Reunions
As an introduction (and as I had nowhere else to put it!), I include a report from the Dorset Year Book
for 1952 - 53 on the Old Grammarians Club dinner, held on 12 January 1952.
The report was kindly sent in by Nigel Newbery.
Left to right: Rev. L.J. Medway, M.A., Governor*, A.D. Jackman, Governor*, Lt.-Col. Sir Thomas Salt, Bt.,
Vice-Chairman, Governor,
W. Hodges, Chairman Governors*, R.W. Hill, O.B.E., Headmaster, Alderman W.J. Fare*, Councillor H.G. Longman, Governor*,
Alderman A.R. Jeffrey, Governor*, T.J. Score, Governor*, F.C.H. Dennett*.
* Old Boy
"The first reunion of the Old Grammarians Club since the war, was held at the Antelope Hotel, Dorchester on January 12th, 1952,
when 140 members attended. The senior Old Boy was Mr. Wilfred Hodges, founder of the Club in 1924 and Chairman of the governing
body. Others present were Sir Thomas Salt, Vice-Chairman of the Governors, Mr. R.W. Hill, O.B.E. (Headmaster), Messrs. T. Score,
A.D. Jackman, A.R. Jeffrey, W.J. Fare, and the Rev. L.J. Medway (Governors), Messrs. J. Shellabear, Chairman of the Club, F.J. Fox
(Hon. Secretary), E. Rossiter, F.C.H. Dennett and L.R.N. Mills.
"The Chairman recalled his early days at the school when the number was about 40; today it was 470, including 100 boarders
accommodated in three boarding houses - such was the result of the great work of the Headmaster.
" In welcoming Old Boys from London and Oxford, Mr. Hill remarked that it was exactly twenty-five years and a day since he had
attended at the Town Hall to meet members of the Old Boys' Club - from that time, he had always felt that he had a corporate spirit
behind him and the Club now had the right to elect two of their members to the governing body; in all, six members of the governing
body were Old Boys and all were present that night.
"A tribute to the hard work of Mr. John Shellabear as provisional chairman of the Club was paid by Sir Thomas Salt and, in reply Mr.
Shellabear announced that a general meeting of members would be held towards the end of the month to formulate future policy. A novel
feature of the later proceedings was the reproduction by Det. Superintendent E. Rossiter of records made earlier in the evening of
impressions of several of the old boys."