A message from the Chairman of Governors

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS JOHN BATTING

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome everyone to this evening’s very special Churchill Songs. This is the seventh time the School has celebrated Songs and Churchill in this magnificent setting of the Royal Albert Hall. The first time we came here was for the centenary of Churchill’s birth in 1974 which, memorably for me, came midway through my time as a boy at Harrow.

Churchill Songs is all the more special this year, featuring as one of the highpoints in this 450th anniversary year. It is astonishing how far the School has travelled over those centuries, from our Founder’s original plan for a small plot and classroom around Bill Yard to John Lyon’s Foundation as it is today, encompassing both Harrow School and John Lyon School, as well as John Lyon’s Charity and the Harrow International Schools around the world.

The reach of our Foundation is now wide, and growing wider, as we seek to deliver our vision of providing inspiring education and life-enhancing opportunities for young people. Whether it be through our schools and their bursary programmes, or through the extraordinary work that John Lyon’s Charity carries out for young people in London, John Lyon and his wife Joan would, I think, be pleased to see what their original act of generosity has developed into over the last 450 years. While this 450th anniversary year has given us the opportunity to refound our future, it has also provided some wonderful moments to celebrate our long heritage, and it has involved all the pupils, all teaching and non-teaching staff, many parents and Old Harrovians, as well as many of our neighbours in the community around the Hill.

On behalf of everyone, I would like to thank the Royal Albert Hall for finding a date for us in our 450th anniversary year and welcoming us here this evening to sing our songs. The songs of Bowen, Farmer and their successors have a unique power to unite Old Harrovians, wherever and whenever they meet around the world, and I very much hope that everyone will enjoy Songs tonight and this opportunity to celebrate together.

John Batting (The Park 19722)

CHAIRMAN OF THE HARROW GOVERNORS

HARROW 450 A PHOTOGRAPHIC CELEBRATION OF HARROW SCHOOL

BY WILLIAM COOPER

Over 450 beautiful photographs which include rarely seen artefacts from the Harrow School Archive, Old Speech Room Gallery and views from across the estate.

THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK is a visual biography of Harrow School. From its founding to the present day, photographer Will Cooper takes us on a journey that delves deep into Harrow’s archives and collections, buildings and traditions.

We visit the quieter corners of the School, rediscover familiar friends, uncover the unknown and travel through time to enjoy rarely seen artefacts from the School’s collections.

From Byron’s slippers to Churchill’s letters, from the Fourth Form Room to Lyon’s, these stunning photographs make up a unique record of 450 years of Harrow School. To order your copy visit

HOW TO ORDER

harrowschoolenterprises.com/a-photographiccelebration-of-harrow-school

or scan the QR code.

£80

plus P&P

Postage and packaging will be an additional £4.40