Reunions
1940s Reunion Lunch - Saturday 20th April 2013
Before Saturday 20th April, we had only seen four dry weekends and two of those were in December. We were in luck though and the event this year was met with lovely sunshine and not a drop of rain in sight!
It was great being able to welcome so many people back to BGS again. Some people attending had not been back for over 50 years and when I think about how much the school has changed since I left (1990), it can only be a stellar leap forwards for those people. They particularly enjoyed the tour of the school kindly run by our President Gordon Green after lunch.
Thanks again to Koleen and indeed the whole catering team for arranging such a great day and the school looks forward to welcoming people back again on Saturday 26th April 2014. That date will be with us sooner than many of us would like. I think that is called getting old?!
James Williams (1980-90)
OBA REUNION 12th JANUARY 2013
Yet another highly successful and well attended ‘Open Day’ was held at School on 12th January. This event, which was specifically aimed at but not confined to those whose interests at School embraced Scouting, the CCF, Drama, Music, Debating, and other non-sporting activities, was held on the date traditionally reserved for the Annual Dinner which has this year been re-scheduled for 14th September 2013.
It was pleasing to see a number of new faces, and we are particularly encouraged that each of these events attracts OB’s making their first visit back since leaving School, in many cases some considerable time ago. A number of those present had travelled long distances to be there – in one case from Portugal.
Following pre-lunch drinks in the DH Room we adjourned to the Dining Hall for an excellent lunch provided as always by Geoff Holmes and his catering team.
After the briefest of speeches from the Headmaster and your President there was ample time for continuing reminiscence followed by the ever popular tours of the School’s new facilities.
Thanks are due to the School for facilitating the event, the School staff and in particular to Koleen Wright for her organisation and hard work on the day.
Gordon Green
President
Oxbridge & Cambridge Dinner – Saturday 10th November 2012
The annual Old Bradfordians’ Association Oxford and Cambridge dinner took place on Saturday 10th November 2012 at Downing College, Cambridge. Around 30 people attended the dinner. There was the usual representation of different ages: indeed it has been very pleasing to see these events supported each year by younger OBs, both current students and those who have recently left college.
From 7pm, OBs and their guests arrived for pre-dinner drinks, which were served from a cash bar kindly provided by the college. Just before 8pm, dinner was called and the Downing College grace was recited by Stephen Tendlow. Diners sat down to a starter of cream of cauliflower soup with salt cod beignets, a main course of pan fried fillet of sea bass on a celeriac mash accompanied with sauce vierge, followed by apple tarte tatin with caramelised baby apples and Granny Smiths’ sorbet. Wines were college label Chardonnay and Merlot; coffee and chocolates were served after the meal.
After dinner, the OBA President Gordon Green spoke, followed by the Headmaster, Kevin Riley, who gave an interesting and succinct report on the school’s recent progress. It was a pleasure to be able to welcome the Headmaster and Mrs Riley who were attending their first ‘Oxbridge’ reunion – the first, we hope, of many to come – and the OBA committee would like to thank them for their commitment to the event. It was then a real privilege to hear from Stephen Tendlow, an OB and old member of Downing, who had generously given up much of his time to organise the dinner. Stephen spoke most entertainingly about his time at Downing.
Thanks go, in particular, to Koleen Wright, the OBA Administrator, for her tireless efforts in organising matters from the school’s end and in keeping members of the OBA committee on course to meet deadlines! Stephen Tendlow is to be congratulated on an excellent event and thanks go to Gordon Green and the Headmaster for giving up their time to attend.
It is hoped that the 2013 event will take place at The Queen’s College, Oxford on a Saturday in November; further details will follow!
Dominic Crossley (1987-1996)
Old Bradfordians' Open Day - Saturday 15th September 2012
Approximately 90 Old Bradfordians and their guests attended this event at School. It was good to see such a range of ages represented (from 18 to 90+) as we gathered for pre-lunch drinks in the DH Room.
As well as providing the opportunity for OBs to keep in touch with the School, this event had two main purposes, firstly to provide an opportunity for members to meet Kevin Riley (who assures me he is no longer the ‘new’ Head – he has been with us for nearly 9 months!) and secondly to formally open the C.F. Oates Chemistry Laboratory.
We were therefore delighted to welcome back to School Titus’ son Charles (OB) accompanied by his wife Wendy, who performed the opening ceremony by using a somewhat ordinary looking master key to unlock the door and declare the laboratory officially open. Charles then had the opportunity of viewing the two commemorative plaques which will in due course be supplemented by a wall display giving some biographical detail about his father and his contribution to the life of the School.
An excellent lunch provided by Geoff Holmes and his team provided further opportunity for reminiscence and conversation following which there were brief speeches from your President and the Headmaster and also from Charles Oates, who in thanking the School and the OBA for their gesture in commemorating his father, then presented on behalf of the family Titus’ Silver Acorn and other Scouting Medals to the School for display in the cabinet in the vestibule.
Following lunch a number of parties were taken on conducted tours of the School and the new facilities.
The OBA would like to express its thanks to the School for entertaining us, the Catering and Estates Staff for looking after us and to Koleen Wright for all her hard work in organising this highly successful and much appreciated event.
Gordon Green
President
The Old Bradfordians’ Association
KB Memories of the First Troop
Please click here to read about the memories of Keith Booth's memories of the First Troop.
Annual Dinner & AGM - Saturday 14 January 2012
The Annual Dinner and AGM of the Old Bradfordians’ Association were held on Saturday 14th January 2012 in the Price Hall.
The President, Gordon Green, entertained his guests in the Douglas Hamilton Room before dinner and a bar was available at the back of the Hall from 6pm. At around 7pm, the Master of Ceremonies announced the start of dinner and guests assembled in the Hall. Before dinner, the moving Scouts’ Candle Ceremony was re-enacted for the second time in recent years, followed by the traditional minute’s silence for absent friends, and Grace, admirably recited by John Hammond, a past president of the Association.
The menu comprised a starter of carrot and coriander soup, followed by supreme of chicken wrapped in bacon served with a wild mushroom sauce, and apple and rhubarb crumble and custard for pudding. Coffee and mints followed, and drinks from the bar were available throughout the evening. As in now customary, the President took wine during dinner with OBs from every headmastership, as well as the guests, and all the ladies present. This year must surely have seen a record number of headmasterships represented in the taking of wine, from Dr Edwards through to the present headmaster, Kevin Riley, who had just assumed office (once again this year, the OBA was delighted to welcome a number of sixth-form students to the Annual Dinner).
After the Loyal Toast and the National Anthem, the AGM took place and there was a short interval. The President then spoke briefly, giving some helpful insights into the nature of a good speech, and proposed a toast to the School. The principal guest – the new headmaster – responded, proving himself every bit as eloquent as his predecessor. Derek Oldfield, a veteran of the Edwards years, proposed a toast to all the guests present and this was responded to by Dr Keith Howard OBE, who gave some interesting reflections on how his perceptions of Bradford, and BGS, had changed over the years.
The President thanked all members and guests for their attendance and the evening closed with the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne.
Thanks go to Nick Green (OB), for providing his services as Master of Ceremonies for a second year in a row, James Williams, OBA President-elect, for hosting the ever-successful stand-up bingo and for co-ordinating organisation of the event, Anna Brown and her quartet, John Hammond for his skills at the organ, Charlie and Nicky Linfield for running the Price Hall bar, and County Caterers for providing an excellent spread as always, and to the sixth-form students who provided invaluable assistance throughout the evening, including serving drinks in the DH Room, taking wine orders, and serving the food. Special thanks to the school caretakers for their assistance in clearing up afterwards, and to all members of the OBA committee.