UPDATE FROM THE ARCHIVES

We are pleased to report that Stephen Roberts (OV 1970-77), our honorary archivist, is making good progress in getting the school archives into order. He has discovered a dozen manuscript ledgers dating from the 1840s to the 1950s. These contain details about school accounts and governors ’ meetings. For example, the preparations that the governors made in September 1939 in the event of the Luftwaffe bombing the school are set out. Stephen will be incorporating much of the information he has discovered in a new history of the school which he will begin writing next spring.

New publications

Glimpses into Sutton ’ s Past: A Warwickshire Market Town 1800-1914 by Stephen Roberts is now available as a very handsome hardback, £15.99.

Sutton Park: A Social History 1900-1950 by Stephen Roberts has also been released in paperback, £5. It is certain to remind of that part of your life when one afternoon a week for three months you ran up Sandy Hill in your rugby boots!

The Sixth Form Common Room, 1977

The Sixth Form Common was located in the 1970s in the room on the right of the school as you entered through the sixth form entrance. The room was tiled on the floor and on two levels. It looked like it might once have been a kitchen or bathrooms. On the lower level were long oak tables, formerly used for eating. There essays due in in the next period were hurriedly completed. On the higher level boys were able to relax in a variety of arm chairs. A school chair was turned into a small table (pictured). Sometimes an acoustic guitar would be produced & songs by the Beatles – such as ‘Yesterday ’ & ‘Rocky Racoon ’ were sung.

Left to right: Walsh; Latham; Farrow; Unknown; Fothergill; Young; Roberts; Wheeler. If you can identify the Veseyan whose name we are unable to give, please get in touch.