FROM THE ARCHIVES
FROM THE MAGAZINE ARCHIVES
Our annual delve into the past looks at what was in the magazines 75, 50 and 25 years ago.
1942...
Editing under war-time conditions, produced a revised and succinct edition of The Pocklingtonian for January to June 1942.
In February, snow covered Chapel Hill and sledging was officially declared the order of the day, as the boys enjoyed the ride, mixed with the fear of the last bump, and the tree stood square in the path of the sledge – it apparently struck terror into the hearts of all but the boldest!
The First XV rugby season was deemed a great success, with only one school match being lost, against Ampleforth. The team scored in every match except one.
Two Pocklington School teams entered in the Civic Day seven-a-side knock-out rugby match, with the‘ A’ team being strongly complimented on their performance after being finally knocked out to an extremely strong Army team.
Gerald Chatham( 36-42) repeated the previous year’ s wins in the mile and half mile, beating J D G Jones( 35-42) into second place in each, by his fine finishing sprint. Chatham won the Stewart Challenge Cup for the second time, for his fine performances in the long distance events.
The Junior House Fives were played during the Easter Term with Gruggen easily beating Wilberforce, with Hutton third and Dolman Fourth.
Before the official opening of Youth Day in Warships Week, Lord Middleton inspected a Guard of Honour of the ATC and Scouts and commented very favourably on their turn-out. In the evening, a march past was performed by the ATC, the Corps and Scouts. The ATC demonstrated silent marching, where the cadets suddenly changed direction on the march without orders.
The Scout Troup enjoyed a camp fire at the end of the Michaelmas term, with the Headmaster being the guest of honour. Star turns came from J Moore with his ventriloquist doll and a special edition of the“ Brains Trust”, produced by P / Ls Kent and Harvatt.
1967...
Two new teaching staff from St John’ s College, Oxford, joined the teaching staff: Mr Barnes, to teach Classics and Mr S P Dodsworth, who joined the music department.
G F D Pearson( 20-23), Housemaster of Wilberforce Lodge and Geography Master, sadly passed away in March 1967. His teaching was legendary in the school, passing on a true love of his subject to many boys, with tremendous enthusiasm.
The Rugby Football House Matches provided exciting entertainment. Dolman, having defeated Hutton in the first round, were themselves narrowly defeated by Gruggen in a breath-taking final. Two tries by D W James( 59-67) and an incredible touch-line conversion by A R Lamb( 60-68), saw Gruggen take the House Trophy.
Every member of the First VI tennis team were awarded colours after the most successful season for many years. Success in school matches was followed by success in the Glanville Cup, reaching the North of England Final as Yorkshire Victors.
The Duke of Edinburgh’ s Award Scheme began to operate in the school, with six boys working towards their Bronze Level award.
The Reverend Dr Lord George McLeod visited the school in the Lent term, to give a talk to the sixth form on the‘ The Problems of Faith Today’. He gained the attention of his audience with a vast repertory of anecdotes, before closing with a powerful flourish on the subject of Hiroshima, the atom bomb, or as he called it,‘ misuse of the garment of God by man.’
Captain John Ridgeway, one of the men who rowed across the Atlantic in the summer of 1966, came to the school to give a lecture on behalf of the Army. After the lecture and a cup of tea, he reportedly withdrew to the school track, where he ran five miles in just over forty minutes.
Mr Midgley and Mr Hardaker organised a very successful skiing trip to Austria, with all members of the party returning home without serious injury.
In his first Speech Day Report, the Headmaster referred to his own dream( which was by then, more than a dream) of a Design and Construction Centre, and also plans for a Sixth Form Unit, where the oldest boys could lead a more grown-up life in preparation for university, and perhaps, boys from other countries might be introduced.
1992...
The Junior School moved into new premises on the site of the former Wilberforce Boarding House, which was formally opened by Lord Halifax.
Mr David Gray was welcomed to the school as Headmaster, following the retirement of Mr Tony Pickering.
Mr Malcolm Woodruff retired after 20 years’ service to the school.
Several new members of staff joined the school: Miss Louise Hopkins to teach English; Mr Andrew Towner to teach PE and to be House Tutor in School House and Mrs Janet Danby to teach girls’ games part time.
Archivist, Angie Edwards with space bear, Major William.
The school welcomed its first Russian student, Ludmilla Sadovskia, and Atul Savin from the Scindia School in India, who spent the Summer Term at Pocklington School.
For the first time the Head of School was a girl, Catherine Chambers( 90-92).
The main school theatrical production was‘ It’ s a funny old world’, an entertainment compiled and produced by Terry Hardaker.
The rugby First XV had a highly successful season, winning eleven games including those against QEGS Wakefield, RGS Worcester and Leeds GS. Diccon Edwards( 81-91) played for the England Under-21 XV v Italy.
In hockey, Jonathan Haines( 83-93) represented Yorkshire at Under-18 level and Ben Bryden( 91- 96) represented North of England at Under-14 level.
Stephen Gwilliam( 87-94) had a very successful season on the athletics track, winning the Yorkshire Youths 200 metres and came sixth place in the England Schools’ Championships. Other notable performances came from Ian Lane( 82-92) who won the Humberside Senior 400 metres and Jonathan Haines( 83-93) who claimed victory in the Senior 110 metres hurdles.
The girls’ Under-14 and Under-13 Hockey XIs were undefeated and Amy Bean( 90-97) was the Yorkshire Under-13 badminton singles champion.
Outside of school, there were three outstanding achievements. Joanna Stephenson( 92-96) was a member of the winning England team in the Junior Horse International Show Jumping Championships; Carl Stannard( 87-97) finished 8th in the British Schoolboy Motocross Championships; Timothy Wright( 85-94) won the Junior British Open High Gun Championships in clay-pigeon shooting.
The First XV Rugby team went on tour to Zimbabwe which will be remembered as much for the matches, as for the‘ rest days’ when various sightseeing tours were arranged. The white water rafting trip on the Zambezi was‘ an unforgettable day’ according to Mr Binks.
Captain N Tomaszewski devised a new training programme for CCF cadets, which combined RAF and Army cadet training in the Fourth Year. The CCF underwent its biennial inspection by Brigadier W Mundell, who was impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of the cadets.
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