the awareness of James Darke and assured calmness of Stanley Cumming.

Adam Dell was an ever-present in goal with some of the safest hands in the school, helped by myself and Jimmy Bristow – a centre-back partnership the lion

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sport Mr Cumberbatch often referred to as the ‘Rocks of Gibraltar’. The defensive unit was strong and full backs Keshav Agarwal, Nathan Kent, Conor McNeany and Henry Fagan provided consistent support, whether in attack or defence. On the wings, the pace and jinxing footwork of Samay Gajree and Isaac Foster, twinned with the power and awareness displayed by Kamran Makela throughout the season, has been a joy to watch and has enabled a wonderful variety of goals to be scored. Up front, or what Mr Cumberbatch refers to as ‘the first line of defence’, the speed and relentless running of Euan Gallagher, the ever-punishing through-balls from Harley Mackenzie’s right or left foot and the sharp, potent finishing of Adam Humpish have played a vital part in our massive accumulation of 82 goals this season.

A big thank you is required for Mr Cumberbatch for being such an inspiring and encouraging coach this season; for the team and myself, we are hugely grateful and have really enjoyed it.

Matthew Sedgwick

U14C Football

U14D Football

The mighty U14D football team of 2018-19 will live long in the memory.

Of 10 competitive games played, mainly against C and B teams, 6 were won and 55 goals were scored. Of the 6 victories, the number of goals we scored ranged from 6 to 11!

This was a season of highs: diving headers – Patrick Quirke – long-range curlers – Jack Farthing – and motivational speeches – William Knowles.

This was a season of teamwork and camaraderie – Albie Hyde and Joshua Woolaghan – in which our last-minute consolation goal against Sutton Grammar As was the highlight of a 6-1 battle. This was a season of star performances from newcomers – George Chapman – friendship, team spirit and successful transfers after the window had closed – Donald MacDonald and Ben Hagan.

It was a pleasure to watch the team really enjoy their football while representing Hampton. The season leaves them with plenty of fond memories to hold on to – but also a couple of howlers to forget! Well done, chaps.

MB

Overall, the U14C football team enjoyed a successful season, playing a total twelve fixtures, winning nine of those. Our forwards must be credited for scoring a total 48 goals – Kyan Soni and Harry Guest scoring 11 each – and ensuring that we ended the season with a positive goal difference of 31.

Furthermore, we were unbeaten, apart from one fixture against an U15B team side – and, even then, we still scored two goals!

U13A Football

Throughout the season, we played some excellent football, and, of course, some shocking football at times! We contrived to score a dismal four own goals, but we made up for them in the end with hat-tricks from Kyan and Harry up front. One fixture I particularly remember is a competitive game against KCS, a game in which Tom Southgate somehow managed to hit the back of the net from near the halfway line. This goal and two others saw us comfortably win this match 3-0.

One of the reasons for our success this season was our goalkeepers, Louis Simonds-Gooding and Will Holden, both of whom saved our necks on multiple occasions, pulling off miraculous efforts to stop many powerful shots on goal. Without them, our goal difference would have been more like -7!

Overall, our efforts and successes cannot be credited to one single player, but to our whole team; everyone contributed where necessary in their own way, whether that be making solid tackles or directing the defence with long balls.

Congratulations to the U14C team in their great efforts this season and we hope to continue our streak next year.

Ollie Lycett 118

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The U13As enjoyed a successful season, their first playing 11-a-side. They won 68% of their games, scoring an average of almost 4 goals per game: played 19, won 13, drawn 2, lost 4, goals for 70, goals against 29.

The season began with a 2-2 draw against The John Lyon School, followed by wins against Glyn and Charters Schools. Then began a difficult run of games, in which the team suffered 3 defeats in 5 games, including an ISFA cup defeat to Dulwich 4-3, and an entertaining 7-5 loss to a strong Whitgift team.

After this blip, the team recovered to win their next 6 games, conceding only 2 goals in the process, thanks to a new found obstinacy from an excellent

sport defensive line up of Zachary Omar, Zac Caheux, Paddy Harvey, and Toby North, and some help from our goalkeeper, Conrad Knight.

At the other end of the pitch, the goals were flowing with some excellent contributions from Obrad Kuzmanovic, Chibby Nwoko, Hayden Christian, Aaron Mills, Rex Booth and Jago Doherty. Chibby in particular highlighted his value to the side with 25 goals in total this season.

Despite suffering a 6th round ESFA Cup defeat to Carshalton Boys School, the As won 9 out of their last 11 games of the season.

Team captain Toby North summed it up well with his thoughts: ‘All in all it was a very good first eleven-a-side season for the team, and the defence and attack grew stronger every game and will keep going forward in the years to come.’

One of the most pleasing aspects of our season was the 8 clean sheets that we kept. We always defended as a team, especially with Francesco offering good protection, while our goalkeeper Matthew Barkus made a string of incredible saves throughout the season and martialled the defence well by giving those in front of him the confidence they needed. Sam Spencer and Ben Millington-Jones formed a solid central defensive pairing throughout the season and we suffered when either of them was unavailable. Our fullbacks, Ed Joyce and Lucas Hermann Sosa, were expected to get through a lot of work in support of the defence and midfield as well as offering extra width in attack when needed and they did this excellently. Special mentions must also go to Rohan Crowe and Felix Von Der Geest who were asked to play in just about every position on the pitch and did so without complaint, often popping up with crucial goals, tackles and assists.

Sam Spencer

This is a very talented and promising team. Their future looks bright and it will be exciting to see how they progress as a group in the years to come.

RRT

U13B Football

A big thank you must go to Sam Spencer for writing an excellent end of season report. But, as ever, he has been extremely modest and down played the vital role he has played at centre back and indeed as captain, showing dedication and a desire to learn time and again. I am also very glad that Sam picked out Rohan and Felix for special mention at the end. Their work rates and attitudes throughout the season have been nothing short of exceptional, especially since they were often asked to play in less familiar positions and I would like to say a personal thank you for always approaching matches and sessions with the right attitude.

A big thank you also to all the team for a great season and the hard work you have all shown throughout the year. I look forward to flowing your progress next year and wish you the best of luck.

CMS

U13C Football The U13Bs had a mixed year with 8 wins and 2 draws from our 17 regular season matches. We scored 40 goals and conceded 24. We also enjoyed a good cup run through 3 rounds of the ESFA cup, before losing to a strong Hurstmere Foundation school in the 4th Round.

In our regular season, we played particularly well against several A teams from other schools, often only losing out narrowly, and we played some excellent passing football at times. When we were able to field our best 11, we were certainly a match for any team – something from which we can take a lot of confidence into next season!

The team’s early season success was based on our excellent passing with Ben Walker and Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid providing regular assists to Alpha Barry and Saganan Thuraisingham in attack, helping us to record some big early season wins.

In the second half of the season, the team really missed Saganan’s pace and power upfront; our loss will be rugby’s gain. Ben, in particular, kept our midfield going as the games got harder. Our holding midfielder Francesco Olivieri’s powerful tackling, combined with Kieran’s pace and dribbling, caused a lot of problems for even the A teams we faced.

On the wings, the trickery and direct running of Camillo Clarke and Dan Cubbon gave us good width and good service to the strikers, with Dan also proving a reliable penalty taker. Finn Gould served as an excellent target-man when the team needed to play the long ball, holding the ball up well and releasing his teammates with well timed passes into space.

It was a good year for the U13Cs; we enjoyed a 64% win ratio thanks to a good goal-scoring record across our 11 games. We managed a superb 48 goals in that time. The main goal-scorers were Ben Rollason, James Derrick and Monty Robb – who was a welcome sight when he returned from injury after missing the start of the season. There were also contributions from all over the team which showed some real strength in attack.

At the back, the ever-present Harry McLusky and Evan Little held the defence together, ably assisted by full-backs Joe Earle and Frank Sanders.

Vishal Saha showed some real versatility in defence, playing really well at left-back for the second half of the season.

In goal was Toby Harbour, but the squad really pulled together in his absences to fill the gap with Jack Seddon, Daniel Evans, James and Leo Hartley all stepping up when required. The midfield consisted of Cameron the lion

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sport Jones, Joe Fearnside, Vishal, Felix Lyon, Kristian Brookes and Jack who all used their considerable skills to both support the defence and join the attacks when appropriate A particular thanks to Leo and Joe Wooldridge, who, for a ‘sizeable transfer fee’, often came up from the D team to fill in in various positions when the team needed him, and Daniel, our new signing from Mexico in the midseason transfer window.

Lastly, the team and I would like to give the coaching team – Mrs Day, Mr Cumberbatch, Mr Hurst – a massive thanks for all of their time and effort across the entire season in training and on match days to make possible what was a really enjoyable season at Hampton. Well done to everyone involved!

Jack Seddon

U12A Football

In benevolent September sunshine, twelve centre-attacking-midfielders duly boarded the coach to John Lyon. They swarmed forward, winning 13-0.

Spirits were sky high. In the pavilion afterwards, I wondered if I had inadvertently stumbled upon a new U12B coaching philosophy: permanent, all-out, unrelenting attack. What could possibly go wrong?

Last season was a great experience for all the U12As! We reached the Surrey Cup final, though, unfortunately, we ultimately lost to an exceptionally strong Whitgift side.

Every player in the team would agree that they had improved as a footballer and also as a person, learning skills which we can take on into everyday life – a wonderful thing to be able to say at the end of a brilliant year of football!

Some strong and hugely pleasing victories during the season, over Oratory Prep School and St John’s in particular, lifted our spirits.

Our great coach, Mr Hurst, has taken us to a higher level as footballers; I can say this in the knowledge that the whole team would agree with me that one of the reasons we did so well last season was because of Mr Hurst and Mr Burke. Thank you to them for all of their support and help over the course of the year.

Lastly, I believe that the whole of the A team has improved and we look forward to continuing our development in the upcoming season!

Josh King

The U12B squad began the year with an abundance of players who selfidentified as CAM. ‘I’m CAM,’ the first small boy declared. ‘I’m CAM, but only some of the time,’ insisted another. ‘I’m CAM too,’ piped a third. ‘You can’t all be called Cameron,’ I protested, squinting down the list of names.

‘There’s usually at least one Oscar.’ the lion

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By Christmas, the case for a traditional defence had been persuasively made.

After a run of defeats, the need for actual defenders became undeniable. A number of CAMs reluctantly agreed to become centre-backs, muttering darkly about an eventual return to midfield. Soon, the nascent defensive triumvirate of Omer Demiral, Archie Hurst and Joe Murray began to gel, ably supported by Oliver Hamilton. Goalkeepers Caleb Levell and Harry Oliver, equally promising shot-stoppers, jostled for a starting place between the sticks.

In the centre of midfield, genuine CAM and Player of the Season Savan Soni ran the show, ending the season as the team’s top scorer on 18 goals.

On the wing, Alastair White caused endless problems with his pace and shooting ability, whilst Gabriel Fouche was a bundle of energy, snapping into every tackle. CDM Zidaan Khan was no less determined, displaying some neat touches and tidy through-passes to his teammates.

At the business end of the team, striker Ishan Patel made excellent runs in behind opposition defences, scoring a memorable goal in the boys’ extratime cup victory over Harris City Academy. A natural finisher, forward Harry Spence earned the title of second top-scorer, whilst the searing pace of Lawrie Wilkin caused real problems for opposing teams. The talented Rudy Mills could play anywhere, including at CAM, and will surely be pushing for the A team next year.

Overall, the team won 10 of their 21 matches, drawing 4. Viewed on their own, these statistics make for respectable reading. But in the final reckoning, we should also remember that one of our centre-backs scored a ‘rabona’ goal this season. That sort of thing doesn’t happen very often. It just goes to show – the inner CAM is hard to shake.

PDT

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I then recalled that CAM was in fact Fifa-speak for ‘Centre Attacking Midfielder’, the favoured position of the First Year footballer. Identifying as CAM liberates a player from all defensive responsibility; the CAM glides, Messi-like, across the field, with the vague ambition of creating chances but no outright responsibility for scoring goals. ‘Are you sure we haven’t got any defenders?’ I asked again, visualising the team’s formation.

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U12C Football The U12Cs enjoyed a fine season, scoring an impressive 77 goals in 15 matches. The boys won the majority of their games, suffering narrow defeats only against a couple of the A and B teams we came up against.

sport wing, while Joe Murphy, Marcus Palmer, Thomas Davies and Nico Alfonso kept everything moving from midfield. Strikers Rohan Kripalani, Henry Forster, and Captain, James Moloney, all finished the season with impressive goal tallies.

Between the sticks, Caleb Levell was a fine shot-stopper, fully deserving of his late season call up to the Bs. Other players who made a big impression for us early on before being ‘poached’ by the Bs were Joe Murray and Lawrie Wilkin whose combined goal-threat looked like it would be irreplaceable. Yet, ultimately, Olly Spry and Shivam Handa did such a fine job that we continued uninhibited. Nor can we complain too bitterly about Mr Thomas’s perennial policy of stealing our best players – he also snapped up the outstanding Sam Lee – since we plundered the D team heavily ourselves, unearthing such gems as Porter Read, George Coyle and Sam Chapman who became pillars of our success. Latterly we also nabbed Stanley Kelly to bolster our fine defensive duo of Oscar Shepherd and George Sexton, who also often stepped forward to be our midfield general.

We were blessed with an abundance of talented left-footers, with the pacey Tom Fearnside and the prolific Adam Gaunt making life difficult for opposing full backs. Thomas Hagan shored up our other flank, chipping in with some well taken goals of his own. George Sexton and Shivam Handa deservedly took the Player of the Season awards for their overall contribution; yet, this season really was a fine team effort.

But, what made this year’s U12Ds so successful was not the individual performances, but the way they worked together as a team and their determination to succeed. There were some notable matches: an excellent 5-1 away win at City of London School; a 7-2 victory at home to Chigwell School; and a particularly impressive 4-1 win against Claremont Fan Court.

However, the most memorable moment came during the penultimate match of the season against Reading Blue Coat School. The boys were determined to maintain their record of only one defeat, which seemed to be hanging in the balance when they went 2-0 down at the start of the second half. But showing their characteristic grit, drive and support for each other they fought back, and when their third goal hit the back of the net a minute before the full time whistle to make it 3-2 Hampton – the celebrations would have rivalled those of a victorious FA Cup team!

Well done on a really excellent season, boys, and best of luck next year!

MBE

U12E Football

I would like to thank the boys for their commendable attitudes to training which saw them develop greatly over the year, playing some wonderful passing football. The boys were a credit to the school in every match and I wish them every success for the future.

CAM

U12D Football

It was a record-breaking season for the U12Ds! From day one, the boys were determined to perform their best at every match, and were soon taking confidence from a string of victories, only losing one game all season.

Asa Jennings was a stalwart in goal, making some fantastic saves, while our defensive line up of Stanley Kelly, Alec Hamilton, Eden McBrinn, headed up by Players’ Player of the Season, Benjamin Taskis, ensured that the opposing teams did not get too many opportunities in front of goal. Fahad Hussain and Zakir Mughal sent some fantastic balls forward along the the lion

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1st VII Rugby Our sevens campaign began with the annual Hampton Festival. A spirited home crowd and blistering sunshine encouraged exciting rugby across all pitches. Victories against Caterham, John Fisher and RGS High Wycombe put us top of the group with one game to go. Tension was high as we found ourselves 12-5 down to St Benedict’s, but we equalised in the final minute of the game; the draw was sufficient to see us top the group.

In a gripping final, we were leading 14-10 against a strong Cranleigh side, but a comedic turn of events, when the automated sprinklers turned on, meant we were forced to play the remaining minutes on the second team pitch. Ultimately, this change of pitch-size was not to our favour and we finished as runners-up.

Next up was the Reigate 7s Festival, where flowing rugby was inhibited by February’s torrential weather. Despite conceding an unfortunate late try in our opening game against Hurstpierpoint College, which gave them an undeserving draw, we continued faultlessly through the rest of the group. Frustratingly, points difference saw us come second and we moved into the Plate competition for the afternoon’s proceedings. A powerful, yet one-dimensional, St Paul’s side were dispatched of with ease in the quarter-finals; notably, this was achieved by some incredible ball-retention and tactical kicking by our men in the middle. Another composed performance from the boys in black and gold against John Fisher School, in which we scored three unanswered tries, and we progressed to the final, conceding just 12 points along the way. The afternoon’s intelligent performances were rounded off by victory against Wimbledon College (38-7) in the final.

In the Middlesex 7s, we maintained momentum, with three victories from three, including against group favourites, St Paul’s Catholic College. We met John Fisher School in the semifinal and progressed as 21-7 victors. In the final against Harrow, we found ourselves 17-0 down after just 5 minutes. Despite this setback, we managed to get a foothold in the game, scoring 12 unanswered points. When the last play of the game was called, we found ourselves in possession of the ball, in our own 22. Despite the immense pressure, the team showed incredible composure and resilience, recycling the ball through countless phases, culminating in a dramatic try. The following conversion, meant we had secured an unbelievable comeback, winning the game 19-17, and the Middlesex trophy made its way back to Hanworth road for the second year ‘running’ as 2018 was cancelled.

Our next tournament was the Surrey Open 7s, a tournament which has seen success for Hampton teams in the past. However, we were unable to replicate this as we were knocked out in the Plate semi-final having fielded a slightly weakened side.

rugby

Despite our various successes, the 7s season ultimately culminated in the Rosslyn Park National School 7s; we were at full strength, we felt confident and we were well prepared. We went through the first day unbeaten and into the quarter-final groups on the next day, beating Woodhouse Grove, a national semi-finalist in the 15s season, Stowe and Northampton who are traditionally strong sevens sides, and Neath Port Talbot. The highlight was a 56-14 win over the group runners up, Northampton, fuelling us with confidence before the second day.

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We were drawn a tough group with St Paul’s Catholic College, a side with a collection of London Irish academy players, Cranleigh, a team who had won the tournament and came runners up in the previous two years, and Wellington College, one of the strongest schoolboy rugby schools in the country. A resilient comeback from the team saw us score in the last play against St Paul’s, winning 21-17. The next game against Cranleigh was effectively the group decider, with both teams winning their opening game, however their strength in depth and their extremely loud supporters club simply got the better of us. Despite an unbelievable defensive effort, we lost 17-7. With an outside chance of reaching the semi-finals, we faced up to Wellington, a school rival and a strong side. In their last game for the school, the Upper Sixth boys went out with a bang, and we defeated them 19-14. This meant we went out of the tournament narrowly on points-difference: a cruel way to go out, though it reflected just how strong this side was.

Despite this, our fantastic performances cemented us as a top 6 team in the country, with the team only losing 4 games overall – a fantastic achievement! Many thanks go to Mr Thomson and Mr Mobbs Smith for such a successful sevens season.

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1st XV Rugby This season contained some of Hampton’s most significant victories and successes in recent memory. It was a very successful season for an extremely talented side, showing promise in the coming years for Hampton Rugby.

Our pre-season included a training camp in Biarritz in the South of France, testing our ability to adapt to different climatic conditions as well as facing a different style of rugby in the form of the Biarritz Olympique side. The season kicked off with Tommy Nagle crashing over for the first try of the game which ended in victory for our newly established team. This prepared us well for the Esher President’s Cup and South Coast Kings tournament.

We lost to Whitgift in the final of the former on ‘golden try’ – Whitgift would go on to win the Natwest Cup – after valiantly defeating a strong Millfield side. We also ended up winning South Coast Kings, beating Bishop Wordsworth in the final.

We started the season with immense confidence, beating John Fisher 52-7 and were then unlucky to draw our first home game with the Recent Leaver’s XV. Then came a ‘triangular fixture’ involving St John’s and hosts Tonbridge.

A victory against St John’s, followed by a disappointing loss to the hosts, gave us a lot of lessons to learn going forward.

Our Champion’s Trophy campaign was started off by a flashy Patrick Silcox try down the left wing. We were eventual 57-10 victors. A particular highlight of the game came from Billy Franklin, making an unorthodox full pitch sprint for a tight-head forward which lead to a fascinating try.

Unfortunately, we let our guard down in the following block fixture against Bromsgrove meaning we would lose that game 3-10.

After dispatching RGS High Wycombe away, we would face Hampton’s biggest cup rivals – Dulwich College – in the next round of the Champion’s Trophy. This was the most anticipated game of the season and it turned out to be an absolute classic. The home crowd was ‘roaring’ for the Lions and exploded after a Nick Bitzakidis’ full pitch rumble lead to the ball popping out to Jesper Hartikainen, who threaded the ball neatly through the Dulwich defence with a kick, which lead to a Louis Lynagh score. Then, on the stroke of half time, Louis – this year’s captain – took the ball on the

Hampton 22 and cut through the Dulwich defence, using electric pace as well as immense strength to finish impressively in the corner. This gave our side the lead at the break. A tightly contested second half followed and we found ourselves down 21-18 with one more play to go. We set up a maul on their 22 and sensationally, James Thompson found a hole through Dulwich’s maul defence and dove in to score the eventual winner at the final whistle. It was truly one of the most iconic Hampton sporting moments and our first victory over Dulwich in a National competition. It was also a defining moment for James – the school’s Head Boy. Fergus McWilliams slotted the kick to hand Hampton the 25-21 victory.

We then went on to play a formidable Seaford side and used our momentum from the previous game to secure a tough win away – aided by another sensational Lynagh try. Seaford have been notoriously strong against previous Hampton sides, meaning this was a significant victory heading into the St Joseph’s Festival.

St Joseph’s brought about highs and lows for us as a side. We found ourselves in a group dubbed by critics as the ‘Group of Death’ with St Peter’s York, Brighton and RGS Newcastle – the eventual winners of the competition. We were overwhelmed by a surprisingly good Newcastle side in the first game, but bounced back to defeat St Peter’s York.

Disappointingly, we ended our first day with a heavy loss against Brighton, meaning we would enter the Plate competition the following day. The second day would bring about more success however facing RGS High Wycombe, QEGS and John Fisher. George Price stepped up and put in some massive hits as well as nabbing a few key tries which meant that we found ourselves in the Plate final against Eltham College. Ironically, Mr Thomson helped us ruthlessly dispatch his old school in the final with the help of a brace from Lynagh.

After the half-term break, we were to face Hurstpierpoint College in the quarter-finals of the Champion’s Trophy. However, it was to not our day as we went on to lose 22-34 – not helped by half our starting pack being out injured. We bounced back with a 10-5 victory over Trinity School, aided by a Louis Goodwin try after a nice move.

Our next fixture was against Cranleigh School, a notoriously strong rugby school and prominent rival of Hampton. This was an extremely physical and the lion

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sport exhausting match which again went down to the wire. With the clock in the red, we found ourselves tied 17-17. Our ability to perform in last minute situations at our home ground continued though, with Jamie Benson maintaining a cool head and delivering a left footed boot perfectly into the path of Aidan Barry on the left wing who went on to score under the posts, giving us the 24-17 victory.

We tried to take this momentum through to a rematch against Brighton College, but were unfortunate to lose 8-11, despite an incredible try scored

by Felix Boardman from a cross-field kick delivered by Fifth Year Jamie Benson. We then faced Dulwich College in a rematch from our encounter in the Champion’s Trophy, but we were unable to win a second time, losing 7-15. It is important to note that we were heavily affected by injuries at this point in the season.

We came back after the Christmas break and hit the ground running against Tiffin School, with scrum-half Ed Lord scoring an uncharacteristic brace to help us win 46-0. However, our momentum came to a grinding hold with an embarrassing loss to Warwick School. We certainly could have won the game if we went in with the right mind-set but, unfortunately, it became nothing more than a big lesson for our side.

We then hosted Argentinian side – La Tablada – in an exciting fixture which was a treat to play in. Although we lost, playing against a side from the Southern Hemisphere was a great opportunity for us to play against a new culture of rugby and for us to get a tune-up for our tour to South Africa.

A fixture against a tough Campion side followed, with Alex Boag scoring a brace and helping us to a 36-7 victory. We wrapped up the season with a local derby under the lights, facing another rival of ours: St. Benedict’s School. This was the last game for the Upper Sixth lads and they did not disappoint, aiding us to a resounding 25-3 victory.

Special mention must go to Louis Lyangh, who has had a successful season for Harlequins and went on to represent England U18s and U19s. Gwilym Bradley also represented Wales U19s and had a very successful season despite being riddled with injuries for our entire 15s season. The pair made history for Hampton, as they faced each other in an International Fixture for their respective countries, displaying the level of talent that Hampton has to offer.

Although we did not progress as far as we would have liked in the National competition, we have a huge sense of pride about our performance this season. Our achievements can be shown by the variety of silverware that we have won, as well as some of the victories we have pulled off. We would like to thank the leavers and we look forward to facing them in September! We are also extremely excited to play with the upcoming lads who recently had success in their national competition.

This season has given us many lessons to learn as well as memories to cherish and it has been an immense pleasure.

Max Goldin and Theo Johnson

2nd XV Rugby

3rd XV Rugby When you consider that two of the four defeats suffered by our 3rd XV were at the hands of 1st XV opposition at the end of the season, the P12 W7 D1 L4 record looks even more impressive.

In mid-November, having just won five consecutive fixtures – including the big scalps of Bromsgrove and Wellington – with an aggregate score line of 157-44, the side was threatening to challenge Mr Sutton-Edwards’ U12B 124

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team for best win ratio. Not surprisingly, with the injury count rising and key players such as Leo Currie, Paul Wilkinson and Cosmo LieftingMoore earning well deserved call ups to the 2nd XV, winning 3rd XV fixtures became increasingly difficult.

However, the winter months of the season saw some outstanding team performances in four tight and fiercely contested fixtures. A narrow defeat to Cranleigh was followed by even narrower victories against old rivals Brighton and Dulwich, capped off with a hard-fought draw in a mud bath at Warwick. The closing defeats in Spring to Harrodian 1st XV and Latymer

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1st XV were excellent matches, with both sides playing an expansive attacking brand of rugby.

Ultimately, the opposition’s best players were a lot to handle on both occasions, but some valuable lessons for next season were learned in defeat by the Lower Sixth and it was a fitting standard of rugby for our Upper Sixth stalwarts to finish on. Speaking of the Upper Sixth, this group of players have been superb for two seasons and formed the backbone of a very successful side. Well done, thank you and good luck

Development Squad The 2018-19 season was a very successful one for the Development Squad with an outstanding 11 games won out of a possible 14. This is particularly commendable as our starting 15 players changed week in week out, so the players had to constantly adapt and overcome any challenges we faced.

The season began with a couple of narrowly contested, hard fought games with a 36-29 win against John Fisher and a 37-24 win against Bromsgrove.

Some great passing plays from Nathan Murray and huge carries from Sam Sparrow started our season perfectly.

The subsequent confidence gained allowed us to dispatch RGS and St Benedict’s by scoring over 30 points in each game and not conceding a single try. A particular highlight was watching Rishi Chopra score his first

to Archie Pink (captain), William Walker (vice-captain), Alan BlackmanRogers, James Dowden, Ethan Delaney-Smith, Ben Foreman, and Rowan Neil.

After five seasons coaching Hampton’s 3rd XV, I am switching focus to the U13 squad next season. It has been a pleasure to coach this committed and talented group – thanks to all of you for making the season so enjoyable!

TFR

try for Hampton Rugby; he went on to score five more in the season – a truly magnificent effort from him! We then proceeded to score over half a century against Seaford College which was a fabulous display considering there were six changes to the starting line-up from the previous weekend. A great try from Ollie Hunt secured our fifth win on the bounce.

Due to significant injuries we took our first loss against Wellington. This was the first game Mr Baker was not present, making the loss even more crushing. However, the resilience of our team shined through as we bounced back to score 56 points against Trinity without conceding a single point.

We finished the season very strongly with five wins in a row, scoring just shy of 250 points in our last five games. Special thanks must go to Mr Baker for his organisation of the team during a challenging season and we all look forward to playing with our new teammates next year.

Freddy Short

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U16A Rugby

After a well-earned Christmas break, our form continued. A big win at Tiffin, 56-7, gave us confidence as we went into another big game against Warwick. Despite scoring first, Warwick hit back scoring three to make it 21-7 with 5 minutes to go before half time. Our class showed, however, as we scored two in quick succession to make it just 21-19 to the visitors at the break. We did not slow down after the break either, with a brilliant try first from Luke Greenall and then Matt le Moign finishing off yet another dominant maul. Even though we conceded one try late on, our attacking flare was enough for the victory in what was arguably our best win of the season: 31-28. We followed this with another good win at Campion, win‐ ning 15-7 before putting our attention on the final game of the season against Whitgift. Having lost in the Natwest semi-finals the year before, the team were raring to go in our last 15s game of the season. The game was very tight with Whitgift leading 15-14 with 5 minutes to go. We were on the attack, but a good effort from the Whitgift fullback after a kick meant we ultimately lost.

Going in to the U16 season, the team knew there was pressure to follow up from the previous year, where we made it to the Natwest semi-finals, and to prove ourselves to be one of the best sides in the country. This challenge was made even more difficult with some players moving up to play for the 1st XV. However, preseason training had gone well and we felt confident go‐ ing into our first game against John Fisher. Despite winning 17-7, we knew we could perform much better. Unfortunately, we were also dealt another blow when No. 8 Thomas Tomlin was injured for the whole season.

Even though we ended the season on a loss, the boys were massively proud of what we had achieved; in particular, only losing 3 times in 19 games is a fantastic achievement! I would like to thank Mr Stebbings and Mr Baker for their dedication and hard work in making the season as successful as it was.

Alex Taylor

We continued to train and work hard under coach Mr Stebbings and many more lessons were learnt at the triangular with St John’s and Tonbridge be‐ fore we went into our first big fixture of the year against Bromsgrove. Unfor‐ tunately, the injury list was too much for us and we lost to Bromsgrove, but we were much happier with our performance and some B team players such as Hector Coode got a chance to play for the A team and put in strong individual performances.

U16A Sevens

As the Autumn Term continued, our performances also continued to get better with strong wins against RGS High Wycombe, 43-0, Seaford, 70-0, St Benedict’s, 34-0, and UCS, 57-7 in the Middlesex Cup. It was clear that while we could score a lot of tries, our defence had really improved, only conceding 12 points in 4 games. Tim Lamming and Toby Robinson massively contributed to this, making some massive hits, whilst Joe Watton regularly won turnovers at the lineout.

We kick-started the season with a warm up tournament at Wellington Col‐ lege. After a strong season of 15s, we went into this head high and confident.

Wins over Brighton and Epsom certainly boosted our confidence and proved the great potential we had as a sevens side.

After some good victories, we unfortunately lost to Wellington. While we put some good phases together and scored a good try through David Ellis, a few errors cost us the game. We aimed to improve going into our match with Trinity, who had beaten Wellington only a few weeks before. Some brilliant tries, including a slick backs move finished off by Nairn Herries and multiple strong carries by Rupert Reddish, meant we led with 2 minutes to go. However, small errors cost us again and we ended up drawing 24-24.

With injuries starting to pile up, the team were more determined than ever to win the Middlesex Cup and finish the Winter term with no more losses.

We did exactly that, beating St Benedict’s comfortably once again 33-6, and then Merchant Taylor’s in the final 27-12, with Iestyn Humphrey miracu‐ lously recovering from an injury to score two and seal the trophy for us for a second consecutive year. In our Saturday fixtures, multiple hard-fought victories were earned just before Christmas. Initially, the boys ground out a tight game at Cranleigh, winning 12-5. This was followed by yet another close game at home to Brighton, with Alex McMillan creating some bril‐ liant tries to win 19-12, before we played Dulwich in the last game before Christmas. With injuries at their worst, it felt like the challenge may be too much. However, a great try from Joe Sykes, beating many Dulwich players, and an outstanding defensive effort from the team meant we ran out 15-13 victors.

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2019 saw the U16 sevens team appear in multiple sevens tournaments with varying degrees of success. Although multiple injuries had hindered our chances of winning, we were able to show our diligence and perseverance, pulling off some immaculate displays.

Our first tournament was Warwick 7s in which we came out second in our group, narrowly losing to Sedbergh 21-15 – a valiant effort seeing as they are purely a rugby school. This led us to go through to the quarter-finals against Millfield; we just lost out on getting through to the semi-finals. Sadly, the annual Surrey Sevens tournament was cancelled, but this gave us time to watch the Hampton Sevens and more time to prepare us for Worth 7s.

Worth sevens, despite some extreme conditions – consisting of big lumps of hail – was ultimately a turning point for our 7s season. Beating Dulwich and Reigate in our group and going on to beat City of London Freeman’s and St Paul’s to take home our first piece of silverware of the season was a wonderful achievement.

Our final tournament before Rosslyn Park 7s was at RGS. After winning our group rather comfortably, we played a triangular-style final against Welling‐ ton College and Hurstpierpoint School: two big schools renowned for their sporting prowess. We were determined to give them both a tough game, coming out on top against Hurstpierpoint, putting 30 points on them.

However, Wellington were a very strong side and just managed to edge the win to take home the silverware.

Finally, we played in the Rosslyn Park Sevens, the annual national sevens competition. Our group consisted of Eton, Malvern, St Edward’s and The Oratory School. Malvern and St Edward’s ended 35-7 and 33-14 respect‐ ively and match against The Oratory finished 24-5 – all to Hampton. The group decider came down to Eton vs Hampton. A cracking match in which solid defence for the last 2 minutes of the game lead to a 14-12 victory to

sport Hampton. Unfortunately, we missed out on a chance at the second day due to Colston’s taking the win in Round 1 of the knockout stages, 19-10.

U15B Rugby

Throughout the season, the team has moulded and evolved into an excellent 7s side, showing much potential for the two years to come. The boys should be very proud of how they played. Thank you to all of the staff who supported us and made it possible.

Luke Greenall

U16B Rugby

Following a decent season as the U14s, the U15Bs were eager to make an impact from the start of the season.

As ever, the first game of the season was against John Fisher – it was a tough match. Despite being comfortably beaten, we could already tell we had improved leaps and bounds and a good season was ahead of us. This was apparent in our victory in the rain over Bromsgrove, with whom we drew with last year.

One of the best games of the season was an away win against Wellington, where we held out against a quality team for a 7-5 victory. Another highlight of the season was a gripping 22-20 victory over Cranleigh, where top try scorer of the season, Max Broughton, managed to squeeze through the opposition’s defence and score in the dying moments of the match to secure us the win.

U15A Rugby

During the season, we played some of the best rugby in our school careers.

Perhaps this was best represented in our convincing 76-0 win at Seaford!

However, unquestionably, the best moment of the season came in our last game as U15s against Harrodian. Towards the end of the second half, our flanker, Theo Wedge put a beautifully weighted grubber kick through their defence, which was expertly scooped up by Jack Grivvell for a try on his birthday – what a spectacular end to the season!

We would like to thank Mr Keenan for being our coach this year; he did a fantastic job. Hopefully we can continue to improve next season as U16s.

In terms of results, this has arguably been our best season yet: we won 11 games, losing only 5. We started the year with the South Coast Kings tournament, narrowly losing out in the final. After tough fixtures against John Fisher and a triangular versus Tonbridge and St John’s, we bounced back to beat Tiffin and Bromsgrove – the latter of which Mr Kothakota termed ‘the benchmark for how we should play’! We set that mark again when we took on Seaford just before the Half Term break.

Ben Wix

U14A Rugby

After Half Term, we began with a fixture against Wellington, before being hit with the crushing news that our coach, Mr Kothakota, would depart for pastures new at Emanuel. Hearing this, we were inspired to perform to our best for our outgoing coach; we went on a run of five wins and two loses to end his time at Hampton – the highlight was undoubtedly our historic 15-12 win over fierce rivals Dulwich College.

Post-Christmas, Mr Beattie took the reins. We carried our momentum into the New Year remaining unbeaten with wins against Tiffin, Warwick and Campion to finish the season.

It was a hugely successful season of which all of the players in the squad can be proud. A massive thank you must go to Mr Kothakota – to whom we wish the very best for the future – to Mr Beattie and all of the other staff who made our season possible.

Ethan Knight

A season characterised by endeavour and improvement saw the U14As develop an attractive style of attacking play and an indomitable team spirit.

After enduring a difficult start to their Hampton Rugby careers, the existing boys were delighted to be joined by an influx of talented and committed players who arrived into the Third Year, and they gave glimpses of their considerable potential throughout an inconsistent 15-a-side season. Wins over St John’s Leatherhead, Seaford, and St Benedict’s in the first half term were punctuated the lion

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sport by defeats against the perennially strong Tonbridge and Bromsgrove that confirmed the physical standards to which we would have to aspire.

A confidence boosting run to the final of the Middlesex Cup saw us take on an unbeaten Harrow side at Saracens’ Allianz Park. Despite leading 7-5 until the final play of the first half, we were once again outmuscled in the second period, just as we had been against Wellington and RGS High Wycombe after similarly promising beginnings. Following an agonising 22-24 defeat in abysmal conditions at Brighton, the Autumn Term concluded with a rather limp, ineffectual display at home to Dulwich.

Mr Hitchings for his wise and unstinting support as U14B coach, and to Messrs Thomson, Mobbs-Smith, Beattie, Moore, and Slater for their insights during Games sessions throughout the year.

RHA

U14B Rugby

True to form though, the boys returned from the Christmas break replete with their customary enthusiasm, and played their best rugby of the 15-a-side season in dashing victories over Tiffin and Campion, which showcased the brand of attacking play that we had been working hard to inculcate. Despite a narrow 5-7 defeat away at Warwick, this revival of fortunes buoyed hoped for a successful 7-a-side season in the second half of the Easter Term.

U14 VIIs Benefitting hugely from the sage, professional guidance of Mr Mobbs-Smith and Mr Thomson, the boys adapted to the abbreviated form of the game with alacrity, beating Wellington twice in a warm-up tournament and then winning the Plate tournament at Warwick, beating the hosts in the final in a satisfying act of revenge for our 15-a-side defeat weeks earlier. We followed this with a third-placed finish at the Surrey tournament – above the likes of Dulwich, Trinity, and Epsom – and a Cup victory at the Ibstock Place Sevens.

The undisputed highlight of the season, though, came at the highly competitive Reigate Sevens, where we beat the hosts, Queen Elizabeth’s, Barnet, and St Joseph’s, Ipswich, in the group stages and Berkhamsted in the quarter-finals. We were then drawn against Tonbridge, who had racked up over a hundred points in their group. To the amazement of the assembled crowd, though, we matched an uncompromising defence with accuracy and creative verve in attack, handing us an unexpected 24-0 win. The sight of Tom Cowin belying every traditional stereotype of a second rower’s capabilities, chipping over the defensive line and then fly-hacking the bouncing ball into the posts to re-gather and score an outrageous final try, will undoubtedly live long in spectators’ memories!

This was a challenging season for the U14Bs, who finished with three wins and twelve losses to their name. After a tough series of fixtures in September, the boys started to make up for what they lacked in strength and speed with a rapid improvement in structural organisation and core skills. Three consecutive wins followed, including a glorious last-play defeat of Wellington College C team – emphatically the high point of the year!

We remained competitive with most of our remaining opponents, playing excellent, fast-paced rugby at times, but lacking the strength in defence to contain dangerous ball-carriers consistently. The hard lessons learned this season, as well as the healthy size of the squad – no fewer than 33 boys represented the team – suggest that the U15 year will see further improvement.

Captain and utility front row Steve Lamming provided supportive and intelligent leadership and never took a backward step on the pitch. Our top scorer was number 8 Gregor Whyte, with seven tries in only eight games, followed by fly half Calum Warmer, with three tries and four conversions.

Special mention must also be made of Will Barclay, Theo Shah, Nick Allen and Rory Gilheany, who all played in every single match and typified the commitment and good humour which characterised the season.

SCH

After a plucky loss in the Cup final to an unbeaten Whitgift, confidence was high in the approach to the Rosslyn Park Schools Sevens. Nail-biting wins over Brynteg Comprehensive School, the Ospreys regional champions, and Dollar Academy set up a group decider against the unfancied Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) from Dubai. JESS turned out to be a very skilful and athletic side, though, and they soon raced into a lead that we were unable to overturn, despite showing admirable resilience to claw the final score back to a respectable 19-24. That JESS went on to reach the final – where they lost to Harrow, our old foes from the Middlesex Cup – provided some crumbs of comfort, and this group of players will surely only continue to improve as they mature.

U13A Rugby

Led ably by the committed Cameron Hill, and with a regular sprinkling of brilliance from the likes of James Morgan, Nico Luckman and Gus Carter, they have been a superb bunch of boys to work with, and I wish them all the best as they move up through the school.

My wholehearted thanks to them for all of their efforts – and to their passionate, knowledgeable, and wonderfully dedicated parents – to 130

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The U13As were looking strong after a successful first season and a few preseason training sessions. We played our first game against John Fisher which resulted in a successful 25-15 win away from home. St John’s were

sport next and posed a real challenge, but we scraped a win after some beautiful run in tries from Finlay Wiseman and Rory Paterson; these two wins under belts gave us confidence before playing a big Epsom side. We dominated; front rowers Henry Hughes and Matt Venner made some big carries, allowing Josh Freer to finish in the corner and helping us to a big 45-5 win.

The next big game was against a High Wycombe side who had many players to spare and some big units up front who helped them to dominate the game; this brought to an end our winning start to the season. Tom Williams showed immense courage and determination though with some big tackles keeping the score a lot lower than it should have been. We then breezed past Halliford 45-20 with the forwards showing their scrummaging talent, but the next game against Trinity was unfortunately lost by a large margin.

Another tough loss followed against Grey Court, but we held our heads high for the Middlesex Festival. We won 2 of our 3 group matches and headed through as group winners into the main cup, but with many of our players injured it was not looking too bright and we duly lost the afternoon games.

Despite our defeats, Felix Droy put in an excellent performance, moving up from the B team to play.

We also enjoyed a big 50-10 win against Caterham, with Aran TaheriMurphy making some equally big carries up front. Our final game was a tough one against Campion, but great performances from Tom Holland and Matt Lyons in particular held us in the game; however, it was not enough to beat them and we ended up on the losing side.

with Guru Nadarajah, who formed centre partnerships with Oscar Kelly, Seb Pedder, Aryan Korpal through the season, our unsung hero in adversity. Unfortunately, we missed out by an admittedly large margin.

However, our next game saw a more promising score line of 20-20 against St John’s Leatherhead, where Ethan Flack used his trademark hand-offs to full effect and linked well with Matthew Taylor who came at speed from fullback into our attacking line up. We came out with heads held high, knowing we put more effort in.

We then went on to win by an amazing 30 points to 5 against Epsom College – on what could be called a slanted pitch! Matt Lyons – recruited from football! – marked his rugby debut with two silky tries down the left wing.

Another chance came two weeks later and we took it; this saw us to a spectacular victory against Haliford. A 40-20 win gave us high hopes for the season. Our forwards, in particular, played in a cohesive way; our engine room of Aneesh Bhandari and Finlay Fowler making ground throughout.

The outstanding player of the season was Kenneth Lau, who made a significant impact in terms of tries, but more importantly ferocious, often try-saving tackling. This was epitomised by his incredible performance in both defence and attack in our win against Caterham.

U13 VIIs After an eventful fifteen-a-side season, the 7s season got underway with a tournament in Warwick. With some new players, we felt confident going into our first match. Winning all of our group stages, Saganan Thuraisingham showing his real speed and running rings round the defence, we progressed through to the cup. Some good performances against the next two sides were not enough though as we lost both games, though showing some real potential going forwards.

2019 started with a horrid fixture against Tiffin. Despite the loss, the robust rucking by our ever- present link-man and No. 9, James Greenfield, opened up space on the left for Tom Oliver, our other football convert, to use his pace to score a memorable try. Three consecutive losses proved a challenge, but we still had individuals who kept going like machines regardless of the score line, such as Felix Droy, Josh Tewkesbury and Leo Zhang. Will Greenfield, in a memorable moment, had his best run of the season stopped on the line after gaining an incredible 40 metres against Campion.

Our next tournament was in Surrey, where we won all of our games convincingly apart from one against a tough Wimbledon College side. Our final tournament was the world renowned Rosslyn Park 7s, where it came down to a score in the last play of the final group game to give us a 100% record in the tournament; we had proved that we were a formidable side on the highest stage. Played 6 won 6! It was a brilliant way to end the season and although our XVs season was a mixed bag of results, we brought it together in the 7s season to finish with a great set of results.

With advent of the 7s season, our numbers and structure were bolstered by the inclusion a number of A team players: Henry Hughes, Ben Jansen, Joe Maheswaran, Theo Mathers-Jones and Hal Leman. Their inclusion helped us to a draw against Ibstock in our final game – a banger of a match with Ishaan Das driving over the line to score!

Max Cardosi

Sam Berresford

Our season was brought to a close by a reverse bear crawl the length of the pitch

by Mr Studt, whom we must all thank for his enthusiasm, patience and direction.

U13B Rugby

U12A Rugby

The U13B team played 12 games using a total of 18 players. Despite the relatively limited selection pool, the team’s resilience and robust, enduring approach carried us through a season with varied results.

The U12As had a remarkable 2018-19 campaign, winning the Middlesex 12s, Warwick Sevens, Ibstock Sevens and joint winners in the Surrey Sevens.

The season kicked off with an encounter against John Fisher, a tough side to play at this point. Still, we had high hopes that we might emerge victorious

In September, when we first arrived at Hampton, it looked like a promising group – and we most certainly have been! We have gone above and beyond. the lion

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U12B Rugby

The season started on a sour note, with a last minute defeat to St John’s 20-15. Joe Cornell scored the first try of the season, but we could not withstand the late pressure. Looking forward, we recorded an easy 35-10 win against Epsom College where we scored some well worked tries.

The next game was against RGS High Wycombe; we were out muscled by the sheer size of the RGS boys, losing 35-5. We left determined to improve and to play some better rugby.

Ben Conaghan we added to the squad and we played St Benedict’s and St Paul’s. We beat St Benedict’s 25-5, but the next game was the big one; we played some incredible rugby and defended with strength and togetherness to beat St Paul’s 20-15 in a heated affair. We were overjoyed and ‘We are the Champions’ might have been heard in the changing rooms…

The next two games were against Haliford and Trinity School; we cruised to 25-5 and 20-5 away victories. The next game was against a strong Grey Court side. We went 25-0 up, but Grey Court managed to pull it level to 25-25 and that was the final score.

Then came the Middlesex 12s and we desperately wanted to win. Beating Orleans and Fulham Boys, we cruised through the group stage and recorded strong victories against Latimer and St Benedict’s. We then performed admirably against a very strong Gunnersbury, beating them 10-5 to lift the trophy.

In the next game, we played against an exceptionally tall but fledgling Caterham side and beat them resoundingly, 50-5.

After the Christmas break, we travelled to Tiffin and beat them 55-5; Will Youster, Will Skinner and Issac Tarragano scored the pick of the tries. The squad had been added to by Tom Harvey and Adam Gwynne, but we could not record a victory against Warwick, losing 30-25. Despite the defeat, Toby Smith scored three sensational tries, finding space out of nowhere!

We then beat Campion 45-10 in a good victory against a traditionally excellent rugby school. Many players scored tries, with Tom Kilpatrick’s score from a lovely dummy being a particular highlight.

Next came the sevens season. We won each of the tournaments we took part in. First was the Warwick Sevens. We beat St Ambrose, Solihull, Bishop Wordsworth and King Edwards and we were crowned champions of Warwick. We then played some fantastic rugby in the Ibstock Sevens, beating many local state schools and our neighbours, St James’, in the final, by a score line of 20-5. Next was the big Surrey Sevens tournament. We won each of our group games to go into the cup competition. There, we recorded strong victories against Trinity and Caterham and drew 5-5 against John Fisher who had beaten all the teams we had lost to throughout the season.

Overall, it was a wonderful season and a great way to start our Hampton rugby careers – many thanks to Mr Ellsworth who made all of this possible and for his inspirational coaching.

Joe Cornell 132

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The U12Bs enjoyed an unforgettable first season for Hampton, playing thirteen matches and remaining undefeated in every single one of them.

Their first match against St John’s School came a couple of weeks into the term. Having had some very positive training sessions, it was apparent that these boys were quickly starting to gel and there was a great feeling of camaraderie in the team. They kicked off the season setting the bar high by seeing St John’s off with a huge 50-15 win.

The boys carried on bonding and, with every training session and match, they continued growing as a team and soon they were beating some of the toughest schools in the country; they defeated old rivals RGS High Wycombe with a memorable victory, with the final score a remarkable 7015. This was one of their first real tests and they passed it with flying colours.

They went strongly from the outset; many of the boys carried fiercely and the whole team worked solidly in defence. They built a brutal attacking platform and kept the pressure on throughout the whole 40 minutes. The forwards, put in some big shifts, with Josh Skeaping and Ben Conaghan going over the line to score many of the tries. There was also some excellent shifting of the ball by the backs out wide which allowed both wings, Tom Harvey and Jacob Austin, to add to the tally.

The U12Bs had certainly found the winning formula and this became even more apparent during an intensely nail-biting win over St Paul’s School. The boys tasted their toughest B Team match of the season when they came under fire from an aggressive and relentlessly attacking St Paul’s team. The boys worked endlessly in defence to grind out victory; their hard work was also rewarded with a clean sheet. Hampton took two opportunities, one in the first half and the next early on in the second. They stayed strong right up until the end and finished the match by driving a St Paul’s attacking maul into touch.

It was great to see the boys go from strength to strength as they carried on with their unbeaten season, battling hard against many more of the country’s top schools on the way with Warwick, Trinity and Campion schools all on their fixture list. They always worked hard during training and put 100% into match days. A shared team ethos was a big contributor to their impressive feat. They are all very intelligent rugby players who quickly adapt their games to suit the situation in front of them.

The U12Bs finished off the season with two matches against The Harrodian School U12A and Ibstock Place School U12A teams. Harrodian was the first game in which the boys went behind; the opposition repeatedly tested Hampton’s defence. The boys came under a lot of pressure and were 15-5 down going into half-time. The half-time talk, led by the team’s Captain Ollie Davies, was one to never forget; he restored the boys’ self-belief and filled them with the confidence that they had shown time and time again over the season.

They went back onto the field with fire in their hearts. A clean sheet and three tries in the second half gave them their most impressive triumph. The boys finished the season with their only draw. As with the Harrodian match, the boys found the high intensity and pressure that Ibstock were putting on them

sport tiring and went in at half-time 15-5 down. The boys never dropped their heads and, with another big half-time talk from the captain, the DOR and myself, the boys went into the second half looking like a changed team. With a watertight defence, the boys manage to make and take three opportunities and only allowed Ibstock one try as they finished the match 20-20.

It has been a complete pleasure coaching the U12Bs this season and I would like to congratulate them on a very successful campaign – they grew as individuals as well as a team. I look forward to watching them progress up through the school and wish them every future success.

MSE

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1st XI Cricket After a somewhat average Summer last year and a lot of hard work and dedication over the winter, the 1st XI looked to put their experience and talent to good use coming into the 2019 season. A set of typically unentertaining and draw-resulting timed pre-season games against the MCC and Worth provided the team with plenty of opportunity to test our skills early on in rather surprising, late-Julylike conditions. Despite the lifeless nature of these two fixtures, keeper-batsmen, Jack Berg, did manage to kickstart his season with a maturely made 73 against the MCC and both Guy Leman and Rahul Desai made handsome 50s against Worth. Such a start to the Summer was promising and showed, in particular, that our batting could really battle against some skilful bowling attacks.

Unfortunately, we followed up these games with a loss against Harrow. However, thankfully it did not dampen the spirits as we knew that it just had not been our day. We came back from this result with a lot of tenacity and nerve, tying with a strong Eton side in an exhilarating game. We then managed to achieve three wins on the trot against Tiffin, Dulwich and Reed’s. The 125-run victory over Tiffin was aided by a superb 46 from Matt Avant-Smith in bowler-friendly conditions and a brilliant spell of bowling from Left-Arm Orthodox, Tom Miller.

The victory over Dulwich was arguably one of our best games of the season. Although we only managed to get up to a total of 171, the contributions made with the bat by Tim Wallace, Arun Bhasin and Matt Avant-Smith were vital in ensuring that this would be a tricky total to chase given the intermittent spells of rain which, in turn, would make Dulwich’s time at the crease even more challenging. Coming out to defend our total, we knew that we could not let the Dulwich batsmen settle and this is exactly what we did. Tight opening spells from both Max Cooper and Arun Bhasin gave way to a simply sublime debut performance with the ball by Max Knowles. His figures of 7-3-12-6 ensured that Dulwich could never get the ball rolling – no pun intended – and saw them bowled out for just 87. Although this was certainly a great individual effort, the support from the other bowlers and intensity shown in the field by the entire team helped to apply the pressure which lead to such a fantastic victory.

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We then managed to carry this run of form into our next match against another strong Reed’s side.

Awesome bowling again by Knowles and Cooper meant that they picked up 4 wickets and 3 wickets respectively. Clinical fielding accompanied this bowling effort and consequently Reed’s were bowled out for just 119 in under 30 overs. By chasing this total in rapid fashion, only 3 wickets down in just 18 overs thanks to a destructive 42 from opener Will Greenall, we had once again shown the strength and depth of every aspect of the team, adding to the confidence which had been building over the last few games. Unfortunately, the Half Term break came around to soon and seemed to put us on the back foot. It was followed by consecutive defeats against Whitgift and Trinity – both losses were hard to take as we had managed to work our way into winning positions in both games.

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However, we were soon back to winning ways with a comfortable victory over St Paul’s. After a good start by openers Tim Wallace and Will Greenall, both Rahul Desai and Blake Cullen then made half-centuries, and fine ball-striking at the end by Matt Avant-Smith and Tom Chandler got the total up to an above-par 234. A familiar tale then unfolded as our bowlers showed their skill by hitting tight areas and restricting the St Paul’s batsmen to a mere 160, resulting in a 74 run win – we were back on track! This performance seemed to be a watershed moment for the team as from this game onwards we to forgot how to lose. A destructive and undefeated 100-Ball tournament at KGS allowed us to express our short format skills and gave Tim Wallace the opportunity to score the format’s first ever century, hitting 122 off just 52 balls against Ibstock! The tournament was sandwiched by two brilliant wins against KCS and Australian touring side Kent Street, respectively. Notable performances included 3-fers by Matt Avant-Smith and Max Cooper against KCS which ensured that we were able to defend our 257. Figures of 7-3-8-3 for Matt against Kent Street only served to show how he had managed to mould himself into an all-rounder – thanks to Mr Banerjee’s eye for talent, of course!

The much anticipated annual game against the Old Hamptonians was next and did not fail to deliver on the promise of drama and entertainment! Our backs were up against the wall after being set a somewhat enormous total of 301; however, we knew that with a combination of good conditions and self-belief we could chase anything. We certainly started off well thanks to Will Greenall and Tim Wallace. Will hammered a destructive 74; however, a flurry of wickets in the middle order meant that we had to rebuild. This job was carried out superbly by both Jack Berg and Matt-Avant Smith who ensured that we would be able to take the game down to the wire. With the required run-rate beginning to soar, Jack entered attacking mode and started to fight back. Then the arrival of Tom Chandler at the crease meant we knew that we still had a chance and it was these two who took us over

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the line. Over 80 runs were chased in the final 10 overs thanks to Jack’s superman performance which saw him make a match-winning 80*. This win had once again shown the passion and confidence that the side possessed and was without doubt one of our best performances of the season.

A win against RGS Guildford wrapped up the season in style as – on a scorcher of a day – we managed to set a more than respectable total of 286, courtesy of some attacking cricket at the start and a flashy 80 by Denil Manuel. Despite the motorway-like surface, our bowlers then set about the task of defending the total with accurate areas and clever variation. Blake Cullen lived up to his reputation as the best bowler on the circuit with some seriously quick deliveries which were often too fast for the batsmen to get anywhere near. He was once again aided by the rest of the attack: Arun Bhasin (2/31), Pravin Kiritharan (2/31), Matt Avant-Smith (2/30) and Max Knowles, who provided the break-through with an astonishing hat-trick

which swung the momentum back into our favour. Despite the efforts of the RGS batsmen, our bowlers proved to be too good and they fell 73 runs short of the target. It was another brilliant win and a perfect way to end what was an extremely successful season for the 1st XI. Finally, a massive thank you must go to both Mr Banerjee and Mr Parrish whose valuable knowledge, insight, time and effort not only allowed us to play some fantastic cricket, but also enabled us to enjoy it in the process.

Personally, I think it was the way that the team managed to progress as individuals and as a unit over the course of the Summer, learning from both defeats and victories, that allowed us to achieve such a successful season.

Such development really stands next year’s squad in good stead to be able to follow this year’s success and take it further. Well done and good luck for next year lads!

Joe Wheeler

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2nd XI Cricket

The 2019 cricket season has been incredibly successful for the 2nd XI. New skipper Guy Leman brought in a crucial philosophy of always batting first to avoid the bottling of run chases we had become accustomed to the season before.

chase for the first time this season. Needing 169 to win after a tough first innings, the skipper opened up in a rare, yet highly entertaining, ultraaggressive fashion. Despite his 37 at a strike rate Kevin Pietersen would have been proud of, we fell short by 20 runs.

The first game away at Harrow, one of the toughest opponents on the circuit, is always a good indicator of how well a season will progress.

Batting first, important 30s from Max Knowles and Mayank Dassanacharya gave us a solid score of 178, but we would need to bowl well to keep an aggressive Harrow batting line up from making the runs.

With the ball in hand this time, Max opened up with an impressive spell, taking 2 wickets, and Yash Gupta finished it off with some exemplary death bowling to allow us to win by just 5 runs! Next came Eton, another strong opponent. On the back of positive opening performance, this game turned into something of a battering. Matt Avant-Smith bludgeoned 80 at the top of the order, getting us up to 191 – an extremely good total given the notoriously ‘bowler-friendly’ Hampton pitches. Once again, Yash and Max were the pick of the bowlers, sharing 5 wickets between them.

This loss could not really have come at a worse time; the dreaded fixture of Whitgift away came only a week later. However, crucially the coin fell our way: we were batting first. Despite an early and calamitous run-out, an important partnership between Dru Shori and Tim Sweeney, worth 89, got us up to 169. The spinner dream team of Pranav Pandey and Dru caused havoc in the second innings, taking 6 wickets and leaving the Whitgift batsman somewhat rueful of some of their earlier sledging.

Winning by 20 runs, this would have to go down as one of the strongest 2nd XI performances in recent seasons.

The next two games showed more of what our side was capable of. Notable performances include Cameron Bhasin’s 89 against Tiffin, and Dillon Tharumanayagam who swung the ball round corners against Dulwich – the latter being crucial given we were defending a low score of 109.

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We finished off the season with three good wins, leaving us with a record of 8 wins from 9. Some of the highlights include Mikey Ford’s 44 against St Paul’s and Pranav’s 4 for 18 against KCS. Notable mentions must also go to Miles Patience, opening up the bowling with very good pace – when his body allowed it! Also, Pravin Kiritharan came into the side later in the season from the 1st XI and, as a highly talented all-rounder, he made a vital contribution to the side.

Finally, thanks must go to Guy, who captained the side impressively, and, of course, Mr Turner, whose commitment and persistent messages to the bowlers over their line and length cannot be undervalued.

Tim Sweeney

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3rd XI Cricket

Zak Dyer This was a big breakthrough year for Zak, having struggled with his strike rate in the previous couple of years. To his huge credit, he acknowledged his weaknesses in the winter period then changed his batting style and got himself fitter. These changes arguably made Zak the player of the year with 330 runs at an average of 47.

Highlight of the season: The first cricket fitness session in September 2018 where the seeds of his 2019 success were sown.

U15A Cricket

Huw Harris Huw’s season improved with every single game. Primarily in the side to keep wicket, h learnt the importance of being able to switch on concentration at the right time. Having been too careless in the past, he became a rock solid – no byes for 4 consecutive games – and reliable keeper who then started taking the aesthetically pleasing catches and stumpings. With very little opportunity to impress with the bat, Huw produced the finest of innings – 45* runs off 28 balls! – to stun a strong Whitgift side, duly pushing himself up the order and capping off a fine season.

Highlight of the season: Advancing down the track to hit Whitgift’s opening bowler for 6 to complete a remarkable 8th wicket partnership.

Mustafa Hussain Mustafa was the joint highest wicket-taker and looked dangerous every time he was given the ball. He naturally swings the ball in to the batsmen and bowled with far greater control in the 2019 season. Some excellent contributions in the field and a stunning innings showed there is plenty of all round talent.

Highlights of the season: Part of the amazing 8th wicket partnership to win the game against Whitgift plus a moment of excellent sportsmanship when invited a batsmen – of a clearly weaker opposition – who had slipped over in wet conditions to get back in his crease, therefore declining to run him out.

The U15As completed a very impressive season considering the highly competitive fixture list, ending the season with some impressive statistics: played 14, won 11, drawn 1 and lost 2. The boys competed in each and every match and certainly showed a high level of consistency in terms of performance, attendance and effort levels. The most pleasing aspect of the season was witnessing the boys starting to play a competitive style of cricket in which they developed an understanding of how and when to attack or defend with both bat and ball. The boys suffered only two defeats, but could easily have won both fixtures. All but one of their victories would be described as very convincing. The season ended with victory in the Middlesex Cup and a gutting loss in the Surrey Cup semi-final against an equally strong RGS Guildford side. The highlight of the season was an outstanding run chase against Whitgift and the boys’ commitment throughout the season.

Arjun Bhat (Captain 1) Arjun displayed his excellent all-round ability on many occasions throughout the summer. He can face any bowler on the circuit and often plays with great style. He was also often asked to bowl in the difficult moments, highlighting his competitive spirit.

Highlight of the season: Managed to be on time for a team talk for the first time ever. Developed as a captain.

Ollie Coles (Captain 2) Ollie offered many things to the team throughout the year. He forced his way up the batting order with some calm innings which helped the team achieve many competitive scores and bowled with consistency whenever required.

Highlight of the season: A fine innings against Tiffin School which forcing his way up the batting order.

Max Leman Max forced his way into a regular slot in the A team which was reward for his wholehearted attitude to his cricket. Max is made for cup-style cricket as he can contribute with his dynamic style of batting, bowling or fielding.

With some technical improvements during the winter, he has a huge amount to offer in senior cricket.

Highlight of the season: a brilliant 53 in a low scoring game against St Paul’s and an explosive spell of bowling against Reeds.

Sandy Mitchell (Captain 3) This was a tough year for Sandy as he experienced his first ever ‘dip’ in form which will be very familiar to any cricketer who has played for any length of time. The harder he tried, the harder it became. He was also without any luck and sacrificed his wicket for the sake of the team when others may have only thought about themselves. You often find the true character of a sportsman when they are struggling and, in typical Sandy style, he never gave anything less than 100% effort and commitment and will rise again once the form returns.

Highlight of the season: When the 3rd XI were short, Sandy stepped up and scored a high quality 40 runs to remind everyone and himself of what he is capable.

Kyle Seth Kyle is Hampton’s ‘Mr Cricket’. He plays with a smile on his face and always finds a way to get noticed, whether it be charming the opposition coach at square leg umpire or diving for the line on another ‘tight’ single. Kyle is a hugely talented all-rounder. Whilst he found far too many ways to give his wicket away when batting, he will score runs in the years to come as he the lion

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sport certainly has the talent. His bowling is very reliable and is ready for senior cricket. He took 18 wickets but would have bowled many more overs had the side not contained so many bowling options.

Highlight of the season: Diving head first for a ball that had already gone for 4 after navigating around some over-hanging branches from a nearby tree in the cup game against Whitmore School. Plus anytime he beat the batsmen with flight and spin – one for the cricket purists.

Alfie Simmonds-Gooding Alfie was incredibly consistent throughout the season. He had an economy rate of 2.7 per over and would have had more wickets if the batsmen were good enough to have edged the balls he beat them with. With his pace and height, Alfie already looks ready for senior cricket. Probably the best number 10/11 on the circuit as looked very comfortable when given the chance up the order.

Highlight of the season: Any time the ball flew past the outside edge and hit the keeper’s gloves whilst still rising.

Oli Stokes Oli did not score the runs he would have hoped for, but a classy 25 in the cup game against Caterham showed his great style and undoubted potential.

After a few years where a bad lower back prevented him bowling, it was a joy to see him marking out his run up again. He bowled with good pace and

clearly enjoyed knocking the stumps out of the ground, bowling full and straight.

Highlight of the season: His first delivery at Dulwich which flew through to the keeper which proved he was back as a genuine ‘Stokes’ all-rounder.

Alex Zotov Apart from one poor over in the first match of the season, it is difficult to find another one throughout the whole season. Alex bowled with great pace, accuracy and skill in every other of his 58 overs. He has the ability to bowl at any stage of the innings and thrived when he was competing against the oppositions best player. Many of the opposition coaches commented on the quality of his bowling.

Highlight of the season: As a way of highlighting the quality of his bowling, he worked over a Surrey Academy player against Reeds and then got him caught behind in a spell of cricket which looked more like County Cricket than U15As. Others who popped in for an appearance and who contributed to the team’s success this year: Will Simpson, Miles Groizard, Freddie Seddon, Will Knowles, Tom Avant-Smith.

Well done to all involved!

Chris Harrison

U15A Mddlesex Cup Winners

U15B Cricket The U15Bs enjoyed a very good season, playing 11, winning 7 and losing only 4. They won seven of their matches with relative ease – Dulwich, Tiffin, John Fisher, Reed’s, Trinity, St Paul’s and KCS – and of the four losses, three were by the narrowest of margins; the games against Harrow, Whitgift and RGS Guildford all went down to very exciting, if ultimately disappointing, final overs.

The batting was strong, with a top four of Miles Groizard (the highest average), Samaksh Aggarwal (the most runs), Tom Avant-Smith and Jude Glasson, the leading run-scorers. They contributed the following individual highlights: Glasson 67 (Harrow) and 51 (RGS Guildford), Avant-Smith 56* (Reeds) and 72 (Trinity), Aggarwal 81 (St Paul’s) and 74* (Trinity), and Groizard 53* (RGS Guildford). Outside the top four, batting opportunities were more limited, although William Simpson’s excellent 62 not out (Whitgift) almost helped Hampton complete an unlikely runchase.

The playing record was therefore nearly outstanding and the boys should be very proud of their efforts.

A significant strength of the team was the quality and depth of the seam bowling. Freddie Seddon (left arm fast and furious) and Tom de Gruchy

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sport (line and length and the leading wicket-taker) offered contrasting opening bowling styles, while Glasson, Benedict Pearce, Amar Midha, Sam Brewster and Kabir Sait all bowled excellent spells. Successful off-spin came from Simpson and Shiv Takyar. Indeed, Takyar took the most wickets in a single match with a remarkable 5 for 3 against St Paul’s and 3 for 1 against Tiffin. Other notable individual bowling performances saw Pearce with 3 for 15 (RGS), de Gruchy 3 for 8 (Harrow) and 3 for 22 (Trinity), Brewster 4 for 2 (John Fisher) and Seddon 4 for 9 (Tiffin). I should also note the positive captaincy of de Gruchy, the excellent fielding of Groizard and the enthusiastic (and sometimes high decibel!) wicket-keeping of Noah Wood.

An unfortunate consequence of the encouraging strength in depth in this year group was that some boys who had the talent to make a significant contribution in the B team had to satisfy themselves with bit-part roles, or they bounced between the Bs and Cs. The whole squad should be commended for the enthusiasm with which they approached this very enjoyable season.

U14A Cricket

U14B Cricket

JOM

U15C Cricket This is a pretty good year group for cricket, and the C team reflected this strength in its depth: around 20 accomplished cricketers played for the team over the course of the season, many of them, in my experience, close to B team standard.

Last year, the team’s strongest suit was batting. This season, the side’s strength lay in the field, with a fistful of fine bowlers: William Lundqvist (3 for 3 against Eton); Will Mathers-Jones (4 for 14 versus RGS); Amar Midha and Billy Hutchings were a penetrative fastbowling unit; and Shivum Takyar and James Kerr emerged at different times as skilful spinners. Pride of place, perhaps, to Sam Colvine, whose leg-breaks were at times unplayable: 3 for 12 against Eton, 2 for 1 versus Trinity, 5 for 15 against Dulwich.

The batting was not quite so strong, but robust contributions came from Ben Settle, Fergus Maceacharn, Tom Ketel and Aayan Sheikh. It was particularly good to see that the art of the partnership was alive and well at this level: Ketel (48) and Sheikh (41) versus Harrow, Ketel (46) and Lindqvist (52*) against Dulwich, and Settle and Abhinand Sundaram unbeaten in the convincing victory over KCS. A word, too, for players like Theo Wedge, Adithya Arvind and Luke McNamara, who made important contributions to the team: Wedge developed promisingly as a bowler as the season progressed, while Arvind was always an enthusiastic operator with ball in hand; McNamara proved to be a strong presence in the field as well as a source of robust contributions with the bat.

A last word for the two captains. Hutchings and Maceacharn both made sure every player had a chance either to bat or bowl in every game. This was quietly but efficiently done, and though it occasionally cost us games we might have won with more hard-nosed tactics, it was good to see. Cricket is about participation and team work, and these two captains made sure everyone had the chance to play their part over the season.

Well done to all involved and best of luck for next season!

U14C Cricket The U14Cs had an almost unbeaten season, winning every game bar two: a draw and a loss.

The highlight of the season was a thrashing of St Paul’s, with Hampton accelerating through the innings to reach a season-high 200-8 off 25 overs.

An almost flawless fifty from Freddie Blair and a solid 50 partnership between Dhruv Duggal and Akshat Mathur near the end of the innings ensured that Hampton eased to their highest total of the season.

Huge credit must go to our bowlers, who bowled with consistency throughout the season. Dhruv was the star of the bowling attack, with Cameron Gosal, Rafael Majid and Sam Wooldridge spearheading the pace attack with him. Praveen Kumarasinghe and Arjan Sian were our two spinners, always finding wickets when we needed them.

Special thanks must also go to our batsmen, Freddie and Steve Lamming who both scored excellent fifties and also to Akshat, Rafael and Jimmy Bristow, who always ensured that we made short work of the opposition’s bowlers. Our wicketkeeper – Steve – was always first to shout words of encouragement to the team and took some excellent catches and run-outs throughout the season.

However, none of our successes would have been possible without our hardworking coach, Mr Cumberbatch, who managed to keep his patience with us – somehow! More importantly, he coached us brilliantly from start to finish. Thank you Sir, without you, this would not have been possible.

PS

Akshat Mathur the lion

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U13A Cricket

U13B Cricket

Question: What do Hampton’s U13A cricket team have in common with England’s World Cup winning side?

The season started on a reasonably cold Saturday in April against Fulham Boys’ School’s A team. Our opening bowler, James Greenfield took some crucial wickets to restrict the opposition to a score of 102-9. Our innings got off to a good start thanks to great batting from Theo Mathers-Jones and Aaron Mills, who were both shortly promoted to the A team. We won by 9 wickets in the end, which kickstarted a great run of results.

Answer: Both won a crucial cup fixture in a nail-biting super-over this summer!

Whereas Ben Stokes was the hero at Lord’s for the three lions of England in mid-July, it was Naavya Sharma who held his nerve for the single lion of Hampton in late April. Having restricted RGS Guildford to four runs in the final over of their innings – with a series of in-swinging yorkers – to secure the tie that earned a super-over, Naavya along with Finlay Barrand, scored 11 runs off our six balls before restricting RGS Guildford’s batsman to just 7 runs. This was a thrilling victory that triggered a two-month cup run which led us to an away semi-final against Whitgift – the strongest side we faced. Despite ultimately falling short of the winning target in that semifinal, the performance with both bat and ball showed how far the side had progressed during the season.

Leo Hartley opened with a characteristically unplayable – yet unrewarded – spell of fast bowling; Leo will take a lot of wickets moving up the school with the right field set. Ben Rollason and Theo Mathers-Jones both bowled with great control. Sam Spencer kept wicket and captained energetically, as he had been doing all season. The boys’ efforts were rewarded with a reachable target below 140 in twenty overs. Whitgift bowled very well, taking wickets just too regularly to give us a chance of winning, but the application and intent of every batsman who came to the crease showed a huge improvement on the early season. Finlay Barrand anchored the innings well and Aran Taheri Murphy’s crisp ball striking nearly got us in position to win. Alas, both batsmen fell before a final onslaught could be launched and we were knocked out of the cup, but with heads held very high.

This report focuses on the two fixtures which, I believe, best illustrate the excitement and progress that this season delivered for the U13s. However, it would be remiss of me not to mention the achievements of Hal Leman, who twice took five wickets in a match with his flighted off-spin, and Naavya who is an excellent all-round cricketer and was our leading runscorer.

A nail-biting win against Tiffin was followed by great batting from our openers – Ben Walker and William Greenfield – to easily see off Dulwich, before Reed’s were also comfortably dispatched thanks to brilliant bowling from Ayoub Khan and Conrad Knight.

Our first loss of the season came against Whitgift, despite a fantastic score of 30 by Toby North. Trinity then hosted us for our first away game where brilliant bowling from the opposition swiftly removed our top order, leaving it to our captain, Harry McLusky, and the tail to get us to a respectable total – which still was not enough to defend. This was followed by another loss to St Paul’s, although we again showed creditable resistance in the form of a swashbuckling innings of 30 by Rory Patterson.

Our attempts to arrest this run of results were not helped by incessant rain putting paid to our training sessions! The arrival of Toby Harbour gave a real boost to our bowling, including a fantastic five-wicket haul which helped us to bowl out Reading Blue Coats for only 32, getting us back to winning ways.

Our first Monday game of the season came against Ibstock Place, with openers Ben Millington-Jones and Francesco Olivieri impressing alongside Dan Cubbon, whose vocal presence behind the stumps was an important motivating factor throughout the season. Ed Joyce impressed when opening the bowling for the first time taking two important wickets, and Harry took a great catch at square leg to remove their danger batsmen off the bowling of Ayoub.

Our final game was against RGS Guildford, a side who were considered to be a very even match to us. Edward Korabelnikov-Bull took two wickets while Dan and Faizan Faraz impressed with the bat – the latter’s spin also providing us with many wickets throughout the season.

This has been an encouraging season for the U13As; they have been fine company and worked hard on their skills to good effect. This group is growing in confidence and learning what it takes to be a winning side. I look forward to watching these players develop as they move up the School.

The whole team would like to thank Mr Malston for giving up his Saturday mornings to support us. Well done to the team too: we played some excellent cricket, always in exactly the right spirit.

TFR

Harry McLusky

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U13C Cricket

Of course, it was not all plain sailing, with an early defeat to a strong Dulwich side – though much of the blame for this must lie with Mr Green’s experiments with the batting order – and a loss to St Paul’s U13B side, where some excellent batting from a couple of strapping 13 year olds over-powered our younger side. However, other than these two defeats, the boys won all their other matches, leaving them with 10 victories.

The undoubted highlight of the season was the run through to winning the Middlesex Schools Cup. Having comfortably defeated Latymer in the first round, we faced a John Lyon side packed with technically good batsman and lively bowling. Having bowled the opposition out for 117, an excellently paced response got us close, led by Natty Taylor with 45*.

However, as is often the case, a few wickets were lost and runs started to become hard to find. Just at the point when panic was starting to set in, Zidaan Khan decided to smash the opposition spinner for 6 over long on, calming nerves and easing us to the victory.

Last season was great – there were many action-packed games and highquality performances from all.

We had won all our games – with notable wins against Dulwich and Reeds schools – but, unfortunately, we lost the last game of the season against RGS Guildford in a close and well-contested match.

There were tremendous catches, stunning wickets and some fantastic batting from all players and we prided ourselves on our commitment in the field.

I think we have all improved during the season in all aspects of the game; some members of the team were even called upon to play for the Bs. Everyone tried their hardest and kept a high spirit in every game.

Thank you to all the players and Mr Beattie for a very enjoyable season.

This led us to the semi-final and a match against St James’ School. The entire match was effectively concluded in the first 3 overs, at which point the opposition had amassed 3 runs for 6 wickets. Hugo Knowles was the destroyer-in-chief, taking 5 wickets for 1 run off 2 overs, with Sam Ellis supporting at the other end with a wicket of his own. The end total of 15 was chased down for a 10-wicket victory and it all happened quickly enough that the boys were able to get back to the School in time for their coaches.

The final was to be against Isleworth & Syon School, who came with a strong reputation. Having won the toss we batted first, hoping to be able to set a challenging total in the 30 overs available. Natty Taylor (58) and Maddox Dakin (34) got us off to a very strong start, with the 1st wicket falling for 117 after 19 overs. This platform then allowed the middle order to exert their authority, scoring 120 off the remaining 11 overs, with Thomas Tabor (31) and William Wallace (43) to the fore with a mixture of graceful stroke-play and belligerent hitting. It was a dominant performance leaving Isleworth & Syon with a mountainous 237 to chase.

Joe Wooldridge

U12A Cricket

Isleworth’s openers briefly flickered, picking off a few boundaries, before Hampton started to tighten their grip on the game. Wickets started to fall regularly with Savan Soni (2-17), Olly Spray (1-6), Oliver Hamilton (2-5), Zidaan Khan (1-2), Umar Khan (1-6) and Asa Jennings (1-4) all taking wickets, along with 2 run-outs. By the end, the opposition had staggered to 56, strangled by the relentless nature of the Hampton bowling attack. The cup was won, the open top bus ceremony was booked and the season was perfectly ended.

In terms of statistics, there were strong performances across the board.

In terms of batting, 3 boys scored more than 200 runs: Thomas Tabor (233 runs at an average of 29), Natty Taylor (225 at 32) and Hugo Knowles (215 at 35). Other notable efforts came from William Wallace (130 at 32), Umar Khan (99 at 24) and Maddox Dakin (91 at 18).

The bowling had extraordinary depth, with 9 boys taking more than 5 wickets. Leading wicket taker was Savan Soni (11 wickets at an average of 10), closely followed by Hugo Knowles (9 at 10), Natty Taylor (8 at 5), Asa Jennings (8 at 6), Zidaan Khan (7 at 12) and Will Youster (7 at 16). Regardless of who the captain turned to, the bowling was disciplined and challenging, supported by an athletic, courageous fielding unit.

The U12As enjoyed an excellent start to what will certainly be a fruitful School cricket career at Hampton. It is a team packed with ability, as well as players whose style and capabilities complement each other. At times, the biggest challenge they faced was how to ensure everyone in the squad got the chance to show their ability as they despatched the opposition.

All in all, an excellent first year of cricket at the School and one to be proud of.

TJG the lion

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U12A Middlesex Cup Winners

U12B Cricket

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Senior Squad Overview The dawn of a new season saw a focus on technical improvement, with the squad keen to build on previous performances and correct any mistakes made. Miss Taylor, the boat club’s recent signing, introduced a new training programme, concentrating on conditioning work, movement patterns and mileage.

We also had the unique opportunity of undertaking an eighty-mile row from Oxford to Hampton to raise funds for The Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. Despite adverse weather conditions, the crews battled on and, with the help of LEH, raised an incredible £68,025.31. A huge thank you must go to Hampton Holles Boat Clubs Association, who went above and beyond to provide catering and logistical support.

The senior squad then travelled to Bellecin for the first of our week-long training camps where we had the opportunity to ingrain the basics, setting ourselves up for the winter. The addition of a second blade for each rower received mixed receptions, but eventually the boys got down to work and utilised the sculling time effectively. Returning to school after the break saw William Downey and Oliver Bridge travel to Boston to complete a gruelling 5km race for the first part of GB trials. Both came away with strong finishes, putting them in a good place for the rest of the year.

The Christmas holidays saw many Old Hamptonians returning for some ‘competitive paddling’ with the current senior squad, and, as always, it was great to row with some very successful athletes. After Christmas, training intensified in anticipation of the head season. Crew combinations were tested, and respectable finishes at Hammersmith Head gave the whole squad confidence going into Schools’ Head of the River.

With the summer regatta season approaching, we headed to Seville for our second training camp of the season. Once the initial ‘training with consequences’ had been completed, crew combinations began to emerge. Under the Spanish sun, the focus began to shift towards shorter, faster races. Despite the busy training schedule, the squad still found time to appreciate the Renaissance architecture, and Ed Campbell’s linguistic competency proved invaluable.

The second national race of the year was at Dorney Lake in the National Schools’ Regatta. The 2nd VIII raced bravely to make the A final in a very competitive field, and the 3rd VIII achieved a well-earned bronze medal to conclude a tough day of racing. The 1st VIII finished 11th, although they found themselves with much more speed to come before Henley Royal Regatta.

rowing

The oldest regatta in the world saw two Hampton boats narrowly missing out on qualification for the Temple Challenge Cup. The 1st VIII raced hard in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, but lost to St Paul’s, USA. Whilst not the desired result, the boys put up a strong fight until the end, reflective of the whole squad’s hard work this year.

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We would like to thank Miss Taylor, Mr Neville and Mr Thornton for giving countless hours of their time this season. They have made it a truly enjoyable and valuable experience for all.

Joseph Trevor and Rollo Orme

1st VIII The first race of the year for the 1st VII was on the tideway at Hammersmith Head. A strong rhythm from the stern ensured a respectable finish, although it was clear that more speed was to come. An intense few weeks of training then commenced, with the focus on upping the rates in preparation for the first of three major events of the year – Schools’ Head of the River. The boat, stroked by William Downey, coupled with aggressive steering from Rollo Orme down the 6.8km long course ensured we held off challenges from Bedford School. With an 11th place finish in a tight field, there was a sense of building momentum as we returned to the tideway for the Head of the River. A significant step on from Schools’ Head afforded a strong finish of 57 out of 300 boats, making Hampton the second quickest junior crew of the day.

The end of the head season meant it was time for our annual training camp in Seville. The intense heat in the south of Spain made recovery just as important as training, with Paul Carden leading by

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example. ‘Timed pieces with a few swaps in between’ allowed possible combinations to emerge; but, unfortunately, none of these featured the ideal option for the stroke seat. The week-long camp provided an opportune time for crew cohesion on and off the water, and strong pieces on the last day meant we returned home with renewed confidence ready for the summer regattas.

The first chance to test the VIII was at Wallingford Regatta. After progressing to the final, the VIII finished 3rd in the last race of the day, less than a second off the winners. The final touches were then put in place ahead of the National Schools’ Regatta.

The VIII, consisting of Ben Andrews, William Downey, Alex Saul, Paul Carden, Joseph Trevor, Oliver Bridge, Ed Campbell, Adam Winskell, and Rollo Orme, travelled to Eton Dorney at the end of May. The time trial saw the VIII progress to the semi-finals. The racing was fierce, and in a tough heat we finished 1.4 seconds off the A final. Whilst not the result we wanted, it was a relentless effort which saw us complete 2k in under 6 minutes, despite ‘physical limitations.’ On the Sunday, the VIII split into two fours. The Coxed four of Ben Andrews, Bill Downey, Alex Saul, Joseph Trevor and Rollo Orme, keen to repeat the success of last year’s four, finished 3rd in the time trial, before being involved in one of the closest races of the day. After clipping a buoy in the closing stages of the race, the four were put under immense pressure, but managed to qualify for the A-final ahead of Shrewsbury by 0.15 seconds, with 0.45 seconds separating the top four crews. In the final event of the regatta, a fierce race saw the four finish 6th, coming through St Paul’s in the closing metres.

After 48 hours of rest and recovery, we returned to training to complete a final set of trials and pick up as much speed as we could in the run in to Henley Royal Regatta. A late substitution saw Hector Barnes join the campaign. The following weekend, the prestigious Reading Amateur Regatta provided a prime opportunity to test the limits in a side-by-side race. A strong semi-final against Imperial College ensured progression to the final and, in a dramatic conclusion to the day, the VIII saw off several challenges from Southampton University to cross the line as winners. With ‘injuries’ preventing the VIII from competing at Metropolitan Regatta, the final chance to test our speed ahead of Henley Royal Regatta was at Marlow.

After progressing to the final, we finished 5th with a much-improved race profile.

A final few words of wisdom from several Hampton alumni meant morale was high as we travelled to Henley. Time on the course allowed the crew to gain confidence in the race plan, and so nerves were relatively contained on the start line. A fast start saw us take an early lead against St Paul’s, USA, but, ultimately, the quicker crew prevailed in the middle of the course. A final sprint was not enough to overturn the deficit, with Hampton narrowly losing to the heavier crew by half a length. Upon reflection, there were many positives to take from the race and it was a valuable experience to cap off the season.

We would like to thank Miss Taylor for her tireless dedication and support throughout the year. Without your guidance on and off the water, we would not have developed as much as we did, as athletes and as people.

Joseph Trevor and Rollo Orme the lion

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2nd VIII Following in the footsteps of the previous season’s 2nd VIII was a somewhat daunting prospect for the athletes looking for a seat in this year’s boat – especially with so many J17s looking for selection! Nonetheless, we got straight into the new training schedule, learning as much as we could from a winter of long miles and mixed crews.

After internal seat-racing during the February Half Term, the beginnings of a 2nd VIII started to form for the upcoming head season. The first competition was Hammersmith Head where a strong performance gave the boat real confidence coming into Schools’ Head of the River. With a crew of William Mason, Matthew Randall, Will Baker, Adam Winskell (c), James Forster, Euan Miller, Ewan McBride and Avi Tripathi, we showed real grit and determination; with the aggressive line adopted by our cox, Tom Reilly, allowing us to hold off Shiplake. We finished in a strong 7th place, a testament to the hard winter training. We returned to the Tideway just a few weeks later to face some older opposition at the Head of the River, where we gained real experience in the eight.

The trip to Seville proved as brutal as expected, and even after the intense seat-racing, crew changes were constant. This kept all athletes alert especially with the return of Ardan Suphi from injury. He brought a wealth of experience from last year’s campaign to the young crew, and helped to focus our aim: the A final at National Schools’ Regatta.

Leaving Seville as a faster and better bonded crew, we returned to the Hampton stretch hungry to prove our ability. Luckily, we did not have to wait long for an opportunity as, within a few weeks, we had the chance to race at BASHER. Although we had to forego the final due to injury, there was some very fast racing that day and a lunch out redeemed crew spirit.

Two weeks later at Nottingham saw the finalised crew of Tom Reilly (cox), Ed Allen, James Forster, Matt Randall, Hector Barnes, Ardan Suphi, William Mason, Will Baker and Ewan McBride head out for the first time.

The second race of the day saw a turning point in the season for the crew, as consistent speed for the full 2k was no longer just in Mr Neville’s head.

Finally, it was time for the race we had all been waiting for, and time to put Mr Neville’s masterplan into action: ‘go fast and don’t slow down.’ During the time-trial, the trust was really shown with absolute consistency across the full course. With such an elegant plan executed so well, the target was hit: a lane in the A final and a chance to show that the first year of the twoyear plan was well and truly on track. The boys came home with the huge achievement of a hard-fought 6th place having left it all on the water.

With the main event over, we had one piece of unfinished business, Henley Royal Regatta. It was decided that we would bring in some big hitters from the J16 squad; this saw James Bradley, Matt Morrow and Jacob O’Loughlin get their first taste of senior rowing. With the primary aims of squad integration and Henley experience, qualifying became a secondary aim in the immensely competitive university Temple category. This is not to 146

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say that we did not aim and succeed in going fast. With the rawest form of the regatta on show during qualifying day, we gained valuable experience and amazing memories at Henley. Though we failed to qualify, we ultimately left knowing that we would be back stronger next year.

Finally, we would all like to thank the coaches who helped make this our most enjoyable season to date, all of which have had a profound effect on each of us individually. Special thanks must go to Mr Neville, as, without his support throughout the year, we could not have hoped to find the speed we did.

Adam Winskell

3rd VIII Following intense seat-racing during the Easter rowing camp, the 3rd VIII was formed from a combination of the senior and J16 squad, respectively.

The boat was to be coached by Mr Thornton, and coxed by Nick Lee, who would join the boat once the squad had returned home from Seville.

Initially bucket-rigged, the 8 went to the Eton Invitational, hosted at Dorney Lake, in preparation for the upcoming National Schools’ regatta.

Winning both 1500m races in the division was a superb result. The crew also entered Bedford Regatta. However, sharp turns and steering issues meant we failed to progress past the first round, though the event did did see Old Hamptonian, Bryn Hassan, return to the senior squad.

The Monday before National Schools’ came with a reshuffle for the 3rd VIII: Nic Green dropped out due to injury, and Saahil Dhawan entered the boat.

Mr Thornton also decided that it was high time for a change in order, placing Saahil in the now conventionally-rigged boat’s stroke seat, backed up by Avi Tripathi. Angus Webber, Dominic Price, Charlie Key and Nick Thomas were to make up the boat’s middle four, followed by Oliver Hottinger and Christian Chan as the bow pair.

The boat trained in its final form for the following four days before National Schools’ on Saturday.

The 3rd VIII category consisted of 8 crews, meaning the crew raced a qualifier in the morning and a final with 6 boats in the evening. Placing 4th in the qualifiers, both Mr Thornton and the boys were confident that they could step on it to get a medal. With motivation from Mr Thornton and his label-maker, the crew did just that – with a slow start, building up to second place – though we just lost out on winning the silver in the final 500m, taking home the bronze medal. It was an impressive result for a crew just one week old – at least that’s what we think!

Overall, it was a fantastic season and we would like to thank Mr Thornton for the time he dedicated to our development over the year.

Saahil Dhawan

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J16 1st VIII

it was a great experience rowing to compete in such prestigious events and one which left us excited for next year.

Starting the season with a large squad, the J16s felt excited at what the coming months would bring, with everyone keen to improve on their NSR performances the previous year.

As the weather began to become more unpleasant, we fortunately escaped to the warmth of Temple-Sur-Lot in Bordeaux for our October training camp, where we enjoyed pristine water and bright sunshine. This water became all too tempting for some boys during Mr Double’s infamous small boat sessions. After a week of solid training with extra help from Mr Rowett, we made significant improvements and felt confident returning to the Molesey stretch.

The squad continued to train hard through the winter months despite losing key members Jasper Lyon, Josh Breadmore and Tom Shepard to injuries. The winter gym sessions also gave some members of the squad the opportunity to bring out items of clothing which should really remain consigned to the wardrobe! Moving into the new year, selection for the 1st VIII began. This proved to be extremely competitive, and so the Eight of James Bradley, Alex Crisan, Josh Breadmore, Mathew Morrow, Charlie Close, Charlie Sutton, Ben Martis-Jones, Jacob O’Loughlin and cox Connor Turpin-Clifford was selected only shortly before Schools’ Head.

After a difficult first race as a crew – in which we struggled to find the race pace we knew we could achieve – we came away with a slightly disappointing 10th place result. This performance gave us the extra motivation we needed to train harder into the regatta season.

The feeling of summer racing truly began with seat racing in Seville, which tested the whole squad both physically and emotionally – as well as the swimming ability of a local Spanish sculler after some questionable steering

by Jacob O’Loughlin! Lucas Hutton and Thomas Cross made the Eight in Seville, as well as Tom Shepherd who returned from injury.

Back in England, we had good racing practice at BASHER and the crewfavourite Bedford Regatta. Despite not having executed our race plan perfectly yet, we approached National Schools’ knowing our aims were within our capability. Final seat racing saw Jasper Lyon come back in to the crew, and after the last few training sessions, we were ready for National Schools’.

A solid performance in the time trial gave us 6th place and a good lane for the semi, where we would compete for a spot in the A-final. After a shaky start in the semi-final, hitting a buoy which meant we were down on the surrounding crews by ¾ of a length. Despite this set back, the whole crew committed to getting back with the field, and put down a performance we can be proud of. Despite being able to claw back some distance, we could not take the 3rd place finish needed for the A final. After the race it became apparent that one of our crew was suffering from an illness which inevitably resulted in us having to withdraw from the B final. A sad end to a National Schools Regatta for the Eight which had seen so many improvements and were in touching distance of making the A final. The following day it was the J16 coxless four’s chance to race and with a last-minute substitution with the lose Charlie Close to illness and gaining Tom Shepard who was joining James Bradley, Mathew Morrow and Jacob O’Loughlin. After coming 6th in the time trial, we could not match the speed of Walton in the semi-final, and so raced in the B final, where we finished 4th.

For the final part of the season, some of the crew joined the seniors in their HRR Temple campaign, with James Bradley and Mathew Morrow also forming a pair for GB vs France trials. Although none of the crews qualified, 148

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We would like to thank Mr Greenaway for his invaluable guidance and dedication which gave an incredibly enjoyable season. Despite not achieving the headline results we know we can aim for, we are proud of our commitment this year and are looking forward to joining the senior squad and working towards these goals again next year.

Jacob O’Loughlin and Charlie Close

J16 2nd VIII The J16 Squad gathered in late August to do some preseason work in great anticipation of the year ahead. As the boys returned to school after summer, the priorities of the programme look towards working in sculling boats, working on efficiency in small boats and maximising the distance travelled per stroke.

However, the year started off slightly differently, as the squad looked to row in Eights early on in the season in preparation for our 80 Mile row of the Thames from Oxford to Hampton, in aid of the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This resulted in the programme being focused around making positive long term technical adjustments in our sweep boats, which would ensure we would complete the extremely long row injury free. The 80 mile row took place over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd September, with the J16 squad helping to raise a combined total of £68,025.31 along with the Senior Squad, the parent crews and the Lady Eleanor Holles Boat club crews, for the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Sadly, for the squad, the Sponsored Row was Mr Liversage's last time with the boat club, as he departed to take up a coaching role at Reading Blue Coat. The J16 Squad had been coached by Mr Liversage the previous year and all benefited from his vast coaching and rowing knowledge throughout our time at the boat club; the squad would like to thank him for all his dedication to the boat club, during his time with us at Hampton.

The Winter miles on the rowing machine and on the water mounted up, the squad were going into the October Half Term, with excitement for the opportunity to visit Temple-sur-Lot in France, where we would spend six days away from our home stretch to focus on developing all aspects of us as rowers. The boys enjoyed the early morning wake-ups for Miss Slator's yoga classes and seeing Mr Woods demonstrating his ‘rowing technique’!

A return to Hampton with increased aerobic bases built, while out in France, the squad raced at Kingston Head in a mixture of Quads and singles producing rewarding results for the first quarter of the winter grind. As training continued the boys, looked forward to welcoming crews from across the country to race on our home stretch at Hampton Small Boat's Head in late November before December and the famous-Christmas Pudding races were hosted by KGS slightly downstream of our boat club, on the Kingston stretch.

The training volume decreased during mocks, enabling the squad to physically and mentally recover from a tough four months of the rowing programme. Our first proper session back after exams, the squad headed to Eton Dorney for some time-trial practice at Basher Head in a couple of matched Eights. Both eights beat the other in one of the two time trials by margins of a few seconds, showing the competitive and close competition for seats which would occur later in the season for selected eights at School's Head and National Schools’ Regatta.

sport Before School's Head, the squad raced the same two matched eights as at Basher Head, over a 3km course at Henley 4s and 8s Head - whose course includes the famous 2112 metre Henley stretch! The extra adrenaline this provided the squad, with the motivation and energy to bring back a 2nd and 3rd place for the squad, encouraged us as we went into the pinnacle of head season.

We opted to race at Hammersmith head two weeks before School's Head. It was good preparation and although the race may not have been as clean as possible, it gave the crew a good race mentality – or, as Mr Woods likes to say, a sense of ‘dynamism’. Two weeks later, we drove to down to St Paul’s boat club for Schools Head of the River Race. Multiple competitors had pulled out due to the conditions, but we used this as motivation to set down a benchmark result. After some interesting steering and some challenging circumstances, we came away with a 3rd place in the second eight category, behind Eton and Westminster. We had mixed feelings about our performance, but everyone agreed we needed to step on as a crew.

Moving into the start of regatta season, we flew to Seville for the second training camp of the year. Fortunately, brilliant weather set the scene for seat trials in fours. Everyone’s position in the crew was challenged and the results lead to lots of movement between boats. Following the seat racing of the first few days, we moved into back into the eight to get some valuable training in. One afternoon, we were given the chance to explore Seville Town, allowing many of the squad members to seek ‘Big Tapas’ for dinner. Overall, although it was a challenge, to say the least – especially with GCSE revision in the mix between sessions – Seville was a very enjoyable camp and the crew was very motivated to get stuck into some racing.

Due to injury and illness, the eight that raced at National Schools’ had limited time in the exact combination. However, a coxed four raced at Basher in early May to ensure that as much as the crew could get some racing experience. With National Schools’ Regatta approaching, Mr Woods and Mr Hill opted to take the eight to the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham for an overnight trip, racing at Nottingham City Regatta on the Saturday. The first glimpse of a full 2km racing to the crew produced promising times; although, it must be noted the crew was racing up a few categories, so no medals were brought home that day.

About five days before the National Schools’ crew was finalised. Xavier Tinsley Roy would cox the 8 man boat with Joshua Breadmore at stroke.

Backing him up was power-machine Saul Morrison in the 7 seat, while Johnny Dinan and Charlie Sutton offered the wattage in the middle of the

boat. Ben Martis-Jones and Sam Schomberg compled the middle four of the crew. The Bow pair featured Lucas Hutton and Jay Kim who had the ability to set up the boat nicely for the whole crew.

On May 25th, it was time for us to row at Eton Dorney for National Schools’ Regatta. A time trial in the morning landed us a spot in Lane 5 for the J16 second eight final. Finally, the time had come to set off in our boat, Gill Bailey, and row up to the start line with aspirations of a medal. The race was tough, but the whole crew remembered Mr Hill and Mr Wood’s advice to increase the intensity with ‘a quarter turn of the screw’. Pushing into the final section of the race, Xavier assured us that we would be contending for a medal if we could just hold on for the last 500m. Crossing the finish line in 3rd place, we were absolutely thrilled to have reached our goal of a bronze. In addition, we had broken the previous record for our category and recorded the fastest time a Hampton J16 Second Eight has ever gone at National Schools’ Regatta – which is not only a testament to how strong the competition was, but also how well we had been coached.

We all had a brilliant experience in the second eight and all of us gelled very well as a crew, working through the lows, and enjoying each of the many highs of the year. Of course, it goes without saying that none of this year would have been possible without the help of certain members of the boat club. Predominantly the thanks and appreciation must be directed towards Mr Hill and Mr Woods. They not only managed to put up with us for a whole year but they were able to help and guide us through a year of high academic and sporting pressure due to public examinations. Their wisdom, understanding and approachable nature, has helped us to achieve our goals this year both on the river and the classroom, and not enough thanks can be offered for their dedication to us as a crew and the squad in general in this report. The whole crew knows Mr Wood's and Mr Hill's 'double-act' nature meant that a witty comment was never far away from a session, with both of them trying to one up the other. We would like to thank both of them for their ability to ensure the boys were enjoying their time down at the boat club and on the water, during a year of exam pressures. Mixed in with their 'good cop, bad cop' routine making the hard work get done properly they are the reason for our successful and fulfilling year for all involved.

Special thanks must also go to J16 Head coach, Mr Greenaway, and Miss Slator for their countless hours of dedication, organisation and commitment to the squad; it was greatly appreciated – they certainly helped us to achieve our goals for this season in the classroom and on the river.

Ben Martis-Jones and Lucas Hutton

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J15 Rowing Winter Pre-season We began our year as eager J15s. Our training sessions included those where we focused on improving our sculling abilities as well as others where we learnt a new skill: sweeping. With the initial confusion of only using one blade conquered, we began the painstaking process of learning this new sport.

The first term flew by after seeing sculling trials, once feared for their long distances and our worry of capsizing into bitterly cold water, become fiercely contested. At Kingston Head, we took to the river armed in familiar sculling boats. Four boats, ‘Eeny’, ‘Meeny’, ‘Miny’, and ‘Moe’, raced the 5-kilometre course. Although the results were not particularly thrilling, we were confident that it was the first step of a successful campaign leading up to School’s Head in March. Next, two eights raced at Teddington Head, and despite the slower-than-hoped-for times, the entire squad was looking forward to racing at Hampton’s annual Small Boats Head. Here, we raced in both quads and doubles, displaying great skill before our sole focus became racing in the eights. As the nights began to draw in earlier, and water sessions were replaced with training on land, the exuberance of the early season began to seem a distant memory, and the angry screams of Mr Double while you silently said your prayers in the ergo room became an inspiring soundtrack to winter training. Added to these challenging ergo sessions was a gruelling mix of running, weight-lifting and circuit training.

This is a period we now look back on with pride, knowing that having endured such difficulty we became stronger and faster.

The start to our Head season was unfortunately delayed by the cancellation of Hampton Head due to poor weather conditions. Nevertheless, we raced well at Molesey Head, with our eight securing the first silverware of the season. Our training continued over the February Half term, where we had our first taste of the challenging conditions of the Tideway. A few weeks later, the A, B and C eights raced admirably at Hammersmith Head, where our earlier training helped us attain pleasing results. Things seemed to be in great shape as we began our final preparations for School’s Head – the pinnacle of the Head season. Sadly, for our B, C and D eights, this was not to go according to plan. Strong winds meant the J15 2nd eights were scratched the day before the race, meaning just our A boat would be able to row. These 9 boys performed outstandingly, coming 4th across the country.

Despite achieving such a great result, missing out on medals by just

2 seconds left our entire squad determined to make amends as we looked to our upcoming preparation for the regatta season and the forthcoming training camp to Hazewinkel.

The progress we made in this period was entirely due to hard work of our coaches, Miss Kugele, Miss Bradbury, Mr Jenkins and Mr Double, who were greatly committed to helping us, even in sub-zero temperatures.

Abiharan Sundaram

J15A Following a tough winter of training, clocking up 100s of kilometres on the water and hours of training in the gym, we were ready for the summer regatta season.

After narrowly missing out on a national medal at SHORR by a small margin, we were optimistic for the summer ahead. Intensive seat-trialling followed, but the seats remained the same from SHORR, although Suchir Joshi was closely pushed all the way down his trial. Once the boats were selected, we began the regatta season with one week of training in Hazewinkel. We made solid progress in a tough but enjoyable week of training, working on a quick start and negative splitting our pieces. It was not all hard work as we managed to beat local rivals Molesey in a friendly game of football with an impressive performance from our cox, Tom Cassar.

We now had had five weeks to prepare for National Schools’. Liam Weaver returned to his favoured stroke seat, but we could no longer go at his preferred rate 12 paddling and instead began practicing pushing ourselves with short but intensive pieces. It looked hopeful as we started to establish some positive solid paddling, with even Alessandro Russell beginning to take the rowing seriously and Aaryan Swarup becoming more positive. We did our final 2km test with Charlie May getting the best time, but Ali Platt lead the way with the best power to weight ratio.

Three weeks before National Schools’ and we suffered a minor blow to our confidence. First was BASHER and a chance to practice our time trial; we did not quite manage to transfer our promising training speeds into the time trial, finding ourselves in a 1500m race against Radley and Hampton senior 3rd 8. We had a quick start, but we failed to keep our narrow lead. We finished the day on a more positive note by comfortably beating Bedford.

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sport The next day was Wallingford regatta and a chance to race some different crews. After a mediocre semi-final in which we came 2nd, comfortably beating our own B boat but failing to put any pressure onto the Grange schools boat as we let them slip away. We qualified for the final and a chance to win some silverware, but it was not to be. We were again quick off the start, but struggled at the end of the race finishing the day in a disappointing 5th place.

We now had an idea of how difficult National Schools’ was going to be.

Our final work on an ergo was a watts challenge over 12 strokes at varying set rates. In the end, it was James Radford and Suchir who were victorious in this important inter-squad competition. After a pre-race crew pasta meal, generously hosted by Ludo Bellamy, we were ready for National Schools’.

After an early start, we were all ready for the important race ahead. We knew it was going to be close between qualifying for the semi-final and going home early, but we were determined to put in our best possible performance. We were the second boat of the day to set out and we put in one of our best performances of the year but, unfortunately, we finished on the wrong side of a tight 4 second gap between 6th and 15th, leaving the crew very disappointed. It was to be the last time we would row together as a J15 crew, but we all were left with a determination to do better next year.

Special thanks to all the J15 coaches, especially to Mr Double who sacrificed a huge amount of time training us this year and really helped us to step on with our rowing.

The peak of our season was the National Schools’ regatta. The B boat’s time trial was fantastic, but unfortunately, for the other boats in our squad, this round left us the last Hampton J15s standing, putting eyes on us to perform.

Despite a magnificent motivational speech by Mr Jenkins, the semi-final was the bloodbath that left us defeated. In the final few hundred metres, despite a fantastic push called by the great Fred Darley, our cox, which gained us half a length on third place Radley, a frustratingly tight finish led us into the B final. However, after yet another powerful speech by Mr Jenkins – one of his many talents! – we were still prepared to stand strong and win that final, and do that we did. Abingdon led us throughout the race, but through grit and determination, we drove through them at the end and held off Bedford to win the B final – guided by the glorious shouts of Fred emphatically screaming ‘You’re winning!’ alongside brilliant, constructive calls of course! This placed us 7th in the country – a performance that was a great achievement!

Thanks are deserved by all the coaches for the Hampton J15s, who have helped us throughout the year. Mr Double has to be mentioned for his organisation, leadership and effective – although at times brutal! – coaching.

However, special thanks must go to Mr Jenkins, who has supported and coached our boat in a manner that cannot be recognised enough in its greatness, both being a fantastic person to be around and coaching us unbelievably well as he always does. Thank you sir for your time, efforts and words with us – this boat would not have been the same without you.

James Radford Ben Francis

J15B We thought it would be a bloodbath entering the 2nd eight, but little did we know what was to come during our racing season.

The J15 2nd eight for regatta season was formed during our time in Hazewinkel, Belgium, on our rowing camp. Although five members of the boat were in no doubt part of the second eight, the rest were in great jeopardy when we arrived at Hazewinkel. Luke Jansen, Jake Murray, Oliver Donald and Jake Green had proved their worth, as had Fred Darley, and so had a peaceful row in pairs when on the third day of camp those whose positions were vulnerable pushed off in coxed fours to seat-race one another; eight oarsmen raced flat out through eight 1250m races; only four would race in the 2nd eight. Abhi Sundaram, Rayaan Haji, Ben Francis and Oskar Zieleznik emerged from the combat victorious, with a special mention to Alex Duguid and Ed Finnett, who despite performing well originally in the 2nd eight in Head season, unfortunately lost out that day.

After intense training of starts, pieces, technique and balance work at the camp, the Bs began their racing season with a strong sense of comradeship and confidence, guided by the fantastic Mr Jenkins, who lead a number of the Bs to a great performance last year in the J14Cs, and whose work most certainly would have been missed in the Bs this year, to say the least.

The 2nd eight raced in the same regattas as the 1st eight, Wallingford and BASHER regattas. Despite a performance that dipped below expectation, we had a gauge of how we compared to the rest of the country. There was also a great sense of competition inside the boathouse, between boats and between squads; in fact, the J14As had a crack at us! Thankfully, we defended our honour there, although one cannot continue without mentioning their brilliant rowing! The J15 1st and 2nd eights were not even, but it is fair to say that despite some sense of utter destruction at times when we raced the As in training, there were times when we put up a fight that was respectable and slightly scared them!

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J15C In the C four this year, the crew enjoyed many achievements and went to many events across the summer term. The crew was formed in the Easter half term and had their first regatta at the start of the following term with Basher. Here, the crew performed strongly; although there were too few J15 fours for a proper competition, we gained more experience to take into the next competition.

A week later, the refreshed rowers set out again for Bedford regatta where they raced in the C boat category. Sadly, they were knocked out in the First Round to half of St Paul’s B eight. Finally, the crew had their main event for the year: National Schools’ regatta. Here, the C crew were put into the championship category against A boats. There was little expectation for the crew, but they posted a magnificent time to put them into the C final and seeded 2nd with the 14th best time trial there against some strong clubs that focus on fours. They placed middle of the pack in the race and became the 16th best four in the competition.

Thomas Arnison

J15D Our crew was created during the rowing camp at Hazewinkel and was composed of Jamie Harrison, Danny Miles, James Clarke, Pallav Bagchi, Teddy Jerome, Shivam Vasudeva, Malachi McCalla, Tom Olby and Alex Brandon. There, we faced a tough, but enjoyable week of training, without which we surly would have not achieved what we did.

Our first race was at BASHER, where we were able to do our first racing start – although some members of our crew were unable to attend, and so we were forced to substitute in a Radley rower! In our first race, we suffered

sport from two crabs and found ourselves in a rather low category as a consequence. However, substituting in Ms Ziegler as cox, we swiftly beat those in our races, feeling a gain in confidence.

After that, we raced at Bedford Regatta, where we had a full crew and faced Radley – which coincidentally had the substitute from BASHER! We were swiftly knocked out in the First Round. After this rather abrupt end to the day, we only had National Schools’ at Eton to prepare for. We arrived at Nationals

with a crew consisting of Jamie Harrison, Danny Miles, James Clarke, Pallav Bagchi, Ben Fitzgerald, Teddy Jerome, Shivam Vasudeva, Malachi McCalla, and Alex Brandon, with a sense of confidence and eagerness. Despite this, we failed to make the Second Round. We did, however, rest easily, knowing we had tried our best. In addition, we were also pleased to beat the Radley crew we faced at Bedford – an excellent end to the season!

Alex Brandon

J14 Rowing

are not sure how many of those were done by the boys!); and last, but not least, one new coach: Mr Rowett!

As ever, the start of the year saw many boys take to the water for the very first time – a series of ‘taster days’ giving them the chance to experience rowing before choosing it for their Games option in September. A true ‘baptism of fire’, the boys were set all sorts of challenges – dipping their riggers into the water, standing up and swapping around in the boat, even spinning their blades above their heads like a helicopter – but they were quick to get ‘stuck in’ and showed great enthusiasm – an exciting prospect for the coaches at the beginning of the season!

The boys’ first opportunity to race in Hampton colours came at Molesey veterans’ head. It was good to see the majority of the squad get the opportunity to race and it was pleasing that all of our crews completed the course with a purposeful rhythm – congratulations are due to the coxes in particular, who did an excellent job. Our quad placed 2nd, and our octuples placed 3rd, 5th and 6th respectively against strong opposition from Latymer and Whitgift School Boat Clubs. Most important of all, the boys clearly enjoyed themselves, and came away hungry to develop even faster crews in preparation for the Junior Sculling Head. Unfortunately, the lure of the ski slopes left us without a few key athletes for the next couple of weeks of the season, but both our quad and top octuples placed eighth at the Junior Sculling Head, taking the scalps of many crews from other competitive rowing schools!

The winter term saw the boys learn the basics of rowing technique, donning ever-increasing layers of thermals with each passing session, and developing their fluency in ‘boaty speak’. We have no doubt that many parents wondered what on earth they had let themselves in for, with their sons returning home with bags full of soggy kit, regaling them with stories of ‘ergo scores’, ‘killer pieces’ and ‘boat-stopping crabs’. Rowing coaches love data, so perhaps the best way to summarise this first part of the season is a set of statistics: 45 athletes; 20 water sessions; 8000 strokes; 500 squat jumps (each); 30 dips in the river (not each!); 2700 loads of laundry (though we

Our Easter training camp to Wimbleball Lake on the edge of the Exmoor National Park is always a highlight of the year. This year, Mr Rowett and Mr Jones joined us, taking on the important job of getting completely lost on the way – previously Mr Arnold’s responsibility. The boys trained hard all week and made tremendous progress, and in a change from tradition, we did the lion

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sport not have a single capsize during our stay! Key to the success of the camp was surely the importance given to ‘fuelling up’ – and a huge thank you must go to Miss Ward for coming along as our head chef, preparing all of our evening meals, and showing the boys the sort of portions that Mr Saul gets through after training!

The summer term saw the usual busy programme of racing, with BASHER, Bedford and Thames Ditton Regattas coming in short succession. Our crews fought hard to make it through the rounds at every event, but we did not come away with any wins. Nonetheless, it was clear to see the benefit to the boys of racing in different combinations each week, and learning from the senior boys how to manage themselves over the course of a long day at a regatta. It was heartening to see the warm support the boys gave each other at each of the events we attended.

At National Schools’ Regatta, all of the crews raced well in the time trials.

The A octuple was perhaps unfortunate to narrowly miss out on a place in the A/B semi-finals, but the boys seized the opportunity to dominate the C final and demonstrate their true potential – it was a real thrill to see them row away from the field in the final 500m. The B octuple put in the performance of the day, making it all the way to the A final, but came fifth in the end after an epic tussle with a crew from Radley College that saw

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them just pipped to the line. Sadly, the C octuple did not get the opportunity to prove their mettle in a side-by-side race, but it was testament to the character of the boys that many of them stayed at Dorney all afternoon to support the crews still racing.

Our greatest pleasure as coaches is to see the boys develop a real passion for the sport, and in that respect, this year has been unlike any other. An unprecedented number of the boys have taken to the water over the summer holiday, taking part in rowing training camps organised by Molesey Boat Club and University College London. Given their spirit, dedication and enthusiasm, the boys will no doubt go on to develop into fine sweep-oar rowers under the stewardship of Mr Double, Mr Saul, and former captain of boats Mr Highton this year!

The 2018-2019 season was a year of great progress for the Boat Club as a whole, so there is every reason to aim high and hope for some excellent results this year!

A huge ‘thank you’ to all of the athletes, parents and fellow coaches on a terrific year, and best of luck to the boys on the forthcoming season!

The J14 Coaches

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Tennis U12 Our U12 squad performed admirably in their debut season in Hampton colours; there is certainly much to be enthused about for the future given the squad depth and enthusiasm of the boys!

Somewhat ironically, whilst each made their Hampton debut, they will have to wait until next season to represent the school in a home match…!

Each of the following boys played a part in what was a thoroughly encouraging and promising season: Lawrie Wilkin, Oscar Shepherd, Porter Read, Ben Conaghan, Thomas Kilpatrick, Adam Gaunt, Rohan Raj, Liam Bruen Guerrero and Arya Etminan.

Without having had much time on the courts together at all, the side found themselves in one of the toughest possible Surrey League groups in recent memory; Reed’s and Whitgift awaited. On a rainy, grey day – more Noember-esque rather than that which might be hoped for in early summer – the team succumbed 7-2 to the mighty Reeds. However, their positive attitude on court and improvement during the course of their matches meant that they did themselves proud. This improved performance was reflected in an outstanding match against Whitgift. Although the side lost 6-3, it was an absolutely classic encounter with superb battles across each of the courts. Lawrie and Oscar, in particular, deserve great praise for their fiery and ruthless dispatching of each of their opponents on the occasion – no mean feat given the quality of the opposition!

The season also boasted a couple of friendly matches against St Paul’s and Kingston Grammar. Varied matches and opponents at St Paul’s gave the boys some much-needed court time as doubles pairs midway through the season. Perhaps, as their final match, Kingston served as the marker by which to judge just how far the boys had come. With four pairs taking on a different style of match, every one of the first rounds was won 6-3. Having mixed the top and bottom pairs on both sides, further matches yielded exciting contests; in particular, Liam and Ben came out on top in an epic tie-break to seal an 8-0 victory for the side.

Hopefully they will all be playing a lot over the summer and I look forward to welcoming them back next year for their second assault on the Surrey League and a first taste of the Team Tennis competition.

The future of Hampton tennis is in safe hands!

tennis

MMB

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U13 This season was undoubtedly a huge success for the U13 tennis team. The team played in three different competitions – scoring highly in each of these.

The first and most important was competition the Surrey League. Our first match was against Claremont, in which Rohan Crowe, Vishal Saha, Tom Williams, Josh Hood, Ed Gooze-Zijl and Giles Mowbray triumphed in an intense match which ended 5-4, favouring the Hampton side with some brilliant volleys by Ed Gooze-Zijl and consistent plays by the rest. A particular highlight of the season was the group decider against St George’s. Another 5-4 victory to Hampton, with Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid joining the squad and some spectacular displays from all the team. Hampton were into the finals! A hard draw against Reeds school, and Vishal Saha’s injury, left the team a huge challenge; yet, a new recruit from the First Year, Lawrie Wilkin, helped Hampton to pull the score to 4-4, after completely out-rallying the Reed’s pairs. Finally, after a really close final match, Hampton narrowly lost 4-5. We did, however, win the 3rd place play-off against Trinity with some great doubles play from the whole team.

U13 ISTA Team

The team also won their group in the Surrey Team Tennis competition, beating Grey Court 8-4, Claremont Fan Court B 12-0, Rutlish 12-0 and Kings College Wimbledon 12-0. This was a superb effort from the team, not least physically given the amount of tennis being played – three matches in seven days at one point!

Finally, there were pleasing performances at ISTA. There was some great doubles from the first pair, Tom Williams and Rohan Crowe, who progressed into the second stage of the main competition. Ultimately, despite some superb shots against sides such as Ewell Castle, they fell just short of progressing to the quarter-finals. The second pair, Ed Gooze-Zijl and Josh Hood, did not progress to the main competition after being placed in a ‘group of death’, but performed well in the Plate group and were unlucky to finish just out of the best-placed 2nd sides who progressed to the quarter-finals.

Overall, this U13 tennis team has done extremely well and there is much to look forward to in the coming year!

Rohan Crowe & MMB

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U14

U15

With the U14 calendar always being slightly ‘leaner’ than the others, it might have been expected that the year would have been somewhat anticlimactic. However, with the enthusiasm and depth of players that this U14 side has and further tournaments in which the Hampton colours could be donned, nine players still represented the school at various points in the summer: Dominik Hagmann, Theo Mantel-Cooper, Ollie Drew, Will Heyes, Nizar Al-Milli, Ali Eroglu, Marcus Bob, Conor McNeany and Toby Davis.

When you are at tournaments and opposition coaches offhandedly comment to you that ‘Hampton has rather a special U15 side, so you ought to be right in the mix here,’ you are reminded of just how enviable a position this year group finds itself in with its tennis players! The depth of players involved has been remarkable and I sincerely hope that they continue to enjoy their tennis and make that step up to Senior level next year – some of them will, I have no doubt, be representing the school at the Senior level for the next three years! Each of Manu Prasad, Rohan Vasudev, Billy Atkinson, Luke Bland, Jai Saha, Ben Bird, Raff Lucking, Oskar Chu and Jack Dale has much to be pleased with this season and to motivate themselves into next year.

With only three sides in this year’s Surrey League group, every match was going to be vital. At the same time, when one sees ‘Reed’s’ on the list, it immediately becomes apparent that nothing less than our best would do.

Amazingly, Reeds – hampered by late withdrawals – only managed to bring four players; however, the match still proved anything but straightforward.

With their top pair proving to be too much of a force on the day to be reckoned with, both of our top pairs needed to beat their second pair to clinch victory. Thankfully, Dominik and Ali – Ali making his debut for the Hampton side – did enough, whilst veteran pair Ollie and Theo demolished their opponents in the crucial rubber to see the side to a narrow 5-4 win.

RGS awaited and, thanks for a surprise victory they enjoyed against Reeds, it was ‘winner goes to the finals day’! On a glorious and summery afternoon, the boys rose to the occasion and produced some equally glorious tennis to overpower the opposition 7-2.

The Surrey League Finals day, incredibly, saw us competing to retain the title for a third successive year; only two matches stood between us and the stuff of legend. Yet, after a protracted wait due to the weather, we were unable to find the top gears of which we are capable, succumbing to a solid KCS side.

With spirits slightly dampened, we looked towards Wimbledon by taking our playoff match against St George’s to their grass courts – an experience in itself! Ollie and Theo played some particularly memorable tennis on the top court – the odd drive volley and lob standing out as particularly memorable! Sadly, in a brilliant battle against their top pair, they lost out having gone toe-to-toe, and beyond at points, with exceptional players. Ali and Nizar proved an entertaining doubles pair and helped us to make it 6-3 on the day. 4th place, but nothing to be ashamed of – we will be back again next year!

In terms of the Surrey League and Team Tennis competition, this was a staggeringly successful season for the side. In the Surrey League, we won our group comfortably, dispatching both Howard of Effingham and Rutlish 8-1 – we still await the ‘forgotten’ RGS side that never quite made it to play the final group fixture…! There were rumours that, at points in these matches, Manu and Billy were seen to break into a mild jog, whilst Luke may have hit a 150mph serve, but these rumours remain pure speculation.

In the finals, however, there was no denying the quality of the tennis on display. In a match that will live long in the memory, Reeds were beaten 5-4 with the match going down to the final rubber – duly won by Raff and Jai, despite the number of spectators crowding the sidelines. In the final, the opportunity to topple our equally bitter rivals, St George’s, on their own turf was seized with both arms; a 6-3 victory sealed the title that had eluded this group for far too long!

The statistics for the Team Tennis were equally staggering: played 4 matches, won 4; won 22 sets, lost only 2. Each of Rutlish, KCS, Ibstock Place and Grey Court A had little answer to the quality that they came up against. To the Hampton squad’s great credit, this was all achieved with a considerable degree of squad rotation and varied pairs. A semi-final in September against Reeds A is the reward and then…the sky’s the limit!

I look forward to seeing these boys return in September as Senior tennis players – well done to all involved in this most cracking of seasons!

Special mention must be made of Dominik, Theo and Ollie, each of whom stepped up in various tournaments over the course of the year to play in against U15 opposition, frequently with different pairings – at points, they even outscored and out-performed our own exceptional U15s, making this feat all the more impressive!

MMB

Well done to all involved – see you next year!

MMB

U15 Surrey League Champions 158

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Senior 2018-19 was something of a rollercoaster for Hampton's senior tennis players. Joss Connell was a superb role-model as Tennis Captain, and it was fitting that he overcame Fraser Barclay in an entertaining and competitive final in the Hampton Tennis Championships which kick off our tennis year in early October. Throughout the year, Joss always lead by example both on and off the court and he was ably supported by Fraser Barclay, Gustav Durlind and Heath Whittington, all in their final year in Hampton colours. Manu Prasad also stepped up on numerous occasions to show his huge potential as a tenacious competitor, together with Hamish MacCormick and Jamie Harris of the Lower Sixth.

Perhaps surprisingly, external competitions in the senior tennis season start in October, with the National Senior Students competition. Our team of Fraser, Gustav, Hamish and Jamie were desperate to reach the heights of last season and another trip to Bolton for the final stages. However, despite convincing wins against Hurstpierpoint, Barnet & Southgate and Highgate and St Benedict’s, we narrowly lost out to a strong Sevenoaks side in the final regional round.

Joss and Fraser paired up highly effectively in the Surrey Winter doubles event, beating Ham & Richmond before they came up against a very strong Ewell Castle pair in the semi-final.

Later in the Spring Term, in the Rootham Shield, we played another epic encounter against Ewell Castle in the semi-finals, just being edged out in the deciding tiebreak. However, revenge is sweet and we finally overcame the same opposition in the first round of the Glanvill Cup – the senior national Cup – once again in a gripping encounter away on their clay courts. The win highlighted how much better a number of our boys are in relation to their national ratings, playing as much with their heads and hearts as with their

rackets. Stiff competition in the form of St George’s College faced us in the regional semi-final and, despite some more excellent individual performances, we failed to progress further in this competition.

Our strength in depth helped us to convincing wins against St Paul's and RGS Guildford to see us through to the semi-finals of the Surrey League for the 10th year in succession. However, progress was rudely halted by tough opposition in the form of Reeds and their numerous scholarship players.

Injuries and unavailability in the latter part of the season due to external exams saw Hampton seniors sadly having to withdraw from the ISTA event, which was ultimately a sad note for our Upper Sixth leavers to end on. That said, this talented group of players have represented Hampton with aplomb and often impressed opposition coaches and players alike with their sense of fairness, good sportsmanship as well as determined and accomplished stroke play.

I look forward to seeing our next crop of younger players stepping up to the mark in the coming season.

PHL

Junior ISL Tennis In the opening tournament of the season, on a day of gale-like winds and more autumn-like conditions, the junior squad were in for a significant challenge. Without our U16s, the boys were going to have to work hard for their reward; the team, consisting of Rohan Vasudev, Billy Atkinson, Jai Saha, Luke Bland, Benjamin Bird, Oskar Chu, Theo Mantel-Cooper, Ollie Drew, Toby Davies, Ali Eroglu, Conor McNeaney and Marcus Bob all rose to the occasion.

The boys representing the U16s, all playing a year up, excelled themselves and produced fantastic performances against sides from Eton, Wellington and St Paul’s to score a hugely creditable 10/18 points. The boys representing the U15s and U14s found it tough going, but there were standout performances from Hampton team debutants Oskar and Ali, who put in performances that bode well for the future.

17/54 points and 3rd in the group might not look pretty for the records, but it was the play and the attitude that stood out.

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Majorca Tennis Tour Report Sun, fun and tennis!

During the October Half Term, 23 Hampton tennis players set off for Majorca and the Hampton Tennis training camp organised by Mr Langton.

After an early Monday morning meet-up at Gatwick, we took off for Palma De Majorca, half-asleep but excited at the prospect of what lay ahead. When we arrived in the 25-degree heat, some people began to regret their t-shirts and jeans. After a short journey to Paguera, followed by a swift check-in at our hotel, we were on court for our first session at the Tennis Academy Majorca before you could blink.

Clay court tennis here we come!

The next morning, it was the first of our four three-hour sessions, with Ali Yenilmez, a former Turkish #1, Davis Cup player and coach of Rafael Nadal.

No-one was quite prepared for the intense Spanish-style half an hour warmup, which involved plenty of ladder work, hurdles and lots of running.

Our morning coaching sessions consisted of drills focused on a variety of skills: sliding, hitting open stance, using lots of spin and encouraging each other in Spanish. Evening sessions consisted of fiercely contested singles and doubles matches for the title of the best Hampton team on tour – most of the matches were played in an excellent spirit with only the odd disputed point‌!

In addition to the training element of the trip, several of the boys were given the opportunity to play against some very skilful local club members. It was a learning experience, and a masterclass of how to play on clay; unfortunately, the locals had that little bit more experience than us!

We returned to Gatwick on Friday night, thoroughly exhausted, but ultimately exhilarated. That is simply what happens when you play 22 hours of tennis!

Thank you to Mr Langton for organising the trip, and Miss Bedford and Miss Barnes for helping to make it possible.

Vamos!

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Hampton Tennis Championships Junior Competition Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Junior competition succumbed to the weather at the first attempt. Whilst there was some good tennis on show in the brief period before the tournament was washed out, sadly there was no opportunity to rearrange it, leaving the boys having to wait until next year for a tilt at the title!

Senior Competition Played in remarkable sunshine in early October – particularly given that the Junior competition was completely washed out the previous day – the Senior tournament was a highlight of the tennis calendar. Despite the fierce rivalries that underpinned some of the matches, each contest was fought out in an excellent spirit. With the range of talent out on the courts, it was hardly surprising to see fantastic shots being hit with regularity – and then the odd spectacular point that had supporters and players clapping alike!

Qualifying from two competitive boxes for the semi-finals were Joss Connell, Jai Saha, Fraser Barclay and Gustav Durlind. After an excellent set that included everything – including an attempted ‘hot-dog’ that only narrowly failed to dazzle, Joss won through 6-1. In a similarly hard-fought contest, Fourth Year Jai did superbly to push Fraser all the way, taking more games off him than he had lost over the course of his box matches.

Ultimately, Fraser’s thumping ground-stokes and pinpoint accuracy sent him through to the final 6-3. The much-touted and much-anticipated final between Joss and Fraser was a classy two-set encounter from start to finish – only one ball left the grounds in a brief fluffy of frustration! However, despite seemingly starting a comeback in defence of his title by breaking in the first game of the second set, nothing could prevent Joss’ relentless march to a 6-4 6-3 victory and to the trophy he had previously won in 2016.

MMB

Surrey Festival In the Surrey Festival, there was great success across the age-groups; although Hampton did not manage to bring back any silverware, it was a fantastic occasion and a superb opportunity for some of the younger members of Hampton Tennis to cut their teeth against the level of opposition that they will have to face in competition as they progress up through the school.

The Senior pair of Joss Connell and Heath Whittington deserve special mention as, having beaten the tennis power-house of Reeds in the groupstage in a bruising encounter, they were hugely unfortunate to be beaten on a tie-break by the same opposition in the final. Although it was a final appearance for both of them at this competition – in which they had represented the school for the past three years at the very highest level – they were magnanimous in defeat and chose instead to reflect on how much they had enjoyed the competition and the opportunity to play in this event one more time.

In addition to the Senior success, the stand-out achievement came from U14 pair Dominik Hagmann and Theo Mantel-Cooper who also the lion

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sport progressed all the way to the final after some phenomenal matches. Dominik and Theo certainly put the supporting Hampton boys and staff through the emotional ringer in their semifinal against RGS Guildford – having to fight back from their opponents serving for the match and then facing match points in the tie-break!

Coming up against Ewell Castle and their tennis academy in best of three set final, they fought exceptionally hard, but came up just short against two players who regularly represent Ewell’s Senior side in competition. This was a fantastic achievement; it had been far too long since a junior pair had represented Hampton in a final in this competition!

MMB

Rootham Shield The team, consisting of Joss Connell, Fraser Barclay, Heath Whittington and Hamish MacCormick, placed second in their group, comfortably beating RGS Guildford and Reigate Grammar School 3-0.

Whitgift provided stiffer opposition and, despite winning a tight doubles tie-break, we went down 2-1, losing both singles.

windy conditions, Hampton impressed, before succumbing 3-0 to some nationally ranked players.

In the quarter-finals, we comfortably overcame the Royal Russell School, which left us facing Reeds in the semi-final. Despite the hailstones and

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Overall, it was another great day of tennis and a superb return to the Rootham Shield competition after a few years away!

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Athletics Harrow Meet - 27 April It was another excellent start to the season at Harrow – although it came a little too soon for many after a late return from the Easter holidays. Due to the late start, the Harrow meet was packed with eight teams and therefore lots of talent on show! It was fantastic to see our athletics captain Hiruna Diyasena and football’s ‘man of the moment’ Shaun-Chris Joash back on the track, helping our senior 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams to 1st and 2nd place respectively. Nico Luckman demonstrated fantastic early potential for our juniors, with a fine first set of hurdles for the school and an excellent 8.91m in the shot. Gus Carter set his standards high for the season with a first sub 26sec 200m and a leap of over 5m in the long jump. Inter Ted Buckle also impressed, achieving 1.70m in the high jump and a throw of over 27m in the discus. The first school record of the season to tumble in the 2019 season went to 5th Year Milo Choudhry who achieved 5.87m in the long jump. Senior Lucas Norfolk was literally bouncing around the track all afternoon and was in fine form, beating his own 400m record, setting a new standard of 51.96secs!

John Fisher – 1 May The infamous John Fisher fixture actually went ahead this year, with rain only starting towards the end!

It was great to see our new First and Third Year athletes getting some much-needed competition. On the track, James Queen demonstrated that we have yet another hurdler with fantastic potential, recording 12.5secs – on grass! Nicolas Wojtylak-Herrero (13.4s 100m), Harry Armstrong (2.45min 800m) and Sam Bond (5.22min 1500m) also put in fine performances for the First Year team. In the field, Neo Sukhraj-Hammerl and Louis Middleton showed why they received Middlesex vests last year for their all-round ability, whilst Second Years Hayden Christian, Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid, Rory Paterson and Third Year Nico Luckman proved they would be serious combined events contenders later in the season.

A couple of injuries meant a very strong inter hurdles quartet needed some late replacements, ahead of the Achilles Relays. Matt Raeburn and Isaac Mann, who got in some late practice, should be proud of the way they joined Louis Middleton and Neo Sukhraj-Hammerl to win the title!

The inability of our senior sprint squad to win a medal at this year’s competition will remain a mystery!

A dropped baton whilst front running in their heat of the 4x100, was followed with a 4th placed qualifying time in the 4x200 – only for the Upper Sixth sprinters to head back to school for the leavers hog roast, meaning a withdrawal from the final! However, our juniors showed our seniors the way, coming 4th and 5th in their respective 4x100 and 4x200 relay finals. Equally as impressive was the desire and ability to field a junior B team, consisting entirely of Second Year athletes, in all of the junior events.

English Schools’ Cup 1st Round – 10 May It was a fantastic day over at Lee Valley, particularly for our Y7/8 team; it was the best point-score we have amassed since 2011 at junior level. The most impressive part was that this was only the first or second competition for a number of our athletes! Hayden Christian and Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid were on top form in the hurdles, long jump and high jump, whilst Rex Booth and Aaron Mills went through their 800m races at a solid pace. Zac Cacheux proved that he is an athlete to keep an eye on with 43secs in his first ever 300m and a near 10m triple jump! First Years James Queen, Josh Skeaping and Nic Wojtylak-Herrero, helped strengthen the team, with Nic breaking Saganan’s 200m record, with a very swift 27.0secs. Our juniors won their 1st round with a score that would give them a solid standing at the regional A final. Our inters performed fantastically well to finish 2nd – particularly considering that it was a much-depleted team. Emad Khan led the way in the 100m and shot put. It was also great to see Arthur Hopley back from injury and throwing a 30m discus. Massive thanks to all of the Third Years who came into the team and performed so well – in particular Gus Carter, who put in a sub 25sec 200m, to add to his already impressive list of achievements!

Sevenoaks – 11 May Hampton athletes woke up to bright sunshine on the day of the Sevenoaks meet, whilst very heavy rains in Kent, unfortunatelym meant the cancellation of this fixture.

London, Middlesex and Kent Schools’ Combined Events Championships – 23 May There were excellent performances at this event by Hampton athletes. It was also very impressive to see so many Second Years competing in combined events, which is growing fast at Hampton. Junior the lion

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Hayden Christian won silver in Middlesex and 4th overall (2121pts), with Nico Luckman taking 4th in Middlesex and 8th overall (1974pts). Louis Middleton (2318pts) and Neo Sukhraj-Hammerl (1974pts) took gold and silver in Middlesex, finishing 2nd and 5th overall. Hayden, Nico, Louis and Neo were then selected to represent Middlesex at the South of England Combined Events Championships – a fantastic achievement!

Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid and Rory Paterson, kept the points flowing.

Unfortunately, we did not quite hit our target score and a 4th place finish, amassing 421pts, was not quite good enough to make the national final.

U15/U17 Middlesex Schools’Championships – 8 June

Hayden Christian and Nico Luckman put in a solid set of performances across their five events at the regional championships, finishing in 17th and 18th, helping Middlesex to finish 3rd in the overall team standings. Neo Sukhraj-Hammerl and Louis Middleton can be extremely proud of their efforts, competing in an octathlon for the first time. Whilst Neo finished in a very respectable 18th place at the end of two grueling days, Louis seemed to find something extra on day 2. His 1.80m high jump, was only 1cm of J Ganio’s record that has stood for almost three decades! He then finished the competition with a very strong sub 5min 1500m for a 3991pts total and 8th place overall. Middlesex teammates finishing in the top ten, meant a qualification place for Louis at the National Combined Events Championships in Exeter in September – a wonderful achievement!

The organisation of these championships rotates round the boroughs; 2019 saw the turn of Richmond to host. Firstly, I would like to thank all of the staff at Hampton, whose assistance enabled well over 500 athletes to compete and helped the day run smoothly. In particular, I would like to thank Mr Lucas who put in many hours before, during and after the competition, as event organiser.

Fine displays of hurdling again saw Hayden Christian take gold and Nico Luckman bronze in the 80m hurdles. Our jumpers were not to be outdone, with Ted Buckle (1.75m) and Daniel Townend (1.65m) finishing 2nd and 3rd in their respective age groups. Gus Carter won the junior boys’ long jump with a leap of 5.52m, whilst Milo Choudhry extended his school record with a 3rd place long jump of 5.93m in the inter boys. Declan Connolly (3rd 9.46mins - IB 3000m) and Daniel Clarke (6th 4.47mins JB 1500m) were our best finishers in the longer events on the track. Ed Clark and Arthur Hopley both took 5th place in their respective discus events.

English Schools’ Cup, Regional A Final – 18 June The Y7/8 team had a fantastic 1st round in the English Schools’ Cup, qualifying for the regional A final with the one of the top point scores in the South East region and a realistic possibility of reaching the national final. Excellent performances in the 100m and 200m by Saganan Thuraisingham, Nicolas Wojtylak-Herrero, Jamie Wilson and Rory Paterson, were backed up by strong middle distance runs by Aaron Mills, Rex Booth, Ethan Flack and Lawrie Wilkin. 10.45m in the shot by Hayden Christian and high jumps of 1.50m and 1.47m by 164

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South England Combined Events Championships – 23/24 June

Y7/8 Middlesex Schools’ Championships – 25 June In the Y7 competition, Harry Armstrong and Sam Bond demonstrated their potential in middle distance events: Sam front running from start to finish with an excellent 5.05min for his 1500m. Nicolas Wojtylak-Herrero improved his school record time of 27secs in the 200m to a blistering 26.7secs! James Queen again proved his hurdling potential, clocking 12.7secs for the 75m hurdles – only two tenths off the School record, set the previous year! Josh Skeaping is also one to watch: a powerful athlete, throwing consistently over 9m in the shot. In the Y8 competition, Rex Booth, Aaron Mills and Ethan Flack performed consistently well again in the middle-distance events. Hayden Christian ran yet another fine set of hurdles, finishing a second ahead of his nearest rivals. However, the top performance at this meet, came from Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid: his high jump at times defies logic – Kieran cleared 1.61m and then had three excellent attempts at 1.64m!

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Richmond Schools’ Championships – 26 June In the Y7 competition at the Borough Championships, James Queen (75m Hurdles), Nicolas Wojtylak-Herero (200m), Sam Bond (800m) and Josh Skeaping all won their events. Josh’s throw of 9.90m in the shot smashed the School record! Y8s Hayden Christian (80m hurdles), Sagan Thuraisingham (200m), Rex Booth (800m) and Ethan Flack (1500m) all won their events on the track, with Hayden (shot put) and Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid (high jump) also taking gold in the field.

Gus Carter (300m and long jump), Nico Luckman (80m hurdles and shot put) and Daniele Smart (1500m), led the way for the Third Year team, winning five golds between them. This was followed-up by excellent silver medal performances by Euan Gallagher (200m), Daniel Clarke (800m), Ed Clark (discus) and Hugo Parris (triple jump).

Missing a number of athletes, the Y10/11 team competed well and finished in 3rd place overall. Our Y7 and Y9 teams also finished 3rd, with our Second Years missing out on the top place by one point!

English Schools’Track and Field Championships – 12/13 July

secured their place by achieving the qualification standard. Hopefully a place at the national championships in the future will come for Gus Carter, who was considered for the long jump and the 300m and, later in the season, was mere hundredths of the standard for the 80m hurdles too!

The only Hampton athlete to achieve selection was junior Hayden Christian for the 80m hurdles. The championships were a fantastic experience for Hayden, who still has another year to compete for the junior age group.

Hayden ran a School record 12.4secs in his heat and we hope he can return to the championships next year.

A massive amount of credit and thanks from the athletes and myself must go to Mr Clarke, Mr Mills, Mr Sims, Mr Hurst and Mr Cumberbatch, alongside our ever-present athletics coach Mr Lucas, for all of their effort, advice and support throughout another particularly enjoyable and successful season. We also bid a fond farewell to Mr Hitchings, who has been a massive help and great character to be around, during training and competitions. I am sure all of the athletes will join me in wishing Mr Hitchings all the best and hope we bump into him at a track in the future!

A number of Hampton athletes were considered for Middlesex selection for the national championships. Unfortunately, none had

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Cross Country The senior team competed in the King’s Cup where the side were led home by Declan Connolly, finishing in an encouraging eight place. At the RGS Guildford Haskell Trophy Relays, we improved to finish eight out of 43 teams, with superb performances by Pavit Kullar and Declan Connolly – eight and eleventh fastest of the 183 runners!

Near the end of November, Hampton School again retained the overall Richmond Schools’ Cross-country title, ahead of 11 other schools, before taking part in the Tiffin Relays; this involved boys from all year groups, from First Years to Sixth Formers. Here, the A team finished in a superb third place.

Twelve boys helped Richmond win the Middlesex Cross-country Championships, with Laurie Wilkin, 11th, our top finisher in the U13 race. Rex Booth came 13th and Daniel Clarke came 17th, leading home our runners in the U15 race. Joe Cowley was 27th: our top U17 runner. Pride of place though went to Pavit Kullar, 7th, and Indy Barnes, 9th, who qualified to represent Middlesex in the English Schools’ Championships in Leeds.

The was also further success for Cross-Country in that the U17A and U17B teams won their age groups in the Hampton-St Paul’s Paarlauf, while the U15 and U19s came a fantastic second.

Well done to all the boys involved!

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Senior Basketball By far, this has been the most successful senior basketball season in my time at Hampton – not only in terms of results, but also working as a team and the ability to post much bigger point scores. The Upper Sixth set out their stall in our first fixture against St John the Baptist, with Ethan Delaney-Smith, Arda Kabatepe and Prem Sodhi leading the scoring. Captain Ethan also scored the winning basket in the final moments of the game. A fantastic start!

Nick Brittin joined the Upper Sixth trio in the points, during our Surrey Cup 1st round win against Caterham, whilst Oli Woodall quickly demonstrated he would add some defensive strength and rebounding prowess to our team. Lower Sixth players James Smith, Henry Sheen, Tim Bird and Yash Gupta, also showed that senior basketball has a bright future. The whole squad played their part in a 51-22 victory, with every player scoring. The winning streak continued against Lingfield College, with an Ethan Delaney-Smith dunk and 10 points from the excellent Fifth Year Danilo Delic.

At the London Youth Games qualifier, our U16s beat Grey Court, but then had losses to Richmond Park Academy and Christ’s School. More disappointment followed for our U16s, with a narrow loss to Glenthorne, in their Surrey Cup opening round.

Some very tough losses for the U19s followed. 54-60 to St Andrews and a 49-51 loss to St John the Baptist in the league, were joined by another two point loss away to Harris Crystal Palace in the cup! The real positive, was that we had competed well and been close to winning every game we had played. Victory followed against Southborough, before national champions Christ’s U16 side, demonstrated how strong schoolboy basketball is in Surrey!

The season finished with two friendly victories, against Epsom College 67-23 and Ibstock Place 46-31. Finally, Nick Brittin will never forgive me, if I did not sign-off by mentioning his amazing tomahawk dunk over the top of an Epsom player!

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Junior Basketball Unfortunately for our U14 side, their 1st round Surrey Cup draw saw them come up against national premier league side, St Andrews. The boys can take a lot from this game; many players demonstrated that we have potential, especially when they combine with other year groups as they move up the school.

Our First Year have had a very successful season. They started their Hampton basketball careers by winning the Richmond Knights tournament, with ten teams competing. Led by Omer Demiral, Harry Oliver and Lawrie Wilkin, the U12s then performed well at several festival tournaments, resulting in them making the Surrey ‘Final Four’. At the final four, Hampton beat Richard Challoner 18-14 in the semi-final and lost 9-14 to Christ’s School, to take the runners-up spot. It was an excellent season which bodes very well for the future of Hampton basketball.

Massive thanks to coach Page, from Knights Basketball, and to Mr Hurst for all of their help coaching and officiating throughout what was our busiest basketball season for a long time at Hampton.

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Badminton In my final report before heading to LEH, I have to say that it has once again been a pleasure to work with such a polite and convivial group of boys in Badminton. There were matches for boys of all ages and abilities this year against a range of strong opposition: Isleworth and Syon School; Wilson’s School; KCS, Wimbledon; Epsom College; and RGS Guildford. The U14 and U16 teams reached the London Finals of the Schools’ Competition, having progressed through the Borough and Regional rounds. The U16 team came fourth and, after winning the deciding game 21-20, the U14 team was placed third. Well done to Naavya Sharma and Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid for holding their nerve!

The U16 team was made up of Rohith Ratnam, Luke Michels, Jai Saha and Haris Williams. Rohith displayed a strong mentality this year, coupled with improved match play. Luke’s resolve to be the best has not diminished and his doubles’ tactics and anticipation of possible returns were particularly good. Jai is also a very good doubles’ player – he is closing the gap with Luke through quiet determination – and Haris’ smash was a useful weapon in matches.

The U14 team consisted of Kyan Soni and Dhruv Duggal alongside Naavya and Kieran. Kyan’s court coverage was excellent and Naavya’s physical strength was an asset. Kieran’s strength was his speed around the court and Dhruv’s standard of play was exceptionally consistent.

I would like to give my best wishes to Jacob Abel as he heads off to university – ever eager, persistent and reliable, he will be missed. Keep that short serve going at university, Jacob – they will never spot your short flick!

Thanks once again go to Mr Hope for his commitment to the club sessions, and the challenges and opportunities for improvement he has afforded the boys – not least our Number 1 player, Nick Stoner. I have appreciated Nick’s ever-willing commitment and reliability over the years. He does so much at School, and all with grace and quiet aplomb.

Last, but not least, a huge thank you must go to Guy Wildman for his dedication to and enthusiasm with the boys. I shall miss working with him and the boys, and wish everyone at the club all the best for the years ahead.

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Golf The golfing year started early with the first match – in the Independent School Golf Association (ISGA) competition – being played just a couple of weeks into term in mid-September. This pitted us against Kingston Grammar School, and on an extremely windy day at Fulwell Golf Club, the team of Ollie Maskell, Jack Humpish and Matt Avant-Smith ran out winners 2-1.

Ollie won the third hole to go one-up and was then never behind, before closing the match out 4&3. Jack – despite going out of bounds on two holes – managed to record a 4&2 victory, whilst Matt, who struggled with his putting all day, held on before losing 4&3 on the 15th green.

In November, a team of six played Wellington at Royal Mid-Surrey in the HMC Foursomes competition. Ollie, Jack and Matt were joined by Evan Edwards, Charlie Sutton and Adam Humpish, but unfortunately, the day did not quite go as planned. Despite Jack and Evan going behind and making a great comeback around the half-way mark – winning three in a row – they eventually succumbed on the 18th green; Adam and Charlie lost 4&3 in a match in which they were almost always behind, and sadly very little went right for Ollie and Matt, who lost 7&6.

Just a couple of weeks later, the boys were at Royal Wimbledon for the next round of the ISGA competition, with the chance to put the defeat out of their minds. KCS were the opposition on a cold day, but that did not stop the boys recording another victory, with Jack winning with a couple of holes to spare and Matt finally beating his opponent on the 17th green. Meanwhile Ollie played really well to get to two up with only three to play, before his opposite number put in a blistering performance to snatch victory, winning the final three holes. The match was, nevertheless, won 2-1.

The Regional Final of the competition is always played on a neutral course and Stoke Park was the setting for our match against Harrow. It is a beautiful course, laid out around a fabulous country house and was famous when it was used as the setting for the match between James Bond and Auric Goldfinger in the 1964 film. It is certainly true that both teams were far more mindful of the rules and etiquette of golf than were Messrs Goldfinger and Bond, but that did not stop the Harrow team being simply too strong for us. Jack was beaten

U16 Table Tennis The U16 Table Tennis team enjoyed some good success this season and performed creditably to finish in the top half of the ‘A’ league of the London South Schools Competition. This league of six schools was highly competitive, and included – as usual – some very talented teams from the three ‘W’s”; Whitgift, Wilsons and Wallington Schools.

The Hampton U16 team was represented by Thomas Banks, Anthony Wang, Rohan Raj, Arya Lim Amiri, Timothy Lee and Henry Fagan. All of the boys played with enthusiasm and good spirit over the season, with their finest performance in the league being a solid 6-4 victory at home to Bishop Thomas Grant School. In drawing the rest of their fixtures the team were undefeated in the league this season – a first in my eight years taking the team!

The most memorable occasion this year was winning the Richmond Schools Championships – beating Grey Court School 8-0, St Richard Reynolds 170

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as he finished the 14th hole, Ollie lost 3&2 and Matt, playing an opponent who had represented England, eventually lost 2&1 on the 17th green. Whilst the opportunity for another finals day may have passed by, the boys had played extremely well throughout the year and deserve great credit for their politeness and efforts.

The annual Old Boys’ match in July is always an enjoyable time and, whilst the weather was not as fantastic as it has been in the recent past, everybody seemed to have a lot of fun. The course was, as always, in immaculate condition. With recent leaver Harry Mayes turning out for the Old Boys, the School team knew they would have to perform well to win the Stokes trophy; but, despite their valiant efforts, they came up short, with Harry taking the prize for the highest overall points score. In the all-important Staff competition, the prize was shared between Mrs Sophie May and yours truly – perhaps a fitting result, as after seven years at the helm and with my departure from the school, Mrs May will now be taking over the golf from September 2019.

I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to wish all the boys – and Mrs May – the very best of luck in their competitions next year and would like to thank all the players of the last seven years for their commitment and enthusiasm for the game – it has certainly made my job far easier. Over to you Mrs M! AWK

sport School 6-0 and Richmond Park Academy 5-3 along the way – to qualify for the London Schools Knockout competition held at Wallington School. The U16 A team did very well to make the semi-final of the main cup competition by beating St Olave’s Grammar School 5-3, but they then lost 2-6 to the very talented team, and eventual winners, from Wallington School.

We can be optimistic about the future as there are some very talented U13 players coming up to the U16s next year, so there could well be competition for places! Well done boys, with particular thanks to our two Fifth Years, Thomas and Anthony, for their three years of dedicated service to the team.

DJF

Fencing Whilst fencing is still undoubtedly a small-scale sport at Hampton, its popularity is increasing and the improvements boys have made are truly remarkable. At the same time, at the very top of the sport, the results have been hugely impressive this year. At the Public School’s Fencing Championships at Crystal Palace, Jacob Cooney made the last 16 in the Mount-Haes Foil category, whilst Osborn Zhu, finished 6th in Mount-Haes Epée.

Osborn will also travel to Poland for the Challenge Wratislavia competition on and qualified for the British Youth Fencing Championships in May.

U13 Table Tennis

MKS

Firstly, we would like to thank both our coach of many years, Dave Paulowski and our incoming coach, Jane Barella, for all of the opportunities and coaching they give not only our squad table tennis players, but the multitudes who attend Monday and Tuesday practice sessions.

Our U13 team started the season by winning the Richmond Schools’ event, progressing to the London South Finals. The team were led in the London South League, by talented Second Years Ed Gooze-Zijl and Vishal Saha, with a record of two wins and two losses. At the London South Finals, Hampton came up against a fantastic Wallington side in the first round; defeat, however, meant their competition would continue in the plate. Some fantastic play by Ed and Vishal, ably supported by Caleb Levell and Ronit Raj, meant our U13s won the plate for the second year in a row.

Ed and Vishal also competed in the individual schools’ championships, where Ed managed to win all his group matches, before going out in the knockout rounds.

Well done to all involved!

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Swimming The biannual trip to Harrow proves to be a popular one for Hampton’s swimmers. Whilst we struggle to cope with the size of Harrow’s squad, a number of individuals get a chance to demonstrate their ability in the water!

Senior swim captain George Barnes, put together one of the best breaststroke swims we have seen and followed this up with a strong individual medley. I remain amazed at how Rafe Bletso can get back in the pool, with no training, and compete at a fantastic level. Fifth Year Luca Capezzuoli also deserves plaudits as he won his fly race in style. Rex Booth continues to demonstrate that he is one of the best all-round sportsmen in School!

At the Olympic Pool in the Bath Cup Relays, our seniors qualified 7th fastest in the freestyle, but unfortunately missed out on a place in the medley relay final. George Barnes was also selected to compete for London in the intercounty championships this season – a fantastic achievement.

Well done to all involved!

PDB

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OLD HAMPTONIANS’ CHRONICLE

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Alumni Calendar of Events 2019-2020 Friday 22 November 2019 Tuesday 10 December2019 Wednesday 18 December 2019 Saturday 21 December 2019 Tuesday 4 February 2020 Thursday 27 February 2020 Friday 28 February 2020 Saturday 21 March 2020 Saturday 28 March 2020 Wednesday 6 May 2020 Thursday 21 May 2020 Friday 26 June 2020 Wednesday 1 July 2020 Saturday 4 July 2020

Hampton Lions Oxford Alumni Dinner Festival of Readings and Carols Recent Leavers Drinks Paddle and Pub Joint Careers Convention with LEH Life After Hampton (10 Years On) Cambridge Alumni Dinner Old Hamptonians’ Alumni Dinner Walter Bailey and Alex Green Memorial Matches Upper Sixth Leavers’ Reception (Hog Roast) Joint London Networking Event for Hampton and LEH Alumni Cricket 50 Years On Lunch and OHCC vs. The School OH Golf match vs the School HLRA Henley Hog Roast

Christ Church Oxford St Mary’s Church, Hampton One Kew Road, Richmond The Millennium Boat House, Hampton The School The School The Combination Room, Cambridge The School The School The School Venue to be confirmed The School Fulwell Golf Club Henley Cricket Club

Correspondence Please send all correspondence to: Alumni Office Hampton School Hanworth Road Hampton Middlesex TW12 3HD Tel: 020 8783 4406

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

Alison Parkin Alumni Relations Officer a.parkin@hamptonschool.org.uk Alex Esmond School Archivist a.esmond@hamptonschool.org.uk

CONTENTS Association / Club & Society Officers ................................................................................................ 175 Message from OHA President ............................................................................................................. 176 Alumni Office ............................................................................................................................................. 177 Chairman’s Message ................................................................................................................................178 From the Editor ......................................................................................................................................... 178 Old Hamptonians’ Alumni Dinner ...................................................................................................... 179 Mike Rice OH (1961): Church Bell Ringing is a way of life! ......................................................... 180 Interview with Author, Peter Lovesey OH (1955) ......................................................................... 181 Robert M Walker OH (1963) .................................................................................................................. 183 Past Masters: Richard Gabriel ............................................................................................................... 184 Club C ........................................................................................................................................................... 184 Hampton to Twickenham: by the scenic route ............................................................................. 185 Keith Simpkins OH (1951): My Sporting Life .................................................................................. 187 Roger Severn OH (1974) ........................................................................................................................ 188 An insight into the Archives ................................................................................................................. 191 A Year of Alumni News ........................................................................................................................... 192 Sports Sections ......................................................................................................................................... 196 Old Hamptonian Lodge ......................................................................................................................... 203 Obituaries ................................................................................................................................................... 204 In Memoriam ............................................................................................................................................. 208

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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 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 Treasurer Lee A J Gallant OH (1988) 07939 265 951, lee@kybertcarroll.co.uk Minutes Secretary James Comber OH (2000) 78 Highdown, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 7J 07814 039 441, jamesrcomber@aol.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 Brian Littlejohn OH (1961) 07759 733 844, ohabrian15@gmail.com John S Perry OH (1971) john.perry@palmerssolicitors.co.uk Paul Smith OH (1969) 07836 218 058 pehs1@btinternet.com

Cricket Club Club Captain Richard Brown OH (2005) Flat 1, 125 Waldegrave Road, Teddington, TW11 8LL 07832 105 393, ohacricket@gmail.com Club Secretary Matt Bendelow OH (2004) 1st XI Captain Toby Godfray OH (2016) 2nd XI Captain TBC at AGM for 2020 3rd XI Captain Sufyan Khan 7 Staldon Court, Swindon, SN1 7BY 07470 448 258, Sufyan.raza.khan@hotmail.co.uk 4th XI Captain Michael Godsmark OH (2017) 70 Frances Road, SL4 3AJ 07768 105 186, mikeygodsmark@hotmail.com Dramatic Society Andy Smith 26 Cambridge Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2JL Football Club Club Captain: Alex Kennewell OH (2009) 07923 384 716, alex.kennewell@pwc.com 1st XI Captain: Jonathan Meldram OH (2009) 07834 064 375, jonnymeldram@hotmail.co.uk 2nd XI Captain: Dave Mackie 07955 052 470, Dave.mackie827@googlemail.com 3rd XI Captain: Chris McNab 07940 504 416, C.McNab@dittonparkacademy.co.uk Golf Society Secretary: Martin Read OH (1972) 07811 351 107, martinread@blueyonder.co.uk OH Lodge Secretary: James Lawson OH (2009) Flat 9, 37 Lennox Gardens, London SW1X 0DF Rugby Club 1st XV Captain: Nick Powell OH (2017) 07716940218, nick@powells.uk.com

Michael F Savage OH (1949) 101 Park Road, Hampton Hill, TW12 1HU, 0208 979 6930 mikesav@btinternet.com

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Message from the OHA President I am once again delighted to pen some introductory words for this year’s Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle.

A year ago, I referenced an extract from an article in the 1908 edition of The Lion about the formation of the Old Boys’ Football Club in 1905. This piece celebrated the loyalty Old Hamptonians of that epoch felt towards their School and I am pleased to confirm that this remains as true as ever 100 years on. This academic year marks the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the OHA and the School, with the signing of documents facilitating the transfer of the OH Pavilion and Sports Ground to the School’s ownership. This was the culmination of a number of years of detailed discussions to achieve a successful and mutually beneficial outcome.

Under the new arrangements, the OHA will continue to benefit from use of the Pavilion and Sports Ground facilities, which will now be maintained and administered by the School. This will ensure the enjoyment of these facilities for future generations of alumni and allow necessary improvements to be made. The agreement is a further enhancement of the already strong links between the modern-day School and our alumni. We are fortunate to have an impressive global network of OHs and we are grateful for the support they give present-day Hampton. Their generosity takes many different forms: careers lunches, inspiring assembly talks, and participation in panel discussions at events such as Life After Hampton and Creative Futures.

that Hampton has to offer, so any contribution will be most welcome. All levels of support, from regular monthly giving to fully funded endowments and legacies, will help us build towards our goal of 50 additional fully funded places by 2025. Please can I encourage you to visit the website link below if you would like to find out more about our Fitzwygram Foundation plans: www.fitzwygram.org It is always a pleasure to see former pupils return to the School and our Alumni Office goes from strength to strength. As you will read in the following pages, we have been pleased this year to welcome Carol Griffin, Alison Parkin and Alex Esmond to join Frank Keenan OH (2004) on the Alumni Office team. OHs are always most welcome at the School, be it at one of the alumni events or just for a visit. If you would like to come back, or have news that you would like to share, please do contact Frank and his colleagues.

This edition of The Lion and Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle demonstrates fully that 2018-19 was another highly successful year for Hamptonians past and present. Our boys take great pride in the exploits and endeavours of our alumni and I hope that OHs everywhere will derive similar pleasure from reading about the remarkable achievements of our current pupils.

Thank you for your continuing support for our wonderful School.

We are also incredibly grateful to the many alumni who are supporting the School’s efforts to increase the number of free places available through the Fitzwygram Foundation, a separate but linked charity with the sole purpose of providing transformative free places at Hampton. Our School has a long tradition of providing financial support to enable boys to come here and we are delighted to report that three more Fitzwygram Foundation Scholars have joined us in 2019-20. This brings the total number of places funded by the Foundation since its inception up to five. These scholarships are awarded exclusively to boys whose families could not otherwise afford a Hampton education and are in addition to the existing 40 free places that the School already funds.

Kind regards and best wishes,

We have set some important targets for the year ahead to ensure that more boys from disadvantaged backgrounds will be able to experience everything

Kevin Knibbs Headmaster

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Alumni Office Since the last edition of the Old Hamptonians’ Chronicle, the role of the Alumni Office has developed and, with it, the alumni team has some additional staff members. Further details on the new team can be found below.

Finally, as always, we are keen to hear your memories of Hampton and to hear about what you have been up to since you have left. Do keep in touch – we look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you to all those who have given their time and expertise to support the School’s Careers Programme: from assembly talkers – Francis Highton OH (2009), who came back to talk about his involvement in charity expedition, Row Zambezi; James Connor OH (1993), who shared his journey from playing for Millwall Football Club to cofounding a new business; to guests at careers lunches – James Lawson OH (2009), who spoke to a small group of current pupils about working in Artificial Intelligence; Umesh Kumar OH (2007), who gave a thoughtprovoking presentation and careers lunch on entrepreneurship. We also see many Hamptonians return for the annual Careers Convention, providing a wide array of careers advice to Hampton and LEH pupils.

From Economics to the Armed Forces, Medicine to Marketing, the event normally attracts over 300 pupils from both schools.

Alumni Office Team

To all those who have supported us recently and throughout the years, thank you. We really do appreciate the time you give back to Hampton.

If you’re interested in supporting the upcoming programme, please email: alumni@hamptonschool.org.uk We also run a full list of alumni events throughout the year and it has been a real pleasure to see so many of you in attendance! Old Hamptonians are also always welcome to visit the School – please do get in touch if you would like to come back for a tour; we look forward to welcoming you.

With the launch of our new look ‘Hampton School Connect’ website earlier this year, we are pleased to see so many of you signing up.

Hampton School Connect is a great way for Hamptonians to keep in touch with one another, be that for career and business purposes or to catch up with friends. If you are already a member, please log in and have a look around. You will need to update your password and some of your profile details, but you should find the new-look site is easier to navigate. If you have not signed up, you can register at www.hamptonschoolconnect.org.uk

Director of Development and Alumni Relations – Frank Keenan Frank is an Old Hamptonian. He attended Hampton between 1999 and 2004. In his final year he served as School Captain and Captain of Rugby.

Frank returned to Hampton in June 2016 after working in university sport and alumni relations in the US for six years.

Alumni Events and Communications Officer – Carol Griffin Carol joined Hampton School at the beginning of 2019 and organises the Alumni Office programme of events and publications. Events include the annual Old Hamptonians’ Dinner, Leavers Reception, the Chris Mapletoft Festival of Rugby and careers talks. Carol also oversees alumni publications; The Hamptonian, the Old Hamptonians Chronicle and regular monthly newsletters.

If you would like to share details of your career, have news for our publications or would like help organising an alumni event, then Carol would love to hear from you.

Alumni Relations Officer – Alison Parkin Alison joined Hampton in February 2019. Prior to this, she was a lawyer in a large City firm before taking an extended career break to bring up her children. Alison is a former Hampton parent and is enjoying her new role maintaining the alumni database, managing Hampton School Connect and supporting alumni fundraising for the Fitzwygram Foundation.

School Archivist – Alex Esmond Alex joined Hampton as the School Archivist in July 2019. After completing her bachelor’s degree in English Literature with Creative Writing, Alex completed her masters in Archive Administration at Aberystwyth University, one out of six universities accredited by the Archives and Records Association UK and Ireland.

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Chairman’s Message Welcome to another excellent edition of the Old Hamptonians Chronicle and once again, our thanks are due to the editor, Denis Fuller along with Frank Keenan and the Alumni Office, for all their hard work in putting this together. I hope you will enjoy the Chronicle and the wide range of subjects covered.

In recent Chairman’s Messages in the Lion, we have kept Old Hamptonians informed of progress in the discussions with the School to develop a new and closer relationship between us. As many of you will have read in the Headmaster’s letter in the Summer 2019 News from Hampton and on the School website, these discussions have now reached a successful outcome. On 1 July, representatives of the School and the Old Hamptonians signed the key documents enabling the transfer of the OH pavilion and sports ground to the School. This came into effect on 1 September.

Under the new arrangements, the OHA will continue to occupy and use the pavilion and sports ground very much as now. However, the School will take on responsibility for their maintenance and upkeep. This will ensure the long-term future of the sports ground together with the prospect of refurbishment and further improvements in the future. The agreement will be mutually beneficial for both the OHA and the School, enabling the sharing of other facilities between us. While it is still early days, the pavilion changing rooms and kitchen are planned to be renovated in the Autumn Term. The rugby section was also able to hold the first match of the season on the School’s 3G pitch.

Among the articles in the Chronicle, I would particularly draw attention to the feature on Richard Gabriel, who will be remembered by many older Hamptonians. He was a fine History and Rowing Master who played a significant role in developing the boat club at the School. There is also a memorable account of the rugby club 1st XV playing in the Pilkington Shield Cup Final held at Twickenham Stadium in 1994.

The 2018-19 season once again saw many successes for OH teams. In cricket, the 1st and 3rd XIs maintained their league positions while the 2nd XI won the league for a second year in a row. The section continues to grow and was able to form a 6th XI, which was a remarkable achievement.

In football, the 1st XI again won the League title for a fifth time in 6 years.

Martin Sands OH (1967)

From the Editor I will begin by mentioning that I am finalising this article on 12 September, in order to clarify some later comments. It has been my practice as OHC Editor, to write my contribution at the end of the annual compilation process, in order to look back at what has taken place over the previous months.

As ever, there have been many highlights, not least meeting and interviewing Peter Lovesey OH (1955) and his charming wife, Jax, who entertained my wife Carol, our friend Peggy – her shorthand was invaluable – and me at their lovely Shrewsbury home.

One of the inevitable downsides of the role, unsurprisingly as I am now nearer 80 than 70, are the all too regular reports of OHs having passed away. This year we lost Denis Phipps MBE OH (1946) and Colin Basson

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OH (1954), both of whom I knew quite well. Another sad and untimely loss was Graham Dundas OH (1978), who attended Hampton from 1971 to 1973 before transferring to Frensham Heights School. For many years, Graham was my colleague in the accountancy practice I formed in 1976, where he remained after I retired, until ill health made it impossible for him to carry on working.

Graham told me that, with his 'heavy metal' band, he had once performed at The Marquee, but only after his death have I received a copy of the CD. I also lost my youngest brother, Tony, this year. Tony bravely survived MND for seven years, during which period, we enjoyed many discussions and debates, not least on the subject of Brexit. Indeed, we were discussing the EU elections in the local park on the afternoon of Sunday 26 May, and he was looking forward to hearing the results after 10pm. He died peacefully in his sleep at about 9pm. Tony regularly 'guested' for OHRFC 3rd XV during the 1960s and 70s whilst I was 'Captain' – a description I use reservedly in this context as my main role was getting 15 players onto the pitch, I being the only person who knew everyone. At Tony's funeral, one of his lifelong friends reminded me that he fondly recalled turning out for our motley crew. In a vague way, we were similar to Esher RFC 'Expendables’ XV – always likely to contain a couple of 1st XV players returning after injury. I recall Chris Tuffley OH (1963) turning up at the ground one Saturday and playing with us, having earlier in the week played for United Services Portsmouth against the All Blacks.

Every year, a group of friends meet for dinner at one of the venues where the Yateley Morrismen are dancing. They once invited me to join – which would have been a big mistake! This year, just last week, we met at their 'home' pub in Yateley, and as usual one of my oldest friends, John, was with us, accompanied by his wife Carol. John and I met at Kenyngton Manor Primary School in 1948 and, like me, and several other future OHs in our class, was expected to pass the 11 plus. Having 'failed', he became a butchers' boy whilst training to be a precision engineer. In due course, with a friend, he started what became a very successful business. I always tell him he would have been a lousy banker or accountant, which is where life may have taken him, since, as he discovered some 40 years later, he passed the 11 plus and was offered a place at Hampton. However, unable to afford his uniform, John's parents told him he had failed. I know of other such cases.

It may surprise some younger OHs to hear that, when I entered the Sixth Form, there were two Science classes and one Arts class. The only careers advice was offered by the very nice history master, Mr 'Bouncer' Cook, who suggested Insurance, Banking or Civil Service, probably because I, together with two close friends in our class, did not achieve the physics pass mark between us! All three of us became chartered accountants…

Yesterday, I collected my seven-year-old granddaughter from school. As we walked home, she told me she had been voted onto the school council, representing her class. In 'Granddad' mode, I gently advised her that, elected by my peers as OHC Editor, included providing the opportunity to OHs, with the considerable support of Frank Keenan and his team, to tell us of their lives, experiences, achievements etc. Some OHs are reluctant to do so, whilst others, with a little cajoling, produce some fascinating copy. One such is Roger Severn OH (1974), who seemed surprised that anyone might be interested in hearing about sailing the Atlantic! With encouragement, Roger produced over 5000 words which sadly, given the space available, had to be reduced somewhat. However, the full version is a good read and I am happy to send it to anyone who would like to see it.

Denis Fuller OH (1961)

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Old Hamptonians’ Alumni Dinner We were delighted to welcome back Hamptonians and their guests to this year’s Old Hamptonians’ Alumni Dinner, on Saturday 23 March.

Held in the Main Hall, the evening was a wonderful opportunity for Hamptonians from the 1940s to the current decade, to revisit the School and meet up with friends, old and new.

Our guest speaker for the evening was Owen Wyatt OH (2003), Managing Director at The Stylist Group. Owen gave an engaging speech about his career to-date and how it had been shaped by his experiences at Hampton.

Owen started his career in journalism at Hampton School, writing in the Lion and hosting Talk! interviews, before progressing to roles at Sky Sports and Reuters. Owen expressed his gratitude to the School and, in particular, his Spanish teacher, Dr Alexander, who noticed and then nurtured his linguistic ability, which has served him well throughout his career in the media. Owen stressed the need to always keep learning and to give back, highlighting the opportunities to speak at careers events at Hampton.

The Headmaster, Kevin Knibbs, provided an update from the School and spoke about the new Sixth Form Centre and the positive relationship between the School and the Old Hamptonians’ Association. The Headmaster also provided an update on The Fitzwygram Foundation, and its aim to increase the number of Free Places available at Hampton School.

The evening ended with an enthusiastic rendition of the School Song!!

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Church bell ringing is a way of life!

So, how did my wife and I, after many years of retirement, get into ringing church bells? Blame it on a Heritage Open Day when our local parish church was open, and, more importantly, the bell tower was open, so we visited it and were hooked!

Church bells, being heavy, cannot play tunes as such, but by being hung for what is called 'full circle' or 'English' style, means that bells can be controlled and made to go faster or slower. This gives rise to the sound of bells that we all know: Change Ringing. Change Ringing is controlling the timing of the striking of a bell, giving a continuous series of ever-changing variations – known as a 'Method'. This sequence of changes is memorised by the ringers or by a series of instructions from a conductor which are known as 'Call Changes'. The effect of this is a musical, ever-changing sequence of equally struck bells.

To learn to ring a church bell takes time and, as mentioned earlier, they are heavy and can be dangerous – which is why safety is so important in a ringing chamber. One-to-one instruction on safely handling a bell usually takes place on silenced bells – to avoid upsetting the neighbours!

– until you are competent enough to ring without being a danger to anyone and can control a bell to make it do what you want it to do.

The next step is to ring bells in what is called 'rounds': lightest bell with the highest note to the heaviest bell with the lowest note, in order, and then start swopping the places of two bells in a sequence by a conductor calling the changes. After that, it is on to ringing before Church Services, which is, after all, the reason for ringing the bells in the first place: to call people to prayer.

There is, of course, a lot more to it than that. We are members of a town church tower with more than enough ringers to cover normal services, so 'spare' ringers are occasionally 'lent out' to local village churches. This happens if a church does not have enough of their own ringers for Sunday services or for evening practices, and especially for weddings and other special occasions. One ‘loan’ was a Quarter Peal at a local village church to mark the Diamond Wedding Anniversary of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and also our Golden Wedding Anniversary!

Once a person is a competent bell ringer, there are further delights awaiting – ringing what are called Peals and Quarter Peals. Peals usually take around three hours and consist of at least 5040 unique changes in a method. A Quarter Peal takes about three-quarters of an hour and involves 1260 unique changes, hence the name.

Some of the methods are very old. One of the first that is learnt is called 'Grandsire' and has been around for several hundred years. The early ringers, should they return today, would be at home in a modern ringing chamber; the only real difference, over the years, has been the introduction of roller bearings on the headstocks in the majority of towers. There are still some with plain bearings – and they are hard work!

Bell ringers usually belong to their local Diocesan Guilds and are involved in ringing bells in towers locally on District practices, social outings, days out to ringing bells further away and, occasionally, at their Cathedral, which is, of course, a great privilege.

There is a great family feeling to bell ringing! You are generally made welcome anywhere in the ringing community; you can usually join in with practices where bells are rung, although, not surprisingly, there are a few exceptions such as Cathedrals and the like.

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Why do we do it? The only answer I can give to that is that it involves teamwork, exercise – not too much! – and there is also a social side, to say nothing of the satisfaction of a hearing a well struck piece of ringing.

Ringing becomes a way of life and although we have only being doing it a few years, we cannot imagine a time when we will not be able to do it – such is the hold it has on you.

The Guild we belong to – The Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers – to give it its full name, has, for the last few years, been involved in a project to commemorate the Fallen in the First World War. To this end, bell ringers in Hampshire have been ringing Peals, Quarter Peals and other 'performances' in commemoration. My wife and I rang one for my Grandfather and another for my Great Uncle, who were both killed in that conflict. These were in two different local towers, and we have rung Quarter Peals for many others who are buried in local cemeteries or lived locally. We even rang one for a VC who is buried three or four hundred yards from our house in the local cemetery!

The performances also include hand bell ringing and as part of the commemoration, our local district guild visited several churches where bell ringers had been killed. At these, either the tower bells were rung, or, if that was not possible, hand bells were rung. At each one, after a one-minute silence, the tenor bell or hand bell was tolled, the number of blows being dependent on the age of the person killed. A very moving experience.

There are about fourteen hundred 'performances' listed and they will be printed in a book, with names of those in the dedication, names of ringers, at which church they were rung and many other relevant details. One book will act as a War Memorial at Winchester Cathedral with an identical book to be presented to Portsmouth Cathedral. As ringers, we were invited to the Winchester Cathedral service in May. Probably other dioceses have done something similar, but this is what the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocese have done to mark 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

Mike Rice OH (1961)

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Interview with Author, Peter Lovesey OH (1955) Memoir of England in the 1950s, an alternative history of the years when we were growing up. If anybody wants to find a good anarchic read of life at Hampton, then that is the book to look out for!

What is a favourite memory of your time at Hampton School?

Funnily enough, it is the School song. I started at Hampton in 1947 as a callow first former, a little scared of going to a big school for the first time, and one of the first things to make a strong impression on me was the sound of the entire school singing that rather cheesy song, written in 1930 by a long-serving master, H R Dawe, and climaxed by the chorus, ‘Then let us join our school to praise the bond that none shall sever. Let all her sons this chorus raise…’ and then, to my surprise, the entire school shouting the word ‘Hampton!’. The word echoed around the corridors of the School, followed, admittedly rather feebly, with ‘the school forever’. That was wonderfully rousing, and made me feel as though I belonged to this big community; but it all changed when the Headmaster changed. I had gone there under the benign Headmastership of ‘Bossy’ Mason, but in 1950, George Joshua Newbold Whitfield – ‘Josh’ to those who dared whisper the name – replaced him, and almost immediately decided that this was not the way the school song should be sung; he instructed us to sing the whole thing and not shout ‘Hampton!’ at the end, which offended me and offended many of my fellow pupils. The true version was a lovely memory while it lasted and it has lasted over seventy years for me.

Do you feel that your experience at Hampton School has been valuable to you as you moved on in life?

Certainly, as a writer, the English teaching I had, particularly from Mr Bill Yarrow, was wonderful preparation for the career that I chose. He succeeded in combining care over the language with an appreciation of literature, and in an entertaining way. I suppose what I value most is the friendships I made. There were some remarkable people who came through school with me; one I remember particularly was a boy who was always in trouble called Michael O’Flaherty. He was punished ‘with vigour’ – Whitfield’s favourite phrase – more times than anyone, yet he would not be cowed. In later life, I caught up with him and learned that he had become a journalist with the national press. He was the Daily Express reporter who got perhaps the biggest scoop of the 20th century when he managed to find and interview Ronnie Biggs, the Great Train Robber, in Rio. While they were waiting several days for the police to arrive, they played poker and Mike cleaned out Ronnie Biggs and said that he was glad that he got some of the money back for the Queen. After retirement, he did voluntary service overseas in a poor South African township and made his home there. Known affectionately as ‘Teacher Mike’, he had classes of sixty and more and was still teaching when he died in his seventies.

That was one memorable friend. Another bright spark with a fine sense of humour was John Lucas who, like me, went on to read English at Reading.

John became a distinguished poet, publisher and translator and Professor Emeritus at the universities of Loughborough and Nottingham Trent as well as a jazz trumpeter. He is the author of many fine critical books on English Literature, but the work I enjoyed most was Next Year Will be Better: A

Yet a third friend, and somebody I kept up with steadily through all the years, was Ian Davis. Ian is an original thinker, wonderfully witty and creative, but he was hopeless at maths, I remember; he was the only boy our maths master, ‘Wally’ Hodges, announced would never pass the subject at ‘O’ level – and he did not. Yet, by some miracle, he became an architect, the designer of public buildings in the Guildhall, and later went on to become a Professor of Disaster Management at Oxford, which sounds like something we could all benefit from; however, in reality, this meant that after some huge earthquake or hurricane, he would go out and advise on rebuilding the place, temporary shelters and risk reduction. So, he has found fulfilment working for the United Nations and as visiting Professor in Kyoto, Lund and Oxford Brookes Universities. Like Lucas and O’Flaherty, his achievements are a tribute to the education we had, even though while going through school they each resisted aspects of the regime. Their free spirits triumphed and I am so pleased I knew these brilliant men growing up and in adulthood.

In five words, how would you describe your personality?

Well, it was described really by a friend of my wife, Jax, as ‘He’s away with the fairies.’ It sums up a writer beautifully.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?

It is a ‘what’ in my case. In 1948, when I was about one year into Hampton, my father took me to see the Olympic Games in London. It made a huge impact on me. Athletics was a very strong sport at Hampton at that time – Mike Denley and Mick Lanning would break the UK records for the senior and junior javelin events – and I suppose I would have liked to have been a good athlete myself, but physically was not up to it. Watching the great athletes at the 1948 Olympics was deeply inspiring and the whole experience started me off as a writer. My first book twenty years later was a history of distance running called The Kings of Distance.

What was the worst mistake in your career?

Over the years, I have had various glimmers of film interest in my books and one of them came from Peter Falk, who played Columbo in the famous TV series. He decided he would like to buy the film rights to The False Inspector Dew, a crime novel that had quite a success, winning the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for the Best Crime Novel of the Year. So, I was very excited when Peter Falk came to London and took me to lunch at Claridge’s. He did not wear Columbo’s trademark mac, but, in other respects, he was very like the character, smoking cigars and actually setting fire to the napkin on his lap – which caused some panic and amusement! He was not merely asking for an option on the book. He bought it outright, or Columbia Pictures did, on his behalf. But although the screenplay went through several rewrites, The False Inspector Dew was never made into a film or TV series or anything else and sits on the shelf at Columbia to this day. I still get enquiries whether it’s available, and I have to say it is not.

What was your best career move?

Marrying the right woman – my wife Jax – whom I met at Reading University. Besides being much cleverer than I am, she has degrees in Chinese and Psychology and is also very well read in crime fiction. When I entered for a first novel competition in 1969, I turned to her for advice the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle about how to write a crime novel, using my interest in the history of athletics as a background. Ultimately, it became a book called Wobble to Death which was very much influenced by Jax telling me what had been done before in crime writing and what I should avoid. I used to read the book chapter by chapter to her and between us we got it done. It won the thousand-pound prize and launched me as a crime writer. That was certainly my best career move, marrying Jax. When are you or were you happiest?

This follows on naturally from the previous answer. It is when I am with my family, my full family. It does not often happen that we all get together; our daughter Kathy and her family live in America. She has retired from banking after being a Vice-President of J P Morgan Chase. Our son Phil, who is also a writer married to a talented illustrator, the creators of the character Matlock the Hare, lives nearby in Shrewsbury where Jax and I moved recently. It is such a pleasure when we have a chance to get together and we have a big celebration coming up this year: our diamond wedding anniversary, which we will do in style. I have to confess that my two children went to a rival school, Tiffin, Phil to the boys’ school and Kathy to the girls’ – but that is not what you want to read in the Lion!

running at that time. His story became the first chapter in the book and really started me off, so I look upon him almost as a guiding spirit who stands in his frame looking down at me as I do my writing.

What is your pet hate?

I have thought hard about this one. It is chewing gum disposal. I get really annoyed when I see so many blotches on the pavements and think of the money spent by local councils cleaning this up and devising all sorts of methods with dry ice and one thing and another just to clean up this mess made by other people. Not only on pavements, of course, but underneath chairs, in cinemas and even in church pews and, when you get it on your clothes, it is really horrible. It has happened to most of us at some time.

What would you choose for your ‘last supper’?

Not chewing gum! I would go for half a roast duck with spinach, runner beans and orange sauce, followed by warm chocolate pudding with cold custard, all accompanied by good wine and completed with black coffee. I’m slavering at the thought. But if you are planning my execution after that, please do not tell me.

What is your favourite book?

How would you advise a Hamptonian who wanted to follow your career?

That would be one I found quite early on – I was still at school when I read it thanks to a recommendation from Bill Yarrow, mentioned earlier. Decline and Fall, by Evelyn Waugh, his first novel, is my favourite. He wrote it when he was 24 – a quite remarkable achievement. It is a wonderful book, rich in black humour much to my taste, one of the few that bears re-reading and still makes me laugh aloud.

If you are going to be a writer, you will know soon enough. It is a passion that consumes you, but it is not all about inspiration and finding the perfect words. Most of the time being a writer is, as someone said, about application: the application of the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.

The long hours alone will make you pretty anti-social and difficult to live with, but that is what you and your nearest and dearest must face. If you are prepared to make the effort and take the risk of going professional, you will enjoy it for sure.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

I belong to an organisation called the NUTS. That is the National Union of Track Statisticians and is connected with my interest in athletics. I am their history expert. I occasionally write articles about the history of athletics. I spend far too much time researching and generally enjoying myself when perhaps I could be earning money by writing more crime novels. NUTS are quite a fixation for me. When I wrote my first article, the byline on it was ‘Peter Lovesey is the world’s foremost authority on the history of athletics’.

Actually, I was the world’s only authority on the history of athletics.

If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

A difficult one. Time travel would be a better one. I could enjoy all sorts of things by time travelling. To answer the question, as asked, I did think about going to North Korea invisibly and seeing behind the scenes and finding out what the Supreme Leader really does behind locked doors and then next moving on to the White House and doing the same thing. However, my choice is family again. My brother John will be 90 this year and is an Old Hamptonian and still plays golf. What I would like to do would be to go ahead of him moving the ball while he is playing and allowing him to get a remarkable round, somewhere near par, and enjoy his elation, climaxed with a hole in one at the end. I hope I could become visible again in the clubhouse when the drinks were on John!

What it your most treasured possession?

I have an engraving of a native American called Deerfoot, who was the inspiration for the first book I wrote, The Kings of Distance. He came over to England in the 1860s and amazed everybody by the speed and endurance that he had. He beat all the best English professionals and quite transformed attitudes towards long distance 182

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What personal ambitions do you still have?

At my age, in my 83rd year, it is about survival. I would like to write some more books and I hope I am spared to do so.

old hamptonians’ chronicle

Robert M Walker OH (1963)

old hamptonians’ chronicle

Robert M Walker OH (1963)

As aa family, family, we we owe owe aa lot lot to to Hampton Hampton School.

School. My My two two brothers brothers and and II As (1950-1969). attended Hampton during the Whitfield years (1952-1968).

II recall recall Whitfield’s Whitfield’s Hampton Hampton as as being being highly highly aspirational. aspirational. Failing Failing to to achieve achieve thcentenarySchool. the RGS accreditation in its 4th year (1957), he initiated rowing As a family, we owe a lot to Hampton My two brothers and I the RGS accreditation in our 4 centenary year (1957), he then initiated as a sport in 1958 and took Holy orders the following year.

In 1960, attended Hampton during the Whitfield years (1950-1969). rowing as a sport in 1958 and took Holy orders the following year. In 1960, he he finally finally achieved achieved his his ambition ambition of of getting getting Hampton Hampton admitted admitted to to the the Headmaster’s Conference.

IHeadmaster’s recall Whitfield’s Hampton as being highly aspirational. Failing to achieve Conference. the RGS accreditation in our 4th centenary year (1957), he then initiated My brother Andy OH (1966) was better known than I was. Captain rowing as a sport 1958 and took orders the following year. In 1960, My brother Andyin(1959-1966) wasHoly better known school than was.

A and centre forward for the 1st XI and Captain ofatthe Tennis VI,I he also st ambition of getting Hampton admitted to the he finally achieved his regular scorer the 1 atXI, and a member of Aged the Tennis he completed represented theforschool athletics and chess.

15, heVI, played at Junior Headmaster’s Conference. his A Levels he at age and went persuaded on to Nottingham University, where he Wimbledon; was 16 subsequently

by James Hunt – the F1 World st again played– to in partner the University XI.tournament Aged 17, he– though was persuaded

by James Champion him in a1local even Andy could My brother Andy (1959-1966) was better known school than I was.

A not keep up with Hunt’s party lifestyle!

He completed A Levels at age 16 Hunt – the F1 World Champion – to partner himatathis Junior Wimbledon, st regular scorer for the 1 XI, and a member of the Tennis VI, he completed and went on to Nottingham University, where he played in the University but even Andy could not keep up with Hunt’s party lifestyle! Andy then 1st andmewas Heon then followed me to Procter Gamble his XI A Levels at Tennis age 16Captain. and went to had Nottingham University, he followed to Procter & Gamble and a successful career in&where business, st and spent most of his career working in female focused businesses, including again played in the University 1 XI. Aged 17, he was persuaded by James culminating as Chief Executive of a private equity backed company. Playtex cosmetics and lingerie.

He says heto enjoyed it toimmensely!

His career Hunt – the F1 World Champion partner him at Junior Wimbledon, was one company he worked for, –where mother, avoid embarrassment, culminated as Chief Executive of a private equity backed company based in but eventoAndy couldher not keep as upa with Hunt’sengineer’. party lifestyle! Andy then referred him with friends ‘structural Belgium, and he retired early at 52. followed me to Procter & Gamble and had a successful career in business, culminating as Chief Executive of a private equity backed company.

Younger brother Michael (1964-1966) moved to Plymouth at the endPlaytex of his My younger brother Michael OH (1971) moved to Plymouth at the end of was one company he worked for, where mother, to avoid embarrassment, second year.year.

Another talented footballer, he represented bothboth his school and his second Another talented footballer, he represented his school referred to him with friends as aproceeded ‘structural engineer’.

Devon schools as fullback andand proceeded totowin Oxford, and Devon schools asher fullback winthree threeBlues Blues at at Oxford,

where like where, like me me,he heattended attendedMagdalen Magdalen College.

College. Michael Michael went went on on to have a Younger brother Michael (1964-1966) Plymouth at theretired end ofashisa successful career in banking and venturemoved capitaltoand has recently second year.

Another talented footballer, he represented both his school and senior partner in one of the City’s leading private equity firms. senior partner in one of the City’s leading venture capital firms.

Devon schools as fullback and proceeded to win three Blues at Oxford, Michael’s Robert, attended school from 1999-2006, also where likeson, me he attended Magdalen College. wentwhere on tohe have Michael’s son, Robert, attended school from Michael 2000-2007, where he alsoa played in the XI and became School Captain (2005-2006).

Having st1st successful career in banking and venture capital and has recently retired as a played in the 1 XI and was Captain of School (2006-2007). After St Anne’s, attended St Anne’s, Oxford, he now worksventure in Financial PR. senior partner in one of the City’s leading capital firms.

Oxford, he now works in Financial PR. As for me, I possessed none of my brothers’ sporting prowess. The 2nd XI Michael’s schoolsporting from 2000-2007, alsoa As for me,son, Ifor hadRobert, ofattended my brothers’ Thewhere 2I ndwas XIhe and and a game thenone tennis VI sufficed – although,prowess. despite this, one of st played in the 1 XI and was Captain of School (2006-2007).

After St Anne’s, gameSenior for thePrefects tennis VI – although I was oneWhitfield of four Senior four andSufficed an NCO in the RAF CCF. alwaysPrefects talked Oxford, he now in CCF. Financial and an‘contributing NCO in works theto RAF talked about about the life ofWhitfield the PR. school’always – though none of us‘contributing really knew to thehe lifemeant! of the school’, though none of us really knew what he meant. what As for me, I had none of my brothers’ sporting prowess. The 2nd XI and a game for the tennis VI Sufficed – although I was one of four Senior Prefects and an NCO in the RAF CCF. Whitfield always talked about ‘contributing to the life of the school’, though none of us really knew what he meant.

Every year from 1958, Hampton sent its top historian to Magdalen College, Oxford – although you had to pass a gruelling interview with A J P Taylor.

I do not remember working very hard. I did get a pretty good Second, but I do recall running for President of the JCR, proposing to privatise the Every yearpunts from 1958, sent itsthen top historian College’s – far Hampton too right wing – and I to wasMagdalen PresidentCollege, of the Oxford – although you had to pass a gruelling interview with A J Pgraduate Taylor.

University’s Business Club; that meant I knew all about the best Itraining do not remember working hard. I did and get a marketing pretty goodatSecond, schemes, and brandvery management Procterbut & IGamble do recall running for President of the JCR, proposing to privatise the was probably the very best in the mid-60s.

College’s punts – far too right wing then – and I was President of the University’s Club;Hampton that I knew all about the to best graduate Four years P&G,1958, followed by ameant few sent years as atop full consultant at McKinsey Every yearatBusiness from its historian Magdalen training schemes, and brand management and marketing at Procter & – joining Oxford at 24 without an MBA and to by survive the mid-1970s I was determined College, – although you–had a grilling interview with Gamble was probably the very best in the mid-60s.

A J P Taylor.

I do not remember working very hard.

I did get a pretty good to get the hell out of a morally bankrupt, politically inept and economically Second, but I do recall running President the JCR, proposing to insecure Britain – sound familiar? for By then I had of married Pattie, who I met privatise the College’s punts – far too right wing then!

– and I was Four years at P&G, followed by a few years as a full consultant at McKinsey in Newcastle and we had two young children. Headhunted by PepsiCo, we President of over thewithout University’s Business Club; thatmid-1970s meant about the –then joining 24 an travelling MBA – and byworld, the IAthens, wasall determined spentat 20 years the living Iinknew Nicosia, best graduate training schemes, and brand management and marketing at to get the hell out of a morally bankrupt, politically inept and economically Frankfurt and New York, where I ended up as President, responsible for Procter & Gamble was probably the very best in the mid-60s. insecure – sound familiar?

By then had married Pattie, and whohalf I met PepsiCo’sBritain business throughout Europe, the IMiddle East, Africa of in Newcastle and we had two young children.

Headhunted by PepsiCo, Asia. Having been on a plane on average every three days, and tiring of we air Four years at P&G, followed by a few years as a full consultant at then 20 years travelling the CEO world, living in Athens, travel,spent I was–over then headhunted as Group andNicosia, retired McKinsey joining at 24 without an MBA of – Severn and, byTrent, the mid-1970s, Frankfurt and New York, where I ended up as President, responsible for 2005.

Iinwas determined to get the hell out of a morally bankrupt, politically PepsiCo’s business throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and half of inept and economically insecure Britain – sound familiar? By then, I had Asia.

Having been on a plane on average every three days, and tiring of air But that Pattie, is enough detail. and we had two young children. married whoofIthe mettedious in Newcastle, travel, I was then headhunted as Group CEO20ofyears Severn Trent, and Headhunted

by PepsiCo, we then spent over travelling the retired world, in 2005. living in Athens, Nicosia, Frankfurt and New York, where I ended up asI Whoever said international business is safe and boring? In February 1978, President, responsible for PepsiCo’s business throughout Europe, the was in Tabriz – near the Soviet Border – the day before the Iranian Middle East, Africa and half of Asia.

Having been on a plane on average But that is enough of the tedious detail.

Revolution officially started in that city and in which over 400 were killed; every threeatdays, and tiring of airI had travel, wasthreatened then headhunted as Group I was shot by snipers in Beirut; myI life in Baghdad in the CEO of Severn Trent, and retired in 2005.

Whoever international business is safesmall, and boring?

In February early 80s said by one of Saddam Hussein’s inner Takriti circle;1978, I wasI was in Tabriz – near the Soviet Border – the day before the Iranian scheduled to fly on the Pan Am Lockerbie flight; I flew on Concorde two th Revolution officially started in that cityonand 400 of were days that before it crashed in Paris; was thein 74which floorover of one thekilled; Twin But, is more than enough ofI the tedious detail!

ITowers, was shot at by snipers in Beirut; I had my life threatened in Baghdad in the at the exact time, two days before the planes hit; and finally found early 80s

by Millennium one of Saddam small, inner Takriti circle; I was myself in the HotelHussein’s just in time to receive a dose of Poloniumscheduled to fly on the Pan Am Lockerbie flight; I flew on Concorde two 210 the same Litvinenkobusiness was poisoned.

Paranoid…qui, moi?

Whoever said day international is safe and boring? In February 1978, th it crashed Paris; I wasBorder, on the 74 of one of Twin Idays wasbefore in Tabriz, nearin the Soviet the floor day before thethe Iranian Towers, at the exact time, two before the hit; and found Revolution officially started in days that by city andtutor inplanes which over 400Ifinally were killed; At Oxford, I had been approached my to join MI6. turned him Imyself was shot at by snipers in Beirut; I had my life threatened in Baghdad in in the Millennium Hotel just in time to receive a dose of Poloniumdown – John Scarlett of the ‘dodgy dossier’ was at the same college. There the early 80s by one of Saddam Hussein’s small, inner Takriti circle; I was 210 the same day Litvinenko was poisoned.

Paranoid…qui, moi? were no further approaches, but while in the Middle East, I had CIA scheduled to my fly staff, on the Am Lockerbie I flewpartners on Concorde personnel on andPan the high-level natureflight; of PepsiCo’s in that two days before it crashed in Paris; I was on the 74th floor ofturned one ofhim the At Oxford, I had by myattutor to join MI6. region meant thatbeen I gotapproached to hear of events the same time – orI before – the Twin Towers, at the exact time, 2 days before the planes hit; and I finally down Scarlett the ‘dodgy dossier’ was of at the same college.

There security– John services.

I stillofhave a strong memory negotiating a contractfound myself in the Millennium Hotel, just in time to receive a dose of were no further approaches, but while in the Middle East, I had CIA renewal with the in Brezhnev’s in the Paranoid…

Kremlin, designed to Polonium-210 theSoviets same day Litvinenkoold wasoffice poisoned. qui, moi? personnel on my staff, and the high-level nature of PepsiCo’s partners in intimidate us. A former colleague, who continued to work in Baghdadthat on region that I got of –events at the same time –with or before – the his ownmeant – sanctions weretoinhear place and had close contacts the regime, security services.

I still have a strong memory of negotiating a contracttold me over Christmas 2000 that Saddam Hussein had almost certainly renewal theweapons Soviets in old office in theNever!

Kremlin, designed to disposedwith of his of Brezhnev’s mass destruction.

Boring? intimidate us. A former colleague, who continued to work in Baghdad on his own sanctions in place and hadschool close contacts with the regime, the – lion thewere magazine of –hampton 2018-2019 183 told me over Christmas 2000 that Saddam Hussein had almost certainly disposed of his weapons of mass destruction. Boring? Never!

old hamptonians’ chronicle After Severn Trent, I went part-time part time ‘plural’, joining a number of FTSE100 Boards others;and andothers; as Chairman Boards like like Ferguson, Ferguson, BAA, BAA, Tate Tate&&Lyle Lyle,andSignet and as of Travis Perkins, of WHSmith and most recently, of Ei the Chairman of Travis Perkins, of WHSmith and most recently, ofGroup, Ei Group, largest owner/operator of pubs in the UK – over 5,000!.

I have also Chaired the largest owner/operator of pubs in the UK – over 5000! I have also four well-known private equity owned companies.

In future, IInthink mostI Chaired four well-known private equity owned companies. future, people’s working lives will also end in their mid-70s. think most people’s working lives will also end in their mid-70s.

This all brings me round to Hampton again. In 2001, 38 years after leaving Which brings round to Hampton again.

In 2001, 38 yearsback aftertoleaving school, I was me tracked down

by Edward Wilde and invited meet school,Martin, I was tracked down by Edward Wilde andatinvited back to meet Barry then Headmaster.

I was astonished how the school and Barry Martin, Headmaster. was astonished howvalues the school and buildings had then grown, and more Iimportantly, howatthe and ethos buildings had grown, and morehad important, how the values and of the of the school I remembered, grown more powerful.

Theethos Hampton ‘tripod’ I call it – academic accomplishment, sporting and‘tripod’ personal school Iasremembered, had grown more powerful.

The prowess Hampton as development, I do notaccomplishment, like ‘co-curricular’ – was prowess stronger and than personal ever in I call it – academic sporting developing this may be what Whitfield meant development,talented I don’tall-rounders; like ‘co-curricular’ – was stronger than ever in all those years ago.

I firmly believe the school can look Eton and other developing talented all-rounders; this may be what Whitfield meant all famous schools the face andthenot blinkcanfirst, dueand in other large famous part to those years ago. Iinfirmly believe school lookallEton consistently outstanding staff and two great Headmasters, Barry Martin schools in the face and not blink first, all due in large part to consistently and Kevin Knibbs. outstanding staff and two great Headmasters, Barry Martin and Kevin Knibbs.

Determined to help out, I Chaired the successful 450 Hammond Theatre Appeal and have been a Governor since 2007.

Determined to help out, I Chaired the successful 450 Hammond Theatre Appeal andhesitation, have been Ia Governor since 2007. shortlist a candidate with Without would immediately Hampton School on their CV. The best questions I was ever asked at interview were as I follows: ‘When you had a this particular Without hesitation, would immediately shortlist candidate with responsibility in life: what was the situation when you took over, what Hampton School on their CV. The best questions I was ever asked at did you dowere: with ‘When it, and how it over?responsibility Looking back, you interview you did had you thishand particular in could life: what have done anything better?’

A Hamptonian was the situation when you took over, what didwould you doanswer with it,with and honesty, how did passion and energy. you hand it over? Looking back, could you have done anything better?’ A Hamptonian would answer with honesty, passion and energy.

My brothers and I are enormously proud of Hampton; I will undoubtedly make a bequest to the Fitzwygram Bursary Fund.

My brothers and I are enormously proud of Hampton…and I shall make a bequest to The Fitzwygram Foundation.

The opportunities at Hampton give you great width of vision for life – just use it!

The opportunities at Hampton give you great width of vision for life – just use it!

Past Masters Richard Gabriel

He read History at University College, London, followed by several years’ research on the Elizabethan parliament. He then decided to teach, first at Hampton Grammar School, then at The King’s School in Worcester. For many years, before taking the position at King’s, Richard consistently urged keen Hampton Grammar School crews to a remarkable succession of victories. He was known by anyone who accompanied school eights to regattas up and down the Thames – they could not have failed to notice the eccentric and vociferous coach, impeccably clad in British or London Rowing Club colours.

Vital components of music are rhythm, timing, poetry and power. Richard possessed all these and combined with his small stature, this made him a natural cox and then a rowing coach. He coxed London University’s and London Rowing Club’s First VIIIs; he also coxed the British Crew in the European and the Commonwealth Games. He was invited to apply for the the lion

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Richard arrived at King’s as Head of Department in 1967; he stayed for twenty years until retirement. His teaching was intelligent and exciting.

There was nothing he liked more than to inspire his students to the point where they would challenge his opinions; he knew then that he had instilled in them an enduring interest in the subject.

Retirement allowed him to indulge another passion, and his collection of model GWR steam locomotives became the standard by which other collections were judged. He never regretted coming to Worcestershire: he loved the Malverns, the Severn and the music, whether it be at King’s, the Cathedral, in Malvern or with friends.

He died on 10th October 2006 and, on that day, many lost a great character and a great friend.

Abridged extract from December 1987 edition of The Vigornian

Club C In June 1951, Form 5C was taking the ‘O’ Level examinations and coming to the end of the School Year. Form 5C had evolved over the years from 1C, the original form in 1946.

At that stage in 1951, one had the choice of leaving to start work, going into the Armed Forces under the conscription laws or staying on in the Sixth Form. The Headmaster at the time, Mr Whitfield, was still relatively new and he wanted to expand the Sixth Forms, so there was a drive to encourage students to stay on.

The boys in 5C had to make one of these choices, but there was a particular bond among them of genuine friendship, which existed in and out of school, and thus Club C was initiated.

Richard Gabriel was born in London in 1927 and inherited from his father, who had a jewellery business, an appreciative taste in design. He attended the local grammar school where his passion for music developed. That might have been his career, but it was not an economic possibility; he turned to his other love, History.

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job of coxing the UK VIII at the 1964 Olympics, but did not, deciding his commitments at Hampton must take priority. As a coach, he made the sport fun and many of his crew members gained a love of the sport that remained long after leaving Hampton and King’s.

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It was decided to hold a reunion dinner later that year, around Christmastime. It was duly held at Nuthall’s Restaurant in Hampton Court, attended by everyone who could and chaired by Bill Yarrow, the much-revered Form Master. The cost, the princely sum of one guinea!

That this then carried on every year was extraordinary, despite people dispersing around the globe at various times, for various reasons. The bond of friendship mentioned, continued, in that a core of friends met, in addition to the reunions. Over the years, people passed on. At various times, after Bill Yarrow died, we were graced by the presence of Paddy Sloane, Eric Waller and Bert Jago, all Form Masters during the existence of 1C through to 5C. In 2016, we held a lunch at the School, 70 years after we had started there.

Our numbers were depleted and we had by then also invited wives, widows and friends. It was thought that this would be the last reunion, but ‘close bound in friendship’s ties we still remain and another was arranged in September this year.

How long will we continue? Until the last one is standing to drink a toast to ‘absent friends’.

Alan R Stevens OH (1953)

old hamptonians’ chronicle

Club C reunion

Hampton to Twickenham: by the scenic route Eddie Turnill OH (1982) talks to Jon Cook about the Pilkington Shield cup run of the OH 1st XV in 1994 Twickenham? Been there; drank there; got drunk there. But played there?

Well no – it is only internationals and cup finalises who manage that. Is that not? lt was. But that was before the Pilkington Shield was invented.

Rugby's first national competition for junior clubs is a great idea because it allows ordinary players like all of us at the Old Hamptonians, and at clubs like ours up and down the country, to dream of walking out to play on the most famous ground of all. Most, of course, will not get any nearer than Doncaster Rovers ever get to Wembley in the FA Cup, but what does chat matter? Any march in the competition engenders an atmosphere all of its own, as we were to discover during the winter of 1993-94.

No-one could quite explain why, but most of our team had a feeling that this would be our year. It is strange that although all the members of our club live, work and play almost within the shadow of Twickenham's giant stands, the stadium itself remains so elusive to us all as players: eight long, hard matches to be precise, plus hundreds of miles, and god knows how many beers!

Round 1 was routine enough – a home win against London Exiles – but Round 2 was altogether more colourful. The opposition in this allegedly ‘regional’ stage were Beccles, from deepest rural North Suffolk, ‘just inland from Lowescoft’ we were told. Local knowledge further advised us to travel up on the Friday night, to equip ourselves with the best road atlas we could find, and to listen to the shipping forecast. As it turned out, our biggest problem was self-inflicted. Unbelievably, only 14 players turned up at the Old Boys on the fateful Friday night, so in desperation we were forced to kidnap an unsuspecting reveller who was enjoying a party in the bar – a Sainsbury's employee called Hines (!?) who never quite recovered from his ordeal, turned an ankle in the warmup and missed not only the game but also his next few days at work. Round 3 pitched us against a group of New Zealanders who called themselves London French. After that, victory over Ditchling in a cornfield on the South Downs put us into the regional final at home to Deal Wanderers. They brought coach loads of followers, who enjoyed themselves tremendously in the bar afterwards – despite the result – in the way that only rugby folk can; everyone left the clubhouse hugely happy, slightly glazed and wearing someone else's trousers! We enjoyed ourselves too. Now we were regional champions.

The atmosphere in the club changed perceptibly after the Deal game.

Instead of driving to work dreaming idly of what we would say if Ian Payne of Radio 5 Live Sport just happened to call, each of us started to think more seriously about what we might soon achieve. Our coach took to organising pasta evenings in Italian fast food restaurants in Richmond on Friday nights in an attempt to foster team spirit, and more important, as a cunning way of trying to prevent our front row forwards from drinking themselves to death before cup games.

In the dressing room, as a result, everyone was, to use our most overworked contemporary sporting cliché ‘fully focused’ before matches. This was no idle boast, since until then, focusing on anything had been a physical impossibility for half the team in the hour or so before kick-off, whilst for their warm-up our forwards had traditionally spent their time groaning loudly, comparing hangovers and attempting to attach their boots to whichever limbs seemed most appropriate. But, although we were already past the stage where footballers could enjoy being measured up for their Wembley suits, signing autographs and waving to the crowd after winning five matches on the FA Cup trail, we still had three tough rounds to negotiate.

The first of them – Round 6 – was played in a grotty suburb of Bristol; the next at Caterhamians who had widened their pitch having seen us play the week before and convinced themselves that they could run us off our feet.

No-one stopped to think, as our two double-decker buses of players and supporters made the shore trip round the M25, how on earth Beccles, who seemed to be from a different hemisphere were in the same region as us, whilst our near-neighbours Caterhamians were not. Come the end of the day, however, with the occupants of both buses crammed on to the upper deck of one of them, and with bladders bursting as we lurched along the motorway like the Lowestoft Lifeboat, we were grateful that the journey was so short. lt had been quite a carnival: a close game in front of five or six hundred people; loads of beer tents; a roasted pig on a spit and painted faces for the kids. Most important, we were now in the semi-finals.

The team was, but I was not in it. I found myself dropped in the week before the game and, as a result, experiencing an emotion that until then I did not the lion

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know existed. I was ready for either ‘death’ or glory, but instead, all there was, was a huge void. In a semi-final, however, the result is everything, and we got the one we wanted – just. Our 10-6 win was achieved only with the help of a penalty try. But if I felt sorry for myself, I could still spare a thought for our opponents, Kidderminster Carolians, who trooped home from Franklyn Gardens Northampton having fallen at the final fence before Twickenham for the second year in succession.

I was something of an emotional mess, therefore, as the build-up to the final gathered pace, until the Tuesday, four days before the last game, when I discovered I would be in the side. From then on, I was in dreamland, especially on the Friday afternoon when we went down to the ground to familiarise ourselves with the extraordinary surroundings. At the time, it seemed to work – despite the stands looking like skyscrapers. But nothing can prepare you for match day…

We were slightly miffed that we had to change in portacabins behind the main stand so as to avoid clashing with the Bath and Leicester players, who were contesting the main event of the day: The Final of the Pilkington Cup that was to kick off shortly after our game finished. But the glimpse we were allowed of the main dressing rooms was enough to convince me that I would have needed a step-ladder to have reached the pegs normally reserved for Johnson, Bayfield, Dean Richards and the like! lt was a quarter of an hour before kick-off – 11.45am – when we walked down the tunnel for our photo-call. I felt my knees wobble as the enormity of where we were and what we were doing there hit me like a brick wall.

There may only have been 6000 or so in the ground, but that was still 6000 more than we were used to playing in front of, and the number was gradually increasing as early arrivals amongst the supporters of Bath and Leicester trickled in as the minutes ticked by.

So, at high noon on 7th May 1994, all my sporting dreams came true. A match kicked off at Twickenham, Rugby's Headquarters, and I was playing in it. Unfortunately for our performance, too many of our team felt the same.

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score, 8-6 to Malvern, suggests a close game, and my memories of it are almost all of our ‘might have beens’, but in truth, we had few complaints at the end.

Not that anyone was prepared to let defeat spoil our party! Our lap of honour was warmly applauded from all corners of the ground at the end and most of the 600 or more who had begun their day with champagne and bacon butties for breakfast at the Old Boys were still celebrating with us back there after midnight.

Now, looking back a couple of years on, it matters not a jot to me that we lost the Final. A season which has left me with a host of the kind of memories that most club sportsmen would kill for ended with the greatest day of my sporting life – in which, for once, the reality matched the fantasy. And, of course, I have that photo on my wall at home. lt is of a rugby team on the pitch at Twickenham with the North Stand in the background. I am on it. That will do for me.

Afterword In 1994, the following were true; the comedy Friends first hit the TV screens, Oasis & Blur were defining Britpop, if you were fortunate or rich enough to own a mobile phone, it was made by Nokia, Sony released The PlayStation. There was no Google, no Netflix, no iPod but the author still had hair – just! – and, on May 7th, the Old Hamptonians did indeed play at HQ. In the 25 years since the big day out, much has changed – concorde no longer graces our skies, we all have smart phones, music and films are streamed, not bought from a shop, supermarkets accept orders and deliver groceries to our front doors and we are leaving the EU – allegedly!

Our opponents and conquerors, Malvern, rose up to the national leagues before falling back to their current Midlands 2 (West) home. The OHRFC has been through a demise – dropping out of the leagues – and resurrection, achieving success in reaching the Middlesex Merit Table Finals.

Some of the class of ’94 have played on. Nick Cooke, Lee Gallant, Andy GlynJones, Matt Carmody and Mickey Wu – to whom the author can finally deliver

old hamptonians’ chronicle his apology for never getting him on to the pitch that day – have all been an integral part of the resurgence of the Club. Others moved on or away, Russ Bowden to the States, the then 1st XV Captain Ian ‘Chip’ Strutt to Norfolk, Coach Jon Spall to Overton, Hampshire whilst Gareth Prichard and Steve Eggleton went West to Wales & Stroud respectively.

meaning that I had not participated in much after school activity. Reports had a space for parents to comment on the Teachers’ observations and my father loved spaces in which to comment – whatever the subject might be!

So, after the Summer Term, Year 4 in 1948, he wrote, ‘He plays a good game of cricket and it is time someone at the School found this out’.

Your correspondent claimed in the original 1996 piece that 93-94 season ended with the greatest day of his sporting life, little knowing that his post-playing refereeing career would take him back to HQ on many occasions; professionally, it became the office and recreationally, to officiate on the hallowed turf on many occasions from International days to The Middlesex 7s.

Then panic set in. How could I be taught to play cricket before I was called upon to demonstrate the fact at School next season? Salvation was provided by ‘Sandham, Strudwick and Gover's Indoor Cricket School’ in Wandsworth. So, my father paid for me to have a course of batting lessons every Saturday morning from ex-England international and Surrey player, Andy Sandham. Sandham had once scored 300 in a test match against the West Indies, and his regular opening partner for Surrey was the legendary Jack Hobbs, with whom he had shared many large stands.

It was a special day for us all; none of us will forget it, but perhaps the proudest man that day was Club Stalwart and Captain, one S S ‘Subi’ Kamath. It was the culmination of years of his hard work, dedication and service to the Club for him to watch the Black, Silver & Gold hooped shirts, run out on The Cabbage Patch at his beloved Twickenham. Sadly, no longer with us, we all have fond memories of Subi, who would have been instrumental in many, if not all of us, playing at Dean Road. Rest in Peace.

Keith Simpkins OH (1951) My Sporting Life

I did not enjoy my cricket lessons. Sandham was a small, lean man with slicked, back hair and a miserable, whiny voice. He used to stand about 10 yards or so away from the batting crease just to the off side and throw the cricket ball to a spot suitable for the shot that he was teaching at the time.

As a result, I became quite proficient in the forward and backward defensive shots. Sometimes, the bowling duties were taken over by a young gingerhaired slow left arm spinner called Tony Lock – later of Laker and Lock Surrey and England fame – whilst Sandham looked on and criticised.

Next season, when I was in Form 5D, I did quite well in inter-House matches and for the School 2nd XI. I really made my mark in a match against Popes, for whom the School star fast-bowler, Bill ‘Duxie’ Duthoit, reputably the second fastest bowler in the country at the time, was playing. The umpire was Master in charge of cricket Mr ‘Jack’ Hobbs, a kind and gentle man.

Duthoit steamed in and most of the deliveries evaded everything – which was just as well because there was of course no head protection in those days!

I was greatly aided by the fact that Duthoit was having trouble with his boots and spent much of the time sitting down and taking them off and on! This did not help his temper or accuracy, so I was able to nudge and deflect my way to 13, by which time Garricks had won the match. Umpire Hobbs was obviously impressed and, as a result, I made my way into the 1st XI. Years later, Major W Duthoit of the Army Air Corps gave Major K Simpkins RAMC a lift in his plane from the Malayan jungle back to base in Singapore!

In the immediate post-war years, most boys left school at 16 and got a job.

Just a few stayed on in either 6A (Arts) or 6S (Science). I had no idea what job I wanted to do and fancied two or three more years at school playing cricket. I preferred science to arts, so I opted for 6S with Form Master Harry Crocker, who taught physics. Mr Crocker was a decent chap and I got on quite well with him. His occasional bouts of irritable behaviour were attributed by us boys to his having a metal plate in his head as a consequence of an operation for a war wound in WWI. Chemistry was taught by Mr Lees, Botany by a Polish refugee called Mr Bursa, who had a thick, almost impenetrable accent, and Zoology by a tall, young man called Mr Alexander.

As a lad, I was mad keen on cricket. I did not actually play, but hit a tennis ball backwards and forwards against our garage door with a bat fabricated from a cut off wooden barrel slat nailed to a piece of broom handle. Like many others of my generation, I worshipped Denis Compton and took every opportunity to follow his exploits in the late 1940s and early 50s. As Sunbury, where I lived and Hampton, where I went to school, were in Middlesex, they were my team; I could recite their batting line up: Robertson, Brown, Edrich, Compton and so on.

At Hampton Grammar School, I was in Garrick House and my House Master was the splendid Mr Stan Barton. He lived a few houses away from my family home in The Avenue in Sunbury. From time to time, Mr B would comment on my end of term report that he regretted that I was not ‘live’,

At this time, there was no such thing as career guidance, but it was necessary to say what one's aim was. My father thought it would be good to have a doctor in the family. I had no desire to do anything at all, so did not demure.

I worked quite hard at my studies and spent two seasons opening the batting for the 1st XI. I was not a star player. My opening partner, called Court, was a fluent left-hander in the David Gower mould, so we made quite a good combination. Greenwood was captain, Dudley Lucas kept wicket and the Lanning brothers did most of the bowling. As a team, we suffered by comparison with our predecessor, which contained stars such as Eastland, Timms, Savage, Ellis and Duthoit.

Bad pitches and dodgy umpiring were not specific to me, but I did suffer, often in the hands – or finger! – of ‘Jack’ Hobbs. When standing, as he the lion

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usually did as one of the umpires in our matches, he carried impartiality beyond its required bounds. As a result, any modicum of doubt went to our opponents. I soon learnt that it was unwise to let the ball strike my pads irrespective of where my legs were located. Nevertheless, I soon became a victim of Don Bennett, a fast bowler with a low skiddy action, who represented Ashford Grammar and later went on to play for and then coach, the Middlesex county team.

A particular instance of ‘Hobbs' trigger finger’ must be unique. I swished at a passing ball and missed it by a considerable distance. The over-enthusiastic bowler appealed and up went the umpire’s finger. I departed crestfallen. The opposing captain, aware of the true situation, informed the umpire. Mr Hobbs summoned me back.

‘Did you hit the ball Simpkins?’ he asked.

‘No Sir,’ I replied.

Roger Severn OH (1974) ‘You should consider taking a body bag.’ That certainly got my attention.

I was sitting through a first aid lecture for sailors wishing to take on something a bit more adventurous than a jaunt up the South Coast of England. I had signed up to take part in the Arc+, a sailing adventure that would take me from Gran Canaria to St Lucia via the Cape Verdes Islands.

This was eighteen months before I was due to depart, in November 2018, and I only had a few snags. Firstly, the furthest I had sailed so far had been Cherbourg from Lymington; I did not have a crew and, rather inconveniently, I did not have a boat…apart from that, the planning was going well!

By bullying and bribing, I managed to get two crews together. One to help get the boat from Plymouth to Gran Canaria, and another for the crossing. Through the extreme generosity of a good friend, I was able to acquire Itchycoo Park, a 42-foot sloop on very good terms. Itchycoo Park is solid and safe, but no greyhound! My immediate task was to refit, refurbish and do all I could to get every ounce of extra speed out of her.

Just gaining an extra knot of speed could save about three days on the crossing.

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‘Then you can resume your innings,’ he said.

Sportsmanship won the day and justice was done!

After two years in the Sixth Form, I obtained good results in the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam. In the summer of 1951, I applied for entry to several London Medical Schools, which was required of me by the School and my father, confident that I would not be accepted because competition was intense – only one in twelve applicants being selected. In October 1951, I had just commenced what I expected to be a relaxed Third Year in 6S, with plenty of cricket in the next summer, when out of the blue came a letter from Charing Cross Hospital. An accidental vacancy had arisen. Would I please attend for interview next week? My father took me to Selfridge's in the Strand and bought me a navy-blue twopiece suit. When I arrived at Chandos Place, the room was occupied by 12 candidates. I am safe, I thought. But I was wrong. Five years later, I accidentally became a doctor.

Itchycoo Park was ready to go 1st August, our scheduled departure date from Plymouth. The outline plan was a route from Plymouth, calling in at Baiona, Cascais, Madiera, Fuerteventura then Gran Canaria; but plans are one thing and reality another. Within an hour of departure, the wind had dropped and the crew were bored; yet, when the wind picked up, the majority of the crew became seasick! Seasickness is very debilitating and for a period I was left with just two of us capable of functioning.

I was apprehensive as we approached Finistere, to start our crossing of Biscay with its reputation: an untried boat and a sickly crew, what could go wrong?

As it turned out, nothing! Biscay was a doddle and the crew gained their sealegs. We made Baiona in 5 days. From Cascais our plans became flexible!

We were now hoping to catch the trade winds to get us over to Madiera; however, our weather forecasts were showing stormy conditions around Madiera. So, we postponed for a day, but then decided to cut out the Madeira leg and head straight to Gran Canaria.

We made landfall in Las Palmas Gran Canaria on 17th August, having covered 1800 miles. We set about the task of repairs and adjustments before leaving the boat, until I returned in October for the crossing. I arrived back in Las Palmas on 1st November and the marina was very much in Arc+ mode. The majority of the Arc+ fleet was in, but there were new boats arriving every day. The atmosphere was building nicely.

old hamptonians’ chronicle

The start of the rally was 11th December and finally on 8th December. I had the final crew assembled for the first time and ready for our first sail. The final days were spent provisioning and fine-tuning. The storing of food was in itself a skill. Removing all labels from cans and any cardboard packaging.

This was to ensure we did not bring on board any infestations of cockroaches and the like. All vegetables had to be cleaned in Milton on the dockside before coming aboard and then wrapped to prevent them contaminating or ripening too soon.

The start, with 86 boats competing to get away quickly, was both exciting and chaotic. Quite why we were competing so hard to shave seconds off the start when we had 1000 miles and a week to go for the first leg I do not know! We dropped into our watch pattern after two hours, by which time the fleet was starting to scatter and settle into different routes. We had approximately 20 or so boats with us as I retired to my bunk – which unfortunately had reduced to one by the time I was back on duty. We had come too far east and were now stuck in a wind hole with Africa the next port of call! So our promising start had become a very competitive race to the back of the fleet. We reset our sails and at least started some progress towards our destination.

I have always enjoyed night-sailing, but our third night out was a bit different. The winds were surprisingly low and we were making only about 4 knots progress in 9 knots of wind in reasonably small waves – for the Atlantic – of about 6 feet: all very gentile. Suddenly, the stars were blotted out and the wind speed shot up to 24 knots; the boat spun and we found ourselves sideways onto the waves, never a great position to be. We had been hit by a squall which we had been told was unlikely this side of the Atlantic – and which we were totally unprepared for. The Hydrovane had now tangled itself up with our wind generator and was trying to steer us one way, whilst we were trying to override it with the main steering wheel. The general commotion and change of the motion got most of the crew out on deck and we got the situation back under control. We just reefed the sails and enjoyed the ride!

Apart from the squalls, the wind was non-existent; we decided to motor until the wind picked up, otherwise we were not going to make it to Mindelo in time for the start of the second leg. The wind did not pick up and we had to motor for about 48 hours solidly. I was becoming increasingly concerned whether we would have enough fuel to make it the whole way.

Our fuel gauge was inaccurate, so I was having to calculate our consumption

and hours run. I really did not want to rely on sails and our approach to Mindelo was head-on into a strong current. It was certainly a heart-inmouth moment picking our way into the harbour, which is littered with wrecks, in the pitch-black, fearing we could lose power any minute. We headed straight to the fuel barge, ignoring all other instructions, tied up there and then by the skin of our teeth to the sailing club bar for a wellearned drink. We now had two days before the start of the second leg. We topped up with fresh provisions, refuelling and refilling the water tanks and spares.

The restart was 21st November. 2000 miles to St Lucia, turn left and then first bay on the left! There was still no wind. We ghosted over the line and, gradually, the wind picked up; progress was painfully slow. At one time, our ETA was reading 54 days we had only water and food for 25. The decision would need to be made of turning back to wait for a better weather window or to push on and hope the wind would fill in as forecast. The wind did come, as predicted, and we soon had consistent winds of at least 12 knots: not astounding, but sufficient to keep Itchycoo Park sailing at a steady 6 knots.

As we moved further into the Atlantic, the waves became bigger and 12 to 20-foot waves were the norm. Certainly, larger than we were used to on the English Channel but these were different in that we had space between the waves so we would gently rise up the front of one wave and down the back.

We learnt to surf the larger waves; it was a fantastic feeling to feel the surge as 10 tonnes of boat accelerating to 14 knots, as we rode the wave. The skill was to use the momentum to turn and catch the next wave coming in – all that was missing was the Beach Boys sound track!

Daily routine became very important, both from a safety and functional point of view. We had a daily rota of cleaning, cooking, rigging and safety checks to keep us occupied. Cooking became very competitive, particularly around the cooking of fresh bread. It was a very strange feeling sailing straight out from land, knowing it would be at least two weeks before the next landfall. The fleet were completely scattered and we would only occasionally see a set of sails on the horizon or the odd merchant ship plying its trade.

We got on well as a crew, but we did have the occasional flare up over the smallest things. One memorable time was over whether one member of the crew could have honey on his honey nut cornflakes, which lead to an the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle reveal anything. All we could do was to regularly pump the bilges and keep an eye on developments – not an ideal solution, but workable.

Part of keeping morale up was celebrating anything we could, so the reaching the half-way point seemed like a reason for a party. We cracked open a bottle of champagne as we hit the 1034-mile mark. We also launched a message in a bottle, but totally forgot to put any contact details on the message; so, if, one day, you find a sealed rum bottle with a garbled message in it, let me know!

Our whole demeanour changed now we were on the home stretch; it was, admittedly, still another 1000 miles to go, but we could taste that first rum punch! Everything we did was with renewed vigour and our average speed increased. We no longer reefed as deeply for the squalls but rode them harder and faster. Reckless? Maybe. But we were certainly now focused on the finish line.

On the evening of 12th December, we could see the outline of St Lucia on the horizon with Martinique to our right. It seemed like an eternity, but, at 6:27am, we finally crossed the line in Rodney Bay, St Lucia. We had radioed the committee boat an hour earlier to check in, as instructed, and were informed that they were not entirely sure where the finish line was; so, we were to keep going straight and they would pick us up off GPS! After navigating 2068 miles that did not seem too onerous; however, the further instruction was to hang around a bit as the photographer had had a busy night and would be late out to greet us. Now that was going to be harder to comply with, trying to stop the crew getting ashore after 15 days afloat was like asking a charging rhino to maybe tip toe the last bit – it was not going to happen!

almighty row! Nothing in my skipper handbook had prepared me for that one! The sailing routine was easy; keeping the crew balanced was hard!

The wildlife helped to break up the routine. Flying fish were abundant and a regular morning routine would be to clear the fish that had crashed onto the deck during the night. The distance and height the fish could jump was phenomenal; I was, in fact, hit by a fish whilst I was at the wheel. It had taken me completely by surprise and, I have to confess, my reaction was less than manly for an 18 stone, 6’ 1’’ ex-prop forward. Dolphins would regularly swim alongside us in small groups for several miles before departing.

The highlight of our wildlife-spotting was crossing a school of Minke Whales. We first spotted a small group of 4 or 5 whales breaking the surface about 200 feet behind and to our right side and watched as they swam just below the surface and dived below the boat and emerged again to our left.

We then found ourselves in the middle of a school of what seemed like 100, and the whole school took about ten minutes to pass us by. It was a magnificent site, but at the back of my mind were the stories I had heard of these creatures capsizing boats by surfacing close to them – and here we were in the middle of dozens of them! Our attempts at catching wildlife were singularly unsuccessful. Our fishing efforts resulted in one fish being caught, but I have a long list of the ‘ones that got away’.

Down-wind sailing can be particularly hard on a boat, but we kept the boat in good running order; although, we did have a couple of hitches. I was woken one morning by one of my crew, informing me water was seeping up through the floorboards of the salon. I have been woken to better news! A quick inspection showed that we certainly had an excessive amount of water in our bilges. A quick taste – not a great job, but the only way to know where the water was coming from – revealed it as probably half-and-half salt and fresh water. The reason for the excess was our automatic bilge pump had packed up; but, it was still a question of where the water was getting in.

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It was a very emotional reunion on the dockside – not only with family and friends, but also our fellow competitors and the rally organisers. The St Lucia tourist boat plied us with bowls of fruit and rum cocktails. If you want to know what happened over the next 48 hours, I have no idea – it all passed in a bit of a haze!

It was certainly an experience. I learnt a lot about myself and I learnt more about leading a team in one month than I have in 35 years of running my own business. As a crew, we had our ups and downs – as would be expected – but we have a special bond that says, ‘we did it’.

As for the body bag? I did not bother; if any of the team were going to die on me, they were going over the side and we would deny they were ever on board – their wives would not miss them that much!

If you are interested in reading more, our blog of the trip can be found at http://blog.mailasail.com/itchycoo and I am reliably informed that it makes for an exciting read!

old hamptonians’ chronicle

An Insight into the Archives Hampton Fifty Years On

The new Mason Library

This article comes off the back of a recent Old Hamptonian event entitled ‘Hampton School First Day 50 Years On’, where past pupils who attended the School between the years 1976-1984, returned for a tour of the school they once knew and shared some of their memories with me and the Alumni Team. I was lucky enough to be given permission to include some of their memories here along with pictures of the type of experience they would have had at Hampton School.

1984 saw the opening of the library as you know it today, the Mason Library. The plaque can still be found on the wall where it had been unveiled by Lord Dacre in the presence of the Headmaster H G Alexander, the Librarian Mrs Marianne McCartney and the chairman of the governors, Mr T E Adams. Through her painstakingly and undoubtably time-consuming task of compiling a list of everything of archival value owned by the school, complete with individual descriptions and dates of their creation, it is Marianne who we have to thank for the current archives.

From wisdom to youth ‘In lessons, if you do not understand something then ask. Also, experience as much as you can outside lessons in whatever you think might interest you – sport, drama, clubs. It is these things that will help you find out who you are and can provide enduring memories.’ ‘[The Chemistry Teacher] had a way of making you think that he did not know what would happen if he carried out an experiment and that he was learning along with the rest of us.’

Martin Smidman OH (1976) ‘I certainly cannot remember nearly as much as Smidman does, but I do remember that I had the best time of my life. It was a great school then and enormous fun, and I hope it still is. However, we got into all kinds of scrapes that could not possibly happen now, which is a shame.’

‘You could get into serious trouble for not having your house shoes on and not having your school number on the sole.’

Andy Moore OH (1971) ‘I think my strongest memory was the excitement of suddenly discovering all these new subjects that we had not been exposed to at my (small) primary school. Having to juggle a huge assortment of books, change rooms for subjects and find my way around made it all very exciting – if not a bit daunting – at the outset!’

Stephen Price OH (1976) Alex Esmond – Hampton School Archivist

An independent school In 1975, Hampton School became independent – this was a bold move indeed, since it had originally been a grammar school since 1910. This was met with praise and support; this decision to transform itself into a public school had allowed them, as the article states, to ‘revert to its ancient name and status’. The decision was made in order to counteract a plan established by Richmond to transform the School into a 11-16-year-old comprehensive, sending the Sixth Form to a separate college.

In sporting terms, agreeing with Richmond Council’s plan would have been the end for senior teams in cricket, rugby, football and rowing. It would also have forced them to leave the school they had come to know and cherish for an unknown place in an unknown curriculum. the lion

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A Year of Alumni News Stanley Holtom OH (1948)

25 years on for 1993 Leavers

We were delighted to welcome back Stanley Holtom OH (1948) to the School, all the way from Colorado, kindly donating us his 1940s football shirt. Kits have certainly moved on in the past 70 years!

We were delighted to welcome back 1993 Leavers to celebrate 25 years on from their last year at Hampton. As well as reminiscing and sharing memories of their time at the School and beyond, they even had time for a spot of hand-ball!

Oli Stanhope OH (2016) GB Rower Oli Stanhope OH (2016) claimed his second World Championship Gold medal as part of Great Britain’s PR3 mixed coxed four.

David Baulk OH (2005)

The GB PR3 crew extended their major championship winning streak claiming Gold at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Ollie Joined the GB Rowing Team in 2017 and stormed to victory at his first ever World Championships in Sarasota, Florida.

David returned to Hampton to share his experiences of promoting human rights in Myanmar with the School’s Genocide80Twenty group. David is a human rights researcher and advocate, and spent six years documenting violations in South and Southeast Asia working to protect rights and advance accountability.

Hampton and Lady Eleanor Holles Alumni Law Reception

Paul Casey OH (1993)

Hamptonians joined Alumnae from LEH for a joint law reception at the Law Society in London. The reception brought together alumni from both Schools, working within the legal profession, who provided advice and insight to current pupils, interested in a career in law.

Congratulations to Paul Casey OH (1993) and the European team on their emphatic Ryder Cup victory! Paul also retained his Valspar Championship title and claimed his third PGA Tour win in the process.

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Steve Lindsey OH (1990) Steve Lindsey OH (1990), CEO at Lontra UK, has been named one of LDC and The Telegraph’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Leaders. He was also a finalist in the 2017 European Inventor Awards. Congratulations Steve!

both been named on Financial Times’ list of the most influential BAME tech leaders in the UK in 2018.

Zia is Co-Founder and CEO of Velocity, one of the fastest growing technology companies, providing insider access to the best dining and hospitality experiences globally.

Adnan is the Founder and CEO of Car Throttle, the largest community of millennial car enthusiasts, reaching 200 million enthusiasts per month. Adnan was also recently named in The Sunday Times Influencer List 2019.

Tom Beard OH (2005) In October, Tom debuted his feature film, Two for Joy. Telling a heartfelt tale of a troubled family, Tom wrote and directed the film. This feature-length film was his first, after writing and directing four short films between 2012 and 2016.

Julian Poulter OH (1981) Julian was part of the England Cricket Over 50s World Cup team that got through to the semi-final again Pakistan. Despite a good team effort, Pakistan progressed on to the World Cup final against Australia.

James Connor OH (1993) We were delighted to welcome back James Connor OH (1993) who had a busy day on this return to Hampton; he spoke in assembly, was interviewed for Hampton Radio and shared his journey from playing for Millwall Football Club to co-founding Broadley Wealth Management, and hosted a well-attended careers lunch with current pupils.

Zafar Ansari OH (2010)

Zia Yusuf OH (2005) & Adnan Ebrahim OH (2008) Hamptonians Zia Yusuf OH (2005) & Adnan Ebrahim OH (2008) have

We were delighted to welcome back former England Cricketer, Zafar Ansari OH (2010), who offered wise words in an assembly in November, introducing the Fitzwygram Foundation to current pupils and highlighting the importance of increasing the number of free places available to future Hamptonians. the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Francis Highton OH (2009) Francis Highton OH (2009) returned to Hampton to give an engaging assembly presentation to current pupils about his involvement in the 2018 charity expedition, RowZambezi.

Francis was part of the team that rowed 900km, over 16 days, of the mighty Kafue River in Zambia – the largest tributary to the Zambezi River – raising over £50,000 for clean water projects.

A former Captain of Boats at Hampton, Francis studied Geography at Durham University before rowing full time for the Leander Club. He has represented Great Britain at both the U23 World Championships and at the World University Championships.

Francis has now also joined the Hampton teaching staff in the Geography Department.

Dan Barley OH (2015) Congratulations to Dan Barley OH (2015), who was part of the OURFC Men’s Blues rugby team at the 2018 Varsity Match at Twickenham on December 2018. It was an incredible day for Dan, scoring two tries, in a 3816 win for Oxford.

Stephen Harris OH (1978) Management Consultant Stephen Harris OH (1978) returned to the School in February, to meet with a group of young Hamptonians interested in a career in business management.

Goodbye, Ian Donald On Sunday 11th December, Hamptonians past and present came together for a concert in celebration of Mr Iain Donald, Hampton’s Director of Music for the past 23 years, who retired at the end of the Autumn Term.

After studying law at Brasenose College, Oxford and working as a solicitor, he moved into international financial services and PPP. Stephen spoke passionately about his diverse career, which saw him working in 73 countries, giving over 150 international presentations and in one year, spending 200 days away from home!

Over 20 alumni joined the bands, choirs and orchestras throughout the evening in the Hammond Theatre for a series of brilliant performances. The programme included music from Iain’s first exchange trip to Konstanz through to his final exchange, and a performance from the Voices of Lions.

Barney Gilbert OH (2009) In February, Dr Barney Gilbert OH (2009), Co-founder of Forward Health, has been named to the prestigious 30 under 30 Forbes list in science and healthcare.

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Barney Gilbert cofounded Forward Health with Philip Mundy and Lydia Yarlott to make it easier for doctors to communicate and keep patient data safe with secure digital messaging. Forward’s communication platform is rolling out across the UK’s National Health Service and has raised $5.4 million to date from investors including Stride VC.

Harvey Tomes OH (2015) Umesh Kumar OH (2007) Returning Hamptonian Umesh Kumar OH (2007) gave a thoughtprovoking presentation to today’s Hamptonians on what it takes to build a business.

Umesh is a passionate advocate of entrepreneurship, having enjoyed wide experience in start-ups, innovation, social enterprise and charitable initiatives. Currently a Director and CEO of an exciting food start-up based in London, providing healthy, Michelin star quality food to office workers across the city, Umesh offered valuable advice on to how to have a successful career after Hampton.

Harvey Tomes OH (2015), future trainee solicitor at Boodle Hatfield LLP, returned to Hampton for a careers lunch and interview with Hampton Radio.

After leaving Hampton, Harvey went on to be awarded a BA in International Relations at Durham University and is currently studying the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at BPP University. He spent two weeks on a Vacation Scheme at Boodle Hatfield, which included seats in Property and Corporate Law, as well as some Litigation and Private Client work.

Quizzed by a group of pupil reporters, Harvey spoke about his interest in Law and why he decided to go into the profession.

Life After Hampton 2019

Toby Roland-Jones OH (2006) and Chris Searle OH (2017)

We were delighted to welcome back eight alumni to Hampton to share their work and life experiences with current pupils.

Hampton was delighted to see Toby and Chris both take wickets when Middlesex Cricket played Oxford University Cricket Club in March this year.

Chris Wood OH (2010), Max Maharajh OH (2009), Alex Burford OH (2008), George Danker OH (2008), Ed Slater OH (2008), Adnan Ebrahim OH (2008), Tim Dyer OH (2007) and Rob Blythe (OH) 2007) took part in our annual ‘Life after Hampton’ event. All have pursued a variety of career paths, ranging from marketing and social media to law and the Royal Marines.

Speaking about their lives after leaving Hampton, the alumni, who all left the School in the past 12 years, encouraged the Sixth Formers to pursue a path they are passionate about. One of the key messages of the day was for pupils to work hard, enjoy what they do and not be afraid to be different. the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle Charlie Marcus OH (2018) and Tim Nugent OH (2014) Congratulations to Charlie and Tim who were part of the winning Goldie boat for Cambridge, at the 2019 Boat Race. Goldie beat Isis by one length in a time of 17:17!

OH sports

Matthew Legg OH (2015) Matthew is Co-Founder at FC Not Alone, which was created on the back of Matthew’s battle with depression – a battle that forced him to defer his second year of his studies at Bath University.

FC Not Alone is on a mission to use the power of football to allow men to feel comfortable opening up about their mental health. FC Not Alone joined the campaign, Heads Together, which is supported by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Royal Foundation, as well as the FA.

Creative Futures 2019 Twelve industry experts, including seven Hamptonians, led workshops at Hampton’s annual Creative Futures event, offering an insight into their fields of work and the career paths they have followed.

We were delighted to welcome back such inspirational individuals: Momotaro Ushido OH (2012), Video Game Concept Artist; Ed Slater OH (2008), Designer and Production Manager; Duncan MacKay OH (1988), Visual Design Associate Manager; William Aubrey Jones OH (2006), Theatre Production Manager; Matheson Bayley OH (1997), British pianist, composer, orchestrator, singer and television host; Andy Griffin OH (1991), Global Strategy Manager; and Matthew Collins OH (1979), Public speaking and voice skills coach.

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Old Hamptonians’ Golf Society Our first match of 2019 was in May against our old rivals Old Tiffinians at Ashford Manor GC. Every year we play against them for the Ford Cup, donated by Rob Ford’s father. In fact, the very first match that the society ever played was against the same opponents at the same venue in 1982. Over the years, we have enjoyed some very close matches; this year was no exception, with Old Hamptonians scoring 274 Stableford points for the best 9 cards against 265 points for Tiffinians.

of 10 teams with 154 points. The best individual score went to Ian Darby of Old Cranleighans with 40 points.

In June, we returned to Camberley Heath GC, one of the best courses in the south-east of England, and which offers a great test of golf. We always enjoy a preferential green fee there due to ex-Hampton teacher Mike Frankowiak being a club member and former captain. The course was in superb condition as usual and, despite its difficulty, several players returned very good scores. On his first appearance for the society for a couple of years, Matt Carmody scored a magnificent 41 Stableford points to win the Summer Cup. In second place, with 38 points, was Mike Pegram.

The prize for best front 9 holes was won by Martin Read, and the best back 9 by Ian Court.

Our most recent fixture was held at the excellent, new venue of West Surrey GC, near Haslemere, in late July. This match was against Old Kingstonians for the ‘Across the River’ trophy, and also against Old Cranleighans who make up our annual triangular competition. The course was in magnificent condition and everyone commented favourably on the golf and the catering afterwards. We managed to emerge triumphant over both societies, thus retaining the trophy. Our best individual score was carded by Ian Court with 40 points, followed by Toby Drinkwater with 36 points.

At the end of June, we entered a team of 7 players into the annual Surrey Schools Golf Societies Festival, again held at Bramley GC near Guildford. We had organised the competition for the past couple of years, so it was nice to take the back seat this year. The trophy was won by Old Tiffinians – who organised it this time – with a total of 175 Stableford points for their best 5 cards: an incredible average of 35 points per player! Old Kingstonians were runners-up with a very creditable 171 points. We finished 6th out

Our annual match against the school took place in early July at Fulwell GC. In recent years the school have been dominant, usually winning by a comfortable margin. This year they must have fielded a weakened team as the Old Hamptonians romped home to win with a combined team score of 242 Stableford points against 190 points for the school.

We now await our next match at Betchworth Park GC in October, and our annual Christmas match at Strawberry Hill in early December.

We welcome new members regardless of handicap level, and especially any younger Old Hamptonians who are looking to enjoy some competitive but social golf at some very fine courses.

Martin Read (Secretary)

Old Hamptonians’ Football Club 1st XI The 1st XI returned to the winners’ circle once again by being crowned Amateur Football Combination Premier Division champions for the fifth time in six seasons. Our success was built upon fifteen victories from our first sixteen games. In the league, we finished top by nine points – our biggest ever winning margin.

The 1st XI scored more goals than anyone else in the Premier Division – a staggering 67 goals scored in 18 games – as well as boasting the meanest defence – only 11 goals conceded in 18 games. This resulted in a goal difference of +56 from the 18 league games played.

However, as in the previous season, we fell just short of winning an elusive cup competition for the first time in six years. We reached the semi-finals of both the AFA Senior Cup and the London Old Boys Cup, unfortunately suffering defeat in both.

The wait goes on.

The squad picked up where it had finished the previous season; you could really see the benefit of everyone having played together the previous season. The remarkably consistent and miserly back-line included a number of Old Hamptonians: Will Legg OH (2012)

between the sticks was as solid as ever and OH stalwart defenders Patrick Odling OH (2008), Jack Parker OH (2011), and Tristan Michel OH (2011) were joined by Oliver Gill, Cameron McGovern, and Mark Bird – who managed to miss six weeks of the season with a finger injury! The Managers Player of the Season was Jack Byerley, a fresh recruit for the 18-19 season who added a real energy and ‘Geordie attitude’ to the back line.

Vice-captain Craig Ashby, using his many years of experience, marshalled the middle of the park with his range of passing and aggression in the tackle; he also looked after things ably as I missed the first six weeks of the season with a knee injury.

As shown from the season’s goal tally, the 1st XI had plenty of firepower going forward. We welcomed back a fully fit Mike King after his debut season had been blighted with injury, adding a creative edge to our attacking play. This was a real bonus as we lost Charles Gerson OH (2012) to the world of football agency in January – a significant blow. Chris Heritage OH (2006) and Will Doyle both finished with 21 goals apiece for the season; when combined with the electric pace of Cosimo Codacci on the left and the creativity and drive of Dave Green in the number 10, we stretched teams at will all season. Ploughing a lone furrow up top as the only striker for another season was Tom Larcombe OH (2003),

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who again provided a threat in the air, working tirelessly as ever and contributing with vital goals throughout the season.

Looking forward to the upcoming year, there is no reason why we cannot compete near the top of the table next season.

We also had important cameo appearances across the season from recent school leavers Adam Lee, Max Matchett, and Chris Cecil, keeping the link to the school as strong as ever. The fresh faces around the squad certainly helps to keep the average age down! A special mention is due to Paul Heritage for his invaluable support on the touchline and his advice throughout the season following the OH home and away. I think Paul ended up making more appearances on the touchline than Chris made on the pitch!

Dave Mackie, 2nd XI Captain

Obviously, we played some fantastic football as a first team this year and it was a pleasure to be a part of. The challenge for next season is to retain our Premier Division title, whilst also getting our hands on at least one of the cup trophies that has eluded us over the past few seasons.

3rd XI Having achieved promotion last season, this year was always going to be tough and so it proved. Therefore, our minimum target was to consolidate a place in Division 3 South – which is no mean feat when playing in a league made up of some first and second teams. We managed to retain the large majority of our squad, but were also strengthened by the welcome addition of some new players who had left the school relatively recently, including Alex Brown, George Cates, Luke Smith and Kian Notarki.

Jonny Meldram OH (2009), 1st XI Captain If we were in any doubt regarding the step up in opposition that the division would pose, this was quickly realised. The season began with a tough run of fixtures that yielded very few points, this once again highlighted the lack of pre-season preparation that is perhaps indicative of a 3rd XI team.

2nd XI This season was a hugely positive one for the 2nd XI, particularly from Christmas onwards from whence we only lost two league games and managed to finish the year in third place, only three points behind top. A significant difference between our debut season in Senior 2 South division and this year, was the addition of a genuine striker in Matt Green, who scored over 20 goals; this helped us to become the highest scoring team in the league with 52 goals and have the second highest overall goal difference.

There were some great team performances throughout the season; the highlights were a 3-0 win over Economicals and a 2-0 away win over eventual champions Old Tenisonians. Along with some great team performances, there were some great individual efforts with Mike Timbs, Adam Calvert and Luke Gunn again showing how valuable they are to the 2nd XI. It was also a fantastic season for Callum Clark, who went from a 3rd XI player to a regular starter in the 2nd XI in some style.

Ultimately, when you are so close to winning the league, there will always be time where you think, ‘where could we have done better?’; the biggest factor has probably been regular availability through injuries and other factors – we had to use 9 goalkeepers throughout the season! If we can work on this next season, there is no reason why we can’t do even better.

With the restructuring of the league format, for the forthcoming season the 2nd XI will be playing in Senior Division 1 which is the highest league we can be in – only one league below the 1st XI. This is a result of three promotions in four years which shows the massive improvement the team and the club have made over the last four years.

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However, as a team, we quickly made the necessary improvements and began develop a system that could compete in this league and resulted in the team making progress leading up to the Christmas break. The success continued into January and, whilst the results continued to be mixed, the consistency of performance was pleasing. This is evident in the statistic that on only two occasions across the season did we lose a league fixture by more than two goals; the vast majority of our losses were decided by a single goal.

As a result, we entered the final four matches of the season requiring 6 points to remain in the league, a tally we achieved with a game to spare!

The squad took immense pride in managing to achieve the season target.

However, the real achievement, which was a fundamental reason in achieving this success, was the availability and dedication of all squad members; this ensured that we were once again consistently able to field strong and competitive side – something which is often a rarity at this level.

A huge thanks must go to Jonathan Meldram and Dave Mackie for all the support they have given throughout the season to ensure that we have full and competitive squads come match day. An additional thank you must also go to the committee, without whom, and all of their tireless work, none of the above would be possible. Due to league restructuring, we now find ourselves in Division 2 South for the 2019-20 season! As per all Hampton sides, we are always prepared for a challenge; as such, we will approach the new season in a positive manner and hope the addition of one or two recent school leavers will enable us to be successful for yet another year.

Chris McNab, 3rd XI Captain

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Old Hamptonians’ Rugby present school Director of Rugby Sean Thomson, beaten by Croydon – but only thanks to a late try and us having turned up with only 13 players!

It laid the foundations for the club’s recovery and inspired many who played that day to pull on the OH shirt again at the start of this new season in league rugby: the first time the OH has played in a league with other first teams for nearly ten years.

Prior to the season starting, there was, of course, the annual Chris Mapletoft Festival of Rugby, where Old Hamptonians ranging from 2011 to 2017 leavers played for the touch tournament, before the School played an OH recent leavers team made up of 2018 Leavers.

Although it has been a difficult 12 months for the OHRFC, things have looked up since September as the club has got back on its feet following a turbulent 2018-19 season.

Unfortunately, the season was cut short in February 2019 as the club opted to concede its remaining fixtures for the season. But after some recruitment – and rather a lot of admin on my part! – we entered Surrey Division 4 with some new – and of course, some old – faces with our first game in the new division on the 7th September 2019.

Though that ended in defeat, we have since got back to winning ways and will be looking to push for promotion during what is likely to be a season with plenty of ups and downs.

Despite the disappointment of the season ending earlier, the year has not been without its highlights. A Surrey invitational fixture in April saw an OH team, which included recent leavers Nick Bitzakidis, Arthur Thomas, and our ever

Due to Louis Lynagh and Gwilym Bradley training with Harlequins and Cardiff Blues respectively, the team did not have all its big guns available, but a strong side was fielded nonetheless looking to retain the Chris Mapletoft Cup. The School’s impressive side were able to win back the prize for the first time since 2015, by a margin of 42-5, to hand the OHRFC Captain his first defeat as a Leavers coach – but it did not detract from what was a great occasion.

Last, but definitely not least, it is worth mentioning Old Hamptonian Ben Phillips, who helped commemorate friend and fellow Old Hamptonian Joe Bertram, who sadly passed away in 2017, with a rugby festival attended and involving a wide range of different former year groups at Bushy Park in aid of Bertram’s family’s foundation.

So, although we have had some challenging times as a club, the spirit to rebuild has allowed the club to get back up and running and we look forward to a fantastic season!

Nick Powell

Old Hamptonians’ Cricket OHCC 1st XI The 1st XI arrived in Division 3 as Champions of the league below and aimed to challenge the division’s powerhouses. A positive pre-season at The Oval, Hampton School and a good mix of competitive friendlies, including the National Knockout fixture against Sunbury CC, stood us in good stead.

One thing was definitely new, competition for places, and this became a cornerstone of some significant performances from individuals throughout the club. Fighting for your spot demonstrates the strength and depth that has developed over the past seasons; this will no doubt continue for years to come.

After a month, the lions had racked up two wins over Purley and Streatham & Malborough, courtesy of performances from new signing Imran Rashid (6-12) in game one and 100 runs from the bats of Toby Godfray OH (2016) and Adam Lee OH (2018), coupled with four wickets from Captain Richard Brown OH (2005). These victories were coupled with disappointing defeats; however, the knowledge that we were more than good enough to compete stood us in great stead. In a particularly memorable performance, vice-captain Godfray led the team from the brink of a thrashing to the jaws of victory with a magnificent 89, and his batting was the cornerstone of the team throughout the summer.

The declaration games immediately showed their worth and frustrations as we batted out for a belligerent draw away at Addiscombe before being wholeheartedly frustrated back at the fortress the following week. Kudos to Ollie George OH (2017) who announced himself into the 1st XI on the back of a tremendous 2nd XI season in 2018 with a brilliant 73 when supported by the middle order.

As we approached the mid-point of the season, the full cross-section of cricketing emotions were experienced: the elation of a demolition of old foes Kingstonian; the heartache of a desperate defeat to Staines and Laleham; and the excitement and drama of an extraordinary run-chase versus Epsom.

Firstly, we all took the field with the words of one of the OH’s finest recent players, Simon Morris – currently on a sabbatical in Cape Town – ringing in our ears. So loud this lion’s roar was, that fast bowler Raza Mughal blew Kingstonian away with figures of 8-20. Kavi Bhasin OH (2015) in his opening 1st XI performances was his aid with 2-18 as we won by ten wickets.

After whittling bottom of the table Staines & Laleham away for 114 runs our batting frailties were exposed as we lost by a desperate two runs. This was a low point, but what happened the following week more than made up for it. Having limited top of the league Epsom to 221 thanks to the fingerspin of Rob Bentley OH (2015), the boys Godfray (73) and Lee (111*) amassed one of the greatest partnerships (170) seen in some years. Watching the lion

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old hamptonians’ chronicle the scoops, laps and front-foot slaps against the Zimbabwean overseas was a sight to be seen as their teammates sat in the same spot for over two hours.

The win sent shockwaves through Division 3 and the squad and demonstrated that promotion could well be possible.

Unfortunately, our rainbow season continued as red weeks met indigos and fair greens as inconsistency ruled the roost in both performance and weather. Rob Bentley’s performances with the ball got better as he showed what a terrific signing the school cricket captain of 2015 was. His season return of 30 wickets at 13.2 runs is only the start of things to come.

With five games to go, the 1st XI still needed victories to move towards the upper middle part of the table and to secure their status for 2020. The character showed in the ensuing weeks when the pressure was beginning to build was impressive. At 107-7, the old guard Brown (24) and Mughal (52) put on a vital 85 to keep the OH ship sailing against the onslaught of slow medium bowling from Addiscombe. In return, the OH came back targeting the decks of the Addiscombe ship as Mughal signed off another remarkable season with 34 wickets at 14 runs in just 14 games leading the team to victory.

A win over Woking & Horsell saw two young cubs, Jack Berg OH (2020) and Joe Wheeler OH (2019), support their older contemporary Ollie George with the bat to bring home a turgid chase to much applause and ceremony. The team remained focused despite the season coming to a close, and Rob Bentley’s five-wicket haul helped complete the double over Kingstonian as the two teams battled for the win in one of the most entertaining games of the season. Godfray’s run-scoring was not yet complete as he and Rashid scored 50s to set up revenge from the stains of Laleham’s previous encounter. Ben Dowse OH (2016) finished his season on a high returning figures of 4-18 in his best summer for the club. Ciaran Doley also made a return to the OH and showed what talent and fight he has. Both filled the boots of Mughal whilst his marriage took centre stage.

cricket was played by all. Ultimately, it was consistently strong bowling and fielding displays, victories over all the aforementioned sides, and only two losses all season, which ensured the OH finished victorious.

Plenty of players contributed to what was a true team success. With the bat, Harry Mayes scored 469 runs at the top of the order, averaging 31 and recording three 50s, whilst Tim Walker scored 392 runs at an average of 44, including three 50s as well. Imran Rashid and Chris Madoc-Jones both struck centuries each – against Merstham and Ripley respectively – the latter of which came off a remarkable 53 balls, and both also posted a 50. But there were a further ten knocks of over 50 compiled across 7 players: Neil Lizieri, Bilal Chohan, Max Vyvyan (2), George Gregory (2), George Blair (2), Tom Hunter, and Elliot Morley, showing the true strength in depth of the club and proving what a team effort, the season was.

With the ball, brothers Elliot and Jamie Morley led from the front. Elliot had another great season, collecting 31 wickets at 13 runs apiece, including 7-41 against Kempton, whilst Jamie achieved 21 at an average of 12, including 5-12 versus Ripley. They were ably supported by Sam Osborn, ever the team man, and James Scowen, who took a remarkable 740 early in the season against Kingstonian. The spinners played a vital role too: Kavi Bhasin continued his fine form of 2018 with 18 wickets at 16 runs apiece this year; Tim Walker showed his true all-rounder capability with 19 wickets at an average of 12 to compliment his batting exploits; whilst James Vyvyan, breaking into the team for the first time, took 6-35 on debut, finishing with 14 wickets at an average of 13.

It was a pleasure to be part of the side this year. Everyone who contributed should be proud of themselves and if the team continue to play as one, supporting each other and enjoying their cricket, there is no doubt further success awaits.

Player of the Year: Tim Walker OH (2010)

A final day defeat to promotion-chasing Epsom may have been disappointing, but it saw a return to form for Shajeel Butt, who will, without doubt, eclipse this year in 2020. It was also great experience for Matt Avant-Smith OH (2021) who will have learnt much from his encounters with some very strong and big-hitting batsman. Matt is most certainly a player to look and listen out for in the future.

This was yet another hugely successful season with a further influx of players, showing the growing message of the Old Hamptonians CC. We have many improvements to make in the field to achieve our goal of reaching Surrey Championship Division 2 next year, but it is not out of sight; we will be in the bunker during the winter to plan our assault.

Winter Well.

Player of the Year: Toby Godfray (OH 2016) Richard Brown OH (2005), 1st XI Captain

OHCC 2nd XI 2019 proved to be another fantastic season for the Old Hamptonians 2nd XI. After winning Division 5 in 2018, the team achieved the impressive feat of successive league titles, finishing 17 points clear of 2nd placed Cheam, after winning their last six games of the season.

It was a hard-fought campaign though, with Cheam, Kingstonian and Purley all pushing for promotion for much of season, and some excellent 200

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Tom Hunter OH (2004), 2nd XI Captain

OHCC 3rd XI Having been promoted in our debut season in Surrey Championship League Cricket, the Old Hamptonian’s 3rd XI found themselves in Division 2 West courtesy of a league restructure. The usual struggles with availability in May meant that the stiff task of travelling to Valley End in week one was made more challenging; sadly, the OH fell 30 runs short despite four wickets from James Osborne and three from 2017 leaver, James Vyvyan.

The next five weeks of the season fluctuated greatly with two wins and three loses as the OH adapted to the increase in standard from last year.

Highlights of that period include a 50 for Raja Adeel against Camberley, a 47 for the returning club legend Paul Carson at Ashford and a hard-fought 50 for captain Sufyan Khan combined with a brilliant three wicket haul from Dan Anders as the OH ran strong starters Chertsey all the way at their place. At this point, the OH sat in the bottom half of the table with two wins from six.

However, three wins from three followed: a concession against Farnham; a strong win at Woking & Horsell where the chase was led by 37 from Farridon and 38 from stalwart Guy Baker; and a convincing win versus Staines where Shiv Sethi announced himself to the 3rd XI with 3-9 off six overs. At the half way point in the season, we were right in the middle of the league: a fair reflection.

old hamptonians’ chronicle Valley End returned to Dean Road and a brilliant game ensued. 50 for Julian Poulter led the OH to a very competitive total; but, a superb chase from Valley End, showing the depth of their club meant they got over the line by four wickets. They were deserved league winners in the end.

The OH bounced back well with two wins in two. It a great win against Camberley, Jamie Lashley and Gabriel Humphrey starred with the ball and Player of the Season Raja Adeel’s 73* led the chase brilliantly in what was probably the innings of the season. Revenge was also taken against local rivals Ashford, with James Wilson returning to form with 65* and all of the bowlers chipping in well to defend our score.

Sadly, we then lost two in a row as the 3rd XI struggled to put all three aspects of the game together, especially in the field. Jacob Doherty scored a courageous 45 in the loss to Egham. Zac Goodwill’s 60 and Gus Branston bowling nine overs for only five runs, while Richard Searle valiantly made his debut behind the stumps, ran Chertsey to the wire again at the fortress.

The aim was to finish the season with a flourish; this was mostly done with a superb win at Esher. Neil Meadows became the finisher with both bat and ball, whilst Nick Evans scored fluently at the top to give the OH their best performance of the season. Farnham were then thrashed at Dean Road, with Farridon’s five wickets allowing Jacob Doherty and Julian Poulter (77* and 58*) to knock the score off with ease. The double over Woking was secured with Zac Goodwill leading from the front with the ball and George Blair smashing 57* in the chase.

The season ended disappointingly with a shock loss at already relegated Staines, despite three poles apiece from Lahiru Perera and George Blair.

The batting will go unmentioned from one to eleven!

Overall, it was a very positive year for the 3rd XI finishing 5th with lots of potential to increase our performance levels next year. Thanks to captain Sufyan Khan for everything he has done this year and congratulations to Raja Adeel for winning Player of the Season.

against Hampton Hill, ably supported by Alex Marsland’s OH (2017) brilliant bowling of 3-9 off his six overs.

That 138 run victory was followed by a comfortable six-wicket win against Old Isleworthians / Hest CC. This time bowler Steffan Rampersad did the damage with four wickets, and Harry Short OH (2019) made 56* in the rapid 27 over chase.

The following week, Nick Powell OH (2017) captained the first 5th XI OHCC has had in 25 years. We would go onto win – in large part because of Joel Banerjee’s (2018) 146* on his debut for the club! It was a special innings and sealed a place in the OHCC history books for the 2017 leaver.

On the same day, George Holden’s impressive 59 was not enough for the 4s to beat Kingstonian, but in the return fixture, Alex Wilson’s 53, followed by a terrific spell of 6-25 by Will Perkins OH (2017), helped the OH get their revenge.

The 5s were beaten in their remaining fixtures by Twickenham 6th XI and Hampton Wick Royal – the latter captained by the ever-present Arya Khalifa OH (2019) – while the 4s ground out a draw in their only timed fixture of the season, brothers Chris and Matty Cecil OH (2020) steering them to safety with 41 each.

After Alex Brown OH (2017) hit 81 to set Hampton Hill 228 in the second fixture between the two sides this season, Owen and Ewan Searle’s superbly tight spell of bowling – combined figures of 3-11 in 15 overs with nine maidens – as well as captain Mikey Godsmark’s OH (2017) 2-10 off eight, the OH were rampant 143 run winners.

The last two games of the season would, alas, end in defeats to Ashford’s 5s and Bank of England’s 3s, but Captain Godsmark could reflect on a fine season, with the 4th XI edging ever closer to their 2021 target of having a Surrey Championship League team, and the 5th XI bringing together a new generation of young social cricketers.

Player of the Season: Will Perkins OH (2017)

Looking forward to 2020!

Nick Powell OH (2017), 4th XI Vice-Captain and 5th XI Captain Player of the Year: Raja Adeel James Osborne OH (2017), 3rd XI Vice-Captain

OHCC 4th XI When the season began in May, few would have anticipated such an actionpacked and successful season for the OH’s new friendly sides. After the 4s debuted last season with six games – a third of a season – this year’s target was nine, with the hope of a 5th XI for one or two games. Those targets were met, and exceeded, as the 4th XI established themselves as an increasingly important part of the club, with the 5s making their bow in 3 fixtures.

The season began with disappointment for the 4th XI, with many students unavailable due to university term dates. It was a young team made up predominantly of 2018 leavers – mainly provided by George Maxwell (2019). With many making their debuts, the team stumbled to an eightwicket defeat against Woking and Horsell. Despite this, however, all those who did make play would return for more fixtures, including James Horner OH (2019), who made 43 off 14 balls.

James Barr’s OH (2017) 68 was not enough to beat Potten End’s 1st XI, but Chris Cecil’s OH (2017) superb maiden century (107*) did the job

Back: Richard Searle, Dan Anders, Sartej Tucker, Will Perkins, Alex Wilson Front: Ollie Phillips, Alex Brown, Mikey Godsmark, Chris Cecil, Steffan Rampersad the lion

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4th XI Captain Mikey Godsmark OH (2017) hands Player of the Year to Will Perkins OH (2017)

Max Vyvyan (2nd XI Vice Captain 2018) presents Player of the Year to Tim Walker OH (2010)

The Lions’ Den continues to grow…

I took over as captain of the club and 1st XI in the autumn of 2010 and, since then, I am proud that there has been mass progress. In 2015, recruitment had become a possibility and performances across the XIs were becoming stronger. By the end of the 2017 season, we had recruited a significant proportion of recent leavers and the future shone bright. Further to this, we were recruiting from the wider community of friends and colleagues who certainly hold the same Hampton values that many of us were brought up with.

3rd XI Captain Sufyan Raza Khan hands Player of the Year to Raja Adeel

Whilst at Hanworth Road's most prominent school, I did not always entertain or value its ethics. I was ‘surly’, most certainly a ‘teenager’ and, sometimes, my behaviour did not reflect today’s public relations shots that we see across most independent schools’ daily, weekly, monthly and yearly communications! However, I will profess complete agreement with, and desire to adhere to, the OH Cricket section’s motto of ‘Enjoy, Compete and try to Win’. I have arrived at the point where I believe we should respect umpires, play competitively, but try to learn where the line of banter, sledging and fairness ends, stay at an away ground for (at least) one drink (alcoholic or not) to show some reverence, turn up on time, take care of the clubhouse and look after our mates on and off the field.

How have I come to this conclusion? The answer is actually fairly reasonable: experience, learning and role models. The former and smaller dynasty group which kept the club alive in the early noughties invested time in me and helped me without reservation. Many thanks to Jim Reid OH (1992), Neil Lizieri OH (2001), Ed Crowe (OH Hon.), Simon Blair (OH Hon.), Ian Humphrey OH (1963), Mark Samways OH (2006) and Matt Bendelow OH (2004). The experiences I had made me wish to captain the 1st XI back in summer 2011 and stick at it until the end of 2019. I have learned many lessons in the nine-season journey and spent some of my most enjoyable times on and off the cricket field at Dean Road and the people I have met have become life-long friends.

Ed Crowe (Vice President and Hon. OH) awards Young Player of the Year to James Vyvyan OH (2017) 202

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Now the time has come to handover the 1st XI to the dynasty builders, in particular Toby Godfray OH (2016) who will lead the team with a new verve.

The club wants to build and we want to play at the next level of the Surrey

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Tom Hunter Award

Fair Play Award

Championship pyramid in Division 2. Toby will be ably supported by Adam Lee OH (2018) as vice-captain and both will have much support in 2020 and beyond.

We enjoyed another well masterminded tour to Brighton’s best and worst corners! We hosted the Brian Gray Memorial 6s tournament and had the first President’s Day fixture versus The Wanderers CC in many years.

Whilst the journey as 1st XI captain on Saturday’s comes to an end, I look forward to our continued progress as a club and our relationship with the school becoming even stronger. Thanks to Mr Ami Banerjee for organising our annual fixtures and joining us as a spectator on the boundary on a number of occasions this summer. Frank Keenan, Mr Paddy Turner, Jim Parrish, Carlos Mills, Chris Harrison and many more have touted the OHACC and we hope to develop these bonds long into the future.

Whilst the 2nd XI promotion is a highlight of the season, the progress of the 4th XI has been significant; James’ Vyvyan’s rich vein of form in the middle stages was exciting on an individual front, but whilst success is often measured by wins, points and trophies, there are other rewards for hard work. ‘Enjoy, Compete and Try to Win’ remains etched on my mind and this attitude and positivity we have taken into our cricket saw us awarded the Fair Play shield for our Division at the Surrey Championship Dinner.

In the Summer of 2019, the OHACC have competed in The Surrey Championship (1st, 2nd and 3rd XIs), 4th & 5th XI Saturday Friendlies, The ECB National Knockout, The Bertie Joel Trophy, The Midweek Surrey Slam, The Cricketer Trophy and The U21 Middlesex Development League.

Thanks to all of you that made 2019 another special season at Fortress Dean Road.

Richard Brown OH (2005), Club Captain (2010-present day)

Old Hamptonian Lodge Most readers will know that the School has its own masonic lodge which was founded in 1938. It caters for the ‘sons and friends’ of Hampton School.

University lodges. The Master of the Lodge this year is a parent of a former pupil – does his son call him ‘Brother’ or ‘Dad’?!

Over the years, many hundreds of old boys, schoolmasters, their friends and relatives have become members. It funds the School Social Services prize and provides modest support to several charitable causes, including the Fitzwygram Foundation.

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 more ‘celebrity’ figures: monarchs have been members; scientists, Sir Alexander Fleming of Penicillin fame being one example; 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.

The Lodge now meets four times a year, on Saturdays, in London. It is one of a group of old school and livery company lodges, dining locally after its meetings. The Lodge is also a ‘recipient lodge’ for those who join Freemasonry in an academic context, while they are at University. These is a considerable overlap between our lodge and the lodges of Oxford and Cambridge – Apollo University Lodge and Isaac Newton University Lodge.

It came as a surprise at our first dinner in London – held at the Hippodrome – when no-less-than the owner of the premises welcomed us with delight. He announced his own membership of a London lodge and added, ‘If your steak is not the best you have had, I want to know about it’.

They subsidise their Heliot Steakhouse to attract potential customers inside.

The ethos of Freemasonry is good citizenship and wide charitable activities – you might find it appeals.

Outgoing sixth formers, recent university graduates, school staff, parents and other friends of the school are very welcome. To express interest in joining, please contact our Secretary James Lawson at secretary@oldhamptonian.org

The Old Hamptonian Lodge has had a good year with five new initiates including a member of staff, as well as three other joining members from

Geoffrey Bourne-Taylor OH (1957)

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Tribute to Alan T Jones 1971 seems a very long time ago – and it is. But I can still remember my first English lesson at Hampton Grammar, as it was then, taught by a short, stout and rather shy man, Alan Jones – known to generations of Hamptonians as ‘ATJ’.

At the end of our first week, he set us our homework for the weekend: a creative writing piece on any subject of our choice. This was much harder than maths homework, where all you had to do was answer the questions; instead, we were expected to come up with something new and original.

To be honest, this rather spoilt my weekends, hanging over me through Saturday and Sunday until, sometime around Sunday teatime, I finally sat down to do the composition. Years later, when we had got to know ATJ rather better, we told him how much we had dreaded doing this weekly chore. ‘Oh’, he replied, ‘you didn’t have to do it, you know…’ We all groaned.

At the end of our first term at Hampton, he also set the annual Christmas Quiz, a fiendish collection of general knowledge questions. In those preInternet days, you could not simply look the answers up on Google, and so we spent the Christmas Holidays visiting libraries, or leafing through dusty encyclopaedias, to find the answers. Again, he was simply trying to open our eyes to knowledge, even if we perhaps did not appreciate this at the time.

Later on, though, we all realised how much our writing skills had improved thanks to his inspired and disciplined teaching. Along with his team – including Keith Ajegbo, Jeremy Sims, Sarah Lyon, Martyn Payne and Jim Scouse – ATJ set high standards, and expected us to meet them.

ATJ was a very modest and private man; but, occasionally, he would let slip a telling detail from his past. I remember him mentioning that he had studied at Christ Church, Oxford – where he admitted that he never really fitted in amongst the toffs and sporty types – and that he had attended a series of lectures on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, given by Professor Tolkien – yes, that one!

‘He spent the first term examining the Prologue…’ ATJ recalled, pausing before adding the killer line: ‘but he only got as far as line 17’.

Despite that warning, I went on to read English at Cambridge – helped once again by ATJ, who had persuaded Gonville and Caius College to allow him to spend a sabbatical term compiling a reading list for recalcitrant teenage boys. I have no doubt that the contacts he made, especially with the famously eccentric J H Prynne, Director of Studies in English, smoothed the path for me and others to win a place at the college.

For me, this was a huge break, enabling me to eventually pursue a career first as a writer, and now also as a teacher of creative writing at Bath Spa University. I could not resist telling my students that I had been taught by a man who had himself been taught by Tolkien. I am not sure they were impressed; they just assumed I must be very old.

I – along with many others – have a lot to thank ATJ for. Many Old Hamptonians remember him and his teaching, and know that we would not have achieved even modest success without the discipline and inspiration he gave us, all those years ago.

So, thank you, Mr Jones.

Stephen Moss OH (1978)

OBITUARIES John Fairman March OH (1945) It is with great sadness that we report the passing of John Fairman March, aged 91, on Thursday 28 February 2019. John was born on the 15 April 1927 in Hampton, Middlesex. He attended Hampton Grammar School between 1938 and 1943, moving to the new school in 1939.

At the age of 15, John began a career with Shell Petroleum Company in 1943, where he worked at the Shell Centre as a buyer in the Oil Refinery Department, until he retired at age 55 in 1983.

For two years, he served with the Royal Corps of Signals in Egypt, after being called up for National Service.

Throughout his long career, John maintained a passionate interest in sports, playing cricket, 204

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hockey, table tennis and bowls at The Lensbury Club, Teddington. Indeed, during the 25 years he played cricket at Lensbury he scored over 18,000 runs.

It was while at the Lensbury Club that he met his wife, Sonia Jane Stanton and they married at St John’s Church in Hampton Wick in 1953, continuing to live in Teddington until 1985.

While in Teddington they had a daughter, Jane Christine, who sadly died at the age of 36.

After his retirement, John and Sonia moved to the Bournemouth area where they were both active in the local bowls and golfing community.

They were members of West Moors Memorial Bowling Club for 36 years and played competitively for much of that time. In their latter years, they very much enjoyed cruising and saw many different parts of the world.

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After several months of illness, John succumbed to cancer and is survived by his wife Sonia, to whom he has been married for 66 years. He will be very much missed by all those that knew him.

Lt. Col. Denis Austin Milford Phipps OH (1946) MBE 13.8.28 - 7.10.17 Denis attended Hampton Grammar from 19391946. Each day he cycled from his home in Strawberry Hill, even during the worst of the Blitz. On one particularly bad morning of bombs, he arrived slightly late to be greeted by the Headmaster who reprimanded him. When Denis explained it was because of the bombings, he was told that this was no excuse! While at Hampton Grammar, he joined the Army Cadet

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Force (a sign of things to come?) and was there from September 1942 to June 1946 by which time he had reached the rank of Under Officer.

Denis took up cross country running, but not with the school. In fact, he was a member of the Thames Valley Harriers and won a medal. When he finally decided to run at school, there was some surprise. His most enjoyable part of running for the school was heading back into the school grounds and past the LEH Sixth Form girls! He also took up public speaking at the school which was to stand him in good stead later in life.

The school suffered, like everywhere else, from losses of staff and old boys. It led to female teachers having to be brought in. The Headmaster announced that these teachers were to be referred to as ‘Sir’ because ‘Miss’ was how you addressed a waitress in Lyon’s Coffee House!

It was one of these new ‘Sirs’ that encouraged Denis to participate in a Shakespeare production.

He was in Blackmore and served as Form Court Representative.

On leaving the school, Denis had been accepted to join the Indian Army. However, their independence put paid to that. He was then offered the opportunity to apply for the British Army. He was successful and became one of the ‘Guinea Pigs’, the first intake for Sandhurst after the war and the first time that grammar school boys were admitted.

Denis spent 26 years in the British Army. When it was decided that they should have their own officers, he transferred from Logistics to the Corps of Royal Military Police. During his career, he served in many overseas postings: Libya, Singapore, Germany, France, Belgium and others. His time in France and Belgium was as the APM at SHAPE during the time that de Gaulle

pulled France out of NATO. Denis was responsible for the relocation of SHAPE from Paris to Mons in Belgium. In Berlin, Denis was in charge of the British sector. He had many tales to tell about his time in the military. His final posting was as a Lieutenant Colonel for the newly formed 1 Regt RMP in Belfast where he served from 1972-74.

Denis left the army after reading an ad and applying for a job with BOAC as a Security Manager. When the airline merged with BEA to become BA, Denis was promoted to Head of Security. He served over 10 years there. His position involved a lot of travel, which he enjoyed. His time with BOAC/BA was a critical time in aviation. Hijackings were an almost everyday occurrence and he became involved with IATA (the industry body) and the UK Department of Transport in the development of programmes to try to prevent the attacks. Security had suddenly become the ‘in’ thing.

Norman Britnor A personal tribute to Norman Britnor – Friday, 1 February 2019 at All Saints’ Church, Weston Green It will be obvious to the most casual observer of Norman’s life that the academic and professional side of it was dominated by his affection for two great schools.

We have already been privileged to hear two wonderful and most moving addresses about Norman’s relationship with the world-renowned St Paul’s.

After his stint with BA, Denis and a partner set up in business to offer their own specialist skills in the sector. Asgard Security Management Services lasted for 26 years.

It was my privilege to be asked to speak of Norman’s association with Hampton School, of which he was equally fond, and I do so with some trepidation in the full knowledge that there are many here today who could speak with much greater personal knowledge about Norman as their long serving contemporary. So, I am indebted to the many exquisite and heartfelt memories and insights into Norman’s contribution to Hampton from large numbers of former colleagues, which were sent to the School when he retired in 1998 and also to Denise, just recently, which she has graciously shared with me.

In 1949, Denis was initiated into Freemasonry at the age of 20, as a Lewis. He was initiated into the lodge his father and uncles were in. He practised his masonry all over the world, wherever his travels took him. He was the Grand Master of the Land Grand Lodge of Germany while serving there. When he left the Army, he returned to his mother Lodge. In 2001, he was appointed the Provincial Grand Master of Surrey and the Grand Superintendent In and Over the Province of Surrey. He finally got around to joining his old school lodge, Old Hamptonian, where he met up with a number of old friends. He served as Master of the Lodge in 2007.

I first met Norman on, I think, 15 May 1996 at about 2:30pm. I was on my first visit to see the School as a candidate for the headship. Graham Able had met me and then passed me over to Norman for a tour. About 40 minutes later, I had decided that it was the one thing I wanted to do next in my life more than anything, and that was entirely due to Norman. We walked round the School. The boys clearly respected him and had no fear. The same could be said of all the teaching staff. He was a million miles from the Draconian stereotype of a principal deputy of an all-boys’ grammar school. There was a warmth and humanity that were evident in abundance. We immediately found a lot of common ground. He

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old hamptonians’ chronicle had started at Hampton Grammar School in September 1961 which was when I had gone to Kingston Grammar School on an 11+ Surrey place. If I had lived in Middlesex, I would probably have started at Hampton at the same time as him and even been in his Form.

His philosophy of education – and it was clear that he lived it rather than merely theorised – plainly had the happiness of boys at the centre of it, and not just their academic ambitions, but also the whole person with the out of classroom development just as important – if not more so – as an education for life. It was evident that he was a man of great intelligence, integrity and decency, but also someone who was completely at one with his surroundings. That was why he had stayed at Hampton for 35 years at that point, about to be 37 by his planned retirement in 1998. I asked him if he would consider continuing as Deputy Headmaster, but he told me that he had firmly made his mind up to go the next year, not the least of his reasons being that he had recently been lucky enough to get married to Denise.

When I spoke to the School Captain of the day, he told me that Mr Britnor never needed to raise his voice, that all the boys had too much respect for him to play him up, and for that reason they would do what he said.

So, one thing led to another. Norman wrote me a lovely letter, typical of his generous spirit, when I got the job, and invited me to stay with him and Denise for an early visit in February 1997 before arriving to take up the job in April 1997. They were magnificent hosts and I had a couple of wonderful days with them and in the School. As I got to know Norman more and more, my admiration increased. The first impressions of a gentle and caring man proved to be correct.

When we got down to the real nitty-gritty of trying to run a school, it was absolutely crystal clear that, despite the sometimes almost innocent and cherubic demeanour, he knew exactly what was going on, he was well up to dealing with any stratagem thrown at him by boy, parent or occasionally colleague, and his understanding of his peers was entire and perfect. I do not think anything was ever going to get past him. And while worldly wise, he bore no man any ill will or rancour. He also had a twinkle in his eye, and I can imagine as a younger man that he played something of a part in the innocent and harmless fun and games that used to inhabit any happy and successful common room.

We must not forget that the Hampton Grammar School that Norman joined was also worldrenowned, at least according to the Headmaster of the day, the redoubtable, ascetic, granite-like, teetotal and latterly ordained Rev George Whitfield, who oft stated, ‘when people overseas want to see an English grammar school, they come 206

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to Hampton’. I did ask Norman why he had stayed so long at Hampton and whether or not he had any hankering to move to another school, for example, his old school, St Paul’s. His answer was that he had already found the right school for him.

Norman’s colleagues loved him and appreciated him. Denise has had many handsome tributes from former colleagues. When Norman retired in 1998, I wrote to former colleagues across the land and was inundated with stories of his days as a younger Master. I have them all here and discretion has to play its part. Those days were more carefree and less regulated, and it was allowed to have fun. Nevertheless, as we all know, Norman knew exactly where the boundary was between fun and poor taste and his judgement was impeccable. For example, there are stories about young staff attempts to undermine the alcohol ban at the then Headmaster’s staff receptions – somewhat successful by the sound of it!

There was a lovely occasion when Norman was acting as Quartermaster / Treasurer of a rugby training camp and forgot that he had a wedge of banknotes in his pockets as he ran into the sea to show solidarity with the boys doing heavy running in the water. Everyone was then most amused to see vast quantities of paper currency pegged on a washing line to dry out. I can remember Norman himself telling me stories about keeping wicket for the somewhat dissident Adullamites Cricket Club, loosely the staff team, and how Norman felt his qualities of decency and fair play were stretched to the limit keeping wicket to a batsman with a wooden leg. Of course, Norman did exactly the right thing.

When I first met him, Norman did not tell me that he had been a school hero at St Paul’s, being Head of School and Captain of the 1st XV, as well as I understand Captain of the 3rd XI cricket; this reminds me of the photograph in the Cricket pavilion taken on his one trip abroad, Hampton 1st XI tour to Barbados 1998, showing Sir Gary Sobers and Jon Cook, Master in charge, having their picture taken with Norman. Norman’s one and only overseas trip was inevitably the Hampton 1st XI tour to Barbados 1998.

Rugby was, of course, his forte and he latterly took up refereeing. Many thought he could have gone all the way to international level, they have told me. Norman, pragmatically, I remember told me that he got fed up with the RFU when they had different rules for schoolboys and for adult matches, so that it was too confusing going from one on a Saturday morning to the other on a Saturday afternoon. If Norman had been in charge, that would never have happened.

I only had one year of professional life alongside Norman, and it was a great education.

Occasionally when Headmasters arrive in schools,

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things apparently change, and it is the role of the Deputy Headmaster to be the link with the staff and the rest of the community. Norman played that role perfectly. There were times when I asked him a question about a plan, or an idea and he would hesitate before answering. If he did that, I knew he was giving me a chance to rethink, which I invariably took. I think he invented non-verbal communication.

He was also so reasonable. He could see every point of view and put himself in anyone’s shoes.

He was probably the most empathetic person I have ever met. That is not to say he did not know his own mind. It is also not to say that he was not the greatest loyalist. In my time with him, I never doubted at all his loyalty to the School and the complete integrity of all his relationships between Deputy and Head, and with his colleagues.

I was delighted when the Boat Club named a boat after him. Here is a photograph of the good ship ‘Norman Britnor’ – ironic really, in that I understand Norman did not much care for water!

Nevertheless, the Boat Club enjoyed his full support and admiration.

As my few words draw to a conclusion, I think I can point to two unique elements of Norman’s service to Hampton.

He taught at Hampton for 37 years and covered pretty well every role from form tutor, careers master, Head of Year, Deputy Headmaster and Headmaster from January until April 1997. He also was invited, itself remarkable when you think about it, to become a Governor of Hampton School. He was overjoyed to be asked. He served with great distinction for twelve years as the voice of experience, calm and reason. I think he must be the only person since 1557 to be a teacher, Headmaster and a Governor of Hampton School.

The second uniqueness is that I remember very clearly telling the Common Room at a Tuesday 11am briefing in about February 2001 that Norman had invited to become a Governor; they cheered the roof off, thereby making Norman the only Headmaster since 1557 to be cheered by the teaching staff.

Norman spent his entire professional life at Hampton. I think the School meant everything to him and he saw it certainly is giving him so much.

Reciprocally, I do not think any man has ever given greater service in so many roles to any school.

I shall treasure every moment I spent in the presence of Norman Britnor. He always struck me as completely content within his own skin.

He understood others. He knew his own mind.

He had worked it all out. He had no envy or a trace of side. He was a great example of how to lead a good life.

old hamptonians’ chronicle When Fiona and I heard that he had had the terrible stroke and understood that he could not communicate, we went to see him with Denise in the hospital in Woking. We took with us a laptop so we could show Norman twenty glorious photographs of scenes of Hampton School life which were about to go on the new website. We showed these to Norman and gave a commentary on each one and it was clear that he was engaged, appreciative and, in fact, loving those Hampton scenes. It was very moving. The tenacity and courage were sustaining of others as well as of him and saw him through the last five years. Mind you, Norman was more than aware of his good fortune in his family and especially in Denise, and everyone here is in wondrous admiration of the support and love they have all shown.

My final and most enduring memory of Norman will be the last time I saw him before Christmas, when I was sitting in the back room at Arch Cottage, overlooking that magnificent and long garden. We were sipping some delicious tea.

Norman was sitting in his special chair. There were two huge dogs at his feet both gazing up at him in utter adoration – I suppose the biscuit he was holding in his hand might have had some to do with it – and he said all of a sudden, a propos of nothing, ‘I’m very content with my lot. I don’t want for anything. I’m very comfortable. I’m a very happy man’. I went there hoping to cheer him up and came away from that last meeting renewed and invigorated. His attitude to life, whatever fate had for him, was nothing short of inspirational.

Thank you, Norman. You were the finest example I ever knew of a great tradition: the post-war allround and academic English School Master.

God bless you, Norman. Rest in peace.

Barry Martin Headmaster Hampton School 1997-2013

friends at the Celebration and Thanksgiving for his life on 9 September. His family have kindly allowed us to share their tribute:

telephone or email, affirming his commitment to the cause and his support for the way things were unfolding. This commitment was in part due to his personal experience of the transformative power of education at the time of his father’s illness and the tragic death of his younger brother when Laurence was about 12. It was a mark of his integrity, social conscience and personal generosity that he supported so fully, in all ways, the aims of The Fitzwygram Foundation.

As a Governor, Laurence’s approach in formal meetings was to speak when he had something to say. As the new Headmaster I very quickly made up my mind that, whenever he spoke, I would listen very intently and hang on every word. He had an extremely incisive intellect and his comments were succinct and very much focused and targeted on the key issues. His insightful and pertinent interventions in meetings were especially valuable in that they were timed to perfection, shone a clear but kindly light on woolly thinking and invariably swayed the debate at just the key moment. When he took over as Chairman of the Fitzwygram Foundation, it seemed about the best possible development and appointment.

Laurence’s untimely death in August 2019 was a huge loss to Hampton and to The Fitzwygram Foundation. We are fortunate that in the 1980s he chose Hampton for his son, Chris, who went on to be School Vice-Captain in 1993. Laurence was a committed and much respected Governor and a driving force behind the establishment of the Fitzwygram Foundation, a cause dear to his heart, and its first Chairman.

While the expert analyst, Laurence was far from one-dimensional. He operated in many registers and his emotional intelligence was fully developed.

He picked up every nuance and inflection in discussion and was remarkably tuned in to any debate and the characteristics of the dramatis personae. His decision to stand back from his stellar financial career, in order to study music more formally led to a second career in performance and composition. His enthusiasm and passion were uplifting. There are plans for a memorial concert of his vast and varied repertoire of compositions next year, to raise money for causes that were dear to his heart. One can merely speculate as to what he might have achieved if Laurence had chosen music as his career in his late teens.

During his period of enforced absence through illness, he never missed an opportunity to

Hampton School and the Fitzwygram Foundation joined Laurence’s family and many

Laurence Llewellyn BSc MBA FCMA FRSA MMus 1948-2019 Hampton School Governor 1994-2019; Chairman of Trustees of The Fitzwygram Foundation

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‘As many of you know, Laurence was a true polymath, able to tum his hand to anything he chose, and always keen to try new things. The notes, comments and stories we have received since he passed away have touched us, both in terms of their diversity and their commonality. Diversity, reflecting his enormous array of achievements: a highly varied career, moving through the automotive industry to finance, and finally to becoming an award winning musical composer and performer in his mid-fifties; a (semi accomplished!) rower, windsurfer and squash player; a student of history and politics; an executive producer of independent films; a director and mentor to a number of start-up companies; a school governor and driving force behind the establishment of the Hampton School Fitzwygram Foundation to support access for underprivileged children; a dedicated husband, father and grandfather.

Commonality, reflecting his character traits: determination and bravery, particularly in the face of his illness; acutely sharp intellect; wisdom and judgment in counselling others; a commitment to developing others around him, striking a perfect balance between directness and encouragement; a cheeky sense of humour; bold ambition; a love of fine wines and grappa; and, above all, a genuine human being.’

Laurence Llewellyn and his genuine humanity will be sorely missed by all.

Barry Martin Chairman of Trustees of The Fitzwygram Foundation 2019-present day

Colin Basson 1936-2019 Colin was a Hamptonian through and through.

At his funeral, his oldest friend, Alan Rodger, recounted 70 years of friendship which began in

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old hamptonians’ chronicle 1947 on their first day at Hampton Grammar, as it was then, when they were both aged 11.

Alan recalled that Colin participated in virtually all the sports available at the time: cricket, tennis, table tennis, swimming, athletics, water polo and football, all with some success. His cricketing career was marred by breaking his right arm in the school playground; it was reset badly, leaving him with a bent arm which caused umpires to call no ball, thinking he had thrown it. Having seen my father play as a veteran, and witnessed him umpiring veteran matches, I can well imagine the exchange of views which took place on the pitch when he was a younger man! He was a strong swimmer and enjoyed his time in goal in the water polo team. However, his main sport at school and afterwards was football. He played for the school in most age groups, captaining the 1st XI for two years, also representing the county at Under 21 level. He continued to play Old Boys’ football for as long as he could, having a distinguished career in the 1st XI at a very successful time for the club and then in the lower sides and the Veterans before doing a stint as a very opinionated referee. After school, he took up hockey and captained the Mixed B team at Hampton and Sunbury Hockey club where he met his first wife, Barbara.

As well as his football, he also enjoyed playing cricket, golf and bridge. He did not stop at sporting activities and was active for many years in the Old Hamptonians’ Amateur Dramatic Society, distinguishing himself in cameo roles such as whistling policemen or one-line butlers. As Alan remembers, whatever club or society Colin joined, he was inevitably asked to take on key roles as either Treasurer, Secretary or Chairman. He enthusiastically took on the chairmanship of the Old Hamptonians’ Association from 1982 to 1984, something in which he took great pride to the end of his life. He was delighted when his grandson turned out for the OH 1st XI at cricket and spotted his grandfather’s name on the board of past Chairmen.

Having taken part in the CCF at school, at 18 he did his National Service in the Army and spent time in Germany where he managed to use his schoolboy German to good effect. Unusually, he was promoted to Lance Corporal during his short period of service and his discharge documents stated, in language characteristic of the time, that he rendered ‘excellent service and proved himself to be first class in every way.’

He went on to join the Civil Service and worked in the Home Office for most of his career,

specialising in the administration and modernisation of the prison system. One aspect of this involved him having personal responsibility for the management of the select group of prisoners convicted of serious espionage offences. From the sublime to the ridiculous, he was also very proud of having obtained the contract for the manufacture of road signage for the prison service.

Outside work, he was involved in local politics, standing – unsuccessfully – as a Liberal candidate. He was never one to shy away from a good political argument, usually accompanied by a bottle or two of red wine!

Colin came from a line of Old Hamptonian freemasons and joined his father, Edwin at the Lodge almost upon leaving school. Although he remarried in 1994 and moved away to Somerset, he still came back to Hampton to the Lodge whenever he could.

The family hope that it might be possible to dedicate a bench to him at the Old Boys’ Pavilion where he spent many, many happy hours – this is where he would have most wanted to be remembered.

Kathryn Basson

In Memoriam Name Colin Basson Gordon Bates Stephen Boley Barry Bransden Norman Britnor Anthony Burningham Bob Buttress Michael Daniels Graham Dundas Robert Fletcher Robin Ford Roy Gardener Dr Richard Harris Peter Hartley Stuart Kennett Laurence Llewellyn Edward Lumsden John March Lt. Col. Denis Phipps Owen Pugh Arthur Reynolds Brian Robins Bryan Smalley Colin Street 208

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Birth Date 1936-2019 1922-2018 1947-2019 1930-2018 1939-2019 1937-2019 1935-2018 1941-2018 1960-2019 1925-2019 1945-2018 1939-2019 d 2019 1941-2017 1930-2019 1948-2019 1946-2019 1927-2019 1928-2017 1926-2018 1941-2018 1934-2018 1931-2018 1947-2018

the magazine of hampton school

Dates at School 1948-1954 (OH) 1934-1938 (OH) 1958-1965 (OH) 1941-1947 (OH) 1961-1997 (Staff & Former Governor) 1948-1955 (OH) 1946-1952 (OH) 1952-1959 (OH) 1971-1973 (OH) 1936-1941 (OH) 1956-1962 (OH) 1950-1958 (OH) 1974-2009 (OH) 1952-1959 (OH) 1941-1946 (OH) 1992-2019 (Governor & Chairman of the Fitzwygram Foundation) 1959-1963 (OH) 1938-1943 (OH) 1939-1946 (OH) 1938-1943 (OH) 1952-1960 (OH) 1946-1952 (OH) 1943-1947 (OH) 1959-1966 (OH) 2018-2019

The Lion 2018 - 2019

2018 2019