NEW CO-CURRICULAR OFFER

From September, we are introducing a Co-Curricular Period which will run on a fortnightly basis on Thursdays from 3.15pm to 4.15pm.

In the booklet (https://issuu.com/bvgs/docs/co-curricular_booklet_2022-2023), you will be able to read about the amazing opportunities on offer such as Golf, Latin, Astrophysics and Debating.

"We want our students to engage in scholarship that promotes the acquisition of knowledge and a lifelong love of academia. In addition, we want students across the School, to have the opportunity to develop their character through participating in altruistic activities that promote civic responsibility, kindness and thoughtfulnes. "

Mrs Ward

In 2001, Alison came to BVGS originally to interview of a dual post in the library and finance but fate had it for her to work in the library for two hours a week and she never looked back. Throughout her Vesey career, Alison has served the school community with integrity, diligence and compassion. She has worked with thousands of students, helping them with book choices, overdues, lost books, printing and a many, many, many other things. We all wish Alison the best for her retirement, and we really can’t put into words how much we are going to miss seeing her everyday behind the library desk.

- Miss Brown

MISS REYNOLDS

Thank you to Miss Reynolds for taking up the challenge to teach Design Technology, we appreciate your efforts and wish you well in your next teaching adventure.

- Miss Bowen

Miss Bowler

Holly has been a brilliant member of the English department, supporting numerous students with their studies over the past 18 months. Her can-do attitude, excellent subject knowledge and clear understanding of how to help students learn have made a huge impact, both in the English department and across the school. We – and the students – will really miss Holly: her positive attitude, her knowledge and her wisdom! We wish her all the best as she begins her next role in education.

- Miss Croswaithe

Miss Mudzvovera

Miss Mudzvovera has been part of the Biology and Chemistry departments for 2 years. During her time here she has involved herself with a KS3 trip to Twycross Zoo, the KS4 Biology challenge and KS5 Biology Olympiad. We wish her well for the future. A calm, kind and considerate colleague that will be missed by students and staff. Good luck Miss Mudzvovera!

- Mr Graham

Mr Panagiotidis

Pavlos joined us in January 2019, and after taking a year out to complete a Master’s degree, returned to the Physics department in September 2020 for the last two academic years. Pavlos’ dynamism, enthusiasm and love of the subject has ensured students have, above all, enjoyed learning. He has run some fantastic extra-curricular clubs on advanced computational science, stretching and challenging sixth form students with university-level programming in Wolfram Mathematica and inspiring Y7/8 students to investigate the universe with Universe Sandbox in a Digital Astronomy club. We will miss his warmth, energy and humour in the department and wish him well on his next journey embarking on a PhD researching art & artificial intelligence at the University of Nottingham.

- Mr Bradley

Miss WEBLIN

Sharon joined the School in May 2008. Sharon’s initial role was as PA to the then Headteacher David Iddon, and then subsequently to Mr Robson. Both Head's were very appreciative of the organisational and administrative support Sharon gave, and she was integral in building relationships and maintaining effective relationships in the Vesey Community. Her role then widened even more to support the whole of the Senior Leadership Team in the Main School Office. Sharon has been a dedicated member of the school support staff and has demonstrated her flexibility, adaptability and innovation in all the executive support roles that she has undertaken. We thank her and wish her happiness as she uses her retirement to spend time with her family.

Miss Tillot

Mr Byrne

Miss Lemin

We will miss Lucy. Juggling the demands of unpredictable cover lessons, teaching KS3 English classes and taking on a Year 11 form partway through the year must have been challenging, but she took it all in her stride. Her positivity, hard work and reliability throughout her time here have made a real impression on all of us. We know that she will thrive in her new position as an English teacher in London, able to share her subject knowledge and creativity with students. We wish her all the best.

- Miss Crosthwaite

Vincent brought his knowledge of 19th century literature and rhetoric to the English department, constructing engaging lessons enjoyed by many across the key stages. Students welcomed his revival of the school debating club: it was a space for them to air their views and construct powerful arguments, as well as offering the opportunity to enter competitions against other schools. He is always happy to discuss issues both large and small, as well as sharing puns and jokes. We wish him every success in his new role as head of department.

- Miss Lynch

Claire is an outstanding teacher and has been a brilliant member of the English department. Over the past 7 years, her passion and enthusiasm, excellent subject knowledge and creativity have had a huge impact on the students at BVGS. Claire’s hard work, dedication and positivity will leave a lasting impression on both staff and students and she will be greatly missed by all! We know that Claire will go on to do great things in her new school and we wish her all the best.

- Miss Lynch

Miss LAWRENCE

MR DAVIS

Amy joined us in September 2021 from Australia. Despite only being with us for a year she has had a huge impact on the school and in particular the SEND students. She works extremely hard supporting our students and shows care and patience in all that she does. She is able to know what the students need and then act upon it ensuring they are equip to learn. Amy aways comes into work with a smile and constantly goes above and beyond what is asked of her, always having the best interests of the students at the heart of what she does. She is really going to be missed by both staff and students alike. I know she will have an amazing time back in Australia and wish her all the best for the future.

- Miss Sly

Alex joined Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School P.E Department, as a Newly Qualified Teacher in January 2011. He took over as Form Tutor for 10 B and it was clear from the outset that he formed excellent working relationships with our students and had a natural inclination towards pastoral support. The School formally recognised this in appointing him as Head of Year in September 2012. Mr Davis is a most dedicated of Head of Year, spending hours at the end of the School day talking to students and parents as a means of maximising individual pupil potential. His attention to detail and care for his students characterised his work throughout his time at BVGS. As part of the P.E Department, he was a key player as the School expanded its provision of academic P.E. Mr Davis also contributed to the sporting success of the School in the decade prior to the pandemic. Most notably, he coached the Under 15 Rugby Team who reached the NatWest Schools Vase Semi Final in 2016. Mr Davis also supported the Co-curricular life of the School through involvements in the World Challenge, Duke of Edinburgh and a range of charitable initiatives. He now embarks on a new chapter of his life, starting a full time MBA at the University of Warwick in the autumn. We wish him every success in the future.

- Mr Goodwin

MR KEEBLE

The Languages Department bid a teary “auf wiedersehen” to the legendary Mr Keeble after 16 years of outstanding service. Naturally, he will be remembered for his love of penguins and his unashamed support for ‘Wolves’ but also, for being one of the most impressive yet humble practitioners you will ever encounter. Adored by his students for his dry and off-the wall humour, and for always going well above and beyond expectations in his teaching, he will be missed by them but most definitely by his colleagues.

- Miss Slater

MISS LAMB

Miss WHITEHOUSE

Miss Lamb has remained dedicated to getting the very best from all of her Chemistry students throughout her time at BVGS. She has brought energy, enthusiasm and a smile into her classroom every day (along with some jokes that at least she considers to be funny). She will be greatly missed by staff and students, and we wish her the very best in her new appointment at Alcester Grammar School.

Fun Fact: Miss Lamb won a baking competition this year judged by Glynn Purnell!!

- Mrs Jarvis

Catherine joined Vesey in September 2020 and seamlessly settled into the Physics department. She quickly established herself as a friendly, bright and caring member of the department with whom nothing was ever too much to ask. Catherine was soon promoted to Second in Physics a year later where she took responsibility to redesign the KS3 Physics curriculum, provided students/staff with excellent resources, ran the GCSE Physics mentoring programme, and promoted engineering to students through workshops, careers advice and an extra-curricular club. Her integrity, positivity, and kindness will be sadly missed by the Vesey community and our loss is Rolls Royce’s gain as she embarks on the next chapter in her career - engineering hybrid electric planes in Bristol.

- Mr Bradley

miss kite

miss Connor

miss du

Angela Kite joined the School in September 2005 to take up the post of School Receptionist and has since developed her skills and knowledge to great effect and she has been the Senior Office Manager since 2013. Angela has been an amazing asset to the school over the years and her hard work and dedication for the whole school community has been greatly appreciated by countless staff, students and parents. Her organisational and management skills will be greatly missed as will the care that she has given to all the students she has attended to over the years. The school wishes Angela all the best for her new adventures.

- Mr Swindells

Ingrid has been an enthusiastic and incredibly helpful member of department. As a department we thank her for all the lovely cakes that she has brought in and for the hard work teaching Vesey students. We wish her very well in her next role at Erdington Academy.

- Mr Williams

Miss Du is a very lovely and passionate young lady. We were so lucky to have her in Mandarin department this year. She has been very supportive and helpful, and she has been very kind and patient to students. I wish her all the best back in China in the future. We will miss you very much Miss Du!

- Mrs Wang

In May, we said goodbye to our inspirational and exceptionally gifted Drama teacher, Mrs Rebekah O’Dowd. She has done an amazing job for our students over the last 7 years. We wish her a long and happy retirement. Before she left, we met with Year 11, enjoyed tea and cake, and reflected on all the brilliant productions she has masterminded: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jabberwocky, Two, Find Me, Toad, Poppies, Living with Lady Macbeth! The biggest source of joy to Mrs O’Dowd will be the legacy that Drama will continue at BVGS under the leadership of Miss Brown and Miss McGrail.

Dear OVs,

Welcome Old Veseyans to the Summer 2022 edition of The Veseyan. I hope you are well.

Unfortunately, we were not able to get the annual Old Veseyan sports day up and running, and in actual fact it wouldn't have happened because the afternoon was terribly wet and cold!

Sheila Randon very kindly held the annual Shaggy Dogs tea party at her home on Wednesday 13th July and a good number came along and we were joined with many young Veseyans. It was a truly excellent afternoon. Please enjoy the photos in the following pages.

Looking forward, The Old Veseyan dinner is set for Saturday 12th November 2022 in Big School. Booking will be through school. Is it a special anniversary since you left school? Get together with a few school friends and come along for a good night of reminiscing, a good meal and a glass of wine or two!

I am pleased to report some new committee members have joined our group, so look out for some new names.

Last but by no means least, it was a great shock and with sadness that I learnt of Stephen Roberts passing on Wednesday 6th July after quite a short illness. A long time member of the Old Veseyan Association and very proud Old Veseyan, Stephen came forward to offer his help with editing the Veseyan. I didn’t know Stephen before that but soon learnt of his deep passion for history and music. He was able to help for a few years and subsequently gave great support to the school cataloguing the huge amount of archive material stored in the old headmasters house. He was also writing a book in celebration of the schools 500th anniversary. It is very sad he will not be able to complete those projects and someone else with his skills and passion will be hard to find.

Stephen wrote many books and one of his last series was about the social history of Sutton Park and the town “Glimpses into Sutton’s Past” , 5 books in all. Very informative and interesting and he would be honoured if you could read them in his memory. He will be greatly missed as will his enthusiasm for history, BVGS and Sutton Coldfield.

With best wishes,

- Paul Wallis, Chair of the Old Veseyan Association

S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 | E D I T I O N 1 5 S h a g g y D o g s T e a P a r t y

Harry Leigh-Dugmore 1920 – 2020 (BVGS 1930 -1937)

This Eulogy was delivered at the two wakes held for Harry on 8th April 2022 at the Plough and Harrow, Slade Road, Sutton Coldfield and the second at The Wheel, Naphill, Bucks on 9th April 2022.

Harry passed away on 8th March 2020 just one month short of his 100th Birthday and just as the Covid restrictions were kicking in. So, his funeral was a very small affair on 1st April 2020 with just four family members and two neighbours to see him off. We chose 1st April as we knew it would make him laugh. So, we had to wait until this Spring to give Harry a proper send off. On 8th April we spread his ashes together with the ashes of his wife Majorie who has passed away in 2014. We rounded that off with a few words and a reading of “The lion that ate our Albert” , which was a nonsense poem that Harry loved, before repairing to the pub.

Because Harry also had friends in Buckinghamshire, where he spent his last few years, Harry’s two children, Felicity & Charles, then organised a second wake in Naphill on what would have been his 102nd birthday. Each event was attended by over 40 people. To explain a couple of the names, Roz & Emily are two of Harry’s grandchildren. “I don’t know whether I will get through this so I have a Plan B which is Roz & Emily are ready to step in. They are armed with a copy of this so if you see panic flashing across their faces then you know I have gone off piste and I am just working from memory.

But 83 years ago, my Dad had no plan B. There wasn’t one when he set off to France as Private 201972 H Leigh.He had joined the Territorials early in 1939, so when the balloon was obviously going to go up he was called up and ordered to report to Birchfield Harriers racetrack. They weren’t very organized so gave them all 6 pence to go and buy lunch. Many only went as far as the Crown & Cushion in Perry Barr but Harry walked a couple of roads further on to Thornbury Road where his fiancé’s family lived arriving as my Grandad-to-be’s lunch of steak and kidney pudding was coming out of the oven. This was donated to the new recruit and my Grandad had to make do with a chop. He didn’t mind as he had served in the First War being injured on the Somme. So, France happened and the retreat to Dunkirk. Harry wrote a lovely article for the Old Veseyans Magazine and that was reproduced recently by the British Legion with some photos. If you Google “Harry Leigh” and “British Legion” it will take you there.

You can tell it is his own words and he describes in that typically understated way of his how the newly promoted Lance Corporal Harry Leigh led his men back to Dunkirk. It talks about how he ended up on his own with a few men, more than he should have commanded and how they came to accept his trust, his part in shooting down a Messerschmitt and the eventual shock of finding himself in Wales with the pubs open on a SUNDAY and the landlords refusing to take payment. He tells it better than I could.

There was one positive outcome. My Mum had got engaged to Harry after they met at Fort Dunlop before the war but she declined to marry him until the war was over. Waiting for him to come back from Dunkirk changed her mind and she said she would rather be married and widowed than lose her fiancé. So, they married in Aston Parish Church on 24 August 1940 under special licence. He was now a Sergeant.

His medals tell the story of his service.

1939-45 Star. He was there. Thanks Dad.

Italy star. He wasn’t supposed to be there. He was on a transport ship bound for the Far East equipped with tropical kit. During the voyage they were re-deployed, landed in Italy and then marched up into the mountains in the middle of winter still in tropical kit. It took a while for them to get decent warm gear. He was glad he had taken his Dunlop wellies with him! He moved up through Italy and was about to go into the front line in Austria on the Tuesday when Germany surrendered on the Monday. This would have been his first action since Dunkirk. A few months later he found himself in Naples as Captain Leigh-Dugmore on embarkation leave for the Far East when the Japanese surrendered. An occasion that he celebrated by playing double bass in an American dance band. He told me that he can’t play the double bass but no-one seemed to care.

We used to pull his leg that both Germany & Japan surrendered just because they knew he was coming. So why didn’t Churchill threaten them at the start with sending 201972 Harry Leigh? It could all have been over by Christmas.

The next one is the Foreign Service Medal. For France, Belgium & Italy.

The Defence medal for serving in the British Isles. Unusually, for a Dunkirk veteran, Harry did not take part in the D Day landings as his role included umpiring army ‘games’ around Dover, successfully fooling the enemy that a tiny number of troops were actually the entire army waiting to invade France. He always joked that was where he got his ‘war wound’ when nodding off holding a lighted cigarette!

The territorial medal. Major H Leigh serving in the Home Guard until 1956.

And the Police Special Constabulary Medal for long service awarded in 1966.

But there is one medal missing.

One was never issued for him being married to Marjorie. 74 years the two of them notched up together and those of you lucky enough to have known Marjorie will have felt he deserved a medal. She was generally well-intentioned but often misguided. A recent comment summed them up exactly: ‘He and your mother made a formidable pair – Yin to Yang I always thought. ’ But the two of them loved each other as much on the day they were parted as on the day they were married. His devotion was demonstrated by the way he selflessly looked after her in the final years of her life even though it left him exhausted and probably shortened his own life but in truth, but he did not want any time without her, they were so devoted to each other.

There then followed a few years of him doing all sorts of things. In the aftermath of Dunkirk, an invasion was a real threat so the army mounted lookouts on key hills. There were not enough radios so two people manned each hill with a motorbike each so one could ride back to raise the alarm. His plea that he couldn’t ride one was met by “Well you bloody well better learn” . After this he spent weeks riding round the West Country on a motorbike identifying any flat piece of land that could be used as a landing field and persuading the farmer to render it safe by parking any machinery, materials or anything on it. His lifelong loathing of motorbikes stemmed from this.

De-mobbed in 1946 he returned to Dunlop where he worked until his retirement in 1982.

He went on to achieve a lot in his life so the man was not defined by the 6 years he spent fighting Hitler. It is easy to focus on that. But his army career, from Private to Major, was a reflection of how he went through life.

He was unassuming in all that he did but with quiet confidence he would demonstrate his competence and receive promotion whether that was at work to end up as Personnel Manager or in his private life where he would always end up in the thick of things and often in charge. For example: · Captain and President of Walmley Golf Club where he was made Life Vice President · Governor of John Willmott Grammar School · Vice President of Heraldry at Birmingham/Midland Family History Society where he was made a Life Vice President. · Chairman of Birmingham branch of both the Royal Statistical Society and the Institute of Physics (he was a Fellow of these and other Institutes!)

He showed a quiet determination to better himself aided, and greatly encouraged by Marjorie - he did a lot. After the war he took a Maths degree by distance learning and, professionally, showed great ability. He wrote a pioneering book on the Electron Microscopy of Rubber when electron microscopes were a novelty, travelling to America to present a paper and study the emerging use of electron microscopes. Very useful tools for looking at viruses! He has several patents in his name and the Leigh-Dugmore Calculation is still used as a way of determining the dispersion rates of microscopic carbon black in the rubber industry. A subject way above my pay grade.

But there was a shared determination between Marjorie and Harry that they would improve themselves. Grandad Jackson’s business went bankrupt in 1930’s so they suffered very straightened times as he struggled to keep the roof over their house and Harry’s family lived in a Council House for a while after his parents’ marriage broke up.

They definitely bettered themselves but they were quick to help others where they could from lifelong donations to the Army Benevolent Fund, teaching the boy next door A Level Maths which started his career path, to offering to help the staff in the care home when Harry could barely walk!

They also took great pride in the successes of their son and daughter and then seeing their grandchildren prospering. But I am sure that one of his greatest pleasures is seeing the antics of his great grandchildren of which he had a collection of seven and to see how his legacy of humour is rooted through the generations.

It will come as no surprise to those who knew him that his final days were delightfully ordered. Something happened on the Monday which meant that we knew that the end was near. The Care Home staff were beyond fantastic in the care and support they gave to Harry and to the family but even then, his family’s humour showed through. His family were able to spend many hours at his bedside.

As he slipped away, he would have an occasional flurry of minor distress and one of the care staff said that was while he was re-living some part of his life and that bit caused him distress. Dunkirk was one we guessed at but I thought it harsh when his grandchildren said one was caused by my teenage years and another by the experience of teaching me to drive. Although Felicity had been known to cause a few problems too!

But a delightful comment by his Grandchildren was deciding that he was lying there quietly having a last few days of peace and quiet because he would soon be joining Marjorie and she will be bringing him up to date.

His legacy and humour lives on.

- Nick Hammond

BRIAN “CHICK” ROBERTS (BVGS 1949-54) (BVGS STAFF 1961-67)

I first knew of Brian Roberts when he was a teacher at Coleshill Grammar School, which I understand from Roger Crees, was his first job. At that time he had met my father, the headmaster at a local approved school in nearby Shustoke. Apart from their joint interest in education, their conversation inevitably found a common interest in sport, in the National Children’s Home and of course, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, Brian as a former student and me as a junior student of the time.

Brian left Vesey in July 1954 and I started Vesey in September of the same year. Brian joined the staff at Vesey in September 1961 whereas I left in July of the same year! In spite of managing to avoid each other until much later, I met Brian at an Old Veseyan Dinner where he made the connection known. Thus, he never taught me or guided my pastoral care as a boarder.

However, I have been fortunate to obtain some fine words from Tony Laithwaite (OV and Founder of Laithwaite Wines), one of his students of the day and much better qualified than me to characterise this fine man and former student of BVGS.

Brian Roberts.

Feb 8 2022 St Giles the Abbot Church, Farnborough, Kent “I’ve read that everyone has one teacher they remember as having seriously helped set them on a good road for life. For me - and a good few others - it was Brian Roberts. Though, at the time, I’m not sure we knew it. He had our respect - 60 years later I still feel uncomfortable calling him ‘Brian. ’ It’s “Mr Roberts, Sir.

Apart all the ‘longshore drift’ ,

‘U-shaped valleys and stuff geographers do, he played a strong mentoring game. In charge of the Boarding House, he had a high tolerance of boy behaviour. He wasn’t soft. But there was always a wry smile when he explained how stupid you’d been. He’d been a boy once, not that long ago, in that very house. But he got to Durham. And the great thing was, in our year alone, he got four of us there too. Same college. All rugby men, like him. Some of us rather undeservingly. It’s always worth a go he said, life is not very logical. Have a go. See what happens.

We had no idea he’d had a very tough start in life, being in a care home from a very early age. It was never mentioned. He was obviously a very happy man, Noreen, young family and all. He seemed to want to spread that happiness. His Geography field trips were perhaps the most memorable parts of our young lives. Going by train as far as Naples! Imagine…a bunch of Vesey’s boys loose, in the Sixties, in Naples! Crazy idea, but we all came back… I think.

Some of us were still in touch with Brian nearly 60 years later. I think that’s a tribute to a man who was a really good teacher, but also great fun to be with.

I don’t feel I should be standing here doing this. If he knew Laithwaite was to do his eulogy, he’d beg you to find someone else. Others will know far more about his busy life. But I thank Noreen for the opportunity to salute the teacher who for me was ‘the one’ .

For the record Brian Roberts was BVGS 1st XV captain for the 1953/54 season.

Noreen Roberts, Brian’s wife, wrote to Dominic Robson:

“Brian had a very great affection for BVGS being there as a boy and then as a member of staff.

I passed on your kind invitation to visit the School House to my children. They were very excited at the prospect. The boys remember living there but not my daughter as she was only a baby. They are all teachers so finding an opportunity will be difficult.

I did enjoy our chat bringing back many happy memories of our time in the Boarding house” .

- Nick Hammond

Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School hosted its 7th Annual Golf Day on the 23rd June inviting guests to enjoy a great day of friendly competition and networking. This event has been sponsored by X2 Workspaces since its inception and the school is proud and appreciative of business and sponsorship association with X2 Workspaces and the highly valued partnership in presenting this event for the benefit of the school.

This year the day was hosted at Great Barr Golf Club for the first time, the event featured nearly 60 Golfers who arrived in the morning to be greeted with brunch sandwiches prior to their round of golf. There was a shotgun start and great game of golf enjoyed by all followed by relaxing on a very sunny terrace before dinner. A number of non-golfing guests also joined for dinner which preceded thank you speeches and the all-important prize giving.