The Cantuarian 2005 - 2006 by OKS Association | The King's School, Canterbury

THE CANTUARIAN Vol. LXVIIII

Contents page

Editorial

This and That

Valete

Focus

Creative Writing

Expeditions

Societies and Activities

Reports and Reviews

Sport

86 170

King's Week

The Cantuarian Editorial committee: Catherine McDonogh, Lee Rigley, Simon Wilson, Ernest Sykes, Joshua Sutton, Emma Newton, Ashitha Nagesh, Som Saran, Harry Dalton, Christopher Heslop, Catherine Roberts, Sophie Adams, Elizabeth Lee, Hannah Disselbeck

Editorial Writing this editorial in t~e middle of the summer holidays it is easy to lose all interest in the headlines concerning public examinations and the ensuing debate as to what 'education; should really consist of. Whilst government ministers and examination boards robustly deny that the lowering of examination standards has occurred and instead highlight the progress being made in education across the board, others including that mysterious body of 'educationalists; champion the role of 'extra-curricular activities; that should complement matters academic. King's has always been exceptionally strong at such activities and The Cantuarian attempts to demonstrate this. The magazine is in part a showcase for the extraordinary talent

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the school is fortunate enough to possess and the great success achieved in numerous disciplines. What is more difficult to communicate in words and pictures alone, however, is the ethos that distinguishes the school from thousands of others and complements and indeed allows other strengths, both academic and extra-curricular to flourish; namely the sense of community, heritage, Christian charity and compassion that pervades the school and all that it does. Whilst these are values that are easily scoffed at as unnecessarily anachronistic in an increasingly egocentric or perhaps selfish society, one cannot help but wonder whether much of what is featured in the magazine would feature if it were not for these important

characteristics. The valete of masters who have been with the school for thirty- five years or more provides only one such example. A lifetime of devotion must be as a result of fondness for the commu nity and the values it espouses. King's is a happy and vibrant place where the individual is va lu ed, yet the community prized, and a school with a stable foundation which easily accommodates the superficial transitions in modern educa tion - from syllabus to 'specification; re-sits to 'endorsing examinations: If The Cantuarian is able to reflect bu t pa rt of this we would be satisfied. Joshua Sutton

7/ua & 7/eat Common Room

Thirteen new members of staff arrived in September 2005.

Stephen Burley, who joins the English Department, was born and brought up in South Shields. He read English Literature at University College, London, studied for his M.Phil. in literature of the English Romantic period at St. Catherine's College, Oxford, and then went back to london, King's College this time, for his P.G.C.E. Last year he was teaching in Bogota, Colombia. His interests include reading, theatre and travelling, and he is a tutor in Bailey. Miss Zoe Crawshaw, who joins the Spanish Department, grew up in Netting Hill and went to Wycombe Abbey before reading Modern Languages {Spanish and Russian} at Peterhouse, Cambridge. She ran her own holiday company organising trips to Bolivia, as well as helping in her father's art gallery. She then turned to teaching, doing her P.G.C.E. at King's College, London. She enjoys travelling, especially to South America or to her beach hut in Tankerton, and she loves school lunches. She has two young children and is a tutor in Luxmoore. James Dickson, who joins the Mathematics Department, read Maths at the University of Nottingham. He then joined the Royal Navy, doing his officer training in Dartmouth before teaching in the Navy's Air Engineering School. After training as an oceanographer and meteorologist, he served in various places, including on HMS Fearless and HMS Invincible, and completed his Open University MSc in Mathematics at sea. In the late nineties, he lived in Naples and worked at NATO Headquarters there. Recent work has included submarine under-ice deployment and running the Navy's post-graduate diploma in Meteorology and Oceanography. He is a tutor in Tradescant. William Ford joins the Classics Department. He comes from Teddington, went to Canford, and studied Classics at King's College, London. After two years working for a wine company and two years selling cigars, he returned to K.C.L. for his P.G.C.E. He then had a belated gap year teaching English in South India, before going to St Mary's, Ascot. There it was Kate Ellison (nee Jenkinson) who encouraged him to apply here. He enjoys racquet sports, travel and art, and is resident tutor in the Grange. Maziar Homayounnejad joins the Economics Department. He comes from Enfield, and read Management, specialising in Economics, at U.M.LS.T. He did a post-graduate diploma in law at B.P.P. in Holborn before working in market research and market intelligence, especially in fast food and then I.T. and telecommunications. He did a P.G.C.E. at the Institute of Education before coming here. He is a tutor in Linacre. Miss Katharine Needham is the latest American recruit via the English Lacrosse Association and comes here to coach lacrosse and to help with P.E. She is from the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, and majored in anthropology at the Wesleyan University, Connecticut, where she was captain of the lacrosse team and also played (association) football. She enjoys music and dance, as well as travelling, which is part of the appeal of coming here, she says. She lives in Harvey House. David Phillips joins the I.C.T. Department. Born in Caerphilly, he is fervently Welsh, though his education was "all over the place". He studied Business Administration at Aberystwyth University, and had various jobs before taking his P.G.C.E. at the Institute of Education.

For the last nine years he has taught at Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone, with a brief interlude in Southampton. He enjoys sport, playing hockey for the Fo!kestone Optimists, and dreaming of Wales playing in the (football) World Cup. His enthusiasm for exploiting

modern technology in teaching is evident in his website www.ictgcse.com. He is a tutor in School House. Godfrey Powell, who joins the Mathematics Department, grew up in Greenwich and Luton. His career at University and Queen Mary Colleges, London was interrupted by a spell as a gardener at Whipsnade Zoo, but he eventually earned the top first class degree in his year as a mathematician. Since then he has been a temporary lecturer at O.M.C., worked for the Food Research Institute, run his own computer business, and worked for a water company. He taught at Dulwich College for five years before coming here. He says he used to fly gliders badly, and his other interests include codes and code-breaking, science and gardening. He is a tutor in the Grange. E!!iot Richardson joins the English Department. He grew up in Carshalton and read English at Kingston University. He did his P.G.C.E. at the Institute of Education before coming here. He very much enjoys the theatre and reading, and his main interests are in American literature and twentieth century British writing. He is coaching both rugby and hockey and is a tutor in Meister Omers. Graham Sinclair is the new Head of Drama. A Hampshire lad, he enjoyed choral singing and rugby at King Edward's, Southampton, before going to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and training as a teacher. He soon turned to the professional theatre, acting in film television and on stage, including for the R.S.C. and the National Theatre. His impressive credits include the premiere ofTom Stoppard's Arcadia. He returned to teaching and, most recently, has been Head of Drama at Notting Hill and Ealing High School for Girls. He is a tutor in Carlyon. Richard Singfield joins the P.E. Department He went to Kent's other King's School in Rochester, worked at Sydney Grammar School in his gap year, and studied Physical Education and Maths at De Montfort University, Bedford. He arrives here after three years at Ratcliffe College, Leicester. His main sports are rugby, hockey and cricket, and he is a keen golfer. He is a tutor in Galpin's. In January he took over from Mr Anderson as Head of P.E. Professor James Soderholm, who joins the English Department, is a native of Virginia, and studied at the University of Virginia. He was a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic in 2000-02 and Visiting Professor at Colorado College. He describes himself as a Byron scholar (author of Fantasy, Forgery and the Byron Legend, among others) and a struggling novelist, and says that his outside interests include squash, travel and target-practice. Alison White joined the COT Department She grew up in Kent and went to K.I.A.D. and Middlesex University, where she studied 30 Design and Jewellery. She has taught in London and Kent, as well as working as a costume and prop-maker for films and theatre. She enjoys travel, having spent a lot of time in eastern Australia and her ambition is to design and build her own house. Thomas Whyte, who joins the Religious Studies Department, is not entirely new, as he was in the Grange from 1981 to 1986. After Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and a Masters in African Studies at S.O.A.S., he worked in publishing, with the B.B.C. World Service, and as a freelance journalist. He then took his P.G.C.E. at King's College, London, and taught at Camden School for Girls. In the 1986/7 Sri Lanka cricket tour brochure, it was recorded that he "dislikes schoolmasters" (as well as New Testament Greek and jogging). We assume and hope that he has now seen the errors of his ways. He is a tutor in Harvey House. In addition, Mrs Deborah Ardley taught History and Politics as maternity cover for Mrs Richardson during the Autumn Term, and showed her versatility and professional skill by continuing in the Geography Department in the Lent Term, when both Mrs Wakeham (postBroughton) and Mr Anderson (pre-Marlowe) were away. The sabbatically challenged geographers were also helped by Dr Richard Goodenough, who has been with us before, and Ben Brotherton (Artist-in-Residence), who showed his all-round talent by appearing in the J block classrooms. Mrs Emma Rose Barber, sister of Miles (SH 1972-76) and Mark (SH 1973-78) and thus not entirely a stranger to the school, was with us for the Autumn Term teaching History of Art during Mrs Price's maternity leave. Mr Milford, who nominally retired in the summer, was still with us for the Autumn and Lent Terms, covering for Mrs Young. In the Summer Term he metamorphosed '1nto the Master-in-Charge of Fencing and has continued to watch over the King's Week bicycles. In January we welcomed Katherine Pierpoint as our Poet-in-Residence. She is author of Truffle Beds published by Faber in 1995. She succeeds- after a gap of nearly thirty years- Vernon Scannell. She has been in the School on Wednesdays, running a poetry class as well as being available to advise budding writers. Her work has won various awards, and in 1996 she was named Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year. Since then, she has travelled in Egypt and India thanks to (appropriately) a Somerset Maugham award, enjoyed a writing residency in Ireland in 1998, and attended contemporary poetry conferences in the UK, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain and Mexico. In 1999 she was the first poet-in-residence at a police station, and in 2004-5 held a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellowship at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Among other appointments, Mrs Amelia Arviddson became housemistress of Broughton in September, Mr Robin Falcon arrived in December as Computing Services Manager, leading the LT. technical team, and Mrs Webber became Head of Hockey in March. Roger Wragg, head gardener for nine years, left in May to become Landscape Manager for Jacobs Babtie. In the same week, he married Sarah Ouaile from No. 25. Our best wishes to them both. At the same time we also said goodbye to Gary Jefferies, who first came in 1986, and has been Head Chef for nineteen years. He is now devoting himself to his own business full-time. 'Gary Jefferies- Supreme Cuisine - Catering to all Tastes' it says on his van, and we thank him for his supreme contribution to our well-being and wish him good luck in his new enterprise. On Saturday September 17th, the new pavilion on Birley's was officially opened by David Gower. It seemed particularly appropriate for the ceremony to be performed by someone who had excelled here at rugby and hockey as well as, of course, at cricket and even more so by a victorious Ashes captain while the country was still in celebratory mood. Birley's pavilion

As well as a lunch in the new functions room, there were rugby fixtures against Eastbourne and a girls' hockey tournament. The sun shone, some of the matches were won, and it was David's wedding anniversary. Hence he came and went by helicopter, to minimise his time away from home, and he was presented with a bottle of champagne to help the celebrations on his return. A ful l report of the occasion appears on page 18. The King's Society, brainchild of the Lower Master, is "a cultural, social and educational society for parents and friends of the school". The first term's programme included a talk by former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga, a tour of some of the School's literary treasures, a ceramics course by Ms Edwards, and a talk by Jonnie Leach on drugs. Mr Reilly is the Chairman, and Mrs Heather Scott is the Secretary. Anyone interested should get in touch with Mrs Scott at the School. King's Society

The new day house, named in memory of the School's wartime home in Cornwall, was officially opened on Saturday October 1st. General Patrick Lee (WL, LX 1943-48) unveiled the plaque and several other old boys were present, as well as cu rrent parents and pupils. An exhibition of photographs and other memorabilia reca lled the evacuation years. The ceremony was followed by lunch in the Pupils' Social Centre. A full report appears on page 20. Carlyon House

Ben Brotherton's Drawing Class

In the Autumn Term, a science essay competition was organised by Ms Astin to mark the centenary of Einstein's annus mirabilis. The subject - 'What if?' - was interpreted in a variety of ways. The winning entry was from Timothy Leung (MO), who wrote on 'What if ethics never interfered with science?' His article and several others ('What if the weather in London during late July 1929 had been hot?' by Ca therine Roberts (MR), for example) can be viewed on the new website: youngscientists.co.uk. This is an on-line science journal, sponsored by the Butrous Foundation and wri tten by students for studen ts. It is designed and managed by a team from the Schoo l, but it is hoped that it will soon conta in contributions from schools around the world. What if?

N' h f h p With Morgan Newhoff (JR and rst 1g t 0 t e rom Arizona) to the fore, the Jervis House cha rity ball held on Saturday November 19th was modelled on an American prom, complete with Prom King and Queen (Alex Batten and Caroline Hobbs) and, from Gb, a Prince and Princess (Oliver Carr and Sarah Archer). There was even an all too brief interlude of ballroom dancing: a waltz enabling the dancers to have a conversation while moving across the floor. A step (or three) up from the usual 'disco'. The event also raised ÂŁ2,500 for the Rainforest Foundation. At this year's Carol Service the Choir gave the f irst performance of Of the dark past, a setting by Howard Goodall of words from James Joyce's Ecce Puer and the fifteen th century Songs of the Nuns of Chester. The piece is dedicated in thanksg iving to the memory of Lucy Holland. Of the dark past

Jervis Charity Ball

The autumn term saw a minor revolution in the tutor card system and (less obviously) in end-of-term reports. The ePortal on the intranet system enabled staff to access timetables and other useful information, as well as to compose their reports at their leisure (and even from home). Stickers in pigeon-holes and queues outside the Common Room on Monday suddenly vani shed, and even the most inefficient pupil found that their tutor card was miracu lously completed on time. It took a bit of getting used to, and the system crashed at the first time of asking, but there is always a price to be paid for progress. The spell check facility worked wonders: 'coursework', not recognised by the thesaurus, reappeared as 'corkscrews'. We sympathise. ePortal, invisible

A more obviously entertaining use of the new technology was demonstrated in King's Week. The 'Jazz on a Summer Sunset' concert on the first evening was broadcast on the intranet.

Congratulations to Paul Dixey (MR). who took three days off school in May to play cricket for Kent at Fenner's against the Cambridge U.C.C.E. Although he did not trouble the scorers in t he first innings, he took three catches and impressed expert observers. He has now been awarded a development contract with Ken t and been selected for the England Under 19 team to play against India at Canterbury in July. ... the girls' 1st XI hockey, who were Kent champions again, and winners of the John Tayl or tournament. Th e Under 14s were ru nners-up in the Kent competition, losing the final on penalty flicks. ... the Under 18 and Under 16 girls hockey sides, who won the Kent indoor championsh ips. The teams therefore went to the national finals, joining Millfield as the only schools with teams in both compet itions. Both our sides fi nished 5th, an impressive achievement. ... Eve DeHaan, Lucy Kingsman, Gabrielle Bradburn, Madeleine Cryer and Jessica Stanion (Under 14); Laura Knight (Under 15); Sarah Healy, Annabel Kingsman, Charlotte Bowman, Georgina Mayhew and Abolabi lmasekha (Under 15) ; Emily Stewart, Rebeka h Marsh and Fenella Pengelley (Under 17); and Tania Hayes (Under 18). who all played hockey for Kent. In addition, Sarah, Rebekah and Fenella have gone on to represent the East of England . ... Sam Middleton (TR) and Christopher Robinson (MR). who were in the Canterbury Hockey Club Under 18 team that won t he nationa l championships at Polo Farm in April. .. . fencer Thomas Mulvaney (MOl. who was selected to represent Great Britain in the Under 17 age group against Germany and France. He has also fenced for Northern Ireland . ... Claudia Gibson (HH) and Francesca Malpass (LX), who were selected for the England Under 14 rounders squad . ... the J15 Boys Coxed Four, Robert Parks (LN). Harry Morgan (MR). Olivier Bow-Bertrand (CY), Cyril Ng Lung Kit (TR) and cox Jack Hendry (GR), who won at Burway and then the Schools' Head of the River race, the first national victory for the Boat Club for several years . ... Philip Spicer and Peter Gray (both MR). who won the Under 18 National Sailing Championships in a Laser 2000 . ... the 1st IX lacrosse, who were joint winners of the Boyd Cup at the National Schools Lacrosse Tournament, held at Stowe School. Having defeated the hosts in the semi-final, they drew with Walthamstow Hall 00 in the final. Alex Carruthers (BR) was 'most valuable player' for the Kent Under 19 lacrosse side, and she and Olenka Hamilton (LX) also represented th e East of England, with Kitty Synge as a reserve . ... the 1st IV, Lawrence Hold ron (TR), Simon Pound (LN). Christopher Robinson (MR) and William Steel (GL). who won their division in the Men's East Kent League, and have been unbeaten for two years. ... Chloe Mitchell (MT) and Lawrence Percival (LN), who easily won their divisions in th e Kent Cross Country League. ... Rosalind Iron (MT), Katharine Boucher (HH) and Ondine King (MT), who Congratulatory Assembly

Right - Paul Dixey

1st XI back row I. tor. SMW. Jenna Wiles, Georgie Mayhew, Sarah Healy, Emily Stewart, Becky Marsh, Emma Wilson, Anna Storer. Sarah Ventress front row I. tor. Tania Hayes, Fenella Pengelley, Katriona Pengelley, Lucy Leigh- Pemberton, Caroline Lawrence, Rosanna Cocksworth, Kati e Lark

tied for first place in the Bedgebury School inter-schools dressage competition. Rosalind took first place in prelim 14. ... Alexander Holmes (MR), who scored 104 for the 1st XI against the M.C.C.; William Chilcott (LN), who scored 102 not out for the Junior Colts against StLawrence, and Kieran Premnath (MR), who was out four short of his century in the same match. Will then earned himself a tree on Birley's by taking 5 for 21 when playing for the 1st XI against Seven oaks. On the same day Alex Berry (MR) took 5 for 5 including a hat-trick for the Junior Colts Bs. Patrick Gibbs (LN) scored 121 not out for the Junior Colts B XI against Haileybury and shared in a double century opening stand with Taha Tippu (MT). ... the Common Room cricket team, who defeated the 1st XI by 9 wickets. Dr Tanton, with 73*, led the way. ... Aruhan Bisengaliev-Dawes (CY), the first Esme Chloe Mitchell/cads the pack Chafy Music Scholar, who was solo voca list at the premiere in the Royal Albert Hall of Karl Jenkins' composition 'Tiep: ... Maristella Lee (MT), leader of the School Orchestra, who reached the finals of the Marlowe Young Musician of the Yea r Competition . ... Abigail Schade (HH), who appeared as the 'frontispiece' in Country Life on April 27th . ... Peter Archer (GR 1999-2004). who was selected for the Cambridge University Under 21 rugby union side. . ... Christie Waddington (BR 1999-2005), representing Scotland, who won two gold medals at the inaugural junior Commonwealth Games held in Chennai, India, in January. She won the individual women's sabre, and was a member of the successful Scottish women's sabre team. In November, she had won the British Under 20 sabre championship . ... Hilary Lister (nee Rudd, GR 1988-89), quadriplegic cross-channel sailor, who received the Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration at the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year awards in November. Hilary, who gave a very moving talk in the Shirley Hall on Sunday December 11th, will also be given an honorary degree from the University of Kent at Canterbury. We are grateful to Nicholas Pounder of Bondi, New South Wales, for offering us the manuscript of Hugh Walpole's novel The Sea Tower. The Bursar was persuaded to pay for what was, for us, a rea l bargain. It is superbly bound in three volumes and it includes Walpole's marginal commentary on its progress: we learn, for example, that writing was delayed so that the cricket-loving author could go to see Bradman bat. Most of the manuscripts of his novels are in public collections, so we are fortu nate to be able to add this item to the Walpole Collection. Gifts and Purchases

Visitors to the Collection over the last year have included the Dickens Fellowship, the King's Society, the Tolkien Society, who held their annual general meeting in the School, and the Canterbury branch of the Historical Association. David Miller (GL 1979-84) has kindly sent us a copy of the Spring 2006 edition of The Conrad ian. It contains his article: 'Amanuensis: A Biographical Sketch of Lilian Mary Hallowes, "Mr Conrad's Secretary"'. Miss Hallowes (1870- 1950) worked as literary assistant to Joseph Conrad for extended periods between 1904 until Conrad's death in 1924 and thus spent much time at Oswalds in Bishopsbourne. The local connection is much closer, however. Her grandfather Price Hallowes, her father George Blackwood Hallowes, and several uncles, Blackwood, Frederick, Adolphus and Edward, all went to King's. Miss Hall owes is also mentioned in one of the Conrad letters in the Walpole Collection. We are grateful to Anthony Phillips (Headmaster 1986-96) who sent us some photographs of Galpin's House and the 1st VIII dated 1960 to 1963. They had belonged to his late brother-in-law George Stainton (GL 1959-63). He also sent us a copy of his latest book, Standing up to God, published by S.P.C.K., for the Library. Several O.K.S. have recently published their first books. Fran Beauman (BL 1992-94) was honoured by an illustration on the front cover of the Times Literary Supplement on December 2nd and a review on the back page to welcome The Pineapple: King of Fruits. Joshua Mowll (GL 1983-88) attracted favourable reviews for his creatively designed adventure story Operation Red Jericho. Mathematics Minus Fear is by Lawrence Potter (MT 1989-94). He read Classics at Oxford but has since become a teacher of mathematics and is at present working in Rwanda. In the Books

Stella Lee - finalist in the Marlowe Young Musician of the Year Competition

introduction, lawrence comments on the ubiquitous 'monster' maths teacher, the naughty boy and the too clever girl, who appear in his pages as the fictitious 'Mr Barton', 'Charlie Bissil' and 'Bernadette Pressman: Their present-day equivalents should all learn something from his accessible and instructive work. Andrea Thomas (staff 1992-93), who taught history here and was housemistress of Bailey, has also published her first book. It is called Princelie Majestie: the Court of James V of Scotland, 1528-1542. Camilla Morton's How to Walk in High Heels: the Girls' Guide to Everything has been spotted on the shelves in at least some boarding houses. The chapter on 'How to deal with a bad hair day' may be of interest to readers of this column, as it by Jacquetta Wheeler (LX 1995-2000). The solution, it appears, is to wear a hat. We have belatedly caught up with G.A. Henty's novel Jack Archer: A Tale of the Crimea first published in 1883. It opens: "The first day of term cannot be considered a cheerful occasion ... " and continues, in the next paragraph: "But at present it is the long routine of lessons which is most prominent in the minds of the lads who are sitting on the long benches of the King's School, Canterbury." It would be interesting to know why Henty chose King's as the setting for his hero's education. If anyone can shed any light on the matter, perhaps they could contact the Archivist. Jack Archer, O.K.S.

The Walpole House 70th anniversary reunion took place over the weekend of November 12-13th. Among those present was Robin Pittman (housemaster 1970-78), who kindly presented us with a copy of his latest book. Journey Round Jersey records ninety encounters on a fifty-mile walk around the island. Michael Hall (WL 1955-60) enabled us to acquire a copy of his book Eating for Britain, a collection of tales culled from his experiences in the diplomatic service. These include a reference to the pseudo-OKS tie worn by his driver in Strasbourg. House parties

Broughton and Tradescant houses celebrated their 30th anniversary with a party on Sunday May 21st. The school service that morning was to have been held in the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey, but unfortunately the weather intervened. The President of the O.K.S., Nick Lyons, who was Head of House in Broughton's first year, was the ideal host. The arrival of the larger than life statues of King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha {of 597 fame) in Lady Wootton's Green during the summer term -see page 21 -was a happy coincidence. Mr Henderson (BStR 1990-92), Mrs Browning (JR 1992-2000) and Mr Browning (SH 2000-06) held a joint reunion and farewell on Saturday June 24th. This marked the end of their overlapping tenures, as housemaster, housemistress and/or tutor, in Broad St Radigunds, Jervis and School House.

On St Augustine's Day, May 26th, M. Bertrand Cochery, the French Consul General, and Prince Michael of Kent unveiled the new statues of, respectively, Queen Bertha and King Ethelbert of Kent in Lady Wootton's Green. The bronze sculptures were created by Stephen Melton and commissioned by the Canterbury Commemoration Society. The Queen is on her way from StMartin's Church, past what is to become St Augustine's Abbey, and the King has come from the future Cathedral. The meeting marks the moment when the news arrived of Augustine's arrival at Ebbsfleet. The future King's School is a twinkle in someone's eye. Queen Bertha's Walk

The School hosted the day's events, which were mainly held inside St Augustine's and involved several Canterbury schools and Canterbury Christ Church University as well as other civic and ecclesiastical dignitaries. A report appears on page 21. "We are happy to be able to announce that the desecrations of St Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury are for ever at an end. The brewer and his tubs are gone, the drinking and smoking are over ... " This extract from the English Churchman in 1844 is from one of a dozen articles in a volume entitled St Augustine's Abbey and St Augustine's College, published by the St Augustine's College Press in the 1860s. The School has acquired a unique copy of this unusual book. It belonged to Alexander Beresford Hope and has a fine binding, with the arms of the two institutions on the front and back covers and his own crest on the spine, as well as his ownership inscription. It was Beresford Hope, of course, who was largely responsible for rescuing St Augustine's from its desecrations and building the Missionary College in the 1840s. His portrait is in the refectory. We trust this volume now has an appropriately happy home. Hope for St Augustine's

L , September 2006 will see the inauguration of a King's Lycee section. The project has been planned with ycee stream North bourne Park, which already runs a bilingual curriculum, and the Lycee Fran~ais Charles de Gaulle in London. The pupils will be titular members of the Lycee and will study French, Maths, History and Geography ('Histoire-Geo'} and PSHE in French, and their other subjects in English, mixed with other classes. The exams they take will be a mixture of the Brevet and GCSE. The Headmaster was joined by Stephen Sides, Headmaster of Northbourne Park, and M. Andre Becherand, Proviseur of the Lycee, to sign the formal agreement in the Gateway Chamber. M. Olivier Chambard, French Conseiller Culture!, and Lady Northbourne were also guests at the ceremony. The 150th Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on Wednesday April 12th attracted national attention because of the presence of Prince Harry. The event was of more interest to us because the Sword of Honour, awarded to the cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best, was presented by the Queen to Matt Fyjis Walker (MO 1995-2000). He has been commissioned into the light Dragoons. King's Parade

A group of 11 pupils, organised by Miss Francis and Dr Bentley, won a 'free' garden from Hadlow College, after entering a Kent Schools' open gardening competition in the spring. They are following in the footsteps of two horticultural O.K.S.: John Tradescant of St Augustine's fame and the less well-known William Masters, whose Exotic Nursery in Canterbury was a major tourist attraction in the mid-nineteenth century. The winning team was: Sophie Ackers, Alex Allen, Charlotte King's Nursery

Bradley, Robert Day, Jolyon Martin, Tom Kemp, Georgie Mayhew, Adebusola Ogunsanya, Harriet Pritchard, Matthew Price and Fiona Stuart. Our green-fingered enthusiasts wi ll have the chance to design and develop their garden under the direction and guidance of Had low College staff at their Spring Lane site here in Ca nterbury. Digging starts in September and progress will be monitored in Kent Life. Radio 3's widely acclaimed broadcast of the complete works of J.S. Bach was the brainchild and swansong of Andrew Lyle (MR 1965-70) at the BBC. Starting at 7 p.m. on Friday December 16th and ending at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Andrew has now retired after over 30 years as a producer at the BBC, and his leaving present included, we are told, over 150 COs comprising the complete works. A Bach Christmas

Sir Colin Davis Conducts

One of the musical highlights of the year was the concert in the Cathedral on Tuesday February 7th in aid of the new Music School. Andrew Marriner (SH 1968-71 ) played the Moza rt Clarinet Concerto with Sir Colin cond ucting the Chamber Orchestra. In the morning, Andrew also gave a clarinet master-cl ass.

K. d King is a new opera, with music by Stephen Barlow (GR 1968-72) and a libret to by Philip Wells, which rng an us received its first performance in the Cathedral on Saturday April 29th. The King is Henry II, t he subject is the murder of Becket, and several pupils appeared as monks. The music was 'reminiscent of late Britten' according to The Times, and had 'echoes of Debussy' according to The Independent. Either way, the event proved to be a success, and it may well be repeated. The Canterbury City Council has approved five new plaques to commemorate local notables. Two of the plaques will celebrate three OKS: John and Gregory Blaxland, who we re pioneers in early nineteenth century Australia; and James Simmons, who was mayor, publisher of the Kentish Gazette, and creator of t he Dane John Gardens. (The others are Henry Moore, Thomas Byrne V.C. and John Deane.) The School's own scheme still awaits kick-starting into action. Blue Plaques 2

Last yea r the King's Men produced a CD; this year it was the turn of the ladies. The King's Swingers- Sarah Erridge, Kate Ludlow, Annabel Dight, Rosemary Guest, Letitia Leigh-Pemberton, Lucy Withrington, Catherine Gabriel and Chloe Mitchell - have recorded eleven songs, from Fever (which, we suppose, gives the disc its t itle: High Fever) via Mr Wonderful to Hide and Seek. The Swing ers were direct ed by Mr Bersey, who also arranged several of the numbers. Copies are available from the School Shop. And a question for those who look closely at the disc itself: whose is the smoothie? King's Swingers

Those who enjoyed King's can now look forwa rd to Peter Williams' next documentary, wh ich follows a year in the life of the Cathedral. Cameras appeared in Evensong on Sunday January 15th and some other School personalities have already been interviewed in their capacity as owners of Precincts pets. Cathedral

The King's Swingers I. tor. Annabel Dight, Lucy Withringt on, Sarah Erridge, Chloe Mitchell, Rosie Guest, Letitia Leigh- Pemberton, Kate Ludlow, Kate Gabriel

The Historica l Association marked its centenary by holding a nationa l 'balloon debate'. Parti cipants had to defend their chosen twentieth century personalities before a panel of distinguished j udges. The winner of the Canterbury Branch competition was Phoebe Roberts (BR). who spoke on behalf of Tim Berners- Lee, inventor of th e World Wide Web. She then represented the Branch in the final s at the Birmingham Midland Institute on Saturday Ma rch 18th. Balloon debate

On June 1st. the School also partly hosted another centenary even t, as Historical Association members from across the country experienced an 'Enjoy Canterbury' Day, comprising tours of the School, the Cathedral and th e St Augustine's site. Lunch was in the St Aug ustine's refectory, and the day start ed and ended in the Common Room. The King 's School Foundation ran a telephone campaign from the tenn is pavilion on Birley's in t he fi rst three weeks of September. Fourteen recent O.K.S. contacted hundreds of fo rmer pupils of every generation. The aims were communication (both ways} and fund-raising. In both respects, the exercise seems to have been successful and it will be repeated, for the benefit of those who missed out the first time, next autumn. Phone a friend

Th , .d The election of the new leader of the Conservative Party caused a minor flutter of interest in the School, partly 1 0 C ere s onY one avl because his deputy chief of staff is Catherine Fall (WL 1983-85). As a resul t of int erviews in the Lent Term, the ameron new Head of History (from September 2006) will be David Cameron. He was promptly featured in the Sunday Times, alongside several others of that ilk, answering questions on his political opinions and his views on his namesake. The Department was interested (and some were probably pleased) to read that: "I dislike the idea that parties have to make radical changes. Things tend to work pretty well as they are. Government policy should focus on what it ca n achieve." We shall see. The Head of Art, apparently, was not canvassed. Bl

. h A new school- wid e recycling scheme is now in operation. There are blue pl astic bins for paper and large ue IS t e new green wheelie-bins (mostly green) around the School for cardboard, bottles and other it ems that are no longer just 'rubbish'. The environmentally friendly are invited to take appropriate action.

To mark World Book Day on Thursday March 2nd, the Library organised a taxing but profitable competition. Entrants paid 25p, and in return received a ÂŁ1 book token and an entry form for a 'Guess Who?' quiz. This featured photographs of members of staff, each more or less hidden behind a book. Some we re easy: the Chaplain fishing and the Head of Modern Languages engaging in close reading of Baudelaire; but the man behind Jose Sa ramago's The Double caused the most problems. Only six entrants managed to get all the answers right, and the winner, drawn out of a hat, was Alex Sanne (CY). Guess Who?

"Brian Turner's moustache could have been a problem, but he had a habit of licking it so it was often pasted to his upper lip. It meant I cou ld read him." Mr Turner (staff 1969-2004) was the choice of James Strachan (GL 1966-71) in the 'My best teacher' feature in the Times Educational Supplement of Friday March 17. James, who is now, among other things, Chairman of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, was deaf, and he wrote entertainingly and movingly about his experiences at school, and the ways in which he coped. Brian Turner's moustache

The Archives have acquired what is one of the earliest known school prizes. The History of Rasselas by Samuel Johnson, published in 1812, is inscribed: "King's School Canterbury. This book was a prize given by the Writing Master and adjudg'd to Thomas Woodruff, as having made the greatest progress in writing and cyphering. June 17, 1817. John Birt, Head Master." This Woodruff was the brother of John, and uncle of C.E. Woodruff, the historian of the School. Beh ind the book lies a sad story. Thomas had arrived at King's in January at the age of nine; won his prize; and died in October, soon after his tenth birthday. First Prize

In the quarter-finals of this year's University Challenge, Ben Hardy (SH 1985-90 and Trin ity Hall, Cambridge) found himself competing against Graham Ruston (MR 1977-81 and S.O.A.S.). Ben's team were victorious, and went on to reach the final, broadcast on Monday May 15th, where they narrowly lost 150-160 to Manchester University. Ben is studying for a doctorate on morale in organisations and no doubt found the experience a useful adjunct to his research. Second Prize

From the start of the Lent Term, Saturday morning school started at 8.30 a.m. and ended at 12.05 p.m. The aim was, by way of experiment. to try to reduce the disruption to teachi ng caused by early departures for games. It proved challenging for some to subtract 25 minutes from 'normal' to calculate the timing of lessons, but in other respects this minor revolution had surprisingly little visible impact on routine. Time Questions

The B.B.C:s Question Time on Thursday May 18th came from the Gulbenkian Theatre, with several local personalities participating. Mrs Richardson was in the audience, as was Mike Holden, the School Messenger, but his question, on whether the Labour Party should follow the example of the Football Association and select an Englishman as their next 'manager', was unfortunately not reached. Alex Blessley, William Harvey and Harry Osborne (all SH) and Joshua Sutton (M.O.) were much more in evidence, seated together in full Canterbury Dress. Both Will and Josh made brief contributions, but Alex, who apparently had his hand up for most of the evening, did not. In the 'warm-up', we are told, Josh - a would-be Foreign Secretary, he says - even got himself on to the panel, and had to admit to the cameras that he did not know the price of a loaf of bread. Question Time

Question Time I. tor. Alex Blessley, William Harvey. Harry Osborne, Joshua Sutton

An unforeseeable clash meant that our budding politicians were unable to hear Professor Colin Seymour-Ure of the Un iversity of Ke nt (and sometime parent) gave an entertaining and informative talk on political cartoonists: 'Drawn and Quartered: Is it the nature of political cartoons to be hurtful?' The event, under the aegis of the King's Society, might have shown our fu ture leaders what they are letting themselves in for. After the obligatory obstacle course of planning authorities, work began on the new Grange in the Summer Term. This is arising next to Harvey House, and at the time of writ ing is expected to be fully operational in 2007. Its completion will release the present Grange building to house, among others, the occupants of the Geography block, which will then be demolished to make way for the new Edred Wright Music School. Watch these spaces. Musical Chairs

We record with regret that Physics teacher Angus 'Jock' Ogilvy (staff 1968-86) died on October 1st; Mike Johnson, the School Messenger from 1993 to 2000, died in January; and Henry Myerscough, noted viola player and for many years a music teacher here, died on February 25th. Our condolences go to their families. Requiescant

Humphrey Osmond (staff 1949-65) died on June 26th at the age of 78. A modern linguist, he was the f irst housemaster of Linacre, and was later a housemaster at Dean Close School, Cheltenham. The funeral was held at Cheltenham on July 6th. Several notable former pupils have also died. Alister Kneller (SH 1941-46), Captain of School, and Chief Justice of Gibraltar from 1986 to 1995, died on November 11th. William Simpson (HL 1929-32), who made a remarkable recovery from disfiguring burns when his plane was shot down in 1940, died on November 15th. Peter Townsend (MR 1933-38), expert on Chi na and editor of Studio International, died on July 21. Obituaries will appear in the O.K.S. Review.

Valete Peter Henderson When Chris Jackson was preparing his farewell speech to Peter Henderson, he wisely invited a number of Peter's friends and colleagues- it is the same thing - to suggest to him things which he might mention. "Biimey - where do we start?" started one respondent; and after a page or two he summed up; 'A brilliant bloke: It would certainly be more efficient to print this, and the other half-dozen contributions similar in tone and yet without much overlap of substance, for this vale. Yet a roster of appointments and dates would only convey the scaffolding of the story, except perhaps to those as steeped in the place as Peter himself. An occasion needs to be found for a boy's 'Mr. Henderson gets us to think', or the ringing 'The arrival of Peter Henderson at King's in 1975 led to a dramatic improvement in the fortunes of the Staff XI', (but it was 1969). I asked Peter direct for some facts about 'PGH at KSC: He began at the beginning, almost: 1957-65 Abingdon School, just after Stephen Woodley and just before Peter Brodie. 1965-69 Jesus College, Cambridge: History degree and PGCE 1969-2006 KSC The KSC item accounts for about 40,000 lessons. After a page or so of what he's been busy with, Peter concludes: 'Lessons missed through illness= 0'. Lessons, of course, occupy only a minor share even of the daylight hours in boarding school life. On the pastoral side, Peter was first a Tutor in School House, resident for six of the 21 years of that phase, and then, as co-education developed, Tutor in Almonry House, where the first girl in the School below the Sixth Form was put in his care. She is now a successful concert entrepreneuse, with two school-age sons: but King's School fees. While, like tectonic plates, the structure of girls' boarding Houses settled into shape, Peter was Housemaster to Broad Street Radigunds (1990-92) and finally Tutor in Jervis (1992-2006): 'A tremendous help with [the boring stuff] and life in general. [The girls] all genuinely like and admire him: In 1541, not long before Peter arrived, a

report about some of the Canterbury men previously supported at the University by Christ Church Priory, described one or two of them as 'scholar and witty: This fits Peter like a glove, both in its original meaning ('witty'=intelligent') and also how we now understand the words. As President of the Common Room (200206), Peter carried out the routine duties of that office with quiet effectiveness; but he will probably be remembered longer for his brilliant speeches at Common Room leave-takings. The standard set by David Reid and Chris Millar was already very high : Peter's may, perhaps, be equalled one day but surely never surpassed. The same wide awareness and wit also informed his 10

years as compiler and shaper of This Et That in The Cantuarian. It is inevitable that much that goes on in good schools is really inter-changeable common ground; but something of what makes King's identifiable- something debonair and not too provincial, one wou ld like to think - comes across from these snippets in Peter's hands. The 40,000 lessons mentioned earlier, devoted to History and 'EcPol', were marked, in the judgement of his colleagues, by 'rigorous intellectual standards' and 'relentless enthusiasm'; an amalgam as unusual as bouncing putty, one might think. Yet it existed and proved 'an inspiration to scores of pupils:

Something of this combination can also be seen in the General Paper which Peter has composed for aspiring King's Scholars every spring. Based on wide reading ('he reads, reads, reads, reads') and imaginative juxtaposition, this paper has shown amazing predictive power. Those who do well at it hardly ever fail to live up to the promise it detects. It may not, however, have been popular with those at prep schools who believe in drill. Peter's scholarliness has benefited the School in many other ways. He has been a first-rate custodian of the Walpole Collection for a dozen years or more. Corresponding and visiting scholars have met someone on their own wave-length

(the sane ones, that is); and the Collection has even been added to, notably by the acquisition of Christina Rossetti's own copy of Verses. The Library (whose move to St Augustine's Peter supervised when he just happened to be School Librarian as well) owes the first proper catalogue of its founding collection (early 18th century) to Peter; it attests the excellent custom, now unfortunately in abeyance, by which departing King's Scholars expressed their affection for the School through the gift of a fine volume or two. Peter's extensive knowledge of books and bibliography sources enabled him to compile (and keep updated) A King's School Bibliography, which also includes a section on King's School film-makers. Quite possibly, this will prove to be Peter's monumentum aere perennius, with A History of the Beverley Cricket Club (on the internet) and Canterbury Harvesters 1970-99 as back-up. The latter is an account of the Common Room's touring Cricket XI. And so to Peter's contribution to King's School sport. Considerations of space (such, as when Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, visited Ireland, 'led Their Lordships to furnish His Royal Highness' quarters with pictures of his race-horses rather than his mistresses') confine me to his own summary (and a colleague's 'backbone of the Games Department .. the rock on which others would build:): Games Autumn terms: rugby 1969-83; then umpiring girls' hockey most years Lent term: hockey U16; 1st XI (i/c hockey 1978-87, with 1 year off), U15,U14 ... ending with U14 Cs. Summer term: cricket: U14;U16;2nd XI [non-school] Canterbury Pilgrims Cricket Club c20 years; Captain for 5 years: 1979-83 Canterbury Harvesters CC[=Common Room on tour] 1970-99 [i.e. every tour] team manager in later years+ Haymakers + Common Room XI (every year)

Common Room hockey throughout Common Room rugger, tennis, squash, etc., in limited amounts with varying degrees of incompetence. The reader, if he or she has persevered to this point, must surely be wondering how Peter managed to occupy himself in the vast swathes of time not yet accounted for. Well, he organised several excellent exhibitions for King's Week, from material in the School Archives, and also one about Schoo! Inspections which steered those then engaged on one of them in the right direction; their report was favourable. He has been Secretary to the Exhibition Fund Committee, an eminence grise role, as well as having the more public one, on Speech Day, as the still point at the centre of the whirlpool of prize-winners collecting their (almost always, thanks to him, their) books. The cultured face of the School, shown to visitors treated to occasional Literary Tours, was his: Mrs Gough Whitlam and Dr Joanna Lumley have benefited. And by no means the least demanding task entrusted to Peter was to produce the second (2005) edition of Imps of Promise: it required tactful ruthlessness, and the result is admirable. What Peter has done for the King's School will be evident here for many years to come. I am glad -very glad that he himself will remain on the scene as well, as the School's Archivist, the second in 1400 years. The age of IT has dawned, quill and parchment bow out. How to sum it all up? 'If I had to choose someone to play an innings for my life, Peter would be the man I would select ! really don't know what that means, but it's just about right. Paul Pollak

Chris Jackson Chris is a quite outstanding schoolmaster to whom the School is indebted for his selfless and multifarious contributions over the last 37 years. Having come to King's in 1969 from Corpus Christi, Cambridge, where he had studied Natural Sciences, he taught mainly Chemistry, but also some Maths. He soon established himself as an excellent teacher, indeed, the "best" in a very strong department, in the view of huge numbers of pupils over the years. DMA declares that his departure will be a significant loss for the department and comments that Chris' forte is his clarity of expression, which has enabled pupils to grasp a difficult

subject. He has inspired many, many pupils to go on to read science-based courses at university. They owe Chris a huge debt for preparing them so thoroughly. The departmental turn-out for Chris' farewell party confirms that here we have a special, much-loved and much-respected individual: all the teachers and technicians (except Ken Yates, who is nearly 90), who had served in the department in his time, gathered to honour his contribution. As PGH pointed out in his farewell speech for Chris- this is doubly remarkable, firstly that they should feel it fitting to return and secondly, that they should all still be alive! An extremely well-organized and talented administrator {with immaculate handwriting[), he became Senior Science Master (Head of Science) in 1979, guiding the department through the first major inspection and again in CMA's absence. For many years he was responsible for the Harvey Society and was heavily involved in various building projects, including the Mitchinson's basement Chemistry laboratories and the new Biology laboratories in the roof of the Parry Hall. He held the post for over 20 years, which is an astonishing achievement, given the department's size. Not only did he have to liaise with colleagues in the three disciplines, but also coordinate cleaning staff and technicians and manage health and safety concerns long before the rest of us had been asked to fill in a risk assessment! On the pastoral side Chris made an inauspicious start in his role as resident tutor in Riversleigh, the old waiting house up in London Road. However, he got engaged to Linda later in that first term, hav'mg made his first move on her in Cambridge during the World Cup final in 1966! This was presumably at half-time! This union, therefore, gave him the perfect excuse to move out and he has been happily married ever since! I know how much he appreciates the support Linda has given him over the years in his various roles, despite her full-time duties in the N.H.S. as an occupational therapist. Chris later transferred to Galpin's and then joined PGH in Broad Street in 1990 when the School became fully coeducational. Peter remembers Chris as a very caring and efficient tutor and considers himself very lucky to have shared two years with him before Chris moved on to Luxmoore, where he remained until his retirement. I know that this was a part of the job that Chris really loved and evening duties would race by

as he chatted to the girls, who were at ease with his gentle manner. His tutees have told me how considerate and caring he was and have spoken fondly about his genuine interest in their personal and academic welfare. Sophie LeighPemberton described him thus, "The ultimate groovy tutor- awesome! We knew he always had such a lot on his plate and yet he was always 100% available for us and always had that lovely friendly smile." In January 2000 he became Head of Sixth Form and set about shaping the role in his inimitably indefa tigable way. His impeccable thoroughness meant that administrative matters ran smoothly and there was an exciting range of dynamic Sixth Form talks, which Chris supported tirelessly. I know, however, that what he has most enjoyed about the role has been the opportunity that it has given him to get to know virtually the whole Sixth Form, especially while helping pupils with personal statements for UCAS, choice of Oxbridge colleges, courses, universities and careers. As a housemaster I am indebted to Chris for reading all my UCAS references; I could rely on him to make one or two carefully suggested improvements and felt very pleased with myself if my efforts deserved a large tick and an "excellent" from a man with such an overview of the whole process. I am very grateful to Chris for his help and, indeed, for the speed with which he would turn these references round.

However, his greatest impact has probably come through football, since he began the inter-House leagues behind the old Luxmoore off the New Dover Road, before organizing unofficial School teams in activities time. I know how proud he is of some of his famous victories over strong football schools such as Harvey Grammar, Kent champions at the time. Although certain colleagues frowned on this activity, the game progressed under his tutelage and was taken on to major sport status by his successor Peter Dix. Chris has continued to take teams throughout his career, with unbridled passion and exuberance. Not only was it incredible to see how he was always the first coach down at Birley's in his final season, but also to witness his sparkle and enthusiasm in the dressing room afterwards when talking about "the best 4th XI that the School had ever had." A keen West Ham United fan, he is

obviously very pleased to have them back in the Premiership. I shall look forward to return ing to Upton Park with him, although the last ti me we we nt together West Ha m were victorious aga inst my beloved Liverpool. Moreover, I hope it is not as nerve-racking for the pair of us as the 2006 F.A. Cup Final. Now Chris will have the chance to slow down and dedicate more time to Linda, their lovely Wingham garden, thei r shared passion of ornithology and cruises to fa roff places. Linda will continue to work so Chris will have to do the housework and the cooking and he wil l have more time to spend with his son Adam and daughter-in-law Louise, whom he adores. With a present handicap of 16, he will surely work his way to single figures in a short space of time and my golfing colleagues and I hope to see him regularly at Canterbury Golf Club. I have

Another major contribution that Chris has made over the years has, of course, been on the sporting side of life in the boarding environment. The remarkable feature of his extra-curricular input has been the fact that he has participated fully throughout his career, taking a sport in each term for almost all of his 37 years here. For many years he ran a rugby team, although he had never played the game himself. PGH remembers Chris "throwing himself into the sport with immense energy, literally so in those famous Common Room matches against the 3rd XI/, in which Chris found out the hard way what happens in a maul': Chris also helped with hockey, turning out for Common Room teams. Furthermore, he coached Colts cricket for a number of years and was a great success on the Harvester tours, impressing all with his huge six over the tree at Compton House. One of his great loves, tennis, has kept him busy in the summer, especially when he took over from SCW in the 1980s. True to form, he looked after the under-16s until his retirement. Chris was also a regular at the Canterbury Club.

always enjoyed playing golf with Chris, who remains ever-positive about one's chances during a round. Even when we are faced with a difficult recovery shot from the rough, there he is encouraging us with a shout of "pitch and a putt for a par!" He seems too young to retire so we can only assume that this most successful Chemistry teacher clearly discovered a magic Peter Pan potion in Chemistry Lab 5. The King's School will miss not only his expertise and wisdom, but also his verve and ebullient bonhomie.

CPN

Alan Rooke We lifelong English teachers, however passionately devoted to our beloved subject, instinctively respect those who can a) understand and b) explain Mathematical problems. We stand behind the great essayists of the seventeenth century, who speak with proper awe: Francis Bacon asserted that "History makes men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle ..." lzaak Walton praised angling because it "May be said to be so like the mathematics - that it can never be fully learnt"; Sir Thomas Browne nodded in agreement, seeing in Nature a reflection of "The Ordainer of order and the mystical mathematics of the city of heaven." Suffice to say that as an English-teaching Housemistress, I have been endlessly grateful for Alan's help on duty-night in sorting out Maths preps with distraught pupils! Alan arrived in 1976, the year of the long, hot summer and "a good year for the King's Mathematics Department," according to James Cooke in The Cantuarian, as Alan, Roger Mall ion and Richard Atkins arrived together. Something of an "annus mirabilis", heralding a glorious reign. Paul Pollak had just taken over from Richard Paynter as Head of Department, Paul Wenley was Lower Master and Chris Millar was Master of Studies- all of whose portraits as elder statesmen now hang on the Common Room walls. With the neat precision of the true mathematician, Alan served exactly 30 years at King's, with 15 years as Tutor, firstly in The Grange (boys) then in Luxmoore (girls). Everyone who knows Alan well attest to his extraordinary patience, especially helping pupils one-to-one. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and my enduring mental picture will be of him perching neatly on the arm of my high-backed beech chair in the study, one leg tucked

in and muttering incantations and calculations that led to the relief and enlightenment of some poor, floundering Remove! He joked about their merely being "big sums", but we knew better. He knew his pupils very well and often took on scholars as tutees - not always an easy task. His comments on 6a (for U.C.A.S.) were invaluable - sharply incisive and reflecting a close knowledge of, and concern for, his charges. Within Luxmoore, he was extremely dependable ; he and his family were loyal supporters of all the House events, particularly the musicals and concerts, where he gave sterling service with his 'cel lo, as he did for ten years in the school orchestra. He played at every single Saturday morning House Assembly, knowing that it mattered to me. Whatever desperate problems with cover he was dealing with in the Academic Office, he downed tools and ran over to LX, picking up the details of the hymn required with professional ease, often re-scoring it on the hoof so that we droners and squeakers could manage those top notes without embarrassment! Having been organist at St. Mary Bredin for many years, this was easy stuff for The Master, but it also reflected the steadiness of his own faith, and his support in this was much valued. Since 2000, he has been Assistant Director of Studies, and thi s is in many ways a thankless task, because it involves

the business of cover for absent staff. He is extremely even - handed in ensu ring that pupils are appropriately looked after, and the task shared out equably. It is often requi red at short notice and I know that Alan has simply done it himself without fuss. He has also sorted out exam timetables and parents' meetings, which in turn require an intimate knowledge of the school database, which Alan took over from Peter Watmough and developed substantially - a colossal task. We are all indebted to him as well as the ICT department for leading us into the Computer Age. Though dealing with intricate and advanced programs, he never minded showing baseliners like me how to do something new. I vividly remember his ca lm explanation as to how to halt a printer which was spewing out mill ions of copies of re ports, unbidden; one word from Alan and the reca lcitrant beast was stilled; the trees we re saved; they recognised His Master's Voice. My most wise Scottish great grandmother used to ta lk (imagine the Morningside lilt here) of "the hidden work" that lay behind some of the most showy affairs. How right she was, and it fits Alan exactly. For example, he looked after th e sound system in the cathedral for 25 years, yet few of us knew exactly who made sure we could hear the preacher at Matins or Evensong. A "beh ind-the-

scenes" job that we all take for granted, and the great machine of church and school cannot work without such quiet dedication. Similarly, he has been prepared to get his legs muddy, helping with cross-country for 27 years, and has run the school's chess team since he arrived. Luxmoore will miss his staunch support in the House, but school continues to benefit from his expertise in that he now puts in 25 hours a week (rather than 25 hours a day!) in the Academic Office, working on the database. I am sure that like me, he is enjoying these strange phenomena known as "weekends", and hope that he now has more time to devote to his music, and especially to the Scarlatti scores that he so typically chose as his leaving present. Alan loves problems, numerical or personal, so I will conclude with an important new equation, the Luxmoore Big Sum: A.R.A.R. + pupil + problem = problem quietly Et effectively solved ! . We have all been enriched by your friendship and professional help; thank you, Alan. FET (King's Common Room 1981 - 2003 )

William H. Browning Over the thirty years it has taken me to accumulate numerous debts of gratitude, the only oversized one belongs to William Browning. Prodigiously well-read, learned and philosophical, enthusiastic and entertaining, witty and very clever as he is, working with HWB afforded those in his company the civilizing effects of a personal daily miracle. A born teacher of literature, Bill joined King's in 1992, a celebrated year, when Victoria, Bill's mathematical wife, became the first Housemistress of Jervis, a new girls' boarding house. Under Victoria's leadership, the Browning family's eightyear stay there became a partnership of complementary talents and a tribute to the priorities of up-to-date co-education. As the ex-Tonbridge School English teacher, and writer Jonathan Smith observes in his autobiography, The Learning Game : A Teacher's Inspirational Story, one of the joys of teaching is the opportunity to try one's hand at many things; to try ideas on for size, find what fits, and to dress oneself up in differing roles, responsibilities and patterns of

thought. As King's Week Manager (19942001), Bill Browning's aesthetic sensibilities soon informed and refined this annual festive event by sponsoring originality: long-established legacies in music and drama were offered far more than the customary retrospective glance at the past; innovative student-centred events were given their rightful organic place in all that is good at King's and at the best time of the academ ic year. Bill's unusual blend of daring and devotion helped re-invent King's Week as a modern productive metaphor in artistic hegemony. Bill was Head of English 1994-2004, and against the usual rumpus about examinations, results and re-sits, remarks and appeals, soft options and sensible decisions, and the usual discussion about' numbers up in computing while Chemistry falls', and whilst the noise of chaos thickened, staff working under HWB were afforded a backbone of support from a leader-cumfortune-teller. Wise and stable good counsel prevailed from Bill's ability to embrace distinctions between people and to support an assistant teacher's personality by allowing him or her to tick happily away at their job in rhythm with the world and the mood of their times. Bill's departmental meetings were occasions when his gold-and-dollar reserves of pizzazz broke all known records. Outside key issues, there was always time to cheri sh the few great works of talent that grew from occasional flashes of insight and zeal from the department's students' achievements. Life was no infuriating spiral of agendas,

amendments, or tin-pot initiatives from committees suffering a leukaemia of academic righteousness. Bill's English department was no place for the worthy monolith of punch-drunk 'standards'; nor for the missionary administrator who gropes through the flim-flam of examining boards' syllabuses expecting not to emerge with a complexion of convict grey, the hardening headstone upon which he waits to engrave a last slogan. Bill Browning had no t ime for mere pedagogy. HWB's love for the English language never consigned him into bookish isolation. Soon after pointing the department beyond the blue horizon, he was promoted to become Housemaster of School House in 2000, where he remained until July 2006. Under their new housemaster, School House became a place of comradely benevolence. Whether from the de Rothchi lds' or the banks of the River Taff, visitors were made welcome by everyone in School House. Compassion caught on through an assault of hospitality, a visit to the kitchen -diner, and jazz sounds everywhere, Bill's medicine of the mind ; and all very apposite, since as with music's own gymnastic, Bill also attained his own extraordinary ends as Housemaster and Head of Department entirely f rom his own resources. School House boys eschewed the usual in-house adolescent debilities; they were relaxed, informa l, spontaneous, expansive in outlook, and above all, tolerant and respectfu I towards others. They were a joy to teach because of the undiminished pleasure they t ook in sparkling conversation.

Students taught English in the Maugham Library by HWB were a privileged breed of acolytes. He taught from no elevated lectern, yet they worshipped his lessons as monuments shaped by a visionary, a foremost modern practitioner in all that is to be treasured most in teaching and learning. Bill put the trick of singularity into those he enlightened regardless of age or ability; he respected young people because he saw them as individuals and never as units in a class; they adored him for his loving yet un-enforced masterly command of subject-matter, and for his unobtrusive caring involvement with them all. HWB taught his students to love their subject first so as to obtain their own high academic grades thereafter. He knew the secret of a young person's route to success: the less he is told, paradoxically, the more he is being taught to think for himself; a concordia discordantium or a harmony among differing opinions was at the pulse-beat of what he encouraged in youngsters' values and beliefs. As beings they flourished from his special elixir or sovereign opiate or optimism. As teacher and tutor, he possessed a humanitarian capacity to tease out a heather-scented paradise from moods evoked from the occasional crotchety adolescent knothole; and made others feel safe aboard those obligatory academic gangplanks mischievously trod by students and teache rs alike. Bill promoted creativity through his senior writing circle evenings. As a published novelist himself, he was aptly endowed to advise young writers about their typical expectations; the prohibitions, the importance of the unsaid and half-said in words, and from his own authorial modesty, the limits of any writer's probable meanings. Imagination would have prevailed but I bet nothing in print would have put realism in the balance; yet the tides of laughter, perhaps against all the odds, would have run higher than ever before. Bill Browning always struck me as a man of nature, close to the abiding life-forces of trees and earth : should you ever find yourself at a loose end in a leafy glade sometime, prepare yourself for the coming of the Green Man. This may arrive in the form of an orderly, recognisable deity out of Arden, HWB bearing the renewed hope found in the rainbows of Shakespearean pastoral drama, a genre I know him to cherish dearly. Then ask the painter himself to show you his own jewel- like line drawings and watercolours of birds; and you will recog nise them as artistic statements from a man who ranks

among the aristocracy of the sensitive and most considerate of those I have met in my life. Of all the English counties, Kent is the very closest to Bill's affections. I know he follows the best team sports (cricket and rugby, possibly in that order) so his life membership of Kent CCC will help perpetuate the face of the game that I have always wrong identified with the Englishman's austere regard for control. But control was never a thing Bill made his speciality. His ability to catch the imperative gesture -the craven look in the eyes of a pupil in the wrong, the shakily undermined position of a colleague like myself- and throw a protective shield around another's interests was Bill's abiding hymn towards others; for us, his congregation. R. B. Milford

Javier Gonzalez After four years, Javier Gonzalez, our very own caballero castellano (perfect Spanish gentleman) left us to move to pastures new - Guildford Girls' School. It is rumoured his move had nothing to do with the prospect of free weekends, exclusively female pupils and the absence of boarding duties and rugby coaching.

Javier's was always a quiet, solid, utterly professional approach, so re liable that it was almost too easy to take him for granted. His sensible, wise, but wry attitude was a real ba lm to many, on many occasions. Devoted to his teaching and to his pupils, he was always ca lm, easy to talk to, and he obtained excellent results with apparent ease. There was nothing dry about him however, and those of us who had the luck to observe his lessons were from the first (even at interview!) fasci nated by the gentle power he wielded over his pupils, always benign, and always stimulating. Thanks to his encouraging and methodica l approach, his classes always achieved excellent results, and his fine example contributed to the success in recent years, not only of t he Spanish departmen t, but of the Modern La nguages Department, and the School as a whole. In addition to his contribution to sports, not least rugby, Javier was a great participator in Spanish trips - Seville, Madrid and Barcelona - and he organised the last two Madrid t rips with aweinspiring accu racy and foresight: his passion for Span ish as a subject undoubtedly inspired many pupils to continue at university. Outside school, he was invaria bly involved in some project or pastime - most recently building his own computer from scratch. No one ever saw

him upset, or complaining. And miraculously, he was never once complained about, a rare achievement in a life surrounded by adolescents! This term started with a barrage of questions from pupils who wish him well. We are very pleased for him that he is teaching in a school with an excellent academic reputation, which he will surely further enhance. We miss him often -for example on Friday evenings when, during staff sports' evenings, his classy basketball skills dazzled with their grace and finesse, and we regularly think of him, not least on Saturday mornings, when he is asleep and we are teaching. MB and TJA

John Troy John arrived from Westminster School where he had been a founding housemaster of a day house and a teacher of Economics. John brought to King's not merely a rich experience of school mastering, but also as a qualified lawyer, of the legal world, and as a veteran of the Falklands war, of the Royal Navy. John's teaching has not been confined to Economics; he has also taught AS Government and Politics.

ohn was attached to Linacre house. His reputation as an engaging and caring tutor soon meant that to be in his tutor group was regarded as being a real bonus. In his two years in Linacre he made a bigger mark than many tutors might be expected to make in ten. We will all miss John, his wife Maggie, and Sam. We wish them all the very best.

Maziar Homayoun nejad Maziar came to King's as an NQT, joining an expanding department and teaching both 6a and 6b classes. He proved to be a dedicated teacher and his preparation was most impressive. Worksheets were admirable and the pupils were given clear guidance through the jungle of public examinations. We are grateful for all his efforts and wish him well as he returns to the school where he did his teaching practice in London. A short stay but he made a very positive impression on all those he taught BC

John is very much an academic. He is also a distinguished teacher whose motivation for his subject inspires, even amongst the usually less driven, a spirit of enquiry. John is a true humanist and could not be described as a purely 'technical economist: He is fully aware that Economics is a social science and as such theory and policy cannot be divorced from morality. This is unsurprising since underlying John's philosophy on life is a deep and authentic adherence to the Christian faith. John threw himself into the life of this busy boarding school. Not only did he go the extra mile for his pupils, he was also an enthusiastic and very popular tutor in Linacre House where he immediately struck up a rapport with the boys, especially those fortunate enough to be in his tutor group. Such was John's enthusiasm for all things to be found and offered by good schools that he gave up valuable time in the holidays to accompany boys on sailing trips to the south coast. In the Michael mas term, John could be found down at the end of Birley's coaching rugby to the under 14 year group. Indeed, John's turn of speed on the rugby pitch was evidenced in the staff versus 1st XV touch rugby matches.

Focus The Opening of the New Birley's Pavilion The construction of the new pavilion at Birley's watched over almost a year's worth of King's sport. The small, old, wooden pavilion, buil t in the 1930s, had finally been replaced by an extensive, contemporary and functional facility, which will no doubt be the envy of any school team fortunate enough to have a fixture at King's. Gone are the days of communal showers, crowded changing rooms and modest team teas. After the long construction process it was clear that the finished product was well worth the wait, however it was not until Saturday the 17th September 2005 that the new pavilion was finally declared open.

they were not good enough to come out on top. This was followed promptly by the beginning of the rugby matches. The school was hosting Eastbourne and matches were played at all ages and levels; almost fifteen games took place throughout the day. By the time lessons had finished and the school, along with parents, had made the trip up to Birley's, the sun was gleaming across the full playing fields. A helicopter in the distance drew closer before landing among the pitches, as the star guest David Gower

It was an important day for King's School sport, hopefully taking it to a new level. The facilities in the pavilion include eight new changing rooms and a spacious dining area, accompanied by a large gallery with views of the rugby and hockey pitches and also the tennis courts. The excitement of the opening day began at mid morning when the girls' 1st XI hockey team took part in a hockey tournament, but unfortunately on the day

Above - The Unveiling of th e Plaque I. tor. The Headmaster. David Go wer DBE, OKS (Lin acre 70-75}, The Dean (Chairman of Governors) Top -The School XV playing ot Birle y's

(ex-cricketer and one of our most famous Old Boys) was welcomed. We were especially grateful for his attendance as he had to delay wedding anniversary celebrations for our event. A welcoming pa rty escorted him to drinks on the pavilion's expansive terrace. The marquees had been set up and lunch was served in the glass-walled main room. King's parents and t hose of the opposition, along with all t he players and pupils, enjoyed a fantastic gourmet lu nch both in the main marquee and up in the

Above -Aerial view of the new Birley's Pavilion Top-/. tor. Pout Toy/or. Mike Hodgson (ex-Housemaster of Broughton), David Gower. The Headmaster. Emily Reilly (Vice Captain of School}, Ed Rex (Captain of School)

pavilion dining room. Spectator stands had been set up alongside the 1st YN rugby pi tch in anticipation of the big game later on. Once all the sports had concluded, apart from the final match, everyone began to gather at the foot of the pavilion balcony. The majority of the school were there in support and, after waiting a short while, the Headmaster introduced the speaker, David Gower. After rem iniscing on his childhood cricket memories in the old pavilion and on the treasured 1st XI cricket pitch, he unveiled a plaque and declared the new pavilion open. Everyone applauded the new addition to the new sports facilities as people began to move towards the 1st YN rugby pitch to get the best seats before the game. The teams came onto the field to a t remendous approba tion, as one of the toughest matches of the season got underway. As the game came to a finish and the sun was now low in the sky, despite King's losing most of the matches, the occasion had been a terrific success. By Matthew Wells (MR) and Ed Rex (GL)

Th e Opening of Cor/yon House I. tor. Alex Sanne, Th e Dean, The Headmaster

Carlyon Opening 1st of October 2005. What a very significant and magnificent day for the King's School Canterbury. For it was on this day that the la test House in the school was officially opened. Before I divulge the recent excitations, allow me to entreat to you some history. The name Carlyon originated from the Hotel in Cornwall, the Carlyon Bay Hotel, in turn named after nearby Carlyon Bay, which the senior school occupied du ring May 1940 throug h to near the end of the Second World War for the safety of the Paul Taylor ond Mike Brown

pupils. It was a great achievement to stay teaching in this hotel because, as Canon Shirley reca lls, there were no buildings for classrooms until the winter where single garage blocks were constructed and turned in to rudimentary rooms. This wonderfu I period in history, the only point where the school has left Canterbury Precincts, was deemed worthy of permanent remembrance within modern school life. Also, the two existing Day Houses were under extreme duress for places, with Mi tchinson's accommodating over 100 day pupils in 2004. These two problematic pigeons were killed with one stone - the creation of a new Day House and naming it Carlyon. Alex Sanne {Head of House)

Emma Healy {Head of House}

summer- the opposite in winter- was transformed into a votive reception room with many delicious treats and garnishes on hand along with juice, punch, wine and even some champagne. There were tours available and the sitting room played host to a display informing all about the school's time in the war and what life was like, with many interesting photos. One I remember is a P.E. lesson or activity where the boys are climbing up a sheer rock wall with the master in charge standing watching them, perhaps a small smile of amusement in his eyes? All the present members of Carlyon attended with their parents, many staff members, the Headmaster, the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral and the first Housemaster Mr AI Holland. But the guests of honour were some OKS gentlemen who had been pupils at the hotel. Among the gentlemen was Major General Patrick Lee who had been invited as the man to officially open the House. After introductory speeches from AI Holland and the Dean, General Lee made his speech and then revealed the commemorative plaque which officially states the opening and adoption of Carlyon House into the King's School Canterbury. It can now be seen on the wall in the main hall of Carlyon. A large millstone also resides in the courtyard, to commemorate St Piran the patron saint of tinners and Cornwall. Allegedly the pagans threw him off the cliffs with a millstone around his neck to drown him, yet the power of the Lord gave the millstone extraordinary buoyancy turning from a dead weight to a life belt, allowing St Piran to float to safety. Alexander Sanne gave a speech of gratitude to all presen t. especially the OKS, General Lee and the Dean who was the chairman of the board of Governors who allowed Carlyon to exist and was instrumental in making sure all the

Statues on Lady Wootton's Green

preparations were made and red tape cut. Emma Healy presented General Lee with a bottle of champagne and then the celebrations and socialising continued. A group photo of the O.K.S. was taken to commemorate the old and new. The new house has arrived, the black and white will not be removed. Pay heed readers, the ethos is changed. And I think for the better. Alex Sanne (CY - Head of House 2005- 2006)

The Unveiling of the Statues of King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha 26th May 2006 was a day of dual historical significance for Canterbury and indeed the whole of Kent; the 1409th anniversary of St Augustine's arrival in Kent, it also marked a unique celebration merging past and present, English and European, Christian and pagan. History, ceremony, drama and music combined to create a spectacu Ia r commemoration of Augustine's landing and all that it stood for. At its heart was the unveiling of the new statues of King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha of Kent on Lady Wooton's Green. The figures are depicted in an imagined scene at the time of Augustine's landing, in a Kent poised on the brink of an historic change.

I sha II meet thee .. .' was performed by the Chaucer Technology School, 'Ki ng Saebert's Death ' by St Edmund's School, 'The Conversion of King Edwin' by Simon Langton Boys' Grammar School, and 'King Raedwald and the Silver Spoons' by Barton Court Grammar School. Medieval music was provided by Canterbury Christ Church University and formed a fitting backdrop for the events of historical and religious significance to come. At noon, The King's School Headmaster welcomed HRH Prince Michael of Kent and the principal guests at the Fyndon Gate and a succession of local dignitaries continued the welcoming ceremonies: John Purchese, President of the Canterbury Commemoration Society, introduced the Lord Mayor fo r his Speech of Welcome, and then The Rt Rev. Stephen Venner, Bishop of Dover, explained the sign ificance of the commemoration. Plainsong, again provided by Canterbury Christ Church University, signalled everybody to move to the north terrace for The Canterbury Players' enactment of the scene portrayed by the statues. The scene depicts the pagan Ethelbert, King and Overlord of the southern English kingdoms, meeting his Christian wife Bertha, daughter of Chari bert King of the Franks, as she returns, clutching a prayer book, from worship at St Ma rtin's Church

The major themes of Kent, history and the advent of Christianity to Britain interweaved throughout the day's programme; the arrival of the principal guests was preceded by performances by local schools in the St Augustine's Quadrangle of four short Promen ade Plays fusing history and Christianity: 'And

King Ethelbert

The ceremony concluded with John Purchese's speech of thanks to all t hose responsible for the construction and funding of the monument, and his presentation of the statues to the Lord Mayor, who received it on behalf of the City of Canterbury. St Augustine's landing is of great historical significance both for England and for the city of Canterbury; the Christianisation of Kent (and subsequently of all England) which it heralded enabled the country to enter the European mainstream and established Canterbury as the foundation of the Church in England, a situation which endures to this day. Hence the reflection of these themes, of the regional and the interna tiona l, in the visitors and ceremonies of the day. The position of the statues midway between the Cathedral

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The Latin inscription gives an account of the events of the day and reads: 'In the yea r 2006, on the Feast Day of St. Augustine, HRH Prince Michael of Kent together with the distinguished representative of the French Republic, came to Canterbury in order to unveil the statues of King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha, patrons of the Apostles of the Eng lish : and afterwards they honoured by their presence the luncheon served in the refectory of the King's School Canterbury: Sincere thanks must go to al l those involved in the orchestration of this wonderful celebration, chief among them The Canterbury Commemoration Society wh ich commissioned the statues and played a leading role in organising the day's programme. An historic occasion for the people of Canterbury, it will not be soon forgot ten; the statues on Lady Wooton 's Green stand powerful testimony to the past. in both the momentous events of the distant and the profound remembrance of the recent. Kate Roberts (MR)

AN NO OOMIN IMM\Il DI E FESTA S.AVOVSTINI

AOVENIT CANTUARIAM NOSIUSSIMUS PRINCfP3 MICHAEL CANTIANU$ UNA CUM REIPUBUCAE GAI.UCAE LfOATO PRAECIPIJO UT ANGLORUM APOSTOll FAIJTORUM

REGIS ETHELBERT! REOINAEQ UE BERTHAÂŁ IMAOINES INAUOURARfNT: ET POSTEA PRANDIUM IN CENAC\JLO SCH OLAE REG IAÂŁ CANTUARIEN SIS ACTUM PRAESENTIA SUA HONORAVERUNT

Franks, as she returns, clutching a prayer book, from worship at St Martin's Church in Canterbury. Ethelbert bears the news of St Augustine's landing at Ebbsfleet on the Isle of Thanet. Both in performance and in the form of statues, it is a scene of great power. As Ethelbert, representing the past pagan values of Dark Ages Britain, faces Bertha, the embodiment of the Christian, European world England is about to enter, the pervading sense is of great and impending change. The Players and the Promenade players then led the principal guests out onto Lady Wooton's Green for the unveiling of the statues (created by Stephen Melton). Following close upon the historical drama, the unveiling beautifully drew out the parallels between past and present, providing a sense of historical continuity; M. Bertrand Cochery, the French Consul General, spoke and unveiled the statue of the Frankish Queen Bertha, while HRH Prince Michael, in his capacity as the leader of the people of Kent, unveiled the statue of King Ethe lbert before making his speech.

and St Augustine's Abbey is significant in that they link, both symbolically and geographically, these historical sites with the 7th century StMartin's Church which was attended by Bertha. Thus they form an integral part of the connections between all of Canterbury's major historical and religious sites. The day's events were fittingly commemorated in the King's School Visitors' Book with Latin and Anglo Saxon inscriptions signed by HRH Prince Michael and M. Cochery. Dr Marion O'Connor of UKC kindly provided the Anglo Saxon inscription of welcome which translates as: 'Greetings, Michael, Prince of the Realm of the People of Kent. Greetings, one who speaks for the land of the Franks. The King's School welcomes you:

The Wa lpole 70th Year Reunion was a fabulous weekend that saw past and present members of the house meeting for a dinner and then a performance. The show, coordinated by Dr Pidoux and Mr Bersey, fused drama, dance and music in a humorous exploration of the decades. Jazz music from the 1920s kicked off the event, played deftly and cheerfully by a band of Walpole girls. The production incorporated the whole house, and various talents were showcased to a very appreciative audience. A scene from "Annie" was very entertaining, with Lizzie Pope shining as an inebriated matron, against a backdrop of impressive acrobatics and dance. The advent of the wa rtime yea rs brought an amusing radio sketch tha t brought back the days of rationing and painted-on stockings. Then an extremely emotive rendition of We'll

The lengthy Anglo Saxon word for 'Kent' used in the inscription comes from the Anglo Saxon dictionary compiled by William Somner (KS 1620), perhaps the earliest of its kind.

Top - Queen Bertha

The Walpole 70th Year Reunion

M i ddl e - Ang l o Saxon and Latin i nscriptio ns i n the Kin g's Schoo l Visi tors' Boo k

Gi gi Ba rker ( He ad o f House) and Ben Brackenbur y (OKS

meet again by a close harmony quartet brought tears to a good many eyes. The Fifties brought with them another jazz group, and a hilarious poem recitation by Rose Wilson-Haffenden, who perfectly captured the spirit of a young girl only interested in her horses and her proud mother. Then, the Sixties went with a swing in the form of Fly me to the Moon sung by a close harmony octet. The duet version of the 1970s hit Fields of Gold was brilliantly sung by Kate Gabriel and lzzy Coles, whose voices contrasted, yet blended well. The Eighties were epitomised by Shirley Valentine in a starstudded performance that showed off the dramatic abilities of younger pupils. Alice Hunter Johnston's convincing monologue, with a well-mastered Geordie accent was complemented by the an tics of Florence Nairac and Lucy Egleton on stage. The show was rounded off by a perform anee of the House Song, which was the Nineties anthem As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys, in which the whole house joined together to sing enthusiastically. The whole extravaganza was a triumph, a final manifestation of all the hard work put in by House pupils and tutors. Sarah Ventress (WL)

Rig ht - Rose Wilson-Haffen den (WL) Belo w- 70 Yea rs of Walpole

Artwork and Creative Writing The Man Who Married Himself 'Why not?' With those two words, my good friend Reverend Zatarga changed the course of my life. When he said them to me, he had just spent two hours on the telephone with Bishop Fleming discussing various sections of the Bible in excruciatingly fine detail. He pointed out that Leviticus warns Christians not to marry their sister, aunt, mother, mother-in-law, daughter or even their granddaughter (should they ever be tempted). But nowhere in the good book is there a rule against marrying oneself. So when I told Reverend Zatarga that was exactly what I wanted to do, he eventually conceded those two fateful words: 'Why not?' Of course, the Bible also neglects to forbid anyone from marrying great-grandmothers, tables or pet fish. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Bishop Fleming ended up marrying his beloved French poodle as a result of all this. Or his blanket - after all he's been sleeping with it for years. Anyway, once I convinced the good Reverend to let me marry the man of my dreams, I had to convince my mother and father. I'd have to say that between an international religion, firmly established for two millennia, and my own humble parents, my parents were far more difficult to persuade. My mother just wouldn't take it seriously at first. OK, very few people took it seriously, but I needed her to know I meant it. She kept asking me silly things like 'Why marry- you can just live with yourself?' or 'What will you wear for the wedding?' And sadly, it drove my father quite mad. literally. For years after the wedding he spent days typing up articles for a wide variety of news journals, record books and space administration newsletters claiming that he was the first person to have had sex in space. He seemed quite convinced, despite the fact that the closest he had come to space was the big button on his computer keyboard. When asked who he had allegedly had sex with, he would usually pause briefly for dramatic effect, turn his wild eyes towards you and yell shrilly: 'Myself!' I would have hoped that I could trust my best friends to be sympathetic towards my cause, but I think it was all a bit of a joke for them. They were often supportive, but after the wedding they just spent a lot of time making fun of me. Some of the wedding presents I received from them were quite demeaning: pornographic magazines, silk gloves, even a ceiling mirror. And !'m disappointed in them for not stifling their mirth when Reverend Zatarga recited the marriage vows: 'Will you keep yourself as a husband, to live as one in marriage? Will you love and comfort yourself, obey and honour yourself in sickness and in health, and be faithful to yourself as long as you shall live?' I swear one of my friends wet himself laughing. I had a great honeymoon in Las Vegas, gambling away all my savings with nobody to nag me about how much money I was spending. I had a penthouse suite in the Luxor hotel for the night of consummation . I had many reasons for getting married when I did, apart from the tax benefits of course (trying to make the tax inspector understand that I was my own spouse was hell, though). Ever since I understood the concept of wedlock, I longed for a partner that I could trust. I wanted to have someone with me always, to whom I could tell all my deepest, darkest secrets without having them laugh at me. Unfortunately, although getting girlfriends was usually not too big a problem for me, I tended to have excruciatingly bad taste. Then I realised that my perfect partner was closer to home than anyone could have realised. Altogether, I think the marriage was a great success for the most part I rarely argued with my spouse; in fact I found myself to be the best conversation holder around. The few times that I did argue, I always won. And the sex was, well - it was whatever I made of it. There was some media intrusion of course, lots of cheap journalists trying to cash in on this unusual union. I found some of their articles amusing, and others quite offensive, especially the ones dubbing me the most conceited and/or narcissistic man in the world. I don't think I'm such an egotist, I just happen to enjoy my company. I suppose it was a hormonal thing, a stage of life or something, that made me suddenly crave a child. The cliche is that I realised I was mortal, and I therefore wanted to pass on my genes. So after many days weighing up the pros and cons I decided to split up from my husband in order to find a wife. I had a chat with Reverend Zatarga, and he informed me that I couldn't just file for a divorce on a moment's notice. I had to have legitimate justification. Curiously, wanting a baby wasn't on the list of good reasons to divorce. As the good Reverend explained, I could only divorce if I had been living apart from my spouse for at least a year which would be difficult without major surgery or if my spouse had treated me cruelly or been imprisoned for at least a year. I wasn't particularly willing to beat myself up a bit or lounge around in prison just so I could divorce myself. That left one option: Adultery. I just had to have sex with someone other than myself; normal, straight, human sex and I could be free from the bonds of marriage. And so it was that I reluctantly removed my wedding ring and started searching for a mate. My friends were cruel about it, saying that I was separating to stop myself from going blind. I think my mother was relieved when I told her that my relationship with myself was coming to an end. My father just paused for dramatic effect, turned his wild eyes towards me and yelled shrilly: 'Myself!' Maybe he really is on another world. I expected it to take me quite a while to find someone who was both willing to be with me and who hadn't read the newspapers enough to know that I was already married, but I soon found a plain-faced Malaysian girl who was relatively easy to seduce. The divorce was easy after that. It seemed that the church was keen to split me apart, as if my marriage had been a big mistake. I felt quite lonely for several months after the break-up. At least the local psychiatrist (specialising in multiple personality disorders) stopped sending me his damned business cards every week. It took me nearly a decade to find a good wife who didn't think she'd be marrying into a threesome. Most of that time was just waiting for the media to forget about 'The Man Who Married Himself'. Meanwhile, I wrote an autobiography with that very title. Included in the book was a detailed account of my marriage to myself, including the ups and downs of living with myself, how I dealt with everyone's criticism of me and my husband, and some intimate details of my relationship. I think it was these sections that made the book a real success when it was published some years later. People were just curious to read about the implications of such an unusual marriage. I suppose it made people think. They would read my book and ask themselves: 'Am I easy to live with? If I had to live with me, could I do it?' They all stopped searching for their Mister or Little Miss Right for just a moment to ask them if they would

ever make a good spouse for anyone. ! didn't hear of any copycat self-marriages, which probably either means the media lost interest or the church is determined not to let it happen again. Anyway, that's all behind me now. My wife and I have just moved into a new home, big enough to accommodate our new child, Charlie, not that my wife knows that yet, when he is born. I am happy now. In fact, right now I can't wipe the smile off my face. You see, our next door neighbours are Bishop Fleming and his lovely wife, the French poodle.

By Anna Storer (WL) First Prize in The Cantuarian Creative Writing Competition

Pagta kas Running away. That's all I seem to do these days. Who'd have thought a misplaced comment could cause so much trouble. My name is Tom. I'm 26, and I'm a freelance journalist. Or was. I don't write much anymore. I don't really do anything anymore, in fact. I mostly move, from place to place, under different names and identities. My life is a collection of other lives, other families, other houses, other hobbies and other personalities. I am not me. How did this happen? It's a long story. But there's no rush, I may as well start from the beginning. Four years ago, fresh out of university, I was faced with the immediate choice of pursuing a military career, like my father, or making my own path, into journalism. The pen is mightier than the sword, as they say, and with my youthful exuberance, I felt that I would make more of a dent in the history of humanity by writing, than fighting. So, buoyed by what I felt was a life-enhancing career choice, I found out what I could about the profession. Six months later, after gaining an internship with a popular newspaper, I found myself on a plane, set for Manila. I would be a foreign correspondent, I told myself, reporting the news that no one normally hears about; the real news. I would try to find whatever snippets I could around the area, reporting back to the newspaper when I could. I felt a rush of determination to succeed, as my quality of life depended on the stories I found. There was a great sense of competition between the interns, and those others who had decided to fly out to the Philippines were all extremely competent. I felt nervous, but eager to explore the world, and hopefully, discover something about myself. I had arranged a hotel to stay in for the first few weeks, until I got a flat sorted out and I knew my way around. I found Manila to be an unpleasant place, all things considered; smelly, humid, an oozing, swarming swamp of honking cab drivers and impatient businessmen. My hotel was situated in a fairly grotty part of town, down a derelict side street, and had the questionable name of 'Tarak Otel': translated, it meant quite literally 'Knife Hotel: I found the locals pleasant, and unassuming; it took me a few weeks, but I soon settled in well. I even began to pick up the dialect, Tagalog, and found the native foods to be an unexpected pleasure. Stories, however, were harder to come by. Being a foreigner, I was often met by distrust from the authorities and it would take a huge effort to squeeze out relevant information. My Tagalog fluency was still not great, and thus I found it difficult to put myself around, and make contacts. Money from my father kept me surviving, just, but I knew I would need to find work soon. I realised that it would be useful to establish a contact with the local Manila daily paper. After a few phone calls, I had established a name with the editors, who would inform me if any available work came up. After a few weeks, work did indeed appear. The editor had arranged a meeting with me at a local restaurant, the 'Kamanta Halaan', and as I paid the gruff taxi driver his 20 pesos, I felt a huge rush of adrenaline. This could be the beginning of my career, where my ambitions are fulfilled, and my enthusiasm ignited. A stepping stone to greater things. My meeting with the mousy editor of the 'Diyaryo Magsabi', however, did not fill me with optimistic elation. Instead of being told to report the local sports or politically related news, I had been given Editorship of the daily cartoon slot, on page three. At our first talk, I had made the mistake of mentioning that I had been briefly to Art College in my GAP year, and as the newspaper had no one else right for the job, I was the perfect candidate. The cartoons should be 'funny', they told me, and 'politically aware: I really had no other choice but to accept, so desperate for work was I at the time. In fact, after considering my new career move, I was rather relishing being a cartoonist. I would be able to broadcast my views in an amusing and accessible form, bringing enjoyment to the hectic and chaotic lives of the buzzing metropolis, and would be in control of four other artists, which gave me a feeling of importance and worth. After being shown my cramped office, I made myself known to the rest of the 'team', who were to be mostly 20-somethings, fresh out of university. At this point, my Tagalog had improved so rapidly, and my skin had become so dark, that people often mistook me for a local, and I raised no eyebrows when introducing myself to my co-workers. I found the job a breeze. My four co-workers drew most of the cartoons, while I merely reviewed them, making sure they were witty and relevant enough. Our paper continued its high popularity, and 1 was drawing plaudits for our amusing social comments, often depicting the President or other higher-ranking officials in satirical fashion. I was also finding it easier to find stories now my name was known, and life felt pretty good. I felt like I had finally gotten a foothold in the world, and had started to climb. Around a year into my new life in Manila, trouble began to brew in the Philippines. A Muslim separatist group known as 'Diyos Hukbo' had been causing small riots around the capital, and there had been explosions in three cafes, injuring more than fifty people. The demands of the group were not known, and it was the job of our newspaper to cover the stories. They had made the front page at least twice a week for the past month, of which I had reservations about, because I felt we were giving the terrorists exactly what they wanted: exposure. Our cartoons had mostly stayed away from the issue, as I did not want to become embroiled in the religious tensions of the country. Little did I know I was to become more involved than most. It was a Saturday, if I remember rightly. I woke up around 8:30, per usual; had my shower, bowl of cereal, dressed, found my car keys and headed off to work. My twenty minute drive felt longer than usual, as if the roads had become more congested overnight. Entering our humid office, I headed up to the third floor, stopping for a cup of coffee. I flashed an instinctive smile to the secretary's desk, but checked myself when I realised she was not there. Off sick, I assumed. I entered my office, took off my jacket, and reclined in my swivel chair. It would be thirty minutes before my colleagues arrived for work, and I decided to have a quick nap. As I felt my eyelids drooping, my ears became accustomed to a shouting chant outside, barely audible over the swarm of traffic; 'Diyablo Sumamba! Diyablo Sumamba!' Clearly, someone had upset these people, and from the chant, 'Devil Worshipper', it appeared to be over religion. I felt my heart drop. What if it was our newspaper that had caused

7Alfred Yv (GR} 2 AbiAchade (HH} 3 Coco Cvnningham (WL} 4 Helena Payne (BR} 5 Henry Hird (LN} 6 Lara Chapple (LX} 7 Max Montgomery (SH} 8 Alfred Yv (GR}

1 Isabelle Ackers (JR) 2 Robin Bridge (TR) 3 Vasa /amsuri (GR) 4 Lucy Thompson (BR) 5 Lucy Leigh-Pemberton (LX)

the fuss? I held the view that it was unacceptable to make a mockery of someone's beliefs, and I hoped we had not caused the trouble. I would question my colleagues when they arrived. An hour later, I still found myself alone in the office. It was very strange. Normally I was not even the first in to work, with a few of the keen junior assistants getting in so early there wasn't much point in them leaving at all. Today, however, it was completely

deserted. I resolved to phone the editor. 'Puna? Where is everybody today? Did I miss something?' My editor replied hastily, and I could sense something was wrong.

'Tom, get the hell outta there! Have you not heard the news! 'Oiyos' made a public statement this morning, promising to kill .. .' My editor's tones had seriously worried me. l had never heard him like this before. He was usually the most unruffled, relaxed person in the office. 'Kill who, Puna? One of us?' Puna was taking a long time to answer. My heart pounded furiously in my brain, and as my mind made a thousand connections, I knew his answer before he replied. 'You, Tom. And us. It was your cartoon. I can't believe you let that go through. We thought you knew what you what you were doing .. .' I felt my stomach rise up, almost to my throat. My head began to pound, confused by emotions of anger, fear .. 'What cartoon! Anyway, you're the editor, you should have done something about it, if it was too offensive .. .' I felt my head becoming lighter and lighter, and collapsed onto the chair behind me, letting the phone smash against the table. Had one of my cartoonists put something in without me knowing? Was my life now in danger? l felt the room go black, until all I could see was a dark, inescapable void, and I passed out Some time later, I awoke suddenly, to the sound of smashing glass. Taking a few seconds to register my surroundings, I looked for the source of the noise. A rock had been thrown through a window in the adjacent office, and now the chant of 'Diyablo Sumamba' was clearer than ever. I rose hastily from my chair, and searched frantically on my desk for a copy of today's newspaper. Finding it, I turned to page three, and felt my heart rise out of my mouth. A cartoon had been printed, portraying Mohammed as a dog. I did not bother to read the words, but threw the paper onto the floor, grabbed my jacket, and headed for the door. Running towards the car park, I assessed my situation. I had been responsible for printing a cartoon, satirising a holy figure, one who specifically should not be portrayed satirically, according to a certain religion. A violent terrorist group, perhaps the most violent seen in South East Asia for over twenty years, had made a public statement, saying they wanted to kill me, amongst others, presumably over these cartoons. Which meant I was now a target, even though I had not given permission for the cartoon to be printed. One of my interns must have somehow printed it, knowing I would not have allowed it. But that did not matter now. My anger had completely gone, to be replaced by pure fear and dread. Seeing my car up ahead, I suddenly checked myself, and headed for the car park exit, throwing the keys on the ground. I wasn't going to risk a car-bomb. It would be a forty minute walk home, thirty if I ran. However, the heat was unbearable, so I decided to take a taxi. I tried to keep my face hidden as the driver chatted away, oblivious to my predicament, with my pulse racing to the point of explosion. Looking out into the streets, the commotion appeared to have died down somewhat, and I felt slightly relieved. Perhaps they had only been empty threats, trying to frighten the newspaper into submission. My mind soon changed, as we neared the corner to my street. The driver's voice took on a confused, high-pitched tone. 'Hey man, do you see that smoke? Is that where you live? There's been a fire or something .. .' As we turned into Manak road, I felt a feeling of dread wash over me. Passing the many rows of houses; 20,19,18 .. I prayed the cause of the smoke was not number 12. It was. My heart dropped as we slowed to a halt, at my smouldering wreck of a home. The roof had been blown right through, I could see directly into my kitchen and bedroom, and I began to feel very sick. I didn't know wether to be thankful, that I had not been at home when the explosion had occurred, or terrified, that the group had now proven they were going to carry through with their threats. I apologised to the cab driver, and told him to head straight for Manila International Airport. On the radio, news was breaking fast. On each station, the blabbering of excited reporters threw me further into panic; 'Englishman targeted by 'Diyos Hukbo', 'Bombing throws city into panic', 'Local journalist feared dead: My life was in danger, I kept telling myself, and it was a strange feeling. Paranoia had set in, and ! just wanted to leave as soon as possible. I felt as if I could trust no one, completely alone in an alien country. My path through the airport was frantic, but fortunately, a flight was due to leave in the next hour. I waited nervously in the duty-free shops, pretending to browse but merely wanting to stay out of danger. I felt as if I could sense enemies everywhere, out of sight, ready to pounce. It was a huge relief when I heard the announcement that my plane was boarding, and I rushed through the gate to take my seat. The plane, predictably, would be making two stops on its way to London, in India and Pakistan, and my panic rose as I realised these were hotspots for 'Diyos Hukbo' related violence. As I sat in my seat, images of the past day flashed relentlessly in my mind, a s!ideshow of my impending doom. The chanting outside the office, the phone call, the rock, my panic, the car, the taxi, the house. I felt exhausted. I wanted it all to end, I wanted my life to be exactly how it was yesterday. I had never prayed before, but in that plane, I prayed as hard as I possibly could for the printing of that cartoon to be reversed, for it to never have happened. I soon realised that I would never again feel safe, because these terrorists would never give up. I would have to run, and keep running for as long as I could, just to feel some semblance of safety. So that is what I did. From then on, Tom Lawrence was no more. I am now a chameleon; a flickering, faceless figure in a crowd. So far, they haven't caught up with me. But one day they might, and that thought keeps me running, and will keep me running for the rest of my life. By Thomas Cook (MO) Second Prize in The Cantuarian Creative Writing Competition

Olivia Brown (LX)

I Want Never Gets? The Things Some People Come Out With. I sat impatiently in one of the most expensive and luxurious coffee shops in Canterbury awaiting his arriva l. In the couple of months since we had been officially seeing each other he was always late to our gatherings. I sank into a soft, supple velvet chair in the far right hand corner of the cafe besides a majestic fire- place which seemed to warm the entire roo m. He could not miss me as he walked in through the grand oak door that appea red to provided an entrance into a world of tranquility and warmth far from the cold, emotionless shoppers, frantically searching for the perfect last minute gift. I took a sip of my coffee and pretended to read, my book that which had strategically been brought along to fill the awkward silence that was always inevitable when he arrived late to these sorts of meetings. The whole of Canterbury was blanketed by snow and Christmas decorations. The cafe became a sanctuary away from the cold, wind and snow, letting the inhabi tants fee l warm , safe and content. This contentment soon melted away from me as the time ticked by. Above the clock on the back wall of the cafe sat a plaque that stated 'Every day is a chance to turn it all around: My eyes lingered for a moment or two on the polished plaque as my analytical mind pondered the deeper meaning of this simple phrase, but then my gaze returned to the clock as it had frequently before whilst I waited for him to arrive. The clock read thirty six minutes past two and my watch read twenty to three. I began to be consumed by worry that maybe he had stood me up, see ing as we had agreed to meet at two o'clock. I looked back to the cover of my book which read 'to make a mountain out of your li fe is just a choice'., I took a sip of my half fat caramel macchiato with an extra shot of coffee and thought 'so what if he did does not turn up? The world will not stop'. I had decided that I would take one last look towards the magnificent oak door that appeared to engulf the entrance to the cafe; if he

was not there then I would leave. I would attempt to fabricate an elaborate story on my way home as to why I had not been at the cafe to be stood up by him, which hopefully would reduce my humiliation at school on Monday. I glanced up at the door before making my departure, and there he was. I gave him a little smile and he winked back. As I returned to my reading, I shifted in my seat, crossed my legs, straightened my back a little and delicately rested my chin on my hand, arching my neck a little. Once he had ordered his coffee he came to join me. We talked for what felt like only minutes. I noticed that his eyes and mouth crinkled at the corners when he laughed enthusiastically. I smiled, making a courageous attempt to show him my dimples whilst hoping I did not have caramel coffee breath, letting the conversation flow effortlessly between us. I made a silly joke and immediately regretted it, fearing what his response may be. He simply released a small, soft laugh, a pleased laugh as he looked me straight in the eye. I blushed red all the way to my fingernails. Minutes hastily became hours, pretty soon the coffee had become cold and we were several hours late for any other arrangements. I stood up, picking a precise moment to leave and giving my sincere apologises, when unexpectedly he affectionately touched my elbow sending a little thrill running up my arm. He said calmly and monotonously that he "had a great time today and he loved our spending time together, but was not in the right place in his life at the moment to be getting into a serious relationship': I bent down slowly, gave him a cold, frail kiss on the cheek and departed without a solitary word. I was determined not to look back and give him the satisfaction to know that I was upset. Although the snow began to fall around me as I walked along the cold pathway towards home, I no longer felt that childlike enchantment as the snow fell. I simply carried on walking as if it was merely a normal day similar to any other. The cold crisp rays of golden sunlight like blonde hairs streameding into my bedroom through the large rose bay windows reminded me that there was activity outside my bedroom and outside the house, but there was nothing to compel me to have any desire to remove myself from my comfortingly warm bed, where I knew nothing could harm me emotionally or physically. As I lay there, my thoughts turned to running through the exposed bark of the trees with my dogs, knee-deep in crackling gold and amber leaves, bending to pick them up, throwing them in the air effortlessly and watching as they fluttered to the ground around me like bronzed butterflies. After returning from our the walk, we would unwind in our small cottage near the sea, where I would be able to make mugs of hot chocolate and serve plate upon plate of home made cookies for everyone to enjoy. My thoughts suddenly turned back to my bedroom. My fantasy was ruined as I looked around my bedroom and realised how bare and desolate it would become if I removed all my possessions from it. I visualised the rectangular traces of dust mapping out where my pictures once stood and, my memories would soon be lost from the bedroom. It would once again become simply a room. As I pondered th"rs possibility Stephanie sauntered in. We had been best friends for as long as I could remember. Whatever happened, we both hung on for the ride to see where it would take us and this situation was no different. She hastily pulled away my bedding and placed a vast cup of tea in front of me. I slowly summoned the energy to remove myself from my bed. Stephanie passed me a towel and directed me towards the bathroom. A wave of relief washed over me as I finally felt I could cry in peace. After my shower, I wearily got dressed only to find Stephanie once again perfectly perched on the end of my bed. She said nothing and just passed me a tatty large crumpled piece of paper with writing carelessly scribbled onto it. It read; 'If a person lives to the age of 74, she will have lived for a total of 27,240 days. 740 of these days would have been spent in secondary school. If you ask anyone aged twenty one and above they will tell you that secondary school was one of the most memorable experiences in their childhood. This is because almost everyone goes through secondary school and many of a person's "firsts" take place during this period. Their first car, first love, first time their heart gets is broken, first disappointment, first time they realise that the one person who is not meant to let them down, probably will then they are and the first time they realise that there will always be someone who outshines them. A lot of enjoyable and life-changing experiences are packed into those few 740 days, so we have to make the most of it and not let the bad times ruin the good. One thing that should always be remembered is that no one is completely confident. and that people are not willing to let their guard down and allow someone else to easily enter in their hearts, because they have been burned many times before'. I sat in an astounded silence for a moment as the tears began to roll down my cheeks. Stephanie drew me close into a tight embrace merely rocking me to and fro without a single word. I paused and said 'You never told me you could write like this in the fifteen and a half years that I have known you'. Stephanie gazed at me with a most serious expression and said 'Well, you never asked did you?': We both ungraciously fell to the floor in hysterical laughter. We lay there for a while chatting and joking as we always did, although today felt bizarrely different. I had found a new strength in Stephanie's kind and compassionate prose hastily written on an insignificant piece of paper. Her thoughts seemed to melt away the entirety of my fears and reservations. After pulling ourselves off the floor, we decided that we would go shopping following the established girlie cliche to cheer ourselves up. As we picked up our bags and strolled out of the front door, Stephanie turned to me and said 'Someone once said that it is the pain we feel that in life is what lets us know that we are still alive, and life only has meaning in the struggle. Therefore, let's celebrate the

struggle'. Stephanie and I strolled into Pink Sky excited about the prospect of all the amazing bargains we may be able to find. We simultaneously grabbed every item that remotely attracted us. Our next stop was the changing room; Stephanie and I picked some exquisite outfits and some others that were not quite as nice, and we soon began to truly enjoy ourselves, although the difference between us was that Stephanie could probably buy every item in shop with the allowance her Dad gave her, whereas I could only afford one item at a stretch. Stephanie passed the most divine dress; it hung perfectly off my shoulders, and it was cut in such a way that all my imperfections seemed to be lost in the flawlessness of it. I stepped out of the cubicle and stood in front of the mirror to show Stephanie how spectacular the dress looked on me, and she whispered into my ear 'that dress would be perfect for you to wear to the Sixth Form Ball next weekend, you look amazing, he will be begging for you to take him back'.

It was perfect; once he saw me in this dress he would seriously regret his decision. Just to spite him I would then flirt outrageously with Justin, his rival for the captaincy of the first rugby. My bubble soon burst as I saw the price tag. It was a hundred and thirty pounds, and I could barely afford one third of that amount. Two things that I really wanted had now become out of reach; I wasn't going to let this happen. I stuffed the dress unceremoniously into my bag and forced my sca rf to fit on top of it. Just then the door to my cubicle opened. I waited for couple of seconds until I turned around as not to arouse suspicion ; thankfu lly it was only Stephanie but I wasn't about to tell her. This dress would be mine once I had walked out of this shop and no one could ta ke it from me. Stephanie filled the cold awkward silence with 'all of this is no good, you ready to go?' I nodded, attempting not give away the fear that was churning in the pit of my stomach. As we stepped over the threshold of the shop door, my heart rejoiced; no alarms, I had done it and finally got what I wanted. I looked across to my rig ht expecting Stephan ie to be there as she always was but instead I found her, ten paces behind me, chatting flirtatiously. I glanced towards her; she hastily withdrew the phone from her ear and let it dangle by her hips in the tight embrace of her hand. An instinct drew me towards her. I reached forward, seized the phone from her clasp and placed it alongside my ear; I could not believe her. How cou ld she do this to me? A husky male voice whispered into the phone, 'Steph is that you baby, I can hear you breathing - honey, are you there?' My clench on the phone loosened, it fell abruptly to floor. I thrust my bag to floor; the dress had become clearly visible as my scarf tumbled out of my bag. I ran refusing to stop, although I soon became uncertain of what I was running from. Was I running from Stephanie, from the dress, from him, or was I attempting to run from myself and the person I had become? By Hannah Gold (LX) Highly Commended in The Cantuarian Creative Writing Competition

Aeternus-Noctis The air was thick with the toxic fumes of industry. A jungle of man-made obelisks towered above the city like the spears of a great army, penetrating the shroud of smog that smothered the sprawling conurbation relentlessly. The cloud, prima ri ly soot and foul smelling, corrosive gases, was so dense that even sunlight usually got lost inside it and rarely managed to find its way to the city f loor hundreds of metres below the mountainous chimneys. These edifices dwarfed the other constructions erected between them, even though these comparatively modest structures were architectural wonders themselves. These intimidated citadels were the colossal

Tiffany Landale (LX)

halls whose battleship-sized furnaces produced the smoke which eternally billowed out of the chimneys in heavy plumes, plumes which were coloured anywhere between the deepest, darkest grey, and black. This was Aeternus-Noctis, heart of the mighty Empire of the Sun; ironic considering the city was more commonly referred to as the city in which the sun never rises. Besieging the industrial centre of the city was a sprawling mass of dilapidated housing, whose broken windows peered out onto a street covered in the remnants of chimney pots and roofing tiles that had a tendency to slide off, disgruntled at their lack of appreciation and maintenance. Despite the filthy, black exterior of the buildings (and a fairly similar theme of soot on the inside walls as well), the buildings were actually made out of the small red bricks typical of the writhing conurbation. Entire streets of these workers' houses leaned on each other, relying on the others around them for support like a wheeze of giant asthmatics. A crooked door opened out from the wall of one of these hovels, the hinges groaning in protest as they were forced to unclench against their wilL A man lurched out of the doorway, his shoulders hunched forward in an attempt to protect his lungs from the acidic fumes that hung in the air. He used a hand, calloused by a lifetime of manual labour, to pull a piece of white cloth from his pocket and place it over his mouth and nose like all of the other men hurrying down the street in a never ending line towards the great factories. These cloths were futile attempts to filter the soot from the air, and so make it easier to breathe, although in reality it had little effect other than to stop wives from fretting; the ash and dust still collected defiantly in lungs, outraged that someone would attempt to filter it out, and thus redoubling its efforts to get in. The gaunt face turned back to the doorway to receive a brief farewell from an overly large family, before being carried away by jealous legs. The man surveyed the street, taking in the housing all around him, and wondering, as he did every morning, why each house was exactly the same; four paces wide, six deep, and four floors high. The street continued like this for several thousand paces until it reached the industrial sector, at which point it stopped abruptly in front of a factory so colossal and polluting that the nearby housing shied away. On either side of this street were many other streets, all identical, and all ending in one of the great factories, so if the city was viewed from above it would look like a god's sundial: the streets mere calibration lines spreading out from the centre of a great circle, and the factories. This is not what anyone from the city would have compared it to though, they did not know what a sundial was, and this was not surprising considering this method of telling the time is based on the assumption that the sun will shine. However, this is not the case in Aeternus-Noctis. It was a particularly fine morning; squinting, the man was able to see twenty or thirty paces ahead of him. Visibility had been poor for the last couple of days because there had been no wind to blow away the city's fumes, so the ability to see the face of the people walking around him was a pleasant change. He started examining the tired faces of the other members of the crowd, noticing, not for the first time, how everyone's eyes seemed to be glazed over. He was wondering whether this was the body's method to stop soot from building up by their tear glands and irritating their eyes, or whether it was a sign that the monotony of life in the great city bored them too, although his mind wandered to the kerchief that was pressed to his face when he realised that it was already as black as the morning sky above him. The figure approached the industrial area of the city, and as he drew closer he removed the fabric that had now left a dirty mark covering half of his face as it would do no good anymore; the soot that he was trying to keep out of his lungs had the right to infect everything in the inner city, or at least it seemed to think so. Even if he tried, he would not be able to stop the soot from making him choke. Transferring some of the blackness from his face to the sleeve of his loosely fitting shirt, the man stopped in front of two mountainous doors. Upon ascending the small flight of stairs, the man watched as the colossal doors swung inwards. The usual team of twenty men hauled on a chain attached to each door, the effort obvious on their faces: bulging veins and scarlet, puffy cheeks. The man was, as always, caught by surprise by the huge draught produced by the opening of these cast-iron gates, and it flung him into the crowd of workers already busy ferrying iron ore to the furnaces which, despite each one being the size of several houses, looked like children's toys when compared to the hall in which they stood. It was large enough to make even the gods feel at home, although the smell was overpowering. The city's usual stench of foul gases and sewage were undetectable over the nose-scorching stench of sweat. By Walter Miles (LN) Highly Commended in The Cantuarian Creative Writing Competition

Snake It takes about a ten minute walk from my apartment before I'm at the bar. The street is illuminated by neon lights and the shadows twist around the buildings, protruding like teeth from the gum of cracked pavement. The moon is bright tonight, showing all of its teeth marks and the air tastes like oil, but is cold and lacerates in the strong gusts of wind that lift my coat from my feet in mock desperation, as if even that wants to part my company tonight. A lone newspaper rolls down the street, sedately rising with the wind before tumbling at my feet as I lash out and send it spinning again. I push open the door of the bar under the skittish neon sign and temporarily savour the hot blasts of air and the smell of whisky before easing into a small cubicle stained with age. This place has the kind of people that'll talk in years, lamenting their pasts and are willing to come out and spill over the brim, so long as you lend an ear and listen. The floor is wooden and the room is dark and almost empty, save a woman crying into her palms as a man in the cubicle with her stands to leave, whom she runs after and I hear their heated exchange out on the street before the door swings shut and they are flung out of my life and into the night. The only person who remains is on the small stage at the far end of the room near the bar. A man with a guitar bathed in a blue light with a voice like tar and gravel, singing, at this point, seemingly to himself, but with such power that he has command of his invisible audience. The bartender, seeing me, rises and comes to my table; he takes a drinks order and sinks back into the black. About this time a man enters. He wears snakeskin boots, approaches my table, and making out his face, I recognise him as a playwright who has his name plastered across the West End, doing the rounds with several successful plays and I briefly wonder why he would be here, before he eases into the seat opposite to me. He is of generous girth, so does so with some difficulty before outstretching a hand

and introducing himself. His wrist clinks with the bracelets he wears, but I hardly hear it over the final wail of the guitarist, as he breaths in a cigarette and bids the bar goodnight, pulls on a coat and leaves through a door in the back. The bartender comes back over and slides a beer over in front of me with a napkin on the underside and leaves a small bowl of peanuts, which Scott (for that is his name) dives into with relish. I open conversation with him, ask him about his current successes. I prompt him to tell me how he did it, after a fruitful career throughout the sixties which ebbed at the beginning of this decade before he struck gold with no fewer than three major hits in two years. He declines an answer 'Maybe I'll tell you later' he says in an odd northern accent as his drinks arrive. The night wears on, and the stockpile of drinks grows; I feel like I know him better than anyone I ever have. He wears a white fedora and white suit and fires up a cigar with chubby fingers, flicking the lighter shut as tendrils of smoke coil as serpents around his face, which I still can barely see, shadows falling over his face from the dim overhead light. He speaks in a way that would not be expected in the drudgery of daily conversations, almost in a way that you would only expect in the meanderings of a dream. He asks about my life now and I twirl my finger around my whisky glass as I explain my predicament. I tell him how I was an author, the best, according to almost every critic, to emerge in the last few decades; But now I have been stuck in a rut, my latest piece designed to save me from the string of flops in the last five years. This is my last chance to redeem myself, but every day I stare at my half finished composition, the words dancing over the page, words I once commanded with ease now mocking my silence. I tell him how if this doesn't prove a success, my career is over, my last few failures having been expensive. This time it will cost me my contract. 'Celebrity ensnares us all' he says, 'those who we once had as friends snarl and turn their backs once we begin to fail and delight in it, the critics revel in the falling of titans, as I know you once were. I read all of your novels, even your failures.' This astounded me and I was all too happy to indulge myself in former glories, as we talked of intricacies in my work as I had in the days of fickle celebrity, now consigned to the ashes of time. 'I know why you are failing, you are as I was, misunderstood and pressured. I suffered from writer's block too and it drove me half mad: I stand up to go to the restroom and don't remember having drunk so much. The room spins. I don't remember the next ten minutes but I am once again watching him, through a fog of cigar smoke and whisky fumes. 'Whilst you were gone, I took advantage of the time to get you something, the key to all of your troubles' he said 'but I must explain why before you open it: He pushes an object over to me wrapped in brown paper and a black scarf. 'You must think it pretty bizarre, my being here in this part of town. I am one of your greatest fans, the greatest; your novels arouse a passion that means I no longer need resort to extreme measures to gain calm and inspiration. I was in the same situation as you before, several years ago, staggering under the weight of pressure that had me smothered. Expectation is one thing, but the pressure of meeting the expectation of those who fund you is another. I was permanently in a state of stress; I couldn't sleep and lived in a pile of papers so that I could make my masterpiece or be lost forever. It stemmed from my treatment; the publishers had treated me as an asset, 1 felt like Prometheus, shackled to a c!iff whilst they descended to gorge on my carcass, though by this point they had taken too much. Then I was approached by a man in, well by that time the thin line between reality and dreams was blurred with insomnia; he told me how to relieve myself, and one night 1 did what he said, using what you now possess: The room spins with the growing fumes of alcohol and the bartender is lost in the oblivion of dark, as is the rest of the bar. It seems as if all of reality has been crushed into the black and only the spotlight on us remains, all of the cubicles around us now gone. The heat is intense as I take the package into my hands, pushing over about three empty glasses with drunken, stumbling fingers. The package almost melts in my hands, the paper falling away, exposing an object which I immediately recognise, and I hurl it onto the table between us. 'The first time I used it was the worst as I felt as if I had abandoned my humanity. The following day I went to the zoo with my family, my daughter Katie, who was only three, cradled in my arms. It was as if reality had lost its dullness and regained its shine, as if it had been a mirror encased in clay. I finally saw everything as it should not be seen, tarnished ever so slightly, but I was at complete ease with myself. The animals seemed to wander around in bars, the crocodiles floated in oily water and a solitary tiger paced not with pride but in an anaesthetised state, the fire gone from his soul. 1 found little delight in the comatose meanderings of birds, rendered flightless by captivity. The prisons were not merely physical, but impressed in the minds of creatures, bodies laid to waste in an onslaught of tedium and degradation. Then we walked past a snake cage and I saw in it nothing; I realised that I had been on the wrong side of the glass all of my life, but now I was free: I can't stand; chains of darkness bind me as the cubicle spins. 'After the third time, the addiction was sated by you. Your books saved me. They have an essence of delectable coldness that appealed to my appetite and soothed me. I was calm, powerful and I felt the writing block disappear, like sand pouring into the desert. I was free to write in peace and you have seen my works thrive. But you have fallen, and you will aid us now in two ways by doing as I have. You will write again to save yourself and to save me: ! reach for my jacket, but it fell out of reach and I was paralysed, desire and fear wracked my body. I look at the object. Time drew to a close. The intensity of his voice settled into ear-splitting silence. I slide it towards him. 'You will thank me. You will never again see me but you will thank me all of your life: It slides towards me. I reach to push it back; Scott receives it into the black, which droops over rotund cheeks like a mask, leaving only glimpses of flesh visible dappled with dusty light. The light from above now falls into a small shaft in the middle of the table which is broken by the re-entry of the object. I reach for it and feel its weight before pocketing it and finally standing. He had won, and I shake his hand before re-embracing the night air. I go to the park gate and stand for a while near the tree, trembling with frost on its branches. I can't do this, I think, and start back up the road to the bar but the streetlights systematically die as the road sinks into pools of shadow. Across the street a man, old, probably in his early sixties, stands in a trench coat, a small hat perched on his wilting head. A small white moustache like bristly snow is fastened to his upper lip and his breath exits in bursts of steam. The object is heavy in my pocket and I examine it in my hands. It is a snub nosed revolver, freshly oiled in the tomb casings of the six, bronzed bullets. What I am asked to do was madness. 'It's too late to change yourself now' says Scott behind me, close to a tree dripping with shadow. 'I didn't revoke my humanity; I embraced it, the choice to take life as we have done since creation. Death is all around, don't you see it? You react to death in a passive way each day, it's a statistic in the paper, or are you scared to admit mortality; the frail mortal coil to which we hang; a flash in the pan and you splutter to nothingness. There is darkness on the edge of town, all you need do is seize it. This man is nothing; he looks pathetic, and clinging to a frail semblance of life that you feel has weight in this mausoleum of existence. Why does his life matter?'

'Because in taking his, I lose my own,' I breathe through my teeth. He is evidently very cold, and I feel a change looking at his feeble frame, my adrenaline rises whilst I approach him. He won't be missed. I take the gun from my pocket and stand centimetres from him. hear the bullet spit out, so loud in the street as a symphony rose to a crescendo in my ears. He starts to fall, almost comically fumbling for my face; a cobweb of blood spreads on his exposed white sh'1rt. He falls, groping my legs as he collapses and !linger for a few moments, a lump forming in my throat, as the body ceases exhaling. Tears push themselves through the pursed slits of my eyes. I turn in the scalpel wind and scream my companion's name, but hear only a whistling in my ears in the crushing openness of the street. ! start to walk, then eventually run from the horrors of the night. As ! wake, my tongue dangles dry and ash-flavoured from my broken lips, as I drool saliva onto a blank sheet of paper. The apartment screams in silence, but remains empty and dark. Crooked rain falls outside, the curtains split, admitting an orange glow and a kaleidoscope of monotony is cast over my face; the only stark contrast is on the table, where there is a jade vase, fashioned to represent a pair of snakes, wrapped like vines around a thin shaft of glass, with a single tulip burning red in the haze of shadow; through languid, hanging eyes, ! see the shapes of a white fedora and a crystal ashtray with the broken stub of a cigar still blowing embers into the air. The window guards me from the horror the night brings, torment manifested not in the monsters of imagination but in the eyes of fellow men, breeding their own terror in the surges of greed and desire. My hand presses against the window, the cold joining hands with me, mine leaving an imprint of condensation on the thin pane. Never knowing if I am awake or asleep, I settle back into nightmares, now fearful for fresh inspiration tomorrow, and what it may mean. My eyes are intoxicated by drowsiness and my vision begins to blur. There is a glass cage, with nothing but tangles of foliage like mesh and a shed snake skin lying dead in a putrid puddle of water, vines oozing from overhanging branches, but no living thing to be seen. A yellow sign hangs above the window and speaks in bold print: Bred in captivity.

By Francis Brown (MO) Highly Commended in The Cantuarian Creative Writing Competition

1Thomas Westray (TR) 2 Sarah Archer (WL} 3 Steve McGoldrick (GR)

Diary of the Netball Tour to South Africa The tour party departed from London Heathrow on 15th July aboard a South African Airways flight. Saturday 16 July We were met by Craig Goodenough, director of Bundu Bashers Travel, on our arrival at Cape Town International Airport. From the airport we transferred to the Breakwater Lodge at the V and A Waterfront where we stayed for the next two nights. We had sunny weather and clear conditions as we embarked on our first excursion on African soil to the majestic Table Mountain. Travelling up the mountain in a huge cable car was rather daunting for some of our party. On reaching the top we were able to enjoy the 360 degree panoramic view of the Cape Peninsula, from Blouberg Strand in the west to Hangklip in the east and the Hottentots Holland Mountains near Stellenbosch in the north. After the wind ruffled us up, we travelled back down again and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping at the Waterfront. Top - Netbollers enjoying the water sports in Durban

Bottom - Busolo Ogunsonyo ond Emma Howard-Sm ith

4 with Ka tie Cameron named player of the match. Our final evening in Cape Town was spent having a great team dinner at the News Cafe on the Water Front. We decided to depart for the Airport at 5:45am since we didn't know if South African Airways was going to strike or not!

Back I. to r. Katie Cam er on, Lexi Ham blin, Theo Bockho use, Lara Chapple, Emma Howard-Smith Cen tre I. to r. Busola Ogunsanya, Emma Shilston Front I. t or. Hannah Pa ck, Emily Schwarz, Georgie Rumbellow

Sunday 17 July Activities on this day included a visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held captive for many years before he became President of South Africa in 1994. The island is a World Heritage Site, home to African penguins and a rich variety of marine bird life, some species of which are only fou nd on the island. After a rather hasty lunch we travelled to Muizenburg for our surfing session. Emma Howard -Smith proved to be our strongest surfer. We ended our second day in South Africa with a great dinner in the News Cafe at the V and A Waterfront. Monday 18 July Kayaking in Simon's Town was our next adventure. Here Emma Shilston and Emily Schwarz seemed to be the most at home in their kayak, Everyone learned not to team up with Busola or Emma HowardSmith when kayaking! After lunch in Fish Hoek, we travelled along the coast to Somerset West and then inland past Stellenbosch onto Paarl. Here we were met by Paarl Girls' High, our hosts for the next two nights. Paarl lies at the foot of the second largest granite outcrop in the world and is the third oldest European settlement in South Africa. The people of Paarl are descendants of the Khoisan, African and Eastern slaves; Dutch, French Huguenots; Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe; Italian Prisoners of War and Xhosa migrant labourers. The name Paarl comes from the Dutch peerlbergh (Pearl Mountain), given to the outcrops by the Dutch explorer Abraham Gabbema when he spotted the three smooth domes after a ra in shower. Tuesday 19 Ju ly After a night of torrential rain, we changed our plans and spent the morning shopping. After lunch we travelled back to Paarl to play our 1st match, but our poor skills led to our downfall in the match and we went down 14-25.

Wednesday 20 July We visited Maison d'lvoire, a wine farm in Franschoek, one of the most beautiful towns in the wine lands of South Africa. We were made very welcome by our hosts Mr and Mrs Davies, who supplied us with muffins and hot chocolate before proceeding to the wine cellars for a crash course in the tasting and etiquette of wine. Lunch at Coi'Cacchio down in the valley was a celebration of Miss Behr's birthday. Our next match was against Westeford and we worked hard and won 20-11. Our star players of this match were Theo Backhouse and Hannah Pack, who worked with commitment and urgency. Thursday 21 July After bidding farewell to our hosts from Westeford we travelled along Chapman's Peak drive towards Hout Bay. Here we boarded a boat to view the prolific seal and bird life which inhabit the island. Once we arrived back at the harbour the weather changed significantly to heavy rain and strong winds. We thought we might not play our next fixture due to weather, but our hosts, Excelsior were determined to play as scheduled as they had gone through a great deal of trouble to prepare for our visit. Excelsior Secondary School was established in 1982 and is situated in Belhar, a predominantly working class area that struggles with social challenges like unemployment, drug abuse and gangsters. Despite these difficulties, the pupils at Excelsior Secondary manage to excel academically, culturally and on the sports field. The school makes do with limited resources and it is purely passion for the game that keeps the school performing consistently well. The fortress- like fencing and security made us very aware of the truly difficult situation these you ng girls and boys found themselves in. Our team impressed wi th skills that were tested to the limit in such awful weather. King's won the match 14-

Friday 22 July There we were at Cape Town International airport, with many other very irate passengers, not knowing if we would get on a fl ight that day. Miss Behr started making all kinds of other arrangements j ust in case we did not get on a flight. The cabin crew were on strike, we even offered to act as hostesses on the flight, but needless to say they did not accept our offer! We were told no flights would take off to Durban that day. Sleeping, slouching or just sitting in the queue at the check-in counter was home for the next 7 hours. Our patience finally paid off and we managed to get onto the only flight to Durban that day. Craig from Bundu Bashers was at Durban International Airport to meet us after our long wait in Cape Town. Our hosts at St Mary's had been patiently waiting for us. Saturday 23 July We had a good match against St. Mary's and Busola made some great interceptions and strong passes down the court. The final score was 10-3 to King's. Our team decided they needed to cool off after the match and had a swim in the freezing swimming pool. From the pool, the team were entertained to a wonderful lunch time braai. Sunday 24 July After an early departure from St. Mary's we travel led to Zululand where we visited Lake St. Lucia, home to hippos and enormous Nile crocodiles. We were so lucky to spot a pod of hi ppo baking on a sandbank while on our cruise. From the lake we got our binoculars ready for game viewing in the lmfolozi Game reserve. lmfolozi is the heart of the Zulu Kingdom and the home of the White Rhino, where wilderness trails take you along mighty rivers wandering through thorn savannah inhabited by the Big Five of African legend. Hluhluwe-lmfolozi Park, the oldest game park in Africa, was the exclusive hunting reserve of the Zu lu kings who protected the area by procl aiming conservation laws long before any formal protection. Game viewing is the prime attraction and viewing hides overlook pans and waterholes enabling visitors to see animals at close range. As the home of "Operation Rhino" in the 1950s and 1960s, the Park became world renowned

for its White Rhino. We were accommodated in a stunning lodge in which the thatch roof and terracotta colour blended into the bush. After we had a scrumptious dinner of lasagne and salads prepared by a team of girls we got ready for the highlight of the day, our night drive on a huge open Land Rover with spotlights. We spotted animals like porcupine, buffalo, impala, genets, night owls and hyena.

Monday 25 July

Most of us managed to be up at 6:00am to go for an early morning game drive. Emma Howard-Smith, Lexi Hamblin and Lara Chapple caught up on all the lost

sleep missed over the last 10 days and stayed behind. The poor warthogs

became "those Piggy things" and impala, nyala and kudu became "bambi or deer".

Our last night in the reserve was spent making a huge fire and having a traditional braai with Miss Behr and Craig doing all the hard work. We had quite a scare when Miss Behr came over to our lodge to bring Emma Shilston some medication later that evening and told us she had just spotted a lioness crossing the road in the camp. Emma HowardSmith and Lara Chapple were sitting outside on the veranda. They were in the house like a flash. The next morning, we heard that other tourists had spotted four lionesses in the camp that same night. Tuesday 26 July On our way out of !mfolozi we stopped at a huge craft market that stocked the local community's work and shopped for gifts to bring back for parents and friends. Gifts included animals carved from wood, beadwork and baskets. On our way to Pietermaritzburg in the Natal Midlands we travelled through plantations of gum trees. These trees are used in the mining industry as supports in the long tunnels in gold, platinum and diamond mines. As we passed Richards Bay, one of South Africa's biggest harbours, we saw the smoke coming from the big aluminium factory Allusaff. After Richards Bay, we noticed a difference in plantations- we now saw miles and miles of sugar cane. Sugar cane was once one of South Africa's biggest forms of income. Many of the cane fields have now made room for housing developments or industries. We met our next hosts Voortrekker in Pietermaritzburg. The town was founded by the Voortrekkers in 1838, just prior to their victory over Dingane's Zulu army at Blood River, naming the place in honour of two of their leaders. The original village has now developed into the capital city of Kwazulu-Natal, with a 21st

century lifestyle that retains majestic historical links with its past.

amazing netball with impressive skills. The final score was 10-28 to Crawford.

Wednesday 27 July Our next destination, Nogqwaza Primary School in Hawick has about 750 primary students that range in age from 6 to 15 years. The girls spent an hour with pupils in different classes and discussions generally centred around our team's country. Our players learnt more about the lives of the scholars from Nogqwaza. The joy and excitement of having the foreign visitors there could be seen on all the happy faces of these underprivileged children. It was very clear to us that teaching 35-45 young children in one small classroom was a huge challenge to the teachers. After handing the Headmaster Mr Zondi stationery for the school, each child was handed a lollipop. A UK school that visited Nogqwaza a few years ago had raised funds to build a hard court to enable the girls to play netball. The whole school was allowed to watch and the support was great. They all sang a traditional song and then our girls sang the English anthem. We left Nogqwaza with heavy hearts because we had seen such hardship and poverty. We realised we needed to take a good look at ourselves and understand how lucky we truly were. Our next match was against Voortrekker. They put out their 1st team and our girls managed to play some outstanding netball. Emma Howard-Smith had her best game on tour and showed what potential she has as a sportswoman. We lost the game 6-17 but were very proud of the way we held up against one of the strongest teams in Kwa Zulu Natal.

Our next hosts were Durban Girls' College, the school where Miss Behr taught before starting work at King's.

Thursday 28 July From Pietermaritzburg we travelled back towards the coast. Our next stop was Phezulu Cultural village in the Valley of the Thousand Hills. For over 30 years the Gasa clan have been proudly allowing visitors an insight into the fascinating Zulu culture. We will not forget the friendly smiles and warm atmosphere of the Zulu dancers and the strong and powerful voices of the men beating the drums made from cow hide. We drove back into Durban to Umhlanga Rocks where we would visit the Natal Sharks Board. The board controls all the shark nets on the Natal Coast. Some of the group were not able to watch the huge shark being dissected. We were rather glad we did not see the dissection before our surfing lesson in Muizenberg. After lunch in Crawford's Nino's restaurant we played another match against a 1st team. Crawford played

friday 29 July We had been looking forward to this day. We were assured by all that u-Shaka Marine World was going to be great fun. The park incorporates fresh and sea water, natural materials, the re-creation of a wreck of a 1940s cargo ship, as well as the 5th largest aquarium in the world by volume of water, coupled with indigenous African imagery, lush vegetation and maritime images of the Port of Durban. During the dolphin show Hannah Pack was splashed by the dolphins and Georgie Rumbellow was pulled out from the audience to touch the dolphins. We were surprised by the size of the park and what it offered. Then the fun really began when we all started on the enormous water slides. Even Miss Reidy and Miss Behr were seen reliving their youth. Our hosts had arranged for all the players to go and experience a rugby match at King's Park Absa Stadium where the local team 'The Sharks' were playing a Carry Cup match. The rugby match is not what is was all really about- it's about what happens after the match on the fields next to the stadium. It is a huge tradition for all the supporters to bring their drinks and braai after the match and socialise till the early hours of the morning. The girls had great fun and Emma HowardSmith was living evidence the next morning when she had to play her final matches. Saturday 30 July We had some very tired young ladies to play our final matches against Durban Girls' College and Our Lady of Fatima School. We lost to College with a score of 11-15 and to Fatima 10-14. Our star players in the last matches were Lara Chapple and Thea Backhouse. We bid farewell to our last hosts with whom we had had lots of fun, to travel to Amble Inn for our last night in South Africa. Miss Behr was able to get us tickets for the show "African Foot Prints" at Sibya. The rhythm of the dancers and unbelievable voices of the singers soon had us all in a mood to want to join in and sing. What a great experience and wonderful way to end our tour. It certainly was the trip of a lifetime!

Peru The 2005 trip to Peru started off at 5:30am at Heathrow. We were all happy, but had slightly dampened spirits as we had the prospect of a 16 hour flight to Peru. When we arrived we were all shipped off to our families were we spent the first few days getting to know the people we were going to spend the next three weeks with. We were in Lima, the capital of Peru, for the first week and a half, where we passed a lot of the time getting to know the Peruvians at Markham, which is the school we do the exchange with. The group occasionally met up during school time and two of our number played for the 1st Y0/ rugby team against old Markham pupils. After getting used to the climate, time difference and weather, we got on a plane and left for Cusco, capital of the lncan people who were wiped out 500 years ago. There we did a lot of sightseeing and became accustomed to being 3000 metres above sea level. We visited Pisac market, which has some of the nicest alpaca ponchos and jumpers, along with a lot of silver. We then had lunch at a small farm just on the outskirts of Cusco, before returning for a pub dinner at the highest Irish-owned pub in the world at 3442m. No sooner had we acclimatized, we left and took a 5 hour train journey to Machu Picchu, one of the most incredible places in the world, and the only place that the

Spaniards did not conquer. We spent the night at a hotel in the village at the bottom of the hill. The next morning, half the group got up at 3:00am and set off on a 3km long and BOOm high hike, to get to the sun-gate and watch the sun rise over the ruins of a really remarkable place, which we had been exploring the night before. We received a surprise, which was that we arrived an hour early, so the park wasn't open, and we could have caught the bus up all but the last 500m, which happened to be the easiest. All I can say though is that it was really worth it. After having reached the top, we received another surprise, and that was the eagle circling our heads and swooping down to snack on what people had dropped on the floor. After returning to base camp, we met up with the rest of the group and caught the train back to Cusco, where we spent one night before we left to return to Lima. A few days after we arrived back, the group, minus the girls, set off to lquitos, the biggest city that doesn't have road access from the outside. It was situated on the Amazon River, in the middle of the jungle and was probably the better of the two t rips. Not on ly did we appreciate the heat, but we loved the prospect of relaxing in hammocks for most of the day and night. We spent three nights in lquitos, two of which were at a hotel just outside with nothing there except a few wooden huts that had sides made from mosquito netting and no hot water or

electricity, so at night we used paraffin lamps. Upon returning to lquitos, and to civilisation , we had nice hot showers and then embarked upon a boat journey to a little zoo called Serpientes 'Las Boas'. We had the most amazing chance to hold pythons, sloths, monkeys, parrots, baby alligators and to see prehistoric turtles, jaguars and a guinea pig the size of your average labrador. It was arguably the highlight of t he whole trip to Peru, as it was such a rema rkable and fun day. When we returned to Lima, we only had a few days before we had to get on a plane and travel back to London and school. Matthew Fit ch (MO)

Bhutan No-one knew what to expect of Bhutan. We had seen the pictures in the itinerary, but nothing could have prepared us for this trip: nothing. In one word: extraordinary. We were the fi rst school group to visit Bhutan and we fitted the descri ption exactly; matching Hima layan Kingdoms red bags and eager enthusiasm - we looked every inch the tourists. The flight into Bhutan was unlike any other I have ever experienced. The airline we flew with is the only Bhutanese airline, Druk Air. The plane was a tiny,

Bhutan Airport

two-engined affair, which hardly looked big enough to get off the ground, let alone carry passengers and baggage. When we boarded, some of us were lucky enough to get an upg rade to first-class, much to our deligh t, while poor Mr. Cameron and Miss Edwards didn't make it past economy class. Hard luck for them ... but I'm not complaining! We flew past Mt. Everest, which has to be one of the most staggering views I have ever witnessed. The airport in Bhutan was relatively civilised; it looked like a French ski resort chalet with Bhutanese decor; none of this Heathrow Terminal 3 nonsense. We met our guides - Taopo and Chigme, (the latter several of the girls had a crush on), and then proceeded to transfer to the Hotel Olathang, where many of us 'crashed out', while others took the chance to explore the curious little 'hut-rooms' that we had been placed in, within the grounds of the main hotel. One point of interest is that Chigme (who is 19). is actually 18, because in Bhutan, once you are born, you are one year old. The next day (on this trip, the sense of

Left - Miss Edwards leads the group through the jungle

time went absolutely AWOL), we visited the Paro Dzong, which serves as both a monastery and a government building. This dzong was our first taste of the many dzongs to come; the buildings are completely unique. Afterwards, the group paid a visit to the National Heritage Museum, which stores all kinds of artefacts about the history of Bhutan. The museum itself used to be a fortress where the King was held captive in 1650. On what I now know was day three (severe jet-lag started kicking in), we spent the day in Thimphu, the least visited of all the Himalayan capitals. It is home to the largest dzong in Bhutan, the Tashichhodzong. We also visited the late King's Memorial Chorten (Stupa Wangchuck), which one must walk around in a clockwise direction; otherwise it is both insulting and produces bad karma within the Buddhist religion. Once a year, the people hold a large festival in honour of the late King. While in Thimphu, the 'Art' part of the trip really took off. We visited the textile museum, which displays objects such as traditional clothes which are handcrafted from expensive fabric, and can take as

Above - Prayer Wh eels

Prayer Flogs

much as a year to make. Many of us took the opportunity to buy the Bhutanse national dress; both equally complicated to put on for men and women. The men's dress is called a go, and the women's, a kira. The next museum we called in was the Folk Heritage Museum, which was established by the Queen of Bhutan on the 20th July, 2001. It has the form of a traditional Bhutanese house. Another interesting fact that we got to know was that the kitchen was the only room that was heated in such a house, therefore the inhabitants slept in the kitchen. Also, many people had rooms reserved especially for guests. We saw paper being made with fresh flower petals at the paper factory, silversmiths at work, and visited a painting school where we saw talented young men and women create work nothing short of masterpieces. We even got the chance to ta lk to them. As we had been the first school trip to ever visit Bhutan, we were also invited to witness the assembly at the school in Bhutan. School is not compulsory for

chi ldren in Bhutan; however, approximately 1500 children attend each day. In the assembly, everyone sang the national hymn and then the people we would call 'purples' delivered a speech and notices. Surprisingly enough, the main speech was delivered in English. After the assembly, the headmaster invited us to watch the school team practise the national dance, in which they had been competing; it looked so complicated. We soon started what were to be four long days of trekking. At the start, everyone was so excited and enthusiastic, but as I will convey, we got more disgruntled and grubbier as the days went on (much to everyone's dismay- no one likes being smelly!). Our bags were carried on the backs of mules, who were led by our 'Sherpas' and went ahead of us to set up our camp for the night. On the first day trekking, we reached 3500 metres and got to our camp relatively early, therefore some of us took the decision to hit the sack at some crazy hour, such as half past three in the afternoon (myself included) - and then it proceeded to rain all night. While trekking, our food was surprisingly good -

consisting of rice or pasta throughout the trek. The portions were very large and there wasn't a night when we went to bed with less than full stomachs. Although delicious, the food in Bhutan is all spicy; the national dish is green chillies in cheese, which some of us were brave enough to try. Our main drinkswhile trekking were tea and coffee, made with yak's milk, which wasn't to everyone's taste. After a while it became sickly back home I'm sure we all delighted in having cereal with the old green or red milk. One thing that I have brought back with me from the food on this trip is the idea of having cereal with warm milk. During the trek, we were served hot milk with cornflakes; it was probably the best thing I ever cou ld have eaten. The trek consisted of several high points, one of these being an archery tournament. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan and the government is worried that it is losing out to more western sports such as football and basketball. The bows they use are very hi-tech and can shoot up to one hundred metres in two seconds; some of us attempted to hold these bows and pull the string back - the girls being relatively unsuccessful

whilst certain boys managed pretty well, namely Oliver Ford. Another enjoyable activity we engaged in while on the trek was to go and see the Takins, the Bhutanese national animal, which are quite hard to describe. They are sort of a cross between a yak and hippo. The cage was very large and apparently one had escaped quite recently .. In our second camp, one could only see the hills peeking out from the clouds; it was an extraordinary view. To reach our campsite, we had to cross a metal bridge across a river which was high up and a big challenge for those scared of heights. As we were going across, some people thought it would be funny to jump up and down and sway the bridge (thanks Ed Lavery), which wasn't to everyone's taste. Shortly afterwards, we stopped on a hill to have lunch, with the most breathtaking view. It was a panorama of paddy fields and isolated houses; we sat there looking at it while eating rice and curry off our laps. On the way to the second camp we saw monkeys on the path; I'm sure many of us, if not all of us had never seen them wild before. A few hours after lunch we arrived at camp, which didn't prove to be quite as picturesque as our first impressions led us to believe; this was the night of the leeches ... (cue spooky music). Ed Lavery was the first leech victim. One became attached to his hand and he became extremely panicky and completely paranoid. If someone else got 'leeched', he would be checking himself and asking other people to check him. He was rather unlucky! However, not as unlucky as Alex Davies; we awoke one morning to a scream from his tent as a leech had latched itself onto his lip. Ouch. In the evening at the 'leech camp', we spent most of the time going around with lighters burning the leeches off our tents; they were absolutely covered in them. The only thing I will say about leeches is that they are the ugliest creatures; it sounds disgusting but the morale of the group was raised as we watched them go

'pop'. (Nasty, sorry). The next morning, we were glad to be rid of the leeches - however, it started pouring torrentially and we all either sheltered in our tents or stood around looking at the view feeling horrid in what looked like full waterproof body suits. The last camp was situated next to a monastery, which was derelict and beautiful. It was in use however and we caught glimpses of the monks at the windows. In the middle of our camp there was a small hill on which was a holy tree. It is considered holy because of the myth

that it was placed there by Guru Rinpoche who is said to have thrown down lightning bolts to rid the valley of evil spirits. On our last night, we were treated to singing and dancing by a group of local women around the campfire, which resulted in many of us joining the dances which went on late into the night. This heightened our spirits amidst all the rain and leeches which was fantastic after standing in the rain, wearing full waterproofs and not having had a bath for several days. Certain members of our group also got into the habit of warming their underwear up round the fire, much to everyone's amusement. However, because of the rain, the leeches appeared again and the Sherpas went around emptying salt by everyone's tent to keep them away. I was sharing with lnes Smidre at this particular point and she insisted on emptying literally an entire bucket of salt outside our tent and said to me "Right, Emma, before we go to bed we are having an hour long leech check." My heart sank. Although insisting on the said leech check, lnes was good company on the trip, as was everyone; the sense of group spirit was very strong. The next morning, when we awoke, most of us felt tired, however, we knew it was our last day trekking and the thought of a warm shower and a bed was just too much to let our feelings of exhaustion get in the way. The last trek was a short one; about two and a half hours mainly downhill, which was a godsend after several days of hardcore uphill walking. It was still raining when we started and, Sod's law; it got sunny and hot just as we got to the bus. Just when we thought we'd done all the trekking that we could possibly muster, the day after we were told that we'd be

everyone's delight), and some sightseeing. The first monument we visited was the Emerald Palace, which is where the King resides. It is immensely decorated and covered in real gold leaf. We also visited the shrine of the gold Buddha; a structure which weighs two tonnes and is made of solid gold. As an act of worship, attending people (excluding tourists), buy small slithers of gold leaf and place them onto statues and say a prayer. While in Bangkok, our guide was Pat, an extremely enthusiastic, upbeat man who obviously loved his job. By this stage, many of us were dead to the world from trekking and he did his best to revive us. As we exited the Palace, we got our first glimpse of jackfruit, which tastes like a cross between mango and lychee; a few people bought some and we had a ceremonial tasting on the bus and I found it to be extremely scrumptious. Outside the Palace, there was a man with a massive python, asking for money to take photos of tourists with the snake;

Charlie and Phoebe happily obliged. In comparison with Bhutan, when we arrived in Bangkok it was quite a culture shock because it is so different to what we had experienced in the previous week. Everything is busy in Bangkok; nothing ever stops. We went on to see the

Reclining Buddha; the largest Buddha image in the world. It is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high and was built to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana (paradise). We saw many Buddha images - the next being the Jade Buddha - the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand. Upon entering the room where the Buddha is kept, one must not show the soles of their feet towards the statue, as it shows disrespect. The Buddha itself is quite small and dressed in different costumes depending on the seasons.

trekking to Taksang ('Tiger's Nest') Monastery, which was a two and a half hour steep incline upwards. To make things worse, it was unbearably hot. The annoying thing was that it took us less than half the time it took us to get up there to walk down again. Taksang is the most famous monastery in Bhutan; it is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived on the back of a tigress and meditated in the cave around which the monastery is built. Local people make the pilgrimage to the monastery every Sunday; for them it is the most spiritual place they can be in, but how they make that climb every week is astonishing.

The flight back went without flaws and when we arrived back I am sure everyone went home to catch up on their lost kip! It is certain that everyone who went on this trip will agree with me that it was truly a once in a lifetime experience; we were given the chance to see things that only a limited amount of people get to see each year, which makes it even more special.

Emma Newton (MR)

The remaining few days of the trip we spent in Bangkok which gave us a chance to indulge in some shopping (much to

Morocco We left for Marrakech on a grey Saturday in October 2005. Having spent an hour in double French, and another two hours on a coach, we arrived at Heath row in a slightly dazed state. After checking in, we killed time in the duty free section, eating everything we could afford and sa livating over a Ferrari which happened to be on display. By the time we were on the plane, we had alrea dy had quite a good time. The five hour journey was fairly uneventful and when we arrived in Marrakech, we found it, unsurprisingly, extremely foreign in comparison to where we had come from. Morocco has a different language, different religion and a very different attitude to airport security. As soon as we got off the plane into the arriva ls lounge we understood how different the whole cu lture was. In contrast to Heathrow, the airport was pleasantly decorated, staffed by two immigration officers and a cleaner. We piled into rickety minibuses and drove to our hotel, in the city centre. Interestingly, the largest number of people we spotted

on a single motorbike was five. Our hotel was comfortable and welcomi ng. It was a little worn in places - the door handle to the bathroom would fa ll off with little or no provocation. There was also a noticeable bed shortage, as Mark found out to his di smay, and so I spent most of the night fighting for the

Top- Alice Huntrods gets friendly with a ca mel (RPS) Bottom- Fifths in the High Atlas Mountains (RPS)

blanket. Sleep was cut short by the call to prayer, a warb li ng announcement made in time for sunrise, in this case about five o'clock. Our visit took place in the middle of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, where every Muslim must not eat or smoke whi lst the sun is up. This meant that at sunset, the entire city exploded

mule-ride, which was mainly engulfed in cloud. With a visibility range of less than six inches and a vertical drop of sixty feet, if we or our mules miscalculated, it could have been quite stressful. That night we slept in a glte. It had three rooms, one of wh ich was occupied very quickly by the three teachers and Kate, our guide. The other two were occupied by thirty tired and damp adolescents. The cramped conditions we re very healthy with regard to relationships, but sadly I sustained several injuries, the worst arising when Jenna sat on me without invitation. The scenery that morning was incredible. It had snowed in the mountains the night before so that the river was flowing ferociously past our accommodation. The mountains were startlingly white and the cloud cover had vanished. We had a bizarre breakfast of croissants, jam and smoothies. We then descended the Atlas mountains to the sound of Bon Jovi and the the me tune to 0 Brother Where Art Thou. Nobody knew why.

with food. The market square, which was roughly the size of Birley's, was crammed with Halal meat and the sweetest orange juice on earth. As well as the food, there were snake charmers and a loose monkey wearing a fez, surrounded by thousands of demented motorcyclists weaving their way through the pedestrians. We had been briefed as to what we should avoid eating, but that did not stop everything looking thoroughly appetising. Nella, who is fluent in French, did most of the translations. Moroccans who were around when the French were in control speak French very well, but the younger ones speak only Arabic. In Geography lessons leading up to the trip, our teachers had taken pleasu re in describing (in intricate biological detail) all the diseases we were likely to be exposed to. This included a worm which lived in you and popped out when (and where) you least expected; some sort of fly which lays poisonous eggs in water,

and of course malaria. Everybody who went was going to have to look out for rabid dogs too. After Marrakech we headed towards lmlil, a tiny village in the Atlas mountains. The bus journey took eight hours in total, after which we transferred from the buses into more battered vans, which drove us a short way up the hill before we heaped our bags onto mules and walked the rest of the way. We saw our destination - the Kasbah de Toubkal and began to look forward to a night of comfort. It was a castle at the top of the mountain, surrounded by gardens and high walls. In every direction we looked, we could see huge snowy peaks and dejected looking goats. After this initial excitement, we were told to leave our bags in the conference hall of the Kasbah and pack a small rucksack with just enough kit for a night's stay. We then went on a fou r hour hike-cum-

Top - Camilla Redman's equest rian prowess proves useful (RPS) Bottom- I. tor. Marina Cooke, Louise Ford, Alex Holt, Victoria, Hovercraft (RPS)

When we staggered back into the Kasbah, we experienced the delights of the Turkish bath. The objective seemed to be to get as hot as possible before getting as cold as possible and then doing it again. Tim survived three minutes in the freezing plunge pool. We then got into our sleeping bags in the conference hall, waged a short but exhausting jihad and finally fell asleep. The next morning, there was a great deal of travelling by road. I was one of the lucky few tha t could enjoy the use of a seat; those who weren't quick enough had to stand in the back of a lorry with the bags. Our next ride was a leaky coach, which took us across the desert, via a small village which had been encroached by sand and a pottery. At sunset, the driver stopped to pray, giving us half an hou r to play an epic game of football on the dusty, empty desert floor. Out next treat was the Sahara desert. more specifically the camels. These huge beasts had horribly unhygienic habits and no sense of humour. They swayed as they walked, with no two parts of their bodies travelling in the same direction. My camel managed to dribble on Louise, who was having an altogether more exciting time on her new friend. The journey took three hours. We eventually got to the camp and immediately had a rather impressive meal. We sang songs, baked traditional bread, slept under the stars, and watched the sun rise over the Sahara. We also rolled down sand dunes.

Back in the hotel, we frolicked in the swimming pool and played party games. The hotel was luxurious enough to have a bar and a well equipped restaurant. After that it was back to Marrakech for another day's shopping. My bartering skills were weak (apparently I spent too long apologising) and so I ended up with very little. Chris's lute had died at this stage, and he wa nted to spend his remaining money on something exciting. We stopped wt the pharmacy, but there was nothing particu larly exciting (I got some spice, some lipstick and an ominous looking twig). I managed to resist the temptation to over-i ndulge with some peculiar seeds, unlike poor Francis who suffered a few nosebleeds and a short period of nausea. The plane journey back was thoughtful. Many of us were wearing turbans, Chris had a pipe and Bibek was reading Ulysses. It was sad to be leaving Morocco, with its hole-in-the-ground lavatories and insanely large deserts, but we were all at least partly glad to be on our way home after what had been an exhausting, but legendary field trip. Edward Wiseman (MT)

Sicily This year's Classics Trip was smaller than in previous years, but the level of fervour for classical knowledge could not have been higher, according to Mr Ford, the new member of the Classics team. On Friday morn ing, Mr Heath, Miss Taylor, Mr Ocock and Mr Ford, along with the trusty band of adventurers, headed out towards Hea throw airport. Having overcome the torturous boredom of collecting airplane tickets, the team, after a hilarious flight transfer in Milan, arrived early evening at Sicily airport, looking out with cameras for the local mafia. They didn't show, so we rocked into Palermo, capital city of the mafia folk, in the early hours. The first sight to greet us as we left the coach was some kind of ghetto, gangster, underground, basement, nightclub joint, beneath the Hotel!

of Monreale and Palermo Cathedral, or Duomo, with its amazing meridian line. Afterwards we were let loose into the city, where we were pursued by a suicidal tramp dog. Below - Students admire the teachers' handiwork Bottom - The Greek Theatre at Seges to

Now for the Classics... On Sa turday morning, whilst others were languishing in school, we headed out in to Palermo for a guided tour of the city, seeing the fa mous Piazza with its statues of the four seasons and rulers of Sicily, the Cathedral

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seen on Ortygia Island and the mythological Arethusa Spring, where the river god is said to have come up in search of the woman he was lusting after who had fled to the island. The Cathedral was very interesting as it was actually a converted Greek temple, a unique piece of architecture. The pillars inside were the original temple columns!

On Sunday morning we left Palermo and, on the way to Agrigento, we stopped off at a host of Classical sites. We began with the "unfinished" Doric temple at Segesta, unfinished in that it had no cella. It also lacked the classic (note the pun) dimensions of a Corinthian or Ionic temple, of which the number of side pillars equalled the number of front pillars doubled with one added. The site also included a Greek theatre within which Alex Gilmore, Simon Englander and Lawrence Percival acted out a simply breathtaking scene from Oedipus Rex- a classical play, so it was all in context. Then we continued on to the great hotel at Agrigento, by name of Hotel Tre Torri! The staff were ingenious and gained my favour by deciding to give the 6th formers one mega-awesome suite that no one else had. Although the area resembled the Broad Oak Road car industrial estate, the 6th formers cunningly found an Irish pub called "Murphy's", whilst the kiddie Sths sat in their rooms talking about horses and pokemon. We champion 6th formers spent the evening terrorising the confused and bemused Sicilians wondering what the ridiculous trio of a Swissman, a Bendy and a German were doing in their Irish pub. The next day we woke up with the prospect of a voyage into the epic area known only to the locals as the fearful "Valley of the Temples". Here there were four enormous temples. After this fateful journey, we entered an archaeological museum and saw the original giant from the temple of Zeus standing tall along with many other thousands of swords and shields, pots and pans. Then, later that afternoon, we went to the beach and there I fell asleep reading a

philosophy book. The kids went swimming but the staff made an ingenious sand replica of the giant statue we had seen earlier in the day. Twas most amazing and I took my hat off to them, before dropping it in the sea. We then went home for tea and fell asleep quite exhausted, not quite sure why ... Tuesday was a tragic day as we left our wonderful suite and headed across Sicily to the East coast. However, on the way we visited Piazza Armerina with the remains of an Imperial Villa, within which are held some of the most fantastically preserved mosaics in the world. It is here that the mosaic of women in bikinis was found, proving the Romans invented bikinis! It was also here that I purchased my famous flute of power, from which I conjured forth the German national anthem! Other trinkets were also bought. usually pizza. Excellent place, especially as the chef gave me an extra piece of pizza for playing him a song. Wednesday saw us travel to the ancient and famous city of Syracuse, where we saw a relatively well preserved Greek theatre, though the Spanish had ripped off chunks of rock for their own petty fortifications in later centuries. We also saw a Roman amphitheatre, though it was far smaller than the famous Colosseum, and Archimedes' tomb, next to a very busy Sicilian road. The Ear of Dionisius, though named later by Leonardo de Vinci because the echoes were so loud you could hear any secret plotting, was a strange, huge cleft in the wall of a quarry left by ancient, slave, stone-workers. The amazing echoes were due to the nature of the cleft in the rock face, which was very similar to that of an ear canal. The Temple of Apollo was also

Thursday involved our mission to conquer the great Etna. Not on ly did we get a cable car, but we also then took jeeps right up to about 100 metres below the summit! There we walked through vast clouds of mist and sulphur, and threw huge boulders into fiery pits, watching as huge gusts of steam rose from beneath us. The views at the top, and indeed going up and down the moun tain, were fantastic. In the afternoon we trave lled to the Alcantara Gorge and paddled in it for hours on end, even though I found it excruciatingly cold. Alex Gilmore and Adnan Bashir thought that they had been attacked by thousands of tiny leeches, but this ridiculous cla im was overturned when a close study showed the little critters to be tiny worms living in the mud. Si lly hysterical boys! That evening was our last night and so the staff kindly hired a coach to ta ke us to Taormina to sample the city's night life. It was a very interesting night and the 6th formers found some wonderful Sicilian people in the local areas, as well as Mr Parker, who bizarrely turned up and ambushed us as we entered the town! It was an excellent night though and we do like the Sicilian sense of humour: so easy to please, probably because they don't speak advanced English, thinking about it now. The final day we went to Taormina again to fetch presents and gifts for our loved ones and ma ke films and eat ice cream. Then at three o'clock we reached the airport, had another hilarious t ransfer to Rome (where I wanted to stay and explore!). before heading home and arriving back at school at about 1 o'clock. Thanks to Mr Heath, Mr Ocock, Mr Ford and Miss Taylor, for their stewardship and organisationa l skills. Thanks to An tonio, the legendary coach driver, for taking us almost anywhere wi th good grace (we really appreciated him, after sampling another less than savoury driver when Antonio had to see the doctor!) Special thanks to Mr Heath again for organising the whole experience - turned out to be one epic trip full of mystery, intrigue, educational value, fun and banter! You Homeric Champion! Alex Sanne (CY)

Top - Classics Group at the Temple of Segesta

6a History of Art and Italian Trip to Florence The 6a History of Art and Italian students

departed for Stansted airport after Saturday lessons accompanied by Mr Felton, Mrs Newbury and Mrs Brown. After a surprisingly short journey and consequently a long wait in the airport,

we eventually departed for Pisa. Following a bus journey to Florence, we arrived at the Hotel lorena in time for bed. The following morning we walked to Florence Cathedral to see Brunelleschi's Dome and Ghiberti's baptistery doors; unfortunately we were unable to climb the Dome and Campanile and so we admired them from a distance instead. Meanwhile, the three Italian students travelled to the other side of Florence to

attend language classes at the University, which they assured us they very much enjoyed. Later that morning we visited the Uffizi galleries, the largest Collection of Florentine Renaissance artwork in the world, where we viewed many of the pieces we had studied. After a lengthy lunchbreak, during which we explored some of the city's shops and ice cream parlours, we went to the Medici Palace di Ricardi where we pilfered a couple of Medici limes before visiting the Gozzoli chapel. At the end of an exhausting but fascinating day, Mr Felton took us to a favourite restaurant of his where we enjoyed a delicious Florentine supper. We then went to check out the Florentine nightlife. Whilst some of us accidentally stumbled across a geriatric samba club, the others found themselves surprisingly closer to home in a Scottish pub next to Florence Cathedral. The next day we woke early and, after a quick breakfast in the cafe below our hotel, we visited the monastery of San Lorenzo where we viewed the frescoes of Fra Fillipo Lippi and Brunelleschi's library. Later that day we visited the Brancacci chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine and the Church of Santa Maria Novella. Following lunch of pizza and ice cream we visited the Pitti galleries, which gave us an idea of the style in which the Medici lived as well as a chance to see even more of the artwork we had studied. An early start and a train ride took us to Siena the next morning, where we visited the town hall and admired the view of the Tuscan city from the Campanile tower. The weather was excellent, a

welcome change from back home, and so we sunbathed in the main square. After yet more pizza for lunch and a wander round the narrow streets of the town we went to visit Siena Cathedral. Unfortunately as the Cathedral had just closed to visitors we had to be smuggled in one by one by a ticket officer. Once inside we all admired the elaborate decoration and beautiful Gothic architecture. It was certainly worth the wait. On our last day we visited Santa Croce and the Pazzi chapel followed by a quick visit to the Academy to see Michelangelo's David. The afternoon was spent buying a last few things from the market in the pouring rain. Slightly damp, but still in good spirits we headed to the airport where Lydia almost got abducted by the bus driver. Luckily she was rescued by Mrs Newbury, by which time everyone was drenched. Many thanks to Mr Felton, Mrs Brown and Mrs Newbury for organising such a wonderful trip; a fantastic time was had by all. Florence Hillen and Lucy Egleton (WL)

6a Ski TripChateau D'Oex It was a week full of high spirits, great banter, amazing snow and fun people, as well as an exhibition of extreme skill, lack of skill, good look on the piste and how to look good on the dance floor. It began at a civil hour with the bus leaving Canterbury at 4.00pm on Saturday 11th February. We set off for our not so civil journey of 14 hours to Switzerland. We stopped for supper at midnight and breakfast at 5.00am and, as a result, minimal sleep was gained. Chateau D'Oex is a relatively small, picturesque town connected to a much bigger network of skiing areas. Directly after our arrival in Chateau D'Oex at a nice hotel not too far from the centre of town and metres away from the Irish pub, it was straight to the ski hire which, understandably took some time. As for the rest of day one, it was to unpack, do a tour of the town and catch up on valuable sleep which would prove to be vital for the hardcore week ahead. Every day had an early start with a compulsory breakfast at 7.45, making sure we were ready to meet our instructors at 9.00. After some 'oohing' and 'aahing' at the snowboard instructor chick from various boys (and staff), we were split into groups and some were

seriously considering switching to our snowboard group. The instructors were really friendly and I think many of us learnt a great deal over the week. We met for lunch and a 1.30 roll call every day on the mountain, after which we were able to either 'shred' the piste, take it easy or simply relax in a mountainside Cafe. Each day of skiing ended between 4.30 and 5.00 when we were then free until supper at 7.30 where the food was actually quite good. After supper we were free to do as we pleased with a curfew that was moved back by half an hour each night, although on the final night it would be fair to say that the curfew was sort of 'thrown out the window'. Anyhow, on some nights we had events laid on for us such as ice skating and bowling. Marcus took the biscuit bowling wise making a ridiculously high score, with me at the other end of the spectrum making a grand total of 11. The majority of the nights were danced away at 'La Samba' where we celebrated Valentine's Day as well as Henry Hird, Grace Selous and Will Pounds' 18th birthdays. Dom Berry wins for birthday celebrations with the thirteen hour coach journey home taking up most of it- slightly unfortunate. On Wednesday night we had the chance to go night skiing which is a unique experience (25 of us piled up the mountainside for Paella and Sangria). After the meal we all descended the piste with hand held torches to light the wayit was a great evening. As the week wore on the breakfast hour became gradually more and more painful with the headache count getting bigger every morning. We were lucky in that most of us left the flu epidemic that had bed-ridden the majority of the school in the first half of term in Canterbury, although there were a few victims who unfortunately missed a couple of days of piste time and a couple of nights of madness. Injury-wise the week wasn't too bad. I saw first hand that the snowboarders saw some epic wipe-outs. Fall-wise I proved to be the laughing stock of the group by absolutely annihilating myself after most of the jumps whilst I also managed to get my leg sliced open by Duncan Morpeth's board which resulted in a trip to the hospital and six stitches. Bar this, it was a relatively accident free week. We were very lucky with the weather throughout the week. Either it was snowing or blazing sun. There was some rain lower down in the resort, but that didn't affect the piste conditions. Because we had so much snowfall, on the three days of bright skies we had it was bliss. Amazing powder and fresh snow

combined with blue skies is the ultimate combination. Towards the end of the week a slalom course was set up for us to compete against each other for prizes. This proved difficult for the beginners. Landy Patten was victorious among the skiers, as his mum is a ski instructor; Simon Pound won amongst the snowboarders. Times and prizes were read out on the final evening before we went to the town for the last time. As well as the students, the staff came out raving and dancing fullthrottle and we were also joined by the ski-instructors at 'Le Zenith' Club at the bottom of town. Mr McGilchrist, Mr Vesty, Mr Ocock and Mr Sykes dominated the club with their unforgivable and unforgettable dance moves. Together we all destroyed the dance floor until the early hours of the next day. The next morning, I think, most people were seeing double. We gave everything for our final day on the slopes and then it was time to return our equipment and pack up. Our departure was painful. Firstly, nobody really wanted to leave and secondly our bus was to depart for the beautiful town of Canterbury at four in the morning. With everyone in a somewhat comatosed state, our bus drivers Andy and Richard, who had been ful ly reliable and a great laugh throughout the week, came to the rescue. The luggage was efficiently loaded on as were all of us, and we were off not long after the stated time of departure. Thanks to the Broughton Matron who was there on the few occasional trips to the hospital; Dr. Pidoux with her supreme beginners on the slopes; Mr Vesty who definitely fitted in as a snowboarder dude and who also managed to nail a 180 by the end of the week; Mr Sykes, who got pretty good by the end of the week considering he had never been on skis before; Mr Ocock for his supreme style on the piste and for generally being a legend. And finally to Mr McGilchrist who bravely took on the task of taking us skiing in the first place. His phenomenal organisation and his general sense of humour made the trip one not to miss. So thank you to all the staff that made the holiday possible.

southern Spain to spend a week with Spanish families. We arrived at Heathrow at midday and flew to Seville. When we arrived we went directly to our language school where we met our host families, and were taken back to their houses. We stayed in groups of twos or threes in separate houses so that we could practise our Spanish 24 hours a day!

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The next morning, we had breakfast in our houses and were taken to by a member of our families. We had lessons for three hours in the morning every day, except for the weekend. That afternoon we visited La Giralda cathedral which was massive and beautifully decorated, and managed to climb the thirty-five flight tall tower which the cathedral is famous for. Every lunchtime and evening we would go back to our homes for meals with our host families.

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We went to the Plaza de Toros, the bull fighting arena, one afternoon and were shown around the museum and where the horses and bulls were kept underneath the stands. We visited one of the most famous museums in Seville where we were shown Sevillian traditional dress and told about the general history of the city. The museum was surrounded by el Parque de Maria Luisa, where we could feed the many doves that stayed around there. One day we met some Spanish students who were studying English at CUC. We talked to them in English and Spanish and were given refreshments and snacks while we chatted with some of the other groups. Another day we had the option of either going shopping or playing football. Of course, all of the girls, and a few boys, went for the shopping option.

On the Saturday before we left Seville, we went to Jerez to visit the famous Gonzalez Byass bodega. On our return to Seville later that day, we went to the Isla Magica theme Park, but unfortunately we had to leave after only two hours because it started pouring with rain, rai n the like of which we'd never seen before, even in England! On Sunday, we bade farewell to our Spanish families and returned home to England tired but confident that we had learnt a lot of Spanish and had a great time. Camilla Corbett (LX)

Barcelona The annual Barcelona trip organised by Senor Bruna is a trip much anticipated by 5th formers keen on Spa nish, and following the successes of previous years this one was no different. The trip began on a cloudy day at Gatwick Airport, where all the students met before taking the flight to sunny (in comparison with England) Catalonia. After being delayed for a few hours on the plane, we met our host families in the evening outside the language school, where we all separated and they took us home. Before we knew it we were heading back to Urquinaona underground station the following morning where the school was situated, on the crowded public transport systems of Barcelona. Each day we had Spanish lessons until noon with a half hour break in the middle, followed by visits to famous structures and locations in the afternoon. The first day we visited the fa mous

Lucy Leigh-Pemberton (LX)

Rem o ve Spanish Trip to Seville During the half term break in October a group of Removes went to Seville in Fifth Formers in Barcelona

"Champs Elysees of Barcelona", Las Ramblas. It was full to the brim with street artists performing acts of comedy and theatre, as well as people selling all sorts of junk. It was a highly enjoyable experience. During the rest of the trip we visited all sorts of monuments, most notably the architect Gaudi's buildings including his cathed ra l (which is sti ll under construction), but the highlight of the trip, for most, was the visit to Camp Nou, Barcelona FC's massive stadium. We were highly privileged to watch the football team train and acqui re au tographs and photos with some of the World's best football stars such as Ronaldinho, then tour the stadium and grounds. All this was a personal effort from Senor Bruna who, through his persistent nature, even managed to get permission for us to play football on one of the youth training pitches after the tour! Another highlight of the trip was the unexpected appea ra nce of our esteemed teacher Mr Chaundy, who contributed by giving us a tour of the Picasso Museum and some Gaudi bu ildings (being an art teacher himself), as well as providing good company along with the Spanish assistant Barbara, Mr Hermes, and of course Senor Bruna. When we met outside the "EI Corte Ingles" shopping centre on the final day of the trip, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we were somewhat disappointed to leave because it had been a thoroughly pleasurable and tremendously educational experience for all of us. All in all, it was a brilliant trip which everyone enjoyed, and it was an excellent means of improving our Spanish skills, preparing us for the fast approaching GCSEs.l wou ld recommend this trip to anyone looking for fun and a way to improve their Spanish, as I can say with absolute conviction that my Spanish skills were greatly bettered and as a result I was much more confident of a good grade in my exams. Senor Bruna must be thanked as he organises this trip every year during his free time. Arthur Williams (GR)

Top left -Students Middl e - Students

meet meet

Henrik Larsson Ronaldinho at Camp Nou

Bottom left - At the Olympic Village Barcelona

6b Spanish Trip to Madrid

Shell Ypres Trip

steps of the memorial cross at Tyne Cot.

Walking over the sites of so many battles and deaths was like taking a walk back through history. The atmosphere of the German cemetery Langmarck, the first and last we visited was cold, unwelcoming and solemn. All the memorial stones were set out as if they were still in battle formation and the imposing trees cast a shadow over the mass graves where 10,000 men were buried and unnamed forever.

Then we went to Sanctuary Wood where there was a museum and trenches. The museum showed pictures and artefacts from the men's time in the t renches, most of the pictures were of the dead and injured. The trenches were shocking because of their small size and the horrible conditions and mud; it was hard to imagine living in such a disgusting place for that amount of time. We did have fun exploring the trenches and pretending to be soldiers, but still had no idea what the real thing would be like.

It was a great contrast to Tyne Cot, the British cemetery where there were white stones and green grass with poppies strewn across the graves. The sheer size of the cemetery and the number of graves shocked us and many of us found our family names on the walls or on gravestones. We saw the land that so many men had lost their lives for. It was very moving as we left a wreath on the

Hill 60 was our next stop - it was a small hill covered in craters from shells with a memorial and a pill box which held a machine gun post and would once have been a place of death and destruction . Grass had grown over the place that would once have been no more than churned up mud and corpses.

After Hill 60 we went to Essex Farm, another small cemetery which held a grave of not only an O.K.S., but also a fifteen year old boy. Three Kings pupi ls read ou t the famous poem Flanders Fields by John McCrae next to a memorial statue of him. At Essex Farm there were also underground treatment areas for injured soldiers, which were very eerie. Then we went to Ypres and had a dinner of chicken and chips and went to the infamous Belgian chocola te shop. Our last visit of the day was to the Men in Gate, the huge memorial arch dedicated to all those who died in the war but whose bodies were never found. Bugles were played and the Beadle laid a wreath for the King's School. Everyone enjoyed the trip thoroug hly and it made us think about all the men who gave their lives in World War One. By Annabel Church (MR) and Anna Ventress (WL)

Societies and Activities The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Another term of successful activity. The number of pupils achieving Bronze Award continues to rise and the tak-up of those pupils pursuing the Gold Award is also on the increase. The Shells/Removes' programme of cycling, climbing/spinning, canoeing, sailing and power boating have all been popular and the core activities of Initiative and Leadership Training, Expedition Trai ning and First Aid have all been well-received. Outside School, there have been two Bronze Qualifying Expeditions in East Kent to follow last summer's Gold Expeditions to the Lake District in Cumbria and The Brecon Beacons in Wales, which involved 40 pupils. On the water, four Bronze Sailing Expeditions took place, two in the channel out of Ramsgate and two in the Solent from Portsmouth, involving 32 pupils. The following are quotes from Expedi tion Diaries :

Bronze Walking Expedition - pupil from Jervis "I had an ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach that the rather simplistic look of the route card (filled out in a frenzy the night before) would get us lost. We had experienced no problems on our practice expedition and so the plan would go on. Some of the walk was a

struggle, working out the bearings, making sure that every member of the group kept up the pace, avoiding the sheep and cows, climbing over stile after stile and just plain following the map. We stopped at a pub 'for water' and struggled up and down the hills to the campsite. This was the fun part, lying around the t ents, chatting and cooking the food."

Bronze Sailing Expedition - pupil from School House "I was not quite sure wha t to expect; arriving at Gun Wharf Key and climbing onto the large, 49-foot ketch, I was ready to have great fun and learn something new. This came from sailing around the Solent, in a much larger boat than I had

ever done before. I learnt how to navigate in difficult areas, how to make cups of tea for more than six people, but most importantly I learnt how to get along with people I had never known before."

Gold Award Expedition - Poetry from the Brecon Beacons Our trip began on a misty dawn At 7 o'clock on Tuesday morn Our Spirits were high as our feet were dry But this would not last, unlike the blue sky It was windy and exposed up on the ridge And we wa lked off the path just by a midge Alas the price proved dea r As we faced our worst fear Fortunately the sun had burnt off the fog, But this didn't stop us getting stuck in the bog! We lunched by the reservo ir, Whi le enjoying the 'belle-voir', Then straight up the hill Which we ascended with skill To view the campsite gave sweet delight For it was there we would spend the night.

2 On day number two after soup in a cu p, We sang some songs to cheer us up. The road was long and our boots were t ight. But at the end of the tunnel there was a light, For we saw Peter with his smile so bright Who gave us water to aid our plight We walked up the mountain; they ca lled it a hi ll,

Top - Duke of Edinburgh 's Award Exped ition Training Bottom -Alexandra Groom and Charlotte Bowman {WL)

At the top ou r feet it did kill, As we crested the mount they were in pain, But this was forgotten as it began to rain. And down the slope we did slide, Passing a sheep which had recently died. We crossed the road, the 4067, And spied over fields a small slice of heaven. There was rain at the top and rain at the bottom, At the campsite there was neither milk nor eggs, so sodd'm!

3 The third day we all enjoyed, As the distance did not seem quite such a void. With our hearts full of pride And with purposeful strides We sped all day up the mountainside. The trig-point was high up in the sky And Craig had to explain the where and why. Our footsteps then followed the old Roman road And Rob was scared by a very large toad. Craig had told us there were no more hills, But we had to ascend another against our wills.

We arrived at two in the afternoon, But Ed was ready to walk far too soon. As the last day loomed and came close, Sarah and Chloe lay down comatose Peter came, saw us and gave us advice And the thought of tomorrow seemed quite nice.

his palace We marched onwards, not without malice. By Chloe Mitchell, Sarah Ventress, Craig Sawyer, Robert Watson and Ed Wa tts * Director, Secretary and Assessor at MW Guiding Services.

On day number four we rose bright and early Although the girls appeared rather surly. As conversation topics became rotten The boys' toilet humour hit rock bottom And although the bags were lighter to lug We found ourselves knee-deep in mud. Our feet were ting ling and shou lder raw, Bu t despite all this ou r spirits did soar Rob saw a bull which was really a cow, If he is an honorary scholar I can't think how The sky was sunny and the lake was clear As we realised the end was so very near. Although we'd climbed so many peaks We were narrowly beaten by a group of wal king geeks! Thank you very much to Mike, Dawn and Pete â&#x20AC;˘ For guiding us through this ordeal to our feet. Whilst the Du ke of Edinburgh sat snug in

Bock I. to r. Alex Todd, Henry Ridg wa y, George Schurr. George Cooke, Jolyon Martin, Henry Hamilton Middle I. tor. Yochtmoster. JT. Assistant Yochtmoster. A RW Front I. to r. Mirando Berliand, Indio Lyons, Lucy Iron, Jessica Burley

The ultimate aim of those in 6A is of course to secure a Gold Award and it was pleasing that Nicola Kent (WL). Lu ke Thorne (GL). Natalie Greer (JR), and Gigi Barker (WL) were congratulat ed for that on Commemora tion Day last term. The process by which this all happens is a long one requiring patience, discipline, mental stamina and teamwork and often the support of fami ly, friends and teachers. Our grateful thanks must be expressed to them and to members of the team who deliver the Remove Programme: Mme Zanardi and Mrs Ladd, for ensuring that so many gain First Aid Train ing and Qualification, Mr Cox and Mr Whyte, who organise and implement the Initiative and Leadership Traini ng, Mr Dixon and Mr Burley, who deliver the Expedition Train ing, Dr Maltby, who runs the Sailing option and organisation of the Sailing Expeditions, Mrs McConnell, the Power Boating, Mrs Gorman, the canoeing, Mr Ocock and Mr Teeton, who

take groups mountain biking, Mr Hill who supervises the spinning activity and Mr Warnick who makes Climbing seem fun. I must also mention Mr Smiley who, despite looking after Shells Hockey this term, still manages to find time to carry out the maintenance on our bicycles so that they are always 'up-and-running: Thanks also to our canoe instructor Nick and sailing instructor Dave Sinnock and Rec. Centre staff who deliver First Aid or act as Life Guards. ARW

Duke of Edinburgh Award Trophy Presentation It was delightful to meet Grace Walpole OKS (1999- 2004) again last term on the occasion of her presentation of a Trophy to Walpole House - to be known as the Walpole Bowl- and awarded for the most outstanding Gold participant in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in Walpole House. The trophy a 17th Century, solid silver snuff tray was kindly donated by Lord and Lady Walpole of Mannington Hall, Norfolk in recognition of Grace's achievement as one of the four pupils to be presented with their Gold Awards by The Duke of Edinburgh at StJames's Palace. The others included Georgie Darroch, Aimee Baird, and Jessica Watson. Theo Webb and George Coltart received their recognition at a later date. I'm sure Grace will not mind if I quote a few words from an email message sent to me after she left King's, which encapsulates some of what the Award is simply all about: "a fantastic achievement that to many may seem impossible and even with a bit of fun and laughs along the way! Although it was tough, I did enjoy doing it, and I'm so glad now that you pushed me that little bit extra to help me succeed in completing the Award, and now I have something to feel very proud of. It was a great bunch of people and it was good fun working together, not only to get the award, but also to be the first at King's and to prove ourselves, as well as all becoming really good friends along the way." Following the ceremony at StJames's, girls and parents were guests of Lord and Lady Walpole for lunch at the House of Lords and for us all a mini-reunion.

Bronze Sailing Expedition At half term, our crew of five Luxmoore girls took over a 36ft yacht to complete a sailing trip for our Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Sailing Expedition. We also had our own professional skipper, Vicky and the assistance of Mr Watson. Our craft was identical to the Linacre boat lead by Mr Troy and Robin. We sailed from Southampton on Saturday morning, our plan to cross the sea to the Channel Islands, but we did not get past the Isle of Wight due to the bad weather conditions. It was decided to stay in the Solent practising handling the yacht and learning important drills such as 'man overboard' and mooring techniques. We met with the boys for lunch, where a heavy swell caused our masts to collide, resulting in a broken light. Later the boys' boat suffered from a rope caught under

the propeller which needed a diver to untangle it. Luckily this did not affect us, so we sailed off to Cowes in the Isle of Wight, to berth for the night. Later in the evening, we shared our mooring with the Linacre crew and a fish and chip supper in the marina. The next day we sailed for Poole along the South Coast via the famous 'Needles' and spent hours singing on deck while taking turns to helm and crew and attempting to use Indian accents when talking to each other. Vicky taught us the words of Flower of Scotland so we can now join in with the Scottish rugby or football teams before international matches. We took it in turns to cook and wash up in the gully and scrub the boat from top to bottom, which included cleaning the heads (toilet for nonseafarers). The main challenge on the expedition came after Vicky, our yacht- master had taught us the fundamentals of navigation

Top - Groce Walpole presenting the trophy to A RW Bock row Gigi Barker and Nicolo Kent (Heads of House 2004-5/2005- 6)

and chart work. We now had to apply this to the seamanship and sail as a crew from Poole to Portsmouth. The day began well despite the Gam start and we made good progress. We took turns at all the various tasks under Vicky's watchful eye until the weather became squally and we found ourselves in a force 7 gale. It made you realise the importance of wearing a safety harness with a safety clip and the importance of competency at boat handling in what were tricky situations at times. We arrived in Portsmouth completely shattered after sailing 40 miles, the last part in very heavy seas and we were grateful for sleep. Sailing cuisine is not the best, but when you are hungry you will eat most things- we did. On our final day we sailed back home to Southampton, some more pleased to be on land than others, but what we had learned is teamwork and getting on with people in a confined space. We had a brief test on what we had learned and had completed the expedition part of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, all thanks to Vicky our skipper and Mr Watson. India Lyons, Jessica Burley, Emi Eldridge, Lucy Iron ft Miranda Berliand (LX}

On the Friday before half term, six guys from Linacre House boarded a bus from the green court to the Hamble marina in Hampshire. The original plan was to sail from the Hamble River, down out of Southampton water to Osborne Bay in the Isle of Wight, and to the carry on the next day to Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Unfortunately, due to adverse conditions and relatively inexperienced crews the plan was postponed. The next morning we left the Hamble River in a steady and rising breeze. We played around in the Solent learning new tricks and getting accustomed to the boat. We anchored the boat in Osborne Bay for lunch, with the luxmoore boat moored along side. At lunch there was an executive decision not to travel to Guernsey, but to go to Poole via Yarmouth, but again because of the everincreasing breeze, that plan was also scrapped when we were half way up the Selent towards Yarmouth. We decided that it would be a good idea to go to Cowes instead for the night because the forecast was for the wind to die down and veer to the north, giving us a more favourable passage to Poole. Unluckily on the way back to Yarmouth a rope from the mast managed to get itself caught round the propeller; this meant that we had no engine, and in a steadily rising

force 6 wind, this proved a bit of a problem. We decided to pick up a mooring buoy outside Cowes under sail; this was a challenge that was accomplished through good seamanship and teamwork. We then travelled the next day towards Poole where we stayed for the night, again meeting up with the luxmoore crew. The following day we made our way back towards Cowes via Southampton and then spent the night in Newtown creek. This was a beautiful and tranquil mooring for a decent night's sleep. On arrival back on the Hamble the following day we took stock of what we had achieved. We had certainly learnt more about ocean sailing and had all thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Finally, thanks to Mr Troy and Mr Watson for facilitating it and making it such a great time. George Cooke (LN)

Bronze Walking Expedition We agreed that the clay would not be out of place in a pottery, rather than sticking to our shoes, but although the weather deteriorated, we enjoyed the walking on this Practice Expedition along the Elham Valley in May. The night before we had camped at Knowler Farm, Stelling Minnis. The horses had been moved from the field by the owner to allow us to pitch our tents on the soft grass. Supper was a swift affair, cooking our boil-in-the-bag meals before setting about competing against the boys in a variety of amateur games. Mr Watson suggested that we could be heard in Canterbury, such was the excitement and it must be said, argument. Sleeping was difficult for some, as the imagination can run wild in the silence of the country, our excuse anyway for staying awake into the early hours. The morning was dank and misty, but we were ready for the day and after breakfast and the arrival of Mr Cox on the Sunday meant a change of leader and we went forth into the woods and countryside of East Kent. Unfortunately, the Qualifying Expedition group had suffered a set-back as an illness to one of their group meant they were unable to continue after a hard day on the Saturday. Mr Watson had the task of returning them to School but met up with us later, by which time the rain had penetrated to the skin. However, morale was high and although we had walked 10miles, we were keen to walk back to King's. Mr Watson disagreed, which was just as well.

Gold Practice Expedition Snowdonia Easter 2006 Rain like stair-rods, waist-deep bogs, water-drenched grass and soggy tents were the thoughts which come easily to the memory about Snowdonia, not to mention the rucksacks which seemed to increase in weight daily despite the consumption of the food, our heaviest item. The wettest Easter for 16 years apparently, but thanks to our equipment we got through, even though other DOE courses at other centres were cancelled as we discovered later. Don't go to Dolgarrog, it's a dog of a place in the rain and the Devil's Kitchen up from the Ogwen Valley should be renamed the Devil's Shower. Walking its steep path required all our energy and navigation skills. The terrain was rocky and slippery and through the fog and mist you could see the jagged rock faces on either side. Food at night was adequate with the meatballs and dumplings being the favourite. There was much swapping and bargaining for this particular boil-in-thebag meal. A round-up of personal high and lowlights of the expedition, centred around the rain. Clearly, staying dry proved difficult and putting cold, wet socks back on in the mornings proved a great test of character. However, it was not all just rain and misery, there was a lot of laughter, many memorable jokes people seem to remember, the drenchings did not stop the fun and new and deeper friendships were made. The mountainous and unfamiliar countryside was surprisingly difficult to navigate, despite having detailed maps and compasses, but we made an excellent team, covering an average of 20 miles a day and never getting lost. By the end of the expedition, everyone felt a great sense of achievement having overcome the marshy ponds, negotiated knee-deep mud and survived the freezing cold. The discomfort seemed to bond us as we could moan together and then get on with enjoying ourselves in the 'great outdoors'. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Watson for the training and preparation and support for completing this part of the Award; Mr. Franks for looking after us and encouraging us in Wales itself, and to the other members of

Photography

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staff who were involved in helping with the expedition. All in all, it was a truly character building experience and one well worth it! Tania Hayes (WL)

Estelle Daniels Talk Working as a producer and executive producer for the BBC, Estelle Daniels had various roles in getting programmes like EastEnders, Pride and Prejudice and Little White Lies on television. The thing on my

mind was to find out exactly what it was that a TV producer did -almost

everything from writing, to standing guard outside celebrity trailers it turns

out. The talk's subject was Adaptation, and her production of Gormenghast was to be the centre-piece of the talk. Taking us through the process of

adaptation, we learned that of course books are not the only source for lV production, indeed, it draws on a wide pool of resources, including current events, history, characters and even British museum exhibits. She spoke of failed projects, Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children proved to be difficult with a fatwa on the author's head and House of Cards was simply too boring. Estelle confessed she loved the subversive (Austen characters having sex on screen, whatever next?), amusing the audience by lashing out at Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Diary for being a "crap book that was turned into a great film". The thing about lV production, she said, was you had to get the timing right. Was the British public ready for a classic or a political thriller? Was it ready for Gormenghast? She was "blown away" by Michael Peake's novel and for the philistine among us gave a quick plot summary. Gormenghast rivals Lord of the Rings for sheer imagination, and was praised by C.S. Lewis, in short, a very ambitious project for television. The use of "talking heads", Shakespearean theatre and Hollywood Bmovie to bring it all to life was effectively shown to us with a series of clips. King's is ready, many asking where they could get a copy of Gormenghast afterwards. Her delivery ranged from sermon ising "the 10 commandments of T.V. production" - to the rapid fire machine gun, relaying nightmare stories of deadlines and imprisoned cast members.

No pause for laughter, after all, T.V. production is a serious business. A cutthroat one too, we learned, as the audience's participation in a competition to spot the mistake in a clip proved fruitless and noone won the prize (though Mr Lyons was spotted pocketing it). Very confident in her style, she ordered Mr Lyons around with impunity, at one point he appealed for the audience to "pray for me'~ A little tip for budding hopefuls, "soap is the training ground for scriptwriters", a little competition with the moviemakers "T.V. has far more viewers than Hollywood". The talk did not stick to the subject of adaptation, but then what is there to say about it other than it knows no limits; the C.G.I. era is now. She leaves us with an interesting point; "America does Hollywood with its big budgets, and Britain does the theatre with its raw talent."

Marlowe Society Talk- Duncan Forbes The Marlowe Society's year started in fine form with a talk from poet and English teacher Duncan Forbes. He read a selection of his poems, giving a brief but informative introduction to each one, and took questions throughout the evening. Forbes explained that his poetic output varies greatly in subject matter and mood - he is often inspired to write a poem of contrasting mood to the previous one. He writes a great deal of comic poems, of which 'Target' was a highly enjoyable example. Based on a real-life experience, it dryly recounts an incident in which the poet became the target of an airborne pigeon. The comic effect is achieved by using a more regular rhythm and rhyme scheme than those in most of the other poems we heard. By contrast, 'Dragonfly' reveals a contemplative, rather melancholy side to Forbes' writing, dealing with the ephemeral nature of the world through the example of the existence of a dragonfly. Forbes' other preoccupations which reveal themselves in his writing are eclectic: although an agnostic, he finds that the image of God recurs in his poetry, and of the twelve poems he read, four dealt with man's relationship with God, who appeared predominantly as an allpowerful, all-seeing yet rather detached deity. The final poem of the evening displayed this perfectly- it opens by

describing God in a way that evokes the silence of eternity that surrounds him. This silence is broken by mankind, whose cacophonous voices are heard in a telephone call lasting a nanosecond, before, as is said in the final line, 'the line went dead'. The abruptness of this ending is very effective in showing us how ultimately insignificant we are when seen through the eyes of 'God'. Forbes explained that, despite not being highly politicised, he has written poems about the last three prime ministers, the latest of which, 'Downing Street Cat', he read to us. It is a highly amusing satirical view of Tony Blair as a sleek, self-satisfied cat, and mocks the eagerness to please everywhere that is reminiscent of political behaviour. Forbes' diversity of themes is mirrored by the range of forms which he uses. He has no fixed or favourite style, and his poems display an equal predilection for traditional forms involving tightly regulated rhyme and rhythm, and the freedom of modern styles. However, in recent years he has become more drawn to freedom of form. The inspiration for writing comes primarily from the experiences of his life, some of which are recounted as narratives, and some of which are not recorded but give rise to the emotions which fuel his creativity. Forbes-believes that, although the mood of a poem can be independent of his own mood when writing it, it is necessary to have known the depths of emotion which form the basis of his poems. Although he draws such inspiration from his life, he needs seclusion in which to write and this, although necessary, is partly regretted by Forbes, for whom withdrawal from the world amounts to removal from the very experiences which fuel poetry. However, writing poetry is, for Forbes, not just a matter of the feelings involved but also a technical business which can be made easier by practice - he himself used to write for a time every morning. Writer's block is rarely a problem, as the urge to write is natural, but the poet does sometimes come up against technical difficulties. The process of writing is, however, very fulfilling, and one which has a therapeutic quality for Forbes. The time it takes for him to complete a poem is generally short, as he finds inspiration can wane and the poem go stale if the creative process is drawn out for too long. Forbes' literary influences are many and varied, ranging from Donne to Dickinson, and generally inspiration stems more from individual poems rather than whole bodies of work. He warned against coming completely under the spell of one particular author, as this can stifle

personal expression, but acknowledged the need for a writer to be immersed in the genre in which they are writing. Kate Roberts (MR)

Social Services Every Thursday a group of us went to St Stephen's School for our social services activity. We were placed in different classes on our own. I was placed with a group of five to six year olds, which was a bit daunting at first. The children's teacher encouraged me to mix with the children and trust was built up throughout the year. I was expected to help with filing, cutting, sticking and marking, all very self-gratifying jobs once completed. What I enjoyed the most out of my experience with my class was helping them to read, and watching them improve was very rewarding. It has taught me to be a lot more patient and understanding in my approach to dealing with people. I thoroughly enjoyed the year and am very much looking forward to returning next year. Annabel Madewell (JR)

Social Services Review Speaking as one who has been privileged to be able to observe and, I hope, assist the staff and, most importantly, the children of the JKS pre-prep department over the course of two years, to assert that the experience of volunteering as part of King's community services placement has been amongst the most rewarding I have experienced in my school career would not be an implausible claim. Certainly, however, this is not to say that it did not requ ire an impressive commitment, both in terms of time and in the requirement that we attempt to match the energy and enthusiasm of the children with whom we played, learnt and created paintstained masterpieces. Working predominantly with 5-6 year olds, we quickly learnt how to create Monetinspired watercolours, build Munchthemed wall displays and Chinese paper lanterns whilst taking crash-courses in inter-playground politics and conflict negotiation! People often spout empty platitudes about the 'wisdom of children' but I feel I talk for the group when I say that the children of the pre-prep never failed to amaze us all with their

unremitting enthusiasm, cheerfulness and intelligence, whilst often displaying an emotional maturity beyond both their years and my own! Occupying roles which oscillated between chief ringleader of playground games, tea-maker and art assistants, whilst working with the children to improve their spelling, reading and writing skills, we were able to observe at first hand the fantastic work done by the staff whom we were fortunate to assist. Working at JKS has been an invaluable learning experience, and one which, as well as being hugely enjoyable, has certainly taught me much about responsibility, tact, time management and, perhaps most importantly, chi ldren. Sirin Kamalvand (MT)

Rowing and the Community The Boat Club has been very keen to open up its facilities and provide expertise to promote and improve the sport of Rowing in the S.E. Region. We are in a unique location here in Canterbury, with 5 Coastal clubs in close proximity to us, all having oarspersons with talent. As the coastal clubs' rowing season starts in April and ends in September, many of their members are keen to continue to train and improve their rowing techniques on more settled waters throughout the year. To date The King's School Canterbury Boat Club has :1. Worked closely with Nigel Cox to promote Rowing at Junior King's School; their membership now stands at approx 30 pupils who row twice a week. This April, six of them have been selected to represent the S.E. at the National InterRegional Championships to be held in May.

2. Enabled Ash ley Epps and Andy Cooper from Herne Bay Rowing Club to follow a comprehensive trai ning programme at the Lake over the year t o improve their technique and fitness. This has resulted in many wins in Single Sculls and Pairs on the Coast and at Inland Regattas to finalise their year by winning a Bronze medal at the South Coast Championships. 3.1n July, Herne Bay Rower Alistair Mclean, recen tly selected to row in the G.B. Adaptive Coxed Four at The World Championships in Ja pan approached Andy Turner to organise and coach a two week Training Camp at Westbere Lake to prepare them for the event. The crew comprised: A. Mclean (right arm disability); Alan Crowther (blind); Naomi Ritches (partially blind); Katie-George Dunlevy (partia lly blind) and Coxswain Loretta Williams. Andy Turner attended the World Championships in Japan to see not only the crew race over the 2km course against six countries to win the Gold Medal, but also to see Francis Houghton (OKS) competing in the GB Women's Quadruple Sculls to win a Gold medal, beating last years' world champions from Germany.

4. Oarswomen from Dover, Herne Bay and

Folkestone joined together as a crew to compete in the Women's Eights Head of the River Race in London to raise money for the Breast Cancer charity. King's School Boat Club provided the Boat as their contribution to the Appeal. Andy Turner prepared them for the event where they finished 4th in the Novice division and 193rd out of a total of 269 crews entered. 5. Early in the year Hannah Moon (a full

time student at Sir Roger Manwood School in Sandwich) joined the Boat Club Womens' Squad. Hannah's father rowed for G.B. and her elder brother is at present attending trials for the G.B. under-23 team. Hopefully King's can help her to achieve her ambition to follow Francis Houghton's route to the top. She begins her quest by being selected to represent King's School in the Junior 15 Single Sculling event at the National Inter-Regional Championships in May.

6. King's School Canterbury Boat Club hosted their fifth consecutive Junior 14 League Event in February. Over 40 young rowers attended from all over the Region to compete in Sculling races, ergo meter trials and on the water skills tests. Many thanks go to the coaches from King's School for their hard work in making it a great day with medals awarded to many happy athletes. ACT

Harvey Society 2005- 2006 The Harvey Society has enjoyed a full and varied programme this past year. The year started with a description of a new and controversial, yet eminently plausible, theory for the origins of BSE and vCJD. Professor Alan Colchester (consultant neurologist and parent of OKS) gave an authoritative account of what is known about these diseases and presented new evidence which suggested that Hindu funeral practices in India had led to the contamination of animal bone meal with human bones infected with CJD which had then entered the food chain in Britain. 2005 was the centenary of Albert Einstein's Ann us Mirabilis which saw the publication of three seminal papers on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and special relativity. Dr David Smith (Highgate School) gave a fascinating account of Einstein's life and work in this

period, entitled "Fiddling with Physics" referring to Einstein's pastime of playing the violin. Musical interludes to the science were provided expertly by William Porter (CY). In November Dr Bill Vennart (Pfizer) described in a most amusing way the different imaging techniques (X- rays, MRI, CT) whereby we can investigate inside the human body. Also in November Dr Christine Bladon (Queen Mary, University of London) took us into the back garden and revealed the chemical complexity of how spiders make their webs, how snails make their shells and how butterflies communicate. The final talk of the Autumn term was a joint event with the Pater Society where Dr Andrew Taylor (KSC) described the construction and operation of the Athenian trireme -the fastest oared warship ever. He gave a colourful first hand account of what it was like to row this vessel from his experiences as a crew member in 1992. At the start of the Lent term Professor Lewis Ryder (UKC) explored special relativity leading to the conclusion that time is relative not absolute. This led to the description of the twin paradox where a twin who goes on a long journey from earth and then returns will be younger than her brother. Even more bizarrely consideration of black holes led to the statement that 'black holes are fountains of youth' since the twin who has a holiday sitting near a black hole comes back (sunburnt and) younger than her brother! HIV and AIDS were the subjects elucidated by Dr Tim Jenkins (Pfizer) who comprehensively described the biology of this infection and the shocking statistics that over 8,000 people a day die from AIDS related illnesses. There is no sign of the pandemic slowing, there is no vaccine and the resistance to drugs is increasing. He explained that there is some hope that combined therapies may lead to slowing of the disease at least. The use of computers to handle vast quantities of biological information from the human genome project and to help design new drugs was discussed by Dr Clare Sansom (Birkbeck College, University of london). She held out the hope that most diseases could be eradicated in the next thirty years and life expectancy could increase to 90!

Godfrey Powell (KSC) gave a most interesting talk entitled, "The Day the

Digits Come" which explored strategies for searching and communicating with extra-terrestrial life. The quick mathematicians in the audience were rewarded with fruit gums for solving coded messages. The final meeting of the Lent term was a Members' Presentations Evening. The brief was to give a ten minute presentation on any aspect of science with five minutes for questions. Eight pupils rose to the challenge and we enjoyed an excellent evening of high quality illustrated talks. Alex Allen (SH) explained how bees communicate, Robert Watson (MT) and Mustafa Hamza (MT) described some of the work they had done as part of the chemistry research group synthesising chemicals which could be used to bind to hypoxic tissues. Jolyon Martin (LN) entered the realms of science fiction by considering what the world would be like if humans were green and could photosynthesise. Fiona Levey (BY) tackled the difficult and currently topical issue of evolution and creationism and Craig Sawyer (MR) described how he and others in ADT's astronomy group have identified new near-earth objects. However, the best presentations (as decided by our guest adjudicator, David Montague from Kent College) were given by James Graves (MO) who spoke with passion on stem cell research and Malcolm Morgan (Gl) who gave a lucid account of firepower from the earliest times to the present day. Everyone who took part received a Tardis Easter egg! In the summer term we had two talks. First was Dr Greg Manson (GP and King's College London) who listed the attributes required by a good doctor. His talk was particularly thought provoking, enhanced by many striking images. The picture he painted was an ideal one and the other two doctors and four medical students who came with him brought us back to ground with some of the realities of medical training and practice. Being able to talk to the doctors and students over supper, by kind permission of the Headmaster, was especially useful. On a sunny Thursday afternoon in May a small group of 6a girls and DMA and MJWS visited Charles Darwin's house in Downe. A tour of the interior which included the study where he wrote The Origin of Species and a modern exhibition on genetics and evolution culminated in a pleasant stroll through the gardens and along the sand walk, Darwin's "thinking path': This was certainly a welcome respite from revision. The final talk of the term was given by

Miss Astin (KSC) who explored the recent revolutions in cosmology taking us from the theories about the origin of the universe to what the future may hold. The Society is very grateful to everyone who gave us such stimulating talks this year. DMA

Chemistry Matters Chemistry Week in November 2005 was celebrated by two events. DMA ran an Exciting Experiments session where pupils had the opportunity to investigate oscillating reactions, making nylon and slime plus the odd explosion. Explosions and fireworks were the themes of Malcolm Armstrong's Royal Society of Chemistry's demonstration lecture of Theatrical Pyrotechnics given to local schools in the Shirley Hall. While detailed description of the background science was sometimes brief the demonstrations were impressive - all thoroughly enjoyed the flashes and bangs. 6b chemists attended a day of lectures and demonstrations in London just before the end of the Autumn term. Talks ranged from poisons to medicines and forensic science. However, the best talk was undoubtedly given by Professor Paul Walton of York University who told us that by the end of his presentation we would be screaming for chemistry. Although we doubted this, by the end we were! Our team of Sebastian Rex, Felicia Backhouse, Olivier Bow-Bertrand and Guy Pengelly were runners up in the Kent final of the Royal Society of Chemistry Year 10 competition. In the Royal Society of Chemistry International Olympiad competition Sarah Parks and Craig Sawyer were awarded silver certificates, Alex Dear a bronze certificate and Rachel Bashford-Rogers and Tim Leung were commended. At the end of the Lent term RPC took a party of 6b pupils to Ouest in Ashford where they learned about the spectroscopic tech niques used to identify the substances used to crea te perfumes and also created their own ones in the afternoon. DAS also took a group of 6b chemists to Pfizer in June to view the kilogram chemistry labs, fe rmentation plant and spectroscopic facilities. DMA Middle - Alex Dear {LN} Bo ttom - JKS Scie nce Day

Pater Society Me tom orph osing the Me tom or ph os e s (Talk by JT Sept 2005)

The Gateway Chamber was scarcely big enough for the people who gathered for JT's talk on Ovid's Metamorphoses. This was to build upon, in a more serious way, ideas which had been raised at the previous week's Pater Society Metamorphoses-themed fancy-dress party. We were wowed by JT's power-point wizardry, the variety of which kept us constantly entertained as well as informed. The all-inclusive talk explored the themes, imagery and language of Ovid's mock-epic poem in detail, showing how every story is connected by the theme of 'change~ Examples included Pyramus and Thisbe (where Shakespeare got the idea for 'Romeo and Juliet'), with Ovid's clever word-play contrasting how the lovers did end up 'together' (una) but only in an 'urn' (urna). She also showed how the idea of 'metamorphosis' is more wide-ranging than we might imagine: Ovid takes Greek stories and 'changes' them into Latin ones, and changes Greek words to Latin and vice versa. So Homer's story from the Odyssey of Ares and Aphrodite caught in the net spun by Hermes (with 'spinning' as a metaphor for story-telling itself) becomes in Ovid an amusing tale of infidelity which he used three times - it becomes a Latin story of Venus and Mars. So also, Leucothoe (who was spinning) is turned into an incense bush - the virgo ('maiden') becomes a virga ('tree'): and Clytie is turned into a heliotrope - a flower which always 'turns' (trope) towards the 'sun' (helios).

Arthur Evans in the 1900s, the rings were worn on the index finger, probably by the wealthy. It is thought that they may have been used as seals of approval for the quality of goods stored in jars- a kind of quality mark. No larger than a penny piece, many strange and seemingly unintelligible carvings have been engraved into these rings with intricate detail. Scholars always thought that the stylised images of women, the wavy lines, naked men, birds, animals and peculiar symbols symbolised something more than just the Minoan love of nature. But the question that had been perplexing them for years was 'What was this hidden meaning?' Dr. Kyriakides has developed a theory that these drawings resemble the constellations which the Minoans could see in the night sky, hence the term 'sky rings: It is not yet fully clear why they did this- perhaps this will provide an opportunity for another lecture - but what was really interesting was the amount of thought and study which had gone into this area of research. Over the past century many 'sky rings' have been discovered in Crete and also in mainland Greece so there is a larger body of evidence to work on. This has given a new insight into Minoan culture which is now deemed to have been highly sophisticated and advanced. The Minoans controlled Crete from around the 19th century BC to around 1200 BC, and were the centre of a vast economic empire; they were successful traders and, as sailors, extremely knowledgeable on astrology which they relied on for navigation and farming. Around the 14th Century BC, however the Mycenaeans conquered Crete, and startled by their civilisation, they brought many of their ideas back to mainland Greece, which explains why these rings have been discovered in the places they have. Ed Lavery (GL)

There was something for everyone in this talk, and these are just a few examples by which JT managed to draw out with admirable clarity the intricacy of Ovid's Latin and the fun of his stories. CR

Minoan Sky Rings It was a pleasure to welcome Dr Evangelos Kyriakides to King's to give a talk to Pater Society on Minoan 'skyrings'. Based at the University of Kent and an expert on Minoan culture, Dr Kyriakides gave us a fascinating insight into these beautiful and mysterious objects. First discovered in Crete by Sir

Pythagoras (talk by Dr Godfrey Powell) In another joint venture, this time between the Classics and the Mathematics Departments, Dr Godfrey Powell gave an interesting and stimulating talk on how Pythagoras has influenced world thinking. Who was Pythagoras? A philosopher, a mystic or a mathematician? Dr Powell touched upon all these questions and raised some startling points- how women, as well as men were welcomed as members of Pythagoras' ancient Greek sect; how his investigations into the properties of

numbers in the physical world raised a lot of problems for ancient thinkers when they discovered difficulties 'insoluble' by their understanding of the logical principles of the world; how this provoked a radical re-thinking about the kinds of numbers needed to tackle such problems and how Pythagoras' legacy has developed down to the present day. The talk was very well attended and the lively question-and-answer session at the end of the evening certainly kept Dr Powell working hard! His skilful, but simple explanations meant that the audience felt that they understood a lot of complicated mathematical theory and came away from the evening with much food for thought- though, of course, no one ate any of the sacred beans! JT

Joint Pater/Harvey Society (talk by Or. Andrew Taylor on Greek triremes) This was a stunning talk. Dr Taylor's personal experiences as an oarsman on the modern trireme, Olympias, brought the practicalities of ancient warships vividly to life. He explained carefully how scholars and craftsmen are able to use the literary and archaeological evidence in order to reconstruct an ancient trireme. With his spectacular visual aids and detailed descriptions, Dr Taylor built up our enthusiasm with a spirited recreation of the battle rowing pace. This made us realise just how physically fit the rowers had to be and we could well imagine the harsh conditions on board with the long days and long distances involved. Triremes were the fastest ships on the water, made entirely of wood and held together by specialised joints which allowed the planks to slide and prevented the slender ship from snapping when confronted by heavy swells. The glint of the bronze 'beak' or ram was a fearful sight for the enemy as they were unable to outrun these swift ships. The Greek sailors were adept at steering and mastered a variety of complicated manoeuvres. If they hit an enemy ship at speed, they could tear that ship to shreds! Isabella Clifford de Soriano (BY) and Lucy Egleton (WL)

Pater Society Gilgamesh Review In the Lent term the Classics department hosted a talk given by Rosanna Dawes (6b) for all Classics students and any other pupils who wished to attend. Rosanna talked to us about Gilgamesh, the historical King of Uruk in Babylonia. Not only did Rosanna deliver a fluent and detailed story of Gilgamesh, she also gave an insightful description of the themes and structure of the myths and how they were inscribed onto writing tablets.

Rosanna enthralled her audience with the adventures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and the great demon, Humbaba the Terrible. She projected various images as well as the ten writing tablets onto the screen; this enabled her audience to further understand the characters and style of writing incorporated within the myth. Rosanna spoke confidently throughout the talk and gave knowledgeable answers to the many questions which were asked at the end. She must be congratulated for her hard work and the evident amount of research she carried out which made the talk so interesting and enjoyable. Letitia Leigh-Pemberton (LX)

The Classics Department Visit to the Oxford Greek Play, 'Orestes' First a little background information, to set the play in context. King Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter, lphigenia, in order to gain favourable winds for the journey to Troy. Queen Clytemnestra avenged her daughter's murder by slaughtering Agamemnon on his triumphant return home, ten years later. In a spiral of violence and revenge, Orestes and his sister, Electra, went on to kill their mother and her lover. In today's society, a family this dysfunctional would be viewed with universal horror, unless they were stars in a popular soap. Euripides, who was writing at the time of the Peloponnesian

Wars, uses this Mycenaean household as an analogy for the Athenians and the Spartans. The Euripidean audience would themselves have been clamouring for Spartan blood, so perhaps the playwright had didactic intentions behind his wicked and entertaining plot.

atmosphere and a valuable opportunity to look around some of the colleges. The play itself was a unique chance to engage with the original intentions of Euripides while visually and aurally reanimating the language we are studying. Rosanna Dawes (HH).

Possessed by post-matricidal guilt and cowering symbolically in the pit of a Mycenaean grave circle, Orestes has been condemned to death by his fellowcitizens. Electra, clothed in blood-red, speaks in ancient Greek and opens the play by explaining the mercurial insanity which is consuming her brother. To hear the text spoken in the original language provided us with a unique opportunity to engage with Euripides' dramatic voice and made clear his use of complicated verse. The actors, all Oxford students, had a remarkable grasp of the ancient Greek, aided perhaps in their learning by the rhythms of the poetry. The programme notes explained that even though some of the actors were Classicists, others had no knowledge of the language, which made their participation in such an ambitious undertaking an inspiring feat. Although the play was faithful to the original language, the production was modernised for today's theatre. In the fifth century BC, three male actors would have worn masks and played all the characters but the twenty-first century director chose to use a full cast with female actors and no masks. This allowed us to appreciate better facial expression in the smaller space of the Oxford Playhouse. The Theatre of Dionysus at Athens is huge by comparison, so masks would have been more appropriate to the original production. Mention must be made of the fine handling of the Chorus. This was a smaller group than the ancient Greek Chorus- though it was a challenge to count them accurately, owing to their energetic choreography! Dressed all in black, the Chorus acted as a commentary on the action, and their songs and dances brought an exciting and different to the basic plot. A memorable part of the play was the entrance of golden-haired Apollo, whose white Elizabethan-esque costume was more RSC than BC. Apollo's celestial entrance was, in my opinion, bettered by the mortal performance of the Phrygian eunuch-messenger, whose speech was the most dynamic, entertaining and eloquent of all the characters. The day in Oxford was really enjoyable. We had time to absorb the city's

Reports and Reviews Luxmoore Production of Grease When, as Removes, we initially discussed how much fun it would be to put on Grease when we got to the 6as, the idea seemed merely a distant fantasy; excitedly we decided which of us might take each part and talked of which boys we thought would suit each role. Suddenly the summer of 6bs was upon us and we realised that. were this fantasy to become a reality, a date for the following term must be set; meetings were held to discuss whether a group of twelve 6a girls were realistically capable of putting on a full-scale musical and somehow, though I question the rationale, it was decided we were; the weekend of the 5th and 6th November was set as our date. As a group of girls with no prior experience of producing or directing musicals, and little knowledge of staging, sound or lighting, we happily set abou t learning our lines and rehearsing scenes

and songs, possibly slightly underestimating the time required for these things and with a tendency to forget that sets and costumes actually need to be made or found, as do cars!! With only one week left before half term (roughly eleven full school days before

the first performance) we hit a slight problem; our Danny was actua lly unavailable on the scheduled nights. In a somewhat tense emergency cast meeting our options were discussed; we could either cancel the whole thing or re-cast Danny, something that wou ld require

gear; in the days running up to and following half term all free time was dedicated to rehearsal and every other moment to painting sets, organising costumes and setting up light and sound. I think the entire cast would agree that the week between the end of half term and the first performance was one of the busiest and most stressful weeks of our school lives; it was also, undoubtedly one of the most satisfying and enjoyable.

huge amounts of extra rehearsal time that realistically we weren't sure that we had. And so, in true Luxmoore fashion, we decided to go on with the show, with or without a Danny, where's the fun in cancelling when you can attempt what seems the near impossible?

that matter no staging, sound, sets or car, Emily filled Chris in on the situation. "I'll do it!" Chris replied quickly, with enthusiasm. Emily looked at him, questioning his sanity; the poor boy had never even seen the film! Knowing very little of the extent of Chris's ta lents Emily casually asked, "Can you actually sing?"

Notici ng the slightly pained expression on our director Emily's face the following morning, Chris Robinson kind ly enquired as to whether she felt alright. Explaining that we currently had no Danny and for

As it turned out, luckily for us, Chris is a fantastic singer and actor. In fact, the small emergency turned out to be the kick we needed to get ourselves into

Opposit e poge t op - Chris Robinson as Donny . Opposit e poge bottom -I. tor. Loetitio McLaren, Joanna Moncreiffe, Pamela Gent. Olenko Ham11ton Above - Luxmoore Production of Grease

Saturday came and at the end of the performance the realisation dawned; we'd done it! Not only had we done it but people had loved it! I think that when a cast enjoys performing a play as much as we did, the audience cannot help but enjoy it with us. Though we can blame only our own naivety, Grease was a lot harder to put on than any of us ever expected and yet, I have absolutely no doubt that every one of us would do it all over again. The success of the play was a credit to every single person involved and certainly among the Gas in Luxmoore those final weeks brought meaning to the phrase "team-effort". I feel we should, however, apologise to Mrs Price and Mrs Pears for the excess stress we caused them .. .l'm sure they're both thrilled to discover that with Grease over we've already begun dreaming up ideas for another Luxmoore Fashion Show in King's Week! Polly Benton (LX)

Broughton, Bailey and Tradescant Hou se Play This year the Broughton, Bailey and Tradescant House Play took place in the intimate setting of the St Augustine's dining hall. The tables and benches we re moved to the side and candles lit, ready for the presentation of three short comedy sketches that had been prepared by the students. The opening sketch, 'Caught Out' set the tone for what would continue to be a hilarious evening. Alex Carruthers's performance as a northern policeman left the audience in hysterics, while the double act of George Chilcott and Edward Wilkins, which would later be repeated, maintained the comedy from beginning to end! The second sketch entitled Schoolroom Sketch was led and dominated by Ben Varian who played the role of a flamboyant, incapable school mistress, whose overall appearance and caricature had the audience in stitches as he attempted to control his boisterous class. After a quick interval at the back of the hall, it was time for the third and final sketch which was Nelson's Driving Test. This saw the return of George Chilcott, playing Admiral Nelson, and Edward Wilkins, his examiner, while Lexi and Charlotte Hamblin increased the amusement of the sketch with their witty commentary and speculation regarding Nelson's progress throughout his examination.

was directed by Mr Lease. It played for two nights and the actors themselves did extremely well as the larger than life, hilarious characters. The plot was simple, revolving around a hotel in which two sets of protagonists dealt with the breakdown of their relationships. The first set of characters were played exceptionally well by Alasdai r Sladen and Hannah Robinson, who played Marvin and Millie Michaels. These two are locked in consta nt farcical battle to prevent an 'unconscious' prostitute, played by Emmy McGarry, from being discovered. This provided laugh after laugh as Alasdair Sladen did his best to keep his wife from entering his bedroom. The sting in the tail was tha t the whole situation was a set up organised by the wife to get added attention and the use of her husband's credit card! This scene lasted half an hour and beautifully conveyed the frantic anguish of a man barely awake and hung-over, confronted by his worst possible nightmare while his wife just sits back and enjoys giving him hell. Th e second act was about two married couples who at the start appear civil, their friendship healthy, yet thanks to a sporting injury to Sophie Ackers' character, the two husbands, played by Ollie and Harry Carr soon erupt into a frantic argument and the play comes to a drama tic close with the two husbands having a colossal fight leaving the two wives, played by the hysterical lzzy and Sophie Ackers. The acting in the scene was terrific as all four actors created a

Each of the three sketches was fastmoving, entertaining and comic and it was evident that both the audience and the cast had a very entertaining evening. Congratulations to the entire cast for such a memorable and really enjoyable evening. However a special mention should go to Father Fred and Anna Basden-Smith who chose the sketches, organised the cast, rehearsals and directed the production. CR

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School Hou se and Jervis Play California Suite

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Featuring the cast of School House and Jervis, this rip roaring farcical play was the product of two weeks' hard work and Meister Omers' Orchestra

scene of absolute mayhem, culminating in a hilarious brawl between the Carr brothers and the shrieks of the Ackers sisters. This scene lasted twe nty minutes and showed the build-up of tension perfectly between Ollie and Harry Carr. All of this would never have been possible without the expert direction of Mr Lease and the technical supervision by Steve Bree. The scenery was fantastic and well designed by Steve Bree and his team. Through scenes of adultery, vio lence and furtive goings-on, this play managed to demonstrate the versatility and talent which School House and Jervis have to offer. This play was an hour of uproarious entertainment and I eagerly look forward to the next School House/Jervis collaboration. Theo Dunay (SH)

Review of MO's Fe s ta I FI o uris h 2006 This is the second year that the term 'Festal Flourish' has been used to describe MO's excellent evening of entertainment in Saint Augustine's Dining Hall. It must now therefore be a tradition. Delightful thoug h the venue is, it migh t in future turn out to be too small. Wi th characteristic modesty, Mr Newbury cited his mastery of email lists as the reason

for this year's gratifying turn-out. Given the quality of last year's Festal Flourish, it is more likely that we were witnessing what the publishing world terms a 'word of mouth phenomenon: In fast-selling- thriller tradition, we were drawn in by mysterious clues. What was the meaning of the 'Meaning and Consolation in Creation'? Would, as Mr Miles's cliff-hanging introduction suggested, the nefarious influence of the unsacred number 13 truly intervene with baleful consequences? Who, or what, was Billy Jean? Would the mysterious outbreaks of coughs, colds, lost voices, and hospital visits continue to sow seeds of disaster, wrecking the evening's pleasures as they had Mr Miles's Napoleonic rehearsal schedule? The show began. All the MO Pupils processed in, heads held high, to perform a rousing rendition of this year's House Song - impressively arranged in four parts by Tristan Hambleton. Full of gusto! The first more serious item was the premier of a commission from Mr Matthews, setting the Genesis story of the Creation for narrator and a large assortment of instruments. The text was declaimed skilfully by Thomas Cook, accompanied by a series of superb musical tone paintings: eerie dissonant strings to start, Brittenesque trumpet ca lls, wallowing strings fo r the wh ales in the sea, ca lypso cattl e, and a triumphant Wagnerian crescendo for the creation of Man, as the initially atonal music moved

towards tonality, climaxing in intriguing rising and falling motifs at the behest to 'go forth and multiply'. All the themes were brought together as God beheld what he had made, before an assertive final cadence affirmed the goodness of creation. Anyone attempting a musical setting of the creation might appear to be on a Haydn-to- nothing, but this shrewd Matthews' composition revealed him to be at the height of his powers: he succeeded in creating music from the potential chaos of a house ensemble, which was skilfully written within their capabilities and also, by turns, witty and moving. The piece certainly deserves many more performances. Mr Miles's conducting of difficult rhythms was magisterial, allowing the players to acquit themselves very well. Next came an excerpt from Waiting for Godot. Leo Flindall and James Fish were clearly committed to their parts, and the shoe and artificial, leafless tree clearly established the territory. Thereafter, the youth of the actors and the public school gear, blazer and cricket jumpers, together with the energetic pacing, was perhaps more Hitchhiker's Guide than tramp-like. The appearance of Pancho Lewis's Lucky with a schoolboy cap and short trousers, led by a Pozzo (Joshua Sutton) in sub fuse confirmed the impression that this miseen-scene was exploring the possibilities of a post-neo-modern, destructuralising, (possibly Deleuzian) interpretation of late-capitalist institutional power relationships using the quasi-ludic pseudo-model of public school education as its subcontext. It was fun too. The next item consisted of the allegretto from Three Miniatures by Frank Bridge expertly played by Theo Bamber, Robert Stephen and Charles Dalton. These Shells showed that the highly musical tradition of MO is set to continue well into the future. There fo llowed an intriguing rendi tion of Ted Hughes' 'Thought Fox' in

which the wi ly poet waits for inspiration only to be confronted by the presence of a real fox, the starkness of which he attempts to capture. The idea of acting this out, including Nowa lmasekha in the part of the fox, added dimensions to the poem, the polyphony of the repeated 'and now' being particularly effective, as was the beautiful use of the candle burning at the old desk in front of the St Augustine's window. Perhaps some of the words could have been delivered less rapidly given the acoustic of the hall. The extraord inary youth, style and accuracy of the established barber-shop quartet (Messrs Hambleton, Lewis, Geidt and Edmund-Jones) performing with trad itional boaters and bow-ties provided splendid light relief and a glimpse of public school panache at its best. Next, there came a fascinatingly innovative feature. MO is in the best sense a cosmopolitan house, and th is was celebrated by th e reading of three great European poems in their orig ina l languages (German, French and Span ish), not with subtitles to transla te them, but with sub- images, as it were, to enrich them. These were expertly selected by Mr Miles. The experience for those of us who knew the poems was immensely thoughtprovoking because of the creative irony between word and image: I shall certainly be using the El Desdichado show (alas without Robin Sharp's excellent performance) in class. Continuing at a high aesthetic level, there followed Tristan Hambleton's setting of Shakespeare's twenty-third sonnet. Tristan's dramatic recovery from voice lessness was so dramatic that no one would have rea lised it had we not been to ld. His setting, with the haunting ostinato pi ano figures and the quintessentially Eng lish melancholy of the melodic line, was a rea l high point of the even ing.

Above - Meister Omers - Festal Flourish

In a lighter, but nonetheless creative and thoughtful vein, was the sombrerowea ring Pancho Lewis's virtuoso flamenco-style composition called Serenata, his impressive wrist action clearly tapping into MO's romantic Iberian strain. Next. the MO choir performed Mr Miles's wittily arranged version of We'll keep a welcome in the hillside. The entertaining middle voices might at times have been unsubtly emphasised but there was plenty there to keep the Housemaster's heart beating with Welsh passion after the Hispanic exertions of the previous pieces.

nobles, despite the excerpt's notable absence of fairies. It would be invidious to mention any individual actors, since the ensemble work was excellen t, and the characters very much played off one another.

The next items, a trad jazz/blues number followed by a Dixieland piece played by the MO jazz group served as an excellent rem inder that trad/dixie jazz probably comes across best in the hands of young English players, the rhythms of blues and modern jazz being, for some reason, much harder to master. Charles Dalton, recently returned from hospital, deserves a particularly mention for his trumpet playing here: as in the earlier Creation piece, his ability to sustain notes and hold a clear line was a particularly enjoyable feature.

All together, a splendid evening: and the audience retired to the Gateway chamber to consume delicious tapas and sangria, feeling greatly consoled by so much creativity. TJA

The penultimate piece was a hila rious enactment of the Pyramus & Thisbe sections of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed with great gusto and en tirely enterta ining ham acting. The play's magic was very much conveyed by these rude mechanicals and

The final item, a splendidly warm hearted, whole-house choir rendition of a paean to Devonshire Cream and Cider rounded the evening off with high spirits. Any cultural jokes here were lost on me, beyond the fact that, I su ppose, Devon is a delightful place lying vaguely between Wales and Spain.

The Marlowe House Play - 'The Bedroom Farce' by Alan Ayckbourn The Marlowe House Pl ay took place on two successive evenings over the weekend of 8th and 9th October 2005. A cast of eigh t presented a one-act comedy, The Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn, in the setting of St Mary's Hall. The play was well-supported on both evenings. The action took place over the course of a

single evening, and was concerned with the amorous escapades of the characters. The demanding role of the neurotic, hysterical Susannah was handled with great maturi ty by Lucy Withrington. The part required her to display extremes of emotion and abrupt mood swings, which she did with outstanding comic j udgement. Her resul ting portrayal of Susannah was very convincing and highly amusing, especially in the scenes which involved her hapless husband Trevor. The skirmishes. both verbal and physical, which resul ted, were very well acted and the tension between the couple never wavered. Trevor's frustratingly lackadaisical nature was well communicated to the audience by Ch ris Robinson, especially in his dealings with Malcolm and Kate; the couple whose party Trevor and Susannah's unhappy encounter ruins. These roles were well handled by Adam Pickett and Emma Wi lson, who convincingly portrayed a happy couple who act as a foil to the dysfunctional relationship of Trevor and Susa nnah. One cause of thei r marital differences is Trevor's romantic relationshi p with Jan, wife of the bedridden Nick. Freddie Colta rt is to be congratulated for his very realistic rendering of the most physica lly uncomfortable role in the play - laid up owing to a bad back, Nick has to rema in unmoving on the floor for a large part of the action. Freddie's restricted motion

Top - Lucy Withring ton Bottom - Fre ddie Co/tort

and moans of agony were always true to life. Nick's frustration and the subsequent indifference of Jan, played by Olivia Wacher, came across very well. Matthew Wells and Eleonore Dixon-Roche added a further dimension to the comedy in the roles of Trevor's elderly parents, whose endearing old-school charm and stoicism contrasted greatly with the behaviour of the younger generation. These parts were played very effectively and displayed a great sense of comedy and an awareness of the stereotypical differences between the two generations. The effort which resulted in the success of this production cannot be overstated, as rehearsal time was very limited and the workload immense. However, the play ran completely smoothly, and the cast must be congratulated on their commitment and application. The contribution of the producers, Emily Reilly and Rosie Cocksworth, was also essential to the success of the performance, as was the involvement of Craig Sawyer and his lighting and sound team, and Miss Francis and Mr Graham. Particular congratulations are due to all the above for their perseverance in the difficult runup to the performance, which made their subsequent success all the more spectacular. Kate Roberts (M R)

Top - Elronore Dixon-Roche and Mo t thew Wells Bot tom - Olivia Wocher ond Chris Robinson

House Drama

Mitchinson's 25th Anniversary Concert

The Grange and Walpole House Concert

The 25th anniversary of Mitchinson's was

It started off poorly; relegated to the Pupils' Social Centre from the grandeur of the Shirley Hall, and the decision made that it would be "much nicer" if no alcohol was supplied to members of the sixth form meant that the annual show's sceptics were on edge. However, its new location was interesting - it created something of a wind tunnel from which to view the performers. Some of the less fortunate members of the audience (less fortunate tends to mean younger) were situated at the back and round the corner, amidst the stationery section. It also provided a handy backstage area in the form of the JCR for performers ready to come on and off.

definitely an occasion worth celebrating, and the day house certainly did this with

style; after months of preparation, this evening of music, drama and dance

ensured that neither the current students nor the students of previous years would

forget the evening. The concert began with the house orchestra's rendition of La Cucaracha, which succeeded well in livening up the atmosphere and proved

that the house has a great deal of musical talent. The whole of Mitchinson's had gathered together in the Shirley Hall in order not

only to encourage the musically and

theatrically gifted members of the house, but to welcome back Mitchinson's students from the past twenty-five years; what with the beautiful musical pieces, vivacious dance routines, a gripping house play and the Mitchinson's building's new make-over, the previous students had a lot to be impressed by. The acts that followed varied widely from soothing classical pieces, to frighteningly difficult guitar riffs, to a vivacious Bollywood dance, proving Mitchinson's to be a diverse house both in interests, talents and in culture. All of these were beautifully performed, but the acts that stood out for me include the Jazz band performance, the rendition of Better Together (performed by Oliver Bristow, James Lamb and James Harman, originally sung by Jack Johnson) and the Bollywood Dance (choreographed and performed by myself, alongside Sheena Badreesha and Ayesha Aziz), which offered a diverse twist. However, my favourite act of the evening had to be the closing performance of Johann Pachebel's Canon in D; although not a classical music buff myself, clearly the performance captivated the audience, prompting a man in the front row to exclaim "bravo!" (I'm not joking). Following on from this, after a short wine break, the house performed the house play The Lark by Lewis Carroll; although the actors were extremely talented, and the play was very well put on, it is clear to see why some consider that Lewis Carroll was on drugs. This most surreal play both confused and enchanted the audience, with some extremely eccentric characters played very well by the obviously talented members of the house - well done to you all. Ashitha Nagesh (MT)

The concert commenced, under the warm glow of the pool table lights with a jazz number, and we were led on through the evening with a mix of string quartets, close harmony groups, solo performances and wind bands. Particularly impressive was a cello solo performed by Tongkwai Lulin of Walpole, widely acclaimed star of the show (it was a close competition). A helping hand was lent by members of the staff room; Mr Bersey and Mr Chaundy, showing off sublime manual dexterity with their huge, baritone sax and double bass respectively. A sad omission from the programme was 'The Best Band in the World'. Mr Dath was sighted wiping his brow in relief at this news; he later denied all allegations. Kate Gabriel stunned with her singing, making up for the lack of the traditional oboe solo. The evening drew to a close with a warm performance from the Walpole singers. Henry Lodge (GR)

The Marlowe House Concert As ever, the Marlowe Concert only really started to take shape a week or so before the performances. However, when the day did arrive, the audience in the Shirley Hall was far from disappointed. The concert began with three spirited pieces by the Marlowe House Orchestra, The Valiant Knight, When The Saints Go Marching In, and Trumpet Tune and Ayre in which Nathan Hudson-Peacock gave a confident solo. These performances held special significance, since they marked the final year in which Mr McConnell, would conduct the Orchestra.

The Orchestra was then followed by a bright and rhythmic rendition of Rolling Around by the Marlowe House percussionists before Emma Newton produced two memorable vocal performances; first a solo version of John Ireland's Sea Fever, followed by a duet with Lucy Withrington -a melodic performance of Sting's Fields of Gold. After the two vocal performances came two instrumental. First Eleonore DixonRoche provided a soft, rolling flute recital of the Jazz Waltz, followed by Annabel Church on the violin playing the Allegro from Sonata in E Minor with authority and poise. We then experienced the able duo of Fred Coltart (voice and piano) and Chris Robinson (voice) as they sang assuredly and melodiously Elton John's Your Song, and Guess That's Why They Caff It The Blues. Chris then went on to perform an excellent piano solo. What followed was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening. Emily Reilly gave a stunning and captivating performance, bringing to life Sony Burke and Peggy Lee's He's a Tramp. She was followed by Catherine Roberts on the cello playing Brahms' Sonata in F: 4th Movement. This was an incredibly challenging piece, played faultlessly from memory in what was a superb performance. Lucy Withrington then returned to provide an emotive and vivacious rendition of Fever, and Katie Mackinnon soloed assuredly and melodiously on the xylophone with Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Charles Ovenden-Filse!l then gave a very mature and highly versatile performance playing Monti's Czardas, another very demanding piece, which was executed with great confidence and aplomb. Emma Newton then sang her third piece of the evening, supported by Olivia Wacher and Jenna Wiles on violins, Lucy Withrington on viola, and Catherine Roberts on the cello, performing When I Am Laid In Earth- the combination was enchanting. The Marlowe House Strings followed with a confident performance of Movements from Caprio! Suite. The evening was brought to a close by the Marlowe House Choir, who first gave the House Song, Down To The River To Pray, the spiritual and melodious tone it deserved. The final performance was Goodnight Sweetheart, a fitting choice since it brought a harmonious end to a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Som Saran (MR)

Jervis and School House Concert Review Excited murmuring punctuated the

Synagogue on the 1st October as an assortment of parents, staff, pupils and the somewhat pallid-faced performers assembled for the Jervis and School House concert. The hall brimmed full of

expectant guests to the extent that many resorted to sharing seats, some stood, and a group of School House boys whined as they were turned away through the lack of seating. The evening opened with a piano piece performed by Ed Mosely, who dazzled the audience with Petite Overture iJ Danser- an agreeable introduction to the evening, followed by two further masterful pieces performed by Alice Huntrods, and then Julius

Carboni, who both excelled at the piano. Emmy McGarry entertained us with a stunning rendition on the flute- a fitting display of her musical talent- while Anna Suzuki played the piano with skill and flair. Caroline Hobbs and Alex Blessley were our hosts for the concert, providing witty introductions which gave a light-hearted air to the evening, despite some confusion concerning the order of performers, which they tackled audaciously. The evening went up tempo with some lively numbers from the School House jazz group, featuring Alex Allen on the flute, admirably playing Fantasie by Telemann. The group were then joined by Vicky Havercroft, who sang the classic Kiffing Me Softly, inspiring enthusiastic waves of applause. The evening turned from jazz to blues when Alex Stephens played Hard Rock Blues on the saxophone. The variety continued with Harriet Pritchard's gentle rendition of Mozart's Minuet in the clarinet, which the audience absorbed with appreciation, displayed in yet another round of enthusiastic applause. Alex Blessley then assured us that Ed Watts would 'seduce us' with his piece Imagination on the piano, and the audience were undoubtedly not disappointed. Cordelier Lam battled bravely with the positioning of her cello, and fortunately Caroline Hobbs gallantly provided a well-needed foot to support the wayward instrument. This must have inspired the stunning performance of Courante by Bach that followed. True to form, Annie Madewell and Kitty Synge gave their usual upbeat, short but sweet saxophone duet, Allegro by

Kallipone. It would appear their frantic practising the night before had paid off. Further entertainment from the jazz group preceded the final performance- a trio of School House boys gave us a poprock close to the evening, with Cold play's Don't Panic. All in all, it had been a varied and highly entertaining musical evening, with a great turnout. Rebecca Wingrad (JR)

Harvey and GaIpin 's H o use Concert The concert opened, quite appropriately, with the ladies' house taking the floor and singing their hearts out with a rendition of Back in the USSR by Lennon and McCartney, clearly a highlight of the concert as The Beatles are never out of favour. Following this, Jack LawrenceJones delighted the audience with his harp, playing an unfamiliar piece by John Thomas, Watching the Wheat. More relaxing, modal music followed, with Abigail Schade enchanting us with the second movement of Sonatina by Lennox Berkeley. The Galpin's 6a then came storming in with an awesome medley of past house songs, including this year's arrangement by our very own Ed Rex. Then, a dramatic change of time period with a little Shostakovitch, played by start violinists Georgina Merriam and Katie Schurr. Always a favourite, the 'Archie and Mini' phenonomen echoed through the tuck shop next with two Flanders and Swann classics, The Gnu Song and Madeira; the audience were whooping with laughter. Then came one of the highlights of the night, the much anticipated Close Harmony Group came swinging in with Is you is, or is you ain't my baby?, followed by a poignant performance of Mrs Otis Regrets. Another duet followed, Janessa Bobby and Erica Symonds, who with their dulcet tones had the audience in the palms of their hands. Given that this was Janessa's debut solo performance, it was terrific. Of course, no Galpin's and Harvey concert would be complete without Tom Bradley and his guitar. Always a hit, he made everyone's day with Easy on a Sunday Morning. To continue with the recent tradition of Galpin's jazz,a group was put together and three tunes were projected from the horn section {Ed Lavery and myself), keys (Ed Watts), and drums (Will Pound). Solos from the two Eds completed the act, not to mention some stunning vocals from Emma Turner and Sarah Erridge. To round off the whole

evening, we sang our winning house song, a simply divine arrangement of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, which would have given Ben Elton a run for his money. Overall, another overwhelming success. Ben McKee (GL)

House Song Review "Clap your ha-ands!" As the sound of clapping echoed around the room, students and teachers alike seemed pleasantly surprised by this new style of warm-up from our adjudicator; having previously received two shoulder massages each (one from the right-hand neighbour, one from the left) the students of King's, a normally prim and proper establishment, were up and ready to go, swaying from side to side, clapping their hands and stamping their feet. Our new gospel singing adjudicator was certainly good for us! So when everyone was hyper enough, the competition commenced - beginning with School House, singing Fix You by Cold play (rumours of them changing their song that lunchtime were obviously unprecedented). It was a nice, chilled song to bring us gently into the evening, picking up pace towards the end with a rather impressive guitar solo, combined with Oliver Ford on the drums. Following School House were Broughton, with their rendition of Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham. Deciding not to use instrumental solos, they instead worked as a choir to create upbeat harmonies and an adorably cheesy clicking roufme. Of course there was slight trepidation as Galpin's made their way onto the stage everyone had no doubt heard that Ed Rex had returned especially for this event, that they had chosen one of the most difficult songs in house song history, and the amount of bragging students of the new housemaster, Mr Hutchings, had to endure prior to the competition was unbearable. And so, unfortunately for the other houses, Galpin's did live up to expectations; as they performed Bohemian Rhapsody with rather impressive harmonies (as standard for Galpin's) and extremely high voices (also a standard for Galpin's). it was clear that they were going to do well. Naturally it would be difficult to follow after Galpin's tonight, but Walpole still

did very well, performing As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys. Like Broughton, they relied not on the use of flashy instruments, but their collective talent as a choir. The first thing that struck me about Linacre's performance was the Shells' charming actions to When The Going Gets Tough by Boyzone; these included clicking, punching, pelvic thrusts ... but moving on ... Following Linacre was Mitchinson's with In The Jungle. An interesting choice of song, but it worked; accompanied by Maltby's monkey noises and Bongos in the background, it was quite atmospheric. After a while, for the first time, the new day house Carlyon performed We Will Rock You/Don't Stop Me Now (a Medley of sorts) by Queen, being led by Alex Sanne. They performed with great enthusiasm, and I can understand as it is their first time performing as a house in the house song competition, but was it really necessary for Sanne to prance across the stage, and up and down the aisle? Most conductors stand at the front of the stage ... and stay there! But they performed very well; they definitely looked like they were enjoying themselves.

introduction to Never Had a Friend Like Me from Aladdin! A really fun song, enhanced by a cane-dance from Alex Sanne and Josh Sutton, amazing gymnastics and goodies thrown out into the audience! And finally, after a long wait, we were to find out the winner of the competition in third place was Broughton, in second place was Luxmoore and in first place was Galpin's! The adjudicator then further enlightened us with his words of musical wisdom - "If I close my eyes, do I like what I hear? And if I close my ears, do I like what I see?" Certainly a great conclusion to a wonderful evening. Ash itha Nagesh (MT)

Sir Colin Davis Conducts Last summer, I had the pleasure of seeing Harry Christophers directing The Sixteen in Tallis's Spem in Alium. In December, I

enjoyed Andrew Lyle's Bach Christmas on Radio 3. Now, on the evening ofTuesday February 7th, Andrew Marriner was playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Chamber Orchestra. All three were boys here, during Edred Wright's reign as Director of Music, when I arrived in 1969. The invitation to review this last concert, held in aid of the Ed red Wright Music School, was therefore an opportunity to reflect on the splendours of music at King's and on the pleasure I have gained out of listening to so many fine performances of great works in my t ime here. For the musicians, the concert was the culmination of a memorable day's experience. In the morning, And rew Marriner, who has been principal clarinet with the London Symphony Orchestra for twen ty yea rs and is a popular soloist, gave a master class in the Synagogue, and in the afternoon, Sir Colin Davis joined him to rehearse the concerto in the Cathedral. My regu lar afternoon activity of getting cold on Blare's meant that I only caught the end of this.

MO performed an impressive rendition of Billie Jean by Michael Jackson - I felt the backing was notable, being sung by the shells and other higher voiced members of MO. As Marlowe made their way onto the stage to sing Down To The River To Pray, I could not help but think how cunning it was for them to choose to sing a gospel song, obviously to appease our gospel singing adjudicator! However they also sang with beautiful harmonies and a canon between the boys and girls that worked well, along with atmospheric clapping and swaying. Next up were Luxmoore, with Faith by George Michael; they also chose to begin in a sitting position, but all cheesiness aside they performed very enthusiastically, with great harmonising; and following Luxmoore were The Grange, with the Beatles classic All You Need Is Love; intercepting the melodious chorus with an equally melodious trombone! Bringing the house songs to a close was the fast-paced Back in the USSR by Harvey, originally sung by The Beatles, and following Harvey was an extremely long wait for the Purples - however an immensely cool drum solo filled the gap, until the Purples ran on to the famous Sir Co lin Davis

However, the chance for the players to meet and to work with such distinguished professionals was obviously inspiring. It was also a treat for the Cathedral's visitors, and many of them, I was reliably told, abandoned their tours to stay, watch and listen. After all, Henry IV and the Black Prince will still be there next time; Sir Colin, Andrew and Mozart will not. Although the programme failed to mention this, the concert was presumably timed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birthday on January 27th 1756. (This year is also the 240th anniversary of his visit to Canterbury, when he stayed with Sir Horace Mann at Bourne Park and went to the races on Barham Downs. Great fun for a precocious ten year old.) The evening certainly provided a worthwhile demonstration of the variety and versatility of Mozart, particularly his writing for wind instruments and the human voice, in a selection of works from the last dozen years of his life. Through his genius, the lyrical and the witty, the profoundly emotional and the lighthearted are all somehow contained within but not constrained by a classical framework. A well-constructed programme also showed off the variety and ve rsatility of music-making at the School. The Chamber Orchestra played the overture from Cosi fan Tutte, cond ucted by Howard lonascu. It's probably my favourite Mozart opera: in a study of love and deceit, a superficially cynical plot disguises a subtle exploration of human relations. (Are the lovers really with the right partners? Can we change? Is there hope?) A brightly amorous start to the programme. The Crypt Choir then took over. Their first offering was Parry's Songs of Farewell: Sir Hubert doing his best to stand up to the comparison with Wolfgang Amadeus. The words set this "tired pilgri m" reflecting, not least on Thomas Campion's reference to "cold age" (not a misprint, nor a sly reference to the draught in the Cathedral) and on the hope of the psalmist: "0 spare me a little, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen." The wind group, trained by Kevin Abbott, then cheered and warmed things up with the Wind Serenade in E flat: a well balanced performance, not always easy to achieve in such an exposed setting. Music has had its ups and downs over the years, but it is generally agreed that the choral singing is now as good as it has been at any time since Edred's day. Even though the choi r were missing some of their leading singers (a particularly

Chloe Mitchell (MT)

unpleasant bout of illness was afflicting the School in the runup to half t erm) the Crypt Choir was able to show off its refinement and maturity as the first half ended with four short but fam iliar pieces. The Laudate Dominum from the 1780 Vespers was beautifully sung by old girl Emma Lewis. (There must be a more gallant way of expressing this, but it is appropriate to mention her age, for I notice that, by a nice coincidence, Emma is as old as Mozart was when he composed the piece.) Ave Verum Corpus and Elgar's Lux Aeterna ('Nimrod' from the Enigma Variations, arranged by John Cameron) were equally affecting. And t he Latin was broken up by a lively arrangement of Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho. The second part of the concert was devoted to the clarinet concerto. Many in the audience had probably come to see Sir Colin conduct- note the title of the programme. So how was it done? The little gestures with the left hand? The pointing finger? The smiles? Or the energy and enthusiasm economically conveyed of a Mozart expert, who had indeed studied the clarinet at the Royal College of Music? He had sufficient confidence in the players to let rip in the first movement, and the orchestra, well prepared by Head of Strings Andrew Pollock and a.bly led by Maristella Lee, rose to the challenge of the occasion. The piece is a showcase for the soloist, and the cheeky chappy that I remember from our School House days was still an appropriately cheerful Moza rtia n chappy, but he could also convey the tenderness

and the sadness- what the programme note referred to as 'quiet resignation: Although the nave's acoustic tends to muddy orchestral sound (the wise listener needs to know where to sit) it seemed to love the clarinet. In the middle of the slow movem ent the quietest solo passag e somehow filled the enraptured silence of the Cathedral in a moment of heartstopping bea uty: the emotional intensity was tangible. The last movement, virtuosi c and exh ilarating, almost came as a relief. The two patrons of the new music school had more than justified thei r sta r billing. I rece ntly watched the film Tickets, in which an old man on a train journey reflects on love and life as he gazes out of the window and listens in his mind to a young woman playing the piano. The concert was similarly evocative in this Proustian way. The Academy of St Martin's performing the Mendelssohn Octet or Clarence Myerscough playing the Meditation from Thais; Kate Claridge playing the flute or Miranda ScottBa rrett singing ; King's Weeks and informal concerts; highly talented youngsters or mere enthusiasts, inspired and encouraged by fine teachers, enjoying themselves and giving great pleasure to their audiences. Sir Colin Davis, Andrew Marriner and Mozart wi ll provide their madeleine mom ents, too. There has been much to be grateful for over the years. PGH

Main School Play - The Crucible As usual many of the school members, pupils and teachers alike, gathered together to support our budding stars as they portrayed one of the most famous political plays in history, for The Crucible is not only a depiction of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but a critique on the culture of McCarthyism in America during the 1950s; Senator McCarthy led this movement, involving the exposure of those suspected of having Communist connections or sympathies. Arthu r Miller himself came under suspicion at this time, and henceforth wrote many plays representing the negative effects of McCarthyism.

The play began and end ed with memorable performances; to open a play, especially one as complex as this, is always difficult and for that I must commend George Chilcott fo r his brill iant opening performa nce; he delivered his opening lines with emotion, yet so calmly that it was almost complete ly unbeknown to the audience that there wou ld be so much chaos and turmo il on the stage just moments later.

Top - George Chilcott (TR) Bottom left - Polly Mills (BR) Bottom - Charlie Harvey (GL) and M orwenna Loughman (HH)

Of cou rse, the chaos I am talking about is not out of place in a play such as this; the actors expressed the emotions of their characters extremely well, capturing the audience's attention immediately

with their touching portrayal of the problems that arise when a society is deprived of its right to political freedom. There were many brilliant actors in this play, but I feel I must congratulate

Charles Harvey for his portrayal of John Proctor; at this point in the play, it was dear that he had ta ken over as lead. It has to be said tha t he, along with the other actors in this play, totally captivated the audience - so much so, in fact, that the mad rush to the dining hall for the interval drinks (that is usually expected in a school play) had been replaced by the astonished silence of the audience. Afte r the interval in Milner Hall, the long-anticipated second half commenced. As the audience eagerly made their way back to their seats, it was dear to see that the cast of The Crucible had done their talents justice. The actors came alive in th is half, and worked in a highly emotional and fantastically dramatic way to bring the show to an end. The sentencing of John Proctor to his death was a terribly melodramatic affair, portrayed brilliantly by Stephan Wassermann-Fry as Danforth; many have since claimed that they were brought to tears at this moment. It could be said that Mr Graham Sinclair could not have hoped for a better directorial debut; he, along with the cast members, have done a tru ly fantastic job. Ashi tha Nagesh (MT) Opp osite poge - Charlie Harvey {GL) Top - Charlie Harve y {G L) and Caroline Monaghan { WL) Left - I. tor. Lawrence Perciva l, Polly M ills, A manda Redstone, lono Emlyn- Williams, Sophie Ackers, Natalie Denton

Christmas Concert The King's School was once again brought into the spirit of the festive season with the Christmas Concert, held annually and always popular. After a long day of rehearsals, the Symphony Orchestra, Choral Society, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Crypt Choir gathered together in the Shirley Hall on this chilly evening, opening the concert with the Symphony Orchestra's performance of The Barber of Seville Overture by Rossini. Although many were experiencing numb fingers, the musicians did not show it, as they expertly wove thei r way through the piece, the entire hall heating up with the immense performance. Next, the Choral Society delighted the audience with a change of mood in the soothingly peaceful Mary's Lullaby, just as sweetly accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra, fo llowed by the Coventry Carol with just the pure voices of the Choral Society, and finally another change in scene with the rhythmically exciting Sir Christemas. Then, the audience was brought into the Christmas ballroom with the orchestra performing Strauss' Emperor Waltzes before being invited to join in with the concert and sing the old favourite, 0 Come, all ye faithful. The Crypt Choir entertained the audience next with three renditions of Christmas songs, The Three Kings, Follow that Star, and The Christmas Song, once more living up to their reputation and not failing to enchant with the clarity of their voices. Sibelius's Finlandia ended the first half of the concert, allowing the orchestra to show off their wide range of musical skills, with the seriousness of the brass's beginning, resolving to a beautiful melody by the end. Heartened by the mulled wine and mince pies during the interval, not to mention the performers who also ate vast quantities of juice and doughnu ts hidden away in the music department, everyone returned eager to hearten their ears and hearts with the remaining half of the concert. Satisfied they were, as the concert resumed with Suppe's Poet and Peasant Overture. Beginning with the rich tones of Sarah Ventress on the cello and Jack Lawrence, never fail ing to captivate, on

Colin Metiers Opposite - Brahms Requiem Concert

the harp, the piece finished with an exhilarating accelerando by the orchestra, which caught the audience's breath, and indicated once again the quality of the music that the school provides. In between more audience involvement with carol singing and the traditional perform anee of Sleigh Ride by the orchestra, the Chamber Choir, conducted by Mr Bersey, enthralled the audience with two numbers, Wolcum Yale and There is no Rose, which preceded further carols and made us all wish that the evening was indeed a white Christmas. It would not have been a Christmas Concert without We Wish You a Merry Christmas, which ended the blissful evening and the enormous amount of hard work of a busy term. Much deserved tremendous applause greeted the musicians with Mr Metters and Mr lonascu bowing several times amidst whistles and cheers by both the audience and the performers. If cold before, the stunning musical performances had certainly warmed everyone up by this time, and everyone was able to leave the Shirley Hall with high spiri ts for the upcoming holidays, and already starting to await next year's concert. Maristella Lee (MT)

Brahms Requiem Concert One of the highl ights of the King's musical calendar, the Lent term Choral Concert in which local schools join with the Choral Society to form a large-scale combined choir, took place on the evening of March 18th, in a Cathed ral whose comfort was somewhat compromised by the untimely demise of the heating system. However, physical conditions did nothing to detract from the visual and musical spectacu lar which was to follow. The programme opened with a sparkling performance of Beethoven's dramatic Egmont Overture from the Symphony Orchestra. The choirs of Barton Court Grammar School, both the Boys' and Girls' Simon Langton Schools, and of course our own Choral Society then took their positions at the head of the Nave in preparation for the highlig ht of the concert. Brahms' German Requiem is a staple work of the choral repertoire and as celebrated as it is demanding ; the polished and accomplished performa nce of the Symphony Orchestra and combined choirs owed much to the weeks of hard

graft and devoted rehearsal throughout the term.

The German Requiem is an intriguing

work in that it does not follow the traditional liturgy of a Catholic Requiem Mass, but instead consists of a series of texts from the Lutheran Bible, selected by Brahms as a reflection of his own unorthodox faith. This novelty of format

offered Brahms the freedom to create beautiful solo parts to complement the main body of the work which is sung by the chorus. The soprano and baritone solos were taken by Mary Nelson and Hakan Vramsmo respectively. Vrasmso's solo, a majestic, hymn-like melody opening the third movement, was brilliantly performed and contributed

much to the drama and depth of that section, a heartfelt declaration of religious faith. Nelson gave a wonderful performance of the haunting soprano solo lines in the fifth movement, especially given the widely-known technical difficulties confronting the soprano (who has sat silent for four movements before having to enter on an intimidatingly high note). Nelson's lovely, flowing tone was however totally unaffected by this and it was a most beautiful moment in the Requiem. Many thanks are due to the staff of the music department of not only our school, but also those of the three local schools who contributed choirs. Thanks also go to all others involved (in whatever capacity) in the production of such a magnificent concert. Kate Roberts (MR)

Politics conference The AS/A2 conference in the Methodist Central Hall took place on the 5th of December, and was a joy to all present. Our compere for the day was an articulate gagster, reminding us to turn off our phones and warning that if they rang, we would be dealt with by Dome Labour Conference bouncers. A seasonally Santa-like man showed the speakers to the stage, to largely warm applause. First on the bill was the Rt. Hon. Francis Maude MP. Introducing himself as jetlagged and excessively gloomy, he rather surpassed expectations and appealed to a mixed group of 16-18 year olds. He gave an accurate description of the sort of Tory to win the election, one who wishes to "enlarge the space in which people have control over what they do - not promoting individualism, rather voluntary

collective responsibility." In the question session he plucked at heart-strings by damning the controversial Clause 28 banning same sex unions, mentioning that he understood entirely, having a gay brother who died 12 years ago from AIDS. Alan Duncan MP appeared next, apparently worried that speaking after his Party's Chairman, he would not have anything to say. He announced his support for David Cameron, predicting a victory in the Conservative leadership election by a margin of 2 to 1. He was confident that Cameron would lead the Party to victory, because he embodied that charisma so effectively employed by Blair. Then came a stunning impression of Blair, the slightly tinny, confident voice with a true to form smile won him the audience. There was an air of total disbelief- a funny politician? By God I'll vote for him! So easy. His praise of Liberal Democrat policies earned him a harsh rebuke from a questioner: "Go join the Lib-Dems and do David Davis and me a favour!" Questions about equality received raucous applause. He left us with a lovely little, if not rather obvious aphorism: "Democracy only works if you participate." Political conference organisers do not cross paths with festival organisers; otherwise they might have got wind of the concept of headlining. This is the only explanation I can offer as to why Charles Kennedy came next. Thus far all speakers have used different microphone systems, so there is something to choose between the Parties after all. Charlie acknowledges people seated behind the stage with "people behind you in politics usually have daggers in their hand': Vote winner. He dips into audience participation by asking some questions. The responses all tend to agree with his Party's policy. Whilst making the link between getting what you want and voting Liberal Democrat, the microphone crackles and the message gets distorted -the story of the Lib Dems. Someone asks what Mr. Kennedy's Party's view is on the new 24 hour drinking laws, "As I know you would agree with them". A suitably gauged "oooooh, ouch" emanates from the sympathetic audience. But ol' Charlie knocks the questioner flat: "You can buy me one afterwards!" he quips. After the mean lunch break, we have a rather enthusiastic Welshman. Oh how fast he talks, he must have read something about teenage attent'1on spans. Problems with the English education system ... does he even stop for breath? Truancy and disinterest rife ... so the faces of the audience would seem to

say. Some relief when the audience mishears him preaching the values of the SN vote system; "we have an STD!" Enter George Galloway, most eloquent of ranting politicians. Politics: show business for ugly people. Perhaps not the wisest thing to say to a bunch of painfully vain adolescents, but George has more up his sleeve. According to the Rt. Hon. member for the anarchist movement of Bethnal Green, the G8 leaders are the reason for poverty. "The only way Bush and Blair and the rest could help make poverty history would be to tie themselves together and jump in the deep end of the Gleneagles' luxury swimming pool': Employing Orwell quotes, "Iraq was a steal", "The empire strikes back" ... he pushes all the right buttons for a rowdy bunch of teenagers. But one remains above the hysteria: "A series of unfortunate events" - a questioner on George G. becoming PM. "Drain the swamp of evil and hatred", "The imbecile Bush" "Bombs, WMD, Chemical weapons and decapitations", it was like watching an action film. George's successor to the podium gave us the impression we were watching a period drama, not exactly appealing to your average hormonal teenager. Picture the scene: you have about one thousand kids in front of you, all idealistic, a little revolutionary and not used to compromise, and you are the face of authority. They are quite bored by now, since you are the second last speaker of the day. George Galloway has preceded you, greeted with an incredible cheer as he screamed "Murder, bloody murder". You have to explain how you have not raised taxes and the economy is actually doing quite well, to a bunch of non-tax payers, because at the moment it is all you can go on. This was the situation facing Geoff Hoon. Greeted in part by the polite clap, repeatedly dubbed the "A level politics welcome" by our gagster compere, but mainly by "Boo!"- or were they chanting "Hoon"? ... Is there any difference? "Let's get serious," demands Hoon. The Welshman was right about attention spans. Henry Lodge (GR)

King's Parliament It is a very infrequent occurrence in this era of populist politics for two of the nation's greatest political figures to spar adversarially, acrimoniously and entertainingly. Yet that is exactly what happened when the nation's two greatest political heavy-weights (notwithstanding

Alex Sannt!, King's Parliament

Emily Jenkinson ond Anno Brown (LX)

John Prescott) battled it out for just over an hour in that panelled chamber of St. Augustine's Refectory, which by day feeds the masses and by night provides the political nourishment. The motion before the animated house was a vote of no confidence in Her Majesty's Government and it was quite clear that both the Government's Chief Whip The Rt. Hon Mr William Harvey, the member for School House and the opposition Chief Whip the Rt. Hon Mr Sebastian Botana de BeavouCrauon, the member for Tradescant had enforced party discipline particularly stringently for the turn-out, which numbered close to one hundred. The session began with a bravura performance from the Leader of Her Majesty's opposition, who showed no mercy as he launched himself into a devastating and highly effective attack on this government's record, whilst always remaining inside the parameters as laid down in Erskine and May. (Your correspondent could not help but notice that the Prime Minister, by way of contrast, had to be gently reminded on a number of occasions by the Speaker of the House of correct parliamentary procedure). Amongst carefully orchestrated cries of support and indeed damnation with regard to the party opposite the Rt. Hon member for Meister Omers, positively effervescent highlighted

the rank incompetence of Her Majesty's government. He was helped immensely in his efforts by the impassioned speech of his Shadow Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon Mr Simon Norman of Linacre who delivered an impassioned yet equally devastating attack on this government's penchant for 'bungling Middle-Eastern expeditions; whilst negating the imminent question of how to deal with the 'important Chinese question; left the current occupier of the office Mr Secretary Sa nne speechless. The recentlyappointed Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt. Hon. Miss Polly Benton managed to achieve the rare feat of silencing the normally most raucous of chambers with her pertinent, beautifully formulated and wonderfully executed speech. Although at first apprehensive,her lines of argument were indeed so well fortified that only one member dared to field a question to the Rt. Hon. member. Perhaps Miss Benton provides evidence enough for her party to field women candidate only shortlists. Your Correspondent must of course give due credit to the Prime Minister, whom in a typically animated style delivered an impressive and clearly genuine defence of his Government's record in office. (Whether anything that this government executes is truly well- intentioned is,

however, another question). Mr Blessley defended his government's record by subscribing to the oldest of politica l mantras and attacking the Opposition's time in Government whilst also praising his party's reforming intention, which has man ifested itself, we we re told, by way of its commitme nt to Foundation Hospitals, and City Academies. Both the Foreign Secreta ry Miss Morgan and Secretary Sanne did their best to defend their government, yet ultimately democracy prevailed and when it came to locking the doors of the chamber and holding the vote, the government were defeated by a slim, yet unforgiving margin of some six votes. Your Correspondent could not possibly help to notice the number of defections from the Government's benches to those of the other side. Furthermore, the quality of statements and questions from the floor is to be commended. Joshua Sutton (MO)

Sixth Form Talk The talk on the Nuremberg Trials by Dr. Ulf Schmidt which a full house listened to for a fascinating hour was specifically focused on the Nazi doctors who had been tried at Nu remberg. The talk turned

out to be a fascinating blend of social history and ethics. Dr. Scmidt was attempting to explore what had turned compassionate family men into unfeeling agents of the state who would subject prisoners to the equivalent of bailing out at 20,000 feet in a pressure chamber to examine the effects on their own pilots. The fact that it was research rather than simply, although the line may be blurry here, torture, was a key fact for him. The terrible loss of national pride after the First World War which the Nazis claimed to remedy was partly to blame. The Nazi ideology promised to restore Germany as a great nation and elevated the state above the individual. This had warped the perceptions of the doctors to the point where the state took total precedence over the individual. If killing a Polish prisoner, or even five, saved the lives of ten German airmen then they saw it as worthwhile. Pursuit of the greater good , as they saw it, had become their priority to a sickening degree. Most of the Doctors at their trials refused to plead

who had turned up due to the "prehistory" in the title and not the "whales". The topic of the talk was not solely the boat, however, and Peter Clark spent a good deal of the hour and a half trying to convince us that all the Bronze Age people were magic and they had wizards who wore gold, pointy hats that were remarkably phallic (the photos caused much juvenile mirth, mostly amongst the

for food in the U.K. every year, in comparison to the 2.6 million (only 0.340/o of theses being cats and dogs) that die during medical research. There are very strict regulations laid down by the British government to stop the illtreatment or unnecessary use of animals. The animals at Pfizers are kept in conditions that try to mimic their natural needs and researchers look at their behaviour to check that they have the best possible conditions.

6as). The evening was, on the whole, hugely enjoyable, and though I remain seriously sceptical about Mr Clark's definition of magic (apparently blowing out birthday cake candles is a modern day example), maybe I would have been more convinced if he had shown the clip of Gandalf from

lord of the Rings that he had, unfortunately, left behind.

Emily Jenkinson (LX)

I have always considered myself to be against the use of testing on animals, but this talk truly changed my opinion, and I am most certainly not one-sided as I am both a vegetarian and future medic, but when thinking about animal testing I usually conjure up images publicised by the A.L.F. If you still believe it is unnecessary to use animals in medical research, consider Pfizers' four main drugs: Capol, Benylin, Listerine or even Viagra - all of these are only on the market thanks to the use of animals.

guilty. They acknowledged what they had done, but they could no longer see that it was wrong. Many were executed, which for me raised the unpleasant question of whether it is right to punish someone who does not know they have committed a crime. The talk was extremely cogent and engaging, one of the best I have attended at King's. Or. Schmidt raised many interesting questions and then attempted to answer them, which was fascinating and not a little difficult considering the subject.

A Forgotten Odysseus? Sailing the Wh a I e 's Road Prehistory.

by Peter Clarke. The title of this talk was something of an enigma and, though most of the people who turned up had no idea what it was going to be about, the word "prehistory" had drawn a fairly classics orientated crowd. Yet even as I took my seat and was asked what I thought it would be about my answer was "whales?" The talk, as it turned out was not about whales, but instead it was centred on the discovery of the Dover boat, an almost entirely intact, Bronze Age vessel. The talk was in most part informative and interesting, or at least it was for those

Sixth Form Talk

Fiona Levey (BY)

'The Use of Animals in Medical Research' by Mr !an Garrod of the Animal Welfare Department at Pfizers The first use of successful animal research is Dr. Bantin and Best's use of rats and mice to discover insulin in the fight against diabetes. In 1921 before and after photographs were taken of one of the first children to be treated. The change is incredible. But still research is needed as there are problems with secondary complications such as kidney failure even after glucose levels have been regulated in diabetics. The next influential cure was found after the iron lung, an artificial lung that was used to keep patients suffering from polio (a virus that attacks the muscles) alive during the epidemics that occurred in the 50s was considered to be the only treatment. The use of animals enabled a polio vaccination to be created and polio has been virtually eradicated. However, there is so much research that must continue in the future, for example, rheumatoid arthritis (a common and very painful disease that causes inflammation of the joints) still has no cure. It is vital

that the drugs are properly tested to stop another Thalidomide disaster from occurring. There was no experimental research carried out in this case and the disastrous effects are enough to make the contemplation of animal research a seemingly sensible one. Also consider the 900 million animals that are slaughtered

Sport (Autumn) Rugby School XV We began with a short training camp in Wales, where it was emphasised that we were going to have to play an open, 'hit-and-run' style of game, moving the ba ll around and avoiding confrontation and being prepared to run the ball from anywhere on the field. Our practice game against a Mumbles RFC side containing five Welsh caps confirmed this. They had too much muscle and pace, and although we played fairly well in defeat, our problem areas were laid bare. Sadly, we could not get enough ball to show what we could do with it. We returned to Canterbury and in the opening encounter found a strong Chislehurst & Sidcup GS waiting for us. It was, in essence, a close contest, with our backs opening up the visi ting defence with some ease, but with the Sidcup pack looking strong. We managed to shoot ourselves in the foot, however, of the five tries conceded, two were from

The School XV

interceptions (one a "fourteen point play"), and a third was given away when the ball was spilled behind our lines. Meanwhile, we threw away a number of chances at the other end. Our key difficulty was in winning clean first phase (and therefore also second phase) ball. On the day we opened the new pavilion, one of the great King's rugby occasions, a huge crowd witnessed a typically hard fought encounter with Eastbourne. We had a dream start, scoring literally straight from the kick off when we ran the bal l down the line and Olu Adeosun finished in style. However, the physical advantage held by our opponents made it very difficult for us to get as much ball as we liked and although we made sporadic incursions into their territory, we spent some time camped in our own half. We defended resolutely but for one slip, when their powerful centre burst through several tackles to score. A penalty just before half time gave the Eastbourne kicker the chance to see his side to an 8-7 victory. The second ha lf was

frustrating and even though much of it wa s fought in midfield, we struggled to win first phase ball at the lineout and could not move the ball wide, as we wanted to. Two further scores gave Eastbourne a deserved margin of victory. We worked hard at short line-outs in training, as well as on some other aspects of the game in which we had fallen short, and we were much improved at KCS the following week, beginning in excellent style, scoring only a minute or so into the action. On this occasion the backs won us field possession and the forwards finished off, courtesy of a short range line-out drive. There was some quality in the play of both sides, but we failed to capitalise on our chances, especially from penalties, whereas KCS made their visits to our 22 pay, scoring two tries and a penalty to take a lead of 18-8 into half-time. The second half saw us camped in the home half and frequently within clear scoring range, but the game lacked continuity and we continued to either decline, or missed with penalty chances. Despite

playing some good rugby at times, and clawing back some of the deficit, we could not finish the job. It was a match we should have won. We could not get into the winning habit. Sadly, we began the next match, against StJohn's, in uncharacteristically casual fashion and conceded a try to a line-out drive in the first minutes of the game -a portent of things to come. We pulled back to 3-5 fairly quickly, however, thanks to a Paul Dixey penalty and an even first half, in which we squandered our few chances, finishing 6-8 after an exchange of penalties. After the interval, StJohn's decided that conservatism was the order of the day and they proceeded to drive a series of mauls from line-outs and in loose play, rarely allowing the ball to see the light of day. Even when rare

possession came our way we created opportunities to win the game, but wasted the final pass. The following week, at Haileybury, against a side that was "Rugby World" Team of the Month, largely due to the power of their pack, we again conceded an early score- this time a penalty in the first seconds. However, unlike the previous week, it did not herald a limp performance. The forwards grafted hard against some huge opponents and won their share of the ball, allowing the team to move the ball around and create opportunities. Frustratingly we again failed to deliver the crucial pass. Meanwhile, Haileybury ensured, courtesy of the trusty boot of their fly-half, that whenever they had the ball, they played the game deep in our half. We were within two points with twenty minutes to go, but we could not establish any degree of control and, as time put us under

further pressure, we turned over possession and were in no position to defend, giving them the opportunity to extend their lead. It was another game lost by one score and once more a match which we might easily

have won. With five defeats behind us, we faced another stern physical test in our first encounter with East Kent High

Performance Centre. This is a local rugby academy, based at Canterbury High SchooL We began brightly and were able to keep the ball moving and raise the pace of the game. However, we fell into old habits of turning ball over too often and conceded two tries to trail 3-12 at half time. The second half went much the same way for a while until with fifteen minutes to go the pack suddenly raised their game and stormed around the pitch, turning back possession they had no right to win. The first try came when we stole and drove them back on their own ball at a 5 metre line-out. The second came after prolonged pressure, but we had to wait until the very last move of the game when Tunji ran flat from a ruck, drew defenders in and bounced passed to Olu who raced in at the corner for a deserved victory. We sensed that we had turned a corner. Our first game back from half term, at home to Sevenoaks, again saw us up against a larger pack and a strong back row, but our forwards were determined and our technique was good. We trailed by a very early penalty but always looked dangerous when we moved the baiL A purplepatch of fifteen minute' fluent rugby was enough to win us the game. Ryan Noades burst clear from a maul

from a five metre line-out to score, then Olu Adeosun returned to try-

scoring form with two in as many minutes, firstly when Nowa timed his incursion into the line, drew the last defender and gave the scoring pass, and then after Val O'Donoghue had stormed past six Seven oaks defenders, dummying the last, before feeding Olu for the run in. If we had turned the corner and if the wagon was back on the road, the wheels came off in the first half against Tonbridge. Within seconds of the opening whistle, their full back sped through a hole in midfield a mile wide and as eight tries came at regular intervals by virtue of some excellent running, handling and kicking by the horne side and some shabby defence by us, came to the break trailing 54-0. In boxing, the contest would have been abandoned. However, this would have denied us

what may have been thirty five pivotal minutes. Perhaps due in some measure to my soothing words in the break, we managed to respond to this

embarrassment with a tenacious second-half display; we not only defended with determination, but we actually got some ball, played some decent rugby and put pressure on them - to the extent that the try count for the second half was one apiece! Eltham afforded us the chance to recover some confidence. We played some flowing rugby in the first half, and Fred and Will scored some good tries to lead by ten points, but we relaxed in the second and allowed the opposition back into the game by consistently incurring the referee's displeasure and, incredibly, we found ourselves back on level terms with ten minutes to go. Thankfully, we rallied sufficiently to regain the initiative and Nowa produced a well timed slashing run to slice through and score under the posts. At Dover, on one of the most unpleasant afternoons of the terman initial burst of cold rain and a freezing Northerly wind which made handling difficult- we played our best and most sustained rugby against Duke of York's. The fact that all eight tries were scored by the backs, wide out - four by Olu and two by wing and full backhighlights the style with which we played. Given quick ball time and again by the forwards, the backs revelled in the time and space in which they were given to play and there were several flowing movements. It was the kind of rugby normally associated with dry pitches and warm weather and it was a treat to watch, despite the cold. We got off to a blazing start against Sutton Valence. We were three tries up in six minutes, and thirty-three points up at half time, thanks to fierce rucking, effective ball

movement, great running lines, excellent continuity and clinical finishing. By this time, the pitch resembled the battlefield at Ypres; running rugby became more difficult and their big pack was able to slow

us down. We still finished with a flourish and another score. The final match at Colfe's was an anti-climax. We desperately wanted to end the season in style, but despite playing some good rugby, we could never quite build up a convincing lead. The forwards showed the great improvement that had been made in t heir game over the season, with a series of cohesive and dynamic drives, but the backs were guilty of trying to force the pass, and opportunities were missed. Into the second half, the game began to disintegrate in an ugly fashion, and a late interception meant that we might even have lost the game, but thankfully we regained our composure and held on fairly comfortably. We had begun the season with the backs having to make do on considerably less than fifty per cent possession, bu t the forwards improved so much that we eventva lly became a very well-balanced side, and one that enjoyed running, handling and off-loading in the tackle. The backs finished with most of the tries, but the forwards laid the foundation and could be pleased with the progress they made, especially in the efficiency of their rucking. By the final game of the season, the front row of Stavros Stratas, Graham Sweetman and Man-Suh Han was dominant in the scrummage, even taking ball against the head. They were ably supported by Dom Collingwood, who made several starts and showed promise. Stavros also put in the occasional big hit in defence, Graham provided some great penetration from deep runs and Man-Suh worked tirelessly in the mauls. Both second rows were a revelation. The younger of the two, Will Fox, was a willing worker who hit contact as low as anyone, despite his height, and he even started to show glimpses of deft handling skills. In the ful l line-out - which we used sparingly- he won us ball, as did his partner, Ryan Noades. Ryan, who spent most of his junior school rugby career in the B teams, often won clean ball at the front of the line and also made a big impact as a runner

on occasions. We found that by the end of the season we were rotating our back row. At open side, Ri tchie Gardiner and George Chilcott proved themselves to be natural foragers around the tackle and both, especially George, ran great support lines. On the blind side, Leo Flindall gave us another option in the lineout and gave his all. Shane McGuigan gave us power, fierce determ ination and a prodigious work-rate. The star of the back row was undoubtedly Va l O' Donoghue, who was justifiably voted player of the season by his fellow team mates. He was an athletic ball carrier- no-one could forget that Sevenoaks run - our chief lineout option and perpetually at the heart of the action. Behind the serum, Tunji Lawson proved that skill and vision can make up for lack of stature. He was our playmaker-in-chief and his audacity always kept the opposition on their toes. He was also a thorough nuisance to his opposite number at the scrummage. He had a great season. So too did Charlie Harvey in the centre. He was another with little experience of the position he was playing in, but his long cut out pass was a vital ingredient in our wide game and his ability to pick an inside line when required was often crucial. Perhaps the greatest surprise was the improvement in his defensive game. The first choice combination in midfield saw him paired with Tom Burley. Tom's ability to beat an opponent meant that he was a constant threat on attack and he gradually learned to bring others into play, too. 'Decs' Clarke played a number of games when Tom was injured and showed an instinctive ability to hit superb support lines. This will make him an asset next year. On the wings, Fred Roberts showed great pace, solid defence and an unquenchable spirit; Olu Adeosun confirmed his class with ten tries there was no more lethal finisher on the circuit and his display against Sutton Valence wa s a master class. At fu ll back, Nowa lmasekha began quietly but as his confidence grew, his impact on the game increased and he beca me a very influential attacker. His deceptive running style

often created space for himself or for others. I have left the captain, as always, until last. Paul Dixey was an essential member of the team in every way. As fly-half, he was the architect of much of what we did well. His ability to put others into holes, but also to hold defences by his capacity to ta ke them on himself was crucial to our finding the space we wanted. His defence was courageous. As a leader, he expected the best of everyone, including himself, and the team responded to his example. We missed him when he could not play. In summary, the side showed immense character in bringing round a season that looked as if it had gone completely off the rai ls. They kept fit - nine played in every game and three more missed only two through injury - and even when losing, played great attacking rugby. They worked hard in practice and gave everything on the pitch. One could not ask for more. My than ks go to Duncan Hine for his help with coaching and, as always to everyone else associated with rugby at the school - al l the coaches, referees, Alan Katcher (First Aid). the catering staff and the ground staff. RCW Team from: Pa ul Dixey* (capt.), Olu Adeosun*, Tom Burley, George Chilcott, Andrew Clarke, Dominic Collingwood, Leo Flindall, Wi ll Fox, Ritchie Gardiner, Man-Suh Han, Charles Harvey*, Nowa lmasekha, Tunj i Lawson*, Shane McGuigan, Ryan Noades, Val O'Donoghue*, Fred Roberts, Stavros Stratas, Graham Sweetman* Also played: Archibald, Gwyer, Morpeth *Awarded First Colours Result s v Chislehurst & Sidcup GS (H) Lost 17-39 v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 7- 18

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 14- 18

v St John's, leatherhea (H) lost 6-23 v Haileybury

(A) lost 9- 16

v East Kent HPC

(H) Won

13-12 v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 24-15

v Tonbridge

(A) lost 5-64

v Eltham College

(H) Won 22-15

v Duke of York's RMS (A) Won 44-3 v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 40-3

v Colfe's

(A) Won 21-17

2nd XV With most of last year's highly successful team transferring to the1st XV, it was a question of starting afresh. The interest was obvious when 32 players attended trials and wanted a chance to play against Chislehurst and Sidcup, but unfortunately several had to be disappointed, although for some their chance came later on in t he season. There was a surfeit of back row players and a distinct lack of props, two serum halves and half a dozen

wingers. From all of this, the back line initially showed a great deal of promise and it was the pack that was cause for concern. However, as the season progressed, the situation was reversed, as the back line was constantly changing due to injury and unavailability, whereas the durabil ity of the forwards was much greater and two of t heir number played in every match, l eo Macl ehose (second row) and John Wu (front row). In the early games the pack perfo rmed heroically against bigger opposition and with Duncan Morpeth as hooker, the opposition's serum ball was always in jeopardy. His leadership and support play was, at times inspirational and enabled the pack to overcome a forceful and unbeaten St John's team. Against Tonbridge, the game was evenly matched for three of the quarters with us trailing just 15- 17, unt il the power of their driving mauls became unstoppable. With Jack Archibald at fly half t he back line had some zip and imagination. His precise corner kicking proved to be a worthwhile play fo r our wingers especially benefiting Oily lyons against St John's, Sevenoaks and Elt ham. In fact our wingers posed a threat in attack and in Tobi Pearce we were fortunate

to have a resolute defender. The loss of Richard Griffiths in the first ten minutes of the season was a harsh blow to both the team and Richard , but in Jack Archibald we were very fo rtunate to be able to cover the fly half position. When Andrew Clarke moved up to the first team and James l oudon was injured then the versatility of the backs was put to the test with dif ferent combinations each week. Lawrence Holdron was keeping Harry Quested out of the serum-half spot by qu icker service and full back position was covered by a combination of Dubi "interceptor" Ajukwu and Justin Williams. The team played most competitively against Tonbridge, but recorded its biggest score away to Sutton Valence. One rash moment at Haileybury in the dying minutes cost us a deserved draw and a tendency to give away too many penalties made the Eltham game closer tha n I would have wished. The team finished the season stron gly with Marcus Gwyer in excellent form against Sutton Valence, Duke of York's and Eltham, scoring a total of 7 tries, but the forwards must take a great deal of the credit for their

2 n d XV

strong set piece and efficient rucking and support play. The back row featured prominently in the games since half term and in Leo MacLehose we were fortunate to gain good lineout ball. During the course of the season, thirty players represented the team and several were regular members of the squad in practices, but nobly played for the thirds when the number of replacements was limited. I thank them for their support and perserverance. My thanks to all the players, especially Duncan Morpeth as Captain and the players' player of the season, and in his absence Alex Blessley and Oily Lyons, for their understanding and advice in my first season with the seconds. We are all indebted to Rowan O'Gorman for his technical coaching and his attempts to improve the handling and fitness. SEA Team from: Duncan Morpeth* (Captain) Dubi Ajukwu, Jack Archibald, Dom inic Berry, Alex Blessl ey*, Kevin Chiu, Fred Coltart, Marcus Gwyer*, Alex Hatt, Joshua Hill, Lawrence Holdron, James Loudon, Oliver Lyons*, Leo MacLehose, Tobi Pearce, Harry Quested, Alex Sanne, Max Stanley, Justin Williams, Roti Williams and

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1-3rd XV

John Wu. *denotes second colours Also played; Thibault Bertlin, Andrew Clarke, Dominic Collingwood, Richard Griffiths, Man-Suh Han, Tom Kemp, Shane McGuigan, Bernard Ng and Stephen Wong. Results

....

Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

Points For

265

Points Against

144

v Chislehurst & Sidcup (H) Won 17-15 v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 5-16

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 3-16

v St John's

(H) Won 17- 15

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 10- 13

v StLawrence 1st

(A) Won 22- 5

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 18-0

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 15-35

v Eltham College

(H) Won 28- 20

v Duke of York's, RMS.(H) Won 48-0 v Sutton Valence v Colfes

(A) Won 54-0

3rd XV This year's new input of talent into the third and fourth fifteen quads has been the best since I started coaching at King's. They were enthusiastic, energetic and keen to learn new ideas. After the first two weeks of training I was optimistic about their chances of winning against Eastbourne. The team worked hard and with courage, but could not overpower a team tha t was bigger and physical ly stronger. And so it proved for the first half of term; the opposition were just too big. However, all this time the players showed improvement in all aspects of their game. Against StJohn's they spent most of the first half camped in the opposition's 22, but were a little too impatient - not scoring when they had the opportunity and letting the opposition score some easy points. The second half of term was a different story. We had a good win over Sevenoaks after being 3-0 down at half time. Against Tonbridge, we let them score and then tried to come back, but we were equal to them in all tasks. The most impressive match of the season was the final game about Whitgift. After having two matches cancelled on consecutive weekends, I was worried that they might be a bit rusty, but

with playing on the 1st XV pitch and being th e last match, they all played extremely well. They spent the first half in the opponents' half of the pitch and were patient enough after having a try disa llowed -to score after 55 minutes and keep the lead under a lot of pressure from the opposition. There are many people who deserve a mention: Dan Hurley for taking on the role of captain; Thibault Berti in for running some excellent lines and tackling hard; Ol iver Bristow and Michael Gold for changing from wing and outside centre, to Number 8 and hooker- what a difference you make to the serum! Finally to Tristan Hambleton, who always gave his commitment, winning or losing. AMcG Team from: D. Hurley (Captain). 0. Bristow, T. Bertlin, A. Davies, M. Gold, T. Hambleton, C.Heslop, R. Lee, T. McWilliams, L. Patton, R. Phanphensophon, M. Price, T. Quested, S. Wassermann-Fry and R. Watson Results Played

Won

Lost

Points for

Points Against

195

v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 7- 38

v KCS

(A) Lost 5-56

V StJohn's

(H) Lost 0-27

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 7-52

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 26-3

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 10- 19

v Eltham

(H) Won 20-0

v Whitgift

(H) Won 5-0

4th XV Being captain of the 4th XV is one the most stressful roles I have ever played. The desperate search of the precincts for able players in order to field a full team on a Saturday

afternoon would have been enough to put any man off the job. However, the sheer enjoym ent of playing alongside our regular players got me hooked and despite frequent last minute injury problems, the team was always able to compete with very worthy opponents. Our first game was against Eastbourne. After having just come together as a team, it was often hard to communicate on the same wavelength and with less than ideal fitness following a long two month layoff in the summer, we found ourselves behind in the early stages of the game, eventually conceding severa l tries with no re ply. A similar story could be told of the match at Wi mbledon, where KSC proved sturdy opposition. With injuries in the higher team, we were forced to field three non- regular 4th XV players. To add salt to our wounds, CO Adesanya broke his ankle after an evading run into the opponents' 22 and was unable to play on. However, after a gritty performance from the team, I feel that the final score did not reflect well on our performance. The match against St John's, Leatherhead, was, without a doubt, the match of the season. Not only was the game played at a frantic and devilish pace, but the determination of the team to reg ister our first try only fuelled our ambition. With the match tied at 7-7, we were desperately unlucky to concede a late t ry. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it did not cause the team spirit, which was at an all-time high after t his excellent t eam performance, to falter. We eventually broke our losing streak after half-term, when the team dished out a thrashing to Sevenoaks. We were forced to play with thirteen men for the majority of the match after two players were forced off through inj ury and, in typical 4th's manner, had no substitutes to replace them. Alex Davies scored a sensational try after running the whole pitch, managing to wiggle past the entire team. Tom Marnham's

powerfu l runs earned him and the team three tries, with Nathan Brown and myself also getting on the scoresheet to end the match 47-0. This improvement was taken to Tonbridge where Michael Gold scored an early try to put us up 5-0. Despite a determined display, the opposition was able to crawl back into the game and eventually end up winners with the fi nal score at 5-17. Unfortunately, we were unable to end the season on a high, with the team losing once again, th is tim e to Epsom. An early try from Epsom and a successful penalty from us made the score 7-3, but it was to be an off-day for the team, conceding a number of tries through sloppy play and poor tackling. Although the second half proved to be a whole different story, with the team dominating in the opposition's half, we were not able to capitalise on the possession and the damage had already been done in the first half. Despite not having a season as successful as many may have wished, I thorough ly enjoyed my last season of rugby at King 's and for this, I show great gratitude for those who played, as well as our coach Mr Oath, in making the team's season a memora ble one. Jacky Truong (GR) Team fro m: Jacky Truong (Captain), Alexander Allen, Valeri Avdeenko, Nathan Brown, Alexander Davies, Aidan Dent, Tristan Ha mbleton, Jake Hennings, Anton Hetzer, William Holt, Evan Jones, Thomas Marnha m, Giles McSwi ney, Matthew Price, Jack Spencer, Robert Watson, Jack Withrington, Alfred Yu. Also played : Adetokunbo Adesanya, Oleg lgnatiev, Daniel Hurley, Alexander Kim, Mickey Le Blanc, Rupert Lee, Ha rry Osborne, Frederick Thompson, Charles Trew, George Edmondson.

Results

[iliayed

'won

Lost

Points for

Points against

158

'--r--

v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 0-51

v K C S Wimbledon (A) Lost 0-44 v St John's, Leatherhead (H) Lost 7- 12 v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 47-0

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 5- 17

v Epsom

(H) Lost 3-34

Colts A XV A season of mixed fortunes, gains and losses in terms of results, some near misses, some changes in position, but development in attit ude and awareness, mental discipline, teamwork with individual skills and preparation. It was not an auspicious start against Chis & Syd despite some good rugby

Colts A XV

at times. Unfortunately, we were too individual in our play so that we lacked cohesion in the forwards and quality back play. The opposition realised that the kick and chase was their best form of attack and provided greater numbers at the breakdown. However, we rallied and from three scores down fought back to come within a hair's breadth of a draw. Another disappointing result was against Eastbourne, as we gave the victory to the opposition. A day of celebration for the opening of the new Pavilion it may have been, but our joy did not extend to the rugby field. In the opening minutes of the game, poor defence allowed our opponents the space to score. As if stimulated by this set- back, we produced some excellent rucking against a big, physical side. Our handling was also good and we held most of the territorial advantage, but unfortunately were unable to finish and the single score remained. Our decision making and tactical awareness needed examination, but competitiveness and team spirit were impressive. Tim Brown on the flank was, for the second time, spectacular, and James Kent showed touches at full back which singled him out as a

player of high quality. Both players were again to the fore against another large and physical side when we met KCS Wimbledon. This t ime resolute defence prevented any score until the final minute of the first half, but turned around wi th determination and purpose. Despite some excellent passages of good handling and superior rucking, we did not use our opportunities and agai n could not f inish. A soft try to KCS at the end of the game flattered thei r score. Sunshine and showers was the weather and in some senses the metaphor for our performance against StJohn's, Leatherhead. We won ball aplenty, but succumbed to the pressure of the opposition and fa iled to capitalise on possession. Leading from the front was Tom Westray, well supported by Tom Macintosh who made in-roads deep into the opposition half. Charlie Johnston ran and foraged and Tim Brown co ntinued to ach ieve a phenomenal tackle count. Unfortunately, the weight and heig ht advantage of StJohn's in the set pieces meant th at we were consta ntly on the back foot and as they gained con fidence increased t heir pressure. James Kent was again

solid at full back, fielding high kicked balls in the air and running at the opposition with skill and determination. Our 'never say die' approach never left us and we made our exit from the field having shown spirit and courage. Against Haileybury we experienced a turn around in composition and result. James Kent at serum-half allowed Alastair Seaton at 10 more time, space and creativity. Henry Berliand moved across to prop and James Bridge returned to the hooker berth. However, the pack were unsettled and were drawn into scrappy exchanges with the opposition. The backs on the other hand were beginning to function. From a well rucked ball it was Alistair Seaton who made the outside break, weaved his way through the defence and gave the scoring pass to George Christie who touched down to the left of the post. This was in reply to an earlier Haileybury try. Good distribution skills again from Kent and Seaton saw Ad nan Bashir enter the backline, hit the space and score. A repeat of this action saw the ball moved to the wing, the pass held by Alastair Edmondson who cut an excellent angle to force his way past the defence for a try, which was converted by Alastair Seaton. Our backs were playing with much more confidence and we continued to pressure the opposition line, finally breaching the defence with a try from Abdul Folawiyo. George Christie proved himself man of the match with his resolute tackling, sound handling and supporting score. Despite the two week half term, we

continued in the same vein against Sevenoaks, but with backs and forwards combining to produce a hard fought win. Conceding size and weight in virtually every position made the result even more satisfying. We struggled to secure our own ball in the set pieces, but the hunger to cross the Sevenoaks line, strong defence and solid teamwork had the opposition rattled. We stuck to the tactic of taking the game to them and this paid dividends with scores by George Christie and Tom Macintosh. Alistair Seaton added four points to display a creditable

performance alongside Charlie Johnston and Renwick McAslan who displayed some incisive running. James Kent showed potential in the number 9 shirt. Unfortunately, we were still 'on the bus' for the first quarter of the match against Tonbridge who 'caught us cold: They were also a side who could exploit errors in the opposition and when we were guilty of missing crucial tackles we were punished accordingly. However, we fought bravely to make amends for early mistakes and gained good field position and advantage on numerous occasions. A good forward dive over the line plus James Kent's break from the base of the serum and his darting run for the line, both came close to scores. Tom Westray again led from the front but it was not to be our day. The most spectacular tries of the season were scored against Cranbrook. Tom Macintosh gathered a loose ball, following a ruck, in our half of the field, bullocked his way through two defending forwards, handed off a defending centre, rounded the wing and ran the

remaining 50 metres to score under the posts. Alasdair Muller had scored an earlier try. Aided by the rest of the pack he was forced over the line following a tapped penalty move. Sheer grit and determination was shown by Tom Westray- again the recipient of a tapped penalty movewho through direct running and sheer power was able to drive the Cranbrook defence back across their own line for the touchdown to complete an excellent piece of individual play. The game was notable as a physical contest, but played in an excellent spirit by both sides. James Kent was again outstanding with the threats he posed the opposition defence and his

competitiveness in a one-to-one situation. The pack were to be congratulated on their commitment and determination and the backs for their defence. Despite losing the toss and facing a howling gale, we again showed that competitive edge against the Duke of York's. We won the 50-50 ball, dominated the loose play and held our own in the set pieces. On occasions the backs ran against the wind to good effect and

with two scores up at half-time we were dictating terms. George Christie's solo run of 75 metres, following his interception, created great excitement and Tom Macintosh's 'pick and drive' skills from the base of the serum were heartening. Alasdair Muller claimed his second score of the season in equal fashion to his first, being driven across the line by the pack. Robin Bridge was outstanding in putting pressure on the opposition's loose play and James Lamb was playing himself into becoming the first choice lock in the team. The trend of dominance continued as we gained a victory over Sutton Valence's most successful side. Again it was the pressure from our forwards in loose play which gave us the cutting edge and the possession to gain field position to launch attacks through the backs. It was a highly competitive game and it was pleasing to note a determined spirit from Robin Sharp and Rohan Premnath. The single penalty by Alistair Seaton divided the teams. The club and rapier of forwards and backs was evident in the return match against Chis Et Syd when we gained revenge for the opening game of the season. We had come full circle, but it showed how much we had developed and improved since the beginning of term. Forward domination with good back play was indicative of good rugby, although we tended to overplay the pick and drive card rather than take the handling option. A number of players again made their mark: Tim Brown, (who was voted player of the season); Tom Westray for leading from the front; Tom Macintosh (who added two scores); and Alistair Seaton who contributed 13 points through a try and 4 conversions. It was a fitting end to a tough season with its steep learning curve. Congratulations must be extended to James Kent and Alistair Seaton for selection to the Kent County Rugby Squad. My grateful thanks to Tom West ray for his Captaincy and to Danny Vaughan for his help, expertise and contributions to forward play. ARW

Team from: James Kent, Alastair Edmondson, Adnan Bashir, Renwick McAslan, George Christie, Abdul Folawiyo, Alistair Seaton , Alasdai r Muller, Robin Bridge, Henry Berliand, Rohan Premnath, James Lamb, Robin Sharp, Tom Macintosh, Tim Brown, Charles Johnston, Tom Westray. Tristan Lee, Duncan Thompson, Tom Tynan, Oliver Tennant

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 19- 10

v Duke of York's RMS

(A) Won

23-0 v Sutton Valence v Chislehurst

(H) Won 3-0

a Sidcup GS (H) Won 31-3

was crucia l in set pieces. He developed so well that he played in the 'A' team fo r the last three games of the season. Duncan Thompson tackled ferociously from the flank and scrapped well for the ball in the loose. The forwards' domination up front in many of our games this season meant that the backs had a good platform to attack from.

Colts B XV Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points For

134

Points Against

127

v Chiselhurst

a Sidcup GS (H) Lost 21-1 9

v Eastbourne College (H) Lost 5-0 v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 21-0

v St John's, Leatherhead (A) Lost 26-0 v Haileybury

(H) Won 22-5

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 14- 5

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 31- 3

Top- Colts 8 XV

It was a good season for the Colts B team. They were not a team of ind ividuals, but a team will ing to work hard for each other to win as many games as they could. They were a great set of boys with bulk up front and some pace in the backs. It took a while to mould them into the team I knew they could be. The pack's strength was its rucking; this developed well over the term and it came to the point where we were out-rucking opponents consistently. The line-out functioned well for most of the term, but they still lacked the proper timing and sometimes the strength to lift the jumpers! James Lamb, the player of the season, led and organised the pack well. He secured good ball in the loose and

Behind the serum, the backs took a little while to take shape. They lacked the confidence to run ha rd at defences, and often drif ted rath er than ran stra ight. After some hard work they got there and produced some excellent performances, notably in the second half of the season against Tonbridge C team and Cranbrook. Tristan Lee provided some good service from serum-half and also moved us forward with some sniping runs. Harry Coombe matured over the second half of the season into a sound fly-half. Thomas Tynan and Oliver Tennan t linked up well in the centres, and when on their game, were more than a match for any opponent. They developed so well as a side they even began to play a structu red game focusi ng their attacking lines and playing good phase rugby.

I really enjoyed coaching this team as I watched them grow and grow in confidence as the season went on. I hope they learnt as much from me as I did from them; good luck next season at the senior level. RALS Team from: Thomas Tynan (Captain). lni Ateyobi, Alex Ba rron, Henry Berliand, Vincent Boeckeler, Robin Bridge, Oliver Bromfeld Francis Brown, Fred Cla rke, Harry Coombe, Joshua Jackson, Tristan Lee, Finnian Nainby-Luxmoore, Benedict Stratton, Edward Syson , Oliver Tennant, Duncan Thompson, Edward Wilkins. Also Played: Luke Arnold, Felix Cohen, Quirin Grossman, James Munro, Thomas Scurr, Matthew Swaffer, Harry Todd, and Christopher White. Resu lts Played

Won

Lost

Points For

186

Points against

114

v Eastbourne

(H) Won 44- 5

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 12- 17

v St John's l eatherhead (A) Lost 5- 43 v Haileybury

(H) Won 12-5

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 29- 17

v Tonbridge C

(A) Won 29- 10

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 33-7

v Duke of York's RMS (A) Won 12-5 v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 10-5

Colt s C XV This year we enjoyed another fantastic season of rugby under the superb leadership of Stratos Laskarides- he will be greatly missed. The season sta rted with a crushing defeat against Eastbourne, but the mighty C team showed signs of a bright future. This season sa w the evolution of a few individuals, from young hopefuls to truly talented

players, and none more so than James Munroe. Having started the season as a fledgling winger he made a controversial move to flanker. The gamble paid off and he became a most dependable forward, winning many a line-out and putting in many solid tackles as well. As a unit, our forwards were explosive with such origina l moves as 'TNT' which blew away the opposition. The overall bri lliance was added by shining individual prowess- Ch ris White and Harry Todd the most prominent. Ch ris was a true powerhouse, leading the pack from the front, while Harry's rather unorthodox approach to rugby did the job excellently and for this reason he was voted players' player of the season. Other forwards included Chris Waller, Charles Ryder, Tom Scurr, Quirin Grossman, Matthew Swaffer, Lawrence Malpass and Fred Iron. Now the backs, (despite sometimes seeing lit tle of the ball and not being wholly consistent) were superb Wi ll Newman at serum-half, Kiwi (Luke Arnold) providing creat ive flair, and Hugh Alder and Ben Varian (Captain) dominating the centres, proved an integral core of the team. Around them were Oily Sanderson-Allen the genius at fu ll back, Leo Scarfe with limitless energy and Felix Cohen (constantly aggressive and keen) on the wings. Others included Mark Thomas, Simon Englander, Aymen Sa leh and Alex Maisel. Special mention must also go to Tristan Lee, Vince Boeckeler and Ben Stratton who came into t he team against Whitgift and provided the pure ability the team so lacked. The best match was by far that against Tonbridge - a tight game that was eventually lost, but the rugby played was of the highest quality. Felix Cohen (SH) and Ben Varian (TR)

Results Played

Won

--------Âˇ-Âˇ-------Lost

Junior Colts A XV It was evident from the beginning that the boys had a bit of talent, but lacked the fire-in-the-belly and killer-instinct to finish a team off. At times, crucial lapses in defence proved costly and the finish ing pass often went astray. The basics needed to be addressed so we could show our spark. After the solid first performance against Chis and Syd in a game in which Jonathan Brooks stamped his class, and lfejola lluyomade showed his power, it was four straight losses, three by the sole try. Away at KCS, the team stepped up their performance from the match against Eastbourne to produce some entertaining rugby. KCS opened the scoring, but the team came back with a try to Will Chilcott, who was put into space through a clever pass from Patrick Mitchell. This left Chilcott with a lot of work to do which, he made look easy as he sprinted 40 metres down the sideline, rounding the winger and stepping t he covering fu ll back to dot down under the posts. Christian Allen also scored after he was nicely put into space by Kieran Premnath down the blind. Next up it was St John's and after a good start and early try to Andrew Lawrence the boys seemed to have the game in the bag with ten minutes to play, but it was StJohn's who struck back with a late try to snatch victory by one point. After a disruptive week of training as the injury list mounted, a trip to Haileybury arose and it took until the second half before the boys showed their true ability. Unfortunately, several opportunities to score were wasted with the finishing touches letting them down. lfejola lluyomade and Jonathan Brooks were the pick of the backs and Jeremy Godden performed well up front in his debut for the A team . Going into the half term break the boys produced a confidence boosting performance aga inst St Lawrence to win 72- 5. This fine form was carried over into the match against Sevenoaks where Wil l Chilcott

produced an outstanding perfo rmance in scoring: a try, a conversion, a drop goal and a penalty. This was an entertaining game with both teams prepared to throw the ball around. Ryan Hurley marshalled his forwa rds well while Tom Davey and Fred Winterbotham had high work-rates in the pack. This would be the side's best performance of the season which led us into the match against Tonbridge. Here we started positively, but allowed Tonbridge too much space which they capitalised on. The team kept battling right to the end with Max Van Coi llie producing some strong runs and Jonathan Brooks showing his versatility in the centres. After this tough encounter, the boys were back to winning ways against Eltham, which then carried on through to Duke of York's and Sutton Valence. Against Eltham, Sam Verde and Fred Winterbotham were powerful upfront which enabled the backs to construct some fine movement s set up through Will Chilcott and finished off well by Kieran Premnath and Robbie Stewart, who both picked up two tries. It was then back to Birley's to fend off Duke of York's and, after being put under pressure early the boys came through easy winners. Wi ll Cage and Christian Allen both scored and man of the match Matthew MacKinnon dotted down in the corner. A great all round team performance was delivered at

Junior Colts A XV

Sutton Valence with some great tries scored, the pick of these being a team movement which began in our own 22 and was finished off by the rampaging Belgian Max Van Coillie in the corner. Andrew Lawrence was man of the match and James Harman in his first game for the A's was outstanding. Leading the pack from up front was Fred Winterbotham who asserted his physical prowess upon opposition props. He was one to never miss a game or training and a great character. Supporting him was Robert Parks who was a powerful runner who had pace to burn. Sam Verde was sandwiched in between, and his excellent line-out throwing and scrummaging ensured good set-play ball. In the second row Max Van Coillie was a reliable performer and was supported well by Nic Lurie. In the back row Will Gage battled away in the tight, but also had the instinct to pop up on the wing to dot down in the corner when needed. Tom Davey was tireless as openside flanker, always scavenging for the ball and a great tackler. Pack leader AJ had a powerfu l season at number eight, his ball carrying ski lls and dominance in the lineout were of the highest ability and he was the ideal link man between backs and forward s. Serum-half Jonathan Brooks provided good direction for his forwards and served the back line with precision. He was also a ferocious tackler and a great team

player. Captain of the team Will Chilcott played some outstanding rugby, always producing skilfu l consisten t performances and led the boys with great pride. Terry Lee and Robert Stewa rt complemented each other very well in the centres. Terry, after starting the season off on the wing, made the transition and showed some quick foot -work to often get through the opposition, while Robert would be known for his strong ru nning and tackling. On the wings, Christian Allen was the team 's top try scorer and used his speed to exploit the gaps. lfejola lluyomade provided some powerful bursts and it was unfortunate to lose him to injury in the match aga inst Tonbridge. This saw Matthew Mackinnon step up to the A's who took his opportun ity with some fine showings. At full back, Kieran Premnath was a highly skilful player and when injecting himself into the backline from a Will Chilcot t miss pass he was able to carve his magic. Mention must be made of the valuable contri butions from John Chen and Ryan Hurley and the disappointment for Patrick Mitchell who missed the majority of the season through injury, but showed he was a class-act in the games he played. It was a pleasure coaching the boys this season with some fine games of touch between backs and forwards played. The experience ga ined has seen t hem all develop th ei r game and

I'm sure many will go on to represent the 1st XV and beyond. All the best for 2006. Tom Hill Team from: Wi ll Chilcott, Christian Allen, Jonathan Brooks, John Chen, Tom Davey, William Gage, Ryan Hurley, lfejola lluyomade, Andrew Lawrence, Terry Lee, Nicholas Lurie, Matthew MacKinnon, Patrick Mitchell, Robert Parks, Kieran Premnath, Robert Stewart, Max Van Coillie, Sam Verde, Fred Winterbotham Also played: James Harman, Valentin Leire Results Played

Won

Lost

Points For

237

Points Against

208

v Chislehurst & Sidcup (H) Won12-5 v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 5-10

v KCS, Wimbledon

(A) Lost 12-19

v StJohn's

(H) Lost 11-12

v Haileybury

(A) Lost 0-39

v St Lawrence

(H) Won 74-5

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 35-17

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 0- 39

v Eltham

(A) Won 34-17

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 15-0

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 39- 10

v Colfe's

(H) Lost 0-35

Junior Colts B XV In many ways it was a season of two halves for the B team. We kicked off the season with an opening game against Eastbourne College. The boys stru ggled in the first half and conceded easy point s to the opposition before coming back strongly in the second. Unfortunately it was too little too late and

Eastbou rn e lef t Birley's with a victory under the belt. The following week we came up against a physically superior KCS Wimbledon, who dominated the first half of play. The half time whistle blew wi th the score on 30- 0 to the home team. The boys showed great character in the second half. Spurred on by a gutsy performance by full back, Pat Gibbs, we scored 14 points to their 12. The next home game against StJohn's Leatherhead was a heart-breaking affair in which we went down 5 points to 7 in a closely fought battle. After t he fourth consecutive defeat vs. Haileybury, team morale sank to an all time low. Then came the turning point of the season. Forty minutes into the away game against Haileybury, Toby Bristow scored a beauty of an individual try to give us a 5-0 lead. In the dying moments the home team came at us with wave after wave of attacking play. Only with dogged defending were we able to protect our line and managed to hold on to the narrow lead. The game also marked the arrival of Louis Monahan to the ranks. He proved to be the find of the season and added another dimension to our game, both on attack and defence. During the following weeks, the boys matured into a well-oiled rugby playing machine and notched up 3 more victories from 4 games. The undisputed highlight of the season was the away game against Eltham College. It was an open game in which the lead changed hands several times. In the end, our attacking flair proved too much for Eltham and we sealed victory with two tries in the last five minutes. The taste of victory was sweet indeed, but not before the nerves of coach and spectator alike were stretched to breaking point. Every player on the team contributed valiantly to make the second half of the season a success. Jeremy Godden, loose head and captain, led and inspired his troops from the front with his all round play. He was supported well in the front row by Robbie Thomas and James Harman, who can both carry the ball as well as any back. When Guy Edmund-Jones joined the pack as hooker, he immediately caught the eye with excellent plays, especially

on defence. Arjun Chaud huri and Freddie Carter did the hard work up front, winning and securing good ball for the backs. Robbie Laing was a tower of strength in every line-out and was the connection between forwards and backs. Valentin Leire proved himself as a very efficient number eight, often exhibiting a bit of French fla ir with his aggressive bursts through the midd le. We were blessed to have Ryan Hurley as half back. He is a complete player in every aspect of the game. He was deservedly voted player of the season. Jonathan Jones and Charlie Dalton both had good games at flyhalf. They con trolled the game like generals and distributed the ball nicely with good passing and kicking games. Not many teams managed to break through the rock solid defence of our midfield. John Chen and Pranav Saran would make a Springbok coach proud with their aggressive tackling. Chen also captained the team successfully when he came down from the A's. Another strong tackler, Matt Mackinnon, was our last line of defence. His strong point, however, was his strong running on atta ck and a deadly hand-of f. On the wings we had the two pace men, Toby Bristow and Jona than Ross. Between them they scored 10 tries, many of which were pieces of individual brilliance created out of nothing. I would also like to mention Josh White, Josh Savage, Sean Yates, BD Akinola, Seb Rex and Will Porter who helped out whe never they were called upon. All the parents who came to support deserve mention as well. Their presence and support were greatly appreciated and cherished by t he boys. It has been a privilege to work with this group of boys. It was good to see them develop from boys who struggled to play touch that first training session into a team who could string together a number of good phases on the playing field. I enjoyed every minute of the season and memories li ke the touch rugby, "Kabaddi games" and the Eltham College victory will remain with me. ES

;;;

t:: 0

Âˇ;:: 0

::::s ...... t:: 0

<..J C1J

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Team from: Jeremy Godden, John Chen, James Harman, Guy EdmundJones, Robbie Thomas, Arjun Chaudhuri, Frederick Carter, Robert Laing, Valentin Leire, Louis Monahan, Ryan Hurley, Jonathan Jones, Charles Dalton, Pranav Saran, Tobias Bristow, Jonathan Ross, Matthew MacKinnon and Patrick Gibbs Also played: Joshua Savage, Sean Yates, BD Akinola, Sebastian Rex, Joshua White and Wi ll iam Porter

Results Played

Results ~

Won

Played

Won

Lost

6 136

v Eastbourne Tries MacKinnon, Savill

L 19-10

For Against

199

v KCS Wimbledon

L 50- 8

Lost

(H) Lost 12-24

v St John's Leatherhead Try Monahan

L 7- 17

v Eastbourne v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 14-42

v Haileybury

L 45-8

v Sevenoaks

w 27- 5

v Tonbridge

L 50- 7

v Epsom

L 31 -0

v St John's, Leatherhead (H) Lost 5-7 v Haileybury

(A) Lost 5-36

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 5-0

v Tonbridge C 'IN

(H) Lost 5- 24

v Eltham College

(A) Won 36- 27

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 15- 10

v Sutton Valence

(A) Won 27- 12

v Colfe's

(H) Lost 12- 17

Junior Colts C XV The Junior Colts C team had a tough season and although wins were in short supply the side developed well over the term. The season started with a home fixture against Eastbourne which was lost 19-1 0, despite scoring first. This was a close game and t he team played wel l. The second game away from home was at KCS Wimbledon - always a difficult fixture - and going down 50 points to 7 was difficult to take, but I was particularly impressed at the way the side did not let their heads drop. After half term, the team training routine was bolstered by the arrival of Felix Condry and a good win at Sevenoaks away was the result.

Difficult games followed, but again the team spirit was exemplary. It is difficult to pick out individuals but Will Porter improved greatly as the season progressed and the man of the season award went to Alex Berry who played every game in the front row without complaint and worked hard throughout. DAS

v Whitgift

L 17-7

Under 14 A XV Despite a disappointing final analysis of results, there was much to commend from the cream of this year's Shells. Bright starts were made in nearly all matches and we were either winning (on five occasions). drawing (on t wo occasions) or withi n a score of the opposition (on three occasions) at half time. However, a lack of general fitness took its toll and second half efforts did not manage to match first half performances until the last two games of the season. High points included a fi rst win since the fixture was started five years ago against Haileybury, when some sparkling tries were run in. It was pleasing to finish the season on such a positive note against a Colfe's team, when both our defence and attack worked effectively and backs and forwards began to gel. There was also some heroic defending against a very strong Tonbridge side that was really

made to work for all of its five tries. Both backs and forwards provided moments to delight and exasperate in fairly equal measure, but there were enough positives from the players both ind ividually and collectively to suggest that results will improve as they go up the school. A fairly makeshift fron t row of Edouard Guitton, Teddy Fox and Harry Ludbrook performed well in the tight, rarely yielding an inch in scrummages and their rucking improved hugely during the season. Edouard had a particularly memorable moment when he powered over the line from 15 yards against Sutton Valence having run over a couple of defenders, Lomustyle. In the second row Tham Ratchakitprakarn and Ivan Abadjiev provided some energy and power. Tham's tackling was a real asset and Ivan's contributions grew as t he season progressed, particularly in the lineout. The back row worked courageously both in attack and defence. Players' player of the season Loren Kock excelled particularly with his tackling, persistently stopping much larger boys dead in their tracks. Eddie Lundy carried th e bal l effectively, gaining many valuable yards and finished as top try scorer, with five. Both Charlie Killingbeck and Felix Higgins rotated well to do some useful foraging work on the ground and carry the ball fo rward whenever possible. When ball was won by the fo rwards, the quality of Mark Healy's pass gave Rob Stephen time to weigh up his options. Rob is a real talent at flyhalf, whose awareness of the game, eye for a gap and excellent tactical boot made life massively easier for his team mates. In the centre, Edwin Simmons ran some straight lines and put in occasional big hits, whilst outside him Charlie Macleod captained the side with passion and enthusiasm, keeping heads up throughout a season in which results tended to go against us. His tackling was of a high standard and he has a side-step that is the envy of many of the older boys in the school. On the wings, Tom Gold showed an

impressive turn of pace and ran in some fin e tries, whilst the most improved player was Alec Kent, who increasingly used his power to accompany his pace and tackling. At ful l back, Jamie Harris grew in confidence and began to handle the ba ll well, as well as making a number of try-saving tackles and some effective incursions into opposition territ ory. It is very much to the team's credit that they continued to train well and approach each match with the same opti mism and determination with which they had started the season. Many sides would have lost their edge after a number of defeats but the fact that this side finished the season playing their best rugby is a great cred it to them. With so many relatively narrow losses (I have never had a side in 12 years of coach ing that has not lost at least one game by more than thirty points - even teams that have won ten of twelve matches) the boys will be able to target a number of fixtures next year and I am confident that they will turn their win- loss record into a positive one. RPC

Team from Cha rl ie Macl eod (Captain), Ivan Abadj iev, Teddy Fox, Tom Gold, Edouard Guitton, Jamie Harris, Mark Healy, Felix Higgins, Alex Kent, Charlie Kil lingbeck, Loren Kock, Harry Ludbrook, Eddie Lundy, Tham Ratchakitprakarn, Edwin Simmons, Robert Stephen. Also played: Harry Bugge, Tim Cheung, Terrence Chim, Josh Freemont, Fred Wilson-Haffenden, Ben Langridge, Charles OvendenFilsell.

v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 0- 19

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 7-19

v St John's, Leatherhead (A) Lost 8-38 v Haileybury

(H) Won 29- 12

v St Lawrence, Ramsgate (A) Won 22-5

v Sevenoaks

(H) Lost 3-19

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 7-37

v Eltham College

(A) Lost 12-17

v Duke of York's

(A) Lost 0- 10

v Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 5-6

v Colfe's

(H) Won26-7

Under 14B XV Over the course of the season the U14 Bs became a dynamic, capable and proficien t team. The players' hard work, great enthusiasm and energetic support play, that developed very well as the term progressed, led them to become a team able to pressure and out-play opponents. The season began with losses against Eastbourne, Wimbledon and St John's, but after the heavy loss in a very wet Leatherhead, inj ured players ret urned and new players joined the team, for t he season's turning point the fol lowing week. With a settled pack, and additions to the back line, the boys built on t he hard work they had done in train ing, showed their resilience, fortitude and skill and battled Hai leybury in the most exciting game of the seaso n.

Top-U14AXV

Terence and Harry's pounding tackles, together with Murat's ball-carrying skills and support from the rest of the pack, won and secured possession upfront, and good handling, direct running and strength in the three quarters led to superb t ries. Tim's individual run ning made excellent ground t ime and again, and Rupert's dogged determ ination to tackle every one of t he opposition, and win every ball nea r him, made him a deserved man of t he match in a great tea m game with many fine individual performances. This was the match that made this group of players a team, and narrow losses against very strong sides from Sevenoaks and Tonbridge did nothing to break the boys' un ity and application in practices and matches. As the season progressed, the fo rwards gelled t remendously well, winni ng opposition ball in serum after serum. Dany jinked and darted his way through several tea ms, often setting up rucks in very good positions that James, Ben, Johnny, Kasi and Arthur pushed over, winning quick ball for the backs. Henry Hamilton's ever reliable tackling and decision made him a very dependable and valuable pivot for the backs, who used well supplied ball from Rupert and the forwards to score some great tries. Charlie, at outside-centre, took his lead from Tim's running just inside him, ran straight and broke tackles, making great grou nd to score often. Having three centres in t he team was a wonderful blessing, and Fred often made va luable contributions, running, passing and tackling very well. On the wings, Julius added vastly improved handling to his lightning speed, and he and Josh both ran fantastic lines, out-pacing opponents to score. They protected the flanks very ably too, with them both making great covering tackles, to make up a strong last line of defence with Henry Phillips. All the players' commitment and effort meant that they ended the season with wins that displayed confidence, ability and huge improvement. Their hard work,

100

support for each other and admirable willingness to take games to opponents, meant that the boys deservedly ended their season on a wonderful high. Their growth as players and individuals was impressive, and they have earned the right to have every confidence for next season being even better. ER Team f rom: Joshua Freemont, Terence Chi m, Arthur Law, Murat Gumas, Dany Winters, Kasi Supachok, Johnny Stewart, James Hynard, Harry Bugge, Ben Langridge, Rupert Hill, Henry Hamilton, Julius Carboni, Timothy Cheung, Charles Ovenden-Filsell, Fred Wilson-Haffenden, Henry Phillips. Results Played

Won

Lost

Points for

121

Points Against

176

v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 5-10

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 12-22

v St John's, Leatherhead (A) Lost 0-47 v Haileybury

(H) Lost 19-22

v Sevenoaks

(H) Lost 10- 12

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 12-19

v Eltham College

(A) Won 19-10

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 22-7

v Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 10-20

v Colfe's

(H) Won 12-7

U1 4 C XV The most enjoyable part about coaching this team was the sense of cohesion and good team spirit that was present at all times, both in the tra ining sessions and the Sat urday fixtu res. There is no doubt that the presence of ou r Captain, Robert Cameron, and our other pack leader, Theo Bamber, contributed enormously to the enth usiasm and eagern ess which led to so many good games

and outstanding victories this season. They clearly showed excellent leadership from the beginning and all members of the team respected them and followed their guidance. Jolyon Martin was superb as a hooker, both in th e serum and the line-out, and his cheerfulness was certainly an asset for everyone else in the team. Alex Todd, Edward Med lyn and Dominic Batten formed an excellent back row and their tackling usually put the other team in a dif ficult position. The role of Edmund NewellHanson, our fly-half, was crucial for the continui ty of the game and he always managed to keep the backs in the right positions. The centres, usually Freddie Hare and Edward machlach lan, also played excellent rugby and were involved in some of the most exciting moments of the season. Although it is not possible to ment ion everyone who played for the U14 C team, it is evident that, overa ll, the level of rugby played and their potenti al was rea lly ou tstanding and we would not be surprised to see many of the boys playing for the A team in the future. CR Team from: Sam Attwood, Theo Bamber, Dominic Batten, Robert Cameron (Captain), Sebastian Cohen, Freddie Hare, Edmund NewellHanson, Nick Hilton, Fred Keel ing, Jolyon Martin, Edward maclachlan, Edward Medlyn, Sebastian Payne, Abishek Singh, Alex Todd, Alex Stephens, Ben Yates. Also played : Aa kash Dega, Arthur Lam, Andrew Perciva l, Jocelyn Pritchard, Kasi Supachok, Ed Wu

U14 D XV The winter of 2005 will not go down as one of the best seasons of rugby enjoyed by the U14 Ds, but I am happy to report that it was one from which a large number of boys gained a significant amount of experience and good cheer. It is often very difficult to motivate boys of th is age who have little knowledge of the game and little interest in mastering it. But the effort and enthusiasm with which they all committed themselves to playing rugby right through the term both startled and

delighted me. It quickly became apparent who was best suited for the serum and for the three-quarters. The towering bulk of some of the boys lent an insta nt fear factor to the squad, and what they lacked in precision they made up for in perseverance. Ollie Judge did a wonderful job captaining the serum. By the end of t he season he had Nick Swaffer, Guy Berry and Charles Reynolds working like a proper front row, with Jocelyn Pritchard, Dan Pasztor and himself powering behind. Charlie Dalton and Joe Bourne made excellent flankers, and they are to be commended for their overall commitment to the game and sporting flair. The all-important position of serum-half was shared between Nick Berman and Jarly Mulvaney, two talented players of immense energy and style. So often in practice or in a match they would create opportunities, thinking about the pass or boldly running through the pack t hemselves. When the ball was released down the line, it found a fly-half waiting, Nathan HudsonPeacock, who for most of t he season captained the team. He played a skilful game, injecting pace into the back row, and his ball-kickin g skills served us well. Other stars of the three-quarters included Henry Nichol and Fred Keeling, whose determined enthusiasm gave them remarkable speed ; Sam Attwood and Seb Cohen, who graced us with their presence for a few games, stepping down from the Cs; Chaz Faruk and Ed Wu, a talented wing and full back respectively, whose determination to win the ball at times bordered on the kamikaze; and Andrew Percival and Nick Lawson. These last two were, in my opinion, t he players of the season. 'Percy' stood out from the crowd because of his speed and the ease with which he would penetrate the opposition. Nick Lawson deserves particular mention because he made the most significant improvement, mastering the team and individual game, being bold but not belligerent, smart but not selfish. He, like many of these boys I had t he pleasure to coach this season, has the potential to go far with this sport. If they start next season how we finished off this one, th ey will find their skill and

enjoyment of rugby reachi ng new and exciting levels. WAGF Team from : Sam Atwood, Nick Berman, Joe Bourne, Jeffrey Chan, John Clinch, Seb Cohen, Charlie Da lton, Shahriyar Faru k, Sean Harbison, Nathan Hudson-Peacock, Oll ie Judge, Fred Keeling, Nick Lawson, Jarly Muvaney, Henry Nichol, Daniel Pasztor, Joce Pritchard, Andrew Percival, Charles Reynolds, Josh Ross, Nick Swaffer, Edward Wu Results

.--

Played

Won Lost

v Eastbourne

(H) Lost 5- 17

v KCS Wimbledon

(H) Lost 0-63

v St John's, Leatherhead (cancelled) v Sevenoaks (cancelled) v Tonbridge FYN

(H) Lost 12-26

v Tonbridge G YN

(H) Won 10-0

Girls' Hockey 1st XI The 1st XI has had an excellent season when measured against our stated objectives of achieving consistently high levels of skill, discipline and fitness, by converting training ground activities into results on match day, and developing a contagious and positive work ethic within the team. The 1st XI won the Kent U18 Tournament, were runners-up in the East Tournament and won the John Taylor Tournament. This season was one of many highlights. One of the major highs was our exceptional performance in the final of the Kent Tou rnament to beat a competitive Kent College team. At the other end of the spectrum, the low poi nt of our

season was undoubtedly the gut wrenching loss against Felsted in the final of the East Reg ional Tournament. Results and performances in both Saturday and mid-week fixtures were consistently good. We lost on ly one game, to Felsted, in yet another very closely contested match. We won all the other matches convincingly. Even when we bat tled to score goals, our skill, discipline and f itness allowed us to wear the opposition dow n. We were then able to seize on mistakes made and convert this into victory. The 4- 1 win against a strong Cranbrook side is a good example of this passion and determination. After having lost the East regi onal final in the preceding week, the girls showed unbelievable resolve in the match. Lucy Leigh- Pemberton has been an inspirational captain, leading from the front. Lucy has ca ptained the team with passion and should be credited for enhancing and focussing the team spirit. Special mentio n must go to Ka triona Pengelley and Caroline Lawrence for thei r exemplary performa nces this season. Not only did they display a consistently high level of skill th roughout the campaig n, but t hey also displayed an exceptional level of commitment to the team. Caroline Lawrence was voted player of t he season and Sa rah Healy won the award fo r most improved player. The First XI of 2005 has displayed all of the attribut es th at are expected of the senior side within the Girls' Hockey Clu b. For those younger members of the Club who wish to make hockey an integral part of t heir education at King 's- look no fu rthe r than your First XI of 2005 - much can be gleaned from their approach to hockey and how it has enhanced their time at King's. SMW Team from: Rosanna Cocksworth, Tania Hayes, Sarah Healy, Tif fa ny Landale, Katheri ne Lark, Caroline Lawrence (Vice Captain), Lucy LeighPemberton (Captain), Rebekah Marsh, Georgie Mayhew, Fenella Pengelley, Katriona Pengelley (Vice Captain),

10 1

Emily Schwarz, Emily Stewart, Anna Storer, Sarah Ventress, Jenna Wiles, Emma Wilson Also played: Charlotte Bowman, Annabel Kingsman and Zoe Shaw Results Played

Won

Lost

v Canterbury LHC

Lost 0-4

v St Bede's

Won 7-0

v Haileybury

Won 4-0

v Felsted

Lost 1-3

v Sutton Valence

Won 1-0

v City of London Freemen's Won 4-1 v Cranbrook

Won 4-1

v Kent College

Won 1-0

v Epsom

Won 4-0

Kent Schools' Under 18 Tournment: Winners John Taylor Tournament: Winners East Tournament: Runners up Kent Under 18 Schools and Clubs Indoor Tournament: Winners East Under 18 Schools and Clubs Indoor Tournament: Winners

2 nd XI As the match results show, this was a very successful team. However, the results do not actually tell the whole story. If you were to have watched any one of our matches you would have been forgiven for thinking that we were the stronger and better team by a vast margin. For the majority of every game we wou ld dominate t he play, maintaining possession and pushing up towards the opposition's goal, desperately trying to get the ball between the posts. Victoria Bartley (scored 2 goals), seemingly possessed by the spirit of all aggressive hockey players that had ever lived, would run like a rabbit in all directions, desperate to get the ball and push it forwards. Woe betide anyone who ever got in her way! I think thi s sums up the Top - 1st XI

102

team spirit fairly well. Never woul d our heads go down, or despair get on top of us. Instead, the team would battle on, dominating the midfield with Nicola Redstone's tenacity and Emma Healy's (scored 1 goal) superb silky skills. Jessica Lunn (scored 2 goals) caused a lot of problems to every team as she proved to be the fastest right wing (who could run with the ball in control at the end of her stick) this team has ever seen. Unfortunately, her knee injury seemed to trouble her during much of t he second half of term and so to have her on the field was a rare delight (and a huge difficulty for the opposition). Pip

Bonsall (scored 5 goals) was also one of the more skilful forwards I have seen at this level, and this paid off as she honed her role as a support striker, running with the ball into the opposition's "25" and working with Katie Bamber (scored 2 goals) to win many short corners. Many hours of practice had been put into these set pieces over the term, as Pip pushed the ball out, Charlotte Hilton (scored 4 goals) stopped it, and Tope lmasekha (scored 11 goals in 8 matches) struck the ball in. It paid off. We were awesome on short corners! Tope was a fearsome sight for any opposition. Her strength in hitting the ball was immense, her speed around the pitch was lightning,

and her stick skills were admirable. Without Tope's presence, as well as determination during practices, this team would have lost a vital player. Katie and Charlotte were both fantastic up in the attacking line for

us, ru nn ing their socks off and causing serious problems for the opposition's defenders. Prudence Wong (scored 1 goal) was also a real asset to our forward line as she never once stopped running, and proved to be a rea l inspiration for running into

the gap and working with her team mates. So often, in the second half of term, th e cold seemed to get the better of our opposition, but not us. We played a match every single Saturday of the term (except one), and even one Sunday as well, and this proved to give us that extra determ ination and get- up-and-go. Emma Shilston seemed to give rather more than what was expected of her, on most occasions, as she wou ld put her body between ball and goa l to protect the team from any goals scored aga inst us. Much praise and admiration must go to her, as there is no way that those incidents can't have caused much pain. Emily Reilly proved to be a very skilful defender indeed, perfecting her trade-mark move of going forwards, and then pulling the ball back to crea te space before she off-loaded the ball to somebody else. I challenge anyone to remember a moment in open play when she didn't maintain possession of the ba ll, proving to be a strong member of our defensive line- up that also included th e fol lowing: Louisa Barden, a mag nificent example of a player prepared to try her best and be cheerfu l on every single occasion, dependable and tal ented; Lexi

Top - Kotriono Pengel/ey Bottom - Lucy Leigh - Pemberton

103

Hamblin, an incredibly skilful player who managed to juggle both netball and hockey commitments whilst excelling in both; Jo Moncreiffe, the omnipresent defender who would always add an air of calm and solidarity to the team, trying her hardest and making every single tackle count; Claire Pargeter, our goal-keeper, who in every session would allow me to smack balls at her, as hard as I liked, and would still say "bring it on". What would we have done without our goal-keeper? And so that leaves me to mention the captain, Lucinda Egleton, without whom this team may not have stuck together. She has proven to be an excellent leader and a real motivator of people, leading by example as she probably ran more during a match than anyone else on the team. Her free-hits were cracked with awesome power, and her tackling certainly left no prisoners. She was the essence of the team; determ ined, feisty, and successful. Well done. RPS Team from: Katie Bamber, Louisa Barden, Victoria Bartley, Pip Bonsall, Lucinda Egleton (Captain), Alexa ndra Hamblin, Emma Healy, Charlotte Top - 3rd XI

104

Hilton, Tope lmasekha, Jessica Lunn, Claire Pargeter (GK), Jo Moncreiffe, Nicola Redstone, Emily Reilly, Katie Schurr, Emma Shilston, Prudence Wong. -

Played

Won

Drew

Lost

Goals For

...Goals Against

3rd XI The girls' 3rd XI hockey team had another fantastic season. With eight wins out of eleven matches and 38 goals scored for, to just 7 conceded, this year's 3rds maintained the tradition that seems to have become established over the past few years to destroy almost all teams that crossed their path. The defence of Aislin, Fleu r, Anna and Eleonore was solid throughout the season and were able to play with confidence knowing that the last line

of defence, Alice in goal, was proving to be a formidable athlete. On the rare occasions that attackers got through to shoot, Alice showed herself to be agile, fearless and determined and not in the least afra id of physical confrontation. Eleonore was equally impressive with an ability to materialise out of nowhere to put in a telling tackleher speed around the pitch was simply breathtaking at times. Fleur and Aislin played controll ed hockey, preferring a simple interception and pass to a spectacular run, but both were very effective. Skipper Anna led the team by example. She combined good stick-work with a super ability to read the game and repeatedly transformed a defensive interception into a telling counter-attack to make the most of the speed of her teammates around her. Malena showed much promise in the first half of the season, but then injury prevented her playing after half-term and she was sorely missed . The midfield also had an inspired season with Amanda, Prudence and Katie showing deft skill and lots of style. Katie showed great pace and often joined attacks to riddle

opposition defences with holes. At centre half, Prudence held and distributed the ball with skill and style, while Amanda was also prepared to work to cover a huge amount of ground each match. Forwards Tish, Polly, Emily and Georgina showed tremendous skill in the D and could always be relied upon to get goals. Tish could strike a ball from the edge of the D to score a spectacular goal, but a more characteristic hallmark of the side would be a goal scored through fluid passing and the final touch being a simple tap in from outside either post. Why score spectacular goals when the simple ones were proving to be easy to come by? High points of the season must include Polly's six goal feast against St Lawrence. Amanda's face, when a brilliant goal against Sir Roger Manwood's was disallowed for no apparent reason, was certainly a treat to behold. This horrified look spread throughout the team as the match progressed and it became clear that it would cost us the game. However, this was also the turning point of the season and thereafter no game was left in the balance. Authority was sim ply stamped onto each match. The team ended on a real high with a combined 3rd I 4ths team going to Epsom and demolishing the opposition in front of a large crowd of Eton rugby players. Team play was at an all time high with shouts of ole coming from the crowd for every piece of individual ski ll. The home side looked rather uncomfortable and were grateful for the sound of the final wh istle. Finally, huge thanks must go to the man himself, Mr Warnick, whose encouraging words and dubious tactics upheld the team spirit in times of both despair and elation and for this we will be eternally grateful. Anna Basden-Smith (BR) , Polly Mil ls (BR) and RNW Team: Aislin Bamber, Malena Berner, Anna Basden-Smith (Captain), Emily Beck, Fleur Colvile, Eleonore DixonRoche, Alice Gerth, Letitia LeighPemberton, Georgina Merriam, Polly

Mills (Vice Captain), Amanda Redstone, Katherine Schurr, Prudence Wong Also played: Cara Chapman, Marina Cooke, Constance Cunningham , Georgia Davidson, Melissa Dear, Kat harine Edgerley, lona EmlynWill iams, Elizabeth Goring, Morwenna Loughman, Christine Pond. Results Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

For

Against

v St Edmund's School (H) Won 1-0 v St Lawrence College 2nd XI (H) Won 7-0 v Haileybury

(H) Lost 1-2

v Sevenoaks U16A

(H) Draw 1-1

v Eastbourne College (A) Won 3-0 v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 3-0

v Sir Roger Manwood's School 2nd XI (H) Draw 1-1 v City of London Freemen's School (A) Won 2- 1 v Duke of York's 2nd XI (H) Won 3-0 v Dover College 1st XI (H) Won 3-2 v Epsom College

(A) Won 13-0

4thXI The combined squad strength of the 3rd and 4th teams meant that several players appeared for both sides during the season. Some matches were cancelled by the opposition, such is our awesome reputation, so we had fewer fixtures. When we lost 2- 3 to Sevenoaks at home, their umpire blew for time five minutes early because they were winning after we had scored two

qu ick goals and had dominated play for the last quarter! The same umpire played an extra five minutes the next week in the return match , because they were losing and she played on until they scored a pathetically late equaliser! Robbed. Our 3-0 defeat by Cranbrook also does not count because we only had 9 players, but still outplayed the opposition. Being without a goalkeeper explains the anoma lous result. Any lingering frustrations were removed by our ultimate double destructions of inexperienced Dover and Epsom teams. We only blew for time when we had completed double-figured demolitions. Compassio n is a virtu e.... With a large squad, a rotationa l selection pol icy enabled the enthusiasm, fitness and technica l skill of the 5th forme rs to complement the maturity and experience of the 6t h form dinosaurs. Goalkeeping shyness was overcome by guest appearances and squad 'volunteers' who took turns in bravely stemming t he tide. Our best performances were when we played without a goa lkeeper and employed a kicking back. Under t he dynam ic leadership of feisty captai n Christine Pond, we notched some notable scalps against other stronger sides. Some of our opponents displayed crudely physical and ugly tactics in sharp cont rast to our elegant and beautiful game. The team genera lly struggled wit h the concept of defence when under attack but our strong midfield and nippy forwards experienced no difficulty in finding the back of the net after direct attacking moves. Leading goalscorer Cara Chapman was we ll supported by strikers Coco, Georgie M., and Steph. Than ks to all the committed members of my ill ustrious 'Kit- Kat' squad for their enthusiastic loya lty to the cause and our intensive rigorous training regime. Another hugely enjoyable season says Dr B. JI B Team from : Christine Pond (Captain) Charlie Aylward , Aislin Bamber, Sophie Baldock, Cara Chapman, Marina Cooke, Coco Cunningham, Emma Cun ning ham, Georgie

105

Davidson, Melissa Dear, Katherine Edgerley, lona Emlyn-Williams, Lizzy Goring, Becky Kelly, Emma Kemp, Morwenna Loughman, Georgina Merriam, Helen Porter, Stephanie Thomas Results Played

Won

Lost

Drawn Goals for

against

v Duke of York's 2nd X1 A Won 5- 1 v Dover College 1st X1 H Won 1-0 v Sevenoaks U16 B

H Lost 2-3

v Sevenoaks U16 B

A Drew 4-4

v Kent College Pembury 2nd H Lost 1- 5 v Cranbrook School 3rd H Lost 0-3 v Dover College U16B

H Won 12-0

U16 XI This has been the first year that King's has run an U16 side - and what a year! The decision to pool the talent at this age group rather than to disperse it amongst the more senior age ranges proved to be the right choice, it was a superb season: 40 goals scored and only conceding 5 throughout the main fixtures of the term. The main aim was to prepare for the Regional competition and to hopefully gain entry to the Nationals. We certainly started strongly with the first 6 matches being won comfortably. The Captain, Jenna Wiles, showed prodigious skill and talent and was a great inspiration for the team. Charlie Bowman had moments of sheer brilliance in the D and when combined with the formidable fin ishing skills of Lucy Withrington and Annabel Gray, the goal tally quickly mounted. Laura Knight demonstrated such fierce determination in front of goal that the opposit ion would simply melt away under her onslaught, her fl ickfi nish developing into a lethal weapon by the end of the season.

3/4th v Epsom College A Won 13- 0 The midfield saw some changes as the team became a more cohesive

Top - Under 16 XI

106

unit, Irene Ramsay adding tremendous ball-skill with superior stamina on the left hand side of the pitch. Hannah Pack (most improved player of the season) supported in defence and was utterly committed in every game. Her ability to read the game and make the vital tackles was instrumental to the team's success. Sophia Nichol, the most upbeat, constantly cheerfu l, highly motivational and consistently loud member of the side, provided a steadying and mature influence to the right back position, repeatedl y turning over the opposition attack and creating valuable opportunities for our own players. Zoe Shaw, in goal, at times looked more like the many armed deity than a schoolgirl goalkeeper. Her lightning reflexes constantly denied even the most talented forwards. She provided confidence to our defence and has a very bright fu ture 'in the cage' ahead of her. Polly West, Abi lmaskeha, Emma Welby, Nicola Lark and Lucy Yates added significant depth to the squad. They played in a variety of positions, showing flexibility, adaptability and good tactical awareness. This ability to 'switch on' so quickly in a game

enabled substituti ons to be made frequently withou t ever undermining the cohesion of t he team or the pattern of play. Such a talented group of girls were so nearly awarded the silverware they deserved. In th e Plumtre Tournament at Sevenoaks, playing against 1st XI sides, we lost in the finals in a sudden-death penalty shoot-out, cruelly denied at the end of a superb day's hockey. Then a second disappointment- after playing near faultless hockey up until the fi nal of the U1 6 regional competition, and despite dom inating the game in the fina l itself, a momentary lapse in concentration allowed TWIGS to score against the run of play and our hopes of a place in the Nationals were dashed. With so much effort having been poured into our preparation for the Regionals, it was inevitable that we would dip once the excitement was over. That said, it was only poor team selection on my part, that we lost the only fixtu re of the term, against a 1st XI touring side from Taunton- we had played fa r stronger and won.

back and we closed the season with some great games. I have never enjoyed taking a side more (in 15 years of coaching) and the girls were truly a credit to themselves, the school and the game of Hockey. AJH Results Played

Won

Lost

Drew

For

Against

v St Edmund's 1st XI (H) Won 2-0 v St Lawrence U16

(H) Won 5-0

v Haileybury 2nd XI (A) Won 3-0 v Felsted

(H) Won 6-0

v St Bede's

(A) Won 10-0

v Brentwood U16

(A) Drew 2-2

v Seven oaks U16

(A) Won 6-0

v Eastbourne

(A) Won 1-0

v King's Taunton

(H) Lost 0- 2

v Brentwood 1st XI (H) Won 2-0 The effervescent and irrepressible character of the team soon came

v Epsom

(A) Won 3-1

U1 5 A XI As this was the first team that I had coached at King's, I was very impressed with the effort that all the team members produced during both training and matches. As the season progressed, all members of the squad developed t heir hockey skills and fitness levels. However, the season did not start as well as we wou ld have liked (a 4-0 loss), fortunately we managed to put the defeat behind us. From this point on the team improved, which was translated into the results that they prod uced. The whole squad has done particularly well, coping with all the aspects of coaching sessions and matches, however, there are t wo people that have particular stood out in my mind. Florence Nairac as captain has led with an unbelievable amount of passion and enthusiasm for hockey. This enthusiasm has carried over into other team members, and during two key matches played a crucial role. Emily Groves showed brill iant skill throughout the term and always produced excellent performances during matches. Adding to this, her willingness to learn and outstanding

Top- U1 5 A XI

107

effort during coaching sessions has been second to none. Emily has been the player of th e season. However, I feel it is unfair to just mention these two players. Consequently I woul d like to thank all the team for the hard work and brilliant enthusiasm showN during the whole season. Lee Aldridge Team: Eliza Baker, Natalya Chapman, Charlotte Colvin, Victoria Elliott, Emily Groves, Maryam Lawai, Georgina Mair, Brighde Nainby-Luxmoore, Florence Nairac, Catherine Phillips, Emily Sa nne, Nicole Sultana, Alexandra Thomas. Results ~

Played

Won

Drew

Lost

v Sevenoaks

Lost 0-4

v St Bede's

Drew 0-0

v Haileybury

Won 1-0

v Sutton Valence

Won 3-0

v London City of Freemen's Lost 1-2 v Duke of York's

Won 4-0

v Cranbrook

Won 2- 1

v Brentwood

Lost 0-6

U15 B XI We began the U15 season with rather fewer hockey players than previously and with only two teams almost everybody got a promotion from the Shells. The selection of the best few Removes to play in the U16 team probably also contributed to ou r somewhat uncertain early matches. For openers, those of us left in the B squad fronted up to the St Ed mund's U15 A team on the very im pressive new pitch at UKC. The 10-0 loss was

108

rather awe-inspiring. Although many individuals played well, Mia Price's first ever hockey match was a very creditable baptism of fire! St Edmund's ability to form a "ring" and block off our free hits, in particu lar those from th e 16-yard line, was a dominant factor and a pattern we have worked hard to break up since then. Heck, now we even do square passes and pivot and disrupt the ring and thing s! With a team of just nine, and not best pleased, we headed off to St Lawrence. With the help of extra forwards from our ever friendly U14 B team we finally scored a goal well done Natalya! A 3-1 loss was the fina l result. After a drive into Dover we eventually found our Dover College opposition up at the Duke of York's hockey pitch. Despite numerous shots at goal we wound up losing 1-0. Back to the drawing board and some serious goal-scoring practice. It must have pa id off because when we fina lly encountered a weak team at King's Rochester the goal-scoring reached a satisfying level of machine-like precision; glory be, a 5-0 victory ! Passed very well, ringed repeatedly and enjoyed winning.

Our game of the season, with Doctor Taylor off with an away team, was against Cranbrook. Awesome play in ga les and rain and sleet and, well generally awful weather, saw an 8-0 victory. And the umpires called fu ll time early. From Doctor Bentley, "tota l control, the beautifu l game." An encounter with the Kent College U15 A team proved another sacrificial event to mark the start of Adven t. Despite playing perhaps our best hockey in the field this term it was still an 11-0 loss. A 1-0 victory against Epsom was a great way to fin ish, and on a home pitch too! A close game with numerous chances at both ends (perhaps rather more from Epsom than from us!) that we were delighted to win - what a happy Charlie Hambl in ! The special team building training session on the Friday at Chantry House obviously helped. Congratulations on an awesome season. Given the number of A teams we played the 5 wins and 8 losses of the term were rather impressive. ADT

U14 A XI A 3-1 win against Hailebury was the result of good play, consistent passing and again putting some balls in the net. The game against Kent College, Pembury's A team was another slaughter. We did play better in the second half and even scored a goal; but oh dear a 15- 1 defeat. The 3- 1 loss against City of London Freemans could easily have been another sacrificial event. Desperate defence throughout the first half (30). A transformed team in the second half saw us reverse the tide and even score a goal (we won the second half)! A more pleasantly even fixture produced a win 2-1 against Sevenoaks. Excellent play against Sir Roger Manwood's sa w us all over them fo r most of time. Pity about the one breakaway move that saw us conceding a goal. What happened to our target practice in the ci rcle? A 10 loss.

This has been a most successful and enjoyable season. It is always a good sign when a coach looks forwa rd to t aking practice sessions and matches and this has certa inly been the case over the term. The girls have worked hard ; at the start I kne w we had a ta lented bunch, but this talent and skill needed to be nurtured and honed to produce a group that played effectively as a team. We were very privileged to have coaching support from Jen Wilson for the duration of the season. She pushed the players to achieve their best. Much of the credit for the improvement seen in set pieces, such as short corners and strategies used in open play should go to her. It has been both a privilege and learning experience working alongside her. Space does not permit a report on each match, but some deserve a special mention.

Our game against the Kent U15 side was never going to be an easy one. Despite it being ou r second loss, this may have been the best game of the season. We played a team older, bigger and stronger, but did not let that intimidate us - we went out strong, defended hard and passed well. It was a real ly encouraging performance. Our next outing was in the Kent Tournament. This was a memorable day - we didn't concede a goal in open play in the tournament. We were placed in a group with the overall winners (Sevenoaks), who we knew wou ld be the greatest threat for the title. Our fi rst match was against Cranbrook, which we won 1-0. A good st art, but anything can happen in 15 minutes. Our second match was a relatively straightforward win against Dartford (4 - 0). We then faced Sevenoaks. With some canny marking and crucial defending, we kept them to 0-0; we cou ldn't have asked for more. Next came Tonbridge and Weald, both of which we beat (2-0, 4-0 respectively). This meant we finished joint top of our group with Sevenoaks. As we had the sa me goal difference, we faced a barrage of penalty fl icks to decide the winners. Sevenoaks were more experi enced,

and beat us to win the group. In the quarter finals we faced Bromley, who we comfortably beat 3- 0. We then drew with Ashford in the semi-finals, and had to resort to f licks again to decide the game. We were much stronger now, and went through after only 3 flicks. We then faced Sevenoaks for the second time that day, and the t hird time in 4 weeks. Aft er 20 minut es there was no score, and still no score after 10 minutes of extra time. We went to penalty strokes, and again they proved stronger, winning the competition. However, we had played some fantastic hockey. We marked their players decisively, and without doubt, credit should go to our defence for this match . Overall, we were pipped to the post, but it had been a great day. Over the season, Gelana Crouch played magnificently in goal. She was dependable, skilful and a great asset to the team. To have conceded only 11 goals in open play over the season (we scored 35) is a great achievement. Her best save was probably against Sevenoaks. A little tap of the foot kept us in the final after a punishing strike by their centre mid. In defence, Milly Jessel

played cen tre back. While possibly a little laid back, she is the person I would always want as sweeper or central defence in my team - calm under pressure, skilfu l and usually smi ling. Gabi Bradburn played at right back; there is no doubt in my mind that she has made a very important contribu tion to t he t eam over the season. In matches she defended unceasingly well and in practices she worked hard from start to fi nish. She is the sort of player coaches wan t in their team. Sarah Barnett played at left back. She too worked hard all season; I li ked her attitude. She made some bri lliant t ackles and listened hard. At sweeper, Al ice Davis was no doubt one of the keenest members of the team. I was always impressed by her work rate. Keen to please and always enthusiastic. That sort of person always helps the team to work hard, and she led by example as captai n. She also has a very good eye for the ball, and isn't worried about throwing herself into things. The st andard of her hockey was high almost without exception. She scored some important goals through short corners and she could hit the ball surpri singly hard. In midfield, Eve De Haan played on th e right; I li ked th e

Top - U14A X I

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way she just got on with things when she was asked to do something. She worked hard and was quick. She stopped and controlled the ball well, and had a good eye for a through ball. On the left, Matilda EmlynWilliams was definitely one of those natural players (in terms of skill) who could somehow get past whatever was put in front of her. She cou ld learn to try to stay in position, but she made the games and practices fun. Her work rate was huge. She had a tendency to get whacked with a stick each match, but she just smiled and carried on running, making her a pivotal player in the team. She was the player I chose to mark the best of the opposition. She should take that as a compliment. Lucy Kingsman was a flexible player who could cope with the pressure of centre mid. She also had wonderful control over the ball, and made some excellent passes. She was a player who quietly developed over the season. Midfield players always have to work hard, and she did. Well done. In attack, Philippa Durell was a flamboyant and exuberant player. Pip played some brilliant hockey at times this season. She scored some excellent goals and always had plenty to say. She brought loads to the team. Thank you! I was impressed with Sheena Bhadresha from the start. It is more difficult playing on the left, but she had a good eye for a ball when shooting across goal , and played consistently well all term. Although quiet, she worked hard. Jessica Stanion played on the right. Like oth ers, she was keen and eager to please. I liked her attitude. Moreover, her ski ll level improved week by week. She made some great runs on the right wing, and set up lots of goals. She was quick and worked hard. She seemed to enjoy it too which was crucial. Maddie Cryer was a versatile player whose game improved and confidence grew over the season. She had the knack of picking up things on her stick that others would miss, and was becoming much stronger on the ball. She finished the season on a real high. Finally, Maryam Adeosun improved leaps and bounds over the term, earning her a place in the As from the Kent Tournament onwards.

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Quicker than everyone else, and with a developing level of ski ll and ball control she worked effectively on the right and left. Thanks to the parents for their regu lar and generous support. I hope you enjoyed seeing the team progress over the season. It will be exciting to watch this group move up through the school. MJWS Team from: Maryam Adeosun, Sarah Barnett, Sheena Bhadresha, Gabrielle Bradburn, Gelana Crouch (goal), Madeleine Cryer, Alice Davis (captain), Eve De Haan, Philippa Durell, Mati lda Emlyn-Wi lliams, Camilla Jesse!, Lucy Kingsman, Jessica Stanion. Also played: Anna Ventress Results .--Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Against

v Kent College

(A) Drew 1 - 1

v St Bede's

(H) Won 9-0

v Haileybury

(H) Won 3 - 0

v Felsted

(A) Won 2 - 1

v Sevenoaks

(A) Lost 0 - 4

v Kent U15 A

(A) Lost 1 - 3

It is sad that the season for hockey is already over. I can certainly say that I will miss the U14B girls after seeing them four times a week; I hope they will miss me as well. Over the season I saw many players improving thei r skills; after a while they started to pass the ball impressively to each other and used the wings to bring the ba ll in front of the goal. The defence especial ly improved over the term. We sadly lost two matches, but the rest of them we won or drew due to great team work. The girls sometimes lacked enthusiasm during our training sessions,but as soon as we had a match, the whole team supported each other and put their greatest effort into achieving their goals. I have to thank all the girls who had a go at being a goa lkeeper, and Daisy Casement for being capta in for the entire season. Girls, I wi ll miss you next term. Promise me that you will keep having fun each train ing season next year. As long as you enjoy playing hockey, all of you can become great hockey players in the future. Stel la Reinke Team from : Daisy Casement (Captain), Eleanor Christie, Emi Eldridge, Claudia Gibson, Francesca Goring, Sarah Hatt, India Lyons, Cecily Tapp, Florence Taylor, Harriet Tyna n, Anna Ventress.

v Kent Tournament (H) Won 6, Drew 1, Lost 1.

U14 B XI

14 - 0

Also played: Maryam Adeosun, Aysha Aziz, Lucy Baker White, Madeleine Cryer, Ph ill ipa Durell, Thea Flindal l, Camilla Pedley, Sarah Stancliffe.

v City of London Freemen's (H) Won 1 - 0

Results

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 3 - 1

Played

v Kent College

(H) Drew 1 - 1

Won

v Epsom

(H) Won 2 - 0

Drew

Lost

For

Against

v St lawrence U14 A

Resul ts

(A) lost 1 - 2

Played

v Haileybury

(A) Won 1 - 0

Won

v Sevenoaks

(A) lost 0 - 2

lost

Drew

v Sutton Valence (H) Won 3 - 0 v City of l ondon Freemen's (A) Won 1 - 0 v Duke of York's U14A (A) Won 3 - 1 v Cranbrook

(H) Won 5-0

v Wellesley House U13A (H) Drew 1 - 1 v Epsom

(A) Drew 1 - 1

/ or

r gainst

v Haileybury

(A) Won 10 - 0

v Sevenoaks

(H) Drew 1 - 1

v Dover College (H) Won 4 - 0

v City of l ondon Freemen's (A) Won 3- 0 v Kent College B (A) lost 0 - 1

U1 4 C XI These young ladies started the season with a bang and just continued to grow in skill and ability. They were committed and very dedicated in their approach. Attending practices and arriving on time for fixtures was a characteristic of this group of girls. Conquering freezing conditions, where at times they could barely feel their hands, and often having to play away matches on grass, never dampened their spirits. I would like to congratulate each player for her positive approach and wil lingness to work in the team. The team was also very lucky to have expert coaching every Friday from Nat Seymour, an England U21 and Canterbury 1st team player. A big thank you to the parents (especially dads with loud voices). for their support throughout the season. We look forward to the same support next year. EB Team from: Francesca Andrews, Emily Arbis, Aysha Aziz, l ucy Baker White, Olivia Clifton, Thea Flindall (Captain), Dena Hamza, Camilla Pedley, Ashling Pickett, Amber Pryde, Sarah Stancliffe, Anna Suzuki, lona Westlake. Also played: Camilla Syson, Annabel Church, Belinda Dear.

v Epsom

went to St Olave's (Orpington), last year's runners-up. King's finished in joint second place with Gravesend Grammar and Rainham Mark, but lost out to both these schools on a points count-back. In the "best pairs" Will Pound and Ali Holmes came very close to bringing the cup back home that King's won last year, but were edged out 21- 19 in the semi-finals by the Rainham Mark pair that wen t on to win the final. Many of this year's team will be with us again next year and I am sure that they will be keen to work hard to improve their standard, and will be looking forward to further successes next year. Ed Stri lesky (Coach)

(A) Drew 1 - 1

Badminton The Badminton teams had a successful year in which regular practice kept King's near the top amongst Kent's schools. Most of this year's matches were won and none more emphatically than a victory against Gravesend Grammar School, for so many years Kent's top school at badminton . Our match against Caterham School was a real cliffhanger, where after twelve rubbers the match score was decided on the very last point - it ended in a 6-6 draw. The girls' team had an exciting 5-4 win against Benenden School, Stepha nie Kwan and Sarah Erridge winning all their games. Miranda Nairn, Meg Shirley, Harriet Smart and Rose Wilson-Haffenden were the other members of the winning team. Th is year's captains were Will Pound and Stephanie Kwan, and along with the above menti oned players, the followin g also represented King's: Ali Holmes, Adam Pickett, Richard Thomas, George Gao, Sean Vayakornvichitr, Dawson Gao, Alex Batten and Tom Bradley. The Kent Schools' Tournament wa s held in January at Sevenoaks School. Nine schools took part in competitions for both best school and best pair. The best school title

Inter-house badminton: This year's inter-house badminton differed slightly from previous years. We opted for a round robin competition instead of the usual knockout rounds. This was due to the increase in popula rity of the sport and a wider range of talent across all the houses. The result was a Harvey and Galpin's victory, with Sarah Erridge, Stephanie Kwan and Jade Montgomery and Amy Tsien securing the win for Harvey by a difference of fo ur points. For the boys, competition was fierce, but Will Pound, Will Steel, Saint and Sean Vayakornvichitr managed to beat the runners-up, Marlowe by one point. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the competition and wish all players the best of luck next year. Stephanie Kwan (HH)

Basketba ll Tradescant started their defence of the cup with a 16- 12 victory in a fiercely contested match against linacre with Sam Midd leton (Tradescant) making his presence felt all over the court. Galpin's easily accounted for Mitchinson's 18-0 and both the Grange and Meister Omers also advanced to the semi-final where they would meet. It was a close opening quarter in the first of the semi-finals between Tradescant and Galpin's with tight

111

defence creating few opportunities for both teams to score. The halftime score reflected this with both teams locked at 4-4. After the break both teams came out firing and Sebastian Botana, Will Lundy and Henry Neuendorf created some good plays, but Galpin's were able to fend them off as they went on to win by two points. In the other semi-final between the Grange and Meister Omers, Valent ine O'Donoghue got the score ticking over for Grange early, but Meister Omers hit back with two baskets of their own. Through Karan Katariya,

Meister Omers looked threatening but Oluwole Adeosun and Peng Fei Gao were up to the challenge as they netted some fine baskets which saw the Grange home by three points and booked them a place in the final. The final saw f avourites the Grange take on Galpin's and it was the former t hat stamped their class early on in the match as they put some good plays t ogether through the silky skills of Tunji Lawson and Jacky Truong. Though Galpin's were not prepared to stand back and watch and with half time nearing they came back strongly to go in to the interval

trailing by just the 1 point at 6-5. It rema ined a tight affair in the second ha lf wi th every ball being contested strongly and with point scoring opportunities rare, it boiled down to the team that could 'sink' its shots that would take the title. The Grange was able to do this and the 2005 title deservedly went to Tunji and his men. My thanks to al l the houses for their support of this competition , which has to be squeezed into a Wednesday evening just after games and lessons. Thanks to Simon Anderson for his refereeing expertise and to our Gapper - Stratos, for his scoring and timekeeping. TH Results The Grange

28 - 2 Carlyon

Meister Omers17- 8 Marl owe Tradesca nt

16- 11 Linacre

Mitchinson's 18 - 0 Galpins Semi finals Grange Tradescant

9 - 6 Meister Omers 11 - 13 Galpin's

Final Grange Top ond Bottom Inter-House Basketball Competition

11 2

12 - 8 Galpin's

Winners: The Grange: Oluwole Adeosun, Tunji Lawson, Stephen Wong, Peng Fei Gao, Alexander Barron, Jacky Truong, Valentine O'Donoghue Runners up: Gal pins: Ryan Phanphensophon, Oliver Tennant, Marcus Gwyer, Laurence Malpass, Charlie Harvey, Edward Groves, Soravit Vayakornvichitr

Boys' Squash Squash at King's has progressed tremendously in the last year, with over a hundred boys and girls playing as their main sport in the Autumn and Lent Term. A ladder has been set up, so every player has the opportunity to challenge players above them and work their way into a team. A squash activity has now been set up on Monday and Thursday afternoons for pupils who do not play squash as their main sport, but would like to benefit from professional coaching and have the chance to represent the school in a match.

1st V The 1st V realised their aim of becoming the unofficial Kent Schools' champions, by beating St Edmund's, Sevenoaks, and Tonbridge. They also reached the fourth round of the National Schools' Competition, enjoying hard-fought victories over Merchant Taylor's School, Mill Hill and Lancing College. The new 1st V squash shirt, designed by Karan Katariya and Will Steel, proved to be very popular and highlighted the unity and professionalism of the team. Although we were out-played by the greater experience, the team had a terrific match against the OKS 'Jester's', followed by a splendid lunch in the restaurant. Alistair Melvin, who has played for the 1st V for three years, was an invaluable member to the team. He has developed into a mature squash player and his subtle skills at the front of the court tantalised many of his opponents.

Karan Katariya's unique style led him

to numerous victories, including a demolition of the Tonbridge No.2. His shots remained extremely accurate, keeping the ball close to the wall, whilst his drop-shots were exemplary. Chris Robinson's sheer energy in every game astounded his opposition, who were exhausted by his ability to retrieve nearly everything! An excellent sportsman both on and off the court and a great doubles partner! Som Saran secured his place as the No.4 player after he showed an increasingly impressive standard of squash in training sessions. He brought terrific depth to the team, reliably winning his matches to ease the pressure for the other players. Three of this year's 1st V have another year to go, which is packed full of fixtures. We are looking forward to raising the profile of the sport by winning these fixtures and hopefully progressing to further stages in the National School's Competition. The School V: Will Steel (Captain), Alistair Melvin, Karan Katariya, Som Saran, Chris Robinson

2nd V Team: Alex Gilmore, Pranav Saran, Matt Fitch, Ed Watts, Ben Davey Also played: Jack Lawrence-Jones (a determined player, who worked hard on every aspect of his game to earn a place in the 2nd V)

3rd V The 3rd V team enjoyed a successful season, beating Stlawrence College, Sevenoaks, and St.Edmund's. Charlie Lyons played superbly against his opponent from Stlawrence, clinching the final game: '10-8' in a five-game thriller. Nick Balmforth, having picked up a racket for the first time this year, showed grit and determination in all of his matches, as did Tom Cook, who steadily improved throughout the season. Stephan Wassermann-Fry was a reliable No.1, who remained calm and concentrated even in the most challenging situations, whilst Harry Dalton worked his way up the ladder to get into the top fifteen players of the school. 3rd V Team: Stephan WassermannFry, Tom Cook, Charlie Lyons, Harry Dalton, Nick Balmforth

2nd V U15 The 2nd V team also achieved success, beating their Kent School rivals. Alex Gilmore, a beginner to squash, led the team throughout the season with a keen desire for more matches and more wins! He quickly learnt the tactics of squash, and demonstrated his natural ability by completing an unbeaten season. Ben Davey's commitment to squash also deserves credit, and as both of them have another year to go, the 2nd Vis set to be extremely strong next year. Pranav Saran played consistently throughout the season, and represented the 1st Von two occasions, whilst Matt Fitch and Ed Watts transformed from beginners into valuable team players. With only Matt Fitch leaving at the end of this year, the 2nd V is set to be extremely strong next year, when they will accompany the 1st V to many of their matches.

There are a number of talented young squash players, who have represented the school in the U15 national schools' competition. They progressed to the knockout stages of this tournament and secured a fine victory over Holmewood House, Kent, in the Lent term. U15 V team: Alex Stephens, Aymen Saleh, Rupert Hill, Henry Nichol, Robert Cameron Special thanks must go to Martyn Ballands, who has coached squash at King's for the last twelve years, and is leaving to continue his coaching at Millfield. Martyn has put considerable effort and time into developing players of every standard, drilling us hard in order to improve our game. His dedication to the sport set the standard for everyone to follow, and his desire to bring out the best in each individual resulted in a

113

high standard of school squash. We wish him well for his future years at Millfield, where he will, no doubt, bri ng the sa me level of expertise to their sq uash club. Tom May will be taking up his position as the school squash coach next year. On behalf of the teams I would like to thank Mr.Outram for putting enormous effort into organising matches and running the club so efficiently. Wil l Steel (GL) Will, being typically modest, has not written anything about his superb contribution to King's squash, which has benefited from the tremendous enthusiasm and skil l of its captain. Through the course of the season, he has played as the number one and two, and has enjoyed considerable success in some challenging encounter; one of his most memorable victories being his '3-0' defeat of the Tonbridge No.1 player. His leadership has galvinised the team spirit and raised the profile of the sport by encouraging more encounters with other schools. I look forward to seeing Will lead the team to greater heights next year, which is likely to be very successful. JWO

Sailing

Mickey le Blanc; and the KSSA top team trophy.

Competing at County, Regional and National level, King's Sail ing Club enjoyed a marvellous term 's sailing and great success this term.

At the British Schools' Dinghy Racing Championship at Bough Beech SC (fireflies, October 1) Team King's had another great day. We experienced wind, sun, rain, squalls and lots of racing against 38 entries from nine schools. Sevenoaks took the top place, but it was not at all plain sail ing for the host team. The King's A team - Philip Spicer and Alice Moxley, Andrew Lewis and Mickey le Blanc - won second school place and the "best outside school" award, ahead of Rad ley, Tonbridge, Magdalen C.S., Abingdon, City of London and Lancing.

At the Kent Schools' Sailing Association Annual Regatta held at Medway Yacht Club (September 17) King's became Kent Schools' sailing champions fo r 2005. In brig ht sunshine and with a good breeze, over fifty boats from all parts of Kent descended upon the Medway estuary for the event. King 's entered three school 420s, whilst Peter Gray sailed his own laser radial and Philip Spicer sailed his laser 2000. The fleet launched in perfect sailing conditions for the morning starts. By the lunch break we knew we were sailing well, but the ability to contend with the strong fal ling tide would clearly be a crucial factor in the afternoon session. This provided a real test. Competition was fierce, but strategic battles were won. This was the best sailing ever by a King's team and we were rewarded by winning no less than three county championship trophies. These were for: best individual helm, Peter Gray; first school boat, And rew Lewis and

I. to r. Ali ce Moxley ond Philip Spi cer

114

Representing both the school and sail ing as a Kent County team at half term Philip Spicer, Peter Gray and Andrew Lewis were selected to compete at the Nationa l Schools' Sailing Association Team Racing Championship (toppers, October 13/14 at Notts County SC). As expected we sailed hard and raced hard against 32 teams from 17 other counties. Our final position of 4th= I 32 was another great result, although frustrating fo r not quite making the top three slots.

achievement nonetheless to have competed at full UK level and we finished the term with fresh vision for King's sailing in the future. At home on the Westbere Lake King's won all five matches, includ ing a 5-0 victory over the University of Ken t for the Hopthrow Wilson cup. Results v Dover College (420s team racing).

w. 4-0 Kent Schools Sailing Association Annual Regatta : 1st individual: Peter Gray 1st school boat: Andrew Lewis, Mickey le Blanc 1st school or club team. U 15s v Dover College (420s team racing). W 2-1. British Schools Dinghy Racing Championship (fireflies) : full result, 1 Sevenoaks. 2 King's. 3 Radley. 4

Tonbridge. 5 Magdalen College School, 6 Abingdon. 7 City of London. 8 Merchant Taylor's. 9 Lancmg. v Sevenoaks U16 (420s team racing)

w 6-2. Buoyed up by our success at the National Schools, King's also entered the RYA Youth Team Racing Championship (firefl ies, Nov 12/13). With some 45 teams and 270 sailors descending on Grafham Water for the event, representing the best youth sailing organisations in the country, we showed great character to finish on a winning run despite losing in the early rounds. On the fi rst morning we lost to West Kirby and ltchenor, the UK youth sail ing academies of respectively the North and South, who went on to fin ish 4th and 1st. But from round five we improved to win four matches out of the next five. The second day wins included victories over Derbyshire youth and our rival Kent youth county teams. Among the few schools to enter this Top- I. tor. Philip Spicer. Peter Gray. Kate Gabriel Bottom - Trophy presentation to Peter Gray

event, we came above Radley, Gresham's and Uppingham 1 and 2 and equal with Sevenoaks 2 on races won. Since we did not actually race against any other school, the positions owed something to the computer generated Swiss league syst em for producing the final order. The fina l championsh ip of 2005, the prestigious UK Team Racing Championship (Nov 26 at Bough Beech), was sai led in arctic winds against some of the UK's top teams. We raced well against teams such as West Kirby (adults). Southampton Un iversity and Cambridge Captains, a tea m of six past and present Cambridge capta ins, and impressed the event organisers, but did not qualify for the finals. It is quite an

National Schools Sailing Association team racing (toppers): 4th= /32. v University of Kent (420s team racing). W 5-0. RYA Youth Team Racing Championships (fireflies): 17th/ 45. UK Open Team Racing Championship (fireflies): did not qualify Teams from: Phi lip Spicer (capt). Catherine Ga briel, Andrew Lewis, Mickey le Blanc, Peter Gray, George Cooke, Max Darke, Alice Moxley, Thomas Whaley, Amelia Liddel. School colours were re-awarded to P

115

Spicer and award ed to C Gabriel, P.Gray, A.Lewis and M.le Blanc. HROM Tradescant sta rted thei r defence of the cup with a 16-12 victory in a fiercely contested match against Linacre with Sam Midd leton (Trad) making his presence felt all over the court. Galpin's easily accounted fo r Mitchinson's 18 nil and both the Grange and Meister Omers also advanced to the semi-final where they would meet.

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It was a close opening quarter in the first of the semi-finals between Tradescant and Galpins with tight defence creating little opportuniti es for both teams to score. The halftime score reflected this with both teams locked at 4 all. After the break both teams came out firing and Sebastian Botana, Will Lundy and Henry Neundorf created some good plays but Galpins were able to fend them off as they went on to win by two points. In the other semi- final between the Grange and Meister Omers Valentine O'Donoghue got the score ticking over for The Grange early, but Meister Omers hit back with two baskets of their own. Through Karan Kata riya, Meister Omers looked threatening I. tor. Trophy presenta tion to M ickey t e Blanc

116

but Oluwo le Adeosun and Peng Fei Gao were up to t he challenge as they netted some f ine baskets which saw the Grange home by three points and book them place a final. The fina l saw favou rites the Grange take on Galpins and it was the Grange who stamped their class early on in the match as they put some good plays together through the silky skills of Tunji Lawson and Jacky Truong. Though Galpins were not prepared to stand back and watch and with half time nea ring they came back strongly to go in to the interval trailing by just the 1 point at 6-5. It remained a tight affair in the second half with every ball being contested strongly and with point scoring opportunities rare, it boiled down to the team that could 'sink' its shots that would take the title. The Grange was able to do this and the 2005 title deservedly went to Tunji and his men. My thanks to all the houses for their support of this competition, which has to be squeezed into a Wednesday evening just after ga mes and lessons. Thanks to Simon Anderson for his refereeing expertise and to our Gapper- Stratos, for his scoring and timekeeping.

Results The Grange Carlyon

28 - 2

Meister Omers 17 - 8 Marlowe Tradescant Linacre

16- 11

Mitchinson's Galpins

18-0

Semi finals Grange 9-6 Meister Omers Tradescant Galpin's

11 - 13

Final Gra nge

12- 8

Galpin's Winners: The Grange : Oluwole Adeosun, Tunji Lawson, Stephen Wong, Peng Fei Gao, Alexander Barron, Jacky Truong, Valentine O'Donoghue Runners up: Ga lpins: Ryan Phanphensophon, Oliver Tennant, Marcus Gwyer, Laurence Malpass, Charlie Ha rvey, Edwa rd Groves, Soravit Vayakornvichitr TH

Sport (Lent) Boys' Hockey 1st XI The pre-season tour this year to Brussels was another first for King's. It was to be a slightly shorter preseason trip, but we still managed to fit in fitness, training and a little more fitness. The trip was soon nicknamed 'Fat Camp', due mainly to the fact that a couple of the boys had had a good Christmas and with reference to the severit y of the training. Our match against Club Oranje, our hosts in Brussels, was a bit one sided and we ended up scoring 15 goals against them. Brussels proved to be a great venue for the tour; the boys trained hard, but we also built up a fantastic team spirit in the four days. The pre-season training did not end on our arrival back at school; we played in the Tonbridge pre-season tournament as an extension of the pre-season tour. We played a very good brand of hockey and laid a very solid foundation for the rest of our season. The experience of playing on the

Tonbridge water-based astro-turf was fantastic. The foundations laid and the team spirit we developed on tour stood us in good stead for the rest of the season. During the season we achieved some very good performances, got some good results and had a couple of disappointments, but on the whole it was a very successful season. We played eleven school matches, losing only two. The team lost in the quarter-finals of the Frank Mason Tournament to Langley Park. We had a good run in the Kent Cup, losing to Kent College in the semi-finals. Our first match of the season was against Duke of York's. After the success we achieved on the field at the pre-season tournament, this performance was a little disappointing. The opposition managed to break us down and disrupt our style of play. The victory was a good result, despite the lack of performance. King's Rochester was another good victory, but because of the spoiling tactics and ill discipline of the opposition, this game was not

played at very high skill leve l. We managed to scrape a couple of goals against them as well as mainta ining a disciplined approach. Ki ng's Wimbledon provided us with a very tough fixture; it took a penalty stroke in the last couple of minutes to ensure that we won this closely contested match. Hai leybury and Cranbrook proved to be the matches in which we managed to capitalise on goal scoring opportunities. Chatham House put up a good figh t and, in a very evenly contested match, we were unable to penetrate their goalmouth. Chris Robinson pulled off some fantastic saves to keep us in t he game. In the second ha lf of our season, we had some very close matches, some due to some poor f inishing on our part and others as a result of some dogged defence from the opposition. The match against Tonbridge proved to be the most frustrating game of the season; after controlling most of the match and having numerous goal-scoring opportunities, it ended in a draw. The best performance of the season was undoubtedly the

1st XI

11 7

match against Felsted. It was an exceptional game of hockey from both teams, the match was played at high intensity throughout and the boys displayed a fantastic skill level. The most exciting encounter of the season was the end-of-season match against Caterham. After a bitty performance and a couple of handbags thrown around in the first half, the second half proved to be slightly better. Caterham picked up the intensity of their game in the second half, and with four minutes remaining on the clock, we were 2-3 down. A brilliant run out of defence from Graham Sweetman resulted in an equaliser. At 3-3 a draw seemed the likely result; however, an excellent pass down the right from Henry Hird, picked up by Sam Middleton, led to our scoring the winning goal with 10 seconds left on the clock. It was not the best display of hockey, but it wa s sheer guts and determination that resulted in the victory. It was a perfect end to a most enjoyable and successful season. A number of boys leave the team this 1st XI Practice Session

118

year and they have all contributed to the team in one way or another: Simon Pound, a late addition after a couple of exceptional performances in the 2nd XI; Josh Hill, a vital member of the forward line; Henry Hird who, after working really hard on the pre-season tour, managed to establish himself in the defence on the right side - Henry was a fantastic team member and always gave 100% for the team; Tom Burley has been a regular member of the 1st XI for the past three years and has at times shown moments of excellence -Tom will be remembered for his exceptional close-ball skills; Graham Sweetman, a team player we will st ruggle to replace who wears his heart on his sleeve and has been the "go-to man" when the team has needed a player for difficult situations. Sam Middleton is one of the rare schoolboy hockey players you encounter as a coach; he is an exceptional talent that has had a profound impact on our 1st XI. Sam has been a member of the team for many years and has ended his hockey

career at King's on a high note. Chris Robinson led the team by example; he is an exceptional goalkeeper and often kept us in some key games throughout the season. Chris has been a good role-model to the younger members of our team and has also had a huge impact on the team spirit. I have thoroughly enjoyed my f irst year in charge of the team; I have learnt a lot and had some new and interesting experiences. I have thorough ly enj oyed working with Mr Phi llis, who continues to play an integ ral part in the Hockey Club and for that I thank him. Team: Chris Robinson (Captain,)*, Joseph S. Midd leton (Vice-Captain)*, Thomas Burley, Kim on Christoduluo, Andrew Clarke*, Dom inic Collingwood, Joshua Hill, Henry Hird, James Kent, Tristan Lee, Vi ncent Magotsch, James Plimsol l, Simon Pound, Graham Sweetman* Also played: Henry Piechoczek, Fred Thompson, Rupert Lee, Ndu busi Ajukwu

School Matches

Kent Cup

g~ Won

v St Lawrence

(A) 8-0

v Eltham College

(H) 5- 2

Drew

Lost

v Kent College (Semi- Final) (A) 2-5

For

Against

Results v Duke of York's

(H) 6-0

v King's Rochester

v Sir Jospeh Williamson's (A) 2-4 (3rd/4th play- off)

Tour and Pre-season

v Club Oranje, Brussels

15- 1

(H) 5- 1

v KCS Wimbledon

3-2

[v Kent College

(A) 1-5

v Tonbridge

4- 1

:V KCS, Wimbledon

(A) 2- 1

v St. Bede's

6-0

;v Haileybury

(A) 8-1

v Chatham House

(H) 0-0

v Cranbrook

(H) 5-1

v Tonbridge

(A) 1-1

v Sutton Valence

(H) 2-1

:V Felsted

(A) 2-3

v Caterham

(A) 4-3

~-~:-:._._

2nd XI After such a promising season last year, there were high expectations as the squad assembled on Birley's for the fi rst t rai ning session. The standard of individual skill was good, and Paul Bu nya rd and I were most encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the players. The ingredients were right, but the proof is always in t he pudding. It -~f:

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Our first match against Duke of York's was typical of most earlyseason games. As players adjusted to different positions and roles, we began to put some very sweet passages of play together. A healthy 4-0 result was certainly helpful, and mood in the camp was buoyant. Playing away against King's Rochester, we quickly established ourselves as the stronger team and dominated the game. Having gone 40 up into half time, complacency set in and careless play allowed the opposition to break through repeatedly. The final score was a sound 5-3 victory, but we had squandered a chance to press home our advantage. Kent College are always a well organised side and this year provided the first real test of our defences. We had good communication across the

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1s t XI

119

back and absorbed the pressure that they applied. Although they did score two, we had been too strong for t hem in attack and produced a highly satisfying 5-2 win. King's Wimbledon were a new add ition to the Hockey fixture calendar and, after a long bus ride, we never real ly found our feet. They scored within the first four minutes and although we equalised and went into the break 1-1, we never looked settled. They had three short corners in the second half and converted two with excellent flicks. We had fu rther chances, but were unable to respond and lost 1-3 - it was a disappointing ride back - work needed to be done. Despite a reshuffle, or perhaps because of it, our next game, away against Haileybury, was a scrappy match. Clearly the stronger side, we missed opportunity after opportunity and went into the turn only 2-0 up. Further sloppy play compounded the situation, allowing them to draw level. It was a long way to travel to play well below our best. Our games against Cranbrook and Sutton Valence showed renewed spirit and displayed a previously unseen level of skill and tactical awareness. 3-2 and 4-0 respectively, these results helped restore some credibility and self-belief.

2 nd XI

120

Against Felsted (away), we played some of the best hockey of the season. Ironically, we were without our Captain, George, who had taken a nasty knock playing rugby and was now off for the rest of the season with concussion. Richard Thomas stepped in to take the lead. Harry Wall was also off for the rest of term, having lost his front tooth. Despite good play, we didn't take our chances up front. The ball would slip agonisingly past the post or just catch our foot as we went into the D to strike. After 46 minutes, neither side had scored, nor even been awarded a short corner. Against the run of play, Felsted scored. Rattled, we let our heads drop and, in such a closely contested game, they pounced on the opportunity and we were three down in just seven minutes. We rallied, but the damage was done. It concluded 0-3, but was not a true reflection of the quality of the game from both sides. The last game of the season, and with the 1st XI having won their game in spectacular fashion moments before, we looked forward to a tough game. George was still off games but we had the luxury of Chris Robinson stepping in as a replacement in goal. Caterham were a good side, but we had played stronger. We didn't really find our stride until the second half, and even then missed many chances in front of goal. The final score was 2- 1. It was

a satisfying finish to a solid season. Well done, boys. AJH Team: D. Collingwood, H. Wall, S. Pound, G. Chilcott (Capt), H. Simmons, A. Davies, R. Thomas, S. Saran, J. Williams, P. Gray, B. Pentecost, 0. Ford, R. Lee, F. Thompson, W. Newman. A. Ndubuisi Player of the season: Richard Thomas Results ~

Played

Won

Lost

Drew

For

Against

v Duke of York's

(H) Won 4-0

v King's Rochester

(A) Won 5-3

v Kent College

(H) Won 5-2

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 1- 3

v Haileybury

(A) Drew 2- 2

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 3-2

v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 5-0

v Felsted

(A) Lost 0-3

v Caterham

(A) Won 2-1

.....

3rd XI The season opened with a very good and encouraging win over Duke of York's RMS, and it appeared as though the team would have a very successfu l term. However, three losses in a row followed this, showing the team that the quality of opposition could be higher than they had initially anticipated. Some good work at training and a renewed desire to attack and score goals meant that the team was able to put four past Haileybury in a match that really showed the ability of this group of players. The boys were allowed much more time on the ball than they had previously and took excellent advantage of this, pushing forward more and creating and taking many more chances. Rallied not only by the win, but also by the very good performance and improved passing and movement they had found, the team took this form forward after the half-term break to achieve a very good win over Cranbrook. With an even number of wins and losses and an excellent improvement in their play, it looked as though the team would close the season with three more wins, having shown that

they had the ability to do very well. Unfortunately, the team fai led to capitalise on their improving form, and a disappointing display against Sutton Valence meant that a game that was in the balance for the first half, and looked to be going our way after they scored the equalizer early in the second half, was lost. This was followed by another loss, but the team finished the season on a high with a win against Caterham with a very healthy score-line. All this meant that the 3rd XI completed their season with a very respectable record. Throughout the season the players demonstrated that they had some very fine hockey skills and the ability to score goals and win matches. Reliable performances from Fred and Walter and great effort, energy, and industry from Phil, Robin and George in particular, buoyed the side and deserve to be commended. Very good skills by Ben V and Alex M showed that they have the potential to be very effective hockey players, and that by working on their game they could be a real asset to their team next year. Tom Yates excelled this season and added commitment and determination to his technical ability, making him a player that caused other schools' defences many

problems. He, and the rest of t he players, should take much confiden ce from this season, and look forward to playing even better hockey next year. Team: Alex Barron, Philip Spicer, Edward Wilkins, Ben Stratton, Alex Maisel, Ben Varia n, Fred Miles, Wal ter Miles, Tom Ya tes, George Christie, Nathan Brown, Hugh Bird, Andrew Lewis, Matthew Wells, Robin Bridge. Results Played

Won

Lost

For

Against

v Duke of York's RMS (A) Won 4 - 0 v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 1 - 3

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 1 - 3

v Kent College

(H) Lost 0 - 3

v Haileybury

(A) Won 4- 1

v Cranbrook

(A) Won 3-0

v Sutton Valence

(A) Lost 1 - 4

v Felsted

(A) Lost 1 - 5

v Caterham

(H) Won 3-0

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t: J rd XI

121

Junior Colts A XI It was a fant astic season for the U15 A XI, recording an unbeaten season playing nine games, winning seven and drawing two. They scored 22 goals and only conceded three. They will be the first to admit they were not a team of superstars; however, week in and week out they played as a team to defeat their opponent s. Their main strength was t heir ability to pass the ball at speed to each other. They worked the ball very well up the pitch. For most of the season they lacked the consistency of the f inal pass and the killer instinct in front of t he goal. Often they forced the play, which resulted in loss of possession. Combinations of Jonathan Ross, Jonathan Brooks, Christian Allen and Andrew Lawrence played in t he front three. They had lots of pace and t heir skill level improved well over t he season. Credit must go to Andrew Lawrence for two reasons. First, he worked extremely hard to improve his skills and developed a very hard hit that resembled a golf swing at the beginning of the season, and, second he scored a goa l with his first touch of the season!

Junio r Co lts A X I

122

The midfield was made up of Guy Pengelley, Guy Edmund-Jones, Patrick Mitchell and Richard Hartland. They had a sound skill-base between them with Patrick causing lot s of problems out on the right- hand side. Guy Pengelley played well throughout t he season and must be congratulated for gaining a place in the U15 coun ty squad. The defence learned quickly tha t life was not going to be as easy as in the U14 team. They tackled very well, but lacked the vision to distribute effectively at first. Terry Lee and Tom Davey, who also captained the side, developed strong games, learning effectively to pass the ba ll wide . William Chilcott had an excellent season in goal, although he made it hard for the team in practice to score - they were very grateful for his ability at the weekends! His athleticism and eye for the ball is something to behold. On March 10th we played in the Peter Firminger Trophy, with 22 other schools. Our pool was based at Birley's, playing against Borden Gramma r (won 2-0), Tonbridge (lost 0- 5). Maidstone Grammar (won 2-0) and The Harvey (won 2- 0). We finished second in our pool and

qualified for t he quarter-finals at Polo Farm. We played St Edmund 's and drew 1-1; we then faced t he excitement of penalty fl icks on the grass. We held our nerve and with the hel p of some fine saves from Will iam Chi lcot t we progressed to t he semi-f inals. Here we met Lang ley Park (the overall wi nners); the boys were up for the challenge but were overcome by two su perb short-corner rou tines. Our final game of the day saw us facing our local riva ls Ken t . College in the 3rd/ 4th playoff. We aga in drew 1-1, but beat them on flicks to finish 3rd. It was a great day and it was good to see the improvement in the performance from each game. The boys should take a lot out of this season, both as ind ividuals and as team-mates. Their team spirit and willi ng ness to learn could not be faulted. Because of this they were a joy to teach and I loved every minute I spent wit h them. Well done, boys, for an excellent season . Final ly t hanks must go to Jen Wi lson for her assistance in the f irst half of term. RALS Team fro m: Thomas Davey (Captai n). Christ ian Al len , Jonathan Brooks,

William Chilcott (GK), Guy EdmundJones, Patrick Gibbs, James Harman, Richa rd Ha rtland, Andrew Lawrence, Terry Lee, Patrick Mitchell, Louis Monahan, Guy Pengelley, Jonathan Ross, Max Van Coil lie. Also Played: Loren Koch Played

Won

Drew

For

Agai nst

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 2-0

v King's Rochester

(H) Won 6-0

v Hai leybu ry

(H) Won 2-0

v Cra nbrook

(A) Won 2-1

v Chatham House

(H) Won 2-0

v Sutton Valence

(A) Drew 1-1

v Felsted

(H) Won 3-0

v Kent College

(H) Won 3-0

v Caterham

(H) Drew 1- 1

Junior Colts B XI The U15 B XI had a mixed season in 2006. The results hardly do justice to a determined and naturally gifted squad. From goalkeeper to attack, every player showed commitment and ability. To start the season, we travelled to Duke of York's, Dover where we comprehensively beat the opposition 4-1 with George Cooke, Andreas Tatt, James Harman and Jonathan Ross all getting themselves on the score sheet. Unfortunately, Jonathan was moved up to the A team for the rest of the season and we never looked the same striking force. Because of bad weather, all our other matches before half term were cancelled. After the break, the side came back strong and hopeful that the season was going to be unbeaten. Unfortunately, we had our hardest fixtures to come. Over the next few weeks we suffered losses to Cranbrook and Sutton Valence. In our last two home games of the season we were to encounter tou gh

opposition in Felsted and Caterham. Against Felsted we started off the stronger side with an early goal by Matt MacKinnon. However, Felsted came back and took t he lead with two goals before half time. Was this going to be a repeat of last year's 43 loss? The second half began and King's came out looking lively and we started to play wi th a bit more flair and, as a result, our passing improved immensely. We came back to reduce the deficit and then managed to grab a late winner through James Harman. The morale was high throughout the next week of training and the team looked better than ever. In the last game of the season we played Caterham. After lead ing 1-0 at ha lf time we looked to be heading for an unbeaten home record, but a lapse in concentration meant that in a space of two minutes we were 2-1 down. George Cooke scored his second goal of the match to equa lise but after that Ca terham showed their superiority in midfield and took the game 4- 2.

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Junior Colts 8 XI

123

capable of making some great saves. His game against Caterham showed his true ability as an improving keeper. In defence, Charlie Dalton at right back was always reliable. Charlie's defensive qualities were a great asset to the team. At sweeper, Taha Tippu patrolled the 25-yard area. Although he wasn't the quickest around the park, his skills made up for it. The final key to the defence was Rob Stewart. Rob's attacking and defensive attributes down the left side were very commendable. He was always willing to put his body on the line. The midfield consisted of Harman, Granger and Jones. The boys always worked hard to win 50:50 tackles and feed balls to the front three. James Harman at centre-mid provided brilliant running skills and he was exceptional. On the flanks, Jonathan and Tom were always giving 1000/o in both practice and matches. Their effort was an example to the rest of the team. In attack, we lacked pace and the finishing touch, but the forwards were always hungry for goals. George Cooke scored four goals in the season and set the target for the others. Rob Day, Josh White and Andreas Tatt all contributed with goals and assists. Matt MacKinnon joined us halfway through the season and proved to be a valuable team player. He played all around the attack and midfield. On the bench, Ben Savill came on and played commendably in a wide variety of positions. He provided a strong backbone to side when he played. Alex Berry made a solo appearance for the side but injury prevented him from retuning. The team has played with real elegance and style and has always been improving and I would like to thank Mr Warnick, Mr Singfield and Jen Wilson. Without their helping the practices and matches our season wouldn't have been as enjoyable. Mr Warnick has been very helpful to all the players in the squad and we are very grateful for his contribution and the time he has put in to help us improve. Kieran Premnath (MR)

124

Team from: Alexander Berry, George Cooke, Charles Dalton, Robert Day, Edmund Fincham, Thomas Granger, James Harman, Jonathan Jones, Kieran Premnath (Captain), Matthew MacKinnon, Ben Savill, Robert Stewart, Andreas Tatt, Taha Tippu, Joshua White. Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Against

v Duke of York's

(A) Won 4

v Cranbrook

(A) Lost 0- 1

v Sutton Valence

(A) Lost 0- 2

v Felsted

(H) Won 3 - 2

v Caterham .....___

(A) Lost 2 - 4

Junior Co lt s C XI Yet again we operated a combined C/D development squad this year to widen interest and commitment, and more fixtures were played this season. In fact the team has rewritten the record books with my most successful season ever. It must be partly due to the addition of Mr Ford to the coaching team! Our season started with a 2-3 home defeat against a capable Tonbridge side. While there was no shortage of effort, we were beaten by their ability to take chances, despite deserving a draw. Goals came from Jeremy Godden and Ed Fryzer. This was our only defeat and the team quickly settled into a confident unit under the captaincy of James Hurst. We immediately lost a couple of players to the B squad and team spirit was exceptional throughout the season, both in training sessions and in matches. After a narrow, but deserved, internal 1-0 victory against our U14 C team,

with a goal from George K, we then proceeded to get a creditable 0-0 away draw at Cranbrook. This was followed by a magnificent 5-0 demol ition away at Sutton Valence, including a memorable hat-trick from Will Porter alongside more goals from Ed and Jeremy. This set up a final com fortable home victory, 2-0, over the Felsted U15 C team in the snow, which shou ld have been more convincing. Goals came from Ed and Jeremy again. Throughout the season we have looked solid at the back (Toby, Freddie, BD, Hugh, Charlie, Emil, Will M), creative in midfield (James, Alex, Max D, John, ian) and dangerous in attack (Ed, Will P, Jerry, George, Max G, George, Robbie, Mike, Nick) - at least on the training pitch - and, to reinforce the point, we even beat the U15B team 2-0 in our last training session. Goals again, from Ed and Jeremy. I expected nothing less. The attitude of our entire KitKat squad of 'nobblers' has been exemplary, and we thank them for their splendid company, their impressive technical skills and their loyal enthusiasm. JIB and WAGF Team from: James Hu rst (Captain), Edward Fryzer (VC), Taiwo Akinola, John Chen, Max Darroch, Hugh Davies, Alex Dixey, Max Gabbert, George Khachadourian, Emil Lewis, ian Levy, Nich olas Lurie, William Mitchell, Toby Mu ir- Little, William Porter, Sebastian Rex, Robbie Thomas, Charles Williams, Frederick Winterbotham, Michael Hamway, Jeremy Godden

U14 A XI This was a season marked by progress, despite mixed results. We started off well, with an impressive win against Duke of York's. We passed well and fought hard all game. We took the chances offered and put four in the net (Joe (t wo), Loren and Mark). Ned kept a clean sheet. Our second outing was another win, this time in the first round of the Kent Cup. We looked a little tired but still managed a Tradescant hattrick aga in. The fo llowing Saturday

saw another home game and another win, this time against King's Rochester. As before, we were good at getting the ball in the D, but were too prone to drift out of position. We then faced our first tough game Haileybury. They were bigger and faster, with the result that we were intimidated from the start. Pan ic seemed to set in which lasted until half time. Our performance in the second half couldn't have been more different. We rattled the confident Haileybury side, driving forward in their half, but their keeper kept us out of goal. This was our fi rst loss (no doubt a necessary blow to us all). We faced Sutton Valence in the second round of the Kent Cup. They were a mature and well-drilled side, who tested our defence beyond our capabilities. They deserved the win. We were more organised by the fo llowing Saturday, enabling us to beat Cranbrook. It was then time to play Sutton Valence again. We hoped for a better performance and a scoreline more in our favour. We achieved the former - it was a much better game, even if the latter eluded us! We knew playing Felsted away was going to be tough - they were playing the next day for a place in

the National Finals. They were certainly a skilful side, but to our credit we defended wel l and Ned kept many more out than the score might suggest. Our penultimate game was in some ways our most disappointing of the season. Our skill level had improved, we were more organised and had played as a team for nine matches now. The game was indeed one of good skill - we looked more confident on the ball than Kent College. However, we were let down by ill-discipline from a number of players. Criticism of fellow teammembers is never constructive. It was in fact highly destructive, as the goal tally testifies. This was a valuable lesson for the players to learn. Our last game, despite its being another loss, was far better. We were more composed, and showed just how far we had come on since the beginning of January. We had more possession and opportunities than Caterham, but lacked the finishing. Given that some in the squad had never played hockey before, we achieved a great deal over the season. We often faced teams that had played together for a couple of years and that were physically

stronger. There is huge potential here - and wi th determination and discipline, I am certa in they wi ll be a force to reckon with in years to come. There was much enthusiasm and a great sense of fun. Such a positive attitude will really help secure their success in the futu re. In attack, Mark Healy grew in skill and confidence on the right wing as the season progressed. Tom Gold came up from the B's to play in this position too, showing unmatched pace. Joe Bourne played at centreforward all season. He had the knack of nimbly getting around burly defenders to get a shot at goal. Charlie Macleod showed great skill at left -wing, weaving his way to the D, linking up well with Julius Carboni at left-midfield. Julius is a versatile and skilful player who set up many of our attacks. On the right, Sam Attwood impressed everyone with his strong hits and fervent tackles. Nick Evans also played there amongst other positions. He was a player who worked hard to recover once beaten, and who tackled very reliably. In defence, Harry Bugge and Henry Phillips played on the left and right. Both grew in confidence and ski ll as

U14 A XI

125

the season progressed, making some important tackles. Andrew Percival also played in defence for many of our games. He never gave up, but ran and ran all game. He also listened carefully to instruction and advice a real asset. Fred Wilson-Haffenden played at centre-back. Often the one to pick up a loose ball at the top of our D, he had the ability to drive forward with the ball setting up the counter-attack. He wins my vote for most improved player- well done. Theo Bamber played at sweeper. With a thunderous hit and well-timed tackle, he is the sort of boy you want playing in that position. In goal, Ned Newell-Hanson was a real star. Never intimidated even by towering opposition, he moved quickly to the ba ll and made some tremendous saves over the season. Last, but by no means least, our capta in, Loren Kock, made a very sig nificant contribution to the team in many different ways. Quietly spoken, he was a player who led by example. The timing of his passing was superb -as was his work rate. He stopped running only at the f inal whistle; he was gracious in defeat, always positive and friendly. Here is someone who should really flourish on the hockey pitch in years to come. MJWS Team from: Samuel Attwood, Theo Bamber, Joseph Bourne, Harry Bugge, Jul ius Carboni, Nicholas Evans, Thomas Gold, Mark Healy, Loren Kock (Captain), Charles Macleod, Edmund Newell-Hanson (Goal), Andrew Percival, Henry Phillips, Frederick Wilson- Haffenden. Also played: Benjamin Langridge, James McAdam-Stacey, Benjamin Yeates. Results Played

Won

Drew

Lost

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Against

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v Duke of York's

(H) Won 4- 0

v Sir Roger Manwood's (Kent Cup qualifier) (H) Won 3 - 1 v King's Rochester

(H) Won 3 - 0

v Haileybury

(H) Lost 0 - 3

Sutton Valence (Kent C

qualifier) (H) Lost 0- 5 v Cranbrook

(H) Won 2-

v Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 0- 5

v Felsted

(A) Lost 2- 7

v Kent College

(A) Lost 2 - 5

v Caterham

(H) Lost 1 - 4

U14 B XI Coaching this team has been fantastic fun. Rupert Hill and Charlie Dalton were superb captains. (I could not ch oose between the two of them and hence we stayed with two). They both typified the good nature and enthusiasm t hat al l the players of this team had for the game of hockey, not to mention ski ll. Each and every game-session was always pretty much the same. We'd do a bit of "stick-on-ball" work, improving the skills and generally getting warmed up. Ben Yeates was always very good at this, as was Henry Nichol; both are very skilful players and strong in the midfiel d. In the meantime James McAda m-Stacey and Murat Gumus, ou r two goalies of the season, would take about 30 minutes struggling with thei r kit, pulling one pad on, and then the next, and only then realise it was on the wrong leg etc. James was usually the slowest! However, I must hand it to them both. Neither of them had played goalkeeper before, and it wasn't long before they were both making fantastic saves with every part of their body. Murat's favourite move was to head-butt the ball ! After our warm-up drills we might do some shooti ng exercises at our intrepid goal keepers. Whenever I did the run -through example, the boys

always thought I had messed it up, but I would like to make it clear, in this report, that I always did that on purpose just to lighten the pressure of expectation on their shoulders! Ben Langridge would usually step in as the practice opposition, seemingly making the whole exercise an awful lot harder for the attack; Ben was often too good. Robbie Cameron, on the other hand, would relish the chance to score a goa l, as he usually played in defence during a match, along with Henry Ha milt on. Both of them could score great goals, and in the match against Haileybury Robbie scored a hat-trick to prove the point. We had a great team. Enthusiasm and desire to both win and please was never an issue. Tam Ratchaki tprakarn had one of the strongest sweep-passes on the circuit, and a smile that always seemed to cheer our spirit s up even on the coldest days. The other half of this double act was Edw in Simmons who turned ou t to be our awesome goal scorer, getting a total of 10 goals in just six matches. Fantastic! Nick Hilton wasn't far away with his massive, whiplash hit at goa l, and neither was Dany Winters with his incredible "one-touch" skills, scoring a hat trick against Cranbrook, one of which was a truly great goal. It was a shame to lose Tom Gold and Nick Evans to the A team when one day I made the mistake of telling their coach how good they were, but then that's life. We moved on, and continued to smash Cranbrook 8-0, and Haileybury 10-0. All in all it was a wonderful season; the team spirit was marvellous. These boys will be ones to watch in the future. RPS Team from: Robert Cameron, Charles L Dalton (Captain). Murat Gumus (GK), Henry Hamilton, Rupert Hill (Captain), Nicholas Hilton, Benjamin Lang ridge, Henry Nichol, Tam Ratchakitprakarn, Edwin Simmons, Dany Winters, Benjam in Yeates. Also played:Âˇ Nicholas Evans, Thomas Gold , Nicholas Lawson, James McAdam-Stacey, Andrew Percival.

Results Played

Won

Drew Lost

For

Against

Goa l scorers: Ed win Simmons (10), Dany Winters (3), Robbie Cameron (3), Rupert Hill (2), Tam Ratchakitprakarn (2), Nick Hilton (2), Charlie Dalton (1), Henry Hamilton (1) v Duke of York's

(H) Drew 1 - 1

v Haileybury

(H) Won 10-0

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 8- 1

v Sutton Valence

(H) Lost 0- 2

v Felsted

(H) Won 4-0

v Caterham

(H) Lost 1 - 3

U14 C XI An unbeaten season is a notable achievement at any level. For the Under 14 Cs it is particularly noteworthy and a tribute to a skilled and cheerful squad. The first match at Tonbridge saw an end-to-end game that could have gone either way. Both sides created numerous chances as inexperienced defences learned rapidly 'on the job'. In the end, a subtle deflection from Ed Medlyn was enough to leave honours even. In the Cranbrook match the team went behind against th e run of play before establishing their dominance with three good goals. Against Sutton Valence we again dominated, and went ahead three times, only to concede each time and end with a frustrating draw. The final match against Felsted should have probably produced a win, as our skill gradually produced more chances against a strong-running and hardhitting side, but the goals never came, so another draw completed the season. It was frustrating not to have had more wins, but as a whole this was a praiseworthy record.

At the back, James McAdam-Stacey grew in confidence in goal; Nick Swaffer and Arthur Law swept up aggressively; Fred Hare was strong and composed; Shahriyar Faruk on the right showed speed and skill, while James Hynard on the left was probably the most improved player. The real strength of the side was in midfi eld. Charles Killingbeck, who also captained, was strong and committed, Charles Ovenden-Filsell was deceptively elusive, and Dominic Batten had real vision. Together they control led most matches. Up front, Seb Payne eventually found his best position, using his skill and strength to good effect; Ed Medlyn showed off his mazy dribbling at centre forward, and Arthur Lam, Nick Berman and Jocelyn Pritchard, in contrasting styles, worked well on the wings. Together they showed great prom ise and deserved their success. PGH Team : Dominic Batten, Nicholas Berman, Shahriyar Faruk, Frederick Hare, James Hynard, Charles Killingbeck (Captain), Arthur Lam, Arthur Law, James McAdam-Stacey, Edward Medlyn, Charles OvendenFilsell, Sebastian Payne, Jocelyn Pritchard, Nicholas Swaffer. Also played: Timothy Cheung, Murat Gumus, Frederick Keeling, Alexander Todd. Results Played

Won Drew

Lost

For

Against

v Tonbridge

(A) Drew 1 - 1

v Cranbrook

(H) Won 3 - 2

v Sutton Valence

(H) Drew 3 - 3

v Felsted

(H) Drew 0- 0

Netball We can look back at a season of mixed results. Our teams worked with commitment and dedication. The club played 75 matches and travelled as far as Felsted. Our fixtures were arranged differently this year. All our teams played at the same venue on most Saturdays enabling us to support each other and enabling all our teams to have an umpire/coach at each game. Over the course of the season we saw some fantastic play by teams and great improvement by some individual players. Our junior players had the opportunity to be coached by our senior coaches on a Tuesday when the club worked on positional skills. This worked well and we shall use this in the future coaching system. Highlights of ou r season were our matches against Felsted. Out of the nine matches played we lost only one match. This result made the long travel worth it. Sutton Valence and Cranbrook were good hunting grounds for King's - we did not lose a match. Benenden and Sevenoaks were huge hurdles for us to cross and our teams ca me away from these fixtures with one win against each school only. These two fixtures will be our biggest challenges for 2007. I should like to congratulate our 2nd team on being team of the year and being the only team that did not lose a match. The two senior players in the team, Kate Ludlow and Emily Reil ly, made sure they kept the team motivated, fighting tooth and nai l not to lose a match. Winning the Canterbury and District tournament was an appropriate way for the team to fin ish an outstanding season. The King's netball club must say a big thank you to their captain, Caroline Lawrence, who will be missed hugely. She always led by example and is one of the most versatile sportswomen and netball players King 's has seen in a long time. Her determination and passion for what she does will always be remembered. To the young U14 and U15 players:

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You have done well and we are delighted with your development. Hard work and a positive attitude is what the club need from you in the future to build on our existing good record. The players and coaches would like to thank Mark Collins and his team of ground staff for always having our courts in immaculate condition. Our catering staff once again kept our players and opponents well fed with wonderful packed meals and delicious hot meals at Birley's. EB

1st VII The first team started this year with a hard act to follow after last year's record-breaking season. We set off for our first match never having played together, (and in some cases never even having met) but nevertheless managed to beat Benenden in a hard-fought battle. While we didn't win all the games we probably should have done we played well consistently, as the closeness of the final scores (except against Epsom) shows.

passes that fly as fast and hard as rockets, even though she is only little. This attacking dream-team refined the skill of passing the ball round the D, weaving round the opposition and waiting for the perfect moment to send the ball in to the shooters. 'Flexibility' is one of Lilian's favourite concepts and at one time or another we all found ourselves struggl ing to play a completely new position. Emma was duly converted into a GK, where she defended our net from shooters of all shapes and sizes, whether they were fragile and vulnerable to knee-induced injury, or so tall that they had to bend down to put the ball through the net. Tan ia was a new addition to the netball

Despite having been flung in at the deep end and being probably the sma llest shooting duo ever, Theo and Jess managed admirably and saved us on more than one occasion with a beautiful shot from the edge of the D. Jess regularly baffled her opposite player by receiving the centre pass, bounding into the circle, landing wit h her trademark split feet and sinking the shot- all within about 2 seconds. Jag's vision in the D is extraordinary; even with her back to the ball she perfected the art of holding off her defender until the last second before spinning round to receive the pass with shouts of "turn!" echoing through the air. Caroline Hobbs and Polly made up the rest of our attack force, and as veterans of King's netball they work together instinctively. Polly Mills' style of play is unique for its daintiness and elegance (which led to her being beaten up in t he match against the boys), while Caroline combines speed and stamina with 1st VII

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community but immediately established herself as an invaluable player, as she leapt and bounced from one position to another, succeeding in all seven! Finally, Lexie has been a staunch defender, an unfai lingly reliable team-member, a voice of encouragement (and sometimes frustration) and has a competitive spirit to match my own - all the qualities of the perfect choice for next year's captain! Caroline Lawrence (JR) Team from: Caroline Lawrence (Captain), Caroline Hobbs, Polly Mills, Jess Lunn, Theo Backhouse, Lexie Hamblin, Emma Shilston, Tania Hayes

Results v Sutton Valence

(W) 39- 10

v Epsom

(L) 5- 18

v Cranbrook

(W) 17 - 11

v Caterham

(W) 28 - 16

v St Edmund's

(w) 13 - 7

v Felsted

(W) 21 - 4

v Haileybury

(L) 12 - 14

v Brentwood

(L) 6- 8

v Benenden

(L) 11 - 14

v Eastbourne

(D) 14 - 14

v Sevenoaks

(L) 16 - 20

District Tournament v Simon Langton

(W) 4 - 2

v Queen Elizabeth's School (W) 11 - 1 v St Edmund's

(W) 10- 1

v St Anselm's

(W) 11 - 0

v Kent College

(L)

5-8

2nd VII Th ere is only one suitable adjective to describe this year's 2nd VI I Netball Team - outstanding. Th is group has

Top - Emma Shilston Bottom - 1st VII

shone in practically every way- an 'invicta 'season . Ou t of all the teams this season, the 2nds have undoubtedly the best record of wins, and capped off a tremendous season by winning the Canterbury division tournament without dropping a single game.

Where to start? This team's shooters have been incredible throughout the term. Emily Allen at GA worked superbly with Letitia and Rosanna in ord er to give the tea m an awesome attack. It must be said that our shooters this year were the best in the school without exception. The sheer number of goals scored in

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matches and tournaments, along with a most successful rate of shots scored, is proof of this. In all the matches we played, they were unrivalled in quality. The attack was complemented astutely by the formidable form of the defensive line consisting of Kate, Abi, and, on occasion, Busola. Throughou t the term they have matured into an astoundingly competent defensive team. My pick of their performances would have to be the end-of-term district tournament at St. Edmund's, where Abi and Kate played with such proficient capability tha t many teams were daunted by the prospect of playing against us. Balls were of ten cheekily given away in the centre court in order to watch our own mighty defence at work! On to the centre-court players, and there is room once more only for praise. Emily Stewart has shone throughout this term as our centre, as which she has been a revelation. Her eagerness and determination towards the advancement of this team has been exemplary. Emily Reilly has been fantastic this term. Passionate and always strivin g to make herself avai lable to other team mates, Emily is irreplaceable on this team as much for her netba ll as for her wonderful character. I myself have thoroughly enjoyed playing centre court at WA: able to encourage the team from a suitable position and at the same time able to enjoy t he inevitable destruction of yet another team. There were some good laughs when the ball arrived in the centre court: from Emily to Emily to Emily and finally onto Emily. (If you're confused, imag ine how the other team fel t!) Not only have we recorded a multitude of wins this term, but one of the most important attributes of this team is the manner in which the game was played - always played for the fun of playing; other teams would do well in noting the importance of enjoying the sport one takes part in. I believe this has more often than not been the key to our highly successful season, and the

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incomparably agreeable atmosphere within the team. Emily Schwarz (JR) Team from : Emily Schwarz, Emily Reilly, Emily Stewart, Emily Allen, Rosanna Dawes, Kate Ludlow, Abi Schade, Letitia Leigh-Pemberton, Busola Ogunsanye Also played~ Charlotte Bradley, Georgie Davidson, Christ ine Pond, Lizzie Goring. Results

v Sutton Valence

(W) 29 - 9

v Epsom

(W) 20 - 13

v Cranbrook

(W) 17 - 15

v Caterham

(W) 20 - 17

v St Edmund's

(W)9 - 8

v Felsted

(W) 11 - 5

v Haileybury

(W) 18 - 10

v Brentwood

(W) 17 - 4

v Benenden

(W)1 5- 12

v Eastbourne

(W)17 - 12

v Sevenoaks

(W) 31 - 25

v Dover College

(W) 37 - 4

those that we did play were successful. Polly, Busola and Alex were particularly strong this year on defence and played a huge part in the team successes. Georgie has more speed and agility than the rest of the team put together, and her performances this term were flawless. Emma and Louise's shooting improved greatly as the term went on, and now they very rarely miss a shot. Rosie's work in the centre court was great and again she improved a lot every time. Marina's efforts were amazing; she stepped straight from the 3rds to our team as a key member on both attack and defence. Her enthusiasm and commitment to the team were brilliant. Alex Berry's performance this term has been both comical and enthusiastic. Her efforts were outstand ing, and her improvement was amazing. Her skills managed to entertain the team and keep a happy atmosphere even in the coldest weather. Overall , our term has been successfu l, not only in our matches, but the whole team learned to work together and our skills also got a lot better. I hope that this will continue through to next season. Charlotte Bradley (HH) Team from:

District Tournament v Simon Langton

(W) 4- 1

v Barton Court

(W) 11 - 1

v Herne Bay High

(W)7- 1

v Canterbury High

(W)6-1

v St Edmund's

(W) 3 - 1

v St Anselm's

(W) 12 - 1

Winners of the tournament.

----'

3rd VII v Sutton Valence

(W) 29 - 1

v Cranbrook

(W) 15 - 9

v Haileybury

(L) 21 - 8

v Sevenoaks

(L) 11 - 12

U16 VII Unfortunately, we haven't been able to have as many matches as we would have perhaps liked; however,

Results v Epsom

(L)

14- 29

v Cranbrook

(D) 12 - 12

v Caterham

(W) 26 - 16

v Felsted

(W) 12- 7

v Sevenoaks

(L) 12 - 14

U15A VII As goal shooter, Isabel scored many of the goals, whilst shooting with etiquette, ski ll and accuracy. She also had a broken thumb halfway through the season and still managed to shoot well. She is one of many crucial members of our team. Cat Phillips was a very flexible centre court player. Even though she mainly played WA, she comfortably stepped into centre when Annabel was injured during the tournament. Cat was enthusiastic and supportive and positioned herself well on the court.

She also made really good interceptions. Annabel Kingsman balanced the play by controlling the centre court. She helped feed the ball into the D and also defended well in the defence section. She distributed the ball fairly and made intelligent decisions on centre passes and general play. Ianthe Fry also made cracking interceptions as WD, whilst moving out well at centre passes. She helped the defence in keeping the ball out of the third and she also helped feed towards the shooting D. Charlotte Bowman was a dominant GD, until she broke her arm, although she still managed to play decently with her injury. However, after her recovery she came back stronger than ever, helping us defend and keep the ball out of the D. Maryam also made many interceptions, and alternated as GK and GD with Charlotte; she also made a strong GK with a good stretch. Charlotte Hamblin was the other GK; she was strong, vicious and bold in her defence, jumping to get every ball she could. Although there were so many injuries and illnesses, we managed to come fourth in the Benenden tournament, after losing to Sevenoaks with a draw in the semi finals. Abi always led by example. She was at every practice and you would never hear her complain about the weather or her opponent. She would get on with the task at hand. Abi lmasekha (HH) Team From: Abi lmasekha (Captain), Isabel Harvey-Kelly, Maryam Lawai, Katherine Phillips, Ianthe Fry, Charlotte Bowman, Charlotte Hamblin, Annabel Kingsman Results v Epsom

(L) 7- 32

v Cranbrook

(D) 13 - 13

v Caterham

(W) 26- 16

v St Edmund's

(W) 15- 4

v Felsted v Haileybury v Brentwood v Eastbourne v Benenden

(W) 13 - 10 (L) 13 - 21 (L) 16-26 (D) 12 - 12 (L) 4- 28

Benenden Tournament: Lost to Sevenoaks 11-12 in the semi-final after extra time.

U15B VII Results v Epsom

(W) 31 - 8

v Cranbrook

(W) 23- 21

v Caterham

(L) 20 - 21

v Felsted

(W) 20- 7

v Haileybury

(W) 36-3

v Brentwood

(L) 16- 26

v Benenden

(L) 10-14

v Eastbourne

(D) 14- 14

U15C VII This season we have drawn one match and lost two, but our performance in the later matches greatly improved. We started to work very well as a team and learnt to interpret each others' movements. Our practices became more enthused and we started to produce a more active game. Members of the team who hadn't really played netball before became very involved in the game and welcomed the chance to play as a team. However, despite our technical improvement the C team (the "mighty C's") was all about enjoying netball and having fun, in wind, rain and snow alike. Heloise Winterbotham's amazing goalscoring saved us from many a close call and Emily Sanne brought an excel lent amount of team spirit. Beate Westlake improved the most out of all of us, being almost unrecognisable as the timid player she was at the beginning. We've all grown up in confidence enormously and will miss playing together next term. Harriet Hughes (CY) Results v Sutton Valence

(W) 19-5

v Epsom

(L) 17-32

v Felsted

(D) 13-13

v Benenden

(L) 6-27

v Sevenoaks

(L) 7-17

v Eastbourne

(D) 14-14

U14A VII The U14A team had a hesitant start losing away to Epsom, but we soon found our form in a convincing win over Cranbrook at home. Our form continued with another good win over Caterham. With two wins and one loss, we next travelled to Felsted where we were defeated. Despite our defeats, a very committed defence worked tirelessly in each game, these being Gelana Crouch, Maryam Adeosun, Camilla Pedley and Matilda Emlyn-Williams. The centre-court players were Lucy Kingsman, Madeleine Cryer and Florence Taylor, who supported each other admirably and strived to get the ball into the D where the shooters Alice Davis and Amber Pryde had a successful shooting season. Wins followed against St Edmund's with an impressive 15-4 and then against Brentwood. There was a nailbiting finish in the match against Haileybury where we fai led to clinch it by one goal, losing 14-15. Although it was a season of mixed results, the whole team worked well together and look forward to the U15 season. Alice Davis (LX) Results v Epsom

(L) 3 - 16

v Cranbrook

(W) 16- 12

v Caterham

(W) 23- 12

v St Edmund's

(W) 15-7

v Felsted

(L) 8- 11

v Haileybury

(L) 13 - 14

v Brentwood

(W) 12- 4

v Benenden

(L) 5- 15

U14B VII Resul ts v Epsom

(W) 29- 4

v Cranbrook

(L) 13 - 16

v Caterham

(L) 14-17

v St Edmund's

(W) 24-3

v Felsted

(W) 10- 9

v Haileybury

(L) 21 - 25

v Benenden

(L) 16 - 19

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U1 4C VII We played all our matches during the term and were undefeated until our last match which was quite difficult. Fran played strongly throughout the term as WD, but was very happy to stand in for any absences and still played well in these various positions. Claudia played very well this term with very few absences and always played with maximum effort. Sarah shot well during the term especially in the last match when it was very difficult and windy. Dena has improved a huge amount during the season, which led to a great performance in the last match. Matilda played as WA most of the time but was swapped around because of absences. She was very good at always being with her opponent. lona was a very strong defender with accurate and bold passes which prevented many goals. Daisy was our quick and smooth centre. She moved easily and swiftly from place to place around the court, which helped the flow of the centre court. Sarah was also another strong defender, but was happy to play anywhere on the court. Aysha was another WD and she played

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1-1st XI

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tremendously well. It was a shame that she injured herself for the last match though. Charlotte Jackson played for us at the beginning of the season and shot excellently. Sarah Stancliffe was a member of our team, but sadly was ill and therefore unable to play further matches; however, she played very well when she was healthy. The teamwork and positive attitudes of the U14C team were very impressive. We always put in all of our effort until the final whistle was blown. It was a relatively successful season and we were a great team on and off the court. Cecily Tapp (HH)

Soccer 1st XI We set off on tour at the start of the Christmas hol idays, bound for Murcia in the south-eastern corner of Spain, where we were to be looked after by our Argentinian friend, Mario Husillos, the technical director of Real Murcia. The boys trained hard and showed great promise for the season ahead by winning against a

junior Murcia side and playing very resolutely against the Murcia under18 team. The locals ran out 4-0 winners, but it was 0-0 for 40 minutes and we had chances to surprise them, notably through Ali Edmondson, who drew the keeper only to shoot wide. Suitably prepared, we were ready to face a very strong O.K.S. side two days into term, although skipper Ed Rex would miss the game through illness. Having re-jigged the defence, and with Olu Adeosun scoring a hattrick, we were worthy 3- 1 winners. Not having beaten the Old Boys for three seasons meant that this was all the more impressive a result in our first match of a new campaign. Against Dulwich College we battled hard and showed great character, coming from behind twice to level the scores at 2-2 at half-time. Lawson's free kick from the edge of the box had put us right back in the game and then Olu went close after sprinting through unopposed. In the second half they caught us on the break and although Edmondson's goal gave us hope, we did not achieve the draw we had deserved.

The next match was at K.C.S., Wimbledon, the best team we played last year. It is a credit to the side that we bounced back so strongly, especially since our captain had twisted a knee in training and would be out until after half-term. Olu was in unstoppable form and we should have won by more than 4-2. We gifted them two penalties, after a couple of blatant fouls from Stanley and Lawson. MacLehose did well to save one of them. Colfe's are always a strong outfit and proved difficult to break down, but rather like the Dulwich match, we felt that we should have achieved more on the day. Lawson netted from the penalty spot and the opposit ion then had a man sent off, but we could not quite capitalise on our numerical advantage. Brighton College provided the next challenge and probably put up the best display of any of our opponents this year. They were resilient at t he back, very quick and incisive up front and extremely mobile in midfield, so we had to play very well to manage a 2-2 draw.

Ou r following performance against Bethany was sub-standard, but we ran out 5-0 winners with a remarkable solo goal from Lawson providing one of the highlights. Then , after a du ll first half at Epsom we went 1-0 down and were suddenly spurred into action, fighting back for a dramatic and well-deserved 2-1 victory, with Olu poaching both goals. The referee's colleagues from Ashford Post Office provided the next obstacle. They proceeded to play keep-ball for long periods, but our defence held firm, with Will Harvey in fine form. We played good football and caught them out with our pace and movement. Having won th ree games in succession and welcoming our skipper back we approached the Ursuline fixture with too much nonchalance. A horrible wind made it a game of two halves, but the opposition got the ball down and attempted to play and therefore deserved their tri umph. In our next match against Sevenoaks we took an early lead with two goals from the impressive Marcus Gwyer.

We then relaxed and let them back into the match and needed a lastminute winner from Olu to clinch the match 3-2. The following Saturday at Brentwood we faced potentially our strongest opponents. We performed superbly and played some of our best football, creating chances and making our hosts work extremely hard. Although we lost 4-2, Olu hit a post and shou ld have scored later when facing an open goa l, so we might have got more from the game. However, it was rewarding to be able to compete on an equal footing with a two-term footba ll school. A robust Tonbridge side provided an opportunity to bounce back from this defeat. Ri ght at the end of a fairly even match Ma rcus Gwyer snatched the win with a fantastic goal. Lawrence Holdron started the move, bursting forward from left back, and after a number of slick passes the ba ll came through to Gwyer on the edge of the box. He pushed it on a yard and curled his shot into the far corner: a superb goal, a few precious glimpses of Total Football and the beautiful game. All we had striven for

Top - Charlie Harvey

133

was encapsulated in those few moments .... We faced the Corinthian Casuals the following day, but without our influential midfielder Charlie Harvey, who was injured. Max Stanley scored a spectacula r goal from 30 yards to bring us level, but we succumbed in the last few minutes and lost by the odd goal, quite an achievement against a team of men who don't tend to lose to schools. Our fi nal match of the season saw Westminster arrive at Birley's and take an early lead. Will Harvey equalised and Olu put us 2- 1 up. Westminster then scored a late goal to snatch what we felt was an undeserved draw. In many senses this showed how fa r we had come during the season, for we were devastated to have thrown away our lead against a two-term footbal l school we now expected to beat... ... Thu s concluded a thoroughly enjoyable term, where we were never outplayed by the opposition. Some results went our way, with goals in the last few minutes, and some went Top - Adetunji Lawson and 0/uwo/e Adeosun

134

against us in a similar fashion. We had strength in depth and managed to cope well with the loss of inju red players. The boys formed an impressive group and we had a lot of fun together. Most of the lads move on to university next year, so we shall have to rebui ld. I shall look forward to seeing them back for the O.K.S. matches. Finally, I should like to thank Mark and his team of groundsmen for preparing such splendid pitches in such terrible weather, and Gary and the kitchen staff for feeding us so heartily. Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goals For

Against

v O.K.S.

Won 3- 1.

v Dulwich College

(H) Lost 3-4

v K.C.S. Wimbledon (A) Won 4-2 v Colfe's

(H) Lost 1-2

v Brighton College

(H) Drawn 2-2

v Bethany

(H) Won 5-0

v Epsom College

(A) Won 2-1

v Ashford Post Office Men (H). Won 2-1 v Ursuline College

(H) Lost 1-3

v Sevenoaks

(H) Won 3-2

v Brentwood

(A) Lost 2-4

v Tonbridge

(H) Won 1-0

v Corinthian Casuals (H) Lost 1-2 v Westminster

(H) Drawn 2-2.

Team from: Olu Adeosun+, Chuchu Ajukwu*, Ali Edmondson*, Marcus Gwyer+, Charlie Harvey-, Will Harvey-, Lawrence Holdron*, Nowa lmasekha' , Tunj i Lawson-, Pancho Lewis-, Leo MacLehose*, Ed Rex' (Captain), Max Stanley', Jacky Truong'

Also played: Chris Barker, Seb

2nd XI

Botana Colours: * awarded first-team tie,Âˇ re-awarded first-team tie;** awarded First Colours, + re-awarded First Colours. Harold William Warner Cup for Players' Player of the Season:

Tunj i Lawson. Scorers: Adeosun 14, Gwyer 7,

Lawson 6, C. Harvey 2, Edmondson, W.Harvey, Stanley 1. Inter-house competitions The indoor five-a-side league produced some excellent football this year. The Shell competition was won by Galpin's, who defeated a tenacious Tradescant side 2-0 in the final. Meanwhile, the Remove trophy was won by a very accomplished Linacre team that beat School House 4-0 in the final. Having lost the Sen ior 11 -a-side Knock-out Cup two yea rs running Linacre finally clinched the trophy with a 2-1 victory against School House. Many thanks to CJRJ, SJB, SAH, DJF and MJT for refereeing these tournaments. CPN

The 2nd XI of 2006 acquitted themselves most impressively throughout a challenging set of fixtures; their resu lts included some superb performances and some missed opportunities. The first week of term brought a rather disappointing 4- 1 loss at home to Dulwich; this turned out to be the only time we defended like school boys all term as we failed to dea l with the physical, aerial threat of Dulwich. Next followed one of the high points of the season- a 1-1 draw with KCS Wimbledon; the result was richly deserved as King's defended with great composure and actually had chances to sneak a win in the last 10 minutes. Next up was Colfe's School and early in the second half we found ourselves 4- 1 down because of some goalkeeping howlers, but King's displayed admirable tenacity in the last half hour and were unlucky not to get a draw- final result 4-3. Next followed a lucky 2- 1 win over Brighton College; we were not the best side on the day but took our chances and defended stoutly. In the run-up to half-term the 2nd XI had consecutive victories over

Bethany School and Epsom College. 3-0 against Bethany represented a comfortable victory, but King's were still guilty of wasting numerous attacking opportunities. We then travelled to Epsom where we made our task doubly difficult by going 2-1 down to a side we dominated for long periods. The last 20 minutes of that game, which we won 3-0, was probably the best attacking footba ll of the year. During the term Wi ll Pou nd forged an impressive partnership with Chris Barker which accounted for 9 of the 19 goals we scored in the fi rst half of term. After half-term we lost 2-1 to a much improved Ursuline College side on a day where we fa iled to come to terms with the gale-force winds. Three days later we travelled to Sevenoaks and won 1-0 in a game where our opponents rarely t hreatened and we wasted countless opportunities. The last t hree games of t he season against Brentwood, Tonbridge and Westminster provided an acid test of our progress, a test which I feel we passed with flying colours. A 5-2 loss to Brentwood was far more encouraging than it sounds; King's led 1-0 for 40 minutes but finally bowed to intense pressure and conceded some sloppy second-half goals. In between some calamitous

2nd XI

135

defensive mistakes we played some free-flowing attacking football that continually stretched our more illustrious opponents. The last two games against Tonbridge and Westminster were very tight games in which we defended superbly Richard Griffiths, Ryan Noades and Tim Brown performed heroically throughout. We had three clear chances to beat Tonbridge, but our fortunes seemed to balance out immediately as we were lucky to equalise against Westminster in the last minute. Defensively this was the best side I have coached in the past seven years, but they did not manage to play t he attacking football that I know they are capable of. I can't question their desire or work rate and a lot of this side will go on to greater things for the 1st XI next year. Team from: R. Griffiths (Captain), R. Noades, T. Brown, M. Gold, D. Hurley, S. Botana, H. Osborne, A. Holmes, A. Seaton, W. Pound, C. Barker, C. Ajuwku, 0. Bromfield, G. McSwiney, D. Berry, T. Westray, A. Bashir, T. Bertlin, T. Tynan. MJTh Top - Harry Osborne

136

3rd XI The statistics below do not reflect the quality that this team possessed. The defence were solid, rarely letting even the most talented of opponents past their line, the midfield were fierce, with glimmers of real talent, but there was one crucial part of the game where we fell short - scoring goals. Alex Batten was top scorer with four, twice as many as the whole of the rest of the team put together. This statistic alone is enough to sum up the season. Six goals over the course of the season simply was not good enough, especially when five came in two matches.

Statistics aside, the team was made up of talented individuals. Between th e posts stood Fred Clarke, responsible for some miraculous saves. In defence, Harry Lancaster barked out the orders, as only a gentleman can, and tackled with confidence and skill; Dom Berry could always be relied upon for his vicious, and sometimes unprovoked, butchery of opponents, usually accompanied by the cry 'Come on!'; In i Atoyebi showed flair and agility, although back passes could be problematic; Duncan Morpeth, a midfielder really, was versatile enough to drop back when the need arose; and when the 2nd XI could spare them, Tom Tynan and Tom Westray added strength to the back line. In midfield, Sayo Folawiyo battl ed fiercely, digging the ba ll out and creating chances from noth ing ; Oli Bromfield, a late signing, bemused the opposition with lightning footwork; Adnan Bashir passed the ball smoothly and confidently; Max Montgomery showed rea l skill, but cou ldn't find the space between th e posts; Ali Melvin added physical energy. Up front, Thibault Bertlin sprinted down the wings and Alex Batten resisted

the temptation to head the ball into the back of the net. After an encouraging start with a win against Dulwich, our hopes were up, but two heavy defeats against KCS Wimbledon and Colfe's soon had us on our back feet. An exciting win against Brighton College inspired us, but the foll owing games showed up our weakness. At Epsom, we were the better side, attacking with confid ence and passing with skill, but we could not score. In the last few min utes, Epsom surprised us and scored. Against Sevenoaks, we held off a decent side, but failed to find the net ourselves. At Brentwood, we played our best football against a very skilful side and once again should have gone ahead. Similar situations faced us against Ton bridge U16A and Westminster, two close matches. We even fai led to score against Stafford House, who, for once, fielded an organised side. It is disappointing and frustrating to have played so wel l but often to have lost games by a sing le goal. We hope that the 3rd XI will rise like a phoenix from the ashes, with a bit of luck and, most importantly, a natural goal-scorer. Harry Lancaster (gl) and SAH

Team from: lni Atoyebi, Adnan Bashir, Alex Batten, Dominic Berry, Thibault Bertlin, Oliver Bromfield, Tim Brown, Fred Clarke, Felix Cohen, Sayo Folawiyo, James Fox, Harry Lancaster (Captain), Renwick McAslan, Alistair Melvin, Max Montgomery, Duncan Morpeth, Tom Tynan, Tom Westray, Results

.....

Played

Won

Lost

Drawn Goals for Against .......

6 18

v Dulwich College

(H) Won 2- 1

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Lost 0-3

v Colfe's

(H) Lost 0-5

v Brighton College

(H) Won 3-2

v Epsom College

(A) Lost 0-1

v Sevenoaks

(H) Lost 0-2

v Brentwood

(A) Lost 1-2

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 0-1

v Stafford House

(H) Draw 0-0

v Westminster

4th XI Soccer As this was undoubtedly the best 4th XI th at we have ever had, it was a pleasure to be involved with an extremely pleasant, motivated, and increasingly skilled squad of players. The fixture list is a very st rong one, with most of the matches agai nst schools with considerably more boys to select from, and it was a marvellous achievement to have lost only twice. Although we were always on the defensive against Dulwich , the real strength of the team emerged that day, with the back four, in which Harry Coombe and Oliver Tennant were outstanding throughout the term, reading the game very well and tackling with authority. Another battling performance brought a creditable draw against Wimbledon, and the beg innings of signs of life up front, with Renwick McAslan proving a constant danger and scoring the first of his five goals. Although we were outclassed against a formidable Colfe's side, the season was on a knife-edge when we faced Brighton. In the event, it was almost all oneway traffic, and only a fantastic string of saves by t heir keeper kept us down to a single goal - and a brilliant one it was too - with Nick Balmforth finishing off a four-man

3rd XI

137

move with a near-post fin ish that Michael Owen would have been proud of. A comfortable away win at Epsom followed and left the side brimming with confidence. It needed all of this, and considerable resilience, to snatch a draw at Sevenoaks. For the first ten minutes or so against Brentwood we hardly touched the ball, but the second half fight-back marked the pinnacle of the whole term's play. Only a good team wins when not at its best and this was the case against Tonbridge, a match dominated from mid-field by Charlie Johnston and enlivened by a couple of neatly taken second-half goals, and one direct from a corner, with Jack Spencer bending it just like Beckham - but with his left foot!

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Most of the squad have at least another year at school and it would come as no surprise to find some of the players involved in the 2nd XI next year, with one or two competing for places in the 1st XI in the following one. The enthusiasm of the whole group has been infectious and there is no doubt that King's soccer will continue to be in great shape as long as the level of commitment remains as high as it has been this year. CJRJ/JCT

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Top - 4th XI

138

Team from: Stavros Stratos (Captain}, Charles Johnston (ViceCaptain}, Luke Arnold, Nicholas Balmforth, Felix Cohen, Harry Coombe, Henry Fincham, James Fox, Mustafa Hamza, Alexander Hatt, Alexander Kim, Renwick McAslan, Eesa Mohammed, Jack Spencer, Oliver Tennant. Also played: lnioluwa Atoyebi, Thomas Cook, Abdui-Lateef Folawiyo, Will iam Jennings, Julien Seillier. Results Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Aga inst

v Dulwich

(A) Lost 0- 1

v KCS Wimbledon

(A) Drew 1- 1

v Colfe's

(H) Lost 1-4

v Brighton College

(H) Won 1-0

v Epsom

(A) Won 4- 1

v Sevenoaks

(A) Drew 1- 1

v Brentwood

(H) Won 3-2

v Tonbridge

(H) Won 3-0

5th XI The 5th team had a lot of fun this season, although not a lot of success. The high point was on a windy Saturday afternoon at Ton bridge. A thrilling first half, ful l of ski ll and poise was consummated by Tom Cook who received the ba ll and, at about twenty-five yards, blasted it into th e back of the net. Unfortunately, this was our only goal of the game, which we lost, incidentally, 5-1. Indeed, it was our only goal of the season. This stinging truth oug ht not, however, to detract from the effort on disp lay in every match. Finnian Nainby-Luxmoore was our very ab le captain who marshal led the troops and was the rock of the midfield. Tom Cook was our star man whose skil l and talent shone in each match; Matthew Swaffer, Robin Sharp, Jack Withrington and Duncan Thompson did all of the work in defence, whilst Harry Quested, Michael Lung and Mark Thomas were our midfield maestros. Rohan Premnath headed the attack with occasiona l support from Will Jennings and Nick Balmforth, the latter going on to star for the fabu lous 4th XI. James Munro had an unenviable task in goal and did admirably in circumstances of extreme adversity.

Some of the matches were certainly closer than their awful scorelines suggested, but it was, without doubt, an entertaining season f or the Sths. Results v Dulwich

Lost 0 - 11

v KCS Wimbledon

Lost 0- 4

v Sevenoaks

Lost 0- 8

v Tonbridge

Lost 1 - 5

Fencing A visit to the fencing club would show a happy, focused and committed club, buzzing with enthusiastic, ski lied fencers duelling in all three weapons (the epee, foil and sabre). The building with its new floor and interactive whit eboard has added a new dimension to fencing practices and the fencers are responding with a host of excellent achievements. Perhaps the most notable individual being that of Thomas Mulvaney (MO) who fenced with much determination, agility and

1. tor. Sea n Harbison, Kosi lomsuri, Tom Chung, Thomas Mulvaney. Oliver Ma ugha n

accuracy in a host of competitions. This led to his selection to fence for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Scotland. In Italy, he achieved a very encouraging 38th in, arguably, one of the strongest European cadetcompetitions. However, he needs to remain 'on his toes' as there are a number of other keen and commited fencers in the club close on his heels!

It is a young cl ub wi th only a few senior fencers present, but t hat has not stopped us from gaini ng a number of excellent competition results from a range of fen cers and across the weapon s. Oliver Maug han (CY) achieved 2nd and Thomas Chung (TR) 3rd in th e Arn old Epee competition in Blackpool, whil st in the Ken t County Fencing Cham pionships we had a nea r clean-

sweep in the Under 16 Boys with Oliver winning the competition, Tom Chung 3rd, Sean Yates (TR) 5th, Sean Harbison (CY) 6th and Justin Yu (GR) 7th. Annabel Church (MR) was our sole entrant in the Under 16 Girls Sabre which she won. At the 2006 Public Schools' Fencing Championship, Annabel won 3rd in the girls' Mount- Haes Sabre and Thomas Chung 3rd in the boys' Junior Epee with nearly 200 entries. Thomas Mulvaney came 6th in the boys' Junior Epee and Kasi lamsuri (GR) 7th in the boys' Mount-Haes Epee. This competition, however, is also about all who fence - be they seasoned campaigners to relative newcomersand it is testament to the commitment of our fencers that we put up an impressive team with over half of the fencing club competing on the first day. This year has also seen the reestablishment of inter-school matches. We have recently fenced both Tonbridge and King's Rochester. Both were splendid, friendly but competitive encounters and I am delighted to report that we came out victorious on each occasion. All-in-all, it has been a most encouraging term and I would like to thank all who have been involved

I. tor. Rebecca Williams and Clore Wa ke li ng

140

from Mr Winrow-Campbell, Jamie Mi ller, Mr Powell and Senora GarcesRamon to all of the fencers.

credit for a com plete teamperformance throug hou t t he weekend.

I would also like to make mention of Christie Waddington who left last year. She was selected to fence epee for Scotland at the Junior Commonwealth Championships. It was held in India and Christie won both the Individual Gold medal and the Team medal. This was an absolutely tremendous result and we all send her congratulations. SJW-C

The season got off to a fairly rocky start with a solid victory over riva ls Ha ileybury, before the gi rls lost a toug h and dispirited mat ch to an experienced Beckenham Club team. At this stage in the season, the girls were not ready to play wi th confidence and ta ke the risks necessary to bea t more dominant teams. They took on a feisty Walthamstow Ha ll t eam for their third match of the term, and, with a grit ty and dete rmined 2nd-half perfo rma nce, were able win a tigh t 7-5 game.

Lacro ss e 1st XII This season was easily the most successful in the history of the King's lacrosse programme for the 1st XI I. This group of girls had a very high base skill-level to start the season, but it wa s their passion and commitment to the sport tha t allowed them to develop quickly into one of the best teams in the country. The team earned the respect of the top schools in the nation with a 1st place finish in Division II at the National Schools' Tournament. This was a landmark victory and the girls deserve an enormous amount of

The team was led all season by a very experienced and skilled group of 6as, in particular, Captain and Most Valuable Player Olenka Hamilton and Vice-Captains Alex Carruthers and Sophia Gerth. Olenka and Alex were outstanding forces in t he midfield, dom inating the pitch and pressuring opposi tion defence wi th quick passing, great field sense, and superb stickwork. Both gi rls were selected for the Kent U19A t eam, as wel l as t he Junior East squad, a welldeserved honour. Together t hey combined for over 150 goals over the course of the Au tumn and Len t

Terms; they are tru ly irreplaceable players and leaders, and have forever left their mark on t he King's Lacrosse programme. Sophia also played all season at a consistently high standard as goalkeeper, her quick feet and hands gaining her a position once again on the Kent U19B team. The greatest moments of the season were gai ned at the Nationa ls Schools' Tournament. After a frustrating fi rst day of play landed the girls in Division II, the team entered Sunday with a true sense of pride and determination. The girls played with heart, aggression and teamwork, beating out their opposition to every ball and domi nating the pitch without fear. In the backfield , Sophia Gerth and Emma King provided stability and countless crucial saves, holding the defence together throughout the weekend. The heart of the team all season lay in the gritty defensive work of Elsa Butrous, Harriet Pritchard, Yo Oshima, and Tori Bartley, all first-time 1st XII members, with leadership, anticipation and solid stickwork from Kent U19A selection and next year's Vice Captain Fiona Stuart. This highly coachable group intimidated opposition with their mastery of fundamentals, and took pressure off of the King 's midfield and attack. All five girls shone in the Nationals Tournament and quickly gained the respect of the opposition. Every opposing team that faced the King's 1st XII at the Nationals Tournament was simply in awe of our core of midfielders. Alex and Olenka raised their game to new heights as the competition increased, while Kent U19A and Junior East Reserve Kitty Synge and Kent U19 B player Rosie Guest showed themselves to be the future leaders of the 1st XII. Kitty moved with ease in and out of defenders, led the settled attack, and took her highly developed field-sense to new levels, anticipating every play before it happened. Rosie earned herself the position of Captain of next year's team through her vocal leadership, hard work, and mastery of the midfield.

The team also received significant contributions from attacker and Most Improved Player Ellie Hi ll, who moved up from the 2nd XII to become a 1st XII starting player, as well as Alex Holt, Lucy Ellwood, Mo Loughman, and Kent U19B selection Helen Streeter, who the team will look to to lead the attack next year. The team will also miss the fiery tactics and aggressive play of Lucy Thompson, whose determination on the pitch is simply unmatched. I am proud to have coached this remarkable group of young women, and will never forget or undervalue their commitment to the sport and to each other. Together, the girls have made a name for King's in the lacrosse world, and must be prepared to face new and higher levels of competition in the year to come. Each player gained the confidence to become proud athletes, and has every reason to hold her head up high. Well done on an outstanding season ! Sonya Behnke (Coach)

5-Aside Indoor Tournament

...--

v Cranbrook

Won 8-3

v Benenden

Lost 1- 2

v Bedgebury

Won 8-1

v Walthamstow Hall Lost 4- 10 National Schools' Tournament v Stowe School 1st XII

Won 3-2

v Bedgebury 1st XII

Won 3-0

v St. George's 1st XII

Lost 1-2

v North London Collegiate 1st XII Won 2-1 v Downe House 1st XII

Lost 0- 1

v Malvern Girls' College 1st XII Lost 1-2 v Westonbirt School

Won 2-1

v Walthamstow Hall 1st XII Drew 1-1 v Queen Margaret's School 1st XII Lost 0-3 v St Mary's Caine 1st XII Won 1-0

Team : Lucy Ellwood, Alex Holt, Kitty Synge, Rosie Guest, Eleanor Hill, Harriet Pritchard, Fiona Stuart, Yoshino Oshima, Helen Streeter, Morwenna Loughman, Victoria Bartley, Emma King, Sophia Gerth (Vice-Ca ptain), Olenka Hamilton (Captain), Elsa Butrous, Alex Carruthers (Vice-Captain), Lucy Thompson Resul ts Played

Won

Lost

v Haileybury 1st XII

Won 3-1

v Stowe School 1st XII (Semi-final) Won 2-1 v Walthamstow Hall 1st XII (Final) Drew 1-1 Kent Schools' U19/U16 Tournament v Cranbrook U19

Won 5-0

v Benenden U19B

Won 5- 1

v Benenden U19C

Won 3- 1

v Benenden U19C (semi-final) Won 3- 1 Won 11 -7

v Benenden U19B (Final) Lost 1-3

v Beckenham Ladies' Club Lost 8-10

2nd XII

v Walthamstow Hall 1st XII Won 7-5 v Caterham U19

Won 14- 1

v Haileybury 1st XII

Lost 3- 4

v Princess Helena's College 1st XII Won 11 -3

Won 2-0

v Walthamstow Hall 1st XII Lost 1-2

Results v Haileybury 1st XII

v Godolphin 1st XII

The 2nd team improved tremendously over the course of the season by sharpening their stick skills and working bet ter together as a team, despite several match cancellations. The highlight of the season was a 31 victory against Benenden's U15As, a team that the 2nds had lost to

141

been a priceless midfielder, playing a number of matches for the 1st XII.

earlier in the season, at t he King's U19 tournamen t. The team was led by Capta in Fiona Levey who confidently anchored the defence and vice-capta in Alicia Van Collie who successful ly played on the pitch wherever her t ea m needed her skilful play. Leading scorer Clare Wakeling led the attack along with Rebecca Wi lliams and Annabel Madewell , while centre Laura Boeckeler led the midfield with her excellent endurance and aggressive play. Hannah Gold and Rosie Iron were al so major defensive assets, workin g tirelessly to protect goalie Clare Pargeter. Many 2nd team members have taken their game to a higher standard that will make them viable candidates for 1st XII team spots next year. Katharine Needham (Coach) With a new coach arriving at the beginning of the season, and a virtually new 2nd XII, it was a slow start for the team this year. But t hanks to our Coach, Miss Needham, who has taught us so much and helped us through losses as well as victories, and also the team effort we all put in, we had great successes against Haileybury and Walthamstow Hall. This season has been one of the best th e 2nd XII has ever had. Despite the fact that the team was constantly changing, we managed to win many tou gh matches against good teams thanks to a great enthusiasm and commitment to the sport by all players. Top - Fiona Stuar t and Emma King

142

The attack has made such improvement this season, especially on our settled attack, which showed in our final game against Haileybury. Sirin Kamalvand and Becky Wingrad have both worked hard as attackers and enjoyed their second year on the team. Jenna Sung has cont inued to get better and has begun to master her left-hand stickwork. Melissa Dear, new to the sport, has become a very strong attacker, and has come on in leaps and bounds this season. Cara Chapman worked especial ly hard and has improved to become one of the strongest members of the team, and Annie Madewell was our second leading scorer and did tremendous work on attack all season. Vice Captain Alicia Van Coillie moved from attack to defence thi s year, and has been vital in maintaining the team spirit ; even despite a persistent inj ury she battled since January.

The defence has become very strong thanks to a superb, enthusiastic group of people. Morgan Newhoff and Alice Gerth were new additions to the team this Lent term, but thanks to their hard work they fit in naturally as if they'd been playing for years. The star of th e straigh t defence th is year has been Alice Huntrods who improved to become one of the best defenders on all of the senior teams this year. Our goalkeeper, Claire Pargeter, was new to the sport this year, but did fantastic work all season and was a major factor in our success. Fiona Levey (BY) Team from: Alice Gerth, Claire Pargeter, Melissa Dear, Hannah Gold, Al ice Huntrods, Annabel Madewell, Rosie Iron, Rebecca Wi lliams, Laura Boeckeler, Jenna Sung, Clare Wakeling, Rebecca Wing rad, Cara Chapman, Sirin Kamalvand, Fiona Levey (Capta in), Morgan Newhoff Played

Won

Lost

Results v Haileybury 2nd XII

Won 7-2

v Benenden U15C

Lost 1-3

v Walthamstow Hall 2nd XII Lost 2- 5 v Haileybury 2nd XII

The midfield this year was exceptional. With Laura Boeckeler stepping in at centre, we continually won the centre draws, and her enthusiasm and commitment to the sport never fa ltered. She was backed up by attack midfield , including Hannah Gold whose dedication was as strong as her play. The best teamwork this year has come from Cla re Wakeling and Rebecca Williams, our two attack-wings, who were st ro ng enough to chal lenge even t he 1st XII with th eir play. Clare fin ished the season as the team's leading scorer and team Most Valuable Player. Rosie Iron has also

Won 5-3

Kent Schools' U19/U1 6 Tournament v Benenden U15C

Won 3- 1

v Cranbrook U16

Lost 1-8

v King's U15

Lost 1-3

v Benenden U15A

Won 2-0

v Benenden U15A (Semi- fi nal) Lost 1-2 v King's U15 (3rd/4th place play-off)

Won 2-0

U15 XII This term set an outstanding standard of lacrosse for the King's U15 team, with 4 out of 5 Saturday matches resulting in victories. This was a small, but close-knit group of players with a strong desire to win and improve. The coaching staff were continually impressed with the squad's interest in learning new skills and challen ging themselves. The team was full of players who led in different ways, but the strongest leadership came from Captain and Kent County player Natalie Denton, and 2nd year player Camilla Corbett. These two girls have a real passion for the sport, and always motivated their team-mates to work harder, setting an example with their own play. Natalie led the defence with a strong voice and an aggressive stick, while Camilla became a reliable attacker who anticipated play well. In the midfield, Georgina Mair was an unstoppable force all season. Her improvement in catching and ground-ball pick-ups, coupled with her phenomenal speed, made her near impossible for the opposition to cover. Laura Knight complemented the midfield well, and added great field sense, and a speedy shot to the attack. The defence was aided by the continuously improving efforts of Brighde Nainby-Lu xmoore, Kirsty MacSween, and Anna Herdman, who were fea rl ess and consistent on their end of the pitch. Jo Zhou and Kitty Vaughan added experience and superb cradling to the straight attack, and were able to sneak through many opposi tion defences. The girls were extraordinarily successful in their matches, and will certainly be ready to face the challenges of entering the senior bracket next year. The girls should be particularly proud of their wins over some very tough Benenden and Walthamstow Hall sides, as they serve as a landmark of what rem arkable improveme nt they have made. Many thanks must once again go to Buffy Smiley and Pat Hayns fo r

bringing the girls along so well in skill and spirit. This is a very strong year group who will continue to bring great spark and talent to the King's lacrosse programme. Sonya Behnke (Coach) Team from : Tongkwai Lu lin, Camilla Corbett, Natalie Denton (Captain), Anna Herdman , Laura Knight, Brighde Nainby-Luxmoore, Jane Smedley, Joanne Zhou, Georgina Mair, Em ily Groves, Eliza Baker, Kirsty MacSween, Kitty Vaughan Results Played

Won

Lost v Dulwich Prep

Lost 5-4

v Walthamstow Hall U14 Won 5-1 v Benenden U15C

Won 3-2

v King's U14

Won 8-3

v Bedgebury U15

Won 8-2

Kent Schools' U1 9/U16 Tournament v Cranbrook U16

Lost 0-6

v Benenden U15C

Won 3-0

v Benenden U15A

Lost 1-3

v King's 2nd XII

Won 3- 1

v Cranbrook (semi-final)

Lost 1-5

v King's U15 (3rd/4th place play-off)

Lost 0-2

U14 XI I This year's U14 squad consisted of a special group of girls high in enthusiasm and athleticism. The majority of the team was entirely new to the sport, and their progress as individua ls and as a team were remarkably fast and comprehensive. The girls were led in spirit and play by Captain Frankie Malpas, who emerged as one of the top attackers among all Kent U14 teams. She was organised, motivated, and remained a fine exa mple with her stickwork, team play, and excellent field-sense.

The team improvement was most evident in the girls' play during the Kent U14 tournament, in which the squad beat the Benenden U14B team and tied Cranbrook in an exciting match. When they began the season, many of the players were timid and unsure of their stick ski lls; the Kent tournament showed a new and improved group of aggressive and confident lacrosse players who were ready to challenge and beat anyone they faced. Credit must go not only to the girls, but to the amazing and reliable expertise of coaches Buffy Smiley and Pat Haynes, who not only taught the girls the sport, but always ensured that practice was fun and productive. Catharine Banks and Emi Eldridge stepped up and did some wonderful work in goal throughout the season. The defence was anchored by the efforts of Millie Jesse!, an aggressive player with natural stick-skills and defensive sense. Belinda Dear, Lucy Baker-White, and Lucy Iron also made significant contributions on the defensive end, all improving tremendously throughou t the season. In the midfield, Miranda Berliand became a consistent force at centre, while the field sense and superb catches from Thea Flindall got the ball up to the attacking end time and again. Jess Stanion also added a strong element of speed and ski ll to the midfie ld. Jess Burley and Fra nkie Malpas were the most goal-hungry players on the team, and worked to become effic ient and effective attackers. The drastic improvement shown by this group, and their commitment to each other and the sport, bodes very well for the future of lacrosse at King's. These girls certainly have the potential to become a strong and talented group in years to come, and we look forward to watching their progress. Well done, girls! Sonya Behnke (Coach) Team from: Lucy Baker-White, Miranda Berli and, Jessica Burl ey, Belinda Dear, Emi Eldridge, Thea Flindall, Lucy Iron, Francesca Malpas (Captain), Jessica Stanion, Jessica

143

Wingrad, Anna Suzuki, Hasini Senasinghe, Yeshel Park, Camilla Jessel, Catharine Banks, Genni Wetherell Played

Won

Lost

Results v Dulwich Prep

Lost 5-4

v Walthamstow Hall U14 Won 5-1 v Benenden U14C

Won 5-1

v King's U15

Lost 8-3

v Bedgebury U14

Lost 5- 10

Kent U14 Tournament v Benenden U14B

Won 5-1

v Benenden U14A

Lost 4-1

v Cranbrook U14

Drew 3-3

v Walthamstow Hall U14 Lost 3-1 v Bedgebury U14

Lost 5- 4

Ru gby Sevens With preparation limited to erratically attended Activity sessions and a couple of hours in the Recreation Centre, and with freezing conditions making a farce of the opposed practice session at Canterbury RFC, it was evident that the sevens season was going to be a learning process in itself. Overall, when it came along, we performed reasonably satisfactorily, and mostly to our potential; what we learnt about ourselves suggested that if we were playing in weight divisions rather than age groups, we could be confident about our prospects of beating anyone. The first matches at the Kent Sevens proved this quite eloquently. We ran in five tries in our opening match against Rochester Maths and even when the rain came down we outmanoeuvred larger Sevenoaks and Judd sides for deserved victories. In the semi-final, however, we faced a skilled and very much bigger Skinners combi nation and yielded possession

144

too easily. A three-try deficit at half time was impossible to overhau l. The Surrey competition is always a big step up in standard, yet we began well. We were composed against a large, but fortunately less than speedy Windsor Boys' outfit and eased to victory. After an uncomfortable first few minutes against Tiffin and going behind, we regained our composure and ran in some fine tries. However, this composure was shot through by a very big, strong and athletic Whitgift seven, who never let us settle on the ball and exposed frailties in the tackle to rack up some easy points. This was disappointing, but we had the opportunity to put things right at the Rosslyn Park event. Our opening fixture against Downside was a classic first round on a freezing, windy day. Despite a high errorcount, and twice going behind, we seemed to have rescued the game ; by scoring our two tries under the posts we led by t wo conversions. Sadly, some inept defending allowed them into the corner in the final movement of the game for a victory by a single point. St. Dunstan's, our next opponents, lured us into a very shapeless game but our skills and pace were too much for them as we overwhelmed them. Unfortunately, that was our best performance of the day. In the final two games, against Corfe Hills and a very polished Framlingham (who had enjoyed an unbeaten fif teens season), we literally went backwards and as injuries accrued, which definitely affected the score-line in the fina l match, we were left with little to enjoy as consola tion.

that others did not always read his subtleties. Charlie Harvey had as good an awareness as anyone of how to play the game and adapted well to a variety of positions. We had noticeably more shape when he was on the field. Paul Dixey led with passion, determination and ski ll. He too had an eye for the gap and tackled well above his weight, often poaching the ba ll fro m larger players. In Olu Adeosu n we had a finisher and sweeper of the highest order; he needed very little room to get away with ball in hand and when defending was beaten but once in all games. He was far and away our leading try scorer. It was in searching beyond these four, however, for the elusive blend that makes an outstanding seven that we fe ll a little short. We cou ld do nothing about being outsized but basic skills sometimes let us down and we lacked urgency. As I write this, immediately after our exit on day one of the national sevens, I think of the current state of the England XV. Clive Woodward wanted the nationa l side shaken out of the notion that all was fine if we beat the home nations and lost honourably to southern-hemisphere sides. Having challenged that belief and subsequently having won the World Cup, England should never again accept mediocrity. It is not too harsh to say that a side that has won the National Schools' title in the not too distant past, as King's has, shou ld not accept early exits in sevens competitions. Rathe r than f ind excuses, maybe next year we can focus rea lly ha rd early on as a whole squad on what needs to be done? RCW

It was a pity that the short season had to end this way, for there had been some pretty good quality rugby en route. One could not fault the whole squad for effort and everyone had qualities which gave something to the squad. However, at the risk of being invidious, certain key people deserve mention. Tunji Lawson was the chief playmaker and was always trying to open up gaps for others and occasionally he would sneak in for a try of his own. It was a pity

Team from: 0. Adeosun, A. Clarke, D. Collingwood, P. Dixey, C. Harvey, L. Holdren, N. lmasekha, A. Lawson, L. MacLehose, R. Noades, V. O'Donoghue, F. Roberts, A. Hatt, J. Plimsoll

Results Kent Schools' Sevens v Rochester Maths

Won 33 - 0

v Sevenoaks

Won 19 - 7

v Judd

Won 19- 10

{Semi-final}

v Skinners

Lost 7- 22

Surrey Schools' Sevens v Windsor Boys' Schools Won 26-0 v Tiffin

Won 38- 7

v Whitgift

Lost 0- 47

Rosslyn Park Nati onal Schools' Sevens v Downside

Lost 14- 15

v St. Dunstan's

Won 39-0

v Corfe Hi lls

Lost 7- 27

v Framlingham

Lost 0- 54

Total matches: Won 6, Lost 5, Points For 202, Points Against 189

Boys competition; and Senior Cups went t o Walpole and Grange. The overall victors were Walpole and Trad. Competitive Cross-Country kicked off with the annual Knole run, in which the boys recorded their best result of recent years (19th out of 33 teams) and Lawrence Percival ran an inspired race to fin ish 39th of 281 runners. Tom Marnham showed the beginnings of a steady rise to fo rm (45th), Ali Clark gave arguably his best performance of the season (129th). Josh Freemont was not phased by the distance or the company (142nd). Tristan Hambleton was solid (182nd) and Ritchie Gardiner dependable (193rd). Captain Eliot Jenkins found himself surplus to requirements in 203rd, but provided vital insurance. In the Girls Knole, the loss days earlier of captain Anna Brown to a season-long injury was cruelly felt. Some morale was restored, however, by Chloe who began her super season with a tenth place, and Lottie Manicom, who was shortly to assume the role of acting captain, and ran powerfully to fin ish 35th.

Cross-Country Held over from the Michaelmas Term, the Inter-House competition was contested by 89% of the school on a cold but dry Thursday in mid-January, as 20 examinees fretted over their AS Mathematics module, insteps doubtless itching for the thrill of honest sporting endeavour. Winners (over identical distances) were Juniors Josh Freemont (12'17") and Florence Nairac (14'36"), Inter Lawrence Percival (12'06") and Senior Chloe Mitchell (12'55"). Tom Marnham won the longer Senior Boys' race in 17'48", a minute ahead of Tristan Hambleton , who was fol lowed by James Plimsoll. Some time later, a sextet of MO stragglers sauntered over the line as the sun set behind Bell Harry and the Scotty Hills range embrowned itself at the end of a memorable day. MO duly won a Participation Cup for their corporate effort, as did Trad, Harvey and Walpole. MO won the Junior Boys' cup, and Walpole the Junior Girls'; Linacre sealed victory in the Inter

A week later, the Kent Trials at Somerhill Park and the first Kent Schools' League match at King's Rochester clashed, but this did not prevent Lawrence gaining his county place (in 13th) and rushing to Copstone Park for a 2nd place f inish! Tom was our other successful tria list, winning Kent selection by finishing 20th. Josh was less fortunate, setting off powerfully, but falling and being spiked in the temple at the mid-point of a congested race. Lottie was our solitary Senior (35th). and Victoria Havercroft our top Inter (40th), ahead of Florence (42nd) and Chihiro Fukushima (46th). Further League fixtures (our own, hosted at UKC, Dover College, DYRMS and Tonbridge) tested our runners over contrasting terrains and distances, and at the end of it all, top positions in the Senior Girls' and Inter Boys' leagues were worthily occupied by, respectively, Chloe and Lawrence. Tom Marnham was fourth in the Open Boys, and Tri s Hambleton

10th. Overa ll numbers were thinner than in the past, however, and our team standings, apart fro m a splendid second place for the Girls behind a commanding Sevenoaks, were not impressive. There is hope for th e future: amongst the Inters, Jamie Lamb, Robbie Laing and Freddy Carter all fin ished in the top twent y; and for th e gi rls, Florence has t ime to improve on her commendable fifth, and Mia Pri ce emerged as an improving talent. It is also to be hoped that fresh talent may emerge! Captains Eliot and Lottie displayed loyalty, sensitivity and exemplary perseverance, leading by example. I thank them both for their contributions to Cross-Country at Ki ng's. Finally, I would like to record my than ks f or the hard work and inspiring assistance of JC, FZ, MB, ES and SPO. Keep on run ning! DJF Junior House Basketball During the Lent term the j unior house basketba ll event took place. Wednesday evening in the Rec Centre turned int o Madison Square Gardens for 30 minutes. All houses took part in what, for some, became the high light of the term. One of t he most exciting games the crowd saw was Grange inflicting a t wo-ni l annihilation upon Linacre! Improving the standard of shooting is def initely something the PE department needs to work on. The fina l saw School House (the defending champions) lock horns with Galpin's. The Mint Yard derby was a one-sided affair in the first half, with School House easing away. An inspired team-talk by Mr Hutch ings saw Galpin's make a courageous come back in the second half; however School House secured the title with six late unanswered po ints. Andrew Lawrence and John Chen stood out as the t wo best playe rs on show. Congratulations to School House on their defence of th e Junior House basketball cup.

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Sport (Summer) Boat Club Report When I joined the School four years ago, on my first day's coaching I met Alex Scott. Since coaching him in the Removes, he has been the stroke for the first eight for the last three years and has been captain of the 05/06 season. His task as captain has not been easy, as there has only been one other 6a in the crew this year, lskander Galbraith, our cox. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Alex for all the hard work, enthusiasm and energy that he has thrown in to being captain. He has been very open about his feelings and because of his ability to mediate, the boys' senior squad has made great progress this year. When I was asked if I would coach the top squad last summer, the obvious answer was yes, but I had committed to coaching the 3rd Et 4th XV rugby during the Autumn term. All I could do with them was implement ergos on a Monday evening and lead by example and sit through the hours with them, leaving the rest of the training to the usua I trusty stalwarts. Wha t greeted me in early January was a

young and relatively inexperienced group of boys who were very keen and hoping to do well that year. As I explained to them after the first outing, they would be coming from a low base and would with ever-quickening pace make their way up through the ranks. And so it proved, at the first event of the season at Hampton Head we were soundly beaten by all of the first crews and many of the second crews. With such a young crew we concentrat ed during the first half of the term on technique- catch, finish and then everything in between - carefully building up the rating to create a solid platform. At subsequent races we underrated almost all of the crews, but race by race we started to beat more and more crews through technique, to which we could then add the power and endurance. So by the Schools' Head of the River race we gained nearly twenty places on the year before, beating crews that had beaten us at Hampton. Now for a month there was a lull. Training camps can be an odd time of the training calendar, but I was determined that all should go well. On the first evening, once the boats had been put together and the girls had gone back to the hotel, we had our first outing to blow

away the cobwebs. If this wasn't proof of our intent, t he next day the boys did thei r first 2K test, were weig hed and told that improvement, especially in the power to weight ratio department was expected. We had a good time training on our own and with the University of Bournemouth, which did us a lot of good. The summer regatta season sta rted with the crew lea rn ing quickly to overcome their nerves in close side-by-side racing. We did well at some of the minor regattas - Hampton and Thames Ditton and we had some luck at Ghent, where most of the competitors failed to turn up to the morning qualifiers. By fa r and away our best race was in the semi- fi nal of the National Schools' competit ion. On a breezy afternoon, lined up aga inst crews we had not beaten before they pulled out a storming race, which showed experience, cohesion and technique, taking us throug h to the fina l. In the end we finished fourth, a very pleasing result and evidence of t he great progress made by the pupil s.

The prog ress does not stop there thoug h. Many of t he pupils that will be back next year have promised that they will get

themselves sorted out and join rowing clubs over the summer, hopefully to experience some men's rowing and pick up better technique and more experience, but hopefully not their phra se books. We also aim to have at least four of the boys off to GB trials next term and we start with more pupils than we have done for some time, so watch this space ... Before I finish writing for another year, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the parents. It is fair to say that a greater percentage of rowing parents turn up regularly to watch t heir offspring move backwards over the water than for any other sport at King's and they are prepared to travel the length of Britain to do so. Their support is greatly appreciated by myself and the pupils (even though they might not say so). I look forward to seeing you all next year. AMcG

more like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, with coach as Grumpy. Numerous sermons should probably have been made about all the ex-rugby injuries which re-occurred ; plus the suspicion that some gave up when they discovered that success migh t involve something like hard work. Oh dear. Still all credit to those who stuck with it when the going got tough.

J15 Squad

So we took four people to the training camp, which was great fun. Whether long-term we should have concentrated on a IV and abandoned an VIII was a question. Leaving three out would be a waste in what is a training year and an VIII is what it's all about. Even if it did mean that the VIII was a bit often a scratch crew. It seemed so at Wallingford and some got depressed as we came in last. Later we found that our time would actually have got us through to the final, had we been put on the other side of the draw! Funny sport, rowing.

It was a challenging and exciting, but rather frustrating season. At the end of the Lent term, the boys confounded all expectations by winning the J15 coxed fours division at the Schools' Head - a long time since we've had one of those pink pennants. But the numbers are the give-away. Where was the VIII? At times it looked

Then there was the call of Ghent, always a great regatta. In Europe they do not row J15s - only J16s - so we borrowed two J1 6s from the Seniors, many thanks, and went for th e J16 class despite being 75% J15. We had a very good race. No medals, but no disgrace, faster than several J16 VIlis, in a very quick time for a J1 5 crew.

The lnter-Regionals were odd bu t fitted th is habit of pretend ing to be J16s. With our stroke man injured (kicking bits of concrete - an old Linacre custom it seems) a Maidstone J15 IV went faster in the selection event (they also knew all those daft local bends). As we'd won the Schools' Head, we were selected after all - but to row in the J16s Division! Rather a challenge. Still they were up to it and came fourth in the Little Final, which was a rea l achievement a year under age. At National Schools we finally got into an all J1 5 VIII. In a brave row into the usual Nottingham wind (what a terrible place it is) they were well up in the first thousand metres, but then ran out of steam after 1500 so didn't get to the final. Fitness counts. Though it was a commendable effort for a crew that had only had six outings before the event! So it's been a promising season - it will be interesting to see how they get on in all these J16 races next year, when they actually are J16s! SJG The crew R. Parks. H. Morgan, 0. Bow-Betrand, C. Ng, E. Fincham, A. Dixey, R. McCarthy, R. Thomas, J. Hendry (Cox).

Top- I. tor. Evon Jones, Croig Sawyer. Joshua Collins, Henri Neuendorf, Teddy Groves. Will Fox. Luke 0 ' Donoghue, Alex Scott, lskander Galbraith

147

Shell Rowing Fifteen Shells began sculling in January. Such was their rate of progress that for the first time King's were able to enter crews in the South East Trials for the Inter-Regional Championships. Two boys coxed quads raced at the trials held in Maidstone. The 'A' crew (bow-Felix Higgins, 2-Rob Stephen, 3-Abishek Singh, str-Ted Fox, cox-Charles Reynolds) and 'B' crew (bow-Eddie Lundy, 2-Daniel Pasztor, 3-0ii Judge, str-Ed Maclachlan, coxJolyon Martin) both raced extremely well in their first competitive outings, but were beaten by a Maidstone crew with the advantage of home water. In the summer the squad grew in size to twenty and the new recruits quickly added even more competition for places. Some intensive seat-racing at the beginning of term resulted in the selection of two boys-coxed quads for the Ghent International Regatta in Belgium and the National Schools' Championship (the highlight of our regatta season). At Ghent the 'A' crew (bow-Daniel Pasztor, 2-Jamie Harris, 3Abishek Singh, str-Felix Higgins, coxCharles Reynolds) narrowly missed winning a medal. Having led for the entire race, but never by more than a canvas, they were rowed through by a Dutch crew in the fi naI strokes, going down by inches. It was deja vu at the National Schools' when the 'A' crew (this time with Ivan Abadjiev instead of Jamie

Harris at 2) were unlucky enough to draw the three eventual medallists in their heat. again going down by inches in the final race of the day. King's crews also raced well at Thames Ditton and Thames Valley Park Regatta, often against far more experienced opponents. The most encouraging performance came from the girls' double (bow-Natasha Gradus, str-Charlotte Mosely) at Thames Valley Park, for whom Charlotte Mosely in particular looks an exciting prospect. In the Inter- House Regatta The Grange came away with the Junior Prize. The star

performer of the day was Ivan Abadjiev, another exciting prospect, who won the Sculling Prize after beating Abishek Singh of School House in a very closely contested final. Iva n, partnered by Oli Judge, then romped home in the final of Junior Doubles. Overall, this squad of Shell scullers is the most talented to come through in a number of years. The strength in depth is considerable and the competition for places in years to come should see them enjoy considerable success. SPH

Above - Bailey House Left - HWB and MPHO Bottom left- RbMi Skippers The Headmaster and HWB Bottom right I. to. r. Stephanie Lloyd and Camilla Wes tlake (WL)

Opposite page top - School House Opposite page bottom- Walpole I. tor. Chihiro Fukushima, Grace 0' Donovan. Stephanie Lloyd, Camillo Westlake

Cricket 1st XI This was a season of promise which began well, but ultimately was a little disappointing in terms of raw statistics. Nonetheless, there was a lot of good cricket played and many matches could have turned our way. A significant pattern developed over the course of the season. We often had exceptional first sessions and found ourselves in strong positions. In our opening game, Felsted chose to bat first on a rather green looking surface and thanks to some rather injudicious strokes, rather than sustained brilliance by our bowlers, found themse lves 87 for 7 at lunch. They rallied a little as the wicket dried, but we had best use of the pitch and cruised to victory, with Paul Dixey to the fore, his ferocious pulls threaten ing the surrounding buildings. The opening against Highgate was very similar, but as we began our run-chase after lunch, the rain which had been threatening all morning descended and brought the match to a premature close. The home match against Colfe's followed much the same pattern and once again we reached the target with some ease. Later in the season, at home against Haileybury, we very nearly reached 200 for 4 before lunch. Dixey, Middleton and Gywer batted with sustained aggression to put us into what seemed like an unassailable position. However, our early assault probably counted against us in the end,

Above- lsi XI Cricket

150

because there was so much time left to get the runs when we declared and a wonderful game of cricket saw us lose almost a mirror image of last year's game away from home. Generally we dominated the early proceedings, whether with bat or ball, but all too often we lacked the resources to finish sides off, the most notable examples being when we had set a target and given ourselves and the opposition plenty of time, as against Sevenoaks and Trinity; we made quick inroads but both sides mounted very good rearguard actions and on each occasion a long stand kept us at bay. There were exceptions to the general pattern - we could not budge the Eastbourne top order, but neither could they score quickly and as a consequence a victory was never likely. Th e Wh itgift pitch was the usual batsman's paradise and both sides tucked in. The last few overs, which saw wickets tumble, lent the

game some late excitement at the end of a baking hot day, but they eased home with an over to spare. The OKS match was another 'run-fest' played in excellent spirits over two days and the Kent Young Cricketers' game provided a tense finale. The reasons for the general trends of the season probably lay in the balance of the team. Our strength undoubtedly lay in our batting. Captain Paul Dixey showed the technique and assuredness of a young professional. In every innings, save Haileybury, where he shot from the traps, he paced his innings, treating every ball on its merits. He was admirably supported over the season by Marcus Gwyer and Sam Middleton in particular, who were models of consistency. Patrick Mitchell came into the side and showed that he is one to watch for the future, whi le Alexander Holmes had a late flourish with two big innings in the final two games. Graham Sweetman also made

contributions but had a frustrating season, giving his wicket away too easily too often. Nonetheless, it was a long time before the lower order batsmen were needed and perhaps their lack of competitive knocks accounted for a couple of low scores. The statistics tell the story of our bowling. George Chilcott was meanness itself, finding a good line and length, probing and winkling out batsmen with his orthodox left-arm spin. What we lacked, in addition to consistently accurate and hostile quicker bowlers, was someone to bowl in tandem with him, and although Will Chilcott, Middleton and Harvey had thei r moments, none was capable of consistently reproducing their best. It was perhaps the case that Henry Simmons was under-bowled, but whatever combinations we tried, we rarely looked like runni ng through a side.

Felsted* 142 all out (Middleton 3- 28); King's 143 for 2 (Dixey 66 not). Won byB wkts -·

Eastbourne 239 for 4 decl.; King's* 146 for 3 (Gwyer 45 not). Drawn Highgate• 122 (Simmons 3- 12, Chilcott G 3- 19, Harvey 3- 24); King's 24 for 0. Drawn- Rain King's* 207 for 4 decl. (Dixey 71, Middleton 51, Gwyer 50 not); Sevenoaks 138 for 8 (Chilcott W 5- 21, Chilcott G 3 - 20). Drawn Colfe's 93 (Chilcott G 4 - 12); King's* 94 for 4 (Middleton 43). Won by 6 wkts. King's" 219 for 2 decl. (Dixey 81 not, Sweetman 63); Trinity 178 for 9 (Chilcott W 3 - 32, Harvey 3 - 60). Drawn King's 223 for 9 (50 overs) (Holmes 82); Whitgift* 225 for 8 (Chilcott G 3 - 37). Lost by 2 wkts King's* 254 (Dixey 54, Gwyer 46, Middleton 43); Haileybury• 257 for 5 (Mitchell 3 - 74) Lost by 5 wkts King's* 178 for 7 decl. (Mitchell90); Westminster School (Adelaide) 121 for 9. Drawn King's 173 (Middleton 84); KCS Wimbledon 174 for 1. Lost by 9 wkts. OKS 198 for 2 deci.(Traill 70 not, Boucher 43, Bruce T 43) and 223 for 1 decl. (Williams A 101, Bruce T 68); King's 188 for 4 decl. (Sweetman 55, Middleton 44) and 237 for 6 (Dixey 75). Won by 4 wkts. King's 270 for 6 (Holmes 104, Gwyer 94); MCC 271 for 5; Lost by 5 wkts King's 202 (Dixey 60, Holmes 58); Kent Youth 194 for 7 (Middleton 5- 62) Drawn.

Our fielding was nearly always tidy, with Paul Dixey's example behind the stumps demanding attention to this aspect of the game. His captaincy was shrewd and inspiring. At the end of this season he has had the distinction of again playing for Kent in a First Class game, winning a county contract and gaining selection for England Under 19. His is an exceptional talent and we are very fortunate and grateful t hat he chose to lead the School in his final year, when he could have played at a higher level. We wish him well as he heads off to Durham University; we hope to read of his exploits in the futu re both there and with the county side and wi ll remember with fondness and pride his outstanding contribution to King's cricket over five years. He has inspired others, the consequence of which is that there is a younger generation of players keen to emulate his achievements. As ever, I should close by thanking Alan Ealham for his coaching, which as always has brought out the best in his charges, the groundsman, Mark Collins, whose pitches are the envy of many and who made Birley's look a picture once more, and the catering staff, who looked after us so well. Thanks too to the army of coaches who looked after the other School sides. RCW Results Won

Drawn

lost

Abandoned

• Home side Batting Dixey Gwyer Middleton Mitchell Holmes Harvey Sweetman

Innings 10 11 12 8 14 7 14

Runs 465 368 387 193 326 94 248

Not Out 3 3 2 1 2 3 1

H.S. 81* 94 84 90 104 37* 63

Average 66.4 46.0 38.7 27.6 27.2 23.6 19.1

Also batted: G. Chilcott: 11, 11, 0, 6, W. Chilcott: 5, 1, 7, 0, R. Premnath: 1, 0, 15", 26 K. Premnath: 4*, 6*, o•, Tennant: 0, 1*, 9", Simmons: 5", 10, 7, Macleod: 7*, 8, Healy: 7 Newman: 6, Thomas: 2

Highest partnerships: 69 Holmes a Gwyer, 3rd wicket v MCC 107 Middleton a Gwyer, 4th wicket v Haileybury 102 Sweetman a Dixey, 2nd wicket v Trinity g7 Gwyer a Harvey, 4th wicket v Eastbourne a4 Middleton a Gwyer, 4th wicket v Sevenoaks a4 Holmes a Dixey, 2nd wicket v Kent Sweetman a Holmes, 1st wicket v Whitgift 80 Bo\'ll!n_g____ Overs Maidens Runs Chilcott G 84.3 24 238 Simmons 47.2 10 142 Chilcott W 61 11 243 --------Middleton 62.2 7 325 ---- -Harvey 89 13 382 Tennant 54.1 8 210 -- --- ------·---Holmes 59 7 269 ------------------------ --····-Mitchell 67.2 3 286 Also bowled: •••••L

premnath K: Katariya: Dixey: premnath R: sweetman: Thomas: Healy:

Wkts Best Avge 4- 12 22 10.8 7 3- 12 20.1 12 5-21 20.2 13 6 - 62 25.0 13 3 - 24 29.4 1 - 12 5 42.0 --------------2-36 44.8 6 5 3 - 74 57.2

---

21 - 1 - 111 - 1 16 - 2 - 53-3 11 .2 - 0-80-1 7.3 - 0- 37 - 1 5- 0- 21 - 1 5 - 0- 37- 0 4- 1 - 22-0

151

Other matches King's A XI" 118 for 9 (35 overs); St. Lawrence 91 (Middleton 4 - 8, Simmons 3 - 10). Won by 27 runs King's A XI" 157 for 5 (30 overs) (Chilcott W 54 not. Dixey 48 not); Common Room XI 159 for 1 (DMT 73 not) Lost by 9 wkts

2nd XI It was quite a slow year for the 2nd XI in 2006. It was a fairly inexperienced side, but they were all full of enthusiasm. Harry Osborne and Dom Collingwood led the side. Will Newman was the pick of the batsmen showing excellent techn ique, however, he struggled to accumulate runs and in the school season did not produce the big scores he wanted. Ali Edmondson batted well throughout the season scoring a good fifty away against Eastbourne. With the ball James Munro bowled with pace and confidence; he was supported well by Som Saran. With many of the players still available for next season we hope to build on this past year and aim to have a better win/loss ratio. RALS Team from: Andrew Clarke, Dominic Collingwood, Alistair Edmondson, James Geidt, Richard Griffiths, Daniel Hurley, Charles Johnston, James Munro, Ryan Noades, William Newman, Harry Osborne, Adam Pickett, Kieran Premnath, Rohan Premnath, Harry Quested, Som Saran, Richard Thomas

James Geidt's wily spin ta king four wickets. We came back to earth playing Eastbourne's under 16A team and were comprehensively outplayed. Against Highgate some tight bowling from Renwick MacAslan and Tim Brown looked like restricti ng the opposition to an achievable total before the ra in set in. In our final game, we found the Sevenoaks bowlers very accurate and struggled to build any momentum. Our 97 runs never looked enough, until Harry Osborne got the ball in his hand and bowled a superb spell of wicket-to-wicket medium pace. The Sevenoaks batsmen had no answer and Harry finished with 8 for 24, all 8 of his victims bowled. A young side should develop further over the coming years and a number will earn promotion to higher teams. It was great to see genuine competition for places, even for away trips, and the group were a pleasure to coach. RPC Team from: Hugh Bird, Oliver Bromfield, Tim Brown, George Christie, James Geidt. Dan Hurley, Charlie Johnston, Renwick McAslan, Rishi Melwani, Ryan Noades, Val O'Donoghue, Harry Osborne, Harry Quested, Leo Scarfe, Benjamin Varian Results Played Won Drew Lost

Results 7

v Felsted lost by 23 runs v Eastbourne lost by 7 wickets

---------

v Sevenoaks won by 3 wickets v Haileybury lost by 8 wickets

----

v Duke of York's lost by 70 runs

3 rd XI The team produced a winning season and were unbeaten aga inst other school's 3rd XIs. The season started well at Felsted, where a 50 from Dan Hurley helped the team to a competitive total and some tight bowling restricted Felsted, with 3rd XI

152

-~ --Âˇ----- -

v Felsted (A) 161-8 Felsted

Won KSC (35 overs) 109 ao

v Eastbourne U16A Lost Eastbourne 210-5 (35 overs) KSC 96 ao v Highgate 69-3

Drew Highgate (24 overs)

v Sevenoaks 97-6 Sevenoaks

Won KSC (35 overs) 47 ao

U15 A XI The season sta rted with a home match, drawn against Felsted, Patrick Mitchell produced a fine performance in taking 3 wickets and being undefeated in scoring 76 not out. Kieran Premnath also ba tted well to reach 49. Felsted took 37 overs to score 177 and King's batted the re maining 33 overs to scoring 174. The first half of term saw a midweek 20-20 tournament. Th e first match was won against Kent College where they were bowled out for 111. King's claimed 3 runouts and the n easily chased this total down wi thin 16 overs with Kieran Premnath (30) and Pa trick Mitchell (23). Our first loss came at the hands of Eastbourne. Rob Stewart batted with good character and hit a massive six over 'cow corner' on his way to 27no and Tom Davey (27) occupied the crease helping King's to a respectable total. However, Eastbourne easily chased this total down with the loss of just three wickets. Against St Lawrence, Will Chilcott scored 102no and Kieran Premnath scored 96.

just 18. Unfortunately the weather caused a disappointing draw against Highgate, although Kieran Premnath batted superbly in scoring 63. Another 20-20 match and another victory with Dover Grammar setting a low total of 35. Jonathan Jones bowled his leg-spinners with great flight and sp in in picking up three wickets. This left batsmen Tom Davey and Jeremy Godden to chase it down, which they did with ease. An excellent first over f rom Ki eran Premnath set Ki ng's on the way to victory against Sevenoaks. Charles Dalton picked up figures of 3 wickets for 9 runs. A top order batting collapse nearly lost the game but Andrew Lawrence (18) and Jeremy Godden batted with authori ty and class in guiding King's home with 47 not out. Anoth er rain interrupted draw against St Edmund's was to follow, but it was a last over loss to Borden Grammar which was a disappointing finale to the first half of term. Kieran Premnath (43) and Patrick Mitchell (27) were once again in amongst the runs. A loss to Trinity College started the second half of term. Poor bowling and Jeremy Godden breaking his finger capped off a bad fielding performance. Charles Dalton (31) played some aggressive shot s in his innings. Ou r final defea t was at the hands of an on -form Whitgift sid e. This was followed with a fine performance against Haileybury where Pranav Saran produced

a grea t spell of bowling and Kieran Premnath (37), Andrew Lawrence (23) and Robert Stewart (37) batted well in seeing King's reach the total of 130. In the final match of the season Duke of York's batted first t o score 109 with Alex Berry being the pick of the bowlers as he picked up a five wicket bag. Opening batsmen Jonathan Brooks and Andrew Lawrence (34) easily set about chasing the total down which they did comfortably. A very enjoyable season was had by all, especially for the two coaches MJTH and TH who had the pleasure of working with a great bunch of you ng men all with their own styl es and approach to the game. Team from: Patrick Mitchell (captain), Andrew Lawrence (vc). Will Chilcott, Kieran Premnath, Tom Davey, Jeremy Godden, Jonathan Brooks, Robert Stewart, Sam Verde, Pranav Sa ran, Jonathan Jones, Charles Dalton, Alex Berry, Max Darroch de Haldevang Resul ts Played

Won

Lost

Drew

v Felsted

v Kent College

v Eastbourne

v St Lawrence

v Highgate

v Dover Grammar v Sevenoaks

w w

v St Edmund's

v Borden Grammar L v Trinity

v Whitgift

v Haileybury

w w

v Duke of York's

U15 B XI The opening game of the season was a nail-biting home game against Felsted. The visitors posted a total of 115 runs and King's made hard work of the run chase, losing 7 wickets before Robert Stewart steered the team to victory with an explosive 41 runs. Th ree more convincing victories followed, all on home turf. Alex Berry's batting and bowling

Top- Sam Verde (VISA XI)

153

showed great promise during this period of the season. He accumulated 108 runs in the three games and managed to take 11 wickets, including a hat trick against Sevenoaks. Alex was snatched up by the As soon after this. The next week we travelled to Croydon to take on Trinity. The match against Trinity was definitely the highlight of the season, a match in which both teams managed to score 150 runs in only 25 overs. Trinity batted first and scored 150 runs in their allotted overs. We got off to a flyer and after an

exciting innings (including 17 fours and 7 singles) from Ryan Hurley, the game was all tied up with one over to spare. The last over saw King 's lose another wicket (run out) without scoring a single run in five balls. The last ball of the match produced a cheeky leg to give King's a famous victory. We were brought down to earth the following week in a crushing defeat against a superior Whitgift. Patrick Gibbs gave our total some respectability with a well played innings of 63 runs. He continued his good run of form into the

next home game against Haileybury. Guy Pengelley won the toss and decided to bat first. Gibbs and Taha Tippu made their way to the middle and returned to the pavilion after a declaration and 202 runs on the board. Gibbs contributed an unbeaten 121 to the opening partnership and Tippu an unbeaten 55. Thanks to good bowling the visitors were dismissed for 131 runs and King's had another great victory in the bag. Th is was a very good season and it was enjoyable to coach this squad of players. We had more than enough bowlers and in most games we could bat al l the way up to number eleven. The boys trained and played with much enthusiasm and good spirit. All the parents involved deserve a special mention as well. Staff and players alike appreciated all the support throughout the season. ES Team from: Guy Pengelley, Jonathan Ross, Patrick Gibbs, Alex Berry, Terry Lee, James Hu rst, Guy Edmund-Jones, Louis Mona han, Max Darroch de Haldevang, James Harman, Taha Tippu, Christian Allen, Ryan Hurley, Andreas Tatt

Played

Won

Lost

154

Top - Cricket at Birley's Bottom- Ryan Hurley (UIS B XI)

Depth in the batting department extended through Mark Healy, Edwin Simmons, Loren Kock and Nick Evans, all of whom contributed with some panache, and would be expected to develop into talented and conspicuous players in due course. We will remember Loren (64) and Nick (28) amassing a superb unbroken stand to wi n the game at Rochester, Loren lifting two huge sixes over midwicket. Mark and Edwin might have hoped for more runs during the season, but both bat with real flair already.

Felsted: Felsted 11 5, King's 11 6-7.

U14 A XI

Won by 3 wickets Eastbourne : King's 176-7, Eastbourne 159. Won by 18 runs Highgate : Highgate 108, King's 109-2. Won by 8 wickets Sevenoaks: Sevenoaks 73, Ki ng's 77-2. Won by 8 wickets

The season involved a different game either side of half term, in that the ea rly matches were played on cold days with slow wickets, but the weather improved markedly to give hot condi tions with faster tracks in June (the real game). As experienced cricketers will recount, a quite different approach is needed for the game in its two forms.

It was in the bowl ing that we could have used a little more bite, the right-arm seam attack needing more variety. Drawn games at Sevenoaks and Haileybury thus escaped us by a whisker. This said, Harry Bugge, Seb Payne, Henry Phillips and Dany Winters contributed usefully, Harry with 4- 12 and Seb 3- 19 against Trinity, and Henry with 3-1 9 at Felsted. Mark Healy started with a useful off-spin, but soon found he could perform well alongside the seamers, taking 4-13 against Highgate and 4-11 at Sevenoaks. I wonder, nevertheless, whether he will revert to spin in time. We were a pace ahead of most teams in having a leg spinner of real class and potential in Rupert Hill, the combina tion of Rupert's flight and Charlie's quick gloves proving very effective. Rupert took 4-8 in the rained-off game at St. Edmund's, and the Chaucer boys had no answer to him as he took 5-8, including a hat trick.

Trinity : Trinity 150, King's 151-6. Won by 4 wickets Whitgift : Whitgift 241-8, King's 159. Lost by 82 runs Haileybury : King's 202-2. Haileybury 71 Won by 131 runsFelsted : Felsted 11 5, King's 116-7. Won by 3 wickets Eastbourne : King's 176-7, Eastbourne 159. Won by 18 runs Highgate : Highgate 108, King's 109-2. Won by 8 wickets Sevenoaks: Sevenoaks 73, King's 77-2. Won by 8 wickets Tri nity : Trinity 150, King's 151 -6. Won by 4 wickets Whitgift : Whitgift 241 -8, King's 159. Lost by 82 runs Haileybury : King's 202-2. Haileybury 71 Won by 131 runs

The team's batting proved resourceful throughout the season. The upper order coped well with early "sticky dogs" where the front foot shots had to prevail - the 200 at Sevenoaks contained one of the best stands I have seen in a Shell game (11 0, between Charl ie Macleod (56) and Edwin Simmons (68)). As the ball began to "com e on", bats beca me "sticks of rhubarb" and deflections were available a truly brave attempt to overha ul t he Haileybury total on a scorching day fell j ust 3 runs short (Haileybury had used many more overs) and Charlie Macl eod gave the display of the season wi th 83 (and this with a badly bruised thumb). dismissed only in the last over having a thrash. Charlie, captain throughout, led from the front, and passed 50 on 4 occasions. With his accomplished keeping, (often opposing coaches would remark about this to me), he is confirmi ng his place as one of the most effective players in the School. At just 14, he tou red Grenada after the School seaso n, acquitting himself ma nfully among and against boys up to fou r years his senior (and occasionally a foot ta ller!). We look forward to him playing a leading role in the first XI next summer.

Th is was a promising and enjoyable season, with a good spread of results. I have to commend the entire A squad for their constant enthusiasm; they were always keen to practise in the nets and on the field, sometimes with impromptu sessions ou tside organised times. Charlie's inspirational leadership was exemplary and they pl ayed for him and for the tea m. Bet ween games, it was apparent that they have taken the game into their blood, following the first class game closely. It was a pleasure to help coach them. DMT Results Played

Won

Drew

-----

Lost ---~------

Rained off Cancelled

-------3

Top - UI S BXI

155

Felsted: Felsted 121-9, Rmg's 122-4. Won by 6 wickets ~---

Eastbourne: King's 187-8 dec, Eastbourne 156-4. Match drawn Chaucer (U14 cup): King's 165-4, Chaucer 47. Won by 118 runs ----

Sevenoaks: King's 202-5, Sevenoaks 85 9. Match drawn -----------

St Edmunds : St Edmunds 92, King's 33-1. Match abandoned - rain King's Rochester (U14 cup) :King's 136

enough for the B's to leave the field with pride intact. Later in the season, Ed Lundy went on to take another useful three at Trinity. The Trinity game was especially pleasing, as our victory involved a solid team performance, especially from Rob Stephen and Theo Bamber. With 48 not out and 33 respectively, they made essential contributions and all helped chase down a respectable total of 153. Theo Bamber also showed, with his better ball, the potential emergence of a very useful all-rounder; he captained the side cred itably on several occasions. TJW

3, Rochester 123-7. Won by 13 runs Played

Won by 50 runs

Won

Whitgift : Whitgift 184-6, King's 94.

Drawn

lost by 90 runs

lost

Rained off

Trinity: King's 146-6, Trinity 96.

--------~

Chislehurst and Sidcup (U14 cup) : King's 145-1, CEtS 67. Won by 78 runs

Haileybury : Haileybury 175, King's 172-4. Match drawn

U14 C XI

Results County Trials at Canterbu ry High: 25 April Eve de Haan: 3rd in the 200m Junior Girls (JG) Emily Groves: 6th in the 100m and 2nd in the 200m Intermediate Girls (IG) Florence Nairac: 2nd in the 800m and 1500m IG Georgie Mair: 3rd in the High Jump IG Jola lluyom ade: 4th in the 200m Intermedia te Boys (IB) Lawrence Percival: 1st in the 1500m IB Alex Carruthers: 2nd in the 100m, 1st in the 400m, 3rd in the Long Jump Senior Girls (SG) Katie Bamber: 3rd in the 100 SG Jessica Lunn: 1st in the 200m and Javelin, 2nd in the Long Jump, 2nd in the Triple Jump SG Victoria Bartley: 1st in the High Jump and Long Jump and Triple Jump SG Tope lmasekha: 1st in the Discus SG Tom Kemp: 1st in the 100m, 200m Senior Boys (SB) Alex Hatt: 2nd in the 200mSB Tom Marnham : 1st in the 400m SB

S.Valence (U14 final) : S.Valence 200-4, King's 103. lost by 97 runs

U14 B XI On the page, the raw statistics of played 8, won 2, lost 6 suggests an unsuccessful season. Certain ly, on the field, basic mistakes allowed the B team players effectively to conspire against themselves. Had more rigorous preparation been possible, the side would have acquired some basic drilling which might have avoided four defeats by narrow margins; Eastbourne (22 runs), Highgate (11 runs). Sevenoaks (three wickets) and Whitgift (24 runs). The team and individual players both have plenty of positives to take into the next season. Routinely, James McAdamStacey was mentioned in dispatches for his steady batting. A top score of 72 against Highgate confirmed his opening potential. He was captain for a few games. Ed maclachlan enjoyed two notout innings in the 30's and arguably won the "entertaining knock of the year award" with a fast and hard-hitting 48 against Eastbourne. Batting well down the order, it wasn't enough to save the game, but combined with a role as keeper in which he took a diving catch down the leg side off the back of the bat, it con firmed an en tertaini ng and idiosyncratic flair. Ed Lundy and Dany Winters left the Eastbourne game with an encouraging four wickets apiece -

156

On the face of it. a rather disappointing season for the U14 C team. It was difficult to establish a set 12 for the season and the team suffered as a unit. Ovenden-Filsell hit the ball very hard 33 against Felsted and 19 against Eastbourne - but lacked the support where needed. Tam Ratchak was promising, with 32 against Trinity, 28 against Whitgist and he is a useful bowler to boot. In the only close game, against Trinity, the team lost by just 18 runs wi th Tam 32 and Tim Cheung 33. This game was almost won after its disastrous start. Lots to work on for next year! DAS/DMT

Athletics We started our season with time trials and team selections during the first week. The weather was kind and we managed to get through with no training sessions having to be cancelled. Our meets were limited as more and more schools in Kent are not participating in athletics. A real pity if one thinks that England is hosting the 2012 Olympic Games. Our athletes must be commended for the ir efforts and congratulated on some good individual resul ts. Lawrence Perciva l was our only athlete to qualify to go to the Kent trials this year. He ran a very good time in the 1500m despite immense hea t during the race. Tom Marnham had an unbeaten season winning all his races during the season.

Achilles Relay meeting in Oxford : 4 May Open boys came 6th in the 4x100m relay and 6th in the 4x400m relay Open girls came 3rd in the 4x100m relay and 4th in the 3x800m relay Boys' meeting at Sevenoaks: 13 May This meet was a highlight for our team. They did very well and there were some good individual resu lts. How can one forget Nowa lmasekha's finish in the 11 0m hurd les? Participating schools were Brighton College, Dulwich, Judd, Sevenoaks and King's. Our star performers on the day were: Joshua Freemont: 1st in the 1500m JB Jamie Harris: 2nd in the Long Jump JB Lawrence Perciva l: 1st in the 1500m and 3rd in the BOOm IB Ben Stratton: 1st in the 800m IB Robin Bridge: 2nd in the 1500m IB James Kent: 2nd in the 200m IB Oliver Lyons: 1st in the 100m and 200m SB Tom Marnham: 1st in the 400m SB Nowa lmasekha: 1st in the Triple Jump, 2nd in the High Jump and 3rd in the 110m hurdles SB Alex Hatt: 2nd in the 110m hurdles SB Stavros Stra tas: 1st in the Discus and 2nd in the Shot Put SB Tristan Hambleton: 2nd in the 800m SB 1st in the 4x400m re

Boys' meeting at Duke of York's Duke of York's

117

King's

St Lawrence

Tom Marnham: 1st in the 400m and BOOm Noha lmasekha: 1st in the Long Jump and High Jump and 2nd in 110m Hurdles Lawrence Percival: 2nd in the 1500m Oliver Lyons: 2nd in the 100m and 200m

Golf This term has again been a success for the King's 1st VI golf team. We now have three players playing off single figures, followed closely by Soravit who is currently playing off 12 and will reach single figures by the end of summer. There were three main targets this term, including The Junior Open, the Smarden Bell and the Kent Championships. The first actual competition of the term was the Junior and Senior putter at Chart Hills where we also hoped to get used to the course for future big tournaments. This competition was basically the school's Stableford championship, open to all members of the school. Here Matt Wells played very well and won the senior putter with 28 points and Tom Yates had a fantastic round winning the junior putter with 32 points. The second golf team event was the Smarden Bell which is a Stableford competition between four schools: King's, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Eastbourne. Our two best players, James Fox and Tom Yates struggled around the course, with a score of 24 and 26. However, Soravit was having a brilliant round, with back-toback bird ies on the 10th and 11th, scoring 26 poin ts at the end of the competition and Matt Wells also had a good day scoring 28 points. Despite this, the match came to a tie with Sevenoaks, with 127 points. The rules of the Smarden Bell state that if there is to be a tie, it should be decided by the scores of the two masters of each school. With luck on our side, Mr. Phillis, King's golf master, outplayed the opposition's master and King's won the Smarden Bell. The second match was against Sutton Valence, played at Chart Hills, the magnificently crafted course designed by Nick Faldo. With everyone on top form, we walked over them with a score of 6-0 with Matt Wells impressively defea ting his opponent 7 and 6.

The third match was against Tonbridge, wh ich was played at our home course, Canterbury GC. Having beaten them earlier in the season, we expected it to be an easy match, with their best player playing off 10. However, as exams had just begun, two out of three of our best players were not able to play. Although that was the case, Matt Wells and Soravit played brilliantly scoring 4 over after 16 holes in foursomes, which easily won us the first pair. However, our second and third pairs did not play up to their standards, with silly mistakes losing them holes easily. The match ended 1-2 to Ton bridge. The fourth match was against Cranleigh School, who come down every year for a series of matches. We played at Princes, with lightning fast greens and dry conditions, with gentle winds blowing in from the sea. Tom Yates outplayed both the Cranleigh best two players, who did not play thei r best. With a score of 77, this was enough to secure the first victory. With the absence of Matt Wells and James Fox, the first pair win was not enough to secure the match victory. The Kent Championships was held the day after the Cranleigh match and with James Fox being absent, we were at a disadvantage. However, Tom Yates scored 77 and Matt Wells with an 83, Soravit sadly was not on his top form and struggled to post a good score. We were also playing against one of the main members of the England boys' golf team indicating the toughness of the opposition. With summer coming up, Tom Yates, James Fox, and Matt Wells are entering many competitions, which should stre ng then their abilities fu rther and we hope to bea t Charterhouse in the first round of HMC foursomes next term. Results Smarden Bell

won

King's v Sutton Valence

6-0

King's v Tonbridge

1-2

King's v Cranleigh

1-2

Boys' Tennis 1st Tea m The standard of ten nis at Ki ng's has been excellent over the four years that I have been at the school and this year provided even more evidence that King's is

amongst the best tennis schools in Kent. For the first IV, it was an extremely successful season winning all the Men's East Kent League matches and being promoted for a second successive year an excellent achievement. Again we reached the semi-final stage of both cup competitions, losing in the Kent Cup to Dartford Grammar, whose team of County players proved too strong for us and were the eventual win ners of the competition. In the Glanvill Cup we were beaten again by St Bede's (East Sussex), having knocked out Eastbourne College and St Edmund's in the earlier rounds. Simon Pound, who played with me in the first pair, was excellent throughout the season and was a key part to the team's success. As a first pair, we couldn't have achieved nearly as much if it wasn't for Simon and I am very grateful for this. His whippy ground strokes troubled many of his opponents and his rocket-like serve allowed me to earn many easy points at the net. Despite his unorthodox style, Simon proved that he was an extremely capable tennis player, who has served the team well over the past three seasons. The team's extremely solid number three, Chris Robinson, must be praised for his sheer determination and competitiveness. A very 'keen' tennis player, Chris could always be relied upon to win his matches and I'm sure he will be bitterly disappointed with his undeserved loss in his singles match in the semi -final of the Kent Cup. His footwork and movement around the court was particularly impressive and some of his reflex volleys reminded me of his astonishing hockey saves. His serve became a major weapon and like many good players, he was able to produce an ace when it mattered. Will Steel has main tained a consistently high standard of tennis throughout the term, proving tha t the first IV had great strength in depth. I'm sure that for many other schools in the county, Will would be playing at a much higher team position. His attitude always seemed so positive and as a result, he was the member of the team who won the most sets. Will was an extremely va luable member of the team and I am very much looking forward to playing with him next year. His service has also improved and this season Will has become confident in his overhead shots. Over the past two seasons, Will and Chris have forged a successful doubles partnership, capable of winning sets that the first pair cou ld not do. For the first VI, it was also a very successful season, being unbeaten

157

against all other schools, with just one loss, against a strong Canterbury LTC men's team. Apart from the four mentioned above, a strong and reliable third pairing was necessary for success. Here we were very fortunate to have Will Pound, Rupert Lee and Fred Miles, who are all very tal ented tennis players. Will deputised on a number of occasions for one of the first four and it is a mark of his versatility that he played well in any pairing. Fred proved to be very consistent with his ground strokes from the back of the court having developed more power this year. Rupert's enthu siasm was infectious and he has begun to curb his instinct to hit every ball with ferocity, by trying to improve his consistency. I have enjoyed playing tennis this year as much as any other year. It has been a very successful term and many thanks go to the team and Mr Anderson, who has not only arranged our many fixtures, but has also acted as a first class chauffeur. Lawrence Holdron (TR) (Captain)

158

Lawrence's report is a comprehensive guide to the season, but he has obviously not mentioned himself. As Captain and No.1 player, Lawrence takes his tennis very seriously and is extremely com petitive. He has had to play some outstanding players th is year with ratings much higher than himself and yet any observer would be pushed to tell who was the higher ranked player. Even amongst our successful first four, Lawrence may be the smallest in stature, but he stands above them all in the quality of his play. His top-spin forehand is a major weapon, forci ng opponents deep behind the baseline and then Lawren ce invariably fin ishes the rally with the deftness of touches, executing his favourite sliced drop volley. Many players in the school could improve their play by copying Lawrence's high kicking second service, which caught many opponents unaware. I thank him for his dedication and commitment and am delighted that he has accepted the captaincy for another year.

I would like to thank: all the players and their parents for their support, especially the Steel family, sweltering in the heat at Herne Bay and Mr and Mrs Holdron's generous supplies of cherries and raspberries at Benenden; the ground staff, Mark. Collins and his team; the catering department especially Kerry for the delicious teas, the envy of many schools; Michael for the minibus and car bookings; my team of coaches namely PT, CJRJ, RPS, JWO and WAGF for all their hard work preparing and accompanying tea ms and finally John Gotke for the emergency restringing service, especially on behalf of Lawrence.

As a team thei r results may not have been as impressive as last year, losing the

A special word of thanks to Mr C. Jackson for all the time he has spent with

Top Back I. to r. Will Pound, Fred M iles, Will Steel, Rupert Lee Front I. tor. Simon Pound, Lawrence Holdron, Chris Robinson

title of Senior Boys' County Champions to Dartford Grammar, but the standard has been much higher. The first two pairings have benefited from playing in the local men's league and that experience contributed to their wins over all our rival schools, incl uding Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Brentwood and Eastbourne. Not a bad playing record in one season!

Boys' Tennis in his many years' service at the school. I took over running Boys' Tennis from Chris in 1990 and everything was extremely well-organised and efficiently run. He has continued his involvement by being i/c of the U16's for the past 16 years and I could always rely on his commitment and astute assessment of potential first team players. I wish him enjoyment in his retirement and on behalf of the hundreds of boys that he has coached, I would like to express our sincere thanks. SEA. The Senior Boys' Inter-House Competition was eventually won by Tradescant beating both Galpin's and Linacre in a three-way final. The team comprised: Lawrence Holdron and Rupert Lee, Tristan Lee and Ed Wilkins, Jack Spencer and Ollie Sandeman-AIIen. Team: Lawrence Holdron (Captain),*Rupert Lee, Fred Miles, Simon Pound* William Pound*, Christopher Robinson*, William Steel*. Results

Under 16 VI

Friend lies v Kent College (A) Won 7-0 v Canterbury Men's LTC (H) Lost 1-8 v Tonbridge School (A) Won 10-2 v Sevenoaks 2nds (A) Won 7- 2 v Walmer LTC (A) Won 8- 1 v Brentwood (H) Won 5-1 -----

mixed v Walmer (A) Won 9-1 3rd VI Team from: C.Ajukwu, D.Ajukwu, T.Cook. H.Dalton, J.Fish, E.Mohammed, J.Sellier.

v Tonbridge

(A) Lost 3-6

v St Edmund's 2nds (A) Won 7-2 v St Lawrence 1sts

(A) Lost 3-6

4th VI Team : M.Gold, G.Mc Swiney, S.Norman, A.Sanne, S.Wasserman-Fry, J.Withrington. v Tonbridge (A) Lost 0- 12

1st IV Played

Won

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

v East Kent League Men's Div 111, v Margate Ill (A) w/o v Herne Bay 11 (H) Won 3-1 v UK Paper (H) Won 3-1 v Herne Bay 11 (A) Won 3-1 BSTA Glanvill Cup, v Angley School (A) Won 5-0 v Eastbourne College (H) Won 5-1

2nd Team This has again been a very successful season. The numbers of matches would have been even greater had rain not meant the cancellation of a few fixtures. The team was ably led by Henry Hird (Linacre). A feature of the team players was their consistency and aggression at the net. Many of the team members will be back next year as 6As. Above all the boys and their coach enjoyed the training sessions and the matches, which were all played in the best of spirits. PT Team: Christopher Barker, Thomas Cook (1 match), Joshua Hill, Henry Hird (captain), Rupert Lee, Alistair Melvin, Frederick Miles, Henry Piechoczek, William Pound

Semi-final v St Bede's B (A) lost 0-6 K STA Senior Boys Competition

Played

v Kent College (H) w/o

Won

v St Edmund's (H) Won 5-1

Lost

Semi-final v Dartford Boys' GS Lost 0-6

Drawn

------

Results

1st VI 7

v Tonbridge School

Drew 6- 6

Won

v Sevenoaks School

Won 8 - 1

v St Edmund's 1st

Won 7 - 2

Sets For

v Sutton Valence 1st

Sets Aga inst

v Brentwood

Team: Joe Bao, Harry Coombe, Tristan Lee, Thomas Macintosh, Walter Miles, Oliver Sandeman-AIIen, Alastai r Seaton, Edward Wilkins. Also played: Frederick Clarke, William Coles, Frederick Iron, Thomas Kelly. Results v Tonbridge (A).

A VI Lost 5-7;

B VI Lost 0-12

v Sevenoaks (A)

Lost 3-6

v Kent College (H).

Drawn 3-3

v Sutton Valence (H)

Won 6-0

U1 5 VI

Played

lost

A keen, reliable and amenable group of players enjoyed the practice sessions, and there was a noticeable improvement in playing standards over the few weeks before the GCSE examinations brought an end to regular practice. With matches against Canterbury LTC and Walmer LTC lost to the weather, the competitive results make only a short list. The A VI came close to beating both Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, but perhaps lacked the killer instinct when it came to the vital points in well-contested sets. Tristan Lee emerged as the outstanding player, showing an impressive range of shots and real penetration with his ground strokes. At their best, both Harry Coombe and Alastair Seaton played to a high standard, and I am sure that they will make further strides next year, if a little more consistency can be added to undoubted technical ability. Joe Bao showed commendable determination and increasing technique and is another who has the capacity to improve considerably. Thomas Macintosh and Edward Wilkins both showed promise and there was plenty of competition to make up the VI after Alastair had to drop out with an elbow injury. I hope that all of those who have played, whether competitively or socially, have enjoyed their participation and I wish them success and fulfilment with their tennis in the years ahead. CJRJ

Won 7 - 2 Won 5 - 1

This year has been one of my most enjoyable years on the tennis courts at King's. This has wholly been due to an excellent bunch of pupils. Every single one of those mentioned genuinely looked forward to the games sessions and matches in which they could expend their pent up energy from the classroom and

159

try their hand at smashing their opponent off the court. This they did, without fail, day in day out. Not once did I hear a moan about the British weather, even when the wind blew up a gale strong enough to make all the nets stand horizontally rather than vertically. Richard Hartland was a wonderful captain. Humble in defeat (although this happened only very rarely), and dogged in both his approach to training and his persistence to improve his game. He has one of the most stylish serves on the circuit, not to mention his backhand, and has been a true asset to the team. He and his partner Robbie Laing were particularly hard to beat as a doubles pair, more often than not owing to Robbie's reach at the net and killer instinct with the volley. Robert Day and William Mitchell were also an awesome doubles unit. William was the hard hitter, straight down the lines, while Robert was always able to find tha t unbelievable angle (especially on his forehand). The most memorable of matches for these two was when they took on their Tutor and Housemaster in a no-holds-barred match one Sunday. It was a close fought game, but age had it in the end (probably for the last time !). Our final pair in the A team consisted of William Porter and Emiliano Lewis, both of whom probably made the most amount of progress throughout the term. William's interesting style seemed to do enough to distract his opponents, and it wasn't uncommon for his serve to go shooting through at the speed of sound for an ace. Emiliano would then coolly walk over to the other side of the court for the next point. Emiliano was indeed a cool player, incredibly determined to do his very best, and always capable of holding long rallies with anyone on the circuit. When both he and William joined forces they made the best 3rd pair in the A team I have seen for four years. Our results were good, but we all felt we deserved to do better. The opposition was tough this year and we did our best to progress up the rounds in both tournaments, but we were pipped at the post on both occasions for getting a place in the finals. As Boris Becker once said, "We didn't lose a war, we just lost a tennis match." We did our best and entertained both ourselves and the crowds. We had a fantastic yea r, and with the support of the Band C team we truly enjoyed ourselves. Every boy was a real pleasure to coach and I can genuinely say that they have all made significant improvement throughout the term. I hope they manage to keep up the playing both throughout the holidays and next year:

160

"Make the effort and walk to the tennis courts, and not to the shops!" RPS

v Tonbridge

(H) Lost 2-7

v Eltham College(A) Lost 0 matches to 6 WAGF

Results Played

Won

Lost

Girls' Tenni s 1st VI

Tournaments British Schools' Tennis Association Kent. Kent Schools' Tennis Association semifina lists. Team: Richard Hartland (Captain), Robbie Laing, Robert Day, William Mitchell, Emiliano Lewis, William Porter. U15 Band CTeam chosen from: Edward Fryzer, Tom Granger, Max Van Coillie, Fred Carter, Charles Williams, Nick Lurie, Ben Saville, John Chen, Henry Ridgway, Joshua White.

U1 4 VI Team: R. Cameron, H. Hamilton, F. Hare, H. Nichol, A. Stephens, N. Hilton Results Played

Won

This has been a fantastic season for the 1st VI. There has been a huge amount of enthusiasm and commitment to training and to matches. The 1st VI were unbeaten in Saturday matches this term, beating both Sevenoaks and Benenden for the first time in a number of seasons. The team unfortunately then went on to lose to Benenden in the semi-finals of the Abedare Cup on a very windy evening. This young team has gained much experience this term and I look forward to next season. Congratulations to both Caroline Lawrence and Sophie Clark on being awarded 1st tennis colours. A big thanks to Jo Moncreiffe, who has done a fantastic job as Club Captain this year. To all the staff who have been involved with tennis this term, thank you very much for all the time that you offered up to coach our girls. SMW Team: Annabel Gray, Anna Storer, Caroline Lawrence, Sophie Clark, Rosie Guest and Annabel Dight

Lost v Sevenoaks ---------···

(A) lost 1-2

-----

--------

v Sutton Valence

(H) Won 5-1

v Tonbridge

(H) Won 5- 1

U14 B Team: J. Pritchard, A. Percival, F. Wilson-Haffenden, N. lawson, G. Berry, N. Berman

Played

Won

lost

~----

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 7-2

v Epsom

(A) Won 6-3

v Benenden

(A) Won 6-3

v St Edmund's

(H) Won 9-0

v Haileybury

(H) Rained off

··-

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

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

Results Played

0 Senior Girls' Kent Schools' Competition Quarter Finals: v Tonbridge

(H)

lost 4-5

U14 C Team: J. Carboni, F. Keeling, D. Batten, N. Swaffer, S. Cohen, J. Mulvaney

St Edmund's Semi Finals: Queen Elizabeth

Results

Abedare Cup Quarter Finals:

(A) Won 6 - 0

St Edmund's

(A) lost W/0

--(A) Won 6-0

Semi-Finals Benenden

(A) Lost 2- 4

Above- Anna Ventress Left- Daisy Casement

161

2nd/3rd/4th Teams

U1 5

U15A IV Results:

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 five. The 3rd VI was unbeaten this season, even beating the Duke Of York's 1st VI. The highlight for both 3rd and 4th VI's, was victories against Sevenoa ks and Benen den. The depth of our tennis is promising. Well done! SMW

The U15 IV have done very well this term, they were win ners of the Nestle year 10 and under A league and Mia Price and Charlotte Bowman won the annual Bedgebury tournament. The highlight of the term was the triangular final of the Nestle Competition in which our girls acquitted t hemselves extremely well, playing against County players. Many of the girls had the opportunity to play matches th roughout the term and they have done so with enthusiasm and commitment. Thanks must go to Sarah Richardson for her help in coaching and running the U15 age group. SMW

Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition

2nd VI Results: Played

Won

Lost

U1 5 overa ll result s: Played

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 6- 3

Won

v Epsom

(A) Won 6-3

lost

v Benenden

(A) lost 1-7

v Kent College 1st

(H) Won 6-3

v Cranbrook 1st

(H) Won 6-3

v Sevenoaks B

(H) lost 3-6

v Epsom 3rd VI Results: Played

Won

l ost

v Sevenoaks

(A) Won 7-2

v Benenden

(A) Won 5-4

(A) Won 7-2 -----------·---·

v Epsom

v Duke of York's 1st

(H) Won 6-3

4t h VI Results: 2

Won

l ost

v Dover College 1st

(H) Won 9-0

v Benenden

(A) Won 6-3

(H) Won 6-3

v Benenden A

(A) lost 4-5

(A) lost 1-8

v Cranbrook A

(A) l ost 6-3

(A) Won 7-2

(A) Won 8- 1

v St Edmund's A B

Won

(A) l ost 4- 5

(A) Won 5-4

v Dover College A 0

---~~---

v Benenden A

(A) Won 5-1

v Benenden D

(A) Won 6-0

Finals v Ashford

(H) lost 3-3 (23-28)

v TWGGS

(H) lost 0-4

U14 This has been a good season for our U14 teams. They improved throughout the season and this was evident in their exceptiona l performance against Tonbridge Girls in the KSTA semi-finals. We narrowly beat them with Amber Pryde having to win a tense deciding tiebrea k to get through to the final. In the final , a very strong Bromley High team beat us. In the Nestle year 10 and under B league, the U14A IV lost to Combe Bank in the fina l. This term we have been fortunate to have a good group of tennis players to choose from. It was very seldom the same top four that played these matches. Many of the gi rls had the opportun ity to play matches this term, some even playing their first tennis match. It has been a very enjoyable term of tennis in which the girls have shown good commitment and ded ication to coaching. Thanks must go to Danny Wynne, Elizabeth Sm iley and Kerri Bradley for their dedication and commitment to coaching the U14 age group. SMW U14 Overall Resu lts: Played

Won

lost

v Kent College A

v Duke of York's

Played

l ost

-----

U16 Results:

------

(H) Won 6-3

v Sutton Valence A

Played

...._

(H) Won 6-3

v Sevenoaks

- ------

(A) Won 6-3 ··· ······-- ---- - - - - - - - -

v Epsom U16 B

162

(A). Won 5::..-.:. 4 _ _.

------~--

·-

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

(H) l ost 2-7

(H) l ost 1-8

- --v Epsom

(H) Won 5-4

(H) l ost 4-5

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

v Benenden - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(H) Won 6-3

A --- -

v Epsom U16 A

(A) Won 5- 1

v Maidstone Girls

----- ---- - --...

.._

-· - -

(H) lost 3-6 . ·-

(H) lost 2-7

---- -

IVFraTieyoury -

Matches cancelled due to rain v Cranbrook A

(A) lost 2-7

(A) Won 4-2

v Sutton Valence A B

(A) Won 9-0

v Duke of York's A

(H) Won 9-0

v St Edmund's A B

(A) Won 7-2

v Kent College A B

themselves was against Ben enden School's Senior squad. The girls were overmatched by an aggressive, attacking Benenden unit, and made some key fi elding errors that cost them the match, 22 112- 13. Emily Reilly, Polly Benton and Becky Smith controlled the outfield with precision and Phoebe Roberts provided consistent bowling, bu t it was not enough to bring the girls a win.

(A) Won 7-2

v Simon Langton Grammar School A

(H) Won 4-0

(H) lost 1-3

U14 IV Resu lts:

Two weeks la ter, the team was far better prepared to take on Epsom College with sharpened skills and game tactics. Becky Smith continued on a power-hitting tear, while Christine Pond and Morwenna Loughman added several half-rounders into the mix. The combination of a 16 run 1st inning by King's and a stifling defence proved deadly for Epsom and Ki ng's went on to win 28 112 - 10. It was unfortunate that t his group of girls did not have more matches this year, as they most certainly would have continued to gather momentum through the season. Nevertheless, they provided spark and leadership for the rest of the programme. Special mention must also go to Liliane Widdows and Heather Lloyd for providing all 3 teams with motivated and skilled coaching this season.

Nestle Year 10 and Under Competition v Folkestone Girls

(A) Won 4-0

v Tonbridge Grammar

(H) Won 6-0

v Queen Elizabeth's

(A) Won 6-0

v Combe Bank (Final)

(A) lost 0-4

Kent Schools' Tennis Association Intermediate Girls' Competition Kent College

(A) Won 6-0

Semi - Final

Sonya Behnke Team from: Rebecca Smith (Captain}. Phoebe Roberts (Vice-Captain), Louisa Barden, Morwenna Loughman, Lexi Hambl in, Christine Pond, Emma Wilson, Sophie Norris, Katie Mackinnon, Polly Benton, Emily Jenkinson, Emily Reilly Results Played

Won

lost

v Tonbridge Girls (A) Won 4-2 Final

v Benenden Senior

l 22 112 - 13

v Bromley High (A) lost 4-0

v Epsom Senior

W 28 112 - 10

Rounders 1st IX This year marked the first time that King's has fielded a 1st IX Rounders team. This group of girls has been both keen and skilled rounders players, and they have brought new enthusiasm to the sport. The team had a great group of leaders, including Capta in Becky Smith and ViceCaptain Phoebe Roberts. Their first opportunity to prove

U15 XI It was an interesting start for the U15 team this year, as only 5 Removes signed up to play Rounders. Much of the squad was therefore comprised of a mixture of athletes from the Shell year, and the girls often received key contributions from tennis players able to join the team during a few free days.

superior and experienced Benenden team, and lost by a score of 28-3. The team was not dishea rtened, however, thanks to the strong leadership and play f rom Captain Felicia Backhouse, and the girls committed themselves to improving their fielding, hitting, and overall communication. The U15 side certainly showed outstanding improvement over the course of a week, coming out on fire to bea t Epsom, their next opponent, 22 1/2 - 10. The team was assisted by the terrific power-hitting of Cat Phill ips, who scored 8 rounders on her own in the game's 1st innings. With communication and team work, the girls were able to keep the Epsom attack at bay over 2 innings. Having fina lly settled in to a co nsistent line-up, the girls were ready to surprise Cranbrook the following weekend, and got off to an outstanding start by retiring the opposition's first 4 batters. Combined with some great offence of their own, King's held on to win 27-1 1 over the course of an extended 3 innings match. The team was assisted by a great batting effort from Brighde Nainby- Luxmoore and solid bowling from Phoebe Bird, who wo rked hard fo r the team all season. The girls had their fi nal match of the season against Bethany School in a tight match that went down to the last few crucial minutes. Felicia Backhouse and Brighde Nainby- Luxmoore were once aga in able to spark the King's attack with consistent half-rounders, while lana Westlake ran aggressively on the base paths to ea rn King's extra ru ns. Some sloppy f ielding and miscommunication allowed Bethany to stay in the match, but the girls finished on the top of a close 20 112 - 19 final score. Sonya Behnke Team from: Annabel Church, Brighde Nainby- Luxmoore, Felicia Backhouse (Captain), Jane Smedley, Phoebe Bird, Matilda Kay, Dena Hamza, lana Westlake, Eleanor Hoppe, Sa rah Hatt. Eliza Baker Results Played

Won

Lost

V Benenden U15

l3-28

V Epsom U15

w 221/2- 10 w 27- 11 w 20 1f2- 19

V Cranbrook Before the team was settled in to the season, the girls came out to play a

V Bethany School

U14XI This year's U14 team has certainly been the most promising group in recent memory. The girls have had an outstanding line-up of players, including two England selections, Frankie Malpass and Claudia Gibson. The team's real strength, however, was in their depth of skill throughout the batting order and fielding positions. Strong and consisten t fielding, good com munication, and merciless hitting made the U14 side an unbeaten and dominant one. The girls began their season against a tough Benenden team. The U14s provided the only bright spot for King's on a day of losses by winning 12 1/2- 4. With only a few days of practice under their belts, the girls maintained a high level of fielding, awareness, and teamwork, especially from backstop Frankie Malpass and Captain Cessa Tapp, and had great batting contributions from Gelana Crouch. With a couple more weeks of practice, the girls truly came into their own against an unprepared Epsom team, as they rolled through the opposition easily 23 - 5. Jessica Stanion earned herself Player of the Match with some diving defensive efforts, aggressive batting and running. The following weekend the girls travelled to Cranbrook, and showed more impressive play and contin ued tactical improvement The girls had little trouble against a mediocre Cranbrook side, and won easily 24 1/2- 4 1/2, helped along by consistent bowling from Millie Jessel, quick play at second post from Maddie Cryer and power-hitting from Claudia Gibson. The highlight of the season took place at the Cranbrook U15 tournament. in which King's returned to defend their 1st place trophy from 2005. The team was joined on the day by 2 U15 players, Felicia Backhouse and Brighde NainbyLuxmoore. The girls rolled easily through Cran brook's U14 side, winni ng 10 - 5 112, although a few miscommunications on the pitch cost the team several extra runs. The girls were able to sort out their defensive problems against Cranbrook's U15 team, however, and several outstanding catches were made deep by Jessica Stanion, and at 2nd post by Maddie Cryer. Claudia Gibson almost sing le-handedly ran the attack, scoring 3 rounders on the way to a 6 1/2 - 5 vi ctory. Although the girls had less offensive power against St. Lawrence, they were able to win 6 112 - 3 1/2 before facing off against Benenden U15. The match came

166

down to the wire, and consistent bowling from Gelana Crouch and a strong connection between backstop Frankie Malpass and 1st post Cessa Tapp, kept Benenden's attack to 4 112 rou nders. The King's attack was not able to show off thei r power against a fast bowler, and scored only half-rounders. Some fairly obvious time-wasting by the Benenden bowler, combined with solid defensive tactics, left King's with 4 112 rounders as well, ending the match in a draw. A match against Sutton Valence at the day's end finished in a 7 - 3 1/2 score, thanks in part to 3 superb rounders from Felicia Backhouse. Unfortunately for King's, Benenden finished undefeated as well, and the fina l placement of teams came down to rounders for and against, leaving King's with a 2nd place finish. It was a fi ne, solid effort for King's, deserving of commendation. King's will look to find stronger competition and an increased fixture list for this group of talented athletes next year. Sonya Behnke Team from : Frankie Malpass, Maddie Cryer, Jessica Stanion, Camilla Jessel, Gelana Crouch, Cessa Tapp (Captain), Claudia Gibson (Vice-Captain), Thea Flindall, India Lyons, Emi Eldridge, Miranda Berliand, Jessica Burley, Lucy Iron Results

Played

Won

lost

v Benenden U14

W12'12 -4

v Epsom U14

w23-6 '12 w24 '12 - 4 '12

v Cranbrook U14

Cranbrook U15 Tournament 2nd Place Finish

v Cranbrook U14

w 10 -

v St. lawrence

W6'12 - 31f2

v Sutton Valence

W7-3'12

v Benenden U15

04'12-4'12

v Cranbrook U15

W6 '12 -5

5 '12

Swimming Our season started early this year for our top swimmers with the East lnvicta ASA Championships in the Autumn term. They

performed well, with Kevin Chiu winning a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle with a personal best of 57.28s and Jenna Wiles coming sixth whi lst breaking the school record for the 100m butterfly at U16 and Senior in 1.1 6.40s. Kevin and Jenna in fact broke school records on no fewer than nine occasions this year and with our swimming alumni that is no mean feat. The Kent Schools' Championships were again held early in the Lent term over two weekends at the Black Lion Sports Centre in Gillingham. In individual events, Kevin won bronze again in the senior boys' 100m freestyle and James Graves came fourth in the senior boys' 100m backstroke. Kevin Chiu was chosen to represent Kent Schools in the intercounty match with Surrey where he came third, yet again, in the individual 100m freestyle event and swam a very good leg in the freestyle relay. As in recent years, we achieved our best results in the relay competitions. The senior boys' team of Kevin Chiu, James Graves, Edward Mosely and Stephen Wong, did very well in winn ing the silver medal in both the 4 x SOm freestyle relay and 4 x SOm medley relay. The senior girls' team of Anna Basden-Smith, Eleonore Dixon- Roche, Victoria MeyerLaker and Michelle Wareham, were not far behind with the silver in the freestyle relay and the bronze in the medley relay, and for the first time in recent years we had a junior boys' team who came sixth in both events. The junior boys' team was Ivan Abadjiev, Jeffrey Chan, Charles Ovenden-Filsell and Alexandre Kent. The Kent County ASA Championships are also held in the Lent term and we continue to compete with the very best club swimmers in Kent. This year Kevin Chiu and James Graves acquitted themselves well in their individual events. Kevin also competed in the South East England ASA Championships in Aldershot in May coming f ifth in the SOm freestyle event in a national qualifying time of 24.77s and will swim in the na tionals at Ponds Forge, Sheffield in August - well done indeed. The Publ ic Schools' National Relay Championships were again held at the eight lane 25m pool at the Wh itgift School, Croydon. Our hopes were again high that the senior boys' squad of Kevin Chiu, James Graves, Edward Mosely, Alasdair Muller and Stephen Wong might retain the Aldenham Cup in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay, since we had posted some good times in practice. Unfortunately we

were disqualified in the heats for a take over violation using hand timing. It was close, but.. ... ! In the 4 x SOm medley relay we redeemed ourselves somewhat by coming fourth in the Dunelm Cup and did at least leave to try again next year with our 4 x 100m freestyle championship record time set in 2005 still intact. The girls' teams were in open competition with no regard for school size making their task even more difficult. Nevertheless, the senior girls' squad of Eleonore Dixon-Roche, Pamela Gent, Victoria Meyer-Laker, Michelle Wareham and Jenna Wiles continued our excellent run of performances in recent years with a seventh place in the final of the 4 x SOm medley relay. We continued with our traditional interschool galas as well the more recen t wider competition, this year competing against Benenden, Eastbourne, Epsom, Haileybury, Harrow, King's Rochester, Royal Hospital School, Rugby, St Bede's, Stowe and Tonbridge, and all the results are shown below. During the course of the season several school records were broken; Kevin Chiu broke the senior SOm freestyle record held by Alex Siu and the senior SOm butterfly record of Haukur Heimisson, and Jenna Wiles set new times for the U16 100m freestyle, and the U16 and senior, SOm and 100m butterfly. The inter-house swimming gala was held in February and as usual was fiercely contested. Meister Omers held the boys' trophy and Broughton/Bailey the girls', but could they retain them? The gala always starts with the open events that attract our best swimmers but the winning is in the performances in the two age group events. Meister Omers managed to gain a single point advantage over The Grange, with Marlowe/Mitchinsons close behind in the U15 events but in the senior events the leading contenders were The Grange, narrowly followed by School House and then Linacre. Clearly benefiting for their strength in depth the Grange recovered the trophy lost last year by a massive twenty-four-point margin from Meister Omers, with Marlowe/Mitchinsons in third place. In the girls' events, the leading houses finished in the same order in both the U15 and senior events so that the final score was also; Broughton/Bailey first by five points from Marlowe/Mitchinsons, with Walpole third. It was a really exciting afternoon's swimming. At this event we also award cups for the most improved swimmers and this year they were awarded to Jenna Wiles and Matthew Price.

The Ki ng's Tournament, for boys and girls, was again held in March with teams from Bishop's Stortford, Cranbrook, Haileybury, Harrow, King's Rochester and St Dunstan's competing against us. Harrow again swept the board in the boys' competition but we did pu sh them close in the U14 and senior events. In the girls' competition Cranbrook won the senior girls' events, we won the U15 events and St Dunstan's the U14 events. Boys' Captain 2005/6 James Graves Girls' Captain 2005/6 Pamela Gent SJR Those who represented the school at swimming this year: Ivan Abadjiev, Alexander Allen, Eliza Baker, Aislin Bamber, Anna Basden-Smith #, Janessa Bobby #, Lucas Boulding, Gabriella Carboneri, Jeffrey Chan, Natalya Chapman, Kevin Chiu *+,Cha rlotte Colvin, Max Darke, Alexander Dear, Eleonore Dixon-Roche #, Matilda Elliott, Pamela Gent*+, Alice Gordon, Natasha Gradus, James Graves *, Emily Groves, Emma Hooper, Eleanor Hoppe, Emma HowardSmi th, Max Jenkins, Alexandre Kent, Virginia Maclean, Edwa rd Martin, Victoria Meyer- Laker #, Edward Mosely •, Alasdair Muller#, Charles OvendenFilsell, Harriet Page, John Parkinson, Camilla Pedley, Ashling Pickett, Matthew Price #,Amanda Redston e, Nicola Redstone, Georgina Rumbellow #, Duncan Thompson, Harry Todd, Michelle Wareham *+,Genevieve Wetherell, Jenna Wiles #+, Stephen Wong, Sean Yates, Justin Yu. # awarded • awarded first colours first team colours + current school record holder Results v Benenden King's won intermediate and junior girls' Benenden won senior girls' - lost overall 155.5 - 159.5 King's Tournament Harrow won senior, intermediate and ·unior boys' Cranbrook won senior girls' King's won intermediate girls' St Dunstan's won junior girls' @ Haileybury King's won boys' and girls' King's 124, Haileybury 81, Roya l Hospital School 66 v St Bede's St Bede's won boys' and girls' St Bede's 242, King's Canterbury 183, King's Rochester 49

Tonbridge King's won senior and U15 boys' ing's Rochester won U16 boys' King's and Tonbridge tied 133, King's ochester 72 Eastbourne Et Epsom King's won senior boys' Eastbourne won U15 boys' ing's won senior girls' and tied with psom U15 girls' King's and Eastbourne tied 242, Epsom 149 @Harrow Harrow won boys' Harrow 155, King's 99, Stowe 85, Epsom 23 King's won girls' King's 151, Rugby 118, Epsom 97

----~

Sailing Summer 2006 was one of the most successful terms for the Sailing Club. Starting with an encouraging 4-1 win in a friendly match against Sevenoaks Bs albeit ou r own B team losing by the same margin - we went into t he British Schools South East Reg ional Championship (April 27) with our sights set high. The Championship was held at Bough Beech SC sailing fi reflies. It was always going to be a light wind day. However, a workable breeze continued from the start at midday until after 6 p.m. For much of the afternoon conditions were even perfect for tea m racing. The NNE breeze blowing on ly slight ly askew of 'straight down the reservoir' (completely full for the occasion!) enabled the usual S course to be set quite close to the near shore, enabling specta tors to view much of the racing with ease. Over 24 members of staff, invited umpires and other helpers kept the show moving and enabled the teams to compete in an orderly and continuous program me. The 3 leagues of 'round rob ins' were followed by a 3 team play off between those teams placed 3rd in each league. King's A reached the top league, and sailed through to the quarter and semi finals. King's B, among the lower 6 teams, played off for places 9- 14. The A team gained excellent wins over a number of strong sailing schools including Rad ley, Tonbridge and Wellington. The outcome of the semi-finals saw King's finish in 3rd position - losing out to a place in the finals by a single point. King's B also won races against Ardingly, Dover College and Haileybury.

167

A week later, May 6, King's hosted the Kent BSDRA Championship at our home sailing club of Westbere lakes SC, sailing 420s. This event has grown in recent years to attract some very competitive teams. The entry included Sevenoaks A and B teams and a team from the Kent Schools' Sailing Association. A light breeze and some astonishing wind shifts put a premium upon sailing skills, but did not prevent good team-racing. As a steady NW breeze developed in the latter half of the afternoon the schedule moved faster to reach an exciting fin ish. The outcome called for the application of the Umpires' Rules in the event of a tie. Three teams - Sevenoaks A, KSSA and King's A - tied for 1st place by each winning 4/5 races. Each of the tied teams had also lost to one of the other tied teams. By umpires' rules the order was determined by the points scored when the three tied teams sailed each other. Ironically our best race was sailed against the team which won overall on points. This was a great win over the combined Kent Schools Sailing Association team, by the closest of margins 10- 11 . Unfortunately the next scheduled Championship, KSSSA topper team racing, was postponed owing to gales. It has been re-scheduled to September. Our good form continued at half- term when Philip Spicer and Peter Gray competed in the Under 18 Laser 2000 national championship (inland) at Grafham Water SC and came 1st (58 boats entered). This was an outstanding achievement for the King's pair at national level. Peter Gray is also to be congratulated upon his solo victory in the Thanet Open. The grand finale to the Summer season came with the International BSDRA Team Racing Championship at Bough Beech (July 9-10) and the Schools 420s National Championship at ltchinor SC (July 11 -14). Both of these events were in the same week and made for both a very enjoyable tour and some exhilarating sailing, especially at ltchenor. Our best team race of the entire term was the victory at Bough Beech over the current Irish National Youth Champions, although against less good teams we lost our touch to finish 8th/15 overall. If the numbers were down a little on the ltchinor entry this year at 29 boats, the quality was as high as ever. Despite a lull on the first day of the races, we enjoyed plenty of wind at Force 3/4, at times gusting higher, which brought the 420s to life. Philip Spicer and Peter Gray took advantage of the freshening wind to pull up the order, to come 3rd on the final race and finish overall in the top ten of the country's elite 420s sailors. Marina

168

Cooke and Annabel Gray also sailed well until forced to retire in the challenging conditions after seven races. And rew Lewis and George Cooke finished 17th, the second best position that King's has achieved at ltchenor and this resu lt also bodes very well for the future. Philip Spicer is to be congratulated upon completing his two year captaincy of the team with some rich ly deserved success. He has made a marvellous contribution to King's sailing throughout his time at the school. We hope to see his good work taken forward next year by Peter Gray and Andrew Lewis, who will be captain and vice-captain respectively for 200607. Summer 2006 also saw the start of a new sailing venture, the Adventurous Training Boats Section, which has run on Thursday afternoons as a Shells/Removes activity. This section has gone in for dinghy sailing on the Westbere lake during Thursday afternoons, combined with two offshore expeditions on a 14 berth yacht. Hopefully most of the group will go on to achieve RYA qualifications and put their sailing towards DOE activity and expedition awards. Altogether some 31 pupils have enjoyed regular sailing, as sport or activity, this term, using all 19 school boats (420s and toppers). So King's sails competitively and for recreation, we sail toppers, 420s and yachts, we sail on inland lakes and reservoirs, at the coast and out to sea. We sail well and we have fun. Finally I would like to express my thanks to my colleagues Miss Sarah Beevers, who accompanied the yachting expeditions with me, and Lt.Cdr Jim Dickson for his invaluable help with sailing, sport and activity, this term. HROM CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS BSDRA SE Championship at Bough Beech SC (April 27) 1: Charterhouse; 2: Sevenoaks A; 3: King's Canterbury A; 4: Radley; 5: Tonbridge; 6: Wellington; 7: Sevenoaks B; 8: Sevenoaks C; 9: Lancing; 10: City of London; 11 : King's Canterbury B; 12: Ardingly; 13: Dover; 14: Haileybury Team King's A: P Spicer, J Lamb, P Gray, Q Grossman, A Lewis, M Darke. Team King's B: V Mayer-Laker, E McGarry, M Cooke, A Berry, G Cooke, G Schurr. 1: Kent BSDRA Championship at Westbere Sc (May 6) 1: Kent Schools' SA; 2: King's A; 3: Sevenoaks A; 4: Sevenoaks B; 5: King's B;

6: Dover College Under 18 Laser 2000 (Inland) Championship at Grafham Water SC (May 27/28) 1st. Philip Spicer, Peter Gray (King's) BSDRA International Schools Championship at Bough Beech (July 9/10) King's, 8th/15. Team: P Spicer, M Cooke, P Gray, A Gray, A Lewis, G Cooke. ltchenor Schools 420s National Championship (July 11-14) 29 entries: P Spicer/P Gray 8th; A Lewis/G Cooke 17th; M Cooke/A Gray 25th .. Sailing team King's Sailing Team at East Head Sands for a break during the ltch inor 420s nationals: George Cooke, Peter Gray, Marina Cooke, Annabel Gray, Philip Spicer, Andrew Lewis. "On the wire" -sailing upwind: School boat "Viper", GBR 46359, Andrew Lewis (helm) and George Cooke (crew). Running downwind -School boat KSC 3, GBR 51049, leading most of the fleet: Peter Gray (helm), Ph ilip Spicer (crew) HROM, George Cooke and Andrew Lewis at ltchinor SC.

Sailing

Serenade In what could only be described as one of the most special concert venues, spectators of this year's King's Week Serenade were promised "one of the best seats in the world". Beneath the watchful eye of Bell Harry in the Great Cloister on a glorious summer evening I have to say that it was simply stunning. The question on everyone's mind - would the performance live up to the setting? After the opening chords of Cantemus! by Bardos the answer was a resounding "yes"!

Tuxedo Junction demonstrated the extensive range of their voca l abilities, Billy Joel's Lul/abye showed an incredibly deep sense of sensitivity and musicality that I must confess I would not have thought musicians of such an age could achieve. Beneath the then setting sun one could not have imagined a more magical end to the evening, even compared to the rest that King's Week had to offer. The best seat in the world a bold statement. But the combination of sublime choral music and an enchanting setting would certainly take some beating. Jonathan White

Throughout the evening, listeners were provided with a very broad range of music, representing some four hundred years of hist ory and covering practically all voca l genres imaginable. In addition to a large number of very musical, and also very clear performances by the Serenade Choir, the audience was also treated to a number of smaller ensemble and solo pieces. Notable performances were given by the two madrigal groups, the King's Swingers and the King's Men - Kate Ludlow, Dubi Ajukwu, Katherine Pike and Sarah Erridge - whose rendition of David Rees-Williams' arrangement of Summertime was truly enchanting. Even though all of the evening's performances were very good indeed, I feel particular note should go to the King's Men whose two pieces were nothing less than marvellous. Whi le

Songs from the Shows On a beautiful sunny afternoon in the Green Court Marquee the stage was set for this year's Songs from the Shows produced by the boundlessly energetic and enthusiastic David Hitchin. The King's School singing teacher and former West End performer was a natural choice to have taken over production of the formerly student-led review. Assisted by the superb accompanying skills of the Music Department's very own Stephen Matthews the show kicked off with a rousing chorus of Sondheim's Overture from A Little Light Music.

Jack Lawrence-Jones then stepped forward to sing Long Ago from Heneker's Half a Sixpence. Michael Hamway then gave a confident rendition of I Loved you Once in Silence from Lerner and Loewe's Came/a'. Helena Payne fol lowed with a heartfelt version of You Were There from Noel Coward's Cowardly Custard. Noel Coward's Mad About the Boy was up next delivered by Rosie Cornick, Emma Newton, Helena Payne and Aruhan Bi sengaliev-Dawes. Rosie sang with great phrasing and a good use of dynamics, confidently breathing life and meaning into the lyrics. Emma delivered her lines with a natural comic ability, drawing smiles and titters from the audience. The wick was then wound up with Helena's cockney accent (straight from the Eliza Doolittle school) and by this point they had the audience audibly chuckling. Aruhan then took the baton with a superb sense of swing and in her comfortable style she delivered a fabulous range of tones from smoky and bluesy th rough to strong and clear. With some topical changes to the lyrics bringing Messers Blair and Prescott into the mix they were by now obviously enjoying themselves. Rosie then followed on with a confident and well acted version of Loesser's Take Back Your Mink supported by the girls of the company, who perhaps could have spent a little more time perfecting their moves!

Music at Lunchtime It wou ld be invidious, and indeed space does not permit me, to name every performer here but I would like to stress from the outset that everyone displayed much concentration and musicality even though technica lly the re may have been the odd wea ker moment A particular feature of this year was the variety and number of cha mber groups all providing opportunities to develop ensemble awareness. An eleven-piece brass ensemble led by Kevin Abbott opened King's Week in a suitably glorious manner, with three contrasted pieces showing off warmly blended sonorities as we ll as some tricky, expertly negotiated solos from trum pets in particular.

A forgotten lyric or two were the only hesitan t moments in an otherwise fabulous version of Memory from the musical Cats sung by Aruhan. She again displayed great control, sensitivi ty and impeccable tuning. A special guest then jumped the stage in the form of David Hitchen who, being the true pro that he is, stepped in to fill the breach for Ndubusi Ajukwu who had to pull out at the last minute with throat probl ems. David lived and breathed his performance of I Like America, even treating us to a little tap dancing! George Chilcott then sang a sensi tive rendition of Sondheim's I Remember Sky followed by Thomas Loyn's On the Street Where We Live, which after a slightly nervous start was delivered in a strong, clear tone with great phrasing and comfortable articulation.

The company then sang The Way We Were coveri ng for Ndubusi. They then joined Amy Tsien for Try to Remember followed by Those Canaan Days. Aruhan then sang a suitably melancholic version of Send in the Clowns. For the finale, The Company delivered a very energetic version of Brei's Carousel, which towards the end felt like it was hurtling out of control with Mr Matthews thoroughly enjoying being allowed to take the cast by the scruff of the neck. There were definitely looks exchanged between cast members as if to say "can we really sing another chorus at this speed?' but they managed it and it was a sui tably energetic and light-hearted penultimate number. The last song was Coward's suitably titled Nothing Can Last Forever which the company sang with sensitivity thus bringing a most enjoyable show to close. Nick Parvin

There were four string quartets in all, often contained within a year group, and usually containing a prominent and demanding first violin, althoug h inner parts cou ld often have much interest as in the Dvorak American quartet with its busy sta ccato or in the Schubert and Beethoven with much importan t dialogue between the instruments. Even the string trio by Dohnanyi sounded like a quartet due to the rich textures and full-bodied playing. It was especially pleasing to hear pianists in chamber groups. Cha rlotte Mosely and Yeshe l Park in Mozart and Bridge piano trios were ably supported by some positive string playing while Rose Wilson-Haffenden coped most con fidently with her demanding, concerto-like role, (not an easy part as I know from personal experience!) This last piece, a quintet by Beethoven, was also sensitively phrased by the four woodwind, these instruments being further represented in a forthright and strong-toned clarinet group playing a Mozart Minuet and a bright and clear Remove flute trio by Boismortier. Two purely instru mental duos featured William Porter and Clare Ventress, demonstrating excellent intonation in a violi n duet by Leclair an d Robert Watson bravely stepped in at the last moment to accompany Sophia Gerth in a short but suave clarinet duet by Crusell. Emmy McGarry and Rose Wilson-Haffenden sparkled stylishly in Valse des Fleurs capturing the elegance of the ballroom and making it all seem quite effortless. The flute was clearly a most featured solo th is year. Em my McGarry, and Rose Wilson- Haffenden displayed the instrument's agili ty in pieces by

left and above - Songs From The Shows

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Hindemith and Enesco and Eleonore Dixon- Roche its warm tone and lyrical aspects in a madrigal by Gaubert. Cordelier Lam played some charming Gliere miniatures on the cello with affection and Dominic Batten treated us to a Bouree Anglaise, tackling some of its difficult chromatics adeptly although he was somewhat disadvantaged having to use a vibraphone with wider notes as opposed to the intended xylophone Finally, mention must be made of the four vocal soloists who, despite the dangers of losing their voices during the week, gave some authoritative performances. Amy Tsien's quiet yet sensitive singing of a Michael Head song contrasted with Sophia Gerth's more dramatic and ful ler-toned rendition of Blow Thou Winter Wind by Quilter. Frederick Coltart sang an aria from Handel's Messiah with purity and clarity while two basses, Tristan Hambleton and Dominic Collingwood, negotiated the demanding runs and leaps in their Bach arias with skill and aplomb. Many thanks must go to all the performers for all their hard work. Audiences always apprecia te this more informal aspect to King's Week and it is only a pity that pupils were often so busy with other commitments that by the end of the concerts the audiences had sometimes considerably dwindled! SJRM

Jazz on a Summer Sunset

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Jazz on a

Summer Sunset On the opening night of King's Week, an evening hotly anticipated and firmly established as a festival favourite, this year's modern jazz group kicked into Coltrane's A Moment's Notice. A fast post-bop swinger, featuring a three-piece frontline with the slightly unorthodox line-up of Ed Rex on flute, Robbie Laing on trumpet and Joe Lewis on alto sax. This unusual line-up succeeded thanks to Ed Rex's confident and assertive playing. Backing this was a three- piece rhythm section with Max Stanley on drums, Tristan Hambleton on double bass and Ed Watts on piano, in cool support. Having warmed and energised the audience, the rhythm section vamped on All Blues as Ed Watts slowly slipped in slight but bluesinflected stylings. Robbie played the head and went on to prove he had done his homework with a well paced Miles Davis inspired solo. As always, this event has proved to be a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers. Polly Benton came on with all the glitz and glamour of 50's retro chic straight from Songs from the Shows', to sing Drowning in the Sea of Love giving the chance for Ed Watts to show off his skills on the electric piano. It was very much the kind of retro sound reminiscent of George Benson's Seventies smooth jazz groups and it meant the audience did not have to work too hard to appreciate the

music with the voca l connection present and soaring above. Next, the band took on a chal lenging tune, Jordu by Clifford Brown. Ed Rex was the highlight, playing a frantic barrage of eighth notes. Overall, the tune was an ambitious bebop inspired 'roast' wh ich left no one unscathed. On the next number, Sarah Erridge cut a slight and delicate figure on the appropriately sung, Love Me or Leave Me. Ed Rex fol lowed that with an old favourite Autumn Leaves, expla ining that his definition of modern jazz included this number, originally sung in 1946. It gave Joe Lewis a chance to show his rhythmic and ma inly scalic approach on the sax. He made up for his lack of appegiated jazz vocabulary by giving energy and enthusiasm in abundance. Ed Rex's personal highlight showed how much of the bebop idiom he had learnt by playing Parker's Blues for Alice, demonstrating a keen ear for bebop and an impressive solo opening with well ph rased appegiated lines that clearly spelt out melody and t he changes. It showed just how much he had learnt in the last year. His syncopated eighth-note lines took command of the relentless 2-5 sequence, gone was his reliance on blues licks. He had a good grasp of the bebop vocabulary that eluded the other front liners. Letitia Leigh-Pemberton came on to sing the Carly Simon favourite Nobody Does It Better. She sang with a Stevie Nicks' rock

vibrato which carried off this former Bond theme appropriately. Tristan pushed the vamps to a fitting conclusion. Following on from that was the GO's boogaloo styled Shadow Of Your Smile (from the film The Sandpiper). The groove kept coming as the Syro Gyra fusion classic Morning Dance, ended the second half and found the rhythm section insistently pushing Joe Lewis's percussive sax stabs on the intra. Robbie Laing introduced a welcomed smoothness on the bridge. All this made for an entertaining first half, balanced with occasional risks and groove-infected rhythms.

In the second set, Brubeck's Take Five opened, showing that the rhythm could hold their own on a 5/4 groove, no easy meter to keep. The audience responded well to Ed Watts' building vamps that led to a rousing free-jazz excursion. We caught a glimpse of next year's modern jazz line-up, with the Sonny Rollins' classic St Thomas. Oliver Ford took over the drums, offering glimpses of high octane drum fills and off-beat kicks, riding the time and giving Max Stanley a run for his money. Ed Watts showed off with a series of witty quotes abbreviated by the drums, which immediately communicated directly to the audience and captured their attention. Pushing the

piano to fill the marquee and take over the sound of the three-piece front line is no mean feat. The idea of the piano trio hasn't been pushed too much in these gigs before and it was a welcome contrast to the more horn-orientated numbers. Sarah Erridge sang a sensitive rendering on I Loves You Porgy with equal clarity in a music theatre style, epitomising the evening. An excursion in 'Nu-Fiamenco' lent a welcome world music theme to the evening wi th duelling guitars, showing Pancho Lewis's superior interplay on the instrument with Alex Blessley. The audience were captivated by their rapport, demonstrating that you didn't need a whole septet to hold their attention. Ed Rex introduced One Note Samba as a bossa; as it happens it ended up as neither, as the rhythm section funkified the clave - it did not matter- it worked. Ed Rex took over duties on the keyboard to play the Jason Rebello arrangement of Summertime which had a welcome change of pace. Trail-blazing post-bop followed with Horace Silver's Opus de Funk. Max Stanley was finally given a real chance to shine - he had been mightily restrained during the other numbers- to his credit and his extended solo showed his ability to employ the entire drum kit, revealing his Buddy Rich influence, syncopating multi-layered beats, but remaining in full control all of the time. Changing pace again, Robbie Laing let his mute do the talking on Gee, Ain't I Good to You, whilst this tune saw Tristan's only bass solo create welcome space and change the usual formulaic approach. Understated and thoughtfu l, it was refreshing not to hear the upper partials of the sound spectrum, a we lcome contrast. Bobby Tim mons's Moanin' led to the group to their final number, a welcome return to the blues. The band ran the encore with their theme tune Moment's Notice, which propelled us to an exuberant ending. Under the flashy lights of the Green Court the marquee and the audience had been truly entertained. The band had a tendency in their enthusiasm to play too quickly, but won the audience over with their determination and faith in their own playing. They would do well to relax a little, take pride in the sound and play 'in the pocket'. However, this yea r I found there was a fresh and newly rehearsed attitude to the music with a new respect being given to the great and classic recordings. The future is safe and the kids have got ears! PJC left - Francisco Lewis

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Virtuosi Concert This year's Virtuosi Concert had a distinctly Russian/Eastern European flavour and contained a number of less familiar as well as more popular pieces. The chamber orchestra began appropriately with the opening from Mussorgsky's opera Khovanchtchina

describing the breaking of dawn. After a somewhat hesitant and rather exposed

start the orchestra soon settled down and produced some shimmering textures and warm melodic lines. Kate ludlow's clear, refined tone in Rachmaninov's Vocalise rode easily over the strings and at least

there were no words to hear! The constantly shifting harmonies helped to disguise the fact that the strings came rather adrift in the latter stages. The woodwind ensemble together with cello and double bass gave a sprightly and polished performance of the Minuet from Dvorak's Serenade, capturing the dancelike mood although at times the Shirley Hall acoustics meant that the horns could be a little too dominating. Starkly beautiful in their simplicity were the two Shostakovich songs in which Rose Wilson-Haffenden was accompanied first by a solo violin -William Porter- and then by a solo cello-Tongkwai Lulin. Rose's haunting and restrained tone with a hint of vibrato perfectly matched the mood and sound of the strings and all three performers, being so exposed, wrung much expression from the bare score. From the opening hymnic chords I felt the orchestra were more at home in Tchaikovsky's Elegy from Serenade For Strings showing a good sense of phrasing and enabling the cellos to show off their tenor register and the violas to grab a good tune. There were times therefore when only two double basses were left to hold the bass line and maybe they could have played out more at such moments. The Consort under the direction of Howard lonascu clearly relished the rich, sonorous textures in Rachmaninov's Ave Maria from his Vespers, breath control in the long phrases and the vibrant dynamic contrasts being especially impressive. The first half of the concert concluded with some movements from Shostakovich's Jazz Suite No 1 scored for a mixed chamber ensemble. Shades of the circus and mus"1c hall, as well as tonguein-cheek humour, all pervaded the score and unusual combinations of instruments kept popping up. Xylophone and amplified Hawaiian guitar made

important appearances and most players had a solo at one point or another. Indeed I was surprised at how much sound could be produced by so few! Eight Instrumental Miniatures by Stravinsky opened the second half of the concert giving a further chance to hear some agile and polished wind playing. There were moments when performers got slightly out but these were not too noticeable due to the inherently repetitive and motivic nature of the music. At least the musicians weren't scared off by the dissonances! The Consort then returned to sing the Cherubic Hymn by Tchaikovsky, very much in the same Russian Orthodox vein as their previous offering. This was again a committed performance although only marginally less secure perhaps in the middle section. The faster alleluia was full of excitement and fervour. The Maristella String Quartet next played a movement from a quartet by the turn of the century Austrian composer Zemlinsky. Here was some fiery and passionate playing, the movement of the music being reflected in the movement of the players themselves and the quartet listened well to each other as the complex textures and musical argument unfolded. The evening ended with the old favourite, Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. The avuncular tones of Bill Browning as the narrator came over clearly and authoritatively and all the soloists portraying the various characters must be especially praised, all handling their sometimes notoriously difficult parts with much aplomb. If there were some uncertain moments at times in the more obtuse, dissonant, 'action' passages these were more than made up for in the rest of the score which bubbled along until the final grandiose march when the orchestra let rip seeing the end in sight! The evening was a veritable feast of music and Andy Pollock is especially to be thanked for producing such a varied and interesting programme. I do feel, however, and this was a view also shared by others, that even though the standard of music-making was extremely high, the concert was perhaps too long as tiredness was clearly beginning to take its toll towards the end and some items could have been omitted without loss of variety or quality. Nevertheless I must congratulate all the pupils involved for all their hard work and sense of shared musical conviction in contributing to a most memorable concert.

The Fashion Show in Aid of the Sereolipi Education Trust The King's Week Fashion Show was resurrected last year as a follow on from the hugely successful event that donated money to the 'Make a Wish Foundation'. This year the show was in aid of the Sereolipi Education Trust. The show itself was a masterpiece of student self-reliance. The models were slick and well practised, giving the show a level of professionalism not seen before in a King's Fashion Show. The shops of Canterbury generously lent the clothes worn for the show, working in partnership to raise money for this underprivileged corner of Africa. A stunning Christine Pond as the principal bride in the Gothic Wedding dramatically opened the show. This was accompanied by the first song of an original soundtrack that included live music performed by the legendary 'Do It In Technicolor' and the inspirational Erica Symonds. As well as the live music, two dance numbers were performed by some of the school's hottest dance talent including the now veteran Nowa lmasekha, Leo Maclehose, Dubi and Chuchu Adjukwu, Sarah Archer and Vicky Havercroft as well as many others. The highlight of this was certainly the routine to Usher's Caught Up, which was edgy and choreographed to a tee. Also present at the show were traditional African dancers to remind the audience what the show was raising money for. Both music and dance were placed skilfully throughout the event to break up the themes and sustain the interest of the audience. The themes in the clothing ranged from toy soldiers to geek-chic, modelled by the likes of Lottie Bradley, Lavinia Swabey, Camilla Syson, Jasper Fry, Ryan Phanphensophon and Olu Adeoson. Led and orchestrated by Gigi Barker, Lettie Mclaren and lzzy Coles, the show was a success on all levels. Not only did it act to raise awareness about childhood poverty, it raised ÂŁ4,500 and gave everyone a great evening of entertainment. Harry Dalton (MO)

CR Opposite page- f. tor. Alexandra Carruthers and Sarah Archer

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The Fashion Show

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

Eesa Mohammed Flossie Walker Christine Pond Jasper Fry Flossie Walker Somburu Warriors and Emma Corbett

The Sh o em a k e r 's Holiday This was a remarkable production. Graham Sinclair's decision to revive this gem of an Elizabethan comedy was a masterstroke and the large cast delivered a dazzling performance that ranged from ribald farce to poignant and sensitive drama.

Rose runs parallel to that of Ralph (Eyre's journeyman) and Jane, a married couple who endure hardship and grief as Ralph is taken away from his wife to fight in Spain and is then feared dead. This builds to a magnificent finale in which Jane is reunited with Ralph, to the profound annoyance of the blustering Hammon, and Lacy and Rose are allowed to marry following the intervention of the capricious but comical Queen Elizabeth. A lovely balance between hearty good

Mint Yard had been magically transformed for the occasion as the audience was thrust back into the rowdy, romping life of Elizabethan London with its kaleidoscopic gamut of characters ranging from the Virgin Queen herself (Fiona Levey) to the sprightly cockney Firk (Harry Carr), whose Dickensian flair sparkled in the afternoon sunshine. Dekker's play of 1599 (the year of the opening of The Globe, Spenser's death and possibly the writing of Hamlet) tells the story of the great love of Lacy and Rose, whose romance is impaired by the presumptuous machinations of Oatley and Linco ln. Consequently, Lacy is forced to disguise himself as a Dutch shoemaker and finds work with the motley crew of artisans belonging to Simon Eyre. The noble and aristocratic love of Lacy and The Shoemaker's Holida y

humour and deep feeling was maintained throughout. The cast as a whole from director, stage managers and set designer to the leading actors were, in the words of Simon Eyre, "true Trojans" and although it seems wrong to highlight the work of individuals amongst such a magnificent cast there were, nonetheless, many truly memorable performances. Henry Hird was delightful as Simon Eyre, re lishing the extravagant insults (at one

point he calls his wife a "barley pudding full of maggots") in a dynamic performance ful l of energy and humour. Harry Carr did wonders with the part of Firk, captivating the audience with every line and gesture whilst Tristan Hambleton was a dashing and versatile leading man making a skilful transition from the aristocratic Lacy to the immigrant shoemaker Hans. Elizabeth Goring as the beautiful Rose was perfect. delivering moving soliloquies followed by comic exchanges with the marvellous Alexandra Carruthers, who played her maid. It was this palpable depth and quality that marked this as such a very fine spectacle: the minor parts were played with great sensitivity also. The opening confrontation between George Chilcott and Stephan Wasserman-Fry (Lincoln and Oatley respectively), both sporting very fine beards, set the standard; Emily Jenkinson was hilarious as the wench- like and continually insulted wife of Eyre, whilst Alexander Gilmore's performance as the foolish lover Hammon was exquisite. The enduring love of Jane and

Ralph often provided a poignant foil to the comedy with impressive and nuanced acting from Morwenna Loughman and Charles Lyons. The performances of Lawrence Malpass, Simon Englander, Alexander Dixey, Edward Wilkins, Andrew Lawrence, David Elms, Harriet King, Lily Fisher and Rosanna Dawes were all truly commendable and Fiona Levey's Queen Elizabeth rounded off a thoroughly entertaining afternoon's drama. The supporting players were also magnificent: the joyous, carnivalesque atmosphere, reminiscent somewhat of the pastoral comedies of Shakespeare, was captured by the colourful and vibrant entry of the Morris Dancers with Amanda Redstone, the jester, performing impressive feats of acroba tics. Th e day was a scorcher and the intense heat was further testament to the professionalism, dedication and sheer stamina of everybody involved in the production who, under difficult conditions, produced a delicious theatrical treat for their audience. Dekker is, of course, contin ually overshadowed by the great Elizabethan playwrights, Shakespeare, Marlowe and Johnson. He struggled badly to make a living from writing, languishing in prison for seven years before dying in poverty in 1632. His plays are rarely staged (the Orson Welles 1937 New York production being the most significant). yet had he seen this King's School performance I am quite certai n that he would have been proud. SJB Top - Henry Hird Bottom left - Joshua Jackson Bottom right - Morwenna Loughman

Rhinoceros lonesco famously claimed, in his theatrical manifesto, Notes and Counternotes, that as a child he found contemporary theatre emba rrassing: he just could not understand why grown men and women wanted to imitate real people walking and talking on a stage made to look like a real place, especially when the scripts had no truths of any note to express. Denouncing such absurdi ty with a clamour that echoes early 17th Century London denouncing theatre as a hive of lies, but drawn to the boards as his vocation nevertheless, after a mechanised war that had f inally proved Man utterly ridiculous, he kicked off the Absurd movement, noted for its nihilistic irony, black humour and surreal nightmares, which together savagely repudiate all ki nds of cant, strutting and tyranny. His characters are invariably blind robotic slaves of unseen sadistic forces beyond their control, like flies to wanton boys. In Rhinoceros, his fourteenth work, he strikes the gold of an inevitable ta rget, Nazi Germany. The action is centred on a semiautobiographical everyman, the feckless Berenger, a middle-class provincial who is confronted by a tide of fascistic nihilism symbolised by the transformation of all his f riends and neighbours in to grunting, stampeding rhinoceroses. Li ke t he central character of Invasion Of The

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Above - I. to r. Michael Ham way. Sophie Ackers, Patrick Gibbs. Charlotte Bowman, Charlotte Hamblin, Emi ly Groves Top - Jonathan Ross

Bodysnatchers, he is abandoned by everyone else, who have all succumbed to the virus of inhu manity. Alone and afraid, and tempted for a moment t o join t hem more than to beat them, he finally proclaims his precious Self and swears to defend it at all costs. Of course t he play was inspired by French capitulation to Hitler's grey swarms, but its range is vaste r, and it attacks totalitarianism of every hue, even knocking the superciliousness of the nascent American Empire along the way. Despite its one-act brevity, it is t hus chal leng ing stuff, demanding of the cast energetic selftra nsformat ions into crazy ci phers. And with French accen ts to boot. Perfect for a Remove Play in King's Week, then. Well, in the hands of the Robert Vesty - yes, actually. In reviewing school dra ma one often feels obliged to deploy a patronisi ng freight-train of superlatives regardless of its virtue, but in th is review the praise is effortless (and air-freeperhaps more Roquefort than Weisslacke r). Rhinoceros was, in fact, a perfect choice. Brief, moral, punchy, zany, colourful and profound, the piece was meat and drink t o the cool bohemianism of young King's. The production was ta ut, slick, witty and self-aware, and used the space to its advan tage, like all fine theatre. William Gage (Berenger) did lonesco proud as the disaffected ordinary Joe whose empty days are lived in 'a haze of Top - Rhinoceros Left- Charlotte Bowman

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alcohol', his lack of dress sense and horrible personal hygiene seeming to stand for the moral and political indifference on wh ich the tyrant feeds, but turn ing out to mark a stubborn individuality that makes the character impervious to mass psychosis. His metamorphosis from endearing layabout to noble heart ('I won't give in, you hear me?') was totally convincing, and captured perfectly the play's sudden shift from laughter to tears. His odd-couple other half, Jean (Freddie Carter), who is apparently his polar opposite but proves to have less mettle in the end, requires an actor with equal comic genius, and Freddie pulled off Jean's nagging, OCD fastidiousness with the aplomb of a young Jack Lemmon/Cecil Day Lewis hybrid. His droning, crane-fly, stifling conventionality was delivered with such hilarious intensity that his following of the herd in denial of his humanity at the end seemed inevitable. He began to berate his own species as much as he had berated his former friend's dress sense: 'Humanity is all washed up; he wailed. Sophie Ackers, Michael Hamway, Christian Allen and Charlotte Hamblin (America n reporters) captured the pearlywhite sycophancy of a cynical American media with alarming aplomb. Their angular stooping with fat microphones and mindless machine-gun commentary on the tragic action, with the drilled patter of chat-show hosts, cuttingly satirised the smug insularity of small-

town America. They were especially good at the brilliant meta-theatrical stage directions in the dialogue - 'To the right, slightly at an angle, is the front of a cafe' - and the random definitions that for lonesco equally debunk the artificiality of the whole creative process: 'Cirrhosis: from the Greek kirrhos, meaning orangecoloured and referring to the appearance of the diseased liver. Thank you: And Charlotte Bowman (Daisy) must have dug deep to express the awful dullness of Berenger's secretary, her whining monotone denoting the self-imposed victimhood of the deluded dispossessed. She had some of the best lines in the play and easily did them justice. She delivered 'I've got a headache' and 'I don't want to have children - it's a bore' with a degree of denial rea lly more apt for an emerging pachyderm than a bored housewife. Patrick Gibbs (Dudard) played the dreamy but hopeless employee skilfully as a foil to the battily officious and exasperated manager, Papillon, a part relished by Angus Fox, who trebled up as a vacuous grocer and decrepit old man as well. Emily Groves was brilliant as the dreary housewife ('young people today .. .') whose cat is squashed by horn on the hoof, and also as the tedious armchair sceptic, Botard, out to prove everyone wrong: 'I campaign against ignorance wherever I find it: She clea rly loved her bizarre lines, savouring some ludicrous attempts at poetic ism: according to her character, the rhino rumour is merely the

'flower of some washer-woman's imagination: Jonathan Ross was deliciously silly when sending up the redundancy of French philosophy pitted against military barbarity. When the old woman (Charlotte Colvin). laughably vacuous and cantankerous, said her dog had four paws, he retorted 'Then it's a cat' with the gruff conviction of a tipsy Foreig n Secretary. Heloise Winterbotham added yet more life to the ludicrous lemming-fest with her loyal and loved-up ba rrage-balloon wife, Mrs. Boeuff. Lamenting the loss of her diminutive da rling to the other side, she parodied romantic nonsense perfectly, recognising her beloved in that 'violent yet tender trumpeting' and proclaiming, as she is sucked like a zombie into the vortex, 'I'm coming, my little filet mignon: And who that was there could forget the joyfully futile 'Bonjour!' (Good day!) of Eliza Baker, as the grocer's wife, and the provocative sashay - sometimes ludicrously arrested mid-flow - of Natalie Denton as the very, very French waitress? But hats off, finally, to the director, whose wit, energy and attention to detail were astonishing. It takes not just raw ability and great training but also long hours of hard work to make a talented team fire this well. I will never forget the superb timing of the scene in the dark when Jean runs round and round his own flat, gradually turning into one of the monsters, his language being degraded more and more as the urge to roar and stamp takes him over. This was virtuoso stuff. I agreed with a colleague, as I left the show, that if the drama at King's gets any better something wi ll just explode, and then I had an apocalyptic vision of signs going up, like those on the shops in Village Rhinoceros, as Daisy the secretary describes to Berenger: 'Closed on account of transformation: AJWL

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Top - Emily Groves ' Left- Freddie Corter

KIDACO During King's Week, this year's KiDaCo dance group delighted packed audiences with a showcase of dance routines ranging from classical ballet to contemporary dance. The eclectic routines ranged from pupil-directed pieces to dance carefully choreographed by teachers Sarah Matsishuma, Tony Thatcher and Eleni Edipidi. Muscular and masculine routines vyed for the audience's attention alongside more sensitive pieces such as No Proper Time of Day and Story, a contemporary routine danced to words rather than music. Russian Dance, a trad itional folk piece, followed, as did classical ballet, a woman-only group and a terrifying finale in which parents, teachers and pupils were coerced on stage to accompany all the dancers. CR Top - Honnoh Pock Middle left - KiDoCo Middle right - KiDoCo Bollerinos Bottom - KiDoCo Contemporary Donee

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Top left - I. tor. Daisy Casement ond Fred Keeling Top right- I. tor. Rupert Hill and Harry Bugge Middle right- Cast of The Frogs and Bryce Lease (Director) back right

The Frogs Perhaps the uncomfortable heat and blinding sunshine were appropriate for a descent into hell; certain ly, the whole cast provided an appropriately amusing interpretation of this classic Greek comedy. The most striking thing about this production was the extraordinary variety, which, in a modern idiom, reflected very well the way an ancient audience might have enjoyed the play. There were strong lead performances and equally strong minor cha racters, a delightful chorus of eponymous frogs, castanet dancers, a small band and a singing chorus too - a dazzling display of talent of all types. The interesting original music (by Stephen Matthews) struck just the right note giving an ancient flavour, and its difficulty was well interpreted by the musicians.

Right- Back I. tor. Sam Attwood, Jessica Stan ion Front I. tor. Henry Hamilton, India Lyons

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A difficulty with ancient comedy is that the humour is usually lost on modern audiences. I was delighted that this was not the case with this production; the action moved ahead swiftly, the jokes were clear, and everyone, audience included, thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Wind Band Concert Imagine a summer's afternoon of siestainducing heat- a Sunday at that- and a

large group of musicians in a tent. A band in a marquee under an almost Mediterranean sun: one cannot imagine more difficult conditions under which to play wind instruments, but the

performance exceeded all the

expectations of the heat-weary audience and players. It was stunning and the

many who braved the heat to listen were rewarded with a great treat. Armed with

talent, instruments, water bottles and pure determination the Wind Band shot

through a demanding and jazzy programme to the delight of the audience and those in the sun outside, successfully

disguising the discomfort of playing a wind instrument in a sauna.

The concert began with George and Ira Gershwin's Strike Up The Band and this was followed by the more sedate Hello,

Dolly. The two numbers by the Jazz Group followed, in which the audience enjoyed virtuoso performances, tight, controlled and atmospheric- a perfect foil to the forceful and danceable music which preceded and followed. After so much concentration of atmosphere we were treated to a relaxing return to big band music with Fantasy of Flight and -an old Glenn Miller favourite - Pennsylvania 65000. Then the mood swung again with the King's Swingers. These girls brought a touch of class to the proceedings with vibrant and harmonious voices and a pronounced move back in time in the two numbers by George and Ira Gershwin with the unmistakeable smoothness and glamour of 1930's America. More demanding -as it was done solo- was their rendition of Ellington's Don't Get Around Much Anymore- neat and tight with rhythm and poise. Then it was back to the full band with the steady rhythms of The Peanut Vendor and the more violent ones of Copacabana. The next change of mood came with the performance by the Percussion Ensemble with a piece called Little Sea Gongs, a work characterised by rhythmical precision and calm - another perfect foil to the band. The whole thing then finished with three brash and ambitious pieces of film music

- Mission Impossible, All Star and The /ncredibles, played with gusto and force, which left the audience in a state of admiration and the musicians in a state of exhaustion, drawing to close a most entertaining performance in the afternoon heat and giving the musicians the long-awaited chance to replenish themselves with the liquid they had perspired and blown abroad during the performance. It is to Will Bersey's credit that he brought off such a polished performance in such difficult circumstances, and praise is due to the hard work that he has put into the band all year, not just in organisation and rehearsals but also in his own talents as an arranger: a quick glance at the programme is enough to make one realise how much of this music he arranges himself and how professionally he does it. All in all, an unforgettable afternoon.

The Maristella String Quartet This was a real lunchtime treat! Stella, Chloe, Kate and Sarah fed us a delicious feast of assorted music: serious quartet movements interspersed with some lighter bites. We have heard the Quartet at various functions during the year, but it was a pleasure to have them all to ourselves for a full programme. It is worth saying that this medium is one of the most rarefied and demanding of any musical form. Composers often convey their deepest and most introspective thoughts with the sparsest of resources afforded by these four instruments, resulting in pieces which are technically difficult and require awareness of each other's music and careful listening. The Quartet rose to this challenge impressively and with mostly secure intonation, and the professional quality of their recital is a tribute to the hard work they have put in over the last year or so. Stella led the quartet with flair, and the individual members worked so naturally together (despite modest eye contact) that it is sad that this will be their swan song, as Kate heads off to university. They launched into Debussy's G minor quartet, Animi:es Et Tres Decidi:es as directed, with lilting French melody and undulating chords, all well-blended and with effective rubato. This was followed by Bach's Air Rrom Suite 3 (which we

know as the Air On A G string), beautifully paced and stylishly played. The Nocturne from Borodin's second quartet allowed the ensemble to show off the range of tone and mood of which they are capable, Russian velvet combined with lighter, more energetic passages. All four players are excellent soloists, but could accompany sensitively too. The girls then brought a smile to their audience with an arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Danse Des Mirlitons, "Everyone's a Fruit and Nut case ... ". One could well imagine the upper three parts getting up and twirling with their instruments while Sarah accompanied! The well-balanced programme ended with the Vivace finale from Zemlinsky's first quartet (1896). The group met the technical complexities and drew out the beauty in this music, with some lovely interplay between the two violins. As an encore the quartet played Making Whoopee, showing that they can handle a whole variety of genres, and could at the very least make a living playing at tea dances! This was an enjoyable and memorable concert, much appreciated by those who came, as judged by the long and welldeserved ovation. Congratulations to all four players!

CMA

Com posers' Concert Although somewhat dwarfed by more prestigious events, the Composers' Concert nevertheless represented an oasis of informality and personal creativity among the hurly-burly of King's Week. It gave interested friends and relatives a chance to hear the highly varied music produced by pupils which might otherwise simply have languished in an examiner's drawer! Alice Hunter Johnston and Claire Pargeter both wrote very accomplished works for strings, Alice's ostinato piece with its complex countermelodies and textures contrasting with Claire's driving rhythms and prominent viola line within a most successful minimalist style. In the same vein, but demonstrating a superb feel for woodwind sonority and the pacing of musical events, came Francesca Mosely's distinctive and most mature-sounding Wind Quintet. Emma Newton accompanied herself in her sensitive ballad Lonely People with its

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effective piano interludes and appropriately syncopated melodic line. Similarly exploring syncopated rhythms but in a more upbeat way, Aymen Saleh showed his strong sense of style in his catchy Flamenco duet for two guitars. Amy Tsien played her own flowing piece Piano Girl with grace and poise, starting as it did in reflective mood but building up to a more passionate climax. Heidi Luk then played her spirited and fast-moving violin piece which had some interesting virtuoso touches befitting the performer! Some composers, feeling they themselves would not do full justice to their own compositions, asked me to play them instead, the four piano pieces in question revealing something of the character of their creators. Tom Kelly's Reminiscence opened with an insistent rhythmic progression based on some inventive harmonies giving way to a more tranquil middle section while Robert Laing's Nocturne- like Prelude was dominated by a sweeping, lyrical melody over some subtly rich harmonies. Two pieces in a foot-tappingly, lighter vein were Katy Schurr's Ragtime, veering from jazz to Viennese waltz confiden tly and with much elan and Mambo Jambo by Camilla Redman with some lively Latin- American rhythms and textures. Four 6b composers, unable to be have their works performed live, produced recordings made earlier in the term.

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Top - I. tor. Alexander Allen, Becky Marsh, Thomas Pollock, Alexander Sonne. Flore nce Welby Bottom - I. tor. Aymen Saleh and Christopher Waller

Tristan Hambleton's setting of a Shakespeare sonnet No More Be Grieved was highly assured and polished, the piano writing setting the atmosphere perfectly and the vocal writing sensitively following the changing mood of the words. A calming and sonorous cello piece by Sarah Ventress concluded with an effective cadenza in the cello's high register. Thomas Marnham returned us to the world of jazz with his trombone piece containing a variety of rhythmic patterns and some challenging solo moments. Ed Watts's rhapsodic and imaginative Pastiche For Piano was something of a stylistic journey through the centuries but it was nevertheless most cl everly unified thematically in the composer'S personal, flamboyant idiom.

compositions: the first movement, Polka, of a piece for wind quintet and a recording of In The Beginning premiered at the Meister Omers House Concert under the direction of Martin Miles the previous term. Thanks are due to Andy Pollock and Kevin Abbott who put much energy into getting the ensemble compositions off the ground, often in the face of heavy odds. As ever though, much credit must go to the hard-working composers. I hope some of them will go on to see musical creativity as a pleasurable end in itself rather than j ust another piece of routi ne academic work ! Having thei r music played to others and hence communicating their ideas and feelings must surely be the first step to this goal.

The concert also provided an opportun ity to hear two of my most recent

SJRM

the genius of Seymour, Mushnik's downtrodden assistant, at Audrey's instigation. This immediately brings in the customers and the shop flourishes, but not the plant - called Audrey Two and bought from a Chinaman, immediately after an eclipse of the sun, for one dollar ninety-five - until Seymour pricks his finger and discovers it feeds only on human blood. Finding a ready supply of this becomes increasingly problematic. First Orin Scrivello, Aud rey's semi-sadist dentist boyfriend, then Mushnik himself are fed into its jaws. As it is fed, it grows and becomes more demanding so Audrey and Seymour end up in its stomach. Finally, Patrick Martin of World Botanical Exercises arranges for leaf cuttings to be

Little Shop of Horrors I must confess Little Shop Of Horrors (book and lyrics by Howard A; hman with music by Alan Menken) was tota lly unknown to me until I read it just before the dress rehearsal. My immediate reaction was to wonder how the limitations of St. Mary's Hall would cope with such an extravaganza. I need not have worried. Mushnik's flower shop is running to seed until rescued by the placing in the window of a mysterious plant nurtured by Top- I. tor. Audrey Two and Charles Trew Middle - Little Shop of Horrors

taken so the benefits of Audrey Two can be spread throughout America. Liz Pidoux's sparkling production along with Will Bersey and his vibrant band, scintillated from start to finish and Steve Bree's economical two-level set worked to perfection. The pile of rubbish (hiding the dentist's chair) on one side of the stage was balanced by the band on the other, the contrast of ridiculous and sublime symbolising the different moods of the play. Both solos and ensembles were we ll sung with good diction impaired only sometimes by the idiosyncracies of the amplifying system. The lighting under Craig Newlyn and the costumes by Diana Francis and Christine

Dawe added to the colour and vigour. As to Audrey Two, she came in four sizes, the first three purchased, but the biggest, a masterpiece of conception, construction (by Christine Coleman) and stage management, was awe-inspiring (and hilarious).

From the start it is clear that the chorus, a sextet of street girls played by Polly Benton, Rosie Cornick, Rosie Guest, Lexi Hamblin, Sophie Leniston and Lucy Withrington, has a big part to play. Garbed identically in black wigs (which made them look like clones) and red dresses changing to black when Seymour begins to turn to the bad and then to brownish green when they take the cuttings, they were drilled to perfection. They had some quite com plicated moves and used their hands and eyes to captiva te and seduce the audience, a superb example of teamwork, and the tone of their excellent singing was exactly what one would expect from street girls. In addition, Sophie danced delightfully as Audrey's alter ego in her solo Somewhere That's Green. The myriad of small parts (some of them very small indeed) was shared between Emma Turner, Archie Ahern and Alasdair Sladen. Each actor gave distinct personality to each part, however small, and the overall impression was tha t there were many more than three playing them. The voice of Audrey Two (Alex Sanne) was both comic and scary and very strongly sung. And her movemen ts,

some of them quite intricate, were wittily provided by John Parkinson. Orsin (Ed Syson) dominated the stage in his alltoo-brief appearances and his song Be a Dentist was hilarious. He, too, moved extremely convincing ly until smothered by his own gas mask (offstage): he would not have looked out of place on my Elvis door. The relationship between the three principals, Mushnik (Tom Scurr), Seymour Krelbourne (Charles Trew) and Audrey (Emily Reilly), was quite subtle and they made a great trio of contrasting characters. Mushnik is only really interested in himself, quickly jumping on Seymour's bandwagon and becoming as refurbished as his shop. He used an indefinable accent that never sank into caricature, convinced us that he was old enough to be Seymour's father (and not just through his greying hair), and moved well, particularly in the tango duet with his adopted son. Yet we feel very little sympathy for him when he becomes Audrey Two's second victim. Seymour managed to develop from someth ing of a non-entity through his Faustian conversion into a truly sympathetic character. He trembles with emotion as he sends Mushnik to his death and shows real attachment to Audrey in their romantic duet. His affinity with the plant gradually weakens after he loses his cap (interestingly, its colours are the reverse of Audrey Two's), and he takes longer to upgrade his clothing than the other two. He is an accomplished actor and versatile singer ranging from pattersong to romantic mode. Audrey also develops from a gauche character lacking in self confidence to one of compassion and steady determination. Whether speaking in her alluring accent, (again no hint of caricature), or singing in her seductive voice, she dominates the stage (and even manages to dominate Orin in a subtle sort of way). Her desire to get out somewhere green is what motivates her through most of the play and it is ironical that when this is achievable, she dies. I have seen Emily in many other roles now, each one totally different from the others, a tribute to her versatility. Liz and Will produced a terrific show, so congratulations to them and to all involved. For me it was epitomised by the Skid Row Song, the one number with all the cast moving and singing together drawing the audience into their world. I was so glad it was reprised at the end. Graham Wood

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Top- I. tor. Emily Reilly and Charles Trew Bottom - Emily Reilly

The Jazz Concert

Ed Rex, on his flute, and a good ensemble chorus to end.

I was really looking forward, for the first time in 25 years, to seeing the Jazz Concert directly, rather than through the monochrome viewfinder of a movie-film camera. Then my successor as 'Master i/c' the Jazz Club, Mr. John Parker, asked me to review the event for The Cantuarian. Well, being the reviewer requ ires affording especially close atten tion to the proceedings, and so I was very glad and honoured to be able to perform this role.

It is good (though rarer) to hear some male vocalists, and that was what we were treated to next as Tom Bradley took the stand, with the Modern Jazz Group (though, I have to say, looking somewhat as though he may be competing for the Jack Standen Prize in Sartorial Elegance). He gave us Jamie Cullum's These Are The Days. He delivered a strong, husky performance which, helped by good, solid backing (especially from Ed Watts on the keyboards and Tristan Hambleton on the bass), built up to an impressive, almost hypnotic, climax. I thought that Tom Bradley was an excellent showman, not only producing a very agreeable sound,

Ed Rex got the show immediately and efficiently underway (sans comperes or any other delay in the evening's business) with some electric starting chords from the King's Jazz Orchestra in Dizzie Gillespie's Salt Peanuts, signalling, in no uncertain terms, that the concert had well and truly begun. After this attention-grabbing, crisp start, there were nice trumpet breaks from Chloe Mitchell (twice) and an extended saxophone solo from Will Jennings. This number was very tigh t and constituted an extremely exciting start to the programme. Things had begun wel l. I was tremendously encouraged by the sound of the Big Band at this stage. Ever since the wonderfully sound-absorbent curtains were removed from the Shirley Hall, about seven or eight years ago, I have frequently lost heart that so much of the King's Jazz Orchestra's 'wall of sound' is wont just to reverberate up around the top of the proscenium arch; the curtains also provided a rather splendid visual backdrop, in front of which the Big Band could perform, Ia 1940s style. But I thought that, despite these usual effects occasioned by the lack of curtains, Salt Peanuts sounded tremendous. Then a stunningly green-clad Sarah Erridge came on stage to perform Harold Arlen's Stormy Weather with the Big Band. She gave a spirited and sensitive performance, though the vocal amplification did sound somewhat muddy.

The next section was devoted to the splendid Modern Jazz Group, which many of us had heard much of and had enjoyed enormously a few days earlier in Jazz on a Summer Sunset. Art Blakey's Soulful Mr. Timmons highlighted confident. crystal-clear trumpet contributions from young Robbie Laing (watched by a proud elder brother, Andrew Laing, in the audience), and by some crisp saxophone from Pancho Lewis, who played with really great attack. After that came a delightful torrent of notes from Ed Watts at his piano, ending with some really confident, clear chords, followed by a fluid cascade of sound from the Leader, Polly Benton

but being visually engaging to watch, as well. Next came Hank Mobley's Recado Bossa Nova which featured nice Robbie Laing trumpet to open, with good, driving support from the drums of Max Stanley. There was also an accomplished keyboards solo from Ed Watts, and some excellent. deep, confident notes from the saxophone of Pancho Lewis, and many graceful, flu id ones from Ed Rex's flute. All the improvised sections were nicely rounded off and brought back to the familiar melody at the end by Robbie Laing. Next. we heard Mr. Will Bersey's young ladies in the form of the King's Swingers who gave us Cole Porter's Love For Sale and Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror,

unequivocally say was my favourite small-group number of the evening: Polly Benton performing Jerome Kern's The Way You Look Tonight. Not only was her vocal slow, breathy and sultry - yet accurate - and exhibited feeling, but she received exceptionally sympathetic support from the backing: piano (Ed Watts). bass (Tristan Hambleton) and drums (Max Stanley) were very quiet and understated. The whole performance was very mature, and the total effect was quite mesmerising. I think that the reason that this vocal number was so successful was that (a) it was a quiet piece and so not too much demand was put on the microphone, and (b) because it was just piano, bass, and drums accompaniment, the backing gently and sympathetically complemented and supported the singer, rather than competed with her. Breaking the mood completely, in a nice contrast, the Modern Jazz Group next did what is truly a piece de resistance for the keyboards player, namely Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo A La Turk. The familiar and dramatic opening featured piano, bass, drums, then trumpet and saxophone, then all the front line together. Drums were slightly too loud over the piano parts, but Robbie Laing attractively swung and syncopated over it all. There were also some solid, 'stomping' notes from Pancho Lewis. The piano solo was vintage Ed Watts. He started with some economical, well-played notes, positively dancing with the melody, then there was one of his (usually tonguein-cheek) glissandos, all the way down the keyboard. It was all very 'bluesy'; delightfully blues-like, though more delicate, notes came from Ed Rex. This piece gets very complicated towards the end, with an al most 'concerto'- like 'freak-out' for the pianist, both arranged by their Director, Will Bersey. The forme r was complex, with an incessan t, intriguingly repetitive, 'railwaytra in' type of rhythm, while the latter was more in the modern 'pop idiom', with a constant, driving rhythm. The following section again saw the Modern Jazz Group on stage, th is time fronted by a truly resplendent 'Lady in Red', Emily Reilly, who gave us Duke Ellington's It Don't Mean A Thing. This had good syncopation, and (helped by splendid backing from Ed Rex, Ed Watts, Tristan Hambleton, and Max Stanley), Emily Reilly really did look as though she was enjoying the affair. I always used to tell the performers when I was in charge of the Jazz: if you look as though you are enjoying it, the audience will, too. Emily was certainly evidence for that maxim, on this occasion. Next came what I can Top - Ed Rex

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Bottom - I. tor. Sarah Erridg e, Kate Ludlow, Rosie Guest , Annabel Dight, Letitia Leigh-Pemberton, Lucy Withringtan, Chloe Mitchell, Kate Gabriel

in the finale, but they all coped with it brilliantly. To end the first half, before the interval, the King's Jazz Orchestra came back on to perform Broadway. This was crisp and lively and had a good, tight sound. There were individual trumpet breaks, featured in isolation, from Chloe Mitchell and Robbie Laing (as well as from a third member of the trumpet section, but I was not sure whether this was Tom Loyn or Ben McKee), as well as short drum breaks from Max Stanley. The whole was controlled with some impressively demonstrative, even theatrical, conducting from Ed Rex, who is certainly able to communicate to his players, in a fluid and stylish way, what he wants from them. After the break, the King's Jazz Orchestra was introduced to the stage (though, because of the microphone - referred to earlier - every one of the names was unintelligible, over the applause) and they started with Big Noise From Winnekta which featured some excellent Tom Marnham trombone, had a great swing and a very slick ending. Things had again started incredibly well. Then Sarah Erridge was introduced onto the stage, with the intention of performing Sunny with the Big Band. However, at this point there was a crisis: a music book had gone missing. Poor Sarah, who had presumably 'psyched-up' to do Sunny, was then sent off stage to hunt for the missing music! It is at this poin t that things got complicated for the reviewer who, up till Top - Sarah Erridge Bottom - Tristan Hambleton

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now, even though he couldn't necessarily hear al l of the announcements, did at least have the security and comfort of being able to read proceedings from the programme. Whilst the hapless Sarah went off to look for the music, the Modern Jazz Group filled in with a piece whose title I didn't catch, but which featured Pancho Lewis playing his saxophone 'with attitude', and an excellent solo, positively full of notes, from Ed Watts. The piece finished with an extended and spectacular dru m solo from Max Stanley, which gave rise to tremendous audience appreciation. Then an item that was not on the programme was announced: Dubi Ajukwu, backed by Tristan Hambleton's bass and Max Stanley's drums, singing Me And Mrs. Jones. He looked just the part, he sang in a confident and attractive way, but he spoiled it all by suddenly jumping down from the stage, offering roses etc. to some people in the front row. This might have been a good joke to those involved but the rest of us couldn't see what was going on; (that is, of course, the whole point of having a raised stage). This was a pity: he was good enough to carry the day without any resort to gimmicks. This was followed by Mr. Howard lonascu's young gentlemen, the King's Men, who presented George Gershwin's perennial Summertime and Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (again). The two pieces ran straight on, one into the other, without a break. Fred Coltart's falsetto was prominent in the former, and the latter had lots of humour, which was

much appreciated by the audience. During all of this, I watched poor Ed Rex singing a very complicated part and was thinking to myself that he must have had great difficulty in concentrating on doing this, worrying, as he surely would have been, about what would happen if that lost music were not found. I really was feeling for them at this stage -and I'm supposed to be relieved from such anxieties, now! After the King's Men, t he programme jumped to Tom Bradley singing Ray Charles' Halleluja I Love Her So, backed by the Modern Jazz Group. This really swung, and I enjoyed it, as I also delighted in some splendid saxophone from Pancho Lewis. As one member of my party observed, "Tom Bradley is an entertainer, as well as a singer: he is full of youthful verve." At this stage, Ed Rex again introduced Sarah Erridge, to do Sunny (with the King's Jazz Orchestra), saying "I'm sure it's going to be worth the wait." (The music book was apparently eventually found under the piano). Maybe it was because she had been discommoded by all the uncertainty over when she was going to perform it, or maybe the microphone was again out of balance with the Big Band, but this piece did not quite hold together as the previous BigBand vocals (including Sarah's earlier one) had done. We were now once again on track with the programme and the Modern Jazz

Group did All Blues. This was excellent, and the troupe were now well back into their stride. The familiar, mournful opening-phrase was initially stated by Robbie Laing's trumpet. Then we heard Pancho Lewis (saxophone), clear and decisive, as always. Then Ed Rex came tripping in lightly, on the flute, followed by a nice, bluesy sound from the keyboard of Ed Watts, economical at first, then a real cascade, with some of his trade-ma rk glissandos. After a repeat of the chorus they went, without pause, straight into Work Song, wi th Ed Rex not only producing a magical sound, but playing his flute with great 'body language', as well. Robbie Laing worked some ingenious musical 'quotes' into his improvisations, and did some nice trilling, and Pancho Lewis became very animated and won great audience applause for his solo. An amazingly fluid and fluent solo from Ed Rex was followed by a nearly two-minute extravaganza from Max Stanley on his drums. The piece was completed by Ed Rex playing over 'stop' chords, and then there was a sudden and very skilful and precise end. This piece and especially, of cou rse, Max Stanley's extended solo - was certain ly much appreciated by the audience. It fell now to the King's Jazz Orchestra to close the proceedings, and starting wit h not just any old number, either: a first performance of a piece by the Jazz Club's Musical Director, Ed Rex, called Take It Away. Polly Benton did the vocal honours. It started well. There was a good solo from Rob Watson, and an adroit sudden

I. tor. Tris tan Hambleton, Gu y Edmund - Jones, Ed Watts, Fred Co/tort, James Geidt, Ed Rex, Dom i nic Colling wood

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Choirs 1n the Quire

'stop', and then Polly's vocal. It is somewhat of a shame that because of the microphone problem, and the fact that the vocalist was somewhat overwhelmed by the sound of the Big Band, Ed's lyrics we re, unfortunately, not distinct enough to assess. It is a big problem for the King's Jazz Club that beca use the full sound-system is in place and available only on the day of the concert, they cannot rehearse with it and, indeed, on the actual day, they have only very limited time in which to do the 'sound checks' and get the right balance in each number. As I said earlier, I think that it is no coincidence that Polly's most successful piece in this concert was The Way You Look Tonight, in which her accompaniment was just piano, bass and drums. The programme ended with a real 'knees up' ca lled Soul Bossa Nova (wi th Rob Parks introduced on base trombone) in which Ed Rex both played and conducted with great poise, style and panache - he was virtually dancing in front of the King's Jazz Orchestra. Featuring, as it did, choreographed 'theatricals' from the

entire brass-section, Soul Bossa Nova certainly made a really blues-flavoured, swinging end to the show, exhibiting great energy and punch. When the final note fe ll, I remarked to my party that if they are going to do an encore that would be the piece to repeat. However, they chose to re-do their first number, Salt Peanuts, and that, too, went down a treat wi th the 'punters'. So, another year ends, and we sadly say goodbye to (amongst others) Ed Rex, who led this year and whose legacy will be so magnificently to have re-introduced the flute to the King's jazz repertoire of instruments, and to Max Stanley, who has been a re-assuring figure of stability and continuity as the immensely loyal and dependable drummer in the Jazz Club for aImost the whole of the time that he has been in the School. I wish them we ll, as they leave, and look forward to next year, when Ed Watts will lead, with the support of other current Members of the Jazz Club of great musical calibre, such as Tristan Hambleton, who will still be at King's. R. B. Mallion

"The music is wonderful, you'd love it here." TheHeadmaster knew he couldn't be more seductive. Centralto the music in the School are the choirs. How many times have I already seen them this week, the same faces, performing in a variety of idioms? And we ask more of them, tired thoug h they must be, for this 'Choirs in the Quire' concert. Can they deliver yet again? It is ironic that whi le the pressu re is heaped on the performers, Parry's Lord, Let Me Know Mine End, immediately relieves the audience of the stresses of daily life and the end of term, let alone the oppressive weather. The Crypt Choir's frantic Take Thy Plague Away From Me was startlingly distinguishable from the peaceful appeal of the beginning, only to return by a magnificent control of dynamics to the calming appeal of 0 spare me a little, that I may recover my strength. From pure England, we turned to pure Russian with Rachmaninoff's Bagoroditsye Dyevo or Ave Maria from his Vespers and sung in Russian by the Chapel Choir. The distinctive harmonies of Russian Orthodoxy were beautifully replicated with a strong bass line. The dynamics were magical, memorable by a hair-standing moment of the soprano and bass crescendos. It was no exaggeration in describing the performance as 'stunning'. The beautifully controlled dynamics of the Chapel Choir was again evident in Wesley's Blessed Be The God and Father. The first verse rose from an unaccompanied 'piano' to a fitting climax with the organ, choir arriving perfectly in tune with the organ. The beauty of the soprano trio, Kate Ludlow, Phoebe Th irlwell and Ka tie Schurr in But as he which ca lled you is holy, propelled me to the edge of my seat. The angelic female voices in a sentimenta l Love One Another, contrasted well the subsequent male unison of Being Born Again. Finally we were thrilled by the exhilarating climax of choir and organ, But The Word of the Lord Endureth Forever. The Chamber Choir, all girls, evocatively reminded us of the tenderness and sweetness of 'love: They sang Alexander L'Estrange's arrangement of three love poems by Byron, Tennyson and Shelley. Here was a disciplined choir, responding well to the conductor and making good eye contact. A very good balance was maintained throughout, be it soprano and alto or choir and organ. The second Chamber Choir performance was of David Willcocks' arrangement of Psalm 150. Surely this was not easy to perform; the rather staccato rhythm, requiring

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stamina, was maintained throughout and the diction was excellent. I understand that the Choir's membership and reputation has grown significantly and the Director of Music remarked that this was the best he had heard this choir in his four years. Finally, the climax of the concert arrived. This was not to be an easy ride for the Crypt Choir. "C of E meets Star Wars," whispered my companion. Here we had a taste of the instrumentalists, brass, percussion and organ. We were stirred (and shaken for that matter) by an exhilarating introduction to John Rutter's Gloria from a powerful brass and percussion section. Not to be out powered, the choir responded as forcefully as it could. Kate Ludlow's solo (how does she still have a glorious voice?) provided a beautiful contrast. Soon we were back to fortissimo in the final rousing climax of the first part. Brass, percussionists and organists give me the impression that fortissimo comes naturally. In part two, we hear a more sympathetic accompaniment from the band; the musicianship of the instrumentalists came to the fore and the brilliant sound of the choir was released. Not least in that brilliance was the soaring, delicate solo from Rose Wilson-Haffenden. The finale was a bit of a swinger. The staccato pulse from the organ set the beat, the conductor swayed, if not swung, and the choir followed in spirit, if not in flesh. Of course, as you would expect, the end was stunningly powerful; I felt more Star Wars than 'C of E'. On leaving the Cathedral, I overheard, "I'm sorry, sir, I played a wrong note." Such is the pursuit of perfection. Was the Headmaster prophetic? You bet! Did they deliver? What do you think? JSH

Songwriters' Concert It was a strange sultry summer and amidst all the fallout from exams there were a lot of things on people's minds as they filed in for the Songwriters' Concert this 2006 Kings Week. It should be mentioned that it is a concert, and not, as commonly believed, a competition, though it may be treated that way by the participants. This year, the proceedings kicked off with 'Do It In Technicolor' last year's headliners- who played an amended though familiar set. The slower Torches enabled the band's dramatic drummer a late entrance all to himself. The FBI emblazoned front man took us through the set, occasionally complaining of the heat, and while no standing Right- Edouord Guitton

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ovation was received this year, the cheer was testament to their popularity in the school. The next band to take the stage was led by Erica Symonds, apologising in advance for their single song set and lack of any name - any suggestions? The guitarist's string broke early in the song somewhat reducing a lively Karen 0 influenced song, but a sympathetic crowd boosted their confidence; one to watch next year. Up next were the stupidly named "Biancho", whose announcement resulted in derisive laughter and a laboured explanation about the origin of their name. Luckily their performance reinforced the rule of never judging a band by its name, as Alex Blessley and Pancho Lewis wooed us with a flurry of fingers, Spanish yelps and White Stripe interludes, only marred slightly by Pancho's concert dropping "we'll play you the one we played in the Jazz concert". A flustered Tom Bradley ushered on 'Do It In Technicolor' for a second time, whose serene Better Like This was a fitting swansong. 'Revolver' were up next with a three song set of sugary pop rock to please all, behind the back guitar solos included. The concert wound down with a couple of choirboy rock sets, the audience were treated to a triplet of ba II ads from the captain of school himself, possibly a

bit bitter with his first song, his second was an amusing insight into his classes with Polly Benton, and the third a hea rtfelt, earnest song about a tramp, during which we were rem inded that he is human too - good on you, Ed. Closing the set was Dom, next year's vice head of school, with what was, as he needn't have assured us, an entirely impersonal song all about a cigarette. Set to a funky drum beat. Winner. Henry Lodge (GR)

Cafe - theatre This year saw another of Mme Rodes fabulous "cafe-theatre" productions, which magically brings the atmosphere and cul ture of France to the perhaps unlikely venue of the Pupils' Social Centre. As we were served French wine and food by miraculously francophone King's pupils, we were also treated to a cultural feast of music and drama. The even ing began with the evocative music of Gaubert, performed with great delicacy by Eleonore Dixon-Roche, whilst Robert Watson put in a real virtuoso performance of Saint-Saens, thanks to Mr Matthews' expert accompaniment. The

The Gala Symphony Concert The final evening of King's Week 2006 was to produce a memorable Gala Symphony Concert in the Shirley Hall. The programme included some powerful orchestral music from the ballet Spartacus, delicate baroque arias and virtuosi performances from 6a leavers bidding farewell to music at King's. The concert opened with a couple of movements of Suite No.1 from the ballet Spartacus by the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian. The ballet was written in 1959 and deals with the uprising of the Greek slaves under the eponymous hero Spartacus, in Rome in 71 BC. This suite is the first of three and contains many colourful episodes. The King's School Symphony Orchestra played the languid melodies and stirring rhythms with rich tones from the strings, which was accompanied by repetitive marching bass lines. It was a rousing start to the evening.

next musical pieces were duos, one for violin by Clare Ventress and Will Porter, the other for cellos by Sarah Ventress and Tongkwai Lulin. The usually melancholic Les Feuilles Mortes was sung lustily by some of the younger pupils. Two classes of Shells with the whole audience joining in the Chorus, added an even greater sense of fun to the evening. Final ly La Vie En Rose, played wistfully by some older pu pils, drew this highly entertaining evening to a close. Dramatic performances continued to punctuate these interesting and successful musical pieces. The first piece of drama was a hilarious excerpt from Moliere's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, the point where Monsieur Jourdain learns with great pleasure that all his life he has been able to speak in prose. Alex Kent and Freddy Hare performed with flair and panache in almost flawless French and were delighted to draw numerous cackles of laughter from the audience. On a far more sombre and philosophical note 6bs challenged the audience with an extract from Les Justes by Camus during which the wait agonisingly builds up for the moment when they would blow up The

Grand Duke and herald the Russian Revolution. Charlotte Beale, torn between love for one of the terrorists, guilt at the taking of life and a bitter desire for social justice was very convincing and Teddy Groves, the romantic terrorist, and Nick Balmforth, the hard bitten class warrior, acquitted themselves well. The performance was admirable not least because these were exclusively nonnative speakers. The final dramatic piece produced by Mme Rodes was a tremendous success: Florence Nairac put in a splendidly energetic and thoroughly amusing performance as a little girl finding a gigantic biro suddenly appearing in her bedroom. Tongkwai Lulin, who played her mother, was a hilarious foil throughout the ensuing antics as they attempted to come to terms with this surreal event. Alex Groom, who played the father, provided the anchor role with great aplomb. The actors often had the audience in stitches. Madame Rodes is to be thanked for her evocation of the Gallic spirit and we look forward to the continuation of this uniquely cosmopolita n King's Week tradition next year. Meanwhile, pictures of this year's event can be seen on the French Department website. DO

Next to come were two baroque arias by Purcell and Handel to be sung by the soprano Kate Ludlow. Purcell's Bid The Virtues is a short aria from one of his six Birthday Odes For Queen Mary. Kate's pure voice blended beautifully with the oboe obbligato and continuo. Kate's second aria, Let The Bright Seraphim was from Handel's opera Samson. This wellknown aria contrasted nicely to Purcell's, with its quicker tempo, great technical difficulty and prominent solo trumpet part. Kate gave a beautiful and commanding performance. To follow Kate Ludlow was a fellow 6a, Edmund Rex. Having been at the centre of jazz, King's Men and just about every other part of music at King's, this was Ed's fina l chance to astound a King's audience with his unbelievable talent. He played the first movement (Allegro malinconico) of Poulenc's Flute Sonata which had been arranged for the entire orchestra. The Sonata for Flute and Piano is the first of three sonatas for piano and a wind instrument by Francis Poulenc, inspired by Debussy's late instrumental sonatas. This brief work, described by the composer as "simple but subtle", contains all the hallmarks of his style; abrupt shifts of mood from malicious to melancholy, incisive rhythms, spicy harmonies, "wrong-note" melodies, juxtaposed with very sentimental tunes that he called his "mauvaise musique".

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Edward Mosely was next to ta ke the stage. He chose to play, for the mere challenge of it, Ravel's Piano Concerto For The Left Hand. The Austrian pianist, Paul Wittgenstein, who had lost his right arm during the First World War, commissioned this concerto. The concerto consists of only one movement, but within the movement there are different sections and tempos. Now one would suppose that a pianist with the use of both hands might decide to play the piece using both of them, so when the conductor Colin Metters told the audience that, "Tonight the right hand will be used ... " we all though t that Edward Mosely needed a 'helping hand' with such a demanding cha llenge. But when Colin Metters fin ished his sentence after a lengthy pause: "exclusively for turning pages!" we realised that Edward Mosely was no regular eighteen -year-old pianist and that we were in for a treat. The concerto tests a pianist's dexterity and flexibility while having to cover the keyboard with five digits rather than ten. The piece is clearly influenced by blues jazz with the piano's bluesy themes and rhythmic complexities. We were given a flawless rendition of the concerto and it was a delight to listen to. After the in terva l Catherine Gabriel, a 6a music schol ar and contralto, sang two songs from Sea Pictures, which is a song cycle by Sir Ed ward Elgar consisting of five songs written by various poets. The two songs performed were Sabbath

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Top- Colin Metters Conducting The School Orchestra Bottom - Kate Ludlow

Morning At Sea and Where Corals Lie. In Sabbath Morning At Sea Catherine had a rich tone quality, which fitted nicely with the delicate accompaniment. In the second song, Catherine displayed a wonderful use of dynamics to convey the rather discomforting poem which says that the land which the poet (Richard Garnett) yearns for is the sea-bottom. This was yet another demonstration of the huge vocal talent at King's. To finish the evening off, we returned to the First Suite from the ballet Spartacus by Khachaturian. The final two movements of the suite were played; Scene And Dance With Crotales and Dance Of The Gaditanae - Victory Of Spartacus. The first of these movements opened with a charming melody from the cellos with sustained chords in the woodwind and the violins playing tremolo. This was well contrasted with the second section of the movement which used syncopation and had the woodwind playing the melody while the brass fought to counter the woodwind with their own melody. The sultry nature of this mu sic seemed appropriate in a Canterbury heat wave! Th e second of the two movements gave us expertly played solos on the clarinet and bassoon whi lst the full symphony orchestra filled the Shirley Hall with its powerful and expressive playing. It rounded off a breathtaking evening of music and marked the end to another memorable King's Week. Alex Gilmore (GR)

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Commemoration Day Sermon by The Reverend Canon Roger Symon "Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding?" Job 28:12 For most of us here this morning, there's only one place to find the answer to Job's

profound and searching question, and that's of course the World Wide Web. It's now 4 years since Daphne and I waved good-bye to the joys of living at No 19, on the South-East corner of the Green

Court, and one of those joys was the presence of 800 young neighbours with highly developed IT skills always ready to rescue you when you crashed. "When in trouble, send for a teenager" was our

motto. But despite their ever-ready help, and the best attentions of the Cathedral's IT manager, I have to confess that the proper use of the Internet remains

about? I take wisdom to be something to do with right judgement, the capacity to see beyond the immediate issue to the wider question that lies behind it, the ability to recognize the deeper significance of things below the surface of events- what you need in fact when facing an important decision. The wise person is able to keep a firm grasp of principles, values and goals, and to apply them correctly to the practical decisions that need to be taken day by day. He or she knows when to be bold and when to be cautious, when to listen and when to speak, and their words will be generous as well as fair. And these are qualities that are becoming ever more valuable as our technological skills keep leaping ahead. That great 20th century prophet of the environment, EF Schumacher, (author of Small is Beautiful) once said, "We are now far too clever to be able to survive without wisdom."

obstinately outside my comfort zone. But, confronted again with Job's famous question, I thought for once I would seek the services of friend Google, and see what it had to say about wisdom. But then I hit a problem, because Google - I am sure trying to be helpful -came up with 140 million different suggestions. The great 20th century poet TS Eliot, in his pageant play The Rock, articulated my doubts about the Internet perfectly. Without of course realising it, he put Job's question in the context of today's information explosion. He asked: "Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge and where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" These words were written in 1934, the year before his Murder in the Cathedral was first performed in the Chapter House, but it was as if he was even then predicting a downside to all IT's many blessings. He seemed to be warning us that as IT grew and grew, and data retrieval got easier and easier, so wisdom -the art of understanding -would decline. It's an attractive thesis- at least to those of us of a certain vintage - but not an easy one to defend. But what does seem undeniable is that the greater the range of choice before us, the more we need the gift of discernment. So perhaps acquiring Wisdom is not just a matter of finding the right website, but more to do with having the right guide (search engine, perhaps I should call it), one which will guide us through the infinite options that face us, in virtual reality or in life itself. We can't just add wisdom to our basket at the click of a mouse: we have to look for it elsewhere. So what is this wisdom Job is talking

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But if it's true that our technological skills are constantly running ahead of our wisdom, it's also true that we suffer from the constant clamour of raised voices, and from the dangers of debate by soundbite and headline, where those who shout loudest are thought to win the argument. Even in the Church, where, of all places, you might expect to find wisdom, shrill cries often seem to drown more thoughtful voices. A recent Archbishop of Canterbury with a nice turn of phrase once said (not from this pulpit, I hasten to add) that the Church of England was like a public swimmingpool: "all the noise comes from the shallow end." Now of course I've no wish to join the grumpy oldies club, who are forever moaning that things aren't what they were. Today especially we remember the blessings of the past, but the most important people here this morning, the School leavers, are also looking ahead, and we are right behind you as you prepare for the next stage and the vital choices it will bring. But that only serves to underline the urgency of Job's question: "Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding?" It is not that we don't see the need for wisdom: we know we need it - the question is where to locate it, and how to acquire it. Well, no doubt you will all have been trained in the skills of discernment- how to tell the genuine from the phoney- and now some of you will be using these skills in your Gap Year as you head off to widen your horizons, maybe to India and the East, or Africa, places where you can explore less familiar cultures and faiths. Some of you, The Cantuarian tells me, have been to

Sinai on a School trip, and there you may have encountered the teachings of the desert fathers and their ancient wisdom. But hopefully all of you while at King's will have discovered that in the faith on which this School was founded there lies half-hidden the same priceless source of wisdom. Of course you will quickly tell me how often the faith of religious people seems to function like a pair of blinkers, narrowing their vision, or like rose-tinted spectacles, giving them a misleading optimism. Religion can so easily become part of the problem rather than part of the solution, its core values abused and distorted by political agenda, whether from the West or East. But those who have studied the faiths of the world will know that in fact many of those core values are shared by the great majority of believers- compassion, justice, personal integrity, prayer, humility, simplicity of life -values that are protected and encouraged by active faith. Wisdom comes to those who follow a faith that makes these goals a way of life. Wisdom requires that you commit yourself to all that is good and true and just. So, in the Christian tradition at least, wisdom is not first and foremost an intellectual quality, not a product of the human mind. In fact St Paul is deeply suspicious of conventional wisdom, and backs off anything superficially clever. He said he rejected displays of fine words, because the lord had made the wisdom of this world look foolish. "Where is your wise man now, your man of learning, or your subtle debater?" Instead he said, "I speak of things beyond our seeing, beyond our hearing, beyond our imagining - I speak God's hidden secret, Jesus the wisdom of God." School leavers who say good-bye to King's today do so with enormous benefits and advantages; this may translate into high ambition, leading perhaps to high achievement, all of which is right and good. My headmaster used to boast on Speech Day that the School leavers were "the cream of their generation," adding in a stage whisper that well-known caveat, "some of course of the clotted variety." I am sure that boast is less of an exaggeration now than it was in my day. But God knows the future you face, and the future of humanity itself, will need all your gifts and skills, and above all your wisdom. All I want to say to you, as you share some emotional farewells on the Green Court this afternoon, is, Take a last look up Bell Harry tower, and remember Job's question, and the answer he gave, "The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom."

The Reverend Canon Roger Symon

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