ONA Now and Then

As Headmaster of the RGS (and working in a large office just feet away from the redoubtable Jane Medcalf who compiles this magazine), I am allowed a sneak preview of the next publication before penning my contribution. Just as well: how else could I attempt to do justice to the sheer range of information contained in this one?

Let’s start with the people. There’s no doubt that ONs travel, and travel well! Thus we read of chance meetings, reunions and reminiscences from ONs of all generations: we see medics at various stages of their careers apparently encompassing the globe. And, among the youngest ONs featured, we have Tom Rowley (01-08) setting off to further his journalistic career in the States, while athlete Eleni Papadopoulos (08-10) has her sights firmly fixed on the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

Sport has always played a part in school life at the RGS, though across a much broader spectrum than its intractably rugby-oriented reputation sometimes suggests to the uninformed! So, as we start using our magnificent new Swimming Pool (the barriers and danger signs now removed!), it’s good to look back to the opening of The Sutherland Swimming Bath, a far-sighted and forward-thinking addition to the school back in 1930 that established swimming as the major RGS sport it remains to this day (I can’t resist just boasting here of the RGS Junior School’s U11 girls becoming national champions in June).

While still looking back, it’s entertaining to read an account of boxing at the RGS, a sport that is problematic for schools nowadays and therefore rarely undertaken. I wonder whether the circulation of this edition of the magazine will fuel the rumours, which still surface from time to time among the current student body, that somewhere in an imaginary cellar hidden under the Main Hall there is still a perfect boxing ring. This autumn will see a powerful rugby theme in the school. The John Elders Memorial Match on 2 October will honour the memory of a truly great man: what a privilege it was for those who knew him to be taught and inspired by someone who added so much both to the school’s rugby and to that of the nation. I guess, in the modern world of professional sport, that dual role is unimaginable now.

Nonetheless, professional sport will come to the RGS in October, when the Scottish national team uses the school as its training base for the Rugby World Cup. Our own Jim Pollock (66-77), of course, should be on hand to give them some tips (if they have the sense to ask). And I can’t resist mentioning, somewhat mischievously, that Jim now features in a museum! His Scotland cap is part of an exhibition in Newcastle’s Discovery Museum. And there’s one further rugby connection in the fact that we’ll be delighted to welcome former England international Jonathan Webb (74-81) as speaker at the ONA Annual Dinner at school on Friday 16 October.

Finally, I must draw your attention to the piece by Christian Gardner (00-07) that warms the heart. He is frank about the way in which he benefited from bursary support at the school, and how he feels it is time to give back and share some of his success that he attributes to the opportunities afforded to him by the school. It’s a warm and generous statement and I commend it to you. The Bursary Campaign is as close to my heart as it is central to the school’s historical mission. I am delighted that the ONA is throwing its weight behind the campaign and I hope that many of you will consider following that outstanding example set by Christian.

Plenty to read, then: and plenty of events in which to share. Enjoy the magazine!

Bernard Trafford

Headmaster

ONA Now and Then

Changing Lanes

With completion of the new Swimming Pool this year we look back through TheNovocastrian, to its celebrated beginnings when ON SirArthur Munro Sutherland (1878-1883), “prince of givers”, donated the swimming bath to the school in 1930, when Chairman of Governors.

School Baths

On June 20th the baths, presented to the school by Sir Arthur Munro Sutherland, were opened by the Lady Mayoress, Miss Stephenson. The ceremony was as short as possible, and for that we were grateful, for the heat, particularly on the balcony, where a section of the school were packed rather tightly, was intense. These were the real heroes of the day, and how they managed to cheer in an atmosphere where breathing was difficult is more than I can tell. After the School Song had been sung, Sir Arthur formally presented the bath to the school, and Bewick handed to him a silver cigar-box, for which the school had subscribed in gratitude to Sir Arthur for his magnificent gift. Sir Arthur Lambert thanked the donor, and in the course of his speech called him “a prince of givers.” He also challenged him to a race across a couple of breadths of the bath, but I heard no word of acceptance. The Lady Mayoress then declared the baths open, at Sir Arthur Sutherland’s request. Despite the confusion in local newspapers, the silver rose-bowl which Mr. Marshall presented on behalf of Messrs. Marshall & Tweedy, the architects, and Messrs JR Rutherford & Sons, the contractors, was intended for the Lady Mayoress, not for Sir Arthur. When Mr Beckingham, the ViceChairman of the Governors, had moved a vote of thanks to the Lady Mayoress, the official ceremony was over, and the favoured few with red tickets were allowed to pass out immediately and see the bath in use. While the rest were waiting in the Hall, Mr B Johnson played selections on the organ. Despite the huge crowds which were present, the whole assembly passed through the baths in a very orderly manner, though Captain Robinson experienced some difficulty in keeping the people on the edge of the bath on the move. Captain Robinson and Mr Magnay were in charge of the display, and for an informal exhibition, the swimming was extremely good.

Sandison’s bell was particularly impressive. The swimming bath is the most valuable and most useful gift ever presented to the school, though of course Sir Arthur’s other gift, the memorial organ, is indispensable, and the more one learns of the plant installed in the baths and the extraordinary measures for cleanliness and freshness, the greater grows one’s admiration. The actual measurements of the bath are

The Sutherland Swimming Bath, 1952, Newts in practice

seventy feet by thirty feet, a remarkable size for a school bath. The water is filtered, aerated, warmed, and sterilized continuously, and the whole of the seventy thousand gallons is changed every four hours.

The completion of the baths by June 20th was a very great feat, and the architects and builders are to be congratulated. Already swimming is well under way, and we can now look forward to the time when the RGS will be a really eminent swimming school. Just after this article goes to Press, the team from Cambridge University is giving a display in the bath. We wish them luck, and feel sure that they will find the appointments entirely to their liking.

The Novocastrian, Vol. XLIV, No.2, July 1930 pp.88-89

Under construction: the new Swimming Pool in June 2015