The Cantuarian Autumn 2001 - Lent 2002 by OKS Association | The King's School, Canterbury

THE CANTUARIAN

AUTUMN TERM 2001

THE CANTUARIAN Vol. LXVI No.1

Autumn Term, 2001

Contents page

Editorial

This and That

Obituary

Points of View

Correspondence

Focus

Expeditions

Creative Writing and Artwork

Reports and Reviews

Societies and Activities

Sport

The Cantuarian Editorial committee: Alexandra Fielding, Owen Ross, Catherine McDonogh, Diana Francis, Mollie Maltby, Edward de Silva, Lee Rigley

Editorial It is eviden t to anyone perusing the back catalogue of The Cantuarian that a significant change occurred in 1995. The sturdy monoch rome quarto version, which had survived for over a century, metamorphosed into the colou rful A4 magazine that exists toda y. It is no co incidence t hat it was in 1995 that Marti n Tennick, took on the unenviabl e ro le of Senior Editor. The high standard of production over the next f ive years is testament to his enthusia sm and commitment as well as to his imagination and attention to deta il. When the present ed itoria l team took over, Fi ona Tennick daunted us with t he anecdote of Martin laying out the final proof page by page across the land ings and down the stairs until she was finally evicted from Luxmoore.

(by Charlotte Attwood)

We acknowledge and appreciate the constructive comments we have received regard ing the evolution of The Cantuarian, and we are aware of the shortcomings in the Lent I Summer ed ition. We intend to follow Martin's examp le by responding to the task with ope n and committed minds. The King's School offers challenges to individuals at all levels, and this Autumn edition exemplifies this with reports on the Sinai exped ition , whic h we nt ahead despite the unpred ictab ility of world events, and on a pionee ring cha rity project which was established in response to the aftermath of September 11th. We are often faced with examples of individuals courageously adapting to major changes in th.eir lives, and one of the positive aspectsM the School co mm unity is, we hope, a read iness

to adopt a supportive role towards those who need stren gth and encouragement in the face of adversity. In this spirit, we dedicate this issue to the memory of Martin Tennick.

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Requiescat

It is with profound sadness that we record the sudden death on Wednesday, November 14, of Marti n Tennick. Although he had been ill recently, it had been hoped that he would be able to make a full recovery. Unfortunately this was not to be. Martin was a fine teacher, a universally respected colleague in the Common Room, and a particularly in fluential and distingu ished editor of The Cantuarian. The funeral was in the Cathedral on Friday, November 23. Our deepest sympathy goes to Fiona, Jane and Giles. Th e Headmaster's address and an obituary tribute appear on page 8.

Common Room

This term we we lcome what is surely a record number of new members of staff. The Reverend Fre drik Arvidsson is the new Senior Chaplain. He arrived in th is cou ntry f rom Sweden at th e age of eleven, and after boarding school and agricultural college he worked as a farm manager. He then graduated from Regents Theological College, Nantwich, was ordained in the Chu rch of England in 1992, and did some furthe r study at Chichester Theologi ca l College. He comes here after being Rector of Kingsdown . He is a keen sportsman, especially enjoying rugby, cricket, football and fly-fish ing, and lives in the Forrens with his wife Amelia and their three young children. Miss Sarah Boddy is no stranger to the Common Room and Canterbury. She read History at the University of Kent, did her P.G.C.E. at Christ Church, and played for the Common Room hockey team whi le doing some coaching here. She returns after six years wi t h the opposi tion at Sutton Valence. She has the new post of Assistant Director of Sport and is in charge of girls' hockey and tennis, as well as teaching History, I.C.T. and P.E. She lists her interests as hockey, hockey and hockey, but admits to enjoying golf, tennis and holidays when she has the time. She is also adventurous enough to be a tutor in Linacre. Mrs Bernadette Cocksworth, who is already well known to us as spouse and parent, arrives to be Housemistress of Harvey House and a teacher of Economics. She grew up in Nottingham and went to University College, London. After turning down a career in accountancy, her first teaching post was at Epsom High School, where she was Head of Econom ics and Head of Sixth Form. She then went to Benenden, where she was Head of Economics again and a Housemistress. She enjoys reading Trollope and visiting interesting places, and although she is passionate about football, her competitive instincts are most fi ercely directed to board games.

Miss Sophie Crespy, who joins the Modern Languages. Department, was born in Montelimar. She studied French literature and language at the Universite Stendhal, Grenoble, and did her M.A. in comparative European literary studies (with a special interest in Arabic feminist writing) at the University of Kent. She did particularly well in CAPES, the competitive French qualifyi ng exa m for teachers. Her interests include dance and involvement in environmental causes. Not a fussy person, she says, she is a tutor in Jervis (Bailey).

Miss Laura Ellener studied Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham and did her P.G.C.E. at the University of Centra l England. Her own theatrical appearances include Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Greta in Berkoff's Metamorphosis, as well as many dance performances. In add ition to her passion for theatre, music, dance and film, she has a love of food that has been most satisfyingly fulfi lled, so far, on a trip to India. Her current non-culinary ambition is to trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp. She joins the Drama Department, and Marlowe, and is particularly looking forward to choreographing dance here. Miss Alanna Frase r (LX/MT 1991-6) joins the select band of O.K.S. who have gone on to teach here. She recalls that she was one of the founder members of the girls' cricket team in 1995, and admits to being devastated at having left too early as a pupil and arrived too late as a member of staff to go on the cricket tour to Barbados. She read Theology and Religious Studies at Fitzwi lliam College, Cambridge, and has just successfu lly completed her M. Phil there, specialising in Holocaust Theology and Comparative Religion. She is affiliated to Luxmoore and lives in Folkestone. Mrs Begona Garces-Ramon, who joins the Modern Languages Depart ment, studied English (and a little French and Spanish) at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. After one year in a Spanish Catholic school and another as a language assistant in Wigan, she worked for ten years at the Simon Langton School for Gi rls in Canterbury. She regards herself as a 'homely' person: she enjoys cooking, and is particularly fond of her garden, wishing she could spend more time there. She also li kes. reading, and tries to keep up her Spanish by reading in her home language. She is a tutor in Mitchinson's. Miss Kate Jenkinson has been appointed the new Head of Girls' Games. She has spent most of her life in Kenya, going to Hillcrest Secondary School in Nairobi. She studied Physical Education at De Montfort Un iversity, Bedford, and after four years teaching back at Hillcrest, she had two years as Head of Girls' Games at Greengates School, Mexico City. Apart from a love of travel, she enjoys sport and plays hockey at Polo Farm. At the moment she is training fo r the London Marath''6n, raising money for Mencap. She has already established a formidable reputation by organising a kaleidoscopic range of staff sporting a<! ivities at the Recreation Centre on Friday nights. She is a tutor in M.O. Mrs Emma Ladd, who teaches Chemistry and Physics, was born and brought up in Kent. She read Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial College, London, did her teacher training at Christ Church, and has taught in three local schoo ls, most recently at Duke of Yo rk's. In her spare time she enjoys reading books about physics and is learning to play the piano. She also tries to keep fit, and when not leading aerobics classes at school, she pursues her own fi t ness goals. She admits to a love of fast cars and motorbikes, and often hol idays around Europe on the back of her husband's CBR 1100. Being a resident tutor in Broughton must seem rela tively tranqu il. Miss Amanda Larkman was once a pupil of Mr Browning, and has nonetheless joined the English Department. Born in South Yemen, she spent her childhood in Abu Dhabi, and this early experience has ensured a passion for travel.ling. She read English at the University of Ulster at Coleraine and did her M.A. in modern literature at the University of Kent. She now plays classical guitar, but spent some years gigging around Kent playing electric bass. She enjoys yoga and reading, though not at the same time, and has already persuaded her colleagues to reveal their fictional reading habits for the departmental website. She is also a keen photographer and a cinema addict, and is resident tutor in Jervis. Miss Alice Little was born and bred in Canterbury, and returns here to teach Physics and Chemistry. She read Biochemistry at St Hilda's College, Oxford, where her research project involved hundreds of cows' eyes. She then worked in the City for a while before doing her P.G.C.E. at Homerton College, Cambridge. Her previous teaching post was at The Chase, Malvern. She particularly enjoys travel, and has al ready visited South Africa and Sri Lanka. As soon as term ends she is off to Rajasthan, and is looking forward to getting away f rom it all by camel-trekking in the desert. Miss Catherine McDonagh, who joins the English Department, was born and educated in Wales, reading English at Bangor before venturing to Leeds University fo r her P.G.C.E. Her strong desire to travel, as well as to teach, has lead her successively to posts in Turkey, Botswana, Suffolk (at an International School), and Japan, before coming to rest, for the time being, in Canterbury. She has travel led particularly widely in Africa, where she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and qualified as a Rescue Diver in Egypt. She has a passion for scuba diving, as well as for theatre, film and books, and her taste for adventure is at present focused on her role as a tu tor in Tradescant and as Senior Ed itor of The Cantuarian. Mr Raymond Mew, who has joined the Classics Department, was born in the Isle of Wight and grew up in Surrey. He went to Christ Church, Oxford, and then taught in various places, including the Hel lenic College in London, and Lancing College. He has also spent a year living in Spain, learning the language, and a year teaching English in Peru. After a brief interlude in journalism and two years with a computer software company in Canary Wharf, he has decided that he rea lly does wan t to teach after all. He is a pianist (and A.L.C.M.) with a pa rticular love of musical theatre, and his other main recreation is swimming. Miss Taryn Oldacre, who joins the Science Depa rtment, grew up in Durban, South Africa, and studied Physiotherapy at the University of Cape Town. She worked as a physiotherapist for a while, but then decided tha t she wanted to teach. After her H.D.E. at Cape Town, she did a year's supply teaching in London before coming to Canterbury. Her ma in sport is netball, but she enjoys anyth ing outdoors, including sw imming, diving, hiking and even roller-blading. She has already done a lot of travelling in Europe, and wants to see more of the Northern hemisphere while she is here. She is a resident tutor in Harvey House.

Mrs Julia Richards was born in Greenwich, but grew up in Dublin, Brussels and Johannesburg. She read Classics at Somerville College, Oxford, and went on to do her P.G.C.E. at StJohn's College, Cambridge. After seven years at Abingdon School, she comes here to join a signi ficantly influential Ab ingdonian colony in Canterbury. She has coached row ing since 1989, enjoying all aspects of the sport, and was de lighted to be able to combine her two main interests by rowing in the replica ancient Greek warship in 1990 and 1994. She is married with two young children , and is the resident tutor in Jervis (Bailey). Mr Mark Smiley read Biological Sciences at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and spent a year working for a church before doing his P.G.C.E. He co mes to us from Wellington College, whe re he was an assistant housemaster and an active member of the C.C.F. He is a keen hockey player, and also enjoys squash and tennis. He is training for a mountain leadership course to formal ise his love of the outdoors. He helps ru n the Christian Forum and is a tutor in Meister Omers. Mi ss Angela Cano Tudela, who was a language assistant in the Summer Term and is now teaching Spanish, comes from Valencia, Spain. She studied Economics at the University of Va lencia, spending her last year at the University of Toulouse. She enjoys skiing, reading, travel an d especially getting to know new cultures. She is definitely in the right place in the Spanish quarter of the Modern Languages Department. In addition, we have welcomed Canon Norman Woods, former ly Vicar of Hythe, as Honorary Chaplain, and Ms Hilary Jones, who teaches Music. Among those with new responsibili ties, Mr Newbury is Housemaster of a newly decorated Meister Omers; Mrs Jan Graham (see be low) is looking after Bailey House; and Mme Bradburn has taken on a new challenge as Coordinator of Study Skills and Educational Support. We also welcome Patrick Tro ughton as our new artist-in-residence. He is now painting professionally having previously worked in the antiques trade.

The New Bailey

After a brief interlude as a male bastion, Ba iley House has been extens ively redecorated and reverts to being a girls' board ing house. It is, for the time being, an outpost of Jervis, and is inhab ited by Sixth Formers : 6b permanently and Ga in rotation . Mrs Jan Graham , already and still the Bailey matron, is the versatile Assistant Housem istress in charge.

Cong ratu Ia tory Assembly

Congratulations to ... the Burtoft twins, Anna (JR) and Maren (BR). on a remarkable double distinction in being awa rded certificates of excellence for coming in the top twenty- in fact, even more remarkab ly, they came third equal- out of some 5,000 candidates in Edexcel 's A Level Economics. Congratulations also to Sophia Gold (JR) and Beaudry Kock (LN). who were in the top five (out of 281 candidates) in AOA's A Leve l Geology.

... Alexander Brentnall (MR), who continues to excel in the world of fencing. He was the highest-placed England epee fencer at the Great Britain Under 18 Fencing Championships, and he 'set a new record by winning gold meda ls with all th ree weapons (epee, foil and sabre) at the Kent Under 18 Championships. At the latter event, the School's fencers managed a clean sweep of the medals in epee and sabre. Alex will represent England in t he Home Championships. .. . Marc Chapman (MT) and Serena Gosden-Hood (WL). who have been chosen to train with the England Under 16 and Under 18 squads respectively, after their successes in the epee events at the England Fencing Championships. ... the girls' Under 16 hockey team, who are both Kent and East of England champions, and have thus reached the National Finals. Their feat is all the more impressive as they have yet to concede a goal in all the qualifying matches. They wi ll represent their division at the National Hockey Stadium, Milton Keynes, on Monday, March 4, 2002. .. . the eleven girls- a full team's worth- who have played hockey for Kent at various levels this term . In alphabetical order, they are: Ki ri Barker (LX). Kate Burrett (BR). Juliet Chapman (WL), Tiffa ny Landale (LX), Lucy Leigh-Pemberton (LX), Virginia Mainwaring (LX). Katriona Pengelly (JR), Amy O'Sull ivan (LX), Charlotte Townsend (LX), Sophie Shilston (JR) and Jessica Watson (MR). In addition, Juliet has again been selected for East of England and England trials. James Alder (SH). Sam Middleton (TR), John Stubbs (GL) and Graham Sweetman (GL) have been chosen for Kent boys' teams, while Stuart Finlayson (GL) is in the South East Under 17 team and the England Under 18 squad. ... Adam Coates (MT). who was ranked 4th out of 182 in the Great Britain long distance rowing trials, and has been invited to join the National Junior training squad. _) ... Peter Archer (GR). Toby Hayes (GR) and Timothy Archibald (GR). who have represented Kent rugby teams, and Alexande r Ancock (LN). who has played for Surrey. In addition Peter and Alexander have been selected for the London and South East division final trials. ... Alexandra Fletcher (MR 1998-2001) on winning the .Marlowe Young Musician of the Year competition with a performance of Elgar's Cel lo Concerto.

The Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst on Friday, August 10, was very much a family (and Common Room) affair. Peter Baines (LN 1991-6), Adam Jackson (MT 1990-5) and Giles Tennick (MR 1988-93) received their commissions in the Royal Green Jackets, the Royal Artillery and R.E.M.E. respectively. Proud parents were there to applaud as General Sir Michael Walker, himself a sometime Tradescant and Walpole parent, represented the Queen.

King's Parade

The School was delighted to be able to acquire a complete set of the works of Hugh Walpole (KS 1894-6) from Terry Risk of the Typographeum Bookshop in Francestown, New Hampshire. Mr Risk acquired the books when he was attempting to compile a Walpole bibliography- a task that probably defies even the most assiduous researcher. As well as first editions of all Walpole's novels and other writings, the collection includes several 'association copies', special ed itions, postcards and letters. In due course it will be on display in the Library.

A Walpole Collection

We are very grateful to Norman Scarfe (WL 1936-41), who has presented the Library with a copy of To the Highlands in 1786. This is the third volume, after A Frenchman's Year in Suffolk and In nocent Espionage, of his translation of the journals describing the travels of the brothers Fran~ois and Alexandre de Ia Rochefoucauld. The book is copiously il lustrated and extensively footnoted, to prove that interest for the general reader and true Âˇ scholarship can stil l be elegantly combined.

Books

Two other books by O.K.S. have attracted more than passing attention. Dreadful Acts, the sequel to Awful End, by Philip Ardagh, a.k.a. Phi l Roxbee Cox (W 1975-9), was chosen as the W.H. Smith Children's Book of the Month. Ysenda Maxtone Graham (SH 1978-80) has written The Real Mrs Miniver, a biography of her grandmother, Jan Struther. This was publ ished to great critical acclaim, and was, among other things, Rad io 4's Book of the Week. J

We were a.lso pleased to receive from John Gilmore, now at the University of Warwick, a copy of his The Toiler of the Sees: A Life of John Mitchinson, Bishop of Barbados. It is interesting to see his head magisterial activities in perspective. We have also been sent The Age of War and Wycfiffe by A.K. McHardy. This is a study of Li ncoln Diocese and its bishop in the later fou rteenth century. John Buckingham, Bishop of Lincoln, spent the last months of his life in Meister Omers and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral in 1399. Coin cidentally his successor, Henry Beaufort, later Bishop of Winchester, spent lavishly on rebuilding and decorat ing Meister Omers before taking up residence there in 1445. The book includes Mr Pragnell's watercolour of M.O. as one of its illustrations.

Do you have to be mad to teach Physics?

Regular readers of Nexus News, the student newsletter of the Institute of Physics, wi ll have noticed this question on the front cover of the October edition, beneath a photograph of Miss Astin and a class of youngsters. The latter are carrying placards reading 'Absolutely Definitely Yes!' Mi ss Astin's own answer to the question appears on page 4. The School sponsored the Reduced Shakespeare Company's sell-out show at the Marlowe Theatre during

KSC / RSC

this year's Canterbury Festival. Other items with a School connection included : an exhibition by Henry Sparks (MR 1967-72) of his visionary architectural scheme fo r Wincheap; a talk by Timothy Stevens (WL 1953-59) on 'Somerset House: a Renaissance'; a recital by Heather Cleobury, lvo Neame (SH 1994-9) and others of 'gently swinging jazz arrangements of songs by Cole Porter, Gershwin, Weill and Sondheim'; and drawings of St Augustine's and the Christ Church gate by the teenage J.M .W. Turner in an exhibition on Turner and Kenf

Much Ado About

This is the famil iarly punning title of a new documentary film by Michael Rubbo. The 'Something ' refers to the fate of Christopher Marlowe (KS c1579-81). and his relationship, if any, to the plays attributed to Will iam Something Shakespeare- a subject of abiding interest to scholars and cranks alike. Mr Browning opens proceedings judiciously; Mr John Hunt of the Albion Bookshop features prominently; and there is archive footage of Ca lvin Hoffman f rom Dr Mal lion. The School is represented explicitly by the back view of Mr Pollak and the front view of a be-gowned Frederick Maltby (of Mitchinson's, not Marlowe). The film has already been shown, to critical acclaim, at the Toronto Film Festiva l and will eventually be seen on PBS in America and on the BBC here. We are left to make up our own minds on the 'authorship question', but a neutral observer would have to conclude that the Calvin and Rose Hoffman Prize is not likely to be won outright in the foreseeable future. Marlovians of every persuasion will meanwhile be delighted at the news that Marlowe is to be honoured in Poets' Corn er at Westminster Abbey. His extra-curricular activities are no longer deemed to outweigh his uncontroversialliterary distinction, and a stained glass lozenge memorial will be added to a window there. 0 0 N

The Solti Hall

On Friday September 28, Classic FM broadcast a recording of the tribute concert to Sir Georg Solti from 1997. The Times picked t his as one of their 'choices' of the day, and included a picture of Sir Georg conducting his King's Week open rehearsal in the Shirley Hal l to illustrate the accompanying article. We too were honoured.

In the week of October 15-20, the Shells had a break from the regula r pattern of their timetable thanks to a programme of more or le?S cross-curricular activities on the theme of chance. All the predictable topics were there, from Cleopatra's nose to natural selection, from Ei nstein to Perkin, from graphic scores to probability, from box scripts to the 1987 hurricane. God may or may not be playing dice, but the Shells certainly were.

Shell Shock

In sli ghtly less random fashion, th e Shells have also been learn ing about the history of the School as part of a revised History course. The en d of term examination paper included several extracts from O.K.S. of various vintages describing their experiences of people and places, and today's pupils were invited to draw conclusions and make comparisons. The results provided plenty of enlightening examp les of the effects of 'point of view'. Those wishing to know the sordid deta ils shou ld have a quiet word with Mr Wood.

House Style

Fatherly Advice Reading the sma II print

Fans of 24 Seven, IN's Monday afternoon 'boarding schoo l teen drama', may have noticed Jordan Frieda (SH 1990-1) appearing as Miles. We leave it to the professional critics to decide whether his performance has been in any way influenced by his Can terbury experiences. We congratul ate the Rt. Rev. Peter Hulla h, Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury and sometime King's School Chaplain, on his appointment as the Archbishops' Adviser for Secondary School Chaplaincy in both maintained and independent schools. He should know what he is talking about. The Calendar is under new management. With the retirement of Mr Robert Mathews, Mr Miles has taken on this important task. The sharp-eyed may already have spotted the latter's typog raphica lly inge ni ous tribute to his predecessor. and we look forward to readinq between the lines of future editions.

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(by Charlotte Attwood)

Obituary Martin Tennick 1943-2001

(K.S.C. 1981-2001) Martin Tennick arrived with Fiona from King Edward's School, Birmingham, in 1981 to be Head of Classics. He filled that role with distinction for the next thirteen yea rs. An outstanding teacher himself, he deployed his classical scolarship and his wisdom for the benefit of his colleagues and, especially, his pupi ls. At a time when the Classics were under challenge, he led the Department by example. He was already the author of Libel/us; made his own translation of De Rebus Albionicis by the sixteenth century Headmaster John Twyne; and presided over a lively and dynamic period in the history of the Pater Society. His active involvement in his subject extended beyond the School: he was secretary of the Kent Association of Classical Teachers and Treasurer of the national organisation, the Joint Association of Classical Teachers, as well as being a member of the Kent Archaeological Society.

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(by JIB)

Martin also made a full and va ried contribution to the wider life of the School. He ran a film society, helped with squash, was responsible for the sound amplification for talks and plays, and was in charge of photography, using his own ski lis to good effect (see recent issues of The Cantuarian, passim). Indeed if help were needed to supervise an activity, to drive a minibus, or just to 'be around ', Martin could bÂˇe relied on to voluntee r. Having given up the Department in 1994, he soon took on the daunting challenge of be ing Senior Editor of The Cantuarian and was responsible for the new style and format of the magazine. Martin was a caring and cof.l scientious tutor, initia lly in Galpin's. He ;then went, via Radigunds, to Luxmoore in 1991, when Fiona became Housem istress of the new girls' house. There he was a de facto resident tutor and assistant housemaster, and provided Fiona with invaluable support in creating a happy and successful house. Martin was a wonderful man, admired and respected by colleagues and pupils

ali ke. In the funeral address, which we print here, the Headmaster spoke for all the School community in expressing our sense of loss and our sympathy at his tragic passing.

Funeral Address by The Rev'd Canon K.H. Wilkinson Friday 23 November 2001Canterbury Cathedral Quire Martin was a good man, deeply loved honest and true - and we are far poorer for his loss. Our hearts go out to Fiona, to Jane and Giles, and to all the family at this time of grief. I know that I speak on beha lf of everyone here when I say that we are with you in your sorrow and we shall continue to be with you - both now as we say farewell to Martin whose pilgrimage is comp lete, and then on the road ahead as we journey along together recalling the friend, husband, fqther, teacher and

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Summer 2000 {by Mike Waterman}

colleague who has meant so much to us and whose life and love, faith and hope have enriched us. There is indeed so much to be thankful for. Kindness, generosity and integrity were the hallmarks of Martin's life : they were the print of his faith, the set of his thinking and the very proof of his character. His modesty and unpretentiousness were refreshing; his tolerance, humanity and humour endearing; his gentleness, honesty and unfailing courtesy born out of a deep understanding of others and a very kindly desire for the best for others. He was indeed doubly blessed in all those gifts of the Spirit. He had a first-class mind. The early days spent in the South Lincolnshire vicarage, the Hea d Boy of the Sussex Prep. School, and Head of House at Lancing led on to distinction at Worcester College, Oxford and a First in Moderations. He was a true gentleman and a scholar and, as time soon showed, a teacher and schoolmaster of immeasurable ability and depth, wisdom and enthusiasm. All this was clear at King's, London, where he gained his greatest gift of all. He loved his subject; he loved his pupils; he delighted in the joy of teaching, seeking to enthuse, to encourage, looking always for the good, forgiving the foolish and, even in testing adversity with the unreasonable, ever balanced and benign. His boyish delight in his beloved Classics never dimmed: both here and at King Edward's, Birmingham where he was also Head of Classics at an amazingly young age, he was regarded with tremendous respect and love. Everything he did was done with commitment, loyalty and resolve- he had

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I (by Mike Waterman)

a sterl in g dedication that marked him as someone very special. No-one to my knowledge ever had a bad word to say of him- and neither would he be anything other than stra ightforward and quietly va lian t for the truth in his dealings with others. He was a man without guile and, of course, it was typ ical that he chose to relinquish the Headsh ip of Classics in order to support Fiona when she took over Luxmoore. There his firm, rock-l ike support in that remarkable partnership (both personal and professional) created for so many a creative and wonderfully supportive l community that has gone .~ teaching- Spring 2007 (by Mike Waterman) from strength to strength. One of Martin's secrets, I believe, was his great sense of perspective - he knew himself; he had a deep understanding of others; he could laugh at himself; things were kept in proportion; he knew what rea lly mattered. That sense of perspective, his humour and his undoubted quiet courage sustained him through recent times when he faced uncertainty and anxiety, giving to so many a sense of purpose and delight which quietly characterised his own life and faith. He was, in all quietness and modesty, a great man. We sorrow at our loss and yet we must give thanks for all that has been accompl ished in and through Mart in. We give thanks that that love, that source of

life and new life, that faith and hope, that kind ness, generosity and integrity which we have known in Marti n are finally indestructible asÂˇ is that love that has many mansions beyond our understanding. To Him who has blessed Ma rtin and us so richly- fo r all that has been - thanksl May the love of God hold us all in faith and hope now and for eternity. Now, at the end of Marti n's pilgrimage with us, like Mr. Valiant for the Truth, he has passed over- and, be assured, all the trumpets sounded for him on the other sidel Th anks be to God!

Amen.

Points of View Organ Donation You are much more likely to need a transplan t than become an organ donor. If you would accept a transplant, you should also be wi ll ing to be a donor. A new patient, on average, is added to the waiting list every thirteen minutes, and five thousand six hundred patients will die every year, an average of fifteen peop le per day. It is our genera tion who can help improve this situation. Just one organ and tissue donor can provide seven life saving organs and qua lity enhancing tissues for another twenty persons. Organs include: heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas. Tissues incl ude: bone, skin, eyes or corneas, and heart valves. Kidneys, liver, heart and lung transplan ts are well-established treatments for failure of these vital organs. Over 1 mi llion people world wide have benefited from a transplant in the last 25 years. As med icine advances, more types of organs are being transplanted including the pancreas and small bowel.

respect as any other opera tion. Organs are removed only when two doctors, working independently, have certified that the person is dead following a series of strict tests. These doctors are unconnected with the organ donation process. It is a naÂˇfve myth that a doctor will allow a potential organ donor to die prematurely. The NHS Organ Donor Register is a na tionwide confidential list of those willing to become donors after death. Millions of British people carry donor cards or are on the register - you could be one of them . Fill out a donor card, or join the register with pride; think of the helpless baby, the parent, or the middle aged man cut away from work to spend three days a week in hospital for dialysis. One day, yo u will be a lifesaver, transforming t he life of the recipient an d their family. Mollie Maltby

Our fam ily has first hand experience of how important the practice of organ donation is, as my brother, Gwilym, was the first child under the age of one to survive a doub le liver transplant having been diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a rare form of Liver Disease, which affects one in sixteen thousand babies every year. Th is little baby, .so innocent, so weak, but dying for no reason was saved by a miracle. It was the donors and the transpl an ts at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge in 1991 that saved his life. Over 5,000 people in the UK are still waiting for organ transplan ts that will save or dramatically improve their lives. One donor can give life to several others and restore sight to two more. Every year nearly 3000 organs are transplan ted and over 2000 sight-saving cornea transplants are carried out. There is no age limit on becoming an organ donor, but what is important is that you talk to your family now to make sure they know what you want. Having a med ical condition does not prevent you from becoming a donor (a decision will be made by a hea lthcare professional at the time of your death). The removal of organs is carried out with the same care and

Correspondence The Editor, The Cantuarian, The King's School, Canterbury. 26th September 2001

Sir, I wonder whether anyone knows the whereabouts in the Precincts of the tombs of the Duke of Exeter and the Earl of Westmoreland. Yours faithfully,

John Hembry (MO 1949-54)

PS. Photo taken during King's Week, 7954

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Focus To the Wilderness

and Back The Afghan Educational Trust Inspiration The background to the project I am about to describe stems from a communication to me by a journalist frien d based in Quetta. Catherine Philp, who knows my keen involvement in the British education system, faxed me an unedited version of a feature artic le on t he lack of education amongst the Afghan refugee girls. Paradoxically, these girls despite the restricted opportunities ava ilable demonstrate a strong passion for learning. Such has been the impact of this article on me that I have been successful in obtaining national support fo r setting up a Trust fun d with two specific aims. A major objective of this charity is to pay for the

education of refugee Afghan girls in existin g schools and to set up t he additional infrastructure for other such schools both in the border towns of Pa kistan and in Afghanistan. Secondly, some of the funds wil l be used to establish bursaries and scholarships in research active un iversities of Pa kistan and Afghanistan for girls and boys to study pure and applied sciences. Ultimately, t he latter scheme may be extended to include a provision for undergraduates from Afghanistan to follow similar courses in other parts of the world .

finances required for the education of refugee girls in these towns during the first year of the project. It involved visiting existing schools, assessing the infrastructure already in place, investigating the type of day-to-day management style appropriate to the programme, identifying and selecting suitable ind ivid ua Is for this task, assessing the possibility of monitoring the progress of the scheme from the UK and interviewing educationists, teachers, parents and prospective pupils and othe rs that may play a part in the project.

We have the support of a number of eminen t scientists to act as Trustees in addition to some well-known personalities from other walks of life and the legal formalities to establish it as a charitable foundation have been put into place.

Abstracts from an article published in the Times

We have recently returned from a very successful second visit to Pakistan in order to conduct a feasib ility study in the border towns of Quetta and Peshawar. The purpose of this t rip was to ascertain the

Siddiqua- a 12 year old refugee girl:

"/am happy because /learn all the things my brother couldn't teach me, like moths, physics and Persian. I want to be a doctor because that way I can help the poor people in my homeland."

Passion for education -a 70 year old girl leads a class of pupils in a makeshift primary school in Ouetta for Afghan refugees.

shortage of female teachers who are keen to get involved and help launch our scheme. The need is such that we could initiate the education for the refugees in the camps and in the border towns of Pakistan for 10,000 girls immediately! Clearly, the lim iting factor is the extent of funds at our disposal. In Islama bad, we met lmran Khan who was also very positive and he has offered to help in a number of practical ways. We have identified schoo ls both in Quetta and Peshawar and our programme for the refugee girls will start in June and thereafter we would like to move into Afghanistan.

Overview of Our Findings Dr. Mo Afzal in conversation with the Headmaster of a co-ed secondary school for Afghan refugees. I

Marmah - a 10 yea r old refugee girl:

I; of Iaws, .1n t he pak'1stan border town

In the initial phase of the Trust's work, there is no need for building any infrastructure.

Quetta, is a stark rem inder to us of the

"/ want to be an engineer because that is what Afghanistan needs most."

huge downwa rd spiral from which Afghanistan needs to emerge if its people are to prosper. Youngste rs such as these

Letter to the Editor of the Times

two girls with aspirations of developing professional careers so that they may serve their homeland, deserve our full support. I

Sir, I wish to congratulate you for the

firmly believe that financia l

article "Refugee Girls Enjoy Lessons in

encouragement of the likes

Freedom" (3 November, 2001). The

of Mrs. Jamila Abassy, the

author's (Catherine Philp) poignant

pioneering headmistress,

illustration of the oppressive control that

who dreams of running an

the Taliban regime in Afghanistan exercises

al l-girls school where pupils

over the most fundamen tal of human

can study free of charge, is

rights - that of education - he Iped focus

vi tally important to spread

on one of the key issues in rebuilding this

the gospel of education and

unfortunate coun t ry.

to curtail any future

Imaginative use of the existing faci lities will enable us to commence work with refugee children immediatel y in both Quetta and Peshawar. There is a la rge demand for the education of girls of both primary and secondary age.

resurgence of While the collective war efforts of the British-American all iance remain central to

fundamen talis m in a postTaliban era .

ousting the AI-Qaeda network and dismantling its reign of terror, I believe that the long-term success of such

Visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan

operations wi ll depend on providing opportunities to Afghan people for rethinking their ideologies and for their integra t ion into the intern ation al

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Contrary to the commonly

community. Thi s re-orientation process

held be liefs here, our two

needs to demonstrate to the future leaders

surprising discoveries were

of this country as we ll as to t heir general

that there is a colossal

pub lic the limitations of an education

amount of enthusiasm for

system that is gender biased and teaches

education amongst both t he

little else beyond the religious dogma. Your correspondent's moving accoun t of

February and April 2002

ref ugee parents and the prospective pupils

the two girls enjoying a small refugee

themselves. Secondly, there

school, away from the prohibitive Islam ic

doesn't seem to be a

A 74 year old Afghan refugee girl takes delight in explaining the virtues of learning English in a co-ed secondary school in Peshawar.

In the short term, the currently available provision for both of these age groups can be suitably adapted to encourage a greater number of pupils into the system. For the numbers involved in the initial stages of our programme, there is no shortage of female teachers that we will require for our purposes. Providing the finance is available, we can start the work this Summer for approximately 1000 girls in Quetta (in two schools - a co-ed primary and a co-ed secondary) and for an equivalent number in Peshawar (in two schools- a co-ed secondary and a girls secondary) . Availability of reliable day-to-day management of the scheme is not a major difficulty. The estimated cost per location (two schools) for the education of 1000 girls is ÂŁ10,000- ÂŁ15,000 per annum. This includes: Payment of mon thly fees for the pupils. Payment of the monthly sa Ia ries to the teachers.

Hiring of the premises. Pa ymen t for the management/monitoring of the programme.

Plan of Action We intend going back to Afghanistan/Pa kistan on 2 June (postponed owing to the hostilities between Pakistan and India) in order to address a number of im porta nt admin istrative detai ls before the projected commencement of our programme. We envisage open ing our schools in Quetta on 1 June to coincide with lmran Khan's visit to Ba lochistan region on his election campa ign. Subject to his diary commitments, he has agreed to perform Unmistakable the opening ceremony. This will ensure good media coverage of the Trust's work wi thin Pakistan. We have also in vited Catherine Philp (Chief Correspondent for South As ia, The Times), the inspiration for the Trust, to be present at this ceremony.

Principal Aims and Objectives of the Trust Mission Statement: An educationa l charitable Trust to provide fees, resou rces and the infrastructure for the education of Afghan girls. Offer bursaries and scholarships at tertiary level for Afghan nationals to undertake t he study of Natural and Applied Sciences at universities in Afghanistan, Pak istan and eventually in other parts of the world.

Trust Motto:

Scraping a living- youngsters collecting rubbish in return for cash.

eagerness for learning. education programme. Payment of fees for ref ugee girls already attending existing primary/secondary single-sexed or mixed schools (and for the new entrants) in the camps. An appropriate allowance (per female pupil) made to the schools for the provision of additional educational resources e.g. books, stationery, blackboards etc. Identify and encou rage additional personnel, within the communi ty, who are able to teac h. Meet the increased costs because of a greate r uptake. Establish a working model of the education of girls suitable for the refugee circumstances.

Prepare for the Future.

Medium Term Aims Payment of a monthly allowance. (equiva lent to the fees) to the parents of the girls in our system. Provision of resources for the pupi ls (books/stationery/trave l/uni form etc.)

[Estab lishing a programme in the refugee camps in Quetta.] Support and increase the participation of refugee Afghan girls in the existing

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Short Term Aims [Establishing a programme in other urban border towns of Pakistan .] Duplicate the established mode l for the education of girls in Quetta to refugee camps in other border towns (e.g. Peshawar) of Pakistan.

Give financial help to encourage the establishment of these additional schools.

Strategies for meeting the short term aims

Cover the expenditure of the recruitment campa ign for pupils/teachers amongst the refugee camps in these additional targeted communities.

Regular monthly allowance (equivalent to the fees) made payable to parents of pupils already attending schools and to those willing to send their daughters to these schools.

Continue to provide adequate financial help (per female pupil) to the schools for the extension of existing resources.

Establish effective working collaboration with aid agencies already operative in the refugee camps.

Long Term Aims

[Establishing a programme in urban locations in Afghanistan close to the Pakistan border and beyond.]

A small monthly allowance payable to each of the local teachers already in operation and to th e new recruits.

Pay fees for girls already attending existi ng primary/seconda ry schools (and to the new entrants) in towns/cities located in the border areas of Afghanistan.

An add itional incentive monthly allowance payable to teachers who recru it sui tably qualified persons into the teaching profession from within the camps f,. or other adjoining areas. iÂˇ

Strategies for meeting the medium term aims Provision for pa renta I fina ncia I support correspondi ng to an amount equivalent to the monthly fees for their daughter(s). Adequate financial help (per female pupil) provided to the schools for the extension of their existing resou rces. A small supplementary allowance made payable to each of the local teachers who recrui t suitable qualified persons into the teaching profession (also given the same monthly payment) from within the town/city or from the adjoining areas.

Cover the costs associated with a widespread recruitment drive for female pupils to schools in the locality. Introduction of new infrastructure for the increasing demand for education in the urban areas that border Pakistan. Expansion of the above programme to the major cen t res of population away from the border towns/cities. Provision of transport for pupils from the rural locations to the urban towns/cities. Consideration to the construction of schools in rural and remote locations. Develop links with VSO and other educational establishments e.g. teacher training colleges and explore the possibility of placement of UK trained teachers, for short periods, in the urban schoo ls in Afghanistan . Establishment of bursaries/scholarsh ips in research-active Afghan istan and Pakistan universities for undergraduates to study natural and applied sciences with full access to both boys and gi rls.

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The participation, at undergraduate level, in the above scheme by the universities in other parts of the world with full access to Afghan nationals.

Hopelessly inadequate facilities do not dampen the enthusiasm of teachers and pupils for education.

Mo Afzal

Off icers of the Trust Board of Trustees

Lo rd Na zir Ahmed Member of House of Lords Humayun Mughal Chief Executive, Akhter Computers Ltd. Prof. Sir Eric Ash FRS Vice President 8 Treasurer of the Royal Society Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE Professor of Pharmacology, University

For further details of the Trust and for information on making donations, please contact: Dr. Mo Afzal The King's School Canterbury Kent CT1 2ES rna @kings-school.co.uk

of Oxford Director of the Royal Institution of GB lmran Khan Ex Pakistan International Cricketer Prof. Sir Harry Kroto FRS Professor of Chemistry, University of Sussex 1996 Nobel prize winner in chemistry Nick Lewis FCA, ACIB Bursar, King's School, Can terbury Catherine Philp Chief Correspondent for South Asia, The Times Advisory Council

Prof. Fra nces Ashcroft FRS Professor of Physiology, Un iversity of Oxford Gillian duCharme Ex Headmistress Benenden School for Girls Yusaf Islam Chairman Association of Musl im Schools UK Esther Rantzen OBE BBC N presenter Mohammad Sarwar MP Labour MP for Govan John Simpson CBE BBC N journalist Sa ira Shah Channel Four N presenter Executive Committee

Mo Afzal Chief Executive King's School, Canterbury Canon Richard Marsh Director of Overseas Liaison Vice Dean, Canterbury Cathedral

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{by Chalotte Attwood}

Expeditions 2007 Girls' Hockey Camp to Barcelona All of us, having followed our strict summer training schedules, set off to Barcelona in eager anticipation of five days of pre-season hockey training. On arriving in Barcelona, our hopes of easy training sessions dwindled as the Mediterranean heat hit us all and after very swift, if not hair-raising taxi journeys, we gratefully arrived at our hotel, desperate to settle into our airconditioned rooms. The next few days all seemed to be a blur of intense heat, running, sit-ups, more heat and culture. Each training session began with two fitness sessions that warmed us up for the skills and 8-a-side games that followed. Arriving at the pitch in the early morning meant we could train until 11:30- 12:00 and then catch the tube back to our hotel. Our afternoons, or mornings when we trained late, were

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I 1st XI Training Camp, Barcelona 2001

always filled with interesting cultural trips. Miss Reidy ensured that we all became very familiar with 'La Rambla' and those who had enough energy to make it, enjoyed a trip to the Picasso museum. Visits to the cathedral and the Olympic stadium were enjoyed by everyone as a worthwhile break from training. The training camp not only improved everyone's fitness levels, but also allowed the numerous new faces in the squad to get to know everyone and to feel part of the team. Our time in Barcelona went all too quickly and although we managed to stay there several hours more than we planned to, due to serious delays to our flight, we all felt prepared and r;p otivated for the forthcoming season. o r,r,: behalf of the team, I would like to thank Miss ScottKilvert and Miss Reidy for taking us to Barcelona. It was, 'A good one!' Eleanor Powell-Jackson

2007 Sinai Expedition On Saturday 20th October at 7.15am, a slightly depleted group left school for Heathrow airport. Just a week earlier, events in the Middle East had meant that there was a 90% chance that the trip would have to be cancelled, but at the last minute, the Foreign Office gave us the goahead and the remaining group were left with a couple of days to find the clothes and equipment we would need for the desert. The outward journey was long and arduous as the airline we were travelling with was in the process of going bust and could only offer us a route to Cairo via Milan and Rome. Th is led to some slightly surreal culture-hopping as we boarded one plane in British drizzle, the next in Milanese fog and stopped off in Rome for a pizza before we reached Egypt. As the plane finally came in to land, the extent of the lights below us, stretching outwards as far as we could see in all directions, gave

Taking a break from the sun in 'the hole in the mountain'. Back row L-R: Alex Piechoczek, JMR, Will Baynham, Katherine Torry, Jane Berry, Tim Jagelman, Tom Ready. Front Row L-R: Ede, Sophie Tholstrup, Lucy Jones, Orlanda Elliot, Lydia Cordier, GRC, Muttie Pre/ice, Rupert Reid, Tom Foster, John Wyand, Mohammed. (by John Dallimore) us an idea of the scale of the megacity of Cairo. This was brought home further t he next morning when we drove through the city, the extreme poverty and overcrowding of the central region, where space is so limited that people build their homes on rooftops, in landfill sites and even among the tombs, giving way to the opulence of huge, ornate houses with tree-l ined drives in the next sector of the city. We travel led in two jeeps with our Egyptian guide, Mohammed, and our Eng lish expedition leader, Dr. John Dallimore, driven by two of the Bedouin who we were to travel with in Sinai, Sahid and another Mohammed. We stopped briefly at the pyramids where the lack of tourists meant that the locals took every opportunity to try to extract money from gullible westerners such as ou rselves. We were offered every kind of souvenir, from trinkets and jewellery to imitation parchments and gold plastic pharaohs whose shameless tackiness belied belief. The pyramids and Sphinx were smaller than I had imag ined they would be, but it was amazing to be visiting such a famous site and we were lucky to have the place practically to ourselves. After this, we bundled back into the jeeps and made the journey east, skirting the Sahara, crossing the Suez Canal, where huge, grey battleships

loomed ominously, and into the Asian part of Egypt where we headed south towards the limestone desert of Sinai. That evening, we left the road and trave lled through the desert until we reached the place where we were to spend our first night. We were initiated into desert hygiene and were assigned a girls' and a boys' 'toilet' consisting of sma ll rocks which, despite Mohammed's reassurances, I felt sure were harbouring all manner of desert nasties waiting until dark to catc h us unawares! As the sun sets at around 4.30 pm in Sinai at this time of the year, we had only a short time to set up sleeping arrangements, being sure not to leave any sleeping bags open to stray sco rpions, and then sat around the acacia wood fire, breathing its sweet smoke, drinking the sweet black tea that we all grew addicted to over the week. Our drivers managed to throw together a delicious meal before we settled down on the sand to watch the incredible skyscape, and count the profusion of shooting stars. There was no moon, but the light from the stars cast the mountains above us into breath-taking relief and the resounding silence (after John Wyand had drifted off to sleep!) provided a startling contrast to the incessant noise of the city we had j ust left.

short drive to the foot of Mt. Sinai. We set off up the mountain, some on foot and some on camels, fo llowing the pi lgrimage route up to the summit; the same path that Moses might have climbed to receive the Ten Commandments during the Exodus. The landscape was starkly beautiful and its scale and strangeness dwarfed us. It was impossible not to feel the sense of spirituality that pe rvaded the area, if not from the history, actual or legendary of the place, then from the uneasy experience of being so insignificant and vulnerable against the size and constancy of the geology. Towards the top of the mountain, we were able to look down on all the surrounding peaks in one direction as the ground fell away below us into miles of unbroken desert in the other. We had lunch on the highest point of the mountain, between a small, stone mosque and a church, showing the cultural and religious significance of the mountain to different groups. Seeing the tolerance and understanding that existed between Jews,

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Muslims and Christians of every denomination in the area was the most inspirational part of the trip, especially important aga inst the backdrop of

The next day involved a very early start, rising at around 5am with the sun and a

religious tension in the Middle East, exemplified by Israel and the events in

Mohammed, offering his protection for the buildings and their inhabitants, hangs on the wall of the church. Later that day we visited St. Catherine's village where the hardened shopaholics among us, led by the Reid fam ily, were able to indulge in a haggling spree and came back draped in silk scarves, jewel lery and carpets. Tha t afternoon we drove ou t into the desert proper where we were to spend the next three days and nights, camel trekking with a group of Bedouin. We were let out of the jeeps at a huge sand dune, which we climbed before roll ing, running and falling down again in the fine, white sand . We were washed with well water before

Evening in the desert {by Tom Ready}

racing the jeeps to our camping place. This Afghanistan. We descended towards St.

this is a geological phenomeno ty:particular

Catherine's monastery via El ijah's garden,

to this pa rt of Sinai it is seen t/ symbolise

an oasis of Cyprus trees and vegetation,

the burning bush. The monastery contains

startling ly green against the sandstone,

a mosque and is a destination for pilgrims

where Elijah was said to have escaped

of all faiths. A letter from the prophet

Baal. We continued down St. Catherine's steps, buil t by the pilgrims who found the relics of the martyred St. Catherine at the top of Mt. Sinai, through a la ndscape of undulating, exfoliated sandstone that rose on either side of the path, channelling the wind which whistled eeri ly above us. Primitive, desert religions be lieved that the wind was the tangible presence of the divine and objected when worship was brought into temples and cities and away from nature. It is easy to see how these beliefs originated in the desert and the mountains, whose environments inspire such awe and perspective. Th at night we stayed in the hostel of St. Catherine's monastery for a welcome shower and comfortable bed and looked around the monastery the next morning. An order of Russian Orthodox monks run and inhabit the monastery and girls are expected to cove r up their heads and to wear long skirts out of deference to their 0

beliefs. The monastery contains 'the burning bush', which is a huge blackberry bush grown from a cutting taken from further up the mountain. The monks believe that the biblical bush grew in this area because the rocks contain veins of a dark minera l in the shape of branches. As

exped ition, climbing the surrounding hills to watch the sunset before playing desert rugby, football and even sumo wrestling until the light had completely gone when we settled down to sing around the fire.

persecution and challenged the priests of

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was my favourite evening of the

An oasis in the desert {by Tom Ready}

After supper, Mohammed ta lked to us

iso lated area in t he wor ld and discover a

heading off, via the market in t he town.

about the tribe we would be travel ling

Bedouin tea tent or an ancient ruin.

After rescuing Mrs. Reid from the clutches

with over the next few days, their origins,

Camels are not the most comfortable

of a stall holder who had taken a liking to

t raditions and lifestyle and we met a few

mode of transport, but we aII become very

her, we drove back to the airport and had

of our camel drivers.

attached to ours with their individual

an uneventful, but very delayed flight back

personalities and got extremely

to England.

Th e next morning we were matched up with camels and met the drivers

competitive when our Bedouin guides raced them one lunchtime. In the evenings

The expedition was absolu tely incredible,

responsible for them. We trekked through

we swapped songs, games and tricks with

not only because of all the amazing things

the desert, resting in the heat of the day

the Bedouin or went rock climbing around

we saw and did bu t because of the

and stopping overnight to sleep out under

the area we were to sleep in. The Bedouin

wonderful group, including Mr. Cocksworth, Mrs. Reid and our Guide, John

th e stars fo r the next two days and nights.

were very friendly and despite the

The desert was very different to the

language barrier we felt we had got to

Da llimore. Many thanks to them for

monotonous, monochrome landscape I

know them by the end of the trek. The

organising everything and making the

had imagined. We tra ve lled in wad is (dry

camel trekking was definitely the highlight

week so special.

river valleys), each one appearing

and the most memorable part of t he t rip. After our last nigh t in the desert, we

startlingly different to the next, the incredible rock formations and t he ever-

said our sad goodbyes to the Bedou in and

changing views managing to rema in

our camels, took a last walk in the desert

fascinating and awe-inspiring for our

and drove to a hotel in Nuweiba, on the

entire j ourney. The size and extent of the

east coast of Sina i. It was lovely to have

desert was someth in g none of us were

access to a much needed shower and a

prepared for and we even managed some

proper loo, but civilization seemed very

moments of silence, broken only by

strange after being out in the desert. We

Mohammed's memorable, yel led

stayed overn ight at the hotel and spent

instruction, 'Everybody drinking water !'

the next morning watching the sun rise

Sometimes, we would come round a

over Saudi Arabia, snorkelling and lazing

corner from what felt like the most

about on the beach before packing up and

Sophie Tholstrup and Lydia Cordier

Camel trekking in the desert {by Tom Ready)

In the forest! Scary boats!!

2001 Spanish Trip to Peru Twenty pupils flew to Peru during the win ter of 2001 to improve their lingu istic

towards sea level it was possible to make

between the thick jungle trees and shrub,

out a river, carving its way through the

only accessible by boat along the Amazon

obstructions. Having spent a number of

River. A startled tarantula scurried from

days in Cuzco we preceded on to the

the leaf-matted roof of the vessel during

jungle, reaching a wooden lodge, mingled

the trip and startled the anxious

and communication skills in Spanish. On arriving at Lima airport late at night, after a twelve-hour flight, we drove to Markham College, an upper-class school, where the various families that were to ta ke us to their homes warmly received us. The following day we toured various places in Lima under the desert sun. The whole city was dusty and noisy with many poor begging anywhere: there was a constant flow of humanity. However it had plenty of character and was a complete change from European cities. We visited Cuzco, a town high in the Andes that was su rrounded by immense mountainous beauty, where we saw Macchu Picchu, an ancient ruined Inca settlemen t. The views were panoram ic and enhanced when some 0 0 N

of the party climbed a mountain peak one step higher than the site of Macchu Picchu. From there it was possible to see in a 360-degree arch consisting of thick jungle vegetation on the steep mounta in slopes, clouds swirling below and above us, the ruins below and in the deep distance

Sophie Jones in a local school in Lima {by Virginia Mainwaring)

passengers. However, we were to see many more and bigger tarantulas in the jungle. Dolphins were visible in the Amazon waters and we passed by local tribal fi shermen casting out and throwing in their hand-sewn nets. During our stay there we saw monkeys, parrots, spiders, snakes, turtles, a sloth and giant caterpillars the size of carrots. The trees, f lowers, weather and anima ls were all dramatically different to those from other climates. The holiday was a great success, improving our various Spanish abilities, having introduced us to a dramatically different world.

Hamish Pound

Peru- Hamish Pound in Gvanna Pichu. Nearly there!

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Peter Ross in the Andes: I finally made it to the very top of Gvanna Pichu!

We enjoy our shopping! Lola Soyode, Katherine Ta ylor, Amen a lmasekha

Spanish Trip to Seville During the ha lf term of the Autumn term, a group of forty-seven Removes and five teachers went to Seville. We spent one week there, and learnt more about the Spanish culture and way of life. Seville is situated in the south of Spain in a region called Andalucia. We met as a group in th e airport at about 5 in the morning. The n we

flew to Barcelona and then to Sp ville. There were no direct flights th w e. All the students had to stay with Span~sh families. This wou ld enable us to practise our Spanish. It was very exciting and a great experience. Every day we had Span ish classes for 3 hours, with breaks in the middle. Before that we had breakfast with the families and then after lessons we went back to the house for lunch. The classes were not just normal school classes. They were

What a nice day for a walk {last week in October)

made fun by doing var ious activities, which involved the whole class. Each day after lunch, there were set activi ties for us to do with our teachers from school. We visited the bu llring, but we did not get to see any bullfights. The Alcazar was very impressive and is still in very good condition. The Muslims lived there until the end of the sixteenth century. We went to the Museum of Fine Arts, which featured paintings from many famo us Spanish artists. I enjoyed Zurbaran's paintings. The cathedrai,"La Giralda", was built when Seville was under Muslim rule and was originally a mosque. We went to Tio Pepe, which is a famous company, where they make sherry and wine. We saw how it is made. While we were there, the group was told that they had a trad itio n of leaving out cheese and wine for the mice to eat. We witnessed this event first hand. On the last day we went to the beach and afterwa rds we nt to an amusement park. There were amazing fireworks that had actual film footage in them. It was like being in an outdoor cinema. The time spent in Seville was not only incredible fun but also very rewarding. We all got a chance to practise our Spanish and le arn more about the food and culture. It was a very good experience and if I could go again, I would go back tomorrow !

Lola Soyode

Creative Writing A Journey

Home

Surrender to the wooden will of my Antique, russet picture of a fishi ng boat. It breaks the cloaked tranqui lli ty of the deepest azure ocean. Rays caress my bare skin as I travel to Spetessi. The Grecian, shimmering fish twinkle in the twilight. I survey the wondrous skies As the sun sinks to a slumber While turquoise, warm che rry, neon yellow and peppermint streaks disperse The stark, black, dark outline of the is land appears. A journey tra ve lled once before and again. The last fins retreat to the mysterious depths As the cloak of night envelops the liquid mercury I search for the million, sparkling lights Scattered over Spetassi As a flying sta r guides my boat The drowsy, sweet scent Guides me home.

I hear the noises that I know, The laughing and the bustling, The creaks of the floorboards, The whistle of the cowl. Al l the familiar sounds from home.

Forgotten Past In our dark and dusty cupboard Filled with toys we left behind Lies a dark and dusty doll's house Just a shadow of its kind. Its doors unhinged and gaping Hanging limpl y from thei r frames Its windows smashed and broken From our many careless games. The kitchen sideboards stark and bare The stairs a crooked flight The bedrooms' beds unmade and torn A sad and sorry sight.

Drinking hot chocolate, A soft armchair. The roa ring fire in front of me, Heat hitting my face, Rad iating through the house. Family is there through thick and th in, I feel the support they give me, Safety, warmth and happiness, Are my privileges In my thoughts and in my heart.

Amy Metters Shell AW And also in ou r cupboard there A dodo, crudely stuffed, Once a proud Victorian showpiece Now discarded in the dust.

Jo Clinton 6b We once had thought it pretty And adm ired its moody eyes Its su llen glance stares blankly now On our cupboards' wooden sides. In our dark and dusty cupboard Filled with childhood's memoirs la st, Lie a dodo and a doll's house Fo rgotten relics of our past.

Emily Schurr Shell RH

Home A place to relax, To be yourself. Freedom is in the air. Supported by love. My private room, Thick warm carpet, Sun sails through windows To lighten up my life. Birds sing Lilac flowers in the wind Green grass The smells so sweet. Safety twirls Love sails Music through space. Forever brighten illg home.

Grace Selous Shell AW

{by Chris Cray)

Journey Through Life A small white teardrop, One of many, A cluster of pearls, Slowly, almost apprehensively, It swells and expands like a pregnant stomach, The membrane stretches, Revealing its cargo, An alien foetus wrapped in clingfilm. Slowly the sack splits, Like the shell of an egg, And the infant emerges, A playdough snake on legs, Its body gangrene green, Its back star striped, Compound eyes sta re focusless, The stuff of nightmares But a hundredth the size. Snake no longer, But a fat Cuban cigar, Fi lied with a white tobacco, Hanging like a wind chime, The casing splits and comes away, Like a spent shell case, Wings unfurl from the body, Like wrapping from a present, A Red Admiral .

Lydia Cordier 6b

Journey

Light

I've been shunted from the muffled beatings; the gentle suspension And forced upon the incessant, garish outside Neon and metal. Hidden by masks. The panic, fear, then recognition and her love. I've been held close to her heart in the softest, warmest blankets- held tightly and tenderly. Then studied by two pairs of curious eyes. I've been levered to my feet with jerking knees and carried high on towering shoulders. I've screamed and giggled. Raced and hiccupped. And cried wailing tears from my mother's arms. I've been left alone at a school of strangers and I've been tainted with conve Mion. Termly transitions of fear, timidi fV and comfort which have congregated and slid slyly between my family and I. A tumu lt of nosta lgia and spinning memories. I realise I'm no longer a child and every day separates me from that honest state, and closer to my death.

Light looks different in the darkness. Unlike the gentle beams of day, Easing themselves into the world, It has to fight. Force itself into the world with sharp little beams, Like holes punctured in the dark sky. As we glide around corners, Over hills, All we have is these small spots of light, Like sta rs in t he night To guide the way. Houses flash past Lit up only for a second, As ou r gaze passes over them The sky, Not black, But a deep and dark shade of purple, Is pierced by the moon Suspended in the darkness it is the one constant, As the world st reaks past. The cobalt heavens, Framed by the dark silhouettes Of the trees and houses, Dark paper cutouts along the horizon. Sudden ly cities appear out of the murky blackness, Like a carpet of light, Tiny pinpricks of gold. Cradled in our little bubble, Warm and safe, Safe from the cold and wet beyond The cool glass, The cool glass on which I lean my head, I watch the shadowed world go by And I think. I wonder how similar my journey is to everyone else's. When mine starts Another must finish. Many must have been down this world before. But I wonder, As we race across the country, Whether they see the same darkened world as I do.

Lydia Cordier 6b

Cecily Alder Gb

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Art Work

Artwork photographed by Mollie Maltby

(by Chris Cray)

My Autobiography Day: Thursday Date: 17th February 1986 Time: 06:02 Temp: -3C Good Happenings: Mum lost weight Not So Good Happenings: I was born

Yes, it was the Chinese Year of the Tiger, and the slightly less glamorous British Year of the Bat and the European Year of Road Safety. The sun was glistening on t he freshly fallen snow and the world was momentarily at peace with itself, when all of a sudden (one minute later) "pop!" and there I was, just one of the 755,000 births that year and boosti ng the population of the UK up to 56,755,001. My parents defied convention and refused to call me the year's most popular boys' name, "James" and instead named me Daniel Harley Scarfe. They wanted to name me after the ward I was born in, but somehow they didn't th ink that Daniel "Emergency Ward Ten" Scarfe had quite the righ t ring to it. My friend Joseph "Women's Surgical" McNulty wasn't quite so lucky. I grew up in a semi-detached Edwardian house in Harrow, Middlesex. To be precise 74 Salisbury Road, Harrow, Middlesex. My daily routine back t hen consisted of nothing more than drooling and sleeping. Things quickly changed and by the time I

was four, I was ready for school. Sti ll droo ling and sleeping, I was packed off by my parents to Quainton Hall private schoo l for up-and-coming gentlemen of the world, (entries started at th ree and a half years of age). Here, I spent three happy years receiving the best bullying of my life, and the other ch ildren were just as bad as the teachers. I learnt a lot of very useful knowledge at that school; for in stance, knowing my ABC and being able to count to ten has proved invaluable material for my GCSE cou rsewo rk. Also at the age of four I received the worst present a boy could ask for, a younger sib ling to compete with. This turned out to be male, and after long consideration was named Leo. Nights would never be the same again. As well as a younger brother to compete with, it came to my attention that the dog was also threatening my position as no. 1 family favourite. The dog's name was Hazel, a cocker spaniel, and she was jealous, not of one, but now two ch ildren. She had also j ust been spayed and jealousy mixed with confused hormones did not make a good cocktail. She didn't like me that much, but I loved her greatly and was inconsolable when she met her tragic end in late 1990. Life did, however, move on and the fol lowing summer we did acquire a new dog, called Pepper. We were going to cal l

him Roger, but shouting "Roger the dog" in Harrow Park can upset the faint hearted. He is still with us at a ripe old age of ten, and can now only be described as "an old fart"; he is extremely grumpy and has bladder control problems. When he was a puppy he was playful and sweet, but being the runt of the litter, was always wary. Nevertheless he has never, to this day, bitten me, nor me him, and that must be a good sign. The next monumental stage in my life came in 1991, when, out of the blue, my father announced that we were to move house because it was full. The implications of this did not become apparent to me until someone explained that I would have to leave my school and all my friends behind and coul d not actually pack them into a box like all the rest of the furniture, and my life, and my lunch. We were moving to Canterbury, in Kent. This meant severing the many friendships and connections that I had in Harrow. Before arriving in Kent, my brother, now two, and I were sent to Salisbury to stay with my grandfather for a few days. This was so that my parents cou ld, as I remember, do nothing about the state of the house, as when we arrived it looked like the ground floor of Harrods at the end of the first day of the sales. It was horrible. There were boxes everywhere, no carpets and extremely disgusting wallpaper, wh ich

the previous owners had kindly left us with a memento of their colour blindness and lack of taste. It was also cold, as there was no central heating, so one of my first memories of our house is fighting each other and the dog for a space by the fireplace, each of us trying vainly to get warm. There was also a swimming pool in the back garden, but it was broken. This was a bit of an anticlimax for me, as when I f irst arrived at the house, having been gleefully told that it had a huge pool, alii saw was a hole. Th is "hole" however provided endless fun for me and my friends as the bottom was sloped inwards, and if you ran fast enough you could make it the whole way round without falling over, like the Wall of Death. These hours of fun were abruptly ended when my mother spotted us and told us to stop before we killed ourselves. To this day I cannot realise the danger in runn ing in that pool . It wasn't as if we were going to drown or anything . We had moved during the summer holidays. It seemed to me as if I was getting a year off school as not on ly had my previous school ended earlier than

others, but my new school also started later than the others. After my extended hoiidays, D-Day arrived; it was the time to start my new school. This was a terrifying experience, as having gone through it all two years previously, I knew exactly what was to come. It was the waiting which was the horrible bit. Sitting in the car waiting to pull up into t he driveway and to see the tal l building of slavery looming above. That was the hardest part of the day, the rest was easy. Go in door, hang up coat, go in class, sit down, listen, get up, go out of class, pick up coat and walk out door and go home. Easy, I had this school thing sorted, but t he real shock came when I was told that I had to go back the next day as well.

wrenching, roller-coaster of a life f rom start to finish" nor would The Sun say "Bioomin' marvellous, luved it a lot, phew wot a scorcher!" But nevertheless my life has, in my opin ion, been packed in its own little way. There have been examples of triumph, sadness, bravery, exhaustion, happiness and most recurring embarrassment. Details of the above shall remain classified in case this were to be read by parents, girlfriends (past, present and future) or any other persons socially connected with my name and status. What I can tel l, t hough, is that having lived my life I can safely say that I couldn't swap it even if I wanted to. So all in all there isn't much I can do about it except enjoy it, which is exactly what I'm doing.

This routine has lasted fo r the past eleven years, right up to the present day, bu t perhaps not always in that o;rder. These past years have been spent, joy/~ lly at bot h the Junior King's School, Canterbury, (for eight years) and after that t hree years at my present school, the King's School, Canterbury. Lots of variety there then.

Daniel Scarfe Sf

Generally my life would not be described by The Times as being, "a beautiful, tear-

The Journey The black dragon Gra ces the sky with his presence His delicate flying, Bol d and beautiful in its awesome power. He thunders through the sky, Silently with no dash. Like a speeding punctuation mark Wi t h thick impressive wings Sweeping up the clouds in his path, Forgotten wings left behind. Th e light dances of his black eyes Away he flies from whatever he left behind. Burning lights off the sun leaves no scar On his scaly body, Just on the eye of his mind, His tunnel vision focused on the expansive opening ahead of him. His flight is fleeting, With no shadow does he mark the earth. Trivial is the world below, This creature thinks of the cosmos, Or just away from the others. But alas, he wakes from the deceiving sleep And he is back the same and confined. Is a lie better that the truth? Anything is better that this, And sleep returns, Along with freedom.

Katherine Wood 6b

The Wood Solitary shaft of light shatters otherwise imminent dusk.Lonely, yet not alone, as a cacophony invades. Friendly banter between friends, constant drumroll accompanies the orchestra of sound. The snap of twigs underfoot, reminiscent of childhoods gone by. Red Wellingtons and mittens on Autumnal evenings, nostalgia. Surrounding hibernations provoke thoughts of slumber, lethargic yearnings. Warmth, closeness, embedded in dreams. The ongoing search fo r sustenance, a means of survival in unexpectedly extreme circumstances. Scrounging and scraping at fruitless stems. A harsh wind howls through, paralysing all in its path. Cloudless skies provide no insulation, bitterly cold conditions, ever relentless. Trees stripped bare of all belongings, left penniless at the hands of the winter. Life seems paused without purpose, deceitfu l as it flourishes behind the scenery, the backdrop of the woodland theatre. Natural reactions send shivers through the atmosphere. Spine shivers in parallel, goose pimp les and rosy cheeks. Scarves and mittens provide welcome minimal warmth . The stile, the final obstacle on the journey; slippery from newly formed ice. The light fades gradually, turning skies red and embracing the oncoming darkness. The orchestra strive to their denouement and slowly fade into the ir dramatic conclusion. The journey comes to a final end as sunset emblazons the sky.

Alice Cooke 6b

A Christmas Poem I sit in my chair and I wait and wait, But no one will come, I just hope that they're late. If only I had even one Christmas card, I'm sure it wouldn't be nearly as hard To make it through Christmas and make it alright As I sit here and wait in the long, cold night. I sit in my chair and I wait and wait Yet still no one comes, I hope that they're late. I wonder and think, "What's this time meant to be?" A happy time for most, but not for me. The time is ever, the time is long, And now I'd give anything for just one Christmas song . I sit in my chair and I wait and wait Oh, please someone come, I don't mind if you're late. I'm old and I'm frai l and no one wil l come Not even my children to see their old mum. I wish I could have any one friend today, To make the time pass and see Christmas away.

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Archie Ahern Shell DF

Reports 8: Reviews 7 October

Music Chapel Choir This has been a rather unusua l term for the Chapel Choir. The beginning of September seemed norma l enough with the usual auditions for new singers, the rush to prepa re the music for the first Matins on only two short rehearsals and so on. The choir settled quickly and worked well for the first six weeks and I was very much looking forward to good performances of the music fo r Evensong on October 14thespecial ly the classic and much-loved Evening Hymn by Balfour Gardiner. The service did not happen. In the wake of the terrible events in America on September 11th, tens ions ran high. On October 14th a man was spotted sprinkling a white substance in the Crypt. A security alert was declared and the Cathedral and su rrou nding area were immediate ly closed by the police. Balfour Gardiner never got his airing. There were no Matins services in the second half of term, so the Chapel Ch oir did not sing again at a service until the end of term Carol Service. And I must say they sang magnificent ly. The service began with the traditional Matin Responsory. An innovation this year was to give every member of the congregation a candle. Th ese were lit as the procession of clergy and choir made its way around t he entire cathedral, while a sma ll choi r of tenors and basses sang the plainsong Advent Prose and Advent Antiphons. The effect was qu ite mag ical. The choir's sing ing of the carols was the best I have heard in my seven years at King's. Two musica l canons said afterwards that it was the best carol service t hey had ever heard from King's. That I am not qual ified to comment on but my heartfelt thanks to the choir for what they did-it was a very specia l carol service which I shall never forget.

SWSA

"' The repertoire for the Autumn term was: 9 September 23 September

Give us the wings of faith Bul lock The heavens are telling Haydn

Can tate Domino Palestrina 14 October Magnificat in D (Evensong) Wood Evening Hymn Balfour Gardiner (Evensong cancelled because of security alert in Th e Cathed ral.)

in support of Burrswood, a Christian hospice/hea ling centre in Sussex. In addition to three 20th century popu lar songs, including t he eve rgreen Autumn Leaves, the choir had the privil ege of singing Mozart's Laudate Dominum with Emm a Kirkby as soloist. It was an occasion few of us wi ll forget.

12 December (Carol Service)

Our annua l visi t for Music and Desserts at St Mildred's Church in Canterbury ra ised a good sum of money for the Fri ends and the programme was the usual mixture of secular songs and instrumenta l items. Specia l thanks to Canon Ron Diss for his unfail ing en t husiasm and initia ti ve rega rding th is event. We are looking forward to a similar concert next term at Bridge Parish Church-thereby continuing our work in the wide r commun ity.

Matin Responsory Palestrina Advent Prose Plainsong La, how a Rose Praetorius Quem pastores laudavere 14th cent.German Arr. Rutter Stille Nacht r Gruber Arr. Cas Âˇ more Riu, riu, chiu Flecha Ouelle est cette odeur? French tradi tiona l Arr. Willcocks What sweeter music Rutte r

Crypt Choir The Crypt Choir has sung at such a variety of services and concerts over the past term that it wou ld be impossible to do justice to them all in this review. They have borne a very heavy workload with (almost!) unfailing enthusiasm and professionalism and thei r singing this term has been, qu ite simply, stunning on so many occasions. The fortnightly Euch arists in t he Crypt have remained the foca l point for our work. Th is term the motets have all been unaccompanied which has allowed us to sing from the westernmost end of the Crypt. This ha s been very effective and adds to the atmosphere during the Administra tion of Commun ion. Even more evocative was to have the male Pla insong Choir sing the Advent Antiphons from the edge of the Ea stern Crypt, unseen by the congregation. Suitably penitential and other- world ly! On September 25th , far too early in the term for comfort. the Crypt Choir took part in a charity concert held in the Queen El izabeth Hall on the South Bank. This was

It is hard to know what to say about the f un era l of a much-loved teacher and colleague, Martin Tennick. It was a very emotional and moving service and, in the circumstances, I knew that we would find it very difficult to sing. Their conduct and professionalism were outstanding and the ir singing was more emotional, in the best sense, than ever before. They did their 'job', which was to provide music to help the fa mily and friends present. I have never been more impressed, or prouder of a choir.

SWSA The repertoire for the Autumn Term was: 16 September

Ave verum Elgar 30 September Ave Maria Arcadelt 11 November I heard a voice from heaven (Remembrance) Edwards For the fallen Guest 18 November Tantum ergo de Severa c 23 November Psalm 727 (Funera l of Walford Davies M J Ten nick, Esq) Steal away Spiritual Arr. Tippett Psalm 703 w 73-7 7 Wesley Song for Athene Ta ve ner I heard a voice from heaven Edwa rds

25 November

Hymne ala Vierge Villette 2 December 0 come, 0 come, Emmanuel (Advent Liturgy) Plainsong The truth from above Eng li sh Trad. Arr. V Williams Advent Prose Plainsong A spotless Rose Howells Vesper Responsory Palestrin a Arr. Ledger 9 December Advent Antiphons Plainsong

King's Composers Three composers with connections with King's were se lected, along with th irteen others from Kent, to write a specially commissioned work to be performed by the Britten Sin fonia, conducted by Nicholas Cleobury at a public concert on November 18th at St Edmund's School as part of Kent New Composers 2001. Workshops were held with advice being given by renowned composers, both local and from further afield. Alex Shannon had written an intricate, sophisticated yet buoyant piece for cor anglais and string trio entitled Fractal Fugue, wh il e Richard Peat's (OKS) Final Directions for septet consisted of insistent, pulsating rhythms from which various solos tried to brea k free coupled with a gradual accelerando. Mr Stephen Matthews' sho rt, but lively Scherzetto fo r octet was also performed. The occasion demonstrated an extremely high leve l of technical skill as we ll as musical imag ination from the various compose rs. Stephen Matthews

The Christmas Concert Sunday 9 December 2001 The Shirley Hall On a distinctly chilly evening we were treated to a warm ing set of performances of a high standard even for King's. Once aga in the format was new with a mix of orchestral selections from Tcha ikovsky's Nutcracker; carols and seasonal songs from the Choral Society; and Advent and Christmas carols from everybody including

the audience which packed the Shirley Hall. The programme was well -judged, showing off and testing the performers throughout, and engag in g us all so that by the end of the eve nin g the re was a l ast Night of the Proms' fervour in the singing of Hark' The herald angels sing' and We wish you a merry Christmas- both encored with enthusiasm. The even ing started with a crisp and rousing orchestral Trepak. Th ese selections from Nutcracker test each section of the orchestra and are not easy to play. The writing is often spare and open with many exposed passages and solos. There are many recordings of supposedly top Russian orchestra s playing Tcha ikovsky from the 1960s to the 1980s where shoddy intonation wrecks the experience. Here, pretty much everything went right. The woodwind tone, ensemble and intonation, frequently a problem in recent years, was outstanding, particularly in Waltz of the flowers with its clear, singing clarinet so los and exposed oboe and cor ang lais lines. The flutes in Danceofthe reed pipes were fluent and rounded over a bouncing pizzicato bass line. The brass section, althou gh perhaps a little bottom heavy, was particularly notable for the rich and secure horn sound topped by a sweettoned and incisive trumpet section comp lete with authentic Russian vibrato! The horn ensemb le in the Waltz was particu larly good. The strings shone throughout. especially the Rolls Royce cello section, wh ich ripped into the entry in the Waltz with such gusto that you could feel the vibrations in the floo r. Those who went to t he excellent, but shamefu lly under-attended Chamber Concert (why is one of the highl ights of the musical year tucked away at three o'c lock on a Sunday afternoon?) will have heard just how skilled the senior string players are this year. Maestro Colin Metters, Dickensian in burgundy wa istcoat and bow t ie, presided with bonhom ie and precision. It is not easy to contro l a chorus of 130 plus in any circumstances, least of all in the cavernous acoustic of the Shirley Ha ll. Stefan Anderson in his last Christmas Concert at King's left us in no doubt about the gap that has to be fi lled. The basses didn't drag and the sopranos did n't sing f lat (well, on ly once). I can only quote from my notes : every word clearperfectly paced-lively in a difficu lt acoustic - good balance- basses didn't

bellow- exact dynamics- audience rapt - unison verse of Jingle, bells perfectly togethe r and in tune- a rea lly fine ensemble. Sleigh Ride was a hugely entertain in g arrangement show ing off all t he sections of the orchest ra to advantage and with brilliant percussion effects: whips, bells and clopping hooves, swing ing jazz brass, cheesy modul ations and a t rumpet neigh straight out of Livery Stable Blues. White Christmas gave us the full Hollywood effect with sweeping Mantovani strings, muted horns, bell effects and a lovely crunchy last chord. The fina l Merry Christmas was rollicking , but not raucous. The audience sang passably, improving as they warmed up, and peaking with a deafen in g re ndition from the sopranos of the descant from Hark! The herald angels sing. There was a reluctance to applaud t he mselves which took a while to overcome. I am left looking forward to King's Week with rea l exc itement. This is a vin tage musical year. On an even in g with no sta r individual performances it was the sheer strength and depth which impressed. Nigel Hamway, OKS

Galpin's and Harvey House Concert Saturday 8 December 2001 The Galpin's/Harvey house concert has always been one of the most accla imed of its kind and this year's was no exception. Harriet Jones set the stage with a pleasantly atmospheric rendition of Somewhere over the rainbow, which was followed by a flawless and beautifully mellow performance, given by Edmund Rex, of a Hindemith flute sonata. Among the most expressive of t he piano performances were those of Ali Russell, with her Rachman inov so nata, and Frank lin Lancaster playin g Chopin. Charlotte Harrison fo ll owed Ali with Bach's Ave Maria, which she sang with her distinctively pure tone. Changing the mood expertly, James Northern introduced a moment of impromptu jazz: his own arrangement of Michael Edward's Once in a while. Words could describe the Galpin's 6As' attempt at Take That's Back for good, but unfortunately we are not perm itted to use them.

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Moving swiftly onwards, Stephanie Hall impressed the aud ience with her stunningly mature vocal talent, demonstrating a prom ising operatic skill in an extract from Bizet's Carmen. Rachel Nevi ll then gave an imag inat ive performance of Autumn leaves, showing excel lent potential. Ed Selous' literary genius(!) was then put on display by a combination of enthusiastic Shell acting ta lent and some dubious rhyming, with their production of Snow White. Th is was fo llowed by Liana Henchman and James Ellis singing an unaccompan ied version of Eva Cassidy's Fields of Gold, which created an air of reflection in the concert hall. A string quartet, comprising Em ily Schurr, Melissa Lloyd-Jones, Emily Ki lner and Freya Seath, performed an arrangement of Pache lbe l's Canon in D to an impressively high standard. This was followed by a high ly professiona l performance given by Howa rd Bryant who wrote, played and sang Goodbye, showing exciting abi lity as a songwriter. He created a very intense atmosphere using only a piano to support his voice. Varying the mood yet again, Freya Seath and Flora Cooke worked musica lly together in their Offenbach cello duet. Eric Clapton's moving tribute, Tears in Heaven, was effectively recreated by Jamie Andrews and Tom Brad ley. Both vocal ly and instrumentally, this was an impressive presentation. The famous Harrison sisters stole the show with a we ll -po lished lullaby from the opera Hansel and Gretel, using their superbly blended voices. The winners of this year's House Song Competition (Galpin's) treated us to a repeat performance of Seal 's Kiss from a rose, brave ly attempting the high notes, with some sensitive harmon ic interludes. An all-round pleasant and enthusiastic sound. The concert was rounded off with a very well-projected, charismatic performance of a classic song from the musical Oliver! As long as he needs me, sung by Emma Scott.

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The entire evening was to an excellent standard, demonstrating much variety, with an impressively structured programme and slick stage managemen t. Both of these houses showed confidence in their individua l abi lities, and there was a large audience present to offer support. An extremely enjoyable occasion.

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Leonie Hamway (BR) and Emma Hamilton (JR)

Senior House Drama The finals opened with a contribution from Broughton, 'Th e King and Me', a piece that high lighted the occasiona l need for individual escapism, in order to transcend the drudgery of everyday life. Sensitively rendered, the sketch showed the conflict between two women, one of them a se lfdeceptive fantasist, the other a hardened cyn ic. Whenever conversation turned to the source of t he escapist fantasy, El vis, the 'King' himself, it evoked a burst of eloquence and touching sincerity from the escapist. This was always countered by an honest and blunt answer from her more practical compatriot, whose reprimands for shunning the responsibi lities of normal life, including that of motherhood, were suffused with an undertone of pity which was impossible to ignore. Ther~ was a satisfying balance between th characters and the situation was portrayed convincingly, with touching perception on the part of the actors. Second ly, the aud ience were trea ted to a light-hearted performance of 'Absent Friends' by the Jervis team. There was a striking confidence in the collective performance, with the actors immediately establishing a rapport with the audience and serving beautifully as foi ls to one another's characters, wh ich were quickly and clearly establ ished. What was so appealing was the on-stage flagrant disrega rd for personal pride and the evident enjoyment shown by the performers. Tension between cha racters was portrayed convincingly and balanced perfectly with the humour of the situation . The piece, fu ll of tentative accusati ons, unabashed declarations, accidenta l discoveries and littered with non -sequ iturs was hugely enjoyable and extremely memorable. Luxmoore's contribution enti t led, 'Never-ending Story', was certainly starkly different to anything that had preceded it. With a set that consisted pure ly of cha irs and strategically placed actors, the aud ience's focus was trained wholly and directly on the areas of motion on stage, meaning that every phrase was concentrated and made an impact. The styl ised backg round, costumes and language had the potential to ali enate those watching, bu t this was effectively prevented by the immed iate personal involvement of the actors with the

audience. The girls, working in perfect synchrony together, brought to life the message of the damag ing power of fantasy and the necessity of separating stories and rea lity. The use of colour against black costumes aided identification of characters and this, paired with the coo rdination of al l those on stage, meant that the piece made an impact and was extremely well controlled. The proceedings were brought to their conclusion by Walpole, who neatly and accurately satirised the public school tendency towards irreverence and misplaced confidence in their superiority. The truthfulness of the portraya l meant that the irony and humour was impossible to ignore, as the attention seeking girls fluttered and chattered in their constant discussion of irrelevant topics and indulged in the King 's pupil hobby of practising false modesty, stating the obvious and breaking into everyone else's conversation at every opportunity. The teacher-pupil re lationship was brilliantly evoked through highlighting each gi rls' efforts at self- preservation by deflecting blame, the tendency to take the teacher's attempts at discip li ne as personal insu lts and the penchant for pupils to divert a lesson by reeling off long, illogical and highly.Âˇimprobable stories. Safe to say, the en tire event was greatly appreciated by the audience and congratulations are due to all who took part. First prize was awarded to Walpole.

Anna Holmes (HH)

Drama The Shell Drama Competition On Sunday 23rd September, the eagerly awaited and dreaded Shel l Drama Competition took place in St. Mary's Hall. As it was so near th e beginn ing of the year, many of the plays were hurried ly pu t together, but most houses managed to produce at least a short, humorous play. Broughton were first, an extravagant talent contest between cheerleaders and line dancers. Most impressive were the amazing backflips by Nicola Redstone in t he middle of the chee rleading dance. Next were Galpin's in a unique rendition

of Snow Wh ite, starring Harry Lancaster in fi shnet tights and Graham Sweetman in a frilly pink dress. Neither Grange nor Tradescant produced a Shell house play which was disappointing. Harvey performed a play about four characters with names suiting their personalities who were forced to confess terrible, guilty deeds such as killing an un derstudy actress, striking a daughter and killing a stepmother with a pair of scissors. Jervis produced a parody of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, with a modern girl in place ofTheseus. The modern Theseus manag~d to find the Minotaur and discovering it to be tame, married it. Linacre's adaptation of Much Ado about Nothing was a far throw from the Shakespeare version, with no obvious storyline and a YMCA dance routine halfway through for no apparent reason .

fa iling to beat the gang. Last, but not least, was Wa lpole, the current holders of the cup. Walpole's play, li ke Luxmoore's, used members of the house to represent objects such as trees or a cage. It commenced as a traditiona l America n Disney production, but characters sitting at the side altered the story gradually to feature 'girl-power', Germans and a cottage made of cottage cheese. Final ly Mrs Bree, our judge, stepped up to give an assessment of every play. She commented especia lly on th e cliff-hanger end ing of Broughton, the costumes of Marlowe and Galpin's and the complete irrelevance of Linacre! Eventual ly, she broke all the suspense by tel li ng us t hat the winners were Galpin's with their Snow White ta le, their brain-dead dwarves and their extravaga nt costumes and manner.

Sophie Roper, Shell RH (MT)

Theatre Studies trip Luxmoore performed a ta le simi lar to the well-known Cinderella, about Prince Starry choosing a bride from three sisters and final ly choosing the meek, humble Moonshine. This was performed using members of the house to play the sea and a magical tree, which gave movement and character to inanimate objects. Marlowe ach ieved a 'cross-dressing spectacular' version of the Three Bears, with rhyming lyrics suggesting that Goldilocks shou ld be locked away for being such a little.brat. Meister Omers put on a Christmas Special Jerry Springer Show sta rring North Pole Santa and his fami ly, South Pole Santa with his son and a singing Christmas tree (although the competition was in September). The eventual winner was South Pole Santa, who was deemed to beat his mistress and child less than his North Pole counterpart. Mitchinson's staged a corny Medieva l comedy, featu ring the eternal love between Sir Richard Trueheart and Princess Ade li ne and perhaps more amusing, a brief, but en tertaining sword fight between Alex Sanne and Stephan Wasserman - Fry. School House came next. Wi ll iam Harvey played a boy desperate to learn karate to fight a street gang, but found himself washing his teache r's car and eventua lly

Four Nights in Knaresborough On Thursday 27 September the 6a and 6b theatre studies groups went to see Paul Webb's Four Nights in Knaresborough at the Ma rlowe Theatre. This humorous and unconventional play, starring Nick Moran from the popu lar "Brit Flick" Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, dea lt with the theme of the murder of Thomas Becket. The central characters were in fact the four knights responsible for the deed who, after it had been carried out, retreated to Hugh de Morville's castle in Knaresborough and remained there for a period of two years. Paul Webb considers this famous atrocity from an extremely unorthodox viewpoint and puts forward the hitherto unaddressed possibility tha t in martyrdom, Becket achieved his ultimate objective rather than his downfall. The other themes of the play surround the various love triang les brought about by the leading female ro le, Catherine, and indeed also those between the knights themselves. Britto (Nick Moran) is a young, adventurous and somehow strangely innocent individual with al l the endearing arrogance of youth. He is very much in love with Catherine who, although reciprocating h.is affections, is determined to marry Morville in order to ensure security fo r her son from her first

marriage. Morvi lle in turn is sincerely in love with her, but rather too modest to expect his feelings to be returned and on perceiving the deepening emotions between Catherine and Britto, withdraws further inside himself as the play progresses. Britto meanwhile is also caught in the midd le of another love triangle between himself and the other two knights, Fitz and Traci, from whom he is desperately trying to disentangle himself. These events, tempered by a number of philosoph ica l reflections with regard to the murder of Becket, constitute the action of the play and are portrayed through a witty and profound script. The actors were outstanding in their various roles and particularly at the denouement of the play there were a number of extremely powerful and poignant moments in which the innermost emotions and inadequacies of the characters came to light. The costumes and sets fitted the style and context of the times perfectly and the use of medieval music between the various scenes added greatly to the overa II effect. Altogether, the performance was a great success and much of it succeeded in reducing the aud ience to hysterics one minute and tears the next. The themes contained within were also wonderfu lly relevant to our surroundings and opened up a range of new perspectives and possibilities to the history which we as a school have everyday at our fingertips. Everyone appeared to enjoy the evening and many considered it the most entertaining theatre excursion of the term.

Serena Gosden-Hood (WL)

Education of Heroes 13th and 14th October 2001 St. Mary's Hall What struck me most when watching, was how well the cast gell ed. Their natural bond as a group enabled the plot to flow realistically without them feeling uncomfortable with each other. These students in late adolescence become destructive ly inspired by their Classics teacher, played by Laura Moncrieffe. Her short, but poignant role gives them the knowledge from which their motives are derived. While

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embodying her respectfu l status, Laura shone in her principal scene wh ile she filled their busy heads with more and more ideas. It is from here that the story unfo lds as we are invited to take part in the ir obsessive world, of reliving Greek tragedy. The cast seemed to tackle Jessi Bain and Ambar Walia's rather comp lex script in a customary manner and conveyed to their audience that t heir bizarre behaviour was habitual. More of an outsider to their extraordina ry rituals was the protagonist in the play, cleverly portrayed by Nicolo Luccini. He approached the role very well as he created a quiet distance between himself and the group he was not really one of. He maintained this throughout the plot. The so liloquies in his role also allowed the audience to take a breather and reflect, in order to understand . Every gang has its leader, but every gang member has a significant purpose and this was certain ly the case here. Tom Ready played a stunningly intimidating leader, James, and from the first moment he appeared, he created chilling tension. His slow and intense pace made you feel very uneasy and this added to the mysterious at mosphere. The other foreigner to this very close group was the provocative Sadie played by

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I Th e Broughton-Tradescant House Play

Florence Norman . Whilst being the lighthearted get-away in the story, Florence's striking portraya l of her 'silver-tonguedbutter-wouldn't melt-demeanour' actually surfaced more unease among the group. Her credib le epitome of gossip and ma keup allowed us to delve deeper into the story as she so 'innocently' reveals unspoken issues. Most of these issues evo lved through the underlying hin ts and hidden jokes abou t the incestuous relationship between the twins, Julia and Hugh, played by Emma Hiddleston and Harry Inglis. Emma creates a more conven t ional innocence and hides her filthy truth behind pristine white tennis outfits. Emma is very cunning with her body language and being the only girl, she carefully unfolds her quietly prom iscuous

Robin Bailey played the irritatingly provoking Josh, completing the group. He mastered his sa rcastic tone wh ich successfully ri led up the other characters. It is his cutting and cynical expression which willingly uncovers the hidden secrets among the group, just the area that Sadie revels in. The production was cleverly cast by Jessi Bain and Ambar Walia who produced and directed the play. Quincy Allan added an inspiring flai r with his help in the direction. The outline and impact of the performance was excellent, very much helped by the careful scene blocking. Together, the cast and directors created a stimulating and thought-p rovoking atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

character. Harry gives off a strange ly protective attitude towards his sjster.

Claudia Kennaugh BR

Although he does not dom in ati 'the sc rip t, with the help of the slightly laid -back

Broug hton/Tradesca nt

element of his own persona lity, he brings to life his constant, but at times

House Play 2001

camouflaged character.

Billy Liar

The other amb iguous character is Patrick. Tom Mills creates his indecisive

On Saturday the 10th of November, I t urned up at the St. Augustine's dining room promptly at twenty past seven and was shown into a room that had been transformed into a 50s living room. For yes, th is was the set for the

mannerisms well and silently juggles his love for Julia and Hugh, not to mention his nigg lin g hatred for the remaining character.

Broughton/Trad. House play, "Billy Liar," and from the way Mrs Wakeham made it sound, the entire contents of both her own and Mr Graham's homes was on the stage in front of us. I idl y wondered if that included the pink frilly petticoat just visible in the laundry basket, bu t I digress and congratulations must go to the props manager (Alice Cooke) for the creation of such an atmosphere. This is a play by Keith Waterhouse and he indeed seems to be the on ly .outside influence in the entire production for, as usual, both of these houses made use of their many multi talented members in an entirely pupil-orchestrated effort from lighting (Simon Redstone) and props, to acting and directin g. This enjoyable and often humorous performance lasted just under two and a half hours and amongst other attributes, managed to comprise King's entire Redstone population. Th e humorously ironic plot centred around, as the play's title suggests, a young man, named "Billy" (credibly and wittily acted by Alexis Gibbs), who to all extents and purposes is a patho logica l liar forever in the process of extricating himself (by further lies) from some mess, often involving the opposite sex in the fo rm of his three supposed fiancees: the prim, gullible, upper class Barbara, who never quite grasps the situation and so resorts to a) backing away from the lecherous Billy, b) eating an orange, or c) offering to help continually in her ever so pe rfect and slightly brea thy vo ice (Nicola Redstone gave a very mature performance of this part). Rita the outspoken , "in yer face" tart/slut, (Claudia Kennaugh), yvho takes delight in mimicking the vulne rab le Barbara, who makes an easy target, (and in cid entally, Claudia wins the prize for best costume, if you didn't see it then use your imagination) and Liz, the chain -smoker who can exc lusively offer a "no strings attached" relationship, (Rosie Atkinson), who makes her first appearance with Billy's best, most loyal and apparently only friend, Arthur (Tom Mills) although this re lationsh ip too, is soon to fall apart, forming a part of the general demise of Billy's circumstances throughout the play. The counte r balance and definite downside, as far as Billy is concerned, to his "b****y loose and lazy" lifestyle as his formidable father Geoffrey (a cardiganed, "uneducated and proud of it" working class labourer to whom the aforementioned swear word and nervously impulsive habit of reading The Guardian newspaper, whether upside down or not,

are second nature, at all events he was very convincingly acted by James Co leman) aptly puts it. turn ing to his wife and Billy's mother, Alice, (Katie Redstone- who was as always, in her element) fo r support, only to discover that the two men's continual arguing has "brought her on again." The "her," refers to Billy's grandmother (Leonie Hamway, who in conjunction with the superb standard of the entire cast, provided the main comic element, whether addressing her dolls, selectively hearing Bi lly's choicer comments, pessimistically hinting, predicting, harking back to "the good old days" or simply complaining abou t the wastage of tins of salmon). who appears to have had a fit and subsequently dies, provoking three very different reactions among her remaining relatives. On top of Billy's cheating, "fooling around with the lasses," thieving and lying, and amongst other derogatory comments paternal ly attributed to him, the argument which then transpires as a direct result of his disrespectful attitude to his grandmother's death is the last straw that induces Billy to comm it himself to the

elopement he has previously planned with Liz and a vague promise of a script-writing job in London (for Billy does possess a brain, but just doesn't use it), leaving bot h parents subdued, and his mother, Alice, distraught. This then is a brief synopsis of one of the best house plays I've seen at King's for which all the credit must go to its Broughton/Tradescant cast and its two 6a directors: Katie Redstone and Alexis Gibbs, for all their effort and time sacrificed, I th in k the audience's consensus was unanimous, in that it had been wel l worth it!

Rachel Nevill (HH)

The Marlowe House Play Ernie's Incredible lllucinations by Alan Ayckbourn The year began with a bang for the members of Marlowe House who returned to school to find themse lves confronted with the challenge of casting and producing a play in less than four weeks.

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I Tom Fox- Marlowe play (by OM F)

Miss Ellener, Marlowe's new tutor and drama teacher, was also plunged in at the deep end; as if having to cope with finding her way around the school and learning everyone's names wasn't enough to deal with, she was also faced with the prospect of producing the house play. Luckily for Ma rlowe, she rose to the challenge and within the first week had auditioned and chosen the cast for 'Ernie's Incredible 1/lucinations: Th e play by Alan Ayckbourn is a lighthearted comedy that follows the central character, Ern ie (played by George Col tart),

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throughout the whole performance. It was sharp, fast- paced and funny throughout both performances and the audiences were left wanting more. The hard work and comm itment of the cast really paid off, producing two thorough ly well-tuned performances. All in all, the play embodied all of the best qualities of house drama; comedy, characters and the possibility for the whole house to be involved. Thanks are due to: Miss Ellener for her enthusiastic direction and plunging herself

through his hallucinations as he recounts th em to the Doctor (Katie Rumbellow). As the play passed from reality to hallucination, the audience journeyed with Ernie thro ug h several episodes; OAP boxing, spies at the library, the appearance of Nazi stormtroopers at the family home and a marching band. George ha ndled the shifts from reality to imagination coolly and gave an energetic performance. Rupert Reid (Ernie's father) was given the opportunity to show off his finely tuned Northern accent and seemed to rel ish the chance to exhibit his skills on stage rather th an behind it; a move which I hope will be repeated in future. Connie Pidoux, as Ernie's mother, also gave a wonderful performance, portraying the archetypal timid housewife. However, the outstanding performance was given by Alex Cocksworth as Ernie's Aunty. The combination of 'doddering comedy' and senile fortitude which she so fluidly combined gave rise to the comic highpoints of the play. The cast made good use of the open space that St Ma ry's provided and the scenes flowed seamlessly together. The set itself merged from the rea listic doctor's waiting room to the entirely surreal illucinations stage where objects we re suspended randomly from the ceiling which added to the hallucinogenic feel of the whole production.

wholeheartedly into life at King's; Steve Bree for all his help with sound, lighting and set design; Matt hew Jenkins for controlling t he sound and lig hting; and all the other people who helped with costumes and props. Finally a S ~) cial mention must go to Matron Gai ~' who i' uplifted a flagg ing cast one late night rehearsal with several bags of doughnuts!

The play provided the opportunity for everyone who auditioned to have a part with a myriad of character roles rang ing from a brazen secretary to a French tourist with a boxer and a middle-aged librarian somewhere in between. Miss Ellener had high expectations of her cast and they successfu lly rose to all the challenges she set them. The discipline and accurate timing tha t was achieved in the final performance was a testimony to the direction as much as to the cast who had to remain in character and on stage

From the entrance of t he Anderson family it is immediately possible to empathise with them and recognise the aim of the play as to depict a stereotypical caricature of a fami ly holiday: the teenage boy (Ed de Silva) dancing with a pair of headphones on, oblivious to the surrounding chaos; the fa th er (Max Thompson) frowning at a map; the mother (Sophie Tholstrup) frantically packing the car; the grandmother (Fran Kozui-Wright) demanding her "G and Ts to be lined up and ready" on arrival at the family's

Claire Moorcroft

Walpole/Grange House Play: House Two: Home Nil 77th and 78th November: Cathedral Education Centre The play opens with a pair of curious twins peering disapprovingly at the audience, holding a couple of signs reading : "Packing the car somewhere in suburban England': Th eir role throughout the play was to continue in this manner, displaying signs describing the setting for the ensuing scene. Although this may sound like a fairly insign ificant part, Muffie Prentice and Lydia Cordier created such comical expressions that they managed to maintain the atmosphere of the play even during the lengthy scene changes.

holiday home in France; the helpfu l older daughter (Lucy Goodman); and finally, the younger daughter (Isabel Coles), who insists on squeezing her large toy crocodile into the car. The family adopted their roles immediately, allowing the audience to predict with anticipation their reactions to certain incidents. Sophie and Max played a particularly convincing married couple, subtly portraying a deep understanding of one another beneath th eir com ical fac;ade. At the same time, Fran exhibited the universally dreaded grandmother stereotype with such style that the audience were compelled to laugh at the familiarity of the character, if nothing else. Th e ferry crossing provided more amusing caricatures. Vicky Monaghan successfully played a sickly-voiced shop assistant, freely spraying t he cast with perfume. Hannah Egleton and Nicola Ken t were an uncannily emblematic pair of cafeteria servers who convincing ly provided t he trigger for Mr Anderson to, predictably, lose his temper. The family's holiday home was as expected : unvisited by the cleaners, suspected to be infested with rodents and with a "suga r daddy" of a neighbour (James Hamway), whose introductory line: "Steve's the name, motor's the game", and dappy blonde girlfriend (Rosalind Webber) were very amusing. Norman's wife, Ju an ita (Ph ilippa WalkerSmith). brother Kevin (Chris Zwierzynski) and sister-in-law, Druscilla (Katherine Hunter-Johnston) also deserve praise. This group of spiritua li sts, with their turnip wine, herbal infusions and comments such as "0 Kevin, I do love it when you 're being assertive", were hysterical and simultaneously managed to provide the Andersons with the friendly security that both they and the audience recognise and appreciate at the end of the play. The other central group of people are the Pod-Smythingtons, the "fellow Brits whom the Andersons must... contend with ". The name is appropriate for the family, four "discern ing, superior oiks" who it is a joy to hate. The mother (Serena Gosden-Hood) repeatedly highlights the advantages that her family has ove r the Andersons; the father, (Billy Barra tt) does nothing but command his wife as she waits on him; and the two children

(George Blessley and Ellie Ruthven) merely taunt the "spawn of Satan's bottom", as they call the Anderson children .

production was extremely enjoyab le, so congratulations to all involved. Katie Redstone

However, there is a darker undertone to this stereotypical presentation of a snobbish family. This is first evident when the relationship between Billy and Serena, which has nothing more to it than meets the eye, is contrasted against that of Max and Sophie. The latter's closeness is exemplified in the way that the couple sit inconspicuously with a beer, laug hing and whispering. This is enforced further when the Anderson children witness Serena paying her children to eat the "pooh-mousse" and "onion cesspit" cooked by Juanita. Ginn i's (Serena) instabi lity, hard to portray but done extremely convincingly, finally comes to a head when Caspian (George Blessley) is sick because of the turn ip wine, which he takes voluntarily. Diverting the blame from her Caspian, Ginni instantly blames Ben Anderson (Ed de Silva) and hence, a row breaks out of which Ginni is the cen tre and stands unsupported by her husband. The climax of the play takes place after Boxing Da y, following the appearances of a few feisty French neighbours (Mr Oath, Madame Rodes, and Mr Wood) and an insane dream of Mr Anderson, involving all the caricatures from the ferry. Danni Anderson (Isabel Coles) po'ints out an unopened present, addressed to Ginni but also wrapped up by her. Ginni opens the present - a gun -a nd aims it at Ralph. In an impressive piece of acting by Serena, in wh ich her character loses control over all her emotions, the gun is fired at Ralph but, instead, hits Norman . It is then that the characters present: the Andersons, the spiritualists and the Pod-Smythingtons, become real to the audience. All of the actors should be commended for their transformations from ca ricatures to characters with whom the audience could relate. The entire cast did justice to the play written by Eliza beth Pidoux. Elizabeth Pidoux, the director, and the production team should all be complimented for the very successful production. However, the highest praise has to go to Dr Pidoux, for the play succeeded in being extremely funny and easy to relate to, whilst also carrying a meaningful undertone, which allowed the audience to feel both pity and sadness besides the amusement. The

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertholt Brecht 22nd-25th November: St. Mary's Hall For the term preceding the performance, a group of 6a Theatre Stud ies students, had been working on the techniques of Brecht and how they related to his preferred style of production. By choosing to perform The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, we would be lea rning by testing out and trying Brech t's very own methods on stage. That said, the production involved large numbers of actors, musicians and techn icians outside the Sixt h Form Theatre Studies groups.

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui tells the story of the small time Chicago gangster named Arturo Ui, charting his rise to supreme power over Chicago by the use of violence, blackmail and double crossing. The play ends with Ui climb ing in status and power, having just taken over the small town of Cicero. Brecht was essentially a pol itical playwrigh t and this dark comedy, which was written in exile in 1941, draws direct and overt parallels to the rise to power of Hitler in Nazi Germany. The lin ks between the real goings on and the play are clear to those who know their 2nd World War history. Arturo Ui is of course Hitler; Dogsborough the man Ui blackmails into giving him his backing, Hindenburg ; Givola, Goebbels and so on. So obvious is Brecht's parody that he recreates actual events, such as the Reichstag Fire equating to a warehouse fire in the play. Brecht was concerned with distancing his audience, meaning he did not wan t them to feel involved with plot and characters, as this in his opinion clouded th~ir ability to think clearly about the poignant messages implicit in his plays. In order to stop the audience's empathy he employed various di fferent techniques, which may seem strange to a contemporary audience used to the naturalism of film and television. We tried to realise Brecht's dramatic intention by using such techniques as the 'verfremdungseffeckt' or 'gestus: One of the clearest was when the actor playing Ui in the first half (Chris Mullens) swaps with

another (Fred Clough). This small section showed the careful and di ligent preparation given to the whole play. Fred mirrored Chris's movement in a carefully choreographed swap over of actors by Mr Banfield, the director. Other details that were designed to distance our audience included the placement of the cast on stage throughout, having a large screen with projected pictures on them conveying t he link between Germany and Chicago, and using minimal, stylised props and staging.

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui wh ich required a vast amoun t of time, was a huge challenge for all those involved. Perfecting Chicago accents was not as easy as everyone made it sound, realising Brechts' intentions needed t ime and careful preparation which started over a month before the performances and the backstage elements took tim e to organise. All this was lead by Chris Banfield, whose insistence on such precise acting meant that this was a tru ly wonderful production of a difficult play. Tim Trillo MO

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Sixth Form Talks Mike Hurst The Music Makers Having been invited to write this article by the Head of Lu xmoore, I was still reluctant to attend the 6th form talk as only a 5th, where I am ashamed to say I knew nothing of the speaker beforehand. However, my ignorance was soon to be conquered, for within the first ten minu tes not only was the entire audience intrigued, but it was possible to relate much of my min imal music history with so great a teacher. Two years ago, Mike Hurst made his first visit to King's when reportedly, 'the schoolroom was packed,Âˇ representatives from all the schools' major rock bands as

At the end of the last century, a more familiar pop form was produced as roc k'n'roll pioneers such as Stephen Foster became increasingly popular. However, this was not to last as the pioneer himself became a target of the lifestyle of the era, dying of an alcohol overdose at a young age. Scott Joplin's ragtime sparked a style that al lowed musicians to express themselves through their music.

alone occupied with Housemasters, their wives, matrons and again the nostalgic teachersl Behind this an array of Ki ng's pupils sat listening, only to be dist urbed by waves of laughter throughout the room. Mr Mike Hurst, currently a biographer, record producer and less defiantly a popmusic analyst, has ha d a trul y exciting life of which its impressiveness is the source of much envy. As a member of the Sp ringfields, he was one of the first British people to ach ieve a number one hit in the USA He later went on to be the biographer for Tina Tu rner among others and the record producer for such greats as Cat Stevens and Man f re d Mann. His intention was not to engage us with fascinating memories of Dusty Springfield and the 60s. Instead he showed us the heart and soul of the history of pop music with his truly bewildering talent with both the guitar and voice. Mr Hurst was adamant tha t pop music has its origins in English Folk music which was exported to America with the 'Pilgrim Fathers', not in black folk music, as this died out with slavery. The Black slaves brought to music not a rhythm or the blues, but a sound of Africa which was used in the gospel and music to come. The Negro spi ritual songs were from the heart which therefore caused a shadow to dawn over the conservative British music of the time.

'I am singer, and I am a song, and I hold these things in trust:

Alexandra Demper (LX) Records had already been produced and in 1962, the radio was introduced enabling the spread of the music industry to be even more variable. Irving Berlin and George Gershwin, two great Jewish songwriters of their generation, helped to enable the spread of eastern European music over pop music, themselves being the songwriters for the first musical, 'The Jazz Singer' in 1928. Swing developed later, utilising the best Black and White bands and musicians.

well as lots of nostalgic teachers went along to listen: The scene yesterday night was very sim ila r, with the f irst two rows

unpretentious. He described the soul of a song to be as a firework with a trail , that explodes leaving always a spark. He has a genuine interest in the so ul of pop, thus enabling him to give a truly exceptional talk.

TV changed the face of pop music by increasing the importance of a singer's image. Fran k Sinatra was first to perform the role of 'lead sin ger' with attitude, good looks and a political ly incorrect image, appearing often on stage wi th both cigar and a glass of brandy in his hands. This set the tone for the rest of the century: image was to be equally as important as talent. Eng lish music took over the Sixties and much of the Seventies. The Beatles transcended what it was to be a band and were widely loved by all generations, they were a phenomenen in themselves. The beauty in their music was that they brought back ideas in music from the 30s and 40s. In 1964, the Rol ling Stones appeared, taking rock music to a new level. The Seventies then saw the final exp losion of independent music with the introduction of punk, which was apparently, utterly awful. Mike Hurst believed that technology would be the end to rock music, causing an inevitable decline, there remains no longer a need for truly talented musicians. What comes from the heart is the strength of music, he believes that this style and power is diminishing. Mike Hurst was extremely witty and had a certain charisma with which he was able to interact with the audience throughout his ta lk. It was certainly poss ible to admire such a man , not only for his warmth and talent, but for what he has experienced, in the descriptions of this he was totally

Peter Suchet Advertising 76th November: in the School Room Many were anticipating a Belgian detective whilst others were debating whether or not an ITN newsreader was about to give a Sixth Form Ta lk entitled, quite simply, 'Advertising'. In fact the speaker, Peter Suchet, a former pupil of the school who has become one of the most successfu l people in the advertising business, as an employee of Saatchi and Saatchi, is indeed a relation of the acclaimed detective and newsreader and this is the point he first addressed. It became apparent extremely rap idly that Peter Suchet's knowledge of advertising is vast and the depth to which he understood the thought processes which the human mind goes through when seeing a commercial was quite astound ing, whether it be on the television or on the radio. He addressed the key point of actually defin ing what advertising is, which many would struggle to do. "Selling at a profit, products people want," was the phrase which was drummed into the audience. Rather surprising as it may seem, Peter Suchet was also keen to emphasise the fact that radio advertising can be just as effective and sometimes even more effect ive than te levision advertising, which many would say was the more productive way of promoting a product as the primary sense of vision is used as well as the sense of hearing. However, we heard t hree examp les of radio advert ising , one of which we all recognised from the phrase, "Happiness is a cigar cal led Hamlet. The mild cigar," illustrating the effectiveness of radio advertising.

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Another example included the voices of the Bill and Boff which invo lved Boff

enqui ring about a video recorder which he hoped, in his own words, "did everything" and then pointing to another model, which was in fact a washing machine. Although perhaps a little dated as advertisements go, the point that Peter Suchet was trying to il lustrate became clear. The audience was also given insight into what many of us today would take as read and that is the existence of both Co ke and Diet Coke. Approximately ten years ago when Diet Coke was launched, the CocaCola company had seen a dramatic slump in the sa le of the 'original' Coke. After extensive customer research, the CocaCola company appa rently discovered that the fall in sales was due to health concerns the Coke was 'bad for children's teeth'. In response, the Coca-Cola company launched its new Diet Coke product, but kept up production of the ordinary Coke as the firm had and always will have a core co llection of drinkers. All who were present to hea r Peter Suchet have derived a great benefit and insight into the world and thought of advertising as a result of his most unique and distinguished talk on the subject. Being a phenomenon that the vast majority of us are exposed to every day, it would seem appropriate to have some knowledge of the principles invo lved. We very much hope that Peter Suchet will return to enlighten future year groups.

Review of the Classics and Theatre Studies workshop on .. Electra .. by Jane Montgomery, October 18th 2001 As a follow-up to a previous excursion to the Cambridge Arts Theatre to watch Sophocles's "Electra", which was performed enti rely in ancient Greek, but thankfully complete with subtitles, the sixth form pupils, and staff members of Classics and Theatre Studies departments, were very privileged to have been able to attend the workshop given by the director, herself of this radical production. Immediately, the pupils were invited to step down from the stalls of St. Mary's and join Jane Montgomery in what was admittedly reminiscent of a traditional Drama/Theatre Studies warm up. No sooner had we taken our places than we were questioned why we had done this. A

few cheerfu I rep Iies of "Because we were told to ..." were obviously anticipated and she then went on to point out the conventions th at were all automatically complying to and why we were standing next to whom we were, how we were standing and what it al l meant. This was not going to be any run-of the-mill lecture on "Electra". Having made qu ite sure that we had all, each and every one of us, made "horsey faces" and run around in a somewhat va inÂˇ attempt to po ke every stranger's left elbow with a right hand finge r, she then stated that it was evident which pupils were studying Theatre Studies and wh ich classics. This may appear far-fetched in relation to "Electra" but after a short period of an estranged version of "hot potato" with a Barbie doll ball, we we re all seated, cross-legged, and soon tfle talk of Greek plays and staging methoSs was running th ick and fast. This talk was educational in so many ways, but primarily, it was rather an enchanting form of enl igh tenment of my ignorance. Amongst other topics of discussion, the classics group could easily recount and refer to various ancient Greek texts and their similarities to Electra but there was a question which really captured the curiosity of a majority of t he group. How on earth did the actress playing Electra remain on stage fo r the full two hours whilst reciting a dead language and all the while interacting with an eerily screeching chorus apparently similar to aborigine tribal songs, but in Greek? The astounding reply was, "with dedication". Later, we were to discover that this amazing woman had not only directed this excruciatingly difficult masterpiece but also performed in it a few times, once with the starring role . We were shown clips of various versions of th is, including the one with Jane as the protagonist. Th ese clips then prompted a discussion as to which methods were more effective, with the desired effects taken into mind; was it a more empathy-inducing manner of staging the piece with masks, without masks, in a dead language or in modern day English? Whether or not all the members of the sixth fo rm Classics and Theatre Studies

enjoyed the performance of "Electra", it truly has to be appreciated for the immense amount of hard work and tho ught put into it. Jane Montgomery had, early on in the session, encouraged our own honest opinions of her version of "Electra" at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, and she did receive some rather too honest answers, but on the whole the general consensus was that it was theatrically very cleverly directed. Now tha t I have understood the gravity of the text, I too can say that her interpretation created an unique atmosphere. The wo rkshop ranged from physical participation to detailed debates. These debates also va ried greatly, for example, whether the focus was split; the translation appeared above the play and was considered a dist raction from the actual scenes, to the questioning of why it was necessary to ha ve a shaven-headed, muck-ridden Electra, (perhaps this could have been vengeance for her own sacrifices for the role ... ). Final ly, I think tha t Jane Montgomery is someone who ought to command the greatest respect for her achievements and our many thanks for having shared the stages of this production, its mean ing and its significance with us.

Review of Peter Kane Dufault poetry reading Despite having received recognition since the fi ft ies for his poetry, many of those who attended Peter Kane Du fault's poetry reading and discussion, including myself, were unfamiliar with his work, and consequently were unsure of what to expect f rom t he talk and the poet himself. Mr. Dufault began the evening in a relatively informal tone, encouraging any questions or interruption during the course of the reading and seeming ly anxious that the ta lk should take the fo rm of a two-way discussion. Peter Dufau lt lived in relative isolation, associated with many of the great poets of the age. However, those of us who were keen to probe his intriguing life-story we re disappointed as he preferred to launch straight into the first poem, Farm Animals At Evening. The talk continued with Dufault reading from his col lection of poems, written throughout his career since 1954 and every one recalled from memory. Despite being evocative, the poetry itse lf undoubtedly gained a weigh t and emotion

through Dufault's deeply personal delivery and inflection that was definitely a bonus for all who attended. After a short interval fol lowed by more poems, Mr. Dufault then opened the floor for questions. His answers provided an interesting insight to the inspiration, development and influences of his poetry. One particular insight was his comme nt on how he came to write a poem and draw his inspiration. He said that he li kened the experience of finding inspiration and seizing upon an idea or concept to dreaming; one didn't know how the dream itself comes into one's head, it just emerges. Likewise he said that a concept for a poem or even the lines themse lves often simply appear in his conscientiousness and consequently it is the poet's job to recognize and seize them to begin to form poetry. Overall, the evening progressed with many memorable moments, and intrigu ing discussion. A great introduction for someone like myself, to Peter Kane Dufault's poetry.

Cecily Alder (HH)

Chemistry Week 1 6th-21st November 2001 Every two years The Royal Society of Chemistry designates a week in November as "Chemistry Week" where up and down the land, lectures, demonstrations, and exhibitions are held to promote the subject of Chemistry amongst the wider public. At King's three events were organised during the week. The first was a Sixth Form schools' lecture which was held in the Cathedral International Study Centre. All Sixth Form chemists attended along with pupils from four other local schools. The lecture entitled, "Chemistry gets up your nose!" was given by Dr. Cha rles Sell of Quest International, Ashford . Quest may not be a household name, but its products are in every household. They produce fragrances which are added to soaps, deodorants and washing powder to fine perfumes themselves. In his lecture Dr. Sell took us from the aromatic plants of the Bible, such as frankincense to the synthetic chemicals of today. He described how jasmine flowers need to be picked early in the morning for the best perfume and how

ana lysis revea Is that the extract contains over four hundred components. Identification of the best fragrances has been a task which has inspired much of 20th century organic chemistry. Furthermore, the synthesis of some of these molecules has challenged some of the world's best chemists. Out of this field has come several Nobel prizes. Fi na lly, he spoke about the theories which scientists have proposed for the way we smell and why molecules with to ta lly diffe rent structures may in fact have the same smell. During the lecture he passed round strips of samples to illustrate the fragrances he was talking about. Unfortunately, the acoustics were such that it was often difficult to hear properly, but for those who could hear fully, it was a fascinating story.

Or. Charles Sell, Ouest International Chemistry Week, Nov 2001

The Shells and Removes attended a "living history" presentation of the greatest French Chemist to have ever lived Antoine Lau rent Lavoisier brought back to life by a dark blue elixir of life by Peter Joyce of Past Present Science. Th is was an energetic performance which took a merry romp through the History of Chemistry f rom the Ancient Greeks to the last years of the Eighteenth Century when Lavo isie r lost his head in the French Revolution. Accompanied by demonstrations, green f lames, tales of alchemists who came to a pa inful end, some audience participation and execrab le puns, this was entertainment and education at its best. The French Mathematician Lagran ge wrote of Lavoisier,

"It took them only an instant to cut off that head, and a hundred years may not produce another like it'~ We hope that it wil l not be so lon g befo re Mr. Joyce can return to King's in one of his other roles as Newto n or Ga lileo. At first, the audience was a littl e overwh elmed by a man in Eighteenth Century dress, fu ll wig and talking French , but they quickly warmed to the presentation and hopefully it will be remembe red for a lo ng time to come. Finally, under the ausp ices of the Harvey Society, Dr. Mallion gave a talk to a small but interested audience on "Aromaticity from Michael Faraday to 2001" (reviewed sepa rately). It may not be universa lly known tha t RBMa is in fact an internationally known and distinguished

Peter Joyce on his romp through the history of Chemistry

Harvey Society Lecture by Dr Mall ion 'Aromaticity from Michael Faraday to 2001' Science is always at its most magical when the simp lest ideas can be found to underlie what seem to be the most complex structures. Even greater is this magic when we find that subject boundaries are crossed, and a fundamental problem in one discipline forms links with an important idea in another. Dr Mallion succeeded abso lutely in conveying this magic in the histo rx of the discovery of the sif,ucture of benzene. Benzene, a simple molecu le consisting of six

theoretical Chemist. Indeed his first and subsequent higher degrees are al l in Chemistry and not Mathematics! For over thirty years he has researched and published papers on the phenomenon of "aromaticity" whose origins can be traced to the iso la tion of benzene by Faraday in the 1820s. In his talk he delineated the

hydrogen, provides the structure for vast numbers of chemicals, from aspirin to DNA. However, its structure holds a riddle wh ich was only solved over a century after its discovery by Michael Fara day in 1825, and this so lution in turn drew on what was seen as some of the purest of 19th

different ideas people had for the structure of benzene before discussing the mathema tical ideas of two of his Nineteenth Century mathematical "heroes"

century mathematics. The hexagonal structure was first postulated in 1865 by Kekule, but this left each carbon atom with only three bonds instead of a stab le four. Kekule's proposal for a rapidly alternating pattern of single and double bonds, called a tautomerism,

J J Sylvester and Arthur Cayley before moving on the quantum mechanical ideas of the 20th Century and the properties of Buckminsterfullerene. It was an authoritative survey of the field and much appreciated by those who attended. The Royal Society of Chemistry also ran a competition whereby you had to name an element and suggest its properties. We have yet to discover whether our entries of Bin Ladium or Gingerium(!) have won any prizes. A little later our team of Edmund Rex, Al f red Yu, George Blessley and Alex Shannon were narrowly beaten by 0 0 N

Tonbridge in the Kent final of the 'Top of the Bench' competition. Thanks go to MJTh for organising this and for taking pup ils to the Christmas Science Lecture on explosives at the University of Kent on the la st day of term.

DMA

carbon atoms in a regular hexagon, each bonded to one

for me, a sense of mystery around the procedure of turning a tab le of ones and zeroes into the energy states of a real molecule. This is the multidi sciplinary fascination which is central to a field such as theoretical chem istry, and one which continued as Dr Mallion began to describe some of his own contributions and interests in the field. The mathematical geometrical structures of this family of molecules is intimately related to such properties as behaviour in a magnetic field and stability and we were presented with the evidence of experimental agreement for predictions wh ich had been made by Dr Mallion on the basis of Huckel 's work. Final ly, we saw the bearing of this work on the mo lecule of buckminsterfullerine, consisting of 60 ca rbon atoms arranged roughly spherically and its even larger molecular relatives. This family of st ructures, the pinnacle of aromatic compounds, can even be found in the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Dr Mallion then left us with a final thought on the interconnected nature of the sciences with a quotation from J.J. Sylvester, a mathematician of the 19th centu ry, who was perhaps the first to signal the importance of 'pure' mathematics such as geometry and graph theory in the modern study of chemistry. Alexander Shannon

Teamwork and Leadership Course

was a popular, although somewhat makeshift so lution . The true picture came in the 20th century when Hu cke! applied the recently discovered matrix methods of quantum mechanics to benzene. The matrix, a grid of numbers with spec ific operational rules, was a concept developed for its mathematical beauty by Cayley in the 19th century and rediscovered in the 1920s by Heisenberg in the search for a formulation of quantum mechanics, the physics of subatomic particles. Hucke! took this, and the ideas of graph theory, to produce an 'adjacency' matrix, a table of

On Sunday 23rd September, 6bs and Removes from Galpin's, Luxmoore and Walpole took part in a day of teambuilding and leadersh ip exercises in Rochester. Owing to the grim Kent weather, the early start and the pressures of the senior Drama competition, which was to take place that afternoon, everyone started off the day in a state of Sunday morning li stlessness. As soon as the tasks

which carbon atoms were connected to others and applying routine manipulation to it, managed to derive the al lowed energy states in a benzene molecule and prove its stab il ity. This breathtakingly simple idea was the most magical which Dr Mallion presented: there was, certainly

presented with.

started however, the course was universally enjoyed and even the most reluctant of us were getting involved with and enthused by the challenges we were

After a briefing in the visitors' centre we were split into year and house groups and were ta ken to the site of our first activity. For Walpole th is was the high ropes. The equipment consisted of two wooden po les,

one at around 15 feet above ground level and one at a vertigo-inducing 30 feet. There was also a telegraph pole of the same height with notches cut in it. We had a few heartening words from our instructor and then took turns to climb the poles and walk along the beams while attached to the harness. At the start of the day I could never have seen myself walking along a narrow beam, miles above the ground, but it was amazing what everyone could achieve with each other's support and encouragement. The final task was to climb up the teleg raph pole (which wobbled alarm ingly near the top), step onto the top of it and jump off, catching a trapeze in mid-a ir. Thi s was the ha rdest of the high-ropes challenges, but almost everybody managed to complete it, fortified by the thought of a coffee and chocolate break and knowing that the

longer spent floundering on the pole, the more chance Mrs. Watson wou ld have to capture you on camera, trussed up in a rather fetching harness and helmet looking terror-stricken! The next task was on the climbing walls. We started on an indoor climbing wal l with a relatively soft landing underneath it and scramb led about, some with considerably more agi lity than others, until it was time to go outside. There were severa l routes up the wa ll, some easier than others and after we had practised side-stepping along the base of the wall and how to operate the climbing rigs we took it in turns to climb, instruct and contro l the ropes of other climbers. After everyone had t ried al l three routes, the instructor challenged us to reach the top of a taller, more daunting-looking wa ll

wit h an overhang and to ring the bell at the parapet. Serena, Mu ffie and Lucy succeeded from the Walpole group and Leo and Char lie from Lu xmoore. After lunch, Walpole 6bs had to return to schoo l to perform in the Drama competition, but the other groups went on to take part in a raft-bu ilding challenge. Two groups raced against one another to construct and row a floating object that could carry all the group members without falling apart or sinking. This was completed with varying success, but caused much amusement, not to mention a very soggy journey home. Th e day was very enjoyable and rewarding. The tasks were calculated to make us work as a team, whether physically, as in the climbing exercise, or through mutual encouragement and suppo rt, as on the high ropes. 6b groups from Grange and Jervis attended the course the following weekend. Many thanks to Mrs. Watson for organising the two days and for giving up her weekend to come and support us and to Mr. Brodie, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Bruna, Miss Larkman and Mr. Franks who helped with the activities. Sophie Tholstrup

CCF Summer Camp 2001 Review Summer Camp is always t he thing to look forward to all through the academic year, and this year was no exception. Whether Longmoor Barracks in Hampshire was ready for 20 Cadets from King's RSM Booth, Lt Saunders and 2nd Lt Hutchi ngs was debatable, but as always, the Cadet Training Team (regular soldiers) we re eager to welcome us and get us ready fo r the days ahead. We departed the Saturday straight after the end of the Summer Term. The week that the CCF spend on Summer Camp is always action packed, and everyone comes home at the end of it all, thoroughly exhausted, but all feel that it was we ll worth the vast expense of ÂŁ30. Th e week started off with a day of less military activities, such as canoeing and rock climbing, and everyone was free to choose an act ivity. We all enjoyed th is day as it also gave us a chance to settle in. As the week rolled by, the more milita rised the activities become. But, there was always an atmosphere of fun and

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Serena Gosden-Hood on the high ropes {by JAW)

enjoyment underpinn ing the activities, as after all we are only Cadets! Although the military training programme consisted of patrol ling through the forest, encountering a full out battle involving blank ammunition, and rather frightening

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forgetting of course the camouflage lessons, the night exercise and swinging across the ravine on the assault course. This year, the best day was when the King's CCF was pitched against the Cadet Training Team machine gunner. The object being to creep up and capture him whilst on sentry duty. The poor man stood no chance against the superior mi litary skills of those trained in the art of sneaking up on people by the Beadle (RSM Booth).

explosions, one di d not feel pressured to do anything that didn't not appeal. Everyday we embarked on a new voyage of learning,

Outside of the training program, there is the mess hall in which the cadets can relax in away from the Officers, (which is always a better standard than rumours will (dport). and there is the ~lllet (sleeping accommodation) to attend to, and precious sleep to catch up on. Most of our free time this yea r, however, was spent in "The Longmoor Bullet", the camp's NAAFI (Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute), where you can buy anything from a Mars bar, to a pizza just to keep you going. It is not quite MacDona ld's, but it is the next best thing!

everything from close quarter battle techniques, how to make the best sleeping accommodation from two trees a sheet of polythene and a few other bits and pieces to who could brew the best cuppa. Not

At the end of the week, there was the fabled 24-hour exercise wh ich stimulated all of your senses (that is if you want to spot the enemy, as nearly always the exercise is

against a live enemy, normal ly another school), and the train ing which was acquired during the week really came into practice. This was mostly performed in the darkness, wi th ful ly trained accompanying staff to ensure safety, this was the most exhilarating part of the week, as a gunshot out of the blue really made you jump, and believe you me, and if you experienced "Sniper" Jennings in the darkness, such as St. Bees did this year, they real ly had a bit of a scare (he was scary enough in the day time!) The worst part of the week was the journey home at the end of it all, as the steel gates from the camp clanged shut behind the minibus, there was one thing we were happy about, it was only 348 days until the next camp! Thanks to all the staff for giving up their valuable holidays for us, we had a great time.

Alex King

Societies and Activities Pater Society Following on from pupil-led talks there were two more sessions on the theme of 'Electra'. First there was a visit to

tha t Charles Holland has moved to

an obstacle course, a race and of course,

Bryanston . We have also been using a new

The Battle. In our first heat we obtained

venue in Mitchinson's House. I am very

two firsts and a second. In th e final, we

grateful to PWF and the members of

came t hird.

Mitchinson's for allowing us to use thei r

Cambridge to see the University production of the play which was very well received by students and staff. For most

Common Room week by week.

Golem was designed around a wheel chair. The frame was cut down, but the

Christian Forum exists to provide

students it was their first opportunity to attend a performance in the original Greek, an achievement in itself, and the production provoked much interesting debate on the problems which face a modern director who is staging ancient Greek drama. Then we had the opportunity to pu rsue these ideas in person when Jane Montgomery, the Leventis Fel low at Peterhouse, visited King's to give a drama workshop. This was a superb session.

motors and gearboxes were left in place.

anyone (whether a Christian or not) with

Work concentrated on building a cont rol

an opportunity to look into Christianity in

circuit. This was based on a

an informal and non-threatening

microp rocessor. Such a design enabled

environment and to consider how the

changes to be made by altering the

Bible is relevant to us today. The theme of this term's talks has been "The Rea l Jesus".

program rather than rebuilding the circuit. The shell was made by welding 2mm

We have been looking through Mark's

sheet steel togethe r and bolting it to the

Gospel to try to uncover Jesus' character

wheel chair frame. We are much indebted

and how he impacts our lives at King's.

for the assistance of Clive Thomas, the CDT technician for his help at this stage.

We have enjoyed a number of

Everyone packed into St. Mary's Hall and Dr. Montgomery put us through our paces with some wa rm-up exercises based around the collective identity of the Chorus. The Classics and Theatre Studies students enjoyed the afternoon enormously, each benefi ting from the other's knowledge and experience. After

interesting tal ks from a varied range of speakers, both young and old . Afte r most talks we have a chance to respond to what

Control was excellent, but power and

the speaker has said, challenging him or

traction were not on a par with the best.

her with our questions. This has been a

The design for next year's machine has

particu larly positive aspect of the meeting,

already started. Models have shown that

showing that people are really engaging

early ideas could wel l be viable, bu t much

with the issues raised .

some video excerpts from other

research still has to be undertaken. We already have the motors- f rom Sinclair

productions, there was further wide-

The numbers at the meeting have varied

ranging discussion encompassing other performances of Greek plays we had seen, and all of th is consolidated our understanding of ancient drama.

searching for some suitable wheels. Does

and a core of individual pupils for their

anyone have, or know of some go-cart

support. All years have been represented.

whee ls?

give a concise and entertaining analysis of their ideas about Athenian Society in the

Speakers have come from as far as Northampton!

Jazz Club

Anyone is we lcome to any of the

fifth century BC. This was an ambitious undertaking, the Si xth Form presenting to Removes and Fifth formers an illustrated and often humorous lecture. The meeting provided younger pupils with a very useful pre-exam revision hour and give the Sixth

Last yea r, the Jazz Club was jointly run

meetings, so if you would like to get involved or are just curious then why not

(to whom I should like to ta ke this

Mitchinson's Common Room. If any

opportunity to put on record my thanks

parents would like to be sent a term card

for all the tremendous hard work that they

then please do ask.

devoted to the Jazz Club over the course of their time at King's, and especially for

answering difficult questions from the

MJWS

floor, helpful University interview practice.

by Will Davies and drummer Tom Morey

come along, 6.30pm, Thursdays,

formers, all of whom were adept at

their final two years in which they were Jazz Club Leaders and Musica l Directors).

Kent Robot Wars A team of pupils, under the gu idance of Mr. J. Ev~ns, built a robot called Golem in

term, but under new management now

put much time into preparing the talks.

term saw Mr. Heath and his Sixth Form set

Christian Forum has continued this

CSs (remember those vehicles?), but are

over the term, but I am gratefu l to MJF

Final thanks must go to all those who have

Our fina l Pater Society meeting of the

Christian Forum

The actual competition highl ighted some strengths and weaknesses of Golem.

order to enter this competition which too k place at Buckmore Park in NovembeÂˇr.

This year (2001-2002), another of the Davies pedigree and another drummer take over as joint leaders of the club: Will's younger brother, trumpeter Toby Davies (MO, 6b) and drummer Chris Ryan [SH, 6a).

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They in turn have recruited Tom Ready

Eighteen Kent schools entered. The

[MO, 6b) (talent spotted last year by Will)

competition was divided into three parts;

to step into Will's shoes as pianist and

young Andrew Lain g (LN, Removes, and

The centre is able to provide art and

double bass player in the Chamber

craft sessions, computer training, aerobics

Orchestra) to replace Ollie Humphrey on

and it is also equipped with a cafe and

bass in the sma ll modern-group; Andrew

games room upstairs. Although Thursday is

plays the traditiona l string version of the

the centre's quietest day, there is the

double bass (which, of course, he plays in

opportunity for us to join the art groups

the Chamber Orchestra) - albeit, in the

on Tuesdays. We are able to use our

Jazz, in ampl ified mode. Miranda Hu rst (LX,

computing skills to help to teach the

6a) and, latterly, Robin Bailey (SH, 5th

basics and in addition Freya has provided a

Form) (sa xophones) complete the modern,

major contribution to the stencilling

small -group lin e-up. Their sole public

redecoration of one room.

engagement this Term was to supply the

Coming from a schoo l environment

music for Mr. Banfield's Christmas

where education is paramount and litera ry

production of Berto lt Brecht's Arturo Ui.

skills are de rigueur, it has been

The Big Band managed only perfunctory

challenging to adjust to the envi ronment

activity this term, but it is hoped to revive

of t he Umbrella Centre where there are

that to its former glory in the course of

members who do not possess similar skil ls.

the next two terms, in time for King's

The staff of the centre work extremely hard to develop these ski ll s and build up

Week.

the confidence of those attending. They

RBMa

make everyone welcome incliJ'ing those visitors taking the Social Serv1ces activity.

Social Services Report Over the Lent term our pupils have been engaged in a variety of activities in the community. As always we have had some students in the local school acting as classroom assistants and in some cases teaching Latin. We have also had a vast number of pupi ls he lpin g in some of the local charity shops. Here follows an account of one of our volun teer's experience in the Umbrella Centre, Canterbury. The Umbrella Centre opened in purpose built premises in StPeter's Place, Canterbury near the Westgate Towers, a few years ago. It is a charitable organ isation open seven days a week to help those who are disabled, homeless, lonely, or those simply in need of support. One of the options in the School's activities programme is Social Services, which enables pup ils to go and be involved in the Centre's activity. On Thursday afternoons, the day of our visit, there is a 0

discussion group and those attending are free to join in with as much or as little as they like. The topics, chosen by the group leader are varied , ranging for example from the NHS, to music and with such a diversity of participants; the topics are looked at from many different perspectives.

{by Charlotte Attwood}

Sport Rugby Football The School XV This XV played to a high standard, improving steadily throughout the season and achieving much. It trained and played with purpose and was able to turn on rugby of great contin ui ty and style. Coming within one point of being unbeaten at home, it easily outscored its opponents and frustrating ly, but for a little misfortune, could have ended with an extremely impressive record. We lost two games by one point and another by two and the temptation is to wonder what might have been. In reality, there is no need, for the team should fee l pleased with what it has done. We lost a number of players through a variety of circumstances just before the start of the season . Anticipating a heal thy position where almost two-thirds of the side would have been from the Upper Sixth year, we found ourselves fielding a

XV that at full strength conta in ed only five. Disappointing though this might have been initial ly, the posit ive effect was that young players- even two fifth formers were able to experience good rugby unexpectedly early, and they rose to the challenge and developed magn ificently. Ten of the regular side and f ive who have played a match or two will return next year - God willing! We would have liked to have played all our rugby with the pace and continuity of the two big victories against Kent Col lege and Sevenoaks, or to have always shown the determination which saw us recover from a poo r start in the game against Felsted to play some lovely rugby, or to come f rom behind to win with two high quality tries as we did against St. John 's, or even to hold off a very resilient King's Rochester side. Here we were at our best and th ere was genuine merit in each of these wins.

played we ll enough to win them. One factor might be the relative lack of experience in the side. Yet more specific answers are to hand. Against KCS Wimbledon in a very even contest we spurned a kick at goal wh ich would have regained us t he lead in a thrilling, see-saw match, with only minutes left. Against Eltham, although ter ritorial ly dominant, just as against KCS, we had allowed our opponents to come back from behind, yet sti ll had the opportunities to win , notably a penalty kick in the la st two minutes from a ve ry easy position, which was missed . Against RMS Dover the following week we suffered because the referee overruled the touch judges in relation to a try they thought we had converted and later an apparently obvious try was disallowed. However this should not obscure the fact that we had begun the match poorly, making errors which allowed our opponents the sort of start they wou ld have dreamed of, and had fallen behind 3 -17 after twenty minutes.

We must ask ourselves why we lost the close games when we seemed to have

L-R (Back): Mark Whitaker, Robbie Chapman, James Alder, Tom Foster, Tim Archibald, Alex Church, John Wyand, Chuko Esiri L-R (Front): Aki Soyode-Johnson, Tristan Willis, Paul Valente, Alex Ha yes (Capt.}, Alex Ancock, George Brooke, Peter Archer

A tight drive {by Matthew McArdle} We might also ask what might have happened if strong periods of pressure in the Eastbourn e game, just after half-time, with the score at 3- 10, and against Haileybury, with only a few minutes to go and the score at 3 -5, had led to scores? We might have won, of cou rse, but in truth I think we would have been a little lu cky as these sides were a little better than us on the day. It would certainly be reasonable to bemoan the effect of a four week lay-off, thanks to the long half-term, before we played Tonbridge, and if we had played to our average form on that day, we would have won that match too- but in truth both sides were very poor in the worst game of the season.

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At its best, our back line was effective, if not always fluent and there was no shortage of exciting tries. Athough we did lack a yard of pace in midfield, this was only exposed by the very quick back divisions of Eltham and Haileybury. At full back, John Wyand exhibited some oldfashioned virtues and had a splend id season. He was secure under the high ball and whenever faced with a last ditch tackle to make, he invariably did so decisively. Most often he chose not to kick, which we interpreted as evidence of an

attacking sp irit, rather than an inabi lity to do so, and he proved elusive. He was also a will ing supporter in attack. Robbie Chapman showed his versatility as centre, wing and, for three games, at fly half. A natural ball player, he has a deceptive running style which can open defences and with a little more strength on the ball and greater attention to defensive chores he could develop well next year. In the cen t re, Mark Whitaker had a simple role to play and at his best he provided a welcome directness and physicality as a ball carrier. If he too can learn to hit in defence as hard as he can in attack, he will be a force in the future. Alongside him, Paul Valente continued from where he left off last year. Totally unselfish, he was defensively secure and in possession was always willing to tidy up the bad ball by taking it back towards the forwards. He was also an organiser and a calming influence on fly half George Brooke, who developed so well that his absence for three games in the middle of the season was much regretted . George's long right handed pass gave opportunities to those on the outside and his kicking out of hand and at goal revea led a natural timing. There were glimpses, too, of an ability to sidestep through the first line of defence

and a good turn of speed . Defensively a fly half from the "old school", one or two notable cover tackles excepted, he shou ld now seek to emula te the front-on tackling of cu rrent English Number 10, which if he did would make him a formidable player. There have been few 5th formers ever in the 1st '10.1 and t he debut season of Chuko Esiri and Peter Arche r was reminisce nt of that of former star Alex Ogedegbe in the early nineties. On the wing, Chuko provided some of the most memorable moments of the season. He seems incapable of scoring anything other than spectacular tries from long range, leaving opponents trailing in his wake by virtue of pace and ba lance. For the future he simply needs to learn to score them away from home as well as in front of the Birley's crowd, and to keep working at his all round game. At serum half, Peter Archer too was a revelation . Whenever Chuko scored an outrageous try, Peter was sure to match it, sensing the opport-unities and scorching through gaps around the fringes of rucks and mauls, leaving hapless defenders stranded by his sidestep. He also tackled well above his weight. There are aspects of his game which can improveespecially his kicking- but his selection for

the county and, at the time of writing, the final Divisional Trial, was well deserved. The forwards were an impressive unit throughout the season, despite not being particularly big . After an uncomfortable first game or two, the scrummage became a strength. On the loose head, Tim Archibald provided typical Aussie directness and commitment. His scrummaging power won him recognition by the Kent Under 18 selectors. Alongside him, Alex Ancock, the vice-capta in, set a fine example and adapted so well to his new position of hooker tha t he too won county selection, with Surrey, and a Divisional trial. He rarely lost bal l against the head, won some tight heads himself and his throwing was generally on target. His play around the field therefore, making numerous tackles and winning a great deal of loose bal l was a bonus. The novice on the t ight head, Alex Church had an impressive season. His scrummaging was strong, his support work in the lineout good, and just occasionally he even got the ball in his hands, to good effect Behind them, Tom Foster and James Alder formed what might seem to be an unlikely pairing, with neither of them being lineout jumpers, but both were very mobi le and worked tirelessly at the unglamorous parts of the game, ensuring a good supply of ball in the loose and defending aggressively. Tristan Willis took a while to discover his form of last season, but when he did was an invaluable cog in the machine. He was one of the runners most likely to breach a defence, and, when switched on, could be devasta ting

defensively. He also was alert enough to win a huge amount of ball from mistakes by either side in the lineout. Akinola Soyode-Johnson came into the team early in the season and was a revelation. He proved himself a thorn in the flesh of every opposition front jumper in the lineou t, stealing huge amou nts of their ball and winning his own secu rely when it was needed. His tackle count was also regularly high. The final member of the team was the captain, Toby Hayes. His play on the open side, above all his ability to win ball, George Smith style, in the tackle area, was outstanding, and won him deserved selection for the Ken t '10./. Yet he was much more than that for us, most obviously as our most effective lineout jumper, and as a forceful number eight on

attacking scrummages. His work rate set the example to othe rs on the field, just as he did by his enthusiasm and commitment off it At the end of the season he was rightly voted player of the season by his team-mates, by some margin, and this is only the second time the captain has won this honour, the last, James Hessey, also by coincidence being an open side flanker. Toby set the highest standa rds and though he was disappointed th at statistically his season might have been disappointing, I hope he realises that his was a major contribution to what was in every other way a highly successful on e and he deserves special thanks. It has been a good season for the rugby club as a whole and my congratula tions go to those teams who have had particular success and my thanks go to all the rugby coaches, especially RPC, who accompanied us to Italy on the pre-season training camp. Thank you also to the referees, notab ly DJR, who for the last few years has performed the intricate and t ime co nsumi ng task of co- ordi nating the appointment of internal officials and liaising with the referees' societies, but who will be leaving us at the end of the year. Once again numerous compliments were received from all kind of visitors to Birley's about the condition of the ground, for which Mark and his team deserve special praise and thanks. Similarly, the catering staff are a vital ingredient in the success of a season. Last, but not least, I would like to thank parents for their support and enco uragement

RCW

Sevenoaks match saw Norihito Morioka sustain a serious injury to his left leg and a consequent defeat at the hands of a very mediocre home team. Th e two victories were thoroughly deserved and the drawn game against Eltham really should have been won. Three interception tries under the goal posts allowed the opposition to claim a draw. In this match Ollie Ma rte ll scored three tries.

"They're off", 2nd XV {by Ed de Silva) Team: James Alde r, Alexander Ancock, Peter Archer, Timothy Archibald, George Brooke, Robert Chapman, Alexander Church, Ogheneochuko Esiri, Thomas Foster, Toby Hayes (capta in), Akinola Soyode-Johnson, Paul Va lente, Mark Whitaker, Tristan Willis, John Wyand. Also played: William Baynham, Mark Chalmers, Toby Davies, Oliver Martell, Blain McGuigan, Timothy Merchant, ian Nunn, Timothy Tril lo.

House competitions

Junior Goa/kicking: Under 74Sevens: Under 75 Sevens: Under 76 Sevens: Under 78 Sevens:

Paul Dixey (MR) Marlowe Tradesca nt Li nacre Li nacre

Junior Tens: Senior Tens:

Galpin's The Grange

v Eastbourne

(A)

v St. John's

(H)

v KCS Wimbledon

(A)

v Felsted

(H)

v Haileybury

(A)

v Kent College

(H)

v Tonbridge

(A)

v Eltham

(H)

v Duke of York's

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(H)

v King's, Rochester

(A)

Lost 6- 21 Won 18- 13 Lost 10- 11 Won 25- 12 Lost 3- 17 Won 43- 8 Lost 8- 17 Lost 12- 13 Lost 15- 17 Won 36-0 Won 25- 19

The team was ably led by Domini k Soanes, after Akinola Soyode-J ohnson had been moved up to the 1st X.V.

2nd XV e'The Brethren")

Results Played 10, Won 5, Lost 6. Points for 201, against 148

Inte restingly, the tight forwards were never overshadowed by any opposition. More tight heads were won than conceded. Lineouts proved to be a disappointment, especially given the height of the second rows. A major difficulty was our lack of mobili ty in the loose forward department. A failure to get to the breakdown fast enough meant that we conceded many turnovers, which inevitably put us on the back foot, often deep in our own half. Adam Backhouse at scrumhalf proved to be the find of the season. Last year he represented the Colts B team. The backs played in fits and starts. Inconsistency and unforced errors cost us dear.

A glance at the results will show that this has not been a vintage season by any stretch of the imagination. Having been on the receiving end of a number of large defeats, one could be forgiven for bel ieving that the boy's spirits would have been correspondingly depressed . Nothing could be further from the truth. This team, many of whom are in 6b, stuck to their guns throughout, showing guts, determination and fortitude in the face of some very classy outfits. I was regularly astounded that on the first practice session of every week, often after a heavy defeat, the boys were on the pitch before their coach, fired up and ready to enjoy the game no matter wha t. Low points of the season were the defeats against King's Wimbledon and Sevenoaks. It was not that many years ago when Wimbledon would have been regarded as one of the easi est fixtures of the season. No more! The only memorable thing about the match was the crosscovering tackling by Alex Binns. The

Team: Thomas Andrews, Adam Backhouse, William Baynham , Alex Binns, Thomas Brooks, Mark Chalmers, Thomas Colvin, Frederick Clough, Toby Davies, Peter Fitzsi mmons, Alex Hi ll, Alex Kennedy, Mike Kim , Jon ath an Lyn es, Oliver Martell , Timothy Merchant, Norihito Morioka, Dominik Soanes, Edmund Selous, Timothy Trillo, Stephen Wethe rell. Results Played 10, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 7. Points fo r: 98, Points aga inst: 267. v Eastbourne

lost

7-25

v StJohn's

lost

7- 17

v KCS Wmb'don

lost

0- 69

v Felsted

won

27- 10

v Haileybury

lost

3- 41

v Eltham

drew

27- 27

v Tonbridge

lost

7-42

v Duke of York's

won

10- 5

v Sevenoaks

lost

5- 10

v King's Rochester

lost

5- 21

3rd XV

William Norman, Charles Pemberton, Thomas Ready, Alex Siu.

The season got off to a slow start. However, we overcame early season losses by bonding together as a team with ease, thanks to our coaches. Our two coaches had two quite different styles of "training" us. For instance, Mr. Oath favoured the duck technique, star jumps and wheel-barrow races whereas Mr. Hu tchings preferred playing football with rugby balls, encouraging punctuality and speaking with the eloquence of a preacher! Jokes aside, we did improve as the season progressed, with hard work and determination. Our matches before ha lf term we re exceedingly disappointing as the only fixture we won was against Kent College, and for this match we have to than k a few players from the Colts for their efforts. After half term though we did pick up and managed a few truly pleasing results. Unfortuna te ly, we did have a game cancelled, due to il lness, which we could and wou ld have liked to have won. The best game had to be our victory against Duke of York's, who were a very sol id team . With the help of severa l cameo appearances, we pulled off a fantastic result. Also within this match was our finest moment of the season, when our specia l complex lineout move worked and was received with a stand ing ovation from both the opposition and the fans. Ove ra ll, this season was thorough ly enjoyable for everyone involved, and we are sure that everybody learnt from the experience. We are al l very pleased with some of our results and hope that Mr. Oath enjoyed his latest season in charge of the 3rd Y0./. Callum King and Ed de Silva Team : Nicholas Bere, Valera Chobitko, Felix Colchester, Max Colchester, Edward Flower, James Gunn, Jonathan Harman, Diccon Harvey, Ca llum King, Anthony Martin, Alexis McCue, Andrew Pelham, Alexander Perry, Matthew Riley, Stephen Robinson, Edward Schurr, James Sellars, Edmu nd Selous, George Williams, Christopher Zwierzynski. Cameo Appearances: Alasdair Birch, Edward de Silva, Edward Doubleday, Hugh Daul ton , Haukur Heimisson, Thomas Laing,

Results Played 7, Won 3, Lost 3, Drawn 1. v Eastbourne

(A).

v StJohn's

(H).

v KCS Wimbledon

(A).

Lost 3- 14 Lost 0-43 Cancelled

v Haileybury

(A).

Cancelled

v Kent College

(H).

v Tonbridge

(A).

v Eltham

(H).

v Ursuline

(H).

v Duke of York's

(H).

v Sevenoaks

(A).

Won 13-0 Lost 0- 24 Drew 5- 5 Won 48- 7 Won 17-0 Cancelled

v King's Rochester

(A).

Cancelled

Colts 'A' XV We opened our season with a practice match against Cranbrook. Unfortunate ly, ear ly season rustiness was apparent and unforced errors abundant. Rucks and mauls lacked cohesion despite good ind ividual forward play, but through the sweat of the second half we managed to string together longer passages of play and produced movements between backs and forwards. The loss of Jack Munro at full-back seconds before the commencement of the game against Eastbourne meant a reshuffle and an unsettled backline. A game of even competition and resolute defence against accomplished half-backs said much for our backrow defence. Constant infringements from the opposition were punished twice by Toby Humphrey, but we needed a more secure platform from which to launch our backs. Rhodes Edewor-Thorley was heroic in defence although it became obvious that some of our tackling wou ld need remedial treatment in order to combat St. John's. Here was a side brimming with skil l and confidence after an unbeaten season at Under 15. Despite a reshuffle of players we showed determination, a great deal of spirit and at times cou rage. Unfortunately, we could not match the opposition for

pace and despite a few windows of opportunity we were unable to finish. We allowed KCS Wimbledon 'out of jail' by giving away th ree penalties under our own posts and a soft try in the dying seconds of the ma tch . Felsted were in constant retreat for the first quarter of their game. We were clinical in lineout through 'Boris' Yakovlev's throws and Tom Mills's catching, with Tom Ransley adding weight to rucks and mauls. George was providing a tight defence at backrow and Toby added long raking kicks downfield to gain field position. We won the game and the day, but at times had lost the plot and this needed to be addressed . Unfortunately, we were weakened by injury against Ha ileybury, but our 'leaping fish' Tom Mills provided secure ball for the backs, Howard constantly broke the gain line in attack and Matt stifled any opposition creativity in mid-field. Tom Rodwell, who was at serum half, scored an excellent try to give us the lead and the game. Unfortunately, a long lay-off caused by ha If-te rm I(Jas evident in our play against Tonbridge Despite a 'hearts of oak' determination to gain the crown , we failed to counter the creation of ove rlaps in their backs and in the early encounters questions were asked of our defence. Our forwards provided enough ball to achieve success, but we were again unable to finish . Memorable were excellent rucks and drives and la te in the second half tackling which would not allow Tonbridge to advance beyond our 22m line despite recyc ling the ball for more phases t ha n it was possible to coun t. Aga inst a physica lly large Cranbrook 3rd X.V we were determined to run the ball. Despite our lack of size we had the edge in skill. Our backrow was functioning as a unit and we were enjoying an adequate supply of ball from the pack, but hand to hand passing was slow and backs alignment too flat. Against the Du ke of York's we held the territoria l advantage in the first half which was hard fought and ended with a 0-0 scoreline. The pack performed magnificently and we were able to string together four or even five phases of play. However, too often we spilled the ba ll in the tackle and were 'turned over: Th ere followed an excellent period where forwards and backs combined to produce a score, from a ruck Tom Rodwell moved the ball to the backs, good distribution by Nick Gent saw Rhodes hit space, beat the cover defence and finish in grand style. We were resolute in defence, but errors on our part allowed "Dukies" back into the game through a pena lty and a converted try.

0 0 N

"~ ~

Sevenoaks virtua lly did the same, but a thoroughly deserved try by Tom Mills and two penalties by Toby was enough to keep our noses in front and ensure success. Not a pretty game - one of cut and thrust, but which served to instil confidence and a determination to succeed against King's Rochester who put up a good figh t, but were outplayed in eve ry facet of the game. Man of the Match Ari Esiri appeared as if he had played at number nine all season with accurate spin passes to left and righ t and scoring two excel lent tries. Rhodes showed a turn of pace to score his two and Howard added another after a superbly worked move at lineout with a

Results Played 10, Won 5, Lost 5 Points for 128, against 147 v Eastbourne

(H)

v St. John's

(A)

v KCS Wimbledon

(H)

v Felsted

(A)

v Haileybury

(H)

v Tonbridge

(A)

forward drive to the line.

v Cranbrook 3rds

(H)

So it came to an end, a success in terms of player development and pleasing in terms of results. It wou ld be easy to think of what might have been if the two quality players in the 1st 'IN had played with us, but the team quickly gelled, produced a high work rate, responded in t raining, learnt and took the 'flak' from the coach . It was a pleasure to be a part of it. Special thanks must be extended to Andrew McClean for his hel p and support particularly with the 'C' 'IN, to Matthew McArdle for his work with the 'B' 'IN, to Ewen who came in at the end of the season , DJR for organising the refereeing and last, but not least to RBMi for his coaching of the 'B'YN, refe reeing expertise on numerous occasions and supp lying me with Yorkie bars on away games.

v Duke of York's

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(H)

v King's Rochester

(H)

ARW Team : Howard Bryant, Robin Bailey, Rhodes Edewor-Thorley, Ari Esiri, Jasper Goring, Nicholas Hinves, Nicholas Gent, Matthew Humphrey [Captain,) Toby Humphrey, Nicolo Luccini, George Mawdsley, Tom Mills, Hamish Pound, Barnaby Race, Tom Ransley, Tom Rodwell, Robbie Wetherell , Peter Yakovlev. Also played: James Coleman , Richard Lamb, Terrence Leung, Tim MacLehose, Sam Mount, Jack Munro, and Chris Walsh.

Lost 6- 12 Lost 0-44 Lost 10- 16 Won 24- 17 Won 10- 7 Lost 0-6 Won 26-0 Lost 10- 16 Won '14- 10 I won 28-0

Colts 'B. XV

indispensable services. Several fine three-quarter players emerged from dreams without making dreams their master. Nicholas Brown and Alfred Butrous were exceptional midfield players. When not playing for the A's, Barnaby Race's speed was greatly valued. Jack Fox, Terence Leung and Harry Sm ith, were a very positive influence in flexib le XVs. Simon Redstone's success was stamped in early fixtures. Very welcome promotions from the C 'IN comprised: Thomas Tyler, Kenneth Kam and Roland Bunge, James Hamway, Jonathan Campbell and Billy Lau. If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

IF Rudyard Kipling

And treat those two impostors just the

If you can dream and not make dreams r

same The 2001 B XV were exceptional in character. Philosophical by temperament, the nature of thei r involvement comprised a healthy detachment from unreasoned passion in play and anything superficia l on the coach . Metaphorica lly speaking, they trave lled well, and with integrity last season; they will go on to arrive at wellrespected sporting destinations, and all in good time. For this and much more, I am very grateful to everyone.

your master; If you can think and not make thoughts your aim; The spirit of Kipling's memorable lessons in modesty typified how the extremities of Colts B rugby were mastered by a group of remarkable players in 2001 . Keep ing one's head in most games won by opponents is tough on a team whose composition changed on a weekly basis; and offered more scope for diversity lobbed at any Saturday millionaire winner of the National Lottery. Making a heap of all their winnings only happened twice- against Felsted and RMS Dover- though all those who represented the school at Col ts B level filled every unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run in all ten matches. Mature and civilized in outlook, generosity from everyone was reward enough; there was never any need to breathe a blameworthy word. Praise achieved more wi t h a team that re-staring at its beginnings from ma tch-to-match. Colts 'B's heaped their winnings through the players' ta Ients this season. Robert Wetherell , Alfred Butrous, Timothy MacLehose; and latterly, and very

successfully, Jack Fox captained the teams. Up front, Richard Lamb, Christopher Walsh, Samuel Nussey were big assets all season. Alexander Quayle, Alfred Siu and Nicholas Hinves were reliable whilst many promoted 'C' 'IN playe r's Oliver McSwiney, Andrew Northern, Joseph Sevier, George Coltart, Charles Marn ham and Harry Inglis offered

Retrospecti ve congratulations must also be recorded to the six early B 'IN players that found regular slots in the A 'IN: Robert Wetherell, Thomas Ransley, George Mawdsley, Jasper Goring, Nicholas Gent and Barnaby Race; and as Kipling knew, the B 'IN never breathed a word about its loss.

RBMi

Colts

ÂˇcÂˇ XV

At the end of September 2000, aged 18, I retired from rugby. Like many other top rugby players, I came to teach the New Zealand style of Rugby in England. Then the Di rector of Sport gave me the Colts C rugby team with the simple advice of "good luck." Unsure quite what be meant, I arrived at Birley's on the first day full of

optimism and enthusiasm. What reason was there that I could not make this the most successfui'C' team ever? Ten minutes later I found out. The team couldn't ca tch. Or pass. Or tackle. "Who's a forward?" I asked the team. The whole team raised their hands. "Who's a back?" was my next question. Again the whole team raise their hands. It was then obvious that either they believed in the concept of "total rugby" or I was going to have to keep things simp le. Very simple. Our fi rst match was against Eastbourne. Obviously their WHOLE team had attended practice that week as they were much better organised. So what should have been my f irst ever win as a coach, became my first loss, 5-19. Obviously the boys we ren't fit enough, but a fitness session on Tuesday meant tha t four players turned up to the session on Wednesday. We pressed on after that, but the next scheduled matches were cancel led, mostly because the opposition fa iled to make a side up, which was frustrating because the boys we re getting the idea that we meant business. Our programme resumed after half term, when we travelled to Tonbridge and we we re on the wrong end of a big score. Their team was big and we didn't tackle. We worked hard in training after tha t, but once again in the next few weeks the opposition was not there. The last match and only the th ird, therefore was against Sevenoa ks, when our boys played very wel l and we managed a good win, 27-5 after a slow start. Some notable personal performances stand out. Nick Brown's solid defence, Roland Bunge's dynamic running and Oli McSwiney's aggression in the forwards saw them get a chance to play in the 'B' team. Thanks to all the team who turned up regularly for practice despite the frustrations. Kia Kaha. Kia Toa. Stand Strong. Stand Proud.

Northern, Joe Sevier, Dan Scarfe.

knowledge and leade rship made for effective management on t he pitch, especially instill ing discipline in the team when faced with provocation .

Results Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2. Points for 32, against 71. v Eastbourne

(H).

vTonbridge

(A).

v Seven oaks

(H).

Lost. 5-19 Lost. 0-47 Won 27-5

Junior Colts 'Aâ&#x20AC;˘ XV The statistics ma ke impressive reading, winning eleven games and scoring 64 tries [389 points in total) and conceding just 14 tries (83 points). Twenty three players represented the side with 18 playing seven or more games, but on ly 3 players appeared in every game and they were, Farid Akoi, Ben Cryer and James Shilston . One of the strengths of th is squad is that they played very much as a team, being united in their efforts when defending, but also having a range of options for scoring. Eight times sides were denied any score, however, we on ly failed on two occasions and one of those was disputed when I disallowed a try against Tonbridge! There is no doubt that this team has the potential to improve on this impressive record as they were rarely 'second ' best to any other side, especially in the forwards, and made huge improvements on some of their resul ts from last year, as far as KCS Wimbledon and Felsted were concerned. The resu lt of the season was a thrilling victory away to Eltham, where they turned around a 32-point deficit from the under 14's. As well as observing a minute's silence as a mark of respect for Mr.Tennick, the boys' pe rformance that day will be a more lasting tribute. Reaching the semifinal stage of the Kent Cup was also a notable achievement in what is already a competitive fixture list, but the timing of the t ie away to Sutton Valence just after an exhausting Tonbridge encounter, was a telling facto r in our lacklustre performance.

AJM Team: Billy Ackers, Tim Boarer, Nick Brown, Roland Bunge, Jonathan Campbell, James Ferrett, Dan Gray, James Hamway(Captain), Will Hill, Harry Inglis, Ken Kam, Bi lly Lau, Patrick Loughman, Charles Marnham, Hector Matthews, James McDona ld, Oli McSwiney, Andrew Miller Jones, Ross Murray Jones, Andrew

It would be wrong to single out individua ls, but I would like to mention the tremendous achievement of Calvin Lau who scored 20 tries out on the left wing, despite not playing every game, due to injury. I would also like to thank Edward Stephens and Ed Callaway, the joint captains for they say "two Ed's are better than one'~ In this case thei r combined

As a coach and referee I would li ke to express my sincere thanks to the very loyal set of parents for all their support and encouragement as wel l as for the end of season meal, but especially to the Drs. Jones, who were called onto the pitch frequently to attend to injuries. Thanks to my team of coaches in this year group, Ollie Rogers (from Christchurch Col lege), Father Fred and SAH, and of course to t he ground staff and catering departments for their invaluable work. Lastly I would like to thank al l the players for their hard work and their commitment on a Match day. I wish them well in their future seasons at the school. SEA

Player profiles by the Captains Forwards Ed Herbert: incredible in the serums and rucks. Strong, powerful in the loose with good hands and a convincing dummy. Scored 3 tries. Tom Pritchard: One of the players of the season . The best hooke r around who gives his all and is always in support. His tenacity was missed when he broke his finger. Scored 3 tries. Ed Callaway: Knotched up 7 tries, as he has t he handling skills of a fly half, but the build of a prop. Acted as pack leader or Captain and was very effective in the loose as well as from 5m pena lties. Apparently likes a good meal as well as being one! Faz Akoi: Strong 2nd Row forward, always giving 100%, even though he doesn't know what's happening . A great asset to the lineout, charging runs at the opposition and the ability to smile when provoked. Scored twice. James Shilston: the fittest player in the team and anot her player of the season. Always reliable and gives 100% throughout every match, often the first to the breakdown as well as ab le to make fi rst up tackles. Has a future as an open side flanker, charging down f ly halves' kicks.

0 0 N

Richard Everall: 2nd Row who improved greatly in his confidence, by being more dynamic in the set piece as well as the loose. Does all the hard graft, often going unnoticed, as well as having to do the replacement's duties. Henry Synge: a great tackler, as Rochester's centre found out, as well as scoring 6 tries, possibly 7 if the one at Sevenoaks had been given! A solid blindside flanker who patro ll ed off the serum effectively and proved to be a respected

Backs Charlie Teale: Improved his pass and defence and did well under pressure behind the line out. Charlie needs to play with his head up so he can marshall the pack as well as knowing when to make a break. Jon Erridge: moved up from the B's as serum half and proved to have a good pass as well as the pace to keep up with play. Commited in the game but not to practice, and a useful kicker.

leader in the team. Stuart Mack: Quick around the field as open side, as well as putting pressure on the opposition's backs. Learnt how to protect our own ha If backs, but was unlucky with injuries.

Tom Boucher: Played 6 matches at fly half showing sound handling and an effective kicking, especially conversions. Tom gained confidence in the B's especially in defence and has the ski ll to play in the A's.

Luke Thorne: Calm and reliable at inside centre, always able to make ground and retain possession, as well as defending stoutly. Never selfish as only ended up with two tries, but the one against Eltham from the half way line was worth it. Toby Lyons: A converted back row player whose speed and handling plus aggressive tackling made him a suitable candida te for outside centre. Toby had to learn about alignment and moves quickly, but he timed his passes well and ended up with 3 tries. Jon Watler: Worked hard on his defence, but was unlucky not to have as many opportunities to score as the other wings. Jon needs to wo rk on his acceleration or if he wants to try for serum half then his passing from the floor and his kicking from hand.

Fred Jones: At No.8 one of the unsung heroes, who made some tremendous tackles and was effective in the line out, but who was thwarted on several occasions from scoring. Fred will need to improve his speed off the mark and hand ling if he is to stay in the back row. Ed Callaway/SEA.

Ed Stephens: Versatile, with gopd hand and excellent defence. Sufferec$ from a number of injuries, which hindered his kicking, but sti ll notched up 55 points and only missed one full game. Ended up fly half, but could also be serum half or outside centre, as he has the passion and knowledge to read the game. Captained the side well often putting certain parts of his body on the line.

0 0

U 7SA Rugby Team (by Mrs A Cryer)

Andrew t.aing: moved up from B's and his speed and strength saw him score three times. An elusive runner as well as being able to move into the centre, as he can pass well. More confident at the end and A team from now on! Calvin Lau: A strong, determined winger, who enjoyed either beating his man on the outside, or brushing him aside as he

stepped inside. Rarely passed, but scoring 100 points, meant he didn't need to. Improved his defence and was especially more confident under a high ball or when coming in on blindside moves. The players' Player of the Season. Ben Cryer: Pace at full back is a tremendous asset to any side and too often our opposition kicked to us, only to regret their decision. Ben was best when counter-attacking , such as against Eltham and Duke of York's when he could outstrip the defence. He learnt to be more resil ient as he took some big hits from those teams that realised he was a real threat. Ended up with a tally of 8 tries. Ed Stephens/SEA Results Played 15, Won 11, Lost 4 Points for 389, against 83 Matches v Eastbourne College

(H)

v StJohn's Leatherhead (H) v Dover Grammar*

(A)

v KCS Wimbledon

(A)

v Felsted

(A)

v Gravesend Grammar* (H) v Haileybury

(H)

v Kent College

(A)

{half-term} v Tonbridge

(H)

v Sutton Valence*

(A)

v Eltham

(A)

v Duke of York's

(H)

v Sevenoaks

(A)

v King's Rochester

(H)

Won 29-0 Won 24-0 Won 55-0 Lost 5-12 Lost 14-22 Won 34-0 Won 53 -0 Won 34-0 Lost 0-5 Lost 0-12 Won 19-17 Won 34-0 Won 20-10 Won 28-0

James Shilston, Edward Stephens (Capt.), Henry Synge, Charles Teale, Luke Thorne, Jon Watler. Also played: Anthony Agbaje, Jonathan Erridge, Daniel Johnston, Andrew Laing, Mikiya Morioka, Daniel Schwarz.

Junior Colts ÂˇBÂˇ XV The English international football team had to bring in a Swedish coach to sort the team out, and pull them through to the World Cup Finals. Noting that success, King's brought in the new Swedish chap lain, at a record-breaking public school transfer fee, as reported in the Swedish Fol k Dancing Weekly, to coach the Junior Colts 'B'. What a season we have had. It is amazing what a few herrings and a little prayer can achieve. Jesting apart, it has been a brilliant Autumn term, and from the very start of the season it was clear that the team had loads of talent and were eager to continue from last year's season . In our first practice game against Cranbrook, we ran out easy winners, meeting little resistance. Our next game against Eastbourne, was a fantastic pe rformance, and we were unlucky to go down by three points, wi th two tries disallowed . Big efforts were needed to overcome StJohn's and KCS Wimbledon, but easier victories against Felsted and Hai leybury fo ll owed. By now, the team were singing from the same ABBA songsheet, and picking up the Swede's winning formula. Jonathan Erridge played superbly until he moved up to the 'A' team but we had an equally good swap in Charles Teale; William Hamilton at fly-half was important in defence and Tom Boucher at inside centre

created so much space for Bernard Chiu, who can cause havoc for any defence, and for the wings, Angus Davidson, Anthony Agbaje or Alistair Laing who had tremendous pace. Dan Gilmore at fu ll back never panicked and was never afraid to run at the opposition. In the forwards, we had good strength with Mikiya Morioka, Jack Standen and Dan Schwarz in the front row, Tim Swift and Hugh Davies gave us good height and strength at second row and in the back row we had a super defensive combination in any three from Christian Klapp, Tom Pedley, Jon Stevenson and Dan Johnston. The team went on to beat old rivals Tonbridge and Eltham easily with fantastic performances. A poor display aga inst St Lawrence A team led to our second defeat of the season. The team fin ished strongly with two big wins against Duke of York's and Sevenoaks. In those two games the team lost some players to the 'A' team and perfectly able replacements were found with Lawrence Kerr, Chris Cork and Alex Pemberton, who all played their part in the team success. Dan Johnston was voted the Player of the Season and was presented with a rugby print at our Junior Colts 'B' rugby lunch at the Chinese Restaurant. I want to say thanks to him and to the whole team for their comm itment and effort during the season. I would also like to give my appreciation to Mr Roy Wh ite, for presenting me with the "Coach of the Season trophy" -the three inch tall Robert Brett Road Safety Competition RunnersUp Cup of 1975. Well, beggars can't be choosers !

0 0 N

*denotes U.15 Kent Cup. Team: Farid Akoi, Tom Boucher, Edward Callaway(Capt), Ben Cryer, Richard Everall, Edward Herbert. Fred Jones, Calvin Lau, Toby Lyons, Stuart Mack, Tom Pritchard,

CFA

Junior Colts after their last match against Rochester

Tea m from : Anthony Agbaje, Tom Boucher, Bernard Chiu, Chris Cork, Angus Davidson, Hugh Davies, Jonathan Erridge, Dan Gilmore, William Hamilton, Dan Johnston (capt). Lawrence Kerr, Christian Klapp, Alsitair Laing, Mikiya Morioka, Tom Pedley, Alex Pemberton, Dan Schwarz, Jack Standen, Jon Stevenson, Tim Swift, Charles Tea le.

Also played: Esmond Brown, Jamie Devonshire, Richard Wildish Results Played 10, Won 8, Lost 2 Points for 330, aga inst 73. v Eastbourne

(H)

v St. John's

(H)

v KCS Wimbledon

(A)

v Felsted

(A)

v Haileybury

(H)

v St. lawrence A

(H)

v Tonbridge

(H)

v Eltham

(A)

v Duke of Yorks

(H)

v Sevenoaks

Junior Colts

(A)

Lost 14- 17 Won 14- 10 Won 19- 12 Won 56-0 Won 59-0 Lost 15-31 Won 24- 15 Won 38-7 Won 52-0 Won 39- 12

ÂˇcÂˇ XV

This has been a season to remember and an enormous improvement on last year. We were encouraged from the start by a squad that numbered over thirty, and whose size and individual ski lls wou ld have made any international side proud. Although we suffered a few injuries over the term and lost a few to the Chaplain's super team above, we stayed strong and finished the season well.

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We started in high spirits and won a close match against Eastbourne, highlighted by a hat trick from our secret weapon Seb, who careered around much like a possessed pinball and worked on the theory that if you keep running fast enough then sometime you' ll meet the try line. Will also managed to prove his kicking skil ls by laying out the referee f rom a drop kick.

A week later, ski ll s fine-tuned, we played another close match against St John's. Again Seb dashed about in a blurred frenzy, but others also found their form: Stephen found that he too cou ld scythe through the opposition; Wi ll Bruce proved that there was also a place for brains in C team rugby, scoring a bri lliant dive-over try from a quickly-taken penalty on the five metre line ; Chris Binks showed us all how to tackle; and Wil l Acker illustrated that if you shout loud ly enough, the line will stand flat. Two up, but KCS had clearly been forewarned of our speed and skill. On arriva l, we were led past the fu ll size pitches towards the postage stamp round the back. With little space, our spirits dropped and tackl ing faded as we allowed an inferior side to wa lk all over us. J,;

A week off and time to regrou~. On the 13th of the month we played Hai leybu ry, a new fixture and an un known . Seconds after t he whistle, John picked up the ball and ran ... al l the way to the t ry line. Minutes later, Tom Fox found himself behind a ruck, a yard from the tryline, with the ball in his hands. A run to the blind side and he scored, surprising even himself. At the end of the f irst ha lf we had notched up almost half a century. So we took off three players, just to make it more even! This almost backfired, as the opposition fought back, but they soon crump led when they came up against the raging wil debeest, Sean. The final wh istle blew when Andrew Swaffer flew down the wing to the line. Tonbridge was a disaster. We were playing a hig her team than usua l (because they were having such a rough season!?) . The superb S's (Seb, Stephen and Swaffer !) could do nothing against thei r physica l and quick-thinking players (a lthough we were impressed by the pace of their pena lty move, however unusua l). One good th ing came of it: Richard 'knock 'em down' Ankerson . At last we had found a decent tackler. Sevenoaks was the big game. The 'make or break'. Mr Hea th had been hyping the match up for weeks. If we won , we wou ld eat all we could at Pizza Hut. It was a roller-coaster game, which soon swayed our way when their best player was taken off. We cou ld see the double cheese topping ! It was a nai l-biter, each side scoring a try and ga ining the upper hand,

Will Bruce gradua lly edging us ahead with accurate kicking , until John powered through ... The rest was salt in the wound , or seasoning on the pizza. (Sadly, Pizza Hut refused us entry (probably after last year). so the post-season celebrations were held at the Supernood le bar.) Player of t he season was awarded jointly to Stephen and Seb, and the top point scorers of the season were Seb (50) and Wi ll Bruce (32). Congratulations must go not only to these, but to the entire team , whom lack of space does not allow me to mention, as wel l as to Mr Heath for his exce llent coaching and guidance.

Stephen Eisenhammer and SAH. Team: Will Acker, Richard Ankerson, Matthew Baer, James Belgrave, Chris Binks, Esmond Brown, Wil l Bruce, Chris Cork, Ed Edmondson, George Edmondson , Stephen Eisenhammer (c), Tom Fox, James HarveyKe ll y, Patrick Holt, Lawrence Kerr, Sunil Khe mani, Chris Klapp, Rory MacWatt, Will Mawdsley, Ato Peterside, Sean Reardon, Sam Rudgard, John Sellers, Seb Shaw, Andrew Swaffer, Richard Wildish.

Results Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2, Drawn 0. Points for 152, against 143.

(H).

Won 29-22

v St John's Leatherhead (H).

Won 22-20 Lost 5-35 Won 58-0 Lost 0-37 Won 38-29

v Eastbourne

v KCS Wimbledon

(A).

v Haileybury

(H).

v Tonbridge

(H).

v Sevenoaks

(A).

Under 14 'A' XV The tea m had a very promising season and showed some exce llent form , particu larly in the first ha lf of term. They played especial ly we ll at home where only a form idable Tonbridge outfit were able to get t he better of them . Highlights of the term were good wins over KCS Wimb ledon and Sevenoaks, as we ll as a strong cup run . In the first half of term the backs took contro l of matches and ran in some marvel lous tries and in the second ha lf of term the forwards began to take greater

responsibili ty and played powerfu lly and effectively. The team was led by example by the ta lented Paul Dixey at fly half. He has an exce ll ent rugby brain, is an elus ive runner and used his boot sensibly whenever the situation required. He amassed an impressive 90 points over the season. He was well served from serum half by Tunji Lawson who made up for what he lacked in size with a great pass and an ability to snipe around the fringes and spot gaps. Charlie Harvey added passion to the team from centre, where he defended strongly and ran directly and he linked particularly well with Marcus Gwyer whose pace was sore ly missed after half term . The defensively strong Oliver Lyons proved an ab le deputy. A back three of Olu Adeosun, Tom Kemp and Dubi Ajukwu gave oppositions plenty to worry about with the ir pace. Olu claimed an impressive 15 tries and all three improved their defence and their ability to link with each other. In the fo rwards, a front row from Duncan Morpeth, Man -Suh Han, Va l O'Donoghue and Stavros Stratas never took a step backwards. Dun can is very much an all- involved modern hooke r and his and Val's tackling stood out whi lst Man-Suh 's strength saw him appear from numerous mauls with the ball when he appeared to have no right to get it. Ha rry Lancaster and Alex Scott combined we ll at second row, winn ing a lot of lineout possession. Both grew in confidence with each match, with Alex in particular ma king some surging runs. Behind them, an everpresent triq of Ritch ie Gardiner, Graham Sweetman and Chuchu Ajukwu worked tire lessly for the greater good. Ritchie used his strength to turn over a huge amount of possession, Graham played wi th a rare blend of intelligence and passion and Chuchu tackled tirelessly and came within inches of a hat trick against Sevenoaks. There is much to look forward to as this year group moves up the schoo l. They have started to make the transition from relying on a few stars, to playing as a team in which every member is a key part. Wi th a number of narrow losses this year, I expect to see some reverses next year and they have the potential for turn ing a good season into an excellent one.

RPC.

Team: Ol u Adeosun, Chuchu Ajukwu, Dubi Ajukwu, Paul Dixey (Captain), Ritchie Gard iner, Marcus Gwyer, Man-Suh Han, Charlie Harvey, Tom Kemp, Harry Lancaster, Tunji Lawson, Oliver Lyons, Duncan Morpeth, Val O'Donoghue, Alex Scott, Stavros Stra tas, Graham Sweetman

Also played: Jake McGuigan, Sam Middleton, Josh Maley, Dan Munns, Simon Pound, Tom Quested, Phil Spicer. Results Played 14, Won 8, Lost 6. Points for 281 ,against 178 v Eastbourne

(A)

v St. John's, Leatherhead (A) v Eltham College (Kent Cup) v K.C.S. Wimbledon

(H)

v Felsted

(H)

v Langley Park (Kent Cup) v Haileybury

(A) (A)

v Kent College

(A)

v Tonbridge

(H)

v Ravenswood (Kent Cup) v Eltham College

(A) (A)

v Duke of York's

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(H)

v King's Rochester

(A)

(H)

Lost 0-5 Won 29-12 Won 24-0 Won 19-5 Won 53-0 Won 29-5 Lost 14-24 Won 48-0 Lost 5-50 Lost 0-22 Lost 13-24 Won 15-10 Won 29-7 Lost 3-14

Under 14 'B' XV This season has been a frustrating one. A number of games were close rig ht up to the final whistle and we lost them through lack of discip line in our play. We had our best ru_n of performances until just before ha lf term and it was a great shame tha t it 1 was interrupted by the long break. It was also difficult to ma intain consis tency of selection when a number of players went to the 'A' team . The players might have been able to play better with a more determined attitude in training, although the captain , Jake McGuigan, did an excellent job and he deserved better support.

The forwards were individual ly strong, but never really used their strength to their advantage. No-one got the better of us in the serums, but we had troub le winning lineout ba ll. The backline had potential, with a good half-back combination and speed on the wings, but once again , the individuals did not work we ll enough together as a unit. It will be interesting to see how this team develops, because they do have potential. I wou ld like to thank them for making this an enjoyable season, and to thank the parents for their support.

TZ Team from: James Andrews, Sebastian Botana, Tom Burley, Tom de Silva, Leo Flindall, William Harvey, Joshua Maley, Jake McGuigan (captain), Sam Middleton, Daniel Munns, Hing Ng, Chinedu Nw uba, Simon Pound, Tom Quested , Alex Sanne, Ph il ip Spicer, Ma x Stanley, Alex Trigle, Harry Wall

Results Played 10, Won 3, Lost 7, Points for 121, against 134 v Eastbourne

(A)

v St. John's

(A)

v KCS Wimbledon

(H)

v Felsted

(H)

v Haileybury

(A)

v St. Lawrence A

(H)

v Tonbridge

(H)

v Eltham

(A)

v Duke of Yorks U13A (A) v Sevenoaks

(H)

Lost 0- 19 Won 19- 12 Lost 0- 10 Won 51 - 0 Lost 5- 29 Lost 5-7 Lost 0- 27 Won 41-0 Lost 0- 8 Lost 0- 22

U14'C'XV At our first train ing session of the season it became apparent that we had one or two playe rs who had never played rugby befo re. Moreover, we had an abundance for certain positions and none for others. It therefore took a few games before the side took shape and began to play together as a team . It turned out that a number new to the game were

0 N

indispensable. Edward Mosely as a strong, but remarkably quick 2nd row. Jacky Truong as a nippy fly half, Pako Fung as a prop with an interesting variation on how to tackle, Alfred Yu and Landey Patton as two wingers no one seemed to be able to catch . Other players with more experience proved their worth in the pack. lvar MacSween as hooker, Alex Blessley as prop, Freddie Miles and Simon Norman as flankers that showed the othe rs how rucking should be done. As is always the case for a 'C' team, absences in the A/B squad took thei r to ll and our best players moved up, so that each Saturday we seemed to have a new side. This is undoubtedly why we narrowly lost against KCS Wimbledon. We missed Tom Burley as our inside centre and Simon Pound as fullback. Although we only played five matches, the squad consisted of committed and enthusiastic players who wan ted to enjoy the game. It was disappointing that a number of matches were cancelled by our opponents. We were always ready to play!

may have looked like a wal kover for Tonbridge, but they were the stronger team with a far larger year group to pick from. Every U14 boy from King's fit to play rugby did so that day, and al l credit must go to them for trying hard, defending courageously and scoring two good tries. A memorable characteristic of the season as a whole must be the enthusiasm of the squad. It is on ly a shame that schools with more pupils in a year failed to field teams against us.

Matthew Fitch and MJWS Team: Archie Ahern, Alex Batten, Oliver Blanch, William Boucher, James Fish, Matthew Fitch (Captain), Jack Gahan, Robert Goward, William Holt, Peter Morcos, Max Neville, Harry Osborne, William Palley, William Pound, Ricky Shah, Stephan Wassermann-Fry, Jack ;;

With ri ngton.

Results Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1. Points for 43, against 53.

Alex Blessley and MJWS. v Eastbourn e

(A).

v Tonbridge

(H).

Team: CO Adesanya, Dominic Berry, Alex

Blessley (Captain), Alex Bolshaw, Tom Bradley, Tom Burley, Aiden Dent, Pako Fung, lskander Galbrait h, Joshua Hill, lvar MacSween, Frederick Mi les, Edward Mosely, Ryan Noades, Simon Norman, Landey Patton, Henry Simmons, Jacky Truong,

1st XI Hockey Report

Results

This season it was decided to try some pre-season training to focus our minds and bodies before the start of the forthcoming season. We t ravelled to Barcelona at the end of the summer holidays for both a fitness and technical camp. The tour went extremely well and we returned all the more focused, feel ing fitter than usual, ful l of confidence and ready to start the season. We then sta rted the season with some training matches, which allowed us to concentrate on any weaknesses that occurred. The trip to Barcelona and the training games we played also enabled the new members of the side to settle in and feel accustomed

v Eastbourne

(A).

v St John's Leatherhead (A).

Girls' Hockey

Alfred Yu.

Played 5, Won 2, Lost 3. Points for 95, against 53.

0 N

Won 31-5. Lost 12-48.

v KCS Wi mbledo n

(H).

v Hail eybu ry

(A).

v Tonbridge

(H).

Lost 5- 15 Won 46-0 Lost 7- 12 Won 37 - 7 Lost 0 -19

U14'D'XV The highlight of the season must be the win away at Eastbourne. After 3 fi hours on the coach and no lunch, the team went out with gutsy determination and beat a relatively st rong side- the only King's side to win away that day! The other fixture

to their new positions. Having had all this preparation, our first match was a little disappointing. Even though we beat St Edmund's 3-0, we lacked enthusiasm and drive to win, although the second half of the game was

much better and we began to flow as a team. This only reinforced the fact that we were more than capable of increasing our standa rds consider?b ly throughout the season. Goals were scored by Ellie PowellJackson, Suzy Gentles and Laura Moncrieffe on her 1st XI debut. Our next fixture was the Plumptre Invitational Tournament. Having lost this tournament last season we were all determined to regain the title and return the trophy to the cabinet where it has been for four of the last five years. After a slow start on a cold and wet day we only managed to draw 0-0 in our first game against TWGS, even though we maintained most of the possession within our 25. Luckily this first match made us come to our senses and the following match had a lot more fluency and we were able to beat Brentwood 1-0, who were our main threats of the day. In the third match of the tournament we became sloppy again and the match became very frustrating. However, with only a short time left in the game we seemed to realise how poorly we we re playing and we picked up the standard of play and scored two goals, beating Sevenoaks 2-0. Our final match of the tournament was against Tonbridge Grammar. This was probably the best match of the day in the tournament and we won 1-0 against a surprisingly strong opposition. Having been unbeaten throughout the day, we won the tournament and regained the trophy. For our next fixture we travelled away to StLawrence. The game was fluid and sequences practised in training were evident throughou t the game. The team proved they could cope without their captain, who was absent due to illness, and won the game 1-0. Unfortunately, Molly Tregear, our sweeper, sustained an injury to her hand, which put us through turmoil for a while, as she is such an important figure in our defensive line. Molly and Alex Fielding worked well together at the back preventing many opposing attackers from threatening ou r goal. This match also enabled Sophie 'Shiny' Shilston, who arrived at King's at the beg inning of term, to score her first goal for the first XI. Throughout the season Sophie has proven what a valuable new addition she has been to the team, both on and off the pitch . She was awarded with the 'players' Player of the Season' award at the end of the season.

The next fixture played was against Sevenoaks. This promised to be a high scoring match and we wen t into the game feeling quietly confident of a win . However, as the game progressed it became more and more frustrating as we all knew we were not playing to our full potential. After having a first half full of possession in our half, we went into the second half feeling determined to get a good score to show for all of our hard wor k. In the end the goa Is came from Kate Burrett, Suzy Gentles and two from Virginia Mainwaring. Virginia has played a vital role on the right wing, f requently creating goal scoring opportunities and scoring goals herself. In th is match she was particularly productive, na rrowly missing out on a ha t- rick. Four days later we had another fixture against Felsted. Still feeling the 'buzz' after having had such a productive last twenty minutes against Sevenoaks, we went into th is game keen to score goals. This we did and by half t ime we were two goals up, one goal coming f rom a penalty stroke taken by Sophie Shilston and another in open play from Ell ie Powell-Jackson . However, after half time we relaxed a little too much and with seven minutes to go Felsted picked themselves up and the score stood at 2-2. After Felsted had equalised it was evident from the aggression shown by the whole squad that we were not about to give in without a fight. The attitude and determ ination was stepped up which allowed us to dictate and dominate the rest of the game, albeit a relatively short time. The passing and movement of the ball was possibly the best we had seen to date and a few minutes later Laura Moncreiffe scored an awesome goal and we went in front for the second time. We kept our heads and maintained this lead, emerging with a 3-2 victory. Laura has had an excellent debut season in the 1st XI scoring many goals at critical moments in the games. Unfortunately for both her and the team, she missed our f inal match of the season due to breaking her ankle in our final training session. The next week we played in the Kent Schools' Tournament. This is the most important tournament of the season and for the past few years we have been plagued by bad luck in the event. However, by the end of the first round everything seemed to be going wel l. We went through to the quarter finals as winners of our

Ellie Powell-Jackson {by Matthew McArdle)

Kate Burrett (by Matthew McArdle)

Juliet Chapman (by Matthew McArdle)

Virginia Mainwaring (by Matthew McArdle)

The 1st XI. Back row: Karo Kock, Susannah Wharfe, Molly Tregear, Sophie Shilston, Virginia Mainwaring, Amy O'Sullivan, Juliet Chapman, Miss A. Scott-Kilvert. Front row: Laura Moncrieffe, Suzy Gentles, Kate Surrett, Eleano r Powell-Jackson, Georgina Ro wan, Alex Fielding, Charlotte Townsend. gro up which meant th at, all being well, we would have an easier route to the semi finals. In the quarter finals we met Langley Park school whom we beat 1-0. We then went through to the sem i-fi nals feel ing quietly confid en t. However, we th en met Kent College who are always a strong side, and in front of a home crowd we played a tough match and fi nished with a 0-0 draw. To go through to the finals we had to beat th em on penalty st rokes, whi ch had unfortunately put us out of the to urnamen t for the past two years. Not only did our stroke takers have a psychological barrier to get through, but they a/so had to take the shots in front of most of the Kent Co llege school students who ha d po ured out of t he school to support. The ou tcome went all the wa y to sudden deat h fi naI st rokes, after t he f irst barrage of five had rema ined a draw. With nerves of steel and concentration being displayed by both the stroke ta kers and our goalkeeper, Georgina Rowan, we finally won after three extra strokes had been 0

taken. I'm not sure who was more relieved: the coach or the players?! After the misfortune of the last two years we felt that it was only fair tha t we had fi nally come through a set of penal ty strokes as the victors. Congratulations here should go to all the st roke ta kers and especially Georgina Rowan for playing so

well at such a criti cal moment Georgin a con t inued improving and perform ing well for the rest of t he sea son and she was awarded 'Most Improved Player' at t he end of the season . In t he final we were to meet lnvicta Grammar School. Not having played lnvicta in school fi xtures we di d not know how strong the side was. However, after they went up 1-0 we soon found ourselves struggling to equalise. Wi t h almost all the possession in the game being with King's, except for a few breaks by lnvicta, we found ourselves unable to score. With about five minutes to go, Ellie Powell-Jackson scored, level ling the score. However, within another couple of min utes, lnvi cta scored again and although King's too k several shots at goal we were unable to equ alise in th e last minutes. Unfortunately we lost, meanin g yet again we went out of the tournamen t in the f inals and were runnersup. Whilst this was hard to accept, as we felt we were the better side, it added to the sense of team unity as we had to pick ou rselves up and continue with our normal fixtures. This took a little bit of time as everybody is very passionate abo ut their hockey, but the team deserves to be congratulated on its efforts and maturity in accepting this difficult situation and the refocusing that took place. I woul d like to take th is opportuni ty to thank everyone for thei r

efforts at what was a difficult time for all co ncerned. We went into ou r next fixture determined to show that we had deserved to win the Kent Schools Tournament We were still feeling a little jaded by the time of our next fixture, bu t we had standards to maintain. It wa s a mi xed game and we were able to prod uce moments of brilliance and moments when we coul d ba rely summon the energy to run. However, in one of our better moments, we managed to score 3 goals in 6 minutes, in a game that resulted in a 4-2 wi n. Both Virginia and Laura sco red 2 goals apiece. By the time we got round to the Sutton Va lence fi xture we ha d lifted ourselves up and were ready for a tough fixtu re against a strong op position. We knew t hat we were capable of beating them if we could play to our full potential. After going 2-0 up we were happy with ou r play and decided to start letting new ~layers have a game against a strong opposi tion. However, Sutton Valence have an annoying habit of never losing eas ily, and unfortunately they weren't going to give up. Wi th little tim e on the clock they scored and that was quickly fol lowed by an unfortu nate own goal by our harassed defence. With fifteen minutes to go we

had to try and score against a revived side. Finally, Juliet Chapman scored a powerfully struck goal in the corner of the net and we ended the game with a 3-2 win. Juliet has just finished her third season in the 1st XI and is still only a fi ft h fo rmer. She has had yet another brilliant season after recovering from a hamstri ng injury and is currently involved in England trials. Her performance on the pitch is always excellent and her skills have improved further still. She thoroug hly deserves the award of 'Player of the Season~

soon as they sta rted attacking, King's matched their determination and scored yet another goal. The match ended in a 53 win and we had kept our unbeaten record . This only reflects the amoun t of work that everybody has put in thi s season. The entire squad should be proud of its achievements. It has been both a pleasure and honour to captain such a successful and determined squad.

We travelled to City of London Freeman's for our next match and we were determined to ma ke sure that we came back with a good victory. Play was fa irly scrappy with people crowding the goal in eagerness to score. After a firm half-time talk, whe n we were told to keep the goal clear and work the ball round rather than trying to go through, we finally started scoring. Kate Burrett scored twice and Juliet Chapman scored the third goa l. Kate has been a key player th is season, playing centre midfield on the pitch. She provides an excellent link between the fo rwards and defence, and provides many goal-scoring opportunities when working the ball forward herself or when working with the other midfield players. Our midfield this seaso n has been both a form idable attacking unit and a firm defence. Amy O'Sullivan, Sophie Shilston and Juliet

Al e~ and ~uzy for_ all the hard work they

Chapman have all worked together, with Kate serving as a very intim idating core in the team. Our final tournamen t, The John Taylor at Sutton Vale~ce, was to take place next. However, due to the sad news of Mr.Tennick's death we decided that it was inappropriate to play throughou t and returned to Canterbury in the afternoon to pay our respects to him at his funeral. Our final match of the season is traditionally against our local rivals, Kent College. It always proves to be stiff competi tion and we were keen to maintain our 100% unbeaten record for our regular school fixtures. As expected the fixture proved to be highly competitive. By ha lf time the scores were drawn at 2-2. Kent College then went into the lead and con tinued to pressurise us. We then managed to pull one goa l back and we kept striving for the win . Finally, Ellie Powell-Jackson mana ged to score and we crept in front Our defence had to cope with a strong Kent College attack, but as

Next season promises to be an excellent one with the team only losing three 6A members. I would persona lly like to thank have put 1nto the1r hockey. It will be hard to find a player fitter than Suzy Gentles and a central defender who is as reli able as Alex has been. Kate Burrett has been an excellen t vice-captain, providing me with both support and advice th roughout the season. It has been a pleasure playing in fron t of her as centre fo rward and I am sure that whoever plays near her on the pitch next season will benefit from her play. Finally, I would like to thank Miss ScottKilvert. She has contributed so much to the team this season and will be sadly missed next year. It is thanks to her that the past few years of King's 1st XI hockey have been so successful. She has been fully committed to t he team, making su re tha t she has always been ava ilable to give help to individuals and to offer encouragement and insp iration to the team . On behalf of the team, I would therefore like to say a huge th anks for all the time and effort she has put into coaching us this season. She ha s mad e sure that the team has always wo rked as one, performing to the best of its ability whi lst stil l having fun. Thank you, it has been 'a good one!~

Eleanor Powell-Jackson (MR) (Captain of Hockey) Team: Georgina Rowan*, Suzy Wharfe*, Mol ly Tregear*, Alex Fielding**, Charlotte Townsend , Kara Kock, Juliet Chapman**, Amy O'Sullivan, Kate Burrett (Vicecaptain!**, Sophie Shilston*, Virginia Mainwaring*, Eleanor Powell-Jackson (Captain)**, Suzy Gentles*, Laura Moncreiffe. Also played: Katie Perks, Kate Wood, Jessica Watson.

** First colours re-awarded * Fi rst colours awarded

County Honours: Charlotte Townsend, Juliet Chapman, Amy O'Sullivan, Kate Burrett, Sophie Shilston, Virginia Mai nwaring and Jessica Watson. Territoral and International Honours: Juliet Chapman

Results Played 8, Won 8, Lost 0 Goals for 26, Goals against 9 (excluding tournamen ts) v St Edmunds

(H)

v St Lawrence

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(A)

v Fe lsted

(H)

v Cranbrook

(A)

v Sutton Va lence

(A)

v City of London Freeman's v Ken t College

(A)

Won 3-0 Won 1-0 Won 4-0 Won 3-2 Won 4-2 Won 3-2 Won 3-0 Won 5-3

(H)

Kent Schools Tournament Plu mptre Tournament

Runners up Won

Coach's Comments: I am pleased to report that afte r the rebuilding of last season we have been in the position this year to produce some ve ry pleasing results. Before t he season started we selected a squad to participate in some pre-season training in Barcelo na and I have to say this proved an invaluable exper ience for all concerned. It provided an opportunity for both the players and coach alike to gain some very valuable knowledge. We were also able to set clear expectations for t he forthcoming season. The team this year set very high standards for themselves both on and off the pitch and it was clear to see that the targets they had set would be met at any cost. The comm itment and focus that was applied during training sessions was evident throughout and in match-playing situations it was even more obvious. There is always an expectation on t hose players that are involved with the top squads that requires an all round commitment. The sense of unity that the squad has is clearly visible through the attention to detail that they apply : time is irre levant if it mea ns

::::> ::::> N

(Captain) and Kate Burrett (Vice-Captain). They have both played an invaluable role both on and off the pitch . They have devoted a lot of time and energy to the ro les that they have played and are appreciated greatly by both the squad and myself alike. It is vitally important that the link between the coach and players is effective as it provides an overall link and helps to produce ideas and thoughts throughout. The girls have worked hard and have developed as individuals, both physica lly and as leaders. Well done to both of you on everything you have achieved this season .

Juliet Chapman (by Matthew McArdle} getting it right. It is with this in mind that the squad need to be congratula ted on their positive attitudes, even when, at times, things were pretty tough to handle. The strength of character that was displayed is priceless. The team this season has played with focus and passion and we have produced an unbeaten record with all of the regular schoo l fixtures. Our only misfortune was the Kent Schools Tournament where we lost in the finals as previously mentioned . It seems that after surviving a barrage of penalty strokes in the semi finals, luck was not going to be on ou r side. I can only reinforce that the strength that we gained from this experience has he lped to deve lop the squad as individua ls and as a team.

0 0 N

The highlights of many individuals have already been mentioned in the captain's report. However, it is essential that at th is stage I add to th is. There were many fifth formers that played an important role in the squad this term and they should be more than pleased with their contributions. It is an encou raging thought that they will still be involved with the first team for the next couple of years. Six of these girls Charlotte Townsend, Kara Kock, Juliet Chapman, Amy O'Su llivan, Virginia Mainwaring and Laura Moncreiffe are currently involved in the U16 team who have successfully made their way to the Nationals, and I would like to wish them the best of luck for 4th

March. I would also like to congratulate Soph ie Shilston , who has j ust joined the school, on a very successful season. She has made a massive impact both on and off the pitch and promises to be a force to be reckoned with next season. Another new face to the team this year was Suzy Gentles, who has shown another dimension to the fitness levels that are required when playing in the top squad. Others have certainly used t hese as a benchmark to work on, even if they weren't able to catch her! Final ly, I would like to mention Suzy Wharfe, Molly Tregear and Georgi na Rowan who have just completed their second season in the first team and Alex Fielding on her third season. It is invaluable to have experience in the team and all of these girls have played their roles in helping newcomers. I would therefore like to add my personal thanks for their help and support and to congratulate them on successful seasons as individuals. Lastly, but no means least, I would like to mention Juliet Chapman who has been involved with the first team since being in the Shel ls. She has j ust completed her third successive year and should be duly recognised for t his. I would also like to congra tulate her on her recent selection for the England U16 team . It has been an uphill struggle after a serious hamstring injury and she deserves to be congratu lated on her perseverance : well done. There are two other people that I would like to thank: both Ellie Powell -Jackson

The season has had many memo rable moments for both the squad and myself and it will be hard to repeat these. It is clear to see the passion that is disp layed by everyone concerned and it has been a pleasure to coach such an enthusi astic set of girls. I hope that they will continue with this thriving attitude and reach their full potential throughout the next co uple of seasons. The last few years have been a very enjoyable experience for me and that has been made possible by the girls that have been involved not only this year, but through out the last few years. I hope that the forthcom ing season will again be successful. The girls ce rtainly deserve to be and I will continue to follow their prog ress with great interest and enthusiasm . 'Make it a good one!'. Amanda Scott-Kilvert

U16 XI Results Played 12, Won 12, Goals for 32, Goals Against 0 The U16s have had an outstanding seaso n this year and have successfully won both the County and Regional Hockey Championships. They wil l now go to Milton Keynes on the 4th March to represent the region at the Nationa l Finals. The whole squad deserve to be recognised for their achievements but a particular mention must go to Virginia Mainwaring for her leadership skills, which have helped the squad considerably. AJS-K County Honours: Jessica Watson, Lucy Leigh-Pemberton, Katriona Pengelley, Tiffany Landale, Ki ri Barker

Team: Kiri Ba rker, Julia Brooks, Juliet Chapman, Kara Kock, Tiffany Landale, Lucy Leigh-Pemberton, Sophie Leigh-Pemberton, Virginia Mainwaring (captain), Laura Moncrieffe, Amy O'Sullivan, Katriona Pengelly, Lola Soyode, Charlotte Townsend, Jessica Watson, Sarah Welby

Tournament Results Played 12, Won 12. Goals for 32, against 0.

forwards and all th ree of them scored in the match . Isabelle Chapman scored two amazing goals off her back-stick and Annabelle Brice and Charlie Wheeler both scored excellently. Special thanks should go to Mr Peter Henderson who kindly umpired all of the matches and helped t he team during their games. It was definitely a season to be proud of.

TVDM

2nd XI On the whole the 2nd XI season was rather pleasing with the team managing to win 7 out of their 10 matches. The girls played with great enthusiasm and it was due to the hard work of each individual on the field that the team managed to do so well. Under the excellent gu idance of thei r captain, Katie Perks, the 2nd XI played with determ ination and never gave up, even in t he most trying circumstances. A special mention should go to Sophie Leigh-Pemberton and the goalie, Jess Watson, who always gave of their best and who formed part of the King's U16 team which managed to make it through to the Nationals to be played early next year. It was due to the strength of the defence, the speed of the mid-field and the skil l of the forwards that the team were ab le to manoeuvre the ba ll around the pitch and often end with an excellent goal. The season definitely showed the importance of teamwork and the girls learnt how essential it was to be a team player. Of course there were unforgettable moments but the most memorable wou ld have to have been Al ice Mitchell trapp ing herself under a footbal l goal when the team played the City of London Freemens' School. The whole team was in stitches and it to took a good five minutes to free the puzzled Alice. Coincidental ly it was in this match that the team caugh t up beautifully from behind, scorin g two super goals. The team had a season of highs and lows but ended it with their heads held high . The last match against Brentwood was an excellent example of how the strong defence combination, headed by Jess Watson, pushed the ba ll up the pitch to the skilled mid-field of Katie Wood, Katie Perks and Soph ie Leigh-Pemberton. The mid-field players then proceeded to work well to get the ball to the speedy

Team: Cathy Blanford, Annabelle Brice, Isabelle Chapman, Sophie LeighPemberton, Anna McDonald, Lizzie Milligan, Alice Mitchell, Victoria Parrish, Katie Perks (Captain), Rebecca PowellJackson, Sophie Tholstrup, Jess Watson, Charlotte Wheeler. Also Played: Anna Baldwin

Results Played 10, Won 7, Lost 2, Drawn 1. Goals for 29, against 13 v Epsom College 1st XI (A) v Duke of York's 1st XI (A) v Sevenoa ks

(A)

v Felsted

(H)

v Highworth 1st XI

(H)

v Cranbrook

(H)

v Sir Roger Manwood's (H) 1st XI (A) v Sutton Valence v City of London Free mens' v Brentwood

(A) (H)

Lost 1-2 Won 3- 1 Won 6-2 Won 2-1 Won 6-0 Won 1-0 Lost 1-3 Won 2-1 Drew 2-2 Won 5-1

3rd XI Âˇ The 3rd XI had an excellent season, remaining undefeated, with 6 victories out of 8 and 2 draws. The girls worked hard throughout the season and al though sometimes reluctant to work on fitness and skills, proved more than capable and, when they got down to it, formed a highly effective team. Th e girls worked well together and always encouraged each other on the pitch, teaching each other t he importance of teamwork.

There were many changes to the team and positions were often shuffled, but the girls managed to adapt well and learnt to use this to their advantage. The defence worked really well together moving t he ball from the solid sweeper, Victoria Anderson, up to Frances Steel and the mid-fielders who in turn fed the ball to the speedy forward line comprised of Laura Headly, Aislinn Mul ligan and Liana Henchman. Many great goals we re scored as a result of this sporting co llaboration and al l the girls are to be congratulated on a fine effort. Their greatly improved stick skills and their determination to win resulted in the team having a successful season that was enjoyed by all.

TVDM Team: Victo ria Anderson, Emi ly Berry, Lisa Handrup, Laura Headley, Liana Henchman, Aislinn Mu lligan, Lucinda Newman, Katie Rumbe llow, Frances Steel, Katherine To rry, Claudia Wilmot-Smith (Captain). Also played: Alice Frohnsdorff, Suzy Johnson, Louise Horne, Charlotte Reardon, Katie MacKinnon, Sophie Roper, Charlotte Wright.

Results Played 8, Won 6, Drawn 2. Goals for 21, against 2. v Epsom College

(H)

v King's Rochester 1st XI v StLawrence College

(H)

v Felsted

(A)

v Dover College 1st XI

(H)

v Sir Roger Manwood (H) 2nd XI (H) v Cranbrook v City of London Freemens'

(A)

Won 3-0 Won 6-0 Drew 1-1 Won 2-0 Won 3-0 Drew 1-1 Won 3-0 Won 2-0

4th XI

0 0 N

Due to the great number of girls interested in playing hockey, it was possible to make up a 4th XI squad. The team had a great season fi ll ed with victories and fun, winning all of their fixtures and playing with great determination and a good sense of teamwork.

Some of the 4th XI team members often played for the 3rd XI and a special mention should go to Charlotte Reardon and Suzy Johnson who both scored a goal for the 3rd XI in thei r match against City of London Freemens' School. The team are to be congratulated on a successful season that was enjoyed by all.

TVDM Team: Eliza Beattie, Samantha Brown, Alice Cooke, Laura Edmonds, Al ice Frohnsdorff, Louise Horne, Suzy Johnson, Imogen Lewis, Clai re Moorcroft, Victoria O'Doherty, Alex Piechoczeck, Cha rlotte Reardon, Grace Walpole, Charlotte Wright

(Captain). Results Played 3, Won 3. Goals for 11, against 2. v Sevenoaks

(A)

v Felsted

(A)

v Bethany 1st XI

(H)

Won 7-1 Won 1-0 Won 3-1

U15 IAI XI The U15 A team have been a ve ry committed, enthusiastic team who have been a great pleasure to coach this season . Having played 14 matches, the U15s scored 42 goals and conceded only 18. Overall there were some exce llent results . In t he EHA Cup round 2 there was a comfortable win of 8-1 against Petersfield Hockey Club. Unfortunately we were knocked out by Felsted , but put in an excellent effort with a come back after having been 4-0 down at half t ime. If the team had played in the first ha lf as they did in the second it would have been a different story. The U15 team have made my first term at King's a very positive and enjoyable one. Their biggest asset is that they play very effectively as a team . Their understanding of t he defence and building t hrough the midfield and fo rward line have improved throughout the term. As individuals they have made excellent progress in their level of skil l in bea t ing a player, moving around the pitch and spatial awareness. They are very fo rtunate to have an outstanding captain in Kiri Barker, who not only

holds her own in centre midfield position , but is also very organised and has displayed excellent leadersh ip skills. Kiri has been very closely supported by Katy Taylor the Vice-Captain. Charlotte Sayer and Megan Williams have been the most improved pl ayers of the season, Lola Player of the Season and Kiri and Julia top goal scorers. Congratulations to Lola, Kiri, Julia and Sarah who were selected to play in the U16 team . They have reached the National finals which will take place in March and I wish them

Results Played 14, Won 9, drew 3, lost 2 Goals for 42, against 18 v Epsom College

(H)

v St Edmund's School

(H)

v St Lawrence College (A) v Petersfield HC {Cup)

{A)

v Felsted

(H)

v Cranbrook

{A)

v Eastbourne College

(H)

v Sevenoaks

(H)

v Sutton Valence

(A)

v Felsted ( Cup )

(A)

all the best. KJ The team bega n the season as a group of skilled indivi dual players but as the term progressed we developed our ability to work together. This is due largely to our coach Miss Jen kinso n who hi!? in t roduced us to new tactics an effective skills ena bling us to become an almost unbeaten team . The whole team deserves congratulations: Charlie and Megan for their sprint wing play, Ju lia for her useful pick ups, Katy, Kiri and Pippa for thei r skills; working together, backing up the defence and aiding the attack. The defence worked well together as a strong unit wit h Amena, Rosalind, Sop hie, Li zzie, Alice, Harriet, Charlotte and Sarah . The last line of defence wa s our goalkeeper Lola, who has had a tremendous season. We have had a relati vely large squa d involving many subs on and off the pitch . However, during the games, we adjusted we ll to the team changes and continued to play together with strength and determination. After a fantastic season, there appear to have been improvements all round. Ki ri Barker (captain) Team: Kiri Barker (Captain ), Alice Beattie, Julia Brooks, Charli Crosland, Elizabeth Fitzsimmons, Amena lmasekha , Harriet Jones, Sophie Middleton, Charlotte Sayer, Lola Soyode, Katy Taylor (ViceCaptain), Pippa Tregear, Rosalind Webber, Sa rah We lby, Megan Williams

(H) v City of London Free mens' v Sir Roger Manwood's (H) v Brentwood

(A)

v Kent College

(H)

U15

Won 3-1 Won 5-0 Won 1-0 Won 8-1 Drew 0Won 3-0 Lost 0-9 Drew 1-1 Won 2-0 Lost 3-4 Drew 1-1 Won 2-0 Won 2-1 Won 11-0

ÂˇsÂˇ XI

The U15 'B' team have worked exceptionally hard and have improved a great deal throughout the season. A big thank you goes to Sa rah D'Ardenne, our coach from Australia, who has introduced effective team plays and encouraged an d helped each individual member of the team to improve their level of skills. Amanda Harrison and Julia Bird have been the most improved players thro ughout the season, Anna Broxup played in the centre midfield position and is player of the seaso n and Poppy Mitchell and Vickie Botana were top goal scorers. The U15 'B's have had a very strong forward line with Kim, Vickie, Diana and Poppy. The midfield players Anna, Catrina, Claire and Holly have supported both the forwards and the defence units extremely well. Julia Dickson, playing in centre defence has really held the defence unit together with the help of Flora, Amanda, Lucy, Julia and Carina. Arabella has attended all extra goalkeeping sessions with an outside coach and has improved her level of performance throughout the season. We

have had a large squad of players which ha s invol ved lots of 'subbing' in and out. The players have coped extremel y well, adapting their playing skills and understa nding of the game's tactics and strategies. Overall a very enthusiastic team with endless amounts of effort and en erg y. KJ We played exceptionally well this year. We have worked well together as a team, pl ayed more matches than last year and improved thro ughout the season. We won 8 matches and only lost two: one against Cranbrook and the other against Duke of York's. Our passing has become much stronger and we are now spreading the ball from one wing to the other. We have scored many goals and ce lebrated many victories. We ha ve been extremely privileged to have Miss D'Ardenne who has come over from Australia to coach us and who has bee n a great help. The team have played amazingly well this season and I have very much enjoyed being the Captain. Kim Bailey (Captain) Team: Kim Bailey (Captain), Julia Bird, Vickie Botana, Anna Broxup, Holly Clapp, Fl ora Cooke, Julia Dickson, Ha nnah Fryatt, Diana Goyder, Amanda Harrison, Carina King, Poppy Mitchell, Catrina Ramsay (Vice Captain), Claire Rumbellow, Lucy Wells, Arabella Willing.

Results Pl ayed 10, Won 8, lost 2. Goals for 34, aga inst 8. v Espom College

v Duke of York's 'A'

v King's Rochester 'A' H v Sevenoaks

v Cranbrook

v Felsted

v Dover College 'A'

v Eastbourne College

v City of London Free mens' v Ursuline College 'A'

H H

Won 5-0 Lost 0-1 Won 3-0 Won 6-1 Lost 3-6 Won 2-0 Won 3-0 Won 1-0 Won 3-0 Won 8-0

U14.A'XI

Results

Having coached at 1st XI level for the last four years, I must admit to approaching this season with some trepidation. Where does one start with an under 14 group? Clearly I needn't ha ve worried. This group of unde r 14s has been hugely talented, enthusiastic and quick to learn, A and B team alike. The team has, to a certa in extent, been dominated by individual players : Ka triona Pengelley, Lucy LeighPemberton an d Tiffany Landale. These thre e, wh o all represent Ken t and the School Under 16 team, ha ve made an enormous contribution, but the rest of the team ha ve supported them abl y, and played some quite exceptional hockey in their absen ce. Unfortunately, man y games were simply not a challenge. The team won some of their match es with enormou s margins and withou t playing parti cularly good hockey. It was the game against Eastbourne, which they lost, and the draw against Felsted, which told the most about this team. We had a full squad for Fel sted and within 10 minutes found oursel ves 3-0 down. A huge amount of running and a great deal more determination resulted in an end score of 4-4 in what was a ph ysically very tough game, an d one which we could have won given another fi ve minutes. Against Eastbourne, missing Pengelley, Leigh Pemberton and Landale, the two teams played some outstanding passing hockey. It was en d to end stuff, great entertainment for the umpires and the spectators, and led by stand in captain Rosie Cocksworth, the girls never gave up. The fact that 20 girls have played more than two games for the 'A' team this season shows just how good the strength and depth of this under 14 year group is. SAB Team: Chelsea Bain, Anna Brown, Sophie Clark, Rosie Cocksworth, Lucy Egleton, Sophia Gerth, Emma Healy, Caroline Hobbs, Bella Hussey, Tope lmasekha , Rosanna James, Tiffany Landale, Lucy LeighPemberto n, Fiona Levey, Katie Mackinnon, Polly Mills, Jo Moncrieffe, Nicola Redstone, Katriona Pengel ley (Captain), Emily Reilly.

Played 8, won 6, drew 1, lost 1. Goals for 52, against 7. v Epsom College

(A)

v St Lawrence College

(H)

v Felsted

(A)

v Cranbrook

{H)

v Eastbourne College

(H)

v Sutton Valence

(H)

v City of London Free mens' v Kent College

(H)

U14

(A)

Won 12-0 Won 15-0 Drew 4-4 Won 1-0 Lost 0-1 Won 9-0 Won 4-0 Won 7-2

ÂˇsÂˇ XI

In any other school, and probably in most year groups here, most of these girls would have been playing 'A' team hockey, and many of them have played for the 'A' team at some point during the term. They have pla yed some outstanding passi ng hockey, and defeated the A teams from a number of other schools. They are also the onl y team to have won every single match . Above all though they have worked and enthused and loved their hockey, and they have been a del ight to coach. The Captain, Che lsea Ba in, has been an outstandi ng leader, organiser and encourager, and as sweeper, must take a great deal of credit for the superb defensive record: the team have conceded onl y 3 goals in 9 matches. It would be easy to write something about each player, such has been their im provement as individua ls and a unit, but this report would then go on for ever! Suffice to say that coaching them has been a privi lege and an enjoyment, and I hope that whoever is lucky enoug h to coach this team next year rea lises just how lucky they are! SAB Team : Chelsea Bain (Captain), Gigi Barker, Anna Brown,' Phil ippa Butler, Sophie Clark, Isabel Coles, Sarah Erridge, Catherine Gabriel, Pam Gent, Sop hia Gerth, Emma Healy, Caroline Hobbs, Lucy Hunter Johnston, Bella Hussey, Rosanna James, Harriet Johnston, Letty Mclaren , Po lly Mills, Jo Moncrieffe, Yoshino Ohshima,

Nicola Redstone, Phoebe Roberts, Sophie Roper, Emily Schurr.

Results Played 9, Won 9. Goals for 31, against 5. v Epsom Co llege

(H)

v Duke of York's 'A'

(A)

v Felsted

(A)

v Cranbrook

(H)

v Eastbourne College

(A)

v City of London Free mens' v Wellesley U13s

(H)

v Sir Roger Manwood's 'A'

(A)

v Sevenoaks A/B

(H)

Won 12-0 Won 3-0 Won 3-0 Won 1-0 Won 1-0 Won 1-0 Won 2-0 Won 5- 1 Won 3-2

Badminton This wi ll be a brief report because the Lent term is the main Badminton season at King 's. I would like to f irstly thank Edward St ri lesky our outside coach who has been with the team on every match occasion. He is extremely comm itted and has always been there to encourage and help players improve the ir level of performance. I would also like to t hank Miss Astin, Mrs Garces- Ramon and Mr Outram for their help, suppo rt and expertise during the Badminton Club this term .

0 0

Badminton players continues and we produce another successful season.

We have had a fairly successf ul season , playing four matches, winning two and losing two and coming 3rd Place in the East Kent Badminton Tournament. The players have individually improved throughout the season. They are very focused and some also practise in their own t ime too. We have one girl's pair, Cat herine Chuck and Ksenia Doudareva, who have convincing ly won both their matches. I would like to see more girls involved in the Badminton team next year. Boys' 1st Pair Henry Lo and Edward Chuck have competed against some strong sides and have done exceptiona lly we ll. Boys' 2nd Pair, Kenneth Tung and Tom Mi ller and Wil l Harbottle, Charles Rix, Ami t Kausha l, Gordon Ho, Tony Sze have been moving between 3rd and 4th pa irs. I hope the commitment and enthusiasm amongst the

Team: Henry Lo, Edward Chuck, Tom Mi ller, Kenneth Tung, Tony Sze, Wil l Harbottle, Am it Kaushal, Gordon Ho, Charles Rix, Catherine Chuck, Ksenia Doudareva

Results v St Lawrence College H Won 9 rubbers to 1 H Lost v Bethany 2 rubbers to 14 v St Lawrence College A Won 3 rubbers to 2 v Gravesend

H Lost 0 rubbers to 10

Bethany Badminton Tournament A 3r.d place

;."

Senior Boys House Basketball Wednesday evenings at the Rec Centre 6:15- 7:00pm saw the Houses battling it out over the term . The two poo ls saw some unexpected results in close games with The Grange (holders and favourites) being defeated in their first game by Marlowe, who were the surprise "package" of the competition. Marlowe however, lost to Galpin's in a pool match, but gained revenge for that defeat in the final. In pool B, Meister Omers won all their games, although it was very close aga inst School House, a winning margin of just two points. However in the sem i- finals, Meister Omers were outgunned by Marlowe and Tradescant's five players were no match for the ful l bench of Galpin's. The fina l saw the team play of Marlowe, with Tom Rans ley, Blain McGuigan and Matthew Reil ly overcome the height advantage of Galpin's and the individua l play of Jon ny Stubbs. Desp ite t he retirement of Stephen Wetheral l after just 3 minutes of t he final who had to be taken by ambulance to hospita l when it was suspected that he had broken his ankle, Marlowe passed the ball more effectively and in Tom Ransley, had the most accomp lished player on court. My thanks to RCW, KJ, CR and the Gap Assistants, Andrew Mclean and Terence Zengerink for their help wi t h officiating.

SEA

Resu lts Pool A Pool B Marlowe beat The Grange 15-14, Tradescant beat School House 9-5, Galpin's beat Linacre 17-15, Tradescant beat Mitchinson 's 16-9, Ga lpin 's beat Ma rlowe 6-4, Meister Omers beat School House 9-7, The Grange beat Linacre 14-9, Meiste r Omers beat Mitchinson's w/o, Galpin's beat The Grange 17- 12, Meister Omers beat Tradescant 17-9, Mar lowe beat Li nacre w/o, School House beat Mitchinson's 12-9 Semi-Fina ls: Gal pins beat Tradescant 26-4 Marlowe beat Meister Omers 13-9 Final: Marlowe beat Ga lpin's 14-6

Sculling Our calendar for the usually quiet Au t umn Term was jam-packed with events right from the start with the plan being to get as much rac ing practice as possib le after a relat ive ly lazy summer holiday. The though t amongst us al l was that the necessary fitness wou ld just, well, follow ! Catherine Horne set the standard at the first head at Medway by winn ing her sing le categories on the 3.5 km stretch of reasonab ly bendy but calm water. A load of first time scullers were also entered at the event and after capsizing at the start, t he much-admired Emma Hamilton st ill managed to finish the race in a good time. Charlotte Greenwood and Ju li a Hu lme also showed potent ial at their first sing les event and kept up wit h the other speedier members of the girls' top squad . The single scull event was great practice for al l The Boat Club, helping us to develop our techn iques for when squad races demanded our overa ll efficiency as crews later in the year. Thi s came in the form of the Kingston Head on 11th November when there were enough female fo llowers of the sport to put several quads together. Gorgeous weather psyched us all up for the longest course of the term at 5.5 km . Our stamina and steering were rea lly tested, especia ll y for the large number of novices. We came away without any significant achievements, but were encouraged by the experience, knowing

Girls VIII with Dr. Taylor at the Cambridge Head that many other schools' crews had been disqualified during the race by pass ing the wrong .side of an awkwardly positioned island . Tiffin Sma ll Boats Head was not long after on exactly the same course as Kingston, so we confidently packed ourselves into almost every division imaginable, willing to demonstrate our fami liarity. Libby Evera ll, Catherine Horne and Julia Hulme were ente red into the women 's singles, with the two seniors coming 6th and 7th out of an impressive group of 11 boat clubs. Two quads were aIso entered into the J16 and Senior categories but with medium successes, probably due to the fatigue of doing the course twice and racing their second round tr ip of 10 km! The J15 doub le did, however, succeed in coming 3rd out of 5 - this included Charlotte Greenwood and Rosanna Tennant who were, at that time, relatively new to the sport.

The most exciting weekend of the whole term has to have been Cambridge Winter Head on 17th November, the day before Docklands' Small Boats Head. With very little row ing practice, t he top sq uad members of the girls were thrown into an eight that was to race with Diccon Harvey as Cox. Competing with university crews, we managed a pretty good 5th position out of 13 with an overal l placing of 86 out of 180 competitors- a brilliant victory overa ll for the oldies and the novices and a rea l boost for our half of the Boat Club's morale! A smaller group got up at the crack of dawn the following day to race at the Dock lands. Three doubles were entered and the course was actua lly quite pleasant- 3km straight on almost f lat, calm water. Nicola Carey (stroke) and Lucinda Ashenden won their J16 category together with the J18 double, composed of Julia Hulme (stroke) and

Catherine Horne. The J18s managed to be the fastest double of eight crews, includ ing a mixed double, and completely overtook the Arding ly Boat Club during t he race. The infamous Poplar were also wiped off the board that day and we came 18th out of 48 participants overa ll! After a last minute cancel lation on the final weekend before Christmas, the whole Boat Club were shipped off to Eton to have a kind of "friendly" battle on their part of the river. A lot of Great Britain crews were training on the newly bui lt Dorney Lake next door, so we were spurred on by the dream of better futures! It may seem a little odd and somewhat ambitious to some that the girls went along to the boys' school event. Howeve r, we did manage to beat quite a few of the opposite sex in both divisions that had been set up especially for us. Katie Herbert (Stroke) and Connie Pidoux bravely

Diccon Harvey coxing girls VIII at Cambridge

I attempted a pair on the fast moving water course and all in all the day was an excellent experience- for racing and for stream navigation. The frost we had acquired on our boats and fingers by the time we had finished de-rigging hinted that Christmas wasn't far off. The Lent term was looked upon with anticipation and confidence after so many encouraging races during the term and we think most people would agree that the girls have shown themselves to be enormously determined in their rowing. Catherine Horne (capt.) and Julia Hulme

Lucinda Ashenden and Nicola Carey at Docklands

Catherine Horne and Julia Hulme

Sailing

Elizabeth Watts

THE CANTUARIAN Vol. LXVI No.2

Contents page

Editorial

This and That

Obituary

Points of View

Focus

Expeditions

Correspondence

Creative Writing

Reports and Reviews

Societies and Activities

Sport

The Cantuarian Editorial committee: Alex Fielding, Owen Ross, Catherine McDonogh, Diana Francis, Mollie Maltby, Lee Rigley, Jane Berry, Kate Burrett, Cecily Alder, Will Hill

Editorial This Lent term saw the Royal visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the Maundy Service in the Cathedral. It was an event that caught much attention amongst the public and the press. What does the royal visit mean to The King's School as a community? The King's School has a long-standing traditional link to the royal family. We are indeed the King's School Canterbury and have royal connections within the foundations of the school. Royal presence is everywhere within the history of the buildings, and can be seen even today in Meister Omers, where the entrance hall is decorated with the arms of Queen Elizabeth, which suggests that she may have been entertained there. In 1946, after the Second World War, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth listened to a Latin speech of welcome by the Captain of School. The King replied in English and

Matthew McArdle

presented the new Charter to the school. Royal traditions did not stop there. 12th June 1957 marked Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's opening of the Great Hall, which was later to become the Shirley Hall. The Queen Mother returned to the school on a number of occasions including a meeting with Canon Shirley in 1962, the year he retired. On June 24th 1981 the Queen Mother paid her fourth visit to King's. She opened the new Luxmoore House and inaugurated Mitchinson's House. The long-standing tradition between the Royal Family and the King's School could not be more eminent. As the monarchy represents both change and continuity, so does the sc ~9ol. Britain gave up an empire, an d' the . . ~ monarchy has 1n her history been sadly affected by the death of the Queen

Mother. Similarly, the school and the Cathedral are continually changing, with the appointment of the new Dean and Archbishop of Canterbury, new staff and new activities. Fresh ideas and faces are as ever abundant and as time turns, the School sees the subtle changes in the sport's teams most recent kit, or the new Young Enterprise projects, which are welcomed and enhance the development of the school. Paradoxically there is great continuity within the school. The academic atmosphere is much the same as it has ever been, even though the exam system has changed . There will continuously be the emphasis on a wholehearted approach to every challenge accepted within King's, whether it is academic, sportive or recreational. It is a community, which represents both radical change and continuity, as reflected in the Monarchy.

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Requiescant

We record with sadness the deaths of Kemlo and Susannah Gross. Kern, who died in February at the age of 96, taught Classics from 1945 to 1969, ran the C.C.F. (and was awarded the O.B.E. for his work), and was Housemaster of School House from 1947 to 1952. Although he retired in 1969, he continued to live a vigorously active life. He maintained his connections with the School, not least with his Fordwich Typesetting enterprise, which printed the Calendar as well as musical and theatrical programmes for many years. In addition, he was Secretary of the O.K.S. Association, as well as Secretary and Treasurer of the O.K.S. Trust. An obituary tribute appears on page 6. His widow Su died four weeks later at the age of 92. The couple had celebrated their diamond wedding last year. Our condolences go to their children, Charlie, Lizzie Shirreff and Philippa Nice, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren. Two other former members of staff, Anthony Berridge (1952-5 and 1956-61) and David George (1960-3), died in late 2001. 'Ben' Berridge, who taught History, was Housemaster of Riversleigh and of Galpin's, and went on to Toynbee Hall and a career in social work. David George left King's to join the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (later the British Antarctic Survey), before spending many years teaching Physics at Cheltenham College.

Friends

In January we welcomed Dr Richard Goodenough of Christ Church University College, well known to habitues of Polo Farm, and Mr Philip Turner, familiar to all from J.K.S., who both helped out in the Geography Department in the Lent and Summer Terms. This term we welcomed the Venerable Patrick Evans, formerly Archdeacon of Maidstone, as the new Archdeacon of Canterbury and hence both a neighbour and a Governor, and Mr Matthew Martin, the new Assistant Organist at the Cathedral, who has been doing some teaching in the Music Department.

Neighbours

In January, we welcomed visitors from Markham College, Lima, Peru, and in March we entertained hockey and squash teams from Hilton College, South Africa - both schools with which we now have well-established friendly relations. The usual variety of more or less educational trips took place at half term, or at other convenient times: the History of Art Department went on a grand tour to Rome; the Geography Department investigated Leeds; the Shells made their annual excursion to Ypres and the Western Front (and a chocolate factory); and the Music Department (and some guests) enjoyed a production of Tosca by the Compagnia d'Opera Ita Iiana di Milano at the Marlowe Theatre. Reports of many of these events appear on later pages.

Home and Away

Congratu Ia tory Assembly

Congratulations to .. . the Girls' Under 16 hockey team, who finished third in the national finals at Milton Keynes.

... Ronjoy Sanyal (MT). who won a gold medal at the British Biology Olympiad - the School's second gold in two years. Jimmy Kwok (GR) won a silver medal, Julia Hulme (MT) a bronze, and Gemma Cunningham (MT) and Elizabeth Watts (JR) were highly commended. ... the Fencing Club, which won one gold and six silver medals at the Great Britain Schools' Team Championships. Harriet Johnston (WL), Hannah Robinson (WL) and Emily Schurr (HH) were the victorious trio in the girls' Under 14 Epee. The team also came th ird in the Public Schools Fencing Competition. ... the Swimming Club, which won three gold medals at the Kent Schools' Championships: Alex Siu (TR), Haukur Heimisson (TR), James Coulson (MT) and Anthony Teale (GL) in the senior medley relay, Alex Siu in the senior breaststroke (both in record times) and Alfred Siu (TR) in the intermediate breaststroke. ... Stuart Finlayson (GL), who completed five seasons in the hockey First Eleven, the last two as Captain, having played in a record 103 matches and scored over 60 goals. His number 13 shirt was ceremonially 'retired'. ... the Senior Boys Cross Country team, which came first in each of the Lent Term's seven Kent League races.

Golden Oldies

A recent edition of Cam, the alumni magazine of Cambridge Un iversity, featured a long article on the Finn twins, Ben and Jonathan (SH 1982-6), and their invaluable and highly successful musical software Sibelius (named after the most famous musical Finn). By a felicitous coincidence, Ysenda Maxtone Graham (SH 1978-80) appeared on the same page, as the author of The Real Mrs Miniver. Same sc~~ol, same house .. . Ysenda and Christopher Matthew (SH 1952-7)- note the house, again -were guest speakers at t he Oldie lunch tt is Spring. Ysenda was talking about her grandmother (see above), and Christopher about his popula r poetry collection Now We Are Sixty and his latest Simon Crisp book, Knocking On. Oliver Ford Davies (LN 1952-57) received many favou rable reviews playing the title role in the Almeida Theatre Company production of King Lear. A party from the School was profoundly moved by his performance and impressed by one of the wettest theatrical storms on record . Among other O.K.S. whose activities have attracted our attention are 'Jimmy' James (H 1928-32), who was featured in Anton Gill's recently pub Iished book on The Great Escape; Hugh Pritchard (MT 1981 - 5), who achieved his ambition of participating in the Winte r Olympics at Salt Lake City as a member of the biathlon relay team ; Crispin Comonte (MT 1988-91), who rowed across the Atlantic with his brother in the 2001 Ward Evans Atlantic Racing Challenge and raised nearly ÂŁ50,000 for the Cancer Research Campaign; and Gawain Barnard (MR 1973-77), who completed the 17th 'Marathon des Sables'- a six stage, seven day international foot race through the desert of Morocco, in which the competitors carry all their own food and gear- and raised some ÂŁ30,000 for Downs Syndrome and African charities. Her Majesty the Queen chose to honour Canterbury in her Jubilee Year with her first 'return visit' to an English Cathedral fo r the Maundy ceremony. The School played a significant role in the day's events. The Headmaster, the Lower Master and the Scholars, as members of the Foundation, participated in the service, and the Queen spoke to many of the latter in the Green Court afterwards. A reception was then held in the Common Room - 'it's like walking into a night club', the Duke of Edinburgh is reported to have said, as he went down the stairsbefore a lunch for invited guests in the Dining Room. The red carpet was literally rolled out (and glued down) for the occasion - and it is still there. A full report of the day's events appears on page 9.

Maundy Thursday

Our royal guests also signed the Schoo l visitors' book- more Latin, to the disapproval of the Duke it is, once more, alleged. For the record, the co lou rfu I inscription reads:

REGINA ANNO IVBILAEO CANTVARIAM VT SOLLEMNES DIEI CENAE AD MANDATVM ELEMOSYNAS DISTRIBVERET ADVECTA VNA CVM DVCE EDINBVRGI CONCLAVE EORVM COMMVNE OVI IN HAC SCHOLA REGIA APVD CANTVARIENSES DOCENT PRAESENTIA SVA HONORAVIT. A suggested translation is : 'The Queen, having come to Canterbury in the year of her Jubilee to distribute the customary Maundy Thursday alms, together with the Du ke of Edinburgh honoured by her presence the King's School Common Room: The death of Queen El izabeth, the Queen Mother, brought back memories of her long association with the School. She had visited us no less than four times between 1946 and 1981. There are plaques on the Shirley Hall, Lu xmoore and Mitchinson's to commemorate some of these occasions. The School was indirectly associated with t he fune ra l ceremonies. Canon David Marshall (SH 1976-80), Senior Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, carried the Cross of Cante rbury in Westminster Abbey. In addition, William De Rouet (BR 1985-89), sometime Equerry to Her Majesty, was much in demand for his reminiscences of the 100th birthday letter- opening incident.

The Queen Mother

Kin g's Cross

A specially commissioned sterling silver Canterbury cross was used for the first time at the head of the Scholars' procession and presented to the Queen by the Senior Chaplain on Maundy Thursday. Its La tin inscription was written by Andrew Maynard (W 1972-76), now Head of Classics at Eton College, with some help from the Sch oo l Archivist.

AD SE MPITERNI DEl GLORIAM UT PROPTER EXEMPLUM REGINAE INSIGNIS PIETATE REDDANTUR GRATES UTOUE CRUCIS MEMORES EXEMPLUM SIBI HAB EANT DISCIPULI ANN O REGNI OUINOUAGENSIMO SALUTIS MMII . For those who need a translation, the following may suffice : 'To the Glory of the Everlasting God . So that thanks might be given for the exa mple of the Queen, renowned for her outstanding dutifulness, and so that pupils, mindful of the Cross, might set an example to themse lves. In th e fiftieth year of her reign and of our salvation 2002:

Our Prime Num ber

The Times Educational Supplement of 14 December, 2001, had a 'Prime Numbers' feature on independent schools. 597 was identified as the 'year in which King 's School, Canterbu ry was founded, making it the oldest school in Britain'. Their illustration showed some pupils in front of the Norman Staircase. We make no comment on their history, or their mathematics.

Home Movie

On Thursday 14 March, the School sponsored a showing of A Canterbury Tale (1944) at the Odeon Cinema . This intensely personal wartime film is one of the masterpieces directed by Michael Powell (191 6-19). Its mystical evocation of Englishness ends, of course, with emotionally charged journeys through bomb-ravaged Canterbury, lead ing to t he Cathedral. The event was part of the Kent International Film Festival.

Just So

We were pleased to receive a 'first day cover', produced by Mr Raymond Best of Whitstable, to celebrate the centenary of the publication of the Just So Stories. The cover features a photograph of Kip ling, accompanied by Headmaster Norman Birley, at the opening of the new Junior School at Sturry (Milner) Court in 1929.

Fine Books

The Library was delighted to receive through the post a copy of An Illustrated Manual of British Birds (1889), originally borrowed over fifty years ago, and now returned, with an excessively generous se lf-imposed fine, by Tony Holley (WL 1945-9). The gift was used, appropriately, to acquire a copy of the splendidly illustrated New Encyclopaedia of Mammals, which includes a contribution by Dr Holley. Other borrowers please note.

Beau -mond e

Sholto Byrnes (SH 1985-90) attracted attention in a characteristically flamboyant manner by being photographed in a bow tie to illustrate his own article - 'On the trail of the tricky dicky' - for The Independent of February 4th, Sholto asserted that the bow tie look "suits only eccentric academics and elderly violin teachers". Who can he have meant?

Centre of Excellence

The School has now been officially designated a Centre of Excellence- for fencing - by the British Fencing Organisation. The Maurice Milner Memorial Hall has thus been the venue for training weekends run by the leading Hungarians Zsolt Nemeth, Peter Frohlich and Gabor Dognar, and the School also hosted the Great Britain Schools' Team Championships.

Obituary In Memoriam.

many instances. And she brought up a family there.

Lt. Col. Kemlo Abbot Cronin Gross, OBE, ERD, TD

When Galpin's became a separate House in 1952, Kem and Su moved to Fordwich, to the aptly named Friendly Hall. This they made into a most hospitable home, Kem even installing a perfectly sprung dance floor (he was a very skilled craftsman in wood). Su, naturally, took on the expected village duties: Meals-on-Wheels, Girl Guides (she became Rural District Commissioner, no less) and, yes, the Conservative Association.

and Mrs Susannah Marian Duncan Gross, nee Law. It seemed right, somehow, that death did not separate Kem and Su for more than a few weeks. He died on 17 February 2002, aged 96, and she on 21 March, aged 92. As Sir Henry Wotton wrote, some centuries ago, He first deceased; she for a little tried To live without him:liked it not, and died.

They lived long enough to celebrate their Diamond Wedding anniversary in 2001, an occasion marked by their sixteen descendants at the splendid party by a tour de force of versification. It had been composed on the backs of envelopes only a few hours before being performed: but, then, both Kem and Su could think very fast and improvise in masterly fashion. More plodding souls sometimes felt that they had had a lot of practice at this: especially Kem, who was brilliant at extricating those in his charge from MMFUs not always created by others.

When Kem retired from teaching, in 1969, he first re-trained as a computer programmer. He had a fine l ~gical brain but a certain thought-outpa ing-words quality ensured that his explanation of what this work entailed could have gone unaltered into a stand-up comics routine. Later he set up Fordwich Typesetting which grew into a very successful business. Among other work, Kem printed the Scholarship Examination papers for both King's and Tonbridge. There were no leaks. He was also a skilled bee-keeper and, from their wax, a maker of highly sought-after furniture polish. It was a tragedy for several stately home housekeepers when, after many years, he set fire to Su's kitchen while cooking up the mixture and decided to call it a day.

Educated at Marlborough, Jesus College, Cambridge and at Westcott House, Kem taught in Japan and later in England before the war. He went with the BEF to France, returning via Dunkirk, and ended his war in South East Asia in anti-Japanese Intelligence: he had learned the language when in the country.

Kem also became the first Hon. Secretary of the O.K.S. Association who was not educated at King's; and he administered the O.K.S. Trust and Benevolent Fund for many years. This essential work is not invariably thrilling or rewarding but 'someone has to do it'. Who better than a man with Kem's old fashioned sense of duty?

Kem joined King's in 1945 to teach English and Classics. In 1947 he became Housemaster of School House and also assumed command of the JTC (now CCF) contingent. School House in those days included what is now Galpin's and it was by far the largest House in the School. The task of making it, in post-war austerity, a home for sometimes more than one hundred boys (not to mention 'old Sopwith', later founding Housemaster of Galpin's) fell to Su. She did it well, with touches of no-nonsense Yorkshire directness and the help of a domestic staff whose friendship continued long into old age in

When Kem and Su decided that they no longer needed the relatively large Friendly Hall they moved to Friendly Lodge, a smaller house which Kem designed and helped to build in the grounds. There they made a beautiful garden -less idle people cannot be imagined -and continued in their hospitable ways. For their last few years they lived at 2, Yew Tree Gardens, a bungalow in Fordwich, where visitors would have to look out for speeding Zimmer frames: Kem's a state-of-the-art model, not cheap, and Su's a rougher one which somehow never got returned to the NHS

which loaned it originally. When Kem was 90, the School honoured him by inviting him to plant a tree in Galpin's garden to mark the occasion . A suitably inscribed plaque was placed alongside. Perhaps by associating their lives with us, it was Kem and Su who bestowed honour on the School. Paul Pollak

Points of View Thoughts for St. Patrick's Day Celebrating the feast day of St. Patrick, th e Patron Saint of Ireland, during the t ime of Lent, we can draw several messages concerning the spiritual preparation which is important during t his season leading up to Holy Week and Easter. As with many of the saints who lived in times and places where few re cords were kept, we know relatively little of the historical figure of St. Patrick, and there is a considerable amount of legend surrounding him. However, it is possible to recognise some images familiarly associated with him which can guide our Lenten contemplations. Firstly, St. Patrick is associated with a symbol which has become a symbol of Ireland itself: the shamrock. St. Patrick used the shamrock, with its distinctive three leaves, in his mission to the Irish to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How, though, is this particularly relevant to Lent? If we look at the reason for which St. Patrick chose the shamrock, we may see; as a plant common throughout Ireland, the entirety of his audience would have known it at once by sight. It was because of this familiarity that St. Patrick used it as an illustration of the unfamiliar message that he was preaching. Its message to us is that we must strive to see the divine in all our life, even in the most mundane experiences, for if we can recognise God in what is most familiar to us, we will be able to appreciate more fully the importance of the great events for which we are preparing, culminating in the celebration of Easter Day. The second important image associated with St. Patrick is that of the snake. One of the most famous legendary tales about him is that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland; apparently, there were never really any snakes to drive out, and so unlike the first image, this is part of the legend which has grown around St. Patrick! However, we can see that it may have a metaphorical truth, as he came to co nvert the Irish, and in doing so, he drove out the unbel.ief that was, like the snakes, undesirable. If we are to use the time of Lent for contemplation on our

own religion, we should try to do as St. Patrick did to the metaphorical snakes within ourselves. We should look into our characters and natures, and drive out all that is undesirable- all those parts of us which may be selfish, spiteful or dishonest. These two of the most famous images associated with the figure of St. Patrick can give us guidance during this season in which his feast day is so appropriately placed. They focus us on the two central relationships in our lives: our relationship with God, and our relationships with each other. Therefore, in our time of prayer and contemplation, let us look for God in all that is around us every day, as St. Patrick did with the shamrock, and let us drive out all that is ungodly within ourselves, as St. Patrick did to the snakes of Ireland. If we can do this, we will be follow ing his example, and we will be preparing ourselves well for worship during the holy time which approaches. Alexander Shannon (MR)

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The Queen's Maundy Thursday Visit t o Canterbury For the second time the Queen attended th e Maundy Service in Canterbury Ca thedral, which marks Canterbury on th e map as the only city ever to have two Maundy services. The first of these was in 1965, and the second in 2002 was in t ime with her golden jubilee. During the se rvice the Queen awards Maundy money, which is in two bags, red and white. The red contains ordinary money, with a value of fifty pence to mark the fifty years of the reign, and the white contains special silver coins. What was especially noted was that two of the people to receive this Maundy money, have very close connections to the school. Canon Ingram-Hill, who was ninety recently, founded the Grange, and during his life has been involved in King's as an OKS, a parent, a governor and his portrait hangs proudly in the Shirley Hall. The second man known to King's was Canon Ferdy Philips, a Welshman who lives within the Cathedral precincts and is very distinguished for his war record . The School commissioned Henwood Church Supplies, near Folkestone to manufacture two replica "Canterbury Crosses" one 13" Dia in Silver Plated Brass as a Processional Cross and one 3" Dia in Sterling Silver, to be presented to Her Majesty on her visit to the Cathedral to distribute the Royal Maundy money. The order for the Silver Cross was placed o_n Monday 18th March and designed, manufactured, engraved, enamelled and delivered by Tuesday 26th March 2002. The cross itself was found is excavation around the Cathedral and has been symbolic for the foundation of the school. The processional cross was used during the service and attracted much royal attention. King's was the host of the royal drinks in the staff common room and lunch in the dining hall. On entering the Common Room the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly said to the High Sheriff Robert Neame "Where are Âˇ we going now? Is this a nightclub!?" It was here that the Queen signed the visitors book, which was set on a table besides the Abbot Foche's Grace Cup, which is made of a coconut shell and dates back to the 1920s. The Duke of Edinburgh inquisitively picked it up and waving it in the air demanded what it was. Having signed the guest book the

Queen took a liking to the pen and placed in her handbag. Unfortunately this meant that when the Duke of Edinburgh came to sign the guest book there was no pen for him to use. The Bursar handed him a pen of his own, which he signed the guest book with before placing it in his pocket! The scholars lined the wall between the Common Room and the undercroft, and the Queen passed them on the way to her lunch. She was presented with flowers by Ellen and Poppy Arvidsson (Father Fred's daughters), which had been picked from their grandfather's garden that morning. They were going to present them to her as she passed by the deanery but the Queen spotted the girls with their little bunches of flowers and asked if they were for her. A red carpet had been placed up the stairs to the dining hall for fear of her safety but the Queen never set foot upon it, as she entered the dining hall via the rear staircase for security reasons. The organisation of her meal cannot be

underestimated. Starters were pre-laid on the table each facing the same way; all cutleries had been buffed, shined and set in perfect order. Here the Queen enjoyed her meal of Watercress, Potato and Bacon Salad as a starter, Chargrilled Dover Sole served with Asparagus as a main course, and Garden of England Pears with Ginger ice cream as desert. All catering requirements were catered for, from vegetarians to the royal who is unable to eat pink fish. The Green Court area was open to the public for ticket holders only. Tight security was in operation. The front windows of Mitchinson's were blacked out, as extensive bag checks were carried out inside. Everything was planned and carried out to the letter including Portaloos around the Green Court. The royal visit claimed much attention, in the local newspapers in the 2002 Conference and Common Room front page. Mollie Maltby

Oppposite Page: Poppy and Ellen Arviddson presenting flowers to Her Maj esty The Queen .

Ki ng's Breaks Science Record For the fourth year running, a pupil at Th e King's School has been selected to re present the United Kingdom at the prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Jonathan KavanaghPa tel (18) will be spending the summer researching at the Institute and is just on e of eight students in the whole of the UK to win the ÂŁ4000 award. Th e Weizmann Institute is dedicated to bringing together talented youngsters from all over the world to experience the challenges and rewards of scientific research. Based at Rehovot, 14 miles south of Tel Aviv and 35 miles west of Jerusalem, the Institute has a 300 acre campus, inaugurated in 1949, and is devoted to research and teaching of natural sciences. It bears the name of Chaim Weizmann - the scientist and statesman who became the first president of Israel and of the Institute itself. A staff of 2400 are involved in some 850 science projects. Each summer, since 1969, about 75 gifted pre-university students, aided by this scholarship, from Europe, Asia, the Am ericas and Israel get the opportunity

to work in small groups with research teams spanning the entire breadth of areas at the forefront of current interest. At the conclusion of their laboratory period, participants give a seminar on their discoveries and write a formal report of their work which, if it meets the requirements, is submitted for publication in an international journal. The selectors for the Summer Science Institute say that this years' applicants were of a particularly high standard, making selection even more difficu It than usual. Jonathan said, 'I applied for this scholarship because I thought this was a great opportunity for me to gain more knowledge of scientific experimental techniques. My selection interview focused on my work with AIDS orphans in Kenya for the charity, 'The New Life Home' and on the possible medical benefits of the King's School research on Nitric Oxide. I'm told all the scholarship winners at the Institute appear to be geniuses- I'm looking forward to the challenge of working with them. I have been offered places to read medicine and am spending my gap year participating in a health project in India and a turtle conservation project in Costa Rica:

Dr. Mo Afzal, Head of Science Research at King's said, 'This is a superb opportunity for Jonathan to work with practising scientists who are engaged in research across the entire spectrum of pure and applied sciences. The unique success of our students is a direct result of King's widely recognised Science Research Initiative - a scheme by which they gain experience of research at a level equivalent to that carried out at universities. Jonathan's success is particularly pleasing: he has obviously gained much from being a member of the school's research group. This record of success year after year is a unique achievement for any school: (Much to his regret, Jonathan declined the offer due to the unstable political situation in Israel. We wish him every success for his future) .

PJB

Oppposite Page: A montage of pictures f rom the Queen's visit. Reproduced with kind permission of The Kentish Gaze tte (Mike Waterman)

Expeditions French Exchange Seize eleves ont participe a· l'echange pendant les vacances de paques, avec un lycee de Versailles, echange organise par M.M. Jennings et Armstrong et Mile Crespy. C'etait une experience tres enrichissante, dont on va se toujours souvenir, de rester dans Ia belle ville de Versailles ou' nous avons visite le chateau et ses fontaines majestueuses, ses bassins, ses scu Iptu res, ses pa Imi ers, et ses fleurs, ainsi que les jardins de Versailles qui sont le complement du chateau. L'histoire du chateau fascine les Anglais qui ont pu voir Ia beaute, Ia splendeur et l'immensite des salles. La Galerie des Glaces est Ia salle Ia plus connue de Versailles. Achevee en 1686, Ia Galerie est eclairee par dix-sept fenetres qui donnent sur dix-sept arcades garnies de glaces. C'etait l'endroit ou les courtisans attendaient le Roi et Ia famille royale et ou avaient lieu des receptions magnifiques. Nous avons bien regarde les torcheres, les vases et les tables authentiques du XVIIe siecle. Fait interessant : le 28 juin 1919, le traite de Versailles, mettant fin a Ia Premiere Guerre mondiale, a ete signe dans Ia Galerie des Glaces. Dans La Galerie des Batailles, il y a «trente-trois tableaux illustrant des batailles de l'histoire de Ia France, quatre-vingt bustes de personnages celebres et seize tables de bronze portant les noms de heros morts pour Ia France, qui concourent a rappeler les fastes militaires de Ia France de I'Ancien Regime.>> C'etait vraiment magnifique.

Ensuite nous sommes alies Paris en groupe pour voir tout Paris en bateau-mouche. Les bateaux sont le moyen le plus agreable de decouvrir Ia ville, et nous avons fait un tres bon voyage pres de Ia Tour Eiffel, et tout qui est tres connu sous le soleil de Paris. La tour Eiffel a ete construite par Gustave Eiffel Ia fin du XIXeme, les travaux durerent 2ans et trois mois. Sa construction fut un defi lance par un ingen ieur a !'architecture traditionnelle, haute de 300m elle surpasse le pantheon qui dominait alo rs Paris avec ses 79m, et resta pendant longtemps Ia plus haute construction du monde. Sa conception : son materiau du verre et de l'acier, les fondations sont en beton, trois cents ouvriers assemblerent les 15 ooo pieces percees de 7 mil lions de trous et fixees

Oppposite Page: CCF Snowdonia Chall enge 2002. (MJWS)

par 2 500 000 rivets, son poids est de 700t. Les vents les plus forts peuvent faire osciller Ia pointe de plus de 12cm et Ia chaleur suscite une dilation maximale de 15 em. Apres nous sommes partis pour visiter Ia Centre Pompidou !'exposition sur Ia revolution surrealiste. Un peu bizarre mais tres interessante. Apres les deux on a eu du temps libre, pour manger Ia nou rriture fran~aise en ville, faire des courses a Paris, voir des films au cinema et beaucoup d'autres activites. C'etait une experience vraiment fran~aise de passer un jour au Lycee de Versailles et assister des cours de toutes les matieres par exemple des sciences en fra n~a is. L'atmosphere eta it tres differente de King's, pas d'u ryi:forme ou de « Beadle », pas d'assemble endant le matin et plus libre. lei dans le monde de Kings les correspondants ont trouve Ia vie un peu bizarre mais pour Ia majorite tres agreable, on a pose des questions comme « pourquoi est ce q'il y a un homme qui porte le meme vetements avec un chapeau melon?!» La mission etait un grand succes et il faut dire merci a M. Armstrong, M. Jennings et Mile Crespy. Mollie Maltby

The Snowdonia Challenge Easter 2002 This Report has been compiled by various different pupils who attended the week. Saturday: Journey to Indefatigable Long minibus drive. Groan. Yawn. Got there eventually. Sunday: Climbing (Tin Can Alley) and Hill Walk (Moel Hebog, 782m) : Henry Synge To everyone's delight, we were rudely woken at 7 am, and after a hearty breakfast we were ready for the day ahead. After having recovered from the early start; the group was split into two, one for the hill and the other for the climbing. The Removes went for the climbing and on arrival we were faced

with a somewhat daunting task. The instructors were very helpful and showed us the way to assemble the harnesses and how to belay our friends up the rock face. There were three routes to the top, and almost everyone conquered them all. There was then a 35ft abseil over the edge of a different cliff. You really have to trust the harness and just go for it. After lunch we went for the "local hill walk". Don't be fooled by its innocent name, it was very tiring, and I'm sure that everyone slept very well that night. The party was lead by this tireless chap and his dog, Stuart who is a Captain in the regular Army, who had already been up and down it a few minutes before we arrived! It was worth it though, and everyone was very glad to reach the top, the views were fantastic, no slackers with us ... Monday: Mine exploration, climbing, abseiling and zip wire: Graham Sweetman Today everybody was really excited about the prospect of zip wiring 150ft into freezing water and going deep, deep underground into the slate mine. We also had great fun abseiling 80ft into the quarry and were excited about the climbing, which was also on offer. We had a guide called Ross who took us into the mine. He was a speed demon and made us abseil in the dark!! There were massive spiders (well I think they were spiders) and it was pitch black. After the claustrophobic experience we went to the top of the quarry where the zip wire had been set up. This was fantastic fun because the free fall for the first bit was exhilarating. This was only surpassed by the temperature of the water at the landing point which everybody agreed was freezing cold. The day was great fun and I think everybody had a fantastic time and I think they would do it again, myself included. Well done Mr Smiley for coming to the rescue of a damsel in distress. The other highlight was seeing the Lower Master tackling the 80ft abseil, well done Sir.

Tuesday: Mountain Biking: James Graves The blue sky in the evening showed us that it wasn't going to be a cold wet day. After a full cooked breakfast we arrived in Betws-Y-Coed to collect the bikes. The eight students and 3 adults set off into the forest. Mr. Smiley showed large amounts of stamina as he immediately cycled at a fast pace up the first steep hill. We followed, occasionally waiting for Mr. Hutchings to catch up. When we had climbed up to 280m above sea level the best was yet to come. We enjoyed full speed downhill biking on some newly built technical single-track. Acrobatic skills were shown by Harry Lancaster and Edward Mosely as they attempted forward rolls over their handlebars, thankfully without serious injury. After 3 hours of cycling, we sorrowfully returned our bikes and were then able to relax with an ice-cream and our sandwiches whilst waiting for the minibus. Powerboating: Poppy Mitchell We woke late (well later than those going mountain biking) to brilliant sunshine, but much to our disappointment there was not enough wind to sail. Jim (our sailing instructor) very kindly offered to provide us with the experience of driving around Puffin Island in a power boat, to have a glimpse at the sea birds and seals living in the area. So we took it in turns to drive the boat whilst being splashed in the process! The scenery was fantastic and the seals enjoyed the sun as much as we did as they basked on the rocks. It was a great experience for all of us. Who needs wind?

still were not at the top, so we continued to wind our way up to the Watkin path. An hour or so later we reached the summit. It was a wonderful thing to say we had been the tallest person in England and Wales for a couple of secondsl Georgina Smart was especially happy, seeing as she is usually the smallest person! Even more lovely was the cafe and toilet stop. We were now only half way through our journey so after suitable rest and refreshment began our descent. We took the 'Knife Edge' route, which consisted of walking on a ridge of about one and a half metres wide, with a sheer drop either side. This route was not for the weak hearted! Eventually though after what seemed an eternity we reached the bottom. It had been an incredible experience for everyone and one I don't think I will ever forget. ~;

Wednesday and Thursday orning: Wild Camp Senior Expedition: Simon Thomas This was the walk for the keen ultra fit beans. Four mountain men of steel, one member of staff (Mr. Smiley, also a mountain man of steel, usurping Mr Hutchings from this role), one instructor (Biddy) and his dog (Toby). Before the walk began, Biddy instructed us to empty our rucksacks of all unnecessary itemstoothpaste (one tube between 7 was ample), deodorant, books, spare batteries, most of the clothes, walkmans. At the end of this process the rucksacks were thankfully much lighter. Even so, they were still quite heavy, as we had to take our tents, food rations, sleeping bags and so on - everything we would need for a day and night out on the hills.

The walk began at the base of the 'whaleback' ridge, so called due to the round shape that looked similar to a whale's back. Biddy gave us a quick rundown of how to predict the time it takes to reach certain points by finding straight distance, dividing the total distance by 5 (on average people walk at about 5 kms per hour), and adding time for contour lines. This method proved to be useful and accurate during the course of the day, helping us plan ahead and also know roughly how much further we had to go between checkpoints. Biddy assigned one of us to navigate to the first checkpoint, which was a tough walk while we got used to the heavy backpacks. We cut through a gently rising section of countryside before arriving on the main part of the ridge. From here, we assigned a new navigator who guided us up the ridge, which proved to be a tiring part of the walk, but rewarding, as it gave us excellent views of the surrounding countryside. From the summit of Pen Yr Hellyg Du we descended down a steep, small path, which went along a 'saddle', a low point between two higher sections. Halfway along the 'saddle' we stopped for a well-deserved lunch break, but we were soon going up the other side of the saddle towards the summit with a new navigator. The wind was blowing strongly when we reached it, so we began to descend again after only a short break. The downhill section went across both steep and flat ground. It was surprising that the steep sections slowed us down, so we had to remember to add time for downhill contour lines as well as ones we passed going uphill. Eventually, at around 3:30, we arrived at the small lake that we would be camping by, tucked in around a semicircle of steep ground and small cliffs. We set about the

Snowdon Walk: Fiona Levey Climbing (or rather walking) Snowdon! What a prospect. The day started off in really high spirits when Defer (t he dog) got our hopes up by continually bounding forwards and backwards after sheep. We passed a slate mine from the last century and then continued up the 'Miner's Path' which proceeded in being not so much a path but rather a series of steps, hundreds of them! After about two and a half hours and much perspiration we got to the ridgeline, but it was all worth it as we were greeted by a spectacular view. The sun was shining over everyth ing and we could see for miles. Unfortunately we Above: Taking a well earned rest

in te resting task of preparing our tents, wh ich we managed to set up after some expe rimentation. The wind was strong th ere, which didn't help at all. Soon we were heating water to pour into our pa cks of powdered meals, which were sufficient to curb our hunger pangs but not so delicious as the food back at the Ce ntre. It soon became dark and we decided to try to get to sleep, which was difficult because of the rustling noises as th e wind buffeted our tents. Eventually, however, we managed it and before we kn ew it we were awake again, ready to press on for the final stretch to the bus which was waiting for us at a nearby car pa rk. After a half-hour walk we were on our way back to the Centre, relieved to have completed the journey and have the heavy packs off our backs. The expedition was a great experience for all of us and I th in k we were all glad to have chosen th e 'wild camp', next time can we take a to ilet with a seat please rather than just a trowel? Cam p site walk: (the promenaders) Becky Smith and Sarah Parks We had a very beautiful walk around a reservoir to the campsite, which we were staying the night at. The weather was really sunny. We arrived at the campsite at about 4 o'clock then in pairs we had to put up our tents then cook our rations on a gas cooker. The rations consisted of ch icken balti, without chicken, and noodles, which we were VERY grateful for. We went to bed at about 10 and got woken up at about 6.30 by a cockerel. We then had to cook ourselves breakfast. After we had finished breakfast we took down our tents, and went for another short walk back to the van. For the Shells it was a short walk, but for the Removes, not!! Thursday evening: Low ropes and trapeze MJWS This was an evening exercise consisting of a low ropes course and a high trapeze. On the ropes course, each team had to ca rry a full bucket of water (without touching the ground of course!). There were various obstacles to negotiate including short zip wires. This was an excellent team building exercise. The high t rapeze was an individual challenge. Each person had to climb up a telegraph pole, stand on top, and jump to catch a t rapeze set a distance away from the pole (in the dark). Many surprised

themselves with just how far they could jump. Not for the faint hearted! Friday: Gorge walking: Harry Lancaster On Friday morning we went gorge walking, which is almost exactly like it sounds and a whole lot wetter. The point of gorge walking is to climb up a steep valley, against a fast flowing river going the opposite direction. This may sound like a good way of spoiling a nice walk but is in fact great fun. You climb up waterfalls, jump over rock pools and jump into very deep, very cold water. Even with a great deal of effort and some waterproofs you get absolutely saturated, I have never been colder or wetter in my life and I'd been on the quarry pool zip wire earlier in the week. Despite all this it was the best fun I've had in along time. We were very grateful for the assistance of the instructors with us. Sea-traversing Julia Brooks A small group of us went sea traversing on the coast of Anglesey. After a suitable safety briefing and checking of equipment we started by scrambling along the bottom of the cliffs thinking this was rather easy. Soon though we came to a gap between the rocks too large to cross and we realized why we were carrying ropes and wearing harnesses. We set up a single rope bridge. Having clipped onto the rope using our harnesses we had to pull our self along, dangling several metres above the water (a Tyrolean crossing!). We then had to cross another large gap, but this time we used a different method. We had to put our feet on a low rope not far from the water and had a higher rope to hold with our hands, then using all our balance try and edge along to the other side. However, one person

lost their balance and ended up head first in the water. Mr Franks didn't catch that one on camera though, pity. We continued to scramble and climb or in some cases slip along the rocky coast as close to the sea as we could, with the constant fear of falling into the rather unwelcoming sea below. Towards the end session some of the more fortunate people were still dry, so we found a rather nice rock ledge to jump off ensuring that we all went back wet or a least a little damp. More fun than you can shake a stick at. Cabaret Evening: A jolly mix of songs, sketches, poetry and silliness. All were involved, even the most reluctant. A positive and thoroughly enjoyable evening. Saturday: Return Journey

Overall comments: This CCF camp provided students with a range of challenging tasks and outdoor experiences. Many surprised themselves by what they could achieve. For some it was their first experience of camping outdoors. For others it was the first time they had stepped off a sheer drop on an abseil. I think even the most reluctant enjoyed themselves '(at some stage). The sense of achievement was great for all, as was the degree of teamwork. Thanks must go to Mr and Mrs Booth for so amply looking after our culinary needs in the centre, and to Mrs Saunders for keeping us in shape. Thank you to all the instructors who led us on the activities so competently and professionally. And finally thanks to Mr Franks for organising the whole week. Plans are already being made for next year's programme. Don't delay book early it's well worth it. Above: The Cabaret Evening

The Crypt Choir Tour to Vienna. This was the last Crypt Choir tour that Mr. Anderson would conduct. Set in the beautiful city of Vienna meant that this would be a tour that would not be easily forgotten. Vienna is considered a highly musical and artistic city, which begged the question, could this small choir from Canterbury live up to this impressive reputation? In the weeks leading up to the tour the usual hectic schedule of the members of the choir, let alone Mr. Anderson and the organisers, meant that rehearsals were taken whenever possible. With the choir also having to prepare for the Lenten service of Words and Music for Lent, we were somewhat nervous as to whether this tour would be as good as had been hoped. Fortunately, we astonished even ourselves, as all the music was learned in time, leading to one of the best groups of concerts we have performed. Leaving early Saturday morning we started the two-day journey across Northern France, into Belgium, down through Germany to Vienna. Stopping overnight in a small flooded German town gave us all a welcomed rest from the horrendously long journey. Back on the road we headed for Vienna and our hotel, in an area not usually becoming of a school party- the red light district! A horde of hungry teenagers and adults swamped the hotel, piled into the dining room and sat down to a meal that we would later recognise as the same as all the meals that were to be served us at the hotel, soup followed by some strange

meat course and then something that can only be described as dessert, for lack of a better word, that most of us would have just called fruit or custard. As you may have guessed the food was not the highlight, which was disappointing in a city renowned for its food, let alone its desserts. Our first concert was held in Ruprechtskirche in Vienna; approximately 10 minutes walk from the Cathedral. Here, to a packed audience, a magnificent concert was given of music taken from the repertoire, consisting of wholly sacred music. The secular music usually seen in our programme was omitted out of respect for a catholic building . Much to our surprise the audience gave the choir a standing ovation. The second concert was performed in Christ Church, an English church, in Vienna. l~fere music from our full repertoire was ng to a warm and receiving audience, consisting mainly of English speaking Austrians and the odd King's parent dotted through the audience. The concert was followed by a delightful reception in our honour in the British Embassy, fortunately situated opposite the church. The next public appearance was to be one of the highlights of the tour- an invitation to sing in the special Holy Week Mass, presided over by the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna, in Stephansdom Cathedral. In was an honour to sing in such amazing surroundings, the only downside being that it was a two hour long service in German, so that the only real thing that the majority of us understood was that we were mistaken for King's College Cambridge, not ourselves. The last concert performed was in Pfarrkirche St. Mauritius, Spitz a.d. Donau, a small village

Above: The Crypt Choir outside Melk Abbey- without Mr Anderson. Photo taken by Dr. S. M. W. Wharfe.

about an hour and a half outside of Vienna. Again we were lucky to perform in such a beautiful building with fantastic acoustics, the only problem being the immense cold. March in Vienna with no heating was what we and our audience had to withstand. The heating, apparently, would have taken two whole days to heat the whole church . It was therefore deemed not worth it just for our visit and concert. The repertoire consisted mainly of Austrian composers, befitting our surroundings, although there were, of course, other nationalities thrown in here and there. Music interludes were also provided by the never-ending talent of the Crypt Choir members, Adam Baker, Julie Peat and Emma Hamilton. As usual the tour was not just filled with organised performances by the choirthere were trips to see famous monuments, namely the monument dedicated to Mozart, tours of the city, given by the knowledgeable Mrs. Baker, a trip to the Spanish Riding school to see the Lipizzaner Stallions in training, to satisfy the equestrian people amongst us, and an excursion to the Schi:inbrunn palace where an impromptu mini concert was given to the other tourists, raising enough money to buy the whole bus chocolate! Probably one of the most memorable places that we visited was Melk Abbey, on the way to our concert in Spitz. This over the top Baroque decorated Abbey had the most amazing acoustics that any of us had ever witnessed. If your eyes were closed and the garish nature of the decoration was eradicated then this would definitely be a truly magical place, so we had to sing. Both Steal Away and Richte mich, Gott were sung, and the choir finally had a glimpse

of what they sounded like thanks to the resounding echo. That week is definitely on e that will not be forgotten easily, and on e that we owe great thanks to Mr. And Mrs. Baker for organising. Thanks also goes to Mrs. Facey for her organisation, and to the members of the Common Room, Mr leeton, and Mr Miles, for accompanying us on this adventure. We ca nn ot forget the parents that travelled with us all the way to Vienna to support this choir, Mr and Mrs Reid, Mr Bailey an d Dr and Mrs Wharfe. Again this year three OKS, Polly Redman, Will Tallon and Yo rick Moes, who provided much ap preciated support to the choir, joined us. Enormous thanks have to be given to Mr Anderson for the help and musical gu idance that he has given to this choir. He will be sorely missed, but will hopefully add tremendously to his new school. Re pertoire: Civitas sancti tui

William Byrd Nol o mortem peccatoris

Thomas Morley Ascendit Deus

Peter Philips Crucifixus a 8

Antonio Lotti Richte mich, Gott

Felix Mendelssohn Christus factus est

Anton Bruckner Locus iste

Shell Trip To Ypres After a quick fry up we finally got on the coaches ready for our long day. Then, like the soldiers, we did not really imagine what we were going to see and the weather we were going to meet. All four buses went to the five sites, we started off at the Sanctuary Wood, the trenches and museum. In the museum were horrific pictures of the dead bodies scattered in the mud, some sunk, and men around them still fighting and trying to survive when there was death and human destruction everywhere. There were also some gruesome pictures of what the enemy had done to the humans and horses they had taken and killed. It was shocking, but really brought through the extent and impact of the war on soldiers and their brains which made them do things they would not normally have done. The trenches were, after a downpour of rain, like muddy baths. They had planks in them, but still the water rose up two or three inches most of the way along. They helped us understand more about the terrible conditions as we came face to face with them and we got angry even though we were only there for one hour. It made me wonder even more why people wanted to go and fight in this war and why they kept fighting. Here we also went to go and see the grave of an O.K.S. who sadly died in this war. We then went to visit Essex Farm Cemetery where we looked at the

dugouts, which were temporary hospitals on the front line. They were small and cramped, many of them just passageways about a metre wide. It must have been terrible for doctors there doing emergency surgery on men who had just come back from the front line. These doctors must have wished for a rea l hospital and proper medical resources in times of desperation when the injured where coming in fast and they were low on anaesthetic and clean surgical implements. One very touching thing in this cemetery was a German grave, buried among all the English, where he fell. We went on to Langemarck, a German cemetery. Its set out was very different, instead of one grave for each person with a white gravestone above it there were at least four people to each grave and the gravestones were grey and sunk into the ground. At the edge of the graveyard were four statues watching guard over the dead. There was one mass grave with 25000 bodies of people they could not identify buried in it, this was very moving. The last graveyard we visited was 'Tyne Cot: This was the largest graveyard we visited but because it started pouring with rain we did not stay long and were not really able to take in the amount of graves and the atmosphere there. Lastly we moved on to the town of Ypres and as we were ahead of schedule we looked around the town and also went into a chocolate shop, which was very popular. In Ypres we saw the Menin gate where

Anton Bruckner Cantique de Jean Racine

Gabriel Faure Pa nis angelicus

Cesar Franck Steal Away

orr. Michael Tippett A Litany

William Walton Love bade me welcome

John Tavener Song for Athene

John Tavener 0 clap your hands

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ecce concipies

Matthew Martin. Susannah Wharfe

the last post was played to us, and a wreath was laid. The playing of the last post was very moving. Finally we got onto the coaches exhausted for our trip back home. Sarah Parks (HH)

Art History Trip to Rome Once again this year Mr Pragnell led the 6b Art History trip to Rome. Even before we left we had been convinced that this could only be the success it had been for the many previous years, as proved by the slides and paintings en t husiastically shown to us before our departure. Rome did not disappoint, though being true to form there was an appropriate confusion over the room allocation and not once were we less than a quarter of an hour late for anything. However, our guide proved amongst many qualities to be immensely tolerant. Nicholas Ross is the Director of Art History Abroad and was in charge of transforming us into cultured beings during the week we were out there. Never did we feel that we were traipsing aimlessly around a museum; every painting, sculpture and building was cherry-picked to help us understand the purposes and ideals behind the creators' works. The complex, fascinating and often amusing were explained and pointed out to us on our tour. Mr Ross was emphatic that we should get to know and understand the city and the people rather than just visiting the museums. As part of this general education we ate out every lunch and supper at some fan tastic and relatively cheap restaurants, which meant, as Mr Pragnell observed, 'getting to see real Italians'. We also seemed to find the time between sightseeing to stop off at many cafes of which Mr Ross had an outstanding knowledge; there we drank coffee and ate far too many paninis. Near to our hotel was t he Pantheon, which we learnt about on the first morning. This is the oldest complete Roman building and at one point we were lucky enough to see it rain through the ocular window in t he domed roof. The Pantheon was one of the many very

famous buildings we saw as well as the Colosseum and the Tempietto of San Pietro. We also saw many paintings by Caravaggio and frescos by Raphael, and of course, the Sistine Chapel, which meant so much more once it had all been explained so that we knew what to look out for. It is surprising how hard it is to see, being so far away and trying to stand for a long time with your neck at such an angle. There are an enormous number of terribly ornate fountains in Rome, apparently because the Popes became more popular if they had fountains built, as this provided sanitary water to the city's inhabitants. The trip covered many different periods of Art History, every day was structured so we would be looking at the best examples of a particular era and would not get too confused by the \YÂˇide scope of examples from such a larw time period in Rome. Mr Ross also helped in preventing con f usion due to his ability to explain with perfect clarity and with inter-relating points to world-wide art movements as well as how the examples were results from decades of artistic development. A trip to Rome would not be complete without time to shop, and despite Mr Pragnell's reluctance to let us loose, we were given time to visit all the best shopping areas, which we are eternally grateful for. We must also thank Mrs Hoar and Charlotta Pragnell for accompanying us and Mr Pragnell for organising the whole trip, which was such a success that everyone was planning their next visit before it had ended. Heloise Brown (JR)

Theology at Oxford Open Day A day conference, held at Oxford on Friday 8th February 2002 for a group of enthusiastic 6bs who are interested in studying Theology at Oxford proved a very worthwhile trip. Once we had finally reached the university, introductory talks given by members of the faculty and current underg raduates commenced. These covered a range of different options available at the university, brought into reality by a number of

people's own experiences. It would never have been advertised at the careers centre that many tutorials at Oxford took place in the local pub, as we were informed by one current student. Lunch was arranged in various colleges for pupils, which was a great opportunity to meet present undergraduates and to see something of life in an Oxford college. I was lucky enough to go to Christ Church, where the hospitality was welcoming and gave an insight into the university beneath the website and prospectus. For example, I learnt that every student has the right to keep an animal of some sort in the fields behind Christ Church! In the afternoon, seminars were held to enable prospective students to question members of the faculty on their chosen specialities, to get some feel of the teaching environment at Oxford and to get some useful additional tutoring in areas of interest for their 'A' Level studies. The choices of seminars covered a vast range of subjects given by some of the best theological minds- "Christianity and other World Fa iths" - Professor Keith Ward , "Has Science Killed God?" Professor John Brooke, "Ta lk of the Devil" - Canon Trevor Williams, as well as a number of more traditional areas such as "John's Gospel" - Professor Chris Rowland. This was a valuable educational experience and hopefully inspired some of us into considering applying to study Theology at Oxford. Mollie Maltby (MR)

Co rrespondence Dear Sir, There have been at least two sporting achievements at King's over the past two years t hat have not probably had the publicity they deserve in the Cantuarian's sporting section. They are remarkable performances of the recent Captain of Cricket, Tom Bruce. In the season 2001 he scored the most runs and took the most wickets. Moreover, he scored twice as many runs as all but one of his team, and took twice as many wickets as anyone!! The team lost only once in that summer, being our most successful 1st XI for about twenty years! Never has a successful 1st XI been so dependant on the all round performance of one man! The other huge success story was the squash team, which won the Kent Tournament for the first time. In the match against Tonbridge, which decided the outcome we won 5- 0 for the first time ever, and each player won 3-0!! A margin that has never been approached before by either side in a fixture, which goes back over thirty years. Finally the 1st XV have just beaten Eastbourne for the first time in eight years and are clearly worthy of our vociferous support from the touch line. There are no obvious weaknesses in the side with massive mobile forwards and a set of backs that can compare with any in the last forty years! They will provide wonderful entertainment on Birleys on Saturday afternoons.

Bob Bee

Dear Editors, I enjoyed reading through your recent edition of The Cantuarian (Lent/Summer 2001) and thought that the attached may be of interest. Both my brother, Miles Mallinson (1947- 1951) and myself (1950- 1954) were at Meister Omers.

Jeremy J.C. Mallinson OBE DSc

Zoo awarding medals to scientist~ Wildlife benefactors to be saluted tonight By

~•mes

Stelnbert

STAFF WRITER

A botanist and a primatologist with more than a century of service between them on behalf of the world's wildlife are the 51st and 52nd recipients of the Zoological Society of San Diego's Conservation Medal. The medals, the society's highest honor. will be presented tonight to Richard H. Goodwin of the Nature Conservancy and to Jeremy ].C. M3Dinson. one of the first zoo directors t promote the conservation of e dangered species by captiv breeding and by trying to prevent extinction in the wild. Both Goodwin and Mallin son ~have demonstrated a si nificant commitment to th cause of conservation and hav in:pired others by their dedica! tion and example." said Ton

Fetter. the zoological society president. Goodwin. professor emeritus of botany at CoQnecticut College. joined the Nature Conservancy in 1951. served as its president twice. and still works on iL" behalf. The group has placed more than 12 million acres under its protection in the United States and more than 80 million acres in the Caribbean. Latin America. Asia and the Pacific.

The Nature Conservancy's protected habitats have enabled the Zoological Society of San Diego and other organizations to establish on-site research and recovery programs for a number of species that otherwise "would certainly be imperiled beyond hope. ~ said Andy Phillips. deputy director of the Center for Reproduction of EndanRcred Species. the zoological society's research ann.

Malli n:'on. a Fellow of the l<l 1yal ( ;~·o,~.,rraphic Society <mtl

an Officer of the British Em- and habitats. played an Jact : pire. developed his interest in role in preserving end~c r wildlife when he traveled species or furthered the caL through Africa in his teens. of conservation through fin . A lifelong association with cial or other means. the Jersey Zoo on the British · "We have an impressi~e I island in the English Channel of international recipien~. foUowed. starting in 1959 with a , eluding Americans. Afi:ica1 · temporary summer job. He was Europeans and Austral'ian · named deputy director four Fetter said. years later and director in 1972. Among them are animal l He was appointed director of the associated jersey Wildlife • haviorist Jane Goodall~ iii: Preservation Trust in 1995 and maker Sir David Attenbomuv horticulturist Mark P)otki director emeritus last year. The Jersey Zoo is wone of the . E.O. Wilson. an authority • world's foremost zoos in pro- ants who has written ext~si' moting conservation of endan- )y on human population dyna.1 gered species. and jeremy Mal- ics; and San Diego's Kurt [ ~ linson has had a very long and nirschke. founder of the Cent · influential career." said Alan for Reproduction of linda Dixson. director of science and gered Species.

research for the Zoological Society of San Diego. The society created the Conservation Medal in 1966. It is awarded annually by the board of tn.1 stees to those who have made major contributions to the und cr~tanding of wildlifC'

Tickets to tonight's awan dinner are S65 a person ahd c be reserved• by calling . (tiP 231-1515. ext. 4199. ·• _,.... Steinber9: (619) 542 -4S69; jim.steinberq@uniontrib.com' ·

An article from The San Diego Tribune March 2002

Creative Writing A Short Tale of Terror Impenetrable obscurity shrouded me, the sound of heavy, rush-hour traffic reverberated off the curtained window. A weak shaft of watery light seeped through a slight parting in the coarse black drapery, refracting off a cracked pane of glass and illuminating the decaying wooden cross above my bedpost -she had always been religious. An insubstantial houseplant drooped, withering and grey on account of the permanent eclipse that overshadowed me. Apart from the carved crucifix and plant, various contemporary watercolours, a sofa bed, a small bedside table and another intricately carved tabletop occupied the somewhat dated room. Only one door connected the cubicle to the surplus of the eleventh floor of what had once been called an, 'ultra-modern' tower block, in the words of a pair of burly officials who had advocated the opening of its double doors. Those that I had seen, but twenty odd times, before it had happened. My disease, my chronic allergy to light, the condition that had rap idly and inexplicably evolved into a fatal ailment. I have been confined for four years now, nearly five, the most powerful source of light during this period, the smothered elliptical glow of an enamelled torch. In the beginning I had yearned for the pinkish glow that irradiated from in between her knuckles, and yet now, they were the very cause of my further deterioration. For far from being healthy fingers, they had grown to become emaciated and mildly arthritic, induced by continuous bereavement through the course of her life and the imprisonment I had brought upon her, or so I assumed. I was able to perceive, by the angle at which the soft beam hit the mirror that the time was drawing nearer. I drew in breath slowly and glanced at the door. Her hands came first, as always, enveloping the lens, to the effect that a soft, pink glow was emitted. The rest of her body followed. She greeted me in her usual unnerving amicable manner and then, noticing the slight gap through which light entered as a waning trickle into the

room, squealed and hastily drew them together in her oppressively prudent fashion. She approached and hugged me with her cl inging, spidery arms. I kept my own form rigid, not wishing to feel her warm breath in so close a vicinity, nor her desperate sweating palms. Eventually she released me and placed a couple of full bowls on the wooden table, shivered sporadically and left. I had once had a companion, an elder sister, Jade ; she too had suffered from my condition. She however, had shown intelligence; she had grappled with the concept of escape, of exposure to light, of discovering the consequences. She had refused to take me, she was not able to comprehend that nothing lav;'before me without her. I was left. Nor id I discover what became of her, I recall solely the anguished sobs of my mother, I demanded no explanation- what had occurred to her was evident, often had I envisaged her pale, delicate complexion attacked by thick red boils, the flaking of her skin and above all the sterile white overtaking her pupils-her milky white gaze. I was not aware for what duration I lingered in this reverie, only that I surpassed sense of time and that the shaft of light that had previously palely illuminated the room had merged into a yet more anaemic shade. I moved to accommodate my legs and lay immobile, pensive. The sound of traffic had begun to decline and the crack of prosperous businessmen's polished leather shoes became more resonant on the tarmac. Without a warning a voice seemed to arise from the adjoining chamber, my mother's voice, petrified and weeping. I was not excessively affected, she was given to spontaneous attacks of hysteria, what induced them, I don't know. I lay back, wishing her not to cross the barrier that mercifully divided me from her. It was then, quite without warning, that a second anguished tone interrupted the stagnant night. I had heard about schizophrenia, read about it in the crumpled sheets of newspaper that were occasionally forced beneath the door. But no, this was different. I somewhat futilely attempted to ignore this, yet muffled, heated argument continuously enveloped me. The hinge on the partition squealed and I frigidly remained covered. "India", a lengthened uncomfortable

pause followed, during which I gathered myself and prepared to confront what I could only imagine to be an intruder. Gripping the corners of the bedding, I sat up. Before me was a statuesque form, tall, thin and rigid. It was a female, her build slight, her arm extended towards me, arm outstretched. My instinct was to cower, and yet despite the darkness and the fact that no physical expressions were visible, I felt in some way at ease in her presence. Her hand continued to stretch towards my form, and then she whispered it again in a rasping voice. "India, it's me". In the room next door, I could hear my mother, still whispering fervent prayers in a monotone. My name, it hadn't been used for three years at least, I had had no use for it, I was simply add ressed. The fingers were now but a few centimetres away from the fading white dress that clothed my. Physically, I had not altered for the best part of three years, and the dress although slightly short was the same one I had been wearing that day when my sentence to life imprisonment had been announced. A small brown stain was the only adornment upon the gradually yellowing fibres; that too had been there for long. At last, the tips of her fingers were touching the dress, her breath condensing into small white clouds before her. She brushed her fingers up the length of my torso and then lifted her hands to my face. Her fingers appeared to melt and dissolve simultaneously into a silvery fluid, she withdrew them and they were seemingly restored. I raised my own hands to my face and there beneath them felt solid, tangible flesh. She gasped and reached out to take my hand, that too seemed to turn into glistening mercury when in contact with her. She screamed, not a cru of fear, but one that encapsulated hatred, pity and regret. She moved swiftly into the next door room and returned, brandishing a large lamp and what I recognised to be the crucifix that was permanently clutched at my mother's throat. She moved swiftly towards the window and opening it forcefully threw the wooden cross onto the pavement below. Grasping the lamp handle she ripped off the masking tape that obliterated the electrical sockets and forcefully fed the plug in. The next moment I was blind and screaming. A

> sea rin g white pain had been inserted just beh in d my irises. I turned over to shield myse lf, all the while her calm utterances rea ching me, "You're fine, trust me, it's a lie." Through my paralytic nausea, I rem embered. Tha t afternoon three years ago, just after Ja de had left, my mother was worse than usu al, her paranoia and grief had been slowly augmenting over the course of a week. I saw what had happened that I had never realised before. I could now envisage her entrance into my room, the co ld silence between us, her sudden and spontaneous irritation at some childish remark I had made. The heavy wooden cru cifix that she had impulsively sn atched and hit me with, the blood that had dripped from my head onto the plain, wh ite dress. Above me, the now illuminated face of my sister, Jade, was faintly visible. "It was a lie", she whispered to me. "N either you nor I were ever remotely effe cted by it", she drew away momenta rily to reveal the parted curtains. I cl osed my eyes. "I 'm a lie as well", I managed to propel th e words from myself. "I'm not real, I don't exist." What little anger I could muster seeped into my tone of voice. Jade turned in agony.

snorkel and refill the water tanks and petrol tanks. On the island they were told that the local people would tend to the filling and tending of the boat so that they could go and look round the island. They did just this and ventured to explore the village. In the village they bought some food and walked to a tourist office. They accepted an offer for a walk in the high forests of the mountain. A bus came and they were taken rather skilfully up the mountain. The driver, who drove through many clouds, miraculously avoided many potholes and cracks, that if the bus drove over, it would collapse and leave the passengers falling to a rocky grave of about 1000 feet down. At the top of the drive there was an eager looking tour guide waiting. All the people disembarked from the bus, about twenty in all, and made their way towards a run-down hut. At the hut the tour guide gave them a complete run through of the rules of the trip. These consisted of: no going from the trail, no feeding the birds and no loud noises as these would not only scare away the nice creatures to look at, but also it would attract larger predators to the group that could cause a problem. As they began to move away, two rough looking natives with rifles joined the group and at that moment the tour guide informed them that they were to be their escorts.

"I 've got to go, I'll miss the train." "Where, where are you going?" "Away." She turned and left. Eyes still closed, I fumbled after her. Twice I touched her and yet my hands slid through her like li quid. Quiet tears left a trail behind her. The door slammed and she was gone. I felt the wrinkled, spidery hand upon my right shoulder, recoiled and began to slowly open my eyes. Isabel Coles Shell GW

Hide and Go Seek Jimmy was thirteen last summer and for his present he was taken on a sailing holiday to the Caribbean. The wind was always in the sail and the sun was always shining. He and his family arrived at a beautiful island on which they stopped to

They began to proceed down one of the paths that looked rather worn and weathered. They passed many low hanging reeds and entered into a world that was completely cut off from everywhere else. From in here there was no noise from the outside world and all that could be heard were the footsteps of the tourists and the occasional squeak from an animal. People began to look in awe at butterflies and little rodents. The group arrived at aT-junction and after conferring with his parents, Jimmy left down one side of the path while the group proceeded down the other side. The call of "don't get lost" were emitted from his parents and he set off with his spirits and expectations high. He didn't realise that as his path veered to the left that his parents' path veered to the right. He was slowly drifting away from his parents. He heard a slight buzzing noise and as he rounded one of the bends, he found the

source of this deranged buzz. In front of him was a blanket of mosquitoes that blocked the path. Having summed up the courage he closed his eyes and walked . He heard a huge crack and the ground underneath him gave way. He fell down the slope and banged his head. He thought that his leg may have been broken, but he wasn't sure. He called, no answer. He called again, though with a sense of defeat and began to cry. He sat for a while, but although he tried to climb again, it was too steep. He turned. He sensed a disturbance, something had caught the edge of his eye, but he turned and saw nothing. Accepting the situation he was in, he looked around. He spied a path in the corner of the landing and set off in the direction of the path. He sensed that feeling again that he was being watched by the standing up of the hairs on the back of his neck. He saw a movement in the side of his eye and glanced over, but again saw nothing. He regarded this as just his mind playing tricks on him owing to his bumped head. He continued on and when he got to the path, he picked up a stick and began to hack at the branches blocking his way. He quickly broke through the reeds and after travelling through the forest he came too another clearing. This clearing was filled with tall, wheat-like plants that gave partial cover to a humanoid creature. He walked right into the centre of the clearing and looked around. He saw a huge canopy of trees shrouded by long vines. He heard the crackling of dead reeds behind him and anxiously looked round to see nothing. He looked closer and saw a black figure with great strong thighs and shoulder muscles. This creature emitted a growl and snarl and pounced at Jimmy. They struggled on the ground and Jimmy stood and ran. This cat-like being didn't pursue him, but instead walked into the forest. Jimmy looked round. He could see a blanket of mountains all around, but there was a gap in one of them. There was a long passage of trees towards the gap so he walked towards it regardless of the dangers of the jungle. He had been walking for about twenty minutes when a rustle in the canopy alerted him. He looked up and saw nothing. He began to get very rigid and

anxiously looked in all directions, the cut on his shoulder a painful reminder of the encounter in the clearing. The rustling happened again, but this time closer and in a different direction. His brisk walk turned into a slow run and then into a swift sprint, rampaging through thickets of thorns and nettles alike. His heart was thumping in his chest and hid brow began to sweat. He ran, for what seemed to him to be ages. He stopped his escape and sat next to a large, straight tree for a quick rest. He was unable to get his bearings because he couldn't see anything except a dark and damp forest. He set off in the direction that he was running in. He heard another rustling, but as he looked up he saw two monkeys in the trees having a fight and screaming at each other. A false alarm. He walked along the path and encountered another clearing. This clearing was very much like the first, the mountains, the gap and the piece of ripped shirt with blood on it. Realization struck Jimmy with a blow that was so powerful it reduced him to tears. He looked at his own ripped shirt and picked the fragment off the floor. He cursed, spat and trampled on the shirt. In all this drama, Jimmy failed to realise that there was a small sparkle in the edge of the clearing. When he did, he squinted at the sparkle and slowly walked towards it. He found the beginnings of a stream and also remembered that all rivers run into the sea. He set off on his demoralised journey towards the stream. The stream was much bigger than your average stream, more the size of a river, but that didn't bother him much. The stream meandered out of view, round the end of a.thicket of trees. He set off. He walked and saw the cat sitting in a tree and gazing at him with full interest. He moved very slowly, always keeping his eyes on the cat and vice versa. He circled the cat and moved away at top speed. He heard the rustling of the trees .and without thinking, ran into the water to the other side of the river. Luckily the river was rather shallow so the passage was easy enough. On the other side of the river he moved with haste along the shore of the river. He continued to walk for a very long time.

He could hear a slight rushing sound as he walked down the shore. He sat down and decided what he had done wrong. He was foolish enough to leave his parents, but closing his eyes when he got to the mosquitoes was just stupid. He snapped out of his daydream to look around his surroundings. The sky began to become slightly clouded and a cold wind blew from the clearing. He continued to walk and it started to rain. A squall was passing the area that he was in and he pulled the remnants of his shirt around him tightly so as to keep warm. The rain refreshed him and as his spirits were raised he saw the cat pacing up and down the other side of the river. He was slightly scared, but not to the extent that he would flee. As he turned the corner past another grouping of trees he saw a hu ge log that must have fallen to create a dassage to the other side of the river. The cat also had noticed this as it began to test the log by placing its front two paws on it then taking them off. After the cat had summed up its courage to cross the log, it walked across rather calmly. As the cat was about halfway across the log, Jimmy ran to the edge. He knelt down and pushed at the log with all his might. The panther began to move at a slightly faster pace, but just as it reached the edge of the log, Jimmy pushed and the log gave way and moved. The log slipped of the bank and lolled into the river. The cat, still on it, had enough time and space to take a half-hearted slash that glanced Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy let out a muffled scream and the cat slid into the water and drifted round another bend and out of view. He looked at his cut and shrugged it off. He continued his walk down the river and after travelling for a few minutes, came to the bend that the panther slid by and to his complete disbelief, saw that the cat that should have slid down the river was in fact, sitting on a rock licking itself. Jimmy stood there in disbelief. He did however find the source of the whirling rush. Jimmy had come to a cliff-faced waterfall. William Jennings (Shell GW)

Procrastination Like aII things it started off Exactly according to plan. Indecision, mutation, coercion Things always change over time. It was meant to be the rung Of a ladder A stop on the way to better things, Temporary has become eternity. Dreams die in cramped confinement. Possessions still in storage, Hoard dust like a miser. Destined to stay paralysed till legacy moves them on No future here Just an eternity of might have beens. Chances wasted close in like a cage, Until you can't move for regrets. Harry Lancaster Shell B

Alone Limbs become like lead Or your mind breaks loose And leaves them behind Long forgotten nightmares Descend on your mind Like a plague Things that you've learned to laugh at Become significant, once more In ways you never dreamed It acts like a heart attack for the mind Self-inflicted psychological warfare The board that squeaks, The door that slams The window you thought you'd shut More important than religion Or reason Or the next breath That might be your last. Harry Lancaster Shell B

Ypres- The Salient (25/72/16) Feet severed by the life Engulfing mud. The letters of Death flying away To destroy yet other lives. A dark tunnel, the only source Of shelter from the slanting rain. A drop of hope, In an Ocean of Despair. The cold steel of the .22 sniper The only sadistic radiator.

Grief You look out across those desolate plains And wonder what could have survived That virulent sea of freezing mud The enemy of all. As yet another gale skims across this desert of mud You wonder what may remain Any hope left would have soon been swallowed By the machine guns or hung on the barbed wire. As the whistle blows- A sound of death of old We trudge solemnly back to the bus Waiting ticking over on the road. Our path out of a long, efficient hell. Philip Spicer Shell RH

The Germans, the only sadistic Reward. Simon Pound Shell RH

(FET) Above: A view of Ypres

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Reports and Reviews Chamber Music Concert Sunday 10 March 2002

The Sh irley Hall The Sunday afternoon chamber concerts are always rather poorly attended which is a pity given the challenging, varied and entertaining programme served up on the 10th March. I hope many of the pe rformances get an outing in front of a la rger audience in King's Week. The touchstone of the afternoon was versatility. Emma Hamilton accompanied sensitively on the piano in the dreamy Geistliches Wiegenlied Op 91 No 2 by Brahms, in which Conrad Baker (viola) an d Leonie Hamway (a lto) were wel l-balanced and mellow. The diction was excellent and the tension sustained and built to a lovely understated climax in keeping with a cradle-song. Leonie's voi ce shad ing was elegant but always cl ea r and full. Conrad produced a fine to ne. Emma Hamilton and Selma Oliver formed th e core of the purring cello section in th e string ensemble, which is increasingly poised and responsive in its playing. They also, along with Conrad, Nellie Fletcher an d Muffie Prentice, played the Allegro fro m Schubert's String Quintet. Selma an d Leonie also played horn in the wind en se mble, starting the concert with Gordon Jacob's Wraggle Taggle Gipsies. Kevin Abbott extracted some nicely sh aped phrasing and good ensemble pl aying, and his careful attention to tu ni ng paid off. There were some fluent horn and oboe exchanges in a much better than wraggle taggle performance. Th e Remove string quartet then played th e La rgo from Haydn's Opus 33 No 2 qu artet, minus their viola player who was in di sposed and replaced by Andrew Po llock, the Head of Strings. This is a difficult piece, requiring good dynam ic co ntrol and sustained concentration. Th ey produced good strong tone and exce llent ensemble and precision with a good sense of forward movement. The Ba ke r Boys (Conrad, Adam and Gerard) pe rformance of an arrangement of Pi azolla 's Obl ivion Tango for piano trio was smooth and seductive, with

completely involved playing. I pa rticularly enjoyed Gerard's full cello tone and well-projected melodies.

which were met with style and aplomb, but at the end of the night, there were congratulations due to all involved.

Toby Davies (trumpet) and Alex Shannon (cor anglais) were outstanding in Copland's Quiet City, but in fact the whole performance of this extremely testing piece was utterly convincing. The strings played with precision of articulation, intonation and dynamic range. Toby played with a full warm tone and showed excellent lip control and flexibility in a technically difficult piece. His playing was musical and secure with a sparing but telling use of vibrato. Alex produced a rich fluid sound and handled the dialogue with the trumpet sensitively.

The first challenge of which I speak was the issue of actually choosing a script. The director had briefed me to find one that contained enough parts for mass participation, not one of which (sadly) was to be female. After what seemed like months of searching, I uncovered an unknown script, which is sure to become a classic of our time. Dicing With Death, by Simon Adrian is a script full of complexities regarding vice and the situations it may lead to if unchecked. It is based on the Pardoner's Tale by Chaucer, and provides the kind of deep subtexts and unspoken nuance of character motivation that esteemed directors such as Paul Teeton can only dream about.

The final item was the Allegro from the Schubert C major Quintet. It is a movement with symphonic sweep requiring high levels of sustained intensity and maturity. It was the highlight of the afternoon. From the first crescendo it was clear that these were sophisticated and accomplished players. The tempi were judicious and the playing well together, especially for changes of tempo and dynamic. There was great warmth in the ensemble, but the beauty of the music was never allowed to tempt them to wallow. This was a taut. exciting and gutsy performance. Roll on King's Week! Nigel Hamway, OKS

Linacre House Play Review Linacre house has done it again! By this, of course, I mean that it has produced another evening of premier entertainment, thus assuring its status as a true bastion of the theatrical schmooze circle. In fact, Spielberg was in contact with us soon after. However, after the initial excitement, we learned that this was in fact Joseph Spielberg the local fridge mender, who had heard we had a problem with the milk. The event of which I speak, as it remains as deeply engraved in my mind as I am sure it does all of yours, was the House Play. It was not performed without its fair share of challenges, all of

The next challenge was for me to enlist some capable actors to deal with a script of such undeniable magnitude. With De Niro, Pacino and Hoffman otherwise involved, the Director and I (his advisor) sought frantically for three brutes of apt physical proportions and vocal talents to play the three rascals and main protagonists Harry, Jake and Wally. Step forward Alex Binns, Patrick Holt and Andrew Risk. The three played their parts with exceptional finesse, and their voices rang almost musically out across the venue (chez PT) and maintained a sparkling rapport wi t h the audience and each other. They applied such techniques to the preparation of their roles as are rarely seen in such small productions as ours. Patrick's Irish accent, for example, was so real that he could easily have been mistaken for one of the genial inhabitants of that Emerald Isle. And who could forget Alex Binns's costume; the Queens Park Rangers Kit clarified to the audience his position as leader of the group. Never before has a blue beanie hat been such an obvious baton of power. On that night, he truly became the King of the Thugs. The other parts were small in size, but they were all approached with precision. For example, Raidev Akoi provided an apothecary who was both brillian t and evil; Jack Standen's Chorus was conveyed with deft conviction, and the Old Man into which Faiz Shivji was transformed

with a stick was a fine piece of theatrical know-how. There were also parts that were played en masse such as the coffin bearers. One of these in particular rema ins in my mind. Tom Eldon's "method" style of acting required sleep deprivation in order to acquire the necessary pallor for such a grim role. Not to mention the rag tag band of renegades known simply as the "rowdy punters." Thanks to these actors for their patience and their time, as they were not always needed in rehearsal. Their comm itment impressed everyone. Congratulations must be extended to Nick Bere for his superb backstage input. It was he who operated sound, and organised props, overseeing both with excellence. Thanks and congratulations to the Actors, not all of who have been mentioned by name; every part was played exceptionally. And finally, the House wishes to thank the director, Paul Teeton who put the play together and in doing so met a number of logistical problems, all of which were resolved to perfection. Under his guidance, a simple script was transformed into an enjoyable piece of theatre. Edd Flower LN.

Mitchinson's House Concert Saturday 10 March 2002 The Shirley Hall The excellence of the conce rt we were about to hear was made obvious at the beginning when the concert's organiser, Tim Traill, welcomed us with a short introduction. Tim demonstrated real poise and confidence in his speech, and these were to be the hallmarks of what was to follow. Fred Maltby began the evening with a wonderfully evocative performance of Grieg's March of the Trolls. In a concert full of highlights, this was one of the best performances we heard. Norwegian fjords were followed by the gypsy rhythms of Nolck's Hungarian Dance, played with suitable gusto by Kammy Pike. Lucy Wells demonstrated her pe rforming abilities in Just You Wait from My Fa ir Lady. She achieved real

characterization in her singing by using different vocal co lours and two slight memory lapses did nothing to detract from the overall performance. The first piano duet of the evening was by Diabelli (Opus 73). Poppy Mitchell and Nellie Fletcher demonstrated an excellent ensemble and balance. Technically and musically this was first-rate and only slightly marred by Poppy having to remind Nellie to bow at the end! Poppy re-appeared immediately with Isaac Strang and Phoebe Rose to form an oboe trio. The Allegro di molto from Aber's Trio No. 1 was played with spirit and there were some well-articulated passages. Tuning problems did occur but overall this was a good perfo rmance. Rachel Tang gave a lovely interpretation of Bach's D minor Invention. T ~:e contrapuntal lines were clearly p resented and the playing was clean and crisp. Stylistically the next item could not have been more different, although it was equally musical. Barnaby Race and Howard Bryant (borrowed f rom Galpin's) improvised a jazz piano duet and what they achieved was impressive. It was back to the Baroque era for the next two items: Tim Traill singing How Beautiful Are the Feet. Tim produced a very beautiful, unforced vocal sound and sang with clear diction and sensitive phrasing. This really was excellent. The first half concluded with the Allemande from Bach's Suite No. 1 for unaccompanied cello. Phoebe Rose's playing was clear and strong and she shaped and phrased this difficult music very well indeed. The second half of the conce rt began with the day matron, Gail Marsh, singing (whilst accompanying herself on the guitar) folk music. She has a voice well-suited to the style and performs with grace and subtlety. Lucy Wells' clarinet playing was suitably confident in the syncopated style of Rowan Cole's The Big Ballad. The third piano duet of the evening featured Hannah Hiester and Jagruti Dave. The beginning of this Slavonic Dance by Dvora k was played at pe rhaps too stately a tempo, but overall , the performance was characterized by good dynamic contrasts and ensemble. Isaac Strang did a voice/guitar solo which he projected well and which showed good musicianship both vocally and instrumentally. The House string quartet gave a wonderfully broad performance of Bach's Air from Suite No.3 . In spite of the (suitably) slow tempo, the players

sustained the sound throughout the long phrases. It can be difficult to get the double bass to come across clearly in solo performance. Sophie Rope r's playing more than surmounted any difficulties on that score in a very musical performance of two movements from a Marcello sonata. This was followed by a barbershop quartet (Barnaby Race, Isaac Strang, Tim Traill, Howard Bryant) singing My Evaline. Their singing was slick, barring the occasional interesting note!! Nellie Fletcher's interpretation of the first movement of Mozart's G major Violin Concerto was superb and the evening was brought to a rousing conclusion with the House Choir's performance of Goldfinger. Congratulations to everyone involved for an excellent evening's entertainment. SWSA

Marlowe House Concert Saturday 2 February The Shirley Hall The excellence of music at King's as a whole is well known, but what is always so impressive is that small units of sixty or so pupils can put together concerts of such quality and va riety. The Marlowe House Concert, directed by Imogen Lewis, was no exception . A feature of the musical life in Marlowe has always been the House Orchestra, performing works, arranged by Bill McConnell, for whatever disparate forces are available. This year produced an impressive performance of his arrangements of Carelli's Sonata No.8 for Oboe and Orchestra, Jeremiah Clarke's Trumpet Tune and Ayre, and Reel Fiddlin' - a collection of traditional songs and dances. My only caveat would be that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and perhaps one fewer item wou ld still leave the audience satisfied. The rest of the concert was a mixture of vocal and instrumental items, both solos and ensembles. The vocal ensemble, directed by Claire Moorcroft, was very polished in its performances of Let's do it and Adiemus and I was impressed with

George Coltart's playing of the Sarabande and Boum~es I and II from J. S. Bach's Sonata Ill for unaccompanied cello. Also very impressive was Alexander Shannon's interpretation of two movements from Albinoni's Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9, No.2. There were vocal solos and duets from Mollie Maltby, George Coltart, Rupert Reid, Alexandra Cocksworth and Susannah Wharfe. Rachel Young playing Sonata for flute by Poulenc and Megan Williams' performance of Nolck's Hungarian Dance provided contrast b way of instrumental items as did the string quartet and cello ensemble. They were all, in their own ways, well played and enjoyable. Thank you to all the Marlowe musicians for a very good evening. Katharine Lewis and James Noble

Dave (Titania) who was very expressive and convincing . They also added a musical aspect to the play with their lullaby. I know those involved were reluctant to sing, but praise should go to them for their vocal talent. Phoebe Rose (Hermia) also played her part with emotion and really became her character as well as adding cello solos between scenes. Hermia's lover, played by Jolyon Marsh, fought comically with Charles Pemberton (Demetrius) who was relentless in his search for love. The house play would not have been complete if the Heads of House had not joined in and played the charming couple of Hippolyta and Theseus and fittingly they began and ended the play. This play was witty throughout and the use of modern costumes gave this adaptation twenty first century relevance. Credit goes to all involved, but especially the director, Mr. Banfield. Georgina Rowan (MT)

Mitchinson's House Play A Midsummer Night's Dream Mitchinson's, traditionally ambitious, decided to go for a real challenge this year and tackle Shakespeare. There were those sceptical of Mitchinson's pulling off a performance of Shakespeare only two weeks into term. However, everyone involved was very dedicated to making the play a success and it truly was. The great effort put in by the actors was apparent throughout the play and brought much laughter and applause from the audience. However, it was not only the effort that made the play so enjoyable, Mitchinson's has some very talented actors. This was definitely a comedy. Lucy Wells playing Nick Bottom really fulfilled the substance of this play as she put an amazing amount of energy into her character- definitely someone to look out for in King's Week. Alex Sanne also drew laughter from the audience as he played Puck, a character similar to himself? Robert Goward (Francis Flute) performed a convincingly feminine portrayal of Thisbe. The fairies added the magical theme to the play and were well led by Jagruti

School House and Jervis Musical- The Boyfriend I am not sure whether I am proud or ashamed of never having seen The Boy Friend before, but either way Victoria Browning's production came as a delight. Predictable plot, outrageous rhymes, unmemorable tunes - sentimental, comic and charm numbers - which became more unmemorable each time they were repeated in the written in encores- and the inevitable happy ending. A pastiche of musical comedy and light opera with allusions toW. S. Gilbert, Lionel Monckton and lvor Novello, admirably sung and acted and splendidly supported by the four piece band of Stephen Matthews (piano), Emma Hamilton (cello). Miranda Fox (violin) and Chris Ryan (drums). Also visually extremely satisfying with its simple and economical set and effective, and sometimes lavish, costumes, some of the rhyming repaid careful attention. 'Desires is' with 'Buenos Aires', 'vague in' with 'Copenhagen' and 'palace is' with 'fallacies' (with or without apologies to WSG) were particularly memorable.

The show got off to a tremendous start with the slick opening chorus, the first entry of the boys was a sensation and it never looked back. Talitha Pollock-Hill was an ideal Polly Brown, wistful , self-doubting and ultimately happy, with a charming singing voice and excellent enunciation. She and Tony (Robin Bailey) made a very fine couple particularly when singing as Robin's fine tenor complemented her soprano. They were well balanced by the rather odious Bobby (Diccon Harvey) and Maisie (Lizzie Hurst). Madame Dubonnet (Lizzie Mercer) chaperoned her charges well but one felt her 'Kiki' was never far below the surface and it emerged convincingly when she met up with her old flame, the initially st iff but ultimately flexible Percival, Polly's fathe r (Dan Gilmore). The fourth leading pair, Lord and Lady Brockhurst (Will Baynham and Rebecca Hurst). were also extremely well-matched - I feel I've met them around King's, but I'm not quite sure where- he never quite succeeding in his philandering, she always ready to put him back on the straight and narrow. And finally, Hortense (Emma Strong), the maid slipping freely from French to English and holding the plot together. There are many I have not mentioned, but this was certainly a tremendous team effort (and put together in a very short time) . Thank you all for providing two such pleasant evenings. GDW

Grange/Walpole House Concert This year's programme was framed by two house songs. It was The Grange's privilege to begin the concert with a very effective rendition of Marvin Gaye's Ain't No Mounta in High Enough and it was good to see the entire house taking part. Two woodwind pieces followed: a polished flute ensemble, conducted by Claudia Wilmot-Smith , playing a movement from Water Music; and Catherine Gabriel playing a Scherzo for bassoon by the not terribly well-known composer Hynek Vojacek. Catherine's playing was suitably spirited and accomplished. Music by a very famous composer was provided by Serena Gosden-Hood's rendition of Andrew Lloyd

Webber's Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. After a slightly tentative start, Serena settled into the song and gave a convincing performance. Another chamber ensemble, this time a wind quartet, took the platform to play an arrangement of Schumann's Hunting Song. There were a few occasions when the intonation was not everything it might have been, but there was some good phrasing and style in this performance. A light-hearted moment or two was provided by the Walpole/Grange singers. This small chamber ensemble of eight singers, conducted by Mr Wood, gave a suitably sentimental rend ition of Sir Joseph Barnby's Sweet and Low and then sang a lively and staccato Vive l'amour. There was great spirit and fun in these performances, with the singers obvious ly enjoying themselves. Lucy Goodman's piano solo, Cloche de Matin by Burgmuller, was wonderfully atmospheric and Victoria Parrish's flute playing in the first movment of Haydn's D major Concerto was stylish and elegant. A great contrast of mood was provided by Max Thompson (piano) in Terence Greaves' Baa Baa Black Sheep Waltz. J. S. Bach brought us back to the Baroque with his Suscepit Israel from the Magnificat. This trio for three upper voices was sung by Muffie Prentice, Sophie Tholstrup and Selma Oliver. Technically and musically this is a very difficult piece. The three girls sang very well, despite the odd tuning problem, and captured the spirit of this magnificent music.

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The evening continued along similar lines, with music from different periods and for different combinations of instruments and voices mixed together to avoid monotony or a feeling of sameness. Elena Ruthven is a very fine violinist and she gave a convincing performance of the Tchaikovsky Canzonetta, demonstrating a clear feeling for the shape and direction of the music. Some more light relief on the vocal front-this time from the house tutors. The song, a rather familiar tune, had words specially composed by Mr Wood. George Williams' understanding of jazz style was evident in Take Five and Victoria Monaghan sang very beautifully in another Lloyd Webber song, Whistle Down the Wind.

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Muffie Prentice drew some very beautiful sounds out of the piano during her interpretation of a Chopin Nocturne -

the range of tone colours produced was impressive. Changing hats, Muffie then acted as (playing) director of the Violin Ensemble which performed a Carelli Sarabande and Chorea ex C. The ensemble playing was generally good and it was obvious that care and attention had been paid to detail. Katharine Hunter Johnston gave a very good performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein's If I Loved You which she sang with real conviction. Equally convincing, and technically excellent, was Claudia Wilmot-Smith's playing in the Allegro of Stamitz's D major Flute Concerto. More Chopin, this time the famous E major Etude, was played by Kenneth Tung. He captured the spirit of the contrasting sections with an intelligent and musical performance. The last solo item of the evening was provided by Selma Oliver in Cassada's 1! R.equiebro~ for cello and piano/ his is a VIrtuoso p1ece and Selma played it with real flair and excitement. This most enjoyable evening ended with Walpole House singing She's Not There. I am not certain who 'she' was, but the 'shes' on the stage sang very well indeed.

The Broughton/Tradescant House Concert Sunday 10 March at 7.30 p.m. St Augustine's Refectory The Refectory at St Augustine's provides a wonderful ly atmospheric setting for the annual Broughton/Tradescant house concert and, as usual, every seat (and bench) was taken. lan Nunn and Alice Cooke provided the traditional compere double-act by introducing the items with humour-occasionally lost on some of us non-St Augustine's mortals! The Broughton House choir, conducted by Leonie Hamway, got the evening off to a rousing start with a spirited performance of 0 Happy Day. This was dedicated, for what can only be the obvious reason, to Stephen Graham who is stepping down as housemaster of Tradescant at the end of the Summer Term. Mr Graham beamed happily throughout. Three instrumental items followed. Alicia Swannell played an arrangement of Mozart's Rondo alia Turca on the

glockenspiel with real panache and musicality. Landy Patton chose an ambitious tempo for his performance of Squire's Danse Rustique, but he maintained it throughout with good phrasing and dynamics. Hannah Wright's performance of a Chopin prelude was an equally assured and thoug htfu I interpretation. Relaxed was the word that sprang to mind when Emma Hiddleston sang Cry Me a River. She communicated well with the audience, not just through clear diction, but by involving us as listeners. This was a real performance. Bagpipes and the great indoors are not an obvious combination. And the pipes are a notoriously difficult instrument to play-just starting them up takes time! Edward Herbert very bravely decided to surmount the difficulties and gave us a rendition of the traditional Scottish song The Brown-Haired Maiden. There was the occasional, and understandable off note, but I admired his determination. Three contrasting vocal items were next on the programme. The first, to be fair, was in fact an arrangement for two flutes of The Flower Duet from the opera Lakme by Delibes, played by Alicia Swannell and Katherine Harvey-Kelly. This was good although the flutes weren't entirely in tune with each other at the beginning, which led to a few problems later on. The Broughton/Tradescant chamber choir sang Over the Rainbow in an arrangement (specially commissioned for this concert!) by Nigel Hamway, OKS, which was conducted by his daughter Leonie. I think the father was satisfied by his daughter's interpretation. This vocal section concluded with a genuinely interesting arrangement of Think About Me (Artful Dodger) for two ce llos, piano and voice. Jonathan Campbell gave a suitably spirited performance of one of Bartok's Romanian Folk dances (Maruntel) on unaccompanied clarinet and the ensemble singing in an upper voices trio arrangement of Bridge Over Troubled Water was blended and in tune. Bach's Air on a G string was rather more problematic. The Broughton String Quartet did their best but beginning the piece at twice the normal tempo was bound to create difficulties later on. A strong draught from the side door then blew some of the music on to the floor, which obviously did not help matters. The girls however played (wo)manfully

on. A performance of Summertime for t wo saxophones was effective as was the arrangement for two flutes and cello of a Bach fughetta. Claudia Kennaugh then sang, and accompanied herself on the piano, a composition of her own, Stability. This was very impressive, both in terms of the performance and the piece itself. Claudia demonstrated her genuine musical talent. William Jennings followed with a stylish performance of James Rae's Hard Rock Blues. The concert finished with an excellent vocal performance by Leonie Hamway. Canterbury Dress did not seem appropriate for this particular song, so Leo decided to change into something more (or some might argue, less!) fitting. Leo devoted much of her attention during the performance to Mr Graham, who did appear to get rather flushed. It must have been Fever.

Economics and Politics Talk on The Single Currency by John Astin esq. 8 February 2002 Mr. John Astin, a senior official of the European Commission working in Luxembourg for its statistical branch "Eurostat", came to talk about the recent introduction of the euro and its implications .for the UK. Modestly disclaiming any expertise as an economist and emphasising that he was speaking in a personal capacity, he explained that his work mainly involved making price comparisons, especially within the EU but also more widely, and that he was much involved with the creation of the new and still incomplete EU Harmonised Consumer Price Index. In this connection, he gave a very clear explanation of purchasing power parity, a concept which often confuses students. Partly due to a failure of market exchange rates to align properly with PPP, for example, prices in Denmark are 80% higher than in Greece, and those in Oxford one third above those in Brussels, sterling being overvalued by about 25% in relation to PPP. Turning to the single currency, he explained the importance of money in

the context of the limitations of barter and gave an interesting account of its historical development, stressing the role in this of widening trade and communication. Highlighting the problems involved in foreign exchange, the introduction of a single currency made sense when economic and political circumstances justified it and such currencies have been in use on occasions since Roman times. As a relatively recent example, Napoleon Ill created a "Latin Monetary Union", which survived unti I 1925. The fact, though, that such common currencies lasted only as long as circumstances allowed, had interesting implications perhaps for the future of the euro. Mr. Astin said that the introduction of the euro had been extremely well planned since the commitment to it at Maastricht in 1992, and very smoothly executed. 15 billion new notes (on each of which the authorities had apparently embarrassingly reproduced without permission a copyright satellite image of Europe!) and 50 billion new coins, including free samples of Luxembourg 20c coins which he generously distributed to the audience, had been produced and distributed. "Legacy" currencies would soon cease to be legal tender and 350,000 tons of old co inage would be melted down. He was aware of very little unhappiness on the continent with the new currency: on the contrary, most had welcomed it with open arms. There had been a big psychological impact, with many saying that it made them feel more European. In contrast to the pound, most European currencies were of relatively recent origin. For example, the franc dated back only to Napoleon I and the DM to 1871. Moreover, other currencies had all at some time been through periods of crisis, so for these reasons people were not wedded to them in the way that many were to the pound in Britain. Such people might be unaware, though, that the Queen's head had only been on British notes since 1960. This led on to a brief consideration of the future. Mr. Astin felt that the Commission President, Romano Prodi, was right in declaring the euro to be a political rather than a purely economic issue. Its implications for monetary policy and to a lesser extent fiscal policy were already clear and political consequences might follow. He did not, however, foresee like some the evolution of a United States of Europe. As for Britain, he could envisage a referendum soon, once

the Chancellor's five "economic tests" were declared to have been passed, though whether this would lead to Britain's adoption of the euro he could not predict. What was clear, however, was that the present strong exchange rate of sterling was far too high for entry, at least a ten per cent depreciation being necessary to meet the convergence criteria. Although lack of time prevented him from discussing further the arguments for and against Britain's entry, Mr. Astin did answer a number of interesting questions from the audience. There was no firm evidence so far, he said, of consumers suffering from excessive rounding up of prices. In fact, greater transparency should lead to lower prices over time, though a common currency did not necessarily mean common prices, owing to local tax differences. He spoke more enthusiastically about the work of the European Central Bank than do some British commentators and, though accepting that the uniform interest rate might not be appropriate to all parts of the eurozone, with different economic cycles, he said that neither was the domestic rate necessarily appropriate to all parts of the UK. Of course, there would be stresses and strains, but he was confident that the EU would cope with them and that the new currency would prove invaluable both for stability and as a basis for forward momentum. On behalf of the audience, Mr. Reid thanked Mr. Astin for an excellent talk, much enjoyed by all present.

DJR

Faith in Science Conference on Science and Theology It seems apt that within the precincts of one of the oldest foundations in the country dedicated both to religion and to scholarship, the many issues arising from the interaction of the disciplines of science and theology should be addressed. At this conference, we were fortunate indeed to be addressed by four of the most eminent thinkers in this area, each

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of whom had a very different perspective and experience of this intricate area of thought. The opening keynote speaker, the Rev Dr John Polkinghorne KBE, FRS, is one of the most well known exponents of harmony between science and Christianity. As Professor of Mathematical Physics at the University of Cambridge for eleven years before training for the ministry of the Church of England, he was able to offer a unique perspective on the place of God within the world-view of a physicist. Drawing on his experience as a physicist, he outlined two important metaphysical questions relating to modern developments in physics itself: why should the universe be so comprehensible in terms of elegant mathematical theories, and why should the laws of Nature be so precisely tuned to enable the existence of conscious beings. In his view of friendship and cooperation between science and religion, the metaphysical context provided for physics, and science in general, by religious belief is even complemented by gifts of science to religion. His conclusion was of the necessity to see the world in a binocular fashion, through the eyes of both science and religion, in order to appreciate it fully. Second came a presentation entitled "Did Darwin Kill God?" by Professor John Brooke, the Andreas ldreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. Being previously Professor of the History of Science at the University of Lancaster, he was able to give a historical perspective on one of the most important issues where Science and Religion have come into conflict with one another. The conflict of Darwin's ideas with those of contemporary religious leaders is well known, but Professor Brooke presented the story of Darwin's own religious thinking and its connections with evolution. To Darwin, the theory of evolution, and the evolutionary past of humans themselves, seemed more persuasive than the idea of divine miracles, and evolution seemed also to explain the need for suffering, particularly for Darwin whose daughter died in childhood. Darwin's personal experiences, even more than his scientific ones, seemed to shape his ultimate agnosticism. However, Darwin was never an atheist, never bringing himself to believe that the world whose beauty he so admired could have arisen by pure chance. After lunch, we returned to a philosophical analysis of the "Mind, Brain and Soul",

given by Dr John Taylor, a teacher of Physics and Philosophy at Rugby School, and also a Fellow of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Starting from Descartes' idea of the soul as the 'Ghost in the Machine', he examined such difficult issues as the problem of how a non-physical mind or soul is able to affect a physical body. He outlined two of the major philosophical views on this problem, Descartes' separate view of the mind and the body, known as dualism, contrasting with the concept of reductionism, where the mind is seen as ultimately explicable by science, thus reducing humans to nothing more than complicated physical machines. Both of these seem to contain elements which are either fallacious or philosophically untenable, and we were presented with a view of the mind and soul as th~ mental and spiritual capacities of hum1hs rather than separate items. Before the open discussion, the final Keynote Speaker was Mr Mike Poole, Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Education at King's College, London, who presented the results of his examination of the Science and Religious Studies curricula to give an overview entitled 'Science and Theology- a future in Education?' Looking at the area both from the view of Science and RS teachers, he outlined the areas where it seemed that each subject would benefit from cooperation, particularly to dispel the misinterpretations of one by the other. Firstly addressing those areas of science where religious issues arise, he outlined three parts of science: data, wherein are contained the issues of scientific theories such as creation and evolution; nature, which contains the philosophy of science, its provisional nature and issues of reductionism and determinism; and finally applications, such as ethics and ecology. From a view of religious education, both their common ground in use of models and metaphors to explain concepts, and their differences, particularly in the questions they are designed to answer, were presented, showing that both have their own limitations.

detail. It was interesting to hear the views of such great thinkers on such a wide range of issues, especially when they disagreed and debate arose among them. Among the issues discussed were the relationship of science to religions other than Christianity, the nature of free will (and whether it exists at all), the nature of faith and the provocative concept of a 'God-of-the-gaps'. Such a discussion provided an excellent inspiration for further thought on the ideas which had been explored during the day, and we were able to end a conference so rich in the philosophy of science and religion with some highly enlightening insights, and, even more importantly, with some open questions left for our own consideration.

Alexander Shannon (MR)

Charity Fashion Show Saturday 16th March Shirley Hall The Shirley Hall had never seen anything like it before. The Fashion Show was a glittering success. Not only did it provide fantastic entertainment, but it also proved a wonderful way to raise money. The Fashion Show was an alternative to the collections after matins and non-uniform days, supporting various charities, as are customary at King's.The idea was hatched by Polly and Hannah Redman. Polly, having left King's in 1999, worked in Uganda teaching sex and health education to children . While she was there her eyes were opened to the lack of

After this followed a session of discussion, where delegates were invited to ask questions or make points to all four of the day's speakers. This was one of the most fascinating parts of the day, where the areas left unexplored by the speakers could be examined and discussed in Above: Polly Redman in Uganda

Top Left: Hannah Redman introducing the Fashion Show. Bottom: Victoria Parrish and Alexa Leslie

education the majority of the children receive due to it being too expensive. She wanted to help some children by giving them the opportunity to have a full education and to do that of course, a large sum of money was needed. Polly's aim was to raise £7000, which would fund four girls through four years of education. The Fashion Show achieved this with its originality attracting the dozens, who paid £10 for the privilege of seeing the pupils strut their stuff on the catwalk. On top of the obligatory entrance fee, a staggering £1500 was collected on the door. The final total raised was therefore bang on target of £7000. Hannah Redman arranged the whole event expertly. Popular retailers contributed their clothes. Toni and Guy agreed to do the hairdressing, while there was even a make up artist to glam up the models before their time in the limelight. In the front row a model scout perched ready to spot models to join the notorious Take Two Model agency. She was particularly struck by one girl, Charlotte Cray, who she immediately signed up. Take Two also provided a professional model who helped the King's models to perfect their catwalk strut. Anna Baldwin carefully picked suitable music. Beautiful flowers decorated the Shirley Hall. Hannah refused to allow mirrors in the dressing room to ensure that nobody fussed about what they looked like. This, and the lack of fashion journalists, photographers, and perhaps celebrities in the front row was how the King's Fashion Show differed from a show in London Fashion Week. It was awesomely professional for a school fashion show. King's pupils ot"all ages, girls and boys, took part. Girls looked funky in Entrada, clad in tight jeans or skirts and the latest fashionable array of tops as were also featured in the Warehouse section. They looked sophisticated and glamorous in Phase Eight ball gowns and evening dress, which were teamed with stunning hats by Catherine Trillo. And they were chic in Burberry from Andre Ia Boutique. Boys looked cool modelling the latest trend in ski gear from Black's, and dashing in suits modelled with the girls. The 'precinct's cuties' caused much cooing from the audience and led by Tunji they modelled clothes from Child. The evening did not just show fashion. A beautifully sung Adiemus, by the school choir, kicked it off and a group of girls performed a dance routine, in which Aislinn Mulligan stunned the audience with her numerous flips and splits.

Providing quite a contrast with Adiemus, the first models bounced onto the catwalk dancing to booming music. It was a scene of bright colours and vibrancy. Eliza Beattie was f irst on and kept a presence throughout her solo dance. Miss Ellener choreographed every section brilliantly, and each was different, ranging from a fairly simple stroll down the catwalk with occasional poses to the more complex sequences of graceful or energetic steps.The finale was an enjoyable and amusing end to a superb night with the wedding of Isabella Steel and Blain McGuigan. Mr Anderson gave the bride away and Mrs Reid acted as the mother of the bride. Father Fred's daughter Ellen was the bridesmaid and curtseyed angelically. The evening was so spectacular and exciting that even the Head Man was inspired to do an impromptu twirl on the catwalk, following his speech.

Gold: Alexander Shannon, who was awarded a book prize. Alex Shannon's Gold medal places him in the top 50 in the country. Well done to all those who entered! A celebratory tea was held in the physics department just before Summer half term.

qu@rks This is the name of the new science club, run this year for the first t ime during the Lent and Summer terms as a second activity for Shells on Thursday afternoons. Each week, a different member of the science and maths staff has put on an activity designed to be fun and to stretch the imaginations of those t urning up, taking them beyond the normal science curriculum.

Leonora Oldfield (LX) Here's a taste of what's been on offer:

British Physics Olympiad It has been a very successful year for our top physicists in this very tough national competition. Of the five brave candidates who entered, three were awarded silver medals, placing them in the top 150 school-level physicists in the country; the other two were awarded commendations.

Miss Astin kicked off with a competition to design a timing device which would light a bulb after 60 seconds. Some ingenious devices were designed and built. In the summer term she offered another challenge: drop an egg from 1 metre without it breaking. Perhaps you saw the mess in the Memorial Court afterwards?! Dr. Allday led us on an exciting exploration of the mysteries of quantum theory.

The silver medallists were : James Ellis (GL) Kenneth Tung (GR) Alexander Shannon (MR) - still only in the fifth form -a magnificent achievement! They were awarded book prizes. Commendations went to Hannah Hiester (MT) and Philip Uhde (LN).

Mrs. Wharfe showed us how to extract DNA from bananas and onions and we learned more about what goes on in cells with Mr. Parker. Later, we analysed with Dr. Bentley the similarities and differences between flowers to see if there was a mathematical pattern regulating the number of petals each has.

Physics Challenge This is the GCSE level equivalent of the Olympiad and was entered by some of our fifth formers. Ten of them passed the threshold needed for certification and were placed as follows:

In Chemistry, Dr. Arnott posed a forensic challenge, where we tested 'samples' and with Dr. Afzal we saw a dazzling array of glowing, exploding and other exotic chemical reactions.

Commendations : Rohan Mohindra, Charlotte Morrish and Aislinn Mulligan Bronze II: Kenneth Kam, Alex Quayle, Tom Rodwell, Joe Sevier and Faiz Shivji Bronze 1: Charles Marnham

Opposite Page:Tunji lawson struts his stuff on the catwalk. (MPHD)

Dr. Mallion and Mr. Oath from the maths department offered sessions on the theory of networks (all about footballs and Tube maps!) and the science of code- breaking, respectively. We've had a small but dedicated bunch of members. Archie Ahern (GL) won a prize of a glowing plasma ball for being the most loyal customer! CMA

Societies and Activities Pater Society

Greek and Roman Medicine

Duke of Edinburgh

The Sculptures of the Parthenon

Dr. Patty Baker University of Kent 4th March 2002

Award

Cathedral Education Centre 28th January 2002 Many King's pupils study the buildings on the Acropolis and so it was a great privilege to welcome as our guest speaker Dr. Susan Woodford, one of the foremost authorities on the sculptures of the Parthenon and the author of the standard text for GCSE and A level courses. Dr. Woodford has been described as a writer 'who illuminates the greatness of Classical art and architecture and conveys a sense of the excitement which fired the creative artist of the time: This skill was evident in the talk given by Dr. Woodford on these magnificent Classical sculptures. We were provided with an introduction to the basic plan of the temple and given a detailed description of the subject matter of the sculptures. Dr. Woodford then explained the allegorical nature of the myths, chosen by the sculptors to decorate the pediments and the frieze, in relation to the political scene in Athens after the Persian Wars, and their positions on the building. Her discussion of the sculptural techniques and the imaginative composition of the scenes was particularly useful to the audience which comprised Classicists History of Art students and Art students ' as well as guests from other schools including Junior King's. While she ' highlighted the most successful scenes and compared these with examples fro~ later artists who were inspired by the Parthenon sculptures, Dr. Woodford also pointed out some of the less successful compositions on the metopes. It was good to have this distinction brought out and to have it balanced alongside the details which contribute to our understanding of the Parthenon as the greatest monument of the Classical period.

Dr. Patty Baker came to give the Sixth form a talk about Greek and Roman Medicine towards the end of the Lent term . This is Dr. Baker's specialist subject and she gave a splendid summary of the writers who serve as literary sources for the topic before moving on to discuss on her own researches. This was where the talk really came alive. Illustrated with slides and artefacts 'from the ancient ~actor's bag', Dr. Baker relayed scholarly mformation alongside her own anecdotes, much to the delight oM he students. We heard about magici nd superstition and saw gruesome slides of actual operations performed 'in the field' -for instance a cataract operation performed on a patient backed into a corner and held in position by the doctor's foot, in order to have their cataract broken up through their pupil without the aid of an anaesthetic! Dr. Baker fielded a number of searching questions by fascinated pupils _ who obviously felt safer in the arms of modern medicine! Dr. Baker is going to be a good friend to the Classics department. Based at the University of Kent at Canterbury, she is currently engaged in negotiations for excavating a Roman villa in Wiltshire during summer 2002.

The Scheme was again in full swing this term with a balanced activities programme for the Removes. First Aid under the instruction of Carol Saunders and Alan Katcher saw 36 pupils gain certificates last term and we expect a further crop at the end of this session. Expedition training with DMF and DJF has prepared a number of groups for the practical component of practice and assessment in the field . MJF, assisted by JMH, continues to find challenges for the groups involved with initiative exercises and it is rewarding to see pupils eager to take part in the cycling activity led by JB and MJWS. The Life-Saving programme which perhaps demands greater motivation than others is led by RNW who steadfastly instructs and organises. Scuba, unfortunately is only popular with some and RPC has liaised and marshalled the groups taking part. Unfortunately, we have lost self-defence, but Martin Ballands our squash coach has filled the breech by offering instruction under the supervision of AMcF. Next term we will be offering sailing and advanced canoeing in the programme. A large number of 5th formers are focused on completing their Bronze Award programmes this year and already have their sights set on the Gold Award. Pupils such as Theo Webb, Hamish Pound and Tom Rodwell are becoming budding Jamie Olivers as they work through their culinary course with TO in the Walpole kitchen. A group of 5th and 6th form scuba divers are near to completion of

Anna Baldwin (JR)

Above; Hugh Davies, Sunil Khemani and Charles Teale prepare to take the plunge.

Opposite Page: Hugh Davies poised for some sub-aqua action

Christian Forum Weekly Christian Forum meetings continued throughout the Lent term, attended by between 7 and 23 pupils and a few staff. Most houses seemed to be represented, with particularly large numbers from Walpole and Mitchinson's.

the PAD! diving course under the supervision of RPC who will gain certification himself. The Gold Award group are also forging ahead, individual goals are thrashed out at weekly meetings but all have completed a practice expedition - on the Saxon Way, South Coast, at half-term and plan to complete a 'wild country trek' in the summer. Charlotte Wright (BR) completed her residential course while caring for the elderly during the Christmas vacation and others planned include group work in Switzerland and language courses in Europe. Good luck to all. ARW

The theme for the term's talks was, "Do you believe it?" Each week a guest speaker explained in a short talk what the Bible states on a topical and controversial issue in Christianity. The term began with a moving address from Mike Cawthorne (OKS) on how the Bible is the Word of God. We then looked at issues such as "Who was Jesus?", "Hell" and "Christianity in a Scientific Age': The talk looking into "Sex and Relationships" seemed to draw a larger crowd than normal and generated considerable discussion afterwards. Just before half term we enjoyed a slide show advertising lwerne Holidays (a Christian Activity Holiday). It was good to see many slides of past and present pupils (and even some staff!)

After half term Paul Bolton gave a passionate talk on suffering; this was followed by a talk on "Faith: trusting God and his promises': Richard Hagan (OKS) gave a very positive talk on "Heaven" while Phil Cansdale (a local curate) finished the term with a look at "Easter". We are as ever grateful to all those who gave up much time to prepare the talks, and travel (often long distances) to King's on Thursday evenings. It has been particularly encouraging to see pupils and staff openly grappling with the issues, asking questions of the speaker and each other. Our thanks again to Mr Fox and the members of Mitchinson's for accommodating us in their Common Room each Thursday evening. Term-cards are available at the beginning of each term. If any parent would like to be sent one, then please e-mail mjws@kings-school.co.uk MJWS and MJF

Sport Boys' Hockey 1st XI The achievements of this year's First Eleven will be recorded within these pages and have been elsewhere. Their record-breaking season will be written of and kept forever, but no number of pages will be able to record what has been etched in the memories of those who watched this First Eleven play nor of those who played. There were some truly outstanding matches where teamwork, commitment and quality of hockey were at their highest. This team has played out of its skin and performed way beyond their ability; the sum of the total was greater than that of the individual parts. It was a very real pleasure being their coach in what was one of the best-spirited teams for a long time. This First Eleven has broken or equalled four winning margins, scored more goals than any other side in one match and is in the top three for the number of goals scored in a season, 68, which is an average of over 4 per match. Things did not start positively, for we looked very inexperienced in the training

days in September and on the pitch during the training camp in Alicante. I did catch a glimpse of what was to come when we played a divisional under 21 side from Alicante. They were much better than us but could not overcome our spirit or break through the superb work done in goal by James Alder and one of the revelations of the season, Matt Reilly. We ran out winners in a contest which proved to the players that hard work and spirit can overcome a more skilful opposition. The lesson did not seem to have been learnt in the first game against one of the best sides that Sutton Valence have produced for some time. Although we were the better side in the first half we squandered a few chances and were a little unlucky not to be more comfortably in front at half time. The most spectacular of dribbling drives and reverse stick shots from the Captain, Stuart Finlayson, just missed the left hand post and a few other shots just went wide. In the second half we were poor. We lost composure in the midfield, putting the defence under pressure who then dived in, opened up the goal and they scored. Sutton Valence went on to win 2 - 4. The game will be remembered by Alex 'Pez' Perry for his

first goal for the First Eleven. He epitomised the spirit and attitude that made this such a great season. The show got back on the road within a few days down at Chatham House. A nervous first four minutes was banished after the Captain's first goal settled the side. What followed was a master-class in passing through the midfield. The best passage of play did not result in a goal but showed exactly how sexy hockey could be. A pass from our 25 yard line was followed by a series of two touch passes into their circle. Greg Edmunds, from centre back(!) was on the end of it and narrowly missed the right hand post. This was King's biggest margin over Chatham House and was achieved though two hattricks (Rau and Stubbs) and with a goal from super-sub Bryce Constable's first touch of the ball. Improvements were needed if we were to maintain the momentum against Trinity Croydon. On a slow pitch we played the ball square early and then forward and very successfully got behind their defence. We could have scored four or five in the first half but again we lacked accuracy. James Ellis and Stuart Rau had very accomplished games showing

Standing: L. to R. N.L.P., J.Stubbs, A. Birch, M. Reilly, J. Alder, J. Andrews, B. Cryer, G. Pound, E. Wacher, Sitting : L. to R. C. Ryan , G. Edmunds, S. Finlayson , S. Rau, J. Ellis.

themselves capable of picking up the ball on both sides of their body. Our start in the second half was awesome. With such an intensity of pu rpose and concentration, the opposition could not resist and we raced to a three nil lead. The showboating that followed reduced the winning ma rgin but it was still a record equalling one for this improving side. Another record was equalled in the game against St. Lawrence. We ran very hard and had better lines of running than the opposition. Early on, a superb piece of skill from Staurt Finlayson followed by a cracker of a rising shot drew an excellent save from their 'keeper who played very well all afternoon. Blain McGuigan got the first goal from a well worked set piece. George Pound had an outstanding game in the midfield and Alasdair Birch played his best game of the season so far with some very patient defending. In a match when so many played well, Stuart Rau's award as man of the match was some accolade. This quality play did not continue. In the first half against King's Rochester, we were poor. We dived in in defensive situations with a keenness only matched by ducks seeing their first water after having flown over a desert. Following a 'gentle' chat at half-time normal service was resumed; we dominated, netted six goals and secured the biggest winning margin ever against KSR. Yet again Stuart Finlayson dominated the midfield and received his second man of the match award of the season. The biggest test of the season, and probably the biggest for some years, was next on the agenda. Kent College has a very good side indeed, one of t he best in the country with nearly all players playing at Divisional level and several at International level. Their reputation frightened us and we never really had the belief that we could do it. When it was a time to have your best game of the season, many had one of their most indifferent. In a season when so many had managed to play the mental game so well and be able to lift themselves, it was very disappointing that on the one occasion when they needed to most, they could not quite manage it. The friendly rivalry between Cranbrook and King's and the large number of players who know each other have resulted in tense games with neither side managing to break the deadlock: the last three matches have all been draws. This was no Top: Blain McGuigan. Middle: St uart Finlayson

Bot tom: James Alde r saving a penalty in th e semi-final of Frank Mason Tourn ament.

exce ption. James Alder rebounded from th e Kent College game with a stunning performance in goal. We got back on the wi nning trail with a very competent pe rformance against Dulwich beating th em 3 - 1. Jamie Andrews has grown in co nfidence and been the team man. His first position is not in the midfield but th e balance of the team needed him to be th ere. His understanding of the position and reading of the game, whether there or in defence, was very plea sing indeed. Our worst performance of the season, and for two years, was saved for Felsted, as it has been for the last few years. The Fe lsted game has always followed the Kent Cup Final which has taken place ea rlier in the week and we always fail to ri se to the occasion. Amidst a dire performance the one glimmer of light was a superb performance from George Pound. All our spirits were lifted by a convincing victory over Tonbridge as we beat them 6 - 2. It was not the most attractive of games but we dug out what was a very pl easing result. Had we played with our usua l flair the margin would have been even more convincing. On the penultimate weekend of this season we played Duke of York's. Things had been going so very we ll for the side recently with some great passages of play that we all felt a little disappointed that we only won 2- 0. It was not a vintage performance, so lacking in vintage in fact that an injury to an umpi re was the second most talked about point of the match. The final weekend of the term brought two of the greatest performances I have seen by a King's first Eleven. Against one of t he best OKS Elevens that has been assembled for several years we played so me outstanding hockey. It was a very real joy to watch as we passed the ball assuredly and with class. The game was tighter than the 5- 1 score line suggests as the OKS faded in the last quarter. This match set us up very well for the game against Hilton College f rom South Af rica, a team with whom we have a very good relationship. We have had several very good games against them but always on their patch. Now we were the home side. Hilton started very smartly in deed. The movement of the ball and t heir players was the fastest I have seen t his season. They were superb. I thought we were going to be over run . But no. The spirit that this team has shown

throughout the season was totally dominant throughout. The performance is even more impressive because it was achieved without the Captain who has had such impact for so many years. All those who took part in this match must take from it the fact that if all dig deep for each other, even the most impressive of sides can be tamed and beaten. In the first half we weathered the storm with some stunning defending by Greg Edmunds, Johnny Stubbs, Edward Wacher, who had his best game of the season, and Alasdair Birch - all performed superbly. Matt Reilly in goal, in place of James Alder, was stunning. In the second half we began to play and match their standard. The key to this was some superb work in the midfield by Blain McGuigan and up front by Stuart Rau who was mesmeric at times. Ben Cryer, a Remove with tremendous promise, worked very well indeed on the right wing. 3 - 1 was a wonderful achievement. The team were superb. The victory was much deserved. If that weekend was one of the best then the first 15 minutes in the Kent Cup quarter final against Sutton Valence were one of the best first quarters I have seen from a King's side. Instrumental in that was the performance of Stuart Finlayson who scored a quite tremendous goa l. A terrifically well-timed reverse stick pick in the tackle was soon brought under control. He then dribbled with the ball on the reverse stick for a third of the pitch and then rifled a shot into the top right hand side of the goal. In those fifteen minutes we demolished the opposition. If we could muster such concentration, drive, skill and determination every game we would be world beaters. It was an awesome performance. We f inished winn ing 12- 1, the largest number of goals King's have ever scored in a match. That victory brought us a semi-final bout against Kent College. We were a little despondent going into it after our heavy defeat earlier in the season, but we need not have been. We lost 3 - 4 and could have won it. It was a stunning performance by the whole team. Edward Wacher played a blinder as did Johnny Stubbs whose play was characterised by tremendous maturity. In the last few minutes of the game we had a chance to level the scores but just missed. This performance made one coach very proud indeed. We made very good progress in our other County competition of the season. In the Frank Mason we came second in our

group in the morning after some very tight 20 minute games and went on to the finals in the afternoon. On our way to the final of what is regarded as the one day county championship we beat Sutton Valence and St. Lawrence. In the final we came across Kent College. Unlike in the semi-final of the Kent Cup we again gave them too much respect and started back on our heels. It does not take too much of a wind to knock you back from that position. Sadly, we never really got going in appalling conditions and lost. Several players leave this year, players who have made a very big impact. Alex Perry improved greatly and was a regular on the left wing. He did the simple things very well and defences could not cope. He had a splendid attitude. James Ellis has a knack for being in front of goal at the right time and has given us many a chance. His tireless running up front was an example to all. Matt Reilly played out of his skin. I have rarely seen a 'keeper make such progress. By t he end of the season I had no qualms about him standing between the sticks and that is with a divisional goalkeeper as the other choice. His enj oyment at making great saves was wonderfu l to see. Blain McGuigan came of age this season. He is a mazy dribbler of the ball and learnt to take control when he needed to. His performance against Hilton was truly remarkable and a great testament to his ability. Greg Edmunds has been a stalwart in defence. His desire to do well and learn was exemplary; he was a real team player and a very real positive influence on the team. I also appreciated his work off the pitch. Stuart Rau has had the most superb of seasons. He has worked very hard indeed at honing his skills and ach ieved some remarkable results. The skills he now possesses are very impressive indeed. The fact that he could turn quality players inside out is proof of his potency. This year sees the end of an era for King 's Hockey. In the last assembly of term the Headmaster presented Stuart Finlayson with a framed shirt with the number 13 on it. The inscription read: 'In honour of Stuart's outstanding contribution to King 's Hockey and The First Eleven, the number 13, his shirt since his first appearance in 1998 aged 13, has been retired. In his five years playing for the First Eleven he has made a record smashing 103 appearances, scored over 60 goals and holds the record for being the youngest person to score for the First Eleven, aged 13. He was a

Kent Cup Matches

--v. Sutton Valence

(OF) Won 12-3

v. Kent College

(SF) Lost 3 -4

Frank Mason Round robin stage

v. Borden Grammar School

Won 2-0

v. Langley Park

Drew 0-0

v. Chaucer Technical College

Won 4 - 0

v. Maidstone Grammar School

Drew 2- 2

Knock out stage

v. Sutton Valence

Drew 1 - 1 (Won on penalties]

v. St Lawrence

Won 1- o

v. Kent College (final)

Lost0-3

-----

Representative Honours

Stuart Finlayson

very successful Captain of the Club for two years in 2001 and 2002 and played for England at Under 16 and Under 18: Stuart's contribution has been record breaking. On the pitch his commitment has been breathtaking. His personal achievements for King's and his Country are very impressive indeed. But what many will not know is that he has a very astute hockey mind and I have been very grateful for all his advice. He has been a very good Captain of Hockey indeed and I thank him for it. I am pleased for Stuart that this side has been so successful, in its results, the records that it has broken and the great spirit there has been. It has been a joy to work with this First Eleven. They have made huge strides forward and can be very proud indeed of their achievements; they have reached some very impressive heights My thanks also go to the other coaches who have worked so hard, to JMH in particular for him allowing me to take his players, to the groundsmen and catering staff. What happened behind the scenes makes it all possible. NLP

The First Eleven Stuart Finlayson+ (captain), James Alder*, James Andrews, Alasdair Birch, Bruce Constable, Greg Edmunds*, James Ellis, Blain McGuigan*, Alex Perry, George Pound, Stuart Rau*, Matt Reilly, Johnny Stubbs*, Edward Wacher Also played: Ben Cryer, Hugh Daulton, Jack Fox, Chris Ryan

Overall: Played 15 Won 10 Drew 1 Lost 4 Goals for 67 Goals against 37

School matches P13 W9 GF52 GA30

v. Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 2- 4

v. Chatham House

(A) Won 8-0

v. Trinity, Croydon

(A) Won 4-1

v. St. Lawrence, Ramsgate

(H) Won 5-0

v. King's School, Rochester

(H) Won 9-1

v. Kent College

(H) Lost 1-10

v. Cranbrook

(H) Drew 2-2

v. Dulwich

(H) Won 3-1

v. Felsted

(A) Lost 2-7

v. Tonbridge

(A) Won 6-2

v. Duke of Yorks, Dover

(H) Won 2-0

c: <U

v. OKS

Won 5-1

v. Hilton College, South Africa

Won 3-1

England Under 18

Johnny Stubbs

Kent Under 18

James Alder

Kent Under 18

Sam Middleton

Kent Under 14

Graham Sweetman

Kent Under 14

2nd XI This proved to be a frustrating season fo r the 2nd XI, who at times played some entertain ing hockey, but too often ended up losing by the odd goal. Player numbers provided numerous selection headaches and some almighty juggling with the 3rd XI, but those fit and able frequently did the school proud. Tom and Quincey were even coaxed out of retirement to provide some much needed steel. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly the 7-1 demolition of King's Rochester, who were given a masterclass in the art of tactical formations despite atrocious weather conditions. In contrast, the rather fatigued submission to Kent College was disappointing, despite first- class travel arrangements. In other matches, the team struggled to capitalise on numerous scoring opportunities, and often relied on the irresistible form of Matt Re illy to keep them in the game. Unfortunately Hugh couldn't turn goal-hanging into goals! The final game of the season against StLawrence saw the team at its best and worse, routing the opposition in the first h-alf, but then capitulating in the second half through overconfidence.

So on to next season -goodbye and t hanks to many stalwart GAs, but wi t h a young nucleus of a side to continue the tradition of attacking, free-flowing hockey that characterises the 2nd XI. JMH Team : Matt Reilly, Hamish Pound, James Fryatt, Jonny K-Patel, Tom Steibelt, Hugh Daulton (Captain), Conrad Baker, Tim MacLehose, Quincey Allan, Toby Pentecost, Jack Fox, Matt Spurway Also Played: Henry Lo, Chris Ryan, Blain McGuigan, Bryce Constable, Sam Mount RESULTS Played 10, Won 1, Lost 7, Drawn 2.

v Cranbrook

(H) Lost 1-4

v Dulwich

(A) Lost 2-3

v Duke of York's

(H) Drawn 2-2

v Felsted

(A) Lost 2-4

v Kent College

(A) Lost 0-1

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 7- 1

v St Lawrence

(H) Drawn 4-4

v Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 1-3

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 0-1

v Trinity

(H) Lost 0-1

Junior Colts •A• XI The first game of the season set the scene for the standard of hockey that we could hope to aspire to. On a bleak January day, the whole of this match was played in fog so thick that one could not even see across the width of the pitch . At our end, an all too frequent knock of the ball hitting the backboard signified that another goal had been scored, while at the other end of the pitch there was rumoured to be another set of goal posts and the opposition's keeper- we did little to test whether he was really there. However, we did learn a great deal about the pace at which the game could be played and the level of control that could be achieved, and the qual ity of our own game improved from this moment on. A week later and in rather better conditions, we faced an equally accomplished Trinity side, but this game was far more even and in many ways was the highpoint of the season in terms of self-belief. With some excellent attacking chances and good defensive work, it seemed as if we were likely to have a good season ahead.

A quick glance at the results below shows that this was not to be and it would perhaps be wisest not to dwell on exactly how each match developed. Suffice to say that we often played a game close to the standard of our opposition, but rarely sufficiently above their standard to gain control of the pace of the match. Individual players came on enormously over the course of the season in terms of tactical awareness and levels of skill. From the summary of results, it is clear that the goalkeeper, Ed Herbert, was kept busy, but what should also be mentioned is just how many brilliant saves he made. He particularly enjoyed an attacker dribbling through, with only the goalkeeper to beat - for Ed is brave and very agile, so ra rely did anyone manage to get round him in this way. In a defence that sometimes found itself struggling to cover ground, there was no lack of determination. Tom Pedley was maturing into a fine player until a back problem mid-season left him unable to play beyond half term. Luke Thorne ably stepped in to take his position , with his own levelheaded, no nonsense approach. Alex Pemberton also missed a spell through injury, but made his presence felt with some fine tactical awareness. Will Bruce reads the game very well indeed, and has fine timing in committing himself for a tackle. Will Hamilton usually played a defensive role too, but with his fine dribbling skills and good turn of speed, he was often able to push forward into more attacking positions. In the midfield there is a lot of potential. Captain Ben Cryer has impressive control at pace and although he may have preferred to play a more attacking role, his presence in the centre of the field was highly valued. Often playing as a sweeper or defensive centre-half, Renwick Russell has a good eye for the ball and fierce determination. He combined well with Charlie Teale and Tom Pritchard, also from Galpins, and the three of them refused to acknowledge ever being beaten. Each is tenacious, determined and prepared to work hard to cover the necessary ground. The forward line came more into prominence as the season developed. Initially reluctant to work off the ball, they became prog ressively more adept at stealing enough space from defenders to score some classy goals. Tom Boucher on the left wing started moving into positions to finish off moves coming across the face of the goal from the right, while both Jon Watler and

Jon Erridge grew in confidence in taking on defenders and creating scoring opportunities. Henry Synge seemed to play a different position each game, but with his high work rate and whole-hea rted commitment, he became a very valuable utility player. In the final week of term, the team played in the Peter Firminger tournament with some two-dozen teams competing from all over Kent. In keeping with the rest of the season, they managed to compete with some of the best teams the re, while not beating convincingly some of the weake r ones and so the final place was not impressive. However, the day will be remembered for some of our quality goals and for the sheer enjoymen t of the event. A special mention should go to exceptional and often inspirational coaching of Kwan Brown and Lucy Burr who kept t he team morale high when results were not going well , in addition to helping to develop and nurture stickwork and skills. Ben Cryer (M R) 8: RNW Team From: Benjamin Cryer (Captain), Thomas Boucher, William Bruce, Jonathan Erridge, William Hamilton, Edward Herbert, Thomas Pedley, Alexander Pemberton, Thomas Pritchard, Renwick Russell, Henry Synge, Charles Teale, Luke Thorne. Also Played : Stephen Eisenhammer, Andrew Laing. Played 12, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 9. Goals for 10, Goals against 49

v Sutton Valence

(A) Lost 0- 12

v Dover College

(H) Won 3-0

v Trinity

(H) Lost 0- 1

v Chatham House

(A) Lost 0- 2

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 3-0

--·-------

v Cranbrook

(A) Lost o- 2

v Dulwich College

(H) Lost 0- 5

v Felsted

(H) lost 1 - 3

v Duke of York's

(H) lost 2- 4

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost o- 9

v Kent College

(A) Lost 0 - 11

v St lawrence

(A) Wonl - 0

Junior Colts 'B' XI The season started with a fantastic match against a strong team, which the previous year had resulted in a very heavy defeat. However, this year against Sutton Valence was to be very different for we managed to keep everyth ing out of our net, mainly through the fierce determination of our defensive line of Paddy Holt, Esmond Brown, Sunil Khemani and Mikiya Morioka, but also by sometimes resorting to some rather interesting goalkeeping techniques by Will Acker. At this point the season looked as if it could be successful as well as highly enjoyable. We then met even stronger opposition in Trinity, and although the score does not reflect it, we had several sustained attacks on goal and often looked dangerous. But good play from our hosts left us fairly beaten. Nonetheless, our hockey was undeniably improving and the possibility of a win was looking ominous. We almost found victory in a superb match aga inst Cranbrook. A splendid goal involving all members of the team, finished by the captain, Andrew Laing, set the irrepressible U15 8 team on course. However Cranbrook proved more than equal to the challenge and with their ingenious play and our own slightly suspect fitness, the game turned and Cranbrook were able to reverse the result with two late goals. As illness and injury swept through the U15 squad, more defeats came our way against Dulwich, Felsted and Tonbridge, although the team scored goals in all of these matches. The most enjoyable game was the last of the season, which developed into a spirited battle against Duke of York's on an interesting and very slippery grass pitch. It also proved to be great fun. After a momen tary lapse in concentration we saw one goal slip past the defence and goalkeeper. But we kept strong and with excellent, inter- linking play between Chris Sinks and Andrew Laing on the right flank, and the quick passing and thinking of Richard Wildish and John Hamway on the left wing. The game soon developed into a classic battle. With Rory MacWatt and Amit Kaushal solid and determined in the middle, the balance of the game shifted and an awesome goal by Andrew Laing was well deserved.

However as the rain, sleet and finally snow closed in we found ourselves slipping to the ground too often at critical moments and in pressing to convert our advantage into goals, we conceded not one, but three on the counter attack. The final analysis of the games looks rather bleak, without a win all season. However, we were very pleased with the 5 superb goals that we scored in our seven matches and realised that hockey, when played in the right spirit, is a highly enjoyable sport. Andrew Laing (LN) 8: RNW Team from: William Acker, Christopher Sinks, Esmond Brown, Christopher Cork, James Devonshire, Stephen Eisenhammer, John Hamway, Patrick Holt, Amit Kaushal, Sunil Khemani, Andrew Laing (Captain), Rory MacWatt, Mikiya Morioka, $ enjamin Reed, Henry Synge, Richard Wilgish. Also played : Atowari Peterside Played 7, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 6. Goals for 5, Goals against 26

v Sutton Valence

(H) Draw 0-0

v Trinity

(A) Lost 0-5

v Cranbrook

(A) Lost 1 - 2

v Dulwich College

(H) Lost 1 - 4

v Felsted

(H) Lost 1 - 2

v Duke of York's

(A) Lost 1-4

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 1 - 9

Junior Colts 'C' XI It is a pity that that this 'C' team had so few matches and against such strong opposition, for this was a team that was eager to play! There was no amb iguity in training sessions; skills practices were tolerated only on the understanding that a game would follow quickly. Games afternoons became an event that pupils would throw themselves into wholeheartedly and on many a bleak afternoon players would come off the weather-beaten Polo Farm pitch positively glowing. Indeed, so enthusiastic was the spirit on the pitch that both Mr Warnick and Dr Bentley dug out long forgotten hockey sticks, to become playing umpires when the opportunity arose. Were there to have been more matches, we surely would have secured some

victories. On a few occasions in the year, the B's and C's played practice matches and it was not uncommon for the B's to leave having been shown a trick or two. Indeed, this squad was regularly called upon initially to supply players for the B's when they were short, but as the season progressed many of the so-called C's were holding down regular B team places. In goal Ato Peterside grew in stature and self-confidence and enjoyed many spectacular saves over the course of the term . In defence, William Thompson proved to have superb timing in the tackle and Richard Ankerson supplemented this with real determination. The midfield, capably led by Benjamin Reed, was characterised by skill, fitness and enthusiasm with Daniel Johnston and Simon Thomas covering a great deal of ground between them. In front of goal, Christopher Cork and James Devonshire showed great finesse and cool-headedness, especially when breaking from deep. In terms of results the season will not be viewed as a successful one, but measured by enjoyment and the quality of hockey played on a day-to-day basis, this was a vintage year. Certainly there are areas of tactical awareness and skills that all of these players can work on, but overall there is a real depth of hockey talent here and I hope that many of the members of this squad will go on to take places in senior sides next year. RNW Team from: Anthony Agbaje, Richard Ankerson, Christopher Cork, James Devonshire, Edward Edmondson, Daniel Johnston, Christian Klapp, Rahul Mukherjee, Atowari Peterside, Benjamin Reed (Capt), Samuel Rudgard, Andrew Swaffer, Simon Thomas, William Thompson. Played 2, Won 0, Drawn 0, Lost 2. Goa Is for 1, Goa Is against 8

v Trinity

(A) Lost 1 - 2

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 0-6

U14A I am sure I am not the only player in the team who enjoyed the season immensely. It began shakily with a draw and loss against strong opposit ion (all our fixtures were against strong hockey schools), although this was all part of the learning process. The team pulled through to go on a winning streak that lasted until half-term. However it took us until the

match against Dulwich to play together effectively as a team. Our win against Borden College meant we qualified for the Kent Cup semi-finals, the first time an U14 King 's side has reached this stage. This was played just after half-term, but sadly we were placed fou rth . The day began with a 9am match against the eventual winners, Langley Park. By half-time we were 4-0 down after a sluggish start. However we played a determined and memorable second half, scoring two goals. We lost the 3rd/4th playoff to Harvey Grammar on penalty flicks, perhaps as we hadn't trained together for a few weeks. Most viewed this as our worst match of the term! A poor performance against Felsted preceded the big match against Tonbridge. We finished this game in a 1-1 deadlock but all felt it was a game we could have won . Our next outing was in the East Kent Tournament at St. Lawrence. We adapted well to playing on grass, sailing though to the quarterfinals of this competition. Against Duke of Yo rk's we were aga in thwarted by flicks in a match where 90% of the play was in the opposition's half. The play-off against Harvey saw a quick but satisfying win. The highlight of the term was undoubtedly the win against St. Lawrence, the last game of the season. With a large home crowd looking on, the team finally played 50 minutes of first-class hockey, winning 5-0. Such a performance bodes well for next year. Congratulations go to Paul Dixey who was voted player of the season by the members of the team . Thanks to Mr Smiley for giving up his time and effort to coach us. Sam Middleton (TR) The 'As' squad remained largely unchanged over the season. In attack, the remarkable pace of Oluwole Adeoson on the right worked well with the thunderous strike and keen ball control of Jake McGuigan at centre forward . Abdullah Kandeel showed much skill in a difficult position on the left, also with a formidable strike. In midfield, Sam Middleton controlled the game in the centre with his effortless dribbling. Paul Dixey was invaluable on the left, always working hard, always prepared to attack and defend. Tom Burley settled in well playing on the right, and showed huge potential for the future in that position in the St Lawrence game. In defence, Charles Harvey rattled the opposition in the centre, with Adetunji Lawson and Simon

Pound supporting him on the right and left. Any member of the opposition able to get through this formidable barrier faced Graham Sweetman, playing at sweeper. On many occasions Graham mopped up any attacking players with his calm approach and seemingly impenetrable stick, and his absence was keenly felt when he wasn't playing through inj ury. Finally Ritchie Gardiner kept goal superbly for the entire season, being that final intimidating barrier in front of the net. The depth of skill with in the team bodes well for the future, especially after individuals began to play more effectively as a team as the season progressed. My thanks go to Sam Middleton who captained the side for the majority of the season and to Matthew Harper for his coaching support. MJWS Team: Oluwole Adeosun, Tom Burley, Paul Dixey, Ritch ie Gardiner, Charles Harvey, Abdullah Kandeel. Adetunji Lawson, Jake McGuigan, Sam Middleton (Kent U14 and Captain), Simon Pound, Graham Sweetman (Kent U14). Also played: Harry Lancaster, Frederick Miles, William Pound, Henry Simmons, Max Stanley. Played 15 Won 8 Drawn 2 Lost 5. Goals for 36 Aga inst 23.

v Sutton Valence

(H) Drew 2-2

v Trinity Croydon

(H) Lost 2-4

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 3-1

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 6-0

v Borden School (Kent Cup Quarter Final)

(H) Won 4-2

v Dulwich College

(A) Won 3-2

v Langley Park

(Ke.at Cup Semi EiaaiJ v Harvey Grammar (Kent Cup Plate)

(A) last 2-6 (A) Lost 1-1 (penalties)

v felsted

(H) lost 0-4

v Tonbridge v Hartsdown £E. Kent Tournomentl v Sir Roger Manwood's £E. Kent Tournamentl v Duke of York's (E. Kent Tournament, OF)

(H) Drew 1-1

v Harvey Grammar (E. Kent Tournament, plate) v St Lawrence

{A) Won 3-0

U14B The 'Bs' had an impressively successful season. Despite a constantly changing side and considerable rivalry for places - it was never clear wh ich was the best eleven - a fiercely competitive spirit meant that they were a difficult team to beat. Only in the disappointing defeat at Dulwich and, perhaps, in the dull draw with Tonb ridge, did they not do themselves justice on the pitch. Up front the rotating comb ination of Ndubuisi Ajukwu, with his mazy dribbling, Henry Simmons, with his 'goal of the season' shooting, Leo Flindall, with his positional ingenuity, Harry Wall, with his determined (and diving) finishing, and Jack Withrington, as a most capable substitute, was always dangerous. At the back, Edmund Rex was a superb goalkeeper, before 'retiring' in order to run around with the Cs, and he was replaced by the intimidating presence of Stavros Stratas. Chukwydifu Ajukwu, an astute reader of the game, was the key figure in the defence, aided by Henry Hird, an unflappable sweeper, Ch inedu Nwuba, a quick and influential left back, and Harry Lancaster, a much improved right back. The decisive strength of the side was in midfield, where the silkily skilful Frederick Miles, the irrepressibly energetic William Pound, and the ruthlessly determined Joshua Hill were able to dominate most matches. The Capta in, Max Stanley, was the driving force of the side in the centre, keeping everyone go ing by his encouragement and leading by example. The team thoroughly deserved their success. PGH Team: Ndubuisi Ajukwu, Chukwydifu Ajukwu, Leo Flindall, Joshua Hill, Henry Hird, Harry Lancaster, Frederick Miles, Chinedu Nwuba, William Pound, Henry Simmons, Max Stanley (Captain), Stavros Stratas, Harry Wall . Also played: Jack Gahan, Edmund Rex, Jack Withrington. Played 7, Won 4, Drawn 1, Goals for 17, against 7.

Lost 2.

(A) Won 3-0 (A) Lost 0-0 [eenaltiesl (A) Won 1-0 (H) Won 5-0

v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 4-0

v Trinity Croydon

(H) lost 1-2

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 1-0

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 6-0

c: 0

·~

~ -l--J

t::

0 tJ <1..1

...c:: -l--J

v Oulwich College

(A)

Lost 0-3

v Felsted

(H)

Won 4- 1

v Tonbridge

(H)

Drew 1-1

U14C The highlight of this season was undoubtedly the 3-0 win against Dulwich. This was a tremendous performance against a school far larger than our own. The other games produced fair results given the lack of experience of many members of the team. It was encouraging to see a number who had never played hockey before begin to flourish and show real promise as the term progressed. It was disappointing to have had a number of matches cancelled by the opposition, especially as the team was in every case keen to play. Philip Spicer (MR) and Mr Jean Theron Team: Adetokunbo Adesanya, Alex Bolshaw, lskander Galbraith, Robert Goward, Henry Lodge, lvar MacSween, Duncan Morpeth, Edmund Rex, Philip Spicer (Captain), Jacky Truong, Jack Withrington. Also played: Ndubuisi Ajukwu, William Boucher, Harry Lancaster, Daniel Munns, Max Neville, William Parrish. Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2. Goals for 4, against 5.

v Trinity Croydon

(H) lost 1-3

v Dulwich College

(A) Won 3-0

vTonbridge

(H) lost 0-2

Netball 1st VII Over the term, there has been a great improvement within the 1st team itself, which can be seen by the great set of results that the team has produced. Winning seven of ten games, there has not been one unsuccessful game where the team has not shown its full potential, even if it did not come out with a win. Each player has proved themselves invaluable to the team, as the teamwork within the 1st was the key to their success. The impeccable shooting by Molly Treger and Lottie Sterck was matched by the outstanding defence work by two of our

tallest ever defenders, Sophie Shilston and Charlotte Wheeler. Being lucky enough to have so many capable netball players this year, the team was able to play different combinations of players within the centre-court. Elizabeth Milligan, Anna Baldwin, Virginia Mainwaring and Susannah Wharfe all worked naturally together down the court, completing the superb mixture of talent and skill that gave the 1st team such a successful and enjoyable season. Congratulations to Sophie Shilston for 'Player of the season : Anna Baldwin The King's School netball has been very successful throughout the season. RESULTS 1st VII played 10, won 7, lost 3, 2nd VII played 9, won 7, lost 2, 3rd VII played 4, won 2, lost 1, dr~wn 1, U16 VII played 7 and won 7, I U15 A VII played 8, won 5, lost 3, U15 B VII played 8 won 3, lost 5, U15 C VII played 3, won 2, lost 1, U14 A VII played 11, won 11, U14 B VII played 10, won 9, drawn 1, U14 C played 3, won 3, lost 1, drawn 1.

being very much involved in supporting and encouraging the younger years. Thank you to parents who have come and supported the matches, our catering staff for superb teas and the groundsmen for keeping our facilities to a very high standard. Congratulations to Luxmoore for winning the Senior Inter-House and Harvey House winning the Junior Inter-House. Two well contested finals. Looking forward to next year already.

KJ Team: Anna Baldwin (Captain), Virginia Mainwaring , Elizabeth Milligan , Sophie Shilston, Lottie Sterck (V.Captain), Molly Tregear, Susannah Wharfe, Charlotte Wheeler. Results Played 10, Won 7, Lost 3. Points for 253, against 172.

v Ardingly

(H) Won 29-19

v Benenden

(A) Won 33-17

v Caterham

(H) Won 30-9

v Cranbrook

(A) Won 22-14

v Epsom

(A) Won 35-13

v Kent College (A) Won 31-15 This would not have been possible without the talent of our players and their v lnvicta (H) Won 22-12 consistent commitment and dedication to v Sevenoaks all coaching sessions and matches. Their (A) lost 23-29 enthusiasm and willingness to listen and v St. Edmunds (A) lost 10-17 learn from their coaches' instructions and v Sutton Valence other players in their team have enabled (A) lost 18-27 them to improve their individual skills and understanding of the game. They 2nd VII have moved from strength to strength. I would firstly like to thank our coaches for their time, support and expertise ; This year the 2nd VII have been a notably Miss Scott-Kilvert, Miss Reidy, Miss good team . Selma constantly surprised Fraser, Mrs McConnell, Miss Oldacre and her opponent with her extra long stretch Miss Buchanan. Fiona Williams, one of and defended the circle well. Aimee, our most talented players was unable to Alison and Kate worked effectively in the participate this year due to injury. I centre court: Aimee with her phenomenal would like to thank her for her involvement jump and great blocking aided the in helpi.ng out with the coaching and defence; Alison's space marking tactics umpiring of the U14 C team. Fiona has a meant she intercepted many passes and very mature attitude and has demonstrated she always escaped her opponent; Kate excellent understanding of the game and was always free to pass to, often opening has been extremely capable of transferring the court and driving the ball towards these skills in her coaching. I would also the attack. The fast paced and well-timed like to thank our outside coaches Lilian runs of Katherine meant she was always (Senior team coach J and Fran Widdows in the right place at the right time and (Junior team coach) for their commitment, she rarely missed a shot. Lucy owned the exciting warm-up and skill related drills circle: getting free and shooting flawlessly. and passing on their high knowledge of Elizabeth's versatility meant she played the game very successfully to our students. well in all positions. Overall, we had an Anna Baldwin, Captain of Netball has excellent season, winning eight of out demonstrated successful leadership skills ten matches and clocking up a total of in not only captaining her own team but 232 goals. I have enjoyed -playing in such

a brilliant team who were most commonly criticised for being too nice! Hannah Hiester (MT) Team : Kate Surrett, Alison Armstrong, Lucy Martin, Katherine Rumbellow, Hannah Hiester (Captain), Aimee Au and Selma Oliver. Also played : Elizabeth Milligan

Team: Claudia Alder, Joanna Clinton, Alice Cooke (Captain), Julia Dickson, Victoria Monaghan, Felicity Ruggles-Brise, Freya Seath, Khatija Verjee. Played 4, Won 2, Lost 1, Drawn 1. Points for 70, against 49.

Played 9, Won 7, Lost 2. Points for 232, against 135.

v Ardingly

(H) Won 19-11

v Benenden

(A) Won 39-7

v Caterham

(H) Won 18-10

v Cranbrook

(A) Won 25-12

v DGS

(H) lost 28-30

v Epsom

(A) Won 39-6

v Bethany

(H) Lost 11-18

v Dover College

(H) Won 8-7

v Epsom

(A) Won 31-4

v Sevenoaks

(A) Drawn 20-20

(H) lost 12-25

v lnvicta ------~

This season has been one to be proud of for the thirds, and I hope this success continues into next year. Alice Cooke.

v Sevenoats

(A) Won 22-18

v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 30-16

3rd VII Despite various illnesses and cancellations, this season has been a highly successful one for the new and improved 3rds. With only one loss over the entire season, there's definitely a reputation to be upheld next year! Our greatest triumph came at the outset of the season, when we played away against Epsom College. Despite the repulsive weather we came away victorious with a (31 - 4) win . The winning streak continued on through the Dover College match, though it was a closer run thing this t ime, with the final score at (8 - 7). Bethany, our only loss, however unfortunately broke this streak. To end the season on a good note though, we came back for a (20-20) draw with Seven oaks. Player of the season goes to Joanna Clinton. Top goal scorer goes to Julia Dixon. Fall of the season belongs to Felicity Rugg les-Brise. Claudia Alder takes best attacking player. Khatija Verjee gets most improved player. Best defensive manoeuvre goes to Freya Seath. The speed and agility award goes to Victoria Monaghan.

U15A VII Th is season has been outstanding for the U15A netball team. The season was filled with many high ach ievements. A game against Epsom College gave a promising start and even though we lost, we demonstrated potential and skill both individually and as a team. Since then the team has developed speed, skill, tactics and team work, which played important roles in all our matches. The result was only three losses out of eight games. The defence worked solidly together to ensure that the ball was usually down our shooting end. Rosalind Webber perfected her skills at blocking and together with Nicola Kent, whose quick off the mark pace helped get the ball from the backline to the goal, created an unbeatable defence. Lola Soyode also acted as a good backup. Harriet Jones always seemed to fly out of nowhere at exactlythe right moment to create another chance for the attack. Our attackers demonstrated their abilities as the goals kept rolling in. As wing attack Charlotte Sayer was always there to make space on court when the play was rushed . Our shooters Claire Rumbellow, Josceline Clayton and Catriona Ramsay scored over 200 goals between them . They were invaluable and constantly managed to put the ball in the net. Our improvement showed with the team winning at the district championships at Simon Langton. In total this season has

not only been a very successful one but also good fun where we have all improved. Our thanks goes to Miss Fraser for all her help, support and expertise. Lola Soyode The half-term break seemed to knock a little of t he sparkle from the side. From this point on normal service resumed, motivation and dedication were high, and the season was completed on a winning streak. Jossie Clayton caught the eye of a Kent scout, which bears testimony to her fine shooting, ability to hold space in the circle and above all, to her perseverance, versatility and enthusiasm. Her partner in crime - Claire Rumbellow (GA), could be relied upon in even the most pressurised situations; she is a natural player and her high achievements were rewarded with a 'joint player of the season' award. The climax of the season was the District Tournament, in which the team played their best netball of the season, and came away with the winners' shield. A special mention goes to Charlotte Sayer, the most improved player of the season. I am very grateful to Lola Soyode for all her support as captain, as well as the whole team is patience with their new coach! Lola has led from the front, producing some inspirational performances, but always with her typical modesty, unassuming style and one of those mega-wattt smiles! She throughly deserves her ' Player of the season' award. It has been a pleasure to be involved with such a committed and talented team, and I wish them every success for the future. ALF Team: Josceline Clayton, Harriet Jones, Nicola Kent, Catriona Ramsay, Claire Rumbellow, Charlotte Sayer, Lola Soyode (Captain), Rosalind Webber. Played 8, Won 5, Lost 3. Points for 162, against 114.

v Caterham

(A) Lost 12-18

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 23-15

v Dover Grammar

(H) Won 33-10

v Epsom

(A) Lost 12-16

v Kent College

(A) Won 27-10

v lnvicta

(A) Lost 13-16

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 25-19

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 17-10

U15B VII The under 15B's have unfortunately had a pretty unsuccessful season, only winning 3 of our 9 matches, this is probably because we lost last years star players to the senior teams. However we all worked well together, and we definitely didn't lack team spirit, which made the season very enjoyable. We have had some superb players this year including our very reliable wing attack, Catherine Crosland who was always in the spaces, chasing after the balls and challenging with the opposition, Kim Bailey also played a vital role within the team helping both the attackers and the defenders. Our defence Janessa, Katie and Julia played outstandingly, especially as two of the three were shells who, for the first few matches must have been under a lot of pressure from having to play with the removes. Julia Bird remained a very strong player throughout the season putting up with having to move defensive positions almost every other game. Our shooters, Philippa, Katie and Sophie also were super, scoring in total around 160 goals. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kim Bailey and Catherine Crosland for being awarded players of the season. On behalf of the team and myself I would like to thank Mrs. McConnell for all her coaching and support throughout a very fun and exciting season.

have played in three matches. Epsom was our first match which we won quite comfortably, performing well as a team and demonstrating effective marking and passing throughout the match. Unfortunately we lost our second match against Bethany. However they were a strong team and we needed to work more on our passing and spatial awareness. Sevenoaks was our final match of the season and a very successful one too. Our standard of play in the first half was poor, however we soon changed our game and only just managed to win, although a very close game. This would not have been possible without our shooters Flora and Arabella, Chrissie and Anna in defence, and Hee Jae and Caroline in the mid court area. On behalf of the U15C team we would like to thank Miss Fraser, Mrs McConnell and Fran Widdows for all their coaching and support.

(HH)

Team: Flora Cooke, Christine Foyle, Anna Hadfield, Amanda Harrison (Captain), Hee Jae Lim, Caroline Ricketts, Arabella Willing Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1. Points for 74, against 52

v Bethany

(H) lost 17-22

v Epsom

(H) Won 28-8

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 29-22

Kiri Barker (LX) Team: Kim Bailey, Kiri Barker (Captain). Julia Bird, Janessa Bobby, Sophia Clark, Catherine Crosland, Anna Green, Katie MacKinnon, Phoebe Williams. Played 8, Won 3, Lost 5. Points for 147, against 142.

v Caterham

(A) lost 18-26

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 13-6

v Dover College

(H) lost 18-26

v Duke of York's

(A) lost 16-19

v Epsom

(H) lost 11-24

v lnvicta

(A} lost 18-27

v Sevenoaks v Sir Roger Man

Won 28-5 (A} Won 25-9

U15C VII This is the first year of an U15 C team at King's and so we were very pleased to

U14A VII The Under 14's got off to a very strong start and this was to be maintained throughout the season resulting in an unbeaten season. Nearly all of the team were familiar with each other as they had played and met at matches at their previous prep schools. Throughout the season our play has been characterised by great team spirit. Together as a team we have worked hard throughout whilst getting a good balance of having fun but maintaining high standards. The first three matches were won with very convincing victories; Epsom 33-7, Sutton Valence 30-5 and King's Rochester 31-5. Our shooters, Polly Mills and Stephanie Kwan, were consistent throughout, they could always be relied upon whatever the situation. Polly has had an outstanding season and has scored over 220 goals. After these three matches we made it a team aim that we would try and score 30 goals per match. Unfortunately, this was

a little optimistic at times and proved to be a little too testing. During the games against Cranbrook and Junior King's, Caroline Hobbs, Lucy Egleton and Rosie Cocksworth dominated the central court. They showed great teamwork and outstanding determination. The matches against Caterham, Sevenoaks and Ardingly were close and a little more challenging, but Joanna Moncrieffe and Olivia Byrne held out in defence, leading us to victory in all three of these matches. Our final match against Kent College was a great way to finish the season and confirm our unbeaten record well done to everyone involved. We also won the U14 District Netball Tournament which was a great result. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank Miss Scott-Kilvert and Fran Widows for all of their coaching and support throughout the season and in helping to make us such a successful team.

(LX) It has been a pleasure to coach the U14A team this season and to have recorded a 100% unbeaten record only confirms the amount of work they have put in throughout. It would be wrong to mention individuals as the entire squad has worked tremendously hard within training sessions and matches. However, I would like to single out my congratulations to Polly Mills who has shot over 220 goals this season, which is a phenomenal achievement. With this in mind it would be fair to say that this has been possible due to the fantastic support play that she has received from the players around her - well done to you all. My final note and mention is that to Lucy Leigh-Pemberton, the captain of the team this year. She has worked very hard both on and off the court and has always kept the team entertained. Lucy has displayed a determined attitude throughout and has led the team well . I know I speak on behalf of the team when I say thank you for all of your efforts - well done. ASK Team: Olivia Byrne, Rosanna Cocksworth, Lucinda Egleton, Caroline Hobbs, Stephanie Kwan, Lucy Leigh-Pemberton (Captain), Polly Mills, Joanna Moncreiffe. Played 11, Won 11 . Points for 297, against 91. v Ardingly v Caterham

Won 19-11 {A) Won 28-14

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 21-5

U14C VII

Soccer

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 25-19

1st XI

v Epsom

(A) Won 33-7

vJKS

(H) Won 28-2

v Kent College

(H) Won 36-13

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 31-5

v lnvicta

(A) Won 21-8

v St. Edmunds

(A) Won 25-2

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 30-5

The U14C's have had a very enjoyable season, playing well as a team and improving our skills and understanding of the game throughout the season. Our first match of the season we had a comfortable win against Epsom winning 17-5. We demon started good shooting skills, strong defence and efefctive passing down the court. Our hardest match of the season was against Cranbrook losing by quite a margin. However, we played our best and never gave up throughout the match. On behalf of the team we would like to thank Fiona Williams who has been there to coach the team and umpire the matches. Tamsin Andrews (WL)

U14B VII We have had a very successful unbeaten season. Our attack was very strong with excellent shooting from Virginia Barker and Pamela Gent. The defence worked well; Sarah Parks, Rosanna James and Temitope lmasekha conceded very few goals. The centre court players, Emily Reilly, Laetitia Mclaren and Emma Healy also played well providing the vital link between defence and attack. Pollyanna Benton and Isabel Finkel helped strengthen the attack and defence in centre court. Overall the excellent teamwork ensured that we won all but one match, which was an exciting game resulting in a draw against Caterham. Our thanks go to our coaches, Miss Reidy and Miss Scott-Kilvert. A vote of thanks ml.lst also go to Miss Fran Widdows who spent many fun afternoons coaching us. Emma Healy (MT) Team: Virginia Barker, Pamela Gent, Emma Healy (Captain), Temitope lmasekha, Rosanna James, Laetitia Mclaren, Emily Reilly, Sarah Parks.

Team: Tamsin Andrews(Captain), Pollyanna Benton, Sissy Best, Gabriella Coombe, Catherine Gabriel, Sarah Erridge, Isabel Finkel, Phillipa Madsen, Yoshino . Ohshima, Phoebe Roberts. Played 6, Won 3, Drawn 1, Points for 93, against 94

Lost 2.

v Bethany

(H) Drawn 21-21

v Cranbrook

(H) lost 5-22

vEpsom

(H) Won 17-5

v Kent College

(H) Won 20-14

v Sevenoaks

(H) lost 10-15

v Sir Roger Manwood

(H)

Won 20-17

We departed for Seville on New Year's Eve for the pre-season tour. The team seemed to have more solidarity than last year's side, so the air was full of optimism. In the opening triangular tournament we fought hard but were defeated by a single goal in both games. We then faced the enormous challenge of playing Sevilla F.C. Youth, but gave a good account of ourselves, managing to limit the score line to 5-0. Real Betis F.C. Youth ripped us apart and were two goals up after two minutes, with Robinson saving a penalty in the initial blitz. Their 13-0 whipping was a master class of footballing simplicity, teamwork and passing. We showed tremendous grit and determination to pull our way back into our final game and draw 3-3 with Antequera. A week later we had returned to school and were facing Westminster. We enjoyed a good first half but failed to take our chances and Westminster gradually found their feet and went on to win. It took us a while to break Bethany down in the next game, but Chapman produced an inspired display, helping to secure a win with a fine hat trick. In our next match against Dulwich we played some lovely football and showed an increasing creativity in midfield. We created enough chances to win the game and were disappointed with the draw. The following day we headed for Wellington to compete in the Lent term Six-a-side competition, where we failed to impress. We lost by the odd goal to

Also Played: Pollyanna Benton, Isabel Finkel. Played 10, Won9, Drawn 1. Points for 166, against 64.

v Caterham

(A) Drawn 18-18

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 20-3

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 19-7

v Epsom

(H) Won 33-5

vJKS

(H) Won 21-10

v Kent College

(H) Won 20-7

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 14-1

v lnvicta

(A) Won 21-13

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 15-11

AboveÂˇ2002 1st XI Soccer Team : Standi.ng: s. Robinson, T. Davies, R. Chapman, G. Brooke, F. Colchester, T. Ready, J.Wyand, J. Ma~farlane, C.P.N. Sitting: s. Redstone, w. Young, C. Mullens, P. Valente, R. Colchester, T. Trillo, M. Colchester. (M1ke Waterman)

We llington, Leigh ton Park and St Paul's, drew with eventual semi-finalists Stowe and with Wo rth , and managed to beat the event ual runners-up Dulwich 2-0. Unfortunately a ten-day breather ensued with the cancellation of the K.C.S.Wimbledon game due to the adverse weather conditions. We resumed against Colfe's, which was a very similar game to the Dulwich match, in that we had ample opportunities in front of goal, but could not score. Again we were disappointed with the stalemate. Next up were Brentwood, who would go on to win the Boodle and Dunthorne Independent Schools' Cup in March; they have won more matches in this competition than any other school, according to The Times. On the day we played really well, hustling and harrying and not allowing them to get into any rhythm. We created chances and surprised them on a number of occasions, but again, failed to capitalize. Stafford House was a welcome fixture after an away game against the best. We managed to improve on our finishing and enjoyed a little more time on the ball. Epsom College away was very much the nadir of the term; we were lethargic from the start on a small and bumpy pitch, which the home side used to their advantage. This was by far and away our worst performance of the term. We lacked discipline and teamwork, organization and intelligence, never really passing the ball. In mysterious circumstances the referee sent two of our players off and booked another two. From the nadir we ascended to the zenith in the next match against Sevenoaks two days after half term. Davies set us on our way with a terrific solo effort after a very tight and competitive first half. Chapman weighed in with two fine finishes for a splendid win. Had we been able to finish like this in other games the season could have been so different and so much more successful. Indeed, in our next two encounters we would fail to score again. Against a tough and physical Tonbridge side we were more incisive and creative but failed to find the net, hitting the post and squandering at least one one-on-one. Similarly, we caNed up the Ashford defence in the opening exchanges only to miss the boat; they found their rhythm and netted two fine finishes in the second half to secure the victory.

In our final encounter, against the Old Boys we put up an excellent display to outplay a very talented O.K.S. side. It was not easy to break down the heart of the opposition defence in which Hessey and Wyand used their pace well. Our patience paid off and we were rewarded with our first win since 1998 against the old stagers. This year we were a very resilient team, which proved hard to break down . Robinson showed good hands in goal and Valente was an excellent marshal of the defence; we shall miss his covering skills next year. Mullens and Young provided the muscle, Ready the pace on the flank, and Rupert Colchester was a tireless runner in midfield, opening up many opposition defences. Chapman netted 12 goals, which was an excellent return in only 11 games. Davies was an ab):e partner up front. The younger p~yers such as Macfarlane and Redstone held their own in senior company and will be invaluable next year. Wyand and Felix Colchester were very solid and composed at full back, while Trillo and Brooke battled well when selected in midfield. With so many Fifths and Gbs already having represented the team this year the future looks bright. Many thanks to the catering staff for building us up and to Mark and his team for providing the best surface on the circuit! RESULTS Played 11, Won 4, Drawn 3, Goals For 17, Against 15

Lost 4

v Westminster

(H)

Lost 0-2

v Bethany

(H)

Won 3-1

v Dulwich College

(H)

Drawn 1-1

v K.C.S. Wimbledon

(A)

Cancelled

v Colfe's

(H)

Drawn 0-0

v Brentwood

(A)

Lost 0-3

v Stafford House

(H)

Won 7-1

v Epsom College

(A)

Lost 1-3

v Sevenoaks

(H)

Won 3-1

v Tonbridge

(H)

Drawn 0-0

v Ursuline College

(H)

Cancelled

v Ashford Consignia

(H)

Lost 0-2

v O.K.S.

Won 2-1

Team from : Alex Binns, George Brooke*, Robbie Chapman**, Felix Colchester*, Max Colchester*, Rupert Colchester**, Toby Davies*, Jonathan Macfarlane*, Chris Mullens**, Tom Ready*, Simon Redstone*, Steven Robinson*, Tim Trillo*, Paul Valente+, John Wyand*, Will Young**. Colours: * awarded first team tie; ** awarded First Colours, + re-awarded First Colours. Harold William Warner Cup for Players' Player of the Season: Paul Valente Scorers: Chapman 12, Davies 3, R. Colchester, Ready 1. Inter-house competitions The indoor five-a-side league produced some exciting football this year. In the Shells a talented Grange side beat Galpin's 2-1 in a close final. In the Remove competition Marlowe and Grange progressed to the f inal, having only finished 3rd and 4th respectively in the league. Grange completed the double with an emphatic 5-0 win. In the senior house knockout cup, after some ve ry close encounters in the earlier rounds Galpin's met Meister Omers, the defending champions. At full time the score stood at 1-1, Toby Davies equalizing an early Galpin's goal with a well taken penalty. In the dramatic penalty shoot-out M.O. keeper Harry Smith made two superb saves, leaving Tim Trillo to step up and win the cup for M.O. Many thanks to SAH, MB, MJTh and DJF for refereeing these tournaments. CPN

2nd XI The fixture list truly was a game of two halves, before half term we played Westminster, Dulwich, Colfe's and Brentwood. We started well with a solid display against Westminster, a 3-0 score line flattered them and we were guilty of missing some gilt-edged chances. Then came a comfortable win against Bethany School by 7 goals to 1 with Jhelani and Willis both grabbing 2 each. Then came a huge 7-0 defeat at the hands of Dulwich who played some of the best football I have seen at Schoolboy level in the second half and could have scored more. A fixture against KCS Wimbledon fell by the wayside due to the weather and the following week we lost to Colfe's 3-0, another game where we were unfortunate to be beaten and suffered due to our profligate finishing.

Having not played anywhere near their potential a trip to Brentwood is not usually the remedy. However this proved to be an excellent afternoon with the best defensive performance in the past 3 years. We travelled to one of the premier footba lling schools in the country and our keeper did not make a save in 90 minutes, the story could have been even better if a late one-on-one had been tucked away. Much confidence was taken from this performance and I feel that this was the rather belated start to our season. Next followed a 4-3 win against Epsom College, a game that we dominated with some excellent flowing attacking football but made hard for ourselves in the last 10 minutes. After half term we faced Tonbridge, this turned out to be a most entertaining game with many chances at both ends. A 3-3 draw was probably a fair result but having been 3-1 up with 10 minutes to go perhaps that was one that got away. An excel lent performance and my highlight of the season. That really was the last serious football of the term as the final fixtures pitted us against Stafford House 1st XI, Ursuline College 1st XI and an OKS 2nd XI. In these 3 games we scored 23 goals and conceded 2. In summary this was a very positive season, some excellent results against good footballing schools, especially Brentwood and Tonbridge. The 2nd XI squad were keen, competitive, eager to listen and as always a lot of fun to coach. Particular praise has to go to skipper Tom Andrews for leading by example and bringing the best possible performance out of every one of his players. MJTh.

v Westminster

Lost 0-3

v Bethany

Won 7-1

v Dulwich

Lost 0-7

v Colfe's

Lost 0-3

v Brentwood

Drew 0-0

v Epsom College

Won 4-3

v Tonbridge

Drew 3-3

v Stafford House

Won 6-2

v Ursuline College

Won 4-0

vOKS

Won 13-0

Record Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals against

10 5 2 3 37 21

Leading Goal scorers G. Brooke H. Bryant T. Willis A. Binns T. Andrews R. Edewor-Thorley

8 6 4 3 2 2

Team: J. Ferrett, T. Andrews (Capt.), T. Willis, F. Bottomley, M. Colchester, A. Binns, H. Bryant, R. Edewor-Thorley, T. Humphrey, C. Pemberton, C. Esiri , K. Bernhardt, H. Wellesley-Wesley Also played:W. Young, G. Brooke, A. Risk,

T. Pritchard, M. Bruna, M. Thornby, J. Macfarlane, T. Ready, K. Jhelani, N. Gent, A. Esiri, T. Miller, T. Wilson

3rd XI The 3rd XI enjoyed a season of mixed fortune, blended with stolid determination from all parties involved with the team. Under the firm but fair leadership of Thomas Colvin, coached by the now legendary dynamic duo of Father Fred and CJRJ, we pulled ourselves into a footballing force to be reckoned with. The season was one that demanded a brazen soul and a stern body; that required us to put our all into everything we ever did and, most importantly, required that we worked as the well-oiled machine we were to become. The many training games we had provided us with the ideal opportunity to hone our collective footballing talents, from Terence Leung's lightning pace to Tim Merchant's genteel temperance and unparalleled vision. When it came to the matches, we were an exhibition of sportsmanship in the flesh. Win or lose, you could rely on the 3rd XI to deliver a spectacle of delight. "Pure poetry in motion", said one onlooker as we marched to our record 5-0 win over Epsom, and he wasn't far wrong. Our matches were always hard-fought battles, with each member of the team trying his very hardest to record a match worth playing in. Tom Wilson was a reliable keeper, whose sonic volume kept the team together in some instances. The back four were

always solid and determined players who gelled well. Edd Flower, John Lynes, Tom Colvin and Tim Merchant defended not only the goalmouth, but also the fierce personal pride of the team as a whole, with fire in their bellies and conviction that could not easily be swayed. The Midfield of Owen Lee, Nick Bere, Andrew Risk and Kai Bernhardt played with flair and skill, befuddling numerous opponents with their cheeky runs and international panache; football know-how from China, Germany and England. If nothing else, we were a cosmopolitan team . The up front spearhead was formed by Terrence Leung and Nick Gent, both of whom exemplified foreign flair in the face of some of the best sides out there. We lost a fair few players to the 2nd XI when they needed players, as well as to injury. However, even when our team was at its weakest we showed what could only be described as uncanny resolve in our quest to prove that we were a force to be reckoned with. The 3rd XI was a fine team, and the leavers will be so rely missed. However, with new talent coming in from below, we can only hope to improve on what was, all in all, not a bad season at all. Thanks to the coaches, whose benign, intelligent advice led to the production of some of the most dazzling displays by a 3rd XI team.

4th XI The first game against Westminster was baptism by fire. After only a few days into term, the newly and hastily formed 4XI had a very disappointing start to the season. With only a couple of practices, positions had still not been set, and organisation and team spirit were poor. The opposition, having played all last term, was experienced and very well drilled. However, we learnt some hard, but useful lessons and despite the result, their pink shirts could never live up to our Nike kit standards! Thanks to Mr Heath, our problems were soon remedied. The next weekend we were up against another of our hardest matches of the season, Dulwich. The pitch was a mud bath and, for some reason, we were playing their 3XI. It took us 2~ mi~utes to settle into the game, by which time Dulwich had scored 3 goals. We did come back and managed a consolation goal, but we had left it too late. I~ it hadn't been for our new keeper, Nick Hinves, and the determination of ian Nunn, the goal difference would have been much greater.

Time for some vengeance! The team stayed much the same and were fast developing into .. . six goals aga inst Bethany! The ball was passed fluidly and confidently between the players, proving that we had picked up something at least from the previous two defeats. We missed some easy shots, but Ken Kam scored a well-deserved hat trick, with one a piece from ian Nunn, James Hamway and Dan Gray. Mention must also go to Jim Sellars who scored the seventh goal, but at the wrong end! We were all prepared for a big clash with KCS, but waterlogged pitches meant the match had to be cancelled. Three days later we were up against Colfe's with our confidence still high. It was a tough match, but fortuitous timing allowed us to equalise in the last moments of the game. Brentwood was next and a 2-1 defeat was something of wh ich to be proud. The defence stayed solid and had an excellent game, gaining more confidence with every match. Sevenoaks was cancelled due to flooding, but we were up for Tonbridge. After a strong start (Mark Whitaker scored the first goal in under 3 minutes), we held them until the end of the second half. It was disappointing to have led 3-1 for most of the game, only to concede two goals in the dying minutes. It was an unfortunate result, but another strong performance against a skilful side. We were hopeful of bri.nging down the goal difference with our final match against Ursuline College, but they pulled out at the last minute, claiming insufficient people, or were they just scared? As for the line-up, Nick Hinves stayed solid in goal and was one of the players of the season. The back line (Matt Humphrey/Jon Campbell, Dom Soanes, Bill Norman and Jim Sellars) stood strong and stopped many a decent strike. In the midfield, another star of the season, Ken Kam, ran tirelessly from tackle to tackle winding through the opposition, helped' along by the pace and skill of Tom Laing and the relentlessness of Callum King and ian Nunn. Up front, the strikers proved lethal, Mark Whitaker, James Hamway and Dan Gray. Special thanks must go to our coach , Mr Heath, who remained permanently optimistic, inspirational and encouraging throughout the season (even against Brentwood). Thanks lads for a great season, it's been emotional. Dominik Soanes and SAH.

Team: Nick Bere, Jon Campbell, Ch-ris Ellwood, Dan Gray, James Hamway, Nick Hinves, Matthew Humphrey, Ken Kam, Callum King, Tom Laing, Tim Merchant, Bill Norman, ian Nunn, James Sellars, Dominik Soanes (capt.), Mark Whitaker. Played 6, Won 1, Lost 3, Drawn 2. Goals for 13, against 20.

v Westminster

(H) Lost 0-6

v Dulwich

(A) Lost 1-4

v Bethany

(H) Won 6-3

v Colfe's

(H) Drew 2-2

v Brentwood

(H) Lost 1-2

v Tonbridge

(H) Drew 3-3

Badminton

Badm inton Team Report The Badminton team have had a successful two seasons. An appreciable improvement in the team's standard of play was rewarded by much better match results than those of recent seasons. Coaching sessions took place weekly on Tuesday afternoons conducted by Badminton Association of England coach Edward Strilesky. The match results for the season were: Won 5, lost 3, drawn 1. We also played in a tournament at Bethany School in which we finished third out of five schools ; Gravesend Grammar School was the strongest team, having fielded a number of Kent Junior players. The following students played regular matches for the school : Catherine Chuck, Edward Chuck, Henry Lo, Ksenia Doudareva, Will Harbottle, Tom Miller, Tony Sze, Kenneth Tung, Charles . Rix. Two of the King's team players, Edward Chuck and Henry Lo, entered the Kent Junior Restricted Tournament, which is o.pen to all junior players in Kent. Both competed in their respective pools with Edward finish ing second in his pool to the tournament's overall winner. Well done to both of you. I hope that badminton will continue to play a beneficial part in their social and recreative life. Edward Strilesky Coach All matches this season have been both enjoyable and competitive The team have played very well as a whole. We had a good start to the season by beating the

best opposition in the table, Bethany which was a very exciting game. They had two match points and Edward played two magnificent shots to draw us level then I finished off by playing the shutt~e delicately into the corner winning us the game. After the winning match Tony and Kenneth were fighting for their game as well. Tony smashed along the tram line, then Kenneth finished off the match with an accurate drop shot. The scores throughout the season were well kept by Edward Chuck, Tom Miller, Tony Sze and myself. The girls team have also had a successful season, Ksenia Doudareva and Catherine Chuck completed an extrarodinary score against St Lawrence and Sevenoaks even though they have fewer matches ' than the boys. Edward and I had only lost five games overall in the season. Tom and Kenneth had done almost as well losing just seven games. I hope that the sport of badminton will grow in support as it is a wonderful game involving many skills. And once again thank you very much to our coach Edward Strilesky. Henry Lo (SH) Inter- House Badminton Winners

Senior Boys -School House Junior Boys- School House Open Girls- Broughton

Basketball Junior boys Inter House The knock out competition was held on Wednesday evenings and involved players f rom both the Shell and Remove years. The early rounds saw comfortable victories for both Galpin's and The Grange, but both Tradescant and Linacre were made to work hard in order to win against the spirited opposit ion of Marlowe and Meister Omers respectively. In the semi finals, the skills of Tunji Lawson and the enthusiasm of Jacky Truong for The Grange could not compete with the size advantage that Faz Akoi gave to Linacre. Meanwhile Galpin's had Removes of good all round ability in the form of Luke Thorne, Henry Synge, Tom Pritchard and Renwick Russell, who were able to overcome a disappointing Tradescant team . Although the final was not a high scoring game it did not lack drama. The teams were evenly matched with Galpin's having a great deal of possession but unable to convert many of

their shooting opportunities and Andrew Swaffer was unfortunately too quick to pick up 5 personal fouls. Faz Akoi was trying almost too hard for Linacre, whose Shells such as Daniel Munns and Simon Pound competed well. With less than a minute to go and Galpin's leading 4-3 , Linacre were in possession in the form of Ato Peterside, who having earlier hit a 3 pointer, pivoted at the top of the key and launched a shot before the Galpin's defence could block. As the scorer counted down the last 10 seconds the ball dropped into the basket, much to the jubilation of the Linacre supporters and players. It was obviously thoroughly disappointing for Galpin's, who had no t ime to reply and had been winning up to the very last seconds. However, it is to their credit, that their sportsmanship was evident when they congratulated Linacre in their victory. I would like to thank all the players and Housemasters for their support, and especially to RCW, KJ, Clare Reed for their officiating, plus Dale Ferreira and Jean Theron for the scoring and setting out of the courts.

Senior and Inter boys and Open girls races in the Kent Schools Cross Country League were contested on a weekly basis throughout January and February. The girls team was a strong force, winning two races, and ending in a highly competitive second -position behind Sevenoaks. The Inter boys hold much promise for the future; all runners improved in the course of the season , and they can take heart from a final position of 5th . The Senior boys had a vintage season, finishing first in all six fixtures after the Knole (in which Tonbridge pipped them for first place), and winning the League by a considerable margin. At Tonbridge, on a flat course, runners had to contend with gale force winds and torrential rain on an afternoon which epitomised sporting endurance against the elements. The challenging slopes of the Rochester and Duke of Yorks runs questioned technique as much as stamina, while our home fi xtu re at UKC was a mixture of terrains and gradients which stretched all involved. Through it all, positive qualities of support and encouragement were always evident, especially amongst the girls. The season ended in style at Harrow in the annual Bruinvels' Trophies, contested

Results School House 4 v 28 Galpin's Marlowe 9 v 17 Tradescant

in extremely wet conditions, with treacherous slopes and unavoidable morasses posing stern challenges. Matt and Will (43 rd and 44th out of 200 runners) were followed in by Oily and Jolyon (59th and 60th). and the Senior boys finished 10th out of 31 schools. Alex (27th out of 96) led the girls to a respectable 8th out of 16 teams, while Adam (25th out of 135) and Fred (43rd) put the Inters emphatically on the map in

The Grange 22 v 1 Mitchinsons Meister Omers 8 v 14 Li nacre Semi-finals Galpin's 14 v 7 Tradescant The Grange 11 v 14 Linacre

Final Galpin's 4 v Âˇ5 Linacre

11th spot out of 25.

Linacre's winning team comprised of; Dubi Ajukwu, Farid Akoi, Bill Hamilton, Paddy Holt, Dan Munns, Ato Peterside, Simon Pound, Ben Reed.

Captains Jolyon Marsh and Mel Macan led by example, both on occasions putting in notable performances. Maia Gibbs, Sophie Tholstrup, Alex Prentice and Lucy Goodman proved the most competitive girls while Matt Jenkins (3rd in the League), Will Ba rratt, Oily Butler and James Audsley amongst the Seniors, and Fred Maltby (2nd in the League) and Adam Baker amongst the Inters ran outstand ingly well. Matt and Will also ran at the County Championships, Matt qualifying for the Nationals. Alongside the stars, a big supporting cast of willing athletes made its mark. The committed assistance of MB, JMC and ARAR contributed immeasurably to the smooth running and success of the term, and I would like to thank them very much.

)

' u1n casT :Jcnool5 '-namp1onsn1ps

SEA

Cross Country Competitive racing began on the first Saturday back with the 29th Knole Run. Low cloud and muddy conditions, compounded by the near-zero temperature, made this a taxing baptism for many. Matt Jenkins (44th out of 287) led the way for our boys, who finished 24th out of 47 teams; Alex Prentice and Lucy Goodman ran impressively in the girls race, helping us to finish 11th out of 25 teams.

Top Right: Lucy Goodman (WL) Cross Country. Bottom: Left to Right - Edward Doubleday, Oli ver Butl er, Matt Jenkins, Jolyon Marsh, Wil l Barratt, James Audsley and Caspar Sachs.

Teams: Senior boys: Jolyon Marsh*(captain), Matt Jenkins*, Oily Butler*, Will Barratt*, James Audsley*, Casper Sachs, Will Everett, Isaac Strang, Ed Doubleday, George Williams, Max Frohnsdorff Open girls: Mel Macan*(captain), Lucy Goodman*, Alex Prentice*, Sophie Tholstrup*, Maia Gibbs, Emma Hiddleston, Leo Oldfield, Hannah Robinson Inter boys: Fred Maltby, Adam Baker, Gerard Baker, Tom Carter, Max Dieu, Henry Domenge, Max Thompson, Tom Tyler, Sam Calvert, Chris Walsh, Bernard Chiu * denotes colours DJF

Fencing

attending and subsequently a week of fencing in Budapest. The latter ran in the Easter holidays and was hard work but very worth while. There was even time for organised sightseeing and much 'fun' was had by all!! Many thanks again to Professor Romang (School Coach) and Mr Winrow-Campbell (Master-in-charge of Fencing) for all their time, effort, encouragement and support. Also a special thank you to Joy Romang for her invaluable help at the three-day Public School's competition. Alexander Brentnall (Captain of Fencing) MrS J W-C (Master in-charge of Fencing)

Girls' Hockey

U18

The Under 16 girls represented Kent and the East of England at the National Tournament, held at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes, on Monday 4th March. It was obviously an exceptional effort to finish 3rd in the country, but there were two frustrating games which we should have won, and this would have meant one place higher. Final places:

At the Schools Team Championships we had outstanding success. We won more medals than any other school with a tally of one gold and six silvers. The gold winning team comprised Harriet Johnston, Hannah Robinson and Emily Schurr. The term was 'rounded off' in fine style with the Public Schools Fencing Competition. The King's School coming third in the country, our best ever result. This was achieved by almost all fencers, whether seasoned campaigners or newcomers, being willing to travel to Crystal Palace leaving at 6:30am, fencing hard and supporting each other. The team spirit was superb and this helped to secure so many splendid individual performances that we just cannot name them all here. All we can say is thank you; you all contributed to this super achievement- well done. In addition, King's hosted two Centre of Excellence Fencing weekends with world class coaches and fencers working together. We benefited enormously from

Lacrosse

U16

National Hockey Finals This has, yet again, been a highly successful term with a plethora of excellent results for individuals and the school. We started with the British Youth Championships at which both Serena Gosden-Hood and Robert Jennings came 7th, Alexander Brentnall 15th and Christopher Uhde 16th in their respective age group and weapon. Philippa Walker-Smith came 22nd and William Jennings 23rd.

Repton Drew 2-2 If we had won this game we would have finished 2nd. We went one ahead early and they had a player sent off for a series of bad tackles. After this we sat back, allowing them to equalise just at the end of the first half, and letting them get one goal ahead. We should have won this game as well! Goals from Chapman. Team: Kiri Barker, Julia Brooks, Juliet Chapman, Kara Kock, Tiffany Landale, Lucy Leigh-Pemberton, Sophie Leigh-Pemberton, Virginia Mainwaring (captain), Laura Moncreiffe, Amy O'Sullivan, Katriona Pengelly, Rebecca Powell-Jackson, Emily Reilly, Lola Soyode-Johnson, Charlotte Townsend, Jessica Watson, Sarah Welby

1st Millfield 2nd Beaconsfield 3rd King's 4th Repton 5th Fallibroome

Millfield Lost 1-0 We went into this game convinced that Millfield were going to win, and played accordingly for most of the match. With 10 minutes to go we had a break, and realising that it was possible, played about 8 minutes of very good hockey. Fallibroome High School Drew 0-0 We dominated this game and played well, but failed to score

Beaconsfield High School Won 3-0 Another tough game, especially as they had beaten Millfield 2-0. They were dominated by one international player, however with a change of formation and exceptional play by Katriona Pengelly and Juliet Chapman in midfield we cut her out completely. Goals from Chapman, O'Sull ivan and Lucy Leigh-Pemberton.

OUT with the old and IN with the new! OUT went the old wooden lacrosse sticks, goal posts and goalkeeping pads, IN came balanced, lighter plastic field lacrosse sticks, weighted portable goals and new goalkeeping kit for better protection and greater ease of movement. OUT went the old pitch markings and rules, IN came the modern game with right and left handed skills, up to date rules, team strategy and wonderful new pitches at Birley's! A great deal of change and excitement... Every credit to the senior squad and staff involved for keeping up with the pace of my enthusiasm, and rising to the challenge of a new era for King's Lacrosse! Isabella Steel led the team with calm confidence, she consistently played well, giving 100% in every match situation as a result she received the 'U18 Player of the Year' Award. Alison Reutter, next year's Vice Captain, showed great determination in attack and scored several crucial goals in tight matches. Alison received the 'Attack Prize' and was awarded 1st Team Colours. Katie Steibelt received the 'Defence Prize' for providing a reliable and ever-improving 'Point' defence throughout the season. 'Most Improved' prizes went to two Lacrosse novices: Charlotte Morrish, the squad's No. 1 goalkeeper, and Juliet McCredie, Midfield Defence, whose natural talents lend themselves to this fast and demanding sport. Rosie Atkinson, next season's Captain was awarded 1st Team Colours for commendable play in Attack and was thanked for her help with the Junior Lacrosse Programme. The Squad has Opposite Page: Alex Brentnal l Fencing.

benefited f rom Mr Wood's enthusiasm and support at training and all matches. Miss Boddy's commitment to the programme and highly efficient organisation has been greatly appreciated. Thanks also to help from Mrs Horne and Mrs McConnell and particularly to the ground staff for providing superb pitches. MRS J. O'NEILL Lacrosse Coach. Team: Rosie Atkinson, Aimee Baird, Catherine Blanford, Anna Bride\, Venetia Clark, Georgie Darroch , Alex Demper, Georgie Emary, Annabelle Flower, Bella Jennings, Jul iet McCredie, Alice Mitchell, Charlotte Morrish, Rachel Nevill, Victoria Parrish, Frances Steel, Isabella Steel (Captain), Alison Reutter, Katie Steibelt, Belle Trew, Katie Yawitz. RESULTS Played 15, Won 5,

Drawn 1, Lost 9

Autum2001 v Benenden C

lost 5-15

Spring2001 v farringtons a Stratford House A Won 9-2 v Benenden C

A Won 11-6

v Caterham

H Drawn 5-5

v St. Paul's Hammersmith

A lost 1-7

v Cranbrook

H Won 6-5

National Schools Tournament A lost 5 East of England 'Small Schools' A Won 2, lost 2 2-3 in Final v Haileybury

Year' Award . She also had a run out with the U18 Squad for the last match of the season. Francesca Merton stepped in as Captain showing flair and enthusiasm, she claimed the 'Attack Prize' whilst Katherine Harvey-Kelly who captained the match against Caterham was awarded the 'Defence Prize' for stalwart work in the Midfield Defence. Awards for the 'Most Improved Players' were given to Victoria Chenery (defence) and Sarah Welby (attack), both of whom are to be congratu lated for their notable progress during the Spring term. MRS J. O'NEILL Lacrosse Coach. Team: Rachael Bashford-Rogers*, Joanna Brilliant, Olenka Hamilton*, Annabel Helm, Fiona Levey*, Charlotte Manicom*, Francesca Merton, Katharine Nightingale, Anna Ross (Captain), Kate Ross, El ~.e Ruthven, Hermione Sharp, Lucy / Thompson*, Alicia Van Coillie*, Hilary Walker, Michelle Wareham*, Sarah Welby. Also: Jasmin Barcelona, Alice Beattie, Anna Broxup, Hannah Fryatt. *U14 Players RESULTS Played 12: Won 2,

Lost 10

Autum2001 v Benenden

A lost 0-15

Spring 2001 v Benenden

A lost 2-12

v Caterham

A Won 10-2

v St Paul's, Hammersmith

A lost 3-9

v Cranbrook

H lost 2-9

v Haileybury

H Won 10-4

v Bedgebury

A lost 2-16

National Schools Tournament A lost 5

U14 The Shells had no previous experience of Lacrosse and a high pupil to Coach ratio made it hard to spend enough time with each individual to give them a glimpse of the exciting challenges that this sport offers. It requires strength, speed and athleticism, testing your body with a balance of skills on both sides and extending your mind through the strategic elements of this invasion game which still has no boundaries and plays behind as well as in front of goal! Olenka Hamilton, 'U14 Player of the Year', took to Lacrosse very quickly and was soon developing her individual skills with both right and left hands. She has displayed vision, athleticism and scoring ability for both the U14 and U15 squads and gained additional experience with the U18s for their last match. Charlotte Manicom has worked hard for the Midfield Attack and won the 'Attack Prize' whilst Alicia Van Coillie's greatly improved goalkeeping skills have gained her the 'Defence Prize'. Rachael Bashford-Rogers has provided a strong presence in Midfield and Michelle Wareham has developed her goalkeeping skills- they both were awarded prizes for improvement. Olenka, Rachael, Lucy Thompson and Stephanie Kwan all gained experience as Team Captain. The Spring season left us depleted with a number of

U15 It has been amazing to watch a group of complete novices turn into a well-motivated team of keen Lacrosse players in 6 months. All the members of this squad are developing their individual skills, their basic understanding of the rules and strategies of the game and have learnt very much through experience. They have played with commitment with great spi rit even when the score has weighed heavily against them. To play against other teams who are in their 4th (or more) year of Lacrosse was tough on occasions, but it made those winning moments even sweeter! Anna Ross, Captain, quickly developed into a fast, strong and reliable player and ably led her team from the Midfield Attack, gaining the 'U 15 Player of the Above: The Girls Lacrosse Team.

key players changing to other sports, but we are looking forward to a strong start to the u15's season in August 2002. MRS J. O'NEILL Lacrosse Coach . Team: Tamsin Andrews, Rachael Bashford-Rogers*, Olivia Byrn e, Olenka Hamilton* (Captain), Florence Hillen, Mel issa Lloyd-Jones, Samantha Lutz, Stephanie Kwan, Fiona Levey*, Charlotte Manicom*, Sarah Parks, Caitlin Paxton, Beth Ridley, Charlotte Rook, Lucy Thompson*, Alicia Van Coillie, Michelle Wareham*, Zoe Winner. *Also played for U15 Team RESULTS Played 12 Drawn 1,

Lost 11

Autum 2001 v Benenden Spring 2001 v Benenden Bedgebury National Schools Tournament

A Lost 1-10

A A A Kent U14 Schools Tournament A

it was they who got off to a flying start with a try from the kick off and they hounded us to the extent that we were never able to get any rhythm and they won well. At the Surrey Sevens the following week some patterns repeated themselves. We began tenaciously against a strong Cranleigh team to lead at half time but inexplicably relaxed and fell away thereafter. Once again, against a team who stood off us we showed good awareness and use of the ball and we enjoyed ourselves against Gunnersbury, with Chuko this time helping himself to an amazing five tries. We were, however, given a lesson by Wellington in the final match; once again we started brigh t ly and equalised their first try with a storming effort from Tom Foster, but although we had a good share of the ball we lost it too easily and each time were

Willis, John Wyand , Tom Foster, Rhodes Edewor-Thorley Results Kent Sevens

v Skinners

Lost 12- 36

v Dartford GS

Drew 12- 12

v Ravenswood

Won 29- 7

v Duke of Yorks Surrey Sevens

v Cranleigh

Lost 7- 31

v Gunnersbury

Won 38-0

v Wellington College

Lost 7- 45

Rosslyn Park National Sevens

v Worth

Lost 10-24

v Canford

Won 10- 5

v Davenant

Lost7-12

punished by a try. Lost 3-15 lost 2-16 lost 5 Lost 3 Drawn 1

Rugby Football Rugby Sevens Senior Squad Once again serious practice was denied us by a combination of the foul weather which seemed inevitable on a Thursday afternoon and the cancellation of the Maidstone Sevens for the second year running . Our performances in the subsequent competitions reflected this. In the Kent Sevens we appeared to have the dream start when in the opening game against Skinners Toby Hayes scored straight from the kick off, but thereafter we gave the opposition too much time and space, we tackled high and pa id the penalty, losing by an unnecessarily emphatic margin. In the next match we were much more aggressive, worked hard and deservedly took the lead. Unfortunately a cruel bounce from the kick off ten seconds before half time allowed Dartford to draw level and the game stayed even for the rest of the contest, despite our having the lion's share of the bal l. Chuko Esiri in particular enjoyed the space we were given by Ravenswood and he helped himself to three excellent tries in an easy win . Sadly in the next match against Duke of Yorks

Rosslyn Park was for us a muddy farce. We had the misfortune to be drawn on the wettest and smallest pitches which reduced the matches to a lottery and all the matches were close. We gave a strong Worth side a good contest until the last couple of minutes. We won a mud wrestle against Canford at the end of which neither side could be distinguished from the other. The matches against Davenant and Taunton could, and should , have gone ou r way but we were punished for our mistakes, which in the conditions were inevitable. It was a frustrating end to a mediocre season . Overall, then, we looked competent when we had time and space in which to work but in reality the relatively immature squad lacked the hard-running, ball-w inning forwards, hardness in the tackle and collective pace that is necessary to compete at a good level. Toby Hayes worked tirelessly and was second top scorer to Chuko, who was usually the fastest player on view, but it was hard to see where other scores might come. Progress was made, however, and hopefully next year, with all except four of the squad still available, a strong Under 16 squad to augment them, and Peter Archer fit again, we shall once again be a force to be reckoned with . Squad: Toby Hayes (Capt.), Alex Ancock, Tom Andrews, George Brooke, Mark Chalmers, Alex Church, Chuko Esiri, Ryan Jens, lan Nunn, Mark Whitaker, Tristan

Lost 0-33

v Taunton

Lost 12- 15

Colts 7's Rugby Sevens is a game of speed and dash, skilful handling, sound defence, making use of space and good teamwork. Lack of fitness, weaknesses in the tackle and poor org anisation can be ruthl~ssly exploited by opponents. The attrac~lon of the game is also its fun and entertamment value for players as well as spectators and it is best appreciated on dry surfaces and mild weather. How ironic then that we train on wet grounds, when the weather is unkind and in our off-season so that skills and fitness need to be honed. Our success however belies these difficulties as t his season saw a high level of achievement in two tournaments. Without two of our best playe rs we gave an excellent performance at the Duke of York's. Recovering from a bad start we played very well indeed and e~ded up as one of three teams tying for first place. Unfortunately, the silver went to Tonbridge, the team with the biggest points difference. Traditionally slo~ starters we were lethargic and hesitant in ou r first game against the eventual winners and allowed them too much ball. Defensive alignment was poo r and we turned over ball too easily. Tom Mills gave some credibility to the scoreboard with a well taken try. Sutton Valen~e , ~ur second opponents, lacked the organisation

and efficiency of Tonbridge despite their gained composure and despatched QE captaincy and to RCW and JRC for the ir ph~sical size. We won some early ball, with a try by Bryce Constable breaking management at the Duke of York's. ga1ned confidence and exploited some from the base of t he serum, a fine run defensive gaps by virtue of some fine ARW down the wing by Tom Mills, a turn of individual efforts by Ryan Jens, Ben Cryer pace and finish by Chuko Esiri, another and Chuko Esiri. In the second half Ari Squad : R. Bailey, H Bryant, B Constable score by Tom and a final five points by B Cryer, R Edewor- Thorley, A. Esiri ' Esiri added two more tries and our game Chuko. Rhodes Edwor-Thorley converted C.Esiri, N.Gent, J. Goring, N. Hinves' took on more shape with added awareness Chuko's first try. Our hardest game was R Jens, T Mills, J Shilston, L Thorne: and structure. The Duke of York's had just against Wellington _ the eventual R. Wetherell beaten Tonbridge and so a hard third t~urnament winners- an accomplished game was anticipated. However, intense Side who capitalised on our unforced Results pressure and tenacious tackling from our errors. We fought hard with resolute 7 forced them to concede the ball Played 10 Won 7 Drawn 0 Lost3 tackling but always found ourselves a through handling errors and we were Points For 210 Points Against 125 man short on the outside. In the second able to capitalise on these mistakes half we held, pressured and gained a well retain our own possession and find ~pace. v Tonbridge earned try through Jasper Goring who lost 5- 34 B~n Cryer was able to score two excellent drove over the line from short range. tnes through the middle and Chuko Esiri v Sutton Valence Won 33-0 Unfortunately, it was too little too late. showed his pace and quality by rounding Chislehurst & Sidcup were 'put to the vDuke of Yorks Won 26-12 the defence to increase the score. Dukes sword' by way of recompense. Ryan Jens fought back but Luke Thorne sprinted v Sevenoaks Won 31 -12 opened the scoring and converted his through the heart of their defence to put own try after a good passage of play. v Campion t_he score beyond doubt. We had moved a Won 21- 14 Greater confidence led to improv~d little further on the curve of improvement v Oueen Elizabeth's passing and ball retention. Luke horne Won 27- o but in our fourth game had to endure the extended our lead by finding a hole in v Wellington early domination of Sevenoaks, who exposed lost 5- 34 the Chisehurst & Sidcup defence and Ben our defence with quick movements of the v Chisehurst a Sidcup Cryer scored twice, his second involved a Won 38-7 ball. We were able to absorb their run from under his own posts to score v Dulwich pressure ~nd scored first following a long Won 24- o under the posts at the other end of the range spnnt by Nick Hinves. Sevenoaks field. A momentary loss of v Gowerton GS lost 0- 12 replied with a well worked try but another concentration allowed Chissehurst & l long range effort came from Ben Cryer Sidcup to claw back a score but a reply followed by a try from Sevenoaks just came from Rhodes who had received before half-time. The second half saw good serum ball, threw his customary Ryan Jens add his name to the score ~ummy and scored from 20 metres. The sheet, Howard Bryant run in from 50 final try again came from Ben who After the break up of last year's dream metres leaving two defenders in his wake showed great acceleration and pace to team, this season was always going to be and Robin Bailey ghosting through the score under the posts. Ryan added the won or lost by the bottom three seeds. defence with a magnificent 'show' of the last two conversions. As runners up in Our fixture list was kick started with a ball: The final game was a 'tough call' the group we moved to the next round match ~gainst Sevenoaks. We thankfully agamst Campion a school with an against Dulwich and played our best won this match convincingly, five games excellent pedigree at this game. It almost seve~'s rugby. A game of control, sound to nil. Then came a true challenge to our became a battle against fatigue as both passmg and handling movements credibility as a respectable Kent side- a sid_es exchanged scores of 14 points tenacious tackling and incisive ru~ning. home fixture against the talented apiece at half-time, Ben Cryer and Ari College. Unfortunately, a Brighton Esiri being the contributors. Our pace was Chuko with sheer pace gave an weakened side was defeated five games decisive and although there were tense outstanding display on tim ing and to nil, though two of the matches went moments - some magnificent cover c~rrect angles of running . He scored four all the way to the wire. Luckily, we were tackling from Ben Cryer and Chuko Esiri tnes, one from his own 22 metre line. not to face Brighton College again in the ~aved possible tries - it was Chuko's try Ryan Jens converted two touchdowns. In National Schools Championships, though In support of some very good combined the quarter final we faced Gowerton G S some members of the team were keen for play which saw us seize and hold on to a a side small in stature but big in heart , a rematch against their opposite number. well earned advantage. Ryan Jens played and ability, consequently We were unable every game and contributed 38 points to absorb their early pressure and lost We w~~e facing the extremely strong t hrough his try and conversions. our way. We became impatient and opposition of Brentwood, Charterhouse resorted to individual play, our defence and King's College School, Wimbledon. A week later at Oueen Elizabeth School also reflected our ti redness and we The first of our matches was against Bar~et, we faced our first group game ' conceded a two try defeat in a game we Brentwood, who had the U19 England against the home school and were perhaps should have won. All credit to number 2, Peter Barker. Tom Steibelt was determined to give a good account of the squad, for the unsung heroes who told plain and simply by coach Martyn ourselves. Passing was not always crisp worked hard to make it possible for the Sa/lands, "He won't call you up for a and a ragged defensive line did not bode fliers to score, and particularly the U15 match." With high expectations resting well for structure and efficiency. players for their superb contribution . on the lower three seeds to pull off a However, we gradually began to adjust, To Chuko Esiri for his leadership and surprise win, the evening quickly showed

Squash

that our dreams were not to become reality. Johnny came off court losing 3-1, Eric was to take his game the same distance yet stumbled just as his opponent was beginning to crumble and Renwick was overpowered 3-0. Greg and Tom both came a distant second just as expected. Our next match was a break from the rigours of inter-school and would be played against the O.K.S. Last year's captain, Ryan Kerrison returned and the grudge match between him and this year's captain was to continue with Tom Steibelt narrowly losing out 3-1. The rest of the team rallied around and we pulled off a 3-2 win. The Kent Cup is a local competition between Sevenoaks, St. Edmund's, Tonbridge and ourselves. This half of the season saw us crush both St. Edmund's and Sevenoaks 5-0, with the team at times fielding 3 juniors. An excellent achievement since at times they were playing people four years their senior. Our final match of 2001 was against Cha rterhouse on our home courts. This advantage was not to be continued on to the courts since only Tom Steibelt won 3-0. The result was 4-1 and our dreams of being the first King's side to reach the second round of the competition were shattered. 2002 was to provide us with far fewer fixtures. Why this is so, many will never know, but the teams are out there. The Nationa l School's matches continued after the Christmas break with our final match against KCS Wimbledon . Our pride was to be restored; we would not leave the competition with a wooden spoon. With the team travelling there from across Kent; some from Canterbury and some from Faversham we were not going to be disappointed. 4-1 win was exacted upon a weak team. Thanks to Catrin Taylor who was called upon at the last minute to play. She did exceptionally well again st a stronger and older male oppone nt.

full ability, as the season draws to a close one can say that it has grown to be in excekllent shape. This transformation can only be attributed to the hard work and constant encouragement of our coach Martym Ballands. His vision of a competitive King's side may soon be realised if the raw talent of up and coming juniors is noticed and guided to a more productive future. The house matches and school knockout competition were both played to high standards, Linacre winning the Bob Bee House Cup and Tom Steibelt winning the knockout competition. The final between Tom Steibelt and Greg Edmunds was predicted to be an exhibition of outstanding squash and it lived up to its billing, with a score of 3-1 to Tom Steibelt. The girls' team should not go without mention. They too entered the National League Competition at the U19s level and did exceptionally well . The first match against Brentwood was down to two players, Jessie Watson who won 3-1 and Catrin Taylor. The girls also travelled to Benenden and St Catherine's, winning both matches convincingly 4-1 and 5-0. They have grown in stature as the season progresses. Noticeably Catrin Taylor, who showed the enthusiasm and dedication, supporting at all matches and appreciated by all. The girls' house matches were extremely competitive and carried out with wonderful skill and talent. Jervis were t he overall winners, edging out Walpole 2-1. Thank once again must be given to Martyn Ballands for his inspirational help. John Allday and Kate Jenkinson cannot go without mention for organising the house matches. Tom Steibelt

Rowing Senior Boys

A new fixture for the school was against Jesters. They were to prove too strong for us and the team only managed one win by Westside. The final match of the season sent Bob Bee, our enthusiastic home supporter, over the moon. For the first time in fifty years we rewrote the history books and defeated the Tonbridge team 5-0 and each match was won 3-0! The Kent cup was ours. Although the team never played at its

Andy Turner and I took over the coaching of this group in the Lent term. We battled against the usual weather problems, with early races being cancelled yet again. We did manage one competitive outing at Lake Dorney against a variety of other schools and came away reasonably pleased with our efforts. The Schools' Head was to be our first true race and although hey seemed to start rather carefully, the First Eight came

11th. This placed them in the midst of a group which included Westminster, Shiplake, Methodist College and Pangbourne. It seemed to me that we were in the right company and had more to offer. At Kingston we suffered a slight setback and were beaten by both Westminster and an under-strength Eton crew. The Tideway Head result was even worse and we dropped a significant number of places. For both of these races we had at least one substitute on board, but the resul ts were a warning to us. The training camp in Switzerland attracted just eight senior boys but we were fortunate that they were among the best and all made significant prog ress on the lake at Sarnen. Rowing below snow-capped peaks on flat-calm water did much to improve both their understanding and technique. A competitive Pairs matrix followed by trials in coxless fours enabled us to sort out many of the issues surrounding crew selection. There is a much better understanding of racing rhythm and it now remains to be seen if we can implement this in the early regattas. While the first eight has been making good progress, so also has Adam Coates in his quest for a place in the GB squad. He has completed the training camp at Nottingham and has been invited to Final Trials in July. The under 16 group has not managed to train or race effectively this term . Although there have been sufficient boys to put out either a second eight or a J16 eight only a small number have been interested in training seriously. As a result they did poorly at both the School' Head and at Kingston . There is no doubt that there is potential here but it is likely that we will not race in eights in the summer. A four or quad scull is more likely. First eight from: Alexander Ancock, Tom Brooks, Adam Coates (Captain), Alex Hill, Tim Jagelman, Mike Newton, Henry Nicholls, Tom Ransley, Paul Valente, Stephen Wetherell, Connie Pidoux (Cox) RIR

:l .) .) J

Above: Andy Turner's photo of the Boat Club

Girl's Sculling The year started with an influx of hockey players and shells to the boat club. Everyone began crew training with the new teachers and our gap student for the year, Frances. Having a larger senior girls squad than last season gave everyone a great boost, with our skills first tested at the Schools head of the River. Schools Head allowed a combination of a J 18 crew over the longer 5km and a J15 crew over the shorter 2.5 km course, to gain a lot of experience within the boat along the Thames course. Not being placed at the top, due to illness, crews were mixed around. We were ready for the Women's Head of the River the following day. The same course (opposite to the Oxford-Cambridge boat race) offered a collected practice. However, when our eight and Spitfire crew (half King's girls) were about to launch, the entire event was cancelled. Foreign crews could only watch the white horses roll past as we returned to school. Our next outing in London was more successfu I I. The J16 crew and the J18 won both their categories at Kingston Head, beating crews who had previously taken a commanding time at School's Head. This gave us all a boost for the Easter training camp. During the Easter holidays a number of crews ventured to Sarnen, Switzerland for the annual training camp before the regatta season begins. This 18km round the lake gave everyone a lot of space to improve thdr sculling and rowing skills in a number of different crew combinations. A return to the summer term began with the J14 and J16 travelling to Nottingham for the South East Inter-regional trials. All the crews gained a lot of experience, especially in the strong head wings at Holme Pierrepont. The next regatta for the whole of the boat club was at the slowly extending Dorney Lake. The girl's crew showed strength in the quad and double finals were a fourth and second were achieved .

Horne were able to claim bronze. This was the final regatta before the National Schools at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. The half term started with great success for many of the crews, the J18 double finished fourth in their final and the J14 and J15 girls fought well for places in the finals. The house regatta was the last and first (shells drafted in at the last minute) regatta for the majority of the boat club, with Luxmoore hold ing back the other girl's houses to take the Girl's cup. The girl's crew heading off to Henley, consisting of Lucinda Ashenden, Libby Everall, Nicola Carey and Cathering Horne, were able to hold a very experienced Canadian crew, for the first 500 metres of a 2000 metre course. The remainder of the race was a show of the King's crew skill obtained throughout the year. The crew learnt a lot t hrough Henley, which will prepare them for next year's regatta season . Many thanks to their Houghton's hospitality over the weekend of Women's Henley and over our training days at Henley during half term. Overall the year has had a great number of successes, not necessarily shown with a number of medals, but in the experience this young squad has gained. This can be taken with them to the new season, where I wish them all the very best. Catherine Horne (Capt.)

Women's Head Crews KING'S SCHOOL : (back) Lucinda Ashenden, Libby Everall, Catherine Horne, Katie Herbert, Connie Pidoux. (front) Julia Hulme, Kate Elgood, Natalie Landale, Cox= Megan Williams (missing Nicole Carey) Spitfire: (Back) Frances Dicks, Charlotte Greenwood, Louise Horne. (front) Julia Brooks with Kent University and Herne Bay Cox.

A sma ller proportion of the Boat Club ventured to the London Docklands for a popular regatta . Again we were able to try out different crew combinations, putting pressure on Henley "A" crew to finish a close fifth in the J18 Quads with only two of the normal crew. The J18 double of Julia Hume and Catherine