17 Friday May 2013
Posted in School News
Listen to the Royal Hospital School Choir singing a specially commissioned piece by Will Todd called Exalt Us In Your Love, in celebration of our Tercentenary Year. The words are based on the School prayer. Truly beautiful!
02 Thursday May 2013
Posted in School News
Tags
Music, organ, organist, Peter Crompton, RHS, RHS300, Roast Beef and Bordeaux, royal hospital school, the royal hospital school, William Saunders
As part of this year’s Tercentenary Celebrations Director of Music, Peter Crompton, and Head of Academic Music, William Saunders, have recorded a selection of English and French organ music on the Grand Organ in the School’s impressive Chapel and released a CD called Roast Beef and Bordeaux. The recording, on one of the most important instruments in the country, is a musical kaleidoscope at the organists’ expert fingers.
To purchase a copy of this CD contact the Music School – 01473 326222 or email music@royalhospitalschool.org. £10 including P&P.
02 Thursday May 2013
Posted in School News
As part of the Royal Hospital School‘s Tercentenary Celebrations, local artist John Harrison, is creating a wonderful painting of the School.
John is the uncle of former pupil and current staff member, Tom Wood (2007), and lives and works in the small village of Birch, 6 miles from Colchester. His passion for sketching started as a young boy and has developed into a lifetime ambition of becoming a professional artist.
The painting is set looking over the parade ground, cleverly incorporating all the aspects of the School’s vista and memorable scenes such as a Sunset Ceremony, games on the sports fields and a Cornish Shrimper on the Stour.
John is donating the original painting to raise money for the RHS300 Heritage Centre Appeal. It will be auctioned at the Former Pupil Tercentenary Dinner at Greenwich on Friday 7th June 2013. A limited run of 300 prints will also available to purchase and can be pre-ordered at www.rhscommunity.co.uk.
John with work in progress
18 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in School News
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Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, chapel, founders day, Rev Mark Goodman, RHS300, royal navy, the royal hospital school
Founders’ Day this weekend will include whole-school Divisions and a special Chapel service and we are delighted to welcome our visiting Inspecting Officer and guest preacher in our tercentenary year.
The Inspecting Officer is Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent KCB CBE who will be accompanied by his wife Lady Mary (Marie) Burnell-Nugent.
Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent
Admiral Burnell-Nugent was a submariner and he has commanded ships and submarines at just about every level in the Royal Navy up to the Rank of 4 Star Admiral when he was Commander In Chief Fleet. He left the Royal Navy in 2008 and now runs Orchard Leadership.
Through Orchard Leadership, Admiral Burnell-Nugent is the International Strategic Advisor to Shell on Maritime Security, the Advisor on Maritime Security to the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Strategic Advisor to Risk Intelligence, Senior Advisor to the leading investment banking boutique Evercore Partners and Advisor to the New York private equity investment firm JF Lehman & Co. He is a special advisor to Regester Larkin. He is also a Non-Executive Director of QinetiQ Group and Plymouth Marine Laboratory and is a Senior Fellow of the One Earth Future Foundation, through their work Oceans Beyond Piracy.
Specifically on leadership, he is advising Newton Europe on leadership development and application across the company. Also he has had opportunities with the EU, Dutch Multinationals, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Church of England and several Government Departments. He has also worked with Corven on leadership and management of change issues.
He is a member of the Kilfinan Group of Mentors for the charity sector, mentoring the CEO of a substantial national charity and is a regular contributor to The Windsor Leadership Trust. He is an ambassador for the HMS Alliance Appeal and a member of the fund-raising committee to replace the Sea Cadet flagship TS Royalist.
The guest preacher at the RHS 300 Founders’ Day Service is the Rev Mark Goodman.
Rev Mark Goodman
Mark was a pupil at the Royal Hospital School from 1974-81. After leaving school he read Political and Religious Thought at Lancaster University. Following graduation he worked as an actor, sold second-hand and antiquarian books and worked in prisoner rehabilitation. Between 1987-90 he read Theology at Nottingham University. After a curacy in Denton, Manchester, between 1990-93, he moved to Scotland to become Rector of Dalkeith and Lasswade in the Diocese of Edinburgh. During this time he became Synod Clerk of Edinburgh Diocese and Canon of Edinburgh Cathedral.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Theology and Ethics of Communication from Edinburgh University and has a particular interest in writing and religious broadcasting. Since 2006 he has been Chaplain at the Stamford Endowed Schools in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Mark is married to Gwen and together they are parents of Peter (21), Alasdair (18) and Elspeth (14).
17 Monday Dec 2012
Posted in School News
Tags
EADT, East Anglian Daily Times, Greenwich, James Lockwood, RHS, RHS300, royal hospital school, suffolk, Tercentenary, the royal hospital school
Lynn Mortimer, of the East Anglian Daily Times, visited the Royal Hospital School to meet with RHS300 Coordinator, Rob Mann, see the new Heritage Centre and review the Tercentenary book. To read what she wrote in the EADT on Saturday 15 December, please follow the link below:
All Aboard for Three Centuries of School Life
East Anglian Daily Times 15/12/12
13 Thursday Dec 2012
Posted in School News
Listen to RHS300 coordinator and Geography teacher, Rob Mann, talking about the new book – The Royal Hospital School – Celebrating 300 Years – on BBC Radio Suffolk Tuesday 11 December.
Follow the link below and forward to 41.36 minutes into Lesley Dolphin’s programme.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0116cj4
The Royal Hospital School is a coeducational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 years olds set in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside overlooking the River Stour. http://www.royalhospitalschool.org
12 Wednesday Dec 2012
Posted in School News
320 guests attended a spectacular evening on the 13th October at the RHS300 Trafalgar Night Dinner. Guests were greeted at the entrance of an adorned Jelicoe Room with flame torches and the sound of seagulls and waves breaking. After champagne and canapés, drummers called for silence and the bugle followed by pipers called guests for dinner.
The doors of the Dining Hall were opened and there a 2-metre ice sculpture of Nelson’s Column stood. Once the guests were seated at their tables, the Master of Ceremonies, John Snoddon, introduced the formalities of the evening. Andrew Walker, Head Chef of the School caterer’s Chartwell, talked the guests through the 5-course meal. The Corps of Drums then performed to a memorised audience.
The Baked Norfolk Crab starter was delivered by 26 pupils who waited on the guests with complete professionalism. The next course was ‘Grog’ representing Nelson’s blood with cane syrup, egg yolk, cream, and rum. This was followed by an outstanding Baron of Beef paraded around the room accompanied by two drummers. The highlight of the menu was 32 handmade chocolate gallons comprising 60 separate layers of sponge, chocolate masts and rice paper sails brought in to a re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar. Six steel ships, suspended on the walls above the diners, created a gun battle ensued with vigor using pyrotechnics and specialist lighting effects. Finally, ‘Ships Biscuit’ was served with plum chutney and ‘weevils’ of Chinese artichokes.
The Headmaster introduced the Guest of Honour, Rear Admiral Woodcock, Naval Secretary and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Personnel) who gave a speech and toast to Lord Nelson. Director of Music, Peter Crompton, led the Sea Shanties including ‘Drunken Sailor’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ from the mistral gallery.
The evening finished with ‘Sunset’ – the lowering of the flag to the Last Post and cannons firing confetti. It was an extremely memorable evening and fitting celebration of 300 years of RHS and its long association with the Royal Navy.
The Royal Hospital School is a coeducational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 years olds set in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside overlooking the River Stour. http://www.royalhospitalschool.org
11 Tuesday Dec 2012
Posted in School News
As you know, we are celebrating the School’s Tercentenary this academic year and as ‘Mr RHS300’ I would naturally like to use this as my theme today.
If we were to put a date on the actual formation of the School, we could use a date in December 1712 when a Committee met and resolved that “as soon as the revenue of Greenwich Hospital shall be sufficient ….. to take in … children ….. they shall be instructed in writing, arithmetic and navigation”
Well a lot has happened over the past 300 years and a new educational resource has been established at the School – a Heritage Centre that will tell the incredible story of our School linking past with present and future. It will feature exhibits that belonged to Nelson and items associated with the great age of Arctic and Antarctic exploration. It is important that each and every one of us understands where this great School came from and we can gain strength from the collective achievements of all those who have gone before us.
Heritage Centre
Many of you will, this week, be collecting your copies of the School’s tercentenary book entitled “Celebrating 300 Years”. This includes stories and images that illustrate the School’s rich heritage and traditions and how this has, over time, informed the School’s core values. These values have been shaped over centuries and bind us together. They are the lifeblood of our community and a source of strength as we face the challenges the future will bring. The Headmaster has recently renewed these in the context of his vision for the School moving forward.
Book Celebrating 300 Years
I would like to tell a few short stories from this book that outline the experiences of some past pupils, whilst linking these to the Headmasters vision and the values we hold so true at RHS.
RHS Olympic Connections and the importance we attribute to Fitness, Well Being and Healthy Competition.
Many of you will know of the cricketing achievements of Don Topley (our esteemed cricket coach) and more recently of Reece Topley, who may be destined to represent his country
But you may not know of footballer Gordon Rahere Hoare who was our first Olympic Gold medalist in 1912. He played in all three games at the Stockholm Olympics, winning each match and scoring two goals in the final against Denmark. He also played for top sides, Arsenal, Fulham, Queen’s Park Rangers and Manchester City.
You may also not know of top-shot Malcolm Douglas Cooper who left the School in 1965 and became the School’s first Double Olympic Gold Medalist – winning the shooting three position events in both Seoul and Los Angeles. He was also holder of fifteen world records.
And you may also not know that Hannah Stodel, a Howe girl who left in 2004, is a three times Paralympian sailor – in Athens, Beijing and London, coming sixth on each occasion.
Each one of these former pupils had to overcome difficulties, Gordon served in the World War in the famous Football Battalion witnessing the death of many of his footballing companions, Malcolm fighting to the last – tragically had his life cut short by Cancer and Hannah overcame disability to succeed. All of them demonstrated the RHS fighting spirit and as stated in the small blue book once given to every student who left RHS, entitled “A farewell Word” – they learnt to play the Game!
Fostering Creativity and Imagination and the intriguing story of Hollywood Legend, Bob Anderson
Bob left RHS in 1937 but this story starts back in the early 1950s after he took a fifth place in the fencing at the Helsinki Olympics. A chap from Pinewood Studios subsequently asked him if he would help an actor with his sword fighting techniques – this was none other than Errol Flynn. Errol was staring in the Master of Ballantrae and Bob coached him in his sparring, on one occasion even drawing blood. A friendship blossomed and he went on to work as Errol Flynn’s stunt double on many of his most famous swashbuckling movies.
In the 1960s Bob worked on the James Bond films and arranged sword-fight sequences and stunt scenes for the Three Musketeers. Then, remarkably, in the 1970s he got a call from George Lucas asking him to choreograph the light sabre combat sequences in the Star Wars Trilogy, doubling as Darth Vader in some of the scenes. He went on to work on Superman, the Zorro films and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
As Bob Anderson humbly stated, “We are all standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us”. Interestingly, David Marsh who left School in 1984 also worked on “the Pirates” movies creating the visual effects and, in particular the mask for Davy Jones!
But RHS achievements go far beyond the movies, with talented musicians, singers, artists, photographers and authors – all of them demonstrating creativity and imagination!
One tragic wartime story confirms the importance placed on Service, Loyalty and Commitment
Did you know about the strong links between HMS Hood and the Royal Hospital School?
Well of course you know we have a girls’ boarding house named Hood. You will probably know that it was named after a great naval hero and you will also probably know that his name was given to perhaps our most famous World War II battleship.
However, you may not have heard of Hugh Thomas Henry Moore and George Caleb Lewington both of whom attended the School at Greenwich or of Leslie Victor French, a St Vincent boy or of Alan Charles Cooper, a Blake boy. All attended RHS and all of them (and many other RHS boys) lost their lives when HMS Hood was blown apart by the Bismarck on 24th May 1941. A former Assistant Chaplain was also lost with the Hood and for thirty years his mother presented a Trophy, The Stewart Cup, to promote swimming at the School. When you leave this chapel, some of you will pass the Chaplain’s board that records the Rev Stewart’s name – spare a thought!
Three days after HMS Hood sank former pupil, Benjamin Martin, launched the final torpedo attack that sank the Bismarck. He was later knighted – one of at least seven former students who have been so honoured. After the war many boys who had been orphaned by this tragic event (1,415 lives were lost) attended the Royal Hospital School supported by our parent charity, Greenwich Hospital, and many will have resided in Hood House.
Historical links with exploration have led to the importance placed on Encouraging Leadership, Adventure and Self Discovery.
Of all our alumni, the most famous explorer is Admiral Arthur Philip who has been attributed with the founding of modern-day Australia.
However, the early 20th Century saw RHS play its part in the Golden Age of Antarctic discovery. Former pupil, Edward Mills Joyce was in charge of the dogs and sledges for the Shackleton expeditions and he also has an Antarctic mountain named after him. Former pupil, Sir Joseph Kinsey (another RHS knight) helped fund both the Shackleton and Scott expeditions and on 24th March 1912 Scott wrote for the last time from his tent “We have been to the South pole as we set out. God bless you and dear Mrs Kinsey. It is good to remember you and your kindness. Your friend, Robert Scott”. And it was former pupil, Thomas Williamson, a member of the search party on the Discovery Expedition, who found Scott’s frozen body in a tent three-quarters covered in snow. The skis and poles he used on this occasion just over 100 years ago that are displayed in our new Heritage Centre.
What has gone before informs our future – this School has strong values than run deep and bind our community. In this Tercentenary Year, we should celebrate the past and look forward to a bright future with its vision underpinned by values that have stood the test of time.
10 Monday Dec 2012
Posted in School News
1712 – 1812
On Thursday 6 December staff and pupils of the Royal Hospital School were treated to a meal that represented food that may have been served during the first century (1712 – 1812) of the School’s existance.
Rob Mann, RHS 300 Co-ordinator, said, “It is important to reflect on how times used to be and where we have come from; it most definitely helps us recognise how our School meals have evolved through the ages!”
The special menu included foods which were popular in the 1700’s; pease-soup, game pie, salted beef and steamed mutton and onion suet pudding were accompanied by seasonal and locally produced vegetables. To follow there was a choice of lemon syllabub, sweet patties or oatmeal hasty pudding.
The Royal Hospital School is a coeducational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 years olds set in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside overlooking the River Stour. http://www.royalhospitalschool.org
