Mick Pack, John Miles, Dave Carey, Peter Taylor…..Barry Roberts, Steve Goodhew, Peter Lusted

Nick Verrall, Alan Snelling, Barry Roberts……Mick Pack, John Miles, Martyn Calder, Dave Carey, Peter Taylor, Phil Bromwich

Barry Gilbert, John Faulkner …………..Ian Hazell

Clive Eglinton, Rick Harris, …….., Ken West

(if you can fill in the gaps, please email the Webmaster)

Not easy to identify from the small picture – click to expand!  I’ll attempt to describe who is where!  From the back of the picture, underneath the left hand honours board, scratching his head – Andy Bushell; to the left of the right hand honours board, back to the camera, is Bob Field, with Nigel Dickson just under the bottom left corner of the Board; Cliff Cork is facing the camera, adjusting his tie.  On the next table nearer the camera (and facing the camera) from right to left is Bryan Short, Marc Stewart, Ken Sears and Stanley Evans.  In the foreground on the far right is Graham Barnes; seated at the table nearest the camera on the right is Greg Pope; standing on the far left, back to the camera, hands clasped behind his back is the Headmaster, Harold Vafeas.  All others either unclear or unknown.  Happy to add names if anyone can fill the gaps!

Despite diligent research over many years, it is remarkable how many Old Bordenians there were who perished in the 1939-45 War in the service of this Country and yet whose sacrifices remained unrecorded by the School or the Association. As these omissions came to light, their names were added to the old Memorial Honours Board in the main vestibule of the School – until there was no room left for further additions.

Last year, therefore, the Committee decided to put this right, and commissioned a new Honours Board which has now been installed. It contains 42 names in alphabetical order, except for the last one, N.A. Monday, whose death during the War was unknown to us when the new Board was prepared.

 At the same time, it was decided to commission another new Honours Board commemorating those who fell in the 1914-1918 War, and the two Boards are adjacent to each other in the vestibule. We have the names of only five Old Bordenians who are known to have been killed in First World War – which in some ways is remarkable when you reflect on the appalling number of casualties in France, Flanders and elsewhere. However, the School roll was much smaller in those days, and of course at this distance in time we are less certain that our records are complete. If you know of any names not recorded on either Honours Board, please contact the Secretary.

Each year, the Roll of Honour is read out at a simple Service of Remembrance attended by representatives of the Association, the staff and the pupils. It brings home the extent of the sacrifices made by Old Bordenians – mostly young men who in the normal course of events could have looked forward to years of fulfilment like most of their more fortunate contemporaries. [Editor's note: The annual Service of Remembrance will be held on 19 September 2009 this year.  A short article of the Service will be posted.]

If you have any school photos that you would like us to feature on the site, then please let us know

If you have any school photos that you would like us to feature on the site, then please let us know

If you have any school photos that you would like us to feature on the site, then please let us know

If you have any school photos that you would like us to feature on the site, then please let us know

If you have any school photos that you would like us to feature on the site, then please let us know

“On entering the New School”

At last, after waiting for fifty long years,
A marvellous vision to us now appears;
A spacious new school, done in brick, red and white,
Our jubilant hearts give a leap at the sight.
The great day has come, like the sun through the clouds,
The school to a man in the Dining Hall crowds;
“Let’s feast to the Gov’nors, who’ve turned up some trumps,
And bring us to bliss from our present old dumps.
Come turn out your linings and purchase good wine,
Then solemnly join hands and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ “
So heedless of rain and with arms full of books,
Past wurtzel and bungalows, sling we our hooks;
All eyes fixed ahead on the splendid new place,
Sporting a silk flag, all bordered with lace.
“Some brand new idea,” we all nod to ourselves,
And forward we trip like a concourse of elves;
Softly we glide, whispering praise,
Submitting each room to our wondering gaze.

Yet, ‘mid all these splendours, who feels not regret,
For the Borden of memories, dear to us yet?            A.W.S.

From “The Bordenian”  July 1929

“The first Term in our new building is almost over, and we have settled down to the new routine with the minimum of disturbance, although workmen are still putting finishing touches to the building.  The grounds in front of the School have also to be put in order, and the hard tennis courts to be surrounded with netting.   The playing fields are, of course, not yet ready for use, and the prolonged drought has made it difficult to get the large field into more than a semblance of order, in spite of the use of a steamroller.  Arrangements were made for the use of the ground of the Sittingbourne F.C., for School matches and first eleven practice, and the team is to be congratulated on its excellent record this Term, seeing that no small part of the Term had passed before cricket got going.  The position with regard to football next Term is also causing anxiety, but everything possible will be done to provide satisfactory pitches.”

(Note that although the School is thought of as being moved in 1928, and the dates on the drainpipe hoppers say 1928, it actually began formal education on 25 April 1929 for the Summer Term.)

“This Term Mr. A. C. Howard, B.A., has joined the Staff of the School as French Master, and we offer him a hearty welcome.  Mr. Howard is an Old Boy of the School.”  ( ‘Jimmy’  Howard retired and left Borden officially on 31 August 1969 after 40 years – JM.)

“There are now 180 boys in the School, three having entered and eight left since last Term.  There were 158 candidates for Free Place Scholarships at the examination held at the School on May 4th.  A list of successful candidates is given elsewhere.”

R E Brend W G Brown J H Burstow S W Dane W W French
K A Goddard W H Kemp R W Martyn H C Mount S H Price
D S Radford A W H Shepherd  H Wells               
(All these had Sheppey addresses and note the name Goddard -JM)

Published below is the whole school photograph for 1929, in 4 parts.  Some of you will be able to identify a few names, most likely from amongst the staff that made the move to the present site.  What is intriguing about the photo is not necessarily the participants but what can be seen in the background at the edges.  At the left hand end the houses in Albany Road can be seen.  At the right hand side however only the Social Club and Berwyn (the Bishop’s house) are visible.  The rest is open fields as far as the eye can see, across Bell Road and beyond. On the other side of Bell Road was Bowes Park owned by the Bowes family who lived in ‘Glovers House’ which stood on the corner of Highsted Road and Bell Road.  The Park had a circular cycling track with an ash surface and was the centre of attraction for many events of different kinds during the late 1890’s and early 1900’s.

The 1929 photo shows 10 staff for the 180 boys.  Compare this with the 1960 photo published earlier in the year where 426 pupils had 23 staff and the same building with only the addition of the Woodwork Room and Biology Lab.  Those pupils in 1929 must have rattled around in the building compared with those in 1960!

Original article by John Macrae.