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St Edward’s:
150 Years
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Chapter 3 / Houses
groups can be found in the Lobby debating the latest Senior
Management Team directive or Premiership signing with
passion and no little insight. And they often do so whilst
all
sitting on the same two-seater sofa!
As David Corran rightly identified, ‘The Sing’s
anima
is elusive: an easy-going, accepting and liberal community
where the boys have a passionate love and knowledge
of football; pride in the musical elite within the House;
affection for the somewhat down-at-heel architecture and
for the Lobby (not just a lobby, but the Sing’s Lobby, around
which one Head Boy constructed an entire philosophy in his
speech at Gaudy); notably egalitarian friendships between
year groups; joyful, noisy pleasure in every success – of
individuals and in-House competitions.
‘For me, the answer to the question of identifying the
uniqueness of the Sing’s experience is in familiarity with
the many people who have been in this space and building
together, a shared way of celebrating and commiserating.’
(David Corran, Housemaster until the Lent Term, 2013)
It is this sense of community and the shared experiences
which inevitably ‘make’ any boarding house and help to instil
the fierce loyalties that are nurtured within such a close-knit
environment. I’m sure any other Housemaster or Housemistress
would say the same, but I already feel part of the (functional)
furniture and look forward to celebrating very soon the House’s
own significant anniversary (its 50th year in its current location).
Matt Parker
Housemaster, Sing’s (B)
Sing’s (B)
As a building some may argue that the functional 1960s design
of Sing’s lacks character, however nobody could say the same
of the residents (or ‘inmates’, as some affectionately prefer to
refer to themselves). I may have only been interned for a few
weeks but have already been struck by the rich diversity of
talents and interests that are housed under the one roof. The
House certainly has an eclectic mix of personalities with their
fair share of eccentricities, and I have noticed that the sartorial
elegance of my predecessor, David Corran, appears to have left
its mark on some.
Individuals are at ease with one another, whether they are
budding stars of stage or sports pitch or new recruits from far-
off lands. Inevitably the modern curse of the smartphone has
started to establish itself with individuals surgically attached
to their iGadget, but the boys do still talk to each other face-
to-face and occasionally even read newspapers. The Lobby
remains the place to gauge the pulse of the House as it
draws all those entering, leaving or just passing through, into
whichever hot topic might be under discussion.
Although I’m not sure what my expectations were, I have
been pleasantly surprised by the warmth the boys have for
their friends, Housemates and a recently arrived Housemaster.
There is a refreshing lack of hierarchy within the House and
it is regularly the case that representatives from all five year
Below: Sing’s Lobby.
Bottom: Entrance to Sing’s.
Right: House 24-hour Triathlon in
aid of Welsh Guards Afghanistan
Appeal and the Haiti Earthquake
UNICEF Appeal.
Above: Matt Parker, Housemaster.
Right: Joe Barrett, 1st XI and
Gloucestershire Academy.
Right: 2010 Junior House Rugby.
Below: Shell Cocoa evening in HM’s kitchen.
Bottom: Ali Sullivan takes a penalty in the inter-House football.