AUTUMN 2015
Community Spirit
C1 House – the boarding ethos
Summer School Then and Now
Plans for Memorial Hall
The new Fitness Centre
Not only does this reflect the time honoured values of a Marlborough
education but it also reminds us of the progression well beyond the central
campus of Marlborough, itself, both locally and internationally.
Master’s
Welcome
One reality of the last three
years has been the need
to realign whole school
occasions to accommodate
a school of 930 pupils. The
academic year of 2014/15
has been one where we
have become used to the
importance of collective
events with an emphasis on
what they mean for each and
every individual engaged
within the community.
2
Our Open Days and concert programmes, not to mention the frequent
usage of our games facilities, keep us permanently in touch with the locality.
The constant growth of the Outreach Programme and partnership with
local schools connects us with our immediate environment which
incorporates the vital link to the town of Marlborough. We even have
a former Dame of Preshute as the current Mayor. For Old Marlburians,
Club Day last October was a major success whilst the year group of 1990
returned in large numbers for a 25 year celebration. This is something we
seek to develop further.
Within the College, our website testifies to the increasing number of
central events. Hence, the MarlboroughFest Battle of the Bands was a fine
forerunner for a highly successful unitary Prize Day. In March, witnessing
the eclipse from the Hamersley was memorable whilst the Michaelmas Term
featured a unified gathering to view the moving commemorative celebration
of the Film ‘The 749’. Parental attendance at ‘Illumination’ for the first
time saw them witness the talent of Marlburians and then make it a hugely
successful fundraiser for the ‘EdClub’. Also, over 50 members of Common
Room, Support Staff and friends were involved in ‘Bobby’s Ride’ on the day
after Prize Day, and a remarkable £62,000 was raised towards The Brain
Tumour Charity and the John Radcliffe Hospital.
At year group level, events for
the Shell included the remarkable
Michael Morpurgo talk, whilst
recently, post- examinations,
the Hundred have started to leave
the chrysalis of the lower school
through the first ‘Skill Up’
programme which has challenged
them both as a group and
individually to think through
the meaning of what it means to
join the Sixth Form and beyond.
With increasing numbers
attending universities abroad and
the strong support of the Old
Marlburians as they network
through their various different
business backgrounds, there is
huge strength in collaborative
spirit. This bears out the key point
of the Commemoration and
Prize Day Speech.
“Having the
community together
is the essence of what
it means to be
Marlburian.”
J O N AT H A N L E I G H – M A S T E R
In the Spotlight
BIL L NICHOL A S – SECOND M A STER
On arrival at Marlborough in 1998, I was immediately struck by the
excited clamour in the Memorial Hall as the whole school met together
for the first time for the opening assembly. The buzz and energy evident
in the break time gathering of Common Room, which remains a
distinctive element of daily life, formed a strong impression too, as did
my first Chemistry lesson with a group of confident and highly engaging
Hundred pupils.
After a year, Sheryl and I moved into the Resident House Tutor Flat in
Turner, by that stage with our young daughter, Georgie. The opportunity
for my children to grow up in a boarding house environment has been
a great joy: the richness of the relationships forged by the full boarding
experience is a uniquely powerful thing and many of those established
17 years ago are very much alive today.
In 2006 I took on the position of Summerfield Housemaster and we
moved to Hyde Lane, now with Jonty, born earlier that year. The job
of Housemaster brings with it an intense focus on those in your care
and the great privilege of working with families through the wonderful
transformation over a pupil’s career.
My appointment as Second Master allows me to consider the College
in a wider context and I am looking forward to exploring every
idiosyncratic aspect of school life and helping to keep this great place
moving forward. The pupil community should reflect the world in which
we live: the powerful connections facilitated by the shared experiences
of full boarding need to bring a broader spectrum of people together
for the benefit of society as a whole, both nationally and internationally.
I am very excited about the future of this vibrant school and being
part of helping others experience the awesome thrill of arriving in this
astonishing place for the first time.
3
Personal
Reflections
“I know that we
did some work
but the building
of relationships
and skills for life
is the core quality
of the school.”
As a new Marlborough parent, memories of my own time at the school
have bubbled back to the surface. Marlborough retains its full boarding
ethos and is all about people; about living and growing up together. The
disciplines and skills for life were not specifically taught but were worked
out communally; often by trial and error.
Since the 1980s, the rhythm of the school doesn’t seem to have changed
massively although we clearly communicated with the outside world much,
much less. C House had one coin operated telephone in its basement and
I found many messages in my pigeon hole from my parents asking
“Are you alive? Please phone home”.
I recall little time alone. Dormitories were all about smelly socks, who
had started to shave and Corps boots lobbed at snorers. C1 and C3 boys
prized their record collections and studies rarely had their doors shut with
a cacophony of different music tastes and endless Nescafé Gold Blend.
We even started the house bar (the Maltese Cross) in the basement tunnels
of C1 and managed to persuade Lower Sixth girls that home brewed beer
made for an entertaining Saturday night! We were given latitude, took it
and – for the most part – learnt from it!
Sport remains a big part of Marlborough life. While I don’t remember the
colour of my school rugby kit, my red and white hooped swipe was worn
with pride. Grudge matches versus B1 were a big feature of the Michaelmas
Term while, with no football on the curriculum, pick up football behind
Field House was very common – and muddy.
Every time I meet an OM, the rapport is instant given the intensity of five
years of full boarding life. Virtually all are still in touch with a few of their
closer friends from those days.
A NGUS BA ILEY
(C1 19 78 - 83)
4
Time will tell whether my daughter will take away the same fondness for her
school and build such lasting friendships. So far so good: no brewing beer to
date (so she says) but already her house swipe is a great source of pride.
A full boarding ethos does indeed remain, with many of the pupils in at
weekends. After lessons on Saturday morning, many of the boys and girls
will play matches against traditional foe! On Saturday evenings, life, I
suspect, has changed a little with considerably more on offer for each year
group. Lower School pupils enjoy a huge range of activities including ‘bars’,
quiz nights, Illumination, ultimate frisbee and cinema trips. Older pupils
enjoy the Marlburian and House bars and the oldest are allowed into town,
important freedoms and privileges to have at the top of the school. Sunday
is also perhaps a lot fuller than it used to be with Chapel, House matches,
trips, outdoor activities and subject field days. Battles against B1 remain
but inter-house competition is now fiercely contested across all houses
with the new admissions system creating a greater mix of pupil abilities
across all houses. There is still free time though to learn the art of boarding
independently, making friends and organising one’s own activity.
“Boarding here
continues to develop,
educate and build
confidence in
each individual.
Marlburians are
great company.”
The Maltese Cross remains and hosts some great evenings, now including
girls with the Upper Sixth Invitational Supper and Captain’s drinks.
I suspect the aspect of leadership and pupil voice has changed considerably.
House Council meetings and more diverse responsibilities for the pupils
in every year group give the pupil body more ownership for what they do
in the College.
Best of all, communal living remains. The pupils share rooms in the Lower
School, albeit in lower densities than they used to. The Shell dorms are now
palatial! The boys still love their music; playlists (now on iTunes not vinyl)
are extensive. Brew room culture remains strong too with a race for toast,
milkshakes and pasta cook ups all part of life. The pupils continue to have
to learn the art of accepting their peers, understanding the strengths
and weaknesses of others and appreciating their talents. The human
relationships developed by boarding here remain long lasting and the
camaraderie developed in House, on the games field or when polishing
CCF boots in the basement is strong.
BEN MILLER
( H O U S E M A S T E R , C1)
5
Launched in 1974, Marlborough College
Summer School has ‘Something for Everyone’
with over 500 courses to choose from.
Summer School Directors past and present
reflect on how it has grown into the largest
of its kind in the UK.
Then...
I had known of Summer School
from my very early days at the
college; and, indeed, I enjoyed a
number of years working behind the
bar. Having studied for an MBA,
and then being Head of Business
Studies at Marlborough, I was also
aware that it might offer an enticing
opportunity to enjoy a real-life
experience of small business
management, without the normal
accompanying risk of personal loss!
M A R E K K W I AT KOW S K I ,
SU MM ER SCHOOL DIR EC TOR
(19 95 -2 0 01)
6
On taking up the reins in 1995, the
first challenge was to increase the
attendance to, what I considered to
be, the critical mass for a three week
programme. I firmly believed that
there was a co-relationship between
the number and breadth of courses
on offer and the number of
customers attending, each feeding
the other for future expansion. With
the help of my Secretary, the only
other full-time Summer School
employee, we set about trying both
to widen and deepen the market.
With a number of new courses on
offer, we distributed a re-vamped
brochure amongst doctors’ and
dentists’ surgeries, hospital waiting
rooms, central libraries all over the
country, as well as increasing the
traditional mailing list.
In the first year, it paid off and
we broke even. Over subsequent
years, we steadily increased the
courses from 60 to over 270,
both multiplying proven
successes (art and craft), but also
encompassing a whole new range
of special interests, particularly for
the young and overseas customers.
The quality and diversity of what
we could offer, as well as a vibrant
atmosphere, were dependent on
swelling the numbers (ultimately
to around 3,000), both to fill the
courses and to support a full and
varied entertainments programme.
The College community is ideally
suited for Summer School. It has
the space, the buildings and the
setting. The success of the model is,
and always has been, that once
someone comes for the first time,
they tend to return (normally
bringing their friends with them).
It is a very good formula.
...and Now
My role here is relatively
straightforward. I am tasked with
building the College’s commercial
opportunities, the goal being to
support all aspects of the College,
including its aim to offer more
bursary places in future years.
This comes in three guises; retail
operations, leisure – such as opening
up the swimming pool to members
of the local community and beyond
– and events. Events is the area that
gives us the greatest opportunity for
growth with Marlborough College
an ideal location for weddings,
conferences, film sets, photoshoots
and, of course, Summer School.
Rather like that advertisement for
Patek Philippe – the makers of
those very glamorous watches –
my job is to be the ‘guardian’ of
Summer School, which is by far the
largest event in the Marlborough
College Enterprise Events calendar.
I need to make sure I grow the
product and continue its success
before I hand over the baton to
the next guardian. Over 40 years,
Summer School has built a fiercely
loyal following that, quite rightly,
will let me know if I am changing
anything for the worse. As such,
evolution rather than revolution
is the order of the day.
However, change is essential for any
business and Summer School is no
different. 2015 saw the introduction
of a fourth week to the schedule.
We also expanded the entertainment
line-up to include Gala
performances on Tuesdays as well
as the traditional Fridays. We have
dipped our toe into the world of
sponsorship with NFU Mutual
generously supporting this year’s
entertainment programme.
There are also subtle changes that
have been made such as the
introduction of a ‘summerhouse’
in Court selling newspapers, coffee
and ice cream. We have themed
events in the Marquee each week
with customers enjoying dancing
on Mondays, a Beer Festival each
Tuesday, skittles on Wednesday,
the famous quiz on Thursdays and
live music every Friday – indeed
on the last Friday, Summer School
welcomed the Wurzels to
Marlborough College!
JOH N BL A K E , DIR EC TOR
OF M A R L BOROUGH COL L EGE
E N T E R PR I S E LT D ( 2 014 -)
Next year will see two innovations;
the introduction of the Marlborough
College School of English and
Culture for unaccompanied
teenagers from overseas and
Summer School art courses
running in Spain in September.
So, I want to give everyone the
confidence that Summer School
is in safe hands for the foreseeable
future… the only thing I can’t
guarantee is the sunshine!
7
Centre
of Excellence
K AT Y B E N N E T T
DIR EC TOR OF SPORT
Having recently completed her first year as
Director of Sport, Katy Bennett looks back on
a busy first 12 months and discusses the range
of exciting developments ahead for sport,
health and fitness at the College...
Q How would you describe your first year at Marlborough?
extremely enjoyable but also very busy! The role requires a
A Itmixhasofbeen
mid to long-term strategic planning combined with a diverse and
demanding daily schedule. It has taken a while to get my head around
all of those areas as the College is such a big place. The role is so exciting
because there is sport and physical activity happening around every corner.
We have nearly 50 sports scholars and it has been wonderful to work
closely with them. It is a big area for me to look at for the future, in terms
of a holistic approach to sports science and the support we offer.
The Old Gym is currently undergoing major
renovation work. Can you explain the key advantages
of the new facility over the old?
This is so exciting. The Old Gym, formerly the Town’s jail is being
completely revamped and the space in the building will be almost
doubled thanks to the addition of a mezzanine floor. We have had
a lot of input into the equipment and facilities that will be offered to
pupils. There will be a workout area, a watt-bike studio, a relaxation
area and a multi-purpose dance studio too. It is a very exciting time
for pupils and staff at Marlborough.
8
About
the new
Fitness
Centre
The new Fitness Centre is
expected to be ready for the
start of Lent Term 2016.
This is the result of an imaginative
project to convert the Old Gym.
Originally the town’s jail, the
building was converted into a
gym for the College in 1908. The
building is listed and the architects
have worked very carefully to
balance the retention of the original
features whilst breathing new life
into its use.
What sort of range of activities will be available
and how many pupils will have access to it?
The gym has been designed with every pupil in mind. We really hope
that when you walk into the new facility, whether you are representing
your country or are just want to find out ways to get a little bit fitter,
that you will feel inspired.
We want to encourage and foster a supportive community environment
and we really hope, with the right mix of staff, that everyone will feel able
to use the new facilities to the best of their ability.
What part does sport and exercise play in the
College as a whole?
The all-round benefits of sport cannot be underestimated. Most people
absolutely love playing in a team and the sense of achievement it can
bring. Playing alongside your friends and engaging in physical activity,
particularly in a boarding school environment, can do so much for your
well-being. It adds value to the whole community and I am sure everyone
at Marlborough recognises that.
The ground floor will include a fully
equipped work space with over 40
machines, a running track, weights
and resistance equipment. There will
also be a sports café for relaxation,
clinics and other sessions as well as
the chance to watch sports on the
big screens. A new mezzanine floor
over the gym space will provide
two beautiful studios for spinning
and floor exercises.
This much-awaited facility will
appeal to all the boys and girls
ranging from those needing
performance and conditioning
for representative sports through
to those seeking recreational health
and well-being improvement.
The aim is to have a full staff
to include instructors and a fitness
and conditioning coach, as well
as access to physiotherapists and
other professionals.
9
Mem Hall
Memories
The Memorial Hall is the College’s principal
memorial to the 749 men who gave their lives in
World War One. It was opened by H.R.H. The
Duke of Connaught in 1925 and 90 years on,
Marlburians offer their memories of an iconic
building that remains at the heart of College life...
The Pupil...
The Beak...
A LICE HOOK
( M M 2 010 -15)
DR CC ST E V ENS
(S E C O N D M A S T E R 2 011-2 015)
As a pupil I saw the Memorial Hall in many different
lights; in a single day it could be transformed from an
assembly hall to a lecture theatre or a concert stage.
A particular Mem Hall event that many Marlburians
treasure is the tri-annual Illumination show. It is run
by pupils, for the pupils, and highlights hidden talents
within the pupil body.
Among countless occasions I have enjoyed in the
Memorial Hall, ranging from concerts and visiting
speakers to Illuminations, prize giving and House
shout, the most powerful and poignant was the
first screening of ‘The 749’ to a full Memorial Hall
on November 11th 2014.
The Mem Hall stage is by no means an easy place to
perform; its semi-circular shape leaves nowhere to hide,
as the audience watch from all directions. This pressure
is only increased when your peers are in the audience.
The nervous anticipation from the other acts backstage
fuels any nerves of your own and it is not until you
start performing that the slight shaking and sweaty
palms disappear.
Every act is met with raucous applause and this for
me is what the Mem Hall represents: pupils being able
to celebrate and support each other’s talent, and this
is what made performing in Illumination a highlight
of my time at Marlborough.
10
Gathering in a building which honours the fallen
to watch a film which does the same, the presence
of that generation was felt more strongly than ever.
Sitting in front of the 749 names carved round the
ambulatory and viewing the film over the massed
heads of a living generation of Marlburians was a truly
moving experience.
The Memorial Hall is a building where we regularly
celebrate Marlburian achievement; one hopes and trusts
the fallen would be proud of their legacy.
J O H N C OA PE L U D L OW
(C O 19 0 8 -11)
The Old Marlburian...
S T E V E N B I S H O P, C O U N C I L M E M B E R
( PR 19 69 -73)
One of my earliest memories of the Mem Hall is of
the charismatic John Dancy coming on to the stage
with his characteristic gait and proclaiming that
‘Marlborough is a boys’ school but a better boys’
school for having girls in it’. Over the next four years
the Mem Hall was witness to numerous occasions
which reflected that but especially in the fields of
music and drama. And pre-eminent in those areas
were Robert Avery and Bob Peel.
Robert Avery was wise enough to cast me in only a
minor part in two school plays but in one of them,
The Alchemist, I did have to utter the first lines of
speech which I still remember to this day. Bob Peel
hugely influenced all wind musicians at Marlborough
for over 30 years and playing in Brasser was enormous
fun. Three years ago Bob returned to conduct a
Brasser reunion from the early 70’s and playing
Hootenanny on the Mem Hall stage brought the
memories flooding back.
It is a great pity that the Mem Hall can no longer
accommodate the whole school but I hope that the
749 Fund will see this venerable building restored
to its former glory.
Building for
the future...
The Memorial Hall is one of the most iconic
College buildings, whether as a venue for House
Shouts, drama, music or as the building that was
built to commemorate the 749 who fell in the
First World War. One hundred years of constant
use has taken its toll on this historic setting. This
magnificent building now needs to be restored to
its original glory together with the introduction
of state-of-the-art technology to support the
performing arts. The aim is to complete the work
in time for the commemoration of the end of the
First World War in July 2018.
Following an evening, ‘Poets of the First World
War’, in words and music, which is to be held
in Chapel on Sunday 15th November, we will be
a holding a reception to outline our plans for the
Memorial Hall.
If you would like to attend the
service and reception, please call
Development Manager Jan Perrins
on 01672 892439.
11
News...
Andrew Shepherd (LI 1993-1998)
and Alethea Steven (NC 1994-1999)
are returning with their company
ACS Random to Park Theatre in
North London with The Knight
From Nowhere / The Bells.
Showing from Tuesday 24th
November until Saturday 19th
December – a double bill celebrating
the life of Sir Henry Irving, greatest
actor of the 19th Century and the
first actor to be knighted.
Commemoration Events
Michaelmas Term 2015
For more news, log onto marlburianclub.org/membersnews
Forthcoming Events...
Saturday 10th October
Preshute 2003 Leavers Reunion
Marlborough College
Friday 13th November
East Sussex Dinner
Thursday 24th September,
5.30pm in the Adderley:
Dr Janice Macfarlane will
speak on the life and works of
Charles Hamilton Sorley.
Sunday 11th October,
Club Day:
An Archive Exhibition featuring
the material about Sorley held in
the College Archives.
Sunday 15th November,
6.30pm in Chapel:
'Poets of the First World War'
in words and music.
Sunday 11th October
Club Day
Wednesday 14th October
Property Group Networking Event
Wednesday 21st October
Arts & Media Networking Event
The White Hart, Drury Land,
London
Tuesday 3rd November
Digital Players Group Event
Rack & Tenter, London
Wednesday 25th November
Business, Banking, Finance &
Entrepreneurs Group Christmas Drinks
Thursday 10th December
OM Carol Service
St Michael’s, Chester Square,
London
Thursday 10th March 2016
Edinburgh Dinner
The New Club, Edinburgh
The Development Office,
Marlborough College,
Wiltshire SN8 1PA
Saturday 28th November,
7.30pm in the Memorial Hall:
“A Dealer in Words...”
– An evening with Rudyard
Kipling in aid of The
Not-Forgotten Association
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