President

Message from the President

Like most of the world the OSS Presidency has been in lockdown for a while! To assist our re-emergence and in order to discover what the infamous new normal will be like I have agreed to a brief second term. The plan is that a new President, from I hope a slightly younger generation, will be sworn in (or at) at the OS Day in 2023.

Meanwhile, I am tasked with writing a short introduction to this year ’ s Record. Because my visits to Sherborne since the pandemic began have been almost non existent, I am dependent on news from the OS office to keep me up to date. It so happens that I am reading a fascinating book at the moment called Love the Enemy by Andrew March. It tells the true story of his grandfather, Fred Clayton, who, having graduated with great distinction from Cambridge (nobody ’ s perfect), in 1934 travelled to Dresden and met Rike who after the war became his wife. But of course in 1945 Dresden was bombed to bits by the Allies and Andrew is now a Vicar in Coventry which received more than its fair share of Nazi bombs. Written as a love story, the book is about reconciliation. Fred’ s best friend and confidante at King ’ s College turned out to be none other than one of the very greatest Old Shirburnians – Alan Turing (h 31). They were both relative outsiders –Fred was a working class scouser, and Alan was of course gay. I hope anyone similar today would have a better time at University than they did, and I think they would – class prejudice and prejudice against LBGT+ is being overcome, and the shenanigans in Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the passionate contributions of people like Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent have alerted us to the need for great care in how we speak about and to those who are different from ourselves. As you may know the bust of Alan was unveiled in June at Sherborne by his nephew Dermot (h 78), and the sculptor, David WilliamsEllis.

As I write this in December 2021 it seems that there is as great a need for reconciliation in our world as ever. During my third year at Oxford reading Modern History we had to choose a special subject. I chose American History, mainly because there was less of it, and I was playing cricket six days a week, and also

because ‘Doggy ’ Oldham and ‘History Steve had taught me all there was to know more or less and I had kept their notes. But I did also discover that we had been at war with the French for about 1000 years. Reconciliation with them seemed a very good idea. I voted Remain mainly because I think we should stay friends with Europe, especially the French, and my guess is that most of you agree with that especially those of you with houses in France. Right now a friend of mine who works for a scallop fishing business has had one of his trawlers impounded in Honfleur, the Home Sec is persona non grata at talks with EU leaders about the migrant crisis, and our PM does not seem to be on President Macron ’ s Christmas card list. Surely, we can never go to war with France again!

But let’ s not be complacent. The world is not fair and we should not expect Shirburnians to be immune from the bad stuff. Let’ s at least go into our troubled world determined to be peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. This Record will bring you up to date with how the next generation of peacemakers are getting on.

Talking of unfairness and on a lighter note. I was invited to two trial matches for the England over 70’ s cricket team. COVID permitting the Australian over 70’ s are due to tour in 2022 and there will be

an ‘ ashes

’ series of one day matches. Though I say it myself I did rather well in the trials, despite the first three balls I bowled being smacked for four, and was surprised not to be selected for the squad of 25 or so from whom the England team will be picked. But there is a silver lining even in this cloud. The email from the chief selector concluded his bad news message with this. ‘Don ’t give up if you are not in this squad! Who knows who will be injured or dead by next summer

So, cheer up and keep the peace.

From the Headmaster

The pandemic might not yet have run its course but the gradual return of normality has been a source of great joy. For much of last year, the School was hedged around with restrictions that served to deny the boys the opportunity properly to enjoy sport, music, drama and so much else besides. Above all, the requirement for restrictive ‘ zones ’ within boarding Houses robbed them of the easy social interaction which is such a hallmark of Sherborne life. Since September, things have felt much more as they should be. Gone are the zones and many of the other limitations upon our daily lives. For the first time in eighteen months we have been able to hold weekly services in the Chapel and Abbey; sports fixtures have resumed (with the 1st XV enjoying a good run in the National Schools Cup Competition); and plays and concerts have once more been presented to live audiences.