What they did next

Famous Alumni

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School has some fascinating and well-known alumni; James Hunt, Deputy Head Teacher takes up the story.

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School has long had a reputation for providing a great education for students, but it is merely a springboard to some amazing life-long achievements. e school recently called out to alumni to get in touch with news and photos of what they were up to, to discover that past students were working in all sectors and across the globe. eir stories have formed a new corridor display to inspire current students with a message that future success can come in all shapes and sizes. ere are too many to share, but here are a few snapshots of past alumni:

The Sky's the Limit

As a centre of academic excellence, it is Chris inevitable that Lintott many alumni have pursued academic careers. e most famous former student must be Chris Lintott, professor of Astrophysics at Oxford University, and Citizen Science Lead. He’s recognisable as the host of the BBC astronomy programme e Sky at Night, rst starring alongside Patrick Moore in 2000. He has published numerous books, including collaborations with Patrick Moore and Brian May. His love of the night sky was inspired at TBGS, not least because of the school observatory, opened in 1989. Sporting Stars

e school prides itself on developing academic success alongside the whole person, hence a strong focus on pastoral, extracurricular and sporting

Chris endeavours. Hopefully,

Read students leave the school with life-long healthy and active lifestyles. Many former students push the limits conquering mountain climbs, marathons, and expeditions. Numerous alumni have taken sport to a professional level, most notably Chris Read (England Cricketer), and Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs and Scotland Rugby Union player). Tom Whittle, following a charity cycle ride through South America, discovered the energy power of tea, and so founded Mission Tea, o ering hot and cold brews as healthy alternatives to co ee and energy drinks.

Tom Whittle

And Action!

Many have also pursued the arts and lm. Roger Deakins, Oscar-winning cinematographer is well-known for work on a host of lms including e Shawshank Redemption

and Skyfall. Also successful in this eld is Madeline Brunt. Since o ering the International Baccalaureate in 2009, female students have been able to join TBGS for sixth form, and the IB aims to provide a holistic, globallyminded education. is has served Maddy well, as it led her to a degree in biology and a masters in wildlife lmmaking. is combination of disciplines has allowed her to pursue a passion of giving a voice to conservationists through lm. She is credited with the lm is Land, and is a wildlife biologist for the BBC Natural History Unit.

Roger Deakins

Madeline Brunt Keeping their Skills in the Bay

TBGS is such a great place to be, perhaps attested by the fact that there are currently six alumni on the teaching sta . And the local area is full of former students who contribute signi cantly to the life of the bay, including the co-publisher of this publication, Julian Rees, former MP Adrian Saunders, and Principal of Torquay Academy, Steve Margetts. An article on alumni would not be complete without Steve mention of Don Margetts Roberts BEM, a student and teacher who and still supports school swimming in his 90s.

Professional Leadership

TBGS core values are excellence, integrity, and leadership, attributes hopefully taken into professional work by alumni. Ben Channon is an architect, TEDx speaker, and industry leader of designing for happiness and wellbeing, publishing books Happy by Design and e Happy Design Toolkit. Daniel Heathcote has seen success as postgraduate research fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, working on uid dynamics and aerodynamic load projects. Andrew Wilson is a multiple awardwinning dentist, including Best Young Dentist 2018.

Ben Channon

Don Roberts

If you are a former student of TBGS, please get in touch with your stories and photos, via the online questionnaire: tbgs.co.uk/alumni_

stories/   tbgs.co.uk

TOGS and TOGA Annual Reunion Dinner – Saturday 2nd July 2022

Tickets are currently available for this popular annual reunion dinner and all former students of Torquay Boys’ and Girls’ Grammar Schools are invited to join for a 3-course meal at The Imperial Torquay.

To book: email togs@tbgs.torbay.sch.uk

Major Henry Augustus Garrett

Major Garrett was Chief Engineer and Surveyor at Torquay for forty years. He transformed the town bringing us Torquay Pavilion, Princess Pier, Royal Terrace Gardens, Torquay Promenade and much more. Ian Handford of Torbay Civic Society takes up the story.

Henry Augustus Garrett, born in 1859, was from Bournemouth, where by the age of 20 he was these designs would complement the Torquay seafront scene. Having commenced building by early 1892 the already an assistant surveyor with its council. Being a career engineer he successfully applied for the job of Harbour Engineer & Borough Surveyor at Torquay in 1890, from a list of 109 applicants.

Prior to his arrival in Torquay, the Town Board had applied to Parliament to create a new pier at Torquay and the ‘Pier and Harbour Provisional Order No 21 Bill’ had become law on August 7th 1888. Yet by the time Henry arrived to start his new job the foundation stone of the new pier had not even been laid. His rst action was to put the project on hold, which gave him an excellent opportunity to visit other resorts and observe how “ It is interesting to re ect that at the age of just thirty-eight, Henry earned the town its new title ‘Queen of the English Riviera’ just they had built their piers. as the 20th century dawned. With his planning complete Henry returned for a Board decision; this was endorsed - the town would have a new pier. Now a new Provisional Order was laid before Parliament and again approved, allowing a start to be made on the plans for a pier of 180ft length and 76ft wide. He estimated that it would cost £9050.

However, the Council refused his estimate and Henry was forced to redesign the plan using a reduced width of 55ft to meet budget. At the same time he was designing what would become the Royal Terrace and new Terrace Walk, which today we call Rock Walk. He believed that new amenities were complete by 1895. It is interesting to re ect that at the age of just thirty-eight, Henry earned the town its new title ‘Queen of the English Riviera’ just as the 20th century dawned. Henry also wanted to construct a covered way for his promenade and pier but was subjected to a number of “blocking motions” by Council. Having appreciated that it had taken ve years for Council to approve a pier, a special public meeting was convened at Torbay and Cumpers Hotel in January 1899. is resulted in the public consultees proposing: “that in the opinion of this meeting it is advisable that a building should be provided in this town wherein musical and other entertainments may be given for the recreation of visitors and residents”. With few entertainment facilities in the town, Henry suggested that his new pier was an obvious choice to use. He was determined to create a public emporium somewhere. His rst drawings were jocularly dubbed the ‘Torquay Cucumber House’ by the press as it was designed with a glass front enclosing a bandstand. Nevertheless, he pressed on with the idea of a Pavilion, which could be sited on reclaimed land adjacent to the tidal area of Torquay’s inner harbour. Meanwhile, concerts and other entertainments were held in an open-air

bandstand with a canvas awning, which eventually was located on Princess Pier. e town had numerous major problems including the disposal of refuse and sewage, general utility shortages plus insu cient housing caused by the town’s rapid growth. He prioritised a new refuse destructor in Upton Valley in 1897 and recommended the construction of a new seashore road from Torbay Hotel to Dyers Cottage (today the derelict Toll House). is Cottage (today the derelict Toll House). is idea thankfully received the full support idea thankfully received the full support of Council allowing his road to be of Council allowing his road to be completed as early as 1898.

With the dawn of the 20th century, the junction at Lymington Road and Union Street (now Castle Circus) was recognised as the ideal site for a new Town Hall. It meant that the nal section of the river Flete had to be buried in a large tunnel and constructing this in the centre of the town was di cult. When of the town was di cult. When building of the Town Hall and Public Library commenced in 1906, Public Library commenced in 1906, numerous items were sealed in vellum and numerous items were sealed in vellum and buried in the new foundations for posterity including local newspapers.

Torquay Pavilion was also eventually built and on Saturday August 17th 1912 Mr Garrett handed the golden key to Mayor Towell who formally declared the new art nouveau building open.

With the First World War looming, Henry was already creating a new foreshore wall at Abbey Sands, which had been constantly ooding. He had only completed the rst stage when was called up for National Service in 1913, and on joining the Royal Engineers he was soon made a Major. After the war in 1918 Major Garrett returned to Torquay and immediately picked up where he had left o ve years before. He now set about building new homes at Westhill, Windmill Hill, Stentiford Hill and Barton. He also completed Torquay’s Esplanade, which still carries his name carved by a stonemason, and it was o cially opened in January 1928. Major Garrett built new sewage works and public lavatories at St Marychurch and on Babbacombe Downs and then at Ellacombe Green and Vaughan Parade. He oversaw the widening of Newton Road and St Marychurch Road while also working on improving the sewage facilities at Shiphay and at Edginswell. Finally, he was involved in the construction of Meadfoot and Ilsham roads, which included what today we call Marine Drive.

His decision to retire came due to failing health and when in 1930 he nally stepped down his public presented him with a notable gift. He had served them as Chief Engineer, Architect and Surveyor for forty years. Major Garrett lost his wife in 1933 and subsequently died at home at Kingsdale on Babbacombe Road in May 1934 at the age of seventy-three.  torbaycivicsociety.co.uk