OC Magazine Issue 8 2022

Old Churcherians

From the Headmaster

In years to come, when historians reflect back on the year 2022, they will have so much more material to add to their list of momentous events than they would normally expect. Just as we were going to print with this magazine, the sad news of Her Majesty’s passing filtered through and with the end of the Second Elizabethan Age, the school stood to sing ‘God Save the King’ for the first time in seventy years. Inevitably significant moments encourage reflection and with first the Platinum Jubilee and now the change to our country’s monarchy, there has rightly been much reminiscence of glorious reigns and much to celebrate. But such moments also encourage us to consider the future as King Charles III takes the throne.

In this, our tercentenary anniversary year, we too have been looking back, back over the past 300 years but also forward to the future. This year has been a celebration for the school and with huge new Music School buildings and tercentenary woods and grand summer concerts we have been celebrating hard. We also were very keen for this year to be about the future as well and we have used it as a catalyst to connect and reconnect with Old Churcherians and with the town of Petersfield. You may have been very good at keeping in contact with your classmates of old and the school, if not then hopefully we can help and encourage you do so.

So, whenever the invite comes and from whoever, be it the Development Office’s Nick, Vanessa or Catherine or classmate of old, please do return, it means so much to us and I promise it will mean much to you as well. I leave you to memories of the past, news of the present and excitement about the future in this OC magazine.

With my very best wishes, Simon HeadmasterWIlliams

From the Development Office

Soon after I arrived at Churcher’s back in 2019, I started to have some conversations with Old Churcherians, the Headmaster and other friends of the College about what we thought we should try to achieve with the 300th anniversary celebrations. It was clear that everyone had broadly the same ideas –aside from celebrating our history, we wanted to engage our whole community with the anniversary and we all thought it needed to be fun!

It all started last September with the 300 photo on Memorial Field, including all the pupils and staff from the Senior School and Junior School and the Tercentenary Drinks for Old Churcherians at the In & Out Club in St James’s Square, London.

It was very clear to me from that night that the OCs were up for the party! The room was full with 25 different year groups represented. This was bettered at OC Day when 37 years groups came back to Churcher’s. I have no idea how many of you made it back for Open Day and the Grand Summer Concert but I met quite a few of you over that weekend and I met many more during other events including the Churcherians’ London Dinner, the Churcher’s Golf Day and the 1722 Society Lunch amongst others. Thank you to all of you who have attended, or plan to attend, any of our events during this special year – it has been fantastic to see you all.

Of course, our thanks are not restricted just to those of you who have attended events. Many of you have very generously sent gifts to the Richard Churcher Foundation to support the School’s commitment to bursary provision. You have sent in your news and your stories

and taken part in Churcher’s Chat which is shared on Churcher’s Community. You have given talks to current pupils or offered work experience to alumni. You have been buying the 300th anniversary merchandise, you are one of 1,250 have signed up to Churcher’s Community to date, or you have just got in contact with us to update your contact details.

In whatever way you choose to interact with Churcher’s and the Development Office, we are delighted and very grateful. 2022 is not finished yet and here’s hoping the sun stays shining on us – you can still get involved in any way you wish.

Please keep up to date with all news related to the School, the Old Churcherians and our wider community at Churcher’s Community –WithCommunity.ChurchersCollege.com.verybestwishes,NickSmithHeadofDevelopment

The gift of education Churcher’s College was established in 1722 with a generous bequest of £3,000 from Richard Churcher in his will to provide an education for ten or twelve boys from Petersfield in the arts of writing, arithmetic and the mathematics of navigation. 2022

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First edition of the Hoggarth,byintroducedmagazineSchool‘Bill’ who later Headmasterbecame in 1927.

A new building on Ramshill site

The land was given by William Nicholson MP, English gin distiller, Liberal Party politician and first-class cricket player.

endsBoarding

Now a dayindependenteducational,co-school.

First girls admitted Initially into the Sixth Form and then throughout the School.

300th anniversary

Churcher’s College celebrates – recognising the past, where it is today and taking inspiration for the future.

Getting involved

Attend events

Support the Churcher

Share your stories

For further information

School news

The new Music School

This tercentenary year has seen the completion of our major capital building project and the opening of the new FollowingMusic School.aspirited and innovative request to open the new Music School from the Rock School pupils, who created a video of themselves playing their very own rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody in various random locations around the school site (including the Library and the swimming pool!), they did receive a personalised video from Queen legend, Brian May!

The Music Department is now able to meet all its needs in one central location and has been a hive of activity since its opening in November 2021. With 15 lesson and practice rooms, teaching class rooms, rehearsal rooms and the acoustically engineered auditorium which regularly plays host to concerts, talks and other events, the new Music School is proving itself to be an invaluable space and facility for the School.

1722: The Musical

An original production and tercentenaryinspired musical was performed by the Senior School pupils at the end of the autumn term

The Musical’ tells the story of two spirited contemporary students, Fin and Theo, who are given a research project into the history of the College as punishment for causing serious disruption to their History

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when something magical happens; their weighty historical tome opens a portal into scenes from College life through history, from the original declaration of Richard Churcher’s will in 1722, through to 2023, where history is about to repeat itself!

Key moments in Churcher’s history such as the gifting of the site at Ramshill in 1881, the harrowing experiences of too many Churcher’s boys in the trenches of the First World War and the admission of girls to the Sixth Form in the 1980s, all contribute to teach Fin and Theo some valuable lessons and they are returned to the present day having learned the true value of education.

Director and Head of Drama, Stacey Carty said: “I remember sitting down during the early stages, visualising some sort of story through time and all I could think about was how it had to be fun, it had to be engaging and it had to do the Churcher’s story justice. At that point, I had no idea what the plot would be, but I kept being drawn back to rapid visuals, choreography, bright lights, and bursts of song, and that was the moment that ‘1722: The Play’ became ‘1722: The Fullscale Musical’!”

300 Pennies Challenge

To continue in the footsteps of our benefactor and encourage philanthropy in education, at the start of the autumn term every Senior School pupil was each physically handed 300 pennies (in three pound coins!) and challenged to come up with some inspirational and entrepreneurial ideas to raise funds for the Richard Churcher Foundation.

There were lots of different fundraising initiatives, including walking, cycling and swimming challenges, food and drink sales, Christmas stalls, raffles and even the production of limited edition 300th anniversary keyrings!

Hundreds got involved, each one rewarded with a commemorative 300 pin badge. Some were spurred on by the opportunity to have their own engraved stone in the new Philanthropy Path and managed to raise over £300! One Form group, 1R, even wrote and performed their own play in House Assembly to encourage others in Rodney to get involved.

We set a group challenge for the pupils to raise more than the original £3,000 bequeathed

“When I started the first climb, it felt like a big challenge and it would be difficult to achieve my goal. Something that was spurring me on when it got tough was the thought that I was doing this to raise money for the Richard Churcher Foundation and to help others get an education like mine.” Kate (1R)

by Richard Churcher in his will in 1722. They smashed this, gifting over £5,000 to the Richard Churcher Foundation and the provision of bursary awards to families whose children would otherwise be unable to benefit from a Churcher’s education.

“I made £200 for the Richard Churcher Foundation by completing a sponsored swim. I used my £3 to pay the fee for a Just Giving page. This enabled me to send a digital link to my friends and family. I started my 30km swim in the October half term and finished swimming before the promised 25th of December. I have to thank all my supporters for enabling me to do this brilliant challenge.” Will (1D)

OC events

Heath Harrison House Drinks

At the start of the academic year, 100 recent leavers joined the Headmaster and staff for cocktails and street food for the first OC event in almost two years. Having had multiple events cancelled due to the pandemic, it was fantastic to see so many OCs attend and catch up with each other.

The in-house catering team from Sodexo provided a cocktail bar featuring delights such as ‘Nicholson’s Revenge’, ‘Pavilion Nights’ and ‘Ramshill Sunset’. Also making its debut was the new Churcher’s 1722 Pale Ale from Langham Brewery. Entertainment was provided by Ella Conder (21) who gave a beautiful rendition of two of her songs from her EP, ‘Worlds Apart’.

Tercentenary Drinks

A drinks party was held in September at the ‘In & Out’ Club in St. James’s Square, London to get the ‘off-site’ tercentenary celebrations going with the Old Churcherians. Despite the pandemic and national rail disruptions causing havoc with everyone’s plans, the room was full with more than 80 OCs spanning 25 year groups who all made sure it was a fun night out!

Focusing on rekindling old friendships and drawing on the importance of the Richard Churcher Foundation, Nick Smith, Head of Development, and Headmaster, Simon Williams, welcomed the guests and spoke of the enduring legacy of Richard Churcher. From the first intake of nine boys who began their Churcher’s education in 1730, now at over 1,200, I think we can truly say that Richard Churcher’s legacy lives on.

OC Day

On Saturday 26 March, more than 200 Old Churcherians returned to the College for the inaugural OC Day in this special tercentenary year. It was a day packed with activity and reconnection and we were delighted that the sun decided to join in as well!

OC Sport

Throughout the morning it was terrific to see so many OCs competing for the Eaton Trophies and to have lots of spectators showing their support. The OCs were up against strong school teams and the matches were keenly contested, good fun and had a great competitive spirit. The final results were as follows:

• OC Women Vs 1XI Girls Hockey: 3-3

• OC Men Vs 1XI Boys Hockey: 3-4

• OC Women Vs 1VII Netball: 25-42

• OC Reunion Lunch

OC reunion lunch

Over 150 Old Churcherians sat down for an ‘authentic school dinner’ in the dining room and Old Assembly Hall, representing 37 year groups, spanning over 60 years of education from 1955 up to and including 2019. It was lovely to see so many OC friends reunite and get to know other OCs they had never met before.

Welcome drinks, including the ‘Churcher’s 1722’ Classic Cuvée, were held in the new Music School auditorium, when Old Churcherians got the chance to sing the school song in full voice, much to the surprise and delight of some more recent OCs who had never heard it before!

Tours

Afternoon tours of the school were very popular and gave an opportunity for OCs to reminisce about their school life and see the various building developments. The tours were led by current Sixth Form students who really enjoyed meeting the OCs and hearing some of their stories from yesteryear.

OC Music

In the evening, the Old Churcherians and current pupils came together to perform in the Music School auditorium in front of a packed audience. It was a tremendous occasion, considering those who were taking part had only one afternoon to rehearse! Thank you and well done to all those involved and a special shout-out to Richard Saxel (92) who gave a fantastic solo performance on the piano. We hope this musical event will be the first of more OC Choir and OC Orchestra performances.

Thank you

To everyone who was able to join us for OC Day this year. For those of you who could not make it, we hope to see you for the next OC Day on Saturday 25 March 2023 . If you would like to join one of the OC Sport teams, please contact Catherine in the Development Office.

Community events

The tercentenary shone a spotlight on our history, including the importance of our relationship with the town of Petersfield and the part that Churcher’s plays in the local Notcommunity.onlydo we want to enhance the impact the School can make – whether hosting or lending support to activities and events in

Petersfield – through the anniversary, we also wanted to reinforce the pupil’s responsibility to their local community and give them all an opportunity to contribute.

It is also important that we continue to find ways in which we can bring our wider community together – a 300th anniversary giving us the perfect platform to do so.

Remembrance

The School held its annual Remembrance Concert at St Peter’s Church, Petersfield on the evening of Wednesday 10 November, with the Senior Orchestra, Junior Choir, SSA Choir, Barbershop and Senior Choir all performing.

On Thursday 11 November, Churcher’s College commemorated Armistice Day with a special

morning service followed by a procession through the School’s war memorial whilst the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) of Army, Navy and RAF cadets stood in formation beside the memorial.

Churcher’s Golf Day

Following an 18-month absence, we managed to fit in not one, but two, Churcher’s Golf Days in the past year…

In October 2021, 64 Old Churcherians, Senior School and Junior School parents (past and present), local businesses and other supporters came together at Petersfield Golf Club to participate in a competitive but friendly team event, which was repeated again the following

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the welcome bacon butties, the four ball teams teed off with a shotgun start. Two ‘halfway houses’, well stocked with Churcher’s 1722 pale ale, other beverages and snacks, kept people fed and watered during play. Not just about the team event, players also competed in a number of competitions for individual bragging rights. After the golf, it was dinner, speeches, the raffle and prize giving, including the winning team captain receiving the coveted ‘Green(ish) Jacket’. Ending up with the Churcher’s minibus ferrying those still in the mood off to The Queen’s Head.

Both days were an outstanding success, raising £8,000 for the Richard Churcher Foundation and the provision of bursaries at Churcher’s.

A big thank you to… all of our sponsors – Agilico, Alitex, Navigate Capital Management, Robison, Sodexo Independents and The Queen’s Head; to our steering group of Old Churcherians, parents and local businesses who have all been incredibly helpful behind the scenes, whether providing valuable advice, signing up sponsors and teams or providing raffle items; to all our volunteers, without whose help we could not manage the day; and last but not least, to all the players for entering into the spirit of the occasion and helping us to raise much needed funds for the Foundation.

If you would like to take part in the next Churcher’s Golf Day, please contact Nick in the Development Office, or you can sign up at Churcher’s Community.

Tercentenary Wood

Delivering action in the face of the climate crisis our planet finds itself in, as well creating a public space for the whole Petersfield community to enjoy, the School community came together to establish Tercentenary Wood.

Planting took place across three days on the 8, 9, and 10 February at Penns Place in Petersfield. Pupils, staff members, School Governors, parent volunteers and local community supporters were all given the opportunity to plant one of 15 different tree varieties, all native to the UK – 1,800 trees

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of the tree planting efforts, pupils were asked to decorate a non-bleached, biodegradable coffee filter with ‘a message of hope’ for our planet, which they planted with their tree.

The initiative also marked another significant anniversary, Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, when we were all encouraged to plant a tree to mark 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom.

Grand Summer Concert

1,800 people flood through the School’s gates to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Churcher’s in style at the Grand Summer Open Air Concert. Performances from the School’s orchestras and bands as well as the Tercentenary Chorus, including hundreds of pupils, staff, Old Churcherians, parents and friends of Churcher’s, included varied items as ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ to ‘O Fortuna’ from Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’ through to ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Guns ‘n’ Roses. There was even a rendition of the school song which was very warmly received by the OCs in the audience!

Petersfield Community Fair

The day after the night before, the Grand Summer Concert, Churcher’s College hosted the Petersfield Community Fair, offering local charities, schools, clubs, societies and other groups in Petersfield and the surrounding area the opportunity to promote and raise awareness for all the fantastic work they

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thousands of people came through the School gates and more than 40 local charities, community organisations and businesses took part in the day.

Local music and dance groups – including Italia Conti, Petersfield Academy of Dance, The Petersfield School, SOS From The Kids and Petersfield’s Queen tribute act, It’s a Kind of Tragic – got the chance to perform on the giant festival-sized stage. Children’s entertainment included giant inflatable slides, carousel rides, face painting and crafts and there was plenty of food and drink available from a variety of street stalls.

The atmosphere was very friendly and relaxed, with perfect weather conditions. The day was billed as ‘Fun for all the Family’ and there truly was something for everyone…

The Richard Churcher Foundation

The Richard Churcher Foundation was set-up to provide bursary awards to families whose children would otherwise be unable to benefit from a Churcher’s education.

In our 300th year, we would like to invite our community to support our efforts by making a gift to the Richard Churcher Foundation.

Every penny we receive will go directly towards the provision of bursaries.

Richard Churcher’s gift of £3,000 in 1722 equates to approximately £700,000 in today’s money, equivalent to what the school provided in bursary awards in 2021.

Recognising your gift

Gift Recognition option Details

£150 + Name a seat in the new Music School 140 available £300 + Engraved stone in the new Tercentenary Path (size A) 30cms x 15cms £1,000 + Engraved stone in the new Tercentenary Path (size B) 30cms x 30cms £3,000 + Engraved stone in the new Tercentenary Path (size C) 60cms x 30cms £10,000 + Name a practice room in the new Music School 15 available £25,000 + Sponsor a child through their Churcher’s journey Regular gift over of five yearsa maximum

1722 Society

Recognising those who make a significant contribution to the Richard Churcher Foundation, all donors who make a cash gift or pledge a legacy of £5,000 or more will become members of the 1722 Society and have the opportunity to be recognised on a separate commemorative plaque.

Information

For more information, you can download a copy of The Richard Churcher Foundation brochure at Churcher’s Community or request a hard copy from the Development Office.

If you have any questions about making a gift, please contact Nick in the Development Office.

Thank you

Thank you for any support you are able to give.

Merchandise

Celebrating the tercentenary

We have curated some limited-edition merchandise to mark our anniversary, with all proceeds going to the Richard Churcher Foundation.

Thank you Thank you to everyone who helped to create the merchandise including Lesley Foulkes at Langham Brewery, Mike and Hilary Wagstaff at Greyfriars Vineyard and Alex Lambrianou (22)

You can view and buy all 300th anniversary merchandise and other items from the ‘Shop’ at Churcher’s Community.

“Churcher’s has done a lot for me and its support and guidance have given me the skills and confidence to produce and sell the umbrellas. I am very happy to give back in some way to help another student benefit from the opportunities at Churcher’s via the Foundation.” Alex Lambrianou (22)

Careers and the workplace

Professional Connections

Whether you’re taking your first steps in the world of work, would like advice on how to progress in your chosen field or just looking for a new challenge, the Careers and the workplace can help you.

Through Professional Connections, you will be able to identify an OC mentor in an industry, function or location of interest to you. This could be through an email exchange, a telephone call or meeting up for a coffee.

For now, we would be delighted to hear from Old Churcherians who are interested in helping out with Professional Connections and mentoring a fellow OC. To register your interest, you will need to have created an online profile, which you can do by heading to ‘Careers’ on Churcher’s Community.

Jobs Board

We also have the capability to advertise jobs, internships or work experience placements on Churcher’s Community, further shared on our LinkedIn page. Jobs, internships or work experience placements can be targeted at current Sixth Form or gap year students, graduates or Old Churcherians looking for work or a change in career.

Please get in touch with Catherine in the Development Office to find out more about the Business Directory or Jobs Board.

Business Directory

The Business Directory is a new feature on Churcher’s Community that enable alumni, parents and the wider community to leverage the Churcher’s network and share information on their business and what they can offer. We are delighted to have a number of businesses already listed on the directory, ranging from consultancy and hospitality to sport and Weleisure.are

keen to grow the Business Directory –share your business or support another!

Careers events

In March we held our first Careers events for two years. The Sports Hall was packed for the Careers Convention with pupils and parents visiting the exhibition of over 40 companies, Higher Education and gap year providers.

The new Music School auditorium played host to an evening of networking to put our Lower

Sixth students through their paces, whilst they practised their networking skills over drinks and canapés. Advice, anecdotes and experience were shared and, after a slightly nervous start, the students soon found their networking feet and thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the volunteers.

Thank you

To all OCs who helped with careers events this year.

If you have any questions about Professional Connections or are interested in volunteering at any of our school Careers events, please get in touch with Catherine in the Development Office.

In memoriam

Since the last edition of OC, we have been advised of the deaths of the following Old Chucherians. We have included a few words and reflections which have been sent to us by family and friends.

All obituaries are published on Churcher’s Community – In Memoriam.

as a single teacher for 25 girls and boys from the Senior School in Petersfield.

in LAMDA lessons across the Senior School.

Susie Arnold (former staff) Susie Arnold passed away in September leaving a muchloved family, both at home and amongst the Churcher’s Susiecommunity.seemed to live and breathe drama and had more than 28 years’ involvement with Churcher’s as a parent and LAMDA teacher. She started teaching LAMDA at Churcher’s College in 2007

The very first exam session was held in the Summer Term 2008 featuring Verse and Prose Grade One exams before moving on to Acting exams the next year. As interest and takeup of LAMDA grew, so did the team with Zoe joining Susie and the beginning of the annual

When Susie retired in 2019, she mentioned a high point of her time at Churcher’s was the huge number of students who had reached their Grade Eight Gold Medal Acting exam, something that is recognised by UCAS, and what a far cry it was from her little First Years taking their first Verse and Prose exams all those years ago.

With a perpetually reassuring smile, a “never mind, dear” or a “it will be alright on the night”, Susie was one of life’s perpetual glass halffull people, which is why the children (and adults) at Churcher’s loved her so much. She will be sorely missed by the entire Churcher’s community.

Peter Bennett (58)

Peter talked so very fondly of his time at Churcher’s College and enjoyed reading the books that we purchased from the school shop. His memory of School was so vivid and

although he had short term memory loss, he could still recite the names of all the boys in his class – an amazing feat after over 70 years.

Churcher’s gave Peter security (his family

were Army and travelled extensively). An amazing education which he built on at University and beyond, and a strong moral basis for how to live his life.

Jonathan (Jon) Brooks (74) ‘Jon’ Brooks, died in March 2022 from Motor Neurone Disease which was diagnosed in 2019. On leaving Churcher’s, where he was a member of the CCF Marching band, he went to Sheffield University obtaining a BA in Art. Using his art, he tutored at the Art Academy in Farnham Surrey and the South Bank Museum of Moving Images.

In 1980 he was invited by Steven Spielberg to join his animation films, where he

was involved with many of Spielberg’s productions but especially ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988). He changed careers and worked with the administration team in the Oncology Department of London University

OnHospital.retirement he and his

wife Moya, whom he had met while at university, moved from London to Lewes in Sussex. They had two daughters, Alexandra and Justine.

credentials and dry sense of humour made him hugely well respected within the Churcher’s Common Room and amongst the pupil body.

Old Churcherians

Rob Hiscutt

Frank Sayer

Roy Kersley

Bernard

Derek

Ken

David

David Cave (former staff)

It was abundantly clear from the huge amount of correspondence that the Headmaster received from OCs, pupils along with parents past and present following news of David’s sudden death, that he made the most significant and lasting impression on so, so many and very much to the Davidgood.

was a man of few words but when he spoke, people listened. His understated, no fuss and no-nonsense approach, together with his impressive academic

An academic heavyweight, Dr Cave made significant contributions to two key initiatives for the most able Churcherians – The Academy and the Extended Project Qualification. As a loyal and dedicated Collingwood Sixth Form Tutor, David helped countless students navigate their A Level studies, providing wise counsel and sound advice on their university applications.

Dr Cave – even the name is almost iconic and has become synonymous with extraordinary scholarship and a deep-seated passion to inspire all with a love of English language and literature. His legacy is long-lived through all at Churcher’s who have been inspired by him both inside the classroom and out.

Peter Bennett

Andrew Squire

Jim Thomas

Stuart Swain Rodney

John Holley (68) Nelson

John Loader (71) Rodney

Jon Brooks (74) Grenville

Charles Beeson (75) Rodney

Maddy Lawrence (20)

Former staff

Susie Arnold (07-19) Teacher

David Cave (97-21)

Don Martin (59-86)

Classics, Librarian

Kenneth (Ken) Hick (52) Kenneth Allen Hick was born on 15 May 1935 in Silverdale. His family moved to Hayling Island in 1938 and his lifelong love of Petersfield began when he joined Churcher’s College in Appearances1946.atthe Festival

Hall with the Operatic Society brought him to live in Petersfield during March 1961 and in March 1963 he

became responsible for the maintenance of the telephone service in the town. He retired in 1992 as a senior manager in BT’s ViceChairman’s public relations

Indepartment.1964,Ken was prominent in the formation of the committee of the Petersfield Community Association. His long association with local government in Petersfield began in 1965 and he was elected Town Mayor of the newly formed Town Council. He was to fill this role on two further occasions, in 1987 and, more recently in 2002.

He also served as Chairman of the Petersfield Arts Council and the Petersfield Diabetic Group.

Known to many as ‘Mr Petersfield’, his great love was, the Festival Hall, where

he masterminded the 1987 improvements. Another love of his was the Petersfield Museum and he always hoped that the museum would encourage the next generation of Petersfield historians.

In retirement he devoted himself to travel and endorsed twinning links with the Town’s twin towns of Warendorf in Germany and Barentin in Normandy. In 2002 the Mayor of Barentin awarded him the town’s Medal of Honour for his services to greater understanding between the two countries.

Ken was inordinately proud when two of his grandchildren joined Churcher’s and he continued his long association with the College attending many events over the years.

boundless enthusiasm and determination, displaying the resilient character that was always her bedrock. She especially loved Art as she was technically very sound, which happily combined with being creatively excellent. On receiving an A grade in Art, it was this field that she went into on leaving the school.

her mark with her friends and family but will continue to do so with her charity, Maddy’s Mark, promoting women’s rugby and mental health.

Maddy Lawrence (20)

On 25th March, 2022, Maddy Lawrence tragically passed away after a courageous fight against sepsis, after incurring a rugby injury whilst playing for her university team (UWE).

Coming to Churcher’s Sixth Form, Maddy faced this experience with

She continued to thrive in new places, using the excellent underpinning gained at Churcher’s, securing a Distinction in Art Foundation at Oxford Brookes. She loved creation and design but was also at home outdoors, especially up a tree or flying down the wing for her beloved UWE rugby team. Maddy not only leaves

To support Maddy’s Mark, Churcher’s hosted a fantastic fundraising day on the penultimate day of the summer term, with a rugby tournament for the whole school. It was a hugely successful event, raising funds as well as bringing huge enjoyment to all pupils and staff. There is the hope to make this an annual event.

Find out more about Maddy’s Mark and future fundraising events on Facebook or Instagram by searching ‘Maddy’s Mark’.

John Edward Loader (71) John Loader sadly passed away, aged 69, on 28th March 2022 after long illness.

He attended Churcher’s College between 1962 and 1972 followed by achieving a degree in andwithdesktopupUniversity.EngineeringMechanicalatPortsmouthJohnthensethisownverysuccessfulpublishingbusinessclientssuchasHooverPrestige.

John kept his ties with Churcher’s by becoming the secretary of the Old Boys association, producing the monthly magazine as well as helping to arrange numerous events at the school, including the Old Boys cricket match against Emanuel School – it was the 40th anniversary of Old Emanuels being evacuated to Churcher’s College.

His father, Ted Loader,

was Steward at Churcher’s for twenty-one years before retiring in 1990. John’s mother, Joy, also worked alongside Ted. During that time, he lived opposite the school, in the old Mount Cottage, with his parents and twin sister, Jacqueline.

John had strong ties with Churcher’s College and remembered his time there with huge pride.

On completion of National Service, he was called for interview at Trinity College, Cambridge to read English.

Donald (Don) Martin (former staff)

Don was Head of English at Churcher’s from 1959 to 1986 and Housemaster of Nelson from 1967 until his Heretirement.wasborn in Wimbledon on 25 January 1926 to parents Jack and May. In April 1944 he went on a naval short course at Cardiff University. His subsequent National Service in the Royal Marines involved postings to Cardiff, Deal, Chatham, Eastney and North Wales, the latter being with the Special Boat Section – part of preparations for a planned invasion of Japan.

It rained heavily on the day, and at the end of the 3 mile walk from the station, he was soaked to the skin. His interviewer sat him in front of the fire with a glass of sherry. Don always maintained that he passed the interview because the Master felt sorry for Donhim.met

Stella at a social evening in 1947, and, at the end of the evening she said to him: “You’ve made quite an impression”. They married on 11 August 1949 whilst Don, having graduated from Cambridge, was doing his education year for a career in teaching at Epsom. They moved to Guildford when Don took up his first post at the Royal Grammar School in 1950.

In August 1952 he became a father with the birth of Paul (70), and again in 1955 with Catherine. In 1959 he

was successful in gaining the post of Head of English at Churcher’s College. Veronica was born in 1961 and a few days later, Don was on TV representing Petersfield in a Southern Television general knowledge quiz show, competing against Eastleigh in ‘Beat Your Neighbour’. Don stayed at Churcher’s where as well as inspiring a love of literature in generations of his pupils, he was head of Nelson House, a rugby referee, producer of school plays and an officer in the CCF, until his retirement in Don1986.first became a grandfather in 1983 to Paul and Jill’s twins Ben (01) and James (01) and later Charlotte (06) arrived, followed by Nicholas, Richard & Oliver, born to Veronica and Mark. He later became a proud great grandfather to Ben and Zena’s George and Rosie, James and Melissa’s Ella Rose and Duncan, and Nicholas and Hannah’s Oscar.

T. A. (Arthur) Middleton (former staff)

Arthur Middleton sadly passed away in January 2022. He was Head of Classics at Churcher’s College, School Librarian from 1966 and Housemaster of Drake from

1983 until his retirement in 1991.

In the 1991 Churcherian magazine, Brian Walsh wrote of Arthur: “Arthur Middleton had played rugby of quite a high standard and for many

years coached and organised teams at the college. He was generous with his time and his goodwill…a considerate and helpful Head of Department with a profound knowledge of his subject and a valued colleague.”

Hilary Perraton (51) Hilary Perraton, who has died aged 86 of cancer, was born in Lee-on-the-Solent to Leslie, a college lecturer, and Marjorie, a teacher. He attended Churcher’s College and studied history at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, where he met fellow student Jean Warner, whom he married in 1960, two years after his Hisgraduation.firstjob was for the London County Council, “looking after dustbins”, as he put it. At the NEC he helped to pioneer courses combining TV

and radio broadcasts, written materials, science kits, postal tutorials and occasional faceto-face sessions.

By 1971 he had joined the International Extension College so that he could help to develop these new methods for the benefit of people in developing countries. In 1983 Hilary moved to the Commonwealth Secretariat where he promoted the use of distance learning methods for socio-economic development. On returning to Cambridge in 1996, founded and directed the International Research

Foundation on Open Learning. His colleagues found him scrupulously honest in his judgments, incredibly supportive, and totally uninterested in status or selfpromotion. Nevertheless, the Commonwealth of Learning awarded him an honorary fellowship and, in 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from the Open University.

He is survived by Jean, their children Jonathan and Claire and granddaughter Ruby.

Excerpt taken from the Guardian newspaper.

David (Broadlands 47-52)Savage

David Savage was a pupil at Broadlands Prep School from 1947 to 1952. He had great respect for Jack Le Grice, the School’s Headmaster,

and enjoyed the five years at the School, which had close connections with Churcher’s College where his father and uncle were educated in the 1920s. After graduation, David qualified as a Solicitor working in the Farnborough area. He was a man with many interests, serving as a Councillor for 16 years; as well as having stood for Parliament as a Conservative Candidate in the General Elections in 1974 and 1979.

All his life he kept in touch with Churcher’s, and as a member of the 1722 Society, he left a legacy to the College.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and his two sons, both of whom are medical

Davidpractitioners.retained such wonderful and happy memories of those years in Petersfield. He would regularly mention walking “in crocodile file” to Street Church, following behind the Churcher’s contingent led by Mr. Schofield, and The Broadland contingent was led by Jack Le Grice or ‘Sarge’. In particular he would recall how cricket tuition from Jack Le Grice was an education and a pleasure.

B. J. Stanley (48) Bernard was born on 4th June 1931 in Bedhampton, Hampshire and was educated at Churcher’s College in FromPetersfield.1947to 1952 he trained as a solicitor, including day release courses at University College (now University of) Southampton. He was articled to Hubert Way in Southsea and admitted as a solicitor in December 1952.

From 1952 to 1954 Bernard served in the Royal Air Force on National Service. After training, he was

commissioned into the secretarial branch as a Pilot Officer, and subsequently promoted to Flying Officer. He was stationed at R.A.F. Tangmere and twice seconded, once to R.A.F. Fairlight and once to R.A.F. Manston to act as adjutant due to the temporary absence of the officer normally holding that post.

In 1955 he returned to the law as partner of Hubert Way, becoming senior principal in the partnership until his retirement in 2000, following which he acted as a consultant to the successor firm of He specialisedHughes Way.inthe mortgage lending aspect of the business and as such represented owners in areas of Portsmouth due for slum clearance. Through Members of Parliament, he negotiated the principle of market value compensation for owner occupiers and finally saw this enacted as the Slum Clearance (Compensation) Act 1956.

Bernard was a member of the Portsmouth Diocesan Conference from 1960 and successfully led opposition which defeated plans for the over large extension of the Cathedral. He was elected Representative for the Portsmouth Diocese on the Church Assembly 1965 to 1970 and on General Synod for 10 years thereafter. He was elected as the first lay Vice-President of the Portsmouth Diocesan Synod and Chairman of the House of Laity.

In 1960 Bernard set up the Bedhampton Charitable Trust to act as a grant making charity. In 1967 he established The Manor Trust, Bedhampton to care for elderly people and to preserve the historic local buildings in which they were cared for.

Bernard had suffered ill health for the last 5 or so years and latterly required more care. He sadly died on 5th October 2021 at the Bedhampton Nursing Home.

Anthony (Tony) Thatcher (53) Tony’s sister, Susan, said: “My brother was captain of rugby and created a new record for putting the shot.

I am eight years his junior but as a child he taught me how to ‘tackle’ an opponent whilst shouting: “Get ‘em low Churcher’s scrum!”. Sadly,

girls were restricted to hockey and netball in those days.”

Our time at Churcher’s

David Robbins (1996 – 2021)

As I draft this article it is exactly 26 years to the day that I received a letter dated 1 April 1996. It was most definitely not an April Fool and offered me the post of Bursar & Clerk to The Governors at Churcher’s following several interviews and presentations during the preceding months.

Linda had seen the job advertised in the Hampshire Chronicle and commented that it could be an ‘interesting’ opportunity. Whilst the financial model of the school is relatively straightforward it was the management of this function and all the other aspects of the business from HR, Estates, IT, Catering and Governance which has provided the many new and varied challenges over the last 25 years.

The diverse challenges of a developing and growing school seemed to speed up the passage of time, with a succession of key facility projects being the markers of achievement and progression.

As Bursar it was my responsibility to oversee the whole project cycle from inception to completion and occupation. The practical issues arising and challenges of mixing busy school sites with building activities would quickly be forgotten with the positivity of handover and use of a new facility by pupils and staff. Indeed, every time I swim at the Gallagher Pool it reminds me of the transformation from a lightly used leaking and dated 1930’s outdoor summer pool to the impressive new indoor facility, opened in 2011, that now serves the school and the community with intensive daily use.

It was always important to consider that none of these landmark projects would have made progress to completion without the support,

commitment and collaborative input from the respective school Heads, Governors, Bursary and Support Staff Teams tasked with making these projects happen. Schools are all about the people and the Churcher’s ‘Can Do’ approach has always shone through.

From the Bursar’s Office on the first floor of Old College it was always a pleasure to be able to keep a watchful eye on the sporting activities of the school and naturally any fixtures involving Emily (08), Andrew (10) and Michael (12) were of particular interest! All three have moved on to progress their respective careers with the benefit of a strong Churcher’s education that has provided them with opportunities and a cohort of lifelong friends.

As both parents and staff members Linda and I have been in the fortunate position to have been wholly involved in the school community over the last 25 years and our recent change of status to OCs, as staff retirees, is just the latest stage of our association with Churcher’s.

Linda Robbins (1999 – 2021)

My first trip to the School was a visit on Open Day at the end of the summer term. The day was warm and bright and I was looking forward to ‘the tour’ however David disappeared quickly when we arrived – he was informed that the office had been broken into overnight and there were things he needed to see Whento!

I look back on that summer’s day, I realise how much Churcher’s has changed over the past 25 years – Chemistry and Biology labs were in the building that is now the Art/ IT block, and the Sports Hall was just that – drama performances took place either in the A-Hall or in the Gym.

The Junior School, meanwhile, where Emily and Andrew were due to start in September was in Moreton House, in Petersfield. There were also boarders at the school and Mount House (the last boarding house in use) and the footbridge over Ramshill, which gave pupils safe access to the site, were still there.

What was also very evident that day and is still a feature of Open Days was the buzz of energy and excitement – everyone was busy as pupils and staff showcased their work and their school with obvious pride. The sheer variety of what was on display, what the pupils and staff had achieved, left a lasting impression. Little did I realise that day that the impression Churcher’s College was to have on the Robbins family would be all encompassing – over the next 25 years Churcher’s College truly became a way of life!

In April 1999 I was appointed part-time librarian to work with Senior Librarian, Piers Simpson, in the brand-new Library building. Piers and I spent many hours during the Easter Holiday unpacking and shelving the hundreds of books which had come from the old Duringlibrary.the

Autumn term 2006 I was approached with a view to taking on the role

of Librarian at Churcher’s College Junior School which by then had relocated to Liphook. The redevelopment of the Middle School necessitated a relocation of the Library and a year spent in “The Bungalow”. Although this was a temporary fix, I was pleased when the new library became available, even though it meant a second consecutive summer holiday with time spent packing up and moving the Mylibrary!role

at Churcher’s finally came to an end on my retirement with David last Summer. Our 25-year link to Churcher’s College is a mere fraction of the School’s 300-yearold association with Petersfield but I feel privileged to have played a small part in the history of Churcher’s.

Pink Ladies

Angie Raven (1992 – 2021) Teresa Robins (1993 – 2020)

Angie and Teresa between them gave 56 years of service to Churcher’s, Angie arriving in 1992 and Teresa the year after in 1993. They have been a part of the school life of over three and a half thousand Old Churcherians. Between them the number of chairs laid out for assemblies must amount to well over half a million and that doesn’t allow for all the concerts, drama productions, house quizzes and numerous other activities that have taken place over the years!

When Angie and Teresa first started, Churcher’s was a boarding school and they have many a tale of the mischief that boarders concocted. One, in particular, was the time they heard a strange ‘bubbling’ coming from one of the chimneys in a Sixth Form dormitory and on further investigation a large quantity of home-brew beer was discovered and quickly disposed of before its discovery by the

TheyHousemaster!witnessed the change from boarding and the conversion of the dormitories to classrooms and offices. With that, came the removal of all the beds and mattresses during one of the school holidays. Rumour has it that the quickest way to get the mattresses down from the top of Old College was to use them to ‘surf down the stairs’ – something that neither Angie nor Teresa will confirm or deny!

A lot of hard work happened behind the scenes… Angie saw her team steadily grow in number as pupil numbers rose and would always find a way to achieve the seemingly impossible from the record turnaround times for events to squeezing ever greater numbers into the weekly assemblies. Teresa was instrumental in raising over £13,500 for charity from the ‘fines’ imposed for lost property in the Pound.

The Churcher’s Community has much to be grateful for Angie and Teresa’s constant presence over almost thirty years and we wish them all the best in their well earned

Thankretirement.you,

the original Pink Ladies!

From the archive

200th anniversary – a royal visit

There was much delight in Petersfield when Princess Beatrice agreed to open the Bicentenary Bazaar at Churcher’s College, which at that time held just 160 pupils.

On the day, Princess Beatrice arrived by motor from Southampton and was escorted through Petersfield before proceeding to Churcher’s. She was received at the Clock Tower by a Guard of Honour of the O.T.C. and welcomed in the Assembly Hall by Sir Heath Harrison Bart, Chairman of the Governors, who said that it was the first occasion on which any member of the Royal Family had visited the College.

After accepting a gift of a model of the College crest – a ship in full sail – the Princess declared the Bazaar open. She made a short tour around the stalls before taking her leave and proceeding on her way to

TheLondon.following

day, the Headmaster received a telegram from the equerry: “Her Royal Highness was much pleased with everything yesterday. Princess Beatrice hopes that the boys may be given a few days extra holiday”. Consequently, with the Governors’ consent, the boys were given three extra days holiday the following Easter.

250th anniversary – Service of Thanksgiving

The 250th anniversary was celebrated in a Service of Thanksgiving and Intercession in St. Peter’s Church on 2nd May. After the service, the Churcher’s College Contingent

of the Combined Cadet Force paraded in the Market Square and marched back to the College headed by the Band of the Royal Marines. A most impressive and inspiring display of marching was then given by the Band and the proceedings ended with tea for guests on the South Lawn.

Jon Faulconer (72) CCF Senior Cadet “A Service of Thanksgiving was held in St Peter’s Church in Petersfield to commemorate Churcher’s 250th anniversary in 1972 and the CCF attended in uniform. Following the service, the Cadets were formed up in the Square in front of the church prior to marching back to the College. We went down High Street and then up College Street, past the original Churcher’s College building and then Ramshill to the College. In 1972, College Street and Ramshill were part of the main A3 that ran through Petersfield; needless to say, the Police had cleared the traffic along our route.

The Headmaster, Mr David Goodfield, arranged for a Royal Marine band to lead the parade back to the College. We were also proud to have the Standard of the Combined Cadet Forces which was paraded at the front of the College’s CCF Contingent. Whilst we had our own CCF Corps of Drums, we were unable to use them on this occasion; however, John Rowe, the Bandmaster, had the honour of being the Standard Bearer and his escorts in the Standard Party were armed with 303 rifles.”

We look back at the celebrations for the 200th and 250th anniversaries of Churcher’s College...

Les Mason (72) Captain of College

“I do recall that on the day I was much more engrossed in the pomp and ceremony of the Combined Cadet Force’s parade through the town to mark the founding of the College. We had such a good comradery within the three sections and we all wanted to excel in the showmanship of the march.

A small group of us who made up the Colour Guard had been practicing rifle drills for some days previously. We drilled with the trusty Lee Enfield 303’s, a penny slotted into the magazines so that the rifles rattled loudly when the stock was slapped as the arms were presented.

Later in the day I recall being driven by the Headmaster, David Goodfield and a number of dignitaries to the church at Funtington. Passing through the lynch gate we went to the tomb and the Headmaster invited me to join him in laying a wreath on the tomb. A few words were spoken to acknowledge Richard Churcher’s role in the founding of the College, and we all returned back to Petersfield. As a matter of fact, I cannot recall whether I was still in my CCF uniform for this event!

I also have vague memories of a tea party on the Headmasters lawn and a dignitary arriving by Wessex helicopter on the Nicholson rugby field. We need to have another get-together of the Class of 72 to knock heads and pull out all those fragments of memory!”

You can access the digital archive and copies of the Churcherian dating back to 1914 in the ‘Archive’ at Churcher’s Community.