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From the Harrow Association
A MESSAGE FROM ADAM HART (West Acre 1977¹)
CHAIRMAN • HARROW ASSOCIATION
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Harrow Association, to welcome you to the magnificent setting of the Royal Albert Hall for a very special evening of Churchill Songs.
As the year of celebrating Harrow’s 450th anniversary draws to a close and the School embarks on an exciting decade-long development programme, we must never forget that Harrow is, and will continue to be, shaped by its past. Over 450 years, thanks to many Giants of Old, we have established a set of distinct traditions and values, including Harrow Songs, which are the envy of Schools the world over. These characteristics are rooted into the DNA of every Old Harrovian and their expression and preservation are central to the HA’s mission.
In addition, a key HA purpose is to bring OHs together wherever they may be in the world. I am delighted that, despite recent challenges, we have managed this year to celebrate the School’s 450th anniversary with OHs, and Harrow parents, in London, Scotland, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and we intend to extend our celebrations to other locations during 2023. The one common denominator I have found on my travels, especially in this world of change, is just how much OHs value Harrow gatherings: House dinners, regional and year group get-togethers and the activities of our HA clubs and societies are all in high demand. It has been an honour to experience time and again the enduring attachment of OHs wherever they may be to the ‘name and fame of Harrow’ and, without exception, a highlight of every gathering has been Songs.
May I therefore encourage you all tonight to raise your voices and sing to Harrow’s honour. It was, after all, Sir Winston Churchill who so aptly commented about Harrow Songs on visiting the School in 1955:
Stet Fortuna Domus
