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St Edward’s:
150 Years
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By the time of the 1963 centenary photography was
much more widely used and the scope of this very important
event in the School’s history is well recorded. Warden Fisher
presided and his father, Lord Lambeth, gave the prizes.
The flypast, PE display, diving display, the impressive
collection of Bishops present, the Band of the Royal Marines,
exhibitions, games, prize-giving, and
son et lumière
in
the Quad are all represented by photographs. The flypast
consisted of planes actually piloted by boys at the School,
escorted by a master, Peter Corlett, flying his own private
Chipmunk aircraft.
Warden Fisher was in the vanguard regarding fundraising
at public schools. Derek Roe (E, 1950–6), who has been a
School Governor since 1970, helped him with arrangements
for Gaudy that Summer and comments that his fundraising
drive was very influential ‘at a time when fundraising
campaigns were a rather new idea: people still felt it really
wasn’t very British actually to ask for money…’. Derek was
able to tell him, as he walked to the main marquee to make
his Gaudy speech, that he could announce that the total
given had just reached £100,000 – a remarkable sum for
those days. Warden Fisher was in his element with these
progressive ideas and this was in many ways a turning point
for the School.
The celebrations 50 years later in 2013 have been
spectacular. This year’s events have
included a Service of Commemoration
on 22 March at Christ Church Cathedral,
which was a wonderful event, including
objects of significance to the School
and representing different aspects of it,
readings both sacred and secular from
those in School and OSE, and some
beautiful singing and accompaniment.
Next was the OSE Dinner at Christ
Church on 27 March, which saw the
Dining Hall full of OSE and with many
teachers present. It was a grand setting
Chapter 8 / Celebrations
Above and right, clockwise: CCF marching; WO2 SamMacdonald-Smith; Sgt
Charlie Roberts shaking hands with Lieutenant Colonel Robin Sargeant.
Left and above: The concert, with a remarkable stage and wonderful sound
system, took place in the Quad on 4 July and was attended by the whole
Schoolandmanyguests.Itstartedat8pmandthefireworkswerespectacular
at the end of the evening. The music showed the commitment of Alex
Tester, Gabriele Damiani, Richard Powell and the whole Music Department
in preparing for such a professional concert which gave so many talented
youngpeoplethechancetoshowtheirmusicaltalentonalovelyeveningwith
a cloudless sky and the appearance of warm weather at last – just in time
for the outdoor events. The evening ended with the Dambusters March by
Eric Coates, and it certainly resounded off the walls of the Quad before an
enthusiastic audience!
Right: The OSE dinner at Christ Church, Oxford,
March 2013.
Centenary, 1963. Clockwise from below: The static aircraft display;
the Royal Marine Band; the School orchestra.