The Cantuarian 2004 - 2005 by OKS Association | The King's School, Canterbury

THE CANTUARIAN Vol. LXVIII

Contents page

Editorial

This and That

Valete

Obituary .

Focus

Creative Writing

Expeditions

Societies and Activities

Reports and Reviews

Sport

76 141

King's Week

The Cantuarian Editorial committee: Catherine McDonagh, Lee Rig ley, Simon Wilson, Joshua Sutton, Chinedu Nwuba, Hee-Jae Lim, Emma Newton, Ashitha Nagesh Photographs by Matthew McArdle and Mike Waterman

Editorial It seems that history, or history at King's at least, tends to repeat itself. Consider the opening lines ofThe Cantuarian in 1978. 'A recent questionnaire within the school about The Cantuarian revealed that some boys feel that the magazi ne is old-fashioned, conventionalized, lacking in vitality and origina lity: Subst itute 'boys; for pu pils and one co uld say that the sa me concl usion is arrived at t oday. Accordingly, some minor changes have been made. Publication is now annua l so as to deal with one academic year in a single publi cation whilst th is edition has more co lour photograp hs than any other.

Such changes are, however, merely cosmetic and ca nnot mask The Ca ntuarian's purpose. Not only does it appear as a dig est of the yea r's even ts to be enjoyed it is also a chronicl e, se rving a historical purpose and accordingly is not something to be trivialized nor transformed unnecessarily (at least not to too great a deg ree). Notwithstanding that, we do hope that you enjoy the 'new-style; Cantuarian which goes only some way in communi cating life at King's this past year. As always it was tremendously busy,

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The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams with the Confirmation Candidates- Sunday 6th February 2005

w ith much achieved and a precedent established for even more to be done this next. Looking t hrough t he fi nal proofs it is pleasing to see that King's is as busy, vibrant and successful, yet above all as happy a community as ever. As a school we have certainly got a firm foundation to build upon Uust over 1400 years in total) and certainly have much to loo k forwa rd to in the next 1400 and beyond! J.A. Sutton Editor

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Lucy Holland

The School was shocked to hear of the death of Lucy Holland, aged 15 and a Remove in Harvey House, in the

tsunami disaster on Boxing Day. She was on holiday in Phuket, Thailand with her family. Her mother and her grandmother were also killed, and her sister was seriously injured. Our deepest sympathy goes to her family, and especially to her father Mike Holland, her brother and sister. The Headmaster gave the address and the Crypt Choir sang at the memorial service held in Southwark Cathedral on March 7th. A plaque will be placed in our Memorial Chapel in due course.

All who live and work at St Augustine's were saddened by the news that Mr John Matcham, for 17 years a familiar figure as a porter there, had died after a short illness on May 17th. His mother had died just a few weeks before. The School was well represented at this funeral. Requiescant

lord FitzWalter, who died on October 14th at the age of 90, was a governor for many years and latterly a governor emeritus. The School was represented at his funeral by the former Dean and Chairman of Governors, John Simpson. Our condolences go to his widow and his five sons. Michael McCrum died on February 16th. A former Headmaster of Tonbridge and of Eton, he became Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and thence a member of the governing body. The School was represented at his memorial service by the Headmaster. Barty Duesbury (staff 1974-90) died suddenly on December 29th. He taught English, was Head of Department and Housemaster of Galpin's. He was also editor of The Cantuarian. Having gone on to an equally distinguished career at Nottingham High School, he was due to retire soon. We send our condolences to his widow Pam and his daughter Rachel. Ernest Fedarb (staff 1926-36) died just three weeks before his hundredth birthday. After teaching art here, he went to the Westminster School of Art before becoming a schools inspector. He was a President of the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Printmakers, a stalwart of the East Kent Art Society, and an active painter until shortly before his death. One of his pictures, showing 'his inimitable style of painting and his use of vibrant, painterly colours', has been presented to the Beaney Institute in his memory. Canon Ferdie Phillips, friend, neighbour, and much-loved landlord to several generations of Sixth Form girls, died on Friday June 17th. The Headmaster gave the address at his funeral in the Cathedral on Friday July 1st. Our condolences go to his widow Olivia. We shall continue to remember him through the drama prize in their name. We also record the deaths of several notable O.K.S. Miles Baster (Wl 1949-54), who died on October 14th, was leader of the Edinburgh String Quartet for 36 years and perhaps the best violinist the School has produced since the War. John Dunn (MO 1947-53), who died on November 28th, had one of the most familiar and soothing voices on the radio. Major-General Humphrey 'Bala' Bred in (1929-34), who died on March 2nd, was a much decorated soldier, winning five awards for bravery, and serving with distinction in Palestine, Italy

and Cyprus. It was with particular sorrow that we heard of the death of Chike Okoli (MO 1993-98) in Nigeria on May 31st just a few days after his 25th birthday. Many of his friends attend ed a memorial service at StJames's, Pi ccadilly, on June 18th. We were shocked to hear of the death of Miss Jemma Loder in a violent incident in Northgate in December. Christopher Douglas-Seath, a computer technician at the School, was arrested and charged with her murder. There are many new faces in the Common Room this year. Mr Paul Taylor, who joins the History Department, was installed as Lower Master on Sunday, September 12th. He wen t to Canford School and t he Universi ty of Exeter, and represen ted British Universities at both rugby and cricket. After a spell as a professional cricketer with Surrey, he became an advertising executive, working on a variety of accounts from Courage Beer to the Gossard Wonderbra. More immediately he comes from Tonbridge School, where he was a Housemaster and Director of Sport. He is married, with four children, and is living in Broad Street. As the first 'outsider' to be appointed Lower Master since John Lipscomb in 1859, we wish him well in his post. Common Room

Paul Taylor leading the King's Scholars.

Miss Sonya Behnke, who joins us primarily as a lacrosse coach, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up nearby. She read English and American Studies, wi th a special emphasis on America n Literature, at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, and also captained the hockey (that's field, not ice) and lacrosse teams. She is now based in New Hampshi re, where she spent last summer directing a college essay writing workshop for undergraduate admissions applications. She is a resident tutor in Luxmoore. Miss Lola Crespo Serrano, who joins the Spanish department, was born in Cordoba and grew up in Seville. She studied modern languages, especially English and Italian but also German and Arabic, at the University of Seville. Since then she has spent a year studying in Florence, and has taught in the United States and in Spain, as well as working for a radio station. Her interests include ceramics, yoga, photography and fishing. Mrs Sarah Gray is the new Librarian. She co mes all the way from the Precincts, having worked fo r twenty yea rs in the Cathedral Library. She grew up in lckham, and her first memory of the King's School is of Gilbert and Sullivan operas seen as a chi ld. She studied for her degree in library studies 'on the job' and she is now a distance learning lecturer at the University of Wa les at Aberystwyth. Her particular area of expertise is rare books and she has written several articles, especially on the Canterbury book trade. She now lives in Adisham, and as well as reading, she enjoys hill walking and sailing around Greek islands. Mr Stephen Hermes joins the Chemistry Department, having spen t last year completing a P.G.C.E. at St. Mary's College, Twickenham. Originally from Ashford, Middlesex, he graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, and is particularly interested in analytical chemistry and physical methods, specifically x-ray crysta llography. He enjoys playing cricket and is a keen follower of football, but his first sport is rowing . He was stroke of his College 1st VIII for 3 years, was a member of the 2003 University Boat Race squad, and is an active fund ra iser for his College Boat Club. He is a tutor in the Grange. Mr To m Hill, who arrives to teach P.E. and games, is a native of Hawkes Bay in New Zea land's North Island. He spent his gap year in London and played for Wasps Under 18 and Under 21 rugger sides, before taking his Bachelor of Sport degree at Massey University, majoring in P.E. He has already made a name for himself here playing for Can terbury Rugby Club, and he is also a cricketer of some skill, and enjoys water-skiing and snow-boarding. He is resident in the Grange.

Dr John Hughes joins us as Head of Physics for two years. Born and bred in North Wales, he has spent almost all his long and distinguished teaching career at Berkhamsted School, becoming Head of Physics, Head of Science and Head of Sixth Form. He is interested in cricket and football, though claiming that he is no longer fit to play, and enjoys listening to music. He was quick to find the most comfortable armchair in the Common Room, and has made himself at home with practised ease. He is a tutor in School House. Mr Mark Jenkins was born in South Wales. He read Theology at King's College, London, and then went to Sand hurst and was commissioned into the Welsh Guards. He served in various capacities in Belize, Northern Ireland, Germany and the Balkans, as well as in Southern Africa. More recently he has travelled in the Balkans, Russia and the Caucasus, pursuing his interest in ancient and Eastern ideas as a critique of Western civilization. He joins the Religious Studies Department and is Director of the Co-Curricular Programme Activities. He enjoys country sports, sailing and music, and has joined the Cross Country Club to get fit. He is a tutor in Mitchinson's. Miss Erin Odegard arrives to run lacrosse. 'Coach 0' comes from the New Jersey Shore, half a dozen miles from New York City, and went to Castleton State College, where she played for the university lacrosse team and coached the local school's girls' teams. She has just completed her Masters of Education in Athletic Administration at Springfield College, and has coached a variety of sports, ages and skill levels. She also enjoys surfing, photography, art history and watching movies. Mr Gregory Parry joins the Religious Studies Department. He was born and brought up in Johannesburg, but moved to England at the age of fifteen. He read Philosophy and Theology at Durham University, where he was tennis captain. Since then he has been working on his PhD on 'the void and the broken middle: the genesis of the search for salvation', while working part-time with Surrey County Council on child protection issues and the courts, which may come in useful for his duties as a tutor in Harvey House. Mr David Scott joins the Chemistry Department. Originally from Wirral on Merseyside, he studied Biochemistry at the University of East Anglia and took his P.G.C.E. at King's College, London. Three years teaching in West London, three months at Tennant Creek High School in Australia's Northern Territory, said to be the most remote secondary school in the world, six years at an international school on the Dutch-German border, and seven years at the Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury should have given him enough experience to cope with us. He enjoys jazz, once played guitar in a band called Funky Dad, and is now studying for his MSc in protein chemistry. He is a tutor in Harvey House. Dr David Tanton joins the Physics Department. An Engineering graduate ofSt John's College, Cambridge, his post-graduate experience included an enjoyable time at the University of CompiCgne. He worked as an engineer in industry for many years before turning to teaching in 1996, and was most recently at a sixth form tutorial co !lege in Rochester. He was a useful and enthusiastic club cricketer in his day, though a close encounter with a ball at square leg curtailed his progression up the classical guitar grades. While here, he hopes to make good use of the Recreation Centre and also, if not simultaneously, of his rusty French. He is a tutor in Tradescant. Mr John Troy, who joins the rapidly expanding Economics Department, went to Winchester and the London School of Economics. He was in the Royal Navy for three years, serving in the Falklands War: he went down on HMS Coventry and returned on the OE2. He then became a lawyer and worked in the City, before training as a teacher. He was at Westminster School for 11 years, setting up and running a new day house. He enjoys not being in London and pursuing his interest in sailing and golf. He is located in the former Ecpol office (Pll), once again (after some 30 years) a classroom. He is also a tutor in Linacre. Mr Robert Vesty joins us to teach Drama and E.F.L. He was brought up in Lancashire and Essex, and after studying Drama at Birmingham under Mr Banfield, he spent several years as an actor based in London. He has recently spent some time living in Budapest, Bologna and Dublin, teaching English to foreign students. As well as the theatre, he enjoys the cinema and dance. He is a keen snowboarder, but says he is useless at football. Mrs Susan Webber has arrived to teach P.E. and Games. She was born and educated in Bloemfontein, and took a Diploma in Sport and Exercise Technology at the University of Pretoria Technikon. She first played hockey for South Africa while still at school, and won 143 caps and scored over fifty goals in a ten year international career. She was Captain for three years, and retired after leading her team at the Athens Olympics. She is already known to many, as a coach here and as a player at Canterbury Ladies Hockey Club. She is now studying a Geography-related course at the Open University. She is a tutor in Jervis and is conveniently living in nearby Bower House. In January we welcomed Mr Michael Cox (TR 1998-2000) who joins the Maths Department. Born in Melbourne, Australia, he eventually settled in Canterbury and attended Simon Langton School before coming here in the Sixth Form. He then went to Pembroke College, Cambridge to study Natural Sciences, specialising in Chemical Engineering. He also acquired a professional qualification in Swedish massage therapy before deciding to take up teaching. His interests include travel, scuba diving, mountain leadership and renewable energy. He is attached to Galpin's. Mr Ernest Sykes, who teaches Biology and Chemistry, also joined us in January. Originally from Cradock, South Africa, he studied animal science and biochemistry at the University of Stellenbosch. He then came to the U.K., and taught for two terms at St Anne's, Enfield, and one term at Caterham, before moving here. His main interest is in sport, especially rugby, golf and cricket, but he is also keen on nature and wildlife. He is attached to Meister Omers. Stephanie Smart arrived in January as our second artist-in-residence. A native of Seven oaks, she studied Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University. She then had a studio in Brighton for several years, mainly working with stained glass and kiln-formed glass, and some of her pieces have been used as awards at film festivals. More recently she has taken up a Stour Valley Arts residency and is producing pieces for the new Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate. Her Influence was already in evidence at the Art Scholars' exhibition in the Summer Term and in King's Week.

Mr Bryce Lease arrived during the Lent Term to help with the t eaching of E.F.L. He grew up in La ke Tahoe, California, and moved to Ireland, studying Drama at Trinity College, Dublin. He then taught E.F.L. in Italy, Budapest, France and other places before returning to Trinity for a Mast ers degree in Irish theatre and film . Moving to Canterbury, he has co mbined teaching here with teach ing thea tre courses at the University of Kent. He is also worki ng on a doctorate on Po lish theatre, and his current interests therefore include learning Polish, as well as writing and ski ing. Several other members of the Common Room ta ke on new responsibilities. Mr Phillis is the new Housemaster ofTradescant. He has therefore relinquished the Geography Department, where the new Head of Department is Mr Sanderson, but he still managed an eigh teenth and final year in charg e of hockey. Miss Astin has been appointed Head of Science and Director of Science Proj ects. She was on maternity leave from late September- we congratulate her on the arrival of Emily on October 17th - and so Mr Jackson was acting Head of Science, pending her return. Mme Natalie Geoffroy, already familiar as teacher of the bi-lingual French group, has joined us full-time. We also welcomed back Mr Hugh Aldridge and Mrs Linda Warnick to cover for part of Mrs Ladd 's maternity leave and Mr Jenn ings' sabbatical term, respectively. Mr Martin Miles now has the new role of Senior Tutor, with responsibi lity for the tutor card system, the Calendar, the Rotu lus, prizes, and what seems to be a Pooh-Bah-ish 'etcetera'. He has already instituted the 'Rotulette', a miniature version of the Rotulus, available to staff at the start of the Autumn Term. We co ngratul ate Mrs Ladd on the birth of Poppy on St Valentine's Day, and Mrs Price on the birth of Gabriella on Sunday May 22nd. Congratulations also go to Mr Peter Brodie, who has been appointed Rector of Glasgow Academy from September 2005. The staff includes James Capel (GR 1991-96), teaching Geography t here. At the en d of the Autumn Term, Mr Fletcher Banner left after two yea rs as the Headmaster's P.A. He is now worki ng at the House of Commons. His replacemen t is Mrs Frances Stephens, who is resuming a role she filled at Berkhamsted. From September 2005 there will be a new day house, sited near Parker's Gate in what has recently and, as it turns out, temporarily, been both the Careers Department and the Mitchinson's annexe. It will be called Carlyon House, in memory of th e time th e schoo l spent in Cornwall during the Second World War. Mr Holland wil l be the first housemaster. Corn ish past

The Hole in the Wall

After a decade of manoeuvring through the minefield of planning authorities, access from the Precincts to Jervis House has finally appeared. 'Over' and 'under' having been rejected , we wen t back to 'straight through', and the direct approach was eventually successful. The entrance is at the end of the Field classrooms and it leads into the Malvern wing of Jervis. After all the fuss, the wall itself turns out to be modern, as the Victorian cement clearly shows, though the base may be medieval if not Roman. The girls now have no excuse for missing breakfast, and the residents of Broad Street are also grateful for a quieter life. On Monday November 22nd there was an official opening ceremony, attended by the Governors. Mrs Browning, the founding housemistress of Jervis, cut the ceremonial ribbon. "One small step for a housemistress. One giant leap for Jervis House." Access from the Precincts to the Careers Department and the Lipscomb wing of Mitchinson's proved to be, relatively, a simple matter. An unobtrusive doorway leads from t he Grange Yard. The School Shop can also now be reached from 'insi de', and once agai n the convenience of the arrangement has been much appreciated.

Congratulations to ... the Under 16 gi rls' ind oor hockey team, who were once again Kent cham pi ons. They then Congratulatory A bl reached the semi-finals of the nati onal competi ti on, before losing to the eventual win ners 1-2. A full team's ssem Y worth of girls have rep resen ted Kent at various age groups: Caroline Lawrence (JR), Katherine Lark (WL), Tania Hayes (WL), Rebekah Marsh (LX), Sarah Ventress (WL), Emily Stewart (WL), Anna Storer (WL), Sarah Healy (MT), Georgie Mayhew (HH), Charlotte Bowman (WL), Annabel Kingsman (MR), Laura Knight (LX) and Nicola Lark (MR), while Katriona and Fenella Pengelly (JR) have been selected for the East of England . ... hockey goalkeeper Christopher Robinson (MR), who has played for South of En gland Under 17s. ... George Blessley (GR), who came 11th out of 910 entrants in the first round of the Royal Society of Chemist ry's International Olympiad competition. He received a gold certificate, and was invited to go forward to the second round. He declined as this clashed with a rowing camp in the Easter holidays. ... the Fencing Cl ub, which gained 30 medals at the Grea t Brit ain Schools' even t, which we hosted. Th is is the highest number by any single school since the co mpetition started. Marc Chapman is th e Kent Seni or epee champion and in the Great Bri tain squad, and Jacob Colligan (MO) is the Kent Senior sab re champion and Kent Master of Arms. Th omas Mulvaney (MO) is the South East Under 16 epee champi on and has fenced for Northern Ireland . ... Chloe Mitchell (MT), who won the Kent Schools' Cross Country League, was then selected for Kent, and won the South East Championships, and to Thomas Marnham (GR), who won the Intermediate Kent Cross Country title. ... badminton players Edward Chuck (MR) and William Pound (GL). who wo n the Kent Schools' pai rs competition, infli cting the first defeat on Gravesend Grammar School for 13 yea rs. ... the 'Keep It Brief company, managing director Thomas Quested (GR), who won through to the county finals of the Young Enterprise scheme, and gained the prize for the best company report. ... Philip Spicer (MR), who was in the Kent team which won the National Schools' Sailing Championship . ... Olenka Hamilton, who has again been selected fo r the Kent and East of England Under 19 lacrosse teams. .. . Samuel Shirley (TR), who had a letter published in the Daily Telegraph on April 26th. The subject was t he threat to selective state education and the gap between state and private ed ucation. Sam also aired his views in the documentary film. Mr Graham Wood (staff 1989-2003) was misq uoted in the Canterbury Adscene on the sa me topic. ... the senior boys' swimming team, Kevin Chiu, Angus Davidson, James Graves, Edward Moseley and James Shilston, who won the Al den ham Cup, for the 4 x 100m freestyle relay, breaking our own record from 2002. The Swimming Club had already 'done the double' at the county championships, where both the boys' and girls' senior teams won the 4 x 50m freestyle relays. ... the boys' tennis team, Simon Pound, Lawrence Holdron, Christopher Robinson, William St eel and William Pound, who retained t he Kent Schools' Senior Cup. The girls' team, Caroline Lawrence, Rosa nna James, Sophie Clark and Annabel Dight, were runners-u p in their competition.

Boys" Tennis Team- Kent Schools' Senior Cup Winners 2005

... William Bruce (MT). who scored 107 against Sevenoaks, but ended up on the losing side, and then scored 150 not out against Trinity, Croydon, to steer his side t o victory; and to Alexander Gilmore (GR), who scored 118 not out for the Junior Colts against St. Lawrence. Several other batsmen have come ta ntalisingly close to centuries, including Patrick Mitchell (LN), who scored 98 not out for the Under 14 As, to take them to a spectacular victory against Eastbourne, and 95 against Cranbrook; Will iam Newman (SH) who scored 97 not out for the Junior Colts against Trinity, Croydon; Alistair Holm es (MR), who scored 96 for the 2nd XI against Sevenoaks; and Rohan Premnath (MR), who scored 93 fo r the Junior Colts against St. Edmund's. ... Fenella and Katriona Pengelley (both JR) and Rebekah Marsh (LX), who were in the Canterbury Ladies hockey side that won the Under 18 national club championship, beating Eastbourne 5-2 in the fi nal.

The Crypt Choir have recorded another CD produced by Priory Reco rds (PRDC 829). The title may or may not be inspired by ltalo Calvi no, but the theme is seasonal and nocturnal, if not itinerant. The disc co mprises music fo r Advent and Christmas, from '0 come, all ye fa ithful' to 'Hark! The herald', by composers from Palestrina to Rutter, via our own Mr Matthews ..The programme is conducted by Mr lonascu, and accompanied by Nicholas Shaw on th e organ. The soloists include Jack Standen (LN), Tristan Hambleton (MO), Elena Ruthven (WL), Patrick Allies (LN), and Henry Synge (G L). Upon a Winter's Night

Several of these singers also feature on yet another CD, recorded at Doz studios in Tun bridge Wells and issued during the Summer Term. This was 'In Close Company' by The King's Men, to wit: Frederick Coltart (MR), Edmund Rex (GL), Jack Standen, Henry Syng e, Patrick Allies, Domini c Collingwood (GR), Tristan Hambleton and Edward Watts (SH). Directed by Howard lonascu, they perform a range of popular songs from 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' to 'Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye: Perhaps the notable fea ture of the album is that most of the arrangements are by the singers themselves, including six by Edmund, three by Jack and two by Patrick. One of the sporting highlights of the Autumn Term was the visit of Frances Houghton (WL 1993-98) with her silver medal from the The King's Men Athens Olympic Games. On Saturd ay, September 25 she did some coaching on the lakes, showed a video of her own race and met members of the Boat Club and other interested admirers in the Social Centre. She also visited Canterbury High School. Since then Frances has achieved further success in World Cup races, culminating in victory at the World Championships, and we look forward to Beijing with optimism. Silver Olympian

Cricketing father and son Bill and Colin Fairservice have been honoured by the posthumous presentation of From Grace to Gower Kent caps numbered 58 and 95. In a ceremony at the St. Lawrence Ground the caps were handed to Colin's daughters Wendy Joyner and Jillian Tame by Brian Luckhurst and Carl Openshaw. Bill, whose first first class victi m was W.G. Grace, did some coaching and umpiring here in the 1950s. Colin was a hugely influential Master-in-charge of Games from 1954 to 1975, running the rugger as well as the cricket. Davi d Gower was one of the last of many notable players to co me under his influence. The Fairservice Bar in the Recreation Centre is named after him.

Within the space of six months two O.K.S. young ladies were honoured by appearing as the 'frontispiece' of Country Life. Miss Hannah Redman (LX 1997-2002) was featured in the May 6 issue. She is now at the Life University of Greenwich, and we learn that she also rides, shoots, fishes, sails and skis, and hopes to become an events organiser. Miss Leonora Oldfield (LX 1998-2003) followed her in the issue of September 16. She was pictured at the end of a gap year spent in Ecuador, teaching in a primary school, and in Australia, working for a newspaper and as a 'jilleroo', and she is now reading English at Leeds. King's and Country

W bb Anthony Webb (GL 1952-57) has generously presented the Library with a copy of Frank ZOllner's Leonardo da e pages Vinci to mark the end of the family's connection with the School - at least as far as this generation is concerned. Anthony, whose brother Peter (GL 1956-61) was also here, is the father of Flemmich (GL 1984-89), Christian (GL 1986-91), Saskia (JR 1992-94) and Thea (GR 1999-2004). We are doubly (or should that be quintuply') grateful to him. The new Oxford Dictionary of National Biography was published in September. The GO volumes have arrived in the Library and we also have access to the on-line edition. Preliminary navigation of the search engine reveals references to over 100 people with King's School connections. According to our calculations, there are nearly 100 OKS, 4 Headmasters (Richard Johnson, John Mitchinson, John Shirley and John Twyne), 5 other members of staff (Bryan Keith-lucas, Geoffrey Lampe, Reinhold Ri:ist, Charles Singer and Thomas Wilson), as well as an assortment of Archbishops and Deans of Canterbury, governors, parents and a sister whose links with this place are explicitly recognised. The School Archives and the Walpole Collection are noted as significant sources, and our new librarian, Sarah Gray, is a contributor, with the entry on William Flackton, the Canterbury bookseller and musician.

ODNB

Andrew Newell (WL 1970-75) has generously presented to the Archives a very interesting collection of his father's papers. Peter Newell was Headmaster from 1962 to 1975 and a conscientious correspondent. There are letters to and from Somerset Maugham and Archbishop Fisher, among others, as well as some items that, the Archivist informs us, must remain subject, for the time being, to a confidentiality rule. Head Notes

The School Archives have also acquired a letter written by John Mitchinson (Headmaster 1859-73) to John Astley, one of his former pupils. lt is dated March 3, 1873, and reads: I have never replied to your letter all these many months. I was very glad to receive it, tho' I had literally no feeling against you except that you had been a fool, 8 had probably thoroughly regretted the folly, & wd: be all the wiser for it in future. I am very glad to hear you are getting on well in your new professional training: my career at Canterbury is drawing to a close. You probably know I am going to be Bishop of Barbados. I am glad to say, however, that I am to be allowed to finish my half-year here in peace before I am consecrated 8: shipped off. It is not known what act of folly (or inappropriate behaviour) led to young Astley's presumably premature departure from the School. If anyone can shed light on the matter, the Archivist would be 9lad to hear from them. Michael Powell (KS 1916-19) was one of Britain's greatest film directors, and his work was the focus of a fascinating exhibition at the Sidney Cooper Centre. 'A Canterbury Tale: Michael Powell and the Nec-Romantic Landscape' set his work in its artistic context, with a selection of paintings, prints and other artworks by contemporaries such as Paul Nash. Cinema 3 hosted a season of his films to mark the sixtieth anniversary of A Canterbury Tale (1944), including A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes and Peeping Tom, as well as some obscure early works such as Rynox, and the recently re-discovered Smith. 2005 is the centenary of Powell's birth, and a King's Week exhibition joined programmes at the National Film Theatre and the Edinburgh Festival in celebrating his achievement. Carol Reed (KS 1917-21), who overlapped with Powell at school, has featured in the celebrations of Graham Greene's centenary with showings of The Third Man, and his own centenary comes in 2006. Michael Powell Season

Mr Peter Williams, parent and friend, was commissioned by Meridian to produce a documentary film about the School. This comprised six half hour episodes, with the first programme going out on Tuesday, June 21st at 7.30 p.m., thus clashing with Eastenders, which may have been a relief to some. The camerds were here for some 20 days spread over the school year. "Characters will emerge in the course of filming", we were warned, and many pupils and members of staff were duly interviewed and seen in action. The enterprise started with the House Song competition, shrewdly following the rehearsals of Galpin's, who turned out to be the winners, and ended on Commemoration Day. The programmes themselves are now available on DVD and video from the OKS and Foundation Office, price ÂŁ20 including post and packinq. Big Brother

Anthony Worrall Thompson (GR 1965-69) was also to be seen, accompanied by a film crew and by schoolfellow Stephen Barlow (GR 1968-72), in and around the Grange during the 2005 summer holidays. A television programme about schooldays is due in the New Year. We have read the book; now for the movie. Grangerizing

William Somner (KS c1620-22) and William Gostling (KS 1705-11) featured prominently in an exhibition in the Cathedral library during the Canterbury Festival. This provided an opportunity to see Somner's manuscript of his Treatise on Roman Forts and Forts and his own annotated copy of The Antiquities of Canterbury. An electronic version of Gostling's Walk, with a selection of eiqhteenth century prints and modern photographs, has since been published by the Cathedral library. It covers the city, but not the Precincts. We look forward to a second CD-ROM on the Cathedral and School in due course. O.K.S. Authors

John Man (Wl1954-60) is on a tyrannical roll. He has followed his book on Genghis Khan with a study of Attila: the Barbarian who Challenged Rome. David Edwards (GR 1942-47) restores the moral balance by writing Poets and Gods, a study of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Herbert, Milton, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Blake. Wesley Stace (MO 1979-83), who is better known to many as the singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding, has published his first novel Misfortune. We note with interest that on page 416 a character observes: "I have

been recomm ended t he man to approach about this situation , a Mr M allion." Charlotte M endelson (SH/ BS 1989-91) was awa rded the John Ll ewellyn Rhys Prize, fo r a work of li terature by a w riter under the age of t hirty, for her nove l The Daughters of Jerusalem. We are indebted t o Norman Scarfe (WL 1936- 41), who has sent t he Library a copy of the new edition of Assault Landing, his account of t he 3rd Division's campaig n f rom D-Day t o t he surrender of Germany, first published in 1947. It has a new introduction, by Michael Howa rd (the dist i nguished military historian), which not es that t he aut hor has prod uced "a fl ood of distinguished publicati ons as scholarly as they are rea dable." There is much, therefore, fo r visitors to t he Library to enj oy and to emulat e. We are also very grateful to Mrs Stella Harrison of Carnduff, Saskatchewan, who has kind ly sent us two books that she had been given by her uncl e Geoffrey Saw (KS 1910- 13). They will join t he Saw Collection of rare books, bequeathed to us in 1966. The volu mes co ntain Saw's cha racteristically informative and waspish typed notes. Fin ally, we hesitate to draw the attention of our younger and more impressionable read ers to an art icle by James Hamil ton- Paterson (WL 1955-61) in the Sunday Teleg raph M agazi ne of November 7th. The subject was "my boyhood fascination for explosions': "I remember cycl ing out of school in Canterbury to a field nea r Sturry on dark wi nter evenings to set off 'bog bombs'." In t he New Yea r Honours List, Michael Foale (SH 1970-74) was awa rded t he C. B.E. in t he Di pl omatic List, and Wi ng Commander Christopher Norton D.F.C. (BR 1978-83), who served in t he Iraq Wa r, was award ed the O.B. E. Congratulatio ns to Schoo l Governor Sa rah Gurr (SH 1974-76), w ho has beco me Professo r in Molecular Plant Pathology at the Universi ty of Oxford. She must surely be the first OKS lady professo r, and is it j ust a matter of time before she becomes the first F.R.S.? Our congratulations also go to Squadron Leader Jimmy James (H 1928-32), who was 90 on Ap ril 17th. He has been actively involved in events com memorating the end of the Second World War and we look forward to welcom ing him here once again in October. O. K.S. Honours

The renowned aerobat ic tea m f lew over Birley's on t he afternoo n of Jun e 18th (during the match aga inst Whitgift : the 1st XI went on to win) and over the Green Court at lunchti me on Sunday, June 19th. Th is was not a matter of chance. Fl ig ht Lieutenant James Turner (MO 1986-91), having been t he RAF Jaguar Display pilot in 2004, has joined the team for the 2005 display season. He arra nged a detour on the way to the Margate Air Show. Red Arrows

Absolute!

Fab ulous

Joann a Lum ley named fo ur new boa ts for the Boat Club in a ceremony on the Green Court on Monday Ju ly ' 4th. 'Abso lutely', 'Fabu lous', 'Th e Headmaste r', and 'The New Lower Master' were christened in style. A fifth et a.I boat, 'Th e Li fe of Reilly', was unavoidably absent. M s Lu mley had visi ted t he Wa lpole Collection in t he morning, and attended t he Ki ng's Week event in t he Cathedral that evening, w here her husband Stephen Barlow (GR 1968-72) was one of those joining Harry Christophers and The Sixteen in Thomas Tallis's Spem in Alia. y,

The Schoo l has acquired a co ll ectio n of original photographs and acco mpa nyi ng correspond ence relatin g to the prod uction of Portraits of Poets by Christopher Barker (WL 1957-62) and his brother Sebastian (WL 1958- 63). The book was published in 1986, and con tai ns superb portraits by Christopher of some sixty British poets, as well as a poem and a facsi mile sig nature. Althoug h our collection is incomplete, there is still a representative sample of well-known writers, incl uding Richard M urphy (MO 1941-42) and Vernon Scannell (Poet-in- Residence 1979). It is hoped t o pu t a selection of them on display in the Library in due course. Portraits of Poets

Mr An thony Dean (GR, MO 1934-40) has generously donated a facsimi le manuscript score of Beethoven's Nint h Symphony, the 'Choral', to t he Walpole Collection. This copy is of interest because it was presented to t he renowned conductor Hans Schmidt-lssersted t by the members of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday in 1950, and it is inscribed and signed by them. The most recent history of the School, Imps of Pro mise by Thomas Hinde, has been out of pri nt for several years. A second ed ition is now ava ilab le t hanks to t he publishers James Et James. This is largely a repri nt, but the opportuni ty has been taken to correct a few mi nor errors and to bri ng the story up to date by a j udicious re- writing of the last four pages. Copies were presented to leavers on Speech Day; for everyo ne else, they are available fro m the School Shop. Imps 2

The f irst f ull school inspection since 1999, under the aeg is of the Independen t Schoo~ Inspectorate, took place in February. The exercise generated an inordinate amou nt of paper in t he form of SPIM (Schools Pre-I nspecti on Mat erial) and varying deg rees of anxiety among t hose who felt t hat t hey were bei ng judged. It would appear that almost all concerned emerged with t heir honour unscathed. The report itself, a mere fifty pages, is available in full on the School's website. Spim Doctors

The School Inspectors at work

th f . The Kent Messenger Marlowe Young Musician of the Year competition is one of the highlights of the local 1 1 n e ami Y music calendar. For once the School did not have a finalist in this prestigious event. However, the conductor of the orchestra was Paul Nevi lle (Director of Music 1979-89), the compere was Stewart Ross (staff 1974-89), the judges included Howard lonascu, the current Director of Music, and Paul Edlin, husband of Sally-Ann Ardouin (SH 1975-77), while the prizes were presented by the Lord Mayor, Martin Vye (staff 1969-95). And the winner? Pianist Katherine Tinker, daughter of Chris Tinker (staff 1972-80). (What would Christopher Marlowe (KS 1579-81) have thought?) , F. ld On Friday November 5th a dinner and sporting auction was held at the Merchant Taylors Hall. Governors, B. 1 5 lr ey le O.K.S., past and present members of staff, parents, pupils, friends of the school and guests were well entertained in a splendid setting. The speakers were the Headmaster, Hugh Robertson (BR 1976-81), recently appointed Shadow Minister of Sport, and Chris Cowdrey (sometime opponent in his Tonbridgian days). A sporting auction was conducted by Mike Bax (MR, LN 1969-72). The main aim, to acquaint the wider School community with the developments on Birley's, and in particular the new pavilion, was effectively and stylishly achieved. One mystery remains: the groundsman-cum-cricket coach who helped prepare the ground in the late 1920s is referred to in Cantuarians and photographs merely as 'Clinch: The School records have no other information about him, even his first name. We should be grateful for any further enlightenment on the subject. The old Field Pavilion, to give it its proper title at its end, was demolished in the Easter holidays. The splendid new building now provides a focal and vantage point for the netball/tennis courts and the astro, as well as the field itself. It was in use during the Summer Term, though still not comp leted, and will be opened officially in the Autumn. Another new feature of Birley's is the planting of trees to commemorate notable cricketing performances. So fa r William Bruce (MT). Matthew and Toby Humphrey (both MT 1999-2004), and Paul Dixey (MR) have been honoured. The details are on the plaques.

Among this year's Christmas stocking-fillers was Could do Even Better, edited by Catherine Hurley. It contained a further selection of school reports of the great and the good (and the improvable). Th is volume included two KSC reports: for Michael Morpurgo (GL 1957-62, though mysteriously the book records his re port- rugg er and all- as dating from 1947, when he was just four years old) and Michael Foale (SH 1970-74). Raymond Butt's Astronomy report for the latter noted, encouragingly, that "he should have acquired sufficient knowledge to satisfy the examiner". We still await the discovery of that famous but elusive "he will go far': Reports

Michael Morpurgo, at least, has taken the opportunity to get his own back. In his Patrick Henry lecture 'We are what we read', the Children's Laureate recalled : "I did have one teacher, just one, Sydney Sopwith [KS 1901-05 and staff 1948-67). who tried to tell me I had a brain in my head, that there was more to life than rugby, and that one day I'd find that out for myself." A group of pupils, Julia Bird (HH), Sarah Fend ius (BY). Holly Catto (HH), Georg ina Rumbellow (JR), Christopher Barry (GR) and Patricia Llopis Tarres (HH). under the watchful eye of Dr Taylor, have been using a large professional telescope in Hawaii, controlled robotically over the internet, to help discover and investigate asteroids that cross the earth's orbit. This is part of the Faulkes Telescope Project to encourage an active interest in astronomy, and the group have also visited primary schools to involve 9-11 year olds in their observations. Four of their discoveries were published in the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planets Electronics Circular in March, and Julia had a letter published in The Times of April 6th on the subject. Faulkes Guys

Sarah, along with Stephan Wasserman-Fry, George Edmondson and Elea nor Jennings (all MT), consolidated the team's international reputation in July by producing the first pictures of a projectile hitting the comet Tempel 1. Sarah was interviewed on Radio 4, and the team was much in demand at the Particle Physics and Astronomy Resea rch Council press co nference in Westminster.

The School featured signi fica ntly at the Sport Canterbury District awards in March. Mrs Webber was sports perso n of the yea r in the over 25 group. Also honoured we re Denise Farnham of the Sports' Centre (veteran of the yea r), netball coach Liliane Widdows (coach of t he yea r) and Ben Cooper (MT 1985-90). deputy head of Briary School and Ca nterbury Cricket Club ind oor stalwart (teacher of th e yea r, and a member of the team of the year). Mrs Webber fully justified her honour by featuring prominently in the Canterbury Ladies hockey side that won the Super Cup (a round- robin tournam ent between the top fo ur sides in the National League) and thus qualified for the European Club Championship next yea r. Sports Persons

Mr Hill put himself in line for next year's awards by starring at fly half for Canterbury R.F.C., who wo n the Kent Cu p for the first time in thirty years. The Kentish Gazette noted that the side had never lost when he was playi ng. As if to prove his talismanic quality, he then turned out for the Common Room team, playing as 'Kings and Queens', which won Canterbury Rugby Club's mixed touch rugby competition on Sunday May 22nd. They defeated a Ca nterbury select side in the final. The rest of the team co mprised Messrs Bruna, Cook, Hermes, Laskarides and Sykes, and Miss Za nard i. A spl endid trophy now adorns the Common Room mantelpiece. Congratulations also go to squash coach Martyn Ballands, who has been chosen to play for England Over 50s. A late starter in the sport, he is now ranked in the top five in the coun try in his age group. Another veteran international is the much travell ed Stephen Woodley (staff 1969-98). He ca ptained the All England Club's tennis team to Australia and New Zeala nd, with Judy Woodley (staff 1975- 2001) also in the squad. In the Summer Term, the Headmaster hosted small parties to honour David Goodes (staff 1951-86) who was eighty on Apri l 15th and Barbara Slimming (Headmaster's Secretary 1968-84), who was ninety on Ju ne 3rd. Many friends and form er co lleagues were pl eased to be able to pay tribute to two of the most distinguished members of the School community. Two over the eighty

The general election on May 5th resu lted in a nicely balanced O.K.S. delegation to Westminster. Hugh Robertson (BR 1976-81) was re-elected for the Conservatives in Faversham and Mid Kent with an increased majority, and Natascha Engel (MT 1983-85) was returned for Labour in Derbyshire North East, thus becoming our first woman representative. Among the other candidates, Julien Foster (GR 1984-89) was unsuccessful for the Conservatives at Leyton and Wanstead: although he increased his party's share of the vote, he slipped into third place. General Electi on

The school mock election on the same day produced an unfashionably strong Conservative showing. The result mirrored the national one only in that the first past the post system distorted the outcome : the Tori es won 14 of the 16 seats wi th just 48% of the vote. Th e Liberal Democrats won in the Grange and Bai ley. The percentages, for the statistically minded, were : Conservative 48%, Liberal Democrats 20%, Labour 130A:J, Green 12%, and UKIP 5%. The turnout was an impressive 85%. It was highest in Walpole with 100%, perh aps a consequence of the fact that voti ng is compulsory in Australia. It was lowest (65%) in Tradescant. So far as we are aware, no elections preceded the Can terbury International Yo uth Parliament, which was held from Feb ru ary 7th to 12th. Students from Sweden, Ita ly and Russia, as well as Ca nterbury took part. Our own delegation had an appropriately in ternational flavour, with representatives from Bulgaria and India, as wel l as England. Th ey participated in disc ussions and worki ng sessions in the Westgate Hall, with a final plenary session in the Guildhall - all under the experienced and multi-lingual guidance of Lord Mayor Martin Vye (staff 1969-95).

Paul Dixey playing for Kent

This year's O.K.S. May Reunion was for those who left the School between 1981 and 1996: in other wo rds most of those here wit h Peter Pilkington and Anthony Phillips. Lord Pilkington was, unfortunat ely, unable to attend, but An thony and Vicky Phillips were here as gu ests of honour. James Lawrence (GR 1983-88) led the jazz groups (particularly performing in honour of Dr Mallion, retiring at the end of term). On this family fri endly occasion, the younger generation we re entertained under the watchful eye of the Broughton girls. Friends Reunited

School House, like Topsy, has never really had a birthday, unless yo u count 597 or 1541 . Mr Browning made up for this on Satu rday June 25th by hosting a luncheon and soiree to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the occupation of the buildings in the Mint Yard. Represent atives from every generation from 1930 to the presen t day very much enjoyed the food and drink, the house photographs, the tours and the music. A precedent has been set. House Proud

We are very grateful to Alan Rands (SH 1940-43) who, although unable to attend the reunion in person, took the opportunity to send us a co py of his fascinating memoirs of the period. He is one of that select group whose schooldays were spent almost entirely in Cornwall. More informally, but no less happily, over 60 former Broughton girls attended a lunch party on Sunday July 3rd in honour of Mrs Wakeham, who was completing her twelve years term as housemistress. Paul Dixey (MR) made his first class cricket debut in August, playing fo r Kent against Bang ladesh A on the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. He was the first boy to play for the county while still at school since Bob Minns in 1959. Paul kept wicket impressively, and scored 24 in the first innings and 16 not out in the second, as he saw the side to a narrow three wicket victory. A f ew days before, he had narrowly missed a Kent League century forSt Lawrence, being out for 99 agai nst Beckenham. First Class

Fans of Diggerland in the Medway Va lley Park may not have realised that thi s exciting mechanica l adventure park is the brain child of Hugh Edeleanu (LX 1969-73). Hugh is chairman of his own plant hire company and soon realised that children of all ages love driving diggers. 'Watch out Disneyland' is his slogan; and with parks in Devon, Durham and Dubai, this could be the next big thing. Diggerland

S T Th e Captain of Sailing, Philip Spicer, and th e Master-in-charge, Dr Maltby, were presented to the Queen on the al mg occasion of the royal visit to Dover on July 20th, 2005. The programme f or the day included a land drill demonstration by Philip of one of the School's 420 racing dinghies. This was Dr Maltby's second meeting with Her Majesty, the first being in 1987, at the opening of the Heritage Museum, when he was a City Councillor. The conversations, he tells us, covered a range of topics, including heritage, local history, archaeology, youth, recreational pursuits and sailing. The dialogue, we expect, wi ll continue. On August 23rd Hilary Lister (nee Rudd, GR 1988-89), wife of Clifford Lister (WL 1971-75), became the first quadriplegic to sail singlehanded across the English Channel. Hilary had learned to sail with Westbere Sailing Opportuniti es on the Westbere Lakes. She can only use her head, eyes and mouth, and controlled her boat by blowing through specially designed pipes. Th is re markable fea t received much well-merited publicity in the local and national media. Her next aim is to sail around the U.K. On the first Thursday of the Summer Term, photographer Peter Whyte (GR 1978-82) arranged the who le of 6A in a OWhyte Magic circle on the Green Court and took a co ntinuous pi cture of them. Something of an experiment, the exercise proved a great success and the result is now on display in the Lattergate board room. (Mr Chaundy's rear view of the occasion proved equally interesting, fo r different reasons.)

Valete Roger Mal/ion One of Roger's former Headmasters said to me, when I was representing to him the difficulty of writing Roger's Vale, "Can't see the problem: he is such a sweet man." That is precisely the problem. It is generally agreed that De mortuis nil nisi bonum is a worthy maxim, at least until the market is right, but it generates the risk that readers of biographical notices will believe the converse to be in operation. So, despite the overall tone of what follows, let it be clearly understood that Roger is retiring from teaching, but not - if the concepts can be separated - from life itself. He is in pretty good shape despite the fact that at any given time his knowledge of symptoms and ailments allows him to detect in himself a clutch of the latter. This observation is made only to insert a gentle malum among the bona, and so forestall any misunderstanding. It is usual, and may be of use to somebody, to summ arise in an account such as this the subject's educational history. From 1956 to 1963 Roger attended the Whitchurch Grammar School in Cardiff, at which one or two of his masters maintained the tradition of eccentricity as a teaching aid. This their pupil did not later adopt, unless one counts the propensity to authenticate anything written or printed by him with the impression of his own personal GPOtype cancellation stamp (so archaic now that his latest replacement had to be ordered from Vorsprung-durch-Technik Germany). There followed six years at University Co ll ege, Swansea, whence he emerged with a 1st class B.Sc. in chemistry and the first of his doctorates. Roger is still in touch with his doctoral supervisor, albeit somewhat one-sided ly, as the rare replies that he receives to his communications are generally illegible. Still, this well illustrates one of Roger's quintessential cha racter traits, namely pietas as the Romans understood it: a recognition of what is due to those, especia lly parents and other se niors, whose guidance has benefited one, and the expression of this not just si ncerely but with some degree of fo rmality and decorum. In 1969 Roger moved to Jesus College, Oxford, where he studied for two years under Professor Charles Coulson, FRS, and was then appointed Resea rch Lecturer at

Christ Church. There, among other notables, he came to know W.H.Auden, whose personal habits made a deep impression, communicated many years later to one of the poet's biographers. The term of Roger's Research Lectureship ended in 1976. By chance - but such cha nces only come to those who are ready fo r them - the then Headmaster of the King's School, Cano n (now Lord) Pilkington, was visiting Henry Chadwick, the Dean of Christ Church. 'You must have this man for King's' said the Dea n; and the Headmaster did not need telling twice.

In this way, Roger came to Canterbury; what impression the King's School made on him is best gathered from the man himself, in the interview which appears elsewhere in this issue. Being new to school-teaching, Roger sought my advice - I was then Head of Mathematics, the department Roger was joining and which he was to head himself later, for some ten years - lowering his bucket into a very shallow well. After an appearance of deep reflexion, but sincerely, I to ld him that ma rking prep. in detail was a waste of his time, especially with the lower forms. 'All they want to know is, how much they got out of 10 and what their

friends got; long model answers in the margin, subtle points, aliter- of all that, they take not a blind bit of notice: Some 25 years later, loitering in Roger's classroom, I saw a stack of marked preps. Well, perhaps he was right. It is certainly true that Roger is the first teacher in the school's history to have published a learned paper jointly with a pupil, Toby Brown (MR 1986-1991 ). The subject was the complexity of buckminsterfullerene. A more recent OKS may also be quoted: 'I woke up every day knowing that I would learn some beautiful concept about nature in [Roger's] class. [He] taught me what 'elegance' means [and that] has enriched my life: While doing his share, and more, of all that needed to be done in the school, Roger contrived to continue his scholarly scientific work. With his old Oxford professor, and one other, he published in 1978 the authoritative HUcke! Theory for Organic Chemists; and a year later he was awarded his second doctorate, the Oxford D. Phil. One benefit of this was the right to wear a certain academic garment, distinct from the D. Phil. gown but no less scarlet. Clad in this, Roger added colour, distinction and rarity to staff processions. It used to be received wisdom, and in the past not without evidence, that a schoolmaster with a doctorate had to be mad or bad, if not both. But as the President of the Common Room pointed out when bidding Roger farewell, Roger's pair had cancelled out. Four years after his arrival, in 1980, Roger became responsible for three nonacademic areas in the life of the school, and with typical devotion he carried on with this until his retirement 25 years later. The one which probably gave him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction was the school's Jazz. Some notable musicians developed their gifts in its framework and one of them, Wesley Staee (MO 1979-83), has contributed an appreciation in this issue of The Cantuarian. In this year Roger also began the school's Film and Video archive, operating his machine discreetly at most events and also recording some remarkable interviews with OKS and current pupils. It is very much to be hoped that a!! this material will be attended to technically- something no one could oversee better than Roger himself. He should also be persuaded to continue as Film and Video Archivist, at least until someone of comparable enthusiasm and competence becomes available. The third responsibility which Roger took on in 1980 was as Secretary of the Junior Common Room. This club, highly appreciated by its members and,

on the whole, with a civilising mission, has latterly been troubled by intrusive and badly drafted legislation. Roger, foreseeing the looming problems, did what he could to muster a defence; but it must be recorded that the law is such that success in this has been limited, despite the sympathy of those involved in the licensing procedure locally. In an account of reasonable length - and the qualification may already be under some strain - it is not possible to do justice to, or even mention in passing, all that someone like Roger has contributed to the King's School over nearly 30 years. Have I said that for 25 years he was nanny to the King's Scholarship candidates- an understandably nervous bunch looking out for a kind and patient face in the confusion and immensity of a 'big' school? Or, that it was Roger who would be called upon to procure the golden sovereign minted in the year of the Captain of School's birth, which the Archbishop traditionally presents to him or her at his Visitation? And what about Roger, the unexpected globe-trotter, seen on five continents, mugged in Portugal but also the only man dressed correctly, namely with neck-tie, in Bulgaria? Something of the man's essence can be gathered from the interview already mentioned (or, as Roger would prefer, 'already-mentioned'). Those who know him will hear his voice; those who don't will recognise care, perceptiveness, the ability to muster detail (a sign of considerable intellectual power), the alert sense of humour, and the courtesyRoger ordering a drink from a barmaid can sound like someone apologising to Her Majesty for having inadvertently intruded on Her afternoon nap. I have already described Roger as having pietas; this should really be expanded

into a capacity for deep loyalty. Once Roger has decided that he belongs, it is for good and I know no one who takes more trouble 'to keep his friendship in constant repair~ If the King's School finds another Roger, even if only every 29 years, it will be a lucky place. Paul Pollak

The Tapping Foot of

RBMa I first met Doctor Mal!ion in 1978_ I was 13, a young would-be scholar attending the exam. I last saw him in London a few weeks ago when he came to one of my concerts. At the end of the evening, I left

him, in his own words, "heavily engaged in convincing a sceptical Basque barman about the excellent merits of Juan Carlos of Bourbon-Palma, King of Spain!" And there, Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Roger Mal!ion -the man - in a nutshell. The only thing missing from the story is Buddy Holly. Roger may well be a fantastic mathematician - but I am not here because of the quality of his teaching. I'm here because of his tapping foot. At Canterbury, Roger did most of his most public foot-tapping, when he wasn't tapping it to Buddy Holly records in the privacy of his own home, to the Jazz Band, of which he was in charge for 25 years. The Jazz Band was not strictly traditional, though we did our fair share of rags, and Roger enthusiastically encouraged - in a way we were certainly not encouraged by anyone else - almost any musical approach. As the years went on, Jazz became an even looser concept, and Shirley Hall audiences may have been surprised by a showcase for blistering blues guitar (the student german teacher), free piano fantasia (my friend, Roger), or even a Joni Mitchell song (me) with freeform clarinet. Though not a musician himself, Roger was teaching music- music of a sort that others in authority were, at the time, ignoring, even though it was pouring out of the window of every study in every house. He was easily able to communicate his love for music without any accompanying self-consciousness. And so it was that, with his jaunty stride, his positive attitude, not to mention his tapping foot and bobbing head, Roger was one of the very few masters whom no one took any pleasure in annoying. Things have changed, I'm sure, but back in the late 70s, there was only one teacher willing to chaperone you to a gig, and this was the same man most recently seen trying to make a keen royalist of the Basque Barman at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street. Rave On, Roger Mallion. And as a leaving present, might! suggest a really great CD player? I think Roger may still be lacking in this department. Wesley Stace is the author of Misfortune (Jonathan Cape, 2005). He is also known as the musician John Wesley Harding, under which name he has recorded 14 albums.

Peter Brodie Given his background, it was perhaps inevitable that Peter Brodie should become the consu mmate schoolmaster, and King's has been truly fortunate to enjoy a quarter of a century of his prime. The son of a headmaster, he was inspired at Abingdon by Graham Barrett and Eri c Anderson, passed through the resplendent orbit of the then Chaplain at St. John's, Oxford (Anthony Phillips), and won dered at the trendy English tutor on the Oxford PGCE co urse (Chris Woodhead) before fate brought him (via the Dutch courage dispensa ry of PJDA) to the beady eye of Peter Pilkington, who rarely missed a bargain. 'Baby-face' Brodie rapidly made his mark as a first class teacher of English, even surviving the perils of team-teaching with both BJD and AHD. Meticulous and tactical in his exam preparation, demanding in classroom standards of dress and punctuality as well as written wo rk, skilled at stimulating response and catalysing discussion, ever ready t o give hours of his time in extra help and sit defaulters down in his own study until the necessary was achieved, Peter's rigour induced confidence, awe and gratitude, while his enthusiasm, bawdy humour, classroom patter and performance skills ensured enjoyment for most and inspired love of the subject in many. His attention to detail in matters of grammar and punct uation is lege nd ary (not least amongst report-writi ng colleagues), and he cuts cleanly to the heart of a literary text. His scholarship is evident in his published editions of Hardy and H G We lls, and he found the time to gain an extra MA in Educa ti on while teaching. His ca lm, clear-sighted management skills we re tested to th e full when he became Head of English and magnificently piloted a very diverse department through vast educational changes, including the introduction of the GCSE. He also had a knack for spotting national competitions for King's pupils to win.

There are few areas of the School that Peter was not involved in. Having coproduced a King's Week Love's Labours Lost early on, he became renowned for hilarious House Play productions of Feydeau farces, but the repertoire rang ed from musica ls (Big AI, Sweeney Todd) via N.F. Simpson to Twelfth Night with a punk on a motorbike! He went on to spe nd many successful yea rs as Business Manager of King's Week. Saturday nights in the 80s were often spent running t he Film Club in St. Mary's, and weekends were given over to organising Duke of

Edinburgh expeditions. A superb cook himself, he was brave enough to open his kitchen to t eenage enthusiasm as a Thursday afternoon activity, and he was one of the instigators of th e After Hours programme. As well as running the interhouse Academic Challenge competition, he selected and trained the school team, drivi ng them all over the country to success in regional and national fina ls over many years. His editorship of The Cantuarian beg an when he had barely arrived at the school and also lasted a long time, in the days when there were three issues a yea r: all meticulously proofed and felicitously designed and edited, with particular attention given to the coloured central section of pupils' crea tive writing. Wh ether in the classroom, at a social gathering or on a platform Peter is a great performer. He is an excellen t

raconteur and int erlocutor, with a gift for asking the right questions to draw people out and make them feel he is genuinely interested. This led naturally to his appointment as PR man fo r the School, deftly fielding all kinds of awkward calls from tabloid hearsay sharks and crafting tempting press releases to persuade a reluctant press to puff our pupils' performances. The public performer, however, has always concealed a very private indivi dual in a jealously guard ed space for which his 150% commitment to the School and (more particularly) to his pupils left very little time. People will have been aware of his love of gardening, travel and reading, but few will have realised the hours spent on looking after his late father and an elderly aunt, and still fewer will have broken through his natural rese rve about his deeper sorrows and joys.

One joy that was evident, however, was his love of Housemastering; and if any proof were needed, then it lies in the fact that Anthony Phillips nearly did not offer him Galpin's (after he had run St Radigu nd's Annexe for a year) on the assumption that he would justifiably go straight for a deputy headship. That he did no such thing for so long speaks for itself. Peter perhaps had to lea rn a little abou t flexibility in the first year or two, but his stewardship of the House was outstandingly successful in every department, from recruiting to end produ ct. Not a sportsman or musician himself, he was always there to support his sportsmen and musicians, and the results were evident in the House Song and sporting cups. That scholarship remained pre-eminent was also clear in resu lts. But people mattered most of all: pupils were given hours of time when it was needed, and colleagues having difficulties with his boys were also supported. Paperwork was punctiliously processed. Quiet, unsung commitment to individuals as well as to the com munity, immense, infectious enthusiasm, meticulous integ rity, unwavering determination, calm professionalism and perspicacity informed by humanity, lateral th ought and negotiating skills : such are some of the virtues which made the gifted schoolmaster a successful Housemaster, and will doubtless make a natural Head for, as PJDA might have pointed out when waylaying him before his King's interview: 'in my beginning is my end: MJM

John Evans John ca me to King's nineteen years ago to teach in the then, new Craft, Design and Technology department as Head of Electronics. He had experience in Information Communication Technology and Physics departments at previous schools and joined King's for the opportunity to teach in a curriculum area where knowledge could be applied to so lve real problems. John was responsible for the installation and management of a network of computers in the COT department as well as encouragi ng the use of applied science and electroni cs in examination c:oursework projects. Electronics remained an esoteric: subject, but those that continu ed with it up to A Level found the co urses interesting, and the qualification valuable. John also fostered an interest in Junior Robot Wars competition, a less destructive version of

the television programme, and pupils competed and won trophies in various categories. From his first term, John set up a 'lighting crew' that worked with consi derable expertise to enhance performances during King's week and House plays throughout the year. With setting up, rehearsals and performances, the time commitment was co nsiderable and often meant working late into the night. John offered his timetabling skills to the School and he worked with Chris Miller to use the computer more with this yearly task. He eventually took so le responsibility for the timetabl e and each year, in September, everyone always

seemed to be in the rig ht place at the right time doing the right th ing. John has been very much involved with fencing and this year he has been Master in charge. It is hoped that he wi ll cont inue to be involved in t he futu re as Armourer. John retires with a very long list of tasks, kindly provided by his wife Lesley, to upgrade and improve his house, and he looks forward to enjoy being a grandfather to his first Granddaughter, Lucy, who was born this June. I wish him a long and happy retirement. KEJM.

Fiona has continued to be a successful and energeti c member of the English department, her success owing much to her first-class organizing abili ty, which has served her well in so many areas, her sense of humour and her all- rou nd exuberance. She has always worked her pupils hard and they have responded positively, showing her the same high degrees of respect and affection that she has shown them. On a day-to-day basis, Anthony Lyons reports that Fiona was full of im agina tive ways of bringin g writers and texts to life and that her noticeboard displays were first-class; informative, fu ll of colour and with lots of lively pictures. He is gra teful for her teaching and for all her faultless organization of educa tional trips to the theatre and elsewhere. Th e School's first co-educational Shell entry arrived in 1990 and, a yea r later, Fiona became the second housemistress of a 13-18 girls' house. In Luxmoore, she rapidly mou lded a complex mixture of Gas from Radigund's, a new Gb, a double dose of Shells and some Removes that she brought with her from Walpole into a thriving com munity. It is fo r her total commitment to making the house enduringly happy and successfu l that she will be best remembered. Th e change to fu ll co-ed ucation was one of the most important moments in the history of the school and it needed the right people in place if it was to wo rk: Fiona was one of those people.

Fiona Tennick When the Beatles were at th e height of their fame, Fiona was reading English at Westfield College, London, where she was union vice-president and a London University swimming 'purple: She arrived at King's in 1981, with Martin, who had been appointed Head of Classics, and it was immediately apparent that their wo nderful partnership would not only conti nue to provide a happy family life for Jane and Giles, bu t would also be of immense benefit to the Ki ng's community in a wide variety of areas. Over the next twenty years so it proved and the school would have been considerably poorer without their willing, expert contributions and their total commitment to whatever they undertook. Fiona was pleased when she found that the King's pupils had a rather better work ethic than the pick-pockets, truants,

unmarried mothers and arsonists she met in her first yea r of teaching, at a school I am not prepa red to name! Her early experi ences had shown her as someone who had the resilience to survive, indeed thrive, in the toughest of environments and also helped her to build up a strong armoury of strategies for making the very best use of her academic expertise and her bubbly personality. At first she was employed to teach English part-time, although the concept of Fiona doing anything part-time is a stra nge one and, aft er two years, she officially became a full-time member of staff. She was one of the earliest female members of staff not qui te the first, but one of the few who stayed and succeeded. Even in her first few yea rs, she was thoug ht of very highly by her pupils, and a new OKS member of staff remembers her as 'one of my top five in 1985: Al though she would hate to be called a role model, she has cert ainly been a shining example to many people over the years.

House notes from early in Fiona's tenure in Luxmoore make end earing references to 'Mummy Tennick' and 'Mrs T: She is thanked 'for providing endless hot chocolate, popcorn, romantic advice, the lovely airport tannoy system, toasted sa ndwiches and peanuts'. The con nection wi th successful armi es marching on their stomachs is not hard to see! The girls' affection for Fiona was built on mu tual respect and was certainly not because they thoug ht she was a soft touch. Indeed, she cou ld be a hard taskmaster when necessary, especially when girls stepped out of line and let her, or themselves, down. However, her warmth and kind ness were the quali ties that she showed most often and the whole house knew that it could rely on her to be fair and supportive. Fiona's energy, vitality and enthusiasm meant that Luxmoore girls were always busy; a play, a co ncert or another event was never far away. She in troduced Sixth Form dinners, ensured that plenty of Luxmoore blood went into the bank during the annual donor sessions that she arranged, and presided over (no, it was much more active than that!) the legendary Christ mas parties. She also spent co untless hours helping

her charges with their university applications; producing references of superb quality that must have made selectors take notice, as the record of Luxmoore girls in gaining the higher education places that they were seeking was an impressive one. Despite working with intensity, Fiona knew that it was important to relax too and a long day's teaching was followed by a nice break with a cup of tea, or preferably a large gin and tonic, whenever possible. As a Luxmoore tutor, I had the privilege of working closely with Fiona for ten years and could not have wished for a warmer, more supportive, colleague and friend. So many of us have fond memories of Fiona in Luxmoore and there are lots of stories that could be told to illustrate the many qualities that she possesses. Determination is one of these qualities and Karen Pears, who has been closer to Fiona than any of us, relates the following. Karen, and some of the girls, heard Fiona shouting from inside the flat 'Put it down now; if you do not I will remove it myself.' They wondered who on Earth could be in such trouble as to make Mrs T so angry. When they peeped into the study Fiona was standing there with her cat in her hands, shaking it vigorously. The cat had a bird in its mouth and was not going to let go of it. Words had not worked, so action was called for and Fiona placed the cat between her knees and prised the bird from its jaws. The girls made a mental note not to put anything in their mouths in front of their housemistress! There is also the tale of the terrified would-be burglar who was chased from the premises and only escaped (temporarily as it transpired) by shinning up the city wall and leaping down the other side towards a painful landing.

keeping the firm going.t Fiona has also directed numerous plays, showing a tremendous eye for detail and a great ability in conveying an atmosphere. In the earlier days she worked mainly with the younger pupils, whilst recent ventures, usually joint Luxmoore/Meister Omers productions, have always been of the very high standard expected from a perfectionist like Fiona, but have also involved large numbers of pupils who would otherwise have had little chance of treading the boards. Martin Miles fondly remembers the shared frustrations and eventual feelings of satisfaction, but the reader will have to consult Fiona's memoirs- I am sure she could write some fascinating ones- for accounts of individual incidents of mirth and misery. For over ten years Fiona gave excellent service in the Spanish department. Combining this with her duties as a housemistress and an English teacher cannot have been easy, but she rose to the challenge with her usual enthusiasm and energy. She was a great success and the pupils loved her lessons, particularly the chocolates and Mars bars dished out as rewards for impressive performances in class or on preps! Paul Newbury says how lucky he was 'to be able to call upon such an ebullient professional', during times when the department was seriously short-staffed.

Throughout her twelve years as housemistress, 'her girlies', and their welfare, were of immense importance to Fiona. Her encyclopedic: memory of names, faces and information has been of great value, as so many of her 'old girls' (and their parents) have come back to visit her. She is held in such high esteem that the turnout for a reunion to mark her retirement from the house was huge; people seemed to have fiown in from all over the world to attend.

With retirement approaching it would have been easy for some to have started winding down, but when Fiona gave up the reins of Luxmoore in 2003 she immediately went back to a full timetable and chose the challenge of taking on an extremely international tutor set. Marc Oath jumped at the chance of Grange benefiting from her wisdom, if only for two years, and is full of praise for her contributions, explaining how Fiona has used her down-to-earth Scottish common sense and etiquette to improve manners as and when required. The boys have shown their affection for her by never leaving her alone in the study on her duty nights. He reports that Fiona's usual parting words at the end of the evening have been 'I've had a lot of fun with your boys: they are so entertaining!' I think these words tel! us so much about why Fiona's career in teaching has been such a triumph.

Allied with her love of literature and of her English teaching, Fiona has been the veritable 'Queen of the theatre trip'. The exact number of trips that she has organized is lost in the mists of time, but it must be a very high one, as Lehane's Coaches send her a calendar every year as a token of their appreciation for

Fiona has contributed so much towards the continuing success of the King's community and we thank her for a!l she has done. She will be much missed and we wish her great happiness in East Lothian, where she will be close to Jane and John and not too far away from Giles and Maria. When she is not being the

perfect grandmother, to three grandchildren by the end of the year, she will be enjoying her gardening and looking forward to entertaining the guests that l am sure will be queuing up to gain an audience at Ten nick Towers CJRJ, with special thanks to PGH

Victoria Browning To begin at the beginning ... In the Spring of 1992, it was my job to announce to the Gb girls of Broad Street that their housemistress in the following year would be Mrs Victoria Browning of Cobham Hall. At which there was a loud shriek from Belinda Nutting (sometime of Cobham), who proceeded to tell us all about Vicki, Bill, and what the future had in store. The gist of it was that Mrs Browning would be a good thing: "she'll be firm ... she'll be fun ... she'll be fine .. An 'outside' appointment as a housemistress might have seemed a bit of a gamble - on both sides. Vicki herself says that she suspects she got the job when she answered a late night phone call from Anthony Phillips: a would-be housemistress must expect to be awake at all hours. Anthony was right; and so was Belinda. Vicki Browning arrived in September 1992 as the first housemistress of Jervis House and immediately proved a great success. She faced a considerable challenge. Jervis was only the third 13-18 girls' boarding house, after Walpole and Luxmoore, so full co-education was still new. More awkwardly, the house was in two parts: the Broad Street cottages, centred on no. 84 and formerly a sixth form house, were joined by the new building a hundred yards down the road. Later, when Malvern House was acquired and the cottages provided Harvey House with its first home, Jervis was more conveniently consolidated, but there was still a delay before the two halves were properly connected. On top of this, the problems with the local residents were more pressing than in most houses. The girls went to and from school along Broad Street, to the amusement or irritation of the inhabitants, and the back of the house was overlooked by neighbours with varying degrees of benevolence. Vicki had to respond to phone calls informing her, for example, that girls were giggling in the courtyard. (Now there's a surprise.) The obvious solution to many of these awkwardnesses would have been to provide direct access to the Precincts. Vicki was therefore involved in proposing

and discussi ng a series of schemes- a door in the wa ll, a tunnel underneath, a bridge over the top ... - each of which ran into difficulties with the assorted planning authorities involved in a World Heritage site. Despite va rious assurances, the link never materialised in her time, but it was on ly right that Vicki should be invited to cut the ribbon in 2004, when the simplest solution, a door through the not-so-ancien t wall, was finally achieved. Out of this potentially unpromising material, Vi cki created a house that was, from th e beginning, happy, cha racterful and successful. Vicki may appear formidable from a distance, but she is cudd ly close up ; an ideal housemistress, in fact. Some girls feared her at first, but they ended up loving her. Each generation had cause to be grateful for her care, and the gi rls who formed Vicki's last 6b year, Sophie Gold and the rest, were a remarkable group and a fitting tribute to her regime. It was three and a half years before any of them got into seri ous trouble at all, and in their fi nal year, they figured promin ently in the social and cultu ral life of the School, captained most of the major sports, achieved the best A level resu lts, and were, above al l, the most delightful company. Someone whose first class comprised her own teddy bears sitting in a line, she is a natural teacher. A mathematician with particular expertise in pure maths, she spent much time with the challenging and rewarding double maths sets. She was also a former head of department, in a department where that distinction became increasingly common, and her co nfidence and authority were obvio us both in the classroom and in departmental meetings. She has been an equally strong voice in the Comm on Room, usually sea ted in the most comfortable armchair in the corner. For Vicki speaks her mind, and is not afraid to challenge nonsense openly when many prefer to keep their heads and their voices down. Her mathematical brain put everything and everyone precisely in order: problems are there to be solved. Her forthright approach will be much missed. The Can tuarian in welcoming her in 1992 noted that she was a native of Gateshead. Perhaps the two are related. Apart from rounders for fun ("in the days before we were allowed to take the game seriously") Vicki's main extra-curricular activity was an enthusiastic involvement in school drama. Some of this took place behind the scenes, organising the costume room, with Gill Smith, as a Thursday (or Wedn esday) afternoon activity. More evident and passionate was

her role as a director of house plays. These were often, bravely, in conj unction with School House. Under Milk Wood, Our Town, The Boy Friend, The Admirable Crichton will bring back happy memories f or participan ts and spectators. Josh Cole, future star of small and large screen, and James Drever, cleverly coaxed into playing himself as a middle-aged gentleman, as well as the spectacular voice of Miranda Scott-Barrett and the more willowy charms of Olivia Homan, were all deployed to appropriate and captivating effect. And one of the most enjoyable and memorable dramatic occasions of all was an impromptu performance of the Pyramus and Thisbe scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream in th e Jervis sitting room, with the Headmaster, th e tutors and the girls all pl aying their parts with great gusto.

with many of a certain generation (Cambridge in the sixti es, of co urse, was something of a golden age) but also with the younger members of the Common Room. House tu tors (and others) very much appreciated the superb Speech Day lunches, and there have been qu ite a few School socia l occasions when the real party has taken place afterwards at the Brownings. Food, drink, conversation, background music and goodwill flowed in abu ndance. A birthday (hers conveniently on St Valentine's Day), a wedding anniversary (conveniently on New Year's Day). any excuse or none, and generosity and friendship were always to be found in Jervis and School House, in Barham and, finally, in Selling. An eighteenth cen tury map of Ca nterbu ry shows Browning Court just off Broad Street ; it reappeared in 1992.

For Vicki and Bill will be rem embered, as much as anything, for their hospitality. They were soon at ease here, not on ly

It was a great shame for her and for Jervis that illness and a frustrating series of hip operations meant that Vicki had to

give up the house prema turely in 2000. However, the family team simply moved to School House, wi th Bill now in cha rge -yet another school first. Although she is retiring, she will, for a year, at least, remain a member of the school community, as Bill serves out his final year in the Mint Yard . And Selling is not very far away. There the Brownings will settle - in a form er shop, with a large garden and a very large kitchen, conveniently next to a pub. There will be at least one more big party in the summer of 2006 to celebrate the Brownings' remarkable contribution to the School. Pl enty of opportunity, therefore, to honour a disti nguished co lleague, and to exp ress personal gratitude to a friend. PGH

Sara Mackenzie Sara Mackenzie's co ntribution to the Classics Department has been immense. Her perso nal fascination with the ancient world meant that she prepared in great detail the Shell Classical Civilisation courses she taught. As a non -specialist, she rose to the challenge and approached the material in a thoroughly scholarly way. Perhaps one of the highlights of Sara's Classical career was during a departmental visit to Pompeii, where she saw in context all the things she had been teaching her students. For she derives enormous joy in trying to reconstruct with her classes the lives of those Pompeians whom we ca n on ly know through the work of skilful archaeologists. Always askin g for useful boo ks so that she co uld read around the subject, Sa ra thought that it was important to be able to answer the coun tless interesting questions so often posed by th e enquiring minds of the Shells. Sara is an inspirational teacher who never tired of answering th e questions of those to whom she inevitably transmitted her boundless enthusiasm. Her stud ents looked forward to their lessons because they knew that they were going to be doing something interesting; they respected and admired Sara, known affectionately as 'Mrs. Mac', for showing them something new and worthwhile each week. I was always impressed by the depth of knowledge her fledgling Classicists showed, and Sara and I spent many an hour (sometimes in Morel/is!) musing on issues raised by their written work or class discussion. In the best trad ition of teaching, we learnt a lot about our

subject and a lot about life in those sessio ns.

Chris Banfield

As a professional trained in the teaching of English and Drama, Sa ra brought special insights into her teaching of the Classical Civilisation course. Her lessons on Antigone, where the heroine is faced wi th a moral dilemma, or the performance aspects of the Greek theatre topic made the Shells think about the material in a very sophisticated way. And whether Sara was explaining the way Roman aqueducts work, aided considerably by a piece of file paper and two paper cups, or re-enacting the rituals of ancient Greek sacrifice on the Green Court with the Cathedral as a magnificent backdrop, she was always an interesting and pro-active teacher.

Born in Ohio and ra ised in Norfolk, with extensive experi ence of life in India, Chris Banfi eld came to The Ki ng's School from the University of Birmingham. He brought a wide vision to the schoo l, as well as tolerance, understanding, and an intellect of the highest quality. He also brought immense dedication, as teacher, tutor and director. Drama teachers are not always renowned for their ability to foster team spirit, but those who worked with Chris have nothing but praise for him. His artistic generosity was a structural part of his professiona lism, for it was important to him that drama should flourish at all levels in the school, and it is striking how many peripheral productions were enco uraged to grow. He provided not just rehearsal time and space, even offering the main stage for 'rival ' productions, he encouraged

taskmaster, someone who was not satisfied with anything but the best in his own work, and someone who expected equal commitment and quality from others. He got it. Th at friendship slowly grew out of these professional relationships was a fact, but it was not an a priori fact. In terms of productions, he started on a high note, with Dancing at Lughnasa performed by a largely female cast. Chris fostered technique rather than emotional self-evisceration in his actors, and helped them to develop remarkable theatrical ski lls: thus, they achieved consistency of performance. While drama at King's has often been outstanding in the last twenty years, nothing has riva lled You Can't Take It With You, complete with firework climax, which from the dress rehearsal th ro ugh fo ur nigh ts of performance achieved a level worthy of the London stage, spot-on every single night and I saw them all. This was a staggering achievement for a fast-moving comedy acted by schoolchildren.There were many other high points too: a moving Kes, Animal Farm with masks, The Italian Straw Hat, The Lark, The Madwoman of Covent Garden and so on.

everyone to believe that what they were doing was every bit as important as his own work. The result was that the overall standard of King's Week productions was never better than during his regime as Head of Theatre Studies. A first sight of Chris might have been a little perplexing as the rest of us hurried around the Green Court: the panama hat, the mild expression, the thoughtful pauses before speech, the slow, speculative walk like an umpire going out to inspect the pitch after rain. But the sharpness of his observations soon revealed the quality of his thinking, and the wicked sense of humour was soon apparent, as was his ability lethally to imitate the mannerisms of his colleagues. He was far from a push-over, and though his rare outbursts of irritation were likely to be mimed rather than actual, they had their effect. Respect and love are words that all those who dealt with him, staff

and pupils alike, tend to return to. Chris's background was theatrica l and academic, but at university level, not at school level (he is the author of a book on post-colonial theatre, and his scholastic researches will continue). It is all the more remarkable, therefore, how wonderfu lly he succeeded as a school teacher, in five outstanding years. He succeeded so well, in fact, th at he beca me a victi m of his own success, for the number of pupils studying Theatre Studies more than doubled during his tenure and, in time, the number of teaching staff had to increase too. It is also significant, professionally and personally, that it was Laura Ellener and Rob Vesty who joined him alongside Sara Mackenzie he was tutor to Laura and he taught Rob at Birmingham. Chris effortl essly creates these links of dependence; but there was no nepotism here. They knew him as a demanding

A village close to where Chris and Vayu have a home in India was inundated by the tsunami on the one day of their holiday when they chose not to go to the beach. For me, the high point of the recent television documentary about King's was Chris speakin g simply and movingly about his experiences there. The disaster was not, as was rumoured, the reason why he left King's: the reasons were professional, a desire to return to university teaching (at the University of Kent). a wish to pursue his career in the theatre alongside the Vayu Naidu Company, and a sense that it was difficult for King's to develop a new theatre within the school. But they were always a partnership. Those of us who were lucky enough to know Chris as a friend also know his wife, Vayu Naidu, writer, playwright, acto r, story-telle r, academic, cook and hostess extraordinary. As a couple they are generous, sociable and laughter-loving, and many of the best times for many of us were spent in their house in Broad Street. Friendships continue: they are currently living in Abbey Street, Faversham, a home for writers, within a hundred yards of where the even ts of Arden of Faversham took place. Who knows where they will end up now? They are a couple (or perhaps a trio, when one includes Unmai, the Labrador). Wry, dry, wise, humorous and kind, Chris

has been the finest, the most generous of companions. He manages friendship effortlessly, as he does everything. And it is wonderful to see that unselfish ness and moral acumen can thrive alongside intellect, creativity and imaginative vision. Our very best wish es go with them. HWB

Laura Ellener Laura j oi ned the King's School in the Autumn of 2001, arriving from a challenging NOT yea r at a comprehensive school near Bristol. She was a tremendously committed, motivat ed and positive presence from the moment of her arrival, not only in the Drama Department but the whole school. I had the privilege of working closely with her in the teaching of GCSE Drama as well as AS

and A2 Drama and Th eatre Studi es courses. Laura also had a huge impact in the delivery of our Year 9 syllabus, undoubtedly co ntributing to the expansion of studen t numbers taking Drama over recent yea rs as interest in the performing arts in the Lower Sch ool was nurtured and developed under her stewardship. La ura Ellener proved herself an inspiring and dedicated teacher across the age ranges, sensitive to the needs of her students and skilfully responding to differences of ability level in her approach. Laura's first degree contained a significant dance component and this was an area that she took special responsibility fo r during her time at King's. She works to professional standards in her choreography and produced some stunning work. As the leader of the King's Dance Company (Kidaco), she gently stee red the

essentially gymnastic or popular styles she inherited into the more emotionally committed and techn ically complex arena of contemporary dance performance. Students rose enthusiastically and wholehearted ly to the challenges with which she presented them. Laura also helped bring the aesthetic of dance and movement into her drama teaching and directing. Her extraordinary Macbeth with the Removes for King's Week (2004) in corporated filmi c devices and was visually thrilli ng, with rea l guts and passion: an astonishing tour de force. She can also claim to be something of a John Godber expert, havi ng staged his exuberant Bouncers (King's Week Remove Play 2002) and the riotous classroom comedy Teechers (Broughton, Bailey tt Tradescant 2003). The former required a rather tardy, if entirely judicious, use of the blue pen cil a few hours before the first performance, much to the nonchalance of the Removes. The life of a coeducational boarding school of the size of King's makes special demands of its staff beyond the timetable and Laura rose to the challenges of being first a tu tor in Marlowe, then resident tutor in Luxmoore and subsequently Bailey House. She was the organiser and adjudicator of the Junior House Drama Competition. She parti cipated on numerous school trips, includ ing skii ng and sailing, both at home and abroad and acquired a wealth of experience in the process. She also found time to pursue a postgraduate degree. Laura was a universally supportive colleague, and her characteristic energy, approachability, humour and maturity in dealing with pupils, parents and staff alike were hallmarks of her approach. Laura Ellener leaves Ki ng's to join Capital City Academy in Willesden as Head of Performing Arts. Multi-talented as she is, I dare say she will leave a sizeable gap to fil l. CJB

Alastair Smith As an old boy of the school, Alasta ir was immediately fa miliar with the way King's runs and quickly started maki ng a difference in his role as staff trainer. He recognised the importance of giving the academic staff the skills and con fidence to use IT to enhance the delivery of their lessons. He was instrumental in the setting up of the 1st incarnation of the intranet, gave valuable advice to the ICT steering

committee, and has worked with nearly all departments from the technophobe to the competent power user! His approachable, affable and non-geeky personality made him the first port of call as staff were confronted with technology, some for the first time, as the staff laptop programme was rolled out. Alastair has also worked with Shells and Removes and has taken a small but dedicated group through GCSE and AS, often off tim etable. He has inherited his father's love of flying and has been an active member of the CCF/RAF - with photographs taken whilst inverted, adorning his walls. I am hugely grateful for his trust, support and friendship over the last two yea rs much of what has happened in IT would not have been possible without him. What next? A return to the money market and city life beckons - perhaps a necessary pre-requisite if he is to continuing financing his latest passion and become a helicopter pilot. "AI -Budgie - Smith" you take with you our thanks and very best wishes for the future -Safe landings. AJH

Greg Parry Greg Parry's stay with us was short, but extremely memorable. As a colleague in the department, his kindn ess, generosity of spirit, capacity for understanding and his sense of humour, were exceptional. His unusual line in suiting also provided us all with a sense of anticipation, even excitement, about the following day's wa rdrobe: would it be the Iraqi Diplomat Look or Our Man in Hava na? We were never disappointed and he took it with good grace. As a teacher, he was meticulous in his preparation, working well into the night to prepare and mark, producing lesson plans and worksheets of excellent detail and quality. The revision sheets he provided fo r his A Level, AS and GCSE sets were an inval uable support in helping many of them to gain exceptionally high marks. We shall miss him greatly and wish him every success in the completion of his PhD and with his new business. JMR

Lola Crespo Lola ca me to King's only for one year, but in such a short period of time she did a remarkable job and was a very positive influence in the Spanish Department. She always gave her time generously, helping any student who needed it. She had high expectations of her pupils and wanted to help them obtain the best possible resu lts. Lola was never afraid to po in t out areas fo r improvement and set demanding targ ets for her students. She was a very dedicated and conscientious teacher. Proof of her success were the impressive results obtained by her examination groups this summer.

the Andalucian capital. She comes originally from Cordoba but has spent most of her adult life in Seville. After teach in g Spanish in the USA (North Carolina), Seville and Canterbury, Lola decided that Barcelona would be her next destination. She is currently teaching Spanish to Swedish university students of Economics- quite a challenge, some might say! She is also in charge of this new programme and I am sure it will be a very successful one. Lola leaves with our very best wishes for her continuing success and for her future happiness wherever it may take her! i Suerte en el futuro!

During her short time with us Lola was very helpful and a good friend both in and out of the Department and she involved herself fully in all areas of extracurricular life. She was always ready to help in an emergency and gave support and encouragement to all who came in contact with her. During the Remove trip to Seville in October 2004 Lola was able to guide and show us the highlights of

Obituary Lucy Holland Memorial Service Southwark Cathedral 7th March 2005 Headmaster's Address In the name of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. I'm sure that I speak on behalf of all of us here in saying that our hearts go out to Michael, Sam and Alice, Sheila and Richard - to all yo ur family in your tremendous loss and sorrow. We have all been very powerfully affected by your unimaginable loss and grief and we have also been deeply moved by the courage and fortitud e which has brought, for those who survived this epic disaster, some hope and promise of healing. It is truly miraculous to have Alice here with us today and one can only marvel at the remarkable resolve of Mike, of Sam and of Alice herself, and of that wonderful group of the doctors and the friends who helped to save her. We all wish you, Alice, a con tinued recovery and to all of you Hollands and Attenboroug hs - our ongoing thoug hts, prayers, admiration and our love. We come here today to hold in memory and in thanksgiving three very special people who were caught up in that ca taclysmic tsunami that devastated the lives of thousands upon thousands of people, and which has affected millions upon millions throughout the world in what has been probably the world's worst natural disaster. Before us now, in mind, are three special people: Jane, Lu cy, and Jane - whose lives, talents, abilities, qualities, and characters have brought so much joy and enrich ment to others, regardless of years lived, long or short. All th ree deeply loved and all th ree deeply missed. We all have our parti cu lar memories of them. For me, of course, recent years had brought Lucy to Canterbury and to King's. Throug h good times, and also through so me pretty sticky times, we had co me to know each other rather well. And through Lucy, and the conversations that I did enjoy with her, I had come to know the lives of Jane, and Jane her grandmother.

Al l had become part of an interwoven thread of our joint stories. There is sti ll a feeling of absolute unreality about Lu cy not being with us. She was a sig nificant person with a big personality - and a big heart. There's no doubt that we miss her hugely. Despite those moments of what I can only call "feisty, frustrating originality", she was incredibly life-affirming. She was generous; she was outgoing with an interest in everyone; and she had a wicked delight in the sheer fun and absurdity of so much that we do (such as revisi ng fo r an exam the previous day!). But, at the heart of Lu cy, there was a very profound great seriousness (it's a family trait on both sides) which was good; and faith was alive in her. She was co ntinually searching ; she saw the

contradictions not only in herself, but also in the whole human cond ition of trying to sort out who we are and what we are doing. It was towards the end of last term, just before the exams, that I had one of those useful conversations when Lucy was giving me good advice, advising me to 'chill: "Remember your blood pressure," recommending, (as I had recommended to her the previous year) that I, perhaps, needed to increase my chocolate intake to raise my serotonin. She looked me quizzically in the eye at one point when I challenged her to examine whether she had in terpreted something that had been said to her was true. We had one of those qu izzical Lucy silences which were unusual. She sa id, "Well, who knows? Who knows? But I'll tell you what - 'God

is truth~" She knew her Gandhi well and was rightly proud of it. She was searching through all those channels which were important and profound. She poses a question to us now: given all that has happened, given this grievous loss, what of God now? What of truth? And what of faith? These are questions Lucy would have posed. True Faith, and I am not talking about something which too often parades as simplistic certainty, True Faith does not dodge all these difficult questions and experiences. Indeed, True Faith demands that we wrestle with questions and doubt; there are no easy answers, and no slick exam ways and techniques for getting the answers. At the heart of the Christian experience are these big questions about the very profoundest experiences of life: questions about life and death, about good and evil, about hope and despair; joy and sorrow; destruction and love. In truth and in faith, when a!! else is stripped away, these things remain for every single one of us. All else is but commentary, speculation or of very little account. So what of God now? What of truth? What of death? Can we make any sense of it all' The human problem, yours and mine, has been explored so yearningly and so fully through the haunting beauty of art, through music, drama, and great literature. It is us who find it so difficult to recognise the truth which lies at the heart of our existence, at the heart of our relationships and at the heart of ourselves. We journey along, seeking

fulfilment and so often we settle for transient substitutes and we feel incomplete. That is the human condition and it is our tragedy True Faith will challenge us to look and to seek afresh, and to break through the limiting conventions of thought, of language, and to discern those signals of transcendence, those signals of what I will call eternity, which abound and surround us, but which in our frenzied lives remain unseen and unread. Faith tells us to expect the unexpected, to be ready for the unscripted, the unannounced; it tells us to embrace the stranger; and to find in ourselves and others that vital affirmation of life which, despite the slings of arrows of outrageous fortune, brings light from darkness, power from weakness, strength from loss, and life even from death. And how? Well, not through supernatural means but through the material, the temporal, the mundane and everyday that we so easily take for granted. It is through our giving to one another, in our forgiving one to another that we create and recreate our relationships. It is there that we encounter the Eternal in our midst, in us. There will be Truth; there will be Love, and if we understand we will recognise it and own it in our own hearts. In more ways too we can discern and understand Truth and Love -such as in the glorious, the mysterious and, at times, the overpowering world of nature and the glorious mysteries of art and creativity. Or perhaps in prayer, in the inner life of thought and contemplation; and most powerfully for all of us, in friendship and in love with those closest to us whom we love. For in that Love

nothing is lost and everything is sacred_ Nothing can separate us from that Love; that Truth which binds us as one, in life and in death. There is one further dimension in this vision for those who dare to look with the eyes of Faith. Truth requires us not to acquiesce but always to respond and to find ourselves and our own fulfilment and destiny particularly with those who need us- the disadvantaged, the weak, the poor, the persecuted, the homeless, the outcast, the refugees, the dispossessed, the suffering and the rejected. It is through our self-giving to the needy that the vision will become real for us, and we can live it. Resurrection is not an idea; it is not past and neither is it passive. True resurrection is active and is now - lived in your life and mine, day by day. All the rest will make sense. The giving and support and work in the aftermath of the tsunami has been overwhelming. But let us remember there are many other causes we need to champion in the name of Truth and of Love. We all have our parts to play in the production of the Kingdom of God but with the eyes of Faith, with the mind of Truth, and with the heart of Love, we can transform our vision, our hopes, our world, and bring life from death. Such is the truth and the experience of the Easter Faith in the here and now. It is in that Faith, Hope and Love, that we remember with thanksgiving and joy, Jane, Lucy and Jane. Amen. The Revd. Canon Keith H. Wilkinson

Focus Birley's: 75 years of King's School games "No modern school can exist without playing fields," said Norman Birley at the O.K.S. dinner in January 1928, as he launched an appeal to purchase the ground that is named after him. In the mid-1920s, King's School games facilities were limited and sca ttered. Blore's Piece, used since the 1870s, was the on ly field owned by the School. The 1st XV played its matches here, and there was some cricket in the summer. The cricket 1st XI still used the St. Lawrence Ground, where athletics matches also took place. Most other games (mainly rugg er and cricket) had used the St. Stephen's Fields near the Beverley pub, retained on a precarious annual lease, and Cullen's, part of a nearby farm, until it was ploughed up. Rowing was at Fordwich, tennis was played behind the Grange, and there were five courts in the Mint Ya rd and near the Junior School (now Walpole). The 22 acres of ground from the Hales Place estate that new Headmaster Birley bought at the end of 1927 cost ÂŁ2,200, with the O.K.S. making a significant con tribution to the cost. Over the next co uple of yea rs a similar amount was spent on draining, levelling and sowing. A pavilion was planned, but building was

delayed because of the economic difficulties ofThe Depression. The main function of the field at first was to accommodate 'lower games', with seven rugger pitches and severa l cricket pitches available from 1929. The 1st XV continued to use Blore's until after the War, and th e 1st XI did not move to what was by then called Birley's until 1936. The sport that benefit ed most fro m the 'New Playing Fields' was hockey, which was first played in February 1930, after the completion of the rugger house matches, although athletics also moved there in 1931. Th e arrival of John Shirley in 1935 and the co nsequent expansion of the School's numbers, as well as the economic recovery, led to further improvements in facilities. In 1937, new hard tennis courts we re built behind the Grange and the swimming baths were opened on Blore's. On Birley's, the pavilion was completed in 1938, as a memorial to old boy and former Headmaster Thomas Field. Th e outbreak of war, however, meant that the School moved to Cornwall, where games facilities were very limited. Meanwhile, the parts of Birley's that were not used for farming were soon badly overgrown, and severa l bombs fell there during the 1942 air raids. When the School returned to Canterbury, Birley's - or St. Stephen's Field, as it was

'officially' ca lled - was soon back in action for rugger, hockey and cricket, as well as some athletics, and a period of relative stability ensued. With George Chappell as groundsman from 1944 to 1971 , Colin Fairservice as a very successful coach of both rugger and cricket and in charge of games from 1954 to 1975, and 'Fred' Shi rley rampaging on the touchline ferociously encouragi ng teams to perform beyond their best, this was something of a golden age. The honours board in the pavilion gives some sense of the quality of players in this era, and 1961, when the hockey and cricket 1st XIs wo n all t hei r matches against schools and the rugger 1st XV lost only once stands out. Alt hough new housing gradually changed the surrounding area, and some additional acres were acquired at the far end of the field in 1953, Birley's itself rema ined much the sa me. (A scheme to level the whole field was rej ected in 1958.) The new fields at Luxmoore, available from 1954, eased some of the pressure from growing numbers, especially when the tennis courts soon disappeared with the building of the Shirley Hall. The arrival of Sixth Form girls in the 1970s ushered in a period of rapid change. Th e first girls' hockey team played on Birley's in 1976. In 1979, the tenn is moved fro m Luxmoore to six new courts, and a small pavilion, on the old

Birley's- Old....

Beverley Nurseries site, and the first netball side appeared in 1980. Soccer, hitherto largely played at Luxmoore, also moved to Birley's. In 1982, the new redgra hockey pitch on Blare's meant that a century of rugger on Blare's came to an end. The girls' and boys' hockey 1st XIs moved to Bl ore's, only to return to Birley's when the astroturf pitch was built there in 1990 to cope with the sporting implications of full co-education. Four years later, they returned to Blare's when the redgra was converted into a second astra, and hockey on grass soon disappeared as the pitches were gradually taken over by soccer and lacrosse. Meanwhile, the 1990 opening of the Recreation Centre, incorporating squash courts, swimming pool, weights room and a multi-purpose sports hall, as well as the Fairservice ba r, was another major development in facilities. Looking back over 75 years, different generations will have different memories. There have been great teams - the hockey team of 1951, the rugger side of 1963, and the cricket team of 1970magnificent individual players, including cricketers Bob Minns, Bruce Weedon and Charles Rowe, hockey players Roger Sutton and Richard Norris, rugger players Jim Parsons and Chris Barker, and of course David Gower, whose father Richard (97 not out against St. Lawrence), had narrowly missed out on scoring the first century on Birley's. There have also been notable opponents from Bill Edrich t o Mel Clewlow. Many will remember long-serving members of staff,

including Colin Fairservice, Alan Dyer, Judy Woodley and Roy White, not to mention Nick Phillis, who broke sprinting records as a boy and has now run the hockey for 15 years; or the cricket coaches, notably Frank Woolley, Bill Fairservice, Doug Wright, and Alan Ealham; or the groundsmen, including Clinch, George Chappell, Bob Jordan, Nevil Float, Tim John and Mark Collins. For many, however, it is not the 1st XIs and 1st XVs that will be recalled, but getting muddy or bloody in house matches, house leagues or 'pool' games, and notching up the requisite number of 'changed exercises: It is worth remembering that the Under 14 'C' team has as many players as the School 1sts. Equally, there have been scores of masters and mistresses who have devoted innumerable afternoons to the recreational education of their charges. And then there have been the royal helicopters landing, the R.A.F. glider flying, the M.C.C. captai n arriving by plane, the 1987 hurricane blowing over the scorebox and leaving just the lavatory standing, or even Richard Paynter's immortal Sports Day announcement: "Will Shakespeare report to the javelin, please." Today, the School's sports are still scattered, and there are more of them than there were in 1929. There is rowing and sai ling on the Westbere lakes; fencing in the Maurice Milner Hall ; hockey, tennis and lacrosse at Polo Farm; golf at Boughton and Prince's; and almost

The flag flies at half- mast for Birley's

everything at Blore's. Yet Birley's still remains the main field, accommodating rugger, hockey and lacrosse in the autumn; hockey, soccer, netball and lacrosse in the Lent Term; and cricket, athletics and tennis in the summer, as well as various other activities. The new pavilion will provide a splendid facility and vantage point for players and spectators, especially when the new astro brings the hockey 1st XI back to its original home. Norman Birley's legacy has been a significant one and the latest developments will greatly enhance it. PGH

Interview with Dr. R. B. Mal/ion by Hee-Jae Lim, K.S. H.-J L: How long have you been here? R.B.Ma.: I came to King's in September, 1976, being one of Peter Pilkington's (now Lord Pilkington's) first

appointments. So, I have been here almost 30 years.

H.-J. L: What's changed for the better and what for the worse? Can you refer to the

Masters'/MistresseS Common Room, academic matters, facilities, boarding houses and pastoral care and pupils?

R.B.Ma.: Gosh! That's quite a list. The first thing is that, when I arrived, the School

as a whole was a good deal more 'coeducational' than the Common Room. At that time, girls in the Sixth Form had

(then grade A) in '0'-Level in the 1970s

and early 1980s. After '0'-Level, pupils proceeded into Vlb and VIa as now, but there were no further

public examinations until the Summer Term of VIa. This meant that Vlb really

each other by their surnames only

was an intellectual treat for both teachers and pupils alike: released from the pressure of public examinations, classes could follow much more liberally their and their teachers' intuitive curiosity about their particular subjects.

(without title). In the late 1970s a sole

The pace of the

been a feature of King's for three or four years; the Common Room, however, was entirely male -and very 'traditional' in that, for example, some (though not all) of the more senior members referred to

female Common Room member arrived to join the Music Department: this represented a not inconsiderable

earthquake to some of the more established members of the C. R.

&.ruk_m_i_c_a_l_!y, the emphasis was very much on scholarship. The top Shell form (called 'Shell i') used to take some '0'Levels (the forerunners of G.C.S.E.) at the

end of the Shell year (such as, for example, Mathematics) and skip the Removes year entirely and thus pass directly into the Fifth Form (called, when,

as I arrived, Mr. Chris Millar took over as Master of Studies, 'Vi' and, in the immediately preceding days of the late Mr. R. W Harris, 'the Special Sixth'). In my own subject, Vi used to take 'Additional Mathematics', a course which,

after all the upheavals of '0'Levei/G.C.S.E.s in the 1980s and 1990s,

has recently been revived, so we have come 'full circle' there. The very first class that I ever took at King's was Vi Additional Mathematics (in the classroom P13, complete with pigeons' nests in the loft) in September, 1976, and the very last that I taught, on July 6th, 2005, in

the elegant LO, was a Sixth-Form 'taster' class with some of the pupils to whom, during the year, I had taught the current incarnation of 'Additional Mathematics'. So there was a nice symmetry about that People ask whether standards were higher. All I can offer is a few statistics:

in the first ten years that I was here, when '0'-Levels held sway, it was not uncommon for some 30 or 40 boys (for then, boys it was), out of a year-group of about 150, to fall below the minimum grade (C) regarded as a pass at '0'-Level, in Mathematics- indeed, one set, or even two sets, of special time-tabled classes (called, for some reason, 'Endorsers') were laid on in Vlb in order to help these pupils with their re-sits. These days, it is virtually unknown for King's pupils to achieve less than grade C in the Mathematics G.C.S.E. At the other end of the scale, about the same proportion of our pupils currently gain A*s in Mathematics (a grade available only since the 1990s) as used to gain the top grade

teaching could start slow and quicken as the pupils matured, as appropriate. Because of this, and because the public examinations were later than now and the term didn't end until mid July, there was also time in the long summer terms for thorough preparation, as well as for leisurely cricket, reasonably un-hectic rehearsals for King's Week, etc. The other side of this was, of course, that, with no 'modules' or 'units' to do, everything concerning 'A'-Level hung on the examinations at the end of VIa which, in Mathematics, consisted of just two three-hour papers (four such papers, if Further Mathematics were being read).

In those days, there was also a further layer to the Sixth-Form, above VIa: this was the Upper Sixth, consisting of post'A'-Level Members of School who stayed on for the Autumn Term in order to prepare for the 'Seventh Term' scholarship examinations held by the Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. Some also stayed on for the whole year- frequently for essentially 'social' reasons like being Captain of School, or captaining the First XV. These people had a virtually 'undergraduate' existence: if, for example, they were applying for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Engineering, they would typically have four (in those days, 40-minute) periods per week in each of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and were otherwise free to do their own preparation. These were the days when both pupils and teachers really had time to prepare well for their joint encounters. Quite often, the Oxbridge questions (as now, with Cambridge STEP) were by no means trivial and many was the time when a lesson would finish with us all agreeing to think more about a problem - which would frequently finally be sorted out over a glass of port in my rooms or during a 'working pint' in the J. C. R.

He_g_a_r_d_ing_'fa_c_i_lj_t_Lc:::>.~, when I first arrived,

everything was much more basic than it is today, and here things definitely have changed for the better. This refers, for example, to both pupils' and Masters' accommodation. There were many Masters living in, in addition to Housemasters and Resident Tutors, in those days. In-livers' flats were, however, frugal, to say the least: for example, hard as it is to believe now, I shared a bathroom for the first 12 years that I was here. Even the Lower Master (the late Paul Wenley) didn't have his own front door. Masters didn't dine in the Main Dining Hall, except for the poor unfortunate who was on duty: the rest dined in civilised fashion in the Common Room, with table service. Matrons also had their own communal dining, elsewhere. In those days, all except two of the Mathematics Masters were bachelors living in. We thus had no need for departmental meetings, which are now de rigeurin this 'target-setting' age: we simply discussed all that needed to be talked about over dinner. Concerning administration, there was no Common Room secretary and -worst of all - no Xerox: duplication was by means of a Banda (a spirit duplicator that printed in purple and whose products were particularly attractive to any pupil partial to solvents) and the wonderful Gestetner duplicator, that squeezed black ink through holes punched in a plastic: skin onto absorbent, virtually 'blotting', paper. Of course, there were no computershow did we manage? .B.o_ardi_ng __ Ho_u_s_es: these were arranged very similarly to those of today with one very important difference- the SixthForm girls. There were no girls' houses as such: girls lodged in the Precincts (with canons, the organist, etc, all of whom had large houses with vacant rooms) and also in Bailey House, under the supervision of Mrs. Sheila Parker. Bailey was not then a house in its own right: all the girls in it were members of boys' houses. They all had studies in their respective houses and, indeed, were fully part of the monitorial body. In Broughton (my house, then a boys' house) I well recall the delight of the Shells in 'The Six' (a dormitory that housed six Shell boys) when the girl monitor on duty would tuck them all in and innocently kiss them goodnight - a procedure probably disallowed by the Children's Act these days but then those were more enlightened times! My Tutor Set was mixed; this, to my mind, was the only real disadvantage that accrued from our going fully co-educational in 1990- my classes (where, perhaps, to have both sexes is arguably not so important,

especially in the lower years) became mixed whereas my Tutor Set (where the female presence of the senior girls had been a very valuable influence) suddenly went all male. Another big difference in the houses was that the Heads of Houses were usually Upper-Sixth people who had already achieved their 'A'-Leve!s. They thus had an authority, and a seniority, over even VIa that just isn't an option now. When I was on duty at the House the Housemaster was most anxious that I largely remained in the study, because he thought that an unanswered telephone created a bad impression; (these were the days before telephone answering machines). "Don't worry, old chap," he would say, "the monitors will do the routine patrols and will only involve you if there is a special emergency." (It was not quite like the then-legendary Lindsay Anderson film lf[1968], but there was a slight feeling that the new, young Master was somehow a minor player when compared with the Upper-Sixth 'purple'!) These days, when I am on duty at the House, it is the seniors who, I find, I have to keep the major eye on as potentially ones who could get up to mischief. . Pupils had far fewer privileges then: for example, Sixth-Formers could dine out on what are now called 'supper-leaves' only if accompanied by a Master. (This made young Masters especially in demand as supper guests, as may be imagined. .) I think that being a Housemaster/Housemistress in those days was a much more inviting job than it is now, for pupils' expectations of what they can do has increased so much since then. At this distance in time, I can also see that in the mid 1970s Housemasters were much more 'kings' of independent fiefdoms than they are now, implementing their own idiosyncratic responses to pupil misdemeanours. This was, I think, because Peter Pilkington, then recently arrived from Eton, carried on the Eton tradition in which the Headmaster presides over a somewhat loose 'federation' of virtually autonomous Housemasters. Ever since Anthony Phillips' administration, beginning in the mid 1980s, Lattergate has taken an increasingly central control regarding the Houses. This at least makes punishment policy for major offences consistent throughout the School, although there is no doubt that, in the process, the Houses have lost some of their individual character and are now much more homogeneous than they once were.

Masters and Mistresses have always been incredibly cordial at King's; I have never been to any other school and so have not known anything different, but those who have been elsewhere invariably comment on this. This affability has been a very enjoyable aspect of teaching here. Although these interactions are, on the whole, warm and agreeable, they were, in the early days, couched in some degree of formality. Practices varied, but in 19761 usually called boys below the Sixth Form by their surname only (at least, around School and in class- Tutees were always addressed by first name and other Members of the House were called likewise, within the House). In the Sixth Form, though, there were girls, and I am old-fashioned (sexist?) enough not to wish to call a girl only by her surname so, in the Sixth Form, because I was calling girls by their first name, I also did that with the boys. All this changed in 1990 when we went completely coeducational. After that, it was first names all round, in all years and in all circumstances. As for the pupils themselves, I have a sneaking feeling that they were rather more hard-working, in general, than nowadays- though they had the advantage of being spared the burden of coursework, not then invented by the 'educationalists: They certainly were more willing to practise lots of routine questions in Mathematics. I always used to insist that work was presented in fountain-pen ink. This is a battle that, in recent years, I have lost, but, even now, ! still recoil if a 'blotchy' biro is used, pressing so hard on the paper that its impression can be seen or, possibly, just felt - several pages further on in the book!

H.-J.L.: How will you be remembered? And how would you wish to be remembered? R. B. Ma.: First, you have to realise that very few schoolmasters are remembered in a school (except, perhaps, by some of their remaining colleagues) beyond a few years- the pupil life-cycle is, in the absolute, so very short: only five years. With that caveat, if I am remembered at a!! I hope that it will be as someone who was enthused by his subject and manifestly enjoyed communicating it to interested, able and scholarly pupils but, at the same time, was also a patient and sympathetic mentor who could convince the less-able that, in the main, they can achieve success in Mathematics sufficient for their needs.

.PC:!s.tmaLCare: This

is strong area for King's, and it has changed little in all the time that I have been here.

H.-H. Thank you very much. R. B. Ma.: It was my pleasure .

.P_ppj\;s_: Relations between pupils and

Peter Williams The King 's Documen tary King's pupils are used to being observed on a daily basis by many - subject masters, tutors, and housemasters are just three grou ps w ho spri ng to mind. With the exception of the occasional HMC inspection it is rare for the school as an entity to be observed and analysed by those with relatively little knowledge of the daily routine and everyday occurrences of the school. What was a bold experiment paid off and presented a largely balanced, fair and sometimes flattering accoun t of Britain's oldest school. Broadcast to viewers across Kent and Sussex the documentary encapsu lated in six half hour episodes what King's is like. To the relief of many and the disappointment of some, there were no great sca ndals exposed, no disturbing secrets unearthed (with the exception of the fact t hat we learnt the last time PGH lost his temper was in February of 1970) instead each programme co ncentrated on one particular aspect of the 'rich fabric; that comprises 'life at King's: Music, sport, drama al l featured whilst care was taken to explain the idiosyncrasies of King's: tutors, the house system, and of course that most important of distinctions jockers as opposed to jocking. As with any documentary that ai ms to portray li fe in an insti tution as complicated, diverse and busy as King's, the difficulty always lies in condensi ng the multitude in to the little. One yea r in to three hours is a tough job even for the most experienced of documentary makers and television producers, yet one feels that Mr Williams struck the right balance, dealing with as many of the different aspects of the school as possible without losi ng focus nor swamping those unfamiliar to life at King's w ith excessive detail. Not only did the series depict w hat King's is like fo r those outside the precincts, it also demystif ied aspects for those inside. The school's involvement with one of the govern men t's new ci ty 'academies; was demonstrated and quite rightly much was made of the project for it is indeed a revelation in terms of state school teaching. As viewers were told, in an unprecedented fashion in the main tained sector the 'academy; is to be structu red around a house system, the essential component in guaranteeing effective pastoral care and establishing a feeling of real commun ity. Focussing on aspects such as that mentioned above and

interviewing a great number of the ancillary staff did a great service to the school, extingu ishing the more unsavo ury and indeed at ti mes unfair cl aims that ca n befall all public schools. What is not mentioned in t he series and deserves due credit is the way in which the documentary was filmed in such a way that an effective production was created, yet minimal disruption was caused to the already frenetic school life. Notwi thstanding the prog ramme's achievements it is felt by some that more time should have been devoted to examining the pupil's perspectives on school life. Following the progress of a group of Shells through their first year may have afforded a greater structure to the series- there's always the sequel in whi ch to try!

J.A. Sutton (MO)

'King's: Britain's Oldest School', produced by Mr Peter Williams, is available to purchase from the King's School shop, in both DVD and VHS format, priced ÂŁ20.

The King's Documentary

Artwork and Creative Writing 'Allah Akbah' The morning prayers tolled over the countryside as Mohammed walked out of his house, and kneeled on the ground facing South-East,

the rising sun in the corner of his eyes. Ti'anih, his village suddenly erupted with noise as everyone Joined in, praying to their god. To his left, in the distance, he could make out an Israeli checkpoint -one of many that had sprung up in the West Bank that Autumn.

Finishing his prayers, he returned into his abode, and stared at the walls. Nothing more than strips of cloth, tied to the corrugated iron ceiling and weighted down with bricks.

The only thing constantly on his mind was food. Always hungry, he had to make do with what he could find, or beg at the local mosque. He had seen the beggars there, flea ridden and dirty. It would be too shameful. Then he remembered what the Sheikh had told him. "It is the fault of Israel, taking our !and, our houses, our freedom. He had been told this since he was a baby, and had never believed it until now, the pain of the hunger making it a!! too real. Again, thinking back to what had happened over the past few years he remembered that the Sheikh had a friend, a man dressed up in grand dothes looking composed, serious, and spent a lot of time talking to the Sheikh. Since then the village had seemed too small for Mohammed, knowing that there were places outside where one could become rich, and taking this stranger as his role model he listened to his every word. He talked of improving the lives of people such as Mohammed, and of how America, with all of its rich and powerful men, does not have a history as long, elegant and proud as that of the Arab people_ As he left, he spoke one last time, finishing off with hope for the future. "I will come back soon, my friends, with news of what we can do to improve our lives" This man had now returned, and at that moment was talking to the Sheikh. He had spread the news around that he was looking for people to help him bring the fight to the Israelis, to improve the lives of the Arabic citizens and to stop the growing power of the west. Many people thought that this was a good idea, but lacked any kind of strength to back it up, as they had lived in these conditions for a long time and had grown accustomed to them. But Mohammed was determined. His family had given him his own house and let him fend for himself, but they too were short of food and running water was a myth for them. He knew that he could change it; the man had promised money to the families of all that helped him. He could make a difference, it was all clear to him now. The Sheikh and his friend were right all along. It would be useless to let the Israelis take over the Palestinian lands, and for as for the Americans attacking Iraq, they will get what they deserve. After weeks of talking to the Sheikh, the Sheikh's friend and his own family, Mohammed was prepared to do what he knew he must do for a!! the Muslim nations. The plans had all been made for him, and he knew that his family were in safe hands. He knew a lot more now then he had ever known about the secret war being waged, the war of bombs and lies and deceit. This only strengthened his resolve. All the plans were taken care of, he knew how to pass the checkpoints, how to pick his target. All he had to do now was to carry out the task. He travelled with his family to the first checkpoint, taking turns to ride the donkey. When they reached the checkpoint he was told by a soldier that he would not be allowed through. Fully prepared for this, he made a big show of being ill, and his sister complained and asked to see the officer in charge. So the officer came out, annoyed at being disturbed, and berated the family for causing a fuss. ''We have to see the doctor, my brother is very ill", said Mohammed's sister, in very broken English. Feeling irritable, knowing that he could not refuse anyone medical help, the officer decided to make life difficult for the family. "He is not ill, look at him_ I am more ill than him. My friend is more ill than him. They do not complain. You have doctors in Nablus, why do you not see them?" "We have seen the doctor in Nab! us, but he has no medicine for this disease. So we come to the bigger doctor." "OK, but you must wait. I have to speak to my superior." he officer turned around, and went back inside the concrete bunker that served as his command post. After making a big show of telephoning headquarters, he played a few games of cards with the other soldiers and chatted about life after the National Service then went back out again. Surprised that the family had waited so patiently for so long, he told them that his superiors had not contacted him back yet. What was he to do, he asked them. Surely they can see his position. Of course he wants to let them through, but he has to get permission or he will be punished. Saying this convincingly to them, he went back inside and had a drink of water. The desert heat penetrated through the concrete, and it was only slightly cooler than outside in the blazing sun. An idea hits him, so he exits the bunker, and tells the family that there is another checkpoint only a few kilometres away. "Maybe the soldiers there will help you. I am sorry, I cannot allow you to pass." Having successfully passed on the responsibility to someone else, the young man was proud of himself. Laughing to his fellow soldiers, they returned inside and left the family stuck, with no further progress. Reluctantly they retraced their steps to the last crossroad, and took a different path. By now it was night time, so they camped out. The desert was cold, but there was not much cover in their houses so this was almost no different. Early the next morning, before sunrise, they were back on their feet and moving to the next

checkpoint. This was a more makeshift one, already with a large queue of people, five rows in total. A separate queue for the women meant that Mohammed had to separate from his sister, and fend for himself through this gate. All the people in the queues were young, most of them carrying bags of some sort or another. They all seemed to know each other, and they were all being let through with only a quick search of their bags. Thinking quickly, Mohammed clutched his sack of clothes and looked up at one of the soldiers on duty. Pretending that he was with one of the students, he was allowed through. His family were not so lucky; they were turned back for no particular reason. After trekking along the desert roads, Mohammed found the settlement that he was looking for. People had been organised to help him on his journey to Tel Aviv, and this was his first contact. He asked for directions to the house, and people treated him warmly. Taken in and sheltered for the night, Mohammed was well fed and provided for. The following morning he left with lots of supplies for the day's walk, and he was also given new clothes for his old ones were dirty and dusty from the desert. This continued for a few days until he reached Umm-ei-Fahm, where he could catch a bus bound for Tel Aviv. This time his contact accompanied him on his journey, as he had never been to such a metropolis before. Everyone on the bus was nervous- there had been a bus explosion the week before outside a cafe in Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv. Luckily for Mohammed, this meant that he could sit down after his long journey because there were very few people daring to travel. He slept most of the way, drifting in and out of dreams. Dreams of people crying, dreams of people screaming. Dreams of people clutching at scraps of cloth, searching frantically among rubble. Having finally arrived at Tel Aviv, Mohammed climbed off the bus and let his acquaintance lead him to the flat where he would be set up. Passing brightly lit shops along the way, he slowed and dawdled his way along the road, pausing at a toy shop and gawping at the figures in the windows. Turning around, there were more on the other side of the road. Bursting into a run, he crossed the road without looking left or right. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, came a battered-looking car, with an old man at the wheel. Squealing to a stop only inches from Mohammed's hand, the man started cursing. Ignoring him, Mohammed walked on and looked at the next shop. Freshly made drinks, made from oranges and lemons and carrots that you could choose. A set of tables and chairs outside, covered by large umbrellas to shade the people that were sipping their drinks. This was heaven compared to back in the dust and sun in Ti'anih. This wasn't the time to stop though, and he was moved quickly on by his companion. Reaching the preparation house, Mohammed gazed around at the pictures of dead men, people who had given their lives for the same cause that he believed in. All dressed in battle fatigues, holding various weapons, staring at him with haunted smiles. As he dressed himself in the same army wear he felt a strange connection to the past, the history of Palestine, all the things he had been taught by his father and the Sheikh. He gazed at the camera as it took its fateful photo, trying to smile whilst thinking of what was about to come. Staying in Tel Aviv for a week, he enjoyed his time by playing on the beaches, watching the cordoned-off areas where the orthodox Jews bathed. As the day approached, Mohammed finally received the photo that was taken of himself He recognised the same haunted aura that surrounded the other photos, and realised that he was now one of them, one of the heroes of his culture. This thought having sunk into his head, he was perfectly at ease carrying out the rest of his job. He strapped the bomb around his waist, carefully looking over the finer details, checking each individual clip and buckle. Once sure that he had sorted everything out, he prayed one last time, with the rest of the organisation that had set him up. Walking along the beach front, he spotted again the enclosed area full of traditional Jews. In only an hour's time these happy people would be sitting, shocked back home. Drawing his thick coat more closely around him he walked on. Feeling more nervous with every step he continued walking, now past the American Embassy, with its armed guards outside, now past hotels until he finally reached the fountain that was his landmark to turn off onto the road his target was on. Taking a deep breath, he looked for the cafe. It was crowded as the information he had been given said it would be, and now all he had to do was get in. This was an easy task, but he looked hard as the guard was a watchful one, with an automatic weapon and a metal detector. Gathering his confidence, Mohammed walked straight towards the doors. The guard stood up quickly, stopped him, looked at him, and sat back down. Obviously he didn't look like much of a threat, which was a good thing in a way. Walking in, he looked around and sauntered towards the part which had the most people. Then he pressed the button. After the explosion, events unfolded at breakneck speed. Mohammeds family were moved to a secret location just hours before an envoy from the Israel Defence Forces bulldozes their previous house, the normal reaction to any bomb attack in the country. Although they lost their house, the family was now richer than they had ever been before due to the benefits that were given to the families of all the bombers. Security clamped down in the West Bank area, making travel almost impossible for the Arabic people living there. More checkpoints were built, as were electronic gates, concrete structures and metal walls that made the Israeli force in the West Bank seem permanent. For the residents of Ti'anih life had become worse. But these consequences had yet to reach Mohammed's family.

In London a smart-clothed businessman returning from a long day's work was hailed by a roadside salesman. "Evening standard sir? Only fifty pence!" On a whim, he bought the paper. The headline caught his eye_ "11 year-old kills 32 in bomb blast"

Andrew Lewis (MO) 1st Prize in The Cantuarian creative writing competition

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

6b Alfred Yu GR Trees in infra red 6a Richard Ankerson SH Nude 6b Henry Hird LN Cathedral 6b Hannah Robinson JR Street Scene 5th Harriet Page Fauvist river scene 6b Alfred Yu GR Light show 6b Alfred Yu GR Night sky

Hitler's Youth Stand in two rows, the officer bellowed . The young youths in f ro nt of him swallowed hard. Some Jews have escaped from the Ghetto, ki ll them at sight he sa id as he let ou t a cackle of delig ht. These Jews are a threat to our dea rest Vaterland so kill the scum! Eager the youths received their guns, at home mothers praying for t heir sons. As the whistle blew, the group split into two. Each determined t o kill more t han the other. The boys were wi ld as animals, carrying their Nazi badge. Thei r litt le stupid minds tho ugh t t his was right, to serve th e Fuhrer wit h all their might. Even kill for him t hey w ou ld do, as long as they belonged to the Nazi crew. There gu ns were at the ready, their hands steady, when the crunchi ng of a twig from far left was heard. A group of black shadows moved between the trees. Fire was opened, the boys forming a ci rcle like a wolves' pack, as one by one the shadows fell like sacks. Th e boys rushed towa rds th e dead, as if they were a treasure for t hey would lift the Fuhrer's pleasure. Respect they would gain not t o mention huge amounts of fa me. But t hat did not matter now, fo r what t hey saw that lay on the ground was not a big nasty Jew. They were children, maybe half their age, praying to their God to save them on this terrible day. They had done their job, they had killed the Jews, but no longer they wa nted to be in the Nazi crew. Their minds had been sabotaged t o think death was right, to ki ll any one different with all their might. Th e boys were in a f ran tic state, when from the trees behind, the officers approached . The boys fired at them in revolt, they felt it was all t heir fa ult. As one by on e they also fell to the ground, now crying was the only sound. The boys had now killed the right and the wrong, left all alone with no side to choose. As one by one they raised their guns, triggers held ready by their thumbs. Each son shot himself fall ing to the ground, now silence was the only sound. Laura Boeckeler (BR)- 3rd Prize in The Cantu arian creative writing competition

1. 6a Tom Boucher Concealed and Revealed 1 of 5 2. 6b Polly Mills BR Glass sculpture 3. 6a Amena lmaseka HH Still Life 4. 6b Polly Mills BR Fisher man 5. 6b Virginia Barker WI window-forest 6. 6b Virginia Barker WI Masks

Refugee

Not all owed to be happy, Because it ma kes o thers sad they're not. Not allowed to be sad , Because it takes the happiness from all around. Not allowed t o be angry, Because there's no one strong eno ugh to shoot my anger dow n. Not allowed to be sick, Because the docto r costs too mu ch money. Not allowed to live, But God won't let me die. Laura Boeckeler (BR) - Highly commended in The Cantuarian creative w riting compet ition 2005

North Meets South The young man had slept badly that night. Dreams pounded through his throbbing head, like the many rusty nails he had driven recurrently into the cracked skulls of his prisoners. Those treacherous daughters of the Fatherland would rema"1n conscious throughout their unbearable torture, whilst blood so necessary for the advancement of the ideology ebbed slowly from their orifices, dripping onto the tainted floor, like the tears of a weeping Virgin Mary. He had begged often for deliverance from these nightmares, yet he had never been released from these demonic chains more torturous than any implement he had ever employed. Despite the hours of solemn prayer, despite the cilice which now pierced him in thanksgiving, and despite the absolutions of the priest, he had recounted every day since his flight, the same scenes of pointless torture, the same screams induced by futile sadism, and that menacing laugh of the young guard, who revelled in his own authority over those bounded prisoners. But he had escaped from his shameful past, defiant against the Fatherland and into the light of modernisation. And as he awoke with the momentary blinding of the blazing sun, he reflected that despite his disobedience to the Beloved Leader, he could not be punished for his deceitful betrayal of the people. Yet he now faced the grave challenge of adapting to this neighbouring state and its own systems of belief; for the past three days since he left his homeland he had often lamented with great unease how different these two nations were. Just several miles away lay the vast placards which adorn the flowing hills, upon them slogans telling of the Great General's many heroic feats in the war for freedom from barbaric oppression. Yet these same miles seem so distant when one notes the fences entwined with barbed wire and the numerous fields saturated with mines which separate these quarrelling brothers. When he had donned his overcoat, he stepped furtively from the threshold of his fortress in this foreign country. The street before him seemed as the Fatherland appeared in travel magazines urging tourists to visit 'the only free city in the world'; cars sped rudely past numerous pedestrians, as they trudged simultaneously towards the cave bearing the engraved sign 'Metro'. He joined in this daily diaspora from home to workplace, shoved by the monotonous masses towards the inescapable entrance to the underground. He had a faint recognition of subterranean transport systems; he had after all supervised the construction of the magnificent station in The Workers' City. But this equivalent was far removed in style from the one he had known as the Pride of the Fatherland. Instead of the elegant chandeliers which hung resolutely from the sculptured ceilings, electric strip-lights blinked in robotic unison. The ornate marble floors were replaced here by emotionless tessellations designed merely for their practical value. Portraits of the Beloved Leader were here substituted by boards dedicated solely for the photogenic advertising various products. He could not tolerate the lack of dignity and sentiment in this ugly station, and promptly staggered in a direction against the surging stream of those filling the hall. Emerging from that hideous burrow, he drifted noiselessly along the bustling boulevard. At length, he stumbled upon a small convenience store sandwiched between a bank and an imposing tower of offices. He briefly read the newspapers stacked outside the entrance, but was shortly cursed by the owner of the store for deterring her usual clients from their habitual custom; apparently they found his stature somewhat intimidating, and thus discouraged, hurried to the next convenience store along the avenue, just two addresses away. What he read from his fleeting glance though shocked him, and he could not be detached from staring emptily at those chaotic piles until the owner drew out her broom, and threatened to act in the most unladylike manner. The headlines scrawled across the front pages proclaimed a political scandal, in which a minister had been caught enjoying pornographic material during office hours. The newspapers announced that the terrible man had been squandering money which taxpayers had worked long hours for, and that their anonymous reporter was pleased to reveal exclusively that yet another sordid government official had been apprehended for employing the services of a prostitute. He was shocked by such unprofessional behaviour within the ranks of government, albeit in his immoral adopted homeland. What astounded him even more though was that newspapers could write of such commonplace promiscuity with so little respect for the minister, who having wrenched himself up the ladder of authority, had fallen of late into the oblivion of corruption. In the Fatherland, the People's Triumph would never have reported this. Such genuine respect was reserved for the Beloved Leader's bureaucrats that any acts worthy of discredit were immediately covered up amidst reports of prosperity; they had in spite of everything earned their revered place amongst the worthy leaders of the Fatherland. Rejoining the masses in their mechanical exodus, he reflected upon the surroundings he now found himself enveloped in. The hectic atmosphere engulfing him had only become more claustrophobic as the sun laboriously pulled itself high above the jagged skyscrapers. Reflections from nearby buildings enshrined in glass rendered him sightless as he endeavoured to read the countless signs perched h"1gh above the pedestrians below. The cars which had so liberally roamed the avenues only hours ago now fell into tumultuous disorder, as the irate drivers became locked in seemingly endless queues. The trees which lined the road waved in a sinister manner to the motorists who had been obliged to stare at their yellowing leaves; they had been planted by a presidential candidate as part of a programme to beautify this industria! city. He examined the types which closely penned him to his channel in a futile attempt to understand the nature of these people. The herd of businessmen which encircled him were a!! dressed in identical attire; the only feature which distinguished them from each other was the ties which adorned their necks. This was merely a subtle variant of the numbers designated to prisoners in order to discriminate between them. He retreated to thoughts of the days when he had been a young guard working at the Central Prison, where he had earned his promotion through his efficient cruelty. His mind then turned to the relics of his past which he carried in his pocket. There was the rusted knife he had been presented by the Beloved Leader himself, and the few coins he had been given by the priest.

He continued his slow navigation of the broad avenues which constituted the inner city. The crowd of businessmen which had besieged him only a moment ago now gradually metamorphosed into a mob of drunken and unshaven men. Shopkeepers shunned these men, aware that if they were to be seen within the same frame as these unruly rejects, the image their peers conceived of them would be infinitely diminished. Thus they employed desperate students to sweep those they regarded to be rubbish along the street. Fatigued by the many sights and sounds he had already endured, he decided to trial the vending machines he had seen queuing along the wall outside the little convenience store. He had drawn himself a small map of the location of the store, and followed it fervently for fear of becoming lost in this labyrinth. Although he had been previously expelled from the store, he appreciated it as a place of refuge. He meandered along the busy boulevards, and at length, found himself confronted by the barricade of machines. On his extreme left were stacks of cigarettes enclosed within pretty boxes. These had been decorated solely for the enticement of smokers; not that it needed much persuasion for them to stroll boldly up to the machine and demand their sustenance. On his far right were bottles of fizzy drinks, and before him stood a vast machine selling a diverse assortment of unhealthy foods. People bought these despite knowing that they would dutifully pave the road for a plethora of diseases. He was aware of a red shape waiting cautiously behind him and so hesitated for only an instant, before deciding that he needed to calm himself within this alien atmosphere, and approached the colourful packets to his left. His powerful fingers dived into his pocket, feeling both the comforting blade of the knife and the coins which he now needed. 'Sir.' The startling voice which projected from behind him was the shrill cry of an elderly matron. He feared that she might rebuke him for his momentary ambivalence, and turned slowly to face her. 'Sir, you have dropped your piece of paper.' He was astonished by the audacity of this aging woman. Despite his apparently threatening physique, she had nonetheless engaged him with the frightening tenderness of a mother-wolf shielding her beloved children. He knelt down, as he had so often performed in

genuflection, and began the mundane task of lifting the offending piece. And as he stooped he felt the weight of the hefty dagger shifting. He appreciated that he had been unjustly sceptical about these people; they were after a!! descended from the same fathers, and would rightfully be marching with him beneath the banner of a united state, had it not been for that meddling nation across the pond. When he had regained his full height and turned to thank the good lady, he failed to glimpse her distinctive red coat. Instead of the face which spoke of bygone beauty, only empty faces drifting among the crowds stared back. He established that she might have considered such an act of kindness common in her life, and hurried swiftly to her business, never to remember the confused man and his scrap of paper. He decide thus to resume the task at hand. He slowly read the brief procedure concerning the purchase of cigarettes, and embarking upon the first quoted stage, plunged his fingers into his pockets. The familiar knife which always accompanied him met his touch, but the coins he had anticipated were not there. He searched fervently again, but in vain. The coins, his only source of power in these hostile surroundings, must have disappeared during his promenade of the inner city. He forced his tired mind to relive the incidents of the past day, and recorded the last instance he had felt them in his pocket. He remembered leaving his apartment with the coins colliding and clinking cheerfully with the dagger, he recalled their presence in the underground and outside the convenience store, he noted them before the compassion of the lady, but he could not recollect sensing them as he arose from the ground. He then realised what had happened, though logic failed to prevail over angry determination. The seemingly pleasant lady had been no more than a common thief. The ploy seemed so obvious now; the perplexed young man meticulously examining the machines was so simple a target. Wrath now hung thickly over him as he wandered silently along the congested boulevard. The menacing display of neon lights could not confuse the sly face of that woman etched firmly into his infuriated mind. He roamed the many lanes and backstreets, hunting for that cursed woman, yet he could not locate that distinguishable red coat. At length he returned to the store where his chase

had begun, without his cunning prey captured. He looked intently one last time in both directions along the street, and failing to glimpse her, proceeded to withdraw into the relative safety of the store whose owner had earlier banished him. As he ~aunlered across the pedestrians he foolishly neglected to notice the black van which now drew up on the pavement neighbouring the store. From the van emerged a numerous horde of men, dressed in nondescript clothing, who promptly pushed past the swarming crowds in a direct course for the young man. It was only when the gang began to haul him ferociously by his shoulders that he reverted to the psychological stance he had escaped from only days ago. He attempted unsuccessfully to grab each by their necks, hoping to paralyse his aggressors through stimulation of pressure points, but to no avail. The size of the mob both physically and numerically was simply too substantial for the young man grappling beneath its strength. Waves of grim businessmen poured from the overwhelming buildings which lined the avenue, yet nobody bothered to help the struggling man. He had by now been wrestled across the torrent of pedestrians, and had been liberally tossed headlong into the van crammed with instruments of sedation. He knew then why they had kidnapped him; he had been amongst the Beloved Leader's personal entourage of guards, and the presumption was that he would speak foully of the Fatherland and its pariah leader. Meanwhile, the passers-by trudged unhindered along the boulevard, repelled from the incident. Those who fashioned glasses felt a sudden and perplexing urge to take them off and polish the lenses on their silken ties. Those who wore watches were mysteriously compelled to stare curiously at them, apparently having expelled the ability to tell the time, learnt after so many obligatory lessons. Those unfortunate enough to have kept their vision faultless and those who had unwisely forgotten to sport their watches found themselves fascinated by the store bordering the van. It was a small convenience store with a dwindling pile of newspapers decorating its entrance. The young man saw the wide arc of space which had formed around the van and despaired. His fellow countrymen had become selfish. !t was a bustling street, yet nobody cared; to him, it was as though the world was empty again.

Despite the many years of training, he did not retaliate, but instead smiled patiently. These clowns who had been sent to abduct him were not as efficient as he had been; he counted some five separate occasions where he could have escaped, yet he did not capitalise on those chances. And as they bound him, drugged him, and gagged him he felt an eerie longing for the Fatherland, the state he had once rejected, but was nonetheless superior to its Western neighbour. He longed to be caged and loaded onto a plane back to his real home, away from this sprawling metropolis where convenience and economy had together usurped the throne from emotion and pride which still reig n in his sleepy capital. Across the fences, over the fields he would arrive to punishment more certain than death. Yet he did not for one moment resent his Fatherland, but instead wholehearted ly thanked his captors and comrades for delivering him from this failed utopia. Timothy Leung (MO) - 2nd Prize in The Cantuarian creative writing competition

Artists-in-residence -Stephanie Smart and Ben Brotherton

Rachael Bashfard-Ragers at 8/ackfriars

Design and Technology

Expeditions KSCRFC Canada Tour: Summer 2004 Almost everything in Canada is bigger, especially prop forwards. One in particular, a 240ib juggernaut named TJ {recently returned from Canada U 18 training) has never instilled such fear in a

front row. Unfortunately, he was rather like most of the rugby we encountered in Canada- something of an anti-climax. In four matches we scored 246 points and conceded 7. That is not to say that the matches were complete walkovers, but

we were not given the challenge that we were expecting and would have liked.

This is completely to be expected once you understand something about the way

they play their rugby. They play together in clubs and not in schools, which means

that they train together once a week at best and attendance is variable. Their teams are often cobbled together and one of the teams that we played, the Calgary President's XV, had never played together before at aiL That said, their team spirit was remarkable and they always gave it their all until the final whistle. It is often the case that low quality opposition breeds low quality rugby, but there were some memorable moments on the field throughout the tour: Olu's fivetry romp against the Calgary Irish and his full somersault out of a tackle to score against St. Albert's; Tom Boucher's lanky yet graceful sixty-metre gallop to the line on the last play of the tour; a front-row ever dominant in serum and ruck; a second-row reaching ever higher to snatch opposition line-out ball; loose forwards whose defence was impenetrable and a back line that put together some dazzlingly complex moves to score a myriad of beautiful tries (though the forwards were always there to rescue them when they went wrong). We did show up many areas that needed improvement, but four Ws is a nice way to start any season. Having disparaged their rugby I feel I must say just how wonderful Canadian people are. Their hospitality was flawless; I didn't meet a single unfriendly person during the entire fortnight. The host families that we stayed with never failed to make us fee! absolutely at home. But most importantly the players were utterly gracious in defeat. It was a rugby tour so it is right that the rugby should come first, but we had a lot

of fun as well (not that we don't enjoy playing rugby). We did some very interesting sightseeing, but the most memorable social occasions were the parties. Canadians know how to throw a party! Being a rugby tour we expected that a good deal of drinking would be required of us, but nothing can quite prepare you for the staggering quantities of beer which they feel it is necessary to provide. "So, do you guys like to get drunk, hey?" seems to be a traditional greeting in Alberta. Naturally these parties threw up (no pun intended) a raft of highly humorous stories, most of them totally and gloriously unprintable, though the image of the Captain of School trying vainly to open a beer bottle on the edge of a glass table is an image that will remain with me always. A special mention must be given to Messrs Tom Pritchard and Leo Flindall who tried every trick in the book on the Canadian girls, who were unfortunately not to be persuaded. The most impressive of these stories was of our tour captain, Ben Cryer, climbing forty feet up a greasy pole after having drunk (being a teetotaller) about fifteen cans of Canada Dry ginger ale. It was truly a triumph! The experiences that we had were too numerous to name: elk, glaciers, white water rafting, a steak restaurant that turned out to be a house of ill repute, arnica tablets, mounted police, sharing beds in a log cabin and hundreds more besides. Every one of us had a tremendous time and it was certainly a unique and unforgettable two weeks. I'm sure the whole squad would join me In thanking, once again, Mr and Mrs White, Leon White (no relation) the forwards' coach and Mr McGilchrist without whom the tour would have been impossible. I'll finish by saying that I hope that we were good ambassadors- for King's, for England and for Rugby. Jonathan Stevenson (MR)

Gold Practice Expedition Snowdonia 2004 We were prepared for the rain, the cold and the extremes of nature as we headed

for Wales. The expedition consisted of a four day camping and trekking trip over Llanberis Pass, and the Ogwen Valley under the great mountain itself The team consisted of Sophie Clark, Lucy HunterJohnston, Nicola Kent, Lizzie Fitzsimmons, Gigi Barker, Lucy Egleton and Robyn Ellis. The first night we enjoyed a comfortable lodging with the CCF at HMS Indefatigable, dose to the Menai Bridge, but woke up at an inhumane hour on our first real morning of expedition to set off for the mountains. It was not long before we took a wrong turn, ate into our emergency chocolate rations and lost Robyn, who took a flying leap into a bog! However, we needed to put things 'back on track' and through astute map reading involving a number of detours and climbing a rock face, we reached our first campsite before dark and enjoyed the unforgettable experience of a boil-inthe-bag meal with watery tea and powered milk- great! The next morning, wet and cold from a night's soaking, we set off for Snowdon. This was undeniably the hardest day and we were warned off the mountain by a local sheep farmer. We stuck to our route which was a battle with steep climbing and torrential rain. The downpour meant that our intended campsite was closed and we had to return {via a short cut and a lift) to the previous night's site. 'Not another sleepless night; we thought. Day three proved to be the longest, perhaps because of our lengthy breaks, but we needed them. There did come a time when we Imagined ourselves to be in survival conditions, all hope being lost and needing a helicopter!. Lucy Egleton, however, provided light entertainment by planning to wade through a shallow stream and found herself practically waist -deep in water! Fortunately, she made a quick exit. From then on things did not seem so bad, for everyone else at least, as we marched on to the final campsite wet, tired but surprisingly in high spirits. Day four we walked out, were put on the train in Bangor and arrived home ready for our first shower in four days. The occupants of our shared train carriage were not impressed by our appearance or smell! The expedition had at times seemed physically gruelling, it certainly had been wet, but had remained entertaining throughout. Surprisingly we are looking forward to coming together as a group

again and repeating the experience on a qualifying expedition in the summer. Brecon Beacons, here we come! Lucy Hunter-Johnston and Sophie Clark (WL)

Duke of Edinburgh Award Offshore Expeditions Adventure sailing for the DOE Bronze Expedition offers excitement, the skills of seamanship and opportunities for initiative and leadership in a physically challenging environment. lt also provides the basis for a communal experience on board ship in which teamwork and cooperation are at least as important as self reliance and individual strengths. Four King's crews amounting to more than 40 pupils altogether, mostly in the Remove year, sailed in a series of weekend expeditions during the term. They all experienced the demands and rewards of offshore sailing, not least the beauty of the sea in all its changing moods. A combined Marlowe/Mitchinson's crew, assisted by Dr. Taylor, were the first group to sail, putting to sea from Ramsgate harbour over the last weekend in ApriL The sail training vessel, Ocean Scout, a 50 foot ketch, was staffed by a skipper, first mate and second mate and fitted with all up to date navigational and safety aids, but as far as possible the crew, divided into two teams, were encouraged to set and accomplish all the tasks on board themselves. On the first training day a sea mist served to concentrate minds on navigation around the Goodwin Sands, through the Downs and around South Foreland to Dover. For the rest of the weekend glorious Spring weather helped the teams to plan and carry out their expeditions on the return passage, with considerable enthusiasm and success. A fortnight later a Luxmoore crew sailing in the sister Offshore Scout encountered very different conditions when gale-force winds delayed leaving port. The time, however, was not wasted, as the girls were invited on board the Grand Turk, a tall ship which also happened to be in harbour on an adjoining berth. They were filmed in action on the rigging for a regional television news item. The wind abated just enough to leave port, but the passage down to Dover was very rough. Despite the crashing waves and soaking spray the girls showed tremendous spirit and fortitude in coping with everything that the weather threw at them. Miss

Behr, who had never been to sea before, deserves a tremendous vote of thanks for accompanying the girls in these tough conditions. Fortunately the night was calm and the following day clear skies and a fair breeze provided near-perfect conditions for passages down to Folkestone and out to the shipping lanes the following day before putting back to port in Dover.

Jenna Wiles lucy Withrington

At half-term both sister vessels were chartered for two more crews, one consisting of linacre boys with Mr Troy whilst members of Broughton, Harvey, Meister Omers and School House sailed as a mixed crew with Dr. Maltby. Given the extra time that was available to us at half-term these expeditions were sailed in the So!ent, starting from Gunwharf Quay at Portsmouth. Again, as with the luxmoore venture, the first day out was rough. We sailed into a near gale westerly on a choppy sea until reaching the more sheltered waters of Southampton Water. After drying out at Ocean Village, the main expeditions took place the next day in light airs and warm sunshine. The passages involved navigation around the Bramble bank and anchoring for lunch in Osbourne Bay, to finish at East Cowes marina. However, just when we thought we could relax, there was an emergency when a pupil slipped on the deck and fell overboard. Thanks to the prompt reaction of her crew mates she was quickly pulled out of the water.

Alexandra Holt Emma Kemp Catherine Morpeth Adebusola Ogunsanya Helena Richardson

13 May-15 May

Ramsgate Offshore Scout Aahminah Aziz Lara Chapple

Rosie Cornick Melissa Dear Sarah Fitch Hannah Gold

27 May-30 May

Portsmouth George Christie William Coles George Cooke Oliver Johnson Ralph Johnson Thomas Kelly

James lamb Henry Ridgway

Jared Solmssen 27 May-30 May

Portsmouth Ocean Scout Eleanor Beever Hugh Bird

Marina Cooke Lily Fisher

Emily Groves Charlotte Hilton

Emma Howard-Smith The passage back to Portsmouth from Cowes provided a good opportunity for a yacht race. linacre in Offshore Scout took on the rest in Ocean Scout The race generated much enthusiasm and some very good team-work on the winches as the now well trained crews raced towards Spit Sand Fort. It provided a great climax to all the offshore sailing this term. Congratulations to everyone who took part in these expeditions. Many thanks to the skippers and mates of the boats for their instruction and patience. It was good to see so many King's pupils involved, especially in this year of "Sea Britain 2005'~ Those who took part in the DOE Offshore Expeditions were: 29 Apr-1 May

Ramsgate Ocean Scout Jessica Atkins Aislin Bamber Naomi de Haan

Stephanie Lloyd

Georgie Mayhew Harry Todd

lucy Winnington-lngram HROM

Uganda Trip A notice came to the school's attention in 2003 of an exciting trip to Uganda being planned specifically for Gbs. The trip, lasting two and a half weeks, would enable pupils to explore a fascinating country. A group of around forty pupils turned up for the meeting, saw the slide show, and then had to write a letter describing why they deserved a place on the trip. Unfortunately, only six could go, in addition to the leaders, Mr Sanderson and Miss Edwards. And so it was that Kiri Barker, James Shilston, Hee-Jae lim, Pippa Tregear, Vicky Chenery and myself were privileged to be selected for this unique experience.

Emily Hartland

Emma Hooper Annabel Gray

Olivia Wacher

Looking back on the experience, (it definitely was more of an experience, than a plain school trip), it taught the

group things that we couldn't have imagined before signing up. We made great friendships, not only as a group, but with the people of Uganda. We visited hospitals, worked in secondary schools, played with Ugandan children in local orphanages and explored the breathtaking countryside of lakes, hills, jungles and plains. There were so many highlights that it would be impossible to mention them all! We arrived in Uganda to a beautiful African sunrise, and as we travelled to our first destination, the capital city of Kampala, we caught a glimpse of life in Uganda, with children walking to school, and people starting to set up their market stalls. We only stayed in the capital for a night to acclimatise, but it was a great introduction to the country, as we took a tour of the capital city and sampled some of the traditional national cuisine. The next day, we had a long journey down to our main base, a city called Kabale, in the South, where we met our guides; Tom Sanderson, (Mr Sanderson's brother, who lives and works in Uganda) and his family,;two students, Alfred and Brenda; and our driver, Bernard. One of the best days of the trip happened early on, when, after having tea with the local bishop, we headed up to a remote village in the hills called Katojo. It wasn't the nicest of journeys, along windy and bumpy roads, and in the end we had to get out of the bus, as it was struggling to get up the hill As we walked up the hill,

in the afternoon. The van that we used as transport for the journey had been donated to the health centre by the Lions Club for use as transport for those in remote villages seeking cataract operations. The health centre, though brilliant compared to others in Uganda, was very different to any in England. We entered to see wards of patients with life-threatening diseases, including AIDS, with only basic medical supplies. Outside the hospital, were the family members who stayed for days and weeks, setting up temporary homes, so that they could act as nurses to their family members. In the afternoon, we went to an orphanage, where we received another great welcome. We quickly got to 'work', and were given groups of around forty children of different ages to work with. Although the official language of the country is English, the children spoke their local language. This made it quite challenging for us, as we were teaching games that were unfamiliar to them, as well as in a different language. It was all good fun though, and we eventually taught them new songs and dances, the Hokey Cokey being a particular favourite. At the end of the day we even had the opportunity to sing them a few traditional British songs such as 'Don't Build your House' and 'Old MacDonald', which they seemed to enjoy!

experiences. A highlight of the trip that we had been looking forward to was the opportunity to see 'gorillas in the mist'. We travelled to 'Bwindi Impenetrable Forest' where we stayed for three days, and relaxed in the beautiful surroundings. We were separated into two groups and according to which group we were in, went on either a nature walk taking in sights such as breathtaking waterfalls, or on the long trek to find the gori!!as. On the second day when it was my group's turn to see them, we found that it wouldn't be the easy, relaxing experience that we had originally thought. We trekked for three hours, up steep mountain sides and entered dense forest to see the gorillas. By the end of the trek we were all very tired and hot, but when our guide told us to get our cameras out, we knew that all our efforts had been worth it, for this one hour was to be unlike anything we had experienced before. When we found them it was an amazing experience just standing, not talking, but watching the gorillas move in their natural habitat, with the silverback plodding authoritatively around, and the baby climbing onto its mother's back. Descending the mountain on the return journey, we felt extremely privileged as there are only two forests in the world (Bwindi and one in Rwanda) where people can see gorillas.

One experience which we didn't think we were going to enjoy so much was attending a secondary school for the day around the outskirts of Kabale and having to go to lessons! We were separated into pairs, and so Hee-Jae and I were sent off nervously to Kigale High School, not knowing what kind of treatment we could expect by everyone at the school. However, the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed by both the pupils and teachers, and the comment 'You're welcome' was repeated by everyone we met. Hee-Jae and I were separated and led by two girls in the school to separate lessons- my first lesson was Maths, which I must admit wasn't the best start of the day (maths was never my strong

Our final visit of the trip took us to the idyllic 'Queen Elizabeth National Park' which is located in the western region of Uganda, spreading across more than 1900 square kilometres of virtually untouched land endowed with lush vegetation and rich wildlife. We stayed in a resort with breathtaking views over the two giant lakes, lake George and Lake Edward. These last few days gave us the chance to wind down after a lot of travelling and we enjoyed ourselves by spending a lot of time by the pool and sunbathing. We also took three safaris in the early morning and late afternoon, where we saw animals such as elephants, leopards and hyenas as well as seeing lots of hippos and crocodiles on a boat tour that we took one afternoon. A!! in all, we had a fantastic end to the trip, with unforgettable experiences such as very nearly bumping into a hippo grazing outside our lodgings one evening and leaving with a herd of elephants crossing our path to a watering hole nearby.

children started to follow us, whispering excitedly to each other. It was an amazing feeling when we arrived at the top and saw the welcome we received. Middle-aged women (even women as old as my grandmother!), were dancing for us, jumping up and down and singing their African songs. As we walked together and met the local priest, more of the villagers came out of their huts, until about a hundred people were in the centre of the village to greet us and shake our hands, talking excitedly with their friends. The welcome that they gave us made the whole party fee! like royalty. What we didn't realise was that we were the first group of white people to visit the village. We were invited to sit down to a feast, after which they took us to sit on a bench while most of the village sat around us, and the village school children put on a display of dancing and singing. We left with a most incredible feeling of elation, with the children waving and running after our van.

learnt in the lessons I had. We were taken on tours of the school and of the facilities. The classrooms were very basic (no 'Smart' boards in sight) with corrugated iron roofs, whilst the boarding houses were small and cramped. However, the pupils were proud of their school, were eager to !earn and it was clear they thrived on the education they received.

The next day we visited two places that had a profound impact on us, a health centre in the morning and an orphanage

After many educational and cultural visits around Uganda, the end of the trip was composed of some more relaxing

point at GCSE) but I found that I actually

The trip has left us all with a burning desire to return to Uganda and to the people we met. It was truly a once in a lifetime trip, full of fantastic experiences, and we saw and experienced many things that the average tourist would never uncover in the 'jewel' of Africa. As

testament to the friendships we made out in Uganda, we organised a home clothes day, which raised enough money to send Alfred, whom we met out there, to University - something that he would never have been able to do without the money that we raised. Often overlooked by visitors to Africa, Uganda offered us an insight into a culture and lifestyle totally different from our own and one that we w ill never forget. Lucy Wells (MT)

Sinai Trip In February half term of 2005, a small group of King's pupils, accompanied by Mr Cocksworth and Mrs Reid, began the journey towards the deserts of the Sinai. It was a tru ly memorable expedition that will remain one of the highlights of my life. We were to experi ence the true wond ers of nomadic East ern existence. Stepping off the plan e in Cairo, not only did th e heat of northern Africa hit us, but we could sense the Eastern vibe immediately. Th e air was thinner and the horizon completely fl at aside from the apartments of Cairo and mysterious

pyramids in the distance. The mood was awesome, the group was full of different personaliti es and we all came together especia lly well. So, after working out the exchange rate, we came to the co nclusion that we weren't being ripped off by the barman and got stuck in. By two in the morning local time we decided it was time to hit t he sack and fell asleep with the sound of Cairo resonating through the open wi ndow. For Egypt, the air was considerably cooler than usual, which gave us th e advantage of not becom ing horribly uncomfortable in the coach. We were on our way to the famous pyramids at Giza. Our guide explained the history behind them w hich made their impression on us even stronger and we were free to wa lk around t hem and the Sphinx. Th e realisation that we were walking through chambers which had been built by the ancient Egyptians under the rule of the Pharoah was overwhel ming. However, as all goods things must come to an end, we eve ntual ly had to continue our journey into the Sin ai peninsula between the Red Sea and the Holy Land. This was only to get better, though. We were on a pilgrimage to the Monastery of St

Will Parrish

Catherine in the shadow of Mount Sinai, where Moses had received the Ten Commandments. Th e mountai ns were t all and rocky, w ith the monastery situated at the bottom of the va lley, quite a spectacle. The rocks were sandstone with a dark red colour and deep co mplexio n. It was clear we were in a very special place. So we stayed up late in the monastery, sharing shisha and keeping ourselves warm (it was bitterly cold at night, a strong contrast to the daytime temperature). The next morning we set out on foot to climb the holy Mount Sinai (2,285m), which took a good three hours either way. The views were incredible and half way up was the marvellous plateau of Elijah's garden. From the summit we could see far into the Sinai desert; as t he sa ndstone and granite mountains finished, the dunes disappeared into the horizon. The descent was equally hard and water by the litre was most definitely crucial to our survival. By early evening, safely back at the Monastery, we visited the burning bush where the Lord appeared to Moses and strolled around the precin cts. Some of the relics dated back to the prophet Mohammed and some even hundreds of years before Christ. That evening we began our real journey into the desert. By Jeep, we were transported to a Wadi (dried out riverbed) in the sa nd deser t and met the Bedouin people. It is very difficult t o grasp the true essence of Bedouin life through written word, as they are a truly unique peo ple. The word 'Bedu' means "inhabitant of the desert" and they are people of exceptional honour and grace who have wandered the desert's harsh and unforgiving environments for hundreds of years. From the beginning they were extremely welco ming and created a campfire and food for us all. The food was usua lly a meat stew of chicken or lamb with rice or pasta. That

Anno Basden-Smith

night, we sat by the fire and then went to sleep with nothing but a sleeping bag under the stars of the desert, with no civilisations for hundreds of miles around - utterly breathtaking. The next day we would wake and travel by Jeep deeper into the desert. We came across another Bedouin tribe, and discovered some Neolithic sand marking, left thousands of years before Christ which warned traders of bandits in the region. We continued to visit a remarkable collection of scattered stone huts on a plateau between dunes. The origin of these strange circular constructions is unclear, but it is said that Moses had built them on his Exodus from Egypt to the Holy Land.

For the next five days, we would travel through the desert on camels, leaving the safety of the jeeps hundreds of miles away, along with civilisation. The camels were, well, different. Once we had got used to the getting on and getting off, we had to adjust to the mating signs of the camels which were in season: a large flap of skin from the gum is filled with air and is blown out of the side of the face making a rather unpleasant noise. However, this was just one of the smaller things we had to get used to. Obviously, in the desert there are no lavatoriesdraw your own conclusions. We were, in the most accurate sense, at one with nature. Whilst travelling on camelback, we came across much of the unusual and the interesting. For example, mountain sides with tunnels through the middle carved by wind and sand or dunes almost as high as Canterbury Cathedral. One evening our guide Kola let us wander into the rocks of the desert each on our own, so that we could have some time alone to reflect on everything. It was an immense experience climbing rocks which seemed miles high and looking out over the desert, seeing only sand and rocks in every direction. Incredible. Having travelled down the Sinai peninsula on camelback, we eventually met up with the Jeeps again and said goodbye to the Bedouin, our Egyptian guides, Mosa and Amr, and to our guide Kola. On the last night we had our first showers for a week and swam in the Red Sea. We were in a town called Nuweiba which was fairly touristy but nevertheless relaxing given the week we had experienced! The Sinai trip was an awakening experience, in every sense. know for certain that ! returned with a different perspective of the world in which we live and I wi!! never forget it. I recommend this school trip to everyone who has the chance to go. Tom Bradley (GL)

Barcelona Trip 2005 There was a quiet hum of expectation amongst the Spanish students as they stepped out into the cold night air of Barcelona on the Sunday of the Easter half-term. However, we were soon put at ease on meeting our hospitable Spanish families, with whom we would stay for the coming week. It was an early rise the next day, and to say it was a challenge finding the school by 9.00 am would be an understatement. The Spanish metro resembled more a game of snakes and ladders than the London tube we were used to. However, orienteering around Canterbury gave us the upper hand, and we did not fa!! behind schedule. Many of the pupils were under the impression that the Spanish classes each morning were going to be 'una pesadilla; but Monica and the rest of the team reassured us otherwise. By midmorning, after no less than an hour and a half of gruelling Spanish, we more than deserved our daily refill from the local "pastelerfa". By lunchtime we had worked up quite an appetite, and were treated to lunch by Senor Bruna. Following that, we enjoyed a long walk and a boat trip to absorb the atmosphere of the city. We then proceeded to the gothic quarter of Barcelona, which provided us with some spectacular sights and beautiful buildings. But we cannot dwell too long on what we did on the first day. The story must go on. The ensuing mornings followed the same pattern. They began with lessons, the traditional croissant, and a game of Spanish hangman with Monica. During the afternoons, more excitement was lined up. We watched two interesting documentaries at the Imax cinema; experienced the underwater delights of the aquarium {where Holly and Loz were particularly enthused by the sting rays), and explored the wonders of Gaudi's 'Pare Guell', where, having climbed what felt like three vertical miles, we rested on the longest bench in the world. Photos and more food followed, and we made our way back to the ever-more familiar street, 'La Rambla' which an anonymous source tells me sells good hamsters. The next few days held many surprises, in the form of a visit to a local cafe to indulge in some delicious 'churros con chocolate'; an interesting tour of the Picasso museum {which held pieces from Picasso's teenage years until his death);

and of course the spectacular Sagrada Familia, which did not fa!! to stun all of us. It was a long, dark climb to the top, but the stunning view that awaited us made it all worthwhile. Even Charlie Lyons, sufferer of vertigo, tells me that it was one of the most magnificent places he had ever visited. The peak of the week had to be the infamous football match. Many famous names graced the pitch for the game in aid of the tsunami appeal. These included Zidane, Thierry Henry, Beckham, Steven Gerard, Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Zola, amongst others. There is one thing left to say, on behalf of all the students on the trip, a huge thank-you to Ivan, Elena, and the legend that is Senor Bruna, for a fantastic trip. iOue buena! Rosanna Dawes (HH) and Nick Balmforth (LN)

Greece Trip After four years of studying Greek, I was really excited at the prospect of spending a week in the sun, exploring the ancient sites which had become so familiar in class. We arrived in Athens late at night and it was raining! Our upgraded hotel was in Glyffada and only a short drive away on the coast. After a good night's sleep we were more than ready to begin our tour. The highlight of our first day was the spectacular site of the Acropolis. We walked up the hill through the giant

Doric gateway of the Propylaea, much of which was still surrounded with scaffolding, but were disappointed to see (or not to see!) that the temple of Athena Nike had been taken down for restoration. We happily spent the morning wandering around the ruins, marvelling at the Parthenon and the many levels of the Erechtheum before posing for a group photo. The views over Athens and the Olympic city were stunning. It was amazing to see so many old and important buildings so well preserved. After a relaxed lunch in a taverna, sampling all the delights of Greek cuisine, we then proceeded to the Agora. Here stands the Hephaesteion, the best preserved classical temple in the world. The rest of the Agora is now mostly a mixture of Greek and Roman rubble, but it was interesting to see first hand in the museum the many classical artefacts that we had so often seen in text books. After a long walk back through the city of Athens and a tram ride back to our hotel, we were able to swim in the roof-top pool back at the

hotel, before supper and later an explo ration of the local area. The following day we set off early to catch the ferry to the isla nd of Aegina. We sailed out of the Piraeus, past the straits of Salamis, with the sun shining. Once on the island, we visited the very peaceful and very beautiful temple of Aphaia, which was later dedicated to Athena. A temple has been on the site si nce at least 570BC. It was very hot, and we all loved the chance to spend the afternoon on the beach, swimming and sunbathing, before returning later that afternoon to Athens.

Apollo. The site is spectacular, with monument after monument sitti ng against the hillside. Not only is there the temple of Apo llo, but also the theatre and stadium, to mention but a few. It was exhausting to exp lore, yet as most of us relaxed on reaching the top, the boys on the trip decided to run a race in the old Stadium, despite the scorching heat. Returning to our hotel for lunch, we had another coach drive to Olympia to look forward to.

During our final day in Athens we visited the National Archaeological Museum. This is one of Greece's most important museums, and hosts a remarkable collection of st atues and other Greek artefacts, which we all exp lored. I was so impressed with the museum that I would have happily spen t hours there, gazing at the jewellery so similar to our own, yet worn over 2000 years ago. However, we had to leave to drive inland to Delph i. Delphi is surround ed by mountains and forests, and we awoke in the morning to magnificent views from our hotel's terrace over the distant sea. The weather was sunny again, and we spent the day exploring the mystical sanctuary of I torÂˇ SPO, FZ, JAR, RPS, JT. SAH

We spent the evening in the town of Olympia, where we had another opportunity to buy presents for home and enjoy just being in Greece, before heading for Olympia's only nightspot. In the morning, we explored the huge ancient site not far from the modern town. There is not much left of the buildings at Olympia, apart from foundations, steps and some col umns, but the scale of the site was enough to impress us all. The most outstanding remains are those of the Temple of Zeus,

where the giant statue by Phid eas, one of the seven wo nd ers of the ancien t world once stood. The site also contains an impressive museum, recently refurbished for the Olympic Games. Here we were able to see up close the two pediments of the Temple of Zeus and the famous statue of Hermes. For our last two nights in Greece we travel led to the seaside reso rt of Tolon, where we stayed in a fantastic hotel right by the beach, with a much-welcome swimming pool. From here we explored the theatre of Epidaurus, an incredible structure where plays are still performed today. To test out its infamous acoustics, the Luxmoore pupils gave us all a rendition of their house song from centre stage. It is sa id you can hear a pin drop, from anywhere in the audience. That afternoon we visited our final ancient site, the city of Mycenae. The site has been occupied for a staggering 6000 years, but the remains we saw were mainly from about 1200 BC. Th e city was famously where King Agamemnon lived, and we al l carefully scoured the hillsi de to find his face which allegedly has been immorta lised in the rocks. That evening we all relaxed, doing last-minute shopping and ice-cream-eating, before danci ng at th e Gori lla Bar. Having spent the morning tann ing by the pool, we left for Athens after lunch and had just one last stop, to see the incredible Corinth canal, before boarding our plane home to Heathrow. The week had been incredible, wi th great weather, beautiful sites and fantastic company. Everyone had a great time, and returned home with long lasting memori es. Julia Bird (HH)

luxury) the first morning was spent on the beach and in the poo l. Th e hotel was on ly a minute's wa lk from the beach, and although not sunny, the weather was normally warm, and the sea was always a welcome distraction. The other hotel residents hopefully didn't mind the fact that competitive water-polo games often monopolised the poo l, which was also the si te of early morning swims and diving displays by the more active. Most of the conce rts were held in the centre of Barcelon a. Four were performed in tota l, in different churches and locations around the beautiful city. There were plenty of op portunities for exploration and supplementing the hotel's packed lunches with Spanish local delicacies, and for the less adventurous, the joys of Pizza Hut were ever-present. Before rehearsals, everybody enjoyed shopping on Las Ramblas, the famous shopping street, and buying ice creams from the various stalls. Tours of some of the cultural sites in Barcelona were also arranged during the afternoons, such as looking round Gaudi's Sagrada Familia and the various other churches and cath edrals. The concerts were a great success, and a repertoire ranging from Gershwin 's An American in Paris to the Carnival Romain overture by Berlioz was very wel l received by the Spanish audience, and by the small entou rage of parents. Back at the hotel, the evenings were well spent in the

courtyard and discoteca, where the orchestra had a chance to relax tog ether and celebrate the yea r's achievements with teachers and pupils alike. All aspects of the tour, both musical and social, were highly entertaining, and many thanks were extended to the tour organiser, Mr Bersey, and the other staff. The general feeli ng at the end of the tour was that nobody wa nted to get back on the coaches to go home, least of all Mr lonascu, who discovered he had a pressing engagem ent necessitating a flight back. The rest of the orchestra embarked, somewhat reluctantly, on the long drive home, after an exciting debut tour that will hopefully set a precedent for more in the future. Sarah Ventress (WL)

6a History of Art Trip to Florence Th e room had a view of the back of the New Sacristy of San Lorenzo. It was three minutes on foot to the Palazzo MediciRiccardi, ten to the Duomo. Rarely has Florence seemed so friendly and accessible. Leading school pa rties however small - circumvents the customary time-wasting queues and the extortionate entrance costs of the Accademi a, Brancacci Chapel, Uffizi and

Symphony Orchestra Tour to Barcelona For the last week of the summer hol idays, the symphony orchestra went on a concert tour to Barcelona. Following a day of rehearsa ls at King's, instruments were loaded onto the two coaches, and the hundred odd members began the long drive to Northern Spain. The journey was swift, and eventual ly most people got a few hours sleep. The scenery of the new bridge at Clermand-Ferrand had some extended viewing when one bus broke down nearby, but apart from this minor hitch, th e journ ey passed wi thout mishap. The orchestra arrived at the hotel, si tuated in a small town half an hour outside of Barcelona, and dispersed to the courtyard and bar garden to relax. After a well-deserved sleep on real beds (or as close as the ca mp beds got to t hat The Three Graces - Olivia Nairn, Hilary Walker and Sophie Gayler

Pitti. And the company provided by this select group of art historians was both uplifting and illuminating. Olivia Nairn, Sop hi e Gayler and Hilary Walker (aka The Three Graces -see photo) were full of interest and insight throughout, while Jon Stockwell compiled a quirky portfolio of Florentine shots which wou ld not look out of place in The Photographers' Gallery. For the most part homing in on the early Renaissan ce, with lengthy visits to study the Fra Angelicos in San M arco and t he wealth of sculpture in the Bargello, we still found time and opportunity to view later gems, none greater than the Capponi Chapel in Santa Felicita. My thanks go to Quini Newbury, who jointly shouldered the responsibility of conducting our charges through four eventful Florentine days and nights. DJF

Portugal Tennis Trip For a week during the Easter holidays twenty of us, includi ng three teachers, went to Vale do Lobo for a week of tennis training and tournaments. We arrived in Portugal and unfortunately were greeted with weather much like Engla nd. However, this changed as on arrival at the tennis courts the next morning when the Portuguese sun was high in the sky. We began our training and many found out w hat a year away from th e sport ca n do! To our dismay, Miss Reidy took a fall on the first day, leaving her vi lla wi th a lot of domestic chores to be done .... !

Every night each villa cooked for the other villas, and all the cooking and eating took place at the boys' 'Castle: As Mr Sa nderson added curry powder to his famous pear pudding, the boys carried unaware of the disaster that was unfolding in the kitchen! By the middle of the week, many of us had recovered our hidden talents at tennis, some of us found th em after five years of rust from co ncentrati ng on hockey! During the course of the week, tournaments were run by both the tennis club and Mr Sanderson. The Ki ng's tournament ca me down to two very close finals, with Annabel Gray winni ng the girls' and Harry Coombe wi nning the boys'. As excit ing as th e matches were to watch, the main excitement of the week was, without doubt, the Beach Olym pics. This competition involved everyo ne runn ing, diving and building in the sand and sea. After some very close games, one team emerged victori ous! Other forms of entertainment during the week in cluded the karaoke night with a massive contribution from King 's, including the teachers. All in all, our week in Vale do Lobo was amazing - so much so that many of us are keen to return there in 2006 for w hat will be our third time! However, it wou ld not have been so enj oyable without the great choice of teachers. Thank you very much! Anna Storer and Irene Ramsay (W L)

Shell Trip to Ypres At 8.00am on Tuesday 26th, the Shells and most of the English and History Departments left for Ypres. We were all given a cross of remembrance to place w herever we wanted, to pay our own respects. We travelled on four coaches and arrived at around 10.00am English time. All the different coaches visited different sites at different times to avoid overcrowding, so my coach f irst visited t he German cemetery of Langemark. This cemetery was the only German cemetery we visited and the first vision when we entered was three dark statues holding their helmets with bland features, almost silhouette- like. They were very sad and this first impression lasted. The Germans, being the losers of the war, had a very quiet, dep ressing cemetery. It was made so by bl ack gravestones on the ground, trees, pillboxes and the statues. The gravestones were on the ground and each one had nu merous names carved into it. The most shocking thing about the site was just how many were buri ed in such a small area. There was a central pit, with an area of about half a tennis court, in which around 44,000 bodi es were buried . We then had a packed lunch and travelled to the next site, Tyne Cot. Th is is the biggest British cemetery of World War I in Belgium. It was a mu ch prouder place than Langemark as all the tombstones were whi te and there was a large, high memorial cross in the centre of the cemetery. It was a hug e

cemetery, covering at least four times the area of Langemark and yet it did not have that many more buried in it. There were gravestones and then also a huge wall at the back with thousa nds of names on it. The saddest part of Tyne Cot were the gravestones inscribed with "A Soldier of the Great War", and underneath "Known unto God': These were of the soldiers who could not even be recognised because of the damage done to th em. This cemetery was so co ntrasting to Langemark and it was interesting to see the glory of the British and the sorrow of the Germans. We next visited Essex Farm which was a quiet cemetery next to a ca nal. We did not have much time here, but from what I co uld gather, it seemed a very peaceful and calm place, very different from what it was like in the war. It was a relatively small place yet there were some very interesting and in so me cases, sad graves there, such as the grave of a 15-year-old. He was the youngest soldier to die in the nearby area. There was also the grave of an OKS where one group laid a wreath. After this site we travelled to the actual tow n of Ypres and had a meal of chicken and chips. We were given about half an hour to t ake advantage of the great deals at the chocolate shops and then we

Seville 2004

walked to the Menin Gate, a huge gateway into which thousands of soldiers' names were carved, to watch the daily remembrance service and finally, we left for England and returned at 10.30pm. Emma Hooper (MT)

Diary of our trip to Seville

language school, where we met the families and went to their houses. On the first day we went to school. We had t o learn Spanish for three hou rs each morning except for the weekends. That afternoon, we visit ed the cathedral, which was the most beautiful church we had ever seen, apart from the one in Canterbury! In the evening we always returned home to have dinner with our families.

In half term, a group of Removes went to Seville to spend a week with Spanish families. In the aftern oon, we arrived at Heathrow and flew to Seville. When we arrived we went directly to cue, ou r

On Tuesday, we went to the "Plaza de Toros", which is the bullfighting arena, and looked at the museum. Then we had a tour of the city by carriage, which was amazing. We visited the Alcazar on

Wednesday, which is a beautiful Arabian palace with lots of gardens. Later on we visited the old Jewish district (EI barrio de Santa Cruz) and walked through the narrow streets. On Thursday we went t o th e cinema and we had a "fiesta" with the local students. It was our chance to practise our Spanish. Friday was extremely hot, and we visited the ancient Roman city of ltalica. After that we either played football, or went shopping to buy presents for the families. Saturday was the first day without lessons! We got up really early, and went to Jerez, which is the town where sherry is produced. Then, we went to "Isla Magica", the local theme park, which was great fun. That evening they had an incredible fireworks display. On Sunday we said goodbye t o our fa mili es and returned home to England. We learn t a lot of Span ish and had a great time. Chris White (MR) and Anna Storer (WL)

Sixth Form History Department Visit to Paris This four day tour to Paris comp lemented the A level stud ies of most History sets studying periods of French history. A swift journey by the Eurostar t rain departing at 9.00 am on the first Saturday morning of the Easter holiday brought us to the heart of Paris and to the welcome sight of les terassiers enjoying a midday aperitif sitting out in the warm sunshine of early spring. Our party of Dr Maltby, Mrs Gorman, 6 boys and 12 girls checked into the Hotel de Bruxelles et du Nord, which is conveniently located near the Gare du Nord. This was the first time the reality of just how much we were to cram into these four days rea lly hit home. 15 minutes to drop off suitcases an d freshen up and we were off to the Musee Ca rn alavet de Paris (near the Place de Ia Bastille). Although the Carnavalet museum is above all a co llection of Parisian material,

the changes which the city underwent during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods are particularly well represent ed. The revolutionary journees at Paris, such as the Storming of the Bastille, the fall of the Monarchy and Napoleon's seizure of power are depicted in art, a wealth of portraits and busts of the great men of the period. A special exhibi ti on of etchings also traced the rise and fal l of the revolutionary sans-culottes. From the Carnalavet we walked to Notre Dame Cathedral. Having had one of the many delicious croque monsieurs of the holiday, Pam, Kat and Phoebe decided not to join the queue for the Cathedral, but instead to wander along the riverside. It was here that we stumbled upon a fantastic rollerblading competition which equa ted to high jumping on skates. It was so compelling that we almost forgot Dr Maltby's penchant for punctuality and had to run back to rejoin the group. The one disappointmen t of the tour was then experienced when we were unable to gain admission to the nearby Conciergerie, which was used as a prison during the Terror. Nonetheless, the Carnalevet was really the discovery of the first day.

Poris 2005

Clearly Dr Maltby, having run these trips many times before, knows what he's doing and we managed to take in every major site that Paris has to offer. The night was still young as, after supper, we set off again to walk the relatively short distance from the hotel to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Evading the souvenir touts in the streets below Montmartre, we climbed the hill to gaze at the wonderful view of Paris before us, visi t the Cathedral and saunter around the picturesque streets. On the way back to the hotel many of us were as usual lagging behind Dr Maltby's pace and when we were distracted from our chat by a head count we found ourselves in front of the Moulin Rouge right in the middle of the Paris sex district! This was just one of the many memories that we will take from this brilliant trip. Our second day, Sunday, was largely dedicated to visiting th e Palace of Versa illes, which is conveniently served by the outer Paris metro service. A full morning was spent touring the state rooms and trying to absorb the massive imprint of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Then we looked around the grounds. This was a perso nal favourite for a number of us. We had never been to Versailles before and were unprepared for the enormity of the building and its gardens (and the King's and Queen's beds). Not everyone succeeded in venturing beyond the

boating lake, but some accomplished the 3 kilometre return hike to Marie Antoinette's fantasy vi llage known as le hameau de Ia reine. On return to Paris, and by way of a walk from St. Michel across the Pont Neuf and th e wonderful mounted statue of Henry of Navarre, our next destination was the Louvre. Although the David section which would have been of particular interest to those studyi ng Napoleon was unfortunately closed for renova ti on, others studying the 16th ce ntury fou nd masses of visual material on the French Renaissance monarchy and th e leading nob le protagonists in the Wars of Religion. The grandes galleries had added interest to devotees of "th e da Vinci Code': Could we

corroborate anything in the book? The answer was not really, despite an intensive scrutiny of the Mona Lisa for Dan Brown's clues. Having accomplished a very full day of History and Cu ltu re, a free evening was also a welcome opportunity to saunter around the Latin quarter and 1/e de Cite. Monday was the day allocated for our private tour of Malmaison, which was reached by using the metro and a local bus. Napoleon's first wife Josephine purchased the small country chateau just a few mil es outside Paris in April 1799, while Napoleon was still in Egypt. Refurbish ing the house and grounds was beyond the means of the new owner. On

Napoleon's return, we were told, a dreadful scene fol lowed, and although Napoleon forgave her and discharged the debts, he wrote a clause in to the Code Napoleon forbidding wives to buy property except with their husband's explicit consent. The decor and landscaping of Malmaison by Napoleon and Josephine make Malmaison an appealing blend of the classical and the cosy. The result is a house that is light and cheerful, in keeping with the residence of both a society lady and a general. Josephine's rooms seem delightfully wa rm but the more austere rooms of the dining room and library are distinctively Napoleon, reflecting his military preoccupations and devotion to hard work. Josephine loved roses and the landscaped garden, now a municipal park, afforded a pleasant return walk to the metro station and from there to the afternoon's sights of the Eiffel Tower and th e Arc de Triomphe. Monday was our last day and the morning provided the greatest treat of the tour in the form of a private visit to the Musee d'Orsay. In this fabulous muse um of French 19th Century art we were able to enjoy an exclusive vi ewing of the paintings of Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh. We were admitted by a special gate befo~e the general public and this gave us nearly an hour alone with some of the world's most famous paintings. To be abl e to stand alone in front of the fabulous art of the Impressionists was a fantastic experience wh ich few of us will ever forget. Pictured in the Musee d'Orsay are "Burls", Dubi and Chuchu with the set of Monets that they voted th e most likely to buy for their entrance hall when th ey are older (and considerably richer). Eventually t he public was admitted and the galleries were soon full, but there was still time for some shopping and even fo r an expedition to the Pere Lachaise cemetery, where some of us found Oscar Wilde's tomb and shed a tear before rejoining the Eurostar and speeding home. This amazing trip can be recommended to everybody. Phoebe Roberts and HROM

Nice Trip The aim of the week- long trip in the Easter holidays to Nice was to improve t he quality of our French in light of our forthcoming AS/A2 exams. Naturally the use of English was forbidden at all times by Mme Rodes, which proved to be extremely useful (although problematic at tim es ') Living arrangements were in pairs with families in the city of Nice, which allowed us to experience true French family life. Each morning consisted of three hours of lessons in two small groups mainly focusing on French conversation related to our chosen topic for the exam. Following this we had free time to eat lunch in a cafe or on the beach in the 'Baie des Anges'. In the afternoons we visited various places of interest in Nice and other towns nearby, notably Cannes. Preparations for the film festival were underway and, although there were no stars to be seen, it was evident by th e multitude of expensive-looking boats that they would

Nice Trip 2005

be arriving soon. That same afternoon, we visited the set of the film, The Man in the Iron Mask, and the corresponding mysterious museum. On Sunday we spent the day visiting the chic area of Monaco and Monte- Carlo. Thankfully the fashionably expensive shops were closed, so the limitations of window-shopping enabled us to budget for the rest of the week ! Part of the evening entertainmen t consisted of visiting the theatre and cinema. Both proved to be a little confusing due to the slight language barrier, but they were a worthwhile way to spend an evening and to practise our newly acquired skills. There was also the opportunity to take in the atmosphere of 'Le Vieux Nice', with our last night spent in a club. We would like to thank Mme Rodes, Mile Zanard i and Stratos for a lovely week, and we are looking forward to returning to Nice next year. Sophie Devonshire and Janessa Bobby (HH)

Societies and Activities The Duke of Edinburgh's Award It is well known that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award provides the opportunities for personal achievement:

'The scheme is intended to help both the young as well as those who are concerned with their welfare. The object is to provide an introduction to worthwhile leisure activities and voluntary service as a challenge to the individual to discover the satisfaction of achievement '- HRH Prince Philip. With this as an objective, the Removes began the second term of an improved programme. Activities are designed to deliver a co re of elements as a contribution towards the acquisition of the Bronze Award, these being : Expedition Training, Fi rst Aid and Leadership and Initiative Exercises. In support of these activities pupi ls make a choice of three out of five practical elements consisti ng of canoeing, climbing, cycling, sailing and power boating. All activities are very much 'hands-on' and provide the opportuni ty for experience, practice and in some cases qualification. The two First Aid cou rses this term yielded 45 certi fied First Aiders and Power Boating 10 RYA Level 1 Boat Handling qualifications. Twelve Sths completed their qualifying expedition and at the same time eighteen 6bs sigried on for the Gold Award programme. The social service activity is now fully

stretched with pupils in these age groups wishing to com plete this element of their awards. Last Summer, present Gold Candidates attended a Qualifying Expedition in the Brecon Beacons. This was an arduous four-day walk in mountainous countryused by the SAS for mountain and survival training. The Group, under the eagle eyes of DoE assessors, trekked and camped for four days and navigated in thick fog to their final destination, acquitting themselves with distinction. At Easter, Gold Practice candidates took part in an expedition in Snowdonia which again was testing in mountainous country. In the summer term a seri es of sailing expeditions took place with crews participating in voyages off the South Coast to be org anised by Dr Maltby. It is true that the success of any scheme depends on the personnel involved in its implementation and I am indebted to a very hard working team for their support in delivering our programme. The First Aid is overseen by Mrs Ladd and Miss Zanardi and we are fortu nate in having the help and expertise of Alan Tranter, training officer at the Recreation Centre. Mr Franks and Miss Behr implement the teamwork, teambu ilding and initiative tasks as part of the Leadership Training, and Mr Warnick and Mr McGilchrist lead the Expedition Training invo lving navigation, route-planning, camp-craft and safe practice. The sailing is the remit of Mr Heath and Dr Maltby who take the groups to Dover (Summer or Westbere Lakes (Winter). Power Boating under Mrs McConnell is also serviced by Dover Watersports in the harbour. The Canoeing

is administered by Mrs Gorman for our instructor, Lucie Fernie, who passes on the techniques of paddling, rescue drills and Eskimo rolling at the Recreation Centre. Cycling under Mr Ocock and Mr Hill has incorporated mountain biking in the local Scotland Hills as well as road safety, route-p lanning and cycle maintenance. Climbing has been under the instruction of Colin Com per, sports instructor at the Recreation Centre, and Ryan, our Gap Year student. To all we ext end our grateful thanks. ARW

Social Services This term's social services began with a visit from the Lady Mayoress of Canterbury. Since her husband was Housemaster of Walpole when it was a boys' house, she had many an entertaining anecdote to capture the somewha t evasive attentions of King's pupils on a Thursday afternoon. Having warmed us all up a bit, she proceeded to tell us about her role as Lady Mayoress. This is essentially a fund raising role for three charities of her choice. These are, at present, the chari ties of the term and include the Kent Air Ambulance Association and an agency that provides reading helpers in primary schools. This all proved very prom ising for someone who had never done social services before. This leads me ont o what I did this term - helping the disabled children from St. Nicholas's School to swim. Having a na tural affinity for water was a definite aid when helping the likes of Kelly to conquer her fear of li fe beyond the shallow end. I found it amazing to watch the children develop their swimming abilities throughout the term. This was particularly remarkable as many were overcoming the extra challenges posed by their disabili ties. Some of them were partially deaf and had to have all the instruct ions communicated to them in sign language. This did not deter a sing le one in their determined and competi tive will to swim. The friend ly instructors taught and motivated everyone whilst displaying amazing patience with even the most mischievous members of the group - for example, Richard, who for a session decided that the leg - kicking drill would be a whole lot more enterta ining if he spa t water at me whilst I helped him to stay afloat. It has been an eye-opening experience which will stay with me for an extremely long time. James Shilston (SH)

I tor: Nicola Kent, Lucy Egleton, Sophie Clark, Lucy Hunter Johnston {pl>oto taken by Gigi Barker)

Photography Activity Top- Goudi building in Barce/ono- by Hiknri Tatsuzawa Lefl- Ali Seaton in the: snow- by Roide:v Akoi Bottom·· Bicycle by Jonmhon Stockwell

Science Excursions On the 15th of March 6b chemists attended a con ference in London for a seri es of lectures and demonstrations covering a wide range of chemistry. While some of t he talks were directly relevan t to the A level curriculu m, the real strength of the day was in the talks which took the subject well beyond the specificatio n. At the end of the week, a party of pupils travelled to Wa rwick School for the Showcase Science conference organised by Dr. Mo Afzal (Staff 1997 - 2004). Modelled on previous conferen ces org anised at King's, the programme fea tured seven fellows of the Royal Society who gave keynote lectures which we re interspersed wi th presentations given by 6th form students on research they had carried out in their schools. Julia Bird and Sarah Fendius gave a very pro fessional account of their work with the Faulkes telescope on near-Earth asteroids. They also presented their work as a poster along with entries by Em my McGarry and Vicky Meyer-Laker on obesity and Rahul Mukherjee's poster on HIV and AIDS. All who attended the co nference found it immensely stimulating and were impressed by the organisation as well as the high ca libre of the science which was presented. On the same day Lucy Egleton, Elsa Butrous, Helen Porter and Eleanor Jennings attended an open day at Quest International, Ashford . The morning session involved analysing molecular structures usi ng spectroscopic information, while the afternoon was co ncerned with the creation of a newÂˇ fragrance and marketing it to th e Quest perfumers. DAS co mmen ted that the return journey was an olfactory ordeal!

Harvey Society The Harvey Society aims to bring experts from th e scien tific world to the school to talk about their wo rk. This term we have enjoyed a very varied programme of excellent presentations. In September Dr. Di ck Vane-Wrigh t, recently retired Keeper of Entomology, gave a fascinating talk on mimicry in plants and animals. Partly drawing on his vast experience of tropical butterflies, his talk covered numerous examples of living organisms which mimic others. The entomological theme con tinued in the second talk by Professor David Hall, (Professo r of Chemical Ecology, Natural Resources Institute, Chatham) who introduced us to the world of insect pheromones. Minute quantities of these substa nces show intense biological activity. Scientists analyse the structures of these molecules and there is considerable interest in synthesising pheromones since this could lead to methods of controlling insect pests in ways which are much less damaging to the environment than th e use of pesticides. In November, Professor Chris Reynolds (Professor of Computational Chemistry at Essex University and student contemporary of DMA at St. Andrew's) gave a hands-on session illustrating molecular modelling by computer in the IT Lab. Our thanks go to th e IT Department for making this possibl e. Drug molecules bind to receptor sites in proteins and computer programmes are able to calculate how they do this, which can lead to the design of new drugs. A lot was expected of the students in the time, but most achieved mastery of the programme quickly.

The final talk of the term was given by Dr. Mike Percival OKS (LN 77- 82) (Chief of Manufacturi ng Engineering, Combustion Systems, Rolls Royce Engineering). Using the title, 'Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow' he described in detail the engineering and technology of the modern gas turbine engine and why we ca n fly with confidence, at least when a Rolls Royce engine is fitted to the aeroplane. Budding engineers relished the opportunity to hold a titanium blad e from th e air intake system or a single crysta l nickel turbine blade. 2004 is the centenary of Rolls Royce and we thank Dr. Perciva l for presenting the school with a copy of the illustrated history of the company. In November a group of 6th fo rm chemists also attended a Royal Society of Chemistry lecture at Barton Court Grammar School given by Professor John Nicholson of Greenwich University, entitled 'Molecules and Murder: Starting with the definition of poisons, he then looked at a number of different toxic substances such as arsenic, strychnine and thallium and how they had been used in crim inal cases. Hopefully, this has not given anyone ideas. The Harvey Society con tinued to enjoy a variety of stimulating talks during the Len t and Summer terms. In early January Dr Alethea Tabor from the Department of Chemistry, University College, London gave a ta lk entitled 'What has Chemistry to do with Gene Therapy?' This was of particular interest to prospective medical students and biologists and described how to make arti ficia l viruses which could contain fragments of DNA. It is always a pleasure to welcome OKS back to the school and it was a particul ar

DAS also organised a very successful trip to the Pfizer research laboratories at Sandwich for 6b chemists during the Summer term. This gave the students an excellent insight in th e operation of the world's number one pharmaceutical company. Talks on drug discovery and the use of computers in drug discovery were co mbined with visi ts to the research laboratories to see the analytical instruments in action. Finally a tour of the fermentation plant where the antibiotic oxytetracycl ine is made showed how laboratory sci ence is scaled up to a manu fact uring process. DMA

Dr. Paul Beaumont

pleasure to welcome back Andrew Cobb (SH 54-57). Coming from the Shirley era, Andrew had many tales of his exploits in that period - breaking bounds to go to 'illegal' jazz concerts, travelling round Kent on a motorbike at weekends and exploring the underground drains of the Cathedral ! Andrew trained as an engineer, then worked in Kenya and latterly South Africa. For the past twenty three years he has worked with SharkProject and has logged on film over 900 hours of shark behaviour. His talk on 'Shark the Animal Without Sharks the Oceans Wi ll Die' was therefore given with the authority of someone who was talking from first hand experience. An interesting statistic given was that more people are killed in a year by coconuts than sharks! Andrew's talk forcefully presented the case that sharks must be protected from Man rather than the other way round . The Society was very grateful to the Headmaster for hosting a reception after this ta lk. In February Professor John Dore from the University of Kent described the structures and properties of the remarkable materials based on carbon atoms in his talk 'Carbon Nanotubes the next Revolution in Materials Science: Starting with the Buckminsterfullerene (C60) molecule discovered in the 1980s he went on to describe some of the latest developments in carbon nanotube technology. Carbon nanotubes possess a tensile strength several times that of steel - the only problem is that nobody

knows how to prepare these materials in quantity, as yet. The term concluded with an excellent demonstration lecture enti tled 'From Sellotape to Fireflies: things that glow in the dark' by Dr Pau l Beaumont (Homerton College, Cambridge, Director of Science and Plants for Schools). We were grea tly entertained through a series of demonstrations involving coloured fireworks, oscillating fireworks, chemical reactions which emitted light and descriptions of animals such as fireflies which also produce light. The lecture culminated in a grand finale involvi ng 15 members of the audience mixing chemicals si multaneously to set off a colour change reaction in sequence. Although it did not go entirely to plan(!) all enjoyed this evening. In the Summer t erm we had two talks. The first was given by Dr. Phil Blower of t he Unive rsi ty of Kent who gave a very clear account of how cancer may be treated with radiop harmaceutical drugs. The King's chemistry research group of Emmy McGarry, Vicky Meyer-Laker, Rachael Bashford-Rogers and Prudence Wong have been working in association with scientists at the Universi ty of Kent to learn how to prepare some of the chemicals used in this research. The final talk of the year was given by Mr. Lothar Kurtze of Darmstadt University ofTechnology on minor bodies in the

solar system. He described the discovery of asteroids in the solar system and the work associated with mapping their orbital patterns using some impressive co mputer modelling. His work was of particular interest to our astronomy research group who also use the Faulkes telescope in Hawaii to discover and monitor new asteroids. DMA

Pater Society Aeneas - the Roman hero 6b and 6a students were invited to consider The Aeneid by looking at differen t aspects of the text they were studying for AS/A2 and presenting talks in the School Room to one another and to students taking fifth form Latin as well as other interested parties. 6a opened the meeting, offering an overview of the whole of The Aeneid and aiming their presentations at the qu estion 'Was Virgil writing The Aeneid as propaganda for Augustus?' The 6bs enjoyed this talk and felt that the 6as were successful in answering the question they had posed. The 6as developed very persuasive argumen ts and their use of parallel images in their PowerPoint presentation made it easy for the audience to visualise and understa nd the differences which were being highlighted. 6a also made excellent use

treated to a very in formative overview of the Homeric hero and his characteristic qualities by Julia Bird, Pippa Tregear and Jo Brilliant, with some graphic quotations from the Iliad and the Odyssey. Although the relevance of the photo of Layton Hewitt remained obscure, the presentation was clear and concise.

Heroes Evening -Milena Hasselmann, 0/enka Hamilton and Laetitia McLaren

of their slides, talking about the images rather than reading their captions. 6a were well-prepa red, kept their presentations short and snappy and their debate format worked very well. Their enthusiasm for the topic shone through and the audience came away with a clear answer to the original question. The 6bs had been asked to concentrate on the idea of Aeneas as a 'new style' hero and tried to give the audience an idea of the direction of their argument. They could have made better use of 'sound bites' on their slides and tended t o assume some prior knowledge on the part of the audience. The 6b group is a large group, so lots of people were involved. They were perhaps more creative than the 6as in the variety of approaches used - these included PowerPoint, some acting through tableaux vivants and a short film, which was highly origina l and entertaining. Such variety added interest to the evening as a whole and the audience were effectively drawn into the more scholarly aspects of the evening. The

most successful presenters in 6b were those with the ability and confidence to speak ex tempore and to include detailed examples from the text. Once again, the fact that they were having fun through learning was communicated clearly to the audience. It was also pleasing to see such a good number of non-Classicists attending a Pater Society meeting and supporting their fri ends. Overall, the meeting was successful and it is hoped that more pupils will come forward to present 'inhouse' talks in September as preparation for Oxbridge and University interviews. My thanks go to all members of 6a Classical Civilisation and 6b Latin whose efforts made for such a pleasant Pater Society meeting, and to my colleagues in the Classics Department fo r guiding and supporting the students.

Heroes evening On a bleak November's night, a group of sixth form Classicists battled through the cold to earn their hero status as they descended the steps of Saint Augustine's Undercroft into the warmth of the ancient Mediterranean. JT was magical as Medea, modelling sleek black hair and si lver jewellery; RPM was transfigu red into Caesar in all his imperial glory, topped by a very fetching laurel wreath; SAH was Vercingetorix the Gaul, with ferocious war paint and mullet; and JAR appeared radiant as the goddess Athena. However, the heroes had not ventured thus far to ignore the rewards of Elysium and a traditional Greek supper was attacked with relish. After a feast suitable fo r the gods of Mount Olympus, the first of the evening lectures began. The audience were

Tom Pri tchard

A bri ef interlude enabled the 6as to show off their costumes, highlights including god-like Julia as Athena, deservedly winning first prize in the cost ume competition with the accuracy and style of her design, and Tom Pritchard as Alexand er t he Great, the subject of his ensuing lecture. The environment into which Alexander was born was knowledgably presented, emphasising the already expanding nature of the Macedonian empire and also the peculiar nature of his mother, allegedly impregnated by a snake. Tom went on to identify the main achievements of Alexander's brief li fe - the cutting of the Gordian Knot and the enormity of the empire unparalleled until Roman times. Another brief interl ude allowed the 6bs to put to shame their elders in a most unchiva lrous way. Letty McClaren and Olenka Hamilton were very modish, in a Greek God style, as Zeus and Zeus-as-aGolden-Shower, snatching second prize from Romulus and Remus, aka Olu and Tunji, whose armour was as dazzling as the Trojans who lined up to face the Achaean invaders. Other notable costumes came from Isabella Clifford as a tree nymph and Alex Sanne who came complete with an authentic and somewhat terrifying sword which he was all too ready to wield, as the final talk demonstrated. Wills Pound and Parrish combined with Olenka, Letty, Arch ie Ahern and Alex to present a summary of the Aeneid, briefly portraying Aeneas's fligh t from Troy to Africa, his romance with Dido, his journey to Italy and battles against the native Italian tribes. They successfully conveyed the essential details and more than supplemented their words with a very comic thespian twist, involving Will Pound as Aeneas and Archie and Alex as virtually every other character involved. The Reduced Shakespeare Company may well face competition next seaso n! Then the heroes launched their black ships on their final voyages back to houses, with thanks to all the speakers and especially to JT f or her time and organisational expertise after a most enjoyable evening. luke Thorne, (GL)

Marlowe Society Beryl Bainbridge -About Writing Beryl Bainbridge is a popular and highly talented fiction writer. She writes of both modern and historic periods and has won innumerable awards, not to mention

being nominated for the Booker Prize on a number of occasions. In October, Ms.

Bainbridge gave a talk to the Marlowe Society. The topic was 'How to Write' and she rose to the challenge well. On introducing Ms. Bainbridge, Mr. Lyons referred to her 'impish wit', which she

was to demonstrate during her talk. She entertained with her anecdotes and

shared her inspirations and future ideas, encouraging the budding writers in the

audience. The many questions were

answered with vigour, although not always precision, but this added to the charm of a people's writer. She was enticing, making the questioners feel at ease and making fun of herself remorselessly, both in the talk and at the dinner afterwards. Her rich and yet comforting style of writing was evident in her personality; with her unassuming manner she charmed most and interested a!!. Even without the value of advice, she allowed the members of the Marlowe Society to see a writer as a rea! person, not just an unnatural series of long words and complicated explanations, a very valuable lesson for pupils trained in the art of critical essay writing. Robyn Ellis (MT)

Stanley Wells Talk 'Stanley Wells is arguably the single most powerful authority on Shakespeare in the world: (Cook)

Few who attended Stanley Wells' lecture in the Autumn Term on 'Marlowe and Shakespeare' could have left without intellectual stimulation. I confess that I

significance in the audience's minds to the poet and dramatist after whom the day-house is named. Comically quoting from The Jew of Matta, Professor Wells expressed his own anxiety towards Marlowe's character Barabas: 'Sometimes I go about and poison wells', whereas further laughter and a hint of disgust was provoked in discussion of his own new publication, Looking for Sex in Shakespeare, and the ensuing implications surrounding young boys in 16th Century theatrical circles. His talk elicited many questions, which he was genuinely obliging in answering - with an openness of opinion that granted insight into his own and other contemporary new research, much of which was pre-publication. Attending the subsequent dinner in the lattergate Boardroom, l was further privileged to speak with Professor Wells in greater depth, a truly inspiring experience for a budding English student. Advocating an English degree with praise of the highest order, though not - he insisted - necessarily at Oxbridge, he spoke of the value of literature in unlocking much beauty in life, with additional veneration of Shakespeare's skill and the power of words in a more general sense. The perils of the publication process were exposed in a personal anecdote which was both frightening and amusing. He revealed with nostalgia that he was once the judge of the prestigious annual Marlowe Prize, and wittily digressed upon his seemingly boundless literary knowledge. Promising upon my recommendation that he would watch an episode of The OC, a masterpiece of contemporary American drama, he left destined to stay abreast of popular culture and, if the evening was any accurate portrayal of his abilities, to continue enlightening the world about England's greatest authors and their work. Chris Robinson (MR)

approached St Mary's Hall that night

with a certain degree of foreboding, fearing a reclusive and entirely academic speaker - as perhaps may be expected from a General Editor of The Oxford Shakespeare. Yet this was far from the reality of Mr. Wells' character, which was lucidly eloquent and admirably in-touch. Heroically defending Shakespeare's work from claims of Marlovian authorship, he progressed to discuss the lives- both private and public- of the two authors, provoking a much greater appreciation of both men. Perhaps most relevantly for a King's pupil, Christopher Marlowe's life as a miscreant and a secret agent was illuminated, whilst his plays were quoted with affection - granting much more

Christian Forum The Lent Talks Tales of the Unexpected This year a team of four came down to give the lent talks - Nick Margesson (the main speaker), Sam Osborne, Erica Tad man and Emily Mullen. They spent four days at the school going into classes and giving a talk in the JCR each evening. In the morning assembly Nick drummed up support for the evening's talk with quizzes, crisps and some ÂŁ5 notes. The first talk was on 'How much does God care?' with the parable of the lost sheep

(luke 15). Nick reminded us that God loved us and would go to great lengths in order to bring us into his kingdom. On Tuesday we followed on from this and went on to the idea of 'How much does God matter?' With the parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12) For many this was slightly more confusing and harder to take, for the idea of not building up your riches on earth goes against many of our instincts. Nick succeeded in explaining how it wasn't a case of giving up everything but instead putting God before material possessions. The next night helped to put the night before into context by showing us how much God offers, with the parable of the Great Banquet (luke 14) It showed us how it

was worth centring your life on God in return for what you received, which is a place at God's great banquet in heaven. The last night was the most crowded; I'm not sure whether it was the rumoured donuts and Mrs Smiley's infamous (and delicious) brownies, or the morning assembly where three pupils received a fiver. It was not a disappointment, with the final talk tackling the question of 'How much does God expect?' For many the idea of religion is doing penance and having no fun. The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18) showed how this was not so and that it was not a case of climbing a ladder to God with a good deed for each wrung. Nick explained that we can never be good enough, but as long as we admit this and ask for God's mercy we have a place in heaven. Overall, the week was a great success and I believe that the entire crew enjoyed themselves. Alice Gerth (JR)

Jazz Notes Since my writing of this column has seemed, in recent years, to have fallen somewhat into abeyance, before I thank the recently outgoing members of the King's Jazz Club, I should very much like to put on record here my enormous personal gratitude to recent pupil Musical-Directors of previous years ? Robin Bailey (2003-2004), Toby Davies (2002-2003). Toby Davies 8 Chris Ryan (2001-2002). and Will Davies 8 Tom Morey (2000-2001) 7 as well as all their

contemporaries who supported them by playing with them, in their several respective bands. I now, though, concentrate attention on the last academic year with the Jazz Club, 2004-2005, under the modest and self-effacing ? but nevertheless splendid and authoritative ? leadership of Andrew Laing. The core Modern-Jazz Group

consisted of Andrew Laing (LN, Leader/ BassEt Double-Bass), Patrick Allies (LN, Trumpet), James Harvey-Kelly (SH, Tenor-Saxophone), Ed Rex (GL, Flute), Ed Watts (SH, Keyboards), and Max Stanley (GR, Drums). There was a tangible

chemistry and an empathy, as well as a manifest symbiosis, between them; they really 'gelled' together as a unit and what I most warmed to about them was how, in their ensemble playing, they always listened intently, and with great respect, to each other, bouncing musical ideas between them, with nobody trying to 'out-do' another. They also paid close attention to, and showed open unselfish appreciation of, each other's solos ? the rest being noticeably and especially gratified when one of their number received (invariably well-deserved) applause for his solo from one or other of their various audiences throughout the year. As well as playing in House concerts and other private events during the academic session 2004-2005, the Club presented an Informal Concert in the Pupils' Social Centre on Saturday, January 22nd and staged two major concerts in King's Week: Jazz On A Summer Sunset in the marquee on the Green Court on the first day of King's Week (Thursday, June 30th)

and the Jazz Concert in the Shirley Hall on Sunday, July 3rd (both of which are reviewed elsewhere in this Cantuarian). The centre-piece of the latter was the King's Jazz Orchestra, of which the personnel were: Patrick Allies, Poppy Mitchell (MT), Chloe Mitchell (MT) ll Robbie Laing (LN) (Trumpets), Sophie Gayler (J), Ed Lavery (GL), Rob Watson (MT) ll Will Jennings (T) (AltoSaxophones), Ed Chuck (MR) ll James Harvey-Kelly (Tenor-Saxophones), Will Fox (MR), Tom Marnham (GR), Fred Coltart (MR) ll Will Mitchell (MT)

(Trombones), Ed Rex and Ed Watts (Piano), Tristan Hambleton (MO) (Bass), Zain Rahimtula (GL) (Percussion), and Max Stanley (Drums). The King's Jazz

Orchestra was fronted by ? as individual vocalists? Harriet Jones (H), Jack Standen (LN), Polly Benton (LX) and Lucy Cronin

(B). Also featured in the Jazz Concert were ensemble vocal contributions from the King's Swingers (Harriet Jones, Sarah Erridge (H), Alex Swain (MR), Kate Ludlow (8/BY), Lucy Wells (MT), Letitia LeighPemberton (LX), Kate Gabriel (W), and

Amanda Harrison (H)), and the King's Men (Ed Rex, Fred Coltart, Jack Standen, Henry Synge (GL), Patrick Allies, Ed Watts,

Dominic Collingwood (GR) and Tristan Hambleton). In connection with the former I am very grateful to Mr. Will Bersey who, at my request and at very short notice, arranged for the King's

Swingers a version of my favourite NewZealand Maori folk-song, Pokarekare Ana ? the more so as (I believe) he did it on the very day on which he (again) became a father. In the Shirley-Hall Jazz-Concert during the 2005 King's Week, much was made, on stage, of the fact that the academic session 2004-2005 ? my retirement year at King's ? marked the 25th year in which I had been Master i/c the Jazz Club. I said publicly on that occasion that this last year with the Club was, from my point of view, one of the most rewarding of all those in which I had overseen the Club's affairs during that entire quarter-century period; it had been sheer fun. The immense musical talent of the personnel ? of the Modern-Jazz Group especially? their camaraderie, and their openness and friendliness with me, all compounded to make it, for the 'Master i/c', an exceptionally enjoyable year. I am therefore extremely indebted to them all for making it so. I also want to commend all those in the King's Jazz Orchestra, who do not always necessarily get much individual glory but who have, nevertheless, contributed their musical talent ? to the certain enjoyment of their listeners ? cheerfully, regularly and loyally. This loyalty was, above all, due in no small measure to the formidable musical and diplomatic skills of Andrew Laing. It was quite manifest to me ? and to hundreds of parents and others who were privileged to witness his concerts ? that the fellow musicians whom Andrew led and directed had enormous respect and affection for him, both personally and as a musician. As a result, he had a quiet but effective authority over those whom he led, and he administered his musical direction without ever having to be in any way unpleasant or overbearing. Quite the opposite ? and they all loved him for it. It is an attribute that will, I think, carry Andrew Laing far in Life! As I said in King's Week, in thanking Andrew, I should like also symbolically to be remembering with gratitude all the King's pupils who have been Musical Directors of the Jazz Club over the last 25 years. This is the complete list of them; several are now distinguished professional musicians in their own right: John Smith (W, 1980-1981), Paul McGrath (B, 1981-1982), Dai Tyler (B, 1982-1983), Michael Clarke (GL, 1983-1984), Andrew Fordham (GL, 1984-1986), Jimmy Gumpert (SH, 1986-1987), James Lawrence (GR, 1987-1988), Sholto Byrnes (SH, 1988-1990), Jules Woodward (LX, 1990-1991), Barney Stevenson (T, 1991-1992), T1m Marson (T) ll Chris

Creissen (SH) (Jointly, 1992-1993), Ed Millard (SH, 1993-1994), Matt Brown (MR, 1994-1995), Nick Tattersall (1995-1996), Steve Bushnell GR) ll Annabel Whibley (W) (Jointly, 1996-1997), lvo Neame (SH) tt Larry Ridges (GR) (Jointly, 1997-1998), lvo Neame (1998-2000), Will Davies (MO) H Tom Morey (GL) (Jointly, 2000-2001), Toby Davies (MO) ll Chris Ryan (SH) (Jointly, 2001-2002), Toby Davies (2002-2003), Robin Bailey (2003-2004), and Andrew Laing (2004-2005). In King's

Week, it was a great pleasure to me to prepare and present two films from the Club's Archives featuring the work of al! these pupil Musical-Directors, and many of their contemporary fellow-Members of School who performed with them. Now I should like to say a formal farewell to the others who left the Jazz Club this year. For their excellent contributions to the dose-harmony groups I thank Alex Swain, Lucy Wells, Amanda Harrison, and Henry Synge. Zain Rahimtula has added percussion (and broad smiles) to the rhythm section of the King's Jazz Orchestra. Sohpie Gaylor has quietly and reliably made her presence felt in the alto-saxophone section, while Ed Chuck has done likewise, over a very long period, and with immense loyalty, among the tenor-saxophones. In the same way, the unobtrusive efficiency, and invariably cheerful demeanour, of Poppy Mitchell has benefited the trumpet section over a similarly long period. (In Poppy's last year there were, in fact, no fewer than three members of the Mitchell family in the King's Jazz Orchestra? in addition to Poppy, there were Chloe (trumpet) and young Will (trombone), both of whom, I

am glad to say, are staying on). It has been a vintage year for vocalists. Having only just discovered the talents of FifthFormer Lucy Cronin, we are now deprived of them further because she is undertaking her Sixth-Form studies elsewhere. Jack Standen has been a tremendous asset, not only for his unique and instantly identifiable vocal attributes but for his pianistic accomplishments, too (not to mention his admirable ability to keep an audience in order). I still recall (and, indeed, included in my recent King's Week film King'sJazz 1995-2005) his duet with Robin Bailey performing the late Roy Orbison's Running Scared, three years ago when Jack himself was only in the Removes. Harriet Jones has been an absolute gem in the vocal department over the last couple of years, the pinnacle, for me, being her rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow? likewise featured in King's Jazz 1995-2005. This year, in addition to Andrew Laing himself, we lost two giants of the Modern-Jazz

Group, who both played with great aplomb and authority: Patrick Allies (trumpet} and James Harvey-Kelly (tenorsaxophone). The two delivered what I consider to be their best work in the very

final two numbers that they ever performed at King's with the ModernJazz Group ? Soul Food and Get To That? in which they both performed magnificent and memorable solos

(preserved on film, it pleases me to say, in the Jazz Club's Archives). It is remarkable that James, already well steeped in the history and the culture of jazz saxophone, has been playing that instrument only

since the Fifth Form. He plans to take his studies of it further.

Finally, since this is my last report, I should like, exceptionally, to thank the

several colleagues who have been King's Directors of Music over the last 30 or so years. ! understand that, at one time ? well before my arrival here and certainly long before my association with the Jazz Club ? the kind of music that the Club performs was considered by 'the establishment' as being something that bordered on the subversive (somewhat akin, I should guess, to how 'rap' or 'punk rock' might be regarded now). The boys (for boys it then was) interested in playing jazz were therefore forced to find some Member of the Common Room not in the Music Department to act as their

patron and mentor. In the years before my joining the School in 1976, until he left in 1980, classicist Mr. R.I. H. Gallop took on that rOle, running Jazz as a Thursday-afternoon Activity. The tradition thus established has been carried on by me over the last 25 years and one of the possibly fortuitous, but nevertheless most advantageous, consequences of this situation has been that because the Master i/c (though, granted, a jazz enthusiast) has been non-musical, he has, throughout this long period, been just physically incapable of interfering musically; as a result, all responsibility connected with selecting the repertoire and running the rehearsals for? and all the artistic input into ? the public concerts that the Club has presented have been provided by the pupils themselves. This has been very 'characterforming' for them and, to my mind, this pupil-centred aspect of the Club is a major reason that its public performances over the last 30+ years have been so appreciated by successive generations of parents. This arrangement does, though, require a considerable act of faith on the part of the King's Director of Music in post at any one time. It is therefore for this reason that I should like to record here thanks to the late Ed red Wright, Col. Paul Neville, Stephen Pinnock, Michael Harris, Stefan Anderson ? and, of course, Howard lonascu. In thanking these, I

hope that I also express my appreciation of the multitudinous music teachers who, over the years, have trained and honed Jazz-Club members, a gratifying number of whom have always been the School's top Music Scholars. Without such support, the Jazz Club could not function. Technical and 'front-of-house' support is also vital for the Club's activities. For sound and lighting in the past I thank a legion of loyal OKS, who used to return year after year, as well as my former colleagues the late Paul Wen ley, the late Martin Tennick, and Mr. John Evans. In recent years, the combination of Mr. Steve Bree and Astra Audio on the technical side, with Mr. Lee Rig!ey and Messrs Richard Cook and Robert Sanderson overseeing the programme printing, the ticket sales/adminitration and the front-of house management, has been a winning one, and I am very grateful to all of them. As I leave, I wish the Jazz Club well, under its new partnership of Ed Rex and Mr. John Parker. I shall certainly look forward to attending the Club's public performances in this and subsequent years ? and (a new experience for me) to enjoying them merely as an ordinary member of the audience, bereft of any responsibility.

R. B. Ma.

Opposite pogc- Sophie Middlt'ton and George Cililcott io 'The LarA

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The School Play This Au tum n term's King's Theatre production was The Lark, the story of Joan of Arc, as told by Jean Anouilh. Directed by Mr. Banfield, the play was given an exceptional performance by all involved. Joan herself was played by Emily Reilly, who fitted the role seamlessly, captivating the audience wholly, bringing some to tears in the intense denouement. The brutally harsh father, Daniel Gilmore, was as commanding as he was disturbing. His scene involving beating Joan for disobedience sent a visible chill through the audience. Robyn Ellis played the complex role of Joan's disapproving yet sympathetic mother. Robyn had to deal with the

Sweeney Todd Grange/Walpole Pl ay

dilemma of where her moral obligation lay, wi th daughter or husband? A hard-line church council, who sought to co ndemn Joan, was led by an apoplectic Vicky Chenery, who played the promoter with venom and cruelty to the end. The proceedings were presided over by a wonderfully aloof Henry Hird and kept in the balance for a while by a heroic George Bl essley who eventually sent Joan to her death on a burning pyre. Claudia Alder, Cauchon, gave a controlled and measured performance in her attempts to save Joan's unwilli ng soul. A foolish, and extremely comic King played by George Chilcott added a lighter element into the predominan tly deep and moving play, and had the audience bursting out in laughter every few seconds. Jon Hamway, who played the subtle comic role of, essentially, a dirty old man, was complemented perfectly by Ed Calloway's antics as the generic oafish guard. Enthralling lighting effects and a painstakingly constructed gothic set succeeded in immersing the audience in the Saint Mary's Hall into Joan's 15th Century France, building up to the incredible tech nical achievement of the denouemen t, where Joan was seen to be burnt at the stake for her sins. This yea r's theatrical talents proved themselves wo rthy of the challenge presen ted by The Lark, and made promises of a tru ly spectacular King's Week this Summer term. Henry Lodge (GR)

This adaptation of Blank's Sweeney Todd, directed by Mrs Tennick, was an ambitious, hugely entertaining prod uction. I say ambitious because of the fact that it is a musical and therefore the cast not only had to act but master the songs also, wh ich they all managed with ease. Dom Collingwood pl ayed the lead role brilliantly, bringing out all of the evils and eccen trici ties of Sweeny's character very impressively. The play showcased not only his abili ties for acting but his equally remarkable vo ice too. Florence Nai rae showed her potentia l as an actress as Mr Todd's apprentice, Tobias Stoutheart. The innocence and sweetness she gave to her role co ntrasted with the outrig ht wickedness of the antagonist. Mrs Lovett, the pie maker and apprentice to Mr. Tod d's cri mes, was pl ayed by El ena Ru thvenwho acted wi th confidence and ability. Some of the surprises of the play came in the supporting actors. Christian

Klapp proved himself to be a great co mic actor as Angelo the pie maker's assistant, and I'm sure all of the audience was equa lly amazed by what a great Ita lian accent he ca n pull off. Mohammed Abdalla and Nicola Kent also stood out as the Amazing Alonso and, bizarrely, Queen Victo ria. Great potential was shown by the you nger actors such as Alexander Gilmore, Fred Roberts and Thomas Scurr who was simply indispensable as the ' hound Orlando. A mention must also be given to the teachers who acted in the play, namely Mr Wood, Mr Dath, Mr Hermes and Mr Chaundy. The time and effort that they gave to the play was not wasted, as they all pulled off t heir parts very well indeed. All t hose that wo rked behind the scenes need to be given credit for their efforts, especially the stage managers, Gigi Barker and Catherine Gabriel, as the play was performed with no hitches on both nights. All in all, Mrs Tennick and Mr Miles should be very proud of what really was a most remarkable "shock and roll show': Steven McGoldrick (GR)

Fred Roberts. PJC and Christian Klopp in 'Sweeney Todd'

The Government Inspector Linacre/Luxmoore House Pl ay House plays require brevity, pace and, in most cases, comedy, to be successful. The Government Inspector qualifies on all three co unts, especially when it is has been cut with the skilful pencil of Miss Ell ener. A masterpiece of satire and Gogol's best comedy, it is a difficult but rewarding play to perform. The central character, Hlestakov, has to be arrogant and self-important, the mayor and town officials unashamedly corrupt, and the mayor's wife and daughter vain and conceited. And the lines need to be delivered briskly. Circumstances were against the cast: Linacre and Luxmoore had lost some of their best actors to Theatre Studies exams; they had just three weeks to rehearse; and they suffered interruptions from Tears for Afri ca and numerous other events that always impinge on drama time.

Mr. Lyons had told me the Saturday performance was disappointing, particularly because of lines, so I had mixed feelings as the introductory Prokofiev ended and Charlie Lyons took the floor as the Mayor. But he is a natural actor with commanding, confident presence on stage and a good f eel for the text. And Will Chilcott certainly showed much of the talent already seen in his brother, and was also co nfident in his role, playing the pompous Judge with his pipe, tweed clothing and stockings with relish. Jossie Clayton is an experienced hand. She spoke her lines clearly and was particularly strong in the bribery scene with Hlestakov. My feelings were now no longer mixed. Mr Lyons knew exactly what he was doing in casting Jared Solmssen and Wil l Iron to play Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky; they were constantly excited and animated, an d delivered the lines with na'lve and idiotic charm, like a pair of merecats. The Mayor's wife, Anna, and daughter, Marya (Oienka Hamilton and Kiri Barker respectively), were well chosen too. Olenka exaggerated the proud battleaxe role to good comic effect and

Kiri expressed Marya's humorously vai n and spoilt but essentially innocent nature. Nick Balmforth is a true comedian. He delivered the part of Hlestakov superbly, with all its insouciant arrogance. He was well supported by Leo Maclehose as Yosif, who naturally fitted the role of disaffected servant, especially where he smooth-talked the mayor for money. The nervous wreck of th e School Superintendent was well portrayed by Lucy Leigh-Pemberton, particularly in the bribery scene with Hlestakov, when she fumbled her cigar. And who says the smaller roles cannot leave a lasting impact? Lola Soyode and Anna Broxup and, so I have heard, Pamela Gent, blew Hlestakov's pride away with their roles as old, loud and cockney fishermen's wives. Joanna Moncreiffe was solid in two different roles; Bill Hamilton demonstrated the Police Superintendent's hard but humorous quali ti es well ; Henry Hird gave a very funny piece of grumpy servant si mplicity; the merchants (Walter Miles, James Kent and Alex Holt) were good at showing their suffering under the mayor and the pl ay was topped by Jonathan Ross's and, so I'm told, Fazz Akoi's hilarious en trance as the

beautifully dressed gendarme, revealing the horror to the characters of the real Inspector having arrived. The performance overall was very engaging, and impressive, given its length - an hour and a half- and the number of lines. These were certainly not perfect, and those not speaking were sometimes not in role, but I had no doubt of the skill of the actors and believe that with a few more weeks Mr. lyons would have made it a truly excellent production. So it was a good showing of a difficult play, which all of the actors clearly enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing the impact Nick Balmforth, Charlie lyons and others make on the school stage in future.

House Song Competition 2004 This year's House Song Competition proved to be as exciting and varied as its predecessors and, indeed, when the adjudicator Mr Mark Williams of St Paul's Cathedral School was asked to describe the evening in one word he chose 'exhilarating: The school was treated to many varied genres of music, from Oasis to the Beach Boys and Keane, to a song from the Jungle Book. Walpole's rendition of I'm Giving you Everything, proved to be particularly impressive due to their use of percussion and the broad range of dynamics employed. Both Marlowe with Stand by Me and Tradescant with Yeffow Lemmon Tree, exemplified the enthusiasm and sense of fun that prevailed throughout the evening and which allowed certain houses to compensate for any lack of vocal dexterity. Jervis' performance of In This Kiss, proved to be particularly memorable due to the way in which they employed humorous mime for the duration of their piece and in so doing reflected the lyrics of their song; managing to hug, kiss and even sway whilst simultaneously singing. Both luxmoore, with their rendition of True Colours, and Meister Omers with Keane's I Don't Know your Face No More, were particular noticeable due to their effective use of harmony. luxmoore's performance was rich, feminine and pleasant on the ear, whilst Meister Omers made particular use of their wide range of voices when singing in harmony. It was clear as soon as Galpin's began their performance that it was going to be special. Their use of a four-part harmony was particularly effective, yet it was the

richness of the boys' individual voices that was most impressive and enabled them to pass as a choir rather than a group of boys singing. Similarly Broughton and Bailey were equally impressive and enthusiastic, and wholeheartedly deserving of second place. Mention should also be made of Mitchinson's who made good use of dynamics and the range of voices they had available to them in their rendition of Total Ectipse of' the Heart. The sound that they produced was rich and their performance convincing. The Grange produced an equally rich tone when performing Wonderwaff, although the conducting could have been more convincing. The most humorous performance of the evening was undoubtedly the Purples' performance of I wannabe like you, from the Jungle Book. Although degenerating into farce when two giant gorillas invaded the Shirley Hall, their performance was definitely memorable whilst their barrage of sweets and bananas was certainly well received by all present. The best performance of the evening was, however, provided by The King's Men, whose close harmony rendition of If There's Some Body, was quite simply outstanding and it is not possible to do justice to it in the space of only a few lines of a review. Not only were their individual voices highly impressive, but their stage presence was immense and created in part by the air of self-confidence that they exuded. Self-confidence was certainly a key facet in deciding the winner of the competition; especially considering that a number of the performances were of an exceptionally high standard. Mr Williams had 'lots of things to say', and it would have been 'become very boring to go through them all.' Notwithstanding his initial comments, he felt that the house most deserving of the cup was Galpins on account of their 'exceptional ability, poise and elegance'. The school was then treated to a rendition of their piece to rapturous applause. This was certainly a fitting testament to Mr Brodie in his last year as housemaster. Results [1] Galpins [2] Broughton/Bailey [3] Mitchinson's Commendations: Walpole and Meister Omers Joshua Sutton (MO)

Wind Band Concert The Wind Band concert provided a first outing for a group that changes considerably with each academic year. The current group includes many Shells, as well as a good deal of pupils playing a second instrument. Since the Wind Band's reincarnation, last year, the repertoire has become more jazzy and includes several big band classics, as well as an increasing number of latin American tunes. The concert opened with a selection from the musical Grease and featured solos from Rose Wilson-Haffenden (WL), Kitty Synge (JR) and Emma Newton (MR). A favourite from last year's King's Week followed, in the form of Puttin' on the Ritz, with some great playing by the very large and impressive trombone section, led by Tom Marnham (GR). Rose Wilson Haffenden returned with an admirable attempt at the fiendish flute solo in Can't Take My Eyes Off You, which was followed by a classic American fanfare arrangement, Star of Dreams. The percussion section were both solid and exciting in our rendition of Barry Manilow's Copacabana and the concert's finished with Bird/and, featuring some very exciting drumming by Ollie Ford (SH). Thanks to Miss Jacobs and Mr. Pollock for their help with the percussion section, and to the senior wind and brass players for their help 'bumping' the sections. WMB

Christmas Concert 2004 The major musical ensembles of King's combined to present a varied concert including established masterpieces as well as traditional seasonal fare. The Symphony Orchestra began with a stirring rendition of Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, and was succeeded by the first carol of the evening with audience participation - 0 come, all ye faithful. More vocal music followed, including a polished performance by the King's Men which lightened the mood in time for an animated performance of Tchaikovsky's Capriccio ltalien, the racing finale being especially thrilling. The mood took a markedly festive turn after the interval, with such Christmas classics as Sleigh Ride by leroy Anderson, Irving Berlin's immortal White Christmas, and Winter Wonderland performed by the King's Swingers. The concert ended with a rousing We wish you a Merry Christmas. Kate Roberts

Tears for Africa This year, Dubi and Chu Chu Aj ukwu, along with John Agbaje decided that it was their turn to do something in aid of the poverty in Nigeria. Together they wrote letters, used contacts and ca me up with the idea of organisi ng a charity show called 'Tea rs for Africa~ The show wou ld raise money to fund two charities - St. Mary's Rehabilitation Centre and The Children's Development Centre. They held auditions and slowly built up what was to be an outstanding charity show. Th ey invited a professional magicia n and organised a raffle draw and silent aucti on. On 29th Janu ary, Dubi, Chu Chu and John had picked and rehearsed the schools' finest dancers and musicians and were ready to open the doors of the Shirley Hall to a sizeab le audience. The show began with a trou pe of professional Nigerian dancers who entertained the aud ience with their delightfu l music and dancing. Then we all enjoyed a dance choreogra ph ed by the girls who shook and twisted to the music of Destiny's Child. Th e climax of the show came when the boys danced to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. Nowa lmasekha did a great job leading this dance and imitating th e moves of Michael Jackson. The King's Swingers, led

by Harriet Jones, displayed utter talent as they sang two beauti ful songs, adding to the atmosphere. A South Ameri can spice was added by Francisco Lewis, Alex Blessley and Za in Rahimtula, who played a Peruvian song. Tears for Afri ca made people more aware of poverty, not just in Nigeria, but everywhere in the world, and the organisers conveyed th is successfully with little outside help and this is what made the concert such a success. Adnan Bashir (TR)

Meister Omers Festal Flourish Festal Flourish was the name, rich in association (initially lost on me), given to M .O~s Evening of Music & Drama. The venue was Saint Augustine's Refectory, allegedly the cou ntry's oldest dining hall in contin uous use, a timber-roofed medieva l banqueting hall benignly frowned over by portraits of various missionary dignitaries still hanging from it noble walls. The atmosphere was fitting to the intimacy of th e occasion and appropriate to the numerous historical allusions in store. One day perhaps the portraits of Mrs Tennick and Mr Miles, whose last joint prod uction this was, will hang here too. They wo uld deserve it. Does anyone realise how many teacher hours go into such productions, and how

much dedication? Forsan et haec... These days, a single-house event, unblessed with members of the opposite gender, is a rarity. One potential consequence of going it alone, the halving of the available tal ent pool, apparently mattered little to Meister Omers - a talented and self-sufficient House. Meanwhile relative outsiders like myself relished the opportunity to sample the House's atmosph ere: ca lm, cooperative and congenial. Mr Miles introduced the evening, using wo rds like 'serendipitous' and 'gallimaufry' [sic). The tension mounted ... The show began with the House Song arranged and con ducted by Tristan Hambleton, truly mellifluous, involving not on ly real harmonies, but also a drum accompaniment - quite extraordinaryand so few house members conspicuously prompted to mime. Indeed, the only detectable flaw was in the dry-cleaning of one or two school jackets... Next, Joe Bao played two movements from Bach's E minor toccata with a poise and grace that belied the music's complexity. Th is is clea rly music th at Joe understands and loves, and he com municated this to us, setting the tone for the evening's first theatrical piece, a serious look at war created by the cast. The piece was beautifully lit and well acted, evoking the horror and futility of military co nflict. Based in the trenches of the First World

Spanish contingent, proving beyond doubt, and not for the first time on this excellent evening, how much better it is for festal ways to flourish, rather than those of conflict. TJA

Broughton/Bailey/ Tradescant House Play

War, and with an ending reworked for the Refectory since its original outing in the House Drama Competition, it was very moving. Continuing with the war, or rather antiwar theme (is Mr Miles perhaps after all a child of the sixties?) we were next treated to the first performance of a piece of music War Game, specially co mposed by Mr. Stephen Matthews, setting a very well written and harrowing poem on death in the trenches by Francis Brown, a Meister Omers Remove. The music was excellent, combini ng the best of the styles of Wa lton and Britten, with complex rhythms to accompany the reading of the text, and expertly orchestrated for a 10 piece band; it created a haunting, doom-laden atmosphere, punctuated by percussion imitating artillery and gunshot. Mr. Matthews is very much to be admired for producing a piece technically playable by amateur musicians which nonetheless sounds entirely professional in its seriousness. Light relief might have been expected from the next pi ece, perhaps a portrayal of the dashing romantic side of conflict, in the acting out of the duel scene from Cyrano de Bergerac to a reading of the poem in French. Yet, stylish though it was, the grim determination in the fencing, the numerous near misses, and the palpable aggression, pivoted between the seriousness of earlier items and the more light-hearted nature of the remainder of the programme. This began with a boater, bow-tie and cummerbund wearing barbershop quartet, looking and sounding the ultimately rosyfaced, butter-wouldn't -melt-in-theirmouth public schoolboys as they performed the WhiffenpoofSong, Slow Motion Time and George Jones, comp lete with apposite actions. The next offering inspired by the multi-talented Miles/Tennick partnership was a rendition

osite page - M.O. Festal Flourish

of Flannan Isle, read dramatically by a group of Removes and Shells, the spooky atmosphere enhanced once more by the dramatic lighting. Continuing the sea theme next came a hilarious Fifth Form enactment of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter, involving yellow anoraks, a much revolved about human lighthouse, a wicked villain, a cross-dressing (drag) lighthouse-keeper's wife and daughter, melod ramatic sound effects and hammed up acting. Tremendous music hall fun! The scene was transformed again by the stunningly efficient stage team, not least amongst the evening's heroes, and soon the house band was playing, with syncopation and some distinguished solos, Tip Top and Metal Merchant. This was not, as one might have feared from the titles, so much pastiche heavy metal as tin pan alley in contemporary guise a pleasant interlude. After this came a hilarious reworking of a well known play based on school life. Art imitating life or vice versa? Joshua Sutton was excellent in his schoolmasterly role, pompous, histrionic yet engaging as he transformed the classroom into a maison de passe, co mplete with a tro userless young man and bosomy lady of the night so that that the class would be able to practise their subjunctives and conditionals- only to be interrupted by the headmaster. The cast created a great 'Carry On' atmosphere from which more serious social satire was not, perhaps, absent. The evening ended with a true flourish as the final song, Drake Goes West, encouraged us to set sail westward to fight the enemy on the Spanish Main rousing Boys' Own/public school stuff with added spice for those (i.e. everyone) aware of the M.O. housemaster's academic persuasions. The dignity of modernity was, however preserved as, spiri ts raised, the audience actually did go West, in order to demolish copious quantities of sangria and tapas, generously provided by the resident

It is often said that the main purpose of theatre is to provide a forum in which to 'educate and entertain: Broughton, Bailey's and Tradescent's production of John Godber's Teechers certain ly realised such criterion in an admirable fashion. The play, set in a local comprehensive school where a mere '14% get four GCSEs; is essentially a comedy yet touches upon some very real and important issues none more so than the disparity in education offered to children in this country and whether parents should 'have the right to choose their children's education; and whether their choice should be restricted by 'catchment areas: The stereotypical characters in the play were portrayed wonderfu lly by the cast; none more so than the typical troublemaking lay about Oggy Moxon (Daniel Schwarz).who we are informed is 'hard as nails, hard as toe-capped boots; and even as hard as 'calculus: Schwarz mastered the role of the disaffected ill-mannered schoolboy perfectly; the immense physicality with which he played the role not only demonstrated the physical aggressiveness of the individual; it also gave a tremendous sense of the frustration contained wi thin him. Most of the narrative was provided equally well by three of the children who portrayed three average, somewhat disaffected yet at all times well-humoured teenagers affably. Other performances of note were provided by William Jennings as Mr .. . an authoritarian though essentially unhappy master who reveals that his children attend the local grammar school rather than the one he teaches in; for he would never con template sending his children to such an institution. The play was particularly interesting due to the original and varied staging techniques that were used. Interesting and effective use was made of tab leau and mime wh ilst raucous classroom scenes and melodramatic reactions where presented convincingly, appearing neither

contrived nor unrealistic. Furthermore the audience was treat ed to cameos by Miss Taylor and Miss Reidy, who we were told, teaches Spanish and PSHE and resultantly has 'sex, drugs and rock and roll ... all covered~

Tradescant/ Broughton House Concert Sunday 6 March 2005

Perhaps the most enjoyable and indeed the most cleverly produced parts of th e play was when the cast were on stage 'ensemble~ They lent themselves well to all the various scenarios in which they found themselves from a school disco to a chapel choir and it was in fact such scenes that made the production. Furthermore, the preva iling sentiment in the production was one of enjoyment and nowhere was this attitude displayed better than at the beginning of the play, fooling around on their last day of school. Special congratulations must go to Miss Ellener who directed and produced the play as well as the cast and all members of the stage crew and box office. Not only was the play thoroughly enjoyable; it also demonstrated the quality and indeed quantity of talent apparent at King's and which should produce many more interesting, varied and hopefully challenging future productions. Joshua Sut ton (MO) Below and rigllt- Broughton/Bailey/rradescant House Play - Teechers'

I always appreciate the informal and very much pupil-led atmosphere of the Trad/ Broughton concerts. This year's programme was, as ever, an eclectic mix of the old and the new, ably and wittily compered by Arabella Willing and Geo rge Chilcott, whose groan- worthy puns introducing the items were right up my street! We had no less than five pianists with Prudence Wong and Eleanor Cunningham both giving sensitive and reflective performances of a Fau re Romance and Sen neville's Pour Adeline respectively while Jenna Sung ably captured the Spanish vigour and rhythmic panache of Turina's Sacra Monte. Alex Maisel fl ew the flag for Tradescant in his committed and clear playing of I Giornie by Einaudi. Among the instrumental items there was also much variety. A short but sweett oned trumpet solo from Max Darke preceded William Jennings' Reverie by Debussy which showed vivid dynamic contrasts and good control of long melodic lines. Marie Kang held the stage confidently in an unaccompanied Bach

work for solo violin, with a ma turi ty of sound beyond her years, while at the other end of the age-spectrum Land ey Patton coaxed some warmly lyri cal and nostalgic sounds from hi s 'cello in Popper's Happy Recollections. Reinecke's

Cornick singing Maybe I'm Amazed by McCartney with strong tone and clear diction with Jenna Sung arranging the piano accompaniment in an imaginatively original way. Alicia Swannell and Katherine Harvey-Kelly handled convincingly t he t wo-part textures of Clapto n's Wonderful Tonight as did simil arly a small Broug hton ensemble in the three-part Scarborough Fair. A mixed ch oi r from both the Houses tackled the comp lex harmonies of an arrangement of Summertime mostly successfully, the voices blending well. A rarity in any House Concert is a performance of a student's own composit ion. Landey Patton organized the first performa nce of his own piece for string orchestra, pu nningly ent itled Naturally Intended. I was called in to conduct at the last minute to ensure th ings ran more smooth ly which they ind eed did despite the odd slip, th e aud ience very much enj oying and appreciating the shi ft in g textures and refreshingly mild diatonic dissonance of this imaginative, minimalist work. The concert, framed with t wo lively songs from the Broughton girls en masse, at just under an hour and a half was the perfect leng th, and praise must go to Landey Patton and Alicia Swannel l for their ski ll fu l production of the evening's enterta inment.

Sixth Form Talks

Ballade fo r flute gave an opportunity for Alicia Swannell to display her virtuosity in the fast passage work as well as her command of th e longer line providing a fitting penultimate item. Violin duettists, Lu cy Cronin and Phoebe Thirlwell, gave a moving and most expressive perform ance, with we ll-judged rubato, of two short Shostakovich pieces, Prelude and Waltz. Our Gap yea r stud ent, Stratos Laskarides, enthusiastical ly showed off his guitar and vocal skills in two items and mention must also be made of the secu re keyboard accompaniment from Dusty Stevens in several of the pop numbers. A number of song s gave an opportuni ty for other members to shine, notably Rosie

Top- Ed Callaway Left - Emma Findlay

Over the course of this term, a large number of sixth formers have been fo rtu nate enough to hear three fantastic speakers ta lk at King 's. The term started with Roger Elgood and his impeccably behaved guide dog, providing us all with an "Insight into Bli ndness". Roger used to be a head mast er of a well-known public school, before he suddenly lost his sight just ove r twenty years ago. As a speaker, he was very easy t o listen t o, with his great sense of hu mour capturing the audience's attent ion immediately. We we re all f ascin ated by his experiences, and every one of us learnt a great deal about what it is li ke to be blind, becom ing aware of the many difficulties there are in everyday lif e. He to ld us about th e fa ili ngs of socia l services when he discovered that he was going blind and ways in wh ich peopl e can be helped by others. His talk covered some seri ous issues, not least society's fear of blindn ess, with wit and humour. Roger brought a wide se lection of props with hi m, which we were all able to look at and hold afterwards. These includ ed a Brai ll e book, and a typewriter, as well as a who le host of other ingenious gadgets intend ed t o aid the blind, such as a

Braille alarm clock. He highlighted, however, that although such items are incredibly useful, they are of little use if they are too expensive for the majority to afford.

The second talk provided a great contrast, when Professor Robin Wilson from The Open University, explored the

mathematics in Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland. Everyone present, including staff, were spellbound by his seemingly inexplicable puzzles and tricks, until it

was later discovered two members of the audience had been briefed beforehand and were secretly helping him. Professor Wilson highlighted many areas of Alice In Wonderland with mathematical aspects in them, and told us many stories about

the life of its author. Lewis Carroll was a very gifted mathematician as well as an author, and one way he used to amuse himself was to make up some pretty complicated problems, and then try and solve these without the use of a pen and paper. He would then go to sleep for the night before writing any of this down. The talk was both highly informative and enjoyable, even inspiring some of us to read one of our favourite childhood stories once more. The final talk of the term was given by Alastair Lee, entitled "The Essence of Life". Alastair is a young photographer, and is also a keen climber. He is fortunate to be able to combine both hobbies in his career, which involves taking photos all over the world for his exhibitions and books. Alastair explained many aspects of his climbing hobby, and with the help of his own photography and video footage, gave us glimpses of what it was like to climb some of the hardest rocks and mountains in the world. We saw him

attempt a mountain in freezing conditions in Bolivia, climbing in the darkness of the night, and felt the pain he suffered when he had to turn back due to the cold hurting his fiancee's feet. His hardest challenge, however, was to cl"1mb what looked like a relatively normal and easy rock near his home town in Yorkshire, yet we saw Alastair attempting this hundreds of times with no success. Finally, and to the joy of all who were watching, he succeeded. The whole evening was very light-hearted and amusing, and the audience were spellbound by a man who loved his career and took joy in sharing a few of its highlights with those listening. A final slideshow allowed us to see a whole host of other photos taken by Alastair over the years, showing us breathtaking and unimaginable sights from all over the world. We have been very lucky to have such a wide range of speakers visiting King's this term, broadening our knowledge and increasing our awareness of many topics. Thank you to all those involved in organising such a line up: they have all been greatly appreciated. Thank you also to the three speakers for sharing their experiences and wisdoms with us all. Julia Bird (HH)

Venice: a city submerged in art and history On Monday 15th November, King's welcomed John Hall, a former English teacher at the school, to speak to the history of art students about Venice and

the masterpieces and history of the city. With much experience in Italy, especially in Venice through his pre-university programme, John Hall introduced this amazing city with some interesting facts and beautiful images of the buildings and bridges spanning the stretches of water. The city of Venice is divided up into sestieri to distinguish the different districts, all separated by the water that weaves its way among the buildings in a series of winding rivers. Venice is a virtually untouchable city due to its perilous location, and this is reflected in its architecture, as the Venetian buildings did not need fortification to protect itself from invaders. The paintings in Venice are entirely different from any others, as they were all designed in order to suit a floating city prone to rising water levels. The painter Titian's solution was to paint on canvas that was then attached to the wall, instead of painting directly onto the surface in fresco, as was the tradition in the rest of Renaissance Italy. Venice is an exceptional city, founded on a group of islands in the lagoon. The buildings are very old, and have suiVived remarkably well, withstanding tough conditions. The Piazza of St. Mark's remains one of the most beautiful squares in the city, the fa~ade of the church combining with the architecture of the library building opposite to create a serene atmosphere in the busy square. John Hall gave an inspiring lecture on the city and the beautiful photographs he showed us only represented a small part of the huge collection of art that is to be discovered in Venice. Olivia Nairn (BY)

Opposite poge -Linacre Clwrity Ja;:z Evcnin

Sport (Autumn) Rugby School XV Albertan Prelude This year's training ca mp was in Canada. After a day and a halfs preparation at school, we flew to Calgary, where we stayed for six days in the leafy and expansive campus of the university, training in high temperatures in preparation for the games to follow. Our match programme was very demanding four games in seven days - but we more than coped and we were delighted with the results. Every member of the 26 man squad played in every game and all made a contribution. All that we had practised in training was fully utilised in the matches and we were able to not only be successful but also t o play very positive rugby - we hardly kicked for touch at all. The venues were often attractive and although our opponents were generally quite big, they could not match us for speed, skill or fitness. Results v Calgary Irish U18 v Calgary Presidents'

Won 77-0 ~

Won 48 - 0

v Red Deer Titans U18

Won 71 - 7

v St. Albert U18

Won 43- 0

The season proper

Given that the Canada tour party had been short of six players who were likely to be contenders for selection for the 1st ~. the trip had revealed that we had considerable depth to the squad (in the light of which the performances of t he 2nd XV over the season were not surprising). We realised, of course, that the standard of our opposition had been way below that which the 1st XV were to encounter in our season proper but nonetheless the goal we set was a challenging one. We believed - quite rightly - that there was not one team that we were going to face in the course of the season that we cou ld not beat. We intended to take each game as it came, of co urse, but expectations we re high. In the event, we had a fairly good season and outscored our opponents in points and tries by t wo to one overall, but we had to endure a defeat or two too many and ultimately fell short of those lofty expectations. At tim es, we played so me very good rugby indeed and this gave us some com fortabl e wins at intervals th roughout the season. We hinted at our best in short spells during our earlier games. In our first match against Chislehurst and Sidcup (who went on to have a very successful season indeed on their circuit) we put in a ten-minute burst of fluent, attacking rugby in the seco nd half to take the game comfortably away from them. Later, against Haileybury, we again had a purple patch in the second half, when after some

softening up by the forwards, the backs found space and enjoyed themselves. We began confidently against Ken t College, who were physically no match for us and we revelled in the time and space we had. We also touched the heights in the first half against Duke of York's, when we were at times very good indeed. We had conceded a try in the first minute when they ran a loose kick back and scored under the posts but we responded by scoring 29 points unanswered before hal f time, the forwards playing with drive and quick ball from the tackle area giving the backs time and space. Two matches later, in our final match of th e season against Colfe's we probably played at our best, and in the style in which we played in Canada, when we threw off th e shackles and ran the ball from start to fin ish. We scored straight from the kick off and then at reg ular intervals throughout the game. The forwards ran powerfully and offloaded, the backs released the ball and utilised spa ce out wide, and we played with flu ency, at real pace. The team try of the season came midway through the seco nd half when Ben Cryer initiated a co unter attack from deep in his own half and the ball was transferred through six pairs of hands before Bill Hamilton touched down. In between there were oth er games, however, where we allowed ourselves to get co mpletely bogged down, even though we sometimes wo n. There was no doubt that the cohesion of our forwards

in the driving maul was a weapon in our armoury but we were guilty of overplaying this at times and we tended to play only in narrow channels. Forward power won us the close match against KCS Wimbledon in an error-strewn game in difficult conditions and we probably deserved the win, even though there was a touch of fortune with our winning score. This style also brought us the win at Eltham, though we made heavy weather of it and constantly fell foul of the referee. We also lost some close games. Luck undoubtedly played a part in our early loss to Eastbourne. We began superbly and from multi-phase play Calvin Lau raced over for a try before the home side had even touched the ball. Incredibly, second row Richard Everall immediately had to leave the field because it transpired that he had broken his wrist in the warm up! With only a prop as replacement, our lineout was severely disrupted. Despite this, the backs made huge inroads in the wider channels, but three long-range penalties in the second half were the difference between the two sides. The defeats at St. John's and Sevenoaks could be attributed in large part to the outstanding defence of the home teams and in the case of the former, to our sheer bad luck. Playing with the gale force wind in the first half, we had created opportunities but could not convert them. We defended extremely we!! against the wind but the game was taken away from us by virtue of the bizarre right-angled bounce of the ball which eluded three covering defenders and arrived in the path of a grateful winger. At Sevenoaks, on a grey day and a narrow pitch, we were drawn into a protracted maul and well though the home side defended in the second half, we made it easy for them by offering no threat in midfield and we conceded two really soft tries against the run of play. That was our worst performance of the season by some margin. It is fair to say that we were well beaten by two very good sides. In the first, we pi<Jyed a one-off fixture against St. Edward's Oxford. It was a superb game of rugby, perhaps the best of the season in terms of overall quality of play by both sides. "Teddy's" got off to a storming start and we hardly touched ball for ten minutes. We fell two tries behind but our forwards played exceptionally against a bigger pack, bringing us back into the game and scoring two tries from driving play. At 10-17 we pressed hard and the game could have gone either way, but we could not quite get the score we needed. A late try gave the score a more emphatic

look than was merited. The Tonbridge side which came to Birley's the following week were the best we faced, and indeed finished the season unbeaten. It was another high quality game. We began strongly and took the lead with a penalty; our forwards just had the edge over theirs, but their back line looked very potent every time they had the ball. They overhauled us and stayed in front to lead at half time. Just after the interval our forwards brought us back into the game with a classic effort to make the score 11 - 17 and, as the week before, at this stage the game might have gone either way Sadly our backs lost concentration in defence and a burst of two tries in as many minutes settled the issue. The strength of this King's side was undoubtedly in the forwards, even if there were occasions when we were drawn into using forward power, and the driving maul in particular, for its own sake instead of as a means to an end. Our scrummage was at times rampant and indeed if we had played to senior rules, we would have had several pushover tries -we would undoubtedly have won against Sevenoaks. As a unit, the front row was not bettered all season, even if the occasional individual opponent caused trouble. Ed Callaway and Ed Herbert were not only strong in the set piece but among the best ball players in the team; the former loved to pick and drive and the latter enjoyed his role as an auxiliary back rower. He deserved his selection for Kent. Tom Pritchard not only won a significant number of tight heads and lost none, but also worked tirelessly in the loose. We also had very able reserves in Jon Stevenson and Stavros Stratas, each of whom played well when in the side and either of whom would have been worth a place in their own right. Our !ineout was dominant in almost every game and it was rare that we were denied a try when we chose to catch and drive. We had significant riches in the second row. Hugh Davies and Richard Everall were both extremely unlucky to injure themselves early on and so were unable to stake their claim to their places until later in the term, when the combination of Will Martin and Raidev Akoi had established itself Each brought something different to our game. Hugh was supreme in the lineout, Richard gave us power and drive in the loose. Will gave us quality !ineout ball, good hands and a remarkable work rate; Raidev brought us unexpectedly good ball in the lineout, combined with pace and a physicality that was intimidating and hugely effective. At Number 8 Sam Hosking was quick across the ground, had good hands and played in a direct fashion, giving us a

target with the ball going forward. James Shilston on the open side was perhaps the most improved player from last season, adding sophistication to his defensive running lines, which complemented his explosive tackling and high work rate. His much improved handling in support was a huge bonus. Another who was very physical was the blindside flanker, Henry Synge. He enjoyed the close quarters work in the maul and had good enough hands when going forward to commit defenders and off-load in attack. When Henry played well, the side played welL The back line spluttered and tended to play as a set of individuals, rather than as a unit. We tended to have a collection of runners in midfield and an effective combination that moved the ball quickly and free our finishers out wide was elusive. The loss of Tom Boucher just before half term was a blow, for he would undoubtedly have become a key figure for us; his soft hands and ability to make space for others would have been priceless. At serum half, Jonny Watler played with total commitment and some of our best passages of play came when he chose the correct time to run and linked well with his forwards. Paul Dixey operated under constant pressure but showed himself to be a good reader of the game; he kicked well and when he was given time could bring the most out of those around him. Ed Stephens began the season as a very effective full back and then moved to the centre. He represented our main threat as a runner and was an uncompromising tackler and this brought him selection for Kent. Because of injury, Bill Hamilton had to wait for some time before he could take his chance but in the later games he ran strongly and caused problems to opposition defences. Andrew Laing partnered him, and he too was a strong runner, picking excellent lines at times and scoring some fine individual tries. His best position might have been on the wing, but we were well served there. Calvin Lau showed his best work in defence; he often came off his wing in timely fashion to make try-saving tackles. Olu Adeosun on the right wing was a revelation. Quick and elusive, he was a constant threat; his tries against Haileybury were a masterclass in wing play. His defence was also secure. Unfortunately we could not deliver the ball into his hands often enough. Ben Cryer, another county player, was injured for the first matches of the season and in truth was not as confident thereafter as he had been last year. Nonetheless, his pace was a weapon in our armoury that was under-utilised. As his form returned

Team {from): Olu Adeosun, Raidev Akoi*, Thomas Boucher, Hugh Davies, Edward Herbert* (Capt.), Ed ward Callawayâ&#x20AC;˘, Ben Cryer*, Paul Dixey, Ri chard Everall, William Hamilton, Samuel Hosking, Andrew Laing, Calvin Lau, William Martin, Tom Pritchard*, James Shilston*, Henry Synge*, Edward Stephens*, Jonathan Watler. Also Played: Luke Thorne, Rit chie Gardiner, Charles Harvey, Daniel Johnston, Stavros Stratas, Thomas Burley, Mikiya Morioka, Jonathan Stevenson â&#x20AC;˘ First Colours Results Played

Won

Lost

For

256

Against

134

v Chislehurst Et Sidcup GS (H) Won 23-0 v Eastbourne

(A) Lost 10- 19

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Won 11- 8

v St. John's

(A) Lost 9 - 10

v Haileybury

(H) Won 24- 7

v Kent College

(H) Won 53-0

v St. Edward's, Oxford (H) Lost 10- 22

-------

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 11 - 39

v Eltham College

(A) Won 10- 7

v Duke of York's RMS(H) Won 43 - 5 v Sevenoaks v Colfe's

I should also like to extend my thanks to Leon White, who co ntributed to the pre-

(H) Won 45-0

2nd XV

Paul Dixey

towards the end of the season he finished as top try scorer. Despite the occasional disappointing result, it was an enjoyable season. The team spirit was extremely good and their attitude has been exempl ary throughout. This was due in no small measure to the leadership shown by the captain, Ed Herbert, who led by personal example and had the strong and capable support of the vice-captain, Ben Cryer. I would like to thank them for all that they - and ind eed the others who leave us this year - have done fo r school rugby.

(A) Lost 7 - 17

----

season preparation but whose opportunities to assist with coachi ng the 1st XV were rather limited this season, due to work commitments, to Alastair McGilchrist, for helping on the tour and to all those members of staff who have taken teams this term. The work of the external coaches, Duncan, Danny, Tom and Rhys has also been greatly appreciated as have the contributions of the kitchens, the groundstaff, Alan Katcher and the matrons. Lastly, but by no means least, a big thank you to the parents for th eir valiant support. RCW

This has been an excellent season and I found the 2nd XV to be a highly enjoyable team to work with. Many of the games and specific moments within them will live long in the memory, due in the main to the attacking play they produced in the second half of the season, being both a pleasure to watch and hopefully fun to have been part of. Seeing 'Stevie' cutting angles of which Guscott would have been proud against Duke of York's, the magnificent support play of Dan J that day and Luke realising he does have more speed in his legs than he thought. Watching Tunji, Marcus and Opposite page - Esmond Brown with the ball

Charlie combine to cut a confident Sevenoaks to shreds, Ryan scoring more tries than a back row man should be entitled to, Va l's Am ir Khan impression past St. John's, Hugh's bullying of opposition lineouts, Man-Su on the cha rge against Wimbledon, Ang us's finishing against Haileybury and Oli's and St. John's and Fred turn ing into th e new Jona Lumu ! I'll smile when recalling Stav's magical powers of recovery from injury and Sweat's "I can't see sir" at least once a match, Harry's outstanding fullback display at Eltham, Tom Q giving his opposite man at St. John's a torrid time, Bill leading th e defensive rearguard against Haileybury, Tom B's brilliant try against Wimbledon and the looks on Rich G and Leo's faces when I asked th em what they thought of a certain referee. Notable contributions also cam e from Danny S, Harry L, Bernie, Mickey, all of whom in other years would have played every week.

Results

Th e team were loyally supported by a group of keen and knowledgeable parents which was much appreciated. Th ank you to them and to my assistant Tom. Duncan Hine

v Sevenoaks

3rd XV

Team from : F. Jones (Capt.), T. Burley, H. Davies, M. Gwyer, W. Hamilton, M-S Han, C. Harvey, D. Johnston, A. Lawson, 0. Lyons, V. O'Donoghue, R. Noades, J. Stevenson, S. Stratas, G. Sweetman, L. Thorne, H. Woolner Also pl ayed: T. Boucher, E. Brown, B. Chiu, A. Davidson, R. Everall, R. Gardiner, T. Kemp, H. Lancaster, A. Laing, M. Morioka, T. Pedley, T. Quested, D. Schwarz

What a season! After a shaky start, we matured into a side that finished the term having played nine matches, winning three and drawing one. Having now spent two seasons in the 3rd XV, I feel that this year has seen more players with en thusiasm for the sport. There was a sense of enjoymen t during matches: people took part because they wanted to play rather than being coerced into it,

Played

Won

Lost

For

347

Against

116

----

v Eastbourne

(A) Lost 11 - 25

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Won 24- 12

v St. John's

(A) Won 15-10

v Haileybury

(H) Won 15-5

v St. Lawrence 1st (H) Won 41 - 0 v St. Edward's Oxford (H) Lost 0 - 21 v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 19 - 26

v Eltham

(A) Won 29 -7

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 92-0

v Colfe's

-----

(H) Won 49-3

----(H) Won 52- 7

and th is showed. After the ini tial chopping and changing of positions, we form ed a good team that remained alm ost unchanged for the rest of the season. Mention must be made of a number of players, who, for a variety of reasons, mad e this season an unforgettable one. Firstly, Sam Calvert who has the ability to run, in his own erratic style, through any number of opposition players. Sadly, he was unable to play for us in many matches. In the serum, and even though they felt that their effort sometimes went unnoticed, Chris Cork, Alex Sanne, Josh Hill and Sam Rudgard always worked hard, winning numerous set serums or ru cks. Mikiya Morioka, who played prop for us and the 2nd XV, has strength which continues to astound me. Duncan Morpeth, as our hooker, was perhaps unlucky not t o get a chance to play in higher teams; he has the knack of winning all the put-ins, the opposition's included! The question many of the referees asked themselves during our matches was, 'did he hook too early?' However, I never saw any evi dence to confirm this! Also in the serum and labouring hard were Dom Berry, Harry Wall, and Alex Blessley, all of whom co uld be relied upon to tackl e mercilessly, irrespective of what the weather had in store for us... At fly-half was the imposi ng figure of Max Stanley- not only did he kick many of our winning poin ts but he could also catch some of the dreadful passes wi th which I supplied him an d for that I am eternally grateful. Then onto the Ajukwu twi ns: they may look similar, but their skills at playing the

day. This task was left to the 'don' of rugby management, Mr McGilchrist. In the two aforementioned wins everything clicked. M r McGi lchrist has to be given a lot of credit for his dedication and perseverance to the team, even when we were not really in the mood! However I must say I feel a tremendous amount needs to be said for some of the individua l brilliance t hat hea ted up even the co ldest wi nter Saturday afternoons. I will start w ith the forwards and special mention must go to John Hamway, our occasiona l captain, whose w ill ingness to tackle 18-stone 'm eat heads', despite his relatively small frame provided a constant inspiration for the rest of us; Joh n unfortunately missed the slaying of Sevenoaks, the final reward for the season's efforts. Big mentions must also go to Ato Peterside and Stavros Stratas for their magnificent cameo ro les against Sevenoaks.

Tom Quested surges forward supported by Sam Rudgord

game are very different. Ndubi enjoyed a good moan when things weren't going too well, but he turned up for every match and showed us all how to sidestep effectively. Chuchu, less prone to whinging, proved to be a superb runner with the ball in hand. Another 3rd XV faithful was Bernard Chiu who, as always, rarely missed a tackle and fought his way th rough gaps to score. His only regret was his tend ency to develop cramp and having to enjoy the rest of some of our matches from the side-li ne! Final mention goes to Tom Kemp, Tom de Si lva and Landey Patton; the development of these players as the season progressed is com mendable. By the end of t he season, both Toms were playing with confidence and Landey showed real talent. I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the players: it was a pleasure to play with you all, and long may the 3rds conti nue to succeed. Thank you also to Mr. Oath and Mr. McGilchrist for all the expertise and time you put into coaching US.

Resu lts Played

---

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Against

16 5

----

v Eastbourne (A)

Lost 0 -24

v KCS Wimbledon (H)

Lost 5-1 9

v St John's Leatherhead (A)

Lost 7-43

v Haileybury (H)

lost 3-28

v Tonbridge (H)

Lost 8-10

v Eltham (A)

Won 14- 5

v Cranbrook (A)

Draw 10- 10

v Sevenoaks (H)

Won 14-10

v Whitgift (A)

Won 28-1 6

Esmond Brown

4th XV Team from: Esmond Brown (Captain). Chukwydifu Ajukwu, Ndubuisi Ajukwu, Dominic Berry, Alexander Blessley, Christop her Cork, Bernard Chiu, Thomas de Silva, Joshua Hill, Thomas Kemp, Duncan Morpeth, Mikiya Morioka, Landey Patton, Samuel Rudgard, Alexander Sanne, Max Stanley, Harry Wall. Also Played: George Edmondson, Michael Gold, Man-Suh Han, Charles Harvey, Christian Klapp, Henry Lancaster, Adetunji Lawson, Thomas McWilli ams, Bernard Ng, Ryan Noades, Thomas Quested, Sean Reardon, Andrew Swaffer, Joachim Wilcke.

The Captain's Report This term has provided a season of contrasting fortunes for the 4th XV. Despite the fact that we were worthy winners against the likes of Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, we also had to suffer the indignity of losing to Eastbourne among others. But what's the point of focusing on the bad points of what was a glittering season7 The talent was there in each team member; each of us just needed to be coaxed into producing our best on the

It was the Backs to whom the season really belonged, partly due to mediocrity, but mainly due to the joyous flowing rugby that we brought to Birleys; games were won and lost on their mood. Finally a big thank you to everybody that represented the 4th XV this season and who really helped to make the term so enjoyab le and rewarding. Patrick Holt (LN) The Coach's Report At the start of this te rm w e gained a la rge infl ux of 6bs. It is good to have an enthusiastic group of youngsters, but at the beginning of the seaso n we did pay for this enthusiasm with lack of mass and presence around the pitch, as well as experience and confidence to know what to do at the break down. As the term progressed, so more was gained for practice sessions and each match that we played helped ou r experience to grow massively. To get a 4th XV out every other weekend is no mean feat ; it gets harder as the term progresses. I would li ke to thank all of the peop le who stepped up to the mark, usually at the last minute; to fill a place on the wing, fly- ha lf, as a flanker or whereever was needed. Not on ly did these people allow matches to take place, they often increased the strength of t he side; this was the major reason for our first win over Tonbridge. Next year shou ld be a good yea r for rugby in the thirds and fourths, the 6bs will become Gas and there are plenty of t hem and we will gain a number of new 6bs; watch this space ... AMcG

Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Against

123

---

v Eastbourne

(A) Lost 0- 24

v Tonbridge

(A) Won 7- 5

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 39 - 0

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 5 - 45

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 34- 10

Colts A 2004 As with all first games at the beginning of a season, it takes time to adjust, to weld together and work as a t eam. We saw a crude version of the finished article with the team in the first match. There were a number of players on trial against Chis & Syd and despite phases of good running and handling skills, loose forward play and sol id set piece performances, the rugby lacked polish. However, it must be stated that a maj or contribution to this were the rolling substitutes which provided the opportunity for players to show their skills but which tended to unsettle any organisation and patterns of play. Despite this Will Fox showed real determination to score a try and Toby Pearce displayed real pace t o round his opposite number and score. A further try was added by Julian Lee playing at serum-half and three conversions and a penalty were contributed by Ri chard Griffiths. Twenty three players in all took the field, some showi ng promise and potential. A disappointing performance, in some respects, was witnessed against Eastbourne, but our loose forward play was heartening and rucking was a very positive aspect of our ru gby as we wo n enough ball to feed our backs. Unfortunately, we could not break th e Eastbourne defence or finish attacki ng moves. Toby Pearce scored a superb try when he intercepted a pass between outside centre and wing and run 75yards to score. Richard Griffiths co nverted. KCS were last yea rs Daily Mail semi-finalists and proved a 'tall order' on the field. Carrying the King's hall mark we played with spirit and end eavour but were again unable to establish any pattern and KCS were able to exploit our mistakes and therefore continually held the advantage. Our forwa rd play was again exemplary

and we were often more than a match for th ei r pack. Such dominance and pressure cou ld not be co nverted into points by our backs but KCS were never able to break our will, pride and teamwork which were co mmend able. Th e sa me can be sa id for th e game against St John's which was another display of true grit and teamwork. Play see-sawed between the 22m etre lines during the first quarter of the game before our forwards again beg an to domina te, particularly in loose play, Teddy Groves and Kevin Chiu often led the way and George Chilcott foraged and cleaned up any loose ball. St John's despite a more physical eight were guilty of errors and were punished by penalty kicks from Ri chard Griffiths who landed two before half-time. Frustrated in their efforts to breach our defence they provided a further penalty for Richard to claim and he ended a fine afternoon scoring all our points. Our back play had showed improvement and individual performances from Nowa lmasekha and James Loudon were extremely encouraging. The result of this match was not large in terms of the score but huge in terms of self belief and confidence where we succeeded against the odds through discipli ne, teamwork and tactics. Our euphoria was unfortunately short lived because at Haileybury we were 'still on the bus' for the first half of a lacklustre performance which was disheartening and disappointing. All facets of our play were below standard and we gave a poor account of ourselves against an averag e sid e. Occasional sparks were evident from the back row but performances were individ ual with little support play. Lawrence Hold ron was one of our most competitive and cou rageous players in the tackle, but unfortunately few followed his lead and 'lost the plot'. Th e half term lay-off and th e 7's competition mid - season offered no favours as we picked up t he odd niggling injury which meant the team was still not back to full strength. Against our old adversary Tonbridg e we had to 're-jig' and began playing in a fashion which wo uld yield few points and it was only when Tonbridge began to pressure our line did we 'get the wake-up call' and work our way back up-field and camp on their 22metre line for most of th e first half. Unfortunately, despite good possession from the pack we were unable to finish and paid the price when Tonbridge broke out and scored in the corner just before the end of the first half. For rest of the game we end eavoured to pl ay to our forward strength with Dom Collingwood and Teddy Groves driving forward in the loose, John Wu gave an excellent performance

in the front row, Fred Co lta rt relieved pressure at t he back of the seru m with his pick-up and drives and George Chilcott as ever was first to the breakdown. Harry Quested was secure at serum-ha lf and Richard Griffiths provided our only points wi th a penalty kick. However, ou r spi rit went undiminished and in many areas we could feel pleased by our performance. The reverse was true of our game against Chis & Syd when we experi enced great difficulty in winning our own set -p iece ball, simple errors of handling and passing, weak defence, too many penalties and the inability to make correct tactical decisions, led t o defeat. However, it must be said that again the pack played magnificently, rucking the opposition 'off the park' and there were some notable performances from individua l players. Behind the serum Roti Williams ti med and execu ted a tackle on his opposite number which was text book in method and frightening in ferocity. Nowa lmasekha at full-back clea ned up any loose ball which came his way and dodged and weaved his way back across the gain line. Following a ruck on the Chis & Syd 22 the ball was move wide and his perfect entry into the backline resu lted in an excellent score. Richard Griffiths kicked two penalties. Another swing of the pendulum and we put Dukies to the sword, ( albeit metaphori cally). Again the pack dominated the loose encounters and provided a solid platform from which to play attacking rugby. However, it was the ball won at lineout and serum which allowed time and creat ivi ty for our backs. Numerous assaults were waged against the Dukies line with forwards and backs combining to score. Nowa lmasekha who was outstanding at full-back scoring a hat-trick, and both wings Andrew Clark and Fred Roberts scored maiden tries Andrew was later to claim a seco nd. Dan Hurley performed a pivotal role at outside-half and made his own contribution of 6 points with his kicking. Roti Williams played a mature game at cent re with excellen tly timed and weighted passes t o his wings and also crossed the line himself. The flankers George Chilcott and Kevin Chiu were outstanding. Credit also to Matthew Wells for the accuracy of his lineout throws and securing the ball in the front row and to the engine room of the serum Will Fox and Teddy Groves. We also enjoyed the support of 'B' players who came on as substitutes, the pick being Alex Hatt at No 8, who made a sound con tri bution, Ollie Bristow on the wing added a try and Lawrence Holdron at seru m-half was impressive. Will Fox who had been steady and methodical all season found the 'fire in his belly' and

with correct body angles gave a superb performance in the drive at ruck and maul, scoring two excellent tries against Sevenoaks. For the first ten minutes of the game we were slow in response to the Oak's challenges by failing to absorb early pressure, close down the defence and retain possession. Two early scores against was a 'body blow' but using the strength of our pack we executed the things we were good at and in classic style began to drive the opposi tion off the ball in all areas of the field. Through second and third phase possession we were able to gain good field position from which to launch attacks on a narrow pitch. A few early chances were squandered but it was pleasing to again recognise some good individual performances. Roti Willia,.;,s again showed good defensive skills at centre, Harry Quested streng th at serum-half and Dan Hurley kicking accuracy at No 10. Teddy Groves, Kevin Chiu and George Chilcott again stood out in terms of commitment and work rate. Dom Collingwood, who has played unflinchingly at tight-head prop, has led from the 'front' all season. Against the 'Oaks' he was disgusted when his first touch-down over the line was disallowed, but gave a repeat performance few minutes later ( aid ed by Will Fox ) to be awarded the score. Richard Griffiths coming off the bench to impress, No 8 and kicked two conversions. The game was the penultimate match of the season and an illustration of commitment, teamwork and tactics. This was carried forward to our late fixture against John Fisher School, Daily Mail cup finalists earlier in the year. One could only gasp at the quality of the play and a magnificent game on which to finish. Every scrap of possession was hard fought and no quarter given. We stuck to a ri gid game plan and through discipline, courage and endeavour stayed level at one try apiece until the dying seconds when our opponents crossed the line. However, we had given a good account of ourselves against worthy opponen ts and left the field in the knowledge that we had climbed a long way up the learning curve. In concl usion I wou ld like to thank our Captain ( Mr Motivato r )Dom in ic Collingwood for his excellent leadership, to Mr Danny Vaug han for his wisdom and expertise as assistant coach this season, Mr Tom Hill for his valuable contribution in coaching the 'B' Squad and providing such a solid base from which to develop new pl ayers and to Rev'd F Arvidsson for sheph erding the 'C' XV. Thanks also to Mr R Whi te for arranging the referees. Team (from) :Oliver Bristow, George Chilcott, Kevin Chiu, Andrew Clark, The Junior Colts Con the attack

Dominic Collingwood ( Capt.), Frederick Col tart, Will Fox, Richard Griffi ths, Ed ward Groves, Dan Hurley, Nowamaqgbe lmasekha, James Loudon, Leo Maclahose, Toby Pearce, Harry Quested, Fred Roberts, Soravit Vayako rnvichitir, Matthew Wells, Roti Williams, Justin Williams, Stephen Wong, John Wu, Results

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points

119

For

171

Points against

v Chiselhurst Et Sidcup GS (H) Won 24- 7 v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 7 - 36

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost

0 - 38

v St John's Leatherhead (H) Won 9- 7 v Haileybury

(A) Lost 0 - 32

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 3 - 25

v Chiselhurst Et Sidcup GS (H) Lost 11 - 14 v Duke of York's

(H) Won 46-0

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won

19- 12

Colts B XV The season started and finished on a high. In a fine first up performance against Eastbourne, the team showed a strong will to win and pride in their line.

However, the fo llowing week was a new game and a different looking side. Having lost fou r key players, the team was up against the odds playing a formidable opposition in the form of KCS. This was a game in which the team spen t the majority of the time defending and did so well but it was the wealth of possession the opposi tion had which proved our undoing. In the St. John's game we dominated the possession and territory but it was our poor handling and our inability to take our opportunities on attack which meant we suffered a narrow loss in a game that we should have won. On the back of this disappointment the team travelled to Haileybury and it wasn't until the second half that the players showed they had learnt their lessons from the previous week and went on to play so me excellent rugby. Tonbridge was always going to be the test of the season and it was a game that lived up to this billing. Injuries meant players playing out of position and it was only a try late in the game to Tonbridge that separated the teams in this close encoun ter. Unfortunately in the following two weeks neither of our opponents were able to field a team which mean t th ere was no match played until the fixture against Sevenoaks. At Sevenoaks the team defended well up the hill in the first half and went on to score some fine tries in the second from broken play, showing some great counter-attacking flare to run away with an easy win. The team took this form in to the final match of the season to produce an outstanding performance against John Fisher in which we dominated all aspects of play, capping a memorable season that saw t he players develop and gain experience. In the front row Oleg lgnatiev, Chris Heslop, John Wu and Matthew Wells formed a formidab le combination and Hen ri Neuendorf also took up the challenge and thrived. In the second row Matthew Price was a reliable performer and he was supported well by

Evan Jones and Val Adveenko. The loose forwa rds worked well as a unit with Alex Davies being a great scavenger of the ball and elusive with it in hand. Complementing this was the play of Leo MacLehose, who showed an exceptional abili ty to off-load the ball in co ntact and link well with th e backs. It was unfortunate when the team lost their inspirational captain Robert Watson to injury, as he was having a great seaso n but Alex Hatt took over the rei ns and was a powerful runner providing good forward ba ll from the back of the serum. Although Lawrence Hold ron sees himself as the next Tana Umaga playing in the centre, he was a superb serum-half who provided good service for his backline and was a ferocious tackler. From fly-half Thi baut Bertlin dictated the play and always pu t his body on the line for th e team. In the midfield Dan Hurley had a good eye for the gap and kicked well off his left foot. Outside him Ryan Phanphensophon showed all the skills and made so me huge bone crunching tackles and Alex Allen was a strong runner, often penetrating the opposition's defence. On the wings Tom Marnham had speed to burn and Ollie Bristow pushed the opposi tion aside with his strong fend off. Rupert Lee was dynamic and at fu llback quickly adapted to the role to become a strong counter-attacking player. Other valuable co ntributions were made from Jack Spencer, who could play in several positions, and Tristan Hambleton, who was a strong aggressive runner. Justin Williams was elusive on attack and Fred Thompson was a key playmaker who had the ability to pl ay at fly-half or in the ce ntre and was pivotal in the end of season success. Stephen Wong and Sain t Vayakornvichi tr also played, bringing power to the pack and provi ng explosive ball carriers around the field. Coaching the boys was a pl easure and amusing at times and I admire their relaxed approach to the game. It was an enjoyable season which included many games of to uch rugby, the Neuendorf call of "Henri's ball" and we shall not forget the try of the season from Val, when at training he took the high ball, put in a few side-steps and out sprinted the defence to score in the corner. All the best, boys, with your rugby endeavours. Tom Hill Team Robert Watson (capt.), Alex Allen, Valeri Adveenko, Th iba ut Bertlin, Oliver Bristow, Alex Davies, Tristan Hambleton, Alex Hatt, Chris Heslop, Lawrence Holdron, Daniel Hurley, Oleg lgnatiev, Evan Jones, Rupert Lee, Leo MacLehose, Tom Marnham, Henri Neuendorf, Ryan Phanphensophon,

Matthew Price, Jack Spence r, Fred Th ompso n. Matthew Wells, John Wu Also played: Saint Vaya kornvichitr, Justin Williams, Stephen Wong. Results Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

v Eastbourne

(H) Won 14-3

v KCS, Wi mbledon

(A) Lost 0- 39

v St. Joh n's

(H) Lost 5- 12

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 12- 26

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 5- 12

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 31-0

v John Fisher

(H) Won 15-0

Junior Colts A XV On results alone this season can be judged a success, as the team won more games than they lost and narrowed the gap on the sides that beat them co mprehensively in the Shells. A playing record is relative to the strengths of the opponents and this yea r group has a very competitive fixture list with few weak teams. Some of th e sma ller schools, such as Ken t College and Duke of York's were fiercely competitive and put up strong opposition, whereas there was only one score separating us from Eastbourne, Hai leybury and Sevenoaks. KCS Wimbledon were physically the strongest side we met this season, but looking at results higher up the school, our boys should be confident of turning the tables on them in the Sixth form. However, to really judge the team's performance it is necessary to compare the beginning and end of the season. Many of the regular supporting parents have made observations on how well the players have improved their individual skills and how more effective they have become as a team. It was clear from the start that amongst this group there were so me outstanding runners with the ball, who enjoyed beating players and who had the pace to breach defences. My task was to provide them with enough ball and opportunities

to put these skills t o good effect. It was heartening to see that some early coachi ng by Mr Taylor with the backs reaped dividends against Eastbourne. The forwards provid ed good quick lineout ball on the halfway li ne and after a miss move in the centre, Alistai r Edmondson made t he decisive break and drew their winger to put James Kent away on the outside, who, after rounding their fu ll back touched down in the corner, comp leting a wonderful fluent piece of rug by and one of the tri es of the season. After the battering we took at Wimbledon, it was not surprising that we looked disjointed at Leatherhead with six A team players unavailable, but the pack stuck to their task heroically and Alistair Seaton's try was pure magi c. At this point Henry Berliand had proved that his commitment was unquestionable and that he deserved his place in the tea m in the front row. It meant we now had cover f or Rob in Bridge at hooker, as he was playin g with a bro ken finger and suffering with a reoccuring bloody nose. Wi th Rohan Premnath at loose-head, this combination proved to be a most effective front row and against Eltham we re so dominant that they wo n virtually every serum in the game. The second row had the strength and stamina in Tom Macintosh and Alasda ir Muller, plus Robin Sharp's great hands on the line out. With the high workrate of the backrow, whi ch featured Tim Brown's fearl ess tackling, Charlie Johnston's foraging and Tom Westray's ripping of the ball in the tackle, they were developing into an effective pack of forwards. The scrum maging had indeed shown huge improvements and despite being up against bigger packs learnt to hold their own and by trying line out variations, we were able to compete well and keep opponents guessing. At the beginning of the season there were a surfeit of serum halves, but Tristan Lee and George Christie have both worked together to improve thei r play and provide a link with the backs. Both will need to be sharper with thei r distribu ti on next year where the laws allow the opposing serum half to pass the tunnel at the serum. In Alistair Seaton we have a rarity at King's, namely a natural fly ha lf. He has speed, an effective side step, good han ds and a wonderful boot, plus he likes to tackle. It was a measure of his in fluence on a game tha t he came in for some harsh off the ball treatment in several games. He scored some wonderful individual tri es includ ing a side stepping display against Sevenoaks. The improvement in the front five was one of the main achievements of the

season. They scrummaged well and learned to use line out variatio ns to good effect. The tackling of the flankers was superb and the back row became more adept at winning turnover ball in the tackle. The support pl ay among the forwards was impressive especially against Eltham and quick ruck ball led to the backs being able to attack effectively. The handling of the backs and their lines of running improved and led to many breaches of the opponents' defence. From full back, James Kent, join ed the line at speed and was especially effective on the blind si de. The backs had a number of moves that worked, but they need to learn from the chances they had to watch the Second XV, having every ball as flat as possibl e and runners coming at speed from depth. "PLAY WITH YOU R HEADS UP" should be next seaso n's motto. In defence there were some very good indivi dual t ackling performances, but they have yet to learn how to press as a unit and operate a defensive system. However in James Kent they have a most effective fielder of the kick ahead and a potent counter-attacker and in Ally Edmondson an elusive runner and a dependable tackler. Top points scorer was Alastair Seaton wi th 51. Top try scorers were Tom Westray 6 and James Kent with 5. The Player of the Season was Tim Brown. My thanks to all the players, and especially to Alastair Edmondson, who has led the side from the front, always determined and showing others how to tackle and to James Kent and Alastair Seaton, who deputised when Ally Edmondson was unavailable. To my team of coaches, with the B's Paul Taylor and Ryan MacDonald and with the C's Bryce Constable and David Scott, for all their time and help, plus the loyal band of parents, who supported the boys both home and away. I am indebted to Mr and Mrs Macintosh for looking after Thomas at Tonbridg e and also to Mr Edmondson for bringing Alastair from his sick bed to the match at Duke of York's. SEA Team from; Adnan Bashir, Henry Berliand, Robi n Bridge, Tim Brown, Geo rge Christie, Alastair Edmondson(Capt.), Sayo Folawiyo, Charles Johnston, James Kent, Tristan Lee, Tom Macintosh, Renwick McAslan, Alasd air Muller, Rohan Premnath, Alastair Seaton, Robin Sharp, Tom Westray. Also played; Alexander Gilmore, Joshua Jackson, James Lamb, Ben Stratton, Oliver Tennant, Thomas Tynan.

Results Played

Won

Lost

For

144

Against

155

v Chislehurst & Sidcup GS (H) Won 19-0 (Trial game) v Eastbourne College (H) Won 17-12 v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 3-29

v St. John's Leatherhead (A)lost 12-46 v Haileybury College

(H) Won 8-7

v Kent College

(A) Won 15-0

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 0-37

v Eltham

(H) Won 48-7

v Duke of York's

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(H) Lost 5-12

v Colfe's

(A) Won 17-0.

Won 17-5

Junior Colt s C XV At the beginning of the season, the team did not look as though they had the wi ll to wi n; instead they seemed comfortable with losing. Th is attitude all changed when the players realised that it would be rather enjoyable to celebrate a win. The first game against Eastbourne was a co nvincing victory with five tries and outstanding play. Th e game was dominated by both the forwards and the back line. Felix Cohen used his pace on one wi ng and Ben Vari an his strength on the other, and both managed to score tries. After much drivi ng and rucking, Chris Waller was eventually able to put the ball down and Chris White's hard work paid off with two well deserved tries. This proved to the boys th at they had the potential to be great. Unfortunately we had a few to ugh games soon afterwards, namely KCS Wimb ledon, St. John's and Tonbrid ge. It was satisfact ory to watch the game against St. John's as, due to many injuries, more than half the side were reserves and many were playing out of position. Leo Scarfe handled well under pressure at fullback and attacked up field, together with James Munro. Alex Maisel's righ t boot was on form, putting two conversions over the posts. The boys were

not happy to lose two games in a row and Haileybury faced a hungry team who won, thanks to Hugh Alder and Luke Arno ld who ran incredibly hard and took gaps from nowhere. One of the most consistent players on the pi tch was Mark Thomas who did much tackling in this game and also managed to break through Haileybury's defence to score a try. The quality of the game against Tonbridge was the best I had ever seen and the score was only 0 -5 at half time. Special mention must go to the loose forwards Harry Todd, Frederick Iron and Matthew Swaffer, who put massive pressure on their opponents throughout the game. Olli Sandeman-AIIen was unbelievably calm, handling many punts and making brave runs. Unfortunately, fitness let the boys down in the second half and they co uld not keep up with th e game. After a close encounter against Epsom, we played the last game of the season at home against Sevenoaks. This was the perfect end to the season as the boys played their best rugby. The most improved player, Charles Ryder had a storming game and Quirin Grossman and Laurence Malpass also played hard, looking after the ball on attack. The King's boys had smil es on their faces that day and all of the spectators co uld see that th ey now had 'the will to wi n ~ Their motto for the season was, "Pain heals, chicks dig scars and glory lasts forever!" It was a pleasure coaching these boys, we had many enjoyabl e times and I am sure many of them wi ll represent higher teams in the fu ture. Bryce Constable On behalf of the C team, I wo uld like t o thank Bryce for his enthusiasm and skill as a coach. There is little doubt that he was instrumental in developing an excellent team spirit. DAS Team from; F. Cohen, B. Varian, L. Scarfe, 0. Sandeman-AIIen, J. Munro, H. Alder, M. Th omas, L. Arnold, W. Newman, M. Swaffer, H. Todd, F. Iron, C. Waller, L. Malpass, Z. Tippu, C. Ryder, Q. Grossmann, C. White, W. Lundy, J. Lawren ce-Jones, R. Melwani, A. Maisel, T. Scurr, V. Supachok, T. Kelly, A. Saleh Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

156

Results Eastbourne

(H) Win 25-12

KCS Wimbledon

(A) lost 0-55

St. John's

(A) l ost 19-31

Haileybury

(H) Win 17-1 2

Tonbridge

(A) l ost 0-27

Epsom

(H) l ost 5- 12

Sevenoaks

(H) Win 17-7

Under 14 A XV A talented Shell year group produced so me high quality rugby during the season and gave every side they played against a very tough game. A blend of power up front and pace and skills behind, at times proved irresistible and some of the tries scored against Duke of Yo rk's and Eltham were of the very highest standard. A comfortable win away at Eastbourne was a most encouraging start, but the team lacked the consistency to make their final record look as impressive as it could have done, and in particular, they did not travel well.

lacklustre performances against Sevenoaks, Haileybury and KCS Wimbledon dented confidence, but hopefully provided some worthwhile lessons. We rose to the challenges laid down by a strong Tonbridge outfit and an unbeaten Colfe's team, but paid dearly for defensive lapses at key moments. Despite competing on equal, and in the case of Colfe's superior terms for much of the matches, sound defeats ensued. The backs developed pleasingly throughout the season and asked questions of every defence they faced. At serum half Jonty Brooks was a tenacious competitor. He possesses an excellent pass, is prepared to take defences on and tackles ferociously. Patrick Mitchell partnered him after a few games of the season and showed composed distribution skills, as well as having a keen eye for gaps. Will Chilcott could have played anywhere in the backline, but spent much of the season at inside centre. He proved to be a complete player with the pace and side-step to terrorise opposite numbers, superb hands, confident feet from both hand and ground all complemented by his fearsome tackling. He scored an impressive 50

points. Robbie Stewart came on significantly, scored six tri es and tackled courageously. Christian Allen and Terry Lee on the wings added useful pace to proceedings. Terry's two battling tries against StJohn's turned the match our way and Christian bagged seven tries in two matches after half term. At full back, both Kieran Premnath and Patrick Gibbs made significant contributions, joining the line well in attack, fielding kicks well and shoring up the defence. Up front, the powerful Jola lluyomade picked up huge yardage with his direct approach. You had to feel sorry for some of the opposition who tried to tackle him but just bounced off him. It regularly took fou r people to stop him. On the flanks, Alex Dixey and Tom Davey defended bravely. Both ran int elligent lines, have good rugby brains and handled well. Alex also won some useful lineout ball along with the main lineout jumper, Andrew lawrence. Andrew was very active around the fi eld and will remember for some ti me a try he scored from his own half. Max Van Coillie improved hugely and put his fitness to good use as he roamed the field. A front row of Will Gage, Sam Verde and Freddie

Winterbotham held things together well and all three had their moments in the loose, wi th some rampaging runs. It was Freddie who got the front row union's one try for th e season, but the other two came close on numerous occasions. Robert Parks was a very useful utility player, who could fit in wherever need ed. His pa ce is a real asset and twice he outstripped defences. I am really optimistic about t his team's prospects for the future. There is a lot of talent and some strong players in key positions. No sid e beat them by more than fo ur scores (all the teams in my previous seven years have been heavily beaten at least once). If they work on their fitness and strength, they can approach every game with confidence and I am sure that they will develop into an excellent 1st XV. RPC

Team: William Chilcott (capt), Christian Allen, Jonty Brooks, Tom Davey, Al ex Dixey, William Gage, Patrick Gibbs, Jola lluyomade, Andrew Lawrence, Terry Lee, Patrick Mitchell, Robert Parks, Kieran Premnath, Robert Stewart, Max Va n Coi llie, Sam Verde, Freddie Winterbotham. Also played: John Chen, Jeremy Godden, Jonathan Jones, Robbie Lai ng, Nicholas Lurie, Josh Savage. Results Played

Won

Lost

For

223

Against

142

v Eastbourne

(A) Won 31-7

v K.C.S. Wimbledon (H) Lost 12-29 v St. John's, Leatherhead (H) Won 22-0

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 12-24

v Kent College

(H) Won 5-5

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 7-29

v Eltham College

(H) Won 52-0

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 56-0

v Sevenoaks

(A) Lost 11-22

v Colfe's

(A) Lost 5-26

Under 14 B XV The Bs had a season that improved enormously as the term progressed. There were a number of factors in this, not least a coach who played rug by when rucks were very much a southern hemisph ere speciality. However, as the team began to play together and players found their most effective positions they became an effective unit. Th e team played strong sid es from Eastbourn e, Wi mbledon and StJ ohn's Lea th erhead in the first three games of the season. It was only with the StJohn's game that we started to play with conviction. The first try of the season, and indeed the first victory arrived at Haileybury. The general improvement continued, with the odd hiccup, to the end of the season. The best was left to last with excellent performances against Sevenoaks and Colfe's. The former produced a victory with a try in the last minute. The latter was a defeat but wi th fourteen men agai nst an unbeaten side. This game, and thus the season was finished off by a try. The forwa rds, in particular, made enormous progress throug h the course of the season; by December they were rucking aggressively, turni ng over possession and, particula rly in t he last two gam es making rea l inroads with ball in hand.

Jeremy Godden provided a firm foundation in the serum and became an excellent captain by the end of the season. It was appropriate that he should score the fina l try of the season at Colfe's. Guy Edmunnd-Jones made the tig ht head position his by the end of the season, after injury to Robbie Thomas. James Harman worked tirelessly at hooker. He was fast to the breakdown, ru cked efficien tly and won a number of serums against the head. Freddie Carter and Arjun Chauduri provid ed a strong presence at second row. They both took some time to come to t erms with the more physical challenge of this yea r group bu t were competing well against both Sevenoaks and Colfe's. The back row was partly made up of backs manque. Robbie Laing, Josh Savage, Nick Lurie, George Schurr and James Edmundson all performed valiantly when called upon. Josh, in particular should be congratulated upon his driving aggression against Colfe's before an injured neck led to his being removed by the coach as the match was levelled. The backs took some time to get used to each other, hindered by personnel regularly changing. However, they finished the season strongly and defended magnificently, parti cularly in the last two games. Jonathan Jones

played well throughout the season, at fi rst as serum half and, in the last two games, as a fly half, capable of carving openings and kicking well both to touch and as an attacking option of a crosskick. The berth he left was well- fi lied by Josh White. Charlie Dalton started the season at fly-half and had the difficult j ob of adjusting to the more exposed positions along the three-quarter line for the last two games: this he did admirably. John Chen made the position of inside centre his own by strong, j inking running co mbined with powerful tackles. The position of outside cen tre was occupied by Angus Fox and Charlie Dalton. Both ran well and made telling breaks. On the wings Toby Bristow and Jonno Ross made the most of their opportunities running with determination and skill and made invaluable contributions. Patrick Gibbs chose some excellent running lines from full back. He has a lot of pace and is also fearless in defence. Josh White was a talented back with an excellent rugby mind. He was adaptable enough to fit in a variety of positions when needed and made some really good contributions. Overall the team should be pleased with their progress. With determination any of them could make it into the 1st XV. JCT

Team: Patrick Gibbs, Jon no Ross, Charlie Dalto n, Angus Fox, John Chen, Toby Bristow, Jonathan Jones, Josh Wh ite, Jeremy Godden, James Harman, Guy Edmun d Jones, Freddie Carter, Arjun Chaudhuri, James Edmondson, Robbie Laing, George Schurr, Josh Savage, Nick Lu rie Below - PT and RPC

Also played: Robbie Thomas, Valenti n Leire Resu lts Played

Won

Lost

For

128

Against

209

at the beginning of the season but the boys needed to put their indivi dual abilities to use as a team.

v Eastbourne

(A) Lost 0-30

v K.C.S. Wimbledon (H) Lost 0-34 v St. John's, Leatherhead (A) Lost 0-16 v Haileybury

(A) Won 21-12

v St Lawrence, Ramsgate (A) Won 20-12 v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 10- 38

v Eltham College

(H) Won 50-0

v Duke of York's v Sevenoaks v Colfe's

-----(H) Lost 0-38 ---

(H) Won 15-12

(H) Lost 12-17

U14C XV This has been a most enjoyable season in many areas. Above all it has been particularly rewarding to see how the team improvement after half-term led to fo ur fantastic victories against Haileybury, Epsom, Duke of York's and Sevenoaks and consolidated itself as an organized, effective and well-shaped group of players. The ta lent was evident

The match ag ainst Eastbourne was a well-balanced game. All the poin ts were sco red in the first half and only a try and a conversion prevented the team from having th e chance to win the match. The second half was extremely competitive and both the forwards and backs put in an excellent perform ance. Unfortunately, the match against KCS, our first home match, made us realize that there was still a lot of work to do in terms of team coo rdination and some basic skills. From then on, the C's started to polish their group awareness and the game became more fluid and dynamic. We did not wi n against St. John's Leatherhead but the boys were gaining confidence and their rugby was obviously improving in most areas. Our first victory arrived towards the middl e of the season against Haileybury. Our first try, scored by a brave and incredibly ski lful Ben Savill, our captain and serum-hal f, was followed by the powerful contribution of Josh Savage, who scored two tries, and Richard Hartland, who gave us five more points and converted two of the tri es. Tonbridge, as always, was a hard opponent, and even if their first seven points were followed up by an almost im mediate try, they soon proved their su periority with another three tries and a conversion. After this, however, every match was a j oy to watch. In the match against Epsom, Louis Monahan and Matthew Mackinnon demonstrated, once more, that they were not only two of the best tacklers in the team, but also extremely effective and powerful attackers. Charles Williams was the author of the third and last try in this match. Matthew maintained his impressive record against Duke of York's but we also relied on the recently incorporated Valentin Leire, who had been playing for the B's until this match. The victory against Sevenoaks revealed how much the team had grown. That day they played excellent rugby, not relying only on a few individuals, but gaining possession of the ball in mau ls and rucks, and the wings getting involved like never before. It is a shame that we weren't able to finish the season with a victory but JKS impressed us all with a very disciplined and comm itted game. Let's hope they continue playing at that level next year, when many of them will become part of our own U14 teams.

All our players made an excellent contribution to the success of the team. Many of them will certainly become great players in the future and I have no doubt so me of them will make key players in some of the first teams during their next four seasons at King's. I wish them all well! JG Team : Benjamin Savill (Capt.), Richard Hartland (also Capt.) Olivier BowBertrand, George Cook, Guy EdmundJones, Edward Fryzer, Maximillian Gabbert, James Harman, Maximillian Jenkins, Robbie Laing, Valentin Leire, Matthew Mackinnon, William Mitchell, Louis Monahan, William Porter, Dane Pulver, George Schurr, Sebastian Rex, Jonathan Ross, Pranav Saran, Joshua Savage, Alex Short, Andreas Tatt, Charles Williams. Also played : Hugh Davies, Cyril Ng Lung Kit Results Played

Won

Lost

For

123

Against

172

v Eastbourne

(A) Lost 5-12

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 0-48

v St. John's, Leatherhead (A) Lost 0-24 v Haileybury

(A) Won 24-17

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost -24

v Epsom

(H) Won 17-0

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 26-17

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 36-0

v JKS

(H) Lost 10-30

Under 14 D XV When the proof of a successful pudding is always in the eating, one ca n certa inly say the U14Ds have 'eaten very well this term'. The set of results achieved by this team tells the story of a remarkable bunch of spirited players that have gone to extraordinary lengths to fulfil their potential on the rugby field . The start of the season was impressive with a powerful, gutsy performance against Eastbourne. The team started well with good, solid work from all players, particularly Maximilian Darroch de

Haldevang. Eastbourne had the upper advantage going into the second half, but with an extraordinary determination to win and aided by the booming voice from their coach, the team managed to hold off the opposition to take a much deserved victory by the narrowest of margins. With the confidence engendered by this win, the team felt a victory in every future fixture was a real possibility. Unfo rtunately, that dream hit reality with a disappointing loss against K.C.S Wimbledon. The strength of the opposition and the subsequent defeat failed to deflate their spirits, however and we went on to overcome Tonbridge and JKS. The high points of the season were by far the valiant performances at Eastbourne and Tonbridge. The latter in particula r was comm endable. The team took a 17-0 lead going into the second half with a fearless performance from Thomas Granger. Despite mass opposition substitutions, the boys managed to sustain their lead and record a successful 17-15 victory. The referee com mended the team, particularly the forwards, on their ability to work together against opposition pressure. The win against JKS completed what can surely be described as a memorable performance this term. In spite of the team effort, individual performances are worthy of acknowledgement. The forwards in nearly all matches rucked aggressively, turning over huge amounts of possession. The driving force ofTaha Tippu and William Garrood provided a solid foundation for the serum, with George Khachadourian and Edward Martin as quick and powerful second row players. Michael Hamway and Rupert Davies were devastating flankers, tackling effectively and fearlessly, with Henry Ridgway proving to be a worthy serum-ha lf for both the forwards and backs.

The backs took some time to get used to each other, given that several changes took place in the early weeks of the season. But co ngratulations go to James Hurst, Maximilian Darroch de Haldevang, Cyril Ng Lung Ki t, and William Porter who either produced (or set up) quality tries. Equal credit goes to the wings- Hugh Davies and Jack Hendry - for their commendable contributions to the team. Overall, the boys should be pleased with their success this term, with several players having the ta lent and ability to play in stronger squads next year. I have thoroughly enjoyed their performances on the rugby field, and very much look forward to their future success as they progress through the schoo l. GOP

Team: William Porter, Michael Ham way, Henry Ridgway, Rupert Davies, Hugh Davies, William Garrood, Thomas Granger, Taha Tippu, Cyril Ng Lung Kit, James Hurst, Maximilian Darroch de Haldevang, George Khachadourian, Edward Martin, Edmund Fincham, Jack Hendry Resu lts Played

Won

Lost For

Against

v Eastbourne

(A) Won 12-10

v K.C.S. Wimbledon (H) Lost 0-53

v Tonbridge v JKS

2nd~

Below- PWF

(A) Won 17-15 (H) Won 10-5

Girls' Hockey The girls at King's have continued to dominate Kent school hockey, and the list of achievements reads much the same as at this time last year. Th e 1st XI have been dominant, winning the Kent title with reasonable ease, but again falling to Felsted in both their annual fixture and in the Divisional tournament. Th e indoor under 16s have proved their class - with a great deal of pressure - to defend the National title they won last year. The task has been made all the more difficult by the fact that the co mpetition, which was 'schools' last year, has now been changed to include 'clubs and sc hools~ Their victory at the Divisional tournament is therefore even more commendable, as they had to beat two National League clubs, in Chelmsford and Harleston Magpies, along the way. The under 15 and under 14A teams have had unbeaten seasons, while we have contin ued to out 4 senior teams and 6 junior teams most Saturdays, so the depth of hockey here at King's con tinues to be strong. Julia Brooks has been a fine Captain of Hockey, and has led the 1st XI by example. Her hard work and determination, and her encouragement to others, has been appreciated by all who have come into contact with her, and I am sure that Lucinda Leigh-Pemberton will prove an equally strong captain in

2005. Individ ually we conti nue to break reco rds, with no fewer than 15 girls representing the county at the various age groups, and the two Pengelley sisters also representing the East of England. Congratulations also to Rebekah Marsh who towards the end of the term made her debut for Canterbury 1st XI, and t o Rebekah, Fenella Pengelley and Tania Hayes who have represented Canterbury in the East Premier League every weekend this term. Their commitment to training and playing at this level demands many sacrifices. Th e girls have benefited massively from the appointment of Mrs Webber to the P.E Department, starting work as soon as she returned from captaining South Africa at the Athens Olympics. My thanks as ever to all the staff who give of their time so freely. Without them there would be no hockey programme. I would also like to thank the coaches from Canterbury Hockey Club who help and encourage whenever they can. SAR First Colours re-awa rded to : Julia Brooks First Colours awarded to: Pippa Tregear Lucinda Leigh-Pemberton Katriona Pengelley Caroline Lawrence Tiffany Landale

County Honours: East Honours: Caroline Lawrence (U18) Katriona Pengelley (U 17) Katie Lark (U 17) Fenella Pengelley (U 15) Tania Hayes (U17) Rebekah Marsh (U16) Sarah Ventress (U 16) Emily Stewart (U 16) Anna Storer (U 16) Sarah Healy (U15) Georgie Mayhew (U15) Charlotte Bowman (U15) Annabel Kingsman (U14) Laura Knight (U14) Nicola Lark (U 14)

1st XI The 1st XI enjoyed a season of ups and downs, after achieving some convincing victo ries. The team experienced some very frustratin g defeats after having totally dominated certain matches. Havi ng played 11 games the side won 6 and lost 5. Winning both the Plumptre Tournament and Kent Championships, the side ended as ru nners-up in the John Taylor Tournament, losing narrowly to Cranbrook in the fina l. A week later however, the team was ab le to exact their revenge, beating Cranbrook 3-1 in a full length match. This victory came from some well -taken chances from both Lucy Leigh-Pemberton and Emily Stewart while

Kiri Barker thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to play in the midfield. The regional tournament was once again held at the Holcombe Hockey Club. After an exceptional game of hockey, the girls lost in the semi fina ls to Felsted School, placing 4th in the East Region. Some very good performances during the tournament came from the defence. Julia Brooks, Tania Hayes, Fenella Pengelley and Caroline Lawrence and a couple of excellent saves fro m goalkeeper Sarah Ventress. Instead of the annual trip to Millfield School, the team travelled down to Wi ltshire to play against Dauntsey's. A game in which the 1st XI dominated all aspects, especially the goal scoring, with Tiffany Landale scoring a hat trick and some excellent midfield dominance from Katriona Pengelley and Pippa Tregear. The gi rls also enjoyed the challenge of a match against a touring team from Perth, Australia. The tourists were beaten convi ncingly, even with the introduction of a younger squad. Sarah Healy showed momen ts of brilliance in this game. The last match of the season was against a very resilient Kent College, the forwards had many scoring opportuni ties, some of the best coming from Rebekah Marsh, but were thwarted by their excellent goalkeeper. Emma Wilson had her best performance of the season; she was very solid in defence. The end of season hockey dinner was a joyous occasion. Caroline Lawrence was awarded Player of the Season and Katie Lark received the award for most improved player. Rosie Cocksworth got a special mention for her exceptional commitment to the team at all ti mes. Lucy Leigh-Pemberton was announced as Captain for the 2005/2006 season.

Emm a Wilson. Also played: Charlotte Bowman, Emma Hea ly, Georgina Mayhew, Emily Schwarz, Anna Storer. Results Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

v Canterbury LHC (with U15A) (A) Lost 1-5 v St Lawrence

(H) Won 4-0

v Haileybury

(H) Won 2-1

v Felsted School

(H) Lost 2-4

---

v Dauntsey's School (A) Won 4-0 v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 1-0

v Sutton Valence

(A) Lost 2-3

v St Bede's School (H) Lost 1-2 v Cranbrook School (H) Won 3-1 v Kent College

(A) Lost 1-2

v Methodist Ladies' College, Perth, Australia (H) Won 5-1 Plumptre Tou rnament: Winners Kent Schools' Under 18 Tournament: Winners John Taylor Tournament: Runners Up East Tournament: 4th Place Kent Under 16 Clubs and Schools' Indoor Tournament: Winners East of England Under 16 Clubs and Schools Indoor Tournament: Winners

2nd XI

loss against St Edmund's was also hotly contested, as an equalising goal on our part was disallowed. Player highlights included the everpresent captain Lizzie Fitzsimmons, who worked tirelessly for the team and frequently provided the crunching tackles in defence that were necessary to repel the opposition. Katie Taylor drove the team forwards from the midfield wi th her dynamic and combative hockey, and Cat Ramsay and Charlie Crosland impressed upon their promotion from th e 3rd XI with their skilful running . They will all be sorely missed next year. Everyone, however, played a significant part in ensuring that the season was a successful one, both on and off the pitch. The younger players who remain have shown much promise and potential this year, so the 2005 season is already one that is eagerly anticipated by all! JMH

Team: Katherine Bamber, Victoria Bartley, Philippa Bonsall, Alexandra Cagney, Amanda Chalmers, Lu cinda Egleton, Elizabeth Fitzsi mmons (captain), Lexi Hamblin, Emma Healy, Tope lmasekha, Sophie Middleton, Joanna Moncreiffe, Nicola Redstone, Emily Rei lly, Emma Shilston, Katherine Taylor. Also played: Kiri Barker, Catherine Crosland, Catriona Ramsay Results Played

Won

Lost

Drawn For

-----

Against Upon reflection the 1st XI have had a successful season. Technical skills were improved upon ; the work ethic was fantastic and the side showed resilience under pressure. The girls showed co mmitment to their team mates, which was reflected in the prid e shown when represen ting the 1st XI. Well done to the girls. The legacy of this season wi ll be a solid platform from which to build on next season. SMW Team: Kiri Barker, Julia Brooks {captain}, Rosanna Cocksworth, Tania Hayes, Sarah Healy, Ti ffany Landale, Katie Lark, Caroline Lawrence, Lu ci nda LeighPemberton, Rebekah Marsh, Fenella Pengelley, Katriona Pengelley, Emily Stewart, Phillippa Tregear, Sarah Ventress,

The 2nd XI Hockey team enjoyed a successful season, benefiting from a large squad fu ll of sparkling talent. All the girls played with much determination and commitment, competing fiercely for a place in the side. Pip Bonsall epitomised the spiri t of the squad by insisting on playing against Epsom despite receiving medical treatment for a cut above her eye sustained in the warm-up! On the results front, Haileybury and Ashford were soundly beaten, and the team secured narrow victories over Duke of York's and Sevenoaks. Despite some convincing victori es, not all of the results went our way. Felsted and Epsom proved too strong for us, but the two draws against Sutton Valence and Cranbrook could both easily have been wins. The

2 17 17

v St Edmund's 1st XI

(H) Lost 1-2

v Duke of York's 1st XI

(A)

v Haileybury

(H) Won 4-2

v Felsted

(H) Lost 1-3

v Sevenoaks

(A)

Won 1-0

v Sutton Valence

(A)

Drew 2-2

v Duke of York's 1st XI

(A)

Lost 1-2

v Ashford School 1st XI (H)

Won 3-1

v Cranbrook

Won 1-0

(H) Drew 2-2

v Epsom College 1st XI (A)

Lost 1-3

3rd XI This was always going to be an interesting season for the 3rd XI, with a squad consisting of at most two defenders. There were games when an all out attack seemed to work fine and simply keeping the ball with our own strikers resul ted in one-sided victories. However, there were also several games where the opposition were able to get the ball past our front line and then our use of the old fashioned 5-3-2 'Warnick W' formation proved tacti cally na"lve. Nonetheless, the season was highly enjoyable and pretty successful too. The selection of goalkeeper proved an interesting pre- match problem, with various methods of selection being tried. The relatively fair method of simple rotation was superseded by selection of the last one to arrive on match day. Thankfully at the tail end of the season, all were relieved and very grateful to find Melissa Dear more than happy play when not being used by the U15C team. At the back Ellie Dixon-Roche played well all season maturing into a very level-headed defender whilst the only other natural defender, Emily Lunn, spent much of the second half of the season injured, but her cal ming confident tackling set standards for others to aspire to. In the centre of the field Anna Broxup dominated with

her skilful dribbling and hard hitting. Flo Welby proved herself to be a very tidy player at right half, while Prud ence Wong was the most improved player over the course of the season on the left. At the front we were often spoil t for choice. Charli Crosland and Cat Ramsay showed rather too mu ch skill and were consistently poached by the 2nd XI in the second half of the season. Much less flamboyant but no less effective were Polly Mills and Poppy Mitchell, who have a knack of being in the right place at the right time, with Polly scoring a brace of hat tri cks over the seaso n. As inside forwa rds, the work rate of Charlotte Sayer and Chloe Mitchell was something to behold. Both of them refuse to be beaten and will fight to win a ball back whatever the danger t o life or limb (whether theirs or the opposition's). At centre forward Tisha Leigh -Pemberton was valued both for her deft attacking skills and also for her stream of positive encouragement and vocal support of her team mates throughout each game. We were also lucky to reg ularly have the talents of Victoria Bartley and Pip Bonsall made available to us and their mazy runs became a hallmark of 3rd XI possession. After a very promising start to the term, the side seemed to lose their edge mid season. True, some of the results are not quite as they seem, for example the loss to Manwood's was really a combined 2nd

I 3rd XI, but the defea ts to Epsom 2nd XI and King 's Rochester 1st were against fu lly fired-up 3rd XI sides. The team played with a lot of style, a great deal of purpose and real sense of fun. When all the individual strengths linked together, the 3rds played hockey which was simply a joy to watch. There is a great deal of talent here and the prospects for the futu re seem brigh t. Thanks must go to our coach Mr Warn ick for keeping the team awake and alert on wha t could have been tedious minibus trips using somewhat unique tech niques. Thanks too must go to this yea r's joint captains, Anna and Poppy, who have each clocked up almost thirty 3rd team appearances over the past few years and who have proved themselves to be rea l enthusiasts throughout that time. RNW, Anna Broxup, Poppy Mitchell

Team: Anna Broxup (co-captain}, Catherine Crosland, Eleonore DixonRoche, Letitia Leigh-Pemberton, Emily Lunn, Polly Mills, Chloe Mitchell, Poppy Mitchell (co-captain}, Catriona Ramsay, Charlotte Sayer, Florence Welby, Prudence Wong Also played: Kim Bailey, Victo ria Bartley, Philippa Bonsall, Malena Berner, Constance Cunningham, Melissa Dear, Christine Pond, Sarah Welby,

Results

4th/5th XI

Played

Won

lost

For

Against

12.

v Eastbourne College

(A)

Such is the squad strength that immediate promotion to the 3rd team came fo r Kim Bailey, Emily lunn, Eleonore Dixon-Roche and Prudence Wong. We do not ord inarily run a 5th XI but we managed to get a team out on two occasions, and although these you nger and nippier players respond only to the title of U16B, they were unbeat en! Won 5-0

v St lawrence College 2nd XI (H) Won 7-0

(H) Won 7-1

v Haileybury

v King's Rochester 1st XI(A) l ost 3-4 v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 3-0

v Duke of York's 2nd XI (H) Won 4-1 v Sir Roger Manwood's School 1st XI (H) l ost 1-4

----

v Bethany School 1st XI (A)

Won 1-0

v Epsom College

lost 0-2

(H)

With a large 4th/5th squad, a rotational selection policy enabled the enthusiasm, fitness and technical skill of the fifth formers to complement the maturity and experience of the sixth formers. Goalkeeping problems were overcome by guest appearances and rotational sq uad 'vol unteers' who took t urns in bravely stemming the tide. Under the dynamic leadership of feisty captain Jules Dixon, we notched some notable scalps against other better schools, often 1st and 2nd XI sides. Some of our opponents had an unnecessarily physical and ugly approach while we remained immaculate with never a hair out of place.

The team generally strugg led at both ends of the pi tch, with our defence often coming under siege attack and our own forwards experienci ng difficulty in finding the back of the net after useful att acking moves. I can only thank all the committed members of my illustrious 'Kit-Kat' squad for thei r enthusiastic loyalty to the ca use and our intensive rigorous train ing regime ..... We finished the season in fancy dress Christmas style as Santa blew his whistle on a hugely enjoyable season. Ho Ho Ho said Dr B JIB

Team: Malena Berner, Cara Chapman, Sabri na Chapman, Constance Cunningham, Georg ie Davidson, Julia Dixon (Captain) lona Emlyn-Will iams, Diana Goyder, Anna Green, Kate Ludlow, Morwenna Loughman, Katie MacKinnon, Sarah Parks, Christine Pond, Helen Porter, Abigail Schade, lsobel Short, Stephanie Thomas, Lucy Wells (Vice Captain), Gemma Williams, Laura Wilkinson.

4th XI Results Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

Goals for

against

5th v Sevenoaks U16 B (A) Won 2-0 5th v Epsom College U16B (A) Won 1-0 v St Edmund's 2nd XI(H) Won 2-0 v Duke of York's 2nd XI (A)

Drew 0-0

v Dover College 1st XI

(A)

Won 2-0

v St. Bede's 2nd XI

(A)

l ost 0-4

v Seven oaks U16A

(A)

l ost 0-6

v Kent College, Pembury 1st XI (H) Drew 0-0 v Dover College 1st XI

(H) Won 2-0

v Ashford School 2nd XI (H) l ost 0-3 v Cranbrook School 3rd XI(H) l ost 0-4 v Epsom College 2nd XI (A)

lost 0-2

Left â&#x20AC;˘ Heloise Winterbotham - U 74 Goalkeeper

Laura Knight

5th XI Results Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

v Seven oaks U168

(A)

Won 2-0

v Epsom College U168 (H) Won 1-0

U15 A XI The Under 15s had a rather slow start to the season, and although they managed to avoid losing, they never really played the sort of hockey which we all knew they were capable of. An increase in the wo rk rate at training sessions, and a new found determination, however, resulted in three fa ntastic games at the end of the season: victory over Cranbrook, a fi ne draw with Kent College and a sound beating of Sutton Valence. Annabel Gray has been an excellent captain, and her quiet, but determined attitude has kept the team worki ng hard and never giving up. Th e stalwa rts of the defence, Georgie

Mayhew, Theo 8ackhouse, Hannah Pack and Sophia Nichol have been strong in the tackle and distributed the ball well, backed up by Zoe Shaw in goal. Special mention must go to Zoe who has been invited to train with the 1st XI, and who played in the U16 indoor divisiona l championship wi nning team. The midfield of Anna Storer, Irene Ramsay, Charlotte Hilton and, more recently arrived from the 8s, a very tenacious Katy Schurr, have worked hard and, in our better games, even come off sweat ing !! With Annabel, Jenna Wi les and Lucy Withrington proving a formidable strike force up front, we can only commend our opposition goalkeepers for being so effective! Val uable contributions have also been made by Lara Chapple, Polly West and Alex Holt, and Alex Prescot before she broke her arm! My than ks to all the girls for their enthusiasm, and also to Greg Nichol and Andrew Dunn who have been so much help with coach ing. SAR

Pollyanna West, Jenna Wiles, Lucy Withrington. Also played: Sarah Healy.

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 2-1

Team: Theodora 8ackhouse, Lara Chapple, Annabel Gray (captain}, Charlotte Hilton, Alexand ra Holt, Georgina Mayhew, Sophia Nichol, Hannah Pack, Alexandra Prescott, Irene Ramsay, Katherine Schurr, Zoe Shaw, Anna Storer,

v Cranbrook

(A) Won 2-0

v Kent College

(A) Drew 1-1

Resu lts

Won 4 Lost 0 Drew 4 For 19 Against 10

--------------------~ v Canterbury LHC (with 1st XI) (A) Lost 1-5 v St. 8ede's

(H) Won 4-0

v Eastbourne College(H) Drew 2-2 v Seven oaks U16A (H) Drew 0-0

v Sutton Valence (with U14A) (H) Won 7- 1

v Haileybury U15A

(A)

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 2-1

Team: Marina Cooke, Melissa Dear, Louise Ford, Emily Hartland, Lu cinda Holland, Alice Huntrods, Emma Kemp, Ondine King, Catherine Morpeth, Amanda Redstone, Claudia Tapp, Camilla Westl ake Also Played:

v Sevenoaks

(A)

Results

U15 B XI

v St Edmund's U15A XI (H) Won 2-0

This has been a rewarding seaso n. It has seen talent and skill develop and several members of th e original squad promoted up to the A team. The girls have all played with enthusiasm and determination without ever losing their sense of enjoyment. The results have been rather mixed but we won more than we lost and we always gave a good account of ourselves. I am sure that the girls will go on to play at a more senior level. Pl ayer of the season is the goal keeper Claire Pargeter who was quite outstanding all term. AJH

v St. Lawrence U1 5A XI (A) Won 2-1

Team: Rosie Atkinson, Charlotte Brad ley, Louise Ford, Emma Hooper, Georgina Merriam, Cl aire Pargeter, Claudia Tapp, Olivia Wacher, Pollyanna West, Katie Schurr, Amanda Redstone. Also Played: Lara Ch apple, Alexandra Holt, Alex Prescott Results Played

Won

Lost

Drew For

Against

Lost 1-5

Won 1-0

v Kent College Pembury U15A (H) Lost 2-3 v Duke of York's U15A

(A)

Drew 2-2

v Sir Roger Manwood's School (A) Won 3-1 v Epsom College U15A (H) Lost 3-1 0

Played

Won

Lost

v Bethany School U15A XI (A)

Lost 1-5

U15 C XI

v Duke of York's U15A XI (A)

Lost 0-2

Th e U15C team consisted of a variety of characters. Melissa Dear did an excellent job as goalkeeper considering this was her first time in the position. Busola Ogunsanya, Lucy Holland, Catherine Morpeth and Emma Kemp were very reliable, giving every game their best efforts. Atta ckers Georgie Williams, Marina Cooke and Emm a Howa rd-Smith were equally effective, the latter being th e most effective along with support from Alex Berry and Lily Fischer. Despite only winning two games, the smiles were never wiped off our faces and our morale remained intact. Alex Berry and Georgina Wi lliams

v Dover College U15A XI (A) v Sevenoaks

(A)

Drew 1-1

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 2-0

U14 A XI What a fantastic season. To only co ncede 6 goals, and score 52 is truly incredible. Charlie Bowman has been an inspirational captain to all, controlling the mid-field and, quite simply, worryi ng the opposi tion at all times. We have ind eed been lucky to have such a mature and talented hockey player as the captain this yea r. As for the rest of the team, well, they have been equally ta lented and

enthusiastic. I remember our first match, away, against St. Becle's for which we had a long coach journey across the Sussex and Kent countryside. This could have been a moment to relax and enjoy the scenery, but instead we were all treated to a duet of singing by Emily Sa nne and Emma Welby (our live wires). Fortunately this put anger and strength into their hockey playing and we went on to win that match 6-0 (despite my disallowing two of our goals, which, on reflection, were good goals! Ooops!). I also remember very clearly the moment when I introduced Jen Wilson as our assistant coach to the team one Tuesday afternoon. Jen was the lead goal scorer in the Athens Olympics this year, and so we felt very privileged to have the world's best goal scorer coaching our team. Immediately the girls wanted to touch and hold her stick, and so, I hope, became even more enthused with the sport. Heloise had a quiet season as goalkeeper, but when tested made some fantastic saves. Annabel Kingsman was asked to play sweeper for the season, a position that was unusual to her as she plays centre forward for the Canterbury City team. However, a good team must build from the back and know that they are in safe hands before they can take risks up front. We were in the fortunate position to have many forwards and so Annabel stepped into the breach and showed off her wizard skill in making tackles in defence, and great counter-attacking breaks. Our match against Kent College must surely be her favourite; for one thing it was Annabel's birthday. She played well in the first half, but in the second half she moved up about 7 leagues to the great cheers from the side-line as she made runs after runs, tackles after tackles, and truly had her best half of the season. We won 6-1. In defence Emma Welby showed incredible determination as she would go in to every tackle with guts and bravery, most notably in our match against the Under 15 girls from Sutton Valence which proved to be a tough competition. Eliza Baker was also made of similar nerve as she tried her hardest at all times and would fight to the end to get hold of, and keep, the ball; and Alex Thomas was completely dependable as our right back and stick-stopper for short corners. Our final defender was Emily Groves who did absolutely nothing wrong as right back, always doing the simple thing, tackling and then passing the ball to one of our players. Fantastic! I would like to identify Emily as the most conscientious member of the team who always put in 100%

effort into every single training session and match. Never late, she was reliable, responsible, and mature in her approach to everything. In the mid-field Abi lmasekha just got better and better as our trusty right half, and ever since she got a new hockey stick at half-term the opposition, and their knee-caps, had to be on full alert. Georgina Mair also showed her speed and skills as she would make great attacking runs and strong tackles, while Emily Sa nne worked her socks off as left half. Emily was always one of the most positive members of the team, with a smile for every occasion, even when she showed me her broken knuckles (a tough girl not to be messed with!!). That !eaves me to mention our forward line that seemed to grow in numberS as the term went on: lucy Yates, on the left wing, showed some fantastic skill and speed as she ran to the base line, having her best game against Eastbourne College when she sent in cross after cross towards the penalty spot for Laura Knight to strike at goal. Throughout the season Laura pestered the opposition with her telling runs and dangerous f!!cks at goal. My advice is, "when you see a flick coming, get out of laura's wayÂˇ~ On the right wing Nicola lark was truly fantastic. She could run like the wind, and had the stick skills to match, not to mention her hard smacking cross, or her electric shots at goal, as well as her neat little poaching ability at both the end of term Sutton Valence game and Cranbrook match!! This goal scoring knack was also copied by Maryam Lawai who really did prove her worth as she joined the team in the second half of the term and went on to score in almost every match she played in. As you can tell we had a strong team, and this showed in the Under 14 Kent Tournament. Unfortunately though, even having soundly beaten everyone else in the earlier rounds, after 12 hours we were tired and so narrowly lost the final 1-0 as a result of a runaway goal. We had been camped in the opposition's "D" for the whole match and yet those 20 seconds when we were not cost us the game. What a shame. Never mind ..... we made up for it with our 13-0 and 6-1 victories in the last two matches of the term. These last two matches were fantastic and will be my lasting memory of this very good team (as well as the end-of-season party!). Well done everybody. (And may I also thank the many parents and relatives who braved the weather and stood on the sideline supporting. I hope you enjoyed the show!)

U14 B XI Since the start of the season in September every single player in the U14 B team has improved massively, each making a valuable contribution to the side. During training sessions, we have mostly practised strong, accurate passing. This was especially evident in the matches against Duke of York's and Sutton Valence, which were definitely the highlights of the season. In these matches, as well as individual skills, what really won us the games was our teamwork. The midfield effectively linked up the defence with the attack, who could then go on and score. All in all ! think we should be very proud of what we have achieved, and we should look forward to a great season next year. I would like to thank Mr. Smiley and Andrew Dunn on behalf of the whole team for all their great advice and coaching this season. Catherine Phillips An impressive season, given that we played the majority of our matches against 'A' sides. Much progress was seen in all players over the term, particularly as they learnt to adapt to new positions. The team was largely unchanged week by week, enabling the girls to gel as a group and to learn to pass and communicate effectively. I very much enjoyed coaching a group that was prepared to listen and learn; as a result, the standard of play increased week by week. My thanks to Sally for playing in goal all season; this can be a lonely role on match days, but she remained ever cheerful, showing real determination when up against tough opposition. Thanks too to Catherine Phillips for captaining the side over the majority of the term with skilL There is much promise for the future from all the players. MJWS

Team: Eliza Baker, Natalya Chapman, Charlotte Colvin, Victoria Elliott, Ianthe Fry, Charlotte Hamblin, Virginia Maclean, Brighde Nainby-Luxmoore, Florence Nairac, Salome Papashvili, Arabella Pemberton, Catherine Phillips (Captain) and Clare Ventress. Also played: Maryam Lawai

RPS

pposite page- Emily G1ovcs

Result s 8

v Cobham Hall U15A

(H) Won 2-0

Won

v Sevenoaks

(A)

Lost

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 3-0

For

v Kent College

(H)

Against

---

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 9-0

v Wellesley House

(H) Lost 1 - 2

U1 4 C XI At the beginning of the season I believe that the C team had a bit of trouble co ming to t erms with each other. This was due to the fact that two of us had never played before and our team had very mixed ability. Fortunately as we started training we started to rea lise how important it was that we lea rnt how t o pl ay as a team. However, our ability was tested at our first match which we lost due t o the fact that hardly any of us really knew what we were doing. We rose to each of our challeng es and managed to win two matches and draw two. This is thanks to some stunning performances by so me of our players. On behalf of the team I wou ld like to thank our coaches Mrs Price and Miss Behr for all their advice and support. Anna Herdman

Team: Sophie Ackers, Emma Bai ley, Anna Beck, Anastasie Bow-Bertrand, Imogen Bunya rd, lona Cairn, Emmy Clade, Al ex Groom, An na Herdman (Captain), Francesca Mosely, Harriet Moss, Pippa Stevens, Nico le Sultana, Beate Westlake. Also Played: Patricia Ll op is Resu lts Played

Won

Lost

......

Drew

For

Against

s:::

'i::: 0 ::::!

s:::

Lost 0-3

Lacrosse

v Epsom College U14A (A) Lost 0- 6

(H)

v Haileybury U14A XI(H) Lost 0- 1

v Duke of York's U14A XI (A) Won 3-0

Drew 1-1 Lost 0-5

v Dover College U15A

v Sutton Valence School U14A XI (A) Won 2- 1

Drew 1-1

v Epsom College U14B (A)

v StLawrence College U14 A XI (H) Won 7-0

----

(H) Lost 0-3

Played

v King's Rochester U15A XI (H) Lost 3- 6

v Duke of York's U14A

Ki ng's senior lacrosse teams made great strides and improvement this Autumn term, fi nishing up with some im pressive results. Nine players were named to county squads, in cl uding seven 1st XII members. Captain Kay Harvey-Kelly, Alex Carruthers, Rosie Guest, and Sophi a Gerth were al l selected for the Kent U19B t eam for the first time, while Olenka Hamilton once again performed extremely well, making both the Kent U19A team as well as th e Junior East U19 team. The two youn gest 1st t eam members, Kitty Synge and Lucy Ellwood, also made their mark at trials, earning spots on the U15B team. The 1st XII had many adjustments to make with th e addition of new coaching staff and only five retu rn ing players. With such a young roster, the girls had to learn to pl ay with one another right away, and did so wi th much success. The heart and strength of th e team all season lay in midfield play, wi th leadership, speed, and consistent perform ances from Alex Carru thers, lona Roberts, Hamilton, Harvey-Kelly, and newcomer Guest. The most improved aspect of the young King's sq uad, howeve r, starts in the backfield. The defence has so lidly made their presence felt wi th only one returning player, Captain Vicky Chenery, among them. Particula rly impressive have been the startling confidence and skill shown by rookies Kitty Synge and Fiona Stuart, who will continue to be key players in t he Lent term. The girls faced th eir first challenge only two wee ks into th e seaso n, as they travelled to Berkhamsted for an 8-aside to urnament. The 1st XII won their bracket easily, defeating Uppingham, Heathfield, and Godolphin wh ile goalie Sophia Gerth conceded only two goals. The team then wen t on to defeat Walthamstow Hall the following week 4-3, wi th a th ree goal performance by Hamil to n and a stunn ing seven-save game by Gerth. The girls also turned out some exce llent short matches in their two trips to Benenden, defeating Benend en D, Cra nbrook, and Bedgebury in

the Kent Tournament, and drawing with the Benenden B team two weeks later. Wi thin those fo ur matches, the team was led by three goals from Hamil ton and two from Ca rruthers, Guest, and Roberts, respectively. The 2nd XII has also fared extremely well this season, displaying a great commitment to lacrosse and each other throughout. The team's t op performance came in late Sept ember against Walthamstow Hall, in which the girls communicated and moved the ball beautifully, winning 9- 2. Scoring was spread over six different field players, including three from Captain An na Hadfield, wh ile novice goalie Milena Hasselman made three saves. Offensively, the team was led all season by superb play from centre and Captain Ann a Ross, while the defence and midfield received solid con tributions from Captain Kate Ross, Yoshino Oshima, Harriet Pritchard , and Eleanor Hill. In a final effort against a tough Haileybury team in late November, the 2nd XII lost 5-6 in the last minute of the game, but co nti nued to show excellen t improvement and dedicati on. Th e girls will be facing a slew of new and old opponen ts next term, and are ready for the cha llenges ahead. The season proved to be a bit rockier for the U1 5 and U14 Ki ng's teams, but nevertheless, the girls finished quite strong. Two U15 players, Hattie Brew is and Stephani e Lloyd, were selected for the Kent U15B team. Th e girls never managed to find a permanent goalkeeper during the season, but received good interval performances from Hannah Gold, Jenna Sung and Camilla Corbett. Although the team had difficul ty offensively early in the season, their massive im provement was shown in a sound 7-0 defeat of Hai leybury in their fin al season game. Hatti e Brewis tacked fo ur goals alongside Helena Richardson's two, as the girls easily rolled past their opponents, not allowing a si ngle shot on thei r own net. The U1 5 will continue to see positive results next season with continu ed midfield leadership from Rosie Iron, Sarah Fitch and Claire Wakeli ng. The U15 and U14 teams will begin next season with a tournament at Birl ey's on 8 January, and will look to show off their improved skills and play-m aking abilities to Caterham School, Dulwich Prep and Cranbrook, all worthy foes. The U14 was a t eam full of novice lacrosse players this term. Although t hey were short on numbers, these girls did a tremendous job learning the sport, gaining basic stick skills, and being thrown into match play wit hin the first

Anna Ross (left} and Kit ty Synge (right)

two weeks of term. Though it took so me t ime for th em to adj ust t o a new and different game, th ey fared well together and now have a solid understa nd ing of the sport. The team can credit first-time goalie Ca milla Corbett for keepin g t he score close in almost every match, and providing very consistent perform ances. Great potentia l was also shown in midfield er Natali e Denton and in defenders Emma M ay, Grace 0 ' Donovan, and Kirsty MacSween. All of these girls will be respo nsible f or helping new recruits along next t erm, as t he U14 makes room for t hirteen new incoming tea mmat es. Coaches: So nya Behnke, Erin Odegard, Liliane Wid dows, Elize Behr, Buffy Smiley 1st Tea m: Kay Karvey-Kelly (captai n), Vicky Chenery (vice captain), Alex Ca rrut hers, Fiona Stuart, Hannah Kay, Helen Streeter, Hermione Sharp, Holly Catto, lona Roberts, Kitty Synge, Lucy Ellwood, Lu cy Thompso n, Olenka Hamilton, Rosanna Daw es, Rosie Guest , Sophia Gert h

Badminton The badminton t ea m had an eventful t erm w ith both boys and girls representi ng Ki ng's in two league

competitions and t hree tournaments. King's were the w inners of five of the seven matches played in the schools' league, losi ng only to St Lawrence when our top players were absent , and to our old nemesis, Gravesend Gra mmar. In the North Forelands Junior Club League for players under 17 years of age, King's beat Ca nterbury Juniors 9 -0 but lost to Hartsdown 6- 5. Return matches agai nst t hese cl ubs, as well as matches against Herne Bay, will be pl ayed in the New Year. King's were represented in t hree tournaments during the term : Ali Holmes and Ada m Pickett played in t he North Forelands Junior Tournament w here Ali ca me within one point of wi nning the grade two singles event ; Ali and Adam along with Will Pound and Alex Batten entered the Kent Restricted Tournament in December where t hey encountered stiff opposi tion from Kent's elite sq uad players w ho proved too strong. In t he Ken t Schools' Tournament, King's was represented by Ed Chuck, Will Pou nd, Sa m Shirley and Richard Thomas. Kings fi nished t hird of eight in t he "Top School" section, but in the "Top Pairs," Ed Chuck and Will Pound w on the competition beating th e Gravesend Grammar School

pa ir 21 - 12 in the f inal. Ed and Will played brill iantly, dominati ng the final from start to finish and winning a trophy t hat Gravesend had held for 13 years. Well done Ed and Will ! For Ed, t his win was the crowning glory of a year t hat also saw him selected to play for his county. Edward Strilesky (Coach)

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to Edward for his enthusiasm and his dedication to the coaching of pupils of all abilities. It is pleasing to see his hard work paying off with the success at county /eve/. Thanks are also due to Sue McConnell for run ning the club so efficien tly this term. RCW Tea m: Edward Chuck (capt.), Alex Batten, Sa rah Erridge, Ali Holm es, Stephanie Kwan, Adam Pickett, Will Pound, Sam Shirley and Richard Thomas. Results King's 4

StLawrence

---

King's 8

StLawrence

King's 7

Bethany

King's 8

-----2

Bethany

--- - -

King's 7

Gravesend

King's 14

Sevenoaks

Sailing Club

back well. In the final race King's showed the determination and skill to win 3-1.

For many, Sailing may seem a rather passive sport. A great misconception is that the sport is easy; the person on the helm sits back and wiggles a stick about, while the wind takes the boat up and down a course. In reality sai lors have to train both physically and mentally to be in the best possible shape to combine strength, balan ce and wit, especially when it comes to 420s team racing. It is actually a very demanding spo rt, but also exhilarating and great fun.

King's fixtures included two matches against Sevenoaks, which is renowned for its well-trained and high flying talents in the sport. So to win against a Sevenoaks U16 team was a very pleasing result for King's. The home match at Westbere SC consisted of five main races. It looked by the way Sevenoaks took the first race 714 that we were in for a bad afternoon . King's showed great determination to come back and win the next two races by a si ngle point (11-10). The match then turned on the Race 4, which saw a fine King's display taking the first three positions (6-15). Although Sevenoaks took the final race, the match had been won 3-2.

These factors in the changing conditions of the Westbere lake present a big sporting cha llenge. Cold, wet and frequent outings are par for th e co urse. It is therefore appropriate that the school's achievements in Sailing should be recognised for the first time by the award of First Colours. Congratulations to Philip Spicer, who has led the team to achieve some impressive results and was also a member of the victorious Kent team at the 2004 National Schools Championship. Our first match th is term, assisted by the umpiring of the new Head Master of Dover College, was well co mpeted in a gusty wind. King's took the first two races easily, but when a Dover capsize led to swi tching from "three on three" to "two on two" team racing, Dover fought

This early success shou ld perhaps have served as a warni ng to us, because on the subsequent away match at Bough Beech SC some of Sevenoaks' best helms provided an assured display of their skills. Sailing fireflies in very light airs, King's lost out to the more tactically aware Sevenoaks team, who have worked their tactics of "luffing up" and sa iling the opposition off course to perfection . The King's helms, however, held their own and the 2-1 defeat made the team more determin ed to train and work hard on our own tactics.

Races in November and December against the University of Kent SC showed just how well the King's team is developing the skills of boat handling and race tactics. Taking on the more experienced universi ty sa ilors and winning was a distinctly satisfying experience. Since the University team is keen to try and gain revenge the success of th e fixture should lead to regu lar encounters in the future. The report of the matches that appeared in the Can terbury Gazette made for good reading with reference to the "training, fl exibility and determination" of the King's team. Another new fixture was also established with Redoubt SC cadets, Hythe. The 5-0 result was not the overwhelming victory that it might seem as each race was closely co nt ested, with generally li ttle bu t a position or two difference between the teams in each race. However this also showed how well King's sailors have taken to team racing, because it is by working as a team to make a one or two point win that matches are won. The defeat away to the Tonbridge first team confirmed nonetheless that there is still mu ch work to be done. Team Racing also provides the best possible training background for the success of individual sailors at Flee t Racing, as Ben Ainslie has demonstrated so convincingly in successive Olympics. In

(Ito r) Hamish Colville, Edward Walls, Vicki Meyer-Laker, Andrew Lewis, Mickey leBlanc, Peter Gray. Catherine Gabriel, Pl1ilip Spicer, Alasdair Sladen

J ...

the major fleet race of the term , held by Kent Schools Sailing Association at Broadst airs SC, the Ki ng's trio of Philip Spicer, Peter Gray and And rew Lewis came very close to win ning the coveted t rop hy f or best team performance. Will next year bring even better prospects of winning a major championship? HROM

Team : Philip Spicer (capt), Catheri ne Gabriel, Vicki Meyer-Laker, Peter Gray, Mickey le Blanc, Andrew Lewis, Edward Watts. Also sailed : Hamish Colville, Alasdair Sladen.

Matches won

Matches lost

Races won

Races lost

v Dover College

(H) W 3- 1

v Sevenoaks U16

(H) W 3-2

v Tonbridge

(A) L 1-2

-----------

----- ----- ------

---

v Dover College

(A) W 3-0

v University of Kent (H) W 4-0 (A) L 1-2

v Sevenoaks v Redoubt SC

(H) W 5-0

---------Âˇ

v University of Kent ('A') W 3-0

Fleet Racing Result s: Kent Schools Sailing Association Annual Regatta at Broadstairs SC. P Spicer and P Gray finished 2nd in the handicapped fleet and King's finished 4th in the overall combined fleet of more tha n 50 entries.

The seiling team racing vs. University of Kent

Renwick Russell

Inter-House CrossCountry Competition Temperatures were high and expectations higher as five hundred plus pupils ran for House honour and individual glory over the challenging 1.8 mile Scotty Hills course. MO maintained their remarkable stranglehold over the overall Boys Team event, beating Linacre by 14 points. Mitchinson's claimed the Junior cup, Grange the Inter award and Marlowe pipped Galpin's for Senior supremacy. Christian Allen was a second up on Jonathan Brooks to win the Junior race, while Trista n Hambleton was a more comfortable winner over George Chilcott to take Inter gold. Ch ris Robinso n finished well ahead of Renwick Russell and Joachim Wilcke in the Senior race, contested over two gruelling laps. Broughton proved the most co nsistent Girls' house, taking the overall cup by 20

points from Mitchinson's. Walpole were co nclusive victors in the Junior Girls' race, and Harvey House outgunned their opponents in the Seniors' event. Rosie Iron won the Junior run in 11.31, followed by Flo Nairac, and Chloe Mitchell was first Senior in 11.03, ahead of Amena lmasekha. The Girls' Participation Cup went, jointly, to Broughton and Harvey, while Galpin's won the Boy's Participati on cup. My thanks go to all those who com peted, and to col leagues who manned, supported, supervised, started, j udged, recorded and ran ! DJF

Boys' Hockey 1st XI The pre-season tour to Malta was a first for King's Hockey - in many ways. The cool elegance of an out of season package-holiday hotel, t he off-peak food and discounted decor only served as a co unterbalance to the spirit and camaraderie that developed. But perhaps it was because of some of the little surprises that the team gelled so well. Or was it that moment when it all dawned on us th at the New Year's Eve Gala Dinner was more glitter than glitterati, more tat than Tatler? It needed little more than a gentle persuasive word from our Maltese compere before we were the life and soul of the party. Within minutes the memory of the Monty Python starter ("spam, spam, spam, spam") had vanished and the whole dining room was joining us as we danced. This squad had an impact then, throug hout the tour and back in En gland through the season. The spirit and team unity were impressive and account for a lot of the success of this fine hockey-playing First Eleven. We could not have asked for better hockey hosts than th e Maltese Hockey Association. They did all they cou ld to make our visit worthwhile. On the pitch we were successful. We learnt much against an older Malta side and ended up

playing some wonderful 11 -man hockey, winning 6-0. Not all was rosy in our second match. Malta had trained and learnt how to deal with us. We had to fight hard to end up on the favou rable side of a 2-1 result. We also learnt valuable lessons and carried them forwa rd to our match versus Charterhouse who were also touring the island. In a wonderful display of fastmoving hockey we took every chance we created and rath er ba mboozled our recently arrived opposition, running away wi th it 7-2. It was during this tour that I mentioned to the sq uad that I felt this co uld be a very good season indeed. I had thoug ht it in the squad sessions before Christmas and the first game in Malta convinced me I was rig ht. It was an interesting exercise chatti ng this through with them one evening as some struggled with the idea. But it is important to be able to be realistic about one's potential for one ca n then train to achieve it; and then one can work determ inedly to go beyo nd it. The season was a good one and the statistics speak for themselves. Of the nine non-cup matches eight were won. A total of 38 goals were scored at an average of almost 5 per match. However, the season was cut short by snow, and no hockey was played for almost four weeks. This left us all very frustrated, for we we re a side that was improving

throughout the season and we were looking forward to peaking at the end. In our first match we were shaken a little by St. Edmund's, whose determination won through in the first half. We found it difficult to achieve a pattern of play and settle down as their desire to win the ba ll was at times much greater than ou rs. However, we gained some sort of composure and went on to win 4-0. Trinity Croydon are always a very good side and one we knew we would have to beat if some of the season's dreams were to come true. It was a tigh t, slightly nigg li ng game, which should not have con tained quite as much pressure as it did. We had the chances to open up a bit of a gap, but were found wa nting in front of goa l. In the pressure cooker that the game became, our lone goal was enough to clinch the victory, but we should not have let it be tha t close. Last year against King's Rochester we struggled to get on top, losing our pattern against a weaker side. Not so this. Lessons had been learnt and we took our chances. We dominated thro ughout the game and ran away with the win. Kent College were one of the best teams in the country and all were really looking forward to playing them. If one wan ts to be the best, one needs to compete wi th the best. And this we did. We did not win this match, but it was the best hockey we played all season. It was even more impressive beca use we went

101

one nil down early on. One could sense the fear of a landslide, but it did not materia lise. We dug in deep and got an equalise r. It was not easy to mount successfu l attacks, for the Kent College defence was very tig ht. But we were intuitive with our running of the ball and thoughtful in selection of length and pace of pass. In defence we gave no quarter, but kept our patience. Against far better players, King's were composed whilst realising the urgency of their task. It was a splendid performance. A key mom en t came just ten minu tes into the second half. We had a reasonable chance to go 2 up. It went wide and Kent College scored quickly afterwards. Sport, and hockey is a wonderful thing . It is full of 'what ifs?' and opportunities t o raise one's game to take on the best and run them close. Despite the late rush of goals, this was by far the best performance of the season . Our matches against Cranbrook have always been close. Both sides have a very si mila r attacking style w hich makes for very attractive hockey. We played well, stringing together some very impressive moves, particul arly down the right side. Our defence was also good and never looked in danger of being swa mped. We had fa llen at the hurdle that is Haileybury in t he past, but as we came into this match there was a confidence growi ng, a

102

self-belief that we could play good hockey and achieve results agai nst any side. In this match the confidence was wel l placed. We qui etly asserted ourselves, playing su perbly as a unit. Our passive defence was of the highest order and we took chances. 4-0 was a good result against this side. Felsted were unable to bring a side that contained t heir best players, but we were determined to play well in the last school match of the season. At times we produ ced some champag ne hockey. The game is a simp le one -just pass th e ball. And that is w hat we did, running out easy wi nn ers in the end, 7-1 . The Kent Cup match against Simon Langton was the only disappointment of the seaso n. We all had high hopes for this co mpetition and thought a place in the fin al was a rea l possibility. In the first fifteen minutes of this game we played some amazing hockey at a pace the opposition could not deal with. Within the first five minutes we had several shots at goal and were unlucky not t o have a penalty fli ck. Had we taken our chances in that period the result would have been very different indeed. The defence had a good season, only 8 goals were conceded. This is because they worked together as a unit, showing the degree of understanding of each other

and t he game that allowed a su rprising deg ree of flu idity amongst them. Decs Clarke improved greatly through the season and as his co nfid ence grew, so did the quality of his attacks down th e right wing. He proved to be a versatile player, able to step in to key defensive posi tions w hen needed. Henry Piechoczek worked hard to get in the side and when there, worked his feet effectively to channel his man. His increasingly well timed tackles saved many a shot. Graham Sweetman's undoubted ability was invaluable in attack and defence. His reading of the game mea nt that his forays up front were as well judged as his tackl es. The understanding he had with Dom Scott was crucial to much of the success of th is side. A goalkeeper relishes a good defence, but even if he did not have one, Chris Rob inso n would have been able to cope. Coo l under pressure, he has been outstanding 'between the sticks: His commitment and attitude have been exemplary. The midfield worked hard this year and linked more effectively with the other two units in the team than in recent years. But they were also effective as in dividuals. Tom Burley has deve loped a very fast style of play and he used the reverse stick dribble t o penetrati ng effect at times down the left wi ng. Sam Middleton had an outstanding season. He

worked tirelessly in attack and defence using his skill mesmorisingly to beat several players in one run before blazing the ball into the net - he has scored some amazing goals. Several players leave the side this year. Dustin Stevens was disciplined in the centre-half role doing a distributive job efficiently. Dom Scott is an exceptional player. His reading of the game allows him more t ime than others because he gets in the right position earlier. His lowto-the-ground tackling is not only accurate, but puts the ball, once won, in a position from which to launch an attack which he can do skilfully as he has such good vision. Jonnie Watler mastered several positions in his early forays wi th the team but settled increasingly comfortably in the forward line with some effect, being more of a snaffler of goals than a crea tor of them. Tom Pritchard showed a wonderful degree of co mmitment to the team. He worked very hard on every aspect of his game and deserved his place in it over the last two yea rs - he is very much a tea m player. His work rate is always top notch and his tackling tenacious. Will Bruce and Charlie Teale together formed a valuable partnership up front. Their understanding of each other al lowed some running off the ball that confused the opposition, creating more chances than a more conventional style might bring. Th ey were also invaluable in generating a positive and cheery spirit. Jo Wilcke is a determ ined and forceful player who is passionate about playing well. As vice-captai n he led by example, giving all that he can whether it be in tackling or going for goal. Togeth er wi th Ben Cryer he made a very real difference this yea r. Ben was Captain for two years. He led the tea m splendidly in both an d did so with a quiet authority. His wisdom and understanding of the players was

much appreciated and helped to make this season such a success.

Results School matches

It was a very real joy to welcome back so many OKS for the last game of the season. It was probably the best side assembled for a number of years and th ey gave the First Eleven a very good game indeed. Despite the higher skill levels of many of the OKS, their older legs got the better of them and not even their wisdom could prevent th em losing. But none were losers in this celebration of hockey. I know it sounds corny, but it is not, it's j ust tru e. Not a cl iche, because it was just like that. Over the last 18 years I have tried to get sides to play attacking, simple hockey; to play with a sense of fun and desire to do wel l for oneself and others, so the team wins no matter wha t the result. It is the quality of relationships that is so important and if you can get that ri ght, then most other things go well too. In an age of video cameras and intense technical analysis, we must not lose sight of the fact that successful coaches need to be alchemists, getting the right mix and atmosphere in a team is crucial. The last 18 years have been the most fun. It has been a privilege to be involved with every one of the hundred or so players to have represented the First Eleven. I am pl eased that I will still be involved, but am delighted that we have someone of the quality of Mrs Webber to take the baton. NLP Team from: Ben Cryer* (Captain), Joachim Wi lcke* (vice-captain). William Bruce*, Thomas Burley, Andrew Clarke, Joseph S. Middleton*, Henry Piechoczek, Tom Pri tchard, Chris Robinson*, Graham Sweetman*, Charl es Teale*, Jonathan Watler, Dominiqu e Scott*, Dustin Stevens

Also played: Dom Collingwood, Peter Gray

Played

Won

lost For

Against

--------------

v St. Edmund's

(h) Won 4 - 0

v Trinity, Croydon

(h) Won 1 - 0

v King's, Rochester (h) Won 8 - 0 v Cranbrook School (h) Won 4 - 0 v Tonbridge

cancelled

v Haileybury

(h) Won 4 - 0

v Duke of York's

(a) cancelled

v Sutton Valence

cancelled

v Chatham House

(h) Won 4 - 0

v Felsted

(h) Won 7 - 1

v OKS

(h) Won 5-2

The Kent Cup v Simon Langton

l ost 1 - 2

The Tour v Malta under 18

Won 6-0

v Malta under 18

Won 2- 1

v Charterhouse

Won 7- 2

2nd XI This has been a hugely successful season and one that I have really enjoyed coaching. From the very start, the boys showed not only a high level of technical ability but a tremendous team spirit. George in goal (who had a quite superb term in 'the cage') got off to an impressive start but sticking his teet h through his bottom lip whilst making a truly spectacular save against Trinity College - under protest he was removed from the pitch and the subsequent score line didn't accurately reflect the pattern of the game. The only other bli p was against Cranbrook - a closely contested game and one that we should have drawn. The other games were a pleasure to um pire. Played in the best of spirits, a team with many 5th formers and some old hands produced one of the best 2nd XI teams King's has seen in a very long time. I hope we will be able build upon this next year. We ll done boys. Left - Ben Cryer

103

William Bruce

3rd XI

Team from : G.Chilcott, D.Collingwood, E.Brown, R.Wildish (Capt), A.Pemberton, J.Hill, H.Wall, C.Binks, B.Reed, H.Hird, H. Piechoczek, P.Gray, F.Thompson, S.Pound. P.Henkle. 2nd XI colours to : E.Brown, R.Wildish (Capt), A.Pemberton, C.Binks, B.Reed, Results Played

Won

lost

Drew

For

Against

v Trinity College 8"'

.!::!

8 N

t:: 0

''= 0 ::J .._, t::

(A) lost

1-3

v King's Rochester

(A) Won 5-0

v Kent College

(A) Won 4-1

v Cranbrook

(H) lost 2-3

v Chatham Hse Gr (A) Won 6-3 v Haileybury

(H) Won 5-0

v Felsted

(H) Won 4-2

(1.)

104

The 3rd XI had a solid season when compared to the previous success achieved by former sides in recent years. The team grew in character as the season progressed and this can only be highlighted by the fact that we won our last two matches with a total win ning margin of 19-0! It's fair to say that the guys enjoyed these two games the most, as the game plan we had been developing only just started cementing itself into full swing. The attitude of the players on the field was always one of full commitment when it came to Saturdays. However, as a team, more focus and mental preparation could have been devoted to practices. The side was a predominantly young one, that will no doubt form the foundations of future King's first sides. Emphasis was placed on getting the team to work together as a unit and get the ball moving quickly down the lines, in an attempt to play attacking and exci ting hockey in the opponents' half. In addition to this, we tried to begin our defence high up the field in an effort to "press" in our opposition in their own half. The players coped well and I feel that the you ngsters learnt the importance of letting the ball do the work and maintaining a disciplined structure with

lots of communication, which will set them in good stead when exposed to a higher standard of hockey. Our defence was capably led by the sturdy figure of captain Chris Cork who, with the help of Richard Thomas, kept things organised. Our right and lefthalves were always encouraged to push up field and join in the attacks having distributed the ball down the lines giving us some width. Our "big chief' Saint had a presence in goal and was always prepared to make big saves. Justin Williams skilfully dominated the midfield along with Oliver Ford, who always gave 110%. Credit must not only be given to our strikers for producing a mammoth 29 goals in 5 games, but also to the team who, at times, produced some audacious hockey with moves stretching from one side of the park to the other. Possession was often kept for long periods and we moved the ball at pace. Two capable players with tremendous potential showed good skills in the final 'third'. Rupert Lee finished the season off on 8 goals. A determined Steve Wong was not so far behind. Short corners were welldrilled and this paid dividends in match situations thanks to Richard Thomas. We were, however, slightly guilty of taking th e foot off the accelerator at half-time after dominating for long

periods and lacked killer-instinct. This cost us dearly especially against Cranbrook where we irresponsibly threw the game away.

Results

The guys had a wonderful season and they can all be proud of their efforts and success. The season had its moments on and off the field, and our accomplishments, in both training and matches, were without doubt highlighted by our goal tally, with a total of 3 clean sheets over 5 matches. A season of learning and practice where the "oaks" learnt and improved their skills and ma tch strategies? Yes. A year of great fu n and exciting match-winning hockey? Definitely. Stratos Laskarides

v Cranbrook School

Results For

Against

Played

Won

Lost

v Trinity, Croydon

v King's School Rochester (A) 6 - 1

Team from: Alexander Gilmore (Captain), Alexander Barron, Hugh Bird, Thomas Yates, Robin Bridge, Oliver Sandemann Allen, William Newman, Oliver Bromfield, James Kent, Tristan Lee, Finnian Nainby Luxmoore, Charl es Johnston, Ad nan Bashir, Benjamin Varian, Timothy Brown

Lost

For

Against

3 -0

v Haileybury College

(A)

1- 2

v Duke of York's RMS

(A)

4-0

Kent County Championships Chatham Grammar School

0-0

Norton Knatchbull

2- 1

Sir Roger Manwoods

1- 1

Duke of York's

5-0

Tonbridge -

0- 1

Quarter Final - Alleyn's

0-4

1- 4

Junior Colt s B XI

The Junior Colts st arted the season off wi th a very tough match against Trinity, who are traditionally a very tough team. A hard battle ensued, with the team never giving up until the fi nal whistle. After the first defeat, the team improved in each match that followed. Unfortunately due to a two week period of snow, a couple of fixt ures were cancelled. The highlight of the season was an extremely close encounter against Cranbrook, which was a display of sheer guts and determin ation. In the Kent U15 Tourn ament, the boys acqui tted themselves very wel l, gaining 7th place overall. Wel l done to all the boys who played this season. SMW

Won

5-4

7th Place Overall out of 24

Junior Colts A XI

(A)

v St. Lawrence College (A)

v Felsted School (A)

Played

(A) 0-4

Sam Middleton

After a shaky start to the season with narrow defeats to Trinity College, Croydon and Tonbridge, the Under 15 B team discovered the quality and momentum with which they had finished the previous year. They played some great, attacking hockey especially against Haileybury and Duke of York's who were beaten convincingly. Our team was ever changing due to injury and players being called up to the A's, but we were lu cky to have plenty of players in reserve. Fred Clarke was excellent as our goalkeeper and although he did not always have much to do he was always reliable when he did. The fullbacks Ed

Wilkins and Leo Scarfe were skilful and quick, ensuring that hardly any successful attacks came down the wings. Ed was also excellent at short corners where he pushed out. Ali Edmondson played sweeper and his big tackles and powerful hits were key to our defensive success. At centre-back, Freddie Iron was the last man and was always there to see out any attacks wi th his ca lm, solid tackling. In midfield, James Geidt worked tirelessly on the left in both attack and defence and his passes always fou nd the ir mark. Walter Miles and Alex Maisel played on the right and were both excellent at supplying the front men wi th good passes. At centre-half, skipper Harry Coombe was the tactical mastermind of the side; a very capable player in his own right, but his real strength was in getting the best out of everyone else in the side. His contribution was committed and wholehearted throughout the season. Up front we had Ro han Premnath in the centre, Felix Cohen on the left and Ben Varian and George Ch ristie on the right. Rohan was the master of creating chances wi th his skilful fli cks and passes, his finishing was also excellent. Felix's skill and aggressive approach meant that he scored a lot of goals and he cut in from the left to great effect. George Christie started the season as rig ht wing, but then changed to left back halfway through. He was excellent at both, but wit h his strong tackles and ability to win the ball in any situation I think he was more effective in defence. Ben Varian played for both A and B teams and he always gave our attack a boost when he did play for us. His shots were fantastic and almost every time he got the ball he wou ld beat two or three players. James Fox and Matthew Swaffer also deserve mentions for their contribution to the matches at the beginning and the end of the season.

The most exci ting and reward ing match of the season came in our last match against Felsted . Illness and inj ury meant that we were without some of our key players but the two teams were very evenly matched and it was an edgy start to the game with neither team really domin ating . Felsted scored first with an unfortunate own goal and at half time we were one- nil down. They scored again half way through the second half and w ith five minutes to go it looked like we were going to lose. A trademark st rike from Ben Va rian gave us hope however, and we launched attack after attack on the Felsted defence. In the dying seconds of the game Alex Maisel prod uced an amazing reverse sweep from an almost impossible ang le to give us the draw. It was a great end to the game and a great end to our season. Thanks must go to Jen for her great coaching and to Mr. Warnick for accompanying us to matches. Harry Coombe Et RNW

Team from: George Christie, Frederick Clarke, Felix Cohen, Harry Coombe (Captain), Alastair Edmondson, James Fox, James Geidt, Frederick Iron, Alexander Maisel, Rohan Premnath, Leo Scarfe, Matthew Swaffer, Benjamin Varian, Edward Wilkins. Results Played

Won

Drawn Lost

For

Against

v Trinity

(H) Lost 1 - 4

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 1 - 2

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 3-0

v Haileybury

(H) Won 6-0

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 7-0

v Felsted

(A) Draw 2-2

Junior Colts C XI This year we again operat ed a combin ed C and D development squad to widen interest and commitment, even though fixtures were few and far bet ween. Our seaso n got off to a losing start against Trinity Croydon, with a 2- 0 home defeat against an excellent si de. While there was no shortage of effort we were beaten by th eir slick passing and ability

106

to take chances. An ea rly goal in each half determined the outcom e. With a rotationa l squad, we then faced another cha llenging school - Tonbridge. Sad ly our hom e advantage proved ineffective, and we were taken apart 7-0. However, our heads never dropped despite being 5-0 down at half-time, and we restricted the opposition more successfully in the second half. Capta in Courageous, Sayo Folawayo made some remarkable saves in goal. Undaunted, we gai ned an honourable 1-1 draw away to Tonb ridge, on grass, with Man of t he M atch James Fox hitting a spectacula r goal. This makes him leadi ng - and only- goal sco rer. By this time we had lost Matthew Swaffer and Leo Scarfe w ho were promoted to the B squad. Team spirit throughout has been exceptionally positive. During the season we have looked solid at the back, creative in midfield and dangerous in attack - at least on the training pi tch - and our best performance was a C versus D training fixture played in a snowstorm! The attitude of my entire KitKat sq uad has been exemplary and I thank them for thei r co mpany and enthusiasm. JIB

Team from : Sayo Folawayo (Captain), l ni Atoyebi, Vin ce Boeckeler, Will Coles, Simon Englander, James Fox, Quirin Grossman, Oliver Johnson, Ralph Johnso n, Tom Kelly, James Lamb, Laurence Malpass, Renwick McAslan, Rishi Melwani, Bibek Mukherjee, Jam es Munro, Tom Pollock, Aymen Saleh, Leo Scarfe, Ben Stratton, Vasa Supachok, Matthew Swaffer, Mark Thomas, Zayd Tippu, Chris White, Tom West ray

Under 14 A XI This was a very successful season. As before, the A squad contained many for w hom hockey was a new gam e. We spent t he first few weeks learni ng the basics how to push and stop, and how to hit and pass. Once we had an idea of how to control and move t he ball, we progressed onto some positional play. Two things stand out in my mind as feat ures of the season. One was the week by week im provement seen in both individ ual players and in the tea m as a w hole (many parents on the side line testified to this th anks for you r support and encouragement - it makes a world of difference). The ot her was the quality of the goal keeping. Our fixture list is not easy - but to come away w it h a goals against total of only 6 after 9 matches is

testimony to the ou tsta nding performance by William Chilcott over the season. Always cheerful and cha rismatic, William and his remarkable saves brought on many gasps of amazement from the sideline. He also ably captained the side for over half the season. However, the U14 'A' defence was by no means a one man team. We were defensively strong all season. Initially it w as an effective combination of William Chilcott in goal and Guy Peng elley as sweeper that kept th e score to on ly one nil agai nst th e well drilled and experienced Trinity Croydon side. I knew the season was going to be an exciting one after this game. Tom Davey was a tenacious and strong centre back, ably assisted by Taha Tippu, Patrick Gibbs and Max Van Coil lie. All four read the game well, and made some very sig nificant tackles. Sadly Taha was co ncussed in the King 's Roch ester game, which meant he was unable to play again until after half term . Tom Davey was also incapacitat ed with ap pendicitis for the w hole of the second half of t erm. This was a particular blow as he had ca ptained the team up to t his stage, with his cheerful and encouragi ng manner, and we missed his punishing strikes from 16's and short corners. Guy Edmund Jones played in 8 out of the 9 fixtures, mainly in defence. The quality of his play improved greatly from one game to the next. He was fast and dependable. Towa rds the end of term, Terry Lee and Kieran Premn ath moved up from the B's to ta ke positions vaca nt through illness. They did not let me down, but showed other members of the team w hat a 100% work rate looks like! They really were fantast ic, parti cul arly in t he Felsted game which was probably our hardest. In midfield, Guy Pengelley commanded the centre after moving from sweeper. He had nat ural skill and vision, and learned to feed t he ball to the wings effect ively as the season progressed. Patrick Mitchell he Iped out on the right. He seemed to have the knack of dribbling around people w it h relative ease. Jon at han Jones and Jonno Ross also played effective ly in midfield. Although quiet and unaggressive players, they made a sign ificant cont ribution in a number of games. Richard Hartland played effectively wherever he was placed. A ve rsatile player, Ri chard kept the ball well and scored some excellent goals (the most memorable probably being the one at Haileybury). Up front, Jonty Brooks played centre forward. He always see med to have a good deal to say (about himself or any aspect of th e game). Th ankf ully, he backed this up w it h some excellent goals in a number of games - the highlight probably being against St. Lawrence (or possibly the reverse si de goal against

Cranbrook). Christian Allen played in 6 matches as right wing, and always seemed to be faster than anyone else on the pitch. He set up a number of goals with his excellent first touch. James Harm an played up front on the left, a determined player who t ook to this difficult position wi th relative ease. Overall, all the above players are to be commended on giving 100% during matches. They adapted well to the frequent position cha ng es and were good fun to coach; they look like they could be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. My thanks to Mr Henderson, Mr Sykes, Stratos Laskarides and Andrew Dunn for their coach ing support. Remember lads: strong sided passing, always look up and always wear astro boots! The team voted William Chilcott as player of the season, and Patrick Mitchell as the most improved player. MJWS

Team: William Chilcott (Captain), Jonathan Brooks, Guy Edmund -Jones, Richard Hartland, Guy Peng elley, Patrick Mitchell, Patrick Gibbs, Jonathan Jones, Max Van Coillie, James Harman, Christian Allen, Thomas Davey, Kieran Premnath, Jonathan Ross, Terry Lee. Also played: Taha Tippu, Charles Dalton, Louis Monahan, Matthew Mackinnon, Andreas Tatt. Results Played

Won

Drew Lost For

---

Against

v Trinity Croydon

(A) Lost 0- 1

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 2-0

v Cranbrook

(A) Drew 1 - 1

v Harvey Grammar (Kent Cup) (A) Lost 0- 1 v Haileybury

(A) Won 2-0

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 4-0

v St. Lawrence

(A) Won 6-0

v Chatham House

(H) Won 2-0

v Felsted

(H) Lost 0- 3

Under14BXI An en thusiastic season from a very competent B team. It is a commendable achievement to come away with 16 goals after only 5 matches. All players showed com mitment and developing skill, which is encouraging given that most had not played before. The team was different each Saturday due to injury and illness in both the B's and the A's. Furthermore, a number of players were promoted to the A's as the season progressed. In many ways, the top two teams were very similar. The season began with a gutsy game against a strong Trinity Croydon side. Trinity scored 3 goals in 10 minutes, but this was followed by some even play. Our defence took control and kept out the Trinity attack. Next was an away fixture at Cranbrook. After an untidy first half, wit h Ki ng's players only managing two passes before giving it away to the opposition, we started to attack in a more coordinat ed way; we were rewarded with our first two goals of the season. Our greatest goal total came away at Haileybury. We looked strong, passing well and using the width. Against Duke of York's, it was clear that we were the better side, but the game was a little scrappy. The last fixture was against a strong Felsted side. It was a nail biting game, with neither side really seizing co ntrol of the game. Sadly th ey scored the de:ider in the last minute. Althoug h we f1mshed on a loss, this was not a disappointing game. The team was ably captained by Charlie Dalton, who played in defence along with Robert Stewart, Ed Fryzer, Terry Lee and Pranav Saran. In midfield, Louis Monahan was often instrumental in setting up the goals. Joshua White and Tom Granger played along si de in mid field. In attack, Andreas Tatt scored a number of goals, ably supported by Matthew Mackinnon and George Cooke. Toby Muir-Little played in goal all season. Always en thusiastic, he made some excellent saves, and always seemed to be enjoying himself. Overall, these players show much promise for the future. MJWS and Stratos Laskarides.

Team: Charles Dalton (Captain), Andreas Tatt, Toby Muir-Little, Robert Stewart, Joshua White, George Cooke, Edward Fryzer, Thomas Granger, Louis Monahan, Matthew Mackinnon, Terry Lee, Pranav Saran. Also played: Jonathan Jones, Christian Allen, Kieran Premnath, Jonathan Ross, Taha Tippu, Maximillian Gabbert, Robbie Thomas, Frederick Winterbotham.

Results Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

----

v Trinity Croydon

(A) Lost 0- 3

v Cranbrook

(A) Won 2- 1

v Haileybury

(A) Won 7-0

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 4- 1

v Felsted

(A) Lost 3- 4

Under 14 C XI The results this year hardly do justice to a spirited and talented squad. Indeed, it is the progress in skill and the enjoyment derived from some of the six-a-side practice sessions that have been the most striking features of the season. In matches, the lack of a natural goal scorer was the only obvious weakness, so that dominance in several games was not converted into goals. A rotating squad system provided many players to represent the team and thus gain experience of competitive matches. Th is should prove valuab le for the future. Fred Winterbotham, William Mitchell Alex Berry and James Hurst provided 'the main drive for the squad, as well as a unique tea m spirit for the 'mighty ducks', and they shared the captaincy. Of the other players, Edmund Fincham was a brave and committed goalkeeper, Joshua Savage was a fierce defender, Max Darroch, Max Gabbert, Angus Fox and Robert Day filled a variety of positions with enthusiasm, Ben Savill had stickwork of real subtlety, and Alex Short emerged as a most promising forward. A special mention must go to Ed Fryzer, who stepped in at the very last moment to play in goal in the first game. MJWS and PGH

Team: Frederick Winterbotham (Captain), Alexander Berry, Robert Day, James Hurst, Harry Morgan, Henry Ridgway, Benjamin Savill, Edmund Fincham, Angus Fox, William Mitchell, Max Darroch Maximillian Gabbert, Joshua S~vage, Robbie Thomas, Charles Williams Alexander Short. ' Also played: Edward Fryzer, Pranav Saran, Jeremy Godden, lfejola lluyomade.

107

Results Played

Won Lost

For

Against

v Trinity Croydon

(H) Lost 0- 3

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 2-0

I would like to thank all our coaches and

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 0 - 3

v Felsted

(A) Lost 2 - 3

umpires for their time and effort during the season. Mrs Lilian Widdows coached the 1st and 2nd teams, Ms Kerry Bradley the 3rd and U16 teams, Ms Heather Lloyd and Katie Dray the U158 and U14B teams, Dr. Taylor the U14C and U15C teams and Ms Behr t he U15A and U14A teams. Thank you to Ms Reidy, Mrs McConnell and Mr Fox for their help. Without you our teams wou ld not have achieved what they did. To our caterers and ground staff, thank you for keeping our courts in such good condition and having our teas and eats ready after matches. EB

Netball Our netball teams performed at a very high level during the Lent term and must be congratulated on their commitment and performance during matches. The team of the year is our 1st team. They have only lost one match throughout the season and playing in the South of England tournament for the first time in the history of King's was a wonderful

f t:: 0

"t: 0

::J .._,

t::

CI.J

l si VII

108

experience for the team. Our junior teams played with a lot of enthusiasm and it was great to see t hem always turning up to traini ng. I hope we cont in ue to see such a big turn ou t in the years to come. The highligh t of the season's training was definitely our training session in adverse weather conditions. Not on ly was the wind gushing in from the new pavilion side of t he courts, there was snow and hail that needed to be contended wit h. The juniors must be commended for this.

1st VII Th is seaso n has been very successful for t he netball 1st VII. With only one loss against Maidstone Girls' Grammar school, we have shown ou r skill and determination in claiming victory over every other team that has been unfortunate enough to exist on court with us. Congratulations go to Lola (GK) for being player of t he season. She definitely deserved it with her indescribable elevation and determination not to allow the opposition shooter to get too confident, even though she cou ld not go to a match without injuring some part of the body or ending up slid ing under the fe nce. Our other defence, Caroline and Katie were undoubtedly the characters of the team and also w inners of eati ng competitions at tournaments. Caroline never gave up a fight for possession and her bubb ly attitude encouraged us all w hen we were feeling the strain. God help Katy's oppo nent if they so much as touched her accidenta lly in a match, because her hea lthy competitive attitude

Team from : Clai re Rumbellow, Jossie Clayton, Harri et Jones, Lucy Egleton, Caroline Law rence, Caroline Hobbs, Pippa Tregear, Katy Taylor, Lola Soyode, Polly Mills Results v Sutton Valence

(W) 33-11

v Benenden

(W) 20-16

v Cranbrook

(W) 22-14

v Duke of York's

(W) 23-14

v Caterham

(W) 27-24

v Maidstone Girls' Grammar (L) 17-23 v Sevenoaks

(W) 27-20

v St lawrence

(W) 44-23

---

v Willowridge School South Africa (W) 22-11 District Tournament v Simon Langton

(W) 4-0

v Barton Court

(W) 14-1

v Herne Bay High

(W) 12-0

---

v Queen Elizabeth's School (W) 10- 1 v St. Edmund's

(W) 6-3

v St. Anselm's

(W) 9-2

2nd VII

on the court is something we should all aspire to. She has kept us in hysterics throug hout the cold, winter netball days and the team would n't have been the sa me without her! Now onto Pippa, with her endless energy and renowned ki ller passes that left no chance for interception. Her speedy dodges and quick thi nking as WA made my j ob as centre easy. Whenever there was a reckless pass, we were all saved by Claire's quick reactions around the "D': Her work wi th Jossie as GA and GS has gone from strength to strength throughout the seaso n, and their endless supply of goals from any angle or distance has often resulted in cheers from regular supporters. Jossie's ove rhead ski lls and accurate shooting have been

amazing and I thin k she has had a very good final netball season. I wish Polly, Caroline H, Lucy and Caroline L best of luck with next year's season. They have all been a great asset to this year's team and I expect to hear of an unbeaten King's team soon. Last but not least, I would like to thank Lillian fo r her priceless coaching. We would not have made it through to the Regiona l finals without her performance and array of skills shown in the staff vs 1st match, showing us how a real game of netball should be played. Also Miss Behr for her helpful advice and co nstant support, and anyone else who had the pleasure of seeing us in action. Harriet Jones (HH)

The seconds have had a mixed season, coming up ag ainst some tea ms of very high standards. As a team we quickly ca me together, learning each others' moves and adapting to make effective plays. Win or lose, everyone learnt from each game, and most importantly kept up the positive spirit. Both Sarah Parks and Kate ludlow defend ed the circle well, th e centre court players would use t his to their advantage and change from defending the goal to attacking play. Anna Green, Emily lunn and Charlotte Sayer got the ball down to Steph and Miranda to do the shooting. The player of t he season was Miranda Nai rn. Charlotte Sayer (LX)

Team from: Charl otte Sayer, Stephanie Kwan, Kate l udlow, Emma Healy, Prudence Wong, Miranda Nairn, Anna Green, Emily lunn, Sarah Parks

109

Results v Sutton Valence

(W) 20-8

v Cranbrook

(l) 11-19

v Duke of York's

(W) 21-9

v Caterham

(l) 20-22

v St. lawrence

(W) 36-2

v Willowridge School South Africa (W) 20-8 Distri ct Tournament v Simon Langton

(W) 4-2

v Barton Court

(l) 4-7

v Herne Bay

(W) 4-1

play more matches than last yea r and have had victories agai nst Sutton Valence, Epso m and Cranbroo k. Highl ights of th e seaso n have been playing agai nst Bethany at home and, bei ng short of players we had to ca ll in players who do not play netball anymore. It was also probably the hardest we've ever had to work as a tea m and, though unfort unately we lost that match, we put up a good fight in true 3rd tea m spirit. Player of the season goes to So phi e Norris w ho was our st ar shooter. Thank you to all the th irds for their efforts and to our coach Kerry thank you -you were fantastic. Thank you to M r Fox for umpiring our matches. Khatija Verjee (BR)

v Queen Elizabeth's Schooi(W) 7-0 v St. Ed mund's

(W) 9-0

v St. Anselm's

(W) 10-2

Runners Up

3rd VII Although the t eam has not been the same every week, it got stronger over the t erm and the thirds had th eir most successful seaso n yet. Un fort unately, a few of our matches in the second half of th e term got ca lled off due to arctic weather cond it ions, but we did get to

110

Team from: Katherine Bamber, Christ ine Pond, Megan Raslan, Sophi e Norris, Rebekah Sm ith, Khatij a Verjee, Emily Reilly Results v Sutton Valence

(W) 17-15

v Epsom

(W) 23-17

v Cranbrook

(W) 14-11

v Bethany 1st

(l) 17-36

Under 16 A VII Th e under 16's t his year have had a hig hly successful season despite several players bein g plagued by inj uri es and oth er illn esses. Despite th ese misfort un es, this yea r's team was made up of very ta lented players and, having ove rcome a slow sta rt to the season, we discovered our good form and went on to w in all the matches after half term. Th e players we re: Georgie Rumbellow: As Goal Shoot er, Georgie showed great t iming and precisio n w hen moving for the ball, and co nseq uently scored many goals. She and Lexie proved to be a brilliant shooting co mbi nation and t heir t ea m-work was im peccab le. Lexie Hamblin : Lexie's mid-seaso n swit ch from defence t o shooter si mply highl ights th e entire team's versatility. She quickly adapted to her new position and became not orious for ripping apart t he other tea m's defence, and taking advantage of t he ga ps th ey left. Elli e Hill : Having been ill for a few weeks of t his seaso n, Ellie comfortably stepped into the shoes of both w ing attack and defence, when called for. A very good all round player and huge co mmitment was shown.

Emily Schwarz (Captai n) : Emily bounced back after injury displaying great skill and leadership. No goal attack co uld get past her and Emma's impeccable blocking . She held the team tog ether and kept her cool when all arou nd her had lost theirs. Overall, a worthy captain. Emma Shilston (aka "The Rock") As t he name implies, Ems was mightily indestructible in defence, pausing only for half-time orange and the team talks. As the pinnacle of our defence, Emma had a huge role to play, and enjoyed annoying GAs by not letti ng them into the circle. A top season for her. Annabel Dight: Annabel had a good season playing WA, and then WD for the District Tournament. She always seemed to lighten th e team's mood, whether it be by impersonating Vicky Polla rd from Little Britain or just making us laugh in general. Often one of the most focused players on the netball court, Annabel pu t lots of effort and aggression into each match. Ab i Schade: The goalkeeper, and recently Goal Defence of the team, proved to be inval uable in defence. Paired with Emsy, this partnership seemed invincible, and certainly proved hard to match. Abi's relentless skill and effort in dealing with approaching attackers can be highlighted by several of her latest opponents throwing their arms up in despair at her. Letitia Leigh-Pemberton : Unfortunately, she injured herself after one of our first matches of the season and was unable to play that often. In the matches she did play, Letitia displayed outsta nding competency at fulfilling the goal attack role, and it was a shame that she could not participate in all our matches. Th is netball season ended with the Can terbury District tournament in which King's faced strong opposition. This was not going to be easy, and the approaching Easter holidays certainly left their mark. Despite this, we successfully managed to win 5 out of 6 matches and claimed 2nd place in doing so. Yet another achievement to add to this season 's successes, and many thanks go to our incredible coach, Kerry- she put a huge amount of her time and effort into the coachi ng and development of the team, which was much appreciated. Emily Schwarz (JR)

Under 15 A VII In the U15A netball team, all of us have been very keen. We got off to a cracking start, each person playing a massive part.

Beating Benenden by four goals, we put in all our hearts and souls. In the centre we have Georgi e, whose jumps are always 10 out of 10. With Polly, Jag and myself in defence, The marking has been truly immense. Scoring the goals we have Emma, who missed the net almost never. At her side we have Katie, who is truly awesome baby! Up fron t is Rosie on attack, who tri es her best and never holds back. In the wings were Lottie and Alex, who have all the very best tactics. Busola is our captain, she is very cool and happy. Athough there was a lot of snow, we never let our heads hang low. And all this thanks to Miss Behr, our South African coach wit h short hair. She's always there, firm but fair and we love her dearly, "we love yo u Miss Behr!" Busola Ogunsanya (LX)

Under 14 A VII The team have had a very successful season. We worked well, moving and passing the ball with great skill. Our shooters, lzzy, Lucy and Abi worked well tog ether in the circle, shooting some great goals. The cen tre court players were Cat, Ianthe and myself. We often managed to out-run and dod ge our opponents, creating a clear path for the ball to travel down the court to our shooters. The defence had some awesome work done by Charlie Hamblin, Maryam, Freya and Charlie Bowman. We wi ll not forget the huge number of interceptions the defence made. All their hard wo rk made the shooters score double the amount of goals.

Team from : Busola Ogunsanya, Theo Backhouse, Rosie Atkinson, Katie Cameron, Emma Howard-Smith, Charlotte Bradl ey, Alex Prescot, Polly West, Georgie Merriam

All our matches were played with very good team spirit and sportsmanship each player giving of her best at all ti mes. All our hard work paid off in the end, when we won the District tournament at the end of the season. Bringing the trophy back to King 's was a truly grea t achievement for our whole team.

Results

Thank you Miss Behr, you were awesome.

v Benenden

(W)11-6

v Epsom

(L)11-12

v Ki ng Edward's

(W) 10-6

v Cranbrook

(D) 10- 10

v Duke of York's

(W) 11 -5

v Caterham

(L) 10-29

v St. Lawrence

(W) 32-7

District Tournament v Simon Langton (W)

5-0

v Kent College (L)

5-9

v Herne Bay High School (W) 11-4 v St. Anselm's (W) 12-7 Runners Up

Annabel Kingsman (MR)

Team from : Cat Phillips, Ianthe Fry, Maryam Lawai, Charlotte Bowman, Charlotte Hamblin, Isabel Harvey-Kelly, Lucy Ellwood, Freya Svedburg, Abi lmasekha, Annabel Kingsman

Results v Benenden

(L) 13-22

v Epsom

(L) 23-30

v King Edward's

(W) 19-6

v Cranbrook

(W) 12-8

v Duke of York's

(W) 20-8

v Caterham

(L) 16-23

v St. Lawrence

(W) 23-13

15B XI Result s v Sutton Valence

(L) 10-16

v Epsom

(L) 5-13

----

v Cranbrook

(W) 12-11

District Tournament v Kent College

(W) 14-2

v Queen Elizabeth

(W) 14-1

v Herne Bay High School Winners

(W) 13-2

----v Simon Langton (W) 10-1 ----

15C XI Results v Epsom

(L) 3-20

v Cranbrook

(L) 3-17

v Caterham

(L) 3-45

-----

111

14B v Sutton Valence A

(W) 28-8

v Epsom

(L) 6-30

v Cranbrook

(W) 18-7

v Caterham

(L) 14-16

14C v Sutton Valence B v Epsom

(W) 11-9 (L) 6-22

------

v Cranbrook

(W) 8-6

v Caterham

(L) 8-14

Soccer 1st XI The season began with the excitement of being allowed to enter the English Schools' F.A.Cup for the very first time. After an emphatic victory over Mascalls of Tonbridge (with Adeosun scoring 4 times), we started dreaming of Wembley. Wou ld the stadium be finished in time? In Round Three, Harvey Grammar had other ideas and were worthy win ners against a toothless King's side, missing the potent strike force of Gwyer and Adeosun, who were on rugby duty.

Charles Trew

112

On New Yea r's Day we set off to Murcia for our pre- season tour. We were the guests of our good friend Mario Husillos (ex Boca Juniors), the technical director of Real Murcia. The boys really warmed to his sense of humour and seemed to enjoy the training sessions in the sun, at the cl ub's wonderful facilities. Our matches against Real Murcia youth teams were a tall order, but the boys tried hard and never stopped running, while the Spaniards made th e ball do the work. The boys were on a steep learning curve and picked up many tips that would stand them in good stead duri ng the rest of the seaso n. Two days into term we faced the might of the O.K.S., w ho co mplai ned about the chang e of dates for th is fixture, fea ring that too many mince pies would affect their performance. It was a cagey affair again, with Redstone breaki ng the deadlock for Hillier's men, slightly against the run of play. Calvert resto red parity from th e penalty spot. We then began a dismal sequence of three straight defeats against Dulwich, K.C.S. and Colfe's, w hi ch was the low point of the term. At Dulwich it might have been different, in a very eve n first half, when Eisen hammer drilled t he ball agai nst a post from 25 yards, with the score at 0-0, but gradually t he Dulwich

boys found their rhyth m. K.C.S. proved to be our most accomplished opponents this year, and stunned us w ith th ree quick goals inside twenty minutes. We established that we did not know how to play 5-3-2 and reverted to 4-4-2. With a Gwyer goal at the start of the seco nd half, we were stagi ng a come-back, but fai led to make the breakthrough. Despi te the score line against Co lfe's, we played much better, but gifted them at least two of t heir goals. We then began a five match unbeaten ru n, sta rti ng w it h a victory over the Ursuli ne College, who fielded an impressive young goalkeeper, w ho is on Arsena l's books. He made nu merous wonderful saves, including one from a vicious Adeosun shot, but thankfully ou r forwards were learning to play off one another, so Gwyer was there to slot it home. Having never beaten our referee's colleagues from Ashford Post Office we were thrilled to emerg e as 4-3 victors in a dramatic game, where we kept succumbing to headers from a 6'4" centre back at corners. Gwyer was on fire, earn ing himself the match ba ll wi th a fine hat- tri ck and snatching the win with a goal in injury time. We li ked the winning habit and continued to impress aga inst Epsom, pl aying our finest footba ll of the term. Adeosun led the charge, with 5 goals; he was simply unstoppable in

Harry Osborne

this form. Meanwhile, Tom Boucher had been drafted in, adding height to the back four. After half-term we travelled to Tonbridge, where we foolishly gave them a two goal lead, but pegged them back with great character for a 2-2 draw. Pancho Lewis scored with a fantastic header, before the skipper Calvert popped up to save the day. Unfortunately, the snow put paid to the next two matches against Sevenoaks and Bethany, but the boys kept fit, enjoying wheelba rrows in the snow at Birley's. Next up were Brighton College, who m we outp layed for long periods. We failed to t ake advantage of excellent fo rward play and went behind, so were happy to come out wit h a draw at the end. The season finished on a disappointing note with two defeats in two days against very tough opposition. Westminster were a little too experienced, and we therefore succumbed to thei r measured passing. Without the combative Russell in midfiel d we also found it hard to win possession. The Corinthian Casuals made the ball do the work, and had us chasing shadows all afternoon, although Tunji Lawson did give

us hope wi th a fine finish. Led by exEngland cricket capt ain Alec Stewart and ex F.A.Cup finalist Gary Pearce (Brighton v Man Utd 1983), they gave the boys an interesting lesson in how to conserve energy! Next yea r we retain 10 players with substantial 1st XI experience, so I am looking forward to a more successful season. I should like to thank Mark and his team of groundsmen for preparing su ch good pitches in such awful weather, and Gary and the kitchen staff for feeding us so well. CPN Results

Christmas Term English Schools' F.A.Cup Round 2 v Mascalls

(H) Won 8-1

English Schools' F.A.Cup Round 3 v Harvey Grammar (A) Lost 0-5 Lent Term v O.K.S.

Drawn 1-1

v Brentwood

(H) Cancelled

v Dulwich College

(A) Lost 0-3

v K.C.S. Wimbledon (H) Lost 1-5 v Colfe's

(H) Lost 0-4

v Ursuline College

(H) Won 1-0

Played

v Ashford Post Office Men (H) Won 4-3

Won

v Epsom College

(H) Won 6-1

Drawn

v Tonbridge

(A) Drawn 2-2

Lost

v Sevenoaks

(A) Cancelled

For

v Bethany

(H) Cancelled

Against

v Brighton College (A) Drawn 2-2 v Westminster

---

(A) Lost 0-3

v Corinthian Casuals(H) Lost 1-3

113

Team from: Olu Adeosun**, Tom Boucher*, Sam Calvert (Captain)+, James Devonshire*, Steve Eisenhammer**, Marcus Gwyer**, Charlie Harveyâ&#x20AC;˘, Will Harvey*, Nowa lmasekha*, Tunji Lawson*, Pancho Lewis*, Ed Rex**, Renwick Russell**, Max Stanley*, Jacky Tru ong* Also played: Patrick Allies, Seb Botana, Paul Dixey, Dan Gilmore, Val O'Donoghue, Simon Pou nd, William Pound Colours: â&#x20AC;˘ awa rded first team tie; ** awarded First Colours, + re-awarded First Colours.

lSI XI

Harold William Warner Cup for Players' Player of the Season: Ed Rex. Scorers: Adeosun 10, Gwyer 7, Calvert 4, Lawson 2, lmasekha, Lewis, Tru ong 1.

2nd XI The fixture list truly was a game of two halves, before half-term we played Dulwich, Colfe's, Brentwood and KCS Wimbledon. We started well with a solid display against Brentwood; a 5-2 score line flattered them as we were guilty of missing some gilt-edged chances and conceded two goals in the final three minutes whilst chasing the equaliser. We then lost 3- 1 t o Dulwich which could have gone either way before so me inexplicable defensive mistakes handed ou r opponents a comfortable victory. Th en followed a toothless performan ce away to KCS Wimbledon which we lost 4-0, with two late goals. We were then sound ly beaten by a most impressive side from Colfe's 5- 0 and then by Epsom College 3-1, during this time a variety of players were called away to the 1st XI and co ntinuity of selection was not possible. After five defeats 'on the bounce' the season truly turned for the better. A comfortable 7-0 victory over Stafford House flattered King's, given the level of performance. After half-term we travelled to Tonbridge for the afternoon that would ultimately define the season. A 5-0 score line accurately reflected our superiority with two goals each from Bill Hamilton and Paul Dixey. The performance was the best I have seen from a King's sid e in the past seven years and I would have genuinely paid money to watch us that day! Next followed another superb 4-3 away wi n at Brighton Coll ege (their on ly defeat that season). We were quick to est ablish a 3- 1 lead but then contrived to throw that away until up popped Henry Synge (wea ring my boots) to ri fle in a left foot scorcher from 20 ya rds that sent the management team wild with delight. For our last fixture of the season we travelled to Westminster where our luck ran out,

114

we hit the post twice, missed a couple of easy chances and conceded the winning goal in the last ten minutes. The 2nd XI squad were keen, co mpeti tive, eager to listen and as always, a lot of fun to coach. This is the most progress I have seen from a King's side and rather pleasingly a lot of the squad will return next yea r all the better for this year's endeavours. Parti cular praise has to go to skipper Luke Thorne for leading by example and bringing the best possible performan ce out of every one of his players, and for staying fit for an entire term. I should also mention Bill Hamilton for manfully lea ding the line and fina lly getting his rewa rd in the second half of term and Paul Dixey fo r bringing some steel and culture to the midfield. MJTh. Team from: L.Thorne (Capt.). B. Hamilton, W. Pound, T. Boucher, A. Holmes, C. Ajuwku, H. Synge, R. Griffi ths, V. O'Donoghue, D. Hurley, F. Akoi, L. Holdron, A. Batten, S. Botana, D. Gilmore, M. Stanley, J. Loudon, M. Montgomery, C. Harvey, P. Lewis, B. Bunyard Resu lts Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goals For

Goals against

3rd XI The season started under the quiet, but authori tative, captaincy of Tom Boucher, before he was poached for the 1st XI. It was con tinued under the wi ld, but effective, leadership of Faz Akoi, usurped temporarily by Seb Shaw, until it eventually landed in the lap of Ed Callaway. With such an inspirati onal and charismatic captain, who sough t to inspire with a mixture of encouragement and chastisement, who led training sessions as much by mockery as by example and whose lurid turquoise tracksuit became the fashion benchmark of the team, how cou ld we not fail to sweep all aside? Unfortunately, the reality of football tells a different story. We lost to Brentwood, were slaughtered by Dulwich, hammered by Colfes, almost drew to Ursuline, and were beaten by Epsom. Even Stafford House 1st XI, usually renowned for their disorganisation, managed to squeeze a win out of us. Our on ly redemption, and undeniably the game of the year, was our win against Tonbridge, despite a perfectly executed own goal from Ed Callaway. To be fair, so many practices had to be cancelled because of either flooded or frozen pitches, weather conditions that seem only to have affected East Ken t, that we were always going to be the underdogs. It is also difficult to rise to the challenge of playing schoo ls that are so much bigger than us, play two terms of football or begin football in the younger years.

It would be wrong, therefore, to express this season in terms of figures and statistics, as it is the players themselves who have made the season, with their spirit and determination. Leo MacLehose stood dogged ly between the posts and pulled off some breathtaking saves, but was better practised at picking the ball from the back of the net. To the left and rig ht of the defence, Dom Berry and Harry Lancaster hacked t hei r way into and out of trouble, variously accompanied in the centre by Tom Boucher, with his unassailable superiority in the air, CO Adesanya, with his speed and agility, Rya n Noades, with his unpredictable cleara nces, James Loudon, despite protestations that he was really a midfield player, Faz Akoi, although his mindless assault took him all over the pitch, and Alex Batten, quietly showing the ski lful side to playing football. To t he left and right of the midfield, Max Montgomery danced his way around the pi tch and Seb Shaw streaked past everyone, someti mes even wit h the ball. In the ce ntre, Harry Osborne, our very own Paul Gascoigne, scored some blinding long-range shots, and Ed Callaway held back, ostensibly to pick up the loose balls, but in reality to save his pace for later. These were likewise accompanied by a va ried assortment of players, amongst whom were Ali Holmes, on temporary loan from the 2nd XI, and John, or was it Antho ny, Agbaje. Dependi ng upon whether we were playing Mr Hu tchings's favourite 4-4-2 diamond formation or Mr Heath's hopeful 4-3-3 formation, our attack was led by Roti Williams, skil fully stroking the ball into the back of the net on numerous occasions, except of course when the temperature dropped below 10â&#x20AC;˘C and froze his limbs, Pat Allies, a clinical finisher and the only player who really had any idea what he was doing, and Chris Barker, a late signing from the 4th XI and possibly one of the management's best decisions. I would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Heath for his patience, his coaching abil ity and his effort. It was a great laugh with you! Also a huge thank you to Mr Hutchings' and his clipboard. You r 'high' and 'low' tempo sessions were always a strain! Overall, despite t he results, it was a hugely enjoyable season. Ed Callaway (TR) (and SAH)

Team: John Agbaje, Faz Akoi, Patrick Allies, Alexander Batten, Christopher Barker, Dominic Berry, Benedict Bunyard,

Thomas Boucher, Edward Call away (capt.), William Hamilton, Alexander Holmes, Christian Klapp, Henry Lancaster, James Loudon, Leo MacLehose, Maximillian Montgomery, Ryan Noades, Harry Osborne, Sebastian Shaw, Rotimi Wi lliams. Resu lts Played

Won Lost

Drawn

For

Against

enjoy their football in other arenas and those still with us next year will surge ahead into higher teams. (If it doesn't quite work out for them, they will be very welcome in the 4ths again!). CJ RJ/JCT P.S. A joint 4th and 5th XI team was outclassed by a strong team from the Ursuline College, while an Under 16 team beat the same school comfortably.

Regular team from: Patrick Holt (Captain), Adetokunbo Adesanya, Matthew Baer, Benedict Bunyard, Benjamin Crosland, Shaun Githuku, Giles McSwiney, Alistair Melvin, Duncan Morpeth, Atowari Peterside, Simon Thomas, Andrew Swaffer.

v Brentwood

(H) Lost 2-3

v Dulwich College

(A) Lost 1-7

v Colfes

(H) Lost 0-6

Also played: John Agbaje, Christopher Barker, Dominic Berry, Michael Gold, Alexander Hatt, Lawrence Holdron, Wil liam Jennings, Alexander Ki m, Maximil lian Montgomery, Ryan Noades.

v Ursuline College

(H) Lost 2-3

Results

v Epsom College

(H) Lost 1-5

Played

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 0-2

Won

v Tonbridge

(A) Won 3-2

Drawn

v Westminster

(A) Lost 0-2

Lost

v Stafford House

(H) Lost 3-4

For

4t h XI

Against

A good team finished the season with a record t hat did not do it j ustice. After determi ned defensive performances against traditionally our strongest opposition, Dulwich and KCS Wimbledon (lots more boys at both schools), we deserved to beat Colfe's, but conceded a late, and co nverted penalty. The performa nce in the Epsom match was probably the high point of the term, but then the snow robbed us of two games that we felt we had good chances of winning. Back in action at Tonbridge, we fought hard but co uld have no complaints with the result. A midweek visit to Brighton saw us 5-0 down at half-time, but, in spite of (because of?) the manager throwing teacups at the break, an excel lent second half performance broug ht two strikes against the woodwork and two well-deserved goals.

v Dulwich

(H) Lost 1-4

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 1-2

v Colfe's

(H) Drew 2-2

v Epsom

(H) Won 3-0

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 0-2

The whole of a friendly, committed and cooperative squad was a joy to work/play with and the players were a credit to themselves and the school in all the matches. Everyone advanced his skills and tactical awareness significantly and it is to be hoped that those leaving will

---

v Brighton College 3rd XI (A) Lost 2- 5

Int er- house competiti on s The indoor five-a-side league produced some good football this year. The Grange's stranglehold on the competition was broken by Mitchinson's who won the Shell League, and Meister Omers who wo n the Remove equivalent. The Grange recovered their poise in the Remove final to beat Meister Omers 2-0, while Linacre defeated Meister Omers in the Shell final by 4-1 . Li nacre lost the Senior 11-a-side Knockout Cup for the second year run ning, after a spirited performance against Galpin's. Penalties were needed after the match was drawn 1-1, with extra time

115

failing to produce a winner. The Galpin's boys showed more composure under pressure and clinched the trophy with a coolly taken penalty from Renwick Russell. Many thanks to JCT, JMH, DJF, MJTh and the gappies for refereeing these tournaments. CPN

Fencing This term has been a difficult and busy one. It was difficult having to use the Recrea tion Centre whi le the Milner Hall was being fitted with an extra floor. However, when all the work was complete, we had gained double the floor space into which we could expand operations. This also included an increase in storage space for the club's shared equipment, as well as new compartments down the sides of the hall where fencers' bags could be kept. Also, a new armoury was built - better than before and even with coffee making facilities! We would like to thank all those at the Recreation Centre for their patience with putting up with us in our time of need. The results have certain ly made it all worthwhile as this term has been very successful with good results, as well as an increase of numbers. The 'veterans' of the club have produced outstanding results yet again this term.

Jacob Colligan, ou r Sabreur, was runnerup in th e Morecombe Bay Open, a full senior event. He has also won th e Kent Under 18 Sabre, Kent Under 18 Master of Arms title and the South East Under 18 Sabre Championship. Jacob is currently ranked 20th in the British Junior rankings. Marc Chapman, our Epeeist and Club Captain has performed consistently well in National Opens and is in the Great Britain Under 20 squad. He has won the Kent Under 18 Epee and Sou th East Under 20 Epee as well as coming 9th in the Public Schools' Senior Epee Championship out of 148 co mpetitors. Our youngsters have also had some encouraging results this term. Tom Mulvaney is the South East Under 16 Epee champ ion and also came runner-up in th e Morecombe Bay Open and the Kent Under 16 Epee. Tom was also selected to represent Northern Ireland in the Quadrangular event this year. Toby Clapp was runner-up in the Kent Under 16 foil and third in the Epee and Sabre. Oliver Maughan, in his first yea r, is a star in the making, co ming 3rd in the Kent Under 16 Epee and finishing 3rd in the Public Schools' Junior Epee Championships, his first major national even t.

At the British Schools' Team Championships came the club's high point of the season, with 30 medals won, the highest medal haul in the history of the event! Congratulations to all who competed and won a medal. I wou ld also like to express my thanks t o the coaches, Paul Romang and Jamie Miller, and especially to our master in charge, John Evans, who has dedicated many hours of his own ti me to the club. Marc Chapman (MT)

Lacrosse The Lent term proved to be a trying but successful time for the lacrosse programme this year. Snowed out of the Nationals tournament, all four tea ms put aside their frustration and played their best lacrosse in the season's final weeks. The junior teams have been boosted by the addi ti on of many yo ung pl ayers whose spark and quick development can be felt through the entire programme. The Under 14 team was a group fu ll of many lacrosse novices, and the girls battled through some tough scoreless losses at the season's outset wh ile adjusti ng to and learning the game. The team certain ly proved themselves in early March against some very tough competit ion in tournament play at Dulwich Prep. With excellent ball

Gerth, also named Vice-Captain, and the team's Most Im proved player, defender Fiona Stuart. In the season's final weeks, the tea m easily defeated Princess Helena's College, and trounced St. Margaret's School 13-0. The 1st tea m had six players named to cou nty teams this year including Kay Harvey-Kelly, Olenka Hamilton, Alex Carruthers, Kitty Synge, Sophia Gerth, and Rosie Guest. With this season of experience and growth as a relative ly yo ung team under their belts, the girls will begin next Autumn with hig h expectations as a strong and unified group.

movement, great defensive marking, and a strong and aggressive attack, the girls beat Bedgebury 3-2 and nearly took both matches against Benenden's A and B teams. This group of girls has truly shown that they have a bright future as lacrosse players and athletes. The team was led by captains Natalie Denton and Stephanie Ll oyd, both of whom performed exceedingly well in the midfield this term. The girls supported each other throughout the season, and were greatly helped by the goal keeping efforts of Anna Herdman and Anna Beck. The U15 team, meanwhile, co ntinued to build on their positive results from the Autumn term. Wi th great leadership and team dynamics, the girls played hard all season and won some decisive matches. The team handily beat Benenden 10-4 in early February, and finished up their season with a hard-fought 4-4 draw against St. Marg aret's. All season the girls were led by the strong attacking skills of Alex Holt and Alice Hunter-Johnston, who accounted for the bulk of goal sco ring , while th e midfield was run efficiently by Claire Wakeling, Hattie Brewis, and Lucy Ellwood. Team ca ptains Rosie Iron and Hannah Gold continued to improve as strong lacrosse players, and were outstandi ng in organization and in the ability to motivate their team-mates.

midfield showed grea t improvement with the additions of Victoria Bartley, Philippa Bonsall, and Hermione Sharp. King's 1st team truly proved themselves this t erm. Battling through practices and matches with a small group of only fourteen players, the girls improved quickly in skill, communication and teamwork, and finished up the season with some impressive results. The girls benefited tremendously from the mid season additions of Anna and Ka te Ross, and cont inued to follow behind the strong attitude and play displayed by lona Roberts, Vice-Captain Vicky Chenery and Captain Kay Harvey-Kelly. Midfield play was dominated by outstanding performances by England player Olenka Hamilton, team's Most Val uable Pl ayer Alex Carruthers, and defender Kitty Synge. Olenka and Alex accounted for a total of 32 goals and 11 assists this season alone, and will be relied upon heavily again next Autumn as Captain and Vice-Cap tain, respectively. Th e defence has been led by strong and consistent efforts from goalkeeper Sophia

As coaches, we have been extremely pleased with the continued development and growing enthusiasm of all four Ki ng's lacrosse teams. We are truly looking forward to beginning next Autumn with raised expectations and a highly competitive schedule. Th is group of girls has a great deal to be proud of, from those who only picked up a sti ck for the first time in January, to those who have continued to hone their skills as experienced and talented players. We be lieve that th e successes of this Len t term will prove to be crucial steps in the development of a strong and promising lacrosse programme here at Ki ng's. Sonia Behnke and Erin Odegard

Under 15 XII The King's School U15 Lacrosse team have had a great season. The U15's grew into a team of 23 players. As the new players fou nd their feet, the existing players progressed in their confid ence and stick work. Their great enthusiasm for the game has enabled them to pull together and play as a team. The standard of the game has increased

The 2nd team was the hardest hi t with cancellations and scheduling difficulties, but the girls always remained optimistic and put forth their best efforts in every practice. The season was highlighted by a 14-3 victory over a strong Haileybury squad. The girls were led by Captain Anna Hadfield, and followed after the superb attacking efforts of Captain Lucinda Richardson and Yoshino Oshima, and goalkeeper Milena Hasselman. Many 2nd team players have shown tremendous promise this term, and will battle for places on the 1st XII next fall. The defence was once agai n anchored by Elsa Butrous and Fiona Levey, while the

11 7

dramatically and was demonstrated in our recent game against Benenden, where we dominated the game and won

10-4. Although the team was a little discouraged by the cancellation of Nati onals due to t he snow, as soon as lacrosse returned to normal we carried on going from st rength to strength. I wou ld like to t hank the enti rety of the team for making th is lacrosse season t he best yet. The U 15 lacrosse team wo uld like to thank Coach 0 and Coach Behnke for their support and encouragement during the season. Hannah Gold (LX)

Under 14 XI I The season sta rted with one lacrosse practice on Fri day and a t ournament on Satu rd ay. We all kn ew fro m t he st art that t hi s term was go ing to be a challenge. Th e team, end ed up having more beginners than returning players, but it didn't matter, we all merely co ncentrated on having fun.

118

We steadily improved as a team and then the next weekend went to play at Heathfield. We lost 3-5, but we were all ecstatic at scoring th ree goals. We played Benenden B's and gave them a good match. Again, altho ugh we lost narrowly, w e scored and had fu n. Afte r half-term, everyone was geared up for at least so me exercise, but to ou r disadvantage, snow covered t he lacrosse fields and prevented us from playing. As two weeks passed, the team became more and more agitated and fi nally our coaches found us a tournament and a match to play. When it came to the tournament, held on Red Nose Day, our team was excited and willing to pull out all the stops to play their best. With a team of players covered in red and pink make up we played four matches during the day. I had never seen such lacrosse played in months and I would like to take this opportunity to cong ratu lat e the w hole team on an amazi ng triumph t hat day. We played the top lacrosse tea m in Ken t - Benenden and held our own to the best of our ability. The morning after the tournament we had a match agai nst a club from

Croydon and though everyone was tired and we were missing a couple of our players, we attacked and defended well. In other words we ended this term on a high! Thanks go to Coach 0 and Coach B who helped us get to t he top-most limit of our ability. Natalie Denton (LX) and Stephanie Lloyd (WL)

Rugby Sevens Once again, preparation fo r the sevens season was frag men ted, but a core of keen players worked hard in the w in ter rain to try and get some patterns established. The weather had the last laugh, however, and forced the cancellation of the cou nty tou rnament. With the demise of the Maidstone event, t his left us with just the two major tournaments to play. We faced ou r toughest opponents, Campion, in t he f irst round at Richm ond. It was a hard fought and very physical match and although we trailed by two t ries to one at ha lf tim e, we could easily have led, but w e did not get the rub of the green at key moments. Once we had

conceded a try just after the break, we disappointingly allowed our opponents to achieve an unrepresentative winning margin. In the second match we played some delightful rugby, scoring seven excellent team tries against Emmanuel. We still had a chance of making the knockout rounds but having gone two tries up, we somehow managed to throw away what seemed like a comfortable position against Chislehurst Et Sidcup and a missed tackle saw them score an unexpected winning try right on the whistle. At Rosslyn Park we began well, showing some skill and good awareness with ball in hand and scoring seven tries in our opener against Trinity, Devon. This served to alert our next opponents, Wellington College, to our potential. We began on the back foot against a typically organised and talented side - the eventual winners - who forced us into errors and showed more pace and presence overall. Our one score was when Ben Cryer seized a tapped penalty

opportunity and although that kept us within reach, the game was over as a contest by just after half time. In our final, but inconsequential game against St. George's we played well as a team and once more won comfortably.

Squad: E. Herbert (capt.). T. Burl ey, B. Cryer, H. Davies, P. Dixey, M. Gwyer, W. Hamilton, A. Lawson, V. O'Donoghue, T. Pritchard, J. Shilston, H. Synge, L. Tho rne, J. Wat ler, Tournament Results

Overall the season was satisfactory, given that we were without the services of one of our star finishers, Olu Adeosun. Much in line with expectations, we showed that we knew how to play the game and could dispatch quite respectable sides with some style, but did not have the ammunition at our disposal in terms of power or pace to be competitive in the later stages of the better competitions against the top sides. Nonetheless some of the younger players will have learned a great deal from the rather short season and I hope they will take them forward into both the fifteens and sevens seasons next year. I would like to thank Duncan Hine for stepping into the breach and coaching the squad in my enforced absence.

Surrey Sevens v Campion

Lost 5- 31

v Emanuel

Won 45-0

v Chislehurst Et Sidcup GS Lost 19- 21 Rosslyn Park v Trinity (Devon)

Won 46- 7

v Wellington College

Lost 3 - 47

v St. George's, Weybridge Won 33- 0 RCW

Tradescant House Basketball Team 2005

119

Rowing Boys' 1st VIII

After last season's triumphs this season had its disappointments. Perhaps we were a bit complacent, relyi ng on sheer size and weight, and forgetting that top speed depends on fitness, not just size. The land training side was not taken seriously enough. And it has to be added that luck was not noticeably with us! We got back after Christmas to be told one of the best oarsmen had tripped over a wire and broken his ankle and would be off for months. That caused more depression than it should and the Schools Head was a disaster. Morale did not seem high when we went onto the water; two crews shot past us on the start and then everything collapsed. At least at the Head of the River a week later things were reversed - we shot past other crews and put in a fine result. But confidence had been damaged.

Then the gods turned against us ..... On the way to the Training Camp the TGV broke down for 3 hours. After four days of sun on the Camp, Dan went skinny dipping in the lake; the middle aged French matrons at lunch

120

found some aspect or other funny, but the weather gods were not amused, so gave us fog, wind and a blizzard - 2 foot of snow - with a small earthquake in nearby Megeve. In the Summer, our first regatta was Wallingford, on Dorney Lake. On the way there, the whole M25 suddenly closed, and we were sent off somewhere into the vast empty desert around Reigate/Redhill. With no signs to help. The third time we passed the gates of Reigate Grammar School, Mr Graham's language failed to do him credit. We arrived with no time left at all and rushed to the start in a panic - no briefing, no race plan etc. The result was no surprise Ghent. Well nothing ever goes wrong there. Only it did; this year Saturday saw a gale force wind all day right down the course, creating huge waves on which one cou ld either surf over or sink under. Given the weight of this crew- near the top of the boat's design limits - it's no surprise they chose the latter. At the end it took 20 people to li ft the boat off the water. Sunday was better. Th e VIII showed a good start - well ahead, but around the middle lighter (and it was suspected, fitter) crews slipped past. No disaster, but 10 seconds off the winning pace.

At Bedford last minute illness (luck again?) ca used crew changes which did not stabilise the boat. Stil l some amusement was caused when the Senior boys noticed that their Quad had no rudder, but felt it didn't matter as they could row straight. True. But alas, at Bedford the course is not straight, it follows a gentle bend. And just on the finish, the Seniors' straight line, taken at full speed, met the Bedford curve. Great was the crash. By a miracle no damage was done. The Club adopted a new motto - death or glory. It was thus inevitable that come Nottingham the Friday would be fine, the Sunday nice, bu t Saturday - the big VIII's day- would be destroyed by gale force winds. There was one round rowed down half the course in absurd conditions (in which we actually came second) but after that NSR 2005 was cancelled for the Vilis. A particular sadness as it was the Captain of Boats' last competition as his A level exam timetable meant he could not row at Henley. So we never knew how we had come on against all the other Schools. Global warming seemed to have it in for us. At Wallingford it became clear that what we really lacked was an effective, Top right- Training ComrBottom right - Girls defeat boys on training comr-

confident stride. This was the key and we worked hard at sorting it out. Thames Valley Park showed some success. It is really only a 500m sprint, but the IV deliberately strode right down as if it were a longer race. And went on to win. There was a bit of luck in that we were not required to qualify for Henley Royal

TCP used due to blisters. The weather made some training conditions less-than-perfect with twofoot waves one day producing plenty of girlish screams from the small boats engulfed within them. Although a great challenge, it was enjoyed by all the girls' squad, including many who will return next year.

Regatta.

The quad went out with an appetite for a medal, but were unfortunately drawn against the overall winners in the first round. It was a fantastic race in which the crew showed that they were physically and mentally strong, and made their opposition fight them all the way to the finish. Although they did not win, they were one of the best crews in their category.

Ghent But then less luck, in that we drew St. Paul's (one of the eight 'selected' crews) in the first round. They were a lighter, sharp crew who would obviously try to destroy us off the start. To their coach's great alarm (so he reported later) they did not do so. By the barrier they were just a canvas up and getting worried. Then something happened - perhaps some uneven water, or a gust of wind or a careless stroke, but King's lost focus for a patch; our finishes went and St. Paul's just pushed ahead. And after that it was the old Henley psychology- if you

can't see your opponents, it's hard to stay in competition. King's had a good race and put up a respectable time, but the race went to St. Paul's, who showed their ability by going on through three more rounds. So disappointing, particularly for the Gas. But I suspect they will be back with other crews at Henley over the years. And we must remember that three of the Vlll were only 5th formers, so it was a great learning experience for them to remember over the next couple of years. SJG The VIII: A. Scott: G Blessley; CH Liddiard;

R Everall; W Fox; E Groves; L O'Donague; D Schwarz. Cox A Dent.

Girls' Rowing Training Camp Training camp took us to the French Alps for a week; yet again to Aiguebillette, an enormous lake set in an idyllic, mountainous area. Our time there proved to be of benefit, although the weather turned out to be somewhat extreme. The first few days were very hot and we couldn't get enough of the fantastic weather. This suddenly turned to snow and freezing conditions. The avalanche that occurred to the side of the lake also proved interesting, as well as the earthquake in a nearby town. All of this aside, the training was hard, and perseverance was needed, but underneath the pain, it was beneficial to all, apart from the severe amount of Savlon and

Ghent is an international event in Belgium, where King's School raced against the best of the best. Although there were no medals won, we were racing against European countries' squads rather than schools or clubs. The day proved to have some very successful rowing with most crews fighting their way to the top of the ran kings.

The double were also drawn against one of the best crews and showed everyone what they were made of. In their case, it was no longer sugar and spice; they were in it to win. However, their competition was immensely tough and although they did not win, they far outdid all of their personal goals. Sarah Beevers and Emma Newton (MR)

lnter-Regionals Young athletes have to attend a trial to be selected to row from the South East of England. All of the King's girls that

attended the trial were selected to row a regatta against the other regions, which took place in Nottingham. We came away with a very well-earned bronze medal won by the J15 Girls' quad (consisting of Chihiro Fukushima, Camilla Westlake, Alice Gerth and Hannah Moon), who thoroughly deserved it. National Schools The first day was for the younger rowers amongst us, who all showed great potential for the future and are certainly ones to be watched. The second day was unfortunately very windy and rough, meaning that we arrived to find our marquee was no longer where we left it. We spent the first half of the day attempting to recover it, which we eventually managed to do. Unfortunately most of the girls' races were cancelled due to the weather, which meant that many were left with only one race during the three days spent in Nottingham, which was very disappointing. On the final day the girls were determined to show that they meant business and nearly all fought their way into the finals to end the weekend on a high.

Women's Henley Only the best rowers can compete at Henley as the racing is at an incredibly high standard. We sent our two best crews- a quad and a double- the quad comprising of S. Devonshire, R. Tennant, J. Brooks and C. Fukushima and the double, C. Greenwood and D. Hooper.

Cricket School XI It was a fascinating season, full of wonderful cricket, in which the School XI showed character, resilience and skill. It also turned out to be one of our best seasons for some considerable time. Remarkably, despite the occasional unbeaten season and other seasons when fewer games were lost, not since 1970 has the School XI won ten matches. We were fortunate with the weather. The first match of the season, against Colfe's, had to be cancelled, but thereafter every game was played. Not surprisingly, pitch conditions once again dictated the nature of the early ones. At home to Felsted, some tight bowling kept a talented visiting side subdued to the extent that they used 64 overs in compiling a total of 180 all out. The early loss of our openers, Paul Dixey and Marcus Gwyer, in reply, combined with a slow pitch and some accurate bowling, meant that a draw was always the most likely outcome and the game fizzled out accordingly. The following week, we travelled to Eastbourne and for the second year running, the match against them was a low-scoring affair, in which the toss may have been significant. Opening the batting in a sea fret that gave proceedings a ghostly air, we could never push the score on at any stage and accumulated only 94 before being dismissed in the 42nd over. It was never going to be enough, but that it took the home side until the 37th to pass our total tells much about the pitch and our steady bowling. Conditions then improved and so did the

lop lr:ft- Boys and Girls win at Thames Valley Park

123

quality of our cricket. We can't be sure that the opening stand against St. Lawrence of 190 between Paul and Will Bruce was a School record, but it may have been. A few years ago, sometime member of the Common Room, Bob Bee spent many hours researching Cantuarians to come up with a statistical record of Ki ng's cri cket since 1886, and these suggest there have been none higher for the fi rst wicket. Be that as it may, the batsmanship was masterly and it set the tone for an easy victory, with none of the visiting batmen offering much resistance to a commanding total. The momen tum appeared to have been sustained against Highgate, who were restricted by some tight bowling by all our seamers and could not fathom Will's leg spin at the other end. Our reply to their low score was steady and accompl ished as Bruce and Graham Sweetman saw us home with an unbroken second wicket st and of 118. The match against Sevenoaks shook us out of ou r complacency. Our bowling was as tight as ever, and the home- side sco red slowly, needing 71 overs to accumulate 178 runs, which they achieved thanks to a last wicket sta nd of

124

fifty, which was irritating and might have revealed a lack of focus on our part. Despite this, we felt confident of scoring at the four and a half runs an over required, and we started well enough, with Paul Dixey looking in fine form. However, when he was out unexpectedly, we found it increasi ngly difficult to maintain momentum. Will Bruce held the innings together with a masterly century but those around him fa iled to establish themselves and when he fell with our total 27 runs short and th ree wickets in hand, the game was evenly poised. Our later batsmen had yet to have to play an innings in the season, however, and perhaps this is why we fell just short, in a very exciting finish. When, two days later, a strong Band of Brothers side then comprehensively beat us in an overs match, setting a fa ir total, but then blowing away the top order batsmen and leaving us to graft for some self respect, but still way short of the target, the season appeared to be at the crossroads. The home match against St. Edmund's allowed us to rebuild ou r con fidence. Once again our mean attack restricted our opponents to a low score, which was

reached with ease, thanks to a solid opening partnership of 80 between a new combination, Will Bruce and Tom Boucher. Those who saw the following match at Trinity were treated to a remarkable innings. Once again we had allowed a tail to wag to reasonable effect, leaving us with a challenging target of over 200 runs in the seco nd innings. Once again Wi ll and To m gave us a good start (73) but Will had been the dominant partner and once Tom was out, he took over wi th a breathtaking display of hitt ing, scoring 107 of the next 133 and 150 (unbeaten) out of the team score of 206 for 4. Many experienced watchers of schools' cricket felt that it was the best innings they had seen and he took us to victory with eight overs of the last twenty to spare. The home game against Whitgift was going to be a real test of our revival. Paul Dixey and Tom Boucher gave a solid start to our innings, accumulating 95 in 24 overs, but thereafter we struggled to accelerate and were disappointed in a total of 167, reached in 67 overs. At 55 for no wicket in reply, our visitors looked well pla ced for a victory, but an inspired second spell of seven overs by Dan Johnston, in which he took 4 wickets for

7 runs while Will Bruce again span his web at the other end, took us to an unlikely victory. The next day, in a pleasantly friendly interlude, a talen ted, but mainly geriatric and fairly immobile Common Room XI could not manage to amass three figures in their 30 overs, but tight bowling by GRC (4 wickets for 1 run in 6 overs) and some expert kidology forced the School XI to the last over before hitting the winning runs. Normality was restored at Haileybury the following week. Playing a ra re 50 overs match, we once again bowled the opposition out, but not before they had set a formidable target of 247. At 28 for 2 in reply we wobbled a little, but a stand of 167 between Paul Dixey and Graham Sweetman formed the backbone of the innings and Paul's century and some sensible batting by his partners saw us home in the penultimate over. Our visitors from South Africa, Pretoria Boys' High School, proved to be a good side and would have tested us even if we had not been emotionally and physically drained by our performan ce the previous day. As it was, their fast bowlers made inroads into our batting and only a stand

Luk~

of sixty by Sam Middleton and Charlie Harvey saw us to a reasonable total, which was not enough to stretch a talented batting line up. This was to be bu t a hiccup, however. We maintained our winning streak in "normal" fixtures against Cranbrook in the next game, with a rare ten wicket win. Dan Johnston led the way with a five wicket haul and then Will Bruce and Tom Boucher calmly and professionally knocked off the runs. In a ra in-effected game against MCC a sporting declaration meant that if our top order stayed intact, a win was likely, and Tom Boucher, wi th his second successive fifty, and Paul Dixey, with another, steered us home. The following day, Kent Youth could not cope with Will's leg spin and allowed a position of 121 for 2 to slip to 156 all out. Yet again, we achieved the target with plen ty of wickets in tact and Will Bruce once more giving a "man of the match" display. In the final fixture of the season, our fourth in five days, the OKS posted a stiff target against some tired bowlers. It would have been easy to succumb, especially after four wickets were lost for 12 runs, but the growing spirit of the side came to the fore and others "came to the party"! Charlie Harvey scored his first fifty of the season,

and Henry Simmons reined in his natural aggression to see us through to the draw. In analysing the season, it is clear that although the performances of some individuals stood out, it was very much a team effort. Dan Johnston and Will Bruce were the chief wicket takers, but the key was that the attack worked well as a unit ; we dismissed our opponents seven times and came close on two other occasions. All the regular seamers- Dan, Luke Thorne and Oliver Tennant (a great prospect) always bowled tightly and exerted pressure. Charlie Harvey and, latterly and belatedly, Tom Boucher were wicket-takers at important moments. Meanwhile, Will Bruce showed superb control in his leg spin and had enough variation to surprise any batsman. Paul Dixey and Will Bruce led the way in the batting department, and they had magnificent seasons, but one of the key developments as the season progressed was the way in which others contributed when they had to. We became particularly adept at chasing targets, no matter how large, thanks to an increasing understanding of how to keep the scoreboard ticking over, without necessarily hitting the big shots. Graham Sweetman, in particular, again showed the capacity for building partnerships. It was particularly pleasing to see Tom

Thorne and Paul Oixey appealing against Chris North OKS

125

Boucher elegantly increase his scores and there are welco me signs for t he future in the batting of Sam M iddleton, Ali Holmes and Charlie Harvey in t he last few fixtures. The f ielding was usually extremely compet ent. Paul Dixey set the highest of sta ndards behind the stumps and brought the best out of oth ers; Sam Mi ddleton again proved an able deputy. Few easy catches were missed or dropped and t he ground fielding was often very good, with Marcus Gwyer leadi ng th e way.

Felsted 180 all out (Bruce 3 - 41) ; King's• 11 2 for 6 (Sweetman 42).Drawn King's 9 4 all out; Eastbourne· 95 for 5. Lost by 5 wkts King's• 230 for 3 (35 overs) (Dixey 89, Bruce 82); St. Lawrence 65. Won by 165 runs Highgate 136 (Bruce 4 - 24) ; King's• 137 for 1. Won by 9 wkts Sevenoaks* 178 all out (Tennant 3 - 15, Bruce 3 - 37) ; King's 172 (Bruce 102).

Lost by 6 runs Band of Brothers 169 for 8 (40 overs) ; Kings• 99 for 6 (Gwyer 51). Lost by 70 runs St. Edmund's 101 all out (Bruce 3 - 16); King's• 102 for 2 (Bruce 41 ). Won by 8 wkts Trinity• 203 for 9 decl. (Johnston 4- 29); King's 206 for 4 (Bruce 150 not).

Wonby6wkts King's* 167 all out (Dixey 58); Whitgift 105 all out (Johnston 4 - 26, Bruce 4- 45).

That said, we cannot omit specia l ment ion of the captain, Will Bruce. In purely statistical terms, his was a remarkable season and his all- round performance ranks as one of the best ever, even w hen compared to some of the great names of King's cricket. He certainly led f rom the front and put in several match w inning performances, although he initially found it hard to accept th at he couldn't wi n the game si ngle-handedly every week! He was a true competitor and th is competit iveness rubbed off onto his team, wi thout ever threa tening to become unsporting in any way. Ind eed his leadershi p of t he team in every respect was beyo nd reproach. He was not afraid to be innovative and his experiments often paid off. He deserved his success and his contribution to King's cricket in his five years here cannot be underest i mated. In concl usion I should like t o thank Alan Ealham for the quality of his coaching and his shrewd j udgement in everything he does. Th e success of t his side is undoubtedly due in no small measure t o his wo rk over the w inter in particu lar. I am also gratef ul to our umpire, John, our w onderful ground staff, who once agai n worked tirelessly on our behalf come rain or shine, and our loya l band of supporters. Thanks t oo go to all those at the school w ho coach and support cricket fo r thei r t ime and effort. RCW

Team from: W. Bruce (capt.), T. Boucher, G. Chilcott, P. Dixey, M. Gwyer, C. Harvey, A. Holmes, D. Johnston, S. Middleton, H. Simmons, G. Sw eetman, 0. Tenn ant, L. Thorn e Also played: K. Kata riya, S. Sa ran 8"'

~ c::

·;::

Results Won

Drawn

Lost

:::)

...... c::

8q; ~

126

Abandoned

Won by 62 runs Common Room XI 99 for 5 (30 overs) ; King's 101 for 6 (29 overs); Won by4 wkts Haileybury· 247 all out (Johnston 3 - 43); King's 251 for 5 (Dixey 128 not, Sweetman 54). Won by 5 wkts King's* 162 all out (Middleton 45, Harvey 41) ; Pretoria Boys' HS 164 for 2.

Lost by 8 wkts Cranbrook 134 all out (Johnston 5 - 35) ; King's· 137 for 0 (Bruce 77 not, Boucher 50 not). Won by 10 wkts MCC 134 for 3 decI.; King's* 135 for 2 (Dixey 57 not, Boucher 51 not). Won by 8 wkts Kent Youth 162 all out (Bruce 5- 29); King's* 163 for 1 (Bruce 81 not, Middleton 43 not). Won by 9 wkts OKS 205 for 5 decl (Williams G 54, Williams A 44 not).; King's· 128 for 7 (Harvey 54 not, Eccles 3 - 41 ). Drawn. • Home side AVERAGES Batting

Innings

Runs

393

Not Out 4

H.S. 128*

Average

Dixey Bruce

702

63.8

Boucher

286

Sweetman

13 14

150* 51.

359

59.

Holmes

19.9

Harvey Middleton

116 134

26 54.

16.8

Thorne

12.0

14*

Simmons

65.5 31.8 29.9 19.3

3 12

29 91

9.7 8.3

Johnston

4.3

Tennant

Best 5-29

Gwyer

Also batted: Chilcott, 6 Highest partnerships: 190 Dixey Et Bruce (1 st wicket) v St. Lawrence 167 Sweetman Et Dixey (3rd wicket) v Haileybury 132 Bruce Et Sweetman (2nd wicket) v Highgat e Bowling Bruce

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

162

468

Johnston

158.3

509

5 - 35

15.9

Chilcott

83 103

2 - 23

16.6

3 - 24

17.2

2- 18

18.3

Avge 14.2

Simmons

6 4

Boucher

19. 5

Tennant

102.1

238

3- 15

19.8

Harvey

257

2 - 19

23.4

Thorne

115.1

384

2 - 18

34.9

Also bowled: Middleton 10 - 0 - 42 - 0 8 - 0 - 52- 0 Holmes

2nd XI This year's 2nd XI had an excellent season, with 6 wins and 4 losses. A blend of youth and experien ce was moulded into a side that was competitive in almost every game: only against the Duke of York's 1st XI, when our 1st XI players were the ones to let the side down, and against Whitgift did the team not give as good as they got. The strength of the side was probably in its bowling. Som Saran and Karan Katariya, providing accuracy and movement, pace and variety, were the best opening attack we saw all season. Rahul Mukherjee, usually at first change, was always steady and developed a lethal slower ball, whi le Richard Thomas was an equally reliable medium pacer. George Chilcott and Henry Simmons, when not required by the 1st Xl, provided the spin alternative, as did Jonny Watler, with his tempting leg breaks. The batting was less secure. Ali Holmes scored a fine 96 against Sevenoaks forcing his way into the 1st XI, but this was the only big innings. Yet collectively the line-up usually delivered the goods. George Chilcott, apart from a propensity to be involved in run outs (at an average of more than one per match), showed a lot of promise; Domini c Collingwood was determined and sensible, and deserves credit for taking up wicket-keeping at short notice; Amit Kaushal was a steadying influence in the middle order and probably the most improved player; Sunil Khemani provided plenty of experience if not so many runs; Richard Thomas batted with composure, and looked a genuine all-rounder with a real future; and Harry Osborne, promoted from the 3rds in the last few matches played with a total lack of inhibition. And there wasn't really a tail. Even the opening bowlers showed they could be as effective with bat as with ball. Ed Herbert, in his third season, proved an excellent captain. He had the respect of the other players, leading the batting with his positive and confident approach, and making sure that the side remained lively in the field. His seemingly endless fielding practices taught the team to count up to a hundred, even if the catching was not always as sharp as might have been hoped. He was largely responsible for the cheerful banter and the cheerful demeanour, that were appreciated by most opponents and helped make this a memorable season. CFA and PGH

Team from: Edward Herbert (Capt.), Andrew Clarke, Dominic Collingwood, George Chilcott, Karan Katariya, Amit Kaushal, Sunil Khemani, Rahul Mukherjee, Som Saran, Richard Thomas, Jonathan Watler. Also played: Hugh Davies, Marcus Gwyer, Charles Harvey, Alexander Holmes, Harry Lancaster, Samuel Middleton, Ryan Noades, Harry Osborne, Henry Simmons, Graham Sweetman. Results: K.S.C. ; Felsted Lost. Eastbourne ; K.S.C. Lost.

against Colfe's. In succeeding games against Felsted (Won), Eastbourne (Lost). Highgate (Lost) and Sevenoaks (Won), there are still imaginative tales to tell of high adventure, mutating uncut diamonds, and surrepti tious little shipwrecks in the field of all-round fair play. Late in flaming June, longstanding encounters wi th Whitgift and Haileybury succumbed to cancellation. As in the genre of Elizabethan tragedy, the personal intervention of the malcontent-avenger appeared to punish all good cricketers for a forgivable wrongdoing. In 2005, 3rd XI cricket was anything but the equivalen t of drinking Horlicks in slippers, Richie.

St. Lawrence ; K.S.C. Won. K.S.C. ; Highgate Won. K.S.C.

; Sevenoaks Won.

Trinity, Croydon Won. St. Edmund's ; K.S.C. Won. Whitgift ; K.S.C. Lost. Duke of York's ; K.S. C. Lost. K.S.C.

; Cranbrook . Won.

3rd XI What David Foster Wallace seems to be saying in his new book Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity- that our lives appear to keep getting fuller and faster- but still remain the same, was true of the 3rd XI in 2005. Hitherto, 3rd XIs came and went wit h many habitual vertiginous uncertainties as to identity and existence; past teams appeared provocatively discontinuous, the odd psychic rupture being known to grace the recesses of se lection on spare Saturday mornings long ago. The 3rd XI had a peculiar futuristic quality about it last season. Unusually, they were a squad, insulated in their own securities, and beg an with a fanfare and flurry of feverish excitement. Abjuring the need for pageantry, it was crowned with an emblem of continuity from the start. Abstraction from all limitation is one way of accounting for a spiritual impulse in secular terms; and the capabilities of Esmond Brown - whose load factor was limitless all season - converted conceptual issues into grown-up concrete recommendations, collaborative practices, solutions to selection, and harmony in the all-too-few welcom ing games played. Countervailing circumstances chopped the season down the middle. Inclement weather drowned the opening match

In Seneca's Moral Essays, the man who achieves mastery becomes godlike, and like the wise man, the good 3rd XI cricketers became next-door neighbours to the deities. Disbelief, apparent or presumed, was unknown, ironically proving to be a strategy that permitted some opponents to underestimate the team's repository of skills. The dazzling bravu ra of Harry Osborne with bat and ball became an awesome exhibition of power. Having rocketed to stardom, he was catapulted into the 2nd XI where he remained at home. Rarely flamboyan tly explosive at the crease - barring the knocks at Sevenoaks - Ryan Noades often proved to be an immovable enigma to opposition bowlers he made appear delicate and tender-hearted. Thibaut Bertlin fashioned an id eal from much fine medium-fast bowling; he enjoyed the drama of it all, and nothing of what he did ever passed as theatre. Hugh Davies's height enabled a natural phenomenon to ful fil a tactical advantage over opposing batsmen's footwork reduced, as it often appeared, to be a form of paralysed gout. William Jennings's bowling was a smooth, untrammelled quixotically motivated example of all' action. Daniel Hurley and Alexander Ki m batted with an imaginative independence which often passed as an instant remedy for the occasional somnambulist bowler in other teams. Always alert to a flaccid ball,thei r stroke play was spirited, at times overtly confrontational. Harry Lancaster's built-in cricketing search-engine of authority oscillated between a sound talent and an elusive opacity. This season's preparation was impeccable, and so adaptation next year, should enable his cricket to become fully autonomous. Patrick Allies's batting was modest compared to 2004, though his efficacy in the field was energetic and durable.

127

There is never anything off-the-rack about 3rd XI cricketers at King's. Selffostered from a leaping urge - out of an apprenticeship utterly free of explanatory rhyme - from week to week, they combined, as if returning on a pilgrimage to memorialize and renew golden glimpses of a great English game. The unmeasured sword - Harry Quested's batting -supplied many bouquets of hope last season. However, there were no ecstasies of nostalgia at the crease; fuelled with the virtues of young Fortinbras, he unsettled matters of success(ion) by conquering many visiting bowlers. By nature an exile from fear, Adam Pickett kept a good-humoured wicket all season; he enjoyed a rhythmic life with the bat and telescoped both skills that should remain unsatisfied with mere words. Too rare for tele-presence, the departing co mpany of Dominic Collingwood and Jonathan Watler was val ued; their quick in-depth glance into the 3rds injected additional co lour to a gleeful theme.

which developed beyond all recognition during the season and on the accuracy of their bowling, which also was markedly better in the second half of the term. The Under 15 side produced a centurion for the third successive year; co ngratulations to Alex Gilmore for a magnificent 115 against St. Lawrence College - Alex also skippered the side with great authority and imagination and I am sure will make an im pact for the 1st XI next year. My thanks must go to Mr Hill for all his help and the boys for being such fun to coach. MJTh

Team from: A.Gilmore (Capt.), R. Premnath, W. Newman, A. Edmondson, J. Munro, C. Johnston (WK), T. Westray, T. Tynan, 0. Bromfield, H. Bird, H. Alder, R. McAslan, L. Arnold, 0. Tennant, J. Geidt, G. Christie, W. Lundy. Results Played

Won

Drew Everyone who represented King's 3rd XIs - past and present - were, at very least, head and shoulders above the average politician or journalist; but much more often, they ranked alongside the best of people in ways manifest in their highly commendable and consistent personalities. Mathematicians of infinity are advised not to look for finite minds in the 3rd XI cricketers at King's. RBMi. Resul ts Played

Won

Lost Drawn Cancelled

Under 15A XI The Under 15A side enjoyed a positive season with a couple of sig nificant highs, namely St. Edmund 's and almost Trinity. The side benefited from so me excellent batting performan ces - Rohan Premnath scoring in excess of 350 runs, at an average of just under 30, was ably supported by Alex Gilmore and Will Newman who both scored over 200 runs. With the loss of Oliver Tennant to the 1st XI, King's never looked likely to dismiss a decent batting line-up; our attack was a little toothless all summer and hence many top orders got away to some very hea lthy starts. The sq uad must take great credit for working hard on their fielding,

128

Lost

v. Colfe's School

Cancelled

v Felsted School KSC Felsted

Lost 167-5 168-4

v Eastbourne College Eastbourne KSC

Lost 145-4 121-9

v St. Lawrence College Won 221-9 KSC St. Lawrence 51 v Highgate School Highgate KSC

Won 98 99-3

v Sevenoaks School KSC Sevenoaks

Lost 181-8 182-0

v St. Edmund's School KSC St.E

Won 205-3 107

v Trinity School KSC Trinity

Draw 219-6 162-9

v Whitgift School KSC Whitgift

Lost 134 135-1

v Duke of York's RMS KSC D.O.Y

Won 162 93

v Haileybury KSC Haileybury

Lost 51 52-0

v KCS Wimbledon KSC KCW

Lost 104 105-3

v Kent Under 14 Kent KSC

Lost 209-6 63

v Cranbrook School KSC Cranbrook

Lost 131 35-6

U15B XI In the first session of the season, the B team seemed a lacklustre fo rce with little ski ll or ta len t, and by the end we had been transformed into an exciting hardline combative outfit with three highpedigree school scalps under our belts. Havi ng 25 boys pushing for places, no one could ever take their foot off the gas as places were never guaranteed. A lot of credit must go to players like Felix Wong and Josh Jackson for their unrelenting efforts. The team started slowly, losing the first two matches to Felsted and Eastbourne. Will Lundy picked up four wickets against Eastbourne and inspired the team onto a three match rollercoaster. Against Highgate, the strike bowler, Ben Varian excelled, taking 4 wickets for 19 runs, leading the way for a King's 9 wicket victory as Luke Arnold scored with 42 not out. By this stage, B team cricket had a positive correlation and it continued when we demolished Sevenoaks by 8 wickets. The joker of the pack, Rishi Melwani, took 4 wickets for 5 runs. Our next match was against the much feared Trinity School, who had beaten us by 213 runs the year before. Not having enoug h players, we called upon James Kent fro m the athletics fraternity. He led the batting with an unbeaten 23 as King's stumbled to 80 all out. The total appeared as defendable as a castle with no walls, but James Geidt took 5-11 with his astonishing leg spin, securing victory for King's. After half-term, the team was not quite the same and we lost some of our spa rk. Even though we were unable to win either of our last two games, there were severa l promising individual talents shown. James Geidt scored a solid 19, taking 3 wickets against our ultimate opponents, Haileybury. The brethren of 2005 will always be remembered as a hard working team, who enjoyed every minute of their training. George Christie (LN) Team from: G. Christie (captain). L. Scarfe, H. Bird, F. Iron (wicket keepers), L. Arnold, C. White, T. Brown, B.Varian, R. Bridge, W.

Lundy, R. Melwani, Z. Tippu, J. Geidt, M. Thomas, H. Alder, J. Kent.

Played

Won

Lost

King's 92 (Arnold 20); Felsted School" 92 for 2 King's lost by 8 wickets King's 56; Eastbourne College• 60 for 5 (Lundy 4-20) King's lost by 5 wickets Highgate School108 (Varian 4-19); King's• 112 for 1 (Arnold 42, Scarfe 24) King's won by 9 wickets Sevenoaks School 52 (Melwani 4-5); King's· 53 for 2 King's won by8 wickets King's• 80 (Kent 23); Trinity School 71 (Geidt 5-11) King's won by 9 runs Whitgift School 317 for 5; King's* 153 (Geidt 53) King's lost by 164 runs King's 109 (Kent 21, Brown 19); Haileybury College) 112 for 4 King's lost by 6 wickets

Under 14A XI With a strong group of players around whom the team cou ld be built, a successful season was anticipated; in the light of this the results below are a little disappointing, but with the development of the players there is much hope for the future. During April and May, on slow pitches in conditions usually encountered in late winter, the team lost two matches and drew two. The loss to Felsted was unfortunate and can be blamed on lack of match experience; the team played well and on another day might have contested the Felsted total. The loss at St. Edmund's was heavy, but the drawn game against Highgate might easily have been won. Conspicuous however was the win at Eastbourne, where Pat Mitchell took on the opposition bowlers almost singlehanded, winning the game undefeated on 98. PWF reported that this was the finest innings he had ever seen from an U14 batsman. Patrick will surely at some stage bat with less panache, yet make a century with ease. This was the innings of the season. The weather mellowed at half-term, and the wickets gradually hardened and

quickened. Of the remaining six games, the losses against very strong teams at Whitgift and Wimbledon were no insult; the Haileybury openers were both representative cricketers - had we dispatched either of them early then perhaps the resu lt would have been different. A creditable draw at Trinity was bettered by good wins against Duke of York's, Dover, and Cranbrook. As the term progressed, the players began to perfo rm more as we had hoped they would. Will Chilcott and Pat Mitchell have emerged as cultured strokeplayers; both will surely feature at the top of the batting order thro ughout the School. Each acted as captain for half of the term. Jonty Brooks' keeping has improved during the season, as has his batting, an influential team player. Kieran Premnath looks a very promising all-rounder and I expect he will mature into a major player for the School. Andrew Lawrence now delivers the ball at some pace fro m an alarming height for many U14's, and has developed into a useful middle order batsman. The attack has included Pranav Saran's left-arm medium pace, which, if late swing and enhanced accuracy can be incorporated will prove very useful indeed. Sam Verde has graced the team with transatlantic verve during recent matches, his bowling a brisk and promising seam-up, his batting retaining aspects of baseball.

I am grateful to PWF and Duncan Hine who offered expert and invaluable coaching and support throughout the term; with experience gained this year, I expect that the developing resources in this team will form a more successful Remove XI next year. DMT Team : W.Chilcott and P.Mitchell (captains for half a term each), A.Lawrence, K.Premnath, P.Saran, J.Brooks (wicketkeeper), J.Godden, T.Tippu, T.Davey, J.Jones, S.Verde, M.Darroch. Results Played

Won

Drew

Lost

Felsted 174 ; King's• 110 Felsted won by 64 runs Eastbourne· 150; King's 151-5 (P.Mitchell 98 not out) King's won by 5 wickets

King's 150 (W.Chilcott 52); Highgate• 144-9 (W.Chilcott 4 wickets) Match drown King's" 160; Sevenoaks 130-5 Match drawn King's 138 (A.Lawrence 38); St.Edmund's" 139-1 St. Edmund's won by 9 wickets King's" 160 (A.Lawrence 39); Trinity 140-4 Match drown Whitgift" 190; King's 120 Whitgift won by 70 runs King's 208 (A.Lawrence 44, T.Tippu 41); Duke of York's" 130 (A.Lawrence 3 for 4) King's won by 78 runs King's• 130; Haileybury 131-0 Haileybury won by 10 wickets King's 108 (J.Brooks 48); Wimb ledon· 109-4 Wimbledon won by 6 wickets King's 196 (P.Mitchell 95, J.Brooks 48); Cranbrook" 11 2 King's won by 84 runs The team reached the final of the East.Kent 6-a-side tournament, losing to St. Edmund's.

U14B XI There was no doubt that this summer had exciting and successful cricket in store for the U148 team. At all times they played with competitiveness and togetherness that stood out and is reflected in our last two overwhelming wins of the season. The boys are talented cricketers who will form solid foundations in futu re King's sides. Their spirit was evident throughout the season, despite a difficult patch of resu lts on either side of our wins. King's showed tremendous cha racter against a strong Whitgift team , when the boys put on a commendable ru n chase, reaching the 200 run mark for the first time. After a poor bowling display all seemed lost, but our batsmen remained positive and we almost caused an upset. Sportsmen know that hard work is required to fashion a great season and this bunch of boys were no different. As the season progressed we gelled as a unit and each member knew what was expected of them, whether it was bowling 'at the death' or opening the batting. Our opening match against Felsted was quite brilliant. Our batsmen showed maturity at the crease and we posted a reasonably big total largely due to two very good knocks by Gibbs and

129

Tippu, which helped other batsmen build partnerships around them. Our bowling attack looked very threatening although it became clear that we were giving away too many extras and that our fi elding, and in particular, our ca tching needed attention. However, we got off to an imm ense start by winning our first match. As with all things in life, we had t o learn to treat our successes and failures just the same. We narrowly lost the next ga me against Eastbourne despite the fact that we could have done better with the bat. We were inspired in the field by an excellent displ ay of off-break bowling by Berry. Our next two matches were evenly contested al though I felt that had the boys wanted it more in the field we co uld have put more pressure on the opposition. It was crucial to maintain our focus and intensi ty in the field throughout th e innings, something which we improved on as the season unfolded. We needed a hunger and a kill er- instinct that would have put the game beyond th e opposition. Wellesley provided us with a tightly contested finish which required coo l heads. These two draws were definitely not co nsidered as losses, but the fact that they were bo th winning draws encouraged the boys. The match ag ainst Trin ity was an absolute nail-biter, but we un fo rtunately ended up on the wrong side of the result. This was no disg race, and there were a lot of positives to take away with us. Our fielding was tremendous and the practice sessions paid dividends. Edmund -Jones took bril liant and exemplary catches in the covers. Th e bowlers followed Darroch's example and began putting the ball in the right areas, which made life hard for the opposition. However, we failed t o build partn erships and successfully compl ete the run -chase. As we started to lose concentration, we began t o give their wickets away far too easily. It came right down to the wire and provided exciting entertainment for the parents on the boundary. The boys were very disappointed and I'm pretty sure they subco nsciously had this empty feeling when they went out to bat against Whitgift the following weekend. We managed to build concrete partnerships which helped Stewart play so me powerful strokes at the death. Th is response from the guys was quite incredible and bea rs testimony to their charact er.

im proved and we looked a polished outfit. A top score by Dalton built confidence and he was capably supported by Gibbs, dependable as ever at the top of the order. Our bowlers wrapped up a satisfactory day duri ng which Pengelley claimed his wicket haul, leading from the front, as captains should.

statistics might reveal otherwise, but this was no t the case. They were always keen to enjoy themselves on the field and the bowlers always gave it their best. The boys enjoyed each other's company as they worked hard in the nets as a side. Seeds had to be planted early on so that thriving trees could follow.

Was this season a summer of ba t and ball wh ere th e boys learned and practised their unique cricketing skills, thereby forming a blend of specialities in our line-up? Yes. Was it a season of great enthusi asm and enjoyment of one another's co mpany? Absolutely. Stratos Laskarides

We got off on the righ t foot as we prevailed against Felsted. Seb Rex got us off to a dream start with a fine knock, which allowed his team mates to build partnerships around him as he stood solid ou t in the middle. Our bowlers steamed in and made short work of the opposition batsmen. Players were will ing to throw themselves about in the field and the desire to win was evident. We were unlucky that many of our matches scheduled for the following weeks were cancelled, because our momentum was slowed slightly. On the back of two defeats one could sense the disappointment of coming second best, but this was all part of the learning curve. The tea m nonetheless still remained steadfast in their training.

Team from: Guy Pengelley (capt.), Patrick Gibbs, Alex Berry, Charlie Dalton, Louis Monag han, Guy Edmund-Jones, Robert Stewart, Terry Lee, James Hurst, James Harman, Jono Ross, Andreas Tatt Also played : George Kachadourian, Tom Grang er, Max Darroch, Sam Verde Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

King's• 182 for 9 (Tippu 41, Gibbs 42no); Felsted 57 all out King 's won by 125 runs King's* 104 for 9; Eastbourne 105 for 5 (Berry 4-19) King's lost by 5 wickets Highgate• 146 for 8 (Pengelley 5-26); King's 122 for 9 (Dalton 39) Match drawn Tri nity* 110 for 8 (Darroch 5-12); King's 109 for 8 (Gibbs 32) King's lost by one run

130

Team from: John Chen, Seb Rex, Tom Granger, And reas Tatt, George Kachadourian, Hugh Davies, Josh Wh ite, Fred Carter, Fred Winterbo tham, Toby Muir-Litt le, Christopher Barry, Michael Hamway, Henry Rid geway

Whitgift* 225 for 7; King's 201 for 8 (Stewart 43* - 18 balls; Berry 38) King's lost by 24 runs

Resul ts

King's· 189 for 5 (Gibbs 33, Dalton 84, (Stewart 39no); Haileybury 45 all out (Pengelley 5-7) King's won by 144 runs

Won

King's 152 for 9 (Gibbs 36, Berry 25, Stewart 24), Cranbrook* 68 all out (Hurst 4- 10, Dalton 3- 14) King's won by 84 runs

King's· 123 for 9 (Seb Rex, 40); Felsted 96 all out (Terry Lee 3-14) King's won by 27 runs

U1 4C XI In our penultimate ga me of th e season aga inst Haileybury we looked the most convincing side. All aspects of th e game that we had practised and spoken about

Coaching these boys has been an absolute pleasure and I hope th ey will con tinue to enjoy their cricket. One can see that this group of boys will form a skilled tea m in years to come, and that they wi ll always be the best of mates. Aristotle once said, "The whole is more than the sum of the parts" and this is so true when we look at the individual talents that make up this spiri ted side. There's more to the U14Cs tha n meets the eye. Stratos Laskarides

The developm ent of these boys' cri cketing talen ts as the season went on was something to behold. I realise that these

Played

Lost

Eastbourne• 156 for 8 (Tom Granger 2-21 ); King's 76 all out King's lost by 80 runs Whitgift 160 for 6 (John Chen 4-9), King's• 55 all out King 's lost by 105 runs

Athletics

Alex Carruthers:

good afternoon of Athletics- despite the strong wind and sporadic downpours of rain. Top performers of the day were: Alex Carruthers: 1st in the high jump, 100m and 2nd in the 200m for Senior Girls. Amena lmasekha: 1st in 1500m for Senior Girls. Caroline Hobbs: 1st 800m, 2nd 400m for Senior Girls. Coco Cunningham: 2nd in BOOm for Senior Girls. King's: 1st in 4x100m Relay Senior Girls. Victoria Bartley: 1st in HJ, 100m Intermediate Girls. Louise Ford: 1st in U intermediate Girls. Eliza Baker: 1st in 200m Intermediate Girls. Flo Nairac: 1st in 1500m Intermediate Girls. King's: 1st in 4x100m relay Intermediate Girls.

1st in the lOOm, 2nd in the senior girls' long jump.

Boys' and Girls' meeting at Sevenoaks:

200m.

14 May

Jola: 1st in his heat and 3rd overall in the

County Trials at Canterbury High: 19 April

With very little time to train, some of our athletes managed to perform well and achieve good times. James Kent:

3rd in 200m, 2nd in the intermediate

boys' long jump. Tom Kemp: 3rd in the senior boys' 200m

Tom Marnham: 1st in 400m and BOOm, 3rd in the

intermediate boys' long jump. Laurence Percival: 2nd in the intermediate boys' 1500m.

Laura Knight: 3rd in the junior girls' long jump.

Victoria Bartley: 1st in long jump and 2nd in the

intermediate girls' BOrn hurdles.

Emma Welby: 3rd in the junior girls' long jump. Flo Nairac: 3rd in the junior girls' BOOm and 1500m

Rosie Iron: 2nd in the intermediate girls' 1500m. Anna Brown: 1st in the senior girls' 1500m. Catriona Ramsay: 3rd in the senior girls' long jump and

BOOm. Caroline Hobbs: 1st in the BOOm, 2nd in the senior girls' triple jump. Rosie Cornick: 3rd in the intermediate girls' BOOm. Sophie Middleton: 2nd in the senior girls' 800m. Girls' and Boys' Achilles Relay meeting:

Oxford 5 May After a very long drive our team arrived in Oxford. We did not manage to win any trophies this year, but can be very proud of our performances on the day. Our Junior Boys reached the final in the 100m and 200m relay. The Senior Girls came third in the 100m relay final and ran a very good 800m relay with Caroline Hobbs and Caroline Lawrence giving our baby in the team, Flo Nairac a good lead to work from. Caroline Lawrence had to virtually drag herself to the finish after getting a bad injury to her hip in the last

Christian Allen: 2nd in the 800m for Junior Boys. Jola lluyomade: 1st in the 100m and 200m Junior Boys. Oliver Ford. 2nd in the HJ and 3rd in U for Intermediate Boys. Lawrence Percival: 3rd in the 1500m for Intermediate Boys. Alex Davies: 3rd in the Javelin for Intermediate Boys. Ben Cryer: 1st in the 100m for Open Boys. Tom Marnham: 2nd in the 400m for Open Boys. King's: 3rd in the Relay. Boys ended in the 5th position out of seven teams. Flo Nairac: 2nd position in the 1500m and 3rd in the BOOm for Junior Girls. Eliza Baker: 3rd in the 200m for Junior Girls. Victoria Bartley: 2nd position in the 80m Hurdles and TJ for Intermediate Girls. Caroline Hobbs: 1st in the 800m for Senior Girls. Amena lmasekha: 1st in the 1500m for Senior Girls. Alex Carruthers: 2nd in the 100m, 200m and HJ.

100m. Girls' Meeting at Canterbury High vs. Cranbrook and Cobham Hall: 7 May

Girls ended in 5th position out of seven teams.

Some events had to be cancelled because of dangerous conditions, but despite this, our athletes performed well. Jola lluyomade: 3rd in 100m for Junior Boys. Christian Allen: 2nd in the 1500m for Junior Boys. Tom Marnham: 3rd in the 400m for Intermediate Boys. Ben Cryer: 1st in the 200m and 3rd in the 100m for Senior Boys. King's: 3rd in 4x400m Relay. District team championships at Canterbury High: 15 June Contending with the strong winds down the 100m straight our athletes performed well and King's had some good results. Laura Knight: 1st in the U. James Kent: 1st in his heat and 3rd overall in the

100m. Lawrence Percival: 1st in the 1500m. Flo Nairac: 2nd in the 1500m. Boys' meeting at Duke of York's 18 June Our team was badly disrupted by athletes being away on study leave and with only 8 boys available had to really work hard at making the best of the tough situation. Junior athletes like James Kent and Lawrence Percival had good runs in the 200m and 1500m. Nowa lmasekha won his HJ, TJ and 110m Hurdles. Wei! done to the Junior athletes who had to participate against senior runners. Thank you to Lola Soyode and Ben Cryer for being captains for the 2005 season and congratulations to Tom Kemp and Alex Carruthers for being appointed captains for 2006. Well done to each of our athletes. Participating and enjoying your season is just as important as winning your races. A very bi~J thank you must go to all our coaches for the time and effort that went into coaching down at Birley's. Without them the season would not have been possible. Thanks to Mr Mark Collins and his team, King's has the best and most well-kept grass athletics track in Kent.

EB Boys' Meeting at Tonbridge: 21 May

Cobham Hall was not able to field a team and King's and Cranbrook had a really

What a day! Wind and buckets of water.

131

Golf

retirement to play a great game at Chart Hills, beating off some very good golfers indeed.

This year's team has made very real

progress and put in some great performances. The results have been very encouraging indeed with just the one

School match lost.

Charlie Teale has been involved with golf at King's for four years. His enthusiasm and perky personality has resonated through the Club and made for a very happy term indeed - he has led the Club

The wind and rain that swept links of St. George's tested a!! in our match versus

Tonbridge. The conditions did not help anyone and we did we!! to win 2-1.

very well. He has been keen and committed and deserves to be able to bask in the glory that has been this season.

NLP Against St. Edmund's all were on form

and we won comfortably with all matches finishing by the 14th hole. It

Boys' Tennis

was good that the lV cameras were there

to record it!

1st Team

The first of several visits to Chart Hills was made for our match against Sutton Valence which we won 2-1. This lovely

This season the f1rst tennis team has been a relatively young side, with only one 6a in the 1st VI. Yet there has been a very high level of maturity and determination shown by all the players throughout the season. This has resulted in one of the most impressive sets of season results that the school has had for many years, including getting to the final of our draw in the Glanvil! Cup, coming top in the East Kent league, and winning the Kent Schools Tennis Tournament, which we have now won two years in a row. In total we have only lost four out of 23 matches.

inland course inspired some good golf

two matches going down the 18th, the victory being secured by an eight foot putt by Matt Baer on the final green. with

The Smarden Bel! is one of the great occasions in our golfing calendar. Th'1s match against Eastbourne, Seven oaks and Tonbridge is a fearsomely fought prize. We challenged to the end, but with a few key players not quite coming up to the mark we could not wrestle the Be!! from Eastbourne and finished a close second. The very last match of the season on almost the very last day of term did not go our way. The demands of the end of term meant that we fielded a weakened side and lost in a close encounter to Cranleigh at Royal Cinque Ports. We participated in the inaugural Junior Open and finished 3rd, a very creditable performance in an impressive field of golf playing schools. This result brought to a close a very good season which was very nearly great. Although the results were good they could have been better and when it really mattered too many shots were left on the course. Those who remain are talented and have the capacity to move golf at King's up a level. Being able to focus one's mind all the time will be important. Tom Yates and James Fox have been the youthful backbone of the side. Playing off 5 they have been the linchpin of all victories. They have been well supported by Matthew Wells and Soravit Vayakornvichitr, the latter having immense length off the tee. The internal competitions were won by Tom Yates (Captain's Bowl) and Will

Bruce (Senior Putter) who came out of

132

lawrence Holdren, a very talented fifth former, played as number one throughout the season. He has performed at a consistently high standard and with his powerful groundstrokes and expert placing has made it very difficult for many of our opponents. He has had some strong opposition in the singles matches, including several county players and will especially remember his win against his Sevenoaks opponent in the Glanvill Cup. When playing doubles, his ability to place his serves into the corners of the service box allowed me, his partner to put away a good deal of easy volleys. The second pairing of William Steel and Christopher Robinson could be relied upon to get results, for example when winning a tie break at Brentwood to draw the whole match. In the men's matches Chris and Will's scores were often better than the first pair as they were more attacking in their play and remained focused on every point. They have struck up a great doubles partnership this season, complementing each other perfectly. In the schools' competition they could be relied upon to win both their singles and doubles matches against their opposite numbers, easing the pressure on lawrence and myself.

William has had a very solid season, again only a fifth former, but his level of tennis and his attitude have made him an invaluable member of the team. His perfect technique in all parts of the game makes it very hard for his opponent to find a weakness, especially overhead. Chris Robinson has improved immensely since last year; his endless supply of energy and sheer competitiveness has enabled him to beat players who appear some way above his standard. In the final of our draw in the G!anvill Cup he was the only one to get a set against a much stronger St. Bede's side. William Pound and Mikiya Morioka have been the third pair for the 1st VI and have given the team a real depth of ability, even on occasions beating the opposition first pair! Will Pound played brilliantly as substitute for Chris in the final day of the Kent Cup and beat all his opponents, helping us secure the title of Kent Schools' Champions. Ed Chuck and Josh Hill have played

matches for the 1st team and have done very we!!, with Ed contr"1buting to the beating of Tonbridge, a fixture that has not been won for almost five years. This has been a very successful season, and hopefully we can build on this and do even better next summer. Simon Pound (Captain) Simon has written nothing about his own contribution to the season. He has been a reliable captain, who calmly organised me and the team and grew in confidence with the hosting duties, especially when playing against Men's teams from local clubs. His own play saw him serve well and he was often able to produce winning passing shots from the back of the court when it was most needed. His singles win against Sutton Valence and Dartford Boys' Grammar were vital in the success of the two main cup competitions. I thank him for his dedication and leadership and hope that he will enjoy next season, when he hands over the captaincy to a younger player! SEA

Master i/c Report. The firsts were in fact two separate teams for most of the season, with a IV required in the league and Cup matches and a VI for the school fixtures. I will deal with them separately. The season was influenced by two decisions taken weJ! before the summer began. Firstly having seen how last year's captain had difficulty exercising his duties later on in the term due to exams,

I decided to ask Simon Pound, as a 6b th is yea r, to take on the role. Secondly, as a school we had our entry accepted into the Men's League of the East Kent Tennis Association. This has given the boys five extra fixtures and a taste of men's doubles and more generally a chance to sample the atmosphere of club tennis. They had to perform in a number of wea ther conditions and playing surfaces, but wo n through all of the matches to win promotion to a higher league next yea r. In the Glanvill Cup, this IV went one stage further than last year's team, by reaching the regional final, having beaten St. Edmund's, Sevenoaks and Sutton Valence in the preceding rou nds. Aga inst St. Bede's, who have tennis scholarships, it was not surprising that we came off second best, but on the return ca r journey, I was grateful that our school had four sporting, competitive yet respectful players, whose company I was happy to share. Th e Kent Schools' Senior Boys' Competition follows a similar format to the Glanvill Cup, where each of the four players plays si ngles agai nst their opposite number and then a set of doubles. Again we qualified for the finals and as Simon mentions in his report, we were fortunate to be able to call upon Will iam "Mini" Pound to deputise for Chris Robinson. On a scorching day, we dismissed Langley Park's international hockey players before beating Dartford in the final, where Lawrence was able to gain some revenge for his singles defeat, by win ning the first pair doubles. This meant that Th e King's School won the competition for the second year in a row, with a different team and as all of this year's team are also here next yea r, who knows it may be three in a row! The team spirit among the VI was very strong, despite the first IV obviously having the majority of fixtures. Nevert heless, after a co mprehensive defeat by Sevenoaks at the start of the season, the home victory against Tonbridge was well deserved and Will Pound and Ed Chuck led the way by beat ing thei r first pair in the very first set. Will and Mikiya beat their opposite pair at Brentwood helping to secure an away draw. Overall it has been a successful and long season. None of the fi rst teams I have t aken in the past 15 years have played this number of matches, 23 in total. It was not surprising that during the

Independent Schools' cha mpionships at Eton College during King's Week, they ran out of energy. I wou ld like to thank all the players and their parents, who supported in all weathers, the ground staff, ca tering dept. Michael for the minibus and car bookings, my team of coaches namely PT, CJRJ, RPS, JWO and GOP for all their hard work preparing and accompanyi ng teams and John Gotke for the emergency restri nging service. SEA Team: Simon Pound(Capt),* Lawrence Holdron, Wi lliam Pound, Christopher Robinson, Willia m Steel. Also played; Ed Chuck, Mikiya Morioka, Joshua Hill

v Eton 1

Lost 2-0

Plate v Churchers College v Cranleigh

Won 2-0 Lost 1-2

1st VI Played

Won

Lost Drawn Sets For

Sets Against

Friend lies

*denotes fi rst Colours Senior Boys' Inter-House was won by Linacre defeating Galpin's in the Final by 2 sets to 1. Results Played

Won

Sets For

Sets against

East Kent League Men's Div IV, v Broadstairs Ill

(A) Won 4-0

v Herne Bay

(A) Won 4-0,

v Faversham LTC

(H) Won 3-1

v Pfizers

(A) Won 3-1

v Gore Court LTC

(A) Won 4-0

BSTA Glanvill Cup, v St. Edmund's

(H) Won 6-0

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 4-2

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 4-2

v St. Bede's A

(A) Lost 0-6

K STA Senior Boys' Competition v Queen Elizabeth's

(A) Won 6-0

v St Edmund's

(H) w/o

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 4-2

semi-final v Langley Park

ISTA Championships; Youll Cup

Won 6-0

final v Dartford Boys Grammar Won 5-1

v Canterbury Men's LTC (H) Won 5-4 v Sevenoaks 1sts

(H) Lost 1-8

v Kent College

(H) Won 7-0

v Tonbridge School

(H) Won 9-3

v Wa lmer LTC

(A) Won 6-0

v Brentwood

(A) Drew 41/2 -41/2

mixed v Walmer (A) Won 9-0

Under 16 VI With GCSEs encroaching earlier and earlier into term, the 'season' is now very short for th is yea r group. However, I have seldom been involved with a sq uad of pl ayers with as much en thusiasm and co mmitment, and the practices and matches we re very enjoyable. The pairings were varied a little to suit our collective opinions and it was nice to see that th e spirit remained good, irrespective of who was playing with whom. All players at least broke even on sets won and lost, so the record of four wins out of five was a credit to all of the six who played regularly. The matches against Sevenoaks and Tonbridge were, as usual, highly competitive and it was nice for the B VI to record a rare win at Tonbridge. The matches against the junior club sides were more relaxed and we all benefited from the trad itionally excellent tea at Walmer, where Henry Piechoczek and Chris Barker mad e an unforgettable comeback from 0-5 and 0-40 to wi n in a tie-break! I hope that all those who have played wi ll continue to enjoy their tennis in the future, whether for 1st, 2nd or 3rd teams, or purely socially. CJRJ

133

Regular team players: Christopher Barker, Thomas Cook, Rupert Lee, Alistair Melvin, Henry Piechoczek, Frederick Thompson. Also played: Joe Bao, Henry Dalton, Tristan Lee, Leopold MacLehose, Benjamin Pentecost, Hikari Tatsuzama. Results v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 5-4

v Tonbridge

(A) A VI Lost 4-5;

Played

Team from: Richard Hartland, Robert Laing, Robert Day, William Mitchell, William Porter, Dane Pulver.

Won

Lost

Sets For

Played

Sets Against

Won

Kent Schools' Tennis Association Semifina lists. Nestle Schools for Kent Tennis U15 Runners up.

Drew Lost Sets For

Sets Against

B VI Won 8-1 v Kent College

(A)

v Canterbury LTC

(H) Won 5-4

v Walmer LTC

(A)

Won 7-1

Won 6-3

Under 15 A t eam This was an excellent season, blessed with five very good players fighting for th e four places in the t eam. There was really very little to choose between them. Alistair Seaton proved to be a formidable opponent as his relaxed style and strength often took him to victory. Harry Coombe remained the most gentlemanly of tennis players as he was always gracious in victory and generous in defeat. Tristan Lee was the real fighter; he would never let a match lie down. His most notable singles victory was when he was 1-5 down against Kent College and he managed to pull it back t o win 7-5. He proved to be our talisman of focus and determination. Tom Yates turned himself into one of the most consistent players of the team, getting everyth ing back and causing general annoyance to his opposition. While finally, Joe Bao honed himself into a very steady and reliable singles specialist. One of my favo urite moments was when Joe let out an enormous scream against Kent College and a fist in the air, as he beat his opponent in the tie break. This team of five players remained solid th roughout the term. They practised hard, but more encouragingly, played hard and were gracious in all of their wins and losses. I was particularly proud of them to have done so well in the Nestle Schools for Kent Tennis tournament where they managed to cruise through all the rounds to only be beaten on a very wi ndy day in the final. They deserved better, and I am sure wi ll achieve it in the future. Well done. RPS Team from: Alistai r S<;aton, Harry Coombe, Tristan Lee, Tom Yates, Joe Bao

134

Under 15 B tea m It was fantasti c to be able to get so many boys to play match tenn is this year. Without exception' every one of them enjoyed the game, and played with great spirit. Our most exciting victory was over Sevenoaks when we beat them by 6 matches to 3. They have been a very enjoyable group to have been associated with, and I am sure that their tennis wil l continue to im prove and that they wi ll have many more hours of fun ahead of them on the tennis court. Well done. RPS Team from : Oliver Sandeman-AIIen, Ed ward Wilkins, Tom Macintosh, Wa lter Miles, William Coles, Vincent Boeckler, Joshua Collins, Fred Clark, Michael Lung, Finn Nainby- Luxmoo re, Simon Englander, Tom Kelly, Alex Maisal, lni Atoyebi, Jack Lawrence-Jones.

Girls' Tennis 1st VI Th is year, the 1st tennis team have had a successful year win ning six out of ten matches. The team members this year were Pippa Tregear, Josceline Clayton, Amanda Harrison, Caroline Lawrence, Sophie Clark, Rosanna James, Rosie Guest and Annabel Dight. The team lost in the Kent Schools' Senior girls' final to Benenden. Unfortunately many of the Gas were unable to play due to exam comm itments. I would like to thank both Pippa and Jossie for doing a fantastic j ob as captains. SMW

Played

Won

Lost

Played

Won

Lost

v Sevenoaks

(H) Lost 3-6

Sets for

v Epsom

(A) Won 5-4

Sets against

v Benenden

(H) Lost 1-8

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 5-4

v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 8-1

Âˇv Benenden

(A) Lost 1-5

#v Highworth

(A) Won w/o

#v St. Edmund's

(A) Won 5-1

Under 14 team This yea r's boys thoroughly enjoyed their tennis and had many a good battle both within practice sessions during the week, and matches at the weekends. Richard Hartland and Robbie Laing proved to be a particularly good first pair, having played much tennis for their local cl ubs before joining us here at King's. They were one of the two strongest pairs on the circuit and it was a pleasure to watch them play with such flair and en thusiasm. Needless to say the rest of the team more tha n equalled Richard and Robbie's enth usiasm and were a delight to coach. Well done. RPS

#Semi Final : v Bennett Memorial (A) Won 6-0 #Final v Benenden

(A) Lost 0-4

# Senior Girls' Ken t Schools' Co mpeti tion * Abedare Cup

U 75 Girls' Tennis

2nd/ 3rd/ U1 6

3rd VI

This term saw some fantastic results from these three teams. A number of girls participated in these matches. The 2nd VI had a very successful term losing only one match out of four. The 3rd VI was unbeaten this season, even beating the Duke Of York's 1st VI. The U16A and B teams had a match against Epsom College which they won convincingly.

2nd VI Played

Won

Lost

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 5-1

v Epsom

(A) Lost 4-5

v Benenden

(H) Lost 2-7

v St. Edmund's 1st

(A) Won 7-2

U15

Played

Won

Lost

v Benenden

(H) Won 5-4

v Epsom

(H) Won 5-4

v St. Edmund's 2nd

(A) Won 7-2

v Dover College 1st

(A) Won 6-3

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 5-4

Under 16

v Epsom U16 A

(A) Won 5-4

v Epsom U16 B

(A) Won 5-4

The Under 15 age group has had a very successful term ; they played 25 matches, won 19, drew 1 and lost 5. The U15A IV consisting of Annabel Gray, Anna Storer, Rosie Atkinson and Theo Backhouse have had a very successful season - they were the winners of the Nestle year 10 and under Kent region and will be participating in the regional tournament in September. The U15A VI was unbeaten this season and even managed to beat Benenden and Sevenoaks, both traditionally strong tennis schools. Annabel Gray and Anna Storer won the an nual Bedgebury tournament as well as getting through to the quarter finals at the ISTA championships held at Eton yearly. Rosie Atki nson also competed at Eton in the Senior section and held her own very well. The future of girls' tennis is bright! SMW

135

Results Played

Won

Drew

Lost

v Sevenoaks A B

(A) Won 5-4 (A) Won 6-3

v Epsom A B

(H) Won 9-0 (H) Won 9-0

v Benenden A B

c D

Rounders The King's rounders programme had an incredibly successful Sum mer Term in 2005. Although the senior side was only able to play one proper match (which they won in fine, dominant fashion), the U15 and U14 squads dominated opponents all season long. The girls began slowly against Sevenoaks in t he first round of play in April, but it soon became clear that all that was needed was a bit of practice time - after an initial loss for both junior teams, the girls would not lose again all season.

U14 Results (A) Won 5-4 (A) Lost 4-5 (A) Lost 1-8 (A) Lost 4-5

v Cranbrook A (H) Won 3-0 B v Sutton Valence A (A) Won 7-2 B v Kent College A (A) Drew 2-2 B v St. Edmund's A (H) Won 9-0 B

Played

Won

Lost

v Sevenoaks A B

(A) Lost 2-7 (A) Lost 2-7

v Epsom A B

(A) Lost 4-5 (A) Lost 3-6

v Benenden B

(H) Lost 3-6 (H) Lost 3-6

U15A IV Results

v Cranbrook A B

(H) Won 7-2 (H) Lost 4-5

v Duke of York's (A) Won 7-2

Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 4-2

v Benenden A

(A) Won 3-3 (28-25)

v Benenden C

(A) Won 4-2

S/F v OE Grammar School (A) Won 6-0 F v Benenden B

(A) Won 5-1

Kent Schools' Tennis Association Intermediate Girls' Competition v Walthamstowhall

v Sutton Valence (A) Won 9-0 A v Duke of York's A (H) Won 9-0 c v St. Edmund's A (H) Won 5-4 B v Kent College A (A) Won 2-1 B v Simon Langton Grammar School AvC (H) Lost 7-9 BvD (H) Lost 6-10

(A) Won w/o

v Sittingbourne College (H) Won 6-0 0/F v Bromley High School (H) Lost 0-4 U15 B IV Results Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition

136

U14 Th e U14s had a mixed season, gaining momentum in the 2nd half. Both U14A and B IVs did really well in the Nestle Yea r 10 and under competition were they often competed against older competito rs. Charlie Bowman and Annabel Kingsman reached the quarterfinals of the Girls' Kent Schools' doubles championships held at Bromley. Thanks must go to Danny Wynne and Sue McConnell for their dedication and commi tment t o coaching the U14 age group. SMW

U14 IV Results Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition v Tonbridge A

(H) Won 4-2

v Benenden B

(A) Lost 1-5

U14B IV Results

v Dane Court

(H) Won 4-0

Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition

v Kent College

(A) Won 5-1

v Tonbridg e B

v Folkstone

(H) Won 6-0

(H) Won 3-3 (31 -25)

S/F v Combe Bank

(A) Lost 1-5

v Maidstone

(A) Lost 0-6

v King's Rochester

(A) Won 5-1

The U15 side was led all season by superb and consistent bowling performances by Zoe Shaw. The team relied on quick and steady defence in the field, and the speed and quick hands of Rose WilsonHaffenden were major assets in the 2nd deep position each and every game. After a few weeks together, the team was able to maintain great communication in the field - the leadership allowed the girls to often get out entire opponent's lineups before the 2nd inning closed out. The tea m benefited from the strong defensive skills of captain and vocal leader Annie Madewell, as well as the quick and accurate throws from the tea m backstops Laura Boeckeler and Claudia Tapp. On the attacking side, the girls were aggressive and always played each hit out wisely. Hannah Gold became the master of the 112 rounders, while Rose WilsonHaffenden quickly beca me known by opponents as the team's long-ball hitter, scoring many full rounders each game. The girls beat Bethany School, Cranbrook, Benend en and Su tton Valence, as well as capping the season off with a fine comefrom-behind victory at th e Cranbrook round ers to urnament. The Under 14 team had just as much to be proud of as their seniors. Led by captain Katie Cameron, the girls were able to pull toget her new lineups each match, and still perform consistently. Many different players tried their hand at bowli ng, and although the team never settled on any one player, the defence behind the bowler was always on-point. Olivia Wacher was often called on to play first post, and proved an excellent sportswoman at the position. The team was also aided by t he backstop skills of Bridghe Nainby-Luxmoore. Opponents had much to fear when King's came to bat, as Katie Cameron and Meg Shirley were likely to round the posts more than twice a game. Highlights from the season include an 11-5 lf2 victory over Sutton Valence and a close 17 1/2-13 win over Cranbrook.

Th e senior team showed tremendous ent husiasm all yea r, despite not having much co mpeti tion to face. This was especially frustrating for the girls because the team was particularly th ick with ta lent. Becky Smith showed excellent defensive talent as well as a powerful and co nsistent bat, and Mo Loug hman ran out many 112 and full rounders all season. It is unfortunate that the girls could not have played more in the Summer term, as th ey most certainly would have found great success. Overall it was a great season at King's for rounders, and shows tremendous potential for the future of th e programme. With many returning and highly talented pl ayers, the j unior and senior tea ms should look forwa rd to enjoying the weather and sport next summer in fi ne fashion. Wel l done ladies. Sonia Behnke U15 v Sutton Valence

W 13 112 - 5

U14 v SV U15 v Cranbrook

w 11-5 1/2 w 19- 13

U14 v Cranbrook

W 17 1/2- 13

U14 v Sevenoaks

L1 8 1f2- 16

Senior v Bethany

27 1f2 - 2 1/2

U15 v Bethany

21 -14 1/2

U14 v Sevenoaks

D 16-1 6

U15/U14 v Benenden

U15 won Cranbrook tournament U14 Team from: Phoebe Bird, Marie Kang, Bridghe Nainby- Luxmoore, Melissa Dear, Olivia Wacher, Jane Smedley, Pippa St evens, Ka tie Cameron, Jenna Sung, Emma Bailey, Camilla Corbett, Aaminah Aziz, Eleanor Beevor U15 Team from: Zoe Shaw, Alice Huntrods, Annie Madewell, Sarah Fit ch, Hannah Gold, Busol a Ogunsanya, Jessica Atkins, Yasmin Keel, Laura Boeckeler, Claudia Tapp, Clare Wakeling, Rose WilsonHaffend en, Meg Shirley Open/ Senior Team from: Christine Pond, Morwenna Loughman, Ca ra Chapman, Rebecca DeHaan, Stephanie Thomas, Lizzie Pope, Anna Mitchell, Polly Benton, Pi p Butler, Emily Jenkinson, Katie MacKin non, Charlotte Manicom, Phoebe Roberts, Lucy Th ompson, Zoe Winner, Sophie Norris, Rebecca Smith, Florence Hillen, Lidia Reznick, Charlotte Allberry, Olivia Nairn, Anna Hadfield, Pollyanna Murphy, Lucy Wells

Swimming With the East lnvict a ASA Championships moving to the Autumn term , our top swimmers now have competitive swimming throughout the year. However, it is still the Kent Schools' Championships commencing early in the Lent term that are ou r first major co mpetition, where we endeavour to enter the majori ty of events. The championships are held over two weekends at the Black Li on Sports Centre in Gillingham and again this year we put in some great performances. In the individu al events, Kevin Chiu won th e bronze medal in th e intermediate boys' 100m freestyle, setting a perso nal best time of 58.76s, and Natalie Greer, James Shilston and Alasdair Muller all reached the final in their events, with Natalie and Al asdair setting personal best tim es. As a result of his performance, Kevi n was chosen to represen t Kent Schools in the inter-county match with Surrey. In the t eam events, the intermediate boys' relay team of Kevin Chiu, Edward Groves, Alasdair Muller and Stephen Wong won bronze medals in both the 4 x SOm freestyle relay and 4 x SOm medley relay. The best performances, however, were achieved by our senior swimmers. The senior girls' sq uad of Anna Basden-Smith, Pamela Gent, Natalie Greer, Michelle Wareham and Philippa Williams won the silver medal in the 4 x SOm medley relay fi nal, but wen t one better to take the gold medal and county shield in the 4 x SOm freestyle relay. This was an excellent performance and the first time we have wo n a senior girls' relay competition. Not to be outdone, the seni or boys' sq uad of Ang us Davidson, James Graves, Edward Mosely and James Shilston did a doppelganger, with silver in their medley relay and t he gold medal and co un ty shield in their freestyle event. This was the third co nsecutive year we have wo n this event - quite an achievement! The Kent County ASA Championships are also held in the Lent term and we continue to co mpete with th e very best club swimmers in Kent. This year Kevin Chi u and Pamela Gent acquitted themselves well in their individual events. Ag ain this year the Public Schools' National Relay Championships were not held at Crystal Palace, but at the new eight lane 25m pool at the Whitg ift Schoo l, Croydon. With our success in this

event in recent years we were pleased that our performances by both our seni or boys' and girls' squads in the Kent Schools' Championships gave us encouragement, but equally we knew that our times were somew ha t slower than in previous years. The girls' success came this t ime in the 4 x SOm med ley relay where Pamela Gent, Natalie Greer, Jenna Wiles and Philippa Williams swam extremely well to make the final and to fi nish sixth in the country in the open event with over forty schools taking part - our best ever resul t! For the boys, this year we again quali fied to en ter the small schools' event for the 4 x 100m freestyle relay an d t he Aldenham Cup. In the heats, the boys swam well enough to get a good lane in the final, but it's always difficult to gauge your chances in the final as some t eams always keep a litt le in reserve. As the final unfolded we swam exceptionally well with three of the quartet setting personal best times by as much as two seconds! Yes, we did it, won the Aldenham Cup, in a new record t ime beating th at set by us when we wo n it in 2002, and the magni ficent team were: Kevin Chiu, Angus Davidson, James Graves, Edward Mosely and James Shilston. The win ning time would have placed us sixth in the open event awesome; ro ll on next yea r. We continued competing in our traditional inter-school galas as well the more recent wider competi tion, t his year with Haileybury, Rugby, Bishop's Stortfo rd College and Harrow, and all the results are shown below. During the course of the season severa l school records were broken, thoug h it is increasingly difficult for the boys bearing in mind the achievements of Alex Siu! However, Kevin Chiu cont inues t o develop into an outstanding swimmer and he broke Alex's U16 SOm freestyle record with a time of 25.68s. Our girls' capta in, Natalie Greer, has also made grea t improvements this year and broke the long sta nd ing record of Estelle Davies from 1997 in the sen ior girls' 100m freestyle, and Jenna Wil es continued to improve her girls' butterfly records with several personal bests during the season. The inter-house swimming gala is held in February and is always fiercely contested. Last year the mighty Grange won the boys' event bu t would they have the depth t o retain it ? In the three open events The Grang e got off to a flying start, but then Meister Omers wo n t he U15 events, thoug h only by one point from Linacre. In the senior events, Meister Omers boys were very strong,

137

dropping only eight points fro m a maximum of sixty-three and taking them to th eir first win for many yea rs. The Grange were runners up, with School House in third place. In the girls' competition, Jervis won the open events and Marlowe/Mitchinson's the U15 events, but the house wi th strength in depth was Broughton/Bailey who won co nvincingly in the end, with Marlowe/Mitchinson's in second place and Jervis in third place. At this event we also award cups for the most improved swimmers and this year they were awarded to Eleonore Dixon-Roche and Stephen Wong. The King's Tournament, for boys and girls, was again held in March with teams from Bishop's Stortford, Cranbrook, Haileybury, Harrow, St. Dunstan's and St. Ed mund's competing against us. Harrow had a strong team and swept the board in the boys' events, but we did win the senior girls' events with Cranbrook winning the U15 events and St. Dunstan's the U14 even ts. In the King's Girls' Festiva l, hosted this year in June, Guildford High again won both the U14 and U15 events with the City of London Freemans in second place on both occasions. Boys' Captain 2004/5 Girls' Captain 2004/5

James Shilston Natalie Greer SJR

Those who represented the school at swi mming this year: Alexander Allen, Eliza Baker, Aislin Bamber, Anna Basden-Smith, Janessa Bobby, Philippa Bonsall, Anastasia BowBertrand, Charlotte Bowman, Francis Brown, Sabrina Chapman +, Natalya Chapman, Kevin Chiu +, Chloe Darke, Max Darke, Angus Davidson •, Alexander Dear, Eleonore Dixon -Roche, James Edmondson, Pamela Gent*+, James Graves •, Natalie Greer'+, Edward Groves, Emily Groves, Sarah Healy, Emma Howard-Smith, Max Jenkins, Martin Lau, Virginia Maclean, Matt Mackinnon, Emma May, Georgie Mayhew, Peter Marcos, Edward Mosely •, Alasdair Muller, Adrien Ng, Harriet Page, John Parkinson , Matthew Price, Nicola Redstone, Georgina Rumbellow, Robin Sharp, James Shilston *, Harry Todd, Michelle Wareham *+, Jenna Wiles+, Philippa Williams*, Stephen Wong. • awarded first colours+ current school record holder

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Results v Benenden King's senior and junior girls won, intermediate girls tied - won overall 130 - 99 King's Tournament Harrow won senior, intermediate and junior boys' King's senior girls won, Cranbrook won intermediate girls' St. Dunstan's won junior girls' @ Haileybury King's boys and girls both won King's 131, Haileybury 101 , Bishop's Stortford 92 v St. Bede's King's boys won, St. Bede's won girls' - lost overall 11 3 - 135 v Tonbridge King's senior and U1 6 boys won, Tonbridge won U14 boys' - won overall 104 - 82 v Eastbourne tt Epsom King's senior boys won Eastbourne won U15 boys' Eastbourne won senior and U15 girls' - lost overall 238 - 279 - 154 @ Harrow Ki ng's senior boys tied with Harrow Harrow won junior boys' King's senior girls won Rugby won junior girls' King's Girls' Festiva l Guildford High won U14 tt U15

Sailing In Sea Britain/Trafa lgar year more boys and girls signed up for the sport than ever before and despite cold, windy and wet condi tions the Sailing Club had a lively and successful term. With more than enough competent sailors to make up two 420s teams it has been a great pleasure to see the growing enthusiasm for team racing at King's. Before the start of term, a dozen key members of the squad came back to school early for three days of intensive race training on Westbere lake. Our coach, Ben Ainsworth, in his GAP yea r came to us from the 420s Worlds. His inspirational coaching has done wonders fo r our boat handling and tactical skills. The first fixture of the term against a strong Sevenoaks team enabled us to put the two King's teams to the test. In a series of ten races Sevenoaks emerged

the wi nners but the outcome enabled us to determine the right balance for each of our two teams, which were captained throughou t the rest of the term by Philip Spicer and Will Holt respectively. Our next fixture with the University of Kent produced a convi ncing display. By this stage we felt we could enter both teams for the very competitive British Schools' Dinghy Racing SE Regional Championship, which attracts the strongest sailing schools in the coun try. At the BSDRA SE Championship, held at Bough Beech SC near Sevenoaks, sailing fireflies, the A team produced one of our best results at this event to finish 7th and the B team (mainly U16) also sailed very well to come 11th /15. The event was held in the teeth of strong winds and Mr Hutchi ngs was very pl eased with our overall performance incl uding some notable victories over other schools. Our performance at the Regionals boded well a week later for the following BSDRA event which, hosted by King's hosts at Westbere lake sailing our own 420s, attracted a good entry from five schools. Again, not all succeeded in coping wi th the strong wi nds and sudden shifts for which the "Westbere triangle" is notorious. However, we produced our best sailing of the term. The umpire, Mr John Weavers RYA SE Coach, congratulated us on the best start of the afternoon in the Kin g's 1 v King's 2 race, with all six boats on the line and sailing fast at the gun. King's 1 won all their races to be the worthy victors. At the Kent Schools' Team Racing Championship held at Redoubt SC, Hythe, sailing toppers, we took the opportunity to enter two senior and two junior teams, one of the teams being all girls and captained by Catherin e Gabri el. Aga in, fo r the thi rd successive championship the event took place in near gale force winds. Th e boys' A team and the girls' team sailed wonderfully well to win through their divisions to reach the finals, but our success also meant that we had to expend much energy in the finals on co mpeting against ourselves - the boys versus the girls! We finished 2nd and 3rd. However, it was obvious that our sai lors have great promise and the County selectors hope to include a King's trio as part of the Kent County team in the National Schools' Team Racing Championship to be held in the Autumn. We had high hopes for success also at ltchenor 420s Schools' Ch ampi onship, which as usual was held in the last week of term, coinciding with King's Week. Unfortunately, for all the time and effort that was put in to prepare two boats and

go down to ltchin or, our chances were set back at the start of the very fi rst race when our best boat, sai led by Andrew Lewis and Peter Gray, was hit and badly damaged by a windward boat which fa il ed to keep clear. Th is meant that Philip Spicer and George Cooke, sailing the older of our two boats, were left with everything to do. They finished a creditable 21st /39 and only one position off 1st in the "old school boat" division. Philip Spicer and Peter Gray are also to be cong ratulated upon their in dividual selection to sail for the Kent team in the NSSA Regatta to be held at Grafham Wa ter during the Summer holidays. Likewise And rew Lewis who joined the Radley team to co mpete in the schools' team racing championship held at S. Ireland. Philip also had the honour on the occasion of th e Queen's visit to Dover on July 20 to be presented to Her Majesty whilst demonstrating one of the school's 420s. My thanks to my colleag ues Mr Jon Hutchings for his great support and to Mr John Troy who accompanied the team to ltchenor. HROM

Teams: Team 1: P Spicer (captain of sailing), J Lamb, A Lewis, M Leblanc, P Gray, F Co ltart, C Gabriel (Vice-captain of sailing) ; team 2: W. Holt (capt), V MeyerLaker, E McGarry, G Cooke, R Parker, M Cooke, A Berry, M Darke. Results v Sevenoaks (h), 420s: 1 Sevenoaks; 2 King's 1; 3 King's 2. v University of Kent (h), 420s : 1 King's; 2= King's 2 I University of Kent. BSDRA SE Championship, fireflies: 15 teams- King's 1, 7th; King's 2 11th. v Tonbridge and UKC (h), 420s: 1. Tonbridge; 2= King's/University of Kent. BSDRA East Kent Championship, 420s: 6 teams- King's 1, 1st; King's 2, 4th. KSSA Championship, toppers : 12 teams - King's ladies 3rd ; King's A 4th ; Ki ng's B 7th. v Sevenoaks (a) A team, fireflies : L 2-3. v Sevenoaks (a) U 15, fi reflies :L 1-4. ltchenor Schools Championship, 4205: 21st /39

Below- Topper Team Racing- Peter Gray

Above -Andrew Lewis Below- Philip Spicer

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The Serenade This year The Serenade began by a cunning use of visual blocking and atmospheric procreation. This was achieved by The Director of Music Howard lonascu's ingenious plot to place the Crypt Choir out in the far corners of The Cloisters behind and away from the main stage and the crowd. From the dark annals rose up the sound of a combination of solo and combined voices that were engineered very succinctly to produce a well balanced choral ensemble with all four parts able to be heard at exactly the right dynamic levels. Thus the soloists were able to shine above their backing when their moments came, but did not blind the audience from the presence of the chorus. Rather they drew from it, synthesising the accompanying voices with their lines instead of diminishing their contribution to the music and focusing attention on themselves, as so often happens. So the start was fabulous. After this the Crypt Choir combined with the castaways lurking within the shadows of the cloisters to form the Indomitable Serenade Choir! They paraded to the front and took position just behind the pillars as silent awe settled over the audience. It

was then that Elena Ruthven stepped out of the shadows into the dappled light of the fading summer evening, resplendent and just genuinely gorgeous in a gown fit for the Queen of Sheba. I was hard pressed to concentrate on the music, but I managed to with great strength of will and can report that she sang Eternal Source of Light by Handel and, with a traditional baroque accompaniment complete with harpsichord, she brought forth a mature performance with vocal timbres sounding far beyond her years. Her phrases with the trumpet were also well coordinated and dovetailed beautifully in places. After this the Serenade Choir sang Joshua fit the battle ofJericho which is a famous modern spiritual song and a perfect example of a genre of choral music that has become most favoured here at King's over the past four years. The thing that most impressed me with this rendition was that the added harmonies and changes in rhythm were able to keep the repeating song alive and stop the audience from getting bored after one run through. Ye Spotted Snakes was an interesting piece. It started just like a hymn, but staggered harmony on one of the lines in each verse, which added originality to the performance and more interest for the musically astute. There

was also lovely use of unaccompanied solo lines, which improved the atmosphere of the piece. Danse de Ia Chevre featured Alicia Swannell on flute and was a welcome instrumental interlude between the large chorus ensembles. With the accidentals placed in the melody and the lack of accompaniment, the piece was very evocative especially due to the place we were in and the acoustics from the stonework. The age old war between the "King's Swingers" and the "King 's Men" took to this battlefield at the cloisters with the Swingers launching the attack by singing first. They took up a commanding position on the stage in front of the pillars of the cloisters commanding a height advantage and giving them extra range to fire down onto the audience with a frontal volley of sound. Their conventional song - Somewhere over the Rainbow- was altered with a cunning use of accidentals and "blue notes" to vary the melodies and harmonies, again keeping the audience's attention. The dynamic levels between the girls were also well held. A lovely final chord rose from a simple "mmm" to rush out and meet the listeners. An excellent way to end a set.

Clear and Gentle Stream was sung again by the Serenade Choir who did very well to control the tempo of the piece, as the repeated rhythms that played a key role in the music have a tendency to get faster and faster and disrupt the whole performance. The consonants were well pronounced and the silence held at the end was just th e right length to allow the harmonising parts to be heard in their full beauty. My Spirit Sang All Day demonstrated more fantastic dovetailing between the voices when changing verses. She was arranged by our very own Edmund Rex. Glissandos added to beautiful chords made this piece perfect. The passing notes within the harmonies also kept the piece from feeling stodgy, which can befall pieces with great chordal passages. A solo from the imminent figure of Jack Standen made the piece complete and his now well tutored and experienced voice was able to carry the tune with ease and give the correct feeling and ralletandos to the melody line. It was pleasing to see that Edmund had allowed the chorus to take over parts of the melody as well and not leave it all up to Jack. They complemented each other very well and the piece felt all the richer and fuller for their contribution. Well done Edmund. Then came another chance to double your trouble with a pair of solos from the two singing geniuses known only as Charlotte Greenwood and Patrick Allies. Charlotte sang a lovely version of Ombra mai fu from Xerxes with string accompaniment. Her rosy alto tone was ni cely marri ed with the lead violin and well done to her for having not only the skil,l but the courage to sta nd up and sing such a famous piece which will immediately cause the audience to be more scrutinous about the performance, but she conquered all obstacles to give a th rill ing performance. Patrick sang Arm, Arm ye Brave from Judas Maccabaeus. Th is was different to the other solo performances because there was the added element of sung speech some can find difficult to execute properly. Patrick, however, did very well and sa ng the speech in pure operatic style. Indeed his vast wonderfully rousing bass tone and feverish looks to the crowd caused me to want to grab my sword and take the fight to those around me with my insa ne swo rdsmanship fencing skill! The King's Men then made their debut and walked out among the crowd which amused so me peopl e and as the rippling laughter faded away they stood in the centre of the audience in an outward

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facing ring . Th ey sa ng Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and like the King's Swingers it appeared that they had arranged the pi ece adding in various passing notes and rhythms. However, where they had the edge over the King's Swingers was not on the quality of si nging itself because if you had closed your eyes yo u would be hard pushed to choose a better song. It was the fact that none of the boys had eye contact with each other throughout the whole piece and yet they were able to start and end it absolutely together and even slow down the piece and speed it up in the middle of verses. This is incredibly hard to do and they managed it showing an immense amount of listening ability and intense knowledge of t hei r piece and thei r fellow singers. It was most impressive and for me showed a huge level of choral mastering. Th ere was then a welcome departure from the classical period dominating the Serenad e with two Jazz numbers ca lled My Funny Valentine, which featured James Harvey-Kelly on baritone saxophone, and Ain't Misbehavin'. There was a well played string accompaniment for both pieces and this allowed James to pull the tempo around and even get a solo in, which was fun. The second piece featured so me very impressive keyboard accompaniment from Stephen Matthews, whose skill on these instruments is insane! The middle eight parti cu larly thrill ed me and with t he choir was able to show another form of music that it is able to work with. I thought that it was great to have th is added genre of music to the Serenade and hope the conductors give it a place next year too.

The first chord of Lux Aeterna really did something for me. I don't know what it was, but for me it was one of the most beautifu l chords I have heard su ng. The rest of the piece was powerful in places, but strict con trol held the balance of voices together, wh ich is crucial with homophonic pieces. The Oak and the Ash was a nice traditional English piece which rose up in dynamic levels to finish on a proud high-volume ending. Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron was some crisp, upbeat country fun and the timings were very confident within the choir along with the pronunciation of words, which is exactly what this kind of piece requires to amuse the aud ience yet still impress them. The Blue Bird was another short piece that req uired the choir to alter the harmonies and the rhythms and indeed they even swapped the melodic line within the different voices. The solo phrases also kept the piece alive. Another example of clever chora l composition. The final piece of the evening was Good Night Sweetheart in which the singing was top notch to send us on our way with a particularly spell-bindi ng mini-solo using great rallentado techniques from Sarah Erridge. There was a good underlying accompaniment from the men of the choi r and it was a good, clean way to end the concert with the choir proclaiming to me personally in their song that they "hate to leave me, but (they) really must say, good night sweetheart': An encore was chosen by Brian Turner and it was The Blue Bird showing that the beau ty of the piece had imprin ted itself on the former Lower Master's mind. Alex Sanne (CL)

Songs from the Shows This year's Songs from the Shows incl uded a great selection from many classic West End and Broadway shows. Represented shows includ ed Kiss Me Kate, Bugsy Malone, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story. Th e perform ance sta rted with Season of Love from Ren. It was a wonderful ope ning to the show. It carried on in the sa me way with so los from Lucy Cronin, Emily Reilly and Lucy Wells. Stephan Wassermann-Fry co nvinci ngly sa ng Johnny One Note from Babes in Arms backed by t he rest of the co mpany. The girls sang Broadway Baby from Follies and the boys sa ng Oldest Established from Guys and Dolls. These two performances were very ably done with the group working well together. The show ended with the whole company singing Bad Guys from Bugsy Malone. The entire performance was accompanied by SJ RM who never put a fi nger wrong. As ever, a stunning perform ance from all involved . Claire Pargeter (HH)

Jazz on a Summer Sunset This was a great success and an enjoyable start to King's Week. The pieces played ranged from the excellent to the sublime.

Mr. Magic opened t he evening and went down well with the audience. This year's Modern Jazz Group consisted of Andrew Laing on bass, Ed Rex on flute, Patrick

Allies on t rumpet, James Harvey-Kelly on saxophone, Max Stanley on drums and Ed Watts on the keyboard. They also played many other it ems incl uding Autumn Leaves, which incl uded a spectacular bass so lo performed by Andrew Laing, and On Green Dolphin Street with so los from Patrick Allies on t ru mpet and James Harvey- Kelly on saxophone. Special mention must also go to the voca l soloists for the eveni ng. Harriet Jones gave an immaculate performance

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of The Look of Love and Jack St and en's renditi on of Moon River was superb. Sarah Erridg e sa ng For Once in My Life with style and Lucy Croni n's performance of I Fall in Love too Easily was exceptional. Moondance, which was sung by Polly Benton, was an instant hit with the audience. Ano ther brilliant piece was Donna Lee which involved a difficult flute so lo by Ed Rex, which was fl uid and accurate. Th e grou p then pl ayed Get To That which was so successful that they later performed it as an encore. After the interval we were introduced to next year's Modern Jazz Group. They perfo rmed two pieces incl uding Early Autumn. Later we had some more vocal solos from Lucy (A// the Things You Are), Pol ly (Spooky), Jack (Come Fly with Me) and Harriet (Somewhere Over the Rainbow). The group also played Doctor Giggles which was written by Andrew for "Giggles" (aka James Harvey-Kelly) to celebrate his birthday. Cong ratulati ons to the Modern Jazz Group led by Andrew Lai ng. The concert was a grea t success and good luck t o the leavers whom we shall sorely miss. Sebastian Rex (G L) Top- Jozz on a Summer Sunset

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Lunchtime Concerts All those involved in the Music at Lunchtime concerts clea rly enjoyed their music making at whatever level and must be congratulated for their hard work and musical commitment in what was for many a very busy King's Week.

footed agility on the cello in Bridge's Scherzo. Violin ists Ch loe Mi tchell, Lucy Cronin and Stella Lee chose more reflective and lyrical works; Stella's Medi tation by Massenet and Lucy's Ashokan Farewell, inspired by American fiddle playing, were particularly moving and emotionally charged performances. The two string duos in ragtime and folk style gave cellists Annabel Dight and Sarah Ventress, and violinists Will iam Porter and Clare Ventress, a chance to displ ay their skills in double- stopping and rhythmic coordi nati on.

Voca l items included a delicate Faure song from Kay Harvey-Kelly, two contrastin g duets from Pergolesi 's Stabat Mater sung enthusiasti cally by the Gerth sist ers, and a stylish rendition of a number from The King and I by Al ex Swain. Kate Ludl ow's bright tone and clear diction were well sui ted to her song from The Mikado, while Henry Synge's wa rm tenor voice soothed us in Cora Mia Ben by Giordano.

The three solo pi anists, Chloe Mitchell, Ben McKee and Tom Kelly were my own pupils giving very creditable accounts of three of my compositions, the last named handli ng the comp lex chords and laidback mood of Relaxation most securely.

Among the instrumental solos, two clarinetists played movemen ts from lesser known sonatas; Sarah Parks demonstrated so me shapely phrases in a Reger movement while Francesca Mosely expertly handl ed the rhythmic vitality and wide tessi tura of Bernstein's fi rst movement. Flautists Edmund Rex and Rose Wilson-Haffen den chose challenging, note-fill ed wo rks by Telemann and Fa ure respectively, show in g a very secure command of technique and understandi ng of musical shape, while Kate Roberts impressed us with her sure-

What struck me most abou t this year's concerts was the sheer number and variety of the ensembles. Space does not unfortunately permit me to mention all the people who were involved, but thanks must surely go to Mr. Pollock and Mr. Abbott in particular for their directi on and preparation of these items. Of the five differen t string quartets, t wo were from the Removes, one givi ng a clear- cut rendi tion of a Haydn movemen t, the other a very committed account of part of Dvorak's American quartet with its rich textures and important roles for every

member of the group. Strong tone was evident in Mozart's Hunt Quartet played by Shells, whil e the 6bs bravely tackled the fast galloping rhythms of a Schumann movement. A fu rt her group of Shells performed th ree short Miniatures for piano trio by Bridg e with much delicacy of expression. The Fifth form quartet were joined by two horns, adding a warm colour and texture in the slow movem ent from Beethoven's sextet. Notable were two quartets from the bottom end of the market, so to speak. Trombones and double basses each performed pieces of a somewhat lighthearted mood, the trombones confident in Gounod's jaunty March of the Marionettes while the basses produced some unexpected sonorities in Henry VIII's Pastyme with Good Compnye

and in Mancini's depiction, appropriate ly, of a baby elephant. Oboes (and cor anglais) were especially prominent with t wo dearly balanced, well-intoned trios playing pieces by Krammer, McDowell and The Pink Panther while a duo were put through their paces in a fast Albinoni Concerto movem ent. We were also treated to two larger ensembles, the wind ensemble expressively playing a fu rther movement from Strauss's Suite in B f lat and t he brass ensemble (a lmost a brass band - a rare ani mal at King's!) with two contrasting pieces, a modern one by Chris Hazell with jazz-like harmoni es and a stately Largo by Handel, in which the whole range of the brass spectrum from tuba to piccolo trumpet sonorously unfolded at the cl imax points. Lastly, mention must be made of the members of Meister Ome rs under the direction of Mr. Miles plus guest narrator Domin ic Collingwood, who gave t he second performance of my War Game (words by Francis Brown). A second performance of any work of min e is a rare treat and I was most pleased with how the mood of t he poem was so successfully conveyed. The aud iences may have been small, but not so their appreciation of this veritable feast of music thread ing its way through the artistic labyrinth of events that is King 's Week. SJRM

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The Madwoman of Covent Garden One of the great joys of Chris Banfield's productions is their ability to surprise, delight and challenge an audience and 'The Madwoman of Covent Garden' (adapted from 'La Folie de Ch aillot' by Jean Girandoux, completed in 1943) is no exception. As Chris wrote in his Director's Note, 'it see ms to me that there are many striking reso nances for twenty first century li fe and ti mes in 'Madwoman', many of which Girandoux could not have anticipated'. Th e cafe life of Covent Garden, the city slickers plotting a coup, the determin ation of little old ladies t o foi l it, basically humorous bu t with dark overtones, has much in common with Blai r's Britain. If the plot is a little slow to develop, th e atmosphere is there fro m the start. The Peddler and Street Juggler (Henry Hird and William Pound) set the scene on an economical but effective set, and a Scrounger (Emily Reilly) provided a good side- show. Just like the Piazza the last time I was there. Then we had the President (George Chilcott), an arch conman and shady dealer, probably in narcotics (as an Archers fan I was reminded of Matt Crawford), who held his party together along wi th Lord Trumpington (Nicholas Balmforth), a

rather boring, declining aristocrat, the (American) Prospector (David Elms), a thoroughly nasty piece of wo rk, who had discovered oil in London by sampling the water, and the Broker (Tristan Hambleton). white suited, talking gobbledegook (what all Busi ness Studi es Graduates should aspire to be). Their aim was to destroy what existed for their own profit and with such power behind them they would simply succeed. They were a convincing and contrasting quartet and we hated t hem. But, just as pensioners are prepared to go to prison rather than pay Council Tax, so the older generation show they ca n triumph over the upstarts. The Countess (Morwenna Loughman) portrayed age so well she made me feel yo ung. It was a stun ning performance. Initially sinister, she made the audience warm to her through her idiosyncrasies and eccentriciti es, but above all through her devotion to the cause she thought right. Her mannerisms were sustained as were those of her cronies, Gabrielle (Emily Jenkinson) and Constance (Rosanna Dawes) - an apparently loony pair with much common sense, the former wobb ling her teacup in a manner ra rely seen ou tside an old peoples' home, and Josephine (Charlotte Allberry) whose extravagant gestures supported her role as a pseudo lawyer. We were deligh ted that their machinations succeed and that the consp irators were co nsigned to the

bowels of the earth to stew in what they had hoped to be their own oil. There were many delightful cameo ro les too. Robyn Ellis as the Sewer Lady, appropriately costumed and clearly mod elled on those characters in TV programmes who clean up America n cities, and Sophie Middleton who, as the Deaf Mute stole the show as only deaf mutes can. With such a large cast it is impossible to mention everybody but, as always with Ch ris's productions, they worked superbly as a team (not least in the last performance when, unrehearsed, they were forced by the weather to decamp from the Min t Ya rd to the Marquee). In some ways the more intimate atmosphere helped our sympathies and we could still appreciate the costumes of Diana Francis and her assistants although we missed th e set constructed and painted so admirably by Steve Bree, Christine Coleman and t eam. It was certain ly a play worth seeing twice and we are very grateful to the cast for producing such a thought- provoking evening. But most tha nks should go to Chris; we will miss you. Graham Wood

Kidaco The queues went past the chip shop and up the alley to Simple Simon's. It was, after all, the last chance to see the Ellener factor at King 's. And with the expert support of the serene and subtle Sarah Matsishuma, Miss E. delivered, as expected, another hour of magic. Sadly, it really was her swan so ng, and at the door you could smell it. The hour opened with a balletic farewell between two star-crossed lovers. And the backdrop was duly sta rlit for this blend of Madame Butterfly and An Officer and a Gentleman. With her diaphanous whi te dress and flowing dark hair, Alex Swain elegantly expressed th e vicissitudes of love with fluid and staccato movement. While she one-upped Kate Bush, Ritchie Gard iner stood stage-si de looking mean and dashing in a Persil-white sai lor sui t. (Richard Gere co uld retire at last.) I enjoyed the piece a lot but co uldn't work out who was dumping whom. Alex gave a few co me-hithers but a lot of not-onyo ur-lifes, it-could -have-been-sodifferents and several see-how-m uchbetter-off-withou t-you-l-ams but Ritchie was the first to just walk out that doo r. Th e scene then shifted to a fo lk spiritual. Four girls (forlorn but reso lute sist ers?) appeared in peasant dresses, subtly graded from pink to brown - no doubt suggesting both their rosy cheeks and the good earth that would one day consume them. They blended beautifully in a poignant piece celebrating life, but accepting death. Two fine moments ca me when the four dancers laid down as still as co rpses then rose in turn wi th sp inecracking grace, and also when the white silk scarves they had used to mimic wi nd and water were dropped to the ground in unison, centre-stage, just as th e final Top left - Claudio Alder and Georgina Williams

note of the haunting music faded, and the girls disappeared. There was a plangent tension here between joy and sorrow, reminiscent of Fri el's Dancing at Lughnasa. I was also put in mind of what the condem ned girls might have performed in the woods offstage in Miller's The Crucible. Th e coun try girls' callow yearning gave way to an agile solo by Alex Swain, who swirled to soul. These two virtuosi were followed by four raunchy couples who strutted in jeans and black tops in a sexrivalry scenario. With a brilliant display of co-ordinated pelvis-thrusting, they stirred pastry, swatted flies, stomped and shadow-boxed to some serious rap. Enter innocent young ballerinas, hair clipped back in buns by sparkling alice bands, dressed in white, mauve, vio let and duck-egg blue tutus, and waving feathery fans to perform a delicate and dignified piece of Tchaikovsky. They crisscrossed the stage pitter-patter, described elegant arcs and held a statuesque tableau as The Four Graces. It was an inspired decision by Sarah Matsishuma to close the first half of the evening with a gentle ballet piece that balanced the precedi ng modern rom ance, cool rap and raunchy rock, and provided a total contrast to the surreal impact of what came next.

The young man's thoughts and feelings, as he moved from terror and desperation to blissful release, were played out for us in dance. The piece had three parts psychosis, redemption and celebration. The protagonist, Ollie Carr, was first shown being tormented by the demons in his mind. Then the demon dancers became benign spirits who offered a vision of peace, akin to Prospera's shadows performing for the young betrothed. And at last, after the young man's moment of epiphany, the spirits were transformed into noisy celebrants of his sa lvation.

Miss Ellener chose a provocative critique of bureaucracy for the second half. The conceit was simple: a young man has nightmares and becomes dysfunctional beca use he has lost his briefcase. He visits a psychiatrist, who cures him by making him realise he has not lost his briefcase at all, but hi s mind - ergo, his briefcase has becom e his mind because he has allowed himself to be dehumanised by life as an executive. The execution of this conceit was exq uisite.

In the first part, the executive ranted about losing his slimline appendage and whirled about the stage like a bruised geek in a stupor, while his demons, played by girls in black, expressed scorn for his sissy whimpering. Wearing id entical white masks and backward sui ts and ties, the spooky dancers played musica l chairs while the stressed and forlorn financier juggled rebellious papers in the background. Then they stood in queues, tapped imaginary watches,

brushed imaginary dust from their thighs and lean! pertly on each other's shoulders as cosy but deadly rivals - perfect examples of office monsters more likely to survive than the hyper-sensitive t arget of their contempt. Then a gauze screen showed footage of seals capering on surf-smashed rocks while the hapless executive climbed into a dustbin and recited through a loud hailer a list of his briefcase's contents, a demented list of everything familiar to him, which revea led the total consumption of his identity by the jaws of his job. The screen then showed the munching of a sea l by a killer wha le, horribly in slow motion, and then ugly and desperate newly-hatched crabs raced for the waves to avoid being scoffed alive. And then the bureaucrat's psychosis was reprised in a fantastic array of lively set pieces to compulsive tunes. A lycra bag, containi ng two sprawling girls, and ironically coloured Sena torial purple, seethed centre-stage, then sucked him in and spa t him out, along with the briefcase. Demons then danced in athletic pairs under red lights behind misty gauze to garage music.

Bottom right - Sophie Leniston and Alex Swain

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Suddenly these turned into awkward beetles, scuttling across the floor before transfo rm ing themselves into sardonic parodies of their victim, shaking sheafs of paper in his face and staring at us vacantly from behind cupboard doors opened and shut in turn, like careers. Then they tied up the hapless executive's limbs wit h red ribbon and made him jig and jog on a box like a fused robot, before climbing in and out of the cupboards with his briefcase as he played a pathetic piggy-in-the-middle. The humiliation of his ego by his horrible fea rs then reached its climax: they jostled him brutally on a tube train, performed a camp routine with umbrellas (Audrey Hepburn meets Gary Cooper) to show how much more comfortable they were than him when the weather turned nasty, and finally they cantered cheekily as horses, relishing the race at which he had so dismally failed. All these brilliant set pieces were interspersed with snatches of his duologue on the balcony with the shrink, played with a shrill Manhattan insistence by the totally talented Lucy Wells. The portrait of his suffering now over, the mood changed. The former demons joined hands in a circle while an Irish lullaby played, and flowers opening on fastforward were projected onto the set behind them. There were gestures of supplication, such as kneeling with hands outstretched - clearly a vision of a paradise open to the pen-pusher, if only he were willing to free his mind and break his bondage. And so, in phase the third, the spiritual retard was made to walk a plank, not into a shark-infested sea but into a new life, free of bumph and bustle. His rite of passage duly complete, the former tormentors, just turned harbingers of peace and truth and love, then picked up sticks and dustbin lids and, in a delicious melange of alley rap and j ungle jaunt, stomped and thumped their way to a moving and co lourful climax. This was the opening of the briefcase over a dustbin, and the delicate spillage of hundreds of paper petals, red and flimsy, to signify both the exorcism of a shaky shibboleth and the liberation of a shackled spirit. The music was perfect. The dancing was superb. The piece was genius. Lucky London. AJWL

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Argonauts This was a real live-wire, fun performance, a triumph for Robert Vesty and his talented cast of Removes. The production was consciously kitsch, the props and costu mes wittily ad hoc and diverse. Jason's quest for a bath mat golden fleece developed seaml essly out of a county cricket match. Alex Gilmore's Jason was charismatic yet unfussy in delivery and movement. He had to handle a range of facial and voca l expressions which clearly justified his position as lead actor. Marina Cooke showed herself to be a consummate character-actress: her Old Woman was wonderfully crabby and bent; then she made a Disney-like transformation into the goddess Hera, which complemented beautifully Tom Scurr's oily-voiced, lounge-suited Zeus. From their elevated position on a scaffolding Olympus, the two deities smoked and sneered with maddening insouciance while the simple humans below stumbled through their little lives. There was some superb comic acting here: Chris Waller was an affable Cheiron and then an endearingly boozy Argos who couldn't qui te believe that he was needed by anyone, let alone this vibrant young hero. Ed Syson made a wonderfully and I may say utterly convincing Hercules, a man incapable of passing the women in the audience without gifting them with a smirk and a show of bicep-power (effected by lifting a Barbie-pink dumbbell - ca n't think from where he acquired that). Ben Stratton and Ed Wilkins made a perfect comic duo as Castor and Pollux, the vulnerable pair always at the mercy of doubles en tendres and other kinds of ridicule. All the more intriguing then to see how ad roitly Mr

Stratton transformed himself into the megalomanic King of Doliones, Cyzikus, while Mr Syson j ust as successfully tra nsposed himself into a treacherous Aeetes. Another worthy of particular recognition was Laurence Malpass, whose dimly bucolic Boutes was a masterpiece of understated com ic timi ng. One of the most impressive aspects of this production was the degree to which all the cast committed themselves, even to the smallest cameo roles. Most had two parts each and they moved from one to the other with admirable ease and focus. Petite Amanda Redstone towered over us, courtesy of clever lighting effects, as the giant Cerces, but she was also a brilliantly acrobatic Calais to Simon Englander's charmingly nervous Zetes. Mr Englander was a case in point: just as we became accustomed to his nervous windiness as Zetes, he turned into a cheeky bewigged Eros, who caused havoc among impulsive mortals with his stick-on hearts. His mother was played with pantomi me brilliance by Ed Wilkins; we would gladly have enjoyed 'her' manipulative falsetto whinings for longer

This is a Test

than the play allowed us. Lawrence Percival was as pathetic and fatalistic as Phineas, the blind king beset by harpyturds, as he was slickly sinister as the autocratic King Pelias. James Kent as Lyncaeus, James Lamb as a well-tuned Orpheus, Lara Chapple as Euphemos, Alex Berry as Mopsus - all these cast members made their parts distinctly and charmingly their own. Lucy Withringt on was particularly memorable as Neon, Pelias' nervous counsellor. Praise must go also to Rosie Cornick's Tiphys and Melas, to Emma Hooper's booted dominatrix Atlanta, and to Sophie Leniston, who played her parts as Medea and Kleite wit h feminine dignity and grace.

Hilarious from the outset, 'This is a Test' kept the audience guessing and laughing thro ughout. From the moment the six pupils in Mr Williams' class awoke in the dimly lit exam room, it was obvious that chaos wou ld ensue; this was not going to be a good day for Alan (Andrew Lawrence). Over the next 45 mi nutes, the audience was treated to a heady mix of exam room malpracti ce and blatant favouritism! Alan's classmates used every trick in the book to confer, cheat and blag their way through the 60 minute exam. Mr Williams, brilliantly played by Angus Fox, was not slow to stress the importance of the test - "This is not a test, this is your futureÂˇ: Everything seemed to depend on it - university places, career, even future marri age

prospects. Andrew Lawrence convincingly conveyed the desperate state he was in. He hadn't revised, he could n't answer any of the questions, and everyone, even his teacher and the class swot, wanted him to fail. This was further exacerbated by the extraord inarily dressed chorus (Emily Sanne, Florence Nairac and Charlotte Hamblin), who popped up at every opportunity to deny Alan even the slightest moment of concentration. The final straw was the arrival of the rugby playing heartthrob Evan, amusingly played by Chris Barry, who scored full marks without even sitting the test. This was wonderful fun. One couldn't help feeling sorry for Alan as everything conspired against him; perhaps, to a lesser extent, that's because we've all been there before. MJWS

This really was a delightful piece, decked ou t by Miss Janet Taylor's costumes, Walter Miles' adept and imaginative lighting, and CEP's daft props. Lastly, the performances were illumina ted with touchingly effective skill by Mrs Bridget Bree, who offered a sign -language performance stage-left so subtly absorbing that one was hard put to it to decide which one to watch! There is much talent here, which t he appreciative audiences recognised with gusto. Mr Vesty can be proud of his first production at King's: we look forward to seeing both director and actors at work again soon. CEP

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Chamber Choir Concert On Tuesday 5th July, the Chamber Choir, led by Mr Bersey, completed their concert as part of King's Week in the Cathedral Quire. Commencing at the altar, the girls sang Prayer for St. Francis of Assisi by Bliss with a strong solo from Lucy Withrington. Th e concert continued at t he opposite end of the Quire including well known pieces such as Mater Ora Filium by Wood and Brother James' Air by Jacob. The choir projected a superb quality with great ease, making use of the acoustic and effortlessly filling the cathedral, causi ng cu rious tourists to sit momentarily. The rang e and control of the girls was brilliantly displayed in Willcocks's In Paradisum which was easily the climax of the concert. The choir's diversity was highlighted in Koyama for Songs ofSanctuary by Karl Jenkins as the singing was joined by an elegant solo on the flute by Rose Wilson-Haffenden. Throughout the concert the girls demonstrated their musical ity, control and skill confirming the strength and quality of singing in the lower years. It was a t horoughly enjoyable concert. Congratulations to all who took part. Kate Ludlow (BY)

Right - Rose Wilson-Hoffenden

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Left - Edmund Rex

Mozart-like fluency by wri ting a mature and stylish flute and piano miniature just minutes before the concert to replace the sched uled item. I was most impressed with all the work and effort, often under the pressure of the clock, t hat had gone into the performances of these pieces and this was also especially evident in Ben McKee's unaccompanied anthem Drop, Drop, Slow Tears wit h its sensitive setting of the text through its unusual but effective harm onic progressions and choral textures.

Composers' Concert

Th e four piano works ranged widely in style fro m Alex Gilmore's Hopeless Dreams for piano duet, in which a very memorable, genial theme travels through the keys to Rose Wilson-Haffenden's distinctive Nocturne with its rich, gently pulsating chords and orn amented melody creating a highly evocative atmosphere. Cordelier Lam's ten Variations on Beethoven's Ode to Joy displayed a su re technique and were full of witty

invention even ending with a jazz version, while in contrast Kammy Pike's City under the Sea with its depth of sonority, expressive power and grandeur of vision real ly captured the essence of its tit le. Than ks are due to all the composers and performers, many of whom we re one and the same, as well as to Mr. Pollock, Mr. Abbott and Mrs. Vorhalik for all their help. It is on ly when music is played to an audience that it becomes truly alive and co mmunicates so mething words alone can not express and I hope such occasions may inspire ou r pupils to think of composing not merely as a means to satisfy an examiner, but as a way of exploring thei r own unique creativity. After the main concert, by way of a foot note, I then played my own 24 Preludes for Piano to a small but most appreciative audience. SJRM

To be a successful composer, according to Benjamin Britten, you must firstly have something to say and secondly the technical means to say it. This year's Composers' Concert showed that King's pupils had pl enty to say, in a wide variety of styles and for a rang e of different instruments and voices. Music for strings was especially prominent with Landey Patton's Naturally Unintended receiving its second performance, enabling a fuller appreciation of its vari ed rhythms and layering effects, whi le Tom Marnham explored some interesting harmonies and patterns in his Sequence for string quartet. Kate Ludl ow's movement for String Quartet was most inventively constructed with strong, imaginative ideas shared out among the instruments while Harriet Prit chard's catchy and clea rly ph rased Violin Duet contrasted with Stella Lee's aptly entitl ed yet brief Complexity with its interweaving lines in the piano and violin parts. Annabel Dight's mastery of the cello's wid e range was evident in her rhythmically lively and richly textured cello quartet The Orange Cello, while the instrument's more lyrical possibilities were brought out in Kate Roberts' elegant and polished Arioso with its faster, scherzo-like middl e section. Adding a double bass in his short Prelude was an imaginative touch to Jack Lawrence-Jones' gently unfolding chords and quickening rhythms. Woodwind instruments were represented by Rebecca Marsh's sunny and inventive quartet intriguingly entitled Bon Fromage whil e Ed Rex astonished us with his James Harvey- Kelly

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a brilliant collection of pieces, includ ing Fever and Say a Little Prayer. The evening then progressed to The King's ModernJazz Group's performances, and an alteration to the Programme (Favela to So What.~ and the introduction of Patrick Allies on the Flugelhorn contributed to the electric atmosphere. Th e second half of the evening was j ust as brilliant as the first: it opened with Mongo Santamaria's Afro Blue. However, all of the pieces were spect acular; one of my personal favourites was The King's Men's rendition of the Want you Back by the Jackson Five. Ed Rex managed to wow the audience with the extent of his vocal range, which undoubtedly added to the enj oyment of the concert. The last piece on the programme was one of Jazz's most well known; The King's Jazz Orchestra paid tribute to Alfred James Ellis with The Chicken. Ed Rex conducted, and did an excellent job. To concl ude the concert The Kin g's Men gave a rendi ti on of Bye Bye Baby. This was chosen by Doctor Mallion's brother as a farewell song; it see med to have the desired effect: Doctor Mallion did appear to become slight ly emotional. It was an appropriate ending to his twenty three years as Master in Charge of Jazz and his time at King's. All in all, the Jazz th is year was exceptional; all the performers did an excellent job. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and can not wait un ti l next year. William Palley (SH)

Jazz Concert After an initial struggle to gain a seat at the most popular King's Week event, I fina lly managed to gain entry to the Shirley Hall. I noticed that every si ngle seat was in use. This was, in my opinion, a real testament to the quality members of the Ki ng's com munity have come to expect from each year's Jazz concert. This year's concert was no exception. In fact, the co ncert marked Dr Mallion's final year as Master in charge of Jazz and was, therefore, a bumper one. The programme was a varied display of talent from pupils in all yea rs; Stephen Eisenhammer acted as Compere for the

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evening, and introduced the first half with a performance by The King's Jazz Orchestra, or the "SAS of Jazz" as he referred to them, of Indiana by James F. Hanley. This was then followed by a beautiful rendi tion of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, which allowed Jack Standen to show the audience his sing ing abilities. After this, we were treated to some vocal performances by Polly Benton, Lucy Cronin and Harriet Jones, all of which were excellent showcases of the musica l abilities at King's. Following on with th e vocal theme, The King's Swingers, comprising Harri et Jones, Sarah Erridge, Alex Swain, Kate Ludlow, Lucy Wells, Letitia Leigh-Pemberton, Kate Gabriel and Amanda Harrison, presented Top - Harriet Jones Bottom - Max Stanley

The Sixteen The Sixteen co ncert provided a delightful addition to the regular musical events of King's Week by creating an opportunity for the Crypt Choir to join with one of the world's greatest vocal ensembles, The Sixteen, to offer one of the most memorable and spectacular musical occasions of th is year's King's Week. This concert was part of the Sixteen and Harry Christophers' extraordinary journey, the Choral Pilgrimage, in which they tour the cou ntry and perform in some of Britain's finest cathedrals. As part of the 2005 Choral Pilgrimage -The Immortal Legacy - celebrating some of the very special 'a cap pella' works of Sir Michael Tippett and Thomas Tallis to mark their anniversa ries, the beautifully histori ca l building of Canterbury Cathedral was surrounded with the magnificent clarity and intensity of the voices of the Sixteen under Harry Christophers, a former chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and a pupil of King's from 1966 to 1972. The excitement of the packed audience filli ng the nave of the cathedral could hardly be contained as the concert opened with Tallis' Salva tor Mundi, and the cat hedral was silenced with the

assertive opening phrases of the five-part motet and the beautiful, consistently imitative texture demonstrated perfectly by The Sixteen's precision. A group of male voices in unison then con tinued the music ofTallis with the first from a collection of nine tunes written for Archbishop Parker's publication The Whole Psalter translated into English Metre. The female members joined for the next three tunes, giving us an exquisite account reflecting th e moods of the metrical translations of Parker while also showing Tallis at his miniaturist best. The simplicity of the four tunes was next replaced by Loquebantur variis linguis with The Sixteen establishing a certai n sense of majesty as the tenors held together movement of the other six voices in the seven-part motet by moving in slower notes, while the wave upon wave of 'Alleluias' represented waves reaching up out of the sea of faith and voices in imitation seemed to be the apostles at Pentecost speaking in tongues. Next, the Crypt Choir advanced from the side of the nave to replace The Sixteen at the centre and enchant the audience with Dance, clarion air. This was Tippett's contribution to a collection of vocal works commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain to celebrate the

coronati on of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The choir started the song with defined vocal fanfares and their echoes, and recaptured the rhythmic and con trapuntal vitality of the Renaissance madrigal tradition. If the choir believed they were under pressure because of the outstanding previous performances of the Sixteen, they had no reason to worry as the jaunty and full -voiced performance was able to befit the royal occasion it was written for. Following this, The Sixteen returned to perform the final work on the programme before the interval. This was Tallis' Goude gloriosa Dei Mater, a twenty minute votive an tiphon. A high scale, complex work similar to a musical maze, and contrasting with the prominent plainsong melody of Salva tor Mundi and the responsorial Loquebantur variis linguis of earlier. The Sixteen showed that they could impressively master a range of diverse styles with complete ease. The performance was truly breathtaking as the audience enjoyed the intricate imitative passages for few voices alternating with the power of the full choir, and the interval was welcomed as a chance to recover from the exhilaration and prepare for further inspirational performances to come.

After the interval came the remainder of the Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter, sung with as much clarity and meticulousness as before, followed by Suscipe quaeso, Domine. The passion expressed by the voices of The Sixteen glided over our heads and further indicated the singers' exceptional interpretational skills. The Crypt Choir once again emerged with stunning performances of Nobody Knows

and Steal Away from Tippett's A Child of Our Time. One of the most well known works by Tippett, A Child of Our Time was written at the beginning of the Second World War as the expression of 'man's inhumanity to man' inspired by the true events of the 1938 Kristallnacht, when the shooting of a Nazi official by a desperate young Polish Jew triggered terrible retribution. One distinct highlight was the soprano solo sung by Lucy Cronin in Steal Away where she soared gorgeously above the choir with such pure tone that many seated at the back strained heads in order to glimpse her. Nobody Knows and Steal Away are two of five African American Spirituals which Tippett weaved into his work and although the choir sang only these two, the universal themes of persecution, retribution and hope were movingly

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conveyed during tonight's poignant performance, sending shivers down spines

and making us all wish that the Crypt Choir should have indeed performed the entire set. The Sixteen then performed three more works by Tallis, 0 nata tux, lfye love me and 0 sacrum convivium. The simplicity of block chords in 0 nata tux were brought across in a highly controlled manner, and by means of greatest contrast from the performance before the interval of Goude Glorioso Dei Mater, the English anthem If ye love me was sung with effortless purity within a much smaller overall range. 0 sacrum convivium followed as the final performance by The Sixteen alone for tonight, as the full but gentle tones floated around the ancient cathedral as they sang with finely judged and beautifully shaped phrases. The evening finished with the Crypt Choir and OKS musicians combining with The Sixteen for a spectacular rendition of Tallis' Spem in Alium. Being a forty part motet for eight five part choirs and one of the great landmarks of polyphony, it could have been difficult to bring together with a full rehearsal only being held for the first time that morning, but it proved to be a dazzling performance,

stepping over our expectations and blowing us over. Voices entered one by one, which led to a sudden, crashing entry for all eight choirs, and then the choirs tossed pealing phrases back and forth, finishing with a monumental fortyvoice chord. This was the climax of the evening. The audience's appreciation was shown at the end when the work ended with tumultuous applause for all the singers and Harry Christophers, who also shared the limelight with Mr lonascu as they bowed several times at the beaming audience. This concert brought to us the first of many events as part of the appeal to raise money to build the Ed red Wright Music School beside the Shirley Hall, and it was certain that the concert was a huge success by the admiration of the audience and the praise they poured out as they left the cathedral. This was a fantastic opportunity for the Crypt Choir and all of King's to become involved with such glorious music of this quality and no one can deny that this concert will remain in people's memories for a long time to come.

Maristella Lee (MT)

Cafe-Theatre A journalist recently described France as an exotic co untry on our doorstep, and few events could illustrate more clearly what separates us from and links us to our friends across the Channel than this year's King's Week Cafe-Theatre presentation. To have a double act of humorous presenters (Fourmi et Pont?) was a start which immediately put the audience in a receptive frame of mind. Their intoduction was followed by the massed choirs of the Shells who sang Vois sur ton chemin very sweetly, an excellent advertisement for the film Les Choristes. The sonata trio by Loeillet was the perfect example of how beautiful playing can rescue a co mposer, even from the 17th Century, from obscurity. Th e other instrumental piece, Ravel's Sonatina, was a gem in composition and execution, and especially delightful for being so French on both counts. The same might be said for the two songs by Poulenc, Carte postale and C'est ainsi que tu es, beautifully sung by Elena Ruthven and Alexandra Swain respectively. French music is rarely appreciated by les AngloSaxons to this degree. The other three vocal items were chansons marvellously interpreted by Stratos Laskarides. They were sung not only wit h splendid musicality and feeling, but we re articulated so that every word was audible. I felt that I was listening to an authentic French chansonneur. This leads us last, but certainly not least, to the two playlets, 'L'Hotel de Ia Plage' and 'Tragedie', very different in style and mood but both performed with verve and professionalism. They showed that human nature is the same in France, England or anywhere. In the former we had no difficulty in believing we were in an hotel with a rather awkward receptionist, beautifully acted by Charlotte Colvin and splendidly offset by Frederick Carter and Andrew Lawrence. Fortunately none seemed put off by loud laughter from one section of the aud ience. 'Tragedie', on the other hand, although very fu nny, did have a serious point, namely that men and women often see the same event through different eyes, and that two people may appear to be arguing about one thing when in fact the cause of their disagreement is in fact something completely different. Samantha Lutz as the highly irritating Louise, and Elli ott Kingsman as the mulishly stubborn JeanClaude both played their parts with dazzling elan and fully deserved the rapturous applause at the end. Top - Somontho Lutz Middle - Stavros Loskorides Bottom - Steplwnie Kwan and William Parris/1

So a sparkling hour's entertainment. The Social Cen tre proved to be an ideal vel'\ue for an intimate show of this kind and for the cha rmingly served refreshments. Monique Rodes, being French, had more sense than to risk an outdoor production in the English summer. All concerned with the show, who had obviously worked so hard to ensure that ars est celare artem, and especially Mme Rodes, are to be congratulated on a brilliant success. It was certai nly the highlight of King's Week for this reviewer, who was only left baffled that there was just one performance. Surely King's Week would have been enhanced by more. How tedious to have to wai t a whole year for Cafe-Theatre to work its magic again! HJWP

The Gala Symphony Concert The Shirley Hall was full for the grand finale of King's Week, The Gala Symphony Concert. This year the programme consisted of a wide variety of music, both for full orchest ra and for smaller chamber groups and soloists. The first item was The Wasp's Overture by Vaughan Williams. The sound of these eponym ous insects can dearly be heard at the beginning before a catchy folk tune soon becomes an accompaniment to a more sta tely march t heme. This well known overture was played with flai r and precision by the school Symphony Orchest ra. Next ca me two solo items, the first an oboe solo played by Poppy Mitchell. She played Viva ldi's Concerto in A minor, Op.54 wi th a smaller chamber orchestra. The th ree movements were all played confidently and Poppy made the very hard, faster passages seem effortless. Th e last piece before the interval was the Allegro Affetuoso from Schuman n's Piano Concerto in A minor. Played very professionally by Fenella Fletcher, who is also the lead violinist in the orchestra, th is item was full of style and was well Rigllt - Poppy Mitchell

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interpreted. It was amazi ng to watch the speed at which Fenella's hands moved over the keys. After the interval the audience was treated to four short songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler. Th ey were sung by Harriet Jones (soprano) and Jack Stand en (baritone). The singing was passionate and the articu lation dear. It was particularly enjoyab le to hear them singing together in the third song as their voices comp lemented each other wonderfully.

the 78720verturebyTchaikovsky. This involved the whole orchestra with an enormous brass sectio n, a huge bass drum and bells. Tchaikovsky uses well known tunes to depict two warring countries, Russia and France. The piece is loud and excit ing and really showed off th e talent of the Symphony Orchestra. Everyone was impressed by this concert and t he two conductors, Co lin Metters and Howard lonascu deserve a lot of credit for the hard work and inspiration they have given th e musicians throughout the year. Florence Nairac (WL)

Virtuosi Concert This yea r's mu ch anticipated Virtuosi concert was held on Saturday 2nd July. The aud ience was in for an exciting evening of French music (which was the theme) with composers such as SaintSaens, Debussy and Faure, performed by so me of the best musicians in the school. Everyone was in for a treat. This concert is renowned for its excellent quality, and it gives a chance for some of the most talented musicians to show off their outstanding abilities and this year was to be as successfuI as ever. The evening started with a bang, when the Brass Ensemble played a march from The Love of Three Oranges by Prokofiev. Following this, Fenella Fletcher made her final violin solo appearance, playing Sarbande Op.93 No. 1, accompanied by the Ch amber Orchestra. This was the last chance for people to hear this incredible violinist and no one was disappointed. Receiving rapturous applause, she played the piece beautifully. Elena Ruthven sa ng two short, but sweet solos, Die Nachtigal/ and In Zimm er composed by Berg in the Second Vien nese School. This was also accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra, both of which delighted the audience. Following this, the famous Carnival of the Animals was performed. Each piece was introduced by an Ogden Nash poem, wittily read by Mr Browning, who could not have been a better compere for it. The first was The Elephant and Andrew Laing played the double bass fo r this. The Cuckoo followed, with Jack Standen playing a clarinet solo. Fen ella Fletcher and Ed ward Mosely played the piano solos for The Aquarium and Ed Rex played a virtuosi flute solo for The Aviary. The penul timate piece fo r the first half was the mu ch loved Pan is Angelicus by Rutter - this calm and tranqui l pi ece was sung by Th e Consort with Sarah Ventress on the cello and Jack Lawrence-Jones on the harp. The audience, havi ng rel axed to the sweet sou nd of this charming piece were quickly whisked off to the vi rtuosi String Quartet in G minor - Animeet tres decide. Maristella Lee played her first violin part with such strength and virtue that the whole audience was staggered. Following this, we had a twenty-minute interval before we were quickly serenaded into the seco nd half of the night's perform ance. No sooner than we had sat down, the Wind Ense mble blew us away wi th their im pressive and extremely mature playing of Strauss's Op.4Praeludium. Preceding this, The Consort sang Faure's Cantique de Jean Racine accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra.

This lyrical piece was beautifully sung, creating a calm and tranquil atmosphere. This was followed by more extracts from Carnival of the Animals. These pieces were also introduced by the dry humour of Mr Browning's Nash recitations. Pianists reintroduced this famous saga the slow and witty Tortoises followed. Annabel Dight played lyrical cello solo in The Swans and Harri et Jones finished off with a xylophone solo fo r Fossils. Sadly, Harri et Jones and Jack Standen made their final chamber music appearance at King's with Nuits d'Ete by Berlioz. Both sang beautifully, accompanied by a reduced chamber orchestra to instiga te a balance between the soloists and the instruments. The Chamber Orchestra built up to the concert's finale with Ravel's

Pavone pour une infante defunte. This French impressionist pi ece created an amazing calmness in the hall and indulged the audience with a beauti ful sound. Special mention has to be made to Tom Pollock, who started the piece off with a tremendously difficult horn solo. The grand finale was lbert's Divertissemen t which was great fun for all and a perfect way to end the evening. Special th anks must be given to Andrew Pollock, who organised an d arranged the whole night's entertainment. Also to Kevin Abbott who conducted the brass and wind ensemble and to Howard lonascu, who co nducted The Consort. Edward Lavery (GL)

Top - Tom Pollock

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The King's Week Film Show A single digital camera for home movies. A collection of inexperienced filmmakers. No proper artificial lighting. No proper sound equipm ent. Singulari ty of location. Few special effects. Yet when I was invited to watch and review the latest (I am told by Mr Norman this is its second yea r) addition to the King's Week fest ival I was intrigu ed by the novelty and daring of such an attempt. It seemed impossible that anyone could really t ake pupils' films seriously given the limitations and the light-hearted atmosphere that I assumed su rrounded it, yet it had gained popularity. There were now two projects instead of one and the school room was nea rly packed during the extremely competitive King's Week. So what could have caused this increase in momentum? The first, 'Body Lang uage', directed by David Elms, bega n with a series of short dips linked by a Kea ne so ng, bu t the real link was the atm osp here of the dips. Mostly they were of pupils throwing a rugby ball, running around , or ot her singular events, yet they were all connected in atmosphere which was beautifully tied-in with the nature of the song. The editing and shot use was excellent, particularly w ith the use of sepia colouring and bl urring to give the dips a nosta lgic element. The opening credits came on at the end of the song, again bea utifully edited. Several other songs were played, all with a series of dips th at fitted the ambience of the song. Most were without plot, yet they we re emoti onally stimulating and engrossing. The so ng by Chuck Berry accompanied by dips of general sl apstick co medy produced an effectively humorous and light mood in co ntrast to others, which produced more sorrowful tones. Sma ll comic dips in bet ween made it cohesive and showed it as a single entity with a marked out and innovative style. It was not wi thout faul ts, showing an over-indulgence in some of the pieces, particularly in The Wh ite Stripes backing, w here slightly tiresome shots of ca rds bei ng dealt was less innovative and interestin g, or the rather lengthy film of people wearing a Pluto hat where the large duration of the song forced th e makers to fit in more and more shots of people wearing it, resulting in a repetitive col lection of an originally comic idea. It was refreshi ng after the creative and innovative new style to see a good,

normal spoof. The basis of 'The Revol ution Starts Now' is loosely 1984, but in reality anyone w ho knows Alex San ne knows where the stimulus came from. It was funny and at times rather witty. The spo ntaneous combustion of one of the characters, the last words of a dying man, Sanne's worm-tongue-like sidekick, the dysfunctiona l, pathetic resistan ce group with the exasperated Jack With rington leadi ng, a great beginning series of shots of pupils going to prayers (Sa nn e's slaves) backed by AC/DC with the credits w ell edited in and Sanne's attack on Mr Norman himself were some of th e highlights and, combined with the easy storyli ne, humour and ridiculous fight scenes made for an extremely light-hearted and enjoyable film. The length (45 minutes) was very impressive but given th e loose plot and lack of changing location (although the cloisters scenes were excellent for the finale) it was too long and a little si mple in scope and depth. The makers demonstrated a lot of hard work and resilience particularly in making a Matrix style f ight w ith a whole load of extras as henchmen, but this w ork would be better served making shorter, easier fil ms with a small er focus, even ones just two or three minutes long. It is a sha me that on my viewing several members of the audience exited hal f- way th rough to go due to the fashion show. I would have hoped that two projects that have dea rly taken a lot of work were shown more respect, and I hope the hype in future does more justice to an arts element that can only go from strength to strength.

The Fashion Show It has become something of a custom at King 's now that every year, at some poin t, Luxmoore House will put on a fashion show that will draw crowds from far and wide. Ki ng's Week 2005 did not fail to im press. Th is year, the fashion show displayed clothes and accessories from many well known hig h street stores, plus some home made designs by Ki ri Barker. Despi te a few technical hiccups with the music, the show was executed with a professional edge without losing any of its charm. As each model made their way down t he catwa lk th ere were roars of cheers and applause and one could easily mistake these girls and boys for models of experience. Various items were showcased from Canterbury Dress to dinner jackets to sungl asses. It was dear to see why these shows had numerous days booked up ! Even a couple of girls were scouted for Storm modelling agency in London. The whole show was a great success and I have no doubt t hat the Fashion Show in 2006 w ill match it. Tom Bradley (GL)

Wind Band Concert The Wind Band Concert was a great success in spite of Mr Bersey's absence for the few days leading up to the concert due to the birth of his new son. The wind band and Mr Bersey are in debt to Mr Chaundy for standing in at the last minute. The concert commenced with a conveniently named piece called Strike up the band. The concert then continued with well known pieces, Star of Dreams and Somewhere over the Rainbow. The next piece was a selection from Grease which was a well known classic. This was followed by an amazing solo by Rose Wilson-Haffenden in Can't Take My Eyes Off You. The wind band than played selections from Chicago and Sing, Sing, Sing. To finish th e concert the wind band played Bird/and and Copacabana. Will iam Porter (CL)

The Songwriters' Concert I was asked to write this review for the Songwriters' concert in the middle of King's Week rehearsals and, to be honest, wi th so many rehearsals and co ncerts to attend, it was the last thing I wanted to do. How ignorant I was in my first King's Week. I couldn't have asked for a better concert to review. Not only was the music en tertaining, but the atmosphere and very larg e crowd broug ht something to the concert that you would not have had if it had been anywhere else but King's. Th is concert was a new addition t o the King's Week programme and I think that everyone who attend ed was extremely pl eased that it had been introduced. A rich array of music was played, which varied from a mainly percussion pi ece, featuring Zain Rahimtula, to many rock bands, but some pieces deserve a particular mention. Jack Standen, who practically sang his way through King's Week provided us with one of his songs; Tom Bradley, who entertained us with his unique voice and a fantastic song, and Letiti a Leigh- Pemberton, whose incredible voice stunned the audience, were my notable favourites. However, the show would not have been possible without the other groups that played. Of co urse th is concert would not have been possible without the organisati on of Jack Standen and the music staff. Another great thing was that the concert was pupil led, something which makes the show a lot more impressive, and I

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Top- Francisco Lewis and l oin Rohim tulo Middle - Philip Doubleday and Stephen McGoldrick Bottom - Tom Bradley

Above - Fenella Fletcher

know that the audience think that it should stay that way. This concert was a show that I am sure to return to next year and I advise anyone who is reading this to do the same. Robbie La ing (LN)

Leavers' Concert This year's Leavers' Concert started with a wonderful performan ce of the slow movement of Bach's Concerto for two violins performed by Fen ella Fletcher and Megan Williams - a piece that really showed the high sta ndard of the music in the Sixth Form. Andrew Laing and his string t rio followed with a complex and challenging arrangement of Rondo for Double Bass by Keyfer which was played fantastically, particularly showing his nifty finger work. As if this was not enough, the audience was then treated to Alicia Swannell playing a modern, yet interesting xylophone concerto, and last but by no means least, Charlotte Allberry and Kay Harvey-Kelly singing Purcell's AriaSound the Trumpet. It was an excellent co ncert, thoroughly enjoyed by all. These talented musicians will be sorely missed next year. George Schurr (LN)

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King's Week Fete