the wellington college year book 2010/2011
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visit in 2012 will hopefully give an opportunity
for more of the boys to benefit from this trip.
Sport: Following on from the huge sporting
success of the House last academic year, all
the boys have once again performed at a high
level and with a great deal of determination
and House spirit. The juniors are well set
to retain the House Sports Cup whilst the
seniors are likely to miss out by the narrowest
of margins. This year the juniors have been
winners of bims hockey, jko rugby, jko hockey,
Cross Country relays, junior house triathlon
and runners up in jko cricket. The seniors have
been winners of sko football, the Kingsleys,
house relays and house triathlon and runnersup in sko rugby and hockey. It was a genuine
thrill to watch Jack Corsan win the Boughey
Run and setting history by completing the race
in the allocated time for the first time ever.
With three intermediates and three seniors in
the finals of the Pink Pavilion Dash and many
winners in the House Athletics, this has been
another very successful term for our athletes.
Culture: It was with some surprise that
the boys came second in the first ever House
Dance Competition with our version of mc
Hammer’s Hammer Time, which involved
every pupil as well as the housemaster being
on stage at some stage of the performance.
Although not perhaps the most refined
of performances, the fact we were the
only House to have all pupils involved says
something about the pride the boys take in
their House. Our performance for the House
Singing Competition of Girls just wanna have fun
gave the boys the chance to dress up as girls
again and although not the finest of singers,
we had a great deal of fun in rehearsals and
on the night. One main aim for the House
this year was to increase the involvement
in the cultural life of the school and I was
delighted to see seven pupils involved in Guys
and Dolls and six in Oliver ! A number of them
were also part of the stunning Physical Dance
Group as well as a huge contingent in the
Field Gun Crews. Others were involved in
the junior plays too. Many of the boys are
taking instrumental lessons and a number of
them playing in bands and orchestras within
the school. Perhaps next year will be a chance
to put on the Stanley’s first ever House play !
House Spirit: With one week to go on the
Maniacs we are in a strong and commanding
position and I believe our commitment to this
House Dance Competition:
‘MC Hammer’s “Hammer Time”’
mad event best illustrates the pride and spirit
the boys have for their House. Averaging
over twenty boys a day and topping thirty on
some days, the boys have got themselves out
of bed in all weathers to swim the two lengths
required on a daily basis. This enthusiasm
and determination to do well for their
House shines through in all that they do and
I am constantly delighted to receive positive
comments from teachers and parents alike. I
would like to use this opportunity to thank all
my staff for their efforts in House this year.
The boys are very fortunate to have such a
committed and passionate team.
the wellington college year book 2010/2011
t h e ta l b o t
The year has been a busy and
exciting one for The Talbot with
Talbotians achieving success in
many fields, across all year groups. The interHouse Quiz team comprising of Illias Thoms,
Lorcan Treacy, Julian Graham and Louis Elton
progressed to The Talbot’s fourth final in a
row where they narrowly lost to The Raglan
on a nailbiting tiebreak question ! The failure
to win the trophy a record fourth time in a
row weighed heavily on the mind of the team
captain Illias Thoms who redeemed himself
by leading The Talbot to third place in the
Inter-House Singing Competition where The
Talbot was the top boys’ house performing a
spirited rendition of Don’t You Want Me Baby
by The Human League; the choreography
was meticulous but the song is now,
understandably, banned in House. On the
sporting front, The Talbot had a surprisingly
successful year finishing as runners-up in both
the sko football and jko cricket competitions.
Particular world class performances in the
football team came from Beau Wyatt and Will
Morgan who also both earned full colours for
playing in the College 1st XI team. Beau also
received colours for athletics. Jake Oldaker
and Harrison George both earned full colours
for playing in the College 1st xv; Harrison was
also vice-captain in what has been another
hugely successful year for the 1st xv. Will
Johnson received full colours for fencing and
shooting and Evgeny Shuvalov received full
colours for both the triathlon and swimming;
he was also captain of both sports. Ben
Harcourt, our Head of House, was also
captain of Field-gun in a year that saw the fieldgun team perform at Earl’s Court. This event
has always been enormously popular with the
House — so many boys are involved we could
almost field a Talbot team. We are delighted
to report that another Talbotian, Dominic
Auger has been selected as the captain
for next year. Chris Ewing who has been
outstanding as Third Form prefect, received
his colours for Polo so maintaining our
reputation as the quintessential ‘toffs’ House
and Austin Curtis received colours for skiing.
Culturally and artistically The Talbot has
had a hugely impressive year. Beau Wyatt and
Jamie Allum were awarded Arts colours for
their trumpet playing and technical skill in the
theatre respectively. Beau was also a highly
respected and inspirational captain of the
orchestra. The latter’s rendition of the Last
Post has added great solemnity and dignity to
several Remembrance Day commemorations
in the past. Illias Thoms performed the 1st
movement of Beethoven’s 1st Piano Concerto
with the orchestra and Harry Lei performed in
the hotly contested final of the Montgomery
Competition this year. Aidan Bose-Rosling
has continued to be involved in a number of
dramatic performances this year, including
The Panto, No-one Sees The Video, Frost/Nixon,
Henry V and Twelfth Night. Frost/Nixon was
directed by Illias Thoms. Ben Harcourt
also featured in Henry V. Evgeny Shuvalov
and Chris O’Callaghan were involved in the
Boy’s Physical Theatre Troup that performed
to the delight of a huge audience on Speech
Day in the spectacular Irish dancing finale.
Felix Peckham has emerged as one of the
leading lights of satirical writing with his witty
and creative pieces for South Front and The
Wellingtonian; it would seem that the next Ian
Hislop is in The Talbot !
Academically, The Talbot has continued to
perform at a very high level. Two boys, Chris
Ewing and Illias Thoms were given offers to
study at Oxford University to read Law and
History & Politics respectively. Illias also won
the Prince Consort History Prize on Speech
Day. Harry Lei and Ian Lai were the top two
boys in the Fourth Form for Effort Grades and
Harry also won the Fourth Form Chemistry
and Biology awards on Speech Day. The Talbot
saw its run of College Prefects continue this
year with Illias Thoms who was also Deputy
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