1920 to 1944 - The OldWinburnians

Year

Events

1920

1921

Dr W E Hadden starts school at the prep department aged 8. His brother Henry had preceded him, eventually became Vicar of Alderholt. They travelled by train from West Moors, where their father was the local Doctor. There were then 30-35 boarders. During his time the Chantry in School Lane was bought, added several rooms to the accomodation. The boys sat for Oxford School Certificate and London Matriculation exams, at age 15, and Oxford Higher Certificate at 18. The Army Cadet Force existed and about one third of the boys belonged. They competed for the Lucas-Tooth Shield against Sherborne and Hardy's School at Dorchester. At the beginning they played football and cricket in fields just before Julian's Bridge leaving Wimborne. Then the fields off East Borough were bought and games transferred there. They had two swimming places on the River Stour, Big Leaze and Little Leaze. Commemoration Day was in July each year, they marched into the Minster singing Onward Christian Soldiers, and listened to the interminable Bidding Prayer which recited all the pious legacies of the previous centuries. Prize-giving followed, in Big School. There was no school uniform, but they had the chocolate and cerise school ties. There were no prefects. School was from Monday to Saturday 9 to 4. The house system, Richmond, Derby and School, was introduced in his day.
Obit Rev'd. George Styles MA, Chairman of the Governors.
Obit. Rev'd. Canon E R Bernard l. 1852, was Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury. Improvements include 2 more rooms for boarders, a larger carpentry shop on the Chantry site, old physics lab has engineering shop added.
Re-organisation of classes: preparatory form: then forms I, II, III, IVB, IVA, VB, then VA,  who take Senior Local Certificate: VI sit for Oxford Higher School Certificate. The new intake of Governors include the Earl of Shaftesbury, C R Hay, S C Riley and F Richards.
The WAR MEMORIAL was completed and mounted. It is now at QE School.
Commem this year presided over by the Bishop of Woolwich, who had, as Rev. W W Hough, been maths master from 1882 -1887. The new Vicar of Wimborne, Canon A L Keith took the service. Numbers increased to 187 pupils.
At the Inter-school sports at Shaftesbury, they won by 13.5 points to Shaftesbury's 8 and Poole's 5.5 points. S J Barton won High jump, Long jump, 220 yards, and the Hurdles. A D Ward came 2nd in both High Jump and Long Jump. The latter left in the summer and joined the Western Telegraph Co.

1922

Cadet Corps won the Lucas-Tooth Shield, competing against Weymouth and Shaftesbury Grammar Schools. Governors set up subscription to finance new buildings..

1923

The headmaster announces the departure of Charles Fowler. He was presented with a list of 250 subscribers and a cheque for 110 guineas. Visibly affected by these marks of esteem, as he was by the presentation of a gold watch by the Old Winburnbians Association the day before. OWA dinner presided by General F C Trotman KCB.
The Governors bought the Chantry in School Lane to provide much-needed classrooms. Alterations and improvements made to the Chemistry lab. Obit: Lt-Col E K Fletcher, younger son of Walter Fletcher and grandson of the former headmaster.
At Christmas Big School was packed for a concert towards the school extensionfund. The Nigger Troupe performed De Ole Banjo, Susannah, Polly Wolly Doodle and many more. Various sketches were presented. £13 were raised.

1924

At Easter a pageant at Victoria Hall in aid of the Waifs and Strays, boys gave 2 sketches, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, and Nicholas Nickelby. st Literary and Debating Society formed: 1 debate “Literary and Debating Societies should be abolished”, proposal won by 21 to 7.
At a performance of The Gondoliers in Wimborne W R Hibberd was the Grand Inquisitor, Ronald Gomer conducted, and P F Tanner played the drums.
T W Tapping joins the staff. C H Watts Parkinson, OW and governor, presents a cup for the boy getting highest marks at School Cert. Kept in Big School, as are cups for Games, shooting and Gymnastics.
Lucas-Tooth Shield: school came in behind Shaftesbury and Weymouth.
The Roll of Honour containing the names of all who served in the Great War affixed to the wall of Big School. In 2010 it was rediscovered at the Royal British Legion and presented to QE School where it now resides.
Accompanied by the Headmaster, a party went to the Great Exhibition at Wembley, seem to have visited everything.

1925

The School acquires an extensive stretch of water bordering East Boro. This is evidently what we afterwards called the Playing Field. The OWA held a smoker on 17 Dec, and had quite a good attendance.
Picture of the whole school in 1925.

1926

At Commemoration the preacher was Rev. Stanhope Nourse OW, Rural Dean of Honiton. The Headmaster spoke of the need for better accomodation for more than 200 boys, and hope to have it before long. After prizegiving, James Druitt at school 70 years earlier told of escapades of boys of his day, his speech not being exactly the orthodox reminiscences of an old gent to the rising generation.
Obit. Charles Curtis who went to Australia 1867, was made archdeacon of Hastings and Vicar of Kempsey, Warden of the Bush Brotherhood at Bellbrook in 1923.
OW John Wellington now a missionary at Tai An in China.
A D Ward left Western telegraph and enrols at Sandhurst.  
From Mar 16 to 23 , school sports on the new field, in bitterly cold weather. K Joyner new record in 100 yds and I Lucas in High Jump. Derby House won with 166 pts, Richmond 100 pts, School 44 pts. The School tug-of-war team beat the Old Winburnians by 2 pulls to 1.
Picture of 1926 Athletic Shield Winners

1927

The New Building is now in occupation

In January John Marsh is quoted as singing a Chinese song at the dinner of the Literary and Debating Society.

Letter from Stanhope Nourse: entered school in 1876, 8 boarders were with headmaster, his 3 sons included, and 4 in Mr Pix's house, plus 30 to 40 dayboys. The highest form was Upper Vth taught by headmaster, Rev'd Chambers Harris. When Pix left, no-one occupied his house. In 1877, the school had been downgraded to Second-Grade by the Commissioners, and as a consequence, Harris left. In December the same year, Nourse left.
At  Commem on 27th July, Lady Mary Ashley-Cooper distributed the prizes.
J Eyers (son of music master) appointed Engineer in HMS Australia, which will have the Prince of Wales, Prince George and Mr Baldwin aboard on his first trip.
E F Trotman l. 1883 made Rector of Long Bredy
F Lewin l. 1892 is Manager of the Confederation Liberal Assoc in Vancouver.
A G Foot l. 1883 has retired in Canada: his brother G H J is at Collingwood Montreal
E Moine-Carrenge l. 1898 is in business in Buenos Aires
Obit. Mr Tom Game aged 85 who remembered school in 1849, when it was taught in the building that is now Lush's Restaurant.
Obit. C H Watts Parkinson, old boy, Governor and donator of the cup for Latin.
Obit. Lt-Col. R E Salkeld l. 1889. He served in India, in the Great War, and spent time campaigning in eastern Europe, where he won the Star of Romania.
Obit. E H Lovell was victim of the Holton Heath explosion of Sept. 18th.

1929

John Croft Airey M.C. M.A.
Joins a school of 150 boys. Sets out to develop the Cadet Corps, which grows from 25 to 70 members in his 1 year.
Sad death of Mr C R Fowler. His Will leaves substantial funds to the OWA. He was highly respected by all; and by those to whom he showed special attention, he was loved. He was a keen lover of all kinds of sport. Especially did he enter into the swimming of the school. An expert at handicrafts, he tried to turn boys out as respectable craftsmen.
School joins The National Savings Movement.
Thanks to Mrs Airey, whole school hears the Armistice Day Parade on the radio in Big School.

1930

A E Warren and I T Lucas become the first 2 school prefects. Other members of the upper forms are on probation for the position.
Obit Ronald Barnes l. 1923. He took great interest in the school and last October brought an XI to play against the school. He passed away after a 6-week illness.
Captain J H Row who remembered seeing the foundation stone of the school being laid in 1848, called on the headmaster.
On his last Sports Day, I T Lucas carried off 4 prizes , the Luff Cup and the Toppin Cup.  A new Cup was introduced to commemorate C R Fowler who had done so much for sport. Prizes distributed by Capt. Angus Hambro JP.
M B W Stent writes that "with regard to the chocolate and cerise School colours, these were adopted in Dr. Pentreath's time. Charlie Trotman and Hay Morrant chose them. I believe they went to Buddens and just took what they fancied". Buddens the local clothing store had several family members at the school.
H O Ransford works at Westland Aircraft in Yeovil, after leaving Armstrong Siddeley.
First medical inspection of school by County Health Officer. Very few problems.
OWA dinner revived on Sports Day, April 2nd, Bishop Beaven presiding, over 70 diners enjoyed the occasion. Number of members now exceeding 100.
Welcome to Mr H J Laidlaw BA who looks after the "nursery" Form I. Also takes the money at the Tuck Shop. This is open at 1.20 p.m. each day and also Saturday morning. Well known figures from the VIth Form dispense coffee, chocolate and buscuits.
Obit. Stanley Hayter, one of the school's practical jokers back in the 1860's, famous for singing Over the Hills and Far Away at OWA dinners, passed away on October 4th.      
Speech Day, postponed until Dec 13th, prizes given by Mr H K Vickers, principal of University College, Southampton. Mr Airey able to give report on his first 12 months, including provision of Changing rooms for sports, supervision of dinners taken on school premises, train boys doing homework in school after 4-o-clock, opening of clothing and tuck shop.

1931

In the last year number of boarders raised from 8 to 18. Minster dormitory opened.
At the same time as the Winburnian makes mention of Stuart Hibberd as BBC announcer, it gives the obituary of  William Hibberd 1915-22, died on 22 April. He had been prominent in the local operatic society and worked for National Provincial Bank.
Edward Booker, who'd been a master 1890-95, visits, told of how he, Charles Fowler and another had lived in a hostel in King Street known as “the Barracks”.
A party went to the annual Cadet Camp held this year at Marlborough.
L D Brett, actor-manager, congratulated on his marriage to actress Miss Molly Shannon.
J Bailey scores his first century as opening bat for Hampshire at Bournemouth.
In a debate held at Merley House, OW G Swain proposed that Protection is more beneficial to the country than Free Trade. Opposed by OW J Bishop, the motion was nevertheless carried by a great majority!
Among visitors to the school “Maggot” Wilson, now a Curate at Warminster. His elder brother is a schoolmaster, and Dormouse is an Architect.
A fund is set up to either improve or rebuild the sports pavilion.
Saturday morning school introduced, with half-days on Tuesday and Thursday. However, boys must practise some sport on those 2 afternoons.
W A R Bryant wins Open Scholarship to History at Oriel College, Oxford. A G Ward wins Exhibition in Natural Science to Trinity College, Cambridge. D J C Britton created Head Boy, a first for the school.
Picture of Rubgy 15

1932

Capt. Le Brett, from Fynes-Clinton's times, retires from Royal Mail Steamship Company. He always wore the school colours aboard, and often met OW's who happened to be sailing on his ship.
A fete on June 15at the playing fields, opened by Sir John Hanham, including competitions and side-shows, raised a lot of money, £10 to Wimborne Hospital, and £20 to the Pavilion Fund, now standing at £67.8.1d.
Commem on 21 July was followed by a shooting match, School won, then they repaired to the river where a swimming tournament was won by School again, O J Price's gallant effort being pipped by Waller's last-minute surge. Excellent tea provided by Mrs. Airey and helpers. On Friday W K Lucas brought his Boldre cricket team to play the OWA before rain stopped play (they went to the Quarter Jack instead). In the evening the Masonic Hall welcomed 80 of them for a dance organised by R L Small and G C Swain. The annual dinner held next day about 50 attending, for the election of the committee and the approval of the accounts, as well as light-hearted entertainment e.g. H C Doman singing The House that Jack Built, learnt at a school concert 12 years before. Association's assets included £100 in 2.5% Consols, 31 Savings Certs @25/- ea. £100 mortgage on Mr Fowler's house at 5%, and a bank balance of £28.3.2d.
Speech Day, 4 November, prize-giving by the Viscount Hampden KCB CMG, also President of the MCC. He had been Major Airey's CO in the War. For Airey, the Viscount had been a great commander, for Hampden, Airey had been the man they could rely on to get tough jobs done. A new head boy A M Hooper appointed. After the school song, boys gave a sketch of scenes from Alice in Wonderland: P M Healey “Alice”, W L Godfrey “the Mad Hatter”, R C P Vincent “the March Hare”, P Newberry “Dormouse”, J H Withey “King of Hearts”, K G Halliday “Queen of Hearts”, D J Bartlett “White Rabbit”, K P Cater “Cook”.

1933

The OWA dance, held on 12 Jan, attended by over 100, mc'd by C J Bradley with great expertese, “best ever”. Dacombe's Dance Orchestra excelled itself.
L Budden appointed headmaster of Appleby Grammar School.
G L Harris writes inviting OW's in the area to visit him at the Council Chambers, Cirencester.
Mr W A Meadows, English master for 14 years, sadly obliged to retire due to ill-health.
G O Pearce is organist at St Christopher's Church, Southbourne, and occasionally at All Saints as well.
D M B Smart in the 4 Sikh Regiment has climbed to 20,000 ft in the Himalayas.
A V Risdon is in Folkeston, his brother J working in Yeovil and N P living at Thorpe Bay.
N A R Halliday in 29 Flying Boat Sq. at Plymouth, ran into P/O R J Kinghts-Whittome who has just graduated from RAF College Cranwell.
P T Loader is at Holton Heath Cordite Factory in the Physics Lab.
9th & 10 May, exhibition of hobbies in Big School, opened by Mrs Hambro. Best exhibit was a working railway laid out in the gym, by the Hornby Railway Club run by the boys, attracted many visitors throughout. Mr Airey was the initiator and keen supporter of this club which had premises in the roof space of the Old Building.
19 May opening of  new  sports pavilion by Sir Richard Glyn. Mrs Airey has kindly provided the new pavilion with a clock, a most welcome adjunct. Work carried out by B C Joyner cost £265.3.0d, of which the Fund was still £30 short, soon made up.
Commem 27 July. Dance afterwards attended by 80 OW's and wives. Association dinner the following evening  Chaired by Rev'd A D H Allan. Welcoming him Governor  S C Ryley, who was at the school when Allan arrived, reminisced that at that time “the school was in rather low water”. He thought there were only 26 to 30 boys. During the Rev'd Allan's 22 years at the helm “the school rose not only in numbers but in usefulness, in scholastic ability and power”.
Congrats to M J M Raymond on Foundation Scholarship at Clare College, Cambridge but also coxing their boat in May Day races.
Morris breaks his arm playing against Poole Grammar in the Ist XI soccer, whilst Hooper was unavoidably absent for 2 matches, which deprived the XI of an undefeated year.
16 Dec Christmas Concert in Big School enlivened by VIth Form Jazz band  playing such old favourites as Pack up your Troubles helped by the audience singalong. The Monkey's Paw saw excellent dramatic performances by Vb. Murder stalked among a cast of 8 fourth-formers in Lord Dunsany's eerie thriller A Night at the Inn. A good time was had by all.
The Wimborne Rugby Football Club contains 10 Old Winburnians.
Numbers up by 18 boys to 174

1934

Electric light is installed in the Old Building.
Davidge won the Fives competition, E C Morris was runner-up. For some time the courts had been out of use, the game forgotten, but a determined effort has been mounted to get it flourishing again.
Leading Aircraftman W G Latilla stationed in Ismailia has met up with Pilot Sergeant L M Jenkins.
T Coakes won Premier Award in the London to Land's End Rally driving a Morgan.
Obit. F Blount l. 1866, joined OWA in 1906, was its treasurer from then till 1912, was manager of Wimborne branch of National Provincial Bank.
At the annual reunion Dr Barter of Dublin 1883-85 enjoyed his visit, as did Capt Coombes, l.1886. The shooting match this time went to School with 274 points against 258. At the OWA dinner the headmaster reported that the VIth Form had only 6 boys, against 17 in 1931, because too many were leaving after passing School Cert.         C A Stride has become manager for Firestone Tyre Co for the Western area.
M Raymond passed Engineering with Ist Class Hons and tied for the J B Seely Aeronautics Prize, whilst his brother R G passed Law Society Intermediate.
Obit. Rev'd H E H Coombs l. 1886. Was at St John's College, Cambridge, became Curate at All Saints, Child's Hill, Middlesex, then Vicar of Houghton, Carlisle. Rector of Freshwater from 1907 to 1917.
Mr R Thurlow and Mr J B Ellison join the staff.
Speech Day Nov 1st Headmaster remarked on increase in numbers to 199 pupils.The Bishop of Sherborne preached.
A sloping stage for the school plays and concerts has been constructed by boys under the supervision of Mr Drury. The platform consists of 14 sections which stand on the floor at the west end of Big School. A superstructure carries curtain and drop cloths. Mrs Airey designed and made the curtains. Floodlights and spots made by OW Mr Burt. All is portable. J B Jenkins and R H Dacombe put in a lot of work to achieve this.
Stuart Hibberd awarded the MBE
B Sutherland marries Miss Fenton in Rio de Janeiro: his brother L is working for Royal Mail Lines in Buenos Aires: his other brother N is in Colombia managing a brickworks.

1935

Mr E Huntington BA joins the school taking charge of fourth form necessitated by increased numbers.
14 boys passed School Cert, including Richard Todd.
Capt. Coombs, chairman of the OWA, notwithstanding his advanced age, attended the cricket, Commemoration, shooting, swimming, AGM, scavenge hunt, Communion Service on Sunday morning, and the annual dinner, over the 4 days of these ceremonies. Not only that, but a party of 50 including wives went to Sandbanks for the evening and had a thoroughly good time.
At Commem the Rev'd C B Canning, headmaster of Canford School, preached the sermon, dwelling, enviously it seemed, on the long tradition behind WGS.
At the OWA dinner the Headmaster explains the proposed New Building is to include 3 classroome and 2 labs, to be built on the site of the old Chantry, whereby the head loses his garden.
Old Winburnians Employment Bureau. Times were hard, jobs were scarce, it was decided to set up help for leavers to get onto the jobs ladder, paid for out of OWA funds.
J Bullock l. 1903 visits from South Africa was interested to see how things had changed since his time.
Darkie Foote, remembered for his culinary efforts at Cadet Camps in Kimmeridge long ago, visits.
C K Gould now manages Barclays Bank in Thame, Oxon.

1936

Spring Term sees the beginning of the construction of New Buildings on north side of playground. Contained 3 form rooms, a Chemistry and a Physics lab, cloakrooms, toilet and boiler room. It had the comfort of central heating, unlike the main school with its stoves and fireplaces.
A W Roberts writes about his seafaring activities: sailing to S America in a 5 and a half ton yacht, shipwrecked, picked up by an American schooner, this dismasted, rescued by the American Navy. Then bought a schooner Quartette, in which he traded West Africa and West Indies, after which he worked in the West Indies schooner market. Now he writes for the Daily Mail.
R J Legg works in the Health Dept of Southend-on-Sea.
Inky Inkpen has passed exam of Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute.
Lucas won the High Jump and Long Jump in sports championship in Salisbury, Rho.
Summer Term sees New Building in Use! Even if not quite finished yet.
For the first time in 5 years, the Cadet Corps goes to camp, somewhere near Wareham. 33 boys went under the command of Lt. Huntington. They went on a route march which terminated at the camp of the 4 Batt. Dorsets where they saw machineguns in action and signals sections at work.
Percy Collins 1893-96 visited, spoke of his brother also at school, they were both in Ist XI soccer, whose captain was Rusty Greenhill. Praised Charles Fowler as a “fine English gentleman and sportsman”.
A girder installed across Big School which was getting a bit shaky.
Dec 3: Earl of Shaftesbury opens New Buildings. Lovely pic of the Cadet Corps drawn up on parade inspected by the great man. He presented the prizes and spoke on the traditions of the school and duty to maintain them.
Obit. Mr W C Sutherland, master from 1909 to 1927, died in Buenos Aires while visiting his  3 sons.

1937

Easter trip for a week in Paris led by Mr Drury. Got round all the sights, liked the food but deplored the lack of cutlery. Magnificent buildings but poor shops. Chaotic traffic but few accidents. Dirty buses, decrepit tubes but smart taxis. Escorted around the offices of Le Matin, saw the paper being printed, noted with satisfaction that all the machines were British!
B J Horsey appointed Horticulture Instructor at St Benedict's School, Mortimer.
F Cutler is with the RAOC in Cairo.
Holiday May 11 to 18 for the Coronation. 3 boys from the school attended it, C A Palmer, R L Watkins, & H F G Andrews. OW A M Hooper carried the colours of Ist City of London Territorials lining the route.
Mr A R Jolly BA joins the school as resident music master. All forms will now take Music. Equally, all forms now take Scripture.
26 boys pass School Cert, 9 with Matric. Exempt. and 1 Higher School Cert.
Cadet Corps up to 81. Lance Cpls. Reggett, James and Tait are promoted to Corporals. Now organised in 3 platoons. 9 days Camp on Isle of Wight.
Richard Todd likes acting. Sending his sub he wrote “life on the stage I find more bewildering, more interesting and more worth the trouble every day”.
Jim Bailey, in the Lancashire league, has made over 1,000 runs, first to do that feat in one season.
N Bright, watching a cricket match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, met Halliday, one of his pals at school.
Lt. D M B Smart was with the German Himalayan expedition which failed so disastrously in July. At Camp IV he was obliged to descend to Camp III because some bearers had become sick. Then Camp IV was obliterated by snowfalls, and it took 10 days to get back up only to find that the 6 men there had all died.
A Gold Mine in Rhodesia. Title of a 500-word article in the Winburnian no. 76, by “a smallworker”, presumably Hayter, must be one of the oddest that were ever contributed. Reading it, you realise just what stern stuff Old Winburnians are made of. And what enterprise.

1938

The Winburnian gets a dashing new cover, and a new font designed by N. Kearl. (an anagram perhaps?). Very 1930's!
Funded by proceeds from School Play, a Wireless Set is installed in Big School. An All-Mains Marconi, with a Columbia record player, extension loudspeakers set up at the back of Big School and in Room 9. Has already been used for BBC lessons, and lunch hour music.
Sgt. Tubby Jenkins, an instructor at RAF Halton, recognised recruit D G Creamer as an OW by the colour of his socks! Both Cater and Pearce are Leading Apprentices there.
The OW Employment Bureau found posts for R A Newberry and K G Holloway.
Cadet Corps captured Lucas-Tooth Shield from Weymouth, first time since 1922.
28 School Certs, 1 Higher. In March E G Frampton, W L Godfry, K G Holloway, R A Newbery, R C Vincent all passed the Civil Service exam and got posts.
1 Jun. An ARP van in the playground gave boys a chance to try their gas masks in tear gas.
Robin Adair journies from London to Calcutta in a 30 h.p. Ford V8 to join his posting in the Indian Civil Service. Crossed to Ostend on Oct 1 37, reached Calcutta on Dec 4. They were 4 in the car and encountered every conceivable difficulty: “bent the track rod to an angle of 20 degress, had to take it out and bend it straight in a cleft of the rocks”. Etc.
Speech Day 3 Nov. held at the Tivoli for 1 time. The headmaster states that with 272 boys now, necessary to refuse entry to some applicants, more accomodation is needed. The Ministry is required to provide more elementary schools, and re-armament means there's less money, but he felt there was real justification in building extra classrooms.
Alex Robertson, who works for MacFisheries, writes that he travels all over the country to buy fish, and his brother E is now established in Lewisham.
10 Dec, Tony Haynes performs his trademark conjuring tricks at OW dinner.

1939

Cadet Corps win the Lucas-Tooth Shield for second year running. It remains in Big School throughout the War.
Trip to Belgium with School Travel Services. They met and mingled with many other school parties arrived at Dover, including 3 other Queen Elizabeth Schools. Were much moved by visit to the place where Nurse Edith Cavell was shot by Germans in WWI. Waterloo was an obligatory stop as were the great Memorials of the last war, which “could not have failed to instil into everyone the gloomy horrors and cruelty of war”.
25 pupils passed School Cert, 2 Higher.
Mr J J Sandison and Mr W E Streets join the school, whereas Mr Huntington joins his regimant, King's Own Royal Reg't of Foot.
In accordance with Board of Agriculture, school takes 2 allottments.
Works carried out, mainly by the staff, to sandbag and re-inforce various parts of the structure. Black-out arrangements were constructed and put into place. Buckets of water appeared in the corridors and rooms. Each form assigned a position it must assume in the event of an air raid. Frequent rehearsals are held, aim to get in position in 2 minutes.
The Annual Reunion on 20-22 July went ahead in spite of King Rain interrupting the cricket match, cancelling the tennis, and cancelling the evening boating on the river. They disported themselves instead at the Riverside Tea Rooms.
Speech Day held in Big School with only boys and Governors present. Mrs Airey distributed the prizes and was presented with a bouquet by the youngest boy.

1940

The OW annual dinner held 13 Jan 1940 attended by several in uniform. Guest speaker Mr W Lovell, headmaster of Wimborne Boys School, dwelt on the exceptional variety of professions and activities of the OW's. He was sure “no other similar organisation could claim such a wonderful and varied type of membership”.
The worst cold for 40 years and an epidemic of German Measles disrupted lessons.
“Form Va has its revenge. THE SHAMING OF THE TRUE an all-singing, all-dancing, all-talking show. A Lush-Edwards- Dyer Production. Dialogue: editorial bard. Makeup: all of it. Technicolour: you'll see red”.  This disgraceful effort takes up 4 pages of The Winburnian.
ARP exercises redoubled: appeal for Local Defence Volunteers resulted in boys and Masters joining the Home Guard. During summer holidays many boys came in to re-inforce sandbags, fitting windows with shatter-proof muslin, crops gathered and ground dug on allottment.
M M Denny RN awarded CBE for services in Norway & Dunkirk evacuation.
F/O L A Haines receives DFC for shooting down 7 enemy aircraft.
I J Jukes assisted in evacuation from Dunkirk.
Sgt Tony Cater with King's African Rifles. Ken is on ground staff of the American Eagle Squadron.
“Pickles” Small is Flight-Mechanic-Rigger in the RAF.
Alec Troke RN returned to England on an American Lend-lease destroyer.
Obit. Sgt-Pilot Trevor Budden died on active service.
Obit. F R Rushton l. 1883. With the letter his son sent a school list 1882, with many names familiar in the school today, Pope, Webb, Barnes, Austin, Bishop, Mitchell.
Miss M ( Maggie ) Holmes joins, teaches Biology and Chemistry.
Speech Day, Nov 1, Mr Airey reports that they are keeping as many activities as they can, given the problems of black-out and public transport, such as school play and school sports, matches against other schools etc.
Prizes presented by Sir Richard Glyn inluded H L Douch winning Cup and Prize for Classics, VIth Form Science: J Webb, Music: R R Perry, Art: E O F Bailey, First Aid: F H Sims, Cricket: S F Durrant, Athletic Cup: D S V Rake. The Choir sang Parry's England, and Sweet and Low; Hames, Holloway, Perry and Tony Hilliam songs from The Mikado. Ivor Hilliam used his deep bass to render Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Deep River, all wound up by Mr Jolly ( shortly to depart to Army service ) playing Chopin's Polonaise.
Obit. Sqn-Ldr. Hugh Beck who was at school from 1923-27, died on active service.
Andy Hooper transferred from Royal Fusiliers to Reconnaissance Regt.
P H G Burgess serving in Heavy A A Artillery, explains how a calculating machine helps them to hit the target every time. ( early reference to computers?)
G Dacombe and Pickles Small met while on training.
J K Bennett has been promoted to 2 Lt.
J E D Lockyer has been bombed out of his house.

1941

Owing to bad weather, rugger, boxing, fives and Gym competitions all hindered.
As Air Raid Precaution, the boarders are obliged to sleep in Big School.
Stan Durrant reports that R F Sims now has his Wings in the RAF.
Visit by Guardsman Wells.
Many senior boys attended summer harvest camp at Tory's Farm Witchampton during summer hols.
Success in School Cert: 28 Lower, 1 Higher.
J D Sturman is training in the Fleet Air Arm.
Mr Tapping met Tubby Jenkins whilst on a course at Air Training Corps HQ.
Obit. R Chalmers, who was in a Wellington bomber which crashed.

1942

School play in the Women's Institute Hall. 3 performances of As You Like It given, plagued by power cuts, on one occasion “luckily 20% of the audience carried torches, so they carried on by torchlight”.
Mr Maiden called up to Royal Corps of Signals, Mr Hodges takes over his role of supervising Fives. Out of 26 entrants to the Cadet Corps' Cert A Pt I, 24 passed, entailing work carried on after school lessons between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. In the end, almost all passed Part II also, in July, and a half-holiday was declared to celebrate. Harvest Camp at Tory's Farm at East Hemsworth.
Jack Pearce and K Porter reported missing in the Far East.
Donald Pratt is in the Scout movement in Rhodesia.
Stan Durrant in training with RAF, turned up at sportsday, as did Guardsman Wells.
Sgt-Pilot D J Smith is flying Spitfires, W/O C Wesley is training to be a pilot.
D G Gale, Admiralty clerk, escaped from Singapore just before Japanese occupied it.
Obit. Ivan Lucas. Serving in the Middle East, shot dowm by 3 fighters, his guns were blazing right until his aircraft hit the ground. Probably the best athlete the school ever had, regularly winning the High Jump wherever he went. He could leap a 5-bar gate with ease.
4 December Speech Day. 29 of 34 candidates passed School Cert, 17 Matric. Numbers stand at 287.

1943

Capt B D Sutherland is awarded Military Cross in Burma.
C B R Osborne now commands an MTB in the Navy.
Wireless operator R K Page now in India, met R L Miller in Durban on his way there.
“Farmer” Wright is on an Officer Training Course in York.
Mr Sandison is a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in North Africa.
Visitor Cpl E B Bartlett reports that Jack Pearce is a POW in Japan, and Sgt Jack Skinner is serving in the Middle East, D H Bevis now has a commission serving in the same area.
A visitor from Mr Fynes-Clinton's time, H Warry, reports that his contemporary H Cummings is a prisoner in Singapore, whilst another, Rear-Admiral W Whitworth of Narvik fame, is second Lord of the Admiralty.
Eric Benham, wounded in the head in Libya.
Mr M K Thurlow leaves to go to Leigh Grammar School. He was responsible for fitting out the Chemistry and Physics Labs in the New Building to high standards.
Mr Tapping leaves, after having served the school since 1924. Mr Dennis returns from war service.
A Poem called AMPHRODITE by Lieutenant Richard Brinsley Watkins of Broadstone, is published in The Winburnian no. 92, Summer Term 1943.
R Douch becomes Head Boy
Crisis: shortage of Fives gloves, but Barrow beat Douch for the Open Cup on an exceedingly hot day.
There were 37 passes in School Cert, and 4 Higher.
Obit: Mr W A Meadows, former English and woodwork master, who served as longtime treasurer to the OWA after retiring from the school.
Obit: Lt. Col. D M B Smart has been accidently killed on field operations.
Obit: Arthur Druitt, a founder member of the OWA.

1944

The Governors pay for the restoration of the painting of Queen Elizabeth.
The Empire Poster Competition won by I P R James against stiff competition.
At Speech Day the prizes were given by the Vicar of Sixpenny Handley, Rev'd. W J C James OW, whose two sons, also OW's, are now in the RAF.
They had 45 School Cert passes and 4 Higher, a record.
Last week of Spring term the portable stage set up in Big School for the Annual School Concert produced by Lionel Jeffries, ably assisted by John Thunder, with A A Henning playing the piano accompaniment.
Doug Foyle discharged from the RAF for medical reasons.
Capt. C A Palmer offers any passing  OW a room in his bungalow at Rawalpindi.
G Kidd, last heard of in Sicily, writes that he moved to Naples, and recently climbed Mount Vesuvius. 4 days later, it erupted!
Mr. A H Williams M.A. joins the school.
In early August a large number of boys attended Cadet Corps Camp at Beaminster.
A Dudley Ward DSO, Major-General sends his best wishes to all OW's. The 4 Infantry Division, commanded by him took part in fighting between the Gothic Line and the via Emilia.
Stuart Hibberd of the BBC awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Society of Arts.
C W Jukes is at OCTU, A L is now a Squadron Leader, I J is a Lieut. in the Navy.
Mr A R Maiden in Ceylon is getting plenty of tennis. Mr Eric Huntington in Italy has taken up a post as Instructor at Infantry School.
Ralph Dacombe back after 2 years abroad as Wireless Operator: Roland is i/c maintenance at a large Signals Station: Gordon is i/c maintenance at an RAF station in S Wales.
637950 Corporal Froud in a letter dated  21 June describes the barrage at El Alamein as seen from Alexandria, and following the army 800 miles to Benghazi.
Gordon Lord wounded at Arnhem.