The Old Johnian 2023

THE OLD JOHNIAN

A

MESSAGE FROM THE

OJ Committee Chair

Dear fellow Old Johnians and Friends

I remember Saturday 1 July 1995 like it was yesterday. The sun was shining, Speech Day had just finished and I was emptying my study into my Renault 5 (now collectible, I wish I’d kept her) for the final time. Andrew Philips walked past and asked what I was off to do next. I was headed to Bristol University after a gap year working at the French exchange school (Institution St Michel) in Solesmes. The next five years were mapped out and life looked thoroughly rosy. It was a sad day, though, driving out of Linden Pit Path from the School that had given me so much and been home for five years.

28 years later and I can still remember the minutest of details from that time with such clarity. The subsequent two decades, however, feel like a bit of a blur…

As I write this (late 2023), the unseasonal sun has taken me back to that day and reminded me that countless other OJs have since gone through the same ritual of packing up and moving to the next chapter. Our community now numbers somewhere near 6,000 and it is always such a joy to read about the different journeys we have been on and different experiences we have lived since walking out of the School gates – I hope you enjoy reading updates in this magazine and we’d love to hear from you if you’ve not written in before.

This year feels like the School has bounded back with a flourish and I am delighted that Alex Tate has returned to St John’s as the new Head. The OJs officially welcomed The Head and celebrated 75 years of Surrey House at the OJ Dinner (read more on page 62).

After the seven hugely enjoyable years I have spent Chairing the Old Johnian committee, I now feel it is the right time to hand over the tiller to someone new who can lead our community into its next chapter. In the words of Lord Kitchener (those posters ever adorning History classrooms in my day): “Your Committee Needs You!”.

It’s not only an honour, it’s also great fun and helps the whole community celebrate their own time (chapter) at St John’s.

We would love to see more representation of our diverse community, particularly from the more recent years. If you think you could spare the time to attend two committee meetings a year (often on Zoom) and get involved in advising the Development Office on events and activities, please do get in touch.

It has been an honour being able to represent you all and I thank you for your support and enthusiasm over the years. know the OJ community has a bright and exciting future ahead of it.

Mark Cooper Ch’95

Old Johnian Committee Chair

The

From The Head’s Desk

It is with great honour and immense pride that I share the culmination of dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment that has propelled the St John’s community to achieve extraordinary things this year.

As we reflect upon the trials and triumphs of the past twelve months, we are reminded of the words of the renowned American author, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” These words echo through the corridors, on the sports field, on the stage and within all aspects of school life, reminding us that true greatness resides not in our external circumstances, but in the depths of our character and the limitless potential of our human spirit. This is a message I hope our pupils leave St John’s understanding, allowing them to go into the world with an internal confidence to navigate whatever comes their way.

Achievement comes in many forms and our pupils continue to take part in a vast array of academic opportunities and have had many great successes in local and national competitions. One of my highlights from this year will be sitting in my office with a team of pupils who entered a chemistry competition and received a Head’s Commendation for their efforts. When I asked them about their experience of the day, they talked about their excitement when they realised one of the challenges was a titration and I thought to myself how awesome, how many teenagers would sit in The Head’s office to discuss how super excited they were to get a titration challenge in a chemistry competition. They are shining examples of what we are trying to instil in our pupils, a genuine love of learning.

These significant achievements sit alongside the many other opportunities our pupils take part in from the UKMT mathematics challenges, science Olympiad’s, a series of library lectures, poetry competitions, activities during science week (including the much anticipated science staff quiz), a Shakespeare symposium, and EPQ presentations amongst others. We also like to have some fun, with this year seeing us celebrate World Book Day with proceeds from our non-uniform day going to the National Literacy Trust. The MFL Bake-Off competition was really popular and a truly outstanding showcase of culinary talent, although I have still not recovered from all of the tasting required and it was very difficult to choose a winner. With shoes filled with chocolate outside classroom doors to celebrate Christmas in the German department we have worked to meet our goal of stitching a sense of fun in to school life.

Not to be outdone by the pupils, the staff in the Catering Department also entered their own competition. Congratulations to Billy Bassett, Head Chef, and Mark Ingram, Sous Chef, for winning the Gold Award in the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef Team of the Year Competition. You can read more about their achievement on page 20.

It was a delight to see so many families attending the careers event in the Autumn Term, which saw careers from many walks of life represented inspiring our pupils to aim high to achieve their ambitions. Pupils have learnt a variety of skills, including pitching, trading, medical ethical decision making, constructing a legal case and much more! We are always looking for volunteers, so please do get in touch if you would like to support our careers programme. Find out more on page 65.

It is important to remember that this was the first full school year free from any Covid restrictions, which afforded us the opportunity of a full return to normality. Nothing captured this more than a full return to the House Singing Competition, which is one of my absolute highlights in the House competition calendar. It is always a special moment in which each house comes together from the youngest to the oldest and the senior pupils lead their Houses.

The recent GCSE and A level art exhibition displayed the creative arts at their best and we congratulate all those pupils on not only the quality of their work but recognition of the artistic emotion required to produce pieces of such a high standard.

The jam-packed Performing Arts Department programme has not been short of quality this year. From informal lunchtime recitals, which are a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to gain confidence performing to an intimate audience, to the Concerto Competition in the Autumn Term, which allowed pupils the opportunity to perform with a professional orchestra and pupils from Lower Third to Upper Sixth played with accomplishment and vibrancy well beyond their years.

The Whole School musical Sweeney Todd showcased musical theatre at its best. The professional standard of the performance captured the growth of the performing arts at St John’s. Alongside rock concerts, cabaret evenings and the Summer Concert, the vast array of opportunity is credit to all of those involved in the department. It will come as no surprise that at the end of this year we will have seen more than a threefold increase in the percentage of pupils (now close on 40%) involved in the performing arts than five years ago and double the number of pupils engaging in peripatetic lessons.

The GCSE and A level drama pupils performed 21 pieces across the Spring and Summer Terms. Standout performances in particular, were from the Upper Sixth with their haunting story telling of Pool No Water’ by Mark Ravenhill where their gritty naturalism made us feel like we were not so much a part of the audience, but more like participants in some sort of group counselling session. I will also remember with some trepidation the production of A Series of Public Apologies’ where the audience was so close to the action, I was nearly taken out by a placard during the riot scene!

Adventure is alive and well at St John’s with over 75 pupils achieving DofE across all three levels in the last year. It was a pleasure to celebrate with many of you at the awards dinner. The current gold group have taken part in our first canoe expeditions, although upon hearing about the many locks they had to navigate it is clearly not any easier than walking!

This year saw the CCF have a biannual inspection and whilst rain put paid to the gun run (much to my disappointment) it was a delight to see this aspect of school life in full display. In the report received by the Inspecting Officer he noted staff and pupil enthusiasm and commitment and stated that St John’s has, “a strong well- supported contingent who are evidently a central part of the St John’s School experience and filled with energetic staff and cadets alike.”

Our pupils are not just inward-looking but outward-looking as well. Their involvement in community service is significant and their motivation is a genuine desire and commitment to community contribution. Nothing captures this more than the Community Holiday. am humbled to see Old Johnians returning year after year and now operating as senior staff for the Community Holiday. I am delighted this initiative continues and I hope those find this a rewarding, if challenging experience.

The March Enrichment Day embraced the theme of Making a Difference where pupils volunteered in a variety of activities for the first time, and you can read more about how they supported our local community on page 11.

Our community engagement is ever growing and St John’s recently hosted a series of local primary school visits to use our science facilities, which our Lower Sixth pupils contributed to, hopefully inspiring the next generation of A level scientists. We also planted a phenomenal 840 saplings at the New Fields site in support of the Woodland Trust.

In the sporting year of 2022/2023 the School broke every participation and fixture record ever seen. Across 14 sports the School fielded 213 teams (with 90% of our pupil body representing the School) that competed in more than 2,000 competitive fixtures. We also welcomed back many major sports touring the globe with hockey teams visiting Holland, rugby playing in France and cricket and netball competing across the United Arab Emirates. All sports have notable achievements as I can attest to with the number of celebration breakfasts and dinners I have had the privilege of inviting the pupils to.

When you come to St John’s everyday it is easy to forget the sheer beauty of the environment in which we work. The team are always looking to enhance the facilities and this year saw some glamorous projects and some less so. The sad news of the loss of St Mark’s Church, the founding location of the School, reminded us to be thankful for our beautiful surroundings.

Speech Day is always a perfect opportunity to celebrate success but also to offer thanks and goodbye to those who have contributed in many different ways. This year saying goodbye to our Upper Sixth carried particular significance as they were the trail blazers of the Lower School, parents and pupils alike, as our first 11+ intake which has added so much value to the St John’s community. It feels like just yesterday when they stepped across the threshold, brimming with curiosity and eager to explore the world around them.

As Upper Sixth enjoyed their final Speech Day and their Leavers’ Ball, it marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. It was a moment in which we cherished the memories we�ve created together, the lessons we�ve learned, and the friendships that have blossomed within these walls.

As I move on from St John’s, I encouraged pupils to embrace the unknown with open arms, for it is in the realm of the unfamiliar that you will find the greatest opportunities for growth. I also reminded them of the important of being kind to others, for compassion has the power to change lives. Embrace diversity, and seek to understand different perspectives. The world is vast and full of wonders, waiting for you to explore and make a positive impact.

Rebecca Evans Acting Head (2022-23)

Summer 2023

FAREWELL FROM THE SCHOOL CAPTAINS

Whilst it is impossible to summarise our seven years at St John’s in a few words, we hope we give you a sense of the wonderful time we have had at the School and a flavour of some of the many memories we will cherish as we move forward.

Our cohort was the first at Lower Third entry and our seven years at St John’s have been marked by history. Seeing the School in full force both before and after the pandemic, the passion for tradition has only strengthened, to which anyone who has experienced the fervour of the House Pancake Race can testify. Our year group has worked hard to rekindle the unique house spirit by taking a lead in competitions and continually integrating younger pupils into house events. We have been proud leaders of our houses, and having learnt from past pupils, we hope we have done the roles justice.

We have been privileged to see and be a part of every school tradition. Whether that’s been the House Pancake Race or House Singing Competition, we have seen it all. This year we have particularly enjoyed being able to lead the fantastic competitions that we have watched and been a part of for so many years. We have also valued the bonds we have made with our teachers in our Sixth Form years. At St John’s we are so lucky to have such amazing teachers who take the time to make genuine relationships with you and support you through the ups and downs of school life.

With the extra stress and pressure that can come at this stage, these relationships have been what have got us through, and they have only grown stronger over this time. From catering and grounds staff to academic and house staff, we would like to thank all the staff for caring for us, both practically and pastorally, throughout our years at St John’s.

For us, the role of School Captain has exceeded all expectations. It has been the most rewarding challenge. Both of us have been honoured to lead the School this year as it has been a goal of ours since the beginning of Lower Third. From being School Captains, we have learnt the importance of teamwork and communication skills as well as using people�s strengths and sharing a workload. It has been a privilege to be trusted with bridging pupil and staff bodies and something that we haven’t taken lightly. Seeing what goes on behind the scenes in meetings and preparing Chapel talks, amongst other duties, has taught us what a well-oiled machine St John’s is, in which everyone plays their part to ensure it runs as smoothly as it does.

Our thanks must extend to our excellent team of Prefects. Their talents spanning all areas of school life have enabled us to support and encourage many pupils across different year groups, and we are proud to have led such a dynamic and kind team. In embodying and demonstrating the St John�s values to younger pupils, they have helped contribute to an environment in which each pupil can flourish and feel wellsupported. This is not without the great efforts of the Senior Leadership Team, whose work we have been grateful to see behind the scenes, and we thank Mrs Evans and Mr Mogford for entrusting us with this role and for guiding us throughout.

Many pupils favourite memories from St John�s, and certainly ours, would have to be the three school musicals. From the inaugural musical Legally Blonde to Miss Saigon and playing the lead role in Sweeney Todd in our Upper Sixth year, it has been a wonderful journey. The sense of community is something many value about St John’s, and the musicals have been a great example of bringing together pupils from across the year groups. Performing these professional standard shows to an auditorium full of friends, teachers, and family has been a highlight and something we will remember forever. Special

For us, the role of School Captain has exceeded all expectations. It has been the most rewarding challenge.

thanks must go to Mr White for the sheer hard work and dedication he always puts into these productions. It is his passion for the performing arts which he shares with pupils that has made these shows so spectacular.

It is difficult to single out only one memory that we will treasure most. The Christmases we have spent at St John’s have been special: carols in Chapel and around the Christmas tree on the Quad, the traditional boarding Christmas dinner, house rugby and hockey, and the Rock Concert all being highlights. House Singing is also unforgettable. It is no mean feat to get your whole house to sing something (vaguely) tuneful and the whole school enjoys coming together to hear each other sing with gusto. Our first walk up the Chapel aisle as a prefect team is another proud memory. We will also always remember our first days back after lockdowns. We learnt that you really won’t know how much you will miss something until it is gone, and we enjoyed returning to our second home after all that time.

One of the greatest privileges of our role has been getting to know younger pupils. If we could give one piece of advice to new pupils it would be to throw yourselves into everything. Time really flies; one minute you put on your new blazer and huge backpack, and the next you sing your last hymn in Chapel and play your last sports match. Be courageous and try new things. Care for others knowing that you are surrounded by a community that cares for you. Having thrown ourselves into and enjoyed every aspect of school life, it is our hope that we leave you inspired to do the same. We hope that in St John’s you find a home as we have.

Daisy

Murray and Jacob Costard School Captains 2022-2023

Community

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE ST JOHN’S SCHOOL COMMUNITY HOLIDAY

Over the past ten years, St John’s School Community Holiday has welcomed children with disabilities aged 10 to 18, providing a fun-filled residential stay. The week-long holiday sees our Sixth Form pupils volunteer to provide every visiting child with one-to-one care and attention, involving games, stories, activities, trips, and plenty of laughter.

Every year, St John’s pupils, alumni, and staff participate in training and fundraising activities, ensuring the full team is equipped to deliver the best week possible. The training would not be possible without the support of two Old Johnians, Livvy and Cat. Many former pupils return to volunteer again each year, with new helpers joining every year too.

The 2023 holiday took place from 19 to 26 August, welcoming 24 extraordinary children who were cared for by a fantastic team of 47 present and former St John’s pupils, alongside St John’s staff and a few external volunteers.

If you would like to contribute towards the fantastic work of the Eagle Community Holiday, please visit www.justgiving. com/page/stjohnscommunityholiday

Making use of the School’s boarding houses and spacious grounds, our wonderful guests enjoyed an assortment of exciting activities including a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, dancing, swimming, cooking, a magician, and a visit from a petting zoo. Day trips included the children testing their nerves on the low and high ropes at High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre, soaking in the sunshine at Littlehampton Beach, meeting farm animals at Bocketts Farm Park, and thrillseeking at Chessington World of Adventures.

“The children enjoyed a great week of fun activities and loved the companionship of their helpers looking after them one-on-one. To reach the point of hosting the holiday for ten years is remarkable and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of so many talented and dedicated staff.” – Registered Manager, Neil Whitmore

During the week, the Community Holiday hosted a visitors’ evening to celebrate the ten-year anniversary, welcoming visitors to watch an exceptional fashion show and join the nightly singsong. Many visitors commented on how heartwarming of an event it was, and the enjoyment they took in seeing the children having such a great time.

The holiday offers unique social opportunities for our guests and staff alike. The feedback we receive every year demonstrates how invaluable the Community Holiday is, not only due to the support it provides to the children’s wellbeing but also the often much-needed respite it gives to parents and carers.

I never seem to have the right words to be able to appropriately thank you for the incredible week you give our children. It’s so special what you and all the wonderful helpers do for us. They had the most fun time, were very stimulated, and gained independence in so many ways. It’s given us some much-needed precious one-on-one time with my eldest before they depart for university in a few weeks. It's wonderful to have the break knowing how happy and cared for my child is. Thank you so much.

– Parent

I always knew it was a very special week you organised, but I can’t believe the change in my child, it’s absolutely wonderful. I never think there are enough words, but we are so thankful for the holiday. It’s so incredible in so many ways.

– Parent

Once again, I had the best week, and I feel so honoured to have the opportunity to be involved in such an amazing organisation. I know it would not be possible without all your hard work, so thank you.

– Volunteer

In celebration of the last decade and in honour of its St John’s roots, the Community Holiday will be renamed to the St John’s School Eagle Community Holiday, where everyone can soar. With sights set on 2024, the holiday staff will commence planning and fundraising to keep building on the success year after year.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

As the busy Spring Term neared its end, we took the opportunity to use our Enrichment Day on Thursday 23 March to support our local community with the hope of making a difference.

Our pupils are passionate, energetic, and inventive when it comes to finding ways to support local charities and fundraise for causes they care about; 5,284 hours of service are already offered by St John’s pupils on average each year, and we are always looking for ways in which the St John’s community can help others and have a positive impact.

Several senior school pupils took part in our first Make a Difference Day, where they chose from a number of local volunteering opportunities.

A group of pupils spent the day in the Dining Hall with our Head Chef, Billy, preparing food for Leatherhead Start, a local charity that provides shortterm and emergency accommodation for local people facing homelessness. Pupils then delivered the prepared meals to the centre in time for their evening meal and created advertising for a collection of items needed by the charity.

A group of pupils offered gardening and outdoor maintenance support to local vulnerable and elderly residents. Several pupils offered their support as volunteers at the Woodland Trust – Langley Vale Woods, participating in conservation work including the removal of invasive species on fences and the managing of saplings.

A number of pupils also helped with gardening and grounds maintenance at the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People, assisting the charity in creating a welcoming environment

The true strength of a community can only be measured by the individual actions of each individual within it and Make a Difference Day allowed us, as a school, to demonstrate the importance we place on developing the connections with our entire St John’s community.

– Ian White, Deputy Head (Logistics & Co-Curricular)

for residents and their families at their injury and illness rehabilitation centre.

The Queen Elizabeth Foundation provide care and rehabilitation facilities for people recovering from injuries and complex illnesses such as brain or spinal injuries, and their grounds are used by their residents and visiting families to support their recovery.

Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network, who hosted the Ukraine Summer Languages Camp at St John’s in the summer of 2022, welcomed our pupil volunteers to work alongside charity members sorting donated items to be sent to Ukraine. Pupils also welcomed the opportunity to meet with refugees and help with conversational English workshops. Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network provide support to refugees and asylum seekers in the local area.

Pupils offered classroom support at three local schools: St Peter’s, Leatherhead Trinity, and West Ashtead Primary. They enjoyed supporting classroom teaching with a range of learning activities and loved getting involved in break time and sporting activities.

A number of houses took part in fundraising activities, including the South House charity walk across Box Hill, and Gloucester House visiting Barnfield Riding Stables, which provide riding for the disabled, to help with painting and maintenance for the charity. Other house fundraising activities included Hawkins House's three peaks walking simulation for FND Hope, and Haslewood and Surrey House raising funds for Momentum with a day of challenges.

Pupils found the time spent volunteering and fundraising within our local community invaluable. They came back to St John’s with a proud sense of achievement, having learnt new skills, and most importantly reflective of the importance of the support they had given.

We rightly pride ourselves on the strength of our school community, but Make a Difference Day was an opportunity to also recognise this within our wider community. The ability to support local residents, schools, and charities not only helps embed the ethos of giving back but also allows pupils to gain skills and experiences that they will remember for a long time to come.

PERFORMING

Arts

at St John’s

By Ollie White, Director of Performing Arts

As I write this, and I approach the end of my fifth year as Director of Performing Arts, I feel immensely proud of how the department has grown over that time with pupil engagement, breadth of repertoire, and overall standard. It is difficult to judge how a department devoted to performance achieves success quantitatively, but this year we have seen:

Over 12,000 PERIPATETIC LESSONS IN MUSIC, DRAMA, AND DANCE

PERFORMING ARTS

SEVERAL PUPILS ARE OFF TO CHORAL AND ORGAN SCHOLARSHIPS, CONSERVATOIRES, AND VOCATIONAL MUSICAL THEATRE COLLEGES

We have also invested in further equipment, with the help of the SJPA and the Estates Department and we now are the proud owners of 13 new radio microphones and handheld microphones and a new system of curtains for within the PAC, which creates the ability to turn it from concert hall to theatre very quickly. But more than with facts and figures, it is in the indefinable qualitative joy that the department has brought pupils and parents where one’s true satisfaction lies. The zest and joy that has been on the faces of the pupils involved betters any statistic.

Nowhere was this more evident than in our centrepiece for the year, when we returned to Leatherhead Theatre to perform Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece, Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the end of the Spring Term. In 17 years of working in various schools across the South East, this production really was the most atmospheric, sophisticated, and gripping performance of a musical I have seen. The talent across all of the principal cast was astonishing, and the focus from the ensemble was electric. Pupils were working backstage moving scenery,

Around 90% OF ALL EXAMINATIONS AND DIPLOMAS HAVE BEEN GRADED MERIT OR DISTINCTION

Almost 40% OF THE SCHOOL ENGAGE IN THE CO-CURRICULAR PERFORMING ARTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS (UP FROM 12% FIVE YEARS AGO)

stage managing, and fitting radio mics, and we even had pupils joining the professional band in the pit. So much wonderful praise for the pupils' performances was sent in. They truly performed with an emotional maturity, sincerity, and intensity that is rarely seen in a school production but in some ways the following quote sums it up well “not just exceptional for a school production, but exceptional full stop!” The performances from the two main leads, Will and Daisy, were quite simply astonishing. Daisy in particular gave a tour de force performance as the pie shop owner, Mrs Lovett.

The Autumn Term is historically always the home to the legendary House Singing Competition, this year adjudicated by Mr Simon Bland, Director of Music at Haileybury and former Assistant Director of Music at St John's. It began with our (now regular) scholars' barbecue, which is a fantastic way to integrate our new scholars, so they quickly feel part of the family, rapidly followed by a workshop in stage makeup from a professional makeup artist. Pupils learnt the skill of ageing a face and creating gory cuts and injuries.

Just before October half term has become the usual spot for our Concerto Competition, this year with our highest number of entrants ever featuring Mozart to Elgar and won by the School Captain, Jacob, with a rendition of the first movement of Chopin's Piano Concerto No 1.

The start of November saw vocalists and Schola Cantorum work with members of the Choir and the Assistant Organist of Westminster Abbey quickly juxtaposed by the Lower School Cabaret. Over 50 children were keen to perform in this, and although we stuck with our usual formula of solos, duets, or trios, we did two large ensemble numbers to give everyone who wished to be involved a shot.

The Michaelmas Concert was a fundraiser for The Leatherhead Theatre with whom with have forged a strong alliance. The theme was ‘Awakenings’ and was centred around sections of Messiah performed by the School Choir and Choral Society, but with performances from all major ensembles. We succeeded in raising a large amount for the theatre and all staff, pupils, and parents remarked on what an enjoyable experience it had been staging a concert there.

The term, as ever, finished with a wonderful Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, but this was preceded by our annual Christmas Rock Concert and the Autumn Production, A Series of Public Apologies a biting satire of large-scale organisations and management structure performed in the round.

Spring Term is always busy; I have already referenced the musical, but a staple of the term is our Music Making Day for local primary and prep schools. This allows children to play and sing in a massive orchestra and choir on a scale that they may not be able to do at their own establishment. It took place immediately after a bespoke Lower School Drama Workshop in puppetry held by the Polka Theatre and immediately before our annual Forbes Music Competition, with around 100 pupils taking part. The Winners' Recital for this has become a highlight of the year, with the winners of each category, and at each winning standard, performing before a large crowd.

House Film has grown in stature over the last few years and now is a fiercely competitive event, showing some amazingly imaginative storytelling and creative cinematic skills. Our music masterclass was held by West End MD Alex Aitken who also is an A level examiner. He was able to work with the cast of the musical, lead an A level workshop with our pupils and some from local secondary schools before giving a lecture in conquering performance nerves.

The Spring Concert pulled out all the stops for a joyous evening around dance with a packed PAC witnessing everything from Dancing Queen and Fame to Stompin' at the Savoy and we got the chance to truly show off all the bells and whistles with our new lighting and sound rig. There really was a feeling of the pupils and audience leaving while walking on air with happiness.

The Summer Term always has disruptions with study leave and internal examinations, so we have always tried to do as much as possible early on. We managed to take our scholars to the West End again, this time to see Pretty Woman, and we started with a masterclass in acting through song. Our second-ever Dance Showcase took place in front of a large, receptive audience before we moved immediately into our Summer Concert (amusingly staged at the end of Spring). This is always a super swansong for many of our instrumentalists and singers and we were treated to an evening of music themed around France and French composers. The centrepiece of this concert was a truly first-class performance of Faure's Requiem conducted by the Assistant Director of Music, Mr Goodwin. The standard of the choir is now tip top and this was a committed, passionate, and moving performance.

The last half of the term has found its groove now with a similar format. The Lower School finally had the opportunity to take to the stage and this year we rang the changes. We wanted to give as many people roles as we could, so we staged 10 short plays which enabled 70 pupils to all have lines and characters; some plays were poignant, some were silly, and some were a little bit romantic. We had talking chess pieces, talking crayons, and fighting monkeys and cockatoos, but crucially every play was performed with conviction. Hopefully, we have sowed a few seeds for budding thespians in the future!

WE HAVE HAD casts of over 70

ACROSS OUR PRODUCTIONS AND CONCERTS

Before the year finished with a return to the world of rock and pop for our Summer Rock Concert we had our Summer Musical Theatre Cabaret, this year called ‘Doubt’ This had our largest cast ever and we converted the PAC into an intimate cabaret venue for the evening. Working with the pupils for this event, and casting an eye over it from the piano brings me full circle; the depth of emotional expression, the ability to act through song, and the absolute love of performing and standing on stage are truly fabulous to see and like Sweeney Todd I believe that we now have a department that is doing inspirational work with the pupils. We hope that the department can continue to create these wonderful moments for the pupils in the years to come. I am grateful to the wonderful staff within the department who work tirelessly to offer the best provision we can. On current form, it is clear that pupils cannot get enough of the performing bug, and as for performing itself... well, they are doing that really rather well across every style and genre. Bravi tutti!

The

Performing Arts are thriving at St John's School, and the department continues to be an energetic, creative, and inclusive hub that brings together hundreds of performers across all our year groups. The biennial St John's musical is always an exciting event, and we were delighted to watch three powerhouse performances of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (School Edition) at The Leatherhead Theatre on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023.

Astonishing

TODD SWEENEY

Unfair to call it a 'school' production; it was so much more than that.

Absolutely phenomenal.

The cast of over 40 pupils tackled the gargantuan piece with aplomb and we were overjoyed to be able to invite an audience to our major musical once more, complete with a professional orchestra playing alongside some of our pupils in the pit, and a professional stage and set supported by the fantastic professional crew at the theatre.

A gripping and darkly comedic musical thriller, Sweeney Todd provided the perfect platform for our talented pupils and musical theatre at St John's to shine. Audience members were blown away by the slick professionalism and commitment of the cast, and they were treated to over two hours of laughs, shocks, and tears. In the title role, Will gave a performance of exceptional emotional depth being both scary and sensitive, and Daisy in the role of Mrs Lovett, his partner in crime, gave a tour-de-force performance with impeccable comic timing and an assurance on stage way beyond that of a school production.

The whole cast and backstage crew were invested in the musical with incredible energy and heart, and each show was an astonishing performance of theatre fully supported by the crew at The Leatherhead Theatre with whom the School has a strong relationship. Mr Goodwin conducted the pit orchestra (a mixture of professionals and pupils) with great skill, swagger, and dramatic drive.

Not just exceptional for a school production, but exceptional full-stop.

It did not feel like a school production, it was so andprofessional slick.

Wow....just WOW.

In 17 years of working in various schools in the South East, this production was the most atmospheric, sophisticated, and gripping performance of a musical I have seen. The talent across the principal cast was spellbinding, with not a single weaker link and the focus from the whole ensemble was truly exciting. I really believe that this was an amazing experience for the cast and the audience that they will never forget. I am so proud of the pupils and the performing arts family at St John's.

Director of Performing Arts, Ollie White

DRAMA

The drama pupils have excelled themselves this year in taking to the stage to perform twenty-one performances across the Spring and Summer Terms in GCSE and A level drama. There was an array of performances ranging from Berkovian Chimpanzees , A Pool With No Water , and a rendition of the Seven Deadly Sins modernised using media formats such as Love Island and This Morning . The Fourth Form and Lower School continued to explore their imagination and creativity whilst building on communicating effectively, working as a team, and building the confidence not only to take to the stage but also to direct, design, and write within the drama sphere.

All the world’’s a stage

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

A level Scripted Examination

The Upper Sixth performed a haunting story of A Pool No Water by Mark Ravenhill for their scripted examination. Their gritty naturalism made us feel like we were not so much a part of the audience, but more like participants in some sort of group counselling session. A difficult script that they had to edit, assign characters to, and portray the truth about friendship and jealousy. It was a standout performance from the whole company who worked tirelessly to bring such a physical script to life with energy and dedication. After a tolling group performance, they then went on to perform individual monologues from scripts such as Posh, Things I Know To Be True, The Long Road, Decadence and Goodbye Charles. I wish them all the very best for their results and thank them for their immense dedication to the Drama Department over their years at St John’s. A level Devised Examination

A level Devised Examination

Influenced by Steven Berkoff’s Metamorphosis and his theatrical techniques, the Lower Sixth set to work to create an inspired piece of drama around the two. They created a plot based on a ‘normal family’ hiding a secret. That secret would have been well hidden had their daughter not decided that she couldn’t contain it any longer. The chimpanzee in her couldn’t stay hidden. Their use of shadows and physicalisation transitioning from humans into chimpanzees was well-executed and powerful, with the message of discrimination woven throughout the portrayal of the piece.

GCSE Lower Fifth Scripted Examination

The Lower Fifth performed their scripted performances in March which consisted of performances from Five Kinds of Silence, Find Me, Pieces, and Lord of The Flies There were some standout choral moments from Girls Like That and Be My Baby with the use of physical theatre, unison, and synchronisation and some chilling naturalistic portrayals from Punk Rock and Tusk Tusk Well done to all who committed to the rigorous rehearsal, creating, and performing process.

GCSE Devising Examination

The Lower Fifth created from the following stimuli: The Island by Armin Greder, The Seven Deadly Sins, and Stockholm Syndrome. As you can imagine, this inspired many different plays that were creatively developed by an imaginative year group. We had performances of refugees making their journey to a safer place, controlling captors, Myra Hindley docu-drama, and comedic host show style performances. Their examination offered a wide range of variety both from a design perspective and performer perspective with two pupils opting to create a set and costume design.

Chefs Win Gold Award

NATIONAL CHEF TEAM OF THE YEAR

We are incredibly proud to be celebrating the success of our Head Chef, Billy, and Sous Chef, Mark, who competed in the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef Team of the Year Competition on Tuesday 21 March. Their stunning, locally sourced dishes impressed top industry judges and saw them win the coveted Gold Award!

International Salon Culinaire, alongside Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) hosted their competition event at ExCeL London from 20-22 March. The event aims to provide seasoned chefs a platform to showcase their outstanding culinary skills and delicious dishes across a series of competitions.

Our Head Chef, Billy, and Sous Chef, Mark, partnered for the two-person competition ‘Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef Team of the Year 2023’, which was sponsored by Waitrose and Partners. During the live theatre 60-minute competition, their brief was to produce two portions of a selection of bowl food that they would recommend for a stand-up event aimed at 20 covers plus, making sure the content was sufficient to provide enough substance for an evening meal. They had to produce three to five plates/bowls, including at least one dessert. In partnership with Waitrose, another key element of the criteria was to include at least three of their ingredient products.

The competition attracts many of the UK’s top industry chefs, including Monica Galetti. Judges were scoring competitors on aspects such as ease of service, balance, content, skills, flavours, tastes, and the use of the sponsor’s products in the dishes presented.

Billy and Mark chose to theme their menu on celebrating the ‘Best of Local’, which along with sustainability and seasonality, perfectly encapsulated their values as chefs. We are one of only a few schools in England to source our meat from a local community business that controls the entire farm-to-fork process. By using locally sourced meat, we are committed to an ethical approach with high welfare standards, which importantly provides benefits to the health and wellbeing of our community and has a positive impact on the environment and the local area.

We are thrilled that their incredible, locally sourced dishes astounded the judging panel. They received high praise for all aspects of their delicious dishes, including their theme, and won the coveted Gold Award.

Take a look at the details of their award-winning menu, below:

CHAAT

Local Hero – Court Lodge Farm Yoghurt | Sponsor’s Ingredients – Vadouvan Spice Blend and Spicy Onion Tadka

Our local hero for this dish is a set, natural, bio-live, organic yoghurt produced by Court Lodge Farm in Wartling, Sussex. The values of the farm’s owners, David and Marian, reflect our own. They are wildlife lovers and care as much about their local environment and sustainability as they do about their free-range, grass-fed, organic dairy cows. That is why we are so keen to showcase their product as part of our ‘Best of Local’ theme. In this dish, which showcases our skills in Indian cuisine, the yoghurt is expertly balanced with several layers of flavour. The palette is allowed to appreciate them all in our refined version of this incredible Indian street food favourite, Chaat. The dish uses two of our sponsor’s ingredients: Vadouvan Spice Blend and Spicy Onion Tadka. It is the spiciest addition to the menu, and being vegetarian, it brings balance to our menu, with fish, poultry, red meat, and dessert dishes to follow.

SUSSEX CHALK STREAM TROUT WITH A SORREL AND YUZU SAUCE

Local Hero – Fins & Forks Chalk Stream Trout | Sponsor’s Ingredient – Yuzu

Our local hero for this dish is chalk stream trout. We have worked with a small company, Fins and Forks, based in South Downs, to create a bespoke product for this competition. We did a light cure and then cold-smoked the fillet for 24 hours. The line-caught trout is from a local fishery supplied by water from a chalk stream. The chalky earth found in West Sussex is also key to the production of the award-winning English sparkling wines, which will be showcased in our poussin dish. The base of the sauce is rich; however, the citrus from the seasonal sorrel and our sponsor’s Yuzu Juice cuts through this richness, making it the perfect accompaniment for this champion trout.

HEADS AND TAILS PULLED PORK PIE WITH A TRUFFLE POMME PUREE, BUTTERED SPINACH AND A CRUMB OF SMOKED BELLY BACON, BLACK PUDDING AND CRISPY ONION SERVED WITH A RED WINE JUS

Local Hero – Downland Meats Free Range Pork | Sponsor’s Ingredient – Truffle Salt

Our local hero for this dish is pork. At St John’s School, we are so proud that 100% of our red meat comes from our local producer Downland Farm. They are the only farm-to-fork operation in control of the whole process in South East England. Their North Downs based farms are close to the School where we work. All their rare-breed livestock is slowly grown, freerange, and pasture-fed. We have worked extremely closely with Downland to reduce the carbon footprint and plastic packaging of our meat. Downland care so much for their animals, and we share a head to tail philosophy, knowing that a lot of flavour can come from unpopular and unused parts of the animal. This dish and its playful title perfectly demonstrate how much flavour comes from the head and tail meat; parts of the animal abattoirs often put to waste.

BREAST OF POUSSIN, SCOTCH EGG, CARROT AND HONEY PUREE, LOCALLY FORAGED NETTLE CRISP, WILD GARLIC EMULSION, GARLIC FLOWERS, SHIO KOJI, AND NUTTY VINTAGE SPARKLING SAUCE

Local Hero – Nutbourne Vineyards English Sparkling Wine, Nutty Vintage and Locally Foraged Seasonal Wild Garlic and Nettles | Sponsor’s Ingredient – Shio Koji

Our local heroes for this dish are an English sparkling wine as well as locally foraged wild garlic and nettles. West Sussex has been touted as the next Champagne, with some of the biggest Champagne houses scrambling to buy up land. It shares the same chalky earth that runs from Champagne under the English Channel to Sussex. The chalky hills that make up the North and South Downs either side of the county protect the vines from harsh coastal weather. These wines are doing very well at international award ceremonies, and we are using gold medal winning Nutty Vintage from Nutbourne Vineyard in Pulborough to make the sauce for this dish. We are also adding the sponsor’s Shio Koji to the sauce for extra umami flavour.

CHOCOLATE SPHERE WITH BROWNIE, MALT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND MISO CARAMEL

Local Hero – J Cocoa Chocolate | Sponsor’s Ingredient – Miso Butter

Our local hero for this dish is chocolate. Sussex-based J Cocoa is one of only few producers in the UK who imports ethically sourced cocoa beans. The owner, James, extracts the nib and butter, removes the shell, and turns this into chocolate, all in his self-built chocolate factory in his parents’ back garden. His single bean chocolates are all unique and have eye-opening flavours. Working with James, we chose a 55% milk chocolate using Chuno cocoa beans from Bocay in Nicaragua because of its malty flavour. Furthermore, we have used a Peruvian cocoa in the brownie. This all pairs with a miso butter caramel made using our sponsor’s Miso Butter.

MEET OUR

Therapy Dogs

There are many benefits to having a therapy dog in a school setting, the main one being the wellbeing of the school community. This year, we have introduced a number of trained and certified therapy dogs to the St John’s family, with the main aim of providing support and comfort to our pupils and staff.

According to a 2019 National Institute of Health study, and other recent studies, the presence of a dog in a school setting can help promote a positive mood, reduce anxiety, improve learning, and enhance motivation.

All of our therapy dogs have been trained to be patient, disciplined, and good-natured to provide companionship and support. Training for our therapy dogs includes ensuring that they can accept being stroked and handled and are not overly worried about having their paws, ears, or tails handled by somebody new. During the assessment, an assessor will check that the dog’s nails are trimmed short and that they can take a food treat gently without snatching. The assessment also ensures that they respond and recover appropriately to a sudden noise or disturbance, as they will encounter lots of new and unexpected stimuli in their role. Our four-legged furry friends love human contact, and our community also greatly benefit from their calming effect. At all times, whilst our therapy dogs are on site, we follow the strict guidelines as set by Pets as Therapy.

Our therapy dogs are already much-loved members of the St John’s family, and you can read more about each of them here.

MEET OTTIE

Ottie (short for ‘spotty’!) is a two-year-old liver and white coloured English Springer Spaniel belonging to the Director of Rugby, Mr St John. She visits twice a week, and she is often found out and about on the fields or by the astro pitches at break and lunchtimes saying hello to pupils and greeting them with a waggly tail. She particularly loves the Lower School who like to make a fuss of her!

As a working breed, Ottie is intelligent and highly driven. She is super energetic and loves keeping active and going out for walks. Equally, she loves affection, whether a lean against your leg, a belly tickle, or a cuddle. Ottie also loves brain training, which includes lots of sniffing to find things, breaking into egg cartons or loo rolls stuffed with wrapping cardboard to find treats, and she also loves playing with tennis balls. Mr St John thinks she would make a great flanker on the rugby pitch.

MEET REGGIE

Reggie is a golden Cocker-Spaniel, and third ‘child’ to Mr White, Deputy Head (Co-curricular and Logistics) who visits us up to three days a week. Pupils can book in to spend some time with Reggie to stroke and cuddle him or just play ball with him.

Reggie is caring, affectionate, fun as well as soft and fluffy! He loves nothing more than meeting new people and proudly wearing his yellow ‘Pets as Therapy’ bandana. Spaniels are renowned for their great noses, which is why the police often use them as sniffer dogs; he is an inquisitive dog who loves sniffing around searching for things and loves to play hide and seek for treats.

MEET RORY

Rory is a black Labrador belonging to the Director of Netball, Miss Travis. He spends lots of time with the team in the sports office and he is available for appointments with pupils every day. Rory found his home with Miss Travis the week before lockdown began, so he was very fortunate to have lots of time for training and he developed a love for cheese during the process!

Rory is a friendly, lovable dog who loves all sports, in particular supporting his favourite football team Tottenham Hotspur. He enjoys spending time by the water, especially Camber Sands, as well as walks at Box Hill and visits to London!

MEET WOODY

Woody is a Hungarian Vizsla, belonging to Head of Lower School, Mr Harvey. He visits St John’s three days a week. Pupils can book in to spend time with him, and love to drop in to see him in the Lower School.

Woody is energetic, loyal, and well known for his cheeky sense of humour. He likes to drink from puddles, chase tennis balls, and encourage Mr Harvey to run faster during cani-cross! He loves being able to spend time in Lower School and seeing pupils around the site.

Woody helped calm my nerves before my history examination, letting me pet him took my mind of all of the worry I had.

– Lower School Pupil

Woody is always so happy when I see him, and the time we spend together is always really enjoyable.

– Lower School Pupil

SPEECH DAY 2023

Theend-of-term celebratory Speech Day and prize-giving events always provide a special moment to pause and look back on the success, strength, and spirit of the St John’s community.

The Lower School Speech Day took to the marquee on Thursday 29 June and saw pupils and staff reflect upon an incredibly fun and busy year of sport, music, drama, charitable fundraising, trips, and academic challenges. The Lower School community celebrated an exciting start to their St John’s journey and spoke wonderfully about the friendships they have formed and their favourite moments.

“If I was going to send a letter to my younger self before she chose a secondary school, what would say? I would say that St John’s is definitely a great choice as it is such a fun, happy place where pupils are challenged and can flourish in a kind and nurturing environment. To me, this is what sets St John’s apart from other schools and makes it a great place to grow.” – Annabel

“My first year at St John’s has been everything I had hoped for and more. The Lower School is such a warm place to be and all the teachers, our lovely matron, and the Upper Third pupils have made us feel so welcome. I know we will do the same for the new intake of Lower Third arriving in September and I’m sure we all look forward to lots more learning, activities, fun and memory-making!” – Finley

The academic year at St John’s ended with a spectacular Speech Day on Saturday 1 July. It was wonderful to welcome pupils, parents, staff, and governors to celebrate the year, present prizes, and bid a fond farewell to our departing Upper Sixth.

Alongside awarding end-of-year prizes with the Chair of Governors, John Willis, the Acting Head, Rebecca Evans, highlighted the incredible breadth of achievement across all aspects of school life. Whether in the classroom, in academic competitions, on the sports field or stage, in extracurricular activities or in supporting our local community, there have been a phenomenal number of opportunities for our community to be proud of this year.

School Captains for 2022-23, Daisy and Jacob, spoke fondly of their time at St John’s during their final speech. As we bid a fond farewell to our departing Upper Sixth, the Acting Head encouraged pupils to embrace the end of their educational journey at St John’s and cherish the memories made together, with excitement and anticipation for their next chapter.

We were thrilled to have welcomed James Peach as our guest speaker, whose innovative and adventurous spirit inspired many of the guests in the audience. James spoke passionately about the three lessons

It feels like just yesterday when you stepped across the threshold, brimming with curiosity and eager to explore the world around you. And now, here you are, ready to spread your wings and, I hope, soar.

As you step out into the world, remember that you are capable of greatness. Believe in yourself, for you have already accomplished so much. Your dreams are within reach, and with perseverance and hard work, you will make them a reality. Embrace the unknown with open arms, for it is in the realm of the unfamiliar that you will find the greatest opportunities for growth.

Remember to stay true to your values and never compromise your integrity. Be kind to others, for compassion has the power to change lives. Embrace diversity and seek to understand different perspectives. The world is vast and full of wonders, waiting for you to explore and make a positive impact.

– Rebecca Evans, Acting Head

he learnt from cycling around the world, and it was interesting to hear how these, combined with the results of his survey where he asked hundreds of colleagues, contacts, and friends for the three most important life lessons they wished they’d known when they were in school, aligned so well with the values we hope to instil in our pupils.

We gather to share the culmination of dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment that has propelled your children to achieve extraordinary things this year.

True greatness resides not in our external circumstances, but in the depths of our character and the limitless potential of our human spirit.

– Rebecca Evans, Acting Head

LOWER SCHOOL

Pioneers

It is always bittersweet when we bid farewell to our Upper Sixth leavers each year, and this year was no exception. As we watched our Upper Sixth leave, we waved them off whilst fondly reminiscing on their inaugural first year in Lower School.

Many of the Upper Sixth who left St John’s this summer joined as the first cohort of Lower School when it opened on 6 September 2016. This made them the first of St John’s youngest pupils since the School was founded in 1851. With blazers down to their knees and backpacks as big as them, they were quick to charm staff with their cheeky senses of humour and excitable energy.

To mark their seven years as part of the St John’s community, we welcomed pupils and their families to

attend a celebratory Lower School Pioneers afternoon tea in March before their study leave began. It was fantastic to hear pupils share their favourite memories of their time in Lower School and to recognise their pride in being an important part of St John’s history.

We were overjoyed to welcome back a number of original staff as part of the celebrations, including the first Lower School Matron, who was a fantastic support to everybody during the first years of Lower School.

When asking pupils their favourite memories of Lower School the most common answer, and the most important thing they remember, were the biscuits that Matron gave us at the end of the day. As we entered the Senior School house system, we found familiarity with that. Like in Lower School, Matron is still the person who chases us to move our stinking games kit and to clear out our lockers.

– Daisy, School Captain

In the last seven years, we have seen the Lower School grow even more, and the original ethos of embracing opportunity and being kind to one another is still as relevant today as it was when the Lower School first opened. The Lower School pupils in Upper Sixth are everything we hoped and encouraged them to be, and we are incredibly proud of them as they go out into the world with high hopes for their bright futures.

– Richard Harvey, Head of Lower School

It's really great to be able to celebrate and remember our time as the first Lower School cohort. We wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on how historic this group of people is and enjoy looking back at some photos and sharing memories. For us both, going from the very youngest in the School to leading the pupil body this year has been very special, and the rest of the School community have enjoyed watching our year group grow and mature.

– Jacob, School Captain

We hope that our Lower School Pioneers will always be rightly proud of their heritage as the inaugural cohort who were bold, brave, and big-hearted throughout their seven years at St John’s, paving the way for many future generations.

PIONEERS

Our first Lower School Photo – September 2016

2023 Lower School Photo

Lower School pupils with Matron, 2016

ST JOHN’S

Across the Globe

During the Easter Holidays, we were thrilled to see pupils enjoy several opportunities to travel across the globe representing the School on sporting tours and enjoying a variety of exhilarating adventures. Having a global and local perspective is an important element in creating rounded, open-minded, and curious pupils who are socially aware and high-quality trips and expeditions add enormous value to a pupil’s time at St John’s.

Ski Trip

For the first time in four years, we were overjoyed to see the return of the annual ski trip! Forty pupils visited Auron in Southern France, where they were able to experience skiing in the magical surroundings of the authentic French ski resort. Pupils were a mix of all abilities, from total beginners to very experienced. All pupils showed a great level of progression during the week, and the beginners made it to the red runs by the last day!

“It was great to see pupils learning as well as skiing for fun – I saw groups trying out tricks, as well as doing a slalom race, and some even did a jump!” – Alex Kendall, Head of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

Classics Trip to Athens

Pupils studying Classical Civilisation visited Athens, Greece, for four days and relished the unique experience of exploring Greece, the birthplace of European civilisation from the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations which ruled Crete and the Aegean to the great Athenian philosophers including Plato and Aristotle of the Hellenistic period. The trip began in the capital, Athens, with a tour of this unique city, visiting the emblematic Acropolis with its museum, Propylaea Gate, Erechtheion Temple, and the Parthenon dedicated to goddess Athena.

From Athens, the group travelled to Olympia and explored its phenomenal archaeological site, surrounded by stunning scenery. Pupils then visited the Olympia archaeological site, which gives its name to the Olympic Games, as it was here where the first Greek Olympics were held in 776 BC to honour the God Zeus, King of Gods. The trip was packed with fun educational activities, tasty traditional foods such as loukoumades and souvlaki, and team competitions, all focused on creating a memorable link between pupils’ theoretical knowledge of ancient Greece and the phenomenal ancient monuments.

DofE Gold Canoeing

For the first time Gold DofE expeditioners had the choice between walking and canoeing! On Wednesday 12 April pupils headed off on their practice expedition, which due to flooding and red warnings on the Thames meant a last minute change of location to lakes near Dorchester and then to the Grand Union Canal. Pupils were taught basic canoe handling, group management, safety and emergency procedures, and everything else they needed to know to become independent canoeists. They had a lot of fun in the evenings with a large campfire and card games.

UAE Sport Tours

Cricketers from the Fourth Form through to the Sixth Form were excited to go on a fantastic tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The tour was an excellent opportunity to play cricket at a high level whilst making memories and enjoying new cultural experiences.

The tour involved fantastic fixtures against local schools including Dubai College and local clubs. Pupils were also able to enjoy a packed itinerary with further activities including a 4x4 desert safari, evening barbecue, and a day trip to the Wild Wadi Waterpark!

Alongside the cricket tour, the senior netball tour in Dubai and Abu Dhabi was also a huge success, with well-matched fixtures played at incredible facilities and wonderful excursions.

During the tour, five fixtures were played between the Dubai Sevens Stadium and the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. In addition to this, pupils had a mixture of training sessions which included skills sessions, strength and conditioning, pool recovery, CrossFit, and a morning of paddle boarding on the Palm! During rest days pupils enjoyed exploring the culture of the UAE at the Jumeriah Mosque, and had great fun visiting Yas Waterworld, Yas Marina Grand Prix Track and Dubai Mall.

Shamwari Conservation Trip

A group of Lower Sixth pupils spent two weeks at the world-renowned Shamwari game park in South Africa. The conservation trip is a unique and exciting opportunity where pupils are given the chance to work alongside the conservation team, with a focus on making a difference.

Pupils helped the conservation team with tasks such as alien vegetation removal, road maintenance, and supporting the long-term projects and ambitions of the reserve. During safari drives, pupils learnt tracking skills and whilst learning more about conservation, animal trade and poaching, they were lucky enough to have sightings of the big five!

“The night sky was a breathtaking canvas of stars, and the sounds of the bush came alive around us. We were treated to the rumbling of a herd of elephants in a field, with the sound of a hippo grunting in the distance. It was a truly magical experience, and we felt privileged to be able to witness the natural beauty of this magnificent country under the stars.

We made memories which I am sure will go on to shape our futures for the better. South Africa is an experience that I will never forget, I long to bask in the harsh rays of the sun once again and witness the majesty of the wild. We may have left South Africa, but South Africa will stay with us forever.” – Gregory Vandromme (read more on page 32)

As we disembarked from our luxurious chariot, otherwise known as an aeroplane, we found ourselves in the town of East London, South Africa. The sun greeted us with open arms, saying ‘welcome to our humble abode’. As we made our way towards the exit, we couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement stirring within us. South Africa, with its vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes, was beckoning us to explore.

As we stepped out of the airport, we were greeted by our taxi driver – Rodwin. The drive gave us our first sights of South Africa, with rolling hills and stunning scenery all around. As we began to approach our lodging the sun started to set, casting a golden glow across the tundra. Impala, zebra, and kudu alike greeted us as we drove along the country roads.

As we settled into our lodge, we were introduced to the rangers who would guide us for the rest of our journey. We met Klaus, who was a charismatic man with a wealth of knowledge. Roy, hailing from the Netherlands, was a fatherlike character who told us stories of his many experiences in the area. And then there was Simphiwe, a local ranger who had grown up in the area and knew every inch of the land like the back of his hand. Together, they made an impressive team, and we knew that we were in good hands. We couldn't wait to embark on our first safari with them and discover all that this beautiful country had to offer. But first, we were privy to a fabulous dinner, consisting of a chicken kebab, glazed in a wonderful, sweet BBQ sauce and a cut of lamb, roasted in rosemary. To top the whole day off, we finally reached our quaint, cosy abodes, housing four people each with a spectacular view off into the lands of the Eastern Cape.

The next morning, we were up before the sun, eager to embark on our first day of adventure. We eagerly awaited the unveiling of our schedule, which would dictate the structure of our lives for the next two weeks. Our day began with a ‘monitoring’ session, a safari-like experience with a twist: our knowledgeable rangers provided an outstanding education, teaching us how to identify animals such as elephants and track them by examining signs left behind such as tracks, dung, and damage to the surrounding environment. This thrilling activity was to be a regular part of our itinerary. On our first day, we were treated to the sight of tranquil impalas. We were also privileged to see our first lion, hippo, and elephant. After this unforgettable experience, we savoured a delectable lunch while gazing at the picturesque scenery, illuminated by the blazing sun for miles around. The second half of our day was spent doing manual labour, clearing foreign pine trees that had been brought in by Americans for the furniture industry, but were now consuming excessive amounts of water in the area.

We repeated this daily pattern until Friday, at which point we were treated to our first community day. We played football with the local kids, who were unbelievably good at the game for their age, quickly outpacing and outplaying our best players. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our game.

As the sun began to set on the African savannah, we eagerly anticipated our first night-time safari drive. The darkness added an extra layer of mystery and excitement to the experience. Armed with powerful spotlights, we set off in our open vehicle, ready to explore the wilderness after dark. The night sky was a breathtaking canvas of stars, and the sounds of the bush came alive around us. We were treated to the rumbling of a herd of elephants in a field, with the sound of hippo grunting in the distance. It was a truly magical experience, and we felt privileged to be able to witness the natural beauty of this magnificent country under the stars.

Having spent a full week on manual labour and exercise, we were all glad to reach our first weekend, where we went to the beach, spending the day kayaking,

stand up paddleboarding, and sand boarding, a fun experience akin to snowboarding. All in all, we spent a fun day in the sun, with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves.

We were privileged to be repeating this routine for another week over, basking in the sunlight and views, feeling well rewarded for our work at the end of each day, be it filling in potholes or cutting down prickly pears. This made it understandably difficult to throw it all to the wind, leaving the sights, people, and scenery behind us for good. We said a heartfelt goodbye to our rangers, followed by another taxi journey with our faithful taxi driver, Rodwin. And then, as though nothing had happened, we boarded the aeroplane that took us away from this land, leaving behind the place, but never leaving behind the memories, memories which I am sure will go on to shape our futures for the better. South Africa is an experience that I will never forget, I long to bask in the harsh rays of the sun once again and witness the majesty of the wild. We may have left South Africa, but South Africa will stay with us forever.

– Gregory Vandromme (Lower Sixth)

South Africa

Shamwari Conservation Trip

COMBINED CADET FORCE

As the height of summer draws near we have the chance to reflect on the last year of CCF and all that both pupils and staff have undertaken. From a field in Frimley to Buckingham Palace, not to mention the skies above RAF Kenley, this year really has had its fair share of excitement and opportunity.

The year was certainly not slow to get underway as 270 pupils embarked on challenging but rewarding field days in October. In the army section, the Lower Fifth and the Lower Sixth travelled to Stoney Castle Training Area to practice fieldcraft, whilst the Upper Fifth undertook bushcraft and team-building challenges at Camelot in Dorking. The navy section visited HMS Collingwood in Portsmouth and enjoyed sailing as well as a visit to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. By no means confined to the Autumn Term, however, field days continued to stretch and challenge cadets throughout the year. Perhaps one of the most challenging, yet the most rewarding, was the opportunity for three cadets in the RAF section to take to the skies over RAF Kenley in gliders. The RAF section also visited Walton Firs in March where they developed their unity and teamwork as a section, whilst, in the Army section, the Lower Fifth visited the range and the Upper Fifth took part in ‘Exercise Johnian Adventurer’, a military skills competition

in Bordon. Efforts did certainly not waver into the final few weeks of the academic year as the army section deployed to Hankley Common, in what was the culmination of all their field training throughout the year. The navy headed down to HMS Collingwood and saw the armouries at Fort Nelson and the RAF visited the RAF Museum in Hendon.

A particular highlight for the Cadet NCOs (NonCommissioned Officers) in the army section was Exercise Apollo Venture. Located at Bramley Training Centre, Hampshire, 14 cadets were put to the test in a 48-hour battle exercise consisting of close target reconnaissance patrols and an attack of a crashed Apache helicopter. A test of fieldcraft, teamwork, resilience and leadership, the cadets returned having enjoyed the opportunity to gain fantastic experience in the field. Six of these cadets, all of whom are considering a career in the armed forces, had the opportunity to further their interest by visiting Buckingham Palace in January. After having returned, it seemed as if the visit to the Officer’s mess had in fact overshadowed their behind-the-scenes viewing of the mounting of the King’s Guard and the tour of Wellington Barracks.

Whilst on the topic of food, the CCF dinner is always highly anticipated as I’m sure you can imagine given its title. This year’s guest was Brigadier Anthony Lamb MBE DL VR whose insight into life in the army was so fantastic to the extent that it even managed to captivate the interest of the cadets more so than the delicious threecourse meal prepared by the catering team. A wonderful meal it was. The Brigadier’s recent post as the National Colonel Cadets for the CCF and role as Contingent Commander at Brighton College CCF means his speech was full of purpose and praise for the cadet forces.

The year has certainly not been short of individual successes. CSM William McDonald was appointed Head of CCF for next year and alongside Colour Sergeant Will Setchell heads off to CTC Frimley Park in August as they aim to be the first cadets to complete the Master Cadet course. Henry Brown was appointed Head of RAF for next year, Ewan Collingbourne Head of Navy and Luke Incledon, alongside his appointment as School Captain, Head of Army. Particular congratulations must also be paid to, Head of Army Section this year, CSM Joe Campbell, who was awarded a highly coveted Army Scholarship to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Perhaps scraping this list is Mr Howarth and Mr Tapster, who both survived a week in a wet field in Frimley Park living like a Lower Fifth cadet which has seen them both promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, and Mr Howarth taking on the role of Head of the Army section next year. We must also say a final farewell to Lt Cdr Piers Vaughan who retires this year, with Lt Mooney taking on the reigns as OC. We wish Lt Cdr Vaughan all the best in their retirement.

However, perhaps the largest achievement (apologies Mr Howarth), was that achieved by St John’s School CCF as a collective on our annual Inspection Day. The meticulously prepared Guard of Honour to greet Captain (RN) Adam Clarke MBE, set the tone for the day and was followed by tours, the House Drill Competition, and lessons in the afternoon; taught by the senior cadets who had just completed their leadership courses and will be taking up positions of responsibility next year. Whilst the

weather unfortunately put a stop to the highly anticipated gun run, in which the three sections of the CCF compete against each other for pride, I was still very firmly ‘encouraged’ to mention the fact that the navy section won the trophy having shown the best teamwork in training and preparation for the gun run. Ultimately, the entire day epitomised the spirit of togetherness and resilience which CCF at St John’s School encapsulates. We, as a collective, are proud to say that Captain Clarke drew upon this spirit, as well as our values of resilience, self-discipline, and leadership in his remarks about the success of CCF.

It is this spirit and these values, as ever, that the St John’s School CCF community looks to bring forward in all it does next year as it continues to develop to bring the best out of all those who make up this community.

The year has been rounded up with an 80 strong, tri-service contingent heading to Yoxter Camp in the Mendip Hills for the annual summer camp. Cadets spent half of the week engaged with the central camp run by the Southwest Training Team, taking part in a whole range of activities such as archery, clay target, shooting and climbing. The remainder of the week we were engaged in Adventurous Training which saw some rock climbing and an array of water sports. In efforts to escape the weather and tented accommodation during the week, we even saw the new Indiana Jones film and went bowling! A terrific end to the year and a lot to look forward to next year!

Colour Sergeant Jack Hussey, Media NCO

A word from the Contingent Commander:

The 2022-23 academic year has been a terrific success across all three sections. It is incredibly rewarding for me and my staff team to see the achievements of cadets across their training, camps, and field days, and I am very excited for the year ahead.

Major James Hewitt Contingent Commander

OUTDOOR AND ADVENTUROUS ACTIVITIES

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

This year has seen some exciting new developments in the range of outdoor adventures the pupils have had the chance to enjoy. Our second cohort of Fourth Formers have been making headway on their Bronze DofE, and we recently went away to the Ashdown Forest with 110 pupils in some beautiful early summer weather where the teamwork and effort put in were truly exceptional. We have also had 100 Upper Fifth pupils making their way through a practice expedition in the Wye Valley, and a qualifying expedition in the Peak District. Alongside the expeditions, pupils have been working hard on the other sections of the Award, from sporting commitments in the Physical section, a huge range of activities from knitting to cooking in the Skills section, and a variety of inspiring Volunteering options.

Our Gold DofE participants range from Lower Sixth pupils just getting started, to Old Johnians at university who get in touch to finish the remainder of their Award. This year we have seen our first canoe-based expeditions, with a group of Lower Sixth heading out on their practice expedition at the end of the Easter Holidays. This should have been

on the Thames, but spectacularly poor weather meant the whole catchment was flooded and we had to divert first to a lake and then to the canal network. Their resilience and adaptability shone through, and they showed their training had paid off on their successful qualifying expedition down the River Wye in July. We have also had a walking expedition series, first heading to the Brecon Beacons in October which included a beautiful wild camp near the abandoned Neuadd Reservoir. Their qualifying expedition in Snowdonia/Eryri in July saw both groups summit Snowdon and wild camp in some brisk weather in the Glyderau. They truly engaged with the wild mountain landscape that is so central to the Gold DofE expedition experience.

Across all levels of the DofE, St John’s has had over 75 pupils achieve one of the Awards in the last year, including several at Gold who have been invited to collect their certificate and badge at one of the Royal Palaces. We celebrated all the fantastic achievements made this year at our annual dinner in May where our guest speaker Will enthused the pupils with adventurous tales of racing across the desert.

Skiing

It was fantastic this year to bring back the school ski trip after several years of absence due to Covid-19. Planning began a year ago, and at the end of March, we headed off to Auron in southern France for a week of skiing with 40 pupils. All abilities were invited, and this created some great camaraderie during the week, with the beginners setting themselves high aspirations for progression, and the advanced skiers challenging themselves to go even faster (not too fast for Mr Rao to keep up though).

As well as the five days of skiing on a fine selection of pistes looking out over the Mercantour National Park, we also engaged in some fun evening activities. The agenda was jampacked, from having crepes in the afternoon sun, swimming, a quiz night, karaoke/disco, and a games night with some highly vocal games of spoons and Uno.

Next year we have more than doubled the number of pupils on the ski trip by splitting it in two and running it for different year groups. It is great to see that there is so much enthusiasm for this type of adventure and that so many pupils who have never skied before are willing to give it a go. It also provides a good excuse to not only see the Alps but to practice French and Spanish!

Climbing

Thursday afternoons have seen the continuation of climbing as an option for the three senior years of Upper Fifth, Lower Sixth, and Upper Sixth, and the interest even got to a point where we had to secure a second minibus for these sessions. In addition, climbing was introduced as an option for the Lower Fifth on Tuesday afternoons, and it was excellent to see younger pupils begin their climbing journey. All sessions take place at the White Spider Climbing Centre in Surbiton, which has an excellent range of bouldering, top-rope climbing, and lead climbing. Our ambition next year is to provide opportunities not only to continue climbing as it is but to allow pupils to learn lead climbing, which provides key skills for a potential transition to outdoor climbing.

At the end of the Spring Term, we attended the Independent Schools’ Climbing Competition, organised by Eton College, held in Reading. Pupils spent the day competing on a wide range of auto-belay and bouldering routes, and we were one of only a few schools of the 17 present who brought both girls and boys to compete in the U18 and U16 categories. Overall, we came seventh, a fine place considering how many new climbers there were in the team.

In the sporting year of 2022/2023, the school broke every participation and fixture record ever seen.

We also welcomed back the opportunity for our major sports to tour the globe with hockey visiting Holland, rugby in France and cricket and netball competing across the UAE.

From our U12E’s to National Finalists, none of this would be possible if it were not for the passion, commitment, and vital contributions of our dedicated members of staff.

Teams have shown passion, commitment, and energy, and with the support of our highly skilled and experienced coaches, we are proud to have celebrated a huge amount of success.

Gareth James Director of Sport

FOOTBALL

HOCKEY

CRICKET

Highlights

• U14/15 and Senior XI enjoyed their Pre-Season Tour of the UAE

• U14 Boys Surrey Cup Winners

• U15 Girls Surrey Cup Winners

• U12 Girls Surrey Cup Semi Finalists

• 1st XI runners up at the annual Adrian Gale Cricket Festival

NETBALL

Highlights

• The U15 and Seniors enjoyed a fantastic tour of the UAE

• U12 National Cup Finalists – Runners up

• U14 and U16 Surrey Finalists

• 1st VII National Plate Quarter Finalists

• The U14D team had an unbeaten season

RUGBY

Highlights

• The 1st VII reached the final 64 elimination game at Rosslyn Park Sevens, narrowly missing out on qualifying for day two by just two points

• Our U14 celebrated becoming the Surrey Cup winners. Winning the tournament against many strong schools is an incredible feat, but doing so without conceding a single point in the knockouts was even more of a huge achievement

• U15 Rugby 7s side won the Merchant Taylors Sevens Invitational Cup competition

• U12 Surrey Cup Winners of their waterfall tournament

Rugby

TOUCH

2TWICKENHAM

The Touch2Twickenham competition is an exciting new mixed-gender, non-contact tournament aimed at broadening participation within rugby.

St John’s hosted one of the 12 regional events in May, with 16 local schools and over 200 players in attendance. 27 members of the Fourth Form were involved, playing across three St John’s sides, whilst nine members of the Lower Sixth volunteered to referee the festival. The tournament was basked in glorious sunshine, with music and lots of quick games making for an enjoyable day.

St John’s qualified for the national finals as a ‘wildcard’ entry, based on performance but also the spirit and ethos within which they played. A squad of 12 players from the Fourth Form, comprising of six boys and six girls, were accompanied by three of the Lower Sixth volunteer referees as they made the journey to Worcester’s Sixways stadium for finals day on Thursday 22 June.

The team competed alongside 14 other schools, spread across three pools of five in the morning. The St John’s side was highly

impressive, with a commitment to high-speed running rugby, great interplay between the boys and girls, and phenomenal support play showcasing an exceptional team camaraderie. Having finished the morning at the top of the pool, the side progressed to the afternoon stages in a re-seeded top tier. The team picked up where they left off, playing excellent attacking rugby, whilst adding some resolute defence and deft touches, with one particular try that the Fijian 7s team would have been proud of! The team finished the afternoon with three wins and a draw to again top the pool and see them crowned as Wildcard Champions!

This was a phenomenal effort from the players, as well as the Lower Sixth group who showed excellent maturity in managing highly competitive games in the baking sunshine.

The side was presented their trophy by Love Island winner, teacher, and RFU ambassador Kai Fagan and has now been invited to play at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 12 August 2023 in England’s Men’s Rugby World Cup warm-up game against Wales.

Liam St John, Director of Rugby

Highlights

Surrey Schools and National Schools - Surrey Schools Podium Results as follows:

Fourth Form

• Tom Mythen 2nd in the 1500m final with 4 min 31.59 sec

• Matthew Wehrle 3rd in the 300m final with 38.4 sec

Lower Fifth

• Millie Dryburgh 4th in the 100m final with 12.5 (equalling school record)

• Skye Hair 3rd in the long jump final with 4.72m

• Lily Richardson 1st in the 200m final with 25.6 (awaiting English Schools National Selection Confirmation)

Sixth Form

• Andrew Carello 2nd in the 110m hurdles final with 19.58

• Rory Davidson 3rd in the 800m final with 2 min 14.20

• Phoebe Sharman 2nd in the 100m final with 14.0

OTHER SPORTS

This academic year has once again seen us offer our pupils a vast amount of meaningful variety through the games programme. With dance, yoga, climbing, golf, cross-country, badminton, boot camps, and shooting all on offer pupils have a fantastic opportunity to choose from outside of our major sporting options.

This academic year has seen the continual development of our golf programme. With fixtures and competitions held both regionally and nationally. Our golfers have had an impressive start on the school’s circuit, and I have no doubt that this will be a sport that continues to grow here at St John’s.

In the pool, it was great to be back visiting and hosting schools’ gala events. The highlight of the season included the senior girls claiming silver at the 4x50 freestyle national finals at the London Aquatic Centre as part of the National ESSA competition.

Sports Day2023

The annual sports day was held at the Excel Centre in Walton-on-Thames. The day saw over 500 pupils from across the School compete in the traditional track and field events as well as some more inclusive fun races which included the wooden spoon, bean bag, and sack race. Pupils competed for points for their houses, with many going on to set new house and school records for individual times and distances. The atmosphere was simply outstanding with pupils cheering every athlete as they competed for the newly created trophies with the results below.

PRE-LOVED KIT DONATIONS

We were delighted to have supported an Old Johnian, Luke, by collecting a fantastic amount of pre-loved balls and kits from our school community. We were proud to see the kit in use during his recent tour to South Africa, where he is coaching a township school. Earlier this year, we also donated more of our pre-loved kit to SOS Kit Aid, which supports similar projects throughout Eastern Europe and Africa.

CHAPEL

It has been great to be back in Chapel as a school this year, with all the highlights that have marked many other years:

Singing the 12 days of Christmas with each house taking part on the last day of the Michaelmas Term.

Marking Ash Wednesday and celebrating the feast of the Ascension with Eucharist services.

Starting each term gathered together as a Lower and Senior School with a service led in part by pupils and popular hymns resonating to the elevated rafters of the Chapel.

After three disrupted years, and only the Sixth Form having experienced the whole cycle of a Chapel year, it was as much these occasions and Chapel being the norm and centre of the School which has been a new experience for many pupils this year. Last year in The Johnian, I quoted Miroslav Volf who reflected on the writing of Cardinal Ratzinger; “The essence of the church [is located] in the area between the self and the whole; it is the communion between the human ‘I’ and the divine ‘Thou’ in a universally communal ‘We’.” It feels as if we have rediscovered the communal ‘We’ with a return to Chapel life this year. Especially as the new pattern of services has been embedded into school life.

This year the census data regarding religions was released, and this formed the basis of our reflections in Chapel during the first part of the Lent Term. As newspaper headlines heralded the demise of religion in England and Wales the reality was much more complex. The BBC News website led with ‘Less than half of England and Wales population Christian’ was perhaps the most accurate of the many headlines. The 2021 census showed that 46.2% of people identified themselves as Christians, compared with 59.3% of the population in the 2011 census. This is a 13%-point drop in a decade and means those who identify as Christian are now less than half the population, so in some sense, this could be seen as a minority as some claimed. However, Christianity is also the largest group of beliefs, whilst the number of those who identified as not religious 10% was lower than many had anticipated and indeed than research had previously indicated.

The decrease in religious adherence is no surprise, especially for those who work with young people but equally, as with all groups, the reality is very often more complex than the mere numbers suggest. Religion has long been a point of division, and although in Chapel all our services have some Christian part, as Chaplain I have always been aware that my ministry is to those of all faiths and none and that our acts of worship remind us of what we share and not what divides.

It may feel like a pivotal moment, as it is clear we cannot claim Britain is a Christian country when fewer than half of the population identify in this manner. However, we are very much a nation of religious faith, and this is true at St John’s. Two in three people identify with organised religion and what is more, there are many more for whom faith in some way shapes their life.

The trend away from faith is not something that is reflected in any of the major non-Christian religions which all saw a rise, more than 1.2 million more people identified as Muslim in England and Wales in 2021 as compared to 2011. But it is not just the major religions which are growing.

The �any other religion� option which includes Pagans, Spiritualists, Alevism, and Jain’s as the largest groups is now on a par with both the Buddhist and Jewish communities in our country.

There was a time when to be British meant to be Christian, those days are clearly long gone – rightly so it is now entirely acceptable for someone to say that they have no religious commitment. This statement no longer leads to that individual being thought of as in some way morally deficient or excluded from opportunities in public life.

Fewer than 200 years ago the Government was forced to pass the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1828 after Daniel O'Connell won a large majority in the County Clare by-election. Before this act it had been illegal for Roman Catholics to sit as MPs and take public office. It was to be another 30 years before Jewish MPs could be legally elected and then another 30 years until 1888, following a campaign by atheist Charles Bradlaugh, those of any or no religion could also sit in Parliament as MPs. It is my privilege to stand in Chapel and lead us communally in our reflections and expression of our shared values or spirituality as I might describe.

The census tells us that in the last 135 years England and Wales have become increasingly diverse in faith, but this is not akin to division. All this is reflected in my experience of Chapel at St John’s, whilst many pupils do not identify with a particular religion, our communal gathering and indeed the singing of hymns continues to be at the centre of school life. At the end of term when melody is often lacking, the commitment to a shared experience is upmost in our singing.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

It has been a joy to return to gathering together and regularly raise a joyful noise once more, even if on occasion the imperative at the start of the Psalm is interpreted very literally by the Sixth Form!

Psalm 100 is one of the shortest of Psalms.

Reverend Charlie Moloney Chaplain

FROM THE ARCHIVES

A Victorian photo album continued...

Further images and stories of the first pupils to join the School at Leatherhead in 1872, from a collection of Victorian CDV (carte de visite) photo cards belonging to OJ Augustus Edward Crowder (St John’s School 1870-1875). See The Johnian 2022 pp 97–99.

The Reverend Canon James Henry Browne was at the School at Clapton House for four years before the move to Leatherhead in 1872. He was Captain of the School and captain of cricket and football. In 1874, when he was 16 (the age at which he was due to leave under the rules of the Foundation), he joined the teaching staff and taught the Second Form for one year. He then taught at Chigwell Grammar School for a short while before taking up a place at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he gained a BA in 1880 and was ordained in the same year. The Reverend Browne was appointed vicar of St Andrew’s, Stockwell in 1892, of Roehampton in 1906 and of St Luke’s Richmond, from 1924 until he retired in 1931. He was Honorary Canon of Southwark from 1905.

Canon Browne was a lifelong supporter of the School, was twice elected President of the Old Johnian Club, and was the first OJ to be elected a member of the School Council on which he served for many years. He died on 26 February 1946, aged 88.

Canon Browne’s son was also a pupil at St John’s from 1903 to 1908. Richard Maddison Browne played for the 2nd XI football and cricket teams and on leaving School found employment with the Bank of England. He served as 2nd Lieutenant with the Liverpool Regiment in the Great War and was wounded at Ypres in 1915.

Ernest Alex Brooke Williams, son of the Reverend A Williams of Cerne Abbas, Dorset joined the School at Leatherhead in 1872 and left in 1877. He married Laura Georgina Coverley in 1888. Their daughter Catherine Lillias Coverley Brooke Williams was born in 1890 but sadly died in 1891. A second daughter, Wayne Leslie Coverley Brooke Williams was born in 1893 and died in 1989 aged 95. The annual census for 1891 shows that Ernest was a Freemason, and he gave his occupation as ‘wine shipper’. By 1911 he was lodging at 82 St George’s Road, southwest London and gave his occupation as medical publishing. The 1921 census shows him aged 59 living at 74 Belgrave Road, St George's Hanover Square, London with his cousin Annie Letitia Treby Clark, a milliner and dressmaker. Ernest is self-employed and his occupation is described as ‘literary’.

Charles Osborne Lubbock Power was the youngest of nine children of the Reverend Alexander Le Poer Bath Power and his wife Louisa Elizabeth Bath. He joined the School at Clapton in 1869 and left Leatherhead in 1874, a year before this photograph was taken. His father was Principal of the Norwich diocesan normal school from 1840 to 1857, and Chaplain to the 5th Earl of Bessborough, John George Brabazon Ponsonby from 1868 to 1872. The Reverend Power died at the Consumptive Hospital, Victoria Park, Middlesex on 21 November 1872, just three months after Charles joined the School at Leatherhead. Charles left St John’s in 1874 and in October 1888, married Gertrude Frances Drury in Lewisham. They settled in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, and Charles became a successful wine shipper. He and Gertrude had two children, Charles and Sheila. Charles Osborne Lubbock Power died at Funchal on 20 March 1929 and probate was granted to his widow Gertrude and son Charles Alexander Le Poer Power, wine merchant. Records show that he left effects of £23,449.

Houcher

the third son of the Reverend

in Barningham,

died when he was six, leaving his father with five children to support. Cecil joined St John’s Foundation School as a Foundationer at Clapton House in 1871, moving to Leatherhead in 1872.

Cecil Ager left school in 1876 and found employment as a mercantile clerk. He died in 1894, aged 34.

The Reverend Canon James Henry Browne 1858 – 1946

Ernest Alex Brooke Williams 1862 – unknown

James Henry Browne, 1875 aged 18

Ernest Alex Brooke Williams, 1875 aged 13

Charles O L Power

1858 – 1929

Cecil Houcher Ager 1860 – 1894

Cecil

Ager,

William Ager, was born

Suffolk in 1860. His mother

Cecil Houcher Ager, 1875 aged 15

Charles Osborne Lubbock Power, 1875 aged 18

Alfred Thomas Fisher

E G

also joined St John’s at Clapton House in 1871.

He left Leatherhead in 1874 and graduated from Hertford College Oxford in 1878. George Harvey settled in Canada and worked as a Law Clerk in the town of Forest, Ontario, where he died on 16 March 1941 at the age of 90.

Alfred Thomas Fisher, eldest son of the Reverend W Fisher of Penarth, came to St John’s in 1872. He played for the 1st Cricket XI in 1875 and 1876 and for the 1st XV in 1876. He left in 1877. Alfred married Emily Marianne in 1889 and in 1911 at the age of 50, they were living at 23 Kimberley Road, Cardiff with their daughter, Kathleen. Alfred was then employed as a brewer’s traveller, but by 1925 he was becoming known as a watercolour and landscape artist and received a glowing review in the Western Mail for his exhibition of paintings. The 1939 census describes him as a ‘retired artist’.

He died on 19 August 1944 aged 93.

Heritage

OPEN DAY

We were delighted to welcome visitors to St John’s on Saturday 16 September 2023 for our Heritage Open Day events.

OJs and their families, former members of staff, current parents and local residents and guests from even further afield were among the many visitors who relished the opportunity to tour the School and see our beautiful historic buildings, whilst discovering how we arrived in Leatherhead in 1872 and appreciating how far we have come since those early days.

As well as guided tours of the School, visitors enjoyed viewing archive exhibitions in the Old Chapel which included the early history of School. The national theme

this year was ‘Creativity Unwrapped’ which gave us the opportunity to feature some of our Old Johnian authors, artists and architects in our heritage displays in the Old Chapel.

Every year in September, Heritage Open Days bring people together to celebrate the history, tradition and heritage of their community. We very much enjoy opening St John’s to those who may not ordinarily be able to visit during school hours, and it is a wonderful moment to hear stories being shared and brought to life.

48

Alfred Thomas Fisher, 1875 aged 15

George William Harvey, 1874 aged 13

George William Harvey 1860 – 1941

George William Harvey, son of the Reverend

Harvey, of Mullion Vicarage, Cornwall,

1861 – 1944

Around 100 years ago:

The School Mission at Walworth

Towards the end of 1923, the idea of a School Mission was proposed by OJs working in Bethnal Green and Walworth, South London. Nathaniel Edwards, the enthusiastic and charismatic vicar of St John the Evangelist, Walworth, spoke of the need and opportunities for such work in his own parish.

The Bishop of Southwark heartily approved of the formation of a school mission in his diocese and on 30 January 1924, a resolution was passed that the School and the OJ club should assist those already working in Walworth and raise money during the year by concerts, collections, and subscriptions. The first annual report of the Leatherhead School Mission at Walworth notes:

‘The parish consists of small houses and also large tenement blocks of dwellings, which are largely occupied by the very poor, and there is great scope for its work.’

The headmaster, The Reverend E A Downes said:

“Such missions are an endeavour on the part of the fortunately placed to do something for those who have far fewer chances in life than they; and, on the principle that service does as much good to the giver as to the recipient, to add new vigour to school life.”

In addition to the Scouts and Cubs and many other organisations for younger boys, there were three clubs running: Boys, 14 to 16; Juniors, 16 to 18; and Seniors. St John’s School Mission decided to concentrate on the Boys’ Club in the first instance and ran summer camps for the boys.

Annual Whit Monday visits to Leatherhead by members of the parish were soon established. Around 300 parishioners of Walworth travelled to the School by train to play cricket and tennis, swim, picnic on the Senior Field, and have tea (generously provided by members of the School Council) in the Dining Hall. Older members of the community were treated to ‘joy rides’ into the surrounding countryside in masters’ cars. The day finished with a concert given by senior boys and a service of thanksgiving in the Chapel.

John Downton (East House 1925 – 1933) wrote of his memories of the Whit Monday visits to Leatherhead:

“I well remember Mr Southam watching anxiously as his Morris Cowley open two-seater with dickey was loaded to the gunwales with overweight ladies, watching the back springs going flatter and flatter. They all pick nicked (sic) in the senior field; and on the following day instead of PT in the morning break we were all lined up right across the field, arm’s length apart, under Sergeant Major Lindsell, to �sweep� the length of the field, picking up the litter.”

In June each year, the headmaster and the School Choir visited Walworth for the Missioner’s Church Dedication Festival. They took part in the procession around the Parish and the evening service and had tea in the Institute. John Downton remembered that the church had a good choir of its own saying: “We used to sing an anthem and Stanford’s or Smarts’ Te Deum at the end, both choirs together.”

Mission camps were organised in the summer holidays where boys from St John’s volunteered to help and camped alongside the children of the Walworth parish. John Downton and his twin brother, Alfred, attended the summer camp at Aldeburgh in 1931 and at Cuckmere Haven in 1933. The report of the 1931 Aldeburgh camp in The Johnian, is full of praise for the Downton brothers:

“On Monday nearly all the younger members of the camp went to a circus, providentially in Aldeburgh at the time. An event rivalling this in importance and general interest was the arrival of the Missioner, supported by �Quack� Griffin (the latter immediately assuming his timehonoured duties as camp doctor), and of the two Downtons, supported by their bicycles. From the time of their arrival to the end of camp, the Downtons were invaluable members of the staff. As lamp trimmers they are unsurpassed, and their efficiency in the canteen was remarkable.”

Nathaniel Edwards died suddenly in 1935 and his loss was keenly felt by the parish and all who knew him. John Downton described him as “a saintly man, full of kindness and love, but also a man of great drive.”

After the Second World War, the School Mission struggled to find volunteers to help run the various boys’ clubs and the building had become dilapidated due to restrictions on repair and redecoration work. In the late 1950s, questions were being asked about the value of School and College missions in the new era of the welfare state and the redistribution of wealth that had taken place since the war.

So, from 1960 onwards, the School began to focus instead on social service in the local community. A report in the Johnian for 1964 describes the nature of the work undertaken by St John’s pupils in the Leatherhead parish:

“The group working in the parish has grown considerably. Between thirty and forty boys are now involved on Friday afternoons and it is now necessary for one boy to be fully employed on administration, allocation, and recording of work done.”

The Reverend N W A Edwards

St John's Church Walworth, 1865 © London Metropolitan Archives (City of London).

Boys’ Club at Walworth, 1939

The School Mission Camp at Aldeburgh, 1931

Leatherhead in Walworth Annual Report, 1947

The School Mission Camp Cookhouse at Aldeburgh, 1931

Surrey House 75

Founded in September 1948, and located in part of the east wing of the main school building, Surrey House has the distinction of being the first dedicated day house for boys. Until the 1940s, St John’s was almost exclusively a boarding school with just a handful of day boys who were attached to existing boarding houses. Between 1940 and 1950, the number of day boys began to increase. Records show that in 1940 there were 261 pupils of whom 40 were day boys, in 1945 there were 251 pupils including 50 day boys, and by 1950 the School roll had increased to 321 of whom 55 were day boys.

A photograph held in the School archives shows the pupils who made up the first intake of Surrey boys in September 1948 with their Housemaster, Mr D G Ellis-Jones. Those who were already day pupils within boarding houses, moved from their old house to become the inaugural Surrey House pupils. A typewritten list of names of those first pupils, dated January 1949, is also held in our archives.

An insight into the challenge of establishing the only day House at that time is revealed in the tribute to Dennis Ellis-Jones on his death in 1987. His colleague and successor as Housemaster of Surrey, Gerry Evans wrote:

“Up to that point day boys were expected to count it an honour to be accepted as second-class citizens of St John�s. The best that could be said of them was that some of them seemed quite bright, but only scientists, of course. Their day rooms and studies, grudgingly granted as necessary evils, were dotted about the place: that was the general style in those days.”

However, it was not long before Surrey House started to make its mark, taking part in a variety of House events: singing, shooting, swimming, running, and achieving favourable reviews in the House plays. The Surrey Colts team won the ‘Codder’ (cross country competition) in the Spring of 1949 and, as its contribution towards the House Plays, Surrey House Dramatic Society presented ‘The Crimson Coconut,’ an absurdity by Ian Hay.

In 1953, Surrey chose a melodrama, ‘The Bishop� s Candlesticks’, a one-act play by Norman Mckinnel, based on an incident in Victor Hugo�s ‘Les Miserables’. The adjudicator praised the acting of the main characters but commented:

“Surrey certainly extracted every line of comedy and pathos out of the play in a singularly polished production of Mr. D. G. Ellis Jones, and yet the message of the play never really got over to the School who collapsed in gales of laughter at some of the most touching points in the play.”

"Lastly, a word on the costumes. These were really excellent and will set a very high standard for future productions. The Surrey House achievement in this line is all the more notable in that only the Bishop�s cassock was borrowed, all the rest of the costumes were homemade to fit the fashions of the early 19th century."

The Bishop’s Candlesticks 1953. L-R MacKenzie (Persome); K W Edwards (Sergeant of the Gendarmes) S V M Clube (Convict); R S Richardson (Bishop); G M Courtin (Gendarme); G B Browne (Marie)

L-R R S Richardson; S V M Clube L-R K W Edwards; S V M Clube; G M Courtin

52 The Old Johnian 2023

53 The Old Johnian 2023

Surrey House, September 1948

1983

40 Years ago… St John’s Music Poll

A look back at the musical tastes of St John’s pupils from The Johnian, 1984. The School was around half the size it is now and predominately a boys’ boarding school. Girls were not admitted until 1989!

Favourite Band of �82/83

1. Men at Work

2. Asia 3. Tears for Fears

4. Duran Duran

5. Dire Straits

6. AC/DC

7. Rush

8. Saxon

9. Bob Marley & the Wailers

10. Genesis Favourite Female Artist

1. Olivia Newton-John

2. Bonnie Tyler

3. Boy George

4. Pat Benatar

5. Joan Armatrading

6. Tracie Ullman

7. Kim Wilde

8. Diana Ross 9. Siouxsie 10. Hilda Ogden

Head of Science, Housemaster,

Mountaineer,

and member of the Alpine Club

Tom Peacocke

Album �82/83 1. Let�s Dance – David Bowie

2. Final Cut – Pink Floyd

3. Thriller – Michael Jackson

4. Asia – Asia

5. Love Over Gold – Dire Straits

6. Rio – Duran Duran

7. Waiting – Fun Boy Three

8. Piece of Mind – Iron Maiden

9. Business as Usual – Men at Work

10. The Eagle has Landed – Saxon Favourite Type of Music

1. Light Rock

2. Pop

3. Heavy Metal

4. Disco

5. New Wave/Futurist

6. Punk

7. Folk

8. Reggae

David Bowie 2. Michael Jackson 3. Phil Collins

4. Bruce Dickinson

5. Ritchie Blackmore

6. Bob Marley

7. Simon le Bon

8. Ozzy Osbourne

9. George Benson

10. Angus Young Favourite Single �82/83

9. Jazz Favourite Male Artist

1. Down Under – Men at Work

2. Beat It – Michael Jackson

3. Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley and the Wailers

4. Let�s Dance – David Bowie

5. Africa – Toto

6. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

7. Mad World – Tears for Fears

8. Rosanna – Toto

9. Every Breath You Take – Police

10. Words – F. R. David

I set out on this poll project with two main objectives in mind: firstly, to attempt to find something interesting with which to fill the pages of the Johnian, and secondly, to prove that St John�s was essentially a Heavy Metal school. Many of you will undoubtedly consider that I have failed on both counts, but what is clear from the results is that our school contains a wide variety of tastes in music ranging from the Head Bangers to the Futurists to the Psychedelics.

Neil Russell-Bates (Surrey, 1979-84)

In May 2023, we were delighted to add the pewter tankard presented to Tom Peacocke by East House on his retirement as Housemaster in July 1963, to our archive collection. Thanks are due to Graham Jackman (East House 1961–65) for his kind donation. Graham also gave us the alpine walking/ mountaineering stick which Tom used on his frequent walking and climbing expeditions. As well as being a distinguished scientist (his work on Atomic and Nuclear Chemistry was published by Pergamon in 1967), Tom Peacocke was a member of the Alpine Club and author of a book on Mountaineering (Volume 29 in the Sportsman’s Library) published in 1941. He inaugurated the Mountaineering Club at St John’s in the summer of 1947 which flourished under his leadership as Vice President, until his retirement in 1970.

Tom Peacocke, 1960

St John�s Music Poll 1983

Valete

Rebecca Evans

Rebecca joined St John’s as Head of Mathematics in 2013. For those who have worked with her over the last ten years, it is a little surprise that she leaves St John’s as Acting Head. Rebecca has led the School with a sense of calm authority and kindness, and under her leadership, the School has continued to flourish.

As both Acting Head and Senior Deputy Head, Rebecca has been instrumental in ensuring the School lives by its values and places these at the heart of all we do. Rebecca’s focus on values and process, rather than just the outcome, will be the enduring hallmark of her time as Acting Head. Rebecca genuinely embodies these values, and her devotion to the School, its pupils, staff, and parents is an example to all. Rebecca has also helped ensure that the standard of safeguarding at St John’s is exemplary. Indeed, through her leadership, the quality of pupil supervision, staff training, and regulatory compliance is such that we can confidently say we are leading the way among independent schools.

In her time as Senior Deputy Head, Rebecca helped lead the School through some incredibly testing circumstances, not least ensuring St John’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic was robust and successful. She led the way in ensuring bubbles were secure, testing was in place, online teaching was successful, and pupils and staff were kept safe. This was done so well that, unlike most other schools, St John’s never had to close outside of the full lockdown period. Rebecca as Senior Deputy Head also provided the dayto-day leadership of the School through a fantastic ISI Inspection, ensuring the inspectors were fully versed on all the outstanding work the pupils and staff do each day, with a result of being declared ‘Excellent’ in all areas. Under Rebecca’s leadership, the admissions process for the School and pupil recruitment were also continually refined and developed, and the number of applications to the School has risen significantly in recent years.

However, it is in the day-to-day that Rebecca has most exemplified what makes a great Head. She is relentlessly pupil-focused. She always wants what is best for them and to understand the School from the pupil’s perspective and therefore ensure a process of continuous improvement for the children. Rebecca would be at every play and concert, watch as many fixtures as possible, speak to the pupils on the way to lessons, and always be ready to make time

in her diary to see any pupil who asked. As a result, she knows the School, the pupils, and the staff better than any. Rebecca would then continuously look for ways to ensure the pupils felt happier, were kept safer, and were ready to make the best possible progress. Rebecca’s finger was always on the pulse of the School, and she would often foresee the next challenge or difficulty that a particular cohort might face. This deep understanding of school life meant the staff would often be on the front foot with a specific issue, whether it be a matter of discipline, examination pressures, or a broader societal issue that required a response. A core part of this leadership was Rebecca’s Head’s Assembly, which was always accessible but provided the challenge, humour, and encouragement that might be needed. She was also always ready to challenge, ask challenging questions, and make difficult decisions to ensure the children were getting the best from the School. This honesty and integrity were instrumental to the high esteem in which Rebecca is held.

This devotion to the pupils and their care is best exemplified by the fact that despite the demands placed on her as Head, she continued to teach throughout her time as Acting Head. She also continued to be a regular presence through boarding, enjoying the company of the boarders in the evening, and ensuring that boarding continued to flourish. Rebecca’s devotion also extended to the whole staff and parent community. Rebecca was instrumental in developing the quality of staff professional development, new staff induction, and ensuring the standard of teaching and pastoral care were consistently excellent. She also understood the demands our busy school places on all the staff and was always ready with encouragement and support.

Rebecca leaves St John’s to become Head of Sibford School in Oxfordshire. The St John’s community will greatly miss her. The School thanks Rebecca for all she has given to the community over the last ten years. The School, in no small way, is the place it is today thanks to her. We wish her all the very best.

By Alex Mogford

Jamie Powell

Jamie Powell joined St John’s School as Head of Economics in September 2017. He was already an experienced Head of Department, having worked for many years at St Mary’s School, Ascot, and a published author of economics textbooks. During his tenure, he maintained the department’s quality results. The number of pupils studying the subject increased and a considerable number of them pursued economics at university. Like every Head of Department in recent years, he found himself managing the consequences of Covid-19, notably the Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) of 2020 and the Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) of 2021. The new requirements were both novel and demanding, and every Head of Department who managed them effectively deserves plaudits.

In September 2020 Jamie became Assistant Head (Sixth Form). He was well-suited to the role due to his experience of teaching older pupils, his knowledge and understanding of the university application process, and his genuine interest in young people and desire to help them make appropriate and effective choices about their future.

Upon joining St John’s, he discovered the world of co-curricular activities and was immediately designated coach of the U15D rugby team. By his own admission, his knowledge of the sport was minimal, but he engaged with the wider needs of the School and did his best to engender enthusiasm and safety, if not necessarily ability, in his charges. His sense of humour ensured that the irony of ‘coaching’ such a team was not lost on him, especially when he shared the outfit with a mathematics teacher whose knowledge of the sport was probably even less than his own. Yet significant promotion beckoned when a new Director of Rugby appointed him number two to the 1st XV. His elevation had more to do with his management of pupils, diplomacy with parents, facility in engaging referees, and talent in carrying water bottles, than any ability in coaching, but at least his talents were recognised. During the football term, he was very happy coaching a sport with which he was familiar and indeed played regularly. He first took the U15C team, was promoted to the 2nd XI, and then moved to the more socially inclined 4th XI.

In the summer of 2022, Jamie stepped down as Assistant Head (Sixth Form) as he made a major life decision to move to the US and marry his long-term partner. He continued to lead the teaching in the Economics Department and ensured a smooth transition, working with a new member of staff who would replace him in the role. He also assisted a new teacher in developing her practice, as well as making sure she had a thorough grasp of the syllabus. He leaves us to travel to the New World and the opportunities that await.

By Neil Whitmore

Andy Debney

During his time at St John’s, Andy has supported and motivated numerous pupils from Lower Third through to Upper Sixth, including pupils sitting GCSE and A level mathematics, and A level further mathematics. His welcoming and supportive nature means he has always gone the extra mile to support and engage with all of his pupils. He always dedicates a huge amount of time to not only the pupils in his classes but also to other A level mathematicians, who regularly seek out his help with their revision in the run-up to external examinations.

Andy will be missed by the Mathematics Department where he has made valuable contributions in his time at St John’s, both as a Teacher of Mathematics and previously as Head of Department. He enthusiastically collaborates and shares ideas in discussions on teaching mathematical concepts, continuously helps colleagues both in and outside the department, and regularly shares his extensive knowledge of programmes and calculators. Along with never shying away from a mathematical problem and the opportunity to discuss it with his colleagues! He is an inspirational and committed teacher, and many members of the community have commented on how lucky they have been to work alongside him.

Andy’s enthusiasm for mathematics extends to the clubs he has run, such as the Senior Mathematics Society and Calculator Club, along with sessions that he has run for Oxbridge candidates in the lead-up to their university entrance exams. His numerous years of experience and wealth of knowledge are invaluable skills that have led to him running sessions on memory and memorisation techniques for pupils in Fourth Form and Lower Fifth

The St John’s School community send their heartfelt thoughts to the family and friends of

and Lettie

who lost their lives in such tragic circumstances earlier this year.

Emma was part of our close-knit community for several years and will be remembered for the warmth and care she showed to all.

Having joined St John’s in 2012 as an Assistant Head in charge of professional development, Emma was soon promoted to Deputy Head (academic) before her departure in 2016 to become Head of Croydon High.

on enrichment days and for colleagues on INSET days. He has also used his experience of timetabling to undertake the role of ‘Assistant to the Timetabler’ where he offered invaluable support to necessary re-timetabling upon return from lockdown.

In the co-curricular life of the School, Andy has fully invested and contributed across all areas. For many years he has coached sports teams and has taken them to Saturday fixtures, most recently the U14B and U15B rugby teams, and the 3rd XI, U15B, and U14B cricket teams. He has been a dedicated tutor to boys in Lower Fifth and Upper Fifth year groups in North House throughout his time at St John’s. He has also led some fantastic enrichment clubs, using his skills beyond mathematics, including juggling, circus skills, and chess. He has supported countless DofE expeditions for Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards (completing no less than five expeditions in just this academic year!).

Andy’s commitment to all aspects of school life is evident to both staff and pupils at St John’s. His willingness to support others and his general company in the common room will be missed across the St John’s community. We have no doubt that his passion for teaching will be an asset at Sherborne College, and we wish him all the best in his move to Dorset.

By Lizzie Hardy

Martin Collier a previous Head of St John’s wrote the following which captured Emma perfectly:

‘Emma was a wonderful person to work with. She was relentlessly positive and upbeat; her smile and her laughter were infectious. Whilst very much her own person, Emma was collegiate and a great team player. She had integrity in buckets; she was loyal, warm and kind. Emma lit up the lives of those around her. She will be sorely missed but not forgotten.’

In Memoriam

Emma Pattison

Emma

Pattison

Tom Adlington Catering Porter Rory Andrews Assistant Housemaster of Monty; Teacher of TPR Suzie Blackmore Assistant Admissions Registrar

Maria Carmichael Catering Assistant

Elaine Clarke HR Systems Advisor Blas De Le Hoz Teacher of MFL Pippa Elstone Teacher of Business and Economics

Dan Evans Teacher of Chemistry

Suzanne Gaines Day House Matron

Jamie Garbett Head of Academic Drama

Maheen Haider Commis Chef Natalie Herbert Teacher of Drama Caroline Holland Assistant Catering Manager

Jeff James-Knight Design and Engineering Technician

Sandhya Jayesinghe Learning Resources Assistant

Holly Lafferty Sports Coach Julia Lister Head of Chemistry Oliver Metcalfe Teacher of TPR Nathan Moore Chef de Partie

Mandy Pearce Catering Assistant Imogen Richard Teacher of Physics

Andy Smith Head of Computer Studies

Susan Stephenson Teacher of Business Studies

Rachel Sumeray Head of Physics

Marie Thickitt Learning Development Administrator

Jo Turner Sports Administrator James Wilson Catering Porter Peter Wright Head of Spanish; Teacher of MFL

Alker Xhixhavic Sous Chef

As a community, we send our heartfelt thoughts to those affected by the fire, including Kate Harrison, Vicar of St Mark's since 2015. As our first home, it holds a special place in the School ’ s history and we will reflect on the part it played in our evolution over the coming days when we gather together in Chapel.

– Rebecca Evans, Acting Head

ST MARK � S FIRE

The St John's School community were deeply saddened to see the news of the devastating fire at St Mark’s Church in Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood.

80 firefighters were deployed at 11.20pm on Thursday 26 January 2023 to battle the blaze at the 177-year-old church and save the remains of this beautiful architectural and historical treasure. It is one of the landmarks of the area and The National Churches Trust is hopeful that some of the precious interior decoration including the stunning mosaics and memorials can be salvaged and reused if the church can be rebuilt. No injuries have been reported and the exact cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage.

The church holds huge significance to our history; consecrated in June 1847, our connection began in 1851, when St John’s School was founded there by Reverend Ashby Haslewood with the dual purpose of offering free education to the sons of poor clergymen and to provide a choir for his large church.

The first headmaster was the Reverend Anthony Thomson (headmaster 1852-1857), curate of St Mark’s and the first eight boys, known as ‘Foundationers’, joined the School in January 1852.

In 1935, at the School’s current Leatherhead location, a new building with fourteen classrooms three laboratories and two lecture theatres was opened on the site of the old kitchen garden. In 2010 it was named The Hamilton Building in memory of the School's first home in Hamilton Terrace. Haslewood House, host to one of our girls’ houses, is named after Reverend Ashby Haslewood.

Pupils took part in fundraising activities, and we continue to seek ways in which our community can support St Mark’s.

There was a fortunate coming together of anniversaries in 1997; the 125th anniversary of the move out of London of St John’s after many uncertain and peripatetic years in various parts of the capital to the purpose-built, spacious, and permanent, site at Leatherhead happened alongside the 150th anniversary of the founding of the School’s birthplace, St Mark’s Church, Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood in north London. The combined anniversaries deserved an appropriately worthy recognition for links between the School and the church are considerable.

The founder of St John’s was the Reverend Ashby Haslewood, the first vicar of St Mark’s, and the School’s first Headmaster was the church’s first curate, the Reverend Anthony Thomson. The early benefactors and governors of the School were drawn from the parish and one of the architects of the School building at Leatherhead, Joseph Good, was a St Mark’s parishioner. So on Saturday 25 October 1997, a convoy of coaches departed from the School transporting the whole St John’s community to Hamilton Terrace in order to recognise and applaud the School’s relationship with the church. The Bishop of Dorking attended the service and spoke with warmth about the links between the School and the church communities.

Thus the terrible event of the late night of Thursday 26 January 2023 was greeted with huge concern and sorrow by the School. A devastating fire – starting just before midnight – ripped through the church’s elegant edifice and caused immense damage to the Grade 2 listed building which had been at the heart of the St John’s Wood community and had survived German bombs in the Second World War. Despite the swift arrival of 10 fire engines and the courageous work of over 80 firemen, the fine church was devastated and by the early morning its interior was left severely damaged and blackened and the roof totally destroyed. There was depressing talk that the damage might be irreparable. Very soon, though, it became apparent that there was a determination to set about rebuilding the church and to immediately work on restoring its role in the local community. ‘The building might be broken but St Mark’s is alive and well’ was the defiant statement of the parish priest, the Reverend Kate Harrison. And indeed her proclamation has proved to be true. Immediately a community of people ranging from parishioners to a far wider gathering of concerned neighbours and local and national institutions set to work in a determination to have the church functioning once more. The energy and sense of purpose in this project has been admirable. Amongst the many groups of concerned supporters of the church anxious to help in its swift recovery is the MCC whose headquarters, the legendary Lord’s Cricket Ground, is close by.

St John’s School began its days at St Mark’s in 1851 when the church’s first priest, the Reverend Ashby Haslewood, decided that it was important that there should be a charity connected to the church to which the congregation in this affluent area of north London could give support and funding. It was also the

belief of the priest that the church should develop a reputation for a high standard of music, so there must be a strong choir. The charity that was established became the Foundation, the aim of which was to provide an education with free board and lodging for the sons of poor clergy. There was a concern at this time that the growth of ‘the professions’ – accountancy, law, medicine and the like – was making the church a less attractive career for bright young men leaving the universities. If assistance in the provision of education for clergy children might be provided then this would help make a career in the church more attractive. On a parochial level the requirement that each potential pupil should take a voice test would ensure a fine body of choristers for the parish choir. Initially just eight young boys entered the School in 1851. The rapid growth of the School population proved that the charity was meeting a need. The priest, Ashby Haslewood, founded the School and its first Headmaster was his curate, Anthony Thomson; initially the small school assembled in his home. So the links between St John’s School, Leatherhead and St Mark’s Church, Hamilton Terrace are huge and significant.

now

A period of over 20 years saw a peripatetic and occasionally insecure time for the School but throughout these years the commitment to the School’s purpose remained firm. The greatest indication of the success of this commitment came in 1872 when the School was able to leave London and move out to the small Surrey town of Leatherhead, fortunately well-served by the new railway system, where it became firmly established in a purposebuilt property surrounded by spacious acreage. The School has grown and prospered. The vision and purpose of the School was well safeguarded by those who followed on from the clergymen of St Mark’s, Hamilton Terrace. Today, with the church where St John’s School, Leatherhead was founded so admirably dealing with the huge setback which has come its way, it is important that the School community offers sympathy and support in as many ways as it can.

Richard Hughes

All photos courtesy and with thanks to St Mark’s,

St Mark’s before the fire

St Mark’s Fire

Hamilton Terrace

St Mark’s after the fire

St John’s

OJ DINNER 2023

We were delighted to host multiple generations of Old Johnians at the OJ Dinner on Friday 24 November 2023. The evening was a joyous celebration, brimming with warmth and camaraderie.

Commencing with welcome drinks, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Surrey House, OJs were then guided on tours by our current Surrey House pupils, igniting their enthusiasm as they delved into the contemporary life of Surrey House while fondly reminiscing about their own cherished memories from their time at St John’s.

The OJ Dinner is always a special moment in the St John’s calendar, offering a precious opportunity for OJs to reconnect with old friends, share stories with contemporaries, and form new connections with fellow OJs across different years. Amidst the enchanting glow of twinkling lights in the Dining Hall, OJs explored carefully curated archive displays, weaving together a rich tapestry of memories spanning the last 75 years of Surrey House.

Following a delectable three-course meal, toasts were made to The King, the Duchess of Gloucester (Patron of the Governing Council) and to St John’s School community.

The Chair of the Old Johnian Committee, Mark Cooper, radiated joy as he celebrated three new Honorary Old Johnians, including Bill Chubb and Richard Hughes, who were unfortunately unable to attend, and Lise Parker, who was warmly welcomed to the Old Johnian community during the evening.

The Head, Alex Tate, shared his delight at returning to St John’s as the new Head, and expressed his hopes for the future. The Head recognised the profound importance of the OJ community as part of the St John’s family and extended his heartfelt gratitude on behalf of all at St John’s, to Mark Cooper for his several incredible years of service as Chair.

We very much look forward to warmly welcoming more OJs back to St John’s again soon.

If you would like to find out more about the OJ Committee, please contact the Development Office via email at: development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk.

OJ NEWS REQUEST

SEND US YOUR UPDATES…

We are always keen to hear from OJs – share your news, update us on what you’ve been doing since you left school and share your memories about St John’s with us for our archives.

We produce our magazine, The Old Johnian, once a year which gives you some insights into current school news and features news from OJs; we would be delighted to receive submissions for inclusion at any time throughout the year.

Please email development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Please make sure we have your contact details so that we can stay in touch and keep you informed about OJ events. Please send your updated details to development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

We will send out details of any forthcoming OJ events, and list them here: www.stjohnsleatherhead. co.uk/our-community/old-johnians/oj-events/ Please do let us know if you have any suggestions or ideas for events.

Our Performing Arts Department host many fantastic events, to which OJs would be most welcome, so please do keep an eye on the school website and social media for future events.

HONORARY OLD JOHNIANS

BILL CHUBB AND RICHARD HUGHES

At a special dinner in Surrey during November 2023, Chair of the OJ Committee, Mark Cooper, was delighted to present two legends of the Common Room with OJ ties as Honorary Old Johnians.

Bill Chubb (SWC), Head of Economics, Housemaster of Churchill and staff 1962 to 1996, and Richard Hughes (RBH), Housemaster of West, Head of History and staff 1974 to 2006, were nominated as Honorary Old Johnians for their many years of service to the School both in and out of the classroom and continuing after retirement in their support of school activities.

The nominations had been made prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, but successive lockdowns and restrictions had led to the delay in the presentation. The evening was a highly convivial one where stories and reminiscences of past pupils and former staff were shared over an excellent meal. Mark was amazed at the detail with which both his former Masters remembered their time at the School and of their recall of pupils’ names and exploits! We look forward to many more years of their company at Old Johnian events.

Adventures GAP YEAR

by Ben Perkins

Over my gap year I spent some time out in the French Alps living with a Christian Charity called Altitude Mission where we ran various weekly events in the chalet, ran a church service every week as well as volunteering on the slopes as Ski Angels. This involved us helping those coming out of the bars on the mountains to get skiers and boarders back home safely and being there to support them, leading to many great connections with those on the slopes.

After that, I headed over to New Zealand to do a Christian discipleship training course called Soul Edge. We were on the road for a month travelling around NZ while learning loads more about faith and what living life as a Christian means. Then a small group of us went to Vanuatu, which is a group of Islands in the Pacific, to do some mission work. We lived with a local Vanuauan family and helped in their local community. We taught in their local school, helped with some building projects, and connected with the local churches and more remote communities by leading various youth groups, services, and prayer meetings.

The support from St John’s has made a big difference for me in my fundraising process and really helped me make the most of the opportunities I’ve had this year. So a massive thank you is owed to for the support I have received for my gap year.

CAREERS CONVENTION

The St John’s Careers Convention took place on Monday 2 October, and saw over 80 representatives in attendance to meet our Upper Fifth, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth pupils.

The main purpose of the evening was for pupils to find out more about a wide range of careers and to network confidently with those representing a variety of different professions.

We were incredibly grateful to the wonderful range of 80 representatives who participated and provided invaluable contributions to pupils’ research into their next steps.

Several visiting representatives were Old Johnians, alongside parents and members of our local community. It was amazing to see so many career paths represented, from science, technology, medicine, healthcare, business, finance, project management, law, people management, education, and the creative industries.

Pupils were encouraged to find out more about what working in certain careers involves, and network for future opportunities such as work experience.

Pupils were polite and inquisitive, and we are pleased that they found the evening informative, and meeting with industry experts inspiring. They will use their newly gained knowledge of the careers market to inform their decisions about their future choices.

“I felt very privileged to be able to speak to a designer as hope to work in automotive design one day. It was also amazing to speak face to face with the CEO of Kia! I appreciated the representation of the automotive sector at the event.”

“There was a really good selection of people in all possible areas of work. For me specifically I was interested in careers to do with psychology; there were several different types of psychologists at the event.”

“I found the careers representatives very good at explaining what they do and how they got there. am choosing a career in which work experience is difficult to obtain, and they gave me good advice on how to navigate that.”

“I really liked how helpful and kind the representatives were.”

“The representative was most excited by was the Research Scientist. now have lots of helpful information on what path would be best for me, and what kind of things I might be doing.”

The representatives were highly positive about their interactions with our pupils, with several positive comments on their impressive interactions.

“I had such a great time last night speaking with all the pupils. They were all curious, engaged and open-minded which made our job much easier! I was particularly impressed with their communication and question delivery, which showed great maturity in thinking about their futures. They were fantastic ambassadors for the school. It was great that the students were all confident enough to approach the different desks independently and initiate the conversations.”

“I met some very well-rounded, polite and bright children, and really enjoyed talking to them about careers in technology.”

“The Careers Convention was well organised, with interested, motivated and confident students asking relevant yet challenging questions.”

“Fantastic event, full of energetic and enthusiastic pupils keen to find out more about their opportunities beyond St John’s. The wide range of representatives from different career sectors provides a great chance for pupils and parents to ask questions first-hand.”

“It was great to be back at the school after thirty years and even better to meet the pupils and some of their parents.”

“It was great to speak to such engaged pupils and they were asking the sort of questions that wish more people in my sector asked! I hope they found it helpful and valuable.”

CAREERS PROGRAMME

We would love to hear from Old Johnians who may wish to support and inspire pupils within our careers programme.

We know many of you have a wealth of experience in the working world and we feel your insights would be hugely valuable for our pupils.

We are keen to involve those who work in a variety of fields and to that end we are trying to collect details of those willing to participate. This could include large events such as our recent Careers Convention, or smaller talks or workshops for self-selecting pupils.

If you are interested in getting involved, please email development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Ben Perkins, Monty House (2020-22)

OLD JOHNIAN CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

OLD JOHNIANS FC

The 2022/23 campaign marked Old Johnian FC’s first season in Division 1 of the FA Arthurian League, after four promotions in five full seasons!

This year was certainly our most competitive yet – finishing in fourth place after a strong finish to the season. Newly appointed captain Craig Bonnar contributed immensely with 18 goals and some fantastic performances in goal from Jamie Kiff secured us some very crucial points throughout the year.

As a result of generous funding from the School, as well as a huge recruitment drive over the summer, we are absolutely delighted to announce that as of the 2023/24 season, we will be launching a 2nd XI! We’ll start life in Division 5 and hope for a meteoric rise through the leagues, following in the footsteps of our first team. The 2nd XI will help us to protect the future of the club as we welcome a crop of younger

players into the fold – we’ve hosted some training sessions over the summer and it’s been great to see some new and some very old faces!

Home games for the 1st XI are still played in Hampton, with the 2nd XI playing their home fixtures at Imber Court – tea is provided after each match. We’re eagerly anticipating our return to St John’s this year as we embark on a cup run with home fixtures played at the School.

As always, we would love to hear from any OJ who wants to get back into 11-a-side football and would like to join a competitive, sociable, and inclusive squad – recruitment is imperative for the long-term success of the club, so please contact oldjohnianfc@gmail.com or message us on Instagram at @oldjohniansfc if you’d like to get involved!

OLD JOHNIAN RFC

After a fantastic promotion at the end of the 2021/22 season and a rejig of the leagues by The RFU, the OJs played the 2022/23 season’s campaign in Counties Surrey 3 alongside some strong competitors across London & Surrey.

A strong recruitment drive during pre-season saw some fresh OJs making regular performances throughout the season, such as; Charlie Smith (Vice–Captain) (Churchill), Harry Jany (Monty), Bas Senior (Monty), Henry Stevens (West), Tom Neale (North), Charlie Kerslake (Churchill) – all 2017 leavers. Along with an influx of Welsh talent, this stood us in good stead for the upcoming season.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES FROM THE SEASON INCLUDE:

• Beating the Metropolitan Police 33-15 on the 1st XV pitch at The School. This annual fixture is one that the whole club looks forward to, with an abundance of support on the touchline (the attendance must have been at least 500).

• A 29-10 victory against London Media.

• A 32-17 victory against third place Worth Old Boys in a fantastic battle.

• A comprehensive 96-0 win against Economicals on the final day of the season.

There were other brilliant wins throughout the season but won’t take up too much of your time.

The first match saw us come up against a strong Old Wellingtonian side, going 26-0 down in the first 20 minutes. This gave the boys a taste of the step-up from last season, with the supporters worried about what was to come. However, we fought back to win 45-26 showcasing our

infamous jouez jouez style of rugby and never-say-die OJ spirit. This gave us the confidence to fly into the rest of the season.

Our end of season statistics were as follows – Won 10, Drew 1, Lost 5. Unfortunately, Old Wimbledonians and Old Caterhamians were too strong for us this season and took the two promotion places. We wish them the best of luck for next season.

Special mentions go to another Vice–Captain (and sometimes scrum-half), Will Corrie, for taking the crown of top try scorer with a monumental 23 tries scored, however we must also take into account his other notable statistic of the season: passes completed – three!

The OJs finished in fourth place in the league, which for our first season in this higher division, was an excellent performance. We will fight hard again next year and push for that sweet promotion.

All new members are welcome no matter what standard of rugby you play. If interested, please contact our captain James Bannister at James.bannister97@icloud.com or pop down to training on a Wednesday evening at Wimbledon RFC for a 7.30pm start.

THE OLD JOHNIAN GOLF SOCIETY REPORT 2023

OJs aged from 23 to 86 take to the greens for a great year of golf!

2023 saw the OJGS hold steady in the face of injuries, frustrating fixtures, missing match managers and a very successful School skirmish (spoiler alert – the boys proved that youth conquers all but we’ll be back next year…). Come and join us, we can’t let this go on!

We were delighted to meet all our match schedule expectations – see below for scintillating summaries of our efforts – and we have a large, and still growing, list of OJs. We’re open to new members and welcome all enquiries. Whilst we can’t compete with the glamour of the Ryder Cup or the greens of Augusta, we do get some cracking opportunities to play some great courses.

We are committed to bringing the game we love to as many people as possible, whether you’ve ever, or never, picked up a club.

This is reflected in our efforts to contribute to match costs for members aged 30 or under: you’ll never pay more than £40, with the balance covered by our subscriptions.

This is why membership is so important – even if you are unable to play, your contribution means that someone else can take advantage of an opportunity they might not otherwise get, like playing with us! OJGS subscription fees are maintained at £20 a year, or for students just £5 a year.

We were unable to find a suitable date for our annual Society Day this year but we’re in discussion about a bigger, better event in 2024. It’s open to everyone so follow us on Instagram @ojgolfsociety or Twitter (X) @golf_oj for more information, or please get in contact via the School Development Office.

Sign up now! The Grafton Morrish 2024 Qualifier, again at Royal Wimbledon, is on Sunday 19 May 2024. Please get in touch if you would be interested in supporting our efforts to qualify in the Scratch Foursomes event.

MATCH SUMMARY 2023

It’s never easy to get responses or commitment to fixtures but we always manage to fill our places and very occasionally have to run a waiting list! Thank you to everyone involved for giving their time and effort to make it all happen.

Saturday 13 May v The Bar Golfing Society at New Zealand GC

The OJs vs. The Bar in 2023 was an altogether bigger affair than 2022, with 11 players on each side. In a complete turnaround from 2022, the OJs would see a very strong pre-lunch performance; a performance that was capped by a 69 gross score from Liam Clarke, delivering a 2&1 victory in the final match. This would leave the OJs 6-0 up at lunchtime. Celebrating their morning’s work, the OJs promptly got stuck into the red wine over lunch.

Some might say too much was consumed, because, first out after lunch, Clarke and Bates contrived to find themselves 6 down after 6. However, as soon as they had sobered up, they took control and, with the help of some gentlemanly behaviour from the opposition, reversed the score line to end eventual winners by 2&1. With Vosser and Wellington also winning by 2 holes and three other half points, the OJs would end up eventual winners by 8 1/2 to 3 1/2. We look forward to another great game against the Bar again on 4 May 2024.

Golfers supporting this fixture were: Richard Vosser, Sam Vickery, Dan Bates, Nick Keeley, James Vickery, Liam Clarke, James Harvey, Steve Vickery, Dan Rees and Richard Wellington.

Sunday 21 May, Grafton Morrish Qualifier at Royal Wimbledon GC

Our selected scratch team were Stuart Hibbert (Captain), Dom Higgitt, Fergus Carrick, Peter Richardson, Jamie Sutherland, and Mackenzie Blair. Unfortunately, our attempts to qualify were somewhat shattered by an unfortunate shoulder injury to one of the players on the morning of the event. Our backup player, Andrew Wildey, was too far away to get to Royal Wimbledon Golf Club for our tee time, so we fielded two foursomes and a marker for Rugby School who we were paired with. The two scoring pairs did very well and we may have had a sniff of qualification had we had a high scoring third score.

Stuart Hibbert, who has captained our team for many years, has asked to step down. James Wallace is being lined up to fill Stuart’s big golfing shoes. Many thanks to Stuart for all his time and efforts to get a side together.

Thursday 15 June v The School at Tyrrells Wood GC

The School match had a change of venue from Effingham GC to Tyrrells Wood. Many thanks to our Treasurer, Andrew Worboys, who stepped up to negotiate and arrange the fixture. We had a really enjoyable afternoon; the boys arrived in the infamous school minibus driven by William Marshall who joined the OJs to compete against his pupils, as it should be!

The boys enjoyed their convincing win, with some definite post-match gloating taking place on the Tyrells Wood terrace. We were delighted to take them on, and look forward to a return game in 2024. Huge thanks to Richard Vickery, Angus Lonsdale, Jamie Sutherland, Mike Vickery, Charlie Bradwell, Andrew Worboys and Andrew Wildey for their valiant efforts!

Saturday 2 September v O Alleynians at New Zealand GC

Our new Match Manager, Steve Vickery, taking over from David Glasscock, rallied a fine golfing vintage for the annual match against the Old Alleynians. His pairings based on complete guesswork won the morning matches of foursomes 3.5 to 0.5. The new, now unbeaten, Captain played some excellent golf himself to lead by fine example. An excellent lunch, as always, followed by a few, mainly OJ golfers, playing a few post-lunch golf holes on the wonderful New Zealand GC. The OJ team pairings were Steve Vickery and Andrew Wildey (versus James Ross and Felix Suther-Jones), Jamie Sutherland and Martin Parrott (versus Peter Foord and Alan Murphy), Bruce Gear and Stuart Hibbert (versus Duncan Anderson and Ali Neden), John Martin and Hugh Gibbs (versus Andrew Allen and Tom Appleton). As with many fixtures, it is lovely to get to know our opponents – a special congrats to OA Ali Neden on his upcoming marriage, which was well celebrated over that lovely lunch!

Committee members: David Scrivens (Chairman), Andrew Worboys (Treasurer), David Glassock, Stuart Hibbert, Andrew Wildey all continued in their roles in 2023.

How to contact us? The School Development Office, Instagram or Twitter (X) – if there are any OJs interested in contributing with our social media or communication, please let us know.

Confirmed dates for 2024:

• The Grafton Morrish Qualifier Royal Wimbledon – Sunday 19 May 2024

• The Bar Golfing Society at New Zealand GC – Saturday 4 May 2024

OJ CRICKET

I’m sorry I only have one, but the most important one, OJCC fixture of the season to write about but it is what it is I’m afraid.

Raising a side for the game against the School presented challenges again this year and it was only thanks to the School’s 1st XI squad and a member of St John’s staff that OJCC took the field with eleven players.

The game was 30 overs a side, with OJCC batting first as they seem to find themselves doing now on a regular basis in this fixture. A slightly hesitant start to the OJCC innings was followed by two quality half-centuries from Adam Dyson and Kieran Burge and then some lusty blows again from the lower order got OJCC up to a final total of 169.

The School looked well placed at one stage, particularly when yet another member of the Geddes dynasty was at the crease and OJCC were adopting the ‘everybody’s going to get a bowl’ tactic, but a high-class spell from Adam Dyson put the brakes on. Wickets fell and the School fell 20 runs short on 149 at the end.

A great afternoon for OJCC but a great afternoon for cricket and St John’s generally in ideal weather and beautiful surroundings for both those on, and off, the field. Thank you St John’s for your hospitality and generally making it all possible, David Hammond and Gareth James in particular.

Looking ahead to next year. I apologise (well not really!) for boring OJ cricketers with this again but I’m afraid it has to be written… again. OJCC has to have more players putting their hands up to play, particularly amongst those who are more recent cricketing leavers. The bottom line is that we’ve struggled to put out a team of eleven OJs for our game against the School for the past two years – in the end, because of various circumstances, some at the very last minute, there were only nine OJs in the OJCC XI that took the field for this (2023) year’s game. We have to do better. We must have the resources to do better otherwise even just one fixture a year will become impossible and that would be a great pity particularly as it is the fixture against your own school! Next (2024) year’s fixture will probably be on or around Thursday 20 June so prospective players please make a note of this date in your diaries now and nearer the time make yourselves available to play to me. On an encouraging note for the future health of the club though, I’m sure you will be pleased to hear that an OJCC six-a-side competition with barbecue, etc. has been muted to me for whenever but as yet not followed up. I hope it will be. In conclusion, as ever, PLEASE do not hesitate to get in touch at abg@stjohns. surrey.sch.uk to let me know that you are about. You may not get an immediate response but you will at some point. look forward to hearing from you. Winter well.

OJ RUNNERS

The annual Alumni run continues to be our biggest meeting of the year with the 2023 squad comprising sixteen OJs from across the decades.

A highlight of this year’s run was the women’s squad winning the Ladies Team Trophy. Formed from three South House 2009 leavers (Tara Protheroe, Charlotte Middleditch and Georgie Miller) they were able to reclaim the trophy originally donated by the OJs in 2019.

Deputy Head, Alex Mogford, was our ‘nominated teacher’ and his ninth place helped push us up the rankings. We were also joined by current parent Gina Galbraith who came second in the women’s race but had to run as a ‘guest’ rather than an OJ.

New addition Adam Goldsmith (West 2019) made it a Goldsmith triple, joining long-serving brothers Ollie (West 2015) and Tom (West 2013) who have been mainstays of the team for many years. Their father Robert made it a family affair, although he was unfortunately running for his alma mater Sherborne! As usual the Lenons, George (West 2009) and Hugh (West 1981) produced our multi-generational contingent and our remaining runners came from leavers stretching from 1981 to 2021.

We continue to be blighted by a lack of veteran runners, with many cups slipping through our fingers due to a lack of numbers. If you are over 45 and can put one foot in front of the other we really do need you!

Looking to the future we were delighted to welcome Lower Third pupil Finn who, despite being unable to score us points, joined the run for the experience and showed huge promise for the future… we look forward to welcoming him as an OJ in 2031!

Other notable runs throughout the year included the annual Dash for the Splash which was held in an unseasonably dry February and saw a team of six take on a 10km cross country through Wimbledon Common with a quick ‘splash’ at the end through the brook.

We were also kindly invited to the Winchester College Invitational again this year for a friendly race against the Alumni of Winchester, Eton and Wellington as well as current pupils from their school. It’s an interesting course that starts and finishes within the school grounds but takes in some wonderful nearby scenery once you have run up, or crawled up, the hill. Particular kudos must go to Tom Goldsmith who cycled over 30 miles from Petersfield in horrendous weather, ran the race and then cycled home again.

OJs competed in numerous other races throughout the year. The London Marathon will always see a small contingent, often running for charity. Robbie Ventham did well at the Manchester Marathon whilst every week sees OJs across the country running at Saturday morning Park Runs. Please look out for the Eagle on the back of the shirts and come and say hello – or if you see us running give us a cheer!

Please get in touch if you want to get involved in these, or any of our other races. See OJrunners.com for details.

Adrian Gale August 2023

The Winchester Invitational squad in the rain post run. Tom Goldsmith looking even muddier than the rest due to his 30-mile bike ride pre-race!

The Dash squad showing off their hard-earned sticky toffee puddings that are presented instead of finishers’ medals.

Great turnout for this year’s Alumni Run and congratulations to the women for winning the Ladies Team Cup.

OJ RIFLE CLUB

A New Home!

Winter was a long, drawn-out affair during which we took part in the Surrey County .22 postal leagues. Adam Fowler, Stuart Pearson and Jon Tapster all ended up in the County Championship individual final held at Bookham in April. Adam and Stuart were additionally picked to shoot for the County smallbore team throughout the winter. Also in April, the OJRC came a narrow third in the BSSRA Fletcher Cup match for Schools’ Veterans Teams. Due to external circumstances, the OJRC had to find a new base of operations. Therefore, from 1 April 2023 the OJRC has been based out of the Lord Roberts Centre at Bisley, the National Smallbore Rifle Association HQ. The facility boasts a 10-lane 25-yard indoor range, a 50-metre electronic target range and an on-site café. A new chapter begins for the club, 64 years after it was founded and a fitting venue for future generations of OJs to train at. Freddie Barnes (Montgomery 17-22) and Will Kendall (East 17-22) are immediate beneficiaries of the Old Johnian Society grant, shooting with the new Olympic .22LR rifles obtained through the first tranche of the grant monies.

The full-bore season has been a minimal affair this year. Matches that were booked in October were either declined or cancelled by the NRA early in the season, resulting in fewer than half the normal calendar of events. Range space issues conspired against many club calendars, resulting in fewer events being run across the board. Additionally, war in eastern Europe has caused the supply of ammunition and ammunition components to dry up. We live in strange times

currently and the situation will not change for the better for some time to come. Manufacturers are concentrating on artillery production and NATO stock replacement. Sporting ammunition is very low on the priority list. That said, it is fortunate that we saw the way things were going and took steps to ensure we had sufficient stocks to see our training and competition needs are met for the next few seasons. We additionally purchased two new (to us) rifles, one a rare lefthanded action, to enable the club to compete at the highest level. Again, all thanks to the recent grant from the OJ Society.

July saw the “Imperial” Meeting take place as usual commencing with the NRA Schools and Veterans match. Stuart Pearson won the OJRC Championship, the 500 yards Colonel Watts Bowl with 49.5 winning from Jon Loveday on countback. Our 1st team came 22nd with 238.25 behind Old Epsomians’ who won with 250.32. Our 2nd team came 19th with 225.12 behind Greshams Old Boys’ 245.31. Adam Fowler, Philip Hakim and Stuart Pearson then took part in what was a windy Meeting.

Jon Tapster has been active over the year with the CCF and with coaching the School shooting team. The School came 13th in the Ashburton IV match, 10th in the Schools IV match and, in the Spencer Mellish, Max Gray tied in 6th place with 45.1. We hope to see Max in the future now that he is a school leaver; he has turned into an excellent marksman and a very capable target coach with copious natural ability. The new academic year beckons and the training programme starts anew.

OJ LODGE

Members of the Old Johnian Lodge were delighted to convene at Freemason’s Hall on Wednesday 5 July to mark Richard Younge’s (South, 1954-58) 50th year in the Craft. Old Johnians – together with members not from the School – assembled to hear the remarkable story of Richard’s time in Rhodesia and Hong Kong, including his adventures across continents and his decorated service in the Colonial Police. We were honoured, that day, to be joined by several auspicious guests, including Scott Simpson, Metropolitan Grand Inspector, who spoke at length about Richard’s achievements, before presenting him with a commemorative certificate.

Following on from Scott’s inspirational speech, Mark Cooper (Churchill, 90-95) regaled all those present with a colourful and illuminating lesson on some of the lesser-known images and symbols of Freemasonry, whilst updates were also given on the Lodge’s various charitable endeavours, including contributions to the ongoing London Air Ambulance appeal.

The meeting duly concluded, and members of the Lodge continued their celebration of Richard’s 50th year with a fantastic meal in Covent Garden, where the wine and humour were equally good and plentiful. The evening closed with just a few more speeches and the traditional toasts, with the members then dispersing into London’s various routes home and reflecting, perhaps, on the paths each of us has trod to bring us where we are, today. If any of us should come to have lived as adventurous and fulfilling a life as Richard Younge by the time we reach our 50th year in the Craft, then we shall, am sure, count ourselves extremely fortunate.

For more information about the Old Johnian Lodge, please get in touch with the Old Johnian Lodge Secretary, Mark Cooper, for more information: mark@cooperandlansbury.com

Tom Spencer South 1991-96

OBITUARIES

We are always deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Old Johnians. To submit an obituary for inclusion in the next edition, please email development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Adam Brace Surrey House, 1993-98 (1980-2023)

Adam left St John’s at the end of the Summer term in 1998, that year’s Drama Prize in hand. That was just the beginning.

The following obituary is taken from The Guardian:

On the night of the 2023 Olivier awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, Adam Brace, nominated as a director in two categories, was ensconced in a restaurant with a couple of his oldest friends on the other side of town. He was planning his next show, oblivious to the critical or award-yielding hullabaloo it might eventually attract.

Brace, who was one of the most creative and influential operators on the fringe – in London and Edinburgh – over the past two decades, seemed immune to the trappings of stardom. If your priority in your work was winning awards, or even being nominated for them, he felt, you were going seriously wrong.

He took a profound sense of pleasure in the whole process of making a show, from concept, inception and experimentation to the business of completing a script and setting the performance in stone. After starting out as a playwright, Brace, who has died aged 43 after complications following a stroke, found his true metier as a director, co-creator and dramaturg.

In 2008, at Sam Hodges’ newly formed HighTide festival in Halesworth, Suffolk, his play Stovepipe caused a critical sensation at its premiere in a converted, low-ceilinged art gallery as it followed the mishaps of three British soldiers hired by private security firms as mercenaries in the aftermath of the Iraq war “against terror”, of which he thoroughly disapproved.

Co-presented by the Bush (run at that time by Josie Rourke) and the National Theatre, it drew even wider audiences in an inspirationally “found space” in the old W12 shopping centre defiantly positioned opposite the spanking new Westfield mall in Shepherd’s Bush, west London.

Eight years later, Brace’s They Drink It in the Congo (2016) at the Almeida theatre in Islington created an even greater interrogation of liberal guilt at a London arts festival designed to raise awareness of the deadliest conflict – in the chaotic Democratic Republic of the Congo – since the second world war.

Tellingly, Brace told the “Stage” that his experience on this play had put him off writing plays for good. He realised he was more interested in engineering, pioneering and nurturing new works than he was in writing them, and he was moving steadily on to the comedy circuit at the Soho theatre in London where, from 2016, he was a dramaturg – that is, script-fixer – and associate director.

All the same, with his director of these two startling and ambitious epics, Michael Longhurst, he produced a halfhour monologue, Midnight Your Time (2011), beautifully performed by Diana Quick, that visited another political hotspot, Palestine. Quick, as a retired lawyer in north London, conducted a one-way, bordering on the desperate, conversation with her “remote” daughter working in Hebron.

When this piece, and Quick’s performance, were revived by the Donmar Warehouse and transmitted online in May 2020, the third month of the pandemic lockdown, it acquired an even further metaphorical resonance as an expression of the helplessness, and distance between people, that we all felt to a greater or lesser degree.

By this time, Brace was fully immersed in his work with comedians and dramatic monologists, bracketing genres in such powerful new work as Liz Kingsman’s One Woman Show (2021) – a brilliant, parodistic riff on Phoebe WallerBridge’s Fleabag that took off with canny satirical intent –and Haley McGee’s Age Is a Feeling (2022) – a beautiful, seminal-moments-in-a-life sort of a performance artwork.

Adam was born in London, the son of George Brace, an architect, and his wife Nikki (nee Sturdy), a former floor manager at the BBC studios in Pebble Mill, Birmingham. George was knocked off his bicycle and killed, aged 27, when Nikki was four months pregnant with Adam. She later married one of George’s old school friends, Nigel Hopkins, an accountant, in 1987, and they had two sons, Tim and Alex (also Old Johnians).

A key figure in Adam’s life was his grandmother, Diane Brace, an educational and political activist whose influence informed many of Adam’s obsessions and productions. He grew up in Bookham, Surrey, and was educated at Downsend School and St John’s School, in Leatherhead.

As a teenager, his part-time job was stuffing envelopes with publicity material at the Thorndike theatre, Leatherhead, where Nikki was a PA to the theatre manager. Adam took a degree in drama at the University of Kent; he then knocked around for a couple of years teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea, and did a brief stint as an actor in children’s theatre in Kuala Lumpur. On his return, he worked variously as a gardener, security guard and journalist on the Irish Post – which fired him after he inquired, at a Q and A after a press screening, why the film he had just sat through was so thoroughly and irredeemably bad.

He then embarked on a master’s degree in writing for performance at Goldsmiths, University of London, but did not graduate as he had not paid his fees. He went on a “holiday” in Jordan, where he researched Stovepipe in a series of interviews with military and security personnel in the bars of the capital city, Amman. A friend submitted the script to Hodges at HighTide, to Brace’s initial annoyance, as he felt the play was unfinished.

After a further period abroad – this time in Russia, where he worked for a year on a film for a wealthy producer, not so much an oligarch as a “mini-garch”, he said – he gravitated towards comedy. From 2014 onwards, he directed all the one-man shows of the whip-smart American Jewish standup Alex Edelman, whose latest performance, Just for Us, recently seen at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, is booked on Broadway for the coming season. Edelman was one of many comedians who benefited from Adam’s notegiving sessions – notes that infused joy and precision, said Edelman, into the performance and invariably improved its dynamic and trajectory.

Adam met his partner, Rebecca Biscuit – one half of the Sh!t Theatre duo with Louise Mothersole – who had been at university with his brother, Tim, when he helped out on Tim’s show Burger Van in 2012. He worked on and directed eight of Sh!t Theatre’s shows. Two of Sh!t Theatre’s latest shows – Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum With Expats and Evita Too – earned them the critical tag of “an unlikely pair of

state-of-the-nation playwrights”. Brace himself must have been pleased with this reaction, while preparing himself for the unwelcome likelihood of an award or two.

More information on Adam’s career can be found at adambrace.co.uk and his plays “Stovepipe” and “They Drink it in The Congo” are published and available from Faber and Faber. “Stovepipe” was also named as one of the “Ten Best Plays of the Decade” by the “Observer” Magazine in 2010. Other obituaries can be found online including in the “Stage” and the “New York Times”.

The “Adam Brace Award” is being established in Adam’s memory by The Soho Theatre who may be contacted for further information.

Adam has had two shows running on Broadway in New York, Alex Edelman’s “Just for Us” and Liz Kingsman’s ” One Woman Show” since his death. Two further shows he was directing before he died have also since been nominated for The Edinburgh Comedy Award, Janine Harouni’s “Man’oushe” and Ahir Shah’s ”Ends”, which went on to win. Adam also directed Ben Target’s show” Lorenzo” which was awarded a Fringe First Award too.

He is survived by Rebecca, Nikki, Nigel, Tim and Alex. Nigel and Nikki Hopkins

Reverend David Ian Stewart Jones

West House, 1947-52 (1934-2023)

David Ian Stewart Jones, was born in Blackburn in 1934, the son of a young Welsh curate and his Scottish wife. His brother Nigel, was born in 1935. He was educated at St John’s School, Leatherhead, followed by National Service in the Royal Signals. He read Christian Theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge and trained for the ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge.

In 1959, David started his ministry back in Lancashire, as a curate at St Mary’s Parish Church in the cotton town of Oldham. Together with his fellow curate Christopher Courtauld, he was much involved in the two church schools and in youth work. In 1962, he moved to become Vicar of the Parish of All Saints, Elton, Bury and built up a strong church community.

In 1966, he moved to Eton College as Assistant Chaplain and Conduct, and in 1969 was appointed Senior Chaplain and Conduct. As one of his Bury parishioners remarked: “There must be an “L” of a difference between Elton and Eton”. Whilst at Eton, David initiated the Eton Dorney Project, a joint ministry between Eton College and the parish of Dorney, set up and run by Roger Royle, with the aim of bringing together Etonians and young people from deprived areas of London.

In 1967 he and Sue were married, and in 1970 they adopted their twins, Ben and Kate.

In 1974, David was appointed Headmaster of Bryanston School, Blandford. This was to be the start of what he later regarded as the peak of his career. In 1982 he became Rector of Bristol City Parish, with responsibility for the ancient parishes of All Saints, St Stephen’s and Christchurch. These were not community churches, but attended, by eclectic congregations, and he missed the community life which he had experienced since ordination. Therefore, in 1985 he moved to London to be Director of the Lambeth Endowed Charities which made social and educational grants to Lambeth residents, schools, and students.

He retired in 1999 and he and Sue moved to Milford on Sea, Hampshire.

Sue Jones

Hugh Samson North House, 1935-40 (1923-2023)

I have close friends who live in Bath. It is only a short walk from their house along the river bank and over the bridge to the Abbey and its magnificent West front, its stones often warmed by the sun. Whenever I go there I think of Hugh and sometimes wish I could look up and see a mischievous gargoyle looking down on me, carved in his image.

Hugh played a large part in raising the money required to restore the Abbey when in 1989 he became Managing Director of a capital fundraising company owned by his old friend Everald Compton. Everald is a distinguished Australian, elder of the Uniting Church, slightly younger than Hugh and, interestingly enough, Chair of the Longevity Forum!

Born in Leicester a hundred years ago, Hugh was called up at 19, served in East Africa with the Kings African Rifles, made lifelong friendships and rose to the rank of Captain somewhat to his amusement. He was sent but never went on to Burma due to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the brutal end to a brutal world war. He then cut his teeth as a gifted journalist and news editor, first in Nottingham and Birmingham and then on Fleet Street’s morning and evening papers. I’m told he could write brilliantly at the drop of a hat, in long hand, on any subject he was given.

Not long afterwards he teamed up with another friend to form a public relations firm known as Noble and Samson. Soon it was doing all its work under contract to the infant Christian Aid, handling all its public relations, advertising and appeals. In 1956 he was persuaded to become a member of its staff and head up the newly created Communications Department, not I suspect a move to his financial advantage. He brought with him many of his colleagues and friends including a Peer of the realm in waiting, a Daily Mirror journalist, a church press editor and a brilliant film maker and photographer. Together they were responsible for anything from Christian Aid News, its Annual Reports, press releases, publicity and films. When he joined, income was at £70,000 rising to £17m when he left after over 30 years. Hugh also brought with him stars of stage and screen, including Judy Dench, filmed for a Christmas Day TV broadcast from Jerusalem, a city troubled then as it is now.

He retired from the organisation in 1988 but even after a second so-called retirement, continued to work with at least two charities here in East Grinstead: the Friends of Judges Close and, as Chair, the East Grinstead Blind Club.

His many other achievements include helping to launch VSO, becoming the first Chair of the Disablement Income Group, handling the publicity for Martin Luther King’s visit to Europe to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and, in 1970, being awarded a fellowship by the Institute of Public Relations.

I suspect he narrowly missed becoming a man of the cloth if genetics had had their way, since his father and grandfather, his great grandfather and I believe his great, great grandfather going right back to the 17th century were all that way inclined!

Of course I knew Hugh best when we worked together as colleagues at Christian Aid even if for a comparatively short period of time. My memories are unashamedly selective. He and his advertising friends were largely responsible for two extremely clever advertising campaigns in the days when Christian Aid hired huge billboards to proclaim its messages on the high streets. We were not allowed to campaign against apartheid, but we could campaign against poverty, so the billboards informed the world that ‘Apartheid makes people poor’,

and then appealed to it to ‘End poverty in South Africa’. It earned us a dressing down from the Charity Commission. On another occasion there were subtle references to domestic issues in the days of Thatcher, such as the then government’s apparent attack on the health service. A picture appeared on the billboards of a Bangladeshi health worker on her bike on her way to a village clinic with a big green cross on her bag of medicines appealing to one and all to ‘Keep the health service going’. That earned us a severe dressing down from the Red Cross!

When I became Christian Aid’s Director, I knew very little about the issues involved or how things were done. Hugh had been there almost from the start in the 1940’s and 50’s. He virtually invented Christian Aid Week and told outrageous stories about Janet Lacey, Christian Aid’s founder, as she battled with the bureaucrats of church and state to turn her vision into reality. He admired and loved her dearly not least suspect, precisely because she was ‘outrageous’. Hugh once said on retiring that his greatest satisfaction had been seeing others learn things he never knew and doing things better than he ever did. When I came along he had to deal with someone who didn’t know a quarter of what he knew and was never likely to do things better; but he never patronised me and was always a wonderful counsellor, friend and partner – often in crime!

There is no capturing this hugely attractive personality in words. Many of us can’t help thinking of Hugh as a wonderful raconteur able to gently cut through a difficult situation or light up a conversation over coffee or dinner with a story somewhere between the surreal and the believable. A famous one was his account of how the national borders of Somalia were carved out by soldiers, of whom he might well have been one. They were ordered to march for miles in a straight line in one direction and then do a left turn and march straight ahead in the other. It had its dark side since it ruined access to pastoralists traditional grazing grounds across the Ogaden. But it had its funny side too, but it needs Hugh to tell it. Besides an entertaining man here was an intensely affable one. Those nearest to him have spoken of him as being incredibly kind and generous and willing to help. I once described him as ‘raffish’ much to the consternation of his wife, but the word still rings a bell for me about this somewhat roguish, loveable, larger-than-life character.

If there is such a thing as a ‘good death’ Hugh’s might just be one, without underestimating the sorrow and loss that inevitably goes with it. He was as they say: ‘full of years’ like a patriarch, having marked his 100th birthday earlier this year and able to look back on so many good things done. He had had many years of happiness with Pam. Recently he was diagnosed with cancer but refused to go into hospital for treatment, much preferring to stay with Pam and die at home safe in her unwavering, loving care and in his own bed.

I doubt that Hugh was any more convinced about life after death than am, but should he be taken by surprise, have no doubt that his intensely blue eyes will twinkle as he tells a couple of his best stories at the gate, chuckles and charms his way in.

So go well dear soul. You will stay bright in our memories and like a song in our hearts.

Dr Michael H Taylor

John Benson South House, 1950-53 (1936-2022)

John was born on the 23 November 1936 in Burghill Vicarage, four miles Northwest of Hereford. John’s father Revd Edward Geoffrey Benson was at the time vicar of St Mary’s Burghill and his mother was Judith

Humphrey Benson and John was their first born.

John had two younger brothers; David born in 1939, just before the war and Michael, born in 1942. John’s father had a great interest in trains and John soon became a railway enthusiast himself.

John’s first school was Hereford Cathedral Prep and then he progressed to the Hereford Cathedral School. In 1950 John’s father was made Rector of Presteigne, on the Herefordshire/ Radnorshire border, and John left Hereford Cathedral School and went to St John’s School, Leatherhead.

Travel was largely by train in those days, thus giving further opportunities for his interest in the railways. In due course he acquired a camera, and so started his collection of railway photographs. When he obtained a bike, and later a car, he travelled far to photograph various locomotives.

When John left St John’s School at the end of 1953 with 8 O’ levels, he started work as a bank clerk in Presteigne and then Leominster. Then in 1954 he was called up for National Service and after doing the basic training he was posted to Singapore with the Royal Army Pay Corps. When the time came for demob, John realised that he did not want to go back to work as a bank clerk, so he signed on as a regular for 22 years and was there until 1977. This gave him the opportunity to travel, taking his passion for railways with him. He stayed in the Pay Corps ending up as Staff Sergeant.

His many postings after Singapore included Germany, Burma, Malaya, Nepal, Devises, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Northern Ireland.

John retired to Marden, Herefordshire. He was a regular at his local church and was on the Parochial Church Council (PCC) until he was 80 years old and for a short while he was the Deanery Synod Secretary. As an elderly gentleman John often talked about some of his army days. The most tragic incident being when one of his pay clerks was killed when they were serving in Northern Ireland. This memory dwelled on his mind especially at Remembrance Sunday where he would proudly wear his service medals and read out the names on the local memorial.

John was unique and quite a character, old fashioned in many ways but with a great sense of humour. May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.

David Lloyd

John Frost Deputy Head Groundsman, 1962-75

Cricket was John’s love. He spent the first 15 years of his working life as a Lords groundsman. He arrived at St John’s in 1962 and stayed until 1975, moving on to Norwich Cathedral School and finally Kings College Wimbledon where he stayed until he retired in 1997. But St John’s was always his favourite school. He died age 91 after a short illness in St George’s Hospital, Tooting with his two sons Barry and Andrew and myself at his side. He will be greatly missed by all his family and grandchildren James, Charlie, Madeleine and Simon.

Patricia Frost (wife)

John David Brunton Pupil (1937-42) and Governor (2001)

David, as he was known to his family and friends, passed away in 2001 and Joan Mary, his wife of 47 years, passed away in April of this year at the age of 96 years young. David was a pupil at St. John’s from 1937 to 1942 and, after graduating, joined the Navy until the end of the War. Returning to civvy street, he then worked for ICI for his whole working career. During his lifetime he was heavily involved with the School in fundraising and other charitable activities, including stints as both Secretary and as President of the Old Johnian Society during the 70’s. His son Richard also attended the School in West House from 1968 to 1973. Both David and Joan Mary will be sorely missed by their family and friends.

Anne Brown (daughter)

Reverend Martin Francis Churchill House, 1950-55 and Former Chaplain and Deputy Head (1937-2023)

Martin Rufus Francis was born in 1937 near St Albans in Hertfordshire. Martin from an early age had an intrigue with the principles of helping others.

A son of a clergyman this ingrained an early insight into a calling he would take up later in life as a clergyman.

Martin moved to Holt in Dorset where his father took up the Parish during WW2 to avoid the bombings of London and Martin witnessed the D-Day events with planes flying over and the American soldiers marching in the lanes and handing out chocolate. Martin went to a small prep school in the area near Ringwood and the headmaster there studied classics at Jesus College Oxford which would influence Martin in later life. Martin then attended school at St John’s Leatherhead as a young man before going on to study classics at Oxford’s Pembroke College.

Whilst at Oxford in 1960 Martin gained an Oxford blue for hurdles against Cambridge as part of the Achilles team and had trials for the Great British Olympic team. Martin’s other sporting achievements include rugby, cricket as well as athletics including coaching these sports at the schools he taught at in later life. Martin then went on to national service which took him to the Middle East, Korea and Japan as part of his deployment.

Teaching and the need to help others in his chaplaincies became a common theme in Martin’s life. First starting as a school teacher of religion at Tonbridge School where he married his wife Venetia Fuglsang, Martin would then go on to return to his boyhood school of St John’s Leatherhead to teach religious studies and become the school chaplain and deputy headmaster, as well as actively being involved in school activities in coaching athletics and hosting social events.

After finishing his school chaplaincy and teaching career, Martin took up a focus on his faith as the parish vicar for Herstmonceux and Wartling churches in East Sussex with his wife Venetia, embedding himself in the local village life, before retiring to Blandford forum and later a final move occurred to Sherborne, Dorset to be close to family, where Martin could enjoy his passion of fly fishing on the river Allen, as well as keeping active and helping the environment authority in looking after the river and making new friends in the area.

Martin’s desire to help and guide others in his life, whether it was helping school students, taking marriages, christenings and services or guiding people at church was a common theme throughout his life. There will be many people today who have been directly or indirectly helped by Martin’s kindness, guidance, teaching and his faith. His life and purpose to help remained throughout his years and the world is a better place for it, Martin is survived by his two sons and their families.

Matt Francis

Georgina, and two children, Harriet and James; in recent years he became a grandfather. Nick was blessed with a happy and successful business career and family life. Deepest sympathy is extended to his widow and children and grandchildren.

Richard Hughes

Peter Martin Evans

Churchill House, 1970-74 (1957-2023)

My brother Martin Evans, who died suddenly of heart failure on 8 January 2023, was a witty man, described by an old friend as ‘generous with his time to everyone and anyone’.

Martin grew up in Chepstow, where our father was the

vicar and then archdeacon. He joined Churchill House in 1970. His contemporaries from that time will remember, as do, his independence of spirit and sharp sense of humour. Whilst at St John’s he played cricket for the school. For variety, I also recall a – probably illicit – trip with him to hear a tunelessly deafening American rock band in a basement at the LSE. And of course he made good friends at the School.

Martin went on to study English at the University of East Anglia, sharing student accommodation in his final year with one of those friends, Andy Hall (Churchill 1970-1975). Martin then did an MA in English at the University of Sussex.

After university, Martin worked for the Malaysian Trade Commission, moving to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in 1988. He worked there in communications and media, including a memorable posting to Hong Kong from 1999 to 2001, until he retired as Regional Corporate Communications Manager (Europe) in 2021. A family friend told us of meeting him at a Chinese New Year event in Edinburgh: ‘ It was lovely to see him in his element – a calm presence making sure everything was going well.’ And a former colleague wrote: ‘He was a ray of sunshine in the office who would cheer us up when we were down, a real gentleman’.

Martin was an active member of Christ Church, West Wimbledon, playing a key role in organising celebrations there such as Burns nights, quiz evenings and carol services. A large congregation at his funeral there recalled his generosity, kindness and dry wit.

Martin was also a proud husband and father. He met his wife Sue in Chepstow, and they were married in 1982. Their daughter Harriet was born in 1994. Sue and Harriet survive him. It was a pleasure to live near Martin and his family in Wimbledon for many years, and he is sadly missed.

Christopher Evans (Churchill 1968-1972)

Richard (Dick) Benn

Surrey House, 1955-60 (1942-2023)

Richard Adrian Benn was born on 11 April 1942 to Margaret and Arthur Benn, ‘Dick’ was their youngest of three children by 11 years.

After a full and active school life, during which he appeared to enjoy sports rather than academics and having made many friends, Dick left at 18 to work at the Royal Ottoman Bank in the city, a time and taste of life he thoroughly enjoyed. However, adventure beckoned and soon after he left with a couple of friends to travel around the world in an old Ford car. They got as far as the Kuwait desert only to break down but fortunately were rescued by some local lorry drivers! Out of funds and also Visas – they were eventually ‘repatriated’ back to England.

Dick then decided it was time to settle down, he married his girlfriend, Roseanne and started work at his Father’s string of local Newsagents. A daughter, Cathryn, was born followed some 10 years later by Anna then Louise.

During this period, as well as his newsagent job, Dick started a Band – the Verroukkas – with a couple of his friends, this became a successful enterprise playing regularly at local venues. Dick played guitar, composed lyrics and sang, it was a time he loved. Eventually they disbanded then he and a friend ran a Disco.

After a while, seeking a change from newspapers, an opportunity arose for Dick and another childhood chum to start up a business processing aluminium foil, they started in a garage! Named Multifoil, the business went from strength to strength enabling Dick to indulge his liking for travel and Classic cars, the faster ones the better!

Eventually both partners and their families decided to leave leafy Surrey for rolling Devon where Multifoil became a fairly large very successful business. Dick and his family purchased a big converted Corn Mill with extensive grounds near Cullompton, Devon, where his family life continued in comfort.

Unfortunately after 25 years and much to his sorrow, Dick’s marriage broke down, he remained at the family home, his wife to a fresh start, and the children divided their time between the two parents.

During the ensuing years and particularly after his children had left education, one even married, Dick found that looking after his property, family and business was a lonely task, so in 2000, having sold Multifoil to family members, Dick retired at 57 to travel and enjoy life. In 2001, at a mutual friend’s party, he met a lady who became his second wife, one of her children had been a close school friend with one of Dick’s sons in law. Dick and Diana married soon after, remaining very happily together until his death. During these years he continued, with his second wife, to enjoy travelling, often to distant and very unfamiliar places. Dick also enjoyed the enlarged family unit brought about by both his and Diana’s children who have all become close friends.

Last April, during a visit to Plymouth with friends, there was an incident as a result of which Dick suffered an Acute Brain injury. In spite of three months in both Derriford and RD&E he tragically did not recover. Dick died in the early hours of 30 June 2023 at the RD&E aged 81, his wife and eldest daughter were with him.

“Dick – a kind, caring Gentleman with a twinkle in his eye, is greatly missed and mourned by so many people.” – Diana Benn

Dick entered Surrey House as a day boy in the Autumn of 1955 from Parkside preparatory school. During his school career he represented both school and house at rugby and cricket. There was a memorable rugby match where Dick scored a try between the posts but sadly broke his leg against the post.

This poem by Robert Louis Stevenson is held dear by those who knew Dick, and also it may well strike a chord with other bereaved families.

“The man is a success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love if children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it’ whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; Who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; Who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.”

After school he joined the OJ Rugby Club at Hinchley Wood. Apart from playing for the club, he was involved in planning the Summer fetes held on the school junior field (now a car park!) and also the winter balls held at the St Georges Hills Tennis Club.

From school he joined his father’s business, but soon left to strike out on his own. He joined the Otterman Bank but after three years decided that a desk job was not for him. He then, with his brother and a friend set up the aluminium foil business; at first it was based in his garage, then to premises in Dorking and later to larger premises in Guildford. By now the business was growing rapidly and Dick decided to move the whole enterprise and his family to Exeter in Devon. When Dick retired and stepped back from an active role he left a flourishing company with customers ranging from the aerospace and automotive industries to hairdressing salons.

Dick is sadly missed by his wife Diana, his three lovely daughters and all his many friends and business acquaintances.

Nial Molony

Robert (Bob) Kimberley

East House, 1945-50 (1932-2023)

Bob’s son, Dave Kimberley, notified us that his father sadly passed away on 1 July 2023 after a short period in hospital.

In 2018, Bob shared with us his life story: I was born in the house number 74 Copthorne Road in 1932, about 100 yards from the Senior Field. When I was five years old was sent to a Kindergarten at the top of Kingston Avenue, just across the road from the Senior Field. There was taught by Miss Thompson. When was seven I went to Downsend Prep School: there I remember Mr Straker who wrote the textbook for Prep School Maths, also Miss White and Donald Drew, the teacher who encouraged the boys to go to PPS Camps, run by Christians near the Welsh border. There we met Basil Clarkson who ran the camps. went there for four or five years. Then I heard about Crusader Camps, which were less costly to attend. Either at PPS or at Cru Camp was led to Christ as my Saviour by one of the officers.

In the Spring of 1940 a German bomber pilot was chased by British fighter planes: trying to escape, the pilot dropped his load of five bombs, each being £500. The third one landed in our back garden and exploded under the house. My sister, my mother and I were in the underground shelter which my father had built. It was about 50 Feet from the house. The explosion shook the shelter violently. My father had gone into the house to listen to the nine o’clock news on the BBC Home Service, so we knew that the bomb hit us at that time. My father survived but was probably in shock. When we saw the damage in daylight we knew it was too dangerous to try to go in. We were invited by a couple to have breakfast with them at 9.00am. It was the first time that we had bacon served from a silver platter. Bear in mind food was rationed.

Having finished our meal my sister went to her school, St Andrews Convent, and I went to Downsend. Of course we arrived late. Our teachers asked us why were late: we said that we had been bombed out. They did not believe us and Mother was in shock so she had not written notes for us.

Friends offered us their house to live in, so we moved straight across the road to their house. After a few months in a country house they came back to Leatherhead for some action. The country was too quiet. So we moved again. We had five different addresses then until we had a new house built in 1947.

When I was 13 I went St John’s. During my last year at Downsend I was playing rugby football, because the School knew

that I was going to St John’s. In my first year at J School was in the under 14 team and we won every match we played. In later years I was not so successful and ended in the third 15. In my first Summer I started to shoot at targets with 0.303 army rifles. I was in the second 8.

I left School with 8 School Cert subjects and 3 Higher School subjects. Then I went to start an Apprenticeship at Napiers’ Aero Engineers, in Acton, West London. The firm sent me to Northampton Poly, getting its name because the Earl Of Northampton had owned the plot of ground. That building is now City University. The idea was to attend College two days each week and work at Napiers’ the other three days. So I went to the company training school for six months to learn the basic methods of using hand tools and machine tools. For the next three years and six months worked in different parts of the company until I finished my course. My time at the Poly was not entirely wasted but failed to finish their degree course. When started It should have taken 6 years to get a degree. When I left the course after two years it was lengthened to 8 years.

I then attended Acton Technical College and succeeded in getting a Higher National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering. This was enough to qualify me to teach the Ordinary Certificate, which I did later. I spent a few years getting experience in different production methods. Napiers’ were used to precision work, another firm I worked for used processes designed for speed of production instead. Having been made redundant from my last factory job I went to Wolverhampton Technical Teachers College for a year to get a Teacher’s Certificate and got a teaching job in Stafford College. My students ranged from 16 years old to more than 50. The latter was a Lab Technician at a High School, hoping to get a certificate and a better rate of pay.

After 29 years I was redundant so I went to Vienna Christian School for a year, teaching maths and physics. Following school I did not find a shooting club for a year, but then joined Hampton Rifle Club, near Twickenham. They use 0.22 rifles and pistols. I reached an average of 99 out of 100 with my rifle and, in 1959 I won the Surrey County Pistol Championship with an average of 90.5.

I have written all this to show that there are alternatives to degrees. You can still have a good career.

Yours faithfully, Robert H. Kimberley

Stuart Denney KC West House, 1972-77 (1959-2023)

It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Stuart Denney KC. We send our condolences to his family and all who knew him.

The Times Obituary Notice

DENNEY Stuart Henry MacDonald KC, MA (Cantab), Bencher of the Inner Temple, died peacefully, aged 63, at St Catherine’s Hospice, Lostock Hall, on Monday 23rd January 2023. Much beloved husband of Louise and dearly loved father of James. Stuart will also be very much missed by his family, former colleagues and friends at Deans Court Chambers and on the Northern Circuit and all who knew him.

Ref: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/births-marriages-anddeaths-february-21-2023-qbz98gbkv

The Inner Temple also posted an obituary on their website: After reading law at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, Master Denney was called to the Bar in 1982 and took silk in 2008. He specialised in criminal and regulatory law and was formerly a member of Deans Court Chambers in Manchester, where he was Head of the Criminal Department.

Master Denney was elected a Bencher of the Inn in 2015. He was actively involved in education and training activities on circuit and attended many student residential weekends, often with his wife, Master Louise Bancroft.

Ref: https://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/marketplace/advert/ denney-notices_39545

Stuart Southgate North House, 1949-54 (1934-2023)

Martine Broxup wrote to inform us that sadly, her father Stuart Southgate died peacefully on 23 May 2023. He attended St John’s from 1949-1954. He was a member of the Old Johnian Golf Society and a firm supporter of the School. He loved his time there and would tell us many a story about his school days.

OJ COMMITTEE 2023

The OJ Committee represents the interests of OJs within the School, providing advice on events and feedback to help St John’s improve links with the OJ community. The committee meets twice a year, usually in October and March. Please contact the Development Office: development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Anthony Airey Surrey 1972

Ted Caplan Churchill 2011

David Birchmore East 2000

Mark Cooper Chairman Churchill 1995

Richard Francis Churchill 1957

Ben Hepden Surrey 1995

Patrick Gardner Surrey 1959

Patrick Noble Staff 1975-2016

Olly Metcalfe Churchill 2012

Jasper Lloyd Churchill 1988

Viv Jemmett West 2005

Andy Peake West 1961

Bryony Williams South 2005

Peter Thorne Surrey 1962

St John’s School

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