Robert Rose Society Lunch 2024

Members’ Lunch

19 May 2024, Green Court

Welcome

Dear Members and Friends,

A very warm welcome to Green Court for the annual Members’ Lunch of our newly coined Robert Rose Society. Whilst the name might be new, the mission and spirit of this wonderful group of individuals remains unchanged, and for that we are extremely grateful to you all.

Today’s lunch is an opportunity to come together and celebrate another year in the life of this historic school. It is also a moment for us to show our appreciation to each of our Members –the latest generation to be shaping its present through your generous support.

Thank you for joining us for this very special occasion.

Jude Lowson Head

Richard Ashworth (SH 60-64) Chairman, Robert Rose Society

Sunday 19 May 2024

12 noon: Drinks on Green Court

12.40pm: Seated for Welcome from Jude Lowson

12.55pm: Grace, followed by Lunch

1.50pm: Presentation by Liza Barkova, Captain of School, followed by Desserts and Coffee

2.25pm: Closing Remarks from Richard Ashworth

3.00pm: Guests depart

Menu

MAIN COURSE

Rosemary Infused Roast Rib of Beef

Salmon En Croute

Gluten, Egg, Dairy, Alcohol

Barbecued Hasselback

Butternut Squash with Sage

Salsa Verde (V)

Mustard, Sulphates, Tomato

SIDES

Parisienne Potatoes

Sulphates, Celery, Gluten

Buttered Summer Vegetables

Dairy

Rocket and Watercress Salad

with a Mustard Dressing

Mustard

DESSERT

Trio of Strawberries and Cream

Elderflower Pannacotta & strawberry gel, strawberry

Mascarpone tart & strawberry sorbet

Dairy, Gluten, Pork Gelatine, Egg or Fresh Exotic Fruit Plate

(V) = Vegetarian.

All of our dishes are produced in kitchens that contain allergens. Please advise the Catering Manager of any special dietary requirements, food intolerances and food allergy requirements.

In Memoriam

The people of King’s are the School’s greatest asset – an inspirational community bonded by their shared connection to this wonderful place.

We are honoured today to pay our respects to those Robert Rose Society Members and Legators who have passed away since 2022.

We remain extremely grateful for their friendship and support.

Godfrey L Ackers (Walpole, 40-44)

Anthony G Davies (The Grange, 49-53)

Michael M Hall (Walpole, 55-60)

William T Lamb (Meister Omers 49-55)

John S Lowings (School House, 57-62)

Anthony P Mason (Walpole, 51-56)

Paul Pollak (Common Room, 50-88)

Peter Seymour (The Grange, 48-50)

Francis V Thomas (Walpole, 40-44)

Henry F Thoresby (Grandson of Henry Fielding, OKS 1875-78)

Graham D Wood (Common Room, 89-04)

Thank you

Paul Pollak about to leave Prague; Graham Wood – and his pipe; William Lamb; and a photo of Henry Fielding from the Kentish Express and Ashford News, 1926

A Man for all of our Members: Introducing Robert Rose

Friends of the school who have left gifts in their wills have shaped King’s and the generations of pupils that have flowed through its doors. From capital infrastructure such as Mint Yard and the Rausing Science Centre, to today’s prize offering, bursary programme and sporting activities, there is not a part of King’s that hasn’t been enriched by their support.

And so, it was fitting, in time for our 500th Anniversary, that we honoured our Legacy Club with a name. We wanted to send our heartfelt thanks to all those Members who responded to our call and fed into the process. Collectively, our aim was to give the Club the recognition it so deserved, cementing its link to the school and raising its profile

amongst our wider community. After a lengthy consultation, we are truly thrilled with the results and hope you are too.

Robert reflects the many different aspects of our Club’s membership and its mission in supporting the school. He was also a founding King’s man who lent a sense of history and had a lifelong love of the school.

It is ultimately our current and future pupils who feel the benefits of gifts in wills and so we were also delighted that Robert links our Members to those studying at the School now.

To this day, every year one of our pupils is still awarded the Robert Rose Prize, 400 years after his death, and every Commemoration Day, our Class of 6a wear a red rose upon

their ceremonial dress - a tradition we now claim for our own.

A red rose as a symbol of respect and remembrance for all those who have given their support and service to the school before them. It is a thank you to one generation from the next.

ROBERT ROSE: KING’S SCHOLAR, OKS, LOWER MASTER, BENEFACTOR

Robert Rose was one of the school’s early King’s Scholars, studying here from at least 1560 to 1562. Archbishop Cranmer had only recently died in 1556 and his decree that “there be always in our Church of Canterbury fifty poor boys, both destitute of the help of friends and endowed with minds apt for learning” would have still been a strong ethos and directly influenced the course of Robert’s life.

Rose went on to study at St.John’s College, Cambridge but his love of King’s meant that by 1572, he had returned to the School as Lower Master. He remained so until around 1585, serving with four Headmasters: John Gresshop, Nicholas Goldsborough, William Arnold and Anthony Shorte. He may well have taught Christopher Marlowe.

After he ceased to be Lower Master, he remained just outside Canterbury, residing in the small village of Bishopsbourne. As a neighbour of Richard Hooker, he witnessed the will of “that learned and judicious divine” on October 26th, 1600. He was still in Bishopsbourne in 1618, when he assigned 26 acres of land in Romney Marsh to the School. This was to support four university exhibitions for King’s scholars who were ‘such as should be King’s

Scholars’, with a preference given to boys born in or near Canterbury.

Rose was buried in the Cathedral on May 31st, 1620. By his will, made only four days before his death, he bequeathed £100 to the Blue Coat School, which was in the Poor Priests’ Hospital in Stour Street. The boys of this school used to attend the Mayor when he went “in his formalities to the cathedral” and were familiarly known to the King’s Scholars as “the little policemen”.

As we have returned full circle to the vision of Cranmer with the inauguration of the Charter Awards, we have begun to welcome a new cohort of 50 King’s Scholars from all backgrounds to the school, just like Robert. We continue to honour his legacy to this day. Every Commemoration Day, the Rose exhibition is still awarded 400 years after his death and in happy symmetry, the 6a pupils, just like the ones Robert supported in 1618, wear a red rose on their ceremonial dress.

Thank You from the Development and Alumni Team

Every year, the Robert Rose Society contributes a significant amount to support King’s highest priorities. In doing so, our Members play a critical role in shaping the school, for which we are extremely grateful. Thank you.

This term, there is also some significant news from our own team as we say a fond farewell to Susan Tingle as she moves forward with exciting retirement plans. Her tireless energy and wonderful friendship, working with Michael Herbert, Sir Robert Horton, Peter Venn and Richard has seen the membership grow to the thriving collective it is today.

We are very grateful for all that Susan has given King’s and we wish her every happiness in the future.

Once Susan departs in the Summer, please do not hesitate to get in touch with:

Bryony Dutta Head of Philanthropy 07483 170489

b.dutta@kings-school.co.uk

Jenny Grant Director of Development and Alumni 01227 595623

j.grant@kings-school.co.uk

www.kings-school.co.uk/support-us/legacies